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Government Shutdown Enters 14th Day; Trump Set to Meet with Zelenskyy | NTD Good MorningSenators are returning to Capitol Hill on Tuesday with no deal in sight to reopen the government as the shutdown enters the 14th day. The Treasury Department said it's adjusting payment processes to ensure active-duty service members can continue to be paid during the shutdown. House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) said on Monday that this could yet become the longest shutdown in history. Democrats remain insistent that Republicans must negotiate on health care policy before they'll cast the votes needed to end the deadlock.President Donald Trump is set to meet with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in Washington on Friday. The two leaders are expected to discuss air defense. Kyiv has been pressing the United States for Tomahawk missiles, but Trump said he may speak with Russian President Vladimir Putin before making a final decision. The president also confirmed plans to meet with China's Xi Jinping at the APEC summit later this month.A powerful nor'easter has battered the East Coast for three days, killing at least one person and flooding coastal towns from New York to Delaware. In Alaska, the remnants of Typhoon Halong have left a trail of devastation, sweeping homes away and killing at least one person. In Arizona, storms have turned streets into rivers, leaving one dead and tens of thousands without power.

Hello nerds.When I first started interviewing Scott Santens years ago during the Nerds for Yang era, he was one of the most relentless and articulate advocates for universal basic income (UBI) in America. Back then, it felt like the country was on the verge of something big. Andrew Yang was on the debate stage making “Freedom Dividend” a household phrase. Silicon Valley technologists were whispering about automation in the same breath as moral responsibility. Even Republican voters were entertaining the idea that direct cash transfers might be less bureaucratic and more empowering than sprawling social programs.Fast forward to 2025, and the conversation feels quieter. The pandemic-era stimulus checks are long gone. Washington has reverted to tribal warfare. Meanwhile, AI is advancing faster than anyone—maybe even Scott and Andrew —predicted. The irony is thick: the very forces that made UBI seem like a radical idea a decade ago are now transforming entire industries before our eyes. And yet, the movement feels stuck in neutral.So when Scott rejoined me on Nerds for Humanity this month from his new base in Washington, D.C., I wanted to know: What happened? Why did UBI lose its moment? And is there a realistic path back to the mainstream before millions of Americans get left behind?The Move to D.C. and the Lost MomentScott began by explaining why he left New Orleans for D.C. a few years ago. “It just seemed that UBI was really a bigger part of the conversation,” he said. “I thought if the Democrats came in again in 2024, I could actually get some traction.”He laughs a little when he says that now. “That didn't end up happening,” he admitted, reflecting on how the Biden reelection froze the kind of idea competition that defined 2020. “The big problem was that Biden decided to run again, and there was no primary process. Then suddenly Kamala comes in and still no primary process. So there was no ideas competition. We really missed out on that.”That lack of competition, Scott argues, has a ripple effect. Political movements thrive on moments of contrast, when new ideas bump up against old dogmas and voters are forced to re-evaluate assumptions. The 2020 race—with Yang, Sanders, Warren, and others pitching structural reforms—was one of those rare idea-rich moments. 2024, by comparison, was a desert.As Scott put it bluntly: “We were close enough to taste it during the pandemic. It really felt like we were actually on the cusp of doing a monthly cash payment that could change things. But none of that happened.”He's not wrong. The COVID checks were, in effect, a large-scale experiment in direct income support. Poverty temporarily plummeted. Families caught their breath. Consumer demand stayed strong. And then we let it all expire.AI Ate the Jobs While America SleptWhat's striking about this quiet period, as I noted to Scott, is that the threat he and Yang warned about—the automation of work—is no longer hypothetical. Knowledge worker jobs are being eaten by AI faster than policy debates can catch up.“I'm a parent of two teenagers,” I told him. “Other parents are starting to wonder if a computer science degree is still the golden ticket. Should we be preparing our kids to be plumbers instead?”Scott nodded grimly. “It's disheartening,” he said. “Now that these impacts are here… this is the stuff that we've been warning about. It's not a sudden thing, but it does seem to already be impacting the entry-level job market.”He pointed to a convergence of pressures: corporate hiring freezes driven by uncertainty around tariffs, companies experimenting with AI productivity tools, and executives under shareholder pressure to “do more with less.” The result: stagnating headcount even in high-growth sectors.“We don't really need people that we likely would have if AI had not been introduced,” he said. I observed from Silicon Valley, “What we're seeing right now is that companies can grow revenue while keeping headcount flat.”It's not a collapse. It's a quiet deceleration—a slow bleed. And that's arguably more dangerous because it doesn't provoke a policy response. There's no headline-grabbing “AI layoffs.” Just the invisible absence of opportunities for millions of new grads.Even top business schools are struggling to place students. “It's like the hardest market in years,” Scott said, and I agreed. “If we hit a recession,” he warned, “that's when all these businesses really lean into productivity. The recession ends, and they realize they don't need those people back.”That scenario—automation accelerated by economic downturn—is the nightmare UBI advocates have been predicting for over a decade. Each downturn becomes a ratchet that permanently eliminates another layer of middle-class work.The Automation MirageWhen politicians talk about “bringing manufacturing jobs back,” Scott and I get visibly frustrated. “I don't think people realize—you don't need that many people in those factories anymore,” I said.He reminded me of a chart he once published showing that U.S. manufacturing output is higher than ever, even though manufacturing employment has fallen dramatically. “We're manufacturing more than ever, we just have fewer jobs,” he said. “If we did reshoring, sure, we could manufacture even more, but jobs would continue going down.”I brought up a U.S. tech investor who recently toured Chinese EV plants. “He said the number of BYD employees per car is something like a fifth of what it is for Ford or GM,” I told Scott. “If we build plants here, we're not going to hire 20 people per car—we'll hire four or five.”Scott didn't hesitate: “Exactly. The only way to bring it back is to minimize labor. American labor is expensive. You can't both re-shore and keep the same job intensity.”Then he pivoted to a deeper critique of political dishonesty. “Trump sold a lot of people false hope,” he said. “He told them, ‘Once I negotiate these trade deals, everything's gonna be back to post–World War II full employment.' But that's a lie. We've heard that lie over and over again, even from people in the AI world. They say this will create more jobs than it displaces. Come on. We all know the realities.”This is the paradox of modern capitalism: productivity growth has decoupled from employment growth. We make more stuff with fewer people. And our political imagination hasn't caught up to that new reality.From Careers to Gigs: The New NormalScott traced this shift back decades. “We know what happened when we displaced people from manufacturing jobs—they went lower down the ladder into lower-paying work,” he said. “You went from careers to gig labor.”He rattled off examples that have become painfully familiar: “People now earn extra money by signing up for Uber, delivering food, DoorDashing. There's just a transformation of what employment even means.”In Scott's view, the only logical response to this is UBI. “You need to make sure everyone actually gets basic income,” he said. “That helps feed demand for new jobs. If people's incomes fall as a result of AI, demand falls. And when demand falls, the entire economy reorients.”He pointed to a staggering statistic: “Right now, the top 10% are buying half of everything produced and sold in the U.S. It's a very unequal consumption economy. The markets start ignoring the basic needs of people and reorient around luxury experiences.”That imbalance, he argued, isn't just economic—it's political. “It leads to people getting violent. It's key to the erosion of democracy.”The Coming Middle-Class AwakeningIf there's any silver lining, I said, it's that the pain is spreading up the income ladder.“I think it's going to affect a lot of middle-class and upper-middle-class people in a way it hasn't before,” I said. “When Andrew talked about truck drivers losing jobs, people thought, ‘My kid's going to college, they'll be fine.' Now they're realizing maybe not.”Scott agreed. “We just didn't realize how fast it would hit arts, music, images, and photos. I didn't think about that. It took me by surprise.”I added, “When he said doctors and lawyers, it felt far away. Now you're like—oh s**t—that's happening right now.”He laughed and I added more examples. “People are winning court cases using ChatGPT as their attorney. And with tools like Sora and Grok Imagine, you can generate realistic videos and images instantly. There's no ground truth anymore.”That last point hits hard. “You just give people a reason to doubt it,” Scott said. “You can have fake security cam footage of Sam Altman stealing something, and people will believe it. Or you can have real footage of Trump doing something, and people won't.”When truth itself becomes negotiable, democracy can't function. Evidence is the oxygen of public accountability. Once it's gone, all we have left are teams—and team loyalty.The Tariff FantasyThat team loyalty came up again when I told Scott about a debate I'd had with a MAGA relative in Florida. My brother argued that Trump's tariffs would pay for his tax cuts. Scott immediately laughed. “Even assuming that were true—which it's not—you're still taxing the working and middle class to pay for tax cuts for the rich,” he said.He broke it down simply: “It doesn't make any sense to say, ‘Tariff revenue will cover it.' Who covers the tariff revenue? It's the consumers. And yet people believe it.”Scott sees this as part of the broader epistemic collapse—people believing “whatever their team is saying,” no matter how illogical. “It's impressive in some ways,” I said. “You can propose policies that hurt your base and they'll cheer you for it.” He nodded. “Yeah. It's really frustrating.”UBI Research: Misunderstood and MisreportedI asked Scott about recent UBI research that some media outlets described as “disappointing.” His response was both sharp and nuanced.“Those weren't negative results,” he said. “They were null results.” He walked me through three often-cited studies: Baby's First Years, the Denver Homeless Pilot, and Sam Altman's Worldcoin/Overture experiment.“The key is to understand what's being tested,” he explained. “These weren't saturation pilots. They gave money to small groups of individuals. But real universal basic income changes communities. It creates new demand, new jobs, new dynamics.”He contrasted these with the Alaska Permanent Fund, which distributes oil dividends to every state resident annually. “In Alaska, we saw an overall increase in employment due to the dividend,” he said. “Some people worked less, but the spending created new jobs.”That's the essence of his argument: if you only study individuals, you miss the macro effects.He was especially skeptical of the way media covered the Baby's First Years study, which found no measurable difference in children's brain development after four years of $333 monthly payments. “That's a null result, not a failure,” Scott said. “It doesn't mean UBI doesn't work. It just means we didn't see differences yet. Impacts often show up later in life.”He also noted that measuring brain development via EEG scans is an odd and narrow metric. “Maybe families were happier. Maybe they bought what they needed. That still matters.”The Secret Study and New FrontiersScott hinted that a major new study is underway. “There's a study I can't talk about,” he said, smiling, “but it's looking at something no other experiment has looked at. I'm excited for those results.”He also mentioned Jeff Atwood (co-founder of Stack Overflow) is funding a $50 million set of county-level pilots, focusing on rural areas. “That's exciting,” Scott said. “It's a different political slice, and it's potentially saturation-like.”Globally, he's watching Thailand closely. “They announced they were going to do a negative income tax starting in 2027,” he said. “If that happens, they'd be the first country in the world to have a basic income guarantee. It could reduce poverty by over 90%.”Then he sighed. “But the day after they announced it, their prime minister got fired. So who knows.”ITSA Foundation: Building UBI From the Ground UpScott's not just theorizing anymore. His ITSA Foundation is taking action with two ambitious projects launching next year.First, the Bootstraps documentary series, which follows families receiving a basic income to humanize the policy through storytelling. “Storytelling is key,” he said. “People need to feel it, not just read data.”Second, the Comingle app, which will create what he calls “a small basic income floor of around $50 per week without waiting for government.”“You can create it yourself, through community pooling,” he said. “If Bill Gates joined Comingle and put 7% of his income in, everyone's income would go up. Don't worry about him getting $50 a week—everyone benefits.”It's the kind of practical experimentation the movement needs: bottom-up systems proving that shared prosperity can be engineered today, not someday.Reflections: The Hard Politics of Intelligent ReformAfter the interview ended, I stayed live on the stream to share a few personal reflections—some of them, frankly, tinged with frustration.I told my audience that I'm a believer in two three-letter acronyms: UBI and RCV (ranked choice voting). I have conviction that both are essential for a healthier democracy and a fairer economy. Yet it's maddening how little traction they get compared to what dominates our discourse.This morning, I argued politics with another MAGA acquaintance on WhatsApp. He was fired up about “the trans agenda” and “illegals.” When I asked what he thought about RCV or UBI, he admitted he didn't know what they were.And that, I said, is the tragedy. Many voters are animated by cultural wedge issues that barely affect their lives, while transformative structural reforms barely register. People will march for hours over trans athletes, but not over gerrymandering, open primaries, or the collapse of middle-class livelihoods.Maybe that's why Scott is investing in storytelling. “You have to boil this down into a bumper sticker,” I said. “Or a story.” Policy briefs won't cut through a media ecosystem optimized for outrage.It's sobering to realize how little energy we allocate to existential issues—like the sustainability of democracy or the viability of a middle-class life in an AI-driven economy—compared to the performative culture wars that dominate cable news.A Political System Addicted to DistractionI sometimes wonder if America is capable of solving long-term problems anymore. We have the tools and the talent, but not the attention span.We obsess over symbolic fights while the foundations rot. Closed primaries keep extremists in power. Gerrymandered districts ensure incumbents never lose. The electoral incentives all point toward division, not solutions.UBI and RCV are, in many ways, tests of whether we can think systemically again—about incentives, about fairness, about the structural forces shaping our future. And right now, the answer seems to be: not yet.As I told my audience, “It's sad that people will march for red-meat issues where government isn't even the decisive actor, while ignoring how broken the system itself has become.”The AI asteroid is heading straight for us. Millions of jobs—white-collar jobs—are on the chopping block. And neither party is talking seriously about it. Not Trump, not Schumer, not Newsom. Maybe Andrew Yang. Maybe Buttigieg. Maybe Bernie. But as a national conversation? Crickets.What's Next: Awakening or DenialMy optimism, if you can call it that, lies in inevitability. The pain will broaden until reform becomes unavoidable. Middle-class professionals will begin to experience the same precarity that working-class Americans have faced for decades.The good news is that when comfortable people get uncomfortable, politics shifts. The bad news is that it often takes crisis to get there.UBI isn't charity. It's infrastructure for an economy that no longer guarantees stability through employment. It's the plumbing of a post-industrial democracy.Scott put it best when he said: “You have to make sure everyone actually gets basic income so you have that cash. That can feed demand for new jobs. Without it, demand falls, inequality grows, and democracy erodes.”A Call to the NerdsAs we wrapped, I asked Scott how people could stay involved. “Sign up at ItsaFoundation.org,” he said. “Subscribe to the newsletter. Next year we'll have the Bootstraps docu-series, the Comingle app, and events across the country to organize communities.”I told him I'd be cheering him on. Because, frankly, the next five years are going to test whether America is still capable of rational self-government—or if we've outsourced that too.If you've made it this far into this post, you're probably one of the few people left who actually cares about data, ideas, and structural reform. You're a nerd. And that's a good thing.But as I told my audience at the end of the livestream: being a nerd isn't enough. We need to organize, support, and amplify. If we don't, the algorithms will drown out the quiet voices of reason.So if you value this kind of long-form conversation—the kind you won't find on cable news—please consider becoming a Nerds for Humanity YouTube channel member. Memberships help cover the operating costs of the livestream and keep these discussions going. Members also get shout-outs on every show as a thank-you for keeping independent, data-driven political analysis alive.And if you can't join as a member, the next best thing you can do is like, share, and comment. That helps the algorithm surface this content to others who might just be waking up to the same questions we've been asking for years.Bye nerds. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit nerdsforhumanity.substack.com

The Gila River Indian Community in Arizona is considering a new law to banish tribal members convicted of violent crimes. A bill awaits a signature from the New York governor that aims to strengthen the Seneca Nation's ability to enforce tribal laws, which includes removing people convicted of drug trafficking and other crimes. Those are among efforts by tribes to formalize the traditional practice of banishment as tool to combat crime, but such efforts sometimes conflict with modern legal systems. In Alaska, the Native Village of Togiak faces a legal challenge after tribal members forced a man suspected of illicit alcohol sales onto an airplane to another city. We'll get insights from tribal leaders and Native legal experts on how banishment fits in with modern justice. GUESTS David E. Wilkins (Lumbee), professor at the University of Richmond Matthew Fletcher (Grand Traverse Band of Ottawa and Chippewa Indians), law professor at the University of Michigan Law School and author of the “Turtle Talk” blog J.C. Seneca (Seneca), president of the Seneca Nation Anecia Kritz (Yup'ik), president of Togiak Traditional Council Alex Cleghorn (Tangirnaq Native Village), chief operating officer for the Alaska Native Justice Center and Tangirnaq Native Village council member

The Gila River Indian Community in Arizona is considering a new law to banish tribal members convicted of violent crimes. A bill awaits a signature from the New York governor that aims to strengthen the Seneca Nation's ability to enforce tribal laws, which includes removing people convicted of drug trafficking and other crimes. Those are among efforts by tribes to formalize the traditional practice of banishment as tool to combat crime, but such efforts sometimes conflict with modern legal systems. In Alaska, the Native Village of Togiak faces a legal challenge after tribal members forced a man suspected of illicit alcohol sales onto an airplane to another city. We'll get insights from tribal leaders and Native legal experts on how banishment fits in with modern justice.

