Podcasts about life report

Join hosts Josh Hutchinson and Sarah Jack as they sit down with fellow End Witch Hunts nonprofit board member Mary Bingham for a powerful discussion about modern-day witch hunts and spiritual ritual abuse in the United States. In this special episode commemorating World Day Against Witch Hunts (August 10th), we explore the devastating reality of supernatural fears that continue to harm vulnerable people in over 60 countries worldwide.What You'll LearnThe connection between historical witch trials and contemporary spiritual abuse casesHow modern witch hunts manifest in the United States and globallyThe devastating impact on society's most vulnerable membersPersonal insights from descendants of Salem witch trial victimsActionable ways to combat these harmful practices through education and awarenessFeatured GuestMary Bingham - End Witch Hunts nonprofit board member and advocate. Mary's compelling research draws crucial connections between historical persecution and contemporary cases of harm inflicted on those believed to be spiritually or diabolically possessed.Key Topics DiscussedSpiritual and Ritual Abuse: Understanding how supernatural fears manifest in harmful practices todayGlobal Crisis: The scope of witch hunt-related violence across 60+ countriesHistorical Connections: How past and present persecution share common rootsPersonal Impact: Why this work holds deep meaning for Salem descendantsPath Forward: Education and awareness as tools for changeImportant DatesWorld Day Against Witch Hunts: Sunday, August 10thAbout The Thing About Witch HuntsHosted by Josh Hutchinson and Sarah Jack, this podcast examines the historical and contemporary reality of witch hunts, exploring their impact on vulnerable communities worldwide and advocating for education and awareness to end these harmful practices.About End Witch HuntsEnd Witch Hunts is a nonprofit organization dedicated to raising awareness about modern-day witch hunts and working to raise awareness about supernatural-based persecution and violence.About World Day Against Witch Hunts About Spiritual and Ritual Abuse Attend the Online Expert Panel Event August 10thSarahWildes1692 on Youtube Read Article: Salem to San Jose by Mary Bingham Read Blog Post: Understanding Ritualistic Crime Ghana: Branded for Life Report https://www.amnesty.org/en/latest/research/2025/04/ghana-branded-for-life/Global Review: Addressing Harmful Practices Related to Witchcraft Accusations Content WarningThis episode discusses violence and harm against vulnerable individuals, including cases of spiritual and ritual abuse that may be disturbing to some listeners.If you found this episode meaningful, please share it to help raise awareness about World Day Against Witch Hunts and the ongoing work to end these harmful practices.

How's Life? 2024 is the OECD's flagship publication on the state of well-being for people, the planet, and future generations. The report was launched on November 5th at the 7th OECD World Forum on Well-being: Strengthening Well-being Approaches for a Changing World. It charts both current well-being outcomes and future resources, offering a comprehensive picture of people's lives. This helps to identify current social, inclusion, and sustainability challenges, guiding policymakers to address areas in need of intervention. This 6th edition of How's Life? introduces new people-focused indicators, including measures of loneliness, household energy poverty, exposure to extreme temperatures, and physical pain. Government interventions have buffered the economic impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic and high inflation on households and businesses, but cost pressures remain significant, especially for the most vulnerable. Positive economic trends include average incomes, which have not fallen below pre-COVID levels in any OECD country, and employment rates at historic highs at the end of 2023. However, the report raises concerns about housing costs and self-reported financial well-being. Nearly one in five low-income households are overburdened by housing costs and almost 1 in 5 people reported financial difficulties in 2023. Relying solely on economic metrics to assess crisis recovery and monitor societal progress yields an incomplete picture. Critical non-economic aspects of well-being - such as health, social connectedness, and subjective well-being - are showing signs of deterioration. In 2023, one-third of people reported experiencing a lot of pain or worry on the previous day, one-fifth felt considerable sadness, and between 4 to 14% of people felt lonely in countries with available data. Compared to pre-pandemic levels, feelings of pain, worry, sadness, loneliness, and life satisfaction have worsened in more OECD countries than have seen improvements. Stronger action is needed to ensure the well-being of future generations, especially in the face of climate change. In 2023, almost 15% of the population across OECD countries was exposed to extreme heat, and current efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions are insufficient to mitigate global warming. Water stress is classified as "medium-high" in half of the OECD countries with available data, and biodiversity risks are rising in the majority of countries. Progress on overall income inequality has been limited, and persistent gaps between population groups continue to affect well-being. Education-related inequalities are particularly striking. For example, people with tertiary education are 1.5 times less likely to experience loneliness, and 1.3 times less likely to suffer from physical pain than the general population. While some gender and age gaps have narrowed over the past decade, this progress was sometimes driven by deteriorating outcomes for previously advantaged groups, including young people. Addressing these inequalities and reflecting well-being evidence in policymaking is critical to reinforcing democracy and building public trust as governments face increasingly complex structural transformations. "Taking a people-focused approach to decision-making will be essential to maintain well-being as we face societal challenges like the digital transition, climate change, and population ageing," said OECD Secretary-General Mathias Cormann, "Reliable data on well-being helps governments understand where resources and action are needed most. Evidence-based policies that consider the economic, social, and environmental impact on people's well-being will ensure that lives are improved in a sustainable and inclusive way." As digital technologies continue to transform our lives, it is important to understand how the benefits and risks of this transition are impacting people's well-being. In OECD countries, 40% of adults lack basic digital skills, limiting their ability to navig...

