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Dr. Kristen Tegtmeier Oertel's Seeking Freedom in Indian Country: Slavery, Sovereignty, and Resistance within the Five Tribes, 1790–1861 (LSU Press, 2026) is the first comprehensive study of African chattel slavery within the Five Tribes: the Cherokee, Chickasaw, Choctaw, Muscogee (Creek), and Seminole Nations. Dr. Oertel examines how chattel slavery functioned among all Five Tribes before and during the removal process, how the tribes reconstituted slavery post-removal in Indian Territory, and how enslaved Black people promoted freedom-seeking strategies at each stage. Furthermore, her work considers how the conflict over slavery in Indian Territory contributed to the larger national debate over slavery's fate on the eve of the Civil War. Historians have examined how the practice of African enslavement emerged within one or two tribes, how forced migration affected slavery within particular nations, and how the debate over slavery divided multiple Indigenous nations. Dr. Oertel, however, is the first to examine Indian Territory as a whole, its significance to the sectional debates, and its role as an incubator of emancipation policies in the United States. Knitting together these individual tribal narratives and supplementing them with extensive primary research on how slavery functioned across Indian Territory, she integrates Indian country into the antebellum march toward the Civil War. Seeking Freedom in Indian Country joins a rising chorus of studies that integrate southern and western history, which, by default, also pulls together the history of the so-called Indian Wars with the Civil War. Dr. Oertel suggests that we cannot fully understand the causes of the Civil War without also considering the changes brought about by the forced removal of Indians. She argues that settler colonialism and the expansion of African chattel slavery together set the stage for sectional conflict to explode in the West. Ironically, both Indigenous resistance to settler colonialism and Black resistance to slavery challenged white supremacy in ways that foretold the end of slavery but also furthered the settler colonial project. This interview was conducted by Dr. Miranda Melcher whose book focuses on post-conflict military integration, understanding treaty negotiation and implementation in civil war contexts, with qualitative analysis of the Angolan and Mozambican civil wars. You can find Miranda's interviews on New Books with Miranda Melcher, wherever you get your podcasts. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/new-books-network
Dr. Kristen Tegtmeier Oertel's Seeking Freedom in Indian Country: Slavery, Sovereignty, and Resistance within the Five Tribes, 1790–1861 (LSU Press, 2026) is the first comprehensive study of African chattel slavery within the Five Tribes: the Cherokee, Chickasaw, Choctaw, Muscogee (Creek), and Seminole Nations. Dr. Oertel examines how chattel slavery functioned among all Five Tribes before and during the removal process, how the tribes reconstituted slavery post-removal in Indian Territory, and how enslaved Black people promoted freedom-seeking strategies at each stage. Furthermore, her work considers how the conflict over slavery in Indian Territory contributed to the larger national debate over slavery's fate on the eve of the Civil War. Historians have examined how the practice of African enslavement emerged within one or two tribes, how forced migration affected slavery within particular nations, and how the debate over slavery divided multiple Indigenous nations. Dr. Oertel, however, is the first to examine Indian Territory as a whole, its significance to the sectional debates, and its role as an incubator of emancipation policies in the United States. Knitting together these individual tribal narratives and supplementing them with extensive primary research on how slavery functioned across Indian Territory, she integrates Indian country into the antebellum march toward the Civil War. Seeking Freedom in Indian Country joins a rising chorus of studies that integrate southern and western history, which, by default, also pulls together the history of the so-called Indian Wars with the Civil War. Dr. Oertel suggests that we cannot fully understand the causes of the Civil War without also considering the changes brought about by the forced removal of Indians. She argues that settler colonialism and the expansion of African chattel slavery together set the stage for sectional conflict to explode in the West. Ironically, both Indigenous resistance to settler colonialism and Black resistance to slavery challenged white supremacy in ways that foretold the end of slavery but also furthered the settler colonial project. This interview was conducted by Dr. Miranda Melcher whose book focuses on post-conflict military integration, understanding treaty negotiation and implementation in civil war contexts, with qualitative analysis of the Angolan and Mozambican civil wars. You can find Miranda's interviews on New Books with Miranda Melcher, wherever you get your podcasts. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/history
Dr. Kristen Tegtmeier Oertel's Seeking Freedom in Indian Country: Slavery, Sovereignty, and Resistance within the Five Tribes, 1790–1861 (LSU Press, 2026) is the first comprehensive study of African chattel slavery within the Five Tribes: the Cherokee, Chickasaw, Choctaw, Muscogee (Creek), and Seminole Nations. Dr. Oertel examines how chattel slavery functioned among all Five Tribes before and during the removal process, how the tribes reconstituted slavery post-removal in Indian Territory, and how enslaved Black people promoted freedom-seeking strategies at each stage. Furthermore, her work considers how the conflict over slavery in Indian Territory contributed to the larger national debate over slavery's fate on the eve of the Civil War. Historians have examined how the practice of African enslavement emerged within one or two tribes, how forced migration affected slavery within particular nations, and how the debate over slavery divided multiple Indigenous nations. Dr. Oertel, however, is the first to examine Indian Territory as a whole, its significance to the sectional debates, and its role as an incubator of emancipation policies in the United States. Knitting together these individual tribal narratives and supplementing them with extensive primary research on how slavery functioned across Indian Territory, she integrates Indian country into the antebellum march toward the Civil War. Seeking Freedom in Indian Country joins a rising chorus of studies that integrate southern and western history, which, by default, also pulls together the history of the so-called Indian Wars with the Civil War. Dr. Oertel suggests that we cannot fully understand the causes of the Civil War without also considering the changes brought about by the forced removal of Indians. She argues that settler colonialism and the expansion of African chattel slavery together set the stage for sectional conflict to explode in the West. Ironically, both Indigenous resistance to settler colonialism and Black resistance to slavery challenged white supremacy in ways that foretold the end of slavery but also furthered the settler colonial project. This interview was conducted by Dr. Miranda Melcher whose book focuses on post-conflict military integration, understanding treaty negotiation and implementation in civil war contexts, with qualitative analysis of the Angolan and Mozambican civil wars. You can find Miranda's interviews on New Books with Miranda Melcher, wherever you get your podcasts. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/american-studies
Foundations of Amateur Radio Previously I've talked about one of the often lauded cornerstones of the amateur radio community, namely Emergency Response, and to be frank, I questioned then, as I do now, the reality of this, at the very least, perceived, foundational aspect of our global hobby. Before you get out the caps lock key, let me assure you that I'm aware of sporadic examples of heroic efforts made by members of our community to save lives that are held up as examples of amateur radio emergency responses. What I'm questioning is related to our collective effectiveness. We have global and increasing occurrences of wild or bush fires, we have earthquakes and tsunamis, storms, hurricanes, cyclones or typhoons, whatever you call the vortex of destruction, and global news media ensures that we hear about it within hours if not seconds. Social media provides us with mobile phone footage dubbed with expert audio to explain the latest tragedy to the rest of us. What we don't see is what happens next, while the power is out, the internet is down, mobile phones aren't working anymore and survivors are fighting tooth and nail for their return to normalcy, or at least what's left of it. It struck me that one thing I never see discussed and haven't ever discussed in over a decade and a half I've been here, is the amateur radio interface with the rest of the world. A comment I see often is that Internet connected amateur radio, like Echolink, AllStarLink and IRLP, aren't real radio and that real amateurs use RF. HF radio for the win right? What do you think the relevance of HF radio is to a family member living in the next town after a disaster, or a parent looking for their lost child? How do ordinary people benefit from the radio amateur who lives on their street, or the one who travels into the disaster zone? Ultimately, if we are to take our claimed emergency response role seriously, we as a community of radio amateurs need to consider just what it is that we can offer to the people around us in the case of an emergency. Might what we offer look like a Wi-Fi base station that's connected to the rest of the world via an IP link that happens to be running on 2m or 70cm during an emergency? Or could what we offer be described as an Amateur Radio Short Message Service, what about transmitting a DVB-T dashboard that's being updated over LoRaWAN, or a local voice relay service? Where's the infrastructure, planning, preparation and training for that? Where's the documentation for it? How are we telling the local community about it? How well do we even do outage notifications within our community, let alone outside it? The point being that there are amateurs who beat their chest about emergency preparedness and, bluntly, have little or nothing to show for it. Don't get me wrong, this isn't limited to the amateur radio community. For a few weeks I became an aspirant member of a local emergency response team, right until I discovered that their biggest issue was that their user base, the local volunteer bushfire brigades, didn't really know how to use their radio repeater system and my suggestion to go and visit each one on a rotation basis and train them was met with snorts of derision and laughter. Do you really want an emergency response to be ad hoc? "Oh, sorry, I'm missing a cable and I can't connect this to that, I'll sort it out for next time." The increased interest in the various "OTA" or "On The Air" pursuits, Parks, Peaks, Summits, Bunkers, Castles, Waterways, Islands, Lakes, Libraries, Lighthouses and Toilets to name a few, are all helping amateurs practice with the "getting on-air and make noise using a temporary installation" part of an emergency response, but few of those activities interact with the general public in any way. Ironically, the local Wireless Civil Emergency Network, or WICEN, is at least doing some community outreach by providing radio infrastructure to a few local events. It's a start, but still a very long way from interacting with your next door neighbour in preparation for a massive storm and subsequent power outage. Here's the thing. There's no end-to-end anything. Is ad hoc sticky tape and baling wire really the way you want our amateur community to respond to an emergency? Is emergency response a fanciful concept, or are there things we as a community could put together to make it reality? I'm Onno VK6FLAB
Irish musician Glen Hansard, best-known for his band The Frames and his part in the 2007 film ‘Once,' died July 29 in a motorcycle crash. He was 56. Hansard got his start busking in the streets of Dublin. Ironically, it was his headmaster who urged him to drop out of school to pursue music. He spoke with Terry Gross in 2008, with his ‘Once' co-star Markéta Irglová. Their song from the film, “Falling Slowly,” won an Oscar for Best Original Song. Also, Kevin Whitehead pays tribute to Tony Bennett, who would have been 100 next week, and film critic Justin Chang reviews ‘I Want Your Sex.' Subscribe to our free weekly newsletter Follow us on Instagram Subscribe to our YouTube channel Check out the Fresh Air ArchivesSee pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences.NPR Privacy Policy
Irish musician Glen Hansard, best-known for his band The Frames and his part in the 2007 film ‘Once,' died July 29 in a motorcycle crash. He was 56. Hansard got his start busking in the streets of Dublin. Ironically, it was his headmaster who urged him to drop out of school to pursue music. He spoke with Terry Gross in 2008, with his ‘Once' co-star Markéta Irglová. Their song from the film, “Falling Slowly,” won an Oscar for Best Original Song. Also, Kevin Whitehead pays tribute to Tony Bennett, who would have been 100 next week, and film critic Justin Chang reviews ‘I Want Your Sex.' Subscribe to our free weekly newsletter Follow us on Instagram Subscribe to our YouTube channel Check out the Fresh Air ArchivesSee pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences.NPR Privacy Policy
Charles I's execution was unprecedented and shocking. He staked everything on his divine right to rule – the same concept that inspired his spectacular Ruben's ceiling at the Banqueting House, Whitehall Palace. Ironically, this glorification of monarchy was one of the King's last sights, before he died on the scaffold. In this episode, curators Minette Butler and Dr Alden Gregory explore this fascinating story of a 'traitor' king, under the Ruben's ceiling where he spent his final moments. How did Charles I come to be executed by his own subjects? Did he reflect on his reign as he passed underneath these heavenly images? And what remains of his legacy? See the Rubens' ceiling in high definition on Google Arts & Culture.
Miracles and Mentors with Staci McCormack (Season 6 | Episode 249) Opening the Nest to New Discoveries Welcome back, fellow Open Nesters! In our latest episode of season six, we are once again trading the concept of an “empty” nest for an open one, opening the doors to vibrant health, renewed relationships, and deep spirituality. Today, I am thrilled to share the insights from our deeply soulful guest, Staci McCormack, an author, retreat leader, and life coach. Staci joined us to discuss the incredible, and sometimes incredibly messy, journey through the second half of life. She reminded us that this stage is an opportunity to step into our wisdom and embrace the wide-open possibilities ahead. Her story is a beautiful testament to the fact that while this period can feel disorienting, it is ultimately a profound invitation to rediscover our authentic selves. Empty nest marriage transition Finding purpose after kids leave Changing friendships in midlife Midlife spiritual growth Staci McCormack author Trudging Through the Muck During our conversation, Staci beautifully articulated a feeling that I know so many of us can relate to: the realization that we’ve spent decades caught in a relentless cycle. She described this early phase of adulthood as a treadmill of running, striving, struggling, and searching. Staci shared a poignant memory of standing in her living room in her mid-forties, looking at a rather dull Christmas tree while her teenage son entered his “grunt stage,” and realizing she was merely playing out a theatrical script. It was a powerful awakening to the fact that we cannot fully experience the “new” until we are willing to trudge through the “muck” of our established, often exhausting routines. The Spiritual Symbolism of Snakes The universe has a funny way of forcing us to pay attention when we ignore the signs that it’s time for a change, and for Staci, that wake-up call came in the form of actual snakes. She shared a truly wild situation that manifested in her life: her home became infested with hundreds of them! At first, they were a terrifying nuisance that sent her running for the hills, but as she deepened her spiritual understanding, she realized they represented a vital metaphor. Just as a serpent must shed its skin to unfold and grow, we too must shed our outdated identities and the protective layers we’ve built up over the years to truly become ourselves. Navigating this massive shedding process is rarely something we can do alone, yet Staci highlighted a critical gap in our modern culture: a stark lack of mentors for this specific season. When she found herself surrounded by snakes and overwhelmed by the shifting dynamics in her marriage and parenting, she realized she desperately needed navigational tools and a wise female guide. Unfortunately, she couldn’t easily find a mentor to help her understand why her voice suddenly felt different or why she couldn’t remember what used to bring her joy as a child. This gap is exactly why we have these conversations—to build a community where we can share wisdom and support each other through our personal evolutions. Welcoming Unexpected Miracles Sometimes, when we finally surrender control and admit we are in over our heads, the universe delivers exactly what we need—even if it’s not the traditional mentor we envisioned. For Staci, her miracle arrived in the completely unexpected form of a puppy. After neighbors gifted her teenage son a new dog, Staci and her husband were initially resistant, questioning their capacity to take on a pet during such a chaotic transition. Ironically, this very puppy turned out to be a natural hunter that methodically cleared the snakes from their property, one by one. It was a beautiful, humorous lesson in releasing our grip on how we think our problems should be solved and remaining open to unexpected forms of grace. Coming Home to Ourselves With the snakes gone and the metaphorical air cleared, Staci and her husband were able to embark on the crucial work of coming “home” to themselves. They recognized that after forty years together, they were two completely different individuals than when they first met, and they needed to intentionally redesign their relationship. This meant giving each other the literal and emotional space to reconnect with the girl and boy they once were, taking time apart for personal discovery, and establishing a new commitment to communicate openly. Returning to our authentic selves requires a willingness to step off the treadmill and give our partners the freedom to do the same. Embracing the Wide-Open Life Our conversation with Staci was a vibrant reminder that this stage of life is not a closing chapter, but a wide-open door. As we open ourselves to better relationships with our adult children, our partners, and most importantly, ourselves, we invite endless vitality into our days. If you are feeling lost in the muck or overwhelmed by the shedding of your own skin right now, please know that it is entirely okay to pause, take space, and figure out what lights you up. We are all in this beautiful, messy process of aging and evolving together, and I am so grateful to share this open nest with all of you. Resources for You We want to provide you with support and many many resources for your own Open Nesting Journey. Our resource page has so much to offer as does our private discussion group on Facebook about queerness and other topics of interest: Open Nesters Resource Page The Open Nesters Private Facebook Group About Tessa Tessa Krone is the engine behind and the face of The Open Nesters. Tessa holds an MA in Consciousness Studies and is a speaker, coach, program and journey facilitator & leader, author and, of course, Podcaster. Her offerings are based in her mission to help people open to their most self-expressed, loving selves. Tessa's specialties include embodiment from all the senses and elements of our inner and outer lives, ranging from mindfulness, dance, play, and sensory exploration in nature. If she had one superpower, it would be to help people, especially as they age, to live more open hearted lives. Please email Tessa to make a connection. If you like, please answer the question: What do you need to OPEN your NEST? In your LIFE. In your BODY. In your SPIRIT. Do you need MORE… Adventure Freedom of Expression Exploration and Fun Body Movement New circles of friends Deep love relationships
How to Trade Stocks and Options Podcast by 10minutestocktrader.com
Are you looking to save time, make money, and start winning with less risk? Then head to https://www.ovtlyr.com.Learn more about OVTLYR: https://youtu.be/TUCbD5KovlcWhat if the biggest thing holding back your trading... isn't your strategy?What if it's the fact that you're chasing the next strategy every single week?Seriously.Most traders spend years looking for the magic indicator, the perfect entry, or the secret setup that finally makes everything click. Ironically, that's the very thing keeping them stuck.This video flips that idea upside down.Instead of chasing shortcuts, you'll discover why the fastest traders to improve are usually the ones who slow down, commit to one repeatable process, and let consistency do the heavy lifting. It isn't flashy. It isn't exciting. But it works.Here's what you'll discover:✅ Why predicting the market is a losing game✅ The mindset shift that can save years of frustration✅ How to build a repeatable trading process that compounds over time✅ Why journaling, risk management, and patience create a real edge✅ How OVTLYR helps cut through the noise and focus on what actually mattersHere's the part most traders never hear...The best traders aren't obsessed with being right.They're obsessed with following their process.That's a completely different game.Once the focus shifts from "Where is the market going next?" to "What needs to happen before taking this trade?" everything starts to change. Decisions become more disciplined. Emotions stop driving every move. Confidence comes from the process instead of predictions.If trading has felt harder than it should, don't skip this one. One simple idea from this video could completely change the way the market is approached.Subscribe and turn on notifications for more practical trading education, investing insights, swing trading strategies, and market analysis designed to help traders build confidence one decision at a time.
On the 146th Episode of Dorm Damage With Tom & Zeus the guys list their Mount Rushmore of United States Presidents. Tom & Zeus continue their "The Mount Rushmore" series, where Tom and Zeus will pick a category and then they will list their top 4 in the category each. In this episode the guys are feeling very patriotic because of the 250th birthday of this great nation. Ironically, the guys list who their Mount Rushmore Presidents are and which should be on Mount Rushmore! You guys asked for more politics . . . Happy 250th Birthday U.S.A. !!! To Purchase Shout It Out Loudcast's KISS Book “Raise Your Glasses: A Celebration Of 50 Years of KISS Songs By Celebrities, Musicians & Fans Please Click Below: Raise Your Glasses Book For all things Shout It Out Loudcast the #1 KISS Podcast check out our amazing website by clicking below: www.ShoutItOutLoudcast.com Interested in more Shout It Out Loudcast content? Care to help us out? Come join us on Patreon by clicking below: SIOL Patreon Get all your Shout It Out Loudcast Merchandise by clicking below: Shout It Out Loudcast Merch At Printify Shop At Our Amazon Store by clicking below: Shout It Out Loudcast Amazon Store Please Email us comments or suggestions by clicking below: ShoutItOutLoudcast@Gmail.com Please subscribe to us and give us a 5 Star (Child) review on the following places below: iTunes Podchaser Stitcher iHeart Radio Spotify Please follow us and like our social media pages clicking below: Twitter Facebook Page Facebook Group Page Shout It Out Loudcasters Instagram YouTube Proud Member of the Pantheon Podcast click below to see the website: Pantheon Podcast Network Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
“The statesman is an educator who leads through language — who gives a people the language they need to think about themselves.” — Steven B. Smith on what makes a statesman Was Odysseus a statesman? The Yale political philosopher Steven B. Smith — who, by the way, can't beg, steal or borrow a ticket to Christopher Nolan's cinematic epic — offers a cautious yes. While Odysseus wasn't exactly a founder of states, he was, to borrow one of Homer's favorite words, “polytropos” — which translates as many-sided, a master of the political adaptability that Machiavelli demanded of his Prince. In his forthcoming On Statesmanship, Smith distinguishes the true statesman from the mere leader. All 195 states in the world have leaders, he says, almost none are blessed with statesmen. A genuine statesman, he explains, is an educator who leads his fellow citizens through language. So Lincoln's Gettysburg Address gave Americans new words to think about themselves. Just like de Gaulle's “certain idea of France” and Churchill's uncompromisingly defiant language in 1940. For statesmen, timing is everything. “Fortune is a woman,” Machiavelli advised his Prince, so she should be mastered adventurously. Many are called, few are chosen. But then they are unchosen. That same unbowed Churchill spent a decade in the political wilderness before 1940, then got booted out of office at the end of the war. Hegel called such figures world-historical individuals — used by history, then cruelly discarded. Ironically, it's “great” men of history like Odysseus and Churchill who are most vulnerable to its female fortune. On Statesmanship is equally clear about who doesn't qualify for this exclusive club. Smith argues that Lenin, Hitler, and Napoleon might have founded states, but weren't statesmen because they had no respect for the rule of law. Nor is the club purely Western, white, or male. Mandela, Havel, Gandhi, and MLK all qualify as “statesmen without states.” Singapore's Lee Kuan Yew makes the cut as a constitutionalist if not a democrat. Fortune might be a woman, but Margaret Thatcher and Indira Gandhi mastered fate with more adventure than their male colleagues. Political leadership these days, Smith says, is monopolized by either technocrats or demagogues. In fact, Smith can only name one true contemporary statesman — Volodymyr Zelensky who, he says, is “doing a stirring imitation of Winston Churchill.” Otherwise the world is drifting into Thucydides' trap where the strong do what they like and the weak suffer what they must. Thus our longing for many-sided leaders like Odysseus. Which is why Nolan's blockbuster is such a hit that Steven Smith has yet to see it. One small footnote to this conversation. Afterwards, Smith sent me a note expressing a correction of how he described Obama: “Reflecting back on the conversation, I was embarrassed about what I said about Obama lacking ‘civil courage.' That is not exactly what I meant. Probably a better formulation would be to say that he lacked what Plato called ‘thymos,' a kind of public-spirited anger. His rationality and ‘coolness' — in many ways admirable traits — gave the impression that he was too aloof from the rough-and-tumble of politics. Anger and indignation when judiciously employed, as my former student Amia Srinivasan has argued, remain formidable tools in the statesman's tool kit.” Five Takeaways • A Leader Is Not a Statesman. There are 195 states in the world and every one has a leader; almost none has a statesman. The concept is an ideal of what leadership aspires to be, running from Plato's Politikos and the philosopher-king to the present. The statesman has the usual leadership virtues — foresight, courage, determination, a willingness to say unpopular things — but Smith's central claim is different: the statesman is an educator who leads through language, giving a people the words they need to think about themselves. Lincoln's Gettysburg Address shaped how Americans understand their republic; de Gaulle led with “a certain idea of France”; Churchill and Disraeli wrote the British self-image.• Timing — and the Tragedy. Statesmanship is a matter of the ripe moment, and the moment is cruel. Churchill spent the 1930s in the political wilderness, changed parties, presided over Gallipoli — and yet when 1940 came, he was there, prepared; the instant peace was established, the voters discarded him. Lenin resolved the Marxists' endless debate about whether Russia was “ripe” by deciding that ripeness was a matter of willpower. Hegel called such figures world-historical individuals — Caesar, Napoleon, Alexander — whom history uses for its purposes and then throws away. Even without Hegel's grand narrative, Smith notes, statesmen are routinely and cruelly discarded by their own people. There is a tragedy built into the art.• Who's Out — and Who's In. Lenin, Hitler, and Napoleon founded states, but founders of tyrannies are not statesmen: for Smith the modern statesman is inseparable from constitutionalism — rule of law, balance of powers, the capacity to listen and accept less than the whole loaf. Nor is the club white, Western, or male. Mandela, Havel, Gandhi, and Martin Luther King appear as “statesmen without states,” shaping nations before or without holding office; Lee Kuan Yew qualifies as a constitutionalist if not a democrat; Thatcher — who famously told a wobbling American president to stiffen — and Indira Gandhi practice statecraft at the highest level. As for the word itself: Smith keeps “statesman.” “Statesperson,” he rules, is ugly.• The Anti-Statesmen: Technocrat and Demagogue. Smith's chapter on anti-statesmen identifies the two failed models of modern leadership: the technocrat, a problem-solver-in-chief without a narrative, and the demagogue — a Greek word, and a breed democracies reliably produce — who rules through fear, intimidation, and humiliation. Trump, mentioned barely twice in the book, is filed under the latter, classically. Obama remains Smith's enigma: civic seriousness and dazzling rhetorical gifts — yet lacking, Smith suggests on reflection, what Plato called thymos, a kind of public-spirited anger. Obama's rationality and coolness, admirable in themselves, gave the impression of a man too aloof from the rough-and-tumble of politics; anger and indignation, judiciously employed — as Smith's former student Amia Srinivasan has argued — remain formidable tools in the statesman's tool kit. The Democrats, Smith argues, are trapped between both failed models, and need what Lincoln, FDR, JFK, and Reagan had: an affirmative story of America to embed themselves in.• One Statesman Standing. Asked to name a contemporary statesman, Smith offers exactly one — “and I say God bless him”: Volodymyr Zelensky, doing a stirring imitation of Winston Churchill, showing guts and magnanimity in a horrible moment for his people. Otherwise: seven British prime ministers in a decade, and a paucity everywhere else. Statesmen, Smith warns, cannot simply be willed into existence. And the alternative is already visible — the world of Thucydides, where the strong do what they like and the weak suffer what they must, carved into spheres of influence by Iran, Russia, and China. That is what a w...
