Podcasts about Netherlands

Nigeria's foreign minister has said US strikes against the Islamic State group were nothing to do with a particular religion, despite Donald Trump's assertions. He said that the attacks targeted militants killing Nigerians- irrespective of their faith. Also in the programme: We head to the Netherlands to explore the Silicon Valley of farming; Malaysia's former prime minister Najib Razak has received a 15-year jail sentence over his involvement in one of the world's biggest corruption scandals; and could there be hope of a cure for dementia? (Photo: The US defence department posted a short video that appears to show a missile being launched from a military vessel. Credit: US Department of Defense)

Health psychologist Dr. Kari Leibowitz traveled to some of the coldest, darkest places on earth to learn how people there don't just survive, but thrive in winter. She says that one of the key ingredients is adopting a positive wintertime mindset by focusing on and celebrating the good parts of winter.In a conversation from last January, Flora Lichtman talks with Dr. Kari Leibowitz, author of How to Winter: Harness Your Mindset to Thrive on Cold, Dark, or Difficult Days, about saunas, cold plunges, candles, and other small ways to make winter a season to look forward to rather than dread. Plus, she responds to some of our audience's own tips to make the season enjoyable.Guest: Dr. Kari Leibowitz is a health psychologist and author of How to Winter: Harness Your Mindset to Thrive on Cold, Dark, or Difficult Days. She's based in Amsterdam, The Netherlands.Transcript is available at sciencefriday.com. Subscribe to this podcast. Plus, to stay updated on all things science, sign up for Science Friday's newsletters.

Patriot games are coming. Larry Ellison in the spotlight. Hi Ho Silver and away! PLUS we are now on Spotify and Amazon Music/Podcasts! Click HERE for Show Notes and Links DHUnplugged is now streaming live - with listener chat. Click on link on the right sidebar. Love the Show? Then how about a Donation? Follow John C. Dvorak on Twitter Follow Andrew Horowitz on Twitter Warm-Up - CTP Cup - All systems go! 9 participants! - ELON gets his $$$ - Kids account challenge - Patriot games are coming... Markets - Not much headwinds - EOY approaching - Analysts predicting SP500 for 2026 - 7,500 (12% upside) - More Oracle back and forth - Gold and Silver Elon - Elon Musk's net worth surged to $749 billion late Friday after the Delaware Supreme Court reinstated Tesla stock options worth $139 billion that were voided last year - He also recently received a $1T pay plan approval - Jeff Bezos, Mark Zuckerberg, and Jensen Huang combined - His fortune exceeds the GDP of nations like the Netherlands, Saudi Arabia, and Switzerland. - He is richer than every country in Africa by GDP - He is projected by some reports to become the world's first trillionaire by 2027 When did Larry Ellison and Oracle become newsworthy? - Every day in the news.... - Larry Ellison NOW Personally Guarantees Paramount Bid for Warner Bros. - The announcement of Mr. Ellison's personal guarantee is meant to address concerns that the Warner Bros. Discovery's board had expressed about Paramount's original offer. - Helping out sonny-boy? More Oracle - Oracle stock slid after a report that Blue Owl Capital won't back a $10 billion data center for OpenAI. (Michigan) - Oracle has $248 billion in lease commitments for data centers and cloud capacity commitments over the next 15 to 19 years. - Oracle later responded to the FT report, saying the project was moving forward and that Blue Owl was not part of equity talks. EVEN MORE! - Multiple media outlets, including the Associated Press, reported that ByteDance has reached an agreement with Oracle ORCL, Silver Lake, and Abu-Dhabi-based MGX to set up a joint venture for TikTok's US operations. Oracle will hold a 15.0% stake in the new entity, while ByteDance will retain a 19.9% stake. - The important thing her is that TikTok stays as a major tenant of OCI as ORCL needs this cash flow... - Of all of the items, this may be why ORCL stock has bounced te last few days. Congressional Ban - A vote on legislation banning members from owning or trading stocks could get a vote in the new year, according to House leadership and Republican members. - President Donald Trump has said he supports a congressional ban but has pushed back on versions that include the executive branch. - Basically this bill would prohibit the ownership of individual stocks by congress Over to Japan - Bank of Japan raises benchmark rates to highest in 30 years, lifting 10-year JGB yield past 2% - Yen still VERY weak - trading at 157/USD - (problematic) - The BOJ said that real interest rates are expected to remain “significantly negative,” adding that accommodative financial conditions will continue to firmly support economic activity. - The yen weakened 0.25% against the USD after the decision - therefore still dovish and stimulative Economic Numbers - Estimates, partial numbers and best guesses. OH, 2-month averaging as well - The Bureau of Labor Statistics reported that the annual headline inflation rate and core CPI rate for last month were 2.7% and 2.6%, respectively, well below expectations. - Due to government shutdown, BLS to make certain methodological assumptions about the prior month's inflation levels. - Those assumptions in the methodology were not clear to economists and were not fully explained in the release. - Here is a big issue: The price changes in October for the OER (owners equivalent rent) appear to have been “set to zero.”  Sports Prediction Markets - Sports is fueling the growth and is forecasted to make up 44% of volume as prediction markets mature. - According to one expert: the fundamental elements of consumer demand and an array of diverse brands looking to meet that demand are clearly in place - Sportsbooks are getting a bit nervous.... First Dell, then... - Billionaire hedge fund manager Ray Dalio of Bridgewater Associates and his wife, Barbara, committed to seed Trump accounts for approximately 300,000 children in Connecticut. - Following the Dells' pledge, the funds will be aimed at kids who live in a Connecticut ZIP code where the median income is less than $150,000. - The Dalio grant will fund $250 per child for approximately 300,000 children in Connecticut. This applies to children who live in a ZIP code where the median income is less than $150,000. About 87% of Connecticut ZIP codes meet that criteria, according to a CNBC analysis of Census Bureau data. - “Ray has joined what we are calling the 50-state challenge,” Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said in a press conference on Wednesday. - A growing number of companies have announced they would match contributions to Trump accounts for their employees, including BNY and BlackRock. Patriot Games (Hunger Games?) - Trump announced: The Washington Monument will be illuminated with festive lights, a triumphal arc will be constructed and the “Patriot Games” will commence. The games are an “unprecedented four-day athletic event featuring the greatest high school athletes: one young man and one young woman from each state and territory. - Uhhhhhh "And so it was decreed that, each year, the various districts of Panem would offer up, in tribute, one young man and woman to fight to the death in a pageant of honor, courage and sacrifice. (Hunger Games 2012) - What next - PURGE NIGHT? Fed Pick - Now it seems as if it is a 4 person race... - President Trump says "Nowadays, when there is good news, the market goes down because everybody thinks that interest rates will be immediately lifted"; says "I want my new Fed Chairman to lower interest rates if the market is doing well"; says "Anybody that disagrees with me will never be the Fed Chairman!" San Fran Blackout - Alphabet-owned Waymo resumed its robotaxi service in the San Francisco Bay Area Sunday evening after pausing it amid widespread blackouts that had affected their vehicles' behavior. - Waymo said it worked with city officials throughout the blackout and had “proactively” initiated a temporary suspension of its service. - Interesting point there - what happens when grid disruptions for internet with self-driving Angry Shareholders (For a minute) - Tricolor CEO Daniel Chu directed a deputy to send him $6.25 million in bonuses in August, weeks before the company filed for bankruptcy, U.S. prosecutors alleged. - Subprime autofirm that had alleged fraud - This happens all the time - Big issue to keep alert to is the news about "Subprime" WEED - Trump's executive order shifts cannabis from Schedule I to Schedule III, easing research, banking and tax restrictions and marking the biggest federal cannabis policy change in decades. - Shares of cannabis conglomerates were down following the announcement, likely from worries of new competition from international companies. - NOT legalization - NOT for recreational use... - Banking, Institutional capital ..... OpenAi - Beggars cup continues - OpenAI is in initial discussions to raise at least $10 billion from Amazon.com Inc. and use its chips, a potential win for the online retailer's effort to broaden its AI industry presence and compete with Nvidia Corp. - The deal under discussion could value OpenAI north of $500 billion and see it adopt Amazon's Trainium chip, a person with knowledge of the matter said, asking to remain anonymous to describe private negotiations. - Talks, however, are at a preliminary stage and terms could change, the person added. High Ho Silver and Away! - Silver up 135% YTD - Gold up 70% - Best year since strongest annual performance since 1979 for Gold - 1970's was inflation, USD weakening, Energy crisis. - What is similar/different now? (Big difference is buying up (China, Poland, Turkey, India) Light menu - Darden Restaurants will roll out a new lighter portion entrées menu at all Olive Garden locations in January, the company announced during its quarterly earnings call last Thursday. - Citing affordability: "Olive Garden has seen a double-digit increase in affordability perceptions from guests who order from the lighter portions menu and an increase in frequency among these guests, which should help build traffic over time," Cardenas said. - Sooooo 0 due to high costs, Americans are cutting back on food? - If it were for weight loss, no need for Oliver garden to cut back on portions as most inedible anyway... Copper - Copper prices topped $12,000 a ton for the first time, extending the metal's recent bull run as mine outages add to concerns about supply. - The threat of US import tariffs on the metal has also been an important factor pushing up prices this year, with copper piling up in American warehouses. - Industry analysts have said that much of the richest and most easily accessible mining resources are now exhausted, and experts are warning that the market is on the cusp of a major deficit. Jim Beam - Bourbon maker Jim Beam is halting production at one of its distilleries in Kentucky for at least a year as the whiskey industry navigates tariffs from the Trump administration and slumping demand for a product that needs years of aging before it is ready. - Jim Beam said the decision to pause bourbon making at its Clermont location in 2026 will give the company time to invest in improvements at the distillery. The bottling and warehouse at the site will remain open, along with the James B. Beam Distilling Co. visitors center and restaurant. - The percentage of U.S. adults who say they consume alcohol has fallen to 54%, the lowest by one percentage point in Gallup's nearly 90-year trend. Love the Show? Then how about a Donation? THE CLOSEST TO THE PIN 2025 Winners will be getting great stuff like the new "OFFICIAL" DHUnplugged Shirt! CTP CUP 2025 Participants: Jim Beaver Mike Kazmierczak Joe Metzger Ken Degel David Martin Dean Wormell Neil Larion Mary Lou Schwarzer Eric Harvey (2024 Winner) FED AND CRYPTO LIMERICKS See this week's stock picks HERE Follow John C. Dvorak on Twitter Follow Andrew Horowitz on Twitter

Erna Walraven was one of the first female zookeepers to work at Sydney's Taronga Zoo in the 1980s. Despite practical jokes from her male colleagues, like animal dung in her gumboots, Erna kept her nerve.She was born in The Netherlands, to parents who were involved in the Dutch resistance during World War II.Erna's love of languages took her to Spain, where she lived for many years with her widowed sister and young nephew.It was there she met a penniless Australian backpacker and fell in love, starting Erna on the path to the rest of her life.Erna's memoir Hear Me Roar is published by Affirm Press.This episode was produced by Alice Moldovan. The executive producer of Conversations is Nicola HarrisonIt covers mothers, animals, sex, mating behaviours, feminism, animal kingdom, Dutch resistance, world war 2, Taronga Zoo, Spain, sisters, family, memoir, writing, The Netherlands, grief, zoology, animal behaviour, offspring, nature, zoosTo binge even more great episodes of the Conversations podcast with Richard Fidler and Sarah Kanowski go the ABC listen app (Australia) or wherever you get your podcasts. There you'll find hundreds of the best thought-provoking interviews with authors, writers, artists, politicians, psychologists, musicians, and celebrities.

Nothing says "peace" quite like building a technology bloc. Pax Silica is said to be Washington's "flagship effort on AI and security initiative," which was unveiled at its inaugural summit on December 11, bringing together the U.S., Japan, the Republic of Korea, the UK, Australia, Israel, Singapore, the UAE, and the Netherlands, with others also in the room. What does "Pax Silica" mean? Well, "pax" is Latin for peace while "Silica" refers to silicon. Put together, it sounds like a gift to global coordination, a positive-sum partnership, as the U.S. puts it, which is not about isolating others. But is that really the case?

