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Excellent Executive Coaching: Bringing Your Coaching One Step Closer to Excelling
Jim Delaney is the Co-Founder and CEO of Traction AI, a go-to-market partner for founders navigating the early stages of growth. What lessons from military leadership carry over into building a high-performing startup team? Why do so many founders struggle with go-to-market execution — and how can they fix it? What does "RevOps" actually mean for an early-stage company? How can a founder align product, marketing, and sales without overhiring or burning cash? What advice would you give to leaders who are stepping into the CEO role for the first time? Jim Delaney Jim Delaney is the Co-Founder and CEO of Traction AI, a go-to-market partner for founders navigating the early stages of growth. A former U.S. Naval Officer and National Security Agency team lead, Jim spent the first chapter of his career in national defense before transitioning into the private sector, where he worked as a senior executive for JPMorgan Chase and on the executive leadership team at Dun & Bradstreet. He then worked for various venture capital and private equity firms as a portfolio CEO for various portfolio companies and led two technology companies to successful exits — Marketwired sold to Nasdaq and Sysomos sold to Meltwater. With over 30 years of experience scaling data and SaaS businesses, Jim brings a rare blend of operational rigor and servant leadership to the startups he supports. He holds a degree from the U.S. Naval Academy and an MBA from the Wharton School. Excellent Executive Coaching Podcast If you have enjoyed this episode, subscribe to our podcast on iTunes. We would love for you to leave a review. The EEC podcasts are sponsored by MKB Excellent Executive Coaching, which helps you get from where you are to where you want to be with customized leadership and coaching development programs. MKB Excellent Executive Coaching offers leadership development programs to generate action, learning, and change that is aligned with your authentic self and values. Transform your dreams into reality and invest in yourself by scheduling a discovery session with Dr. Katrina Burrus, MCC, to reach your goals. Your host is Dr. Katrina Burrus, MCC, founder and general manager of Excellent Executive Coaching, a company that specializes in leadership development.
REDIFFUSION - Les révélations d'Edward Snowden en 2013 ont attiré l'attention du public sur la NSA, une organisation gouvernementale relativement méconnue. Son activité et ses méthodes suscitent de nombreux questionnements. Selon le lanceur d'alerte, la National Security Agency aurait surveillé pas moins de 33 millions d'appels téléphoniques émis aux Etats Unis sur une période de trente jours, s'étalant du 10 décembre 2012 au 8 janvier 2013. Le scandale ne s'arrête pas aux frontières de l'Amérique. Les écoutes massives et le traitement des informations concerneraient le monde entier.
China's security authorities say they have found conclusive evidence of a major cyber intrusion by the U.S. National Security Agency targeting the National Time Service Center of the Chinese Academy of Sciences.
Send us a textWelcome back to "Passing The Torch," where we dive deep into the stories behind remarkable leaders, their journeys, and the lessons they have to share. In this episode, host Martin Foster sits down with Scott Stalker—a man whose military career defies conventional expectations. Despite finishing last in his intelligence school training, Scott went on to spend 31 years in the United States Marine Corps, becoming the first and only Marine to serve as the command senior enlisted leader at not just the Defense Intelligence Agency, but also at the National Security Agency, United States Cyber Command, and United States Space Command.Since retiring, Scott has founded a company devoted to national security and leadership development, and has authored "Left of Leadership," a book distilling wisdom from decades at the front lines of service and strategy. In this candid and wide-ranging conversation, Scott reflects on his troubled youth, his path to redemption and leadership, and the power of small, consistent efforts to effect lasting change.You'll hear Scott's unfiltered thoughts on discipline, the importance of personal growth, facing ethical dilemmas, and why helping others is the ultimate key to success. With stories ranging from shoplifting as a kid, to being banned by name from Russia, to finding inspiration in his own family—this episode is packed with humor, humility, and actionable insight.Why Listen: This episode offers genuine wisdom, humor, and vulnerability. Anyone interested in leadership, personal growth, or military stories will walk away feeling empowered to take action, build resilience, and lead with heart—regardless of where they start.-Quick Episode Summary:Scott Stalker shares leadership lessons, resilience, and life inspiration.-SEO Description:Marine veteran Scott Stalker shares leadership lessons, resilience, military stories, and personal growth on Passing The Torch with host Martin Foster.-Chapters:00:00 "Why Life Feels Great Now"09:56 Golf Fitness and Marine Corps Story15:27 "Wounded Warrior Project Commitment"16:25 Support for Returning Veterans21:44 "Growth Through Words Perspective"29:32 "Negativity Doesn't Solve Anything"34:52 "Embracing Post-Traumatic Growth"39:06 "Prioritizing Presence as a Parent"44:37 "Preparation Changes Everything"52:21 "Fascinated by Tech's Future"58:50 Ethics in Combat Decision-Making59:56 "Strategic Wisdom in Decision-Making"01:10:02 Growth, Values, and Respect01:12:57 "Lt Gen Van Riper's Legacy"01:17:51 "Focused Planning for Long-Term Success"01:21:43 Name Game01:31:07 "Tragedy, Loss, and Honor"01:34:11 "Billboard Message"Connect with Passing The Torch: Facebook and IG: @torchmartin More Amazing Stories: Episode 41: Lee Ellis – Freeing You From Bond That Make You Insecure Episode 81: Kurt Warner – Perseverance, Humility, and Lighting the Way Episode 90: Michelle 'MACE' Curran – How to Turn Fear into Fuel
Correspondent Scott Pelley reports on the threat China's cyber campaign poses to America's critical infrastructure. The former head of the National Security Agency and U.S. Cyber Command, General Tim Haugh, speaks with Pelley – in the general's first television interview since his retirement – about the threat. With Wall Street soaring to record highs and worries of an AI bubble, correspondent Lesley Stahl speaks with Andrew Ross Sorkin — one of the most trusted financial reporters of our time — about his new book, “1929,” which examines the market crash a century ago, to explore whether history is about to repeat itself. As the deal brokered by the Trump administration between Israel and Hamas raises hope for broader changes in the Middle East, Margaret Brennan interviews Syria's new president Ahmed Al Sharaa, a former Al Qaeda member, in his first U.S. television interview since taking office. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices
The TeacherCast Podcast – The TeacherCast Educational Network
Welcome to Digital Learning Today. In this episode, Jeff Bradbury explores the strategic systems shaping education's future, focusing on Instructional Coaching, Artificial Intelligence, Professional Learning, and cutting-edge Educational Technology Trends. Dr. Leslie Gruis joins us for an engaging conversation, sharing her remarkable journey from a math-fascinated young girl to a distinguished figure in national security and education. Drawing on her 30-year NSA career, she discusses her passion for mentoring STEM students, particularly middle school girls. Dr. Gruis highlights privacy's fundamental role in democracy while examining both challenges and opportunities presented by emerging technologies like AI. Her educational insights emphasize the critical need for effective teaching methods that will inspire our next generation of mathematicians and scientists. Become a High-Impact Leader: This episode is just the beginning. To get the complete blueprint for designing and implementing high-impact systems in your district, get your copy of my book, "Impact Standards." Strategic Vision for Digital Learning:Learn how to create a district-wide vision that aligns digital learning with your educational goals, transforming how standards-based instruction is designed and supported.Curriculum Design and Implementation:Discover practical strategies for integrating digital learning into existing curricula, creating vertical alignment of skills, and mapping digital learning across grade levels.Effective Instructional Coaching:Master the art of coaching people rather than technology, building relationships that drive success, and measuring impact through student engagement rather than just technology usage. Purchase your copy of “Impact Standards” on Amazon today! Key Takeaways: Dr. Gruis holds a PhD in applied math and engineering sciences.She champions mentoring middle school girls in STEM.The U.S. faces a critical shortage of cybersecurity professionals.Her NSA career spanned over 30 years with a focus on cryptology.The internet's emergence transformed both her work and the field of mathematics.Her book on privacy emphasizes its fundamental role in democracy.Dr. Gruis contends that technology hasn't solved core educational challenges.She strongly advocates for hands-on learning experiences.Middle school represents a critical juncture for girls' interest in math and science.Effective teaching hinges on understanding students' individual learning styles. Chapters: 00:00 Introduction to STEM Education and Mentorship01:48 The Importance of Middle School Girls in STEM04:31 Personal Journey in Mathematics and NSA Career09:01 The Evolution of Technology and Its Impact14:10 Privacy and Cybersecurity Insights17:13 AI in Education and Society19:38 Mentoring Middle School Girls22:38 Teaching Strategies for Engaging Students27:10 Challenges in Education and the Future of STEM About our Guest: Dr. Leslie Gruis Born a patriot and raised on Capitol Hill, Dr. Leslie Gruis has dedicated her life to the intersection of mathematics, national service, privacy and civil liberties. She spent three decades as a senior intelligence officer at the National Security Agency, where she developed disruptive technologies to tackle complex security challenges and helped shape internal debates around surveillance and privacy. As the first president of the NSA's Women in Mathematics Society, she championed inclusion in STEM early in her career. Dr. Gruis also...
Alex Hutchinson is a National Magazine Award-winning journalist who writes about the science of endurance for Runner's World and Outside, and frequently contributes to other publications such as the New York Times and the New Yorker. A former long-distance runner for the Canadian national team, he holds a master's in journalism from Columbia and a Ph.D. in physics from Cambridge, and he did his post-doctoral research with the National Security Agency. He is the author of Endurance and a new book, The Explorer's Gene. Alex joined host Robert Glazer on The Elevate Podcast to talk about The Explorer's Gene, how leaders can gain by being adventurous, and more. Thank you to the sponsors of The Elevate Podcast Mizzen & Main: mizzenandmain.com (Promo Code: elevate20) Shopify: shopify.com/elevate Indeed: indeed.com/elevate Masterclass: masterclass.com/elevate Found: found.com/elevate Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
“For far too long, previous corrupt leadership and their enablers weaponized federal law enforcement, damaging once proud institutions and severely eroding public trust,” said FBI Director Kash Patel following the Justice Department's charging of former FBI Director James Comey with perjury and obstruction of Congress. Comey's right-hand man, former FBI Deputy Director Andrew McCabe, was not charged by the Department of Justice in 2020 after the DOJ's inspector general found that he had “authorized an aide to talk with The Wall Street Journal about the FBI's probe into the Clinton Foundation,” according to NPR. James Clapper lied to Congress about the nature and scope of the National Security Agency's domestic surveillance operations. Former CIA Director John Brennan lied two times under oath to Congress. Until James Comey's recent indictment, many of the individuals who played an integral role in weaponizing America's intelligence and law enforcement agencies to target political enemies like Donald Trump got off scot-free, argues Victor Davis Hanson on today's edition of “Victor Davis Hanson: In His Own Words”: (00:00) Introduction and Overview (00:59) Details of Comey's Indictment (02:01) Comparisons and Legal Context (06:05) Conclusion and Final Thoughts
This week on Hashtag History, we will be discussing the Lavender Scare, a roughly forty-year period in history (spanning from the late-1940s and into the early-1990s) in which thousands of government employees lost their job as part of a federal anti-gay policy. Under Executive Order 10450 issued in 1953, it became a legal policy to remove all known gay men and women from federal service because it was believed that homosexuals have a proclivity for weakness and would therefore pose a threat to national security if they remained in their positions within the government.We all know about Senator Joseph McCarthy and the Red Scare that he set off with his infamous congressional speech about the list of communists he claimed to know worked for the government. But alongside that scare, lesser known than that scare, was the Lavender Scare. As Senator Alan K. Simpson later wrote of it, “The so-called ‘Red Scare' has been the main focus of most historians of that period of time. A lesser-known element and one that harmed far more people was the witch-hunt McCarthy and others conducted against homosexuals.” And while McCarthyism is generally associated with the 1940s and 1950s, the Lavender Scare went far beyond that with one federal employee telling about his experience in 1980! Jamie Shoemaker was called into his boss' office at the National Security Agency in 1980 where “...they said ‘we understand you're leading a gay lifestyle. And I remember saying, ‘well, I didn't think I was leading it, but yes, I'm gay.'" He was then placed on leave for four months while his bosses hemmed and hawed about what they were going to do…all to eventually fire him for his sexual orientation…nearly thirty years after the Executive Order had first been put into place!I find this topic to be fascinating – and also, obviously, brutal and disgusting – but fascinating because it is a lesser known part of history…and yet it is wrapped up in the larger picture of a very well known part of history; that being, McCarthyism and the Red Scare.Follow Hashtag History on Instagram @hashtaghistory_podcast for all of the pictures mentioned in this episode.Citations for all sources can be located on our website at www.HashtagHistory-Pod.com. You can also check out our website for super cute merch!You can now sponsor a cocktail and get a shout-out on air! Just head to www.buymeacoffee.com/hashtaghistory or head to the Support tab on our website!You can locate us on www.Patreon.com/hashtaghistory where you can donate $1 a month to our Books and Booze Supply. All of your support goes a long ways and we are endlessly grateful! To show our gratitude, all Patreon Supporters receive an automatic 15% OFF all merchandise in our merchandise store, a shoutout on social media, and stickers!THANKS FOR LISTENING!- Rachel and LeahEditor: Alex PerezCopyright: The Hashtag History Podcast
What if the next season of your life is the one where everything comes together—your experience, your confidence, and your legacy?I had such a heartfelt conversation with Wendi Brown about her chapter You Are a Profit Powerhouse in Power of What's NEXT: Bold Moves By Design. Wendi's words have stayed with me, especially when she said, “Your legacy is your leverage. Use it.” She also shared a reminder that made me pause—“Confidence without experience is a liability.”What I love about Wendi is how she sees women over 50 as having an incredible advantage. Instead of slowing down, this is the moment to lean into everything you've learned and step forward with boldness.Here are just a few things you'll take away from our conversation: ✨ How your legacy can be the strongest foundation for your future. ✨ Why confidence and experience together create unstoppable momentum. ✨ The real advantage women have in the second half of their careers.