The 7th OECD World Forum on Well-being will take place in Rome on 4-6 November 2024 and is co-organised by the OECD's Centre on Well-Being, Inclusion, Sustainability and Equal Opportunity (WISE) and the Italian Ministry of Economy and Finance (MEF), with the collaboration of the Italian National Statistical Institute (ISTAT), and the support of the Bank of Italy, under the Italian Presidency of the G7. The Forum will look at how the well-being perspective can enhance our understanding of major societal challenges, such as climate change and artificial intelligence, and respond to them. Working with over 100 countries, the OECD is a global policy forum that promotes policies to preserve individual liberty and improve the economic and social well-being of people around the world. 7th OECD World Forum OECD Secretary-General Mathias Cormann will be joined at the Forum by: Giancarlo Giorgetti, Minister of Economy and Finance, Italy Francesco Maria Chelli, President, Italian National Institute of Statistics (ISTAT) Baroness Beeban Kidron, Crossbench peer, UK's House of Lords, and Expert advisor for the UN Secretary-General's High-Level Advisory Body on Artificial Intelligence Frank Vanderbrouke, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Social Affairs and Public Health, Belgium Atsushi Mimura, Vice Minister of Finance for International Affairs, Japan Gelsomina Vigliotti, Vice President, European Investment Bank During the Forum, on 5 November, OECD WISE will be launching its flagship report How's Life? 2024 - Well-being and Resilience in Times of Crisis. This sixth edition of How's Life? presents the latest evidence from over 80 indicators covering current well-being outcomes, inequalities, and resources for future well-being. It contrasts medium-term trends in well-being outcomes with developments since 2019 to understand how well OECD governments are navigating the interconnected challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic and the cost-of-living crisis and to outline emerging risks that require policy attention. Also on 5 November, OECD WISE will launch the OECD Digital Well-being Hub, developed in collaboration with Cisco. The Hub offers a holistic view of the impacts of digital transformation across key dimensions of well-being through a dashboard of indicators. It will also collect real-time, detailed evidence on people's digital behaviours and experiences through its crowd-sourcing tool, to help better understand inequalities and opportunities presented by digital life and provide a fuller picture of how the digital transformation is impacting our lives and our well-being. More about Irish Tech News Irish Tech News are Ireland's No. 1 Online Tech Publication and often Ireland's No.1 Tech Podcast too. You can find hundreds of fantastic previous episodes and subscribe using whatever platform you like via our Anchor.fm page here: https://anchor.fm/irish-tech-news If you'd like to be featured in an upcoming Podcast email us at Simon@IrishTechNews.ie now to discuss. Irish Tech News have a range of services available to help promote your business. Why not drop us a line at Info@IrishTechNews.ie now to find out more about how we can help you reach our audience. You can also find and follow us on Twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, TikTok and Snapchat.

Calgary is a tale of two cities … the haves and the have nots. What impact does the widening income gap have on the quality of life in Calgary? Joining us to discuss the results of the Calgary Foundation's annual Quality of Life report is Taylor Barrie - Vice President of Communications at the Calgary Foundation.

Calgary is at an ‘inflection point' right now and there is a growing income gap among Calgarians despite our city experiencing rapid economic growth. That's one of the key findings of the Calgary Foundation's Quality of Life report. We hear details on the annual study from Taylor Barrie, Vice President of Communications at “The Calgary Foundation”. Next, a change of seasons perhaps means a change of strategies to help your business grow and flourish this fall and into the winter. We catch up with Ellen Parker, CEO & Owner of “Parker PR” for some timely tips and tricks to propel your business in the months ahead. Finally, if you want to check out the aurora borealis, the ‘window' of opportunity will be wide-open over the next couple of nights. We get some expert advice on how to check out the ‘celestial phenomenon' from Chris Ratzlaff, from “Alberta Aurora Chasers”.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Premier David Eby announced new federal funding of $2 billion for new housing in B.C. We hear from Thom Armstrong, CEO, Co-operative Housing Federation of BC about the announcement. Then, we have Murray Baker; Financial Empowerment Manager, from Family Services of Greater Vancouver to discuss a recent Statistics Canada report that renters report a lower quality of life than homeowners; We talk about budgeting and talking about money in a relationship with digital content creators Steph Gordon and Den Mathu (Steph & Dev).

A GOD REPORT!

The Texas Supreme Court recently refused to create an exception to the state's ban of almost all abortions for a mother who sought an abortion because her baby was diagnosed with Trisomy 18, a genetic anomaly that can cause a variety of severe birth defects. The news media has unleashed a barrage of stories to attempt to persuade Americans that this mother should be allowed to kill her child because the diagnosis is "fatal" and "lethal" and that carrying the baby to term would be pointless. As a counter to this narrative of gloom, CFN interviews Mrs. Claudia Linton of England. She tells the inspiring story of her daughter Josephine who was born with a very similar condition (Trisomy 13). You will not want to miss this inspiring story of love. 

A homeowner hospitalized after being pistol-whipped and beaten in a attempted home robbery in Ocean Beach. Vigil celebrates life of City Heights grandmother killed in ‘unprovoked' attack at park.Researches at the University of San Diego release newly published "Quality of Life Dashboard."See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Thomas Glessner, Founder and President of the National Institute of Family and Life Advocates (NIFLA), in a conversation from Washington, DC, shared his observations of the first March for Life since Roe v. Wade was overturned, reviewed NIFLA's victory at the U.S. Supreme Court in a 2018 decision, and commented on the way forward for the pro-life movement. The organization was honored at the National Prayer Service prior to the March for Life. You can learn about the organization at nifla.org. 

