Podcasts about Italian

We're back! It's time to preview the January 2026 movies that will air on Hallmark Channel. Lost in ParadisePremieres Saturday January 3 8/7cStarring Lacey Chabert and Ian HardingWhen the founder of a high-end fashion company gets marooned on an "deserted" island with a chef, romance blossoms as they work together to survive.A Melbourne MatchPremieres Saturday January 10 8/7cStarring Mallory Jansen and Ryan CorrGeorgie, a travel writer, travels to Melbourne for an assignment where she meets Zach, an Australian ex-footballer who agrees to be her tour guide and shows her that there's more to life than work.Love on the AmazonPremieres Saturday January 17 8/7cStarring Jaicy Elliott and Rafael de la FuenteGabby travels to the Amazon to reach her sister, a researcher, and meets a rugged riverboat Captain named Ryder.Caught by LovePremieres Saturday January 24 8/7cStarring Rachael Leigh Cook and Luke MacfarlaneWhile on a journey of self-discovery, a resort guest gets swept into an undercover investigation for stolen jewels that turns into an unexpected and adventurous romance.Missing the BoatPremieres Saturday January 31 8/7cStarring Emilie Ullerup and Kristoffer PolahaStrangers Kelly and Parker both end up on the same Italian cruise, but after missing the boat during a stop, they're forced to team up and race across southern Italy to catch up. Watch the show on Youtube - www.deckthehallmark.com/youtubeInterested in advertising on the show? Email bran@deckthehallmark.com Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

The best way to learn Italian doesn't involve memorizing verb lists. Here are 7 effective techniques (in our humble opinion) to get better and better at Italian. Learn about our Online Italian School and get a free mini lesson every week: https://joyoflanguages.online/italian-school Subscribe to our new YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@joyoflanguages.italian?sub_confirmation=1 Get the bonus materials for this episode: https://italian.joyoflanguages.com/podcast/The-Best-Way-to-Learn-Italian Today's Italian words: Vorrei uno spritz = I'd like a spritz Ho una prenotazione = I have a reservation Sono americano = I am American Vivo in Canada = I live in Canada Vivo in Inghliterra = I live in England

Episode Summary:In this episode of Explaining History, Nick explores the neglected connection between economic austerity and political repression in the early years of Fascist Italy.Drawing on the groundbreaking work of economist Clara Mattei, we delve into how Mussolini's regime used budget cuts, regressive taxation, and mass layoffs not just to balance the books, but to crush the Italian working class. We examine the "Two Red Years" (Biennio Rosso) that terrified the bourgeoisie and how Fascism was welcomed by liberal elites as a necessary tool to restore order and protect private capital.From the hiking of third-class rail fares to the slashing of veteran benefits, we unpack how economic policy was weaponized to reverse the democratic gains of the post-WWI era. Was austerity the true engine of the Fascist counter-revolution?Key Topics:Austerity as Repression: How economic policy was used to discipline the working class.The Liberal-Fascist Alliance: Why mainstream economists supported Mussolini.The Biennio Rosso: The socialist uprising that terrified Italy's elites.The Motto "Nothing for Nothing": De Stefani's ruthless approach to public spending.Resources:"Austerity and Repressive Politics: Italian Economists and the Early Years of the Fascist Government" by Clara Mattei (Institute of Economics, Scuola Superiore Sant'Anna)Explaining History helps you understand the 20th Century through critical conversations and expert interviews. We connect the past to the present. If you enjoy the show, please subscribe and share.▸ Support the Show & Get Exclusive ContentBecome a Patron: patreon.com/explaininghistory▸ Join the Community & Continue the ConversationFacebook Group: facebook.com/groups/ExplainingHistoryPodcastSubstack: theexplaininghistorypodcast.substack.com▸ Read Articles & Go DeeperWebsite: explaininghistory.org Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today, for our final episode of the year, I am joined by someone whose life story reads like an atlas: the actor, writer, and now podcast host, Richard E. Grant.Born in Swaziland, now known as Eswatini, in southern Africa, Richard grew up in a world of big landscapes, no television, and endless imagination. From there he moved to London in the early 1980s, and very quickly became unforgettable figure on stage and screen - from his iconic role in Withnail & I, all the way through to Gosford Park, Jackie, Star Wars, Saltburn, and his Oscar-nominated performance in Can You Ever Forgive Me?Throughout it all, running beneath the red carpets and film sets, there has been travel. He spent 33 summers at a beloved farmhouse in Provence with his late wife Joan, brocante shopping and watching the seasons change. He's had close encounters with sharks while scuba diving off Mozambique, checked into seedy hotel suites in Las Vegas, and floated on the still waters of Lake Como.And now, his travel stories telling them in a new way. Richard is the co-host, of the brilliant new podcast Hotels with History with travel pr Jules Perowne - a series that dives into the scandals, intrigue, glamour and ghosts of some of the world's most legendary hotels.So, sit back, pour something festive, and join me as we step inside the seven travel chapters of Richard E. Grant.Destination Recap:Eswatini (Formerly Swaziland) London, England MozambiqueProvence, France Masai Mara, Kenya and Tanzania Las Vegas, Nevada, USAPassalacqua, Lake Como, ItalyRitz Paris, France The Mark Hotel, Manhattan, New York, USAMkhaya Game Reserve, Safari, SwazilandIsraelGrand Egyptian Museum (GEM), Giza, Egypt SpaceRichard is co-host of the Hotels with History podcast, Season 1 out now I'll be back with a new season of the podcast in the Spring.With thanks to...Citalia - If you're dreaming of your own Italian adventure, visit Citalia.com to start planning today.Naturhotel Forsthofgut – if, like many of our guests, you're dreaming of an alpine escape rooted in harmony with nature, visit forsthofgut.at to start planning today.Beaverbrook Hotel - Escape the everyday and discover Beaverbrook for yourself, a truly indulgent country-house retreat just outside London. Find out more and book your stay at beaverbrook.co.uk.Thanks so much for listening today. If you want to be the first to find out who is joining me next time, come and follow me on Instagram I'm @hollyrubenstein, and you'll also find me on TikTok - I'd love to hear from you. And if you can't wait until then, remember there's the first 14 seasons to catch up on, that's over 165 episodes to keep you busy. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week, Jason is joined by one of the biggest breakout stars in Netflix's reality TV world, Chloe Veitch! Chloe first rose to fame on Too Hot To Handle, quickly becoming a fan favorite with her humor, honesty, and a big personality. She went on to compete on The Circle and later on Perfect Match, and most recently hosting Sneaky Links After Dark, building a reputation as one of the most recognizable faces on Netflix reality universe. Beyond television, Chloe has leveraged her fame into a career as a model, influencer, and content creator, connecting with millions of fans across social media. Chloe opens up about her early dream of pursuing a career in London's West End, how her relationship with money has evolved, and why she used opportunities as a form of escapism growing up. She shares how getting signed to a boutique London agency at 18 — and taking an unpaid modeling job — unexpectedly led to Too Hot to Handle, plus the reality show she almost joined and why she played The Circle more strategically. Chloe breaks down how TV exposure turns into brand deals, the hard lessons she's learned about valuing income, why being single performs better on reality TV, and the one show she would never do again. She also dives into hosting — landing her first job without an audition but needing to sell the concept to Netflix — getting off ADHD medication, controlling the energy in the room, knowing when to walk away from relationships, launching her Big Sister radio segment with the Unwell Network, the power of loyal followers, standing firm on non-negotiables, and the advice she'd give her younger self. Chloe reveals all this and so much more in another episode you can't afford to miss! Host: Jason Tartick Co-Host: David Arduin Audio: John Gurney Guest: Chloe Veitch Stay connected with the Trading Secrets Podcast!  Instagram: @tradingsecretspodcast  Youtube: Trading Secrets Facebook: Join the Group  All Access: Free 30-Day Trial  Trading Secrets Steals & Deals! Northwest Registered Agent: Northwest is your one stop business resource. Learn how to build a professional website, what annual filings your business needs to stay in good standing, and simple explanations of complicated business laws. Don't wait, protect your privacy, build your brand and get your complete business identity in just 10 clicks and 10 minutes! Visit [https://www.northwestregisteredagent.com/tradingsecretsfree] and start building something amazing! Quince: From Mongolian cashmere sweaters to Italian wool coats, Quince pieces are crafted from premium materials and built to hold up without the luxury markup. Get your wardrobe sorted and your gift list handled with Quince. Don't wait! Go to Quince.com/tradingsecrets for free shipping on your order and 365-day returns. Now available in Canada, too. Upwork: Instead of spending weeks sorting through random resumes, Upwork Business Plus sends a curated shortlist of expert talent to your inbox in hours. Trusted, top-rated freelancers vetted for skills and reliability.... and rehired by businesses like yours. Right now, when you spend $1,000 on Upwork Business Plus, you'll get $500 in credit. Go to Upwork.com/SAVE now and claim the offer before 12/31/2025.