GB2RS News Sunday, the 28th of December 2025 The news headlines: Dr Julian Gannaway, G3YGF, is now a Silent Key Become a member of the RSGB Legacy Committee The RSGB 2026 Convention planning team opens the call for proposals It is with great sadness that we share the news that Dr Julian Gannaway, G3YGF, is now a Silent Key. He volunteered for the RSGB over many years, most recently on the RSGB Examination Standards Committee and as a corresponding member of the Spectrum Forum. He was made an RSGB Honorary Life President after serving as RSGB President in 1989. Julian's contribution to amateur radio was widespread, and we will share a fuller tribute in due course. The RSGB Legacy Fund has resources available to encourage and develop amateur radio. It is overseen by the Legacy Committee, which is a sub-committee of the RSGB Board. The Legacy Committee considers applications from individuals and groups and advises the RSGB Board in reaching its funding decision. It is currently looking for a new member to support this important work to help amateur radio move forward. To find out more, go to rsgb.org/volunteers Have you been involved in some research or been part of a project that will take amateur radio to new audiences? Maybe your organisation is working to encourage young people into STEM careers and support the radio engineers of the future? Perhaps you have discovered something new in amateur radio or have helped to make the hobby more inclusive and accessible. The Society has started planning its 2026 Convention and is offering radio amateurs the opportunity to propose a presentation or a practical activity and be part of the weekend's programme. Submit your proposal on these, or any other topics, by sending the title and at least a one-paragraph summary of your suggestion to convention@rsgb.org.uk Time is running out to be part of two exciting opportunities to make an impact with the RSGB. The Society is seeking a full-time, highly motivated Operations Manager to be part of its senior leadership team, based at the RSGB HQ in Bedford. It is also looking for a new contractor or agency to work with, to support the development of RSGB advertising and contribute to the growth of its publications and digital platforms. If you are professional, proactive and excited by either of these opportunities, go to the RSGB website at rsgb.org/careers  to find out more. The application deadline for both is the 4th of January 2026. A reminder that RSGB HQ is closed over the festive season and opens again for business at 8.30 am on Monday, the 5th of January 2026. The exams booking system will remain open at rsgb.org/exampay  during the festive season so you can book exams to take on the 5th of January onwards. The RSGB National Radio Centre will be operating reduced opening hours and will shut its doors at 2 pm on New Year's Eve and remain closed on New Year's Day. In addition to this, it will be shut for essential maintenance works on the 5th and 6th of January. Outside of these times, volunteers look forward to welcoming visitors as usual. Youngsters on the Air Month 2025 has been filled with some brilliant activity from young people using the special callsign GB25YOTA. Before the year ends, there is still time to listen out for operators from the RSGB Outreach Team, Bushvalley Amateur Radio Club, the 2nd Marlborough Scouts, Hilderstone Radio Society and Jon, M0NOJ. View the operating schedule at rsgb.org/yota-month  The RSGB would like to thank everyone who has been involved with YOTA Month, from supervising young radio amateurs to making QSOs with them. If you have been involved with the event and would like your activity to be in a special feature in the March edition of RadCom, email your photos and report to radcom@rsgb.org.uk  by the 23rd of January 2026. Give something back to the amateur radio community in 2026 by becoming an RSGB volunteer. The Society has several opportunities to suit different interests and experiences. If you would like to use your skills to help strengthen the future of amateur radio and to provide services for other radio amateurs, go to rsgb.org/volunteers Please send details of all your news and events to radcom@rsgb.org.uk. Please note there will be no GB2RS broadcast on Sunday, the 4th of January 2026, but many newsreaders will be holding informal nets in their usual broadcasting slots. And now for details of rallies and events Sparkford Radio Rally is taking place today, Sunday the 28th of December at Davis Hall, Howell Hill, West Camel, near Yeovil, BA22 7QX. The doors are open from 9.30 am, and admission costs £2. Refreshments and free parking are available on site. For more details, contact Luke on 07870 168 197 or email luke@mymixradio.co.uk On Sunday, the 25th of January 2026, Lincoln Short Wave Club Winter Radio Rally will be held at Festival Hall, Caistor Road, Market Rasen, LN8 3HT. This is an indoor event with ample free parking. The doors will be open from 10 am, and admission is £3. Tables cost £10. To book tables, or for more information, contact Steve, M5ZZZ on 0777 7699 069 or email m5zzz@outlook.com Now the Special Event news A series of special event stations is on the air from the Netherlands during the festive period. Recently, the PD25HOHOHO station was worked on the 20m band using SSB. More information about this station, and the others in the series, can be found at QRZ.com Special callsign GB70RS is in use to celebrate the 70th anniversary of the RSGB's weekly news service GB2RS, which has been running continuously since the 25th of September 1955. A team of amateurs is using the callsign on a variety of bands and modes. QSL via the Bureau, Logbook of the World and eQSL. For more information, visit the GB70RS page at QRZ.com Now the DX news Todd, AF4CZ, is active as TG9/AF4CZ from Guatemala until the 5th of January. He is operating mainly using FT8 and FT4 on the 40 to 10m bands. QSOs will be uploaded to Logbook of the World, eQSL and Club Log. Yannick, F6FYD, is active as CN2YD from Marrakech, Morocco, until the 31st of March 2026. You can find him using SSB on the 20 to 10m bands. QSL via F6FYD directly or via the Bureau. Now the contest news The Stew Perry Top band Challenge started at 1500UTC yesterday, the 27th, and ends at 1500 UTC today, the 28th of December. Using CW on the 160m band, the exchange is your four-character locator. Today, the 28th of December, the RSGB 70MHz Christmas Contest runs from 1500 to 1700 UTC. Using all modes on the 4m band, the exchange is signal report, serial number and locator. Tomorrow, the 29th of December, the RSGB 144MHz Christmas Contest runs from 1500 to 1700 UTC. Using all modes on the 2m band, the exchange is signal report, serial number and locator. Also, tomorrow, the 29th of December, the RSGB Youth team will be active with the GB0Y callsign during the IARU Youth on the Air Contest. The exchange is a signal report and operator age. More information about the contest is available at ham-yota.com/contest On Tuesday, the 30th of December, the RSGB 432MHz Christmas Contest runs from 1500 to 1700 UTC. Using all modes on the 70cm band, the exchange is signal report, serial number and locator. On Saturday, the 3rd of January, the RSGB 80 and 40m CW Contest runs from 1300 to 1700 UTC. Using CW on the 80 and 40m bands, the exchange is signal report and serial number. On Saturday, the 3rd of January, The Marconi Club's QSO Party runs from 0700 to 2100 UTC. Using CW on the 80, 40 and 20m bands, the exchange is signal report and serial number. Listen for operators calling ‘CQ MCD'. Now the radio propagation report compiled by G0KYA and G3YLA on Thursday, December 23rd, 2025. We have had some solar ups and downs over the past week. A high-speed stream from a large coronal hole has kept the Kp index high at times, plus the solar flux index has been relatively low due to a lack of sunspots. The coronal hole has been massive, covering from the Sun's south pole right up to and past the solar equator. Nevertheless, there has been DX about, including PZ3OZ in Surinam on 80m FT8 and 40m CW, ZS7ANF in Antarctica on 30m CW, and TG9ADM in Guatemala on 10m CW. Also spotted have been some of the ‘12 Days of Christmas stations in the US', including W2R/5 in Arizona on 15m CW. Let's take a look at HF propagation over the next two weeks. According to NOAA, we may be in for a bumpy ride. The Kp index is predicted to rise to six on the 30th of December and stay high until early January. Meanwhile, at the same time, the SFI is predicted to rise to 170. The best time for HF may be after the 3rd of January, when the Kp index is predicted to fall to a more reasonable two to three, while the SFI remains in the 150-160 range. There should be plenty of activity on HF, with the G-QRP club's Winter Sports running up until the 1st of January, and a whole range of contests, from the RSGB's AFS CW Contest from 1300hrs UTC - 1700hrs UTC on the 3rd of January, to the Marconi Club ARI Loano QSO Party from 0700hrs UTC - 2100hrs UTC, also on the 3rd of January. Keep an eye on www.contestcalendar.com for updates. We hope you have a happy New Year and look forward to bringing you more HF propagation news in 2026. And now the VHF and up propagation news from G3YLA and G4BAO. The Christmas week saw a brief cold easterly around Christmas Day, then milder air returned around the top of the large area of high pressure. We go through the next week with the high pressure just to the north or west of Britain, and this will bring a more northerly flow across the country and, although initially milder, will become much colder again for the second half of next week. Since it is primarily a high-pressure week, there's always a chance of Tropo, but not everywhere. It's suggested you look for regions of cloud and fog for the best paths since it shows there is moisture under the inversion … a good thing for Tropo. The solar conditions are likely to offer prospects for aurora, and since this period is between two meteor showers, with the second one, the Quadrantids, peaking on the 4th at the end of the week.  Finally, a note to follow up on last week's heads-up for mid-winter Sporadic-E. It's certainly worth checking for digital modes and quite possibly for SSB/CW on 10m and 6m if there are signs of activity. For EME operators, Moon declination is rising again, and path losses are decreasing as we head towards perigee on the 2nd of January, the point where the Moon is closest to Earth. 144 MHz sky noise remains low until the 14th to 18th of January. And that's all from the propagation team this week.

Michael Yon is a war correspondent, author, and photographer. He talks how Trump is not coming to the rescue, how these leaders are children, what he is seeing in the Netherlands, thoughts on Venezuela, 2026 and much more. PLEASE SUBSCRIBE LIKE AND SHARE THIS PODCAST!!!   Watch Show Rumble- https://rumble.com/v73ebhq-trump-is-not-coming-to-save-you-michael-yon.html YouTube- https://youtu.be/_3OzFoX8DdA   Follow Me X- https://x.com/CoffeeandaMike IG- https://www.instagram.com/coffeeandamike/ Facebook- https://www.facebook.com/CoffeeandaMike/ YouTube- https://www.youtube.com/@Coffeeandamike Rumble- https://rumble.com/search/all?q=coffee%20and%20a%20mike Substack- https://coffeeandamike.substack.com/ Apple Podcasts- https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/coffee-and-a-mike/id1436799008 Gab- https://gab.com/CoffeeandaMike Locals- https://coffeeandamike.locals.com/ Website- www.coffeeandamike.com Email- info@coffeeandamike.com   Support My Work Venmo- https://www.venmo.com/u/coffeeandamike Paypal- https://www.paypal.com/biz/profile/Coffeeandamike Substack- https://coffeeandamike.substack.com/ Patreon- http://patreon.com/coffeeandamike Locals- https://coffeeandamike.locals.com/ Cash App- https://cash.app/$coffeeandamike Buy Me a Coffee- https://buymeacoffee.com/coffeeandamike Bitcoin- coffeeandamike@strike.me   Mail Check or Money Order- Coffee and a Mike LLC P.O. Box 25383 Scottsdale, AZ 85255-9998   Follow Michael X- https://x.com/Michael_Yon Substack- https://michaelyon.substack.com/   Sponsors Vaulted/Precious Metals- https://vaulted.blbvux.net/coffeeandamike McAlvany Precious Metals- https://mcalvany.com/coffeeandamike/ Independence Ark Natural Farming- https://www.independenceark.com/  

Today, Dave Furfaro, Luke Hedrick, and Robert Wharton discuss the PREDMETH trial published in The New England Journal of Medicine in 2025. This was a non-inferiority trial comparing prednisone to methotrexate for upfront therapy in treatment-naive sarcoidosis patients. Listen in for a break down of the trial, analysis, and clinically applicable pearls. Article and Reference Todays’ episode discusses the PREDMETH trial published in NEJM in 2025. Kahlmann V, Janssen Bonás M, Moor CC, Grutters JC, Mostard RLM, van Rijswijk HNAJ, van der Maten J, Marges ER, Moonen LAA, Overbeek MJ, Koopman B, Loth DW, Nossent EJ, Wagenaar M, Kramer H, Wielders PLML, Bonta PI, Walen S, Bogaarts BAHA, Kerstens R, Overgaauw M, Veltkamp M, Wijsenbeek MS; PREDMETH Collaborators. First-Line Treatment of Pulmonary Sarcoidosis with Prednisone or Methotrexate. N Engl J Med. 2025 Jul 17;393(3):231-242. doi: 10.1056/NEJMoa2501443. Epub 2025 May 18. PMID: 40387020. https://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMoa2501443 Meet Our Hosts Luke Hedrick is an Associate Editor at Pulm PEEPs and runs the Rapid Fire Journal Club Series. He is a senior PCCM fellow at Emory, and will be starting as a pulmonary attending at Duke University next year. Robert Wharton is a recurring guest on Pulm PEEPs as a part of our Rapid Fire Journal Club Series. He completed his internal medicine residency at Mt. Sinai in New York City, and is currently a first year pulmonary and critical care fellow at Johns Hopkins. Key Learning Points Clinical context Prednisone remains the traditional first-line treatment for pulmonary sarcoidosis when treatment is indicated, with evidence for short-term improvements in symptoms, radiographic findings, and pulmonary function—but with substantial, familiar steroid toxicities (weight gain, insomnia, HTN/DM, infection risk, etc.). Despite widespread use, glucocorticoids haven't been robustly tested head-to-head against many alternatives as initial therapy, and evidence for preventing long-term decline (especially in severe disease) is limited. Immunosuppressants (like methotrexate) are often used as steroid-sparing agents, but guideline recommendations are generally conditional/low-quality evidence, and practice varies. Why PREDMETH matters It addresses a real-world question: Can methotrexate be an initial alternative to prednisone in pulmonary sarcoidosis, rather than being reserved only for steroid-sparing later? It also probes a common clinical belief: MTX has slower onset than prednisone (often assumed, not well-proven). Trial design (what to know) Open-label, randomized, noninferiority trial across 17 hospitals in the Netherlands. Included patients with pulmonary sarcoidosis who had a clear pulmonary indication to start systemic therapy (moderate/severe symptoms plus objective risk features like reduced FVC/DLCO or documented decline, plus parenchymal abnormalities). Excluded: non–treatment-naïve patients and those whose primary indication was extrapulmonary disease. Treat-to-tolerability with escalation: both drugs started low and were slowly increased; switch/add-on allowed for inadequate efficacy or unacceptable side effects. Primary endpoint: change in FVC (with the usual caveat that FVC is “objective-ish,” but effort-dependent and not always patient-centered). Noninferiority margin: 5% FVC, justified as within biologic/measurement variation and “not clinically relevant.” Outcomes assessed at weeks 4, 16, 24; powered for ~110 patients to detect the NI margin. Patient population (who this applies to) Mostly middle-aged (~40s) with mild-to-moderate physiologic impairment on average (FVC ~77% predicted; DLCO ~70% predicted). Netherlands-based cohort with limited Black representation (~7%), which matters for generalizability. Would have been helpful to know more about comorbidities (e.g., diabetes), which can strongly influence prednisone risk. Main findings (what happened) Methotrexate was noninferior to prednisone at week 24 for FVC: Between-group difference in least-squares mean change at week 24: −1.17 percentage points (favoring prednisone) with CI −4.27 to +1.93, staying within the 5% NI margin. Timing mattered: Prednisone showed earlier benefit (notably by week 4) in FVC and across quality-of-life measures. By week 24, those early differences largely washed out—possibly because MTX “catches up,” and/or because crossover increased over time. In their reporting, MTX didn't meet noninferiority for FVC until week 24, supporting the practical message that prednisone works faster. Crossover and analysis nuance (important for interpretation) Crossover was fairly high, which complicates noninferiority interpretation: MTX arm: some switched to prednisone for adverse events and others had prednisone added for disease progression/persistent symptoms. Prednisone arm: some had MTX added. In noninferiority trials, heavy crossover can bias intention-to-treat analyses toward finding “no difference” (making noninferiority easier to claim). Per-protocol analyses avoid some of that but introduce other biases. They reported both. Safety signals (what to remember clinically) Adverse events were very common in both arms (almost everyone), mostly mild. Side-effect patterns fit expectations: Prednisone: more insomnia (and classic steroid issues). MTX: more headache/cough/rash, and notably liver enzyme elevations (about 1 in 4), with a small number discontinuing. Serious adverse events were rare; numbers were too small to confidently separate “signal vs noise,” but overall known risk profiles apply. Limitations (why you shouldn't over-read it) Open-label design, and FVC—while objective-ish—is still effort-dependent and can be influenced by expectation/behavior. Small trial, limiting subgroup conclusions (e.g., severity strata, different phenotypes). Generalizability issues (Netherlands demographics; US populations have higher rates of obesity/metabolic syndrome, which may tilt the steroid risk-benefit equation). Crossover reduces precision and interpretability of between-group differences over time. Practice implications (the “so what”) For many patients with pulmonary sarcoidosis needing systemic therapy, MTX is a reasonable initial alternative to prednisone when thinking long-term tolerability and steroid avoidance. Prednisone likely provides faster symptom/QoL relief in the first weeks—so it may be preferable when rapid improvement is important. The trial strengthens the case for a patient-centered discussion: short-term relief vs side-effect tradeoffs, and the possibility of early combination therapy in more severe cases (suggested, not proven).