Thomas Glessner, Founder and President of the National Institute of Family and Life Advocates (NIFLA), in a conversation from Washington, DC, shared his observations of the first March for Life since Roe v. Wade was overturned, reviewed NIFLA's victory at the U.S. Supreme Court in a 2018 decision, and commented on the way forward for the pro-life movement. The organization was honored at the National Prayer Service prior to the March for Life. You can learn about the organization at nifla.org. 

Originally recorded in 2011, the critically-acclaimed author of 6 books (most recently The Problem With Everything), columnist and blogger (@Meghan_Daum) talks with Paul about growing up and later rebelling in a household where music and academia were everything. She talks about the pressure of starting a writing career in Manhattan and living a real-life Devil Wears Prada nightmare, where the idea of even living in a rundown building in a bohemian neighborhood became unattainable. They talk about the epiphany of realizing her dreams were shallow, materialistic and unattainable, her move to Nebraska and the perspective and novel (The Quality of Life Report) that resulted. A great episode for people who have a critical inner voice that never shuts up. Meghan has written for The New Yorker, Harper's and Vogue and has contributed to This American Life. She also hosts the podcast The Unspeakable and is a co-host on another called A Special Place In Hell. She recently launched a new project, creating an intellectual community for freethinking women called The Unspeakeasy. Meghan is a weekly blogger for Medium and host of The Unspeakable podcast (@UnspeakPod) at www.theunspeakablepodcast.comFind out more about Meghan and her books, including The Problem With Everything at https://MeghanDaum.comFollow Meghan on Twitter www.Twitter.com/Meghan_DaumRead her on Substack https://meghandaum.substack.com/Check out The Unspeakeasy project at https://www.theunspeakeasy.com/Support Our Sponsors! This episode is sponsored by BetterHelp online counseling. To get 10% off your first month go to www.BetterHelp.com/mental Must be 18. For those under 18 you will be redirected to or can go directly to TeenCounseling at www.teencounseling.com WAYS TO HELP THE PODCASTSubscribe via iTunes and leave a review. It costs nothing. https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/mental-illness-happy-hour/id427377900?mt=2Spread the word via social media. It costs nothing.Our website is www.mentalpod.com our FB is www.Facebook.com/mentalpod and our Twitter and Instagram are both @Mentalpod Become a much-needed Patreon monthly-donor (with occasional rewards) for as little as $1/month at www.Patreon.com/mentalpod Become a one-time or monthly donor via Paypal or Zelle (make payment to mentalpod@gmail.com)Try Our Sponsor's Products/ServicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Have you ever thought about writing a brief autobiography? The Hospice Biographers is a charity which sends specialist volunteers into hospices to record the life stories of those in their final days. Amol Rajan sits down with the founder and trustee of The Hospice Biographers Barbara Altounyan and supporter of the charity Robert Peston to talk about how such life reports can offer an opportunity to remember, reflect, and leave some wisdom for relatives and friends. We want to hear from you. Send in your 400 word life report by emailing today@bbc.co.uk and put Life Report in the subject line to have the chance to record your own life report for the Today programme. (Image Credit: GETTY images)

“My pandemic essay was so badly received; I got massively dragged on Twitter for it, practically canceled. And then it ended up in Best American Travel Writing.”  –Meghan Daum In this episode of Deviate, Rolf and Meghan discuss what it means to be called "the voice of a generation" (4:00); why Meghan moved to Nebraska early in her career, and what it's like to live and create in the provinces versus the metropole (9:20); the difficulty of continuing to make a living as a creative person, and mid-life career reinvention (16:00); Meghan's essay about moving to rural Virginia during the pandemic, how it was poorly received, and her anxieties about living as a "geoarbitrage" outsider (22:30); Meghan's career pivot into commenting on the culture wars, and how social media algorithms made this cultural rift more of an issue (35:00); and Rolf's concerns that the politicization and performative certainty of social discourse will make young people less open to the vulnerabilities and uncertainties of travel (44:45). Meghan Daum (@meghan_daum) is the host of The Unspeakable Podcast and is the author of six books. Her most recent book, The Problem With Everything: My Journey Through The New Culture Wars, was a New York Times Notable Book for 2019 and is just out in paperback. Notable Links: Girls (HBO TV series) Rolf's Atlantic essay about Girls (2012 article) My Misspent Youth, by Meghan Daum (essay collection) Sophfronia Scott on Deviate (podcast episode) The GenX Reader, by Douglas Rushkoff (essay collection) X Saves the World, by Jeff Gordonier (book) Quality of Life Report, by Meghan Daum (novel) I Left NYC for Greener Pastures, by Meghan Daum (essay) Geoarbitrage (lifestyle-design strategy) Culture war (values conflict within a society) Alexander Kinglake (19th century English author) The Daily Stoic, by Ryan Holiday and Stephen Hanselman (book) Cultural appropriation Michel Foucault (French theorist) Quick Studies: The Best of Lingua Franca (criticism anthology) The Deviate theme music comes from the title track of Cedar Van Tassel's 2017 album Lumber. Note: We don't host a “comments” section, but we're happy to hear your questions and insights via email, at deviate@rolfpotts.com.

