Podcasts about ironically

On Friday's Daily Puck Drop, Jason “Puck” Puckett opens the show with Jim Moore, the Go-2-Guy and Chris Egan from KING 5 to kickoff the Friday Football Tailgate Show. Ironically, they discuss the Mariners big win over the Angels in extra innings and the excitement around the team now that they are tied for first place.  They touch in on O'Dea football coach Monte Kohler for setting the all-time high school record for wins.  PuckSports handicapper TroyWins.comjoins Puck and Jim and gives his top plays for the football weekend.  Puck then welcomes Todd Milles, from Varsitywanews.comfor his “Friday Night Lights” report on the top games this weekend in high school football and also discusses Kohler setting the all-time mark.   Bob Condotta, from the Seattle Times joins Puck for “The Last Word” on the Seahawks as they get ready to face the Steelers on Sunday. Bob touches in on the injuries to the secondary, Sam Darnold's week one performance and who is the teams number one running back. Puck wraps up the show with “Hey, What the Puck!?”   Puck misses DK Metcalf(1:00) Puck, Jim and KING 5's Chris Egan  (42:30) Troy Wins, PuckSports handicapper (53:53) Todd Milles, Varsitywanews.com  (1:07:06) Bob Condotta, Seattle Times   (1:25:25) “Hey, What the Puck!?”  

New season, new format!The Everyday Style School is moving to a school year calendar--with Fall and Spring semesters focusing on a central theme. My hope is that by giving you fewer, more focused episodes, you'll have time to apply what we talk about, and feel more confident in your style in less time.This fall, our theme is Back to Basics. All season long, we'll be talking about the fundamentals of style every woman needs to master. The reality is that most women are drowning in style advice, and yet somehow, it's still not adding up to a fabulous wardrobe that makes it easy to get dressed.What's missing? The fundamentals.Let's face it--the fundamentals aren't super fun. They're not sexy, and they don't make you feel like a style pro. Ironically though, mastering them is how you become a style pro. Consider this season my love letter to the fundamentals--the basic skills you need to become truly stylish. Once you've mastered them, everything else gets easy.Even if you've been listening to the show a long time, and consider yourself knowledgeable when it comes to style, listen with fresh ears. Whether you're learning them for the first time, or deepening your knowledge, the fundamentals of style will never steer you wrong. In this episode:Why going “back to basics” matters, even if you think you've mastered style.The big difference between collecting tips and actually building skills.What a football, a sourdough loaf, and the perfect shade of white have to do with your wardrobe.A sneak peek at the six style fundamentals we'll cover this season.One simple reflection to help you get the most out of every episode.I hope this season will help you see that fundamentals aren't just a box to check before you get to the "good stuff"—they ARE the good stuff. Master them, you won't need much else. Skip them, and not much else matters.Don't forget to submit your end-of-season style questions here.Full show notes and resources: https://youreverydaystyle.com/221

2 Kings 16 deals with Ahaz's succession to Judah's throne. He was one of the worst kings to sit on the southern throne as the Isaiah prophecy records. Ahaz sacrificed his firstborn son to Molech and passed the younger brother of the slain infant, Hezekiah, through the fire scarring him greatly. Tiglath Pileser, the Assyrian king came and put Judah under tribute. Ahaz took the silver and gold from the temple to avert ruination. The idolatrous Ahaz sent Urijah the priest to copy the altar in Damascus and set up a duplicate in Judah. The substitution by Ahaz of the true altar with the Syrian altar is equivalent to the very human tendency in all ages to replace the commandments of God with the traditions of men verses Matthew 15 verses 1-9. Thus, the incident teaches a timeless lesson. Ahaz destroyed the laver to give the bronze to the Assyrians. It was during the end of Ahaz' reign and the start of Hezekiah's rule that the Immanuel prophecies of Isaiah chapters 7-11 were written. Ezekiel 6 tells of the destruction of the idols and the incense altars. Verses 1-7 proclaims the LORD's intention to destroy these altars. Ironically this would be done by a totally idolatrous nation - the Babylonians. The end of the seventh verse picks up the refrain that is used over sixty times throughout Ezekiel's prophecy verses "And they shall know that I am Yahweh". Verses 8-10 declare that their Sovereign would leave to Judah a remnant to be His witnesses. That remnant of the nation will be preserved by the Almighty for future salvation. Verses 11-14 tell us that the Almighty asks His people to endorse the justice of His judgments, and the refrain is again used in verse 13. In Luke 2 we have the record of the birth of the Lord Jesus Christ. The whole world was turned upside down by the decree of Caesar Augustus that there must be a census. This required vast movements of people to their ancestral homes. Joseph and his heavily pregnant wife, Mary, are caused to go to Bethlehem. When there was no room in the inn (Chimham's lodging house from the time of king David) they found lodging among the cattle. In such humble circumstances the king of the world is born. A multitude of angels appear to the Bethlehem shepherds, who were watching over the lambs which were to be sacrificed at the next Passover. The message of the angels was that when God is glorified in the earth then there would be peace among men of good will. We then find the record of Jesus being taken to the temple for the required offerings. Mary's offerings were for those of the poorest. We are told of the faithful Anna and Simeon who were in expectation of Messiah's redemption of the nation. Jesus is taken by Joseph and Mary to Egypt in order to escape Herod the Great's slaughter of the babes of Bethlehem (this is recorded in Matthew 2). Luke takes up the story after Herod's death, when they were returned from Egypt and their moving to Nazareth in Galilee. Here Jesus remains until the age of twelve when he went with his parents to the temple in Jerusalem. Jesus became "lost" when the family was returning to Galilee. When the family came to Jerusalem seeking for Jesus, they found him in the temple discussing the Law with the doctors of the Law. What child was this? The record tells us that as well as hearing these learned men Jesus was also asking questions of them. Our Lord gave the rejoinder to Joseph, his stepfather and Mary - where else did you think I would be? It is my Father's business that motivates me. Mary kept these matters in her heart and often pondered them. On returning to Nazareth, he took the appropriate role of an obedient child. Jesus' wisdom increased rapidly, as did the pleasure of His Father in His wonderful Son. People found him amiable and agreeable in every capacity.Thanks for joining us - we pray you found these comments helpful in your appreciation of God's words, join again tomorrow at https://christadelphianvideo.org/christadelphian-daily-readings/

2 Kings 16 deals with Ahaz's succession to Judah's throne. He was one of the worst kings to sit on the southern throne as the Isaiah prophecy records. Ahaz sacrificed his firstborn son to Molech and passed the younger brother of the slain infant, Hezekiah, through the fire scarring him greatly. Tiglath Pileser, the Assyrian king came and put Judah under tribute. Ahaz took the silver and gold from the temple to avert ruination. The idolatrous Ahaz sent Urijah the priest to copy the altar in Damascus and set up a duplicate in Judah. The substitution by Ahaz of the true altar with the Syrian altar is equivalent to the very human tendency in all ages to replace the commandments of God with the traditions of men verses  Matthew 15 verses 1-9. Thus, the incident teaches a timeless lesson. Ahaz destroyed the laver to give the bronze to the Assyrians. It was during the end of Ahaz' reign and the start of Hezekiah's rule that the Immanuel prophecies of Isaiah chapters 7-11 were written. Ezekiel 6 tells of the destruction of the idols and the incense altars. Verses 1-7 proclaims the LORD's intention to destroy these altars. Ironically this would be done by a totally idolatrous nation - the Babylonians. The end of the seventh verse picks up the refrain that is used over sixty times throughout Ezekiel's prophecy verses  "And they shall know that I am Yahweh". Verses 8-10 declare that their Sovereign would leave to Judah a remnant to be His witnesses. That remnant of the nation will be preserved by the Almighty for future salvation. Verses 11-14 tell us that the Almighty asks His people to endorse the justice of His judgments, and the refrain is again used in verse 13. In Luke 2 we have the record of the birth of the Lord Jesus Christ. The whole world was turned upside down by the decree of Caesar Augustus that there must be a census. This required vast movements of people to their ancestral homes. Joseph and his heavily pregnant wife, Mary, are caused to go to Bethlehem. When there was no room in the inn (Chimham's lodging house from the time of king David) they found lodging among the cattle. In such humble circumstances the king of the world is born. A multitude of angels appear to the Bethlehem shepherds, who were watching over the lambs which were to be sacrificed at the next Passover. The message of the angels was that when God is glorified in the earth then there would be peace among men of good will. We then find the record of Jesus being taken to the temple for the required offerings. Mary's offerings were for those of the poorest. We are told of the faithful Anna and Simeon who were in expectation of Messiah's redemption of the nation. Jesus is taken by Joseph and Mary to Egypt in order to escape Herod the Great's slaughter of the babes of Bethlehem (this is recorded in Matthew 2). Luke takes up the story after Herod's death, when they were returned from Egypt and their moving to Nazareth in Galilee. Here Jesus remains until the age of twelve when he went with his parents to the temple in Jerusalem. Jesus became "lost" when the family was returning to Galilee. When the family came to Jerusalem seeking for Jesus, they found him in the temple discussing the Law with the doctors of the Law. What child was this? The record tells us that as well as hearing these learned men Jesus was also asking questions of them. Our Lord gave the rejoinder to Joseph, his stepfather and Mary - where else did you think I would be? It is my Father's business that motivates me. Mary kept these matters in her heart and often pondered them. On returning to Nazareth, he took the appropriate role of an obedient child. Jesus' wisdom increased rapidly, as did the pleasure of His Father in His wonderful Son. People found him amiable and agreeable in every capacity. Thanks for joining us - we pray you found these comments helpful in your appreciation of God's words, join again tomorrow at  https://christadelphianvideo.org/christadelphian-daily-readings/

David Waldman catches us up on the multiple disasters since Friday. Greg Dworkin catches us up on the multiple disasters since Thursday. Boooo! Trump was booooooooed at the US Open. If they don't want to hear boos, they shouldn't invite Trump. Or Winsome Earle-Sears. Tiny hands, deep throat, Donald K. Trump was an FBI Snitch according to Mike Johnson, the last guy anyone would trust to keep a secret. The Miami Herald and New York Times seek to unseal records on Jeffrey Epstein's estate, while we all know that Jeffrey Epstein and everyone on the Epstein list has been brought to you by capitalism.  Zohran Mamdanimentum continues as Americans are beginning to see capitalism about as badly as they do Trump. LG Energy specialists squeezed into 90+ day rotations to set up a Hyundai battery plant in Georgia were caught in violation of that “+” part, were belly-chained and hauled out of the country. The plant they were setting up won't be hiring Americans any time soon, thanks to Karen-Republican Mar-a-Lago wannabe Tori Branum. Don't expect to hear more from Branum but do expect a lot more plants to be shut down. The Department of War begins its Midway Blitz, which is not a war, it is simply a police action. Why do so many Republicans think Trump is more liberal than he is? If people die in Florida because of lack of vaccines, it will be a surprise to Florida Surgeon General Ladapo. RFK Jr. will have seen it all coming, as he always does a year or so later. The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists will save lives in the future by ignoring the CDC today. Ironically, the owner of one of the most punchable faces in politics, Scott Bessent, keeps wanting to punch others in their faces. This time it was the quite punchable Bill Pulte and for the same reason as Scott picked ever punchable Elon Musk. Scott heard both were bad mouthing him to Donald. Scott almost took Bill out, back there on the cement slab they have over the White House septic tank. E. Jean Carroll won her judgement against Trump again.

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

The Elephant in the Universe: 100-year search for dark matter Author: Govert Schilling  The Enigma of Dark Energy and Einstein's Lost "Blunder" Headline: Universe's Acceleration Reveals Dark Energy, Validating Einstein's Constant Just as the search for dark matter intensified, cosmology faced a new puzzle: in 1998, two independent teams discovered that the universe's expansion is not slowing down but is, in fact, accelerating. This unexpected finding led to the concept of dark energy, a mysterious vacuum energy in empty space, as the force driving this acceleration. This revelation meant that visible baryonic matter accounts for only about 4.9% of the universe, with dark matter making up 26.6%, and dark energy a staggering 68.5%. Ironically, this unexpected acceleration harked back to Albert Einstein's "cosmological constant," a term he had introduced into his equations as an accelerating force to maintain a static universe and later deemed his "biggest blunder." The discovery of dark energy suggests Einstein may have had a profound, albeit unrecognized, foresight. 1941

The long-awaited third film in the notorious anti-Catholic parkour LEAP trilogy follows its lo-fi predecessors LEAP (2010) and LEAP: RISE OF THE BEAST (2011), continuing to proselytize its staunch anti-Vatican message with an athletic twist. Director Christopher Tempel returns, now armed with a drone camera, and delivers a crisp, ambitious reboot to a series that clearly holds nostalgic value for him despite his open disappointment in the first two films, which he considers amateurish. Characters Blake, the handsome parkour-running college boy lead, and Liz, his hometown girlfriend who works at her grandmother's coffee shop, even watch LEAP: RISE OF THE BEAST within the movie, creating a truly meta moment. Blake remarks, “It's a little cheesy.” Liz agrees but adds, “Better than the first one… the director spent like $200,” prompting Blake's deadpan “Woof!” Ironically, the first two LEAP films feel more authentic and excited, with a scrappy auteur spirit that this reboot largely sacrifices in favor of Tempel's improved technical precision. Still, LEAP (2025) features striking special effects, including a chilling scene where blood runs from a tap until a “blessed” character touches it, suddenly turning the water clear. The “blessed” in this film are Seventh Day Adventist sabbath keepers like Blake and Liz, who resist Catholic programming that encourages Sunday worship over Saturday. Tempel doubles down on his outspoken belief that a literal reading of the Bible naturally leads to Seventh Day Adventism, portraying Christianity as having been “pranked” by the devil and his servant, the Vatican, into dishonoring God's true way—ensuring that many sincere Christians will end up in hell. It is one of the harshest, most legalistic interpretations of Protestantism, suggesting that God values paperwork over love. This uncompromising message, paired with the film's polished digital effects and fully AI-generated soundtrack, results in a cold, tedious viewing experience. View our full episode list and subscribe to any of our public feeds: http://boysbiblestudy.com Unlock 2+ bonus episodes per month: http://patreon.com/boysbiblestudy Subscribe to our Twitch for livestreams: http://twitch.tv/boysbiblestudy Follow us on Instagram: http://instagram.com/boysbiblestudy Follow us on Twitter: http://twitter.com/boysbiblestudy

9/7/2025 Acts 2:1-21 Peters Great Sermon On The Last Days Intro: Pentecost was one of the three major Jewish festivals; the other two are the Passover and the Feast of Tabernacles. From the Greek word for “fifty,” Pentecost was so named because it fell on the fiftieth day after the Sabbath of the Passover. Pentecost was also known as “the Feast of Weeks,” “the Firstfruits of the Wheat Harvest,” and “the Day of Firstfruits.” Ironically it occurred fifty days after Jesus was crucified. Remember they had to hurry up and kill Jesus on Friday because the Passover was on Saturday. During this harvest celebration, the Jews brought to God the firstfruits of their harvest in thanksgiving, expecting that God would give the rest of the harvest as His blessing. This particular Day of Pentecost was the day of firstfruits of Christ's church, the beginning of the great harvest of souls who would come to know Christ and be joined together through the work of the Holy Spirit.