Two state attorneys general made surprise announcements last week, signaling major changes ahead in consumer protection enforcement. Missouri AG Andrew Bailey will step down September 8 to join the FBI as Co-Deputy Director, with former U.S. Attorney Catherine Hanaway already appointed as his successor through 2028. In Alaska, AG Treg Taylor announced his resignation effective August 29, amid reports he may pursue a run for governor. Both AGs have been active on hot-button issues ranging from AI and social media regulation to cybersecurity and financial data protection. For legal, compliance, and marketing teams, these leadership transitions matter: shifts in priorities, enforcement strategies, and election dynamics can quickly reshape the regulatory landscape. Hosted by Simone Roach. Based on a blog post by Paul L. Singer, Abigail Stempson, Beth Bolen Chun and Andrea deLorimier.

Zur Frage, wie Frieden in der Ukraine erreicht werden kann, fanden im August gleich zwei wichtige Treffen statt: In Alaska trafen Donald Trump und Wladimir Putin aufeinander. Kurz darauf besprachen sich in Washington Trump und Selenskyj, der von EU-Kommissionspräsidentin von der Leyen, Bundeskanzler Friedrich Merz und weiteren europäischen Spitzenpolitikern begleitet wurde. Doch was wurde bei diesen Terminen tatsächlich erreicht – und bringt das die Ukraine einem Frieden wirklich näher? Darüber spricht Anne Will in dieser Folge mit Nicole Deitelhoff. Sie ist Friedens- und Konfliktforscherin am PRIF - Leibniz-Institut für Friedens- und Konfliktforschung und Professorin an der Goethe-Universität Frankfurt. Deitelhoff sagt, es habe sich in den vergangenen Wochen tatsächlich etwas getan: Trump habe angefangen zu verstehen, dass Putin ihn nicht ernst nehme. Durch diesen “Lernerfolg” könnten die Europäerinnen und Europäer nun darauf hoffen, dass die USA ihnen zukünftig wieder stärker den Rücken decken. Gemeinsam blicken Anne Will und Nicole Deitelhoff auf Trumps überraschende Zusagen für Sicherheitsgarantien und die realistischen Szenarien für ein Ende des Krieges. Kann man Putin überhaupt zu einem Treffen mit Selenskyj bewegen – und perspektivisch zu einem Frieden? Braucht es erst einen Waffenstillstand, bevor ernsthaft verhandelt werden kann? Und welche Sicherheitsgarantien wären belastbar? Sie sprechen außerdem über die Rolle von China und Indien und über die Frage: Steht Putin unter Druck? Der Redaktionsschluss für diese Folge war Mittwoch, 3.9.2025 um 15:30 Uhr.

Julie Decker is the director and CEO of the Anchorage Museum. But before that she practiced as an artist and ran her own art gallery. Since then she's fostered a belief in the power of museums to spark action — whether that means picking up a paintbrush, reading a new book, or seeing the world differently. Her connection to the Anchorage Museum runs back to childhood, when it was little more than a single room with a borrowed collection. Her dad was a visual artist and an art teacher; he was her earliest and most influential guide into that world. He taught her to be an observer — to notice the small things — and she watched as his own work appeared in solo shows and juried exhibitions at the museum. So, for Julie, the Anchorage Museum isn't just a workplace; it's been a constant presence in her life, shaping her sense of art, community and possibility. In the work she does now, Julie envisions the Anchorage Museum as less a keeper of artifacts and more of a living platform for Alaska's stories. It acts as a collaborator and a partner — a place that listens to communities, amplifies the voices of Alaskans and connects local narratives to global conversations. In her view, Alaska's relatively small population allows individual creativity and innovation to ripple widely, making it vital to highlight imaginative thinkers, cultural disruptors and non-Western ways of knowing. That means rethinking what it means to collect — not simply holding objects, but being a responsible host and steward of the stories they carry.  In Alaska, where the natural world shapes identity and guides daily life, the museum's role is to reflect how environmental change, Indigenous lifeways and community resilience intersect. Some projects take the form of exhibitions, others emerge as films, books, podcasts, newspaper series, or collaborations with musicians. Whether the work is local or part of an international conversation, Julie believes it must be rooted in place — fluid, adaptable and focused on a shared future that feels possible and inhabitable. In this Chatter Marks series, Cody and co-host Dr. Sandro Debono talk to museum directors and knowledge holders about what museums around the world are doing to adapt and react to climate change. Dr. Debono is a museum thinker from the Mediterranean island of Malta. He works with museums to help them strategize around possible futures.

Julie Decker is the director and CEO of the Anchorage Museum. But before that she practiced as an artist and ran her own art gallery. Since then she's fostered a belief in the power of museums to spark action — whether that means picking up a paintbrush, reading a new book, or seeing the world differently. Her connection to the Anchorage Museum runs back to childhood, when it was little more than a single room with a borrowed collection. Her dad was a visual artist and an art teacher; he was her earliest and most influential guide into that world. He taught her to be an observer — to notice the small things — and she watched as his own work appeared in solo shows and juried exhibitions at the museum. So, for Julie, the Anchorage Museum isn't just a workplace; it's been a constant presence in her life, shaping her sense of art, community and possibility. In the work she does now, Julie envisions the Anchorage Museum as less a keeper of artifacts and more of a living platform for Alaska's stories. It acts as a collaborator and a partner — a place that listens to communities, amplifies the voices of Alaskans and connects local narratives to global conversations. In her view, Alaska's relatively small population allows individual creativity and innovation to ripple widely, making it vital to highlight imaginative thinkers, cultural disruptors and non-Western ways of knowing. That means rethinking what it means to collect — not simply holding objects, but being a responsible host and steward of the stories they carry.  In Alaska, where the natural world shapes identity and guides daily life, the museum's role is to reflect how environmental change, Indigenous lifeways and community resilience intersect. Some projects take the form of exhibitions, others emerge as films, books, podcasts, newspaper series, or collaborations with musicians. Whether the work is local or part of an international conversation, Julie believes it must be rooted in place — fluid, adaptable and focused on a shared future that feels possible and inhabitable. In this Chatter Marks series, Cody and co-host Dr. Sandro Debono talk to museum directors and knowledge holders about what museums around the world are doing to adapt and react to climate change. Dr. Debono is a museum thinker from the Mediterranean island of Malta. He works with museums to help them strategize around possible futures.

In Alaska beginnt das Treffen von Trump und Putin. Ein weltweites Abkommen gegen Plastikmüll scheitert. Und Steakhaus-Erbin Christina Block sagt im Prozess um die Entführung ihrer Kinder Abenteuerliches aus. Das ist die Lage am Freitagabend. Hier die Artikel zum Nachlesen: Vor Alaska-Treffen: Vier Dinge, die ich beim letzten Trump-Putin-Gipfel gelernt habe Gescheiterte Uno-Konferenz: Die Plastiklobby gewinnt, die ganze Welt verliert Vor Entführung in Silvesternacht: Christina Block erwog verschiedene Rückholaktionen für ihre Kinder+++ Alle Infos zu unseren Werbepartnern finden Sie hier. Die SPIEGEL-Gruppe ist nicht für den Inhalt dieser Seite verantwortlich. +++ Den SPIEGEL-WhatsApp-Kanal finden Sie hier. Alle SPIEGEL Podcasts finden Sie hier. Mehr Hintergründe zum Thema erhalten Sie mit SPIEGEL+. Entdecken Sie die digitale Welt des SPIEGEL, unter spiegel.de/abonnieren finden Sie das passende Angebot. Informationen zu unserer Datenschutzerklärung.

Die Israel-Kehrtwende des Bundeskanzlers sorgt für Unverständnis innerhalb der Union. CSU-Außenpolitiker Stephan Mayer sagt im Gespräch mit Michael Bröcker: „Ich muss ganz ehrlich gestehen, ich war von der Entscheidung des Kanzlers schon etwas überrascht." Andere Maßnahmen als ein teilweiser Exportstopp wären zielführender gewesen, findet Mayer.[03:38]In Israel ist „die Verwunderung ist sehr, sehr groß", sagt die ehemalige Sprecherin des israelischen Verteidigungsministers Gantz, Melody Sucharewitz. Das sei nicht der Friedrich Merz wie Israel ihn bisher kannte.[09:23]In Alaska könnte sich das Schicksal der Ukraine entscheiden - beim ersten Trump-Putin-Treffen seit Kriegsbeginn. Trump hat schon klargemacht, dass es auch darum gehen werde, dass die Ukraine auf Gebiete verzichtet. Wall Street Journal-Korrespondent Bojan Pancevski erklärt die neue Dynamik: „Putin zeigt Schwäche", denn er sei von seinen Maximalforderungen abgerückt. Es könne durchaus ein Vorschlag für einen Diktatfrieden herauskommen.[16:42]Table.Briefings - For better informed decisions.Sie entscheiden besser, weil Sie besser informiert sind – das ist das Ziel von Table.Briefings. Wir verschaffen Ihnen mit jedem Professional Briefing, mit jeder Analyse und mit jedem Hintergrundstück einen Informationsvorsprung, am besten sogar einen Wettbewerbsvorteil. Table.Briefings bietet „Deep Journalism“, wir verbinden den Qualitätsanspruch von Leitmedien mit der Tiefenschärfe von Fachinformationen. Alle Informationen zum Trade.Table:https://table.media/aktion/tradetableProfessional Briefings kostenlos kennenlernen: table.media/testen Audio-Werbung Table.Today: jan.puhlmann@table.media Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode of the Aviation News Talk podcast, Max Trescott talks with Sean Elliott, Vice President of Advocacy and Safety at the Experimental Aircraft Association (EAA), about the FAA's groundbreaking MOSAIC final rule—and how it benefits all pilots, not just sport pilots or Light-Sport Aircraft owners. Sean explains that MOSAIC replaces the old, restrictive Light-Sport Aircraft definition with a performance-based standard, removing the long-standing 1,320-pound maximum takeoff weight limit and focusing instead on a clean stall speed (VS1) of no more than 59 knots CAS for sport pilot privileges and a landing configuration stall speed (VSO) of no more than 61 knots for LSA certification. This single change dramatically broadens the pool of aircraft that qualify, meaning many popular legacy models—like certain Cessna 172s and even Cirrus SR20s—can now be flown by sport pilots, and private pilots can operate them under sport pilot privileges with nothing more than a valid U.S. driver's license in place of an FAA medical. For older pilots or those with long-term medical concerns, MOSAIC is a game-changer. A private pilot who no longer maintains a Third Class or BasicMed medical can still keep flying a wide variety of capable, familiar aircraft—often including the same ones they've flown for years—so long as they meet the new stall speed limits and carry no more than one passenger. Sean and Max discuss how this provision gives seasoned aviators a safe and legal way to extend their flying years without the administrative burden or risk of renewing a medical certificate. MOSAIC also expands sport pilot privileges beyond the original daytime, fair-weather limitations. With additional training and endorsements, sport pilots will be able to fly at night under VFR, operate aircraft with constant-speed propellers and retractable landing gear, and take advantage of higher cruise speeds—removing many of the practical barriers that once kept sport pilots from flying more capable airplanes. The rule even opens the door for certain limited commercial operations by sport pilots, including banner towing, glider towing, and pipeline or powerline patrol—tasks previously off-limits without at least a private pilot certificate. On the aircraft side, the MOSAIC framework allows manufacturers to certify a much wider range of designs as LSAs under ASTM consensus standards. This could lead to modernized versions of classic Part 23 trainers like the Cessna 172 becoming available in factory-new LSA configurations, as well as innovative new designs in the experimental, gyroplane, and electric aircraft categories. Sean notes that this flexibility benefits the industry by encouraging innovation while keeping costs lower than traditional FAA certification pathways. Flight schools stand to gain as well. Because many mainstream trainers now qualify as LSAs, schools can use them to train sport pilots without investing in specialized two-seat LSAs that may be less versatile for other types of training. This flexibility could help schools reach a new segment of students—especially older adults returning to flying or beginners looking for a faster, less expensive path to the cockpit. Max and Sean also cover how MOSAIC affects aircraft maintenance. Repairman certificates for LSAs will still exist, and MOSAIC provides expanded privileges for light-sport repairman-inspectors and mechanics working on these aircraft, supporting both owner-maintenance and professional servicing. Sean stresses that while MOSAIC dramatically broadens options, it doesn't automatically change the certification status of existing aircraft—manufacturers or owners must still pursue LSA certification through the ASTM process. That means pilots should verify whether a particular aircraft is LSA-certified or qualifies for operation under sport pilot rules before assuming they can fly it without a medical. The conversation closes with EAA's commitment to supporting pilots, flight schools, and manufacturers through MOSAIC's rollout. EAA will work closely with ASTM to develop the updated industry standards needed to implement the new rules, while also providing education and advocacy to ensure pilots understand their new privileges and responsibilities. This episode is essential listening for any pilot curious about the future of general aviation under MOSAIC—whether you're a sport pilot, a private pilot considering BasicMed alternatives, a CFI planning to expand your student base, or an aircraft owner wondering if your plane might now qualify as an LSA. With expert insights from one of the country's leading aviation advocates, you'll learn exactly how MOSAIC changes the game for who can fly what, and under what conditions, for years to come. If you're getting value from this show, please support the show via PayPal, Venmo, Zelle or Patreon. Support the Show by buying a Lightspeed ANR Headsets Max has been using only Lightspeed headsets for nearly 25 years! I love their tradeup program that let's you trade in an older Lightspeed headset for a newer model. Start with one of the links below, and Lightspeed will pay a referral fee to support Aviation News Talk. Lightspeed Delta Zulu Headset $1299 NEW – Lightspeed Zulu 4 Headset $1099 Lightspeed Zulu 3 Headset $949Lightspeed Sierra Headset $749 My Review on the Lightspeed Delta Zulu Send us your feedback or comments via email If you have a question you'd like answered on the show, let listeners hear you ask the question, by recording your listener question using your phone. 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Dr. Matt Haney is the Scientist-in-Charge at the Alaska Volcano Observatory, where he leads the charge to monitor and communicate the activity of Alaska's volcanoes — some of the most closely watched in the world. He explains that there are several ways to count Alaska's volcanoes, but one of the most striking is this: 54 of them have erupted in the last 300 years. That's more than any other U.S. state. Most of these volcanoes are found along the Aleutian Arc, a seismically active chain that stretches from Mount Spurr — just 80 miles west of Anchorage — through Cook Inlet and out across the Alaska Peninsula and Aleutian Islands. A few outliers, like Mount Edgecumbe in Southeast and Mount Wrangell near Glennallen, add even more complexity to tracking volcanic activity across Alaska. As a volcanologist, Matt is part of a network that assesses volcanic risk using the National Volcano Early Warning System, which ranks volcanoes by threat level. In Alaska, five volcanoes are classified as “Very High Threat” — including Mount Spurr, Mount Redoubt and Mount Augustine — not just because they're active, but because they're near population centers and critical infrastructure. Mount Spurr is currently under close observation due to signs of volcanic unrest, making it one of the most closely watched in the state. When Spurr last erupted in 1992, it launched ash clouds up to 60,000 feet into the sky and shut down Anchorage's airport for nearly a full day. Ash fall can disrupt air travel, damage engines and electronics, clog air filters, and cause respiratory problems. Today, with Anchorage serving as the second busiest cargo hub in the U.S. — and the fourth busiest in the world — the stakes of an eruption are even higher.

