Podcasts about laughing

Get the 200+ Page Optimal Living Daily Workbook (PDF) - Free. Want to turn today's episode into an actionable plan? Join the Optimal Living Weekly newsletter and I'll send you our 200-page digital workbook immediately. It's packed with the best takeaways from the show, formatted for easy reading and implementation at home. Get your free PDF workbook here: https://oldpodcast.eo.page/join Discover all of the podcasts in our network, search for specific episodes, get the Optimal Living Daily workbook, and learn more at: OLDPodcast.com Episode 3520: Dr. Jenny Brockis explains that laughter is not merely pleasant but measurably good for the brain, engaging the logical left hemisphere, the frontal lobes, and the sensory and motor areas in under half a second. She notes that children laugh up to 300 times a day while adults manage around 17, and describes what the research associates with a good laugh: endorphins released, dopamine and serotonin up, cortisol down. Her takeaway is that smiling and shared humor are healthy habits worth practicing on purpose rather than waiting on. Read along with the original article(s) here: https://www.drjennybrockis.com/2010/4/19/what-a-laugh-why-a-dose-of-laughter-is-still-the-best-medicine/ Quotes to ponder: "Laughing is good for your brain." "Laughing allows our problems and worries to not seem so big or scary anymore." "Smiles defuse tension and anxiety." Optimal Health Daily is a daily health and wellness podcast where we narrate the best articles on nutrition, fitness, weight loss, and healthy habits, read to you by a professional narrator so you can improve your health a little more every day. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A Jem'Hadar warship crashes as we welcome Muñiz, DS9's new beloved member of the crew! Matt, meanwhile, is on his last nerve with Dax's shenanigans, and the Jem'Hadar prove they're the most deadly terrible shots in the galaxy.[Episode discussion begins around 1:07]

The club opens up with Isaac and Steven talking about Dolly Parton passing away and some of her accomplishments. Later, a meteorologist couldn't stop laughing during a segment and the guys talk about it. The guys then discuss a survey about cheating on their wives and husbands. Lastly, the guys talk about slang terms.

4th hour of the G-Bag Nation: The Expressway: Football's Finest: Laughing at Gavin Dawson's comment section; Breaking Sports News at 5; GBAG of the DAY; LA Live full 2601 Wed, 26 Aug 2026 23:19:52 +0000 gELC69oQrdJZAOkTlponz0IP8zZji05C sports GBag Nation sports 4th hour of the G-Bag Nation: The Expressway: Football's Finest: Laughing at Gavin Dawson's comment section; Breaking Sports News at 5; GBAG of the DAY; LA Live GBAG Nation sets the afternoon sports pace for Dallas-Fort Worth with an energetic, roundtable approach that speaks directly to the heart of North Texas. Featuring Gavin Dawson, Super Bowl winning scout Bryan Broaddus, Eric Chiofalo, Zach Wolchuk and Lucious Alexander, the show combines insider-level knowledge, strong debate, and the confident swagger of the Metroplex, plus plenty of laughs and the kind of friendly ribbing you'd expect from a group of best friends. Your drive home is filled with in-depth coverage of the Cowboys, Rangers, Mavericks and Stars. GBAG Nation also tracks college football across Texas along with the biggest national sports headlines, translating them through a distinctly local lens. The GBAG Nation has some of the best contacts in DFW. They pull back the curtain and give you information that no one else can. This is where informed analysis meets bold opinion, with humor and camaraderie that keep it fun and real. © 2026 Audacy, Inc.

*EZ's new "DEFECTOR" hoodie available hereNote: "Act 2" is a separate published audio podcast.*Check out EZ's morning radio show "The InZane Asylum Q100 Michigan with Eric Zane" Click here*Get a FREE 7 day trial to Patreon to "try it out."*Watch the show live, daily at 8AM EST on Twitch! Please click here to follow the page.Email the show on the Shoreliners Striping inbox: eric@ericzaneshow.comTopics:*Pooh Bear V EZ closing the pool.*EZ classroom adventures.*Trump V Canada....again.*Target getting hammered over Halloween costume. *Vid of laughing weatherman, that everyone now finds annoying.*Saga of the local to EZ councilman who's racist FB post pissed everybody off.*Asshole of the Day brought to you by Uncle John's Gravel Road RaceSponsors: Main Street Exchange Pawn Shop in Madison, Tennessee, Lexie Marie Photography, Kuiper Tree Care, Frank Fuss / My Policy Shop Insurance, Pinball Land, Mario Flores Lakeshore Team of VanDyk MortgageInterested in advertising? Email eric@ericzaneshow.com and let me design a marketing plan for you.Contact: Shoreliners Striping inbox eric@ericzaneshow.comDiscord LinkEZSP TikTokSubscribe to my YouTube channelHire me on Cameo!Tshirts available herePlease subscribe, rate & write a review on Apple Podcastspatreon.com/ericzaneInstagram: ericzaneshowTwitterAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

*EZ's new "DEFECTOR" hoodie available hereNote: "Act 1" is a separate published audio podcast.*Check out EZ's morning radio show "The InZane Asylum Q100 Michigan with Eric Zane" Click here*Get a FREE 7 day trial to Patreon to "try it out."*Watch the show live, daily at 8AM EST on Twitch! Please click here to follow the page.Email the show on the Shoreliners Striping inbox: eric@ericzaneshow.comTopics:*Pooh Bear V EZ closing the pool.*EZ classroom adventures.*Trump V Canada....again.*Target getting hammered over Halloween costume. *Vid of laughing weatherman, that everyone now finds annoying.*Saga of the local to EZ councilman who's racist FB post pissed everybody off.*Asshole of the Day brought to you by Uncle John's Gravel Road Race*Asshole of the Day brought to you by Uncle John's Gravel Road RaceSponsors: Main Street Exchange Pawn Shop in Madison, Tennessee, Lexie Marie Photography,  Kuiper Tree Care, Frank Fuss / My Policy Shop Insurance, Pinball Land, Mario Flores Lakeshore Team of VanDyk MortgageInterested in advertising? Email eric@ericzaneshow.com and let me design a marketing plan for you.Contact: Shoreliners Striping inbox eric@ericzaneshow.comDiscord LinkEZSP TikTokSubscribe to my YouTube channelHire me on Cameo!Tshirts available herePlease subscribe, rate & write a review on Apple Podcastspatreon.com/ericzaneInstagram: ericzaneshowTwitterAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Today I am joined by comedian Sue Funke who talks about how she has been single since 2008 but has been too busy to notice! Sue takes us through her journey to solo living, how her family really feels about it and what she enjoys most about only relying on herself. Check out Sue Funke online at https://www.thesuefunke.com/ Follow the show and leave a 5 star review on ⁠⁠Apple ⁠⁠or ⁠⁠Spotify⁠⁠ Follow us on ⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠ Follow us on ⁠⁠TikTok⁠⁠ Follow us on ⁠⁠Threads⁠⁠   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Well, it's Election Day. Again. California, Florida, Wyoming, Alaska and others had their primary elections yesterday. We go over the results to give you the good, the bad and the Socialist. After President Donald Trump upset Hillary Clinton in 2016, the state of election polling has been in question. What's worse: sometimes the polls aren't bad, they're entirely made up. As we near the anniversary of Charlie Kirk's death, the right wing coalition has subjected itself to conspiracy theories and in-fighting. We need to reflect and remember the Communists at the door. GUEST: Josh Firestine Link to today's sources: https://www.louderwithcrowder.com/sources-august-19-2026 Let my sponsor American Financing help you regain control of your finances. NMLS #182334 nmlsconsumeraccess.org. APR for rates in the 5s start at 6.327% for well qualified borrowers. Call 800-974-6500 for details about credit, costs and terms. Visit http://www.AmericanFinancing.net/Crowder. Average savings based on borrowers who save over $199.99 Tip creators, not the platform with Rumble Wallet. Get started with Rumble Wallet and use the code CROWDER5 to claim $5 in US Stablecoin (USA₮)! Download now: http://wallet.rumble.com/crowder Void where prohibited. No purchase necessary. Offer available to US residents only. Offer not available in New York State. Must be 18+. Offer is available for a limited time and for the first 1000 wallets activated and funded. Restrictions apply. Details and full official rules available at http://rumble.com/promoofficialrules. This is a paid advertisement for Rumble Wallet. Rumble is compensating me for this ad. Foundation Daily is made up of premium ingredients to reduce inflammation and stress and promote clean energy and mental clarity. Subscribe now and receive 40% off for life. https://foundationdaily.com/ Share clips from the show! Where to get clips: Telegram: http://t.me/LWCClips Discord: https://discord.gg/nfRAZxEbAV Join Rumble Premium to watch this show every day! http://louderwithcrowder.com/Premium Want to be informed? Check out the 3-in-3 podcast. Here's the best path to victory on the most debated topics: https://threekeyfacts.com/ Get your favorite LWC gear: https://crowdershop.com/ Bite-Sized Content: https://rumble.com/c/CrowderBits Subscribe to my podcast: https://www.louderwithcrowder.com/podcast FOLLOW ME: Website: https://louderwithcrowder.com/ X: https://x.com/scrowder Instagram: http://www.instagram.com/louderwithcrowder Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/stevencrowderofficial Music by @Pogo

A viral WNBA moment had fans debating whether Caitlin Clark was laughing at Angel Reese after Reese missed a potential game-winning layup in the Atlanta Dream’s overtime loss to the Indiana Fever, adding another chapter to one of basketball’s biggest rivalries. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

From viral celebrity moments to major headlines, The Rickey Smiley Morning Show tackled the stories everyone is talking about. The crew weighed in on rapper Young Thug sparking debate after telling students in Georgia that “fame is like money” and one of the most important assets a person can have, a message that quickly went viral and generated mixed reactions online about success in the social media era. Meanwhile, boxing champion Claressa Shields had fans buzzing after joking on social media that she might be pregnant following her dominant victory over Kaye Scott, a win that improved her unbeaten record and saw her reclaim the WBA and WBC middleweight titles. The show also dug into the ongoing chatter surrounding Shield’s relationship with Papoose and the public speculation that continues to follow the couple. Sports and crime news also dominated the conversation. A viral WNBA moment had fans debating whether Caitlin Clark was laughing at Angel Reese after Reese missed a potential game-winning layup in the Atlanta Dream’s overtime loss to the Indiana Fever, adding another chapter to one of basketball’s biggest rivalries. In a more serious story, authorities announced charges against 14 people connected to an alleged cocaine trafficking operation tied to two Penn State fraternities, with investigators claiming drugs were distributed on and around campus and that some fraternity pledges were allegedly involved in packaging cocaine as part of initiation practices. The show also delivered its Wellness Wednesday segment with Dr. MJ Collier, who shared crucial tips for staying safe during extreme summer heat, warning listeners about dehydration, heat exhaustion, and the growing dangers of prolonged exposure to record-breaking temperatures. Website: https://www.urban1podcasts.com/rickey-smiley-morning-show See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Drew Allen returns after months away with the clearest mission this show has ever had — plus what Candace Owens' $300,000 really cost us, why Mamdani froze the rent and delivered the highest rents in New York's history, and the Senate candidate who wants billionaires to pay their fair share from his rental property in Dubai. Seventy-eight days. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit drewallen.substack.com/subscribe

- Brandon Benitez, CBS13 - Jason Jones, The Athletic

If We Keep Laughing at AOC, One Day We Might be Calling her Madam President, Woke 1.0 Comes Under Scrutiny, Stacie and Kammy Sitting in a Tree, Abdul El-Sayed has a Sister, The Conservative Circus Clown of the week.

