Podcasts about National Association

We are pleased to share this Special Edition with Jay Timmons, President and CEO of the National Association of Manufacturers (NAM). Jay has led NAM since 2011 and first joined the organization in 2005 as Executive Vice President. As the leading voice for U.S. manufacturers, NAM sits at the center of policy, economic, and workforce issues shaping American industry today. The NAM team is currently in Houston as part of its State of Manufacturing Tour, traveling across New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, North Carolina, Wisconsin, Texas, and Arizona, to spotlight the policies and conditions needed for the U.S. to compete and win in a global economy. We were thrilled to host Jay and hear his perspective on domestic manufacturing, the evolving regulatory and trade landscape, supply chain resilience, energy policy, and the future of U.S. competitiveness in an increasingly complex global environment. In our conversation, Jay outlines what he's hearing from manufacturers on NAM's State of Manufacturing Tour, starting with energy. Manufacturers consume roughly 30% of U.S. energy, and Jay emphasizes why affordable, reliable supply and delivery infrastructure are foundational to competitiveness. We discuss tax policy and why Jay views the 2017 reforms as “rocket fuel” for manufacturing investment, hiring, and wage growth, along with the importance of durable, codified provisions that give companies the certainty to deploy long-cycle capital. We cover the workforce gap (~433,000 open manufacturing jobs today and a projected 2 million by 2033), digging into what's working on the ground, from community college partnerships to the modern return of shop class and continuous upskilling. Jay makes the case for bipartisan, skills-oriented immigration reform to support economic growth. We explore permitting and legal reform, where he emphasizes that manufacturing thrives on certainty and calls for a coordinated federal process that delivers faster “yes or no” decisions with guardrails to prevent endless litigation. On trade, we touch on tariff uncertainty, the importance of renewing and strengthening USMCA (particularly addressing transshipment), and the strategic value of North American supply chains, especially given the sizeable percent of manufacturers' customers reside outside U.S. borders. We discuss AI and supply chain realities, why Jay sees AI as additive and a multiplier for productivity, and how even running at full capacity, the U.S. can only produce about 84% of what it needs today, driving NAM's proposal for a “speed pass” to import critical inputs duty-free as domestic capacity scales. We also examine the broader manufacturing multiplier effect, the U.S.-China competitive dynamic, and why policy stability ultimately determines whether the U.S. can compete and win. It was a wide-ranging and insightful discussion and we're grateful to Jay and his team for carving out time to stop by during a busy tour. For further reading, NAM's AI & Energy Dominance Roadmap is linked here. Mike Bradley kicked off the show with a quick update, noting that broader equity markets were down modestly on the day as all eyes were focused on NVIDIA's quarterly results. NVIDIA surpassed expectations and delivered solid forward guidance, but the stock was underperforming given that investors are growing wary it can sustain this explosive revenue growth beyond the next couple of years. Thank you to Leslie Beyer for connecting us with Jay and his team. And thanks to you all for your support and friendship!

What happens when a body arrives at a hospital morgue without any record of how it got there? In this episode of The Box of Oddities, Kat and Jethro examine a disturbing class of real-world cases involving unidentified bodies that appear in hospital morgues with no paperwork, no chain of custody, and no clear explanation. The episode begins with a firsthand email from a night-shift worker who briefly stepped away from an empty morgue—only to return to find a body placed neatly in the room, as if it had always belonged there. From that moment, the discussion expands into documented incidents across U.S. hospitals and medical examiner offices, where decedents entered official custody before they technically existed in the system. Drawing on acknowledged cases in California and Illinois, professional standards from the National Association of Medical Examiners, and historical precedent, Kat and Jethro explore how modern medical systems quietly normalize these unexplained arrivals by assigning case numbers and moving forward—without ever addressing the moment something appeared where nothing had been before. The episode then shifts to a seemingly unrelated but deeply connected subject: how human societies remember lives at all. Long before databases and paperwork, entire civilizations relied on living memory. Kat and Jethro explore the tradition of griots and other oral historians across West Africa, Europe, the Americas, and Asia—individuals entrusted with preserving genealogies, histories, and identities entirely through story, music, and performance. Backed by neuroscience research, the episode examines why rhythm and narrative are so effective at preserving memory, even when written records fail. Together, these two topics form a quiet, unsettling question at the heart of the episode: what happens when systems designed to document human existence fall short—and who remembers us when they do? Grounded in documented cases, historical tradition, and modern science, this episode blends true mystery with cultural insight, revealing how bodies can arrive without histories, and histories can survive without bodies. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A racial slur at the British Film Awards is the latest of several recent public racist incidents that have left Black people feeling dehumanized and disrespected. Today on In the Loop, how much longer will Black and Brown people be asked to extend grace that they are often not afforded? We talk about healing from racial trauma with Pilar Audain, associate director of Truth, Racial Healing, and Transformation Greater Chicago; Brandon Pope, president of the Chicago chapter of the National Association of Black Journalists; and Danielle Robinson Bell, associate professor at Northwestern University's Medill School of Journalism. For a full archive of In the Loop interviews, head over to wbez.org/intheloop.

DOD – Disrupter Disrupters China markets reopening after Lunar New Year Mexico Cartel Wars Refunds requested for the illegal tariffs PLUS we are now on Spotify and Amazon Music/Podcasts! Click HERE for Show Notes and Links DHUnplugged is now streaming live - with listener chat. Click on link on the right sidebar. Love the Show? Then how about a Donation? Follow John C. Dvorak on Twitter Follow Andrew Horowitz on Twitter Warm-Up - The CTP for Caterpillar announced - DOD - Disrupter Disrupters - China markets reopening after Lunar New Year - Mexico Cartel Wars (Jalisco) Markets - Mortgage Rates - looking good! - Tariffs found illegal - that is not stopping anything - Refunds requested for the illegal tariffs - Monday's big drop and AI taking a bite out of stock prices Tariffs - First, who actually knows what is going on. 100% chaos - Supreme court ruled illegal (6-3) - 10% flat across all countries immediately added - Wait a day and make that 15% - FedEx seeks refund for illegal IEEPA tariffs imposed by Trump after the Supreme Court ruled Trump's tariffs exceeded authority - Numerous lawsuits expected for IEEPA tariff refunds - Apple has spent more than $3 billion on tariffs since President Donald Trump enacted his trade policies. What about that? (HOW TO FIGURE OUT WHO GETS THE REFUND) --- Estimate that $175B tariffs have been collected alreay - A group of 22 U.S. Senate Democrats on Monday introduced legislation that would require President Donald Trump's administration to fully refund within 180 days all of the revenue, with interest, collected from tariffs struck down by the U.S. Supreme Court. - The legislation would require the Customs and Border Protection agency, which collects tariffs at U.S. ports of entry, to prioritize small businesses. - The U.S. Customs and Border Protection agency said it will halt collections of tariffs imposed under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act at 12:01 a.m. EST (0501 GMT) on Tuesday Stop The Presses - After years of JCD's rants....... - Apple will soon introduce MacBooks with touch screens - Apple Inc.'s initial touch Macs will have the Dynamic Island at the center top of the display and OLED screen technology. The new MacBook Pro models will have a refreshed, dynamic user interface that can shift between being optimized for touch or point-and-click input. Europe Reacts - "The current situation is not conducive to delivering 'fair, balanced, and mutually beneficial' transatlantic trade and investment, as agreed to by both sides" in the joint statement setting out the terms of last year's trade agreement, the Commission said. "A deal is a deal." - All active discussions are halted on any USA/Europe trade deal The Potential Winners - Brazil and China may be the winners here - Chinese President Xi Jinping has a boost in bargaining power after the US Supreme Court invalidated Donald Trump's broad emergency tariffs, a key point of leverage over China. - The removal of tariff threats will make it harder for Trump to press Xi for larger purchases of certain products and leaves him without a key weapon to strike back if Chinese negotiators make fresh demands. - Xi's team will likely push harder for access to advanced semiconductors, the removal of trade restrictions on Chinese companies, and reduced US support for self-ruled Taiwan, according to Wu Xinbo, director at Fudan University's Center for American Studies. NVDA Earnings - NVIDIA drops its fiscal Q4 2026 (ended Jan 2025) results tomorrow—another make-or-break moment for the AI trade. - The bar is sky-high after years of blowout beats, but whispers of "peak AI" and slowing growth momentum have investors on edge. --- Consensus Expectations : ----Revenue: ~$65.6–$66.1 billion (up ~67–68% YoY from last year's ~$39B; guided $65B ±2% in prior report) ------EPS (adjusted/non-GAAP): ~$1.50–$1.53 (up ~70–72% YoY from $0.89). --------Gross margins: Targeting ~75% non-GAAP (holding strong despite supply chain noise). -----------Key driver: Data Center segment expected to crush ~$58–$60B, fueled by Blackwell ramp and hyperscaler spend. Home Depot Earnings - The home-improvement retailer gained 2.7% after posting fourth-quarter adjusted earnings of $2.72 per share on revenues of $38.20 billion. - That exceeded the per-share earnings of $2.54 on revenues of $38.12 billion expected by analysts polled by LSEG. AMD News - The semiconductor maker rose about 11% after it inked a multiyear deal with Meta to lend up to 6 gigawatts of its graphics processing units to artificial intelligence data centers. - The cost of the deal is unclear, but the companies' agreement includes a a performance-based warrant that could amount to up to 160 million of AMD shares, according to a statement dated Tuesday. - Meta has committed to deploying up to 6 gigawatts (GW) of AMD's Instinct GPUs (high-end graphics processing units optimized for AI workloads) to power its massive AI data centers. - Analysts estimate the GPU portion alone could be worth $60–$100+ billion over 5+ years Mortgage Rates - The average rate on the popular 30-year fixed mortgage fell to 5.99% on Monday, according to Mortgage News Daily, matching its lowest levels since 2022. - Last year at this time the rate was 6.89%. - A buyer putting 20% down on the median priced home, about $400,000 according to the National Association of Realtors, would have a monthly payment of $1,916 for the principal and interest. One year ago, that payment would have been $2,105, a difference of $189. Life Insurance Record - Manulife Financial Corp. sold a $300 million life insurance policy in Singapore, topping what Guinness World Records certified as the most valuable policy ever issued. - The policy surpasses the previous record of $250 million, set by HSBC Life in Hong Kong in 2024. Manulife said in a statement Tuesday that the deal reflects growing demand from ultra-wealthy clients to preserve their assets. - In Singapore over the past 12 months, Manulife has issued 25 individual policies each worth more than $50 million. Bitcoin Rout - Gemini said it was axing as much as a quarter of its staff and exiting the UK, European Union and Australia entirely. - This week, it parted with its chief operating officer, chief financial officer and chief legal officer, all in a single day. - Its stock has fallen more than 80% from a post-listing high last year, collapsing its market value from a peak of almost $4 billion to under $700 million. Over the Greenland - USA sending a "hospital ship" over - Trump's post on the ship came hours after Denmark's Joint Arctic Command said it had evacuated a crew member who required urgent medical treatment from a U.S. submarine in Greenlandic waters, seven nautical miles outside of Greenland's capital, Nuuk. - Greenland said thanks but no thanks So Long! - U.S. investors are pulling money out of their own stock market at the fastest pace in at least 16 years as Big Tech returns fade and better-performing overseas markets look more attractive. - In the last six months, U.S.-domiciled investors have pulled some $75 billion from U.S. equity products, with $52 billion flowing out since the start of 2026 alone, the most in the first eight weeks of the year since at least 2010 AI Disruption - DOD (Disruption of Disrupters) - CrowdStrike -9.8% and other cybersecurity names under heavy pressure again as AI disruption fears build following Anthropic's Claude Code release - - Cybersecurity stocks are under broad pressure today, extending recent weakness following Friday's launch of Claude Code Security by Anthropic. Claude Code Security scans codebases for vulnerabilities and suggests software patches for human review, fueling a narrative that AI platforms may be moving more quickly into parts of the security workflow than investors had previously expected. For cybersecurity, that raises concern around the forward demand outlook and competitive positioning, particularly in areas tied to application security, cloud security, identity workflows, and security operations automation, where AI-native tools could start to narrow perceived differentiation. - The move suggests investors are still sorting through the implications for product overlap, pricing power, and competitive positioning as AI capabilities evolve quickly. - IBM shares dropping toward lows of the session; attributed to news that Claude can automate cobol modernization COBOL (Common Business-Oriented Language) is a high-level, English-like programming language created in 1959 for business, finance, and administrative data processing. It is renowned for its verbosity, readability, and reliability, processing massive amounts of transactions on mainframe systems,, notes NetCom Learning and IBM. Despite being decades old, it remains critical in banking, insurance, and government sectors. - It is estimated that 70-80% of the world's business transactions are processed by COBOL Grok's Prediction about Future of OpenAi/ChatGPT Scenario Likelihood (My Estimate) Key Factors Outcome for OpenAI/ChatGPT Thriving Leader Medium (40%) Sustained breakthroughs, partnerships (e.g., Microsoft), regulatory wins OpenAI as AI giant; ChatGPT as ecosystem hub for agents/robots Evolved Survivor High (50%) Adaptation to agents/hardware; mergers Exists but rebranded; ChatGPT integrated into daily life tools Decline/Acquisition Low (10%) Overcompetition, funding collapse Absorbed or legacy; ChatGPT commoditized or obsolete Quick check on Europe Shares - European company earnings growth is picking up this reporting season against a tentatively improving economic backdrop, but wary investors are demanding more than solid results to justify sky-high valuations. - Companies representing 57% of Europe's market capitalization have reported so far, achieving average earnings growth of 3.9% in the fourth quarter, ahead of estimates for a final result of a contraction of 1.1% --- That is a big differential.... +3.9 vs -1.1 Iran Talks - News over the weekend that Iran will look to discuss a variety of items and potentially get a deal.... energy, mining and aircraft - Best guess: Iran will string us along like Russia is doing and we will say we have some kind of bogus deal. --- There is some talk of US "going in" as we are building military presence. Supposedly there are some saying it could be a multi-week incursion. - What is the plan - Regime change? What is this? - A divided Supreme Court on Tuesday ruled that Americans can't sue the U.S. Postal Service, even when employees deliberately refuse to deliver mail. - By a 5-4 vote, the justices ruled against a Texas landlord, Lebene Konan, who alleges her mail was intentionally withheld for two years. Konan, who is Black, claims racial prejudice played a role in postal employees' actions. - Justice Clarence Thomas, writing for a majority of five conservative justices, said the federal law that generally shields the Postal Service from lawsuits over missing, lost and undelivered mail includes “the intentional nondelivery of mail.” - So can ballots just be thrown in garbage for mail-ins for one party that will throw out another party's?     Love the Show? Then how about a Donation? HE CLOSEST TO THE PIN for CATERPILLAR Winners will be getting great stuff like the new "OFFICIAL" DHUnplugged Shirt!     FED AND CRYPTO LIMERICKS   See this week's stock picks HERE Follow John C. Dvorak on Twitter Follow Andrew Horowitz on Twitter

Surging electricity demand is pushing the grid to its limits, prompting regulators and innovators to expand the system without sacrificing reliability or affordability. In this episode of the Grid Talk Series on The EPRI Current, Marty Rosenberg meets with Ann Rendahl, President of the National Association of Regulatory Utility Commissioners (NARUC), a commissioner with the Washington Utilities and Transportation     Commission, and a member of EPRI's Advisory Council, to explore how state regulators are navigating rapid changes to the electric grid. Rendahl discusses the sharp rise in electricity demand and its implications for rates, infrastructure investment, and long-term reliability. They also discuss how regulators are working to protect customers from stranded costs, balance an evolving generation mix, and manage growing risks from wildfires, cybersecurity threats, and climate impacts on hydropower. To get EPRI's Take, host Samantha Gilman speaks with Morgan Scott, EPRI's VP of Global Outreach Partnerships, about where innovation is most urgently needed as electricity demand accelerates. Scott highlights the increasing load data centers could account for by 2030 and explains why meeting that challenge will require advances in generation, grid-enhancing technologies, and flexibility at both the customer and data center levels. She also reframes the conversation around affordability – distinguishing the rising cost of electricity from its growing value within the broader “energy wallet” for consumers.     For more information and episodes visit EPRI.com.     If you enjoy this podcast, please subscribe and share! And please consider leaving a review and rating on Apple Podcasts/iTunes.    Follow EPRI: LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/company/epri/  Twitter https://twitter.com/EPRINews    EPRI Current examines key issues and new R&D impacting the energy transition. Each episode features insights from EPRI, the world's preeminent independent, non-profit energy research and development organization, and from other energy industry leaders. We also discuss how innovative technologies are shaping the global energy future. Learn more at www.epri.com   

On this week's Education Nation podcast, we turned our attention to one of the pinch points of our education system, perhaps the most pressurised and least understood roles in Irish education: school leadership. More specifically, the conversation focused on the lived reality of principals and deputy principals in post-primary schools.Our guest, Rachel O'Connor, a long-standing advocate for school leaders, painted a picture of a profession that is deeply committed, increasingly complex, and now facing challenges that would have been unimaginable even a decade ago.In her current role as Deputy Director of the National Association of Principals and Deputies, Rachel certainly has her finger on the pulse.

The National Association of Conservation Districts Board elects Mark Masters of southwest Georgia as the association's President-Elect, and Beijing released the annual No. 1 Document, outlining national strategies and measures related to agriculture and rural development.

About the Guest – Debbi DiMaggio Debbi DiMaggio is a Realtor® with The DiMaggio Betta Group at Corcoran Icon Properties, serving both the Bay Area and Beverly Hills. For over 35 years, Debbi has worked alongside her husband and business partner, Adam Betta, helping clients navigate life's biggest transitions — from upsizing and downsizing to relocation and starting fresh. Her approach is rooted in collaboration and compassion, two values that have defined her career and her life's work. Debbi is a proud member of the National Association of Divorce Professionals (NADP) and holds the Senior Real Estate Specialist (SRES) designation, offering clients both expertise and empathy during sensitive life changes. She believes real estate is never just about the transaction — it's about people, stories, and the journey of transformation. A lifelong learner, Debbi consistently attends industry events, takes advanced courses, and participates in webinars to stay ahead of market trends and elevate the service she provides. She is also the host of the inspiring podcast Mastering the Art of Success, where she interviews entrepreneurs, thought leaders, and creatives who share insights on living with passion, purpose, and positivity. Through her work, Debbi continues to inspire others to dream big, take action, and embrace change with grace. Connect with Debbi: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/debbidimaggio/?hl=en YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLhL7l7e6Koz18x0CGA6qHtlDxz0EwXgGh Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/debbi.dimaggio/ Website: https://debbidimaggio.com/ ________________ What you'll learn in this episode: ● Why loving what you do is the foundation of long-term sales success ● How to build real relationships in a world of texting and automation ● Why uncertain markets create opportunity for strategic buyers ● The “Mindset in Motion” framework: Goal → Believe → Internalize → Share → Activate ● How to protect your goals from negativity and surround yourself with support ● Why activation — not just intention — separates dreamers from achievers ● How discipline and belief can help you accomplish goals you once thought impossible To find out more about Dan Rochon and the CPI Community, you can check these links:Website: No Broke MonthsPodcast: No Broke Months for Salespeople PodcastInstagram: @donrochonxFacebook: Dan RochonLinkedIn: Dan RochonTeach to Sell Preorder: Teach to Sell: Why Top Performers Never Sell – And What They Do Instead

What happens when cybersecurity is no longer the No. 1 priority for state CIOs? On this episode of Gov Tech Today, hosts Russell Lowery and Jennifer Saha break down the National Association of State CIOs (NASCIO) annual Top 10 list for 2026—and the major shakeup that put AI, including generative and agentic AI and machine learning, at the top for the first time in more than a decade. 00:00 Welcome to Gov Tech Today + What's Coming Up00:23 What the NASCIO Top 10 List Is (and Why It Matters)01:24 Major Shakeup: AI Takes the #1 Spot03:00 #2 Cybersecurity: Still Critical, Now Shaped by AI04:58 #3 Budget & Cost Pressures Move Up the Rankings06:15 #4 Modernization: Tackling Legacy Systems (and Funding It)07:28 #5 Digital Government Services Debut in the Top 1008:23 #6 Accessibility: New Federal Rules Drive State Action09:20 #7–#8 IAM + Data/Analytics: The “Foundation” Priorities13:20 #9 Consolidation & Optimization: Fewer Systems, More Shared Platforms16:25 #10 Cloud Services: From Trendy to Ubiquitous (Cloud Smart)17:56 Wrap-Up: Thanks to NASCIO and State CIOs

In this episode of “At Your Convenience,” CSP Executive Editor Hannah Hammond talks to Annie Gauthier, the CFO and co-CEO of St. Romain Oil Co. and the National Association of Convenience Stores chairman. Gauthier is a third-generation co-owner of the Mansura, Louisiana-based company, which operates 15 Y-Not Stop convenience stores. She started her tenure as NACS chairman in October. In this podcast, Gauthier shares how her first few months in the role have been as NACS welcomes new CEO Frank Gleeson, as well as her advice to women—or anyone—looking to advance in this industry. 

What really changes after active shooter response training? In this episode, Mary Dexter, Facilities Manager at National Association of State Boards of Accountancy (NASBA), shares her "before and after" perspective following Defend Systems training. Mary explains why she felt compelled to bring the training to her leadership team, and what shifted across her organization once employees experienced it. From facility walkthroughs to rapid response medical training, she discusses the practical value of preparation and why this training is about empowerment, not fear. If you're a business leader, facilities manager, or everyday civilian wondering whether this training is worth the time, this episode offers a firsthand look at what it actually feels like to go through it, and why Mary says there's no reason not to equip people with knowledge that could save a life. 3:20 — Why this episode exists: hearing from an everyday civilian about empowerment, not fear 4:16 — Why Mary advocated to bring active shooter response training to NASBA 7:20 — Who initiates security training and why it's now viewed like disaster preparedness 12:50 — Mary's view on the time commitment 15:10 — Considering the risk of employees regularly exposed to public environments 16:39 — You never know the final trigger in a person in crisis 18:00 — Three confirmed life-saves from rapid response medical training 19:15 — No one wants to face this, but it's necessary 20:14 — Why Mary calls the training empowering, not fear-based 26:00 — Emotional investment without causing trauma 31:14 — Why laws and codes haven't caught up 32:59 — Encouraging listeners to contact elected representatives 34:49 — No reason not to empower people with life-saving knowledge 37:19 — Perishable skills and training your primitive brain 38:38 — Addressing prior trauma and offering pre-conversations with employees 41:42 — Those who trained may have to care for those who didn't 43:10 — A skillset that lasts a lifetime

After years of turbulence, lawsuits, and industry shakeups, the National Association of REALTORS is making a bold marketing reset. In this episode, James and Keith sit down with Bennett Richardson, Chief Marketing & Communications Officer at NAR, to unpack the strategy behind the new "More Than Opening Doors" campaign and what it signals about the future of the REALTOR brand. From rebuilding trust and breaking out of a bunker mentality to leveraging AI-driven media targeting and first-time homebuyer insights, Bennett pulls back the curtain on how NAR is redefining its voice. This is a candid conversation about leadership, storytelling, industry perception, and why Realtors must reclaim their narrative before someone else tells it for them. If you care about the future of the Realtor brand and your place in it this one matters. Links mentioned during the episode: https://youtu.be/vEGGAgMr01M https://youtu.be/R3zOh0fvD30   Connect with Bennett on LinkedIn.   Subscribe to Real Estate Insiders Unfiltered on YouTube! https://www.youtube.com/@RealEstateInsidersUnfiltered?sub_confirmation=1   To learn more about becoming a sponsor of the show, send us an email: jessica@inman.com You asked for it. We delivered. Check out our new merch! https://merch.realestateinsidersunfiltered.com/   Follow Real Estate Insiders Unfiltered Podcast on Instagram - YouTube, Facebook - TikTok. Visit us online at realestateinsidersunfiltered.com.   Link to Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/RealEstateInsidersUnfiltered Link to Instagram Page: https://www.instagram.com/realestateinsiderspod/ Link to YouTube Page: https://www.youtube.com/@RealEstateInsidersUnfiltered Link to TikTok Page: https://www.tiktok.com/@realestateinsiderspod Link to website: https://realestateinsidersunfiltered.com This podcast is produced by Two Brothers Creative. https://twobrotherscreative.com/contact/  

What are the differences in black and white comedians and the audiences they draw? I had an interesting experience opening for DL Hughly. He was a huge star and I was an open mic comic. It didn't go well for me. Here's the quick story and the lesson I learned.  https://www.TheWorkLady.com  Jan McInnis is a top change management keynote speaker, comedian, and funny motivational speaker who helps organizations use humor to handle change, build resilience, and strengthen leadership skills. With her laugh-out-loud stories and practical tips, Jan shows audiences how humor isn't just entertainment—it's a business skill that drives communication, connection, and stress relief.   A conference keynote speaker, Master of Ceremonies, and comedy writer, Jan has written material for The Tonight Show with Jay Leno as well as radio, TV, and syndicated cartoon strips. She's the author of two books—Finding the Funny Fast and Convention Comedian—and her insights on humor in business have been featured in The Wall Street Journal, The Washington Post, and The Huffington Post. For over 25 years, she has been helping leaders and teams discover how to bounce back from setbacks, embrace change, and connect through comedy.   Jan has delivered keynote speeches at thousands of events nationwide, from the Federal Reserve Banks to the Mayo Clinic, for industries that include healthcare, finance, government, education, women's leadership events, technology, and safety & disaster management. Her client list features respected organizations such as: Healthcare: Mayo Clinic, Kaiser Permanente, Abbott Pharmaceuticals, Health Information Management Associations, Assisted Living Associations Finance: Federal Reserve Banks, Merrill Lynch, Transamerica Insurance, BDO Accounting, American Institute of CPAs, credit unions, banking associations Government: U.S. Air Force, Social Security Administration, International Institute of Municipal Clerks, National League of Cities, public utilities, correctional associations Women's Leadership Events: Toyota Women's Conference, Go Red for Women, Speaking of Women's Health, Soroptimists, Women in Insurance & Financial Services Education: State superintendent associations, community college associations, Head Start associations, National Association of Elementary and Middle School Principals Safety & Disaster: International Association of Emergency Managers, Disney Emergency Management, Mid-Atlantic Safety Conference, risk management associations   Her background as a Washington, D.C. marketing executive gives her a unique perspective that blends business acumen with stand-up comedy. Jan was also honored with the Greater Washington Society of Association Executives "Excellence in Education" Award. Along with her podcast Finding the Funny: Leadership Tips from a Comedian, Jan also produces Comedian Stories: Tales From the Road in Under 5 Minutes. Whether she's headlining a major convention, hosting a leadership retreat, or teaching resilience at a safety conference, Jan's programs give audiences the tools to laugh, learn, and lead.  

A certified IRS tax professional explains that effective IRS tax strategies and credit repair go hand in hand when building long-term financial stability. By leveraging legal deductions, credits, proper entity structuring, and proactive tax planning, individuals and business owners can reduce tax liability while remaining fully compliant with IRS regulations. At the same time, strategic credit repair—such as correcting reporting errors, reducing utilization ratios, negotiating settlements, and establishing positive payment history—helps improve credit scores, increase borrowing power, and lower interest costs. When coordinated properly, smart tax planning can enhance cash flow, which in turn supports debt reduction and credit rebuilding, creating a comprehensive approach to financial growth and protection. Biography My name is Kim Shockey-Hampton. I was born in Cleveland, Ohio, and recently retired after nearly 40 years of federal civilian service, primarily with the Department of the Army. I earned my Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration from Ursuline College in Pepper Pike, Ohio, graduating Magna Cum Laude. I was honored with selection into Kappa Gamma Pi Honor Society, which recognizes excellence in leadership, scholarship, faith, and service. My passion lies in supporting others, particularly in achieving financial independence. Following graduation, I was chosen as an Army Materiel Command (AMC) Fellow and relocated to Texarkana, Texas. There, I completed a Master’s degree in Business Management at Texas A&M College. To further my expertise, I pursued advanced coursework to become an IRS Certified Tax Professional. This qualification allows me to be listed in the IRS Tax Preparers Guide, connecting clients seeking assistance with tax preparation in their local area. Additionally, I possess electronic filing authorization for client tax returns, ensuring efficiency and compliance in the filing process. Co-Authored a book entitled “The Path to Financial Independence” Strategies for Eliminating Debt and Gowing Wealth. I am also a member of the National Association of Tax Professionals (NATP), which provides access to timely updates on tax law changes and knowledgeable staff support throughout the tax season. NATP offers regular tax webinars to ensure I remain current on all tax industry changes and developments. I also maintain a subscription to weekly IRS tax newsletters.Support the show: http://www.cooleyfoundation.org/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week's Open Mic guest is Ted McKinney, CEO of the National Association of State Departments of Agriculture. Following the group's Winter Policy Conference, McKinney says state ag leaders are hoping Congress can make progress on a new farm bill. The group's policy priorities include pesticide regulations, labor policy reform, regional food procurement as well as livestock disease preparedness and traceability. He also explains why state ag leaders support renewing the USMCA trade accord. 

 jQuery(document).ready(function(){ cab.clickify(); }); Original Podcast with clickable words https://tinyurl.com/27qnu3dt Contact: irishlingos@gmail.com Changes to critical assessment by special school principals. Athruithe ar mheasúnú cáinte ag príomhoidí scoileanna speisialta. The Government’s decision to remove the requirement that a child must have a formal diagnosis of a specific disability to be enrolled in a special school has been criticised by principals of those schools. Tá cinneadh an Rialtais fáil réidh leis an riachtanas a bhíodh ann go mbeadh diagnóis fhoirmeálta de mhíchumas ar leith ag gasúr le clárú i scoil speisialta cáinte ag príomhoidí ar na scoileanna sin. The National Association of Special School Principals (NASSP) says a crucial part of the registration process has been sidelined and will undermine schools’ professional judgement on the appropriate placement and the most favourable learning outcomes for students. Deir Cumann na bPríomhoidí Scoileanna Speisialta (an NASSP) go bhfuil mír chinniúnach den phróiseas clárúcháin curtha go leataobh agus go ndéanfar dochar de bhreith ghairmiúil scoileanna ar an socrúchán cuí agus na torthaí foghlamtha is fabhraí do dhaltaí. The new regime was announced in December by the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality, Norma Foley. Mí na Nollag a d’fhógair an tAire Leanaí, Míchumais agus Comhionannais Norma Foley an réimeas nua. The Minister said at the time that the Department was making the amendment to ensure that a child would have the support they needed, and to reduce the time spent on assessment. Dúirt an tAire ag an am gur chun a chinntiú go mbeadh an tacaíocht atá ag teastáil ó ghasúr, agus chun an t-am a chaitear ar mheasúnú a laghdú, a bhí an leasú á dhéanamh ag an Roinn. But the Principals’ Association says the decision was announced without consulting special schools at all. Ach deir Cumann na bPríomhoidí gur fógraíodh an cinneadh gan a ghabháil i gcomhairle in aon chor le scoileanna speisialta. NASSP Co-Chair Matt Swain says that “the capacity of special schools to plan and provide for and care for vulnerable children has been undermined.” Deir ComhChathaoirleach an NASSP Matt Swain go bhfuil “an bonn bainte de chumas scoileanna speisialta tabhairt faoi phleanáil agus soláthar agus cúram pháistí leochaileacha. “A professional report on a child’s ability is essential evidence to ensure that a student is placed in the most appropriate school setting.” Is bun-fhianaise í tuarascáil ghairimiúil ar chumas páiste le cinntiú go socraítear dalta san suíomh scolaíochta is oiriúnaigh.” The Association says that schools may now have to accept students without the school fully understanding the student’s diagnosis, developmental profile, or support needs, which would increase the risk of inappropriate placement. Deir an Cumann go mb’fhéidir go mbeadh ar scoileanna glacadh anois le daltaí gan tuiscint iomlán ag an scoil ar dhiagnóis, ná próifíl forbartha, ná riachtanais tacaíochta an dalta, rud a chuirfeadh leis an mbaol go ndéanfaí socrúchán míchuí. They say it would also disrupt team planning, resource allocation and personalized learning programs, and that the provision of education for all students could be disrupted. Chuirfí as freisin a deir siad do phleanáil foirne, dáileadh acmhainní agus cláir foghlamtha pearsantaithe, agus go mb’fhéidir go gcuirfí as don soláthar oideachais do gach dalta. Principals are also concerned that it will not be possible to ensure a safe learning environment, especially with the amount of pressure on teaching staff. Tá imní ar phríomhoidí freisin nach mbeifear inann láthair shábháilte foghlamtha a chinntiú, go háirid agus an oiread brú mar atá ar an bhfoireann teagaisc. They are urging the Department of Education to work with school management and leadership to come up with a better strategy. Tá siad ag impí ar an Roinn Oideachais gníomhú i gcuideachta le bainistíocht agus cinnireacht na scoileanna le theacht ar straitéis níos fearr.

Builder confidence in the single-family housing market slipped again in February, according to the latest Housing Market Index from the National Association of Home Builders. The index fell to 36, marking the second straight monthly decline and signaling continued weakness in builder sentiment. Affordability remains the biggest challenge. High home price-to-income ratios, elevated land costs, and stubborn construction expenses are keeping many buyers on the sidelines. Even with incentives widely available, buyer traffic remains low. In this episode, Kathy Fettke breaks down what falling builder confidence means for housing supply, pricing power, remodeling demand, and real estate investors in 2026. If inflation eases and mortgage rates follow, conditions could improve — but for now, affordability continues to shape the market.

Seven Strategies for Building Your Grandparenting Skills Portfolio with Drs. Michelle Watson Canfield and Ken CanfieldAs grandparents, we have a unique opportunity to positively shape our grandchildren's lives. By recognizing our challenges and embracing our callings, we can nurture our family and find fulfillment in our role as grandparents.Listen in as Drs. Michelle and Ken Canfield share how we strategically can be godly role models to our children and grandchildren. This conversation will encourage you to process patterns in your own life and further invest in growing and enhancing your grand parenting skills portfolio. And you'll receive seven helpful strategies.The Canfields have five children and 19 grandchildren. They both have their PhD's and Michelle has her LPC. Both are nationally known leaders and have committed their lives to strengthening families. Dr. Ken founded and is president of the National Center for Fathering as well as the National Association for Grand parenting. He's the author of several books including 7 Secrets of Effective Fathers and The Heart of Grandparenting. You can listen to him on several radio shows too! Michelle has counseled people for over 30 years and is the founder of The Abba Project, a forum for dads whose daughters are in their teens and 20's. Michelle also is an author and has written several books including Dad: Here's What I Really Need From You: A Guide For Connecting With Your Daughter's Heart. Michelle also hosts The Dad Whisperer Podcast. (Both of them do lots more and we'll hear about that too!)The Canfields offer encouraging ways to leave a legacy of love, wisdom and faith that will guide future generations. Thanks for tuning in.To reach Ken Canfield PhD.To reach Michelle Watson Canfield PhD, LPC.To reach Charlotte.FREE PDF of 7 Strategies For Building Your Grandparenting Skills Portfolio.

This week marks the 25th anniversary of the 2001 Foot and Mouth outbreak, which caused devastation to thousands of farms across the country. Around 6.5 million animals were culled, with a cost to the UK economy of £8 billion. Charlotte Smith meets a farmer whose animals were destroyed in the outbreak, and speaks to UK Chief Vet Christine Middlemiss about the risk of another outbreak - and whether the response would be different.The issue of biosecurity at our ports has been in the spotlight in recent months. Dover Port Health Authority announced its highest ever monthly total of seizures of illegal meat - finding 34 tonnes of it in January. We hear from chair of the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs select committee Alistair Carmichael MP, who gives us his reaction to the latest figures.Sheep shearing is an international business, with skilled shearers travelling the world to work across different countries. Many shearers who come to the UK are from Australia and New Zealand and have previously been allowed entry into the country each year via a special concession for highly skilled workers. This year, the UK Home Office has decided not to give this special temporary access. The National Association of Agricultural Contractors say these shearers are essential to the farming industry, and are warning that sheep welfare may be compromised without them.Farm vets are vital to any livestock business, but there's a shortage of vets wanting to work on farms. We join a cattle vet on a visit to a Wiltshire farm to hear about her role and Charlotte speaks to BVA president Rob Williams, who explains some of the reasons behind the shortage.Farming Today This Week was presented by Charlotte Smith and produced by Jo Peacey. A BBC Audio Bristol production.

Can the "King of the Zodiac" handle being ordinary? ♌

Share your Field Stories!Welcome back to Environmental Professionals Radio, Connecting the Environmental Professionals Community Through Conversation, with your hosts Laura Thorne and Nic Frederick! On today's episode, we talk with Lee Clauss, Southern California Project Manager with The Trust for Public Land and Principal Consultant at LSC Consulting, specializing in Indigenous land stewardship, sovereignty, and cultural resource management. Read her full bio below.Help us continue to create great content! If you'd like to sponsor a future episode hit the support podcast button or visit www.environmentalprofessionalsradio.com/sponsor-formShowtimes: 1:31 - Nic's New Job!7:13 - Interview with Lee Clauss Starts22:37 - What needs to Change?33:03 - What is the Process of Giving Land Back?40:36- #Fieldnotes with Lee!Please be sure to ✔️subscribe, ⭐rate and ✍review. This podcast is produced by the National Association of Environmental Professions (NAEP). Check out all the NAEP has to offer at NAEP.org.Connect with Lee Clauss at Lee Clauss | LinkedIn Guest Bio: Lee Clauss currently serves as a Project Manager on the Trust for Public Land'sCalifornia Land Protection team.  She is an applied anthropologist/archaeologist andadvocate for Native American communities' sovereignty. She has 25 years ofexperience in historic preservation and environmental law, regulatory compliance andpublic policy analysis. Her background includes Indigenous lands and culturalstewardship, curation, and community-based planning and research. Clauss regularlyprovides training on land return pathways, repatriation, Indigenous science, Tribalconsultation, environmental justice, and data sovereignty.  Prior to her time at TPL, Leeworked for and with multiple Tribal governments in Arizona, North Carolina, andCalifornia.Music CreditsIntro: Givin Me Eyes by Grace MesaOutro: Never Ending Soul Groove by Mattijs MullerSupport the showThanks for listening! A new episode drops every Friday. Like, share, subscribe, and/or sponsor to help support the continuation of the show. You can find us on Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, and all your favorite podcast players.Support the showThanks for listening! A new episode drops every Friday. Like, share, subscribe, and/or sponsor to help support the continuation of the show. You can find us on Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, and all your favorite podcast players.

