Podcasts about ironically

Kenneth Chester

How close are we to human extinction because of AI? Leading AI expert Professor Stuart Russell believes we’re much too close for comfort and has been raising the alarm for a few years. Ironically, Stuart himself wrote the book that laid the foundation for AI research back in the 1990s. And he was the only AI expert Elon Musk’s team called upon during their trial with OpenAI. Stuart joins Oz to discuss what changed his mind about pursuing AI superintelligence and makes the argument that human extinction is being treated as an external liability in favor of shareholders. EXCLUSIVE NordVPN Deal ➼ https://nordvpn.com/techstuff Try it risk-free now with a 30-day money-back guaranteeSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Ironically, lynchings are no longer being carried out by men in hoods and robes. They are being ordered by men in suits and uniforms, cheered on by the media, and carried out by programmed robots that fly over areas and fire at will. On this thought-provoking episode of Ground Zero, Clyde Lewis brings down the gavel on ‘Extrajudicial Executions: Making Murderers Out Of All Of Us‘! The original broadcast was on April 14, 2014.

Elizabeth Warren is at it again. The Massachusetts senator is pushing legislation that should alarm anyone who believes in free markets, private investment, and access to healthcare. Most importantly, it should concern patients. Warren's so-called "Stop Corporate Crimes Against Healthcare Act" is being marketed as a way to protect Americans from corporate abuse. In reality, it threatens private investment and could accelerate hospital closures, particularly in rural communities. The most troubling part of the bill is simple: prison. Warren wants new criminal penalties for healthcare executives and investors based on government determinations about business decisions. The legislation would also allow officials to claw back compensation years after the fact. Think about that. Invest in healthcare and you could become the next political target. That's not accountability. That's intimidation. What's especially troubling is that Warren repeatedly conflates private equity firms with Real Estate Investment Trusts, known as REITs. The two are not the same. Private equity firms buy and manage companies. REITs own real estate. In healthcare, REITs often purchase hospital properties and lease them back to operators. This allows hospitals to unlock capital tied up in real estate and reinvest it into patient care, equipment, technology, and expansion. REITs don't run hospitals. They don't hire doctors. They don't fire nurses. They don't make patient care decisions. They own buildings and provide capital. For decades, this financing model has helped hospitals remain open and expand services. It is widely used throughout the American economy. Yet Warren wants Americans to believe these property owners are responsible for healthcare's problems. The reality is that many hospitals depend on outside investment to survive. If investors believe they could face prison, asset seizures, or political persecution, they will stop investing. Capital dries up. Projects stop. Services disappear. Hospitals close. The communities hit hardest will be rural America. Patients will travel farther for care. Emergency services become less accessible. Healthcare deserts expand. Ironically, the very people Warren claims to be helping could become the biggest victims of her legislation. What Warren ignores is the real crisis facing healthcare. The system is drowning in waste, fraud, abuse, and unsustainable government spending. Billions of taxpayer dollars disappear into bloated bureaucracies every year while politicians promise more benefits and more programs without meaningful reform. Instead of fixing the problems government helped create, Warren is searching for a scapegoat. That scapegoat is private investment. And that should concern every American. Because when politicians start threatening prison for legal business activity, investors leave. When investors leave, hospitals lose access to capital. When capital disappears, services disappear. And when services disappear, patients pay the price. This bill isn't really about protecting patients. It's about expanding government power. Like so many progressive proposals before it, the goal is more regulation, more bureaucracy, and more control concentrated in Washington. The result won't be better healthcare. It will be fewer hospitals, fewer choices, and fewer options for the communities that need healthcare the most. That is why Elizabeth Warren's latest healthcare proposal is so dangerous.SponsorsThe Maverick Systemhttps://TheMaverickSystem.comVRA Insiderhttps://VRAInsider.comPatriot Mobilehttps://www.PatriotMobile.com/GrantThe Wellness Companyhttps://Twc.Health/GrantUse Code: GRANT For 10% OffLost Soldier Oil And Gashttps://www.LostSoldier.comSugarfina Investment Opportunityhttps://invest.sugarfina.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

“If your opening position is: your views are beyond the pale, you are deplorable, there is no space for you in democracy — then how on earth do we expect anything other than revolutionary conservatism as a response?” — Maciej Kisilowski For Americans concerned about the fragility of their democracy, Poland offers some reassuring news. Having experienced its own illiberal blip, democracy in Poland now seems amongst the healthiest in Eastern Europe. So what does a democracy only created in 1989 teach America as the old republic braces for its surreal semiquincentennial celebration? The Vienna-based constitutional scholar Maciej Kisilowski is the author of Let's Agree on Poland: A Case Study in Strategic Constitutional Design. In this bestselling 2025 book, Kisilowski argues that Poland is a map of where other Western democracies could go. If they choose to. Poland elected its first illiberal conservative government in 2005. Hungary followed in 2010. Both explicitly served as models for Donald Trump — relatively tamed in his first term, unshackled in his second. Like the United States, Poland is a relatively rich country with per capita GDP growing an astonishing 650% in a single generation. So, Kisilowski argues, the conventional argument that Poland embraced illiberalism in response to economic hardship is mostly wrong. Instead, what triggered illiberalism in Poland was culture, particularly the compressed, accelerated challenge to traditional identity — national, male, religious — that EU accession triggered in Central Europe. Kisilowski, who teaches at Central European University, might have entitled his book Let's Agree to Disagree. Poland's solution to this cultural crisis of identity is what Kisilowski calls “subsidiarity” — genuine decentralisation that allows both conservative communities to remain traditional and liberal cities to become progressive, all within a common democratic framework. He warns both the left and the right that if you tell people their views are somehow foreign, it's entirely rational for them to want to smash their “foreign” democracy. This is the Polish model of a viable 21st century democracy. Ironically, it's a Madisonian warning about the dangers of faction. The “deplorable” gambit always backfires. Péter Magyar's remarkable victory in Hungary — a staunch conservative ending Orbán's 16-year mafia-style illiberal chapter — offers the Hungarian model of Kisilowski's argument. So this July 4, worried Americans might read Let's Agree on Poland. Or reread James Madison. Five Takeaways •       Central Europe as the Leading Indicator: Poland and Hungary Before Trump: Poland elected its first revolutionary conservative government in 2005 — sixteen years before the January 6 insurrection. Hungary followed in 2010. Both were explicitly cited as models by the architects of Trump's political project. Kisilowski's argument: what happened in Central Europe is not a regional anomaly but a leading indicator of what happens when open society's challenge to traditional identity is concentrated and rapid rather than gradual. The walls of liberal democratic institutions were weaker in Warsaw and Budapest. They will not hold indefinitely in Washington or London either. •       It's Not the Economy, Stupid: The Case Against Materialist Explanations: Poland and Hungary are economic opposites. Hungary was the “happiest barrack” of the Soviet bloc but fared poorly after 1989. Poland was among the poorer countries of the bloc and grew 650% in per capita GDP in one generation, with a Gini coefficient below France's. Same revolutionary conservative politics. Opposite economic trajectories. Kisilowski's conclusion: the materialist explanation — people turn right because of economic hardship — is flatly wrong. The driver is identity: the compressed, accelerated challenge to national, male, and religious identity imposed by EU accession conditionality in a decade. •       The Deplorable Problem: Why Exclusion Rationally Produces Authoritarianism: Kisilowski's most politically pointed argument: if your opening position to conservatives is that their views are beyond the pale, they are deplorable, there is no space for them in democracy — then it is entirely rational for them to break democracy. Not irrational. Not manipulated. Rational. If there is no space for me inside the system, I must break the system. That is what revolutionary conservatism is: a rational response to liberal exclusion. The solution is not to validate the views. The solution is to demonstrate that there is a place for those people and their communities within a democratic framework. That is the Madisonian insight. •       Subsidiarity as the Solution: Conservative Communities, Liberal Cities, Common Framework: Kisilowski's constitutional proposal, worked out with co-authors from the full ideological spectrum, is subsidiarity: genuine decentralization that allows conservative rural communities to be conservative and liberal cities to be liberal, within a common democratic framework. Budapest, in Magyar's Hungary, should get strong autonomy to pursue the more liberal policies its electorate wants. Warsaw and Kraków should be able to differ. The European Union is, in this reading, the model: different countries, different cultures, one framework. The alternative is winner-takes-all, which always produces a revolutionary reaction from the losers. •       Peter Magyar and Hungary: Proof of Concept for the Compromise Strategy: Magyar's extraordinary victory in Hungary — winning a constitutional majority against a 16-year right-wing regime rightly called a mafia state, in elections skewed heavily toward the government — is, in Kisilowski's reading, direct evidence that the compromise strategy works. Magyar is a staunch conservative and former member of the Orbán government. He won because he demonstrated to far-right voters that there was a place for them and their views within democratic Europe. The 2 million liberal Budapest voters who voted for him did so not because they like his conservatism but because he was unquestionably preferable to Orbán. Kisilowski made sure Magyar got the book. About the Guest Maciej Kisilowski is Associate Professor of Law and Strategy at Central European University (CEU) in Vienna. He is co-editor (with Anna Wojciuk) of Let's Agree on Poland: A Case Study in Strategic Constitutional Design (Oxford University Press, 2025). He is a Europe's Futures Fellow at the Institute for Human Sciences (IWM) in Vienna and a visiting fellow at Harvard Law School. He writes frequently for Project Syndicate, Politico, and The EU Observer. References: •       Let's Agree on Poland: A Case Study in Strategic Constitutional Design by Maciej Kisilowski and Anna Wojciuk (Oxford University Press, 202...

Tuesday, 23 June 2026   A summary of Matthew Chapter 20.   Chapter 17 revealed that there is a future for Israel in God's redemptive plans. The main message of Chapter 18 was that childlike faith is required to enter into the kingdom. The final parable, that of the wicked servant, dealt with Israel's rejection of Christ's fulfillment of the law, showing that they would be delivered up until they entered the New Covenant. Chapter 19 took the reader through various topics to reveal what God prioritizes. The contrasts between law and faith were seen throughout the chapter.   Chapter 20 began with a parable based on Peter's question that came toward the end of Chapter 19, “See, we have left all and followed You. Therefore what shall we have?” (Matthew 19:27). Jesus mentioned what would happen in the regeneration, meaning during the millennium, when the Son of Man would sit on the throne of His glory along with those who would sit judging the twelve tribes of Israel. The chapter closed out with Jesus' words of verse 30, “But many who are first will be last and the last first.”   That is what precipitated the parable of the workers in the field. Those who came last during the dispensation of the law would be the first to enter into the New Covenant, receiving grace, while those throughout the dispensation of the law had to labor.   Immediately after that parable, it noted that Jesus was going up to Jerusalem (Foundation of Peace). He took His twelve disciples aside to tell them about His coming passion. The place known as the Foundation of Peace would be where peace is realized through Christ's accomplishment of His work.   Immediately following those three verses, it noted that the mother of Zebedee's sons came to Him. Rather than their names being stated, it called them “Zebedee's sons”. Zebedee is from the Hebrew Zebadyah (translated as Zebadiah). That is from zabad to confer or bestow, and the shortened form of Yehovah, Yah. The name means Yah Has Bestowed (Given).   Their mother's request was that Jesus would grant that her two sons would sit at Jesus' left and right in His kingdom. Ironically, she was asking the Lord incarnate to bestow upon Zebedee's (Yah Has Bestowed) sons what she requested. His answer was that it was not His to give. Instead, it was for those whom His Father had prepared.   As noted at the time, this does not mean that Jesus isn't God, but that His humanity had to complete His mission before the Father, through Him, could make such a grant. That discourse ended with the words, “just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many” (Matthew 20:28).   The punning continued with that statement because Jesus is the fulfillment of the name Yah Has Bestowed. Despite this truth, there is an order and a propriety in all things pertaining to God. Each step in the redemptive process must be completed before the next step can be taken or before the next allowance can come to pass.   With that matter settled, the final section concerning the blind men was given. That began with, “Now as they went out of Jericho.” Jericho is Place of Fragrance. Typologically, it signifies the surety of heaven. Matthew, unlike Mark and Luke, notes that there were two blind men sitting by the road. Two is the number of division or difference. Whereas one precludes the thought of another, two signifies that there is another.   As this occurred while Jesus was going out of Jericho on His way to Jerusalem, it can be deduced that this refers to the surety of heaven (Jericho) for those who follow Christ to where He establishes peace (Jerusalem). Their cry was to the “Lord, Son of David.” They have recognized Him as the fulfillment of the messianic promises. Because there are two in Matthew's gospel, the number of division and difference, it can be assumed that this typologically refers to Jews and Gentiles who were previously blind, but who come to the realization that Jesus is the Christ.   They have heard the word that Jesus is passing, they have asked for their sight to be restored, and He touched their eyes, and they were restored. With that accomplished, it says that they followed Him. It is thus an anticipatory note of salvation by grace through faith based on the completed work of Christ. With that complete, the surety of heaven is realized.   The physical blindness is used as a picture of the spiritual blindness that infects all humanity and which is corrected by faith in the completed work of Jesus.   Life application: Chapter 20 is a chapter filled with hints of the transition from the dispensation of the law to the dispensation of grace. It deals with order and propriety concerning each step of the redemptive process to ensure that nothing is dealt with until the previous steps are completed.   The words from Jesus to the sons of Zebedee about being great in the kingdom show that greatness in God's redemptive process is not based on ruling over others, but rather serving others, Jesus being the example par excellence of that concept. He is the quintessential Servant to humanity, having given His life as a ransom for many.   To procure the blessings of heaven, God has made faith in what He has done the necessary condition. Nothing more can be added to it, and without meeting that one condition, there is no chance of obtaining access. These are the precious details of this wonderful chapter of Matthew.   Lord God, thank You for the incredible details that are tucked away in Your word. We are the recipients of Your wisdom and favor when we pick it up, read it, and consider its contents. Thank You for the innumerable mysteries You have allowed us to see within it. Thank You for this precious word that tells us of our wonderful Savior, Jesus. Amen.   Matthew 20   20 Like, for, it is the ‘kingdom, the heavens': man, housemaster, who he exited concurrently early to hire toilers into ‘vineyard, his'. 2Having also harmonized with the toilers from ‘denarius, the day,' he sent them into the ‘vineyard, his'. 3And having exited about the third hour, he saw others having stood in the market, inactive. 4And to them, he said, “You go, also you, into the vineyard, and whatever if it should be righteous, I will give you.” And these, they departed. 5Again, having exited around ‘sixth and ninth hour', he did likewise. 6Around, also, the eleventh hour, having exited, he found others having stood inactive. And he says to them, “Why, here, you ‘having stood all the day' inactive?” 7They say to him, “Because no one, us, he hired.” He says to them, “You go, also you, into the vineyard, and the ‘if it should be righteous', you will take.”   8Evening, also, having become, he says, the ‘lord, the vineyard' to ‘commissioner, his', ‘You call the toilers, and you pay them the reward, having commenced from the last unto the first.' 9Having come, also, those about the eleventh hour, they took each – denarius. 10Having come, also, the first, they deemed that more, they will take, and they took, also themselves, each – denarius. 11Having taken, also, they grumbled against the housemaster. 12Saying that “These, the last, one hour they made, and equal, them, to us, you made those who were bearing the burden of the day and the blaze.” 13The ‘also answering one of them', he said, ‘Scammer! Not I wrong you! Not for a denarius, you harmonized me? 14You bear the ‘yours', and you go! I will, also, this: the last to give as also you. 15Or not it permits me, what I will to do in ‘these, mine'? Or the ‘eye, you' evil, it is, because I – good, I am? 16Thus, they will be the last, first, and the first, last. Many, then, they are called; few, also, selected.'   17And ascending, the ‘Jesus to Jerusalem', He took twelve disciples apart alone, and in the road, He said to them, 18You behold! We ascend to Jerusalem, and the ‘Son, the Man', He will be surrendered to the chief priests and scribes, and they will sentence Him – death, 19and they will surrender Him to the Gentiles unto the ‘mock, and flog, and crucify', and the third day, He will rise up.   20Then she approached Him, the mother – the ‘sons, Zebedee', with the ‘sons, hers', worshipping and asking something from Him.   21The ‘Also He said' to her, “What do you desire?”   She says to Him, “You said that they might sit, these, the ‘two sons of mine,' one from ‘rights, You', and one from ‘lefts, You', in the ‘kingdom, Yours'.”   22Answering, also, Jesus, He said, “Not you have known what you ask! Are you able to drink the cup, the ‘I, I am about to drink,' or the immersion, the ‘I, I am immersed' to be immersed?”   They say to Him, “We are able.”   23And He says to them, ‘The ‘indeed, ‘cup, Mine',' you will drink, and the immersion, the ‘I, I am immersed' you will be immersed. The, also, to sit from ‘rights, Me', and from ‘lefts, Me', not it is Mine – these to give, but those it has been prepared under the ‘Father, Mine'.'   24And having heard, the ten, they outraged about the two brothers. 25The ‘also Jesus having summoned them', He said, “You have known that the ‘rulers, the nations' they subjugate them, and the greats, they dominate them.” 26Not thus, also, it will be in you, but whoever if he wills in you to ‘great, become', let him be your attendant. 27And whoever, if he wills in you to be first, let him be your slave. 28Just as the ‘Son, the Man', not He came to be attended to but to attend, and give the ‘soul, His' – ransom for many.   29And they, proceeding from Jericho, it followed Him, ‘crowd, great'. 30And you behold! Two ‘blind' sitting beside the road, having heard that Jesus, He passes, they croaked, saying, ‘You compassionate us, Lord, ‘Son, David'!'   31The ‘also crowd', it admonished them that they should mute. The ‘also greater they croaked', saying, “You compassionate us, Lord, ‘Son, David'!”   32And having stood, Jesus, He vocalized to them, and He said, ‘What you ‘will' I should do to you?'   33They say to Him, ‘Lord, that they might be opened the ‘eyes, ours'.' 34Having gut-wrenched, also Jesus, He touched the ‘eyes, theirs', and immediately they up-looked, their ‘the eyes', and they followed Him.  

