Podcasts about labor

Anthony D'Esposito, Inspector General for the United States Department of Labor, joins the show to confirm reports that he is seriously exploring a run to reclaim New York's 4th Congressional District. The discussion covers the difficulty and high cost of the district, his narrow loss to Laura Gillen, and claims that a smear campaign contributed to that defeat, while emphasizing Republican momentum on Long Island. D'Esposito also discusses his current role investigating labor-related fraud for the Trump administration, and argues that rooting out waste and corruption is critical to protecting vulnerable populations and restoring public trust. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The WorkSource Oregon Reentry program helps people incarcerated in the state work on resumes, map out career goals and even connect with future employers. The program is funded by a roughly $5 million grant from the U.S. Department of Labor and from the state, but those funds are set to expire this year. A bill in the Oregon legislature earlier this year would have funded the program, but failed to become law. Danielle Dawson is a collaborative investigative reporter for InvestigateWest and worked on this story with Wesley Vaughan for Bolts. Dawson joins us to share more on the impact this program has had and its future.

Damion 2026 PredictionsThe "Ghost Board" MovementFollowing the 2025 retreat from ESG, a major S&P 500 company (likely in the energy or defense sector) will successfully petition to keep its director bios private for "national security” or “personal safety reasons"Trend starts at a Big Data company using China as an excuse with a single, government-connected director whose identity is kept secret for “national security reasons”By mid-2026, "blind governance" becomes a trend where investors vote for directors identified only by a serial number and a list of "alpha-generating achievements"The “Ghost Board” movement ultimately backfires as shareholders start to vote against subpar achievementsBlackRock and State Street scrap public stewardship for private, encrypted channels with board chairs—Welcome to Dark GovernanceThe 100% Variable Pay CEOCEO Pay routinely targets $1B+ packages, using 100% “at-risk” pay as an excuseThe Rise of "Corporate Sovereignty" ZonesThink the SpaceX "Starbase" model: a major tech or manufacturing firm will strike a deal with a poor red state (like West Virginia or Mississippi, et al) to create a "Special Innovation District" or some other made up name likeAdvanced Innovation ZoneStrategic Innovation CorridorFreedom Technology DistrictAnti-DEI, Pro-ROI Innovation ParkInside these zones, the company provides the police, the utilities, and the "credits/scrip" used at the grocery storeThis revival of the 19th-century company town uses the excuse of "infrastructure efficiency" or “ESG-free zone”The Death of the “Public” Annual MeetingAfter the 2025 proxy season proved shareholders could still be annoying, companies codify mandatory virtual-onlyAI moderators pre-screen questions for “civility” and “relevance,” eliminating most investor dissentShareholders wishing to speak must demonstrate ownership of $1M+—because democracy is not for impoverished nunsElon Musk formally steps back from day-to-day operations at Tesla but calls it an “AI-enabled leadership leverage” and not a full resignation and thus keeps his pay package, with full board approval.Multiple large companies stop using the word “independent” in director bios, replacing it with “objective” or “experienced” or “industry-aligned” or “deeply informed.”Like Europe, board chairs increasingly become the primary public voice on operational and governance issues instead of CEOs, leading to a significant increase in chair pay.A sharp increase in director pay follows due to “heightened complexity and security issues.”The Jay Hoag effect: companies start to exclude attendance data from proxy statements.A company ties massive NEO bonuses to “AI adoption speed,” which becomes completely discretionary and unmeasurable. Starts in Big Data and then happens everywhereMatt 2026 PredictionsWill happen:Sam Altman is caught lying to investors (and no one cares)30% of the S&P 500 will seek to implement a “retail voting” program by the fallHighest retail vote companies: Tesla (~30%), Intel (~30%), AT&T (~30%), Exxon (~30%), Apple (~30%), Pfizer (~30%), Verizon (~25%) - real paragons of board independenceCompanies where executives are suggesting college degrees or elite college degrees are “stupid” do not stop hiring largely from pools of people who have college degrees and/or went to elite colleges25% of CEO pay packages in the US move to “3 year vesting, pretend moonshot, billion plus, no clawback, no strings”Jay Hoag will not be voted off the Netflix boardIn the absence of engagement, precatory proposals, or other shareholder rights, there is one thing for shareholders left: vote no on director campaigns from NON ACTIVISTS (by which I mean institutional investors / pension funds with less than 5% or 13G filers)Specifically - there will be a 150% increase in exempt solicitationsAt least 10% of US large cap companies will have AI “board advisors” - bots that advise boards on legal and governance issuesCould happen:Mass labor movementThe 2025 “badge of honor” that was layoffs, the absolute bonanza of CEO pay, the explosion of “AI billionaires” and “AI took your job” stories, and the attempt to crush labor rights will escalate into the first violent confrontation between employees and their corporate overlordsWidespread strikes will hit, but in the least likely of places: tech and finance, where employees are replaced with AI faster than in other sectorsNatural outgrowth of the “it's someone else's fault” movement - everything is someone else's fault, not management's fault, with the primary culprit of lazy employees - we fired you and it's your fault, not oursThe anti-woke go woke and realize how much data they don't have, but need, to be anti-wokeAt least 1 large company announces it will no longer produce any employee metrics at all, not the count of employees, the names of executives (except where demanded by regulation), or any information that people work thereWith Oracle pioneering the co-Vice Chair and co-CEO roles on the board, and Target pioneering the underperforming executive chair, we see the first round of “Co-Executive Chairs” where the new ex-CEO stays on the board just under the old ex-CEOSeems absurd, but entirely possible:The first billion dollar option pay package for a non-executive director (7 year vest, zero at risk for performance)JPMorgan's new AI proxy voting robot starts an activist campaign seeking to vote out the Tesla boardA US board pays a “retention bonus” worth $20m in options due to the threat of Trump administration intervention and the CEO is close with the administrationExxon will add “shareholder demands” as a risk in their annual report

Labor economists will tell ya, productivity growth leads to more hiring. The idea is, once a company is operating more efficiently, they'll try expanding, which usually comes with new jobs. But in this frustrating and bizarre economy, data show major productivity gains and a stagnant labor market … coexisting? Also in this episode: New York City expands a free child care program, one reporter tries to do the job(s) of the federal government, and economists expect a less-grim December jobs report.Every story has an economic angle. Want some in your inbox? Subscribe to our daily or weekly newsletter.Marketplace is more than a radio show. Check out our original reporting and financial literacy content at marketplace.org — and consider making an investment in our future.

Labor economists will tell ya, productivity growth leads to more hiring. The idea is, once a company is operating more efficiently, they'll try expanding, which usually comes with new jobs. But in this frustrating and bizarre economy, data show major productivity gains and a stagnant labor market … coexisting? Also in this episode: New York City expands a free child care program, one reporter tries to do the job(s) of the federal government, and economists expect a less-grim December jobs report.Every story has an economic angle. Want some in your inbox? Subscribe to our daily or weekly newsletter.Marketplace is more than a radio show. Check out our original reporting and financial literacy content at marketplace.org — and consider making an investment in our future.

John Anthony Titus, a former defense contractor, is rumored to be an immortal alchemist. Delta Green has tracked him to a remote island near Japan and has found a way to send a team of three agents to investigate him. Their highest priority is the recovery of any occult texts Titus might have. Of course, Titus has his own plans, including a dinner party with a special presentation... Ross as Agent JULIAN, Erik Sørensen, antique dealer yeti as agent JENNIFER, Emma Masterson, naval intelligence/consultant fae as agent JöRMUNGANDR, eEtelle Cunegonde, wildlife forensics specialist Bridget as the Handler. Check out Bridget's Patreon for more unique RPG content!

It's Hump Day on the Majority Report On the today's program: As Republicans continue to rewrite the history of January 6, we revisit footage from the riot and revisit the very different tone figures like Marco Rubio and Greg Gutfeld struck at the time. Labor-climate organizer and Labor Notes writer Keith Brower Brown joins the show to preview the biggest contract fights of 2026. In the Fun Half: The crew discuss an incident in which an ICE agent, while the show was live, shot a legal observer in the street—falsely claiming she attempted to run him over, despite video showing he fired as she passed by. As the right-wing media obsesses over the Somali daycare fraud story, Medhi Hasan highlights all of the convicted fraudsters that have been pardoned by Trump. An anti-war protestor in Grand Rapids, Michigan was arrested while talking to the local news. New CBS Evening News anchor, Tony Dokoupil continues his humiliating first week as Bari Weiss' lapdog. Tim Pool continues his milquetoast fence sitting while addressing Venezuela All that and more. Today's Sponsors: IQBAR: Text MAJORITY to 64000 to get 20% off all IQBAR products, plus FREE shipping. Message and data rates may apply. SUNSET LAKE CBD: Use coupon code "Left Is Best" (all one word) for 20% on their full lineup of CBD products to support your New Year wellness goals and Dry January aspirations at SunsetLakeCBD.com  Follow the Majority Report crew on Twitter: @SamSeder @EmmaVigeland @MattLech On Instagram: @MrBryanVokey Check out Matt's show, Left Reckoning, on YouTube, and subscribe on Patreon! https://www.patreon.com/leftreckoning Check out Matt Binder's YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/mattbinder Subscribe to Brandon's show The Discourse on Patreon! https://www.patreon.com/ExpandTheDiscourse Check out Ava Raiza's music here! https://avaraiza.bandcamp.com

In today's episode we're chatting with Thea. She and her husband Alex planned for a home birth for their daughter Harley. They envisioned a peaceful, serene environment and she knew she wanted water.  The decision to home birth was influenced by an awesome naturopath that she had been working with.  Health and wellness is big for Thea - having her masters in integrative health and healing. So it was important that she have the type of care and plan that aligned best with her wellbeing.  In addition to her birth planning and story, Thea shares part of her journey of a miscarriage before having Harley. She was firm on experiencing a natural miscarriage. We talk about how to support someone with a miscarriage, an area that a lot of people don't know how to approach or handle, despite great intentions and desire to help. Thea's labor was long and tiring. She eventually made the decision to transfer to a hospital. She reminded herself, “I chose to be here.” And with that awareness, she was able to stand in her power and advocate for herself to still ultimately have the experience she wanted. She ended up at peace with the decision and was not disappointed. And we can understand - because when you see baby Harley, you'll get it! Thank you to Thea for being another beautiful tale in our collection of home birth narrative - showing that every experience is so unique, beautiful and powerful in its own right. Connect With Us Website: https://diahpodcast.com/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@diahpodcast Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/doingitathome/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/diahpodcast TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@doingitathome Merch: https://doingitathome.dashery.com/ Our Book: https://amzn.to/45Sxyr1 Support DIAH: https://www.paypal.com/donate/?hosted_button_id=KA3QQRRU58VPL Check Out Our Partners: Needed: https://needed.sjv.io/XY3903 - use code DIAH to get 20% off your first, one-time order Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Fear of tearing is one of the most common concerns women have as they prepare for birth, yet many leave the experience saying, “I wish someone would have told me this sooner.” In this episode, we break down perineal tearing with evidence-based education so you can head into labor feeling informed, prepared, and confident.We're joined by Sarah Rubbatt, lead women's health physical therapist at Empowered Movement and Physical Therapy, who works closely with Krystle and has helped countless women recover from birth-related tearing. Together, they share prevention strategies and postpartum support, emphasizing that knowledge truly is power when it comes to pelvic floor health.The conversation begins with a clear explanation of what tearing is, why it happens, and why it can occur even in women who are strong and healthy. Sarah and Krystle walk through practical ways to prepare during pregnancy, including breath work, learning to relax the pelvic floor, and perineal massage.The episode also covers supportive strategies during labor that may help reduce tearing, such as warm compresses, changing pushing positions, and avoiding unnecessary strain. For those who do experience tearing, Sarah explains postpartum healing, scar tissue expectations, and medical options if pain persists.Finally, they discuss when to seek outside support and remind listeners to trust their intuition. The message is clear: healing is always possible, and every mother deserves to feel supported in her body.If you enjoyed this episode, please share it to your Instagram stories and tag us @expectingandempowered. Knowledge is power, and we're here to support you on your childbirth journey.Book Your Online Wellness Session with Sarah: https://app.acuityscheduling.com/schedule/955cea81/appointment/39793520/calendar/6222275?appointmentTypeIds[]=39793520Freebie on How to Do a Perineal Massage: https://expectingandempowered.myflodesk.com/pp06gv2whmListen to E+E Podcast Episode 47: How To Prep Your Pelvic Floor For Labor + Delivery: https://www.expectingandempowered.com/blog/e-e-podcast-episode-47-how-to-prep-your-pelvic-floor-for-labor-and-deliveryListen to E+E Podcast Episode 99: You Don't Have to Labor or Birth on Your Back!: https://www.expectingandempowered.com/blog/e-e-podcast-episode99-you-dont-have-to-labor-or-birth-on-your-back-smwptLinks & ResourcesExpecting and Empowered App - Enter code 'PODCAST25' at checkout Expecting and Empowered WebsiteExpecting and Empowered Instagram

Howard Tullman, American entrepreneur, venture capitalist, educator, writer, lecturer, and art collector, joins Lisa Dent to discuss his latest article, the anniversary of January 6, and more.

