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Pongsakorn Pongsak built IF into China's top coconut water brand—and a $700 million fortune—by bottling Thailand's tropical taste. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
Season 7 premier back in Thailand joined by KG they talk about life over the last few months, living in Thailand and much moreIG-Gcue502Snapchat-FRESHHH502TikTok-freshhhtravelerthefreshhhpodcast@gmail.comCall/text-424-246-6005Twitter-Mista_gcue502
Veteran and fundraising professional Kenley Sturdivant-Wilson traces a journey from a childhood in Thailand to a small Arkansas delta town, and from profound loss to a life of service. His story blends tragedy with resilience and weaves a diverse cultural heritage. What emerges is a life committed to equity, hope, and belonging.Sturdivant-Wilson's life bridges cultures, tragedy, and service. Born in Thailand to a Thai mother and Black American father, he grew up a military child, moving often but ultimately calling home a small Arkansas delta town. The early death of his mother left a lasting sorrow, yet also shaped his compassion and resilience. Inspired by her courage and his grandmother's trailblazing achievements in the segregated South, he has dedicated his professional life to philanthropy—strengthening communities through the arts, education, and affordable housing—always grounded in equity, heritage, and belonging.____Today's show and others are supported by the generous membership of Amy and Tom Trenolone.
Dr. Pannet Pangputhipong, a pioneer of phacoemulsification in Thailand, is renowned for his innovative cataract techniques and exceptional teaching. He has taught and performed live surgeries globally, earning accolades such as the APACRS Certified Educator Award, the Lim Lecture Award, and Italy's “Best Surgeon Award.” He led Thailand's national cataract blindness eradication campaign, receiving many awards. He currently serves as President of the Royal College of Ophthalmologists of Thailand (RCOPT) and the Asia-Pacific Association of Cataract and Refractive Surgeons (APACRS). He is an engineer and approaches challenging cataract cases with that mindset. This podcast will change the way you approach cases like white cataracts and posterior polar. His YouTube channel is https://www.youtube.com/@pannetpangputhipong8027 We feature a new podcast every week on Sundays and they are uploaded to all major podcast services (click links here: Apple, Google, Spotify) for enjoying as you drive to work or exercise. The full video of the podcast is here on CataractCoach as well as on our YouTube channel. Starting now we have sponsorship opportunities available for the top podcast in all of ophthalmology. Please contact us to inquire.
In this episode, I talk with writer, Buddhist shaman, musician, and artist Sheer Zed to explore the remarkable journey behind his new book -Thai Tattoo Magick: The Initiatory Practices of the Thai Buddhist Magicians. Traveling from his home in Bristol to the sacred landscapes of Thailand, Sheer undertook four profound, life-changing, pilgrimages into the living world of Thai magic and Buddhist sorcery. These journeys unlocked a world that was unknown but familiar for Sheer.We dive deep into his powerful initiations with the Ajarns - Thai Buddhist magicians who serve as spiritual artists and shamans. Through their guidance he received hand-tapped Sak Yant tattoos, created in magical inks and ritually imbued with protective and transformative energies. Sheer also warns of the pitfalls facing seekers drawn to these sacred markings. Some travelers, unaware of the depth and discipline required, receive Sak Yant tattoos from unqualified or even fraudulent “Ajarns,” trivializing the tradition and inviting negative spiritual consequences. He shares guidance on how to discern authentic teachers, approach the practice with humility, and properly prepare oneself -physically, mentally, and spiritually-so the tattoos become true containers of energy rather than empty decoration.Beyond the tattoos and rituals, Sheer and I also explore wider spiritual terrain - from the nature of transformation to the signs of a dawning new era for humanity. Together we reflect on how these ancient practices and the wisdom of the Ajarns point toward the emerging consciousness of a world that is rapidly evolving.This is a journey of profound inner change: ending destructive patterns, deep soul healing, and the awakening that comes when art, spirit, and love converge. Join us as we discuss Thai Tattoo Magic and the wisdom of the Ajarns who keep this ancient lineage alive!www.linktr.ee/sheerzedSheer Zed Bio:Sheer Zed is a writer, Buddhist shaman, musician, and artist. He has contributed to Hadean Press, Indie Shaman, Rituals & Declarations, and many other publications. A countercultural activist, underground music artist, and magickal practitioner for more than 30 years, he lives in Bristol, United Kingdom. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
19.09.25 Pt 2 - Gareth Cliff and Ben Karpinski kick things off with stories from Ben's recent trip to Thailand — including a wild “Montecasino on steroids.” Ben brings his trademark colourful sports update before the team welcome Roger Racks, a proud son of the South. Gareth also sits down with culinary legend David Higgs and creative visionary Deen Woodman to unpack the magic behind Luxurious Marble Circus 2025. The Real Network
In this episode, we cover Boutique Corporation securing its place as one of only three third-party operators for Accor in Thailand, strengthening its role in hotel management with a growing portfolio across major cities. At the same time, a global Amadeus study shows 64% of travelers would pay for AI assistants to deliver in-trip information, signaling rising expectations for hyper-personalized and reliable travel technology.Are you new and want to start your own hospitality business?Join our Facebook groupFollow Boostly and join the discussion:YouTube LinkedInFacebookWant to know more about us? Visit our websiteStay informed and ahead of the curve with the latest insights and analysis.
As we speed towards the 4th quarter of 2025, some economic metrics in South East Asia are trending towards nervousness. Air travel capacity is a primary case study, where the year-on-year data is mostly positive (look away now, Indonesia), but the ASEAN and APAC regions (overall) are still playing catching from 2019... all those pre-Covid years ago. Plus, on our weekly travel news roundup, Gary and Hannah journey across ASEAN to discuss the top talking points in Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand, Cambodia, the Philippines and Timor Leste. En route, we discuss the devastating flooding fallout in Bali, 'brownouts' in Boracay, Koh Samui's controversial mega-bridge and the downbeat news that the Thai-Cambodia border "will not be reopened soon." To salve the sense of gloom, we finish by keeping our fingers crossed that Timor Leste will be admitted as the 11th member of ASEAN - although no-one seems quite sure.
Today we'll be talking about a riot response by the Thai military against Cambodians along the border, late night drinkers to be fined for consuming after hours, and a little later a daring daytime robbery of a 2 million baht watch, but don't worry it's Friday we'll cap things off with some feel good news.
Myanmar is once again in the grip of civil war. Since the 2021 military coup that ousted the civilian government of Aung San Suu Kyi, hundreds of thousands of Burmese have fled to Thailand to escape escalating violence and a collapsing economy. Thai authorities are struggling to manage the influx, particularly in border regions. At the same time, Thailand faces a labor shortage – and increasingly relies on Burmese workers to fill critical gaps in the workforce.
This week on CockTales Dirty Discussions, Kiki and Medinah sit down with Jenna and Dontay, the married duo behind the Love and Fly Sh*t podcast. They open up about their 11-year marriage, raising kids, trust, sex, and how to keep love fresh when life gets real. From funny wedding memories to navigating parenting without family nearby, this conversation is raw, relatable, and full of wisdom for anyone curious about what makes relationships work long-term.Detailed Show Notes:Marriage, Partnership & Real Love LessonsTopics Covered:How Jenna & Dontay went from teenage crushes to married with two kidsWhat they believe are the “silent killers” of marriageWhy trust has to be earned but also given with graceThe role of sex and intimacy in keeping a relationship aliveTheir wild destination wedding + missing the flight to their honeymoonAdjusting to parenthood, postpartum struggles, and learning balanceWhy friendship and communication are the foundation of their marriageLessons for singles about what to look for in a lifelong partnerLinks Mentioned:
First up on the podcast, freelance science journalist Leslie Roberts joins host Sarah Crespi to talk about the long journey to a vaccine for group B streptococcus, a microbe that sickens 400,000 babies a year and kills at least 91,000. Next on the show, there are about 250,000 agricultural drones employed on farms in China. Countries such as South Korea, Turkey, and Thailand are swiftly increasing agricultural drone use, whereas the United States and Russia are proceeding more slowly. Food policy researcher Ben Belton discusses what appears to drive drone use in agriculture and how they might make farming more productive and sustainable. Finally, Science Books Editor Valerie Thompson brings books on the secrets rocks have to tell about humanity and the mystery surrounding a Druid preserved in a bog for thousands of years. This week's episode was produced with help from Podigy. Authors: Sarah Crespi; Valerie Thompson; Leslie Roberts Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Andrew Rayel performance at Together Festival 2025 in Bangkok, Thailand. Recorded from BITEC Convention Centre on September 6th 2025.
Join me as I sit down with Riley, a 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami survivor. Riley recounts the harrowing day when a 50-foot tsunami struck while she was on a beach in Thailand with her family. Amidst chaos and devastation, Riley's encounter with God's tangible presence helped her overcome immense fear and trauma. We discuss her journey to healing, including her parents' courageous decision to stay and help the local community, and how facing her fears head-on led her to complete a beach lifeguard training. Riley also shares miraculous stories from her mission trips around the world and encourages listeners to find strength in their faith. Don't miss this inspiring episode and learn about her book, 'Three Seconds of Courage: How Small Acts of Bravery Lead to Big Change.' 00:00 The Tsunami Strikes: A Survivor's Tale 00:33 The 2004 Indian Ocean Tsunami: Facts and Figures 01:19 Introducing Riley: A Survivor's Story 02:26 Riley's Family Mission in Thailand 04:14 The Day of the Tsunami: Riley's Experience 12:17 Miraculous Survival and Aftermath 15:53 Journey to Healing: Overcoming Fear 21:12 Life After the Tsunami: Faith and Courage 29:05 Concluding Thoughts and Prayer Riley's book, "3 Seconds of Courage" Riley's Website About Riley Riley Kehoe is a TED X speaker, podcaster, and writer. Through her writing and teaching, she seeks to convey a simple yet profound truth: with God, you can beat fear. Much of her drive to succeed comes from several close encounters with death and the hard knocks she's experienced in life. No stranger to fear, Riley is not afraid to speak out about challenging topics. Her ability to be vulnerable while making people laugh is why so many young people are drawn to her content. After traveling as missionaries around the world in 2024, Riley and her husband, Jack, live in Nashville, Tennessee. Riley has a Commercial Law and Management degree from Auckland University (New Zealand) and graduated with her Master's in Global Leadership with Honors from Fuller Theological Seminary (Pasadena, California) in 2021. The average age of the Global Leader enrolled in this program is fifty, making Riley the youngest student ever accepted and the first student accepted under thirty. In her spare time, Riley is a keen surfer, equestrian rider, and beach lifeguard, and she practices Mixed Martial Arts. Over the last three years, Riley has been exposed to 5+ million people. Riley's first book Three Seconds of Courage is released Jan 28, 2025. She plans on having a career in publishing for decades to come and is already at work on her second book. Riley will continue to deliver her core message through public speaking engagements.
Today we'll be talking about Thailand's official diplomatic position regarding Israel and Palestine, air travel charges set to rise in October, and a little later we've got some farangs behaving badly from a usually well-behaved demographic.
We prayed for good TV and The Girlfriend more than delivered! We review Robin Wright and Olivia Cooke's deliciously crazy psychosexual thriller: team Cherry or team Laura? Plus, why millennial women have fallen head over heels for The Summer I Turned Pretty, a look at whether Thailand is as ‘dark' as Zara McDermott's new documentary portrays, and our verdict on divorce comedy The Roses starring Olivia Colman and Benedict Cumberbatch. Also: our thoughts on Yellowface author RF Kuang's new book Katabasis. Enjoy hunnies!Thanks so much to our partner Official London Theatre! Get can up to 50% off theatre tickets with amazing deals on the biggest shows at OfficialLondonTheatre.com.Get 20% off our favourite ready-to-drink cocktails from Whitebox, including the best spicy margs, espresso martinis and negronis, with our code SU20 at Whiteboxcocktails.comWe love hearing from you, DM us @straightuppod, email at hello@straightuppodcast.co.uk and follow us on TikTok @straightuppod too!Recs/reviewsThe Roses, in cinemas nowThailand: the dark side of paradise, BBCThe Girlfriend, Amazon Prime VideoThe Girlfriend: Warning! This sexy oedipal thriller may be too shocking for vanilla viewers, GuardianThe Summer I Turned Pretty, Prime VideoWhy Are Forty-Something Women Obsessed With The Summer I Turned Pretty?, VogueWhy Almost Every Woman You Know Is Obsessed With The Summer I Turned Pretty, ElleIn ‘The Girlfriend,' Robin Wright and Olivia Cooke ‘go feral.' But who's the real villain?, LA TimesKatabasis by RF KuangThe Problem With RF Kuang's Fiction, SlateKatabasis by RF Kuang review – a descent into the hellscape of academia, Guardian. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Malaysia was once a leader in Southeast Asia's automotive sector, even producing the region's first national car. But in recent years, it has struggled to keep pace with neighbours like Thailand and Indonesia, who are rapidly advancing in the electric vehicle (EV) industry. Now, Malaysia is turning to an unlikely source – an indigenous plant – as it looks to shift gears and carve out a place in the global EV supply chain. Patrick Fok reports.