We welcome veterans of the now-gone Army Security Agency, which was first created on September 15, 1945, in the immediate aftermath of World War II. ASA veterans John Peart and others will share their stories of service with this shadowy intelligence agency that played a critical role in the Cold War. The Army Security Agency (ASA) operated under the authority of the National Security Agency (NSA) and was tasked with intercepting, analyzing, and exploiting enemy communications. Its mission included codebreaking, electronic intelligence gathering, direction finding, and secure communications. The ASA played a central role during the early Cold War period, collecting intelligence on the Soviet Union and its allies. ASA units were composed of highly trained personnel, often fluent in foreign languages, skilled in radio operations, cryptography, and electronic surveillance. The ASA's role expanded during the Korean War and reached a peak of operational activity during the Vietnam War. ASA personnel were deployed across Southeast Asia, conducting covert and direct support operations for U.S. and allied forces. They established field stations and remote intercept sites near conflict zones and along the Ho Chi Minh Trail. Using direction-finding equipment and advanced signal processing tools, they intercepted enemy radio traffic, provided early warning of enemy movements, and monitored North Vietnamese and Viet Cong communications. Their intelligence was vital to strategic planning and tactical decision-making. One of the most significant and symbolic events involving the ASA during the Vietnam War was the death of Specialist 4 James T. Davis on December 22, 1961. Davis, part of the 3rd Radio Research Unit—the ASA cover name in Vietnam—was on a joint operation with South Vietnamese forces near Saigon when his convoy was ambushed. He and ten South Vietnamese soldiers were killed. Davis became the first American battlefield casualty of the Vietnam War recognized by the Department of Defense. His death marked a turning point, highlighting the increasing U.S. involvement in Vietnam and the dangerous nature of ASA missions in the field. The ASA compound at Tan Son Nhut Air Base was later named “Davis Station” in his honor. Throughout the Vietnam War, ASA personnel worked in close coordination with the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), Air Force Security Service, and Navy intelligence units. Their work remained classified for decades. Despite the high-risk nature of their missions, ASA soldiers were generally non-combatants operating in a military intelligence capacity, though many saw combat or were exposed to hostile fire due to their proximity to enemy forces. The ASA continued its global intelligence operations through the 1970s but was eventually dissolved in 1977. Its functions were absorbed into the U.S. Army Intelligence and Security Command (INSCOM), consolidating Army intelligence efforts under a single command structure. Though no longer active, the ASA's legacy endures in the modern electronic warfare and signals intelligence capabilities of the U.S. Army. We're grateful to UPMC for Life for sponsoring this event!
We discuss Charlie Kirk, NATO article 4 and psyops. Tom Luongo is a former research chemist, amateur dairy goat farmer, libertarian, and economist whose work can be found on Zero Hedge and Newsmax Media. He hosts the Gold Goats ‘n Guns Podcast.LTC Steven Murray is a retired U.S. Army Lieutenant Colonel who served as an Information Warfare Officer and Cyber Defense Battalion Commander. With extensive experience in cyber operations and intelligence, he commanded units supporting the United States Pacific Command, U.S. Army Pacific Forces, and the National Security Agency. He was deployed to Iraq during Operation Enduring Freedom, earning a Bronze Star, and has held roles such as Chief Information Security Officer for a large medical company. To watch the Full Cornerstone Forum: https://open.substack.com/pub/shaunnewmanpodcastGet your voice heard: Text Shaun 587-217-8500Silver Gold Bull Links:Website: https://silvergoldbull.ca/Email: SNP@silvergoldbull.comText Grahame: (587) 441-9100Bow Valley Credit UnionBitcoin: www.bowvalleycu.com/en/personal/investing-wealth/bitcoin-gatewayEmail: welcome@BowValleycu.com Use the code “SNP” on all ordersProphet River Links:Website: store.prophetriver.com/Email: SNP@prophetriver.comExpat Money SummitWebsite: ExpatMoneySummit.com
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASEFamed Fox Network TV Producer Files Lawsuit Against CIA‘Disinformation' Scientist and Antigravity/UFO Research Firm Contact: Rob McConnellThe “X” Zone Broadcast Network Canadian Media Servicesrobmcconnell@xzbn.net(905) 575-1222 March 7, 2019 – Orange, CA – Robert C. Kiviat, the investigative producer best known for his hit TV Specials FOX Broadcasting aired along with their X-Files series such as Alien Autopsy: Fact or Fiction?, UFOs: The Best Evidence Ever Caught On Tape and World's Greatest Hoaxes: Secrets Finally Revealed, has filed a lawsuit in California against longtime CIA scientist Ron Pandolfi, who ran the CIA's “Weird Desk” and most recently has been backing InterNASA, an advanced physics firm also named in the lawsuit which Kiviat worked for under contract since 2018, but has yet to pay him.According to the Complaint filed last week, Kiviat – whose 2014 TV Special for NBC Universal's Syfy channel, Aliens On The Moon: The Truth Exposed unveiled never-before-seen NASA photos taken by the Apollo astronauts that appear to show gigantic lunar constructions of unknown origin – is seeking $300,000 in employment salary arrears InterNASA presently owes him. The suit also promises to pry open for the first time, via legal discovery, the inner workings behind CIA operations ostensibly led by Pandolfi comprising a decades-long disinformation campaign designed to influence and confuse the public about UFOs – or exotic technologies – by manipulating researchers, and worse, lead those involved to lose money, and more, in the process. “Covering UFOs and other unexplained topics for TV networks made me keenly aware that both a former Director of the National Security Agency (NSA) and a famous astronaut had moved into anti-gravity R & D upon leaving government service,” Kiviat says. “So when InterNASA CEO Joe Firmage assured me he had secured the necessary funding and that Pandolfi was backing his gravity-control research, I accepted a position to oversee InterNASA's Studios division.” Kiviat adds that Pandolfi's apparent support of the science behind Firmage's device was independently corroborated by a prominent researcher and author giving lectures at packed UFO conferences throughout 2017, claiming he learned of it from a known Pandolfi operative. The same month that Firmage was recruiting Kiviat to oversee InterNASA Studios – which Firmage envisioned as a news and entertainment entity for informing the public about the implications of his discovery – The New York Times ran a front-page article announcing that unidentified “Tic Tac” shaped aircraft had been caught on video by U.S. Navy pilots easily outmaneuvering our fastest jets with gravity-defying capability. These videos The Times wrote about were not released by the U.S. military, but by a company headed by former Blink 182 guitarist Tom DeLonge and Dr. Hal Puthoff, a scientist who had conducted government ESP research and is a former paid consultant Firmage employed 10 years earlier when he was just beginning work on the anti-gravity device.“Firmage asked me repeatedly if I knew of any actual technology that was being developed by the company DeLonge and Puthoff were heading, which they named To The Stars Academy (TTSA), and when I told him I didn't, he indicated he felt Puthoff must have usurped his overall ‘new physics Academy' concept he had been talking about for years,” Kiviat recalls. “To be fair, Firmage had a point, in that InterNASA – or its full name, International Academy of Science and Arts, does sound like it could have inspired TTSA. Then he gave me our plan, which was to beat TTSA to the punch and get news stories and TV series made about our efforts to prove gravity-control exists.”While Kiviat explains that he performed multiple tasks for InterNASA working under his employment contract, including corporate communications, investor relations and also managed to make multiple trips to New York to pitch two major TV Networks a series which would, in part, unveil InterNASA's plans, it was Firmage's insistence that Kiviat actually was working for both him and Pandolfi that intrigued him the most.“Often when I would have my daily phone calls with Firmage, and also with Pandolfi's most trusted operative who was stationed at Firmage's Utah home laboratory overseeing technical progress being made on the gravity-control device and reporting back to Pandolfi on the East Coast, Pandolfi would call in and they would both have to aburprtly end our calls,” Kiviat says. “Any claim Pandolfi makes that he did not call in that frequently or was not majorly involved in monitoring InterNASA's technology development is preposterous and demonstrably false.” InterNASA's financial problems started early, Kiviat reveals, when its seemingly most interested investor, former Utah Congressman Daniel Marriott, feigned he would provide the investment capital to cover all operating costs, but kept coming up with reasons for holding up doing so, while curiously, also maintaining that if any other investor stepped in, he would pull his involvement completely. “It was this Catch-22 kind of dealing that basically strangled the company, Kiviat adds. “But Marriott did eventually make as minimal payment as possible to keep InterNASA's technological development going, and also paid me a small amount out of his own pocket to cover a tiny portion of my amassing InterNASA salary arrears.”By the middle of 2018, Kiviat was told by both Firmage and Pandolfi's operative in Utah that a major meeting – or “gravity control” demonstration – was being planned with Pandolfi's assistance in Colorado. But due to Firmage's inability to meet certain deadlines, the meeting abruptly was canceled. Kiviat was informed the company was going “dark” to work on the machine without distraction, and Kiviat – or what Pandolfi's operative called “Media” – would be the last to be paid with whatever funds Marriott was continuing to contribute. “From that point on, I focused primarily on getting a TV deal since it seemed money would have to come in from some outside source to keep InterNASA going, with Marriott manipulating the way he was doing,” Kiviat says. “TV executives I met with in both Hollywood and New York showed a lot of interest, and these negotiations are continuing despite the lawsuit being filed. One way or another, I think the series I presented will get made, and it will be the most definitive and far reaching TV project ever concerning UFOs, the subject's connection to exotic propulsion systems and what the U.S. government knows about possible extraterrestrial visitation.”On the advice of his attorney, Kiviat's lawsuit also names Marriott as a co-defendant and alleges he is culpable for money owed to Kiviat for the year or more of work performed under his employment contract. Yet Kiviat sees his case having much more significance than simply being about receiving his fair compensation. “Not only am I seeking to be paid for what I am owed legally for my dedicated efforts, but the suit has the added value of exposing the way the U.S. intelligence agencies have seemingly manipulated the UFO community and overall, the general public for years. And to put it mildly, it stinks, many good people have been damaged and it has to stop.”##Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-x-zone-radio-tv-show--1078348/support.Please note that all XZBN radio and/or television shows are Copyright © REL-MAR McConnell Meda Company, Niagara, Ontario, Canada – www.rel-mar.com. For more Episodes of this show and all shows produced, broadcasted and syndicated from REL-MAR McConell Media Company and The 'X' Zone Broadcast Network and the 'X' Zone TV Channell, visit www.xzbn.net. For programming, distribution, and syndication inquiries, email programming@xzbn.net.We are proud to announce the we have launched TWATNews.com, launched in August 2025.TWATNews.com is an independent online news platform dedicated to uncovering the truth about Donald Trump and his ongoing influence in politics, business, and society. Unlike mainstream outlets that often sanitize, soften, or ignore stories that challenge Trump and his allies, TWATNews digs deeper to deliver hard-hitting articles, investigative features, and sharp commentary that mainstream media won't touch.These are stories and articles that you will not read anywhere else.Our mission is simple: to expose corruption, lies, and authoritarian tendencies while giving voice to the perspectives and evidence that are often marginalized or buried by corporate-controlled media.
In this gripping episode of Gangland Wire, retired intelligence detective Gary Jenkins sits down with author Jonathan Dyer to explore one of the most complex and dangerous figures in Mafia history—Greg Scarpa, the Colombo family enforcer known as The Grim Reaper. Dyer, whose career spans military intelligence, law, and education, brings deep insight into Scarpa's remarkable—and chilling—dual role as both a ruthless mob killer and a prized FBI top echelon informant. Together, Gary and Jonathan unpack the moral ambiguities, betrayals, and calculated violence that defined Scarpa's career in the turbulent world of organized crime. Listeners will hear: How Scarpa balanced loyalty to the mob with his covert cooperation with the FBI. The structured, almost corporate way his crew operated—and how he enforced discipline with fear and bloodshed. The darker corners of his personal life, including family ties, marriages, and the impact of his choices on his children. The violent episodes, such as the murder of Mary Bari, underscore his brutality and the Mafia's code of protection. From Cold War–era law enforcement collusion to the inner workings of New York's underworld, this episode reveals how Scarpa manipulated both sides of the law to maintain power. Jonathan Dyer's latest book, Greg Scarpa: Legendary Evil, offers the foundation for a conversation that will leave you questioning where law enforcement ends and organized crime begins. Subscribe to Gangland Wire wherever you get your podcasts, and join us each week as we uncover the stories buried beneath the headlines—and the bodies. Listen now on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, or your favorite podcast app. Hit me up on Venmo for a cup of coffee or a shot and a beer @ganglandwire Click here to "buy me a cup of coffee" To go to the store or make a donation or rent Ballot Theft: Burglary, Murder, Coverup, click here To rent Brothers against Brothers, the documentary, click here. To rent Gangland Wire, the documentary, click here Transcript [0:00] Well, hey, welcome all you wiretappers. Good to be back here in the studio of [0:03] Gangland Wire. This is Gary Jenkins, an entire Kansas City, Missouri police detective. Worked at the Organized Crime Unit or the Intelligence Unit for many years. And now I've got a podcast and we're all about the organized crime. As you guys know, all you regular guys and for new people, it's all about organized crime, particularly the Italian mafia in the United States. Now, I have an author here today, Jonathan Dyer. And Jonathan, I really am excited about having you on here because you have a different take about a much cussed and discussed subject or person, Gregory the Grim Reaper Scarpa. So welcome, Jonathan. Thanks, Gary. Thanks for having me. So tell the guys a little bit about yourself, a little bit about your background. Where'd you come from other than Marshall? We found out we have similar backgrounds, Marshall, Missouri, rural Missouri, farm life and Kansas City. So tell the guys a little bit about yourself. Well, in 1981, Gary, I joined the Army and spent about a year and a half in Monterey Defense Language Institute learning Russian. [1:10] After that, I went to Goodfellow Air Force Base for some cryptologic training. And then after that, I went to the National Security Agency in Fort Meade for some more training and then shipped overseas to Berlin for three years trying to keep tabs on the Soviet Army during the Cold War. After the Army, I entered law school at UC Davis in California. And after law school, I practiced law for about 10 years as a civil litigator. And then in 1999, I switched careers and became a teacher and taught government and U.S. History and criminal law and retired during the pandemic. And now I live in central Texas. Interesting. [1:52] This is off the subject a little bit, but I've always been curious about that language school.