On today's show, I have two great guests joining me. The legend Michael Ian Black comes on at about one hour and 12 minutes but before that at 49 minutes, I speak with Venezuela expert and NYU historian Dr. Alejandro Velasco.   Subscribe and Watch Interviews LIVE : On YOUTUBE.com/StandUpWithPete ON SubstackStandUpWithPete   Stand Up is a daily podcast. I book,host,edit, post and promote new episodes with brilliant guests every day. This show is Ad free and fully supported by listeners like you!   Please subscribe now for as little as 5$ and gain access to a community of over 750 awesome, curious, kind, funny, brilliant, generous soul Michael Ian Black is a multi-media talent who's starred in numerous films and TV series, written and/or directed two films, is a prolific author and commentator, and regularly tours the country performing his ribald brand of jokes and observations.  Subscribe to his substack       Support him on Patreon He most recently starred in TVLand's "The Jim Gaffigan Show" and Comedy Central's "Another Period." He also reprised one of his iconic film roles in Netflix's "Wet Hot American Summer: Ten Years Later," and previously in "Wet Hot American Summer: First Day of Camp." His third standup comedy special, "Noted Expert," was released on Epix. Black's authored 11 books, including the recently released best seller, "A Child's First Book of Trump." He's written two well-received memoirs: "Navel Gazing: True Tales of Bodies, Mostly Mine (but also my mom's, which I know sounds weird)", and "You're Not Doing It Right: Tales of Marriage, Sex, Death and Other Humiliations." In 2012, he collaborated with conservative Meghan McCain on "America, You Sexy Bitch: A Love Letter to Freedom." He's the author of "My Custom Van (and 50 Other Mind-Blowing Essays That Will Blow Your Mind All Over Your Face)," and seven children's books, including "Cock-a-Doodle-Doo-Bop!," "Naked", "Chicken Cheeks," "The Purple Kangaroo," "A Pig Parade Is A Terrible Idea" and "I'm Bored." He also writes book reviews for the New York Times. Previously, Black released two stand-up specials, "Very Famous" and "I Am A Wonderful Man." He and Tom Cavanagh host the popular podcast, "Mike and Tom Eat Snacks." He also writes and hosts a podcast with Michael Showalter, "Topics," and his own interview podcast, "How To Be Amazing." He hosts "Debate Wars" on SeeSo, and he recently hosted "Easiest Game Show Ever" on Pop TV. Sketch comedy fans know Black's work on "The State," "Viva Variety," "Stella" and "Michael and Michael Have Issues" all of which he co-created, wrote and starred in. Other TV credits include quirky bowling alley manager 'Phil' on the NBC series "Ed," and his hilarious commentary on cable's "I Love the..." series. He recently starred in two hit web series that migrated to cable TV: "Burning Love" on E! and "You're Whole" on Adult Swim. Black's movie roles include "Slash," "Smosh: The Movie," "They Came Together," "Hell Baby," "This is 40," "Wet Hot American Summer," "Take Me Home Tonight," "Reno 911!: Miami," "The Ten" and "The Baxter." Black wrote and directed the film "Wedding Daze," starring Jason Biggs and Isla Fisher. He also co-wrote the comedy "Run, Fatboy, Run," directed by David Schwimmer and starring Simon Pegg, Hank Azaria and Thandie Newton.  ___________________________________________________________ Alejandro Velasco holds joint appointments in the Gallatin School and the Department of History, and was Executive Editor of the NACLA Report on the Americas from 2015 to 2021. Before NYU, he taught at Hampshire College, where he was Five College Fellow, and at Duke University. His research in the areas of social movements, urban politics, and democratization has won support from the Social Science Research Council, the Ford and Mellon Foundations, and the American Historical Association, among others, and has appeared in journals including the Hispanic American Historical Review, the Latin American Research Review, Labor, and others. Velasco's first book Barrio Rising: Urban Popular Politics and the Making of Modern Venezuela (University of California Press, 2015), won the 2016 Fernando Coronil Prize for best book on Venezuela, awarded biennially by the Section on Venezuelan Studies of the Latin American Studies Association. His teaching includes interdisciplinary courses on contemporary Latin America, among them seminars on human rights, cultural studies, and urban social movements; historical methods courses on 20th-century revolutions; graduate courses on urban political history and oral history; and workshops with primary and secondary school educators. A frequent media contributor, his editorials and analysis have appeared in NACLA, Nueva Sociedad, The Nation, the New York Times, the Washington Post, Current History, History News Network, BBC History Magazine, and others. Velasco also frequently contributes radio and television commentary in outlets including NPR, MSNBC, Al Jazeera, CBS, France 24, the BBC, and the CBC. On YOUTUBE.com/StandUpWithPete ON SubstackStandUpWithPete Listen rate and review on Apple Podcasts Listen rate and review on Spotify Pete On Instagram Pete on Blue Sky Pete on Threads Pete on Tik Tok Pete on Twitter Pete Personal FB page Stand Up with Pete FB page Gift a Subscription https://www.patreon.com/PeteDominick/gift Send Pete $ Directly on Venmo

What happens when you stop fighting labor and start working with your body? In today's episode of the Pain Free Birth Podcast, Karen sits down with Mallory Ryan, a mom of two who shares her deeply transformative birth experiences. Mallory walks listeners through her first unmedicated birth at a birth center and her second, rapid home birth that she describes as joyful, empowering, and profoundly connected to God's design for birth.Whether you are pregnant, preparing for birth, or simply curious about physiological birth and faith-filled preparation, this episode will leave you feeling encouraged, informed, and inspired to trust your body and God's design.Tune in to hear:Why Mallory chose unmedicated birth for both of her babiesHow learning the physiology of birth helped reduce fear and painThe role mindset and relaxation play in labor intensityWhy fast labors are not always more painfulHow choosing joy impacts oxytocin and birth progressWhat a “butter birth” is and how surrender changes pushingHow faith influenced Mallory's confidence during laborThe difference between pain and suffering in childbirthWhy birth is not something happening to you, but within youHow empowering births shape confidence in motherhood and postpartumCONNECT WITH KAREN:Use code PODCAST to get $50 off the Pain Free Birth E-course HEREGrab Karen's Healing Birth Trauma Course HERE. This course is for any woman experiencing trauma in the body. If you're ready to release it, this course is for you. InstagramFacebookYouTube

Subscribe to the Jim Paulsen Show on Apple Podcasts⁠⁠https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-jim-paulsen-show/id1828054999⁠⁠Subscribe on Spotify⁠⁠https://open.spotify.com/show/3QaBDVGuBZ3cZfFZ4mqPFc⁠⁠In this episode of the Jim Paulsen Show, Jim Paulsen joins Jack Forehand and Justin Carbonneau to break down what the economy and markets may really be signaling beneath the headline numbers. Drawing from his recent outlook and long history studying market cycles, Jim explains why growth may be weaker than it appears, how policy lags are shaping the outlook, and why today's market looks very different from past late-cycle environments. The conversation explores the divide between the “new era” economy and the rest of the market, what that means for investors in 2026, and where opportunities may be emerging as monetary and fiscal policy begin to shift.Topics covered in this episode• Why headline GDP growth may be overstating the true strength of the economy• How trade distortions are affecting recent GDP data• The concept of a “no-shaped economy” and the divide between new era and old era businesses• Labor market signals that suggest economic sluggishness beneath the surface• Why this may be one of the most disliked bull markets in history• The role of policy lags and why easing could matter more than investors expect• How market concentration has shaped returns over the last several years• Warning signs emerging within the technology sector• The relationship between corporate cash levels, R&D spending, and tech leadership• Why market breadth and old era sectors may become more important going forward• Thoughts on bonds, stocks, commodities, gold, and portfolio positioning• Why international and emerging markets could benefit from a weaker dollar• How investors might think about diversification in an unusual market cycleTimestamps00:00 Introduction and key themes from Jim's outlook03:00 Why the economy may be weaker than GDP headlines suggest06:00 Labor market signals and recession-like dynamics12:00 Policy lags, the Fed, and why growth could soften further15:00 Market performance after multiple strong years18:00 The no-shaped economy and the split between new era and old era24:00 Strange market signals at all-time highs27:00 Valuations, sentiment, and why pessimism matters29:00 Fed easing expectations and consensus forecasts35:00 Warning signs for technology stocks42:00 Corporate cash, R&D spending, and tech leadership risks47:00 Portfolio construction and asset allocation thinking55:00 Final thoughts on opportunities and risks ahead

Welcome to 2026! We'll be opening the show with some of what to expect in Alabama politics this year, along with some important stories about the TVA and construction projects across the country.✦ ABOUT ✦The Valley Labor Report is the only union talk radio show in Alabama, elevating struggles for justice and fairness on the job, educating folks about how they can do the same, and bringing relevant news to workers in Alabama and beyond.Our single largest source of revenue *is our listeners* so your support really matters and helps us stay on the air!Make a one time donation or become a monthly donor on our website or patreon:TVLR.FMPatreon.com/thevalleylaborreportVisit our official website for more info on the show, membership, our sponsors, merch, and more: https://www.tvlr.fmFollow TVLR on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheValleyLab...Follow TVLR on Twitter: @LaborReportersFollow Jacob on Twitter: @JacobM_ALFollow TVLR Co-Creator David Story on Twitter: @RadiclUnionist✦ CONTACT US ✦Our phone number is 844-899-TVLR (8857), call or text us live on air, or leave us a voicemail and we might play it during the show!✦ OUR ADVERTISERS KEEP US ON THE AIR! ✦Support them if you can.The attorneys at MAPLES, TUCKER, AND JACOB fight for working people. Let them represent you in your workplace injury claim. Mtandj.com; (855) 617-9333The MACHINISTS UNION represents workers in several industries including healthcare, the defense industry, woodworking, and more. iamaw44.org (256) 286-3704 / organize@iamaw44.orgDo you need good union laborers on your construction site, or do you want a union construction job? Reach out to the IRONWORKERS LOCAL 477. Ironworkers477.org  256-383-3334 (Jeb Miles) / local477@bellsouth.netThe NORTH ALABAMA DSA is looking for folks to work for a better North Alabama, fighting for liberty and justice for all. Contact / Join: DSANorthAlabama@gmail.comIBEW LOCAL 136 is a group of over 900 electricians and electrical workers providing our area with the finest workforce in the construction industry. You belong here. ibew136.org Contact: (205) 833-0909IFPTE - We are engineers, scientists, nonprofit employees, technicians, lawyers, and many other professions who have joined together to have a greater voice in our careers. With over 80,000 members spread across the U.S. and Canada, we invite you and your colleagues to consider the benefits of engaging in collective bargaining. IFPTE.org Contact: (202) 239-4880THE HUNTSVILLE INDUSTRIAL WORKERS OF THE WORLD is a union open to any and all working people. Call or email them today to begin organizing your workplace - wherever it is. On the Web: https://hsviww.org/ Contact: (256) 651-6707 / organize@hsviww.orgENERGY ALABAMA is accelerating Alabama's transition to sustainable energy. We are a nonprofit membership-based organization that has advocated for clean energy in Alabama since 2014. Our work is based on three pillars: education, advocacy, and technical assistance. Energy Alabama on the Web: https://alcse.org/ Contact: (256) 812-1431 / dtait@energyalabama.orgThe Retail, Wholesale and Department Store Union represents in a wide range of industries, including but not limited to retail, grocery stores, poultry processing, dairy processing, cereal processing, soda bottlers, bakeries, health care, hotels, manufacturing, public sector workers like crossing guards, sanitation, and highway workers, warehouses, building services,  and distribution. Learn more at RWDSU.infoThe American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE) is the largest federal employee union proudly representing 700,000 federal and D.C. government workers nationwide and overseas. Learn more at AFGE.orgAre you looking for a better future, a career that can have you set for life, and to be a part of something that's bigger than yourself?   Consider a skilled trades apprenticeship with the International Union of Painters and Allied Trades. Learn more at IUPAT.orgUnionly is a union-focused company created specifically to support organized labor. We believe that providing online payments should be simple, safe, and secure.  Visit https://unionly.io/ to learn more.Hometown Action envisions inclusive, revitalized, and sustainable communities built through multiracial working class organizing and leadership development at the local and state level to create opportunities for all people to thrive. Learn more at hometownaction.orgMembers of IBEW have some of the best wages and benefits in North Alabama. Find out more and join their team at ibew558.org ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

Deacon Victor Valenzuela is assigned to St. Mary Church in Fullerton.  He is married, with two adult children.  He is a licensed social worker who is retired from 31 years of employment at Kaiser Permanente.  He is a former seminarian who has worked in a variety of ministries.  His wife is Diane.  Today, Deacon Victor talks with John Straw and Cat Quinn of Concern America, which helps the poor obtain crucial services. Support the show

Today's West Coast Cookbook & Speakeasy Podcast for our especially special daily special, Tarrytown Chowder Tuesday is now available on the Spreaker Player!Starting off in the Bistro Cafe, Trump and his team are facing instant sanctions after defaming a criminal defendant and threatening the judge in a major high profile matter.​​​​​​Then, on the rest of the menu, a twenty-two year old pre-school teacher was arrested during a live tv news interview after criticizing Trump's illegal Venezuela invasion; an election-denying former Arizona lawmaker will be sentenced for using forged signatures in a bid to qualify for a 2024 primary election; and, medical quack RFK, Jr took the unprecedented step of dropping the childhood vaccine schedule so more kids will die brutal deaths from the flu, rotavirus, hepatitis A, hepatitis B, meningitis or RSV.After the break, we move to the Chef's Table where Trump widely shared fabricated and misrepresented images online after his illegal invasion of Venezuela; and, Trump expanded the list of countries whose citizens must pay up to $15,000 bonds to apply for visas.All that and more, on West Coast Cookbook & Speakeasy with Chef de Cuisine Justice Putnam.Bon Appétit!The Netroots Radio Live Player​Keep Your Resistance Radio Beaming 24/7/365!“As I ate the oysters with their strong taste of the sea and their faint metallic taste that the cold white wine washed away, leaving only the sea taste and the succulent texture, and as I drank their cold liquid from each shell and washed it down with the crisp taste of the wine, I lost the empty feeling and began to be happy and to make plans.” -- Ernest Hemingway "A Moveable Feast"Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/west-coast-cookbook-speakeasy--2802999/support.