Listen to today's Laugh Again with Phil Callaway, "Ever-Laughing Life." Enjoy!

As the Packers camp winds down with the first preseason game just a day away, the real season is already being decided in the quiet moments no one sees. Tonight Tundra FM focuses on that foundation through three distinct tracks. Laughing at the Enemy takes us back to the vault for a sharp look at old rivalries, Ninety-Nine delivers aggressive rap rock about the tone-setting force on the defensive line, and BUILT BY HANDS closes with blue collar hard rock honoring the scouts and builders who find talent others miss. The common thread is the preparation that lasts. If you value straight talk about Packers football set to the right soundtrack, subscribe to Tundra FM wherever you get your podcasts, rate and review the show, and tell a friend. This episode is brought to you by PrizePicks! Use code PACKDADDY to get started with America's #1 fantasy sports app. https://prizepicks.onelink.me/LME0/PACKDADDY To advertise on this podcast please email: ad-sales@libsyn.com Or go to: https://advertising.libsyn.com/packernetpodcast Check out everything I'm building across the Packers and NFL world: NFL Draft Grades: https://nfldraftgrades.com/ Hashmarks: https://hashmarks.io/

Birthday Bash Continued: We continue our breakdown of our trip to the Corey Feldman Birthday Bash, including the crowd breakdown and the overall vibe. Also Jim made Comeback King happen.Take My Hand: A momentous occassion happened during the song "Its So Simple" to close out the Birthday Bash. Jeff got dapped up by Corey twice! Jim exclaimed "Take My Hand" and Corey reached out and took it. THE FRIENDSHIP ARC!Matthew: We met Matthew at the Birthday Bash, he bought Jeff a VIP but was denied by security and we have some drama outside of the venue. Also Corey's TwitterFUCK YOU WATCH THIS!, THE BEAR!, TV ON THE RADIO!, WOLF LIKE ME!, SUPERCHATS!, CATCH UP!, 22 NECKLACE!, FORGOT!, IDEAL FANS!, LAUGHING!, NUMBER ONE FANS!, ENJOYING THE SHOW!, CHEERING!, REQUESTING!, COMEBACK KING!, REQUEST!, MADE IT HAPPEN!, IN THE PIT!, LEGIT!, HIDE!, PARANOID!, CHANT!, REQUEST!, BI-GOT!, HAIR WATCH!, GREGG!, NATALIE!, SET LIST!, JEFF!, ROCKING OUT!, CHEERS!, IT'S SO SIMPLE!, FRIENDSHIP ARC!, GUITAR!, RISA!, ALL DAY!, GREGG LOVES IT!, DAPPED UP!, HAND SHAKE!, GEEK OUT!, FANBOY!, BIGGEST FANS!, TEXAS CHAINSAW MASSACRE SOUND!, HAVING FUN!, STARE INTO CAMERA!, JEFF YELLING!, NICK!, ZENPAI!, IS THAT ME!?, MATTHEW!, 5 BOX SETS!, GIFTS!, MILLIONAIRE!, SECURITY!, BEING DICKS!, BOX!, PROMO!, LIMP DICK!, JIMMY THEM IS POP CULTURE!, I KNOW THIS!, I KNOW THIS!, SERIOUS!, VIBE!, COREY'S TWITTER!, REACTS!, DEVIL LIVES IN HOLLYWOOD!, REMOVED!, WE ALLOWED IT!You can find the videos from this episode at our Discord RIGHT HERE!

As the Packers camp winds down with the first preseason game just a day away, the real season is already being decided in the quiet moments no one sees. Tonight Tundra FM focuses on that foundation through three distinct tracks. Laughing at the Enemy takes us back to the vault for a sharp look at old rivalries, Ninety-Nine delivers aggressive rap rock about the tone-setting force on the defensive line, and BUILT BY HANDS closes with blue collar hard rock honoring the scouts and builders who find talent others miss. The common thread is the preparation that lasts. If you value straight talk about Packers football set to the right soundtrack, subscribe to Tundra FM wherever you get your podcasts, rate and review the show, and tell a friend. This episode is brought to you by PrizePicks! Use code PACKDADDY to get started with America's #1 fantasy sports app. https://prizepicks.onelink.me/LME0/PACKDADDY To advertise on this podcast please email: ad-sales@libsyn.com Or go to: https://advertising.libsyn.com/packernetpodcast Check out everything I'm building across the Packers and NFL world: NFL Draft Grades: https://nfldraftgrades.com/ Hashmarks: https://hashmarks.io/

In this Elul shiur, Reb Joey explores teshuvah not as a return driven by fear, shame, or self-judgment, but as a movement back toward the love and closeness that have never truly disappeared. Through teachings of Rebbe Nachman and the tzaddikim, we discover the surprising role of laughter, joy, and lightness in breaking through the heaviness of the year—and in remembering that every descent can become the beginning of a deeper return to Hashem.Series page: ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://inwardtorah.org/series/tanya⁠⁠Support Reb Joey's Torah: ⁠⁠⁠https://inwardtorah.org/support⁠⁠

Matty is BACK! After a three-month hiatus, Matty Durkin returns for Episode 70 of The Pop Corner with Matty and, as always, he is ready to MENTION IT ALL!In this jam-packed comeback episode, Matty catches the Poppers up on everything they missed during his time away—from moving into his own NYC apartment to hosting and attending events with some of your favorite Bravolebrities.Matty takes you behind the scenes of a special Concern Worldwide US event, where Erin Lichy from The Real Housewives of New York City joined him and his organization to honor Laura Modi, CEO and Co-Founder of Bobbie Formula. He also shares the details from attending the Next Gen NYC Season 2 premiere, where DJ Meredith Marks was dropping the hits (and yes… WE WERE ENGAGING). Speaking of engaged, Matty talks about the Married at First Sight premiere party officiated by Summer House queen, Lindsay Hubbard, Then it's time for a major summer pop culture catch-up! Matty breaks down the biggest movies of the summer, including Christopher Nolan's The Odyssey, The Invite, Obsession and Toy Story 5—which apparently required tissues (you will too) The divas are also RUNNING the music game, with Matty dishing on Olivia Rodrigo, Madonna and Ariana Grande and the biggest moments in pop music.Broadway is next! Matty shares his thoughts on the hit Tony award winning Best Musical, Schmigadoon!, Death Becomes Her, CATS: The Jellicle Ball, and the Off-Broadway production of Girl, Interrupted, starring his friend Sally Shaw.And finally, Matty gives you his summer TV watchlist, including I Will Find You on Netflix, The Real Housewives Ultimate Girls Trip: Roaring 20th, Your Friends & Neighbors and so much more.After three months away, it feels SO GOOD to be back in the Pop Corner. Grab your popcorn, pour yourself a cocktail (or something fun) and get ready to catch up! Welcome back, Poppers! We're back, baby!

You know her. She shows up every time you go away.More relaxed. More present. More alive. Laughing more easily, sleeping more deeply, feeling more connected to yourself and to the people you love. And yes, often more open to intimacy too.She is your vacation self. And the moment you land back home and the suitcase opens, she disappears — absorbed back into the inbox, the to-do list, and the doing mode that swallows everything else.But here is what Gabriella wants you to know. The vacation version of you is not a different woman. She is you under different conditions. Conditions where your nervous system finally gets to exhale. Where it is not scanning for the next thing, not bracing, not managing. Just settled, soft, and safe enough to feel pleasure.Which means you do not need a plane ticket to find her again.Are you ready to awaken your sensuality and feel more empowered in your body? Access the FREE Pleasure Upgrade Bundle at https://www.pleasureinthepause.com/gift.In this end-of-summer solo episode, Gabriella explores what the vacation version of you can teach you about presence, pleasure, and connection — and offers a practical vacation self-audit to help you recreate the conditions, not the destination, once September arrives.Highlights from our discussion include:Why the vacation version of you is not a different woman — she is you under different nervous system conditionsThe dual control model from Emily Nagoski's Come as You Are — the sexual accelerator and brake, and why removing what hits the brakes matters more than adding moreThe science of novelty and self-expansion — why shared new experiences deepen closeness and can reignite desireWhy sensuality does not have to be sexual and how one deliberately sensory moment a day builds the capacity for pleasureHow co-regulation and unstructured time together quietly stoke connection and desire without any pressure or destinationThe vacation self-audit — four questions to help you identify what to bring home with you before September takes over The vacation version of you remembered something. That rest is allowed. That pleasure does not have to be earned. That being present to what is actually happening right now, the taste of something good, the feel of warm air, the ease of being with someone you love without any agenda, is not an indulgence. It is the point.So before September fills the calendar back in, Gabriella invites you to ask yourself one question. What did the vacation version of me remember that the everyday version of me tends to forget?Whatever the answer is, bring a little bit of her home with you.If you're seeking to reclaim your pleasure and vitality, join Gabriella at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.pleasureinthepause.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ for this enlightening journey into the heart of female pleasure and empowerment.CONNECT WITH GABRIELLA ESPINOSA:InstagramLinkedInWork with Gabriella! The information shared on Pleasure in the Pause is for educational and informational purposes only and is not intended as medical advice. Always consult your healthcare provider before making any decisions about your health or treatment. The views expressed by guests are their own and do not necessarily reflect the views of the host or Pleasure in the Pause.Full episodes on YouTube.The information shared on Pleasure in the Pause is for educational and informational purposes only and is not intended as medical advice. Always consult your healthcare provider before making any decisions about your health or treatment. The views expressed by guests are their own and do not necessarily reflect the views of the host or Pleasure in the Pause.