Dr. Matt Haney is the Scientist-in-Charge at the Alaska Volcano Observatory, where he leads the charge to monitor and communicate the activity of Alaska's volcanoes — some of the most closely watched in the world. He explains that there are several ways to count Alaska's volcanoes, but one of the most striking is this: 54 of them have erupted in the last 300 years. That's more than any other U.S. state. Most of these volcanoes are found along the Aleutian Arc, a seismically active chain that stretches from Mount Spurr — just 80 miles west of Anchorage — through Cook Inlet and out across the Alaska Peninsula and Aleutian Islands. A few outliers, like Mount Edgecumbe in Southeast and Mount Wrangell near Glennallen, add even more complexity to tracking volcanic activity across Alaska. As a volcanologist, Matt is part of a network that assesses volcanic risk using the National Volcano Early Warning System, which ranks volcanoes by threat level. In Alaska, five volcanoes are classified as “Very High Threat” — including Mount Spurr, Mount Redoubt and Mount Augustine — not just because they're active, but because they're near population centers and critical infrastructure. Mount Spurr is currently under close observation due to signs of volcanic unrest, making it one of the most closely watched in the state. When Spurr last erupted in 1992, it launched ash clouds up to 60,000 feet into the sky and shut down Anchorage's airport for nearly a full day. Ash fall can disrupt air travel, damage engines and electronics, clog air filters, and cause respiratory problems. Today, with Anchorage serving as the second busiest cargo hub in the U.S. — and the fourth busiest in the world — the stakes of an eruption are even higher.

In Alaska, amongst rolling snowstorms, the town of Barrow enters their month-long night. Only a fraction of the town stays to stick it out. Soon, a stranger (Ben Foster) arrives and creates havoc – especially with the town's ability to communicate. If this wasn't enough, a bunch of vampires in suits show up and just destroy everyone! Sheriff Eben Oleson (Josh Hartnett) and the fire marshal, Stella (Melissa George), round up a handful of survivors in an attempt to hide throughout the town to survive until the sun rises again. Also, Beau Brower (Mark Boone Junior) goes on a much-needed vampire kill-spree. RTS makes the best of this end of winter month of darkness by watching a film about a month of darkness. Very meta! Jeremy and Collin throw a bunch of these blood-sucking demons into a metal masher. La-Mar asks a nice vampire child for a bag of chips at the general store. He gets them! Sometimes, you just have to ask nicely. Nemo and Rami go the old-fashioned route and simply explode vampire heads. That is VERY effective! Eat your can of cherries and stay warm tonight. Nighty night. Don't let the vampires bite. 

This week, we're discussing the drastic changes we've seen over the last month within our federal agencies and how thousands of people have been fired. Randy details his idea of Government Efficiency. A few news stories are also included. A Montana bill has been introduced that would take money generated from the tax on marijuana that currently goes towards funding wildlife habitats, parks, and non-game wildlife and re-direct it to the general fund and various marijuana addiction and prevention accounts. Another interesting bill in Montana would allow Fish Wildlife and Parks to compensate landowners for allowing access through their property to hunt inaccessible public land. In Wyoming, even more elk have been found dead from chronic wasting disease at one of the state-run feed-grounds. In Colorado, House Bill 25-1133 would prohibit 18 - to 20-year-olds from purchasing ammunition. This follows 2023 legislation prohibiting 18-20-year-olds from purchasing semi-auto rifles and shotguns. In Alaska, the Governor introduced legislation, Senate Bill 105, that creates opportunities for residents to purchase or lease state land for cabin sites. If you're watching this video right now. Public testimony is being heard in the Senate Resources Committee right now. In Kentucky, Senate Bill 89 would change how they define water within the state, abandoning its definition in exchange for the federal definition of navigable waters, which removes protections for wetlands, headwaters, and groundwater. In Indiana, House Bill 1447 would restrict logging and forest management within particular state forests. In Washington, House Bill 1775 would phase out and ultimately ban fur farming within the state. That bill narrowly passed out of committee and is moving forward. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska) speaks in support of the Native name of Denali on the floor of the U.S. Senate on February 13, 2025. Murkowski serves as chair of the Senate Committee on Indian Affairs. She has introduced legislation to officially designate the highest peak in North America by its name in the Koyukon language. “In Alaska, it's Denali,” Murkowski said. “Once you see it in person, and take in the majesty of its size and breathe in its cold air, you can understand why the Koyukon Athabascans referred to it as ‘The Great One.'" This isn't a political issue – Alaskans from every walk of life have long been advocating for this mountain to be recognized by its true name," said Murkowski. "That's why today I once again introduced legislation that would officially keep this mountain's quintessential name, ‘Denali.'” President Donald Trump ordered the Department of the Interior to change the name of Denali to Mount McKinley. Secretary Doug Burgum took action on February 14. 2025 -- a day after Murkowski's remarks -- to adopt the directive. Murkowski's bill is S.573: https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/senate-bill/573

A very short time ago, to think there would be an Executive Order from the United State President entitled "Protecting Children from Chemical and Surgical Mutilation", would be unfathomable.How times have changed.That we have to protect children from this but more to the point of my interview today, that we are now going all in to try and stop it. The speed of history is, at times, baffling.Today on "I'm Glad You Said That", I have the privilege of speaking with Matt Sharp, a Senior Counsel and Director of the Center for Public Policy at Alliance Defending Freedom. ADF has 13 U.S. Supreme Court victories. They are as good as it gets legally.Matt will go into detail on why this Executive Order is so profoundly impactful and what states can expect from this strong Federal stand to lift up that which is good and punish evil. In Alaska, where no laws are in place to protect children from chemical and surgical mutilation and where these medical malpractices are occurring, this EO opens doors for us to make a difference. It's time to act.Support the show

In Alaska gibt der schmelzende Permafrostboden Verborgenes preis: eine 500 Jahre alte Siedlung zum Beispiel, deren Artefakte vor dem Zerfall gerettet werden müssen. Doch während die Vergangenheit freigelegt wird, droht die Gegenwart zu versinken. Von Rebecca Stegmann www.deutschlandfunkkultur.de, Die Reportage

In Alaska, reindeer are much more real than the fantasy animals that pull Santa's sleigh. Introduced to Alaska from Siberia by the US government in the 1890s, reindeer were part of a strategy to solve food shortages among the Native peoples after the gold rush. Today, reindeer provide food security and economic opportunities for the Alaskan Native community. Even more so than farming, reindeer herding requires a deep understanding of the needs of Indigenous communities and academic science—as well as how to navigate and influence local, state, and federal policies. On this episode, host Lisa Margonelli is joined by Jacqueline Hrabok and Bonnie Scheele of the University of Alaska Fairbanks's High Latitude Range Management program to learn more about the interplay of science, policy, and community in reindeer herding.  This is our final episode of 2024. We'll be back in late January for an interview with opera singer and actress Renee Fleming and neurology professor Susan Magsamen on the intersection of music, art, and health. And we would love to explore more local science policy issues in our upcoming episodes! Write to us at podcast@issues.org about any policy developments happening near you.  Resources: Learn more about the University of Alaska Fairbanks' High Latitude Range Management program.  Visit Bonnie Scheele's reindeer farm at the Midnite Sun Reindeer Ranch website and Facebook page. 

Thanksgiving is all about giving, and Esther Sanderlin takes that to heart... and to the skies! In Alaska, she pilots her single-engine plane to drop frozen turkeys to families living off the grid. It all started when Esther heard a family was planning to have squirrel for Thanksgiving. Remembering how someone helped her family the same way, she decided to pass on the kindness. Now, she's making sure 40 families get a proper holiday meal, dropping love from above and living out the truth of James 2:6: "If you say to one of them, 'Go in peace; keep warm and well fed,' but do nothing about their physical needs, what good is it?" 

  Please hit Subscribe/Follow and leave a positive comment. Click here for Jens Poshmark Closet. https://poshmark.com/closet/happie22 Click here to go to our Patreon Page. https://www.patreon.com/c/222ParanormalPodcast Click here to go to Larrys Website. https://www.alasquatchpodcast.com/ Click here to go to our website. https://www.222paranormal.com/   Larry “Beans” Baxter has spent the last 20 years working in the military and law enforcement. Living in Alaska has given Beans the unique opportunity to investigate Alaskan cryptids and mysteries such as the abandoned town Portlock, in Port Chatham, Alaska. Beans has participated in expeditions to other Bigfoot hotspots around the country and has appeared in multiple documentaries and television shows. Beans currently hosts the podcast Alasquatch and has written the first non-fiction book on the subject of Port Chatham: Abandoned the History and Horror of Port Chatham, Alaska. You can find him at his website www.alasquatchpodcast.com   Bigfoot, also known as Sasquatch, is a legendary creature that has been a part of North American folklore for centuries. In Alaska, sightings of this elusive creature have contributed to the state's rich tapestry of mysterious stories. Often described as a large, ape-like being covered in dark hair, Bigfoot is said to inhabit the dense forests, remote mountain ranges, and vast wilderness areas of Alaska. The state's rugged terrain, with its dense woods, snow-covered peaks, and expansive swamps, makes it an ideal setting for such a cryptid to remain hidden from human eyes. Many locals and visitors claim to have seen large footprints, heard eerie howls, or found strange hair samples that they believe belong to Bigfoot. Native Alaskan tribes, including the Tlingit and the Athabaskan, have long had their own versions of the creature in their oral traditions, describing forest-dwelling beings that are often seen as spiritual or supernatural entities. The legend of Bigfoot continues to thrive in Alaska, where it is part of a larger fascination with the unexplained and the wild frontier. Whether myth or reality, the idea of Bigfoot adds to the allure and mystery of Alaska's untamed wilderness. The presence of Bigfoot in Alaskan folklore is not a new phenomenon. Indigenous groups, such as the Tlingit, Athabaskan, and Haida peoples, have long had their own traditions of wild, forest-dwelling beings that bear similarities to the modern-day Bigfoot legend. These creatures are often viewed not just as physical beings but also as spiritual entities with deep ties to the natural world. The region's isolation and vast expanses of wilderness contribute to the mystery surrounding these sightings, as the wilderness remains largely unexplored. While there is no scientific evidence to support the existence of Bigfoot in Alaska or anywhere else, the continuous reports of strange encounters keep the legend alive. Whether rooted in myth, misidentification, or a genuine unknown, Bigfoot remains a captivating part of Alaska's culture and its allure as a land of mystery and discovery. Welcome to the 222 Paranormal Podcast, your gateway to the captivating world of the supernatural. Immerse yourself in our expertly crafted episodes, where we delve deep into a wide range of paranormal phenomena, including ghostly hauntings, cryptid sightings, and unexplained mysteries that defy logic. Each episode is meticulously researched and features engaging discussions with leading experts, seasoned ghost hunters, and renowned paranormal investigators. We cover the latest advancements in ghost hunting technology, offer practical tips for both amateur and experienced investigators, and review essential equipment for your paranormal adventures. Our podcast also explores the rich history of haunted locations, sharing true stories and firsthand accounts that will send chills down your spine. Whether you're a die-hard fan of the paranormal or just curious about the unknown, our content is designed to entertain, inform, and ignite your imagination. Stay tuned as we uncover secrets from the most haunted places around the world and analyze the most intriguing supernatural events. We also provide in-depth interviews with notable figures in the field and explore theories that challenge conventional understanding of reality. By subscribing to our Paranormal Podcast, you'll stay updated with the latest episodes, allowing you to join a community of like-minded individuals who share your fascination with the unexplained. Don't miss out on our exclusive content and special features, which bring you closer to the mysteries that lie beyond our everyday experiences. Dive into the world of the unknown with our Paranormal Podcast and experience the thrill of discovering what lies just beyond the veil of reality.

In this newscast: Final election results are trickling in today [WED] for the national and state races. In Alaska, unofficial results show the Republican presidential and U.S. House candidates lead in their races statewide,  but there's evidence of a lot of split-ticket voters in Juneau; A group home in Juneau for women experiencing addiction or leaving incarceration has just reopened after a three-year hiatus due to flooding. T'áa Shuyee Hit Haven House is now accepting applicants; Republican challenger Nick Begich had a solid lead in the race for Alaska's seat in the U.S. House after Tuesday's election night vote tallies; The effort to repeal Alaska's ranked choice voting and open primaries was ahead slightly late Tuesday, with about three-quarters  of the state's precincts counted; A bipartisan majority caucus is likely to hold on to control of the Alaska Senate, and some key pickups in the state House mean that the current Republican-led majority could lose control of the chamber. That's according to early election results in state legislative races; Initial results in Alaska's House District 1 race have Republican Jeremy Bynum with a commanding lead at more than 50% of the vote; The Museum of the Aleutians in Unalaska has received over 20 boxes filled with archaeological artifacts from the Islands of Four Mountains in the central Aleutian Islands. While some artifacts may never be displayed, they remain crucial to understanding Unangax̂ history.

Donald Trump will become the 47th President of the United States after defeating Vice President Kamala Harris in Tuesday's General Election. In Alaska, Nick Begich leads Rep. Mary Peltola in the race for Alaska's U.S. House seat. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Nevada is the first state to extend electronic ballots to tribal members. It allows them to register and vote from their own homes, giving rural Native voters an alternative to traveling miles to their nearest polling or ballot drop-off site. It's an idea that other states remain wary of. In Alaska, efforts to improve voting among Native voters remain elusive. Opposition from Republican state lawmakers killed a bill eliminating witness signatures on absentee ballots. On a conservative talk show, the Alaska House Speaker admitted she opposed it because it would have favored U.S. Rep. Mary Peltola, a Democrat and the only Alaska Native in Congress. Rep. Peltola calls it "a concerted effort to silence" Native votes. We'll discuss progress and continuing hurdles for Native voters. GUESTS Mathilda Guerrero Miller (Kanaka Maoli), government relations director for Native Voters Alliance Nevada Elveda Martinez (Walker River Paiute Tribe), voter rights activist Michelle Sparck (Qissunamiut Tribe of Chevak), director of Get Out the Native Vote Gabriel Di Chiara, Chief Deputy Secretary of State for Nevada

In Alaska, the bodies of two young women are discovered in a home. A family member believed to be supplying them with marijuana and homebrew was connected to the crime. Over in Ireland, a young mother was discovered brutally murdered in her home in South Belfast. In Connecticut, police responded to a reported assault at an apartment. Shortly before police arrived, a man was observed jumping from the apartment headfirst into a dumpster. In Virginia, first responders were called to a home where a young child was suffering from cardiac arrest.Consider joining PLUS+ at swordandscale.com/plusSwing by our merch store at store.swordandscale.com

Retired Alaska District Court Judge Elaine Andrews moved to Alaska in 1976 immediately upon graduating from law school. Her first job as a lawyer was with the Alaska Judicial Council, which is tasked with vetting new judges and with deciding whether or not to recommend sitting judges for retention. In Alaska, a judge must be at least 30 years old, and Elaine Andrews applied and was appointed to the bench shortly after she turned 30. She served as a full-time district court judge for 22 years and continued as a pro tempore judge part-time for another two decades after that. 