We’re bringing you the best episodes of 2025 before your Morning Edition team returns next week. Last May, the incumbent Labor government swept to power while the Liberal Party suffered an election wipeout, with women voters, in particular, shunning the party. In this episode, recorded just after the election result, political and international editor Peter Hartcher traces the Liberals’ surprising history of embracing the female vote and how that crucial vote was lost in 2025.Subscribe to The Age & SMH: https://subscribe.smh.com.au/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

You think you're paying a guy $25 an hour, but your bank account is paying for two people and the second one doesn't even work for you. Most contractors are stressed and underpaid because they price jobs based on wages instead of the true labor burden. In this episode, I'm stripping away the "fantasy math" and showing you how taxes, insurance, and unbillable time are choking your profit. It's time to stop the bleeding, know your truth, and price with power.============================================================Grab The Contractor's Code to Cracking $1M free course.Click Here for Your FREE Access: https://thecontractorfight.com/code============================================================== Rate the Podcast ==Help your fellow contractors find the podcast! Please leave a rating/review.Apple PodcastsSpotify

The U.S. economy demonstrated robust growth in the third quarter of 2025, with a gross domestic product (GDP) increase of 4.3%, according to the Commerce Department. This growth occurred despite consumer concerns and uncertainties related to tariffs, with military spending and corporate profits contributing significantly. However, the technology sector experienced substantial layoffs, with 1.1 million jobs cut in 2025, of which only 55,000 were attributed to artificial intelligence (AI). The majority of job losses stemmed from corporate restructuring and economic conditions rather than direct displacement by AI, leading to hiring freezes, particularly for entry-level positions.Small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs) are currently facing challenges in attracting talent, with over 70% reporting difficulties in finding qualified candidates due to competition from larger firms. The National Federation of Independent Business noted that nearly half of all small businesses are struggling to fill open positions, which is stalling growth and reducing productivity. Despite a slight increase in small business optimism, driven by expectations of higher sales, many owners cite labor quality as their top concern. Additionally, 64% of SMBs are experiencing supply chain disruptions, complicating their operations.The episode also discusses the ongoing chip and memory shortages, which are expected to persist into 2027, leading to rising prices for consumer electronics. Major memory manufacturers are prioritizing supply for AI companies, impacting pricing across various sectors. Furthermore, the shift towards outcome-based pricing models in software is highlighted, where companies may pay based on actual results delivered, potentially complicating the relationship between service providers and clients if expectations are not clearly defined.For Managed Service Providers (MSPs) and IT service leaders, these developments underscore the importance of clarity and realistic expectations in service delivery. As operational fragility becomes more pronounced amid rising costs and labor shortages, MSPs must reframe their roles from implementers to risk managers. This shift is crucial to avoid margin erosion and contract disputes, ensuring that they are not unduly burdened by decisions made outside their control. The evolving economic landscape necessitates a proactive approach to pricing and service design, particularly as automation and AI continue to reshape the industry. Four things to know today 00:00 Strong GDP Growth, Persistent Layoffs, and Weak AI Returns Expose Hidden Risk for SMB Operations07:04 AI Is Driving Hardware Shortages, Cloud Growth, and Outcome-Based Pricing—Raising Cost Risk for MSPs11:10 MSP Expense Volatility, AI-Driven Service Shifts, and Labor Shortages Are Colliding on Pricing Strategy15:04-- MSP Radio Expands Beyond News With Acquisition of Two MSP Education Brands This is the Business of Tech.     Supported by:  https://cometbackup.com/?utm_source=mspradio&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=sponsorship

Kodiak AI has announced a strategic partnership with Bosch to scale its autonomous truck platform for broader manufacturing integration. This collaboration aims to install the Kodiak Driver system directly on assembly lines or through specialized upfitters to ensure commercial scalability. The Ninth Circuit Court has denied an injunction request as Amazon loses a court fight regarding National Labor Relations Board proceedings. This ruling allows the labor board to continue examining the critical legal question of whether the tech giant qualifies as a joint employer with its third-party delivery companies. North Carolina carrier Queen Transportation shuts down operations over the holiday break, grounding a fleet of 89 trucks. The sudden closure was effective immediately, leaving approximately 90 drivers and support staff unemployed without prior warning. Follow the FreightWaves NOW Podcast Other FreightWaves Shows Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode of The Daily, we break down the record-breaking peak retail season of 2025, which saw tender rejections soar above 13% amidst severe winter storms. We also explore why truckload order lead times continue to rise, hitting a six-year high as shippers adjust their strategies to cope with escalating trade tensions. The discussion turns to a critical regulatory standoff as California faces threats of federal funding cuts and CDL program decertification over improperly issued non-domiciled licenses. This potential "nuclear option" from the FMCSA could ground hundreds of thousands of drivers, creating a massive liability risk for carriers and brokers alike. On the labor front, we analyze a major court ruling where Amazon lost its bid to halt NLRB proceedings, keeping the controversial "joint employer" designation in play for delivery service providers. Meanwhile, in the rail sector, Union Pacific and Norfolk Southern defend their merger application against competitors claiming the nearly 7,000-page filing is incomplete. Finally, we look south at the booming nearshoring trend where Chihuahua has emerged as Mexico's top exporting state driven by advanced manufacturing and electronics. We also discuss how Mexico's new tariffs on Asian imports are aligning with U.S. trade policy to reshape cross-border logistics in 2026. Follow the FreightWaves NOW Podcast Other FreightWaves Shows Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

When most executives discuss AI, they focus on automation. Dr. Ben Zweig, NYU Stern professor and CEO of Revelio Labs, explains why the real disruption isn't machines replacing people, it's our failure to rethink how work is structured. "Labor markets are not as sophisticated as capital markets," Ben explains. "We allocate capital efficiently, but not labor. That's a huge weakness in how our economy operates." In this conversation, we explore: Why every company must learn job architecture, seeing jobs not as titles, but as bundles of tasks that must constantly evolve. The three factors that determine whether AI causes unemployment: How quickly firms adopt new tech How individuals adapt their skills How flexibly jobs can transform Why middle managers now sit at the center of organizational adaptation. "The top can't really affect this meaningfully, it happens through line managers." Zweig challenges the old idea of "delegation." Instead, he calls for reconfiguration, a manager's ability to reshape work as technology shifts. "Don't tell people how to do things. Tell them what needs to be done, and they'll surprise you with their ingenuity." - General Patton, quoted by Ben Zweig We also discuss the human skills that will rise in value: empathy, coordination, and the uniquely human ability to orchestrate complex systems. "AI can execute tasks, but it doesn't yet coordinate them," he says. "That orchestration, what we call management, is still deeply human." For young professionals, his advice is both practical and hopeful: "Manage a project from start to finish. Build something end-to-end. That's how you train orchestration." Ben also shares how Revelio Labs uses large language models to build a scientific understanding of labor markets, and why "AI is only called AI until you understand it, then it's just math." Get Ben's book here: https://shorturl.at/qSspC Job Architecture: Building a Language for Workforce Intelligence. Claim your free gift: Free gift #1 McKinsey & BCG winning resume www.FIRMSconsulting.com/resumePDF Free gift #2 Breakthrough Decisions Guide with 25 AI Prompts www.FIRMSconsulting.com/decisions Free gift #3 Five Reasons Why People Ignore Somebody www.FIRMSconsulting.com/owntheroom Free gift #4 Access episode 1 from Build a Consulting Firm, Level 1 www.FIRMSconsulting.com/build Free gift #5 The Overall Approach used in well-managed strategy studies www.FIRMSconsulting.com/OverallApproach Free gift #6 Get a copy of Nine Leaders in Action, a book we co-authored with some of our clients: www.FIRMSconsulting.com/gift

Today we cover the bloody history of labor vs. robber barons, culminating in the Battle of Blair Mountain, where ten-thousand coal workers battled 3,000 armed law enforcement officers. Listen ad-free on PatreonCheck out our books at HemisphericPress.com

WHAT YOU'LL LEARN Why decision quality matters more than perfect systems in today's supply chainsHow leaders are shifting from growth-at-all-costs to margin-first thinkingWhat's actually breaking inside warehouses amid labor churn and volatilityWhere AI is helping operators—and where hype still outpaces realityWhy explainability, KPIs, and guardrails matter for AI adoption in operationsHow leadership expectations are changing across supply chain organizationsWhat conversations operators are prioritizing heading into Manifest 2026HIGHLIGHTS00:00–02:35 | Why 2025 forced hard reflection across supply chain03:17–04:30 | Decisions feel heavier, mistakes cost more05:23–06:49 | The shift from growth to margin as a first principle07:05–07:43 | Why warehouse systems lag brand expectations08:08–08:58 | Recalibration after stacked volatility09:48–11:20 | Why peak season planning never really ends12:32–13:45 | Labor, churn, and execution pressure inside warehouses14:35–16:51 | AI as decision enablement—not the strategy itself18:14–21:43 | From AI fear to outcome-driven adoption22:23–25:44 | What leadership looks like in volatile environments26:47–28:16 | What leaders are watching heading into Manifest 2026QUOTES[00:03:17] “Decisions feel heavier. Mistakes are more expensive.” – Tanzil Uddin[00:05:45] “There's a shift away from growth at all costs, really a repositioning of margin as a first principle.” – Kinta Gates[00:12:32] “The complexity with labor, training of the labor, churn of the labor, weather events, and the geopolitical state really impacts warehouse services.” – Linda Ewing[00:22:23] “Leadership looks like getting in the weeds. We don't have the luxury of just delegating.” – Kinta GatesABOUT THE GUESTSTanzil UddinSVP of Content & Partnerships at Manifest, where he works closely with supply chain leaders to shape programming around real operator priorities, partnerships, and emerging challenges across logistics and technology.Kinta GatesVP of Supply Chain & Operations at Glossier, overseeing end-to-end product operations. Kinta brings a people-first, margin-aware approach to scaling fulfillment, manufacturing, and supply chain execution.Linda EwingSVP Strategy & Operations at ID Logistics with deep experience across manufacturing, supply chain, and warehouse services. Linda focuses on execution reality inside 3PL environments, labor challenges, and responsible technology adoption.LINKS MENTIONEDManifest 2026 Agenda: https://manife.st/agenda/

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Join us as we recap and chat about Once Upon a Time Episode 5x13 "Labor of Love"Did you know this episode featured Bailee Madison's first on screen kiss?Wiki page for the episode:https://onceuponatime.fandom.com/wiki/Labor_of_LoveLinks, articles, and videos mentioned in this episode:Jonathan Whitesell IMDBKacey Rohl IMDBJoin our Book Club and get access to exclusive content on PatreonFollow us on InstagramFollow us on TiktokFollow us on Bluesky

Today's West Coast Cookbook & Speakeasy Podcast for our especially special Daily Special, River City Hash Mondays is now available on the Spreaker Player!Starting off in the Bistro Cafe, Trump's psychotic plan to cover up the Epstein files is to invade every single country in the Western Hemisphere in order to steal its oil and resources.Then, on the rest of the menu, the children of slain Minnesota lawmaker Melissa Hortman want Trump to stop pushing the baseless conspiracy about her murder, and apologize; the MAGA activists on a 9th US Circuit Court of Appeals tribunal ruled the California law prohibiting open carry of firearms in heavily populated counties is unconstitutional; and, tech companies looking to plunge billions of dollars into ever-bigger data centers are losing fights in communities where people don't want to live next to them, or even near them.After the break, we move to the Chef's Table where Finland's battle against fake news starts in preschool classrooms; and, a Paris court found ten people guilty of cyberbullying France's first lady, Brigitte Macron.All that and more, on West Coast Cookbook & Speakeasy with Chef de Cuisine Justice Putnam.Bon Appétit!The Netroots Radio Live Player​Keep Your Resistance Radio Beaming 24/7/365!"I was never a spy. I was with the OSS organization. We had a number of women, but we were all office help." -- Julia ChildBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/west-coast-cookbook-speakeasy--2802999/support.

Ryan Kidd, Co-Executive Director of MATS, shares an inside view of the AI safety field and the world's largest AI safety research talent pipeline. PSA for AI builders: Interested in alignment, governance, or AI safety? Learn more about the MATS Summer 2026 Fellowship and submit your name to be notified when applications open: https://matsprogram.org/s26-tcr. He discusses AGI timelines, the blurred line between safety and capabilities work, and why expert disagreement remains so high. In the second half, Ryan breaks down MATS' research archetypes, what top AI safety organizations are looking for, and how applicants can stand out with the right projects, skills, and career strategy. Sponsors: Tasklet: Tasklet is an AI agent that automates your work 24/7; just describe what you want in plain English and it gets the job done. Try it for free and use code COGREV for 50% off your first month at https://tasklet.ai Agents of Scale: Agents of Scale is a podcast from Zapier CEO Wade Foster, featuring conversations with C-suite leaders who are leading AI transformation. Subscribe to the show wherever you get your podcasts Shopify: Shopify powers millions of businesses worldwide, handling 10% of U.S. e-commerce. With hundreds of templates, AI tools for product descriptions, and seamless marketing campaign creation, it's like having a design studio and marketing team in one. Start your $1/month trial today at https://shopify.com/cognitive CHAPTERS: (00:00) About the Episode (03:50) MATS mission, AGI timelines (13:43) Evaluating current AI safety (Part 1) (13:48) Sponsor: Tasklet (14:59) Evaluating current AI safety (Part 2) (Part 1) (28:11) Sponsors: Agents of Scale | Shopify (30:58) Evaluating current AI safety (Part 2) (Part 2) (30:59) Safety research versus capabilities (40:01) Frontier labs, deployment, governance (51:51) MATS tracks and governance (01:04:11) Research archetypes and tooling (01:12:25) Labor market and careers (01:20:09) Applicant selection and preparation (01:29:33) Admissions, salaries, and compute (01:40:34) Future programs and paradigms (01:54:11) Outro PRODUCED BY: https://aipodcast.ing SOCIAL LINKS: Website: https://www.cognitiverevolution.ai Twitter (Podcast): https://x.com/cogrev_podcast Twitter (Nathan): https://x.com/labenz LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/nathanlabenz/ Youtube: https://youtube.com/@CognitiveRevolutionPodcast Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/de/podcast/the-cognitive-revolution-ai-builders-researchers-and/id1669813431 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6yHyok3M3BjqzR0VB5MSyk

This week on Labor History Today, we move from repression to resistance—and from history to possibility. We begin with Labor History in Two and the 1917 trial of labor leader Tom Mooney, a stark reminder of how the justice system has been used to silence working-class dissent. Then we turn to the present with a report from the Working Class History podcast, bringing us to the 2025 Working Class Literature Festival at the occupied former GKN factory outside Florence, Italy—where workers are fighting not only to save their jobs, but to transform their workplace into a cooperative and tell their own stories. We close with another Labor History in Two—the 2006 Sago Mine disaster—underscoring the deadly consequences of corporate negligence and regulatory failure. History doesn't just explain the world we're in. It helps us imagine the one we're trying to build. Questions, comments, or suggestions are welcome, and to find out how you can be a part of Labor History Today, email us at LaborHistoryToday@gmail.com Labor History Today is produced by the Labor Heritage Foundation and the Kalmanovitz Initiative for Labor and the Working Poor. #LaborRadioPod #History #WorkingClass #ClassStruggle @GeorgetownKILWP #LaborHistory @UMDMLA @ILLaborHistory @AFLCIO @StrikeHistory #LaborHistory @wrkclasshistory  