Bobby talked about a series of videos he discovered on TikTok that he can’t stop laughing at ... .but Amy thinks they are dirty. Bobby shared how his niece is starting her senior year of high school and did something he had never heard of. Amy shared how her son just started high school! Bobby talked about his friend Natalie Stovall coming over to his house yesterday and how she’s about 9 months pregnant. He shared the advice he gave his husband from 4 months of being a dad. Bobby talks about the 3 movies he watched during Tuesday Reviewsday.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this talk starting off the second day of a weekend retreat, Ajahn Brahm encourages us to unlearn our critical nature with his famous story of the two bad bricks, then tells various other stories of errors, mistakes, and unexpected circumstances to help us learn to make peace with every situation, from rain-soaked laundry to the death of a loved one. This is part of a series of teachings for the "Living in Harmony with the World" weekend retreat led by Ajahn Brahm & Ajahn Canda at the Mercure Hotel, Oxford, November 2025. Teaching retrieved from Anukampa Bhikkhuni Project:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hSNFuNmVdGA&t=3s Ajahn Brahm is the Spiritual Adviser of Anukampa Bhikkhuni Project. Donations to Anukampa are welcome, please visit https://anukampaproject.org/donate/ Support us on https://ko-fi.com/thebuddhistsocietyofwa BSWA teachings are available from: BSWA Teachings BSWA Podcast Channel BSWA DeeperDhamma Podbean Channel BSWA YouTube

Humor can be a source of laughter and - a form of political resistance. It's a scary time for many immigrants in this country right now and it may feel weird to be turning to humor, but for some comedians, it's actually the perfect time to do just that.Immigration reporter Wendy Reyes brings us this story from 2025, about using comedy to empower and unite people in this moment. 

Judson approaches his work anniversary feeling great as an office Daddy. Brian tests out Grindr's new AI features. The Hookup of the Week finds our listener helping a straight-curious-identifying partner through what turns out to be some therapeutic exploration. The two are then joined by comedian, actor, podcaster, musician, television writer and author of the new book, The Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Gay, Eliot Glazer! Known to many for his performance as Eliot, brother to Ilana on the beloved TV series Broad City (and in real life), Eliot talks about how often he feels he's a disaster as a gay man, and how his book is meant to provide others feeling the same way both belly laughs and the comfort that they're far from alone. He talks about how he copes with his anxiety as he searches for the perfect sex party, how he measures one's gay age, his belief that his future husband exists in the midwest, the failings of gay sports leagues, his close relationship with his famous sister, and how the book provided the opportunity to separate himself from her and establish his own voice. He also tells Brian and Judson about the connection he made with a Gen Z hottie through their generational differences, and helps them respond to a Go Ask Your Dad question from a listener who is more newly out than his partner and wants to open their relationship so he can continue his sexual exploration, but doesn't know that he will feel comfortable with his partner hooking up with other people. Find Eliot Glazer on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/eliotglazer/ Purchase Eliot's book, The Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Gay at https://bookshop.org/p/books/the-terrible-horrible-no-good-very-bad-gay-essays-eliot-glazer/93fd7a3ef40b41dd?ean=9781668085424&bkshp-astro=t  Email your Hookup of the Week, Go Ask Your Dad and Dr. Daddy submissions to dadsanddaddies@gmail.com Dads and Daddies on the Web: https://www.dadsanddaddies.com/ Dads and Daddies on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dadsanddaddiespod Dads and Daddies on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@dadsanddaddiespod Dads and Daddies on Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/dadsanddaddiespod.bsky.social Your hosts, Dad Brian Rubin-Sowers - https://www.instagram.com/ditmasparkpapa  and Daddy Judson Morrow - https://www.instagram.com/gunclejudson Edited by Toby Rubin-Sowers Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Starfleet needs the greatest ninja-SEAL infiltration team in the galaxy to go deep behind Klingon lines and expose Gowron - so they send space station manager Sisko, engineer O'Brien, non-changeling Odo and one of the most recognizable Klingons in history to take on the mission! Meanwhile, Dukat Dukats and Gowron Gowrons.[Episode discussion begins around 1:11:00]

Ready to swap your news-induced heartburn for actual belly laughs? Dive into the political circus as Stephanie Miller dissects President Trump's wild foreign policy claims, unpacks the job market fallout, and decodes Mitch McConnell's glitchy quest to stay in the headlines. Tune in for a sharp, cathartic, and outrageously funny breakdown of the latest GOP shenanigans—so you can stay informed without losing your mind to the doom-scroll. With guests John Fugelsang & Jen Kirkman!See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Check out the show on Youtube!Repentance on Stream #196 (07/07/2021)(0:00) Hobbies and Boredom(6:23) Public Anecdotes(17:10) Free Time(25:11) Final FantasyRepentance on Stream #197 (07/08/2021)(33:43) What's for Dinner?(48:23) Laughing

If you're not listening to our sister podcast, Laughing in the Dark, an Are You Afraid of the Dark rewatch podcast here's your chance to check it out with Season 3, Episode 4: The Tale of the Dollmaker. This week it's Aileen's turn to tell the 9:30 Society all about the fifth episode of the third season of Are You Afraid of the Dark: The Tale of the Dollmaker. This episode hits us with some AYAOTD classic tropes. You get a kid abandoned by their parents for a time, a complete lack of anything that you could call a dollmaker, and people being real weird about trauma. In this episode we find Melissa spending some time at her aunt and uncle's place. She's eager to hang out with their neighbor, a girl her own age but is shocked to learn that this friend of her vanished mysteriously and no trace of her was ever found. What's worse, her parents were so broken up about it that they packed up and moved away and no one will talk about the lingering horror of this disappearance. They just keep pushing it down. But because it's Are You Afraid of the Dark, Melissa keeps breaking into the empty neighbor house and discovers some really weird stuff going down in that attic. Don't forget to listen to Bryan and Dave on Bring Me The Axe! and 99 Cent Rental, Aileen on Uy Que Horror! and Mikie on The Rewatcher!

This week on Laughing Liberally Milwaukee, Matthew Filipowicz and comedian Jen Durbent discuss Waukesha County Supervisor Robert Kolb calling for Anthony Fauci to be "publicly executed".Laughing Liberally Milwaukee's next live show is Saturday August 8th, 2026 at 8:00 pm at CSZ Milwaukee – 420 South 1st Street, Milwaukee. For details visit laughingliberallymke.com

In the isolated highlands of Papua New Guinea, a strange and horrifying disease spread through entire villages, leaving women and children trembling, stumbling, and erupting into sudden fits of laughter before wasting away to death. For years, no one knew what was killing them, and the answer turned out to be far more disturbing than anyone expected: a fatal prion disease tied to one of the greatest human taboos.

Send us Fan MailWhat happens when the funniest military memories also carry the deepest meaning?I'm joined by my friend and fellow Marine, retired Master Gunnery Sergeant Adam Walker, to discuss his self-published book, Laughing and Crying as a U.S. Marine: Authentic Short Stories.Adam shares his five-year writing plan, why he chose self-publishing, and how he made military stories accessible to Marines and their families. We also discuss building the right creative team and his hilarious boot camp “moment of truth.”Chapters:0:00 – Welcome and Adam Walker's Story2:25 – Getting the Book and Finding Adam3:20 – Building a Five-Year Writing Plan7:00 – Self-Publishing Without Losing Control10:32 – Boot Camp Truth and the Candy Bar12:50 – Writing for Marines and Families16:10 – Cover Design and the Creative Team18:39 – Trust Your Gut and Wrap-UpPurchase Laughing and Crying as a U.S. Marine: Authentic Short Stories:Amazon.com: Laughing and Crying as a U.S. Marine: Authentic Short Stories: 9798218924157: Walker, Adam: BooksWatch now, share your favorite military memory in the comments, and subscribe to Unarmored Talk for more authentic conversations.Support the showBecome a Member Today! https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC_M2Kfxb2hN1uHdlDKGtuQw/joinWatch on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL6pF-fF29KO1rqQsabaxHHO1nQQtn5lhdStill Serving, Inc.: www.stillservinginc.comEmail: mario@stillservinginc.com

Odo is melting! He's mellllting! And the only ones who can save him are the other creepo changelings. Meanwhile, Garak buckles up to become possibly the greatest side character in all of Trek.[Episode discussion begins around 1:18]

Hey, it's Amy Newmark with your Chicken Soup for the Soul and I'm pleased to add another element to our podcast – excerpts from our new audiobooks. We have a lot of audiobooks out there, and a lot more coming, and I thought you'd enjoy hearing some of the stories narrated by professional actors. So today, with permission of Simon & Schuster, I'm going to share a couple of stories from the Simon & Schuster audiobook version of Chicken Soup for the Soul: I Can't Stop Laughing, edited by me and copyright 2026 by Chicken Soup for the Soul, and available now in all the places you go to listen to audiobooks. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Join in the conversation!Enjoy this clip of the most recent episode. Dana reads the wildest gay Reddit confession we've ever covered "Dorm Room Secrets." A "full-blooded straight" college football bro discovers he can't stop sniffing his roommate Chris's sweaty underwear after workouts. And it only gets more unhinged from there. Lo is in the background losing it the entire time.This is a clip from Hella Chisme Podcast Episode 106, catch the full episode for two more Reddit stories, Pride Month catch-up, and the great mushroom vs avocado debate.

Amy and Eddie face off to see who can do more push ups after making recent claims on the show. Can they do 25 legit push ups or will they fail at it? Bobby gives an update on Baby Billie and how his new role in her life is the clown. We played a fun game where we play a celebrity voicing an animated character, you have to name the celebrity!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Hello, Puzzlers! Today: A.J. & Greg present puzzling puzzles to each other. Explore more laughs from around the world here: https://bigthink.com/strange-maps/lol-haha-laughter-online/Join host A.J. Jacobs and his guests as they puzzle–and laugh–their way through new spins on old favorites, like anagrams and palindromes, as well as quirky originals.Subscribe to Hello, Puzzlers! wherever you get your podcasts! And come join our growing puzzle community over on Patreon, where you can find bonus episodes and other exclusive content!Our executive producers are Neely Lohmann and Adam Neuhaus of Neuhaus Ideas.The show is produced by Claire Bidigare-Curtis.Our Chief Puzzle Officer is Greg Pliska. Our associate producer is Andrea Schoenberg.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Kelly welcomes University of Chicago professor Nick Epley back to the podcast to discuss his fantastic new book, “A Little More Social: How Small Choices Create Unexpected Happiness, Health and Connection.”  “Yes, acting extroverted tends to make people feel more positive.”  “We fail to recognize the superpower of reciprocity.”  “Laughing communicates liking.” 