After a celebrated run off-Broadway and rave reviews, Irene Lucio has returned to the role of Isadora in the groundbreaking play. LIBERATION explores the universal themes of freedom, identity, and resilience, set against the backdrop of historical and contemporary struggles for justice. Isadora is an Italian immigrant filmmaker who entered a green-card marriage. New York Theatre Guide called her performance “sharp and witty… toggling back and forth between humor and heartbreak with natural ease.” Irene is perhaps best known for her role in Jeremy O. Harris' award-winning play SLAVE PLAY where she starred as Patricia and played the role in all four forms of the show. She also wrote a Spanish series titled ‘SúperEllas' for Canela TV. A show for children about Latina trailblazers, it won the Best Non-English Program – Family Programming at the 48th Annual Gracie Awards. As a Latinx woman born and raised in Puerto Rico, Irene seeks roles which showcase the importance of diverse representation in the arts. Fluent in Spanish and a graduate of Princeton and Yale's esteemed acting program, she currently lives in Manhattan with her husband and 2 year old son. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In this episode of Gangland Wire, Gary Jenkins sits down with Bob Cooley, the once–well-connected Chicago lawyer who lived at the center of the city's most notorious corruption machine. After years out of the public eye, Cooley recently resurfaced to revisit his explosive memoir, When Corruption Was King—and this conversation offers a rare, firsthand look at how organized crime, politics, and the court system intersected in Chicago for decades. Cooley traces his journey from growing up in a police family to serving as a Chicago police officer and ultimately becoming a criminal defense attorney whose real job was quietly fixing cases for the Chicago Outfit. His deep understanding of the judicial system made him indispensable to mob-connected power brokers like Pat Marcy, a political fixer with direct access to judges, prosecutors, and court clerks. Inside the Chicago Corruption Machine Cooley explains how verdicts were bought, cases were steered, and justice was manipulated—what insiders called the “Chicago Method.” He describes his relationships with key figures in organized crime, including gambling bosses like Marco D'Amico and violent enforcers such as Harry Aleman and Tony Spilotro, painting a chilling picture of life inside a world where loyalty was enforced by fear.   As his role deepened, so did the psychological toll. Cooley recounts living under constant threat, including a contract placed on his life after he refused to betray a fellow associate—an event that forced him to confront the cost of the life he was leading. Turning Point: Becoming a Federal Witness The episode covers Cooley's pivotal decision in 1986 to cooperate with federal authorities, a move that helped dismantle powerful corruption networks through FBI Operation Gambat. Cooley breaks down how political connections—not just street-level violence—allowed the Outfit to operate with near-total impunity for so long.   Along the way, Cooley reflects on the moral reckoning that led him to turn on the system that had enriched and protected him, framing his story as one not just of crime and betrayal, but of reckoning and redemption. What Listeners Will Hear How Bob Cooley became the Outfit's go-to case fixer The role of Pat Marcy and political corruption in Chicago courts Firsthand stories involving Marco D'Amico, Harry Aleman, and Tony Spilotro The emotional and psychological strain of living among violent criminals The decision to cooperate and the impact of Operation Gambat Why Cooley believes Chicago's corruption endured for generations Why This Episode Matters Bob Cooley is one of the few people who saw the Chicago Outfit from inside the courtroom and the back rooms of power. His story reveals how deeply organized crime embedded itself into the institutions meant to uphold the law—and what it cost those who tried to escape it.   This episode sets the stage for a deeper follow-up conversation, where Gary and Cooley will continue unpacking the most dangerous and revealing moments of his life. Resources   Book: When Corruption Was King by Bob Cooley Hit me up on Venmo for a cup of coffee or a shot and a beer @ganglandwire Click here to “buy me a cup of coffee” Subscribe to the website for weekly notifications about updates and other Mob information. To go to the store or make a donation or rent Ballot Theft: Burglary, Murder, Coverup, click here To rent ‘Brothers against Brothers’ or ‘Gangland Wire,’ the documentaries click here.  To purchase one of my books, click here. 0:03 Prelude to Bob Cooley’s Story 1:57 Bob Cooley’s Background 5:24 The Chicago Outfit Connection 8:24 The Turning Point 15:20 The Rise of a Mob Lawyer 23:54 A Life of Crime and Consequences 26:03 The Incident at the Police Station 50:27 The Count and His Influence 1:19:51 The Murder of a Friend 1:35:26 Contracts and Betrayal 1:40:36 Conclusion and Future Stories Transcript [0:00] Well, hey guys, this is a little prelude to my next story. Bob Cooley was a Chicago lawyer and an outfit associate who had been in, who has been in hiding for many years. I contacted him about six or seven years ago when I first started a podcast, I was able to get a phone number on him and, and got him on the phone. He was, I think it was out in the desert in Las Vegas area at the time. And at the time he was trying to sell his book when corruption was king to a movie producer And he really didn’t want to overexpose himself, and they didn’t really want him to do anything. And eventually, COVID hit, and the movie production was canceled. And it was just all over. There were several movie productions were canceled during COVID, if I remember right. A couple people who I have interviewed and had a movie deal going. Well, Bob recently remembered me, and he contacted me. He just called me out of the clear blue, and he wanted to revive his book and his story. He’s been, you know, way out of the limelight for a long time. And so I thought, well, I always wanted to interview this guy because he’s got a real insider’s knowledge to Chicago Outfit, the one that very few people have. [1:08] You know, here’s what he knows about. And he provides valuable insight into the inner workings of the Outfit. And I don’t mean, you know, scheming up how to kill people and how to do robberies and burglars and all that. But the Chicago court system and Chicago politics, that’s a, that’s a, the, the mob, a mafia family can’t exist unless they have connections into the political system and especially the court system. Otherwise, what good are they? You know, I mean, they, they just take your money where they give you back. They can’t protect you from anybody. [1:42] So I need to give you a little more of the backstory before we go on to the actual interview with Bob, because he kind of rambles a little bit and goes off and comes back and drops [1:54] names that we don’t have time to go into explanation. So here’s a little bit of what he talked about. He went from being, as I said before, Chicago Outfit’s trusted fixer in the court system, and he eventually became the government star witness against them. He’s born, he’s about my age. He was born in 1943. He was an Irish-American police family and came from the Chicago South side. He was a cop himself for a short period of time, but he was going to law school while he was a policeman. And once he started practicing law, he moved right into criminal law and into first ward politics and the judicial world downtown. [2:36] And that’s where the outfit and the old democratic machine intersected. He was in a restaurant called Counselor’s Row, which was right down. Bob had an office downtown. Well, he’s inside that system, and he uses his insider’s knowledge to fix cases. Once an outfit started noticing him that he could fix a case if he wanted to, he immediately became connected to the first ward power broker and outfit political conduit, a guy named Pat Marcy. Pat Marcy knew all the judges He knew all the court clerks And all the police officers And Bob was getting to know him too During this time But Bob was a guy who was out in He was a lawyer And he was working inside the court system Marcy was just a downtown fixer. [3:22] But Bob got to where he could guarantee acquittals or light sentences for whoever came to him with the right amount of money, whether it be a mobster or a bookmaker or a juice loan guy or a crap politician, whoever it was, Bob could fix the case. [3:36] One of the main guys tied to his work he was kind of attached to a crew everybody’s owned by somebody he was attached to the Elmwood Park crew and Marco D’Amico who was under John DeFranco and I can’t remember who was before DeFranco, was kind of his boss and he was a gambling boss and Bob was a huge gambler I mean a huge gambler and Bob will help fix cases for some notorious people Really, one of the most important stories that we’ll go into in the second episode of this is Harry the Hook Aleman. And he also helped fix the case for Tony Spolatro and several others. He’s always paid him in cash. And he lived large. As you’ll see, he lived large. And he moved comfortably between mobsters and politicians and judges. And he was one of the insiders back in the 70s, 60s or 70s mainly. He was an insider. But by the 80s, he’s burned out. He’s disgusted with himself. He sees some things that he doesn’t like. They put a contract out on him once because he wouldn’t give somebody up as an informant, and he tipped one of his clients off that he was going to come out that he was an informant, and the guy was able to escape, I believe. Well, I have to go back and listen to my own story. [4:53] Finally in 1986 he walked unannounced they didn’t have a case on him and he walked unannounced in the U.S. Courthouse and offered himself up to take down this whole Pat Marcy and the whole mobster political clique in Chicago and he wore a wire for FBI an operation called Operation Gambat which is a gambling attorney because he was a huge gambler [5:17] huge huge gambler and they did a sweeping probe and indicted tons of people over this. So let’s go ahead and listen to Robert Cooley. [5:31] Uh, he, he, like I said, he’s a little bit rambling and a little bit hard to follow sometimes, but some of these names and, and, uh, and in the first episode, we’ll really talk about his history and, uh, where he came from and how he came up. He’ll mention somebody called the count and I’ll do that whole count story and a whole nother thing. So when he talks about the count, just disregard that it’ll be a short or something. And I got to tell that count story. It’s an interesting story. Uh, he, he gets involved with the only own, uh, association, uh, and, uh, and the, uh, Chinese Tong gang in, uh, Chicago and Chicago’s Chinatown. Uh, some of the other people he’ll talk about are Marco D’Amico, as I said, and D’Amico’s top aide, Rick Glantini, uh, another, uh, connected guy and worked for the city of Chicago is Robert Abinati. He was a truck driver. [6:25] He was also related to D’Amico and D’Amico’s cousin, former Chicago police officer Ricky Borelli. Those are some of the names that he’ll mention in this. So let’s settle back and listen to Bob Cooley. Hey, all you wiretappers. Good to be back here in studio gangland wire. This is Gary Jenkins, retired Kansas City Police Intelligence Unit detective. And, you know, we we deal with the mob here once a week, sometimes twice a week on the podcast. And I have a special guest that hadn’t been heard from for a while. And, you know, to be honest, guys, I’ve kind of gotten away from the outfit. I’ve been doing a lot of New York stuff and Springfield, Massachusetts and all around the country. And I kind of got away from Chicago. And we’re going back to Chicago today. And I’m honored that Bob Cooley got hold of me. Now, you may not know who Bob Cooley was, but Bob Cooley was a guy. He was a mob lawyer in Chicago, and he really probably, he heard him as much as anybody’s ever heard him, and he did it all of his own accord. He was more like an undercover agent that just wasn’t officially designated an FBI agent rather than an informant. But anyhow, welcome, Bob. [7:37] Hello. Nice meeting you. Nice to meet you. And I’ve talked to you before. And you were busy before a few years ago. And you were getting ready to make some movies and stuff. And then COVID hit and a lot of that fell through. And that happened to several people I’ve talked to. You got a lot in common with me. I was a Kansas City policeman. And I ended up becoming a lawyer after I left the police department. And you were a Chicago copper. And then you left the police department a little bit earlier than I did and became a lawyer. And, and Bob, you’re from a Chicago police family, if I remember right. Is that correct? Oh, police, absolute police background, the whole family. Yes. Yeah. Your grandfather, your grandfather was killed in the line of duty. Is that right? [8:25] Both of my grandfathers were killed in the line of duty. Wow. In fact, that’s one of the reasons why I eventually did what I did. I was very, very close with my dad. Yeah, and your dad was a copper. [8:38] He was a policeman, yeah. And in fact, you use that term. I, for many, many years, wouldn’t use that word. It just aggravated me when people would use the word copper. To me, it would show disrespect. Oh, really? I said to us in Kansas City, that’s what we call each other, you know, among coppers. Oh, I know. I know. But I know. But, you know, I just, for whatever reason, one of the things that aggravated me the most, in fact, when I was being cross-examined by this piece of shit, Eddie Jensen, the one I wrote about in my book that was, you know, getting a lot of people killed and whatever. And he made some comment about my father. and I got furious and I had to, you know, my father was unbelievably honest as a policeman. [9:29] Everybody loved him because they didn’t have to share, uh, you know, but he was a detective. He had been written up many times in true and magazines and these magazines for making arrests. He was involved in the cartage detail. He was involved in all kinds of other things, but honest as the day is long. And, and, um, but, uh, again, the, uh, my father’s father was, uh, was a policeman and he was killed by a member of the Capone gang. And, uh, and when he was killed, after he was killed. [10:05] The, uh, well, after he got shot, he got shot during a robbery after he got shot, he was in the hospital for a while. And then he went, then he went back home. He went back home to his, uh, you know, to his house, uh, cause he had seven kids. He had a big family too. And, uh, stayed with his, you know, with his wife and, and, and eventually died. And when he died they had a very mediocre funeral for him. They had a bigger, much bigger funeral when Al Capone’s brother died. But during that time when I was a kid when I was about 13, 12, 13 years old, I worked among other places at a grocery store where I delivered to my grandmother. My grandmother lived in South Park which later became Mark Luther King Drive. She lived a very, very meager life because she basically had nothing. [11:09] What they gave them for the, at that time, what they gave them for the police department was a portion of the husband’s salary when they died, whatever. It was never a big deal like it is now, you know, like it is now when policemen get killed in the line of duty. and I’m thinking at the same time I’m thinking down the road, You know, about certain things from my past did come back to affect me. [11:38] Doing what I was doing, when I got involved, and I got involved absolutely with all these different people. My father hated these people. I didn’t, you know, I didn’t realize how much. I didn’t realize much when I was growing, you know, when I was growing up and whatever. And even when I was practicing law and when I opened up Pratt-Mose, I would have my father and mother come along with other people. And the place was all full of mobsters. I mean, we’re talking about, you know, a lot of Capone’s whole crew. A lot of the gunmen were still alive. In fact, the ones that ran the first award were all gunmen from Capone’s mob. And never said a word, never said a word about it. You know, he met my partner, Johnny Diaco, who was part of the mob, the senator, and whatever colitis could be. My dad, when my dad was dying. [12:38] When my dad was dying, he had what they didn’t call it, but it had to be Alzheimer’s because my dad was a unbelievably, he was a big, strong man, but he was never a fighter, sweet as could be to anybody and everybody. When he started getting bad, he started being mean to my mother and doing certain things. So we finally had to put him into a nursing home. When I went to see him in the nursing, and I had a close relationship with my dad because he saved my life many times when I was a kid. I was involved with stolen cars at school. I should have been thrown out of school. It was Mount Carmel, but he had been a Carmelite, almost a Carmelite priest. [13:25] And whatever, and that’s what kept me from being kicked out of school at Marquette when they were going to throw me out there because I was, again, involved in a lot of fights, and I also had an apartment that we had across the hall from the shorter hall where I was supposed to stay when I was a freshman, and we were throwing huge parties, and they wanted to throw me out of school. My dad came, my dad came and instead of throwing me out, they let me resign and whatever he had done so much, you know, for me. Yeah. [14:00] Now when I, when I meet, when I meet him up in the hospital, I, I came in the first time and it was about maybe 25 miles outside, you know, from where my office was downtown. And when I went in to see him, they had him strapped in a bed because apparently when he initially had two people in the room and when somebody would come in to try to talk to him and whatever, he would be nasty. And one time he punched one of the nurses who was, you know, because he was going in the bed and they wouldn’t, and he wouldn’t let him take him out. You know, I was furious and I had to go, I had to go through all that. And now, just before he died, it was about two or three days before he died, he didn’t recognize anybody except me. Didn’t recognize my mother. Didn’t recognize anybody. Yet when I would come into the room, son, that’s what he always called me, son, when I would come in. So he knew who I basically was. And he would even say, son, don’t let him do this to me when he had to go through or they took out something and he had to wear one. Of those, you know, those decatheters or whatever. Oh, yeah. [15:15] Just before he died, he said to me, he said, son, he said, those are the people that killed my father. He said, and his case was fixed. After, I had never known that. In fact, his father, Star, was there at 11th and State, and I would see it when everyone went in there. Star was up there on the board as if there’s a policeman or a policeman killed in the line of duty. When he told me that it really and I talked to my brother who knew all about all that that’s what happened, the gunman killed him on 22nd street when that happened the case went to trial and he was found not guilty apparently the case was fixed I tell you what talk about poetic justice there your grandson is now in that system of fixing cases. I can’t even imagine what you must have felt like when you learned that at that point in your life. Man, that would be a grief. That would be tough. That’s what eventually made me one day decide that I had to do something to put an end to all that was going on there. [16:25] I’m curious, what neighborhood did you grow up in? Neighborhood identity is pretty strong in Chicago. So what neighborhood do you claim? I grew up in the hood. First place I grew up, my first place when I was born, I was at 7428 South Vernon. Which is the south side, southeast side of the city. I was there until I was in sixth grade. That was St. Columbanus Parish. When I was in sixth grade, we had to move because that’s when they were doing all the blockbusting there in Chicago. That’s when the blacks were coming in. And when the blacks were coming in, and I truly recall, We’ve talked about this many times elsewhere. I remember knocking on the door and ringing the doorbell all hours of the day and night. A black family just moved in down the street. You’ve got to sell now. If you don’t, the values will all go down. And we would not move. My father’s philosophy, we wouldn’t move until somebody got killed in the area. Because he couldn’t afford it. He had nine kids. he’s an honest policeman making less than $5,000 a year. [17:45] Working two, three jobs so we could all survive when he finished up, When he finished up with, when we finally moved, we finally moved, he went to 7646 South Langley. That was, again, further south, further south, and the area was all white at that time. [18:09] We were there for like four years, and about maybe two or three years, and then the blacks started moving in again. The first one moved in, and it was the same pattern all over again. Yeah, same story in Kansas City and every other major city in the United States. They did that blockbusting and those real estate developers. Oh, yeah, blockbusters. They would call and tell you that the values wouldn’t go down. When I was 20, I joined the police department. Okay. That’s who paid my way through college and law school. All right. I joined the police department, and I became a policeman when I was 20. [18:49] As soon as I could. My father was in recruit processing and I became a policeman. During the riots, I had an excuse not to go. They thought I was working. I was in the bar meeting my pals before I went to work. That’s why I couldn’t go to school at that time. But anyhow, I took some time off. I took some time off to, you know, to study, uh, because, you know, I had all C’s in one D in my first, in my first semester. And if you didn’t have a B, if you didn’t have a C average, you couldn’t, you kicked out of school at the end of a quarter. This is law school. You’re going to law school while you’re still an active policeman. Oh yeah, sure. That’s okay. So you work full time and went to law school. You worked full-time and went to law school at the same time. When I was 20, I joined the police department. Okay. That’s who paid my way through college and law school. All right. I joined the police department, and I became a policeman when I was 20, as soon as I could. My father was in recruit processing, and I became a policeman. Yeah, yeah. But anyhow, I went to confession that night. [20:10] And when I went to confession, there was a girl, one of the few white people in the neighborhood, there was a girl who had gone before me into the confessional. And I knew the priest. I knew him because I used to go gambling with him. I knew the priest there at St. Felicis who heard the confessions. And this is the first time I had gone to confession with him even though I knew him. [20:36] And I wanted to get some help from the big guy upstairs. And anyhow, when I leave, I leave about maybe 10 minutes later, and she had been saying her grace, you know, when I left. And when I walked out, I saw she was right across the street from my house, and there’s an alley right there. And she was a bit away from it, and there were about maybe 13, 14, 15 kids. when I say kids, they were anywhere from the age of probably about 15, 16 to about 18, 19. And they’re dragging her. They’re trying to drag her into the alley. And when I see that, when I see that, I head over there. When I get over there, I have my gun out. I have the gun out. And, you know, what the hell is going on? And, you know, and I told her, I told her her car was parked over there. I told her, you know, get out of here. And I’ve got my gun. I’ve got my gun in my hand. And I don’t know what I’m going to do now in terms of doing anything because I’m not going to shoot them. They’re standing there looking at me. And after a little while, I hear sirens going on. [22:00] The Barton family lived across the street in an apartment building, and they saw what was going on. They saw me out there. It was about probably about seven o’clock at night. It was early at night and they put a call in 10-1 and call in 10-1. Assist the officer. Is that a assist the officer? It’s 1031. Police been in trouble. Yeah. And the squad’s from everywhere. Oh yeah. Oh yeah. So you can hear, you can hear them coming. And now one of them says to me, and I know they’re pretty close. One of them says to me, you know, put away your gun and we’ll see how tough you are. And I did. [22:42] Because you know they’re close. And I’m busy fighting with a couple of them. And they start running and I grab onto two of them. I’m holding onto them. I could only hold two. I couldn’t hold anymore. And the next thing I know, I wake up in the hospital about four days later. Wow. What had happened was they pushed me. Somebody, there was another one behind who pushed me right in front of a squad car coming down the street. Oh, shit. Yeah, man. And the car ran completely over me. They pulled me off from under the, just under the back wheels, I was told were right next to, were onto me, blood all over the place. Everybody thought I was dead. Right. Because my brothers, my one brother who was a police kid that, you know, heard all the noise and the family came in. I tried to prostrate my house and they all thought I was dead. But anyhow, I wake up in the hospital about three days later. When I wake up in the hospital, I’m like. [23:54] Every bone of my body was broken. I’m up there like a mummy. And the mayor came to see me. All kinds of people came to see me. They made me into an even bigger star in my neighborhood. The Count lives down the street and is seeing all this stuff about me and whatever. Jumping quickly to another thing, which got me furious. Willie Grimes was the cop that was driving this quad. He was a racist. We had some blacks in the job. He was a total racist. When my brother and when some others were doing their best to try to find these people, he was protecting them. Some of them, if they caught, he was protecting them. [24:48] I was off the job for like nine months when I came back to work. I never came to the hospital to see me. I mean, everybody came. Every day, my hospital went. Because one of the nurses that I was dating, in fact, she was one of those killed. That’s when Richard Speck wound up killing her and some of the others at the same time. It was at the South Chicago Hospital. Holy darn. What they did for me, I had buckets in my womb with ice. We were bringing beer and pizzas and whatever. Every day was like a party in there. When I finally came back to work, it was 11 o’clock at night. I worked out in South Chicago, and I’m sitting in the parking lot, and the media is there. The media, they had all kinds of cameras there. Robert Cooley’s coming back to work after like nine months. They wouldn’t let me go back. [25:51] I’m walking by the squads. And Willie was a big guy. He was probably about 220, a big one of these big muscle builders and all that nonsense. [26:04] He’s sitting in the first car. The cars are all lined up because when we would change, when we would change at like 11 30 uh you know the cars would all be waiting we jumped into the cars and off we go as i’m walking by the car i hear aren’t you afraid to walk in front of my car. [26:26] I look over and he had a distinctive voice i walk over to the car and i reach in and i start punching them, and I’m trying to drag them out of the car. The cameras, the cameras are, you know, they’re all basically inside. They’re all inside. You know, as you walk in there, they’re all inside there. When I do, I eventually walk up there. But the other police came, and they dragged me. They dragged me away, and they brought me in, and whatever. We got transferred out the next day out of the district. And the first policeman I meet is Rick, Rick Dorelli, who’s connected with, who’s a monster. He’s connected with them. And, and he’s the one who told me, he said to me, you know, we played cards and he realized I was a gambler, but I had never dealt with bookmakers. And he said, he says, yeah, you want to make some money? You want to make some easy money? Well, yeah, sure. You know, uh, you know, and thinking that’s, you know, working security or something like that, like I had done back in Chicago, you know, like I had done on the south side. And he said, I want you to make some bets for me with somebody who said. [27:43] And I remember him using the term. He said, I want you to be my face. He said, and I want you to make some bets for me. He said, and he said, and if you, if you’ll do it, I’ll give you a hundred dollars a week just to make the bets for me. And then, you know, and then meet with these people and pay these people off. And I said, sure. You know, I said, you know, why? He says, because I can’t play with these. people he said i’m connected with him he said and i’m not allowed to gamble myself he said but he told me he said i’ve got a couple people i take bets from i’ve got my own side deal going so i want you to do it i want you to do it and i’ll give i’ll give you to them as a customer, and you’re gonna be a customer and he’s and he tells people now that i got this other police He’s in law school. He comes from a real wealthy family, and he’s looking for a place to bet. He’s in Gambia. He’s looking for a place to bet. [28:47] So I call this number, and I talk to this guy. He gives me a number. When you bet, you call, and you do this, and you do that. And I’m going to get $100 at the end of the week. Now, I’m making $5,200 a year, and they’re taking money out of my chest. I’m going to double my salary. I’m going to double my salary immediately. Why wouldn’t you do it? That’s fantastic money at the time. So I start doing it. And the first week I’m doing it, it was baseball season. [29:19] And I’m making these bets. He’s betting $500 a game on a number of games. And he’s winning some, he’s losing some. But now, when I’m checking my numbers with the guy there, he owes, at the end of the week, he owes $3,500. [29:38] And now, it’s getting bigger and bigger, he’s losing. I’m getting worried. What have I got myself into? Yeah, because it’s not him losing, it’s you losing to the bookie. That’s what I’m thinking. I’m thinking, holy, holy, Christopher, I’m thinking. But, you know, I’ve already jumped off the building. So anyhow. I’d be thinking, you better come up with a jack, dude. It’s time to pay up, man. Anyhow, so when I come to work the next day, I’m supposed to meet this guy at one of the clubs out there in the western suburbs. [30:21] I’m supposed to meet the bookmaker out there. And Ricky meets me that morning, and he gives me the money. It’s like $3,400, and here’s $100 for you. Bingo. That’s great. So, okay. When I go to make the payment to him, it’s a nightclub, and I got some money in my pocket. Somebody, one of the guys, some guy walks up. I’m sitting at the bar and, you know, I hear you’re a copper. I said, pardon me? He says, I hear you’re a copper. He was a big guy. Yeah. I hear you’re a copper. Because at that time, I still only weighed maybe like, well, maybe 60, 65 pounds. I mean, I was in fantastic shape, but I wasn’t real big. And I said, I’m a policeman. I don’t like policemen. I said, go fuck yourself. or something like that. And before he could do anything, I labeled him. That was my first of about a half a dozen fights in those different bars out there. [31:32] And the fights only lasted a few minutes because I would knock the person down. And if the person was real big, at times I’d get on top and just keep pounding before they could do anything. So I started with a reputation with those people at that time now as I’m, going through my world with these people oh no let’s stay with that one area now after the second week he loses again, this time not as much but he loses again and I’m thinking wow, He’s betting, and I’m contacted by a couple of people there. Yeah. Because these are all bookmakers there, and they see me paying off. So I’m going to be, listen, if you want another place to play, and I say, well, yeah. So my thought is, with baseball, it’s a game where you’re laying a price, laying 160, laying 170, laying 180. So if you lose $500, if you lose, you pay $850, and if you win, you only get $500. [32:52] I’ve got a couple of people now, and they’ve got different lines. And what I can do now is I check with their lines. I check with Ricky’s guy and see what his line is. And I start moving his money elsewhere where I’ve got a 30, 40, sometimes 50 cent difference in the price. So I’d set it up where no matter what, I’m going to make some money, No matter what happens, I’ll make some money. But what I’m also doing is I’m making my own bets in there that will be covered. And as I start early winning, maybe for that week I win maybe $1,000, $1,500. And then as I meet other people and I’m making payments, within about four or five months, I’ve got 10 different bookmakers I’m dealing with. Who I’m dealing with. And it’s become like a business. I’m getting all the business from him, 500 a game, whatever. And I’ve got other people that are betting, you know, are betting big, who are betting through me. And I’m making all kinds of money at that time. [34:14] But anyhow, now I mentioned a number of people, A number of people are, I’ve been with a number of people that got killed after dinner. One of the first ones was Tony Borsellino, a bookmaker. Tony was connected with the Northside people, with DeVarco, the one they called DeVarco. And we had gone to a we had gone to a I knew he was a hit man, we had gone to a basketball game over at DePaul because he had become a good friend of mine he liked hanging with me, because I was because at that time now I’m representing the main madams in Chicago too and they loved being around me they liked going wherever I was going to go so I always had all kinds of We left the ladies around. And we went to the basketball game. Afterwards, we went to a restaurant, a steakhouse on Chicago Avenue. [35:26] Gee, why can’t I think of a name right now? We went to a steakhouse, and we had dinner. And when we finished up, it came over there. And when we finished up, I’d been there probably half a dozen times with him. And he was there with his girlfriend. We had dinner and about, I’d say it was maybe 10, 30, 11 o’clock, he says, you know, Bob, can you do me a favor? What’s that? Can you drop her off? He said, I have to go meet some friends. I have to go meet some friends of ours. And, you know, okay, sure, Tony, not a problem. And, you know, I took her home. [36:09] The next day I wake up, Tony Barcellino was found dead. They killed him. He was found with some bullets in the back of his head. They killed him. Holy Christopher. And that’s my first—I found that I had been killed before that. But, you know, wow, that was—, prior to that, when I was betting, there was i paid off a bookmaker a guy named uh ritten shirt, rittenger yeah john rittenger yeah yeah yeah he was a personal friend yeah was he a personal friend of yours yeah they offed him too well i in fact i he i was paying him i met him to pay him I owed him around $4,500, and I met him at Greco’s at my restaurant he wanted to meet me out there because he wanted to talk to me about something else he had a problem some kind of a problem I can’t remember what that was. [37:19] But he wanted to meet me at the restaurant so I met him at Greco’s, And I paid him the money. We talked for a while. And then he says, you know, I got to go. I got to go meet somebody. I got to go meet somebody else. I got to go straight now with somebody else. And he said, I’ll give you a call. He said, I’ll give you a call later. He said, because, you know, I want to talk to you about a problem that I have. He says, I want to talk to you about a problem that I have. I said, okay, sure. He goes to a pizza place. Up there in the Taylor Street area. That’s where he met Butchie and Harry. In fact, at the time, I knew both of them. Yeah, guys, that’s Butch Petrucelli and Harry Alem and a couple of really well-known mob outfit hitmen. Yeah, and they’re the ones that kill them. I’m thinking afterwards, I mean, But, you know, I wish I hadn’t, I wish I hadn’t, you know, I wish I could save him. I just gave him. Man, you’re cold, man. [38:34] You could have walked with that money. That’s what I’m saying. So now, another situation. Let me cut in here a minute, guys. As I remember this Reitlinger hit, Joe Ferriola was a crew boss, and he was trying to line up all the bookies, as he called it. He wanted to line them up like Al Capone lined up all the speaks, that all the bookies had to fall in line and kick something into the outfit, and Reitlinger wouldn’t do it. He refused to do it no matter. They kept coming to him and asking him his way. I understand that. Is that what you remember? I knew him very well. Yeah. He was not the boss. Oh, the Ferriola? Yeah, he wasn’t the boss, but he was kind of the, he had a crew. He was the boss of the Cicero crew. Right. I saw Joe all the time at the racetrack. In fact, I’m the one who, I’m the one, by the time when I started wearing a wire, I was bringing undercover agents over. I was responsible for all that family secret stuff that happened down the road. Oh, really? You set the stage for all that? I’m the one who put them all in jail. All of them. [39:52] So anyhow, we’re kind of getting ahead of ourselves. Reitlinger’s been killed. Joe Borelli or Ricky Borelli’s been killed. These guys are dropping around you, and you’re getting drawn into it deeper and deeper, it sounds to me like. Now, is this when you – what happens? How do you get drawn into this Chicago outfit even more and more as a bookie? Were you kicking up, too? Well, it started, it started, so many things happened that it just fell into place. It started, like I say, with building a reputation like I had. But the final situation in terms of with all the mobsters thinking that I’m not just a tough guy, I’m a bad guy. [40:35] When I get a call, when Joey Cosella, Joey Cosella was a big, tough Italian kid. And he was involved heavily in bookmaking, and we became real close friends. Joey and I became real close friends. He raised Dobermans, and he’s the one who had the lion over at the car dealership. I get a call from Joey. He says, you’ve got to come over. I said, what’s up? He says, some guys came in, and they’re going to kill the count. They want to kill the count. And I said, And I said, what? This is before the Pewter thing. I said, what do you mean? And so I drive over there, and he says, Sammy Annarino and Pete Cucci. And Pete Cucci came in here, and they came in with shotguns, and they were going to kill them. I said, this was Chicago at the time. It’s hard to believe, but this was Chicago. And I said, who are they? I didn’t know who they were. I said, who are they? I mean, I didn’t know them by name. It turns out I did know them, but I didn’t know them by name. They were people that were always in Greco’s, and everybody in Greco knew me because I’m the owner. [41:49] But anyhow, so I get a hold of Marco, and I said, Marco, and I told him what happened. I said, these guys, a couple of guys come in there looking for the talent. That are going to kill him because apparently he extorted somebody out of his business. And I said, who were they with? And he said, they were with Jimmy the bomber. They were with Jimmy Couture. [42:15] I said, oh, they’re for legit then? I said, yeah. I said, can you call? I said, call Jimmy. I knew who he was. He was at the restaurant all the time. He was at Threatfuls all the time with a lot of these other people. And I met him, but I had no interest in him. He didn’t seem like a very friendly sort of anyone. I could care less about him. I represented a lot of guys that worked for him, that were involved with problems, but never really had a conversation with him other than I. [42:53] I’m the owner. So I met with him. I wrote about that in the book. I met with them and got that straightened out where the count’s going to pay $25,000 and you’ll get a contract to the… He ripped off some guy out of a parlor, one of those massage parlors, not massage parlor, but one of those adult bookstores that were big money deals. Oh, yeah. So when I go to meet these guys, I’m told, go meet them and straighten this thing out. So I took Colin with me over to a motel right down the street from the racetrack, right down from the racetrack, and I met with him. I met with Pete Gucci. He was the boss of, you know, this sort of loop. When I get finished talking with him, I come back, and here’s the count and Sammy, and Sammy’s picking a fork with his finger and saying, you know, I rip out eyes with these. [43:56] And the count says, I rip out eyes with these. And I said, what the fuck is going on here? I said, Pete, I said, you know, get him the fuck out of here. And you all at the count said, what’s the matter with you? You know, these guys are going to kill him. And now the moment I get involved in it, he knows he’s not going to have a problem. You know, he’s pulling this nonsense. [44:23] So anyhow, this is how I meet Pete Gucci and Sammy Annarino. After a while, I stopped hanging around with the count because he was starting to go off the deep end. Yeah. Yeah. [44:39] And we were at a party, a bear party with, I remember Willie Holman was there, and they were mostly black, the black guys up there on the south side. And I had just met this girl a day or two before, and the count says, you know, let’s go up to a party, a bear’s party up there on Lakeshore Drive. If we go up there, we go to this party, it’s going to be about maybe 35, 40 people in there, one or two whites, other than the players. And other than that, we’re the only white people there. When we walk into the place, there’s a couple of guys out there with shotguns. It was in a motel. And you walk through like an area where you go in there, and there’s a couple of guys standing there with shotguns. We go in and we go upstairs and, hey, how are you? And we’re talking with people. And I go in one room. I’m in one room. [45:45] There were two rooms there. I’m in one room with a bunch of people and, you know, just talking and having a good old time. And the count was in the second room. And I hear Spade. He always called me Spade. Spade, Spade, you know. And I go in there, and he’s talking with Willie Holman. I remember it was one of them. He was the tackle, I think, with the Bears and a couple of others. And this whole room, all these black guys. And he goes, that’s Spade Cooley. He says, him and I will take on every one of you. Oh, yeah. Yeah. Yeah. And we’re in a room, and he goes, that’s what he says. You know, him and I will take it on every one of you. And Willie did that. He calmed down. He’s telling him, calmed down. What the fuck? It was about a week or so after this. And because I had been out with the county, he’s calling me two or three times a week to go out. And we’re going, a lot of times it was these areas in the south side with a lot of blood. He liked being around Blacks. [47:00] That’s when I met Gail Sayers, and I met some of these others through him. But a lot of the parties and stuff were in the South Side out there, mostly Blacks and all. But we had gone someplace for dinner, and we’re heading back home. We’re heading back to my place, and we’re in his car. He had a brown Cadillac convertible. On the side of it, it had these, you know, the Count Dante press. And he always ran around. He ran around most of the time in these goofy, you know, these goofy outfits with capes and things like that. I’m driving and when we’re talking and I’m like distracted looking at him. And I’m waiting at a stoplight over there right off of Chicago Avenue. And as we’re there. [47:48] I barely touched the car in front of us, you know, as I’m drifting a little bit and barely touch it. There were four guys in the car and, you know, and the one guy jumps out first, one guy jumps out first and then second one, and they start screaming. And when the count gets out, the guy starts calling you, you faggot or something like that, you know, whatever. And as the other one gets out, I get out of the car. And the next thing I know, they jump back in the car, and they run through a red light, and they disappear. Somebody must have recognized them. One of the other people there must have realized who this is that they’re about to get into a little battle with. In fact, they ran the red light. They just ran the red light and disappeared. They come, no, no, no, no, no. And we go off to my apartment and I’m here with this girl, another girl I had just met a day or so before, because I was constantly meeting new people, uh, running around and, uh, we’re sitting on the couch. I’m sitting in the couch next to her and the count, the count was over there. And he suddenly says to her, he says, he says, this is one of the toughest people I’ve ever met. He said, and he says, tell her how tough you are. Tell her how tough you are. [49:10] I said, you know, I said, you know, you know, and he says, tell them how tough you are. And I said, John, you know, and he walks over, And he makes a motion like this towards me. And he barely touched my chin. But I thought he broke it. He then steps back and he goes, I got to cut this hand off. He says, you saved my life. He said, you saved my life. He said, the only two friends I’ve had in the world were my father and you. He says, I wasn’t even that crazy about my mother. That’s when I said then he goes and he stands and I’m looking at it now he stands up against the window I looked up on the 29th floor, he stands by the window he says get your gun he says and I want you to aim it at me, and say now before you pull the trigger and I’ll stop the bullet, I’ll stop the bullet this guy was nuts and I said I said, what? [50:28] He says, before you pull the trigger. [50:36] Tell me before you pull the trigger and I’ll stop the bullet. He wanted me to shoot him. He stopped the bullet. When I got him out of there, Now when he’s calling me, I’m busy. I’m busy. Once in a while, I’d meet him someplace. No more driving or whatever. That was smart. I hadn’t seen him in probably five or six months. And this is, again, after the situation when I had met with Anna Randall and Gooch and the others. I’m up in my office and I get a I get a call from the county, and he said and I hadn’t probably seen him even maybe in a month or two at all and he said, can I come over and talk to you and I was playing cards in fact I had card games up in my office and, we called him Commissioner. [51:41] O’Malley Ray O’Malley, he was the head of the police department at night. On midnights, he got there at 4 to 12. He started at 4 to 12 until midnights. He was the head of them. He was the commissioner. He was in charge of the whole department. He used to play cards up in my office. We had big card games up in my office. And when he’d come up there, we’d have the blue goose parked out in front. We’d have his bodyguard sitting out there by my door. When he was playing in the games. This went on for a couple of years. [52:15] I was at the office, but, you know, I’m at the office playing cards. [52:20] And I had a, it was a big suite. We had, you know, my office was a big office in this suite. We had about six other, you know, big, big suites in there. And so he comes over, he comes over to meet with me. And so I figure he’s in trouble. He’s arrested. He says, I’ve got a situation going. He says, well, you can get a million dollars. And he said, but if I tell you what it is, he says, and you’re in, he said, you got to be in. I’ll tell you what it is. I said, John, if I need money, I said, you get $2 million, then you can loan me if you want, but I don’t want to know what it is. I said, I just don’t want to know what it is. [52:59] It was about a week or two later. It was a pure later, basically. It was a pure later caper. Yeah, guys, this was like the huge, huge. And the one he set it up with was Pete Gucci, the guy that was going to kill him. That was the one who set it up. I knew that. I thought I remembered that name from somewhere. I don’t remember. They ended up getting popped, but everybody got caught, and most of the money got returned. No, no. No bit that the outfit kept, I understand, if I remember right. What was the deal on that? There was more to it than that. Just before that happened, I go up, and Jerry Workman was another lawyer. Actually, he was attorney up in the office, post-rending bank. When I’m going up into the office, I see Pete Gucci there. This is probably a week or so after the situation with the count. Or maybe even a little bit longer than that. I said, Pete, what are you doing? I said, what are you doing here? Jerry Workston’s my lawyer. Oh, okay. [53:55] Okay. He said, I didn’t know you were off here. I said, yeah. I said, Jerry’s a good friend of mine. Okay. And as I’m walking away, he says, you tell your friend the count to stop calling me at two, three in the morning. He says, I got a wife and kids and whatever. And I said to him, I said, Pete, you got no business dealing. I don’t know what it is. I said, but you guys got no business dealing involved in anything. You got no business being involved with him. And I walked away. I see him and I see him as he’s leaving. I see him as he’s leaving and say goodbye to him. Jerry was going to be playing cards. [54:39] It was card night too. Jerry was going to be playing cards in my office because the people would come in usually about 9 o’clock, 9.30 is when the game would usually start. I talked with Jerry. He had been in there for a while. He was arrested a day or two later. The fbi comes in there because he had stashed about 35 000 in jerry’s couch oh really that was his bond money he got that was his bond money if he got to get bailed out to get him bailed out that was his bond money that was there that’s how bizarre so i got involved in so many situations like this but anyhow anyhow now sammy uh, So it’s about maybe a week or two later after this, when I’m in the car driving, I hear they robbed a purulator. The purulator was about a block and a half from my last police station. It was right down the street from the 18th district. That was the place that they robbed. And not long after that, word came out that supposedly a million dollars was dropped off in front of Jimmy the bomber, in front of his place. With Jimmy the bomber, both Sammy Ann Arino and Pete Gucci were under him. They were gunmen from his group. Now I get a call from, I get a count was never, you never heard the count’s name mentioned in there with anybody. [56:07] The guy from Boston, you know, who they indicated, you know, came in to set it up. The count knew him from Boston. The count had some schools in Boston. And this was one of his students. And that’s how he knew this guy from Boston that got caught trying to take a, trying to leave the country with, you know, with a couple thousand, a couple million dollars of the money. Yeah, I read that. It was going down to the Caribbean somewhere and they caught him. And Sammy Ann Arino didn’t get involved in that. He wasn’t involved in that because I think he was back in the prison at the time. [56:44] Now, when he’s out of prison, probably no more than about maybe three or four months after all that toilet stuff had died down, I get a call from Sam, and he wants me to represent him because he was arrested. What happened was he was shot in a car. He was in a car, and he had gotten shot. And when they shot him, he kicked out the window and somehow fought the guys off. When they found him there in the car and in his trunk, they found a hit kit. They said it was a hit kit. How could they know? It was a box that had core form in it, a ski mask, a ski mask, a gun, a gun with tape wrapped around it and the rest of it. Yeah. And he’s an extra time. Mask and tape or little bits of rope and shit like that. I’d say no. So he was charged with it, and he was charged with it in his case, and he had a case coming up. I met him the first time I met him. He came by my office, and he said, you know, and I said, no, that’s not a problem. And he says, but I’ve got to use Eddie Jensen, too. [57:52] And I said, I said, what do you mean? I said, you don’t need Eddie. And he says, I was told I have to use him. Jimmy Couture, his boy, he said, I have to use him. I know why, because Eddie lets these mobsters know whenever anybody’s an informant, or if he’s mad at somebody, he can tell him he’s an informant, they get killed. And so I said, you know, that piece of shit. I said, you know, I want nothing to do with him. I had some interesting run-ins with him before, and I said, I want nothing to do with that worthless piece of shit. You know, he’s a jagoff. And I said, you know, I says, no. He said, please. I said, no. I said, Sammy, you know, you don’t need me. He knows the judge like I know the judge, Sardini. I said, you know, you’re not going to have a problem in there. I get a call from him again, maybe four or five days after that. He’s out of my restaurant and he says, Bob, please. He said, You know, he says, please, can I meet you? He says, I got a problem. I go out to the meeting. And so I thought, there’s something new. I want you to represent me. I want you to represent me, you know, on the case. And I says, did you get rid of that fence? He says, no, I have to use him. But I says, look, I’m not going to, I want, no, Sammy, no, I’m not going to do it. He leaves the restaurant. He gets about a mile and a half away. He gets shotgunned and he gets killed. In fact, I read about that a couple of days ago. [59:22] I know it’s bullshit. They said he was leaving the restaurant. It was Marabelli’s. It was Marabelli’s Furniture Store. They said he was leaving the furniture store. What they did was they stopped traffic out there. They had people on the one side of the street, the other side of the street, and they followed, they chased him. When he got out of his car and was going to the furniture store, They blasted him with shotguns. They made sure he was killed this time. After that happened, it’s about maybe three or four days after that, I’m up in my office and I get a call. All right, when I come out, I always parked in front of City Hall. That was my parking spot. Mike and CM saved my spot. I parked there, or I parked in the bus stop, or in the mayor’s spot. Those were my spots. They saved it for me. I mean, that was it, for three, four, five years. That’s how it was. I didn’t want to wait in line in the parking lot. So my car is parked right in front of the parking lot. And as I go to get in my car, just fast, fast, so walking, because he was at 134 right down the street from my office and he parks like everybody else in the parking lot so he can wait 20 minutes to get his car. [1:00:40] And, and, and Bob, Bob, and, you know, and when I meet up with him, I’m both standing and we’re both standing right there in front of the, in front of the, uh, the parking lot. And he was a big guy. He weighed probably about 280, 290, maybe more. You know, mushy, mushy type, not in good shape at all. In fact, he walked with a gimp or whatever. And he says, you better be careful, he says. Jimmy Couture is furious. He heard what you’ve been saying about me. [1:01:17] You’ve been saying about me. and something’s liable to happen. And I went reserved. I grabbed him, and I threw him up on the wall, and I says, you motherfuckers. I said, my friends are killing your friends. [1:01:34] I said, my friends, because he represented a number of these groups, but I’m with the most powerful group of all. And when I say I’m with him, I’m with him day and night, not like him just as their lawyer. Most of them hated him, too, because most of them knew what he was doing. Yeah most of these and most of these guys hated him and i said you know but i and and i just like you’re kissing his pants and i don’t know if he crapped in his pants too and uh you know because i just turned around i left that same night jimmy katura winds up getting six in the back of the head maybe three miles from where that took place yeah he was uh some kind of trouble been going on for a while. He was a guy who was like in that cop shop racket, and he had been killing some people involved with that. He was kind of like out away from the main crew closer to downtown, is my understanding. Like, you were in who were you in? Who was I talking about? Jimmy Couture? Jimmy Couture, yeah. He was no, Jimmy Couture was Jimmy Couture, in fact, all these killers, we’ll try and stay with this a little bit first. Jimmy Couture was a boss and he had probably about maybe a dozen, maybe more in his crew and, He didn’t get the message, I’m sure. [1:03:01] Eddie Jensen firmly believes, obviously, because it’s the same day and same night when I tell him that my friends are killing your friends. [1:03:14] He’s telling everybody that I had him kill, I’m sure. Yeah, yeah. Because it was about another few days after that when I’m out in Evanston going to a courthouse. And there you had to park down the street because there was no parking lot. Here I hear Eddie, you know, stay. I’m going to say Bob, Bob. And when he gets up, he says, Bob, he says, when I told you, I think you misunderstood. When I told you it was Jimmy Cattrone. it was it was jimmy katron was a lawyer that you know worked in out of his office close friend of mine too he was a good friend of mine it was jimmy it was jimmy katron that you know not because he obviously thought he believed so he’s got all these mobsters too bosses and all the rest thinking that i was involved in that when i when i wasn’t uh when i was when i wasn’t actually But it’s so amazing, Gary. And that’s one of a dozen stories of the same sort. I met unbelievable people. I mean, we’re talking about in New Orleans. We’re talking about in Boston. Now, if you were to say, who were you with? Always somebody’s with somebody. Were you with any particular crew or any particular crew. [1:04:41] Buzz, were you totally independent? [1:04:46] Everybody knew me to be with the Elmwood Park crew. And that was Jackie Cerrone before Michael, I mean, before Johnny DeFranco. That was Jackie Cerrone. Okay. That was Giancana. That was Mo Giancana. Mo was moving at the clubhouse all the time. That was the major people. [1:05:13] And where was their clubhouse? What did they call their clubhouse? Was that the Survivors Clubhouse, or what was the name of their operation? Every group had one, sometimes more clubhouses. Right. That was where they would have card games in there. They’d have all kinds of other things going. the place was full of like in Marcos I call it Marcos but it was actually Jackie Sharon’s when I first got involved Jackie Sharon was the boss who became a good friend of mine, Jackie Sharon was the boss and Johnny DeFranco was, right under him and then a number of others as we go down, our group alone we had. [1:06:04] Minimum, I’d say, a thousand or more people in our group alone. And who knows how many others, because we had control of the sheriff’s office, of the police department, of the sheriff, of the attorney general. We had control of all that through the elections. We controlled all that. So you had 1,000 people. You’re talking about all these different people who we would maybe call associates. It would be in and out of our club all the time. Okay. Yeah. We’re talking a number of policemen, a number of policemen, a number of different politicians of all sorts that we had. I knew dozens of people with no-show jobs there. We had control of all the departments, streets and sanitation, of absolutely urbanizing. We controlled all the way up to the Supreme Court. What about the first ward, Pat Marcy, and the first ward now? Was your crew and Jackie Cerrone’s crew, did that fall into the first ward, or were they totally there? How did that relate, the Pat Marcy and the politicians? And I found out all this over a period of time. [1:07:28] Everything had changed right about the time I first got involved with these people. All these people you’ve read about, no one knows they were still alive. I met just about all of them when I got connected over there with the first word. A lot of the, we were talking about the gunmen themselves. All the Jackie not just Jackie but I’m talking about Milwaukee Phil Milwaukee Phil and all the rest of them they were over there at Councilors Row all the time because when they were to meet Pat Marcy, what they had there in the first war and, It just so happened, when I started in my office, it was with Alan Ackerman, who was at 100 North, where all their offices were upstairs. The first ward office was upstairs. [1:08:22] And below the office, two floors below, I found out on this when I got involved with them, we had an office. looked like it was a vacant office because the windows were all blackened out. That’s where he had all the meetings with people. When Arcado or Yupa, anybody else, any of the other people came in, this is where he met them. When the people from out of town came in, we’re talking about when, what do you think? [1:08:58] But when Alpha, when Fitzgerald, when all these people would come in, this is where they would have their meetings. Or these are the ones who would be out with us on these casino rides. When these people came in, this is where they would do the real talking because we’d go to different restaurants that weren’t bugged. If this office was checked every day, the one that they had down below, and nobody, nobody, their office was, I think it was on the 28th floor, the first ward office. You had the first ward office, and right next to it, you had the insurance office when everybody had to buy their insurance. Obviously at upper rates big office connected to the first ward office when the back there’s a door that goes right into into theirs but the people were told you never get off or you get off you get off at the office floor but then you you walk you you get off it and i’m sorry you get off it at the. [1:10:11] You don’t get off at the first ward office you get off at one of the other offices one of the other offices or the other floors and when you come in there, then you’ll be taken someplace else after that a double shop that’s where they would go and in fact when I had to talk to Petter Cary messages or whatever people like Marco couldn’t talk to Marcy. [1:10:41] Only a few people could. Only people at the very top level could. Marco, he was a major boss. He could not talk to Marco. If he needed, you know, whatever. Marco D’Amico. Marco was, you had, Marco was the one right under Johnny DeFonza. Yeah. Marco’s the one that was in charge. He was the one who was in charge of all the gambling. Not just in Chicago, but around all those areas in Cook County. We had not just Chicago. They were also the ones that were in charge of all the street tax, collecting all the street tax. That’s where the big, big money was also. Everybody paid. What happened was in the 70s, right as I got involved