Paul does not stop with holydissatisfaction. He moves immediately to holy determination. Listen tothe rest of verse 12: “But I press on, that I may lay hold of that for whichChrist Jesus has also laid hold of me”.  Inother words, Paul says, "I haven't arrived, but I am pursuing. Ihaven't reached the finish line, but I am still running." There is atremendous difference between being dissatisfied and being discouraged. Somepeople look at their spiritual weaknesses and simply give up. Paul looked athis weaknesses and became more determined than ever to keep growing. Thephrase, “I press on,” is a strong word. It is the same word often translated"pursue" or even "follow after." Ironically, it was thesame word Paul used earlier when he described how he once persecuted thechurch. Before his conversion, Paul pursued Christians with relentless zeal.Now he pursues Christ with that same passion and intensity. What atransformation! The energy that once opposed Christ now serves Christ.                                                                                                                                                                        Thisreminds us that Christianity is not passive. We are not called merely to sitand drift through life. We are called to pursue Christ. The writer of Hebrewssaid: “Let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, lookingunto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith” (Hebrews 12:1-2). Noticethat Paul did not say, “I am waiting around.” He said, “that I may lay hold”.The Christian life is often compared to a race. A runner does not reach thefinish line accidentally. He runs intentionally. He trains. He disciplineshimself. He keeps moving forward even when he is tired. Paul understood thatspiritual growth requires effort. Not effort to earn salvation, but effortbecause we are saved. In Philippians 2:12-13, Paul wrote: “Work out your ownsalvation with fear and trembling; for it is God who works in you both to willand to do for His good pleasure.” God works in us, and we cooperate withHis work by pursuing Him wholeheartedly. ThenPaul gives the reason for his pursuit: “that I may lay hold of that forwhich Christ Jesus has also laid hold of me...” The word “lay hold of”means to seize, grasp, to apprehend, or make one's own. Paul is saying, “Iwant to lay hold of the very purpose for which Christ laid hold of me.” Thinkback to the Damascus Road. Paul was traveling to persecute believers whensuddenly the risen Christ stopped him in his tracks. Jesus literally seizedPaul's life and changed his direction forever. Paul never forgot that day. Heknew Christ had saved him for a purpose. He knew Christ had not rescued himmerely to take him to heaven someday. Christ had a plan for his life here andnow. Thesame is true for every believer. God did not save us simply to forgive oursins. He saved us so that we might know Him, serve Him, glorify Him, and becomelike His Son. Romans 8:29 tells us: “For whom He foreknew, He alsopredestined to be conformed to the image of His Son.” God's goal for everyChristian is Christlikeness. Paul knew he had not yet fully become what Godintended him to be. Therefore, he kept pressing on.  Perhapstoday you feel frustrated by your spiritual progress. Maybe you see habits thatstill need to change. Maybe you struggle with the same temptations you'vebattled for years.  The question is not whether you havearrived. The question is whether you are still pressing on. Are you growing inyour knowledge of God's Word? Are you becoming more like Christ? Are youpursuing Him more today than you were a year ago? The Christian who stopsgrowing soon begins drifting. The Christian who keeps pursuing Christ continuesexperiencing His transforming power. Remember, the goal is not simply to knowabout Christ. The goal is to know Christ Himself.

Kenneth Chester

Kenneth Chester

What Would You “Wish” For? by Autumn Dickson Solomon, David's son, has become king. Very early on in his reign, Solomon has a dream in which the Lord appears to him. 1 Kings 3:5 In Gibeon the Lord appeared to Solomon in a dream by night: and God said, Ask what I shall give thee. This is a really incredible experience as Solomon is stepping into his kingship; the Lord appears and offers to grant a prayer to Solomon. Solomon asks for wisdom and discernment in judging his people. The Lord is pleased with what Solomon asked for especially since Solomon could have asked for more selfish things such as riches, long life, or the defeat of his enemies. Solomon does none of this; he wants wisdom. For a moment, I asked myself what I would ask for. It turned into quite the exercise as I pondered what I really wanted. Going through this experience taught me a couple of principles. Principle one: No dream required. I began thinking of all the things that would bless my life the most. I thought of a grateful heart, seeing people clearly, or or to see His hand moving in my life. I thought of spiritual protection for my kids. I tried to think of which spiritual gift would be the most effective for my own life. It suddenly occurred to me that I didn't have to wait for a dream from the Lord in order to ask for things, and I didn't have to pick just one gift. I could ask for all of them. That's my first principle. The Lord answers prayers regardless of whether He came to us in a dream and agreed to answer a prayer. What would you ask for? What do you ask for? What will you ask for now? Ironically, I haven't prayed for any of those things in a long time. I don't think my prayers have been bad by any means, but I thought so hard about what I really wanted from the Lord and realized that those values had gotten buried by the day-to-day. Principle two. It is powerful to have your heart reflected back to you. The normal pathway for prayers and answers goes like this: We are encouraged by prophets and scripture to pray to the Lord, and He answers according to His wisdom. The pathway for Solomon in this specific experience: The Lord appears directly to Solomon and essentially offers a wish. So here are the differences: The Lord appears directly instead of going through a prophet. He basically offers a wish which is highly unusual (at least in my experience). The experience that Solomon had was very different than normal. Why? The Lord is intentional so why did He make this particular choice with Solomon? Both of these differences combined to make a special thing happen. Whether this was the Lord's intentional purpose is a question that only He can answer. However, one of the side effects was that Solomon had his heart reflected back to him. Let's talk about both differences. Difference 1: He appeared directly. The Lord does not often appear when we have sufficient for what we need. For example, He doesn't always answer “yes” to everything we ask Him about; sometimes He simply refrains from saying “no.” In my experience, He directly interferes only as necessary. Obviously, He is very involved in our lives and manipulates the details in our favor. I'm talking about when His actions would affect our faith. So the Lord is taking care of me behind the scenes and influencing things to help me out, but He's not appearing in a manner where I can have a very clear conversation with Him. And there are reasons for this. Later in life, Solomon turns towards worshiping other gods, influenced by his many foreign wives. I wonder how much more intense Solomon's betrayal was because Solomon had this dream from the Lord directly. The Lord is very involved in our life, but He also keeps direct interference to a minimum in order to protect our faith. And yet, despite the fact that the Lord could have allowed Solomon to simply pray without receiving a dream, the Lord chose to come to Solomon to ask and offer. This extremely direct experience opened up Solomon's heart in a way that normal prayer doesn't always achieve. Perhaps ideally, normal prayer would achieve this, but I'm not sure that it often does. If the Lord came to you, I have a feeling you would be much more intentional in comparison to praying in faith. As least, I would be more intentional…and because it forces intention, you get to see what really matters to you. It reflects your heart back to you. Difference 2: He offers a wish. If you knew you had the opportunity to ask the Lord for something that He had offered to grant, it changes how you approach what you're asking. The Lord has already offered to answer prayers, but this is different. He offers to directly answer one prayer. It's almost like He offered to give Solomon a wish. When I approach normal prayer, I am very open and talk through things and ask for little things. I'm not always perfectly focused. I ask for a lot of things. When I was thinking about what my request would have been, I suddenly got extremely intentional and this wasn't even my experience! This didn't even happen to me, but all of a sudden I was way more concerned about what I was asking for. It gave me an opportunity to reflect on what really mattered to me. What are my values? What do I really want? It's interesting because the Lord already knows our hearts. While mankind looks on the outside, the Lord looketh on the heart. So this wasn't about the Lord trying to figure out Solomon's heart. One of the effects was that Solomon was able to take a good look at his heart as he ascended the throne where he would have power and responsibility. Not only do we pray more intentionally, it also pushes us to live more intentionally. How did Solomon feel when he approached that throne to govern his people? How did this experience change how he approached that throne? I have not stepped onto a throne recently. I have not received a dream or a wish, but even my less-intense experience of pondering what I would ask for has changed my prayers. And in turn, as I pray for help with specific gifts, I'm more intentional as I approach experiences that call upon those gifts. I testify that the Lord is intentional. I testify that He already knows our hearts. I testify that He is very involved in our lives and acts with purpose. If we can learn to act with purpose as He does, we start to change more readily. Our lives become much more available to Him. Autumn Dickson was born and raised in a small town in Texas. She served a mission in the Indianapolis Indiana mission. She studied elementary education but has found a particular passion in teaching the gospel. Her desire for her content is to inspire people to feel confident, peaceful, and joyful about their relationship with Jesus Christ and to allow that relationship to touch every aspect of their lives. Autumn was the recipient of FAIR's 2024 John Taylor Defender of the Faith Award. The post Come, Follow Me with FAIR – 2 Samuel 11–12; 1 Kings 3; 6–9; 11 – Part 1 – Autumn Dickson appeared first on FAIR.

Kenneth Chester

Welcome to the Future. We are now past the Information Age. Not only because mis-information has taken over, but also because we have been surpassed. It was fun living in the Now, but we can no longer keep up. Language-Learning Artificial Slop is the new reality and make-believe productivity is moving faster than we can blink; yet meanwhile, our lives are a hectic chaos of never-ending tasks and catching-up to yesterday’s To-Do list. Ironically, incrementally handing our society over to the machines has left us more frantically burdened than before. When did we lose the future of flying cars for this future of Slack tasks? Pencil yourself in with Mat and Veronique as we skip lunch, breaks, and blinking in order to still fall behind on our Time Management! *Grumbles are specifically off-the-cuff, no research went into this grumble. _____________________________________ Support the show and become a Grumble Kid! Patreon.com/GrumbleGoatJoin the adventure in Mat’s novel!!! Amazon | Audible _____________________________________ For more information or to share: GrumbleGoatPodcast.comGrumble Goat on Instagram | Facebook | TikTokFollow your hosts: Mat | Veronique The post Time Management appeared first on Mat Labotka.

Kenneth Chester

Kenneth Chester

Kenneth Chester

There are passages in St. Isaac that seem less like theology and more like glimpses through an opened door into the Kingdom. These words are among them. He speaks of a table around which those who fast, keep vigil, and labor in the Lord gather. Yet he is not describing merely an ascetical fellowship or a pious community of like-minded people. Something infinitely greater is taking place. The Beloved Himself reclines in their midst. The angels overshadow them. The bitterness of their struggles is transformed into ineffable sweetness. Earth and Heaven become one. How impoverished our understanding of communion often is. We think of fellowship as friendship, conversation, common interests, or shared projects. St. Isaac speaks of something far more profound. Communion arises when hearts are turned together toward God. It is born of a shared hunger. It comes into being when men and women desire the Lord above all things and seek Him with simplicity of heart. Such souls begin, as it were, to breathe the same air. The desert fathers understood this deeply. The bond between them was not built primarily upon personality or affinity. They recognized in one another a common thirst for God. Their love arose from seeing another soul struggling toward the same Kingdom, carrying the same burden, shedding the same tears, and longing for the same Face. This is why the company of the saints becomes so sweet. One can sit in silence with such souls and experience a communion deeper than many conversations. One can eat their frugal bread and feel nourished. One can hear a few simple words from their lips and depart inwardly changed. Their very presence becomes sacramental because their hearts have become places of divine habitation. Indeed, St. Isaac dares to say that their table is sweeter than musk and precious perfumes. Why? Because Christ Himself is there. Perhaps many of us have tasted something of this together as fellow pilgrims sitting at the feet of the fathers. Though separated by thousands of miles and unknown to one another in ordinary ways, there has emerged a real communion among us. We have breathed the same air. We have sat before the same elders. We have listened to the same words of Abba Isaac, Abba Arsenius, and the great company of witnesses. We have found ourselves drawn toward the same beauty and compelled toward the same repentance. This communion cannot be explained by sociology or common interests. It is born from a shared turning toward God. And this is why our reading of the fathers must never become merely informational. One can know every saying of the desert and remain untouched. One can quote Isaac and remain hard of heart. One can speak eloquently about prayer while never having prayed. The fathers are not information to be mastered. They are witnesses before whom we sit as children. We come to them as disciples. We come to them docile and teachable. We suspend judgment and lay aside the need to be experts. We allow ourselves to be questioned, exposed, and gradually transformed by what we hear. We sit quietly before these saints because they themselves are sitting quietly before Christ. This is where communion is born. As the heart is purified, our vision changes. We begin to perceive the image and likeness of Christ in one another with greater clarity. The other person ceases to be a rival, an annoyance, or merely a personality to be managed. He becomes mystery. She becomes icon. Every human being becomes one for whom Christ died and one in whom the hidden beauty of God waits to be revealed. This is the reality we must foster in our homes, our monasteries, our parishes, and our friendships. Not mere association. Not the exchange of religious information. Not even activity done in God's name. Rather, we must cultivate together a common hunger for God. For where men and women gather with hearts turned toward Him, desiring Him above all things, the Beloved still reclines in their midst. The angels still draw near. The waters of life still well up from within. And those who have learned to breathe the same air already begin, even now, to partake of the life of the Kingdom. --- Text of chat during the group: 00:02:05 Fr. Charbel Abernethy: https://www.philokaliaministries.org/post/nazareth-and-the-hidden-life 00:02:27 Fr. Charbel Abernethy: Page 207 paragraph 14 00:19:39 Bob Čihák, AZ: P. 207, #14, third paragraph on page 00:32:29 John ‘Jack': I have/had a dear freind who has a great love of cinema, action movies in particular, I had to tell him at one point that I found all the violence disheartening, he understood, we no longer share much time in common, as he is my former pastor 00:33:27 John ‘Jack': It was the superhero movies

Yes!  You are in!  Ask anyone if they are religious and the odds are they will say no.  Ask them to see their phone/screen and the algorithms will definitely tells us where each person is religious.  Big data knows exactly where you are religious.  Intrigued, stick around as we dive deeper on algorithms...Thank you again for clicking and listening, reflecting and sharing when worthy.  Ironically, we may be part of your algorithm.  Odds are you are listnting to this because you are open minded, like to get real, pursue truth...what works in life and what doesn't.  Either that or someone that fits that profile shared this with you.  Regardless, thanks again for listening in.Avid listener, you know I like finding inspiration from unlikely spots.  I love it when secular points to spiritual and deeper thinking.  And the unlikely source this round is NPR.  Yep, they get full credit.  Link to the article that inspired this in the show description.  Shout out to reporter/author Scott Neuman.  Excellent job!https://www.npr.org/2026/06/11/nx-s1-5848013/algorithm-word-week-etymologyAn algorithm is a set of instructions.  So maybe a better way to look at it is Big Data has algorithms on how to measure you vs. Big Data having it's own algorthithm for you.  Does that make sense?  In other words, they use the same algorithm to measure all of us.  It's the data report that tell them who you are.  For example, if Casey clicks on Francis Chan, the algorithm says feed more Francis Chan and others like him.  Part of the algorithm also says x% also like this or buy that if they like _________.  Side note, I'm working on a video that we are all religious.  All of us.  Even atheists.  That can be a common question.  Are you religious?  We all are. Show me your phone and I'll show you where your religious.  For some of you, your church is your screen.  Matt 22: 36-40Is that the outcome of the algorithms that track you?  AI, finally, some can finally comprehend that there is something much smarter than you.  That can track you.  Ending on a prayer note:  Thank you God for math.  

In today's episode we continue honoring Idaho Wine Month with Cinder winemaker, Melanie Krause, tasting through four of her wines. Ironically enough, these four wines are now available at Seasons of Coeur d'Alene! Melanie is as amazing as her wines are and we're so excited to shine a spotlight on these wines! #HappyFriday! #ItsWineTime! #Cheersing Sign up to get Shelley's 2027 planner release notification by visiting https://herbestyearspress.com/passwordWines this episode:2024 Laissez Faire Rosé of Tempranillo ($23 at the winery)2024 Laissez Faire Proprietary White ($22 at the winery)2025 Cinder Dry Viognier ($29 at the winery)2023 Cinder Syrah ($43 at the winery)A HUGE thanks to our sponsors: Eternal Wine and Seasons of Coeur d'Alene!Eternal Wine: Are you a Rhone Ranger or just really love Syrah? Then you need to check out Eternal Wine! Their focus is on single vineyard Rhone valley wines in Washington State. Also check out their Drink Washington State brand of approachable wines! Visit https://eternalwine.com for more information or simply call 509-240-6258. Eternal Wine: Drink Wine, Be Happy.*Check out The (Almost) Tragic Story of Carménère by Eternal Wine by visiting https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ucKOK6oRKVsSeasons of Coeur d'Alene: Experience the best of Coeur d'Alene's culinary scene at Seasons, where farm-to-table cuisine meets elegant ambiance. Don't miss their Wine Down Wednesday where all bottled wines are 50% off! Visit https://www.seasonsofcda.com/ for more information or call 208-664-8008 Visit HERE for all the information for the big weekend at Seasons!The Pilgrim's Market Wine Words of the Week - Phenolic ripenessPhenolic ripeness refers to the stage of maturity in grapes where the tannins in the skins, seeds, and stems have softened and developed, transitioning from harsh or bitter to smooth and well-integrated, which is essential for creating balanced, structured wines.Check out Pilgrim's Market for an expansive selection of fine wines with wine club prices EVERY day, weekly complimentary tastings and just up the street from CDA Gourmet! Visit pilgrimsmarket.com or call 208-676-9730!Mentions: Brand Binko, Polka Dot Power House, Please visit the The USA 250th Tribute Collection page on the Philsosophy website and order your 250th Birthday Wine Bell and/or 250th Anniversary Patriotic Pour shirts!Some wines we've enjoyed this week: Villa Antinori Toscana Bianco, K Vintners The Deal Syrah, Browne Family Vineyards Chardonnay, Ackerman Family Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon, Will Pinot Noir and Thesis Chardonnay.Please find us on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/WineTimeFridays), Twitter (@VintageTweets), Instagram (@WineTimeFridays) on our YouTube Channel, https://www.youtube.com/@winetimefridays and on Threads, which is @winetimefridays. You can also “Follow” Phil on Vivino. His profile name is Phil Anderson and will probably “Follow” you back! Wine Time Fridays Rating System: Phenomenal 

As a small child, Ike Eisenmann manifested his dream of being a Disney performer when he landed the lead in Escape To Witch Mountain and became the top child star of the ‘70s. But the joy and pride of appearing in Gunsmoke, Kung Fu, Mannix, Emergency, and Little House On The Prairie was shadowed by the abusively cruel insults hurled at him by his jealous and mentally ill actor father. Ike titled his new book after his father's mantra: “You'll Never Be A Star.”Ironically, Ike had no interest in being a star. He wanted to take part. And that he did, working with Eddie Albert, Bette Davis, George C. Scott, William Shatner, Roddy McDowall, Beau Bridges, Kim Richards and so many more gifted artists. Ike prided himself on being a one-take-wonder, often doing his own stunts, leaping through the sky, attached to wires, to snag a home run in Escape From Witch Mountain, sword fighting in The Bastard and horseback riding in Kit Carson And The Mountain Men. Ike's fantastic stories invite so many questions. Was Shatner method acting when he would strut around the set like a newly promoted Rear Admiral giving line readings to Ike? How did Ike, as a teenager, recognize the early promise of Kirstie Alley, Sam Kinison and Alfre Woodard and why was Kim Richards secretly kicking and jabbing Ike right in the middle of takes on Witch Mountain!? We cover so much, you'll listen twice!Current Media Recommendations: Lisa - Hello, My Name Is Doris - Free on Tubi Weezy - Every Year After on PrimePath Points of Interest:Hello, My Name is Doris TrailerEvery Year After on PrimeEvery Summer After by Carley FortuneYou'll Never Be A Star by Ike EisenmannIke Eisenmann on FacebookIke Eisenmann on Instagram

https://raydeptulaauthor.com In Can't Find My Way Home, former U.S. Naval Officer Ray Deptula > uses the actual timeline of Revolutionary War events to guide British > deserter Jack Halliday and an enslaved man named Custis through the > brutal winter of 1780-81, the catastrophic Battle of Camden and the > violent chaos of the American South. The result is a riveting, > historically grounded story of survival, political division and moral > obligation that feels strikingly relevant today. > > Please refer to the press release below for additional information, > and let me know if you would like to see a copy of Can't Find My Way > Home for interview and/or review purposes. > > FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE > > Can't Find My Way Home Recreates the Chaos and Human Cost of the > American Revolution > > MERRITT ISLAND, Fla., May 29, 2026 — The American Revolution is > often remembered through its ideals. Former U.S. Naval Officer Ray > Deptula wants readers to experience it through its uncertainty, > exhaustion and human cost — the same way they would any other > conflict. > > “Ironically, the British experience in the American Revolution was > strikingly similar to our own in Vietnam and even more recently in > Afghanistan, where a superpower took on a woefully inferior foe and > where expectation and actions of the government, the military and the > people were not necessarily aligned,” Deptula said. > > In Can't Find My Way Home, the second installment in his Those > Damned Yankees series, Deptula combines meticulous historical research > with emotionally charged storytelling to recreate the Revolutionary > War as it was lived by ordinary people caught inside extraordinary > events. > > Rather than using history as a backdrop, Deptula immerses readers in > the actual sequence of Revolutionary War battles, troop movements and > political upheaval that shaped America's founding, all the while > tracing the story of a common soldier embroiled in, and at the mercy > of, a chaos that challenges his ability to survive. > > “If history has taught us anything, it is that times may change, but > human nature does not,” Deptula said. “The competing interests and > political tensions of the formation of our country were no more or > less dysfunctional than they are today, with the best and worst of > individual behavior continually on display.” > > In Can't Find My Way Home, Deptula follows Jack Halliday, who has > deserted the British Army during the Battle of Monmouth after killing > his drunken commanding officer in self-defense. He finds refuge with a > wealthy landowner in Annapolis, who offers Jack > > the hand of his daughter if he will serve as a surrogate in the > Continental Army, along with the slave, Custis. Jack and Custis endure > the harsh winter of 1780-81 at Washington's army encampment in New > Jersey. When spring arrives, they are swept into the Battle of Camden, > where the Continental forces are decimated by the British, and along > with it, the American hopes of ridding the southern provinces of > Britain's new and dangerous foothold. > > Separated from their army and lost in the volatile South, the unlikely > pair must survive together in a world where trust is scarce, and > Custis' value as property continually tests Jack's moral compass. > > “Service in the military is enduring in that the motivation to > withstand hardships comes not from political ideology but rather the > love of your comrades,” Deptula said. “Can't Find My Way Home > deals primarily with the relationship between Jack and the slave, > Custis, to whom Jack feels a moral obligation to protect for no other > reason than he is Jack's friend.” > > With precision and perspective, Deptula taps into timeless concepts > such as human nature and moral survival, offering a powerful reminder > that yesterday's conflicts continue to shape today's world — and > that history seems destined to repeat itself.