Yes you are in!  And I'm back.  About 3 weeks investing time with family and friends in the Land of 10,000 Lakes.  Ironically, some of those very loved ones can hold me back.  Even myself.  How about you?  Your play of the day, here you go...Thank you Rick Warren!  Back on the board.  A great series on Naysayers.  You can hear more of that at this link...https://www.pastorrick.com/current-teaching/series/a-toolbox-for-life-2025?view=ignoring-the-naysayers-part-2-2025Who are your naysayers?  As you reflect on that, let's pick on me.  I can absolutely be my own naysayer.  No doubt about it.  Who do I think I am?  Is this podcast really making a difference?  Is it helping anybody?  What if I'm wrong?  Well, at least I cover that with Rom 3:23.Next, absolutely loved ones and some of those closest to me.  Think about it this way.  I best some of the dumbest and/or meanest things you have said has been to a loved one.  Why?  Because we are closest.  The closer you get the more friction that can occur...Rom 3:23.  Too old?  Too young?  Too dumb?  Too many mistakes?  Anything is possible with God.  You have the Ultimate Power Source if you so choose.  Matt 19:26.  Oh and God loves to leverage the least likely to do the greatest works.  It's all over the Bible.  So if you think you are the least likely and others tell you are the least likely you may be Prospect A1.Versed ones, you know it is absolutely all over the Bible.  Rick talks about David and Moses.  Think about Joseph and his brothers.  Think Jonah and himself wrestling with God abut going to Nineveh.  Think Jacob wrestling with God.  Think Jesus and his disciples.  Think Jesus and the public that crucified Him.  Think Paul and his resistance.  Need I go on?So now you know you are not alone.  What does your Heavenly Father want you to do that you've let others or even yourself get in the way?On the flip side, who encourages you to do the right thing that honors your Heavenly Father and loves others?  Matt 22: 36-40.Luke 4:24 NLTBut I tell you the truth, no prophet is accepted in his own hometown.https://www.bible.com/bible/116/luk.4.24A special shout out to listener Aftyn.  A 20 something year old listener and encourager.  As I was wrestling with what I'm doing here, as if his timing was perfect, he chimes in on how much he loves the listens.  So much that he digs back on the older ones.  Thank you Lord for Aftyn and his timely encouragement.  Bonus, I ended up learning that Aftyn has a gift in music.  Stay tuned as I will encouraging him back.  Sharing his music and maybe even getting to interview him and sharing Aftyn with you.  You are going to want to meet this Young Man.  He is gifted.  Ending on a prayer note...

Welcome to Top of the Morning by Mint.. I'm Nelson John and here are today's top stories. Food apps hike festive fees Swiggy and Zomato (now Eternal) have raised platform fees—₹15 and ₹12 in metros—while adding surge, rain, and distance charges. With GST now at 18% on deliveries, your festive orders will cost more. But convenience rules, and platforms know demand spikes 30–50% during this season. Even a ₹2–3 hike per order translates into crores as they process 5 million orders daily. Afghan quake toll rises Twin earthquakes have killed over 2,200 and injured 3,600 in eastern Afghanistan, flattening villages and leaving 6,700 homes in ruins. Survivors face harsh weather and dwindling aid as the UN warns food and medicine could run out in weeks. Entire communities are shattered, with almost 98% of homes destroyed in some districts. EU looks to India European Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen says India has a key role in ending the Ukraine war, after talks with PM Modi. Both sides also push to conclude a long-delayed free trade pact this year, with the next round of talks set for September 8 in New Delhi. Gold slips, stocks jump Gold cooled as investors shifted to equities after GST reforms. MCX gold futures fell to ₹1,06,704, silver to ₹1,24,850, even as Sensex and Nifty rallied nearly 1%. Analysts advise booking profits and waiting for dips before fresh gold buys. SoftBank trims Ola stake SoftBank cut its Ola Electric holding to 15.68%, selling 95 million shares. Ironically, Ola stock soared 61% in August—its best rally since listing—driven by Bhavish Aggarwal's roadmap and China lifting rare earth restrictions. Losses narrowed, but revenue halved year-on-year. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Welcome to the Pinkleton Pull-Aside Podcast. On this podcast, let's step aside from our busy lives to have fun, fascinating life giving conversation with inspiring authors, pastors, sports personalities and other influencers, leaders and followers. Sit back, grab some coffee, or head down the road and let's get the good and the gold from today's guest. Our host is Jeff Pinkleton, Executive Director of the Gathering of the Miami Valley, where their mission is to connect men to men, and men to God. You can reach Jeff at GatheringMV.org or find him on Facebook at The Gathering of the Miami Valley.Heather Parady in her own words:The real story.Here's a little about my unconventional path: I grew up in Arkansas, was homeschooled my entire life, and played Mary, the mother of Jesus, in more church human videos than I can count. Originally, I wanted to go into full-time ministry (that's what Southern Christian Bible Belt folks do, y'all). I even got ordained. But through a series of events, I realized that wasn't the path for me. I still wanted to make a difference in the world, so I went to school to be a nurse. I almost failed A&P 1 (yes, the first class), switched to psychology, and eventually earned a master's degree in it. Therapist? Done deal.But then I stumbled into the online space, fell in love with media, and discovered the world of creativity. Ironically, I feel like I found my way back to God through the creative process. This time, there wasn't a weird institution behind it—it was just a straight connection. After graduating and getting my license as a Therapist, I turned down three perfectly good job offers to see if I could build something on my own.Along my journey, I've hosted several top-ranking shows (conducted over 1,000 interviews), been hired by Old Navy to create content for their socials, ran a podcast with over 1,000,000 downloads in 8 months, spoken on stages about creativity, and worked with over 50 brands on their storytelling and content creation journeys. I'm more convinced than ever that the way to make an impact in your work is to bring every single ounce of you to the table.Unashamed. Unbashful. And lit UP. I also believe there's something greater at work—and It can be trusted.

How to Support the Rob Skinner Podcast.  If you would like to help support my mission to multiply disciples, leaders and churches, click here:  https://www.buymeacoffee.com/robskinner   Transcript of How to Enjoy Peace of Mind   When Jesus was about to leave this world, he told his disciples, “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.”  (John 14:27) He knew that he was headed for the cross.  He knew his disciples were going to experience trials, tough times and lots of trouble.  His gift to them was peace.  Peace of mind.  I think the idea of peace of mind gets overlooked today.  There is a lot of study on the concept of happiness, and I think these things are related.  Happiness is often connected to what you have, who you're with and where you are going.  Peace is independent of all of those things and is available to every disciple in every circumstance, right now. I want you to think about a time when you were enjoying peace of mind.  When you really felt calm and joyful inside.  What was that like?  Can you share about that experience? Let's take a look at how to enjoy more of the gift Jesus gave us, the gift of peace. 1.    Abstain from Sinful Desires.  Peter shares this in 1 Peter 2:11, “11 Dear friends, I urge you, as foreigners and exiles, to abstain from sinful desires, which wage war against your soul.”  There is nothing that will destroy your peace of mind more easily than unrestrained sinful desires.  This is why Jesus counsels in Matthew 5:30 that, “if your hand causes you to sin, cut it off.”  Jesus is not being mean or “old school,” he's being realistic.  If you are compromising or tolerating a certain level of sin in your life, you're going to have difficulty enjoying the peace of mind Jesus promises.  Peter rephrases Jesus' command by telling us to abstain, which means, “to refrain deliberately and often with an effort of self-denial from an action or practice.”  That can mean alcohol, swearing, media consumption, shopping, news binging and other controlling habits. As a disciple of Jesus, this world is not your home.  You need to live with a level of detachment as a foreigner.  When Pam and I lived in Japan, there were many things that went straight over our heads as foreigners and “Gai-Jin.”  The jokes, the culture, the conformity to custom. If you want peace of mind, don't negotiate, don't tolerate, don't rationalize, instead abstain.  As Thomas A'Kempis said in the Imitation of Christ, “true peace of heart is found in resisting passions, not in yielding to them.” 2.   Put your love into action.  1 John 3:16-19.  16 This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers and sisters. 17 If anyone has material possessions and sees a brother or sister in need but has no pity on them, how can the love of God be in that person? 18 Dear children, let us not love with words or speech but with actions and in truth.  19 This is how we know that we belong to the truth and how we set our hearts at rest in his presence.” Resisting evil is only one part of the equation to find peace.  John advises us to live and love like Jesus did.  Loving in actions and truth reminds you that you belong to the truth and sets your heart at rest in his presence.  It doesn't earn you a spot in heaven, but it reminds you of your identity as a child of God.  If you want peace of mind, wake up each day with a determination to actively serve someone, help someone, encourage someone, assist someone, help someone move, comfort someone, advise someone, offer someone your time, energy or expertise.  Next time you are prompted by the spirit, act on that nudge.  Love in action and truth.  Enjoy peace of mind and set your heart at rest in his presence. 3.   Remember God is Greater than Your Feelings.  1 John 3:19-20.  This is how we know that we belong to the truth and how we set our hearts at rest in his presence: 20 If our hearts condemn us, we know that God is greater than our hearts, and he knows everything. Our feelings and thoughts are often the worst offenders when it comes to disrupting our peace of mind.  Our self-judgment, self-criticism, wacky thoughts, catastrophic fears, fatalistic ideas, borrowed concepts from the world, childhood thoughts, inherited ideas all contribute to a lack of peace.  As Tom Ferry says, “"Negative self-talk is the equivalent of letting a drunk monkey loose in your kitchen." That's when we need to remind ourselves that God is far greater than our feelings.  Our feelings don't define reality, they are only an impression of reality.  The God who made the world, who chose you before the creation of the world, who personally showed up in the world to rescue you is going to bring to completion what he started when he called you.  He knows all about you and your quirks, faults and failures and he still adores you.  You need to take captive those misguided thoughts and make them obedient to Christ, who is greater than your heart. Take some time each day to sit quietly and focus on the greatness of God, a scripture or a noble thought.  When a weird thought pops up, don't freak out.  Just look at it and ask yourself, is this thought from God?  What's the reality? 4.  Actively pursue peace of mind.  2 Timothy 2:22.  “22 Flee the evil desires of youth and pursue righteousness, faith, love and peace, along with those who call on the Lord out of a pure heart.” If you have overlooked, undervalued or ignored the concept of peace of mind, it might be time to reevaluate it.  Jesus considered it a top gift and at the critical event of his life, the cross, he gave the gift of peace to those who followed him.  You might want to find out why Jesus considered it so important.  In fact, I'd do more than think about it, I'd pursue it.  Make it a priority along with righteousness, faith a love.  All the “cool kids” who have pure hearts are doing it.  I like what Naval Ravikant shares in his almanack:  “When I was younger, I really, really valued freedom. Freedom was one of my core values. Ironically, it still is. It's probably one of my top three values, but it's now a different definition of freedom. My old definition was “freedom to.” Freedom to do anything I want. Freedom to do whatever I feel like, whenever I feel like. Now, the freedom I'm looking for is internal freedom. It's “freedom from.” Freedom from reaction. Freedom from feeling angry. Freedom from being sad. Freedom from being forced to do things. I'm looking for “freedom from,” internally and externally, whereas before I was looking for “freedom to.” Naval is not a disciple, but I think there is value here.  Peace of mind is “freedom from.”  You can enjoy peace, joy, and contentment in any stage of life, relationship status, financial circumstance, health status, location or any other environment.  Make a decision that you are going to pursue peace of mind.  Make it a conscious goal to enjoy Jesus' gift to you.