Today Justin speaks with Reality Winner. Reality enlisted in the US Air Force after high school and served as a cryptolinguist assigned to the National Security Agency where she translated audio recordings in Pashtu and Dari from Afghanistan. Following her first enlistment, she was hired as a private contractor working at a different NSA facility in Augusta, Georgia. In June, 2017, she was arrested after leaking a classified report to The Intercept media outlet. Her story became a media sensation, and since then, she has been the subject of a 2021 documentary, as well as two film adaptations released in 2023 and 2024. She's here today to discuss her life, her arrest, and her incarceration, which she wrote about in her new memoir titled, I Am Not Your Enemy.Connect with Reality:IG: @reazlepuff Check out the book, I Am Not Your Enemy, here.https://a.co/d/7WPCba5Connect with Spycraft 101:Get Justin's latest book, Murder, Intrigue, and Conspiracy: Stories from the Cold War and Beyond, here.spycraft101.comIG: @spycraft101Shop: shop.spycraft101.comPatreon: Spycraft 101Subtack: spycraft101.substack.comFind Justin's first book, Spyshots: Volume One, here.Check out Justin's second book, Covert Arms, here.Download the free eBook, The Clandestine Operative's Sidearm of Choice, here.Grayman Briefing ClassifiedUse code GBCSpycraft to save 20% on your subscription.Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you.Support the show
The United States has already become a police state as the National Security Agency spies on everyone and everything so evildoers and tyrants can control society from top to bottom and target opponents, former NSA technical director turned whistleblower William Binney warned in this explosive interview on Behind The Deep State with The New American ... The post US ALREADY a Police State as NSA Collects ALL, Whistleblower Warns appeared first on The New American.
We're talking all about Cybersecurity with Dr. Calvin Nobles, (Ret.) U.S. Navy Cryptologic Warfare Officer and Dean of Cybersecurity & Information Technology at University of Maryland Global Campus. We unpack the threats that exist all around us including how the military is defending against rogue nations, evolving AI, and drone technology. Nobles shared the threats he witnessed while commanding Cyber Operations for the US Navy and his time at the National Security Agency. We also learned about cyber security education pathways and the certifications required for jobs in this rapidly growing field, which is actively recruiting veterans. For more on cybersecurity opportunities, connect with Dr Calvin Nobles here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/calvinnobles/ To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices
En 1985, Mikhaïl Gorbatchev s'attèle à un chantier politique de taille en URSS, visant à mettre fin à la Guerre Froide. Mais au même moment, aux États-Unis, une longue série d'arrestations fortement médiatisées vient relancer les tensions entre les deux blocs. Au centre de ce scandale : des espions et traîtres capturés par le FBI, la CIA et leurs collègues. 1985 devient alors The Year of the Spy, l'année des espions. Mais qui étaient ces femmes et ces hommes, certains trop bavards, d'autres travaillant activement pour le compte de l'ennemi.Le 20 octobre 1985, les agents du FBI et de la NSA, la National Security Agency, chargée de la surveillance et du décryptage des communications ennemies, sont sur le point de découvrir le traître qui a compromis certaines de leurs opérations les plus précieuses de la Guerre Froide. Tout tient à la parole d'un homme, Vitali Yurchenko, ancien chef adjoint du Premier Département de la Première Direction Générale du KGB, ayant choisi de faire défection à l'Ouest.
Andrew Shapiro talks with CSIS researcher (and undersea cable enthusiast) Erin Murphy about the threats facing these critical transmission paths at the bottom of the world's oceans. Erin explains why undersea cables are vital to military communications, financial systems, and healthcare—and how they've evolved into strategic targets. She also discusses the roles of China and Russia, and how the commercial interests of the infrastructure's private owners stack up against national security concerns.
Max Burns guest hosts. He has a mixed bag of topics...1. NYPD says a note found on the gunman who killed 4 in a midtown Manhattan skyscraper blamed his actions on traumatic brain injuries caused by football and the inaction of the NFL, whose headquarters he sought. 2. The head of the National Security Agency (NSA) and the NSA's deputy director have been fired. The firings were described as abrupt and occurred after reports of pressure from right-wing activist Laura Loomer who had accused the officials of disloyalty. 3. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth is rumored to be quitting his current post to run for office in Tennessee. 4. Immigration Czar Tom Homan gave out some very back of the napkin math on the people his goon squads are rounding up and disappearing from the country. 5. Trump told reporters he had a falling out with Jeffrey Epstein over underage spa workers at Mar a Lago being recruited into his sexual predator enterprise. Then, Max speaks with Elaine Godfrey who is a staff writer at The Atlantic. She covers national politics. Her latest reporting documents the kind of leadership, issue-advocacy and grit the modern Democratic party needs to survive the Second Age of Donald Trump – as typified by Texan Jasmine Crockett. Next, he interviews Zoë Towns who is the Executive Director at Forward Dot U-S, where she launched the criminal justice reform portfolio in 2017 - defining its advocacy, policy, research, and philanthropic agenda. In her years since, Zoë has overseen administrative, ballot, electoral, and legislative criminal justice reform campaigns in states across the country and at the federal level. And finally, Max chats with the National Affairs correspondent for The Nation - John Nichols about current news and all things in Trumpland. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
In a revelation about the lead-up to the 2016 Trump-Russia investigation, newly released records show the FBI and National Security Agency had low confidence that Russia was behind the alleged hack of DNC servers. But that detail was left out of a memo sent to then-President Barack Obama.At least 30 people were injured early Saturday morning when a vehicle drove into a crowd outside a nightclub in East Hollywood. Police say the driver was attacked. The cause of the incident is still under investigation.At least 27 people died Saturday afternoon after a tourist boat capsized in Vietnam during stormy weather. State media reports the boat, carrying 53 people, overturned around 2 p.m. local time as a storm approached.
Three hikers stumbled upon something impossible in the New Mexico desert. Inside a hidden chamber carved into Chaco Canyon's walls, they discovered artifacts that defied everything archaeologists thought they knew about human history. The National Security Agency seized the site within 48 hours. For over two decades, Project Ancient Arrow remained buried in classified files until a series of rockslides revealed the truth. This wasn't just a room—it was an entrance to something far more complex. Twenty-three chambers spiraled through solid rock, each containing technology that shouldn't exist and symbols nobody could translate. When scientists finally cracked the code, they uncovered a message from 750 years in the future. The senders called themselves Wingmakers, and they had a warning about humanity's survival. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ovLWwHqjlaM
You are in for a real treat on this episode. My guest this time is Greg Schwem. Greg is a corporate comedian. What is a corporate comedian? You probably can imagine that his work has to do with corporations, and you would be right. Greg will explain much better than I can. Mr. Schwem began his career as a TV journalist but eventually decided to take up what he really wanted to do, be a comedian. The story of how he evolved is quite fascinating by any standard. Greg has done comedy professionally since 1989. He speaks today mostly to corporate audiences. He will tell us how he does his work. It is quite interesting to hear how he has learned to relate to his audiences. As you will discover as Greg and I talk, we often work in the same way to learn about our audiences and thus how we get to relate to them. Greg has written three books. His latest one is entitled “Turning Gut Punches into Punch Lines: A Comedian's Journey Through Cancer, Divorce and Other Hilarious Stuff”. As Greg says, “Don't worry, it's not one of those whiny, ‘woe is me,' self- serving books. Instead, it's a hilarious account of me living the words I've been preaching to my audiences: You can always find humor in every situation, even the tough ones. Greg offers many interesting observations as he discusses his career and how he works. I think we all can find significant lessons we can use from his remarks. About the Guest: Hi! I'm Greg Schwem. a Chicago-based business humor speaker and MC who HuffPost calls “Your boss's favorite comedian.” I've traveled the world providing clean, customized laughs to clients such as Microsoft, IBM, McDonald's and even the CIA. I also write the bi-weekly Humor Hotel column for the Chicago Tribune syndicate. I believe every corporate event needs humor. As I often tell clients, “When times are good, people want to laugh. When times are bad, people need to laugh.” One Fortune 500 client summed things up perfectly, saying “You were fantastic and just what everybody needed during these times.” In September 2024 I released my third and most personal book, Turning Gut Punches into Punch Lines: A Comedian's Journey Through Cancer, Divorce and Other Hilarious Stuff. Don't worry, it's not one of those whiny, “woe is me,” self-serving books. Instead, it's a hilarious account of me living the words I've been preaching to my audiences: You can always find humor in every situation, even the tough ones. You can pick up a copy at Amazon or select book stores. Ways to connect with Greg: Website: www.gregschwem.com YouTube: www.youtube.com/gregschwem LinkedIn www.linkedin.com/in/gregschwem Instagram: www.instagram.com/gregschwem X: www.x.com/gregschwem About the Host: Michael Hingson is a New York Times best-selling author, international lecturer, and Chief Vision Officer for accessiBe. Michael, blind since birth, survived the 9/11 attacks with the help of his guide dog Roselle. This story is the subject of his best-selling book, Thunder Dog. Michael gives over 100 presentations around the world each year speaking to influential groups such as Exxon Mobile, AT&T, Federal Express, Scripps College, Rutgers University, Children's Hospital, and the American Red Cross just to name a few. He is Ambassador for the National Braille Literacy Campaign for the National Federation of the Blind and also serves as Ambassador for the American Humane Association's 2012 Hero Dog Awards. https://michaelhingson.com https://www.facebook.com/michael.hingson.author.speaker/ https://twitter.com/mhingson https://www.youtube.com/user/mhingson https://www.linkedin.com/in/michaelhingson/ accessiBe Links https://accessibe.com/ https://www.youtube.com/c/accessiBe https://www.linkedin.com/company/accessibe/mycompany/ https://www.facebook.com/accessibe/ Thanks for listening! Thanks so much for listening to our podcast! If you enjoyed this episode and think that others could benefit from listening, please share it using the social media buttons on this page. Do you have some feedback or questions about this episode? Leave a comment in the section below! Subscribe to the podcast If you would like to get automatic updates of new podcast episodes, you can subscribe to the podcast on Apple Podcasts or Stitcher. You can subscribe in your favorite podcast app. You can also support our podcast through our tip jar https://tips.pinecast.com/jar/unstoppable-mindset . Leave us an Apple Podcasts review Ratings and reviews from our listeners are extremely valuable to us and greatly appreciated. They help our podcast rank higher on Apple Podcasts, which exposes our show to more awesome listeners like you. If you have a minute, please leave an honest review on Apple Podcasts. Transcription Notes: Michael Hingson ** 00:00 Access Cast and accessiBe Initiative presents Unstoppable Mindset. The podcast where inclusion, diversity and the unexpected meet. Hi, I'm Michael Hingson, Chief Vision Officer for accessiBe and the author of the number one New York Times bestselling book, Thunder dog, the story of a blind man, his guide dog and the triumph of trust. Thanks for joining me on my podcast as we explore our own blinding fears of inclusion unacceptance and our resistance to change. We will discover the idea that no matter the situation, or the people we encounter, our own fears, and prejudices often are our strongest barriers to moving forward. The unstoppable mindset podcast is sponsored by accessiBe, that's a c c e s s i capital B e. Visit www.accessibe.com to learn how you can make your website accessible for persons with disabilities. And to help make the internet fully inclusive by the year 2025. Glad you dropped by we're happy to meet you and to have you here with us. Michael Hingson ** 01:16 Hi everyone, and welcome to unstoppable mindset. Today we are going to definitely have some fun. I'll tell you about our guests in a moment, but first, I want to tell you about me. That'll take an hour or so. I am Michael Hingson, your host, and you're listening to unstoppable mindset where inclusion, diversity and the unexpected meet. And I don't know, we may get inclusion or diversity into this, but our guest is Greg Schwem. Greg used to be a TV reporter, now he's a comedian, not sure which is funnier, but given some of the reporters I've seen on TV, they really should go into tonight club business. But anyway, Greg, I want to welcome you to unstoppable mindset. We're really glad you're here. I really appreciate you being here and taking the time Greg Schwem ** 02:04 Well, Michael, it is an honor to be included on your show. I'm really looking forward to the next hour of conversation. I Speaker 1 ** 02:10 told Greg a little while ago, one of my major life ambitions that I never got to do was to go to a Don Rickles concert and sit in the front row so that hopefully he would pick on me, so that I could say, Yeah, I saw you once on TV, and I haven't been able to see since. What do you think of that? You hockey puck, but I never got to do it. So very disappointed. But everybody has bucket list moments, everybody has, but they don't get around to I'm sorry. Yeah, I know. Well, the other one is, I love to pick on Mike Wallace. I did a radio show for six years opposite him in 60 minutes, and I always love to say that Wallace really had criminal tendencies, because he started out being an announcer in radio and he announced things like The Green Hornet and the Sky King and other shows where they had a lot of criminals. So I just figured he had to be associated with criminals somewhere in his life. Of course, everybody picked on him, and he had broad shoulders. And I again, I regret I never got to to meet him, which is sort of disappointing. But I did get to meet Peter Falk. That was kind of fun. Greg Schwem ** 03:15 Mike Wallace to Peter Falk. Nice transition there. I know. Michael Hingson ** 03:21 Well I am really glad you're with us. So why don't we start? We'll start with the serious part. Why don't you tell us, kind of about the early Greg schwim and growing up and all that sort of stuff, just to set the stage, as it were, Greg Schwem ** 03:34 how far back you want to go? You want to go back to Little League, or you want to Speaker 1 ** 03:37 just, oh, start at the beginning, a long time ago, right? I was a Greg Schwem ** 03:41 very strange child. No, I you. You obviously introduced me as a as a comedian, and that is my full time job. And you also said that I was a former journalist, and that is my professional career. Yes, I went from, as I always like to say, I went from depressing people all day long, to making them laugh. And that's, that's kind of what I did. I always did want to be I majored in Journalism at Northwestern University, good journalism school. Originally, I always wanted to be a television reporter. That was as a professional career I was, I dabbled in comedy. Started when I was 16. That is the first time I ever got on stage at my school, my high school, and then at a comedy club. I was there one of the first comedy clubs in Chicago, a place called the comedy cottage. It was in the suburb of beautiful, beautiful suburb of Rosemont, Illinois, and they were one of the very, very first full time comedy clubs in the nation. And as a 16 year old kid, I actually got on stage and did five minutes here and five minutes there. And thought I was, I was hot stuff, but I never, ever thought I would do it for a living. I thought comedy would always be just a hobby. And I. Especially when I went to college, and I thought, okay, Northwestern is pretty good school, pretty expensive school. I should actually use my degree. And I did. I moved down to Florida, wrote for a newspaper called The Palm Beach post, which, don't let that title fool you. It's Palm Beach was a very small segment of of the area that it was, that it served, but I did comedy on the side, and just because I moved down there, I didn't know anybody, so I hung out at comedy clubs just to have something to do. And little by little, comedy in the late 80s, it exploded. Exploded. There were suddenly clubs popping up everywhere, and you were starting to get to know guys that were doing these clubs and were starting to get recognition for just being comedians. And one of them opened up a very, very good Club opened up about 10 minutes from my apartment in West Palm Beach, and I hung out there and started to get more stage time, and eventually started to realize at the same time that I was getting better as a comedian, I was becoming more disillusioned as a journalist in terms of what my bosses wanted me to report on and the tone they wanted me to use. And I just decided that I would I would just never be able to live with myself if I didn't try it, if I didn't take the the plunge into comedy, and that's what I did in 1989 and I've been doing it ever since. And my career has gone in multiple directions, as I think it needs to. If you're going to be in show business and sustain a career in show business, you have to wear a lot of different hats, which I feel like I've done. Michael Hingson ** 06:40 So tell me more about that. What does that mean exactly? Greg Schwem ** 06:43 Well, I mean, I started out as a what you would pretty much if somebody said, If you heard somebody say, I'm a comedian, they would envision some guy that just went to comedy clubs all the time, and that's what I did. I was just a guy that traveled by car all over the Midwest and the Southeast