In the wake of burnout, Tuula Ahde found herself unable to move through the world as she previously had. And she got busy looking for ways to unfreeze. Ironically, it was ice that gave her a route back home. She found herself instinctively drawn to photography, particularly macro-photography, which zoomed in on the mysterious details of her world’s enforced smallness. She photographed flowers, fungi, and whatever else she found around her, discovering that the act of taking photographs brought her closer to herself and to the often-overlooked details of her surroundings. Then, in 2016, the weather suddenly turned cold and stormy winds brought a crystal clarity to the lake by her cottage in Finland. She describes it as looking like a crazed glassblower had stormed through the landscape, freezing it into an unimaginable art exhibition. And that was it. She spent hours in the darkness, photographing the ice, desperate to capture as many images as possible before the snow buried the glassblower’s gallery. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qOI1oN5gGK8 Some threads that emerged from our Kota conversation: In this episode of The Gentle Rebel Podcast, I share a few snippets from a conversation we had in The Haven over the weekend, after we watched a video Tuula and I created about her accidental journey into creativity through ice photography. As we begin our Photoyoga summer, the conversation offers a glimpse into the philosophy that sits beneath it. The course uses photography in an unconventional way, helping us notice more of what is happening around, within, and between us. Creativity Begins with Attention Creativity starts small and close in. It is about noticing what catches our attention, where we are, and capturing it with any means. Photos contain more than what we see. Macro-photography is an even more stark way to notice what is going on within and around us. Ice photos take us to different realms, into and through which we can travel. Even when our physical movement is restricted. Creativity Welcomes Mystery Ten people might look at the same image and see completely different things. It’s not about who is correct. It’s about having the courage and confidence to tolerate and embrace differences rather than trying to convince them that your perspective is the right one. Raven by Tuula Ahde (what do you see?) Art gives us the gift of mystery (something that can never be fully and completely contained, grasped, or known). However, we often engage with it as a source of secrecy (a single meaning that is withheld from you until it’s revealed). Creativity Changes Us as We Create There is symbolic and metaphorical power in the act of creating (and contradictions can be playful and fun). For example, the longer Tuula stays in the cold, shooting photos and turning blue, the more unfrozen her mind and feelings become. Creativity is not about the outcome. The process may sometimes feel like an obstacle standing between us and the finished thing. But it is also the source of whatever life that product contains. Perhaps this is why shortcut tools that focus entirely on generating results can leave us feeling strangely disconnected from them. Photoyoga is an iterative form of change. It doesn’t begin with a destination or a carefully defined goal. One photo leads to another. Over time, a gallery emerges, becoming a record of the journey itself. Technical skills, equipment, and expertise can all develop along the way, but none of them are prerequisites. They tend to grow naturally through curiosity, experimentation, and the desire to explore further. When we build our lives on deep foundations, we gain a broader perspective on the things we think we ought to strive for. Ultimately, this journey is about paying attention. It’s about noticing what happens within us as we create. We become curious about our feelings, motivations, and assumptions, and allow creativity to reveal things we might otherwise miss. Through that process, we gradually discover new ways to understand, express, and inhabit our lives. Fancy joining us for Photoyoga 2026? Learn more here.

AI has made it incredibly easy to make more stuff.More blogs. More emails. More social posts. More everything.The problem? Nobody was sitting around wishing there was more content on the internet.This week on Little Talks, Sam and Roop talk about what happens when everyone has access to the same tools and can create the same types of content. AI can absolutely help. It's great at research, first drafts, and speeding up the work. But the one thing it can't generate for you is trust.That's where brands still have to do the hard part.The conversation covered everything from AI search and content creation to LinkedIn, Reddit, TikTok, and why your perspective may become more valuable than your publishing volume. The brands that stand out won't necessarily be the ones producing the most content. They'll be the ones with something worth saying.Ironically, if you want AI to cite your content, you may need to sound a little less like AI.See you next week for more Little Talks.— Sam, Claudia, and RoopTell us what you think!

H.W. Brands describes how, in early 1941, Roosevelt introduced the Lend-Lease Act (HR 1776), a bill that ironically shared its name with the year of American independence but intended to "marry America's future to Britain's future." Because Britain was running out of cash, Roosevelt argued that the U.S. should lend or lease weaponry to ensure they didn't go down for lack of funds. He was aided by a sentimental shift in American public opinion, driven by Edward R. Murrow's broadcasts which portrayed the "stubborn British" as heroic underdogs fighting for democracy. Simultaneously, a covert information war was being waged by William Stephenson, the director of British propaganda in America, who worked with William "Wild Bill" Donovan to manipulate U.S. opinion with the administration's blessing. While Roosevelt publicly complained about German propaganda, his own administration used unacknowledged stories and rumors to move Americans toward war. Lindbergh called out this hypocrisy, arguing that aiding Churchill—an "unreconstructed" imperialist—was not a defense of democracy but a defense of British rule in places like India. Roosevelt even utilized a forged map, allegedly showing a German plan to reorganize Latin America and replace the Bible with Mein Kampf, to stir fear. Lindbergh's diary reveals his deep intuition that every step away from neutrality was a calculated move toward war, regardless of the president's stated desire for peace. (5)1941

In this episode of It Takes Balls, recent law-grad Jack Bekos shares how a symptom many men might dismiss led to a life-changing testicular cancer diagnosis. Ironically, Jack describes himself as a lifelong "hypochondriac," someone who routinely worried about his health. Yet when this symptom first appeared, even he wasn't convinced it was anything serious.Living alone in New York City while attending law school, Jack eventually trusted his instincts and went to the emergency room, where an ultrasound revealed a suspicious mass. What followed was a whirlwind of sleepless nights, frantic Google searches, and rapidly learning about orchiectomies, surveillance, sperm banking, and treatment possibilities. Determined to find the best care available, he connected with the team at Memorial Sloan Kettering and underwent surgery under the care of Dr. Rich Matulewicz.Jack opens up about navigating cancer largely on his own, with family hundreds of miles away in Wisconsin (visiting after surgery) and friends helping him through recovery in New York. He shares the emotional moment when the reality of being a cancer survivor finally hit him—days after surgery, alone in a friend's apartment, when weeks of fear, uncertainty, and stress came pouring out all at once.The conversation also explores survivorship, scanxiety, and what it's like to return to normal life while still living with uncertainty. As someone who loves data and analysis, Jack explains how understanding recurrence statistics helps him cope with follow-up scans, even as enlarged lymph nodes required additional monitoring after surgery.More than anything, Jack's story is a reminder that testicular cancer symptoms don't always include a lump. Sometimes the warning signs are subtle. His message to listeners is simple: trust your body, advocate for yourself, and get checked when something feels off. Early detection saves lives.Provide your feedback on the podcast:https://www.testicularcancerawarenessfoundation.org/itbsurveyJoin The Ball Room:https://www.testicularcancerawarenessfoundation.org/theballroomWant to be a guest? Apply here:https://www.testicularcancerawarenessfoundation.org/it-takes-balls-submissionsConnect with Jack:https://www.instagram.com/jackbekosFollow Testicular Cancer Awareness Foundation:⁠https://www.testescancer.orghttps://www.x.com/testescancer⁠https://www.instagram.com/testescancerhttps://www.facebook.com/tca.orgFollow Steven Crocker:https://www.instagram.com/stevencrockerhttps://www.facebook.com/steven.crocker2Theme song: No Time Like Now - Tom Willner www.tomwillner.com

Dr. Milica McDowell wants you to move and move well.  Dr. Milica is a Doctor of Physical Therapy, entrepreneur, educator, and USA Today national bestselling author who has spent more than two decades helping people move better, feel better, and live healthier lives. Dr. McDowell specializes in helping people build strength, mobility, resilience, and longevity and has worked with everyone from individuals recovering from injury and chronic pain to high performers seeking to optimize their health, performance and quality of life. Dr. McDowell holds degrees in Exercise Physiology, Health Promotion, Physical Therapy, and a Doctorate in Physical Therapy. She has served as a university faculty member, delivered more than 300 professional lectures across the country, developed medical education programs used worldwide, and founded multiple companies in healthcare, fitness, and sports performance. In 2023 she was recognized as one of the  Top 50 Women in Healthcare. And because that is not enough, she is currently getting her MBA at USC.  Her book, Walk: Rediscover the most natural way to boost your heath and longevity; one step at a time co-authored with renowned gait expert Dr. Courtney Conley, has quickly become a USA Today national bestseller and shines a bright light on one of the most powerful, and overlooked tools for improving health: walking. Ironically, in the UK the title is a bit different; Walk; Your Life Depends on It. Direct. I like it. Dr. Milica is as cool as they come and has a clear and singular goal of helping everyone live their best lives. When you think of doctors that you want to work with because of the way the care they give, the way they engage, their bedside manner and how they lead by example; you're thinking of Dr. Milica McDowell.  0:00 – “Introducing Milicia McDowell & Her Journey” 3:05 – Early Influences & Finding Her Passion 8:20 – Building a Career Around Health & Performance 14:10 – Lessons Learned From Working With Athletes 20:00 – Movement, Longevity & Staying Active for Life 26:15 – Common Mistakes People Make With Their Health 32:05 – The Mindset Behind Sustainable Success 38:10 – Overcoming Challenges & Adapting Through Change 44:20 – Coaching, Education & Empowering Others 50:15 – Advice for Improving Health at Any Age 56:30 – What's Next & Future Goals 1:02:10 – Final Reflections & Closing Thoughts

The BPO Industry Isn't Dying. But It May Need to Reinvent Itself Faster Than Anyone Expected. Yuma AI CEO Guillaume Luccisano argues that customer experience providers must evolve from labor arbitrage specialists into AI orchestrators and systems integrators—or risk becoming irrelevant. For years, critics of the business process outsourcing industry have predicted its demise. First it was robotic process automation. Then conversational AI. Then Generative AI. Yet the industry survived every previous wave of disruption because technology changed the way work was delivered rather than eliminating the need for the service itself. In episode 420 of the CX Files, Guillaume talks to Mark Hillary about these changes and how BPOs may need to adapt. https://www.linkedin.com/in/guillaumeluccisano/ https://yuma.ai/ -------------- Summary: Mark Hillary and Peter Ryan discuss the impact of AI on the BPO industry, featuring Guillaume Luccisano, CEO of Yuma AI. Luccisano argues that traditional BPO models are outdated, emphasizing AI's potential to automate 100% of customer service within 2-3 years. He highlights Yuma AI's success in deploying AI agents since 2023, achieving automation rates up to 89%. Luccisano predicts a significant shift in the job market due to AI, suggesting BPOs must evolve into systems integrators to survive. He also notes the cost efficiency of AI, with interactions costing under $1 compared to $4-$8 for human agents. ---- The BPO Industry Isn't Dying. But It May Need to Reinvent Itself Faster Than Anyone Expected. Yuma AI CEO Guillaume Luccisano argues that customer experience providers must evolve from labor arbitrage specialists into AI orchestrators and systems integrators—or risk becoming irrelevant. For years, critics of the business process outsourcing industry have predicted its demise. First it was robotic process automation. Then conversational AI. Then Generative AI. Yet the industry survived every previous wave of disruption because technology changed the way work was delivered rather than eliminating the need for the service itself. But according to Guillaume Luccisano, founder and CEO of Yuma AI, this time may be different. Speaking on Episode 420 of the CX Files podcast, Luccisano argued that the traditional BPO model—selling customer service through large pools of human agents—is facing a challenge unlike anything it has encountered before. His view is stark: AI is no longer just helping agents do their jobs better. It is increasingly capable of doing the job itself. And if that trend continues, the industry will need to redefine its purpose. The End of the "Cost Per Interaction" Era Luccisano's company specializes in AI-powered customer service automation for retail and e-commerce brands. He claims some clients are already automating the vast majority of customer interactions. What has changed, he argues, is that AI is no longer limited to answering questions from a knowledge base. Modern AI agents can access customer records, understand context, follow workflows, execute transactions, and complete tasks. In other words, they are moving beyond information retrieval and into operational execution. This matters because the traditional BPO business model has largely been built around charging for human effort—whether measured in agents, hours, seats, or interactions. If AI can handle increasing volumes of customer contacts at a fraction of the cost, then the economics begin to shift dramatically. A contact that once required several dollars of human labor may eventually be resolved for a few cents in computing costs. Even if those figures are debated, the direction of travel is becoming difficult to ignore. The Problem Isn't Technology. It's Incentives. One of Luccisano's most interesting observations is that many outsourcing providers are already talking extensively about AI. The question is whether they are deploying AI to genuinely transform operations or merely adding enough AI to satisfy customer demand while protecting existing revenue streams. That creates an uncomfortable tension. A provider whose business depends on thousands of agents has little incentive to aggressively deploy technology that could reduce the number of agents required. As Luccisano noted, many providers find themselves caught between serving today's business model and preparing for tomorrow's. The challenge is not technical. It is organizational. And perhaps even existential. Why Investors Are Nervous The sharp decline in the share prices of several publicly traded CX providers has fuelled speculation about the sector's future. Luccisano believes investors are not simply reacting to hype. They are attempting to price in a future where customer service becomes significantly more automated, more efficient, and therefore less dependent on large labor-intensive operations. Whether investors have overreacted remains open to debate. But the market is clearly asking a difficult question: What happens to a company built around managing tens of thousands of customer service agents when customers increasingly expect AI-driven efficiency? The answer remains uncertain. But it is a question every provider now has to confront. The Hidden Complexity Most Critics Ignore To his credit, Luccisano does not dismiss the value that BPOs create today. Customer interactions are only one piece of a much larger operational puzzle. Large CX providers manage compliance requirements, regulatory obligations, security controls, multilingual operations, workforce management, governance frameworks, quality assurance, and complex integrations across dozens of markets. Replacing an individual customer service interaction with AI is one thing. Replacing the entire operational framework surrounding customer service is something else entirely. This is where many simplistic predictions about the "death of BPO" fall apart. The institutional knowledge accumulated by major outsourcing firms still has value. The question is whether that value can be repackaged. From Outsourcer to Systems Integrator Perhaps the most important idea from the conversation was Luccisano's belief that the future role of the BPO may look less like a labor provider and more like a systems integrator. Rather than selling headcount, providers could sell expertise. Rather than managing agents, they could manage AI agents. Rather than staffing operations, they could design, orchestrate, govern, optimize, and continuously improve AI-enabled customer experience ecosystems. This is a subtle but profound shift. It moves the provider higher up the value chain. The emphasis shifts from execution to orchestration. From labor to outcomes. From workforce management to intelligent systems management. Ironically, this would bring some BPOs closer to the role that companies like IBM, Accenture, and other major technology integrators evolved into years ago. A Difficult Transition The challenge, of course, is that transformation is easier to describe than to execute. Reinventing a startup is one thing. Reinventing a global organization employing hundreds of thousands of people is another. Many of today's largest CX providers are highly successful businesses with established customer relationships and predictable revenue streams. That success can become a barrier to change. The dilemma is obvious. How aggressively should a company invest in technologies that could cannibalize its own business? History suggests that incumbents often struggle with precisely this problem. The Bigger Question Perhaps the most controversial part of Luccisano's argument extends beyond outsourcing entirely. He believes AI is creating a broader economic transformation that will affect many knowledge-based professions, not just customer service. Software engineering, consulting, administration, legal services, and customer experience are all beginning to feel the effects. If he is right, then the debate is no longer about whether AI will change customer service. The debate is about how quickly institutions can adapt to a world where intelligence itself becomes abundant and inexpensive. The Future May Belong to the Adaptable The most important takeaway from this discussion is not that BPOs are doomed. In fact, Luccisano repeatedly acknowledged that some providers will survive and potentially thrive. But survival may depend on abandoning the assumption that customer service is primarily a labor business. The providers that succeed could be those that become trusted advisors, AI operators, governance experts, and systems integrators. The providers that fail may be those that continue selling people when customers increasingly want outcomes. The outsourcing industry has reinvented itself before. The question now is whether it can do so again—at the speed AI demands.

