Podcast appearances and mentions of loren steffy

As we get closer to winter, is our grid ready to handle all the power we'll need to heat our homes? Texas energy reporter Loren Steffy joins host Raheel Ramzanali to talk about how ERCOT is preparing to avoid blackouts on the coldest days of the year and why our grid still isn't fixed.  Read Loren's work in Texas Monthly here Check out Loren's novels here The grid is not fixed Interested in advertising with City Cast? Let's Talk! Looking for more Houston news? Then sign up for our morning newsletter Hey Houston  Follow us on Instagram  Have feedback or a show idea? Let us know! or leave us a voicemail/text us at +1 713-489-6972 with your thoughts, we love hearing from you! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Welcome to award-winning The Hill Country Podcast. The Texas Hill Country is one of the most beautiful places on earth. In this podcast, Hill Country resident Tom Fox visits with the people and organizations that make this the most unique areas of Texas. Join Tom as he explores the people, places and their activities of the Texas Hill Country.   The 88th Texas Legislature recently concluded its biennial session and two special sessions, focusing on property tax relief, water infrastructure, and the electricity grid. The proposed property tax relief was a welcome move, and Patrick was on the right track with his proposal to ensure homeowners don't lose their homes due to high tax rates. The legislature ultimately came up with a dual approach, which is a compromise, and homeowners will be glad to see some relief from the property taxes.  Sadly, the impeachment of Ken Paxton took the air out of all other legislative work. Paxton has been under indictment for a long time, and nobody on the Republican side seemed to care until he asked for state funds to pay for his legal settlement. It took a long time for state leaders to take action, and it shouldn't have taken this much effort. The impeachment trial will be held in the Senate later this summer. Tom Fox and Loren Steffy discussed the importance of access to education and public services in remote areas. Tom Fox's junior high school history teacher posited that the American high school created the American middle class. The founding fathers of America wanted to get away from the class system and believed that with access to education, anyone can be anything. The founding fathers of the Republic of Texas, Mirabeau Lamar and Anson Jones, set aside land in every township for K-12 education. The disagreement between the governor and lieutenant governor of Texas was over how to reform property taxes or give people a break. The governor wanted to subsidize school property taxes, while the lieutenant governor wanted to raise the homestead exemption. The governor also wanted to take public funds to fund private education, but he did not get what he wanted. The transfer of wealth from taxpayers to private companies running schools with less accountability than public schools was a major concern. Rural Republican and urban Democratic voters united in opposition to school vouchers. There was an argument that private schools would take away access to best athletes for rural football teams. There was also an analogy to rural hospitals closing due to lack of cost effectiveness. There was a potential for the education system to become exclusive and elite, and it would also lead to the draining of healthcare facilities in rural areas. Tom Fox and Loren Steffy also discussed Tom's book, The Big Empty. Steffy is starting a series called Podcasts in Print. The first Podcasts in Print will be the discussion between Tom and Loren about The Big Empty. It will be released in early August, and Loren is looking forward to its release. This episode provided an insightful look into the issues facing Texas and the importance of access to education and public services in remote areas. The legislature's efforts to provide property tax relief and the impeachment of Ken Paxton are two major issues that will have an impact on the state. Podcasts in Print series will be a great way to explore these topics further.  Key Highlights ·       Assessment of the 88th Legislature ·       Property Tax relief ·      School Vouchers ·      Rural Texas ·      Ken Paxton impeachment by Texas House  Resources Loren Steffy Stoney Creek Publishing Tom Fox Instagram Facebook YouTube Twitter LinkedIn

Can we trust the Texas Railroad Commission to regulate carbon capture in Texas?  On episode 196 of The Green Insider , Loren Steffy, writer-large for Texas Monthly and an author of five books covers a variety of topics starting with carbon capture and methane.   In addition, we discuss issues … The post Carbon Capture, Methane, and The Energy Transition on Episode 196 appeared first on eRENEWABLE.

Welcome to award-winning The Hill Country Podcast. The Texas Hill Country is one of the most beautiful places on earth. In this podcast, Hill Country resident Tom Fox visits with the people and organizations that make this the most unique areas of Texas. Join Tom as he explores the people, places and their activities of the Texas Hill Country.  In this episode Tom visits with Loren Steffy about the controversy regarding the announcement of the hiring of Kathleen McElroy to head the School of Journalism and how it all went sideways. This matter involves a recent controversy at Texas A&M University and highlighted the need for universities to embrace inclusion and create an environment where all students feel welcome and respected. The controversy began when the school attempted to hire Kathleen McElroy, an A&M graduate, to head the journalism program. The job offer was changed from a tenured position to a one-year position with the possibility of being fired at any time, leading to the resignation of the school's president. This incident has caused a stir, prompting discussions about the importance of diversity and inclusion in higher education and the unique culture of A&M, which is both inclusive and exclusive. It has also raised questions about the university's hiring practices and whether they have been giving potential employees and students from diverse backgrounds a fair chance.  Key Highlights ·       Kathleen McElroy's Initial Hiring ·       It all goes sideways ·      A&M Culture ·      A&M Hiring Issues ·      What does it all mean?  Resources Loren Steffy Stoney Creek Publishing Texas A&M's Journalism Fiasco Has Roots in the School's Conformist Culture by Loren Steffy in TexasMonthly.com Tom Fox Instagram Facebook YouTube Twitter LinkedIn

Zombie oil wells are wrecking havoc on the environment, but what exactly are they and why isn't anybody stepping up to stop the damage? Longtime Texas energy reporter Loren Steffy joins host Raheel Ramzanali to explain why zombie oil wells are impacting us now, who is responsible, and what we can do to stop further damage to the environment. Read more about Zombie Wells here Looking for more Houston news? Then sign up for our morning newsletter Hey Houston  Follow us on Twitter and Instagram  @CityCastHouston Don't have social media? Then leave us a voicemail or text us at +1 713-489-6972 with your thoughts! Have feedback or a show idea? Let us know!  Interested in advertising with City Cast? Let's Talk! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On Tuesday's show: We discuss efforts from two Texas Congressmen to urge the EPA to not let the state regulate its own carbon capture efforts. Also this hour: We talk with two Houston-area state representatives, Armando Walle and Lacey Hull, who landed on Texas Monthly's list of Best Legislators.  Then, entomologist Erin Mills, of the Houston Botanic Garden, joins us to talk about insects and bugs. And we discuss the state of animal welfare in the region with the Gulf Coast Animal Welfare Alliance and partners from the City of Rosenberg Animal Control & Shelter and Houston Pets Alive!

On Tuesday's show: We talk about Saudi Arabia's decision to cut oil production and what that may mean for the oil and gas industry here in Houston and gas prices for consumers, especially during the busy summer travel months. And we learn about Houston chef Benchawan Jabthong Painter of Street to Kitchen, who won a James Beard Award for Best Chef in Texas. Also this hour: A new book from Texas Monthly called Lone Stars Rising profiles 50 influential Texans who have impacted our state. A number of them, of course, are (or were) Houstonians. Then, the Houston Chronicle's Jhair Romero explains some concerns about how non-English speakers in Houston learn about emergencies. And we discuss how the criminal justice system handles people accused of violent crimes who are indefinitely determined to be mentally incompetent to stand trial.

Dr. Ahmed K. Ali is an associate professor of Architecture at Texas A&M. He is also the Director of the Resource-Based Design Research Lab at TAMU. This week, he joins host Loren Steffy to discuss his immigration story, his work in academia, and his observations on immigration in America.

  On Thursday's show: Saudi Arabia and a number of other oil-producing countries in the Middle East have announced a significant cut in oil production beginning in May. What will that mean for the Houston economy? Also this hour: To address the problem of childhood obesity, Texas and many other states have passed laws requiring kids get a certain number of hours of physical activity in school. So, why isn't it working? We talk with a researcher behind a recent study on the subject. And educators discuss ways to improve PE and other forms of physical activity at school. And the First Fridays Reading Series, Houston's longest-running poetry reading series and open mic, returns this week for the first time since the pandemic began. Poet Chris Wise talks about the role the event plays in the literary community and in his own development as a writer.

DW Gibson is an American journalist, author, radio host, and cultural critic. He is also the author of the 2020 book, 14 Miles: Building the Border Wall, about the border wall that Former President Trump was building, and its impact on the lives of local residents. DW joins host Loren Steffy to discuss updates on the border wall and other movements that are gaining traction in the immigration policy reform space.

