Podcasts about Kirkland

I am Rolf Claessen and my co-host Ken Suzan and I are welcoming you to episode 178 of our podcast IP Fridays! Today's interview guest is Caitlin Byczko, who is partner with Marnes & Thornburg in their IP team. Ken is discussing dupe culture with her. Here is the profile of Caitlin Byczko https://btlaw.com/en/people/caitlin-byczko But before we launch into this very interesting interview, I have some news for you: On August 10th, 2026, Navitas Semiconductor filed suit against Renesas Electronics in the Eastern District of Texas, accusing Renesas of infringing four US patents on gallium nitride semiconductor technology through its SuperGaN product lines. The filing follows a countersuit Renesas brought on July 22nd, 2026, accusing Navitas and two of its employees of misappropriating trade secrets. It shows how patent disputes and trade secret claims between competitors are increasingly being fought on multiple fronts at once, and often as tit for tat. It also emerged on August 12th, 2026, that an EPO Board of Appeal had dismissed an appeal by Atlas Global Technologies and ruled that its WiFi patent, EP 3 353 901, case T 1230/25, could not be maintained in any form at all, even though the original opponents, TP-Link and Vantiva, had already withdrawn their oppositions. That knocked out the basis for several parallel infringement suits at the Unified Patent Court, which were then withdrawn. For suppliers and implementers, the takeaway is that fighting a patent held by a non-practising entity can still be worth it, even once the original opponent has thrown in the towel. On August 10th, 2026, the Unified Patent Court in The Hague fully revoked Maxell’s patent EP 2 061 230, covering technology for handing off content to a second device, and at the same time dismissed Maxell’s infringement claim against several Samsung entities, in cases UPC_CFI_251/2025 and UPC_CFI_769/2025. The judges found the patent to be nothing more than an obvious combination of routine adaptations, with no additional technical effect. And now – let's hear the interview with Ken and Caitlin! A dupe used to be a quiet, slow thing. You’d stand in the cereal aisle, notice the generic box next to the name brand, buy it, tell a friend. Word spread over months. That world is gone. On this episode of IP Fridays, Ken Suzan sat down with Caitlin Byczko, partner at Barnes & Thornburg LLP in Indianapolis, to talk about what’s replaced it: a TikTok-driven economy where a single video can sell out a dupe product within hours, sometimes before the original brand’s own team even knows it exists. Byczko litigates and prosecutes trademarks across retail, fashion, luxury goods, technology, and pharmaceuticals, and she’s watched dupe culture evolve from a marketing footnote into one of the more active battlegrounds in trademark law. Here’s what she told us, and why it matters even if your brand has never heard the word “dupe” used about it. Counterfeit and Dupe Are Not the Same Thing, Legally Byczko opened with what she called the most important distinction in this entire conversation: the difference between a counterfeit and a dupe. A counterfeit uses someone else’s actual trademark. Think of a fake Chanel bag stamped with the interlocking C’s, or a fake Louis Vuitton logo. That’s straightforward infringement, and above certain thresholds, a federal crime. A dupe is different. It mimics the look, feel, or performance of a product without using the name or the logo at all. Elf Cosmetics, Zara, Costco’s Kirkland brand, and Quince have all built parts of their business on exactly this model. No one is pretending to be Chanel. They’re offering something that looks and performs similarly, at a fraction of the price, under their own name. Media and social media use “dupe” and “counterfeit” interchangeably. Legally, that’s sloppy, and it matters, because the two categories trigger completely different legal analyses. If There’s No Logo, What Are Brands Actually Suing Over? This is where trade dress comes in. Trade dress protects the overall look and feel of a product: packaging, color combinations, shape, label design. Byczko pointed out that most of us interact with trade-dress-protected products every day without realizing it. The test is likelihood of confusion. Courts look at how similar the products actually look, how sophisticated the shoppers are, and whether there’s real evidence that people were confused. Byczko flagged one case as a genuine roadmap for this area: Van Leeuwen v. Rebel Creamery, an ice cream trade dress dispute that came out of the Eastern District of New York. In her view, the strength of that case came down to how precisely the brand defined its trade dress for the packaging. That precision, she said, did a lot of the work toward the outcome. She’s also watching Lululemon v. Costco, which she expects to be significant partly because it doesn’t rely on trademark and trade dress alone. Byczko noted that brands are increasingly stacking causes of action together: trademark, patent, false advertising, all pointing at the same product. And she’s tracking Sol de Janeiro v. Macau Beauty, a case she finds notable because it pulls in influencer content and testimonials as evidence, not just packaging and trade dress claims. Macau Beauty, she noted, has already been sued multiple times across different jurisdictions. A note for readers outside the US: trade dress as a distinct doctrine doesn’t exist as such in Germany. The closest tools here are the three-dimensional trademark and, more practically, the wettbewerbsrechtlicher Nachahmungsschutz under Section 4 No. 3 of the German Act Against Unfair Competition (UWG). That provision protects product shape, packaging, and get-up against imitation when the original has wettbewerbliche Eigenart, competitive distinctiveness, and the copy creates avoidable confusion about origin, unfairly exploits the original’s reputation, or was built on dishonestly obtained know-how. It’s a narrower, more fact-specific tool than US trade dress, but the underlying logic Byczko describes, define your product’s distinctive features early and precisely, applies just as much on this side of the Atlantic. Why the Evidence Problem Changed Everything Ken asked what’s actually driving the current wave of disputes, and Byczko’s answer was simple: evidence. Ten or twenty years ago, if you sent a cease-and-desist letter or went to trial, you had almost nothing concrete to show about how consumers actually perceived two products. Now you have TikTok comment sections, influencer testimonials, and entire genres of “dupe content” documenting exactly what shoppers think, in their own words, in real time. In the Sol de Janeiro case, Byczko noted that part of the complaint isn’t just about packaging and trade dress. It’s about what influencers said, what claims they made, and what that content reveals about actual consumer confusion or the absence of it. That’s evidence litigators simply didn’t have access to a decade ago, and it cuts both ways: it can prove confusion, or it can just as easily prove there wasn’t any. Why Dupes Took Off: Economics, Status, and a Generational Shift Byczko was careful to frame this part as her personal read, not a sociologist’s conclusion, but it’s a read shaped by watching these disputes up close. Part of it is straightforward economics. Gen Z is shopping under real affordability pressure, and dupes let them participate in trend cycles without the price tag. Byczko cited a projected $12.6 trillion in Gen Z spending power by 2030, a generation too significant for brands to write off. The other part is cultural. A generation ago, owning a visible logo was the status symbol. Now, for a lot of younger shoppers, being the savvy one, the person who finds the dupe first and tells their followers about it, carries its own status. It’s less “I have the real thing” and more “I outsmarted the markup.” Byczko also pointed to growing public skepticism toward paying five or ten times more for a product purely because of the name on the packaging, particularly in beauty and fashion. The PR Trap: When Enforcement Backfires One of the sharpest points in the conversation was about what happens after a brand decides to enforce. Suing over a dupe can read very differently in public than it does in a courtroom. Byczko put it directly: going after a dupe can easily look, to the public, like a big corporation coming down on a small competitor, or worse, on its own customers, the same people who made the original brand aspirational in the first place. She’s seen this dynamic play out repeatedly in high-profile cases. Her advice: treat enforcement as a communication strategy, not just a legal one. Sometimes the smarter move isn’t a lawsuit at all. It’s a quieter cease-and-desist letter, a takedown request, or doubling down on marketing that explains what actually makes the original worth the price. Charlotte Tilbury has leaned hard into this approach, building campaigns around the idea that the original simply can’t be remade. Olaplex ran a similar play with its “OlaDupe” campaign. Legal and marketing, Byczko said, have to work together on this, not in sequence. What Brands Should Actually Do Byczko laid out three practical layers, all before litigation ever enters the picture. First: register your trademarks, and where a product design is genuinely distinctive, pursue trade dress or design patent protection early, before a dupe exists and before you know whether the product will even take off. That timing problem is real. Brands rarely know in advance which product will become the one worth copying. Her advice was to look at long-standing anchor products, the ones that have quietly carried a brand identity for years, and ask whether they’re actually protected. Second: monitor. A large share of dupe disputes start on social media, not in a courtroom. That means someone needs to be watching hashtags and influencer content, not just from direct competitors, but from adjacent or even unrelated brands that could end up duping a product without anyone noticing until it’s already trending. Third, and the one Byczko clearly considers most underused: consumer education and brand storytelling. “This is the original” is a weak pitch on its own in a market flooded with cheap alternatives. What works better is explaining, specifically, what makes a product different: its formulation, its sourcing, its performance, its longevity. Give people a real reason to pay more, not just a claim to authenticity. Where This Goes Next Byczko doesn’t think dupe culture is a passing trend. Her expectation is closer to “there will eventually be a dupe of everything,” and she’s watching an interesting generational pattern where teenage shoppers are teaching their mothers about dupes, who are in turn teaching their own mothers. On the legal side, she expects more clarity as cases like Van Leeuwen work their way through the system, giving brands a clearer formula for how to define and defend trade dress. On the brand side, she expects less reliance on litigation as the primary weapon and more investment in what’s genuinely hard to copy: real innovation, ingredient transparency, and storytelling that a dupe simply can’t replicate. One data point she raised stuck with us: search interest in the word “craftsmanship” is at its highest point in twenty years. After years of leaning into dupe culture, there are signs some consumers are swinging back toward wanting the original, the real ingredient, the real technique, the thing that can’t be copied to the same quality. For brands sitting on distinctive packaging, a signature shape, or a product identity they’ve never formally registered, that’s less a trend forecast than a to-do list. Here is the full transcript: Ken Suzan: Thank you, Ralf. Our guest today on the IP Friday’s podcast is Caitlin Byczko. Caitlin is a partner with Barnes and Thornburg LLP and is based in Indianapolis, Indiana. Caitlin crafts and defends global brand strategies, protecting intellectual property assets with creative solutions and highly tactical advocacy. She excels in trademark prosecution and litigation before the Trademark Trial and Appeal Board and federal district courts, safeguarding trademarks and digital properties for businesses of all sizes and at every stage of the business life cycle. From startups to Fortune 500 companies, Caitlin manages clients’ intellectual property needs across diverse industries. Her experience spans retail, fashion, luxury goods, sports, technology, agriculture, venture capital and pharmaceuticals. Beyond trademark law, Caitlin brings valuable insights from her law school experience with the National Collegiate Athletic Association, NCAA, and her previous work serving in a technology company’s in-house legal department. Her tenacious nature and clever problem-solving skills shine through in complex matters, earning praise from clients and colleagues alike. Caitlin is co-author of “Dupe Culture Meets the Courtroom,” published in Global Cosmetic Industry on March 16, 2026. Welcome, Caitlin, to the IP Friday’s podcast. Caitlin Byczko: Hi, Ken. Thank you so much. I’m very honored to be here. Ken Suzan: Yeah, so Caitlin, today we’re talking about dupe culture, a topic that is rapidly becoming front for many brands around the world. What’s the actual difference between a dupe and a counterfeit? Caitlin Byczko: That is one of my favorite questions. This is the most important distinction to draw when we are talking legally about dupes because the difference, because media and social media often use the words interchangeably and legally they’re very different. A counterfeit is a product that uses someone else’s actual trademark. We often think of a fake Chanel bag with interlocking C’s or a fake Louis Vuitton. It’s relatively straightforward trademark infringement and generally above certain thresholds is a federal crime. A dupe, by contrast, is a product that mimics the look, feel, or performance product without actually using the name or logo. We often think of it in the beauty products, in the fashion space, some brands like Elf Cosmetics, which was in the article you just mentioned, Zara, Costco’s Kirkland brand, Quince, who are all very well known in the dupe space. Ken Suzan: What has led to the rise of dupe culture? I’m reading about it virtually every day. Caitlin Byczko: I feel very strongly about this and I’m always talking about it in my legal and non-legal worlds. It’s a very interesting societal change that I think we’ve seen over the past year. I am a lawyer, I am not a marketer, I am not a sociologist, but in my opinion, social media and influencer culture specifically has really created the kind of rise in dupes that we see today. I don’t think we can talk about modern dupe culture without talking about TikTok specifically. Dupe content is its own genre, essentially on TikTok and on Instagram. There’s a whole vocabulary that people are dupe influencers, where their whole product, everything that they’re doing and selling, all of the content they’re making is dupe related. What’s really changed is the speed, I think, around when other products or when a dupe product comes out, how it can be marketed and how people can find out about it. The speed of commerce itself has increased wildly as a result, in part because of social media. A product used to take months to build a reputation as a good alternative. When we think about things, generic cereal is one thing that I have been talking about with my parents with respect to dupe culture. It was one of the things that there used to be, you would go to the store and there would be the cereal, the name brand cereal, and then there would be the generic version of the cereal, which was usually less expensive. That in a way was a dupe. It took a long time. Your friends knew about the dupe cereal and then you knew about the dupe cereal. Then it all got around. Now a single video can send a dupe product sold out within days, within hours sometimes. Oftentimes, a brand’s own team doesn’t even know about the dupe until it’s already been wildly out. Part of it becomes this legal issue when there are claims coming around the dupe. In the Sol de Janeiro case against Macau Beauty, part of the complaint isn’t just about the trade dress and the packaging, which I think we’ll talk about. It’s about the influencer content and the testimonials and what people are saying about the dupes. There’s so much evidence now and there’s so much content and there’s so much out there regarding dupes on social media, on TikTok, and in other places. Ken Suzan: Yeah, and it’s an ever-evolving story. Every day there’s new social media content, more evidence for a potential gain, right? Caitlin Byczko: Absolutely. Ken Suzan: So if dupes aren’t using a particular brand name, how are companies suing over them at all? Caitlin Byczko: So this is really where trade dress comes in, and trade dress, as most of us know, has been around for a long time. There are a lot of very well-known things that you probably see or use every day that you don’t know are protected by trade dress, but they are. And the trade dress protects the overall kind of look and feel of a product. So if you think about things like packaging, color combinations, shape, label design, when that becomes distinctive enough, right? When consumers see that and kind of immediately understand it has the secondary meaning related to the brand owner, then it can become a protectable trademark. And so the test for trademark infringement is likelihood of confusion. And courts will look at the factors of how similar the products actually look, how sophisticated the shoppers are, whether there’s evidence that people were actually confused. I think one of the big cases in the trade dress space that came out since you and I discussed originally, Ken, is the Van Leeuwen versus Rebel Creamery ice cream case. And so for any of those interested, it’s a very interesting opinion. It just came out of the Eastern District of New York. I think that really helps people, brands specifically, kind of provide a roadmap with respect to how to define a trade dress. I think they did an excellent job there defining what the trade dress was for the packaging. And I think that that had a lot to do with the success. Ken Suzan: Yes. Ken Suzan: Why do you think younger consumers gravitate towards dupes so much more than past generations did? Caitlin Byczko: I think there are a few things that are kind of top of each other. The obvious one is economics. I think younger consumers, especially Gen Z, they’re shopping in an environment where there’s affordability pressure. And I think that dupes let them participate in certain trend cycles without the price tag. Gen Z is a significant demographic behind the growth of dupes. And they have a predicted spending power we saw recently, $12.6 trillion by 2030. Ken Suzan: Wow. That’s incredible. Caitlin Byczko: I think it is really also coupled with more of what I would say is a cultural shift. Again, I am a lawyer and this is just my opinion. But what feels aspirational is really changing, I think. And a generation ago, we saw in the fashion world, there was a really big, people really liked logos. Having a logo, owning a logo was the point. And now for a lot of younger shoppers or even more savvy shoppers, actually being a savvy shopper is the status symbol itself. So for a lot of creators, finding the dupe before anyone else or being the one who tells your followers about the dupe really has its own, and it’s less “I have this real thing” and more, “oh, I outsmarted the markup.” And I think it’s that kind of value. I think younger consumers are more publicly skeptical of the idea that something is worth five or ten times more just because of the name on the packaging. And I think that that becomes the case particularly in beauty and then clothing as well. And so I think it’s coupled with the question of craftsmanship and all of these different things. Like we can’t view anything in a vacuum, which is why I could talk for 500 years about this topic. Ken Suzan: Yeah, definitely. Now brands obviously want to protect themselves. That’s an important thing. But going after a dupe can backfire publicly, particularly on the internet. Can you comment on this possibility and what should brands do? Caitlin Byczko: Sure. I think the biggest thing is what you just said. So I think there’s the legal component. And when we’re assessing this for one of our brand clients, I think we cannot review one without the other. So I think you have to say, do we have this claim? Do we have a protectable trade dress or a look and feel claim? And what is the potential backlash in the public? I think it is also a joint PR concern, because what we see is suing over a dupe can very easily read to the public as, oh, this big brand or big corporation is coming down on a small competitor or on its own customers that made the original brand aspirational. I think that we see this in a lot of the big cases that are out right now. So brands, I think, can start to think about enforcement as a communication strategy first, because sometimes the smarter play isn’t necessarily filing a lawsuit. It’s kind of a quieter cease and desist, a takedown request, or separately, it might be really doubling down on the craftsmanship or on a marketing side of what makes the product worth the price. I think Charlotte Tilbury is a great example of this, who’s really leaned into this kind of “can’t be duped” or “you can’t remake the original” with respect to some of their really core products. And so I think people really need to, or brands really need to, assess: one, how can we define what it is that’s being duped? And again, that’s where I think that Van Leeuwen case, I think, will be really interesting over the next few years, with respect to kind of providing this roadmap to help people say, here is a way that we can try to really define what the trade dress is and then be able to protect it and be able to enforce it. Ken Suzan: Caitlin, are there cases right now, I know we just talked about the Van Leeuwen case, but are there cases right now that you think will actually set the tone for how this area of law develops? Caitlin Byczko: Absolutely. And I think some of the cases probably are even in the works, they’re not even filed yet, which is probably very exciting to us as trademark nerds. I do think the Lululemon versus Costco case will be a big one. It’s not just trademarks and trade dress, as many of them are not. I think a lot of times we see in these cases brands are very smartly using kind of all of the different types of causes of action that they bring: trademark, patent, false advertising, a lot of different things. And so I think that that one is definitely certainly one to watch kind of in the fashion space. And then the Sol de Janeiro versus Macau Beauty. Macau Beauty has been sued multiple times, I think, in various jurisdictions. And so I think part of that one is very interesting to me because I think it’s this, it loops not only trademark protection, but also it brings in false advertising, it brings in influencers, it brings in all of these different things. And so I think, like we had talked about previously, nothing is really viewed in a vacuum. And I think for all of these cases, one really important thing, maybe that we didn’t necessarily have access to 10 years ago, or certainly 20 years ago, is this like just ripe amount of evidence of potential confusion or potential non-confusion. When we go on social media and look at all of these things, and then read the comments and all of this different data that’s out there, it’s fascinating, because if you’re in trial, or if you’re going to trial, you’re sending a cease and desist letter, like there is evidence of what the consumers think right here in front of you, right? And the weight of that evidence obviously depends on what it is. But it’s fascinating the way that you can very quickly identify, you know, is there confusion? Is there not confusion, in a way that you likely could never have even thought to consider 10 to 20 years ago? Ken Suzan: Now beyond litigation, what should brands actually be doing to protect themselves in a dupe-driven market? Caitlin Byczko: I think one of the best things that we can do, right, is starting to register the trademarks. I think that’s an obvious one. And really start to consider where the product is genuinely distinctive. And so if it is genuinely distinctive, pursuing a trade dress or a design patent early, before a dupe exists, before anything happens. And I know that can be difficult, because oftentimes brands don’t know for sure what’s going to take off and what’s not. It can also be a surprise. But I think it’s really pushing brands that when you are innovating and when you are doing something that is truly unique and truly distinctive, or when you’re looking back on your brand assets and saying, this thing has been an anchor brand asset for 10 years, you know, have we sought trade dress protection? Is there a way that we can do that? The second layer really is monitoring, in my mind, because a lot of dupe disputes do start on social media. And I think it is important to have people within a company, if you have a product that you’re really keeping an eye on, or that you’re concerned about being duped or causing confusion, having someone who is keeping eyes on hashtags and influencer content and all of these various things. You know, we’re not watching just your direct competitors, we’re watching other completely different brands, or kind of made-up brands even, who could be duping the product. And then I think the third thing that I see as very important is this kind of consumer education and brand storytelling, which is when we kind of get outside of the purely legal side of it. And, you know, legal and marketing and brand and social kind of all need to work together, right? I think if the only pitch to consumers is “this is the original,” it kind of becomes a weak argument in a market where there are cheap alternatives everywhere. But I think the brands that really explain what actually makes their product different, in its formulation, its sourcing, its performance, its longevity, it really gives people a real reason to say, I want to pay more for this brand because of XYZ, you know, the technology or whatever that is. Charlotte Tilbury is one that I had mentioned. I know Olaplex kind of had a big campaign around “OlaDupe” is what they called it. So I think really unique and interesting marketing also assists with that. Ken Suzan: Caitlin, where do you see dupe culture heading? Is this a trend that plateaus or does it fundamentally change how brands operate? Caitlin Byczko: I think dupe culture itself is here to stay. I mean, I think we are only getting into a world where there is truly going to be a dupe of everything. And it’s not good or bad necessarily. I think it is just where we are in life. And I think, you know, things serve different purposes. And it all depends a lot on how the younger consumers shop. And it’s also changing how older consumers shop. You know, I’ve read a lot about teenage girls teaching their moms about dupes, who are then teaching their grandmothers about dupes, right? So on the legal side, I think we will get clarity eventually. I think right around, you know, all like all of these things, which seem so complex, and we’ll never know the answer. You know, five [years] from now, we will probably have certainly more clarity, because a lot of these cases will move forward. You know, the Van Leeuwen one, which I’ve now talked about multiple times, but I just obviously think it’s very fascinating. I think that that’s one where you have a roadmap, right? And it may be contested, or, you know, everything is very fact-specific in the trademark world. But I think it will open the door to allow people one more aggressive brand enforcement. But it will give people a roadmap proactively to kind of say, if we follow this formula for our trade dress, or, you know, defining our trade dress, then, you know, we have something we can potentially protect. And then I think on the brand side, we’ll likely see less reliance on litigation as the primary weapon and more investment in things that are actually, you know, difficult to dupe: innovation, ingredient transparency, marketing, genuinely interesting brand storytelling is something that we’ve seen. I read this past week that searches for craftsmanship, just like generally the word craftsmanship, and kind of products with craftsmanship, is at an all-time high, than it’s been in like the past 20 years. And so it’s interesting, right, that we have gone from this kind of luxury item or high craftsmanship to this dupe culture that we are in now. But there is some potential shift where people are saying, you know, now, I’ve seen all of this and I have all of these options, but now actually what I do care about is the original, right, the innovation or the ingredient transparency or all of those things that can’t necessarily be copied to the same quality. So it’s why it will just provide us with endless topic of discussion, because I think it will only just keep changing forever. Ken Suzan: That’s right. Caitlin, I want to thank you for spending time with us on the IP Friday’s podcast. This has been very insightful, and I’m sure we’ll be talking about this issue in the months and years to come. Caitlin Byczko: Thank you so much, Ken. I really appreciate it. Ken Suzan: Thank you.