Paul repeats the word beware three times here. It is as thoughhe is sounding a spiritual alarm. He is saying, “Watch out! Be careful! Payattention!” He uses such strong language because false teaching isdangerous.  Paulis warning the Philippians about a group of false teachers known as theJudaizers. These men seemed to follow the Apostle Paul everywhere he went,spreading their false doctrine. They said, “Jesus is good, but you must alsokeep the Law of Moses. You must be circumcised. You must become Jewish beforeyou can really be saved.” In other words, they were teaching Jesus plussomething. But the true gospel is never Jesus plus anything. The true gospel isJesus alone. Salvation is by grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone. Thechurch council at Jerusalem in Acts 15 settled that question for the earlychurch. But some people refused to listen and continued teaching these things.So Paul describes them with three vivid pictures. First, he calls them “dogs”.When you hear that word, you might think of your beloved family pet. But thatis not the picture here. In Bible times, dogs were wild scavengers that roamedthe streets. They fed on garbage, carried disease, and could be dangerous. Theyoften traveled in packs. Ironically,the Jews often called the Gentiles dogs. But Paul turns that insult around andsays that these false teachers are the real dogs. They kept snapping at theheels of the Apostle Paul as he went about sharing the good news that Christalone saves. They followed him from city to city, barking their false doctrinesand causing confusion among new believers. My friend, false teaching isdangerous because it often sounds very close to the truth. A counterfeit maylook real, but it is still counterfeit. A glass of water may appear pure, butone ounce of poison destroys the whole thing. That is why we must know God'sWord. Second,Paul calls these false teachers “evil workers”. These men appeared to bevery religious. They were busy, sincere, and devoted. But Paul says their workswere actually evil. They were evil workers because they were trusting in humaneffort rather than God's grace alone. They were teaching people to depend onwhat they could do instead of what Christ had already done for them. Titus 3:5says, “Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to Hismercy He saves us.” Good works do not produce salvation; good works are theresult of salvation. There is a big difference. The only thing that can save usis the finished work of Jesus Christ on the cross of Calvary. Third,Paul calls these Judaizers “the mutilation.” This is actually a play onwords. The Judaizers insisted that circumcision was necessary for salvation.Paul is saying that when a God-given symbol is turned into a requirement forsalvation, it loses its spiritual meaning and becomes nothing more than aphysical act. The true circumcision is not outward; it is inward. Romans2:28-29 tells us that true circumcision is a matter of the heart, performed bythe Spirit of God. God has always been interested in the heart. Religionfocuses on outward appearance; God focuses on inward reality.Today,we need discernment. The only way we can have that discernment is by being inGod's Word and filling our hearts and minds with His truth. When we handle thetruth regularly, we immediately recognize false teaching when it appears. Let me encourage you to test everything by Scripture. Know your Bible.Stay close to Jesus. Guard your heart. Never allow anything to take the placeof the finished work of Jesus Christ on the cross of Calvary. Let'spray. Father, thank You for the simple and glorious gospel of Jesus Christ.Give us discernment in these days when so many voices compete for ourattention. Help us recognize false teaching and stand firmly on the truth ofYour Word. May our confidence rest in Jesusalone. We pray this in His precious name. Amen.

Ep 56 - Ryan Kralik performs a Remote Viewing Session and discusses Emergence of Consciousness, Alien Minds, UFOs, and more.Welcome to The Paranormal Rundown!For this episode, Ryan Kralik joins us once again to discuss more paranormal concepts through the lens of his Information-First framework of consciousness and reality. This episode also features a real-world remote viewing session, where Ryan attempts to describe a target selected by the hosts—with some unexpectedly interesting results. Not only is Ryan now a published author, but he is also now the managing editor of Aperture Magazine! And no, not the one about photography...This is also our very first video episode, so be sure to let us know what you think of the new format!This marks Ryan's third appearance on the show. Ironically, the second appearance may have been one of the best conversations we've ever recorded... except for one small problem: somebody forgot to hit the record button. But not to worry, Avalon has been punishing the guilty party mercilessly ever since.Ryan's take was a bit different. He suggested that perhaps the Substrate itself had intervened, feeling that his performance that evening was sub-par because he was extremely tired. Personally, I never noticed any lack of energy, and the Gang of Nerds unanimously agreed that it was a fantastic discussion. But apparently the Substrate disagreed...If you ever wanted to see what Remote Viewing was really like, this episode is for you. Ryan asked that we pick a simple target, put some pictures in an envelope, and he would do his best. Of course I ignored all those instructions, and made it overly complex! But the results are really interesting, I think the complexity actually gave us the opportunity to flesh out how this process really works. Additionally, we discuss alien minds and how we would communicate with them, which naturally led into a brief discussion on AI. We also talk about Emergent Consciousness, UFOs being similar to meditation pods, and the Visions of Prophets, all viewed within the context of an Information-First view of Consciousness and Reality. Enjoy!Be sure to check out Ryan's book, It From Us: An Information-First Framework and the Purpose of Consciousness at https://a.co/d/03NOCbPhYou can find Ryan's contact information, articles, and latest blog posts at https://www.itfromus.com/You can also join his Substack at https://ryankralik.substack.com/Aperture Magazine: https://www.irva.org/apertureWe have one more episode planned for this season, another wonderful discussion with the lively Sylvia Shults, then we break for the summer. While you are waiting, why don't you send us your thoughts on the video format, the guests we have had in Season 3, or any other unrelated rabbit holes you would like to go down, at feedback@paranormalrundown.comThe Paranormal Rundown is a partnership between the hosts David Griffith, Father Michael Birdsong, Randy Cantrell, and Vic Hermanson.Be sure to check out our partner podcasts:You can find Vic at Trailer Trash Terrors, https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/vic-hermansonYou can find Father Birdsong at https://www.becomingahouseofprayer.com, as well as hear his podcast Ending the Curse at:https://open.spotify.com/s

After a successful primary night, GOP winner & official candidate, ZACH LAHN, talks to SIMON in his first major interview since his win. Ironically, the one question surrounding LAHN isn't about policy or issue; it's about where he lives. SIMON asks him all about it and more!

Peter Barg has spent his life building creativity in high-pressure environments. Beginning as a messenger in New York City during the final era of physical film editing, he learned every aspect of post-production before advancing into advertising production with McCann Erickson, where he worked on major campaigns for brands including Coca-Cola, AT&T, L'Oréal, and Miller Brewing. By his mid-twenties, he was producing national campaigns and later moved to St. Louis and Hollywood, where he led animation productions and eventually founded a pioneering virtual animation studio years before remote collaboration became commonplace. Throughout his career, Peter became known for solving complex creative problems, building systems, and bringing people together to produce exceptional work. Ironically, those same instincts initially made improvisation difficult. Introduced to improv through a client, Peter struggled with the uncertainty of the form but gradually discovered its deeper lessons in listening, trust, and collaboration—skills he later recognized would have made him an even stronger producer. During the COVID-19 pandemic, Peter immersed himself in online improv training with leading teachers from around the world and found a global creative community. In response, he founded Improv Dim Sum, an online workshop series that connected improvisers across cities and countries while making high-quality training accessible and affordable. The project grew into a thriving nonprofit organization dedicated to education and community building. Peter also served as President of Compass Improv in St. Louis, helping preserve the city's vital place in improv history through its connection to Compass Players, Viola Spolin, Paul Sills, and the roots of both Second City and iO Theater. Today, Peter continues to produce workshops, coach performers, and connect improvisers with outstanding teachers. Whether in advertising, animation, or improvisation, his work has always centered on the same mission: creating environments where trust, creativity, and meaningful human connection can flourish.

Send us Fan MailEven as the Holocaust was ongoing, some Jews dreamed of and sought revenge for Nazi attacks on them.  Ironically, the Nazis themselves believed in a particularly antisemitic myth of Jewish vengeance and many Germans after the war feared widespread retaliation by Holocaust survivors.  Indeed, there were some attempts to carry out revenge attacks on Nazis after the war.In this episode, I talked with Laura Jockusch about what revenge meant in all these contexts and more, including in the popular imagination with media like Inglourious Basterds and The Hunters.  Laura Jockusch is the Albert Abramson Associate Professor of Holocaust Studies at Brandeis University.Jockusch, Laura. Jewish Revenge and the Holocaust: History, Memory, and Imagination (2026)Follow on Twitter @holocaustpod.Email the podcast at holocausthistorypod@gmail.comThe Holocaust History Podcast homepage is hereYou can find a complete reading list with books by our guests and also their suggestions here.

**Thank you for supporting this ministry, we lovingly refer to as "The Little Green Pasture." Click here: PayPal: http://paypal.me/JoanStahl**Please prayerfully consider becoming a ministry partner:Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/joaniestahl**Contact Email: jsfieldnotes@gmail.com**Subscribe to us on Rumble: https://rumble.com/user/JoanieStahlsFieldNotesAre you exhausted from trying to keep up with the "perfect" Christian molded routine? In this message, we unpack how modern Christianity has overly structurized our faith, leaving many believers trapped in an exhausting cycle of secret guilt and shame.We slam on the gas pedal, rushing through Bible reading frantically, and rattling off rapid-fire prayers just to feel a temporary sigh of relief just to keep up. We've accidentally equated breakneck speed with true devotion. There lives within a feeling of always letting God down.But what about when life hits hard? For those battling chronic illness or burnout, this rigid structure creates an entirely different dimension of suffering. It also sets everyone up for failure. Through Christian maturity, we discover this is NOT how Jesus wants us to live. Ironically, the very rituals we use to get closer to God can become walls that distance us from Him.God doesn't want you to sprint; He wants you to exhale. Even in the darkest circumstances imaginable, Anne Frank found a profound deep connection to the Creator.She beautifully wrote: "The best remedy for those who are afraid, lonely, or unhappy is to go outside, somewhere where they can be quite alone with the heavens, nature and God."It is time to unstructure your faith. Step outside, slow down, and let the Lord minister to you through His awesome creation. Let Him speak to you. Allow Him to fill you with new breath, peaceful quiet, and genuine joy that gives you wings like an eagle."I looked up in the sky and trusted in God.” ― Anne Frank

In this episode, I'm talking about a relationship trap that doesn't get discussed nearly enough: the difference between choosing someone because you genuinely want them - and - choosing someone because they seem less likely to hurt you. And while most people would never say that out loud, their dating choices often tell the REAL story. Plus, does someone's attractiveness make them less or more likely to cheat? Hmmm... LISTEN NOW. Then, check out my book "Don't Be DESPERATE: Get Over Your Breakup with CLARITY & DIGNITY" on Amazon: https://amzn.to/3R2EHiz Get personalized help: breakupBOOST.com YouTube & TikTok @breakupBOOST Check out Trina's breakup & dating merch: blockandshop.com

Trump's executive order purporting to establish a regulation regime for artificial intelligence actually serves the aim of a government partnership with the AI industry to advance the police state. Ironically, it is AI company Anthropic that calls for a moratorium on development of the technology until its threats are assessed. Pope Leo XIV's encyclical, "Magnifica Humanitas: On Safeguarding the Human Person in the Time of Artificial Intelligence," raises critical points but still echoes the illusion that this technology, now threatening to develop its own powers of "recursive self-improvement," can be effectively regulated. There are encouraging signs of worker pushback against replacement by AI, and an emerging anarchist critique of the technology. Of course the Trump regime is targeting critics for repression as "anti-tech extremists." In Episode 331 of the CounterVortex podcast, Bill Weinberg again calls for total abolition of AI, citing unacceptable threats to humanity on ecological, epistemological and eschatological grounds. Listen on SoundCloud or via Patreon. https://www.patreon.com/countervortex Production by Chris Rywalt We ask listeners to donate just $1 per weekly podcast via Patreon -- or $2 for our new special offer! We now have 60 subscribers. If you appreciate our work, please become Number 61!

There are three forms of pride that often go unchallenged: self- importance, self-pity, and self-sufficiency.  Striving for importance can be rationalized as being underappreciated. Self-pity can be rationalized as being taken advantage of, and self-sufficiency can be rationalized as taking the best care of yourself. Ironically, these excuses for pride are the same ones the Devil uses to turn us against God. Tune in as we learn about the subtlety of pride and how to fight against it.***Welcome, we are so glad you have joined us for our church online! If you are new here, we would love to connect with you. HARVEST VALLEY CHURCH is a church that believes in Jesus, a church that loves God and people. If you have made a decision to follow Jesus or want to learn more about Him, email us at connect@harvestvalley.org, and we will reach out to you about your decision to follow Jesus.To support the ministry of Harvest Valley Church and invest in the lives of others through giving, click here.For more information about Harvest Valley Church visit https://www.harvestvalley.org Church Office: (925)484-2482#harvestvalleychurch #loveourcity #Pleasantonca #eastbaychurches #Sunday #harvestvalleychurchpleasanton #purposeinlifeSupport the show

In the Name of the Messiah Acts 3 by William Klock So what happens after Pentecost?  In the church's calendar we spend the first half of the year walking through the life of Jesus—maybe we think of that as the “gospel story”—and that closes with Pentecost.  And in the second half of the year we focus on the life of the church as it lives out Pentecost.  But the way the lectionary does that tends to present the life of the church in the abstract.  That's not necessarily bad.  But the book of Acts gives us an opportunity to see it in real life, in history.  And Acts is important because it makes sure we understand that the life of the church isn't some application of abstract theological principles.  Acts shows us the life of the church as very much the continuation of the story of Jesus, of that gospel narrative.  It doesn't end with the Ascension.  It doesn't end with Pentecost.  Pentecost simply begins a new chapter.  As Luke said at the beginning, in the gospel he wrote he laid out what Jesus began to do and to teach.  In Acts we see Jesus continuing to do and to teach, but now it's through his church, through his people. So last week we saw this amazing move of the Spirit.  That's how I think we mostly think of it: a move of the Spirit.  But if we've been following the story through Easter and the ascension it ought to be clear that Pentecost is, first and foremost, a move of Jesus the Messiah.  Having taken his heavenly throne to reign as king until he has put all his enemies under his feet, Jesus has sent the Spirit to enact, to make real the truth of his reign through the church.  The spirit enables the apostles, the rest of the disciples, enables us to put off the old, lie-based, rebellious way of being human and to put on the new humanity brought by Jesus' resurrection from the dead.  The Spirit makes us the working model of God's new creation in the midst of the old.  The Spirit, living within us, make us God's new temple: full of his presence, his wisdom, his gospel.  And as we fulfil his original command to are fruitful and multiply, we grow and spread that temple until God's glory fills the earth. So Pentecost doesn't stand alone.  It's not just a stage in our personal spiritual growth.  It's not even for our own benefit.  It's to carry the reign of Jesus as Lord to the world.  So, again, what happens after Pentecost?  Look at Acts, Chapter 3. [Page 1082 in the pew Bibles.]  Luke tells us, “Peter and John were going up to the temple at three o'clock in the afternoon, the time for prayer.” I think it's worth a pause there.  Peter and John and the rest of the church had become the new temple.  The very thing that was missing from old, bricks-and-mortar temple, the presence of God, had come to dwell in them.  But they still went to the old bricks-and-mortar temple.  It highlights the fact that they didn't think of Jesus, the Spirit, the new covenant, being the new Israel as being some kind of new religion.  This new thing was simply how to be a faithful Jew in light of God's promises to Israel being fulfilled in Jesus.  And so these first Christians continued to observe torah, they worshipped with their fellow Jews in the synagogues, and they went with their fellow Jews to pray in the temple.  They didn't leave Judaism for something called Christianity.  But here's the thing: You and I don't do any of those things.  We don't live according to torah, we're not circumcised, we don't observe the Jewish feasts, we don't go the temple—we can't, because God judged and destroyed it long ago—but we are part of that same family of Jesus people, that same new Israel, that same church.  Because the new Israel isn't about torah, or circumcision, or diet, or Sabbath, or biological descent from Abraham.  It's about faith in, allegiance to Jesus, Israel's Messiah, and his kingdom, and the law of love written in our hearts by his Spirit.  What marks us out is our baptism into Jesus and the law of the Spirit that overflows from within us. Now, Luke goes on: “There was a man being carried in who had been lame from his mother's womb.  People used to bring him every day to the temple gate called “Beautiful”, so that he could ask for alms from those entering the temple.  When he saw Peter and John going into the temple, he asked them to give him some money. So every day, probably for many years, this man's friends would carry him to the gate of the main temple court and leave him there to beg.  He was a fixture of the temple.  Few people probably “knew” him, but everyone was familiar with him.  Peter and John weren't from Jerusalem, but they'd probably seen the man when they visited the temple.  Maybe they'd given him money before.  But this time they have no money.  They'd left their jobs as fisherman in Galilee.  The church in Jerusalem has been surviving by living as family, pooling their resources.  Luke goes on: “Peter, with John, looked hard at him.  ‘Look at us,' he said.  The man stared at them, expecting to get something from them.  ‘I haven't got any silver or gold,' Peter said, ‘but I'll give you what I have got.  In the name of the Messiah, Jesus of Nazareth, get up and walk!'  He grabbed the man by his right hand and lifted him up.  At once his feet and ankles became strong, and he leaped to his feet and began to walk.  He went in with them into the temple, walking and jumping up and down and praising God.  All the people saw him walking and praising God, and they recognised him as the man who had been sitting begging for alms by the Beautiful Gate of the temple.  They were filled with amazement and astonishment at what had happened to him.” He got more than he bargained for and what Peter and John give this man is right in keeping with what we read at the end of Chapter 2.  Money had ceased to have any importance for the disciples.  Something far better had come along.  Money is one of those things you need to get along in the old age where things are scarce and people are greedy.  The kingdom of God is about his new creation generosity and abundance.  This is why they lived like a family and shared what God gave with each other.  It was a practical way to live out new creation in way that confronted the scarcity and greed of the old age.  They knew there was something more important, a new power, a new kind of life—something far more important than silver and gold and so they gave it to this man.  The man didn't even ask to be healed.  He'd probably given up on that idea years and years ago.  But Peter gave this man new creation in the name of Jesus. Maybe this is why Peter insisted that the man look at them.  Picture Peter looking hard into the lame man's eyes and the lame man staring back.  Maybe Peter had seen Jesus do that: looking intently into the eyes of hurting people, seeing desperation, seeing hopelessness in some and faith in others.  Making a connection.  Sharing the compassion of God for the victims of the corrupt principalities and powers of the present age.  It seems like Peter saw something there.  Maybe hope.  Maybe faith.  Maybe the man knew who Peter was.  Maybe he'd heard about what happened at Pentecost.  Peter saw something.  And he didn't just tell the man to get up and walk.  That's what Jesus would have done and Peter wasn't Jesus.  Peter had no power of his own to do anything.  Instead, Peter made it clear where the power lies: “In the name of the Messiah, Jesus of Nazareth, get up and walk.” The name is as good as the person.  Peter and John were acting as Jesus' representatives and in that capacity—so long as they were faithful to Jesus' will, his desire, his agenda, his rule and kingdom—they could act with power and authority and faith on his behalf—in his name.  And so can we.  Sometimes we forget that.  On the one hand, we pray and we add something like “through Jesus our Lord” or “in the name of Jesus” at the end of our prayers without even thinking about what it means or, on the other hand, we use Jesus' name as if it were a talisman to give our prayers legitimacy or as if just mentioning the name of Jesus will bring our will into reality.  I once prayed and when I was done, a guy came up to me afterward and said, “You didn't say ‘in Jesus' name' so your prayer won't come true.”  No.  Brothers and Sisters, saying a prayer isn't like making a wish and adding Jesus' name doesn't validate our prayers.  Whether we mention him or not, every true Christian prayer is offered to the Father through the mediation of Jesus the son.  It is through him that we have access to God.  And God answers our prayer not because we add a name, but because our whole prayer is a cry for his new creation to become reality, for it to be on earth as it is heaven.  Too often our prayers are veiled appeals to our old idols, appeals to the principalities and powers, appeals still subject to the fears and anxieties of the present evil age, outgrowths of the flesh rather than the Spirit.  And to those prayers, God answers “No”.  Brothers and Sisters, to pray in Jesus' name is to submit ourselves to the goodness and faithfulness of God; it is to pray with faithfulness and single-hearted loyalty to him as Lord, and to ask not for our will to be done, but his; to ask not for the fulfilment of our vision of the good, but his; to ask not for our kingdom to be made real, but his kingdom.  It is to understand that heaven is the storehouse of the goodness of God's kingdom, like the turkey in the refrigerator and the presents stored up under Mom and Dad's bed, all to be brought out when Christmas comes.  God's kingdom will come in all its fulness when the church, when we have made God's gospel known throughout the earth and when the knowledge of his glory covers creation as the sea.  Prayer is to ask God to give us glimpse of that final day when the presents are under the tree, ready to be opened, and the turkey is on the table and the great feast is ready.  Prayer is, to quote Karl Barth, “the beginning of an uprising against the disorder the world.”  It is to ask in hope for God's justice, God's righteousness, God's goodness, God's faithfulness, God's future to be known—even if only in a small way—right here and right now. And that's what Peter did.  And suddenly the man was jumping and dancing his way into the temple full of heaven on earth.  And everyone noticed.  Verse 11: “All the people ran together in astonishment towards Peter and John and the man was clinging to them.  They were in the part of the temple known as ‘Solomon's Porch'.  Peter saw them all and began to speak. ‘Men of Israel,' he said, ‘why are you amazed at this?  Why are you staring at us as though it was our own power or piety that made this man walk?  “The God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, the God of Jacob—the God of our fathers”—he has glorified his servant Jesus, the one you handed over and denied in the presence of Pilate, although he had decided to let him go.'” Let's pause there.  When Peter says “the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, the God of Jacob—the God of our fathers” he's taking a line from Exodus 3.  This is how the God of Israel introduced himself to Moses at the burning bush before sending him back to Egypt to demand that Pharoah let the Israelites go.  Jesus had just done this in his dispute with the Sadducees and now Peter does the same and his point is to highlight that just as with Moses and the Exodus from Egypt, the God of Israel is at work here and not just as work, but at work to bring his promises to Israel to pass.  Peter's announcing that it's happening again.  In Jesus and the Spirit; in Good Friday and Easter and Ascension and Pentecost, the God of Israel was acting once again to deliver his people from bondage, to lead them in a new exodus, to renew his covenant. We'll see this throughout Acts.  Confronted by Jesus and his mighty deeds, those early believers would go back to Exodus.  That was when God fulfilled his promises to deliver his people.  That was when they sacrificed the Passover lambs.  That was when he led them through the sea and gave them his law.  That was when he led them into the promised land and gave them an inheritance.  And when those first Christians saw Jesus and the Spirit at work it was like Moses at the burning bush seeing something amazing that he couldn't explain, and with that scene in mind, we ought to be expecting that God is still keeping his promises and is doing something extraordinary again. Peter goes on: “You denied the holy one, the just one, and requested instead to have a murderer given to you; and so you killed the Prince of Life.  But God raised him from the dead, and we are witnesses to the fact.  And it is his name, working through faith in his name, that has given strength to this man, whom you see and know.  It is faith which comes through him that has given him this new complete wholeness in front of all of you.” So Peter starts explaining Jesus by pulling images from the Jewish scriptures.  We might miss it because we don't know the Bible as well as we should; the people there that day definitely would not have.  First, Peter calls Jesus the servant of God.  Second, he stresses the innocence of Jesus.  He wasn't deserving of death, but the people of Jerusalem handed him over to Pilate.  Even Pilate, Peter says, knew Jesus was innocent.  But they demanded Pilate release Barabbas and that Jesus be crucified.  These images together draw on Isaiah's prophecy, especially Isaiah 53, the passage about the suffering servant, an innocent, who would one day, go to the slaughter like a lamb for the sins of the people.  When Peter calls him the holy one, this too brings up images of the suffering servant and of the spotless lamb.  If the people want to understand what's happened to the lame man, how he's been healed, Peter is saying that they need to think about the Exodus and they need to be thinking about Isaiah's suffering servant and understand that Jesus is standing at the centre of both of these images from Israel's story and God's promises. And this is why he calls Jesus the “Prince of Life”.  The archegos, not just prince, but also the author, the origin, the source of life.  Jesus is the sovereign one, the Lord, who brings life.  It fits with John's image of the word, who was in the beginning and through whom, as God spoke him out, was the source of everything.  Through him all things were created and now, through the word, God speaks life into the world again.  He came into the midst of corruption and sickness and death and has brought life.  And wherever he goes be brings life and in that life he announces his lordship, his sovereignty, his kingdom.  Wherever he brings life he announces his victory over sin and death, over the present evil age.  Wherever he brings life, he announces the hope of God's promises fulfilled and a world set to rights: no more death, no more sorrow, no more tears.  Ironically, his own people rejected and killed him, but God raised him from the dead to prove that Jesus is the life of the world and because of that we know, we have confidence that his life will continue to go out into the world. Peter does here what he did at Pentecost.  God did something mighty and amazing, and Peter—steeped in scripture and full of the Spirit—explains what's going on in light of the story of Israel and her God and, most importantly, showing how what's now happening is the fulfilment of what God had promised to his people.  That's the biggest thing here.  This is no faith healer, doing theatrics and putting the spotlight on himself.  Peter has absolutely no interest in that.  He makes it clear: this is all about Jesus.  The prophets had said that the world would be set to rights when the knowledge of the glory of God has covered it as the sea.  Not the knowledge of Peter.  Not the knowledge of celebrity apostles. The knowledge of the glory of God.  And so Peter's Spirit-filled purpose is to proclaim the glory of God—to make sure everyone knows not just that God is mighty and powerful, but that God is above all faithful to his promises and worthy of our trust, worthy of our allegiance, worthy of our faith.  And that's the next thing.  After announcing how this is healing is evidence of God's faithfulness, Peter issues a call to faith.  Look at verse 17: “Now, Brothers,” Peter continued, “I know that you acted in ignorance, just as your rulers did.  But this is how God has fulfilled what he promised through the mouth of all the prophets, that his Messiah would suffer.  So now repent, and turn back, so that your sins may be blotted out, so that times of refreshment may come from the presence of the Lord, and so that he will send you Jesus, the one he chose and appointed to be his Messiah.  He must be received in heaven, you see, until the time which God spoke about through the mouth of the holy prophets from ancient days, the time when God will restore all things.  Moses said, ‘The Lord your God will raise up for you a prophet like me, one from among your own brothers; whatever he says to you, you must pay attention to him.  And everyone who does not listen to that prophet will be cut off from the people.'  All the prophets who have spoken, from Samuel and his successors, spoke about these days too.  You are the children of the prophets, the children of the covenant which God established with your ancestors when he said to Abraham, ‘In your seed shall all the families of the earth be blessed.'  When God raised up his servant he sent him to you first, to bless you by turning each of you away from your wicked deeds.” Over and over Peter stresses that what the people are seeing is the fulfilment of God's promises going all the way back to Abraham: His promise to renew fallen Israel, his promise to reach out to the nations with this glory through this renewed people.  Peter points forward to this hope of creation set to rights that we see from this point on throughout Acts and the New Testament, said in various ways.  God will “sum up all things in the Messiah,” as we heard Paul say in Ephesians 1:10.  Through the Messiah he will “reconcile all things to himself, making peace by his blood, shed on the cross” (Colossians 1:20).  He will make “new heavens and new earth, in which justice will dwell” (Revelation 21:1).  He will overcome every power which destroys and corrupts his good creation, so that eventually God will be “all in all” (1 Corinthians 15:28).  The whole creation will be “set free from its slavery to decay, to share the liberty of the glory of God's children” (Romans 8:21).  Brothers and Sisters, it began at the cross and the empty tomb, the ascension was a sign it was all true, and Pentecost show us that we're not only a part of how these promises will be fulfilled, but we can watch as heaven invades earth with the glory of God.  We don't have to wait for some distant day to see God revealed.  We see his glory at work each day: in ourselves as his word and Spirt renew us and in the world as we live and proclaim the good news about Jesus and see faith born in others and their hearts and minds renewed by Jesus and the Spirit.  We see God's glory revealed as the weight of sin and guilt is lifted.  Notice that's part of Peter's message.  It's not just a call to repent.  It's also assurance of forgiveness.  God, through the blood of Jesus, was ready to forgive even the rejection, the hardness of heart, the rebellion of Israel when they crucified Jesus.  That's the whole point of all of this: God's great final restoration of all things is for us, for sinners, for rebels, for God-haters, right here and right now.  The gospel brings God's future into the present, because God longs to show his mercy and his grace to sinners.  As God longs for his good world that we've corrupted with our sin to be set to rights, even more he longs to set us to rights that we might once again be the stewards, the priests of his temple that he created us to be. God will, as Peter says echoing Isaiah 43:25, God will blot out the sins of those who repent.  And if his grace was big enough and Jesus' blood strong enough to blot out the sins of those who crucified him, and his Spirit powerful enough to renew their hearts and to fill them with love, Brothers and Sisters, the blood of Jesus and the renewing power of his Spirit is enough to bring God's new creation to us.  Repent and believe in the name of Jesus.  Be forgiven.  Be made whole.  Be made new.  Be refreshed.  Be God's future here and now.  Be made a witness to your family, to your friends, to everyone around you of the saving power of Jesus the Messiah. Let's pray: O God, the strength of all who put their trust in you: Mercifully accept our prayers; and because in our weakness we can do nothing good without you, give us the help of your grace, that in keeping your commandments we may please you both in will and deed; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever.  Amen.

While on a brief visit to see two of our grandsons and a side trip to Arkansas, I had the chance to watch a few exceptional college softball and baseball games along with a very tense Game 7 NBA Western Conference final. It’s time to enjoy the next couple of weeks as the window is quickly closing on the seasons for these three sports. This year’s NBA Finals began Wednesday night. The surprising San Antonio Spurs and streaking New York Knicks began their best-of-seven title series.  New York came into Game 1 with an 11-game playoff winning streak. The Knicks left the Spurs’ home arena Wednesday night with a 12-game playoff winning streak. The Women’s College World Series softball best-of three finale also got underway Wednesday night in Oklahoma City.  Last weekend, Texas Tech’s never-say-die Red Raiders had to fight back from the brink of elimination twice to defeat #1 seed Alabama just to reach the finals. They will now get a chance to do that once again on Thursday night and, perhaps, on Friday night. That’s because Texas Tech lost to intrastate rival Texas 7-3 in the opening game of the best of three final series.  Texas is the defending national champion. On the men’s side of college bats and balls, this week marks the Super Regional round for the NCAA college baseball season. Eight winners from this weekend’s best-of-three weekend series will advance into the College World Series in Omaha, Nebraska next week.  There were a number of surprising winners and losers during last week’s opening round. New York’s Amazin’ Knicks have now won 12 straight playoff games! San Antonio Spurs 7’4” center Victor Wembanyama is ending his third NBA season.  Much like Hall-of-Famer Shaquille O’Neal (who, by the way, played his high school basketball in San Antonio), Wemby just led his team into the NBA Finals.  He is now being hailed as the top big man in the NBA. The 5-time NBA champion Spurs are much more than just a one-man show.  They utilize their bench as well as any NBA team and play solid defense for the entire 48-minute game. The New York Knicks are seeking their first NBA title since 1973. To say that New York sports fans are hungry for a title is a huge understatement. “The City that Never Sleeps” is in the midst of a rather lengthy championship drought.  Eli Manning’s New York Giants football last won a Super Bowl title in 2011.  Baseball’s New York Yankees haven’t won the World Series since 2009.  The crosstown rival New York Mets haven’t claimed a baseball title since 1986.  Broadway Joe Namath was the quarterback for football’s New York Jets in their only Super Bowl victory in 1969. NBA’s New York Knicks came into the playoffs as the #3 Eastern Conference seed behind Detroit and Boston.  After losing two of its first three playoff games to Atlanta in Round 1, the Knicks won the final three games to advance.  They would sweep #5 seed Philadelphia and #4 Cleveland in eight straight wins to claim the NBA Eastern Conference title. San Antonio is playing in the NBA Finals for the first time since June, 2014. The path to the championship round has been increasingly difficult for the Spurs.  San Antonio (the #2 seed in the Western Conference) needed just five games to dispatch the Portland Trailblazers in five games.  It then took six games for San Antonio to subdue the Minnesota Timberwolves.  Last weekend, the Spurs required a full seven games to win a tense Game 7 battle against the defending NBA champion Oklahoma City Thunder. Wednesday night’s Game 1 in San Antonio was won by the New York Knicks 105-95 in a game which was much closer than the final score reflected.  The veteran Knicks scored the last 11 points to end the game.  New York stepped-up in the final quarter to score 29 points as the younger Spurs tallied only 19 over the last 12 minutes. New York’s Villanova connection featured guards Jalen Brunson (30 points) and Josh Hart (an incredible 15 rebounds) leading a fourth quarter rally to give the Knicks their 12th consecutive playoff victory. As a result, San Antonio lost its home court advantage after that Game 1 loss.  ABC will televise Game #2 at 7:30PM Friday night from San Antonio.  The series moves to New York’s Madison Square Garden for Games 3 and 4 on Monday and Wednesday next week. Make sure to stick around for the post-game coverage on ESPN. The award-winning “Inside the NBA” show features NBA legends Charles Barkley, Kenny Smith, and Shaquille O’Neal breaking down the action along with host Ernie Johnson.  You never know what’s going to happen. Meanwhile, in Oklahoma City… The Women’s College World Series best-of-three finals began Wednesday night. Defending national champion Texas (52-12) defeated Texas Tech 7-3 in Game 1. The Red Raiders fell to 61-9 and are on the verge of elimination once again.  They have become quite familiar with this position over the past several days in Oklahoma City. The #11 seeded Red Raiders rallied for two runs in the top of the ninth inning on Sunday to vanquish #8 national seed UCLA 8-7.  On Monday, Texas Tech had to defeat #1 seed Alabama twice to earn a spot in the championship finals. The Red Raiders won the opener 5-4 over Bama by scoring a run in the bottom of the 7th inning.  They also grabbed the second game 2-0 on a two-hit pitching gem by two-time college player-of-the-year NiJari Canady to earn a spot in the finals. The second seeded Texas Longhorns didn’t have an easy road into the Women’s College World Series finals, either. They had to defeat #7 Tennessee Volunteers twice on Monday to advance.  Texas won the opener 5-2 and then shut-out Tennessee 4-0 later in the afternoon to advance to the championship round. The Longhorns and Red Raiders competed for the Women’s College World Series championship last year as well.  Texas Tech is trying to avenge last year’s loss to Texas in the best-of-three title series. Game 2 will be played Thursday at 7PM on ESPN.  A deciding Game 3, if necessary, will be played Friday night at 7PM on ESPN. What happened to the top seeds in the men’s college baseball tournament? UCLA had been ranked #1 in college baseball all season long. The Bruins were 51-6 heading into the opening round of the NCAA college baseball playoffs.  They faced #4 regional seed St. Mary’s (35-25) in their opening playoff game at home last Friday. The Gaels scored a run in the top of the ninth inning to shock UCLA 3-2.  On Saturday, UCLA had to score three times in the bottom of the ninth to take a 6-5 win and stay alive against 30-26 Virginia Tech. St. Mary’s and UCLA were matched again on Sunday.  This time, the Gaels scored a run in the bottom of the 10th inning to end UCLA’s season with a 6-5 win. Ironically, St. Mary’s was eliminated on Sunday 5-2 by the Cal-Poly Mustangs of San Luis Obispo.  Go figure. It wasn’t any better for #2 national seed Georgia Tech The 50-10 Yellow Jackets were playing at home in Atlanta and trying to advance into the Super Regional round for the first time in 20 years.  Georgia Tech would have hosted a Super Regional this weekend – if only they had won their own opening round regional. The Oklahoma Sooners rallied in consecutive games to dispatch the heavily favored hometown Yellow Jackets to advance into this weekend’s Super Regional to be played in…Kansas? Kansas has rarely been known for its baseball prowess. This year’s baseball Jayhawks are now 45-16 after winning its opening round of games.  KU will host Oklahoma Saturday in the Lawrence, Kansas Super Regional.  The Jayhawks have made it into only one College World Series (1993) in the school’s long history. Kansas plays baseball in relatively small Hoglund Ballpark.  This stadium features just 2,500 permanent seats.  The school recently took down the left field wall and installed a chain link fence.  That allows about 1,000 additional fans to stand or sit in their own lawn chairs in “The Backyard” to watch Kansas baseball games. Expect ticket prices in Lawrence, Kansas to be sky high for this weekend’s Super Regional. Did you pick the Trojans to make it into the Super Regionals? Last weekend, there were the Trojans from the University of Southern California, the Troy Trojans of the Sun Belt Conference, and the Little Rock Trojans from the Ohio Valley Conference. Incredibly, all three of these Trojans baseball teams will be part of the 16 squads competing in the second round “Super Regional” college playoff games this weekend. At least one Trojans team is guaranteed a spot in Omaha at the College World Series next week.  The 36-30 Troy Trojans will host the Little Rock Trojans (39-26) at 4PM Friday on ESPNU.  Troy shocked #5 national seed Florida 10-2 in the final game of the Gainesville Regional last week.  Little Rock won the Hattiesburg Regional after #9 seed Southern Miss was sent packing after two consecutive losses. The USC Trojans (47-16) will travel across the country to play at the University of North Carolina (48-11-1) on Friday at 2PM CDT on ESPN2. Here are all eight Super Regional match-ups (first game starting times are CDT) Friday’s Opening Games: Morgantown – Cal Poly (39-22) at #16 seed West Virginia (43-15) at 11AM on ESPN2 Chapel Hill – USC (47-16) at #5 North Carolina (48-11-1) at 2PM on ESPN2 Troy – Little Rock (39-26) at Troy (36-30) at 4PM on ESPNU Auburn – Ole Miss (39-21) at #4 Auburn (42-20) at 7PM on ESPN2 Saturday’s Opening Games: Athens – #14 seed Mississippi State (43-17) at #3 Georgia (49-12) at 10AM on ESPN Lawrence – Oklahoma (36-22) at #15 Kansas (45-16) at 1PM on ESPN Austin – #11 Oregon (43-16) at #6 Texas (43-13) at 7PM on ESPN Tuscaloosa – St. John’s (36-24) at #7 Alabama (40-19) at 8PM on ESPN2 The post Enjoy A Week filled with Terrific Games! appeared first on SwampSwamiSports.com.