From 2019 to 2021, six Houston-area refineries dumped 55 million gallons of chemicals into the Houston Ship Channel and other public waterways — and this was all done legally. Lead producer Dina Kesbeh and contributor Loren Steffy talk what implications this might have and how this is allowed. Learn more about the story by clicking here! Looking for more Houston news? Then sign up for our morning newsletter Hey Houston Follow us on Twitter and Instagram @CityCastHouston Don't have social media? Then leave us a voicemail or text us at +1 713-489-6972 with your thoughts! Have feedback or a show idea? Let us know!  Interested in advertising with City Cast? Let's Talk! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On Monday's show: CERAWeek, the annual weeklong energy conference, kicks off today at the George R. Brown Convention Center. With that happening in the background, we get an update on the state of the energy industry. Also this hour: Listeners share their pet peeves about life in Houston. And we get an update on Houston sports from Jeff Balke, who writes for Houston Press and co-hosts the Bleav in Astros podcast.

Charles Kamasaki is the Senior Cabinet Advisor of UnidosUS, (formerly the National Council of La Raza), the nation's largest Hispanic civil rights and advocacy organization, and a Distinguished Visiting Scholar at Cornell Law School. He is also the author of Immigration Reform: The Corpse That Will Not Die. Charles joins host Loren Steffy to discuss the book and the findings therein. 

Gaurav Khanna is a respected scholar whose research focuses on development economics, labor economics and applied econometrics. He is an assistant professor of economics at the School of Global Policy and Strategy at USC San Diego and a non-resident fellow at the Center for Global Development.    Khanna joins host Loren Steffy to discuss recent tech layoff trends, the issues that H1-B Visa holders are facing, and how these visa holders have impacted American economics over the last 20 years.

Charles Foster is an immigration attorney and chairman of Foster LLP in Houston. His work includes being a Senior Immigration Policy Advisor for George W. Bush, an immigration policy advisor on the 2008 Obama campaign, and many others. His work in immigration law has made him one of the foremost experts in the field.    Foster joins host Loren Steffy to discuss the new Congress, what needs to happen to come to rational immigration policy changes, and much more. 

Hosts Chris Lyon, Loren Steffy and Melissa Brannan join new host Carter Carroll to look back at the first 150 episodes of the podcast. The crew discusses favorite past episodes, recent immigration news, and the future of the podcast. 

Douglas Rivlin is the Director of Communication for America's Voice and America's Voice Education Fund. The mission of America's Voice and America's Voice Education Fund is to build the public support and the political will needed to enact policy changes that secure freedom and opportunity for immigrants in America. Rivlin joins host Loren Steffy to discuss the recent mid-term elections and how American voters are pushing for immigration reform. 

This is a special podcast series on current economic and culture issues faced by the state of Texas, its governments and its citizens. We will explore these issues with author Loren Steffy, through the prism of his book The Big Empty. The Big Empty set in 1999, is a tale about the sense of place and tells the story of a fictional company AzTech which builds a semi-conductor plant in the dying west Texas city of Conquistador. The attempt is beset by the clash of culture in bringing Silicon Valley tech entrepreneurs to rural Texas. The book also raises multiple economic issues facing Texas as we move towards the mid 21st century. Over this 5-part podcast series we will consider the following issues facing Texas today; including water, power, land investment, housing and the clash of cultures. In Episode 5, we look at the issue of housing in Texas. In the book, the newcomers build a gated community, which has a huge fountain at the entrance. There is a private golf course attached to the gated community. What happens to small towns when a large manufacturing plant moves in? What happens to the property values? Where can local teachers, firefighter and police live? What happens when incoming plant workers have to live in other towns. What is affordable housing? What is achievable housing? Do you want long or even short term rentals to propagate in your small town. These and other affordable living issues are front in center in Texas today.  Purchase The Big Empty

Mariko Hirose is the U.S. Litigation Director at International Refugee Assistance Project (IRAP.) Mariko joins host Loren Steffy to discuss IRAP's work in aiding refugee's worldwide and here in America. They also discuss IRAP's recent letter of recommendation to the US government on how to help refugee's trying to make it to America.

This is a special podcast series on current economic and culture issues faced by the state of Texas, its governments and its citizens. We will explore these issues with author Loren Steffy, through the prism of his book The Big Empty. The Big Empty set in 1999, is a tale about the sense of place and tells the story of a fictional company AzTech which builds a semi-conductor plant in the dying west Texas city of Conquistador. The attempt is beset by the clash of culture in bringing Silicon Valley tech entrepreneurs to rural Texas. The book also raises multiple economic issues facing Texas as we move towards the mid 21st century. Over this 5-part podcast series we will consider the following issues facing Texas today; including water, power, land investment, housing and the clash of cultures. In Episode 4, we consider the clash of culture when a new employer moves into a small, rural town. Early in the book is ‘the punch' where local leader Trace Malloy, punches Blaine Witherspoon in the face, breaking his nose. Much of the book follows from this act in detailing the clash of cultures brought to the tiny west Texas town of Conquistador. We consider what led up to the punch and how both sides deal with it going forward. Witherspoon goes on a roundup and Malloy visits a semi-conductor plant clean room. Finally the book shows how both communities can come together in a time of crisis and how they can use this as a basis to move forward together. As more people move to Texas, how will native Texans adapt to their new neighbors.  Purchase The Big Empty

This is a special podcast series on current economic and culture issues faced by the state of Texas, its governments and its citizens. We will explore these issues with author Loren Steffy, through the prism of his book The Big Empty. The Big Empty set in 1999, is a tale about the sense of place and tells the story of a fictional company AzTech which builds a semi-conductor plant in the dying west Texas city of Conquistador. The attempt is beset by the clash of culture in bringing Silicon Valley tech entrepreneurs to rural Texas. The book also raises multiple economic issues facing Texas as we move towards the mid 21st century. Over this 5-part podcast series we will consider the following issues facing Texas today; including water, power, land investment, housing and the clash of cultures. In Episode 3, we consider land and development. How was the town of Conquistador able to get AzTech to build a semi-conductor plant in their hometown. What are the laws in Texas which allow communities to cut taxes for new development and how are those laws employed? How do Chapter 313 incentives work? Who makes up the school district tax revenue shortfall? What is the resort effective and how does that impact local property values? How will Texas compete with other states for development going forward. For Texas to continue to grow it will have to entice companies to Texas but will it continue to do so based upon the pocketbooks of its citizens? Purchase The Big Empty

This is a special podcast series on current economic and culture issues faced by the state of Texas, its governments and its citizens. We will explore these issues with author Loren Steffy, through the prism of his book The Big Empty. The Big Empty set in 1999, is a tale about the sense of place and tells the story of a fictional company AzTech which builds a semi-conductor plant in the dying west Texas city of Conquistador. The attempt is beset by the clash of culture in bringing Silicon Valley tech entrepreneurs to rural Texas. The book also raises multiple economic issues facing Texas as we move towards the mid 21st century. Over this 5-part podcast series we will consider the following issues facing Texas today; including water, power, land investment, housing and the clash of cultures.  In Episode 2, we consider power in Texas. In the book, the massive power lines to the plant play a seminal role in the story. How do you bring the massive amounts of power needed to run a semi-conductor plant to rural west Texas. How is power generated? The Texas power grid has sustained three major failures over the past 12 years, does the Texas Legislature have the political will to ever fix it? What about alternative forms of power and why is Texas uniquely situated to exploit wind and solar power? Many companies and homeowners are now onsite power generation. What does this mean for the Texas power grid? For Texas to continue to bring high tech manufacturing facilities, the state will have to address these issues. Purchase The Big Empty

This begins a special podcast series on current economic and culture issues faced by the state of Texas, its governments and its citizens. We will explore these issues with author Loren Steffy, through the prism of his book The Big Empty. The Big Empty set in 1999, is a tale about the sense of place and tells the story of a fictional company AzTech which builds a semi-conductor plant in the dying west Texas city of Conquistador. The attempt is beset by the clash of culture in bringing Silicon Valley tech entrepreneurs to rural Texas. The book also raises multiple economic issues facing Texas as we move towards the mid 21st century. Over this 5-part podcast series we will consider the following issues facing Texas today; including water, power, land investment, housing and the clash of cultures.  In Episode 1 we consider water and water resource in a time of water scarcity. In the book, the newcomers build out a lake which sits in the front of their gated community and is used to water their private golf course. We explore questions of where water is found and how is it delivered, transmission to move to water where you need it and what happens if you have too much water. We consider the clash of culture in using water to create a water feature for a gated community that is either seen as a positive by its residents or a waste of water in the time of draught by the locals. Water as a sustainable commodity is a question facing Texas today and for the future.  Purchase The Big Empty.