People in Acadiana love restaurants. They love talking about them, reviewing them, arguing about them. They always seem to think they could run one. Hey, if you can cook, why not? Here’s the thing: Restaurants are famously unforgiving businesses. Margins are thin. Labor is hard to find and harder to keep. One bad weekend, one broken piece of equipment, one stretch of slow traffic — and suddenly you’re wondering why you ever thought this was a good idea. And yet, people keep opening them. Maybe that’s because a successful restaurant can be an institution, a fixture of community from generation to generation. Take Ton’s, the diner and plate-lunch place founded in 1963 by the grandparents of Christiaan's lunch guest, Hollie Girouard. Hollie grew up in the restaurant. Ton’s was her second home long before it was her responsibility. A volleyball scholarship brought her to UL, where she studied graphic design and imagined a future in the visual arts. But restaurant life always sucked her back in. In 2023, Hollie opened Ton’s Downtown in Downtown Lafayette. It’s got all the Ton’s staples people expect — gumbo, burgers, plate lunches — with a little bit of a Downtown twist. Belly up to the bar and you can grab fresh juice, vegan options, frozen coffee, cocktails, and late-night service on weekends. Between the Broussard and downtown locations, Ton’s employs about thirty people. Hollie runs both, takes a long-term view of growth, and describes her downtown strategy as a “slow burn.” Dillon Van Way is the founder of Uncle Bob’s Food Truck Roundup, a boutique food truck park in downtown Lafayette. A food truck park makes a lot of sense in Downtown Lafayette — a dense area with relatively high foot traffic and a reputation as a food destination. But Dillon will be the first tell you it’s not easy getting a no-brainer. Dillon is an architect by trade. And as you can by now guess, his name is not Uncle Bob. The food truck park grew out of a real estate project. Dillon redeveloped a building into apartments and found himself with a vacant adjacent lot. Rising construction costs and inflation made traditional development unattractive, so he tried something else: a carefully designed food truck park. Uncle Bob’s opened during Mardi Gras of 2025. Out to Lunch Acadiana was recorded live over lunch at Tsunami Sushi in downtown Lafayette. You can find photos from this show by Astor Morgan at itsacadiana.com.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We talk with Labor Writer Kalena Thomhave about her Capital & Main article about the Dept of Labor changes to Home Health Care Workers in 2026. Thanks to  CWA  UAW2209  MLPA AnneFeeney  LeftistLezzies  WCPT AM 820 Chicago Heartland Signal 

This week, we kick off 2026 by talking about Ambrosia Sky, a short, atmospheric sci-fi game that quietly wrecked us more than we expected. What starts as a PowerWash-adjacent cleanup sim turns into a meditation on grief, abandonment, and the emotional cost of leaving home. We talk about why smaller, constrained games are thriving right now, how Ambrosia Sky uses limitation as a strength, and why finishing Act One left us with far more questions than answers — in the best possible way.  Episode Notes We open the first episode of 2026 in full post-holiday time confusion: strange schedules, too much work, and no reliable sense of what day it is.Eden talks about covering extra shifts at the comic shop, double-dipping PTO, and the unfortunate result of biking home in brutal weather and bruising their ribs.A digression on sleep rituals follows, including Peter's famously corpse-like sleeping position and Eden's highly specific side-switching requirements.With it being January 1st, we reflect on 2025 as a pop-culture year — broadly rough, but not without meaningful discoveries.We note a shared shift toward shorter, more focused media, especially in games.

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FAMINE AND FLIGHT TO FREEDOM Colleague Mark Clifford, The Troublemaker. Jimmy Lai was born into a wealthy family that lost everything to the Communist revolution, forcing his father to flee to Hong Kong while his mother endured labor camps. Left behind, Lai survived as a child laborer during a devastating famine where he was perpetually hungry. A chance encounter with a traveler who gave him a chocolate bar inspired him to escape to Hong Kong, the "land of chocolate," stowing away on a boat at age twelve. NUMBER 9 1920 WAYMO

The Non-Prosecution Agreement (NPA) involving Jeffrey Epstein was a controversial legal arrangement reached in 2007 between Epstein, a wealthy financier, and the United States Attorney's Office for the Southern District of Florida. The agreement was overseen by the DOJ.The Non-Prosecution Agreement (NPA) involving Jeffrey Epstein was a controversial legal arrangement reached in 2007 between Epstein, a wealthy financier, and the United States Attorney's Office for the Southern District of Florida. The agreement was overseen by then-U.S. Attorney Alexander Acosta, who later became the U.S. Secretary of Labor under President Donald Trump.The NPA came about as Epstein faced allegations of sexually abusing underage girls. It allowed him to plead guilty to two state prostitution charges, serving just 13 months in a county jail with work release privileges. In exchange, federal charges against him were dropped, and the agreement granted immunity not only to Epstein but also to any potential co-conspirators.The secrecy surrounding the NPA and the leniency of the sentence sparked outrage and accusations of preferential treatment due to Epstein's wealth and connections. Critics argued that the deal was unjust and failed to adequately address the gravity of Epstein's crimes or provide justice for his victims.In the years following the NPA, Epstein continued to face legal scrutiny and accusations of sexual abuse. However, the agreement insulated him from federal prosecution for the crimes covered in the deal until his arrest in July 2019 on new federal charges of sex trafficking minors. Epstein died by suicide in his jail cell a month later, while awaiting trial.In this episode, we take a trip back down to Palm Beach for a crash course on some of the main players on the stage when Jeffrey Epstein was given his once in a lifetime deal.(commercial at 11:03)to contact me:bobbycapucci@protonmail.comsource:Jeffrey Epstein: Players in early prosecution in Palm Beach County (palmbeachpost.com)

Join me, as I talk with one of my Calm Labor Confident Birth Class students, Laura.Laura's birth story is definitely best friend squad goals! Laura's bestie (who's studying to become a birth doula) was with her during it all - to cheer her on, and to help her through the intense moments.Join the Calm Mama Membership: labornursemama.com/cmsLeave a review and include your Instagram username for a chance to win our monthly raffle!In this episode, she shares her journey to a positive, unmedicated vaginal delivery of a healthy baby boy!She tells us all about laboring at home and delivering in a birth center. She also shared how our birth course helped her have an empowered birth experience.Laura gets real with us and shares the nitty-gritty details of what a water birth includes. You won't hear this anywhere else.Plot twist: her best friend/Doula was the one who actually told her about Labor Nurse Mama and encouraged her to join one of the meet-and-greets we have.Helpful Timestamps:01:40 Pregnancy Journey and Joining the Birth Course03:04 Preparing for Birth and Community Support10:32 Labor Begins: Early Signs and Home Labor14:36 Transition to Birth Center and Water Birth22:41 Pain Management and Labor Experience24:07 The Role of the Partner25:26 Catching the Baby28:11 Post-Delivery Procedures31:27 Returning Home with the Newborn37:42 Reflections on the Birth ExperienceJoin the #1 Birth Course for Confident Birth!Over 15,000 women have used our classes to prepare for birth with the knowledge and tools provided by a Labor Nurse.

It will be a show me story for consumers in 2026, according to John Luke Tyner. He talks about how the average American needs to show resiliency against persistent inflation. On the other end of the FOMC's dual mandate, John talks about what he calls the "slow degradation" of the labor market. ======== Schwab Network ========Empowering every investor and trader, every market day.Subscribe to the Market Minute newsletter - https://schwabnetwork.com/subscribeDownload the iOS app - https://apps.apple.com/us/app/schwab-network/id1460719185Download the Amazon Fire Tv App - https://www.amazon.com/TD-Ameritrade-Network/dp/B07KRD76C7Watch on Sling - https://watch.sling.com/1/asset/191928615bd8d47686f94682aefaa007/watchWatch on Vizio - https://www.vizio.com/en/watchfreeplus-exploreWatch on DistroTV - https://www.distro.tv/live/schwab-network/Follow us on X – / schwabnetwork Follow us on Facebook – / schwabnetwork Follow us on LinkedIn - / schwab-network About Schwab Network - https://schwabnetwork.com/about

In today's episode of Reddit Stories Podcast, a wild Karen completely loses it. You won't believe how this one ends! Sit back, relax, and enjoy this binge-worthy Reddit Stories Podcast, featuring Karen freakouts, entitled people stories, and pro revenge tales.