Haven't ever been on a job and someone that was not qualified based on credentials constantly moved up the corporate ladder while more qualified candidates and individuals were left behind? This is called failing forward and usually these individuals will hire failures like themselves in order to insulate themselves from criticism and backlash but other credentials and more qualified individuals. Ironically, this also happens in relationships when a person may not seek someone that would be in their fear group or that will keep them accountable and challenge them. Therefore, they become very selective about their partner and may look for more incompetencies in the individual than attributes, sounds rather counterintuitive, but the goal is to not be shown up by someone else. In these relationships, loyalty outweighs competency and love. We discuss some of the issues pertaining to why some people choose this route in life and the sense of entitlement they believe that they have from not trying, but to criticize others as justification for them remaining dormant in their efforts.

The traditional image of leadership is built around the hero. When problems emerge, the leader steps in. If uncertainty appears, the leader provides answers. Finally, as pressure increases, the leader shields the team. According to leadership coach Daria Rudnik, that model is becoming increasingly ineffective. In a world shaped by constant disruption, Facilitative Leadership is replacing heroic leadership as the capability organizations need most. About Daria Rudnik Daria Rudnik helps overloaded leaders build self-sufficient teams in an AI-driven world. Through her proprietary CLICK Framework, she works with fast-growing technology and finance organizations to improve team ownership, decision-making, knowledge sharing, and adaptability. Daria is the author of CLICKING (International Impact Book Awards – Leadership Category), co-author of The AI Revolution, and founder of Aidra.ai, an AI coaching platform designed to scale leadership development.

In this week's episode, I take a look at the movies and streaming shows I watched in Spring 2026, and rate them from least to most favorite. This coupon code will get you 25% off the ebooks in the Dragontiarna series at my Payhip store: DRAGONJUNE The coupon code is valid through June 15, 2026. So if you need a new ebook this summer, we've got you covered! TRANSCRIPT 00:00:00 Introduction and Writing Updates Hello, everyone. Welcome to Episode 305 of The Pulp Writer Show. My name is Jonathan Moeller. Today is May 29th, 2026 and today we'll be discussing my Spring Movie Review Roundup for 2026, where I discuss the movies and streaming shows I watched over the last few months. We will also have Coupon of the Week and a progress update on my current writing, publishing, and audiobook projects. So let's start off with Coupon of the Week. This week's coupon code will get you 25% off the ebooks in the Dragontiarna series at my Payhip store. That coupon code is DRAGONJUNE. And as always, you get the coupon code and the links in the show notes for this episode. This coupon code will be valid through June the 15th, 2026. So if you need a new ebook for this summer, we have got you covered. Now let's move on to my current writing, publishing, and audiobook projects. As I mentioned last week, Dragon-Mage is out and you can get it at Amazon and Kindle Unlimited and it's doing well, so thank you for that. My next main project is Blade of Thieves and as of this recording, I am on chapter 11 of 25, though that'll probably expand in the final draft, which puts me at 56,000 words in. So I'm almost halfway through. I think probably it's going to be the length of Blade of Wraiths or a little longer, but we'll see. I'm hoping to have it out towards the end of June, but depending on how June goes, that might slip till July. Hopefully we can avoid that. I'm also 5,000 words into Cloak of Frost and that will be my main project once Blade of Thieves is done. I'm hoping to have Cloak of Frost out towards the end of July, but depending on how June goes, it might slip to August. For audiobook projects, Blade of Wraiths is still processing at ACX, though I believe as of right now, you can get it at Google Play, Kobo, Spotify, and my own Payhip store. The other stores should be available within a few weeks. As of right now, I don't actually have any current audiobooks in production, though we have some scheduled for the future. Once Blade of Thieves is finally done, Brad Wills will record that for us. Hollis McCarthy is scheduled to record Cloak of Worlds in June, if all goes well. Leanne Woodward will be recording Dragon-Mage sometime in July, if all goes well. So that is where I'm at with my current writing, publishing, and audiobook projects. Hopefully we'll have new things for you to read and listen to before much longer. 00:02:32 Main Topic: Spring 2026 Movie Review Roundup Now without any further ado, let's move on to our main topic, my Spring 2026 Movie Review Roundup. It's time for the Spring 2026 Movie Review Roundup, where I review the movies and streaming shows I watched over the last few months. As always, they're listed from least favorite to most favorite. The grades are wholly subjective and based on nothing more than my own opinions and thoughts. With that disclaimer out of the way, let's go to the movies. First up is Kicking and Screaming, which came out in 2005. This is a family comedy with Will Ferrell and Robert Duvall. Pharrell plays Phil Weston, a mild mannered vitamin store owner and Duvall plays his father, Buck Weston, owner of a successful chain of sports equipment stores. Buck is one of those hyper competitive guys who has to win at everything and Phil has always rolled with it. But when Phil's son is a benchwarmer on the youth soccer team that Buck coaches, Phil's had enough and starts coaching a rival team to get his son into the game and to defeat his father. Along the way, of course, he descends into Will Ferrell style comedic lunacy, but the PG version since this is a PG movie. Mike Ditka was also hilarious as Phil's sidekick and assistant coach. It seemed like an '80s family movie. It was a sort of movie where you could have taken the entire family to the theater in 2005 and everyone would have been at least moderately entertained. Overall Grade: C Next up is the animated Lord of the Rings, which came out in 1978. As I mentioned, this was the animated version of Lord of the Rings from 1978. Extremely ambitious, but I think it's fair to say this landed in ambitious failure territory, but they tried the best they could given the constraints of the technology at the time and the actual available budget. They tried to pack the entirety of the Fellowship of the Ring and the first half of The Two Towers into about two hours and 20 minutes. I'm sorry to say it just didn't work. Like Dune, the Lord of the Rings is one of those books that requires like 10 hours of very expensive filmmaking to pull off properly. That said, I think it is fair to say that this stumbled so that the Peter Jackson live action trilogy could run. Adapting a book (especially a big book) into a movie is a challenge and I don't think this quite got there. Too much was cut out and if you hadn't read the book, you would probably have no idea what was happening or just been confused the entire time. Additionally, the movie relied heavily on rotoscoping and it didn't always quite work. Like the rotoscope Nazgul looked creepy and unsettling, so that worked for them. However, the rotoscoped orcs just looked bad. You know how in live theater stagehands will dress all in black? The orcs kind of looked like that, albeit they're wearing yellow ponchos over their black stagehand outfits, almost like the stagehands were expecting inclement weather backstage. That said, the vocal performances and the music were very good. So an ambitious and admirable failure. As I said, I think the filmmaker's vision exceeded the grasp of their budget and the available technology of the 1970s. Overall Grade: C Next up is Airplane!, which came out in 1980. It was interesting to watch this as a cultural artifact. It had the leisurely pace of an '80s movie, with far more absurdist humor. It was a parody of various airplane disaster movies from the 1970s. It's also interesting that this is remembered as a Leslie Nielsen movie nowadays, though Leslie Nielsen 's character is only a supporting character. For all that he's known for his absurdist humor these days from later movies, Nielsen plays his character stone cold dead straight, which makes him all the funnier, amazingly enough. Some of the jokes in this movie have aged very badly, but it's still worth watching as an interesting and amusing cultural artifact, given how it influenced the entire genre of comedy movies afterwards. There's also the obligatory three seconds of nudity that can get cut on cable TV broadcast. Overall Grade: B- Next up is the Thomas Crown Affair, which came out in 1999. This is an interesting remake of a movie from the 1960s. Pierce Brosnan plays Thomas Crown, a billionaire who has grown bored with his life, so he orchestrates the theft of a priceless Monet painting from the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York. The heist goes off flawlessly and the museum's insurance company sends out investigator Catherine Banning (played by Renee Russo) to retrieve the painting and avoid a hundred million dollar insurance payout. Banning immediately intuits that Crown is the thief and sets about to find the painting. This investigation is complicated by the fact that Crown and Banning immediately develop a strong attraction and start an affair. It was interesting to watch since neither Crown nor Banning are particularly sympathetic characters. In 2026, the phrase "bored New York billionaire" has much more sinister connotations than it did in 1999 and Banning breaks all kinds of laws and sleeping with her target is not a particularly bright idea. That said, the opening heist was interesting and Crown's final gambit to return the painting was extremely clever and enjoyable to watch. So overall, I like the movie, but there's still way too much nudity. Cable broadcasts are probably like 10 minutes shorter than the actual runtime from cutting it all out. Overall Grade: B- Next up is Whiskey Galore, which came out in 2017 and this is a remake of the original Whiskey Galore from 1949. Honestly, this is exactly the same movie from 1949 that I watched in the Movie Review Roundup for Summer 2025, just updated with modern filmmaking techniques. If the movie makers in the '40s could have done it this way, they would have. Though I would recommend watching the 1949 one first and then the one from 2017. Overall Grade: B Next up is Super Mario Galaxy, which came out in 2026. And I have to admit, it felt a little strange to be the oldest person at the theater watching Super Mario Galaxy, but I've been playing Mario games since before any of these kids were born, so I think I had a right to be there. Anyway, I would say this movie is about 75% as good as the first one. It was a little overpacked and the plot wasn't quite as tight, but it's still fun to watch. The animation was excellent and I enjoyed all the callbacks to the various Mario games and since I haven't actually played all the Mario games (as a reminder, I played no console games of any kind between 1998 and 2019), I'm sure there were quite a few I missed. The plot is that Bowser Jr is coming to rescue his father, Bowser, who's been held captive since the end of the last movie. To power his doomsday weapon, Junior kidnaps Princess Rosalina and Princess Peach goes to rescue her while Mario, Luigi, and Yoshi stay to protect the Mushroom Kingdom. Their separate subplots will end up crossing when Bowser Jr. invades the Mushroom Kingdom to get Bowser. Glen Powell was an excellent choice to voice Fox McCloud. I'd say if you could imagine a movie that the audience would enjoy and the critics would hate, you'd end up with Super Mario Galaxy. Since that appears to be what happened to the tune of $970 million, it appears that metaphor was accurate. Also, to be less glib, "movies you can take your kids to" do serve a valuable social function (in my opinion). Overall Grade: B Next up is the Rise and Fall of Reggie Dinkins, which came out in 2026. This was a comedy with a fun premise. Reggie Dinkins (played by Tracy Morgan) was an elite NFL player who got bounced out of the league for placing bets on himself. Years later, he teams up with an indie filmmaker named Arthur Tobin (played by Daniel Radcliffe), to make a documentary to rehabilitate his image. However, Tobin has his own issues. He has an Oscar, but after the Oscar, he got hired to direct a Marvel movie and cracked under the pressure. He and Reggie have to go on a journey to recover their reputations. I thought this was a pretty funny sitcom. Tracy Morgan is a comedic natural, but Daniel Radcliffe turned out to be an excellent comedic actor as well. He was great in that Weird Al biopic a few years ago and he's very funny in this. Craig Robinson was also great as Jerry Basmati, Reggie's sleazy nemesis. Overall Grade: B+ Next up is The Mandalorian and Grogu, which came out in 2026. I enjoyed this. It was like three pretty good episodes of The Mandalorian show put together. The end result was an adventure movie that kind of reminded me of the best of 1980s fantasy and sci-fi movies with a lot of creature work and a lot of action scenes. For an extended stretch of the movie, Grogu takes over as the primary protagonist, and given that Grogu is a very expensive puppet, that's an impressive feat. The plot picks up from the end of The Mandalorian show. The Mandalorian and his adopted son Grogu are now working for the New Republic, helping to hunt down Imperial warlords. Mando gets assigned to hunt down in a mysterious Imperial warlord named Commander Coin, but the only people who have information on Coin's location are the Twins, a pair of Hutt crime lords and relatives of Jabba the Hutt from Return of the Jedi. The Twins are willing to give up Coin's location if Mando does a job for them, but as Han Solo could have warned Mando, working for the Hutts is not a good idea. I was surprised that the reviews for this movie were as mixed as they were, but I suspect that's a combination of three social factors: Number one, cumulative ill will towards Disney as a corporation, which has done numerous sketchy things in the 2020s. I think something similar happened with Microsoft and Starfield. Number two, the lingering bad aftertaste of the sequel trilogy and number three, the tendency of the hardcore Star Wars fandom to chronically overthink things. Overall Grade: B+ Next up is the animated Hobbit, which came out in 1977. Peter Jackson's Hobbit Trilogy from the 2010 famously stretched The Hobbit across three movies, which really didn't work and added a bunch of epic battle scenes, which was totally off for what was essentially a children's book. The animated 1977 version of The Hobbit, by contrast, went in a different direction, neatly adapting it down to 70 minutes or so, presumably because animation is very expensive. At the time, this got mixed reviews, but looking back nearly 50 years later, I think we can appreciate it more because of the sheer amount of work that goes into hand-drawn animation. Like computer-based animation is unquestionably a lot of work as well, but hand-drawn animation is on something of a higher level in terms of difficulty, in my opinion. That said, I think this adaptation did a better job of compressing the story down than the animated Lord of the Rings movie I mentioned earlier in this episode. There's also a lot of 1970s style folk singing-like a LOT. I suspect J.R.R. Tolkien would have hated every single adaptation ever made of any of his works (with perhaps the exception of the audiobooks), but he would have approved of the number of songs and poetry in this. Though it was amusing that the high elves in this movie sing in a '70s folk music style. It would be humorous if in the Silmarillion, Earnedil the Mariner had finally crossed the Sundering Seas to reach Valinor and appeal the aid of the Valar against Morgoth and his hordes, only to hear '70 style folk music echoing across the shining hills of the Undying Lands. Anyway, it's definitely worth watching this if you like The Hobbit or old style animation. Overall Grade: A- Next up is House of David Season 2, which came out in 2026. I wrestled with what grade to give this because it used a lot of AI for the big battle scene in episode one and as long time readers and listeners know, I do not generally approve of LLM generated slop. Ironically, I think episode one, the big battle sequence with all the AI, was definitely the weakest point of the entire second season. Everything else was better. That said, all the character drama and interactions and acting were really good, which amusingly shows that while LLM stuff can generate blurry scenes of mounted soldiers charging at night, the real human emotion comes from, well, real human emotion. Anyway, this picks right up from the end of Season 1, right after David kills Goliath, which means it takes place during most of the events with the third quarter of the book of 1 Samuel from the Bible. David becomes one of the chief commanders of King Saul, but David is secretly the anointed king of Israel. Saul's deteriorating mental state becomes threatening to David while Saul's children scheme for position (with the exception of Jonathan, who has accepted that God has chosen David as the next king of Israel) and the Philistines prepare for war against Israel. It is interesting how the show alternates between leaning into the Grimdark aspects of life in the late Bronze Age and early Iron Age and avoiding them. Like, constant warfare was a fact of life for a Mesopotamian king around 1000 BC. But the show also shows David as having passionate romantic love for Saul's daughter Michal and in the Bible, David ended up with at least eight wives that we know about (there were likely others) and an unnamed number of concubines. So late Bronze Age/early Iron Age monarchs were not likely to have been in the grips of fervent romantic love. Though based on the Psalms he wrote, David seems to have been a man who definitely was in touch with his emotions and quite possibly he would have passionately loved multiple women at the same time. Anyway, I enjoyed the show. While I am not an expert, I probably have a higher than average level of Old Testament knowledge. So when the show expanded on something from 1 Samuel (such as the role of Doeg, the murderous Edomite shepherd), I could see where they were coming from. Or the subplot where Jonathan falls in love with an Israelite woman since in the Bible, David took care of Jonathan's son, Mephibosheth, logically, Jonathan had a wife at some point. Related to that as Saul continues his descent, in a moment of rage in 1 Samuel, he calls Jonathan "the son of a perverse and rebellious woman" and the show has a subplot explaining how Saul came to see Queen Ahinoam as a "perverse and rebellious woman". So I enjoyed this and will definitely watch Season 3 when it comes along. That said, the opening battle with the AI generated battle scenes is still definitely the weakest part of the series, though. Overall Grade: A- Next up is Maul: Shadow Lord, which came out in 2026. And in my opinion, this was pretty good. I think he could call the plot Sith Noir. Maul, desiring vengeance against the Emperor for all the pain he has endured, has decided to rebuild his criminal syndicate (previously destroyed in the Clone Wars) and use it to bring down the Empire. Meanwhile, Captain Lawson, a detective on a minor world, is trying to rebuild his relationship with his teenage son and keep his career afloat. This becomes tricky when a pair of fugitive Jedi fleeing from the Inquisitors turn up on their world. But in the younger of the two Jedi, Maul sees a potential apprentice for himself, one he could corrupt to the dark side. The animation has improved by quantum leaps and bounds since the days of the Clone War show. The lighting and the shadows are excellent. Maul looks spooky and a little uncanny. The lightsaber fights are quick and fluid. No spoilers, but the final episode is absolutely excellent. I also think one of the best things about the Star Wars animation shows is how Maul's character has evolved from simply the cool swordsmen at the end of The Phantom Menace to a sympathetic yet still evil warrior-philosopher, a tragic figure whose every effort always contains the seeds of its own downfall. Overall Grade: A Next up is Emma, which came out in 2020. This is an excellent adaptation of the Jane Austen's novel. Good performances, good cinematography, and it captures the essence of the novel quite well and it's probably a must for Austen fans to see. I don't really have anything negative to say about it, say that it has the three seconds of unnecessary nudity that can be cut in cable broadcasts. Ironically, and quite amusingly, that three seconds of nudity is quite literally the only thing this movie has in common with Airplane!. Overall Grade: A Next up is No Packers, No Life, which came out in 2025. This was a fun documentary about a group of Japanese Green Bay Packers fans. Obviously, there are fairly large cultural and linguistic divides between the United States and Japan, so American football is not hugely popular in Japan. However, the Green Bay Packers are the only community owned team in the NFL to this day and so they're quite a bit more sympathetic than one that's owned by a faceless billionaire. Anyway, an American businessman goes to Japan and stumbles across a Japanese man wearing a Packers jersey at a bar. From there, he learns of a small club called the Japanese Packers Cheering Team that gathered to watch Packers games. This businessman in question happened to be from Wisconsin, so he befriended the Japanese Packers Cheering Team and invited them to Green Bay for a game. The invitation snowballed and so the entire club and their families arrived to watch the game. Sports fandom really isn't one of my interests, so it's always interesting to look at it from the outside. That said, this was an enjoyable documentary about cross-cultural communication at its best. Overall Grade: A Let's close out this episode with my favorite thing I saw in spring 2026, which was Project Hail Mary, which came out in 2026. This is another "science man solves space problem that saves the day with math and science", type science fiction adventure like The Martian, though some new twists on the formula. Dr. Ryland Grace wakes up alone on a spaceship with all the other crew dead and no memory of how he got there. Gradually, he partially remembers and works out that he is part of Project Hail Mary, a last ditch effort to stop Earth's sun from dimming due to an extremophile organism called the Astrophage. Only one other star in Earth's stellar neighborhood was showing no signs of Astrophage infection, so Grace's ship was sent there on a suicide mission to try and recover some means of defeating the Astrophage. While there, he encounters an alien ship with a sole survivor and he slowly works out how to communicate with the alien, who he dubs Rocky. It turns out Rocky's people sent him there on a mission to solve the Astrophage problem as well and together Grace and Rocky try to work out how to save their respective home worlds. Quite enjoyable and worth seeing. At the time I typed this in March of 2026, it was the highest-grossing movie of 2026 and I think it deserved that, though it did eventually get overtaken by Super Mario Galaxy. Overall Grade: A I suppose that was an eclectic range of movies, wasn't it? Interestingly, I actually saw three of them in theaters: Project Hail Mary, Super Mario Galaxy, and The Mandalorian and Grogu, so I went to the theater three times in three months. I think that's the most I've been to the movie theater in a single year in the entirety of the 2020s. So that is it for this week. Thank you for listening to The Pulp Writer Show. I hope you found the show interesting. 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 we'll see you all next week.  