Angelica Razo is the Texas State Director for Mi Familia Vota, an organization dedicated to building up the political power and representation of Latinos in the United States. Razo joins host Loren Steffy to discuss the recent work of the organization, including a memo calling for Democrats to fight harder for immigrants.

Leah Boustan and Ran Abramitzky join host Loren Steffy to discuss their new book, "Streets of Gold: America's Untold Story of Immigrant Success." The writers discuss the success and economic impacts of immigrants in the United States. 

Shoba Wadhia, Director of the Center for Immigrants' Rights Clinic, Associate Dean for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, and Law Professor sits down with host Loren Steffy for a conversation about a Texas Federal Court's pushback against restrictions on deportation implemented by the Biden Administration.

The oil companies' favorite option to fight global warming appears less and less viable. So, what now? Is carbon capture still a viable option? Is Houston's green energy future *screwed?* Today, on the podcast, Lisa Gray speaks to business contributor Loren Steffy, author and writer-at-large who explains all that is wrong with this current model in Houston, and abroad. Stay up to date with Houston news by signing up for our morning newsletter here. Follow our socials! We're on Twitter and Instagram  You can also give us your thoughts by leaving us a voicemail or text at +1 713-489-6972  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Grinders in baseball are the guys who make up most of a team's roster, show up game after game and put in the work without necessarily receiving all of the glory. In this first episode of Grinders, Shawn Clynch and Mike Capps talk to Loren Steffy and Tal Smith about these men, and the value they bring to the game and the industry.

In this episode of the FCPA Compliance Report I welcome Loren Steffy, now podcast host. Steffy is in the middle of a limited series on the theft by Russian President Putin on the publicly traded Yukos Oil Company back in 2007.  Key areas we discuss on this podcast are:  Why this series and why now.  What is the genesis of this story? Who is Bruce Misamore and what was his role in Yukos. Where can listeners find this podcast.  Resources Putin's Oil Heist on Stoney Creek Publishing Loren Steffy on LinkedIn Putin's Oil Heist on the Compliance Podcast Network Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Welcome to The Hill Country Podcast. The Texas Hill Country is one of the most beautiful places on earth. In this podcast, Hill Country resident Tom Fox visits with the people and organizations that make this the most unique areas of Texas. Join Tom as he explores the people, places and their activities of the Texas Hill Country. In this episode, I visit award-winning author Loren Steffy about his first work of fiction, The Big Empty. Some of the highlights include: ·       What led to Steffy writing a work of fiction? ·       Character development in the book.  ·       Financial, power, water and economic themes in the book. ·       How did Steffy draw out the 2 co-stars of the book? ·       How did Enron get into the book? ·       What's next for Steffy? Resources  Lorne Steffy Blog Lorne Steffy  Website The Big Empty

LyondellBasell, in a recent announcement, said it would shutter its Houston refinery at the end of 2023 — a site that's over 100 years old and can process up to 268,000 barrels of crude a day. According to company execs, it's been increasingly difficult, what with rising costs and global volatility, for the refinery to stay profitable. Since the refinery is one of only ten in Houston, should we be concerned about its closing? Loren Steffy, a longtime energy reporter, joins Ferrill Gibbs to break it all down. If you'd like to check out Loren's new book, "The Big Empty," you can find out more on his website! Here's the Texas Tribune article that ran late last week and mentioned the refinery as one of five in Texas that have emitted more benzene pollutants than the EPA allows. Sign up for our daily newsletter here! Also, we're on Twitter! Follow us @CityCastHouston Call or text us at 713-489-6972! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Sandra Sanchez, an award-winning journalist covering the Southern border at Border Report, speaks with Loren Steffy about her two-part deep dive into the ramifying effects of the Migrant Protection Protocols—also known as Remain in Mexico—on the lives of countless asylum-seekers.

This week we're replaying a classic episode where your hosts Steve Lowry and Yvonne Godfrey interview Chrysta Castañeda of The Castañeda Firm (https://castaneda-firm.com/) Remember to rate and review GTP in iTunes: Click Here To Rate and Review Episode Details: Accomplished Dallas oil and gas litigator Chrysta Castañeda of The Castañeda Firm discusses how she secured justice for oil tycoon T. Boone Pickens, the owner of Mesa Petroleum Partners, in a landmark breach of contract case against three Texas oil companies, securing the nation's 12th largest verdict in 2016. In January 2007, Mesa Petroleum Partners signed a participation agreement with J. Cleo Thompson and Baytech, affording Mesa 15% ownership in oil wells and other assets in Texas over a five-year period. Mesa Petroleum elected to participate in all offered deals, but unbeknownst to Pickens, Mesa Petroleum's 15% interest was being used to purchase assets and to drill more than 160 wells under the auspices of two newly formed companies: Patriot Resources and Delaware Basin Resources. In 2009, Delaware Basin Resources attempted to buy out Mesa Petroleum from the original agreement and recruited Baytech to initiate an offer that Mesa Petroleum ultimately rejected. Despite the defense's claims that Pickens stated in a phone call that he wanted out of the agreement, except for his initial investment in a Lyda Well, and assertions that Pickens did not pay his fair share and was looking to repair his reputation after making poor business decisions during the 2008-2009 financial crisis, Chrysta Castañeda secured justice for her client. In November 2016, after a five-week trial, a Reeves County, Texas jury returned a verdict in favor of the plaintiff, awarding more than $140 million in damages plus legal fees. This groundbreaking case is also featured in the book The Last Trial of T. Boone Pickens, written by Chrysta Castañeda and Loren Steffy. Read/Download the Complete Trial Documents   Guest Bio: Chrysta Castañeda Chrysta Castañeda is a go-to lawyer for high-stakes litigation in the energy industry and beyond.  Practicing for over twenty-five years, she has built a solid reputation for adeptly handling technical litigation, often serving as lead trial counsel in high-profile disputes of media interest.  Her win for T. Boone Pickens' Mesa Petroleum Partners was recognized as the 12th largest verdict in 2016 in the nation by The National Law Journal and earned her a spot as one of the NLJ's Elite Trial Lawyers of 2018, as well as induction into Texas Lawyer‘s Texas Verdicts Hall of Fame. Following this series of high-profile recognitions, Chrysta was inducted as a fellow of the Texas Bar Foundation in the beginning of 2020. Chrysta developed her reputation and commitment to excellence from practicing for more than two decades at top firms worldwide.  Since founding the Castañeda Firm, Chrysta has prioritized delivering the quality of representation found in large law firms in a personalized way. Chrysta and her team strive to out-prepare the opposition, from investigation through trial. Chrysta not only has more than two decades of experience litigating energy and oil and gas matters but also holds a degree in engineering.  Her technical training in combination with her experience in crisis communications frequently proves invaluable to clients, enabling her to effectively explain complex scientific concepts to judges and juries. Clients value Chrysta's strength and tenacity.  As Chrysta puts it, “We take pride in having both the knowledge and experience clients require, as well as the necessary tenacity and creativity to craft winning strategies.  We aim to prepare so thoroughly that we can adapt without hesitation to changing dynamics at trial or in discovery.  I want our clients to feel confident and assured when The Castañeda Firm is on their case.” Outside of the oil and gas and energy industries, Chrysta has extensive experience in commercial litigation, trade secrets, products liability, pharmaceutical, medical device, and toxic tort litigation. Read Full Bio Book Link: The Last Trial of T. Boone Pickens   Show Sponsors: Legal Technology Services -LegalTechService.com Digital Law Marketing - DigitalLawMarketing.com Harris Lowry Manton, LLP - hlmlawfirm.com   Free Resources: Stages Of A Jury Trial - Part 1 Stages Of A Jury Trial - Part 2

What should Houston do? The sanctions against Russia sent the world scrambling to make up for hundreds of thousands of lost barrels, which could force Houston's energy sector to consider the pursuit of even more oil and gas development – at least in the short run. Business writer Loren Steffy stops by the show to give his thoughts on why Houston should develop more fossil fuels in the here-and-now, while continuing to be a "city of big ideas" in the pursuit of green energy. Sign up for our newsletter! Lisa Gray crafts it each week day to spotlight everything that's important, cool and unique about this city we all love – you don't want to miss it! Our number is 713-489-6972. You can text or leave a voicemail. Let us know who's your vote for Houstonian of the Week! We're also on Twitter - @CityCastHouston And Facebook! City Cast's Facebook Page.