Day 3 of the Democratic National Convention is underway on Wednesday in Chicago, with Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz set to deliver his keynote speech and officially accept his vice presidential nomination. Other speakers include former President Bill Clinton and former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi. Florida, Alaska, and Wyoming held primary elections on Tuesday. All incumbents in Florida and Wyoming seeking reelection will advance to the general election. In Alaska, GOP House hopefuls vowed not to target each other in the ranked-vote general election race to unseat Rep. Mary Peltola (D-Alaska). Russia's foreign ministry said Ukraine's cross-border incursion into its Kursk region has ended all hopes of peace talks. As Ukrainian forces advance in Kursk, Russian troops are also gaining ground in Ukraine's eastern region. ⭕️Watch in-depth videos based on Truth & Tradition at Epoch TV

Day 3 of the Democratic National Convention is underway on Wednesday in Chicago, with Gov. Tim Walz (D-Minnesota) set to deliver his keynote speech and officially accept his vice presidential nomination. Other speakers include former President Bill Clinton and former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi.Florida, Alaska, and Wyoming held primary elections on Tuesday. All incumbents in Florida and Wyoming seeking reelection advanced to the general election. In Alaska, GOP House hopefuls vowed to not target each other in the ranked-vote general election race to unseat Rep. Mary Peltola (D-Alaska).Russia's foreign ministry said Ukraine's cross-border incursion into its Kursk region has ended all hopes of peace talks. As Ukrainian forces advance in Kursk, Russian troops are closing in on Ukraine's eastern region.

In Alaska’s 2022 special election, candidates as varied as Sarah Palin and Mary Peltola to Santa Claus were on the ballot. That year was also unique for offering ranked-choice voting, allowing conflicted residents to cast as many as four picks with descending weight. In November, both the incumbent Peltola and the ranked-choice repeal initiative are on […]

This week, the guys share plenty of tips on getting the most out of your garden, especially on how to harvest your plants and vegetables efficiently. In Alaska, things grow quickly, particularly cole crops like broccoli, Brussels sprouts, and cabbage.Jeff emphasizes picking vegetables before they flower, while Jonathan suggests using a juicer to make the most of every bit of the garden.After the break, they answer questions about blueberries and cherry trees.Finally, Jeff wraps up by reminding everyone to start weeding invasive plants early.All that and more on this week's episode of Teaming with Microbes.**********************************************Have a question? Let us know at teamingwithmicrobes@me.comPlant a row for the hungry/Read Teaming With Microbes, Teaming With Nutrients and Teaming With Fungi!Thanks to our sponsors:Big Foot MicrobesNumber 2 Organics made in partnership with Malibu CompostDown To Earth All Natural Fertilizers The Teaming with Microbes Podcast is edited and produced with original music by Pod Peak.  Special thanks to the Anchorage Daily News for hosting the show!

It is time for another UFO and alien-themed listener submission episode!In this episode, we explore four intriguing UFO encounters from across the United States. James from Akron, Ohio recounts a childhood experience where he and two others witnessed strange red lights in the sky that split, moved, and vanished mysteriously.In Alaska, Julian shares his father's story of encountering an intense green spotlight while snowmobiling in the 1980s, illuminating the forest before abruptly disappearing.Devin from Tennessee describes a vivid dream-like experience where a bright light consumed his vision, leaving him with an unsettling feeling and questions about its reality.Lastly, Julie recounts two separate incidents: one in California involving a loud humming noise and bright green light shining through her curtains, and another in Arizona where she awoke to find her room filled with a peaceful blue aura.Patreon: Support Believing the Bizarre and get tons of extra content by joining our Patreon.For updates, news, and extra content, follow Believing the Bizarre on social media:InstagramFacebookTwitterDiscordWant to discuss the episode on the day it drops with Tyler and Charlie? Follow on Twitch and check out the extended Twitch streams every Tuesday.Shop Merch: You can rep Believing the Bizarre and buy some unique merch