Aunt regrets stealing his virginity. She makes it right.By regularguy 13. Listen to the ►Podcast at Steamy Stories.Thursday, Feb 13thHarvey Fielding, the aged patriarch of the family stood and looked out with pride at the group sitting around the dinner table. Three generations were present. With him, were his two daughters and their families. Harvey’s wife was not with them. Unfortunately, she had passed away.They were at his eldest daughter’s house in Richmond, Virginia. Meadow was a divorced woman with a single child. Her daughter, Wendy, was twenty and a sophomore at Randolph-Macon College.Sitting across from them was his other daughter, Breeze, and her family: her husband, Bill and their son, Arlo.The group had enjoyed a good meal.Harvey Fielding said, “I stand here a proud and happy man. These get-togethers are too short and too infrequent.”His family murmured their agreement.He continued, “Congratulations Meadow, on being recognized by the National Association of Women Lawyers for the mentoring program you run for high school girls.”Everyone raised their glass and congratulated her. Then Harvey said, “Congratulations to Arlo for his scholarship to my favorite school, Randolph-Macon College. If I say so myself, it is an excellent institution of higher learning. I am pleased that you’re planning to major in Philosophy and Ethics.”Breeze laughed and said good-naturedly, “Father, it looks like you won. Arlo has your temperament. I tried to develop his artist side, but he has none.”“Wendy caught that bug,” Meadow said with a laugh. “Maybe you and I should trade kids.”Breeze was a talented artist. She inherited that skill from her mother. Like her mother, Breeze could draw, paint and sculpt. She and Bill earned their living selling the art they produced.Harvey dramatically lowered his voice and said, “Arlo, happy as I am that you’ll be joining your cousin Wendy at R-MC, unfortunately, I have to report that the quality of the teaching staff there has diminished significantly recently.”He was kidding and everyone knew it. They all laughed. He had retired from the college last year after thirty years of teaching philosophy and ethics.He waited for the laughter to die and then said, “And lastly, let us say bon voyage to our travelers. Breeze and Bill are off tomorrow for a well-deserved, ten-day vacation to St. Bart’s. While they are having fun in the sun, the rest of us will be suffering through a cold and dreary Virginia February.”Breeze said, “I’ll send you all photos from the warm and sunny Caribbean.”“No thanks,” Harvey chirped. “I don’t need to see pictures of you two naked.”The family laughed. Bill and Breeze were artists, but they weren’t free spirits. Everyone knew them to be serious, shy, quiet souls. They would never frolic naked on a beach or anywhere else for that matter.Harvey waited until he had everyone’s attention and then he said, “I will close the night with a quote from a brilliant philosopher.” He raised his glass and said, “To alcohol: the cause of, and solution to all the world’s problems. At least so says Homer Simpson.”Cheers and laughter broke out. Everyone raised their glass and drank.^^^After the meal, Bill and Breeze said their goodbyes. They had to catch an early flight out of Baltimore-Washington Airport and they were spending the night at a hotel near the airport.Breeze hugged her boy and said, “Enjoy the tour of the campus and sitting in on some classes. Promise me you will talk to the other students.” She looked concerned.“Ah Mom,” Arlo whined.Arlo took after his parents. He too was a shy person. He was naturally quiet, but it was more than that, he was awkward around people and uncomfortable to engage with them. He was not a “people person” and had never had a lot of friends.His behavior was partly due to his timid nature. His upbringing also contributed to his demeanor. When he was young, he only had limited opportunities to interact with other children. He hadn’t attended regular school. He was home schooled.His parents taught him what they thought was necessary and let books supplement their efforts. He became a big reader and gravitated to ethics because it was a field of study that suited his nature. He could read and think and pursue it alone.Arlo’s opportunity to connect with other kids was hurt by his family’s nomadic lifestyle. The family was forced to move to follow artistic projects. He was always the new kid in town and he often moved before anyone got to know him or he got to know them.His parents prayed he would outgrow his shyness. They hoped that college would be that time.Wendy was the next person to say her goodbyes. She was returning to school.“Bye Mom,” Wendy said. “My sorority is having an event.”Meadow knew that was code for “I have a party to go to”. She was fine with that. Wendy was a good girl and she kept her grades up. However, she felt they should give her nephew an opportunity to attend the party.She said, “Wendy, why don’t you take Arlo with you?”Wendy was planning to hook up with her boyfriend. She didn’t want to be stuck with her nerdy cousin. However, she knew she couldn’t object outright. She decided to roll the dice and invite him. She was betting his shy nature would cause him to decline.“Arlo,” Wendy asked brightly. “Would you like to go? There’s a party tonight. Lots of people will be there.”Arlo started to sweat. Crowds and parties scared him. He stammered as he responded, “Ah. Ah. No, thank you. Gramps and I were planning to discuss ethics.”Wendy smiled. She was happy her plan had worked and she when off to the party unencumbered.Meadow cleaned up and headed off to bed. It had been a long day for her.Harvey and Arlo had an enjoyable time discussing philosophy and ethics. Harvey played the role of professor. During their conversation, he asked,“Arlo, what does it mean to be good.”Arlo spoke clearly. He was comfortable talking to his grandfather and very comfort talking about ethics. He gave the textbook answer. “To be honest, courageous, respectful and concerned about others. To be a good citizen. Obey the laws, protect the environment, be informed and be involved with society.”“Why should we strive to live by these standards?” the old professor asked.“Our world would be unpleasant and chaotic if we didn’t. We’d be miserable if everyone lied and cheated and was mean to each another. If people acted on their baser instincts of greed and self-interest, we couldn’t build a functioning society.”“Do you believe the goals of humans are joy, happiness, and contentment and the best way to achieve these goals is ethical behavior?”Arlo nodded.“I agree also,” Harvey said. “Now, how do we get there?”They discussed different versions of ethical theory. Arlo was a proponent of one theory. His Grandfather favored another.Harvey summed up his argument this way. He said, “As you know, in consequential ethics, the outcome determines the morality of the act.”Arlo interjected, “For you, the end justifies the mean. Do you really believe there are no standards of behavior that should be upheld?”“Yes and no,” Harvey conceded. “What makes an action right or wrong is the consequences of the action. Being truthful is a noble goal, but I believe it is okay to lie sometimes.”“But a lie is a lie,” Arlo stated. For him, everything was black or white.“Yes, a lie is a lie,” Harvey agreed. “But a lie can be a good thing. Consider this scenario, an overweight wife asks her husband if her butt is too big. Which is the better choice? If he’s truthful and says "Yes, dear. You’re fat.” He hurt her feelings. If he lies and says, “No. You look fine.” She is happy and believe me, it increases the husband’s happiness too.“"That’s an innocent lie,” Arlo pointed out. “You need to be truthful about significant things.”“Like life or death issues?”“Certainly.”Harvey said, “What would you do in this circumstance? A criminal breaks into your home. He demands to know if anyone else in the house?. You know your mother is upstairs. Do you tell him? Or do you attempt to protect her and say ‘I’m the only one here.’”“I lie to protect my mother,” Arlo answered.“Exactly,” Harvey said. “It is acceptable, I would argue necessary at times, to break the moral code to be moral. The essence of morality is determined by the outcome of the act. One cannot blindly follow a set of precepts and expect to achieve good results.”Arlo said, “You make a good argument for your system, but I still have problems with it. Many people believe in God and follow the Ten Commandments. That is a good thing for them and society. They would say you are replacing God’s law with man’s judgment. Religious people won’t like that. And considering the nature of man, won’t a man always find a way to justify his behavior?"And isn’t it a better, simpler and faster method of moral behavior to have standards and to live by them? I can see the world grinding to a halt as we all say 'Time out. I need to do a moral calculation of all my possible actions to see which is best for the greatest number of people.’”Harvey laughed and said, “This is exactly why I find ethics so fascinating. Lying is bad. You should strive to always tell the truth unless the situation dictates that a lie is the better choice. You should follow God’s laws except when you know better. The end justifies the mean except when it causes you to break some moral code.”Harvey smiled good-naturedly and said, “Another reason I find Ethics so fascinating is because it is the perfect excuse to argue and drink. Two of my favorite things.”Harvey stood and finished his drink. He was impressed with his grandson’s grasp of the subject and his intellect.“Arlo, I’ll leave you with one more question that may push you to my side. If the tip of your dick is resting on the labia of a beautiful and willing female, would you lie to her so both of you could enjoy out of this world sex?"Let’s say she pauses and asks if you love her. What are you going to say?"In my scenario, you like her, but you aren’t in love with her. If you are completely honest, you and she miss out on a wonderful experience. You deny each other the joy of great sex."Ethics is about good and evil, right and wrong. If the goal of your actions is the greatest good for the greatest number, then you must lie and fuck her. To needlessly uphold a rigid, abstract standard in this situation serves no purpose, correct?”Harvey walked away. He grabbed his coat and returned to his house. Arlo went to bed. He laid on the floral sheets and pondered the last question his grandfather put to him. His dick was hard and thought the answer was obvious.^^^While the virgin, Arlo, was thinking about sex, his cousin, Wendy, was having sex.She had recently begun dating the handsome captain of college’s baseball team. That was a big boost to her social standing because he was a big man on campus. All her girlfriends were jealous. At the moment, Wendy was giving him a blowjob.“Oh!” Wendy cried in distress. The hot brunette gagged on his dick and pulled off. She coughed repeatedly. Her eyes watered.Warren, her boyfriend, chuckled. He knew he had a big dick and he enjoyed watching his conquests struggle with it. The only thing he enjoyed more was when they beg for it.“What’s the matter, Wendy?” he asked pretending he didn’t know.Wendy had been struggling with the girth of his cock as she knelt topless beside him on his bed in his bedroom blowing him. When the bastard rocked his hips forward, he drove his big dick in deep, too deep into her mouth. He caused her to gag and cough.He had done it on purpose just to mess with her. While she coughed, he guided her to her back. He hiked up her dress and pulled her panties off. He sat beside her and gently brushed the hair from her tanned face.He consoled her, “Better now? Good. Let me see your beautiful face.”She smiled at his words of false concern. She said, “Yes. I’m better.”“Good.”Warren climbed on top of her and shoved his cock inside her.“OH!” she cried. “Warren! I need time.”He pushed his dick in further and further. Her internal organs were rudely shoved aside.She broke out into a sweat. She spread her legs as wide as possible as if that would make his sudden penetration any easier.“Oh. Oh. Oh!” she grunted in shock.“Oh baby, you’re the best. I love your tight pussy,” he cooed. He did love a snug cunt. He also loved surprising his women and watching them squirm and wince when he rudely slid into them before they were ready.He looked into her eyes and saw the shock, the pain, and fear his action generated. It made fucking her more exciting for him. He casually stroked in and out of her. He saw her battle to accommodate his size and the sudden assault.She didn’t complain. They rarely did. She struggled at first. She worked hard to handle him. Her body adapted and lubricated.Warren grinned at her. It grew into a full smile when he saw a flicker of pleasure replace her look of distress.“Em. Oh. Yeah,” she groaned as her vagina fully opened and her lubrication level maxed out. Pleasure replaced pain and then, the fucking began.Warren was a sexual narcissist. Like any good narcissist, he had great admiration for himself. He also had a grandiose sense of his sexual prowess. He didn’t have sex, he put on virtuoso performances. When he wasn’t abusing her, Wendy felt things and levels of pleasure no other man elicited.He worked his magic. She came on his cock twice. She was now a puddle of quivering flesh.“Oh God! Oh God! Warren come inside me,” she begged. “I can’t take it. If you make me come one more time, I’m going to pass out.”Those were the words he was dying to hear. He ramped up his efforts and made her come against her wishes.“Oh God. Oh God! Oh. Oh! Oh!” she cried out.Wendy came hard. Another glorious orgasm wracked her body. She felt dizzy and then experienced a sudden loss of consciousness.Warren watched and congratulated himself, “There it is, la petite mort. The little death.”He was proud that he had fucked her so well that she had fainted. Wendy woke to hear him groaning and still screwing her, “Oh yeah. Oh, fuck. Ah.”She hugged him and said the words he loved to hear. “Oh, Warren. You fuck me like no one else.”That punched his ticket. He enjoyed hearing those words more than he had enjoyed having sex with her. He felt victorious once again and he came.^^^Friday, February 14thAunt Meadow and Arlo had breakfast together. She said, “Today’s the big day. So, you’re going to sit in on some classes?”He nodded to avoid speaking.They left at the same time. He went to the college to tour the campus and she went to prosecute a child molester.Arlo returned to this Aunt’s house late-afternoon. No one was there. He watched television.“Indiana Jones, you rock,” Arlo said.He had just watched the movie “Raiders of the Lost Ark”. It was his favorite movie. In his dreams, he was the handsome, swashbuckling hero. He won the girl and saved the day. In real life, he was a shy eighteen-year-old who was awkward around people and especially timid and nervous around females. Needless to say, he didn’t date and he was a virgin.He walked into the bathroom and said, “I love indoor plumbing.”He peed in the toilet, flushed and said, “Why do my parents put up with a smelly, camper toilet when if we lived like normal people we could all use this wonderful, hygienic device?”Since his parents moved frequently to work on commissioned art project, they lived in a camper that they pulled by an SUV.“How about a shower?” he asked rhetorically.He answered himself continuing to talk out loud. “That sounds good. A nice, long, hot shower. Another marvelous experience denied to trailer people.”Arlo undressed. He dropped his clothes in a pile on the floor.He said, “Oh. They have a hamper.”He left his clothes on the floor and went to the wicker container. He flipped open the top. He saw a sexy black, lacy bra and a pair of panties.“Whoa!”He picked up the bra. He had never seen something so beautiful, so sexy, and certainly never on a live girl. He was not the kind of guy who could seduce a woman.None of his mother’s bras were like this one. She was a petite woman with small breasts. She usually didn’t bother with one because she didn’t need to. If she wore one, they were soft, stretchy bandeau tube style bras. Functional. Not sexy.“36C,” he snickered as he read the label. “She certainly is the big sister.”He examined the cups and fingered the lace. His dick got hard thinking about the soft flesh that filled them. Next, he picked up the underwear. It also had lace and was alluring. He studied it and did the unthinkable. He brought the crotch to his nose and sniffed.“Oh! Em.”He was overwhelmed with the acrid, musky odor of a woman. His dick twitched and grew hard. He said, “Aunt Meadow wore these! This is her scent.”He held the panties to his nose with his left hand and stroked his dick with his right.“Mum,” he groaned breathing deeply.He looked around for something to use as a lubricant. He spied hand lotion on the counter by the sink. He pumped a large amount on his hand and masturbated. He sniffed the panties, stroked his cock and kept thinking about how this article of clothing had been pressed up against a woman’s pussy.“Oh! Oh! God!” he called out as he came in the sink. He dropped the panties and gripped the counter for support as he jacked off into the basin.“Oh! Fuck,” he cried as the last of his spunk landed in the sink. His heart was pounding and his breathing was ragged. He rested a bit and then turned on the tap and cleaned up. He sent his cum down the drain.He returned the sexy underwear to the dirty clothes hamper and hopped in the shower. He shampooed his hair and scrubbed his body hard. He was trying to wash away the sin of masturbation made worse by sniffing his Aunt’s soiled underwear.^^^