On Fridays, we discuss the most important stories of the week (and the most under-reported ones, too). Today, author and City Cast Houston business contributor Loren Steffy joins Lisa Gray to cover the incredible rise in oil prices due to Russia's invasion of Ukraine. Also: The transgender fight simmers in Texas this week, becoming useful as a hot-button issue to opportunistic politicos. Finally, the fate of WNBA star Brittney Griner remains unclear as she's held in Russia on charges of hashish possession. Visit our Website! There you can subscribe to the newsletter... and you can subscribe to the Pod! (You will become an even more of knowledgeable Houstonian than you already are!) Also, if you feel conversational about any of the topics covered today, please call our hotline! Give us a piece of your mind! It's (713) 489-6972. We're on Twitter, too - follow us!

As Ukraine hangs on from the Russian invasion, Jay is on assignment so fan fav Kristy Grant-Hart joins this week as a co-host with Tom to look at some of the week's top compliance and ethics stories from the impact of the Ukrainian crisis in the Ukraine Hangs On edition.  Stories What Russia invasion means for companies and compliance. Tom with a series in the FCPA Compliance and Ethics Blog. Matt Kelly in Radical Compliance. Dick Cassin says sanctions may lead to more corruption in the FCPA Blog. Jaclyn Jaeger looks at supply chain disruption and issues in Compliance Week (sub req'd) Matthew Murray asks if Putin invaded Ukraine to advance corruption, in GAB. Chasing oligarchs' money, from the Washington Post. The Swiss approach to Ukraine crisis. Mark Pieth in Risk and Compliance Europe. Mike Volkov focuses on new and evolving sanctions, in Corruption Crime and Compliance. Economic nationalism and corporate governance. Martin Geller, in Harvard Law School Forum on Corporate Governance.  Illicit finance and High-value art. Sullivan & Cromwell lawyers in Compliance and Enforcement. The invasion and cybersecurity. Jonathan Armstrong in Cordery Compliance. Podcasts and More In March on The Compliance Life, I visit with Audrey Harris, Managing Director at AMI, formerly CCO at BHP. In Part 1, she discusses her academic background and early professional career. On the FCPA Compliance Report, Tom has a 2-part series with Trade Compliance guru Matt Silverman on the full extent of possible Russia sanctions (Part 1) and the corporate response you need to make (Part 2). Tom and Loren Steffy look energy issues and fallout from the Russian invasion in Greetings and Felicitations. Tom and Matt Kelly take a deep dive into the compliance weeds about the Russian invasion on Compliance into the Weeds. Silvia Surman devotes the entire week to Russian trade sanctions and economic issues in The Compliance Kitchen. Tom celebrates Texas Independence Day and the anniversary of the Alamo in a podcast with Don Frazier, Executive Director of the Texas Institute at Schreiner University on The Hill Country Podcast. Tom Fox is the Voice of Compliance and can be reached at tfox@tfoxlaw.com. Kristy Grant-Hart is Compliance Kristy and can be reached at kgranthart@sparkcompliance.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Welcome to the Greetings and Felicitations, a podcast where I explore topics which might not seem to be directly related to compliance but clearly influence our profession. In this episode, I visit with business journalist and long-time energy issue reporter Loren Steffy about what the Russia invasion of Ukraine means for the world energy scene. Highlights include: ·      Russia is the second largest oil exporter after Saudi Arabia. ·      Russia provides 40% of the energy for the EU.  ·      60% of Russian GDP comes from energy production and sale.  ·      What will be the response of US producers? ·      What will this mean for shale production? ·      Where does LNG fit into all this? ·      Can the US upgrade its energy infrastructure? ·      What about a US energy policy? Resources Loren Steffy in Forbes.com 30Point.com

Miriam Feldblum, Co-Founder and Executive Director of the Presidents' Alliance on Higher Education and Immigration, joins host Loren Steffy to discuss the burden of a broken immigration system on our schools and colleges, why access to higher education is a must, and some possible state-level solutions in the face of a federal impasse.

Super Sunday is here. The NFL finally gets the game in the spotlight after weeks of brutal PR. Who ya got? “Who Dey” or Hollywood? Tom and Jay are back look at some of the week's top compliance and ethics stories this week in the Super Sunday edition.  Stories 1.     Do compliance professionals need a union? Dick Cassin in the FCPA Blog.  2.     Jailed employees under the FCPA. Bill Jacobsen explores in the FCPA Blog. 3.     New workplace normal for policies and training. Ingrid Freeden in Risk and Compliance Matters.    4.     New SEO risk management framework.  Alexandra Gillies and Thomas Shipley in the FCPA Blog.  5.     3 questions from KPMG and Carillion tribunal. Neil Hodge in Compliance Week. (sub req'd) 6.     SFO investigation protocol announced. Mengqi Sun in the WSJ Risk and Compliance Journal.   7.     Companies yet again ask EU for rules around ESG. Lawrence Heim in practicalESG. 8.     CCOs say self-reporting a hard sell. Evren Esen in CCI.  9.     What comes next for ABC and the Olympics? Andy Spalding in GAB.  10.  The Spotify imbroglio. Matt Kelly with a 2-parter in Radical Compliance, Part 1 and Part 2.   Podcasts and More 11.  In February on The Compliance Life, I visit with Ellen Smith, a former Director of Trade Compliance who recently started her own consulting firm. In Part 1, she discussed her academic background and early professional career. InPart 2, Ellen moves in-house. 12.  Tom and Richard Lummis begin their annual review of Best Picturing winning movies on 12 O'Clock High, a podcast on business leadership. In Part 1 they review Schindler's List for leadership and ethical lessons. Upcoming episodes will look at Gladiator, A Man for All Seasons and Platoon.  13.  CCI releases new e-book from Tom “FCPA 2021 Year in Review”. Available free from CCI. 14.  Trial of the Century-the Enron Trial. This week, Tom premiered a 5-part podcast series on the Enron Trial with Loren Steffy, who covered the trial for the Houston Chronicle. In Part 1, run up to the trial. In Part 2, the trial begins. In Part 3, the star witnesses and key testimony. In Part 4, the Verdict comes in. In Part 5, what did it all mean. It is be available on the Compliance Podcast Network, Megaphone, iTunes, Spotify and all other top podcast platforms.  15.  In a special 2-part series on the Sunday Book Review, Tom looks at the Notre Dame Deloitte Center for Ethical Leadership's top books on ethical leadership from 2021. Part 1 and Part 2.  Tom Fox is the Voice of Compliance and can be reached at tfox@tfoxlaw.com. Jay Rosen is Mr. Monitor and can be reached at jrosen@affiliatedmonitors.com.   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