General Find out more about Meghan, her books, and articles, on her website: https://www.meghandaum.com/ Follow Meghan on Twitter: https://twitter.com/meghan_daum Buy Meghan's book ‘The Problem With Everything: My Journey Through The New Culture Wars': https://www.meghandaum.com/the-problem-with-everything Buy Meghan's book ‘The Unspeakable: And Other Subjects Of Discussion': https://www.meghandaum.com/the-unspeakable Listen to Meghan's ‘The Unspeakable Podcast': https://www.theunspeakablepodcast.com/ References Meghan's novel ‘The Quality of Life Report': https://www.meghandaum.com/the-quality-of-life-report The volume Meghan edited, ‘Selfish, Shallow & Self-Absorbed: Sixteen Writers On The Decision Not To Have Kids': https://www.meghandaum.com/selfish-shallow-self-absorbed Timestamps 0:58 Opening and introduction 1:55 Iona reads a passage from an essay in Meghan's ‘The Unspeakable' in aid of reflection upon the choice of subjects in non-fiction and the freedoms (and limits) the genre of the personal essay gives authors as opposed to memoirs and non-fiction. Including further discussion on Meghan's experience with fiction-writing. 16:51 Meghan's lack of fear in addressing difficult topics. Today's atmosphere for public thinking compared to earlier in Meghan's career. The very different reception accorded her most recent book ‘The Problem With Everything' compared to her previous writings. The radical cultural shift since 2014/15/16: the rise of ‘social justice' and the casting out of ‘the problematic.' 23:42 The origins of ‘The Problem With Everything': the problem with contemporary feminism and the rise of the ‘badass' trope. The “commodification of grievance” in recent years. How Meghan's book expanded from a discussion of feminism to become a much broader study of the culture wars. 29:42 The rise of the race discourse to prominence in the culture wars. Are there unspoken tensions between modern feminism and anti-racism? Has race superseded gender/feminism as a culture war flashpoint? The rise of the ‘Karen.' Where have all the thoughtful people gone? The hijacking of big issues by the least thoughtful among us. 35:05 Reflections on #MeToo. Has there been a “valorisation of victimhood”? Further reflections on the reception of ‘The Problem With Everything' and the radical culture shift since c. 2014. 52:37 Where are the ‘edgy' woke folk? Is there a risk of becoming obsessive about all of the woke inanity? 1:00:27 The politicisation of everything. The struggle not to constantly ‘harrumph.' Can we avoid being angry with people rather than ideas? How much certainty should we have in our beliefs? How do we find a balance between being unapologetic and being epistemically humble? Why is it so difficult to say “I don't know”? 1:08:10 The generational divide between those who grew up online and those who didn't. Meghan's view that hers is the last generation to have experienced an analogue world; her generation has gotten old/obsolete without being old; she sometimes feels closer to boomers decades older than her than millennials much closer to her age. 1:15:35 Iona reads from ‘The Problem With Everything'; a discussion on the role of women, childhood, and moral panics (child abductions, the Satanic panic, ‘the latchkey kid') ensues. The tension between safety and freedom in our personal lives (particularly in women's personal lives). 1:23:42 Iona's feelings about Meghan's ‘The Unspeakable' book: how it affected her more personally than Meghan's other books; the similarities she felt to Meghan's description of being involved as a volunteer in foster care. Iona's childhood relationship with her sister, who was a parent figure, growing up. Why Meghan and Iona couldn't wait to be done with childhood. Plus: on not wanting to have kids. 1:37:22 How did Meghan's serious freak illness and miraculous survival some years ago affect her views on life? 1:40:08 Last words and outro.

Jeff Hunt, Director of the Centennial Institute, the public policy arm of Colorado Christian University, shared about the school's strategy to promote a pro-life perspective and gave his observations of the 2022 March for Life in Washington, DC.  The Centennial website is centennial.ccu.edu.

A skipper's bravery in the face of death - and precautions that could have saved him - are at the heart of a maritime report out today. Former ACT party candidate Stuart Pedersen died after his 14 metre sloop took on water off Cape Brett in Northland, in October 2019. Here Sam Olley reporting from Northland.

How do you grade yourself? By your classes, projects, or achievements? Dr. B looks at the bigger picture and shares what it means to have a life report card. Find out what truly matters and is important to you and that is what you should grade yourself on. From F's to A's, Kurt Jackson talks us through his life's report card and how things don't change overnight. He grades himself on where he lives and what he does, reflecting on his current position and how to improve. This episode is sponsored by Central Coast Wealth Management, who can help you accumulate, protect, and build your legacy. Instagram: @drbandme LinkedIn: /drbandme Website: drbandme.win

Dr. Marwyn is a teacher of the philosophy of life, an artist of chiropractic experiences and studies, he helps people to reach their inborn potential all around the world. He has spent the last 7 years studying the human brain and nervous system. In this episode he shares his knowledge, experience and understanding on how we can integrate our life experiences so that we may perform at higher levels and states of mind. A world traveller, who has been mentored by the most fascinating minds in natural healing, spirituality and business. He lives in Ecuador and empowers people with his podcast Back 2 Being on FB, Youtube, Spotify, Anchor

In this episode of the Making Sense podcast, Sam Harris speaks with Meghan Daum about her book The Problem with Everything. They discuss contemporary feminism, violence against women, campus sexual assault, moral panics, new norms of conversation, the 2020 Presidential campaign, and other topics. Meghan Daum is the author of five books, including My Misspent Youth, The Quality of Life Report, Life Would Be Perfect If I Lived in That House, The Unspeakable, and Selfish, Shallow & Self-Absorbed. Meghan also writes a biweekly column about culture and politics for Medium. She was an opinion columnist for The Los Angeles Times from 2005 to 2016 and has written for numerous journals and magazines, including The New Yorker, The New York Times Magazine, The Atlantic, and Vogue. Website: www.meghandaum.com Twitter: @meghan_daum