https://youtu.be/KUPg9BuYSaM David B. Jones, CEO and Partner of Mercer Assessments, is helping organizations attract the right A-Players by making labor markets more efficient through defensible human capital insights. By combining psychometric science, workforce analytics, and AI-enabled technology, David helps employers identify, develop, and retain the right talent while empowering people to discover careers where they can thrive and make meaningful contributions. In this conversation, David introduces The R.E.A.P.E.R. Framework—Review the Situation, Explore Alternatives, Agree a Course of Action, Execute the Plan, and Refine the Approach. He explains why organizations should begin every challenge with a thorough situation review, how collaborative decision-making creates alignment before execution, and why continuous refinement drives long-term organizational success. David also discusses how AI is reshaping talent management, why organizations need real-time workforce insights instead of static reports, and how Mercer Assessments leverages technology while preserving the integrity and defensibility of human capital assessments. — Attract the Right A-Players with David B. Jones Good day. Steve Preda here with the Management Blueprint Podcast. Today, my guest is David Jones, the CEO and partner of Mercer Assessments, focused on providing defensible human capital insights and foresight in the fields of talent acquisition, leadership development, and organizational productivity. David, welcome to the show. Thank you, Steve. Great to be here. Well, I’m excited to have you here, especially because you are the first guest—maybe not completely from the Middle East because we had a couple of guests from Israel—but definitely from Dubai, where you are. Maybe that is also impacting the answer that you’re going to give to my question. So here is my first question. What’s your personal ‘Why’, and how are you manifesting it in your business, Mercer Assessments? Yeah. Well, I mean, I think obviously a lot of skills around resilience and being able to think about how you maintain your own personal well-being, but also the well-being of the workforce, is something which has come to the fore in the last couple of weeks, for sure, living in Dubai. But I think very much of my North Star—by educational background, I’m a labor market economist. Although I’ve worked in HR and talent management for pretty much all of my career, I think I’m always thinking about how to make markets more efficient. I think the labor market, in some ways, and what it takes to become efficient, is very similar to a fish market, a stock market, or any other market that you can think of. What you need to be able to make the best decisions is really good data, really good up-to-date information, both on the supply side and on the demand side.Share on X I think a lot of what we do at Mercer Assessments, and a lot of what we do in talent management more generally, is really about trying to do that. Trying to help individuals understand what their strengths are. Trying to match them to specific careers that will be more fulfilling for them in the long term and also help them be more productive for their employers. As well as helping employers understand what the important skills are for today and tomorrow, and how they can predict how people will perform in certain environments. So really trying to bring the supply side and demand side together. I think, notoriously, labor markets have very bad information. Typically, most people get their career guidance from their parents or their grandparents, which can be great for aspiration but doesn’t always necessarily keep them up-to-date in terms of what’s happening in today’s workplace. So I think this is really my anchor, if you like, where a lot of what we do in our innovation, our technology, or our engagements with clients typically comes back to this point. Fundamentally, how do we make labor markets more efficient and more functional for all of the stakeholders? Yeah, that’s fascinating. So would you say that if you are doing this well, then more people will feel fulfilled in the roles that they work in? I mean, I think that’s definitely the aspiration, right? That’s definitely what you would hope to do. I think, as individuals, I’m sure we can all think of those really, really great days where you think that you nailed it at work, and you think that this is something where you can make a really specific contribution. It just feels good, and all those people around you have the benefit of that. It becomes something which is infectious for those around you. I think it’s important for the economy on a macro level, right? I think if we are able to provide opportunities, provide career paths, and help people understand what their unique strengths are, then this is something which helps to promote productivity and positivity more generally, right? At the individual, team, family, and societal level, it affects all sorts of dimensions. So maybe this is kind of a side question, but I’m really wondering, is this AI revolution, as we’re going through it, influencing your work, and is it changing the requirements of employers? Yeah. I think we’re in a very interesting time. I mean, I’m not a futurologist. I’m not a prophet. I’m not somebody who makes these sorts of big predictions about the future. But I think the case for AI, to some extent, is still unproven in terms of what it’s actually delivered to date. I mean, I think there’s obviously a lot of investment. There’s a big impact on the environment. But I don’t think we’ve had something really groundbreaking discovered by AI at this point that’s new. It seems to be quite backward-looking in many ways, based on ingesting data from all the novels that you have on your shelf and that I have on my shelf. Maybe they’re going to ingest this podcast in the future. I don’t know. It doesn’t seem that there’s been a unique breakthrough that humanity has not been able to, or would not be able to, achieve by itself. And yet, I think the promise and the anticipation of what AI can do is quite compelling, right? I think the way that it is impacting the labor market especially… Ironically, it’s impacting probably software developers the most today. It’s interesting that a lot of people in white-collar fields, professionals maybe, are also feeling like it’s changing the way they’re working. So there’s a big debate, I think, about whether it’s going to be an augmentation or whether it’s going to be a replacement of some sorts of tasks. I think one thing you can say with certainty is that the concept of a job is definitely going to change. If you look at the roots of the word—the etymological roots of the word “job” in the English language—it literally means “a task” rather than a role as such. Yeah. So I think we’re going to get this greater atomization of people’s roles. What used to be bundled together as one job is now going to be much more atomized into specific skills, specific tasks. The opportunity there is that we all get to do more of the things that we find more fulfilling and less of the repetitive, dangerous, or dull types of things that we have to do in our jobs sometimes.Share on X But I think it has some second-order impacts in terms of how people develop their careers and the competence and confidence that people, particularly when they’re junior in their jobs, need time to build—the ability to operate at a higher level. So I think we’re all going to have to be leaders in lots of ways, even leaders in our own work. Yeah, I agree with you. That’s fascinating. So, David, let’s talk about the framework. What would be a framework? Think of something that allows you to be more effective in your job—something maybe that you personally discovered or that you and your colleagues developed. Something that helps you be more effective in creating those labor market matches, finding the right candidates, and assessing them. Something that you can describe in three, four, or five steps, or maybe three or four ways of looking at things. Anything that comes to mind? So there are a few things. I did miss a few things because I think—I don’t know if you’ve heard the news. We’re recording this, and I think the British prime minister has just resigned today. This is, I think, our seventh prime minister in 10 years. I’m sure each one of those prime ministers had their own framework in terms of what they wanted from their political leadership and how they were going to operate in government. So I think we’re definitely operating in a much more VUCA world, right? This mnemonic is about being volatile, uncertain, complex, and ambiguous. I think, to some extent, that means that having a framework has to be something that is constantly being amended, reviewed, and updated in many ways. A lot of what we do in assessment—we have very clear statistical frameworks where we look at particular behaviors or particular characteristics, and we try to make sure we measure them. But I thought maybe that was too detailed and too comprehensive. So one of the things we do when engaging with our clients is that we have a sort of consulting approach. It’s like a cycle. We start by reviewing the situation, so it’s like a situation appraisal, if you like. We use this internally as well in Mercer Assessments. So we try to understand what’s happening, what’s going well, and what we’re concerned about—just trying to get any data or information that we can. Then it's important, particularly with a team or with a client, to explore what the priorities are, what's important, and what is causing them the most thought or requiring the most energy to address.Share on X So reviewing, exploring, and then agreeing on a course of action. Making sure that there’s consensus or, if you’re in an organization, making sure you’ve got the budget and the endorsement from headquarters or senior management. Then I think you can go into a planning stage. Making sure you’ve got a focus on execution and that you know what has to happen and when. Then I think you can go into the ability to have that as a cycle and review or evaluate the plan itself. Is it on track? Is it on time? Is it on budget? Is it achieving its objectives? You can continue on this sort of reflexive cycle. So if you were to do that, it becomes quite sinister. The mnemonic becomes R.E.A.P.E.R., like the Grim Reaper or like “reap what you sow,” because you review, explore, agree, plan, execute, and then review again.Share on X So it can become, hopefully, a virtuous cycle, but it can also become an ongoing process. I love it. So Yeah. So if you refine, maybe the last one is refined, and then you avoid repeat— Yes. Yeah. Yeah. Oh, great. That’s good. Yeah, I like it. Yeah, love it. So basically, what you’re looking for is helping your customers with an initial problem and then helping them generally improve their organization by continuing to refine and add to it, making it better over time. Yes, correct. Yeah. So it turns into a recurring engagement. Yes, that’s the hope. Well, yeah. I mean, hopefully, if you have that relationship with the client and also with your team, you have this ability to recognize what you’ve achieved together, but you can also plan what you want to do differently next time. So you’re the CEO of Mercer Assessments, which is the Dubai operation. Is this just a geographic branch of the Mercer Group, or is it a separate business that operates in multiple geographies? Yeah. So actually, it’s a new venture for Mercer globally. My background is that I was one of the founders of a company called The Talent Enterprise, which was acquired by Mercer just over two years ago. It had also made an acquisition of another company before that called Mettl. So we were more of a talent assessment type of company. We would do talent acquisition, talent development, leadership development, things like high-potential identification, succession planning, and these types of applications. Employee engagement as well, things like employee well-being assessments and stuff like this. The psychometric assessment field. So if you or your listeners are good at Greek, you would know that “psychometric” means “measurement of the mind.” Yeah, right. So this is really what we’re trying to do. We’re accredited by the British Psychological Society to say that the tools we have, use, or develop have validity, reliability, and are statistically stable within the sorts of bounds that you would expect when measuring human beings. It can never be perfect, but it’s considered to be predictive. Mettl was more focused on skills assessment. That was one of their big areas of focus, along with educational assessment. So coming together as Mercer Assessments, we’re now part of this big global organization. Although we’re based in the Middle East, we’re now working in Asia, Europe, North America—we’re just starting to do more work in North America—and Australasia. So this is the sort of big, hairy, audacious plan that we have. That must be pretty intense if you’re working around the clock, essentially working around the globe. Then Mercer is… It can be. Yeah, it can be. Even working in the Middle East, you have different working weeks. Some of our clients work on Sundays. But we have a good team. We have a big team. We have great technology. So we have scalable ways of doing it. So what drives growth in this business? I think it is changing. If you were to ask me that question even two years ago, I would say it’s to do with the change, the transformation, or the aspiration of the client, of the organization. If they’ve got a new operation, or they’re expanding, or they need to develop new skills, or they need to make sure their productivity and positivity are enabling them to keep up with their competitors, then these things would often trigger the sorts of interventions that we help our clients with. That’s still true to a large extent, but what's changing a lot is what you were talking about earlier—to do with AI and expectations from technology. So I think what we're doing a lot more of now is real-time decision support.Share on X It used to be that our deliverables would look like a PDF report. They would say, “Okay, this is Steve. We’ve assessed Steve. These are Steve’s strengths. These are his areas for development. This is the sort of team or the certain type of colleague that he would thrive working with. These are the people or the situations that he might struggle with.” That type of static report. Then either we or the client—sometimes if you’re looking at large numbers of people—you’d have to do a lot of spreadsheet work or a lot of PowerPoint work and say, “Okay, now we need to match that with your strategic objectives.” So I think what’s happening now is we’re focusing a lot more on the data. Our technology is providing much more of a dashboard report, so Steve can access his results straight away because that’s actually when Steve is most interested in them and they’re most relevant—not two weeks later when you schedule a coach or someone to give him feedback. You’re interested as soon as you finish the last question. You want to know, “Okay, what does this say about me?” We can add lots of AI layers to that to help you implement it or understand it. Then for the organization, we now provide much more of a dynamic dashboard-type report. So if, I don’t know, the CFO leaves this afternoon and the CEO calls the CHRO and says, “Okay, who are the internal candidates for this role?” You can come up with an answer. It doesn’t have to be something where you say, “Let me check my filing cabinet,” or, “Let me put a PowerPoint together for you and get back to you later this week or next week.” You can actually do that type of matching within the platform that we have. We have our own platform called Lighthouse, and it really helps you match individuals or teams to certain tasks or to certain ventures or aspirations that the organization might have.Share on X Yeah. So instead of providing individual reports for individuals, you now operate this platform for your clients, and then they can look up the people involved in changes. So how is it different to scale the business with this type of approach? What makes it more complex? Yeah. So on the one hand, it can help us a lot as our own organization because we can be much more pervasive 24 hours a day across the different time zones that we operate in. If you’re our client, you don’t always have to rely on having a meeting or a call with us in person. You can go and find that answer yourself. It’s quite an intuitive process and platform. You can access it and get value from your own data. I think that’s the key thing that I’m trying to emphasize that’s changed. Clients are now impatient with SaaS platforms in particular when they’re not able to access their own data directly. So there’s a little bit of disintermediation going on in the enterprise software business as a whole. That’s the key trend that I’m trying to highlight here. But it also helps us to be more scalable. Just to take a step back to the previous discussion about AI, I think when it comes to using AI in your business, the key strategic choice is what you’re not going to use AI for. For us, we made the choice actually three or four years ago that we’re not going to use AI in the assessments themselves. Not today. Maybe in five years’ time or ten years’ time we might change our mind, and we’re constantly reviewing that. But we need these defensible assessments. We need to be able to say, “This is fair and objective, and we’re coming with an external point of view that is transparent and defensible in every sense of that word.” Yeah. You don’t want to hallucinate assessments for clients or even run the risk of that happening, right? Yeah, absolutely. And there are some companies that have done that, right? I mean, there are lots of cases you can find where companies have said, “Hey, we just need a five-minute video, and I can tell you everything you need to know about this person, and you can make decisions about their career and all sorts of stuff,” right? I’m not saying we won’t get there in the future, but I just don’t think that’s good enough at the moment. And I think with a lot of things that you do with chatbots now, if you’re judicious about it, you might be able to say, “Well, actually, that’s interesting, but it’s not good enough,” right? It’s not a finished product. It’s not something that I can execute on. What we can do is add a lot of value around the assessment. So we can do things like AI-based development planning, right? When someone wants to see their results—and people normally want to see their results almost immediately after they’ve finished their assessments—you can start to say, in the flow of work, in the client’s environment, whatever their learning partners or learning architecture may be, “Okay, here’s a development plan for you,” customized and curated within that environment for your strengths, how to emphasize them, and also for any development areas or new learnings that you want to address. We can also do things like AI-based proctoring, right? We can give the client a risk report on an application and say, you know, how genuine is this? What other software does Steve have open on his laptop? Is there a shadow in the room? Where are his eyes going? Is he looking at someone else? Is he getting help from someone else? Is this really Steve? All these sorts of things, right? We can do that. We can also develop customized case studies for the organization around its specific tasks and challenges that the organization has. So you can come up with very specific, job-related assessments. AI can add a lot of value to all of these things. It can provide greater scale and a greater ability to sustain our growth. But with the core of what we do today, we’re saying, “Look, you need to be able to trust us.” And we want to be able to show you the answer. If you have a question about any of our assessments, we can check. There’s an audit trail, and we can show you the answer. It’s not just, “The computer came up with this idea. We don’t know.” But that’s intellectual property, and you know that it works, and you’re sticking with it. You don’t allow AI to bastardize it, basically, yeah, which makes sort of sense. So, David, what is one thing that you’re actively trying to figure out in your business right now? That’s a great question. I mean, there’s lots of things. I think a lot of them come around, you know, what is this threshold between what we do as humans and what we use AI or other technology to help us do? And I think that threshold is constantly being reviewed. A lot of it is to do with how do you make growth sustainable. We have had massive growth in the last five or six years, and that’s a great thing. But I think it means you have to make sure the foundations of your organization are strong so that you can move from one to another. I mentioned earlier that we’re just starting to focus on North America as one of our new markets, and I was very keen that we didn’t do that until this point or even next year because we’re not the organizational equivalent of The Beatles, right? Like, we can’t just expect to turn up in a big, sophisticated, very strong, highly cultured market and be able to expect that we’re going to do things like we’ve done them everywhere else, or that we don’t need to think about how we communicate with those prospects and those clients. So that’s a really big step for us. And how we manage data, I think, is probably the key thing. Fundamentally, if I was to come back to answer your question, I think it’s how we manage data because I think clients are becoming much more sophisticated, much more impatient with people who curate their data. They say, “Look, you know, we know we’re generating lots of data inside the organization,” right? Which is typically what we do, right? It’s people data. Normally in most work environments, you can tell when somebody opens their laptop, or you can tell when they walk in the office door, or you can tell sometimes even what they’re doing inside the working space, right? Their ID has got an RFID in it or something like that. So there’s lots of data that’s constantly being generated inside the organization, and clients want to get value from that data. And having a sort of third-party proxy come in and say, “Hey, we can do your payroll for you,” or “We can send a questionnaire to people once a year, and that can let you know whether they understand health and safety or they’re engaged in their workplace,” it’s not really satisfactory anymore, right? The clients are saying, “Okay. I want to be able to get value from my data, and I want to be able to see that. I want the analytics. I want to ask questions that are not able to be prescribed at the beginning.” “And I want to be able to do these queries in real time.” So essentially, would that require you to get integrated with your clients to some degree so that you can process the data in real time as it emerges? It’s really interesting because I think what I’m hearing from my clients is they’re actually frustrated with that. In the sort of classic SaaS world, which we’ve had in organizations now for 20, 30, maybe even 40 years, you integrate the big internal ERP systems or CRM systems, and you integrate them, and then you have to sort of work within their framework, right? And you might see a report that’s already pre-programmed, but you don’t necessarily see the data, right? If you wanted to say, “Okay, what’s the trend today over the 24-hour clock?” or “How is it changing in June compared to May?” or “How does it relate to the temperature?” or whatever, right? You can come up with all these questions that you might not be able to predict and then plan and have a sort of pull-down standard report. So to do that, you need access to the data. And I think clients are saying, “This is our data.” This data belongs to us. We want to be able to see that directly, and we want to be able to use that as a decision-support tool, and not necessarily just have a report.” Yeah. So they’d rather own the data and apply your tools to their data without you necessarily having access to the data or something like that? Yeah. It’s also a source of differentiation for them, right? Because they know that if… I’m not going to mention these companies. I’m sure you and all your viewers know the big brands. It’s interesting what’s happening with their share prices recently, right? They’re all maybe suffering a little bit from a decline in their share prices, on average. It’s basically a standardized way of doing things, right? There’s pretty much the same way that any corporation in any part of the world is going to do it because that’s the way you get efficiency through that software. But if an organization says, “Actually, we’ve got an insight into something that we think is unique and differentiated, and we want to make decisions in a slightly different way, or make them faster,” that’s a point of competitive advantage. Does that mean they wouldn’t want you to apply their idea to other customers because it’s their unique property? They’d just want your tools to help them process their data. They don’t want to share it with you. Yeah. There are clients like that. We do deal with very sensitive industries, and sometimes government departments, where we have to be able to certify that type of approach. I think that’s likely to become more common in the future as people become more sensitive and more aware of the value, the opportunity, and the threat of what can happen with their data. Yeah. I mean, some people say that information is now ubiquitous. It’s the questions that are really important because that’s how you communicate with AI. Maybe the question itself can be proprietary know-how—knowing how to ask the right kind of question. They don’t want… No. I mean… Yeah, I agree. Completely. Yeah. You’re absolutely right. Again, to go back to assessments, we’ve recently released a whole bunch of assessments that measure skills in AI as a domain. We’ve got all sorts of technical and non-technical AI assessments. Obviously, one of the skills that we look at is prompt engineering. If you’ve used some of the generative AI platforms, you’ll always get an answer. They’re pre-programmed to give you an answer, and most of them are also pretty polite. They fluff up your ego a little bit and say, “Hey, great question.” “That was really interesting.” Then they’ll give you an answer. You need to be aware of that. You need to probe and make sure you’ve not just got an answer—you’ve got the answer. Or at least the best answer that makes sense for you. Then you’ve quality-checked it. You’ve taken it from one platform, put it into another platform, and then into a third platform. Whatever you’ve done, you need to have that awareness and those specific skills to get the most value out of it. It’s very dangerous, and I think we can all see it. I’m sure your inbox is like my inbox. You get emails from people and think, “Okay, well, that’s not an email from a person.” It’s a bulleted email. It’s not personal. It’s not directed at you. Sometimes it’s hard to understand what it even means. Yeah. You’re right. So David, who is the ideal customer for you that can most benefit from your solution? That’s a good question. Personally and professionally, I like clients who challenge us. I like clients who ask questions that make us think in a different way, so we can hopefully give them value and really answer those questions. I think that’s important for us to develop. Clients who are looking for new insights or different foresights that help them in their business—those are the kinds of clients we’re looking for. Definitely the ones who are pushing the envelope and helping take us forward in terms of quality. So if those types of people are listening to this show and would like to learn more about what you do and how you might be able to help them, where should they go? Where can they find out more? Yeah, absolutely. You can find me on LinkedIn. I’m David B. Jones on LinkedIn. There are a lot of David Joneses. I think David Jones is the most common name for a British man—even more common than John Smith—so there are a lot of us around. But you’ll be able to find me as David B. Jones. You can also find Mercer Assessments. You can find out more about us through those channels. I’ll be happy to answer any questions or provide more information. Is there a website people should check out? Do you have a separate website for Mercer Assessments? We do. Mercer Assessments is part of the mercer.com website. That’s where you’ll find more information. There are also a number of books we’ve published on particular subjects to do with assessment, talent, and leadership development more generally. Those are all available on Amazon as well. Okay. So if you’re out there and you’re looking to have a more sophisticated view of your people and their aspirations and how they fit the type of work that you want them to do, and you’d like to understand more deeply, then check out Mercer Assessments, David B. Jones. Actually, it’s easy to just put in “David Jones Mercer,” and David will pop up that way. Check out the books that David and his colleagues have published. And if you enjoyed this conversation, then make sure you follow us on YouTube, Apple Podcasts, and wherever you get your podcasts. And David, thanks for coming to the show and sharing your experience and insights. I mean, it seems to me that you have a much more nuanced approach than most talent assessment or performance assessment organizations, and you have a lot more tools at your disposal. It’s a combination of technology and professional expertise. So that’s fascinating. Thanks for coming on the show. And if you enjoyed this conversation, make sure you follow us because we come out every week with exciting entrepreneurs like David. I will. I will. Thank you, Steve. Important Links: Davidi's LinkedIn David's website
IntroductionIt is easy to think that if we are faithful, God will always reward us with visible success. That was the assumption of Job's friends, and to some extent Job himself. Job does wrestle with God's will, and lays out that the wicked man can prosper and the righteous man can suffer. Justice in this age is not always so black/white. We can fall into a hasty assumption that if we obey, life should go smoothly. If we suffer, we must have done something wrong. Is this always the case?Stephen's story reminds us that God's kingdom does not always work according to our expectations. Here is a man full of grace, full of the Holy Spirit, and faithful in every way. Yet instead of receiving praise, he is falsely accused and brought to trial. Luke shows us that faithfulness is not measured by earthly success but by steadfast trust in Christ.Contradicting the Expected NarrativeStephen is introduced as a man "full of grace and power." His life displayed the work of the Holy Spirit. He is a man so enveloped by grace that he is a gracious man. He served the weak as a deacon. He defended the truth second to none. Overall, he reflected the kindness of Christ. His wisdom did not come from natural ability but from the Spirit working through him. Christ shows his promise is true that he will give the words when one is hauled into a court. (Luke 21:14)His godliness stirred opposition rather than an attentive ear. Those who argued against him could not answer his teaching because the Spirit gave Stephen wisdom beyond their own. One would think that such compelling arguments would win the day. However, the opposite happens. The Opponents Create False EvidenceUnable to defeat Stephen's teaching, his opponents turned to deception. They secretly persuaded false witnesses to accuse him of blasphemy against Moses, the temple, and God. Rather than submitting to God's Word, they twisted the truth to preserve their own system.This reminds us that unbelief is not simply a lack of evidence. The problem is the human heart. Stephen answered every objection faithfully, yet Luke tells us they failed to believe. Ironically, they violate Moses' law as they recruit a malicious or a false witness against Stephen (Deuteronomy 19:15-21. ). Moses is very clear that the thing the false witness desires to do to the accused will be carried out on them. Clearly, they do not want what is orthodox. They will cast aside Moses to destroy an innocent man.It is true that we are called to be ready to make a defense (1 Peter 3:15), but at the same time we are not to obsess about every possible objection (Luke 21:14). The problem is not solved through moral or logical suasion. It is a problem of the heart that only the Lord can cure. A Second Moses, Rejected Like the FirstAs Stephen stood before the council, Luke reports to us instant credibility: his face shone like the face of an angel. Just as Moses reflected God's glory after meeting with the Lord, so Stephen visibly reflected the presence of God. When Moses received the Torah from God, we read that his face shone so brightly that God's people could not look upon him (Exodus 34:29-35). You would think that the council would pause and contemplate. They would think that maybe Stephen is also bearing revelation from the same God. Maybe Stephen is bringing revelation and instruction, torah, that the council should heed. However, Stephen would suffer as a martyr, as we will see in two weeks, because of their hard-hearted rebellion.We might think that this is defeat. Christ never abandoned His servant. Stephen's strength came from the risen and reigning Savior, who upheld him through suffering and welcomed him into glory. Christ's ascension does not remove him from the church. No, Christ's ascension testifies that he rules over the church in the midst of his enemies. His ascension testifies that he really empowers the church as sovereign ruler and priest (Psalm 110:2; cf sermon on Psalm 110). The church must remember this lesson. We cannot judge God's blessing merely by numbers, popularity, or outward success. Christ calls His people to faithfulness. The results belong to Him, and we trust that it works out. We are called to discern (Ephesians 5:10) what is pleasing to God and be faithful to him.ConclusionStephen teaches us to keep our eyes fixed on Christ rather than on earthly outcomes. We may faithfully proclaim the gospel and still face rejection. We may do what is right and still suffer. But none of this means Christ has abandoned His people.Our Savior reigns even in the midst of opposition (Psalm 110:2; cf sermon on Psalm 110). He gives His Spirit to strengthen His church. His Spirit gives us wisdom to answer when called upon. The ultimate peace is knowing that in the Spirit we will persevere until the end.Therefore, let us seek to be people who are full of the grace of Christ. Let us be a people who give ourselves over to the Spirit. Let us be a people who seek to discern what it means to be faithful in every circumstance. Our confidence is not in visible success but in our risen Lord, who holds His people securely in His hands and will never fail to bring them safely home. Let us walk in him!
Andrea Samadi shares a five-year self-experiment using a WHOOP wearable to track sleep, recovery, movement, and biological age. She reveals how daily low-intensity movement and consistent recovery—not one intense workout—produced lasting improvements in heart rate, recovery scores, and biological age. Andrea distills five lessons: movement prepares the brain, consistency beats intensity, recovery is where adaptation happens, small habits compound over time, and every step is an investment in your future brain. Practical takeaways include walking daily, adding 2–3 strength sessions per week, protecting sleep, and tracking trends instead of perfection. In this Bonus Episode you'll learn: Why recovery matters more than you think. What 1,905 recoveries taught me about human performance. Why consistency beats intensity. How movement changes the brain. How to create lasting biological adaptation. Why every walk is an investment in your future brain. EPISODE BONUS Move Today. Recover Tonight. Younger Tomorrow. Five Years. 1,905 Recoveries. One Lesson That Changed Everything. Welcome Back Welcome back to the Neuroscience Meets Social and Emotional Learning Podcast. I'm Andrea Samadi. Over the past seven years, I've had the privilege of interviewing many of the world's leading experts in neuroscience, psychology, learning, leadership, health, and human performance. Throughout Season 16, we've been connecting those conversations into a simple framework I call The Brain's Operating System for Human Performance—a practical way of understanding how the brain and body work together to help us learn better, think more clearly, live healthier, and perform at our highest potential. In Episode 402[i], we introduced The Movement Loop, built around one simple idea: Movement is the input. Adaptation is the process. Performance is the outcome. Then, in Episode 403[ii], Dr. Chuck Hillman helped us understand why movement changes the brain. Every step increases blood flow. Exercise stimulates Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor—BDNF—often called fertilizer for the brain. Movement strengthens the neural networks responsible for learning, memory, attention, and executive function. But after recording those episodes, I found myself asking a different question. What happens when we apply those principles consistently—not for days, weeks, or even months—but for years? Today's bonus episode is my attempt to answer that question. Not from another research study. Not from another interview. And definitely not to give you one more thing to add to your already busy schedule. Instead... I'd like to share a five-year experiment I never realized I was conducting—one that completely changed the way I think about health, movement, recovery, and human performance. Five Years Looking for the Answer When I started wearing a WHOOP device back in April of 2021, just before my fiftieth birthday, I thought I was buying a fitness tracker. I thought it would help me train harder. I thought it would reward intensity. Instead... It spent the next five years teaching me something far more valuable. How to recover. Over those five years I've tracked nearly everything I could measure. Sleep. Movement. Recovery. Resting heart rate. Heart rate variability. VO₂ Max. Biological age. Blood work. Thousands of workouts. And more than 1,905 recoveries. Nearly two thousand mornings of waking up and asking my body the same question. How well did I recover? At first, I didn't really know what I was looking for. I simply assumed the harder I trained... the healthier I'd become. The Mystery Then WHOOP introduced a new metric. WHOOP Age. The first time I looked at it, I honestly couldn't believe what I was seeing. My biological age measured 48.7 years old. I was fifty-five. More than six years younger biologically than chronologically. Of course, my first question wasn't, "That's great." My first question was... Why? What was I doing that created this result? Naturally, I assumed it was my hardest hikes. My toughest strength workouts. The mornings I pushed myself until I was completely exhausted. But that's not what the data showed. Not even close. The biggest contributor wasn't intensity. It was consistency. Daily walks. Steady hikes. Hours spent moving in Heart Rate Zones 1 through 3. The very workouts I used to think "didn't count." Ironically, even today, after finishing a workout, I still catch myself hoping to see more time in Zone 4 or Zone 5. Old beliefs don't disappear overnight. Part of me still believes harder must be better. But five years of data kept telling me a different story. A Belief I Had to Unlearn For most of my life, I believed exercise was supposed to leave me exhausted. If I wasn't completely out of breath... If I wasn't drenched in sweat... If I wasn't barely able to walk back to my car... I assumed I hadn't worked hard enough. Maybe you've felt that way too. We grew up hearing... "No pain, no gain." But neuroscience—and my own data—kept challenging that belief. The movement that felt the easiest... was quietly producing the greatest return. Daily walks. Easy hikes with friends. Walking my dogs along the canal. Consistent aerobic movement. Those weren't "easy days." Those were adaptation days. And slowly, my definition of success began to change. The Moment Everything Changed A few days ago something happened. After nearly five years... and more than 1,905 recoveries... I recorded my highest recovery ever. 98%. For a few moments I celebrated the score. Then something much more meaningful hit me. That number wasn't created overnight. It wasn't the result of one perfect night's sleep. Or one incredible workout. Or one supplement. Or one recovery tool. It represented five years of learning to work with my biology instead of against it. That's when everything finally clicked. Recovery isn't passive. Recovery is where adaptation happens. It's where muscles rebuild. It's where the brain consolidates learning. It's where the nervous system recalibrates. It's where hormones rebalance. It's where your cardiovascular system grows stronger. It's where yesterday's movement becomes tomorrow's performance. Movement starts the conversation. Recovery is where your body answers. The Missing Piece That's when I realized something I wish someone had explained to me years ago. Movement isn't the goal. Recovery isn't even the goal. Adaptation is the goal. Movement is simply the signal that tells your biology... "Build something stronger." Recovery is when your body actually does the work. Adaptation is the result. Performance becomes the evidence. That is The Movement Loop. Move. Recover. Adapt. Perform. One connected system. What My Data Shows When I stopped looking at individual workouts and started looking at years of trends, the story became remarkably clear. My resting heart rate dropped. My recovery improved. My biological age became younger. My weekly movement consistently averaged more than seven hours in Heart Rate Zones 1 through 3. None of those changes happened because of one extraordinary workout. They happened because of thousands of ordinary choices repeated over and over again. That's how biology changes. Quietly. Consistently. Patiently. Five Lessons Five Years and 1,905 Recoveries Taught Me Looking back over nearly five years—and more than 1,905 recoveries—I realize I wasn't simply collecting health data. I was watching my brain and body adapt in real time. Here are the five lessons I wish I had understood when I first started this journey. Lesson 1: Movement prepares the brain. One of the biggest insights from Dr. Chuck Hillman's research is that movement doesn't just strengthen our muscles—it prepares our brains to learn and perform. Every walk increases blood flow. Every hike stimulates Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor, or BDNF, helping the brain build and strengthen neural connections. I've noticed this in my own life. On the days I move first, I think more clearly, focus longer, solve problems more easily, and simply show up as a better version of myself. Movement isn't something I do after work anymore. It's how I prepare for my work. Lesson 2: Consistency beats intensity. For years, I believed the hardest workout was the best workout. My data taught me something completely different. The biggest improvements in my health didn't come from one exhausting hike or one intense strength session. They came from showing up every single day. Walking the canal. Taking the dogs out. Choosing another easy hike. Stopping to talk with people on the trails. It took me years to ask one person their name, after seeing them on the trails for over 10 years! Repeating those small decisions (and actions) over and over again. The body doesn't transform because we occasionally do something extraordinary. It transforms because we consistently do the ordinary. Lesson 3: Recovery is where adaptation happens. This may have been the biggest surprise of all. For years, I thought recovery meant taking a break from making progress. Now I understand that recovery is the progress. Recovery is where muscles rebuild. It's where the brain consolidates learning. It's where the nervous system recalibrates. It's where your body responds to the signal that movement created. Without recovery, movement is simply stress. With recovery, movement becomes adaptation. Lesson 4: Small daily habits create extraordinary results. When I recorded my highest recovery ever—98%—(just this week) I realized something important. That number wasn't created by one perfect night of sleep. It wasn't one workout. It wasn't one supplement. It wasn't one infrared sauna session. It represented thousands of small decisions repeated consistently over five years. Morning sunlight. Walking. Strength training. Prioritizing sleep. Breathwork. Meditation. Recovery. None of those habits seem remarkable on their own. Together, they completely changed my biology. And then I was able to create PREDICTABLE results with recovery, once I fully understood it. Lesson 5: Every step is an investment in your future brain. This may be the most important lesson of all. Most of us exercise because we want to look better or feel better today. But neuroscience tells us something even more powerful. Every walk you're taking today is helping build the brain you'll rely on years from now. Every time you move, you're strengthening the systems that support attention, memory, emotional regulation, cardiovascular health, and resilience. You may not notice those changes tomorrow. I certainly didn't. It took me nearly five years—and 1,905 recoveries—to truly appreciate what my body had been quietly building all along. That's why I no longer think of movement as exercise. I think of it as one of the greatest investments I can make in my future health, my future brain, and the quality of my life. Because every step you take today is a vote for the person you're becoming tomorrow. Practical Application If you're wondering where to start... Start walking. Walk before work. Walk after dinner. Walk with your family. Walk with your dog. Strength train two or three times each week. It doesn't take a lot to see noticeable gains. Protect your sleep. Track trends instead of chasing perfection. Then tomorrow morning ask yourself one simple question. Not... "How hard should I train today?" Instead... How can I move today? One question. One decision. Repeated consistently. That's how change begins. Review and Conclusion As we wrap up this bonus episode, let's step back and look at what we've learned throughout this first part of Phase 3. Movement prepares the brain. Recovery builds the body. Adaptation changes our biology. Performance becomes the evidence. Five years ago, I thought movement was the goal. Today I know better. Movement is the signal. Recovery is the builder. Adaptation is the transformation (that we can see) Performance is the evidence (or what we were aiming for in the first place). After nearly 1,905 recoveries, I finally understand why recovery matters. Not because it helps us rest. Because it helps us become. Looking back, I wasn't simply collecting health data. I was watching neuroscience unfold in real time. The greatest improvements in my health didn't come from my hardest workouts. They came from thousands of ordinary decisions repeated consistently over time. We can go back to our early episodes[iii] to hear the importance of repetition. That's how human performance is built. Not through one breakthrough moment. But through daily choices that quietly reshape the brain, strengthen the body, and prepare us for whatever comes next. So wherever you're listening today... Whether you're heading out for a walk... Driving home from work... Finishing a workout... Or simply deciding how you'll move tomorrow... Remember this. Every step is a vote for your future self. Move today. Recover tonight. Adapt tomorrow. Live younger tomorrow. Until next time... Keep moving. Keep learning. Keep adapting. Because every step you take today is helping build a healthier, stronger, and more resilient version of yourself tomorrow. REFERENCES: [i] Neuroscience Meets Social and Emotional Learning Podcast EPISODE 402 “Phase 3 Intro: How Movement Builds the Brain https://andreasamadi.podbean.com/e/movement-loop-how-everyday-action-rewires-your-brain-and-boosts-performance/ [ii]Neuroscience Meets Social and Emotional Learning Podcast EPISODE 403 “How movement Activates the Brain and Learning” https://andreasamadi.podbean.com/e/movement-first-how-a-20%e2%80%91minute-walk-lights-up-the-brain/ [iii]Neuroscience Meets Social and Emotional Learning Podcast EPISODE 38 https://andreasamadi.podbean.com/e/assistant-coach-to-the-winnipeg-jets-todd-woodcroft-on-the-daily-grind-in-the-nhl/
Summer Leadership Rewind: Staying “Forever Human” in the Age of AI with Sylvie di Giusto Artificial intelligence has changed dramatically over the past year. New tools arrive almost weekly. Organizations are experimenting faster than ever. And leaders everywhere are asking the same question: How do you embrace AI without losing what makes great leadership human? This week, we're taking a summer break, so we’re revisiting one of our most impactful conversations on The Leadership Habit Podcast. Jenn DeWall sits down with leadership expert and Crestcom faculty member Sylvie di Giusto to explore why the leaders who thrive in the age of AI won’t be the ones who know the most about technology. They’ll be the ones who remain unmistakably human. If you missed this episode the first time, or if your relationship with AI has changed since then, now is the perfect time to listen again. Meet Sylvie di Giusto Sylvie di Giusto is an international keynote speaker, author, Certified Speaking Professional (CSP), and Hall of Fame speaker who helps organizations improve leadership, influence, and communication. For years, her expertise has been part of Crestcom’s leadership curriculum, helping leaders around the world strengthen emotional intelligence, executive presence, and decision-making. In this conversation, she offers a refreshing perspective on AI that replaces fear with curiosity and competition with collaboration. The Best Leaders Won’t Compete with AI Many professionals still think of AI as something they have to outwork or outperform. Sylvie challenges that mindset. “The goal was never to beat the machine. It is to build with it.” AI will always process information faster, remember more data, and complete repetitive tasks more efficiently than people. Rather than trying to compete in those areas, leaders should focus on the capabilities that technology cannot replicate. Judgment. Empathy. Trust. Context. Ethics. These are the qualities that separate management from leadership—and they become even more valuable as AI becomes more capable. Why Being “Forever Human” Matters More Than Ever As AI-generated content becomes increasingly difficult to distinguish from human-created work, authenticity becomes a competitive advantage. People don’t simply want information. They want confidence that someone understands their challenges, considers context, and genuinely cares about the outcome. That’s why Sylvie believes leaders should intentionally cultivate the uniquely human skills AI cannot replace. She explains that while AI can generate answers, leaders ask better questions. AI can analyze information, but leaders interpret meaning. AI can suggest actions, but only people can weigh ethics, relationships, and long-term consequences. In other words, AI can assist leadership, but it cannot replace it. Soft Skills Are Becoming Power Skills For years, organizations emphasized technical expertise and productivity. Ironically, AI is now making those skills easier to automate. The result? Communication, emotional intelligence, adaptability, critical thinking, and relationship-building have become even more valuable. As Sylvie notes: “There will be a big comeback for soft skills because those are the skills that AI cannot replicate.” Organizations investing in leadership development today aren’t preparing people for yesterday’s workplace. They’re building the capabilities that will matter most tomorrow. Leadership Still Means Accountability One of the episode’s most powerful reminders is that AI cannot own the consequences of a decision. Leaders still carry that responsibility. AI can recommend hiring decisions, summarize employee performance, or suggest business strategies. But it cannot understand every human circumstance, organizational nuance, or ethical consideration. As Sylvie points out, leaders cannot blame technology for decisions they choose to make. Accountability remains a human responsibility. A Conversation That’s Even More Relevant Today When this episode originally aired, many organizations were just beginning to explore generative AI. Today, AI has become part of everyday work. That makes this conversation even more valuable. Rather than focusing on specific tools or trends that quickly become outdated, Sylvie shares timeless leadership principles that help leaders navigate any technological change. Her message isn’t about resisting AI or blindly embracing it. It’s about learning how to use it wisely while protecting the qualities that make leadership meaningful. Key Takeaways If there’s one message to carry forward from this Summer Leadership Rewind, it’s this: AI will continue to evolve. Great leadership will continue to depend on people. The leaders who succeed won’t be those who simply adopt the newest technology. They’ll be the ones who combine technology with empathy, sound judgment, authentic communication, creativity, and accountability. Or, as Sylvie says best: “Don’t compete with AI. Focus on what you do in the moments that matter most as a human being.” Listen to the Episode Catch this Summer Leadership Rewind episode of The Leadership Habit Podcast with Sylvie di Giusto and discover why staying “Forever Human” may be the most important leadership strategy of the AI era. Where to Find More from Sylvie di Giusto To learn more from Sylvie: Visit sylviedigiusto.com Connect with her on LinkedIn Buy her books Develop the Human Skills That Matter Most Technology will keep changing, but leadership fundamentals endure. Developing stronger communication, critical thinking, emotional intelligence, and decision-making skills helps leaders succeed regardless of what’s next. To learn how Crestcom helps organizations build these essential leadership capabilities, request a complimentary two-hour leadership workshop at crestcom.com/freeworkshop. The post Summer Leadership Rewind: Staying “Forever Human” in the Age of AI with Sylvie di Giusto appeared first on Crestcom International.