This episode of the Italian American Podcast offers a rich and intimate look at the enduring legacy of women religious through a conversation with Sister Helen Sanchez, with hosts Patrick O'Boyle and Marianna Gato. Centered on the Religious Teachers Filippini—an Italian-founded order devoted to the education of girls and women—the episode blends personal vocation, immigrant history, and Catholic education into a single, compelling narrative. Sister Helen recounts her path to religious life as a Puerto Rican woman entering an Italian order, and her years teaching in Italian-American parishes across New Jersey, Ohio, and beyond. The discussion explores how ethnic religious communities shaped Catholic schooling—preserving language, music, and devotion while adapting to new immigrant populations. These institutions emerge not merely as schools, but as cultural anchors for successive generations. The conversation also honors the often-unseen heroism of the Filippini Sisters, from their educational mission to their wartime courage, including efforts to shelter Jews during World War II and the scholarly legacy documenting that work. Personal stories of sisterhood, aging communities, and vocational discernment are woven together with festive traditions, underscoring how faith, culture, and memory endure. Warm, thoughtful, and deeply human, this episode is a tribute to women religious and their quiet but lasting imprint on the Italian American story.   HOSTS: Patrick O'Boyle Marianna Gatto   SPECIAL GUEST: Sister Helen Sanchez   PRODUCED BY: Nicholas Calvello-Macchia

Camillo Tarello was one of the fathers of modern agriculture. Fighting the headwinds of state disapproval for his innovative farming methods, he made many agricultural discoveries, benefitting not only his fellow Italians, but future farmers around the world.Original article: https://mises.org/mises-wire/camillo-tarello-forgotten-farmer-who-outsmarted-state

Revisit this classic lesson on cognitive switching from the Plain English archives: What is cognitive switching? It's when you switch your attention from one task, or one type of task, to another. Cognitive switching could be robbing you of up to 40 percent of your daily productivity, and it may be increasing your potential to make mistakes.Get the full story and learning resources: https://plainenglish.com/lessons/cognitive-switching--Plain English helps you improve your English:Learn about the world and improve your EnglishClear, natural English at a speed you can understandNew stories every weekLearn even more at PlainEnglish.comMentioned in this episode:Hard words? No problemNever be confused by difficult words in Plain English again! See translations of the hardest words and phrases from English to your language. Each episode transcript includes built-in translations into Spanish, Portuguese, Chinese, German, French, Italian, Japanese, Polish, and Turkish. Sign up for a free 14-day trial at PlainEnglish.com

It's the calm between the Christmas storms in the Cassidy-Humphreys household and Nat, Marc, and Eliza have popped into the pod room to debrief Christmas so far, and brief on the rest to come. Enjoy! xx Please subscribe, follow, and leave a review. xxx You can find us in all places here; ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://podfollow.com/lifewithnat/view⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ We're on Facebook: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.facebook.com/lifewithnatpod⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Nat's insta: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@natcass1⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Marc's insta: @camera_marc Neice's insta: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@natsnieces⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Tony's insta: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@tonycass68⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Linny's insta: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@auntielinny.lwn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ MORE LIVE SHOW! 07/02/2026 Brighton, The Forge TICKETS 08/02/2026 Newcastle upon Tyne, The Stand TICKETS 25/02/2026 Folkestone, Quarterhouse TICKETS 28/02/2026 Colchester, Arts Centre TICKETS 07/03/2026 Manchester, Fairfield Social Club TICKETS 22/03/2026 Leeds, The Wardrobe TICKETS 29/03/2026 Bristol, The Gaffe - TICKETS Book Club: November's book - All Together for Christmas by Sarah Morgan & December's book (optional extra for the speedy readers) - A Heart for Christmas: Advent Romance by Sophie Jomain Nat's solo chats - any rants always welcome!  Scraping the Barrel - SCAN AND SHOP VIRGIN NO LONGER! Bonce vs list! - Are you a list maker? Always collecting for Nostalgia Fest! What's brewing with the Nieces - are we all skipping the end of summer, all of autumn and going straight to Christmas - Nat's door is! Group chat ettiquette & pranks. Nice Lorraines… get in touch! Advent calendars & gift recommendations v. welcome! Things we're nagging with Linny about - More lateness stories and some cleaning questions, please! The Tony talks chatter - Keep your DIY questions coming, also open to some saucy two paragraph stories for Tony to read out at the Southend show - think cheeky postcards (both in tone and length)! Can we make Tony an influencer and get him any freebies?  TBC Cultural differences ep - inspired by Linny's Mediterranean heritage and her & Ellia's Italian trip, we'd love to hear about the cultural differences you've noticed between the UK and basically ANYWHERE else!  A 'Keep It Light Media' Production Sales, advertising, and general enquiries: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠hello@keepitlightmedia.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

JOIN THE ITALIAN ACTIVATION COURSEAnd get access to the proven Neuroscience-based process to:✅️ Get into the right mindset to become fluent✅️ Build a personalized and sustainable Italian study routine that makes you consistent and fluent 10x faster✅️ Learn the best strategies to improve your speaking (even if you don't have anyone to speak Italian with)✅️ Make Italian stick into your memory(and finally remember and easily recall Italian words in conversation)LINK TO JOIN:Apply coupon code READY2026 to join for just 49€ (instead of 79€)https://www.rightwayitaliano.com/the-italian-activation-course/Questions before joining? The link to the course doesn't work? Simply send me an email ciao@rightwayitaliano.com and I will be more than happy to help you!

Fluent Fiction - Italian: Love, Hope, and Fireworks: A Winter's Eve at Piazza Navona Find the full episode transcript, vocabulary words, and more:fluentfiction.com/it/episode/2025-12-29-08-38-20-it Story Transcript:It: Piazza Navona era splendida quella sera d'inverno.En: Piazza Navona was splendid that winter evening.It: Le luci scintillavano sopra le bancarelle piene di dolci e piccoli regali.En: The lights sparkled above the stalls full of sweets and small gifts.It: La fontana di Nettuno brillava sotto il cielo stellato, mentre il freddo abbracciava la folla.En: The Fontana di Nettuno shone under the starry sky, while the cold embraced the crowd.It: Luca era seduto su una panchina, osservando tutto intorno a lui, ma con la mente lontana.En: Luca was sitting on a bench, observing everything around him, but with his mind elsewhere.It: Mancavano poche ore alla mezzanotte e lui aspettava, con il cuore pesante, una telefonata importante.En: Only a few hours remained until midnight, and he was waiting with a heavy heart for an important phone call.It: Il telefono pesava nella sua tasca come un macigno.En: The phone weighed in his pocket like a rock.It: Luca pensava a Giulia, la sua ragazza lontana.En: Luca was thinking about Giulia, his distant girlfriend.It: Vivevano in due città diverse e ogni giorno sembrava un po' più difficile.En: They lived in two different cities, and each day seemed a bit harder.It: L'ultima volta che si erano parlati, si erano lasciati con parole fredde.En: The last time they spoke, they parted with cold words.It: Ora, lui voleva chiamarla, ma qualcosa lo frenava.En: Now, he wanted to call her, but something held him back.It: E se la sua notizia di salute non fosse stata buona?En: What if his health news wasn't good?It: Come avrebbe potuto chiederle di restare al suo fianco?En: How could he ask her to stay by his side?It: Mentre la sua mente vagava, Marta, la sua amica d'infanzia, lo raggiunse e si sedette accanto a lui.En: As his mind wandered, Marta, his childhood friend, joined him and sat next to him.It: "Luca, hai già deciso di cosa fare?En: "Luca, have you already decided what to do?It: Assapora la serata," disse, stringendosi nel suo cappotto.En: Enjoy the evening," she said, wrapping herself in her coat.It: Luca sospirò.En: Luca sighed.It: "Aspetto i risultati.En: "I'm waiting for the results.It: E penso a Giulia.En: And I'm thinking about Giulia.It: Ho bisogno di chiarire con lei."En: I need to clear things up with her."It: Marta annuì con comprensione.En: Marta nodded with understanding.It: "Capisco.En: "I understand.It: Ma devi anche sapere cosa succederà con te stesso.En: But you also need to know what will happen with yourself.It: Chiamala, prima che scocchi la mezzanotte."En: Call her before midnight strikes."It: Il consiglio di Marta spronò Luca a prendere una decisione.En: Marta's advice spurred Luca to make a decision.It: Finalmente, Luca prese il telefono e compose il numero di Giulia.En: Finally, Luca took his phone and dialed Giulia's number.It: Dopo pochi squilli, lei rispose.En: After a few rings, she answered.It: "Ciao, Luca," disse con una voce calda che gli fece stringere il cuore.En: "Hello, Luca," she said with a warm voice that made his heart tighten.It: "Ciao, Giulia.En: "Hi, Giulia.It: Come stai?"En: How are you?"It: Le parole uscirono lente e piene di senso di colpa.En: The words came out slow and filled with guilt.It: "Sto bene.En: "I'm well.It: Ma, cosa succede davvero, Luca?"En: But what's really going on, Luca?"It: Gli chiese con preoccupazione nella voce.En: she asked with concern in her voice.It: "Sono qui in piazza, aspettando dei risultati medici.En: "I'm here in the square, waiting for some medical results.It: E pensando a noi," ammise.En: And thinking about us," he admitted.It: "Mi manchi, Giulia.En: "I miss you, Giulia.It: Voglio sistemare le cose."En: I want to fix things."It: Prima che potesse rispondere, il telefono di Luca vibrò.En: Before she could respond, Luca's phone vibrated.It: Era la chiamata del medico.En: It was the doctor's call.It: "Aspetta, devo rispondere, Giulia," disse, con la voce tremante.En: "Hold on, I have to answer, Giulia," he said, with a trembling voice.It: Le mani di Luca tremavano mentre ascoltava.En: Luca's hands trembled as he listened.It: La voce del medico era calma e rassicurante.En: The doctor's voice was calm and reassuring.It: "Luca, i risultati sono buoni.En: "Luca, the results are good.It: Non hai nulla di cui preoccuparti."En: There's nothing to worry about."It: Una sensazione di sollievo attraversò Luca, mentre il peso del mondo sembrava sollevarsi dalle sue spalle.En: A feeling of relief washed over Luca, as the weight of the world seemed to lift from his shoulders.It: In quello stesso momento, lo scoccare della mezzanotte illuminò il cielo sopra Piazza Navona con i fuochi d'artificio.En: At that same moment, midnight struck, illuminating the sky above Piazza Navona with fireworks.It: La folla esultava, e Luca tornò alla linea con Giulia, la voce ora più salda.En: The crowd cheered, and Luca returned to the line with Giulia, his voice now steadier.It: "Giulia, i risultati sono buoni.En: "Giulia, the results are good.It: E ora voglio davvero costruire qualcosa con te, nonostante la distanza."En: And now I really want to build something with you, despite the distance."It: Giulia rise, e la sua risata era come una melodia dolce nel caos della festa.En: Giulia laughed, and her laughter was like a sweet melody in the chaos of the celebration.It: "Allora facciamolo, Luca.En: "Then let's do it, Luca.It: Iniziamo questo nuovo anno insieme, anche se distanti."En: Let's start this new year together, even if apart."It: Luca sorrise, sentendo una chiarezza e una determinazione nuove.En: Luca smiled, feeling a new clarity and determination.It: Doveva affrontare le sue paure.En: He had to face his fears.It: Potevano farcela, e con questo pensiero, si alzò, guardò i colori in cielo e accettò che il futuro era suo da disegnare.En: They could make it, and with this thought, he stood up, looked at the colors in the sky, and accepted that the future was his to create. Vocabulary Words:the square: la piazzathe stalls: le bancarellesplendid: splendidastarry: stellatothe fountain: la fontanathe childhood: l'infanziaembraced: abbracciavathe bench: la panchinaelsewhere: lontanathe crowd: la follathe results: i risultatithe conscience: la menteheavy-hearted: cuore pesantethe medical news: la notizia di salutereassuring: rassicurantevibrated: vibròthe decision: la decisionethe midnight: la mezzanottesparkled: scintillavanothe celebration: la festathe pocket: la tascathe fireworks: i fuochi d'artificiothe phone call: la telefonatawarmed: caldacheered: esultavaconcerned: preoccupazionesweet: dolcefears: pauretrembled: tremavathe sky: il cielo

Welcome back to the sixth instalment of our true crime movies season, this week Sarah forces Dan to endure Ridley Scott's divisive 2021 biopic, House of Gucci, a film that Sarah has deemed “both true and a crime in many senses of the word”. At two hours and 37 minutes, this is a girthy film that needed to be dramatically shorter, but somehow still rushes through key character developments. We unpack the strange tonal choice that borders on parody, debating whether the master filmmaker intended to lean into a theatrical comedia dell'arte style or simply didn't know what perspective he was trying to achieve. We delve into the central performances: Lady Gaga's committed portrayal of Patrizia Reggiani, which humanized the character even as she spirals; Adam Driver's subtle work as Maurizio Gucci; and the bizarre prosthetics and "Super Mario Brother" accent delivered by Jared Leto, which we agree feels less like acting and more like a hate crime. Plus, we celebrate Al Pacino's relatively subtle performance and the unexpected appearance of Jeremy Irons and Salma Hayek as the psychic. Here's what to expect in this episode: We attempt to justify the film's baffling 2 hour and 37 minute run time. A serious discussion about the merits of Ridley Scott as a filmmaker. We unpack Lady Gaga's commitment to staying in her Italian accent for nine months. Dan explores the subtle visual bookend using Maurizio on a bicycle at the start and end of the movie. We question why Jared Leto's Paolo Gucci felt like he was starring in a completely different film. The confusion over the film's muted and washed-out colour grading. Our critique on the abrupt character reversals. Would you like to see the full lineup for season 13? The only place you can see it is on Patreon but you don't need to be a paying member. Sign up for a free membership and get access to the lineup. If you do have some loose change consider signing up as a paid member. Our £3 a month Patreon tier will grant you access to all of our end of season wrap shows for seasons 1-12 and a minimum of 2 reviews of brand new movies each month. Plus the back-catalogue of reviews from 2023, 2024 and 2025.  Enjoy the show but can't support us financially? We get it. You could submit a review on the podcast player you're reading this on right now. Or if you listen on Spotify and you haven't given us a five-star rating yet, what are ye waiting for? It's easy. If you've done some or all of that and still want to do more, we would love it if you tell a friend about the show.   Or come find us on social media: Instagram | TikTok | Threads | YouTube

Fluent Fiction - Italian: Racing to Redemption: A Jockey's Winter Palio Journey Find the full episode transcript, vocabulary words, and more:fluentfiction.com/it/episode/2025-12-28-23-34-02-it Story Transcript:It: Il freddo dell'inverno avvolge Siena, e la Piazza del Campo brilla sotto le luci natalizie.En: The cold of winter envelops Siena, and Piazza del Campo shines under the Christmas lights.It: Le bancarelle del mercatino di Natale diffondono nell'aria l'aroma di caldarroste e dolci speziati.En: The stalls of the Christmas market spread the aroma of roasted chestnuts and spiced sweets in the air.It: Tuttavia, l'eccitazione principale non è per il Natale, ma per il Palio speciale di questa stagione.En: However, the main excitement is not for Christmas but for the special Palio of this season.It: Lorenzo, un esperto fantino, cammina concentrato tra la folla, il cuore pieno di determinazione.En: Lorenzo, an experienced jockey, walks focused through the crowd, his heart full of determination.It: Lorenzo ama il Palio con tutto se stesso.En: Lorenzo loves the Palio with all his being.It: Vive per la sua Contrada, e questa corsa è un'opportunità per portarle gloria.En: He lives for his Contrada, and this race is an opportunity to bring it glory.It: Ma sua sorella Giulia non condivide lo stesso entusiasmo.En: But his sister Giulia does not share the same enthusiasm.It: "Lorenzo," dice con preoccupazione, "è pericoloso.En: "Lorenzo," she says with concern, "it's dangerous.It: Tu hai già dato così tanto.En: You have already given so much.It: Perché rischiare di nuovo?"En: Why risk it again?"It: Giulia è preoccupata per la sicurezza di Lorenzo.En: Giulia is worried about Lorenzo's safety.It: Ogni gara è una sfida e il pericolo è reale.En: Every race is a challenge, and the danger is real.It: Vorrebbe che Lorenzo considerasse una vita più sicura lontano dalle piste.En: She wishes Lorenzo would consider a safer life away from the tracks.It: Ma Lorenzo guarda lontano, i suoi occhi fissi sul sogno di vittoria.En: But Lorenzo looks afar, his eyes fixed on the dream of victory.It: "Lo faccio per noi," risponde, il tono deciso, sperando di convincere Giulia.En: "I do it for us," he replies, his tone decisive, hoping to convince Giulia.It: Intanto, Alessandro, un rivale noto per le sue astuzie, trama nuovi piani.En: Meanwhile, Alessandro, a rival known for his cunning, plots new plans.It: Sa che Lorenzo è il fantino da battere e cerca di ostacolarlo in ogni modo possibile.En: He knows that Lorenzo is the jockey to beat and tries to hinder him in every possible way.It: Durante gli allenamenti, usa trucchi subdoli per distrarlo e disturbare il suo cavallo.En: During training, he uses devious tricks to distract him and disturb his horse.It: Ma Lorenzo non si lascia abbattere.En: But Lorenzo does not let himself be brought down.It: Sorride a Giulia cercando di rassicurarla.En: He smiles at Giulia, trying to reassure her.It: "Non preoccuparti, starò attento."En: "Don't worry, I'll be careful."It: Il giorno del Palio, la piazza è gremita.En: On the day of the Palio, the square is crowded.It: La folla acclama, le bandiere delle Contrade ondeggiano al vento freddo.En: The crowd cheers, and the flags of the Contrade wave in the cold wind.It: Lorenzo si prepara con il suo cavallo, sentendo il peso della responsabilità sulle spalle.En: Lorenzo prepares with his horse, feeling the weight of responsibility on his shoulders.It: Sa che Alessandro farà di tutto per vincere.En: He knows Alessandro will do everything to win.It: Con il cuore in gola, Lorenzo guida il suo cavallo al segnale di partenza.En: With his heart in his throat, Lorenzo guides his horse to the starting signal.It: La corsa è intensa, ogni secondo conta.En: The race is intense; every second counts.It: Alessandro è davanti, ma Lorenzo ha un piano.En: Alessandro is ahead, but Lorenzo has a plan.It: Vede un'opportunità, una curva stretta dove può sorpassare.En: He sees an opportunity, a tight curve where he can overtake.It: È rischioso, ma è l'unico modo.En: It's risky, but it's the only way.It: Con un respiro profondo, Lorenzo prende la decisione.En: With a deep breath, Lorenzo makes the decision.It: Sferza il cavallo, affronta la curva a tutta velocità, superando Alessandro con un margine stretto.En: He spurs the horse, taking on the curve at full speed, overtaking Alessandro by a narrow margin.It: Il pubblico esplode in un'applauso fragoroso.En: The crowd explodes into thunderous applause.It: Lorenzo taglia il traguardo per primo.En: Lorenzo crosses the finish line first.It: La vittoria è dolce, ma mentre scende da cavallo, Lorenzo vede Giulia tra la folla.En: The victory is sweet, but as he dismounts, Lorenzo sees Giulia among the crowd.It: I suoi occhi sono colmi di lacrime e orgoglio, ma anche di sollievo.En: Her eyes are filled with tears and pride, but also with relief.It: Lui capisce.En: He understands.It: La gioia di vincere non può eguagliare l'importanza della sua famiglia.En: The joy of winning cannot match the importance of his family.It: Più tardi, sotto le luci della piazza, Lorenzo prende la mano di Giulia.En: Later, under the lights of the square, Lorenzo takes Giulia's hand.It: "Ho vinto," dice sorridendo, "ma ho deciso di smettere."En: "I won," he says, smiling, "but I've decided to stop."It: Giulia lo abbraccia forte.En: Giulia hugs him tightly.It: Lorenzo sa che ha fatto la scelta giusta.En: Lorenzo knows he has made the right choice.It: La loro vita cambierà, ma ha guadagnato qualcosa di più grande della gloria.En: Their life will change, but he has gained something greater than glory.It: Ha capito che la vera vittoria è avere la sua famiglia accanto a lui, ora e sempre.En: He has realized that the true victory is having his family by his side, now and always. Vocabulary Words:the winter: l'invernoto envelop: avvolgerethe market stalls: le bancarellethe aroma: l'aromathe roasted chestnuts: le caldarrostethe sweets: i dolcithe excitement: l'eccitazionethe jockey: il fantinodetermination: determinazionethe opportunity: l'opportunitàto share: condividerethe concern: la preoccupazioneto risk: rischiarethe safety: la sicurezzathe challenge: la sfidathe dream: il sognothe cunning: l'astuziathe rival: il rivaledevious: subdoloto distract: distrarreto disturb: disturbareto reassure: rassicurarethe crowd: la follathe responsibility: la responsabilitàthe starting signal: il segnale di partenzaintense: intensaevery second counts: ogni secondo contathe margin: il marginethunderous applause: un applauso fragorosoto dismount: scendere da cavallo

Fluent Fiction - Italian: Unearthing Siena's Secret: A New Year's Eve Discovery Find the full episode transcript, vocabulary words, and more:fluentfiction.com/it/episode/2025-12-28-08-38-20-it Story Transcript:It: Le campane della Torre del Mangia rintoccavano sulla Piazza del Campo, mentre una leggera neve cadeva sugli antichi mattoni.En: The bells of the Torre del Mangia tolled over Piazza del Campo, as a light snow fell on the ancient bricks.It: Era la vigilia di Capodanno, e l'entusiasmo vibrava in tutta Siena.En: It was New Year's Eve, and excitement vibrated throughout Siena.It: Giovanni, un giovane storico, camminava sotto al cielo d'inverno, la sua mente occupata da pensieri tumultuosi.En: Giovanni, a young historian, walked under the winter sky, his mind occupied by tumultuous thoughts.It: Tra le mani, un'antica lettera trovata accidentalmente nel vecchio studio di suo nonno, piena di simboli e parole criptiche.En: In his hands, an ancient letter accidentally found in his grandfather's old study, full of symbols and cryptic words.It: "La devi lasciare perdere, Giovanni!"En: "You should let it go, Giovanni!"It: disse Luca, come sempre cauto e critico.En: said Luca, as always cautious and critical.It: "Non ti porterà che problemi."En: "It will only bring you trouble."It: Giovanni sorrise al suo amico, scuotendo la testa.En: Giovanni smiled at his friend, shaking his head.It: "Luca, questa è la scoperta della mia vita.En: "Luca, this is the discovery of my life.It: Immagina cosa potrebbe voler dire per Siena... e per me."En: Imagine what it could mean for Siena... and for me."It: Accanto a loro, Elena osservava in silenzio.En: Next to them, Elena watched in silence.It: La sua presenza era avvolta nel mistero, tanto affascinante quanto intimidatoria.En: Her presence was wrapped in mystery, as fascinating as it was intimidating.It: Con la delicatezza di chi conosce segreti antichi, disse: "Forse la storia di cui parlate non è solo vostra.En: With the delicacy of one who knows ancient secrets, she said, "Perhaps the story you're talking about isn't just yours.It: Ci sono cose che bisogna lasciare sepolte."En: There are things that need to remain buried."It: Ma Giovanni non poteva resistere.En: But Giovanni could not resist.It: La lettera parlava di un incontro segreto sotto la piazza, dove sarebbe stato svelato un antico tesoro.En: The letter spoke of a secret meeting under the square, where an ancient treasure would be revealed.It: La sera, mentre le luci della festa illuminavano l'atmosfera, Giovanni seguì le istruzioni della lettera.En: In the evening, as the lights of the festivities lit up the atmosphere, Giovanni followed the letter's instructions.It: Le sue mani tremavano leggermente per il freddo e l'emozione.En: His hands trembled slightly from the cold and excitement.It: Elena lo guidò verso un ingresso nascosto nella pietra della piazza.En: Elena guided him to a hidden entrance in the stone of the square.It: Sotto la neve leggera, una lastra si mosse silenziosamente, rivelando un passaggio.En: Under the light snow, a slab moved silently, revealing a passage.It: Luca, sospirando, seguì Giovanni con riluttanza.En: Luca, sighing, reluctantly followed Giovanni.It: “Non dovremmo farlo,” mormorò.En: "We shouldn't do this," he murmured.It: Il corridoio oscuro li portò a una piccola cripta.En: The dark corridor led them to a small crypt.It: Al centro, un artefatto antico, quasi sepolto nella polvere, giaceva maestoso.En: In the center, an ancient artifact, almost buried in dust, lay majestic.It: Era una scultura di rara bellezza, pura storia nascosta.En: It was a sculpture of rare beauty, pure hidden history.It: "E abbiamo trovato il nostro segreto," sussurrò Giovanni, il cuore traboccante di gioia.En: "And we've found our secret," Giovanni whispered, his heart overflowing with joy.It: Quando tornarono in superficie, la piazza esplodeva di gioia per il nuovo anno.En: When they returned to the surface, the square erupted in joy for the new year.It: Fuochi d'artificio illuminarono il cielo.En: Fireworks lit up the sky.It: Giovanni alzò gli occhi, un sorriso di trionfo sulle labbra.En: Giovanni looked up, a smile of triumph on his lips.It: Luca gli diede una pacca sulla spalla, finalmente colpito dall'importanza di ciò che avevano scoperto.En: Luca patted him on the shoulder, finally struck by the importance of what they had discovered.It: Elena stava a distanza, l'ombra di un sorriso sulle labbra.En: Elena stood at a distance, the shadow of a smile on her lips.It: "La storia ora è tua, Giovanni," disse, prima di allontanarsi verso l'ombra della piazza.En: "The story is yours now, Giovanni," she said, before disappearing into the shadow of the square.It: Giovanni non la vide più, ma il segreto era ormai nelle sue mani.En: Giovanni never saw her again, but the secret was now in his hands.It: La scoperta venne rivelata al mondo e Giovanni ottenne la riconoscenza tanto desiderata.En: The discovery was revealed to the world and Giovanni gained the recognition he so desired.It: Ma più di ogni suo successo, c'era il legame con Luca, rafforzato da avventure e scoperte comuni.En: But more than any of his successes, there was the bond with Luca, strengthened by shared adventures and discoveries.It: Il nuovo anno cominciava con la promessa di nuove storie, di segreti ancora da svelare, e di amicizie che il tempo non avrebbe mai scalfito.En: The new year began with the promise of new stories, secrets yet to be unveiled, and friendships that time would never erode.It: Giovanni si sentiva finalmente in pace con il suo destino, certo che avrebbe sempre amici fedeli al suo fianco.En: Giovanni finally felt at peace with his destiny, certain that he would always have loyal friends by his side. Vocabulary Words:the bells: le campanethe square: la piazzathe bricks: i mattonithe historian: lo storicotumultuous thoughts: pensieri tumultuosithe letter: la letteracryptic words: parole criptichethe caution: la cautelathe mystery: il misterothe delicacy: la delicatezzathe secrets: i segretithe treasure: il tesorothe instructions: le istruzionithe entrance: l'ingressothe stone: la pietrathe passage: il passaggiothe corridor: il corridoiothe crypt: la criptathe artifact: l'artefattothe beauty: la bellezzathe joy: la gioiathe surface: la superficiethe fireworks: i fuochi d'artificiothe shadow: l'ombrathe recognition: la riconoscenzathe bond: il legamethe adventures: le avventurethe discoveries: le scopertethe promise: la promessathe friendships: le amicizie

The short Boxing Day Test could lead revenue loss of $10 million; Italian authorities lay charges over alleged Hamas funding; Four yachts in tight tussle in the Sydney to Hobart.

For review:1. The United States hasn't given up its pursuit of the massive, rusted oil tanker it chased into international waters near Venezuela last weekend, Officials no longer expect the Bella 1 to return to the country to load up with oil as the US military and Coast Guard chase it. The ship is currently empty.2.  Busy Week: President Trump to Meet with Ukraine President & Israeli PM.3. Israel on Friday became the first country to recognize Somaliland, a former British protectorate that unilaterally declared independence from formerly Italian-ruled Somalia in 1991.4. The United Nations Security Council will convene an emergency session on Monday to discuss Israel's recognition of Somaliland, with members slated to condemn the move.The European Union joined the chorus of condemnations of Israel's move.5. The Israeli Defense Ministry announced on Sunday the delivery of the first operational high-power laser interception system developed by Rafael Advanced Defense Systems Ltd., dubbed “Iron Beam,” to the Israel Defense Forces.6. The Pentagon has claimed that Chinese missile forces are operating a new type of anti-ship ballistic missiles that are capable of reaching the West Coast of the United States, according to the annual report on Beijing's military power.  

In this episode of Amateur Traveler, host Chris Christensen talks with AJ Ajay, a Libyan-born travel professional and founder of Intu Libya, about traveling to one of North Africa's least-visited and most misunderstood destinations: Libya. From spectacular Roman ruins to Saharan oases, ancient Amazigh towns, and the vibrant streets of Tripoli, AJ explains why Libya rewards travelers who are curious, respectful, and willing to look beyond headlines. This week's show is supported by the new Smart Travel Podcast. Travel smarter — and spend less — with help from NerdWallet. Check out Smart Travel ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠here. Why Visit Libya? Libya offers a rare sense of discovery. With tourism largely undeveloped since the mid-20th century, many of its historic sites feel untouched. AJ describes Libya as a country where Roman, Greek, Phoenician, Ottoman, Italian, and Islamic histories overlap, often in the same physical space. Add to that Mediterranean coastline, vast Saharan landscapes, and deep-rooted traditions of hospitality, and Libya becomes a destination for travelers seeking something truly different. Safety, Visas, and Practicalities Chris and AJ address the elephant in the room: safety and travel advisories. AJ explains how Libya currently operates with an electronic visa system that requires a local sponsor and organized itinerary. Tourism is tightly coordinated with authorities, and travel routes are planned in advance. While some regions remain off-limits, AJ emphasizes that millions of Libyans live their daily lives safely and that guided travel within approved areas is the key to visiting responsibly. ... https://amateurtraveler.com/travel-to-libya/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Let's face it, even “good” macro talk can fall into the trap of treating the economy like a tidy spreadsheet while real lives get crushed in the margins. To help us peer beneath the covers, Steve invited Emma Holten, a Copenhagen-based political economist to talk about her book Deficit: How Feminist Economics Can Change Our World. We often discuss deficits around here, but Emma is looking at a different kind. She reframes deficit as what societies rack up when they systematically undervalue care: the paid and unpaid labor (still disproportionately done by women) that keeps people healthy, capable, and alive.Emma and Steve discuss the way mainstream economics has long treated the home, the body, and the mind as a black box, as if workers spring fully formed from the soil and arrive at the labor market already fed, healed, soothed, socialized, and ready to produce.They talk about measurement and the way the GDP counts a $3,000 ambulance bill as added value instead of predatory extraction. They also look at power and social cohesion. Steve connects Emma's thesis to MMT's real-resources focus and the Job Guarantee as a way to fund socially necessary work that markets underprovide, while also admitting the hard question: even if policy is sound, capital and its political machinery never volunteer to be disarmed.Emma Holten is a feminist activist and gender policy consultant. Since 2018, she has worked with feminist economics. In 2024 she published her first book “DEFICIT - On the value of care” in Danish. It is available in English, Swedish, Norwegian, German, Dutch, and Italian - and forthcoming in 6 other languages. It has won the Politiken Literature Prize, The Library Reader's Prize, The Sara Danius Prize, The Sprout Prize and was shortlisted for the Montana Literature Award.

Lorenzo Musetti joins Gill Gross for a chat ahead of the new season. He has said his goal for 2026 is to close the gap on Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner, so we asked about what he learned from last year's matches against the top-2. Musetti will continue to work with longtime coach Simone Tarterini, but he has made the decision this offseason to add a 2nd coach, Jose Perlas. We also ask the Italian if he thinks about prize money while playing for 1 million dollars and if he has changed his serve technique in recent months. Musetti will be playing the MGM Slam in Las Vegas on March 1st, a 10-point tiebreak tournament between eight top-players. IG: https://www.instagram.com/gillgross_/TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@gill.gross24/7 Tennis Community on Discord: https://discord.gg/wW3WPqFTFJTwitter/X: https://twitter.com/Gill_GrossThe Draw newsletter, your one-stop-shop for the best tennis content on the internet every week: https://www.thedraw.tennis/subscribeBecome a member to support the channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCvERpLl9dXH09fuNdbyiLQQ/joinEvans Brothers Coffee Roasters, the Official Coffee Of Monday Match Analysis... use code GILLGROSS25 for 25% off your first order: https://evansbrotherscoffee.com/collections/coffeeAUDIO PODCAST FEEDSSpotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5c3VXnLDVVgLfZuGk3yxIF?si=AQy9oRlZTACoGr5XS3s_ygItunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/monday-match-analysis/id1432259450?mt=2 Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Get your learning gifts for the month of January 2026

For all the talk of abundance, what's really abundant these days are the morbid symptoms of a dying international system. According to Georgetown's Charles Kupchan, these symptoms include the endless wars in Ukraine and Gaza, Trump's frenetic demolition-man act, and the rise not just of China but of India and Turkey. As the Pax Americana of the post-World War Two era withers away, the key question is what comes next. “The old is dying and the new cannot be born,” Kupchan quotes the Italian philosopher Antonio Gramsci. “In this interregnum,” Gramsci explains, “a great variety of morbid symptoms appear.” But for all the abundance of symptoms, there's an acute scarcity of cures in our post-Pax Americana world. Keen On America is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit keenon.substack.com/subscribe

Fluent Fiction - Italian: A New Year's Canvas of Inspiration on the Amalfi Coast Find the full episode transcript, vocabulary words, and more:fluentfiction.com/it/episode/2025-12-27-08-38-20-it Story Transcript:It: Le onde si infrangevano dolcemente contro la costa dell'Amalfi, accompagnando le risate della gente che si preparava per la vigilia di Capodanno.En: The waves lapped gently against the Amalfi coast, accompanying the laughter of people preparing for New Year's Eve.It: Era una serata fresca, ma il calore delle luci natalizie e dei cuori colmi di aspettative rendeva l'aria quasi magica.En: It was a cool evening, but the warmth of the Christmas lights and hearts filled with expectation made the air almost magical.It: Alessandro camminava lungo il molo, cercando ispirazione.En: Alessandro walked along the pier, searching for inspiration.It: Era da tempo che i suoi pennelli non toccavano una tela.En: It had been a while since his brushes touched a canvas.It: La sua passione per l'arte sembrava svanita, intrappolata da dubbi e insicurezze.En: His passion for art seemed to have vanished, trapped by doubts and insecurities.It: "Forse un cambiamento di scena aiuterà," aveva pensato, venendo in questo piccolo villaggio costiero.En: "Perhaps a change of scene will help," he had thought, coming to this small coastal village.It: Dall'altra parte del villaggio, Giulia osservava il mare.En: On the other side of the village, Giulia watched the sea.It: Era arrivata l'estate scorsa, e ora le sembrava di non voler più andare via.En: She had arrived last summer, and now it seemed she didn't want to leave anymore.It: Questo era il suo modo di scappare dalla routine, cercando avventure e un pizzico di chiarezza sul suo futuro.En: This was her way of escaping routine, seeking adventures and a bit of clarity about her future.It: Ma ora si avvicinava il momento di decidere cosa fare della sua vita.En: But now the moment was approaching for her to decide what to do with her life.It: Le luci della festa brillavano.En: The festival lights shone.It: Un chiosco preparava vin brulé, diffondendo un aroma dolce nell'aria.En: A kiosk prepared vin brulé, spreading a sweet aroma in the air.It: Giulia si spinse verso la piazza principale, cercando una nuova esperienza da aggiungere al suo diario di viaggio.En: Giulia moved towards the main square, looking for a new experience to add to her travel journal.It: Alessandro si fermò davanti a una tela bianca, esposta come parte di una mostra improvvisata nel centro della piazza.En: Alessandro stopped in front of a blank canvas, displayed as part of an impromptu exhibition in the center of the square.It: Senza accorgersene, Giulia si avvicinò allo stesso angolo, affascinata dalla figura solitaria che osservava quelle tele vuote.En: Without realizing it, Giulia approached the same corner, fascinated by the solitary figure observing those empty canvases.It: “Cosa vedi in quel foglio bianco?En: "What do you see in that blank sheet?"It: ” chiese lei con curiosità, rompendo il silenzio.En: she asked with curiosity, breaking the silence.It: Alessandro, sorpreso, si voltò.En: Alessandro, surprised, turned around.It: Non era abituato a parlare con sconosciuti.En: He wasn't used to talking to strangers.It: “Cerco ispirazione,” rispose con un mezzo sorriso, “ma c'è silenzio nella mia testa.En: "I'm looking for inspiration," he replied with a half-smile, "but there's silence in my head."It: ”Giulia sorrise, con uno sguardo carico di comprensione.En: Giulia smiled, with a look full of understanding.It: “Forse il mare ha delle risposte.En: "Perhaps the sea has some answers.It: Hai mai provato a chiedere a lui?En: Have you ever tried asking it?"It: ”Passarono il resto della serata insieme, passeggiando e parlando.En: They spent the rest of the evening together, walking and talking.It: Alessandro decise di mostrargli i suoi dipinti, incerto, ma speranzoso che Giulia vedesse qualcosa che lui non vedeva più.En: Alessandro decided to show her his paintings, uncertain but hopeful that Giulia would see something he no longer saw.It: Con la mezzanotte alle porte, si trovarono su una piccola spiaggia, lontani dai festeggiamenti rumorosi.En: With midnight approaching, they found themselves on a small beach, far from the noisy celebrations.It: La luna illuminava il loro cammino, mentre le onde cantavano la melodia del nuovo anno.En: The moon lit their path as the waves sang the melody of the new year.It: “Sai,” disse Giulia, “mi stavo chiedendo se tornare a casa fosse la scelta giusta.En: "You know," said Giulia, "I was wondering if going back home was the right choice.It: Ora, con te, vedo nuovi percorsi.En: Now, with you, I see new paths."It: ”Alessandro guardò Giulia con nuova determinazione.En: Alessandro looked at Giulia with renewed determination.It: “Grazie, Giulia.En: "Thank you, Giulia.It: Con te, ho riscoperto la bellezza nel dipingere la vita.En: With you, I've rediscovered the beauty in painting life."It: ”Mentre le campane suonavano il nuovo anno, si scambiarono un abbraccio che valeva più di mille parole.En: As the bells rang in the new year, they shared an embrace worth more than a thousand words.It: I giorni seguenti furono pieni di vita e colori.En: The following days were full of life and color.It: Alessandro finalmente completò un nuovo quadro, ispirato dal sorriso di Giulia e dalla luce dell'alba sulle onde.En: Alessandro finally completed a new painting, inspired by Giulia's smile and the light of dawn on the waves.It: Giulia, invece, decise di rimanere ancora un po', seguendo il cuore anziché un'agenda prestabilita.En: Giulia, on the other hand, decided to stay a bit longer, following her heart instead of a pre-set agenda.It: Così, sulla costa dell'Amalfi, tra il suono del mare e le risate condivise, Alessandro e Giulia trovarono non solo un passaggio verso un nuovo anno, ma anche un inizio promettente per un viaggio insieme.En: Thus, on the coast of the Amalfi, between the sound of the sea and shared laughter, Alessandro and Giulia found not only a way into a new year but also a promising start to a journey together. Vocabulary Words:the waves: le ondethe pier: il moloinspiration: l'ispirazionea canvas: una telatrapped: intrappolatadoubts: dubbiinsecurities: insicurezzea change: un cambiamentothe village: il villaggioadventures: avventureclarity: la chiarezzathe future: il futuroapproaching: avvicinavafestival lights: le luci della festaa kiosk: un chioscosweet aroma: un aroma dolcea blank canvas: una tela biancathe exhibition: la mostraimprovised: improvvisatathe silence: il silenziothe stranger: lo sconosciutothe sea: il mareanswers: rispostean embrace: un abbracciodetermine: nuova determinazionea journey: un viaggioshared laughter: le risate condivisethe path: il camminothe melody: la melodiaa painting: un quadro

Fluent Fiction - Italian: Christmas in Brushstrokes: Finding Beauty in Rome's Imperfections Find the full episode transcript, vocabulary words, and more:fluentfiction.com/it/episode/2025-12-27-23-34-02-it Story Transcript:It: La piazza Navona era un tripudio di luci e suoni.En: La piazza Navona was a spectacle of lights and sounds.It: Le decorazioni natalizie s'intrecciavano sopra le bancarelle colorate, mentre le melodie dolci dei musicisti di strada risuonavano nell'aria.En: The Christmas decorations intertwined above the colorful stalls, while the sweet melodies of the street musicians echoed in the air.It: Tra la folla, Lorenzo sedeva con il suo cavalletto, circondato da fogli e tubetti di colore.En: Among the crowd, Lorenzo sat with his easel, surrounded by sheets and tubes of paint.It: Stava cercando di catturare la magia del Natale a Roma.En: He was trying to capture the magic of Christmas in Rome.It: Ma l'ispirazione sembrava sfuggirgli.En: But inspiration seemed to elude him.It: Ogni schizzo sembrava meno vivace, meno vero.En: Every sketch seemed less lively, less true.It: Il tintinnare delle risate, il profumo delle caldarroste, persino il vento freddo sembravano distorcerlo.En: The jingling of laughter, the smell of roasted chestnuts, even the cold wind seemed to distort it.It: “Non ci riesco,” disse tra sé e sé, stringendo i denti.En: "I can't do it," he said to himself, gritting his teeth.It: In quel momento, Gabriella, che lavorava in una piccola erboristeria a due passi dalla piazza, notò il giovane artista.En: At that moment, Gabriella, who worked in a small herbal shop just a few steps from the square, noticed the young artist.It: C'era qualcosa nello sguardo concentrato di Lorenzo che la attrasse.En: There was something in Lorenzo's focused gaze that attracted her.It: Avvicinandosi, gli disse con un sorriso, “Hai bisogno di una mano?En: Approaching, she said with a smile, "Do you need a hand?"It: ”Lorenzo, colto di sorpresa, alzò lo sguardo.En: Lorenzo, caught by surprise, looked up.It: Gabriella aveva gli occhi pieni di calore, come una sera d'estate.En: Gabriella's eyes were full of warmth, like a summer evening.It: “Non so se possiate aiutarmi,” rispose lui, “Sto cercando di dipingere la perfezione e non riesco.En: "I don't know if you can help me," he replied, "I'm trying to paint perfection and I can't."It: ”“Ma perché la perfezione, quando c'è così tanto in ogni imperfezione?En: "But why perfection, when there is so much in every imperfection?"It: ” Gli chiese Gabriella.En: Gabriella asked him.It: “Guarda i bambini che giocano, quelle coppie che si scaldano con un caffè.En: "Look at the children playing, those couples warming up with a coffee...It: C'è una bellezza incredibile nelle emozioni.En: There's incredible beauty in emotions."It: ”Lorenzo ci pensò.En: Lorenzo thought about it.It: Era come se un velo gli fosse stato tolto davanti agli occhi.En: It was as if a veil had been lifted from his eyes.It: Il rumore della piazza non era più una distrazione, ma una sinfonia.En: The noise of the square was no longer a distraction, but a symphony.It: “Forse hai ragione,” ammise, mentre iniziava un nuovo schizzo, seguendo le emozioni che Gabriella gli aveva indicato.En: "Maybe you're right," he admitted, as he began a new sketch, following the emotions that Gabriella had pointed out to him.It: Le mani di Lorenzo si mossero rapide e sicure.En: Lorenzo's hands moved quickly and confidently.It: Non cercava più la perfezione, ma la verità.En: He was no longer seeking perfection, but truth.It: La scena si dipinse da sola: una piazza viva, un crocevia di sguardi, risate, e intrecci di vite comuni.En: The scene painted itself: a lively square, a crossroads of gazes, laughter, and interweaving of ordinary lives.It: La bellezza della piazza Navona era nelle persone, nei momenti di connessione umana.En: The beauty of piazza Navona was in the people, in the moments of human connection.It: Quando Lorenzo finì, il dipinto raccontava le storie di tutti quei volti illuminati dalle luci natalizie.En: When Lorenzo finished, the painting told the stories of all those faces illuminated by the Christmas lights.It: Fuori dal frame perfetto, Gabriella lo osservava, fiera.En: Outside the perfect frame, Gabriella watched him, proud.It: “Questo sì che è un quadro straordinario,” disse.En: "Now that's an extraordinary painting," she said.It: Lorenzo sorrise, sentendosi per la prima volta davvero soddisfatto.En: Lorenzo smiled, feeling truly satisfied for the first time.It: Aveva trovato il suo vero modo di esprimersi.En: He had found his true way of expressing himself.It: E proprio grazie a questa nuova prospettiva, non solo aveva costruito il suo capolavoro, ma aveva anche ritrovato la fiducia in sé stesso.En: And thanks to this new perspective, he had not only created his masterpiece, but he had also regained his self-confidence.It: In quel freddo inverno romano, grazie a Gabriella, Lorenzo aveva imparato a vedere il Natale e la vita con occhi diversi.En: In that cold Roman winter, thanks to Gabriella, Lorenzo had learned to see Christmas and life with different eyes.It: E lì, in quella piazza animata e calda di emozioni, sapeva di aver trovato qualcosa di più prezioso di un semplice quadro: l'arte di vedere la bellezza nell'imperfezione della vita.En: And there, in that lively square warm with emotions, he knew he had found something more precious than a simple painting: the art of seeing beauty in the imperfection of life. Vocabulary Words:spectacle: il spettacoloeasel: il cavallettoinspiration: l'ispirazioneto elude: sfuggireto grit: stringereherbal shop: l'erboristeriato attract: attrarreto approach: avvicinarsito capture: catturaresketch: lo schizzoroasted chestnuts: le caldarrostejingle: il tintinnioto distort: distorceremelody: la melodiaframe: il quadrocrossroad: il croceviagaze: lo sguardoto warm up: scaldarsiconfidence: la fiduciaimperfection: l'imperfezionetruth: la veritàordinary: comuneemotion: l'emozioneto illuminate: illuminareperspective: la prospettivaconnection: la connessionemasterpiece: il capolavoroto regain: ritrovareto express: esprimereprecious: prezioso

Let's get it on for the last Colorado Springs show of 2025! Mike talks about upcoming meal deals where he interviews Tom Bruno from Papa's Italian. Mike also talks about how the Airplane Restaurant did a great job with its Christmas lunch and dinner this year. Additionally, Mike brings on the radio station's resident car guy and host of the Automotive ADHD Show, Matt West to answer your questions about falling gas prices, and to explain which octane fuel your car really needs! That, and more on this packed edition of The Restaurant Show!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Fluent Fiction - Swedish: Unplugged: A Christmas Feast Under the Amalfi Stars Find the full episode transcript, vocabulary words, and more:fluentfiction.com/sv/episode/2025-12-27-08-38-20-sv Story Transcript:Sv: Havet vid Amalfikusten glittrade i det bleka vinterljuset.En: The sea by the Amalfikusten glittered in the pale winter light.Sv: Axel stod i det lilla huset med sina vänner, Linnea och Emil.En: Axel stood in the little house with his friends, Linnea and Emil.Sv: Det var jul.En: It was Christmas.Sv: Axel ville laga en stor italiensk festmåltid.En: Axel wanted to prepare a grand Italian feast.Sv: Han ville imponera på sina vänner.En: He wanted to impress his friends.Sv: "Vi beställer pizza, eller?"En: "Shall we order pizza, or?"Sv: frågade Linnea skeptiskt.En: asked Linnea skeptically.Sv: "Nej, nej," svarade Axel entusiastiskt.En: "No, no," replied Axel enthusiastically.Sv: "Jag ska laga den bästa maten!"En: "I'm going to cook the best food!"Sv: Emil höll sin ficklampa i handen.En: Emil held his flashlight in hand.Sv: Han var alltid förberedd.En: He was always prepared.Sv: Axel började laga maten, men plötsligt blev allt mörkt.En: Axel started cooking, but suddenly everything went dark.Sv: Strömmen gick.En: The power went out.Sv: Emil tände sin ficklampa och lyste rummet.En: Emil turned on his flashlight and lit the room.Sv: "Vad gör vi nu?"En: "What do we do now?"Sv: frågade Linnea, med ett försök att verka positiv.En: asked Linnea, trying to sound positive.Sv: "Vi lagar mat ute!"En: "We cook outside!"Sv: sa Axel med ett leende.En: said Axel with a smile.Sv: Han tog fram sitt campingkök.En: He brought out his camping stove.Sv: Emil hjälpte till att samla ved och ingredienser.En: Emil helped gather wood and ingredients.Sv: Linnea letade efter ljus och godsaker.En: Linnea searched for candles and treats.Sv: Axel kämpade med campingköket.En: Axel struggled with the camping stove.Sv: Plötsligt välte han grytan med vatten.En: Suddenly he knocked over the pot of water.Sv: Vattnet rann nerför klippan.En: The water flowed down the rock.Sv: Alla blev tysta i en sekund.En: Everyone was silent for a second.Sv: Sedan började de skratta.En: Then they started to laugh.Sv: Tårarna rann av skratt.En: Tears rolled down from laughter.Sv: Det var precis vad de behövde.En: It was just what they needed.Sv: Slutligen gjorde de enkla mackor.En: Finally, they made simple sandwiches.Sv: De delade en flaska vin.En: They shared a bottle of wine.Sv: De satt under stjärnorna på klippan.En: They sat under the stars on the rock.Sv: Det var magiskt.En: It was magical.Sv: Ljuset från byn blinkade i fjärran.En: The light from the village twinkled in the distance.Sv: "Det här blev ganska bra ändå", sa Linnea och log.En: "This turned out pretty good after all," said Linnea with a smile.Sv: Axel insåg att det inte alltid handlar om perfekt mat.En: Axel realized that it's not always about perfect food.Sv: Det handlar om gott sällskap.En: It's about good company.Sv: Han tittade på Emil, som satt nära Linnea.En: He looked at Emil, who was sitting close to Linnea.Sv: Emil samlade mod.En: Emil gathered courage.Sv: I det mjuka mörkret närmade han sig henne och viskade några tysta ord.En: In the soft darkness, he leaned closer to her and whispered a few quiet words.Sv: Alla blev glada av den oväntade kvällen.En: Everyone was delighted by the unexpected evening.Sv: Det blev den minnesvärda julen Axel önskade.En: It became the memorable Christmas Axel wished for.Sv: Det visade sig att ibland är enkla saker de bästa.En: It turned out that sometimes simple things are the best.Sv: Vänskap och spontana ögonblick värmer mer än någon festmåltid.En: Friendship and spontaneous moments warm more than any feast. Vocabulary Words:glittered: glittradegather: samlafeast: festmåltidsuddenly: plötsligtimpress: imponeraskeptically: skeptisktenthusiastically: entusiastisktcamping stove: campingkökflashlight: ficklampaflowed: rannstruggled: kämpaderock: klippabottles: flaskatwinkled: blinkadedelighted: gladamemorable: minnesvärdaunexpected: oväntaderealized: insågcourage: modwhispered: viskadesilent: tystagathered: samladeattempt: försökcandles: ljustears: tårarnasilent: tystaspontaneous: spontanatreats: godsakershared: deladesoft: mjuka

[#399 – The babble best of 2025] As the sun sets on another year, we can’t forget the bangers that have lit up our radios and made love to our ears during season number 12. Michael and Io try their best to limit themselves to just a dozen songs that illustrate just how good pop music is when it’s not in English. Presenting the best of babble for 2025… but don’t limit yourself to just these 12. Relive the whole season via the pod. Liked a particular track? Click the link to check out the video. Want to catch up on the episode? Click through on the Episode Number. And don’t forget to follow across social media: Facebook | X (Twitter) | Threads Playlist TORFI & Páll Óskar – EF ÞÚ HEFUR ÁHUGA [#377 – Icelandic: IF YOU ARE INTERESTED]      manifest – Snap [#384 – Turkish]      Domen Kumer – Bolano [#378 – Slovenian: Sick]      Youngtak & Kim Yonja – Juicy Go [#388 – Korean]      Voice of Lele – E Mambo [#375 – Papuan]      Orietta Berti, Fabio Rovazzi & Fuckyourclique – Cabaret [#378 – Italian]      ТУЧА – Комета [#383 – Ukrainian: Comet]      dia maté & Sassa Gurl – Ganda Gandahan (Remix) [#391 – Tagalog: Beautiful Beautiful]      Katarina Živković – Surova realnost [#395 – Serbian: Harsh reality]      Benjamin – Bensaa tulipaloon [#390 – Finnish: Adding fuel to the fire]      Xamdam Sobirov – Altingul [#383 – Uzbek: Golden]      Emilia & Six Sex – pasarella [#378 – Spanish: Catwalk]      The post Three hundred and ninety-nine – Give it up for 2025! appeared first on babble POP!.

On Culture Friday, John Stonestreet revisits the biggest cultural stories of 2025, Arsenio Orteza reviews the music of Gian-Luca Petrucci, and Listener Feedback for the month of December. Plus, the Friday morning newsSupport The World and Everything in It today at wng.org/donateAdditional support comes from Commuter Bible, the audio Bible podcast series to match the work week. Available via podcast apps and commuterbible.orgAnd from Missions Upside Down - a FREE, award-winning video series about Christian missions in the past, present, and into the future. You can find this free resource on RightNowMedia or at missionsupsidedown.com

Planning a trip to Italy in 2026? Listen in for our essential guide to Italy trip planning for the coming year. We cover trip planning steps, timing and must know dates and events for planning your ultimate Italian adventure. Read the full episode show notes here > untolditaly.com/304Untold Italy App  •  Trip Planning Services  •  Small Group Journeys through regional ItalySupport the showSubscribe to our mailing list and get our FREE Italy trip planning toolkit - subscribe hereNeed help with your trip? Check out our Trip Planning ServicesJoin us on tour. Browse our Trip scheduleFollowSubstackInstagram • Facebook • YouTube Editorial InformationThe Untold Italy travel podcast is an independent production. Podcast Editing, Audio Production and Website Development by Mark Hatter. Production Assistance and Content Writing by the other Katie Clarke 

Sheinelle joins the cast of "A Christmas Carol" to take part in a very special production of the holiday classic. Also, Craig visits the Chicago Tool Library, a repair shop that builds community as it empowers its members to learn new skills. And, Matthew Cutolo, the chef at the iconic Gargiulo's restaurant shares a recipe for Meatball Spiedini, a classic Italian appetizer. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

===== MDJ Script/ Top Stories for December 26th Publish Date:  December 26th    Commercial: From the BG AD Group Studio, Welcome to the Marietta Daily Journal Podcast.    Today is Friday, December 26th and Happy Birthday to Lars Ulrich I’m Keith Ippolito and here are the stories Cobb is talking about, presented by Times Journal Piastra closing, reopening as café and grocery in January Salleigh Grubbs appointed to State Election Board Bittersweet: Candymakers navigate tariff, supply chain challenges during holiday season Plus, Leah McGrath from Ingles Markets on holiday foods All of this and more is coming up on the Marietta Daily Journal Podcast, and if you are looking for community news, we encourage you to listen and subscribe!  BREAK: INGLES 10 STORY 1: Piastra closing, reopening as café and grocery in January  Big changes are coming to Piastra, the Italian spot that’s been a Marietta Square favorite since 2015. After New Year’s Eve, the restaurant will close its doors—but not for good. In January, it’ll reopen as Asher and Rose Modern Grocers, a café and market dreamed up by co-owners Greg Lipman and his mom, Betty Bahl. Why the shift? “We’ve been listening,” Lipman said. Locals have been asking for a specialty grocery store on the Square for years, and now they’re getting one—complete with fresh bread, local produce, prepared meals, and an all-day breakfast café. “We love this community,” Lipman added. STORY 2: Salleigh Grubbs appointed to State Election Board Salleigh Grubbs, former Cobb GOP Chair, is stepping into a new role on the State Election Board. The Georgia Republican Party announced Monday that Lt. Gov. Burt Jones appointed her to fill the seat left vacant by Rick Jeffares. It’s a “recess appointment,” Grubbs explained, and she’s diving in immediately. “I’m honored, humbled, all of it,” she said. “Fair elections are something I’ve been passionate about for years, and I’m ready to get to work.” A Marietta native, Grubbs led the Cobb GOP until earlier this year and now serves as the Georgia GOP’s first vice chair. “This is about transparency,” she added. STORY 3: Bittersweet: Candymakers navigate tariff, supply chain challenges during holiday season   For Jocelyn Dubuke, owner of Jardi Chocolates, 2025 has been a rollercoaster. Tariffs, supply chain chaos, rising costs—it’s enough to make anyone panic. And yet, back in January, she made a bold move: she spent every penny of last year’s revenue stockpiling chocolate. “I told my distributors, ‘Whatever you’ve got in the States, I’ll take it,’” she said. “I wasn’t about to tell my customers halfway through the year, ‘Oh, by the way, your chocolate’s double the price now.’” Chocolate’s tricky—rules you can’t break, ingredients you can’t grow here. But for Dubuke, it’s personal. We have opportunities for sponsors to get great engagement on these shows. Call 770.799.6810 for more info.  We’ll be right back. Break: INGLES 10 STORY 4: Georgia DOT suspends lane closures for the holidays  With the holidays happening, the Georgia Department of Transportation is hitting pause on lane closures—at least on interstates, major routes, and roads near shopping hubs. From Dec. 23 at 6 a.m. to Dec. 28 at 10 p.m., and again from Dec. 31 at 5 a.m. to Jan. 2 at 5 a.m., you’ll get a break from the usual construction chaos. But don’t get too comfortable—crews might still be working nearby, and emergency closures? Yeah, those can still happen. Stay sharp, watch for signs, and if you’re curious about road updates, check out GDOT’s website or the 511GA app. STORY 5: Walton claims first county title in nearly two decades Walton’s boys wrestling team finally broke through, snagging their first Cobb County title in nearly 20 years Saturday at Harrison High. And they did it in style—five wrestlers in the finals, five gold medals. Coach Dylan Turner couldn’t stop smiling. “We’ve got everyone back from last year, and it took every single one of them to pull this off,” he said. “They’re just gamers.” The standout? Brandon Whiteford. An eighth seed at 165 pounds, he shocked the top seed with a pin in his opener, then clinched the title with a gritty 6-3 win in the final. “I love the pressure,” he said. FALCONS: Bijan Robinson was electric, C.J. Henderson clutch, and the Falcons? They held on—barely. Atlanta edged Arizona 26-19 on Sunday, thanks to Henderson’s diving interception with 90 seconds left, slamming the door on the Cardinals’ final drive. Robinson? Unreal. 171 total yards, a touchdown grab, and a spot in Falcons history—just the third player to hit 2,000 scrimmage yards in a season. Not bad company: Jamal Anderson, William Andrews. Arizona? Another heartbreak. Seven straight losses, 12 of their last 13. Brissett’s 203 yards weren’t enough, and a wild Michael Wilson TD catch wasn’t either. Atlanta’s still alive. Barely. I'm Keith Ippolito and that’s your MDJ Sports Minute. And now here is Leah McGrath from Ingles Markets on holiday foods We’ll have closing comments after this. Break: INGLES 10 Signoff-   Thanks again for hanging out with us on today’s Marietta Daily Journal Podcast. If you enjoy these shows, we encourage you to check out our other offerings, like the Cherokee Tribune Ledger Podcast, the Marietta Daily Journal, or the Community Podcast for Rockdale Newton and Morgan Counties. Read more about all our stories and get other great content at mdjonline.com Did you know over 50% of Americans listen to podcasts weekly? Giving you important news about our community and telling great stories are what we do. Make sure you join us for our next episode and be sure to share this podcast on social media with your friends and family. Add us to your Alexa Flash Briefing or your Google Home Briefing and be sure to like, follow, and subscribe wherever you get your podcasts. Produced by the BG Podcast Network Show Sponsors: www.ingles-markets.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Join Revival Cry Podcast host Eric Miller as he shares a message called “Transition For the Old For the New”.   Click here to go to the official Revival Cry YouTube channel. To see the Revival Cry podcast on another streaming service, click here.   Listen to Revival Cry on Mango Radio every:  ⏵ Thursday evenings | 6:30pm — 7:00pm PHT ⏵ Saturday mornings | 6:30am — 7:00am PHT available at: ⏵ 102.7 FM (Davao)  ⏵ 91.5 FM (Zamboanga)  ⏵ or listen online via TuneIn   To support Revival Cry or find out more information, go to revivalcry.org Email us at info@revivalcry.org  Follow @RevivalCryInternational on Facebook and Instagram.   Purchase Eric's 30-Day Devotional Books:  ⏵ “How to Become a Burning Bush”, available in English and Italian ⏵ “Hearing God through His Creation”, available in English, Italian, Spanish, and Japanese

La prima notizia riguarda una scelta sorprendente del The Economist, che ha nominato la Siria paese dell'anno. La seconda notizia è dedicata alla spesa natalizia nell'Unione Europea, che quest'anno è destinata ad aumentare. Purtroppo, l'aumento non è dovuto a un clima di particolare entusiasmo festivo, ma all'inflazione e a norme più severe sulla sicurezza dei giocattoli. La nostra sezione scientifica è dedicata a uno studio che rivela come molte persone utilizzino l'intelligenza artificiale per il supporto emotivo e l'interazione sociale. Concluderemo la prima parte del programma rendendo omaggio a Rob Reiner, celebre regista e attore, assassinato nella sua casa di Los Angeles insieme alla moglie, Michele Singer Reiner.   La seconda parte della puntata è dedicata alla lingua e alla cultura italiana. L'argomento grammaticale di oggi è Adverbial Phrases. Ne troverete diversi esempi nel dialogo dedicato ai risultati dell'analisi annuale sulla qualità della vita in Italia, pubblicata dal quotidiano economico-finanziario Il Sole 24 Ore. Nel finale ci soffermeremo sull'espressione idiomatica di oggi: Non fare una piega. Nel dialogo in cui la useremo si parla della decisione del Comune di Verona di introdurre un biglietto da 12 euro per entrare nel cortile che rievoca la storia d'amore tra Romeo e Giulietta, raccontata da Shakespeare. Un prezzo alto, proprio nel periodo più affollato dell'anno, che non ha mancato di creare discussioni. - The Economist nomina il Paese dell'anno - Le statistiche europee sugli acquisti natalizi mostrano un aumento della spesa in questa stagione - Uno studio rileva che molte persone utilizzano l'IA come supporto emotivo ,/li> - Hollywood piange la morte di Rob Reiner e celebra la sua eredità - Dove si vive meglio in Italia nel 2025 - Il prezzo del cortile di Giulietta fa discutere Verona

The Joint Readiness Training Center is pleased to present the one-hundredth-and-twenty-first episode to air on ‘The Crucible - The JRTC Experience'. Hosted by COL Ricky Taylor, the Commander of Ops Group (COG).   Established during the fierce fighting in the Italian campaigns of World War II, 1/82 was employed in multiple brush wars throughout the Cold War as well as in Operation Desert Storm and later as part of Operation Joint Guardian in Kosovo before deploying in support of the Global War on Terror. They have the Hollywood call-sign of “Devil” and the motto of “Strike and Hold.”   This episode brings together commanders from across an Infantry Brigade Combat Team (IBCT) to examine JRTC trends and best practices for preparing units for their hardest days of ground combat in LSCO across multiple domains. A recurring theme is the reality of operating under extreme friction, speed, and uncertainty, where units must fight the enemy—not the plan—while managing constrained planning timelines, high operational tempo, and limited resources. Commanders discuss how early phases of the fight, particularly airborne or austere insertions, expose weaknesses in logistics distribution, predictive sustainment, and mobility, often culminating units faster than anticipated. The panel reinforces that many perceived “logistics problems” are actually distribution and prioritization problems, solvable through disciplined LOGSTATs, predictive analysis, and deliberate LOGSYNC forums that align brigade priorities with battalion-level realities.     Across echelons, leaders emphasize that success in LSCO depends on shared understanding and commander-driven dialogue, not perfect plans. Best practices highlighted include battlefield circulation to validate task and purpose, frequent commander-to-commander and commander-to-staff engagements, and clear articulation of risk to force, risk to mission, and opportunity gained. The discussion underscores persistent challenges in synchronizing fires, maneuver, and sustainment when staffs fall behind the fight, communications degrade, or units outrun their own situational awareness. Survivability and lethality on a transparent battlefield require formations to stay light, manage signatures, rehearse displacement, and ensure every Soldier—not just designated specialists—can employ critical systems like anti-armor weapons. Collectively, the panel reinforces a core JRTC lesson: disciplined fundamentals, predictive logistics, honest risk dialogue, and empowered leaders at echelon are what enable IBCTs to endure, adapt, and win during the opening battles of LSCO.     Part of S02 “If I Would Have Only Known” series.   For additional information and insights from this episode, please check-out our Instagram page @the_jrtc_crucible_podcast.   Follow us by going to: https://linktr.ee/jrtc and then selecting your preferred podcast format.   Again, we'd like to thank our guests for participating. Don't forget to like, subscribe, and review us wherever you listen or watch your podcasts — and be sure to stay tuned for more in the near future.   “The Crucible – The JRTC Experience” is a product of the Joint Readiness Training Center.

On this episode of On the Rocks, we get glam and sassy with pop girl on the rise, Ashlee Keating, as we chat about her very early entrance in the entertainment industry on Broadway, on Star Search, as a Radio Disney personality, and as an opener for Demi Lovato, Keke Palmer, & Raven Symone, just to name a few! We talk about her Italian heritage, her presence as a social media queen, the legacy she wants to create, love and dating as a performer, her role as an LGBTQ ally, mental health, and more. We also get a peek at her latest single, Sleigh All Day...with co-host Steven Dehler and your sassy host with the sassy most, Alexander Rodriguez. Raise a glass, it's On the Rocks!

Johnny Mac presents the latest updates in the comedy world. Stephen Colbert denied any plans to run for president in 2028, stressing he should not run but leaving a slight opening for public service post his late-night show. Dave Chappelle faced backlash over his participation in the Riyadh Comedy Festival due to censorship agreements and the Saudi regime's treatment of LGBTQ+ individuals. Shane Gillis is set to debut in Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship, and Amy Schumer has been reported to focus more on her career post-weight loss. Ricky Gervais enjoys his focus on stand-up comedy, while Kevin Spacey makes a return in the Italian comedy series 'Mini Market.' The segment ends with insights into the comedy stock market and James Cameron's displeasure with Amy Poehler's joke at his expense.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/daily-comedy-news-with-johnny-mac--4522158/support.Contact John at John@thesharkdeck dot com Thanks to our sponsors!Raycon EarbudsUnderdog Fantasy Promo Code DCNBlue Chew Promo Code DCNTalkspace promo code Space 80For Uninterrupted Listening, use the Apple Podcast App and click the banner that says Uninterrupted Listening.  $4.99/month John's Substack about media is free.

Fluent Fiction - Italian: Winter Run: Friendship Triumphs Over The Cinque Terre Chill Find the full episode transcript, vocabulary words, and more:fluentfiction.com/it/episode/2025-12-26-23-34-02-it Story Transcript:It: La neve scendeva silenziosa sulle Cinque Terre, coprendo il sentiero di corsa con un manto bianco e soffice.En: The snow was falling silently over the Cinque Terre, covering the running trail with a soft white blanket.It: Luca stava correndo, deciso a sfidare il freddo pungente.En: Luca was running, determined to brave the biting cold.It: Aveva promesso a se stesso di finire il percorso, nonostante il Natale gli avesse portato tanto stress a casa.En: He had promised himself to finish the course, despite Christmas having brought him so much stress at home.It: Con lui c'erano Giulia e Marco, entrambi amici fidati e appassionati come lui di corsa.En: With him were Giulia and Marco, both trusted friends and as passionate about running as he was.It: Giulia era allegra, con il suo cappellino rosso di lana che spuntava tra i suoi ricci castani.En: Giulia was cheerful, with her red wool hat peeking out among her brown curls.It: Marco, sempre sorridente, chiudeva la fila con il suo passo costante.En: Marco, always smiling, brought up the rear with his steady pace.It: Il sentiero era di solito roccioso e pieno di vita.En: The trail was usually rocky and full of life.It: Ma ora, la neve rendeva tutto silenzioso e scivoloso.En: But now, the snow made everything silent and slippery.It: Il panorama era mozzafiato, ma anche pericoloso.En: The scenery was breathtaking but also dangerous.It: La strada si faceva sempre più scivolosa.En: The path became increasingly slippery.It: Un passo falso poteva portare a una caduta, e il gruppo cominciava a sentire il vero pericolo.En: A misstep could lead to a fall, and the group began to feel the real danger.It: Luca rallentò.En: Luca slowed down.It: La spavalderia scompareva man mano che il freddo penetrava nei vestiti.En: His bravado faded as the cold seeped into his clothes.It: Uno sguardo oltre il bordo del sentiero mostrava il mare in tempesta, e i fiocchi di neve sembravano danzare impetuosi nel vento.En: A glance beyond the trail's edge showed the stormy sea, and the snowflakes seemed to dance fiercely in the wind.It: "Devo andare avanti," pensava Luca, mentre osservava l'orizzonte.En: "I must keep going," Luca thought, as he watched the horizon.It: Ma il cuore gli diceva che il rischio era troppo alto.En: But his heart told him that the risk was too high.It: Guardò Giulia e Marco.En: He looked at Giulia and Marco.It: Anche loro erano preoccupati, ma fiduciosi nel suo giudizio.En: They were worried too, but confident in his judgment.It: Finalmente, Luca decise di fermarsi.En: Finally, Luca decided to stop.It: "Amici," disse, cercando di coprire la vergogna con un sorriso, "forse dovremmo trovare riparo fino a quando la neve non smette."En: "Friends," he said, trying to cover his embarrassment with a smile, "perhaps we should find shelter until the snow stops."It: Giulia annuì.En: Giulia nodded.It: "È una buona idea, Luca.En: "That's a good idea, Luca.It: La sicurezza prima di tutto."En: Safety first."It: Camminarono lentamente fino a trovare una piccola grotta naturale un po' più avanti nel sentiero.En: They walked slowly until they found a small natural cave a bit further down the path.It: Era un rifugio modesto, ma li avrebbero protetti dal vento e dalla neve.En: It was a modest shelter but would protect them from the wind and snow.It: Seduti vicini, aspettavano che la tormenta passasse.En: Sitting close, they waited for the storm to pass.It: Marco tirò fuori un thermos di tè caldo, e il vapore profumato riempì l'aria.En: Marco pulled out a thermos of hot tea, and the fragrant steam filled the air.It: Mentre bevevano e parlavano del Natale, Luca capì che quel momento di amicizia era più prezioso di qualsiasi altra corsa.En: As they drank and talked about Christmas, Luca realized that this moment of friendship was more valuable than any other run.It: Il sole apparve finalmente tra le nuvole, illuminando la neve scintillante.En: The sun finally appeared through the clouds, illuminating the glistening snow.It: Luca guardò i suoi amici, sentendosi finalmente sereno.En: Luca looked at his friends, feeling at peace at last.It: Aveva imparato qualcosa di importante: non era necessario sfidare la montagna da solo.En: He had learned something important: it wasn't necessary to challenge the mountain alone.It: La vera forza era in loro, insieme.En: The true strength was in them, together.It: E così, lasciarono la grotta, pronti a tornare indietro, con i cuori leggeri e uniti, ogni passo a ricordare il valore dell'amicizia e della sicurezza.En: And so, they left the cave, ready to head back, with light hearts and united, each step a reminder of the value of friendship and safety.It: Christmas si avvicinava, e questa volta Luca lo avrebbe accolto con gratitudine e un nuovo spirito.En: Christmas was approaching, and this time, Luca would welcome it with gratitude and a new spirit. Vocabulary Words:the blanket: il mantoto brave: sfi̇darethe biting cold: il freddo pungentethe curls: i riccito bring up the rear: chiudere la filathe scenery: il panoramabreathtaking: mozzafiatothe misstep: un passo falsoto seep: penetrarethe stormy sea: il mare in tempestathe snowflakes: i fiocchi di neveto glance: uno sguardothe edge: il bordothe horizon: l'orizzontethe risk: il rischiothe judgment: il giudiziothe embarrassment: la vergognato nod: annuirethe shelter: il rifugioto protect: proteggereto sit: sedersithe storm: la tormentathe fragrant steam: il vapore profumatothe friendship: l'amiciziato learn: impararethe strength: la forzato illuminate: illuminarethe clouds: le nuvoleto feel at peace: sentirsi serenogratitude: gratitudine

Fluent Fiction - Italian: Finding Inspiration: A Christmas Tale in Piazza Navona Find the full episode transcript, vocabulary words, and more:fluentfiction.com/it/episode/2025-12-26-08-38-20-it Story Transcript:It: Nel cuore di Roma, sotto un cielo grigio d'inverno, Piazza Navona brillava di luci natalizie.En: In the heart of Roma, under a gray winter sky, Piazza Navona shone with Christmas lights.It: C'erano bancarelle ovunque, che esponevano dolci profumati e regali fatti a mano.En: There were stalls everywhere, displaying fragrant sweets and handmade gifts.It: L'aria, fredda e pungente, era piena di musica, risate e l'inebriante aroma di caldarroste.En: The air, cold and sharp, was filled with music, laughter, and the intoxicating aroma of roasted chestnuts.It: Alessio camminava lentamente tra la folla.En: Alessio walked slowly through the crowd.It: Portava un cappello di lana che nascondeva i suoi riccioli scuri e una sciarpa avvolta stretta intorno al collo.En: He wore a wool hat that hid his dark curls and a scarf wrapped tightly around his neck.It: Cercava ispirazione per il suo nuovo quadro.En: He was looking for inspiration for his new painting.It: Era un giovane artista in cerca della sua musa.En: He was a young artist searching for his muse.It: Al suo fianco c'era Giulia.En: Beside him was Giulia.It: Pratica e premurosa, lei osservava Alessio con un misto di preoccupazione e affetto.En: Practical and caring, she watched Alessio with a mix of concern and affection.It: "Devi pensare al futuro, Alessio," gli disse, scuotendo la testa mentre un carretto di zucchero filato passava accanto a loro.En: "You need to think about the future, Alessio," she said, shaking her head as a cotton candy cart passed by them.It: In quel momento, Matteo, il loro amico d'infanzia, tornato dall'estero, si unì a loro con un grande sorriso.En: At that moment, Matteo, their childhood friend, returned from abroad and joined them with a big smile.It: "Roma mi è mancata!En: "Roma really missed me!It: E voi ancora di più!En: And you guys even more!It: ", esclamò abbracciandoli forte.En: ", he exclaimed, embracing them tightly.It: Alessio sorrise, ma dentro di sé si sentiva frustrato.En: Alessio smiled, but inside he felt frustrated.It: La piazza era piena di vita, ma lui non riusciva a trovare l'immagine perfetta da dipingere.En: The square was full of life, but he couldn't find the perfect image to paint.It: Decise di fermarsi e osservare le persone attorno.En: He decided to stop and observe the people around.It: Vide famiglie che si scattavano foto davanti alla grande fontana, bambini che correvano intorno agli alberi decorati, e coppie che si scambiavano piccoli doni dal mercato.En: He saw families taking photos in front of the big fountain, children running around the decorated trees, and couples exchanging small gifts from the market.It: Eppure, niente sembrava colpire l'immaginazione di Alessio.En: Yet, nothing seemed to strike Alessio's imagination.It: Poi, all'improvviso, vide una scena che gli fece battere il cuore.En: Then, suddenly, he saw a scene that made his heart race.It: Un'anziana coppia, mano nella mano, si avvicinava a una bancarella.En: An elderly couple, hand in hand, approached a stall.It: I loro volti erano solcati dal tempo, ma si illuminavano di gioia mentre due bambini si lanciavano loro tra le braccia.En: Their faces were lined with time, but they lit up with joy as two children threw themselves into their arms.It: Le risate dei due piccoli e l'affetto sincero tra i nonni accesero una scintilla in Alessio.En: The laughter of the little ones and the sincere affection between the grandparents sparked something in Alessio.It: "È questo!En: "That's it!"It: ", esclamò, sorpreso dalla forza della sua visione.En: he exclaimed, surprised by the strength of his vision.It: Giulia lo guardò attentamente.En: Giulia looked at him carefully.It: "Hai visto qualcosa, vero?"En: "You saw something, didn't you?"It: Alessio assentì, con gli occhi pieni di nuova luce.En: Alessio nodded, his eyes full of new light.It: "I volti, le emozioni, le connessioni... sono l'essenza di questo Natale."En: "The faces, the emotions, the connections... they are the essence of this Christmas."It: Con rinnovata energia, Alessio si mise in un angolo tranquillo della piazza e cominciò a disegnare, perdendosi nei dettagli e nei sentimenti della scena che aveva visto.En: With renewed energy, Alessio found a quiet corner of the square and began to draw, losing himself in the details and feelings of the scene he had witnessed.It: Matteo lo guardava, impressionato dalla dedizione dell'amico ritrovato.En: Matteo watched him, impressed by the dedication of his rediscovered friend.It: Giulia, sollevata, gli diede una pacca sulla spalla.En: Giulia, relieved, gave him a pat on the shoulder.It: "Forse hai davvero trovato il modo di far funzionare la tua arte."En: "Perhaps you've truly found a way to make your art work."It: Quella sera, mentre le luci di Natale si riflettevano sui ciottoli umidi della piazza, Alessio capì che c'era un modo per bilanciare la passione e la realtà.En: That evening, as the Christmas lights reflected on the wet cobblestones of the square, Alessio realized there was a way to balance passion and reality.It: La sua tela si riempiva lentamente di vita, mentre una nuova determinazione cresceva dentro di lui.En: His canvas slowly filled with life as new determination grew within him.It: Questa volta, non solo aveva trovato la sua ispirazione, ma anche un cammino che univa il cuore e la ragione.En: This time, not only had he found his inspiration, but also a path that united heart and reason. Vocabulary Words:the heart: il cuorethe square: la piazzathe stalls: le bancarellefragrant: profumatithe gifts: i regalisharp: pungentethe scarf: la sciarpathe muse: la musapractical: praticacaring: premurosathe future: il futurothe childhood: l'infanziaabroad: l'esterofrustrated: frustratocouples: coppieto strike: colpirethe imagination: l'immaginazioneto approach: avvicinarsilined: solcatithe joy: la gioiasincere: sincerothe spark: la scintillato witness: assistereto draw: disegnarethe details: i dettaglithe feelings: i sentimentirenewed: rinnovatadetermination: determinazionethe canvas: la telato unite: unire

Who were the Italian sailors who stole the bones of St Nicolas from his church in Turkey in 1087? How was the mythology of St Nicolas combined with Germanic pagan stories of Odin riding a white horse accompanied by ravens? How did polar-mania and Coca Cola advertising transform Dutch traditions around St Nicolas into the Santa Claus we know today? William and Anita are joined once again by Sam Dalrymple to discuss his original research on the epic Heist of St Nicolas… Join the Empire Club: Unlock the full Empire experience – with bonus episodes, ad-free listening, early access to miniseries and live show tickets, exclusive book discounts, a members-only newsletter, and access to our private Discord chatroom. Sign up directly at empirepoduk.com  For more Goalhanger Podcasts, head to www.goalhanger.com. Email: empire@goalhanger.com Instagram: @empirepoduk Blue Sky: @empirepoduk X: @empirepoduk Producer: Anouska Lewis Executive Producer: Dom Johnson Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Hey! It's a little end of year treat: Mr. Dustin Travis White joins Amanda to talk about the two weeks they spent together in Japan, traveling from Nagoya to Fukuoka to Beppu to Tokyo.  They touch on all kinds of things in this episode:How and why one can hear more Christmas music in one month in Japan than they have heard in their entire adult lifeWhat is Kentucky Christmas?Physical media and "extinct" media are still more relevant than ever in Japan: magazines, books, cassettes, cds, and moreSecondhand shopping in JapanFinding vegetarian and gluten free food in JapanHow to be thrifty while 6000 miles away from homeHow not to flood a hotel room in FukuokaWeird dudes at the public foot bathTourist traps are a global experienceYes, you CAN do laundry while you're travelingAnd so much more!Here's a guide to the places mentioned in this conversation:NagoyaHotel Resol NagoyaStiff Slack (incredible record store and venue)Aichi Art TriennaleMatsuzakaya Art Museum (museum in a department store)Lee Jeans (Japan)FukuokaHello Kitty ShinkansenMotorpool RecordsThe Lively Fukuoka (hotel)With The Style Fukuoka (fancy hotel)Sonu Sonu (vegan restaurant with great burgers and taco rice)Evah Macrobiotic Vegan Deli (multiple locations in Fukuoka, including Hakata Station)BOOKOFFBeppuAmanek Yula-Re Beppu (hotel that Amanda has stayed in multiple times)Taco Nargo (Dustin's favorite meal)Showa museum in Yufuin (you can take a city bus from Beppu Station to get there and the ride is epic)Beppu Jigoku ("Hells of Beppu")TokyoHotel Graphy Nezu (Amanda and Dustin always stay here in Tokyo)Extinct Media MuseumParco (Shibuya)Masaka Vegan Izakaya2foods (Amanda's favorite meal...vegan!)LoftBEAMST's tantan (vegan ramen and curry, locations around Tokyo)Punk Doily (Australian hand pies with vegan options)AND ALSO...Kentucky Fried Chicken Christmas (1981) Japanese CommercialKFC Christmas Japan All CommercialsYamanote Line MusicAmanda's "potage maker" (please note that the price on this website is WAY higher than the price in Japan)"Jeans Town" OkayamaYamatoGet your Clotheshorse merch here: https://clotheshorsepodcast.com/shop/If you want to share your opinion/additional thoughts on the subjects we cover in each episode, feel free to email, whether it's a typed out message or an audio recording:  amanda@clotheshorse.worldDid you enjoy this episode? Consider "buying me a coffee" via Ko-fi: ko-fi.com/clotheshorseClotheshorse is brought to you with support from the following sustainable small businesses:Slow Fashion Academy is a size-inclusive sewing and patternmaking studio based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Designer and fashion professor Ruby Gertz teaches workshops for hobbyists and aspiring designers, so that anyone can learn the foundational skills of making, mending, and altering their own clothes. Ruby also provides professional design and patternmaking services to emerging slow fashion brands, and occasionally takes commissions for custom garments and costume pieces. She has also released several PDF sewing patterns for original designs under her brands Spokes & Stitches, and Starling Petite Plus. Check the schedule for upcoming workshops, download PDF sewing patterns, and learn about additional sewing and design services at www.slowfashion.academy.The Pewter Thimble Is there a little bit of Italy in your soul? Are you an enthusiast of pre-loved decor and accessories? Bring vintage Italian style — and history — into your space with The Pewter Thimble (@thepewterthimble). We source useful and beautiful things, and mend them where needed. We also find gorgeous illustrations, and make them print-worthy. Tarot cards, tea towels and handpicked treasures, available to you from the comfort of your own home. Responsibly sourced from across Rome, lovingly renewed by fairly paid artists and artisans, with something for every budget. Discover more at thepewterthimble.com Deco Denim is a startup based out of San Francisco, selling clothing and accessories that are sustainable, gender fluid, size inclusive and high quality--made to last for years to come. Deco Denim is trying to change the way you think about buying clothes. Founder Sarah Mattes wants to empower people to ask important questions like, “Where was this made? Was this garment made ethically? Is this fabric made of plastic? Can this garment be upcycled and if not, can it be recycled?” Signup at decodenim.com to receive $20 off your first purchase. They promise not to spam you and send out no more than 3 emails a month, with 2 of them surrounding education or a personal note from the Founder. Find them on Instagram as @deco.denim.Vagabond Vintage DTLV is a vinta...

The Italian subjunctive mood is used to express doubt, emotion, desire, or opinion, not facts. The easiest way to start with the subjunctive is by learning the verbs and expressions that automatically trigger it.Start learning Italian today!1. Explore more simple Italian lessons: https://italianmatters.com/2232. Download the Italian Verb Conjugation Blueprint: ⁠⁠⁠https://bit.ly/freebieverbblueprint⁠⁠⁠3. Subscribe to the YouTube lessons: ⁠⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/italianmatters⁠⁠⁠The goal of the Italian Matters Language and Culture School is to help English speakers build fluency and confidence to speak the Italian language through support, feedback, and accountability. The primary focus is on empowering Italian learners to speak clearly and sound natural so they can easily have conversations in Italian. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

learn how to conjugate the verb in a subordinate clause

On this episode from the Christmas of 2022, Heather is sitting down with her Italian stallion to recap 2022 highs and lows as well as doomsday prep for 2023. Jeff and Heather both share their "rose and thorn" of the year and never really address how over-budget the wedding really was. It is too touchy of a subject and they will push onto their therapists 10 years down the road.Episode Sponsors:Give Big. Save Big. Shop for everyone on your list at Nordstrom Rack stores now.Just in time for the new year, Prolon is offering ABSOLUTELY listeners FIFTEEN PERCENT off their 5-day nutrition program for your post-holiday glow-up when you go to ProlonLife.com/ABSOLUTELY.Want to see more of our adventures, laughs, and post-round FRESCAMixed vibes? Follow @FrescaMixed on Instagram and YouTube for more.Head over to Addyi's website — Addyi.com — and see if Addyi is right for you.Right now, ABSOLUTELY NOT listeners can save 30% on their first order! Just head to cornbreadhemp.com/ABSOLUTELY and use code ABSOLUTELY at checkout.Find Kahlúa Dunkin Caramel Swirl at retailers nationwide, including Walmart, Total Wine, Albertsons, Kroger, Ralphs, Safeway, BevMo, Publix, and more. Must be 21 or older to purchase. Please drink responsibly. For additional information, visit Kahlua.com and follow @Kahlua on Instagram.Save big during their Winter Savings event – SCHEDULE YOUR FREE CONSULTATION NOW AT SONOBELLO.com/ABSOLUTELY.Please note that this episode may contain paid endorsements and advertisements for products and services. Individuals on the show may have a direct or indirect financial interest in products or services referred to in this episode.Produced by Dear Media.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

The Australian state of New South Wales has passed gun control laws ten days after the Hanukkah attack in which 15 people were killed. There are also strict limits on how many firearms people can have and the police will have more powers to ban demonstrations. Also: four Palestine Action prisoners in Britain continue a prolonged hunger strike; Libya's army chief, General Muhammad Ali Ahmad al-Haddad, is killed in a plane crash shortly after take-off from the Turkish capital of Ankara; in Egypt, specialists are restoring a nearly 4,000 year old ceremonial boat from the reign of the Pharaoh Khufu; and a theatre company in Rome trains actors with psychiatric problems and learning disabilities to perform classic Italian plays.The Global News Podcast brings you the breaking news you need to hear, as it happens. Listen for the latest headlines and current affairs from around the world. Politics, economics, climate, business, technology, health – we cover it all with expert analysis and insight. Get the news that matters, delivered twice a day on weekdays and daily at weekends, plus special bonus episodes reacting to urgent breaking stories. Follow or subscribe now and never miss a moment. Get in touch: globalpodcast@bbc.co.ukImage credit: Dean Lewins EPA Shutterstock

During the late 19th and early 20th centuries, it was erroneously believed that there were "canals" on the planet Mars. These were a network of long straight lines in the equatorial regions from 60° north to 60° south latitude on Mars, observed by astronomers using early telescopes without photography. They were first described by the Italian astronomer Giovanni Schiaparelli during the opposition of 1877, and attested to by later observers. Schiaparelli called these canali ("channels"), which was mistranslated into English as "canals". The Irish astronomer Charles E. Burton made some of the earliest drawings of straight-line features on Mars, although his drawings did not match Schiaparelli's.

ad free on patreon @www.patreon.com/dopeypodcastThis week on Dopey! It's Christmas Eve! Wishing all the listeners a Merry Fucking Christmas! This week we open the show reminding everyone about patreon and reading a note from incarcerated Dope - Montana about prison life, Toastmasters, college aspirations, and his badass DIY cubicle decor.We reflects on Christmas's universal meaning – love, hope, togetherness – while sending love to the Reiner family. The main interview features longtime friend and DopeyCon organizer Rachel Hechtman (@soberincentralpark), recorded the day the Nick Reiner news broke. Rachel shares her wild journey: early drinking and coke at 14, boarding school antics (including Paris Hilton-sourced coke), dealing at Dartmouth, drug-induced psychosis, a secret marriage to an Italian guy (Giuseppe!), massive weight loss (80 lbs), and getting sober through daily Central Park walks with her dog George during COVID – no 12-step, just determination, walking, and community-building.All that plus copious Nick Reiner Spotify comments on this brand new Wednesday version of that good old dopey show! Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Osteo-odonto-keratoprosthesis, or “tooth-in-eye” surgery, is a real thing, returning vision to patients with severe corneal blindness. Jeff and Anthony explain the astounding process of using a tooth to repair an eye, and the wild road to discovering that it actually works.LInk to the story: https://www.today.com/health/men-s-health/tooth-in-eye-surgery-restores-vision-rcna230395Support the show and get bonus episodes, videos, Discord community access and more! http://patreon.com/wehaveconcernsJeff on Blue Sky: https://bsky.app/profile/jeffcannata.bsky.socialAnthony on Blue Sky: https://bsky.app/profile/acarboni.bsky.social

For the holidays, we're re-running some of our very favorite holiday-themed episodes! It's hard not to feel like we've got to be doing ALL the things at the holidays, especially when social media tells us we should be. Here are some tips for taking perspective at the holidays and operating in "high magic, low effort" mode. We discuss: pre-gaming with your (older) kids about the preferred responses to less-preferred gifts starting with what family members really do love most about the holidays (their answers will surprise you) why you don't have to go the Nutcracker, or lights at the zoo, or Aunt Martha's house, this year, let alone every year Rosie Colosi for Today Parents: ⁠⁠Moms are challenging the idea that they are the sole keepers of holiday ‘magic'⁠⁠ SNL's "Christmas Morning" sketch: ⁠https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FOVCtUdaMCU⁠ ⁠Read all of our listeners' great advice on the original Facebook thread⁠... and here, as promised, is Amy's recipe for the⁠ Italian pepper cookies⁠ that seem to be unique to northeast Pennsylvania... Italian Pepper Cookies (makes about 72 cookies, more if they're small) 1/2 cup Crisco  2 cups of milk or water (or more if needed) If dough is really sticky you can add a little bit more of milk 1/2 lb. raisins  1 cup cocoa 2 1/2 cups sugar 4 tbsp. baking powder 7 cups of flour (add more if needed) 1 1/2 tsps. cinnamon 1 1/2 tsps. cloves (not whole) 1 1/2 tsp. vanilla 1 1/2 tsps. black pepper (if you don't want them too spicy, you can cut back on the pepper, I never do though) Optional, you can add nuts or I've seen people add chocolate chips too. We aren't big nut eaters, so I've never made them with nuts. Preheat oven to 375 Cream sugar and Crisco together in a bowl  In a different bowl, sift together all the dry ingredients. Add sifted dry ingredients to creamed sugar and Crisco alternately with milk. Mix well. It will be very sticky, it's easier to work with your hands. I usually coat my hands with some Pam to be able to work the dough. Add your raisins and mix it up more.  Using your hands, take enough dough to roll a small ball (my mom likes them big, I like them smaller) Place cookie balls on your cookie trays (I usually fit around 16 on a tray, all depends on the size of your cookie balls)  Bake in oven for 8-10 minutes. Icing: 2 cups confectioner's sugar 1 to 2 tablespoons milk 1/2 teaspoon butter splash vanilla For icing: Mix together all ingredients, adding milk until achieving creamy consistency, not stiff. When cookies are slightly cooled, top with icing. Sign up for the What Fresh Hell newsletter! Once a month you'll get our favorite recent episodes, plus links to other things to read and watch and listen to, and upcoming special events: ⁠http://eepurl.com/h8ze3z⁠ We love the sponsors that make this show possible! You can always find all the special deals and codes for all our current sponsors on our website: ⁠https://www.whatfreshhellpodcast.com/p/promo-codes/⁠ Get 50% Off Monarch Money, the all-in-one financial tool at ⁠www.monarchmoney.com/FRESH Ready to raise money-smart kids? Start now with your first month FREE at acornsearly.com/FRESH! What Fresh Hell is co-hosted by Margaret Ables and Amy Wilson. Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, Santa, Elf on the Shelf, gift exchange, holiday, holiday shopping, holiday gifts, mom friends, funny moms, parenting advice, parenting experts, parenting tips, mothers, families, parenting skills, parenting strategies, parenting styles, busy moms, self-help for moms, manage kid's behavior, teenager, toddler, holiday recipes Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices