Podcast appearances and mentions of Mark Thompson

Great time having fun with the TRC and your host Mark Thompson for end of year trivia.

Mark Thompson opens Hour 3 with the latest forecast alongside the National Weather Service, as meteorologist Joe Sirarad urges people to stay home and limit road travel if possible. They break down why it feels unusually warm right now, how subtropical moisture is fueling the storm, and why the unsettled weather is expected to linger through Friday before clearing into the weekend. Mark also reflects on the unique challenge of having a December 26th birthday and trying to gather people in the post-holiday lull.Mark then reinforces storm safety while shifting to holiday travel, as AAA predicts record-breaking travel numbers. He reacts to the sticker shock of average airfare approaching $900 per ticket, questioning why so many travelers are still hitting the road and skies despite the cost and conditions.The hour turns cultural as Mark examines how Christmas has changed on television — with fewer primetime specials and late-night programming looking very different — and why the absence of wall-to-wall holiday content feels so noticeable.Mark also weighs in on the viral incident involving DK Metcalf of the Pittsburgh Steelers, after video appeared to show a physical exchange with a fan during a game against the Detroit Lions. Mark debates where the line should be drawn between player accountability and fan responsibility.To close the show, and at a listener’s request, Mark dips into the archives for a classic Mark Thompson / Tim Conway Jr. segment involving body scans — a throwback moment to end the night.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Mark Thompson opens Hour 2 with the latest on the incoming Southern California storm, speaking with the National Weather Service as forecasters warn the worst rainfall is still ahead and caution residents not to let their guard down despite the calm so far.Mark then shifts gears to politics and pageantry, breaking down Donald Trump putting his name on the Kennedy Center, followed by the president’s announcement of a new fleet of massive warships — branded the “Golden Fleet.” Mark reacts to the hype video rollout, Trump’s flair for promotion, and how modern naval power has evolved beyond traditional battleships.The hour lightens up as Mark thanks Board Wizard (and DJ) Foosh for the Christmas music and gives away VIP tickets to see the Los Angeles Chargers this weekend. That excitement rolls straight into talk of the massive $1.7 billion and growing lottery jackpot and what that kind of money really represents.Mark wraps the hour by spotlighting the biggest pop culture moments of 2025, according to E! and NPR — from surprise celebrity moments to cultural milestones — ultimately declaring it the year of Taylor Swift, with a nod to headline-grabbing turns from Katy Perry.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Mark Thompson fills in for Tim Conway Jr. and kicks off the show with KFI’s own Michael Monks, breaking down the much-hyped “biblical” storm bearing down on Southern California. While officials are taking the threat seriously — especially in vulnerable burn scar areas — Michael notes that so far it’s been more drizzle than deluge. The conversation turns to the real complications of urging people to stay home on Christmas, when family obligations often override evacuation warnings.Next, Mark welcomes back Board Wizard Stef Foosh, newly returned after recovering from a serious accident, and reflects on how grateful the KFI family is to have him back. The hour then shifts into a deep dive on the Reiner murders, sparked by a listener email questioning competency to stand trial. Mark unpacks the legal and mental health dimensions of the case, including schizophrenia, responsibility, and whether the actions surrounding the crime itself undermine claims of incompetence. Mark plays the latest audio updates and continues exploring how often these arguments surface in major criminal cases.The hour lightens as Mark and Foosh spar — and finally agree — on embracing Christmas bumper music with the holiday just 48 hours away. To close, Mark talks with Bobbi Leonard, founder of a purpose-driven skincare brand that supports animal welfare, about building a small business with a mission and the surprising growth of her company.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It seems using the military against United States citizens crosses a line even Supreme Court justices aren't comfortable, stepping over. Yesterday, the Supreme Court denied Trump's emergency request to keep National Guard troops in Illinois. The preliminary decision may impact National Guard deployments in other states too. We will dig deeper into that ruling as we welcome presidential historian and political analyst John Rothmann to the show. Our very own J-L Cauvin is running for Congress in New Jersey. He's at a critical stage of fundraising and has a brand new commercial that he will share.. We welcome The Culture Blaster, Michael Snyder, to look at the big holiday movie weekend ahead. *Show note: the Mark Thompson show will be dark on Christmas and the day after for Mark‘s birthday

Mark Thompson explores how wellness tech has reshaped holiday gifting, reacting to a The Wall Street Journal article on sleep monitors, health tracking, and even self-cooling mattresses — and why scoring your sleep has become both a lifestyle trend and a subtle flex.As the year winds down, Mark shares a cautionary personal story about his fitness journey, including signing a long-term personal training contract, dealing with injury and life interruptions, and still being financially on the hook. It’s a timely warning before listeners lock themselves into costly New Year’s resolutions.The hour turns serious as Mark covers the latest developments in the Epstein files, playing recent audio of President Trump commenting on the photos and the renewed attention surrounding Bill Clinton.To close, Mark checks in with Andy Riesmeyer about what’s ahead on his show, including a lively conversation on whether the term “podcast” is becoming obsolete — and why KFI listeners should stay tuned.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Mark Thompson breaks down why massive lines are forming outside California businesses — not because of quality alone, but because of FOMO. He explores how restaurants and brands create cultural “must-be-there” moments, then widens the lens to the wave of restaurant closures across Southern California following January’s wildfires, declining tourism, and Hollywood’s continued pullout.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Mark Thompson opens the show with holiday traditions before pivoting hard into a looming end-of-year weather threat that could hit Southern California with biblical-level rainfall. Forecasts warn of up to two inches in a single day, raising serious flooding and evacuation concerns, especially in recent burn scar areas. Mark plays audio on what to expect from a wet Christmas and how residents should prepare as warnings escalate.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

My Story   Talk 34   Overcoming New Challenges Welcome to Talk 34 in our series where I'm reflecting on God's goodness to me throughout my life. Last time I was mentioning some of the health challenges I faced in India and today I will be describing how these continued for some time once we were back in England. I will also be talking about the serious health challenges Eileen faced during the last ten years of her life. I take no pleasure in recording all this, but an honest account of my life must include the hard times as well as the good, and, of course, the Lord has brought me through. Challenges following India Fortunately, there was little in my diary for the first few weeks after our return from India and I soon began to feel better. I thought I was back to normal and in April we set off for two weekends of ministry in Essex. We would stay with Eileen's sister Joan in Billericay and the first weekend I would preach in Witham and a week later in our old church in Colchester. On the first Saturday we drove from our home in Paignton straight to Witham, a journey of about 250 miles, and I preached in the afternoon and evening meetings. We then made our way to Billericay, returning to Witham for the Sunday morning service. I had felt fine on the Saturday, but on Sunday I suddenly started to feel unwell again shortly before I was due to preach. The symptoms were like those I had had in India, and I went outside to get some fresh air. However, I managed to get through the preaching but was grateful to get back to Billericay. The next day Joan arranged an appointment for me with her GP who, hearing that I had been bitten by a mosquito in India and suspecting that I might have malaria, sent me for tests at the hospital in Basildon. Although these tested negative, I was still worried that there was something seriously wrong with me and just wanted to get back home to Paignton. Apologising profusely, I asked our friends at Colchester to release me from my commitment to preach the following weekend and we drove home later that week, unsure of what the future might hold. The next two years proved to be extremely difficult. I continued to experience similar problems every time I preached. In May 2010 I drove up to Huddersfield for the AoG conference but was so stressed that I returned home without attending a meeting. I immediately arranged an appointment with my GP, Mark Thompson, a good Christian man, and told him my whole story. He reminded me that as Christians we are not immune to such things and recommended some books that might help explain my condition. It appears that my experience in India, caused by extreme heat, dehydration, and overwork, triggered a rush of adrenalin which produced the symptoms I was struggling with. I learnt that worrying about the symptoms only made matters worse because that causes a further rush of adrenalin. I was caught in a vicious circle, and the only way out was to embrace the symptoms, tell myself that they would not harm me, and gradually I would get better. And that's what happened, although it did take a long time. Following my visit to the doctor I cancelled my two-week trip to teach at the Bible College in Finland in May. We did go to Madeira for a three week holiday in June, but this turned out to be disappointing because of my recurring symptoms. However, in September I did manage to teach for two weeks at Mattersey, preach for a weekend in Pocklington, and assisted by Bob Hyde, teach a course at CTS in Brussels for a week. I was still experiencing the symptoms but managing to cope with them – at least most of the time. But there were still occasions when I felt unable to preach. In October I cancelled a weekend in Poynton and in November I was unable to complete a weekend's ministry in Aston. I began to wonder if the time had come for me to give up. But less than two weeks later the Lord suddenly intervened. Eileen and I were in Exeter at a meeting for Assemblies of God ministers and their wives. The guest preacher was John Glass, the General Superintendent of the Elim Churches. He was preaching on Jeremiah 1 when he came to verses 11-12: The word of the LORD came to me: "What do you see, Jeremiah?" "I see the branch of an almond tree," I replied. The LORD said to me, "You have seen correctly, for I am watching to see that my word is fulfilled." He explained the play on words that we find in these verses – the Hebrew word for almond is very similar to the word for watch. The almond tree is among the first to blossom in spring. It's something you watch for as a sign that spring has come. Winter will be followed by spring because God watches over his word to see that it is fulfilled. Now in England most of us don't see an almond tree too often, so John likened it to crocuses. In his garden they're the first flowers to bloom in spring. They're the sign or guarantee that winter won't be forever. Then John broke away from his notes and said something like this: There are some of you here who are feeling that your ministry has come to an end. You have been experiencing a bleak winter, but the Lord wants you to know that it will not be forever. You will experience a new springtime. Eileen and I looked at each other. Was this for us? Surely it must be. But there were a lot of other people in that meeting. Could it be that John's prophetic word was for them and not for us? We drove home after the meeting hoping, rather than believing, that this really was a word from the Lord for us. And then, that evening, Jill Cooper, one of our friends from church, arrived on our doorstep and said, I've brought you a little present. To be honest, I had bought it for someone else, but then I felt the Lord tell me to give it to you instead.  What was the present? A bowl of crocuses! How good God is! He gave us the assurance that I would emerge from this dark period of winter into a new springtime of ministry. We sometimes have to go through a valley of shadow, but he is with us in it all the way. So in 2011, whenever the symptoms reoccurred, I pressed through them, knowing that this condition wouldn't last forever. In March I flew to Scotland to speak to the AoG ministers, in May we went back to Finland to teach at Iso Kirja for two weeks, in September I taught for two weeks at Mattersey, and in October I was back at CTS again. None of these occasions was easy. In fact, I often felt really unwell, but everyone always said that, if I hadn't told them, they would not have known anything was wrong with me! I'm not quite sure how much longer it took to get back to normal. In fact, I'm not really sure what 'normal' is! We all deteriorate physically as we get older and our energy levels are not what they were. When I look back at what I was doing in the years before Mattersey and throughout my time there, I wonder now how I possibly managed it all. What was normal for me then is far beyond my capabilities now, but I have moved into a new springtime in my ministry and people tell me that at 87 I'm not doing badly for my age, for which I am grateful. Challenges to Eileen's health But my health challenges were nothing compared with those faced by Eileen in the last ten years of her life. On Sunday 21st December 2014 quite unexpectedly at about 9am Eileen started to experience severe pain in her stomach as she was getting ready for church. As the pain was unrelenting, causing Eileen to pass out a couple of times, by 3pm I decided I needed to call 999. I accompanied Eileen in the ambulance while Jonathan followed by car. After waiting with her a few hours, Jon and I were advised to go home and await the results of an MRI scan.  At about 10.30 that evening the surgeon phoned to ask us to go in to discuss options for Eileen. It was clear that the situation was very serious. On arrival at the hospital, we were told that the scan had revealed that the blood supply had been cut off from Eileen's bowel and that her smaller bowel had died. Without an immediate operation she would die. There was even the possibility that the condition was already too far advanced for them to be able to save her. Furthermore, even if they were able to save her, there was a strong possibility that she would need to have a permanent colostomy. Eileen agreed with us that we should agree to the operation and trust God for the best possible outcome. We prayed with her, of course, but as you can imagine, for the next few hours we were on an emotional roller-coaster, experiencing all the ups and downs from fear to faith, but with a determination to trust God, come what may. We simply could not believe that it was God's time for Eileen to go to Heaven and kept praying that he would spare her. Imagine our relief when at one o'clock on Monday morning the surgeon phoned to say that she had the best possible news for us. Eileen's bowel was alive! What had been causing the pain was an internal hernia which they had been able to fix. None of her bowel had needed to be removed and the blood supply had been restored.   Now bearing in mind the certainty with which the surgeon told us that Eileen's bowel had died we were convinced that this was not just a case of faulty diagnosis, but that God had worked an amazing miracle in restoring Eileen's bowel to life. God had allowed man to do what he could but intervened to do what man could not do – restore a dead bowel to life! We were so grateful for the prayers of the many people who interceded for Eileen throughout this difficult time and to God for his miraculous intervention. I never cease to be amazed at his wonderful grace and goodness to us. But the operation had been very invasive and left Eileen severely weakened for months. And she never fully regained the strength and energy she had lost, but that, of course, may have been partly caused by the fact that she was not getting any younger. And neither was I! In April 2015 we had a few days' break in the Lake District and neither of us felt like walking very far. It was much the same in September when we went to the Isle of Wight, but on both these holidays we contented ourselves with driving around in the car, visiting old haunts, marvelling at the beauty of God's creation, and, of course, enjoying the food. We planned two short holidays for 2016, the first in Longtown, a village in Herefordshire close to the Welsh border in May. After preaching in Rugby on the Sunday morning, we drove there in the afternoon and spent a few delightful days in a charming cottage on the banks of the River Monnow, returning to Brixham the following weekend. The second holiday, planned for a week in September at the southern end of Coniston Water, never happened. In June I flew to Ireland to preach for a weekend in Sligo where Daniel Caldwell, one of our former students, was leading a church. On Sunday morning I preached on Jesus calming the storm in Matthew 8 and I remember saying that sometimes unexpected problems suddenly arise in our lives, but Jesus is well able to see us through them and get us to the other side. Who knows what might happen this week? But whatever happens Jesus is with us. And I flew home that afternoon. I have preached that message many times, but little did I know what was to happen just two days later. On Tuesday evening, sitting in her armchair Eileen had a severe stroke and was rushed into Torbay Hospital. From head to toe she had no feeling down the right side of her body. The next Sunday, still in hospital, she suffered another stroke and we were told that the outlook was extremely bleak. She was rushed to Derriford Hospital in Plymouth and underwent surgery to relieve the pressure on her brain. Her life had been saved. After eleven days she was transferred back to Torbay where she remained for eight days until a bed was available at Newton Abbot where she began a course of rehab. Throughout this time we were all looking to the Lord for a complete healing, whether instantaneous or gradual, but her progress was extremely slow, and it was becoming increasingly clear that she needed a miracle if she would ever walk again. And although the healing miracle we were praying for never happened, we could see the hand of the Lord at work in other ways. Firstly, on July 28th when we were sitting in the hospital day room and eating cake to celebrate our wedding anniversary, the Torbay doctor who had told us that the outlook was extremely bleak approached us and said, I'm looking for Eileen Petts. And when he saw her he said, I can't believe it. Which was something he repeated more than once during the fifteen minutes he was with us. He clearly had not expected Eileen to survive, and this encouraged our faith that God was at work in the situation. On 10th August, after eight weeks in three different hospitals, Eileen finally came home. And that, in itself, was a miracle. We had been told just a few days earlier that Eileen would have to be discharged as her bed was needed for someone else. To continue her rehab she could either go into a care home if we could find one that would take her, or the NHS would provide rehab workers to come to our home, but we would need to find a home care company to take care of Eileen's other needs. The problem was that at the time there were over 70 people in Torbay on a waiting list! I needed an answer – quick! And just in time the answer came. Just a day before Eileen had to be discharged, Trude Hyde came to me and said that she and her twin sister Sylvia would take care of Eileen if we would like them to. How wonderful! I didn't need to ask Eileen because I knew she would love it, but for the sake of all concerned, I felt I needed to ask the Lord for his guidance. And I did foresee one possible problem. I didn't know if I would be allowed to choose Eileen's carers or if they would require certain recognised medical qualifications. I needed an immediate answer to that question, and I didn't know where to find it. I was just going off to visit Eileen, and I didn't want to mention the twins' kind offer until I knew the answer in case it led to her being disappointed. And then I remembered that Katie, the daughter of our next-door neighbour, Sue, was the lead carer for the whole of Torbay. She would certainly know the answer. I was just about to go and knock on Sue's door when I changed my mind and said, Lord, if this is of you, before I get into the car, please let Sue come out without me knocking on her door. And that's what happened. No sooner had I prayed that prayer than Sue came out of her house. In less than five minutes Katie was on the phone and told me that I could choose whom I liked. Eileen was overjoyed, and Trude and Sylvia took care of her visiting our home four times a day for the next four years until we moved to a bungalow on the other side of town, when workers from Abide Care, Brixham, took over.  Eileen finally went to be with the Lord in February 2024 almost eight years after that awful stroke. She was always grateful that her condition was not physically painful, but frustrated at her inability to walk and do all those things we normally take for granted. And we both naturally wondered why the Lord had allowed this to happen. One Bible passage that Eileen found particularly helpful was 2 Corinthians 1:3-5 where Paul says: Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God. For just as the sufferings of Christ flow over into our lives, so also through Christ our comfort overflows. And the comfort and strength our Father gave to Eileen certainly did overflow to others, not least as a testimony to the dozens of carers from Abide who came into our home over the final four years of her life. Throughout this whole very difficult period both Eileen and I had been sustained by our Christian faith and by a particular word received from the Lord through Barrie Taylor, our daughter Sarah's father-in-law. Barrie and Sandra live some distance away and we normally only saw them once or twice a year. On one such occasion when Eileen seemed to be making little progress after her stroke we were all having a meal together at Berry Head Hotel, when Barrie said the Lord had given him a word for us: My Father is at work in your lives and situation which He is using as a platform to display his sustaining grace. God sometimes uses amazing miracles of healing to display his power and love, but it is often the sustaining grace that he gives his people in times of suffering that brings others to faith. Through Eileen's suffering the lives of many were touched, people who might never have otherwise heard the good news about Jesus. And since she died there have been many opportunities to share the gospel. The funeral staff at the crematorium were visibly moved and said they had never experienced a service like it and neighbours said the same thing about the church service that followed it. As Christians we know where we are going, and the knowledge that our loved ones are with the Lord is a source of great comfort and even joy. Although I still miss her every day, I sometimes weep for joy at the thought of how happy Eileen must now be in Heaven! And one day we shall meet again! But until then there is still work for me to do down here. But that's the subject of our final talk.

The show covered a developing investigation into suspicious items found in Glendale, as well as a motorcycle officer involved in an accident with injuries in Garden Grove. A “WHIP” segment touched on Elon Musk’s net worth. Mark Thompson talked about doing voiceover work for an NFL commercial. Tim shared the story of one of his framed newspaper articles that had been auctioned off years ago and unexpectedly made its way back. Mark also mentioned a Huell Howser photo displayed on his nightstand. Conway recalled giving Jay Leno his headshot to hang in Leno’s garage, along with a funny story from a Comedy & Magic Club show in Hermosa Beach. The conversation drifted to another humorous anecdote involving the song “American Pie.” The hour wrapped up with discussion about whether “American Pie” has ever been covered by other artists, noting that Don McLean often performed the song twice during his concerts. The segment ended with talk about an Adam Carolla vlog in which Carolla humorously tells people at Home Depot that their project ideas aren’t going to work. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In the last episode of 2025, Co-hosts Mark Thompson and Steve Little present their predictions for how artificial intelligence will transform genealogy research in 2026. This special episode examines fourteen key trends shaping the future of family history AI.Mark and Steve predict that AI tools will move from enthusiast circles into mainstream genealogy practice, with AI-enhanced apps like NotebookLM becoming more important than the underlying language models that people have focused on for the past three years.They explore how handwritten text recognition will become more accurate and accessible, and that genealogy companies will cautiously integrate new AI features, first focusing on helping us with our research.Timestamps:02:33 Family History AI Goes Mainstream: From Enthusiasts to Everyday Users04:13 Apps Over Models: Why Platform Features Matter More Than LLMs06:17 Reusable Prompting Tools: GPTs, Projects, and Gems Boost Efficiency08:02 AI-Enhanced Research Gains Acceptance Among Serious Genealogists09:53 Handwritten Text Recognition Gets Better, Easier, and Cheaper12:18 Genealogy Companies Take Cautious Approach to Generative AI17:07 AI-Enhanced Browsers Become Standard, Agentic Features Raise Concerns24:25 Voice Interfaces to AI Remain Niche in 202627:36 LLM Vendors Push File and Email Integration for Stickiness31:46 Productivity Tools Embed LLMs Everywhere35:56 The AI Horse Race: Three Leaders Emerge41:15 AI Licensing Deals Change Internet Access Patterns44:34 The AI Bubble Conversation is important to society, but less so to GenealogistsResource Links:The Family History AI Show Academy https://tixoom.app/fhaishowFamily History AI Goes MainstreamWhat Can AI Do for Your Genealogical Research? – James Tanner (Nov 2025) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SXmVKy1pUPEFamilySearch Shares Plans for 2025 (Includes AI integration details) https://newsroom.churchofjesuschrist.org/article/familysearch-shares-plans-for-2025Reusable Prompting ToolsCustom GPTs vs. Gemini Gems: Who Wins? - Learn Prompting (Aug 2025) https://learnprompting.org/blog/custom-gpts-vs-gemini-gemsAI-Enhanced ResearchUnlocking Family Histories: How AI Is Breathing New Life into Handwritten Records (South Central APG)https://southcentralapg.org/2025/08/16/unlocking-family-histories-how-ai-is-breathing-new-life-into-handwritten-records/Handwritten Text RecognitionA new Google model is nearly perfect on automated handwriting recognition - Hacker News https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=45887262Cautious AI from Genealogy CompaniesAI-Enhanced BrowsersCompliance alert: Do not use AI browsershttps://vinciworks.com/blog/compliance-alert-do-not-use-ai-browsers/Content Integration with ChatbotsGemini vs Copilot: A Quick Comparison Guide (2025) - Tactiqhttps://tactiq.io/learn/gemini-vs-copilotAI in Office Productivity ToolsMicrosoft Copilot in 2025: What's Changed & What's Next | Aldridgehttps://aldridge.com/microsoft-copilot-in-2025-whats-changed-whats-next/Monthly Round Up: New Features in Microsoft 365 Copilot (Dec 2025)https://dynamicscommunities.com/ug/copilot-ug/monthly-round-up-new-features-in-microsoft-365-copilot/The AI Horse RaceThe Best AI in October 2025? We Compared ChatGPT, Claude, Grok, Gemini & Others - FelloAIhttps://felloai.com/the-best-ai-in-october-2025-we-compared-chatgpt-claude-grok-gemini-others/The 2025 AI Coding Models: Comprehensive Guide to the Top 5 Contenders - CodeGPThttps://www.codegpt.co/blog/ai-coding-models-2025-comprehensive-guideAI Licensing DealsContent Licensing Agreements Will Concentrate Markets Without Standardized Access - ProMarket(Nov 2025) https://www.promarket.org/2025/11/20/content-licensing-agreements-will-concentrate-markets-without-standardized-access/The False Hope of Content Licensing at Internet Scale - ProMarkethttps://www.promarket.org/2025/11/19/the-false-hope-of-content-licensing-at-internet-scale/The AI Bubble ConversationThe AI boom will turn to bust in 2026https://www.marketwatch.com/story/the-ai-boom-will-turn-to-bust-next-year-says-this-forecaster-who-offers-his-trade-of-the-year-9c2a2332OUTLOOK 2026 Promise and Pressure - J.P. Morgan (Discusses AI market stability vs bubble risks)https://www.jpmorgan.com/content/dam/jpmorgan/documents/wealth-management/outlook-2026.pdfTags:Artificial Intelligence, Genealogy, Family History, AI Predictions, NotebookLM, HTR, AI Browsers, ChatGPT, Google Gemini, Anthropic Claude

In this episode, from a chapel service held on Friday, 3 October 2025, Mark Thompson, Principal of Moore Theological College, speaks on John 5:31–47 and Jesus' testimony about himself.Mark reminds us that while studying the Scriptures can be glorious and exhilarating, analysing and understanding the words is not enough if you do not let those words lead you to Jesus, the one who fulfills all Scripture.For more audio resources, visit the Moore College website. There, you can also make a donation to support the work of the College.Contact us and find us on socials.Visit the Samuel Marsden Archives.Please note: The episode transcript provided is AI-generated and has not been checked for accuracy. If quoting, please check against the audio.

Tim Conway Jr. welcomes Mark Thompson for a wild “Best Of” episode loaded with big laughs and even bigger stories. Mark kicks things off by telling the unbelievable tale of how an auction totally got the best of him, complete with twists, turns, and a lesson learned the hard way. Then Tim and Mark dive into the outrageous world of charity fundraisers — the kind where bidding starts at $100K and the pressure (and embarrassment) only goes up from there. Things get even stranger with a “Ding Dong Texas” story involving full-body scans, questionable technology, and two grown men wondering why they agreed to this in the first place. And to top it all off, the guys unleash some classic S-Talk, including the viral “barrpp-barp” voicemail rant and why it’s insane that anyone still expects people to check their messages in 2025. A fast, funny, unpredictable ride from start to finish — this is Tim & Mark at their absolute best.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Co-hosts Mark Thompson and Steve Little present a special year-end episode, comparing their 2025 AI predictions to what actually unfolded in 2025. This episode is a great review of the top AI advancements in 2025!The hosts examine which predictions hit the mark, including the agentic AI hype cycle, plummeting AI costs driven by DeepSeek, and the dethroning of OpenAI as the top AI model. They also explore predictions that proved partially accurate, such as the shift to local language models and the adoption of AI in social media.Mark and Steve have a good laugh over their biggest misses, including breakthroughs in text-in-image generation, image restoration, and vibe coding. They highlight how reasoning models were the transformative force behind nearly every major AI advancement in 2025.The episode closes with a preview of next week's 2026 predictions episode.Timestamps:03:30 Agents, Agents, Everywhere: Deep Research and Agentic Browsers09:49 Cost of AI Drops Like a Rock: DeepSeek Disrupts the Market12:26 OpenAI Dethroned: Gemini and Anthropic Rise18:46 Local Language Models23:54 AI Invades Social Media28:24 AI-Enhanced Writing: From Grammar Checking to Ghost Writers32:30 Family Tree Diagrams: Possible But Not Practical36:03 Handwriting Recognition: Reasoning Improves Results38:01 Reasoning Models: 2025's Most Important Advancement41:31 Text in Images: A Solved Problem45:05 Image Restoration: Breakthroughs and Responsibilities51:02 Vibe Coding: Speaking Software Into BeingResource Links:Register for a Class with the Family History AI Show Academyhttps://tixoom.app/fhaishowAgentic AIAgentic AI In-Depth Report 2025https://hblabgroup.com/agentic-ai-in-depth-report/Perplexity's New AI-First Browser Kicks Off Agentic Applicationshttps://www.forbes.com/sites/stevenwolfepereira/2025/07/11/perplexitys-new-ai-first-browser-is-kicking-off-agentic-applications/Cost of AIState of AI in 10 Chartshttps://hai.stanford.edu/news/ai-index-2025-state-of-ai-in-10-chartsFree AI Tools 2025https://thehumanprompts.com/free-ai-tools-2025-platforms/OpenAI DethronedGeoffrey Hinton says Google is 'beginning to overtake' OpenAIhttps://www.businessinsider.com/ai-godfather-geoffrey-hinton-google-overtaking-openai-2025-12Local AI HardwareAssessing the On-Device Artificial Intelligence (AI) Opportunityhttps://www.qualcomm.com/content/dam/qcomm-martech/dm-assets/documents/assessing-the-on-device-ai-opportunity.pdfFamily Tree DiagramsExplore how powerful AI image editing can support advanced creative workflows.https://deepmind.google/models/gemini-image/pro/Text in ImagesNano Banana Pro Review: Is Google's AI Image Generator Too Good?https://www.cnet.com/tech/services-and-software/google-nano-banana-pro-ai-image-generator-review/Vibe CodingNo code, big dreamshttps://www.businessinsider.com/non-technical-people-vibecoding-lessons-ai-apps-2025-9Image RestorationResponsible AI Photo Restorationhttps://makingfamilyhistory.com/responsible-ai-photo-restoration/Protecting Trust in Historical Imageshttps://craigen.org/protecting-trust-in-historical-images/Tags:Artificial Intelligence, Genealogy, Family History, AI Predictions, Reasoning Models, DeepSeek, Gemini, Image Restoration, Vibe Coding, Agentic AI

The Newfoundland Quarterly magazine is out with a new issue this winter with the theme this time around being “air.” We invited contributors to the show to talk about their pieces and the inspiration behind them. GUESTS - Joan Sullivan, managing editor of the Newfoundland Quarterly; Janet McNaughton, artist and orchardist; Mark Thompson, painter; Nora Kelly, Montreal-based multimedia artist; Vanessa Iddon, artist; Karin Murray-Bergquist, writer; Mark David Turner, cultural historian and co-owner of Brak and Brine.

Kids’ slang keeps evolving, with terms like “cooked,” “low-key,” and “sus.” Now there’s a new cryptic phrase: “6–7.” Meanwhile, heating bills are expected to rise, and experts shared tips on how to keep costs down. A shooting at the La Brea Tar Pits shocked the city, and in another disturbing incident, criminals were caught rummaging through a child’s bedroom. Fires were widespread today, including an electrical blaze at a Woodland Hills high-rise. In West Hollywood, the community is split over a proposed homeless housing project. Conway took a tour to see firsthand how Chef Bruno feeds children every day, continuing his long-standing mission of generosity. And during crosstalk with Mark Thompson, they discussed Chef Bruno’s close friendship with Sophia Loren, reminisced about child stars, and Tim revealed he had a “radical lisp” as a kid that required time at The Learning Center.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It’s Mark Thompson’s birthday the day after Christmas, and he hates that people never remember. But what is Jesus’s birthday, star sign, and season of birth? There’s a number of theories, let’s discuss. There’s pushback against Secretary of Transport Sean Duffy’s request that people have some decorum and dress nicely while flying. Now, everyone’s coming to the airport in slippers and pajamas. Mark plays the talkbacks from our KFI listeners, with many loving on the baritone king crooning across our airwaves.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Mark Thompson reveals the principles of readiness that he's used to help aspiring CEOs get the top job.— YOU'LL LEARN — 1) The one behavior that makes you more CEO-like 2) Why to take on your boss' problems3) The question that dramatically improves your appealSubscribe or visit AwesomeAtYourJob.com/ep1115 for clickable versions of the links below. — ABOUT MARK — Mark Thompson is a globally recognized authority on CEO succession, executive readiness, and high-stakes leadership transitions. He has led more than a hundred board-level engagements to prepare C-suite successors to step confidently into enterprise leadership. He is the founding chairman and CEO of the Chief Executive Alliance and the CEO Leadership Plan Review (LPR). Previously, he served as chief executive of the CEO Academy, a SHRM company, in partnership with Wharton and McKinsey.Earlier in his career, Thompson reported directly to founder Charles “Chuck” Schwab, serving as executive producer of Schwab.com, the first large-scale digital platform for online investing. In 2021, he was ranked by Marshall Goldsmith as the #1 CEO Coach, and in 2023 he was inducted into the Thinkers50 Coaching Legends.• Book: Admired: 21 Ways to Double Your Value• Book: CEO Ready: What You Need to Know to Earn the Job--and Keep the Job• Website: ChiefExecutiveAlliance.com— RESOURCES MENTIONED IN THE SHOW — • Study: “How Leaders Develop Collaborative Leadership for Effectiveness” by Bonita Thompson• Book: The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People: Powerful Lessons in Personal Change by Stephen Covey• Book: Contact: A Novel by Carl Sagan• Book: Creativity, Inc.: Overcoming the Unseen Forces That Stand in the Way of True Inspiration by Ed Catmull and Amy Wallace• Past episode: 273: Taking Control of your Career with Korn Ferry's Gary Burnison— THANK YOU SPONSORS! — • Vanguard. Give your clients consistent results year in and year out with vanguard.com/AUDIO• Quince. Get free shipping and 365-day returns on your order with Quince.com/Awesome• Taelor. Visit Visit taelor.style and get 10% off gift cards with the code PODCASTGIFT• Cashflow Podcasting. Explore launching (or outsourcing) your podcast with a free 10-minute call with Pete.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Hour 2 from the PastaThon live broadcast brings the chaos and the heart. Tim and Mark Thompson kick things off with Kristin Samuelian from the SoCal Giving Machines, revealing how you can keep donating to Caterina’s Club long after tonight. LAPD Motor Officer Jason Jacobson jumps in next, as he’s auctioning off gun-training sessions for donations and gives Tim a peek into the insane logistics behind policing huge bike marathons. Then Dr. Ray Casciari stops by in person to join the PastaThon madness, updating us on SoCal’s rising flu numbers, flu shots, COVID predictions he nailed, and yes… the story of the lung needle. Tim and Mark keep the laughs rolling as they track the latest donation totals and highlight the generosity flooding in on Giving Tuesday.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Tim Conway Jr. opens the show live from the Anaheim White House Restaurant as KFI launches another massive PastaThon! Chef Bruno Serato joins Tim to celebrate the mission of feeding kids through Caterina’s Club, while KFI’s own Michael Crozier brings the first big donation totals of the night, plus a round of well-earned Bellio chants from the crowd. Mark Thompson jumps in for the live broadcast as Detective Daniel Camara from the Garden Grove Police Department shares how their station collected huge pasta and sauce donations. The community support continues with Murphy Tarves from No. 1 Collision Group and Patrick Shinagawa from Wild Fork Foods, whose 11 locations are donating a portion of sales to PastaThon. It’s the biggest night of the year for giving—high energy, big hearts, and even bigger pasta and donation totals.

Co-hosts Mark Thompson and Steve Little examine Google's groundbreaking Gemini 3 release, which delivers state-of-the-art multimodal reasoning and sets a new benchmark for AI capabilities. They also explore ChatGPT's upgrade to version 5.1 with improved instruction following and better handling of longer conversation.The hosts discuss Canva's new Creative Operating System, which now generates AI-powered designs directly within the platform.This week's Tip of the Week demonstrates how Gemini 3 can use the context you provide it to greatly improve the accuracy of your hand written transcription.In RapidFire, they cover NotebookLM's new deep research mode, Nano Banana's integration into Photoshop, Anthropic's privacy policy changes regarding training data, and how Claude's new usage monitoring feature can reduce your stress level.Timestamps:In the News:04:17 Google Gemini 3's Multimodal AI Reaches New Heights13:47 ChatGPT 5.1 upgrade is now better at following your Instructions22:39 Canva Creative Operating System: AI-Powered Design GenerationTip of the Week:26:21 Adding Reasoning to Your Transcriptions Improves AccuracyRapidFire:36:40 NotebookLM Becomes a Fully Featured Research Tool43:40 Nano Banana is Now Available in Photoshop47:20 Anthropic Announces Claude Chats Will Be Used for Training Data54:13 View Your Claude Usage in SettingsResource Links:Intro to Family History AI by the Family History AI Show Academyhttps://tixoom.app/fhaishowGoogle Gemini 3Introducing Gemini 3: A New Era of Intelligencehttps://blog.google/products/gemini/gemini-3/ChatGPT 5.1A smarter, more conversationalhttps://openai.com/index/gpt-5-1/GPT-5.1 New Features Explainedhttps://scalevise.com/resources/gpt-5-1-new-features/Canva Creative Operating SystemIntroducing Canva's Creative Operating Systemhttps://www.canva.com/newsroom/news/creative-operating-system/NotebookLM Deep ResearchNotebookLM adds Deep Research and support for more source typeshttps://blog.google/technology/google-labs/notebooklm-deep-research-file-types/Nano Banana in PhotoshopCreate with unlimited generations using Google Gemini 3 (Nano Banana Pro) in Adobe Fireflyhttps://blog.adobe.com/en/publish/2025/11/20/google-gemini-3-nano-banana-pro-firefly-photoshopAnthropic Privacy Policy UpdateAnthropic Will Use Claude Chats for Training Data: How to Opt Outhttps://www.wired.com/story/anthropic-using-claude-chats-for-training-how-to-opt-out/Updates to Consumer Terms and Privacy Policyhttps://www.anthropic.com/news/updates-to-our-consumer-termsClaude Usage MonitoringUsage Limit Best Practiceshttps://support.claude.com/en/articles/9797557-usage-limit-best-practicesTags:Artificial Intelligence, Genealogy, Family History, Google Gemini, ChatGPT, Canva, NotebookLM, Nano Banana, Anthropic Claude, Photo Restoration

In this episode, from a chapel service held on Friday, 26 September 2025, Mark Thompson, Principal of Moore Theological College, speaks on John 5:19–30 and Jesus' words to the Jewish leaders about his relationship to the Father.Mark reminds us that refusing to honour Jesus the Son was, is and always will be refusing to honour the Father, and that if Jesus is not fully God, the Christian faith falls apart.For more audio resources, visit the Moore College website. There, you can also make a donation to support the work of the College.Contact us and find us on socials.Give to our end-of-year-appeal and support the work and mission of the College.Please note: The episode transcript provided is AI-generated and has not been checked for accuracy. If quoting, please check against the audio.

In this wild ride of the Best of Tim Conway Jr. Show, we’re asking the tough questions: How can you grow up in L.A. and not know who Vin Scully is — especially if you work at a Dodgers station?! Tim breaks it down. Then we go deep (and maybe too personal) with hilarious stories about getting hit on, plus a debate over whether birth order actually shapes your personality. And don’t miss the showdown of the century — it’s Dueling Don Pardos as Mark Thompson and Michael Crozier go head-to-head with their best announcer’s impressions.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It’s Black Friday, and we’re celebrating with a jam-packed Best of the Conway Jr. Show! Tim kicks things off with a painfully funny tale about a girlfriend who once invited him to the Getty Museum — during the Dodgers World Series. Mark Thompson shares a voiceover session gone wrong, and we revisit the unforgettable “You’re cute, jeans” moment that left everyone in stitches. Plus, Tim relives an awkwardly sweet double date movie night in Seattle in a segment we call “When Harry Met Seattle.”.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In Hour 2 of the Best of the Tim Conway Jr. Show: Thanksgiving Day Edition, the stories just keep getting better. Tim kicks things off with a wild tale about his legendary father, comedian Tim Conway, and a run-in with the Chicago Mob — yes, really. Then it’s edible chaos as Conway and The Foosh swap weed stories involving gummies, edibles, and confusion. Next up, it's classic radio gold: Mark Thompson gets pulled over but can’t understand a word the officer is saying through the distorted loudspeaker. And to top it all off, we bring in the brilliantly funny Brian Regan sharing one of the best flying stories you’ve ever heard. It’s storytelling at its absolute finest — weird, real, and wildly entertaining.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In October 1923, first BBC General Manager John Reith wrote to both 10 Downing Street and Buckingham Palace, inviting the Prime Minister and the King to broadcast on the near year-old BBC. Both refused. In November 2025, 17th BBC Director General Tim Davie resigned because... well we're still trying to find out exactly why. Again, politics is at play - though it's difficult to know if that's at the White House, the House of Commons or Broadcasting House. Dr Tom Mills, sociologist at Aston University and author of The BBC: Myth of a Public Service, joins us to whizz through 17 Directors General, their own politics and their battles with politics. Meet: John Reith, Frederick Ogilvie, Cecil Graves, Robert Foot, William Haley, Ian Jacob, Hugh Greene, Charles Curran, Ian Trethowan, Alasdair Milne, Michael Checkland, John Birt, Greg Dyke, Mark Thompson, George Entwistle, Tony Hall and Tim Davie. (Add some 'sirs' and 'lords' in there - I've only de-titled them here as we're often talking about them while they were DG, and it's confusing who was appointed what and when. No disrespect intended) All men, you may notice. There are a few women in this tale too - though not many, and usually by such names as Margaret Thatcher and Mary Whitehouse. It's a complex tale - I hope we make it less so for you. Oh and we have news of your festive audio treat - coming soon (to Radio 4!)   SHOWNOTES: Dr Tom Mills' book is The BBC: Myth of a Public Service Tom has co-written this article on a potential future for the BBC: https://www.common-wealth.org/publications/our-mutual-friend-the-bbc-in-the-digital-age Paul's Substack article on the 17 Directors General: https://paulkerensa.substack.com/p/who-let-the-dgs-out-the-17-bbc-directors Paul's Substack on last episode's Mass Telepathy broadcast re-enactment: https://paulkerensa.substack.com/p/the-bbcs-mass-telepathy-broadcast Apply to be BBC Director General! The job ad: https://careers.bbc.co.uk/job/Director-General/34415-en_GB/ Details of your audio festive treat - my new Radio 4 drama, about the first radio drama: https://www.facebook.com/paul.kerensa/posts/pfbid0MKWEGmjSgXaBGJqMS6FPpbga8XcRaDdqMkAqb6GT6ZNYcW65yfQKKnbrF6B7J4jal The BBC listings page for The Truth about Phyllis Twigg - 2:15pm, Christmas Eve 2025, Radio 4: https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m002ntmx Original music is by Will Farmer.  Our survey of what you like/don't about this podcast is here - because like the 1925 panel, we can't read your mind: http://tiny.cc/bbcenturysurvey Paul's live show on the BBC origin story visits a variety of tour stops: www.paulkerensa.com/tour. This podcast is not made by today's BBC. It's just about the old BBC. Support us on Patreon (£5/mth - thanks if you do!), for bonus videos, writings, readings etc - it all helps support the podcast, and without that, there's no this. So thanks if you do! Or a one-off tip to Ko-fi.com/paulkerensa? Thanks for supporting us. I mostly use any kind £ to buy books. Then read books. Then absorb books. Then convert them into podcasts. Thanks for keeping the wheels turning. Please share/rate/review this podcast - it all really helps. Next time: Episode 110: The first BBC Armistice broadcast. More on this broadcasting history project at paulkerensa.com/oldradio  

Mark Thompson dusts off his legendary Simple Life 4: Til’ Death Do Us Part narrator voice to treat us with a snippet from the 2006 hit show! From the latest updates on the targeted attack injuring two National Guard members near the White House to reports of an unarmed Guardsman in an incident involving an alleged Afghan national. KFI reporter, Michael Monks joins to break down the Caterers Protest snarling traffic at LAX during the holiday rush and later returns to unpack Attorney General Rob Bonta’s lawsuit against the Trump Administration over restrictions on food-assistance eligibility.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Mark Thompson breaks down why Thanksgiving costs are still rising despite cheaper turkey, celebrate thousands receiving meals and services along Skid Row, and spotlight Hope the Mission’s 10th Annual Drumstick Dash. We also run through which stores are open or closed on the holiday, share smart strategies for negotiating your bills—including Mark Thompson admitting his own bargaining weakness—and explore what it means to live paycheck to paycheck. Plus, hear why the Transportation Secretary says you should always dress better when you fly.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The hottest Black Friday deals at Target before Mark Thompson reveals the surprising story of how he scored a free PlayStation straight from the company. Mark also keeps the pressure on with more tips for negotiating your bills, while we dig into a DWP scandal involving personal errands and Snoop Dogg tickets demanded by an employee under investigation. Plus, a wealthy California coastal city sparks outrage by banning pickleball after calling it a “madhouse,” and we wrap with a spirited Cross talk segment with Chris Merrill.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Author and comedian Mark Malkoff joins Mark Thompson to dive deep into Love, Johnny Carson: One Obsessive Fan’s Journey to Find the Genius Behind the Legend. From behind-the-curtain gems to Carson’s unmatched influence, it’s a must-hear conversation for comedy fans. Then Mark Thompson unravels the unbelievable story of a multimillion-dollar comic book discovered in the most unlikely place...up in the attic! See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Mark Thompson serves up a whirlwind of headlines—from a California pho restaurant forced to close after a viral video sparked a health department crackdown, to ICE raids hitting car wash shops across the state. Mark also digs into the surprising rise of raccoons as household pets and the alarming report that a silent tick-borne meat allergy contributed to the death of a JetBlue pilot. Then Andy Riesmeyer joins Mark for a lively cross-segment to talk movies, TV, and his own adventures in media. A mix of curiosity, cautionary tales, and classic Mark Thompson energy. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Mark Thompson welcomes filmmaker Steve Boettcher to discuss his new documentary Dick Van Dyke: A 100th Celebration, offering a rare glimpse into the legend’s milestone moment. Mark then dives into the best—and absolute worst—times for SoCal drivers to hit the road before Thanksgiving, along with a lively rundown of holiday breakups, KFI crew shakeups, and the hilarious revelation that half of this year’s Thanksgiving guests may be showing up totally stoned. Rounding it out is Mark’s own beloved Thanksgiving tradition, bringing humor, heart, and a dash of seasonal madness to the table. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Mark Thompson fills in for Conway, starting with a tease of a new Dick Van Dyke documentary, followed by breaking news on the tragic death of a Burbank K-9 after a shootout off the 5 Freeway that left the suspect dead. Mark also dives into a bizarre but relatable moment as a woman is rushed to urgent care over a paper cut, the glamorous listing of Liberace’s iconic Sherman Oaks estate, and a fascinating look at an off-the-grid coastal L.A. enclave where residents are redefining survival. A blend of Hollywood sparkle, real-life tension, and unexpected human stories.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Mark Thompson delivers a crash course in classic television as he teaches producer Richie Quintero who Johnny Carson. Guest Michael Monks joins the show to break down the latest LA County budget cuts and what they mean for local services. Plus, a Campbell’s Soup exec faces backlash after reportedly calling the brand “food for poor people,” and the memorial continues to grow for the brave Burbank K9 officer tragically killed in the line of duty.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this episode, from an elective presented at the 2025 Priscilla & Aquila Centre annual conference held on Monday 3 February 2025, Mark Thompson, Principal of Moore Theological College, speaks on the topic of “What would we lose if we stopped teaching on Complementarianism?” and outlines seven things.He reminds us that God's teaching about men and women in the church is good, and that it nurtures healthy, joyful and meaningful relationships. If we do not understand this biblical teaching, our life will be all the poorer. So we must not neglect it.For more audio resources, visit the Moore College website. There, you can also make a donation to support the work of the College.Contact us and find us on socials.Watch the video of Mark's talk online.Find out more and register for the 2026 Priscilla & Aquila Annual Conference.View other talks from the 2025 P&A annual conference.Please note: The episode transcript provided is AI-generated and has not been checked for accuracy. If quoting, please check against the audio.

Mark Thompson is back from his trip to Cartagena, Colombia, joking that it feels straight out of Narcos, as the show dives into drug lords and the DEA. The show hits the big local story: record-setting rain with 8 inches in Santa Barbara and another storm expected Thursday/Friday—just in time for the Yorba Linda remote. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    Mark Thompson is widely recognized as the world's #1 CEO coach, bringing more than 30 years of experience preparing top executives and boards — from global corporations to fast-growing startups — to step confidently into their next leadership roles. As founding Chairman of the Chief Executive Alliance and former Chief Experience Officer at […] The post Mark Thompson — The #1 Coach to CEOs Prepares Leaders for Their Next Opportunity appeared first on Mark C. Crowley.

Co-hosts Mark Thompson and Steve Little discuss how new AI browsers are changing how genealogists research. They compare OpenAI's Atlas, Microsoft Edge, Google's Gemini, and Perplexity's Comet, explaining which features help family historians most.The hosts share lessons from the early AOL era that can be applied to the AI era. They also explore Anthropic's new Haiku 4.5, a very fast model that works great for simple tasks like transcription and summarization.Don't miss this week's Tip of the Week, where Steve shows how AI can help you write better AI prompts. He uses an example for extracting information from draft cards to show how useful this approach can be.In RapidFire, they cover new AI features in spreadsheets, major improvements in transcribing old handwriting, and how Microsoft Copilot's new agent store tries to help you with common tasks.Timestamps:In the News:01:20 Browser Wars Heat Up: OpenAI Atlas, Edge, and Gemini Compete16:50 What AI Can Learn from AOL: Avoiding Walled Garden Mistakes29:10 Anthropic's Haiku 4.5: When Smaller Models Beat Bigger OnesTip of the Week:39:50 Using AI to Write Better Prompts for Historical DocumentsRapidFire:47:19 AI Makes Spreadsheets Easier: Google Sheets vs Excel54:35 Reading Old Handwriting Gets Better: DeepSeek and Google Updates01:05:15 Microsoft Copilot Adds Writing and Prompt CoachesResource Links:Genealogy and AI Facebook to hit 20k users! https://www.facebook.com/groups/genealogyandaiAn In-Depth Look at OpenAI's AI Browserhttps://intuitionlabs.ai/articles/chatgpt-atlas-openai-browserDeepSeek AI created DeepSeek-OCR https://www.infoq.com/news/2025/10/deepseek-ocr/Nearly perfect on handwriting recognition https://generativehistory.substack.com/p/has-google-quietly-solved-two-ofGlobal AI Browser Market Sizehttps://market.us/report/ai-browser-market/Benchmarking Claude Haiku 4.5 and Sonnet 4.5 on 400 Real PRshttps://www.qodo.ai/blog/thinking-vs-thinking-benchmarking-claude-haiku-4-5-and-sonnet-4-5-on-400-real-prs/Anthropic's Claude Haiku 4.5 Brings Enterprise-Grade Speed and Savings to Customer-Facing AIhttps://www.cxtoday.com/contact-center/anthropics-claude-haiku-4-5-brings-enterprise-grade-speed-and-savings-to-customer-facing-ai/Top 10 AI Spreadsheet Toolshttps://www.knack.com/blog/top-ai-spreadsheet-tools/Prompt Coach: Prebuilt agent for Microsoft 365 Copilot Chathttps://rishonapowerplatform.com/2025/03/11/prompt-coach-prebuilt-agent-for-microsoft-365-copilot-chat/Tags:Artificial Intelligence, Genealogy, AI Browsers, OpenAI Atlas, Google Gemini, Microsoft Edge, Perplexity Comet, Anthropic Haiku, Meta-Prompting, Spreadsheet AI, OCR Technology, Handwritten Text, DeepSeek, Microsoft Copilot, AI Agents, Document Extraction, Family History, Browser Wars, AI Models

SEASON 4 EPISODE 29: COUNTDOWN WITH KEITH OLBERMANN A-Block (2:30) SPECIAL COMMENT: The correct question has been lying there, invisible in the forest, for the trees. It was Mary Trump who finally saw it – and asked it: “Why the hell (do) they KEEP giving him cognitive tests?” That’s IT - isn’t it? THAT'S the question. None of the details, none of the giraffes versus elephants, none of his stupid boastful insults about it, none of the small stuff. It's the big picture. Why the hell DO they keep giving him cognitive tests? And I’ll add a corollary to Mary Trump's burst of simple genius: Why the hell do they KEEP giving him cognitive tests almost exactly six months apart? Friday October 10, 2015 at Walter Reed, which he boasted about on board Air Force One this week. And Friday April 11, 2015, which he had also boasted about on board Air Force One last spring. Those dates are almost six months apart. 182 days. If they’re not giving him pre-scheduled cognitive tests every six months that’s a helluva coincidence. Why the hell do they keep giving him cognitive tests? And I’ll add a second corollary to Mary Trump’s question: why did they give him an MRI? Is it the first MRI to accompany a cognitive test? What was it an MRI of? I mean it may be irrelevant (I once had an MRI to see how my sinuses were draining correctly). You really CAN get MRIs for almost trivial stuff. But you don’t get cognitive tests for trivial stuff. Why the hell do they keep giving him cognitive tests? PLUS: Trump says the Constitution prohibits him from running for president again. Again, mid-flight, after boasting about things that aren't real, he said: “If you read it it’s pretty clear. I’m not allowed to run." So that’s that, huh? That’s what all the experts say. The same experts who said there was no Presidential Immunity. So – what happens next? He just changes his mind? Or decides this term is eight years not four? Or he just cancels the 2028 election? This isn't bluster and it isn't trolling. They might get away with it and they might not, but there are plans. And the more we're convinced they can never pull them off, the more likely we are to see another "presidential immunity" ruling from The Supreme Court. Or another Aileen Cannon. Or another January 6. B-Block (24:00) THE WORST PERSONS IN THE WORLD: Steve Bannon wants to expel Zohran Mamdani from this country. Hell, we should expel Bannon. If we can find a truck that can carry that much blubber. There's a media writer named Rich Greenfield who has extrapolated from the possibility that Comcast might buy CNN and merge it with MSNBC and he has the exact right person to run it: Charlie Kirk's widow (a bible student). And as ludicrous as that sounds, the guy now running CNN wasn't even home from his visit to the White House to try to butter up Trump and the Trumpists when one of the Trumpists mocked him on twitter for visiting. Today, appeasers not only lose, they get flamed on social media. C-Block (36:00) THINGS I PROMISED NOT TO TELL: With the Dodgers in the World Series again it is time to hurry back to the greatest moment in their Los Angeles history: Kirk Gibson's pinch-hit homer even though three-quarters of his body was barely movable, to win Game One of the 1988 World Series and set them on the path to one of the greatest upsets in baseball history, over the vaunted Oakland A's. Gibson's homer was a surprise to everybody. Except me. Because I predicted it just before the first pitch of that final inning began. And there's a WITNESS.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A radical police pursuit tears through the West Adams area — suspects wanted for carjacking and kidnapping lead officers on a dangerous high-speed chase.  The pursuit ends when the suspects bail on foot into a residential neighborhood, prompting an intense search.  Dodgers update! Meanwhile, Conway dives into how stress hits everyone — no matter your income or background. Plus: LA apartments removing parking to make more money and coworkers bringing smelly food to the office.  A lively crosstalk with Mark Thompson wraps up the hour with laughs and late-night energy. 

Mark Thompson picks up the mic as the Dodgers enter their last gasp in Game 5 of the World Series, and by the end of the segment, it's heartbreak in L.A. with the Blue Jays taking a 3-2 lead. He then breaks down how the government shutdown is inching toward record-breaking territory and what it could mean for your everyday life. Mark also dives into the NBA gambling ring shaking up sports, the latest Truth Social post from President Trump about nuclear testing, and how the shutdown could first hit VIP travelers at airports. Finally, Mark mourns with Dodgers fans, yet ends on hope, before pivoting to Dr. Phil's production empire filing for Chapter 7 liquidation.

Mark Thompson kicks off the night as the Dodgers trail 3–1 against the Blue Jays in Game 5 of the World Series: fresh from his own night at the stadium, celebrity sightings included. He shares the unspoken etiquette of rubbing elbows with the stars and surviving the post-game traffic nightmare. Then Mark dives into the Hollywood shake-up as Paramount and Amazon announce major layoffs, wondering if this is the start of the AI Job Apocalypse. Later, animal rescuer Joey Tuccio (@StartsWithOneToday) joins to reveal the heartbreaking truth about dogs on Skid Row, and National Weather Service Meteorologist Robbie Munroe checks in with an update on the Santa Ana winds. Mark wraps with a Louvre heist twist that proves chaos isn't limited to Los Angeles.

Mark Thompson opens up the phone lines for Dodgers fans still recovering from tonight's heartbreak, including one caller stuck in post-game traffic outside the stadium giving a raw, boots-on-the-ground report. Things quickly take a strange turn when another caller blames the government for the loss 

Co-hosts Mark Thompson and Steve Little explore how Google's Nano Banana photo restoration tool will revolutionize image restoration by integrating with Adobe Photoshop. This move will greatly reduce unintended changes to historical photos when editing them with AI.Next, they unpack OpenAI's move to make ChatGPT Projects available to free-tier users, making research organization more accessible for genealogists.This week's Tip of the Week provides essential guidance on the responsible use AI when editing historical photos using AI tools like Nano Banana, ensuring transparency and trust in historical photographs.In RapidFire, they cover OpenAI's new Sora 2 AI-video social media platform, Claude's new ability to create and edit Microsoft Office files, memory features in Claude Projects, advancements in local language models, and how OpenAI's massive infrastructure deals are changing the AI landscape.Timestamps:In the News:02:43 Adobe improves historical photo restoration by adding Nano Banana to Photoshop09:34 ChatGPT Projects are Now FreeTip of the Week:13:36 Citations for AI-Restored Images Build Trust in AI-Modified PhotosRapidFire:21:24 Sora 2 Goes Social27:23 Claude Adds Microsoft Office Creation and Editing34:26 Memory Features Come to Claude Projects38:32 Apple and Amazon both create Local Language Model tools44:47 OpenAI's Big Data Centre Deal with Oracle Resource LinksOpenAI announces free access to ChatGPT Projectshttps://help.openai.com/en/articles/6825453-chatgpt-release-notesEngadget: OpenAI Rolls Out ChatGPT Projects to Free Usershttps://www.engadget.com/ai/openai-rolls-out-chatgpt-projects-to-free-users-215027802.htmlForbes: OpenAI Makes ChatGPT Projects Freehttps://www.forbes.com/sites/quickerbettertech/2025/09/14/small-business-technology-roundup-microsoft-copilot-does-not-improve-productivity-and-openai-makes-chatgpt-project-free/Responsible AI Photo Restorationhttps://makingfamilyhistory.com/responsible-ai-photo-restoration/Claude now has memory, but only for certain usershttps://mashable.com/article/anthropic-claude-ai-now-has-memory-for-some-usersNew Apple Intelligence features are available todayhttps://www.apple.com/newsroom/2025/09/new-apple-intelligence-features-are-available-today/Introducing Amazon Lens Livehttps://www.aboutamazon.com/news/retail/search-image-amazon-lens-live-shopping-rufusAmazon Lens Live Can Scan and Pull Up Matcheshttps://www.pcmag.com/news/spot-an-item-you-wish-to-buy-amazon-lens-live-can-scan-and-pull-up-matchesA Joint Statement from OpenAI and Microsoft About Their Changing Partnershiphttps://openai.com/index/joint-statement-from-openai-and-microsoft/The Verge: OpenAI and Oracle Pen $300 Billion Compute Dealhttps://www.theverge.com/ai-artificial-intelligence/776170/oracle-openai-300-billion-contract-project-stargateReuters: OpenAI and Oracle Sign $300 Billion Computing Dealhttps://www.reuters.com/technology/openai-oracle-sign-300-billion-computing-deal-wsj-reports-2025-09-10/?utm_source=chatgpt.comTagsArtificial Intelligence, Genealogy, Family History, Photo Restoration, AI Tools, OpenAI, Google, Adobe Photoshop, ChatGPT Projects, Nano Banana, Image Editing, AI Citations, Sora 2, Video Generation, Claude, Microsoft Office, Apple Intelligence, Amazon Lens, Oracle, Cloud Computing, Local Language Models, AI Infrastructure, Responsible AI, Historical Photos

This is a special episode of Teach the Babies.On October 16, 2025, we celebrated 30 years since the Million Man March. To honor that anniversary, I sat down with three brothers for a conversation about what the March got right, what it got wrong, and what repair requires of us now.You're about to hear Rev. Mark Thompson (who emceed the original 1995 March), Pastor Jamal Bryant (who's leading one of the nation's largest Black churches), and Sean Ebony Coleman (who's keeping Black trans youth alive in the Bronx) get honest about:Where we were in 1995 and why some of us were told we couldn't belongHow sexuality has been weaponized to divide Black menWhat happens when a megachurch pastor admits he was doing "domestic terrorism" from the pulpitWhy the Black church owes the LGBTQ+ community an apologyWhat it costs when we police masculinity instead of expanding brotherhoodHow we turn churches into sanctuaries and teach the babies that vulnerability is strengthThis conversation is brothers talking WITH each other—not at each other. It's repair in real time. It's reckoning and regeneration.And it's what teaching the babies actually requires.For full video and additional resources, visit NBJC.org and millionmanmarch2025.comBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/teach-the-babies-w-dr-david-j-johns--6173854/support.

Mark Thompson and Byron Loflin have been inside more boardrooms than most people could ever imagine — advising Fortune 500 CEOs, coaching global founders, and helping shape the leadership culture of the world's most powerful companies.In this rare, unfiltered conversation, they break down the real psychology of leadership — what happens when power, purpose, and pressure collide. They reveal the patterns they've seen across hundreds of top performers: how extraordinary leaders build trust when things fall apart, the silent habits that keep them grounded, and the mistakes that quietly destroy credibility.Mark, one of the world's leading executive coaches and a confidant to icons like Richard Branson, shares stories from decades spent observing what drives genuine greatness. Byron, as Global Head of Board Engagement at Nasdaq, opens a window into how boards think, how trust is earned at the highest levels, and how leaders survive the scrutiny of modern governance.Together, they dismantle myths about charisma and control — and instead uncover what truly sustains leadership: empathy, self-awareness, and the willingness to tell the truth when it costs the most.

Heavy rain has filled the empty lots in the Palisades, prompting a discussion on whether Los Angeles' air is actually cleaner today than it was in the 1930s — with a little help from AI to find out which city currently holds the title of most polluted in the world. The show also touched on the growing switch to battery-powered leaf blowers. Conway joked that even his own family doesn't listen to the show before checking in with Angel on the roads. A new California law now gives used-car buyers a three-day “cooling-off” period. The team reviewed which clubs remain in the MLB playoffs — and joked about never meeting a Brewers fan — before wrapping up with cross talk featuring Mark Thompson, who hosts from 7 to 10 PM.

It's a wet, wet, wet Tuesday night for Mark Thompson and it's snowing in the Sierra Mountains. He had a weird celebrity encounter earlier today at the pharmacy with none other than Ashton Kutcher. R&B singer D'Angelo has died of pancreatic cancer at the age of 51.

Today, sitting with us in the class of someone who's been in the thick of every significant social justice movement for the past 40 years, Reverend Mark Thompson.A political, civil rights and human rights activist who's organized everything from the 1993 DC Statehood civil disobedience campaign, where he spent 20 days in jail to the upcoming 30th anniversary of The Million Man March. He's also the host of Make It Plain, a brilliant podcast, breaking Down Politics and Human Rights, and he recently authored the lead paper on DC Statehood for the State of the People Black Paper Project.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/teach-the-babies-w-dr-david-j-johns--6173854/support.

Discussions continue around what part the FCC played in ABC's suspension of Jimmy Kimmel last week and his subsequent return to air tonight. Conway Jr. points out the inconsistency of some celebrities, who are speaking up in support of Kimmel's so-called cancelation, as opposed to their silence around the public cancelations of others. Also, the baritone of KFI otherwise known as Mark Thompson is in studio to nerd out with Conway Jr over football and stadiums. They also discuss memories of Michelob Ultra, now the No. 1 beer in the USA!