Welcome to Day 2911 of Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. Day 2911 – Theology Thursday – Heresy: Meaning, History, and Misuse Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2911 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2911 of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Our current series of Theology Thursday lessons is written by theologian and teacher John Daniels. I have found that his lessons are short, easy to understand, doctrinally sound, and applicable to all who desire to learn more of God's Word. John's lessons can be found on his website theology infive.com. Today's lesson is titled: Heresy: Meaning, History, and Misuse. The word heresy comes from the Greek hairesis, which originally meant “choice” or “faction.” In the New Testament, it began to carry the weight of theological rebellion. It referred to false teaching that breaks fellowship and corrupts the truth. Heresy is not simply error or misunderstanding. It is deviation from the foundational truths of the gospel, concerning who God is, who Christ is, and what salvation requires. The apostle Paul warned against such distortions, calling out those who pervert the message of grace and urging Titus to reject those who sow division after being warned. Heresy is not measured by how controversial an idea is, but by whether it distorts the saving message of Christ or promotes a false gospel. In that sense, heresy is deadly. It is not just wrong. It is soul-destroying. The first segment is: The Struggle for Doctrinal Clarity in the Early Church The early church faced enormous pressure to define and defend the truth. As Christianity spread across the Roman world, it encountered competing philosophies and religious systems. Some sought to harmonize the gospel with these foreign ideas, leading to teachings that retained the vocabulary of Christianity but not its meaning. This is where heresy found fertile ground. Among the earliest and most dangerous of these teachings was Gnosticism, which rejected the goodness of creation and denied the full humanity of Christ. Marcionism took a more radical path by discarding the Old Testament and portraying the God of Israel as cruel and inferior. Pelagianism undermined the doctrine of sin by teaching that humans could achieve righteousness without divine grace. Each of these required a response, not out of fear of disagreement, but out of pastoral urgency to protect the flock from destructive error. No heresy had a greater impact, both theologically and politically, than Arianism. The teaching of Arius, that the Son was a created being and not fully divine, directly challenged the very identity of Christ. Although condemned at the Council of Nicaea in 325 AD, Arianism did not die. It took root in the outer regions of the Roman Empire and sowed seeds of division that helped bring about its collapse. The second segment is: Arianism and the Fragmentation of the Western Empire. The theological consequences of Arianism were clear. It reduced Christ to a lesser being, stripping the gospel of its divine foundation. Its political consequences were just as devastating. While the Roman Church clung to Nicene orthodoxy, many of the Germanic tribes who bordered the empire were converted to Arian Christianity. Missionaries like Ulfilas brought a version of the gospel that bore Christ's name but denied His nature. When the Visigoths sacked Rome in 410 AD, they did so not as pagans but as heretical Christians. The same was true of the Vandals and later the Ostrogoths, whose kings ruled Italy while holding to Arian doctrine. The theological divide between ruler and people, between Church and state, tore at the fabric of Western society. The Church could not fully unify with leaders who confessed a false Christ, and the people remained culturally alienated from their kings. This division made the Western Roman Empire vulnerable. It robbed the empire of a unifying spiritual identity at the very moment it needed cohesion to survive external threats. Though not the only factor in Rome's collapse, Arianism was a theological wedge that fractured its heart. By the time Justinian reconquered parts of the West and reimposed Nicene orthodoxy in the sixth century, the Western Empire was a shadow of what it had been. A heresy that began in theological debate had helped bring down a civilization. The third segment is: When Everything Becomes Heresy. Over time, the word heresy lost its theological precision. Instead of referring to soul-endangering errors about God, Christ, and salvation, it began to be applied to any disagreement or dissent. This shift had tragic consequences. In some periods of church history, those who merely questioned traditional practices or sought to reform corruption were branded as heretics. The term became a tool for control rather than a measure of truth. Even within Protestant traditions, theological disagreements over baptism, church polity, or spiritual gifts have sometimes been exaggerated into accusations of heresy, dividing believers unnecessarily. This misuse of the term does not protect the church. It weakens it. When every disagreement is labeled heresy, the word loses its force, and the real dangers become harder to identify. Instead of guarding the flock, the misuse of heresy becomes a way to suppress thought, enforce conformity, or settle personal disputes. Ironically, some modern cults and false teachers now invert the accusation. They call orthodox Christianity heretical because it does not conform to their reimagined doctrines. The charge of heresy has become, in some cases, a mirror for pride rather than a tool of discernment. The fourth segment is: A Modern Example: Is Pre-Tribulation Rapture Heresy? In contemporary evangelical circles, one of the most fiercely debated doctrines is the Pre-Tribulation Rapture. This is the idea that believers will be taken up to heaven before a future period of global tribulation. Popularized in the 19th and 20th centuries, this view has deeply shaped modern Christian imagination. But is it heresy? The answer is no. Pre-Tribulation Rapture theology, while likely incorrect and theologically shallow, does not deny the core tenets of the faith. It affirms the Trinity, the incarnation, the death and resurrection of Christ, and salvation by grace through faith. It is not heresy in the biblical or historical sense. That said, its influence is not neutral. When taught dogmatically, it can create a fragile form of faith, one that collapses under suffering or real-world trials. It fosters escapism and disengagement, tempting believers to wait for rescue rather than prepare for endurance. In some circles, the view has even been elevated to a test of orthodoxy, dividing churches and condemning dissenters. In these cases, the danger lies not in the doctrine itself, but in the way it is wielded. This example highlights the difference between heresy and error. Not every mistaken belief is heresy, but not every non-heresy is harmless. Pre-Tribulationism must be confronted with Scripture and pastoral clarity, not because it damns the soul, but because it distorts Christian hope and undermines discipleship. The fifth segment is: Holding the Line Without Crossing It In guarding the truth, the Church must walk a narrow path. On one side lies indifference, where everything is tolerated and nothing is contended for. On the other lies arrogance, where every disagreement is treated as a threat and the word heresy is used like a club. Both lead to ruin. The example of Arianism shows that heresy is real, and its effects are catastrophic. But the misuse of the term reveals a different kind of danger — the slow erosion of discernment and the collapse of Christian charity. We must learn again to distinguish between essential and non-essential doctrines, between errors that must be confronted and differences that can be endured. This requires returning to the Scriptures, testing every teaching, and holding fast to what is good. It also means learning from the early church, which took truth seriously without descending into tyranny. They did not shy away from calling out heresy, but they did so with care, consistency, and a clear understanding of what was at stake. In Conclusion Heresy is not a word to be thrown around lightly. It refers to spiritual poison, distortions of God's truth that lead people away from salvation. The Church has always had to fight for the gospel, and that fight continues today. But if the sword of truth is swung wildly, it wounds the innocent and weakens the body. By understanding what heresy truly is, and what it is not, we honor the truth, protect the church, and point people back to the grace of Christ. Not every error is heresy. But every misuse of the word heresy threatens to create new errors of its own. For further study, consider these...
Technology has made it easier than ever to stay connected to everyone else. Ironically, it's also making it easier to disconnect from the person sitting right in front of us. Most relationships don't unravel because of one dramatic betrayal. They change through thousands of tiny moments. A notification interrupts a conversation. One partner answers one more email before bed. Dinner is punctuated by scrolling instead of eye contact. Over time, those moments add up, sending an unintended but painful message: something else has my attention. And attention is one of the clearest ways we communicate love. When your bids for connection are repeatedly met with a glowing screen instead of your partner's eyes, it's easy to start wondering whether you're asking for too much. You stop telling stories because they never seem to hear the ending. You hesitate before reaching for their hand because they're already reaching for their phone. Eventually, you may begin to question your own needs instead of the pattern that's hurting your relationship. In this episode, you'll learn: I answer Layla's question about feeling like she's competing with her partner's phone for attention. Together, we explore why this dynamic feels so painful, what constant phone use is actually doing to our brains and relationships, and how couples can create healthy technology boundaries that foster closeness instead of conflict. Because the goal isn't to get rid of our phones. It's to make sure they don't slowly replace the moments that build intimacy. Why "phubbing" (phone snubbing) activates the same emotional pain as other forms of rejection. How repeated interruptions quietly erode emotional safety and connection over time. Why phones often become coping mechanisms for stress, boredom, anxiety, and difficult emotions. A simple communication shift that helps your partner hear your experience without becoming defensive. Practical boundaries that protect your relationship without becoming controlling. Daily rituals that help couples reconnect and remind each other, "You matter more than my screen." If you've ever felt invisible while the person you love was absorbed in their phone, this conversation is for you. Healthy relationships aren't built through occasional grand gestures. They're built in ordinary moments when we choose to be fully present with one another. Those moments may seem small, but over time they become the foundation of trust, intimacy, and lasting love. . If this conversation resonates with you, email me at languageoflovepod@gmail.com or leave a voicemail at languageoflovepod.com to have your own question answered in a future session. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Attacked by His Own Police Agency for a Cover-Up That Never Happened: A Police Lieutenant Who Lost Everything, Then Fought His Way Back. A career built over decades can be destroyed in a matter of seconds. For many people, the greatest threat to a police officer comes from violent criminals. The Podcast is available for free on the Law Enforcement Talk Radio Show and Podcast website, also on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, iHeartradio and most major podcast platforms. #LawEnforcementTalk #Free #Podcast #Radio Former Charleston Police Lieutenant Arthur "Rusty" Myers learned that sometimes the greatest threat comes from within the very organization an officer has dedicated a lifetime to serving. The Law Enforcement Talk Radio Show and Podcast social media like their Facebook , Instagram , LinkedIn , Medium and other social media platforms. Accused of participating in a cover-up that he says never happened, Myers watched his reputation, career, and identity collapse almost overnight. Supporting articles about this and much more from Law Enforcement Talk Radio Show and Podcast in platforms like Medium , Blogspot and Linkedin. Yet years later, every charge against him was gone, his law enforcement certification was fully reinstated by the state, and another police agency immediately hired him. He left that agency and was eventually promoting him to Deputy Chief of Police. His remarkable story is shared during an emotional interview on the Law Enforcement Talk Radio Show and Podcast website, also available on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and across social media platforms where audiences continue following compelling stories from the front lines of policing. Attacked by His Own Police Agency for a Cover-Up That Never Happened: A Police Lieutenant Who Lost Everything, Then Fought His Way Back. The conversation is available on the Law Enforcement Talk Radio Show and Podcast website, Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, iHeartRadio, and most other major podcast platforms, where audiences continue discovering firsthand accounts from those who have lived them. A Foot Pursuit That Changed Everything The incident that altered Myers' life appeared routine at first. While serving as a lieutenant with the Charleston Police Department, several officers became involved in a foot pursuit. Myers responded to assist his officers as supervisors routinely do. Within days, however, the focus shifted away from the arrest itself. Investigators alleged that Myers had participated in covering up officers' use of force. He was charged with filing a false police report. The accusations stunned the veteran officer. A career built on leadership, ethics, and officer development suddenly became overshadowed by allegations that challenged everything he had spent decades building. The episode is available across major platforms including their website, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, with highlights shared across their Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn profiles. When Your Own Agency Turns Against You For police officers, the badge often represents more than employment. It becomes identity. Purpose. Family. Myers describes how administrative leave quickly turned into isolation. The officers he once supervised disappeared from his daily life. The camaraderie vanished. The uncertainty became overwhelming. In his book "Tattered: When the Blue Line Frays," Myers writes about the devastating emotional impact that follows when an officer becomes the subject of an investigation. Attacked by His Own Police Agency for a Cover-Up That Never Happened: A Police Lieutenant Who Lost Everything, Then Fought His Way Back. Available for free on the Law Enforcement Talk Radio Show and Podcast website, also on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Youtube and most major Podcast networks. "Administrative leave becomes isolation. Silence replaces camaraderie." The investigation wasn't simply about criminal allegations. It became a battle for his reputation, career, and future. Cleared... But Never Given His Career Back Eventually, Myers fought the accusations before the state board responsible for his law enforcement certification. According to Myers, prosecutors presented no case. The charges were dropped. His law enforcement license was fully reinstated. Legally, his name had been cleared. But despite that vindication, the Charleston Police Department never brought him back. The Podcast is available for free on the Law Enforcement Talk Radio Show and Podcast website, also on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, iHeartradio and most major podcast platforms. For many officers, being cleared would represent the end of a painful chapter. For Myers, it marked the beginning of another. From Fired Officer to Internal Affairs Detective Instead of leaving law enforcement, Myers chose to continue serving. Almost immediately after his vindication, another South Carolina police agency hired him. Ironically, one of his new assignments became serving as an Internal Affairs Detective, the very type of investigator whose work had dramatically affected his own life. Attacked by His Own Police Agency for a Cover-Up That Never Happened: A Police Lieutenant Who Lost Everything, Then Fought His Way Back. The Law Enforcement Talk Radio Show and Podcast continues bringing listeners real conversations from the front lines of crime, policing, trauma, survival, and healing. His career continued to grow. Today, Myers serves as Deputy Chief of Police at a South Carolina university Department of Public Safety, proving that one agency's decision did not define his future. Turning Pain Into Purpose Rather than allowing bitterness to consume him, Myers transformed his experience into leadership lessons. His memoir, "Tattered: When the Blue Line Frays," explores far more than one controversial investigation. It examines: Institutional betrayal. Leadership during crisis. Officer wellness. Professional accountability. Mental health. Faith. Resilience. Rebuilding purpose after devastating loss. The book has resonated with police officers, supervisors, and leaders who understand how quickly careers can change. A Career Dedicated to Leadership Long before his public controversy, Myers built an impressive law enforcement career spanning more than three decades. A graduate of The Citadel and holder of a Master's degree in Biblical Studies from Liberty University, he served in virtually every level of policing. Attacked by His Own Police Agency for a Cover-Up That Never Happened: A Police Lieutenant Who Lost Everything, Then Fought His Way Back. Supporting articles about this and much more from Law Enforcement Talk Radio Show and Podcast in platforms like Medium , Blogspot and Linkedin. As Training Commander for the Charleston Police Department, he instructed officers on: Ethics Leadership Procedural Justice Professional Accountability Use-of-Force Review Officer Development Later, while serving with the Summerville Police Department, he became the Internal Affairs Inspector and created an innovative police leadership program designed to educate officers from rookie patrol officers to police chiefs. Today, his mission extends beyond policing. He advocates for stronger leadership, healthier police organizations, and honest conversations surrounding officer wellness and institutional responsibility. When the Uniform Comes Off Perhaps the most powerful question Myers asks isn't about policing. It's about identity. Who are you after everything you've built disappears? For officers forced into retirement... Wrongfully accused... Terminated... Or publicly criticized... That question becomes deeply personal. Myers believes resilience begins by understanding that a career can end, but purpose does not. More Than One Story In addition to Tattered, Myers is also the author of "Confession of Justus: A Tale of the Christ," a historical fiction novel following the Roman centurion traditionally associated with the crucifixion of Jesus Christ. Attacked by His Own Police Agency for a Cover-Up That Never Happened: A Police Lieutenant Who Lost Everything, Then Fought His Way Back. The episode is available across major platforms including their website, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, with highlights shared across their Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn profiles. While vastly different in subject matter, both books explore themes of sacrifice, redemption, faith, and personal transformation. Listen to the Full Interview Arthur "Rusty" Myers shares his remarkable journey from respected police lieutenant, to suspended, fired, to complete vindication, and finally to Deputy Chief of Police, during an unforgettable episode of the Law Enforcement Talk Radio Show and Podcast. His story challenges assumptions about justice, leadership, and loyalty while offering hope to anyone whose career, reputation, or purpose has unexpectedly fallen apart. Whether you're interested in policing, leadership, mental health, resilience, or inspiring true stories, this conversation offers rare insight into one man's determination to rebuild when everything seemed lost. Follow the Law Enforcement Talk Radio Show and Podcast on their website, on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and other social media platforms for more compelling interviews with police officers, investigators, authors, and first responders who reveal the realities behind the badge. If you've ever wondered what happens when a police officer becomes the target instead of the investigator, Arthur "Rusty" Myers has lived the answer, and survived to tell the story. Be sure to follow us on X , Instagram , Facebook, Pinterest, Linkedin and other social media platforms for the latest episodes and news. Learn and get access to money saving tips and how to increase your net worth at www.LetSavings.com Download the Free Ebook about ways and tips to improve your health. You can get the ebook for free at www.LetHealthy.com Get the Free Clubhouse App, it is Drop In Social Audio. Think of it as your own talk radio show on your phone, and best of all it is free. Be sure to look for me and follow me, that's John J Wiley or @letradioshow you can do all that here. The Law Enforcement Talk Radio Show and Podcast social media like their Facebook , Instagram , LinkedIn , Medium and other social media platforms. You can contact John J. “Jay” Wiley by email at Jay@letradio.com , or learn more about him on their website . Find a wide variety of great podcasts online at The Podcast Zone Facebook Page , look for the one with the bright green logo. Be sure to check out our website . Listen to the Law Enforcement Talk Radio Show and Podcast on their website, Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, iHeartRadio, and most major podcast platforms. Attacked by His Own Police Agency for a Cover-Up That Never Happened: A Police Lieutenant Who Lost Everything, Then Fought His Way Back. Attributions Amazon Wikipedia Rusty Myers Facebook Facebook Group Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
GET YOUR APRICOT SEEDS at the life-saving Richardson Nutritional Center HERE: https://rncstore.com/r?id=bg8qc1 Use code JOSH to save money! DITCH YOUR DOCTOR! https://www.livelongerformula.com/wam Get a natural health practitioner and work with Christian Yordanov! Mention WAM and get a FREE masterclass! You will ALSO get a FREE metabolic function assessment! GET HEIRLOOM SEEDS & NON GMO SURVIVAL FOOD HERE: https://heavensharvest.com/wam USE Code WAM to save 25% plus free shipping! USE Code WAM50 for 50% off on select items like the #10 cans & MRE packs! Pledge here! Just a dollar a month can help keep us alive! https://www.patreon.com/user?u=2652072&ty=h&u=2652072 EXCLUSIVE replays of hour plus long live shows are available here at $5 a month or more! GET 10% OFF ON SHILAJIT FROM DR. KAUFMAN WHEN YOU USE CODE WAM10 HERE: https://medauthentica.com/discount/WAM10?redirect=/products/authentica-shilajit%3Fsca_ref=10867124.wrNV3jkYSaMg9 Josh Sigurdson reports on the kickoff of mRNA cancer vaccine trials by Moderna. Ironically, Moderna which admitted themselves in their papers shown in front of Congress that their mRNA covid vaccines cause cancer are now running a trial to "cure" cancer with mRNA. mRNA notoriously leads to cancer cell growth in studies. 65% of new cancer cases received one or more Covid vaccines according to Croatian pathologists. Cancer cases in England have hit record highs. Billionaire cancer researcher and owner of ImmunityBio and The Los Angeles Times Dr. Patrick Soon-Shiong claimed covid vaccines were likely causing the massive increase in cancer cases. The Former Japanese Minister of Internal Affairs Kazuhiro Haraguchi proved he got cancer from the mRNA covid vaccine with an independent review and study. A South Korean study of over 8 million people proved covid vaccines caused an increase in cancer risk across the board, in some cases massively. On top of Moderna acknowledging their vaccines cause cancer, Pfizer was also caught withholding evidence of the presence of cancer-linked DNA in their covid vaccines (SV40) which came out in court. Pfizer's CEO Albert Bourla also claimed in May of 2024 that cancer "is our new covid." He spoke about how much money he could make off of cancer following the covid vaccines as they are themselves involved in cancer vaccine development using mRNA. This is truly evil. Meanwhile, our foods are being sprayed with cancer causing chemicals. Our water is toxified by hydrofluosilicic acid (industrial fluoride). Then these pharmaceutical corporations come in as a "solution" utilizing the very things that cause cancer in the first place to "cure" it. Insanity. In this video, we delve into the dangers of mRNA cancer vaccines based on what acclaimed doctors are saying. Stay tuned for more from WAM! HELP SUPPORT US AS WE DOCUMENT HISTORY HERE: https://gogetfunding.com/help-keep-wam-alive/# BUY GOLD HERE: https://firstnationalbullion.com/schedule-consult/ Avoid CBDCs! GET YOUR WAV WATCH HERE: https://buy.wavwatch.com/WAM Use Code WAM to save $100 and purchase amazing healing frequency technology! Get Your SUPER-SUPPLIMENTS HERE: https://vni.life/wam Use Code WAM15 & Save 15%! Life changing formulas you can't find anywhere else! Get local, healthy, pasture raised meat delivered to your door here: https://wildpastures.com/promos/save-20-for-life/bonus15?oid=6&affid=321 USE THE LINK & get 20% off for life and $15 off your first box! PayPal: ancientwonderstelevision@gmail.com FIND OUR CoinTree page here: https://cointr.ee/joshsigurdson PURCHASE MERECHANDISE HERE: https://world-alternative-media.creator-spring.com/ JOIN US on SubscribeStar here: https://www.subscribestar.com/world-alternative-media For subscriber only content! BITCOIN ADDRESS: 18d1WEnYYhBRgZVbeyLr6UfiJhrQygcgNU World Alternative Media 2026
Health Hero Show: The official Chemical Free Body Lifestyle Podcast
Episode #333: Tim James, Getting Old, Hell or Heaven, The Choice Is YoursWelcome to a powerful solo episode of Tim James Upgraded, where I explore a question we all must face: Is getting older hell or heaven? Ironically, the answer is entirely up to you. Drawing from personal experiences, including navigating the heartbreaking, chemical-reliant realities of western medicine during my father's hospice care, I expose the toxic landmines of the modern world that lead straight to aging "hell".But it doesn't have to be that way. I will map out a clear path to an aging "heaven" rooted in the laws of nature. Discover how simple shifts, like flooding your body with chlorophyll-rich living nutrition, sprouting, cellular detoxification, and eliminating emotional and environmental toxins, can radically elevate your cellular frequency. Learn how to break free from negative programming, become your own doctor, and unlock the natural energy to thrive at any stage of life.Enjoy the show! Get Your Natural Energy Back!Tim JamesP.S. If this helped you, please like & subscribe for more inspiration and education to help you become your own best doctor and help heal our world.P.P.S. To get your natural energy back, visit: https://chemicalfreebody.com/ and order Organic Energy Juice today!Tim's Favorite, HIGHEST QUALITY Health Product Recommendations:Best Detox & Nutrition Supplements: CLICK HEREBest Infrared Saunas & Healing Lamps: Tim's personal unit - Save $100 CLICK HEREWater Restructuring Device: CLICK HEREBest Home Air Purification Unit : Tim's personal unit CLICK HEREBest Non Toxic Home Building Materials: CLICK HERE See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
As a nurse with MS, I’m interviewed about AI’s real role in care: pattern recognition, human-in-the-loop skepticism, and the Three T’s and Two C’s framework. Click here to view the printable newsletter. More readable than a transcript. Click here for a verbatim transcript Summary I sit in the guest chair on Practical AI in Healthcare with Steve Labkoff. I walk through my experience feeding my own symptom logs, lab results, and ten years of clinician notes into an AI LLM: a physical therapy referral I needed and hadn’t scheduled, a medication side effect my neurologist later confirmed, and a rating scale buried in my chart that no one had surfaced. I describe the less impressive side: the four-pound box of unsorted paper my primary care practice mailed me and the 296 pages of unsearchable PDFs I got back from another system in fifteen minutes. Along the way, I lay out my framework for judging any digital health tool, the Three T’s and Two C’s: time, trust, talk, control, and connection, and explain why I insist on keeping humans in the loop even though the research on that is more complicated than people assume. This isn’t a pitch for AI in healthcare. It’s a working nurse and patient’s honest field report. What’s your experience been feeding your own health data into an AI LLM? Tell us in the comments. Episode Transcript Proem I usually ask the questions. This time I'm the guest. I met Drs. Steve Labkoff and Leon Rozenblit a couple of years ago at a DCI Network conference. They host Practical AI in Healthcare, a show I've listened to steadily, though it creates more tension for me than any other podcast I keep coming back to. Usually, I jettison podcasts that do that. I stay with this one because I approach AI in healthcare the way I approach best health; I'm an N of one and resist generalizing, while most guests do a fair amount of it. I bristle at most of them, wanting the shades of gray that reflect deep understanding. In four of 33 episodes, the guest has had lived experience: ePatient Dave DeBronkart, Amy Price, Hugo Campos, and me. I invited Steve and Leon to join my virtual Reckoning group, which I've hosted since 2019. We give podcasters warm critiques of selected episodes: the kind of feedback you give when you've made a hundred mistakes yourself, can spot them quickly in someone else's cut, and have endless thoughts about production, audience, dissemination, and life. They took the critique well. When Steve later asked me to come on his show to talk about how I use AI, not the theory but the daily grind, I readily agreed. They let me publish it here unchanged, apart from this Proem and Reflection. I struggled to prepare for this conversation. I wanted to wear all my hats, but had to narrow my focus to two. I chose my lived experience and nurse hats. Underneath it all was the question I keep circling back to. Not a cure. Best health, the most function, and Hello, and welcome to this week’s edition of Practical AI in Healthcare. My name is Dr. Steven Lapcoff, and this week I’m actually on my own because my partner, Dr. Leon Rosenblatt, is actually on spring break with his kids, so I am covering for him and he’ll be back in the next week. This week we have a guest who we met at a conference in Boston a few months ago at the Beth Israel at the DCI network. Steven Labkoff: We have Danny van Leeuwen. Danny is a nurse. He has background in giving actual physical care to patients. He actually runs his own podcast called Health Hats, the Podcast, and he’s been using AI in both his personal life and in his professional life very extensively. Also, Danny has a significant medical condition, and I’ll let him explain that in the course of the discussion because it’s with that lens that we got introduced at our patient-centric AI conference, and that’s why we thought it’d be a good idea to have Danny come and have a chat with us. So welcome to the podcast, Danny. How are you today? Health Hats: I’m good. Thank you. Thanks for having me. I appreciate it. Steven Labkoff: So Danny, as you probably have heard because you’ve helped us with our podcast, and for that I want to say thank you. For those who are listening in, Danny runs actually a group that actually helps folks running podcasts improve their podcasts, and he’s had Leon and I on many times to listen to critiques and feedback, and it’s been very, very helpful. Danny, we often start our podcast with asking for folks’ origin stories, like how did they get their cape and their superhero tights. What did you do to get you to this point in your life? And just tell us the background of what brought you here. Health Hats: Oh, thanks. So I’m a child of Holocaust survivors, and my parents– when I was young, my parents were active in the civil rights and fair housing movement in the ’60s. And when I was 16 and I was thinking about the war in Vietnam and worried about getting drafted, I wanted to learn what I could learn about the draft and how I could protect myself and manage. And I went to a church in downtown Detroit, and I went for a session of draft counseling as, you know, a little precocious at 16, and I found it fascinating, and they found me fascinating, and they encouraged me to become a draft counselor. And so I, uh, I actually took their course and became a draft counselor, and what I learned is that you change systems from the inside, not the outside. And I learned how the sausage was made, and that, uh, really pointed me in a direction. The way I got into nursing is really because I didn’t want to cut my hair I had an opportunity for a job at one point, and I could have read water meters or become an aide at the Detroit Psychiatric Institute. And reading water meters paid more, but I didn’t wanna cut my hair, so I got the job as, as nurse’s aide. And while I was there, they introduced me to the idea of going to nursing school, which was amazing. Steven Labkoff: It was more– You got paid more to read meters, water meters, than you did- Health Hats: Yes. Steven Labkoff: That’s unbelievable. Life gives you some real interesting turns and twists, doesn’t it? Health Hats: It does. And I was really fortunate because my first jobs in nursing were in physical rehabilitation and home care. I just happened to be in a place where the Holyoke Visiting Nurses was dying to hire a guy, and I was a brand-new nurse, and they ended up hiring me. And so my first introduction to nursing was not in acute care. It was in home care, and actually, I was the first male public health nurse in Western Massachusetts in 1976. And really, what I learned there was that most healthcare does not occur in the medical system. It occurs outside the medical system. And so when I ended up getting into medical care, it was always so interesting to me that everybody there thought this is where, you know, health happened, which it doesn’t. So over the 20 years of working as a nurse, I’ve worked in, other than the rehab and home care, I’ve worked in the emergency department, I’ve worked in ICU, I worked in pediatrics, behavioral health. And after about 15, 20 years, I shifted from becoming a student of individual health to a student o- of organizational health. And what I mean by that is I got into performance improvement. I led a couple of electronic health record implementations. I had a couple of gigs in the C-suite. I did some consulting. Now, in 2009, I was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis, and when I was diagnosed, I learned that I had had it for 25 years. And since my father died young, he died at 45 when I was 19 of his second heart attack, and so every time I would have some kind of episode, I would get a cardiac workup. And by the time the cardiac workup was done, you know, the episode was over, and this went on two, three, four times a year for a long time. And there was a pattern there, and nobody was connecting the dots for 25 years. That’s very important to me because the pattern of what was going on was in my records for 25 years, but nobody had synthesized it. Steven Labkoff: Yeah, they may have been biased, right? Because of your family history and having these episodes, you know, as a clinician, you get very biased by family history, and that can actually lead you down roads which may not be correct, and it sounds like that’s precisely what happened with you. Health Hats: So I’ve– I wanna bring in the caregiver role because I have been a caregiver for my grandmother, my mother, and a son in their end-of-life journeys. So I’ve been on many sides of very difficult decisions. As you said, that my shtick is health hats, and I’m health hats because I’m a patient, I’m a caregiver, I’m a nurse, I’m an advocate, I’m an informaticist, I’m a podcast host. I wear a lot of hats. And wearing many hats has gotten me a seat at many tables because they can check off boxes. When it was really different to be bringing patients o-on board, I was an easy choice. Uh, I was at the table for technical expert panels at CMS, at National Academy of Medicine, at AHRQ, National Quality Forum, PCORI, Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute. But really, I wasn’t really there in it for the seat itself. My goal was always to open seats for people who weren’t there yet Now let’s build the bridge, since this is a podcast about AI, let’s build that little bit of that bridge. So my first, like, serious experience with– Well, I don’t know about my first. I was involved in something that you probably are familiar with, which was the Blue Button Plus program, and my goal in that, I was there both as a patient and as somebody who was working with people with disabilities. I, I was VP of quality for an organization that supported about 40,000 people with disabilities. And my goal for that couple of years of weekly or every other