Let's talk money, ladies! Most of us are rubbish at talking about the pennies and pounds (especially if you are British!) but it's so vital we start having these conversations so we can create a better relationship with money. From f*ck off funds to cancelling pension plans and from investment knowledge to getting into debt, we both open up and tell you our own money journeys. Are you a saver or a spender? Do you ignore money or know every penny you have? Were you educated as a woman around money or did it end up being a guessing game? Do you pay the single surcharge for hotel rooms? We discuss it all. Come join then drop us a message about your own story. Feminist Fight Club - Jessica Bennett https://www.feministfightclub.com/Women's Risks in Life report https://www.insuringwomensfutures.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/Risks-in-Life-Report.pdf Book a 20 minute money mindset clarity call with Verity. DM https://www.instagram.com/theseasaltplan/ Have some feedback, a question you would like us to answer or a topic suggestion? Drop us an email at freeandfiguringitout@gmail.com Follow us https://www.instagram.com/freeandfiguringitout/   Your hosts are... Charelle Griffith, 30, is a marketing strategist and founder of PropelHer, a personal development blog and book club. She lives in London, dates men and has been single for 3 years. Connect with Charelle https://www.instagram.com/charellegriffith/ Verity Brown, 32, is a freelance marketer and empowerment coach living back in her hometown in the north of England. She dates men and women and has been single for 3 years. Connect with Verity https://www.instagram.com/theseasaltplan/

This is a follow-up piece to the previous audio blog on logical fallacies and the danger of accusing people of fallacies they did not commit. This piece focuses on how to effectively expose logical fallacies that are committed during a dialogue. Because this piece became one of the most popular posts, Josh began including this practical dialogue tip in a lot of his talks. Related Links: Josh Brahm: You Should Know What a Logical Fallacy Actually Is: http://bit.ly/2go17bp Watch Trent Horn talk about exposing logical fallacies on an episode of Life Report:https://youtu.be/c3zDGEtf6Rw Download the mp3 of the same Life Report episode:http://bit.ly/2EVsZPB Buy Greg Koukl's Tactics: A Game Plan for Discussing Your Christian Convictions:http://bit.ly/2nSIjoM Read about Justice for All's "Three Essential Skills": http://bit.ly/2nXPIm5 Read explanation of post hoc ergo propter hoc:http://bit.ly/2EgRSbj Share the original article: http://bit.ly/2ikWwed ERI Website: https://EqualRightsInstitute.com ERI Blog: https://Blog.EqualRightsInstitute.com ERI Course: https://EquippedCourse.com

Right to Life of Central California Executive Director and Host John Gerardi is now hosting a local talk radio show on Fresno's AM 1680 The Answer. The LIFE REPORT podcast is now RIGHT TO LIFE RADIO. Tune in every Thursday live at 9 AM on AM 1680 the Answer, listen online at my1680.com, or download this podcast to get the latest on Pro-life news and local events. This week John shares his thoughts on the new Supreme Court Justice pick and plugs this Saturday's Pro-life conference.  

It's back!  Life Report makes its triumphant return with our new host, Right to Life of Central California's executive director John Gerardi.  He's talking with California Family Council CEO Jonathan Keller about a frightening new bill from the California Legislature, and pro-life legislative developments in Kentucky and Virginia. Life Report is produced by Right to Life of Central California. For more information visit: www.LifeReport.org www.RightToLifeCA.org

Weand're exploring the accusation that Tasmanian Family First Candidate Peter Madden linked the Orlando Massacre with the Australian Same Sex Marriage Debate, and the Homosexual Lobby using sympathy for the victims of the massacre to close down defenders of Marriage in Australia. Help Vision to keep 'Connecting Faith to Life': https://vision.org.au/donate See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Great takeaways on The 7 Areas of Life Report Card from Brendon Burchard.  He shared this model at a recent event (High Performance Academy).  It's so easy to spend just 4 minutes a week reflecting on your lift to determine how to make it even better.

Great takeaways on The 7 Areas of Life Report Card from Brendon Burchard.  He shared this model at a recent event (High Performance Academy).  It's so easy to spend just 4 minutes a week reflecting on your lift to determine how to make it even better.

What's it like to unplug from Twitter for awhile? And where do all my thoughts go that would otherwise have gone out via tweets?

What’s it like to unplug from Twitter for awhile? And where do all my thoughts go that would otherwise have gone out via tweets?

What’s it like to unplug from Twitter for awhile? And where do all my thoughts go that would otherwise have gone out via tweets?