primarily, and did comedy clubs, but I quickly realized that was kind of a going nowhere way to attack it, to do comedy unless you were incredibly lucky, because there were so many guys doing it and so many clubs, and I just didn't see a future in it, and I felt like I had to separate myself from the pack a little bit. And I was living in Chicago, which is where I'm from, and still, still exist. Still reside in Chicago, and I started to get involved with a company that did live trade show presentations. So if you've ever been on a trade show floor and you see people, they're mostly actors and actresses that wear a headset and deliver a spiel, a pitch, like every, every twice an hour, about some company, some new product, and so forth. And I did that, and I started to write material about what I was seeing on trade show floors and putting it into my stand up act, stuff about business, stuff about technology, because I was Hawking a lot of new computers and things like that. This was the mid 90s when technology was exploding, and I started to put this into my stand up act. And then I'd have people come up to me afterwards and say, hey, you know those jokes you did about computers and tech support, if you could come down to our office, you know, we're having a golf tournament, we're having a Christmas party, we would love to hear that material. And little by little, I started transitioning my act into doing shows for the corporate market. I hooked up with a corporate agent, or the corporate agent heard about me, and started to open a lot of doors for me in terms of working for very large corporations, and that's pretty much what I've been doing. I stopped working clubs, and I transitioned, instead of being a comedian, I became a corporate humor speaker. And that's what I do, primarily to this day, is to speak at business conferences. Just kind of get people to loosen up, get them to laugh about what they do all day without without making it sound like I'm belittling what they do. And also when I'm not doing that, I work about eight to 10 weeks a year on cruise ships, performing for cruise audiences. So that's a nice getaway. Speaker 1 ** 09:18 It's interesting since I mentioned Don Rickles earlier, years ago, I saw an interview that he did with Donahue, and one of the things that Don Rickles said, and after he said it, I thought about it. He said, I really don't want to pick on anyone who's going to be offended by me picking on them. He said, I try to watch really carefully, so that if it looks like somebody's getting offended, I'll leave them alone, because that's not what this is all about. It isn't about abusing people. It's about trying to get people to have fun, and if somebody's offended, I don't want to to pick on them, and I've heard a number of albums and other things with him and just. Noticed that that was really true. He wouldn't pick on someone unless they could take it and had a lot of fun with it. And I thought that was absolutely interesting, because that certainly wasn't, of course, the rep that he had and no, but it was Greg Schwem ** 10:16 true. It is, and it doesn't take long to see as a as a comedian, when you're looking at an audience member and you're talking to them, it, you can tell very quickly, Are they enjoying this? Are they enjoying being the center of attention? A lot of people are, or are they uncomfortable with it? Now, I don't know that going in. I mean, I you know, of course. And again, that's a very small portion of my show is to talk to the audience, but it is something particularly today. I think audiences want to be more involved. I think they enjoy you talk you. Some of these, the new comedians in their 20s and 30s and so forth. Them, some of them are doing nothing, but what they call crowd work. So they're just doing 45 minutes of talking to the audience, which can be good and can be rough too, because you're working without a net. But I'm happy to give an audience a little bit of that. But I also have a lot of stuff that I want to say too. I mean, I work very hard coming up with material and and refining it, and I want to talk about what's going on in my life, too. So I don't want the audience to be the entire show, right? Speaker 1 ** 11:26 And and they shouldn't be, because it isn't about that. But at the same time, it is nice to involve them. I find that as a keynote and public speaker, I find that true as well, though, is that audiences do like to be involved. And I do some things right at the outset of most talks to involve people, and also in involving them. I want to get them to last so that I start to draw them in, because later, when I tell the September 11 story, which isn't really a humorous thing. Directly, Greg Schwem ** 12:04 i know i Good luck. I'm spinning 911 to make it I don't think I've ever heard anybody say, by the way, I was trapped in a building. Stick with me. It's kind of cute. It's got a funny ending. And Speaker 1 ** 12:20 that's right, and it is hard I can, I can say humorous things along the way in telling the story, but, sure, right, but, but clearly it's not a story that, in of itself, is humorous. But what I realized over the years, and it's really dawned on me in the last four or five years is we now have a whole generation of people who have absolutely no memory of September 11 because they were children or they weren't even born yet. And I believe that my job is to not only talk about it, but literally to draw them into the building and have them walk down the stairs with me, and I have to be descriptive in a very positive way, so that they really are part of what's going on. And the reality is that I do hear people or people come up and say, we were with you when you were going down the stairs. And I think that's my job, because the reality is that we've got to get people to understand there are lessons to be learned from September 11, right? And the only real way to do that is to attract the audience and bring them in. And I think probably mostly, I'm in a better position to do that than most people, because I'm kind of a curious soul, being blind and all that, but it allows me to to draw them in and and it's fun to do that, actually. And I, and Greg Schwem ** 13:52 I gotta believe, I mean, obviously I wasn't there, Michael, but I gotta believe there were moments of humor in people, a bunch of people going down the stairs. Sure, me, you put people get it's like, it's like when a bunch of people are in an elevator together, you know, I mean, there's I, when I look around and I try to find something humorous in a crowded and it's probably the same thing now, obviously it, you know, you got out in time. But I and, you know, don't that's the hotel phone, which I just hung up so but I think that I can totally see where you're going from, where, if you're if you're talking to people who have no recollection of this, have no memory where you're basically educating them on the whole event. I think you then you have the opportunity to tell the story in whatever way you see fit. And I think that however you choose to do it is there's no wrong way to do it, I guess is what I'm trying to get at. Speaker 1 ** 14:55 Well, yeah, I think the wrong way is to be two. Graphic and morbid and morbid, but one of the things that I talk about, for example, is that a colleague of mine who was with me, David Frank, at about the 50th floor, suddenly said, Mike, we're going to die. We're not going to make it out of here. And as as I tell the audience, typically, I as as you heard my introduction at the beginning, I have a secondary teaching credential. And one of the things that you probably don't know about teachers is that there's a secret course that every teacher takes called Voice 101, how to yell at students and and so what I tell people is that when David said that, I just said in my best teacher voice, stop it, David, if Roselle and I can go down these stairs, so can you. And he told me later that that brought him out of his funk, and he ended up walking a floor below me and shouting up to me everything he saw. And it was just mainly, everything is clear, like I'm on floor 48 he's on 47/47 floor. Everything is good here, and what I have done for the past several years in telling that part of the story is to say David, in reality, probably did more to keep people calm and focused as we went down the stairs than anyone else, because anyone within the sound of his voice heard someone who was focused and sounded okay. You know, hey, I'm on the 44th floor. This is where the Port Authority cafeteria is not stopping. And it it helps people understand that we all had to do what we could to keep everyone from not panicking. And it almost happened a few times that people did, but we worked at it. But the i The idea is that it helps draw people in, and I think that's so important to do for my particular story is to draw them in and have them walk down the stairs with me, which is what I do, absolutely, yeah, yeah. Now I'm curious about something that keeps coming up. I hear it every so often, public speaker, Speaker experts and people who are supposedly the great gurus of public speaking say you shouldn't really start out with a joke. And I've heard that so often, and I'm going give me a break. Well, I think, I think it depends, yeah, I think Greg Schwem ** 17:33 there's two schools of thought to that. I think if you're going to start out with a joke, it better be a really good one, or something that you either has been battle tested, because if it doesn't work now, you, you know, if you're hoping for a big laugh, now you're saying, Well, you're a comedian, what do you do? You know, I mean, I, I even, I just sort of work my way into it a little bit. Yeah, and I'm a comedian, so, and, you know, it's funny, Michael, I will get, I will get. I've had CEOs before say to me, Hey, you know, I've got to give this presentation next week. Give me a joke I can tell to everybody. And I always decline. I always it's like, I don't need that kind of pressure. And it's like, I can, I can, I can tell you a funny joke, but, Michael Hingson ** 18:22 but you telling the Greg Schwem ** 18:23 work? Yeah, deliver it. You know, I can't deliver it for you. Yeah? And I think that's what I also, you know, on that note, I've never been a big fan of Stand Up Comedy classes, and you see them all popping up all over the place. Now, a lot of comedy clubs will have them, and usually the you take the class, and the carrot at the end is you get to do five minutes at a comedy club right now, if that is your goal, if you're somebody who always like, Gosh, I wonder what it would like be like to stand up on stage and and be a comedian for five minutes. That's something I really like to try. By all means, take the class, all right. But if you think that you're going to take this class and you're going to emerge a much funnier person, like all of a sudden you you weren't funny, but now you are, don't take the class, yeah? And I think, sadly, I think that a lot of people sign up for these classes thinking the latter, thinking that they will all of a sudden become, you know, a comedian. And it doesn't work that way. I'm sorry you cannot teach unfunny people to be funny. Yeah, some of us have the gift of it, and some of us don't. Some of us are really good with our hands, and just know how to build stuff and how to look at things and say, I can do that. And some of us, myself included, definitely do not. You know, I think you can teach people to be more comfortable, more comfortable in front of an audience and. Correct. I think that is definitely a teachable thing, but I don't think that you can teach people to be funnier Speaker 1 ** 20:10 and funnier, and I agree with that. I tend to be amazed when I keep hearing that one of the top fears in our world is getting up in front of an audience and talking with them, because people really don't understand that audiences, whatever you're doing, want you to succeed, and they're not against you, but we have just conditioned ourselves collectively that speaking is something to be afraid of? Greg Schwem ** 20:41 Yes, I think, though it's, I'm sure, that fear, though, of getting up in front of people has only probably been exacerbated and been made more intense because now everybody in the audience has a cell phone and to and to be looking out at people and to see them on their phones. Yeah, you're and yet, you prepped all day long. You've been nervous. You've been you probably didn't sleep the night before. If you're one of these people who are afraid of speaking in public, yeah, and then to see people on their phones. You know, it used to bother me. It doesn't anymore, because it's just the society we live in. I just, I wish, I wish people could put their phones down and just enjoy laughing for 45 minutes. But unfortunately, our society can't do that anymore, so I just hope that I can get most of them to stop looking at it. Speaker 1 ** 21:32 I don't make any comments about it at the beginning, but I have, on a number of occasions, been delivering a speech, and I hear a cell phone ring, and I'll stop and go, Hello. And I don't know for sure what the person with the cell phone does, but by the same token, you know they really shouldn't be on their phone and and it works out, okay, nobody's ever complained about it. And when I just say hello, or I'll go Hello, you don't say, you know, and things like that, but, but I don't, I don't prolong it. I'll just go back to what I was talking about. But I remember, when I lived in New Jersey, Sandy Duncan was Peter Pan in New York. One night she was flying over the audience, and there was somebody on his cell phone, and she happened to be going near him, and she just kicked the phone out of his hand. And I think that's one of the things that started Broadway in saying, if you have a cell phone, turn it off. And those are the announcements that you hear at the beginning of any Broadway performance today. Greg Schwem ** 22:39 Unfortunately, people don't abide by that. I know you're still hearing cell phones go off, yeah, you know, in Broadway productions at the opera or wherever, so people just can't and there you go. There that just shows you're fighting a losing battle. Speaker 1 ** 22:53 Yeah, it's just one of those things, and you got to cope with it. Greg Schwem ** 22:58 What on that note, though, there was, I will say, if I can interrupt real quick, there was one show I did where nobody had their phone. It was a few years ago. I spoke at the CIA. I spoke for some employees of the CIA. And this might, this might freak people out, because you think, how is it that America's covert intelligence agency, you think they would be on their phones all the time. No, if you work there, you cannot have your phone on you. And so I had an audience of about 300 people who I had their total attention because there was no other way to they had no choice but to listen to me, and it was wonderful. It was just a great show, and I it was just so refreshing. Yeah, Speaker 1 ** 23:52 and mostly I don't hear cell phones, but they do come up from time to time. And if they do, then you know it happens. Now my one of my favorite stories is I once spoke in Maryland at the Department of Defense, which anybody who knows anything knows that's the National Security Agency, but they call it the Department of Defense, as if we don't know. And my favorite story is that I had, at the time, a micro cassette recorder, and it died that morning before I traveled to Fort Meade, and I forgot to just throw it away, and it was in my briefcase. So I got to the fort, they searched, apparently, didn't find it, but on the way out, someone found it. They had to get a bird Colonel to come to decide what to do with it. I said, throw it away. And they said, No, we can't do that. It's yours. And they they decided it didn't work, and they let me take it and I threw it away. But it was so, so funny to to be at the fort and see everybody running around crazy. See, what do we do with this micro cassette recorder? This guy's been here for an hour. Yeah. So it's it. You know, all sorts of things happen. What do you think about you know, there's a lot of discussion about comedians who use a lot of foul language in their shows, and then there are those who don't, and people seem to like the shock value of that. Greg Schwem ** 25:25 Yeah, I'm very old school in that. I guess my short answer is, No, I've never, ever been one of those comedians. Ever I do a clean show, I actually learned my lesson very early on. I think I think that I think comedians tend to swear because when they first start out, out of nerves, because I will tell you that profanity does get laughter. And I've always said, if you want to, if you want to experiment on that, have a comedian write a joke, and let's say he's got two shows that night. Let's say he's got an eight o'clock show and a 10 o'clock show. So let's say he does the joke in the eight o'clock and it's, you know, the cadence is bumper, bump up, bump up, bump up, punch line. Okay, now let's and let's see how that plays. Now let's now he does the 10 o'clock show and it's bumper, bump up, bump up F and Okay, yeah, I pretty much guarantee you the 10 o'clock show will get a bigger laugh. Okay? Because he's sort of, it's like the audience is programmed like, oh, okay, we're supposed to laugh at that now. And I think a lot of comedians think, Aha, I have just discovered how to be successful as a comedian. I will just insert the F word in front of every punch line, and you can kind of tell what comedians do that and what comedians I mean. I am fine with foul language, but have some jokes in there too. Don't make them. Don't make the foul word, the joke, the joke, right? And I can say another thing nobody has ever said to me, I cannot hire you because you're too clean. I've never gotten that. And all the years I've been doing this, and I know there's lots of comedians who who do work blue, who have said, you know, who have been turned down for that very reason. So I believe, if you're a comedian, the only way to get better is to work any place that will have you. Yeah, and you can't, so you might as well work clean so you can work any place that will have you, as opposed to being turned away. Speaker 1 ** 27:30 Well, and I, and I know what, what happened to him and all that, but at the same time, I grew up listening to Bill Cosby and the fact that he was always clean. And, yeah, I understand everything that happened, but you can't deny and you can't forget so many years of humor and all the things that that he brought to the world, and the joy he brought to the world in so many ways. Greg Schwem ** 27:57 Oh, yeah, no, I agree. I agree. And he Yeah, he worked everywhere. Jay Leno is another one. I mean, Jay Leno is kind of on the same wavelength as me, as far as don't let the profanity become the joke. You know, Eddie Murphy was, you know, was very foul. Richard Pryor, extremely foul. I but they also, prior, especially, had very intelligent material. I mean, you can tell and then if you want to insert