Video Version: What does it actually mean when disability advocacy is “level funded”? What are federal appropriations, and why are they such a big deal for disability rights? On this episode of National Disability Radio, Alden Blevins (Communications Manager), Stephanie Flynt McEben (Public Policy Analyst), and Eric Buehlmann (Deputy Director for Public Policy) pull back the curtain on the federal funding process and what it means for the Protection and Advocacy (P&A) network. They discuss the successful FY26 funding fight, why advocacy on Capitol Hill matters, and how everyday people can help. You also get the added bonus of hill-day survival tips, advocacy myths and truths, and a very important debate about coffee and tea. Transcript: Alden Blevins: Hello, and welcome to National Disability Radio. I am here today with two wonderful people who are about to introduce themselves. I am Alden Blevins, Communications Manager here at NDRN. I have my own lived experience with disability and I’m really glad to be here today. What about you guys? Who are you, What do you do? Stephanie Flynt…: Yeah, I’m Stephanie Flynt McEben. I am also one of your hosts of the podcast and NDRN’s Public Policy Analyst. And I have beef with a music streaming app, and I’m not going to talk about which one, but let’s just say that this [00:00:30] music streaming app told me that I was 67 for Christmas this year. And then it had the audacity to… Oh gosh, what was the playlist the other morning that was recommended? It was Old Camping Man Sunday Morning, and it was really weird. Why? I don’t listen to old camping man music unless James Taylor and Chappell Roan and Taylor Swift count as that. But anyway, hope everybody else is having a good day. And hey, if Spotify thinks [00:01:00] you’re old, you’re just… I don’t know. You’re young at heart, anyway. Alden Blevins: I think it clocked my age exactly. And I must say that I listened to a lot of Lady Gaga and Kesha in the last year. Stephanie Flynt…: Yes. Alden Blevins: And to be fair- Stephanie Flynt…: You were in the 2010’s era. Alden Blevins: They were still the two most popular artists when I was graduating from high school, so they clocked me. They clocked me for sure. Stephanie Flynt…: Oh my gosh. Time to introduce Eric, who is our Deputy Executive [00:01:30] Director for Public Policy. How are you doing? It’s great for you to be here. Eric Buehlmann: Great, it’s wonderful to be here. Evidently, your phone must be listening to my music then in that way [inaudible 00:01:44] Stephanie Flynt…: Maybe so. I don’t know what’s going on, but I don’t know how I feel about it. And also, I guess… I don’t know. I guess the Spotify age thing is eclectic because my top artist was Taylor Swift, so I don’t know. Anywho. Eric Buehlmann: So I’m Eric Buehlmann. I’m the Deputy Executive [00:02:00] Director for Public Policy. As Stephanie said, my first choice is not Taylor Swift, but my wife listens to it a lot. So when I’m in the car with her, that’s what I’m listening to. Alden Blevins: This is National Disability Radio. We are the official podcast of the National Disability Rights Network. The National Disability Rights Network works in Washington DC and around the country on behalf of the protection [00:02:30] and advocacy systems, the P&As and the client assistance programs or CAP. We are the nation’s largest provider of legal advocacy services for people with disabilities. The first thing we want to talk about is some big and good news. The P&A network was funded for the rest of FY26. Can we get a hallelujah? Stephanie Flynt…: Yay, woo-hoo! Alden Blevins: The first thing I was just going to ask is, Eric, can you explain to us why it’s a big deal that we were funded and level funded, [00:03:00] and kind of what it took for us to get to this point? Eric Buehlmann: In terms of being able to, why we were able to do this, it’s really our members reaching out to all the representatives, all the senators, making the case, all the good work that the P&As and the CAPs do, and showing all the examples and saying, “Look, if you don’t fund us, this is what’s going to happen, is that person with a disability is not going to be able to get accessible housing or accessible transportation, or the student’s going to be able to go to school or someone’s going to have an assistive [00:03:30] technology device or rampant abuse and neglect are going to be occurring in either the community or institution.” So they made those cases. Congress said, “We agree with you.” And the best we could hope for at this time was at least maintaining our funding and not losing it. Alden Blevins: I think it’s really important to remember that this is not just numbers on a spreadsheet, this has real world impacts on peoples’ lives, the lives of people with disabilities, whether or not they can access enforcement of their civil rights, so [00:04:00] super important. Stephanie Flynt…: Absolutely. Alden Blevins: Just to peel back the curtain and give a little more context for some of our listeners, I just want to go ahead and ask the kind of general question of what are federal appropriations and what does that really mean when we talk about them? Stephanie Flynt…: Yeah, sure. I’m happy to jump in a little bit here. Essentially what federal appropriations are is how Congress allocates funding. And so essentially, there is a long process as Eric kind of talked through a little bit [00:04:30] earlier, in terms of everything that’s been going on with the budget. And so individuals are able to make various appropriations requests to their office. But essentially in a nutshell, it’s essentially just how we get the funds that we need in order to do the work that we do. Alden Blevins: And just kind of practically, what are the steps in an appropriations process or what can people kind of expect out of appropriation season? Oh Stephanie Flynt…: Oh my goodness. Okay, so usually, [00:05:00] of course in the spring, we usually see a big influx of appropriations forms, which, we’re starting to kind of see that now with the House setting their committee deadlines for appropriations, so we’re starting to kind of see an influx of that now. In the Senate, we’ll probably see that a little bit later on as that comes down. But usually the offices will set their personal deadlines, their committee deadlines. And then the appropriations bills, just kind of depending on where they sit, which, all of ours sit on the subcommittee for Labor, [00:05:30] Health and Human Services, Education and related agencies on both the House and the Senate side on the Appropriations Committee. And so there will be a House markup usually around June, as well as a Senate markup in July with the hope that we are able to go ahead and pass the appropriations, the funding that we need for the next fiscal year that starts on October 1st. Alden Blevins: My next one is just why do you guys think advocacy on Capitol Hill matters [00:06:00] during appropriation season? The regular person might not realize how important this is and why. Stephanie Flynt…: Yeah. In my experience, like you said, Alden, a lot of people don’t realize how important and how crucial that kind of advocacy is. But really and truly, that kind of advocacy is what helps us acquire our funding for services, particularly advocacy. So it’s definitely super important to be continuing to follow up with your members. Of course, meeting with your members if you can, [00:06:30] and their staff. Having a steady contact in their offices, things like that. And even just building those relationships in my viewpoint is a good form of advocacy and just making sure that they know who you are, they know what your programs do. They know how it benefits folks in their state/district, et cetera, et cetera, the constituency that they serve. So just making sure that, those points. Eric Buehlmann: And the specific, the biggest requirement is staff [00:07:00] are always seeking information. You’re covering hundreds of programs, multiple issues. They don’t know everything that is going on. They can’t track everything at the same time because they just have information overload. So putting a face with a person, with the story, with the request in front of them makes the biggest difference, because then the staff begins to know who you are. But otherwise, they’re just overloaded with how much material they’re trying to cover and how much stuff they’re trying to do. And if you’re not in front of them, I mean, as [00:07:30] it’s basically said, if you’re not talking to them, you’re on the menu, you’re not the one that’s providing them the information. Stephanie Flynt…: You’re not at the table, you’re on the menu, yeah. Alden Blevins: That makes a lot of sense to me. I was also just going to ask, we’re all so excited and grateful that we were level funded for FY26, but what does level funding really mean? What has that looked like over the last couple years? And having that level or that stagnant funding, what does that mean in terms of the [00:08:00] P&A’s services or the take home impact? Eric Buehlmann: It’s difficult for the P&As because level funding really is in a way, a kind of a cut. Costs are going up continually, healthcare costs are going up. Cost of travel, cost of everything is going up. So level funding ultimately means that they’re able to do less or they may need to shift from doing as much individual case work to more systemic work where you’re helping multiple people by solving one problem. [00:08:30] So level funding is great, especially when you’re facing the potential of cuts. But ultimately if you do that for many, many years, it ultimately means that the P&As and the CAPs will have less staff and able to serve less people. Alden Blevins: Now that we’ve kind of grounded ourselves in a little bit of how this process works, we’re going to talk about the larger policy landscape that we’re all living in right now. What are some of the disability policy concerns we saw come to a head in 2025 and how do we think [00:09:00] that might influence our policy landscape for the rest of 2026? Stephanie Flynt…: Oh my goodness. Do you want to start or do you want me to? Eric Buehlmann: You go first. Stephanie Flynt…: Oh, goodness. I think for me, the biggest thing that comes to mind is the dismantling of the Department of Education. We’ve definitely seen different things that have kind of gone ahead in that regard. And so obviously, there’s a lot of different concerns that are there in those types of things. And so [00:09:30] just continuing to monitor that and what all of that looks like. Of course, I’ll leave a little bit of the healthcare stuff to Eric since that’s more of his specialty, but of course, that is something that I would be remiss not to mention. The various concerns around the Medicaid work requirements that will be taking effect and how that’s going to impact our community. So there are definitely a lot of different policies and a lot of different things that you don’t think about necessarily intersecting with [00:10:00] the disability community, but that are still having impacts on the disability community, particularly those who are members of multiple marginalized communities. Eric Buehlmann: I think building on that for Stephanie is, it’s not just the Medicaid work requirements that are going to hit people. It’s just the massive amounts of cuts to the amount of funding that the states are getting. It’s sort of a partnership between states and the federal government. And if the federal government cuts their share of funding, it means states are going to be cutting their share of funding. And what those cuts [00:10:30] really mean in the long run is that unfortunately, not required services or waiver services are going to be the ones that are going to get hit. If they have to do it, the state will pay for it. If they don’t have to do it and the state’s not willing to put up the money, then those services are going to go away. And in our case, that means home and community-based services for the most part. So not only are a number of people going to get kicked off of Medicaid because they’re having problems following the work requirements or understanding [00:11:00] what the work requirements are and/or having to go through getting re-certified every six months rather than every year, that’s going to mean more people are going to be kicked off. On top of it, you add in all the cuts and the states are going to look around and say, “Well, we’re losing $1 billion,” let’s say, in California, I think is the number they said. “How are we going to make up that gap?” And what they’re going to do is they’re going to say, “Well, these are required and required in the Medicaid program is institutionalized care versus [00:11:30] the ones that we choose to do on our own, which is home and community-based services. Well, if we have to do it, we’ll have to pay for it.” And that means there’s a gap and that gap is going to come out of home and community-based services. Alden Blevins: Yeah. And I think this is kind of a great connection to that home and community-based services piece. I was going to kind of ask, generally speaking, what themes might we be seeing in Congress right now that could affect P&A programs or disability justice as a whole? Eric Buehlmann: I do think one issue [00:12:00] that we’re encountering is more and more members that may not understand disability as well, or what the desires of people with disabilities are, and may listen to not just the person with a disability, they may be listening to their guardians or they may be listening to their parents. Not saying that they don’t know what the person with a disability wants, but if you want to go to the source, the source is the person with a disability. So I think one of the themes, and I think this is why it’s critically important for people with disabilities to be involved in these discussions and [00:12:30] doing this advocacy, is you’ve got to put yourself front and center. And you have to say, “This is what I desire, this is what I want. I want to live in the community, I want to live at home. I want to be able to work in an integrated environment. I don’t want to be paid subminimum wage.” And if they’re not hearing from people with disabilities about that, then that’s a problem. And I think what we’re seeing is sort of a return to sort of the old way of thinking, sort of pre-IDEA, pre-ADA. And people with disabilities should be [00:13:00] off to the side and not at the forefront. And so I think that theme is carrying over in a lot of the ways Congress and the administration are looking at these issues. And I think in terms of other themes, it’s, “We got to save money somewhere.” And their ideas of trying to save money is to cut programs, which actually in the long run, costs more. It costs more to be served in an institution than it costs to live and get served in the community. And [00:13:30] so we’ve really got to be making those cases. I think those are two themes that I’m thinking of. Stephanie Flynt…: Yeah, for sure. And I think that another theme really is just broader justice in the civil rights community, just not completely and fully understanding disability. And so I definitely think that if we’re not careful with everything going on, we definitely could regress back a little bit more into the medical model as opposed to the social model. And I think that some of the demonstration in the legislation [00:14:00] that could potentially be introduced, and of course that we are closely monitoring and making sure that we’re continually keeping an eye out. And of course, we’ll keep folks in the network apprised of those things. But all that to say, I think that’s kind of a demonstrated action when it comes to their understanding of what disability is. Alden Blevins: I love what you guys said, especially about people with disabilities being front and center and telling their own stories and determining, [00:14:30] telling the world what they really want and seek out in their lives. I think that that’s so important for people with disabilities to be in the driver’s seat. For those of you who don’t know, we do have a saying in the disability community that is, “Nothing about us without us.” So kind of speaking about some of the messages that have been happening in the last year, we know that a lot of things have become very polarized throughout the last year, 2025. What opportunities do you guys see for collaboration towards [00:15:00] a better future for people with disabilities? What efforts might be a good target for bipartisan support? Stephanie Flynt…: Yeah. I think for me, definitely always on the hunt for bipartisan opportunity. Because the truth of the matter is that disability, even though it is being portrayed as a partisan issue, it’s not a partisan issue. It’s a nonpartisan issue. And so just kind of keeping that in mind as we continue to do this policy work. I think [00:15:30] what it boils down to really, at least a part of it, is messaging. Because looking at the issues that are in the disability community, because they’re nonpartisan, I think that really, it comes down to it’s not about what you’re saying, it’s how you’re saying, it’s how you’re presenting it. When we’re talking to different offices, we want to emphasize different things that they are most concerned about or that may matter most to their particular constituency or the folks [00:16:00] with disabilities that they may serve. Those would be my things, but I definitely, even though it can be challenging at times, definitely just continuing to keep hope there. Eric Buehlmann: I mean, there’s always a lot of different things. And as Stephanie said, you have to sort of tailor your message around what people are interested in. I mean, things like the Transformation to Competitive Integrated Employment Act, I think there’s a large number of people, and we’ve seen it in the states, they’re phasing out the subminimum wage, even in some [00:16:30] very conservative states. And so that’s something that’s garnered bipartisan support, that people should be paid at least the minimum wage for the work they’re doing. And that they should be integrated into the employment environment and not just in segregated workshops. We were able to get a Republican co-sponsor for the Keeping All Students Safe Act this year, which would place some kind of federal restrictions on the use of restraint and seclusion in schools and provide money for [00:17:00] training, which is critically important so that the teachers know and the school personnel know what they do when they’re encountering tough situations. There’s a number of bills. I mean, ultimately disability is very bipartisan and it impacts everybody. So usually whether you’re a Republican, a Democrat or Independent, you either have a family member or know someone very close to you that has a disability. So you just got to frame the message right. Alden Blevins: I love that you guys both mentioned messaging and disability [00:17:30] being affecting everyone. That’s part of my core messaging that I always try to put out there, is that disability can come for anybody. You can be a person who has no disabilities one morning and your situation could be different by that evening, depending on what happens to you in your life. And even as you age throughout the lifespan, most of us are going to experience some degree of disability in our lives. So advocating for this [00:18:00] community now when you have the chance to is only going to benefit you when you inevitably become a part of it. I think that’s really important to remember. My kind of last question on this topic is just, what do you think you would want policymakers today to know most about our programs at the P&As? Stephanie Flynt…: I’m going to yield to the executive overseer to start. Eric Buehlmann: I mean, I think our members are hidden gems. I think that’s the biggest [00:18:30] thing, is that most people don’t know what a protection advocacy agency is and/or what it does. As I’ve said many times in my stories is I had met the Executive Director of the Vermont P&A for many times when I worked up on the Hill. Had no idea he worked for the Protection & Advocacy Agency. Talked to him about housing, talked to him about employment, talked to him about all these different things, had no idea that there was a Protection and Advocacy Agency. My second day at the job, I go into an NDRN board meeting and there he is, [00:19:00] sitting there. And I’m like, “Oh, that’s what a Protection & Advocacy Agency… Because I didn’t have a clue. So I think we’re sort of a hidden gem. And I think really, the big thing is that the P&As do a lot of work that other agencies can’t. We have these really strong… I hate saying we, but our members have strong authorities to go in and investigate and monitor for abuse and neglect. If that’s going on, they can go in unannounced. They could do these kinds of investigations that other places can’t. There are [00:19:30] story after story of the police being kept out of certain places or Child Protective Services or Adult Protective Services. But the P&A goes in and is able to sort of expose that abuse and neglect. And that’s really the important thing. And I think people just need to know they exist. But there’s more than just the systemic work. Individually, they are helping people around employment or education or accessible transportation and housing. So I just think there are ultimately hidden gems the more [00:20:00] you delve into it. And as you said, Alden, everyone’s going to become, in my opinion, a member of the disability community at one time in their life or not. Could be permanently, could be temporarily if you break your leg or something like that. And now all of a sudden, you begin to realize that yeah, curb cuts do make a heck of a lot of sense. And yes, automatic doors are very helpful and all those kinds of things. And so we just need to do a better job of sort of explaining the beauty of the work the P&As do and that [00:20:30] it’s not just these giant exposes of abuse and neglect, but there’s all the little individual work that they do that’s extremely important to families and people with disabilities. Alden Blevins: We know in this world that policy is never static. There’s always a lot coming at us, coming at you guys, to kind of figure out and think about how it impacts our community. So my next question is just what do we think might be coming in the landscape of 2026? [00:21:00] It’s hard to speculate, but what should we be looking ahead towards as a community? Eric Buehlmann: Election years are always a weird little duck. Stephanie Flynt…: Yes. Eric Buehlmann: Partly because Congress does not stay around that much, they like to go home and they like to campaign. Some would say they’re not here to do as much damage. But the administration’s still here, they could do plenty of damage. And so I mean, my expectation is there will not be [00:21:30] a lot that’s going to really occur. They’re going to do what they normally have to do, which is sort of the appropriations and try to get that done as well as they can before the elections. There may be some messaging bills that they try to work on, but I’m not expecting a lot of things to actually get passed and a lot of work to get done. But I think this gets back to the theme issue and that kind of discussion, which is you need to be laying the foundation for the members that are here now and those that are running, especially [00:22:00] in someone in a seat where a member’s retiring or if there’s an open seat. And you need to be making sure the candidates understand the needs and desires and wishes of people with disabilities so that when they do come here, they already have at least some based foundation. So I would really look at ’26 as you got to focus on funding because that’s going to have to happen no matter what. And then making sure that your candidates and then making sure that your members of Congress understand about disabilities so that when [00:22:30] they come back next year, that they’re really almost ready to get going on the issues of importance. Stephanie Flynt…: Yeah. Alden Blevins: So much of what we do is kind of playing a little bit of defense about whatever is going on in the larger policy landscape or the news cycle of that week. But we obviously also have our own policy priorities that we would like to see and that we would like movement on in the next year. So I was just going to ask, what are NDRN’s top three [00:23:00] public policy priorities? Eric Buehlmann: I think if you’re looking in the proactive world, that’s tough in this day and age. I think our policy priorities tend to be much more in the defensive world now, Which is, there’s sort of a 1A and a 1B. You always have the money aspect of it, the appropriations aspect of it, and making sure that our members have hopefully increased funding, but at least level funding. The second, as I talked about before, is our members have amazingly strong authorities [00:23:30] to sort of ferret out abuse, neglect, fraud and waste. And we got to make sure that those aren’t reduced. And so that’s sort of the other big thing. I think structurally, we’re looking at the administration and saying, “We need to make sure that disability is still centered here.” The Department of Education is extremely important for students with disabilities and the amount of work they do. And around employment because the vocational rehabilitation system is there. Health and Human [00:24:00] Services impacts people with disabilities in huge, humongous ways. And so we got to make sure that those structures stay strong, that are providing the training, the technical assistance, the support to all the different programs that support people with disabilities and that they’re strong. Alden Blevins: Yeah, absolutely. I heard education, I heard healthcare. I think these are all bread and butter issues for us and for the community at large. [00:24:30] It can just be tricky to decide when and where to focus your attention. Stephanie Flynt…: Right. And also too, again, going back to that, how do we mesh the priorities in a way that we could potentially try to work with folks and get stuff done? And I think that that’s kind of where that point of collaboration comes in. Figuring out what the priorities of various offices are and see, how can we kind of mesh ours together? Where’s the common ground? What can we work together [00:25:00] on in order to make things better for disabled folks? Eric Buehlmann: And I think as Stephanie said, this is where these relationships come into effect, because you have no idea what’s going to be the big issue of the day. Today it may be X, tomorrow it’s going to be Y. The day after it’s going to be Z, and the staff are just overwhelmed a little bit. But if you have those relationships with them, if something comes up and you need to get in touch with them, you shoot them that email, you send them that note [00:25:30] and they know who you are and they’re willing to look and listen to figure out what you’re saying and where it needs to fit in their priorities. They don’t know who you are, this gets back to the, if you’re not at the table, you’re on the menu, then they’re not going to understand why this is a problem because you’ve not laid that foundation. So that’s where those relationships come to be critically important, because you just never know what’s going to pop up. Alden Blevins: My next question is, what are kind of the strategies or things that [00:26:00] everyday folks can do to kind of help or support? There’s a lot of overwhelming information coming at folks on all sides. And it would just be really nice if we could know what would be most helpful in terms of getting that community support to advance our priorities. Stephanie Flynt…: I think for me, the biggest thing that I can think of there is just making sure that your voice is being heard and that you are able to kind of amplify your voice when it comes to these issues. [00:26:30] Making sure that you are reaching out to your senators and representative, things of that nature. Of course, there’s the number for the Capitol switchboard and we can certainly put that in the show notes if that’s helpful to people. But for everyday folks, it’s so interesting. I’ll be on Facebook and I’ll just see different things and it’ll be videos of people just calling their senators and representative. And it sounds scary, it sounds daunting, but I promise you, getting [00:27:00] constituent calls is definitely something that is super, super helpful in terms of advocacy there. So definitely, definitely recommend that. Eric Buehlmann: And as Stephanie said, take advantage of those action alerts, take advantage of those days. If you’re looking at your state and local legislatures, a lot of them have disability days where a number of groups will come together and they’ll go to the Capitol and they’ll talk up their issues. Take advantage of those. In terms of the federal, try to keep track of if they’re going to do a town hall or if they’re going to be having a [00:27:30] get together. And go and have a discussion with the staff and the members that are there. And then when it comes to the campaigns, get involved with the campaigns. Make sure that the candidates have some kind of disability platform as part of their work and what they’re doing. Because ultimately if you’ve, I’m going to say trained, trained them ahead of time, then when they come to Congress or they go into the state legislature, you don’t have to explain as much. You’re not having to spend your time explaining why this issue is important. [00:28:00] You get to jump to, “This is why we need to do this.” So you need to be working at those candidates. You need to be looking at their platforms and you need to be talking to them so that they know that you’re there. Alden Blevins: Absolutely. I think a lot of times people feel overwhelmed with just knowing how or why to help. And I love that you even mentioned people posting their calls onto social media, because I think that’s another avenue that folks can use. Talk to your friends, talk to your neighbors, talk to people that you talk with online about how these issues impact you [00:28:30] and your life personally. I think that hearing those stories from people with disabilities can be really impactful as well. All right, I’ve got some quicker round of questions just to kind of help folks get to know both you guys and your work. Stephanie Flynt…: Yay. Alden Blevins: The first one is just almost similar to two truths and a lie. If you could give me one myth and one truth about federal advocacy, what would you say? Eric Buehlmann: I think it’s sort of the flip side of the same coin. To me, [00:29:00] the myth that’s out there is, “My voice doesn’t matter.” And that, “Whatever I say isn’t going to be heard by the staff, isn’t going to be heard by the member and I’m not going to really have an impact.” It does. Again, as I said early on, staff are constantly looking for those sources of information. They cannot keep track of all the topics they cover, all the bills they have to do, all the differing appropriations they’re following. They can’t. They rely on the constituents to provide them information. And if you are a trusted resource and providing them good information, [00:29:30] you’ve got your in and they’ll understand and they’ll follow what you’re asking them to do as best they can. So I think that’s the myth, is that their voice doesn’t make any difference. To me, the flip side of that is the truth is it does make a difference. And so if you’re not engaged, then you’re automatically losing. The disability community needs to be and put itself front and center. Because as Alden said, people with disabilities are a majority of this country. You will eventually be a member [00:30:00] of the disability community. And so therefore, you need to make sure your voice is heard. And so I think the truth is your voice does matter, the myth is people think that it doesn’t. Stephanie Flynt…: I think for me, a myth that I would say, not as interesting as Eric’s, but I think a myth that I would say, and these are probably for people who are kind of newer or just more on the outskirts of things, is that a bill is going to pass overnight. That’s not how policy works. Usually it takes lots of reiterations of introduction [00:30:30] and stuff, but that’s how it’s designed. And so I think that’s kind of where my truth comes in or where the truth comes in for the myth versus truth, is that policy is designed to take a while, even though it can be frustrating at times, but that’s in order to ensure the appropriate checks and balances and whatnot. So no, you’re not going to enter in and pass a bill in two days. Hate to break into any hopefuls, but you know. Eric Buehlmann: No, that is a huge one. People think that policy moves at a lightning quick pace. [00:31:00] It is a snail. Stephanie Flynt…: Yep. Eric Buehlmann: It takes years. I worked eight years on election reform before we were finally able to get it through Congress. And reauthorizations, I mean, this is one of our smaller ones. The Assistive Technology Act program was last reauthorized in 2004. We finally got the next reauthorization done in 2021. So it moves slowly and you have got… I guess that’s another thing, sort of following up on what you’re saying. The truth is you have to stick to these people. Stephanie Flynt…: Yes. Eric Buehlmann: You can’t just say, ” [00:31:30] I talked about this once and it’s going to get done this year.” No, you’re probably back next year. Stephanie Flynt…: Not how it works. Eric Buehlmann: And you’re probably back the next Congress and you’re probably back the next Congress. So you will repeatedly have the same conversations. Stephanie Flynt…: Yes. Especially with staff turnover, too. There are going to be different staff members, folks may move back to the representative or the senator’s districts or their own home districts or change roles, what have you. But there can sometimes be a lot of that [00:32:00] turnover. But that can also be a good thing, too. Eric Buehlmann: But Stephanie, I think we’ve got another good truth and myth. Stephanie Flynt…: Oh, okay. Eric Buehlmann: Which is, the myth in my mind is if I feel like the member’s not supportive or following what I’m talking about and caring about disability, then it’s not worth my time. The truth is staff do a lot of work. Stephanie Flynt…: Yes. Eric Buehlmann: And you may encounter a member that is not really [00:32:30] interested in disability, doesn’t really care about disability, but the staff is very interested in disability. And so your message can get conveyed from the staff to the member. You may not always get everything exactly the way you wanted from the member, but you’ve moved him in a direction, or her, in a direction that they weren’t going to go without the staff. Stephanie Flynt…: Exactly, exactly. Staff definitely have a lot of influence when it comes to different member priorities and things like that, that might not usually be on their [00:33:00] radar, such as disability. Alden Blevins: Actually, I caught Eric saying something yesterday that I thought was so impactful. Somebody was expressing disappointment that their meeting was with a baby staffer. And I heard Eric say, “That baby staffer could be in charge in 10 years.” Stephanie Flynt…: I was going to say, like a Chief of Staff in five years- Alden Blevins: Yeah, you never know what inroads you’re making when you get into those rooms. And you should take the chance once you’re in that room, to make the case for people with disabilities. Stephanie Flynt…: Yes. Alden Blevins: This next one, I’m [00:33:30] hearing a lot of themes of perseverance, maybe having to stay on people, having to return year-to-year. This is just a silly question, but what is your Hill day fuel of choice? Is it coffee, is it tea? What keeps you going? Stephanie Flynt…: I think that mine is probably either, probably Celsius. And then I don’t know if y’all have ever had the Mary’s Gone Crackers, but I like to have little hummus things with me. And so I’ll do the Mary’s Gone Crackers with some hummus on the Hill. And so that’s really good to eat between [00:34:00] meetings and stuff, but they’re really good. They’re quinoa seed crackers, gluten-free, garlicky, basil. I don’t know, they’re really good, especially with hummus. So I guess for me, that’s my food and caffeine. Eric Buehlmann: And Stephanie no doubt, could tell any of everybody what mine is. Stephanie Flynt…: Anything gluten-free/unsweetened iced tea from McDonald’s. Eric Buehlmann: Yep, bingo. I’ve never had coffee in my life. Alden Blevins: Wow. Eric Buehlmann: Yeah, I’ve never had coffee in my life. Stephanie Flynt…: I thought you would at least- Eric Buehlmann: Nope, never had coffee in my life. Alden Blevins: Just not even curious? Stephanie Flynt…: Not a sip? Eric Buehlmann: I’m curious, [00:34:30] but I’ve never had it. I’ve now reached the age of, “Why should I now start?” Alden Blevins: This is so fair, because once you start, it’s hard to stop. Stephanie Flynt…: You’re not going to be able stop. Alden Blevins: It’s real hard to stop. Stephanie Flynt…: Especially when you find a roast that you really like. Eric Buehlmann: I’m a caffeine addict, don’t get me wrong. For many years it was Dr. Pepper, Diet Coke. Stephanie Flynt…: Diet Coke. Eric Buehlmann: Doctor said, “No.” Now I’m an unsweetened tea… Well, I’m not going to say always unsweetened tea, but it’s always usually some form of iced tea. Alden Blevins: [00:35:00] Yeah. And sometimes you sneak in the sweet tea as a treat, I assume? Eric Buehlmann: No, not really. I’m not a big fan of sweet tea. I find it too sweet. Alden Blevins: Wow. Stephanie Flynt…: You have to have the right sweet tea, though. Eric Buehlmann: Yeah, I’m not from the South. Stephanie Flynt…: I was going to say- Eric Buehlmann: I’m in Virginia, but I’m not the South. Stephanie Flynt…: They don’t make good sweet tea up in the DMV if you want good sweet. Actually, they just started carrying Milo’s at my local grocery store, so that’s what I recommend. Eric Buehlmann: I’ve seen Milos. Milos is good? Stephanie Flynt…: I love Milos, yes. Eric Buehlmann: Okay, I’ll have to get that one. Stephanie Flynt…: So good, yeah. I mean, it’s sweet, but it’s not too sweet. Anyway. Eric Buehlmann: See, I find it too sweet. I’ll [00:35:30] mix it with unsweetened iced tea at times. I grew my tea at home. And what I’ll do is I’ll pour a little lemon iced tea in and sort of mix it, but I find it too sweet. But yeah, I’ve never had coffee in my life. Coffee ice cream once or twice, but never- Stephanie Flynt…: Okay, but that’s really good. Eric Buehlmann: Nah, no. Stephanie Flynt…: No? Eric Buehlmann: No. Coffee smells great. I love the smell of coffee, but I’m not going to try it now if I can avoid it. Alden Blevins: Good for you. My next one [00:36:00] is just, what is your go-to story when speaking with folks on The Hill? Do you have a P&A story that you feel like you come back to? Do you speak about issues more generally or do you have a go-to story in your back pocket? Eric Buehlmann: Well, I mean, I think the one I always fall back on is the Kaufman House in Kansas. There was a place in Kansas. I think if you just Google Kaufman House in Kansas, you’ll find it. Basically, this is one of those examples where the P&A was the only one that got in. These [00:36:30] were a husband and wife that were running a, I guess I’d call it a group home, that were doing unspeakably horrible abuse and neglect of people with mental illness. And the state had been called in a number of times, the local people had been called in a number of times, and they just shut the door on them. The P&A went in and exposed the whole thing, basically showing what was going on there. They got convicted of a number of crimes, they were sent away to jail. To me, that’s the example that I will go [00:37:00] to a lot, is without the P&A, these people would’ve been just still going through abuse and neglect. I mean, I think the P&As are creating stories every single day, honestly. The number of reports that come out from P&As, we just got one from the Maryland… Maryland, wrong M. Minnesota P&A, about the use of seclusion with some amazing pictures of the various seclusion rooms in Minnesota that they had come upon. I think they’re occurring every single day and all these reports that are coming out. [00:37:30] Our members are in all sorts of facilities, just exposing abuse and neglect. Unfortunately, some of the stuff we really can’t talk about is they’re exposing the waste, fraud and abuse that’s occurring at times in the representative payee program because people aren’t using the benefits to the benefit of people with disabilities, to the beneficiaries. But the one, if you were going to ask me the one, it would be the Kaufman House. And Nancy Jensen testified [00:38:00] in front of Congress on the importance of the P&A program. She’s written some books on the issues that arose, but that would be the one go-to. Stephanie Flynt…: Yeah. I think for me personally, it really just varies from office to office and various priorities. I will say that one thing I do try to do before meeting with particular offices is I try to reach out to the P&A, just to see if there are any particular stories or any particular things that I should highlight going [00:38:30] on in their state for their senators or representative, or even if there’s anything specific in their district. Eric brought up the report that Minnesota did on restraint and seclusion. And one thing that staffers love is data. So if you’re able to kind of bring in a visual, say like the report or even send in a report of what’s been going on along with a story, along with data, that’s really going to get you far. And so those are things that I really [00:39:00] try to bring, just tangible stuff that they can take back to their higher ups in order to try to get different things up the chain, in order for us to get the support that we’re wanting to get from that particular office, whether the goal is co-sponsoring a particular bill or sponsoring something, or whether the goal is just general support or flagging something. Just making sure that you have those materials that folks can take back. Alden Blevins: Yeah, absolutely. And I [00:39:30] think what Eric said about the network generating stories all of the time, every day. Stephanie Flynt…: Yes. Alden Blevins: Where I sit, working in communications, is I try to share a story. At least every week, there’s a new, new story coming out about something that a P&A is doing, whether it be work related to abuse and neglect, whether it be work related to some states, they’re already talking about the Medicaid waiver programs and how they can apply some systemic advocacy to ensure that those are protected through the changes [00:40:00] coming in the Medicaid landscape. There’s just always something to be aware of that’s going on. And I think that really harnessing all of those stories together presents a really strong case for what our network is able to do. Stephanie Flynt…: Absolutely. Alden Blevins: Yeah. I’ve been told that maybe you’ll have a Hill day or appropriations pun and/or joke? Stephanie Flynt…: I always have a joke, you know this. Alden Blevins: Okay, so? Stephanie Flynt…: Oh my goodness. Alden Blevins: Let’s get a drum roll. Stephanie Flynt…: Yes. All right, [00:40:30] so it’s more of a question for Eric. Eric Buehlmann: Oh, no. Stephanie Flynt…: Are you ready? Eric Buehlmann: No, because we did not test this out beforehand. Stephanie Flynt…: Sorry, okay. How would you describe the appropriations process? Eric Buehlmann: How? Stephanie Flynt…: It’s fund. Alden Blevins: So much fun-d. Stephanie Flynt…: So much fun. Alden Blevins: So much fund. Stephanie Flynt…: Oh my goodness. Alden Blevins: Incredible. Stephanie Flynt…: But yes, that is my joke of the month. I’ll be here next month, assuming that I’m not kicked off the podcast [00:41:00] yet. Sorry, Michelle, you weren’t here for the joke, but I’m sure you’re actually laughing even though you pretend you don’t like them. Alden Blevins: Michelle is groaning from afar. Stephanie Flynt…: Yes. Alden Blevins: Yes. Eric Buehlmann: Stephanie’s puns get us through the day. Stephanie Flynt…: Yes, they do. See, I knew there was a… Yep, there we go. Alden Blevins: You got to laugh, you got to laugh. Stephanie Flynt…: Yes, exactly. Laughing is the best form of self-care when it comes to this kind of work, that’s for sure. Alden Blevins: Absolutely. It’s important to remember that congressional budgets and federal decision [00:41:30] making say a lot about whose rights are protected and whose are not, what voices are included, what voices are not. And I’m very grateful that I got the chance today to sit down with two of my amazing coworkers and hear more of their voices, get to share more about the amazing work that they do for our larger community. This has been National Disability Radio, where we highlight issues that impact people with disabilities. If you enjoyed this episode, be sure to subscribe and continue the [00:42:00] conversation at ndrn.org or anywhere you get your favorite podcasts. Thanks for listening. Until next time, let’s keep working together to create a world where people with disabilities can thrive. Stephanie Flynt…: Bye.

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In this episode of Stephanie Miller's Happy Hour Podcast, brace yourself for a wild ride through the latest political absurdities. Stephanie dives into the cringe-worthy moments from the recent White House Correspondents' Dinner, where Donald Trump bombed harder than ever, leaving the audience in a state of disbelief. With sharp wit, she dissects the chaos surrounding military operations and the alarming lack of accountability in law enforcement, particularly regarding ICE agents. Joined by guests Rude Pundit and Frank Figliuzzi, they tackle everything from the deplorable state of U.S. munitions to the ridiculousness of Andrew Tate's prison complaints. It's a hilarious yet sobering look at the state of our nation, reminding us all that laughter is the best medicine in these trying times.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Summerween arrives with a laugh you can hear from across the midway. In this July edition of Monthly Spooky, Henrique Couto and Michelle dive into Laughing Sal, the towering carnival animatronic whose haunting mechanical cackle became American folklore. They explore how this six-foot funhouse nightmare evolved from a popular midway attraction into a cryptid-like legend—appearing in movies, museums, and paranormal stories. Discover the strange history behind one of America's creepiest cursed objects and why we fear the mechanical as much as the supernatural. Perfect for horror enthusiasts who love cryptid encounters and supernatural folklore.They trace the strange history of this six-foot mechanical nightmare, from her early days as one of America's most popular funhouse attractions to her appearances in movies, museums, and pop culture. Why did generations of amusement-park visitors love Laughing Sal? Why does her endless recorded laughter feel so threatening today? And how did a freckled, gap-toothed carnival figure become one of the world's most uncanny animatronic dolls?Before entering Laughing Sal's funhouse, Henrique and Michelle take a funny, creepy trip through the month's strangest spooky news, cryptid folklore, paranormal investigations, UFO reports, and archaeological mysteries.Inside this episode:Gracie the missing giraffe is finally found alive in Texas after spending two weeks on the loose.Butler County, Ohio deputies confront a snake hiding beneath a resident's bed.Lansing, Michigan introduces the Hooga Hooga, a hairy, Bigfoot-like summer-camp cryptid said to tunnel beneath a local nature center.A Japanese real-estate service sends investigators into stigmatized homes overnight to test them for ghosts and paranormal activity.A rare Antarctic titanosaur fossil is rediscovered after sitting unnoticed inside a drawer for decades.Centuries-old royal tombs in Barcelona contain unexpected remains and far more bodies than researchers anticipated.Divers recover a haunting carved face and possible ritual animal bones from a Polish lake.The Pentagon investigates a reported swarm of mysterious UAPs and watercraft near the Virginia coast.Archaeologists enter a sealed chamber beneath a medieval Ukrainian castle and search for additional underground rooms.Michelle closes the episode with a wonderfully unsettling Glitch in the Matrix story about a childhood McDonald's collectible glass that apparently duplicates itself—complete with the exact same crack.Come for Laughing Sal. Stay for cryptids, ghosts, UFOs, secret chambers, ancient burials, haunted real estate, bedroom snakes, and one deeply suspicious drinking glass. This funny and frightening Summerween episode is perfect for fans of creepy carnival history, animatronic horror, haunted attractions, paranormal podcasts, Bigfoot folklore, unexplained mysteries, Halloween in July, and the early spooky season.

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The Straight Dope Show hits the mic with a brand new Tapas double-feature, bringing you the most unfiltered cultural autopsies on the internet. In this concentrated dose of reality, El Uno and TraB the Wonder break down the comedic tragedy of the American electorate, starting with a hilariously brutal look at voters who didn't realize Obamacare and the Affordable Care Act were the exact same thing. The hosts pull no punches on the current political landscape, calling out the delusion of communities that vote against their own self-interests and then act shocked when the consequences arrive at their doorstep. The conversation then shifts to the world of sports, where the duo rips into the media's treatment of Heisman Trophy winner Travis Hunter, exposing how the press would rather hyper-focus on his girlfriend's sideline reactions than celebrate his historic, two-way dominance on the field. Finally, they take aim at the NBA, dissecting how analytics and stat-obsessed coaching have ruined the flow of the game, creating a league full of players taking terrible shots just to emulate the Golden State Warriors. Stop letting the algorithm dictate your perspective. Take back control of your media diet. Download the Rock Da Crowd TV app today on Roku, Apple, or Android to stream the latest uncut episodes of The Straight Dope Show!00:00:02 - The hosts discuss the absurdity of the post-election landscape and voters who didn't understand the policies they voted against. 00:01:15 - The "Obamacare vs Affordable Care Act" debacle: Laughing at the tragic reality of voters discovering they are the same thing. 00:04:00 - A brutal reality check on deportation policies and the delusion of voters who thought they were exempt from the rhetoric. 00:05:35 - The "Lex Luthor" parallel: How the public continues to ignore a leader's history of terrible business practices and disloyalty. 00:08:38 - Travis Hunter's Heisman win: Why the media focused on his girlfriend's reaction instead of his historic, dual-threat achievement. 00:14:48 - NBA critique: How front office analytics and stat guys are forcing players into terrible shooting systems. 00:18:09 - The "Steph Curry Effect": How the league ruined its watchability by trying (and failing) to emulate the Warriors' offensive scheme. 00:22:11 - A discussion on the media's treatment of Nikola Jokic and the historical disrespect toward Dirk Nowitzki. 00:27:33 - The hosts explore the concept of "Nostalgia" and how politicians use it to manipulate the public into ignoring reality. 00:31:04 - A hilarious street interview breakdown explaining how tariffs actually work and who really ends up paying for them.