Why are we so obsessed with watching other people fail? This week, Shane dives into the bizarre arrest of 49ers CEO Jed York, Deshaun Watson getting booed by Cleveland fans, Katey Sagal celebrating 40 years of sobriety, Trump's IndyCar spectacle in Washington, D.C., and the latest U.S.-Canada political beef. It's sports, celebrity culture, politics, sobriety and a whole lot of absurdity, with a sober-minded perspective on why we're so drawn to the chaos. Because apparently, good news doesn't get clicks. But somebody fist-fighting at Costco over 6 Kirkland towels and an umbrella? Now THAT'S content. Join “The Victory Circle”, our FREE Sober Guy Mens Community at https://www.thatsoberguy.com/offers/SvjjuEQ2/checkout Want to go 30 Days Alcohol Free? Try our 30-Day Sober Performance Challenge — https://www.thatsoberguy.com/quit-drinking-alcohol-for-30-days Sober Executive Performance Reset: A 12 Week Private Coaching Experience - APPLY HERE https://www.thatsoberguy.com/coaching Shanes New Book, Sober Guy How Do I - https://a.co/d/81ZIgtE Invite Shane to Speak - https://www.thatsoberguy.com/speaking For More Resources go to http://www.ThatSoberGuy.com Follow us on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/shane-ramer-7534bb257/ Follow us on Instagram @ThatSoberGuyPodcast Follow us on YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/thatsoberguypodcast Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Kickers Battle Back for a Point | Richmond 1-1 PortlandThe Richmond Kickers battled back to earn a 1-1 draw against Portland Hearts of Pine at City Stadium. ⚽️After trailing 1-0 at halftime, Richmond came out firing in the second half, controlling nearly 60% of possession and creating chance after chance. Owen O'Malley provided the spark, setting up Josh Kirkland for the 74th-minute equalizer.Darwin Espinal was a constant threat throughout the night, recording a match-high six shots, while Yann Fillion came up huge late with a crucial stoppage-time save to preserve the point.On this episode of Rivercity 93, we break down Richmond's response after halftime, Espinal's attacking performance, Kirkland's equalizer, and another strong showing from Fillion and the defense.We also look ahead to the Henny Derby against Forward Madison at City Stadium.

Châteauneuf-du-Pape is one of the world's great wines, but many people haven't tried it because it can be darn expensive. So, when Costco drops their Kirkland Signature version of the wine, the natural question is “should I buy it?” Well, we are here to help you make that decision. Châteauneuf-du-Pape has a rather remarkable history, harkening back to a time when the papacy was in France, not Rome, and even a period when there were two popes for a longer period than you might expect. We talk about that history, as well as some of the rules and restrictions around Châteauneuf-du-Pape. But, what you really want to know is “should I buy it?!?” and that is what we will help you decide in this episode. And just to make sure we are giving you good advice, we compare the Costco Kirkland version to a well regarded and highly rated version of the wine just to make sure. We don't want to spoil it, but the Kirkland version compares very well. As an extra bonus, we talk about the hot new wine trend called blouge. Wines reviewed in this episode: 2024 Costco Kirkland Signature Châteauneuf-du-Pape, 2023 Domaine du Vieux Lazaret Châteauneuf-du-Pape.Send us a Text Message and we'll respond in our next episode!Contact The Wine Pair Podcast - we'd love to hear from you!Visit our website, leave a review, and reach out to us:  https://thewinepairpodcast.com/Follow and DM us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thewinepairpodcast/Send us an email: joe@thewinepairpodcast.com

Most mainstream media outlets have spent the last several years convincing Americans that a recession is either here or just around the corner. But according to tech analyst Ray Wang and category design pioneer Christopher Lochhead, the real story about the US economy looks very different from what we are being fed. In a recent episode of Disrupt TV, the two thought leaders broke down the actual data behind American economic growth, the rise of AI-driven entrepreneurship, and a new investment program that could reshape generational wealth in this country. You're listening to Christopher Lochhead: Follow Your Different. We are the real dialogue podcast for people with a different mind. So get your mind in a different place, and hey ho, let's go.   Record Business Starts Signal a Thriving US Economy Despite relentless recession predictions from commentators and media personalities, Americans are starting new companies at a record pace. More than 5.6 million business applications were filed in 2025 alone, with over 400,000 new companies being created every single month. This level of entrepreneurial activity has not been seen in the modern era. Layoffs are also at historic lows, GDP is still growing, and inflation has come down from 4.2% in May to 3.5%. Initial unemployment claims have recently fallen to their lowest level since 1969. Meanwhile, prediction markets like Kalshi and Polymarket have dropped recession odds from around 28 to 30% in April to just 4 to 11% today, showing that people putting real money on the line do not believe a recession is coming.   AI Is Creating a New Class of Entrepreneur The rise of artificial intelligence is fundamentally changing who can build and run a successful business. Small teams of two to three people are now executing at a level that previously required thirty or more employees. This shift from knowledge worker to what Lochhead calls a “creator capitalist” is fueling much of the new company growth happening across the US economy. Ray Wang noted that we are beginning to see ten-person companies generating hundreds of millions in revenue, and the trend is only accelerating. As an example, the former CEO of Kirkland and Ellis, the largest law firm in the United States, left to launch an AI-first law firm called Irving with just twenty people. This signals a profound restructuring of professional services and virtually every other industry, driven entirely by AI innovation.   Trump Accounts Could Close the Wealth Gap One of the most underreported developments in the US economy is the launch of the Invest America program, commonly referred to as Trump accounts. Every child born in America can now receive a $1,000 federal contribution into a protected investment account that grows through an index fund until the child turns eighteen. Family members and friends can contribute up to $5,000 per year into these accounts and receive a tax break for doing so. The math behind compounding returns is striking. A child who receives $5,000 per year from birth to age eighteen, invested in the S&P 500, could have approximately $250,000 by their eighteenth birthday. Michael and Susan Dell have already pledged $6.25 billion to give $250 to twenty-five million American children aged ten and under, making it the largest charitable investment gift in American history. Lochhead believes this new model of charitable investing, giving gifts that compound over time rather than providing temporary relief, represents a powerful and lasting solution to economic inequality. To hear more from Ray Wang and Christopher’s discussions, download and listen to this episode. Bio R “Ray” Wang (pronounced WAHNG) is the Founder, Chairman, and Principal Analyst of Silicon Valley based Constellation Research Inc. He co-hosts DisrupTV, a weekly enterprise tech and leadership webcast that averages 50,000 views per episode and authors a business strategy and technology blog that has received millions of page views per month.  Wang also serves as a non-resident Senior Fellow at The Atlantic Council's GeoTech Center. Since 2003, Ray has delivered thousands of live and virtual keynotes around the world that are inspiring and legendary. Wang has spoken at almost every major tech conference. His ground-breaking bestselling book on digital transformation, Disrupting Digital Business, was published by Harvard Business Review Press in 2015.  Ray's new book about Digital Giants and the future of business titled, Everybody Wants to Rule the World will be released July 2021 by Harper Collins Leadership. Ray Wang is well quoted and frequently interviewed in media outlets such as the Wall Street Journal, Fox Business News, CNBC, Yahoo Finance, Cheddar, CGTN America, Bloomberg, Tech Crunch, ZDNet, Forbes, and Fortune.  He is one of the top technology analysts in the world.   Links Follow Ray Wang! Website | Twitter | LinkedIn | Constellation Research | DisrupTV   We hope you enjoyed this episode of Christopher Lochhead: Follow Your Different™! Christopher loves hearing from his listeners. Feel free to email him, connect on Facebook, X (formerly Twitter), Instagram, and subscribe on Apple Podcast / Spotify!