Guest Steven Cuthbertson takes us on a ride from Romania to the UK. He shares  the story of a 1,700 mile solo bike ride across Europe, ridden in support of a dog rescue charity that helped re-home his Romanian Shepherd dog, Stella.Steve's journey begins in Romania, at the very kennels where Stella once lived, before heading west through Hungary, Austria, Germany, the Netherlands, and finally back to the UK. Along the way, he follows parts of the EuroVelo network,  adapts his route when plans change, and discovers just how important flexibility can be on a long ride.You can read about the full adventure in Steven's book - Going to the Dogs Check out the Cycplus tiny e-Pumps and use the code STR for a 5% discountSupport the showBuy me a coffee! I'm an affiliate for a few brands I genuinely use and recommend including:

“I think the next stage of American capitalism includes co-opetition." - Dutch RojasOn the last episode of Self-Funded with Spencer in 2025, Dutch Rojas joins the show to expose the financial "arbitrage" that he believes is destroying independent medical practices in America. Dutch explains how current CMS incentives allow hospitals to buy independent clinics and immediately charge 165% more for the exact same services, which is a practice that is crushing employers and patients alike.In this episode, Dutch lays out his bold vision for "Co-opetition”, a new playbook where independent practices, manufacturers, and even churches band together to leverage their collective buying power. We discuss why the traditional "HR-led" model of buying benefits is failing, why CFOs need to take the wheel, and his dream of creating a true "Healthcare Commodities Exchange" to normalize pricing.We also get personal about his journey from the Netherlands to the U.S., the importance of social media for building influence in DC, and why he believes the next 10 years will be defined by those who can master media.Tune in for a fascinating look at the future of independent medicine.Chapters:(00:00:00) What is "Co-opetition" in Healthcare? (00:01:00) How Hospital Arbitrage Kills Private Practices (00:06:40) Why Independent Doctors Don't Work Together (Yet) (00:14:00) The 165% Markup(00:29:40) The Dream of a Healthcare Commodities Exchange (00:41:00) Why HR Shouldn't Make Healthcare Decisions (00:49:00) Aggregating Buying Power: Churches & Manufacturers (00:57:00) The 4-Stage Plan to Fix HealthcareKey Links for Social:@SelfFunded on YouTube for video versions of the podcast and much more - https://www.youtube.com/@SelfFundedListen/watch on Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/1TjmrMrkIj0qSmlwAIevKA?si=068a389925474f02Listen on Apple Podcasts - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/self-funded-with-spencer/id1566182286Follow Spencer on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/spencer-smith-self-funded/Follow Spencer on Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/selffundedwithspencer/

China's Commerce Ministry has urged the Netherlands to revoke its order on Nexperia, citing improper intervention and stressing support for negotiations and global semiconductor supply chain stability.

What are some tips to spot the latest food trends? What is new in the food scene around the world? Are these trends supporting a shift towards a more sustainable food system? Today I am recording a live conversation with Gijsbregt Brouwer, founder of De Buik and inspiring food trend watcher in Rotterdam, The Netherlands. This is a co-production between Slow Food, The Podcast and Bekt Lekker, Gijsbregt's podcast.  Hosts and guests: Valentina Gritti and Gijsbregt Brouwer Production: Klets Media With inputs from: Chef Jam Melchor from The Philippines, Oguniiyi Akinade and Eniola Okeola from Nigeria, Ariinda Ronald from Uganda, Roger Maldonado from Bolivia, Lea Balcerzak from Poland and Nahuel Burracco from the Pollenzo Food Lab, at the University of Gastronomic Sciences in Italy. A project by Slow Food Youth Network (SFYN) **Support our podcast by giving us a good rating on your favourite podcasting platform! 

“I think the next stage of American capitalism includes co-opetition." - Dutch RojasOn the last episode of Self-Funded with Spencer in 2025, Dutch Rojas joins the show to expose the financial "arbitrage" that he believes is destroying independent medical practices in America. Dutch explains how current CMS incentives allow hospitals to buy independent clinics and immediately charge 165% more for the exact same services, which is a practice that is crushing employers and patients alike.In this episode, Dutch lays out his bold vision for "Co-opetition”, a new playbook where independent practices, manufacturers, and even churches band together to leverage their collective buying power. We discuss why the traditional "HR-led" model of buying benefits is failing, why CFOs need to take the wheel, and his dream of creating a true "Healthcare Commodities Exchange" to normalize pricing.We also get personal about his journey from the Netherlands to the U.S., the importance of social media for building influence in DC, and why he believes the next 10 years will be defined by those who can master media.Tune in for a fascinating look at the future of independent medicine.Chapters:(00:00:00) What is "Co-opetition" in Healthcare? (00:01:00) How Hospital Arbitrage Kills Private Practices (00:06:40) Why Independent Doctors Don't Work Together (Yet) (00:14:00) The 165% Markup(00:29:40) The Dream of a Healthcare Commodities Exchange (00:41:00) Why HR Shouldn't Make Healthcare Decisions (00:49:00) Aggregating Buying Power: Churches & Manufacturers (00:57:00) The 4-Stage Plan to Fix HealthcareKey Links for Social:@SelfFunded on YouTube for video versions of the podcast and much more - https://www.youtube.com/@SelfFundedListen/watch on Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/1TjmrMrkIj0qSmlwAIevKA?si=068a389925474f02Listen on Apple Podcasts - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/self-funded-with-spencer/id1566182286Follow Spencer on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/spencer-smith-self-funded/Follow Spencer on Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/selffundedwithspencer/

Willem Nieland has been designing yachts for 35 years. He designs Globemaster yachts, as well as custom aluminum expedition sailboats, motor yachts, and residential yachts. His designs are know for efficent and ergonomic use of space, comfort, and excellent offshore sailing characteristics. We talk about design elements he likes in a boat, his boat, sailing around The Netherlands, designing boats, the Northwest Passage, the expedition boat Necton, twin saildrives, his Globemaster yachts, using a lifting keel, the Globemaster 45 and some of its features, advantages and disadvantages of dual rudders, bilge keels, standpipes on water intakes, dual fuel filters, folding propellers, engines, ergonomics and layout, working with the owner on customboats, the Globemaster 53, and more. Photos and links are on the podcast shownotes page Support the show through Patreon  

Lesia Ogryzko is a visiting fellow with the Wider Europe programme at the European Council on Foreign Relations. She leads a Ukrainian think-tank on security and defence, Sahaidachnyi Security Center, and is board member of Ukraine's biggest expert coalition on the country's reconstruction, RISE Ukraine. Previously, Ogryzko served as international civil servant across the UN system, dealing with human rights and the coordination of UN agencies in Ukraine. She also worked for the Ukrainian government on the implementation of reforms, including in public administration for the cabinet of ministers' reforms delivery office. She is also the co-founder of several civic initiatives, as well as the Ukrainian office of the humanitarian international NGO Save the Children. Prior to that, Ogryzko worked for the Spanish think-tank FRIDE, researching international affairs. She is the author of numerous publications in international media on the Russia-Ukraine war, Ukraine's reconstruction, and the country's civil society.Ogryzko holds an MA in international relations and security studies from the Institute of international relations at the Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv and an MA in European public affairs from the Maastricht University, the Netherlands.----------LINKS:https://ecfr.eu/profile/lesia-ogryzko/https://www.linkedin.com/in/lesia-ogryzko-33285163/https://x.com/ogryzko_lhttps://ecfr.eu/profile/lesia-ogryzko/type/media/https://defence.org.ua/en/tag/lesia-ogryzko/----------The Steel Porcupine https://www.thesteelporcupine.com/I'm proud to say that this series of ‘Ukrainian advent' interviews is supported by The Steel Porcupine – a unique and powerful film about a country that refuses to lie down, a people who turned themselves into a fortress of needles when Russian tanks rolled in. The Steel Porcupine is an unforgettable cinematic experience that exposes Russia's campaign of extermination in Ukraine, and the Ukrainian people's spirit to resist and prevail. It follows soldiers, volunteers and people who decided that survival meant resistance, not submission.Created by the makers of the acclaimed To the Zero Line, this is another film about humanity, that clearly states there is no such thing as neutrality when war crimes are being committed systematically by Russia, and on a scale in Europe only comparable to World War Two. Set to a haunting soundtrack featuring music by Philip Glass, and blending rare archival footage with original material, it is an impactful work of art and storytelling, as well as being informative.----------SUPPORT THE CHANNEL:https://www.buymeacoffee.com/siliconcurtainhttps://www.patreon.com/siliconcurtain----------TRUSTED CHARITIES ON THE GROUND:Save Ukrainehttps://www.saveukraineua.org/Superhumans - Hospital for war traumashttps://superhumans.com/en/UNBROKEN - Treatment. Prosthesis. Rehabilitation for Ukrainians in Ukrainehttps://unbroken.org.ua/Come Back Alivehttps://savelife.in.ua/en/Chefs For Ukraine - World Central Kitchenhttps://wck.org/relief/activation-chefs-for-ukraineUNITED24 - An initiative of President Zelenskyyhttps://u24.gov.ua/Serhiy Prytula Charity Foundationhttps://prytulafoundation.orgNGO “Herojam Slava”https://heroiamslava.org/kharpp - Reconstruction project supporting communities in Kharkiv and Przemyślhttps://kharpp.com/NOR DOG Animal Rescuehttps://www.nor-dog.org/home/----------

It is hard to believe that 2025 is concluding on December 31. This year has come and gone so fast!Professional Milestones:   It has been an incredible year for Jake's Take with Jacob Elyachar, as we received our first award – a Silver Stevie for “Best Interview / Talk Show” in the inaugural podcasting division. Million Podcasts placed the Jake's Take with Jacob Elyachar Podcast at number 72 on their Best 100 Celebrity Interview Podcasts in the US. I am honored to be included on this list, joining On Air with Ryan Seacrest (number four), The Drew Barrymore Show (number five), Entertainment Tonight (number 20), Zach Sang Song (number 21), and Vanity Fair's Little Gold Men (number 49). Finally, I am delighted to announce that I was named a Small Biz Superstar by the Greater Kansas City Chamber of Commerce.   State of the Podcast: It's time for the annual state of The Jake's Take with Jacob Elyachar Podcast! Season Six has ended, and what a year! Our downloads surpassed 2024 and crossed the 15,000- and 16,000-lifetime download milestones. In 2025, the podcast reached its highest listenership to date, with listeners in 76 countries! I want to thank the listeners in the United States, the Philippines, the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, India, Germany, France, Brazil, and the Netherlands, who listened to the podcast the most.   Our most downloaded episodes of 2025 were my conversations with Taskmaster UK's Greg Davies and Alex Horne; my two-part interview with The Challenge 41 champion Yeremi Hykel; Emmy-winning actor Mike Manning; the 375th episode, starring Challenge Mania co-host Scott Yager; and the Reality TV Godfather, Mark Long. Emmy-winning actor and advocate Yuval David, Canada's Got Talent winner, Jacob Lewis (whose interview is my seventh most viewed YouTube video), actor and Rookie Revolution host Oscar Chark, Tony Mantor, award-winning journalist Jane Eisner, and Men Explained, Finally author Tom Sturges round out the Top 10.  Music Notes:   This year saw a lot of impeccable music! My Top 40 songs playlist features duets from Barbra Streisand and Bob Dylan's “My Funny Valentine” and Calum Scott and the late Whitney Houston's “I Wanna Dance with Somebody (Who Loves Me),” originals including Morgan Wallen's “I'm the Problem,” Yuval Raphael's “A New Day will Rise” and Zac Brown Band's “The Sum.” There were also exceptional covers such as Adam Lambert's “Heaven's on Their Minds” and Cynthia Erivo's show-stopping “No Good Deed.”  In addition to Ms. Streisand, Mr. Scott, Mr. Wallen, and the Zac Brown Band, 2025 produced impeccable albums from Ciara, Elton John and Brandi Carlile, Lady Gaga, Michael Lazar, Tim Johnson, Jr., Toby Gad, and The Weeknd.  Previewing The 15th Anniversary:   2026 marks the 15th anniversary of Jake's Take with Jacob Elyachar brand. I never thought when I started jakes-take.com in August 2011, I would still be creating content. 13 episodes of the podcast's seventh season have been recorded! Reality TV legends Jon Brennan and Beth Stolarczyk will be the guests on the milestone 400th episode. Other returning guests include Demi the Daredevil's Jeff, three-time Tony-winning producer Evan McGill, Kim Yarbrough (her first appearance on my platform in 14 years), Mike Lewis, and Rookie Revolution host Oscar Chark (in a joint appearance), Paulie Calafiore, and Tony Berardo.  Reality TV icon and three-time Challenge champion Wes Bergmann and his wife, Amanda, freelance rockstar Julie Cortes, actor Jake Jensen, award-winning TV producer Woody Woodbeck, and singers Kendra Erika and Tristan are making their first visits.   In Memoriam: Jake's Take with Jacob Elyachar pays homage to several impeccable people who passed away in 2025. Chef Anne Burrell, Anthony Geary, Brian Wilson, Diane Keaton, George Wendt, James Carter Cathcart, Jim Shooter, Leslie Charleson, Malcolm Jamal Warner, Michelle Trachtenberg, Ozzy Osbourne, Peter Yarrow, Rod Reiner, Ruth Buzzi, Sam Moore, Sly Stone, and Val Kilmer all left remarkable imprints on pop culture, and they will be missed.   I also want to acknowledge the tragic deaths and passings of my fellow Kansas Citian, Sarah Milgrim, and her boyfriend, Yaron Lischinsky, who were fatally shot in Washington, D.C. at the Capital Jewish Museum. I am also still reeling from the shooting at a Hanukkah event at Bondi Beach in Sydney, Australia, where 15 people were massacred, and 40 people were injured.   Season's Greetings:Thank you, everyone, for all your support this year! I want to thank all my guests who took time out of their schedules to visit the podcast, as well as the media teams who trusted my platform to help their clients see and share their stories. I also want to give a special shoutout to my family: mom Gloria, dad Matthew, brother Aaron, sister-in-law Whitney, nephew Nash, and nieces Emory and Kennedy. I love you all to pieces!  Finally, thank you to the readers and listeners who followed me on this journey! I hope 2026 will be a phenomenal year for all of us!Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/jake-s-take-with-jacob-elyachar--4112003/support.