Aunt regrets stealing his virginity. She makes it right.By regularguy 13. Listen to the ►Podcast at Steamy Stories.Thursday, Feb 13thHarvey Fielding, the aged patriarch of the family stood and looked out with pride at the group sitting around the dinner table. Three generations were present. With him, were his two daughters and their families. Harvey’s wife was not with them. Unfortunately, she had passed away.They were at his eldest daughter’s house in Richmond, Virginia. Meadow was a divorced woman with a single child. Her daughter, Wendy, was twenty and a sophomore at Randolph-Macon College.Sitting across from them was his other daughter, Breeze, and her family: her husband, Bill and their son, Arlo.The group had enjoyed a good meal.Harvey Fielding said, “I stand here a proud and happy man. These get-togethers are too short and too infrequent.”His family murmured their agreement.He continued, “Congratulations Meadow, on being recognized by the National Association of Women Lawyers for the mentoring program you run for high school girls.”Everyone raised their glass and congratulated her. Then Harvey said, “Congratulations to Arlo for his scholarship to my favorite school, Randolph-Macon College. If I say so myself, it is an excellent institution of higher learning. I am pleased that you’re planning to major in Philosophy and Ethics.”Breeze laughed and said good-naturedly, “Father, it looks like you won. Arlo has your temperament. I tried to develop his artist side, but he has none.”“Wendy caught that bug,” Meadow said with a laugh. “Maybe you and I should trade kids.”Breeze was a talented artist. She inherited that skill from her mother. Like her mother, Breeze could draw, paint and sculpt. She and Bill earned their living selling the art they produced.Harvey dramatically lowered his voice and said, “Arlo, happy as I am that you’ll be joining your cousin Wendy at R-MC, unfortunately, I have to report that the quality of the teaching staff there has diminished significantly recently.”He was kidding and everyone knew it. They all laughed. He had retired from the college last year after thirty years of teaching philosophy and ethics.He waited for the laughter to die and then said, “And lastly, let us say bon voyage to our travelers. Breeze and Bill are off tomorrow for a well-deserved, ten-day vacation to St. Bart’s. While they are having fun in the sun, the rest of us will be suffering through a cold and dreary Virginia February.”Breeze said, “I’ll send you all photos from the warm and sunny Caribbean.”“No thanks,” Harvey chirped. “I don’t need to see pictures of you two naked.”The family laughed. Bill and Breeze were artists, but they weren’t free spirits. Everyone knew them to be serious, shy, quiet souls. They would never frolic naked on a beach or anywhere else for that matter.Harvey waited until he had everyone’s attention and then he said, “I will close the night with a quote from a brilliant philosopher.” He raised his glass and said, “To alcohol: the cause of, and solution to all the world’s problems. At least so says Homer Simpson.”Cheers and laughter broke out. Everyone raised their glass and drank.^^^After the meal, Bill and Breeze said their goodbyes. They had to catch an early flight out of Baltimore-Washington Airport and they were spending the night at a hotel near the airport.Breeze hugged her boy and said, “Enjoy the tour of the campus and sitting in on some classes. Promise me you will talk to the other students.” She looked concerned.“Ah Mom,” Arlo whined.Arlo took after his parents. He too was a shy person. He was naturally quiet, but it was more than that, he was awkward around people and uncomfortable to engage with them. He was not a “people person” and had never had a lot of friends.His behavior was partly due to his timid nature. His upbringing also contributed to his demeanor. When he was young, he only had limited opportunities to interact with other children. He hadn’t attended regular school. He was home schooled.His parents taught him what they thought was necessary and let books supplement their efforts. He became a big reader and gravitated to ethics because it was a field of study that suited his nature. He could read and think and pursue it alone.Arlo’s opportunity to connect with other kids was hurt by his family’s nomadic lifestyle. The family was forced to move to follow artistic projects. He was always the new kid in town and he often moved before anyone got to know him or he got to know them.His parents prayed he would outgrow his shyness. They hoped that college would be that time.Wendy was the next person to say her goodbyes. She was returning to school.“Bye Mom,” Wendy said. “My sorority is having an event.”Meadow knew that was code for “I have a party to go to”. She was fine with that. Wendy was a good girl and she kept her grades up. However, she felt they should give her nephew an opportunity to attend the party.She said, “Wendy, why don’t you take Arlo with you?”Wendy was planning to hook up with her boyfriend. She didn’t want to be stuck with her nerdy cousin. However, she knew she couldn’t object outright. She decided to roll the dice and invite him. She was betting his shy nature would cause him to decline.“Arlo,” Wendy asked brightly. “Would you like to go? There’s a party tonight. Lots of people will be there.”Arlo started to sweat. Crowds and parties scared him. He stammered as he responded, “Ah. Ah. No, thank you. Gramps and I were planning to discuss ethics.”Wendy smiled. She was happy her plan had worked and she when off to the party unencumbered.Meadow cleaned up and headed off to bed. It had been a long day for her.Harvey and Arlo had an enjoyable time discussing philosophy and ethics. Harvey played the role of professor. During their conversation, he asked,“Arlo, what does it mean to be good.”Arlo spoke clearly. He was comfortable talking to his grandfather and very comfort talking about ethics. He gave the textbook answer. “To be honest, courageous, respectful and concerned about others. To be a good citizen. Obey the laws, protect the environment, be informed and be involved with society.”“Why should we strive to live by these standards?” the old professor asked.“Our world would be unpleasant and chaotic if we didn’t. We’d be miserable if everyone lied and cheated and was mean to each another. If people acted on their baser instincts of greed and self-interest, we couldn’t build a functioning society.”“Do you believe the goals of humans are joy, happiness, and contentment and the best way to achieve these goals is ethical behavior?”Arlo nodded.“I agree also,” Harvey said. “Now, how do we get there?”They discussed different versions of ethical theory. Arlo was a proponent of one theory. His Grandfather favored another.Harvey summed up his argument this way. He said, “As you know, in consequential ethics, the outcome determines the morality of the act.”Arlo interjected, “For you, the end justifies the mean. Do you really believe there are no standards of behavior that should be upheld?”“Yes and no,” Harvey conceded. “What makes an action right or wrong is the consequences of the action. Being truthful is a noble goal, but I believe it is okay to lie sometimes.”“But a lie is a lie,” Arlo stated. For him, everything was black or white.“Yes, a lie is a lie,” Harvey agreed. “But a lie can be a good thing. Consider this scenario, an overweight wife asks her husband if her butt is too big. Which is the better choice? If he’s truthful and says "Yes, dear. You’re fat.” He hurt her feelings. If he lies and says, “No. You look fine.” She is happy and believe me, it increases the husband’s happiness too.“"That’s an innocent lie,” Arlo pointed out. “You need to be truthful about significant things.”“Like life or death issues?”“Certainly.”Harvey said, “What would you do in this circumstance? A criminal breaks into your home. He demands to know if anyone else in the house?. You know your mother is upstairs. Do you tell him? Or do you attempt to protect her and say ‘I’m the only one here.’”“I lie to protect my mother,” Arlo answered.“Exactly,” Harvey said. “It is acceptable, I would argue necessary at times, to break the moral code to be moral. The essence of morality is determined by the outcome of the act. One cannot blindly follow a set of precepts and expect to achieve good results.”Arlo said, “You make a good argument for your system, but I still have problems with it. Many people believe in God and follow the Ten Commandments. That is a good thing for them and society. They would say you are replacing God’s law with man’s judgment. Religious people won’t like that. And considering the nature of man, won’t a man always find a way to justify his behavior?"And isn’t it a better, simpler and faster method of moral behavior to have standards and to live by them? I can see the world grinding to a halt as we all say 'Time out. I need to do a moral calculation of all my possible actions to see which is best for the greatest number of people.’”Harvey laughed and said, “This is exactly why I find ethics so fascinating. Lying is bad. You should strive to always tell the truth unless the situation dictates that a lie is the better choice. You should follow God’s laws except when you know better. The end justifies the mean except when it causes you to break some moral code.”Harvey smiled good-naturedly and said, “Another reason I find Ethics so fascinating is because it is the perfect excuse to argue and drink. Two of my favorite things.”Harvey stood and finished his drink. He was impressed with his grandson’s grasp of the subject and his intellect.“Arlo, I’ll leave you with one more question that may push you to my side. If the tip of your dick is resting on the labia of a beautiful and willing female, would you lie to her so both of you could enjoy out of this world sex?"Let’s say she pauses and asks if you love her. What are you going to say?"In my scenario, you like her, but you aren’t in love with her. If you are completely honest, you and she miss out on a wonderful experience. You deny each other the joy of great sex."Ethics is about good and evil, right and wrong. If the goal of your actions is the greatest good for the greatest number, then you must lie and fuck her. To needlessly uphold a rigid, abstract standard in this situation serves no purpose, correct?”Harvey walked away. He grabbed his coat and returned to his house. Arlo went to bed. He laid on the floral sheets and pondered the last question his grandfather put to him. His dick was hard and thought the answer was obvious.^^^While the virgin, Arlo, was thinking about sex, his cousin, Wendy, was having sex.She had recently begun dating the handsome captain of college’s baseball team. That was a big boost to her social standing because he was a big man on campus. All her girlfriends were jealous. At the moment, Wendy was giving him a blowjob.“Oh!” Wendy cried in distress. The hot brunette gagged on his dick and pulled off. She coughed repeatedly. Her eyes watered.Warren, her boyfriend, chuckled. He knew he had a big dick and he enjoyed watching his conquests struggle with it. The only thing he enjoyed more was when they beg for it.“What’s the matter, Wendy?” he asked pretending he didn’t know.Wendy had been struggling with the girth of his cock as she knelt topless beside him on his bed in his bedroom blowing him. When the bastard rocked his hips forward, he drove his big dick in deep, too deep into her mouth. He caused her to gag and cough.He had done it on purpose just to mess with her. While she coughed, he guided her to her back. He hiked up her dress and pulled her panties off. He sat beside her and gently brushed the hair from her tanned face.He consoled her, “Better now? Good. Let me see your beautiful face.”She smiled at his words of false concern. She said, “Yes. I’m better.”“Good.”Warren climbed on top of her and shoved his cock inside her.“OH!” she cried. “Warren! I need time.”He pushed his dick in further and further. Her internal organs were rudely shoved aside.She broke out into a sweat. She spread her legs as wide as possible as if that would make his sudden penetration any easier.“Oh. Oh. Oh!” she grunted in shock.“Oh baby, you’re the best. I love your tight pussy,” he cooed. He did love a snug cunt. He also loved surprising his women and watching them squirm and wince when he rudely slid into them before they were ready.He looked into her eyes and saw the shock, the pain, and fear his action generated. It made fucking her more exciting for him. He casually stroked in and out of her. He saw her battle to accommodate his size and the sudden assault.She didn’t complain. They rarely did. She struggled at first. She worked hard to handle him. Her body adapted and lubricated.Warren grinned at her. It grew into a full smile when he saw a flicker of pleasure replace her look of distress.“Em. Oh. Yeah,” she groaned as her vagina fully opened and her lubrication level maxed out. Pleasure replaced pain and then, the fucking began.Warren was a sexual narcissist. Like any good narcissist, he had great admiration for himself. He also had a grandiose sense of his sexual prowess. He didn’t have sex, he put on virtuoso performances. When he wasn’t abusing her, Wendy felt things and levels of pleasure no other man elicited.He worked his magic. She came on his cock twice. She was now a puddle of quivering flesh.“Oh God! Oh God! Warren come inside me,” she begged. “I can’t take it. If you make me come one more time, I’m going to pass out.”Those were the words he was dying to hear. He ramped up his efforts and made her come against her wishes.“Oh God. Oh God! Oh. Oh! Oh!” she cried out.Wendy came hard. Another glorious orgasm wracked her body. She felt dizzy and then experienced a sudden loss of consciousness.Warren watched and congratulated himself, “There it is, la petite mort. The little death.”He was proud that he had fucked her so well that she had fainted. Wendy woke to hear him groaning and still screwing her, “Oh yeah. Oh, fuck. Ah.”She hugged him and said the words he loved to hear. “Oh, Warren. You fuck me like no one else.”That punched his ticket. He enjoyed hearing those words more than he had enjoyed having sex with her. He felt victorious once again and he came.^^^Friday, February 14thAunt Meadow and Arlo had breakfast together. She said, “Today’s the big day. So, you’re going to sit in on some classes?”He nodded to avoid speaking.They left at the same time. He went to the college to tour the campus and she went to prosecute a child molester.Arlo returned to this Aunt’s house late-afternoon. No one was there. He watched television.“Indiana Jones, you rock,” Arlo said.He had just watched the movie “Raiders of the Lost Ark”. It was his favorite movie. In his dreams, he was the handsome, swashbuckling hero. He won the girl and saved the day. In real life, he was a shy eighteen-year-old who was awkward around people and especially timid and nervous around females. Needless to say, he didn’t date and he was a virgin.He walked into the bathroom and said, “I love indoor plumbing.”He peed in the toilet, flushed and said, “Why do my parents put up with a smelly, camper toilet when if we lived like normal people we could all use this wonderful, hygienic device?”Since his parents moved frequently to work on commissioned art project, they lived in a camper that they pulled by an SUV.“How about a shower?” he asked rhetorically.He answered himself continuing to talk out loud. “That sounds good. A nice, long, hot shower. Another marvelous experience denied to trailer people.”Arlo undressed. He dropped his clothes in a pile on the floor.He said, “Oh. They have a hamper.”He left his clothes on the floor and went to the wicker container. He flipped open the top. He saw a sexy black, lacy bra and a pair of panties.“Whoa!”He picked up the bra. He had never seen something so beautiful, so sexy, and certainly never on a live girl. He was not the kind of guy who could seduce a woman.None of his mother’s bras were like this one. She was a petite woman with small breasts. She usually didn’t bother with one because she didn’t need to. If she wore one, they were soft, stretchy bandeau tube style bras. Functional. Not sexy.“36C,” he snickered as he read the label. “She certainly is the big sister.”He examined the cups and fingered the lace. His dick got hard thinking about the soft flesh that filled them. Next, he picked up the underwear. It also had lace and was alluring. He studied it and did the unthinkable. He brought the crotch to his nose and sniffed.“Oh! Em.”He was overwhelmed with the acrid, musky odor of a woman. His dick twitched and grew hard. He said, “Aunt Meadow wore these! This is her scent.”He held the panties to his nose with his left hand and stroked his dick with his right.“Mum,” he groaned breathing deeply.He looked around for something to use as a lubricant. He spied hand lotion on the counter by the sink. He pumped a large amount on his hand and masturbated. He sniffed the panties, stroked his cock and kept thinking about how this article of clothing had been pressed up against a woman’s pussy.“Oh! Oh! God!” he called out as he came in the sink. He dropped the panties and gripped the counter for support as he jacked off into the basin.“Oh! Fuck,” he cried as the last of his spunk landed in the sink. His heart was pounding and his breathing was ragged. He rested a bit and then turned on the tap and cleaned up. He sent his cum down the drain.He returned the sexy underwear to the dirty clothes hamper and hopped in the shower. He shampooed his hair and scrubbed his body hard. He was trying to wash away the sin of masturbation made worse by sniffing his Aunt’s soiled underwear.^^^

In the decades after becoming the first Black US citizen to receive his PhD from Harvard, W.E.B. Du Bois helped transform sociology from theory and speculation to a social science rooted in rigorous methodology and hard data. But despite conducting groundbreaking research, particularly on the lives of Black people, Du Bois chose to leave the academy and become an activist, co-founding the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People. What inspired him to make the change? And what can we learn today from Du Bois's research, his writing, and his life during our own time of white backlash? The Pulitzer Prize-winning biographer David Levering Lewis joins us for part two of our look at the life of the early 20th century's leading intellectual and spokesperson for Black liberation. (A word of caution: Several minutes into the show, Professor Levering Lewis describes an episode of racist violence. We have preserved that portion of the conversation, rather than editing it out, because it describes a turning point in Du Bois's life and career.)

Aunt regrets stealing his virginity. She makes it right.By regularguy 13. Listen to the ►Podcast at Steamy Stories.Thursday, Feb 13thHarvey Fielding, the aged patriarch of the family stood and looked out with pride at the group sitting around the dinner table. Three generations were present. With him, were his two daughters and their families. Harvey’s wife was not with them. Unfortunately, she had passed away.They were at his eldest daughter’s house in Richmond, Virginia. Meadow was a divorced woman with a single child. Her daughter, Wendy, was twenty and a sophomore at Randolph-Macon College.Sitting across from them was his other daughter, Breeze, and her family: her husband, Bill and their son, Arlo.The group had enjoyed a good meal.Harvey Fielding said, “I stand here a proud and happy man. These get-togethers are too short and too infrequent.”His family murmured their agreement.He continued, “Congratulations Meadow, on being recognized by the National Association of Women Lawyers for the mentoring program you run for high school girls.”Everyone raised their glass and congratulated her. Then Harvey said, “Congratulations to Arlo for his scholarship to my favorite school, Randolph-Macon College. If I say so myself, it is an excellent institution of higher learning. I am pleased that you’re planning to major in Philosophy and Ethics.”Breeze laughed and said good-naturedly, “Father, it looks like you won. Arlo has your temperament. I tried to develop his artist side, but he has none.”“Wendy caught that bug,” Meadow said with a laugh. “Maybe you and I should trade kids.”Breeze was a talented artist. She inherited that skill from her mother. Like her mother, Breeze could draw, paint and sculpt. She and Bill earned their living selling the art they produced.Harvey dramatically lowered his voice and said, “Arlo, happy as I am that you’ll be joining your cousin Wendy at R-MC, unfortunately, I have to report that the quality of the teaching staff there has diminished significantly recently.”He was kidding and everyone knew it. They all laughed. He had retired from the college last year after thirty years of teaching philosophy and ethics.He waited for the laughter to die and then said, “And lastly, let us say bon voyage to our travelers. Breeze and Bill are off tomorrow for a well-deserved, ten-day vacation to St. Bart’s. While they are having fun in the sun, the rest of us will be suffering through a cold and dreary Virginia February.”Breeze said, “I’ll send you all photos from the warm and sunny Caribbean.”“No thanks,” Harvey chirped. “I don’t need to see pictures of you two naked.”The family laughed. Bill and Breeze were artists, but they weren’t free spirits. Everyone knew them to be serious, shy, quiet souls. They would never frolic naked on a beach or anywhere else for that matter.Harvey waited until he had everyone’s attention and then he said, “I will close the night with a quote from a brilliant philosopher.” He raised his glass and said, “To alcohol: the cause of, and solution to all the world’s problems. At least so says Homer Simpson.”Cheers and laughter broke out. Everyone raised their glass and drank.^^^After the meal, Bill and Breeze said their goodbyes. They had to catch an early flight out of Baltimore-Washington Airport and they were spending the night at a hotel near the airport.Breeze hugged her boy and said, “Enjoy the tour of the campus and sitting in on some classes. Promise me you will talk to the other students.” She looked concerned.“Ah Mom,” Arlo whined.Arlo took after his parents. He too was a shy person. He was naturally quiet, but it was more than that, he was awkward around people and uncomfortable to engage with them. He was not a “people person” and had never had a lot of friends.His behavior was partly due to his timid nature. His upbringing also contributed to his demeanor. When he was young, he only had limited opportunities to interact with other children. He hadn’t attended regular school. He was home schooled.His parents taught him what they thought was necessary and let books supplement their efforts. He became a big reader and gravitated to ethics because it was a field of study that suited his nature. He could read and think and pursue it alone.Arlo’s opportunity to connect with other kids was hurt by his family’s nomadic lifestyle. The family was forced to move to follow artistic projects. He was always the new kid in town and he often moved before anyone got to know him or he got to know them.His parents prayed he would outgrow his shyness. They hoped that college would be that time.Wendy was the next person to say her goodbyes. She was returning to school.“Bye Mom,” Wendy said. “My sorority is having an event.”Meadow knew that was code for “I have a party to go to”. She was fine with that. Wendy was a good girl and she kept her grades up. However, she felt they should give her nephew an opportunity to attend the party.She said, “Wendy, why don’t you take Arlo with you?”Wendy was planning to hook up with her boyfriend. She didn’t want to be stuck with her nerdy cousin. However, she knew she couldn’t object outright. She decided to roll the dice and invite him. She was betting his shy nature would cause him to decline.“Arlo,” Wendy asked brightly. “Would you like to go? There’s a party tonight. Lots of people will be there.”Arlo started to sweat. Crowds and parties scared him. He stammered as he responded, “Ah. Ah. No, thank you. Gramps and I were planning to discuss ethics.”Wendy smiled. She was happy her plan had worked and she when off to the party unencumbered.Meadow cleaned up and headed off to bed. It had been a long day for her.Harvey and Arlo had an enjoyable time discussing philosophy and ethics. Harvey played the role of professor. During their conversation, he asked,“Arlo, what does it mean to be good.”Arlo spoke clearly. He was comfortable talking to his grandfather and very comfort talking about ethics. He gave the textbook answer. “To be honest, courageous, respectful and concerned about others. To be a good citizen. Obey the laws, protect the environment, be informed and be involved with society.”“Why should we strive to live by these standards?” the old professor asked.“Our world would be unpleasant and chaotic if we didn’t. We’d be miserable if everyone lied and cheated and was mean to each another. If people acted on their baser instincts of greed and self-interest, we couldn’t build a functioning society.”“Do you believe the goals of humans are joy, happiness, and contentment and the best way to achieve these goals is ethical behavior?”Arlo nodded.“I agree also,” Harvey said. “Now, how do we get there?”They discussed different versions of ethical theory. Arlo was a proponent of one theory. His Grandfather favored another.Harvey summed up his argument this way. He said, “As you know, in consequential ethics, the outcome determines the morality of the act.”Arlo interjected, “For you, the end justifies the mean. Do you really believe there are no standards of behavior that should be upheld?”“Yes and no,” Harvey conceded. “What makes an action right or wrong is the consequences of the action. Being truthful is a noble goal, but I believe it is okay to lie sometimes.”“But a lie is a lie,” Arlo stated. For him, everything was black or white.“Yes, a lie is a lie,” Harvey agreed. “But a lie can be a good thing. Consider this scenario, an overweight wife asks her husband if her butt is too big. Which is the better choice? If he’s truthful and says "Yes, dear. You’re fat.” He hurt her feelings. If he lies and says, “No. You look fine.” She is happy and believe me, it increases the husband’s happiness too.“"That’s an innocent lie,” Arlo pointed out. “You need to be truthful about significant things.”“Like life or death issues?”“Certainly.”Harvey said, “What would you do in this circumstance? A criminal breaks into your home. He demands to know if anyone else in the house?. You know your mother is upstairs. Do you tell him? Or do you attempt to protect her and say ‘I’m the only one here.’”“I lie to protect my mother,” Arlo answered.“Exactly,” Harvey said. “It is acceptable, I would argue necessary at times, to break the moral code to be moral. The essence of morality is determined by the outcome of the act. One cannot blindly follow a set of precepts and expect to achieve good results.”Arlo said, “You make a good argument for your system, but I still have problems with it. Many people believe in God and follow the Ten Commandments. That is a good thing for them and society. They would say you are replacing God’s law with man’s judgment. Religious people won’t like that. And considering the nature of man, won’t a man always find a way to justify his behavior?"And isn’t it a better, simpler and faster method of moral behavior to have standards and to live by them? I can see the world grinding to a halt as we all say 'Time out. I need to do a moral calculation of all my possible actions to see which is best for the greatest number of people.’”Harvey laughed and said, “This is exactly why I find ethics so fascinating. Lying is bad. You should strive to always tell the truth unless the situation dictates that a lie is the better choice. You should follow God’s laws except when you know better. The end justifies the mean except when it causes you to break some moral code.”Harvey smiled good-naturedly and said, “Another reason I find Ethics so fascinating is because it is the perfect excuse to argue and drink. Two of my favorite things.”Harvey stood and finished his drink. He was impressed with his grandson’s grasp of the subject and his intellect.“Arlo, I’ll leave you with one more question that may push you to my side. If the tip of your dick is resting on the labia of a beautiful and willing female, would you lie to her so both of you could enjoy out of this world sex?"Let’s say she pauses and asks if you love her. What are you going to say?"In my scenario, you like her, but you aren’t in love with her. If you are completely honest, you and she miss out on a wonderful experience. You deny each other the joy of great sex."Ethics is about good and evil, right and wrong. If the goal of your actions is the greatest good for the greatest number, then you must lie and fuck her. To needlessly uphold a rigid, abstract standard in this situation serves no purpose, correct?”Harvey walked away. He grabbed his coat and returned to his house. Arlo went to bed. He laid on the floral sheets and pondered the last question his grandfather put to him. His dick was hard and thought the answer was obvious.^^^While the virgin, Arlo, was thinking about sex, his cousin, Wendy, was having sex.She had recently begun dating the handsome captain of college’s baseball team. That was a big boost to her social standing because he was a big man on campus. All her girlfriends were jealous. At the moment, Wendy was giving him a blowjob.“Oh!” Wendy cried in distress. The hot brunette gagged on his dick and pulled off. She coughed repeatedly. Her eyes watered.Warren, her boyfriend, chuckled. He knew he had a big dick and he enjoyed watching his conquests struggle with it. The only thing he enjoyed more was when they beg for it.“What’s the matter, Wendy?” he asked pretending he didn’t know.Wendy had been struggling with the girth of his cock as she knelt topless beside him on his bed in his bedroom blowing him. When the bastard rocked his hips forward, he drove his big dick in deep, too deep into her mouth. He caused her to gag and cough.He had done it on purpose just to mess with her. While she coughed, he guided her to her back. He hiked up her dress and pulled her panties off. He sat beside her and gently brushed the hair from her tanned face.He consoled her, “Better now? Good. Let me see your beautiful face.”She smiled at his words of false concern. She said, “Yes. I’m better.”“Good.”Warren climbed on top of her and shoved his cock inside her.“OH!” she cried. “Warren! I need time.”He pushed his dick in further and further. Her internal organs were rudely shoved aside.She broke out into a sweat. She spread her legs as wide as possible as if that would make his sudden penetration any easier.“Oh. Oh. Oh!” she grunted in shock.“Oh baby, you’re the best. I love your tight pussy,” he cooed. He did love a snug cunt. He also loved surprising his women and watching them squirm and wince when he rudely slid into them before they were ready.He looked into her eyes and saw the shock, the pain, and fear his action generated. It made fucking her more exciting for him. He casually stroked in and out of her. He saw her battle to accommodate his size and the sudden assault.She didn’t complain. They rarely did. She struggled at first. She worked hard to handle him. Her body adapted and lubricated.Warren grinned at her. It grew into a full smile when he saw a flicker of pleasure replace her look of distress.“Em. Oh. Yeah,” she groaned as her vagina fully opened and her lubrication level maxed out. Pleasure replaced pain and then, the fucking began.Warren was a sexual narcissist. Like any good narcissist, he had great admiration for himself. He also had a grandiose sense of his sexual prowess. He didn’t have sex, he put on virtuoso performances. When he wasn’t abusing her, Wendy felt things and levels of pleasure no other man elicited.He worked his magic. She came on his cock twice. She was now a puddle of quivering flesh.“Oh God! Oh God! Warren come inside me,” she begged. “I can’t take it. If you make me come one more time, I’m going to pass out.”Those were the words he was dying to hear. He ramped up his efforts and made her come against her wishes.“Oh God. Oh God! Oh. Oh! Oh!” she cried out.Wendy came hard. Another glorious orgasm wracked her body. She felt dizzy and then experienced a sudden loss of consciousness.Warren watched and congratulated himself, “There it is, la petite mort. The little death.”He was proud that he had fucked her so well that she had fainted. Wendy woke to hear him groaning and still screwing her, “Oh yeah. Oh, fuck. Ah.”She hugged him and said the words he loved to hear. “Oh, Warren. You fuck me like no one else.”That punched his ticket. He enjoyed hearing those words more than he had enjoyed having sex with her. He felt victorious once again and he came.^^^Friday, February 14thAunt Meadow and Arlo had breakfast together. She said, “Today’s the big day. So, you’re going to sit in on some classes?”He nodded to avoid speaking.They left at the same time. He went to the college to tour the campus and she went to prosecute a child molester.Arlo returned to this Aunt’s house late-afternoon. No one was there. He watched television.“Indiana Jones, you rock,” Arlo said.He had just watched the movie “Raiders of the Lost Ark”. It was his favorite movie. In his dreams, he was the handsome, swashbuckling hero. He won the girl and saved the day. In real life, he was a shy eighteen-year-old who was awkward around people and especially timid and nervous around females. Needless to say, he didn’t date and he was a virgin.He walked into the bathroom and said, “I love indoor plumbing.”He peed in the toilet, flushed and said, “Why do my parents put up with a smelly, camper toilet when if we lived like normal people we could all use this wonderful, hygienic device?”Since his parents moved frequently to work on commissioned art project, they lived in a camper that they pulled by an SUV.“How about a shower?” he asked rhetorically.He answered himself continuing to talk out loud. “That sounds good. A nice, long, hot shower. Another marvelous experience denied to trailer people.”Arlo undressed. He dropped his clothes in a pile on the floor.He said, “Oh. They have a hamper.”He left his clothes on the floor and went to the wicker container. He flipped open the top. He saw a sexy black, lacy bra and a pair of panties.“Whoa!”He picked up the bra. He had never seen something so beautiful, so sexy, and certainly never on a live girl. He was not the kind of guy who could seduce a woman.None of his mother’s bras were like this one. She was a petite woman with small breasts. She usually didn’t bother with one because she didn’t need to. If she wore one, they were soft, stretchy bandeau tube style bras. Functional. Not sexy.“36C,” he snickered as he read the label. “She certainly is the big sister.”He examined the cups and fingered the lace. His dick got hard thinking about the soft flesh that filled them. Next, he picked up the underwear. It also had lace and was alluring. He studied it and did the unthinkable. He brought the crotch to his nose and sniffed.“Oh! Em.”He was overwhelmed with the acrid, musky odor of a woman. His dick twitched and grew hard. He said, “Aunt Meadow wore these! This is her scent.”He held the panties to his nose with his left hand and stroked his dick with his right.“Mum,” he groaned breathing deeply.He looked around for something to use as a lubricant. He spied hand lotion on the counter by the sink. He pumped a large amount on his hand and masturbated. He sniffed the panties, stroked his cock and kept thinking about how this article of clothing had been pressed up against a woman’s pussy.“Oh! Oh! God!” he called out as he came in the sink. He dropped the panties and gripped the counter for support as he jacked off into the basin.“Oh! Fuck,” he cried as the last of his spunk landed in the sink. His heart was pounding and his breathing was ragged. He rested a bit and then turned on the tap and cleaned up. He sent his cum down the drain.He returned the sexy underwear to the dirty clothes hamper and hopped in the shower. He shampooed his hair and scrubbed his body hard. He was trying to wash away the sin of masturbation made worse by sniffing his Aunt’s soiled underwear.^^^

The real estate industry is at a tipping point, and REALTORS® are asking hard questions about representation, relevance, and trust. In this crossover episode from Under All Is The Land (co-hosted with Rob Hahn), we unpack NAR's new strategic plan and what it signals about the future of organized real estate. This isn't a rant. It's a leadership conversation. Because when members feel unheard, strategy alone won't fix it. Whether you're fired up or simply trying to make sense of the direction of the industry, this discussion will challenge you to think bigger about professionalism, advocacy, and who the association truly serves.   Key takeaways to listen for Why the gap between REALTORS® and NAR leadership feels wider than ever What "homeownership advocacy" should mean in today's market How perception and credibility impact member trust The difference between messaging about professionalism and living it What grassroots energy could mean for the future of organized real estate   Resources mentioned in this episode National Association of REALTORS® Good Neighbor Awards REALTORS® Relief Foundation NAR Accepts Its Irrelevance, Counters with Platitudes Race for Relevance by Harrison Coerver & Mary Byers   About Under All Is The Land If you enjoy this conversation, subscribe to Under All Is The Land, where Leigh and Rob break down the policy, power, and politics shaping real estate — without spin. Watch and subscribe: https://www.youtube.com/@UnderAllPodcast Referenced episode: Under All is the Land Ep. 5: The new NAR Strat Plan   About Rob Hahn Rob Hahn ("Notorious ROB") is one of real estate's most influential industry analysts, known for challenging assumptions, poking sacred cows, and pushing the business toward deeper integrity and clearer thinking. He focuses on Associations, MLS structures, governance, and the intersection of real estate and public policy.   Follow Rob YouTube: Under All Is The Land X: @robhahn   About Leigh Brown Leigh Brown is a leadership voice and keynote speaker who helps people navigate disruption and lead when the ground is shifting. Her latest book, Next Is Now, is a call to stop waiting and start leading.