As the GOAT of pro football, Tom Brady retires, Brian Flores sues the NFL and the Bengals/Rams make the Super Bowl, Tom and Jay are back look at some of the week's top compliance and ethics stories this week in the Brady Retires edition.  Stories 1.     DOJ issues the first Opinion Release of 2022. DOJ website. Tom in FCPA Compliance and Ethics Blog. 2.     Do BODs have unrealistic expectations of compliance? Dick Cassin explores in the FCPA Blog. 3.     KPMG mislead FRC through forged docs. Risk and Compliance Platform Europe.  4.     LRN releases the 2022 Program Effectiveness Report. Download report here. Matt Kelly in Radical Compliance. 5.     A ‘how-to' on remediating. The HeadSpin enforcement action. Tom in FCPA Compliance and Ethics Blog. Aaron Nicodemus in Compliance Week. (sub req'd) 6.     Learning to scale up ethically. Hemant Taneja in CCI.  7.     Why compliance should lead ESG. Carrie Penman in Ethics and Compliance Matters. 8.     The Boardroom agenda in 2022. Deloitte in Harvard Law School Forum on Corporate Governance. 9.     Changes in antitrust enforcement and its impact on compliance. Mike Volkov, Matt Kelly and Tom in Compliance into the Weeds. Mike Volkov with a 3-part blog series in Corruption Crime and Compliance. 10. Unclear values can lead to unethical behavior. Brett Beasley in Center for Ethical Leadership.   Podcasts and More 11. In February on The Compliance Life, I visit Ellen Smith, a former Director of Trade Compliance who recently started her own consulting firm. In Part 1, she discussed her academic background and early professional career. 12. Aly McDevitt with a multipart series in Compliance Week on the end-to-end story of a ransomware attack. Here is more about the series on this month's edition of From the Editor's Desk, with Tom and Dave Lefort. A subscription is required but Compliance Week is running a membership special of $199 for the year. Use Promo Code RNSM199. For information and details click here. 13. CCI releases a new e-book from Tom “FCPA 2021 Year in Review”. Available free from CCI. 14. Trial of the Century-the Enron Trial. This week, Tom premiered a 5-part podcast series on the Enron Trial with Loren Steffy, who covered the trial for the Houston Chronicle. In Part 1, the run-up to the trial. In Part 2, the trial begins. In Part 3, the star witnesses and key testimony. In Part 4, the Verdict comes in. In Part 5, what did it all mean? It is available on the Compliance Podcast Network, Megaphone, iTunes, Spotify and all other top podcast platforms. 15. Looking for a quick daily bite of trade compliance? Check out the Compliance Kitchen with Silvia Surman, who gives a short 3-5 minute update on one trade compliance topic each day. On the Compliance Podcast Network.   Tom Fox is the Voice of Compliance and can be reached at tfox@tfoxlaw.com. Jay Rosen is Mr. Monitor and can be reached at jrosen@affiliatedmonitors.com.    Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Exxon Mobil announced this week that it's moving its headquarters to the Houston area -- which will make it the biggest Fortune 500 company located here. Why are Exxon's top executives leaving Irving, Texas? And what does it mean about the long-term prospects of Houston's oil companies? Today we dive into the reasons behind this move with contributor Loren Steffy.  Get all your Houston dirt right to your inbox, subscribe to our morning newsletter. We're also on Twitter! Follow us at @CityCastHouston

How long does it take to win a NFL playoff game? Patrick Maholmes says 13 seconds. After perhaps the most thrilling NFL playoff game ever,  Tom and Jay are back look at some of the week's top compliance and ethics stories this week in the 13 Seconds edition. Stories 1.     TI-CPI 2022 Report out. Results not good. TI-CPI Press Release. Rick Messick says make it useful in GAB. Jaclyn Jaeger is disheartened in Compliance Week (sub req'd). 2.     Compliance officer burnout? Dick Cassin explores in the FCPA Blog. 3.     Emphasizing the ‘G' in ESG. David Simon in LinkedIn.   4.     Investor demand driving ESG risk and compliance initiatives? Valerie Charles and Tracy Groves in CCI.  5.     Human Rights Due Diligence. James Reardon and Tomas Navarro look at Switzerland's new law  in FCPA Blog. Tom considers your corporate Human Rights strategy in a 2-part blog series in the FCPA Compliance and Ethics Blog.  6.     Monaco Speech and Compliance in 2022. Stephanie Yonekura and Rupinder Garcha  in CCI.   7.     DOJ announces shift in antitrust policy. DOJ Press Release. Matt Kelly in Radical Compliance. 8.     ESG and M&A in 2022. Wachtel lawyers in Harvard Law School forum on Corporate Governance.  9.     FTC compliance risk re: cyber and privacy. Debevoise lawyers in Compliance and Enforcement.  10.  Cultural and ESG to-do list for 2022 for CCO. Mike Volkov in Corruption Crime and Compliance. Podcasts and More 11.  In January on The Compliance Life, I visited with Valerie Charles, partner at StoneTurn. Val has one of the most interesting journeys in compliance. In Part 1, she discussed her academic background and early professional career. In Part 2, she discussed her move to ComTech. In Part 3, Valerie moved into the consulting world. In the concluding Part 4, Valerie looks down the road for what's ahead. 12.  The Everything Compliance gang took a deep dive into the Microsoft acquisition of Activision Blizzard in a special episode.  Check out the Shout Outs and Rants. Finally the gang had a special tribute to Meatloaf here.  13.  CCI releases new e-book from Tom “FCPA 2021 Year in Review”. Available free from CCI. 14.  Trial of the Century-the Enron Trial. This week, Tom premiered a 5-part podcast series on the Enron Trial with Loren Steffy, who covered the trial for the Houston Chronicle. In Part 1, run up to the trial. In Part 2, the trial begins. In Part 3, the star witnesses and key testimony. In Part 4, the Verdict comes in. In Part 5, what did it all mean. It is be available on the Compliance Podcast Network, Megaphone, iTunes, Spotify and all other top podcast platforms.  15.  Check out 31 Days to a More Effective Compliance Program returns, which runs for the month of January, from January 1 to January 31. Available on the Compliance Podcast Network, Megaphone, iTunes, and all other top podcast platforms.  Tom Fox is the Voice of Compliance and can be reached at tfox@tfoxlaw.com. Jay Rosen is Mr. Monitor and can be reached at jrosen@affiliatedmonitors.com.   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The final episode in The Enron Trial series is here. In part 5, Tom Fox and Loren Steffy take a look at Enron's legacy, fifteen years after the trial.  Why Should the Trial Be Remembered?  “What the trial really brought home for everyone was the human toll that these kinds of corporate malfeasance cases can have,” explains Loren. When companies try to do whatever is necessary to keep their stock prices up at all costs, a lot of long-term harm comes out of it, “Enron wasn't only an accounting failure… above all else, it was a human failure.”  Enron's Innovations  Looking back on Enron's successes, you begin to wonder, ‘What if?' Loren highlights how unfortunately it panned out for the corporation, stating that, “They really were out in front of a lot of these trends. Unfortunately they shot themselves in the foot with their accounting.”  Fifteen Years Later - What Has Changed?  There's a lot that can be learned from the fall of Enron; corporate responsibility is viewed differently, now. It's no longer only about shareholder value, but also an improved focus on corporate governance. “We've realised that our corporations have greater responsibilities in that they have responsibilities to their employees, and they have responsibilities to their communities,” Loren tells Tom. RESOURCES Loren Steffy | LinkedIn | Twitter

Loren Steffy and Tom Fox sit down for part 3 of The Enron Trial series. In this episode, they discuss some of the significant testimonies by witnesses, and the effect they had on the trial.  The Star Witnesses Loren names Andrew Fastow, former CFO, and Ben Glisan, former Treasurer, as the star witnesses in the trial. However, the most moving testimony for him, as an observer, was that of Joanne Cortez, Enron's bookkeeper. “She was a very credible witness,” said Loren, “and to me, it just showed how there were so many innocent people at Enron that didn't want to believe what was happening. And when they finally found it out, there was just no denying it.” Employee Losses  The goal of the prosecutors was to emphasize the real-world consequences of Enron's malfeasance. Many employees were encouraged to invest their entire retirement savings into the company, and ended up paying a significant price. Loren details the heartbreaking story of a pipeline worker by the name of Johnnie Nelson. “He didn't really know anything about the stock market,” Loren tells Tom. “Enron was a good company to work for, and they told him, ‘Take your retirement money, buy the stock. It'll benefit you in the long run.' He did it because that's what they told him to do. Then, one day he comes into the field office, and everybody's long in the face and looking scared, and he realizes he's basically lost everything he's been working for.” Executive Testimonies  The testimonies of Jeffrey Skilling and Kenneth Lay mimicked their personalities; Skilling being very professorial, and Lay acting like he was conducting an investor seminar. “I think they were very convinced that they were going to get off, or at least get a light sentence,” Loren told Tom. Ben Glisan's testimony was very damaging to Kenneth Lay, revealing that Lay was more aware of what was happening at Enron than he let on.  RESOURCES Loren Steffy | LinkedIn | Twitter 