CLIMATE ACTION SHOWProduced by Vivien LangfordDecember 22nd 2025 GURRIDYULA GABBA WUNGGU WADDANANGU CULTURAL CUSTODIAN AT RISING TIDE AND COP3O IN BRAZIL Guests:Matthew Jeffrey -  Wadi Wadi Man and First Nations Support at Rising Tide Newcastle November 2025 Gurridyula Gabba Wunggu - Wangan and Jagalingou - Waddanangu Cultural Custodian.His song "Gee'd up" sent to the Gomeroi people fighting off Santos Gashttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c81f5egGzCc Jayden Kitchener Waters -  Gomeroi and Ngiyampaa Public Servant and singer suspended for the sign "No pride in Genocide" on his guitar. We hear one of his songs.https://nit.com.au/27-11-2025/21501/gomeroi-and-ngiyampaa-government-staffer-suspended-responds-to-conduct-breach-allegations-with-letter-in-language  The  Rising Tide  Blockade of the World's biggest coal port at Muloobinba/Newcastle was just the beginning. Next year is going to be very tough for coal, oil and gas. These interviews and songs take us into the spirit of the people who have protected waters, forests land and sea country for millenia. BACKGROUNDThe First International Conference for the Just Transition Away from Fossil Fuels  is announced for April 28-29 in 2026. The Netherlands and Colombia will host it at  Santa Marta coal port  in Colombia.It will be a landmark event focussed just on international cooperation in phasing out coal, oil, and gas and moving beyond UN talks to create concrete plans and pathways for a fair transition.The conference aims to bring together governments, experts, and civil society to build on declarations like the Belem Declaration.  Momentum built up at COP 30 in Belem has led to the urgent need to work out the  legal, economic, and social steps for a fossil-free future. To read more about President Gustavo Petro who has not pertmitted any NEW oil and gas exploration in this oil rich region here is his 2023 lecture at Stanford University.'https://fsi.stanford.edu/news/colombian-president-gustavo-petro-urges-transition-green-energyhttps://fsi.stanford.edu/news/colombian-president-gustavo-petro-urges-transition-green-energy INTERVIEWSWe hear from Matthew Jeffrey about Indigenous leadership by Tiwi Islanders in co operation with Timor Leste, Papua New Guinea and Indonesia in protecting their common sea country against gas drilling. Then Garridyula, explores with us how vital fresh water is. He is cultural Custodian of the Waddanagu  cultural ceremony which protects the sacred Doongmabula Springs. He spoke at the First Nations Yarning space in Newcastle and contributed to the stories First Nations people told in Brazil at the massive conference COP 30 in Belem.Listeners will remember the massive STOP ADANI campaign and how many people have been graciously welcomed to Wangan and Jagalingou country. This is a beautiful interview in which we hear that the exploiters are children who do not understand the water table and how destructive their mining activities are.Adani/Bravus continues to export coal but at a much lower volume that planned and with considerable reputational damage here and abroad.  The Waddanangu Ceremony continues because these are eternal waters and need our protection.https://www.sbs.com.au/nitv/article/fire-still-burning-for-custodians-in-fight-against-mine/mm2lxpgax Jayden Kitchener Waters sang at a Palestine Action Rally in Sydney.National Indigenous Times 27/11/2025  : "Jayden Kitchener-Waters has been suspended with pay after going public with his alleged experience of censorship at the Premier's public servants Awards.On Monday November 17, Mr Kitchener-Waters was due to play his song 'Nhayla', written for his niece and sung in both English and Ngiyampaa language, before Premier's Department staff told him messages painted on his guitar were "too political" and could be seen as "taking sides"."NO PRIDE IN GENOCIDE", "FREE GAZA" and "F*CK THE IDF" was the writing in concern.Mr Kitchener-Waters offered to cover the word 'f*ck' before the issue was raised with the phrase referring to genocide."  

I'm back! We've moved to The Netherlands and are getting settled in, and I'm ready to start recording episodes again!All the struggles that came with making that huge move had me thinking about how we can have a tendency to be in elemental phases, and how that also correlates to a main "default" phase for each stage of life, like Maiden, Mother, and Crone (or child, adult, and older). What if the Crone/Older phase isn't about time, but about using the elements? Let's talk about that!

This episode features Isabel S. van der Meer (Department of Research and Development, The Netherlands Comprehensive Cancer Organisation, Utrecht, The Netherlands).   What was already known? The diagnosis of advanced cancer and subsequent treatments can have negative implications for sexual health Changes in sexual health of patients with advanced cancer emerge from physical, mental and emotional transformations, but the importance of sexual health remains relatively unchanged. The majority of healthcare professionals find it challenging to discuss sexual health in the context of palliative care.   What this paper adds? Patients and their partner remain relatively stable in most aspects of sexual health in the last 18 months of the patients' life. Patients' sexual desire significantly decreases in their last 18 months of life. Patients with worse physical functioning and/or prostate cancer reported a greater decline in most aspects of sexual health. Patients' sexual desire, activity and satisfaction were individually associated with the quality of life in the last 18 months of life.   Implications for practice, theory, policy, or future research? Recognizing sexual health as an integral component of overall quality of life is essential. Discussing sexual health as healthcare professionals is important. Using short PROM's exploring the patient's need to discuss sexual health could facilitate the initiation of such a discussion. Future research is essential to examine whether patients perceive decreased sexual health as a concern and whether the meaning of sex changes at the end-of-life.   Full paper available from:     https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/02692163251385774   If you would like to record a podcast about your published (or accepted) Palliative Medicine paper, please contact Dr Amara Nwosu:  a.nwosu@lancaster.ac.uk

Eric Clapton – Christmas Tears Gary Hoey – I saw mommy kissing santa  clauseErja Lyytinen - Hallelujah - single – 2024Pat Travers – Happy Xmas – war is over Seasick Steve – Xmas prison Blues Kenny Neal – Christmas Time  in the countryJerome Godboo – Christmas StormBrainbox – White Christmas BluesRamblin Dog – Xmas Blues Little Charlie and the Nightcats – santa ClausGreg Sover - Christmas Cheer (Single) – 2019Rick divito – I was a bad boy this year The Dig 3 – Christmas is coming Kenny Wayne Shepherd – Cool Yule Gemini Dragon – Blues under the Christmas Tree Lightnin Slim – Wintertyime done rolled by 

Ho ho ho! Welcome to a merry Episode 077 of Deeper Sounds of Nairobi—the ultimate Christmas Edition, recorded amidst the festive lights and winter chill of The Hague, Netherlands. World-renowned DJ Jack Rooster brings you a heartwarming sonic celebration, blending soulful Afro-house rhythms, pulsating Amapiano grooves, and deep electronic vibes with a sprinkle of holiday magic. This mix captures the joy of the season while immersing you in Africa's vibrant musical heartbeat, from uplifting anthems to introspective beats that evoke unity and cheer across borders.In true Deeper Sounds spirit, we're shining a spotlight on Kenya's exceptional talents, with standout contributions from Wendy Kay on the enchanting "Hai Miss (Just Bee U Mix)" and Tina Ardor, who graces two tracks: the healing vibes of "The Healing (Just Bee U Mix)" featuring Lunga Baainar and the regal "Malkia." These Kenyan gems add an authentic East African flair, weaving local narratives into the global dancefloor tapestry.True to form, this episode draws from all corners of the continent, showcasing Africa's boundless creativity—from South Africa's Amapiano powerhouses like Babalwa M x Stixx, MR SHANE SA, Da Muziqal Chef, Bee-Bar, Dj Jim Mastershine, and Thakzin, to Angola's DJEFF infusing Afro-Tech energy, and Uganda's Joshua Baraka delivering a high-energy Drum & Bass remix. We even venture beyond with international touches from the US's Ananda Project for those nostalgic Christmas classics and France's Shonky for a dub remix flair—proving that Africa's sounds resonate worldwide, uniting us in rhythm and holiday spirit.Whether you're cozied up by the fire or dancing under the mistletoe, let this 077 Christmas mix transport you. Tune in, turn up, and spread the deeper sounds of joy! #DeeperSoundsOfNairobi #EUTour Turn it up, let the music take over, and enjoy the journey.

If you didn't grow up in the Netherlands, the difference between Sinterklaas and de Kerstman can be confusing. In this podcast episode, we'll tell you all about it.See our courses and read transcripts

Christone Kingfish Ingram - Ghost From Christmas Past - single - kerst. 2025 Mr. Bob's machinery - Jingelbell thing - 2025 Vaneese Thomas - Winter Blues - single  - 2025 -Suzanne's Band - Holiday Releases - 2025 Lawrence Lebo - (I'm Your) Christmas Present, Baby! 2025 – singleThe Cashbox Kings - Ride Santa Ride Coco Montoya – The three kings and Me –Little Steven  & the disciples of soul - Merry Christmas (I Don't Want To Fight Tonight)Bob Seger and the last heard – Sock it to me SantaLemmy Kilmister , Billy Gibbons and Dave Grohl – Run Rudolph RunBuddy Guy – Home for Christmas Reverend Shawn Amos – santa Clause is gonna make it Right Christopher Wyze & TheTellers – Hearts Christmas Blue – feat EmmaWilsonJohn Lee Hooker – Blues for ChristmasJoe Bonamassa – Merry Christmas baby 

What is a call? How does a person know if God is calling them to mission service? Join in a discussion as these and other questions are addressed.

Creating Organizational Cultures That Actually Work In this episode, Michael and cultural anthropologist Jitske Kramer dive deep into the heart of organizational culture. Michael shares a story from a startup he supported, where a crystal clear sense of purpose created unity, loyalty, and a genuine feeling of belonging. Employees stayed because they felt connected to something bigger than a job description. Jitske expands on this by highlighting how leaders shape culture through the behaviors, values, and norms they model. She stresses that culture is never an accident. It is a series of daily choices and conversations. When leaders fail to engage with their teams or invite them into meaningful decision making, organizations lose clarity and people lose their sense of belonging. Both Michael and Jitske agree that leaders miss countless opportunities to build trust simply because they are not intentionally engaging with their people. Transformative Leadership and the Power of Human Connection Michael brings up a powerful metaphor involving an orchestra conductor to show how communication and knowledge flow can transform the relationship between leaders and their teams. When the conductor shifts from directing to connecting, the entire ensemble transforms. The energy changes. People take ownership. Collaboration becomes natural rather than forced. Jitske builds on this idea by contrasting transactional interactions with transformative ones. Transactional moments keep the lights on, but transformative moments build the future. She emphasizes the need for what she calls campfire conversations. These are the unhurried, human centered discussions where ideas form, trust deepens, and innovation actually has space to emerge. They conclude that the most successful organizations are the ones that prioritize human to human connection over rigid systems and corporate scripts. Finding Clarity in the Messy Middle of Change Jitske introduces her latest book, Tricky Times, which explores liminality. Liminality refers to the messy middle stage of change when the old story no longer works and the new story is not yet formed. She describes this phase as uncomfortable but deeply necessary. She explains that societies worldwide are wrestling with a kind of midlife crisis. People are questioning the expectation of nonstop economic growth and the conflict it creates with environmental and social realities. In these liminal spaces, power dynamics shift. Cultural identities get rewritten. Leaders are challenged to redefine what truly matters. Michael shares how timely these insights feel, especially given the current political climate in the United States and abroad. He highlights how difficult but essential conversations shape whether we move forward with intention or stay stuck in old patterns. Leading with Courage in Tricky Times Jitske describes the leadership challenges she writes about in Tricky Times. She warns against leaders who act like tricksters, constantly pushing boundaries without offering guidance or stability. True leadership requires bold honesty, grounded decision making, and the willingness to enter uncomfortable conversations. She emphasizes that balanced leadership is essential. Leaders must be willing to question assumptions, tell the truth about what is working and what is not, and invite their organizations into deeper reflection. Tricky Times has become a bestseller in the Netherlands, and Jitske is sharing its message with influential political leaders who are navigating uncertainty on a national scale. The book is available as an e-book on Amazon and offers a grounded, human centered framework for leading through cultural transformation. Jitske Kramer is a renowned Dutch corporate anthropologist who translates real-world lessons from communities around the globe into practical tools for modern workplaces.    She travels the world to learn from traditional healers, innovators, random passers-by, and everyday communities, studying how humans bond, lead, and resolve conflict — and brings those insights into the boardroom.   Her latest book, Tricky Times (a #1 Dutch bestseller), explores what it takes to lead in “the messy middle” — those uncertain in-between phases where old systems break down before new ones emerge.    With 25+ years of experience, she has shaped transformation for Nike, Unilever, Calvin Klein, and Philips, authored 9 bestselling books (150,000+ copies sold), and spoken alongside Simon Sinek, Amy Edmondson, Yuval Noah Harari on stages like TEDx and Workhuman Live.   Jitske's sharp, funny, and “aha”-filled style makes anthropology highly accessible for leaders facing change, culture challenges, and transformation.   Topics:  The messy middle: Leading effectively through uncertainty and liminal times The real drivers of company culture: Rituals, symbols, and hidden power structures How to “think like an anthropologist” to sense change and spot unseen dynamics The difference between formal power and cultural power — and why rank-awareness is critical for leaders What tribes can teach today's organizations about handling dilemmas and conflict   More about Jitske:  Founder of HumanDimensions, a pioneering training company that helps organizations strengthen teamwork and company culture.  Featured in the Patterns of Life documentary series, in which she traveled to India as an anthropologist.  Former Fellow at the Oxford Leadership Academy; holds a master's degree in cultural anthropology from Utrecht University.  Other books by Jitske: Building Tribes, Wow! What a Difference, Work Has Left the Building, Jam Cultures, andThe Corporate Tribe (which won the prestigious 2016 Management book of the Year Award). Take a look at Jitske's keynotes, other public speeches, TV appearances, and writings.    To get a sense of Jitske, here's an appearance she made on The Culture Lab podcast, talking about the making of a corporate tribe and how to effectively deal with diversity in a team. 

Join Colleen and Allard for one of their favourite pastimes: the pub quiz! This time it's obsure facts about the Netherlands. Colleen thinks she just might win. Allard says "absoluut niet"!!! Find out who takes the crown as they battle it out, and join along if you dare!Beware however, a friend has given them a gift to "consume" in this episode, and things do go a little wrong! Give it a listen to laugh...and learn!