Greg Daco, chief economist at EY, says the economy has been dealing with historic and conflicting economic shocks, but if it can continue the current capital investment cycle and see the productivity gains promised by artificial intelligence, it should be able to remain resilient in pushing past wobbles and weakness. Daco, who currently serves as the president of the National Association for Business Economics, discusses his concerns that growing polarization between different consumers and businesses are increasing the fragility of what he calls "the A pillars of economic growth" — affluent consumers, A.I. investment and asset-price appreciation economic growth — and how that creates "pockets of risk" that could change the cycle.  Todd Rosenbluth, head of research at VettaFi, leans into signs that the stock market has been broadening to make an equal-weight fund his ETF of the Week, noting that the balanced construction creates a very different take on the market than the traditional index fund covering the same ground. Mike Bailey, director of research at FBB Capital Partners, brings his "beat and replace" methodology back to the Market Call, discussing how secular change in industries and economies creates the upgrading opportunities he looks for.

The song “Hey Baby” was performed in University of Montana classrooms 40 times through “Singing Valentines” to help fundraise for the National Association for Music Education. Students played instruments and sang to deliver love to students and professors for Valentine's Day.   Episode by Grace Golbach / Montana Kaimin   Full transcripts of this episode and all others are available online at www.montanakaimin.com/the_kaimin_cast/ Questions? Comments? Email us at editor@montanakaimin.com A podcast from the Montana Kaimin, the University of Montana's independent, student-run newspaper.

The Environment Agency and Met Office are warning of more rain and unsettled weather continuing into March at least. And that's going to delay essential farm jobs even longer - crops not planted, slurry not spread. For contractors who rely on this work, the forecast is another blow. Their national body - the National Association of Agricultural Contractors - has been meeting in Cornwall to discuss the situation. Its chair Matt Redman told Caz Graham the rain is stopping vital work, and when it finally clears there will be less time to complete the work, putting extra strain on staff and machinery.The UK is facing an acute shortages of vets, particularly in farm animal and public sector roles. A survey last year suggested that more than 40 % of ‘large animal' vets have considered leaving their jobs, and replacing them will be difficult - many undergraduates who study veterinary science have limited exposure to farmers and agriculture, and choose to specialise in other parts of the profession. Will Golding is a graduate of the University of Nottingham's vet school and knew from the off that farm vet practice was the career for him.Not having access to a large animal vet makes farming - or crofting - impossible. So when the last vet on the Hebridean Island of Tiree retired and no one came forward to take over the practice, islanders realised they'd have to take matter into their own hands. This week they've opened what's thought to be UK's first ‘not for profit' community owned vets. Presented by Caz Graham and produced in Bristol by Sally Challoner

The U.S. housing market continues to show signs of strain. New data from the National Association of Realtors show existing-home sales fell 8.4% in January 2026 compared with December, and declined 4.4% from a year earlier. Meanwhile, home prices remain elevated, with the median price rising 0.6% from January 2025. Subscribe to our newsletter to stay informed with the latest news from a leading Black-owned & controlled media company: https://aurn.com/newsletter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Gold is testing the $5,000 barrier — and the charts are flashing warning signs. Kerry Lutz and Jerry Robinson dive into gold and silver as markets test extreme levels. A rising 50-day moving average offers support, but long weekly wicks show momentum could be slowing. Will it break through, or pause first? Speculation around Kevin Warsh and shifting Fed expectations may be driving the pullback. If the hawkish premium fades, rates could ease — and gold reacts. Silver just went vertical — then crashed back. Volatility is insane. Yet the fundamentals remain rock-solid: industrial demand from solar and data centers is still building. The lesson is clear: don't panic. Diversify. Dollar-cost average. See spikes as opportunity, not fear. Strategy also matters. Substack is winning over WordPress for publishing, mailing, and monetization. Kerry shares early paid-subscriber traction, teases Living the Silverback Lifestyle, and outlines a new parking-enforcement book paired with litigation and a public campaign under the National Association of American Defrauded Parkers. Markets are wild. Policy is shifting. Psychology is stretched. Smart investors stay steady — and strike when others hesitate. Find Jerry here: https://followthemoney.com Find Kerry here :https://khlfsn.substack.com and here: https://inflation.cafe    Kerry's New Book "The Armstrong Economic Code: The 5 Truths Investors Must Never Forget" is out now on Amazon!  Get your copy here:   https://a.co/d/bvYbZOz  "The World According to Martin Armstrong – Conversations with the Master Forecaster" is a #1 Best Seller on Amazon. . Get your copy here: https://amzn.to/4kuC5p5  

On America at Night with McGraw Milhaven, Lawrence Yun, Chief Economist at the National Association of REALTORS®, broke down the latest developments in the U.S. housing market, including affordability challenges, mortgage rates, and what buyers and sellers can expect in the months ahead. Next, Dr. Adam Omary of the Cato Institute examined the controversial question of whether an “autism epidemic” truly exists, discussing diagnostic trends, public perception, and how policy and data shape the debate. The show closed with author Jan Hartman, who discussed her book “Lincoln's Speechwriter: John Hay and the Friendship That Inspired American Eloquence,” highlighting the influential partnership behind some of Abraham Lincoln's most enduring words and its impact on American political rhetoric. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Weather is in the news today; Kevin talks about Ash Wednesday; the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) released their latest Housing Market Index; Kevin discusses affordability, if interest rates were lower; the Trump administration repeals the 2009 EPA Endangerment Finding; record tariff revenues shrink the U.S. budget deficit; Kevin has the details, digs into the data, puts the information into historical perspective, offers his insights and opinions. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Weather is in the news today; Kevin talks about Ash Wednesday; the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) released their latest Housing Market Index; Kevin discusses affordability, if interest rates were lower; the Trump administration repeals the 2009 EPA Endangerment Finding; record tariff revenues shrink the U.S. budget deficit; Kevin has the details, digs into the data, puts the information into historical perspective, offers his insights and opinions. 

Thirty four tonnes of illegal meat and animal products were intercepted over the course of January, at Dover docks. The Port Health Authority says it's the highest monthly total they have ever seized. Meanwhile, also in January, Suffolk Coastal Port Health Authority discovered 300 kilos of illegal pork at Harwich. It was found wrapped in foil and packed into suitcases. The chair of the Commons Environment, Food, and Rural Affairs Committee, Alistair Carmichael, gives his reaction.We're talking about farm vets all this week on the programme. Until 1999 UK veterinary practises had to be owned by vets but now 60 per cent of practises are owned by companies - some of them large. In Staffordshire, farm vet Ellen Widdowson decided to set up her own independent practice, with a colleague, after her previous employer was bought by a corporate group. The Home Office has said it'll no longer give special temporary access to the UK for overseas sheep shearers. The National Association of Agricultural Contractors says the concession is essential to the farming industry, and the decision could compromise animal welfare. The association estimates the 75 or so overseas shearers, who mainly come from New Zealand and Australia, would shear up to 1.5 million sheep during their time in the UK.Presenter: Caz Graham Producer: Sarah Swadling

For some entrepreneurs, starting a business isn't just a leap of faith — it's a leap taken together. In this episode, we sit down with husband and wife Bob and Jan Gibbons,  who built their commercial real estate business over time — first as a solo venture, and eventually as a shared commitment. What began as a response to a layoff evolved into a long-term partnership rooted in trust, specialization, and a willingness to grow together. But working together didn't come with a blueprint. Together, we discuss: What it feels like to build a business after unexpected job loss The leap from “helping out” to fully committing as co-owners The tension of giving each other responsibility and authority Learning to define roles, stay in your lane, and let go of control How outside mentorship helped them align around a shared vision If you've ever wondered whether you could build something meaningful with your spouse — without sacrificing the relationship in the process — this conversation offers an honest look at what it really takes. Are you ready to take control of your future and start building your legacy? Visit getprovide.com to pre-qualify for financing in as little as two minutes, with no impact on your credit score. Provide is a division of Fifth Third Bank, National Association. All opinions expressed by the participant are solely their current opinions and do not reflect the opinions of Provide, its affiliates, or Fifth Third Bank. The participant's opinions are based on information they consider reliable, but neither Provide, its affiliates nor Fifth Third Bank warrant its completeness or accuracy and should not be relied upon as such. This content is for informational purposes and does not constitute the rendering of legal, accounting, tax, or investment advice, or other professional services by Provide or any of its affiliates. Please consult with appropriate professionals related to your individual circumstances. All lending is subject to review and approval.

Mainstream headlines are saying, “home sales have slowed.” And on the surface, that's true. January's existing-home sales number came in down 8.4% from December, to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of about 3.91 million units, according to the National Association of Realtors. But here's the question I want to explore today. Did demand actually slow, or did unusually cold January weather interfere with the mechanics of completing transactions in a way that makes the data look worse than the underlying reality?Now before you leave, today's podcast episode was an experiment. The podcast sounded like me, even to me. But it was not me. It was actually a synthesized version of my voice using artificial intelligence. This is the technology of Eleven Labs at work. I provided about 30 minutes of recorded audio from myself in order to train the AI to create a voice that sounds like me. I'd like feedback from you the listener. Drop me an email at victor@victorjm.com and let me know if you could tell it was not me. Maybe you thought it was actually me talking. Let me know that as well. I'd like to know either way. Let me be clear, I have no intention of stopping recording the podcast live. ---------------**Real Estate Espresso Podcast:** Spotify: [The Real Estate Espresso Podcast](https://open.spotify.com/show/3GvtwRmTq4r3es8cbw8jW0?si=c75ea506a6694ef1)   iTunes: [The Real Estate Espresso Podcast](https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/the-real-estate-espresso-podcast/id1340482613)   Website: [www.victorjm.com](http://www.victorjm.com)   LinkedIn: [Victor Menasce](http://www.linkedin.com/in/vmenasce)   YouTube: [The Real Estate Espresso Podcast](http://www.youtube.com/@victorjmenasce6734)   Facebook: [www.facebook.com/realestateespresso](http://www.facebook.com/realestateespresso)   Email: [podcast@victorjm.com](mailto:podcast@victorjm.com)  **Y Street Capital:** Website: [www.ystreetcapital.com](http://www.ystreetcapital.com)   Facebook: [www.facebook.com/YStreetCapital](https://www.facebook.com/YStreetCapital)   Instagram: [@ystreetcapital](http://www.instagram.com/ystreetcapital)  

Show SummaryOn this episode, we have a conversation Today we're having a conversation with Michael Witt, Community & State Outreach Manager for the DirectEmployers Association. DirectEmployers is a non-profit member association built by employers, for employers, and we talked about how they support their member employers to better serve the military and veteran population as well as how DirectEmployers has worked to become a PsychArmor Veteran Ready OrganizationProvide FeedbackAs a dedicated member of the audience, we would like to hear from you. If you PsychArmor has helped you learn, grow, and support those who've served and those who care for them, we would appreciate hearing your story. Please follow this link to share how PsychArmor has helped you in your service journey Share PsychArmor StoriesAbout Today's GuestMichael Witt is the Community & State Outreach Manager for DirectEmployers Association (DE). DE is a non-profit member association built by employers, for employers. After 21 years of service with Iowa Workforce Development, including Division Administrator of Field Operations, oversight of WIOA federal programs and state workforce programs, he works closely with DE's 1k+ Member companies to implement strategies for improved recruitment and retention of skilled talent across the country.Links Mentioned During the EpisodeDirectEmployers Association WebsiteDirectEmployers VetCentral Webpage PsychArmor Resource of the WeekThis week's PsychArmor Resource of the Week is the Behind the Mission Podcast episode with Lori Adams, in episode 122. During this conversation, Lori and I talk about the National Association of State Workforce Agencies, the national organization representing all 50 state workforce agencies, D.C. and U.S. territories. These agencies deliver training, employment, career, business and wage and hour services, in addition to administering the unemployment insurance, veteran reemployment and labor market information programs. You can find the resource here:  https://psycharmor.org/podcast/lori-adams  Episode Partner: Are you an organization that engages with or supports the military affiliated community? Would you like to partner with an engaged and dynamic audience of like-minded professionals? Reach out to Inquire about Partnership Opportunities Contact Us and Join Us on Social Media Email PsychArmorPsychArmor on XPsychArmor on FacebookPsychArmor on YouTubePsychArmor on LinkedInPsychArmor on InstagramTheme MusicOur theme music Don't Kill the Messenger was written and performed by Navy Veteran Jerry Maniscalco, in cooperation with Operation Encore, a non profit committed to supporting singer/songwriter and musicians across the military and Veteran communities.Producer and Host Duane France is a retired Army Noncommissioned Officer, combat veteran, and clinical mental health counselor for service members, veterans, and their families.  You can find more about the work that he is doing at www.veteranmentalhealth.com  