In a world racing toward smarter machines, empathy speakers and authors Rob Volpe and Maria Ross get curious in this limited subseries about what only humans can feel, do, and be — and why that's our greatest competitive advantage. Enjoy this limited subseries here on The Empathy Edge. Aspiration, Hope, Free Will & the Future-Oriented MindHumans don't just live in the present. We imagine futures that don't exist yet, then try to build them, and we do it using the same neural machinery that lets us remember our past.Maria Ross and Rob Volpe explore what psychologist Endel Tulving called mental time travel: the brain's unique ability to simulate scenarios that haven't happened using a network that overlaps almost entirely with episodic memory. We can't dream forward if we can't look back. Yet, our memories can be unreliable, causing us to build narratives around what actually happened or how it impacted us. Are we the only species who can do this? That sets up the harder question: do we actually choose, or does it just feel like we do?Finally, we discuss the difference between hope and optimism. When humans are at their best, they describe aspiration, vision, and forward motion, but humans in survival mode, who cannot access hope or aspiration, are equally human. What does that tell us about how fragile, and how earned, this superpower really is?To access the episode transcript, go to www.TheEmpathyEdge.com and search by episode title. "We don't just react to the present like many species. We reflect on the past. We imagine the future." — Maria Ross Episode References:Endel Tulving on mental time travel and episodic memory: pnas.org/doi/10.1073/pnas.1301195110Neuroscience News on the contested legacy of Libet's free will experiment: neurosciencenews.com/libet-free-will-23756Daniel Dennett, Freedom EvolvesRebecca Solnit, Hope in the DarkFinding Your Roots with Roy Wood Jr., "Laughing on the Inside," Season 7, Episode 10: pbs.org/video/laughing-inside-gble34IEQ9 Integrative Enneagram: IEQ9.comHarry Pickens leadership work on self-regulation in challenging times and working with AI to build your human capacity: strategicneuroregulation.comMaslow's Hierarchy of Needs: simplypsychology.org/maslow.htmlThe AI Doc: Or How I Became an ApocaloptimistAbout Maria Ross:Maria Ross is a speaker, author, empathy strategist, and host of The Empathy Edge podcast, now in its sixth year. She believes cash flow, creativity, and compassion are not mutually exclusive™, and has spent decades helping leaders balance empathy with accountability to drive better results, stronger teams, and lasting impact. She is the author of four books, including the award-winning The Empathy Dilemma, a Forbes.com contributor on Workplace Empathy, and creator of two LinkedIn Learning empathy courses.About Rob Volpe: Rob Volpe is the Founder/CEO of Empathy Activist and the creator of The 5 Steps to Empathy, which he chronicles in his award-winning book Tell Me More About That: Solving the Empathy Crisis One Conversation at a Time. He is a recognized thought leader, speaker, and consultant in the improvement of communication and collaboration in organizations of all sizes in all industries.Connect with Rob Volpe:Website: robvolpe.expertBook: Tell Me More About That: Solving the Empathy Crisis One ConversationX: x.com/rmvolpeLinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/rmvolpeFacebook: facebook.com/EmpathyActivistInstagram: instagram.com/empathy_activist Connect with Maria:Get Maria's books: Red-Slice.com/booksHire Maria to speak: Red-Slice.com/Speaker-Maria-RossTake the LinkedIn Learning Courses! Leading with Empathy and Balancing Empathy, Accountability, and Results as a LeaderLinkedIn: Maria RossInstagram: @redslicemariaFacebook: Red Slice

