Podcasts about North America

Send us a textDownload study notes for this chapter.Download study notes for this entire book.**********Scriptures taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version ®, NIV ® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc. Used with permission. All rights reserved worldwide.The “NIV”, “New International Version”, “Biblica”, “International Bible Society” and the Biblica Logo are trademarks registered in the United States Patent and Trademark Office by Biblica, Inc.  Used with permission.BIBLICA, THE INTERNATIONAL BIBLE SOCIETY, provides God's Word to people through Bible translation & Bible publishing, and Bible engagement in Africa, Asia Pacific, Europe, Latin America, the Middle East, and North America. Through its worldwide reach, Biblica engages people with God's Word so that their lives are transformed through a relationship with Jesus Christ.Support the show

Today is day 2 and we are continuing the section on Salvation. 2. What is the Gospel? The Gospel is the good news that God loves the world and offers salvation from sin through his Son, Jesus Christ. (Psalm 103:1–13; Isaiah 53:4–5; John 3:16–17; 1 Corinthians 15:1–5) Our daily prayer comes from the introduction to the Solemn Collects in the Good Friday liturgy on page 566 of the Book of Common Prayer (2019). If you would like to buy or download To Be a Christian, head to anglicanchurch.net/catechism. Produced by Holy Trinity Anglican Church in Madison, MS. Original music from Matthew Clark. Daily collects and Psalms are taken from Book of Common Prayer (2019), created by the Anglican Church in North America and published by the Anglican Liturgical Press. Used by permission. All rights reserved. Scripture quotations are from The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved. Catechism readings are taken from To Be a Christian - An Anglican Catechism Approved Edition, copyright © 2020 by The Anglican Church in North America by Crossway a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Whether we have spent much time thinking about it or not, as God's children, we add flavor wherever we go. Our interactions are the sprinklings of God's grace, spiritual and eternal blessings to grace the lives of the lonely, the sad ones, and those who are burdened. We don't often know who they are. We are just to be a savory moment that makes their day a little better.Daylight Meditations is a daily podcast from CFO North America. Please visit CFONorthAmerica.org to learn more about our retreats, and online courses. If you are encouraged by this podcast, please consider supporting us. Contributors: Michelle DeChant, Adam Maddock, and Christine Mauriello-Miller

Lord, Open My Lips is a daily devotional produced by Fr. Josh Fink and John Caddell in association with All Souls Church in Lexington, South Carolina. New devotionals are available every day. More information can be found at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠allsoulslex.org/dailyprayer⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.Original music is composed and recorded by John Caddell. Our liturgy is based on "Family Prayer" from the Book of Common Prayer (2019), created by the Anglican Church in North America and published by the Anglican Liturgical Press. Used by permission. All rights reserved. Scripture quotations are from The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

In this New Year's Day episode of Honey Bee Obscura, Jim Tew is joined by Anne Frey for a timely and practical conversation about wintering honey bee colonies during extended cold spells. As winter settles in across much of North America, Jim and Anne focus on what beekeepers can—and cannot—do during deep winter to support colony survival. The discussion centers on insulation, emergency feeding, and realistic expectations when temperatures plunge. Anne explains why it's not "too late" to add insulation, how minimal disturbance compares to the consequences of starvation, and why proactive feeding decisions often matter more than perfect timing. Together, they explore how clusters respond to disturbance, why insulation at the top of the hive plays a critical role in managing condensation, and how beekeepers can make calm, informed choices even in the coldest months. Jim and Anne also examine ongoing debates around ventilation versus condensing hives, drawing on observations from wild colonies, research by Tom Seeley, and years of hands-on experience. The conversation widens to include polystyrene versus wooden hives, winter behavior in northern versus southern climates, and the delicate balance between insulation, solar gain, and cleansing flights. Grounded in plain talk and practical experience, this episode offers reassurance, perspective, and actionable guidance for beekeepers wintering colonies as one year ends and another begins. ______________________ Thanks to Betterbee for sponsoring today's episode. Betterbee's mission is to support every beekeeper with excellent customer service, continued education and quality equipment. From their colorful and informative catalog to their support of beekeeper educational activities, including this podcast series, Betterbee truly is Beekeepers Serving Beekeepers. See for yourself at www.betterbee.com ______________________ Honey Bee Obscura is brought to you by Growing Planet Media, LLC, the home of Beekeeping Today Podcast. Music: Heart & Soul by Gyom, All We Know by Midway Music; Christmas Avenue by Immersive Music; original guitar music by Jeffrey Ott Cartoons by: John Martin (Beezwax Comics) Copyright © 2026 by Growing Planet Media, LLC

Send us a textDownload study notes for this chapter.Download study notes for this entire book.**********Scriptures taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version ®, NIV ® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc. Used with permission. All rights reserved worldwide.The “NIV”, “New International Version”, “Biblica”, “International Bible Society” and the Biblica Logo are trademarks registered in the United States Patent and Trademark Office by Biblica, Inc.  Used with permission.BIBLICA, THE INTERNATIONAL BIBLE SOCIETY, provides God's Word to people through Bible translation & Bible publishing, and Bible engagement in Africa, Asia Pacific, Europe, Latin America, the Middle East, and North America. Through its worldwide reach, Biblica engages people with God's Word so that their lives are transformed through a relationship with Jesus Christ.Support the show

Welcome back to another episode of the unSeminary podcast. Today we're talking with Tim MacLeod, a former nurse who escaped the financial treadmill by flipping couches—and now teaches others how to do the same. Are you a church leader feeling the financial squeeze? Looking for a side hustle that doesn't require debt, special skills, or hours you don't have? Tim's story offers a practical roadmap—and encouragement—for anyone needing to close that income gap. Burnout and financial pressure. // Tim became a nurse at 21, newly married, supporting his wife through teacher's college, and quickly thrown into adult responsibilities. The only way to stay financially afloat was by working overtime once or twice a week. When their second child was on the way, he realized the path he was on was unsustainable. Finding financial freedom. // Options like upgrading his nursing degree, relocating, or working in dangerous psychiatric facilities were unappealing. Tim needed something flexible, part-time, and profitable enough to replace overtime. He discovered flipping phones and iPads first, but competition was fierce. Then, after borrowing a trailer and responding to a free couch listing, everything changed. He cleaned it up, sold it the next day for $280, and instantly covered more than an entire nursing shift. Why flipping couches works. // The opportunity exists because of a gap in the marketplace. Most people don't own trucks, can't move heavy furniture, and face tight deadlines when moving. Sellers value reliable pickup over price; buyers value affordable furniture delivered to their door. Tim steps into this gap. With polite communication and kindness, he creates a “win-win-win”: sellers get rid of furniture quickly, buyers get affordable delivered couches, and Tim earns a consistent profit. He estimates most beginners can make $1,000/month by flipping just five couches—buying each for around $50 and selling for $250 with delivery included. A side hustle with time freedom. // One of the most surprising parts of Tim's business is the flexibility. He built the early stages of his flipping business in the evenings with his wife and baby riding along—road dinners, cheap pizza, and trips to pick up inventory. Now he schedules pickups during school hours, stacks deliveries based on availability, and can pause or accelerate the business as needed. It's ideal for ministry families with unpredictable schedules. Why you can succeed at this. // Many of Tim's students are pastors or church employees, and he says ministry workers have unique advantages: access to storage at the church, a heart for helping people, strong communication skills, and the ability to bring calm to awkward interactions. Many pastors live outside their ministry communities—creating the perfect “import/export” opportunity where they can buy in one market and sell in another. And unlike many side hustles, flipping couches doesn't conflict with ministry—it simply provides supplemental income with minimal stress. A free resource to get started. // Tim created a free Google Doc of scripts—his exact messages for starting conversations, vetting couches, and negotiating with integrity. To get it, simply comment scripts on any of his Instagram videos and he’ll email it your way. He also offers an affordable course walking through his full system, including storage setup, videos, delivery strategies, and scaling beyond $1,000/month. To learn more or access Tim's free scripts, visit him on Instagram @thefulltimeflipper or explore his full course at