First up on the podcast, freelance science journalist Leslie Roberts joins host Sarah Crespi to talk about the long journey to a vaccine for group B streptococcus, a microbe that sickens 400,000 babies a year and kills at least 91,000. Next on the show, there are about 250,000 agricultural drones employed on farms in China. Countries such as South Korea, Turkey, and Thailand are swiftly increasing agricultural drone use, whereas the United States and Russia are proceeding more slowly. Food policy researcher Ben Belton discusses what appears to drive drone use in agriculture and how they might make farming more productive and sustainable. Finally, Science Books Editor Valerie Thompson brings books on the secrets rocks have to tell about humanity and the mystery surrounding a Druid preserved in a bog for thousands of years. This week's episode was produced with help from Podigy. Authors: Sarah Crespi; Valerie Thompson; Leslie Roberts Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Information Gary needs.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
Rayhan is back for his second appearance on the podcast since Episode 144, about 4 years ago, to talk about a range of topics from getting better at small talk, self-improvement, the origins of the universe, spirituality, and more! Ray teaches on Preply, and you can also find him on Instagram, as well as his course and membership site Elevate English.Show notes page - https://levelupenglish.school/podcast342➡️ Join the Free Mini Course - https://www.levelupenglish.school/mini⭐️ Join Level Up English - https://www.levelupenglish.school Become a member and get: Podcast Transcripts Private Podcast Group Classes Private Coaching And over 500 online lessons!
I have recorded multiple episodes on the topic of "Sharpening The Blade." Sharpening the blade is a term used by chefs, lumberjacks and hockey players that means, take the time to sharpen your blade and you will save time and effort while you cut, chop or skate. I sharpen my mental blade multiple times a year. Short trips, hikes, weekends with no cell service and anything else that removes me from the grid would qualify as a STB! This last STB was one for the ages. I trained for it, planned for it and executed it to the highest level. It involved an entire month of travel, new experiences, killer waves, massive wipeouts, sun, fun and romance. (Ahhh ha honey! That's right baby) You don't need to do what I did to get similar results. You just need to have an intention and create an environment that is conducive to that intention. You have Bali in your heart. You have Thailand in your loins. You just need to dig deeper to find it. (That didn't sound right!) Enjoy this episode. I enjoyed recording it for you. Want to learn how to be yourself and live the life you dream of? Then get a copy of my book DreamBIG OverDeliver BeUndeniable here: https://www.jasonglasslab.com/dreambig-the-book I want to thank all my sponsors who have helped support this podcast from day one. @mytpi and @perform_better @puma @titleist @footjoy For TPI Check out our schedule of events here: http://www.mytpi.com Want to buy some equipment? Of course, you do! Perform Better @perform_better http://performbetter.com use code “GLASS15” at checkout to buy your Mace, Kettlebells and bands.
Become a Client: https://nomadcapitalist.com/apply/ Get our free Weekly Rundown newsletter and be the first to hear about breaking news and offers: https://nomadcapitalist.com/email Join us for the next Nomad Capitalist Live event: https://nomadcapitalist.com/live/ A Plan B often means getting a second passport or permanent residency in a neutral country. The challenge? Those options can take years, and usually require you to spend significant time abroad. But what if you don't have the time to move right now? Or what if things in your home country are getting worse today? In this episode, Mr Henderson shares seven countries you can get residency without moving. From Thailand and the UAE to Mexico and Greece, so you're prepared for whatever the future brings. Nomad Capitalist helps clients "go where you're treated best." We are the world's most sought-after firm for offshore tax planning, dual citizenship, international diversification, and asset protection. We use legal and ethical strategies and work exclusively with seven- and eight-figure entrepreneurs and investors. We create and execute holistic, multi-jurisdictional Plans that help clients keep more of their wealth, increase their personal freedom, and protect their families and wealth against threats in their home country. No other firm offers clients access to more potential options to relocate to, bank in, or become a citizen of. Because we do not focus only on one or a handful of countries, we can offer unbiased advice where others can't. Become Our Client: https://nomadcapitalist.com/apply/ Our Website: http://www.nomadcapitalist.com/ About Our Company: https://nomadcapitalist.com/about/ Buy Mr. Henderson's Book: https://nomadcapitalist.com/book/ Disclaimer: Neither Nomad Capitalist LTD nor its affiliates are licensed legal, financial, or tax advisors. All content published on YouTube and other platforms is intended solely for general informational and educational purposes and should not be construed as legal, tax, or financial advice. Nomad Capitalist does not offer or sell legal, financial, or tax advisory services.
In this episode, we explore Marriott's Fairfield brand hitting 150 hotels in Greater China after rapid expansion and fresh product enhancements, alongside JLL's outlook on Asia Pacific hotel transactions where private investors and high-net-worth individuals are reshaping the investment landscape across markets like Japan, China, Australia, and Thailand.Are you new and want to start your own hospitality business?Join our Facebook groupFollow Boostly and join the discussion:YouTube LinkedInFacebookWant to know more about us? Visit our websiteStay informed and ahead of the curve with the latest insights and analysis.
Questions Advi answered in this episode: What is Social Plus, and how do its in-app social features work?Why is retention ‘the new acquisition' in 2025?What mistakes do marketers make when they think about retention?How do community features increase CLV across verticals like fitness, travel, and retail?How can first-party data from in-app communities transform marketing and personalization?Who inside a company should ‘own' retention marketing, product, or success?How can loyalty programs be built on organic engagement instead of just promos?What is the ‘spaces model' for understanding community ROI?How should marketers balance personalization with scale across millions of users?What metrics should marketers stop obsessing over, and which deserve more focus?What new revenue opportunities do brand partners unlock inside communities?Timestamps:(0:00) – Intro; Advi's background and Social Plus overview(1:38) – Micro-community examples: surf shops, fitness apps, Nike sneakerheads(7:03) – Why ‘retention is growth' in 2025: CAC vs CLV(9:30) – Marketing silos and the ownership problem in retention(13:40) – Why promos and events are less effective than organic engagement(17:21) – First-party data: insights, sentiment analysis, and privacy advantages(20:00) – Loyalty vs. hypergrowth: why CLV is a long-term play(22:37) – Signals of churn, and how to intervene before users leave(25:41) – Balancing personalization and scale with AI-driven sentiment and clusters(28:20) – Metrics that marketers overvalue (CAC, ad spend) versus those they undervalue (LTV, frequency, order size)(31:00) – Brand partnerships inside communities: CPM rethink and new revenue models(33:32) – Rapid fire: food in Thailand vs Italy, habits, dream jobs, favorite brandsSelected quotes(12:50) – “Promos and gamified events help, but organic engagement helps more. People join a 30-day fitness challenge not for the discount, but because others are posting daily and they want to participate.”(21:22) – “Customer acquisition is measurable and fast, which is why VCs love it. Retention is a long-term play, it's demand gen, brand equity, and profitability over three to five years.”(28:30) – “Marketers need to stop obsessing over CAC. In my world, it's 30% CAC, 70% retention and lifetime value.”(32:23) – “For sponsored posts in-community, we've seen brands charge $15 to $60 CPMs, because the audience is hyper-focused and conversion rates are so much higher.”Mentioned in this episodeSocial Plus (social.plus)Advi on Linkedin
Today we'll be talking about the farang response to the BBC's Dark Thailand narrative, rising prices having a detrimental effect on tourism numbers, and a little later some monkey madness and some Thai in the sky space experimentation.
Mastering Life's Adventures: Being Your Best Self Through Soul Evolution!
Join Dr, Judith and her guest, Richard Tierney, in an enlightening discussion about the deep and often overlooked concept of 'soul sabotage' and how it impacts our life's journey. Richard, an Irish citizen living in Thailand, shares his personal journey from trauma and shame to self-healing and helping others. The conversation covers a variety of profound topics including the importance of understanding one's soul, recognizing and overcoming early life traumas, and how our formative years shape us in ways we may not realize. They delve into how spiritual teachings, acceptance, and seeing the Christ within others can help heal the soul and stop self-sabotage. Learn practical steps and wisdom to transform your life, elevate your spiritual awareness, and understand the intricate web of life's purpose. Whether you are struggling with finding your true self, overcoming past traumas, or seeking spiritual nourishment, this episode offers valuable insights and practical solutions. Don't miss the profound wisdom and thoughtful reflections that aim to uplift your soul and enrich your journey.00:00 Introduction and Purpose00:28 Richard's Background and Personal Journey01:06 Understanding Soul Sabotage01:25 Early Life Influences and Trauma03:22 The Concept of Fight, Flight, or Freeze05:54 The Role of God and Spirituality11:47 Finding Your Tribe and Self-Sabotage17:33 Feeding the Soul and Overcoming Victimhood18:58 The Importance of Understanding the Soul20:16 Understanding Self-Sabotage and the Ego
What sparks a lifelong love of travel? For some, it starts in childhood. For Melissa, co-host of Ladies Who Travel, it was different. She did not travel overseas until she was an adult, and her journey from novice to explorer shows how travel can shape a life. In this month's Stamped episode, Melissa shares the moments that defined her: wandering Sydney at 19 with a paper map, the pull of “The Beach,” and a three-month solo round-the-world trip at 26. That journey transformed her confidence. “There's something about travelling alone that makes me feel on top of the world.”She brings to life magical moments, such as watching her daughter experience snow for the first time in Prague, and explains why Thailand keeps calling her back. Perhaps most revealing is her observation about landmark attractions: after visiting the Taj Mahal with a group, not a single person named it their highlight. Instead, everyone cherished human connections. Whether you are a seasoned traveller or just beginning, this conversation offers insight into creating meaningful travel experiences. Listen now, then join our "Ladies Who Travel" Facebook group or explore our tours specifically designed for women over 50.⭐️ Guest - Melissa Delaware from "The Queensland Travel Guide"
We're back! Join us over the coming 12 episodes, where we'll be continuing our global conversations about culture, education and language, asking how creativity, learning, and international exchange can help us meet the challenges of today's complex and interconnected world.This season, we'll be exploring pressing themes of our time, and meeting inspiring people who are making a difference. From how cultural heritage and creative writing are inspiring new approaches to climate action, to how international cultural seasons help build bridges between nations, we'll hear stories from people working on the ground in Egypt, Brazil, Thailand, the UK and beyond.Join Christine Wilson, Director of Research and Insight at the British Council, and her diverse range of guests as they reflect on the power of culture to shape more peaceful and prosperous futures.If you're curious about the world in 2025, or simply want to hear fresh perspectives from people shaping culture across continents, follow Our World, Connected, wherever you get your podcasts, and be the first to listen to Season 3.Additional Resources and Links:Climate change impacts on cultural heritage | British CouncilSoft power at a turning point, a comparative analysis | British CouncilUsing multilingual practices | Teaching English | British CouncilTransnational Education - What We Know | British CouncilFollow British Council Research and Insight:Newsletter - https://www.britishcouncil.org/research-insight/subscribe Twitter - https://twitter.com/InsightBritish Website - https://www.britishcouncil.org/research-insight
For generations, the path to adulthood was straightforward: go to college, get a job, build a life. But many young men are beginning to question the college component of that path; tuition keeps rising, A.I. has made the professional landscape more uncertain, and there's just a sense that after four years at college, guys graduate feeling like they haven't been very challenged, haven't much changed, and haven't gained a lot of real confidence, competence, and concrete know-how.My guest today, Matt Smith, has created an alternative to college — a 4-year, 16-cycle curriculum designed to shape participants into Renaissance Men: skilled, self-reliant, and grounded in character. Matt co-authored The Preparation with his son Maxim, who is currently working his way through the program.In the first half of our conversation, Matt shares what kickstarted this idea and what's lacking in the education model for young men today. We then turn to the nuts and bolts of The Preparation, and Matt walks us through several of the program's hands-on cycles — including earning EMT certification, building a house, and training as a fighter in Thailand — and how gaining these real-world skills prepares a young man for whatever is next in life.After the show is over, check out the show notes at aom.is/thepreparationSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
This week we're headed back to the 80s to talk about the almost forgotten single One Night In Bangkok by Murray Head, released in 1984. Turns out this is just one of many chess themed songs from Chess the Musical! It just gets stranger from there this week, won't you join us? Also in this prepisode music news of the weird, listener emails and we announce next week's album. In this episode we discuss Tim's dramatically better Plaque Psoriasis, Indiana's upcoming sale to another country, less popular things to do in Thailand, Tim's alter ego Max California, top 3 flute solos of all time, why LIVE is spooky, Dog Day Afternoon and other forgotten films, a murder at Burning Man, we debate the size of horse teeth and so much more! Hatepod.com | TW: @AlbumHatePod | IG: @hatePod | hatePodMail@gmail.com Episode Outline: Quick update on the goings on at the world headquarters Discuss our history with the song/band Song discussion - lyrics and music Music Video How the song did worldwide Amazon reviews Listener email (just 2) Music news of the weird Announce next week's album
The Bangkok Podcast | Conversations on Life in Thailand's Buzzing Capital
Greg and Ed interview Chatwan Mongkol about his relatively new website called ‘Soiciety.' Chatwan begins by explaining that he was born and raised in Thailand but then went to the U.S. for a year of high school and stayed on for university. He majored in journalism and (shock!) subsequently worked for several news outlets in the Northeast. During his time there he saw a type of news that Thailand lacks: truly LOCAL news that focuses on important practical matters that primarily affect people living in a particular city or region. Hence, ‘Soiciety' was born! The website is in English, but is primarily based on Thai sources of information. Chatwan has chosen to focus on matters directly relevant to people living in Bangkok - not international news, not national Thai news, not abstract political stuff. Does it affect the daily life of people living in Bangkok? If no, it's out, if yes, it's in. Further, currently his audience is made up of foreign English speakers, but he's hoping to expand into international Thais, and in the future could even provide Thai language content if the market is there. Greg and Ed moderately bash the current quality of English language news sites in Thailand, and heartily support the idea of focusing on stuff of immediate practical value. Is a skytrain station being planned for my neighborhood? I want to know that. Are alcohol sales hours being changed in the city? I'd like the answer. Is the city doing anything about the air pollution? Please tell me. You get the idea, and if you live in Bangkok, you could probably use some ‘Soiciety' in your life too. Don't forget that Patrons get the ad-free version of the show as well as swag and other perks. We also sometimes post on Facebook, you can contact us on LINE and of course, head to our website (www.bangkokpodcast.com) to find out probably more info than you need to know.