Episode VBB 344 features Certified Mental Health and Trauma Recovery Life Coach Teresa Ford. Her story samples her life journey as a child raised by emotionally immature and emotionally unavailable parents who left her unprepared to live an empowered life.  Ironically, it was the death of a parent — her mother — that triggered Teresa to explore the keys to healing from generational trauma. On her personal journey, Teresa learned to dismantle codependency, parentification, anxiety, depression, grief, loss, emotional abandonment, and debilitating people pleasing. Teresa now coaches women on taking an intentional stand against playing small, dimming their light, or waiting for permission to thrive and to embrace the fullest expression of their power and purpose. https://www.teresaford.life/about

New research, ‘Indigenous Rights Beyond the Liberal Frame,'  has shown that certain human rights principles in the country are ironically being used to restrain Māori governance and tino rangatiratanga. On Thursday last week, Intern Zanoor spoke to Andrew Erueti, an Associate Law Professor at the University of Auckland and the lead of the study, about this study.

New research, ‘Indigenous Rights Beyond the Liberal Frame,'  has shown that certain human rights principles in the country are ironically being used to restrain Māori governance and tino rangatiratanga. On Thursday last week, Intern Zanoor spoke to Andrew Erueti, an Associate Law Professor at the University of Auckland and the lead of the study, about this study.

In this weeks episode we kick off discussing the internet backlash on the father of the influencers son who had drowned in their pool- apparently the father was distracted watching a football game when it all went done- should he be held accountable for negligence? Kim Davis is causing a stir as she is attempting to get the supreme court in the US to turn over a landmark ruling on LGBT rights. Kim Davis got in trouble for not issuing marriage licenses to same-sex couples- she claimed it did not align with her religious beliefs. Trump takes over Washington DC with the National card in an attempt to stop crime and homelessness there. Ironically, the owner of the Texas burger chain- Trump Burger, is in trouble for apparently committing some form of immigration fraud. Hope y'all enjoyed the episode- catch you next week!

“Do I really need more?”That's what Khylie wondered before joining TIS. Two months in, her answer is a clear yes—but not in the way she expected. Instead of adding more to her plate, TIS has helped her slow down, be honest about where she is, and discover the freedom of being accompanied by women walking a similar journey.Along the way, she's realized a powerful truth: "Ironically, when you stop striving to fix everything, that's when growth really happens.”From grounding practices that calm her body, to coaching that helps her process emotions, to the gift of being seen in community, Khylie's story is full of little shifts that add up to big transformation.As she puts it, “During coaching, I felt so seen. Reading the chat and realizing other women were crying with me—that was life-changing.”Her journey is a reminder that real change doesn't come from fixing yourself—it often starts when you stop striving, let yourself be seen, and take one brave yes at a time.

Therapy is a powerful tool that aids us in navigating complex issues, pain, trauma, and anxieties that are inherent to the human experience. The concept of seeing a therapist or a “shrink” was once considered taboo but has now become widely accepted in our culture as a normal response to challenging situations.However, as with many aspects of life, the shift towards acceptance can sometimes lead to overemphasis. Ironically, we find ourselves in an era with an unprecedented number of therapists, yet the prevalence of mental health issues remains at an alarming level. Some individuals even experience a worsening of their condition after undergoing therapy.In this episode, we delve into the intricate dynamics of modern therapy. We examine the challenges inherent in traditional therapeutic models, highlight the significance of reframing negative thought patterns, and explore the role of faith in fostering mental well-being.Sponsor:The Wellness CompanyWebsite: ⁠https://www.twc.health/lovelife⁠Code: LOVELIFE for 15% off your order!Dr. Karin & Pastor Elliott AndersonWebsite: http://loveandlifemedia.com/Empowered Dating Playbook: smarturl.it/EmpoweredDatingBookInstagram: @dr.karin | @pastorelliottanderson

Byrne Unscripted with Martha Byrne – Every word is scrutinized, and every answer feels like a potential landmine. Offend the wrong person, and you face the ultimate modern punishment: being canceled. Ironically, those who cry loudest for accountability are often blind to their own hypocrisy, judging others without recognizing the same flaws within themselves...

BIO: Dr. Gilbert A. Guzmán is a business strategist and systems thinker. He is the founder of IntraQ AI, a SaaS solution designed to eliminate knowledge gaps within the workplace, and the author of Atomic Impact: Systems for Transformative Productivity.STORY: In 2012, Gilbert envisioned a portable charger vending system for airports, universities, and theaters—a “Redbox for power.” He over-engineered, over-researched, and waited for “perfect”—while another company launched the same concept. By the time he moved, they dominated airports with a first-mover advantage.LEARNING: Jump in and get things going. Don't be afraid to fail. Iterate, and get your product to market. “Don't be afraid to iterate. Maintain the course, and you'll see your product through.”Dr. Gilbert A. Guzmán Guest profileDr. Gilbert A. Guzmán is a business strategist and systems thinker. He is the founder of IntraQ AI, a SaaS solution designed to eliminate knowledge gaps within the workplace, and the author of Atomic Impact: Systems for Transformative Productivity, which you can get for free using the code: Stotz.With a doctorate in business and experience leading large teams, he helps organizations boost productivity through practical systems built for real-world constraints. His work bridges people, data, and technology for lasting operational success.Worst investment everIn 2012, Gilbert envisioned a portable charger vending system for airports, universities, and theaters—a “Redbox for power.” Users would rent charged batteries and return them to kiosks for reuse.Ironically, Gilbert is a very impatient man, but when it comes to business ideas, he takes his sweet time, sometimes too long. This is exactly what happened with the portable charger idea.Gilbert over-engineered, over-researched, and waited for “perfect”—while Fuel Rod launched the same concept. By the time he moved, they dominated airports with a first-mover advantage. He invented the wheel but didn't roll it.Lessons learnedJump in, do what you need to do, stay up late, work hard, do the research, and get things going. Ultimately, everything will come to fruition.Manage your risks.You can earn back cash, but you can't earn back lost time.In startups, a bad launch always beats no launch. Waiting for no flaws means 100% flaw: no product.You can't be a risk-averse leader.Andrew's takeawaysMVPs beat masterpieces because if you're not embarrassed by the first version of your product, you launched too late.The market doesn't care who invented a product—it cares who shipped it.Actionable adviceDon't be afraid to fail. Iterate, get your product to market, and find out if it makes sense and is relevant.Don't get scared of the big names, the Googles of the world, and think that they will crush you.You don't have to be horizontal. You can go vertical. You can find a niche and dedicate your time to it.Gilbert's recommendationsGilbert recommends his e-book Atomic Impact: Systems for Transformative Productivity (remember to use code Stotz for a free copy).He also recommends visiting his

(00:00:00) What's New with Kula Shaker and Why Did Crispian Select Wonderwall? (00:10:29) Wonderwall's Influence on Kula Shaker (00:13:47) Kula Shaker Sampling "Skiing" for Gokula (00:17:09) Wondewall as a Gateway into Indian Musicians (00:19:53) George Harrison's Love of Creating Music for Wonderwall (00:23:01) Wonderwall (the Oasis song) Renewing Interest in Wonderwall (the Massot Movie) (00:28:37) The Complexity of the Music (00:31:27) George Harrison Helping the Remo Four (00:34:22) The British / Indian Relationship (00:36:30) Knowing the Birkin Family (00:40:00) The 60s/90s Connection (00:43:08) Kula Shaker's Cover of Deep Purple's "Hush" in I Know What You Did Last Summer (00:47:06) Thank Yous and Goodbyes Kula Shaker's Crispian Mills joins Nicole Barlow and Ryan Pak to discuss the George Harrison soundtrack score for Joe Massot's 1968 film, Wonderwall. The score was the 1st project of any of the Beatles after their breakup, and it was Harrison's 1st time as a soundtrack composer. The soundtrack features many Indian musicians like Aashish Khan, Shivkumar Sharma, Shankar Ghosh, and Mahapurush Misra, It also features The Remo Four, Eric Clapton, and Ringo Starr.Ironically, the Oasis song that shares the same name helped renew interest in the film even though the song "Wonderwall" does not sound anything like the music that Harrison created for Wonderwall.For more information on Kula Shaker:LinkTreeInstagramCharge of the Light Brigade (video)Broke as Folk (video)Soundtrack Your Life SocialsBlueskyInstagramWriting SiteYouTubePatreon

In 79 CE, the eruption of Mount Vesuvius buried the Roman town of Pompeii, entombing its residents under lava and ash. Ironically, this destruction preserved the city, offering archaeologists a unique view of life in the weeks preceding the eruption. To read more about life in Pompeii, go here: Life In Pompeii #volcano #pompeii #archaeology #MountVesuvius #Romanhistory See show notes: https://inlet.fm/weird-history/episodes/68ab5379f8767a835ac51f3e Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

You may not have ever heard the name of a man who was among the most profound intellectuals of the modern ⁠conservative movement⁠ in America. Frank S. Meyer was the man who came up with the idea of fusionism, an alliance between traditionalists and libertarians that underpinned the anti-communist bloc that composed the American Right for the latter half of the 20th century. Ironically enough, Meyer first came up with the idea of fusionism when he was an out-and-proud Communist, though he initially used the term as a unification of the American Founding and communist ideas a la Howard Zinn's “A People's History of the United States.”  Daniel Flynn, a Hoover Institute fellow and senior editor of “The American Spectator,” has spent the last few years writing a new biography of Meyer called “The Man Who Invented Conservatism.” His book brings to light new documents and information about Meyer's life previously unknown, and he joined ⁠“The Signal Sitdown”⁠ to discuss the man-turned-missing-link in the conservative movement. Keep Up With The Daily Signal   Sign up for our email newsletters:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ https://www.dailysignal.com/email⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠     Subscribe to our other shows:    The Tony Kinnett Cast: ⁠https://megaphone.link/THEDAILYSIGNAL2284199939⁠ The Signal Sitdown: ⁠https://megaphone.link/THEDAILYSIGNAL2026390376⁠   Problematic Women:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠https://megaphone.link/THEDAILYSIGNAL7765680741⁠   Victor Davis Hanson: ⁠https://megaphone.link/THEDAILYSIGNAL9809784327⁠     Follow The Daily Signal:    X:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠https://x.com/intent/user?screen_name=DailySignal⁠ Instagram:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ https://www.instagram.com/thedailysignal/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠  Facebook:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ https://www.facebook.com/TheDailySignalNews/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠  Truth Social:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ https://truthsocial.com/@DailySignal⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠  YouTube:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/dailysignal?sub_confirmation=1⁠    Subscribe on your favorite podcast platform and never miss an episode. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

David Waldman delivers us to Friday, where long reads and in-depth analysis are intended to be the order of the day… But first we need to address this whole Cracker Barrel thing. You'd think that a Cracker Barrel logo change would only upset some crackers, but it turns out to be a big money-losing deal. Or perhaps it was losing big money that led to the logo change. Maybe it was their peg game. Maybe it was the racism. Maybe it was the sexual harassment, the salmonella, and the racism. Cracker Barrel will need a really good logo to get out of this one, or a high White House loyalty rating. Otherwise, it will end up on the ash heap of history with the Smithsonian. Bad Boys, Bad Boys, whacha gonna do? Donald K. Trump guest stars on Cops: DC while across town the FBI raids John Bolton's home and office. Fannie Mae's Pulte/Palantir crime detection unit is powered by AI, DOGE and spite. A federal judge found that Alina Habba is unlawfully serving as US attorney for New Jersey before Alina was even halfway to the “Mar-a-Lago” in her Botox treatments. Ironically, all lawyers now become busier. A New York appeals court gives Trump a lift in his goal of appealing his way to the grave.  Donald TACOs out of his vengeance upon flag burners and voters but will stick with Tina Peters until the bitter end as long as it's profitable.

Ironically, mere minutes after Texas Republicans pushed through a racially-gerrymandered congressional map ordered by Donald Trump to cut his losses in next year's midterms, we convened a panel of esteemed Black leaders from across the D/FW area to discuss the state of voting rights 60 years since LBJ signed the Voting Rights Act into law in 1965. We were pleased to team with the Legal Defense Fund to host a panel featuring former Dallas City Council Member for District 3 Casey Thomas, Grand Prairie City Council Mayor Pro Tem Junior Ezeonu, and Tarrant County Commissioner Alisa Simmons at the DEC Network Center in Dallas.Learn more about the Legal Defense Fund at https://www.naacpldf.org/.Learn more about the DEC Network Center at https://dallasbuilds.org/organization-profile/the-dallas-entrepreneur-center-dec-networkProgress Texas' financial reserves have dropped to about 3 months worth of funding. Help us avoid going on a permanent vacation this summer by becoming a sustaining member: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://progresstexas.org/join-pt-summer-vacation-membership-drive⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Thanks for listening! Find our web store and other ways to support our important work at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ https://progresstexas.org⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

This episode is brought to you by https://www.ElevateOS.com —the only all-in-one community operating system.Ever notice how the simplest words carry the most weight?In today's episode of the Multifam Collective, I unpack a quote from Rudyard Kipling: "Words are, of course, the most powerful drug used by mankind." That line hit me—and it got me thinking about the two most powerful words in the world of Multifamily leadership: please and thank you.These aren't just playground pleasantries. They're foundational tools in shaping culture, creating community, and leading with authenticity.In a world driven by speed, automation, and PropTech innovation, we sometimes forget the human side of the equation. Ironically, the word please is one of the most expensive tokens in Large Language Models like OpenAI's GPT. And yet in real life, it's often the cheapest thing we forget to give.Let this be your reminder: in Multifamily, where relationships are the currency of success, manners matter more than ever.Please watch this.Thank you for being here.Like, comment, and subscribe to keep the conversation going.For more engaging content, explore our offerings at the[https://www.multifamilycollective.com](https://www.multifamilycollective.com/) and the [https://www.multifamilymedianetwork.com](https://www.multifamilymedianetwork.com/)Join us to stay informed and inspired in the multifamily industry!