Being a life-long blind person I have never served in the military and thus only understand the military way of life vicariously. There is reading about it, of course and there is talking to military people about their lifestyle. Today you get to hear a conversation not only about military life, specifically the army world, as it were, from a 20-year career soldier, Chase Spears who recently retired from the military as a major in the army. Chase grew up always interested in the news and what was going on in the world around him. He attended college, both undergraduate studies and later graduate work at universities in Tennessee. Along the way an army recruiting officer persuaded him to join the army. By that time, he was well married to a woman who, surprising to him, supported his decision to leave college and join the army. Chase's telling of this story is wonderful to hear. As you will see, he is quite the storyteller.   He and I talk a great deal about the world of a soldier, and he puts a lot of things into perspective. For those of you who have served in the military much of what you hear may not be totally new. However, since Chase served in public affairs/relations duties throughout most of his army career, you may find his observations interest. Chase and I had a good free-flowing and informative conversation. I personally came away fascinated and look forward to talking with Chase again in the future. A few months ago, Mr. Spears retired and entered into a doctoral program at Kansas State University where he is conducting research concerning how military life impacts the citizenship of those who serve. You will get to hear a bit about what he is finding.   About the Guest:   U.S. Army Major (Ret.) Chase Spears is first and foremost a Christian, Husband, and Father to five children who help to keep him and his wife young at heart. Having grown up with a passion for news and policy, Chase spent 20 years in the Army as a public affairs officer, trying to be part of a bridge between the military and the public. He merged that work with a passion for writing to become one of the Army's most published public affairs officers, often to resistance from inside the military. Chase continues that journey now as a doctoral candidate at Kansas State University, where his dissertation research explores how military life impacts the citizenship of those who serve. His other writings focus on topics including civil-military dynamics, communication ethics, and the political realities of military operations.   Ways to connect with Chase:   LinkedIn/X/Substack/Youtube: @drchasespears www.chasespears.com   About the Host: Michael Hingson is a New York Times best-selling author, international lecturer, and Chief Vision Officer for accessiBe. Michael, blind since birth, survived the 9/11 attacks with the help of his guide dog Roselle. This story is the subject of his best-selling book, Thunder Dog.   Michael gives over 100 presentations around the world each year speaking to influential groups such as Exxon Mobile, AT&T, Federal Express, Scripps College, Rutgers University, Children's Hospital, and the American Red Cross just to name a few. He is Ambassador for the National Braille Literacy Campaign for the National Federation of the Blind and also serves as Ambassador for the American Humane Association's 2012 Hero Dog Awards.   https://michaelhingson.com https://www.facebook.com/michael.hingson.author.speaker/ https://twitter.com/mhingson https://www.youtube.com/user/mhingson https://www.linkedin.com/in/michaelhingson/   accessiBe Links https://accessibe.com/ https://www.youtube.com/c/accessiBe https://www.linkedin.com/company/accessibe/mycompany/   https://www.facebook.com/accessibe/       Thanks for listening!   Thanks so much for listening to our podcast! If you enjoyed this episode and think that others could benefit from listening, please share it using the social media buttons on this page. Do you have some feedback or questions about this episode? Leave a comment in the section below!   Subscribe to the podcast   If you would like to get automatic updates of new podcast episodes, you can subscribe to the podcast on Apple Podcasts or Stitcher. You can also subscribe in your favorite podcast app.   Leave us an Apple Podcasts review   Ratings and reviews from our listeners are extremely valuable to us and greatly appreciated. They help our podcast rank higher on Apple Podcasts, which exposes our show to more awesome listeners like you. If you have a minute, please leave an honest review on Apple Podcasts.     Transcription Notes: Michael Hingson ** 00:00 Access Cast and accessiBe Initiative presents Unstoppable Mindset. The podcast where inclusion, diversity and the unexpected meet. Hi, I'm Michael Hingson, Chief Vision Officer for accessiBe and the author of the number one New York Times bestselling book, Thunder dog, the story of a blind man, his guide dog and the triumph of trust. Thanks for joining me on my podcast as we explore our own blinding fears of inclusion unacceptance and our resistance to change. We will discover the idea that no matter the situation, or the people we encounter, our own fears, and prejudices often are our strongest barriers to moving forward. The unstoppable mindset podcast is sponsored by accessiBe, that's a c c e s s i capital B e. Visit www.accessibe.com to learn how you can make your website accessible for persons with disabilities. And to help make the internet fully inclusive by the year 2025. Glad you dropped by we're happy to meet you and to have you here with us.   Michael Hingson ** 01:21 Hi there and welcome once again to unstoppable mindset. And we have a I think really interesting show today are interesting episode we get to chat with major retired Chase Spears. I've been saying ret all morning because he's got Rhett in parentheses. And I didn't even think about it being not a name but retired. But anyway, that's me. Anyway, he has been involved in a lot of writing in and out of the military. He was a major military person for 20 years. He's now in a doctoral candidate program, Kennedy C candidacy program. And my gosh, there's a lot there, but we'll get to it also. Major Rhett major Chase spears. Welcome to unstoppable mindset. We're glad you're here.   Chase Spears ** 02:13 just thrilled to be with you, Michael. Thanks for having me. Now   Michael Hingson ** 02:17 that now that we've abused you with Rhett, but that's okay.   Chase Spears ** 02:20 I think God worse. Well, there   Michael Hingson ** 02:22 you are. And by your friends, I bet. So that's what really makes them more fun. But we're but I really am grateful that you were willing to come on and spend some time with us. Why don't we start I love to, to start this way to give people a chance to get to know you. Why don't you tell us some about the early Chase spheres and growing up and all that stuff?   Chase Spears ** 02:44 Well, it's yeah, it's been quite a journey. I grew up in the southeast us My family was out of Florida. And when I was a teenager, we ended up moving we went out to Texas, which was really just kind of a an entire change of culture for us. If you can imagine going from the kind of urban parts of Florida that are really highly populated a lot of traffic, a lot of tourism, a lot of industry. And we went up to North Central Texas in my teen years. And if you can imagine going from from that, you know, Florida to a town of about 9000 people it was a an oil and agricultural cattle town, and Graham, Texas and it was really kind of a culture shock at first, but turned into some of the best and most formative years of my life where I I really learned the value of hard work working on the fields with my dad really got to kind of connect with nature and just taking some gorgeous sunsets in the evenings out working in the fields enjoying the views of the wildlife Hall. I was out working. But one thing that I did learn from hard manual labor, was it made sure that I kept on track for college. And so I ended up going to Lee University in Cleveland, Tennessee in 1998. Right after I graduated from high school, I was homeschooled and met my Hi my sweetie there, Laurie. We were married by senior year we decided neither one of us we wanted to graduate and leave the other one behind. So we got married start a family pretty young afterwards. Went on to the University of Tennessee at Knoxville afterwards because I thought, hey, I want to work in journalism. And it'd be great to have a master's degree in journalism to prove my commitment to the field make people take me seriously. And it was during that time that I ran into an army recruiter while I was working my part time job at a law firm. I was working at the courthouse one day filing paperwork. And this gentleman and I just struck up a conversation in an elevator he was there in his full dress uniform was very impressive to me as a civilian at the time. And so I started asking him questions about what he did. In what army life was like just trying to be friendly, conversational, I was genuinely curious, though I was not looking for a military career. Well, as a good recruiter does, he managed to coax a phone number out of me. And seven months later there I am raising my right hand, swearing into the army in Knoxville, Tennessee. And so we were in the army for 20 years, we moved to several different parts of the nation, we've landed in northeastern Kansas, just on the outskirts of the Greater Kansas City, Missouri area. And now we're kind of starting a new phase of life after the army enjoying being kind of planted Gayndah. Watch our kids grow in a smaller community. And we're excited about what's next. So   Michael Hingson ** 05:42 what is the postdoc? Where are the doctoral degree in, that you're seeking.   Chase Spears ** 05:47 So I am in a program entitled leadership communication. But I'm kind of a misplaced public policy scholars what I've learned, but the faculty there have been so wonderfully gracious to me, and I've been very supportive of my research agenda. So I'm a career communicator. In the army, I was a public affairs officer. So everything I did was about stuff like this. I didn't community engagement, I did interviews, I was did social media strategy, I was part of the bridge that the military tries to build between it and the public, which is incredibly important in our form of governance. And so I love all things communication. And I also love team leadership, small organizational leadership, I had the chance to, to lead teams, I had the chance to lead a company while I was in the army, so fell in love with that. So when I saw a degree program that merged both of those, you know, they had me at hello, I was a sucker from the get go when I saw the marketing. So I applied and they very kindly accepted me. So I've been studying leadership communication, but my research agenda is actually more in the policy realm. My dissertation work is studying how did we come to this concept that the military isn't a political and air quotes institution, when it is funded by the government when it is commanded by elected leadership? When when we exert our national will, on other nations with it there absolutely political connotations to all of that. And And yet, we kind of say the opposite. So I was curious, I was like, this would be something fun to explore, how did we How did we get to where we believe this in spite of what we do? And so that's what my research Jind agenda is all about. And I'm having a lot of fun writing.   Michael Hingson ** 07:37 Well, and I guess we could go right to why well, so why do you think the reason is that we are not a political but we say we are? Oh, are you still researching it to the point where you're not ready to answer that yet? Well, I   Chase Spears ** 07:57 have, I have some theories and what I believe are pretty educated guesses. I'm trying to make sure that I don't bore your audience going too deep in the weeds on this. It's really kind of comes out of the Second World War. When you look at the history of the United States. Traditionally, we are a nation, our ancestors were part of a nation that were really cautious about the idea of having large standing military forces during peacetime. Because there had been this historical observance over hundreds of years, particularly in Europe, that large forces during peacetime ended up causing problems for society and the nations that bred large armies inevitably found ways to use them, that might not always be to the benefit of the populace. So we come out of the Second World War, and the nation has decided we're going to become the global military superpower, we didn't want to be caught off guard again, like we were for what Germany had done in the years after the First World War. And we also have a rising Russia, we need to counter that. So we decided as a nation, yeah, we will become a global, permanent, large, highly industrialized, highly institutionalized force. Well, how do you gain public support for that when the public has traditionally for hundreds of years been very, very suspect of that and very much against it? Well, Samuel, in walk Samuel Huntington, a brilliant political scientist who writes the book, the soldier in the state, and in it he proposed a theory of military supervision in which officers would abstained from voting and then over time that grew legs into Okay, well, now we're just not involved in politics and then in time that grew legs into where a political, but if you go around the force and ask most people what that means, if you ask them to define that word, few would actually be able to define it. It's one of those kind of discursive terms that we've come up with kind of like for the public good. Well, what is for the public good? Can you actually define that, and it's largely often in the eyes of the beholder. So that that's where I believe it came from, I'm still doing quite a bit of work and reading in that. But historically, it's very fascinating to see where we've come and just 70 years on that topic. Yeah.   Michael Hingson ** 10:25 And also, we're in a phase of all of that, where it seems to be at least that it's changing and morphing again, I mean, with what's happened in the last seven years in this country, and the, the lack of desire for discourse, the the desire on some people's parts to really involve the military and a lot of things. It seems like we're possibly changing again, or perhaps even strengthening the military in some way. And I'm not sure what that is.   Chase Spears ** 11:04 We there's really kind of been somewhat of a public backlash, the last, I'd say, five to 10 years, we saw an increasing comfort with military members publicly advocating for political policy for political parties, which is absolutely within their constitutional right to do, George Washington himself said, we did not lay aside the citizen to assume the soldier. But again, that that discourse coming out of the Second World War, really kind of conditions the American public to think that when you're in the military, you do give up your rights to expression that you do give up your rights to citizen agency, and, and, and meaningful involvement in civic processes. And while we do rightly give up some expressive rights, and that is captured and codified in military regulations, and the Uniform Code of Military Justice, there's some legitimacy to that argument. But I would say, you know, if you're, if you're holding a ruler in your hand, the regulations kind of restrict us somewhere between the two and three inch mark on the ruler, whereas the perception that's just kind of come out of the repetition of these terms and ideas is more that we're up around the nine or 10 inch mark on the ruler, if that makes any sense for you. So we we've seen in the last few years, more military people being willing to get involved politically, and there has been somewhat of a backlash to it. And therein is the problem. You if you're going to hold to a belief to a doctrine to a discursive claim, then you have to match it. And the military is really kind of at a point right now they have a decision to make, are we going to hold on to this discourse to this idea? Or are we going to acknowledge that? Well, the regulations are much less restrictive than what people have been led to believe? It's it's a tough spot to be there's not a perfect answer, to help the institution requires cracking down on constitutional freedoms. And well, what is the institution there to serve? So it's a very sticky issue?   Michael Hingson ** 13:11 Well, it does seem to me that in no way, because the person becomes a soldier. And even in their oaths, do they give up the right to be a citizen of the country? So I'm with George Washington?   Chase Spears ** 13:26 Oh, absolutely. No, I am with with George Washington himself, you know, the greatest American? And I think we would, it's a, it's a good reminder of the importance of knowing our history and knowing where we came from. It's in my interviews with military members on this topic. In my research, I'm finding that that like me, most of them were just kind of told these things verbally. They were never pointed to the actual rules. They were never actually pointed to the actual laws. I only know the regulations because I have a personal fascination on the topic. And I went and looked them up. But no one ever told me where to find them. That was research on my own team and figure out where do I look for this. So it's, we really need to do better, nationally, to know our history and know where we came from.   Michael Hingson ** 14:14 We do have a really interesting paradox in the world, because we've gotten in the last two government administrations, to different views of not only how to govern, but to a degree how the military needs to be a part of it, and that's gonna not be very helpful to things either.   Chase Spears ** 14:34 Absolutely. The the military at the end of the day is controlled by the Civilian governance. Now. I'll acknowledge that General Mark Milley didn't really seem to think so and there have been other figures in military history who MacArthur being one of them who who seemed to challenge who was actually in charge of the military. But at the end of the day, constitutionally, we We are governed by by civilians. And that that is right, that is proper any anything else would be a coup and you don't want that. So we, it comes down to how does the military try to hold a consistent line? When you have governments that change every two to four to eight years and have drastically different perspectives on policy? How do you as a military hold an even keel and another wise stormy sea. And in previous generations, we had senior general officers who were pretty good at that they were pretty good at saying, regardless of what the ship of state is doing, the ship of military is going to remain on a heading to serve everyone. And there's been somewhat of a lack a breakdown of discipline at the senior ranks in the last probably 10 years, that's really kind of shuttered the ship of the military. And I think the current some of the recently promoted, general officers understand that I think General GA is the new Chief of Staff of the Army, I think he understands that and he's trying to do some things to reintroduce some stability, but it's a hard thing.   Michael Hingson ** 16:16 Yeah. And the other part about it is that the military, in some ways is a part of society. So we've had things like the whole Don't Ask, Don't Tell dealing with LGBTQ types of issues. And, and of course, even women in the military, and there's been a lot of things that haven't necessarily been as visible as they have become, and are issues that we are starting to face and deal with more. But it seems to me that the military, like it or not, is part of society. And we do need to recognize that collectively, as well.   Chase Spears ** 17:02 We were absolutely drawn from society. We serve society, we exist, you know, for the protection of society. But I will say there's one thing that's all always kind of set Western militaries apart a little bit, and the US military hails from that Western tradition of understanding that just because society chooses to take a move in one direction, doesn't necessarily mean that it's in the national security interest of the United States for the military, to follow suit. And then there's kind of a reason that the military has always tried to, in some way, set itself apart, of acknowledging that there's some things that society will do or want to that are affected by the times as Shakespeare himself noted, there's always a tide in the affairs and man, the tide comes in the time tide goes out the the, the winds shift. And but one thing that was said at the military part was this idea of, at the end of the day, if it's a societal change that enables us to better defend the nation, then that's the direction we'll move. If it's a societal change that could potentially be a friction point or cause additional challenges in securing the nation, we might, we might think on that one a little bit harder, we might be a little more a little slower to adopt that. And we've seen that has kind of broken down the military is very much going out of its way to be reflective of society. And in some ways that can be good in some ways that's caused additional unnecessary frictions to the force and is rightly being having questions asked about it.   Michael Hingson ** 18:45 And that's where having good solid leadership in the military at the highest echelons, has to be an important part of it, because that's where ultimately, the direction that the military goes, is at least in part, going to be authored. Yes, there is a civilian government that and civilian commander in chief, but still the military leaders have to really be the ones mostly to figure out where the military should go in terms of policies and how it deals with different issues or not, I would think.   Chase Spears ** 19:27 And the key word that you hit on there, Michael is leadership. Back a few months ago, I wrote a piece that was published by real clear defense called seven new things the new Sergeant Major of the Army could do to restore trust in the force. And the argument that I made his predecessor was one who was very kind of reactive to the, to the whims you might say, of a the younger generation of soldiers. He was very much all over Twitter about telling me your issues. Let me get involved in your issues. And he was, in some ways a very divisive, senior official in the military. And I equated it to you, you want to look at kind of the British constitutionalist position, the British Crown, if you're looking overseas, it has traditionally been something that it's kind of the rock, unmovable, unshakable, the parliament will do what parliament will do that the Tories and Labour will do what they will do, but the crown is unmovable the crown serves all. And that's kind of something that the military reflected, and I call out to the new rising generation military leaders to remember that, to remember that we don't own this, we owe nothing in the institution, we all leave it one day, as I left it a matter of weeks ago. All I have are my memories and and hopes that I was able to leave some things better than I found them and that the people I served that I hope I served them well. But at the end of the day, we hand it off to someone else. And it's so important for to have good leaders who recognize that we we steward the profession, that we we want to do the best we can with it in our time, and recognize the decisions that we make, will impact those who serve long after our time and do our best to hand it off in the best possible condition that we can for them. Because then to the to society, we returned. And then we depend on this who came after us for our national defense. And so it's the steward mindset to me as key.   Michael Hingson ** 21:41 Yeah. Well, and going back a little bit. So you're in graduate school you got recruited in and accepted and went into the military. What did you do? What was it like when you first went and that certainly again, had to be quite a culture shock from things that you would experience before? Ah,   Chase Spears ** 22:02 yeah, I figured absolutely was you'll never forget your first shark attack at basic training for for anyone who's unfamiliar with that, it's when you once you've done your initial and processing there, whatever base you get your basic training at, for me, it was Fort Jackson in South Carolina. And then they eventually buss you off to your your training companies, which is where you will actually conduct your combat training. This is after you've received your uniforms and done all your finances, paperwork, and life insurance and all that. And then the buses stop and the drill sergeants, they're just there waiting for you. And it's a moment you never forget. And of course, you jump off the bus and they're giving you all these commands that they know it's impossible for you to, to execute to any level of satisfaction. And then when you fail, as you inevitably will, you know, the entire group just gets smoked over and over and over again. And I remember that moment just having that realization of I have not in Kansas anymore, like the next next few months of my life are about to be very different than anything I've ever experienced. And it was it absolutely was. I got through that. And I think the first thing that was really kind of shocking to me be on to the training environment was the use of last names. So yeah, I go by chase my friends call me chase people who know me call me chase. I'm I'm not hung up on titles. I'm a simple guy. In the military, you are your rank and last name. I was specialist Spears sergeants First Lieutenant spears or LT Captain spears, major spears. And I remember at my first unit, there were other other people who in my unit there were the same rank as me. And so I thought were peers I'd call them by their first name. And they never gave me problems about it. But our higher ups would you know, people have rank spears, we don't go by first names spears. And I never I never 20 years and I still never really adjusted well to that I learned how to how to keep myself from getting as many talking to us about it over the years is I had in previous times. But that was a culture shock. And, and just the the constant what we call the military, the battle rhythm, you know, civil society would call it your work schedule, while in the military. It never really ends your day start very early. You have physical training that you're doing with your unit at 630. Depending on what unit you're in, you may be off at a reasonable time in the late afternoon, early evening, or you may be there. I've remember staying at work one night till 4am Just because the boss gave us a job to do. Frankly, it was an unreasonable job. But he gave us a job to do and an extraordinarily tight deadline and it took us till 4am to get the job done and And I was at work by 630, the next morning. So you never, ever really do get used to that in some ways, because you kind of come to accept it. But it's been really eye opening to me in the last nearly three months now that I've been now, looking back and having some control over my schedule now for the first time in 20 years, and realizing, wow, that was such a foreign existence I lived. But when you're when you're swimming in a fishbowl, you don't know you're wet. So every time you do adapt to it, but it's been neat being on the other side and realizing, you know, can kind of breathe in and start to have some say over what a schedule looks like, because I'd forgotten what that was, what that'd be like.   Michael Hingson ** 25:44 But as you rose in the ranks, and I assume took on more responsibility, did that give you any more flexibility in terms of how you operate it on a day to day basis.   Chase Spears ** 25:56 It all depended on the position, there were there were some jobs I had, where were, regardless of the rank, I had flexibility. And then there were other jobs, where I absolutely did not even as a major want, there was a job that I had, where the boss was very adamant. This is the time you will be here and you will be sitting at this desk between these hours and you are authorized authorized is a big term in the military culture, you are authorized a 30 minute lunch break period. And you will be here until this time every day. And this was when I had you know, I think I was at my 1718 year mark. And I remember thinking to myself, golly, do I need to ask permission to go to the bathroom to see, it seemed I didn't. So it really kind of depended on your job. There's a perception a lot of times that the higher you go in rank, the more control you have over your life. And I observed that the opposite is actually true. The higher you go, typically, the more the more demands are placed on you. The more people are depending on the things that you're doing. And and the bigger the jobs are. And the longer the days are was my experience, but it had been flooded depending on what position I was in at the given time.   Michael Hingson ** 27:17 Now, when you first enlisted and all that, what was Laurie's reaction to all of that.   Chase Spears ** 27:23 I was shocked. She was so supportive. She actually grew up in an Air Force household. And so she knew military life pretty well. Her dad had been been in, he spent a lot more time in the air force than I did the army. And then even after he retired from the Air Force, he went on and taught at the Naval Academy as a civilian. So she is just always had a level of familiarity with the military as long as she can remember. She joked with me that when she got married to me and then had to give up her dependent military ID card that it was kind of a moment of mourning for she didn't want to give that thing up. So one day, there we are Knoxville, Tennessee, and I approached her. And I'm trying to be very careful, very diplomatic, very suave, and how I bring it up to her and let her know I've been thinking about the army. And I'm kind of curious what she might think about that. Because it'd be such a drastic lifestyle change from everything we've been talking about. And I was bracing for her to look at me and be like, are you insane? And instead, she was like, Oh, you won't get in the military. And I get an ID card again. Yes. She was she was supportive from from Jump Street. And so you talk about a wife who just was there, every minute of it, and loved and supported and gave grace and rolled with the punches. milori Did she was absolutely phenomenal. Though, I will admit when it got to the point that I was starting to think maybe 20. I'll go ahead and wrap this up, because my original plan had been to do 30. But when I started talking with her about that she was she was also ready, she was ready to actually start having me home regularly for us to be able to start making family plans and be able to follow through with them. Because we had the last three years we had not been able to follow through with family plans, because of the different positions that I was in. So she was very, very supportive of me joining and then she was equally very supportive of me going ahead and and calling it calling it a day here or the last just at the end of this year. But what a what a partner could not have done it   Michael Hingson ** 29:41 without her. So where did she live when you were going through basic training and all that.   Chase Spears ** 29:46 So she stayed in Knoxville for nonGSA. Yeah. And then from there, she actually ended up moving up to her dad's and his wife's place up in Maryland because my follow on school after base See training was the Defense Information School. That's where all the Public Affairs courses are taught. And it's so happens that that is located at Fort Meade, Maryland, which is just about a 45 minute drive traffic dependent from where her dad lived. So while I was in basic training, she went ahead and moved up there to Maryland so that while I was in school up there, we could see each other on the weekends. And then from there, we didn't have to go back to Tennessee and pack up a house or stuff was already packed up so we could get on the road together there to wherever our next duty station was. And it turned out funny enough to be Colorado Springs, Fort Carson. And here's why that's funny. When, when I approached Laurie, about joining the army, one of the things that she was really excited about was seeing the world if you're in the military, you get to see the world, right. And my first duty assignment was the town that she had grown up in, because her dad had spent the last few years of his career teaching at the Air Force Academy there on the northern end of Colorado Springs. So so her her dreams of seeing the world with me, turned out that our first tour was going to write back home for her.   