The Kirkland & Ellis response treats the May 19, 2008 letter from the Southern District of Florida's First Assistant U.S. Attorney not as a good-faith summary, but as a document that actively distorts the historical record of the Epstein investigation. The firm argues that the letter is riddled with contradictions, misleading framing, and outright falsehoods that cannot be chalked up to sloppy drafting or innocent error. Rather than accurately recounting investigative decisions, the letter is portrayed as a post-hoc justification designed to sanitize prosecutorial conduct after the fact. Kirkland & Ellis makes clear that the document attempts to reshape reality—presenting disputed actions as settled facts and glossing over decisions that directly benefited Epstein.Critically, the response emphasizes that the letter's defects are not marginal or technical, but foundational, calling into question the integrity of the government's entire narrative. By systematically comparing the letter's assertions with what actually occurred, Kirkland & Ellis suggests that the misrepresentations were deliberate and strategic, intended to create a paper trail that could withstand scrutiny rather than reflect truth. The firm characterizes the letter as emblematic of how the Epstein case was managed from start to finish: facts were selectively presented, inconvenient details were omitted or reframed, and the official record was bent to support an outcome already decided. In this view, the May 19 letter is not merely inaccurate—it is itself evidence of how the Epstein investigation was manipulated and why accountability was avoided.to contact me:bobbycapucci@protonmail.comsource:EFTA00013801.pdfBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-epstein-chronicles--5003294/support.

The Kirkland & Ellis response treats the May 19, 2008 letter from the Southern District of Florida's First Assistant U.S. Attorney not as a good-faith summary, but as a document that actively distorts the historical record of the Epstein investigation. The firm argues that the letter is riddled with contradictions, misleading framing, and outright falsehoods that cannot be chalked up to sloppy drafting or innocent error. Rather than accurately recounting investigative decisions, the letter is portrayed as a post-hoc justification designed to sanitize prosecutorial conduct after the fact. Kirkland & Ellis makes clear that the document attempts to reshape reality—presenting disputed actions as settled facts and glossing over decisions that directly benefited Epstein.Critically, the response emphasizes that the letter's defects are not marginal or technical, but foundational, calling into question the integrity of the government's entire narrative. By systematically comparing the letter's assertions with what actually occurred, Kirkland & Ellis suggests that the misrepresentations were deliberate and strategic, intended to create a paper trail that could withstand scrutiny rather than reflect truth. The firm characterizes the letter as emblematic of how the Epstein case was managed from start to finish: facts were selectively presented, inconvenient details were omitted or reframed, and the official record was bent to support an outcome already decided. In this view, the May 19 letter is not merely inaccurate—it is itself evidence of how the Epstein investigation was manipulated and why accountability was avoided.to contact me:bobbycapucci@protonmail.comsource:EFTA00013801.pdfBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-epstein-chronicles--5003294/support.

Leslie Weidner is a nutritionist with over a decade of experience in nutrition and dietetics. She specializes in guiding women through the complex journey of perimenopause, helping them navigate hormonal changes with personalized nutrition plans and lifestyle adjustments.Over the past 5 years, Leslie has empowered women in perimenopause to make sustainable, healthy habit changes. In 2023, she moved from Kirkland, Washington to Scotland where she lives with her family. She coaches women virtually through her company Leslie Weidner Nutrition. We learn:Why keto, high protein and other fad diets failThe importance of fiber for perimenopausal womenWeight cycling leads to extra weight gain in the long runVisceral fat is a concern for health, not just appearanceWhy the scale isn't the best indicator for healthSelf-acceptance is important as bodies change with ageHow diet influences mental healthHow women metabolize alcohol differently during perimenopauseHormonal changes lead to increased fatigue and sleep issuesHormone replacement therapy can provide relief for some womenEating less and exercising more backfires during perimenopauseMorning sunlight can regulate circadian rhythmsHow social media can contribute to stress and disrupt sleepConnect with Leslie:https://www.instagram.com/perimenopause_nutritionist/Thank you for listening to our show. If you enjoyed this episode, please consider giving us a review and FOLLOW the show on Apple and Spotify. It will allow us to continue to bring more episodes your way!info@functionalmoms.com https://www.instagram.com/functionalmomspodcasthttps://www.youtube.com/@functionalmomspodcast#PerimenopauseWeightLoss #WomenOver40 #HormonalWeightGain #HealthyAging #PerimenopauseDiet #HRT #MetabolismBoost #VisceralFat #PerimenopauseNutrition #FunctionalMoms