week, I can’t remember, calls was, uh, to add a f- a caregiver field to the data set, and to also introduce the idea that what people needed was information that would be able to say what works for me when I’m in pain and what works for me when I’m afraid, which was an issue for me, and it was an issue for the organization that I was working with at the time. Now, I have to say that the caregiver field got added, so I felt some success in that. But as a nurse leader in the informatics group I was part of, really they were only interested in putting a name in the field, not doing anything with that information, which I- Just collecting, so just collecting the data. Steven Labkoff: They didn’t care what the data was used for? Is that what you’re saying? Health Hats: Correct. Yeah. And I couldn’t– got no traction on the pain and fear, which now that I’m older, I understand why, how difficult that is. Nevertheless, it’s something that’s important to patients and caregivers. So I think I would close this section with that I am both an early adopter of technology and a rapid skeptic, that I’m kinda making this number up, but I’ve probably tried over 100 health apps, and I would say that I’ve used five more than three times. And so I think there’s a gap between what’s promised with digital technology and what’s useful for people. So that’s really why I’m here and what’s guiding for me in this. Steven Labkoff: So let’s take it to the next step. In our prequel, I didn’t even know about your personal background to that degree. Mm-hmm. We can take that one offline later about the Holocaust survivor issues. We, we have family, I have family in that same situation, frankly. Let’s change gears and talk about the challenges that you’ve seen. You opened the door a little bit on that a few minutes ago- Yeah … in terms of people wanting to collect data but not necessarily doing much with the data, not being able to understand the true value of the data to some degree. And you said it yourself, people weren’t connecting the dots. Medical records have always been complicated. They’ve always been bulky. They’ve always been full of information, some of which is really relevant, a lot of which is not so relevant, and connecting the dots to making that a, uh, an important information source is not always an obvious task. So what, what was the particular angle on that challenge that you were trying to gun at? Health Hats: Well, I think we have to take a step back- and think about what is– Well, I’m just gonna speak for myself, okay? I know that I often, you know, as I said, I get asked to sit at the table because people can, you know, check boxes, like is that I’m a patient. I wanna be clear that I’m a privileged white old man with MS living in Boston, but I’m an N of one, and I don’t represent other patients. I’m representing myself here and my perspectives. My goal in terms of my health is best health, and what I mean by best health is optimal health and function, physical, mental, spiritual. Not a cure, but best health for where I am, what I have right now. And to get there, I need my own health data, not just what’s in my clinician’s chart, but what I know about myself, my circumstances, my environment, my history, my habits. Not just my medical history, my life history, my treatment responses. And so that’s like patient-reported data, and that’s stuff that’s only exists because I observe it and sometimes I record it And that’s where it falls apart right away. You were just alluding to some of it, that there’s all this medical data and what’s useful about that. I think Dave DeBronkart was a guest on your show. And when he launched his Gimme My Damn Data campaign, I responded to him with, “Watch what you wish for. You’ll be trying to drink dirty water from a fire hose.” And, and that was years ago, and it’s still true. So six months ago, I, I’d been on a mission to gather my medical data, and my– I’d been with my, uh, primary care practice since 2011, and I wanted all that data from 2011 to 2025. This was, like, in December I started on this crusade of trying to get my data. And actually, two months later, I got a box, a four-pound box of paper, and it was paper that was not in chronological order. And it’s just sitting right here. I’ve scanned it in. It’s not, um- Was it in– Steven Labkoff: Was it a printout of Epic or something, or was it actual- Health Hats: It’s a computer printout. It seems like it’s a vendor that they use to- Steven Labkoff: It wasn’t digital. They sent you, literally sent you a box of paper. Health Hats: Yeah, it was a box of paper. Oh. And then I use a lot the, the Beth Israel Lahey Mount Auburn system, and I asked for the last three months of my records, and I got 296 pages of redundant, non-searchable PDFs, and I got that in 15 minutes. Uh, I see a lot of doctors, so maybe I had seen Hmm. I think I had maybe eight or nine visits, and it just happened to be a three-month period that was busy for me, but I got s- 296 pages. And so that really adds to your comment, which is that access to data and access to usable data are really different. Steven Labkoff: Oh, absolutely. And yeah, I’ll tell you, in my world, I think you know that I’ve worked in the life sciences for many, many years, and we are consumers of healthcare data on many levels. We consume medical claims, we consume electronic medical records, and one of the hardest things about using medical records for research or for outcome studies and things like that is the very fact you’re describing, which is the data tends to be sparse, it tends to be poorly organized. It doesn’t always come in an encoded fashion. Thank God most of what we get these days is at least digital. No boxes of paper for us these days, but it wasn’t so long ago that when it was all paper, we couldn’t get that data in the first place. It just wasn’t even gettable. So at least you’ve made some progress. And- Yeah … yeah, I know that you sit on some national level boards, uh, around outcomes, and you can talk about that in a moment. But those are, you know, those boards are trying very hard to come up with outcome studies and ways of– Let me back that up. They’re coming up with ways of using data to perform outcome studies by harmonizing and, and distilling down to usable forms of this EHR data, which is so challenging. Health Hats: I think what’s key, I– like I, I think I w- I’d like to focus on my data. And so what I wanna do is I wanna see patterns. I wanna see patterns that takes my circumstances, my environment, my habits, my treatment over time, and because I think that these patterns are how I formulate the right questions, so the right questions before I go into a clinical encounter. They’re how I track when something is actually working, and it helps me to coordinate across care teams that don’t talk to each other and make decisions that I can live with that help me attain this goal of best health. So that’s the job, formulate better questions, g- seek better answers, make better decisions. And AI is the tool that I try to use to do it. Now, whether it’s up to the task or not is different. I wanna stick in the nursing angle, if you don’t mind- You know, one of the things that I learned the way I got started in nursing is that my goal as a nurse was to put myself out of a job. Steven Labkoff: So that sounds counterintuitive, but what I mean is from minute one with a patient and family, I’m planning my exit. Like, and to do that, I need maximum face time. I need real present, real conversation, real relationships, not less charting. I was gonna say not charting, not documentation, so that’s just ridiculous. Health Hats: But less, you know. The way you do that, I think, is, you know, less charting, less documentation, you know, not hunting through information you can’t find. And that’s where nursing, that’s a genuine promise. So pattern recognition across specific cohorts of patients. So as a nurse, even though I worked a lot of different places, in each place I worked, there was commonalities. In– When I lived in West Virginia and I was an ER nurse in a super rural hospital, if I had had more information about my patients, their families, I could get– an AI could help me surface those patterns that exist for the people that I’m taking care of, I think I could get time back as a nurse. And if the nurse gets time back, then the patient and family gets the presence of the clinician. So that’s the trade that I’m interested in I wanna go back to that thing about pain and fear. I wanna add what I’ve learned working on the blue button, plus I wanna add cognition. So when you think about it, the data almost never captures the variability of pain, fear, and cognition, and those things are really important because pain changes what you can do and what you can decide. Fear closes your heart. It closes your mind. And so when you’re scared in a clinical encounter, you’re not making good decisions. You’re just saying yes to end it. And cognition is, you know, it varies. Like I can absorb better at 10 in the morning on a good day compared to 3:00 in the afternoon when I’m spent. You know, you could extrapolate this to other people. They have their own particular patterns and circumstances. But I think What I’m trying to get at in all of this is it isn’t first about the data, it’s first about what about life and what about the things that are important to people, uh, patients, caregivers, and the clinicians that they partner with, and how can AI help them? Steven Labkoff: So you’ve explained to me in the pre-call that you’re doing some of this work, so maybe you can unpack a little bit about what it is you’re actually doing with it and how it’s helping or, in some cases, not helping those efforts. Health Hats: Well, what have I done? I, I’ve done different things. One of the things that, that I’ve done is to try to build my toolkit. You know? So when I say build my toolkit, I’m a, I’m a, a conglomeration of symptoms. I mean, you know, I’m, I’m not MS, I’m not my symptoms, but they’re big and they’re there, and I feel like I’m trying to, I’m trying to figure out for anything that I have to deal with, whether it’s any of the different kinds of pains I have, my, my anxiety, my bladder, you know, my mobility, I have challenges, and I, I need a toolbox. I need a toolbox, and the way I think is I need at least three things that will work so that when they happen, I got something I can go do, and pretty much the most common thing is drink water. Drink water is by far the most successful intervention across all of my symptoms. It’s kind of amazing. It’s so cheap, so easy. It isn’t the drugs. Okay, but so how do I do that? Well, for me, I’ve done that partially just in my head. Partially I’ve done that by keeping lists. Like, I keep track of the steps I take. I keep track of the amount of time I play music. I keep track of my falls. I keep track of my weight. And so I use digital tools to do that when I can. Steven Labkoff: I also record my clinician visits because- When you say record, do you mean like audio record or dig- Health Hats: Yeah. Yeah, audio record, right. And, uh, until recently I used Abridge, which is a company that, um- Steven Labkoff: How did you get to use Abridge? You– I thought Abridge was only selling basically into doctor’s offices, uh, from the clinician side. Do you- Health Hats: So I was before that. Ah. And they started as a patient-facing product, and actually they sponsored my podcast for three years. So I was pre that. So putting all that together, so I play with, you know, trying to put into Claude There’s nothing magic or special. You know, it’s me playing, just trying stuff. You know, some of it, you know, my wife will say, “Hey,” she sees a pattern. My kids will see a pattern, or I’ll- Steven Labkoff: Give, give, give us an example of what, of what this looks like. I mean, you’re saying you’re giving Claude or another LLM- Yeah … a series of symptoms, or you’re giving it a series of, plus your data. Like, unpack it and let us know. Yeah. What have you did- Okay, so what- … with the system, and how is it working for you? Health Hats: I’ve done a couple of different things. One is, you know, I have a spreadsheet, and I just put the spreadsheet in, you know, as a document or whatever you call it when you have a project and, you know, you load. I load my spreadsheet. I keep a annual summary, and I keep the year that I’m working on. And I will have fits of journaling. You know, I, this is not something that I am, like, super consistent on, but I’ll, especially when I’m struggling with something, if I’m struggling with my blood pressure or I’m struggling with my mood. I have a progressive mobility thing going on, and I’ll put that in and I’ll prompt. I’ll say, “Can you– do you see a pattern in this?” You know, and I’ve gotten, you know, that there’s- Steven Labkoff: Has it given you some insights? Is it… Like, give me an example of some of the insights it’s actually given you that you didn’t see yourself. Health Hats: Well, I’ve gotten, like, uh, it’s kind of humorous. But, but I’ve gotten, like, you know, “Have you thought about seeing a physical therapist?” And I, I have. You know, I have a physical therapist, uh, that I don’t go to very often. You know, my relationship with her is I go for a tune-up. But they’ll– I, I want– It’ll show, like, I’ll do my sort of things are clearly, you know, I’m not walking as far, I’ve fell on a few times, you know, and I’ll get this suggestion, you know. I also– What else have I done? Oh, oh, uh, once I had a medication that I was taking for neuropathy, and I was– my mood had, like, changed considerably and, you know, I got a thing on that might be a side effect. You know, “Have you talked to your doctor about this?” Steven Labkoff: And I- And you got that out of the LLM? You fed that to the LLM? Health Hats: I did. Yeah. Steven Labkoff: And it suggested it was a side effect, which you didn’t figure out. Health Hats: I didn’t. A neurologist said that he thought– He said, “It sounds like you have an allergy to it.” And, you know, he wanted it to be listed as an allergy because he thought it was very possible that he’s had people that have had a problem. Steven Labkoff: When you tell me that you’ve loaded your data, you give the LLM your signs, your symptoms, you give it your labs, you give it what’s in, in the system, and it comes up with a recommendation that you hadn’t thought– Now, you’re a clinician. You’re a nurse. Yeah. You’ve been a nurse for many, many decades. Health Hats: 50 years. Steven Labkoff: 50 years. And does it surprise you that it comes up with stuff that you didn’t see? Health Hats: No. Steven Labkoff: Cause I, to be honest with you- I- … if I, if I did what you just said and it came up with something completely radical that I’d never thought of and it was right- I would be scratching my head and thinking, “Okay, that’s in- that’s beyond interesting. I better pay more attention to this, and maybe I wanna use it differently.” Because not, it’s not just yous using it. Like, people around everywhere are starting to use it for the same, in the same sim- in the same exact way. So that’s the simplification of the medical system, right? Health Hats: It does. I mean, like when I tell my neurologist, he laughs, and he’s like a whatever works kinda guy, you know? That he feels like he doesn’t have all the answers, and that he likes- those stories. I feel like I’ve learned, I think you know Amy Price, right? Steven Labkoff: Yeah, very well. Health Hats: Yeah. We’re buddies. And so one of the things that I’ve learned from her is how to query and how to be skeptical and how to ask questions from different angles, from different perspectives so that you– And that’s why I think that’s where the unexpected comes up. Steven Labkoff: Well, you’re describing something that we did at the conference. I don’t know if you were in the room in the working group that we did this on, but you’re describing, and actually we’re submitting a paper on it very shortly, on AI literacy. Yeah. And you, you didn’t label it as such, but you’re describing yourself as being AI literate and understanding how to use the tools, most importantly, how to be skeptical of the answers, how to interpret the information that’s being presented to you. Health Hats: A- and that, those are all components of literacy, of AI literacy specifically. One of the things I’m finding in my world is that painfully few people are indeed AI literate. Even the folks in IT departments in large life science companies or hospitals who even work in the space and think that they’re good at it and are literate sometimes are not. That has other implications, which are if people are taking on these really impressively powerful tools and they don’t quite know how to use them as well as they should, and if they query them incorrectly, to your point earlier about making good queries, the responses that come out may or may not be the point. And if patients use that information inappropriately because they didn’t know how to ask the right questions to start with, that could have deep implications to the healthcare system. You could say that same thing about doctors. Steven Labkoff: I will say it about doctors. I mean, not about AI, about the advice that doctors give. Health Hats: There’s a, a tremendous variation, and it is very different. When I am feeling good enough to be organized and to be directive in the conversation with a clinician, I get a very different output than when I’m not. And I still have to be skeptical of what doctors tell me, and until I build some trust. And, and then I, you know, then there’s just too many decisions to make when you’re a person with chronic illness. It’s like putting in a kitchen. There’s so many decisions to make, and I’m happy for the doctors that I trust to make the decisions for me. But there are certain decisions I don’t want to give to the doctor or to AI, like I don’t wanna mess with my pathological optimism. I wanna progress as slowly as possible, and I wanna keep playing my horn. These are really important things to me, and I don’t give those decisions that affect that, I don’t give up. But all the rest of it I do, and, and I’ve worked really hard to build the team that I have that appreciates me and my strangeness and my assertiveness, and, you know, they’re not threatened by it. Steven Labkoff: Is your team AI literate? Do they also use the, these same tools in your care? Health Hats: Uh, like I don’t know. I mean, AI literate is like, is huge. You know? I mean, that’s just such a big thing. Do they use AI? Yes. Do I know how they use AI? Well, you know, they use what’s attached to Epic. I know that. Uh, I mean, look, my neurologist, who I just love, he thinks like he uses, he uses the portal well because he takes– he just keeps adding things to the end of the, a note. Yeah. And so he feels like… Well, I don’t find his notes at all useful, and I tell him that. I tell him, “What I really wanna know is, how am I doing? Am I getting better? Am I getting worse? Am I stable? What should I be paying attention to in the next six months till I see you again?” And I can’t find that in his note. That’s true. Yeah. Now, on the other hand, I’ve taken his note and asked Claude and say, “Here’s the note. How am I doing? You know, have I progressed? H-how is he measuring it?” Oh, well, then I find he’s using this scale, right? And it’ll come up with looking through this note, which is like 10 years running, and it’ll find, I can’t remember the name of it, but there’s a scale that he uses. And then we go back and I’ll say to him, “Oh, you’re using this scale.” And he goes, “Yeah.” And I say, “Well, why don’t you like put that at the top of your note?” You know, so that I can find it. You know, so we have that kind of conversation- Yeah … that AI has helped. Steven Labkoff: Well, that’s actually an interesting perspective that AI is helping to reorganize things, ’cause one of the use cases that has been discussed at, at length actually, and it was discussed at our conference, is using AI to digest medical records. Health Hats: And when I say digest, it’s not about like ingesting them, which is slightly different, but digesting, which means find all the different pieces, put them together, come up with a narrative that summarizes perhaps 300 pages of information which may be sparse and may be poorly organized, and bring it all together. And that’s actually a task that AI is actually turning out to be pretty darn good at. And that again changes the nature of the healthcare system and the healthcare journey. You know- And it does a fair job. You say it’s really good at it. So- It’s better than I could do. It’s better than I could do. Well, yes. Well, you’re not– First of all, that’s not your training, and you don’t have the time for it. And you still have to review it. Yeah, of course. Because I have never used AI that gave me a, “Oh, this is great.” I mean, the first time I read it pretty much every time I think it’s amazing. And then, you know, my rule is sleep on it and check it again. And then it’s like, oh my God, this, first of all, it either just said nothing very fancy or it got some very basic things wrong. And then I’ll say, “Oh, you know, you missed this and you missed that.” And it’ll go, “Oh, you’re right, I did.” You know? Steven Labkoff: Well, that also speaks to the concept of keeping a human in the loop- Yeah which is something that you espouse and many folks in the healthcare aisle- I do … espouse. Ironically, you know Adam Rodman, I think. He was at our conference, he spoke. Yeah. Uh, he’s done a study which shows actually having a human in the loop in some cases actually makes the conclusions worse, believe it or not. Ah. Which is w- a non-intuitive finding. You would think that the two together would be better than either one alone, but so that’s, that’s now relatively n- well, it’s not even that new anymore. That information came out about a year ago. So I, we gotta start wrapping up in a few minutes here. Yeah. You know, we didn’t cover the concept around outcomes around your three T’s and two C’s. Maybe we can cover that in the last bit here, and then we can get to closing. Health Hats: Okay. So I feel like one of the questions that you’ve asked is how AI helped, right? And so what I need to tell you is the framework that I’ve developed over the years, which I’ve actually shared in my AI Claude project that’s Danny’s Health, what I call the three T’s and the two C’s, and this is like the framework I use to evaluate any digital health technology. And so they are time, trust, talk, control, and connection. What I mean by that is time is, you know, you need time to learn, to plan, to talk, to build trust. So I say the clock isn’t the enemy, it’s the, the wrong things filling the time, so the, the time. The second is trust. You know, trust can take a really long time. It can happen really quickly. Sometimes you never have it, and you know in your gut when you don’t have it. And most digital health tools, AI, have a trust deficit, I think, not because they’re untru- untrustworthy, which maybe they are, but it’s really because the people who use them, use the tools, don’t, don’t trust them, and I think it’s really important. You c- you can’t shortcut trust in the use of any tool. I think talk is really important. It’s woven through all of it, real conversation. There is nothing like actual conversation that is making decisions together, which is a lot of what healthcare is about, is making decisions. AI can help you prepare for it, and it can help process it. And then control. I trust more when I have power in a situation. So if I’m feeling like an ant ready to be crushed, I’m not making good decisions. And finally, I would say connection is, it’s the human lifeline. You know, when somebody greets you when you cross a threshold, that’s a connection. When someone’s been where you’re going and they can say, “Oh, that helped me.” AI can extend that connection. They can help people find communities that are available at 3:00 in the morning, but you can’t manufacture it. I, I think that connection is really important, so that’s where I g- you know, time, talk, trust, control, and connection, and I use that framework when I’m evaluating. Steven Labkoff: And that framework gives you a better, you know, a how do I say this right? It gives you a, like a rubric, if you will, to go- Yes … through, uh, the information that’s coming out of it. Danny- Yeah … we’re gonna have to wrap up here in a second. Sure. Are there any last comments you wanna make that, that will, you know, help other patients in the, in the space in terms of how they might wanna think about adopting- an AI tool in their world? Health Hats: I think that I would say use it, use AI, keep using it, experiment with it. That, that i- i- just like anything else, it takes time to learn. It takes time to be comfortable with it. Use it. I would say advocate for humans in the loop. I don’t care what the study says. It’s about humans. We are human. Keep it humans in the loop. I would say find a buddy, you know. Do this with somebody else. Find a buddy- That’s good advice … and experiment. I would say, yeah, talk to your clinician about it. It’s a good barometer of a physician. If they don’t wanna talk or blow you off, that tells you something. Absolutely right. And I would say if you’re comfortable with it, mentor. You know- That’s a good idea … be the buddy. And for clinicians and for systems and developers, I would say you need to have patients, caregivers, and practicing partner clinicians in the design. They need to be there from the beginning. And, you know, so i- it solves the problems people have, not the problems that the developers think are there or the venture capitalists thinks are gonna make money. You know, y- and if you have an opportunity, join, you know, participate. Steven Labkoff: All good advice. Well, Danny, I wanna thank you very much for your participation in, in today’s discussion. Hopefully that there are other patients out there who listen to the podcast, they’ll take something away. For the clinicians out there who are listening, you know, you’ve heard it straight out from a patient who happens to be a healthcare provider himself, and he’s got very strong perspectives on how this can be used in a positive and productive way, and I think the framework that he’s put together is very useful. Danny, I wanna just say thank you for all the help that you’ve provided helping this podcast get off the ground. That’s been really incredibly generous of you and your friends who have helped us a lot, and a lot of the things that have happened on our podcast, uh, for improvement’s sake, have come directly from those conversations, so thank you for that. I wanna thank you for being a guest and sharing your journey and sharing your experiences here. And for the rest of us, I’m gonna say thank you for joining us, and we will see you again next time on another episode of Practical AI in Healthcare. Thank you for listening. Thank you for joining us this week on Practical AI in Healthcare. If you’re ready to go beyond buzzwords and hype and explore how AI is truly transforming healthcare, stay tuned for more conversations that get us to what works. Until next time, stay practical Reflection When Steve interviewed me, he didn't know that everything I told him is the origin story of TrustMyOwn.Health. The box of paper. The 296 pages that were technically my data and practically useless. Twenty-five years of a pattern that sat in my chart the whole time, that it took a person, my PCP, a year to put together. Could AI have done it in an afternoon? I got tired of that being the normal experience instead of the exception. [Add: what specifically prompted starting TMOH, and when.] TMOH starts from a premise I didn't have language for until I said it out loud to Steve: trust isn't a feature you bolt onto a health platform after the engineering is done. It's the whole structure, or the whole thing fails. The three T's and two C's I use to size up any digital health tool turn out to be close to a design spec. Time, because a vault of your whole health history takes patience to build, not a single import. Trust, built into governance rather than promised in marketing; TMOH's Data Sovereignty Covenant binds the board and investors to the same terms as everyone else, which is the only version of trust I believe in. Talk, because the point was never to replace the conversation with my clinician, it was to walk in more prepared for it. Control, because I decide what goes in the vault and who sees it, the same way I decide which of my own decisions I hand to a doctor or an AI and which ones I keep for myself. Connection, which no vault can manufacture, but a good one can make room for. I told Steve that AI found a pattern in my chart that twenty-five years of clinicians missed. That's not really a story about AI being smart. It's a story about who owned the data long enough to ask the question. That's the whole bet behind TMOH: put the owner at the center, and let the rest of the ecosystem, the networks, the vendors, the AI, earn its place around that. See you around the block. Practical AI in Healthcare Episodes https://open.spotify.com/episode/4wA4ltjmZfIZ5VpmTeTTOF?si=KbEvc2_ERNWakJ3JeP2Ddg https://open.spotify.com/episode/0LDetUFJJrSV1cy6LtpGFx?si=qAqoqKBBSNm9PiwPjSIXYA https://open.spotify.com/episode/0wXEm1KnnGorOvTt9GTh7o?si=K_DKXzGyThusBPA6KoVkCg https://open.spotify.com/episode/6krV94ob6Lcv7VNo0qahZ5?si=B6lZDkvsQ9y2Z2FhkXzQGQ Referenced in episode Patient data access history: “Introducing Blue Button Plus: The Next Generation in PHRs” — HealthIT.gov (Office of the National Coordinator for Health IT) — https://www.healthit.gov/blog/consumer/introducing-blue-button/ The “Gimme My Damn Data” campaign Danny references: “Gimme My Damn Data (and Let Patients Help!): The #GimmeMyDamnData Manifesto” — Dave deBronkart, Journal of Medical Internet Research — https://www.jmir.org/2019/11/e17045/ Amy Price, mentioned as a mentor in questioning and skepticism: “Welcoming Dr. Amy Price as Editor-in-Chief” — Society for Participatory Medicine — https://participatorymedicine.org/2024/welcoming-dr-amy-price-dphil-as-the-editor-in-chief-for-the-journal-of-participatory-medicine/ AI literacy for patients, the concept Steve names in the episode: “Critical AI Health Literacy as Liberation Technology: A New Skill for Patient Empowerment” — National Academy of Medicine — https://nam.edu/perspectives/critical-ai-health-literacy-as-liberation-technology-a-new-skill-for-patient-empowerment/ Human-in-the-loop research Danny and Steve discuss (Adam Rodman): “AI and the Evolution of Medical Thought with Dr. Adam Rodman” — NEJM AI Grand Rounds (podcast) — https://ai-podcast.nejm.org/e/ai-and-the-evolution-of-medical-thought-with-dr-adam-rodman/ Abridge, the ambient AI scribe tool Danny mentions using: “Pioneers in Generative AI for Healthcare” — Abridge — https://www.abridge.com/about The DCI Network conference where Danny met the hosts: “About DCI Network” — DCI Network, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center — https://www.dcinetwork.org/about-us Please comment and ask questions: at the comment section at the bottom of the show notes on LinkedIn via email YouTube channel DM on Instagram, TikTok to @healthhats Substack Patreon Production Team Kayla Nelson: Web and Social Media Coach, Dissemination, Help Desk Leon van Leeuwen: editing and site management Oscar van Leeuwen: video editing Julia Higgins: Digital marketing therapy Steve Heatherington: Help Desk and podcast production counseling Joey van Leeuwen, Drummer, Composer, and Arranger, provided the music for the intro, outro, proem, and reflection Claude, Perplexity, Auphonic, Descript, Grammarly, DaVinci Resolve, DaVinci AI Art Generator, OpenArt AI Creator Studio Inspired by and Grateful to: Steve Labkoff, Leon Rosenbilt, Amy Price, Leon and Oscar van Leeuwen, Laura Marcial Artificial Intelligence in Podcast Production Health Hats, the Podcast, utilizes AI tools for production tasks such as editing, transcription, and content suggestions. While AI assists with various aspects, including image creation, most AI suggestions are modified. All creative decisions remain my own, with AI sources referenced as usual. Questions are welcome. Creative Commons Licensing CC BY-NC-SA This license enables reusers to distribute, remix, adapt, and build upon the material in any medium or format for noncommercial purposes only, and only so long as attribution is given to the creator. If you remix, adapt, or build upon the material, you must license the modified material under identical terms. CC BY-NC-SA includes the following elements: BY: credit must be given to the creator. NC: Only noncommercial uses of the work are permitted. SA: Adaptations must be shared under the same terms. Please let me know. dannyhealthhats@gmail.com Material on this site created by others is theirs, and use follows their guidelines. Disclaimer The views and opinions presented in this podcast and publication are solely my responsibility and do not necessarily represent the views of the Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute® (PCORI®), its Board of Governors, or Methodology Committee. Danny van Leeuwen (Health Hats)
Fear has a way of convincing us that running from God's will is the safer option. Jonah believed that if he could simply get far enough away from Nineveh, he could avoid what God had called him to do. But every step away from God's will only led him deeper into trouble.Over the past few weeks we've seen Jonah disobey God's direction, deliberately choose his own path, and become deceived into thinking he could outrun the Lord. This week we discover the devastating truth about disobedience: it never affects only us.One of the greatest lies we tell ourselves is that our choices are private. We convince ourselves that if no one sees us, no one gets hurt. Scripture tells a completely different story.As Pastor reminded us, "Your storm affects all of us."We don't live in a bubble. Every decision we make impacts the people on our boat and everyone sailing in our ocean. Jonah's decision to flee from God nearly cost innocent sailors their lives. His rebellion created a storm that everyone around him had to endure.Our obedience to God matters because other people's lives are connected to ours.Romans 5:12 reminds us that Adam's sin brought death into the world, and its effects spread to everyone. Sin has always had consequences beyond the person committing it. Likewise, Paul warns in 1 Corinthians 8 that our freedom should never become a stumbling block that leads someone else away from Christ. We are called to build others up, not confuse them by claiming to follow Jesus while comfortably living in sin.Jonah became the very picture of hypocrisy.When questioned by the terrified sailors, Jonah boldly declared, "I am a Hebrew and I worship (fear) the Lord, the God of heaven." His theology was accurate, but his life contradicted his confession. He claimed to fear God while actively running from Him.As Pastor said, "A lot of us can give a church answer, but what really counts is, are we living it?"Knowing the truth without obeying it is still disobedience. James 4:17 makes that clear: "Remember, it is sin to know what you ought to do and then not to do it."The sailors, who had no relationship with the true God, displayed more spiritual sensitivity than Jonah. They prayed. They worked. They rowed with everything they had. They desperately searched for a way to save everyone on board.Meanwhile, the only believer on the ship was asleep.Jonah had become so consumed with his own rebellion that he lost compassion for the people around him. His heart had grown hard. Instead of caring about those whose lives were hanging in the balance, he remained indifferent.An unguarded heart can do that.The book of Jonah becomes a contest between Jonah's stubbornness and God's relentless love. Jonah never gets one step ahead of the Lord. Every attempt to escape God's will is met by God's pursuit, not because He wants to destroy Jonah, but because He is committed to restoring him.Pastor reminded us that while not every hardship is God's discipline, Jonah's storm was. God caused it, sustained it, and orchestrated it with one purpose: to bring Jonah back.God's motivation was never revenge. It was love.Jonah initiated the storm through his disobedience, but God prepared every step of Jonah's path toward repentance.The deception of sin is believing we can continue living in disobedience while keeping our private world together. Eventually, the storm spills over onto everyone around us.When the sailors finally threw Jonah into the sea, the storm stopped immediately. The sea became calm, and those pagan sailors responded by fearing the Lord, offering sacrifices, and making vows to Him.Ironically, the unbelievers responded to God more readily than His own prophet.The message closes with three powerful lessons from Jonah's life.First, God is committed to restoring His children. He doesn't abandon us when we wander. He lovingly pursues us until we return.Second, we must guard our hearts from losing compassion for the people in our boat. The sailors were moving toward God while Jonah was moving away. They desired God's will while Jonah ignored it. We must never become so focused on ourselves that we stop caring about the people God has placed around us.Finally, we must stay alert to the consequences of sin. Our choices matter. Our obedience matters. The people watching our lives matter.As James 4:17 reminds us, "Remember, it is sin to know what you ought to do and then not to do it."May we be people who don't simply know the truth or give the right church answers. May we be people who live what we believe, walk in obedience, and point others toward Christ through both our words and our lives.