Episode #397: In this episode of the Insight Myanmar Podcast, two compelling voices—Thinzar Shunlei Yi and Wongpun Amarinthewa—illuminate the stakes of Myanmar's political crisis from the frontlines of resistance and reporting. Thinzar Shunlei Yi, a prominent Burmese activist and deputy director of the Anti-Sham Election Campaign Committee, lays out a forceful case against the junta's proposed elections. Far from representing democratic progress, she sees them as a calculated maneuver to legitimize the military's grip on power. These elections, rooted in the discredited 2008 Constitution, are framed as part of a broader strategy to escape accountability and sustain authoritarian rule under the veneer of civilian governance. “The 2008 Constitution was also another coup,” she asserts, “[that was executed] in the name of democracy.” Her coalition, which includes civil society actors and ethnic political parties, has already moved beyond the junta's framework, pursuing a revolutionary roadmap to draft an inclusive federal democratic constitution from the ground up. Speaking to the international community, she warns that continued reference to the 2008 Constitution risks legitimizing a system that has failed time and again to protect Myanmar's people or bring about real change. Wongpun Amarinthewa, a Thai journalist, brings a parallel perspective from across the border. He reflects on his reporting trips to refugee camps along the Thai-Myanmar border, where the trauma of displacement—especially among children—left a lasting emotional mark. His work underscores the human toll of the conflict and the widespread lack of awareness among the Thai public, which is exacerbated by government restrictions, media indifference, and nationalist sentiment. Despite the obstacles, Wongpun remains committed to telling these stories, emphasizing the urgent need for deeper regional awareness and cross-border solidarity. “As a media [worker], it's my responsibility to let the public know what's really happening along the border of Thailand,” he says.
Today we'll be talking about calls to create red light zoning in Pattaya amidst the fallout of a BBC documentary, Prime Minster Anutin's policy action to combat the baht's rapid rise in value, and a little later Thailand's plans increase compensation for airline delays and cancellations.
If you've ever reached a point in your career where everything looked good on the outside but felt completely misaligned on the inside, you're not alone. For many high performers, there comes a moment when the work no longer feeds your values, and the question becomes: do I keep climbing this ladder, or do I start again somewhere new?In this episode I chat with Claire, CEO of Hands Across The Water, about what it takes to step away from a corporate career you love in order to follow a deeper calling. From leading national events at REA to rebuilding homes in Thai villages, Claire's journey is one of courage, resilience and redefining what success truly means.She shares openly about the moment she realised her work no longer aligned with her values, the IVF journey that tested her personally, and how she and founder Pete pivoted an entire organisation when COVID wiped out 80% of their fundraising overnight. Today, she leads a sustainable model that combines charity with social enterprise, creating bright futures for more than 170 children in Thailand. “ The relationships you'll build on this ride will become, lifelong friends. The connections you make, the conversations you have and what that then creates is just this experience that as someone looking to sign up for the ride, you go, actually, I get so much out of this because of The relationships and the connections.” - Claire BainesWe cover:The turning point when Claire realised her corporate career no longer aligned with her valuesHow she transitioned from running national events at REA to becoming CEO of Hands Across The Water charity in ThailandThe silent grief of IVF and infertility, and the mindset shifts that helped her continue leading with resilience and purposeWhat happened when COVID cancelled charity bike rides and wiped out 80% of fundraising overnightHow Hands Across The Water built a sustainable not-for-profit model by combining charity with social enterprise in Thailand and AustraliaWhy the Hospitality Training Centre and Agricultural Learning Centre in Thailand are giving children real employment pathways for the futureThe power of experiential fundraising and why doing a charity bike ride in Thailand builds community, resilience and lifelong connectionKylie's Resources:Property Management Growth School: https://courses.thatpropertymum.com.au/TPM-BDMSchool Digital Marketing School: https://courses.thatpropertymum.com.au/digitalschool That Property Mum Courses: https://www.thatpropertymum.com.au/courses/ The PM Accelerate Membership: https://courses.thatpropertymum.com.au/accelerate Book a Strategy Call with Kylie: https://calendly.com/kylie-tpm/coaching-call Kolmeo: https://kolmeo.com/ Sensor Global: https://sensorinsure.com/ https://sensorglobal.com/ HD&U Sales Bundle:
We're back—fashionably late thanks to last week's tech gremlins—but the Virgo Vixen energy is intact. Kiki and Medinah kick things off with the Virgo Vixen cocktail, then catch up on names vs. nicknames, a quick shout to Lula's Legacy of Love (Breast Cancer walk 10/25 in Tampa), and Kiki's Drinks & Reads book club featuring author Kimberly Brown.Kiki recaps Podcast Movement (anxiety to applause), a heavenly stop at Southern Classic Daiquiri Factory, and why her birthday plan is all about volunteering with Meals on Wheels (53 friends confirmed!). We get into Hedonism plans for December, TikTok family moments, sweet-16 prep, clubbing at Revel, and a real talk segment on dating while on a “soft pop-out”—fly-outs with boundaries, bundles discourse, and why “a lot” isn't an insult.Medinah opens up about Paradise & Vibe Sedona: the celebrity no-show, the lessons learned, and how an intimate Lion Babe performance turned into a tiny-desk-style moment.Send us: Advice letters → advice@cocktalespod.com |Cocktales → cocktales@cocktalespod.com Visit soakingwet.com and use code COCKTALES for 10% off
Keith discusses the potential takeover of the Federal Reserve by President Trump, highlighting the macroeconomic implications. Economist, author and publisher of Macro Watch, Richard Duncan, joins the show and explains that central bank independence is crucial to prevent political influence on monetary policy, which could lead to excessive money supply and inflation. Trump's policies, including tariffs and spending bills, are inflationary, necessitating lower interest rates. Resources: Subscribe to Macro Watch at RichardDuncanEconomics.com and use promo code GRE for a 50% discount. Gain access to over 100 hours of macroeconomic video archives and new biweekly insights into the global economy. Show Notes: GetRichEducation.com/571 For access to properties or free help with a GRE Investment Coach, start here: GREmarketplace.com GRE Free Investment Coaching: GREinvestmentcoach.com Get mortgage loans for investment property: RidgeLendingGroup.com or call 855-74-RIDGE or e-mail: info@RidgeLendingGroup.com Invest with Freedom Family Investments. You get paid first: Text FAMILY to 66866 Will you please leave a review for the show? I'd be grateful. Search “how to leave an Apple Podcasts review” For advertising inquiries, visit: GetRichEducation.com/ad Best Financial Education: GetRichEducation.com Get our wealth-building newsletter free— text ‘GRE' to 66866 Our YouTube Channel: www.youtube.com/c/GetRichEducation Follow us on Instagram: @getricheducation Complete episode transcript: Keith Weinhold 0:01 Welcome to GRE. I'm your host. Keith Weinhold, the President has a plan to completely take over the Fed, a body that historically stays independent of outside influence. Learn the fascinating architecture of the planned fed seizure and how it's expected to unleash a wealth Bonanza and $1 crash with a brilliant macroeconomist today, it'll shape inflation in interest rates in the future world that you'll live in today. On get rich education. Speaker 1 0:33 Since 2014 the powerful get rich education podcast has created more passive income for people than nearly any other show in the world. This show teaches you how to earn strong returns from passive real estate investing in the best markets without losing your time being a flipper or landlord. Show Host Keith Weinhold writes for both Forbes and Rich Dad advisors, and delivers a new show every week since 2014 there's been millions of listener downloads in 188 world nations. He has a list show guests include top selling personal finance author Robert Kiyosaki. Get rich education can be heard on every podcast platform, plus it has its own dedicated Apple and Android listener phone apps build wealth on the go with the get rich education podcast. Sign up now for the get rich education podcast or visit get rich education.com Corey Coates 1:21 You're listening to the show that has created more financial freedom than nearly any show in the world. This is get rich education. Speaker 1 1:31 Welcome to GRE from Fairfax, Virginia to Fairfield, California, and across 188 nations worldwide. I'm Keith Weinhold, and you are listening to get rich education. The Federal Open Market Committee is the most powerful financial institution, not only in the nation, but in the entire world, and when an outside force wants to wrestle it and take it down. The change that it could unleash is almost incredible. It's unprecedented. The President wants full control. Once he has it, he could then slash interest rates, order unlimited money creation, and even peg government bond yields wherever he wishes, and this could drive wealth to extraordinary new highs, but this also carries enormous risks for the dollar and inflation and overall financial stability. And I mean, come on now, whether you like him or not, is Trump more enamored of power than Emperor Palpatine in Star Wars or what this is fascinating. Today's guest is going to describe the architecture of the takeover the grand plan. Our guest is a proven expert on seeing what will happen next in macroeconomics. He's rather pioneering in AI as well. But today, this all has so much to do with the future of inflation and interest rates. We're going to get into the details of how, step by step, Trump plans to infiltrate and make a Fed takeover. Keith Weinhold 3:23 I'd like to welcome back one of the more recurrent guests in GRE history, because he's one of the world's most prominent macroeconomists, and he was this show's first ever guest back in 2014 he's worked with the World Bank and as a consultant to the IMF. He's contributed a lot on CNBC, CNN and Bloomberg Television. He's a prolific author. His books have been taught at Harvard and Columbia, and more recently, he's been a guest speaker at a White House Ways and Means Committee policy dinner in DC. So people at the highest levels lean on his macroeconomic expertise. Hey, welcome back to GRE joining us from Thailand as usual. It's Richard Duncan Richard Duncan 4:03 Keith, thank you for that very nice introduction. It's great to see you again. Keith Weinhold 4:08 Oh, it's so good to have you back. Because you know what, Richard, what caught my attention and why I invited you back to the show earlier than usual is about something that you published on macro watch, and it's titled, Trump's conquest of the Fed will unleash a wealth Bonanza, $1 crash and state directed capitalism. I kind of think of state directed and capitalism as two different things, so there's a few bits to unpack here, and maybe the best way is to start with the importance of the separation of powers. Tell us why the Fed needs to maintain independence from any influence of the president. Richard Duncan 4:44 Central banks have gained independence over the years because it was realized that if they didn't have independence, then they would do whatever the president or prime minister told them to do to help him get reelected, and that would tend to lead to excessive money supply. Growth and interest rates that were far too low for the economic environment, and that would create an economic boom that would help that President or politician get reelected, but then ultimately in a bust and a systemic financial sector crisis. So it's generally believed that central bank independence is much better for the economy than political control of the central bank. Speaker 1 5:24 Otherwise we would just fall into a president's short term interests. Every president would want rates essentially at zero, and maybe this wouldn't catch up with people until the next person's in office. Richard Duncan 5:35 That's right. He sort of wants to be Fed Chair Trump. That's right, president and Fed Chairman Trump on the horizon. It looks like won't be long, Now. Speaker 1 5:45 that's right. In fact, even on last week's episode, I was talking about how Trump wants inflation, he won't come out and explicitly say that, of course, but when you look at the majority of his policies, they're inflationary. I mean, you've got tariffs, you've got deportations, this reshaping of the Fed that we're talking about the hundreds of billions of dollars in spending in the one big, beautiful Bill act. It is overwhelmingly inflationary. Richard Duncan 6:12 It is inflationary. And he may want many of those things that you just mentioned, but what he doesn't want is what goes along with high rates of inflation, and that is high interest rates, right? If interest rates go up in line with inflation, as they normally do in a left to market forces, then we would have significantly higher rates of inflation. There would also be significantly higher rates of interest on the 10 year government bond yield, for instance. And that is what he does not want, because that would be extremely harmful for the economy and for asset prices, and that's why taking over the Federal Reserve is so important for him, his policies are going to be inflationary. That would tend to cause market determined interest rates to go higher, and in fact, that would also persuade the Fed that they needed to increase the short term interest rates, the federal funds rate, if we start to see a significant pickup in inflation, then, rather than cutting rates going forward, then they're more likely to start increasing the federal funds rate. And the bond investors are not going to buy 10 year government bonds at a yield of 4% if the inflation rate is 5% they're going to demand something more like a yield of 7% so that's why it's so urgent for the President Trump to take over the Fed. That's what he's in the process of doing. Once he takes over the Fed, then he can demand that they slash the federal funds rate to whatever level he desires. And even if the 10 year bond yield does begin to spike up as inflation starts to rise, then the President can instruct, can command the Fed to launch a new round of quantitative easing and buy up as many 10 year government bonds as necessary, to push up their price and to drive down their yields to very low levels, even if there is high rate of inflation. Keith Weinhold 7:58 a president's pressure to Lower short term rates, which is what the Fed controls, could increase long term rates like you're saying, it could backfire on Trump because of more inflation expectations in the bond market. Richard Duncan 8:12 That's right. President Trump is on record as saying he thinks that the federal funds rate is currently 4.33% he said it's 300 basis points too high. Adjusting would be 1.33% if they slash the short term interest rates like that. That would be certain to set off a very strong economic boom in the US, which would also be very certain to create very high rates of inflation, particularly since we have millions of people being deported and a labor shortage at the moment, and the unemployment rate's already very low at just 4.2% so yes, slashing short term interest rates that radically the federal funds rate that radically would be certain to drive up the 10 year government bond yield. That's why President Trump needs to gain control over the Fed so that he can make the Fed launch a new round of quantitative easing. If you create a couple of trillion dollars and start buying a couple of trillion dollars of government bonds, guess what? Their price goes up. And when the price of a bond goes up, the yield on that bond goes down, and that drives down what typically are considered market determined interest rates, but in this case, they would be fed determined interest rates Trump determined interest rates. Speaker 1 9:28 Inflationary, inflationary, inflationary, and whenever we see massive cuts to the Fed funds rate that typically correlates with a big loss in quality of life, standard of living, and items of big concern. If we look at the last three times that rates have been cut substantially, they have been for the reasons of getting us out of the two thousand.com bubble, then getting us out of the 2000 day global financial crisis, then getting us out of covid in 2020, I mean, massive rate cuts are. Are typically a crisis response Richard Duncan 10:02 yes, but if we look back, starting in the early 1980s interest rates have have trended down decade after decade right up until the time covid hit. In fact, the inflation rate was below the Fed's 2% inflation target most of the time between 2008 the crisis of 2008 and when covid started, the Fed