With just a little over a month away from the 2026 Independent Hotel Show Miami taking place, special guest and President of Staypineapple Hotels Inc., Dina Belon, joins the Suite Spot to discuss the Stayepineapple brand, the independent hotel industry, and what she is looking forward to from IHS Miami 2026! Ryan Embree: Welcome to Suite Spot, where hoteliers check in and we check out what’s trending in hotel marketing. I’m your host, Ryan Embree. Hello, everyone. Welcome to another episode of The Suite Spot. This is your host, Ryan Embree. Back for another edition of season two of our independent hotel show series, where we are getting geared up and ready for that annual tradition down in Miami Beach at the Independent Hotel Show. We cannot wait. We’re gonna talk a little bit about it with our guests. We actually met for the first time in person last year at this event. We’re able to spend some time with her. Dina Belon, president at Staypineapple Hotels. Dina, thank you so much for joining me back on The Suite Spot. Dina Belon: Oh, thank you so much for inviting me, Ryan. This is amazing. I’m so excited. We had such a good time in Miami last year, it was a blast and, uh, talking to you felt like I was talking to a friend. Ryan Embree: Well, I appreciate it. I feel the same. Just honored to be speaking with you here. And I can’t believe we’re here. It’s we’re just months away from the Independent Hotel Show. It’s gonna be bigger, better than ever. We’re excited about it. We’re gonna talk about it. But we did have you on for the first time, so we had the opportunity. Usually, I start these episodes by a little bit of a background and kind of an introduction, but I’m gonna start a little unorthodox today. There was a post that I saw on LinkedIn, which by the way, for our Suite Spot listeners, make sure you say, uh, you follow Staypineapple Hotels and Dina. Great follows on LinkedIn. But there’s an, an article called Everything Staypineapple Hotels Dina Belon Does in a Day. And I thought that was such a cool and creative idea and concept. Talk to us a little bit about how that idea originated and give us a day in life. What is it like to be Dina Belon? Dina Belon: Well, I tried to be very honest. Hopefully it was fun too. I, there’s a lot of humor in my day, and so hopefully that came across. Um, the magazine, uh, that’s a local magazine here in, uh, east, the east side of Seattle and Bellevue and Kirkland area of Washington does those highlights of leaders in the area, um, on a regular basis. So it was fun, uh, a little stressful because you had to, like, take photographs and, you know, kind of just walk through your day. Um, I loved, though, really integrating my pets, because they’re a big part of my life. And so it started off with Molly waking me up at 5:45, which is actually what she does every morning. About 15 minutes before my alarm goes off, my little kitty cat starts yelling at me about wanting water. Um, so yeah, all the way until, you know, 8:00 at night and a lovely glass of wine with my husband. And all the shenanigans in the middle. Ryan Embree: Yeah. And I think it’s so cool because I think it, you know, we obviously work in the people business, right? In hospitality. Uh, we host people from all over the world, all different walks of life. Um, but to see, you know, sometimes, uh, I think right now, especially right now, right, when there’s all this talk of AI and technology and stuff like that, it’s really refreshing to see our industry leaders. And I get that. I have the, the privilege of getting that, interviewing some of the industry leaders when they talk to me about their, you know, beginnings and, and how maybe they started as a bellman or a front desk agent or fell into the industry. And I think the more that we can kind of humanize and show that these are people that really have a true passion for serving other people. Um, and then on the other side of the front desk, the guests that come into our lobbies, they are people too, whether they’re on a work trip, where they’re trying to escape. You know, sometimes it, it’s refreshing to take, take a beat and think about that. And that’s exactly what this article did for me because it is, you know, even though we’re hospitality, we’re in it, the hustle bustle, 365, twenty four seven. We’re still people, right? Yeah. We’re still people with our pets and, and, and our, uh, you know, what we like to do. Um, so it was a really cool, I think, uh, refreshing look. I wa – I definitely wanted to bring that in. Br – um, and, and your love of pets, it goes right along with your brand, uh, Staypineapples Hotel. And, you know, I’ve come to know and love through your content, your keynotes at the Independent Hotel Show, uh, following you on LinkedIn. For those audience members that might not be as familiar, uh, share with us, uh, a little bit about what makes Staypineapple Hotels so unique and one of a kind. Dina Belon: Yeah. So we are the opposite of corporate uniformity, uniformity. Uh, we’re really about, you know, a boutique sp – hotel experience with a lot of personality. Um, so one of the things that we’re well known for is the naked experience, um, which is, uh, a little eye-opening to a lot of people, but all it really is, is a fun, cheeky, which we like to do, uh, marketing way to talk about our bed and our bedding and our linen and our terry is so comfy, cozy and amazing, you’ll wanna sleep naked. Um, so it, and we give you an, a big cuddly robe so that you don’t come to the door naked. Ryan Embree: There you go. Dina Belon: Um, so that, that’s, that’s very indicative of the Staypineapple personality. Um, we’re also, um, not just pet friendly, we’re dog obsessed. Um, so we, uh, really go over the top with our pet program. We have a partnership with Soundz, S-O-U-N-D-Z, uh, that is, um, uh, sounds, uh, in music – Sure. That, um, pets like and that calm them when they feel nervous, um, that is available for guests, uh, at no cost, a 14-day, uh, free trial. And then, um, we have a partnership with, uh, an emergency veterinary, uh, service called Veg. Um, of course, you get beds and bowls and treats and, um, water bottles and poop bags and all kinds of stuff when you bring, uh, your furry friend. Although we’re dog obsessed, we also love kitty cats too. I have two kitty cats and two dogs. So, um, we, yeah, we’re, we’re pretty over the top with the pet thing. And then we have a, we have a number of the properties that have, uh, hotel dogs as well. Um, so one of the management staff ha – brings their dog to work every day and has really become a, a core team member. Um, you wouldn’t believe how many reviews we get, uh, with our, our furry, uh, friends being, uh, listed as their favorite part of the hotel. Ryan Embree: Yeah. I’ve seen them at trade show nows at industry trade shows. Yeah. You’ll have, like, a puppy break. Uh, brilliant. Brilliant. Dina Belon: It’s my favorite thing. Ryan Embree: Yeah. It just gets people in, in, in a happy mood. People love it. So, uh, and, and the focus of, of the dog obs – dog obsessed, um, i- i- is, is so smart. I mean, p – you know, people. We always think about how stressful travel is, obviously, from a logistics and s – and people standpoint, but obviously on our pets too. They’re in a place that they’ve never been before. Um, they don’t know that they’re heading across the country or even down the road. They’re in somewhere unnatural. So that’s really, really cool that you can kind of make them feel at ease there. And, and I’m sure the guest feedback, uh, from that has been really, really great to see. Um, now, you talked about, um, Staypineapple being a, a very unique boutique brand. Um, I noticed one word you didn’t mention in there, which is, uh, independent or non-branded. Uh, you prefer the term unchained. And I wanna explore that a little bit. I don’t wanna give you too much, uh, of a question. I, I’d like, like you to kinda run with that. Why do you prefer unchained to maybe independent segment or non-branded? Dina Belon: So to me, independent, non-branded, um, you know, indicates that we’re small or we’re isolated or, um. And, and I think it’s, um, diminishing to 30% of the hotel sector, which is truly unchained in both term, both ways that that term can be used. One, we are not attached to a chain in literal terms, but we’re also unchained from a limitation perspective. I think what is so amazing about the independent or the in – the unchained sector of the market to the guest is the founders, the visionaries, the leadership teams, the hotel teams at these hotels put their lifeblood and their passion and their vision and their belief in hospitality into these properties and into the experiences guests are gonna get. It is not a corporate ownership that is managed by a brand that has 5,000 other w – hotels just like it. And, you know, the onsite hotel team has reams of binders to tell them how to do their job. Um, we believe very much in no SOPs. Um, we have, uh, ultimate SOP. It’s do the next right thing. That’s the SOP for Staypineapple. It’s that simple. Just do the next right thing. We help the team understand that a little bit with kind of some guidelines, which is what is the best thing for you and your colleagues? What is the best thing for the guests? And what is the best thing for the business? And if you frame that question, those questions under do the next right thing, anybody can make the right decision at any moment, at every level of the organization. When we talk about empowerment, it isn’t, you know, we’ve given you a toolkit. I always loved this, because I worked in, in the brands. Um, and we always had a toolkit. You had a toolbox full of things that you could use to solve a problem. Well, I don’t need to give you a toolbox. You are a grown person that is a professional in the hospitality industry and you’ve entered this industry with a passion for people. Why would I tell you how to do your job, um, in every aspect with books of SOPs? Instead, I should get out of your way and let you be who you are in an authentic way. Because that connects with people. If, uh, you know, we put, we put people in our industry in a blazer, a Navy blazer, and a name tag, and tell them, “This is how you answer the phone. This is how you greet somebody. This is how you do this.” Basically, you’re a representation of the brand, so you need to fit in this box. Well, I believe in a different hospitality, in a hospitality that is, um, grounded in, um, real people and real human beings and, and mistakes even, and quirkiness, and stuff that you wouldn’t necessarily, uh, engage in or experience in your normal life. That’s why you’re traveling. You wanna experience different things and new things. You’re going to a new place. And so we don’t have, um, dress. We don’t have uniforms for our front of house team members. We do for back of house simply because we don’t want the back of house team to have to ruin their own clothes because the engineers get their clothes snagged and the housekeepers get their clothes dirty and, you know, so it’s more just to take care of our team. But, um, the front of house team doesn’t have uniforms. They get to wear their own clothes to work. That’s another idea. It’s like, I want you to be you, but wear this black polo shirt that makes you look like everybody else. Or Navy Blazer that makes you look everybody, right? Like the entire concept of what we think is normal and standard in our industry is the antithesis of what we’re trying to create as an experience for a guest. Um, so it’s really important to us, you know, you can have colored hair and ear piercings and tattoos. And I remember early in my career, it was always, um, I love to tell this story. Um, the, the dress code, because I was a manager, so I was allowed to wear my own clothes, but the dress code was, had to have, um, pants or a skirt, uh, a, a jacket, had to have a blazer, and it had to be of solid color. So what I’ve got on today would not have applied. Um, my shoes could not have open toes and an open heel, one or the other. And I had to have pantyhose on. So I lived in Florida. I remember I stopped wearing pantyhose at some point because they were hot. And so I, I actually had an HR person, uh, come up to me and say, “By the way, um, we’ve, we’ve noticed that you’re not meeting the dress code.” And I just turned around and looked at her and I was like, “Those things make me sweat. I have to be out by the pool sometimes. I have to be outside. It’s too hot. I’m not wearing them. Fire me.” Ryan Embree: Yeah. Yeah. Dina Belon: That was the end of pantyhose in our dress code. I was like, “Good luck with that.” Ryan Embree: Right. And I’m sure the person on the other side, you know, it, it, they were just obviously following the guidelines – Right. And the standards of what was put before them. And you’re absolutely right, Dina. You know, the, the one thing that we talk about all the time, and you talk to. Uh, I’ve talked to industry leaders about is, you know, what makes your management company brand property so great? Usually the first thing they say is they’re people. Yet, when you’re putting those people in a box, how great can they actually be, right? Every property is so different because of the individuals that make up that property. Um, so, you know, that thought process is, is so brilliant to, to think of the individualism and the passion can kind of shine through because it’s those stories that you talked about in the unchained or the independent sector that, that reason why I, this is one of my favorite series, because I get to sit and talk to independent hoteliers and, and hear their stories, their struggles, their challenges, but also their successes, their passions, where they built this, this property that has been, you know, where they’ve had these struggles, but they’ve gotten over the hump and they just love it so much and you can just see it come out in that, that, uh, conversation. It’s, and sometimes very different. Nothing to knock the brands, but sometimes very different when you’re talking to a GM of a branded hotel. Um, and it’s m- maybe just a stop on, on their way to the career. So it is one piece of advice I hear all the time is if you’re a hospitality professional out there, you know, maybe explore the independent hotel down the road. You know, get some good experience there. It’ll, you’re definitely gonna learn a lot, that’s for sure. Yeah. Um, you’re gonna get a lot of – Well, it depends on – Yeah. Dina Belon: Yeah, what you like, right? And I agree with you. One isn’t right or wrong. I spent the vast majority of my career in the, in the branded hotel space. Um, and I just found my happy place in – Sure. In the independent space, right? I, because I was always bucking the rules when I worked in the brands. And I didn’t, I didn’t even know what boutique and. I, I though boutique hotels were just little. Like, I literally, when I started at Staypineapple, I love the story too. ‘Cause when I started, I was like, “I’m gonna come in and show them how to write SOPs and, and brand standards, and we’re gonna standardize this, and we’re gonna scale it, and it’s gonna be, you know, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah.” I had, I told, because I had spent my whole career in that space. Um, I believed passionately in brand standards when I started at Staypineapple. And I remember, um, our CFO telling me, “Do not say the word brand standard. You will send Michelle off the deep end.” Michelle is our founder. Yeah. And I was like, “What? I don’t understand.” Yeah. “How could you not have brand standards? How do you even operate this place without brand standards?” Right? Right. Um, and, and it took me a couple of years to really internalize what the difference in the business model is. Again, one is not right or wrong. They both have their strengths. But if you’re, uh, a free spirit, if you’re somebody. Like we hire for three things. Authenticity. Like your. First of all, people underestimate the willingness to be authentic. If you have been trained to put on a mask when you go to work and, and almost be an actor and play a part at the hotel, it’s very difficult to take that mask off and, and allow the vulnerability of being yourself. ‘Cause if somebody rejects you when you’re being yourself, it hurts a lot more than if a guest rejects you and yells at you when you have a mask on. That’s a Ryan Embree: Great point. Dina Belon: You’re being somebody else, right? Yeah. So it’s a harder position for our team members, I think, to be their authentic selves. Um, the next is really critical thinking. The ability to problem solve and, and, and be creative and figure out ways to, um. We know to say yes. That’s one of our sayings. We notice. We know how to say yes. Yes is not always a direct yes. Sometimes you have to go around to get to yes, but we know how to do that. And that’s all about creativity and critical thinking. And then really, the last one, um, I think is underserved in our industry, which is emotional intelligence. Um, that ability to read people. And, and it connects to that critical thinking, right? If I can, if I can, uh, connect with you on an emotional level and understand you better, understand your psychographics as a person, which is much deeper than that you like Diet Coke, right? I want to know things deeper than that about you. Then I can use that emotional intelligence to be creative and create, create hyper-personalized experiences for you. That is something that I think isn’t. It. The industry in general, particularly on the branded side, does not foster in our industry. If those things are interesting to you, then go check out the independent or unchained space, because I think you’ll be a lot happier coming from a recovering brand employee. Ryan Embree: Ryan Embree: Yeah. I, I love that. I love everything about that. I mean, those skills are. I mean, it’s, it’s at the core of hospitality, um, especially the emotional intelligence. And I think y- you’re absolutely right. It’s a skill needed now more than ever, by the way. Um, and it’s gonna get trickier to navigate. So we’ll be those, those younger, um, hospitality professionals and, you know, at, at, at any age, really, that invest that time and effort into honing in that skill that are gonna, that are gonna see successes there. Um, I wanna, I wanna take, uh, a step back, Dina, and kinda look at the hospitality landscape right now for independent and, or unchained, uh, uh, hotels. Where do you see opportunity in today’s landscape? And then maybe where are some of the bigger challenges that, that they’re coming up against? Dina Belon: Sure. So I think one of our biggest opportunities I just mentioned, which is hyper-personalization, um, we really look at this, i- if you kinda start at the beginning of the process of how you do hyperpersonalization. Um, it really starts with zero-party data for us. Uh, every brand or every group or every, you know, independent hotel is different, um, in their philosophy on this. I’ve certainly, um, experienced and, um, met with people that do research on their guests online. They look up your Facebook page. They check you out and see what you might be talking about. Um, we have decided to take the approach that we only wanna use data that you have freely and willingly given us. Um, so we communicate with our guests a lot, um, when we can. So there’s a little bit of a differentiator here when we talk about this. Um, if you’re coming in as an Expedia or a Booking.com guest, probably not getting this experience because we don’t have, we don’t have much information about you, and those OTAs don’t like to share. So, but if, uh, you’ve stayed with us before or it’s a direct booking, then we have communicated with you, um, in a way that is fun and cheeky and kinda starts to get you. Um, w- we like to, we like to encourage kind of a pre-arrival experience that is, um, engaging and, and, and gets you kind of primed for what Staypineapple is gonna be like. So you’re not, like, smacked in the fa – you know, you’re expecting a Marriott courtyard and you’re smacked in the face with Staypineapple. Ryan Embree: Right. You got a dog running up to you and yeah. Um, Dina Belon: So one of the things we do is ask a very open-ended question, um, in a pre-arrival email to all of our, uh, direct booking guests. And it says, um, basically in a cheeky way, I don’t remember exactly how it’s phrased, but it’s why you come in to stay with us. And you would be shocked at the amount of information that people share with us and, like, get into deep personal things and tell us all kinds of stuff. That is a trevor – treasure trove of information. Again, that’s stuff that matters. Not whether Jack Daniels is your favorite, you know, liquor. Uh, like, I wanna know that you’re. What, what do you volunteer for? What, what are you passionate about? What do you care about? Are you married? Do you have kids? You know, like, the things that, that you really, really make you who you are, right? That’s, that’s what we really look at for hyper-personalization and allows our team to use their creativity. So that’s just step one, right? Gotta have the information. And then two, you have to have a culture of people that are encouraged and inspired to be creative, to do fun, interesting things, not just deliver a bottle of wine to your room. What? Ryan Embree: Yeah. Dina Belon: Right? Um, like, do something that’s about me, not about you. It, like, that’s what I always say. To me, the bottle of wine in the room is about you buying my loyalty. It’s about you as a hotel. It’s not about me as an individual. So everything should be about the individual and about what makes them excited or happy or feel welcome or feel like they belong, um, there. How many times have you walked into a hotel and you felt like there was a cool club and you didn’t belong? Ryan Embree: Mm. Yeah. Dina Belon: So awful. It is the worst thing about hotels, I think. One of the other things that I just find, um, disheartening about our, our industry is that many people that are not related to the hotel business think you can’t go in a hotel if you’re not a guest. That’s so sad to me, right? Like, there’s, there’s this perception of a barrier, and it’s the opposite of what we should be. Like, we believe our hotels are very much a community hub. And so we encourage the community to come into the hotel. And we don’t even, we don’t have a lot of food and beverage. And some of our properties don’t have any. Some have just limited. We have a few full-service restaurants, but it’s not about us wanting to make money in our restaurants. It’s about us wanting to create an atmosphere in the hotel that is engaging and activating for the guests that are coming. ‘Cause the guests wanna interact with locals. They don’t want to interact with somebody from New York – Right. When they’re in Seattle. They wanna hang out with Seattle people, right? Yeah. So it’s, it’s a real win-win model, but you have to turn, you have to turn that barrier so many people think exists. Ryan Embree: Well, you touched on two things there, Dina, that at the core of this independent hotel show series, it really comes back to, which is loyalty, you know, just fierce, fierce loyalty for inde – I mean, the type of loyalty that I hear from guests talking about independent hotels is very different from the other points or nights that I’m, that I’m hearing in, on the other side of it. And, and it’s a depth that will be word of mouth. I mean, when you talk about word of mouth, like, that is the ultimate s – what marketing can’t buy, right? That storytelling that they’re going to be able to provide you champions of your brand and advocates for your hotel. Uh, the second thing is local community engagement and getting the community on board with what you do. I see it no greater place than Miami when we’re at, at the independent hotel show. And they talk about trying to just infuse that Miami culture into their own properties. And it does attracts a lot of locals. And, and you’re absolutely right. It’s, there’s a parallel where probably somewhere where you, where we talk a lot about reputation and people being scared of