Michael Hingson ** 31:14 Oh, that has its pluses and it's minuses.   Chase Spears ** 31:17 Yep. So it was neat for me to get to see where she had grown up and learn the town little bit.   Michael Hingson ** 31:23 I've been to Fort Meade, and actually a few times I used to sell technology to folks there. And then several years ago, I was invited to come in after the World Trade Center and do a speech there. And so it was it was fun spending some time around Fort Meade heard some wonderful stories. My favorite story still is that one day somebody from the city of Baltimore called the fort because they wanted to do traffic studies or get information to be able to do traffic studies to help justify widening roads to better help traffic going into the fort. So they call it the fort. And they said, Can you give us an idea of how many people come through each day? And the person at the other end said, Well, I'm really not sure what you're talking about. We're just a little shack out here in the middle of nowhere. And so they ended up having to hire their own people to count cars for a week, going in and out of the fort was kind of cute.   Chase Spears ** 32:23 Well, there's quite a bit of traffic there. Now that basis when   Michael Hingson ** 32:26 I was then to there wasn't just a little shack, of course, it was a whole big forest.   Chase Spears ** 32:32 Yeah, yeah, it's I was back there. Golly, I want to say it wasn't that long ago. But it was about five years ago now is back there. And I almost didn't recognize the place. There's been so much new built there. But oh, I know, as far as army assignments go, it's a it's a pretty nice place.   Michael Hingson ** 32:50 Yeah, it is. And as I said, I've had the opportunity to speak there and spend some time dealing with folks when we sold products and so on. So got to got to know, people, they're pretty well and enjoyed dealing with people there. They knew what they were doing. Yeah,   Chase Spears ** 33:07 yeah, that's a it's a smart group of people in that base.   Michael Hingson ** 33:10 So you went through basic training and all that and what got you into the whole idea of public relations and what you eventually went into?   Chase Spears ** 33:20 Well, I had studied in college, my undergraduate degree was in television and radio broadcasting. My master's was in journalism, I'd grown up kind of in the cable news age, and the at the age of the emergence of am Talk Radio is a big, big tool of outreach. And I grew up thinking, this is what I want to do. I love communication. I actually thought it'd be really neat to be an investigative reporter on if, if you remember, back in the 90s, it was this big thing of, you know, Channel Nine on your side, yeah, had this investigative reporter who tell you the real deal about the restaurant or the automotive garage. And I always thought that would be amazing, like what a great public service like helping people to avoid being ripped off. And so I wanted to be a news. I'm sure you're familiar with the Telecom Act of 1996. That That caused a tremendous consolidation of media for your audience who might not be familiar with it. It used to be that really, if you had the wherewithal to buy a media station or a television station or radio station, you were unlimited in what you could you there were limits, I should say on what you could buy, so that you couldn't control too much, too much media environment, the Telecom Act of 1996, completely deregulated that and so large media companies were just swallowing up the nation. And that meant there's a tremendous consolidation of jobs and the my junior year in college. I was in the southeast us at the time at Lee University. Atlanta. Nearby was our biggest hiring media market, my June Your year CNN laid off 400 people. So I could tell really quick, this is going to be a chat and even more challenging field to break into than I thought. And that's why I ended up working part time in a law firm was in, in Journalism School. Afterwards, because I was looking great. I was looking for a backup plan. I thought if journalism doesn't work out, I also love the law. It'd be nice to get some experience working in a firm to see if I want to go to law school. So it was a natural fit for me when the army recruiter started talking to me. And he was asking me what I was interested in. And I told him, Well, here's what my degree is in, here's what my career plan had been, here's who I really want to do with my life. And he said, we have public affairs, I said, What's that? It turns out, the military has radio stations, and they have television networks and you PR, I had no idea. I was a civilian. And I was like, Well, that sounds good. And so I thought, yeah, sure, I'll I will enlist for that come in, do one four year contract, I'll build a portfolio and and then I'll be able to take that portfolio out into the civilian realm. And hopefully that will make me more competitive for a job in the news market. And of course, a couple of years into that. I was in Kuwait deployed to camp Arif John. And my brigade commander sat me down to lunch one day, and made it very clear that he expected me to apply for Officer Candidate School, which was nowhere on what I was interested in doing was nowhere on my radar, I applied, I really didn't have a lot of confidence. I thought, I looked at officers and I thought they were people who are way, way more intelligent than me, way more suave than me. And I really didn't know if I'd get in, well, I got in. And after I commissioned officer candidate school is about like basic training all over again. So that was fun. And I ended up being assigned to a combat camera unit. And then afterwards, I was able to put my paperwork in to branch transfer right back into public affairs, it was a perfect mess was everything I wanted to do. I didn't get to work in news directly. I wasn't a reporter. But I got to work with reporters, I got to be an institutional insider and help facilitate them and help to tell the stories of what some great American patriots were doing, and wanting to serve their countries. And so it was, for the most part, more often than not, it was a really, really fun way to earn a living living.   Michael Hingson ** 37:34 I collect as a hobby old radio shows I'm very familiar with but back in the 40s was the Armed Forces Radio Service, then it became Armed Forces Radio and Television Service. And so I'm aware a little bit of, of the whole broadcast structure in the military, not a lot, but but some and know that that it's there. And it does, I'm suspect, a really good job of helping to keep people informed as much as it can as they can with the things that they have to do in the world. It's   Chase Spears ** 38:04 definitely it's a comfort over the years, if you're spending a lot of time overseas to have kind of that that taste of home and our forces network does a really good job of that letting I think we're starting to see some debates inside the military. Now. What do we want to continue of it? Because now information is so ubiquitous, if you will, you can pull it down, you can stream whatever you want, wherever you are in the globe. So I kind of wonder in the next 1020 years, will it still be a thing, but during my early career during my early deployment before he could stream stuff, it was really cool to have an AFN radio station to tune into is really cool to have an AFN television network to tune into to be able to get a taste of home. That was much a comfort,   Michael Hingson ** 38:52 right? Yeah, it is. It is something that helps. So you can't necessarily stream everything. I spent a week in Israel this summer. And there were broadcasts I could get and pick up through the internet and so on. And there were stuff from here in the US that I couldn't get I suspect it has to do with copyright laws and the way things were set up but there was only so much stuff that you could actually do.   Chase Spears ** 39:20 And what a time to be in Israel you will I bet that trip is even more memorable for you now than it would have been otherwise.   Michael Hingson ** 39:27 Fortunately, it wasn't August. So we we didn't have to put up with the things that are going on now. But still Yeah, it was very memorable. I enjoyed doing it. spending a week with excessively over there and got into getting to meet with with all the folks so it was definitely well worth it and something that that I will always cherish having had the opportunity to do get   Chase Spears ** 39:51 for you. If it's on my bucket list. I've always wanted to spend some time over there.   Michael Hingson ** 39:56 Hot and humid in the summer, but that's okay. Let's say but they love breakfast. Oh, really? So yeah, definitely something to think about. Well, so you, you joined you got you got the public relations, jobs and so on. So how did all that work for you over? Well, close to 20 years? What all did you do and what, what stories can you tell us about some of that?   Chase Spears ** 40:25 It was it was fascinating. It was fascinating because everything that I got to touch was, in some way a story. And so my first job was in radio and television production. I did quite a bit of that in Kuwait. And it was actually there that I got my first taste of crisis communication, and I was immediately addicted. Do you remember back in? It was December 2004. Donald Rumsfeld said you go to war with the Army you have not the army want or might wish to have it another time? Yeah. I was there. That that was uttered in camp you're in Kuwait. And that was such an interesting moment. For me in terms of a story to tell. I was with the 14 Public Affairs Detachment we were deployed to camp Arif John to provide public affairs support for for Third Army's Ford headquarters. This was back during the height of the war in Iraq and Afghanistan. And so there's a lot of military going over there. We were part of that. And I remember hearing this tasking that had come down that the Secretary of Defense is going to come out here is going to do this town hall meeting with the troops. There's going to be no question that you can't ask. You're going to be allowed to say anything you want to say to the Secretary of Defense, nothing's going to be scripted, nothing's going to be put through for review. And by the way, 14 pad you guys are going to make sure that it can be televised live back to the United States. And so here I am thinking what can possibly go wrong. And so we helped we all the event, Secretary Rumsfeld hindered and handled it really, really well. They set up this big, you know, fighting machinery display, they're in a in a big aircraft hangar epic camp bearing which is in northern Kuwait, just not too far south from the Iraqi border. And he gets up he gives the speech. He's well received by the troops. And it goes to the q&a part. And soldiers were asking him all sorts of questions. Most of them are jovial, you know, hey, when when do we get to go to Disney World, stuff like that. They were kind of big jocular with them.   Michael Hingson ** 42:42 Seems a fair question.   Chase Spears ** 42:44 Yeah, you know, I felt them right. And so finally, this one guy, I'll never forget his name, especially as Thomas Wilson from the 2/78 Regimental Combat Team. Tennessee National Guard asks him a question about when are they going to get the body armor that's needed? And in true Rumsfeld style, he's he says, Well, I'm not quite sure I understood the question. Can you ask it again, which is a great technique. He used to buy him some time to think the answer. And then it came back after the second question. And the whole hangar about 1000 of us in there. It was hast. I'll bet you could have heard a plastic cup hit the floor at the back back of the room. I mean, everyone was like, what? Oh, no, what just happened? What's about to happen? And Rumsfeld makes that remark, you go to war with the army have not the one you want or need. Yeah. And and then the questions went on. And there was not be after that. There was no awkward moment for the rest of the time. And I and I thought, wow, that could have gone south. But it didn't cool. It was just it was neat to watch. I was running the television camera that caught the moment. I was in the room. And so we me and my sergeant had to stay up there the rest of the day because there were some other television network interviews with other officials that we were running the satellite transponder for. And it was a long day our commander was kind of being a jerk to us. So by the end of the day, we were tired we'd been up there sleeping on cots for a couple of days, we were kind of just ready to get back to data camp Arif, John to our beds and put the whole mission behind us. And then we drive to three hours through this pouring pouring rainstorm in Kuwait, and a Canvas side Humvee that's leaking. All you know, water just pouring into this thing on us. So we're done. We're done. We're done. We're like, we just want to get a bed. We get back to our base. We're offloading all the equipment, putting everything away. And at this point in time, I forgotten about the moment earlier in the day when that question was asked, and I walk in and there we had this wall of televisions you know, tracking all the different news networks back in the US and on all of them Their Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld, you go to war with the army have not the army won or wish to have another time. And at that moment, I was like, it's about to be an interesting few weeks around here. And it turned out, it turned out indeed to be an interesting few weeks, an interesting few months. And I got to be on the front end of what the public affairs response to that looks like. And I can tell you, I've never seen armored vehicles flow into a place as quickly as they did in the following month. So the power of a message transmitted is a real thing. Well,   Michael Hingson ** 45:39 so whatever happened to specialist Wilson?   Chase Spears ** 45:44 I don't I don't know. I know that news coverage. When that news reporters were asking that very question and coverage that I saw said, Oh, his unit, his assured that nothing bad will happen to him. He was a national guardsmen, so he kind of fall under a different, different command structure than us. From time to time, I have wondered that and I've tried to look him up online, and just try to find out what happened to the sky and what was life like for him? I'd love to talk to him and ask alright, what was it like, man, what is your unit do? But I, I have no idea. I can't find him. I presume he's gone about his life and doesn't want to be famous about it. But it also goes back to National Guard culture versus active duty culture. We talked earlier about the citizenship aspect. And the National Guard gets that way more than the active component. At the end of the day, they demobilize. And they go home. Right, you're running into the same people you serve, with the church, at the grocery store, at the grocery store, at the PTA, places like this, some of them might be your neighbors. And so they have an entirely different outlook. This is what they do to serve the country when needed. And then they go on about their lives. I don't think you would have seen an active duty soldier ask that question. I really don't because the culture is so so markedly different. And there's a level of kind of freedom of thought and expression, present that guard that that is much more lacking in the active component.   Michael Hingson ** 47:19 Should there be more freedom, in that sense in the active component? Or do you think that it's really appropriate for there to be the dichotomy that you're describing?   Chase Spears ** 47:32 And the act of force you need discipline? You need a discipline force, who, when they're given a lawful order, will carry it out hastily, because lives could hang in the balance. That's absolutely important, and we can never lose that. But sometimes we can use discipline I say sometimes, often, more is the more appropriate term often we confuse discipline with silence. We confuse discipline with a lack of willingness to ask tough questions. We confuse discipline with just saying Yes, sir. When you know, in the back of your mind, there might be something you need to dig into more. We we need, unfortunately, since the end of the Second World War, going back to my comments earlier about this large, industrialized, institutionalized force we have it breeds careerists. It breeds a mindset that's fearful to ask tough questions, even if you know they need to be asked. Because you want to be promoted. Right? You want to get assignments, right. And it breeds a culture where you really are much more timid. Or you're much more likely to be timid than someone who's maybe a reservist or National Guard member. We need people who will ask tough questions. We don't need indiscipline, we don't rush showmanship, we don't need people who are being performative just to be seen. But there are valid questions to be asked is, you know, is US defense policy? Better set for a 400? Ship navy or a 300? Ship? Navy? That's a valid question. Is it better for us to use this route of attack versus that route of attack? Given the Give Me Everything we know, those are valid questions. We need people in the military who who are willing to be critical thinkers, and there are a lot of extraordinarily brilliant people in today's armed forces, as there always has been. But there is on the active duty side a culture that works against original thought and that's really to our detriment. And I think the manner in which the evacuation of Afghanistan ended is one more blatant indicator of that.   Michael Hingson ** 49:48 It was not handled nearly as well as it could have been as we have seen history tell us and teach us now   Chase Spears ** 49:56 Absolutely. i It broke my heart. I'm A veteran of that conflict I'm not one who cries easily, Michael but I can tell you that morning when I saw the some of the images coming out of cobbles especially there's a video of a C 17 cargo jet taking off and people literally hanging to and falling to their deaths. Just i i fell off, I fell off my on my run into a sobbing human being on this on the ground for a little bit it is there's a lot to process and it has continued to be a lot to process. And there again, there's a great example of why you gotta be willing to ask tough questions. There was no no reason at all. We should have abandoned Bagram and tried to evacuate out of downtown Cabo. But that's a whole nother conversation. Yeah.   Michael Hingson ** 50:52 Well, speaking of you, I understand that you weren't a great fan of jumping out of airplanes, but you got used to doing them? I   Chase Spears ** 51:01 sure did. Oh, yeah. I always thought that would just be something that no, I don't want to say no sane person would do. I mean, I enjoy watching skydivers, I think it's really cool. And obviously, they're saying, I never thought I'd be among them. I thought, Nah, that's just something, I don't think I'm gonna do that. And when I was an officer candidate school, I was roommates with a guy who had been to Airborne School earlier in his career. And he was like, man, don't do it. Don't let him talk you into going to Airborne School, though, you'll be stuck at Fort Bragg, you'll just you'll be broke all the time, you'll be hurting all the time, the army takes the fun out of everything. And he's right. To an extent the army does take the fun out of most things that touches. But I got to my first unit as an officer. So I'd done enlisted time for three years, then I went to Officer Candidate School. And then my first job as an officer was at the 55th combat camera company, which is not a full airborne unit, but it's a partial airborne unit. And they had a hard time keeping enough active duty paratroopers on hand. And so I remember day one, when I was in processing the unit, there are all these different places you go, when you're in process, you gotta go see the training room, and you got to go see the administrative room, and you got to go see the Transportation Office and all these places, and they're just checking your paperwork. And so I see the training room, and there's the sergeant in there. And he's looking through my list. And he's asking me all these questions, you know, when was your last PT test? Where's the last physical, you know, making notes on me for the unit record? And then he says, Do you want to go to Airborne School? And without thinking, I said, Absolutely not. I have no interest in going to Airborne School. And his reply to me was go ahead and get an airborne physical. And I thought, There's no way I'm ever getting an airborne physical because I'm not going to Airborne School. So a few weeks later, I'm in the unit, I'm more comfortable. And I'm across. I'm in a different office across the hall from where this guy worked. And I'm joking around with this other sergeant. And I'm like, sir, and you're just such a cool guy. Like you've got all together, you're, you're like everything I want to be when I grow up. What how do you do it? He said, Well, sir, you got to go to Airborne School. That's step one. The other guy across the hall ever hears that, you know, mouse ears, I don't know how. But he darts out of his office across the hall into this opposite we're in, looks me straight in the face and said, Did you say you want to go to Airborne School? Like no, is not what I said, I absolutely have no interest. I'm not going to Airborne School. And he again replies with schedule your physical. And I thought, I'm not going to disappoint me scheduling a fiscal. So I get back to my office that later that day. And I thought this guy is not going to give up. So I came up with this brilliant plan. It was smart, smartest plan you'll ever hear of, I'm going to pretend I'm going to get my airborne physical and then he'll forget about me, leave me alone. So I called him and said, Hey, Sergeant, what's the phone number I have to call them schedule an airborne physical and it gives me the phone number and the the name of the person to talk to and I said, Great. I'll talk to him. There were two or three other lieutenants set to show up to the unit next in the next month. So I thought he will assume I'm getting a physical which I'm not getting and there's other guys will show up and he will convince them to go and I will fall off his radar. I was incorrect. That was a bad bad miscalculation on my part, you might say a flawed operation   Michael Hingson ** 54:39 with your the and you were the one who was talking about brilliant people in the army Anyway, go ahead.   Chase Spears ** 54:43 I know I know. Right? Yeah, I am a paradox. And so that within an hour I get an email from him with my he's already put me in for school. I already have orders generated to go to jump school. And then he calls me he's like Hey, by the way, your report in like three weeks, I need your physical as soon as you can get it. And I thought this guy, I told him I'm not going to Airborne School. Well, at the same time, our unit commander was a paratrooper, and he loves jumping out of airplanes. And I had two or three paratroopers in my platoon who were underneath me. And I thought, There's no way I can go now. Because if I, if I get the commander to release me, one, I'll lose face with the old man. And I'll lose face with the troops that I lead because the soldiers have to compete for this. They're just giving it to me. And so I went, protesting, kicking, screaming the whole way. I hated ground week. I hated tower week. And then they put took me up to the 250 foot tower and dropped me off the side of it under a parachute. And I loved it. I was like, Oh, this is fun. I actually asked if I can do it again. And they said, they don't get what's right. So the next week, we go into jump week in there I am in the back of an airplane, and it comes to my turn to get up and exit it. And I do, and I get to the ground and I survive. And I literally just sat there and laughed uncontrollably because I couldn't believe I just jumped out of a plane. And it was my first of 40 jobs. So I was I was absolutely hooked from that moment on.   Michael Hingson ** 56:20 And what did Lori think of that?   Chase Spears ** 56:23 She was a little bit surprised. She She again, was supportive. But she was surprised she never thought it's something that I would take to and it ended up being a great thing for us. Because having been on jumped status, it opened the door for me to request the unit and Alaska that we ended up going to for six years, you had to be on airborne status to be able to go to that job. And so had I not going to jump school, I would not have qualified to go into Alaska for that particular job. And so it ended up being a wonderful, wonderful thing. But I would have never guessed it, it just it's another one of those poignant reminders to me that every time that I think I've got a plan, it's God's way of reminding me that he has a sense of humor, because what's going to work out is always going to be very different from what I think.   Michael Hingson ** 57:10 And you help Laurie see the world. So well worked out. Absolutely.   Chase Spears ** 57:15 Yeah, she we never, we never got to spend time together overseas. But Alaska was an amazing adventure. And, gosh, if if no one in your listeners haven't been there yet to go see a Sunday?   Michael Hingson ** 57:29 Yeah, I went there on a cruise I didn't see as much as I would have loved to but still, I got to see some of them. It was great.   Chase Spears ** 57:38 It's nothing like it. No. Now you   Michael Hingson ** 57:42 as you advance in the ranks, and so on you, you started being in public relations, being a communicator, and so on. But clearly, as you advanced, you became more and I'm sure were viewed as more of a leader that was kind of a transition from from not being a leader. And just being a communicator and doing what you were told to be more of a leader, what was that transition like?   Chase Spears ** 58:07 That was another one of those things that I would have never seen coming. After I did my three years as the spokesman for the Airborne Brigade. In Alaska, I ended up becoming the deputy communication director for US Army, Alaska, which was the highest army command there in the state responsible for 11,000 troops and their families in multiple locations. And I remember one day, my boss came to me and saying, hey, the general is going to give a speech to the hockey team at the University of Alaska, about leadership. And so I need you to write it. And I looked at him and I said, boss, all right, whatever he told me to write, but the general has forgotten more about leadership than I know, like, how do where do I start with this? And I don't remember the exact words, I think it was something to the effect of, you're smart, you'll figure it out. And so I put together a speech, it was by no means anything glorious, but it was the best I had to give that moment in time and what leadership was fully convinced that I was not one. And then over time, I there are people who spoken to me at their headquarters who called out leadership that I didn't see they were pointing out influence that I had there pointing out people who I was able to help steer towards decisions that I didn't realize that I didn't know and it made me start looking back in other parts of my career and realizing, Oh, my goodness, I actually led that team. This man actually looks to me for decisions. I actually I am a leader, I had no idea. There's something I always thought if if you were in the military and you're a leader, you were some grand master, you know, like, like Patton or Eisenhower and I didn't think think myself anything like that. And so finally, in 2015, I was offered A chance to take command of a company which in civilian terms, that's kind of like being the executive director, if you will, of an organization of 300 people. And I was so excited for it. Because by that point in time, I finally made the mental transition of saying, I'm not, I'm not merely a communicator, communicating is what I've done. But occasionally it's I've worked on delivering us on passionate about, by came to realize, I love that so much because communicating is a part of leading and, and I, I am a leader, it's just something. Looking back. Of course, my life has always been there, I just never knew it. I never saw it, I never believed in it. And so by the time I was offered the chance to command, I was very excited for it, I was very eager for it, because I realized this is going to be an a wonderful adventure getting to lead a team at this level of this size. And it was the hardest job I ever did in the army, and the most rewarding. I don't know if you've ever watched any of the Lord, Lord of the Rings movie. But there's this moment where Aragon is being chided, is set aside the Ranger Be who you were meant to be to be the king. And that meant that came back to my mind several times I had to challenge myself that just because I only see myself as a communicator all these years doesn't mean that I can't do other things. And so it was a joy to actually walk into that. Believing is not easy. There's there are a lot of hard days or a lot of hard decisions. Especially when I was a commander, I agonized every decision. So I made because I knew this will have an impact on a person, this will have an impact on a family this, this will change the directions and plans that people had. And so it's a heavy weight to bear. And I think it's good that those kind of decisions come with weight. And I would question someone who who can make those kinds of calls without having to wrestle with them.   Michael Hingson ** 1:02:01 When you look at all the things that you've done, and the work that you do, and the work that you did, at the end of every day, or at some time during the day, I know you were pretty busy. But did you ever have the time to just kind of sit back and reflect on how did this go today? How did that go? What could have been better? Did you do any kind of introspection? Or did you feel you had time to do that?   Chase Spears ** 1:02:24 I didn't really feel I had time. And it would be easy for me to blame the unit, it'd be easy for me to blame people. But that responsibility rests with me. It's a discipline that I didn't develop until way too late in my career. And I eventually did develop it, I eventually came to realize the importance of reflection of introspection of taking a mental inventory of what I've accomplished I didn't accomplish and what I can learn from it. But it was sadly something that I didn't do as much as I should have. And I didn't do it as early, I was really, really bad at assuming well, because the unit needs this right now. I can't take care of this thing that I need to take care of that will that will allow me to be the leader that I need to be you know, I get in a car, someone slams on my car, and I need to get them to take care of it. Why don't have time unit Scott has to have me We gotta move on. Well, I've got six screws in my left hand and my left shoulder right now because I was always too busy to listen to the physical therapist and take care of myself, you know, the unit needs me the unit needs me the men need me. And so it, it was a hard, hard learned lesson. The importance of sitting back and reflecting is something I wish I would have learned much sooner. But once I did, it served me well. And it's a discipline that I still practice now.   Michael Hingson ** 1:03:46 Yeah, yeah, it's, I think a very important thing. And a lot of things can can stem from that. What's the best position your favorite position in the army and why?   Chase Spears ** 1:03:59 The best thing I ever got to do is company command. And it's hard to say that because it's really it's really closely tied with being a brigade director of communication. And t