was more worried about deflation than inflation during those years, and the inflation rate trended down. And so the interest rates tended to trend down as well, and we're at quite low levels. Of course, back in the early 1980s we had double digit inflation and double digit interest rates, but gradually, because of globalization, allowing the United States to buy more and more goods from other countries with ultra low wages, like China and now Vietnam and India and Bangladesh, buying goods from other countries with low wages that drove down the price of goods in the United States, causing goods disinflation, and that drove down the interest rates. That drove down the inflation rate. And because the inflation rate fell, then interest rates could fall also, and that's why the interest rates were trending down for so long, up until the time covid hit, and why they would have trended down again in the absence of this new tariff regime that President Trump has put into place. Now, this is creating a completely different economic environment. President Trump truly is trying to radically restructure the US economy. There is a plan for this. The plan was spelled out in a paper by the man who is now the Chairman of the Council of Economic Advisors. His name is Steven Moran, and the paper was called a user's guide to restructuring the global trading system. It was published in November last year, and it very clearly spelled out almost everything President Trump has done since then in terms of economic policy. It was truly a blueprint for what he has done since then, and this paper spelled out a three step plan with two objectives. Here are the three steps. Step one was to impose very high tariffs on all of the United States trading partners. Step two was then to threaten all of our allies that we would no longer protect them militarily if they dared to retaliate against our high tariffs. And then the third step was to convene a Mar a Lago accord at which these terrified trading partners would agree to a sharp devaluation of the dollar and would also agree to put up their own trade tariffs against China in order to isolate China. And the two objectives of this policy, they were to re industrialize the United States and to stop China's economic growth so that China would be less of a military threat to the United States, which it is currently and increasingly with each passing month. So so far, steps one and two have been carried out very high tariffs on every trading partner, and also threats that if there's any retaliation, that we won't protect you militarily any longer. And also pressure on other countries to put high tariffs against China. The idea is to isolate China between behind a global tariff wall and to stop China's economic growth. So you can see that is what President Trump has been doing. And also in this paper, Stephen Marin also suggested that it would be very helpful if the Fed would cooperate to hold down 10 year government bond yield in this environment, which would naturally tend to push the bond yields higher. So that paper really did spell out what President Trump has done since then. Keith Weinhold 13:59 This is fascinating about this paper. I didn't know about this previously, so this is all planned from tariffs to a Fed takeover. Richard Duncan 14:08 That's right, the idea is to re industrialize the United States. That's what President Trump has been saying for years. Make America Great Again. And it's certainly true that America does need to have the industrial capacity to make steel and ships and pharmaceutical products and many other things in his own national self defense. But there's a problem with this strategy since the breakdown of the Bretton Woods system, and we've talked about this before, so I will do this fast forwarding a bit when the Bretton Woods system broke down up until then it broke down in 1971 before then, trade between countries had to balance. So it wasn't possible for the United States to buy extraordinarily large amounts of goods from low wage countries back then, this thing that's caused the disinflation over the last four decades, trade had to balance because on the Bretton Woods system, if we had a big trade deficit. Deficit, we had to pay for that deficit with gold. US gold, and gold was money. So if we had a big trade deficit and had to pay out all of our gold other countries to finance that deficit, we would run out of gold. Run out of money. The economy would hit a crisis, and that just couldn't continue. We'd stop buying things from other countries. So there was an automatic adjustment mechanism under the Bretton Woods System, or under the classical gold standard itself that prevented trade deficits. But once Bretton Woods broke down in 1971 It didn't take us too long to figure out that it could buy extraordinarily large amounts of things from other countries, and it didn't have to pay with gold anymore. It could just pay with US dollars, or more technically, with Treasury bonds denominated in US dollars. So the US started running massive trade deficits. The deficits went from zero to $800 billion in 2006 and now most recently, the current account deficit was $1.2 trillion last year. So the total US current account deficit since the early 1980s has been $17 trillion this has created a global economic boom of unprecedented proportions and pulled hundreds of millions of people around the world out of poverty. China is a superpower now, because of its massive trade surplus with the US, completely transformed China. So the trade surplus countries in Asia all benefited. I've watched that firsthand, since I've spent most of my career living in Asia, but the United States also benefited, because by buying things from low wage countries that drove down the price of goods, that drove down inflation, that made low interest rates possible, that made it easier for the US to finance its big budget deficits at low interest rates, and so with Low interest rates, the government could spend more and stimulate the economy. Also with very low interest rates, stock prices could go higher and home prices could go higher. This created a very big economic boom in the United States as well. Not only did the trade surplus, countries benefit by selling more to the US, but the US itself benefited by this big wealth boom that has resulted from this arrangement. Now the problem with President Trump's plan to restructure the US economy is that he wants to bring this trade deficit back down essentially to zero, ideally, it seems. But if he does that, then that's going to cut off the source of credit that's been blowing this bubble ever larger year after year since the early 1980s and we have such a big global credit bubble that if this source of credit has been making the bubble inflate, the trade deficit, if that were to significantly become significantly lower, then this credit that's been blowing up, the bubble would stop, and the bubble would implode, potentially creating very severe, systemic financial sector crisis around the world on a much, probably a much larger scale than we saw in 2008 and leading to a new Great Depression. One thing to think about is the trade deficit is similar to the current account deficit. So the current account deficit is the mirror image of capital inflows into the United States. Every country's balance of payments has to balance. So last year, the US current account deficit was $1.2 trillion that threw off $1.2 trillion into the global economy benefiting the trade surplus countries. But those countries received dollars, and once they had that 1.2 trillion new dollars last year, they had to invest those dollars back into us, dollar denominated assets of one kind or another, like government bonds or like US stocks, and that's what they did. The current account deficit is the mirror image of capital inflows into the United States. Last year was $1.2 trillion of capital inflows. Now if you eliminate the current account deficit by having very high trade tariffs and bringing trade back into balance, you also eliminate the capital inflows into the United States, and if we have $1.2 trillion less money coming into the United States a year or two from now, that's going to make it much more difficult to finance the government's very large budget deficits. The budget deficits are expected to grow from something like $2 trillion now to $2.5 trillion 10 years from now, and that's assuming a lot of tariff revenue from the tariffs, budget deficit would be much larger still. So we need the capital inflows from these other countries to finance the US budget deficit, the government's budget deficit. If the trade deficit goes away, the capital inflows will go away also, and with less foreign buying of government us, government bonds, then the price of those bonds will fall and the yield on those bonds will go up. In other words, if there are fewer buyers for the bonds, the price of the bonds will go down and the yield on the bonds will go up. In other words, long term interest rates will go up, and that will be very bad for the US Economy Speaker 2 14:08 the yields on those 10 year notes have to go up in order to attract investors. Mortgage rates and everything else are tied to those yields. Richard Duncan 19:36 That's right. And cap rates. When people consider investing in tech stocks, they consider they'll buy fewer stocks if the interest rates are higher. So this is why it's so important for President Trump to conquer the Fed, to take over the Fed. That's what he's doing. Technically, he's very close to accomplishing that. Shall we discuss the details? Speaker 1 20:29 Yes, we should get more into this fed takeover, just what it means for the future of real estate markets and stock markets. With Richard Duncan, more, we come back. I'm your host, Keith Weinhold Keith Weinhold 20:41 the same place where I get my own mortgage loans is where you can get yours. Ridge lending group and MLS, 42056, they provided our listeners with more loans than anyone because they specialize in income properties. They help you build a long term plan for growing your real estate empire with leverage. Start your pre qual and even chat with President Chaley Ridge personally. While it's on your mind, start at Ridge lendinggroup.com. 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Text family. 266, 866, Dani-Lynn Robison 22:24 you is freedom family investments co founder, Danny Lynn Robinson, listen to get rich education with Keith Weinhold, and don't quit your Daydream. Speaker 1 22:31 Welcome back to get Education. I'm your host. Keith Weinhold, we're talking with macroeconomist Richard Duncan about a Fed takeover. I think the President wants to be Fed Chair Trump, Richard. Talk to us more about this, because this is really part of a grand plan. Richard Duncan 22:57 So the Federal Reserve is in charge of monetary policy. That means it sets the interest rates on the federal funds rate, the short term interest rates, and it also has the power to create money through quantitative easing or to destroy money through quantitative tightening. So the Fed is in charge of monetary policy. The Fed makes its decisions at its it meets eight times a year, the Federal Open Market Committee, the FOMC, meets eight times a year, and they take votes. They discuss what's going on in the economy. They make a decision about what they should do about interest rates, and in some cases, decisions about creating or destroying money through quantitative easing or quantitative tightening. They take a vote. The structure of the Federal Reserve System is as follows. There are seven members of the Federal Reserve Board of Governors, so there are seven fed governors there. The Federal Reserve Board is in based in Washington, DC. In addition to that, there are 12 Federal Reserve banks around the country, like the Federal Reserve Bank of St Louis, for instance, or the Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas, the Federal Reserve Bank of New York. Each of these Federal Reserve Banks have a president, so there are 12 Federal Reserve Bank presidents now at the FOMC meetings where interest rates are decided, all seven fed governors get a vote, but only five Federal Reserve Bank presidents get to vote, and they rotate their votes every year they the following year are different. Five fed presidents get to vote. The Federal Reserve Bank president of New York always gets the vote because New York is such an important financial center, but the other four other presidents keep rotating year after year, and the presidents, 12 presidents, serve five year terms, and they can be reappointed, and their terms expire all at the same time, all on the same day, all of their terms will expire next year on February 28 and they will perhaps be reappointed and perhaps. Be reappointed. So that's the structure, seven Federal Reserve Bank governors and 12 Federal Reserve Bank presidents. All the governors. All seven get to vote at every FOMC meeting, but only five of the Presidents get to vote. So that's a total of 12. The Governors of the Federal Reserve System are the most important the seven. Those seven include the Chairman, Chairman Powell, and this is why they're the most important. They're important because if four of the seven have the power to fire all of the Federal Reserve Bank presidents, if four fed governors vote together, they can fire all 12 Federal Reserve Bank presidents. It only takes four. Only takes four. Then those Federal Reserve Bank presidents would have to be replaced, but the Federal Reserve Board of Governors has to approve the replacements. So if President Trump has four fed governors who will do what he tells them to do, then they can fire all the Federal Reserve Bank presidents and only replace them with other people who will do what President Trump tells them to do. Gosh. So what this means is, if the president can get four Federal Reserve Bank governors out of seven, then he has absolute control over monetary policy. He can do anything he wants with interest rates. He can do anything he wants with quantitative easing. So how many does he have now? Well, he has two that he's appointed, Christopher Waller and Michelle Bowman. They voted to cut interest rates at the last FOMC meeting. That was a dissenting vote, because the rest of the voting members voted to hold interest rates steady. Those two have already voted with the President, so they're on Team Trump, and they're going to stay on Team Trump, because both of them would like to become Fed Chairman when Jerome Powell term expires in May next year, very suddenly and very unexpectedly. A month or so ago, another fed Governor resigned. Her name is Adriana Coogler. Her term was not due to expire for another six months, and she'd not given any indication that she was going to resign early, but she did this now gives the President can nominate the Federal Reserve Bank governors. So he is nominated Stephen Moran, the one who wrote the paper the grand plan. Grand plan. He's nominated him to replace Adriana Coogler, yeah, and he's going to vote on him on his appointment, perhaps within very soon, and it only takes 51 senators to vote him in. And since the Republicans control the Senate, he will be approved, it seems very likely that he will be approved, and that will give President Trump the third vote on the FOMC. He will have three out of the seven governors. He only needs one more, and this is where at least the cook comes in. So on the 26th of August, I think President Trump announced that he was firing Lisa Cook, a Fed governor, because she allegedly had made misleading statements on some mortgage applications that have not been proven yet, that they are alleged. So he says that he has fired her. She has said he does not have the right to fire her. The legal cases that the President does have the right to fire a Federal Reserve Bank Governor, but only for cause. And so there's a real question whether this qualifies as being for cause or not, especially since it's only alleged at this point, but assuming that he does get control. So if he does succeed in firing her, he will be able to appoint her replacement, and that will give him four members, four governors out of the seven. And as we just discussed, with four out of seven, he will have complete control over monetary policy, because with four out of seven, that would give him the power to command those four to vote to fire all 12 presidents of the Federal Reserve Banks, and then to appoint new presidents of the Federal Reserve Banks who would vote along with whatever President Trump tells them to vote for. So in that case, with four fed governors, he would have those Four Plus he would have the five presidents that he would appoint from the Federal Reserve Banks voting for him. So five plus four, that is nine, nine out of 12 voting members on the Federal Open Market Committee. He would be guaranteed nine out of 12 votes on the FOMC, and that would give him complete control over monetary policy, and that's what he needs, because his policies are inflationary. They're going to drive up inflation. They're and that's going to push up the 10 year government bond yield, and it would normally make the Fed also increase the federal funds rate, because higher inflation should the Fed in. Increase the interest rates to cool down the higher inflation. But now that's not going to happen, because he is going to take over the FOMC one way or the other. Just by firing Lisa Cook, he's sending