Send us a textGaming has lost its spark. Remember when a new game announcement would send chills down your spine? When trailers at Gamescom or E3 would have you counting down days until release? That magic seems increasingly rare in today's gaming landscape.We kick off with our usual life updates – a new remote cybersecurity position after seven grueling interviews, a catastrophic house flood that created an indoor waterfall, and the vehicle troubles that seem to follow us everywhere. But these personal challenges led us to a deeper conversation about the state of gaming in 2024.Watching the recent Gamescom presentations revealed a troubling pattern: both presenters and audiences seemed to go through the motions without genuine enthusiasm. Even announcements for major franchises like Monster Hunter, Final Fantasy, and Fallout failed to generate the excitement they once would have. The chat was filled with bored viewers, and the audience reactions were noticeably muted.The culprit? Triple-A studios playing it safe. Bethesda exemplifies this problem perfectly – fans have been begging for Elder Scrolls 6 for years, yet they've prioritized projects like Indiana Jones games and watched Starfield fall flat despite massive marketing. Meanwhile, EA and other major publishers continue churning out annual iterations of sports games with minimal innovation.Perhaps most concerning is the industry's addiction to the DLC model. Games like Destiny 2, World of Warcraft, and The Sims 4 have extended their lifecycles through endless expansions rather than creating true sequels. While financially lucrative, this approach leads to creative stagnation and player fatigue.Ironically, the games generating genuine excitement often come from indie developers or represent simplified experiences that respect players' time. Last year's Game of the Year winners weren't massive open-world epics but focused, polished experiences that offered something genuinely different.Have gaming showcases permanently lost their flair, or can the industry rediscover how to surprise and delight players? We'd love to hear what upcoming games actually have you excited – or if you've found yourself retreating to the comfort of older titles instead. https://www.carolinaotakus.com/

Send us a textThe true identity of Jesus Christ as the eternal Son of God has profound implications for our understanding of salvation, atonement, and eternal destiny. This deep theological exploration cuts through popular misconceptions to reveal challenging biblical truths about predestination, election, and the purpose of Christ's sacrifice.At the heart of this discussion lies a fundamental question: For whom did Christ die? Scripture clearly teaches that Jesus gave His life specifically for His elect people—not universally for everyone. This understanding isn't merely academic; it fundamentally reshapes how we view salvation, evangelism, and God's sovereignty.Many modern Christians struggle with concepts like limited atonement and predestination, preferring doctrines that give humanity more control in the salvation process. But as our conversation reveals, these objections often stem from biblical illiteracy and a reluctance to accept God's absolute sovereignty. The biblical distinctions between sheep and goats, vessels of honor and dishonor, and wheat and tares all point to God's sovereign choice in salvation.Critics often ask: "If predestination is true, why evangelize?" The answer is twofold: first, because God commanded it; second, because preaching is the means God ordained to call His elect. We don't know who the elect are—that's precisely why we preach to all. Ironically, if Jesus truly died for everyone without exception, that would more logically undermine evangelism, since everyone would ultimately be fine regardless.For believers, these doctrines aren't meant to be discouraging but profoundly comforting. Our salvation doesn't depend on our choice or ability to maintain faith—it rests entirely on God's sovereign election and Christ's perfect atonement. This gives us security no human-centered gospel ever could. Embrace these challenging truths and discover the freedom that comes from knowing salvation belongs entirely to the Lord.Support the show

The Rich Zeoli Show- Full Episode (08/12/2025): 3:05pm- In a post to Truth Social, President Donald Trump announced that he would be nominating Dr. EJ Antoni to run the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Rich jokes that Trump is selecting all of our regular guests to serve in positions within the federal government—Dr. Marty Makary, Tulsi Gabbard, and now EJ! 3:10pm- According to a Democratic whistleblower, Senator Adam Schiff authorized the leak of classified information related to the Russian collusion hoax in 2017 as part of an effort to destroy President Donald Trump's credibility. The whistleblower worked for the House Intelligence Committee which, at the time, was led by Schiff. 3:15pm- On Monday, President Donald Trump announced a 30-day federal takeover of Washington D.C.'s police department—while simultaneously deploying 800 National Guard troops—to fight violent crime in the nation's capital. At the White House press briefing, Trump announced Attorney General Pam Bondi will oversee the federal takeover—while Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth will provide military support “if needed.” Additionally, the administration will assign 120 F.B.I. agents to conduct nighttime patrols throughout Washington D.C. 3:40pm- While appearing on Newsmax, House Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer (R-KY) said former President Bill Clinton is a “prime suspect” in the Jeffrey Epstein case. The House Oversight Committee has subpoenaed Bill and Hillary Clinton—seeking testimony for the committee's Epstein investigation. Hillary has been asked to appear for testimony on October 9th, while Bill has been asked to appear on October 14th. 4:05pm- According to a new report from The New York Post, Congresswoman Jasmine Crockett “terrorizes” her staff—even making them rent Cadillac Escalades to drive her around in because she refuses to be seen in less expensive vehicles. 4:15pm- Congresswoman Maxine Waters (D-CA) reacted to the Trump Administration's attempt to crackdown on crime in Washington D.C. explaining that this could lead to a second Civil War! Ironically, as Rep. Waters claimed the nation's capital was perfectly safe without federal assistance, she was drowned out by police sirens blaring in the background! 4:25pm- While speaking with reporters, U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia Jeanine Pirro was asked if she would investigate the “root causes of crime in D.C.” Pirro made clear that her job is to hold criminals accountable for their actions and attain justice for victims. 4:30pm- Brett Eagleson—President of 9/11 Justice, he lost his father in the terrorist attacks on September 11th—joins The Rich Zeoli Show to discuss being featured in a recent Wall Street Journal article: “9/11 Families See Lutnick, Who Lost Brother in Attack, as Last Hope for Justice.” You can read the full article here: https://www.wsj.com/world/middle-east/howard-lutnick-9-11-saudi-arabia-lawsuit-a384b9c6. 5:00pm- During Monday's briefing, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt revealed that in Washington D.C. last night “approximately 850 officers and agents were surged across the city. They made a total of 23 arrests.” 5:15pm- According to a Democratic whistleblower, Senator Adam Schiff authorized the leak of classified information related to the Russian collusion hoax in 2017 as part of an effort to destroy President Donald Trump's credibility. The whistleblower worked for the House Intelligence Committee which, at the time, was led by Schiff. 5:20pm- Speaking of leaks, Matt finds exclusive audio of Rep. Eric Swalwell “leaking”… 5:40pm- Did Rich mention he was on Fox News with Dana Perino and Bill Hemmer earlier today? 6:05pm- In a post to Truth Social, President Donald Trump announced that he would be nominating Dr. EJ Antoni to run the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Rich jokes that Trump is selecting all of our regular guests to serve in positions within the federal government—Dr. Marty Makary, Tulsi Gabbard, and now EJ! 6:15pm- In a ...

The Rich Zeoli Show- Hour 2: 4:05pm- According to a new report from The New York Post, Congresswoman Jasmine Crockett “terrorizes” her staff—even making them rent Cadillac Escalades to drive her around in because she refuses to be seen in less expensive vehicles. 4:15pm- Congresswoman Maxine Waters (D-CA) reacted to the Trump Administration's attempt to crackdown on crime in Washington D.C. explaining that this could lead to a second Civil War! Ironically, as Rep. Waters claimed the nation's capital was perfectly safe without federal assistance, she was drowned out by police sirens blaring in the background! 4:25pm- While speaking with reporters, U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia Jeanine Pirro was asked if she would investigate the “root causes of crime in D.C.” Pirro made clear that her job is to hold criminals accountable for their actions and attain justice for victims. 4:30pm- Brett Eagleson—President of 9/11 Justice, he lost his father in the terrorist attacks on September 11th—joins The Rich Zeoli Show to discuss being featured in a recent Wall Street Journal article: “9/11 Families See Lutnick, Who Lost Brother in Attack, as Last Hope for Justice.” You can read the full article here: https://www.wsj.com/world/middle-east/howard-lutnick-9-11-saudi-arabia-lawsuit-a384b9c6.

In today's teaching, Pastor Ricky speaks about doing things in our own power. You may be listening today and thinking yes, I am struggling with that. Well, Pastor Ricky reminds and encourages you that you are given a mighty power, a real heavenly gospel power. The Holy Spirit dwells in you to be your helper. Ironically some people say faith in Christianity is a crutch but we are sinners who need help. So to all who can humbly admit they need it, come to Jesus.

ESPN has been the worldwide leader in sports for decades...but ESPN has never been the worldwide leader in digital sports media. Ironically enough...ESPN once employed all the major stars in digital sports media. According to Pablo Torres...ESPN allowing these stars to leave cost them billions of dollars in potential revenue. We reveal and react to Pablo Torre explaining how ESPN potentially lost a billion dollars in revenue. We discuss Pablo Torre reasoning for ESPN overlooking digital media...but explain why we believe ESPN valued diversity over talent. We also discuss ESPN being left behind...and question whether ESPN will ever be the leader in digital sports media. USE PROMO CODE BTL20 TO SAVE 20% WITH BUZZ BLOCKER: https://katiescleancreations.com

Worship at the new temple has been established and the people of Israel begin to worship the Lord with renewed vigor and zeal. The Lord honors their worship and continues to love His people by providing for them and protecting them. King Solomon's wisdom and wealth become known across the ancient world, and royalty from nearby nations come to seek his counsel and insight. Ironically, Solomon's wisdom is not passed on to his son, Rehoboam, as one of his first decrees runs in direct contradiction to the council of elders. By trusting his friends more than the advice of wise men with experience, Rehoboam serves as a catalyst for division.2 Chronicles 9 - 1:09 . 2 Chronicles 10 - 8:09 . 2 Chronicles 11 - 12:04 . 2 Chronicles 12 - 16:15 . Isaiah 3 - 19:49 . Isaiah 4 - 23:55 .  :::Christian Standard Bible translation.All music written and produced by John Burgess Ross.Co-produced by Bobby Brown, Katelyn Pridgen, Eric Williamson & the Christian Standard Biblefacebook.com/commuterbibleinstagram.com/commuter_bibletwitter.com/CommuterPodpatreon.com/commuterbibleadmin@commuterbible.org

Ironically, one of the most disciplined things you could ever do is go to bed on time. Want to learn about the 9 Super Habits? Click here!

Tanis Jorge opens up about a fascinating paradox in his entrepreneurial journey. After 25+ years of building successful businesses with his high school best friend and co-founder - including multiple successful exits - he found himself questioning his own abilities when he went solo for the first time. Ironically, his new venture is The Cofounder's Hub, a business focused on partnership strategies, yet he's building it alone. Jorge candidly admits he's caught between self-doubt and belief, wondering if his previous success was due to the partnership dynamic rather than his individual capabilities. He's refreshingly honest about being "in the middle of the ride" - not completely doubting himself, but not at 100% confidence either. It's a raw look at how even seasoned entrepreneurs face imposter syndrome when stepping outside their comfort zone.Watch Full Podcast- http://bit.ly/4f7g6D3

Have you ever felt like giving to your church is more of a burden than a joy?You're not alone. For many believers, the offering moment stirs up anxiety instead of worship. 2 Corinthians 9:7 says, “Each of you should give what you have decided in your heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.”Those words—not reluctantly and not under compulsion—are key. God doesn't want us giving out of guilt. He invites us to give freely, joyfully, and with a heart aligned to His mission.But guilt is a powerful motivator. Perhaps you've felt it—when the plate passes or a giving campaign is launched. Thoughts flood in: “I haven't given enough... I'm letting God down.” That's not generosity born of grace. That's fear. And it contradicts the gospel.The Gospel Sets Us FreeRomans 8:1 declares, “There is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.”That includes condemnation over money. Christ's death covers all guilt—financial or otherwise. If we're giving to appease guilt, we're not walking in the freedom Jesus secured.And let's be clear: there's a big difference between guilt and conviction.Guilt says, “You're not good enough.”Conviction says, “Let me lead you to something better.”John 16:8 reminds us that conviction is the Spirit's loving invitation into deeper trust, not shame.Giving From Grace, Not ObligationHere's a test:Guilt says, “I must give, or else.”Grace says, “I get to give—because of all I've received.”Hebrews 9:14 says, “How much more, then, will the blood of Christ…cleanse our consciences…so that we may serve the living God!”When we live under grace, our giving becomes service, not penance. We give because we're loved, not to earn love.Ironically, guilt-fueled giving short-circuits the very transformation generosity is meant to bring. When we give cheerfully, we remember that all we have belongs to God. That reframes us as stewards, not owners—a truth that reshapes us from the inside out.When we give from grace:We declare that Jesus is enough.We reflect our trust in God's provision.We participate in the beauty of Kingdom work.What If Guilt Has Been Shaping Your Giving?Bring it to God – Confess it. Ask Him to renew your heart and reshape your motives.Practice gratitude – Reflect on how God has already provided for you. Gratitude fuels joyful generosity.Ask what joyful giving looks like now – Not compared to others, but based on your own journey with Christ.Because here's the truth: God isn't after your money. He's after your heart. And when He has your heart, generosity will follow—not from guilt, but from grace.You can explore more on giving from the right motivations in the latest issue of Faithful Steward, our quarterly magazine for FaithFi partners. When you give $35 a month or a one-time gift of $400, you'll join a community spreading biblical financial wisdom. Partners also receive early access to new devotionals, studies, and Pro access to the FaithFi app.Learn more or become a partner today at FaithFi.com/partner.On Today's Program, Rob Answers Listener Questions:I'm in my early 40s with a history of cancer, but I've been cancer-free for over 10 years. Still, I'm having a hard time qualifying for life insurance. I do have some coverage through my employer, but it wouldn't be enough to support my wife and four young kids if something happened to me. Are there insurance providers more open to covering cancer survivors that I should look into?I own 10 properties and have been rehabbing them due to damage caused by COVID-19 delays and a flood. My wife is still working, and our personal expenses are much lower than our business costs. I'm trying to figure out when enough is enough. Should I continue fixing up all the properties, or would it be wiser to sell some of them as-is?We're considering taking out a loan of $20,000–$30,000 for home repairs. Our mortgage balance is over $300,000, and my husband is retired. Our lender is only offering a cash-out refinance, but we currently have a great interest rate in the 3% range. What's the best loan option for our situation?We've been debt-free for 20 years, but we recently bought a second home for our adult son with special needs. The house requires more work and furnishings than we initially expected, which is putting a strain on our finances. We've always tithed faithfully—would it be okay to pause our giving temporarily until we're more financially stable?Resources Mentioned:Faithful Steward: FaithFi's New Quarterly Magazine (Become a FaithFi Partner)Wisdom Over Wealth: 12 Lessons from Ecclesiastes on MoneyLook At The Sparrows: A 21-Day Devotional on Financial Fear and AnxietyRich Toward God: A Study on the Parable of the Rich FoolFind a Certified Kingdom Advisor (CKA) or Certified Christian Financial Counselor (CertCFC)FaithFi App Remember, you can call in to ask your questions most days at (800) 525-7000. Faith & Finance is also available on the Moody Radio Network and American Family Radio. Visit our website at FaithFi.com where you can join the FaithFi Community and give as we expand our outreach.