This week, the guys are talking all about lilacs. In Alaska, there is a short window when lilacs are in full bloom (about 6 weeks), so it's important to care for them properly to keep them healthy year after year. Fun fact: Jeff's grandfather hybridized a lilac!After the break, Jeff shares the battery-powered tools he uses for gardening:Small chainsawBlowerWeed eaterJeff is disappointed with his modern weed eater because it's difficult to maintain, while Jonathan is pleasantly surprised with his weed eater's ease of use. One thing the guys agree on is that a good weed eater is essential for a healthy-looking lawn or meadow!Finally, they discuss the practicality of newer electric composters and ask listeners to share their thoughts.Discover all this and more in this week's episode of Teaming With Microbes!**********************************************Have a question? Let us know at teamingwithmicrobes@me.comPlant a row for the hungry/Read Teaming With Microbes, Teaming With Nutrients and Teaming With Fungi!Thanks to our sponsors:Big Foot MicrobesNumber 2 Organics made in partnership with Malibu CompostDown To Earth All Natural Fertilizers The Teaming with Microbes Podcast is edited and produced with original music by Pod Peak.  Special thanks to the Anchorage Daily News for hosting the show!

Where's our dam host? In Alaska! While he's out exploring the Land of the Midnight Sun, Summit Metro Parks Biologist Jason Whittle shares a sneak peak of what's to come. Free the Falls premieres next month!

Jory Knott is the Executive Director of the Alaska Innocence Project. The Alaska Innocence Project started in 2008 under the direction of Bill Oberly, and it took seven years for them to get their first exoneration — it was the Fairbanks Four case, in which four Alaska Native men were wrongly convicted of murder and subsequently spent 18 years in prison. Jory says that that case involved a number of factors that led to a wrongful conviction, including eyewitness misidentification, incentivized witnesses, confirmation bias, racial animus, misconduct, and bad science. This was the case that got Jory interested in working with the Innocence Project — he was an intern then, but made the decision to go to law school so that he could work there full-time.  Studies that consider the number of people who have been wrongfully convicted in the U.S. since the late-1980s estimate that up to 5 percent of the prison population is wrongfully convicted. In Alaska, that would mean about 150 innocent people are in prison. Nationally, the average person who is wrongfully convicted spends 12 years in prison before they're exonerated. And Alaska is among about a dozen other states that do not have a wrongful conviction compensation statute, so exonerees don't get any money following their release. Even convicted felons receive things like re-entry services, recidivism prevention, education, job services and drug counseling. But Jory says that, despite all of this, he still has faith in the criminal justice system because, for the most part, it gets it right and wrongful convictions are rare.

In Alaska and Barcelona, money from visitors is paying for heat pumps. What do we owe to the places we go on vacation? We hear how travellers can contribute to climate solutions. And, we answer a listener's question about whether our beloved maple syrup will disappear in a warming world.

In this one, Cody talks to Jory Knott. He's the Executive Director of the Alaska Innocence Project. The Alaska Innocence Project started in 2008 under the direction of Bill Oberly, and it took seven years for them to get their first exoneration — it was the Fairbanks Four case, in which four Alaska Native men were wrongly convicted of murder and subsequently spent 18 years in prison. Jory says that case involved a number of factors that led to a wrongful conviction, including eyewitness misidentification, incentivized witnesses, confirmation bias, racial animus, misconduct, and bad science. This was the case that got Jory interested in working with the Innocence Project — he was an intern then, but made the decision to go to law school so that he could work there full-time. Studies that consider the number of people who have been wrongfully convicted in the U.S. since the late-1980s estimate that up to 5 percent of the prison population is wrongfully convicted. In Alaska, that would mean about 150 innocent people are in prison. Nationally, the average person who is wrongfully convicted spends 12 years in prison before they're exonerated. And Alaska is among about a dozen other states that do not have a wrongful conviction compensation statute, so exonerees don't get any money following their release. Even convicted felons receive things like re-entry services, recidivism prevention, education, job services and drug counseling. But Jory says that, despite all of this, he still has faith in the criminal justice system because, for the most part, it gets it right and wrongful convictions are rare.

This week we're discussing a news series we're creating to become a better shot with a rifle but also how recreational shooters might contribute more money to conservation than hunters. A few news stories from this week include the following. In Alaska the Bureau of Land management has released their final supplemental environmental impact statement in regards to the construction of the Ambler Road where they have recommended "No Action". News of chronic wasting disease potentially infecting humans has been spreading like wild fire in national news, but our friend Jim Heffelfinger has pointed out that the article that is often being cited, is NOT a scientific study, it is simply a short report of events. The California Department of Fish and Wildlife just released their draft black bear conservation plan that shows that bear populations are thriving in the state and there is more than enough room for hunter harvest. Link to California Draft Black Bear Conservation Plan https://wildlife.ca.gov/Conservation/Mammals/Black-Bear Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In April of 2023 Anchorage Voters passed Proposition 14 by a 12-point margin. That proposition dedicates marijuana tax money to child care and early child care education – estimated to be between $4 & $6 million per year. These funds seem to come at just the right time. Due to the scarcity of programs as well as the cost of care and lack of high-quality child care means that 51% of Alaskan families cannot fully participate in the labor force. And even when families can participate the costs are high with many child care spots costing up to $1800 per month in Anchorage. In Alaska, child care can account for up to 15% of parents' income. On this episode I am joined by members of the Anchorage Child Care and Early Education Fund implementation team to discuss how the Anchorage Child Care and Early Education Fund is being implemented and the marijuana tax funds used to address the needs of families and child care workers in Anchorage.   https://www.careforkidsanchorage.com   https://www.muni.org/Departments/health/Pages/default.aspx https://www.facebook.com/ancpublichealth https://www.instagram.com/ancpublichealth/   https://www.muni.org/Departments/Assembly/Pages/default.aspx https://www.facebook.com/pages/Anchorage-Municipal-Assembly/388908687838651   https://www.asdk12.org/school_board/   https://www.alaskachildrenstrust.org/ https://www.facebook.com/alaskachildrenstrust https://www.instagram.com/alaskachildrenstrust/   https://www.anchoragechamber.org/ https://www.facebook.com/AnchorageChamber https://www.instagram.com/anchoragechamber

In Alaska, where there is halibut, I put my thoughts about this into practice and it worked very well...

This week, Jeff and Jonathan are celebrating the longer spring days in Alaska. However, the warming sun has them thinking about the impacts of global warming.They kick off this week's episode by discussing recent scientific studies, which warn that global warming could threaten the survival of dung beetles.Next, they explore various natural indicators that signal when it's safe to plant outdoors (and indoors). In Alaska, the size of birch tree leaves serves as a reliable clue! Jeff also emphasizes that now is an ideal time to complete springtime tasks, such as cleaning up after your dog, shoveling snow around greenhouse entrances, and more.Finally, they answer a listener's question on composting.Find all this and more on Teaming With Microbes!**********************************************Have a question? Let us know at teamingwithmicrobes@me.comPlant a row for the hungry/Read Teaming With Microbes, Teaming With Nutrients and Teaming With Fungi!Thanks to our sponsors:Big Foot MicrobesNumber 2 Organics made in partnership with Malibu CompostDown To Earth All Natural Fertilizers The Teaming with Microbes Podcast is edited and produced with original music by Pod Peak.  Special thanks to the Anchorage Daily News for hosting the show!

To put in context, In Alaska since 1988, more than 16,000 people have dissappeared which is a huge number. For every 100,000 people, 164 of them have gone missing which is far higher than any other state by a long shot as the 49 states average out to around just 6 people missing per 100,000. Those figures aren't skewed for effect for the sake of this episode, it's a fact and so the question becomes….what exactly is going on in Alaska? 

We are the stories we tell. In Alaska the Inupiaq people tell the story of Sedna the goddess of the sea. They understand that the land they live on is a complex web of physical and spiritual beings.But the colonisers of Alaska tell a different set of stories about the same landscape. They tell stories of Wilderness and of the Last Frontier.Our guest today is Tia Tidwell professor of Alaska Native Studies at the University of Alaska Fairbanks. She belongs to the Nunamiut people of Anaktuvuk Pass.Tia's recommendations:Alaska is the Center of the Universe (Audible exclusive podcast)The Alaska Myth https://www.thealaskamyth.com/Produced by Freddy Chick, Senior Producer is Charlotte Long.Discover the past with exclusive history documentaries and ad-free podcasts presented by world-renowned historians from History Hit. Watch them on your smart TV or on the go with your mobile device. Get 50% off your first 3 months with code AFTERDARK sign up now for your 14-day free trial http://access.historyhit.com/checkout/subscribe/purchase?code=afterdark&plan=monthlyYou can take part in our listener survey here.