OA1236 - Elections grab bag! Election news has been accumulating, so Jenessa helps us get caught up on what's going on. Who's winning elections? What's going on with redistricting? Heard something confusing about the mail? Trump back on his bullshit again? Good news, mixed news, debunking alleged bad news, bad news with plans for how to turn things around; we've got it all. Updates since we recorded: The SAVE America Act passed the House. Also the affidavit for the warrant in Georgia was unsealed. We'll talk about it soon, but the short version is these people really still believe in election conspiracy theories. It's gross. We'll survive. John Hanna & Julie Carr Smyth (Feb. 1, 2026). Texas stunner: Democrat Taylor Rehmet flips Republican state Senate district Trump won by 17 points, Associated Press. Amy Howe (Feb. 4, 2026). Supreme Court allows California to use congressional map benefitting Democrats, SCOTUSBlog. Tangipa v. Newsom (docket and SCOTUSBlog coverage), SCOTUSBlog. Abbott v. League of United Latin American Citizens (docket and SCOTUSBlog coverage), SCOTUSBlog. H.R.7296 - SAVE America Act, Congress.gov. H.R.7300 - Make Elections Great Again Act. Congress.gov. Domestic Mail Manual 608.11 Domestic Mail Manual amendment explanation (Nov. 24, 2025). Postmarks and Postal Possession, Federal Register. 39 CFR Part 111 Dan Mooney, What Is RTO? Why Do We Have It?, National Association of Postal Supervisors (Aug. 19, 2025)  Regional Transportation Optimization (RTO) initiative. (Feb. 2, 2025). Service Standards for Market-Dominant Mail Products, Federal Register. 39 CFR Part 121 Track Your Ballot or Ballot Application, Vote.org. 2 U.S.C. § 7 - Time of election (Dec. 24, 2025). Table 11: Receipt and Postmark Deadlines for Absentee/Mail Ballots, National Conference of State Legislatures. Evan Lee (Jan. 15, 2026) Court holds that all candidates can challenge rules governing vote counting in elections, SCOTUSBlog. Bost v. Illinois State Board of Elections, 607 U.S. __ (2026). Bost v. Illinois State Board of Elections (docket and SCOTUSBlog coverage), SCOTUSBlog. Amy Howe (Nov. 10, 2025). Justices agree to decide major election law case, SCOTUSBlog. Watson v. Republican National Committee (Election Law) (docket and SCOTUSBlog coverage), SCOTUSBlog. Check out the OA Linktree for all the places to go and things to do!

1.30.2026 #RolandMartinUnfiltered: Don Lemon, Georgia Fort Arrested Over Church Protest. Press Freedom on the Line Under Trump. Former CNN anchor and journalist Don Lemon and independent Minnesota journalist Georgia Fort were arrested along with two others in connection to the Minnesota church protests. Lemons predicted his arrest would still happen after the Department of Justice abandoned his arrest warrant on Tuesday. Lemon says he was there reporting--not protesting and, a judge recently rejected prosecutors attempts for his arrest. The question now is, what does this mean for our first amendments rights, what does it mean for journalists reporting real news -- and, what does it mean for people who challenge power and injustice under this Trump administration? Tonight, we talk with Erin Haines, President of the National Association of Black Journalists, and Octavia Treadway, Chair of the Center for Broadcast Journalism, to unpack the implications for journalists and the public. Download the Black Star Network app at http://www.blackstarnetwork.com! We're on iOS, AppleTV, Android, AndroidTV, Roku, FireTV, XBox and SamsungTV. The #BlackStarNetwork is a news reporting platform covered under Copyright Disclaimer Under Section 107 of the Copyright Act 1976, allowance is made for "fair use" for purposes such as criticism, comment, news reporting, teaching, scholarship, and research.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Part 2 . In this profound past life regression session, my client reconnects with a lifetime in which she personally knew Jesus. Through deep hypnosis, she accesses vivid memories of walking beside him and ultimately witnessing his death. What unfolds is emotional, sacred, and deeply transformative.My client also connected with the challenges she has with her current day brother, as he appeared to be a Roman Soldier who captured her. Past life regression allows the subconscious mind to reveal what the soul has always remembered. In this Jesus regression, themes of devotion, sacrifice, forgiveness, and higher consciousness come forward in a way that is both intimate and universal.If you are exploring soul awakening, deep hypnosis, quantum healing, ascension symptoms, or you feel a spiritual connection to the time of Jesus, this session may resonate deeply with you.****Please listen with care, as this episode contains emotional content surrounding the transition day. ✨ Topics included: • Past Life Regression • Past Life With Jesus • Deep Hypnosis & Subconscious Recall • Soul Healing Across Lifetimes • Spiritual Awakening • Ascension & Higher Consciousness • Healing Grief Through Regression. My client Ciara Titus, is a medium who works for the Ascended Masters: Jesus, Mother Mary, and Kuan Yin to relay their guidance, advice, and wisdom to help enlighten people about the afterlife. She uses a combination of her advanced spiritual gifts to connect with angels, spirit guides, and passed loved ones to deliver healing messages and proof of life beyond the veil. Ciara works as a Hospice Chaplain, providing spiritual care and counseling to persons at the end of life and their families. She earned a Master of Arts in Pastoral Counseling: Theology from Liberty University and achieved Board Certification with the National Association of Catholic Chaplains. She is also a Usui Reiki Master, trained at Huntington Beach Reiki. She continues her advanced studies with Master Channeler Oracle Maureen. For more information, please visit her website and offerings at www.ciaratitus.com.-- #pastlifetherapy #pastlifestories #pastlifewithjesus #divinemother #soulhealing #awakening Mayra Rath is a Spiritual Hypnotherapist specializing in Past Life Regression Therapy and QHHT Hypnosis. With over 26 years of experience, she has guided countless individuals through transformative journeys into their past lives, helping them uncover deep-rooted patterns and heal emotional wounds and traumas connected to previous incarnations.Based in Los Angeles, Mayra conducts sessions through her private practice, Soul Signs Hypnosis, both in-person and remotely.Connect with me Website: https://www.soulsigns.netSocial Media:TIKTOK:@SoulSignsHypnosisInstagram:@SoulSignsHypnosisFacebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1009959799420939 Youtube: @SoulSignsHypnosisPODCAST: Past Lives with Mayra Rath (Apple & Spotify)#pastlivespodcast #starseedmeaning #starseedactivations #qhhtpractitioner #qhhtsessions Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

How much trouble could a wind farm cause? Turns out, a lot. When Rick Jarrett decided to capitalize on strong gusts around his land in Big Timber, Montana, the prospect of a wind farm in the shadow of the Crazy Mountains upset hyper-wealthy neighbors who were more concerned about property aesthetics than multi-generation locals looking to make a living. It also caught the attention of Crow Tribe activists, for whom the Crazy Mountains held deep cultural significance. In this week's episode of A Book with Legs Smead Capital Management CEO and Portfolio Manager Cole Smead is joined by Amy Gamerman, author of “The Crazies: The Cattleman, the Wind Prospector, and a War Out West." Gamerman has written about real estate and culture for The Wall Street Journal for more than two decades. Her work has earned multiple awards from the National Association of Real Estate Editors and has appeared in Vogue, Redbook, and Departures. She attended Yale University and King's College, Cambridge.

Starting a family often changes how people think about money, responsibility, and risk. The real challenge is not access to information, but turning it into clear action before small gaps become big problems. In this episode, Iván Watanabe and Russell J. Carpentieri, Founder and Managing Partner at OPUS Private Client, LLC,  walk through the foundational planning steps families should address as life becomes more complex. They focus on understanding cash flow, evaluating employee benefits, and identifying coverage gaps before making bigger financial decisions. The conversation highlights how simple check-the-box actions can reduce exposure, why wills are often overlooked, and how planning brings clarity when expenses and responsibilities grow. Key takeaways: How cash flow clarity creates better decisions as family expenses grow Why employee benefits are often the fastest starting point for coverage How to think through insurance needs using real math instead of guesses Why non-working spouses still represent significant economic value The risks families face when wills and basic documents are delayed And more! Connect with Iván Watanabe: Opus Private Client, LLC  iwatanabe@opus-pc.com LinkedIn: Iván Watanabe YouTube: OPUS Private Client, LLC Connect with Russell J. Carpentieri: Opus Private Client, LLC  rcarpentieri@opus-pc.com LinkedIn: Russell J. Carpentieri YouTube: OPUS Private Client, LLC About Our Guest: Russell J. Carpentieri has over 34 years of experience in the Health/Welfare industry. He is the co-founder of Opus Private Client, LLC, and Opus Advisory Group, LLC. Russell manages the life insurance, retirement, and healthcare practices within each entity. His clients represent various industries, including finance, private equity, retail, real estate, healthcare, entertainment, and professional services. A believer in continuous professional development, Russell is an active member of the American Association of Life Underwriters, National Association of Health Underwriters, J.P Morgan, and Westchester County Blue Ribbon Task Force for NYS healthcare. As well, he spends time guest lecturing for numerous private equities, CFO and real estate symposiums, and insurance carrier conferences. Russell also cares deeply about his community. In fact, he is a founding member of the Make-a-Wish Foundation's Westchester Chapter. In addition to serving on the Syracuse University Athletic Board and National Football Foundation Board, Russell enjoys being involved in the American Heart Association, 21st Century Board of White Plains Hospital, and the Pajama Program at Turtle Bay Music School in New York City. After graduating from Syracuse University's management and finance program in 1983, Russell joined the New York Jets Football Club for two seasons as a special-teams player. Russell lives in Bedford, New York, with his wife, Suzanne. They have four children: Stefan, Nikolas, Maia, and Sophia.

Court Leader's Advantage Podcast EpisodeFebruary 17th, 2026Alaska has quietly become a brave path-finder incourt-based artificial intelligence. Last month, the state released the Alaska Virtual Assistant (AVA), an AI chatbot designed to help court users navigate the probate court system. The path to launch, however, was anything but smooth.Delays piled up, expectations collided with reality, and media coverage has been more skeptical than supportive. So, what actually happened behind the scenes?This month, we sit down with Alaska's court leaders to explore their bold new initiative, AVA, an innovative tool designed to help court users navigate the complexities of probate. We look beyond the headlines to examine what Alaskalearned from launching AI in the courts, the challenges they encountered, and the lessons every court should consider before embarking on a similar journey. Today's Moderator  Roger Rand, Technology Manager, Multnomah County Circuit Court, Portland, Oregon, Current Vice President, National Association for Court Management. Today's Panel Jeannie Sato, Director of Access to Justice Services, Alaska State Court System,Aubrie Souza, Principal Court Management Consultant, National Center for State Courts,Tom Martin, Founder and CEO of the legal technology & artificial intelligence firm LawDroid  Access the episode by going to the NACM website podcast link: https://www.nacmnet.org/podcastsBecome part of the Conversation. Submit your comments and questions to: CLAPodcast@nacmnet.org

Two-time Emmy and Three-time NAACP Image Award-winning, television Executive Producer Rushion McDonald interviewed Stacey Allen. The founder and artistic director of Nia’s Daughters Movement Collective. This episode blends art, activism, education, and cultural preservation through the lens of Black history and dance. Here are the key highlights:

Two-time Emmy and Three-time NAACP Image Award-winning, television Executive Producer Rushion McDonald interviewed Stacey Allen. The founder and artistic director of Nia’s Daughters Movement Collective. This episode blends art, activism, education, and cultural preservation through the lens of Black history and dance. Here are the key highlights:

Two-time Emmy and Three-time NAACP Image Award-winning, television Executive Producer Rushion McDonald interviewed Stacey Allen. The founder and artistic director of Nia’s Daughters Movement Collective. This episode blends art, activism, education, and cultural preservation through the lens of Black history and dance. Here are the key highlights:

  Based on recent studies, a substantial majority of aspiring first-time homebuyers in America is up to 97% experience at least one significant barrier to homeownership, such as high home prices, rising mortgage rates, or difficulty saving for a down payment. These financial obstacles have pushed the share of first-time buyers to a record low of 21% of all home purchases as of late 2025, according to the National Association of REALTORS. ®   Phil Ganz is the President of Next Wave Mortgage and a certified mortgage planning specialist. I've spent over two decades helping first-time buyers, families, and investors overcome barriers to homeownership. My focus is on building transparent, accessible mortgage solutions, especially for those affected by affordability challenges. I lead a multi-state team dedicated to bringing creative loan programs, down-payment assistance, and financial literacy initiatives to the communities we serve. As a certified mortgage planning specialist and a top 1% mortgage originator in America, I have over 24 years of experience in helping clients achieve their financial goals through homeownership. I have a degree in economics and a passion for creating personalized and transparent mortgage solutions.  I believe in empowering people to change their lives through homeownership. For more information: https://www.nextwavemortgage.com/ Call: (617) 529-9317 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Share your Field Stories!Welcome back to Environmental Professionals Radio, Connecting the Environmental Professionals Community Through Conversation, with your hosts Laura Thorne and Nic Frederick! On today's episode, we talk with Sarah Newman, Founder and Executive Director of the Climate Mental Health Network about Climate Anxiety, Resilience, and Community Support.   Read her full bio below.Help us continue to create great content! If you'd like to sponsor a future episode hit the support podcast button or visit www.environmentalprofessionalsradio.com/sponsor-form Showtimes: 1:30 - Environmental Challenges 8:15 - Interview with Sarah Newman Starts12:30 - How do we help25:19 - Connecting to the Climate movement 30:16 - Living on a Sailboat!Please be sure to ✔️subscribe, ⭐rate and ✍review. This podcast is produced by the National Association of Environmental Professions (NAEP). Check out all the NAEP has to offer at NAEP.org.Connect with Sarah Newman at https://www.linkedin.com/in/sarnew/Guest Bio: Sarah Newman is the founder and executive director of Climate Mental Health Network, addressing the mental health consequences of climate change. The organization is the largest in this emerging sector, reaching young people, parents and educators with research-informed programs and resources. In 2025 she was named a Grist 50 Fixer. She previously worked in the media impact sector and at nonprofits as an outreach director and community organizer.Music CreditsIntro: Givin Me Eyes by Grace MesaOutro: Never Ending Soul Groove by Mattijs MullerSupport the showThanks for listening! A new episode drops every Friday. Like, share, subscribe, and/or sponsor to help support the continuation of the show. You can find us on Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, and all your favorite podcast players.