Welcome back to another episode of the unSeminary podcast. Today we're talking with Tim MacLeod, a former nurse who escaped the financial treadmill by flipping couches—and now teaches others how to do the same. Are you a church leader feeling the financial squeeze? Looking for a side hustle that doesn't require debt, special skills, or hours you don't have? Tim's story offers a practical roadmap—and encouragement—for anyone needing to close that income gap. Burnout and financial pressure. // Tim became a nurse at 21, newly married, supporting his wife through teacher's college, and quickly thrown into adult responsibilities. The only way to stay financially afloat was by working overtime once or twice a week. When their second child was on the way, he realized the path he was on was unsustainable. Finding financial freedom. // Options like upgrading his nursing degree, relocating, or working in dangerous psychiatric facilities were unappealing. Tim needed something flexible, part-time, and profitable enough to replace overtime. He discovered flipping phones and iPads first, but competition was fierce. Then, after borrowing a trailer and responding to a free couch listing, everything changed. He cleaned it up, sold it the next day for $280, and instantly covered more than an entire nursing shift. Why flipping couches works. // The opportunity exists because of a gap in the marketplace. Most people don't own trucks, can't move heavy furniture, and face tight deadlines when moving. Sellers value reliable pickup over price; buyers value affordable furniture delivered to their door. Tim steps into this gap. With polite communication and kindness, he creates a “win-win-win”: sellers get rid of furniture quickly, buyers get affordable delivered couches, and Tim earns a consistent profit. He estimates most beginners can make $1,000/month by flipping just five couches—buying each for around $50 and selling for $250 with delivery included. A side hustle with time freedom. // One of the most surprising parts of Tim's business is the flexibility. He built the early stages of his flipping business in the evenings with his wife and baby riding along—road dinners, cheap pizza, and trips to pick up inventory. Now he schedules pickups during school hours, stacks deliveries based on availability, and can pause or accelerate the business as needed. It's ideal for ministry families with unpredictable schedules. Why you can succeed at this. // Many of Tim's students are pastors or church employees, and he says ministry workers have unique advantages: access to storage at the church, a heart for helping people, strong communication skills, and the ability to bring calm to awkward interactions. Many pastors live outside their ministry communities—creating the perfect “import/export” opportunity where they can buy in one market and sell in another. And unlike many side hustles, flipping couches doesn't conflict with ministry—it simply provides supplemental income with minimal stress. A free resource to get started. // Tim created a free Google Doc of scripts—his exact messages for starting conversations, vetting couches, and negotiating with integrity. To get it, simply comment scripts on any of his Instagram videos and he’ll email it your way. He also offers an affordable course walking through his full system, including storage setup, videos, delivery strategies, and scaling beyond $1,000/month. To learn more or access Tim's free scripts, visit him on Instagram @thefulltimeflipper or explore his full course at tim-macleod.com. Thank You for Tuning In! There are a lot of podcasts you could be tuning into today, but you chose unSeminary, and I'm grateful for that. If you enjoyed today's show, please share it by using the social media buttons you see at the left hand side of this page. Also, kindly consider taking the 60-seconds it takes to leave an honest review and rating for the podcast on iTunes, they're extremely helpful when it comes to the ranking of the show and you can bet that I read every single one of them personally! Episode Transcript Rich Birch — Hey, friends, welcome to the unSeminary podcast. So glad that you have decided to tune in. We’re definitely having a very un-unSeminary episode today. You know recently I heard some statistics that I was like, man, we gotta do something about this. According to the Bureau of Labor and Statistics—you’re like, it’s a little early in the year for the Bureau of Labor and Statistics—but there’s a 13% gap between what religious workers—people who are clergy actually, is the title—and the average income in the country makes – a 13% gap. In fact, it even gets worse when you look at people, there’s a category called “religious workers, other”, which these would be like not the senior pastor types. This is like everybody else that works in a church. There’s a 40% gap between those people and the the average salary in the country. Rich Birch — And so why am I bringing this up? Because I know that there are people that are listening in today that are feeling that gap. Here we are in January and they’re feeling the pressure of that. And I want to help you with that. And so I’ve got a friend, like a friend from real life, friends. This is like we’re in the same small group. We know each other, incredible leader, and I want to expose you to him. But more importantly, I think he can help you with that gap.Rich Birch — It’s my friend, Tim MacLeod. Tim was a nurse with the dreams of fatherhood and home ownership, but after a few years was faced with reality and no time, no amount of overtime was really going to fill the gap that he needed to make things work. And after being stuck on that kind of financial treadmill, he found a way out. He found the niche of, wait for it, friends, flipping couches. What? Flipping couches and was able to quit his nursing job and now does this full time. And I’ve asked him to come on. Uh, because I think what he did at the beginning, even part-time, I think could help some of us today that are, that are listening in. Tim, welcome to the show. So glad you’re here.Tim MacLeod — Thanks so much for having me, man. I’m excited.Rich Birch — This is going to be a good conversation. Kind of fill in the story. Tell us a little bit, uh, tell us about your background, and how did you get in? How did you go from nursing to flipping couches?Tim MacLeod — So I wanted to be obedient and I got married maybe a little bit too young at 21. My wife was still in teacher’s college. And so very, very quickly I was thrown into adulthood of two cars, rents and all the things that come with that.Tim MacLeod — And nursing was good. I was a registered practical nurse, so not a university educated RN making bank, but doing okay with a college diploma. And I got the comfy gig at a long-term care home because I preferred eight-hour shifts and not the, I didn’t want nights.Rich Birch — Midnight and all that.Tim MacLeod — I just wanted, yeah, exactly.Rich Birch — Yeah, yeah, yeah.Tim MacLeod — I wanted the free parking and the the reliable six to two shifts. That was just the lifestyle that I liked. And the only way that I could stay afloat financially was with doubles. I had to do my six to two and then at least once a week, usually twice, if I wanted to have any money to play with, um I would work the two to ten.Rich Birch — Wow.Tim MacLeod — And that was cool while my wife was in college or while she was finishing up teacher’s college, that was fine. And then, we had a newborn baby and that was fine. Because anytime that I would have to do those doubles, she’d go to sleep, go for a sleepover at her parents’ place. And, uh, and I would just drudge up the shifts.Tim MacLeod — And, but then when we were pregnant with number two, I knew that there was difficulties coming. And the road ahead did not look very good. And so I needed something different and all my options for replacing the income suck. Like I could go back to school and upgrade to RN, but I scraped through the first time. So that was nuts.Rich Birch — Right.Tim MacLeod — I didn’t have much hope in myself in that avenue. And I could go, I could relocate, I could move or I could commute about an hour and 20 away to the mental health hospital and make like danger pay in like an asylum, basically with my current qualifications.Rich Birch — Right.Tim MacLeod — And everything just looked terrible. I hated all of that. And all I needed was something better than overtime. I just needed to replace that portion of the income. And I needed something better in my evenings that hopefully I could do with my wife or from home. And so I was looking at side hustles.Tim MacLeod — And I had a little bit of success flipping phones and iPads because that’s all that I really understood…Rich Birch — Okay. Yeah, yeah.Tim MacLeod — …all I understood at the time. And I live about an hour north of where my in-laws live, which is a pretty dense population. I’m in the sticks and the supply was really light there. So I could reliably go for a free meal at my in-laws place, pick up an iPhone or three and for like 300 bucks and then bring them home and sell them for 450 bucks. And so that took that took the pressure off and that was like grocery money.Rich Birch — Right.Tim MacLeod — And it was really consistent, really reliable. And and it was fun too. I really liked it. I liked the negotiations. I liked, I liked not trading time. Rich Birch — Right.Tim MacLeod — Like I liked making making a profit instead of a wage. And that I was hooked on that, but there was competition. Like I wasn’t that clever doing that.Tim MacLeod — There was there was kids that were closer to the inventory ripping around in little Hyundai Elantras and uh i remember meeting this this Indian kid named Lucky, at least his Canadian name was Lucky, and he was beating me to all the goods. And and I met him one time to buy a phone for myself and I actually got to meet him and ask him some questions and he was making four grand a month flipping phones.Rich Birch — Wow.Tim MacLeod — And I thought that is so sick, and it’s just a pure cash hustle. And he was making more doing that than whatever his office or IT job was at the time. And I was super inspired by that, but I didn’t want to compete with him. So that kind of that kind of festered with me a little bit.Tim MacLeod — And um I just got an awesome idea. Well, was gifted to me by the Holy Spirit, I think, based on how fast and how fierce it came, that I need to get skills and tools to sell in a different category, something with a higher barrier to entry. And I wanted something where I didn’t have to compete with the Honda Civics and the Hyundai Elantra’s that were closer to the action.Rich Birch — With Lucky. Yes.Tim MacLeod — Yeah, exactly. He was smoking me. And and it also, it was a little bit of that and then also a little bit of me coveting. I wanted to get like, um I wanted an excuse to buy a Ford Ranger. I wanted a truck at the time.Rich Birch — Love it.Tim MacLeod — And so this combination, this combination of like wants and needs at the time, had me pitching an idea to my brother, Ross. I’m just like, Hey, what do you think about instead of phones and iPads? What if I got a truck and I started doing like washers and dryers or appliances or something like that? And he said, that’s a cool idea.Tim MacLeod — You’re good at the phones and iPads thing. And I definitely like, you’re good at the negotiations, all that. But don’t start eight grand in debt. That’s so stupid. Why don’t you just borrow my trailer and just try it? And I said, well, I don’t have a, I don’t have a hitch on my car. He said, get a hitch on your car, buddy. Okay. So, put that on the Visa, did not have the money for it. Rich Birch — Wow. Tim MacLeod — Put that on the Visa, put a two inch two inch hitch and four prong wiring on Mazda 5 like the little four cylinder, little mini minivan.Rich Birch — Oh, I wish I would have saw this at that. I wish I would have s seen this at this phase. Cause that, that, that would have been amazing to see him getting pulled around.Tim MacLeod — It was it was pretty cute and it was a big trailer too 12 by 6 aluminum being pulled by this little aaaaahhh. And it was stick shift and and…Rich Birch — Nice.Tim MacLeod — …and the first day I got the trailer, the only thing I could find, because I was just itching to use it, was a free couch. And it was one of those beige microfiber, like gets dirty if you look at it wrong.Rich Birch — All right. Yes.Tim MacLeod — Like they hold on to every water stain.Rich Birch — Yes. Yes.Tim MacLeod — And it was that and it was free and it needed a little bit of TLC. And I went and I got it for free. Brought it home and with a damp cloth, scrubbed out all the little marks and had it looking good. Took a picture of it, listed it with an offer of delivery and it sold the next day for 280 bucks.Rich Birch — Wow. That’s amazing.Tim MacLeod — It was awesome. Because a nursing shift net was like 180.Rich Birch — Wow, OK.Tim MacLeod — I think I was, I think I was 28 bucks an hour for an eight hour shift after taxes. Yeah. Probably like 180 hit the account.Rich Birch — Wow.Tim MacLeod — And so 280 for that. And it was one of those trips of free meal at, at the in-laws and then a free couch and then bring it home and then solve somebody’s problem of, I just got an apartment. I don’t have a car or my car’s too small and I need a couch.Rich Birch — Yes, yes.Tim MacLeod — And their option was, rent a U-Haul or go to Leon’s and finance something that comes delivered. Both are not very good options for most people. And then lo and behold was this guy who said, I got a couch, I can bring it by. And it was just the easiest yes for them. It was a win for everybody. Rich Birch — Right.Tim MacLeod — The person who needed the couch picked up, didn’t care about the money. They needed reliable pickup more than they needed cost recovery of the item because they had a deadline. I needed a way to make some cash and the person on the receiving end needed a couch that was affordable that came delivered. So it was just a win-win-win for everybody. I was like, okay, forget about appliances. Couches – I love this. And it was easy, it was it was easy enough to lift by myself. Rich Birch — Did you ever do appliances? Did you ever do appliances in there? Tim MacLeod — Yeah. I did a washer and dryer and ate a loss on that because it needed repair and I didn’t… Rich Birch — Love it. Tim MacLeod — …I paid for someone to assess and they were like, yeah, this thing’s broken. Was like, sweet. Okay. So a hundred bucks to you for, for, to tell me that it’s hopeless, and then pay for junk removal too.Rich Birch — Yes.Tim MacLeod — Like it was just such a loss. But couches, I could reliably sit on it and be like, well, that’s not broken. And I can handle that little stain or I can, my wife could stitch that up.Rich Birch — Right. Right.Tim MacLeod — And, uh, it was just so safe. And I loved it. If, if I were handier, I’m sure I could, flip snowblowers or lawnmowers or cars or something like that, but I’m not handy. I’m just, I have the ability to relocate stuff. Rich Birch — Right.Tim MacLeod — And so couches were just so perfect where I could just accurately be like, that’s 300 bucks to me. Rich Birch — Right.Tim MacLeod — And they only want 60 for it. Perfect. Let’s do that.Rich Birch — So and let’s double click on that. A part of what, so friends, like with the reason why, I think you’ve seen why I’ve got Tim on the the line today. I want to inspire you to think like, hey, you you could in part-time make a little extra a month. And I’m going to get to that with Tim. I’m going We’re going hammer down on, okay, what exactly would be some of the first steps that you take? But let’s unpack a little bit more. You’ve talked about once this insight, which I think is just a stellar insight that’s obviously at the core of your business. It’s this whole timing thing. Like people, you know they think a couch is worth certain certain amount, but they’re moving on X date, and the value of that couch goes down. But then it’s literally the reverse. Someone on the other side, they have an empty living room and they’re like, I need something here.Rich Birch — Unpack that a little more, kind of double click on… that value exchange and how you’re in the middle of that. What’s it talk us through what that looks like.Tim MacLeod — Yeah, there’s there’s a gap. There’s a gap in the marketplace. On the one end, we’ve got people who need it picked up and their options are hope that someone will pay the price that they want. And then if they hit a deadline, then their option is junk removal or put it to the curb. And so there’s a gap to fill there. Tim MacLeod — And then on the other side, there’s a gap of people who need a couch dropped off but can’t do it themselves. Like how many, what’s the population of people that own a truck that can actually do it is probably less than 10%. Most people have cars and hatchbacks and SUVs and stuff like that.Rich Birch — Right. Tim MacLeod — And then there’s also the how many people can lift a couch. I would say easily less than half the population. And so there’s just this huge gap that can be filled. And so by just committing to being the dude, you can help a lot of people solve a lot of problems. And there’s a little slice in it for you too.Rich Birch — So one of the things I’ve heard you say is that you have found this process of buying couches and then, you know, sitting on them for a while, maybe cleaning them a little bit and then turning around selling them is really flexible. Talk us through that. You know, it feels like you’re, you know, you’re, you have some time control. Talk us through what that looks like for you in your current world.Tim MacLeod — Yeah, the time freedom is crazy. And that was the appeal in the beginning was [inaudible] I didn’t want to be strapped to a location, a building to to make money. I had to be away from my wife and kids. But when it, couches just took off so fast that the first time I flipped a couch, I immediately called the scheduling office and reneged on all of my overtime. I said cancel all my two shifts.Rich Birch — Oh, wow.Tim MacLeod — I’m done. I’m I’m I’m just doing my 10 shifts. And, and then it didn’t take too long before i wanted to quit so fast, man. I wanted to be out of there. My, my my passion for the, like, I was so replaceable. Like as soon as if if I’m gone, someone’s going to fill the shift.Rich Birch — Right. Right.Tim MacLeod — Like, ah but there was a, there was a huge, there was a need that, and it was fun for me too. It was a game. I forget the question.Rich Birch — Yeah, I was just talking about the time flexibility, like how you feel like it’s, you know, you have a fair amount of time freedom. Part of what I’m trying to get to is pastors are busy people. Church workers are busy people. Is this even the kind of thing that they could fit into, you know, an existing as like a side hustle kind of thing?Tim MacLeod — Yes. Yeah. The time freedom is crazy. And so on the buying side, I’m just letting people know when I’m available. And sometimes I’ll tie it up with ah with a $50 deposit so that they can market it sold with confidence and they know that I’m not going to ghost on them. And that I have the peace of mind of nice, that’s mine for when I need it. And I’ll squeeze them for a deadline so that I make sure that I’m providing the service of reliable pickup in a manner that works for them. Tim MacLeod — But yeah, I’m just stacking pickups when it’s convenient for me. And in this current season, it’s during school hours. Rich Birch — Right.Tim MacLeod — So I’ll drop the kids off at school and then rip south and grab some stuff. But in that season, it was I’m available in the evening. And so I would come home from school, I’m sorry, work from my nursing job. And my wife would pack up, we pack up a little cooler bag of like a road picnic of dinner.Rich Birch — Right.Tim MacLeod — We had a one-year-old baby at the time and, uh, oh, that summer there was a lot of 50% off pizzas. Pizza Hut had a, the, the apps, we had all, all the apps, lots of road dinners. Rich Birch — Yes. Yes. Tim MacLeod — And Costco was clutch too.Rich Birch — Yeah.Tim MacLeod — But, um, yeah, just when I had an availability, I would acquire inventory and then they’d sell when they sell. And and again, full flexibility of, okay, I’m available at this time. I can squeeze in a delivery or someone could come pick it up. But yeah, the the time freedom is crazy and it’s sweet to to to just dabble in profits instead of relying on a wage. Rich Birch — Right.Tim MacLeod — Yeah, time freedom is awesome.Rich Birch — Well, you talked about the fact that your you know your brother was telling you you’re good at negotiations. I know there are people that are listening in today that are feeling like, oh, there’s no way that I would be good at negotiations. Obviously, you’ve got to buy the thing for considerably lower than what you’re selling it for. Talk us through even just a couple, help us get over that hurdle in our brains. Man, I just don’t know that I could do that.Tim MacLeod — Yeah. So the first thing is I’m scrolling a lot. And not not frequently. I’m not glued to my phone. But when I do it, I lock in. Like today was the shopping session and it was headphones in with some instrumental music, just kind of vibing. And I’m probably scrolling, looking at probably 400, 500 couches. Rich Birch — Okay.Tim MacLeod — And I’ll message probably 20 to 30 of them. Because a lot of them are crap. A lot of them are actually new. There’s no opportunity with new coaches. like There’s lots of warehouse stuff that’s still on first Facebook Marketplace and stuff like that. But what I’m looking for is very specific. I’m looking for private sales from real people. You got to be able to spot the scammers and weed them out. Tim MacLeod — And I’m looking for couches that I would want in my lockers. I’m not worried about the price whatsoever. Because the price is super subjective and it’s just kind of like what they’re hoping for. It’s not actually what they’re necessarily going to get. So the price is irrelevant. I’m just looking at pictures and I’m compiling lists of couches that I would want. And I’m starting conversations so that it’s kind of like I’m, I’m, it’s it’s like I’m offering my service. I’m starting the conversation to see why they’re selling it, if there’s a deadline, and if they would be someone who would be receptive to my service. And it’s kind of like they’re paying me for my reliable pickup service with a smoking and deal on a couch.Tim MacLeod — And so I have to get them there. And it’s not just, I can’t just go around lowballing everybody because you burn the bridge and you hurt feelings. Rich Birch — Right. Tim MacLeod — So I’m starting conversations and I’m filling in the gaps on the item. So I’ll read the description and see what’s missing. Like, did they specify that there’s pets in the house? I want to know, is there pets? Are there smokers in the house? Does it need any repairs? Does it need any stain removal or restoration if it’s leather? And I’m filling in all the gaps. So I have a complete picture of what it is that I’m actually buying. And that’s all kind of like a trauma response from my many, many drives of shame of I didn’t ask the right questions.Tim MacLeod — And so it’s it’s definitely preventing the drive of shame. And I’m just running through these scripts that I have. And it would sound like it’s a lot of typing, but I’ve actually made keyboard shortcuts for all of it. So my opening question is, I’ll never say, hi, is this still available? Because everybody hates being asked, hi, is this still available? On Facebook Marketplace, right? Because they’ve made it ah they’ve made it a button… Rich Birch — Yes. That’s why it’s up. Tim MacLeod — …where it’s just like, hi, is this still available? But that upsets people, which is fair, because it’s annoying. But at the same time, most people don’t have empathy for the fact that, how else are they going to start the conversation? Why would you ask questions if you’ve got someone lined up for it? So I’ll ask the exact same question, but in a way that annoys nobody. And I’ll say, is anyone scheduled to pick this up? It’s the same question, but upsets nobody.Rich Birch — Same question, just in a different way.Tim MacLeod — So that’s, that’s my first shortcut is, good morning, good good afternoon, good evening, whatever. And then any, and so on my keyboard, any with two wise expands into anyone’s schedule to pick this up. And then the next one is, does it need any repairs or stain removal? That’s if it’s fabric. And that’s does D or D O E S S and then D O E s S S S or with three S’s is, does it need any repairs or restoration? That’s if it’s leather. And so it’s just these quick little, my thumbs are just, and just… Rich Birch — So cool. Tim MacLeod — …I’m, I’m drafting up this quick little paragraph that fills in all the gaps, firing that over. And then, And then they’ll reply and fill in the gaps. And then I park it. I pause the conversation by saying, okay, awesome. Thanks so much. Just starting to have a peek at options, might get back to