With a war he doesn't know how to finish it seems the Trump plan, given the Iran problem will reflect badly for him in the midterms, is to gerrymander the vote by pretending they have an emergency. That was largely the point of Friday's speech, which contained a re-issuing of old material, none of which specifically claimed his famed 2020 election was stolen. A couple of polls out over the weekend have; 1) His approval rating for the war and the economy down, 2) The overall view of personal financial circumstances at multi-year lows. Americans are miserable. Oh, and import prices out over the weekend as well were way higher than expected, which of course means everything gets more expensive for those already miserable and adds to inflation. And that's before the 30-year fixed mortgage is now mid 6%. So once again, multi-year highs and killing any summer house-buying sentiment. Faced with all that, stacking an election would seem the only way to move forward. Whether he can pull it off will be interesting and worrying to watch. You wonder if at some point even the Republicans who have stayed the course with the increasing amounts of madness might see it as a bridge too far. It looks increasingly obvious that America is run by a dictator, if not in reality, certainly in his own mind. His whole second term has been about testing the boundaries of presidential power, mainly thanks to the Supreme Court, in a futile fashion. But the plan appears to be to try ten things and maybe win two. An emergency around voting will be another test of the system. Ironically this should be fertile ground for the Democrats. But they are busy pulling themselves apart as they scrap over progressive madness driven by the Mamdani brigade vs centralism as led by the likes of Gavin Newsom. But one of the aforementioned polls only gave them a four point edge on congressional success. All that madness and corruption in the White House and you still can't muster a runaway lead? How broken does that make the place look? Which would be fine if this was Poland or Turkey. But it's America and America counts, which is why we should all be worried. It can't end well. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
••• Strategies for Overcoming Pride, Ep 438b . ••• Bible Study Verses: Isiah 14:12-15, Proverbs 6.16-19, Ezekiel 28:11-19, Jude 1.6 . ••• Previous Bible Study Verses: Isaiah 14:12-15, Matthew 6:1-2, Proverbs 6:16-19, Colossians 3:23, James 4:6-7 . ••• Next Weeks Bible Study Verses: Philippians 2:5-11. Bonus Verses: 1Pet2:9, Rm13:7, Col3:23, Pr18:12, Pr19:23, Pr15:25, Pr4:23, Jm4:6-7 . ••• “For pride is spiritual cancer: it eats up the very possibility of love, or contentment, or even common sense...the Christians are right: it is pride which has been the chief cause of misery in every nation and every family since the world began” C.S. Lewis, Mere Christianity † ••• “Pride, perceiving humility honorable, often borrows her cloak”, Thomas Fuller, 1608-1661, A brilliant English churchman and historian. He is now remembered for his writings, particularly his "Worthies of England", Published posthumously in 1862. He was a prolific author, and one of the first English writers able to live by his pen . ••• "Jesus is the God whom we can approach without pride and before whom we can humble ourselves without despair" Blaise Pascal, 1623-1662, Among the contemporaries of Descartes none displayed greater natural genius than Pascal, but his mathematical reputation rests more on what he might have done than on what he actually effected, as during a considerable part of his life he deemed it his duty to devote his whole time to religious exercises. At 16, Pascal began designing a calculating machine, which he finally perfected when he was 30-years old, the PASCALINE, a beautiful handcrafted box about 14x5x3 inches. The first accurate mechanical calculator was created. Pascal was dismayed & disgusted by society's reactions to his machine & completely renounced his interest in science & mathematics, devoting the rest of his life to God. He is best known for his collection of spiritual essays, Les Pensees. Ironically, Pascal, a genius by any measure, with one of the finest brains of all time, died of a brain hemorrhage at the age of 39. † ••• “Better it is to be of an humble spirit with the lowly, than to divide the spoil with the proud”, Proverbs 16:19 KJV . ••• What are 7-reasons why God hates pride? ••• Are you going to ask your small group to pray that you will be more intentional about conquering the sin of pride through the power of Holy Spirit? ••• Pastor Otuno expounds on this and much more on the exciting journey of Fresh Encounter Radio Podcast originally aired on WNQM, Nashville Quality Ministries and WWCR World Wide Christian Radio broadcast to all 7-continents on this big beautiful blue marble, earth, floating through space. Please be prayerful before studying The Word of God so that you will receive the most inspiration possible . ••• This Discipleship Teaching Podcast is a listener supported production by all the beloved of God who believe in its mission . ••• Broadcaster's Website - https://www.lifelonganointing.com . ••• Exceeding Thanks to Universe Creator Christ Jesus AND photo by Etty Fidele Photography, Paris France, https://www.fideletty.com/ , https://www.instagram.com/fideletty/, https://www.paypal.com/paypalme/FideleEtty, Art Direction by gil on his mac with free mac layout software . ••• † https://www.goodreads.com/quotes/search?q=pride+c.s.+lewis. http://christian-quotes.ochristian.com/Blaise-Pascal-Quotes/ .••• SHARING LINK: https://open.spotify.com/episode/3owGczZKXX3273pQRamTmY . ••• RESOURCE - Prayer Requests: PRAYER@SWRC.COM . ••• Study Guides at - https://open.spotify.com/show/7naZVpZ02zaiAO04PAaTUq . ••• RESOURCE: FREE Max McLean Chronological Audio Bible! https://tinyurl.com/godspeaks777 . ••• RESOURCE - Amazing Stories: https://www.soundcloud.com/thewaytogod . ••• FERP250711 Episode#437a GOT 250711 Ep437a . ••• Winning The Battle Of The Mind, Part-8a of 9: Strategies for Overcoming Pride . ††† . Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
A number of books draw an intriguing – though puzzling – parallel between two periods on the Jewish calendar: the period of Ben He'mesarim (the Three Weeks from Shiba Asar Be'Tammuz through Tisha B'Ab) and the period of the holidays in the month of Tishri. The month of Tishri begins with Rosh Hashanah, and the holiday season concludes with the celebration of Shemini Aseret on the 22nd of Tishri. (In the Diaspora, we observe Shemini Aseret as a two-day celebration, referring to the second day as Simhat Torah, but fundamentally, this is just one day, on the 22nd of Tishri, and this is how it is celebrated in Israel.) According to a number of Rabbis, these two 22-day periods parallel one another, and are linked to one another. This parallelism leads us to an astonishing conclusion – that the final days of these two periods, Tisha B'Ab and Simhat Torah, are connected. This conclusion is astonishing because, quite simply, it would have been hard to come up with any two days on the Jewish calendar that are more different from one another. In fact, these days are polar opposites – and not only because one day is spent fasting, sitting on the floor and mourning, while the other is spent dancing, singing and feasting. Simhat Torah marks the day when the first Bet Ha'mikdash was inaugurated. King Shlomo conducted a two-week celebration in honor of the Temple's inauguration, which culminated on the 22nd day of Tishri. And, for this reason, the Zohar teaches that Shlomo is considered the "Ushpizin" for Shemini Aseret, which is, in a sense, the eighth day of Sukkot. It thus emerges that the day when the Bet Ha'mikdash's inauguration was completed is, remarkably, linked to Tisha B'Ab, the day when the Bet Ha'mikdash was destroyed. If Shemini Aseret is associated with Shlomo Ha'melech, then Tisha B'Ab is associated with Yirmiyahu – the prophet who warned of the destruction of the Bet Ha'mikdash. Shlomo Ha'melech enjoyed a life of wealth, prestige, peace, comfort and serenity, and he composed Shir Ha'shirim – a joyful, heartwarming book about the intense love between Hashem and the Jewish People. Yirmiyahu suffered misery throughout his life, being constantly taunted and at one point even imprisoned, and then personally witnessed the destruction of Jerusalem and was driven into exile. The book he wrote – Echa, which we read while sitting on the floor on Tisha B'Ab – laments the rupture of the bond between G-d and His people, and the unspeakable calamities that befell our nation at the time of Jerusalem's destruction – the polar opposite of Shir Ha'shirim. Interestingly enough, the Arizal – based on a number of earlier sources – teaches that King Shlomo's soul returned in Yirmiyahu, further underscoring the connection between Simhat Torah – the day associated with King Shlomo – and Tisha B'Ab – the day associated with Yirmiyahu. These two figures shared the same soul, and thus the days that embody their lives' respective missions are closely linked. These two days are linked because Simhat Torah is the day when we celebrate the precious gift of the Torah – and it is through Torah that we become worthy of redemption. The Or Ha'haim (Rav Haim Ben-Attar, 1696-1743) writes that Mashiah does not wish to redeem a nation of ignoramuses. It is only when we recommit ourselves to Torah learning and put in the time and effort to learn that we earn our long-awaited final redemption. Tisha B'Ab is associated with Simhat Torah because it is through the joy of Torah learning, embodied by the festive celebration of Simhat Torah, that we end the exile which we mourn on Tisha B'Ab. In our community – and in many others, as well – we are witnessing a truly extraordinary phenomenon, one which clearly shows that we are well on our way to making the transition from Tisha B'Ab to Simhat Torah, from mourning the destruction of the Bet Ha'mikdash to celebrating the restoration of the Bet Ha'mikdash. My father recalled to me how in his time, people spent Tisha B'Ab afternoon at the beach. Now, as everyone knows, Tisha B'Ab is likely the greatest day of Torah learning in the entire year. Synagogues are packed with men and women of all ages hearing Torah classes for many hours throughout the day, and some even the entire day. Ironically, in our time, Tisha B'Ab has turned into a "Simhat Torah." Of course, it is still a day of mourning and grieving. But nevertheless, we cannot overlook the drastic change that has occurred, with the entire community – and many other communities – joining together for hours upon hours to learn Torah on this day. This phenomenon is representative of the broader transition that has been taking place in recent years. People are devoted to Torah learning like never before. With all the unique spiritual challenges of our generation which I and many other Rabbis speak about regularly, the amount of Torah being learned on a daily basis in our time is breathtaking. This is a clear sign that we are, gradually, transitioning from Tisha B'Ab to Simhat Torah, from a state of Hurban (destruction) to a state of redemption. May Hashem help us continue this transition, to continue devoting ourselves to Torah learning and inspiring others to do the same, so we may be worthy of Mashiah's arrival and the rebuilding of the Bet Ha'mikdash, when we will experience an everlasting Simhat Torah, amen.
Tuesday July 14, 2026VII Week after PentecostToday's episode reminds us that God graciously confronts our blind spots, reveals the purpose of His law, and calls us to respond with genuine obedience.In Numbers 22:21–38, Balaam sets out on his journey, but the angel of the Lord stands in his path. Ironically, Balaam—the prophet—cannot see what his donkey clearly sees. After God opens the donkey's mouth and then Balaam's eyes, he realizes that he has been resisting God's direction. The passage reminds us that spiritual blindness often begins with a divided heart, but God, in His mercy, confronts us to redirect us toward His will.In Romans 7:1–12, Paul explains the relationship between believers and the Law. Through our union with Christ, we have died to the Law's condemnation and now belong to Him. The Law itself is holy and good, but it exposes the reality of sin rather than providing the power to overcome it. Only through Christ can we experience true freedom and newness of life.Finally, in Matthew 21:23–32, Jesus Christ confronts the religious leaders who questioned His authority. He responds with the parable of the two sons, teaching that true obedience is measured not by what we say, but by what we do. Those who repent and obey God's will—even after initial resistance—are commended above those whose words are never matched by faithful action.Together, these passages remind us that God lovingly exposes our blind spots, His Word reveals our need for grace, and authentic faith is demonstrated through humble repentance and obedient living.
Deconstructing the Myths of Darwin and Bird Evolution Guest: Stephen Moss Book Title: Ten Birds That Changed the World Moss clarifies the common misconception that Charles Darwin immediately recognized the significance of the Galapagos finches. In reality, Darwin initially failed to label his specimens by island and relied on ornithologist John Gould to identify them as related species. Ironically, Darwin used pigeons, not finches, as his primary example of evolution in On the Origin of Species. The segment also explores punctuated equilibrium, a theory by Eldredge and Gould suggesting that evolution occurs in rapid bursts rather than slow, gradual changes. This is evidenced by the work of Peter and Rosemary Grant, who observed finches adapting their beaks in just a few years due to drought. Mossfurther discusses the Australian magpie, explaining it is not actually a member of the crow family but an example of convergent evolution. These birds demonstrate high intelligence, capable of remembering individual humans and defending their nests with strategic aggression. (3)1859 WILD TURKEY
Headline: Mosquito Empires and the Ecology of the Slave Trade Guest: Professor Peter Frankopan Book Title:The Earth Transformed: An Untold History Frankopan discusses the "mosquito empires" of the 17th and 18th centuries, where malaria and yellow fever dictated colonial limits. West Africa became known as the "white man's grave" due to high European mortality rates. Ironically, the transatlantic slave trade was partially driven by the genetic resistance to malaria found in some West African populations, making them "desirable" to colonizers for labor in malarial zones like North Carolina. The prosperity of Great Britain was built upon this exploitative African trade, alongside the extraction of silver, sugar, and tobacco from the Americas. Frankopan notes that new crops like potatoes and cassava also allowed for higher calorie provision, further fueling these labor forces. Furthermore, he touches upon the "Great Divergence," noting that Britain's eventual global dominance required the creation of resilient institutions and a powerful navy. Interestingly, the decline of indigenous populations in the Americas led to a period of significant reforestation and atmospheric change in the 1600s. (5)LITTLE JOE RIVER, IDAHO
It's Monday, July 13th, A.D. 2026. This is The Worldview in 5 Minutes heard on 140 radio stations and at www.TheWorldview.com. I'm Adam McManus. (Adam@TheWorldview.com) By Adam McManus Texas police officers vs. Christian preachers at “pride” event Today, our persecution of Christians story comes surprisingly from Texas. On June 27th, Rich Penkoski and like-minded believers spoke the truth and preached the Gospel of Jesus Christ with a bullhorn at the Trinity Homosexual Pride Fest in Fort Worth, Texas. Not surprisingly, homosexual activists and nearby business owners complained to police about both his message and the amplification. When police responded, the officers threatened to arrest and cite the preachers, telling them that phrases like “homosexuality is a sin” were offensive. Listen to a portion of one video posted by preacher Penkoski of his interaction with a female officer. POLICE OFFICER: “If someone is offended by your talking, then we have a problem.” PREACHER: “That's a constitutional violation of our rights. If you shut us down for talking or speech …” (crosstalk) POLICE OFFICER: “No. If they are offended by speech, …” PREACHER: “I don't care if they're offended.” POLICE OFFICER: “Okay, then I'll write you a ticket, and we'll go from there.” PREACHER: “Wait, you're going to ticket us for offensive speech?” POLICE OFFICER: “Yes, absolutely.” PREACHER: “Are you serious? You're going to cite us for offensive speech.” POLICE OFFICER: “It's called disorderly conduct.” Plus, according to another video, a male police officer also said if the preacher used biologically accurate pronouns for someone pretending to be the opposite gender that also could be considered an offense. The preacher was warned that continued use of the bullhorn would violate the city's noise ordinance before ultimately receiving a disorderly conduct citation after continuing to use the device. Subsequently, the Fort Worth Police Department acknowledged that an officer made "certain statements that were not accurate," reports Fox News. In last Thursday post on X, Penkoski wrote, "Police officers have been violating preachers' 1st amendment rights for years. This isn't new, we just got it on video, and they can't walk it back or deny it.” He added, “As a street preacher, it is not my job to coddle anyone or go soft on sin. People are dying and going to hell every day and we have to warn them. … Christians need to wake up. We have got to stop sitting in the safety and comfort of our church pews and start taking the Gospel back to the streets. If we refuse to exercise our constitutional rights, we are going to lose them." In Matthew 5:13, Jesus said, “You are the salt of the Earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled underfoot.” Homosexual couple sues surrogate who refused to abort baby with cleft lip A homosexual male couple in Canada has sued a surrogate mother who believes she is being punished because she refused a request to abort the baby after doctors detected a cleft lip and a possible heart defect, reports The Christian Post. They used a donor egg and sperm from each of the intended fathers. In a suit filed in Ontario Superior Court in May, the homosexuals allege the surrogate mother failed to keep them informed about the baby's health, caused them emotional distress, and violated their confidentiality, reports The National Post. The lawsuit came two years after the perverted couple asked her to abort the baby at 22 weeks — a request she refused. Specialists at Mount Sinai Hospital in Toronto later determined that the baby was otherwise healthy, except for the cosmetically fixable cleft lip. The couple accepted this assessment, agreed to continue the pregnancy, and took the baby boy home after birth. The surrogate unsuccessfully sought repayment of about $10,000 in out-of-pocket costs. Ironically, the couple filed a lawsuit for $600,000 in damages against the single mother for her failure to abort their now living son. More than 50 countries prohibit both commercial and altruistic surrogacy. And here in the United States, surrogacy laws vary by state. New video: Senator Mitch McConnell loaded into ambulance New video posted on July 10th shows Republican Senator Mitch McConnell of Kentucky being loaded into an ambulance after suffering an apparent cardiac arrest at his Capitol Hill home last month, reports the New York Post. McConnell has been absent from the Senate for nearly a month as he continues to recover in the hospital. The 84-year-old lawmaker is not seeking re-election this November and will retire when his term ends in January. California puts abortion pill reversal on trial Heartbeat International, a pro-life group, is on trial in a California court for daring to inform women that the effects of the Abortion Kill Pill can sometimes be reversed, reports The Washington Stand. Their attorney, Danielle White, said, “Women deserve to know all of their options. They don't lose that right after beginning a chemical abortion.” In 2023, Democratic California Attorney General Rob Bonta sued Heartbeat and a pro-life pregnancy center for “advertising Abortion Pill Reversal as safe and effective.” Factually speaking, the abortion pill reversal protocol simply requires the use of the natural hormone progesterone which is both safe and helps save 65% of the babies. Bonta asked the court to impose a penalty of more than $20 million against Heartbeat and $600,000 against the pregnancy center. That would amount to a financial death sentence for the pro-life non-profits. The case went to a bench trial on June 24, 2026, and the trial may continue for another three weeks. Thomas More Society's Paul Jonna said, “A ruling in California's favor would hand attorneys general across the country a roadmap to penalize any non-profit organization that provides women with information the state disagrees with. If the [California] Attorney General prevails and our clients cannot deliver free, truthful, and lifesaving information to women who request it, then countless babies that could survive may not — and countless women may never meet the children that they wanted to carry to term.” Marriage advocate Mike McManus entered Heaven On a personal note, my father, Mike McManus, entered the gates of Heaven on July 5th at the age of 85 in Nashville, Tennessee. Standing at 6'8” tall, he might have had to duck to walk through. To be sure, Dad had a God-sized vision to make a difference. After graduating from Duke University, he was employed at Time Magazine where he was stationed in Bueno Aires, Argentina and later covered President Lyndon Johnson at the White House, writing two cover stories. In 1973, my Dad organized a public participation campaign, “Choices for ‘76” to engage 10 percent of the 20 million people of the New York Metropolitan region in policy issues as the U.S. approached its Bicentennial. The project aimed to spark public debate through a series of television town meetings on issues like housing, transportation, the environment, poverty and urban growth. After becoming informed, citizens were invited to express their opinion on possible public policy tradeoffs, using ballots available in newspapers, banks and libraries. Then, he wrote two self-syndicated weekly newspaper columns which appeared in 100 newspapers. The first, called “Solutions,” was politically focused and offered practical public policy suggestions. The second, “Ethics & Religion,” was inspired by the preaching of Pastor Terry Fullam of St. Paul's Episcopal Church in Darien, Connecticut. It grappled with church news and moral issues like abortion, pornography, and the homosexual agenda. I remember helping him copy, collate, stuff, stamp, address, and seal the envelopes to send out his weekly columns to newspaper editors across the country before the advent of the internet and email. We were always racing to the post office to get there before the deadline at 11pm at night. In 1993, he published his first book Marriage Savers: Helping Your Friends and Family Stay Married. Other books included 50 Practical Ways to Take Our Kids Back from the World and Living Together: Myths, Risks and Answers. In a 2013 phone interview on American Family Radio, Dad talked about the major myth that women believe about living together. MIKE McMANUS: “One of the myths, believed widely by women, is that ‘'If I live with him, he's going to see how wonderful I am, and he'll ask me to marry him.' But he knows that this woman would marry him if he asked her. He's living together with her because he doesn't want to get married. He wants the sex, he wants the companionship, and the shared rent. But he doesn't want to get married. “She believes this myth until about a year and a half, two years into the relationship, when she realizes he's not going to ask her to marry him, and she sadly walks away. Unfortunately, by that time they may have already had a child. The unwed birth rate has risen right along with cohabitation. “This is an unbiblical position, of course. I mean, the church has been silent on the problem, and it's part of the problem.” Cognizant of the clarity of Malachi 2:16 in which God says He “hates divorce,” my father's passion on the issue led to his founding of the non-profit Marriage Savers with my mother, Harriet, to whom he was married for 61 years and whom he simply adored. He said, “Most divorces are filed by one person who alleges incompatibility, while the other spouse wants to save the marriage. Sadly, divorce is always granted. When adultery or abuse is not alleged, divorce should only be granted if there is 'mutual consent' by husband and wife. What was entered into by two people, should not be ended, unless both people agree." They organized 10,000 pastors in 229 cities in 43 states to sign a Community Marriage Policy agreement that established rigorous premarital preparation for engaged couples and trained volunteer mentor couples to help people in troubled marriages. The Baptist Press reported that the divorce rate in those cities dropped by 17.5%. Think about the heartache that saved untold families and children! Their work led to appearances on ABC World News Tonight, CBS Evening News, NBC Nightly News, CBN News, The O'Reilly Factor, The Ricki Lake Show, Breakpoint with Chuck Colson, Focus on the Family with Dr. James Dobson, Truths that Transform with D. James Kennedy, and Moody Radio's Janet Parshall. I treasure the books that Dr. Dobson personally inscribed to my father as a fellow warrior for the family that are now in my library. And Chuck Colson, President Richard Nixon's former hatchet man who was gloriously saved on his way to prison over Watergate and founded Prison Fellowship, wrote the forward to one of Dad's books after their friendship blossomed. Having always aspired to live on the water, he eventually moved into his dream home with his bride in Kilmarnock, Virginia, just 50 feet from Indian Creek that fed into the Chesapeake Bay. A great day for him was enjoying the view from his leather chair, reading the paper, listening to classical music, and talking with my mother, who was his great joy. My father taught me how to write clearly and think Biblically. I remember him quizzing us three boys at the dining room table about current events. And he was a faithful husband who pointed the family to faith in Jesus Christ, His legacy lives on in my two younger brothers, John and Tim, and in me, as I strive, with my bride Amy, to disciple Honor, Mercy, and Valor in the ways of the Lord, urging them not to be conformed to this world, but to be transformed by the renewing of their minds in the Word of God, as Romans 12:2 articulates. 9 Worldview listeners gave $2,055 And finally, toward our $30,875 goal during the first full week of our month-long fundraiser, 9 listeners stepped up to the plate by 10:30pm Central on Saturday and invested their treasure to fund the six-member team behind The Worldview for another 365 days. Our thanks to 12-year-old Halen in Blum, Texas who gave $5 as well as Mark in Newark, Ohio and Brigitte in Brookings, South Dakota – both of whom gave $25. We're grateful to God for Julie in Victoria, Texas who gave $50, Dirk in Englewood, Colorado who gave $100, and Twyla in Ellensburg, Washington who gave $150. And we were touched by the generosity of Jason in Calhoun, Georgia who gave $200, Elaine here in San Antonio, Texas who gave $500, and Stephen in California, Maryland who gave $1,000. Those 9 gifts add up to $2,055. Ready for our new grand total? Drum roll please. (drum roll sound effect) $23,098 (sound effect of people cheering) That means, in all candor, we missed last Friday's goal by $7,777. Please, do not wait until the last minute. Every gift gets us closer to our $123,500 goal by July 31st. So far, out of our tens of thousands of listeners, the most people who have donated in a single day is 15 people. Help us double that. Will you be one of 30 to step up? Make a donation today to help us hit our $56,565 goal by this Friday, July 17th. We need to find 7 Worldview listeners who will pledge $100/month for 12 months or give a one-time gift of $1,200, 20 folks who will pledge $50/month or give a one-time gift of $600 and 40 listeners who will pledge $25/month or give a one-time gift of $300. Go to TheWorldview.com, click on Give, select the dollar amount, and make sure to click on the “recurring” button if that's your wish. What has the Lord placed on your heart to give? Close And that's The Worldview on this Monday, July 13th, in the year of our Lord 2026. Subscribe for free by Spotify, Amazon Music, or by iTunes or email to our unique Christian newscast at www.TheWorldview.com. Plus, you can get the Generations app through Google Play or The App Store. I'm Adam McManus (Adam@TheWorldview.com). Seize the day for Jesus Christ.
Read OnlineThe Sword of Truth and PeaceJesus said to his Apostles: “Do not think that I have come to bring peace upon the earth. I have come to bring not peace but the sword. For I have come to set a man against his father, a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law; and one's enemies will be those of his household.” Matthew 10:34–36At first glance, this Gospel sounds like a mistake. Did Jesus really say this? He certainly did. Understanding this passage requires a deep and clear awareness of Christ's mission. He came to bring the true and lasting peace that comes only through adherence to the fullness of truth and cooperation with the fullness of grace.Note that this teaching was not delivered to the crowds but to the Twelve. Jesus often spoke to the crowds in parables, gently nourishing them with truths they could gradually grasp. But to the Twelve, He spoke with increasing clarity and depth. Today's Gospel is one such instance.This passage comes from what is sometimes referred to as the Missionary Discourse, in which Jesus prepares His Apostles for the upheaval their mission will bring—first as they go out two by two to the towns of Israel, and later, after the Ascension, when they are sent to the ends of the earth. At first, Jesus' words seem jarring, even paradoxical, coming from Him who is the Prince of Peace. But when we grasp their meaning, we discover the “tough love” this Gospel both encourages and demands.We all desire peace, especially within our families and communities, but peace is multifaceted and can have different meanings. On a superficial level, peace simply means the absence of conflict. While such tranquility has its place, Jesus came to offer a far greater and more enduring peace: the peace of shalom.Shalom, the Hebrew word for “peace,” signifies far more than the absence of strife. It encompasses the fullness of harmony, justice, and blessing that flow from a right relationship with God. It is a peace rooted in truth and communion with Him. Ironically, true peace can provoke division, especially when the Gospel confronts the sins and falsehoods people are unwilling to abandon.The “sword” our Lord brings is not for destruction, but for purification. It cuts away what is false so that the peace of shalom may take root. The sword Christ promises is the Truth: the living and active Word of God, “sharper than any two-edged sword” (Hebrews 4:12). It cuts through deception, pierces the heart, and forces a choice—a decisive turning toward or away from Him. God directs that sword at each of us, and through us, toward others. Even familial bonds will be tested and purified by the Gospel. Sometimes that purification results in visible division. But often, such division is necessary to bring about a deeper and more lasting unity in God's truth.Which do you prefer? The mere absence of conflict at any cost—or a peace so deeply rooted in divine truth that it heals, unites, and strengthens bonds of love after purifying them? Certainly, the former is easier. Avoiding conflict is good when it means refraining from sinning against another—whether through anger, harsh judgment, or rudeness. But when conflict arises from purifying love, conveyed through the power of God's saving Word, then such conflict becomes an act of charity. It does not seek division for its own sake, but aims at the heart—at conversion and truth—rather than at preserving what is fleeting and passing.Reflect today on the kind of peace you seek in your own life. Are there areas in which you've settled for comfort rather than truth? Have you avoided necessary spiritual conflict for fear of tension, even when it might have led to growth or reconciliation? Pray for the courage to welcome the “sword” of God's Word—not to cause division, but to purify—so that the peace of shalom may take root more deeply in your heart, your relationships, and your mission. Prince of True Peace, You did not come to bring superficial peace to the world, but to bring the Sword of Truth—Your Word—that purifies and heals, so that true unity may be found. Pierce my heart with Your Word, O Lord. Cleanse me of all that separates me from You, and make me an instrument of Your purifying truth for those to whom I am sent. Jesus, I trust in You. Image: The Exhortation to the Apostles, by James TissotSource: Free RSS feed from catholic-daily-reflections.com — Copyright © 2026 My Catholic Life! Inc. All rights reserved. This content is provided solely for personal, non-commercial use. Redistribution, republication, or commercial use — including use within apps with advertising — is strictly prohibited without written permission.
You can listen wherever you get your podcasts or check out the fully edited transcript of our interview at the bottom of this post.In this episode of The Peaceful Parenting Podcast, Michaeleen Doucleff and I talk about her new book Dopamine Kids: A Science-Based Plan to Rewire Your Child's Brain and Take You're your Family in the Age of Screens and Ultraprocessed Foods. Michaeleen's position is not that screens and ultra-processed food are “bad.” Rather, Michaeleen explains how they can take the place of things that truly bring us joy and pleasure, leaving us with an empty feeling of "what's next?" and an endless cycle of wanting. We focus on how dopamine has been misunderstood and how it actually works, how magnets like screens and ultraprocessed foods keep us stuck, and small changes you can make to start shifting things in your home.Know someone who might appreciate this episode? 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THANK YOU!We talk about:* 00:00 Introduction to Dopamine Kids and why our understanding of dopamine is outdated* 02:15 Michaeleen's journey from NPR science journalist to parenting author* 05:00 Dopamine isn't pleasure—it's wanting: the neuroscience that changes everything* 07:20 Why kids say they'd rather play with friends than be on screens* 08:00 The difference between dopamine, serotonin, and real satisfaction* 13:30 How apps and ultra-processed foods hijack the brain's reward system* 16:45 Why endless scrolling never feels satisfying* 18:30 “Bottomlessness”—one of the biggest design tricks keeping us hooked* 20:30 Why we want activities for our kids with a clear purpose and a clear endpoint* 22:00 The veggie straw experiment that changed Michaeleen's thinking about food* 26:50 Magnets and cues: how screens become automatic habits* 32:00 Why removing screens isn't enough—you have to replace them* 33:30 Helping kids meet their real need for adventure and autonomy* 36:00 Small, permanent changes vs. temporary screen detoxes* 37:30 Why the car is a great place to start reducing screens* 38:00 Is reducing screens really more work?* 40:15 Why laws and regulations haven't caught up with technology* 43:00 Why this isn't a willpower problem* 46:30 Can kids ever use screens in moderation?* 49:00 Paid video games vs. free games* 51:30 This isn't about screens being “bad”* 53:00 Helping kids gradually learn to use technology well* 54:00 School Chromebooks and why parents have more influence than they realize* 58:00 Advice Michaeleen would give her younger parenting self* 1:00:00 Why kids have to experience offline joy before they'll want it* 1:01:00 Sarah's client who removed the TV—and what happened next* 1:02:30 Final thoughts and where to find MichaeleenResources mentioned in this episode:* Michaeleen's website* Dopamine Kids: A Science-Based Plan to Rewire Your Child's Brain and Take You're your Family in the Age of Screens and Ultraprocessed Foods* How to Stop Fighting About Video Games with Scott Novis * The Peaceful Parenting MembershipConnect with Sarah Rosensweet:* Instagram* Facebook Group* YouTube* Website* Join us on Substack* Newsletter* Book a short consult or coaching session callxx Sarah and CoreyYour peaceful parenting team- click here for a free short consult or a coaching sessionVisit our website for free resources, podcast, coaching, membership and more!>> Please support us!!! Please consider becoming a supporter to help support our free content, including The Peaceful Parenting Podcast, our free parenting support Facebook group, and our weekly parenting emails, “Weekend Reflections” and “Weekend Support” - plus our Flourish With Your Complex Child Summit (coming back in the fall for the 3rd year!) All of this free support for you takes a lot of time and energy from me and my team. If it has been helpful or meaningful for you, your support would help us to continue to provide support for free, for you and for others.In addition to knowing you are supporting our mission to support parents and children, you get the podcast ad free and access to a monthly ‘ask me anything' session.Sarah: Hey everyone. Welcome back to another episode of the Peaceful Parenting Podcast.Today's guest is journalist Michaeleen Doucleff. She is the author of the book Hunt, Gather, Parent and now has a new book out called Dopamine Kids: A Science-Based Plan to Rewire Your Child's Brain and Take Back Your Family in the Age of Screens and Ultra-Processed Food.Michaeleen's first book is one of our favorite parenting books, and now we can add this one to the list. She walks us through how screens and ultra-processed food hook us and keep our brains stuck in a hijacked wanting cycle without giving us actual rewards and pleasure.We eventually get around to discussing this, but I want to stress right here at the beginning that Michaeleen isn't saying that screens and ultra-processed food are evil or that they have no place in our lives. Rather, they can take the place of things that truly bring us joy and pleasure, leaving us with an empty feeling of “what's next?” and an endless cycle of wanting.I learned so much from this book. I'd been wanting to make some changes in my own life with my relationship with my phone, and this book helped me understand why it was so hard and what I could do. A hint: as it turns out, we don't understand dopamine correctly at all. Our cultural shorthand about what dopamine is and what role it plays in the motivation and pleasure cycle is totally outdated.If you're interested in making some positive shifts in your child's life, in your family, and in your own life, you're going to love this interview and Michaeleen's book.If you like this episode, please share it with a friend so more parents can learn about peaceful parenting. If you're a fan of the podcast, you can help us out not only by sharing it, but by leaving a review and a five-star rating in your podcast player app. While you're there, don't forget to follow the show so you don't miss an episode.If you'd like to support us even more, you can become a supporter on Substack to help us offset the cost of making the show. We'll put a link in the show notes.Let's meet Michaeleen. I hope you enjoy this conversation and get as much out of her insights as I did.Sarah: Hi, Michaeleen. Welcome back to the podcast.Michaeleen: Thank you so much for having me.Sarah: When we had you on a few years ago to talk about your first parenting book, Hunt, Gather, Parent—we'll link to it in the show notes—it ended up being one of our favorite podcasts out of the 200-some episodes we've done. I'm so excited to have you back to talk about your new book.Michaeleen: Thank you so much. That's so nice. It's an honor to come back.Sarah: I'm so happy to have you. Tell us a little bit about who you are and what you do.Michaeleen: I was—or I still am—a science journalist. I've been one now for about 16 years, and I spent 13 or 14 years as a radio correspondent at NPR. I'm still there covering children's health, global health, neuroscience, and psychology.Before that, I was trained as a chemist. I have a PhD in chemistry.Five years ago, I wrote the parenting book Hunt, Gather, Parent, and I had no idea I'd ever become a parenting expert. That definitely wasn't on my life bingo card.When I had my daughter Rosie almost 11 years ago, I had no clue what I was doing. It just seemed like an impossible task. Then I started studying parenting around the world, and I realized there was an easier way to do things. That's what Hunt, Gather, Parent is about.More recently, about six years ago, I was really trying to fix my own screen problem—my own addiction to my phone. I was so obsessed with it. As I investigated neuroscience, psychology, and behavioral psychology, I started to realize, “Oh gosh, we're really getting a lot of things wrong when it comes to screens and our kids.”That led me to write this next book, Dopamine Kids, to clarify a bunch of myths but also update the advice because it's really old. A lot of the advice out there is based on psychology from 20, 30, even 40 years ago.Sarah: Or even more.Michaeleen: Exactly.Sarah: Exactly. And I'm going to ask you about that. So tell us, what's the central idea behind your new book, Dopamine Kids?Michaeleen: One of the biggest ideas is that we're thinking about screens wrong. We think they're these endless sources of pleasure. We think dopamine is this molecule that brings us pleasure and that the more we have, the happier we are.But that's really old neuroscience.What dopamine actually gives us is the feeling of desire, wanting, and craving. It makes us obsessed.So what screens are doing is cranking that system up. They're increasing motivation, craving, and wanting. But if you look at what happens over time, they actually rob us of pleasure and reduce the amount of pleasure we experience in our lives.So this idea that screens—video games and social media—are treats and rewards for kids is wrong. It's all wrong.What is actually most rewarding and pleasurable for kids are things in the real world because real-world experiences don't just give us desire and wanting. They also give us satisfaction, joy, and long-lasting pleasure.So Dopamine Kids is really a reset of what actually brings our kids pleasure in life. It also provides a toolset to retrain your kids' brains so they naturally want and reach for offline activities and foods that make them feel good—foods that really nourish them and bring satisfaction.It's about rethinking our idea of pleasure. What does pleasure actually look like?I think the media, marketing, and corporations have taught us that pleasure and wanting are basically the same thing—that we want things because they bring us pleasure.But if you actually look at the science and the data, there are so many things out there that drive our wanting while robbing us of pleasure.Social media is a really good example. Kids use it because they want a sense of belonging. They want to feel connected. But over the long run, social media does the opposite. It makes them feel lonelier, and yet they still want it.I see this book as an operating manual for shaping and changing your kids' habits into the ones you want for them as a parent, but also habits that nourish kids and bring joy, happiness, and pleasure to the whole family.We often think limiting screens is about depriving kids of pleasure.It's actually the opposite.It's about reclaiming pleasure.Sarah: I had Lenore Skenazy on the podcast. Do you know her work?Michaeleen: Yeah, we're friends.Sarah: She was on the podcast a few months ago, and she was talking about how, if you ask kids what they want—would they rather be on screens or play with their friends?—by far the number one answer is playing with their friends, not being on screens.Michaeleen: Yeah. I think it's almost double.Sarah: Exactly. And yet I don't think most parents realize that.Michaeleen: Right. I didn't realize that either. I think it's because we confuse begging, screaming, and tantruming for the screen with joy and pleasure.Sarah: Okay, so tell us about that, because what I learned from your book is that everyone thinks dopamine is, “Ah, I just got a hit of dopamine and I feel so good.”Michaeleen: Yeah.Sarah: But it's not dopamine that makes you feel good. It's serotonin and, I think, endorphins that make you feel good.You go into this in much more detail in the book, and I highly recommend it. It was excellent. I have to tell you, I was on an office hours call with my membership before I even knew you had written a new book, and one of my members said, “I'm reading this parenting book called Dopamine Kids, and it's a page-turner.”She said, “I've never had a parenting book that's a page-turner, but you've got to get your hands on this.”Then I looked it up and realized it was your book, and I was so excited to get it and read it.Can you explain the basic idea? I know it's too much detail to go into fully, but what's the difference? What does dopamine actually do, and why isn't it what we think it is?Michaeleen: For a long time—really since the 1950s—neuroscientists thought we do things over and over again because they're pleasurable.Neuroscientists have been obsessed with getting people and animals to press buttons for over a hundred years. Rats, mice, apes, pigeons—they've all been part of these experiments. It's almost like an iPad. Press, press, press, tap.For a long time, researchers could stimulate one region of the brain—the dopamine center—and the animals would go crazy pressing the button all day long. They wouldn't even stop to go to the bathroom. It makes you think of someone playing video games for hours. They're just obsessed with pressing the button.Researchers believed that because this was the dopamine center of the brain, dopamine made you press the button because it felt good and brought you pleasure. They even conducted similar experiments with people, and that very simple explanation stood for a long time.Then, about 30 years ago, a couple of scientists came along and asked, “Wait a second. Is this really true? Do we always act because something is pleasurable?”They designed better experiments, and what they found was astonishing. Dopamine doesn't do that at all.Dopamine makes us want.It makes you want something, and it makes you want to do something over and over again. It's like a “do it again” button in the brain.Do it again.Do it again.Whenever you can, do it again.The way the system is supposed to work is that first you want something, and dopamine motivates you to work for it. Then, when you get what you wanted, the pleasure center starts to light up.Those are different neurotransmitters. That's where endorphins—the body's natural opioids—and serotonin come in.Serotonin allows you to appreciate what you have. It's what lets you say, “Oh, I got what I wanted. I feel really good. Ah... I can stop now. I can take a break.”In many ways, pleasure is the opposite of dopamine because it gives you satisfaction, and satisfaction stops wanting.There are a couple of classic examples. One is sex, which is probably the R-rated version. But another is thirst.Imagine you're running on a hot day. You've run out of water, and after half an hour or an hour, you really want something to drink.That's dopamine. That's your dopamine hit—that strong feeling of desire.Wanting can actually feel good. If I fall in love and I want to be with my partner, the wanting feels good.But wanting can also become frustrating. If you want something for too long and don't get it, that feeling turns into frustration.So you're out running on this hot day thinking, “Oh my gosh, I want water so badly.”That's dopamine.That's not pleasure yet.Then you see a glass of water, or you get one and take a drink, and you think, “Ah, that feels so good.”That's the pleasure system.Sarah: That's where you get the serotonin and the endorphins.Michaeleen: Exactly. And the endocannabinoids too—the body's natural cannabinoids. A whole bunch of things kick in.The wonderful thing about this pleasure response is that it can last a long time. It lingers. It makes you feel optimistic and gives your life a kind of glow because you've gotten what you need to survive.I remember being really upset as a kid, and my mom would come over and hug me. I'd bury my face into her, and it felt so good. It was just this feeling that everything was okay again.That's what these pleasure molecules do.Dopamine is saying, “Everything is not okay. I need this before things can be okay.”They're very different.Sarah: Okay. This is the part I still feel like I'm only beginning to understand.How do the makers of apps and video games—and we've mostly been talking about screens, but you also write a lot about ultra-processed foods—how do they get us stuck in the dopamine cycle?What I took away from your book is that these things are so powerful because they keep us trapped in that cycle of wanting...Sarah: What I understood from your book is that these things are so powerful because they keep us stuck in the dopamine cycle. It's just wanting, wanting, wanting.You said something in the book about how they've figured out a way to hack a weakness in our brain circuitry. Forgive me if that's not the exact wording, but they've essentially hacked a weakness in the brain to keep us stuck in dopamine without ever giving us a real reward.How does that work?Michaeleen: First of all, both the tech industry and the food industry have admitted this for a long time. This isn't something I've come up with. They've openly admitted it. Even the food industry says, “We want to make something you can't stop eating.”Sarah: Right. You read all these interviews with industry insiders, and they're very open about it. Everybody knows they've admitted it. But how does it actually work?Michaeleen: There are a lot of tricks.Let's start with screens because a lot of these techniques actually came from the gambling industry. In the ‘80s and ‘90s, casinos started replacing mechanical slot machines and poker machines with video versions—basically gambling apps on giant touchscreens.They explicitly asked, “What can we do to this game to keep people playing for as long as possible?” Some people would play for 24 or even 48 hours straight. They ran massive A/B tests to figure out exactly how they could tweak the games to send people into this dopamine loop—this wanting loop—where people actually stopped wanting to win because winning took them out of the loop.So it's very empirical. They've simply tested what keeps people there.In the book, I describe it as a kind of recipe parents can use to recognize whether an app is doing this to their child. Psychologists even have a name for this state. It's called dark flow, where you lose track of time and where you are. We've all experienced it while scrolling social media. Twenty or thirty minutes go by and you think, “What just happened?” You're in this loop of wanting because, if you actually experienced pleasure and satisfaction, you would stop. You'd stop wanting.One of the biggest tricks is speed. The faster the cycle runs, the more it traps you. If you think about videos and video games, they've become faster and faster. Even children's iPad games are just question, answer, question, answer, question, answer over and over again. That's driving up dopamine.But where's the satisfaction? What's the reward? Basically, it's just a light on the screen.Another trick is promising something fundamental. The dopamine system evolved to help us fulfill our basic human needs—water, food, social support, adventure, creation. These are things we needed to survive, so kids are naturally highly motivated to pursue them.These apps promise they'll meet those needs. Social media, for example, promises belonging. It says, “Get on here and you'll finally feel connected. You'll finally feel like you belong.” The problem is that it never actually fulfills that promise.If you look at some of the leaked internal documents, you can see the algorithms intentionally withhold what people actually want. One neuroscientist explained it this way: they figure out what you're looking for and why you're on social media, then they give you something that's close to what you want. Maybe on the next click they give you something a little closer. Then a little closer.This does several things. First, you never actually receive the reward because you never get what you really need. Second, you develop this feeling of making progress—as though you're getting closer and closer. “Maybe one more comment. Maybe five more likes. Then I'll finally get it.”What most people don't realize is that we produce the most dopamine not when we get what we want, or even when we think we're about to get it, but when we feel like we're making progress.That's one of the biggest tricks.Video games are a perfect example. Kids always feel like they're making a little more progress. A little more. A little more. By the time they reach the next level, they're already making progress toward another one.There are all these different tricks designed to crank up wanting while dialing down satisfaction and pleasure because satisfaction is what gets you off the game. You think, “Okay, I'm done.”The same thing applies to social media. If social media actually gave me what I was looking for, I'd be finished. I'd think, “I got what I needed. I'm done.”But it never gives it to you.It can't.Sarah: I started feeling kind of gross about how much time I was spending on Instagram and Facebook—really just on my phone in general. I'd think, “Oh, I need a five-minute break,” and immediately pick up my phone.Actually, I did this before I started reading your book, but now I realize it fits perfectly with what you're talking about. I downloaded the New York Times Games app.Now, when I feel like I need a little break, I'll do Wordle or the Mini Crossword or Connections. What's nice is that it's limited. You get one crossword, one mini crossword, one Wordle, and one Connections each day.I'm almost never on Facebook or Instagram anymore because of it. It actually feels like a real reward. I finish the crossword and think, “Oh, I did the Mini in one minute and 38 seconds.”There's an ending to it. It really does feel like I accomplished something, which is very different.Michaeleen: Exactly. And you've actually stumbled onto one of the biggest tricks: bottomlessness.This is huge.TV didn't used to be bottomless.Michaeleen: TV didn't used to be bottomless. You had a handful of channels, and eventually the content ended or it got bad enough that you simply stopped watching.Now everything is endless. There's always another news story, another level in a game, another post, another video. That endlessness is what keeps us trapped in the cycle.You actually did so many things right with the New York Times Games app. You found something that takes a little more effort, but it also has a clear stopping point. You finish it, and then you're done. You created a bottom.That's exactly what I want to do with my own kids. I want to help them find activities that have a clear purpose and a clear ending. When you're done, you're done, and you turn it off.Compare that with scrolling Instagram for 30 minutes. What's the purpose? What are you actually doing? What are you looking for? There's always more content. It never ends, and it's incredibly fast.I think it's Chapter 4 of the book where I talk about figuring out how to use these technologies—if you're going to use them at all—in ways that don't manipulate you into these loops but instead feel genuinely satisfying.People often ask, “How do you know it's a real reward?” Your brain tells you. You feel better afterward than you did before. You feel done. You feel full. You think, “I'm ready to stop.”If, instead, you're thinking, “What's next? One more. One more,” then you're still stuck in the loop.For a lot of people—for a lot of kids, and certainly for me—that loop is frustrating and deeply unsatisfying. It just makes life feel gray and gloomy.Sarah: I noticed something a while ago. One of my favorite activities in the world is reading, and I realized I can't read if my phone is in the same room with me.When I was reading your book, I thought, “This is something I absolutely love doing, but it doesn't create that same dopamine loop.”Reading doesn't do that.I actually have to keep my phone in another room because reading takes more effort than scrolling Instagram.Michaeleen: Exactly. It takes more work, and that's part of why it's more satisfying.We're made to work. Human beings are actually very good at working, and that effort is part of what creates satisfaction. If something is too easy, it's much easier to get trapped in the wanting loop.Sarah: You also say in the book that, evolutionarily, our brains are designed to look for the easy way out.Back when life was hard, that made perfect sense.But now that everything comes to us so easily, it doesn't make sense anymore.Michaeleen: That's exactly right. These products are exploiting that tendency.Food is probably where you can see it most clearly.Our brains evolved to look for the foods with the most calories per bite. Why would you eat something with fewer calories per bite, especially when food was scarce? That's how we evolved.We also evolved to look for calories that our bodies could use quickly. A refined white-flour cracker gives you calories much faster than a carrot does. You'd have to eat carrots for much longer to get the same energy.Our brains are completely designed to choose the cracker.You'd never touch the carrot. It doesn't make evolutionary sense.That's especially true for kids, who are eating much more instinctively. But honestly, I'd argue that adults have the same problem. If the crackers are sitting there beside the carrots, most adults are going to have a hard time choosing the carrot.Sarah: Tell the story about the strawberries and the veggie straws.Michaeleen: This was when I really understood what was happening.Rosie was about eight years old, and we went to the pool with one of her friends. I packed raw edamame and strawberries. The girls were tired and hungry, and they were happily eating them. They were enjoying them.Then I pulled out a bag of veggie straws—which, by the way, aren't really veggies and aren't really straws. They're basically highly processed potato starch.Sarah: I think it's extruded potato starch.Michaeleen: You're right. Extruded potato starch.The starch is chemically extracted from the potato, so there's really nothing potato-like left except the starch. It's heated at a very high temperature, pushed through machinery, then sprayed with fat or basically fried and covered with salt.If you really look at the research, your body treats it almost like sugar. It practically dissolves in your mouth. There's almost no digestion required. It moves into your gut and into your bloodstream incredibly quickly.So even though the package says “veggie” and even though it says “potato,” what you're really getting are extremely fast calories, much like sugar.The moment I put those veggie straws on the table, those two girls ate the entire bag.One after another.You want to talk about dopamine?“Do it again. Do it again. Do it again. Do it again.”They didn't stop until every single veggie straw was gone.And then they completely forgot about the strawberries and the edamame.That was the moment I realized that if any ultra-processed food is available, kids simply won't choose the whole foods.Sarah: You asked Rosie afterward which she actually liked better, and she said, “Oh, the strawberries.”Michaeleen: Exactly. Even though she genuinely likes strawberries better—they taste better—her brain, and all of our brains, are designed to choose the veggie straws because they're such a dense source of fast calories.That realization led me to start doing little experiments. I'd make homemade meals with whole foods, then put one ultra-processed starch on the table—a dinner roll or some corn chips. I'd sit there and watch my husband and Rosie eat all of the ultra-processed food first. Then my husband might eat some of the whole foods, but Rosie wouldn't touch them.It wasn't her fault. It wasn't my fault. This is simply how our brains are designed. It makes perfect sense from an evolutionary perspective, and the food industry is explicitly taking advantage of that. If you look at the calorie density of ultra-processed foods, it's gone up and up over time. What really surprised me, though, is that it isn't just about sugar. Sugar clearly triggers dopamine—”Do it again. Do it again.” But highly refined potato starch, corn starch, and white flour are just as powerful, and in some studies they're actually more addictive than foods with added sugar.I recently read a study describing almost the exact recipe you mentioned: extruded starch that's fried or sprayed with a little fat and loaded with salt. That combination is incredibly addictive. The moment you see it, you want it, and then you eat it. The dopamine hit actually happens before you eat it. It's, “Oh, I see the bag. I want the bag.” That's the dopamine.Then there's almost no satisfaction or pleasure because satisfaction comes from protein and fiber—and, to a lesser extent, fat. Those are the things that make you feel, “Ah, I've had enough. I'm done.” Ultra-processed foods have stripped away almost everything that creates that feeling of satisfaction. That's what pleasure actually is.I really believe we can learn to tell the difference between wanting and genuine pleasure. Just like you did with the New York Times games, you replaced endless scrolling—which kept you wanting more—with something that actually makes you feel good every day.Sarah: Can you talk a little bit about what you call “magnets” and “cues”?I finished your book last week—it really was a page-turner—and I'm already putting some of your ideas into practice. One of the simplest suggestions was to stop carrying your phone around everywhere. I wore a watch to a baseball game the other night because I didn't want to keep taking out my phone just to check the time.Then this morning I went for a walk with my daughter and left my phone at home. When I got back, I made something to eat and did a couple of other things before I suddenly realized, “Oh—I left my phone upstairs for two hours.”Just the act of not taking it with me on the walk and leaving it in another room made it disappear from my mind. It was amazing.Michaeleen: I love that. That's beautiful.I call phones, video games, iPads, and ultra-processed foods magnets because neuroscientists actually use the term motivational magnets, and that's where I borrowed it from. They work through space, and they create what we call cues.Let's use screens instead of veggie straws. Imagine Rosie comes home every day after school and plays Toca Boca World on the iPad.Sarah: My daughter used to play those hairdressing games—and even vacuuming games. I never understood the appeal until I read your book and realized she was basically getting dopamine-mined.Michaeleen: Exactly. If you look at what keeps young children on those apps, it's the repetition. They're doing essentially the same thing over and over again, which is actually very unsatisfying.At first, what keeps Rosie playing are those little dopamine hits—”Do it again. Do it again.” But over time, something fascinating happens: the dopamine hit moves backward in time. Eventually, just seeing the iPad triggers dopamine. Simply seeing it creates desire and makes her really want it. Dopamine doesn't just make us want things—it motivates us to work to get them.So she sees the iPad, and suddenly she wants it. If it's sitting there, good luck getting her interested in anything else because her brain has already triggered that powerful feeling of, “I need this to survive.” She'll be pulled toward it like a magnet. That's where the term comes from. You don't just want it—you physically move toward it. You want to pick it up. You want to hold it. You want to touch it.Even if it's hidden away in a drawer or a closet, if she knows it's there, those magnets work through walls. She'll go looking for it.Sarah: Have you seen that study where students either had their phone on their desk, in their backpack, or in another room? Just having it in the backpack was almost as distracting as having it sitting on the desk.Michaeleen: That's exactly right, because they know it's accessible. Over time, these cues become so deeply wired into our brains that we don't even have to see the object anymore. We just have to know it's there.What's often triggering the habit isn't even the phone itself—it's an emotion. For example, when I'm writing and I get a little frustrated, that feeling becomes the cue: “Go check the news.” That used to be mine. Then it became, “Go check your email.” Now I've stopped checking the news, so mine has become, “Go check the weather.”Sarah: At least that can only last so long unless you're checking the weather around the world.Michaeleen: Exactly. It's much less sticky.But that's the point. If the phone is in the backpack, the brain knows it's available. These magnets work through walls. They work through bags. To really make those cues disappear, you have to do exactly what you did. You leave it at home. Your brain knows, “I can't get it. I'm not walking all the way back home for it,” so it lets go.As parents, we have to make these things completely disappear within a particular context. That's another really important piece of this: magnets and cues work in contexts.Every day after school is a context for Rosie's brain. Every day after school, in our house, she plays Toca Boca World. So when she walks into the living room at four o'clock, her brain already knows what time it is, even without a watch. Human brains are incredibly good at tracking those patterns.That context triggers dopamine. It triggers the desire for Toca Boca World.What we want to do instead is use that same context to trigger a desire for something that actually fills her up. Maybe after school in the living room becomes the cue for making art, riding her bike, or going outside.That's really what Dopamine Kids is about: using dopamine to get your kids excited about the real world and training their brains accordingly.Sarah: Can I back you up a little bit there? Because one thing you say in your book is that it doesn't work to simply take the screens away and say, “Let them be bored. They'll figure it out.”That's really the only other advice I've seen out there: just take the screens away and let kids be bored.But you did a lot of work to create opportunities for dopamine from other things. You didn't just tell Rosie, “No more Toca Boca World.”Can you talk about that? I think a lot of parents try the approach of saying, “Okay, we're just not doing screens anymore.” Then they end up with weeks—or maybe months—of crying and begging: “Can I just play a little?”Michaeleen: I think that approach can sometimes work with very little kids, but even then I don't think it lasts. These things are like weeds. The screens will come back unless you replace them with something else.Behavioral psychology is actually very clear on this. It's much easier to create a new habit than it is to break an old one. It's much easier to replace a behavior than simply remove it.For example, while I was writing Dopamine Kids, I decided I wanted to stop drinking as much. I had gotten into the habit of having a glass of wine every night, and I realized it just wasn't working for me anymore.I didn't simply take it away. I bought non-alcoholic beer. I replaced it with something.Kids are the same way.If you just take away the iPad—especially if they've been using it for a long time—their brain has come to believe it's something they need to survive. That's what these products have tricked the brain into believing. So when you take it away, it genuinely feels awful.But if you give them another activity that's exciting, interesting, and something they genuinely want to do, taking the screen away doesn't feel nearly as difficult. Over time, you can actually help them discover activities that make them feel even better than the iPad does.That's what creates a permanent habit instead of a temporary one.Behavioral psychology is pretty clear that kids are using these things because they're trying to meet a need.Rosie wasn't obsessed with Toca Boca World or cartoons because she wanted screens. She wanted adventure.Adventure is a fundamental human need for kids. You could also call it autonomy, but I like the word adventure because I think it's easier to understand. Kids need to explore, learn, and take little risks. They need that in order to feel good.I think a lot of kids are using screens to try to fill that need.So instead of simply taking screens away and leaving that need unmet, you have to backfill it.I said to Rosie, “Tonight we're not going to watch Netflix. We're going to take a break. Instead, we're going to do something you've been dying to do that I just haven't made time for yet. You're going to ride your bike to the market by yourself.”I would even say to her, “Instead of watching cartoon characters have adventures, you're going to have a real adventure yourself.”That's the difference.You're taking something that was trying—but ultimately failing—to meet a real human need and replacing it with something that actually does.When you do that, it's not nearly as hard.It goes back to what you mentioned earlier about kids saying they'd rather be with their friends than on screens. That same research also found that kids would rather be outside playing than watching screens. So you're giving them the opportunity to do the thing they actually want to do.That's really the process: figure out a replacement activity—or a replacement food—and then gradually begin taking the old thing away.The result is that your child isn't angry at you all the time. Your relationship is better because they have something wonderful replacing what they lost.More importantly, it creates a lasting habit because they're not simply complying with a rule. They're building a hobby, a skill, or a way of living that genuinely brings them pleasure and meets their needs.One of my biggest concerns with a lot of the screen advice that's out there is that it isn't permanent.Real change comes from making small but permanent changes.It's not, “We're doing a 30-day screen detox.”It's, “We don't use screens after dinner anymore,” or, “We don't use screens on Saturdays.”And that's just how our family does things now.That's how you train the brain.If you keep bringing the old habit back, you undo the learning and go right back to where you started.So I always encourage people to think small—but think permanent.Sarah: One suggestion you make is starting with something simple, like, “We don't do screens in the car.”Michaeleen: Yes.Sarah: I think that's such a great place to start. Your book is full of practical little ideas like that, so the whole thing doesn't feel overwhelming.We've been talking about some of the bigger concepts, but the book is incredibly practical.I'm working on a book myself right now, so I know how much work goes into something like this. I just want to say you did a really beautiful job balancing the theory with concrete things families can actually do.I really, really recommend it.Michaeleen: Thank you.The car is a great place to start because it's such a clear context for a child's brain.They get into the car and their brain thinks, “Screen time.”Instead, you can make the car mean, “Reading time,” or “Journaling time,” or even “Bored time.”It's a really useful place to begin because they're already somewhat contained, so it's easier to establish a new routine.Sarah: I love that.The one thing I want to ask about—and I hope you don't take this as criticism—is that some of what you've done takes a lot of time and energy privilege.Michaeleen: Yes. I think it's very similar to what I found with Hunt, Gather, Parent. There is some work up front, but I also think we dramatically underestimate how much work we're already doing when we rely on screens as babysitters or pacifiers.We tend to think that's the easy route, but even in the short term, I don't think it actually is.Sarah: That's a really good point because the fighting itself takes a lot of energy.Michaeleen: Exactly. That's ultimately what made me change and what made me want to write this book. I was just tired of arguing with Rosie about screens. I hated policing her.It's very similar to what I found with Hunt, Gather, Parent. Recently, one parent gave me some feedback that I actually thought was really insightful. She said, “I think you could have been clearer that having daily screen time—or unlimited screen time—is actually a lot of work.”And she's right.The parent is managing it every single day, moment by moment. There's constant fighting, negotiating, and policing.I'll tell you something else. Once we got ultra-processed foods out of our house, the amount of work I do around food dropped to about one-tenth of what it had been before. We actually spend less money because we're eating less.People don't realize that ultra-processed food makes you eat more. That's very well documented. Kids snack constantly when those foods are around. Rosie now eats two or three real meals a day when she's eating whole foods.So I'm actually doing much less work because those foods aren't in the house.I do agree there's some work at the beginning. Teaching Rosie to ride her bike to the market took time. But now she's 10, and she rides her bike everywhere. She bikes to piano lessons. She bikes all over town.That investment keeps paying dividends.Sarah: That's a really fair point.I had just been telling you before we started recording that, over the years, I've noticed more and more parents coming to coaching specifically because of challenges around screen time.The fights about screens, getting kids off screens—it has become such a common struggle.They just need to read your book and get some strategies.Michaeleen: I'm really just trying to encourage people that if they have that gut feeling—that sense of, “This just isn't working for our family”—it's okay to say no.There is a way to do it that doesn't require an enormous amount of ongoing work.Really, what you're doing is setting up the environment so the default becomes these other activities. You're designing things so you're not constantly policing or managing every moment.That's my biggest pushback against the idea that this approach is more work.It took a lot of work for me to figure all of this out and understand how it works—Sarah: And you did that for us.Michaeleen: Exactly.I also think the court system—and society more broadly—is slowly starting to catch up. The regulations around screen content are so far behind the technology.If you think about it, 20 years ago Rosie wouldn't have been able to walk into a movie like Jaws without a parent. There were very clear rules about what children could and couldn't see.Now I can hand her a device that gives her access to some of the most extreme content imaginable.One scientist told me that a child today can see, in about ten minutes, more pornography than our grandparents' generation would have encountered in an entire lifetime.Something is clearly out of balance.Either society has changed dramatically, or our regulations simply haven't kept pace.When you look at child exploitation, trafficking, and abuse online, it's obvious that regulation is behind.Sarah: Big Tech has so much money and so much influence that I think that's part of why the laws have fallen so far behind.Michaeleen: It absolutely is. But I also think there's this persistent myth that kids need these technologies and that they're doing so much good.One of my hopes for this book—and for the work many other researchers are doing—is that people will begin to understand that kids genuinely need help regulating this stuff.They cannot regulate it on their own.Right now, that entire burden falls on parents, and that's a tremendous amount of work.Sarah: We can't regulate it on our own, and we're grown-ups.Michaeleen: Exactly.When I first started researching this book, I interviewed a famous economist at Stanford—someone in his forties who will probably win a Nobel Prize someday. He spent our entire