Send us a textA single week can redraw moral boundaries. When New York and Illinois announced support for “Medical Aid in Dying,” the language sounded compassionate, but the shift was seismic: freedom recast as control over life's endpoint, medicine repositioned to facilitate death, and “autonomy” installed as the supreme value. We trace what that framing means in practice, why euphemisms matter, and how policy teaches culture what to accept as normal.We unpack the promised safeguards—adult age limits, terminal diagnoses, repeated requests—and ask the harder question: what counts as voluntary when bills mount, caregivers strain, and the vulnerable fear becoming a burden? Then we look north. Canada's MAID began narrow and widened to include suffering untethered from foreseeable death, with proposals to extend to mental illness alone. The pattern repeats across Belgium and the Netherlands: once the line moves, categories soften, incentives tilt, and death becomes a system option.Along the way, we reflect on how a culture of death doesn't stay contained to clinics or statutes. Despair listens when society calls death “care.” We honor victims by name, consider the moral spillover from policy to personal choices, and argue for a different vision of dignity rooted in belonging, presence, and community. Autonomy without limits isolates; love with obligations sustains. Choosing life is not naïve—it's disciplined solidarity: palliative care that comforts, mental health access that persists, families and neighbors who refuse to disappear when pain doesn't yield to quick fixes.If this conversation challenged your assumptions or gave you language for a hard debate, share it with someone you trust. Subscribe, leave a review, and tell us: where should a humane society draw the line—and how will you show up for someone who's suffering? Support the show

Here we are Leatherhead Nation... The show we have ALL been waiting for for YEARS! Lou and Kev have FINALLY pulled the Rabbit out of the hat and Landed the big one!! Denis Leary is a five-time loser at the Emmy Awards. He hopes to one day also lose an Oscar, a Grammy and a Tony. In his long and storied entertainment career Leary has also never won The Stanley Cup, The Nobel Peace Prize or an argument with his wife. Denis most recently starred in Amazon's OH. WHAT. FUN. alongside Michelle Pfeiffer and Chloë Grace Moretz. Released on December 3, 2025, the film quickly hit #1 on Amazon Prime's movie chart. Leary will next be seen in season two of FOX's Going Dutch, a comedy about outspoken U.S. Army Colonel Patrick Quinn, reassigned to command a small base in the Netherlands, premiering Thursday, January 15, 2026 on FOX. He co-created and starred in seven seasons of FX's acclaimed drama Rescue Me, as well as the FX comedy Sex&Drugs&Rock&Roll. His film credits include Captain George Stacy in The Amazing Spider-Man and voice roles as Francis in A Bug's Life and Diego in the Ice Age franchise. Leary also founded The Leary Firefighters Foundation, which provides critical equipment, technology, and training to fire departments across the United States. Going to be another great show. We will get the whole skinny. You don't want to miss this one. Join us at the kitchen table on the BEST FIREFIGHTER PODCAST ON THE INTERNET! You can also Listen to our podcast ...we are on all the players #lovethisjob #GiveBackMoreThanYouTake #Oldschool #Tradition #volunteerfirefighters #FDNY #nationalfallenfirefightersfoundation #learyfoundationBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/gettin-salty-experience-firefighter-podcast--4218265/support.

Legendary director Mira Nair and Cannes-winner Ritesh Batra made two very different hit films about very different sides of India's fabled food delivery system. Batra tells Rico about the romance of dabbawallas, while Nair remembers the mean streets of Mumbai's chaiwallas (and what she serves her son Zohran Mamdani at home).Just in time for holiday eat-a-thons, the award-winning MUBI Podcast is back and celebrating its tenth season with a four-course serving of stories about food on film. Titled "A Feast For The Eyes," the season digs into the ways filmmakers use food to provoke hunger, thought, nausea, political action...and sometimes all the above.Joining host Rico Gagliano is a sampler platter of luminaries from the film and culinary world, including directors Brad Bird (RATATOUILLE), Mira Nair (MONSOON WEDDING), and David Gelb (JIRO DREAMS OF SUSHI), former New York Times food writer Alison Roman, and more. Gluttons for great cinema stories can start chowing down on episodes weekly, starting Thanksgiving Day.Let's Eat! Food and Film collection is now streaming on MUBI globally.THE LUNCHBOX is now streaming on MUBI in the UK, Ireland, Australia, Latin America and Netherlands. To stream some of the films we've covered on the podcast, check out the collection Featured on the MUBI Podcast. Availability of films varies depending on your country.MUBI is a global streaming service, production company and film distributor dedicated to elevating great cinema. MUBI makes, acquires, curates, and champions extraordinary films, connecting them to audiences all over the world. A place to discover ambitious new films and singular voices, from iconic directors to emerging auteurs. Each carefully chosen by MUBI's curators.

Over the years, many of you have become acquainted with Antony “Tony” Gerard, and some of us have been lucky enough to call him a friend. He is a fascinating gentleman who defies labels because of he is a polymath who enjoys many disciplines outside of magic, such as archeology, martial arts, creating remote control things for Hollywood, and more. He has written over a dozen books and lectured all over the world, runs his own magic shop in Kalamazoo, Michigan, and is often seen as a magic dealer at conventions where he sells his own creations. View fullsize View fullsize View fullsize View fullsize View fullsize This week's conversation could have gone in so many directions, each of which would have been an interesting trail filled with stories and wisdom. But we tried to encompass as many of Tony's interests into about a one hour conversation, which (for those of you who know Tony is hard to do) and focus on the variety of his interests and his background from The Netherlands. Download this podcast in an MP3 file by Clicking Here and then right click to save the file. You can also subscribe to the RSS feed by Clicking Here. You can download or listen to the podcast through Pandora and SiriusXM (formerly Stitcher) by Clicking Here or through FeedPress by Clicking Here or through Tunein.com by Clicking Here or through iHeart Radio by Clicking Here. If you have a Spotify account, then you can also hear us through that app, too. You can also listen through your Amazon Alexa and Google Home devices. Remember, you can download it through the iTunes store, too. See the preview page by Clicking Here.

In this episode, Candice is joined by Carol Look, psychotherapist, EFT Master, bestselling author, and international speaker. With over 25 years of experience using Emotional Freedom Technique, Carol shares how her journey from traditional psychotherapy to tapping transformed both her personal healing and the lives of thousands of clients worldwide. In this episode, they discuss:What the Emotional Freedom Technique is and how it calms the fight or flight responseWhy gratitude practices often fail without addressing underlying stressHow EFT helps release limiting beliefs around worth, safety, and successThe connection between gratitude, manifestation, and nervous system regulationWhy self-sabotage is rooted in safety, not failureHow tapping supports emotional healing, physical well-being, and personal growth When we tap into gratitude with intention, transformation becomes possible! About Carol Look:Carol Look is a psychotherapist, Founding EFT Master, best-selling author, international speaker, and creator of The Yes Code, her signature coaching method. She combines her traditional training as a psychotherapist with clinical hypnosis and advanced applications of EFT for unprecedented results with her clients.Known for her laser-like focus and state-of-the-art approach, Carol has used EFT Tapping for over 25 years to help clients release their limiting beliefs and emotional conflicts so they can enjoy lives of exceptional success and fulfillment.Carol is a world-renowned EFT workshop presenter who has taught at The Omega Institute, Kripalu, The Eden Energy Fest, and the energy field's primary teaching conference, ACEP. Carol has taught workshops in England, The Netherlands, Belgium, France, Ireland, Canada, Australia, and all over the United States. She is a regularly featured energy medicine expert on leading global telesummits and in the field's leading documentaries.Carol authored the energy field's original book on abundance, Attracting Abundance with EFT. Her book, The Yes Code, became a #1 Amazon bestseller in several categories, solidifying her reputation as a leading voice in personal transformation. She has just released her newest book, Yes Thank You: Tapping Into the Superpower of Gratitude. When she's not working, Carol enjoys spending time with her family, listening to music, and walking in nature. Website: https://www.carollook.comcarol@carollook.comYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@CarolLookEFTBook: Yes, Thank You: Tapping Into The Super Power of Gratitudehttps://a.co/d/6qgdB55-----If you're struggling, consider therapy with our sponsor, BetterHelp.Visit https://betterhelp.com/candicesnyder for a 10% discount on your first month of therapy.*This is a paid promotionIf you are in the United States and in crisis, or any other person may be in danger -Suicide & Crisis Lifeline Dial 988-----Connect with Candice Snyder!Website: https://www.podpage.com/passion-purpose-and-possibilities-1/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/candicebsnyder?_rdrPassion, Purpose, and Possibilities Community Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/passionpurposeandpossibilitiescommunity/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/passionpurposepossibilities/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/candicesnyder/Shop For A Cause With Gifts That Give Back to Nonprofits: https://thekindnesscause.com/Fall In Love With Artists And Experience Joy And Calm: https://www.youtube.com/@movenartrelaxationClick this link to receive your FREE TRIAL to The Greenhouse Communityhttps://www.thegreenhousecommunity.com/checkout/the-greenhouse-membership?affiliate_code=11e889

How Gen Z-led protests toppled the Bulgarian government, a close look at Denmark's hardline asylum policies, and what should be done about the Dutch housing crisis. Then: A Scottish island castle for sale, Vilnius' bid to become Europe's biggest start-up hub, exhumations of political prisoners in Prague, and how the French Post Office tries to stay relevant.

00:00 – 22:43 – Looking forward to Monday night football between the Colts and 49ers, why Anthony Richardson can't come off IR and play but Phillip Rivers can come out of retirement, what is the importance of a quarterback being able to run Shane Steichen's system and what does it say about the entire situation, morning checkdown 22:44 -- 31:43 Head coach of the Butler Bulldogs, Thad Matta, joins to discuss his teams latest performance against No. 5 UConn and the thrilling win against Providence last Saturday. He also talks about what it's like to play in the Indy Classic. 31:43 -- 41:37 Scott Agness from Fieldhouse Files joins to reveal if he's ever had "the Vegas Flu," and what the days of rest can do for the Pacers before they play the Knicks. Plus, Scott breaks down the Team USA camp in Durham and how Caitlin Clark is looking, as well as being able to talk basketball, plus Red Panda will perform at the Colts game Monday night 41:38 — 49:45 — Lucas from the Netherlands who is a Colts fan and covers the team joins us in studio to talk about his travels, why he became a Colts fan, his experience watching the Colts play in Germany the last two years, cities he would like to see the NFL play in EuropeSupport the show: https://1075thefan.com/the-wake-up-call-1075-the-fan/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

00:00 – 11:40 –The Bears could be moving to Northeast Indiana, the Colts return to practice and the Pacers are back in action tonight against the Knicks. 11:41– 19:45 – Morning Checkdown 19:46–43:13 – Is there worse weather than the slush that currently exists outside, what is it going to take for the Colts to beat the 49ers, how vital are chunk plays, we preview the Colts kicker training camp battle 8 months in advance, how dynamic of a player is Christian McCaffery, Indiana football projected to have one of the most players drafted in 2026, the Pacers play the NBA Cup champion Knicks tonight, what is the Pacers over/under 43:14 – 1:05:58 – Looking forward to Monday night football between the Colts and 49ers, why Anthony Richardson can't come off IR and play but Phillip Rivers can come out of retirement, what is the importance of a quarterback being able to run Shane Steichen's system and what does it say about the entire situation, morning checkdown 1:05:58 - 1:17:02 – Head coach of the Butler Bulldogs, Thad Matta, joins to discuss his teams latest performance against No. 5 UConn and the thrilling win against Providence last Saturday. He also talks about what it's like to play in the Indy Classic. 1:17:58 -1:24:09 – We play audio from former Indiana head coach Tom Allen about how he is perceiving the rise of Hoosier football 1:24:10 – 1:49:25 – Scott Agness from Fieldhouse Files joins to reveal if he's ever had "the Vegas Flu," and what the days of rest can do for the Pacers before they play the Knicks. Plus, Scott breaks down the Team USA camp in Durham and how Caitlin Clark is looking, as well as being able to talk basketball, plus Red Panda will perform at the Colts game Monday night. We continue to preview Colts-49ers and continue the countdown of best Indiana sports stories of 2025, morning checkdown. 1:49:26 – 1:58:56 – WIBC's Jason Hammer joins to explain why he's coming to us via phone, he makes his picks for Rams-Seahawks tonight, the Colts 49ers primetime matchup Monday night and the College Football Playoff. 1:58:57 — 2:07:04 — Lucas from the Netherlands who is a Colts fan and covers the team joins us in studio to talk about his travels, why he became a Colts fan, his experience watching the Colts play in Germany the last two years, cities he would like to see the NFL play in Europe, Support the show: https://1075thefan.com/the-wake-up-call-1075-the-fan/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It's almost Christmas and that's why you'll learn some words and traditions in the Netherlands around Christmas. Joyce Diebels from 'Dutch with Joyce' gives the explanation. - Het is bijna kerst en daarom leer je in deze aflevering over woorden en gebruiken rondom Kerstmis in Nederland. Joyce Diebels van Dutch with Joyce geeft de uitleg erbij.

In this episode, we're joined by Youssef Hounat, product leader, ex-auditor, and (unexpectedly) freestyle-rap-ready builder of tools for accountants. He went from training at Ernst & Young to helping scale DataSnipper into one of the Netherlands' unicorns, and now he's building again as Head of Product at ComplianceWise. We unpack what's actually changing inside product teams: AI stops being a rewrite/search tool and becomes a teammate that takes real work off your plate. Youssef shares how the best teams reduce context switching, turn customer research into a habit, and use agentic workflows + MCPs to connect tools like email, Jira, Figma, and docs without becoming a “fleshy meat puppet” copy-pasting between 10 tabs. Here are some of the key questions we address: Why do 99% of teams still use AI wrong, and what mindset shift fixes it? How do you turn customer research into a continuous habit using transcripts + automated pipelines? What's a real example of AI helping product push back on “build this to close the deal” and finding the true request underneath? How do top teams use MCP + coding agents to move from idea → PRD → Jira tickets without leaving the terminal? What's the difference between a prototype you build to learn vs a product you build to earn — and why vibe-coded output can't go straight to production? How do you avoid reinventing the wheel and start with small weekly automations that compound? What's the real risk behind shadow AI usage  and how do you get IT onside instead of blocked?

In this episode, we travel to the Netherlands to speak with Brian Koopmans, a validation engineer and media volunteer for the Church of the Nazarene's Eurasia Region. Brian discusses the launch of the "Everyday Eurasia" podcast and the unique challenges of producing content for a region spanning numerous languages. We also delve into Dutch history, exploring the legacy of theologian Jacobus Arminius and Brian's upcoming documentary project. Finally, hear Brian's heart for missions and his desire to serve the church full-time through media.   Everyday Eurasia Podcast   Lifelong Learning Code: 80890 Click here to learn about Lifelong Learning.  