you.Tim MacLeod — And that one line separates me from everybody on Facebook. Because most people ask a question and then they just leave it on read. They got that little picture, that little tiny profile picture of yourself that says that, hey, he read it, but he’s gone and it’s crickets.Rich Birch — Yes.Tim MacLeod — And it’s a very, very infuriating experience. And that’s kind of like part of my service is that I am very, very different on Facebook Marketplace. Like an experience selling to me is better than anybody…Rich Birch — Right.Tim MacLeod — …because of how I talk. Like I’ll receive offers every day from people that don’t use words. They just send a number. Rich Birch — Just money. Tim MacLeod — Like I’ve got a couch listed for 1150 and someone just sends 700 – no dollar sign, no question mark, no good morning, nothing like that. And, and that’s a fair offer. Like he’s… Rich Birch — Yeah. Tim MacLeod — …I paid, I paid a fifth of that, like 700 is a fair offer, but I automatically hate this guy. I don’t, I don’t hate, I don’t hate him. Rich Birch — Yes. No, I get what you mean.Tim MacLeod — But, but it’s immediately just like, dude! Rich Birch — Yes. Tim MacLeod — You like say, say hi, say please. Rich Birch — Yes. Yes. Tim MacLeod — Even a, even a question mark would be, you know, so that’s the kind of people that I’m dealing with. And I’ve got thick skin and I always operate on the mindset of, I do want to sell this guy and I, and I do want to see him later today. So I’m not going to match his energy. Rich Birch — Right.Tim MacLeod — I’m never, I’m never a thermometer. I’m always a thermostat. I always set, set the temperature in the room, you know?Rich Birch — Right. Love it. Yep.Tim MacLeod — And so that’s ah that’s a big factor. But yeah, running through those scripts and and just getting people to their best price. And so after pausing it of, thanks so much, just starting to have a peek at options, I’ll reconnect with them.Tim MacLeod — Now, this is this is if their price is optimistic and it’s not a price that I’m willing to pay. I’ll slow play it a little bit by pausing the conversation. And then I’ll come back and then I’ll hit them with my my secret weapon is my polite lowball offer. And the number they might hate the number, but it comes gift wrapped in this like apologetic, like, Hey, I’m…Rich Birch — Oh, you got to tell me more that you’re, you’re setting that up. Well, you’re like, what is the polite low ball offer?Tim MacLeod — For me, I’m shopping in Toronto, which is like 90 minutes, two hours away.Tim MacLeod — And so my apologetic offer is: It’s so far, is there any chance you’d consider this much, any chance you’d consider for an out of towner? And then I just plug in the number. And, and it’s always received well. And even if it’s even if it’s even if they’re firm, that’s fine. Now I know. Rich Birch — Right. It’s data. Tim MacLeod — But and ah honestly, if somebody accepts my offer, then I didn’t offer low enough. Like I’m i’m really pushing the limit.Rich Birch — Oh, interesting.Tim MacLeod — I’m flirting with the line between an optimistic offer and a rude offer, but because I’m so nice about it. And it’s, it’s kind of like, it’s my secret weapon to get them to their best price. Because the the worst way to get someone to their best price is what’s your best price?Rich Birch — Right.Tim MacLeod — Like whenever someone asks me that, it’s again, it’s just like, that’s annoying. I don’t like you.Rich Birch — Yes. Yes. Right, right, right, right, right.Tim MacLeod — But to politely lowball and then their counter is their best price. So I just want to squeeze them for their counter offer. And now I know what their best price is.Rich Birch — Right. Okay. That’s cool. There’s a lot there. And I know you’re want to stay tuned because Tim’s got an offer of some free help that he wants to give you that we’re going to, we’re going to get to here in a minute. So I know some of you were like, go back and ask questions on that. But I know that the free offer to help is going to help with some, some of those things. Rich Birch — What about negotiation on the other side? So I get a sense of what you’re talking about to try to get them, you know, there’s a time thing there and we’re going to wait and all that. But now on the other end, you’re trying to obviously maximize or get the biggest money for that couch you just bought, bought. What are some things we should be thinking about on that? How are you offering the couches in a way that, you know, captures people’s imagination and says like, oh, okay, that’s this, I want to do business with this guy.Tim MacLeod — So a big thing is where I’m selling it. It’s almost like I have an import business. It’s that I’m I’m ripping down the city and I’m shopping in the Tesla BMW neighborhoods where nobody has trucks and they sell really slowly. Rich Birch — Yeah.Tim MacLeod — And I’m loading a trailer and then bringing it home to the sticks where there’s not as much supply. And I’m selling to people who do have pickup trucks. Like where I live, there’s lots of people with trucks and trailers, but they weren’t doing that drive to the city like I did.Rich Birch — Right. Right.Tim MacLeod — So I’m destroying a Toyota Highlander in kilometers, which is really hard to do. It’s at 400,040 and she ain’t quitting anytime soon. It’s been a great car.Rich Birch — Love it.Tim MacLeod — So that is definitely like the fact that it feels like an import business feels like cheating.Rich Birch — Well, and can I just, I just want to interrupt you for a second here. This, because that dynamic, this is a part of why I wanted to have you on the show. Because one of the things that I’ve seen is like, it’s super common, like super common for church leaders to not live in the community that they serve. Because frankly, they can’t afford to live there because of that gap that I just told you about.Rich Birch — There is a wage gap between what people make and the communities they serve in. And so they typically live you know, 45 minutes, an hour away. I actually think that that, the fact that they’re just driving into the office could be, and then going back to wherever they live, could actually set them up for running this kind of business just because they’re in and out of where they’re at.Tim MacLeod — Oh, yeah. Yeah, that’d be cheating. If you could, if you could grab a couch on your way home from on your way home from work to bring it back to the sticks, that’d be awesome.Rich Birch — Yeah. Yeah. I see that all the time.Tim MacLeod — For sure. And at a lot of…Rich Birch — So the distance is one way. So there’s like an import out, out, port anything else that you get, it’s kind of an interesting part of how you negotiate on to try to increase the, the, the price.Tim MacLeod — Knowing what it’s worth and how quickly it would sell is definitely a factor. And just patience wins on both sides.Rich Birch — Right.Tim MacLeod — Being the dude who um can pick it up and someone is now, they had their optimistic kick at the can and now it needs to go and their patience has run out. Patience wins there. And then on the selling side to where I don’t, it’s not in my foyer. It’s not in my living room. The new couch hasn’t arrived. It’s in a storage locker ready to be picked up anytime. And my lockers are fairly affordable being in a rural spot.Tim MacLeod — And so it’s kind of like if if we were playing poker, I’m holding aces. I can deliver it. I can sell to anybody. I’m not relying on people on the small demographic who can pick it up. I can sell to the Honda Civic crowd. I can sell to seniors who can’t lift a couch themselves. I can finesse it into a patio door by myself. And so there’s the there’s the skill gap there as well. And all of the all of the hindrances that make selling a couch difficult are not a factor for me. I can lift them by myself. I can I have the best trailer. I have storage lockers. They can take as long as they need to sell. And I live in a market where there’s not as much supply. So it’s just, it feels like cheating. Like I’m just really, really set up for it. And it’s super easy to be patient.Rich Birch — Now, I don’t know if I’m going to force you to give away one of your secret weapons here, but talk about the videos that you shoot ah of the, you know, of the products. Because i to me, I think this is one of the things you do that I think is super unique. What is what’s unique about the videos that you might shoot? Say got this nice leather couch. It’s like, you know, it sells for $5,000 somewhere else. You’re selling it for whatever, $1,500, $2,000. What’s actually in that video that might set your your listings apart?Tim MacLeod — Yeah, so that was something that I feel like I pioneered. And since then, Facebook has now added a feature where you can add a video to a listing. But it’s so nice to have. So I’m I’m posting flattering photos. So it’s it’s a scroll stopper when they’re on Marketplace.Tim MacLeod — And they’ll inquire. And then my video is super, super honest. And the goal is for it to be so detailed that they could confidently say, okay, he just showed me all the reasons not to buy the couch because all my stuff is used. I’m not selling anything new. It’s all pre-owned. They all have some blemishes or some quirks or worn spots or something like that. But to include ah a video that shows all of the reason not to buy it really, really greases the wheels because no one’s coming to see a couch and then being disappointed when they get there. Everything was already shown.Rich Birch — Right. Right.Tim MacLeod — So they’re coming to just give, basically just come sit and sniff and make sure that it’s something that they would want in their house, or something they’d want to sit on for two hours a day. And, um, and so those videos really, really saved me so much time and gasoline. And since then they’ve added that where you can add a feature. So, or where you can add a video into the listing. And so as long as the video is less than a minute, so I’m aiming for 59 seconds, I’ll fill the whole thing and I’m showing every inch of it and I’m packing it with dialogue on the neighborhood that it came from, the people, the house. And a lot of times that’s a selling feature of this this couch came from North York. The house was ridiculous. Rich Birch — Right.Tim MacLeod — It’s one of those houses with three living rooms. And this is the one that had the Christmas tree for a month a year. Like this was barely used. And I’m just packing it with dialogue and really, really selling it.Rich Birch — Yeah.Tim MacLeod — And my goal is that I could deliver it with them like sight unseen that they could firm up. And that when that couch arrives, there are absolutely no surprises. It’s everything they ask for [inaudible]…Rich Birch — Which from from your point of view, like this isn’t the only couch you’re hoping to sell this week. And and a part of the way that you have to protect your time and protect your business, frankly, is not having a bunch of people come and check out couches and then decide against it. Whether they’re coming to your locker or you’re driving it to their place. That’s like the worst case scenario is they show up and they’re like, oh, I don’t want this. So you might as well be fully upfront and be like, hey, here’s some stuff that’s not great about it.Rich Birch — And you do it in a really clever way. I love those videos. You helped me sell a car, which was fantastic. And I love the video you did for, you know, for that, because it was the same thing. It was this kind of like fun, um you know, here’s five reasons why you shouldn’t buy this, which which is just endearing. People, you know, lean in and want to hear more about that.Rich Birch — Well, what about the lifting piece? So, you know, if you’re not seeing one of these clips, Tim is a man of a certain size. He’s got some girth to him. He can pick stuff up. But what if I can’t? What if I’m not that guy? What if it more like me? You know, you’re like, hey, I’m not sure that guy can pick up 20 pounds. Like, is that like, I know that’s a part of what your you offer. Obviously, it’s a part of your advantage. But, you know, not everybody can do that. Talk us through that hesitation.Tim MacLeod — Yeah, I don’t think that it’s a deal breaker for having success. I think that if you can carry in a stubborn load of groceries in from the house that you could make a lot of money flipping couches.Rich Birch — That’s good.Tim MacLeod — And it it feels like a very unique form of laziness. Like I’m the kind of guy that if I need to go start start the barbecue or go run and grab my wallet from the car, I’m going to walk across the whole house and look for my flip flops instead of bending over and lacing up my boots that are right there. Like it’s a very unique form of laziness where I could jackknife park the trailer up to the storage locker. I have the dolly, but I’d way rather just, hey-yep-hey-yep-pep-pep just, just he-man lift it myself. And I’ve got a lot of really good mechanics lifting it. Tim MacLeod — Lifting a couch solo actually is not very heroic. And, and I’ve taught a lot of people how to do it. And there is, there are some heroic angles where, where the couch is on the ground and all four feet are on the ground to like clean and jerk it up overhead is that would definitely take some mass and some explosive power, but you can always also lift the couch up from the side until it’s vertical and then kind of like let it teeter and, fall on you in ah in a safe manner. And the lift itself, like once it’s up, it’s it’s as easy as like portaging a canoe. It’s not it’s not as heroic as it seems.Tim MacLeod — And I’m still reliant on other people. I am a one man show and it’s not, the money’s not good enough to pay an employee to sit in the car with me for four hours for 30 seconds of actual work. And so that’s one of my, one of my questions that I’m asking people, lift with two T’s on my phone expands into is anyone available to help me lift it? I’ll be alone. So I do need muscle.Tim MacLeod — And, um, if it’s in the garage, I can do it solo, like dragging a couch onto my trailer is easy enough. They slide very well. And I do have the dolly if there’s anything overly technical, like the pullouts, it’s nice to have a dolly. But yeah, a lot of the times there’s people, there’s someone there to help me lift it. And very, very rarely is it, sorry, I had back surgery or sorry, I’m a single senior lady or something like that. There’s usually, and even even when they say that, sometimes I’ll press a little further. Like, do you have a helpful neighbor? Rich Birch — Right. Meet us.Tim MacLeod — Do you have a son-in-law who can who could that I could coordinate with? Yep. And a lot of times I’m just handing it, or I’m squeezing them for a cell phone number of whoever the the muscle is. And now I’m on their schedule.Rich Birch — Yeah, that’s cool.Tim MacLeod — So solo lifts are not required, but they are, they are helpful sometimes, especially at the locker when I’m by myself.Rich Birch — So this is how many years you’ve been doing this full time? Like you, so you left nursing, you know, I know this goes way back to the beginning the story. You left nursing and then how many times, how many years you’ve been doing this?Tim MacLeod — July, 2019, I borrowed the trailer from my brother. And I did full-time nursing plus evening couches for about a year, pulled back from full-time to part-time, part-time to casual. And I think it was May, 2021. Like I did a year of COVID nursing and hated every second of it. Like as soon as COVID was announced, I wanted to be out of there, but I had mortgage approval on the brain and T4 income, or W2 income for the Americans, is much more preferred for lenders than self-employed income. So I held on for that reason. And eventually left just because I hated nursing. I was getting like ulcers on my ears from wearing masks all day. Just the the charades of COVID were really, really ruining it for me.Rich Birch — So we’re going I want to get to that, that help that you’re, you know, you’re offering, which is fantastic. But I want to think about like a person that, you know, they, we want people to stay in their jobs. We don’t want them necessarily to leave. And so ah somebody that wants to make maybe like an extra thousand bucks a month, maybe that’s like, which is, you know, to lots of people, that is like a, that’s a game changer. Like that’s like, that makes all the difference in the world.Rich Birch — Give me a sense of what you think that would take to actually get to that point where, okay, yes, I could, you know, how much time do you think they would need to invest? You know, what would, what is that going to look like? How many couches do you think I’d have to move? You know, I know that’s hard to say. It’s like all North America wide, but give us a sense of kind of the framework of for an extra thousand bucks a month, what would that look like for somebody? Maybe it’s like a youth pastor that’s that’s listening in or an executive pastor. Or and they’re like, Hey, if I just had an extra 1000 bucks that’d make a huge difference in my life. What what would that look like?Tim MacLeod — Sounds like five couches to me.Rich Birch — Five couches. Okay.Tim MacLeod — Buy them for 50, sell them for 250. Delivered. Yep. And that’s that’s a great way to start is just three-seaters. Just rinse and repeat. Three-seater, three-seater, three-seater. But the money is sets and sectionals. That’s where my focus is now.Rich Birch — Okay, okay.Tim MacLeod — Now that does require trailer privilege. But with a with a minivan, you can pick up a three seater. Most three seaters will fit inside a Dodge Caravan or an Odyssey or a Toyota Sienna. And that’s a really good way to start lean and mean with a U-Haul, enclosed trailer, you just need a V6 all wheel drive. So obviously preferred, especially if you have the kind of weather we do, but, um, yeah, for 45 bucks for a U-Haul enclosed, that’s, that’s insured so that you could get in an accident and you’re not paying for it. Always take the insurance. Always. It’s only like five bucks. Tim MacLeod — But um yeah, 45 bucks for 12 by 6. And then you can pick up couch, love seat twice. But yeah, just fill in those trailers. But yeah, starting lean with what you have available and scaling up when it’s smart. And once you’ve proven that it’s possible in your market as well. But everyone’s using couches, so I think it’s good alright.Rich Birch — Yeah, so five, so five couches. How many conversations do you think I’d have to get into take to buy five couches, maybe on that side first?Tim MacLeod — I think, yeah, with the numbers, I think that if you were to start 30 conversations a month, that there would be, there would be five people that hit deadlines and they’d be like, sure. 50 bucks. If you can actually show up, it’s yours.Rich Birch — Right. Right. That’s that feels very doable. That doesn’t feel like crazy out of reach. Like there’s no way that feels like a good, you know, a great starting point for sure.Tim MacLeod — And nobody wants to do it. The barrier for entry is, is ah high enough that it’s it’s basically a private little fishing pond. A lot of people to help.Rich Birch — Right. So let’s talk about, I want to, you’re going to help people, which is amazing. And so you’ve put together some resources to help them kind of get the the ball rolling on this front. And how do, first of all, tell us what it is and then talk to us about how we can get that contact information. We’ll put links and all that in the show notes, but talk us through this.Tim MacLeod — Yeah. So those scripts that I was talking about, um, I’ve made a Google doc that is available. All you got to do is comment scripts on any of my videos and, uh, my little robot Tim will fire over, um, just squeeze you for an email and then I’ll fire that over. And, uh, it’s a good little list and you can plug those in just copy and paste and plug them into keyboard shortcuts in your phone. And then you can use those. Tim MacLeod — And it doesn’t have to be for couches. Like a lot of them are pretty couch specific, but just using those as inspiration for starting conversations and getting people to their best price and making sure that you have all the information so you’re making an informed purchase and there’s not any surprises. And and you’ll see with the with the flow of the conversation, I really am just gifting the blueprint on getting people to their best price. Tim MacLeod — And yeah, and then in my in my bio on instagram I’ve also got the couch course and I’ve run that before as a high ticket offer um and I had help from an agency to, to get leads and all that stuff. And I didn’t like it cause I didn’t like how much people were having to pay in order for me to afford that team. And I just want it to be an impulse buy price range. Tim MacLeod — So for a one hundred bucks, you can come along on a three month ride along with me while I’m pulling like $15,000 months. And, uh, the summer that I recorded that, was 2023 and I did 180k in sales with a gross profit so just sales minus cost of goods was north of a 100k, I think, after tax. I think it was like an 80k a year income. Rich Birch — That’s amazing. Tim MacLeod — And I had a three-year-old with me the entire time. My wife had gone back to work and was using her teaching license and I had a little three-year-old tow. And I also got 75 rounds golf in that year. So it’s, it’s…Rich Birch — That just got some people’s attention. Yeah, that’s amazing.Tim MacLeod — Yeah. The time freedom is stupid. The money is incredible. And, uh, it was, yeah, that was a really, really fun year.Rich Birch — Love it. So what we want to do is send people to your Instagram. Would that be the best? So @thefulltimeflipper, @thefulltimeflipper. And again, you can just comment on any one of his videos.Rich Birch — Well, first of all, Tim’s a great follow on social media. I’ve said this to lots of folks. It’s just such a fun follow. You know, it makes something like flipping just like I was like, man, I think I could do that. And, but just comment scripts on any of those and we’ll get access to those scripts.Rich Birch — And then if you’ll find the link to tim-macleod.com on there as well, which takes you to the course, it’s only a hundred dollars friends. That’s worth your investment. It’ll, it’ll really literally outline. There’s a bunch we could have talked about today and there’s a bunch of details to get into. It will drive into all of those. Literally just take his approach and just do it. Like just, take his scripts, take the what he’s done and apply it. And you’ll for sure be able to find that extra thousand dollars a month or more, you know, down the road. So, yeah, I would love that. and Anywhere else we want to send them. So Instagram, @thefulltimeflipper, anything else about that?Tim MacLeod — Oh, that’s lots. That’s good. And I was feeling pretty pretty silly that I never asked to come on your podcast earlier because a lot of my students are in church ministry in the States. And I think it’s such a sweet side hustle.Tim MacLeod — For me, it was an escape from a job that I didn’t like. But the fact of that most people need supplementary income is pretty across the board and especially in ministry. And a lot of my students have um have had that background and are still in it. And a lot of the time, the people that are in church ministry have an advantage of storage where the church, like they’re like, oh, I got free storage at my church. Pastor said the back room is available. And he said, as long as I just keep a rotation of couches for the student ministry…Rich Birch — Oh, that’s a good call.Tim MacLeod — Yeah, there was a lot of advantage there for church leaders. But yeah, it’s awesome, reliable, supplementary income. And it’s nice to not rely on your ministry for income. Like people aren’t in ministry for the big bucks. They’re there because they that is their purpose. That’s their calling. But the pressure of having to rely on that for income isn’t always the best.Rich Birch — Well, and I do think, um you know, I think folks who are in church ministry, a part of what I why why I think this is great that we’re talking about this is you might underestimate that even like a part of your core, it’s like literally core to your business is like, be kind to people and like be helpful. Tim MacLeod — Yeah.Rich Birch — And, you know, you don’t need to be sleazy. You don’t need to be, ah you know, some sort of like, oh, you’re like a used car salesman of couches. No, that’s not what it is at all. You’re just being kind and helpful and you want to try to close this gap in the market. And and I think there’s a lot of people in ministry who are like, my I could totally do that. I can make that happen for sure. So, Tim, I really appreciate this.Tim MacLeod — It really does feel like stewarding my gifts, you know?Rich Birch — Yeah, that’s great. So again, that is, if you just go to Instagram, @thefulltimeflipper, you should follow them there and then comment scripts for any of those. Appreciate you being on the show today, sir. Thanks so much.Tim MacLeod — Thanks, man.