tim-macleod.com. Thank You for Tuning In! There are a lot of podcasts you could be tuning into today, but you chose unSeminary, and I'm grateful for that. If you enjoyed today's show, please share it by using the social media buttons you see at the left hand side of this page. Also, kindly consider taking the 60-seconds it takes to leave an honest review and rating for the podcast on iTunes, they're extremely helpful when it comes to the ranking of the show and you can bet that I read every single one of them personally! Episode Transcript Rich Birch — Hey, friends, welcome to the unSeminary podcast. So glad that you have decided to tune in. We’re definitely having a very un-unSeminary episode today. You know recently I heard some statistics that I was like, man, we gotta do something about this. According to the Bureau of Labor and Statistics—you’re like, it’s a little early in the year for the Bureau of Labor and Statistics—but there’s a 13% gap between what religious workers—people who are clergy actually, is the title—and the average income in the country makes – a 13% gap. In fact, it even gets worse when you look at people, there’s a category called “religious workers, other”, which these would be like not the senior pastor types. This is like everybody else that works in a church. There’s a 40% gap between those people and the the average salary in the country. Rich Birch — And so why am I bringing this up? Because I know that there are people that are listening in today that are feeling that gap. Here we are in January and they’re feeling the pressure of that. And I want to help you with that. And so I’ve got a friend, like a friend from real life, friends. This is like we’re in the same small group. We know each other, incredible leader, and I want to expose you to him. But more importantly, I think he can help you with that gap.Rich Birch — It’s my friend, Tim MacLeod. Tim was a nurse with the dreams of fatherhood and home ownership, but after a few years was faced with reality and no time, no amount of overtime was really going to fill the gap that he needed to make things work. And after being stuck on that kind of financial treadmill, he found a way out. He found the niche of, wait for it, friends, flipping couches. What? Flipping couches and was able to quit his nursing job and now does this full time. And I’ve asked him to come on. Uh, because I think what he did at the beginning, even part-time, I think could help some of us today that are, that are listening in. Tim, welcome to the show. So glad you’re here.Tim MacLeod — Thanks so much for having me, man. I’m excited.Rich Birch — This is going to be a good conversation. Kind of fill in the story. Tell us a little bit, uh, tell us about your background, and how did you get in? How did you go from nursing to flipping couches?Tim MacLeod — So I wanted to be obedient and I got married maybe a little bit too young at 21. My wife was still in teacher’s college. And so very, very quickly I was thrown into adulthood of two cars, rents and all the things that come with that.Tim MacLeod — And nursing was good. I was a registered practical nurse, so not a university educated RN making bank, but doing okay with a college diploma. And I got the comfy gig at a long-term care home because I preferred eight-hour shifts and not the, I didn’t want nights.Rich Birch — Midnight and all that.Tim MacLeod — I just wanted, yeah, exactly.Rich Birch — Yeah, yeah, yeah.Tim MacLeod — I wanted the free parking and the the reliable six to two shifts. That was just the lifestyle that I liked. And the only way that I could stay afloat financially was with doubles. I had to do my six to two and then at least once a week, usually twice, if I wanted to have any money to play with, um I would work the two to ten.Rich Birch — Wow.Tim MacLeod — And that was cool while my wife was in college or while she was finishing up teacher’s college, that was fine. And then, we had a newborn baby and that was fine. Because anytime that I would have to do those doubles, she’d go to sleep, go for a sleepover at her parents’ place. And, uh, and I would just drudge up the shifts.Tim MacLeod — And, but then when we were pregnant with number two, I knew that there was difficulties coming. And the road ahead did not look very good. And so I needed something different and all my options for replacing the income suck. Like I could go back to school and upgrade to RN, but I scraped through the first time. So that was nuts.Rich Birch — Right.Tim MacLeod — I didn’t have much hope in myself in that avenue. And I could go, I could relocate, I could move or I could commute about an hour and 20 away to the mental health hospital and make like danger pay in like an asylum, basically with my current qualifications.Rich Birch — Right.Tim MacLeod — And everything just looked terrible. I hated all of that. And all I needed was something better than overtime. I just needed to replace that portion of the income. And I needed something better in my evenings that hopefully I could