That's The Biggest Lady **** I've Ever Seen! This week on the podcast, Brian and Darryl are talking about, Lady Ballers from the Daily Wire, The Shift from Angel Studios, and Monarch episodes 3-5 from AppleTV+! Episode Index Intro: 0:07 Lady Ballers: 4:41 The Shift: 18:24 Monarch: 38:15 Lady Ballers (The Daily Wire) Out of 10 What is a Womans Darryl: 5.5/10 Brian: 5.5/10 Summary A down-on-his-luck former high school basketball coach will do anything to win, which in this case means, leading his team of men to don wigs and brutally dominate in multiple women's sports. Directed by Jeremy Boreing Written by Jeremy Boreing Brian A. Hoffman Nick Sheehan Cast Jeremy Boreing Daniel Considine David Cone Blain Crain Jake Crain Tyler Fischer Billie Rae Brandt Lexie Contursi Rosie Seraphine Harper Matt Walsh Candace Owens Brett Cooper Michael J. Knowles Andrew Klavan Spencer Klavan Clay Travis Seth Dillon Riley Gaines The Shift (2023) Out of 10 The Benefactor is a Real Dicks Darryl: 7.25/10 Brian: 7/10 Summary Kevin Garner encounters a mysterious man known as "The Benefactor". When Kevin refuses the man's enticing offer of wealth and power, he is shifted into alternate totalitarian realities, encountering infinite worlds and impossible choices, as he attempts to return to the woman he loves. Directed by Brock Heasley Written by Brock Heasley Produced by Brock Heasley Ken Carpenter Starring Kristoffer Polaha Neal McDonough Elizabeth Tabish Rose Reid John Billingsley Paras Patel Jordan Alexandra Sean Astin Cinematography Edd Lukas Edited by Chris Witt Music by Dan Haseltine Matthew S. Nelson Production Companies Nook Lane Entertainment Pinnacle Peak Pictures Salt Shaker Media Distributed by Angel Studios Release dates December 1, 2023 (United States) Running time 115 minutes Budget $6.4 million Box office $5.5 million Monarch: Legacy of Monsters (AppleTV) Out of 10 The One Character That's Ready for All This Isn'ts Darryl: 6.5/10 Brian: 7/10 Episode 3: Secrets and Lies Summary In 2015, Cate, Kentaro, May, and Shaw escape Japan on a ferry bound for Pohang, Korea. In Pohang, they are accosted by border guards before one of them, Du-Ho, reveals himself as Shaw's old friend. Du-Ho transports them to Alaska by plane; on the way, May infers from Bill Randa's files that Hiroshi was likely following a list of coordinates identified by Monarch. In Alaska, they find the wreckage of Hiroshi's plane as well as an encampment suggesting his survival. Du-Ho realizes that Hiroshi's plane was attacked after landing; a Frost Vark kills him and destroys his plane. In 1954, Shaw has joined Monarch in a command position. He, Randa, and Miura present a cast of Godzilla's footprint from Indonesia to Shaw's superior officer, Gen. Puckett, to secure uranium to lure Godzilla out of hiding. In Bikini Atoll, Randa and Miura are horrified to discover that Puckett has delivered the uranium in the form of a nuclear bomb intended to kill Godzilla as part of the Castle Bravo test. As Godzilla surfaces, Miura attempts to halt the detonation, but Shaw restrains her. In the aftermath, Shaw is given a blank check by Puckett for Monarch to research the Titans. Episode 4: Parallels and Interiors Summary In 2015, the Frost Vark's emergence was detected by Monarch. Cate, Kentaro, May, and Shaw manage to escape from the Frost Vark, but May falls into a pool of water and quickly develops hypothermia as they try to find shelter. Kentaro splits off from the rest of the group and finds a building that he saw from the plane, which turns out to be an old radio station that Hiroshi had previously repaired. Having learned that the Frost Vark feeds on heat energy, Cate, May, and Shaw create a bonfire to distract it, long enough for a helicopter that Kentaro contacted to arrive and rescue them. The group is taken to a Monarch facility, where they are greeted by Tim and Duvall. In 2014, Kentaro met May while waiting for his first art show at a prestigious gallery. He chooses to spend the evening with her instead of preparing for the show, and they bond. It's ultimately revealed that Kentaro decided to present his art before he was ready to do so, out of a desire to make his father proud, and that the night of the gallery was the last time he saw Hiroshi before the latter's disappearance. Episode 5: The Way Out Summary In 2015, Monarch deputy director Verdugo is frustrated to learn that Shaw had kept Cate, Kentaro, and May in the dark about the true nature of Hiroshi's activities in Alaska. Duvall suggests releasing the three to track their movements. After returning to San Francisco, Cate convinces her mother, Caroline, and Caroline's colleague James to smuggle them towards Hiroshi's office in a restricted zone of the city's ruins. Evading military patrols and dealing with Cate's PTSD, they eventually reach Hiroshi's office. While they fail to find further hidden files, Kentaro concludes from Hiroshi's maps that he likely headed to Africa in search of Titans. May secretly contacts Duvall, asking to go home in exchange for her cooperation. In 2014, two days before Godzilla's emergence, Cate was in a relationship with fellow teacher Dani. On G-Day, feeling guilt over having cheated on Dani, Cate chooses to leave her behind to escort a bus of children across the Golden Gate Bridge. Many of the children are killed when Godzilla destroys the bridge during his clash with the military. Infamous Shirts for Naked Bodies... You'll feel "shirty" when you buy our gear from the Flying Pork Apparel Co. Contact Us The Infamous Podcast can be found wherever podcasts are found on the Interwebs, feel free to subscribe and follow along on social media. And don't be shy about helping out the show with a 5-star review on Apple Podcasts to help us move up in the ratings. @infamouspodcast facebook/infamouspodcast instagram/infamouspodcast stitcher Apple Podcasts Spotify Google Play iHeart Radio contact@infamouspodcast.com Our theme music is 'Skate Beat' provided by Michael Henry, with additional music provided by Michael Henry. Find more at MeetMichaelHenry.com. The Infamous Podcast is hosted by Brian Tudor and Darryl Jasper, is recorded in Cincinnati, Ohio. The show is produced and edited by Brian Tudor. Subscribe today!

In early 1945, as World War II neared its climax, 19-year-old Gore Vidal was the first officer of an Army supply ship in the Aleutian Islands of Alaska. The weather was often stormy. Another ship in the fleet was hit by an especially nasty type of wind storm. Vidal wrote his first novel about his time in the Aleutians, and incorporated that storm into the plot. In fact, he named the novel after the wind: Williwaw.In scientific parlance, a williwaw is a type of katabatic wind. Such winds plunge down the sides of mountains, roaring outward when they hit level ground. They're found all over the world. And they have many names. The warm, dry wind of Southern California, for example, is called a “Santa Ana.” In Alaska, British Columbia, and off the tip of South America, though, they're known as williwaws.A williwaw begins as dense, cold air atop a mountain slides to lower elevations, accelerated by gravity. When it reaches the bottom of the mountain, the wind blows along the coastline and out to sea. And it's something that no mariner wants to see coming.Williwaws produce powerful gusts. The strongest recorded in Alaska hit almost 140 miles per hour—the equivalent of a category four hurricane. The winds rattle buildings, rock boats in port and near the coastline, and can even capsize boats. When a williwaw is in the forecast, a vessel might add extra mooring lines, drop a second anchor, or even head to sea to stay out of its way—avoiding the fury of a williwaw.

How Early Humans May Have Transformed L.A.'s Landscape ForeverJoin us on a time traveling adventure, as we go back 15,000 years to visit what's now southern California. During the last Ice Age, saber-toothed cats, wooly mammoths, and dire wolves prowled the landscape, until … they didn't. The end of the Ice Age coincided with the end of these species. And for decades, scientists have been trying to figure out a big question: Why did these animals go extinct? A new study in the journal Science offers new clues and suggests that wildfires caused by humans might've been the nail in these critters' coffins. Guest host Flora Lichtman talks with paleoecologist Dr. Emily Lindsey and paleobotanist Dr. Regan Dunn, both curators at the La Brea Tar Pits and Museum in Los Angeles, California, about what we can learn from animals preserved in tar pits, how fire transformed the ecosystem, and why we have to look to the past for modern day conservation and land management. How Scientifically Accurate Are The Sharks In ‘Meg 2: The Trench'?“Meg 2: The Trench” is the sequel to the 2018 movie “The Meg,” in which a team of ocean scientists discover a megalodon, the largest shark that ever lived, thriving at the bottom of the Mariana Trench. Megalodon went extinct over 2.6 million years ago … or so the movie's characters thought.When the team's research sub gets damaged, a skilled rescue diver, played by Jason Statham, is brought in, who happened to have encountered the same megalodon years earlier. Over the course of the movie, the team discovers how this long-thought extinct apex predator survived, and what they can do to stop it before it wreaks havoc on the surface world.“Meg 2: The Trench” largely follows in that movie's footsteps, but this time, it features not just one, but multiple megalodons. Oh, and they're even bigger this time. Universe of Art host D. Peterschmidt chats with Dr. Sora Kim, an associate professor of paleoecology at University of California, Merced, about what science the movie got wrong (and right) and how these over-the-top blockbusters can inspire the scientists of the future. Scientists Discover Dinosaur ‘Coliseum' In Alaska's Denali National ParkResearchers recently discovered a rocky outcrop at Denali National Park in Alaska covered in dinosaur tracks, which they dubbed the “Coliseum.” It's the largest dinosaur track site ever found in Alaska. The area has thousands of prints from generations of dinosaurs living about 70 million years ago, including: duck-billed dinosaurs, horned dinosaurs, raptors, tyrannosaurs.  Flora Lichtman talks with Dustin Stewart, former graduate student at the University of Alaska Fairbanks and paleontologist for the environmental consulting firm Stantec, based in Denver, Colorado, about this dino hotspot. Your Guide To Conquering History's Greatest CatastrophesGuest host Flora Lichtman takes us back to some of the scariest, deadliest moments in history. Think along the lines of the eruption of Mount Vesuvius, the Ice Age, and the asteroid that wiped out the dinos. But we're going to revisit them using what we know now—and science, of course—to figure out if and how we could survive those events.The idea of using science and hindsight to survive history is the premise of a new book, How to Survive History: How to Outrun a Tyrannosaurus, Escape Pompeii, Get Off the Titanic, and Survive the Rest of History's Deadliest Catastrophes by Cody Cassidy. We have a new podcast! It's called Universe Of Art, and it's all about artists who use science to bring their creations to the next level. Listen on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts.To stay updated on all-things-science, sign up for Science Friday's newsletters.Transcripts for each segment will be available the week after the show airs on sciencefriday.com.

In Alaska, there is a stretch of 186,000 miles of frozen wilderness with a terrifying reputation. Since 1972, more than 20,000 people have vanished there without a trace. This is the story, of the Alaska Triangle.  Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/theconspiratorspodcast Check out our new TikTok! https://www.tiktok.com/discover/the-conspirators-podcast Notes: https://www.kinyradio.com/news/news-of-the-north/mysteries-of-portlock-alaska-and-the-abandonment-of-the-small-town-in-the-1900s/ https://hwy.co/portlock-alaska/ https://www.anchoragepress.com/news/framing-nantiinaq-alaska-s-best-known-cryptid-homicide-case-debunked/article_ed6facfe-a1f9-11eb-b7fc-0bba856ee2fe.html https://www.historicmysteries.com/portlock-sasquatch/ https://www.way.com/blog/whats-haunting-portlock-alaska-and-more-mysteries/ https://www.travelchannel.com/interests/haunted/articles/everything-you-need-to-know-about-the-alaska-triangle-discovery-plus https://www.legendsofamerica.com/alaska-triangle/ https://www.themanual.com/outdoors/alaska-triangle/ https://allthatsinteresting.com/alaska-triangle https://www.thetravel.com/strange-facts-about-the-alaska-triangle/ Music: Music: Long note One by Kevin MacLeod Free download: https://filmmusic.io/song/3992-long-note-one Licensed under CC BY 4.0: https://filmmusic.io/standard-license Music: Despair and Triumph by Kevin MacLeod Free download: https://filmmusic.io/song/3641-despair-and-triumph Licensed under CC BY 4.0: https://filmmusic.io/standard-license Music: Long Note Four by Kevin MacLeod Free download: https://filmmusic.io/song/3991-long-note-four Licensed under CC BY 4.0: https://filmmusic.io/standard-license Music: Long Note Two by Kevin MacLeod Free download: https://filmmusic.io/song/3994-long-note-two Licensed under CC BY 4.0: https://filmmusic.io/standard-license Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Have you ever been on a drive and say 15 minutes in you think to yourself, “Woah, how did I get here?  You realize you've lost your way and you need to turn it around and go back to the start.    In this week's episode, we'll be taking a look at the past, the history of midwifery and women's care as it pertains specifically to the United States, and delving into some of the reasons that compared to many other westernized countries, women and babies in the US have abysmal outcomes. We'll be sharing just how lost we've become when it comes to maternity care, and how we should really turn this car around.   Janelle Alier is a Certified nurse midwife local to me, and one of the coolest women around.  As she'll explain momentarily, she's worked with moms and babies in a number of capacities, and she recently opened her own homebirth practice, Paris Mountain Midwifery.   Show Notes:   Anciently (ex. Ancient Greece), women were held in high regard and valued as healers.  When the mindset began to change, in a way this was the beginning of the end.  This change corresponded more with religious and theological changes, not the dawn of medicine. Protestants burning “witches”—women healers Much of the knowledge gained over time began was lost with these women   Colonial America- childbirth attendants were women/midwives/family matriarchs   1800s- medical schools are popping up.  Physicians were around, but not trying to be involved at all   19th century—we could charge a fee! Began being interested in birth.  Obstetrics   Midwifery predates medicine: Rachel's midwife is mentioned in Genesis   Varney's Midwifery includes transcripts from Doctors meetings talking about the “midwife problem”   One doctor said the answer was to “educate the ignorants”.  This started a campaign to portray midwives as dirty and uneducated.   Laws began to change—it became illegal for midwives to practice the way they had.  They now had to obtain licensure by the state, which was almost impossible to do.    What's happening to birth at this time?  Physicians recognize that the midwives are more skilled and have better outcomes, but they did not try to work with or learn from the midwives.   Obstetrics in its infancy—it's not going great!  Many deaths in the early years are now attributed to anesthesia   They were giving morphine and narcotics, which we now know doesn't lessen the pain, it just makes you care less… and forget.   Culturally there was not a lot of accountability.  Family members were told that the women didn't survive because “birth is dangerous.”   Late 50's, early 60's- nearly all birth occurred in the hospital   In the late 60's and 70's, there was a small subset of the population who revived the natural childbirth movement, but by that point, the medical model was so mainstream that this movement was considered radical   80's and 90's- c section rates soared   In the last few years, we've realized we've lost our way.  The profession of midwifery is becoming more organized, though there's not tons of money for research, scholarships etc. as there are for medical students.   In South Carolina, Black Grand Midwives were the women delivering babies and taking care of the communities.   What do we do?   More midwives,  more midwives of color, better integration of midwives and the hospital setting  (if a mother needs to transport to the hospital, that should be easy).   In other areas of the Westernized world (Europe, Scandanavia, the UK, Australia, New Zealand etc.) midwifery wasn't wiped out the same way it was in the United States. And their outcomes are much better than ours.    In the UK—there are 5-6 times more midwives than OBs.  Everyone starts with a midwife, and if you need a physician, you get referred by your midwife.  The OBs manage higher risk care while midwives manage low risk birth.   In the US, only 10% of births are attended by midwives.  In Alaska, it's up to 30%, whereas in Arkansas, it's more like 1-2%.    If you overlay a map of birth out comes by state and the integration of midwives… you see that where there are more midwives practicing, there are better birth outcomes.   In the US, we have 1% of planned homebirths in the home.  Most American midwives work in the hospital.  Globally, not only do they have more midwives, but they also have more options.  You can have a midwife at home, or she can follow you into the hospital and continue care (this is not the case in the US).    Episode Roundup  The first thing I want to emphasize is the idea of encouraging the little ladies in our lives to embrace their healing and intuitive natures. What a spiritual gift—And truly, the best way to encourage this is to embrace it ourselves. Isn't it amazing how in a matter of just a few generations our country lost so much birth wisdom? I'm grateful for the resurgence of midwifery, but how heartbreaking to think of where we could be now if circumstances had played out differently.  Perhaps our outcomes wouldn't be so abysmal. And finally, looking towards the future, we have a chance to make things better.  We have the ability to speak out about the inexcusable rates of maternal and infant mortality.  We have the ability to inform other moms of their options, so that they're willing to speak out, too.  On a local level, this can be as small as sharing your birth choices and experiences with others.   This is a perfect moment for me to give a huge thank you to all of the mothers who have so willingly shared their stories on this podcast.  Thank you for inspiring other mothers and showing how beautiful birth can be.  

Sure, there's winter, spring, summer, and fall. But the seasons in between have even more poetic names. In Alaska, greenup describes a sudden, dramatic burst of green after a long, dark winter. And there are many, many terms for a cold snap that follows the first taste of spring: blackberry winter, redbud winter, onion snow, and whippoorwill storm, to name a few. Plus, the family that plays trivia games at home may end up cheering for their teen in high-school competitions. Also, playful prayers at the dinner table: Amen, Brother Ben! Pass the butter, let's begin! All that, plus retten up, push the envelope, with bells on, self-deprecating vs. self-depreciating, taffy pockets, pigeon pair, the end of pea time, a puzzle about pairs of words. Here we go, laughing and scratching!  Read full show notes, hear hundreds of free episodes, send your thoughts and questions, and learn more on the A Way with Words website: https://waywordradio.org/contact. Be a part of the show: call 1 (877) 929-9673 toll-free in the United States and Canada; worldwide, call or text/SMS +1 (619) 800-4443. Email words@waywordradio.org. Twitter @wayword. Copyright Wayword, Inc., a 501(c)(3) corporation. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On Thursday's Mark Levin Show, President Biden gave an address from Independence Hall in Philadelphia where the American Revolution was launched. Biden and the Democrats keep alienating and lying to the American people and the people keep pretending to believe it. He labeled "MAGA Republicans" and election-deniers as a threat to our democracy. Biden called on all Americans to come together in the face of what he called extremism (soccer moms and conservatives). Then, Democrats are trying to change our entire political system. In Alaska, the California-born rank-choice voting was used to disenfranchise voters and defeat former Governor Sarah Palin who was running for Congress.  Later, Former South Carolina Governor and Ambassador Nikki Haley calls in to blast Biden for maligning Republicans while Democrats dehumanize minorities and divide Americans with his hateful MAGA-Fascism rhetoric. Haley also called New York State Attorney General Letitia James to the carpet for leaking the names of donors to her policy advocacy organization. This is the same office that is after former President Trump, the NRA and now Stand For America. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices