Podcast appearances and mentions of James Bond

Sometimes the truth is stranger than fiction. And today's podcast features 3 stories that demonstrate that. The audio from all three stories has been pulled from our main YouTube channel, which is just called "MrBallen," and has been remastered for today's podcast.Story names, previews & links to original YouTube videos:#3 -- "Rest Stop" -- You never know who you might run into (Original YouTube link -- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uIvIBKiQhVM)#2 -- "Luggage" -- A real life James Bond is found in an impossible place (Original YouTube link -- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WWWWMdm9ZY4)#1 -- "The Bear, the Plane, and the Duffel" -- The crazy true story of the rogue bear in Georgia (Original YouTube link -- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DrkrdozOMoQ)For 100s more stories like these, check out our main YouTube channel just called "MrBallen" -- https://www.youtube.com/c/MrBallenIf you want to reach out to me, contact me on Instagram, Twitter or any other major social media platform, my username on all of them is @mrballenSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

This week we can't get enough of a saucy Irishman. We watched The Thomas Crown Affair (1999)...the Bond movie, he stepped away from James Bond to do...or was that the Taylor of Panama....or The Matador....sorry, I was getting lost in his eyes. This is a dusting off of an old, behind the Patreon Paywall episode, so be kind about the fact that my voice has aged terribly.  Make sure to like and subscribe wherever you are getting this! Please leave us a review and follow us everywhere! How will The Thomas Crown Affair hold up?  Host: Jon Panel: Nic, Matt, Daniel   Directed by John McTiernan Starring: Pierce Brosnan, Rene Russo, Denis Leary, Ben Gazzara, Frankie Faison, Fritz Weaver, Charles Keating, Mark Margolis, Faye Dunaway

Laura Kendrick and Cort Sharp hijack the mic to share what it’s really like behind the scenes at Mountain Goat. From Zoom bloopers to unexpected team bonding, they unpack how a fully remote team built a thriving, human-centered workplace. Overview In this special takeover episode, Laura Kendrick and Cort Sharp pull back the curtain on what goes into running hundreds of Scrum and Product Owner classes virtually—and why Mountain Goat's remote team still feels so close-knit. With stories of early tech headaches, Slack banter, hilarious costume moments, and the quiet rituals that keep the team connected, they explore how remote work can actually foster strong relationships and top-tier collaboration. If you’ve ever wondered how to make a distributed team work (or just want a peek at some Zoom-era growing pains), this one’s for you. References and resources mentioned in the show: Laura Kendrick Cort Sharp #61: The Complex Factors in The Office Vs. Remote Debate with Scott Dunn #147: The Power of Quiet Influence with Casey Sinnema Run a Daily Scrum Your Team Will Love Subscribe to the Agile Mentors Podcast Join the Agile Mentors Community Want to get involved? This show is designed for you, and we’d love your input. Enjoyed what you heard today? Please leave a rating and a review. It really helps, and we read every single one. Got an Agile subject you’d like us to discuss or a question that needs an answer? Share your thoughts with us at podcast@mountaingoatsoftware.com This episode’s presenters are: Cort Sharp is the Scrum Master of the producing team and the Agile Mentors Community Manager. In addition to his love for Agile, Cort is also a serious swimmer and has been coaching swimmers for five years. Laura Kendrick is the producer of the Agile Mentors Podcast and a seasoned Scrum Master who keeps virtual classes running smoothly. Outside the podcast, she helps clients apply Scrum techniques to their marketing and business strategy, bringing structure and momentum to big, creative ideas. Auto-generated Transcript: Laura Kendrick (00:00) Welcome in Agile Mentors. As you may have noticed, I am not Brian Milner. I am Laura Kendrick, and this is Cort Sharp. And if you have taken a class with us at Mountain Goat in the last five years, there is a good chance that you have met one or actually both of us. Cort Sharp (00:19) I think it's like 90 % chance, 95 % honestly. We've been in so many of these classes. Laura Kendrick (00:26) Definitely, and oftentimes together too with one of us TAing, one of us producing, sometimes one of us teaching court. Cort Sharp (00:33) once in a while, once in a while. Yeah. Laura Kendrick (00:37) So we thought we would come on over here and hijack the podcast to share a little bit about some of the insights that we have gained from doing about a billion, maybe a little exaggeration. Cort Sharp (00:49) Roughly. Roughly. We've done roughly a billion classes with Mountain Goat. Yes. Laura Kendrick (00:56) We have seen a lot in the certifying of Scrum Masters and product owners and advanced product owners and Scrum Masters and all of the evolution of the classes that we have done. We actually hold quite a bit of insight into what is happening in this world. And so we thought we would come in, steal the podcast, and share a little bit of what we have seen, learned, observed, and really just kind of Honestly, some of the laughs and fun that we've had along the way. Cort Sharp (01:25) Also, I think, I don't know, just your intro right there is talking about, hey, we've seen the evolution of these classes. That just got my brain going of like, remember the first class that we did? Way like 2020. I mean, I was in my parents' basement with really terrible internet. It was a struggle. Laura Kendrick (01:40) Yeah. Cort Sharp (01:49) But we were working on like Miro boards or mural. One of the two, forget which, which tool it was, but that was, yeah, that was before team home. And then we got to see the first version of team home. We helped do a little testing with it. And then we've seen it grow all the way into this awesome tool that we have nowadays. And I don't know, just, just to me, I think it's cool to see how we've been iterating and be part of that process of the iteration process, um, to develop these classes and these courses into. Laura Kendrick (01:52) Mm-hmm. Mural. Yep. Mm-hmm. Cort Sharp (02:20) the truly awesomeness that they are today. Personally, I'd rather take a virtual class than an in-person class with Mountain Goat at this point. Laura Kendrick (02:27) It's funny that you say that because I notice actually the iteration of the experience like outside of the tech piece because you know, that's where my brain goes. Here's the difference between court and I. I'm noticing the interactions. But I've noticed, mean how people are interacting a little bit differently in the online space, how even our team interacts, like all of those things has become so much more sophisticated and amazing and Cort Sharp (02:39) Yeah, just a bit. Laura Kendrick (02:54) I mean, honestly, we sometimes talk on our team between like the producing and TA team where like I've referred to it as a perfect game if we don't need anything from the outside team, which occasionally we need a lot of support from the outside team, but we've we've got this down at this point. And it is it's become those first classes. I remember them being super stressful, like, my gosh, the breakout rooms and all the things and just being like, I mean, you couldn't do. Cort Sharp (03:17) Yes. Laura Kendrick (03:21) It was almost like learning how to drive where you felt like if you turned the radio knob up, you might actually turn the whole car. And it was like, so much anxiety. Cort Sharp (03:31) I mean, but we just didn't know Zoom then. Zoom didn't even know itself then, right? What Zoom is, ⁓ for those of you who don't know, we host all of our virtual classes on Zoom. And learning that platform, like I'd used it once maybe for some just, yeah, here's Zoom exists in one of my college classes. That was about it. But yeah, totally. was like, man, what does this button do? Hopefully it doesn't end the meeting and kick everyone out. Laura Kendrick (03:34) Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. That's so true. Yeah, no kidding. But you know what's really interesting too, though, is that it's been over five years now for both of us being part of the Mountain Goat team. And we all work remotely. And other than you and Mike for a little while being right down the road from each other, none of us had any actual interpersonal interaction with each other outside of Zoom email and Slack and the occasional, know, fretted text message of like, are you late? Where are you? Cort Sharp (03:58) Absolutely, yeah, totally. Yeah. Laura Kendrick (04:26) But other than that it like we truly were of and still are a fully remote team and the crazy thing about it is we have at this point once gotten together as a full team in person and it was such an interesting experience being having been fully remote and then being in person and in particular the team that is live on the classes Cort Sharp (04:39) Yep. Yep. Laura Kendrick (04:51) It was a very different interaction because we have this time built into our classes where the team gets on the Zoom call 30 minutes earlier than the students do. And we get this time to just honestly have like water cooler chat and like friend chat or occasionally see Mike get on and you can't hear him, but you can see that he is quite angry at his very elaborate tech system that is not working correctly. Cort Sharp (05:14) you That does happen. Yes, it does. ⁓ Laura Kendrick (05:21) these moments, I feel like they really bonded us together. Because when we got together in person, it was old friends. wasn't even fast friends. It was old friends. And the banter even that goes on in Slack is fun and engaging and not rigid and confining. Cort Sharp (05:31) Yeah. Yes, absolutely. I agree with that. I mean, I'm just thinking back to like the first time because that was the first time I met you in person. aside from being like, wow, she's a lot shorter than I thought she would be. Laura Kendrick (05:47) Mm-hmm. shorter. By the way, court is like 6-4. Cort Sharp (05:55) Yeah, yeah. Not that you're short. But I've just always ever seen like, the profile like the profile picture. That's all that it's really ever been. So I'm like, yeah, you're like, what I would consider normal height, which you totally are. But in my mind, I was like, yeah, it's weird seeing, you know, your legs. That's funny. ⁓ Laura Kendrick (06:14) We digress. Cort Sharp (06:15) But aside from that, was like we've known each other for three, four, four years because we've had that time to get to know each other. We've had that time to talk about just life events, what's going on, where we live, what's happening, what the deal is going on with life. Because we've been very intentional about having that time with that. The 30 minutes before each class were originally very much so used to take care of any tech problems. As the years have gone by, we've for the most part figured out the tech problems. Sometimes, you know, we'll change something out. Laura Kendrick (06:48) Except, hold on, except last week in Lance's class, we were talking about his dog and suddenly it looked as though Lance in his entire room did a cartwheel because the camera just fell. This is not a small camera. Cort Sharp (07:02) It said, nope, I'm out. ⁓ man. Laura Kendrick (07:06) So we still occasionally have the tech problem. Cort Sharp (07:09) Yes we do, yes we do. That's why we still do the 30 vimits. Laura Kendrick (07:14) The crazy thing about that is that when we landed at this in-person meeting, there were members of the team that at that time, and I in particular had never had any interaction with. so like other than the odd email or Slack message, so it was like really knew their name, but didn't really work with them up until that moment. And it was really interesting because at one point, the way that the leadership team had mentioned of like, well, if you need somebody to step in and talk to Mike for you, if you're not comfortable. And I remember looking at court and being like, Mike's the one I'm most comfortable with in this room because of that 30 minutes. I feel like I know Mike. I feel like we have an actual interpersonal relationship where I have no problem speaking up and saying the things that I need to. And that has made like those little water cooler times, those little Cort Sharp (07:54) Yeah. Laura Kendrick (08:06) bantery questions, them asking about my kids or hobbies or whatever. And just knowing those things made a huge difference in our team functioning. The communication across time zones was so much better and easier and safer. Cort Sharp (08:24) Absolutely. We were talking a little bit before we were recording about just people who want pure in-person no matter what. I think at this point, I will always push back on that and say, you might not get that quote unquote collaboration time that's naturally built in, but if you're intentional about it and you provide the space and provide the resources, Laura Kendrick (08:32) Hmm. Cort Sharp (08:50) And also, kind of push people along, have some, I don't know, working agreements or something of, hey, our cameras are on whenever we're talking with each other, unless something like drastic is going on or something's happening, right? Which I think we're going to get into in a little bit, but it's massive. It's crazy. Laura Kendrick (09:03) That's huge. Yeah, I mean, it is. I think we can definitely speak to that in our own experience because we've had, of course, there are moments where people don't have cameras. There are moments where people have bad connections and we'll encourage them in class, like turn off your camera, save your bandwidth. But there are also moments where we are doing private classes for companies. In particular, we've done some with companies that work with like Department of Defense. So there's like real security. issues there and so they don't turn their cameras on. Their cameras are totally disabled on their computers. And it is, I have to say those classes are some of the most like energy draining classes I'm ever present in because I'll be there with the trainer and I feel like I have to give all this emotional feedback because when you are talking to a black screen, that's, it's really hard to just. Cort Sharp (09:47) Hmm. Laura Kendrick (09:58) survive that because you're not getting any feedback from anyone. So you don't know what's happening and you're constantly questioning and the kind of banter in your own mind is like, God, is it landing? Is it not? And you're just not getting any of that physical feedback. So I feel like when I'm on a class with a trainer like that, I feel like I have to be like, that's funny. I'm like, yeah, good point. Cort Sharp (10:19) Yeah, you're kidding. Laura Kendrick (10:21) I'm tired Cort Sharp (10:22) You No, I get that. And I've had some pretty similar experiences too. I might not be as in tune with the emotional side as stated earlier. So I might not help the trainers out nearly as much as I probably should. But I do think cameras on just can make all the difference. And again, situations where it's just not possible. Absolutely understand that. One of our trainers, Lance, he Laura Kendrick (10:39) Mm-hmm. Cort Sharp (10:47) He always likes to throw out the phrase, look, let's approach everything with grace, patience, and mercy. So I like, which I really appreciate, and I like that he throws that out there. But I think that's a good thing to keep in mind of like, know, even though you have the company policy, you have the working agreement, whatever it is that says, look, camera's on all the time, sometimes it's just not possible. Sometimes it just doesn't happen. I recently had to figure out internet in the middle of nowhere, because that's where I live now. Laura Kendrick (10:52) Mm. No. Cort Sharp (11:15) And I was worried for a while that I wouldn't be able to put my camera on. But, you know, if if they came down to that, I know that it would be, hey, you know, it's a it's a unique situation. It's something different. And we're going to do we're going to work the best that we can with it and try to figure out maybe you can turn your camera on for any time you're talking or just any time you have something to say or, you know, if you're agreeing with something, you could briefly turn your camera on to show like, yeah, I'm nodding. I'm agreeing. I'm doing whatever. Right. But Laura Kendrick (11:45) Honestly, I think recently I had a very busy day and we communicate in back channels, of course through email, but also we use Slack as a team. And so I sent a direct message to court about something and I just like, I sent it in a voice? No. And court's response was, didn't know you could do that in Slack. But in those moments, I think there are other ways of doing it too, where you can bring the humanity out, where it's not just words. Cort Sharp (12:01) Yeah. Laura Kendrick (12:09) So often I'm actually thinking about there was one time that you and I were talking about something and I misread it as like, I like kicked something, like some hornet's nest in there. Like you were upset with me, but you were like, no, that was not my intention. And it's an amazing thing that that's only happened once in five years. There was that subtle nuanced miscommunication of I thought I had offended in some way and I hadn't. Cort Sharp (12:18) So. Yeah. Laura Kendrick (12:34) Just keeping that in mind though, in written word, tone is interpreted because probably what happened is I like offended my kid or my partner and was bringing that into the conversation with court. And it had nothing to do with what was actually happening, but adding in those personal things of your face, your voice, those things really do help move that human connection, which enables the teamwork that we've seen at Mountain Go. Cort Sharp (12:42) Yep. Yep. Mm-hmm. Laura Kendrick (13:00) I mean, it's amazing the way this team functions and it is not perfect. There are definitely communications missteps. There are definitely like, oops, forgot to leave that piece out of the information packet. It happens. It happens to everybody, but we're able to recover really quickly or even it's a safe enough space to be able to speak up and say, I think I got left out on this. And it's responded to in a really gracious and amazing way. Cort Sharp (13:26) It absolutely is. I mean, Mountain Goat's been remote for longer than the COVID stuff, the pandemic stuff happened. Laura Kendrick (13:33) Yeah. Well, Lisa's been with them for what, 10 years? I think it was nearly 10 years when we started, maybe 15. And Hunter's around the same. So yeah, they've been spread for a long time. Cort Sharp (13:42) Something like that, Uh-huh. ⁓ I know that they had an office space and that office space changed just in case people wanted to like come in, come to the office. I think at one point, one of them was in Colorado, which is kind of funny because several people live on the West coast. And then it's like, okay, yeah, come on, come on, swing by the... Colorado office on just a random Tuesday. Yeah, fly in, have fun. I don't know. Yeah, why not? I don't know what the deal was or what it was like, but they've been fully remote. And I think with the kind of runway that they've had leading up until the time where everyone had to be fully remote has really benefited Mountain Go in a lot of ways, because a lot of those early, like, how do we work remote? How do we do this? Laura Kendrick (14:09) I'd do that. Yeah, let's do it. Cort Sharp (14:31) kind of was ironed out, but back to your, your point to just like, it's, it's incredible how much support there is. It's incredible how much, how well communication again, it's not perfect, but how well we're able to communicate with each other and how well we're able to just say, yeah, let's, let's hop on a call real quick or here. I think most of us have like personal phone numbers. We, we use that as a very much so last resort type deal. Laura Kendrick (14:57) Yeah. Cort Sharp (14:59) But even then, it's nice to just have those open lines of communication and know that those are always available, but also know that people are kind of in our corner all the time too. And I think you have a pretty good story about this one. Something happened in a class a few years ago. Laura Kendrick (15:09) Mm-hmm. Yeah. Yeah. It was early on we had, it was a non-Mike class. So it was one of the other instructors and there was a student who was just challenging. And in the end, it didn't go well in the moment, to put it, just to kind of like not go into grave detail about it. But Mike wasn't there, right? And so The thing that was interesting though is the first piece of communication that came from Mike, which was before that class even broke, right? Because it was one of those things of like, we have to share. As a team, we can't hide it. We have to share that something happened in class that was less than ideal. And so we did. And the immediate response from Mike was in support of the team. And later on, he did go and review the tape of the, because the classes are recorded, not for this purpose. They're recorded actually so that the students get a recording of the class afterwards and can return to what, you know, all the things that they learned because it's a lot to take in in two days. But in this one instance, it was beneficial in this way because Mike could actually see rather than taking people's words, what happened. And I think the important thing is not even what happened after, but what happened in the moment. that he instantaneously was like, I've got you. Like no matter how this goes, we're a team and I'm gonna support you as well. And that was actually, that was pretty early on for me. And it was in a moment where I didn't know Mike that well yet. And it was actually this very solidifying moment for me that was like, I'm in the right place. Like I am part of this team, not just a minion or an employee. Like they care about all of us. Cort Sharp (16:48) Mm-hmm. Laura Kendrick (16:56) and we're in this together, even if it turns out that we're in some form of trouble, it's still going to be thoughtfully managed and handled rather than just the kind of lashing out that can happen in so many environments. Cort Sharp (17:12) Right. And, and that experience, cause I think we were all included on that email. Like I, I wasn't in the class when it happened, but I do remember getting that email and it just was a clear communication from kind of head honcho Mike, right? A top dog saying, yeah, no, we, we got your back. on, we're on the same team. We're all working towards the same goal. And when I, when I read the email, I was like, wow, that was an eventful class. but. Laura Kendrick (17:26) Mm-hmm. us. Cort Sharp (17:38) My second thought, my second thought was, huh, this very similar to what you were saying of like, wow, this is a great place to be. This is a great company to work for. These are great people to be working with and alongside. ⁓ but also like, I know so many people whose managers, whose higher ups would say, Nope, you're in the wrong. You should have done better. Your toast, blah, blah, blah, blah. Like putting all the blame on you. Absolutely. Yeah. Yeah. Laura Kendrick (17:52) Mm-hmm. Yeah. The knee jerk. Yeah. Yeah. Cort Sharp (18:07) And it just, makes me think all the time of like one really blessed, like very fortunate to be here, very fortunate to work with mountain goat. but also people don't quit jobs. They quit managers. They quit leadership more often than not. And, not that I'm talking about quitting mountain goat, but, neither, neither of us are throwing that out there right now, but just like, Laura Kendrick (18:20) Mmm. Yeah. No, but interestingly in five years, I've not seen anybody quit. I mean, we've had people kind of go down separate paths, but nobody has been throwing their hands up and been like, I'm done. I can't be in this. There have been people who have taken other opportunities that they needed to take for their own businesses. But yeah, nobody's quit. In five years, no one has quit, which speaks volumes to the culture that is created in an environment where Cort Sharp (18:37) Mm-hmm. Laura Kendrick (18:57) And I also want to be clear that that response from Mike also, it wasn't disparaging to the other party either. It was simply a, like, it just let us know that I see you and this, you were in a hard moment in the moment and you had to react like a human being and you as a team, I've got your back and this is, you know, great. And to be fair to that was like in the heat of COVID. Cort Sharp (19:24) Yes, yeah It was yeah Laura Kendrick (19:27) good times. But there's also been a lot of fun that's happened in class too, which is, I think that makes a big difference. Like where we are, I don't want to say allowed because I don't think that's right, but like part of the culture is to have fun. Like Mike is a pretty funny guy. Brian's a pretty funny guy. Like honestly, the whole team is quite humorous and it's, we're allowed to like make these really fun things and Cort Sharp (19:48) Yes. Laura Kendrick (19:52) in response to like when we see them in class, like, we foster those two and it becomes this really fun working environment, not only for us, for our students. You brought up one that I had totally forgotten about with the costume. That was good. Cort Sharp (20:06) ⁓ yeah, I, I, yeah, I'll, I'll get into the costume thing, but I think the word you're looking for instead of allowed is enabled. Like we're, we're enabled to have fun. We're encouraged. Absolutely. Yeah. A hundred percent. If you ever hung out with Mike or, or taking a class with him, you've probably heard some funny stories. Laura Kendrick (20:13) Yeah, Encouraged, in fact. And my gosh, the one class too where Mike was asked how long they'd have access to like the videos and stuff. my gosh, Mike ended the class and it was a super engaged Chipper class. Everyone was laughing and Mike brought it down. Cause he did his usual thing where he talked about, what does he say? You have access as long as the internet exists and I'm alive. And then he went into great detail. great detailed speculation about what will happen once he's not alive. It went on for like five minutes. Cort Sharp (20:58) Yeah, where where he's like, yeah, you know, my kids will probably be like, what's this? What's this old website that dad's still hosting? Guess we'll we'll close that up 10 years down the line or whatever. Laura Kendrick (21:09) Dumbfounded. It was so good. But anyhow. Cort Sharp (21:13) man. But there was, I don't even remember why this happened in the class. don't think it was around like Halloween time or something. think the person, actually, I think the person does this to go to like local children's hospitals or local hospitals and just visit. But I get on and I'm normally the PM producer. So I normally hop on in the afternoon. And I took over from Laura and Laura Kendrick (21:22) No, it wasn't. think so. Cort Sharp (21:39) Laura was like, yeah, you know, pretty normal class. This happens, whatever. We're good. And I hop on and people start turning their cameras on. And then all of a sudden there's this dude in a Captain America costume. Like what? He's got the mask. He's got the, the, the uniform. He's got the shield and everything. And I was like, what is happening? What is going on? Come to find out he was telling his story. Laura Kendrick (21:50) Like full on math. Cort Sharp (22:04) Yeah, I do this. This is cool. And Mike was like, that'd be awesome to see. He went out, put it on and took the rest of the classes Captain America. So we have certified Captain America. Laura Kendrick (22:12) Awesome. We've had, there was the guy who was put on like a crazy hat for the first session and then came back for session two with a different crazy hat. And then other people started wearing crazy hats. And by the end of it, like by the final session, almost the entire class was sitting there with some like their kids stuff on their heads. it was. Cort Sharp (22:34) You Laura Kendrick (22:36) But was this one, like it stands out of the billion classes we've done. It stands out in our minds as these really fun moments. I remember the class where it was a private class, so it was for a company or team. And there were, it took me until the very end to, it was early on, so it took me until the very end to get up the gumption. There were five mics in the class. And finally I was like, I'm just gonna put them all in the same room and see if anybody notices. Cort Sharp (22:36) People just... Yes. Didn't they notice like right away, they all came back and they're like, team Mike is back in action or something, right? Laura Kendrick (23:04) I don't think they said anything, but they did. The instructor went into the room and like, yeah, they noticed. Good. My passive aggressive humor worked. Cort Sharp (23:10) Hehehehehe It's fun. It's all good. But it's also like going back to us being able to do this before I figured out kind of my background situation, I would always put up virtual backgrounds and I would just change your background every time and see if people noticed. And it wasn't, it was a lot of Disney. Yes. Laura Kendrick (23:23) Mm-hmm. Disney. That's the thing though. That also, that kind of stuff built a little bit of a relationship as well. like it was, court was always going to have something for Disney. I had one that I would, when I finally found the one I liked, I kept that one for a long time. And Mike would occasionally, when I wasn't in a class, he would send me a screenshot of somebody via email and be like, somebody's in your house with you. Cause they would have the same background. Cort Sharp (23:52) Yeah! Laura Kendrick (23:56) those little tiny things make the relationships and make the team function and make us giggle. So I'd be like out with my kids and see an email and be like, oh no, Mike, what does he need? And then click in and be like, you know, actually more often than not, it would probably be like, am I missing class? See, I'd be like, oh, that's funny. But you know, it builds that relationship. And I think it's why this remote working has worked so well for us. And I'm totally with you where I, when people are Cort Sharp (24:13) You Yeah. Laura Kendrick (24:26) railing against it because of my experience. like, you're crazy. This is great. Cort Sharp (24:31) Exactly. I'm like, how can you not want to just chill out, hang out in your home, chat with some people, get some work done, and like, you're good. Who despises that? Who doesn't like that? don't know. It's, Exactly, yeah. But I do think it does, it comes down to being intentional with it. We were talking about that 30 minutes before that used to be primarily tech troubleshooting. Laura Kendrick (24:47) I know, you get to do things on your own time too. Cort Sharp (25:01) but has since kind of evolved into, okay, so everything, like, I don't know about you, but the vast majority of time, unless a camera's fallen, the vast majority of time, it's, all right, does everything look good? Yeah? Cool. Sure does. Whoever I'm working with, awesome. So, what'd you do this weekend? how was this? ⁓ sorry, sorry that the Avs lost to the Dallas Stars. Yeah, I'm sorry too. Stuff like that, right? Where it's just, Laura Kendrick (25:19) Yeah. It's water cooler talk. Cort Sharp (25:29) It's fun, but we're very intentional with having that time to do that. And I think if you're not intentional in setting up that time, whether if you're working remote hybrid, you're not going to get it. And it's not just going to naturally happen because it is so much more difficult to produce. it's impossible for it to just kind of naturally pop up without taking away from some other intentional time. so I think in, in this this world that we're living in where there is the option to work remotely and there is this really big push to go back in person. I'm saying stick with remote, take your 15, 15 minute daily standup, and turn it into, you know, say, Hey, I'll be on 10, 15 minutes early. If anyone wants to come hang out, come chat. And make it worth it. Make it a valuable time because that is the time to connect and that is the time to say, yeah, cool. How are the kids? How was your weekend? Did you grill up some good hot dogs during this last weekend? What'd you do? Like, what was going on? ⁓ Build up that stuff. Laura Kendrick (26:23) Yeah. We also have Slack channels too, that are like that. Like there's a Slack channel for our team that's just movies, books and TV shows. That people, it'll get active at certain times and it'll be totally dead for a while and nobody's cultivating it. It's simply that somebody will pop in like, I just watched this and it's great. And they've set up also like the automatic bots, cause Mike's a big fan of James Bond. So like if somebody mentions James Bond, the Slack bot will say something quippy and it- Cort Sharp (26:39) Yeah. ⁓ Laura Kendrick (26:58) But it adds that little, like, little bit of humor, little bit of humanness to even though, like, the people that we have time to interact with like that is the team that's in class. So I don't, I mean, it wasn't until we were in person that I met our CTO. He was kind of an enigma, you know? Cort Sharp (27:10) Yeah. Mm-hmm. He was just in the background. Things just magically showed up digitally. Laura Kendrick (27:23) It was in my email and my Slack sometimes, but it creates that thing of like, now I know things about Hunter. Yes, of course it was because we were in person. I heard lots of stories and all that fun stuff. But also I know about like some of his like TV watching stuff. I know occasionally like what his wife likes to watch because sometimes he'll like pepper in something that, she dragged me into this and not my cup of tea. But it's those little bitty things that you start to learn about the people. Cort Sharp (27:39) Mm-hmm. Laura Kendrick (27:50) that makes them human and gives that space. And I also, think it's important to have it be a little bit of white space. so often we talk about cultivating the conversation and like, can you have icebreakers and get people engaged? And yes, those things are so important, but when it's with a team, you need to do those things, but you also need to create the empty space where maybe you have that daily standup or that... weekly meeting or monthly meeting, whatever that is for your team. And maybe at the end of it, it's just leaving the call going and allowing people to just talk. I mean, we did that as a producer team that we would have a meeting as producers that would be very structured and then kind of the official meeting would end. And there would be times where as a team we'd be on that Zoom. I'm like, thank goodness nobody needs this channel. Cause like we'd be in there for like two and a half hours. Cort Sharp (28:26) Yeah. Yeah. Laura Kendrick (28:42) just talking. And of course, it wasn't, you know, it wasn't billing time. It wasn't, you know, it was just us being friends and hearing each other and sometimes ranting and complaining and doing the things of like, this part was hard and like, yeah, well, people need the space to do that and feel seen and heard. And the only place they're going to get that is in the white space. Cort Sharp (29:01) Yep. Exactly. Yep. And where my head went when you were talking about the white space, I love where you just went to because that's absolutely very true. But where my mind went was the newest kind of Slack channel that that's been set up, which is the artificial intelligence. Yeah. Where we just we just it's cool because I'm interested in AI. I think everyone's interested in AI right now. Things are things are going in all sorts of wild directions with it. There's there's all sorts of possibilities that we can do with it. Laura Kendrick (29:17) ⁓ Yeah, that one's Yeah. Cort Sharp (29:32) And Hunter just threw out, who wants in? If you want in, cool, I'll get you in. If not, and you're not interested in AI, let me know when you are, because it'll be at some point, I was going to say. It's just another full group one. Yeah, we just. Laura Kendrick (29:39) Yeah. Pretty sure the whole team's in there. But it is fun. Like Hunter and Mike do deep dives and Brian too. And I'm like, wow, I just get to swim in that pool. It's really Cort Sharp (29:50) Yes. Yeah, yeah. You just kind of get a glean from what's posted in there and say, oh yeah, I am really interested in the automation side of AI. I want to do, I think I threw in there one time, like this whole GitHub repository that has just from zero to hero AI, here's a two week crash course. And I've been working my way through that. It's taken a lot longer than two weeks for me. I've been working my way through that. And it's opened my eyes to say, okay, now this awesome thing, think Mike just threw in there something about someone using it at Disney, I think it was, and how they were using it at Disney to propose, here's a cool way that we can use AI to help our proposals go faster or help our marketing campaigns go faster or whatever it is. And just learning and seeing and... Laura Kendrick (30:38) Yeah. Cort Sharp (30:44) growing together as a team as well and having that space of, yeah, you know, here's what here, here are these articles that I'm reading. Here's the ones that stuck out to me. And to have that space, I think also is, is really interesting to me too, not just because I like learning, but it's also like, I feel like, okay, I can talk with Mike about AI. I can talk with Hunter about AI. I can talk with whoever about it. And we're all relatively on the same page because we're all relatively getting the same information. Laura Kendrick (31:14) Yeah, yeah. I feel like having the Slack channel has been really helpful and all the white space and even honestly the in-person event, there was white space built into that too. There was definitely a lot of structured meetings because of course when you are bringing everyone in from all over the country and actually the world, have a team member who is in the UK too. Cort Sharp (31:26) yeah. Laura Kendrick (31:37) flying a great distance and being in a space together, it's got to be structured. You have to make that worth the time and effort and investment. But also there were dinners, there were shows that happened, there was fun built into it, and there were options of not just like, I'm forcing you to go to this, but like, here's a choice. Would you like to do this or that? And those things have made a huge difference in breeding the like belongingness. Cort Sharp (31:55) Mm-hmm. Laura Kendrick (32:05) and the feeling like we are actually a team. And even though there are definitely times where the frustrations arise, of course, I mean, who doesn't have frustrations, but it's a space where they can be vocalized, they can be talked through, and it's all due to that togetherness that we have, that connectedness that has been built through, honestly, Cort Sharp (32:05) Yeah. Mm-hmm. Laura Kendrick (32:30) just being in these like casual fun spaces is where that comes from in my opinion. Cort Sharp (32:36) Yeah, I agree with that. Just having the space to talk about whatever. But I think it's all rooted in communication, right? So in various methods of communicating and various ways of communicating too, where it's not just exclusively Slack, email, written text, we have that space there. But we do still run into some communication problems, right? There's... Laura Kendrick (32:41) Yeah. For sure, for sure. Cort Sharp (32:58) there's all sorts of communication problems that we're gonna run into because especially we are text-based heavy, but we're not exclusively text-based. But I think you were talking about a story where Mike was late one time or Mike's late story about communication and what was going on with that. Laura Kendrick (33:12) he tells it in class. He tells a story in class with that. It's one of his examples that he will pull into fairly frequently with an experience with a team where somebody was always late to the daily standup and they realized that it had to do with the fact that they had to drop their kid off at school. And so it was that simple communication shift of asking instead of assuming, asking which... They've put into practice too, like I recall early on hearing like, do you prefer to be communicated with? And like we've had these conversations that court and I have a tendency to be more slack people. But Brian has stated that for him, like when he's teaching slack is like his emergency line. And so like knowing that I'm not going to send him something through slack unless I desperately need him to see it when I can land it in his email versus Lisa and Laura are much more Cort Sharp (33:43) yeah. Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm. Laura Kendrick (34:04) they're going to be in the email. Like that's just where they live and they are less likely to be in Slack. So it's just knowing those things have also helped us build the right kind of streams of communication. I'm pretty sure Hunter is everywhere all at once. Like he's omnipresent. You can get him anywhere. I know it. I'm in New York and he's in California. I'm pretty sure if I whispered his name, he's hearing it right now. Cort Sharp (34:06) Right. my gosh. He's the enigma. He's the enigma everywhere. I was gonna say, I'm surprised he hasn't popped into this. We've said his name three times. It's, he just knows everything and he's always got everything coming through and no matter what you need, he's any message away. Slack, email, could be carry your pigeon. I don't know, something like that, right? Laura Kendrick (34:43) Yeah, his next Halloween costume needs to be Beetlejuice, so I'm sending that to him. my goodness. But I think at the end of the day, the practices that have been put into place that you may have felt in our classes too, have helped really grow this team into what it is. There's a lot of strength here. There's a lot of fun here, but there's a lot of hard work here too. And a lot of, there have been hard moments where we've all just kind of put our heads down together and moved through the hard moments as a team with a lot of support and a lot of. Cort Sharp (35:12) Mm-hmm. Laura Kendrick (35:15) Just trying to be in it and be like kind of move things where it needs to go. I don't know what the right word is as a team. It's redundant. Cort Sharp (35:22) I think it. Yeah. But I think that that does show in our classes a lot, right? You and I have both taken a class outside of the mountain goat sphere, ⁓ and I'm not I'm not dogging on anyone. I'm not trying to talk down on anyone. But I got out of that class. I was like, man, we are light years ahead of that. Laura Kendrick (35:30) Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm. Cort Sharp (35:49) that kind of interaction and that kind of experience. was the information that I got out of that class was awesome, superb. It was great. But just the amount of energy and effort and time that has been invested into these Mountain Goat courses, it's far and away just, it shows. And it shows how much of a level up it is to take a class with Mountain Goat. And I do think partly, you know, I'm boosting my own ego here. But I do think partly it is because we are surrounded with some awesome people and we have some awesome people working together and awesome support on every call, every class that you take with us, right? You don't have to, like the instructor can focus on just instructing. And we, more often than not, we are typically in charge of everything else. Make sure that any tech problems, any issues, anything that's going on, right? Yeah. Laura Kendrick (36:32) Yeah. Yeah. I remember the early days. Like you just brought up a memory that apparently I had stored in the trauma bank. I remember the early days though being, because I would often, because I'm on the East Coast, court is in mountain times. So, often I would be the early person just because it's easier for me. was mid morning for me. we would start class and it would be just, especially honestly when like people were figuring out Zoom and all this stuff, it was... stressful. Like they were just, it was just question, question, question, problem, problem, problem. And we would get to the first breakout and I would send everyone away and the instructor would be like, that was great. And I'm like, was, you know, just totally frazzled. But the point was, is no one else felt that. And it was, I was in my Slack and working with the team, working with Hunter, things fixed, working with Lisa, making sure the person was in the right place. Cort Sharp (37:20) Yeah, glad. Mm-hmm. Laura Kendrick (37:33) and doing all these things. And though that has died down because we've all gotten very good at our job and the systems in place are amazing at this point, it still is like, that's the whole point. We worked as a team so that the instructor could deliver an amazing class and be present with his students. And we could be here or her, because we do have hers too, I should say. They're students. And we were here taking care of the things that needed to be taken care of, which was, yeah. Cort Sharp (37:54) Yes. Laura Kendrick (38:00) Though I had forgotten about that. Thanks for that. Cort Sharp (38:02) Yeah, sure. Yeah, it's gotten easy, right? ⁓ Laura Kendrick (38:04) Yeah, it does. But that's at the end of the day, that's how a good team is. I think that we can kind of end it with this thing of Mike has created this environment and it definitely comes from him. Like it's is rooted in the founder for us because we're a small team, small but mighty. But he it's rooted in his like engine of creativity, efficiency, and just love of innovation. And that has kind of Cort Sharp (38:18) Mm-hmm. Laura Kendrick (38:34) folding that in with seeing all the people as humans, and with flaws and different talents and all those things and human interaction is messy and folding all of that in has actually been what has bred these amazing class experiences for our students and also this rewarding and fantastic team experience for the people behind the scenes as well. And I think the lesson Cort Sharp (38:39) Yes. Yep. Laura Kendrick (38:59) comes from that, that if we can fold those things in together and make space for humans to be humans and also have this amazing expectation of creativity and innovation, then it's all going to happen. Cort Sharp (39:06) Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm. Yeah, absolutely. I 100 % agree with that. I mean, it does come down to Mike and Mike is a fantastic leader. It's awesome. I also want to raise Mike, but. Laura Kendrick (39:28) Nice. Not passive aggressive at all. On that note. Cort Sharp (39:29) Yeah, you know. No. I'm just joking, right? We're able to have fun. We're able to joke around. But it does come down to leadership, right? And I think that's true on any team. And we have just we've been so fortunate to be able to experience it firsthand and go through this awesome transformation from being in person to fully remote, even in the class teaching stuff. And it's been really, really fun. really, really enjoyable. I, you know, you don't love every day. There are jobs, right? It's a job. But I'm not gonna lie. I'm not gonna lie. It has been fun. It has been enjoyable. But I don't look back on it and be like, wow, these last five years were just all terrible. No, it's we've had great leadership. We've had great interactions with with everyone. And I think Laura Kendrick (40:05) You should have just left it at really, really fun and enjoyable. Mic drop, goodbye. Cort Sharp (40:28) It's just come down to the people that we're working with and the people that we're engaging with consistently. And our leadership, Mike, has fostered an environment very, very well that is around fun, around communication, around enabling us to grow, to learn, to try new things, to move forward. And I really feel bad for companies who don't have that kind of leadership. that's, it's a tough spot to be in, but, I'm really, we're really blessed and really fortunate to, to be able to work here. And I hope this, this little peek behind the curtain, kind of encourages you to you, the listener, guess, whoever, whoever's out there to take a, take a little step back and say, okay, what, what am I doing as a leader within my sphere of influence to help my team be a little more human and embrace the humanity side of stuff? Not just pushing for more, we need more, more productivity, more AI, more everything, right? Yeah. Use AI, make it a tool, but just remember you're, building stuff for, for people. You're working with people all the time. And I think that's something that Mike has never forgotten and never will forget and never will let fall to the wayside that we're all people and we're all here working with each other. Laura Kendrick (41:43) Yeah. Couldn't agree more. Well, on that amazing note, thank you, Cort, for joining me in this hijacking of the podcast, the Agile Mentors podcast. And we're going to turn it back over to Brian, who's going to walk you right on out. Cort Sharp (41:54) Happy to.

Programa 5x163, amb Alfred Garc

Tawinee's Actual Factuals- James Bond, Highest Court, Truman Show by STAR 102.5/Des Moines

ధోరణి - చక్ర తీర్థం తాంత్రిక నవల Episode 2 | Chakra Teertham Socio Fantasy Telugu Novel written by Madhubabu | Audiobook / Podcast | Shadow Madhu Babu Audio Books (Official) Exclusive.. Voice by Nrusimhadevara Sudha Dileep..All Parts: Playlist⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLH8sKIJ0wgDej48VxaCTIm7KO_VnWN09K⁠⁠Join this channel to view episodes in advance and get access to perks:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCezP-lhxuxfRrZJlMFX8naQ/join⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠OUR OTHER CHANNELS:►FOLLOW US ON Telugu Voice (Website) :- ⁠⁠⁠https://www.teluguvoice.com⁠⁠⁠►FOLLOW US ON AUDI9 (Website) :- ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.audi9.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠►SUBSCRIBE TO MPLANETLEAF (Channel) :- ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/MPlanetLeaf⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠►SUBSCRIBE TO FACTSHIVE (Channel) :- ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/factshive⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠SOCIAL MEDIA:►SUBSCRIBE TO WHATSAPP (Channel) :- ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029Va5clGyBvvsZbB8LCW3w⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠►SUBSCRIBE TO WHATSAPP (Group) :- ⁠https://chat.whatsapp.com/FRgG81pAzX05kOLZeLTGBB⁠►SUBSCRIBE ON FACEBOOK (Page) :- ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.facebook.com/shadowmadhubabupodcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠►SUBSCRIBE ON TELEGRAM (Channel) :- ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://t.me/shadowmadhubabu⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠►SUBSCRIBE ON INSTAGRAM :- ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/smbaudiobooks⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠It is not hyperbole to say that there is no Telugu reader who doesn't know about Shadow. Star detective novel writer Madhu Babu's Shadow can match the iconic James Bond in skills and adventures. 'Shadow Madhu Babu Audio Books' is pleased to present the adventures of Shadow and other Telugu novels for the first time in audio. Listen and Enjoy.AUDIOBOOK DETAILS:-------------------------------------------------------Novel: 'చక్రతీర్థం' (Chakra Teerdham)Genre: Socio FantasyAuthor / Writer: Madhu BabuPublished In: Serialised in 'Swathi Weekly' 2004, Novel Published in 2005Published by: Satya Vani PublicationsNumber Of Pages: 312Language: Telugu--------------------------------------------------------అష్ట సిద్ధులు, నవనిధులు, దశ మహావిద్యలు, ఏకాదశ పీఠాలు, ఇలా యంత్ర, మంత్ర, తంత్ర నిగూఢమైనవెన్నో ఎన్నెన్నో.. శోధించి సాధిస్తే ఒసగే మహా శక్తులెన్నో.. అష్టసిద్ధి యంత్రానికి అపచారం జరిగితే ఎదురయ్యే దుర్ఘటనలు సామాన్యమైనవా..? 400 ఏళ్ల క్రితం జరిగిన ఆ తప్పిదం ఏంటి? ఇన్నేళ్ల తరువాత అది ఏలా సరిదిద్దబడింది? ఆ యంత్రాన్ని సాధించి, తరతరాలుగా జరుగుతున్న మహాపచారాన్ని రూపుమాపేందుకు ఓ యువకుడు సల్పిన పోరాటమే, మధుబాబు గారి అద్భుత సృష్టి, 'చక్రతీర్థం' కథా మూలం..రణ తంత్రాలు, వ్యూహ రచనలు, ఎత్తుకు పై ఎత్తులు, మాయోపాయాలతో నిండి ఉన్నదే తంత్రం.. మంత్రబలంనుండైనా, యంత్రబలంనుండైనా తప్పించుకో వచ్చేమో కానీ, తంత్రం నుండి తప్పించుకోవడం అసాధ్యం. ఇంద్రజాల మహేంద్రజాల టక్కుటమార గారడీ విద్యలతో కూడిన ఆ తాంత్రిక ప్రపంచంలో, అమోఘమైన, నిగూఢమైన తంత్రశాస్త్రాన్ని అభ్యసించిన వారికే తెలుస్తుంది 'చక్రతీర్థం'లోని మర్మం.. ఆ మర్మమేమిటో, అందులోని మాయ ఏమిటో తెలుసుకోవాలంటే.. మన 'చక్రతీర్థం' ఆడియోబుక్ సిరీస్ లోని ఏ భాగాన్నీ మిస్ అవ్వకండి.. మీ అభిప్రాయాలను ప్రతి వీడియోలో కామెంట్ చేస్తారని ఆశిస్తున్నాను.. మహీధర్అసలు ఏం జరిగిందో 'చక్రతీర్థం' ఆడియో బుక్ విని తెలుసుకోండి..#ధోరణి #చక్రతీర్థం #షాడోమధుబాబు #ChakraTeertham #shadowmadhubabu #madhubabu #teluguaudiobooksyoutube #teluguaudiobook #telugupodcast #fantasynovels #VoiceofSudha #telugukathalu #telugunovels #audiobooks #Fantasystories #folklorestories #freebook #ebookreader #novelreader #podcast #audiobook #telugu #novel #story #serial #kathaluధోరణి, చక్ర తీర్థం, Chakra Teertham, Chakra Teertham Episode 2, Chakrateerdham madhubabu Novel, smbab, Fantasy stories, folklore stories, telugu stories, voice of sudha, madhu babu official, podcast telugu, Listen to novels, madhu babu novels, madhubabu janapada novels, madhubabu fantasy novels, telugu novels, shadow madhu babu audiobooks, telugu audiobooks, Chakra Teertham novel, Chakra Teerdham book, Chakra Teertham audiobook, Wheel Pond, chakrateerdham, audio series, serial

Since we published our previous episode, Sony not only announced it was having a State of Play event, but that event has already happened. Thus, we have much to discuss throughout this lengthy episode, an unexpected surprise for the PlayStation faithful. In short, the most recent State of Play was a great showcase of nearly 30 upcoming PlayStation 5 games, with some PS4 and PSVR2 mixed in there, too. And -- for those that care -- more than a half-dozen of the games are PS5 console exclusive, nipping that entire argument in the bud. In the realm of Sony second party, we've learned about a Marvel-themed fighting game from Arc System Works called Marvel Tokon: Fighting Souls, while Tecmo Koei's Team Ninja is hard at work on Nioh 3. Elsewhere, we were given the first glimpse at IO Interactive's long-in-development James Bond game called First Light, a brand-new Lumines offering from the creators of Tetris Effect, the return of Capcom's seemingly-beleaguered Pragmata, something fresh from Grasshopper Manufacture called Romeo Is A Dead Man, a late-September release date for Silent Hill F, our first look at the sequel to Iga's Bloodstained, and -- yes indeed! -- confirmation of Final Fantasy Tactics coming to PlayStation in just a few months in the form of The Ivalice Chronicles. "No games?" Maybe if you don't like or play video games, perhaps. Other news this week includes our first look at Witcher 4 via a controversial UE5 tech demo, rumors of a native PS5 port for Red Dead Redemption 2, and more. Then: Listener inquiries! Should 'game length' be considered a spoiler? How do we feel about pinball video games? Do we ever mess with the PSN's 'activity cards' while playing? Is Dustin poised to elope with Brad?Please keep in mind that our timestamps are approximate, and will often be slightly off due to dynamic ad placement. Timestamps:  0:00:00 - Intro0:26:17 - Habroxia Special Edition0:36:59 - Too much to play0:42:31 - Look or talk like Jar Jar?0:44:49 - This week's “situation”0:51:21 - MLMs0:57:49 - State of Play overall thoughts1:10:07 - Lumines Arise1:14:44 - Pragmata1:21:10 - Romeo Is a Dead Man1:28:46 - Silent Hill F1:34:33 - Bloodstained: The Scarlet Engagement1:40:12 - Digimon Story Time Stranger1:45:17 - Final Fantasy Tactics: The Ivalice Chronicles1:57:37 - Babysteps2:02:06 - Herogami2:04:37 - Everybody's Golf Hot Shots2:10:32 - Ninja Gaiden Ragebound2:14:08 - Cairn2:17:55 - Mortal Kombat Legacy Collection2:25:34 - Playstation Fight Stick (Project Defiant)2:35:44 - Metal Gear Solid Delta2:37:48 - Nioh 32:43:17 - Thief VR2:47:48 - Tides of Tomorrow2:50:49 - Astrobot update2:57:47 - Sea of Remnants3:00:46 - Sword of the Sea3:04:57 - FBC: Firebreak3:08:39 - Deus Ex on PS Plus Premium3:11:43 - Twisted Metal 3 and 4 on PS Plus Premium3:14:22 - Resident Evil 2 and 3 on PS Plus Premium3:16:07 - 007 First Light3:27:37 - Ghost of Yotei3:28:48 - Marvel Tokon Fighting Souls3:39:11 - Apple Pay on PS53:39:43 - Witcher 4 UE5 tech demo3:48:01 - People Can Fly cancels two games3:49:22 - Red Dead Redemption 2 PS5 port3:51:06 - MindsEye executives leave3:54:56 - Shift Up's Project Spirits3:58:54 - MediEvil and Tenacious D's canceled movie4:04:17 - Elden Ring Nightrein's success and PSN charts4:09:43 - What Are We Playing (Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, Borderlands 2, Dead Island 2)4:25:37 - Is game length a spoiler?4:28:47 - Pinball video games4:33:54 - PlayStation activity cards4:37:54 - AI making games4:42:40 - New console reviews4:48:02 - Fixing inverted controls for a kid Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Oscar and Grammy-winning songwriter and composer Finneas O'Connell breaks down his journey into film composing and working with Oscar winning director Alfonso Cuarón on the hit miniseries DISCLAIMER. Finneas dives into his work with Billie Eilish and how it led to meeting Cuarón, the frightening first steps and self doubt of getting started (VENGEANCE and THE FALLOUT), and how his album FOR CRYIN' OUT LOUD came together so fast with a “jam session” model of musical collaborators. Plus, the backstory of submitting a 007 James Bond theme song for NO TIME TO DIE, and how he eventually found out that he and Billie Eilish got the gig and began working with Hans Zimmer. And why he is eager to collaborate with Rihanna and the band Cake.Plus, Finneas' most memorable experience performing on tour with Billie Eilish (post-hurricane in Mexico City without any access to power), and how Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross' THE SOCIAL NETWORK opened his eyes to what scoring could be.Interview by Kenny Holmes and Matt Schrader. Production coordination by Kyle Bales.Oscar-nominated experimental band/composing trio Son Lux joins Score after their breakout success on EVERYTHING EVERYWHERE ALL AT ONCE, and as their latest film, Marvel's THUNDERBOLTS*, releases in theaters.How the solo project from Ryan Lott led to working as a trio with Rafiq Bhatia, Ian Chang — incorporating unique electronic instrumentation with crafty sound design (including unique percussion approaches). What it's like living in three different cities as a band, working on albums, and coming off an indie project with The Daniels to help launch a new phase for Marvel — hence the asterisk in Thunderbolts*.Plus, getting the London Contemporary Orchestra to play “drunker” at Abbey Road, and finding the ideal balance of inner creative spark and broader collaboration on a major film. Interview by Kenny Holmes and Matt Schrader.For exclusive and 4K footage inside studios of your favorite composers, follow Score on YouTube Instagram, TikTok, Facebook and X.Score: The Podcast is presented by Vienna Symphonic Library. Check out Vienna Symphonic Library's collection of innovating libraries and samples — including their flagship Synchron Series, recorded at Vienna Synchron Stage, where hit films and shows for HBO, Disney, Star Wars, Marvel, Bear McCreary's score to Rings of Power on Amazon Prime Video, and many more are recorded. Check out Synchron Duality Strings libraries, or check out the free sample player, freebie libraries and demos at http://vsl.co.atTo learn more about recording at Vienna Synchron Stage, visit http://synchronstage.comScore: The Podcast is a presentation of Epicleff Media and is produced by Holmes Productions.

Who turned down the role of James Bond?

This week we're continuing the journey through the Daniel Craig James Bond era with a review of Quantum of Solace (2008) — the fast-paced, emotionally charged follow-up to Casino Royale. Often seen as one of the more divisive entries in the Bond franchise, We revisit the film with a fresh perspective to break down its action, themes, and connection to the ongoing story of Bond's revenge and grief.To pair with this high-octane Bond chapter, We're tasting two premium bourbon releases: Russell's Reserve Single Rickhouse Camp Nelson F & Camp Nelson C. We share notes on flavor, contrast the two batches, and talk about what makes these rickhouse-specific Wild Turkey bourbons so special. Whether you're a bourbon lover, a Bond fan, or both, this episode hits hard and drinks smooth.

We've made it to the end my listeners, in this re-review of No Time to Die, the final installment in the Craig era and EON productions era. Hard to believe it's been about 2 years since I started the marathon starting with Dr. No. Thanks for listening and going on this journey with me. It's been an insightful one. Hambo will return in his follow up conclusion to this marathon and, of course, his idea of where the franchise should go from here on out.

Erik Childress and Peter Sobczynski go over the history of Sidney Lumet's version of The Wiz. They look over the failed attempt to tell the story of Air America and the ridiculous entry into the cyber-thriller canon known for anything but the hacking. Then they go through a new set upgrading the original Sean Connery James Bond films and how they compare to the other versions throughout the years.For more James Bond talk go back to this episode with the great Sergio Mims talking about No Time To Die and his personal relationship to this iconic character.2:00 - Criterion (The Wiz 4K)21:09 - Lionsgate (Air America 4K)31:09 - Arrow (Swordfish 4K)43:56 - WB (Sean Connery 007 4K)1:22:11 New Theatrical & TV Titles on Blu-ray) (A Working Man, Drop, Borderline, In the Lost Lands, The Friend, Dexter - Original Sin: Season One, The Creep Tapes: Season One)1:26:26 - New Blu-ray AnnouncementsCLICK ON THE FILMS TO RENT OR PURCHASE AND HELP OUT THE MOVIE MADNESS PODCASTAnd be sure to check outChicago Screening Schedule – All the films coming to theaters and streaming. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit erikthemovieman.substack.com

Top Secret: New World Order. That's right, for DM Dave's Birthday Game (of which we are quickly becoming well-versed), DM Chris ran our gaming group through the update to the TSR classic espionage RPG, Top Secret from TSR, Inc. by Merle Rasmussen.In this episode, Tony, Chris, and Dave sit down to review the system, and discuss what they liked and didn't about playing as Agents of ICON. For anyone wanting to dip their toes into playing in worlds like James Bond and Mission: Impossible, this is the episode for you.2:06 DM Tony's quick overview of the system.3:50 DM Chris' high overview of how he approached running Top Secret.6:05 DM Dave's intro thoughts.9:15 The realism inherent in playing ordinary people in extraordinary situations.10:40 How DM Chris approached learning and then running and teaching the game in real time.12:26 Even for experienced DMs and GMs, it can be confusing when running a brand new system.15:54 A discussion on the intro adventure, The White Queen, that was included in Top Secret: New World Order.19:25 The right system for the right game.22:40 How the game fosters roleplaying that moves the story and mission forward.28:00 Would DM Chris have done anything differently having now run the game?32:08 Being Agents of ICON is the easiest way to hook the players into the adventure.34:32 Final Thoughts.

Ian Fleming Publications has commissioned new novels where a retired James Bond teaches “a new generation of teenage spies,” The Sunday Times reported.

Las diferencias de edad entre los actores clásicos y sus parejas femeninas se puso en entredicho con la llegada de nuevas sensibilidades, y es que, que el vaquero aguerrido de sesenta años salvará al pueblo y se quedará con la hija del predicador de dieciocho empezó a verse mal por lo que sea. Pero, ¿acabó esto con el cine clásico? ¿siguen siendo las actrices de usar y tirar a la primera arruga?, ¿existen casos al revés, de maduritas con yogurines?. Nos centramos en películas donde la diferencia de edad no forma parte de la trama en sí, por lo que quedan fuera las Lolitas y otras relaciones prohibidas o mal vistas. Vais a tener clásicos pero también pelis recientes, James Bond, turismo sexual, asesinos a sueldo, desnudos gratuitos a rachar, mucho de la pusilánime Audrey Hepburn, Woody Allen predicando con el ejemplo y muchas más historias de gerontofilia.

If you're anything like us, we love a good espionage story - the dramatics, the technology involved, the action, the secrecy - there's something about the topic that always grabs our attention - like a good James Bond film, or Mission Impossible.  We just love it.  And then one day it kind of dawned on us, how often do these cinematic stories take place in real life?  The oddities of some of James Bond's technologies, the cool cars that have hidden features, and some of the wild ideas that are conjured up in the super-spy think tanks - some of it has to be real, right?  And our answer to that is a resounding YES.Tune in today to find out more!Go to⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠The Missing Chapter Podcast website⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ for more information, previous episodes, and professional development opportunities!

Tras su nominación al Oscar por interpretar a Marilyn Monroe en 'Blonde' y su participación en sagas como James Bond y 'Puñales por la espalda', Ana de Armas aterriza a lo grande en el cine de acción con 'Ballerina', película derivada del universo John Wick donde es una asesina en busca de venganza. Es uno de los estrenos de la semana con permiso de 'Sirât', la arrolladora película de Oliver Laxe entre raves y viajes por el desierto, y otras propuestas del cine español. En 30 minutos os ponemos al día del cine y las series.

Nach der State of Play ist vor dem Summer Game Fest und der Xbox Direct. In den nächsten Tagen erwarten uns viele Neuankündigungen, Überraschungen und jede Menge Videomaterial. Den Beginn machte nun Sony mit einem über 50-minütigen Showcase zu kommenden PS5-Spielen. Obwohl von den großen Playstation-Blockbustern nicht wirklich etwas zu sehen war, hatte der Livestream einige Highlights zu bieten.Moderator Michi Grünwald hat für Folge 171 des PC Games Podcast Co-Host Vivi Ziermann und Sascha Lohmüller mit an Bord und quatscht mit den beiden über die State of Play. Besonders ins Rampenlicht stellen wir das neue James-Bond-Spiel 007: First Light. Schließlich bekommen wir nicht allzu häufig das Vergnügen, als unser Lieblings-Doppelnull-Agent zu zocken. Hitman-Entwicklerstudio IO Interactive macht es im nächsten Jahr nach langer Abstinenz aber wieder möglich.Doch auch der Horrorschocker Silent Hill f, das fast vergessene Pragmata, das sehnlichst erwartete Ghost of Yotei und viele weitere Titel sind Themen in der aktuellen Podcast-Ausgabe. Lasst uns in den Kommentaren gerne wissen, auf welches Spiel der State of Play ihr euch am meisten freut. Und jetzt wünschen wir euch viel Spaß beim Anhören der Folge!Der PC Games Podcast - der offizielle Videospielpodcast der PC Games - erscheint seit über einem Jahrzehnt regelmäßig und liefert dabei wöchentlich gleich mehrere Talks zum riesigen Thema Videospiele.Unser Moderationsteam, Michi Grünwald und Vivi Ziermann, deckt dabei etliche Bereiche ab: Review-Gespräche und Previews zu brandaktuellen Games, nostalgische Rückblicke, Reports, Interviews und vieles mehr. Dabei gibt es natürlich auch immer mal wieder spannende Insights in die Spielebranche und in die Redaktion des ältesten, noch aktiven Videospielmagazins Deutschlands - seit 1992 am Start!Unser Spiele-Podcast ist vollkommen kostenlos zugänglich und neben unseren Webseiten auch auf allen großen Podcast-Plattformen - von Apple Music bis hin zu Spotify - zu finden.

With E3 a thing of the past, Brad officially dubs early June as "Gamer Hanukkah" (more commonly known as Summer Game Fest) - A week (or more) long celebration of the gaming industry that comes with a boat load of big gaming announcements and reveals! We devote the entire first segment to talking about our expectations and dreams for the event, including the possible reveals for Resident Evil 9, a remake of Final Fantasy Tactics, IO Interactive's new James Bond game (Now titled "First Light"), and more! In the second segment, Brad talks about Pipistrello and the Cursed YoYo - a game that might quell the wait for Mina the Hollower - and Chris Davis brings impressions of two new (and upcoming) indie games: Deliver at all Costs and Hell is Us (demo). Discussion - Summer Game Fest Predictions (1:25) Impressions - Pipistrello and the Cursed YoYo (53:50) Impressions - Deliver at all Costs (1:12:40) Impressions - Hell is Us Demo (1:29:10) 4Player Minute (1:42:40)

We get into encores and Steve recounts the time he would have got to hang out with Tom Petty and all of the Heartbreakers... if only he hadn't had to play a damn encore!! Plus, some of the most spontaneous encores you have seen... including Prince taking Hummus Bob and a whole crew to watch a James Bond movie. And our Friday BARGUMENT on songs we'd ban from wedding receptions. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

While Hoody is on Best Man Duty, join Kevin as he breaks down some of the surprises for Sony's State of Play. Lucasfilm has a VERY familiar name to take as co-head of the studio after Kathleen Kennedy steps down. Also, Fantastic Four: First Steps broke a record before it's been released! Is that good news for MCU? Buy Your Own Crisis Crew Shirt!: https://bit.ly/3I5Lv8GNew Episodes of Crisis on Infinite Podcasts come out every Monday and Thursday! Make sure to rate us and subscribe to us on your platform of choice and send us a secret message and we'll read it out loud on next week's show!

We're entering the Daniel Craig era of James Bond. Matt Lackey joins me once again to discuss  Casino Royale (2006) — the explosive reboot that redefined James Bond for a new era, introducing us to Daniel Craig's grittier, more grounded 007.To pair with this intense and stylish Bond outing, I'm mixing up the iconic Vesper Martini using the original recipe from Ian Fleming's Casino Royale novel: “Three measures of Gordon's, one of vodka, half a measure of Kina Lillet…”We break down:The film's bold tone shift from previous Bond entriesHow Craig's Bond compares to those before himMy personal experience watching every James Bond film leading up to this oneThoughts on starting the Casino Royale novel and how it deepens my appreciation for the character and this adaptationWhether you're a longtime Bond fan or just getting into the franchise, this episode is packed with sharp insights, shaken cocktails, and Bond nostalgia.

VeVe x Star Wars: What's Next for Digital Collectibles? | Interview with Dan CrothersIn this exclusive interview, we sit down with Dan Crothers, Co-Founder and Co-CEO of VeVe, to explore what's coming to the platform—especially for Star Wars fans! From AR-enhanced Stormtrooper helmets to Mandalorian dioramas, this is your insider look into the galaxy of digital collectibles.

Really, 007! preview the upcoming James Bond game after the trailer for 007: First Light dropped...Host Tom Pickup is joined by brother Math and guest Sam Rogers.Disclaimer: Really, 007! is an unofficial entity and is not affiliated with EON Productions, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios Inc. and Danjaq, LLC. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Take a break from your shiny new Nintendo Switch 2 to help answer a few questions here. Can Lionsgate's new movie, From the World of John Wick: Ballerina, overcome its clunky spin-off title to dethrone Lilo and Stitch? Will North America embrace the most popular fast-food chain from the Philippines? Can Noah Hawley translate the Alien franchise to cable television success? Meanwhile, a grisly tragedy overshadows the triumphant return of King of the Hill, James Bond (finally) gets a new videogame from the developers behind the splendid Hitman series, and Marvel Knights: The World to Come introduces a new Black Panther that...well, let's just say it's a controversial pivot.Music: "Sweeter Vermouth" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

The Daily Quiz - Entertainment, Society and Culture Today's Questions: Question 1: Who won the 2020 Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for playing the role of Fred Hampton in Judas and the Black Messiah? Question 2: From which 1942 animated film is a skunk named Flower? Question 3: Which director directed Men in Black? Question 4: What is the dance traditionally performed by Hawaiian women? Question 5: In which year was Braveheart released? Question 6: Who performed the theme song to the James Bond film No Time To Die? Question 7: What is the Italian word for 'green'? Question 8: What title does the head of government hold in countries with a Westminster system? Question 9: Which of these quotes is from the film 'The Martian'? This podcast is produced by Klassic Studios Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Based on feedback from last week this might just be a car podcast now, but we also discuss the Switch 2 launch news that's starting to trickle out, Brad's deep dive into Elden Ring Nightreign, details on EA's cancelled Black Panther game, new footage from The Witcher 4, some questionably timed State of Play predictions, and more. CHAPTERS (00:00:00) NOTE: Some timecodes may be inaccurate for versions other than the ad-free Patreon version due to dynamic ad insertions. Please use caution if skipping around to avoid spoilers. Thanks for listening. (00:00:10) Intro (00:01:16) The Switch 2 is out in the wild and on the internet (00:06:01) Yes, for the Wii Wii (00:07:03) If you hear something, say something (00:08:18) Dogs are gonna chase squirrels if you let them! (00:10:45) Elden Ring: Nightreign  |  [PC (Microsoft Windows), Xbox One, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S]  |  May 30, 2025 (00:40:57) First Break (00:43:42) Date Everything!  |  [PC (Microsoft Windows), Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S]  |  Jun 17, 2025 (00:51:44) Clair Obscur: Expedition 33  |  [PC (Microsoft Windows), PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S]  |  Apr 24, 2025 (00:59:22) Hollow Knight  |  [Linux, PC (Microsoft Windows)]  |  Feb 24, 2017 (01:02:52) Second Break (01:02:57) News (01:03:37) The Switch 2 is here (01:09:01) Summer Game Fest and Not-E3 happenings (01:12:29) IO's new James Bond game has a title (01:18:03) The Witcher 4 and Unreal Engine 5 (01:26:53) More reporting on EA canceling its Black Panther game (01:33:34) Emails OR more a summary of the car emails we have received (01:51:52) Nextlander content updates (01:54:37) Wrapping up and thanks (01:58:56) Mysterious Benefactor Shoutouts (02:02:02) Our Switch 2 and Summer Game Fest plans (02:04:33) See ya!

Support the show Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/PSTrophyroom Discord: https://discord.gg/wPNp3kC BSYK: https://tinyurl.com/3e24bn7y Store: https://tinyurl.com/ktbsdw3s - This week on The Trophy Room: A PlayStation Podcast hosts Teegan, Kyle, and Joe talk about the everything shown at the PlayStation State of Play for June 4, 2025. From the biggest news like a separate Showcase for Ghost of Yotei in July,  the collaboration with Marvel Games, Arc System Works, and Sony on a new fighting game Marvel Tokon. We get a reveal trailer for James Bond 007 New Light, and so much more! We also talk about CD Project Red reveal of The Witcher 4 Gameplay at the Unreal Engine 5 Showcase and so much more!

Ever dreamed of having a hidden room, secret passageway, or bookshelf that swings open to reveal something epic? In this episode of The Real Build, I sat down with Steve Humble, the founder of Creative Home Engineering, the global leader in custom hidden doors, secret rooms, and high-security safe rooms for luxury homes and high-profile clients.Steve has turned childhood imagination into real-world innovation. His company has built over 3,000 secret installations across the world, from motorized bookshelf doors and vault-style panic rooms to bulletproof hidden entrances that would make James Bond jealous.We dive into:How Steve started the #1 hidden door company in the worldThe engineering behind secret doors and high-security entry systemsWhat to look for when hiring someone to build a hidden room or safe roomHow these features are being integrated into modern luxury homesWhy demand for secret doors in custom home construction is growing fastThe difference between novelty hidden doors and true high-end craftsmanshipWhether you're a builder, homeowner, architect, or just a fan of cool, functional design, this episode will blow your mind and open your eyes to what's possible when design meets precision engineering.Guest Info: Steve HumbleWebsite: ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://hiddenpassageway.com/about-us/⁠Instagram:⁠ ⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/hidden_passageway/?hl=en⁠Host Info:CONNECT WITH ME ON SOCIAL MEDIA:▶︎ YOUTUBE | ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCxAdSxHN0dIXZPhA-6p1HYA ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠▶︎ INSTAGRAM | ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/imbillreiman⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠▶︎FACEBOOK| ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.facebook.com/billy.reiman ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠▶︎ LINKEDIN | ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/bill-reim...⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠▶︎ TWITTER | ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://twitter.com/ImBillReiman⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠▶︎ WEBSITE | ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.rkreiman.com

In this episode of The Other Half podcast, the boys watched two different halves of You Only Live Twice, the fifth Bond movie in the series. This is a movie made to showcase Japan and how pretty it is. It also makes you question every dormant volcano and whether a hidden lair could be there. And boy, is that hidden lair cool looking. Can an impressive set piece save a movie written by THE Ronald Dhal and the fact that James Bond now knows how to throw ninja stars?Remember to join our Discord for movie nights and further podcast discussions!Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/the-other-half/exclusive-contentAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

 Was James Bond based on a real person? Meet the spies, heroes, and eccentrics who helped inspire Ian Fleming's iconic 007-then find out why none of them quite fit the tux.________________________________________Full Description:What if James Bond wasn't just fiction? In this episode of An Ounce, we dive into the real lives of the men believed to have inspired 007-from the Serbian double agent who gambled with Nazis, to the Canadian mastermind who ran a spy ring out of Manhattan.Meet Duško Popov, Patrick Dalzel-Job, William Stephenson, Sidney Reilly… and yes, even Ian Fleming himself. Each brought something to the Bond mythos-but not one of them is Bond. Discover how this famous spy was stitched together like a bespoke Frankenstein in a tux, with just the right mix of danger, elegance, and legend.________________________________________

Guess what, there's another reason to question the existence of the PS5 Pro! The Sony Sate of Play was pretty solid today, and its mainly due to the James Bond game trailer. Microsoft pushes back its handheld plans, Nintendo keeps it close to the vest, and Activision has a blunder. Plus Netflix has its Tudum, Mark Hamill shares his future, and thank god we don't live in the Michael Bay Superman Timeline. Plus my review of Mission Impossible The Final Reckoning.

It's been alleged that Meta and the search engine company Yandex have been secretly tracking Android users in the background of their devices.A trio of brothers from Edinburgh, Scotland, called Ewan, Jamie and Lachlan MacLean, are currently attempting a world-record-breaking unsupported row across the Pacific Ocean.Marking the halfway point, Ewan MacLean joined us from their boat, ​Rose Emily.They aim to become the fastest team to row the Pacific and raise £1 million for clean water projects.Also in this episode:-Gamers are in for a treat, as the long-awaited Nintendo Switch 2 has been released worldwide.-There are calls for the government to ban damaging activities such as bottom trawling in England's protected waters-PlayStation has unveiled its James Bond action-adventure game, 007 First Light. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In Episode 373, we break down Hot Toys' latest addition—James Bond from No Time to Die! With a sharp sculpt, sleek tailoring, and signature accessories, this figure captures Daniel Craig's final outing as 007. Join us as we discuss the details and how it stacks up in the world of spy collectibles. #HotToys #JamesBond #notimetodie Want to support our show? Check us out on Patreon: http://patreon.com/collectingweekly​== Channel Memberships: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCU01yk5tPw_JMZ6Tc8rs09w/join Buy a shirt here: https://bit.ly/3wVXAHh Want to chat with us outside of the show? Check us out on Facebook! https://bit.ly/3seiNsv If you like our video podcast and want to hear our full library of audio releases check us out on Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/3uL64iE

Send us a topic!!!!Ever tried to name your top five movies of all time? The struggle is real, and in this episode, we attempt the impossible while digging into what makes certain films stick with us forever. Our journey begins with a brutally honest take on "Warfare," a film many critics crowned as this year's masterpiece. We break down why this supposedly tension-filled war drama left us completely underwhelmed, questioning whether every true story deserves the big-screen treatment. This sparks a larger conversation about what truly makes a cinematic experience memorable – is it emotional resonance, unexpected storytelling, or something else entirely?The conversation flows naturally into our own movie obsessions, from Sandra Bullock's underrated gem "Murder by Numbers" to beloved classics like "The Bone Collector" and "Cape Fear." We share those comfort films we'd watch on repeat (hello, "Dracula Untold" and "Train to Busan") and why certain actors like Ryan Gosling never quite hit "great" status despite solid performances. Our mutual appreciation for Daniel Craig's James Bond leads to a confession: his portrayal was so perfect that earlier Bond films now feel like pale imitations.Korean productions receive special attention as we celebrate shows like "Night Agent," "All of Us Are Dead," and "Hellbound," examining why international content often takes creative risks American productions shy away from. We even touch on the political implications of overseas filming and why certain countries produce consistently innovative entertainment.Want more recommendations? We've got them – from zombie outbreaks to fantasy worlds, from thrillers to underrated comedies. Drop us a comment with your own impossible top five movie list or tell us if you've watched "Eastbound and Down" yet. Because while we might not always talk movies on this podcast, when we do, we absolutely Talk That Shit.Support the show

Welcome to Active Reload! This week, James and Grant start off the episode discussing the upcoming release of the Switch 2 and why there feels like a lack of the hype over the new console from Nintendo. It's also time for Summer Games Fest, the guys talk about what to expect from the event, could Arc Raiders and SplitGate 2 be shadow dropped? Are we going to see more from The Witcher 4? How much will IOI show of the new James Bond game? Plus more! Finally, the gang concludes with a discussion on Elden Ring Nightreign and the trust From Software has in their own developers' ideas, plus some more discussion on Star Wars resurgence! Remember to rate, follow, like, and subscribe!

In this episode of Geek Freaks Headlines, we're breaking down the official reveal of 007: First Light, the upcoming James Bond video game from Hitman developers IO Interactive. We cover everything shown during the PlayStation State of Play, including the new take on Bond's origin, the gameplay mechanics that echo Hitman's best elements, and how this could be a testing ground for a reboot of the Bond franchise. Plus, we draw parallels to the success of Cal Kestis in Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order and what a video game-first strategy might mean for James Bond's future across media.Timestamps and Topics:00:00:00 Introduction and Announcement of 007: First Light00:00:07 Bond's Origin Story: 26-Year-Old Agent from the Royal Navy00:00:12 Lennie James Rumored as Bond's Mentor Figure00:00:25 Gameplay Variety: Choose Your Bond Style00:00:31 Hitman Influence and IO Interactive's Approach00:00:34 Standalone Story: Not Based on Any Movie00:00:43 Testing Ground for Bond Reboot via Gaming00:00:55 Video Game Characters Leading to Bigger Franchises00:01:05 Coming to All Major Platforms, Including Switch 2Key Takeaways:007: First Light is a full origin story, showing Bond before his iconic status.IO Interactive brings their Hitman expertise, offering flexible mission playstyles.The game's Bond isn't tied to any actor or movie continuity.Lennie James may be featured in a key role, possibly as Bond's handler.This could serve as a soft launchpad for a new Bond continuity.The game will be available on all major platforms, including Switch 2.Similar to how Cal Kestis won over Star Wars fans, this game could build strong support for a new Bond.Quotes:"This is going to be an origin story for Bond… playing him as a 26-year-old agent just recruited into MI6.""You could be the Pierce Brosnan sneaky Bond, the Daniel Craig punch-you-in-the-face Bond, or the Sean Connery charm-your-way-in Bond.""To me, the Star Wars I want most is the one with Cal Kestis. That's because I fell in love with the character through the video game."Call to Action:If you're excited for this fresh take on James Bond, don't miss an episode of Geek Freaks Headlines. Subscribe, leave a review, and share your thoughts on social media using #GeekFreaks.Links and Resources:Catch all the latest geek culture news at GeekFreaksPodcast.comFollow Us:Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thegeekfreakspodcastThreads: https://www.threads.net/@geekfreakspodcastInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/geekfreakspodcast/Twitter: https://twitter.com/geekfreakspodPatreon: https://www.patreon.com/GeekFreakspodcastListener Questions:Have a theory about the next Bond? Or thoughts on games as soft launches for big franchises? Send us your questions and we might feature them in an upcoming episode!Apple Podcast Tags:James Bond, 007 First Light, IO Interactive, PlayStation State of Play, Hitman, Cal Kestis, Star Wars Fallen Order, video game news, geek culture, Geek Freaks Podcast, Bond reboot, Switch 2, gaming podcast

This week, in celebration of the latest Mission Impossible and the recent news about the new James Bond franchise, we've commissioned a deadly collection of Super Spy-themed episodes from the archives for this MEGA EPISODE:GHL 220: Mission Impossible with Samm Levine & Rachel Cushing – Breaking down the Mission Impossible franchise movie by movieGHL 88: James Bond 007 – Uncover the literary history of England's greatest secret agent complete with Licence to KillGHL 386: Is James Bond Still Relevant with Danielle Price – Explore the tough question of tropes & stories from a very different time while asking how archetypes like James Bond can still resonates with modern audiencesGrab your tux, pack your mask, and join us for this super secret celebration of movie Action Spies!Follow Samm Levine on Threads ► https://www.threads.com/@sammlevineFollow Rachel Cushing on Threads ► https://www.threads.com/@rachelcushinglevineFollow Danielle Price on Threads ► https://www.threads.com/@danielleprice007For exclusive bonus podcasts like our Justice League Review show our Teen Titans Podcast, GHL Extra & Livestreams with the hosts, join the Geek History Lesson Patreon ► https://www.patreon.com/JawiinGHL RECOMMENDED READING from this episode► https://www.geekhistorylesson.com/recommendedreadingFOLLOW GHL►Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/geekhistorylessonThreads: https://www.threads.net/@geekhistorylessonTik Tok: https://www.tiktok.com/@geekhistorylessonFacebook: http://www.facebook.com/geekhistorylessonGet Your GHL Pin: https://geekhistorylesson.etsy.comYou can follow Ashley at https://www.threads.net/@ashleyvrobinson or https://www.ashleyvictoriarobinson.com/Follow Jason at https://www.threads.net/@jawiin or https://bsky.app/profile/jasoninman.bsky.socialThanks for showing up to class today. Class is dismissed!

This week, in celebration of the latest Mission Impossible and the recent news about the new James Bond franchise, we've commissioned a deadly collection of Super Spy-themed episodes from the archives for this MEGA EPISODE:GHL 220: Mission Impossible with Samm Levine & Rachel Cushing – Breaking down the Mission Impossible franchise movie by movieGHL 88: James Bond 007 – Uncover the literary history of England's greatest secret agent complete with Licence to KillGHL 386: Is James Bond Still Relevant with Danielle Price – Explore the tough question of tropes & stories from a very different time while asking how archetypes like James Bond can still resonates with modern audiencesGrab your tux, pack your mask, and join us for this super secret celebration of movie Action Spies!Follow Samm Levine on Threads ► https://www.threads.com/@sammlevineFollow Rachel Cushing on Threads ► https://www.threads.com/@rachelcushinglevineFollow Danielle Price on Threads ► https://www.threads.com/@danielleprice007For exclusive bonus podcasts like our Justice League Review show our Teen Titans Podcast, GHL Extra & Livestreams with the hosts, join the Geek History Lesson Patreon ► https://www.patreon.com/JawiinGHL RECOMMENDED READING from this episode► https://www.geekhistorylesson.com/recommendedreadingFOLLOW GHL►Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/geekhistorylessonThreads: https://www.threads.net/@geekhistorylessonTik Tok: https://www.tiktok.com/@geekhistorylessonFacebook: http://www.facebook.com/geekhistorylessonGet Your GHL Pin: https://geekhistorylesson.etsy.comYou can follow Ashley at https://www.threads.net/@ashleyvrobinson or https://www.ashleyvictoriarobinson.com/Follow Jason at https://www.threads.net/@jawiin or https://bsky.app/profile/jasoninman.bsky.socialThanks for showing up to class today. Class is dismissed!

In this episode of Drinks and a Movie, we're diving into one of the most polarizing entries in the James Bond franchise — Die Another Day (2002), starring Pierce Brosnan, Halle Berry, and an invisible Aston Martin. From ice palaces to DNA-swapping villains, we're breaking down the wildest, most over-the-top Bond film of the Brosnan era. To pair with this explosive spy adventure, we're sipping on the bold and flavorful Michter's Toasted Barrel Finish Rye — a rich, spicy pour with toasted oak and caramel notes that holds its own against the film's big-budget insanity. We talk:Where Die Another Day ranks in the Bond canonThe good, the bad, and the absurdThat infamous theme song by MadonnaWhy Brosnan's final outing deserves a rewatch (or maybe not?)And of course, we dive into the flavor profile and finish of Michter's Toasted Rye — one of the more sought-after bottles from Michter's Distillery.

On today's show, we are back to our regularly scheduled programming as we dive into the news, reacting to the new James Bond game, Black Panther getting cancelled, a the first Zelda movie casting report; as well as give our predictions for the Summer Games Fest 2025 season.-Follow us on Bluesky: bsky.app/profile/controllerclubpod.bsky.socialFollow us on Twitter: x.com/controller_clubFollow us on Instagram: instagram.com/controllerclubpodFollow us on Tiktok: tiktok.com/@controller.clubEmail ControllerClubPod@gmail.com with your questions, comments, or concerns.Like and Subscribe on YouTube at youtube.com/@Controller_ClubSubscribe wherever you're listening, and leave us a rating and review.

In today's Daily Fix:Via the Nintendo Today app, Nintendo revealed new 60fps gameplay from the Switch 2 versions of Pokémon Scarlet & Violet. The original Switch version was plagued with performance issues, such as droppin frame rates, texture pop-in, and other problems indicative of a game not optimized and running on old hardware. Hopefully the new version will be what fans have expected. In other news, remember that James Bond game from the Hitman devs? The one they announced years ago? Well it looks like they're finally ready to show it off. The game, officially titles 007 First Light, will get a proper reveal this week. And finally, we take a peek at the five immersive worlds of the all-new Universal Epic Universe, and one of its featured attractions – Stardust Racers, all at Universal Orlando Resort. Presented by: Universal Orlando Resort, and its new theme park, Universal Epic Universe.

Go to http://kindafunny.com/XREAL to grab yours now! IO's James Bond game has an official title, we're going to see more The Witcher 4 tomorrow, and the Hi-Fi Rush studio is hiring for a new action game. Thank you for the support! Run of Show - - Start - Housekeeping We're throwing a SWITCH 2 LAUNCH PARTY Today after, KFGD, you'll get: If you're a Kinda Funny Member: The Roper Report   - - James Bond Game From Hitman Dev Has a New Title, 007 First Light, Official Reveal This Week - Ad - The Witcher 4's Unreal Engine 5 In-Game Features and Technology Set to Be Revealed Tomorrow - Hi-Fi Rush Dev Tango Gameworks 'Remains Dedicated to Distinctive and New IPs,' as It Starts Hiring for New Action Game - Wizards of the Coast signs publishing agreement with Giant Skull - Wee News! - SuperChats & You‘re Wrong Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this edition of our James Bond retrospective, Zach and Mike breakdown Roger Moore's first outing as the titular secret agent and sip on a cocktail inspired by the movies villain. Cheers!

Really, 007! look back on Daniel Craig's era as James Bond with Bond fans including Fletcher Sykes aka Essence Of Bond, Steven Dasgupta aka LDN Bond, Nikolai Quack and Double O Kevin...Part 2 covers Spectre, No Time To Die and his legacy as 007.Disclaimer: Really, 007! is an unofficial entity and is not affiliated with EON Productions, Amazon Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios Inc. and Danjaq, LLC. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Really, 007! look back on Daniel Craig's era as James Bond with Bond fans including Fletcher Sykes aka Essence Of Bond, Steven Dasgupta aka LDN Bond, Nikolai Quack and Double O Kevin...Part 1 covers his unveiling as 007, Casino Royale, Quantum Of Solace and Skyfall.Disclaimer: Really, 007! is an unofficial entity and is not affiliated with EON Productions, Amazon Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios Inc. and Danjaq, LLC. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week's episode of YaketyCAST has it all: A full Mission:Impossible Final Reckoning review, the rumors about the new James Bond, and a full rundown of the season finale of The Last of Us. There's also Sydney Sweeney's soap talk and John's family possibly trolling him with a t-shirt! All this and much more!

Where the law of the land ends, the story begins. Pulitzer-prize winning journalist Ian Urbina returns with a new season of his riveting podcast anthology, The Outlaw Ocean, which explores the most lawless place on earth — the vast unpoliceable ocean. New episodes starting June 4, 2025.In season two, Urbina sheds light on the secretive Libyan prisons swallowing up sea-faring migrants; flagrant human rights abuses in China's massive off-shore fleet; the horrors of a shrimp processing plant in India; and the wild story of a modern-day James Bond — if he were a repo man.Urbina and his team repeatedly risk their safety to tell stories powerful people don't want you to know. As podcast reviewer Lauren Passell notes, “Ian's not relying on research, he was there [...] Outlaw Ocean makes you feel like you're there, too.”This immersive audio documentary series brings together more than eight years of reporting at sea on all seven oceans and more than three dozen countries.