The Unspeakable: And Other Subjects of Discussion (Farrar Straus Giroux) A master of the personal essay candidly explores love, death, and the counterfeit rituals of American life. For tonight's event Meghan Daum will be joined by Bernard Cooper! In her celebrated 2001 collection, My Misspent Youth, Meghan Daum offered a bold, witty, defining account of the artistic ambitions, financial anxieties, and mixed emotions of her generation. The Unspeakable is an equally bold and witty, but also a sadder and wiser, report from early middle age. It's a report tempered by hard times. In "Matricide," Daum unflinchingly describes a parent's death and the uncomfortable emotions it provokes; and in "Diary of a Coma" she relates her own journey to the twilight of the mind. But Daum also operates in a comic register. With perfect precision, she reveals the absurdities of the marriage-industrial complex, of the New Age dating market, and of the peculiar habits of the young and digital. Elsewhere, she writes searchingly about cultural nostalgia, Joni Mitchell, and the alternating heartbreak and liberation of choosing not to have children. Combining the piercing insight of Joan Didion with a warm humor reminiscent of Nora Ephron, Daum dissects our culture's most dangerous illusions, blind spots, and sentimentalities while retaining her own joy and compassion. Through it all, she dramatizes the search for an authentic self in a world where achieving an identity is never simple and never complete. Praise for The Unspeakable: And Other Subject of Discussion: “The Unspeakable is a fantastic collection of essays: funny, clever and moving (often at the  same time), never more universal than in its most personal moments (in other words, throughout), and written with enviable subtlety, precision and spring. As if that weren't enough, Meghan Daum very nearly persuaded me to listen to Joni Mitchell again!”– Geoff Dyer “The Unspeakable speaks with wit and warmth and artful candor, the fruits of an exuberant and consistently surprising intelligence. These are essays that dig under the surface of what we might expect to feel in order to discover what we actually feel instead. I was utterly captivated by Daum's sensitive fidelity to the complexity of lived experience.” – Leslie Jamison "For several years now, I've kept copies of some of these essays . . . by my desk . . . Her writing has a clarity . . . that just makes you feel awake." --Ira Glass "A Joan Didion for the new millennium, Meghan Daum brings grace, wit, and insight to contemporary life, love, manners, and money." --Dan Wakefield Meghan Daum is a columnist for the Los Angeles Times and the author of the essay collection My Misspent Youth. She is also the author of Life Would Be Perfect If I Lived in That House and The Quality of Life Report, a novel. Her essays and reviews have appeared in The New Yorker, Harper's, The New York Times Book Review, Vogue, and other publications. She has also contributed to NPR's Morning Edition, Marketplace, and This American Life. She lives in Los Angeles, California. Bernard Cooper is the author of the forthcoming memoir, My Avant-Garde Education. He is also the author of The Bill From My Father, Maps To Anywhere, A Year of Rhymes, Truth Serum, and a collection of short stories, Guess Again. Cooper is the recipient of the PEN/USA Ernest Hemingway Award, the O. Henry Prize, a Guggenheim grant, and a National Endowment of the Arts fellowship in literature.  His work has appeared in several anthologies, including The Best American Essays of 1988, 1995, and 1997, 2002, and 2008.  His work has also appeared in magazines and literary reviews including, Granta, Harper's Magazine, The Paris Review, Story, The Los Angeles Times Magazine, and The New York Times Magazine.  He has contributed to National Public Radio's "This American Life" and for six years wrote monthly features as the art critic for Los Angeles Magazine

Join the discussion www.LifeReport.org Outreach Director Marcos Espinoza shares some exciting testimony from the 40 Days for Life prayer vigil currently happening outside Fresno's Planned Parenthood. New host, Education Director Rebecca Peerson, interviews volunteers down at the vigil and chats with Marcos about the nuances of Sidewalk Counseling. Life Report is produced by Right to LIfe of Central California. For more information visit: www.LifeReport.org www.RightToLifeCA.org www.40DaysFresno.org

We are back from hiatus! Life Report welcomes some returning faces and some new ones! Gabi Vehrs and Liz Goddard are back to discuss why we are pro-life. Executive Director Michael Salinas joins Liz to discuss the mission statement of Right to Life of Central California and how this shapes the organization's outreaches. Find out how you can get involved at the end of the episode. www.LifeReport.org Life Report is produced by Right To Life of Central California www.RightToLifeCA.org www.40DaysFresno.org

Join the discussion at http://ProLifePodcast.net/199 Life Report welcomes Abby Johnson! Abby talks about leaving Planned Parenthood and what she is doing now to help end abortion.  Check out Abby's organization "And Then There Were None" at http://www.attwn.org Purchase her book "Unplanned" http://www.unplannedthebook.com/ Life Report is produced by Right to Life of Central California. For more information visit http://www.LifeReport.org or http://www.RightToLifeCA.org  

Josh interviews Jojo Ruba, former staff member of the Canadian Centre for Bio-Ethical Reform and Executive Director of Faith Beyond Belief.   After talking about the pro-life presentations that have been protested and censored by Canadian pro-choice activists, Jojo answers the 9-question Life Report Questionnaire that has been answered by many other pro-life leaders in the past. I altered it a little for this interview, taking out the questions on stem cell research and euthanasia to focus more on the graphic pictures debate and how pro-lifers should treat pro-choice people.   I love this quote from Jojo, in regards to what he does when he's talking to a pro-choice person: "I say a little prayer, and the prayer is this: 'Father, show me how I can love this person today.'"   Questions:   What did you get in trouble for as a child? What is your favorite movie, and why? What has been the pro-life movement’s greatest victory (or victories) so far? What has been the pro-life movement’s greatest failing or weakness? Graphic Pictures: Should we use them, and if so, how, when, and where? Is there a difference between showing non-graphic but disturbing images in public (like the human trafficking truck) and showing graphic images of abortion in public? How should pro-lifers interact with those who are pro-abortion-choice? What kind of tips are you offering students you train on how to treat pro-choice people with respect? What single thing should pro-lifers be doing that most are NOT doing right now?

After shooting the Life Report episode on arguments for embryonic stem cell research, Dr. Buratovich graciously stuck around 37-minutes to answer more questions! This audio includes my new favorite fact about early human development!   Questions:   1: Ronald Bailey has argued that since somatic cell nuclear transfer can transform a nucleus from an adult cell into an embryo, then every cell in our body is a potential embryo. Since we do not get upset about all those cells we lose when we sneeze or scrape our knees, we shouldn’t get upset about the death of a bunch of embryos. I train people to respond to that by saying they’re confusing parts with wholes and talk about what an organism is. How do you respond?   2: Some argue that embryos are like acorns as opposed to oak trees. The loss of a majestic oak tree is a genuinely sad, but an acorn? We trample hundreds of those while playing with our kids at the park and think nothing of it. So people argue that embryos are similar, in that they only become valuable when they grow up. How do you respond to that argument?   3: Respond to the more intelligent pro-choice argument that would say that sentience or some other capacity is a necessary condition for being valuable.   4: But if self-awareness really is what's important, then it seems like the pro-choice person could respond by agreeing that the threshold of self-awareness isn't epistomologically knowable, but that doesn't mean that that threshold doesn't ontologically exist. Then they could do what Boonin and Singer do and just draw the line several weeks before that threshold could possibly exist. How would you respond to that person?   5: The early church made a distinction between abortion after quickening (the maternal sensation of fetal movement), which was viewed as murder, and abortion before quickening, which was not viewed as murder. Is the pro-life movement inconsistent with early church teaching? 6: How would you argue that the unborn is a living, human organism?   7: Clarify how the mother's uterus communicates with the embryo, signalling it to the optimum location to implant.   8: Can we use dead embryos to ethically make embryonic stem cell lines?   9: Should people freeze their baby’s umbilical cord blood as a deposit on future research?