those one-star, two-star, or even negative feedback in any sense of it, embracing that and saying, “I don’t want one-star reviews, but I wanna see the negative feedback so that I can fix it, right? I want those, I want those locals to come into my hotel. Um, I don’t wanna put that barrier up because I wanna be that community hub. I love that. So what about any challenges you think right now? Dina Belon: Yeah, I think, um, the, there’s, there’s a number of challenges. I mean, I can, I can talk about the obvious, the headwinds on inflation, the cost of human and financial capital, maintaining service quality while we’re trying to maximize profit. Yeah. I like all of the blah, blah, blah. All of the, Ryan Embree: Yeah. All those talking points. Dina Belon: Yeah. They’re not very fun topics though. Um, honestly, I think the most interesting topic right now is really AI. And I do think it’s our biggest risk, particularly in our, our world of this unchained or independent hotel space. It’s the biggest risk we have, and it’s also the biggest opportunity. And it could go either way. And I think it will probably go hard one way or the other. It won’t be somewhere in the middle. And the reality is, is AI, AI search, which is kind of where we’re at right now, not, we’re not really to the point of bookings starting a little tiny bit. But, um, AI search is focused on very deep, complex, broad data about a hotel. So a, a person, and it really starts with the search parameters. You’re going from keyword search, like, I’m going to Seattle and I wanna be near Pioneer Square, to, I’m interested in a boutique hotel with a cool vibe that has a restaurant and provides a great sleep experience. Those two searches are completely different and is where the threat and the opportunity comes from. The opportunity is, as the hotel owner, operator, you have the best opportunity to create very deep content that is searchable by an AI. Compared to Booking.com and Expedia and all the others, their scale just does not allow them to create that kind of deep content for every hotel on their site, right? So you can create a higher value for the AI search to go to your website over somewhere else that it can go find your hotel. You might still find your hotel, but you’d rather get the booking. Um, direct and get the AI sending the guests to your website to check out the hotel than to booking.com ‘s website to check out. So that’s where the opportunity is. Threat is very real that the big brands and the OTAs have the pocketbooks, bandwidth, the resources to win at this fight and come in and put themselves between us and our guests. And so I think both at a legislative level, all the way down to individual property advocacy and elevating your voice online and everything in between, every hoteler, hotelier needs to be paying attention to. Because in the next five years, you could lose, you could lose the connection to your guests prior to arriving. And that, for us, that would ruin a huge part of our experience. Like we have pre-arrival concierge that helps you curate and plan your experience for your whole trip, not just your hotel stay. All of that would be for naught if I can’t communicate with my guests. Ryan Embree: 100%. Yeah. Uh, seismic shift happening, technologics pl – like shifting beneath us. Uh, I think you’re absolutely where it’s gonna impact everyone from the big brands all the way down to the small independent hotel who, who thinks, “Oh, this is, this isn’t coming for me. It’s gonna have wide ranging effects. It’ll be very, very interesting to see.” But share your concern, but also hopefully that little bit of hope there too, that it, it does go that right way and hospitality stays in, in somewhere where we come to know and, and love our industry. I wanna shift gears. Another thing I’ve, uh, learned about you over the years following your content and your career is your work, uh, inspiring, empowering the next generation of female hospitality professionals. Dina, I’ve seen you on stage at, at multiple panels, uh, a- a- around this subject. Tell us a little bit about the work you do behind the scenes and any tips you would share for up and coming Suite Spot female listeners or just the listeners in general here. Dina Belon: Yeah, I do. I love this topic. I, I love to empower women. Um, I think, uh, uh, we’re, we’re a force in this industry, um, and our voice should be heard. Um, so I, I like to support other women by a couple of things. Um, you’ll, you’ll, you’ll start to notice, I like to simplify things down to like one, two, three points at most. Yeah, I like it. Um, because I think it’s the way the human brain works. Sure. And the best way we can kind of, uh, create change – Yeah. Is by having a very focused, uh, approach to it. I really like self-advocacy, um, and encouraging women to self-advocate, because I think in general, this is a generalization because it’s not all women, but in general, we’re not great at it. Um, men are much better at self-advocacy than women. There’s been all kinds of study and research done on that. Um, and it’s a huge part of why women are paid less, why women are promoted less, because they just don’t ask. They don’t raise their hand. Um, and so I. And then the, the second point kind of ties in, which is leading by example. And so I think I love to tell stories about my career when self-advocacy was a benefit to me and how I got to where I am. And I’m afraid of it too. Let me tell all the female listeners I am not great at self-advocacy. Um, I’ve learned to do it over the years while I’m kind of gritting my teeth in the back of my mouth. Um, but I, there’s been a number of times when, you know, the really, the places where my career really took off, um, I stood up for myself and I raised my hand and I said, “I can do that.” Or, “I can even do more than what you asked me for.” So I’ll give you an example. Um, when I was at Wyndham, um, we, we acquired another company that did the same thing as we did. Um, and we were looking at how to create efficiency and blah, blah, blah. One was in Seattle and one was in Florida. And I was in the Florida office and I was asked, and we were the acquirer, so we acquired the company in Seattle. And so I was asked to fly out to Seattle and check out how my division, which we did all the renovation work and capital improvements and stuff like that, how my division would work with the group in Seattle. And so off I went on a plane and met with them and talked to them and figured out how they did things and figured out how we did things. Um, and so the ask was like, how do we merge the two and how do we create some efficiency? And I came back with a combined team that had me at the top of it with a promotion to vice president. It was really hard for me to do. It was a little bit easier because I gotta do it in writing and send it in and I didn’t have to say it out loud. Um, but it worked. And it was the first VP role I ever had. I was one of the youngest vice presidents at Wyndham. I remember the first time I went to the all leadership meeting, which was, happened once a year at Wyndham. There was 500 people there. This is vice presidents and above. Um, that’s how large the organization is. Um, that’s less than 5% of the employment base of the company. Um, and I was one of the youngest and I was one of the few women that were in the room. And I was blown away by that factor. And I went, “I, I need to work at do- doing something about this. I need to help other women.” ‘Cause particularly 20 years ago probably, um, there was a little bit more sharp elbows among women. There were so few seats in leadership that we were competing for them. And I think women weren’t as good as we are today at lifting everybody up instead of competing with each other. Adding more chairs at the table instead of competing for the one that a woman is gonna fail, fill. Um, so those, I think, are really my biggest things that I recommend younger women focus on is be an example to other women around you, above you, below you, beside you, I don’t care. Advocate for yourself. Advocate for other women and support each other. Um, don’t compete with each other. Ryan Embree: Yeah, I love that. I love that story. And I think we, you know, it’s inspiring to hear those, right? Because it, it can be scary sometimes. Um, but to hear those, those stories, those real life, um, you know, personal, uh, examples in front of you, those are the things that maybe get you that extra bit of confidence there. And it’s, it’s very, very cool to see. So, uh, appreciate your work there. And, um, you know, ex- excited to, to share that with those tips for the audience. Definitely wanted to, to, um, go into that topic a little bit. Um, but this is the Independent Hotel Show series. We might change your episode to say Unchained Hotel Series. But, uh, we’ll, we’re gonna. This is. We’re talking today about the Independent Hotel Show happening this year, September 16th and 17th. Uh, Miami Beach. Remember, listeners, uh, don’t forget to use promo code Ryan26. That’s for a complimentary, uh, registration. Dina, you’re on the advisory board. You’ve been a long time supporter of this show. What inspired you? Take me back to when you were first kind of asked to get involved with the show. Uh, what inspired you to get in, like, first involved with it? And how do you see it supporting independent hoteliers? Dina Belon: Yeah. I was, uh, introduced to it before the very first one and asked to be on the advisory board. And it was an immediate yes, and yes, what can I, what can I do to help? Because I knew that there was a gap in our industry in the independent space for a place for independents to get together and have real conversations and real opportunity to collaborate and learn from each other. We’re so isolated, um, in, in many ways. Like, we don’t have a mothership to create all of the stuff, the, you know, programs or education or philosophy or how do you do this? Or what do you do with that? Or, you know, how do you get mustard stains out of the towels? You know, like, anything. Like, we don’t have a mothership that helps us, that hands us a bunch of stuff and tells us how to do it. Each of us are creating all of this on our own. And that’s part of what makes our sector of the industry so unique and great, is that you get a different experience at every property because they’re all created through a visionary process. But there’s also a lot that we could share best practices and adapt what somebody else is doing to what we’re doing. I, like, I love to talk to, um, suppliers and vendors and tech companies, um, that reach out to me all the time because I learn from them. I learn what they’re doing, um, how one of their customers is doing something. You know, like, we constantly have a need for new knowledge and collaboration in our space that didn’t exist. And so this show is one of the only things that are really in our space focused on us and give us the opportunity to do that. It is an incredibly good show. It’s so well curated from, uh, an educational perspective, from the sessions. There’s multiple stages. Um, everything is in one room, which I love. Um, you can, you know, you can be listening to a panel discussion that’s really energizing, and then you’ve got a 10-minute break and you can run over and see a vendor that you wanted to talk to because you’ve only got 10 minutes. And then you get, you know, it’s not spread out. It’s not like the big shows where, you know, you’re gonna have to walk 10 miles to get to something. And the people that are there care and are focused on the independent space. So you’re also not gonna get the eye rolls and the you’re too small and we don’t care about you, and oh, you’re not part of Marriott, uh, you know, conversation, whether with vendors or with anybody, right? The, the people that are here are passionate about this part of the industry and are ready and willing to help anybody that comes to the show improve what they’re doing. Uh, like, I love helping other independent hoteliers, uh, in any way I can. In any context, talking about distribution, talking about guest service, talking about, you know, any, any part, because there are enough customers out there for all of us. I know we’re competitors, but, um, helping, helping everybody lift is a much better strategy than trying to elbow somebody out. Ryan Embree: Absolutely. We’re all in it together. 100% agree. And it’s funny, you know, you were mentioning at the, at the top of the answer about, you know, how independent hotels don’t have some of these resources that the big brands do. Uh, you know, one of the, one of the common things that big brands do is have an annual conference, right? And they get everybody together and, and share ideas and challenges. This is like the annual conference for independent hotel shows. So it’s a sense of belonging. Um, it’s a different energy. It’s a different. It’s, it’s a different type of, uh, uh, of event. Um, it. So real quick, first, uh, tip for any first time attendees that, uh, might be going. Dina Belon: Yeah. Um, I think two. Again, I love my, my two or three points. Um, be curious. So show up curious, um, and, and open and willing to share. Um, because that’s what your, your analogy to a brand conference is perfect because, um, that’s what we’re there to do is help each other. Um, and being curious will help you just be a sponge and take things in. Um, use, use AI in this scenario, um, and help have an AI assistant help you, an electronic one in your pocket, help you remember all the stuff that is gonna come at you because it’s gonna come like a fire hose and it’s gonna be really hard to remember it all when you get home. Um, I use Pocket for anybody who cares. It’s a little tiny device that I literally keep in my pocket. And I push it anytime I have an idea, I can just talk into it. Or I can push it if I’m having an interesting conversation with somebody and it’ll record that conversation. Of course, I ask the person before I do it. Um, but right? So that it, so that you’re, you’re capturing all of that interesting, cool ideas and, um, vendors and sup – you know, people that can support you. Um, it, walk away from an interaction with somebody and they’ve handed you their business card. Take your little device. It can be your phone too, but however you wanna do it and say, “I just met Ryan with Suite Spot and I really wanna be on his podcast. I need to reach out to him after when I get back.” And then your little AI will give you a to-do when you get back, uh, home. So that’s, that’s my number one tech tip. Um, and then I think the other, the opposite of that, which is a little challenging sometimes, is set the technology down and be present and be aware and pay attention. And don’t be on your phone answering emails from your staff back at your hotel. Like, I know it’s super hard to disconnect and, and be present while you’re at the conference, but you’ll gain a lot more if you’re there and you’re listening and you’re talking. Like, if you go to some of the educational sessions, raise your hand, ask questions. Make a point. Don’t even ask a question. If you’ve got an idea that the panel needs to hear, raise your hand and say it. Um, because it’s a, it’s a dialogue. This isn’t a. There’s, you know, we don’t have the president of Marriott and the president of Wyndham sitting on a panel telling us all how to do things. We’re all collaborators that are telling how we’re doing things and wanting to hear how you’re doing it and figuring out how we can share, share those ideas. So be present. Ryan Embree: That, that’s a great. Yeah, that’s a great mindset to, to enter this show into. My tip is gonna be make sure you see Dina Bellin on stage, uh, because she’s gonna be there once again. You’re gonna be moderating a powerhouse panel. Hospitality is not a department. Um, give us a sneak preview, if you can, of what that discussion might unpack and maybe your thoughts on the topic. Dina Belon: Yeah. It’s really gonna be, you know, about how hospitality is a culture. It’s not a silo. It’s, um, it’s really formed over time through behavior and modeling. Um, it’s not training manuals. It’s not a poster on the wall. It’s values. Um, it’s about, um, really taking everybody in your organization, whether it’s ops, which always seems obvious, but the finance departments, you know, HR, uh, the marketing team. Like, is everybody aligned to your mission and values as an organization? And you as a leader, are you practicing, as a lifestyle, the culture of your organization? So hospitality is not about the ops department. It is about the entire organization following a. Identifying first, have you identified? Right? So, like, our mission at Staypineapple is where stays become stories. Um, it’s a cute, cute way to say it, but it is in very real terms. We want your stay to be so impactful and so memorable that it becomes a lifetime story for you and your family. That kind of connection, that kind of sense of belonging, that kind of emotional feeling, um, is what we’re after, and that’s our mission. And so, if I’m not living that lifestyle every day as the leader of the organization, and our CFO, and our accountant, and our HR, uh, manager aren’t living that lifestyle, how can we ask the hotel teams to live it? Ryan Embree: Yeah. Great point. Yeah, it’s, I mean, it’s hospitality, right? And what we’re always trying to, to try to accomplish, uh, at the end of a guest day is to really, uh, not just, not just feel, feel the, the hospitality, feel the s – the, uh, uh, the, the service that we were providing them. Uh, not just feeling like they, they stayed in, you know, four rooms in a, four rooms in a box, right? That’s, that’s what – Yeah. The old saying. Dina Belon: How many hotels have you forgotten – Ryan Embree: Right. That’s a wonderful point. Wonderful point. And a great segue into our next, because I think you’ve got an unforgettable, um, uh, portfolio over there. So we’re gonna do some rapid fire here, Dina, to get to know you and your, uh, portfolio a little better at Staypineapple Hotel. So, uh, we always like to start with our favorite view from one of your hotels. Dina Belon: Definitely Chicago. So we’re in the loop and we look right at the Chicago Theater sign. And then three blocks down the other way, you can see the edge of the bean. And then there’s this amazing jazz mural, uh, from the corner rooms of the building. The, the incredible view. And we’re an urban city center, so views are not generally our vibe. Um, right? It’s usually another building next door. Um, but that one, that is really incredible. Ryan Embree: That makes for a good one. Uh, favorite fun fact about one of your properties? Dina Belon: Oh, uh, this is personal. Uh, uh, Fetch, which is our recycling program, is, um, all built around our dog obsessed culture. Uh, again, we like to be, you know, funny and cheeky. Um, so Dash, who’s our, um, our mascot, um, the pineapple pup. Um, he helps with waste reduction education, the Fetch program. Get it? Fetch, dog. Ryan Embree: Oh, I love it. Yeah. There you go. Uh, favorite signature dish, um, or amenity? Dina Belon: Hmm. Um, there’s a couple. Oh, goodness. These, this is hard. This is really hard. I, I mentioned the naked experience already, so I’ll let that one go, though that is one of my favorites. Again, personal. So you might start to see, I have a little bit of slant towards sustainability. Um, I am. It’s a, it’s a personal topic that I’m very passionate about. Um, our water bottles. Um, it was a huge lift for us to figure out. So, uh, what, I don’t know, five years ago, we used to have, um, unlimited water bottles available to our guests. Um, it’s part of our health and wellness program. We believe that, you know, hydration is a big part of health and wellness, particularly in en – urban environments when you’re walking a lot, you need to stay hydrated. It gave me a lot of heartburn. We were, we were, we were selling, or not selling, giving away a half a million water bottles, plastic water bottles a year. And it just, it hurt my heart. Um, so we were able to partner, um, with Path Water to do a custom 20-ounce aluminum water bottle pre-filled. Um, and we leave that in the guest room complimentary for every guest. And we put a water bar in our lobbies, um, for, to refill those bottles. Um, and that replaced all the plastic water bottles. And so, so now you see really fun, cute, steak pineapple aluminum water bottles all over the airport all the time in our city. Ryan Embree: Hey, there you go. Great marketing goes along with it. Uh, favorite guest experience? Dina Belon: Um, definitely Surprise and Delight, which is our, uh, strategy around that creative, uh, you know, hyper-personalization for guests. Uh, really creating those moments that create memories and stories. Ryan Embree: And then last favorite piece of art. Ryan Embree: That’s funny. Um, we, we happen to have our owner, our founder, Michelle, is a huge art collector. So that is really hard. We have a lot of original art in our hotels that’s from her personal collection. She regularly emails me and says, “Hey, I just bought a new piece, and can you find a place to put it in one of the hotels?” And I’m always like, “Oh my God, I’m running out of walls, Michelle.” But I think my favorite that she has, um, bought for every single hotel is, um, a Martin Goldstein original dog sculpture. Um, he is famous for creating these whimsical, limited edition bronze dogs that are known as Harvey Dogs. Um, and they’re just super cute. Um, and you can find one at every hotel. It’s, it’s one of those, like, Disney where you have to find the Mickey Mouse and Everything. Ryan Embree: Yeah, like a little Easter egg, yeah. Dina Belon: Exactly. An Easter egg hunt at any Staypineapple is go find the Marty Goldstein, uh, Harvey dog. Ryan Embree: All right. Well, there it, there it is. Challenge, um, put out there for our Suite Spot listeners, uh, visiting Staypineapple Hotels. Well, Dina, thank you. You’ve spent, um, quite, uh, some time with us. Um, thank you so much for sitting down. As we wrap up today, we do like to look into kind of our hospitality crystal ball. Uh, try to predict the future, which is becoming more difficult to do every single day, uh, now with every, the technology and AI. But, you know, as president of Staypineapple Hotels, what’s your vision for the future of, uh, the brand? Dina Belon: Yeah. You know, I think we’re gonna continue to expand on our ability to connect with guests and make them feel like they belong when they’re at Staypineapple, that they’re part of the family. And I know that sounds kitschy, but it’s, it’s a very real emotional, uh, mission for us. And, and in the broader context, what we believe the hospitality’s, hospitality industry’s role and responsibility in society is, and will become even more important as robots take over the world. That human connection that a hospitality industry can create, um, becomes an imperative for us to stay connected as a society. Ryan Embree: I agree. Yeah, that was just gonna echo that same sentiment. I think it’s gonna become more and more im- important. So we need, uh, brands like Staypineapple Hotels to, to keep true to that hospitality mission statement. So Dina, thank you again, uh, for taking the time to join us here on The Suite Spot. Any final thoughts before we wrap up? Dina Belon: Just go out there and be you, you know? Uh, don’t be afraid to, uh, come play in the independent space and definitely come to the Independent Hotel Show in Miami and, uh, let’s have a cocktail. Ryan Embree: Let’s do it. Uh, both Dina and I will have the privilege of being down there in Miami. We hope to see you in person. Dina, thank you so much for joining us here on The Suite Spot, and we hope to see you at the Independent Hotel Show in Miami. Thank you. And thank you for listening. We’ll talk to you next time here on The Suite Spot. To join our loyalty program, be sure to subscribe and give us a five-star rating on iTunes. Suite Spot is produced by Travel Media Group. Our editor is Brandon Bell with cover art by Bary Gordon. I’m your host, Ryan Embree and we hope you enjoyed your stay.  