Legal oversights can cost wine brands dearly, but with the right guidance, many are entirely preventable. Lindsay Zahn, Managing Partner of Lindsay Zahn P.C. Alcoholic Beverage Law Firm, breaks down the top four legal pitfalls wineries and wine brands must avoid. From building solid contracts and understanding who owns what, to navigating TTB labeling rules, producing non-alcoholic wines, and staying compliant with social media advertising laws, this episode arms you with practical knowledge to reduce risk and protect your business from penalties.  Resources:   187: Labor and Employment Law Tips from a Lawyer Code of Federal Regulations - Food Labeling  Code of Federal Regulations – Labeling and Advertising of Wine Dealcoholized Wine and Malt Beverages - Labeling Guidance for Industry: Food Labeling Guide Lindsey Zahn  Vineyard Team Programs:  Juan Nevarez Memorial Scholarship - Donate Online Courses – DPR & CCA Hours SIP Certified – Sustainable, Seriously  Sustainable Ag Expo – The Premiere Winegrowing Event  Vineyard Team – Become a Member  

Scott and Eben discuss some bold predictions for sports business in 2026, with topics that include the World Cup in North America, the NFL's media renegotiations, the MLB and WNBA labor battles, the chaos in college sports, and more. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We've got a couple of pretaped interviews, one with independent labor reporter Kalena Thomhave about home care worker rights, and another with renowned union organizer Jaz Brisack.✦ ABOUT ✦The Valley Labor Report is the only union talk radio show in Alabama, elevating struggles for justice and fairness on the job, educating folks about how they can do the same, and bringing relevant news to workers in Alabama and beyond.Our single largest source of revenue *is our listeners* so your support really matters and helps us stay on the air!Make a one time donation or become a monthly donor on our website or patreon:TVLR.FMPatreon.com/thevalleylaborreportVisit our official website for more info on the show, membership, our sponsors, merch, and more: https://www.tvlr.fmFollow TVLR on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheValleyLab...Follow TVLR on Twitter: @LaborReportersFollow Jacob on Twitter: @JacobM_ALFollow TVLR Co-Creator David Story on Twitter: @RadiclUnionist✦ CONTACT US ✦Our phone number is 844-899-TVLR (8857), call or text us live on air, or leave us a voicemail and we might play it during the show!✦ OUR ADVERTISERS KEEP US ON THE AIR! ✦Support them if you can.The attorneys at MAPLES, TUCKER, AND JACOB fight for working people. Let them represent you in your workplace injury claim. Mtandj.com; (855) 617-9333The MACHINISTS UNION represents workers in several industries including healthcare, the defense industry, woodworking, and more. iamaw44.org (256) 286-3704 / organize@iamaw44.orgDo you need good union laborers on your construction site, or do you want a union construction job? Reach out to the IRONWORKERS LOCAL 477. Ironworkers477.org  256-383-3334 (Jeb Miles) / local477@bellsouth.netThe NORTH ALABAMA DSA is looking for folks to work for a better North Alabama, fighting for liberty and justice for all. Contact / Join: DSANorthAlabama@gmail.comIBEW LOCAL 136 is a group of over 900 electricians and electrical workers providing our area with the finest workforce in the construction industry. You belong here. ibew136.org Contact: (205) 833-0909IFPTE - We are engineers, scientists, nonprofit employees, technicians, lawyers, and many other professions who have joined together to have a greater voice in our careers. With over 80,000 members spread across the U.S. and Canada, we invite you and your colleagues to consider the benefits of engaging in collective bargaining. IFPTE.org Contact: (202) 239-4880THE HUNTSVILLE INDUSTRIAL WORKERS OF THE WORLD is a union open to any and all working people. Call or email them today to begin organizing your workplace - wherever it is. On the Web: https://hsviww.org/ Contact: (256) 651-6707 / organize@hsviww.orgENERGY ALABAMA is accelerating Alabama's transition to sustainable energy. We are a nonprofit membership-based organization that has advocated for clean energy in Alabama since 2014. Our work is based on three pillars: education, advocacy, and technical assistance. Energy Alabama on the Web: https://alcse.org/ Contact: (256) 812-1431 / dtait@energyalabama.orgThe Retail, Wholesale and Department Store Union represents in a wide range of industries, including but not limited to retail, grocery stores, poultry processing, dairy processing, cereal processing, soda bottlers, bakeries, health care, hotels, manufacturing, public sector workers like crossing guards, sanitation, and highway workers, warehouses, building services,  and distribution. Learn more at RWDSU.infoThe American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE) is the largest federal employee union proudly representing 700,000 federal and D.C. government workers nationwide and overseas. Learn more at AFGE.orgAre you looking for a better future, a career that can have you set for life, and to be a part of something that's bigger than yourself?   Consider a skilled trades apprenticeship with the International Union of Painters and Allied Trades. Learn more at IUPAT.orgUnionly is a union-focused company created specifically to support organized labor. We believe that providing online payments should be simple, safe, and secure.  Visit https://unionly.io/ to learn more.Hometown Action envisions inclusive, revitalized, and sustainable communities built through multiracial working class organizing and leadership development at the local and state level to create opportunities for all people to thrive. Learn more at hometownaction.orgMembers of IBEW have some of the best wages and benefits in North Alabama. Find out more and join their team at ibew558.org ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

Send us a textRead this article hereThe Work We Do But Won't NameScholars who study labor have a term for work that involves “particularized knowledge and sustained personal attention.” They call it intimate labor. According to scholar Viviana Zelizer's framework, this work includes things like shared secrets, bodily information, awareness of personal vulnerability, interpersonal rituals, and private languages.Read that list again. Now think about what happens in a massage therapy session.We know our clients' bodies in ways that even their partners may not. We hold their secrets about pain, about stress, about the divorce they haven't told anyone about yet. We know things about our clients we don't even realize we know, the way a janitor knows what a household discards, learning private details from what people throw away.Support the showSubscribe to our Substack: "More Than Hands" Send us an email: podcast@healwell.orgLeave us a voice message: 703-468-1799 Check out our interview-style podcast: InterdisciplinaryYou can support Healwell and the cool things we make by donating here!Ways join in: Leave us a review on Apple Podcasts Check out Healwell's live and online classes Continue the conversation with a free 3-day trial of the Healwell Community Find a copy of Rebecca Sturgeon's book: "Oncology Massage: An Integrative Approach to Cancer Care" Thank you to ABMP and AMTA for sponsoring us!Healwell is a 501(c)(3) non-profit based out of the Washington DC area. Check us out at www.healwell.org