conversation telling me all the systems he had to build so he wouldn't look at the news while he was working.He had blocked it at the router. He'd blocked it on his computer. He'd blocked it in multiple other ways.I remember sitting there thinking, “If he has to do all of that, how is a thirteen-year-old supposed to do her homework?”That's one of the central messages of the book.This isn't about willpower.It's not about teaching kids to resist temptation through self-control.It's about teaching them to build environments where they aren't constantly tempted in the first place.That's exactly what you described earlier when you left your phone at home.You create spaces in your life where the temptation simply isn't there.That's the key to living a happier, healthier life—not relying on willpower, but learning to avoid unnecessary temptation and building habits that don't require you to fight yourself every day.Ironically, that's what ends up making life much easier.Sarah: That was another really interesting thing you talked about in your book—willpower.Michaeleen: One of the really interesting findings about willpower is that people with fewer bad habits don't actually have more willpower. They've simply arranged their lives so they're exposed to fewer temptations.Sarah: That's right. A great place to start might be something like what you did with food. You talked about not eating food on the go.Michaeleen: Exactly. No food on the go.Sarah: Baby steps.Michaeleen: Right. Or parents will tell me things like, “We don't have ultra-processed foods at breakfast.” Breakfast is actually an easy place to start. You have oatmeal. You have eggs. There are lots of simple whole-food options. So you make that one meal your starting point.That's really the idea. Start with something small.I think the same principle applies to parenting. Parenting actually becomes easier when the temptations simply aren't there. You're not constantly managing them.Sarah: When my kids were growing up—and thankfully they mostly missed all of this because my youngest is 19, so there wasn't Netflix and everything else that's available now—we had a simple family rule: no screens Monday through Thursday.Back then it was television, but they just knew that was how our family worked. If they asked, I'd simply say, “Remember, it's Wednesday. We'll watch TV on the weekend.”It was actually very easy.Michaeleen: Exactly. And that's the dopamine system at work.Their brains know what day of the week it is. We're remarkably good at keeping track of time and routines. They knew they were in your house, after school, and that there wasn't going to be TV.It's like a smoker on an airplane. Eventually the smoker's brain learns, “I'm on a plane. I can't smoke.” The craving relaxes because the brain understands the context.The same thing happens with family routines.In Israel, for example, many families observe a digital Sabbath where they unplug for a full 24 hours every week. Parents tell me their kids love it because they know that's the time they play board games, spend time outside, and do other things together.Their brains learn that weekly rhythm.Our brains naturally work this way, so we can use that tendency to make family life calmer and more peaceful.Honestly, one of my favorite outcomes is that when nine o'clock comes around, my daughter is calm and actually wants to go to bed. Whatever effort it took to establish those habits at the beginning has been completely worth it. It's peaceful now, and hopefully those routines will stay with her for years.Ironically, it was much harder for me to stop scrolling before bed than it was for her.Sarah: Do you think there's any place for moderation?For example, could Rosie ever pick up Toca Boca again and play it for a little while? Or is it more a case of, once it's gone, it's gone?Michaeleen: That's a really good question.I think there are a couple of ways to think about it.The first is simply asking whether a particular technology is worth it. Does Toca Boca actually give us something valuable enough that it's worth the possibility of bringing back arguments and struggles? Or is there something else that gives us the same benefit without those downsides?One of the goals of the book is to help parents start asking that question about technology in general: Is this actually worth it?The second question is whether your child can handle it.I use YouTube for work. I'll watch scientists explaining research, informational videos, or sometimes I'll listen to music. I also know all the tricks YouTube is playing on me, so I can use it pretty intentionally.But Rosie at ten years old?No way.YouTube is far too sophisticated for her to use purposefully.Maybe when she's sixteen, seventeen, or eighteen. Maybe fifteen. I don't know.But I'm not going to intentionally introduce it.If it becomes necessary because of school or something else, then we'll try it and see how she handles it. If she can use it well, maybe we'll continue. If she can't, then we won't.I think a lot of this is really about figuring out what your own child can handle.We don't give children alcohol or tobacco because they can't handle them. We don't give them pornography for the same reason.These technologies have entered our lives so quickly that we're all trying to answer entirely new questions.One of the most important things parents can watch is what happens afterward.How does your child behave? What's their mood like? Is it immediately, “One more. One more. One more”?If that's what's happening, then they're probably not ready for it.Sarah: Right. It's not restorative.This reminds me of a guest I had on the podcast a year or two ago. He was a former video game developer, and the episode was called How to Stop Fighting With Your Kid About Video Games.Sarah: This reminds me of something another guest said on the podcast, and I think it fits perfectly with what you're talking about.He was a former video game developer, and he said something I've never forgotten. He said, “If you're going to let your kids play video games, don't let them play anything that's free.”He said there are lots of amazing games that you actually buy because they're designed with a real story arc, real challenges, and an ending. As I was reading your book, I kept thinking about that because those paid games are designed to give you an actual reward at the end. You complete levels, you build skills, and then you finish.He wasn't talking about buying things inside free games. He meant games that you purchase outright. I remember my husband used to play The Legend of Zelda. It was a game you started and eventually finished.Michaeleen: I love that. There's so much I love about it because the business model is completely different.With free games, the longer you stay on them, the more money the company makes through advertising and in-game purchases. Their entire goal is to keep you there for as long as possible. They're holding the child inside that loop.But with purchased games, they actually want you to finish because then they hope you'll buy another game. It's almost like movies used to be. They wanted you to enjoy the experience, reach the end, and then come back for the next one.You're exactly right—they're designed to end.I think that's really beautiful advice because it highlights how much the business model shapes the experience.Sarah: That's what he said. In the free games, the commodity is your child's attention.Michaeleen: Exactly.Whereas with a purchased game, you're paying for an experience that has a beginning and an end.We've actually done something similar with movies and television. We got rid of all of our subscriptions, and honestly, we've saved a lot of money. Now, if we want to watch a movie, we buy it.We're much more intentional. We stop and ask ourselves, “Do we really want to watch this? Is it worth it?”Then, when the movie ends, we're done.I think that simple change does so much to keep you out of the wanting cycle we talked about earlier. Paying for something slows the whole process down. It makes you think about your choice, and the design itself is completely different. It's designed to leave you feeling satisfied—to let you say, “I finished it.”Sarah: It's an experience. It's an adventure. There's a reward.Michaeleen: Exactly. I love that idea. I wish I'd put it in the book. It's really good. Honestly, I didn't even realize there were that many games designed that way.Sarah: I'll send you his contact if you ever want to talk with him.I could honestly talk to you about this all day.I'm just trying to think if there's anything else I really wanted to ask, but I do want to highlight something for anyone who's still listening.This isn't a moral argument about screens or ultra-processed foods being “bad.” You make that very clear throughout the book.It's really about bringing more joy and fun back into your life because getting trapped in this cycle of wanting without ever feeling rewarded is making all of us kind of miserable.Michaeleen: That's exactly right.The first thing I hope parents take away is that this isn't their fault.This has happened incredibly quickly, and most of us don't even understand what we're up against. These products are intentionally designed by multibillion-dollar companies to capture and hold our children's attention. That's what we're competing with, and for a long time we simply haven't had the right tools.The second thing is that this isn't about taking everything away. That's a fantasy. It's not going to work.It's about figuring out what actually brings joy to you and your family, keeping those things, and letting go of the things that don't.We've also moved beyond the old idea that kids will somehow fall behind or be left out if they don't have all these technologies. There's so much evidence now showing that giving kids a phone or social media doesn't suddenly make them feel accepted or like they belong.In fact, it often does the opposite.So we can let go of that fear.Instead, we can ask, “What actually works for our family?” Then we can build the skills to get there and help our kids gradually adopt these technologies in healthy ways because they're going to be part of their lives.Almost everyone will eventually have a phone. Most kids will eventually use some form of social media, whether that's YouTube, Instagram, or whatever comes next.The question isn't whether they'll ever use it.The question is: When are they ready?And how do we help them use it in a way that still allows them to be productive?For me, that's one of the essential parenting skills of the twenty-first century: helping kids set up their environments—their computers, their workspaces, their routines—so they aren't constantly fighting temptation.Sarah: You also talk specifically about having kids work where a parent can see them because I think that's becoming a huge challenge now that so many students are issued Chromebooks at school.Sarah: You also mention having kids work where a parent can see them, because I think that's becoming a huge challenge now that so many students are issued Chromebooks at school.Everyone I've talked to—and maybe there are exceptions out there—says you can't put parental controls on school-issued devices. Kids need YouTube to watch something for school, and suddenly you've opened the door to all kinds of temptation.Every parent I know whose child has a school-issued Chromebook struggles with it.Michaeleen: Yes, and I think this is an area that's really in flux.From what I'm learning, parents are starting to push back—not only on schools issuing Chromebooks in the first place, but also on not being allowed to set them up in ways that remove things like YouTube. I think parents actually have more power than I realized.Some schools will work with families if parents speak up. You can go to the teacher or the principal and say, “This is what I want for my child's Chromebook. I don't want them to have access to YouTube,” or, “I want these restrictions in place.”Parents have more rights than I think most of us realize.I've talked with parents who are trying to get Chromebooks out of kindergarten through Grade 2 altogether. Others are asking for more limited internet access or different settings during school hours. There's really a whole spectrum of possibilities.I honestly think this is going to be one of the defining parenting issues of the next decade—the school-issued Chromebook, the school-issued iPad.For me, it just makes those screen-free gaps in the day even more important. If your child has spent the day doing schoolwork on a device, then after dinner becomes even more valuable as a screen-free time.You need a break. I need a break. We all need a break.Creating what I call sanctuaries becomes increasingly important as more of school moves onto screens. Kids need opportunities to move their bodies, relax their brains, and experience activities that are genuinely restorative.I also think there are resources available for parents who want more control over that digital space. It does take work, but as parents we sometimes hand over more authority to schools than we actually have to. We have more rights than we often realize.In fact, a lot of this is being challenged legally. There are lawsuits against school districts because some software has been given to children in ways that violate privacy protections and collect data improperly.So I think this whole area is changing, and I'm hopeful we'll eventually reach a place where, even if students are working on computers, they'll have better protections against unnecessary distractions.That's exactly how I work. I turn on an app blocker so I can't wander around the internet while I'm working. Otherwise, I'd be distracted constantly.I have a colleague who says she can't work for more than a couple of minutes before she finds herself checking something online.Sarah: I struggle with that too.It's getting easier the more I practice, but the pull—that feeling of wanting—is incredibly strong.Michaeleen: It really is. It's become a habit, and eventually you're barely even thinking about it.I remember when I first installed an app blocker. It felt so uncomfortable. I kept thinking, “But I want to check this. I want to check that.”Then it faded.It actually faded pretty quickly.Sarah: Thank you so much—not just for being here, but for writing this book. It's really remarkable.Even though I'm past the most active stage of parenting, I keep noticing the ideas from the book working their way into my own life.I have to tell you, the last couple of nights I've made brown rice instead of white rice because of something I read in the book. I love white rice, but I know I need more fiber. Honestly, once you start eating brown rice regularly, you hardly notice the difference.You've gotten me wearing a watch, eating brown rice, and leaving my phone at home when I take the dog for a walk.Michaeleen: I love that.It lets your brain relax because you're not constantly multitasking anymore.I have my watch on too. Rosie and I actually wear the same watch. To me, it's become a little symbol of this more digitally minimalist way of thinking.I was doing exactly the same thing—checking my phone every time I wanted to know the time. Eventually I thought, “Why am I using this little computer just to tell the time?”Sarah: Exactly.Well, thank you so much.Michaeleen: Thank you.Sarah: Before I let you go, I have one question that I ask every guest. It'll be interesting because I can compare your answer to what you said the last time you were on.If you could go back in time to your younger parent self, what advice would you give yourself?Michaeleen: Which age?Sarah: Any age. Go back to brand-new-mom Michaeleen. What would you tell yourself?Michaeleen: I'll give you two answers.For the baby stage, I would tell myself, “Michaeleen, just carry her all the time. Put her in the carrier and carry her. Don't worry so much about putting her down.”She was so happy whenever I carried her, and that's how so many cultures do it. The baby is simply on someone's back or on their front while life goes on. I really wish I'd done more of that because I think it would have made both of our lives much easier.For the older years, I'd tell myself to stop worrying so much that taking away the screens was going to be hard.I built it up in my mind as this enormous thing. I thought, “It's going to be so difficult to take away Netflix at night. It's going to be so difficult to take away Toca Boca.”But it wasn't.It really wasn't.Our lives became so much easier afterward, and I wish I'd been able to see that ahead of time.Sarah: Well, how could you have known?What you were seeing was the outward expression of all that wanting—the crying, the begging, the desperation. It would be so easy to mistake that for, “I'm denying my child something that brings them enormous pleasure.”I think that's an important distinction for parents.Just because your child is crying and screaming that they want something doesn't actually mean that it's bringing them pleasure or that it's good for them.Michaeleen: Exactly.Someone said something to me that I think made it into the book. A child can desperately want to spend another hour playing a video game while actually getting very little pleasure—or no pleasure—from it.That's really where the trick is.That's the hijacking.I also think Lenore's work is right. Kids really do want the offline world.They just have to experience it first.I didn't fully appreciate this before, but you can't really want something until you've experienced the joy of it yourself. Maybe you can see someone else enjoying it, but to actually build that dopamine pathway, you have to get out there and feel it yourself.You have to think, “Oh, this is wonderful. I love this.”Then your brain starts wanting more of that.Sarah: I was thinking about one family I work with. They have five kids, they run their own business, and they're incredibly busy.Their five-year-old son was having constant meltdowns and aggression, so I suggested they start tracking what happened right before those moments.When they came back, they realized that about 90 percent of the incidents were connected to screens. He was trying to get one of his parents' phones. He was trying to grab the remote from his sisters. He wanted the TV turned on or wanted it to stay on.This was actually before I read your book, so I probably could have given them even better advice afterward.But I suggested they experiment with going screen-free for a while and see whether it changed the aggression.The next time I talked to them, the dad told me that, out of pure frustration, he'd picked up the television and put it out in the garage. He basically announced, “No more TV for the rest of the summer.”The following week, the mom started texting me pictures.“Here's the girls sleeping in a fort they built on the trampoline.”“Here's our five-year-old playing with his trucks.”Picture after picture.She said, “I think this is going to be the best summer ever without TV.”Michaeleen: I love that story.I really do.And it's easier.It's easier.All he did was move the TV into the garage.That's amazing.That's exactly the advice I'd give myself.Just do it. Trust your instincts. Do it.Sarah: Do it.Well, thank you so much. I really appreciate you coming back on the podcast.As always, it's been such a pleasure talking with you, and you've written another wonderful book to add to the parenting canon.Michaeleen: Thank you so much for having me. It was truly a pleasure to come back.Sarah: Thanks so much.We'll put links to everything we talked about in the show notes, along with your website. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit sarahrosensweet.substack.com/subscribe
Ralph speaks to historian Omer Bartov about his new book “Israel: What Went Wrong?” with special guest, international law expert Bruce FeinBruce Fein is a Constitutional scholar and an expert on international law. Mr. Fein was Associate Deputy Attorney General under Ronald Reagan and he is the author of Constitutional Peril: The Life and Death Struggle for Our Constitution and Democracy, and American Empire: Before the Fall.Many of the things that you describe in Israel apply in spades in the United States. We also have an administration that says we're being invaded militarily by Venezuela gangs, so we have to go kidnap their president and annex Venezuela. We've stated that Iran is an existential threat to the United States because at some future time, it's conceivable they may get one nuclear weapon. We have 5,000, Israel probably has 300 or 400. Or make the argument that we are being invaded by defenseless immigrants across the southern border. And it does seem to me that all countries—I don't think it's unique anyway to the United States or Israel, but it's generally true those in power are there to manufacture fear, to inflate fleas into elephants and say “My gosh, tomorrow the sky is falling down. We need to have national emergencies, rule by decree.” Everything is “an imminent danger”, the Communist domino theory. It's a very challenging issue. I say what you've described in Israel is not unique to Israel. We confront it every day right in the United States. And it works.Bruce FeinOmer Bartov is the Dean's Professor of Holocaust and Genocide Studies at Brown University. A historian, Professor Bartov was born on a kibbutz, grew up in Tel Aviv, and served in the Israel Defense Forces during the Yom Kippur War. He went on to become a leading scholar of the German army and the Holocaust, before turning his attention to his native country. His early research concerned the Nazi indoctrination of the Wehrmacht and the crimes it committed in World War II. He then turned to the links between total war and genocide and interethnic relations in the borderlands of Eastern Europe. His current interest is reflected in his recent books, Genocide, the Holocaust and Israel-Palestine: First-Person History in Times of Crisis, Israel: What Went Wrong?, and the forthcoming The Broken Promise: A Personal Political History of Israel and Palestine. The whole idea of creating a Jewish state (and it says so in the Proclamation of the State from May 1948) is that it would be a state for Jews—that it would be both Jewish and democratic. And that has proven to be not possible. A Jewish state can be both Jewish and democratic only if the overwhelming majority (if not all) of its citizens are Jews.Omer Bartov[Zionist zealots] believe that history is on their side—so in that sense, they are similar to Communists they're similar to Fascists they're similar to Nazis in that they believe that they can see the way forward, they know the logic of history, and the logic of history as they see it is on their side.Omer BartovIn Israel, since the 1980s (really since after the War of 1973, with the rise of the right wing in Israel in particular) the Holocaust has come to serve a particular purpose. Instead of being commemorated as an event that happened in the past that we should remember and commemorate and research, it's become a kind of image of an imminent danger to Israel. And the farther Israel has moved from the actual event of the Holocaust, and the more the Israeli army has become the military hegemon in its region, the more this alleged threat of an “Auschwitz around the corner” has been used by Israeli governments. Why has it been used? Because Israel actually needs to explain to itself and to its citizens: Why is it bossing it over millions of Palestinians? Half of the population under Israeli control are Palestinians. Two million are citizens, but they don't have equal rights, and the others have no rights at all (they're simply under arbitrary military rule). So how do you explain that? You explain that by telling your population and the rest of the world that those Palestinians—who have no power, who can never pose a threat to you—are an existential threat. And in Israel, that has worked quite well.Omer BartovBecause of the focus on Hebrew—to create Hebrew as a mother tongue for children whose mothers didn't speak Hebrew—because of that, there was a great antagonism towards speaking any other language. And the notion of having bilingual schools (that is, of having schools in Palestine where people would learn both Hebrew and Arabic, the language of the place) is not entertained by the vast majority of educators. Now, if you think about what would have been the result of having bilingual schools already in the 1920s and 30s, that children could speak each other's language and recognize each other's culture—that could have had a huge effect on how Zionism developed and how the state would have developed. But in today's Israel, the only bilingual population are the Palestinians. Palestinian citizens of Israel speak Arabic and Hebrew. Most Israelis don't speak Arabic. And most Israelis who trace themselves (quite large numbers) not to Europe, but to North Africa and the Middle East, where their parents and grandparents spoke Arabic (this was their language) have forgotten that language and were ashamed of their parents speaking it because it associated them with the Arabs. So the loss in this kind of creation of a nation around one language was the ability to imagine yourself as sharing the space with another group.Omer Bartov * Our top story concerns a progressive insurgent running in a must-win Senate race – and not the one you're thinking of. Late last week, Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed won the endorsement of Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez. The New York Times notes that this is AOC's first Senate endorsement of this cycle, coming just about a month ahead of the August 4th Michigan primary. El-Sayed is quoted saying that he is “honored for what her support says about what this campaign is building and what we're fighting for,” adding that he thinks that “too many establishment Democrats are…afraid that I will win.” He pointedly attacked Senator Chuck Schumer, charging that the Minority Leader “doesn't want to see me on the inside of the U.S. Senate,” because El-Sayed would “call out the kind of politics where we take money from corporations and AIPAC to run milquetoast campaigns and don't say anything about the problems that everyday people are facing.” El-Sayed has announced that he will campaign with AOC and Senator Bernie Sanders in Detroit, Lansing and Grand Rapids on July 18th and 19th, per MLive.* Another earthquake occurred in the Michigan Senate race on July 5th, when State Senator Mallory McMorrow announced that she would be withdrawing from the race – turning what was a competitive three-way race into a head-to-head between El-Sayed and the Democratic establishment pick, Congresswoman Haley Stevens. The Detroit Free Press notes that this announcement “comes after absentee ballots have already been mailed out to some voters and too late to remove her name from the primary ballot,” though voters are able to rescind their absentee votes and submit new ones up through Friday, July 24th. In a video statement, McMorrow maintained that “People are crying out for change and we need to listen.” McMorrow once led her opponents in this race but saw her support collapse and was trailing in a distant third place in recent polls. Rumor also had it that outgoing Senator Gary Peters was privately calling for her to exit the race so centrists could consolidate around Stevens. While many of her supporters are expected to go to Stevens, El-Sayed is energetically courting McMorrow's voters as well. The Detroit News reports McMorrow herself has announced that she will remain neutral in the remaining days of the primary, leaving her voters to vote their own consciences.* In more Michigan news, DSA-backed congressional candidate Donavan McKinney is running strong in his primary campaign against incumbent Congressman Shri Thanedar, whom McKinney has labeled “Detroit's own Elon Musk,” according to the New York Post. If McKinney pulls it off, he will join the growing group of DSA members in the House, along with Claire Valdez, Darializa Avila Chevalier and AOC from New York, Chris Rabb and Melat Kiros from Pennsylvania and Colorado respectively, and Rashida Tlaib from Michigan. Another candidate endorsed by his local DSA chapter, Kyle Blomquist, is running for Congress in Michigan but even if he wins his primary he is not expected to flip the deep red 1st congressional district.* In Missouri, Cori Bush has also won the support of DSA for her comeback congressional run against Wesley Bell, who defeated her in the 2024 primary, Andrew Solender reports. Bush had already won the support of her local DSA chapter, along with many other progressive organizations, and has been endorsed by Senator Bernie Sanders, Congresswoman Rashida Tlaib, and former Congressman Jamaal Bowman. This week though, she won the support of the national DSA. In a statement, Bush wrote “I am honored to be once again endorsed by the Democratic [Socialists] of America as I campaign to return to Congress and keep building our movement to fight for economic justice, Medicare for All, abolishing ICE, and a world where everyday people have a real voice in our workplace's neighborhoods and society.” Bush also praised DSA for its “decades of organizing…[mobilizing] thousands of people across the country to demand an economy that works for all of us…[and] take on war profiteers, the for-profit healthcare industry, and the billionaire funded lobbies that subvert our democracy.” There has been little polling of this race, but what there has been appears to show the race in a statistical dead heat. One sign that Bush is being taken seriously is the new $865,000 ad buy taken out by the United Democracy Project, an AIPAC cutout.* Ironically, it would seem that American Jews have a more favorable view of the progressive left than Israel. According to the Forward, a new AP poll found that “44% of American Jews hold a favorable opinion of Zohran Mamdani, compared with 39% who view him unfavorably.” This is in contrast to the 32% of respondents who said they have a favorable opinion of Netanyahu and 59% who said they have a negative view of the Israeli PM. Perhaps more surprisingly, Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro, a “staunch supporter of Israel,” garnered only a 41% favorability rating, though far more respondents said they don't know enough about him to have an opinion than said they have a negative view.* Turning back to the Senate, the other major story this week of course is the fall of Graham Platner. Accusations of sexual assault, detailed in a POLITICO article, resulted in a deluge of opprobrium that cascaded upwards culminating in Platner's earliest and highest profile supporter, Senator Bernie Sanders, calling on him to drop out of the Senate race in Maine. In a video message released Wednesday, Platner stated that he would be suspending his campaign effective immediately, later telling staff that he plans to wait until Monday, the final possible day, to formally withdraw from the race, Axios reports. In the same video, Platner categorically denied the accusations calling them “all false,” and maintaining that the “things that have been claimed did not happen.” He implied that the scandal was orchestrated by “those in power“ who would “rather see Susan Collins win than have me be the next Senator from Maine.”* Platner's impending, late-stage withdrawal from the race has set off a chaotic blitz primary to replace him as the Democratic nominee. Numerous candidates have announced they are running including former Maine Senate president Troy Jackson, former Director of Maine's Center for Disease, Control and Prevention Nirav Shah, co-founder of Maine beer company Dan Kleban, Maine Secretary of State Shenna Bellows and state lawmaker Valli Geiger, along with Jordan Wood and Paige Loud, both of whom ran in the Maine second congressional district Democratic primary. The actual process for selecting a nominee has been the subject of debate – with many progressives arguing for caucuses – but POLITICO reports that by July 27th, “600 delegates must be selected,” including 500 from the state's 16 county parties, and these delegates will decide on a candidate to replace Platner via “an unprecedented nominating convention,” wherein all delegates come in unpledged to any candidate setting the stage for “what could be a raucous and unpredictable free-for-all.” It remains to be seen how this will all shake out, but it is notable that almost all of these candidates poll very strongly against Senator Susan Collins, with many polling higher than Platner ever did, while the Democratic Party's handpicked primary candidate, sitting Governor Janet Mills, still polls lower than Platner even since the scandal broke.* For our final Senate story, we turn to the senior Senator from Kentucky, Mitch McConnell. McConnell was recently found unconscious in his Washington, DC home and has been hospitalized since, and while Republican Senators and media figures like Scott Jennings claim to have spoken with him directly, his being sequestered away from the public has fueled rampant speculation about the severity of his condition and why it is being kept so secretive. Forbes reports that some figures on the right, including Steve Bannon, are “suggesting the Republican establishment is shielding the state of McConnell's health from the public to allow him to remain in office long enough to avoid [Kentucky Congressman Thomas] Massie running for his seat.” Former Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene told TMZ, “Thomas Massie would make a great senator.” The Hill reports that Andy Beshear, the Democratic Governor of Kentucky, sent a letter to McConnell's Senate office strongly requesting an update on the Senator's health, noting that “Over the last several weeks, Kentuckians have grown increasingly concerned about the health and well-being of Sen. McConnell,” and that “Allowing speculation to continue in the media is not fair to the Senator or to Kentuckians, and my hope is that this provides him the opportunity to share the information in a transparent manner, direct from the source.”* In more positive news, AP reports former Wisconsin judge Hannah Dugan, who helped an immigrant escape ICE by ushering him through her jury room door was spared prison time in her sentencing this week. After the incident in her court room, Dugan was convicted of felony obstruction in what was widely seen as a political trial designed to exact retribution on behalf of the Trump administration. Dugan resigned her circuit judgeship under this assault; in her resignation letter, she warned that this prosecution threatened “the independence of our judiciary.” Dugan was fined $5,000.* Finally, in spiritual news, a story in the National Catholic Reporter recounts how Pope Leo XIV excommunicated thousands of clergy and followers of the far right, schismatic group, the Society of St. Pius X. While bishops and priests are judged prima facie schismatic for their consecration in the Society, lay followers of the sect will be judged schismatic if they consciously choose “adherence to the society over obedience to the pope,” and “exclusive participation in Lefebvrian ‘ecclesial' acts, without taking part in the acts of the Catholic Church,” a reference to the group's founder, Archbishop Marcel Lefebvre. The proximate cause of this excommunication was the Society creating four new bishops in open defiance of Pope Leo, essentially daring the Church to act. This piece notes that the Society “has long been a thorn in the side of Rome,” and notes that the new papal decree rolls back privileges granted to the sect under Pope Francis, including administering the sacrament of penance and solemnizing marriages.This has been Francesco DeSantis, with In Case You Haven't Heard. Get full access to Ralph Nader Radio Hour at www.ralphnaderradiohour.com/subscribe
••• Strategies for Overcoming Pride, Ep 437a . ••• Bible Study Verses: Isaiah 14:12-15, Matthew 6:1-2, Proverbs 6:16-19, Colossians 3:23, James 4:6-7 . ••• “For pride is spiritual cancer: it eats up the very possibility of love, or contentment, or even common sense...the Christians are right: it is pride which has been the chief cause of misery in every nation and every family since the world began” C.S. Lewis, Mere Christianity † ••• “Pride, perceiving humility honorable, often borrows her cloak”, Thomas Fuller, 1608-1661, A brilliant English churchman and historian. He is now remembered for his writings, particularly his "Worthies of England", Published posthumously in 1862. He was a prolific author, and one of the first English writers able to live by his pen. † ••• "Jesus is the God whom we can approach without pride and before whom we can humble ourselves without despair" Blaise Pascal, 1623-1662, Among the contemporaries of Descartes none displayed greater natural genius than Pascal, but his mathematical reputation rests more on what he might have done than on what he actually effected, as during a considerable part of his life he deemed it his duty to devote his whole time to religious exercises. At 16, Pascal began designing a calculating machine, which he finally perfected when he was thirty, the pascaline, a beautiful handcrafted box about 14x5x3 inches. The first accurate mechanical calculator was born. Pascal was dismayed and disgusted by society's reactions to his machine and completely renounced his interest in science and mathematics, devoting the rest of his life to God. He is best known for his collection of spiritual essays, Les Pensees. Ironically, Pascal, a genius by any measure, with one of the finest brains of all time, died of a brain hemorrhage at the age of 39. † ••• “Better it is to be of an humble spirit with the lowly, than to divide the spoil with the proud”, Proverbs 16:19 KJV . ••• What is the Origin and Aspirations of Pride? ••• What are 4-reasons why the Almighty God hates pride so much? ••• What are the 5-Dangers of Having Pride in our hearts? ••• What are the 2-types of pride? ••• What are 8 aspects of behavior that ARE NOT PRIDE? ••• What are 5-behavioral characteristics that ARE pride? ••• What are 4-ways that pride manifests in a person's life? ••• Are you going to ask your small group to pray that you will be more intentional about conquering the sin of pride through the power of Holy Spirit? ••• Pastor Otuno expounds on this and much more on the exciting journey of Fresh Encounter Radio Podcast originally aired on WNQM, Nashville Quality Ministries and WWCR World Wide Christian Radio broadcast to all 7-continents on this big beautiful blue marble, earth, floating through space. Please be prayerful before studying The Word of God so that you will receive the most inspiration possible . ••• This Discipleship Teaching Podcast is a listener supported production by all the beloved of God who believe in ••• Broadcaster's Website - https://www.lifelonganointing.com . ••• Exceeding Thanks to Universe Creator Christ Jesus AND photo by Etty Fidele Photography, Paris France, https://www.fideletty.com/, https://www.instagram.com/fideletty/, https://www.paypal.com/paypalme/FideleEtty, Art Direction by gil on his mac with free mac layout software . ••• † https://www.goodreads.com/quotes/search?q=pride+c.s.+lewis . http://christian-quotes.ochristian.com/Blaise-Pascal-Quotes/••• SHARING LINK: https://open.spotify.com/episode/4irvOCxU1qHRyTp2BAmVYj . ••• RESOURCE - Prayer Requests: PRAYER@SWRC.COM . ••• Study Guides at - https://open.spotify.com/show/7naZVpZ02zaiAO04PAaTUq . ••• RESOURCE: FREE Max McLean Chronological Audio Bible! https://tinyurl.com/godspeaks777 . ••• RESOURCE - Amazing Stories: https://www.soundcloud.com/thewaytogod . ••• FERP250711 Episode#437a GOT 250711 Ep437a . ••• Winning The Battle Of The Mind, Part-8a of 9: Strategies for Overcoming Pride . ††† . Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Roxy's Ride & Inspire RAWcast - Mountain Bike & Mindset Podcast
Do you ever finish a day feeling mentally exhausted... even though it doesn't feel like you've actually done that much? A few weeks ago, I disappeared for two weeks. No Instagram. No YouTube. No comments, emails, or analytics. Ironically, it wasn't the holiday we'd planned. Berni came down with COVID the day before we left, so instead of traveling, we spent most of our time at home. Looking back, that unexpected change became a gift. In this episode, I read an article that perfectly describes what so many of us are experiencing without realizing it: a brain overloaded by constant notifications, endless information, and the pressure to always stay connected. This isn't an anti-phone or anti-social media episode. Technology allows me to coach mountain bikers all over the world, build an amazing community, and do work I genuinely love. But like any powerful tool, it works best when we're in control of it—not the other way around.In this episode we talk about:Why your brain feels exhausted in today's digital worldWhat constant task-switching is doing to your attentionThe surprising benefits of boredomWhat these digital sabbaths give meSmall changes that can help you regain focus without giving up technologyIf you've ever struggled to concentrate, found yourself reaching for your phone without thinking, or simply felt mentally "fried," I think you'll find something valuable in this episode.This is the article I read in this episode: Steve Magness: A Digital Survival GuideI'd love to hear your thoughts after listening. Have you ever taken a digital break? And if not... would you?
Each Epic episode is produced by Playful World Ministries! And we rely on the generous giving of our financial champions to allow us to continue playfully reaching kids for Christ, all over the world! To become a Playful World Champion, please go to: https://actintl.givingfuel.com/brownlee And Thank you!Episode 24: “Things Heat Up in Babylon”- As Daniel's friends refuse to worship King Nebucchadnezzar, ole Nebby cranks up the furnace! Ironically, our studio's air conditioning is on the fritz.So, our hosts call on Announcer Lad's discount virtual assistant “Sorry” to find a repairman…named Fritz! Meanwhile Miss Jenny tells what happens when God throws her a curve while she's writing a book… amazing things happen – that's what!Featuring Chapter 26 the audiobook “The Prophet, the Shepherd, & the Star,” by Jenny L. Cote0:25 – It seems Babylon isn't the only hot place – so is a studio without air conditioning! So Announcer Lad calls on his cheap virtual assistant to find a repairman… good luck with that! 6:17– Chapter 26: “Things Heat Up in Babylon” 27:09 – The heat makes Nigel a bit delirious, and speaking like Shakespeare!28:51- In Jenny's Corner, Jenny shares an amazing story that started with God disrupting her writing!33:03 – Can Fritz the repair bring cooling – no fooling? And as always – we'd love to hear from you! Email Jenny: Jenny@epicorderoftheseven.com or email our studios: playfulworldministries@gmail.com And by the way – All of the Epic Order of the Seven books and audiobooks written by Jenny L. Cote, and narrated by Denny Brownlee, are available from the Epic Store on Jenny's website at www.epicorderoftheseven.com. You can even get book copies signed by Jenny and pawtographed by Max and Liz!"