Tue, Aug 11 2:08 AM → 2:36 AM Domestic Violence Radio Systems: - Puget Sound Emergency Radio Network PSERN Full

Reliable water supplies and practical regulations remain two of the biggest issues facing California agriculture, according to congressional candidate Kyle Kirkland. In Part 2 of his interview on the AgNet News Hour, Kirkland expanded on his vision for addressing the state's water challenges, arguing that growers, environmental interests and communities all benefit when policymakers focus on practical solutions instead of political gridlock. Kirkland acknowledged California's water system is complex but said solving the problem begins with listening to those who depend on it every day. "I don't profess to be the expert," Kirkland said. "What I do profess to be is someone that can look at a complicated problem, listen, and then come up with some pretty unique solutions." He said California should bring together agricultural leaders, builders, water experts and regulators to identify long-term strategies that provide reliable water while protecting environmental resources. Rather than eliminating environmental protections, Kirkland said the state should evaluate whether current regulations are accomplishing their intended goals or simply creating unnecessary obstacles for food production. "There is a difference between regulation and suffocation," he said, arguing that California has increasingly moved toward policies that make it more difficult to produce food, housing, energy and other essential resources. During the interview, Kirkland also discussed the importance of balancing agriculture, environmental stewardship and the needs of California's growing population. He said long-term solutions should include better water management, improved storage and greater collaboration among stakeholders rather than continuing years of political conflict. The conversation broadened to include California's overall business climate. Kirkland argued that reducing unnecessary regulations and encouraging domestic production would help lower costs for consumers while strengthening the state's economy. He pointed to agriculture, energy and manufacturing as industries that can thrive when businesses have regulatory certainty and policymakers focus on encouraging production instead of creating additional barriers. AgNet News Hour hosts Nick Papagni and Josh McGill noted that water reliability continues to be one of the most common concerns raised by California farmers. They agreed that growers need predictable policies that allow them to make long-term investments in permanent crops and maintain productive farming operations. Wrapping up the interview, Kirkland encouraged Californians not to lose hope, saying he believes many of the state's biggest challenges are solvable through collaboration, common-sense policymaking and greater support for businesses that drive California's economy. Listen to the full Part 2 interview below or on your favorite podcast app.

California farmers need predictable water supplies, practical regulations and policies that encourage production if agriculture is going to remain competitive, according to congressional candidate Kyle Kirkland. During today's episode of the AgNet News Hour, Kirkland discussed the challenges facing the Central Valley and shared why he believes business experience can help address many of the issues affecting California agriculture. Kirkland, who is running for California's 21st Congressional District, said his background as a businessman has shaped the way he approaches public policy. He argued that many of California's biggest challenges stem from policies that have made it more difficult to produce food, build housing and operate businesses. "I look at those and say those are fixable problems," Kirkland said, explaining that California has reduced production in several key industries while demand has continued to grow. A major portion of the interview focused on agriculture. Kirkland said one of the most common concerns he hears from farmers is the need for reliable and predictable water supplies rather than constantly changing allocations. "When I've talked to my friends in ag, they're just saying, 'We want reliable, consistent sources of water and predictable sources,'" Kirkland said. He added that uncertainty makes it difficult for producers to plan for future crops and investments, particularly for permanent plantings such as orchards and vineyards. Kirkland also discussed California's regulatory climate, arguing that environmental regulations have become increasingly difficult for businesses and agricultural producers to navigate. While emphasizing the importance of environmental stewardship, he said regulations should be evaluated to determine whether they are achieving their intended goals without unnecessarily limiting production. He suggested that policymakers should regularly review regulations after implementation to determine whether they are working as intended and make adjustments when necessary. The conversation also touched on the importance of domestic food production. Kirkland expressed concern that increasing regulations could discourage future generations from remaining in agriculture, ultimately leading to greater reliance on imported food. He argued that California should continue supporting in-state production while maintaining the state's role as one of the nation's leading agricultural regions. AgNet News Hour hosts Nick Papagni and Josh McGill noted that reliable water supplies remain one of the most frequently discussed issues among California growers. They also highlighted the unique challenges permanent crops face when water availability changes from year to year, making long-term planning especially difficult for producers. While the interview reflected Kirkland's perspectives as a congressional candidate, it underscored broader issues that continue to shape California agriculture, including water reliability, regulatory certainty and maintaining a strong business environment for farms and ranches. Listen to the full interview below or on your favorite podcast app.

Kirkland & Ellis partner Kim McGrath joins the Crossroads podcast to discuss the rapidly evolving environment for data center finance, from ever-higher project dollar values and financing mechanisms, to an increasingly active market for stabilized assets.

Send us Fan MailThis week brings another no-guest episode which means another drive through our new segment, The Roundabout! We ruminate about community connection, creativity, and the best Star Wars movie. Plus, we talk wildfire smoke safety, e-bikes vs. e-motorcycles, the Junior League Softball World Series, and maps, maps, and more maps.Show notes: kirklandwa.gov/podcast#20260806

Chris and Amy talk with Blake Ashby about the future of the Democratic Party, the debate over democratic socialism and his case for returning to New Deal-style moderated capitalism. They also share stories from a first trip to Costco, including Kirkland favorites, bulk toilet paper and the famous hot dog combo

Today I'm sitting down with Raffi Isanians, a former BigLaw M&A lawyer (with experience at Kirkland & Ellis, Gunderson, and Goodwin), Y Combinator alum, and founder of Mage Legal.Mage Legal helps law firms and in-house legal teams automate legal due diligence by scanning data rooms, flagging risky clauses, generating reports, and producing follow-up questionnaires. Alongside building Mage, Rafi runs Coding for Lawyers, an initiative that helps legal professionals develop technical skills to build with AI better.We talk about why AI won't replace human lawyers, but will radically alter how law firms operate, price, and compete.You'll hear fresh perspectives on why today's top law firms are becoming technology companies, why treating AI like a "smart associate" changes how you prompt, and what attorneys need to do now if they want to stay relevant in an AI-first world.Timestamps:00:00 — Intro02:08 — Why AI Won't Replace Lawyers (But Will Reshape Everything)03:40 — Why Lawyers Should Be Worried About Being Left Behind05:38 — The Newsletter06:10 — Overcoming Risk-Aversion & Investing in Tools09:29 — "Vibe Coding" & The Shift in Legal Mindset11:01 — AI-Native Law Firms: Recipe for Disaster or Future Necessity?13:24 — Case Study: Cleary Gottlieb & Cleary X14:08 — Debunking the Myth: Are Lawyers Training AI to Replace Them?18:16 — Prompting Best Practices: Treat AI Like a Smart Associate20:56 — Skills for the Future: Do Lawyers Need Technical Depth?22:52 — Over-Reliance on Legal Tech & Vendor Dynamics26:33 — How Legal Tech Companies Survive: Bridging Tech & Legal Expertise31:02 — What AI Can't Replace: Human Connection & Emotional Labor34:33 — Building the Law Firm of the Future39:09 — Outro---------Each week I take what I'm hearing in conversations with legal leaders.I analyze the market and track emerging trends in this AI era.In my newsletter called The Future Lawyer Market Intel for the AI eraI'm focused on:What AI is exposingThe opportunitiesThe blind spotsAnd the shifts shaping the next five years.This is how you see the chessboard before everyone else does:https://hollycope.my.canva.site/thefuturelawyer Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

A Bite of Seattle shooting suspect had previously been charged with other gun crimes. Bar association ran justice’s profile while Washington voters cast ballots. Guest: SPOG President Kent Loux reacts to the news around SPD Chief Shon Barnes. // Big Local: Everett and Kirkland are cracking down on e-bikes due to a spate of injuries. Washington’s safest city is Sedro-Woolley, but residents have surprising fear. // You Pick the Topic: Piers Morgan of all people actually called out an antisemitic Ivy League student who went viral.

What if worship became more than just the singing portion of your kids ministry?In this episode of Kids Ministry Calling, Jana sits down with Kirk Kirkland, Director of Worship at Lifeway, to explore how churches can help kids understand that worship is far more than music—it's a lifelong response to who God is.Kirk shares practical ways to create meaningful worship experiences for children by incorporating Scripture, prayer, and community alongside music. He also offers wisdom on choosing biblically sound songs, leading kids with intention, and helping them understand why they worship—not just how.This week, take a fresh look at your worship time. Ask yourself, "What are we teaching kids about worship beyond the music?" Look for one intentional way to incorporate Scripture, prayer, or a moment of reflection that helps children understand worship as a response to God's character and His love.Because when we teach kids why we worship, we're equipping them with a foundation that can shape their relationship with God for years to come.SHOW LINKS: Check out Lifeway Kids CurriculumConnect with Lifeway Kids Leave us a voice message here with any questions or feedback!Join us at ETCH 2026

Send us Fan MailIn this week's episode, we're joined by former UW Huskies football player and Team Captain of Holla's Huskies, Terry Hollimon, Junior League Softball World Series International Tournament Director Steve Allen, and legendary Kirklander and Seattle Sounders FC photographer Corky Trewin to talk softball, softball, and more softball. Plus, we discuss this week's Kirkland happenings, e-cycle safety, and more!Show notes: www.kirklandwa.gov/podcast#20260730

David E. Kirkland is a trans-disciplinary scholar of English and urban education, who explores the intersections among urban youth culture, language and literacy, urban teacher preparation, and digital media. He analyzes culture, language, and texts, and has expertise in critical literary, ethnographic, and sociolinguistic research methods. He has received many awards for his work, including the 2008 AERA Division G Outstanding Dissertation Award and was a 2009-10 Ford Foundation Postdoctoral Fellow and is a former fellow of NCTE's Cultivating New Voices. Dr. Kirkland has published widely. His most recent articles include: ” Black Skin, White Masks': Normalizing Whiteness and the Trouble with the Achievement Gap” in urban contexts: Politics, Pluralism, and Possibilities” (English Education), and “We real cool: Examining Black males and literacy” (Reading Research Quarterly). He is currently completing his fourth book, A Search Past Silence, to be published through Teacher College Press s Language and Literacy Series. Dr. Kirkland believes that, in their language and literacies, youth take on new meanings beginning with a voice and verb, where words when spoken or written have the power to transform the world inside-out Support Latin Waves by becoming a member https://latinwavesmedia.com

Live coverage of a press conference with Seattle leaders providing an update on the shooting near the Space Needle. Antifa lunatics showed up to Erika Kirk’s event in Kirkland and local media downplayed how bad their conduct was. // Big Local: An advocacy group is out with another report on why we need to raise the minimum wage. Two crazy women berated a couple at the Issaquah Farmers Market for wearing a Charlie Kirk shirt. // You Pick the Topic: Anne Hatheway is taking heat for a resurfaced woke speech she gave attacking ‘whiteness.'

On this BONUS EPISODE of CASCADE OF HISTORY, Feliks Banel digs into the “This NOT Just In” archives for three installments from the occasional history series that aired from 2010 to 2016 on KUOW 94.9 FM in Seattle. The premise of “This NOT Just In” was to use archival audio to shed light on forgotten or not fully understood stories from Pacific Northwest history. In this first of what will likely be many episodes sharing “This NOT Just In” installments in the months and years ahead, we hear about when President Harding gave a speech in Seattle in July 1923 that turned out to be his final public appearance ever; when The Beatles visited Seattle in August 1964; and when Kirkland, Washington won the Little League World Series in 1982. This material was originally produced by Feliks Banel with editing and other assistance from KUOW's Jim Gates. “This NOT Just In” was initially awarded a Program Venture Fund grant from KUOW in 2009 which funded production of the first three episodes; KUOW ultimately green-lighted more than 30 additional episodes during the run of the series. The episodes remained online for many years, but most are no longer accessible via the KUOW website – so it seemed like a good time to share them once again. Links to more information as well as images related to most topics discussed on the show are often available at the CASCADE OF HISTORY Facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/groups/cascadeofhistory CASCADE OF HISTORY is broadcast LIVE most Sunday nights at 8pm Pacific Time via flagship station SPACE 101.1 FM in Seattle and gallantly streams everywhere via www.space101fm.org. The radio station broadcasts from studios at historic Magnuson Park – located in the former Master-at-Arms' quarters in the old Sand Point Naval Air Station - on the shores of Lake Washington in Seattle. Subscribe to the CASCADE OF HISTORY podcast via most podcast platforms and never miss regular weekly episodes of Sunday night broadcasts as well as frequent bonus episodes. "LIKE" the Cascade of History Facebook page and get updates and other stories throughout the week, and advance notice of live remote broadcasts taking place in your part of the Old Oregon Country.

Stu Epperson visits The Light FM at the Billy Graham Training Center at The Cove and sits down with General Manager Jim Kirkland to discuss the ministry of Christian radio and its lasting impact. Jim shares how The Light FM, a ministry of the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association, exists to lead people into a personal and dynamic relationship with Jesus Christ through music, biblical teaching, and discipleship. They also reflect on the importance of retreating from life's distractions to seek God, the power of Christian media to reach people in their everyday moments, and the countless stories of lives changed through God's perfect timing. The conversation concludes with a reminder from Joshua 1:9 to be strong and courageous, trusting that the Lord is always with us.