We are now recording an audio version of written posts that we will upload to Apple, Spotify, and YouTube, which you can listen to by clicking the button the play button above.As the Strait of Hormuz (SoH) Crisis completes its third month and on-again/off-again peace talks drag on, we are starting to see the outlines of various structural themes emerging, and, as importantly, some that are not. Thematically we see the following:* Power Surge! Our Power Surge! super-cycle theme has not only not been knocked off track by the SoH Crisis, but has likely been enhanced based on “the four Ds” of pragmatic energy policy orientation we discuss below. Recently completed 1Q 2026 earnings season shows the AI (artificial intelligence) and broader digital transformation theme is as strong as ever.* Geopolitical Super Vol. Geopolitical Super Vol remains our commodity macro framework, in particular for crude oil prices. Since Russia-Ukraine and through SoH-to-date, we have resisted crude oil super-cycle framings while also, importantly, rejecting perma bear doom-and-gloom. The unforgiving math of global oil demand being forced down to circa 95 million b/d of supply from around 105 million b/d pre-crisis suggests recession is the most likely clearing mechanism rather than a structural increase in long-dated oil prices in the event a significant disruption to flows persists. To be clear, we do see scope for a modest increase in long-end oil on the order of $10/bbl to account for both cost inflation and an increased geopolitical risk premium.* Molecules to markets. In our view, getting molecules to markets is the more pressing strategic imperative for countries than simply trying to find the molecules in the first place. In traditional energy, this puts a premium on well-positioned midstream and downstream assets. In the upstream business, there is always an opportunity to find acreage that is well positioned on the future cost curve. Having a midstream or downstream solution (e.g., LNG) may be an increasing success factor for larger E&P (exploration and production) companies.* New business models > pure-play (for larger companies). The era of extreme pure-play specialization we think will fade, or at least will no longer be the dominant ask of investors. Business model evolution is likely to continue to separate leaders from laggards. Examples we find intriguing include pressure pumpers and midstream companies diversifying into behind-the-meter (BTM) power, US shale gas producers expanding into midstream and potentially LNG, refiners that have grown midstream capabilities, midstream companies that have grown export opportunities, and the expanded commercial trading opportunities that larger companies have pursued. The list is growing.* Brownfield > greenfield (usually). The advantage of doing more from existing assets is something both countries and companies have in common. Brownfield almost always beats greenfield on profitability and speed-to-market, though a best-in-class greenfield project like Guyana oil is the type of exception that exists to the general rule.From an energy policy perspective, the Strait of Hormuz Crisis reveals what we are now calling the four Ds of country-level energy policy aspiration:* Do as much Domestic production as possible;* Diversify energy sources and technologies;* Do more from existing assets; and* embrace Digital transformation and AI.Subscribe to Super-Spiked to receive all content via email. Also available on https://veriten.com.The Four Ds of Pragmatic Energy PolicyThe four Ds are the pragmatic policy implication of country leaders recognizing energy's natural hierarchy of needs (Exhibit 1). On the right side of Exhibit 1, we rank (higher on list is better) resource rich countries and resource challenged areas in terms of federal policy orientation that recognizes energy's natural hierarchy of needs and implementation of the four Ds relative to a given country's strengths and weaknesses.Saudi Arabia and United Arab Emirates among resource rich regions and China among resource challenged areas we see as having favorable federal energy policy orientations. Laggards are not surprising: Western Europe, California, Canada, and Australia. What KSA, UAE, and China have in common are national leadership that emphasizes the ideas of “all of the above,” maximum (or optimal) output of what you can control, and unapologetic “their own country first” mentalities.Super-Spiked subscribers know we have a very favorable view of Canada's oil and gas potential and the leading companies in the province of Alberta. We had an unfavorable view of the federal energy policies pursued by the prior Trudeau regime, with the jury out on the current Carney administration. On the latter, we appreciate that the rhetoric has improved off a low starting point. The proof will be in the policy implementation pudding.No country should aspire to follow the path of California or Western Europe and their “climate first” ideology (dishonorable mention goes to many states in the US northeast). Sadly, poor energy policy choices made in those areas are going to mean that less fortunate consumers and businesses in developing Asia suffer from being outbid for needed energy like LNG, jet fuel, and diesel during times of stress, as we last saw in the early days of Russia-Ukraine. It has been some time since we have done a deep dive on Australia; our sense would be that it is in the Canada category of having substantial oil and gas resources that the world would massively benefit from, but is being held back by ill-advised climate-first ideology by its national leaders.Exhibit 1: A Hierarchy of Energy Needs & Country Policy Objectives and OrientationSource: Veriten.Doing More From Existing AssetsIn previous issues of Super-Spiked, we have discussed three of the Ds: do as much domestic production as possible, diversify energy sources and technology, and embrace digital transformation and AI. Therefore, in this post we will expand on the “do more from existing assets” theme.* A major advantage the developed world has over China, India, and other developing areas is a large installed base of assets and infrastructure. Prematurely retiring old power plants in the name of “energy transition” and “The Climate Crisis” is the type of 2020-2023 mistake that has hurt competitiveness and affordability in the United States and Western Europe. In power generation, we are intrigued with trying to answer the question of how much new generation from legacy sources (e.g., natural gas, BTM, and traditional nuclear) is needed versus how much new generation technology is needed (e.g., fuel cells, enhanced geothermal, advanced nuclear) versus how much can existing grid utilization be improved via flexible loads and various grid enhancing technologies. How much more can we get from existing is important to how much we need from the other two options.* In crude oil markets, we do not believe there is the urgency to figure out “what's next” from a resource perspective as there was in the 2004-2014 super-cycle. To be clear, this comment is intended at the macro level; individual companies are almost always in need of figuring out what's next. Exploration and capital spending is likely to grow but we do not believe the kind of re-rating that happened during China/BRICs is warranted now. Rather we are most intrigued with what companies are doing to extend asset life (i.e., resource to production ratio) via a combination of technology application, business development, and midstream/downstream investment that can ensure molecules get moved to markets and turned into usable end products. Ironically, the Middle East looks like a compelling upstream opportunity for western oil and gas firms, given improved fiscal terms in certain areas. We have long held a favorable view of Canada (our concerns about its federal energy policies notwithstanding) and Alaska. Recent developments in many Latin American countries warrant a fresh look at the region for western players.* The largest areas that seem ripe to “do more from existing” include US shale oil, US shale gas, Middle East oil, Canada's oil sands, Venezuela oil, and developed market power grids.Growth and opportunityThe five areas of energy where we are most confident in growth include:* US and global power generation* Midstream and downstream infrastructure for crude oil and various metals and minerals* Grid enhancing technologies* US and global natural gas* Renewables and storageThe long-term opportunity to grow nuclear power is going to prove to be compelling for many countries, justifying the required patience in terms of time to development. Nuclear is the ultimate baseload, domestic, clean energy source.We remain open-minded about emerging and new energy technologies. We are seeing current growth in fuel cells and optimism about enhanced geothermal on the power generation side of the business. The SoH Crisis will accelerate adoption of electric vehicles and LNG trucks in particular in oil importing countries for diversification and affordability reasons.The success of new business models should diminish investor and activist demand for pure-playsThere is a misperception that investors prefer pure-plays or that investors only want more dividends and stock buybacks. Investors prefer companies that generate superior profitability with differentiated growth. Both are needed to sustainably outperform: profitability AND growth.The challenge in mature, cyclical sectors is that corporate over-enthusiasm for growth usually erodes profitability to the point where investors demand a disavowal of growth in favor of profitability and returning capital to shareholders. To be sure, if structural demand growth for a given commodity is something like 1%-2% per year, the expected growth rates for the largest companies within that sector is unlikely to be any more than +/- 1%-2% of the broader demand trajectory.As businesses mature and growth slows, the demand by investors to focus on sub-parts of the business often increases in order to enhance the combination of per share growth and profitability for a particular business segment. The post-2014 oil super-cycle bust and growth in U.S. shale turbocharged the demand for pure-plays, especially within the traditional oil & gas value chains. Certain pure-play shale oil producers, midstream companies, and refiners in fact performed exceptionally well.Power is clearly in a super-cycle and traditional oil and gas is operating with a Geopolitical Super Vol macro backdrop (a dramatic improvement from the post super-cycle bust phase of 2015-2020) and business opportunities abounding in the different product lines and geographies.SoH Crisis FAQQuestion 1: Has an oil super-cycle begun?Answer: No. Our core view remains Geopolitical Super Vol, not super-cycle.Q2: Have the odds of “peak oil demand” increased?A: No, we don't think so. However, we are concerned that if the Strait remains significantly disrupted that the painful adjustment down in global oil demand could mean that we spend a good part of the remainder of this decade recovering back to pre-crisis demand levels as incremental supply is brought online. In our view, the timing of a more permanent peak in oil demand is unknowable so long as the other seven billion people on Earth continue to use only a fraction of the energy The Lucky 1 Billion of Us take for granted.Q3: Isn't AI and the resulting power demand growth forecasts a bubble waiting to pop?A: No or, perhaps more accurately, not at this time. The fact that numerous stock markets like the U.S. (S&P 500), Japan (NIKKEI), and South Korea (KOSPI) are at or near all-time highs may indeed reflect complacency with the risk of global recession due to the ongoing SoH Crisis. We would differentiate stock market complacency with an AI bubble. We see it in the areas where we spend a lot of time: digital transformation and the application of AI is a game changer for numerous businesses. The stock market may well experience a major correction if the world tips into recession. Whatever short-term setback that might mean for near-term power generation we think would be akin to the Great Financial Crisis hit to oil demand in the middle of the China/BRICs super-cycle of 2004-2014, i.e., it was temporary.Q4: Don't investors prefer “pure-plays” over diversified companies? A: That view is missing our point. Investors prefer companies with competitive profitability and differentiated growth opportunities. The demand for “pure-plays” typically is the result of a mature sector experiencing a structural downcycle and investors being disappointed on both profitability and growth. And for sure, some companies should remain as pure-plays. The larger a company's market capitalization and overall size, the less we think a pure-play business model makes sense, be it basin or geography or asset type or business line. For small-caps and new technologies, the pure-play business model is often logical.Q5: So E&Ps will merge with refiners?A: No, we aren't expecting that type of integration or diversification. A future “integrated E&P” likely means some combination of midstream and commercial exposure as opposed to a historical upstream-refining mix, as an example.⚡️On A Personal Note: Work Hard. Golf Hard.It's been a great three-week stretch of Spring golf ramp-up. 8 rounds in 5 days in and around Troon, Scotland the first week of May and then our NJ club's flagship member-member Governor's Trophy tournament over Memorial Day weekend featuring 45 holes of match play over 2 days. Day 2 of Governor's featured a good Scottish cold snap of low 50s weather and a light drizzle. Glad my rain pants got more work in and happy to be in sunny Houston as I finish writing this.At Governor's you can always see the short-game comfort from the returning Florida crowd versus those that stayed north over what is typically a 4-5 month winter hiatus. I failed to take advantage of part-time Houston residency this past winter and my partner and I didn't win our flight for the first time since 2021. Five 3 puts—FIVE!!!—from yours truly in Round 2 and two more missed make-able putts in Round 3 were seven half-point giveaways we did not overcome. Based on my accounting, my partner cost us only 2 points versus my 3.5, so the disappointing performance is on me. I'll need a stricter winter routine next year.I will say the Scotland golf intensity helped stamina at Governor's. The intensity and deliberate pace of hole-by-hole match play is usually mentally and physically draining. I didn't feel that this year. For future reference: I need to play 36 more often! It forces an easier swing. It improves mental resilience. Seems better than a cold plunge.Does a high level of golf intensity make you a better energy equity analyst, advisor, or board member? For sure it does. There is no question about this. Are we advising our companies to settle for mediocrity? That an 8% return on capital is good enough? That sector average TSR is fine? Of course not.Work Hard. Golf Hard.A Lot of Great Golf In Scotland: Western Gailes Near The Top Of My ListSource: Super-Spiked selfie.The Calm Before The Governor's Trophy StormSource: Super-Spiked.⚖️ DisclaimerI certify that these are my personal, strongly held views at the time of this post. My views are my own and not attributable to any affiliation, past or present. This is not an investment newsletter and there is no financial advice explicitly or implicitly provided here. My views can and will change in the future as warranted by updated analyses and developments. Some of my comments are made in jest for entertainment purposes; I sincerely mean no offense to anyone that takes issue.Subscribe to Super-Spiked to receive all content via email. Also available on https://veriten.com. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit arjunmurti.substack.com

You are probably wondering, what the heck is a Slurmph? Dustin is. He's a Slurmph. And he'll let you know, in case you forgot. It's time to meet Dustin and Edmundo, best friends forever! EDITOR'S NOTES: A couple of additional tech notes here. Ironically, although we all touted the great qualities of the alternate FX-heavy patron-exclusive renders at the end of this episode, there didn't end up being many moments worth adding sound effects to in this one. Additionally, due to some audio issues, this episode took a lot longer to edit than normal and I really wanted to get it out the door. So this time around, there is no alternate FX version. My apologies! If it's any consolation, since we just finished recording it, I can promise you that the next episode has a lot more effects. Also, due to the normal biological needs of the human body, Alex had stepped away from the table right before we closed out, and thus wasn't present when we were introducing ourselves. In case you were not aware, Henry is played by Alex. Thanks, Alex! Drop us a line! You can follow us (sporadically) on Facebook, and we'd love to see you on our Discord Channel too. And let us know your thoughts by leaving a review on iTunes or any other podcast aggregate sites. For even more info and options, check out our main website or our low-bandwidth alternative feed site. Links of Note: Official Campaign Wiki at Goblin's Notebook Rifts RPG 1st Edition, Digital Rifts RPG Ultimate Edition, Digital Rifts Ultimate Edition, Hardcover A Cloak of Blades, by Isaac Sher Bastard Quest Podcast Credits: GM: Kyle Players: NPC, Just Jacob, Alex, Sean Music: Opening is "8-Bit bass & lead" by Furbyguy, Closing is "Caravana" by Phillip Gross Sound Effects: Unless specified otherwise, all of our sound effects are either self-made, acquired under a Creative Commons Zero license, or sourced by attribution from Tabletop Audio Episode Length (We support chapters!): 1:50:44 Glitter Boys, Rifts, the Megaverse, and all other such topics are the property of Kevin Siembieda and Palladium Books. Please buy all their stuff and help keep them in print and making more games! You can order directly at palladiumbooks.com, and their entire catalog is available digitally at Drive-Thru RPG as well. We release all of our public episodes simultaneously on: Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCuc8KbdMqx8ajWfm2OUTs7A Audio RSS: https://breakfastpuppies.com/feed/glitterbois Want to help us pay for hosting? We have a few options: Drop us a one-time donation or a recurring membership at our Ko-Fi page Follow this link to our Pinecast Tip Jar We've got a merch store if you're looking for some sweet Glitterbois swag. Check out our affiliate store and buy some of the various products we endorse. Support The Glitterbois by contributing to their tip jar: https://tips.pinecast.com/jar/the-glitterbois Send us your feedback online: https://pinecast.com/feedback/the-glitterbois/6bbf6242-26fd-4124-915d-9941cd95a847 This podcast is powered by Pinecast. Try Pinecast for free, forever, no credit card required. If you decide to upgrade, use coupon code r-66e5ee for 40% off for 4 months, and support The Glitterbois.

What if the secret to success isn't working harder?In this episode of Inventive Journey, Devin Miller sits down with entrepreneur and business coach Liam Naden to discuss the extraordinary journey that completely changed Liam's understanding of success, fulfillment, and entrepreneurship.After building multiple successful businesses and achieving financial success, Liam found himself overwhelmed by stress, burnout, and unhappiness. Despite having the dream home, money, freedom, and business success he always wanted, something still felt deeply wrong. Eventually, everything collapsed. Liam lost his businesses, marriage, home, and financial security, forcing him to rebuild his life from scratch.But what happened next surprised him.Instead of rebuilding through hustle, rigid goals, and nonstop pressure, Liam began operating differently. He stopped trying to force outcomes and focused instead on intuition, simplicity, flexibility, and taking one step at a time. Unexpected opportunities started appearing naturally, eventually leading him to rebuild financially and create a location-independent lifestyle traveling and sailing throughout Europe.In this powerful conversation, Liam shares:Why hustle culture often creates burnout instead of fulfillmentThe hidden dangers of ignoring intuition in business decisionsHow lowering expenses can increase entrepreneurial freedomWhy external success does not automatically create happinessHow he rebuilt after losing everythingThe difference between forcing outcomes and allowing opportunities to emergeWhy overthinking can damage decision-makingHow entrepreneurs can reduce stress while improving performanceLiam also discusses the importance of simplifying life and business, challenging the modern obsession with endless productivity and constant growth. His story offers a refreshing perspective for entrepreneurs who feel trapped by pressure, burnout, or the belief that success must always come through struggle.One of the most memorable parts of the episode is Liam's realization that what he truly wanted was not money itself, but the feeling he believed success would create. Ironically, he only found that feeling after letting go of the exhausting systems and expectations he once believed were required.Whether you're building a startup, recovering from setbacks, or reevaluating your entrepreneurial goals, this episode offers practical wisdom and a thought-provoking alternative to traditional business advice.If you've ever wondered whether there's a healthier way to succeed in business without sacrificing your peace of mind, this conversation is worth listening to.To chat about this one-on-one, grab a free consult at strategymeeting.com

STREAMING THE MAKING OF THE JOHN BATCHELOR SHOW, HOLIDAY 5-25-2026.1623 PERSIA.On Memorial Day 2026, the United States and Iran find themselves in a strategic quagmire as they play down hopes for an imminent breakthrough to end their conflict. While diplomats have reportedly settled the "easy" 99% of the issues, the core conflict that led to the war remains unresolved. This pattern follows a historical diplomatic tendency where the fundamental cause of a war is deferred, leaving the "one issue that brought us here" untouched.Iran currently holds the primary leverage in negotiations due to its demonstrated control over the Strait of Hormuz. By closing this vital waterway, Iran has inflicted intense pressure on the global economy, causing U.S. petrol prices to soar and President Trump's approval ratings to plummet. Consequently, the U.S. appears poised to accept a deal that leaves Iran in a stronger position than it was before the war began. The emerging agreement would see Iran reopen the Strait without a toll in exchange for phased sanctions relief and the unfreezing of billions of dollars in assets. However, the critical issue of Iran's nuclear program—specifically its refusal to concede the right to enrich or reprocess uranium—is being pushed into future negotiations.This situation has drawn fierce criticism from hawkish legislators and the Israeli government. Senator Ted Cruz labeled the deal a "disastrous mistake" that leaves Iran capable of developing nuclear weapons while maintaining effective control over the Strait. Senator Roger Wicker added that the deal is "not worth the paper it is written on," arguing that the U.S. should instead finish the destruction of Iran's conventional military. However, military experts note that reopening the Strait by force would likely require ground troops and heavy American casualties.For Israel, the outcome is particularly grim. Prime Minister Netanyahu originally sold the war as a path to regime change; instead, the conflict is ending with the Iranian regime more confident, hardline, and financially replenished. Observers note that Iran has achieved a strategic victory deeper than any military achievement by surviving the "best punch" from the U.S. and Israel while proving it can hold the world's energy supply hostage.The sources draw a parallel between this stalemate and the Korean War, suggesting the region may face a long-term, unresolved "DMZ" state that lasts for decades. Ironically, the source points out that the Iranian nuclear program originated with the Eisenhower administration's "Atoms for Peace" program, which provided the first reactor used for training.Looking forward, the Strait of Hormuz will be the lasting legacy of the Trump administration, representing a loss of American authority in the region. While there are discussions about building pipelines to bypass the Persian Gulf, Iran is expected to use that time to rebuild its military and proxy networks. Despite the geopolitical tension, markets find some encouragement in the lack of active war fighting, as the global economy pivots toward a rebuilding phase centered on Artificial Intelligence. Nevertheless, the fundamental quagmire remains: a nuclear-capable Iran effectively controlling the exit from the Persian Gulf.