a very clear message to all the other fed governors and to the 12 existing Federal Reserve Bank presidents, you do what I tell you or you may be investigated too. You're next, one way or the other, the President is going to get what the President wants, and what he wants is control over monetary policy, and what that means is much lower short term interest rates and probably another very big round of quantitative easing to hold down long term interest rates as well. Keith Weinhold 30:41 That was an amazing architecture and plan that you laid out for how a President can take over the Federal Open Market Committee. That was amazing to think about that, and what we believe he wants you talked about it is potentially quantitative easing, which is a genteel way of saying dollar printing. Is it lowering the Fed funds rate down to, I think 1% is what he desired, and we're currently at about 4.3% Richard Duncan 31:08 that's right. He said he'd like to see the federal funds rate 300 basis points lower, which would put 1.3% we could see a series of very sharp interest rate cuts by the Fed in the upcoming FOMC meetings, so we could see the short term interest rates falling very quickly, but as we discussed a little bit earlier, that would alarm the bond market and investors, because they would realize that much lower interest rates would lead to much higher rates of inflation by overstimulating the economy. And so the 10 year bond yields will move higher for fear of inflation, and that will then force President Trump to command the Fed, to create money through quantitative easing on a potentially trillion dollar scale, and start buying up government bonds to push up their price and drive down their yields, so that the 10 year bond yields and the 30 year bond yields will fall. And since mortgage rates are pegged to the government bond yields mortgage rates will fall, and credit card rates will fall, and bank lending rates will fall, and this will kick off an extraordinary economic boom in the US, and also drive asset prices very much higher and create a wealth Bonanza, Keith Weinhold 32:15 right? And here, Richard and I are talking interestingly, just two days before the next Fed decision is rendered, therefore, with eminent cuts, we could very well see soaring stock and real estate markets fueled by this cheap credit and this quantitative easing, at least in the shorter term. Richard Duncan 32:36 But timing is something one must always keep in mind, there is a danger that we could actually see a sell off in the stock market in the near term. If we start seeing the Fed slashing interest rates, then the 10 year bond yields will start moving higher. That would ultimately lead to quantitative easing to drive those yields back down. But when the falling short term interest rates start pushing up interest rates on the 10 year government bond yield because investors expect higher rates of inflation, that could spook the stock market. The stock market's very expensive, so before QE kicks in, there could actually be a period where raising expectations for higher rates of inflation drive the 10 year bond yields higher before the Fed can step in and drive them back down again. We could actually see a sell off in the stock market before we get this wealth boom that will ultimately result when the Fed cuts the short term rates and then quantitative easing also drives down the long term rates. I hope that's not too confusing. There could be a intermediate phase, where bond yields move higher, and that causes the stock market to have a significant stumble. But that wouldn't last long, because then President Trump would command the Fed to do quantitative easing, and as soon as the president says on television that he's going to do quantitative easing, between the moment he says quantitative and the moment he says easing, the stock market is going to rocket higher. Keith Weinhold 34:05 And here we are at a time where many feel the stock market is overvalued. Mortgage rates have been elevated, but they're actually still a little below their historic norms. The rate of inflation hasn't been down at the Fed's 2% target in years, it's been above them, and we've got signs that the labor market is softening. Richard Duncan 34:25 That's true. The labor market numbers in the most recent job number were quite disappointing, with the revisions to earlier months significantly lower. But of course, with so many people being deported from the United States now, that's contributing to this lower job growth numbers. If you have fewer people, there are fewer people to hire and add to job creation, so that may have some distorting impact on the low job creation numbers. The economy actually is seems to be relatively strong the the. Latest GDP now forecast that the Atlanta Fed does is suggesting that the economy could grow by three and a half percent this quarter, which is very strong. So the economy is not falling off a cliff by any means. If the scenario plays out, as I've discussed, and ultimately we do get another round of quantitative easing and the Fed cuts short term interest rates very aggressively. That will create a very big economic boom with interest rates very low. That will push up real estate prices, stock prices and gold prices and Bitcoin prices and the price of everything except $1 the dollar will crash because currency values are determined by interest rate differentials. Right now, the 10 year government bond yield is higher than the bond yields in Europe or Japan, and if you suddenly cut the US interest rates by 100 basis points, 200 basis points, 300 basis points, and the bond yields go down very sharply, then it'll be much less attractive for anyone to hold dollars relative to other currencies, and so there will be a big sell off of the dollar. And also, if you create another big round of quantitative easing and create trillions of dollars that way, then the more money you create, the less value the dollar has supply and demand. If you have trillions of extra new dollars, then the value of the dollar loses value. So the dollar is likely to take a significant tumble from here against other currencies and against hard assets. Gold, for instance, that's why we've seen such an extraordinary surge in gold prices. Speaker 1 36:38 right? Gold prices soared above three $500 and Richard I'm just saying what I'm thinking. It's remarkable that Trump continues to be surrounded by sycophants that just act obsequiously toward him and want to stay in line and do whatever he says. And I haven't seen anyone breaking that pattern. Richard Duncan 36:59 I'm not going to comment on that observation, but what I would like to say is that if this scenario does play out, and it does seem that we're moving in that direction, then this big economic boom is very likely to ultimately lead to the big economic bust. Every big boom leads to a big bust, right? Big credit booms lower interest rates, much more borrowing by households, individuals, companies. It would while the borrowing is going on, the consumption grows and the investment grows, but sooner or later, it hits the point where even with very low interest rates, the consumers wouldn't be able to repay their loans, like we saw in 2008 businesses wouldn't be able to repay their loans, and they would begin defaulting, as they did in 2008 and at that point, everything goes into reverse, and the banks begin to fail when they don't receive their loan repayments. And it leads to a systemic financial sector crisis. The banks lend less when credit starts to contract, then the economy collapses into a very serious recession, or even worse, unless the government intervenes again. So big boom that will last for a few years, followed by a big bust. That's the most probable outcome, but I do see one other possibility of how that outcome could be avoided, on the optimistic side, and this is it. If once President Trump slash Fed Chairman Trump has complete control over US monetary policy, then it won't take him long to realize Stephen Moran has probably already told him that he would then be able to use the Fed to fund his us, sovereign wealth fund. You will remember, back in February, President Trump signed an executive order creating a US sovereign wealth fund. And this was music to my ears, because for years, as you well know, I've been advocating for the US government to finance a multi trillion dollar 10 year investment in the industries and technologies of the future Keith Weinhold 39:01 including on this show, you laid that out for us a few years ago and made your case for that here, and then Trump made it happen. Richard Duncan 39:08 Let's try my book from 2022 it was called the money revolution. How to finance the next American century? Well, how to finance the next American Century is to have the US, government finance, a very large investment in new industries and new technologies in things like artificial intelligence, quantum computing, nanotechnology, genetic engineering, biotech, robotics, clean energy and fusion, create fusion and everything, world where energy is free, ultimate abundance. So I was very happy that President Trump created this US sovereign wealth fund. Now that he will soon have complete control over his US monetary policy, he will understand that he can use the Fed to fund this, US sovereign wealth fund. He can have the Fed create money through quantitative easing and. And start investing in fusion. We can speed up the creation of the invention of low cost fusion. We could do that in a relatively small number of years, instead of perhaps a decade or longer, as things are going now, we could ensure that the United States wins the AI arms race that we are in with China. Whoever develops super intelligence first is probably going to conquer the world. We know what the world looks like when the United States is the sole superpower. We've been living in that world for 80 years. Yeah, we don't know what the world would look like if it's conquered by China. And China is the control super intelligence and becomes magnitudes greater in terms of their capacity across everything imaginable than the United States is whoever wins the AI arms race will rule the world. This sort of investment through a US sovereign wealth fund would ensure that the winner is the US and on atop it, so it would shore up US national security and large scale investments in these new technologies would also turbocharge US economic growth and hopefully allow us to avoid the bust that is likely to ultimately occur following The approaching boom, and keep the economy growing long into the future, rather than just having a short term boom and bust, a large scale investment in the industries of the future could create a technological revolution that would generate very rapid growth in productivity, very rapid economic growth, shore up US national security, and result in technological miracles and medical breakthroughs, possibly curing all the diseases, cure cancer, cure Alzheimer's, extend life expectancy by decades, healthy life expectancy. So that is a very optimistic outcome that could result from President Trump becoming Fed Chairman Trump and gaining complete control over monetary policy. And this is all part of the plan of making America great again. If he really followed through on this, then he certainly would be able to restructure the US economy, re industrialize it, create a technological revolution that ensured us supremacy for the next century. That's how to finance the next American century. Speaker 1 42:23 Oh, well, Richard, I like what you're leaving us with here. You're giving us some light, and you're talking about real productivity gains that really drives an economy and progress and an increased standard of living over the long term. But yes, in the nearer term, this fed takeover, there could be some pain and a whole lot of questions in getting there. Richard, your macro watch piece that caught my attention is so interesting to a lot of people. How can more people learn about that and connect with you and the great work you do on macro watch, which is your video newsletter Richard Duncan 43:00 Thanks, Keith. So it's really been completely obvious that President Trump was very likely to try to take over the Fed. Nine months ago, I made a macro watch video in December called Will Trump in the Fed, spelling out various ways he could take over the Fed, and why he probably would find it necessary to do so. So what macro watch is is it describes how the economy really works in the 21st Century. It doesn't work the way it did when gold was money. We're in a completely different environment now, where the government is directing the economy and the Fed, or seeing the President has the power to create limitless amounts of money, and this changes the way everything works, and so that's what macro watch explains. It's a video newsletter. Every couple of weeks, I upload a new video discussing something important happening in the global economy and how that's likely to impact asset prices, stocks, bonds, commodities, currencies and wealth in general. So if your listeners are interested, I'd encourage them to visit my website, which is Richard Duncan economics.com that's Richard Duncan economics.com and if they'd like to subscribe, hit the subscribe button. And for I'd like to offer them a 50% subscription discount. If they use the discount coupon code, G, R, E, thank you, GRE, they can subscribe at half price. I think they'll find that very affordable. And they will get a new video every couple of weeks from me, and they will have immediate access to the macro watch archives, which have more than 100 hours of videos. Macro watch was founded by me 12 years ago, and I intend to keep doing this, hopefully far into the future. So I hope your listeners will check that out. Keith Weinhold 44:46 Well, thanks, both here on the show and on macro watch Richard gives you the type of insight that's hard to find anywhere else, and you learn it through him oftentimes before it makes the headlines down the road. So. Richard, this whole concept of a Fed takeover is just unprecedented, as far as I know, and it's been so interesting to talk about it. Thanks for coming back onto the show. Richard Duncan 45:08 Thank you, Keith. I look forward to the next time. Speaker 1 45:17 Yeah, fascinating stuff from Richard in the nearer term, we could then see interest rate cuts that would go along with cuts to mortgages and credit card rates and car loan rates and all kinds of bank lending rates. This could pump up the value of real estate, stocks, Bitcoin, gold, nearly everything a wealth bonanza. Now, in polls, most Americans think that the Fed should stay independent from outside control. You really heard about how the President is dismantling the safeguards that protect that fed independence, the strategy he's using to bend the Federal Open Market Committee to His will. And this is not speculation, because, as you can tell, the takeover of the Fed is already underway. A fed governor has been fired. New loyalists are being installed, and key votes are lining up in the President's favor. But as far as the longer term, you've got to ask yourself, if these policies will inflate a giant bubble destined to burst down the road. I mean triggering a crisis as bad as 2008 I mean, these are the very questions that every investor should be asking right now, if you find this in similar content fascinating, and you want to stay on top of what is forward looking what's coming next macroeconomically, check out Richard Duncan's macro watch at Richard Duncan economics.com for our listeners, he's long offered the discount code for a 50% discount that code is GRE, that's Richard Duncan economics.com and the discount code GRE next week here on the show, we're bringing it back closer to home with key us, real estate investing strategies and insights, a lot of ways to increase your income. Until then, I'm your host. Keith Weinhold, don't quit you Daydream. Speaker 3 47:20 Nothing on this show should be considered specific, personal or professional advice. Please consult an appropriate tax, legal, real estate, financial or business professional for individualized advice. Opinions of guests are their own. Information is not guaranteed. All investment strategies have the potential for profit or loss. The host is operating on behalf of get rich Education LLC, exclusively. Speaker 1 47:40 You You know, whenever you want the best written real estate and finance info, oh, geez, today's experience limits your free articles access, and it's got paywalls and pop ups and push notifications and cookies disclaimers, it's not so great. So then it's vital to place nice, clean, free content into your hands that adds no hype value to your life. That's why this is the golden age of quality newsletters. And I write every word of ours myself. It's got a dash of humor, and it's to the point, because even the word abbreviation is too long, my letter usually takes less than three minutes to read, and when you start the letter, you also get my one hour fast real estate video. Course, it's all completely free. It's called the Don't quit your Daydream letter. It wires your mind for wealth, and it couldn't be easier for you to get it right now. Just text gre 266, 866, while it's on your mind, take a moment to do it right now. Text gre to 66866, Keith Weinhold 48:59 The preceding program was brought to you by your home for wealth, building, get richeducation.com you.