After so many years in the Down syndrome community, we've had our fair share of surprising and even disappointing experiences with other advocates. The more we put ourselves out there, the more opportunity there is for disagreement. So what happens when there's division amongst mothers in the Down syndrome community? Join us for a chat about:Unwritten rules and competition.. what happened to collaboration?Managing intellectual property.. what belongs to the individual vs the community?Social media stand-offs.. how do we engage in productive conversations?Ironically, the DS community doesn't always feel inclusive. So what can we do to support the bigger picture even if we disagree on smaller things? Lets start by assuming the BEST in each other. SHOW NOTES154. Community Over Competition ft. Chantele Holm SPONSORS National Down Syndrome SocietyiCanShine ProgramsDown for GreensRods Heroes

One of the many signs of self-realization, or spiritual progress, is a natural decline in attachment to having our desires fulfilled. Thom explored this in depth in an earlier episode on vairagya, or non-attachment.Ironically, another hallmark of self-realization is that our desires actually become more likely to be fulfilled. In this episode, Thom explores why that is, through the lens of punya, a concept from the Vedic tradition.As with most Vedic principles, punya isn't something we need to believe in, it's something we can verify directly through our own personal experience.Episode Highlights[00:45] Support of Nature for Your Desires[03:14] Degrees of Cosmic Intelligence[07:21] Only Evolution is Happening[09:16] How Big is Your Consciousness?[12:11] Who is the I?[15:26] Something Happened on the Way to Disneyland[18:43] Spoiler Alert[21:05] Leishavidya – The Faint Remains of Ignorance[24:41] Nothing is Going WrongUseful Linksinfo@thomknoles.com https://thomknoles.com/https://www.instagram.com/thethomknoleshttps://www.facebook.com/thethomknoleshttps://www.youtube.com/c/thomknoleshttps://thomknoles.com/ask-thom-anything/

Cathy Seifert breaks down Berkshire Hathaway (BRK/B) earnings. She considers them “pretty weak” and discusses her previous downgrade of the stock. “Against the peer group, these results are not quite at the same level,” she says, particularly noting weakness in insurance. “Ironically, the one bright spot were BNSF results,” she adds (BNSF is a major freight railroad company). Cathy argues organic revenue could bounce the stock back, along with share repurchases.======== Schwab Network ========Empowering every investor and trader, every market day.Subscribe to the Market Minute newsletter - https://schwabnetwork.com/subscribeDownload the iOS app - https://apps.apple.com/us/app/schwab-network/id1460719185Download the Amazon Fire Tv App - https://www.amazon.com/TD-Ameritrade-Network/dp/B07KRD76C7Watch on Sling - https://watch.sling.com/1/asset/191928615bd8d47686f94682aefaa007/watchWatch on Vizio - https://www.vizio.com/en/watchfreeplus-exploreWatch on DistroTV - https://www.distro.tv/live/schwab-network/Follow us on X – https://twitter.com/schwabnetworkFollow us on Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/schwabnetworkFollow us on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/schwab-network/About Schwab Network - https://schwabnetwork.com/about

#Coldplaygate - Episode 342 of the Divorce University Online Podcast. A recent social media post from a Coldplay concert went viral. It was a video of a couple who were having an affair and attended the concert together, only to end up on the “kisscam”. Ironically, their reactions to being on the screen gave away their secret. Affairs are painful and devastating for everyone involved but many lessons on divorce, child custody and building your future can be learned from these situations if you choose to use them positively. To learn more about how I can support you in achieving success in your custody matter, please schedule a free strategy session at www.divorceuniversityonline.com/vip-coaching. Thanks for listening!