Hiranya Peiris is playing a starring role in a movie that promises to tell perhaps the greatest story of all time. However, it's a movie with a difference – there's no director and no script. The Legacy Survey of Space and Time is one of the most ambitious projects in the world of astronomy, with a mission to create a decade-long time-lapse movie of the visible universe, to answer fundamental questions about its origin, evolution and, ultimately, its fate.Hiranya is Professor of Astrophysics 1909, the prestigious Chair at the Institute of Astronomy at Cambridge University. Over her career she's been one of the pioneers of a revolution in astronomy, bridging fundamental physics with the observational data coming back from space, to establish the first evidence-based standard model for the origin, evolution and fate of the universe. The endeavour has transformed the field from the ‘wild west' of physics to the modern era of precision cosmology.Ironically, it was another movie, of sorts, Carl Sagan's documentary series ‘Cosmos', that first sparked Hiranya's interest in the universe as a young girl. Always keen to inspire women to follow in her footsteps and choose careers in science, if this interview were a live show she'd have reserved the front row for schoolgirls.

Thank you for joining us for our 2nd Cabral HouseCall of the weekend!   I'm looking forward to sharing with you some of our community's questions that have come in over the past few weeks…   Emily: Hi Dr Cabral, you are just such an amazing soul! Keep doing gods great work! I'm writing in to ask about my personal situation, I am 34, I had a throat cancer back in 2019, underwent radiation and surgery. Since then I had 2 babies, and came down with autoimmune symptoms this last year 2025. Since then I dove into healing myself, finished a gut program, did "big 5" labs, just did a 3 month mold detox. I am a year out and my food sensitivities are gone, brain fog gone, gut healed. But what is remaining is rosacea still, and I just did a teeth cleaning and we are still seeing inflamed gums. I am working with a practitioner and we know I have some viruses to tackle next and boost my immune system. At this point is there anything more you would add, to help me get rid of remaining rosecea?      Ashley: Hi Dr. Cabral! I installed the hydrogen water device you recommended in my home last summer. My family loves it, however whenever I personally drink the water I get SEVERELY constipated. I have run 4 tests now over the last 6 months and every time I reintroduce the water (even at a low pH and titrating up as advised by your team) the constipation returns. Ironically the very first week I tried the water I was having 3-4 BMs a day before the constipation trend began. Do you have any ideas what could be going on? I'm an IHP-L2 and have consulted your team and the support groups, but everyone seems perplexed... hence my outreach to you directly on this one. Note I did the CBO protocol 2x last yr for recurring gut infections before uncovering I have mold toxicity & am now on this protocol.      Brett: Hi Dr. Cabral—I'm seeking guidance on refractory hypercoagulability. I've had 77 DVTs and 33 pulmonary emboli, and was diagnosed with antiphospholipid syndrome two years ago. Despite therapeutic anticoagulation with daily Arixtra (fondaparinux), I continue to develop thrombotic events. Are there evidence-informed adjunct strategies (e.g., anti-inflammatory protocols, micronutrient optimization, endothelial support, or additional labs) that may help reduce clot recurrence alongside standard care? I remain under physician management but am exploring complementary approaches to improve outcomes. Thank you.       Kay: Dear Dr. Cabral- Thank you so much for the work you are doing and all your super informative podcasts. I took the Minerals & Metals test end of 2024 which showed high mercury and aluminum so in November of 2025 I had all 4 of my mercury amalgams removed by a biological dentist who is SMART certified. After removal, I did my Heavy Metal Detox for 8 weeks. I then retested at the beginning of April and just received my test results and was dismayed to see Mercury levels exactly the same and the aluminum slightly higher, even. Several other minerals were off balance as well. My question to you is how long would it take to detox from amalgam removals and should I do another heavy metal detox? Or did I retest too early? Appreciate your help, Kay       Kay: Hi Dr Cabral, Recently I had conventional bloodwork labs done and repeated (Mar 31st, April 3rd) testing high in magnesium levels (2.4 mg/dL and 2.5 mg/dL, respectively) and experienced symptoms of palpitations at night. My functional medicine Dr told me to stop taking any supplements/nutritional beverages containing Mg (i.e. CALM Mg powder) which I did. Even more of a surprise was when I received my recent Minerals & Metals test back, done around the same time as my blood tests, showing that I had an elevated Ca/Mg ratio (7.9) indicating relative Mg deficiency and elevated Na/Mg ratio (5.3) also indicating a relative Mg deficiency. How could both of these labs be true? Could stress play a factor? I recently moved and am caring for parents, 1 who has been Dx'd w/cancer.     Thank you for tuning into this weekend's Cabral HouseCalls and be sure to check back tomorrow for our Mindset & Motivation Monday show to get your week started off right!   - - - Show Notes and Resources: StephenCabral.com/3761 - - - Get a FREE Copy of Dr. Cabral's Book: The Rain Barrel Effect - - - Join the Community & Get Your Questions Answered: CabralSupportGroup.com - - - Dr. Cabral's Most Popular At-Home Lab Tests: > Complete Minerals & Metals Test (Test for mineral imbalances & heavy metal toxicity) - - - > Complete Candida, Metabolic & Vitamins Test (Test for 75 biomarkers including yeast & bacterial gut overgrowth, as well as vitamin levels) - - - > Complete Stress, Mood & Metabolism Test (Discover your complete thyroid, adrenal, hormone, vitamin D & insulin levels) - - - > Complete Food Sensitivity Test (Find out your hidden food sensitivities) - - - > Complete Omega-3 & Inflammation Test (Discover your levels of inflammation related to your omega-6 to omega-3 levels) - - - Get Your Question Answered On An Upcoming HouseCall: StephenCabral.com/askcabral - - - Would You Take 30 Seconds To Rate & Review The Cabral Concept? The best way to help me spread our mission of true natural health is to pass on the good word, and I read and appreciate every review!  

Carl Panzram was a force of pure destruction—two decades of murder, arson, and brutality, all capped off with a chilling memoir where he made one thing clear: he never felt a shred of remorse.EPISODE BLOG PAGE (includes sources and full transcript): https://weirddarkness.com/CarlPanzramFEATURED STORIES IN THIS EPISODE: He was described as a man “too evil to live”. We'll look at the brutal life of crime of Carl Panzram, a man some said was the personification of rage. (Too Evil to Live) *** Did a Nikola Tesla experiment cause the Tunguska Blast? (Tesla's Death Ray) *** Bizarre happenings were centered around the Eddy home. The house was reported to be infested with supernatural beings of such numbers that had never been reported before, or since. The events were so powerful and strange, people came from all over the world to witness them. (People From Other Worlds) *** A woman's newfound ability to astral project has her coming face-to-face with someone she never expected to see. (Astral Projection and Mom's Message) *** The Mountain Meadows Massacre has been hailed by historians as "the most hideous example of the human cost exacted by religious fanaticism in American history until 9/11." Ironically, it too occurred on September 11th – in 1857. (The Mountain Meadows Massacre) *** If you spend the night amongst the dead in a graveyard, don't be surprised if something supernatural happens to you. (I Spent The Night In a Graveyard) *** An old man regrets not obeying his wife's dying wish. (The Stubborn Piano) *** Over 200 lobotomies were performed at the Ridges Asylum – without anesthesia or an operating room. Is it any wonder why it's now considered to be haunted? (The Ridges Asylum) *** A Vietnam veteran has his first paranormal investigation in a Nevada town with a population of more dead souls than alive. (Marine Protectors) *** In a quiet Virginia cemetery is a peculiar tomb that has mystified visitors for nearly two hundred years. Who is buried there? No one seems to know. (The Grave of the Female Stranger) *** Demons hitchhiking, reports of a mysterious entity, strange suicides…CHAPTERS & TIME STAMPS (All Times Approximate)…00:00:00.000 = The Foreboding00:00:59.848 = Show Open00:04:02.608 = Carl Panzram: Too Evil to Live00:10:43.630 = Tesla's Death Ray ***00:19:43.660 = People From Other Worlds00:37:29.686 = Astral Projection and Mom's Message ***00:42:45.987 = Mountain Meadows00:50:16.392 = Walking Sam01:00:41.858 = I Spent The Night in a Graveyard ***01:08:01.164 = The Stubborn Piano01:11:34.864 = Ridges Asylum01:23:14.400 = Marine Protectors ***01:26:23.184 = Grave of the Female Stranger01:31:07.800 = Show Close*** = Begins immediately after inserted ad breakLISTEN ON PODCAST APPS: Look for this podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, iHeart Radio, Amazon Music, Pandora, TuneIn Radio, and other podcast apps. Get a list of free listening apps here: https://weirddarkness.com/wdapps*No AI Voices Are Used In The Narration Of This Podcast*SOURCES and RESOURCES:“Carl Panzram: Too Evil to Live” by Orin Grey: http://ow.ly/KxrA30mP1GM“Tesla's Death Ray”: https://tinyurl.com/v7scbe7“People From Other Worlds” by Troy Taylor: https://tinyurl.com/u6snqa3“Astral Projection and Mom's Message” by CuriousDee: https://tinyurl.com/rkwkbd3“The Mountain Meadows Massacre”: https://tinyurl.com/sdgbvsv“Walking Sam” by Brent Swancer: https://tinyurl.com/rkbd29c“I Spent a Night In a Graveyard” by Michael McKean: (link no longer available)“The Stubborn Piano” by J. Mason Brewer: (link no longer available)“The Ridges Asylum” by Shannon E. Brown: (link no longer available)“Marine Protectors” by Weirdo family member Pam Ennis, submitted at WeirdDarkness.com“The Grave of the Female Stranger” by Orrin Grey: http://ow.ly/NkQS30mMhhZ(Over time links may become invalid, disappear, or have different content. I always make sure to give authors credit for the material I use whenever possible. If I somehow overlooked doing so for a story, or if a credit is incorrect, please let me know and I will rectify it in these show notes immediately. Some links included above may benefit me financially through qualifying purchases.)WeirdDarkness® is a registered trademark. Copyright ©2026, Weird Darkness.Originally aired: October 24, 2021

There's a very specific kind of panic that happens when someone says, "Just listen to your hunger." Because in theory? It sounds so simple. Eat when you're hungry. Stop when you're full. Trust your body. Very calming Pinterest quote energy. And then real life happens. In this episode, I'm breaking down why that happens. We're talking about how years of restriction, dieting, food rules, and trying to override your body can completely distort your hunger cues. We're getting into the fear of "if I start eating, I won't stop," why so many people feel like their hunger is excessive or wrong, and why the advice to "just trust your body" can backfire when your body has spent years not being listened to. Quotes "The fear of, 'If I let myself eat, it's never gonna stop, and I'm just gonna keep being hungry because there is no on or off switch, it's just on,' is rooted a lot of time in past experience. So it sort of reinforces the concept that you should be afraid of your hunger." - Rachelle Heinemann "It's really hard to trust a signal when you think that following it will have consequences that you cannot accept." - Rachelle Heinemann "We have to develop accurate hunger cues, and then the trust that you will actually feed it." - Rachelle Heinemann "Hunger is not a failure and it's not dangerous. It's something that is just a signal." - Rachelle Heinemann Frequently Asked Questions Why do my hunger cues feel so extreme? A lot of times, hunger cues feel extreme because your body has spent years not trusting that food is consistently coming. If you restrict, delay eating, skip meals, or constantly override hunger, your body eventually stops giving subtle cues and starts screaming. So instead of "slightly hungry," you go from nothing to starving. Why do I feel hungry again right after eating? Sometimes, because the meal genuinely wasn't enough. Sometimes, because your body is trying to recover from restriction. And sometimes, because hunger doesn't work on the perfect schedule, people think it should. Hunger is not a stopwatch. Your body does not care that lunch was 45 minutes ago if it still needs energy.   Why does intuitive eating feel chaotic for me? Because if your body has a history of restriction, "just listen to your hunger" can feel like opening the floodgates. Your body is trying to protect you from famine, not create balance right away. That's why structure and consistency usually have to come before hunger cues feel calm and reliable.   Can restriction cause binge eating? Yes. When you repeatedly ignore hunger or don't eat enough, your body eventually responds with urgency around food. That's why binge eating often feels chaotic and out of control after periods of restriction. It's not a lack of willpower. It's your body trying to keep you alive.   Why am I always thinking about food? Usually, because your body and brain don't feel safe around food yet. Restriction increases food thoughts. Hunger increases food thoughts. Constant rules around eating increase food thoughts. Most people are shocked by how much quieter their brain gets once they start eating consistently.   How do I trust my hunger cues again? Usually not by immediately relying on them. Ironically, trust gets rebuilt through consistency first. Eating regularly, eating enough, and creating structure teach your body that food is not disappearing. Over time, hunger becomes more subtle, clearer, and less urgent.   Will I gain weight if I start listening to my hunger? Possibly. Sometimes yes. Sometimes no. The bigger issue is that if you are actively terrified of weight gain while trying to heal your relationship with food, those two things usually fight each other the entire time. Recovery often requires putting intentional weight loss on pause long enough to let your body stabilize.   Why does hunger feel emotionally overwhelming? Because for a lot of people, hunger is tied to desire, need, permission, and taking up space. It's not just about food. Listening to hunger often means acknowledging wants and needs in general, and that can feel deeply uncomfortable if you've spent years minimizing yourself.   Can hunger cues stop working after years of dieting? Yes. Hunger cues can become really distorted after chronic dieting, restriction, or disordered eating. Some people barely feel hunger until they're ravenous. Others feel hungry all the time. That doesn't mean your body is broken. It usually means your body has adapted to inconsistency.   Why can't I stop eating once I start? A lot of people think this means they're addicted to food or lack discipline. Usually, it means they're underfed. When your body thinks food is scarce, it's not interested in moderation. It's interested in survival.   Should I eat even if I'm not hungry in recovery? A lot of times, yes. Especially early on. If your hunger cues are unreliable, waiting until you feel hungry enough can keep you stuck in the restriction and binge cycle. Structure helps rebuild stability before hunger cues become more trustworthy.   What does normal hunger actually feel like? Usually a lot less dramatic than people expect. Over time, hunger becomes softer, earlier, and more informational. It stops feeling like an emergency and starts feeling like a cue. Resources Brave on Purpose! - Grab my new book here! Grab my Journal Prompts Here  Looking for a speaker for an upcoming event? Let's chat! Now accepting new clients! Find out if we're a good fit! Basics of Intuitive Eating Episode   The 6 Week Body Image Group is a small, Zoom-based group for women where we actually talk about this — the thoughts, the patterns, the why. Each week, dietitian Sydney Greene and I,  (therapist Rachelle Heinemann) hold an open, honest conversation about what it feels like to live in a body and how to build a genuinely different relationship with it. Not a diet. Not a fix. Just real work, with the right people, in a room that gets it. Details: Wednesdays, 7 PM EST | $100/session | Superbills available | Starts early June Email sydney@sydneygreenehealth.com to save your spot.   LEAVE A REVIEW + help someone who may need this podcast by sharing this episode. Be sure to sign up for my weekly newsletter here! You can connect with me on Instagram @rachelleheinemann, through my website www.rachelleheinemann.com, or email me directly at rachelle@rachelleheinemann.com

Continuous Creation and the Discovery of the Hiss The "Steady State" theory was famously conceptualized after Fred Hoyle and his colleagues, Thomas Gold and Hermann Bondi, watched the looping narrative of the horror film Dead of Night, leading them to propose a universe where matter is continuously created to maintain a constant density as galaxies drift apart. Hoyle described a "creation field" where new particles spontaneously emerge from empty space due to quantum uncertainty, an idea he compared to new spectators filling empty rows in a stadium to keep the crowd density uniform. A major breakthrough in this research was Hoyle's prediction of a specific energy state for carbon-12, the "triple-alpha process," which explained how life-essential elements could be synthesized in the immense heat of dying stars' collapsing cores. Meanwhile, George Gamow and his student Ralph Alpher theorized that the early universe consisted of a primordial substance called "Ylem" that underwent a "Big Squeeze" to form the elements. Ironically, Hoylecoined the term "Big Bang" during a 1949 BBC radio broadcast as a derisive joke to mock the idea of a single initial explosion, a nickname that Gamow disliked because he felt it misrepresented the physics of the early universe. Despite their professional competition, the two men remained friends and famously debated the temperature of the universe during a 1956 road trip through La Jolla in a white Cadillac. While they failed to accurately predict the cosmic temperature during that drive, the debate was effectively settled in 1964 when Bell Labs researchers Arno Penzias and Robert Wilson accidentally discovered a persistent radio "hiss" while trying to calibrate a satellite antenna. After ruling out urban interference and cleaning pigeon droppings from their equipment, they realized they had found the cosmic microwave background radiation. This discovery, which Robert Dicke and Jim Peebles at Princeton were also searching for, provided the definitive evidence for the Big Bang and "scooped" the scientific community, ultimately vindicating Gamow's model over Hoyle's Steady State theory. Guest Author: Paul Halpern. (3/4)DECEMBER 1961