We weren't able to cover everything I wanted to during the Life Report episode, but Dr. Poupard was gracious enough to spend some more time answering questions about this important topic. 1: How do birth control pllls and Plan B work, why do some people think that they are abortifacients and why do you think that they may not be? 2: Comment on article from Catholic Bioethics...Quarterly that cites studies indicating that Plan B is not an abortifacient and argues that the labels on Plan B may not mean anything. Is there a medical bias issue at play? 3: Question #1 from Dan: What about the studies cited in Randy Alcorn's book that breakthrough pregnancies while on oral contraceptives are more likely to be ectopic? 4: Question #2 from Dan: What is the state of the research on Progesterone-only pills like the mini pill and copper/hormonal IUD's?

The second part of Josh's interview with Brad Mattes, CEO of Life Issues Institute and host of the Emmy award-winning television show, "Facing Life Head-On." Brad answers the questions from the "Life Report Questionnaire" and more! Questions: What did you get in trouble for as a child? What is your favorite movie, and why? What has been the pro-life movement's greatest victory (or victories) so far? What has been the pro-life movement's greatest failing or weakness?  Does the pro-life movement need more unity, and if so, how can we accomplish that?  Graphic Pictures: Should we use them, and if so, how, when, and where?  What would you say to those who would argue that graphic pictures should be used in very public places because children don't seem to be too negatively effected by them?  Stem Cell Research & Human Cloning: What should pro-lifers be doing about this, and why?  What would you say to those who say it's unfair to compare the current successes of ESCR with adult stem cell research since ASCR has had more public funding until recently?  What should pro-lifers be doing about human cloning now that it might actually be a reality?  Assisted Suicide & Euthanasia: What should pro-lifers be doing about this, and why?  Is the Netherlands a lost cause on the end-of-life issues debate?  Respond to Americans who look at the problems with euthanasia in the Netherlands and respond, "That's them. We will do it better."  What do you say to someone who is for assisted suicide in certain hard cases?  How should pro-lifers interact with those who are pro-abortion-choice?  Respond to pro-lifers who would say that we should be shouting at pro-choice people because that shows we're taking baby killing seriously.  What single thing should pro-lifers be doing that most are NOT doing right now?  How can pro-lifers start conversations about such a dark issue without being weird?  How should pro-life people use Facebook?  If people went to LifeIssues.org what could they find there?

After wrapping up four Life Report episodes, Josh, Tim and Gabi hung out to cover some material they didn't have time to get into earlier in the day. Those topics and questions for Tim include: You said, "Love does not insist on its own way; it does not need to have the last word in a debate." Does that conflict with the Stand to Reason mantra of trying to leave people with a pebble in their shoe? A discussion of pro-life memes and why most of them are bad. You said, "Love is not resentful, it does not dwell on the failures of those around us. Love does not rejoice at wrongdoing. It is not excited when those around us are caught in sin." What about pro-life groups like Live Action that do undercover investigative videos catching Planned Parenthood doing bad things? Can you talk about how we are to love practically with those in the pro-life movement who may disagree on our political method, for example on our use of graphic images? How would you apply your piece to that? Which line in the 1 Cor 13 piece do you feel is the most important, or the most contrasted by the way a lot of pro-life people actually act?

Valerie from Silver Lake, Kansas emailed Life Report to ask for advice on a discouraging debate she had with her pro-choice, Christian father about abortion. Josh continues a three-part video series responding to different aspects of her email, and some of her dad's pro-choice arguments. This is part two, where Josh discusses... how to respond when people call the unborn a "potential human being;" the claim that life is just a cycle and nothing really begins at fertilization; how to use Richard Stith's Polaroid analogy; how to define the term "human being."

Valerie from Silver Lake, Kansas emailed Life Report to ask for advice on a discouraging debate she had with her pro-choice, Christian father about abortion. Josh continues a three-part video series responding to different aspects of her email, and some of her dad's pro-choice arguments. This is part three, where Josh discusses... how to respond when somebody claims that personhood begins when a baby takes its first breath; what to do when the person you're talking to states that their mind is closed on the issue.

Valerie from Silver Lake, Kansas emailed Life Report to ask for advice on a discouraging debate she had with her pro-choice, Christian father about abortion. Josh begins a three-part video series responding to different aspects of her email, and some of her dad's pro-choice arguments. In part one, Josh discusses the most important question when somebody states that the unborn is "not a human being," how to effectively "narrate the debate" when people don't answer our reasonable questions, and a few quick thoughts on Valerie's dad's assertion that the functional DNA of an early embryo is different from the DNA at later stages.