Send us Fan MailIn another no-guest episode, we contemplate Jimothy the raccoon's viral moment and how we can find a little bit of Jimothy in all of us. We also talk about the upcoming Junior League Softball World Series (featuring FREE hot dogs), beach closures, staying safe in the heat, e-cycles, the how-to of naming things, and more! Show notes: www.kirklandwa.gov/podcast#20260723

Wayne Fortune joins us for Wealth Wednesday and talks about his Brooklyn Bloke brand T.K Kirkland advises in Tell Us A Secret & Ask YeeSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Brandon Robinson opened Tipsy Putt's first location in downtown Sacramento on November 1, 2019. Four months later, the world shut down.He'd already built and sold a multi-state med spa chain. He'd discovered an indoor mini golf bar in Kirkland, Washington on a packed Monday night and written a $150,000 check for a one-page license agreement to bring it to California. Then COVID took the whole thing to zero overnight.This is the story of what he rebuilt — a four-location brand with its ownidentity, roughly 100,000 app downloads, and a fundraising model that turns investors into opening-day customers.Brandon and Mark get into the real numbers: why post-pandemic sites do $3-6M where they used to do $6-10M, why chasing Class A real estate was the expensive lesson, how to structure a raise as an SPV per market instead of selling equity in the parent, and the brutal honest math of angel investing.Then they close on fatherhood, mentorship, and the grandfather who went from 1930s Detroit foster care to one of the top 100 State Farm agents in the country — and why that story is the whole case for supporting veterans in transition.Website: https://tipsyputt.com/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TipsyPutt/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tipsyputt/YouTube:  @tipsyputt  ______________________________________________________________If this episode inspires you to be part of the movement, and you believe, like me, that entrepreneurs are the answer to our future, message me so we can join forces to support building truly great companies in our region. -Subscribe to my channel here: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCom_​... -  Mark Haney is a serial entrepreneur that has experience growing companies worth hundreds of millions of dollars. He is currently the CEO and founder of HaneyBiz -  Instagram: http://instagram.com/themarkhaney​ Facebook: www.facebook.com/themarkhaney LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/markehaney​ Website: http://haneybiz.com​ Audio Boom: https://audioboom.com/channels/5005273​  Twitter: http://twitter.com/themarkhaney-This video includes personal knowledge, experiences, and opinions about Angel Investing by seasoned angel investors.  This content is for informational purposes only and should not be construed as legal, tax, investment, or financial advice.  Nothing in this video constitutes a solicitation, recommendation, or endorsement.#thebackyardadvantage #themarkhaneyshow #entrepreneur #PowerOfWith #SacramentoEntrepreneur #Sacramento#SacramentoSmallBusiness #SmallBusiness #GrowthFactory #Investor#podcast

Composer Sarah Kirkland Snider's musical language is widely varied. She has written intimate instrumental solos, vocal works, chamber music, and  large-scale orchestral music. Her music has been performed by major orchestras in Boston, Chicago, Cleveland, and New York, as well as by Emerson String Quartet, eighth blackbird, A Far Cry, The Knights, and Roomful of Teeth. Suzanne spoke with Snider about her approach to music making, and her 2026 album of orchestral works, whose title cut is Forward Into Light, a commission for the New York Philharmonic inspired by the American women's suffrage movement.

Erfahre hier mehr über unseren Partner Scalable Capital - dem Broker mit einem der besten YouTube-Kanäle zu Aktien & Investments. IBM: schlimmster Tag seit über 50 Jahren. KI-Budgets kannibalisieren IT. US-Banken mit Rekordzahlen, Goldman profitiert am meisten. Evotec senkt Prognose. Hapag-Lloyd erhöht. Siemens Energy wird Omterra. Uber will Delivery Hero. Watches of Switzerland wächst. KKR (WKN: A2LQV6) investiert 200 Mio. $ in US-Nachwuchsfußball und kauft Arctos Partners. Ziel: 100 Mrd. $ verwaltetes Vermögen nur in Sport. KGV bei 15, unter dem Fünfjahresschnitt. Einstiegschance oder zu viele Baustellen? Kirkland macht 90 Mrd. $ Umsatz. Mehr als Unilever. Costcos (WKN: 888351) Eigenmarke wächst schneller als der Gesamtkonzern, bringt höhere Margen und zieht neue Mitglieder an. Ein Grund für das KGV von 42. Diesen Podcast vom 15.07.2026, 3:00 Uhr stellt dir die Podstars GmbH (Noah Leidinger) zur Verfügung. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jason has a big announcement. A homeless housing facility opens in Kirkland near a school and child care centers despite community pushback. Seattle Mayor Katie Wilson has once again turned off the city’s CCTV cameras now that the World Cup has concluded. // Big Local: Stay away from Kirkland’s Houghton Beach due to high bacteria levels. A Spokane requirement to provide cooling could cost landlords millions. Spokane County considers raising taxes for new jail. The City of Pasco passed a resolution calling out Washington’s new income tax. // You Pick the Topic: Washington Superintendent Chris Reykdal actually has a good idea.

Send us Fan MailIt's a no-guest week, and we're highlighting 8 ways to better your community this summer from Green Kirkland volunteer events and City Hall for All to Conversations with Council, summer concerts, Rec-n-Roll, Heritage Park cleanup, the Civil Service Commission, and the RCR Community Advisory Board. Plus, we cover cold water safety, the Houghton Beach closure, NE 85th Street construction, and highlights from the latest City Council meeting.Show notes: www.kirklandwa.gov/podcast#20260709

Can a letter writing campaign save Deschutes' co-branded Kirkland Signature Helles, the same way Jess saved her childhood zoo?    The Brewbound team and weekend newsletter writer Sean McNulty discuss the end of the cult favorite lager on the latest edition of the Brewbound Podcast, including an outpouring of somber reactions to the news.    Justin recaps his conversation with Deschutes CEO Peter Skrbek and why he's not sweating the decision as the company's portfolio is growing. But could a public show of support from Costco members flip the decision? Jess shares that it worked for her hometown zoo.    The team also shares their personal July 4 experiences, including a view from the Jersey Shore, and the mixed results by channel for the World Cup and surge of imported beer.    Zoe also explains why quality is a default expectation for consumers now, and shouldn't be a marketing talking point in 2026.

The AI revolution may be fueled by chips, power, and data centers — but behind every billion-dollar development is a complex web of partnerships, risk, capital, and strategy.In this episode of the Nomad Futurist Podcast, co-hosts Nabeel Mahmood and Phillip Koblence sit down with Kim McGrath, Partner at Kirkland & Ellis, whose work places her at the center of some of the most significant digital infrastructure transactions shaping the future of AI and the modern economy.From advising on the landmark take-private of CyrusOne to helping navigate today's unprecedented wave of AI-driven development, Kim has witnessed firsthand how data centers have evolved from a niche asset class into one of the most sought-after sectors in global infrastructure.One of Kim's most compelling observations is that despite the industry's rapid growth, many of today's challenges have no established playbook."Let's keep an open mind and try to really focus in on, ‘What do we see are the risks and how can you solve for those?' It's not the case that this is the way we've always done things. Almost everything in this sector is new."As developers race to meet the demands of AI, Kim discusses the staggering pace of growth, the confidence she continues to see from investors, and why the market still feels like it's only getting started:"Demand we're seeing just grow at light speed. It still almost feels like we're at early innings in these transactions.”The conversation also explores a fundamental shift occurring across the industry: success is no longer determined by any single company. Today's largest projects require unprecedented coordination among developers, hyperscalers, lenders, investors, technology providers, and local communities:"It is 100% a team sport in this arena. You really have to look at the asset through its full life cycle and try to solve as much as possible for that full life cycle. Everybody has got to be hyper-coordinated."Beyond the numbers, Kim offers a thoughtful perspective on the responsibility that comes with building digital infrastructure at scale. As data centers expand into new markets, she argues that community engagement and education must be treated as core components of development — not afterthoughts."I think first and foremost, education. There's a lot of information out there that is misinformation. Really having a high-level focus on education and what's specifically going on at each site is important. Education is really the key."That message resonates deeply with the mission of the Nomad Futurist Foundation. As the industry continues to grow, closing the knowledge gap around digital infrastructure is more important than ever. Through education, awareness, and workforce development initiatives, the Foundation is helping students, communities, and future leaders better understand the critical role data centers play in powering our digital world.Tune in for a fascinating conversation on the evolution of digital infrastructure, the realities of building for the AI era, and why education, collaboration, and trust will be just as important as technology in shaping what comes next.To learn more about Kim McGrath, connect with her on LinkedIn.

Andrew sits down with longtime friend Jeremy Kirkland, host of the media company Blamo!, at his home in St. Louis for a conversation tracing Jeremy's path from entering fashion to building one of the space's longest-running podcasts. Together they revisit formative #menswear moments while discussing creativity, friendship, critique vs criticism, and authenticity. Along the way, Jeremy drops some spicy takes on the importance of fostering community over competition, and why he will always be a champion of others first and foremost. This is a can't miss episode. Our theme music is by ⁠⁠⁠GLOM⁠⁠⁠Follow 3sixteen on ⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠ | ⁠⁠⁠TikTokFollow Blamo! and Jeremy on Instagram Listen to and subscribe to Blamo! ⁠⁠⁠www.3sixteen.com

Kyle Kirkland joins Ray to talk politics, his congressional campaign, and his involvement with the Fresno Chaffee Zoo. July 6th 2026 --- Please Like, Comment and Follow 'The Ray Appleton Show' on all platforms: --- 'The Ray Appleton Show’ is available on the KMJNOW app, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube or wherever else you listen to podcasts. --- 'The Ray Appleton Show’ Weekdays 11 AM -2 PM Pacific on News/Talk 580 AM & 105.9 KMJ | Website | Facebook | Podcast | - Everything KMJ KMJNOW App | Podcasts | Facebook | X | Instagram See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It’s official, Team USA WILL be playing against Belgium in Seattle’s FINAL World Cup match… but that’s not until Monday. We’ve got the entire 4th of July weekend ahead of us, and I’ve got a feeling there will be a LOT of fireworks in our future. Here with a Holiday Edition of the weekend warmup is Soundside Producer Jason Megatron Burrows!! LINKS: 4th of July Activities! Chicago - Saturday in the Park (Official Audio) Seafair 4th of July at Gasworks & Lake Union! PARADES! Arlington — 5 p.m. (kids 4:30 p.m.) Bainbridge Island — 1 p.m. Bothell — 12 p.m. (kids 11:15 a.m.) Burien — 11 a.m. Carnation — 11:30 a.m. (kids 11 a.m.) Dupont — 10 a.m. Edmonds — 12 p.m. (kids 11:30 a.m.) Enumclaw — noon Everett — 11 a.m. Issaquah — 10 a.m. Kingston — 12 p.m. Kirkland — 12 p.m. (kids 11:30 a.m.) Tumwater — 11 a.m. West Seattle — 10 a.m. kids FIREWORKS! Arlington — Quake Park 10 p.m. Bellevue — Downtown Park 10:05 p.m. Carnation — Remlinger Farms 9:45 p.m. Everett — Port Gardner Bay 10:15 p.m. Federal Way — Celebration Park 10:15 p.m. Kenmore — Log Boom Park 10 p.m. Kent — Lake Meridian Park 10 p.m. Kingston — Mike Wallace Park 10:15 p.m. Marysville — Ebey Waterfront Park 10 p.m. Sammamish — Sam. Commons 10 p.m. Seattle — Lake Union 10:15 p.m. Snoqualmie — Community Park 9:45 p.m. Steilacoom — offshore 10:30 p.m. Tacoma — Ruston Way 10 p.m. Tumwater — Tumwater Valley Golf 10:15 p.m. EVERYTHING ELSE! Mariners vs Blue Jays Seattle Paddle Rave Dolly Parton Fourth of July Drag Brunch Seattle World Cup Fan Celebration Locations Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes Soundside is a production of KUOW in Seattle, a proud member of the NPR Network.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Send us Fan MailIn this exclusive interview, The Mox and Mike from The Barn Media chat with legendary comedian, actor, businessman, and podcast host T.K. Kirkland ahead of his highly anticipated run at Helium Comedy Club in St. Louis from July 3–5.Known as the “Gangsta of Comedy,” TK Kirkland has built a legendary career spanning over 40 years. Born in Jersey City and raised in Compton, TK first gained major exposure touring with N.W.A and has since shared stages with icons like Eminem, Jay-Z, Lil Wayne, and Keyshia Cole. He's appeared in classic music videos including Express Yourself, It's Funky Enough, and Window Shopper, while also dominating comedy with projects like Are There Any Questions, Who Raised You?, and Gangsta Conversation.In this conversation, TK opens up about:

Send us Fan MailWe're joined by Kirkland Communications Program Coordinator and PIO Angela Brown and Kirkland PD Community Services Unit Sergeant James Hill to get the lowdown on summer safety, fireworks (and why they're not permitted in Kirkland), National Night Out, e-bike safety, and more. Plus, we share how you can have a chance to win a pair of Mariners tickets!Show notes: www.kirklandwa.gov/podcast#20260702

Five prisoners are kept awake for fifteen days in a sealed chamber — and what the researchers find when they open the door no longer wants to be set free. A blockbuster film series trails a string of real-life deaths its cast can't explain. On the back roads of Maryland, a half-goat figure waits for teenagers who wander too far. And one ordinary night in El Paso, a couple walks out of their home — dishes still in the sink, cat unfed — and is never seen again.EPISODE BLOG PAGE (includes sources): https://weirddarkness.com/russiansleepexperiment/READ or DOWNLOAD the full transcript of this episode: https://weirddarkness.tiny.us/3rr9mhjxFEATURED STORIES IN THIS EPISODE: The Russian Sleep Experiment *** The Poltergeist Film Curse *** The Goat-Man of Maryland *** The Patterson Family Disappearance *** The Legend of the LeprechaunCHAPTERS & TIME STAMPS (All Times Approximate)…00:00:00.000 = The Foreboding00:01:06.939 = Show Open00:01:55.409 = The Poltergeist Curse00:06:21.074 = The Goatman of Prince George's County00:14:07.417 = The Lore of the Leprechaun ***00:16:55.345 = Vanishing of the Pattersons00:27:39.437 = The Russian Sleep Experiment ***00:43:05.653 = Show Close*** = Begins immediately after inserted ad breakLISTEN ON PODCAST APPS: Look for this podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, iHeart Radio, Amazon Music, Pandora, TuneIn Radio, and other podcast apps. Get a list of free listening apps here: https://weirddarkness.com/wdapps*No AI Voices Are Used In The Narration Of This Podcast*SOURCES and RESOURCES:“The Russian Sleep Experiment”: http://bit.ly/36mHCc9"Leprechaun: One Of The Most Famous And Powerful Creatures Of The Irish Faerie Folk" (link no longer available)“The El Paso Vanishing (What Happened To The Pattersons?)”: http://bit.ly/2JHq3cW“Maryland's Goat-Man Is Half Man, Half Goat, and Out For Blood”: http://bit.ly/2pEciVw“The Poltergeist Curse?”: http://bit.ly/36oH857(Over time links may become invalid, disappear, or have different content. I always make sure to give authors credit for the material I use whenever possible. If I somehow overlooked doing so for a story, or if a credit is incorrect, please let me know and I will rectify it in these show notes immediately. Some links included above may benefit me financially through qualifying purchases.)WeirdDarkness® is a registered trademark. Copyright ©2026, Weird Darkness.Originally aired: July 22, 2018Weird Darkness travels from a cursed Hollywood film set to a Maryland goat-monster, the cobbler-fairies of Irish legend, a vanished El Paso couple, and a blood-soaked Soviet sleep laboratory where the test subjects no longer wanted to be set free.It opens with the deaths that shadow the Poltergeist films, beginning with Heather O'Rourke, who played Carol Anne Freeling from the original 1982 release through both sequels and died at twelve in San Diego in February 1986 during surgery for a bowel obstruction later traced to a congenital intestinal flaw. Dominique Dunne, who played older sister Dana Freeling, was strangled in 1982 by John Sweeney outside her Hollywood home, and Sweeney served just three years and seven months. Julian Beck, the gaunt preacher Kane of Poltergeist II, died of stomach cancer in 1983, and Will Sampson, who played the shaman Taylor, died after a heart-lung transplant — four deaths that fed a curse legend later thickened by JoBeth Williams' claim that Steven Spielberg used real human skeletons as cheaper props and by Sampson's own ritual cleansing of the set.From there the episode crosses into Prince George's County, Maryland, where the Goatman has stalked local legend for decades. One origin story sets him at the Beltsville Agricultural Research Center, a half-man, half-goat creature born from a USDA experiment gone wrong; another makes him a herdsman driven mad after teenagers slaughtered his flock. University of Maryland folklorist Barry Pearson traces his heyday to the 1970s and the 1971 decapitation of a puppy named Ginger in Bowie, an incident the Washington Post covered and locals pinned on the creature haunting Fletchertown and Lottsford roads, while Beltsville spokesperson Kim Kaplan dryly wonders whether a goatman that old would be collecting Social Security by now.Next the show turns to Irish folklore and the leprechaun, the solitary fairy whose name traces to a Gaelic root for a small body or a shoemaker. Standing two to three feet tall in a green or red coat and buckled shoes, he works as a fairy cobbler who stitches only a single shoe and never a pair, guards a hidden pot of gold, and trades three wishes for his freedom when a human manages to catch him. He lives in cave networks reached through rabbit holes and the hollow trunks of fairy trees, and damaging one of those trees is said to draw a lifetime of bad luck.From the green hills of Ireland the episode moves to El Paso, Texas, where William and Margaret Patterson left their home at 3000 Piedmont Drive on March 5, 1957 and were never seen again, dinner dishes still in the sink and their cat Tommy left without food. The owners of Patterson Photo Supply vanished without packing a suitcase, their associate Doyle Kirkland turned up driving William's Cadillac with a thin story about a vacation, and a telegram from Dallas signed with the wrong middle initial named Kirkland as William's replacement at the store. Decades on, caretaker Reinaldo Nangre claimed he had cleaned blood from the garage and found a piece of scalp on the boat propeller before dying in a car crash, and Sheriff Leo Samaniego floated the theory that the couple were Soviet spies photographing Fort Bliss, leaving a disappearance that was declared a death in 1964 and has never been solved.The episode closes in the late 1940s, when Soviet researchers sealed five political prisoners in a chamber and kept them awake for fifteen days with an experimental gas-based stimulant, promising freedom in exchange for thirty sleepless days. Paranoia set in after five days, screaming after nine, and when the chamber was opened on the fifteenth the soldiers found four men still alive amid their own torn-out organs, having eaten their own flesh and blocked the floor drain with it, fighting any attempt to remove them and begging for the gas rather than sleep. One subject, pinned for surgery without anesthetic, wrote only the words "keep cutting," and as the last of them was shot through the heart he claimed to be the madness that lurks in every sleeping mind, choking out that he was so nearly free.