Welcome to Get Up in the Cool: Old Time Music with Cameron DeWhitt and Friends. This week's friend is Eli Broxham! We recorded this earlier in the month at his home in Nashville. Tunes in this episode: * Fine Times at Our House (0:30) * Old Horse and Buggy (16:54) * Julianne Johnson (38:07) * Shove that Pig's Foot a Little Further into the Fire (52:26) * Liza Jane (1:01:15) * BONUS TRACK: Susanna Gal Visit Eli Broxham's website (https://www.elibroxham.com/) Visit Dallas Ugly's website (https://www.dallasugly.com/) Follow Eli on Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/elibroxham/) Follow Dallas Ugly on Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/dallasugly/) Sign up for my Playing Up the Neck online workshop series before Jan. 7 (https://www.camerondewhitt.com/store) Support Get Up in the Cool on Patreon (https://www.patreon.com/getupinthecool) Send Tax Deductible Donations to Get Up in the Cool through Fracture Atlas (https://fundraising.fracturedatlas.org/get-up-in-the-cool) Sign up at Pitchfork Banjo for my clawhammer instructional series! (https://www.pitchforkbanjo.com/) Schedule a banjo lesson with Cameron (https://www.camerondewhitt.com/banjolessons) Visit Tall Poppy String Band's website (https://www.tallpoppystringband.com/) and follow us on Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/tallpoppystringband/) follow Sweeten the Third on Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/sweetenthethird/?hl=en)

The Non-Prosecution Agreement (NPA) involving Jeffrey Epstein was a controversial legal arrangement reached in 2007 between Epstein, a wealthy financier, and the United States Attorney's Office for the Southern District of Florida. The agreement was overseen by the DOJ.The Non-Prosecution Agreement (NPA) involving Jeffrey Epstein was a controversial legal arrangement reached in 2007 between Epstein, a wealthy financier, and the United States Attorney's Office for the Southern District of Florida. The agreement was overseen by then-U.S. Attorney Alexander Acosta, who later became the U.S. Secretary of Labor under President Donald Trump.The NPA came about as Epstein faced allegations of sexually abusing underage girls. It allowed him to plead guilty to two state prostitution charges, serving just 13 months in a county jail with work release privileges. In exchange, federal charges against him were dropped, and the agreement granted immunity not only to Epstein but also to any potential co-conspirators.The secrecy surrounding the NPA and the leniency of the sentence sparked outrage and accusations of preferential treatment due to Epstein's wealth and connections. Critics argued that the deal was unjust and failed to adequately address the gravity of Epstein's crimes or provide justice for his victims.In the years following the NPA, Epstein continued to face legal scrutiny and accusations of sexual abuse. However, the agreement insulated him from federal prosecution for the crimes covered in the deal until his arrest in July 2019 on new federal charges of sex trafficking minors. Epstein died by suicide in his jail cell a month later, while awaiting trial.In this episode, we take a trip back down to Palm Beach for a crash course on some of the main players on the stage when Jeffrey Epstein was given his once in a lifetime deal.(commercial at 11:03)to contact me:bobbycapucci@protonmail.comsource:Jeffrey Epstein: Players in early prosecution in Palm Beach County (palmbeachpost.com)Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-epstein-chronicles--5003294/support.

A UNITED NATIONS AGENCY FOR MIGRATION AND THE FUTURE OF FOOD Colleague Gaia Vince. Batchelor and Vince discuss a vision for managed migration where a new United Nations agency allocates migrants to specific cities and industries based on labor needs. Vince suggests that migrants could initially work in essential sectors, such as green energy or care work, to foster social inclusion and economic contribution. The conversation shifts to food security, where Vince argues that the current food system cannot support the projected population of 10 billion. She advocates for a transition to plant-based diets and alternative proteins like insects, noting that meat production is inefficient and harmful to biodiversity. NUMBER 3 1874 DEPARTING QUEENSTOWN

As 2025 comes to an end, guest host Dr. Sara Ailshire turns the tables and interviews Dr. Rebecca Dekker about the biggest childbirth trends, lessons, and breakthroughs of 2025, and what exciting changes are coming to EBB in 2026.   Together, Sara and Rebecca dive into the shifting landscape of birth: the unprecedented rise in labor inductions, how AI is complicating the search for evidence-based information, changes in doula access and Medicaid coverage, and how politics continues to shape pregnancy and postpartum care. They walk through the most impactful EBB research updates of the year—including new evidence on vitamin K, gestational diabetes testing, induction timing, big babies, and respectful maternity care—and reflect on the episodes that resonated most with our global community.   Rebecca also opens up about what she personally learned this year, including how unresolved childhood trauma impacted her own labor years ago, and how that insight is shaping her thinking about the emotional and spiritual dimensions of birth. Plus, Rebecca reveals a major new direction for Evidence Based Birth in 2026 that could transform hospital birth culture around the world and bring evidence-based care to thousands more families.   Want to provide input on EBB's new direction? Fill out this survey here!   (02:12) The #1 trend of 2025: inductions everywhere (03:50) How AI is reshaping (and complicating) birth information (07:51) Doula coverage, Medicaid changes, and fewer parents seeking childbirth education (11:55) Miscarriage care, politics, and the impact of Dobbs (13:42) Biggest EBB research updates: vitamin K, GDM, and more (21:40) The new Respectful Maternity Care handout (22:21) The new "big baby" trial and why it likely won't shift U.S. practice (25:37) The top five EBB podcast episodes of the year (32:58) Highlights from the 2025 EBB Conference & Summer School (41:22) How trauma shaped Rebecca's own labor (53:50) The big reveal: what's coming for EBB in 2026   Resources Vitamin K Signature Article (Updated 2025): ebbirth.com/vitamink Gestational Diabetes Signature Article (Updated): ebbirth.com/gdm Get the Respectful Maternity Care Free Handout: ebbirth.com/RMC Sign up for the Big Baby Signature Training for Pro Members: ebbirth.com/classes Get the My Doula Visit Workbook: ebbirth.com/doula-workbook/   Referenced EBB Episodes EBB 349 – An L & D Nurse's Advice for Advocating in the Birth Room with Trish Ware the Labor Nurse Mama EBB 357 – Making Decisions about Elective Induction of Labor with Dr. Ann Peralta & Kari Radoff, CNM, from Partner to Decide EBB 377 – Medicaid Coverage for Doula Care with Amy Chen, Senior Attorney at the National Health Law Program EBB 352 – Calming Breathing Techniques for Pregnancy with Dr. Shilpa Babbar, Obstetrician and Maternal Fetal Medicine Specialist EBB 343 – Top Ten Evidence-Based Strategies for Lowering the Risk of Cesarean EBB 347 - Updated Evidence on Vitamin K EBB 350 – Surviving a Long Antepartum Hospital Stay and Preparing for a Scheduled Cesarean with Krista DeYoung, EBB Childbirth Class Graduate EBB 372 – Comfort Measures and a 41-Week Induction with Hopey Fink and Ben Levin, EBB Childbirth Class Graduates   EBB Doula Trainer Rewards Lorie Michaels, BirthPro Advanced Doula Training: birthpro.org Lorenda Lewis, Healing with Dignity: healingwithdignity.com Heather McCullough, HMBirth: hmbirth.com Heather Christine Struwe, Community Aware Birthworker: communityawarebirthworker.com Charlotte Shilo-Goudeau, Community Birth Companion: communitybirthcompanion.org Naima Beckles, For Your Birth: foryourbirth.com Leiko Hidaka, Leiko Hidaka: leikohidaka.com Ruth Kraft, Birth Professional International: birthprofessionalinternational.com Jennifer Anderson, Birth Fusion: birthfusion.com Chanté Perryman, Baby Dreams Maternity Concierge: babydreamsmc.com   For more information about Evidence Based Birth® and a crash course on evidence based care, visit www.ebbirth.com. Follow us on Instagram and YouTube! Ready to learn more? Grab an EBB Podcast Listening Guide or read Dr. Dekker's book, "Babies Are Not Pizzas: They're Born, Not Delivered!" If you want to get involved at EBB, join our Professional membership (scholarship options available) and get on the wait list for our EBB Instructor program. Find an EBB Instructor here, and click here to learn more about the EBB Childbirth Class.    

As we head into a momentous election year, with state and national legislative seats up for grabs, even let-them-eat-cake Republicans are scrambling to sound sympathetic to today's hard-hit working-class families.Of course, tongue-clucking concern doesn't mean actually doing anything to help this majority of Americans – and most legislatures are doing exactly that: Nothing.In fact, you'd think the ones hurting in America are billionaires, for those same tongue-clucking lawmakers have been laser-focused this year on delivering monopoly protections, multibillion-dollar government subsidies, exclusive tax breaks, and even top government positions to the richest and greediest corporate profiteers. This is personally disgraceful and socially destructive… yet it has become business as usual.Why? What's causing America's so-called “representatives” to disregard the needs of a majority of their own constituents? The corrupting power of corporate money, of course, but a more fundamental cause is this: The class make-up of practically every legislative body. Millionaires-and-up now dominate. But most-telling, is who you don't' see: Working stiffs.While more than half of Americans are wage workers who overwhelmingly support progressive reforms to advance economic fairness and social justice, the elitist legislative structure shuts them out. Consider America's 7,300 state legislative seats – only one percent of Republican members and two percent of Democrats are working class! Ten states have zero working class members!As an old adage notes: If you're not at the table, you're on the menu. Labor laws, health care, campaign finance, AI regulation… again and again, workers are put on the corporate menu, because the lawmaking system is rigged to keep them from being at the table to represent themselves.Jim Hightower's Lowdown is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit jimhightower.substack.com/subscribe

Everyone else will call 2026 a “surprise.” Not you.This episode is for people who read patterns, not headlines- who understand that wealth, culture, and power move quietly long before they become obvious. While the internet debates aesthetics and algorithms, the real shifts are already underway.In this episode of Old Money, I break down my 2026 predictions across money, lifestyle, wellness, work, family, and culture, through an old-money lens that values discipline, structure, and long-term positioning over noise. No hype. No hustle porn. No trend forecasting cosplay.Just what's actually changing-and who it will reward.My 2026 predictions that cover: Aesthetics, Culture & LifestyleEconomics, Labor & Cost of LivingRitual, Rhythm & Emotional ClimateWork, Gender & Family StructureWellness, Beauty & the Body as StatusStatus, Transparency & Social SignalsSkills, Careers & AdaptationCreator Economy & MediaChildren, Education & AspirationLaw, Order & Political ClimateThis isn't about reading a crystal ball, it's about noticing what's already happening- and moving accordingly.----------------------------Go Deeper with Old Money Courses:Old Money Mindset to learn how to think like a wealthy womanOld Money Method to set up a money machine that grows your wealth effortlessly----------------------------Free Resources: Shop Amber's Classic Wardrobe Staples + Skin, Hair & Health Holy Grail ProductsOld Money Monthly Newsletter for what's rich in culture, shopping and our communityDownload your FREE Net Worth TrackerDownload your FREE Simple Money Plan (better than a budget, designed for your richest life)----------------------------Connect with the Old Money Podcast:Community: Join the Old Money Country ClubWeb: OldMoneyPodcast.comEmail: OldMoneyPodcast@gmail.comInstagram: @OldMoneyPodcastTikTok:

In this episode of the Agents of Innovation podcast, Francisco Gonzalez joins Ryan Doyle aboard Amigo, a 1937 classic wooden Wheeler and sister ship to Ernest Hemingway's famed Pilar, at the Riviera Beach Marina near West Palm Beach. Ryan shares his journey from a horse farm in Connecticut to the U.S. Coast Guard, maritime academy, and eventually a career in yachting that led him to founding Doyle Marine Management, the Vintage Boat Club, and the new Admiralty Marine Center. He explains what makes classic wooden boats so special, why he sees himself as a steward of maritime history, and how yacht management quietly turns owners' dreams into reality. Ryan also lays out his vision for a marine trade school to train the next generation of shipwrights and wooden boat carpenters, an in-demand trade that AI won't replace anytime soon. Throughout the conversation, themes of integrity, persistence, and the American Dream run strong, as Ryan and Francisco talk about finding a niche where passion meets market need and encourage listeners to “keep moving forward” in their own journeys. Learn more about him at: https://www.doylemm.com Find him on Instagram at: https://www.instagram.com/doylemarinem/ You can also watch this episode on YouTube: https://youtu.be/B1mepirP0tE Follow the Agents of Innovation podcast on: Instagram: / https://www.instagram.com/innovationradio X: / https://x.com/agentinnovation Facebook: / https://www.facebook.com/AgentsOfInnovationPodcast You can support this podcast and our Fearless Journeys community on our Patreon account: www.patreon.com/fearlessjourneys You can also join our network -- and our group trips -- through the Fearless Journeys community at: https://www.fearlessjourneys.org and subscribe to our free newsletter at: https://fearlessjourneys.substack.com 00:00 – Intro and Riviera Beach marina setting 01:52 – Fearless Journeys community and DR cigar trip 02:55 – Don Doroteo connection and discovering Amigo 03:25 – Amigo as sister ship to Hemingway's Pilar 04:29 – History of Amigo and Wheeler Shipyard 06:09 – Classic wooden boats vs modern “plastic” boats 08:23 – If Amigo could talk: an 88-year-old boat's story 09:19 – Ryan's upbringing, Coast Guard, and maritime academy 12:06 – Mystic wooden boat show and early inspirations 13:10 – Mentor's lesson that “the dream is attainable” 15:07 – First classic yacht job in the Hamptons 16:31 – Why preserving maritime craftsmanship matters 17:31 – Finding Amigo in St. Thomas and earning owners' trust 19:04 – Vintage Boat Club mission and experiences on the water 21:42 – Inside Doyle Marine Management and choosing the right clients 22:48 – What yacht management really involves behind the scenes 27:52 – Launching Admiralty Marine Center in Riviera Beach 29:21 – Lease-to-own vision and what the yard represents 31:29 – South Florida boating culture and business opportunities 32:38 – Labor shortage and dream of a marine trade school 37:02 – How a marine trade school could change young lives 38:02 – Juggling multiple marine businesses that complement each other 39:32 – Lessons for entrepreneurs: integrity and persistence 41:01 – Balancing obsession, family, and legacy 41:58 – Why “Admiralty Marine” and aiming for top-tier service 43:55 – Future of classic boating and a shrinking niche 47:47 – Boat boom in Florida and storage challenges 49:20 – Future plans for Vintage Boat Club and Doyle Marine 50:38 – What the American Dream means to Ryan 52:55 – Advice to young people: play to your strengths 54:47 – How to connect with Ryan on Instagram 55:31 – Final takeaway: keep moving forward 58:44 – Immigrant billionaire client and the percolator story 59:18 – Closing thanks and wrap-up