Loren Steffy and Tom Fox are back for another episode in The Enron Trial series. Here, Loren discusses the atmosphere in the courthouse, and what he observed over the course of the five-month-long trial. The Trial Begins  “This was a criminal trial, but it was the trial of the century,” Loren believes; not only due to the company's popularity, but because prosecution of executives was something that was not often seen. They are very difficult cases to prove, and Enron was no different.  The Prosecutor's Strategy  The prosecutor avoided going into too much accounting detail, and instead kept the focus on the emotional aspect of the trial. “Enron was a great company to work for … People wanted to work there; they thought they were doing all these innovative things. Nobody wanted to lose their position in the company. They didn't wanna lose their jobs, and they wound up getting caught up in this,” Loren tells Tom.  The Defence  The defence had a really tough time. Loren recounts one moment where Kenneth Lay was on the stand and openly questioned his attorney, “A couple of defence attorneys that were providing perspective said, ‘This is the turning point in the case.' I mean, that was just so devastating that, you know, you just showed the jury that you don't trust your own lawyer.” Jeffrey Skilling's legal team employed an unusual tactic of commenting anonymously under Houston Chronicle blogs. In court, screenshots of these comments were actually utilised when the team made a motion to have the trial moved. “It was interesting,” Loren laughs about it.  The Closing Arguments  Again, it was less about accounting, and more about the deliberate attempt that was made to bamboozle their shareholders and employees - many people were hurt by it. “It wasn't just a harmless lie,” said Loren, “there were real world consequences.”  RESOURCES Loren Steffy | LinkedIn | Twitter 

The five-part series on the Enron Trial kicks off with Tom Fox and actual trial attendee, Loren Steffy. This first episode highlights the major events that led up to the beginning of the trial, many years ago. Enron in the Early Years  Enron was once the seventh biggest publicly traded company in America. When natural gas trading was deregulated, Enron made a name for themselves by creating a platform that allowed for easy trade of natural gas contracts.  The Downfall of Enron  As Enron grew, they attempted to expand their trading mentality to other markets. There was intense pressure to prove their successes due to being publicly traded, and eventually, they found a way to hide debt and fabricate numbers. However, in mid 2001, their stock began to fall and the questions flooded in. Enron's lies quickly unraveled, leaving them bankrupt by early December - they went from being the seventh largest company in America, to being broke. The Arrest and Key Charges  One of the stunning things about Enron, as a corporate scandal, was that it was really the first time this sort of widespread fraud was seen. In the case of Enron, there were dozens of indictments, but many unindicted co-conspirators. Most of the executives cut plea deals, agreeing to testify against the chairman, Kenneth Lay, and former CEO, Jeffrey Skilling. Though there had been past cases of corporate malfeasance, there had never before been a corporate culture so focused on malfeasance as Enron Corporation. “Looking back at Enron,” Loren says, “it was a culture that really encouraged people to break the rules.”  Off-the-books Partnerships  Enron's partnerships began with an operation called JEDI, done with a small oil and gas company, CODA Energy. Their debt was placed into this entity, and essentially, hidden. This became the model that they used, eventually being done on a larger scale with more interlocking companies passing debt back and forth. A partnership with LJM was where most of the debt was parked. Conflicting documents related to this partnership are what led to the exposure of Enron's sharp practice. Other famous partnerships included Enron Broadband, and the Nigerian barge deal.  Andrew Fastow's Role  Andrew was the CFO at Enron, and quite the unusual one, at that. He was more of a behind-the-scenes guy in the company, but became a critical player in the trial. Agreeing to a plea deal, he testified against Lay and Skilling in exchange for a ten year sentence. As an observer in the trial, Loren stated that, “His testimony was very striking. He seemed very sincere in the fact that he believed that the company had done things wrong, and that he had committed crimes.” 

Loren Steffy and Tom Fox have another conversation as The Enron Trial series nears the end. In episode 4, Loren Steffy recalls the aftermath of the guilty verdict.  The Verdict and Counts of Conviction  Jeffrey Skilling was convicted of 19 counts, his sentence totaling 185 years, and Kenneth Lay was looking at 120 years in prison. Skilling was actually sentenced to 17 years, which was then reduced to 12. Kenneth Lay passed away prior to his sentencing, and so, the verdict was vacated.  The Prosecution and Defence  “The defense team was stunned,” said Loren, “I think that the attorneys, as well as the defendants, believed that they were going to get a not guilty verdict.” The prosecution, on the other hand, felt a great sense of relief and accomplishment; this was an uphill battle from a prosecution standpoint in many ways. Jeffrey Skilling appeared stoic; though there were stories that indicated he disagreed with the verdict, he seemed to have accepted his fate.  The Jurors and The Judge  Loren commends the jurors, believing they deserve a lot of credit for their involvement in the trial. “I think they did a really good job of listening to the arguments and considering them,” he said. What was interesting, to him, was their response to Andrew Fastow's testimony, one that Loren found to be credible, “It was like that didn't really factor into their decision nearly as much as we thought it would when we were watching all of it unfold.” According to him, the judge certainly understood the magnitude of the case, and tried to be very careful in his administration of the case to avoid mistakes that could have led to a mistrial, “Everyone really understood that this was a big trial, and they were playing on the big stage.” RESOURCES Loren Steffy | LinkedIn | Twitter 

As both of their teams are unceremoniously knocked out of the playoffs, Tom and Jay are back looking at some of the week's top compliance and ethics stories this week in the Activision Blizzard Sold edition. Stories Activision Blizzard was sold to Microsoft. Check out articles on how the NYT happened, the parameters of the deal in the  WSJ, the compliance mess in Bloomberg, and legal issues in  Reuters. Did the pandemic undo corruption risk models? Dick Cassin explores in the FCPA Blog. KPMG spanked yet again in the UK. Jaclyn Jaeger in Compliance Week (sub req'd). Person of the Year in Compliance? ESG. Mike Volkov in Corruption Crime and Compliance.   Is Abby Normal next? Banks using behavioral science. Vera Cherepanova in FCPA Blog. Businesses and Strategy on Countering Corruption. Sara Paul, Andrea Gordon, and Dane Sowers in the CCI.   Climate change compliance. Jeff Kaplan in Conflicts of Interest Blog. Trust has its moment. Stewart Levine in Forbes.com.  Institutional investors on ESG voting. Lawrence Heim in PracticalESG. The virtual Board Room. Jeffrey Karpf and Fernando Martinez in Compliance and Enforcement.  Podcasts and More Tom and Matt Kelly conclude a 2-part podcast series on issues they are following in 2022. On Compliance into the Weeds, Part 1 and Part 2.  In January on The Compliance Life, I visited Valerie Charles, a partner at StoneTurn. Val has one of the most interesting journeys in compliance. In Part 1, she discussed her academic background and early professional career. In Part 2, she discusses her move to ComTech. In Part 3, Valerie moves into the consulting world.  What is the intersection of Joel Coen's Macbeth and organizational issues in compliance? Tom explores in a 4-part blog series on the FCPA Compliance and Ethics Blog.  CCI releases a new e-book from Tom, “FCPA 2021 Year in Review”. Available free from CCI. Trial of the Century-the Enron Trial. On Monday, January 4, Tom premiers a 5-part podcast series on the Enron Trial with Loren Steffy, who covered the trial for the Houston Chronicle. You can check out the preview here. It will be available on the Compliance Podcast Network, Megaphone, iTunes, and other top podcast platforms.  Check out 31 Days to a More Effective Compliance Program returns, which runs from January 1 to January 31. Available on the Compliance Podcast Network, Megaphone, iTunes, and other top podcast platforms.  Tom Fox is the Voice of Compliance and can be reached at tfox@tfoxlaw.com. Jay Rosen is Mr. Monitor and can be reached at jrosen@affiliatedmonitors.com.   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Join Tom Fox and guest host, Loren Steffy, as they look back on the Enron Trial after 15 years. Loren was there and has a unique insight into the prosecution, defense, and all the players in this Trial of the Century.

We kick off the new year in style with long-time energy journalist Loren Steffy talking about his most recent article in Forbes and whether or not NetZero is realistic or really a front for companies. We also discuss what it'll take for both renewables and fossil fuel companies to come … The post The Green Insider – Ep. 79 – Loren Steffy – UH Energy Scholar & Energy Journo appeared first on eRENEWABLE.

Ricardo Molina, second-generation owner of the Tex-Mex staple “Molina's Cantina,” has never experienced such difficulties staffing and maintaining inventory as he has recently - ever since the COVID outbreak. Today, City Cast Houston contributor Loren Steffy gives his breakdown for why it's all happening, and the emerging economic landscape that Houstonians can expect to endure. Check out Molina's Cantina Here. Also, find Loren Steffy and check out all his many projects, Here Finally, subscribe to the City Cast Houston newsletter, Here!

Ring out the old! Ring in the new! In our last episode of 2021, Rational Middle Podcast hosts Gregory Kallenberg, Loren Steffy, Chris Lyon, and Melissa Brannan reflect on the year (almost) behind us, the year (nearly) upon us, and what it will take to remain optimistic about immigration reform.