do with my wife or from home. And so I was looking at side hustles.Tim MacLeod — And I had a little bit of success flipping phones and iPads because that’s all that I really understood…Rich Birch — Okay. Yeah, yeah.Tim MacLeod — …all I understood at the time. And I live about an hour north of where my in-laws live, which is a pretty dense population. I’m in the sticks and the supply was really light there. So I could reliably go for a free meal at my in-laws place, pick up an iPhone or three and for like 300 bucks and then bring them home and sell them for 450 bucks. And so that took that took the pressure off and that was like grocery money.Rich Birch — Right.Tim MacLeod — And it was really consistent, really reliable. And and it was fun too. I really liked it. I liked the negotiations. I liked, I liked not trading time. Rich Birch — Right.Tim MacLeod — Like I liked making making a profit instead of a wage. And that I was hooked on that, but there was competition. Like I wasn’t that clever doing that.Tim MacLeod — There was there was kids that were closer to the inventory ripping around in little Hyundai Elantras and uh i remember meeting this this Indian kid named Lucky, at least his Canadian name was Lucky, and he was beating me to all the goods. And and I met him one time to buy a phone for myself and I actually got to meet him and ask him some questions and he was making four grand a month flipping phones.Rich Birch — Wow.Tim MacLeod — And I thought that is so sick, and it’s just a pure cash hustle. And he was making more doing that than whatever his office or IT job was at the time. And I was super inspired by that, but I didn’t want to compete with him. So that kind of that kind of festered with me a little bit.Tim MacLeod — And um I just got an awesome idea. Well, was gifted to me by the Holy Spirit, I think, based on how fast and how fierce it came, that I need to get skills and tools to sell in a different category, something with a higher barrier to entry. And I wanted something where I didn’t have to compete with the Honda Civics and the Hyundai Elantra’s that were closer to the action.Rich Birch — With Lucky. Yes.Tim MacLeod — Yeah, exactly. He was smoking me. And and it also, it was a little bit of that and then also a little bit of me coveting. I wanted to get like, um I wanted an excuse to buy a Ford Ranger. I wanted a truck at the time.Rich Birch — Love it.Tim MacLeod — And so this combination, this combination of like wants and needs at the time, had me pitching an idea to my brother, Ross. I’m just like, Hey, what do you think about instead of phones and iPads? What if I got a truck and I started doing like washers and dryers or appliances or something like that? And he said, that’s a cool idea.Tim MacLeod — You’re good at the phones and iPads thing. And I definitely like, you’re good at the negotiations, all that. But don’t start eight grand in debt. That’s so stupid. Why don’t you just borrow my trailer and just try it? And I said, well, I don’t have a, I don’t have a hitch on my car. He said, get a hitch on your car, buddy. Okay. So, put that on the Visa, did not have the money for it. Rich Birch — Wow. Tim MacLeod — Put that on the Visa, put a two inch two inch hitch and four prong wiring on Mazda 5 like the little four cylinder, little mini minivan.Rich Birch — Oh, I wish I would have saw this at that. I wish I would have s seen this at this phase. Cause that, that, that would have been amazing to see him getting pulled around.Tim MacLeod — It was it was pretty cute and it was a big trailer too 12 by 6 aluminum being pulled by this little aaaaahhh. And it was stick shift and and…Rich Birch — Nice.Tim MacLeod — …and the first day I got the trailer, the only thing I could find, because I was just itching to use it, was a free couch. And it was one of those beige microfiber, like gets dirty if you look at it wrong.Rich Birch — All right. Yes.Tim MacLeod — Like they hold on to every water stain.Rich Birch — Yes. Yes.Tim MacLeod — And it was that and it was free and it needed a little bit of TLC. And I went and I got it for free. Brought it home and with a damp cloth, scrubbed out all the little marks and had it looking good. Took a picture of it, listed it with an offer of delivery and it sold the next day for 280 bucks.Rich Birch — Wow. That’s amazing.Tim MacLeod — It was awesome. Because a nursing shift net was like 180.Rich Birch — Wow, OK.Tim MacLeod — I think I was, I think I was 28 bucks an hour for an eight hour shift after taxes. Yeah. Probably like 180 hit the account.Rich Birch — Wow.Tim MacLeod — And so 280 for that. And it was one of those trips of free meal at, at the in-laws and then a free couch and then bring it home and then solve somebody’s problem of, I just got an apartment. I don’t have a car or my car’s too small and I need a couch.Rich Birch — Yes, yes.Tim MacLeod — And their option was, rent a U-Haul or go to Leon’s and finance something that comes delivered. Both are not very good options for most people. And then lo