Walk As He Walked (audio) David Eells – 7/30/25 Use It or Lose It Saints, don't miss any opportunity to eat your Bread of Life from heaven every day. Partaking of the Word of God and fellowship with those who share it is of utmost importance. We're told in Exo.16:4 Then said Jehovah unto Moses, Behold, I will rain bread from heaven for you; and the people shall go out and gather a day's portion every day, that I may prove them, whether they will walk in my law, or not. The Israelites didn't obey God in this, and they murmured and fell in the wilderness. When, because of worldly pursuits we pass up the chance to eat our manna today with the excuse that we will do it tomorrow, we miss the only chance we had that day to eat that manna and prepare our soul for the wilderness. 19 And Moses said unto them, Let no man leave of it till the morning. 20 Notwithstanding they hearkened not unto Moses; but some of them left of it until the morning, and it bred worms, and became foul: and Moses was wroth with them. All excuses aside, people do what is important to them. Our spiritual man must be fed or he dies. If the kingdom is not first in a person's life, God will find someone else who values what He has to offer. Let's read Mat.22:4 Again he sent forth other servants, saying, Tell them that are bidden, Behold, I have made ready my dinner; my oxen and my fatlings are killed, and all things are ready: come to the marriage feast. 5 But they made light of it, and went their ways, one to his own farm, another to his merchandise. 8 Then saith he to his servants, The wedding is ready, but they that were bidden were not worthy. 9 Go ye therefore unto the partings of the highways, and as many as ye shall find, bid to the marriage feast. And it will happen just like this. And in Luk.14:15 And when one of them that sat at meat with him heard these things, he said unto him, Blessed is he that shall eat bread in the kingdom of God. 16 But he said unto him, A certain man made a great supper; and he bade many: 17 and he sent forth his servant at supper time to say to them that were bidden, Come; for [all] things are now ready. 18 And they all with one [consent] began to make excuse. The first said unto him, I have bought a field, and I must needs go out and see it; I pray thee have me excused. 19 And another said, I have bought five yoke of oxen, and I go to prove them; I pray thee have me excused. 20 And another said, I have married a wife, and therefore I cannot come. 21 And the servant came, and told his lord these things. Then the master of the house being angry said to his servant, Go out quickly into the streets and lanes of the city, and bring in hither the poor and maimed and blind and lame. 22 And the servant said, Lord, what thou didst command is done, and yet there is room. 23 And the lord said unto the servant, Go out into the highways and hedges, and constrain [them] to come in, that my house may be filled. 24 For I say unto you, that none of those men that were bidden shall taste of my supper. 25 Now there went with him great multitudes: and he turned, and said unto them, 26 If any man cometh unto me, and hateth not his own father, and mother, and wife, and children, and brethren, and sisters, yea, and his own life also, (We are to hate the Psuche or soulish life that separates us from the God life of Zoe, which is provided in the manna.) he cannot be my disciple. 27 Whosoever doth not bear his own cross, and come after me, cannot be my disciple. I pray for you that God will be first in your life. You have the opportunity now to prepare for the wilderness. Without taking advantage of this, you will fall away and someone will take your place. Hence the warning: “Let no man take thy crown”.   Time in the Word Sanctifies https://youtu.be/wNWvxexMri0?si=WclLLtgQFUfXLynY December 27, 2019 (Davids notes in red) The following is a transcript of this short video: There was a recent study by the Center for Bible Engagement where they pulled 40,000 of the general population in the U.S. from [ages] 8- 80, and they just wanted to see how we are engaging with Scripture. They discovered something that actually became the profound discovery of the entire study. They were not even looking for this, but it became the highlight of the study. They found that when we are in the Scriptures one time a week, and that could be in church on a Sunday, where the pastor says to open your Bible, and we hear the message. One time a week had a negligible effect on some key areas of the peoples lives, which I'm going to spell out more here in a moment. Two times a week also had a negligible effect. At three times a week, there was a “blip” on the map, like there was a heartbeat; something happened. Then there was a profound discovery. When we're in the Scriptures four times a week, it literally spikes off the chart. You would expect that it would be like 1, 2, 3…. I mean that there would be a gradual incline on the effect and impact that would have in your life, but it was literally, 1, 2, 3, 4 – then something radical happens. (How much more powerful it is to obey the Word and get your portion of the Manna every day like the bride.) What kind of behavior is being affected to this extent? At four times a week in the Scriptures, feeling lonely dropped 30%. Anger issues dropped 32%. Bitterness in relationships, such as the marriage relationship, and that with your kids, and so on, drops 40%. Alcoholism drops 57%. Feeling spiritually stagnant—you know, if there was one area when I'm talking with people, that they'll be honest about, is they just feel spiritually stagnant when I ask them the question: “How much time do you spend in the Scriptures?” If they're in the Scriptures four times a week or more, that dropped 60%. Viewing pornography drops 61%. Now, look at this: sharing your faith jumps 200% because you have confidence in God's Word. And discipling others jumps 230%. Wow! That's Amazing! (So, what happens when you get your manna every day since the Word is our manna? Christ in you! And if we seek first the Kingdom everything else will be taken care of.)   Let No One Take Thy Crown David Eells Rev.3:10 Because thou didst keep the word of my patience, I also will keep thee from the hour of trial, that [hour] which is to come upon the whole world, to try them that dwell upon the earth. 11 I come quickly: hold fast that which thou hast, that no one take thy crown. Once, for the purpose of crucifixion, I was being judged by some people who had not gone through the suffering, nor had they made the sacrifices that I had made to serve the Lord. I asked the Lord why He was not chastening these people as He had clearly done in the past with others who had done the same thing. He told me that He had chastened them. Then He showed me several ways He had done this. Not wanting to think or say something that was also false judgment, I asked the Lord to give me a sign that what I heard was truly from Him. He gave me the sign as confirmation. One thing that He showed me was that He gives the opportunity for many to walk in the light that they are given. Then, after a trial period, if they refuse to walk in this light, God takes it away, and they walk in a lesser glory, a lower position in the Kingdom. The deeper discernment they once had is taken from them, and they go back, deeper into Babylon and walk less in His temple and more in the world. Verse 12 He that overcometh, I will make him a pillar in the temple of my God, and he shall go out thence no more: and I will write upon him the name (Greek word meaning nature, character and authority) of my God, and the name of the city of my God, the new Jerusalem (the Bride), which cometh down out of heaven from my God, and mine own new name. God pointed out to me several people whom I had taught deeper things. They rejoiced to see these things. Yet, after continuing to walk in willful disobedience in areas that were shown to them, the deeper understanding was taken out of their minds. They fell back into foolish Babylonish churches and doctrines that they would not have considered before. The same happened to Jesus' disciples in John 6:66, although the 12 stayed saying “thou hast the Words of life”. Over the years, I have watched as some people in this situation have left my care, and others have come to take their place in order to be tried by the Word in the same way. Again, verse 11 I come quickly: hold fast that which thou hast, that no one take thy crown. We are always being tried to prove whether we are worthy to walk in greater glory, which of course, is walking in more light and purity. Those who walk by faith will find power to obey and will grow from glory to glory. We have this by faith in 2Co.3:18 But we all, with unveiled face beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are transformed into the same image from glory to glory, even as from the Lord the Spirit. All of the people of God are at this time manifesting one of these glories. Joseph shared a dream that clearly showed this. Starting as a star glory, he went to his cross in Egypt and was promoted in glory above his brethren, the children of Israel. We grow from star glory to moon glory and then to sun glory as we continue to walk in the light that God continues to give us. Joseph shared a dream in Gen.37:9 ... behold, the sun and the moon and eleven stars made obeisance to me. 10 And he told it to his father, and to his brethren; and his father rebuked him, and said unto him, What is this dream that thou hast dreamed? Shall I and thy mother and thy brethren indeed come to bow down ourselves to thee to the earth? The answer was, Yes. As we walk in the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus, we manifest more and more glory. This is true of physical death, burial, and resurrection. It is also true of spiritual death, burial, and resurrection as we walk in this world and come into the Zoe life of Christ. Paul gives this revelation in 1Co.15:41 There is one glory of the sun, and another glory of the moon, and another glory of the stars; for one star differeth from another star in glory. 42 So also is the resurrection of the dead. It is sown in corruption; it is raised in incorruption: 43 it is sown in dishonor; it is raised in glory: it is sown in weakness; it is raised in power: (And so it was with Jesus and the saints raised at the out resurrection.) 44 it is sown a natural body; it is raised a spiritual body. If there is a natural body, there is also a spiritual [body]. 49 And as we have borne the image of the earthy, we shall (Greek; “Let us”) also bear the image of the heavenly. So by faith we reckon ourselves to be dead unto sin and alive unto God. But the glory of our resurrection bodies will be different as he says. Friends, to whom much is given much is expected, as Jesus said in Luk.12:48 ... And to whomsoever much is given, of him shall much be required: and to whom they commit much, of him will they ask the more. The moral of this story is that if you want to keep the light you have, or if you want to receive more light, you must walk in the light you have. The time always comes when those who have eyes to perceive and ears to understand have abundance and restoration. Those who do not value this perception and understanding enough to walk in it will lose even what they have. Jesus teaches this in Mat.13:10 And the disciples came, and said unto him, Why speakest thou unto them in parables? 11 And he answered and said unto them, Unto you it is given to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it is not given. 12 For whosoever hath (understanding), to him shall be given, and he shall have abundance: but whosoever hath not, from him shall be taken away even that which he hath. 13 Therefore speak I to them in parables; because seeing they see not, and hearing they hear not, neither do they understand. 14 And unto them is fulfilled the prophecy of Isaiah, which saith, By hearing ye shall hear, and shall in no wise understand; And seeing ye shall see, and shall in no wise perceive. Because Israel did not walk in the light given to them, God took it away and gave it to the Gentiles. In the coming days, the reverse of this will happen. We read this in Rom.11:15 For if the casting away of them [is] the reconciling of the world, what [shall] the receiving [of them be], but life from the dead? 16 And if the firstfruit is holy, so is the lump: and if the root is holy, so are the branches. 17 But if some of the branches were broken off, and thou, being a wild olive, wast grafted in among them, and didst become partaker with them of the root of the fatness of the olive tree; 18 glory not over the branches: but if thou gloriest, it is not thou that bearest the root, but the root thee. 19 Thou wilt say then, Branches were broken off, that I might be grafted in. 20 Well; by their unbelief they were broken off, and thou standest by thy faith. Be not highminded, but fear: 21 for if God spared not the natural branches, neither will he spare thee. Uh, oh! No unconditional security. 22 Behold then the goodness and severity of God: toward them that fell, severity; but toward thee, God's goodness, if thou continue in his goodness: otherwise thou also shalt be cut off. 23 And they also, if they continue not in their unbelief, shall be grafted in: for God is able to graft them in again. 24 For if thou wast cut out of that which is by nature a wild olive tree, and wast grafted contrary to nature into a good olive tree; how much more shall these, which are the natural [branches], be grafted into their own olive tree? 25 For I would not, brethren, have you ignorant of this mystery, lest ye be wise in your own conceits, that a hardening in part hath befallen Israel, until the fulness of the Gentiles be come in; 26 and so all Israel shall be saved (Meaning the physical Jews and the spiritual Jews who are circumcised in heart.): even as it is written, There shall come out of Zion the Deliverer (Jesus in the Man-child Reformers); He shall turn away ungodliness from Jacob. On an individual basis this happens too. So, as we have seen, let “no one take thy crown.”   Overcome Evil with Good “Warriors of Truth” Victoria Boyson - 10/26/2008 (David's notes in red) (Keep in mind that Victoria's revelation is true of the elect only.) While in prayer, I was shown a vision. I saw misguided people who were the enemies of Truth, rallying together to deceive the saints; they were being guided by demonic forces that used them like toys. Great effort was being made by the realms of darkness to bring confusion and to stir up strife among the brethren to break up friendships that gave strength and encouragement to the saints. (From God's perspective, this is to test the strength of the body and remove the spots and blemishes.) I saw the enemies of Truth entering the lives of those who have been wounded by rejection and held in bondage by fear. (These spirits must be removed, many times through faction, for this makes one unstable and a danger to the body.) They spoke demonically induced lies with great power to deceive them in their weakened condition. (slander) Ironically, the lies of darkness actually seemed like “real truth” to them, and the enemies of Truth seemed like great saints. They appeared as though they were God's answer for the loneliness and pain they were feeling, so they opened their hearts to them. Because they came into agreement with their lies and their love grew painfully cold, they began to attack their brothers and sisters in Christ with accusation and judgment. (The spirit of faction moves in them.) Consequently, their attacks against them unleashed powers of destruction on the Church. Just when it seemed that the saints would falter under the heavy assault, I saw the great warriors of heaven rally their armies in preparation to invade Earth and dispel the enemies of Truth. (Including the wicked among men) They only awaited the command to do so by the saints -- for their cry for help. Under the weight of accusation, the saints began to weep. Their tears unleashed the army of heaven to attack the realms of darkness. (The warriors born of heaven are the Man-child reformers who bring both judgment and grace. And also the mighty angels.) It was then that I saw a heavenly warrior filled with great power, radiating a glorious light, entering the home of my enemy. This man had been used by the realms of darkness to rain down curses on my head; he was very jealous and filled with hatred toward me. However, even though I knew his dislike for me was great, I feared for him because the power of the heavenly warrior was great. I saw the warrior standing before him and drawing his sword, which was enormous and gave off a great light. I wondered at the sight of what was about to occur and thought, “Can it be God's will to destroy my enemy?” I heard the warrior speak in answer to the question of my heart and say, “I have been given authority to execute the judgments of the Lord”. Then the warrior, standing over my enemy, raised the sword and thrust it into his heart. It was difficult for me to watch because I truly loved my enemy and had prayed for him for a long time. I did not want to see him destroyed. Indeed, I had wept and prayed that he would completely surrender his life to the Lord and not allow the enemy to use him any longer. The warrior knew the thoughts of my heart and spoke again to me saying, “This sword is the Sword of Truth, and will dispel the lies of darkness that have taken over his heart”. (Ultimately, this will only work for the elect as we have seen for God himself sends delusion to some. 2Th 2:10-12 and with all deceit of unrighteousness for them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved. 11 And for this cause God sendeth them a working of error, that they should believe a lie: 12 that they all might be judged who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness.) Then I looked at the sword and saw that, in its radiance, it seemed to be alive and pulsating. As its large blade rested in my enemy's heart, the Light it held began to fill his body; like melting gold, the Light seeped into his chest. At first, he lay motionless as if the sword had no effect on him, but then I saw his face cringe as if in pain, and I sensed brokenness enter his heart. Sorrow was invading his soul as the truth of his actions was shown to him. The spirit of repentance was dispelling the demonic lies, and darkness was fleeing from him as tears ran down his face. I looked again to watch the heavenly warrior who had come to execute the judgments of the Lord on my enemy. He watched with determined anticipation as the sword did its work on the man. (This will work for the elect, but no one had this sword more than Jesus and Judas had rejection, yet Jesus said, “One of you is a devil.” I have heard the Lord say to me that certain persons were not elect also. In this case the body was cleansed of Judas' who was not saved.) Turning to me, the warrior told me, “Your love for this man made this possible for him. I came to him only because you chose to love him despite his attacks against you and your family. You chose to love him, and because your Father loves you, He was compelled to touch the man for your sake”. (If a person has faction and witchcraft, which always comes with slander that is supernatural to deceive, you must obey scripture or you will be taken out. Tit 3:10-11 A factious man after a first and second admonition refuse; 11 knowing that such a one is perverted, and sinneth, being self-condemned. Rom 16:17-18 Now I beseech you, brethren, mark them that are causing the divisions and occasions of stumbling, contrary to the doctrine which ye learned: and turn away from them. 18 For they that are such serve not our Lord Christ, but their own belly; and by their smooth and fair speech they beguile the hearts of the innocent.) I was shocked! I wept at the words the warrior spoke because I knew that it was only because of my love for Christ that I loved my enemy. In myself, I wanted to hate him. Indeed, I wanted him to suffer as he had made me suffer. My first thoughts at the onslaught of his attacks against me were to call upon God to execute vengeance against the man. But I saw that the longer I clung to thoughts of judgment toward him, the more distant Christ became to me. It was only because of my desperate need and love for Christ that I forced myself to pray for him. I asked God to give me love for him because I simply had none of my own. I had no desire to forgive, but I asked God to give me that as well. And when He had changed my heart, I could honestly say, “I love him” and mean it. (Jesus said that We must forgive from the heart or be tormented.) It scared me to remember how easy it would have been for me to condemn the man and how close I came to doing it. It was truly only because Christ loved me that I felt the need to love this man. Could that one small decision to love and forgive him have brought about his redemption and activated the armies of heaven to fight for him? (Yes!) I was astonished to think that his deliverance at this moment came only because of that one small choice I made to stand with Christ. Now, I stand in awe as I see the transformation of someone I thought was unredeemable. (Even though Judas was not elect he was treated with Love by Jesus who was innocent. We are commanded to love our enemies whether they become friends or not. Psa 109:3-5 They have compassed me about also with words of hatred, and fought against me without a cause. 4 For my love they are my adversaries: But I give myself unto prayer. 5 And they have rewarded me evil for good, And hatred for my love. As Jesus said, “Many are called but few are chosen” [Greek - elect]. Pro 29:1 He that being often reproved hardeneth his neck Shall suddenly be destroyed, and that without remedy.) I had, in the past, desperately pleaded with God to remove him from my life, so he would no longer have the power to hurt me. I couldn't understand why He wouldn't do it. It was, however, because He wanted to use me to change this man's life, and in the process of helping him, my own heart was transformed as well. (Yes, true) Yes, his redemption has truly changed us both. My earthly enemy was not my enemy after all; he was the treasure that the Lord had longed to uncover, if only I were willing to help Him. Now I see the warriors of Truth have invaded other lives across the earth as the hearts of the saints have cried out for the souls of men. They are liberating the lost from the darkness that bound them as these saints of Christ cling to the cross of love and hold it high above them in a defiant reply to the attacks of the accuser of the brethren. The treasured friendships among the saints that seemed hopelessly broken are being miraculously restored, and they have received a greater level of appreciation for one another. The cold love that had tried to force them to fear one another has been flung aside and radical, selfless love has become their war cry! Darkness had them bound, but THE TRUTH Himself has set them free, and whom the SON sets free is free indeed! (When a person has rejection and fear of rejection, they can be saved by love, but when faction grows to a level that they cannot resist it even deliverance usually does not last as it was with Jesus dealing with Judas and the Pharisees.)   Spiritual Warfare for Souls David Eells - 08/21/2016 Salt is known as a preservative, which we should be to mankind. What Jesus is to us, we should be to others, but He said, Mat.5:13 Ye are the salt of the earth: but if the salt have lost its savor, wherewith shall it be salted? it is thenceforth good for nothing, but to be cast out and trodden under foot of men. (Because Christians have not been salt, they are now being trampled under the feet of the Beast army. This is what happens to those who don't seek to bring salvation in all its forms to mankind. For such a time as this have we come to the Kingdom. Let us intercede to the King and do His warfare against His enemies.) We can see a time of war in these verses, which represents the David ministry. Then we see a time of peace under the Soloman ministry. Jer.48:10 Cursed be he that doeth the work of Jehovah negligently; and cursed be he that keepeth back his sword from blood. Heb.4:12 For the word of God is living, and active, and sharper than any two-edged sword, and piercing even to the dividing of soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow, and quick to discern the thoughts and intents of the heart. (Unless we swing the sword of the Word, our enemy will win against us. We must do this on the personal front against the enemies of our souls and the souls of others. We must do this on the political front against the DS satanists who would take us and the nation we live in into captivity physically. We must do this on a personal front against those principalities who would poison our bodies with their chemtrails, plagues, or diseases, or send other curses upon us.) Here is a Sword. Isa.54:17 No weapon that is formed against thee shall prosper; and every tongue that shall rise against thee in judgment thou shalt condemn. This is the heritage of the servants of Jehovah, and their righteousness which is of me, saith Jehovah. Luk.9:1 And he called the twelve together, and gave them power and authority over all demons, and to cure diseases. And 10:19 Behold, I have given you authority to tread upon serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy: and nothing shall in any wise hurt you. 2Co.2:14 But thanks be unto God, who always leadeth us in triumph (meaning celebration of the victory) in Christ, and maketh manifest through us the savor of his knowledge in every place. Mar.11:22 And Jesus answering saith unto them, Have faith in God. (Greek: Have the faith of God.) 23 Verily I say unto you, Whosoever shall say unto this mountain, Be thou taken up and cast into the sea; and shall not doubt in his heart, but shall believe that what he saith cometh to pass; he shall have it. 24 Therefore I say unto you, All things whatsoever ye pray and ask for, believe that ye received them, and ye shall have them. 25 And whensoever ye stand praying, forgive, if ye have aught against any one; that your Father also who is in heaven may forgive you your trespasses. Psa.103:20 Bless Jehovah, ye his angels, That are mighty in strength, that fulfil his word, Hearkening unto the voice of his word. 21 Bless Jehovah, all ye his hosts, Ye ministers of his, that do his pleasure. Psa 2:1 Why do the nations rage, And the peoples meditate a vain thing? 2 The kings of the earth set themselves, And the rulers take counsel together, Against the Lord, and against his anointed, … (Who is the Lord's anointed? 2Co.1:21 Now he that establisheth us with you in Christ, and anointed us, is God; 22 who also sealed us, and gave us the earnest of the Spirit in our hearts.) Back to our text: saying Psa.2:3 Let us break their bonds asunder, And cast away their cords from us. 4 He that sitteth in the heavens will laugh: The Lord will have them in derision. 5 Then will he speak unto them in his wrath, And vex them in his sore displeasure: 6 Yet I have set my king Upon my holy hill of Zion. 7 I will tell of the decree: the Lord said unto me, Thou art my son; This day have I begotten thee. 8 Ask of me, and I will give thee the nations for thine inheritance, And the uttermost parts of the earth for thy possession. 9 Thou shalt break them with a rod of iron; Thou shalt dash them in pieces like a potter's vessel. 10 Now therefore be wise, O ye kings: Be instructed, ye judges of the earth. 11 Serve the Lord with fear, And rejoice with trembling. 12 Kiss the son, lest he be angry, and ye perish in the way, For his wrath will soon be kindled. Blessed are all they that take refuge in him. Eph.6:11 Put on the whole armor of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. 12 For our wrestling is not against flesh and blood, but against the principalities, against the powers, against the world-rulers of this darkness, against the spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places. 13 Wherefore take up the whole armor of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and, having done all, to stand. Psa.144:1 A Psalm of David. Blessed be Jehovah my rock, Who teacheth my hands to war, And my fingers to fight: 2 My lovingkindness, and my fortress, My high tower, and my deliverer; My shield, and he in whom I take refuge; Who subdueth my people under me.  