Josh, Liz and Gabi respond to the story of a pro-choice blogger who wrote some things about sex-selection abortion that was deemed embarrassing by her pro-choice colleagues and publicly berated for it. Is there an inherent inconsistency in Laurie Penny's article? Can you be both pro-choice and opposed to legal sex-selection abortions? Should the other pro-choice bloggers have responded a different way? What does it mean to have an attitude of seeking truth? How can pro-lifers use this story to start conversations with pro-choice people? These questions and more are discussed on this episode of Life Report.

Josh, Liz and Gabi discuss the wisdom of pro-life activists choosing to compare abortion to recent tragedies like the Aurora movie theater shooting, or posting pro-life status updates every anniversary of 9/11. The Life Report team considers the toughest questions from the other side of this issue, and they end the 3-part discussion never fully agreeing on the subject. Note from Josh: Bryan Kemper from Stand True Ministries and now working for Priests for Life was one of the main instigators to this comparison that we're responding to. I consider Bryan a friend and colleague, and he is doing a lot of great and important work for the unborn. Good people can disagree on this issue, and we certainly don't pretend to be right about everything. But we DO believe this is a discussion worth having, so that whatever pro-life people decide to do in the future with their Facebook statuses, they will have at least thought about it some more first. Everything we do to end abortion should be done purposefully and thoughtfully. So let's discuss these difficult topics, but don't stop there: GO DO SOMETHING.

Josh, Liz and Gabi discuss the wisdom of pro-life activists choosing to compare abortion to recent tragedies like the Aurora movie theater shooting, or posting pro-life status updates every anniversary of 9/11. The Life Report team considers the toughest questions from the other side of this issue, and they end the 3-part discussion never fully agreeing on the subject. Note from Josh: Bryan Kemper from Stand True Ministries and now working for Priests for Life was one of the main instigators to this comparison that we're responding to. I consider Bryan a friend and colleague, and he is doing a lot of great and important work for the unborn. Good people can disagree on this issue, and we certainly don't pretend to be right about everything. But we DO believe this is a discussion worth having, so that whatever pro-life people decide to do in the future with their Facebook statuses, they will have at least thought about it some more first. Everything we do to end abortion should be done purposefully and thoughtfully. So let's discuss these difficult topics, but don't stop there: GO DO SOMETHING.

Josh explains a relatively new app we're using on our facebook fan page to reward our most active fans. In the past we've been rewarding with free pro-life books. Future rewards to include pro-life clothing and exclusive Life Report audio.

Josh Brahm responds to a listener who disagrees with a recent Life Report episode on voting principles, featuring Scott Klusendorf and Jonathan Keller. The listener thinks we need to use long-term strategy when voting, like chess.

Josh, Liz and Life Report's newest co-host, Gabi Vehrs, discusses that "after-birth abortion" article, including how many pro-life people responded to it, as well as a refutation of the underlying premise in the article.

Trent Horn is back in studio for one more episode, to discuss logical fallacies that both pro-life and pro-choice advocates make. What is logic? How do arguments work? What are fallacies? What are the most common fallacies that pro-choice advocates make? What are the most common fallacies that pro-life advocates make? Most people know that an ad hominem is a fallacy, but they aren’t sure how to describe it or refute it. How do you refute ad hominems? What are some fallacies that people may not recognize but are very common? How can we graciously explain to someone that they are relying on a logical fallacy? Isn't it more important to focus on emotional relationships and not just on who has the best argument? Are there any books you recommend on how to argue and spot fallacies? Trent talked about a few faulty pro-life arguments in this episode. This is actually a common topic on our show. Click here for more faulty pro-life arguments: http://prolifepodcast.net/tag/faulty-pro-life-arguments/ Watch other Life Report episodes with him at prolifepodcast.net/tag/trent-horn.

Memoirists and novelists James Brown (This River), Seth Greenland (Shining City), Diana Wagman (Skin Deep), and Leslie Schwartz (Angels Crest) will discuss the art and craft of fiction versus narrative nonfiction, in a panel discussion moderated by Meghan Daum (Life Would Be Perfect If I Lived in That House).  This is sure to be a fascinating discussion among terrific local writers, and should not be missed! James Brown is the author of several novels, including Lucky Town, and the memoirs, The Los Angeles Diaries, and This River.  He received a Nelson Algren Award in Short Fiction and a National Endowment for the Arts Fellowship.  His work has appeared in numerous publications, including GQ, The New York Times Magazine, and The Los Angeles Times Magazine.  Brown teaches in the MFA Program at Cal State San Bernardino. Seth Greenland is the author of the novels The Bones, Shining City, and The Angry Buddhist (Spring 2012). He was one of the original bloggers on the Huffington Post. www.sethgreenland.com Leslie Schwartz is the author of two novels, Jumping the Green, which won the James Jones Award for best first novel, and Angel's Crest which was an L.A. Times Bestseller, a Book Sense 76 pick and was translated into 13 languages. She is the founder of a literary magazine: Charlotte: A Journal of Poetry, Prose and Art. Her second novel, Angel's Crest has been adapted for the screen and debuted at the Tribeca Film Festival in April. She is currently at work on her third book, a collection of personal essays. Diana Wagman is the author of three novels.  Her second, Spontaneous, won the PEN West Award for Fiction.  Her short stories have been published in Black Clock, Electric Literature and elsewhere.  She has a personal essay in this summer's Colorado Review and often writes opinion pieces for the Los Angeles Times. Meghan Daum is a columnist for The Los Angeles Times and the author, most recently, of the memoir Life Would Be Perfect If I Lived In That House. She has contributed to numerous magazines and to public radio programs such as Marketplace and Morning Edition. She is also the author of the novel The Quality of Life Report and the essay collection My Misspent Youth. THIS EVENT WAS RECORDED LIVE AT SKYLIGHT BOOKS JULY 6, 2011.