and behold was this guy who said, I got a couch, I can bring it by. And it was just the easiest yes for them. It was a win for everybody. Rich Birch — Right.Tim MacLeod — The person who needed the couch picked up, didn’t care about the money. They needed reliable pickup more than they needed cost recovery of the item because they had a deadline. I needed a way to make some cash and the person on the receiving end needed a couch that was affordable that came delivered. So it was just a win-win-win for everybody. I was like, okay, forget about appliances. Couches – I love this. And it was easy, it was it was easy enough to lift by myself. Rich Birch — Did you ever do appliances? Did you ever do appliances in there? Tim MacLeod — Yeah. I did a washer and dryer and ate a loss on that because it needed repair and I didn’t… Rich Birch — Love it. Tim MacLeod — …I paid for someone to assess and they were like, yeah, this thing’s broken. Was like, sweet. Okay. So a hundred bucks to you for, for, to tell me that it’s hopeless, and then pay for junk removal too.Rich Birch — Yes.Tim MacLeod — Like it was just such a loss. But couches, I could reliably sit on it and be like, well, that’s not broken. And I can handle that little stain or I can, my wife could stitch that up.Rich Birch — Right. Right.Tim MacLeod — And, uh, it was just so safe. And I loved it. If, if I were handier, I’m sure I could, flip snowblowers or lawnmowers or cars or something like that, but I’m not handy. I’m just, I have the ability to relocate stuff. Rich Birch — Right.Tim MacLeod — And so couches were just so perfect where I could just accurately be like, that’s 300 bucks to me. Rich Birch — Right.Tim MacLeod — And they only want 60 for it. Perfect. Let’s do that.Rich Birch — So and let’s double click on that. A part of what, so friends, like with the reason why, I think you’ve seen why I’ve got Tim on the the line today. I want to inspire you to think like, hey, you you could in part-time make a little extra a month. And I’m going to get to that with Tim. I’m going We’re going hammer down on, okay, what exactly would be some of the first steps that you take? But let’s unpack a little bit more. You’ve talked about once this insight, which I think is just a stellar insight that’s obviously at the core of your business. It’s this whole timing thing. Like people, you know they think a couch is worth certain certain amount, but they’re moving on X date, and the value of that couch goes down. But then it’s literally the reverse. Someone on the other side, they have an empty living room and they’re like, I need something here.Rich Birch — Unpack that a little more, kind of double click on… that value exchange and how you’re in the middle of that. What’s it talk us through what that looks like.Tim MacLeod — Yeah, there’s there’s a gap. There’s a gap in the marketplace. On the one end, we’ve got people who need it picked up and their options are hope that someone will pay the price that they want. And then if they hit a deadline, then their option is junk removal or put it to the curb. And so there’s a gap to fill there. Tim MacLeod — And then on the other side, there’s a gap of people who need a couch dropped off but can’t do it themselves. Like how many, what’s the population of people that own a truck that can actually do it is probably less than 10%. Most people have cars and hatchbacks and SUVs and stuff like that.Rich Birch — Right. Tim MacLeod — And then there’s also the how many people can lift a couch. I would say easily less than half the population. And so there’s just this huge gap that can be filled. And so by just committing to being the dude, you can help a lot of people solve a lot of problems. And there’s a little slice in it for you too.Rich Birch — So one of the things I’ve heard you say is that you have found this process of buying couches and then, you know, sitting on them for a while, maybe cleaning them a little bit and then turning around selling them is really flexible. Talk us through that. You know, it feels like you’re, you know, you’re, you have some time control. Talk us through what that looks like for you in your current world.Tim MacLeod — Yeah, the time freedom is crazy. And that was the appeal in the beginning was [inaudible] I didn’t want to be strapped to a location, a building to to make money. I had to be away from my wife and kids. But when it, couches just took off so fast that the first time I flipped a couch, I immediately called the scheduling office and reneged on all of my overtime. I said cancel all my two shifts.Rich Birch — Oh, wow.Tim MacLeod — I’m done. I’m I’m I’m just doing my 10 shifts. And, and then it didn’t take too long before i wanted to quit so fast, man. I wanted to be out of there. My, my my passion for the, like, I was so replaceable. Like as soon as if if I’m gone, someone’s going to fill the shift.Rich Birch — Right. Right.Tim MacLeod — Like, ah but there was a, there was a huge, there was a need that, and it was fun for me too. It was a game. I