My guest today is Sava Riaskoff.Sava is a Performance & Wellbeing Coach, TEDxSpeaker, and Associate Professor at the ESADE MBA in Barcelona. Over the past seven years, he's worked with leaders and next-gen talent through 1:1 coaching, in-company trainings, and immersive retreats in Europe and Patagonia.His work is deeply shaped by his own journey — from following a path that looked right on paper but left him quietly burning out, to being forced to face some of the hard questions we tend to avoid: What do I actually want? And who am I really, when I stop trying to fit in or live up to other people's expectations?Today, he helps others explore those same questions — and navigate the uncertainty, self-doubt, and pressure that tend to come with choosing a new path or stepping into leadership.I met Sava through the kind introduction of Adela Warkentin (thank you, Adela!!).  This is a beautiful and inspiring conversation where we explore the intersection of emotional safety and authenticity or vulnerability.  What changes when we choose to be vulnerable and risk the unknown?  Ironically enough, as Sava shares… we find safety, despite it feeling so scary.Sava, thank you for jumping into the deep end of the conversational pool with me!  Thank you for choosing authenticity and vulnerability.  You are an inspiration!  Keep being you and adding such beautiful light to the world!!To learn more about Sava and the work he does in the world, you'll find links below: Sava's Website: https://www.inwardpath.comGrowth Week Retreats: https://growthweek.coWatch Sava's TEDx Talk: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5WelzFFA0TMlinkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/savariaskoffMake Life Less Difficult~ Support:buymeacoffee.com/lisatilstra

Jeff B. rose to very top of major league baseball, only to find alcoholism waiting to take him down. For years, his extraordinary achievements on the field thrilled millions of fans. Off the field, his growing consumption of alcohol set the stage for the disease to take over when a painful and career-ending injury forced him to retire years before he was ready. As Jeff experienced relentless daily pain, the heart-breaking loss of his beloved profession, and the boredom of retirement, he sought relief through the bottle. Instead of relief, heavy drinking only numbed the pain, while it fractured his marriage, upset his children, and self-isolated him from the people in his life who cared most. His first attempt at treatment was to appease his wife and children, but the absence of a honest desire to stay sober took him out shortly thereafter. Subsequent treatment programs and therapy did little to effect a long-term solution, but they did open Jeff's eyes to Alcoholics Anonymous. The following years found him in and out of AA, collecting nine desire chips, along with lots of self-recrimination, shame, and disappointment in the process. But the men in the Program never gave up on him, and “12th- Stepped” him time and time again. When he finally picked up his last desire chip nearly five years ago, Jeff had been totally beaten by the disease and he was ready to do the hard, but necessary, work to stay sober. Ironically, his spiritual awakening came with the realization that might seem counterintuitive to an elite professional athlete: Jeff had to surrender to win. That surrender was the ticket to lasting and contented sobriety for Jeff, sustained by his constant involvement in AA. Choosing to remain in the middle of the program, he attends regular meetings, works the Steps, reads the Big Book, calls his sponsor, and carries the message to other alcoholics. His local and national renown allows him a wide sphere in which to help others, while his humble nature, quiet demeanor, and total confidence in the Program, has allowed him to touch many lives. I'm honored to have Jeff as my 75th interview. His story embodies many of the same experiences of other AA members I've interviewed. His extraordinary career notwithstanding, his place as an active member of AA is as vital and significant as every other member of the fellowship. His love for and accountability to the Program is both admirable and attractive. I believe you will enjoy the next hour and ten minutes with my good friend and AA Brother, Jeff B. [This is an encore of Episode 75 originally released March 27, 2022.] If you've enjoyed my AA Recovery Interviews series, have a listen to “Alcoholics Anonymous: The Story of How More Than One Hundred Men Have Recovered From Alcoholism”. This is the word-for-word, cover-to-cover reading of the First Edition of the Big Book, published in 1939. It's a comfortable, meaningful, and engaging way to listen to the Big Book anytime, anyplace. Have a free listen at Audible, Apple Books, or Amazon.  I also invite you to check out my latest audio book, Lost Stories of the Big Book, 30 Original Stories Missing from the 3rd and 4th Editions of Alcoholics Anonymous. It's an engaging audiobook I narrated to bring these stories to life for AA members who've never seen them. These timeless testimonials were originally cut to make room for newer stories in the 3rd and 4th Editions. But their vitally important messages of hope are as meaningful today as when they were first published. Many listeners will hear these stories for the first time. Lost Stories of the Big Book is available on Audible, Amazon, and Apple Books. It's also available as a Kindle book and in Paperback from Amazon if you'd like to read along with the audio. [Disclaimer: AA Recovery Interviews podcast strictly adheres to AA's 12 Traditions and all General Service Office guidelines for safe-guarding anonymity on-line. I pay all podcast production costs.

Many of us, myself included, are focused on success.  And while this is understandable and important, sometimes we erroneously think that greater success will lead to greater fulfillment, which often isn't the case.  On this episode, I talk about the paradox of success and fulfillment.  I share some specific things we can do to both redefine success and enhance our capacity for fulfillment.  Ironically, when we're more authentically fulfilled, true success becomes much easier to achieve.     Resources: We're All in This Together (book), by Mike Robbins Mike Robbins Website Mike Robbins Blog Mike Robbins Podcast Mike Robbins on LinkedIn Mike Robbins on Instagram Mike Robbins on Facebook Mike Robbins YouTube Channel Mike Robbins on TikTok Mike Robbins on X Mike Robbins on BlueSky Scottie Scheffler interview Oprah interview with Raz Iggrasci about the Hoffman Process Hoffman Institute Website

LA Mayor Karen Bass said ICE was conducting a “reign of terror” in Los Angeles. Ironically, it was the War on Terror that produced ICE in the first place.  A proposed housing authority to help people affected by Palisades and Eaton Fires is on hold after some residents, like reality TV personality Spencer Pratt, complained. The 2025 California Biennial at the OC Museum of Art features works and artifacts from teen artists and adults reflecting on their teen years. It’s called “Desperate, Scared, but Social.” Ozzy Osbourne died on Tuesday at age 76. He transformed his image from Black Sabbath frontman to irascible TV dad. “The Osbournes” set the scene for the glut of celebrity TV family shows that followed. 

LA Mayor Karen Bass said ICE was conducting a “reign of terror” in Los Angeles. Ironically, it was the War on Terror that produced ICE in the first place.  A proposed housing authority to help people affected by Palisades and Eaton Fires is on hold after some residents, like reality TV personality Spencer Pratt, complained. The 2025 California Biennial at the OC Museum of Art features works and artifacts from teen artists and adults reflecting on their teen years. It's called “Desperate, Scared, but Social.” Ozzy Osbourne died on Tuesday at age 76. He transformed his image from Black Sabbath frontman to irascible TV dad. “The Osbournes” set the scene for the glut of celebrity TV family shows that followed. 

Would you like access to our advanced agency training for FREE? https://www.agencymastery360.com/training We've been talking about AI on this podcast for years — not just as the next shiny tool, but as the biggest shift agencies will face this decade. Yet most agencies still haven't done more than dabble. Meanwhile, their competitors (or even their clients) are using AI to move faster, make sharper decisions, and drive results that leave everyone else scrambling to catch up. If you're still on the sidelines, you're already behind. Today's guest is clear about the game-changing role of AI in the agency world. He argues it's not just about making your shop more efficient — it's about driving better client results, delivering faster, deeper insights, and adding to your bottom line. Agencies that fail to embrace AI risk being outpaced by clients who bring it in-house or by competitors already using it to gain an edge. To stay competitive, you have to take a forward-thinking approach that uses AI to scale operations, increase client value, and keep your best people. Phil Parrish is the co-founder & President of PrograMetrix, a boutique programmatic advertising agency that also crushes it in paid search and paid social. Celebrating their 10-year anniversary this past April, Phil's team has stayed nimble, focused, and mighty — helping clients dominate their digital paid media while driving real, measurable results. He'll discuss his vision on AI, how he's using it as a multiplier, and why that are not already adapting their processes to include this technology, will be exposed. In this episode, we'll discuss: Navigating pipeline churn anxiety. Delivering quick wins with AI. Why agencies that don't adapt will get exposed. Focus on the wins, not just the tasks. Subscribe Apple | Spotify | iHeart Radio Sponsors and Resources E2M Solutions: Today's episode of the Smart Agency Masterclass is sponsored by E2M Solutions, a web design, and development agency that has provided white-label services for the past 10 years to agencies all over the world. Check out e2msolutions.com/smartagency and get 10% off for the first three months of service. Betting on Yourself (And Getting Clients to Bet on You Too) Phil didn't stumble into agency ownership by accident, but he didn't overcomplicate it either. He built strong client relationships over the years, recognized the moment when he thought, “I can do what this company does — why not do it for myself?” and took the leap. With clients ready to follow, he launched PrograMetrix and started generating revenue quickly, sidestepping much of the risk that keeps many would-be agency owners stuck. The takeaway? If you've built trust and consistently delivered, clients will follow when you launch your own shop. Relationships and results are your best startup capital. Navigating Uncertainty Without Panic Every agency owner hits moments of chaos—those “Are we going under?” nightmares that keep you up at 3 AM. So far, Phil's journey hasn't quite hit the “we can't make payroll” panic, but pipeline uncertainty and client churn anxiety were very real, especially during COVID-19. Ironically, the pandemic ended up being a huge growth driver. As trade shows and in-person events vanished, clients who were spending six figures on live events had to redeploy budgets digitally. PrograMetrix was perfectly positioned to catch that wave. “You've got to have a good business plan, offer strategic value, make smart bets, and stay laser-focused when your back's against the wall.” It's a solid reminder: when chaos hits, the cream rises. The agencies that pivot fast come out stronger.   AI: Beyond Social Posts and Rocket Emojis Let's get real: most agencies are looking at AI like it's a shortcut to crank out social posts and blog content (and yes, that's part of it). But Phil's approach is a level above—he's integrating AI deeply into PrograMetrix's operations to enhance speed, insights, and performance, not just save a few hours per week. In his view, agencies that have depended on time as their inventory and work on the basis that the more time they can utilize the more revenue they can drive will struggle unless they modernize operations using AI. For its part, Phil's agency is building a proprietary product using a licensed data warehouse, pulling data from all their platforms (The Trade Desk, Meta, Google, TikTok, LinkedIn, etc.), and using AI to run advanced queries and develop unique optimization techniques. The end goal would be to deliver faster, clearer, and more impactful insights that clients can't get by simply logging into their ad accounts. The bottom line: If your agency isn't embedding AI into how you operate and deliver, not just as a tool to “save time,” clients will either bring it in-house or go with an agency that does. The market is moving, and speed and value are non-negotiables if you want to win and retain serious clients. Delivering Quick Wins and Story-Driven Insights Mid-market and enterprise clients dropping six to seven figures on ad spend need to feel your authority and your velocity from day one. They need to breathe easier knowing your agency has it handled, and they need to see progress fast, or they'll be out. Using AI, Phil's agency uncovers insights like: Path to conversion (impressions and touchpoints before a sale) Channel impact across the funnel Audience segment insights Messaging that drives real ROI They're not just sending reports but turning complex data into actionable stories for their clients. If you're still measuring your agency's success by how much time you can bill rather than how much impact you can deliver, it's time to rethink your model before your clients rethink you. Why Agencies That Don't Adapt Will Get Exposed Look, AI isn't going to wipe out agencies. But it will wipe out agencies that are stuck operating like it's 2015, coasting on outdated processes, and sending the same recycled reports clients can pull themselves. AI is like the giant scoreboard in baseball, showing every advanced stat in real-time. Agencies that are half-assing delivery can't hide anymore. If you're running bad ads, AI will show your client you suck, and you'll get fired. (Like the agency I just fired.) AI won't kill the agency model, but it will expose agencies not using best-of-breed tools to deliver value faster. AI as a Multiplier, Not a Threat — and Saves Him $200K Phil is using AI as a force multiplier to: Deliver faster, clearer insights for clients Optimize campaigns for even a 2-3% lift that compounds over time And they're doing this without having to invest in new talent at the rate they otherwise would have. As Phil says, “if we can skip hiring one or two traders, that's a $200K swing to the bottom line.” And it's not because he doesn't value his team—he's investing in making his team better. AI helps smart people do better work, get better results, and actually enjoy their jobs. Clients see more value, your agency scales efficiently, and your team sticks around longer, reducing churn and recruitment costs. It's About Buying Wins, Not Just Doing Tasks If you've seen Moneyball, know Billy Beane reinvented baseball by focusing on “getting on base,” not vanity stats. Agencies should think the same way: What are your “get on base” moves that drive client results? Are you outcome-driven and problem-solving, or are you a task rabbit waiting to be replaced by AI? When clients have big challenges, do they come to you first, or are you stuck doing low-value production work? If it's the latter, it's a sign to reposition your agency now. If you don't, you're writing your own exit letter from the industry. Make AI Use Mandatory, Not Optional As an agency leader, it's time to go all-in on integrating AI across all SOPs, not just as an add-on for the leadership team. Why? Because this tech: Makes employees more valuable in the marketplace Makes them happier by removing annoying, low-leverage tasks Keeps your team aligned with your agency's growth goals Before they started using AI prompts to understand how to optimize a campaign or improve performance, their campaign managers were conducting huge Excel exports. Now they can focus on strategy. If you're the only one using AI in your agency, you're toast. You need to lead, train, and require your team to use these tools to become outcome-focused problem solvers rather than task executors. Stop Being Fearful. Start Doing If you're feeling fear around AI, that's normal. But you'll stay scared if you don't start using it. Phil's team didn't wait for a perfect moment; they're actively building, testing, and refining AI use across their delivery and ops. The agencies that will win over the next 3-5 years aren't the ones worrying about AI—they're the ones using it to solve bigger problems faster for their clients. Do You Want to Transform Your Agency from a Liability to an Asset? Looking to dig deeper into your agency's potential? Check out our Agency Blueprint. Designed for agency owners like you, our Agency Blueprint helps you uncover growth opportunities, tackle obstacles, and craft a customized blueprint for your agency's success.