What is it about immigration that attracts extremist speech? What even is extremism? Mark Potok, seasoned expert on the American radical right, takes us on a tour of nativism and the roots of immigration misinformation in this wide-ranging conversation with host Loren Steffy.

Jennifer Mercieca, award-winning historian and analyst of American political rhetoric, speaks with host Loren Steffy about the rhetorical strategies demagogues use to elicit supporters' emotions, and what this means for our public sphere. You don't want to miss this eye-opening (and amygdala-freeing) episode.

Dane Stangler, Director of Strategic Initiatives at the Bipartisan Policy Center and also Senior Advisor at the Global Entrepreneurship Network, joins host Loren Steffy over the airwaves to discuss the sometimes neglected role of immigrants as entrepreneurs and how the U.S. immigration system could better welcome their contributions.

What is the immigration court system, how does it work, and what makes it different from regular courts? Immigration attorney Elizabeth Mendoza sheds light on this vital topic with host Loren Steffy.

Chief Art Acevedo, Chief of Police for the Miami Police Department, joins host Loren Steffy to break open the harmful myth that immigrants and crime go hand in hand, and that this situation can be improved with greater involvement from local law enforcement.

Elena Marks (President and CEO of the Episcopal Health Foundation, as well as Nonresident Fellow in Health Policy at Rice University's Baker Institute for Public Policy) and Loren Steffy discuss the common myth that immigrants burden the American healthcare system.

In this bonus episode of the Rational Middle Podcast, Jina Krause-Vilmar (President and CEO of Upwardly Global, a group that works to eliminate employment barriers for immigrant and refugee professionals) sits down with host Loren Steffy to shine a light on the unique challenges facing Afghan refugees, and some of the ways that U.S. hiring practices can be more responsive to the situation.

Guests Laura Goldberg (Center for Houston's Future) and Pamela Lizette Cruz (Baker Institute's Center for the United States and Mexico) unpack the published report on the results of a workshop on U.S. immigration policy held by the two Centers, in a conversation moderated by Loren Steffy (who was a workshop participant!)

Writer and activist Jessica Goudeau sits down with host Loren Steffy to discuss her book, "After The Last Border," and the consequences, implications, and emotions of America's changing attitude towards refugees.

Rational Middle hosts Chris Lyon, Gregory Kallenberg, and Loren Steffy unveil a "fun" new summit, and consider the implications of VP Harris's much-discussed border visits.

On Friday's Houston Matters: A bill in the Texas Legislature would create new regulations for above-ground chemical storage containers aimed at making them more resistant to hurricanes and major flooding. Also this hour: We chat with energy analyst Loren Steffy about the growing prevalence of electric vehicles -- like the new all-electric Ford F-150 pickup -- and what they could mean for the oil and gas industry. Then we discuss The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly of the week's news. And Brigette Yawn and Suad Ihsan of the band Say Girl Say discuss their new album and surviving creatively during the pandemic. MORE: Say Girl Say Perform for Skyline Sessions (Jan. 2020)

Join three hosts from The Rational Middle — Chris Lyon, Gregory Kallenberg, and Loren Steffy — as they announce an event aimed at finding actionable solutions to the challenges of border security and access to American citizenship. Learn more about the summit at rationalmiddle.com/summit

Joy Olson, the former Executive Director of The Washington Office on Latin America (WOLA) talks with host Loren Steffy about the current challenges at the border and how the public perception on the benefits and purpose of immigration can be shifted.

Loren Steffy, an accomplished author of several books on the energy industry interviews Steve Rae, Executive Director of Step Change in Safety and Piper Alpha Survivor. On the 10th anniversary of the Deepwater Horizon Loren and Steve discuss the changes to the North Sea and the Gulf of Mexico, is there more to do, has the industry went to far on occasions?And what it's like as a survivor of such a tragedy.

OGV and Loren Steffy catch up with Stuart Broadley, Chief Executive Officer of the Energy Industries Council to discuss the current climate and the impacts of Covid-19 and the low oil price on the global energy sector at this time.We will also dive into potential opportunities and the future for the energy sector and the supply chain.

  On Monday's Houston Matters: When it comes to COVID-19, could things really return to "normal by summer" as some have suggested? Also this hour: It came as little surprise when proponents of oil and gas tried to shift the narrative during February’s freeze and power failures and lay the blame on renewable energy, even as it was clear all sources of energy were struggling to provide power during the storm. But now, we’re learning... Read More

Hosts Chris Lyon, Gregory Kallenberg, and Loren Steffy talk about next steps on immigration. Will Congress take a piecemeal approach or swing for the fences on comprehensive reform now that the American Rescue Plan is assured passage in Congress.

In the Episode, Loren Steffy returns to take a deep dive into the Texas power failure during our recent snow-pocolypse. Steffey, a long-time business journalist who has been covering the Texas business scene for 30 years and the energy industry for 20 years. He talks about the background to the failures, what happened to cause power generation to fail, how the Texas government made the situation worse, the Texas government response and what fixes need to occur. If you are interested in risk management, this is the podcast for you.  Recourses-article on the crisis by Loren Steffey In the Houston Chronicle, Opinion: 7 smart ways Texas can stop power blackouts - once and for all In Texas Monthly, Texas’s Independence Didn’t Cause the Power Crisis Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week, your hosts Steve Lowry and Yvonne Godfrey interview Chrysta Castañeda of The Castañeda Firm (https://castaneda-firm.com/).   Remember to rate and review GTP in iTunes: Click Here To Rate and Review   Episode Details: Accomplished Dallas oil and gas litigator Chrysta Castañeda of The Castañeda Firm discusses how she secured justice for oil tycoon T. Boone Pickens, the owner of Mesa Petroleum Partners, in a landmark breach of contract case against three Texas oil companies, securing the nation's 12th largest verdict in 2016. In January 2007, Mesa Petroleum Partners signed a participation agreement with J. Cleo Thompson and Baytech, affording Mesa 15% ownership in oil wells and other assets in Texas over a five-year period. Mesa Petroleum elected to participate in all offered deals, but unbeknownst to Pickens, Mesa Petroleum's 15% interest was being used to purchase assets and to drill more than 160 wells under the auspices of two newly formed companies: Patriot Resources and Delaware Basin Resources. In 2009, Delaware Basin Resources attempted to buy out Mesa Petroleum from the original agreement and recruited Baytech to initiate an offer that Mesa Petroleum ultimately rejected. Despite the defense's claims that Pickens stated in a phone call that he wanted out of the agreement, except for his initial investment in a Lyda Well, and assertions that Pickens did not pay his fair share and was looking to repair his reputation after making poor business decisions during the 2008-2009 financial crisis, Chrysta Castañeda secured justice for her client. In November 2016, after a five-week trial, a Reeves County, Texas jury returned a verdict in favor of the plaintiff, awarding more than $140 million in damages plus legal fees. This groundbreaking case is also featured in the book The Last Trial of T. Boone Pickens, written by Chrysta Castañeda and Loren Steffy. Click Here to Read/Download the Complete Trial Documents     Guest Bio: Chrysta Castañeda Chrysta Castañeda is a go-to lawyer for high-stakes litigation in the energy industry and beyond.  Practicing for over twenty-five years, she has built a solid reputation for adeptly handling technical litigation, often serving as lead trial counsel in high-profile disputes of media interest.  Her win for T. Boone Pickens' Mesa Petroleum Partners was recognized as the 12th largest verdict in 2016 in the nation by The National Law Journal and earned her a spot as one of the NLJ's Elite Trial Lawyers of 2018, as well as induction into Texas Lawyer‘s Texas Verdicts Hall of Fame. Following this series of high-profile recognitions, Chrysta was inducted as a fellow of the Texas Bar Foundation in the beginning of 2020. Chrysta developed her reputation and commitment to excellence from practicing for more than two decades at top firms worldwide.  Since founding the Castañeda Firm, Chrysta has prioritized delivering the quality of representation found in large law firms in a personalized way. Chrysta and her team strive to out-prepare the opposition, from investigation through trial. Chrysta not only has more than two decades of experience litigating energy and oil and gas matters but also holds a degree in engineering.  Her technical training in combination with her experience in crisis communications frequently proves invaluable to clients, enabling her to effectively explain complex scientific concepts to judges and juries. Clients value Chrysta's strength and tenacity.  As Chrysta puts it, “We take pride in having both the knowledge and experience clients require, as well as the necessary tenacity and creativity to craft winning strategies.  We aim to prepare so thoroughly that we can adapt without hesitation to changing dynamics at trial or in discovery.  I want our clients to feel confident and assured when The Castañeda Firm is on their case.” Outside of the oil and gas and energy industries, Chrysta has extensive experience in commercial litigation, trade secrets, products liability, pharmaceutical, medical device, and toxic tort litigation. Read Full Bio   The Last Trial of T. Boone Pickens Show Sponsors: Legal Technology Services - LTSatlanta.com Digital Law Marketing - DigitalLawMarketing.com Harris, Lowry, and Manton - hlmlawfirm.com   Free Resources: Stages Of A Jury Trial - Part 1 Stages Of A Jury Trial - Part 2