forget the question.Rich Birch — Yeah, I was just talking about the time flexibility, like how you feel like it’s, you know, you have a fair amount of time freedom. Part of what I’m trying to get to is pastors are busy people. Church workers are busy people. Is this even the kind of thing that they could fit into, you know, an existing as like a side hustle kind of thing?Tim MacLeod — Yes. Yeah. The time freedom is crazy. And so on the buying side, I’m just letting people know when I’m available. And sometimes I’ll tie it up with ah with a $50 deposit so that they can market it sold with confidence and they know that I’m not going to ghost on them. And that I have the peace of mind of nice, that’s mine for when I need it. And I’ll squeeze them for a deadline so that I make sure that I’m providing the service of reliable pickup in a manner that works for them. Tim MacLeod — But yeah, I’m just stacking pickups when it’s convenient for me. And in this current season, it’s during school hours. Rich Birch — Right.Tim MacLeod — So I’ll drop the kids off at school and then rip south and grab some stuff. But in that season, it was I’m available in the evening. And so I would come home from school, I’m sorry, work from my nursing job. And my wife would pack up, we pack up a little cooler bag of like a road picnic of dinner.Rich Birch — Right.Tim MacLeod — We had a one-year-old baby at the time and, uh, oh, that summer there was a lot of 50% off pizzas. Pizza Hut had a, the, the apps, we had all, all the apps, lots of road dinners. Rich Birch — Yes. Yes. Tim MacLeod — And Costco was clutch too.Rich Birch — Yeah.Tim MacLeod — But, um, yeah, just when I had an availability, I would acquire inventory and then they’d sell when they sell. And and again, full flexibility of, okay, I’m available at this time. I can squeeze in a delivery or someone could come pick it up. But yeah, the the time freedom is crazy and it’s sweet to to to just dabble in profits instead of relying on a wage. Rich Birch — Right.Tim MacLeod — Yeah, time freedom is awesome.Rich Birch — Well, you talked about the fact that your you know your brother was telling you you’re good at negotiations. I know there are people that are listening in today that are feeling like, oh, there’s no way that I would be good at negotiations. Obviously, you’ve got to buy the thing for considerably lower than what you’re selling it for. Talk us through even just a couple, help us get over that hurdle in our brains. Man, I just don’t know that I could do that.Tim MacLeod — Yeah. So the first thing is I’m scrolling a lot. And not not frequently. I’m not glued to my phone. But when I do it, I lock in. Like today was the shopping session and it was headphones in with some instrumental music, just kind of vibing. And I’m probably scrolling, looking at probably 400, 500 couches. Rich Birch — Okay.Tim MacLeod — And I’ll message probably 20 to 30 of them. Because a lot of them are crap. A lot of them are actually new. There’s no opportunity with new coaches. like There’s lots of warehouse stuff that’s still on first Facebook Marketplace and stuff like that. But what I’m looking for is very specific. I’m looking for private sales from real people. You got to be able to spot the scammers and weed them out. Tim MacLeod — And I’m looking for couches that I would want in my lockers. I’m not worried about the price whatsoever. Because the price is super subjective and it’s just kind of like what they’re hoping for. It’s not actually what they’re necessarily going to get. So the price is irrelevant. I’m just looking at pictures and I’m compiling lists of couches that I would want. And I’m starting conversations so that it’s kind of like I’m, I’m, it’s it’s like I’m offering my service. I’m starting the conversation to see why they’re selling it, if there’s a deadline, and if they would be someone who would be receptive to my service. And it’s kind of like they’re paying me for my reliable pickup service with a smoking and deal on a couch.Tim MacLeod — And so I have to get them there. And it’s not just, I can’t just go around lowballing everybody because you burn the bridge and you hurt feelings. Rich Birch — Right. Tim MacLeod — So I’m starting conversations and I’m filling in the gaps on the item. So I’ll read the description and see what’s missing. Like, did they specify that there’s pets in the house? I want to know, is there pets? Are there smokers in the house? Does it need any repairs? Does it need any stain removal or restoration if it’s leather? And I’m filling in all the gaps. So I have a complete picture of what it is that I’m actually buying. And that’s all kind of like a trauma response from my many, many drives of shame of I didn’t ask the right questions.Tim MacLeod — And so it’s it’s definitely preventing the drive of shame. And I’m just running through these scripts that I have. And it would sound like it’s a lot of typing, but I’ve actually made keyboard shortcuts for all of it. So my opening question is, I’ll never say, hi, is