your F bombs and so forth, that's fine, but at least show me that you're trying. At least show me that you came in with material in addition to the Speaker 1 ** 28:36 foul language. The only thing I really have to say about all that is it? Jay Leno should just stay away from cars, but that's another story. Greg Schwem ** 28:43 Oh, yeah, it's starting to Greg Schwem ** 28:47 look that way. Yeah, it Michael Hingson ** 28:49 was. It was fun for a while, Jay, but yeah, there's just two. It's like, Harrison Ford and plains. Yeah, same concept. At some point you're like, this isn't working out. Now I submit that living here in Victorville and just being out on the streets and being driven around and all that, I am firmly convinced, given the way most people drive here, that the bigoted DMV should let me have a license, because I am sure I can drive as well as most of the clowns around here. Yeah, so when they drive, I have no doubt. Oh, gosh. Well, you know, you switched from being a TV journalist and so on to to comedy. Was it a hard choice? Was it really difficult to do, or did it just seem like this is the time and this is the right thing to do. I was Greg Schwem ** 29:41 both, you know, it was hard, because I really did enjoy my job and I liked, I liked being a TV news reporter. I liked, I liked a job that was different every day once you got in there, because you didn't know what they were going to send you out to do. Yes, you had. To get up and go to work every day and so forth. So there's a little bit of, you know, there's a little bit of the mundane, just like there is in any job, but once you were there, I liked, just never known what the day would bring, right? And and I, I think if I'd stayed with it, I think I think I could have gone pretty far, particularly now, because the now it's more people on TV are becoming more entertainers news people are becoming, yeah, they are. A lot of would be, want to be comedians and so forth. And I don't particularly think that's appropriate, but I agree. But so it was hard to leave, but it gets back to what I said earlier. At some point, you got to say, I was seeing comedians making money, and I was thinking, gosh, you know, if they're making money at this I I'm not hilarious, but I know I'm funnier than that guy. Yeah, I'm funnier than her, so why not? And I was young, and I was single, and I thought, if I if I don't try it now, I never will. And, and I'll bet there's just some hilarious people out there, yeah, who who didn't ever, who just were afraid Michael Hingson ** 31:14 to take that chance, and they wouldn't take the leap, yeah, Greg Schwem ** 31:16 right. And now they're probably kicking themselves, and I'm sure maybe they're very successful at what they do, but they're always going to say, what if, if I only done this? I don't ever, I don't, ever, I never, ever wanted to say that. Yeah, Speaker 1 ** 31:31 well, and there's, there's something to be said for being brave and stepping out and doing something that you don't expect, or that you didn't expect, or that you weren't sure how it was going to go, but if you don't try, then you're never going to know just how, how much you could really accomplish and how much you can really do. And I think that the creative people, whatever they're being creative about, are the people who do step out and are willing to take a chance. Greg Schwem ** 31:59 Yeah, yeah. And I told my kids that too. You know, it's just like, if it's something that you're passionate about, do it. Just try it. If it doesn't work out, then at least you can say I tried Speaker 1 ** 32:09 it and and if it doesn't work out, then you can decide, what do I need to do to figure out why it didn't work out, or is it just not me? I want Greg Schwem ** 32:18 to keep going? Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Speaker 1 ** 32:21 So what is the difference between being a nightclub comedian and a corporate comedian? Because they are somewhat different. I think I know the answer. But what would you say that the differences between them? I think Greg Schwem ** 32:33 the biggest thing is the audiences. I think when you when you are a nightclub comedian, you are working in front of people who are there to be entertained. Yeah, they, they paid money for that. That's what they're expecting. They, they, at some point during the day, they said, Hey, let's, let's go laugh tonight. That's what we really want to do when you're working in front of a corporate audiences. That's not necessarily the case. They are there. I primarily do business conferences and, you know, association meetings and so forth. And I'm just one cog in the wheel of a whole day's worth of meetings are, for the most part, very dry and boring, maybe certainly necessary educational. They're learning how to do their job better or something. And then you have a guy like me come in, and people aren't always ready to laugh, yeah, despite the fact that they probably need to, but they just they're not always in that mindset. And also the time of day. I mean, I do a lot of shows at nine in the morning. I do shows after lunch, right before lunch. I actually do very few shows in the evening, believe it or not. And so then you you have to, you kind of have to, in the while you're doing your act or your presentation or your speech, as I call it, you kind of have to let them know that it is okay. What you're doing is okay, and they should be okay with laughing. They shouldn't be looking around the whole time wondering if other people are laughing. You know, can I, can I? Can I tell you a quick story about how I drive that point home. Why not? Yeah, it's, I'll condense it into like five minutes. I mentioned that I worked on that I work on cruise ships occasionally, and I one night I was performing, and it was the first night of the cruise. And if anybody's ever been on a cruise, note, the first night, first night entertainers don't like the first night because people are tired. You know, they're they're a little edgy because they've been traveling all day. They're they're confused because they're not really sure where they're going on a ship. And the ones that have got it figured out usually over serve themselves because they're on vacation. So you put all that, so I'm doing my show on the first. Night, and it's going very well. And about five, six minutes in, I do a joke. Everybody laughs. Everybody shuts up. And from the back of the room in total darkness, I hear hat just like that. And I'm like, All right, you know, probably over served. So the rule of comedy is that everybody gets like. I was like, I'll let it go once, yeah. So I just kind of looked off in that direction, didn't say anything. Kept going with my active going with my act. About 10 minutes later, same thing happens. I tell a joke. Everybody laughs. Everybody shuts up. Hat now I'm like, Okay, I have got to, I've got to address the elephant in the room. So I think I just made some comment, like, you know, I didn't know Roseanne Barr was on this cruise, you know, because that was like the sound of the Yeah. Okay, everybody laugh. Nothing happened about five minutes later. It happens a third time. And now I'm just like, this is gonna stop. I'm going to put a stop to this. And I just fired off. I can't remember, like, three just like, hey man, you know you're you're just a little behind everybody else in this show and probably in life too, that, you know, things like that, and it never happened again. So I'm like, okay, mission accomplished on my part. Comedians love it when we can shut up somebody like that. Anyway. Show's over, I am out doing a meet and greet. Some guy comes up to me and he goes, hey, hey, you know that kid you were making fun of is mentally handicapped. And now, of course, I don't know this, but out of the corner of my eye, I see from the other exit a man pushing a son, his son in a wheelchair out of the showroom. And I'm just like, Oh, what have I done? And yeah. And of course, when you're on a cruise, you're you're on a cruise. When you're a cruise ship entertainer, you have to live with your audience. So I couldn't hide. I spent like the next three days, and it seemed like wherever I was, the man and his son in the wheelchair were nearby. And finally, on the fourth day, I think was, I was waiting for an elevator. Again, 3500 people on this ship, okay, I'm waiting for an elevator. The elevator door opens. Guess who are the only two people the elevator, the man and his son. And I can't really say I'll wait for the next one. So I get on, and I said to this the father, I said, I just want you to know I had no idea. You know, I'm so sorry. I can't see back there, this kind of thing. And the dad looks at me. He puts his hand up to stop me, and he points to me, and he goes, I thought you were hysterical. And it was, not only was it relief, but it kind of, it's sort of a lesson that if you think something is funny, you should laugh at it. Yeah. And I think sometimes in corporate America, my point in this. I think sometimes when you do these corporate shows, I think that audience members forget that. I think very busy looking around to see if their immediate boss thinks it's funny, and eventually everybody's looking at the CEO to see if they're like, you know, I think if you're doing it that way, if that's the way you're you're approaching humor. You're doing yourself a disservice, if right, stopping yourself from laughing at something that you think is funny. Speaker 1 ** 38:09 I do think that that all too often the problem with meetings is that we as a as a country, we in corporations, don't do meetings, right anyway, for example, early on, I heard someone at a convention of the National Federation of the Blind say he was the new executive director of the American Foundation for the Blind, and he said, I have instituted a policy, no Braille, no meetings. And what that was all about was to say, if you're going to have a meeting, you need to make sure that all the documentation is accessible to those who aren't going to read the print. I take it further and say you shouldn't be giving out documentation during the meeting. And you can use the excuse, well, I got to get the latest numbers and all that. And my point is, you shouldn't be giving out documentation at a meeting, because the meeting is for people to communicate and interact with each other. And if you're giving out papers and so on, what are people going to do? They're going to read that, and they're not going to listen to the speakers. They're not going to listen to the other people. And we do so many things like that, we've gotten into a habit of doing things that become so predictable, but also make meetings very boring, because who wants to look at the papers where you can be listening to people who have a lot more constructive and interesting things to say anyway? Greg Schwem ** 39:36 Yeah, yeah. I think, I think COVID definitely changed, some for the some for the better and some for the worse. I think that a lot of things that were done at meetings COVID and made us realize a lot of that stuff could be done virtually, that you didn't have to just have everybody sit and listen to people over and over and over again. Speaker 1 ** 39:58 But unless you're Donald Trump. Up. Yeah, that's another story. Greg Schwem ** 40:02 Yes, exactly another podcast episode. But, yeah, I do think also that. I think COVID changed audiences. I think, you know, we talked a little bit earlier about crowd work, right, and audiences wanting to be more involved. I think COVID precipitated that, because, if you think about it, Michael, for two and a half years during COVID, our sole source of entertainment was our phone, right? Which meant that we were in charge of the entertainment experience. You don't like something, swipe left, scroll down, scroll, scroll, scroll, find something else. You know, that kind of thing. I'm not I'm not entertained in the next four or five seconds. So I'm going to do this. And I think when live entertainment returned, audiences kind of had to be retrained a little bit, where they had to learn to sit and listen and wait for the entertainment to come to them. And granted, it might not happen immediately. It might not happen in the first five seconds, but you have to just give give people like me a chance. It will come to you. It will happen, but it might not be on your timetable, Speaker 1 ** 41:13 right? Well, and I think that is all too true for me. I didn't find didn't find COVID to be a great inconvenience, because I don't look at the screen anyway, right? So in a sense, for me, COVID wasn't that much of a change, other than not being in an office or not being physically at a meeting, and so I was listening to the meeting on the computer, and that has its nuances. Like you don't necessarily get the same information about how everyone around you is reacting, but, but it didn't bother me, I think, nearly as much as it did everyone else who has to look at everyone. Of course, I have no problems picking on all those people as well, because what I point out is that that disabilities has to be redefined, because every one of you guys has your own disability. You're light dependent, and you don't do well when there's dark, when, when the dark shows up and and we now have an environment where Thomas Edison invented the electric light bulb, and we've spent the last 147 years doing everything we can to make sure that light is pretty ubiquitous, but it doesn't change a thing when suddenly the power goes out and you don't have immediate access to light. So that's as much a disability as us light, independent people who don't Greg Schwem ** 42:36 care about that, right? Right? I hear, I agree, but it is but Speaker 1 ** 42:41 it is interesting and and it is also important that we all understand each other and are willing to tolerate the fact that there are differences in people, and we need to recognize that with whatever we're doing. 42:53 Yeah, I agree. Speaker 1 ** 42:57 What do you think about so today, we have obviously a really fractured environment and fractured country, and everyone's got their own opinions, and nobody wants to talk about anything, especially politics wise. How do you think that's all affecting comedy and what you get to do and what other people are doing? Greg Schwem ** 43:18 Well, I think Pete, I think there's, there's multiple answers to that question too. I think, I think it makes people nervous, wondering what the minute a comedian on stage brings up politics, the minute he starts talking about a politician, whether it's our president, whether it's somebody else, you can sense a tension in the room a little bit, and it's, it's, I mean, it's funny. I, one of my best friends in comedy, got to open for another comedian at Carnegie Hall a couple of years ago, and I went to see him, and I'm sitting way up in the top, and he is just crushing it. And then at one point he he brought up, he decided to do an impression of Mitch McConnell, which he does very well. However, the minute he said, Mitch McConnell, I you could just sense this is Carnegie freaking Hall, and after the show, you know, he and I always like to dissect each other's shows. That's what comedians do. And I just said to him, I go. Why did you decide to insert Mitch McConnell in there? And I, and I didn't say it like, you moron, that was stupid, yeah, but I was genuinely curious. And he just goes, well, I just really like doing that bit, and I like doing that voice and so forth, but, and it's not like the show crashed and burned afterwards. No, he did the joke, and then he got out of it, and he went on to other stuff, and it was fine, but I think that people are just so on their guard now, yeah, and, and that's why, you know, you know Jay Leno always said he was an equal opportunity offender. I think you will do better with politics if you really want. Insert politics into your act. I think he would be better making fun of both sides. Yeah, it's true. Yeah. And I think too often comedians now use the the stage as kind of a Bully, bully pulpit, like I have microphone and you don't. I am now going to give you my take on Donald Trump or the Democrats or whatever, and I've always said, talk about anything you want on stage, but just remember, you're at a comedy club. People came to laugh. So is there a joke in here? Yeah, or are you just ranting because you gotta be careful. You have to get this off your chest, and your way is right. It's, it's, you know, I hate to say it, but that's, that's why podcast, no offense, Michael, yours, is not like this. But I think one of the reasons podcasters have gotten so popular is a lot of people, just a lot of podcast hosts see a podcast is a chance to just rant about whatever's on their mind. And it's amazing to me how many podcast hosts that are hosted by comedians have a second guy have a sidekick to basically laugh and agree with whatever that person says. I think Joe Rogan is a classic example, and he's one of the most popular ones. But, and I don't quite understand that, because you know, if you're a comedian, you you made the choice to work solo, right? So why do you need somebody else with you? Speaker 1 ** 46:33 I'm I'm fairly close to Leno. My remark is a little bit different. I'm not so much an equal opportunity offender as I am an equal opportunity abuser. I'll pick on both sides if politics comes into it at all, and it's and it's fun, and I remember when George W Bush was leaving the White House, Letterman said, Now we're not going to have anybody to joke about anymore. And everyone loved it. But still, I recognize that in the world today, people don't want to hear anything else. Don't confuse me with the facts or any of that, and it's so unfortunate, but it is the way it is, and so it's wiser to stay away from a lot of that, unless you can really break through the barrier, Greg Schwem ** 47:21 I think so. And I also think that people, one thing you have to remember, I think, is when people come to a comedy show, they are coming to be entertained. Yeah, they are coming to kind of escape from the gloom and doom that unfortunately permeates our world right now. You know? I mean, I've always said that if you, if you walked up to a comedy club on a Saturday night, and let's say there were 50 people waiting outside, waiting to get in, and you asked all 50 of them, what do you hope happens tonight? Or or, Why are you here? All right, I think from all 50 you would get I would just like to laugh, yeah, I don't think one of them is going to say, you know, I really hope that my opinions on what's happening in the Middle East get challenged right now, but he's a comedian. No one is going to say that. No, no. It's like, I hope I get into it with the comedian on stage, because he thinks this way about a woman's right to choose, and I think the other way. And I really, really hope that he and I will get into an argument about to the middle of the Speaker 1 ** 48:37 show. Yeah, yeah. That's not why people come? Greg Schwem ** 48:40 No, it's not. And I, unfortunately, I think again, I think