The release of the Rupert Lowe Rape Gang Inquiry Report showed that the entire United Kingdom has been groomed into accepting a foreign invader's insatiable appetite for sexual destruction and oppression. Starting at the top, a long list of Prime Ministers have enabled the rape of 250,000 British girls over the past two decades.Ironically, creating a podcast about what the Pakistani rape gangs were doing in the U.K. is more likely to warrant jail time than the crimes themselves. As London falls, one must consider that more dominoes are being set up now across the West, with a similar outcome predicted in the future.---Macroaggressionswww.Macroaggressions.ioMerch StoreLink Tree Video ChannelsRumble | YouTube | BrighteonActivist PostNewsletter Sign UpAudiobooksHypocrazyThe Octopus of Global ControlSupport Our SponsorsReplace Your Mortgage: www.WipeOutYourMortgageNow.comGround Luxe Grounding MatsC60 Power | Promo Code: MACROChemical Free Body | Promo Code: MACROWise Wolf Gold & SilverLegalShield: www.DontGetPushedAround.comChristian Yordanov's Health ProgramThe Dollar VigilanteNesa's Hemp | Promo Code: MACROAugason Farms
On the 146th Episode of Dorm Damage With Tom & Zeus the guys list their Mount Rushmore of United States Presidents. Tom & Zeus continue their "The Mount Rushmore" series, where Tom and Zeus will pick a category and then they will list their top 4 in the category each. In this episode the guys are feeling very patriotic because of the 250th birthday of this great nation. Ironically, the guys list who their Mount Rushmore Presidents are and which should be on Mount Rushmore! You guys asked for more politics . . . Happy 250th Birthday U.S.A. !!! To Purchase Shout It Out Loudcast's KISS Book “Raise Your Glasses: A Celebration Of 50 Years of KISS Songs By Celebrities, Musicians & Fans Please Click Below: Raise Your Glasses Book For all things Shout It Out Loudcast the #1 KISS Podcast check out our amazing website by clicking below: www.ShoutItOutLoudcast.com Interested in more Shout It Out Loudcast content? Care to help us out? Come join us on Patreon by clicking below: SIOL Patreon Get all your Shout It Out Loudcast Merchandise by clicking below: Shout It Out Loudcast Merch At Printify Shop At Our Amazon Store by clicking below: Shout It Out Loudcast Amazon Store Please Email us comments or suggestions by clicking below: ShoutItOutLoudcast@Gmail.com Please subscribe to us and give us a 5 Star (Child) review on the following places below: iTunes Podchaser Stitcher iHeart Radio Spotify Please follow us and like our social media pages clicking below: Twitter Facebook Page Facebook Group Page Shout It Out Loudcasters Instagram YouTube Proud Member of the Pantheon Podcast click below to see the website: Pantheon Podcast Network Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Grandpa Bill Today Asks:Did you know black cats have a history packed with mysticism — from worship to suspicion?Drop a
Tiffanie and Nikki share what dental practices should be looking at it now that we're halfway through 2026. Such milestones or touchpoints can include the goals you set at the start of the year, production numbers, the metrics ranges for healthy practices, and so on. From there, Tiff and Nikki talk about how to turn your midpoint numbers into game plans for the remaining six months. Episode resources: Subscribe to The Dental A-Team podcast Schedule a Practice Assessment Leave us a review Transcript: Tiffanie (00:00) Hello, Dental A Team listeners. We are back at you again. ⁓ we do four of these ish a month. We do one a week. myself, Tiffanie, and the consulting team. And I always pick from my consultant crew ⁓ whoever can be the best cohort on the topic and also their schedules, which is a fun. little alignment of ⁓ situations here regarding our topic of choice today. So today I have Nikki. Nikki, thank you for making yourself available this morning for pivoting with me. I know I had some ⁓ travel stuff last week and had to move calls around so we had to move this call around and I just appreciate you so much Nikki and for pivoting and and Nikki I'm gonna I'm just gonna say it. It's funny. And we all kind of podcast from wherever we can. We try to ta stay as centralized as we possibly can, but we all at some point or another are in a very different place than our norm. And Nikki has had so many fun spots. So if you are a an avid podcast listener, you've heard Nikki's and you've not watched, I want you to go back and like look through all of Nikki's and see all of her different backgrounds because it's just so fun. Nikki Mack (00:55) Yeah. Tiffanie (01:09) you're like our Carmen San Diego, Nikki. How are you doing today in ⁓ your new space today that is a very temporary and then you'll have a new new space, but how are you doing over there? Nikki Mack (01:20) Yeah, doing great today. ⁓ this may just be my thing. I may have to find somewhere new to podcast from every time. We'll just yeah. Yes. ⁓ I did love Carmen San Diego, so absolutely I'll just wear a red hat. You'll see me out and about. That would be amazing. ⁓ yes, doing good. super happy to be back. I can't get enough of doing podcasts and Tiffanie (01:27) I like it. Or pop something in there that people have to find, like what's different. I don't know. I love it Nikki Mack (01:47) No matter where we are, absolutely we're here for our listeners and we're gonna get it done. So I'm ready. Tiffanie (01:52) I love it. I love it. thank you. And listeners, you guys know if you've listened to us at all that we truly do love what we do, that we are here to ensure that we give as much information out to the dental world and beyond. We have listeners who aren't even a part of the dental world because entrepreneurship is all the same. Business is business is how I describe it. So whether you're dental, whether you're outside of dental, I know we've worked with podiatrists and optimists. And chiropractors and all kinds of different businesses. We've helped CPAs and financial advisors and all kinds of different organizations because at the bottom of everything, business is the foundation here and dentistry is what you do on top of that foundation. So we're excited for you guys to be here. We're excited to be ⁓ hosting this podcast to be delivered in July. July is one of my favorite months of the year for multiple reasons. Brodie's birthday is in July. He's actually eighteen ⁓ this year. The the recording of this podcast, he will be eighteen in almost a month from now. So that's crazy and scary. And for those of you who have been listening for as long as we've been doing this, you probably remember when little Brodie, who's like nine or ten, maybe not even yet, eight, ⁓ came on and he talked about having a working mom. So really cool. If you've been listening for a long time, you know who he is. But July is also one of my favorite months of the year because this is really kind of our reset month. This is where I just kind of slow down in life and in business and really take a look at what are the things I said I wanted to accomplish this year and where am I at in relation to those things? Do I need to pivot? Are did things change? Did I have things on my docket that I was like, gosh, that's kind of arbitrary or Too much or you gosh, I'm really just not gonna get to that this year and that's okay too. So have we changed things that maybe we need to reevaluate and reset? for me personally, I said I'm gonna do a pull up this year, and you what, it's still on my docket, but six months, seven months into the year, not having made ⁓ a lot of progress on even attempting to do one, I think I'm a little behind the wheel on that. So needing to reevaluate, but that's really what we're talking about today. So whether it's personal goals, business goals Family goals, whatever they are, this is a really great time of year to just take a step back and really, really, really push forward on what we want our life to look like. So we brought Nikki on today to help us with that as far as the dental industry and the and the dental business. And Nikki, from your perspective, consulting practices, I know this is the time of year as well that we're gonna take a look with our clients and we say, Hey, how was Q2? So we've already done a how is Q1. We go through, we evaluate quarter one in comparison to last year at the same time. Well that now our consultants are all going through for their clients and really evaluating quarter two in comparison to quarter one and also in comparison to the projections that we made with them earlier this year. So as we're prepping for that and as we're getting ready to have those conversations with our clients, Nikki, what are some of the key indicators, the KPIs that you have always loved watching for your practices? ⁓ in consulting, in managing, in working within the DSL world, all of your different spaces, what are the ones that you really like to take a look at in July? Nikki Mack (05:16) So for me, I mean, production's the obvious one, right? Like we never really take our eye off of production ever. Q one, two, three, four, always. ⁓ but I think deeper than just production, it's looking at those metrics that drive production, especially that we started the year with the intention of working on. So a lot of my offices this year, it's case acceptance. Like 2026 is all about case acceptance. Tiffanie (05:23) Yeah. Nikki Mack (05:42) And so for me at this halfway point, that's where I'm really like digging into that number. So what does the percentage look like? And there's metrics, right? And there's ranges and there's healthy offices and things like that. But like I tell my teens a lot when we first start, the biggest thing I'm looking at is just where are we? So like January, ⁓ if we've been together for a while, where our starting point is, your percentage now is what I care about. And then how are we going to increase it? So hopefully by July. We've seen some movement in that number and production would reflect it. But if we don't understand how we're driving that production, how do we keep doing it or make those changes? Like we said, going into Q3 that we need. So ⁓ I would say case acceptance is a huge one. Are you tracking dollars? Are you tracking percentage? Whatever we've been looking at, let's really dive into it. And then honestly, another one that I've seen a lot lately is ⁓ New patient retention. So we a lot of doctors have expanded or brought in associates or we have a lot of new practice owners, right? And so new patients, we know it, they matter, they're super important. But if we're bringing a ton of women and they're all just leaving and not like staying with us, then like that's a lot of time invested. ⁓ so we've I've seen a lot of focus this year with what's our new patient numbers and then who came back. So July is a perfect time to really be dialed in on that because we're going to start to see those six month recares come back, the ones from the end of last year. So that's a super good number, in my opinion, to really get an eye on the health of your practice and how some of our systems are working. Because I love a system. Tiffanie (07:27) Right. All right. That's what we're here for, right? Yeah, I I totally agree. And I love the new patient spot too, like in conjunction with the case acceptance that you said both of those, because oftentimes we will look at the case acceptance and we'll say, Gosh, I w our case acceptance is really high, but our we're still not meeting production, or our case acceptance is really low. We've got to Gotta do more ⁓ case ex you know, case acceptance, whatever. But when you start to really dive into it, a lot of times our case acceptance will tell us every time our case acceptance will tell us what our diagnosis is as well, right? So if we're only looking at what is our percentage of case acceptance, whether it's dollar or yes or no, it doesn't really matter. But if we're only looking at that number and we're never looking at how much have we diagnosed, we kind of miss the boat there on the in between. So as you're taking that mid year. Check-in here in July. I think that that is a great place to start. I totally agree, Mickey. Because at that point you can say, do we have the opportunity to meet the goals that we are projecting towards? So where are we at? We always say go look at what your full goal was or is, right? So what are we supposed to do by December 31st, 2026, or whatever year you're listening to this in? What are we supposed to do by the end of the year? And where are we at in relation to that? So six months. Nikki Mack (08:39) Ha ha Tiffanie (08:46) Seven months, you know, into the year, are we six months worth of production towards that goal, or do we need to re-establish a different goal moving forward to account for missed opportunities? Now I'm gonna say something here, and my team members just know I love you. Doctors, make sure you do this. So if you're tracking, you're like, all right, guys, I listened, Nikki, I heard you, and I'm actually ahead on my goal, and I'm ahead by $50,000 this year. Keep your goal the same. Do not adjust your goal down to meet that other goal. And I know that that sounds kind of obvious, but I want to just state it because there are a lot of people that are like, ⁓ awesome. This month is short, so like it's okay, we don't really have to push. Like, no, no, no. Keep pushing and hit for that top tier goal every time so that you have that buffer if it's ever necessary. Or best case scenario, we end out ahead. Now, the other flip side to that is that. A lot of times what we'll see is we might be short by like 20,000 or 10,000, something not like massive. It might not be a whole month's worth of production, but it might be that like ten to twenty thousand dollar mark. So then what we're doing is we're saying, okay, great, this is what we've done. This is where we're gonna go, where we need to be. That gap is now added to the months coming. So if you've got ten thousand dollars that you're short, divide that by the next six months, add that crown cost, by the way. Add that extra crown into your monthly goal and then reestablish what that will look like. That's your mid year check-in. So then to Nikki's point of the case acceptance, I love that, Nikki, because if we know where we're going, now we can say, okay, how are we gonna get that? Like, how do I get now to 145 instead of that 143 mark? How do I get that extra couple thousand dollars a month? And why was I short to begin with? So what happened there that Nikki Mack (10:11) Right. Tiffanie (10:41) caused that that mishap and it could have been hours, it could have been days closed, but it could have also been in that case acceptance and diagnosis. So then we start really looking in. So production, collections should match your productions or at least be 98%, right? And then in order to hit those, what does our case acceptance look like? And do we have enough opportunity to hit those goals? And if the opp the opportunity isn't there, now we're gonna say, okay, great, why aren't my new why aren't I getting enough new patients? Or Nikki, one of my favorite ones is we have a slew of new patients, sometimes too many, and we're not diagnosing what we need to diagnose from them. And I'm and I think Nikki this can be misconstrued sometimes because it's like, well, I diagnose what my patients have. Super cool. I totally agree with you. We are never, ever, ever going to be the consulting company that's like, no, no, no, there's more, find it. Maybe there is, but I don't know. I'm not sitting in your chair and dentistry is, you know, it's completely objective. So Nikki Mack (11:16) Yeah. Tiffanie (11:39) I'm not gonna tell you how to dentist. I'm just gonna say, do we have the right opportunities then? So if you've got clean patients coming into your practice and you're hitting new patient numbers, but we're still not hitting diagnosis, are we reaching the target audience that you need in order to sustain and grow your dental practice? And Nikki, I think that falls into play where we've got now the KPIs, you know, production collections, those are those are hand in hand, case acceptance and then that new patient mark. Are we getting the right new patients? Because to your point, Nikki, in July, if that first six months of new patients didn't give me the bucket that I needed, I have time now to reevaluate and say, okay, well what does this need to look like? How does my hygiene department need to grow and do my new patients need to shift and change with that? And is that something, Nikki, that you've seen like all over the place. Is that like how how often are you seeing that we just arbitrarily kind of grab the new patients that we can and then miss marks and are like, wait a second, what's going on? Nikki Mack (12:42) Yeah, I think because a lot of times it's easy to feel like, well, a new patient is a new patient and that's a win, you know, like we hit 45. But to your point, we have to be intentional, right? And there is a degree of we market, you know, to the audience, right? We hit the keywords, we're the Google search, we know what we're looking for. But most of the marketing companies that our offices work with, they say those similar things. Like, what are you trying to bring in? Tiffanie (12:49) Yes. Nikki Mack (13:10) I had an office, for example, that was changing some of their insurance, you know, contracts. And their emergency ads were bringing in a lot of those insurance-driven patients. So they were having a real struggle with maintaining the schedule they were trying to build with where they were trying to go and who was coming in. And we realized it's the ads, right? You know, that's why this number is so high and it's so hard. So we pivoted, which Ironically enough, on the flip side, I had another practice just a couple weeks ago. We were having this new patient conversation. They're focusing on some emergency dentistry targeted ads because they do have a little bit of flexibility. We've got a new associate, which is, you know, always great for opening up schedules. And so we realize that we can accommodate some emergencies, right? And ideally be able to take care of those patients the same day, which is just not always the case, right? We've we've busy practices, we can't always do it. So we wanted to capitalize on that opportunity both for the practice, but also what great patient care, right? To consistently be able to see some emergencies, build new patient relationships, and get them taken care of as quickly as possible. It just presents that kind of opportunity. So that to me, actually, funny enough, emergency patients ends up being a really good example of no two offices are the same and no one answer works for everyone. So what could be the like symptom in one practice is the solution in another. So that's why it's super important to take these deep dives and not wait till the end. ⁓ any of my practices or teams that are listening, they hear this all the time, but especially around this time of year, ⁓ we have to sometimes make decisions like we're a speedboat or sometimes like we're a cruise ship. And sometimes there's a quick pivot and it's an easy fix. And those are some of my favorites as a consultant, right? Those are easy Tiffanie (15:01) Yeah. Nikki Mack (15:02) Victories, changes, challenges overcomes. Some we're more like a cruise ship and it's a bigger strategy and tactics that we need to use to change course. So if we don't take a look now while we're halfway through the year, it's gonna be October, November, and all of a sudden, like we don't have time to make an impact in twenty twenty six or the year, you know, when you're listening. So Tiffanie (15:23) Totally agree. Yeah. Yeah, whatever yeah. Nikki Mack (15:27) You it's very important to decide what that looks like and that's how we make decisions. Our numbers tell a story. I know I didn't invent that, but I do say it a lot 'cause it's so true. And so we have to read that story and that's how we make the decisions that are gonna either turn things around for us or keep us on that course to just finish super strong. Tiffanie (15:47) Yeah, I agree. Thank you. And I think that July presents a really big opportunity ⁓ for that, for ch making changes. And and previously marketing marketing still is is like a a beast that's really hard to know. Like you nobody knows marketing. Even marketing companies are like we're still trying to figure it out. And it's just like this beta test constantly. So it's it can be very frustrating in that way, but it's also really cool because what's happened now, I know years ago it was like, okay, well, if we're gonna change marketing. Nikki Mack (16:04) Yeah. Tiffanie (16:16) It takes six months to even see the product of that marketing switch. But thank goodness we live in a progressive ⁓ future. And we're here in the future where it doesn't take weeks, months, you know, six months or so to see that change. Right now we can make a change in the marketing and the online presence and it's shifting things immediately. And so to your point, Nikki. A practice that's like, gosh, we need to fill this doctor's schedule. Let's get some emergency patients in that has the right systems that can convert. So that would be, I think if if you're in July and you're like, yep, you're right, guys, I need to shift my marketing focus and I need to look at my new patients. If you're gonna go the emergence any new patient route, but especially the emergency kind of limited exam new patient route, make sure you've got solid systems and that now you're tracking on top of that our new patient conversion. rate, right? Because a new patient coming in on a limited exam 0140 in emergency is still a new patient to your practice, but your numbers can get skewed if they're not staying. Because it's adding to your active patient count today. But if they don't come back in 18 months, like it was just a waste, right? So we don't want to waste your dollars. We want to make sure that's where Nikki comes in clutch right now with that with that team because she's not only helping them see, okay, great, let's shift to this emergency new patient. kind of standpoint to fill the associate's schedule, but she's also helping to train and see how do we track the new patient conversion and what are we saying now? This patient calls as an emergency, cool. How do we get past just a PA? How do we get to that full series of x-rays, the panoramic, the CT, to make sure that we're looking at everything and fully establishing them as a patient in your practice, not just that emergency. So Those things go in tandem and this is the perfect time of year to look back and say, these are the things that I wanted. What are the systems that have gotten me to where I'm at? And where do I need to tighten those systems up, maybe shift them a little bit? Or are there systems that I don't know yet that I'm losing things out the back end? And honestly, your patient base is a huge space for that. Your recare is your hygiene full summers upon us, summers rough in most general practices. ⁓ Nikki Mack (18:31) Yeah. Tiffanie (18:35) I think pediatrics, you guys are you guys are flying high. These are your biggest months. But for GP world, and even oral surgeries flying high right now. But our GP world, our period worlds, those worlds kind of endo ⁓ we see a slowdown and we've gotta reestablish what that looks like. So reactivation campaigns are huge right now, but we're looking at what were our goals and what is it gonna take for the rest of the year to get us there is gonna be massive. And Nikki, I love that you started us with that case acceptance piece and the new patients because truly this is a great time of year to look at that. And I think everyone thinks it's kind of like that the diet thing, right? Like I'll start on Monday. Everybody's like, well I'll start in January. Like I have a practice that hats off to them. I love it. They actually redo their fees in July because they're like, I don't like Summers is fine. Like summer's less busy. We're doing so much in December, January, February, all the way through to April. Realistically, it's crazy. So they're like, why not do it in the summer when it's slow? I'm like, wow, that's actually really freaking smart. So to piggyback off of that, like waiting until January to say, let's change our patient base, let's change our avatar, let's wow, we didn't quite make it, so let's add it to this year. And instead of a seven to ten percent increase, we need to do a 12% increase over last year. Like start now, reestablish in July and say, time out, where are we? Where are we trying to go and what's that gap in between? And then evaluate what are the systems or the processes that I need to change or increase that are gonna get my team there and how do I get that training. Now for your leadership team, they need to be doing that within their departments as well. So each department should have their own KPIs, which doesn't have to be hard, you guys, even for our our clinical team. Like it could just be schedule full. It could just be ⁓ diagnosis chair side, right? Or I love nothing more, Nikki, actually on your limited emergency. I love dental assistance tracking. They're like comp, they're limited to comp. conversion. So did they take a 0140 and convert it to 0150 chair side? What is that conversion? So we really don't have to make it difficult. We just have to make it impactful. It needs to make a direct impact on our overarching goals and it needs to be trackable and measurable. So with that, I think Nikki, what would you say if you could only give we're going to say production collections is the same because to me there's there it's ridiculous you track them both, right? They're the same. Nikki Mack (21:10) Wait. Tiffanie (21:11) So if you could only Nikki Mack (21:11) Yeah. Tiffanie (21:12) give three KPIs knowing production collections is one, what are the other two KPIs that you would insist that everyone takes a look at in July? Nikki Mack (21:21) Ooh wee. ⁓ so I am a big clearly you can tell I'm a big fan of new patient reappointment. ⁓ did they come back for six months? Are they scheduled? Did we complete treatment? Right, there's a few pieces to it, but adding them to the patient base and getting them sticky. ⁓ that would be my number two. And then number three, I don't know, Tiff. I I kind of feel like I have to go case acceptance because it's Tiffanie (21:29) Yeah. Yeah. Nikki Mack (21:48) It's pretty all encompassing. there's so many parts to it, but it just the direction of your case acceptance is such a good indicator of the health of your practice. So those are my those are probably the first three that I look at. If I if I didn't know anything about your practice, your goals, or where you were headed, those are three places I'm definitely digging in right away. Tiffanie (21:52) Yeah. Awesome. Thank you. I love those. Yes. And I will say in tandem, case acceptance. I like to group things. ⁓ Kiera and I like to say that we get away with a lot because we will group things together. So that's where my production collections comes in. And I think in tandem with the case acceptance, I say diagnosis because I just really harp on, I think from a team member standpoint of tracking case acceptance for so long and having to really dig in as a treatment coordinator and as an office manager to figure out why aren't we hitting these goals and then seeing these trends. So tracking the trends within your diagnosis to lead to your case acceptance is huge. I would have, you know, a doctor gets he's ready for vacation. He's worked too hard. He needs a vacation and his case ex or his case acceptance dropped and his diagnosis dropped as well or ⁓ somebody's killing it. So making sure that we're watching all of those pieces is huge. So no matter what, you guys, it is mid year and you're Nikki Mack (22:52) Yeah. Tiffanie (23:05) well into potentially your Q3 at this point. So I hope you're listening to this early. ⁓ but really take an assessment and look to see where have I been, where am I going and what's that gap. And if you're a few weeks into Q3 already, that's okay. ⁓ do it before Q4 as well. You need to be doing this literally every quarter, every month, every week, but for sure mid-year. And look at those areas where where you need a little bit of help. And if you do need help, we're here for you. You know, we're we're right here. We've got a freaking thousand podcasts or something that you can listen to. They're all here, they're all available to you, but we're also available at Hello@TheDentalATeam.com and at TheDentalATeam.com, you guys, we have a free assessment call that you can schedule with us where we can take a look at your systems, ⁓ some of your overarching KPIs and really help to direct and guide you and also assess if you are a good fit. For Dental A Team consulting and if you're ready for it. And if you if you're not, ⁓ or if we're like, you know what, you're almost ready, you're you're not quite there, we will keep in touch and we will still always share all of the information. But we would love to chat with you and really see where you're at and how we could best serve you in our mission to ⁓ benefit the world of dentistry. So Hello@TheDentalATeam.com. Also, drop us a five star review below. Let us know what your KPIs are. People do read those and they like to look in there for extra. Help. So Nikki, thank you so much for being here with me today. I know that we pivot and ⁓ that used to be one of our core values. Kiera and I removed it because we're all really good at pivoting, but we realized that that is a core value made it like we were pivoting too much. But we really do pivot a lot as dental consultants, and it's something that we're great at because we're problem solvers and we do it with our with our clients constantly. So thank you for being here. Thank you for pivoting and having a new Carmen San Diego background. And you all thank you so much for being here. Thank you for listening and we will catch you next time. Nikki Mack (24:58) Bye.
Welcome to episode 362 of The Cloud Pod, where the weather is always cloudy! Justin, Jonathan, and Matt are in the studio, and this week we've got slightly less AI, but much more data news – a trend Jonathan is sure will continue. Join us as we explore Kubernetes updates, the end of Amazon Mechanical Turk, and the last of the physical media for game consoles, plus more. There's a lot to cover, so let's get started! Titles we almost went with this week Going Cold Turk-ey Kubernetes Rollbacks Let You Ctrl-Z Your Cluster Answer Engine Optimization Is the New SEO Game Turk-ing Point: Amazon Pulls the Plug Stop Chasing Ephemeral IPs in Your EKS Cluster Firewall Rules That Know Your Pods by Name CloudWatch Pipelines Finally Speaks Fluent OpenTelemetry Sony Discs You, Keeps Your Money Forever EKS Upgrades Finally Get an Undo Button Azure Embraces Chaos, Calls It Studio Time Mechanical Turk Turns Off The Lights For Good There Was Never Anyone Inside the Box KV Cache Me If You Can on GKE AWS Security Hub Says Hello to Azure, Finally Amazon Cancels the Internet’s Oldest Side Hustle Amazon Prime's Next Delivery: A Pink Slip for the Turk Business as Usual – Azure announces Chaos Studio? Hello sunshine, my old Azure A big thanks to this week's sponsors: We're sponsorless! Want to get your brand, company, or service in front of a very enthusiastic group of cloud news seekers? You've come to the right place! Send us an email or hit us up on our Slack channel for more info. Follow Up 01:36 Amazon's Mechanical Turk to stop accepting new customers – and not Even AI can save it Amazon is closing Mechanical Turk to new customers, effectively ending the crowdsourced human-labor platform that launched in 2005 and once served as a foundational tool for AI training data labeling. The service predates the current generative AI boom by nearly two decades, originally designed for tasks like image tagging, transcription, and data verification that computers couldn’t handle at the time. Ironically, the rise of AI and large language models has reduced demand for the type of human-in-the-loop micro-tasking Mechanical Turk provided, as automated systems now handle much of that labeling work. Existing customers can reportedly continue using the platform, but the halt on new signups signals that Amazon is deprioritizing the service rather than investing further in it. This closure reflects a broader shift in the AI data pipeline, where synthetic data generation and more sophisticated automated labeling tools are replacing older crowdsourced human-labor marketplaces. 02:14 Justin – “If you ever actually used the service, you’ll know that both the Turks interface that you actually did work, and the setting up the jobs was terrible anyway. It was always very difficult to use, and they never made it easier over the years. So I don’t know if they’ve ever really been investing in it heavily. But it’s definitely been around for a long time.” AI Is Going Great – or How ML Ma
Get the 200+ Page Optimal Living Daily Workbook (PDF) — Free. Want to turn today's episode into an actionable plan? Join the Optimal Living Weekly newsletter and I'll send you our 200-page digital workbook immediately. It's packed with the best takeaways from the show, formatted for easy reading and implementation at home. Get your free PDF workbook here: https://oldpodcast.eo.page/join Discover all of the podcasts in our network, search for specific episodes and learn more at: OLDPodcast.com. Episode 2104: Dr. Jenny Brockis explores how the same brain mechanisms that drive other behavioral addictions can turn work into an unhealthy obsession, especially in our hyperconnected world. She explains the warning signs of work addiction and shares four cornerstone habits that help restore balance, improve brain performance, and protect long-term wellbeing. Read along with the original article(s) here: https://drjennybrockis.com/2017/5/22/are-you-addicted-to-work/ Quotes to ponder: "The nature of addiction revolves around how the brain perceives pleasure." "What's not so fine is when the motivation becomes so compelling that we lose sight of how much is enough, and when to stop." "Ironically working too hard is counterproductive to obtaining our goals, because it is the fast track to exhaustion, burnout and an increased risk of mental illness." Episode references: The Power of Habit: Why We Do What We Do in Life and Business: https://charlesduhigg.com/the-power-of-habit/ World of Warcraft: https://worldofwarcraft.blizzard.com/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Dark Side of Seoul Podcast Episode 316 The Weird Science Behind Korean Food Nationalism Episode Description A 2023 paper published in the Journal of Ethnic Foods argues that Korean cuisine developed in isolation, authentic Korean food isn't spicy, and even that royal court cuisine isn't truly Korean. In this episode, we examine the paper's historical, linguistic, archaeological, and scientific claims to see where the evidence supports the authors and where nationalism appears to outweigh scholarship. Topics Discussed Why Korean food doesn't need exaggerated origin stories The concept of food nationalism The "Hermit Kingdom" myth Did Korean cuisine really develop in isolation? Is banchan unique to Korea? Claims that Korean food has no sugar or oil Korean language and the outdated Ural-Altaic theory Ancient DNA and whether genetics can explain cuisine The debate over chili peppers and Korean food history Why the paper argues royal court cuisine isn't Korean How academic papers should distinguish evidence from advocacy Timestamps 00:00 Introduction 03:12 Why this paper caught our attention 08:45 "Correcting" Korean food history 15:20 Korea as an isolated civilization 22:08 Is banchan unique? 28:41 The claims about sugar, oil, and Korean cooking 35:15 Pottery, archaeology, and food history 42:10 Genetics, language, and extraordinary conclusions 49:55 The chili pepper controversy 56:30 Royal court cuisine and cultural identity 1:02:45 Final thoughts Mentioned During the Episode Science and Philosophy of Korea Traditional Foods (K-food) (Journal of Ethnic Foods, 2023) Traditional Korean cuisine Kimchi Banchan Joseon royal cuisine Korean food history The Columbian Exchange Ural-Altaic language theory Listen & Follow Website: https://darksideofseoul.com Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-dark-side-of-seoul-podcast/id1504623984 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/1lZBXNX79kwH2NXcJWNcb8 Patreon: https://patreon.com/darksideofseoul YouTube: https://youtube.com/@darksideofseoul Instagram: https://instagram.com/darksideofseoul Facebook: https://facebook.com/darksideofseoul Contact: info@darksideofseoul.com About The Dark Side of Seoul The Dark Side of Seoul explores Korea's darker history, folklore, true crime, urban legends, supernatural traditions, forgotten places, and the cultural stories that don't usually appear in guidebooks. New episodes include deep historical dives alongside our "Fun Sized" discussions of current events, controversies, and unusual aspects of life in Korea. Notes Science and philosophy of Korea traditional foods (K-food) Dae Young Kwon, Kim Soon-Hee, Kyung Rhan Chung, James W. Daily & Sunmin Park https://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s42779-023-00194-3 Introduction Why This Paper Matters On the surface, this looks like an ordinary academic paper. It was published in 2023 in the Journal of Ethnic Foods, an open-access journal published by BioMed Central. It has multiple authors, references dozens of sources, and presents itself as a scientific examination of Korean food history and philosophy. But once you start reading it closely, something becomes obvious. The paper repeatedly makes sweeping historical, linguistic, archaeological, genetic, and anthropological claims that either go well beyond the available evidence or directly contradict mainstream scholarship. Rather than weighing competing explanations, it almost always arrives at the same conclusion: Korean food is uniquely independent, uniquely original, and fundamentally separate from neighboring cultures. That is what makes this paper interesting. Not because it's simply "wrong." Plenty of academic papers contain mistakes. It's interesting because it reflects a broader pattern that occasionally appears in Korean public discourse, media, and even academia: the desire to demonstrate Korean exceptionalism through scientific language. The Bigger Pattern Much of the paper revolves around proving things don't merely exist in Korea. They must be: older than everyone else's more original than everyone else's scientifically superior impossible to have borrowed from neighboring cultures It's the same pattern behind claims that: Korean is uniquely logical. Korean relationships are deeper because of speech levels. Metal chopsticks create better surgeons. Koreans excel at archery because of chopsticks. Kimchi predates chili peppers. Everything distinctive must have originated in Korea. Some of these are harmless internet folklore. Others find their way into books, museums, newspapers, documentaries, and occasionally academic publications. Why This Happens None of this appeared in a vacuum. Modern Korea emerged from colonization, war, dictatorship, and decades of being culturally overshadowed by larger neighbors. Building a strong national identity was an understandable project. The problem comes when pride begins driving the research instead of the research informing the pride. Good scholarship starts with evidence and follows wherever it leads. Nationalistic scholarship often starts with the conclusion and works backwards. That doesn't make every conclusion false. It does make readers ask a very different question: "Is this trying to discover the truth?" Or "Is this trying to prove something?" This paper often feels like the latter. 1. The Authors Set Themselves Up as the Correctors of History Page 1 "Nevertheless, until now, the history of food on the Korean Peninsula has been mainly studied by history scholars who can read Chinese characters rather than by natural scientists, resulting in errors and distortions in our understanding of the identity, history, and originality of Korean food. In this paper, we aim to correct these errors and distortions and to present scientifically validated research... Furthermore, we also aim to provide scientific truths..." Problems The paper begins by declaring that historians have distorted Korean food history while positioning the authors as the ones who possess the "scientific truths." Throughout the paper they continue using historical texts whenever those texts support their conclusions while dismissing them when they do not. It's an unusual way to frame an academic paper. Most research begins with questions, not with a declaration that previous scholarship is fundamentally wrong. 2. Korea Developed in Isolation Page 2 "The early Korean population developed their characteristic foods in relative isolation from other regions of Asia due to the oceans and rugged mountains surrounding the country. Therefore, we must be very careful when discussing the culture and history of Korean food through Chinese books... Korea has historically been geographically isolated... it was also so historically resistant to outside influences and interactions that it was commonly called the 'Hermit Kingdom.'" Problems This compresses thousands of years of Korean history into an isolation narrative. Korea maintained continuous contact with China, Japan, Jurchens, Mongols, and others through diplomacy, trade, religion, migration, and warfare. "Hermit Kingdom" describes a particular period of late Joseon diplomacy, not Korea's entire historical development. 3. Banchan Exists Nowhere Else Page 2 "Another distinctive feature of Korean cuisine is the unique presentation of bap and banchan... We call this banchan culture, and it is a food culture that does not exist in any other country in the world." Problems Korea's version is distinctive. The concept of eating a staple grain with multiple shared side dishes exists throughout East and Southeast Asia. The paper turns a distinctive tradition into an absolute claim. 4. Korea Had No Sugar or Oil Pages 2-3 "Not only do we have a different ethnic root than China, but we also do not have oil or sugar as elements to make food delicious agriculturally." ... "In an environment where livestock and dairy products did not exist, where sugar to provide a sweet taste was unavailable, and where there was no oil to enhance the flavor..." Problems Traditional Korean cooking uses sesame oil, perilla oil, honey, rice syrup (조청), and malt syrup. Traditional desserts like yakgwa depend on both oil and sweeteners. The paper repeatedly describes Korea as lacking ingredients that are well documented in Korean culinary history. 5. Tasteless Vegetables Are the Soul of Korean Food Page 3 "As with all vegetables and herbs, they have less flavor when they do not contain salt, fat, or protein. The essence of Korean cuisine lies in the spirit and wisdom of Korean ancestors on how to eat these tasteless vegetables deliciously, which can be said to be the soul of Korean food." Problems This is philosophy rather than food science. It's a perfectly reasonable cultural reflection. It should not be presented as scientific evidence. 6. Pottery Alone Proves Independent Food Culture Page 4 "The earthenware vessels found in Korea during the ancient times were... mostly different from that of China. From this alone, we can tell that the food culture of ancient times in Korea was independently formed from that of China." Problems "From this alone" is an enormous leap. Archaeologists do not infer entire culinary traditions from pottery styles alone. Different pottery demonstrates different pottery. 7. Korean and Chinese Are Completely Different Peoples Pages 4-5 "The Korean and Chinese peoples are ethnologically different nations." ... "Korea has continued to develop independently thereby developing and preserving its own culture and history without being culturally absorbed by the country of China." Problems Korean civilization certainly developed its own identity. But history also documents centuries of exchange in religion, administration, philosophy, literature, technology and cuisine. The paper repeatedly frames influence as something that either happened completely or not at all. 8. Korean Is Related to Hungarian and Finnish Page 5 "Korean is classified as Ural-Altaic (Trans-Eurasian), which is completely different from the Chinese language system (India-Europe). Korean belongs to the same linguistic family as Manchurian, Mongolian, Japanese, Hungarian, and Finnish." Problems Chinese is not Indo-European. The Ural-Altaic hypothesis has largely been abandoned by historical linguists. This entire linguistic discussion has little bearing on culinary history. 9. Ancient DNA Proves Korean Food Didn't Come from China Pages 5-6 "The rapid decline in male genetic diversity... suggests that during the war, the invaders slaughtered men and humiliated women." ... "Therefore, it is a false claim that Korean food came from either China or Japan through men's communication. Wars have not advanced the development of food. Had mothers' languages not changed after the war, their food would not have changed either." Problems This is probably the biggest logical leap in the paper. Population genetics cannot determine where recipes originated. The authors move directly from Bronze Age Y-chromosome bottlenecks to twentieth-century arguments about Korean cuisine. 10. Korea Had No Livestock, Dairy, Sugar or Oil Page 6 "In an environment where livestock and dairy products did not exist... where sugar... was unavailable... and where there was no oil to enhance the flavor..." Problems This repeats and expands an earlier claim. Historically Korea had livestock. It had oils. It had traditional sweeteners. The statement is presented far more absolutely than the historical record supports. 11. Korean Food Is Never Spicy Page 16 "Foreigners who do not understand this come to believe that Korean food is very spicy. In reality, authentic Korean food is never hot because chili pepper varieties cultivated in Korea are not hot." Problems Korean peppers are generally milder than many Southeast Asian varieties. That does not make Korean food "never hot." This swings from one extreme myth to the opposite extreme. 12. Royal Court Cuisine Isn't Korean Page 16 "Royal court cuisine and jongka cuisine are not Korean food; they are based on Chinese food." Problems One of the paper's most extraordinary conclusions. Royal cuisine developed inside Korean courts, by Korean cooks, over centuries. Cultural influence does not erase cultural identity. 13. The Paper Contradicts Itself About Foreign Influence Pages 16-17 The paper argues wars and foreign influence did not shape Korean food. Then later it writes: "Inexpensive wheat flour from the USA replaced the more expensive rice with flour, which has greatly contributed to the development of pajeon, tteokbokki, and kuksu." Problems This is exactly the kind of foreign influence the paper spends earlier chapters minimizing. It acknowledges that American food aid transformed important Korean dishes after the Korean War. Structural Problems Heavy self-citation Many of the paper's key citations are previous publications by the lead author. The article often cites earlier books and papers by Kwon to support Kwon's current arguments. Personal communications as evidence One of the key claims about ancient Korean chili peppers relies on an unpublished personal communication rather than peer-reviewed evidence. Conclusions precede the evidence Throughout the paper, the conclusion remains remarkably consistent: Korean food is uniquely independent. Korean food is uniquely original. Korean food is uniquely healthy. Korean food is fundamentally separate from neighboring cuisines. The evidence is then selected and interpreted to support those conclusions. Closing Korean cuisine is extraordinary. It doesn't need exaggerated origin stories. It doesn't become less Korean because chili peppers came from the Americas. It doesn't become less Korean because Buddhism came through China. It doesn't become less Korean because dumplings arrived with the Mongols. Every great cuisine is built through centuries of borrowing, adapting, refining, and making ideas its own. Ironically, that's exactly what makes Korean food so interesting. The strongest case for Korean cuisine isn't that it developed in complete isolation. It's that Korea took influences from around the world and transformed them into something unmistakably Korean. That story is both more believable and far more impressive. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
Would you download an app where you order your favorite meal, knowing it'll never arrive? A new app in South Korea is designed to give you the dopamine hit of ordering food without the calories, and it sparks a surprisingly heated debate about whether we should import it to the US. Things got even weirder when Vanessa admitted she "pretend-orders" food on delivery apps just for fun. We also heard from short people about the everyday struggles tall people never think about, from getting patted on the head and climbing grocery store shelves to shopping for heels in the kids' section. Ironically, comedian Brad Williams stopped by the studio and answered even more questions about life as a little person. Plus we debut a brand-new game, Is It Younger or Older Than America? You'll be shocked by the ages of things like pianos, bourbon, and Princeton University. And finally, Ally secretly records herself asking her wife for a threesome. The answer isn't exactly what she was hoping for... but she does get permission for a virtual fling, with a few very specific caveats
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.
Kenneth Chester
Kenneth Chester
Kenneth Chester
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