Hi, everyone. Here's an audio version of yesterday's post…MWThe big-beautiful-actually-big-ugly bill that passed through Congress and hit the President's desk on July 4th will cause untold damage to our country. Ironically, the pain will be felt most acutely by those who have supported the President most. Many legislators who voted for the 940-page bill have admitted they didn't actually read it, but rather took other people's (namely Trump's) word for it that it didn't, for instance, cut Medicaid - which it decidedly did, and to the tune of a trillion dollars.As if depriving almost 12 million people of their healthcare isn't enough, that's not even the most dastardly thing about this bill. The most dangerous piece of the legislation, one that cuts into the very heart of our Constitutional system, is its expansion of ICE. The 2024 ICE budget was $9.7 Billion; it now will be increased to an annual expenditure of $48 Billion. Over the next four years ICE will receive $170 Billion, making it bigger than most of the militaries of the world. The ICE budget will now be more than the FBI, the ATF (Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearm), the DEA (Drug Enforcement Agency), US Marshalls, and the Bureau of Prisons combined. The bill orders 10,000 new ICE agents, adding to the 20,000 agents already on the streets. The annual budget for detentions now rise from $3.4 billion to $45 billion a year, constituting a 365% increase. While ICE is currently holding around 59,000 detainees - nearly half of whom have no criminal records - the new bill calls for adding 100,000 more. And the power of ICE lies not only in its size. It operates outside of due process and the judicial system, meaning the administration has effectively hired its own private police force to do whatever it is they want it to do. Just as Trump forces have managed to effectively neuter the U.S. Congress and our Supreme Court, with the latest changes to ICE they have effectively neutered the regulatory statutes that protect us from police overreach as well. This is not normal.The President campaigned on getting violent criminals off our streets - a goal no one would argue with - but what's happening now is much bigger than that. The administration is not going after criminals; if that were the case, it wouldn't be pardoning some of the biggest while collar criminals in America. They're not just going for criminals; they're going for numbers. Stephen Miller is demanding 3,000 arrests be made per day, even suggesting ICE agents stand outside Home Depots and see who they can round up. They might target one person, then just pick up whoever is standing near them whether they're on a target list or not. This is not about helping America, it's about reshaping it. E Pluribus Unum - the “Out of many, One” First Principle of the United States - provides for a multi-ethnic, multi-cultural society united by common principles of liberty and justice for all. Yet those principles are considered anathema to the White Nationalists, Christian Nationalists, and techno fascists who are behind all this. Their goal is to shred the Constitution and demolish our democracy; Victor Orban didn't hang out at Mar-a-Lago just for the scones. Between Project 2025, this Big Bad Ugly bill, and a militarized ICE, they're following a specific blueprint for war on our basic institutions.Paul Dans, former director of the Heritage Foundation and one of the authors of Project 2025 , has said it's succeeding “beyond our wildest dreams.”Millions are asking, “My God, how did all this happen?” There are complicated answers to that question, but what should not be underestimated is the role of Trump's propaganda machine. As with Hitler's Nuremberg Rallies, he has mesmerized millions with the performative power of his lies. In both my campaigns for President, I stated often: “Trump has ushered in an age of political theatre, and we will not be going back.”Using the biggest megaphone in the world, Donald Trump gained the power to do the hateful things he is doing by propagating hateful ideas. He then injected them like poison into the veins of our body politic.Remember when he rode down his elevator and announced about Mexico, ‘They're not sending us their best people?” That was the first shot not in a war against Mexico, but in a war against the United States. Now he's gone all the way to suggesting that immigrants have “criminal genes.” This is more than fear-mongering; it's strategy. The biggest mistake we can make is to laugh at anything he says.Without the President's strategy of demonizing our immigrant community, none of this could have occurred. Those who so often said, “Take him seriously, but do not take him literally,” were seriously wrong. He's not just trolling. He says he hates you today, and he comes after you tomorrow.And he's not done. He now calls liberals and progressives “left wing lunatics” and he says Senators who disagree with him are people who “hate their country.” He went so far in fact as to say he hates Democrats. “Don't you?” he asked his audience. He actually said that he “can't stand” us. When a reporter asked a reasonable question about the the Camp Mystic tragedy, the President said that only an “evil person” would ask such a question.What is being perpetrated here is grand plan to transform the United States from a flawed democracy to an authoritarian dictatorship. It's unwise to assume that the forces behind all this have any intention of stopping with immigrants.Yesterday the President said he's “giving serious consideration” to taking away Rosie O'Donnell's citizenship because she's “a Threat to Humanity.” This is something the Constitution does not give the President the authority to do, of course. But Donald Trump has obvious disdain for anything the Constitution says that might limit his power. Already he has called for ICE to go after American citizens, and both Trump and Pam Bondi have called for a plan to denaturalize some who have become American citizens. The fact that an idea is deranged doesn't make it less dangerous. DOGE has worked with ICE to create the federal government's first “national citizenship data bank.”If all of this feels to you profoundly Un-American, it's because it is. If it bothers you, rankles you, and infuriates you, that means you're a patriot. And you are not alone.The good news is that the American people do not like what's going on. In a new Gallup poll, only 35% of Americans approve Trump's immigration policies now, which means that 27% more people disapprove of them. 79% of Americans now say they believe that immigration is good for the country. Even Joe Rogan is now going after the President about this, unhappy at all the innocent people who have been arrested in the ICE raids. But none of this should surprise him; it's not like all of a sudden the President became a pathological liar. None of it is new. The only thing new is that he doesn't even try any more to cover his tracks. From crypto deals to taking bribes from Middle East power brokers to suing media companies to selling his own brand of unisex fragrance, the President's corruption knows no end. He has increased his personal fortune by billions since he was inaugurated in November. At this point, the question isn't “What will he do next?” The most important question is, “What will we do next?”The only thing that can save us now is for the American people to wake up. A spiritual awakening, mocked and derided by America's pseudo-sophisticated political class (you know, the guys who lost to Trump twice) is the most powerful antidote to the forces of hate. If we allow them to, those forces will kidnap more than our bodies; they will kidnap our spirits. But if we're truly dedicated to love, the purveyors of hatred cannot snatch our soul. From there it follows that they cannot snatch our mind, and then they cannot snatch our country.Love does not make us weaker, it makes us stronger. It makes us stronger because it makes us smarter. It restores reason and not the other way around. Evil is the mental energy of love when inverted and turned into something else. Recognizing the existence of evil, the loving mind understands how to prevent it (start by not allowing tens of millions of people to live for years in chronic economic anxiety, lacking health care, economic or educational opportunity) and knows what it takes to override it (provide those things now). It recognizes the anger and despair which people lacking such things feel, making them vulnerable to all manner of societal dysfunction. Disease doesn't start on the level of symptoms; it starts on the level of feeling and thought.And that's where we must counter it. We must meet the forces of hate with the force of our love. Today's “arsenal of democracy” begins in the mind. No one can take away your conscience unless you are willing to surrender it. Do not allow anyone to limit your willingness to love your fellow man.That is not woo woo; it is the salvation of the human race. Totalitarianism is an extreme and perverse consequence of a world in which we've been taught to think that the needs and interests of others should be seen as secondary to our own. It is the opposite of “love thy neighbor as thyself.” Let's not forget Elon Musk told Joe Rogan that “empathy is the biggest weakness in Western civilization.” And damn right that was a Nazi salute. He didn't even deny it; I don't know why anyone else would.Hannah Arendt, premier political philosopher of the 20th Century, said “the death of human empathy is one of the earliest and most telling signs of a culture about to fall into barbarism.” She said that a lack of empathy, as well as a lack of critical thought, could lead people otherwise not inherently evil to acquiesce to atrocities.Arendt said the modern mind's obsession with itself led to what she called the “loss of the world.” We become so self-referential that we stop caring about one another, seeing the notion of a “common good” as some quaint relic of former times. This has disunited the United States, endangering us as a country and weakening the gates to the city. It became inevitable then that barbarians would come in.Hitler himself said this: "They refer to me as an uneducated barbarian. Yes we are barbarians. We want to be barbarians; it is an honored title to us. We shall rejuvenate the world.”So much for “It could never happen here.” In our arrogance, our complacency, our distractedness, and our social and political immaturity we made it way too easy for the barbarians to enter. Now that they are here, they are sacking the city. Latino immigrants are just first on their list.So what do we do now? There are some who are seriously focused on the political externalities of the 2026 and 2028 elections, and well they should be. This will include countering all efforts on the part of the administration to rig or even suppress all upcoming elections. TrumpWorld's forces have already begun with plans to further gerrymander Texas, criminalize the behavior of election officials who don't “safeguard” our elections, and so forth.Traditional political and legal efforts are needed, and they are needed badly. But they alone will not be enough to compensate for the lack of moral clarity that made us vulnerable to all this to begin with. That is what we lost, and what we must regain if we are to defeat fascism in our time.Reclaiming that power is up to each of us. No matter what happens, do not allow yourself to lose your own commitment to the humane treatment of other human beings. Do not let them take from you your own moral compass. Do not pass up any opportunity to speak your truth. Do not compromise and do not surrender to the administration's excuses, much less glorification, of sadism and human cruelty. No, “Alligator Alcatraz” is not funny. It is sick and it is inhumane. It is not hyperbole to call it a modern internment camp, and the savage conditions described by those who have been inside the facility are merciless. What is happening in America today is barbaric.To those who say “Well, this is what we voted for,” I do not believe that. I know good people who voted for Trump, and I don't believe that in their hearts they thought they were voting for human cruelty, or masked goons disappearing people, or any of the trauma or terror that our government is now inflicting on innocent men, women and children.I think many of those who voted for Trump do not know what is actually happening, because many of his voters who I've spoken to, when I show them evidence of certain things, make comments like, “Well that wouldn't be right.” And I've realized that our opponent here is algorithms. Their algorithms are so different than ours - we're not just seeing different content, we're being shown different universes. Greedy, sociopathic elements in our society have fostered those differences. Media and social media giants who could care less about providing an honest, objective presentation of facts, and care only about their already multibillion dollar profits, will one day be looked back on as some of the biggest villians in this story. At the end of all this we will have a Truth and Reconciliation Commission, and it will be a doozy.Others who voted for Trump were simply reacting in anger to a system that had failed them, and had the Democratic party responded to their despair in more fundamental ways - universal health care, a guaranteed living wage, repealing the 2017 tax cut when we had the chance, increasing access to higher education and tech school - the rise of a political strongman would have been far less likely. As it is, the political elite in America chose to ignore every lesson in history and allow this scourge to fester. The Republican party lost its mind over the last few years, but it didn't help that Democrats lost their spine.The institutions we have lived our entire lives thinking would protect us from any enemies of democracy have either fallen, or been deeply compromised. The message of history is now this: “American people: over to you.” I know in my heart we have what it takes to rise to the occasion, to handle this moment, and to save our dying democracy. In the words of Winston Churchill, "Never give in, never, never, never, never—in nothing, great or small, large or petty—never give in except to convictions of honor and good sense.”That's our charge today. This isn't an easy time, in fact it's heartbreaking and infuriating. But dark chapters challenged our ancestors too, and they responded with strength and courage. Now so must we. We are called to be deep and serious and mature and wise, and all those things we were born to be. I have no doubt in my mind that we have it in us. The choice whether to become the people we need to be, in order to do the things we need to do, is up to each of us.It's an inside job. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.transformarticles.com/subscribe

It's natural to want to help a child when you see that they're upset. But sometimes our attempts to soothe their big feelings and calm them down actually makes things worse, leaving us feeling confused and helpless. Ironically, doing less in those situations – not saying much! – actually does more to make the situation better.   In this episode, you'll learn:  What happens when we do and don't try to make our child feel better  How to handle a child who questions why we're not doing more  How this simple strategy sets kids up to be more resilient in the long run --  FREE RESOURCE: How to help someone when they're "in Yuck" (on the Yuck Curve) Join Rachel's Facebook group