Allen and Joel are joined by Gregory Kocsis, lifting technology expert, to discuss the gap between European and US crane operations. They cover multi-brand blade handling tools, up-tower cranes, and why the aftermarket service sector is driving innovation in major component replacements. Sign up now for Uptime Tech News, our weekly email update on all things wind technology. This episode is sponsored by Weather Guard Lightning Tech. Learn more about Weather Guard’s StrikeTape Wind Turbine LPS retrofit. Follow the show on Facebook, YouTube, Twitter, Linkedin and visit Weather Guard on the web. And subscribe to Rosemary Barnes’ YouTube channel here. Have a question we can answer on the show? Email us! Welcome to Uptime Spotlight, shining light on wind. Energy’s brightest innovators. This is the Progress Powering tomorrow. Allen Hall: Greg, welcome to the program. Joel Saxum: Thank you guys. Nice to meet you. Allen Hall: we have a lot to talk about today. there’s so many heavy lifts. Complex lifts on ships, lifts on, and mountaintops lifts in really odd places. it’s getting more complicated as we go along, and obviously Joel and I talked to a lot of operators and one of the things they complain about more recently is, Hey, we’re having trouble with lifts and we’re having damage that we didn’t have in the past. And it’s complicated, and the access to cranes is more complicated. Everything’s become more complicated. What are some of the issues that you see on the other end of the spectrum, being in that [00:01:00] business? Gregory Kocsis: Yeah. Basically what I see that, so I, I work both, in the last decade in both US and Europe. and I can see that there’s no lack of technologies. there’s a lot of tech that’s, solving a lot of issues. but mostly what you can see that there’s a slight gap. I would say that, There’s two, two prong. the US it seems, some of the farm are really big, and that’s good for scale. but the, technologies are a little bit behind, I would say 10, 15 years sometimes. so that also means that the. The solutions that they use to, to change a blade or change a gearbox or how to lower a full, rotor, it’s always, lower tech and based on practicalities. Joel Saxum: Greg, why do you think that is? Do you think it’s just simply because, yeah, like the eu, so you’ve done a lot of work in the eu, of course, onshore, offshore, and globally. But in the EU it [00:02:00] seems like tighter quarters maybe, harder to get around some of the wind farms. Is, does that drive some of the difference in innovation? Because like you said, you there’s the innovation is there, the tooling is there. The EU has been doing it for a while. It’s just that in the states it seems like we’re more, for lack of a better term, like agricultural about things. It’s kinda Hey, this has worked for 40 years, so this is what’s how we’re gonna do it. Gregory Kocsis: Yeah, it’s always some, nature driven forces are there. So in the, in, for example, if you look at Germany, there’s, a lot of owners and the size of sites are three turbines, four turbines. And if you look at the platform that’s available around turbine is very limited. I was also on a site last year in, North Germany where basically, the truck could park right next to the turbine, but they had to clear some trees, in order to, make sure that they can put the full rotor down. Because since, since they installed it, forest grew, [00:03:00] much, much more. That was another case in, Rotterdam when we were right next to the channel and they had to, close the road. that was, docking. To the ships, back and forth every, half an hour when they had to lift the blade and it was going across the road. So when you’re in situations like this and there’s not a lot of space around the turbines, you have to start thinking that, how can we do this quicker? How can we do this safer? Because you can see that there’s a lot of planning that goes, with this as well. And then you need to make sure that, it’s more predictable, what you’re doing. So I think that. That’s one of the main driver for these technologies. if I put it simple terms that the more single crane operation for MCRs, and technologies that allow a single crane exchange, is, more pushed because of this rather than in the US where you can get maybe two smaller, cranes and then you just sling it, [00:04:00] and then take it down with two cranes. Joel Saxum: Yeah, you’ve got all kinds of space, right? Half of our wind farms are in pasture or farm fields. I wouldn’t say half. We say the majority of our wind farms are in pa pasture, and you’ve got space. The only thing limiting you is, how big the pad is really Right. And bring some cribbing in. You can basically get done with the same technology you’ve been using for cranes for years and years and with that as well, I think that, one of the things we talked about in our kind of, chat off air was. the workforce over here is a little bit different as well. So the workforce over here is sometimes a, a slinger or someone who’s holding a tagline. They got a green hard hat on, and they’re a warm body because they need people, they need help. because we’re doing things at such scale. Whereas in the eu, that’s just not the case. you’re not gonna be allowed to be around operations like that unless you’ve been thoroughly trained for a couple years. And, so, that situation with the workforce is a little bit different. So it’s almost easier to not be [00:05:00]consistently and continuously innovating and training people on new things. But with that, we’re, leaving ourselves behind in the game, right? There’s cost savings to be had, there’s time savings to be had that we’re just not harvesting. Gregory Kocsis: Yeah, absolutely. And as you mentioned that the, benefits in, Europe at these, lower scale, that also allows that, some of these smaller ISPs, they can excel what they’re doing. So they can have a crew of 10, 15 people and they focus on, some turbines, but they. When they do a campaign, that doesn’t mean that they have to go through a hundred turbines. They, do one disassembly or two disassembly or three, and it just stays at that scale. So they can actually manage to get by with the smaller crew and then really, get really experienced, on this. While I think in the US there’s quite a lot of push on. We cannot just do one. Because if you look at the size of sites, there’s [00:06:00] also one site consists between 80 and 120 turbines. And if you draw an an area that, let’s say a two hour driving range that can summarize 2000 turbines. And that also means that when something happens there, you also wanna do it at scale. So you cannot get away with 10, 15 people you need. 30, or you need five, five different crews. And then where can you get these people? How quickly can you train them? And I think that’s actually the good thing is that if we could manage to, to, pull the experience that we have in Europe, that would be good to scale it up because that’s the drawback of Europe, that when you, once you have something great. You cannot scale it up and then put a specialized tool cost above or across, 2000 turbine exchanges. Allen Hall: Is there a movement to bring more technology over from the eu, particularly because, the tools are a little more specialized, [00:07:00] but you’re reducing risk. Is it just that, the larger wind farms, be it in the United States, be it in Australia or there’s a lot of places on the planet where the wind farms are big Brazil. Another case in point, are there cases where it needs to have more technology transfer? They’re doing it a certain way. In Germany, it’s cleaner, more efficient. It takes those people to do it. It’s safer, it’s repeatable. Have we just not broached that yet? Because it doesn’t seem like there’s a lot of technology transfer in terms of lifts from the EU to many other places. Gregory Kocsis: I think the main, if you look at it that what is the driver on this is who’s responsible for an MCR operation. And if you look at the turbine’s lifetime, it’s all about. Who’s, responsible for the service. And in us, typically the turbine, especially next era, likes to buy new turbines with zero, zero involvement from the OEMs they want to [00:08:00] take over from the get go. and then typically in, in Europe we have, 10, 15 or whole, lifetime service contracts. if you look at a pie that who, takes care of the turbine? I would say that. 40% is, in the hands of, the asset owners or ISPs. and that’s also growing. So I think it was, would make that estimated that 40% will, will shift towards, 60. So that, that is the drive that I can see that more of this chunk is getting, getting bigger. And you can see players that are already globally existing, like Deutsche intech, that. That’s quite big in the US and Europe that they started to do that transition, and then take that technology that they could experience in different sites and then put this to the service side. But that’s, the difficult part, that even though that slice is [00:09:00] fairly big, it’s spread across small companies. And as a small company, if you pick one in Denmark or you pick one in the Netherlands, for them to collaborate on a project or assist on a project in US or Australia or Brazil, it’s quite costly. So then the question comes at who’s. Who’s footing the bill? is it the service company? Is it the asset owner? Is the crane company chipping in? Or how is the collaboration working? And there’s no rule of thumb that applies everywhere for these. So it’s case by case that how, big is it? How many turbines are we talking about? What kind of turbines, how far are we out in the service contract? Joel Saxum: It brings in a couple of questions, right? Why are we having this block of, lifting and crane operation innovations? Is it when the OEMs are responsible? They have, they know their say blade types, they know their hub types. They know their MCE, they know their drivetrain components, so they know and they have the designs [00:10:00] and the drawings of what their existing tooling needs would be or how to connect to them. So they’re able to build out these tools that work for them Now. Going from that to being a, say a crane company or an EPC building turbines. You are building multi-brand turbines, multi-brand sites. Not only multi-brand, but multi-unit, different technologies, different blade types. So all of your fixtures need to be different and there’s not very many universal tools out there. how do we get to the point where we can build more universal tools or more tooling that can work for everybody? Gregory Kocsis: Yeah, definitely. I think it’s. The OEMs are holding all the cards, on this one. So that, that also means that when you’re under a service contract, then that means that the OEM as you said, they have the tooling, they have the work procedure, and, in this case, if you try to imagine the MCR, it starts with. What parts do you have to shut down in the turbine? What do you have to disconnect? What do you have to plan on the ground? So [00:11:00] we could isolate it and talk just about the tools. and that was actually part of my work in the previous company that I worked at. We, tried to figure out that what kind of universal tools, can we make for these, purposes, but we also face the fact that many of the ISPs that are coming, they have the demand for, can you give me a Swiss knife that solves everything? And I have nothing from the OEM. So where should we get that? How heavy is that hub? where are the lifting points on the blade? Where is the COG? and then these lack of informations that are difficult together on the market. and the OEM is not really keen to share it either, Allen Hall: but why wouldn’t they want to share that information? Greg? I’m trying to understand where they’re coming from. It would make everybody’s life easier. And lower the cost of operation. If they had standardized lifting points, particularly like generators and gear boxes, that would make a lot of [00:12:00] sense to me. It’s like any other industry where there’s hoists and lifts that are standardized, but in wind, endeavor seems to come across that way. Everybody’s got their own specialized design, don’t they? See the revenue. They could generate from that, that, or the lower the cost that their, customers would have to, put out for lifts and repairs by making it standardized. And, where’s the IEC committees in all this and dvs of the world? Gregory Kocsis: they can definitely see the money, and I think that’s, the big issue, because they, like to earn money as well. So if you look at. What is an OEM earning on selling turbines? Its OTs. What is the OEM Earning on service contracts. That’s where the dough is. So they like these as well, and this is monetizing the market that. They like that they control these kind of information because that drives the, let’s say, the desperate customers to fall back on the [00:13:00] safety net of an OEM service contract. so it would be actually the disadvantage, in the short term, with the current business model. for the OEM if they would open up a little bit more. On the other hand, I think right now we have a lot of, asset owners that grew quite big, like EDP, next era that have, a lot of, turbines. it’s for, many years now. So some of the fleet, if you look at the old vest, V 40 sevens, I think. But NextEra has couple thousands of them. that also means that they have a lot of knowledge on these legacy turbines as well. The knowledge is there, the OEMs, but there’s no clear drive on why should they open up. and there’s a knowledge, bulk of knowledge at the service providers like Deutsche Technique. There’s a bulk of knowledge, with big, asset owners. But this is not shared across and there’s no consensus of, [00:14:00]let’s look at it, how we can, make tools that are better. Because I think the, business model is missing that. How can we make sure that everyone will benefit from this? Joel Saxum: Yeah. It was like we, we talked about off air as well. the, when we talk lifting, what also goes hand in hand with lifting is transportation fixtures. and I’ve heard stories of heavy lift vessels having to completely cut off and reel on new fixtures to ship new blades. And that just seems like what a waste of money, time and effort. of course people are making money doing that, but at the end of the day, that hurts LCOE for wind in energy, right? Because there’s just more cost put into the supply chain that doesn’t. Really need to be there or shouldn’t need to be there. so I, I would like to see us get to the stage where we’re doing, where we have some multi-brand tools or some universal tools in the lifting world. and so that’s a question I wanna ask you then, Greg. we’ve been [00:15:00] talking in generalities around some things. Can you share with us some of these tools that we may not know in the states that exist in the EU that you guys are using? Gregory Kocsis: Yeah, for sure. Yeah. The way I look at it. And then you said it’s also, connected with cranes, is that if you look at some numbers, there’s 35,000 crane call outs globally. Every year where the crane has to go on site and then some of these big things have to be lifted. Now, this is not including the offshore vessels. and that, if you look at these and break down the numbers, you have to lift something that’s big. out of these 35,000, 15,000 would be. Blades or blade bearings. So that means that you have to do something with the blade. You have to take off the blade for the blade’s sake, or you have to take off the blade for the, bearing’s sake. And then the other, tent and, thousand is for the, transformer. so the [00:16:00] generator, and the gearbox, that these are the big things. I think, as you said, blade damage is the most. Particular thing that you shouldn’t break and it’s easy to break is the blades. So that was the primary focus also, with, some of the company that has worked before. So the one of these universal blade handling tools, that we have, different, solutions from, Germany, a couple of them from Denmark, that the premise is that you can have a single crane and then, the blade tool itself. can either adapt, to the blade itself or there’s some slight modifications that you have to do and then it can handle multi-brand. So that would mean that you have one tool and it can handle a range of blades. Allen Hall: That, that seems like an obvious win for an operator or groups of operators in a certain location like Texas where there’s are variety of turbines.[00:17:00] If I had a multi-brand blade lifting tool, why? Why hasn’t that seen wider adoption by a number of operators? Just basically saying, Hey, everybody, throw in 20% of the cost and we’ll just park this tool in the middle of Texas when we need it, we’ll just pull it out. Seems, that seems obvious, but it hasn’t happened. Gregory Kocsis: If, you look at the tech level of such a tool comparing to the tech level that they used to on a daily basis, it’s, that’s where the gap is because if, they have a tool that’s, you start including it, there’s self-balancing system in it, there’s hydraulics in it, and they. Then they know that then someone needs to know about this. Who’s gonna be that? Is it their own guy? Or is someone coming with the tool every time that they use this? On the good side, we can see that, for example, Vestas made their tools for Vestas blades. and then they, instead of, a universal seating, they use [00:18:00] proprietary seating for each blade. you know what you’re. You wanna lift, you prep the tool accordingly, and then it’ll fit so that works for Vestas. And I think more and more crews are, are using these, Vestas technologies, but I think that. The cool thing would be that to have these tools and start using the tools that are not just, for one OEM, but try to utilize these, multi, multi-brand sites and, make sure that, couple of these tools available. So you also have, resilience that if something breaks down that the whole project is not dying. Yeah, I would say the gap based on the tech availability and the learning curve itself, how to do it is, that’s the most thing that holds it back. Joel Saxum: Let me get, your opinion on a couple other technologies here as we’re talking lifting technologies. up tower cranes have been, I wouldn’t say it, it’s not a resurgence, it’s a, it just [00:19:00] splashed under the scene here in the last few years. You got a couple companies doing it and some doing it offshore, some doing onshore. we’ve spoken to a few of ’em on the podcast. What’s your opinion on the usage of these things and where they’re good, where what, what pros, cons they have? What are your thoughts? Gregory Kocsis: I think it’s great. I, back in the day when I was at the Danish Trade Council in 2019, I think it was, back then when RA started to have this project with Aon back then, now RWE, where they bought one, and they said that, We’ll start testing this. We are gonna be the pioneers in this because on paper, it works really nice that you have less containers moving around, less, setup, less footprint of the crane itself. I think with these, if we’re talking about theile cranes, it has its place where it makes. Most sense. So for example, one, one case that I’ve heard that, the [00:20:00] northern, part of the country and also in Canada, there, there could be some times of the year when the roads are shut down and then you cannot carry these heavy loads. and then moving around one of these up tower cranes, it’s easier. so it’s not gonna be delayed by weather. So definitely for these that you would have a case that. For the next six to seven months, your crane is not available because we cannot transport it. Then you can swoop in with this and definitely solve it. it does need some setup time, so when, the site is fairly close, and the pads are close to each other, moving a conventional crane from site to site is actually easier, than p this down and move it to the next. So it also depends on how many, how many turbines do you want to take care of in the region? Joel Saxum: Yeah. I think large campaigns, it’s tougher to justify them for, they don’t work as well. but one-offs, access [00:21:00] issues. smaller, quicker things. they’re definitely a use case for ’em. Gregory Kocsis: Another thing I’ve seen it, I think a year ago it was not in, in Spain, that they also looked at a technology that how you can, for example, lower the blade, utilizing a fixture in the hub, that you just bring this small thing up and use the turbine itself as its own fixture to lower this. And that would mean that you have. a hoist, on the top. And then you just need a smaller mobile crane, on the bottom to tip the blade when it comes down. I think these are also very cool things because that means that you don’t need the whole, big multi, multi container big cranes to, to set up for, the smaller thing. And if you need to take care of one blade, when there’s no unbalanced road or no crazy thing, you just need to do a blade bang exchange. Then this could also save, a lot. But, that [00:22:00] also comes to the same book that this is fairly new and this is even newer than the up tower cranes. So we’re talking about, this is, let’s say in still in the prototype phase when they testing the first editions, in the past two years. Allen Hall: So will we see more, new technology coming outta Europe, or is the demand going to. Drive the technology where there’s turbines going in. I’m thinking of Australia. We’ve talked to some operators there, they’re gonna use some innovative techniques to assemble towers that have been around several years, and no one in Europe really has taken advantage of it in the states, not even thinking about it, but the rapid expansion in large farms in Australia, is that where the hot center’s gonna be for lifting in new technology over the next couple of years? Gregory Kocsis: I would say so, Allen Hall: yeah. Gregory Kocsis: Australia is also an upcoming market for these. but as we talked about what drives this, [00:23:00] it, it will be driven by where is the most independent service provider or where is the most contracts that are run out of the OEM and the asset owner took the liberty that we are gonna take the decision and we are gonna, we are gonna test this. Allen Hall: So that’s just very interesting, look into the industry because I do think. Where Australia is a little bit different is that they have been in mining and big, heavy iron projects forever and they’re not afraid to get involved in heavy lifts. That’s just something that they do all the time versus the middle of Kansas where that doesn’t tend to happen so much. So is the technology moving towards Australia and towards Asia? In general because offshore’s gonna be there, onshore, ISS gonna be there. And what should we expect over the next, couple of years then, in terms of crane and lifting technology, will we [00:24:00] see, just bigger, more massive cranes doing heavier lifts or is it gonna be more innovation? there’s, I Gregory Kocsis: think it’s two sides of this. So there’s always one side where you look at what’s happening with the new installations. And the new installations are driven by bigger. Things, larger things that are more fragile, especially with the blades. so that, that’s the technology that goes there, that how can we, we are really at the transport limit, on, both macel and blades when we’re talking about these new things. So I think the, the. Innovation in that sense will go on that direction. And the new installation that, how can we make these even bigger things to be possible to transport and put together in terms of the, the aftermarket and the old turbines. It’s a very different perspective. and the, you can also see a lot of [00:25:00] innovations there, but the, but the stakeholders are very different, so I, don’t think still that the OEM will be heavily involved in this. and do platform close cross collaborative options. but we are entering a stage where some of these bigger players are also, global. So E-D-P-E-D-F, they, in energy, I think they’re one of the innovative ones. They, they exist across the pond as well. So they’re starting to do this knowledge transfer within, their organizations and that, that. That, that are kick starting some small things. And then you can see the, it’s the neighbor effect when you can see that, oh, it works there, why can’t we get there? so it will slowly, organically grow that way. Allen Hall: I think it’s gonna be an interesting next couple of years because as turbines have gradually gotten larger, the two megawatt turbine, which exists primarily in the United States, [00:26:00] is a dying breed. 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 megawatt turbines are gonna become the standard, and lifts are gonna get more complicated, obviously, and the challenges will be there, but it, seems like we’re. at the time where the lifting technology and the financial aspects are gonna come together, we’re gonna close some of these loops and it will be a better situation for a lot of people. It’s time. And I, think if you’re out, if you’re listening to this podcast and you haven’t looked at some of the lifting technologies, you need to call Greg or get ahold of Greg. And how do they do that? Do they, can they find you on LinkedIn? Gregory Kocsis: Yeah, absolutely. I think the easiest way is to find me on LinkedIn. My contacts are also there, so you can find my emails there or just ping me with a message and then we, and we take it from there. Allen Hall: And it’s Greg Coxs, K-O-C-S-I-S. Make sure you put that in LinkedIn correctly. K-O-C-S-I-S or you’re never gonna find Greg. Greg, thank you so much for being on the podcast because there’s so much happening in [00:27:00] the lifting world. It’s hard to keep track, and it is a global industry, so it’s nice to talk to somebody who’s in touch with all of it. Absolutely. Gregory Kocsis: My pleasure.