On Monday’s show: We learn how hospitals dealt with last week’s power and water outages amid a global pandemic. Also this hour: We discuss how grocery stores are dealing with the demand for food and water and learn what they’d like to see change to help them better meet customer needs in a future emergency. Then, as we review what went wrong during last week’s devastating power failures, we have to remember that this was,... Read More

On Thursday's Houston Matters: Oil giants were expected to make up some of their financial losses in the last quarter of 2020, but reports show that wasn’t the case. So, how might 2021 play out for the oil and gas industry – and therefore the Houston economy? Also this hour: State lawmakers have submitted their first proposed budgets. How much will they have to spend and will Texas dip into its “rainy day” fund to... Read More

Join hosts Chris Lyon, Gregory Kallenberg, and Loren Steffy for a round table discussion of everything from the Biden/Harris inauguration, executive orders, and the administration's comprehensive immigration reform proposal.

Join hosts Gregory Kallenberg, Chris Lyon, and Loren Steffy for a recap of the year with The Rational Middle, the state of division in the United States, the election, the pandemic, and where we're going in 2021.

Join co-hosts Gregory Kallenberg, Chris Lyon, and Loren Steffy as they discuss the outcome of the election and the precarious path forward for a Biden transition team and eventual administration. They also discuss the divide in our country that persists post-election and explore the prioritization of the administrative and legislative agendas for both the President Elect and Congress.

Benjamin F. Jones, Faculty Director at Kellogg Innovation and Entrepreneurship Initiative (KIEI), speaks with host Loren Steffy about his new study on the relationship between immigration and the job market.

Jeremy Robbins, executive director of New American Economy (NAE), joins host Loren Steffy to explore how communities can create a more welcoming community through services and infrastructure like Offices of New Americans — and why doing so will help struggling communities grow again.

Join the hosts for a 2020 roundup during the 50th episode. We look back at the first 50 episodes of The Rational Middle Podcast, kicking off season 2 of The Rational Middle Documentary Series, the pandemic, the election, and immigration's intersectionality.

On Monday's Houston Matters: We'll get the latest news on COVID-19 in the region with Dr. Umair Shah from Harris County Public Health. Also this hour: We check in on the state of the energy industry with analyst Loren Steffy. Plus, veterinarian Dr. Lori Teller answers your pet care questions. And Jeff Balke updates us on several stories in sports.

In the Episode, I am joined by Loren Steffy. I met Loren when he was the business columnist for the Houston Chronicle. Steffy now has his own consulting practice. He has been a long-time business journalist, author and commentator on business issues, generally focusing on energy issues. On the morning of April 19, 1995, he was working for Bloomberg in Dallas Texas and was called by a colleague who suggested he hop in his car and drive to Oklahoma City in the wake of the bombing at the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building. He talks about reporting live from Oklahoma City for the next five days, his reflection on that time 25 years later and how the actions of Timothy McVeigh presaged the issues of domestic terrorism from Oklahoma City to 9/11 to Charlottesville and Charleston. We conclude our podcast with a short discussion on Steffy’s latest book, co-written with Chrysta Castañeda, The Last Trial of Boone Pickens. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Pat Kiley, a founding principal of Kiley Advisors LLC, a consulting firm that advises CEO’s and Senior Executives on matters of Leadership and Strategy, talks with host Loren Steffy about the history of immigration and the construction industry and the need for comprehensive reform.

Andrew Lim, Director of Quantitative Research at New American Economy, shares data with host Loren Steffy about how immigrant workers — both documented and undocumented — are on the front lines of the coronavirus pandemic in the United States.

Bryan Caplan, Professor of Economics at George Mason University and New York Times Bestselling author of the book Open Borders: The Science and Ethics of Immigration speaks with host Loren Steffy about the divisive concept of open borders.

Chief Acevedo is well known for being outspoken about his opinions on a number of topics. Today, Rational Middle host Loren Steffy sits down with him to discuss his opinions on how undocumented immigration affects public safety and what his priorities are in America's fastest growing city with over 700,000 undocumented immigrants.

Hosts Chris Lyon and Loren Steffy — with the help of immigration attorneys Charles Foster and Jacob Monty — dive into America’s troubled history of employment verification, workforce recruiting, education, misclassification, and the subsequent impacts on our workforce. They also discuss potential pathways to a solution.

Rational Middle executive producer and author Loren Steffy talks about his recently completed book, "Deconstructed", which chronicles the history of an immigrant family that would eventually lead to the creation of an American business.

He’s known as the father of fracking. And while the designation may not be quite right, there’s no doubt that George P. Mitchell set the stage for a revolution in natural gas and oil production in the United States through hydraulic fracturing of shale formations. So, what made this man tick and what lessons might policymakers and industry leaders learn from him today? In this edition of Columbia Energy Exchange, host Bill Loveless talks with Loren Steffy, the author of a new book from Texas A&M University Press called “George P. Mitchell: Fracking, Sustainability, and an Unorthodox Quest to Save the Planet.” Loren is writer-at-large for Texas Monthly and a former business columnist for the Houston Chronicle. Before that, he was the Dallas bureau chief and senior writer for Bloomberg News. The book is Loren’s latest of three, including one that explored the Deepwater Horizon oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico in 2010. Of the late George P. Mitchell, Loren says, “not since John D. Rockefeller had one single individual in the energy business made a greater public impact.” He tells a story of the son of Greek immigrants who built Mitchell Energy and Development Corporation from a small start-up into a pioneering company that enabled the commercial success of hydraulic fracturing in the U.S. Bill reached Loren by phone at his home outside Austin, Texas, to discuss this fascinating figure, his contributions to fracking, the financial hardships his company endured to bring them about and the extent to which the government assisted those efforts. They also talked about Mitchell’s strong commitment to sustainable development, which sometimes put him at odds with his peers in the gas and oil industry.

How might effects of a Trump Impeachment investigation impact Wall Street? Excerpts from our podcast interview with Loren Steffy on his biography of George P. Mitchell; an email is answered: No Subsidies for Anyone! Richard Rosso's explainer on My Blocks feature; Bernie vs Billionaires; Bond Yields' connections to the economy; Why the 60/40 portfolio mix will continue to outperform the S&P 500; being bearish vs realistic; why political policies attacking wealth will fail.

How might effects of a Trump Impeachment investigation impact Wall Street? Excerpts from our podcast interview with Loren Steffy on his biography of George P. Mitchell; an email is answered: No Subsidies for Anyone! Richard Rosso's explainer on My Blocks feature; Bernie vs Billionaires; Bond Yields' connections to the economy; Why the 60/40 portfolio mix will continue to outperform the S&P 500; being bearish vs realistic; why political policies attacking wealth will fail.

George P. Mitchell was the 'Father of Fracking,' and we begin this podcast segment with an abridged edition of our interview with Mitchell biographer Loren Steffy, and continue with a discourse on subsidies, Tesla, WeWork, and the unintended consequences of bailing out companies that should be allowed to fail.

The life and times of George P. Mitchell from biographer Loren Steffy (author of "Deepwater Horizon): his take on electric cars, how fracking and saving the planet were interconnected, and Mitchell's agenda for global sustainability.

Perhaps unlike any other time in history, immigrant labor is playing a critical role in getting Houston back on track, a theme highlighted in a new documentary called "Immigration's crossroad, rebuilding after Hurricane Harvey." Director Gregory Kallenberg and producer (and former Chronicle columnist) Loren Steffy discuss the film, which is part of a series of short documentaries that attempt to bridge the two sides of the immigration debate by framing the issues in a historical context and through personal stories. Support the show.