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In episode 217, host Galit Friedlander and guest Ana Rokafella Garcia (legendary b-girl, co-founder of Full Circle Productions, choreographer, filmmaker, and adjunct professor at The New School), dive into the history, evolution, and impact of hip-hop. From growing up in New York City during the fires, crack epidemic, and AIDS crisis to discovering her voice in cyphers and clubs, Rokafella shares how dance carved out a future for her. She reflects on commercialization, gender dynamics, and visibility in the scene, while urging today's dancers to stay grounded in the culture's foundations. The conversation also touches on breaking at the Olympics, the tension between competition and community, and why hip-hop's resilience continues to guide her work. Follow Galit: Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/gogalit Website - https://www.gogalit.com/ On-Demand Fitness Courses - https://galit-s-school-0397.thinkific.com/collections Follow Rokafella: Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/larokafella Website - https://larokasoul.com/ Full Circle: https://www.instagram.com/fullcirclesouljahs Behind the Groove: https://www.instagram.com/behindthegroovenyc/ All the Ladies Say: https://www.instagram.com/alltheladiessay Listen to DanceSpeak on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.
Connect with Early Riders // Connect with OnrampPresented collaboratively by Early Riders & Onramp Media…Final Settlement is a weekly podcast covering the underlying mechanics of the bitcoin protocol, its ongoing development and funding, and real-world applications of the technology.00:00 - Market Movements and Upcoming Events02:11 - Banking Crisis in Thailand09:59 - Youth Revolt in Nepal18:23 - Bitcoin's Role in Financial Portfolios23:09 - Gemini's Public Offering and Market Trends28:06 - Exploring Solana's Blockchain Advantages33:07 - The Future of Bitcoin Dividends35:25 - Hyper Liquid and the Evolution of Stablecoins37:42 - Vercel and the Future of Micro Payments43:51 - The Rise of Bitcoin in Everyday Transactions49:28 - Navigating the Fragile EconomyIf you found this valuable, please subscribe to Early Riders Insights for access to the best content in the ecosystem weekly.Links discussed:https://www.cnbc.com/2025/09/09/nasdaq-to-invest-50-million-in-winklevoss-founded-crypto-exchange-gemini.htmlhttps://www.cnbc.com/2025/09/12/gemini-the-winklevoss-crypto-exchange-pops-in-nasdaq-debut.htmlhttps://hbr.org/2025/09/does-bitcoin-belong-on-your-balance-sheethttps://vercel.com/blog/introducing-x402-mcp-open-protocol-payments-for-mcp-toolshttps://www.thaiexaminer.com/thai-news-foreigners/2025/09/14/banking-crisis-as-security-overreach-limits-large-numbers-of-personal-and-small-business-bank-accounts/https://www.indiatoday.in/technology/news/story/bitchat-surges-in-nepal-as-gen-z-protesters-pick-pm-on-discord-whatis-bitchat-and-how-it-is-used-2787021-2025-09-14https://www.theblock.co/post/370570/native-markets-team-wins-hyperliquid-usdh-stablecoin-bid-eyes-test-phase-within-dayshttps://finance.yahoo.com/news/superstate-issue-fresh-galaxy-digital-110007162.htmlhttps://www.tradingview.com/news/cointelegraph:b7f86629f094b:0-investment-giant-capital-group-s-1b-bet-on-bitcoin-treasuries-balloons-to-6b/https://www.wsj.com/opinion/americas-buy-now-pay-later-economy-3dae0902Keep up with Michael: https://x.com/MTangumahttps://www.linkedin.com/in/mtanguma/Keep up with Brian: https://x.com/BackslashBTChttps://www.linkedin.com/in/brian-cubellis-00b1a660/Keep up with Liam: https://x.com/Lnelson_21https://www.linkedin.com/in/liam-nelson1/
Thailand’s new prime minister will submit his cabinet for royal approval this week, Beirut’s historic Le Colisée cinema reopens for Lebanon’s International Theatre Festival and the latest design news from the Monocle team.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
What is your data trying to tell you? In this episode, John Dues talks to Andrew Stotz about why most leaders misread data, overreact to single results, and miss the real story. Discover how Deming thinking exposes when change is truly happening and how to use a process behavior chart to listen to the real story. Plus, find out why nine years of ‘stable' results may still demand transformation. Tune in and rethink data-driven leadership! 0:00:02.2 Andrew Stotz: My name is Andrew Stotz, and I'll be your host as we dive deeper into the teachings of Dr. W. Edwards Deming. Today, I'm continuing my discussion with John Dues, who is part of the new generation of educators striving to apply Dr. Deming's principles to unleash student joy in learning. The topic for today is understanding variation is the key to data analysis. John, take it away. 0:00:27.8 John Dues: Andrew, it's good to be back. Yeah. So, we've just started the school year in Ohio, so I thought doing a session on goal setting would be a good place to kick off the year. And I was thinking a lot of leaders, school leaders and leaders in general, are setting goals around this time period. And I was really thinking about having this Deming lens. I was thinking, how did I set goals before I sort of started understanding this approach? And it's, you know, this is one of those things where if you really stop and think about it, goal setting is a lot harder than it seems at first glance. Things like, how do you set a reasonable goal? And then once you've gotten to that place, how do you know if things are improving? How do you know if things are getting worse? And I was thinking how powerful this understanding variation method is for folks that may be struggling with those questions. 0:01:32.9 Andrew Stotz: Yeah. In fact, that's a great question for the listener and the viewer. Like, how do you set goals? How did you set goals in the past? How have you improved that? And I was thinking when you were speaking, I didn't set goals. I gave proclamations. You know, 20% of I want to see this and that. And they were just stretch targets without any means or methods. So yeah, interesting. 0:01:55.2 John Dues: Yeah. How do you set the target? Was it arbitrary? Is it based on some standard that you heard somewhere? A lot of times you have no idea sort of what's behind that target or you've sort of associated it to something that's familiar. Like in my case, we often sort of set goals that sort of mimic the grade scale. So, you know, 80% is a common goal for something like test scores, you know. 0:02:23.7 Andrew Stotz: But they don't even call them goals anymore. They call them, let me remember, I think it's called KPIs. 0:02:30.0 John Dues: KPIs, targets, you know, lots of different things for sure. And I think what I've seen is that a lot of the reason that goal setting is so hard is because you, well, one, you misinterpret your data in the first place. And a lot of that misinterpretation, at least in the education sector, is because leaders don't have the knowledge. They don't know about natural variation. They're typically making comparisons between some current performance level, some previous value. But those two things, those two data points don't show you, don't convey the behavior of that data across time. So, what we do and what I did before I sort of discovered this method is you overreact to a single data point. Probably less frequently, you underreact to the data because you don't have this understanding of, you know, how much is the data moving up and down sort of naturally almost no matter what you're doing. Now, that's not always the case, but that's the case that I've found in a lot of situations. And so until you start to take that into account, those natural ups and downs, then you just misinterpret the data over and over again, usually by overreacting is what I've seen. 0:03:54.9 Andrew Stotz: Yeah. 0:03:56.0 John Dues: So there's, you know, I think as a starting point, people in the Deming community will be familiar with, a lot of people. But others listening to this probably have never heard of this idea of dividing variation into, I've heard it described as like two flavors. There's the routine variation, what I call natural variation, things vary naturally no matter what you're doing. And then there's exceptional variation where things are so different that there is reason to pay attention to this. And what I found through studying this is, the key is knowing how to tell the difference between those two types of variation. And don't do that, lots of confusion, lots of wasted effort. And so that's really where the power of this methodology comes into play. And for anybody that's studied this, you sort of realize that you have to have a tool to make that differentiation. It's not arbitrary. And so that's where what I call the process behavior chart, some people call the control chart, where that comes into play because that tool allows us to tell what type of variation is present. And it also allows us to tell if the system is predictable or unpredictable. And once we have that understanding, then we can chart an improvement sort of roadmap that makes sense. 0:05:21.8 Andrew Stotz: Yeah. In fact, I've applied two of the things, you know, one of the things to my pass rates and admission rates, I applied the process chart, the control chart, based upon your recommendation a long time ago. And it did help me to kind of think if, you know, in my case, I wanted to break out of that standard outcome that I was getting. And so I realized, something has to change substantially in the system in order to get a different result than this variation that I was getting. That was the first thing. And then the second one, a couple of nights ago, I was giving a lecture and I was using your work that you and I have talked about, as well as Mike Rother's stuff on goal setting and having the target. And then there's that obstacle. And what I realized when I gave a little talk on it and I used the diagram and I showed the obstacle, it became kind of apparent to everybody like, oh, yeah, there's an obstacle there that we don't know how to solve. 0:06:27.6 John Dues: Yeah. 0:06:28.3 Andrew Stotz: And that's where PDSA came in. And we started talking about that, as you have taught previously. So, yeah, I'm excited to hear what you have to say today. 0:06:38.2 John Dues: Yeah. And the Mike Rother model, I mean, he does have this target that's this long term target that's pretty hard to hit. And you don't really know what you're going to do. But the difference there then in the situation I'm describing is that that in Mike's model, that target is knowingly outside of the current sort of capability of the system. And they're coming together as a team and saying, how do we get to that target six months from now or a year from now? And we're working towards that rather than someone has just arbitrarily set some target, without a realization that the system isn't capable of hitting that currently. Those are two completely different scenarios. Yeah. So, I think I'll share my screen. Well, actually, before I do that, I would just say, too, because I know sometimes when I introduce these things, a lot of times people get scared away because they think the math is hard. And what I would say there is that there's the creation of a process behavior chart probably takes about fourth grade level math skills. You really only need to do addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division. 0:07:49.3 John Dues: That's it. But the thinking, I think, actually can be taught all the way down to the kindergarten level. And I've actually seen kindergartners explain the data on a process behavior chart. So, if anybody gets scared away at this part, the math is simple and the thinking is also pretty simple and powerful once you sort of have the basics. So, I'll go ahead and share my screen so the folks that are watching have a visual to follow along on. And for those that don't, I'll do my best to describe it. When we're talking about a process behavior chart, and this one's sort of an annotated version so that things are clear. But basically a process behavior chart is just a time sequence chart. It has upper and lower natural process limits, and we plot data for some measure that we're interested in. And the chart typically has a central line so that we can detect a trend of those plotted values toward perhaps either limit. So, this particular chart, the data is the percent of students who scored proficient or higher on the Ohio third grade reading state tests from spring 2004 through 2015. 0:09:06.8 John Dues: So, I've labeled sort of some of those key parts of the chart. So, just kind of call those out. Again, the red lines are the lower and upper natural process limits, sort of bound where you'd expect the data to be in a stable system. 0:09:21.1 Andrew Stotz: And those are 1, 2, 3 standard deviations or what? 0:09:28.1 John Dues: Well, this particular chart, it's what I call a process behavior chart. So it's actually, it's not standard deviation. It's based on a measure of dispersion called the moving range. And then there's a formula that smarter people than me figured out sort of how to use that moving range to set the red lines. But the important thing to know about the limits is that they're set empirically. And that just means that they're based on the data. And so they are where they are, not where I want them to be necessarily. I don't get to choose where they are, how wide they are, where they're placed numerically is based on the data itself. And then that green center line for this particular chart is the average of all the blue dots. And then the blue dots is each year of, again, testing data. 0:10:19.4 Andrew Stotz: 2004 to 2015 as the x-axis, yep. 0:10:27.0 John Dues: Yeah. So, you have a decade and a half or so, or sorry, a decade plus of data here. So, a good amount of data. So, you can kind of see how things are performing over time on this third grade reading test. And so the purpose of the chart, like we talked about, is to separate those two flavors of variation, the routine and the exceptional. And this chart is a really great example of just natural or routine variation. So, I'm looking for patterns in the data, like a single data point that would be outside the end of those red process limits. And you don't see that. The results for these years instead are just bouncing around an average of about 78.5%. Now there's some years where it's a little higher than that and some years where it's a little lower. But the point is none of those increases and decreases are meaningful. There's only that natural variation present. But the problem is, in the typical data analysis method, what I call the old way, the simple sort of limited comparison, is that a leader will rely on comparisons between the current figure and some previous value. 