The Daily Quiz - Geography Today's Questions: Question 1: Which mountain range does the Colorado River flow through? Question 2: The southernmost point in the 48 mainland American states? Question 3: What is the world's highest mountain? Question 4: Casablanca is a city in which country? Question 5: In which country is the city of Guayaquil? Question 6: In which country is the city of Manila? Question 7: What is the capital city of Rwanda? Question 8: What Is The Main Language Spoken In Brazil? Question 9: Which of these countries borders Kingdom of the Netherlands? This podcast is produced by Klassic Studios Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

GET HEIRLOOM SEEDS & NON GMO SURVIVAL FOOD HERE: https://heavensharvest.com/ USE Code WAM to save 25% plus free shipping! GET YOUR WAV WATCH HERE: https://buy.wavwatch.com/WAM Use Code WAM to save $100 and purchase amazing healing frequency technology! BUY TICKETS HERE! https://anarchapulco.com/ Use Code WAM & Save 10%! BUY GOLD HERE: https://firstnationalbullion.com/schedule-consult/ Avoid CBDCs! HELP SUPPORT US AS WE DOCUMENT HISTORY HERE: https://gogetfunding.com/help-keep-wam-alive/# Josh Sigurdson reports on the massive farmer protests return throughout Europe while serious attacks on the supply chain persist worldwide. As the European Union continues to push crazy restrictions on farmers including in Greece where the government wants to move all subsidies towards tourism and real estate rather than actual agriculture, farmers are mobilizing in massive numbers. Police have been seen beating protesting farmers in Greece as the EU's destructive policies risk devastating the basis of Europe's past success. Individualism. Self sustainability. This is of course by design. We've seen this before in places like the Netherlands as the government attempted to shut down 50% of all farm land by paying farmers to close shop. The Netherlands is the second top exporter of agriculture in the world. This lead to massive protests. "No farmers, no food" was a common slogan. Now we are also seeing massive protests in Brussels again as activists are attacked with barbed wire, tear gas and water cannons. These protesters are also allowing routes for travelers around them. They're not shutting down the average citizen. In fact, they're taking over toll booths and letting people drive through for free. The protests in France are getting bigger by the moment as well. French farmers are vowing to continue the "Stop The Slaughter" protests. This comes as the government mass culls cows to stop the "spread" of Lumpy Skin Disease. We've seen similar claims regarding mass culling of chickens in the United States. The French army has been called in to stop the farmer protests. Meanwhile massive blockades persist in Mexico and the US ports of entry causing major strains on the supply chain. Farm land is bought up and not used at enormous levels in the United States. This is all by design. Destroy the supply chain, destroy independence, make people dependent on grocery stores that are getting more and more expensive and less and less stocked, push people onto a digital ID, make people use a CBDC and social credit score, give people food rations, completely control humanity via technocracy. This isn't some theory. It's what the WEF says they plan to do. All of these supply chain issues are just the precursor to these insane restrictions. The solution is YOU. Stock up, reject the culture of dependency. Stay tuned for more from WAM! Get Your SUPER-SUPPLIMENTS HERE: https://vni.life/wam Use Code WAM15 & Save 15%! Life changing formulas you can't find anywhere else! Get local, healthy, pasture raised meat delivered to your door here: https://wildpastures.com/promos/save-20-for-life/bonus15?oid=6&affid=321 USE THE LINK & get 20% off for life and $15 off your first box! DITCH YOUR DOCTOR! https://www.livelongerformula.com/wam Get a natural health practitioner and work with Christian Yordanov! Mention WAM and get a FREE masterclass! You will ALSO get a FREE metabolic function assessment! GET YOUR APRICOT SEEDS at the life-saving Richardson Nutritional Center HERE: https://rncstore.com/r?id=bg8qc1 Use code JOSH to save money! SIGN UP FOR HOMESTEADING COURSES NOW: https://freedomfarmers.com/link/17150/ Get Prepared & Start The Move Towards Real Independence With Curtis Stone's Courses! GET YOUR FREEDOM KELLY KETTLE KIT HERE: https://patriotprepared.com/shop/freedom-kettle/ Use Code WAM and enjoy many solutions for the outdoors in the face of the impending reset! PayPal: ancientwonderstelevision@gmail.com FIND OUR CoinTree page here: https://cointr.ee/joshsigurdson PURCHASE MERECHANDISE HERE: https://world-alternative-media.creator-spring.com/ JOIN US on SubscribeStar here: https://www.subscribestar.com/world-alternative-media For subscriber only content! Pledge here! Just a dollar a month can help us alive! https://www.patreon.com/user?u=2652072&ty=h&u=2652072 BITCOIN ADDRESS: 18d1WEnYYhBRgZVbeyLr6UfiJhrQygcgNU World Alternative Media 2025

In the fog-shrouded streets of 1880s Leiden, a woman everyone called "Good Mary" brought food to the sick, consoled the grieving, and prepared the dead for burial. For three years, she was the angel of her neighborhood—the trusted caregiver who helped when no one else would. No one suspected that the porridge she served was laced with arsenic. No one questioned why so many of her patients died. Until a doctor noticed somethingMaria Swanenburg's victims included 27 confirmed deaths among the most vulnerable members of Victorian Leiden's working-class community. Among them were her own parents—Johanna Dingjan and Clemens Swanenburg—murdered for whatever meager inheritance they might leave. Two young sisters died while Maria babysat them, followed by attempted poisonings of six mourners at their wake, including their pregnant mother.The Frankhuizen family lost three members: Maria Frankhuizen, her infant son, and her husband Hendrik, whose agonizing final days would ultimately expose the killer. Elderly neighbors who trusted Maria with their care, relatives who welcomed her help, and community members who saw her as Goeie Mie—"Good Mary"—all fell victim to her arsenic-laced kindness. Another 45 survivors lived with permanent health damage, many walking Leiden's streets on crutches for the rest of their lives.Between 1880 and 1883, Maria Swanenburg systematically poisoned at least 102 people in Leiden, Netherlands, killing 27 and permanently disabling dozens more. Operating in disease-ridden working-class neighborhoods where cholera deaths were common, she exploited the era's limited medical knowledge and the community's trust in her caregiving reputation.Maria purchased arsenic from multiple pharmacies across Leiden—ostensibly for pest control—accumulating lethal quantities without raising suspicion. She poisoned her victims through food and drink while nursing them, then collected on small life insurance policies she'd secretly taken out. When victims displayed symptoms of violent gastric distress, doctors assumed cholera or typhoid. When they died, Maria helped prepare their bodies for burial and consoled grieving families.Her downfall came in December 1883 when Dr. Wijnand Rutgers van der Loeff connected multiple patients with identical symptoms to one common factor: all had been under Maria Swanenburg's care.The Investigation: Dr. van der Loeff's suspicions led police to arrest Maria on December 15, 1883. When searched, she carried multiple insurance policies in her pockets—policies taken out on people currently under her care. Authorities exhumed thirteen bodies from Leiden cemeteries; all tested positive for arsenic.The Trial: Proceedings began April 23, 1885, drawing national attention. Medical experts explained how arsenic accumulated in victims' tissues. Family members testified about their loved ones' rapid deterioration under Maria's care. Throughout, she maintained an eerily calm demeanor, claiming she was being framed.The Verdict: On May 1, 1885, Maria Swanenburg was convicted of three murders from the Frankhuizen family case—though prosecutors had evidence for 27 deaths. She became the first woman in Dutch history to receive a life sentence.The Sentence: Maria was sent to Gorinchem Correctional Facility, where she died on April 11, 1915, at age 75, having served thirty years.Victorian Leiden provided the perfect hunting ground for a poisoner. The textile industry had drawn workers into overcrowded slums where families of ten lived in cramped cottages with earthen floors, no sanitation, and no ventilation. Cholera, typhoid, and tuberculosis killed regularly. Child mortality was staggeringly high. Doctors rarely visited poor districts because residents couldn't pay.In this environment, additional deaths barely registered. Arsenic was legally sold in pharmacies for pest control with minimal regulation—no questions asked, no records kept. The poison was tasteless, odorless, and produced symptoms indistinguishable from endemic diseases without expensive chemical analysis that the poor could never afford.Maria's role as a community caregiver—taking in elderly boarders, nursing the sick, preparing bodies for burial—gave her unlimited access to vulnerable victims and made suspicion seem impossible. She was Goeie Mie. Good Mary. The angel.Primary research for this episode draws from Dutch criminal archives and the work of historian Stefan Glasbergen, whose book on Maria Swanenburg provides crucial contemporary documentation including court testimony and neighborhood accounts.The case fundamentally changed Dutch law. Following Maria's conviction, the Netherlands implemented strict regulations on arsenic sales, requiring pharmacies to maintain detailed purchase records and verify legitimate need. Dutch law enforcement developed standardized protocols for investigating suspicious deaths and recognizing serial murder patterns.The Swanenburg case became a cornerstone study in criminal investigation training throughout Europe, demonstrating how serial killers exploit community trust and institutional blind spots to operate undetected for years.For those interested in exploring this case further:The Rijksmuseum van Oudheden in Leiden maintains records from the Victorian eraDutch National Archives hold original court documents from the 1885 trialAcademic studies on Victorian-era poisoning cases and forensic toxicology developmentMaria Swanenburg's victims trusted her completely. She was their neighbor, their caregiver, their friend. In the fog-shrouded slums of Victorian Leiden, the angel of the neighborhood was actually its deadliest predator—and the 45 survivors on crutches walked as permanent reminders of her betrayal.Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/foul-play-crime-series/donationsAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Volodymyr Zelensky has been in Berlin discussing peace proposals with the US, and he says they will be ready to present to Russia ‘within days'.Today, he addressed European leaders The Netherlands' House of Representatives in The Hague.We also discuss why Italy has joined Belgium in its opposition to the EU's plan to send €210 billion of Russia's frozen state assets to Ukraine.Victoria and Vitaly are joined by BBC's international editor Jeremy Bowen to discuss why there is good reason to remain wary of an imminent robust peace deal.Today's episode is presented by Victoria Derbyshire and Vitaly ShevchenkoThe producers were Laurie Kalus and Julia Webster. The technical producer was Jonny Hall. The series producer is Chris Flynn. The senior news editor is Sam Bonham.Email Ukrainecast@bbc.co.uk with your questions and comments. You can also send us a message or voice note via WhatsApp, Signal or Telegram to +44 330 1239480You can join the Ukrainecast discussion on Newscast's Discord server here: tinyurl.com/ukrainecastdiscord