Patrick, Mr. Kirkland himself, has made the trip to the east coast to meet up with Chia and Rob, which can only mean one thing: Rob's breaking in his brand new Costco membership under the tutelage of the master himself. Listen in as we wander the liminal space of the Costco parking lot, marvel at the sights and sounds of the Costco produce fridge, and pay our respects to the humble chicken bake.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

JT English and Kyle Worley are joined by Seth Troutt to discuss his book, “Authentic Masculinity.” Questions Covered in This Episode: What is real masculinity? How is the church uniquely situated to have this conversation? How would you talk to someone who has concerns about toxic masculinity? How can men pursue authentic masculinity? How can women encourage authentic masculinity? Guest Bio: Seth Troutt is the Teaching Pastor at Ironwood Church in the Phoenix metro area. With a doctorate focused on digital technology, Generation Z, and gender identity, Seth provides biblical guidance both complex cultural issues and practical personal challenges. His writing explores the intersections of theology, technology, and culture. Seth has been married to Taylor since 2013 and they live in Gilbert, Arizona. Together, Seth and Taylor have two children, Jay and Olivia. Their favorite brands are Traeger, Kirkland, Animal Pak, Apple, and CrossFit. Seth is an alumnus of Arizona State University, Phoenix Seminary, and Covenant Seminary. Resources Mentioned in this Episode: Genesis 1-3, Ephesians 2:10 “Authentic Masculinity” by Seth Troutt Follow Us:Twitter | Instagram | Facebook | WebsiteSupport Training the Church and Become a Patron:patreon.com/trainingthechurchYou can now receive your first seminary class for FREE from Midwestern Seminary after completing Lifeway's Deep Discipleship curriculum, featuring JT, Jen and Kyle. Learn more at mbts.edu/deepdiscipleship.To learn more about our sponsors please visit our sponsor page.Editing and support by The Good Podcast Co. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

(June 25, 2026) The President of the California Gaming Association Kyle Kirkland joins the show. A look inside the welcome bags planned for white South African refugees. These ‘city killers’ threaten civilization.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

CostCo just dropped their Kirkland Signature wedges! Nelly Korda finally got her Women's US Open Victory. More Gear stuff dropped these past weeks so stay tuned for TaylorMade, Maxfli and Kirkland's offerings. 00:00 Welcome Back 02:05 Nelly Korda WITB 05:41 Tour Roundup 08:45 New Maxfli Ball 16:47 Kirkland Wedges 24:39 Mizuno's M13 Recall 33:03 TM Performance Stripe Ball

This week on That Tech Pod, we sit down with Sebastian Wernicke, a globally recognized expert on data and AI strategy whose TED Talks have been viewed more than five million times. Sebastian argues that successful AI adoption has far less to do with choosing the right tools and far more to do with building the right culture.We explore why "data-driven" organizations often struggle to make better decisions, and why Sebastian prefers the idea of being "data-inspired" instead. He explains how leaders can create cultures built on evidence, curiosity, and better questions rather than dashboards and reports. The conversation also takes a fresh look at Shadow AI. Rather than treating employees' use of unauthorized AI tools as simply a security problem, Sebastian explains why it can be a signal that workers are frustrated by broken processes, inefficient workflows, and organizational bottlenecks. We also tackle the growing debate around whether AI is entering bubble territory, what executives misunderstand about AI demand, and how massive investments like Kirkland & Ellis's reported $500 million AI initiative could reshape competition across industries. Will AI become a game where only the largest organizations can afford to compete, or will smaller companies find new ways to stay ahead? Finally, Sebastian shares examples from his book Data Inspired that show how organizations can unlock the value of data not through technology purchases, but through culture, leadership, and better decision-making habits. If you're trying to separate AI hype from business reality, this episode offers a practical roadmap for what actually drives transformation.A leading expert in data and AI strategy, Sebastian Wernicke believes that the key to unlocking data's power lies not in technology, but in leaders fostering a culture of evidence and inquiry. For over 20 years, Sebastian has guided organizations around the world to harness the power of data and AI to achieve breakthrough transformation. Sebastian's ability to make complex topics around data accessible, engaging, and actionable has made him a sought-after speaker and workshop facilitator. His three acclaimed TED Talks have reached over 5 million viewers. 

The sermon from the oaks church weekly gathering.

It's Pride, and we're talking about coming out, parenting, and the nature of happiness, with poly psychology researcher Tabitha Kirkland. Mentioned in the episode: Geography of Bliss | Tabi's latest Substack: What do you want when no one is looking? | Tabi's Coming Out post | Sarah's Substack | Barry Schwartz: The Paradox of Choice |  Follow us: mistakescast@gmail.com | https://www.instagram.com/mistakescast/ Logo design by roy franklin: www.whateverfactory.org

Seattle lost 30,000 downtown jobs as Bellevue boomed thanks to JumpStart payroll tax, report says. Australians are descending upon Seattle ahead of Friday’s World Cup match against the United States. // Big Local: The city of Oak Harbor has decided to not fly the Pride flag. Border Patrol was involved in a shooting at the U.S. – Canadian border in Blaine. A Kirkland elementary school has been sued over its alleged failure to prevent bullying and inappropriate touching. // You Pick the Topic: Health experts are warning that Ozempic isn’t a sufficient substitute for exercise.

This week on the podcast, in addition to a guest interview, is a special episode with my best friend and teammate on the Seattle Prep Boys Cross-Country Team. Nash Howard is a rising senior on the team, along with myself. This episode is very unserious and light-hearted. We discuss cross-country, pro runners in relation to Michael Jackson songs, and other nonsensical topics. I hope you enjoy this episode of The Sunday Shakeout. If you found value or meaning, please consider leaving a follow and a five-star review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify.

Matan Grinberg is the Founder and CEO @ Factory, an AI research lab, bringing autonomy to software engineering. Matan has raised over $220M for the company from the likes of Sequoia, Khosla, NEA, Evantic and 20VC. Last round valued the company at a whopping $1.5BN.  AGENDA:  00:00 – Why AI Means Everyone Will Become a Builder 04:55 – Will AI Finally Break the 200-Year GDP Growth Ceiling? 06:45 – The Rise of the 100x Engineer & Load-Bearing Talent 08:00 – The New Executive Job: Allocating Tokens Like Capital 10:35 – Kirkland's $500M AI Bet: Brilliant or Delusional? 12:45 – The AI Value War: Models vs Applications vs Infrastructure 18:45 – Token Maxing, AI Hangovers & The Coming ROI Reckoning 22:00 – Why AI Spend Could Soon Exceed Developer Salaries 24:00 – Open Source Can Already Replace 80–90% of Frontier Model Work 28:00 – What Makes a Great Engineer in the Age of Agents? 35:00 – Jobs That Will Disappear First Because of AI 40:00 – Why Matan Isn't Worried About AI Taking Jobs Long-Term 46:00 – From String Theory to Startup Founder: The Sequoia Origin Story 52:00 – The Meeting That Led to Sequoia's First Check 58:00 – Why America's Lack of Frontier Open Models Is Embarrassing 1:08:00 – What Matan Looks for in Every New Employee 1:12:00 – Why Elite Companies Will Treat Employees Like NBA Athletes 1:16:00 – The Most Important Prediction Matan Has Changed His Mind On    

Needle-Free Peptides, US Manufacturing, BPC-157, Thymosin Alpha-1, GLP-1s, Microneedle Patches, and How to Avoid Contaminated Peptides Peptides are one of the most powerful tools in biohacking and anti-aging medicine, and until now, most people couldn't access them safely, legally, or without a needle. This episode changes that. -Watch this episode on YouTube for the full video experience: https://www.youtube.com/@DaveAspreyBPR -Go to Aminoinnovations.com and use “asprey20” for a discount through the next 7 days Host Dave Asprey sits down with Justin Kirkland, a longevity medicine expert with over 30 years in drug development and pharmaceutical innovation. Kirkland holds multiple drug synthesis and formulation patents, has founded multiple pharmaceutical companies, and is one of the few people in the world manufacturing peptides entirely on US soil, controlling every step of the synthesis process from raw amino acids to finished product. If you want to understand what is really inside your peptides and why it matters for your longevity and human performance, he is the person to listen to. Dave and Justin go deep on why most peptides on the gray market contain dangerous residual compounds that can spike liver enzymes and cause real harm, why Chinese-sourced APIs are not always what they claim to be, and how a new generation of needle-free delivery systems including microneedle patches and auto-injectors is making peptide therapy accessible to anyone serious about longevity and human performance. They also cover how AI and functional medicine are converging to make peptide protocols personalized based on genetics and microbiome status, why the thymus gland is one of the most overlooked anti-aging targets in the body, and what the suppression of peptide research reveals about who really controls your access to health tools. You Will Learn: Why many gray market peptides contain toxic residual acids that damage the liver and how to identify clean products How microneedle patches and auto-injectors are replacing traditional injections for peptide delivery Which peptides are most effective for longevity, immune system repair, and human performance including BPC-157, Thymosin Alpha-1, and growth hormone secretagogues Why your genetics and gut microbiome determine whether a peptide will work for you at all How the thymus gland controls your immune system and why it disappears by your mid-20s What the suppression of peptide research tells you about Big Pharma's control over your supplement and nootropics access Why US-manufactured peptides represent a new standard for safety and quality in biohacking How AI is transforming personalized peptide protocols in functional medicine Which peptides are overhyped and which ones actually move the needle on anti-aging and recovery How to store, mix, and dose peptides correctly to avoid the mistakes most people using them are making right now Thank you to our sponsors! - Danger Coffee | Grab yours at DangerCoffee.comand use code DAVEPOD at checkout for 15% off. - The One Device | Use code DAVE for $10 off at theonedevice.com/dave - Fatty15 is on a mission to support Healthy Aging for All, including all ages and stages of life. You can get an additional 15% off their 90-day subscription Starter Kit by going to fatty15.com DAVE and using code DAVE at checkout. - ENERGYbits | If you want a simpler, smarter way to support your body… this is it. Head to ENERGYbits.com and use code ASPREY for 20% off your order. Dave Asprey is a four-time New York Times bestselling author, founder of Bulletproof Coffee, and the father of biohacking. With over 1,000 interviews and 1 million monthly listeners, The Human Upgrade brings you the knowledge to take control of your biology, extend your longevity, and optimize every system in your body and mind. Each episode delivers cutting-edge insights inhealth, performance, neuroscience, supplements, nutrition, biohacking, emotional intelligence, and conscious living. New episodes are released every Tuesday, Thursday, Friday, and Sunday (BONUS). Dave asks the questions no one else will and gives you real tools to become stronger, smarter, and more resilient. Keywords: Justin Kirkland, peptides, needle-free peptides, microneedle patch, BPC-157, Thymosin Alpha-1, ipamorelin, CJC-1295, PT-141, KPV peptide, Dihexa, growth hormone secretagogue, peptide purity, TFA contamination, gray market peptides, US manufactured peptides, oral peptides, transdermal delivery, thymus gland, anti-aging, biohacking, longevity, functional medicine, peptide auto-injector, compounding pharmacy Resources: • Go to Aminoinnovations.com and use “asprey20” for a discount through the next 7 days • Get My 2026 Clean Nicotine Roadmap | Enroll for free at https://daveasprey.com/2026-clean-nicotine-roadmap/ • Dave Asprey's Latest News | Go to https://daveasprey.com/ to join Inside Track today. • Danger Coffee: https://dangercoffee.com/discount/dave15 • My Daily Supplements: SuppGrade Labs (15% Off) • Favorite Blue Light Blocking Glasses: TrueDark (15% Off) • Dave Asprey's BEYOND Conference: https://beyondconference.com • Dave Asprey's New Book – Heavily Meditated: https://daveasprey.com/heavily-meditated • Join My Substack (Live Access To Podcast Recordings): https://substack.daveasprey.com/ • Upgrade Labs: https://upgradelabs.com Timestamps: 00:00 – Intro & Guest Welcome 01:55 – Censorship & Platform Bans 06:20 – Peptide Science & Bioavailability 07:20 – Delivery Methods 14:30 – Supply Chain & US Manufacturing 17:01 – Manufacturing Risks & Contamination 24:43 – Peptide Stacks 28:41 – Immune Peptides & Thymus 30:57 – Overhyped Peptides 41:00 – Alternative Delivery (Patches, Nasal, Rectal) 47:25 – Side Effects & Risk 50:30 – Mixing & Storage Tips 54:05 – Wrap-Up & Where to Buy See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.