0:11:48.9 John Dues: And probably the most common and why I chose this data, at least in my world, is a leader will compare last year's test scores and this year's test scores. That's very, very common. But the problem is, again, that what I'm calling a limited comparison, the comparison between two years of data, it doesn't take natural variation into account. So, what happens is we try to ascribe meaning to those increases or decreases between data points when in reality there's often no difference to be found. And I have a really great example of this. Let me switch my screen here. So, there's a lot of information here, but it's pretty simple to understand. So, this is a snapshot from 2017/2018 state test results. And so this is a document that was published by our Department of Education here in Ohio back during those school years. And the thing is, it may be eight or so years old, but it's as relevant today as when it was published eight years ago. We're still making the same sort of mistakes. So, we're basically, when we look at the data in this chart, we're basically being led to believe that there's been this meaningful decline in performance in third grade ELA. 0:13:16.4 John Dues: That's what's signified by that red arrow in the first row of the table. So, you have the ELA data says that in '16/'17, 63.8% of our third graders were proficient. And in the following year, 61.2% were proficient. And there's this red down arrow to say, oh, things got worse this school year, at least when it was published. But then if you look at the blue box, the text for those that have video, in the text it says we're not supposed to worry because, "third grade saw decreases this year, but has maintained higher proficiency than two years ago." So. Then you start to think, well, which is it? Should I be worried about my third grade ELA state test scores because of the most recent decrease, you know, as of when this was published? Or should I not worry because the scores are better than they were two years prior to that? 0:14:21.7 Andrew Stotz: And that depends what side of the argument you're on. 0:14:24.4 John Dues: Depends what side of the argument you're on. What story do you want to tell with this data, right? 0:14:30.3 Andrew Stotz: So, it's bad enough to be potentially misled by this probably common variation, but then to have both sides of an argument be misled at the same time. 0:14:41.0 John Dues: Right, yeah. Ultimately it seems like what they're trying to do is show improvement because you have this big headline up here that says, Ohio students continue to show improved achievement in academic content area. 0:14:55.2 Andrew Stotz: Yay! 0:14:58.5 John Dues: But there's a way to actually answer these questions definitively using this method, right? And so what I did was I took the data from the three years of the state testing for third grade ELA from this state education department publication, and I just plotted it on a process behavior chart. And then I continued plotting it for the more recent data that's happened since this, because three data points isn't a lot, so I kept plotting it. And so now we have, going all the way back to the first year of data in this state testing document, we have 2015/2016 data, and of course now we have data all the way up through the end of the last school year, 2024/2025. So, we have nine data points. So I plotted it, right? It looks like this. So, here's those same data as the first three data points, spring 2016, spring 2017, spring 2018. 0:15:58.3 John Dues: That's from the table from the previous slide. And then I've continued plotting things for, you know, spring of 2018, '19, '21, '22, '23, '24, and '25. So, now we have nine years of data. And what we can see is, just like what I would have predicted, even if I had only had those three years to work with that were from the state testing document and not the more recent data, but there's no evidence of improvement. It's definitive. And so you see these nine data points. They're just simply bouncing around this average of 61%. That's what the green line shows. It's almost perfectly balanced, in fact. So, three of the points are actually below the average. One point is almost right on the line, the average line. And then there's five points above. And if you follow it from point to point, it increases, then decreases, then increases, then decreases, then increases very slightly for a couple or three or four years in a row. Right? But there's no signals or patterns in this data to indicate any changes of significance. Right? So claims like, you know, yeah, we've declined in this most recent year from that testing document or, oh, we shouldn't worry too much because it's better than two years ago. All of that is nonsense. 0:17:24.6 Andrew Stotz: So, the title should have been nine years of no improvement. 0:17:29.7 John Dues: Nine years of no improvement. Nine years of stable data. And the thing is, a lot of data looks just like the state testing data over time. Not only in education, but in other things. And how I've heard this described by people that use this methodology is that, claims of improvement are often nothing more than writing fiction. And I think that's a very good description for what we see here. And the thing is, is like, I'm not trying to throw the person that wrote that document under the bus. All I'm saying is that there's a better way to be looking at data like this, a way that makes more sense. 0:18:24.9 Andrew Stotz: It made me think of the Mark Twain quote, rumors of my demise are greatly exaggerated. 0:18:39.9 John Dues: Give me one second here. My screen switched on me. There we go. Okay. So, when I think about this data, there's no real decline in performance, there's no real increase in performance. It's just stable performance. I think the key for leaders, systems leaders especially, is that this system, the way we would describe it is it's producing predictable results, and it's performing as consistently as it is capable. And so it's a waste of time to explain the natural variation in a stable system. Because what people would say is that there's no simple single root cause for this noise. 0:19:24.5 Andrew Stotz: And I think it's even better way of saying it. It's not a waste of time, it's a waste of your career. 0:19:32.6 John Dues: That'd be a very apt way of describing this. 0:19:36.0 Andrew Stotz: It kind of goes back to the point that Dr. Deming said, which was that, a manager could spend his life putting out fires and never improve the system. And every little thing above and below was a little, little mini emergency or a response was made every year because of the under or over, you'd just spend, you know, it would just be whack-a-mole. 0:20:01.9 John Dues: Yeah. But I think the thing for people to understand is I'm saying this system is performing as capable as it is, or as the performances is what this particular system is capable of. But that doesn't mean just because it's stable and predictable, like this one is, you know, it's up above 61% one year, and then it's down below it a little bit or right on the line. That doesn't mean that stable means acceptable. It doesn't mean stable is satisfactory. 0:20:37.1 Andrew Stotz: I'm thinking that this is neutral, you know, it's an observation rather than a judgment. 0:20:42.5 John Dues: Yeah. It's just what is. It's the process is producing what you would expect it to produce because it's stable and predictable. 0:20:49.8 Andrew Stotz: I want to just mention that my mind's wandering because I know that you help people with these types of charts. And when I was working with a hospital here in Thailand, they had a great room that they set up that was all blacked out and it was full of these great computer screens and guys in their technicians, like 10 of them in this room. But the room was dead silent, blacked out 100%. And they were radiologists and all the x-rays, MRIs, and everything that were being done on the machines outside were coming into them and then they were making their judgments on it. And then they would submit that and then the doctors would very quickly get a read on that. And I was just thinking, imagine being a person that just all day long looking at these types of charts. Like just any system can be described by the... And then what's your judgment on this? Yep, common cause. That's it. 0:21:50.9 John Dues: Yeah. And I think it obviously doesn't mean that there isn't work to be done. Like in this case, even though it's stable and predictable, so if I was putting a bet down on what the results are for spring 2026, at the end of this school year, I'd put my money somewhere between, let's call it 55% and 65%. And I'd be right almost every single time, I think, as long as nothing changes. But that doesn't mean, like I said, it doesn't mean there's not work to be done because when you look at this, this means that about 60% of third graders are proficient in any given school year on this Ohio third grade state test, which means that two in five students are not reading proficiently. So, the improvement roadmap, there has to be some fundamental changes to how we do third grade reading instruction, curriculum, assessment. Something fundamental has to change if we want to get a different set of results. 0:22:54.8 Andrew Stotz: And one of the things that I've kind of come to believe in my life, right or wrong, I'm not exactly sure, but it's like having traveled to so many countries and seen so many places, I kind of feel like people get what they demand. Like the population of a country, if they don't demand certain behavior from politicians, they don't get it. And so on the one hand, this is a neutral thing, but I think you can also make a judgment that the population of Ohio is not in a continuous uproar to see this change. 0:23:39.0 John Dues: Yeah. Well, I would say very few people even have this picture in their head, whether it's educators or the general public, because every time we get one of these state testing reports, it usually has only two or three years of data. So no one even remembers what happened. 0:24:01.9 Andrew Stotz: I agree that they don't have clarity, real good clarity like you're bringing us here. They have an understanding of what's happening generally. And this is what, so the reason why I'm mentioning that is because part of the benefit of trying to understand the state of a system is to understand that the level of change or work or new thinking that has to go into saying, modifying, let's just say that the population was in an uproar and they decided that they wanted to get to 90% proficiency from 60%. The level of rethinking is such a huge thing. And I think what this chart tells me is like, that's kind of what's set in stone. And in order to move beyond what's set in stone, there is a whole lot of work and a whole lot of new thinking that has to go into that. And it must be continuous. And that's part of the constancy of purpose. And you do it for three years and then a new guy comes in and he changes it. And then next thing you know, it's not sustained. 0:25:17.4 John Dues: Yeah. I mean, yes, you'd have to do something significant and then you'd have to stick with it. That constancy of purpose phrase is right on because you'd have to, first you'd have to develop the right plan and then you'd want to test it. But then once you started seeing some evidence of improvement, you'd have to stick with that plan for a decade or more to see those types of results. And that's really hard when the political will shifts, the focus shifts, you have a pandemic, whatever the thing is, you have less money for school, whatever that thing is or any combination of that, it makes it very challenging to sustain. 0:25:57.8 Andrew Stotz: And the reason why I'm raising this point is because it just kind of really hits me that take away Ohio, take away education, take away all of those things and just produce a control chart on any process in any business, in any school, and you're gonna see the current state. 0:26:17.3 John Dues: Yep, absolutely. Yeah. You can use this in any setting, any data that occurs over time, you could use this methodology. 0:26:24.8 Andrew Stotz: And one of the questions I have in my mind as I was thinking is like, why change it? The level of effort required to sustainably change that is just incredible. And you could argue that, okay, there's companies that build a competitive advantage by saying, that's not the status quo that we want to exist in and therefore we're gonna create a whole new business built around something different that produces a result that's considerably better than that. But it happens for sure, but we're much more likely in our lives if we were to see that to just let it be. 0:27:03.6 John Dues: Yeah. Yeah. And when you get it down, when you sort of zero in and get down to the sort of local level, there are schools that sort of performed in this sort of general fashion that made changes at the building level and then got significantly different results. So, it becomes a little easier. It's not easy, but it becomes easier when you're talking about a single school building and coordinating the efforts there versus trying to do that across all the school buildings. 0:27:32.9 Andrew Stotz: And I think this is what, when Dr. Deming talks about leadership, this is what he's talking about. 0:27:39.1 John Dues: Yep. Yep. And I think, you know, the good thing is here, if this is resonating with you, whether you're a school leader or the leader of some other type of organization, you know, you've probably struggled to interpret your most important data. So, before I discovered this method, I didn't really have a method per se. I'd put numbers in a table and then try to look at them and try to sort of ascertain what was happening on. And so I think it's, you know, if you've never heard of this, it's totally fine. Most of us were never taught how to understand variation in our data. But I think there's two sort of big ideas I would take from this as we've talked about this. The first is just taking natural variation into account. Just meaning plot your data over time, plot your dots, and look at how it's moving up and down over time. So, that's the first big idea, this idea of natural variation. Things are going to move up and down just naturally, no matter what's happening, even if nothing of significance has occurred. 0:28:47.6 John Dues: And then big idea two is that you can use this chart, this process behavior chart methodology to differentiate between those two types of variation that I talked about, the routine or natural variation, and then the exceptional variation. And then once you do that, you're gonna get some very powerful insights into what your data looks like, because people are gonna say, oh, I know why that happened. I know why that looks like that. Now that I see it like this, I have an understanding for why the patterns look like they do. And then you can start to turn that sort of type of analysis into better outcomes. And that's really the point of doing this is that you, you know when to react, when not to react, you are making sound decisions based on a logic, a logical model, a logical data model. And the best part is it's very simple. Like I said, a fourth grader can do the math required to create the chart. And I've seen kids as young as five or six interpreting the data in a chart. So, that means that we can all do it for sure. It's not actually that difficult. 0:30:00.6 Andrew Stotz: Yeah. And I was just thinking of Newton's law of inertia, meaning an object stays at rest until acted on by an outside force. 0:30:12.7 John Dues: Yeah. 0:30:13.8 Andrew Stotz: And I think what you're showing is the state of inertia. 0:30:18.5 John Dues: Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. The state of inertia. And I think it's just, you know, you don't know what you don't know. But once you see this and, I did some of the figuring this out on my own reading about it, listening to other people talk about it, but I talk to a lot of people and got a lot of guidance. So if this has piqued your interest, my suggestion is reach out to somebody that has done this before, at least at the start. Because there are a lot of, you know, while I am saying you can create a chart with fourth grade math and I've seen kindergartners analyze the charts, there is some learning, there is some technicality to it. And so I think if you have a coach, even better because you're gonna learn it so much faster and be able to sort of turn that learning into results so much faster. 