Description:What if your biggest breakthrough hasn't happened yet?In this joyful and deeply encouraging conversation, Jen sits down with comedian, author, actress, and beloved storyteller Leanne Morgan to talk about dreams, disappointment, perseverance, and the surprising possibilities waiting for us in midlife.As part of our Sacred Yes: Reclaiming Joy in Midlife series, we're bringing back one of our most-loved episodes because Leanne's story embodies everything this season is about: saying yes to possibility, trusting your own timeline, and refusing to believe that life's best chapters belong exclusively to youth.Before sold-out tours, bestselling books, Netflix specials, and national recognition, Leanne spent decades raising children, caring for family, performing in comedy clubs, and quietly holding onto a dream that seemed increasingly unlikely. Then, in her fifties, everything changed.With her trademark humor and warmth, Leanne shares what it was like to keep showing up long after many people would have given up. She reflects on motherhood, caregiving, marriage, becoming a grandmother, and the surprising freedom that comes with getting older.Most of all, she reminds us that there is no expiration date on becoming who we're meant to be.Over this delightful hour, Leanne will regale you with charming hard-won life lessons including:● Why success arriving later can be a gift● The power of perseverance through disappointment● The balancing act of holding dreams, caregiving, and family life all with care● How humor helps us survive hard seasons● Why comparison is a thief of joy● The freedom that comes with embracing your own timeline● What it means to trust that what's meant for you won't miss youIf you've ever wondered whether you've missed your chance, whether it's too late to pivot, or whether your most joyful years are already behind you, Leanne has a message for you:You are not behind. You are not too late. Your story is still unfolding.Thought-provoking Quotes:★ "I always just knew it was going to happen... I knew there were people out there going through the same thing I'm going through. I just didn't know how to reach them." — Leanne Morgan ★ "I really try to be present and enjoy it, because what a gift after all these years. It's just like icing on the cake, really." — Leanne Morgan ★ "I hope they take away: use humor to get you through hard times. I think it's the best thing that could ever happen to anybody, to be able to laugh through the bad times." — Leanne Morgan ★ "I've got to be me. I've got to do what I've got to do. If y'all love me or if you don't, it's okay." — Leanne Morgan Resources Mentioned in This Episode:➢ What in the World?!: A Southern Woman's Guide to Laughing at Life's Unexpected Curveballs by Leanne Morgan - https://www.leannemorgan.com/book➢ I'm Every Woman (Netflix Special) - https://www.netflix.com/title/81688708➢ You're Cordially Invited (Amazon MGM Studios) - https://www.amazon.com/gp/video/detail/B0D9WF53QX➢

Keiko's got a bun in the oven... but is it in someone else's bakery? And Quark faces mortality as Jeffrey Combs returns...but which Jeffrey Combs??[Episode discussion begins around 1:11]

Welcome back to another unfiltered, heavy-hitting installment of The SIDEBAR PODCAST, steered this week by your lead host, Royce, alongside co-host Leise Winny. The crew kicks things off with an absolute whirlwind of a check-in, tracking the massive national shockwaves following the sudden passing of Senator Lindsey Graham and the ongoing, secretive health mystery fueling rumors that Mitch McConnell might be next. They weigh in on global conflicts, a bizarre public health scare involving a widespread outbreak of explosive diarrhea, and the fallout from the latest Jay-Z concert. The opening conversation strikes a sharp legal chord as the hosts dissect the shifting lines between protected opinion and actionable slander across modern media and podcast platforms before addressing the latest updates in the Big Tigger drama. From there, Royce commands the room to unpack a controversial cultural shift—asking if outrage over race-swapped Hollywood casting and the hyper-fixation on figures like Caitlin Clark proves that racism has officially become the new "sex sells" for corporate algorithms. Meanwhile, Leise takes the mic to steer a vital discussion around the viral "Voice Note Guy" controversy, forcing a real, unfiltered dialogue about the true boundaries between consent and psychological coercion. Finally, the duo explores why a woman's intuition is so widely framed as a mystical gift before debating the ultimate relationship stress test: whether taking a solo travel trip is a healthy boundary for maintaining independence or an absolute dealbreaker in a serious relationship.Here is the full breakdown of topics the crew hits this week:Opening welcome: Gathering the community and locking in the weekly energy.The DC Shakeup: Reacting to the sudden death of Lindsey Graham and the wild internet speculation surrounding Mitch McConnell's prolonged hospital absence.Global and Local Chaos: Unpacking ongoing global warfare alongside a very real, stomach-churning public health alert.Jay-Z & Big Tigger: Catching up on major music events and the continuous legal updates in the radio world.Opinion vs. Slander: Where does podcast commentary end and character defamation legally begin?Racism is the New Sex Sells: How media spectrums, sports rivalries like Caitlin Clark vs. Alyssa Thomas, and boycotts are heavily monetizing racial division.Hollywood Race Swapping: A critical look at the casting decisions behind the upcoming HBO Harry Potter series, The Little Mermaid, and Helen of Troy.The Voice Note Guy Controversy: Breaking down the viral modern dating drama to analyze the psychological differences between eager consent and subtle coercion.A Woman's Intuition: Questioning why society treats female instinct as an extraordinary gift rather than standard human logic.The Relationship Solo Trip: Evaluating when solo travel crosses the line from personal autonomy into an active relationship problem.Outro & Wrap: Final reflections, a quick recap of the dense topics, and Leise's closing remarks.

This week on Two Parents & A Podcast, happy Wednesday!!! TBH we started with a 10 minute spiral about CYCLOSPORIASIS (are you guys spiraling too???). We are officially swearing off produce for the time being (but if you don't want to, Dr. Brown taught us to stick to things with peels and still wash them!!). ok ANYWAYS - guess we are saving on berries for the time being… We get into Tate's 3AM wake up: how we handled it, how YOU GUYS said you would handle it, and why we're chill with letting this happen (like once a year). But here's what we know now: we always need to have a game plan because we don't need any 3AM fights. Plus, Tate has a new food obsession, Rocky is officially SOCIAL SMILING

From 07/14 Hour 1: EB can't get enough of this viral social media video and wants everyone to see if it's as funny as he thinks.

Direct from Andy's parents' apartment, here's your delayed ep of DS9 TNC! Bashir and Dax visit a planet of diseased folks - can Bashir save them? Or will he get too mired in his teddy bear story? We canceled our deaths for you, crew! We were really looking forward to it.[Episode discussion begins around 1:07]