Let's visit March 2017 now. Hari Kondabolu joined Andy to discuss some good-ish news from the Netherlands. It's Bugle issue 4021 - Geertcha.Hear more of our shows, buy our book, and help keep us alive by supporting us here: thebuglepodcast.com/This episode was produced by Chris Skinner and Laura Turner Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Summary This coming February, Getting Unstuck—Cultivating Curiosity will start its eighth year. My goal with this podcast is to host guests who will make us think, "I didn't know anything about that," or "That's something I hadn't considered," or "I might be able to apply that to some aspect of my life." In each case, "that" refers to the topic being discussed. And the topics will vary widely. Unlike other shows that focus on a single topic, such as politics, entertainment, or leadership, Getting Untuck's focus is eclectic. This year, I offered episodes about how to inspire student curiosity, the healing powers of fly fishing, writing, the Holocaust and World War II, marketing, and a score of other topics. Getting Unstuck—Cultivating Curiosity continues to rank in the top 3 percent of all podcasts globally, where just over 4 million options are vying for your ears' attention. We just published our 392nd episode, which is notable given that most podcasts don't reach ten episodes. I say "we" because a special thanks goes to my engineer, Neil Hughes. He manages all the back-end publishing logistics and makes every episode sound professional. He also welcomes me to pull up a virtual chair for periodic emotional therapy when needed. To say I would be lost without him doesn't begin to do his services justice. As we approach the end of the year, I want to thank you, my listeners. I wouldn't be able to continue doing this show without your interest and support. Thank you.   I'm going to recap 2025 in three parts: Part One: The three episodes that you listened to the most. Part Two: The one episode that was particularly special to me. Part Three: The three most popular backlist episodes. Part One: The three episodes that you listened to the most. (In no particular order.) 1. Episode 344 - "Earthrise"—What Apollo 8 Should Have Taught Us This episode reflects on the Apollo 8 mission's iconic "Earthrise" image in late December 1968 and the turbulent year that preceded it. It highlights enduring lessons on inequality, collective problem-solving, and environmental stewardship. The episode urges renewed respect for history and a commitment to addressing modern challenges with the same ingenuity that defined the space race. This episode's popularity doesn't surprise me, so I'm going to devote next week's episode to replaying it. 2. Episode 348 - Breaking Barriers: Men, Vulnerability and Emotional Growth In this episode, I talked with Bob Reece, a mental health counselor and fly fishing guide, about his work addressing the mental health of men and at-risk teens. We discussed overcoming societal stigmas around vulnerability, providing men with tools to manage emotions, and the transformative impact of connecting with nature through fly fishing to improve relationships and professional lives. Bob emphasized the need to normalize vulnerability among men, challenging traditional notions of masculinity and fostering healthier emotional expression. This episode's popularity did not surprise me, given what I've read about the crisis single white men are experiencing. 3. Episode 369 - From Heart Attack to Health: A Plant-based Transformation In this episode, I talked with Byron Edgington, a Vietnam Veteran and commercial helicopter pilot. Byron shared his journey to a whole food, plant-based diet after a heart attack. He and his wife experienced dramatic health improvements almost immediately, including weight loss and the elimination of prescription medications. Our conversation expanded to explore the environmental impact of meat production, animal cruelty in factory farming, and how food choices can shape personal health and global sustainability. Two other episodes deserve mention. Episode 345 - Living with Purpose—Eastern and Western Insights Into Habits and Growth In this episode, Dr. Tamsin Astor, an author and habit scientist, discussed her approach to habit formation and the integration of Western and Eastern philosophies to promote wellness. Episode 363 - Decoding LinkedIn–Optimizing Your Digital First Impression The popularity of this episode should surprise no one. Here, "LinkedIn Profiler" Tony K. Silver shared LinkedIn optimization strategies focused on capturing attention quickly, using strategic keywords, and creating high-quality, engaging content with clear calls to action for professional success.   Part Two: The one episode that was particularly special to me. Episode 368 - What We Make of Them After participating in New York City's "No Kings" march last spring, I reflected in this episode on the urgency of defending democracy, drawing parallels between the current political climate and that of 1930s Germany. When the march ended, I slipped into a bookstore to warm up and dry off. There I found Remember Us by Robert M. Edsell. The title of the book comes from a moving poem by Archibald MacLeish: "The Young Dead Soldiers Do Not Speak." A few stanzas carry the meaning. Nevertheless they are heard in the still houses: Who has not heard them? They say, Our deaths are not ours; they are yours: They will mean what you make of them They say, Whether our lives and our deaths were for peace And a new hope or for nothing we cannot say: it is you who must say this. We were young, they say. We have died. Remember us. Two of the poem's lines moved me so much that I took the episode title from them. "Our deaths are not ours; they are yours: They will mean what you make of them Remember Us documents twelve lives connected to the American Military Cemetery near the small village of Margraten, Netherlands. Approximately 8,300 Americans who helped liberate the Netherlands from the Nazis and the grip of fascism during World War II are buried there. The cemetery is remarkable because Black American soldiers, who were generally restricted to non-combat support roles, dug the graves under horrific weather conditions. The cemetery is also notable because local Dutch citizens have adopted each grave and visit it weekly. This practice reflects the citizens' ongoing gratitude for the soldiers, affirming that they have heard the voices of the dead. Their visits ensure that the soldiers are always remembered for their sacrifice.   Part Three: The three most popular backlist episodes. (Titles that aired before 1/1/25.) 1. Episode 93 - Reclaiming Our Students I'm not surprised that this episode continues to track after almost five years. Based on their mega best-selling book, Reclaiming Our Students: Why Children Are More Anxious, Aggressive, and Shut Down Than Ever―And What We Can Do About It, authors Hannah Beach and Tamara Neufeld Strijack alerted us to what's going on with today's youth. I'm going to do a separate episode update in two weeks, but for our purpose here, two of the questions we discussed in the episode were Why are our kids in the position today of being more anxious, aggressive, and shut down than ever before? What has been the impact of children losing time for free play – and of entertainment becoming the substitute for free play? 2. Episode 316 - Fishing the Good Fight—Healing on the Stream for Men with Mental Health Issues Jim Flint is the Executive Director of "Fishing the Good Fight," an organization that uses fly-fishing retreats to help men navigate the complex intersection of masculinity and mental health. As a fly fisher, I was thrilled with the reception of this episode and with two other very popular episodes on the spiritual power of fly fishing Episode 315 - Susan Gaetz is the executive director for Casting for Recovery, a national nonprofit using the therapeutic sport of fly fishing to serve women with breast cancer. Episode 330 - Sylvia Huron is the co-founder and Executive Director of Reeling in Serenity, a non-profit that uses fly fishing to support addiction recovery through free retreats. 3. Episode 321 - You Have a Story to Tell—The Art of Memoir Writing This episode explores the art of memoir writing with author and teacher, Cindy House. Our conversation delved into the genre's rising popularity and its essential elements. Cindy emphasized curiosity as the foundation of writing and how memoir differs from autobiography by focusing on one or more specific aspects of one's life rather than a comprehensive account. Our conversation also covers the major elements of memoirs, including the importance of a central dramatic question, its supporting thematic framework, and the structure that holds everything together. Two other episodes deserve mention. Episode 88 - Leading in a Time of Crisis: Part 10 I conducted this interview with the then-Principal of the Baltimore Design School, Zaharah Valentine, in April 2020. The crisis, of course, was COVID-19, and Zarharah offered suggestions on how faculty could weather it. This episode has probably surged recently because educators are once again in crisis. Teachers and administrators are leaving the field due to burnout, low pay, lack of support, political pressures, and challenging student behaviors. Episode 324 - Cultivating Student Curiosity and Engagement in the Thinking Mathematics Classroom. This was one of my favorite episodes of the year. Dr. Peter Liljedahl is a Professor of Mathematics Education and has developed a unique way for students to learn math. Instead of sitting by themselves working out mind-numbing math problems, Dr. Liljedahl's method has students working in triads at whiteboards on real-world problems. Process and thinking, here, are as necessary as the answer.

In this episode of our Cross-Border Catch-Up podcast series, Shirin Aboujawde (New York) and Goli Rahimi (Chicago) discuss major employment law changes in Poland, Belgium, and the Netherlands. Goli and Shirin, both of whom are members of the firm's Cross-Border Practice Group, highlight a Polish Labor Code provision that significantly impacts how length of service is calculated, thereby affecting an employee's statutory rights to notice of termination, severance, and paid leave. They also cover the introduction of a cap on notice periods for terminations in Belgium and the Netherlands’ Netherlands’ Clarification of Assessment of Employment Relations and Legal Presumption Act (VBAR Act), which tightens the distinction between employees and self-employed contractors.

In this episode of our Cross-Border Catch-Up podcast series, Shirin Aboujawde (New York) and Goli Rahimi (Chicago) discuss major employment law changes in Poland, Belgium, and the Netherlands. Goli and Shirin, both of whom are members of the firm's Cross-Border Practice Group, highlight a Polish Labor Code provision that significantly impacts how length of service is calculated, thereby affecting an employee's statutory rights to notice of termination, severance, and paid leave. They also cover the introduction of a cap on notice periods for terminations in Belgium and the Netherlands’ Netherlands’ Clarification of Assessment of Employment Relations and Legal Presumption Act (VBAR Act), which tightens the distinction between employees and self-employed contractors.

The Cognitive Crucible is a forum that presents different perspectives and emerging thought leadership related to the information environment. The opinions expressed by guests are their own, and do not necessarily reflect the views of or endorsement by the Information Professionals Association. During this episode, Michael Lissack discusses Anticipatory Agents in Causal Bubbles–a unified theoretical framework that reconciles Quantum Bayesianism (QBism), Robert Rosen's theory of Anticipatory Systems, the causal bubbles interpretation of quantum mechanics, and pragmatic constructivism through Hans Vaihinger's philosophy of 'as if.' Recording Date: 2 Dec 2025 Research Question: Michael Lissack suggests an interested student or researcher examine how can the continuous process of asking "what gives this symbol, sign, or phrase meaning?" (synecdoche) against the background of the "information abyss" lead to a developed sense of understanding? Resources: Cognitive Crucible Podcast Episodes Mentioned #7 Randy Rosin on Russia and Applied Cybernetics #72 Noah Komnick on Cybernetics and the Age of Complexity #47 Yaneer Bar-Yam on Complex Systems and the War on Ideals #85 Josh Kerbel on Complexity and Anticipatory Intelligence Anticipatoryagents.com Anticipatory Agents in Causal Bubbles: Reconciling Quantum Bayesianism, Rosen's Anticipatory Systems, and Pragmatic Constructivism by Michael Lissack WHAT SCIENTIFIC TERM OR CONCEPT OUGHT TO BE MORE WIDELY KNOWN? Ashby's Law of Requisite Variety by John Naughton Destruction and Creation by John Boyd (1976) W. R. Ashby, "Requisite variety and its implications for the control of complex systems," Cybernetica, vol. 1, no. 2, pp. 83–99, 1958. Link to full show notes and resources Guest Bio: Michael Lissack, the founder and director of the Second Order Science Foundation, has dedicated his academic career to understanding how individuals and organizations can learn and adapt in a rapidly changing world. Lissack's work focuses on the intersection of cognition, communication, and technology, and he has developed innovative approaches to knowledge management, organizational learning, and leadership development. Lissack was the president of American Society for Cybernetics, founder of the Institute for the Study of Coherence and Emergence, and founding editor of the journal Emergence.  He has taught at several universities throughout the world, including Erasmus in the Netherlands and Tongji in Shanghai.  He holds a D.B.A. in complex systems from Brunel University and Henley Management College. About: The Information Professionals Association (IPA) is a non-profit organization dedicated to exploring the role of information activities, such as influence and cognitive security, within the national security sector and helping to bridge the divide between operations and research. Its goal is to increase interdisciplinary collaboration between scholars and practitioners and policymakers with an interest in this domain. For more information, please contact us at communications@information-professionals.org. Or, connect directly with The Cognitive Crucible podcast host, John Bicknell, on LinkedIn. Disclosure: As an Amazon Associate, 1) IPA earns from qualifying purchases, 2) IPA gets commissions for purchases made through links in this post.

In this episode of the Artist Academy Podcast, I'm chatting with Odette Guastavino, a Netherlands-based muralist and painter whose whimsical, magical artwork stopped me mid-scroll on Instagram. What started as admiration for her art quickly turned into a conversation about style, storytelling, and building a sustainable art career—especially after I realized she had recently joined the Artist Academy.Odette shares her journey from studying architecture to building a mural career through Facebook groups, word of mouth, and social media, and how she's now intentionally shifting her focus toward canvas work, prints, and more flexible income streams. We talk about transitioning from client-led mural commissions to creating original, imaginative paintings that sell—often before they even make it to her website—and what helped her recent work go viral. We also explore why whimsical and nostalgic art resonates with adults just as much as kids, and how she presents her artwork in context to help buyers visualize it in their homes.Toward the end of the episode, Odette shares one of her most powerful tools yet: how she's using AI to mock up artwork in real interiors, speed up her workflow, and ultimately sell more paintings—without compromising her artistic integrity.

America Out Loud PULSE with Dr. Randall Bock – Pickett asks what happens when people who fled failed states bring the habits of those states into successful ones, yet refuse to adopt the standards that produced success. Europe has lived this imbalance for decades. Sweden, the Netherlands, and Germany became magnets for people fleeing less orderly societies, but many arrivals rejected the norms that...

The Battles of Lexington and Concord in April 1775, known as the "shot heard round the world," marked the first military engagements of the American Revolution. Ralph Waldo Emerson named it that because it launched revolutionary movements in Europe and beyond, marking it as a key moment in the fight for liberty and self-governance. But this moment was global in more ways than inspiring other nations. The quest for independence by the 13 North American colonies against British rule rapidly escalated into a worldwide conflict. The Patriots forged alliances with Britain’s key adversaries—France, Spain, and the Netherlands—securing covert arms supplies initially, which evolved into open warfare by 1779. French and Spanish naval campaigns in the Caribbean diverted British forces from North America to defend valuable sugar colonies, while American privateers disrupted British trade, bolstering the rebel economy. All of this international involvement was promoted by the Founding Fathers, because the Declaration of Independence was translated into French, Spanish, Dutch, and other languages and distributed by them across Europe to garner sympathy and support from nations like France and the Netherlands. Spain’s separate war against Britain in Florida and South America, alongside French efforts to spark uprisings in British-controlled India, further strained Britain’s ability to quash the rebellion. Post-independence, the consequences rippled globally: Britain and Spain tightened their grip on remaining colonies, Native American tribes faced heightened land encroachments due to the loss of British protections, and enslaved African Americans who fought for Britain, lured by promises of freedom, were relocated to Nova Scotia and later Sierra Leone. To explore this new framework of the Revolutionary War is today’s guest, Richard Bell, author of “The American Revolution and the Fate of the World.”See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.