0:31:07.0 Andrew Stotz: And maybe the starting point is trying to figure out of all the different measures that I've got in my business, in my school, in my life, what's one that I get regularly? And I like data that comes out more than annual because then it's just such a long process. So if I have daily data, weekly, monthly, you know, those types of data points, then from that, you know, and what's one thing in your life that would be a data point that you'd like to look at? And I would even argue the first step is just to start collecting it into, let's say, an Excel file and just collect that raw data. And you can make a chart of that raw data. And the benefit of the process, you know, control chart and the process chart is that what you're seeing is, you know, tools within that chart to help you interpret. But even if you just start by figuring out what data point you wanna look at, start collecting it, do a month or two of getting that data, and then you can start saying, okay, now I'm gonna apply these tools, nothing wrong with that. 0:32:21.2 John Dues: Yeah. And you wanna show it to people, like whether that's teachers or students, you wanna show them the data that you're collecting because they're gonna be a part of that improvement process, no matter what type of data that you're looking at, at least in schools, you're always gonna want the front line people to be a part of that process. 0:32:39.4 Andrew Stotz: And the way I did that in my area of research when I was an analyst and I had a research, was I wanted to see the data of the output of our research operation. How much did we produce? I didn't have a strong opinion as to whether we should produce more or less or whatever. I just wanted to understand them. And so I started plotting that data on a weekly basis, and I labeled it pretty well. And then I just put it up on the wall, and I didn't talk about it. And I put it up, and people looked at it, and I didn't go and explain it, and I didn't put control limits or anything like that. I just put the data up. And I remember a Thai lady that worked for me came to me, and she said, I figured you out. And I was like, what are you talking about? And she said, I was out to lunch with a friend of mine, and she asked me, how many reports do you publish a month? And she said, my employee said, I publish six reports in a month. And my friend said, what? 0:33:45.4 Andrew Stotz: And she said, how many do you do? She said, I only do two in a month. And she said, what are Andrew's targets for you? My God, to get six reports. And then my employee said to her, he doesn't have any target for me. And then that employee of mine came back to see me after that lunch, and she said, I get it. You just put it up on the wall, and it raised the awareness for all of us, and we all looked at it, and then it influenced the way we thought about our job without you telling me, get four or six or two. And so sometimes, and I did that exact same thing when I worked at Pepsi when I was in 1989 when I joined Pepsi in the factory in Buena Park in particular, where I would put up on the wall, here's everybody's error rates from last night. And I would post that, and then the employees would just look at it and go, that's wrong. Okay. Fine, great, tell me. Let's look at the data. 0:34:44.8 Andrew Stotz: And I kept all the underlying data that was manual in my hands in stacks, and then they would go, oh, okay, so I did get that wrong. Let me fix that. And then I fixed it and put it back up, but it didn't look much prettier after I fixed it. And then all of a sudden, people started looking at it, and then they started having new information they never had. And I hadn't studied with Dr. Deming by that time, so I didn't even understand anything to do with the chart, but just putting up the chart without any major commentary is fascinating. 0:35:12.9 John Dues: Yeah. It starts those conversations, starts getting people sort of more involved, more engaged with the work. Yeah, I think those are all really smart moves that we often don't do. 0:35:25.2 Andrew Stotz: And I think that was why my boss suggested I go to a Deming seminar, because he saw me starting to do that, and then he had heard about Deming and knew a little bit, and then he was like, yeah, this guy could be suited for that. 0:35:36.6 John Dues: Yeah. It sounds like it was fate or something like that. 0:35:41.6 Andrew Stotz: Yeah. Definitely. So, I'm going to wrap up just by saying that, for the listeners and the viewers out there, I think a big takeaway is figure out that one data point, just one. You don't need five, just one that comes out consistently, daily, weekly, monthly, you know, something that's relatively regular, and then start collecting that data. Write it down on a, you know, I do have times that I just write it down on a manual chart, in my notebook. Write it down there. You don't even need Excel. Just start collecting that data and thinking about the collection of the data, what time of the day you get it or what time of the week or what time of the month, and then start collecting it. Then the second stage is start to, you know, obviously, if you can go to an expert, someone like John or others, reach out to them, LinkedIn or other place, you know, and say, hey, I've got this data. Can you help me? And then they can easily do the calculations and then send you back the Excel file and say, here it is with all the calculations, which you did to me on one of mine, and that was great. And then get that help, and then start to move yourself slowly into the process because I think one of the things that I take away from it is that this really is the present, and it is an accurate representation of what the system is capable of. 0:37:10.2 John Dues: That's right. Yeah. 0:37:10.8 Andrew Stotz: And if you don't understand that, then you're just going to be beating your head against the wall. So, anything you would add? 0:37:18.9 John Dues: No, just beat your head against the wall and you make stuff up about what is happening. That's often what happens. Yeah. 0:37:27.0 Andrew Stotz: Then you become AI. You're hallucinating. 0:37:30.1 John Dues: Yes. 0:37:31.0 Andrew Stotz: Well, John, on behalf of everyone at the Deming Institute, I want to thank you again for this discussion. And for listeners, remember to go to deming.org to continue your journey. And you can find John's book, Win-Win: W. Edwards Deming, The System of Profound Knowledge, and the Science of Improving Schools, on amazon.com. This is your host, Andrew Stotz, and I'll leave you with one of my favorite quotes from Dr. Deming, and that is that people are entitled to joy in work.
This is a recap of the top 10 posts on Hacker News on September 14, 2025. This podcast was generated by wondercraft.ai (00:30): Models of European metro stationsOriginal post: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=45238055&utm_source=wondercraft_ai(01:52): ChatControl update: blocking minority held but Denmark is moving forward anywayOriginal post: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=45242458&utm_source=wondercraft_ai(03:15): Repetitive negative thinking associated with cognitive decline in older adultsOriginal post: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=45239085&utm_source=wondercraft_ai(04:38): EPA Seeks to Eliminate Critical PFAS Drinking Water ProtectionsOriginal post: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=45239803&utm_source=wondercraft_ai(06:01): Betty Crocker broke recipes by shrinking boxesOriginal post: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=45243635&utm_source=wondercraft_ai(07:24): Writing an operating system kernel from scratchOriginal post: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=45240682&utm_source=wondercraft_ai(08:47): Why We SpiralOriginal post: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=45240146&utm_source=wondercraft_ai(10:10): Grapevine canes can be converted into plastic-like material that will decomposeOriginal post: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=45243803&utm_source=wondercraft_ai(11:33): If my kids excel, will they move away?Original post: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=45236411&utm_source=wondercraft_ai(12:56): Bank of Thailand freezes 3M accounts, sets daily transfer limits to curb fraudOriginal post: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=45240304&utm_source=wondercraft_aiThis is a third-party project, independent from HN and YC. Text and audio generated using AI, by wondercraft.ai. Create your own studio quality podcast with text as the only input in seconds at app.wondercraft.ai. Issues or feedback? We'd love to hear from you: team@wondercraft.ai
Episode #396: “There is no other issue in Thailand that has this long of a history of civil society engagement like Myanmar.” With these words, Thai humanitarian worker and activist, Mic Chawaratt, discusses the decades-long relationship between Thailand and Myanmar regarding displacement, refugee management, and civil society aid. He traces Thailand's security-driven approach to Myanmar refugees from the 1980s to today. Despite not signing the 1951 Refugee Convention, Thailand has hosted large populations displaced by conflict and political repression, though often without offering any legal recognition. He notes how the official response has been spotty, and Thai civil society, not the government, has largely shouldered the responsibility, building what Mic calls a “parallel system” of humanitarian care. After the 2021 coup, this system has been tested further by surging refugee numbers and increased repression. He criticizes Thailand's “proxy diplomacy,” which masks quiet support for the junta while sidelining the National Unity Government. ASEAN, too, comes under fire for its inaction. Meanwhile, new crises—such as scam centers exploiting vulnerable migrants—intersect with old ones, creating deeper humanitarian challenges. In closing, Mic takes a bird's eye view of the challenge, calling for a shift from emergency response to long-term infrastructure: education, healthcare, and legal protections. He also stresses the need for humanitarian organizations to listen to the refugees' own voices and safeguard their rights while highlighting the reality of burnout and donor fatigue. And as Thai politics shift rightward, he urges vigilance to protect civil society space and regional solidarity. “The story of Myanmar is also the story of Thailand,” he concludes. “We cannot separate them. Our futures are bound together.”
Kate Adie introduces stories from Gaza, France, the Thailand-Cambodia border, Iraq and Slovenia.Around a million Palestinians have been told to leave Gaza City ahead of a new Israeli offensive - though many are wary of leaving, saying there is nowhere to go. Lucy Williamson was granted rare access to Gaza by the Israeli army, and was taken to see its planned new aid distribution site.Days after French PM, François Bayrou, was ousted from office after losing a confidence vote, street protests took place across France as people voiced anger over proposals to remove two national holidays and impose a pensions freeze. Andrew Harding watched events unfold in Paris.Thailand also has a new prime minister – its third in just over a year - following a political crisis that ignited a short, sudden conflict with Cambodia. Our Southeast Asia Correspondent Jonathan Head has been looking into this catastrophic breakdown of relations.Ten years ago, 71 migrants from Iraq, Syria and Afghanistan died in the back of a refrigerator truck abandoned on a motorway lay-by near the Austrian border with Hungary. Nick Thorpe travelled to northern Iraq to meet relatives of some of those who died - and interviewed the smugglers convicted for their role in their deaths.Slovenia has produced some of the best male cyclists in the world today - including Tadej Pogacar. Every year, the four-time Tour de France champ hosts a cycling festival in his home town of Komenda - and Guy De Launey went along for the ride.Series Producer: Serena Tarling Production Coordinator: Rosie Strawbridge Editor: Richard Fenton-Smith
Charlie Kirk, a conservative activist and commentator, was shot and killed while hosting an event at Utah Valley University on Wednesday. Utah Governor Spencer Cox says it was a political assassination. Kirk, 31, co-founded the conservative youth organization, Turning Point USA, when he was 18. His visit to Utah Valley University was the kick-off for his “American Comeback Tour,” during which he planned to host political debates on college campuses across the country. President Trump announced Kirk's death on Truth Social, and later said his death was a result of “radical left political violence.” A string of political violence has broken out in America over the past few years, from the January 6, 2021 insurrection to two assassination attempts on President Trump. What's the path to ending political violence and the extreme rhetoric that leads to it?As for overseas conflicts, President Trump claims he's stopped several of them, such as Thailand and Cambodia's, and Armenia and Azerbaijan's. But as war continues in Gaza and Ukraine, is Trump's strategy to bring global peace effective? Do Democrats have better ideas?This week, a listener asked Left, Right, and Center about three problems he thinks the left struggles with. Our panel discusses those issues and whether they can be solved.
A zookeeper died after being attacked by lions in front of visitors in Thailand. The man who slapped reporter, Alex Bozarjian, during live report was charged with sexual battery. No one knows why Duji left the studio. China Grove.
A zookeeper died after being attacked by lions in front of visitors in Thailand. The man who slapped reporter, Alex Bozarjian, during live report was charged with sexual battery. No one knows why Duji left the studio. China Grove.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Craziest thing seen at a concert. Charlie could only watch live news on YouTube. The FBI had a press conference showing images and video of the Charlie Kirk shooting suspect. A zookeeper died after being attacked by lions in front of visitors in Thailand. The man who slapped reporter, Alex Bozarjian, during live report was charged with sexual battery. No one knows why Duji left the studio. China Grove. Should Duji be charged with sexual battery after she twisted Rover's nipples? President Trump says they have a suspect in custody who they believe killed Charlie Kirk. Charlie is sitting in a new chair. Rover's arm is still bothering him. Charlie's mom wants Snitzer's phone number to ask him a few questions. The show goes over the rules for their DraftKings bets. More details on Charlie Kirk's suspected killer. The show goes over their DraftKings bets. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Craziest thing seen at a concert. Charlie could only watch live news on YouTube. The FBI had a press conference showing images and video of the Charlie Kirk shooting suspect. A zookeeper died after being attacked by lions in front of visitors in Thailand. The man who slapped reporter, Alex Bozarjian, during live report was charged with sexual battery. No one knows why Duji left the studio. China Grove. Should Duji be charged with sexual battery after she twisted Rover's nipples? President Trump says they have a suspect in custody who they believe killed Charlie Kirk. Charlie is sitting in a new chair. Rover's arm is still bothering him. Charlie's mom wants Snitzer's phone number to ask him a few questions. The show goes over the rules for their DraftKings bets. More details on Charlie Kirk's suspected killer. The show goes over their DraftKings bets.