that there's a lot of comedians that don't understand that. Yeah, again, talk about whatever you want on stage, but just remember that your your surroundings, you if you build yourself as a comedian, 48:56 make it funny. Yeah, be funny. Speaker 1 ** 49:00 Well, and nowadays, especially for for you, for me and so on, we're we're growing older and and I think you point out audiences are getting younger. How do you deal with that? Greg Schwem ** 49:12 Well, what I try to do is I a couple of things. I try to talk as much as I can about topics that are relevant to a younger generation. Ai being one, I, one of the things I do in my my show is I say, oh, you know, I I really wasn't sure how to start off. And when you're confused these days, you you turn to answer your questions. You turn to chat GPT, and I've actually written, you know, said to chat GPT, you know, I'm doing a show tonight for a group of construction workers who work in the Midwest. It's a $350 million company, and it says, try to be very specific. Give me a funny opening line. And of course, chat GPT always comes up with some. Something kind of stupid, which I then relate to the audience, and they love that, you know, they love that concept. So I think there's, obviously, there's a lot of material that you can do on generational differences, but I, I will say I am very, very aware that my audience is, for the most part, younger than me now, unless I want to spend the rest of my career doing you know, over 55 communities, not that they're not great laughers, but I also think there's a real challenge in being older than your audience and still being able to make them laugh. But I think you have to remember, like you said, there's there's people now that don't remember 911 that have no concept of it, yeah, so don't be doing references from, say, the 1980s or the early 1990s and then come off stage and go, Man, nobody that didn't hit at all. No one, no one. They're stupid. They don't get it. Well, no, they, they, it sounds they don't get it. It's just that they weren't around. They weren't around, right? So that's on you. Speaker 1 ** 51:01 One of the things that you know people ask me is if I will do virtual events, and I'll do virtual events, but I also tell people, the reason I prefer to do in person events is that I can sense what the audience is doing, how they're reacting and what they feel. If I'm in a room speaking to people, and I don't have that same sense if I'm doing something virtually, agreed same way. Now for me, at the same time, I've been doing this now for 23 years, so I have a pretty good idea in general, how to interact with an audience, to draw them in, even in a virtual environment, but I still tend to be a little bit more careful about it, and it's just kind of the way it is, you know, and you and you learn to deal with it well for you, have you ever had writer's block, and how did you deal with it? Greg Schwem ** 51:57 Yes, I have had writer's block. I don't I can't think of a single comedian who's never had writer's block, and if they say they haven't, I think they're lying when I have writer's block, the best way for me to deal with this and just so you know, I'm not the kind of comedian that can go that can sit down and write jokes. I can write stories. I've written three books, but I can't sit down and just be funny for an hour all by myself. I need interaction. I need communication. And I think when I have writer's block, I tend to go out and try and meet strangers and can engage them in conversation and find out what's going on with them. I mean, you mentioned about dealing with the younger audience. I am a big believer right now in talking to people who are half my age. I like doing that in social settings, because I just, I'm curious. I'm curious as to how they think. I'm curious as to, you know, how they spend money, how they save money, how what their hopes and dreams are for the future, what that kind of thing, and that's the kind of stuff that then I'll take back and try and write material about. And I think that, I think it's fun for me, and it's really fun to meet somebody who I'll give you a great example just last night. Last night, I was I there's a there's a bar that I have that's about 10 a stone's throw from my condo, and I love to stop in there and and every now and then, sometimes I'll sit there and I won't meet anybody, and sometimes different. So there was a guy, I'd say he's probably in his early 30s, sitting too over, and he was reading, which I find intriguing, that people come to a bar and read, yeah, people do it, I mean. And I just said to him, I go, and he was getting ready to pay his bill, and I just said, if you don't mind me asking, What are you reading? And he's like, Oh, it's by Ezra Klein. And I go, you know, I've listened to Ezra Klein before. And he goes, Yeah, you know? He says, I'm a big fan. And debt to debt to dad. Next thing, you know, we're just, we're just riffing back and forth. And I ended up staying. He put it this way, Michael, it took him a very long time to pay his bill because we had a conversation, and it was just such a pleasure to to people like that, and I think that, and it's a hard thing. It's a hard thing for me to do, because I think people are on their guard, a little bit like, why is this guy who's twice my age talking to me at a bar? That's that seems a little weird. And I would get that. I can see that. But as I mentioned in my latest book, I don't mean because I don't a whole chapter to this, and I I say in the book, I don't mean you any harm. I'm not trying to hit on you, or I'm not creepy old guy at the bar. I am genuinely interested in your story. And. In your life, and and I just, I want to be the least interesting guy in the room, and that's kind of how I go about my writing, too. Is just you, you drive the story. And even though I'm the comedian, I'll just fill in the gaps and make them funny. Speaker 1 ** 55:15 Well, I know that I have often been invited to speak at places, and I wondered, What am I going to say to this particular audience? How am I going to deal with them? They're they're different than what I'm used to. What I found, I guess you could call that writer's block, but what I found is, if I can go early and interact with them, even if I'm the very first speaker, if I can interact with them beforehand, or if there are other people speaking before me, invariably, I will hear things that will allow me to be able to move on and give a relevant presentation specifically to that group, which is what it's really all about. And so I'm with you, and I appreciate it, and it's good to get to the point where you don't worry about the block, but rather you look at ways to move forward and interact with people and make it fun, right, Greg Schwem ** 56:13 right? And I do think people, I think COVID, took that away from us a little bit, yeah, obviously, but I but, and I do think people missed that. I think that people, once you get them talking, are more inclined to not think that you're you have ulterior motives. I think people do enjoy putting their phones down a little bit, but it's, it's kind of a two way street when I, when I do meet people, if it's if it's only me asking the questions, eventually I'm going to get tired of that. Yeah, I think there's a, there has to be a reciprocity thing a little bit. And one thing I find is, is with the Gen Z's and maybe millennials. They're not, they're not as good at that as I think they could be. They're more they're they're happy to talk about themselves, but they're not really good at saying so what do you do for a living? Or what you know, tell me about you. And I mean, that's how you learn about other people. Yeah, Speaker 1 ** 57:19 tell me about your your latest book, Turning gut punches into punchlines. That's a interesting title, yeah, well, the more Greg Schwem ** 57:26 interesting is the subtitle. So it's turning gut punches into punch punch lines, A Comedian's journey through cancer, divorce and other hilarious stuff. Speaker 1 ** 57:35 No, like you haven't done anything in the world. Okay, right? So Greg Schwem ** 57:38 other than that, how was the play, Mrs. Lincoln. Yeah, exactly. See, now you get that reference. I don't know if I could use that on stage, but anyway, depend on your audience. But yeah, they're like, What's he talking Speaker 1 ** 57:50 who's Lincoln? And I've been to Ford theater too, so that's okay, yes, as have I. So it was much later than, than, well, than Lincoln, but that's okay. Greg Schwem ** 57:58 You're not that old, right? No. Well, okay, so as the title, as the title implies, I did have sort of a double, double gut punch, it just in the last two years. So I, I got divorced late in life, after 29 years of marriage. And while that was going on, I got a colon cancer diagnosis and and at this end, I was dealing with all this while also continuing work as a humor speaker, okay, as a comedian. And I just decided I got it. First of all, I got a very clean bill of health. I'm cancer free. I am finally divorced so and I, I started to think, I wonder if there's some humor in this. I I would, I would, you know, Michael, I've been on stage for like, 25 years telling people that, you know, you can find something funny to laugh at. You can find humor in any situation. It's kind of like what you're talking about all the people going down the stairs in the building in the world trade center. All right, if you look around enough, you know, maybe there's something funny, and I've been preaching that, but I never really had to live that until now. And I thought, you know, maybe there's something here. Maybe I can this is my chance now to embrace new experiences. It was kind of when I got divorced, when you've been married half your life and all of a sudden you get divorced, everything's new to you, yeah, you're, you're, you're living alone, you you're doing things that your spouse did, oh, so many years. And you're having to do those, and you're having to make new friends, yeah, and all of that, I think, is very humorous. So the more I saw a book in there that I started writing before the cancer diagnosis, and I thought was there enough here? Just like, okay, a guy at 60 years old gets divorced now what's going to happen to him? The diagnosis? Kind. Made it just added another wrinkle to the book, because now I have to deal with this, and I have to find another subject to to make light of a little bit. So the book is not a memoir, you know, I don't start it off. And, you know, when I was seven, you know, I played, you know, I was, I went to this school night. It's not that. It's more just about reinvention and just seeing that you can be happy later in life, even though you have to kind of rewrite your your story a little Speaker 1 ** 1:00:33 bit. And I would assume, and I would assume, you bring some of that into your ACT every so Greg Schwem ** 1:00:38 very much. So yeah, I created a whole new speech called Turning gut punches into punchlines. And I some of the stuff that I, that I did, but, you know, there's a chapter in the book about, I about gig work, actually three chapters I, you know, I went to work for Amazon during the Christmas holiday rush, just scanning packages. I wanted to see what that was like. I drove for Uber I which I did for a while. And to tell you the truth, I miss it. I ended up selling my car, but I miss it because of the what we just talked about. It was a great way to communicate with people. It was a great way to talk to people, find out about them, be the least interesting person in the car, anyway. And there's a chapter about dating and online dating, which I had not had to do in 30 years. There's a lot of humor in that. I went to therapy. I'd never gone to therapy before. I wrote a chapter about that. So I think people really respond to this book, because they I think they see a lot of themselves in it. You know, lots of people have been divorced. There's lots of cancer survivors out there, and there's lots of people who just suddenly have hit a speed bump in their life, and they're not really sure how to deal with it, right? And my way, this book is just about deal with it through laughter. And I'm the perfect example. Speaker 1 ** 1:01:56 I hear you, Oh, I I know, and I've been through the same sort of thing as you not a divorce, but my wife and I were married for 40 years, and she passed away in November of 2022 after 40 years of marriage. And as I tell people, as I tell people, I got to be really careful, because she's monitoring me from somewhere, and if I misbehave, I'm going to hear about it, so I got to be a good kid, and I don't even chase the women so. But I also point out that none of them have been chasing me either, so I guess I just do what we got to do. But the reality is, I think there are always ways to find some sort of a connection with other people, and then, of course, that's what what you do. It's all about creating a connection, creating a relationship, even if it's only for a couple of hours or an hour or 45 minutes, but, but you do it, which is what it's all about? Greg Schwem ** 1:02:49 Yeah, exactly. And I think the funniest stuff is real life experience. Oh, absolutely, you know. And if people can see themselves in in what I've written, then I've done my job as a writer. Speaker 1 ** 1:03:03 So do you have any plans to retire? Greg Schwem ** 1:03:06 Never. I mean, good for you retire from what 1:03:09 I know right, making fun of people Greg Schwem ** 1:03:12 and making them laugh. I mean, I don't know what I would do with myself, and even if I there's always going to be I don't care how technology, technologically advanced our society gets. People will always want and need to laugh. Yeah, they're always going to want to do that. And if they're want, if they're wanting to do that, then I will find, I will find a way to get to them. And that's why I, as I said, That's why, like working on cruise ships has become, like a new, sort of a new avenue for me to make people laugh. And so, yeah, I don't I there's, there's no way. I don't know what else I would do with Speaker 1 ** 1:03:53 myself, well and from my perspective, as long as I can inspire people, yes, I can make people think a little bit and feel better about themselves. I'm going to do it right. And, and, and I do. And I wrote a book during COVID that was published last August called Live like a guide dog. And it's all about helping people learn to control fear. And I use lessons I learned from eight guide dogs and my wife service dog to do that. My wife was in a wheelchair her whole life. Great marriage. She read, I pushed worked out well, but, but the but the but the bottom line is that dogs can teach us so many lessons, and there's so much that we can learn from them. So I'm grateful that I had the opportunity to create this book and and get it out there. And I think that again, as long as I can continue to inspire people, I'm going to do it. Because Greg Schwem ** 1:04:47 why wouldn't you? Why wouldn't I exactly right? Yeah, yeah. So, Speaker 1 ** 1:04:51 I mean, I think if I, if I stopped, I think my wife would beat up on me, so I gotta be nice exactly. She's monitoring from somewhere
Dr. Selwyn Ellis, the Bosley Whitmore Endowed Professor and head of the Department of Computer Information Systems at Louisiana Tech University, engages in a profound conversation with hosts Craig Van Slyke and Thomas Stafford regarding the establishment and maintenance of cybersecurity research and education programs that adhere to national standards. The dialogue reveals the multifaceted nature of achieving designation as a Center of Academic Excellence in Cyber Defense by the National Security Agency and the Department of Homeland Security, thus highlighting the rigorous accreditation processes that validate the quality of education delivered. Dr. Ellis elaborates on the collaborative efforts required across various departments within the university, emphasizing the importance of a holistic approach to cybersecurity education that encompasses not only technical skills but also behavioral aspects essential for understanding the human factors influencing security practices. The discussion further explores the curriculum offered by the Louisiana Tech Center for Information Assurance, which includes essential courses such as disaster recovery, risk analysis, and principles of information assurance. These programs are designed to prepare students comprehensively for careers in cybersecurity, equipping them with the knowledge and skills necessary to address the growing complexities of the cyber threat landscape. Dr. Ellis notes that graduates from these programs are well-positioned for employment across diverse sectors, underscoring the value of a rigorous academic foundation in enhancing their career prospects. The episode also touches upon the significance of research in cybersecurity, as Dr. Ellis and the hosts discuss the role of faculty in guiding students toward impactful research endeavors that contribute to the field's advancement. As the conversation progresses, the implications of emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence (AI) on cybersecurity education come to the forefront. Dr. Ellis articulates the need for educational institutions to adapt their curricula to incorporate AI-driven methodologies, preparing students to navigate both the opportunities and challenges presented by these advancements. The dialogue culminates in a call to action for industry partners to engage with educational institutions, fostering collaboration that enriches the learning experience and ensures a robust pipeline of skilled cybersecurity professionals ready to meet the demands of an evolving landscape. This episode encapsulates the essence of proactive engagement between academia and industry, reinforcing the critical role that well-structured educational programs play in shaping the future of cybersecurity.Takeaways: The Cyberways podcast aims to translate academic knowledge into practical applications for security professionals, addressing the crucial need for accessible cybersecurity education. Dr. Selwyn Ellis, our esteemed guest, has extensive experience in establishing cybersecurity research centers certified by the US Government, showcasing his expertise in this critical field. Louisiana Tech University uniquely holds dual certifications as a Center of Academic Excellence in Cyber Defense and Research, reflecting the institution's commitment to rigorous cybersecurity education and research. The importance of continuous certification and rigorous program reviews every five years ensures that our cybersecurity curriculum meets national standards set by the NSA and Homeland Security. Our graduates possess a competitive advantage in the job market due to their comprehensive training and knowledge in cybersecurity, making them attractive to employers in various industries. The evolving landscape of cybersecurity education is increasingly influenced by advancements in artificial intelligence, which presents both challenges and...
Born a patriot, Dr. Leslie Gruis spent 30 years as a mathematician and intelligence officer at the National Security Agency, where she helped develop technology solutions that balanced national security with civil rights. She later served at U.S. Cyber Command and the National Intelligence Council. Now retired, she writes and speaks on privacy, surveillance, and democracy—making complex topics accessible for everyday Americans. Dr. Gruis is the author of Privacy: Past, Present, and Future, The Privacy Pirates, and a forthcoming third book. She also mentors K–12 STEM students, with a special focus on middle school girls.Dr Gruis on math: "In my experience, students rarely struggle with content alone. What they often lack is confidence and context. Many bright students are afraid to try, afraid to fail, or unsure how what they're learning fits into the real world. The most impactful thing educators can do is show them that problem-solving isn't about perfection—it's about curiosity." Dr Gruis on privacy: "One crucial point is that privacy is not just a personal preference—it's a civic right. When we give up privacy, even in small ways, we weaken our ability to think, speak, and dissent freely. It's not just about protecting data; it's about protecting civil rights. Devices like Ring doorbells, fitness trackers, and smartphones collect massive amounts of data, often without people fully realizing the long-term social impacts. This normalization of surveillance makes it even more urgent that we think critically about the trade-offs."Connect with Dr Gruis:LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/leslie-gruis-b8060b141/Get a copy of The Privacy PiratesLearn more about Cyber Corps sfs.opm.govChris Woods is the host of the STEM Everyday Podcast... Connect with him:Website: dailystem.comTwitter/X: @dailystemInstagram: @dailystemYouTube: @dailystemGet Chris's book Daily STEM on AmazonSupport the show
In its Greek root, Mentos means “intent, purpose, spirit and passion.” It was with intent, purpose and passion that this special episode came to life. It is a rare occasion when one can get together with their mentor, and their mentor's mentor for a conversation anchored in three generations of mentorship, leadership and friendship. This is one of those conversations. My special guest, the mentor of my mentor is Admiral Bob Inman. I flew to Austin to meet up with him in person and record this incredible testimony of history and leadership and lifelong service. Admiral Inman was born in April 1931 in East Texas and went on to become a highly decorated United States Navy Officer and Intelligence Leader. His career and service had a profound impact on America's national security architecture. During his 31-year military career that spanned the world and included some of the most sensitive national security posts in the Government, the Admiral earned a bipartisan reputation as one of the Nation's finest intelligence officers of a generation. Journalists used to refer to him as “simply one of the smartest people ever to come out of Washington or anywhere.” Regarded as a superstar in the intelligence community he grew his career in Naval Intelligence serving on carriers, cruisers and destroyers…not to mention the hallowed halls of the Pentagon. The Admiral went on to serve as the Director of Naval Intelligence, Vice Director of the Defense Intelligence Agency and Director of the National Security Agency. He was nominated to be Deputy Director of Central Intelligence and served in that role until his resignation in 1982. It was during that time Admiral Inman became the first naval intelligence specialist to earn the rank of 4 Star Admiral. Admiral Inman went on to serve on numerous boards including CalTech's Board of Trustees and held the LBJ Centennial Chart in National Policy at the University of Texas at Austin Lyndon B. Johnson School of Public Affairs. In every capacity the Admiral has always focused on mentorship and leadership and sharing wisdom for the next generation. When we sat down to speak with the Admiral he had recently celebrated 67 years of marriage with his dear wife. At 94 years of age he is still motivated by selfless service and paying it forward to the next generations of leaders. This conversation counts as one of those gifts. So, sit back and listen to this incredible story of change and mentorship and leadership from a nation's patriot, a renowned thinker and educator and all around incredible guy. And stay tuned at the end of the episode for a follow on reflective discussion with Rob Shook, my mentor who made this all possible. Together we discuss our insights and takeaways from this inspiring afternoon with the Admiral. Thanks for listening.
In this week's Security Sprint, Dave and Andy covered the following topics:Warm Open:• The GRIP is one year old and to celebrate, we're running an anniversary sale!!• Join the GRIP in July and use promo code HOTJULY2025 to receive a 20% discount!• (TLP:CLEAR) Hostile Nation States Employing Non-State Actors• Surge in MOVEit Transfer Scanning Could Signal Emerging Threat Activity• ‘Suspended animation': US government upheaval has frayed partnerships with critical infrastructure• Short-term extension of expiring cyber information-sharing law could be on the table• Gate 15 is excited to offer a low-cost ransomware resilience exercise for executives! Contact us today for more information on this great opportunity!Main Topics:Iranian Cyber Actors May Target Vulnerable US Networks and Entities of Interest. CISA, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the Department of Defense Cyber Crime Center (DC3), and the National Security Agency (NSA) published Iranian Cyber Actors May Target Vulnerable US Networks and Entities of Interest. This joint fact sheet details the need for increased vigilance for potential cyber activity against U.S. critical infrastructure by Iranian state-sponsored or affiliated threat actors. Defense Industrial Base companies, particularly those possessing holdings or relationships with Israeli research and defense firms, are at increased risk. At this time, we have not seen indications of a coordinated campaign of malicious cyber activity in the U.S. that can be attributed to Iran. Beazley Report: U.S. Executives Misjudge Their Cyber Preparedness. U.S.-based executives feel more prepared to counter cyber threats, potentially indicating a false sense of security because many companies lack the ability to be adequately preparedness, according to a new report from specialist insurer Beazley. According to the report, Spotlight on Tech Transformation & Cyber Risk 2025, the perception of cyber resilience rose to 81% from 73% a year ago. Hostile Events:• A violent ambush in Idaho leaves 2 firefighters dead and 1 injured. What to know about the attack• Suspect Identified in Deadly Ambush of Idaho Firefighters• Chilling ‘coincidence' of Idaho shooting sends internet sleuths into overdrive• Gunman started Idaho blaze and then fatally shot 2 firefighters in ambush attack, officials say• Here's a timeline of how the Canfield Mountain ambush shooting unfolded• Multiple firefighters reportedly shot while responding to fire near Coeur d'Alene• Europol: New report - major developments and trends on terrorism in Europe in 2024Quick Hits:• Canadian Centre for Cyber Security - Vulnerabilities impacting Citrix NetScaler ADC and NetScaler Gateway - CVE-2025-5349, CVE-2025-5777 and CVE-2025-6543 • Over 1,200 Citrix servers unpatched against critical auth bypass flaw• The State of Ransomware 2025• Scattered Spider hackers shift focus to aviation, transportation firms • Scattered Spider's Calculated Path from CFO to Compromise • M&S fashion rivals ‘benefited from its pause on online orders after cyber-attack' • Ransomware attack contributed to patient's death• Canada orders Chinese CCTV biz Hikvision to quit the country ASAP• FBI PSA - Criminals Posing as Legitimate Health Insurers and Fraud Investigators to Commit Health Care Fraud• 50 Customers of French Bank Hit by Insider SIM Swap Scam; An intern at Société Générale is believed to have facilitated the theft of more than EUR1mn (USD1.15mn) from the bank's customers.• State of CPS Security 2025: Building Management System Exposures • H1 2025 Crypto Hacks and Exploits: A New Record Amid Evolving Threats
When Cybercom was created in 2006, its commander was dual-hatted as the commander of the National Security Agency. The expectation then was that the two organizations would eventually be separated. But in a world of increasing cyber threats, some argue that the current situation works just fine. Here to make that case is the Chairman of the Cyber, Information Technologies, and Innovation (CITI) subcommittee of the House Armed Services Committee, Congressman Don Bacon.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
Talking points: genetics, culture, psychology, parentingI'm the kid who's always running to see what's over the next hill, so I'm both grateful and excited to have Alex on the show. His latest book is incredible, and gets to the science of how we're actually happier with a little less predictability in so many parts of our lives. If you're someone whose life feels kind of listless right now, this is YOUR episode.(00:00:00) - The “explorer gene”, dopamine, and the impact of modern tech on our ability to explore(00:15:20) - Our relationship with the unknown, and how it messes us up sometimes(00:25:04) - How the unknown can challenge relationships, and how to navigate that(00:29:40) - The difference between exploration and exploitation(00:35:54) - The “free energy principle” and the “effort paradox”(00:52:52) - Tactical insights on amping up your exploration mindsetAlex Hutchinson is the New York Times bestselling author of Endure, a longtime columnist for Outside covering the science of endurance, and a National Magazine Award–winning journalist who has contributed to the New York Times, The New Yorker, and other publications. A former long-distance runner for the Canadian national team, he holds a master's in journalism from Columbia and a Ph.D. in physics from Cambridge, and he did his post-doctoral research with the National Security Agency. He lives in Toronto with his family.Connect with Alex:-Website: https://www.alexhutchinson.net/-New book: The Explorer's Gene: https://bit.ly/43JicFr-Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sweat_science/-Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/sweatscience
Bestselling author and acclaimed exercise science journalist Alex Hutchinson is back on the podcast! He is a regular columnist for Outside magazine writing the Sweat Science column and has contributed to publications such as the New York Times and the New Yorker. He's a former member of the Canadian national team, holds a PhD in physics from the University of Cambridge, a master's degree in journalism from Columbia University, and conducted post-doctoral research with the National Security Agency. We're exploring the frontier: what Alex is most excited about from the latest research that has the potential to change how we train. We discuss everything from heat training, to high volume and how to distribute mileage, the effort paradox, and more. His newest book, The Explorer's Gene: Why We Seek Big Challenges, New Flavors and the Blank Spots on the Map is available now. His prior books are some of my favorites, from the bestselling Endure to the quirky physiology Q&A book Cardio or Weights? I recommend all of them. If you enjoy this conversation, be sure to follow and subscribe to the Strength Running Podcast! Learn more: How to Build Mileage (NOT the 10% Rule) Weight training for runners Thanks Boulderthon! Boulderthon is a top 10 race in America according to USA Today and one of the best fall marathons according to Runner's World. With a 5k, 10k, half marathon, and marathon, Boulderthon offers an amazing fall destination race weekend right at the foothills of the Rockies. Use code STRENGTH20 for $20 off the marathon or half marathon. Join me in Boulder, one of the top running destinations in the country, on September 28th, to experience the tight knit running community here, race on the epic streets of Boulder, and finish on historic Pearl Street. While I live in Denver, I travel to boulder probably once a week to run. It's arguably one of the best running locations in the United States. There'll probably be cool and crisp fall weather for racing fast, too. And don't worry, Boulderthon is a BQ-eligible, USA Track & Field Sanctioned Event. Boulderthon is on track to sell out again this year so don't miss out. Use code STRENGTH20 to save $20 on the marathon or half-marathon here and I hope to see you in Boulder this fall. Thank you Gut & Green Superfoods! Previnex's new Gut & Green Superfoods greens powder is my new go-to. It has organic barley and oat grass, alfalfa, spirulina, chlorella, kale and broccoli… and that's it. Their ingredients are backed by clinical data and contain three specific gut fibers that help promote GI health, digestion, reduced inflammation, and a better microbiome. It has twice the amount of fiber than my last greens mix and, best of all, it actually tastes good. Try it for yourself here at previnex.com and be sure to use code “JASONGREENS” to save 15% off your first order. Don't tell anyone, but if you put Gut & Green Superfoods powder in your cart, then the 15% off discount will work for anything else you add into your cart as well. And by the way, with every order they donate vitamins to kids in need. Thanks Previnex.
Todd Renner is a seasoned cybersecurity professional with over 25 years of experience leading global cyber investigations, incident response efforts, and digital asset recovery operations. He advises clients on a wide range of cybersecurity and data privacy matters, combining deep technical knowledge with a strategic understanding of risk, compliance, and regulatory frameworks. With a distinguished background at the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and National Security Agency (NSA), Mr. Renner has contributed to national security, international cyber collaboration, and has played a key role in mentoring the next generation of cybersecurity professionals. In this episode… The rising complexity of cyber threats continues to test how businesses prepare, respond, and recover. Sophisticated threat actors are exploiting these vulnerabilities of private companies and leveraging AI tools to accelerate their attacks. Despite these dangers, many organizations hesitate to involve law enforcement when a cyber event occurs. This hesitation often stems from misconceptions about what law enforcement involvement entails, including fears of losing control over their systems or exposing sensitive company information. As a result, companies may prioritize quickly restoring operations over pursuing retribution from the attackers, leaving critical security gaps unaddressed. Collaborating with law enforcement doesn't mean forfeiting control or exposing confidential data unnecessarily. Investigations often reveal repeated issues, including mobile device compromises, missing multifactor authentication, and failing to improve cybersecurity measures after a breach. To be better prepared, companies need to develop and practice incident response plans, ensure leadership remains involved, and build security programs that evolve beyond incident response. And, as threat actors actively use AI to accelerate data aggregation and create convincing deepfakes, companies need to start thinking about how to better detect these threats. In this episode of She Said Privacy/He Said Security, Jodi and Justin Daniels speak with Todd Renner, Senior Managing Director at FTI Consulting, about how organizations are responding to modern cyber threats and where many still fall short. Todd shares why companies hesitate to engage law enforcement, how threat actors are using AI for faster targeting and impersonation, and why many businesses fail to strengthen their cybersecurity programs after a breach. He also discusses why deepfakes are eroding trust and raising new challenges for companies, and he provides practical tips for keeping both organizations and families safe from evolving threats.
Please enjoy this encore of Career Notes. Vice President for Cyber and Information Solutions within Mission Systems at Northrop Grumman, Jennifer Walsmith takes us on her pioneering career journey. Following in her father's footsteps at the National Security Agency, Jennifer began her career out of high school in computer systems analysis. Jennifer notes she saw the value of a college degree and at her parents' urging attended night school. She completed her bachelors in computer science at University of Maryland, Baltimore County with the support of the NSA. Jennifer talks about the support of her team at NSA where she was one of the first women to have a career and a family, raising two children while working. Upon retirement from government service, Jennifer chose an organization with values that closely matched her own and uses her position to help her team define possible where they sometimes think they can't. We thank Jennifer for sharing her story with us. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Please enjoy this encore of Career Notes. Vice President for Cyber and Information Solutions within Mission Systems at Northrop Grumman, Jennifer Walsmith takes us on her pioneering career journey. Following in her father's footsteps at the National Security Agency, Jennifer began her career out of high school in computer systems analysis. Jennifer notes she saw the value of a college degree and at her parents' urging attended night school. She completed her bachelors in computer science at University of Maryland, Baltimore County with the support of the NSA. Jennifer talks about the support of her team at NSA where she was one of the first women to have a career and a family, raising two children while working. Upon retirement from government service, Jennifer chose an organization with values that closely matched her own and uses her position to help her team define possible where they sometimes think they can't. We thank Jennifer for sharing her story with us. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Register for upcoming webcasts & summits - https://poweredbybhis.comChapters00:00 - PreShow Banter™ — A Complex Business06:40 - BHIS - Talkin' Bout [infosec] News 2025-04-0707:34 - Story # 1: Oracle quietly admits data breach, days after lawsuit accused it of cover-up12:47 - Story # 2: Twitter (X) Hit by 2.8 Billion Profile Data Leak in Alleged Insider Job21:13 - Story # 3: Phishing platform ‘Lucid' behind wave of iOS, Android SMS attacks28:14 - Story # 4: GitHub expands security tools after 39 million secrets leaked in 202437:28 - Story # 5: The 10 Biggest Crypto Hacks in History40:11 - Story # 6: OpenAI tests watermarking for ChatGPT-4o Image Generation model45:44 - Story # 7: National Security Agency chief fired as Trump ousts another top military officer
David Mauro, creator of the Talking Jesus Dolls, is an American who stands behind President Trump's 'America First' ideology. But he worries about the impacts Trump's tariffs will have on his business. And, President Trump last week removed the head of the National Security Agency and Cyber Command. Gen. Michael Hayden, former director of the NSA joins us to react to that decision. Then, a stage-four cancer diagnosis hasn't stopped singer Raul Malo from touring the country. The Mavericks frontman joins us to talk about what he learned on the road.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy
Trump's tariff tumult has left the world reeling. Global leaders are scrambling to respond. Companies, both small and large, are worried about their futures. Most importantly, everyday Americans are not sure how they're going to afford retirement, rent and groceries. Former Congressman David Jolly and Congressman Robert Garcia discuss. Plus, two top National Security Agency officials are dismissed. Analyst and former executive editor of Defense One, Kevin Baron, weighs in.
In this episode of The President's Daily Brief: President Trump continues his shake-up of the national security establishment, removing the head of the National Security Agency and U.S. Cyber Command. The Kremlin delivers a stark warning to President Trump: any U.S. strike on Iran's nuclear facilities will have “catastrophic consequences.” To listen to the show ad-free, become a premium member of The President's Daily Brief by visiting PDBPremium.com. Please remember to subscribe if you enjoyed this episode of The President's Daily Brief. YouTube: youtube.com/@presidentsdailybrief Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Markets fall for a second straight day following President Trump's tariff announcement as fears of a recession grow. Council on Foreign Relations President Emeritus Richard Haass joins Meet the Press NOW to discuss the global economic fallout. The Trump administration fires the chief and deputy director of the National Security Agency. A federal judge orders the government to return a Maryland man after he was deported to El Salvador due to an "administrative error."
President Trump abruptly fired the director and deputy director of the National Security Agency, the country’s powerful cyber intelligence bureau. That’s according to reports and members of the House and Senate intelligence committees. The firings came after right-wing activist Laura Loomer urged Trump to do so. Geoff Bennett discussed more with Stewart Baker, a former NSA general counsel. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders
Plus: The U.S. added 228,000 jobs in March, defying expectations. And President Trump has fired the chief of the National Security Agency. Zoe Kuhlkin hosts. Sign up for the WSJ's free What's News newsletter. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Following President Trump's "Liberation Day" tariffs, China responds by slapping a huge tariff on the US, and stocks are tumbling yet again. In contrast, the latest jobs report was stronger than expected. We break down all the latest economic indicators that are coming in. Plus: Both the director and the deputy director from the highly sensitive National Security Agency are now gone after far-right activist Laura Loomer met with president Trump and advocated for their firings. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
How businesses could be impacted by a trade war and what they're doing to combat it.The reason behind the ousting of the acting director and deputy chief at the National Security Agency. And for the CBS Evening News' "On the Road", Steve Hartman meets a young boy in Oklahoma with a unique talent. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Why pay more? For far less than the hourly rate of a psychiatrist, David Waldman can address much of the anxiety that you, and he, suffer beneath the surface of each day. Dollar for dollar, KITM sooths and informs better than most barbers, bartenders, or even Uber drivers. Try some today! While you're doing that, do something else! There's plenty to be done and you're the one to do it. You have to do it, no one else is going to do it, they are too busy doing their part. Don't make us tariff you. Yesterday, Donald K. Trump pitched the world into a steep nosedive, before parachuting out somewhere over the Doral golf course. What was he thinking? Great minds struggle to decipher and explain Trump's tariff calculations, failing to consider that tiny minds came up with it. Actually, it's not difficult to see that these tariffs are just another way to leverage and measure acquiescence and obsequence. How can the Democrats ever pull us out of this horrible spin? IEEPA! Don't ask Trump anything about SignalGate. Don't ask him about anything. Please don't ask him about his $5 million instant citizen gold card. Interim and future U.S. attorney for the District of Columbia, Ed Martin is as Trumpy as they come, alarming federal prosecutors across the political spectrum. There's no point along any spectrum unalarmed by Laura Loomer, who unfortunately has Trump's rear, uh, “ear” to whisper sweet enemy lists into. The 5th floor window that General Timothy Haugh, the director of the National Security Agency and US Cyber Command was shoved out of was in fact, not literal, as the deep state had all of office windows sealed due to “the environment”. South Koreans are still puzzling over why their leader declared martial law, while Americans are puzzling over how to get our justice system to work half as well as the South Korean's.
Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell says he expects President Donald Trump's tariffs to raise inflation and lower growth but there is a “highly uncertain outlook” and it is "too soon to say" what the Fed will do with interest rates; Wall Street takes another big hit today; Senate debates the Republican budget blueprint with tax cuts, spending cuts, energy, border and defenses policies. Democrats are unified in their opposition. An all-night voting session expected tonight before final passage early Saturday; We get congressional reaction to the overnight firing by President Donald Trump of the head of the National Security Agency and his deputy; Secretary of State Marco Rubio is asked about the status of the Russia-Ukraine war ceasefire talks at the NATO foreign ministers meeting in Brussels; former Vice President and Democratic presidential nominee Kamala Harris gives her assessment of the Donald Trump Administration. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
“Doing this book took me out of my comfort zone, into new fields I wasn't comfortable with,” says Alex Hutchinson, speaking of his newest book The Explorer's Gene: Why We Seek Big Challenges, New Flavors, and the Blank Spots on the Map. And so it is we speak with the expert on exploration about his own experiences of exploring in creative practice. Why are we drawn to what we don't know? How do we know when enough is enough? When is it better to build on what we know than launch into new territory? And what of that revelation that seems to stay just beyond our grasp?Alex Hutchinson is the New York Times bestselling author of Endure, a longtime columnist for Outside covering the science of endurance, and a National Magazine Award–winning journalist who has contributed to the New York Times, The New Yorker, and other publications. A former long-distance runner for the Canadian national team, he holds a master's in journalism from Columbia and a Ph.D. in physics from Cambridge, and he did his post-doctoral research with the National Security Agency. He lives in Toronto with his family. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit emergingform.substack.com/subscribe
While President Trump downplayed the texting troubles caused by his top officials, CBS News has obtained a National Security Agency alert from last month warning against using the Signal app, calling it a "high-value target to intercept sensitive information." A Texas woman says her husband was wrongly sent to one of the world's most dangerous prisons in El Salvador as part of the more than 200 Venezuelans deported by the Trump administration – despite having no gang ties. Postmaster General Louis DeJoy quits after five years in position To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices
In THE DUMOND AFFAIR: How Lies And Politics Freed a Killer,first-timeauthor D.R. Bartletteweaves a story of the political corruption and religious zealotry that gave birth to an anti-Bill Clinton conspiracy theory that led to the deaths of two women and, thirty-six years later, the birth of an insurrection.The 1984 kidnapping and rape of a small-town cheerleader in southern Arkansas might seem like a tragic crime that was only notable because the local sheriff displayed her attacker's severed testicles on his desk for months afterward. But when Ashley Stevens came forward to accuse Wayne Dumond, a 35-year-old murderer and serial rapist, she could never have imagined how her case would be thrust into the media spotlight.An innocent teen, Stevens was attacked first by Dumond, and then by anti-Bill Clinton conspiracy theorists who accused her of lying for political reasons, but themselves lied to push their nefarious cause. Then former conservative Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee used his influence to push for Dumond's release.Once freed, Dumond went on to rape and murder two more women. But there's more to this story.As Bartlette points out, the forces that came together to free Dumond eventually metastasized into the Qanon cult that the National Security Agency labeled one of the biggest national security threats since 9/11. A movement that was at least partly responsible for the insurrection on Jan. 6, 2020.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-opperman-report--1198501/support.
In this episode, Dinesh discusses the newly-revealedperversion ring within the National Security Agency, and agency head Tulsi Gabbard’s response to them. Dinesh reviews the Supreme Court hearing on whether discrimination against whites is an offense no less serious than discrimination against minority groups. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
The National Security Agency's secret sex chats are uncovered, and we get breaking news from Chris Rufo; Emmanuel Macron visits the White House as Europeans panic over Trump's Ukraine approach; and the Associated Press goes to war with the administration. Click here to join the member-exclusive portion of my show: https://bit.ly/3WDjgHE Ep.2145 - - - Facts Don't Care About Your Feelings - - - DailyWire+: Join us for Backstage Live, March 4, at 8:30 PM Eastern—we'll watch President Trump address Congress, then stay tuned for unfiltered, no-BS reactions you won't get anywhere else. Watch at https://dailywire.com Now is the time to join the fight. Watch the hit movies, documentaries, and series reshaping our culture. Go to https://dailywire.com/subscribe today. Get your Ben Shapiro merch here: https://bit.ly/3TAu2cw - - - Today's Sponsors: Lifelock - Visit https://LifeLock.com/BEN and save up to 40% your first year! Grand Canyon University - Find your purpose at Grand Canyon University. Visit https://gcu.edu today. Tax Network USA - For a complimentary consultation, call today at 1 (800) 958-1000 or visit their website at https://TNUSA.com/SHAPIRO NetSuite - Download the CFO's Guide to AI and Machine Learning for free at https://NetSuite.com/SHAPIRO - - - Socials: Follow on Twitter: https://bit.ly/3cXUn53 Follow on Instagram: https://bit.ly/3QtuibJ Follow on Facebook: https://bit.ly/3TTirqd Subscribe on YouTube: https://bit.ly/3RPyBiB
The new administration is purging data from government websites and databases, such as the Department of Justice and the National Security Agency. On this week's On the Media, a historian shares the political playbook for rewriting the past in order to control the future. Plus, meet the different Christian groups vying for power at the White House.[01:00] Host Micah Loewinger looks at the White House's purge of data and records. He talks to Dara Kerr, a reporter at the Guardian, about President Trump's attempt to ramp up deportations and how ICE is fudging its numbers. Micah also speaks with Molly White, author of the newsletter “Citation Needed” and Wikipedia editor, about why Musk and others on the right are going after Wikipedia. [13:24] Host Brooke Gladstone talks to Jason Stanley, professor of philosophy at Yale University and author of the book Erasing History: How Fascists Rewrite the Past to Control the Future, about the narrative the new administration is constructing.[31:46] Brooke Gladstone hears from Matthew D. Taylor, author of The Violent Take It by Force: The Christian Movement That Is Threatening Our Democracy. They discuss the three Christian factions jostling for power in the new administration: the independent Charismatics like Trump's faith adviser Paula White-Cain, the trad Catholics (represented by J.D. Vance), and the theobros (epitomized by Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth).Further reading:“US immigration is creating a mirage of mass deportations on Google search,” by Dara Kerr“Elon Musk and the right's war on Wikipedia,” by Molly WhiteErasing History: How Fascists Rewrite the Past to Control the Future, by Jason StanleyThe second coming of Donald J. Trump,” by Matthew D. Taylor On the Media is supported by listeners like you. Support OTM by donating today (https://pledge.wnyc.org/support/otm). Follow our show on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook @onthemedia, and share your thoughts with us by emailing onthemedia@wnyc.org.