this still available? Because everybody hates being asked, hi, is this still available? On Facebook Marketplace, right? Because they’ve made it ah they’ve made it a button… Rich Birch — Yes. That’s why it’s up. Tim MacLeod — …where it’s just like, hi, is this still available? But that upsets people, which is fair, because it’s annoying. But at the same time, most people don’t have empathy for the fact that, how else are they going to start the conversation? Why would you ask questions if you’ve got someone lined up for it? So I’ll ask the exact same question, but in a way that annoys nobody. And I’ll say, is anyone scheduled to pick this up? It’s the same question, but upsets nobody.Rich Birch — Same question, just in a different way.Tim MacLeod — So that’s, that’s my first shortcut is, good morning, good good afternoon, good evening, whatever. And then any, and so on my keyboard, any with two wise expands into anyone’s schedule to pick this up. And then the next one is, does it need any repairs or stain removal? That’s if it’s fabric. And that’s does D or D O E S S and then D O E s S S S or with three S’s is, does it need any repairs or restoration? That’s if it’s leather. And so it’s just these quick little, my thumbs are just, and just… Rich Birch — So cool. Tim MacLeod — …I’m, I’m drafting up this quick little paragraph that fills in all the gaps, firing that over. And then, And then they’ll reply and fill in the gaps. And then I park it. I pause the conversation by saying, okay, awesome. Thanks so much. Just starting to have a peek at options, might get back to you.Tim MacLeod — And that one line separates me from everybody on Facebook. Because most people ask a question and then they just leave it on read. They got that little picture, that little tiny profile picture of yourself that says that, hey, he read it, but he’s gone and it’s crickets.Rich Birch — Yes.Tim MacLeod — And it’s a very, very infuriating experience. And that’s kind of like part of my service is that I am very, very different on Facebook Marketplace. Like an experience selling to me is better than anybody…Rich Birch — Right.Tim MacLeod — …because of how I talk. Like I’ll receive offers every day from people that don’t use words. They just send a number. Rich Birch — Just money. Tim MacLeod — Like I’ve got a couch listed for 1150 and someone just sends 700 – no dollar sign, no question mark, no good morning, nothing like that. And, and that’s a fair offer. Like he’s… Rich Birch — Yeah. Tim MacLeod — …I paid, I paid a fifth of that, like 700 is a fair offer, but I automatically hate this guy. I don’t, I don’t hate, I don’t hate him. Rich Birch — Yes. No, I get what you mean.Tim MacLeod — But, but it’s immediately just like, dude! Rich Birch — Yes. Tim MacLeod — You like say, say hi, say please. Rich Birch — Yes. Yes. Tim MacLeod — Even a, even a question mark would be, you know, so that’s the kind of people that I’m dealing with. And I’ve got thick skin and I always operate on the mindset of, I do want to sell this guy and I, and I do want to see him later today. So I’m not going to match his energy. Rich Birch — Right.Tim MacLeod — I’m never, I’m never a thermometer. I’m always a thermostat. I always set, set the temperature in the room, you know?Rich Birch — Right. Love it. Yep.Tim MacLeod — And so that’s ah that’s a big factor. But yeah, running through those scripts and and just getting people to their best price. And so after pausing it of, thanks so much, just starting to have a peek at options, I’ll reconnect with them.Tim MacLeod — Now, this is this is if their price is optimistic and it’s not a price that I’m willing to pay. I’ll slow play it a little bit by pausing the conversation. And then I’ll come back and then I’ll hit them with my my secret weapon is my polite lowball offer. And the number they might hate the number, but it comes gift wrapped in this like apologetic, like, Hey, I’m…Rich Birch — Oh, you got to tell me more that you’re, you’re setting that up. Well, you’re like, what is the polite low ball offer?Tim MacLeod — For me, I’m shopping in Toronto, which is like 90 minutes, two hours away.Tim MacLeod — And so my apologetic offer is: It’s so far, is there any chance you’d consider this much, any chance you’d consider for an out of towner? And then I just plug in the number. And, and it’s always received well. And even if it’s even if it’s even if they’re firm, that’s fine. Now I know. Rich Birch — Right. It’s data. Tim MacLeod — But and ah honestly, if somebody accepts my offer, then I didn’t offer low enough. Like I’m i’m really pushing the limit.Rich Birch — Oh, interesting.Tim MacLeod — I’m flirting with the line between an optimistic offer and a rude offer, but because I’m so nice about it. And it’s, it’s kind of like, it’s my secret weapon to get them to their best price. Because the the worst way to get someone to their best price is what’s your best price?Rich Birch — Right.Tim MacLeod — Like whenever someone asks me that, it’s again, it’s just like, that’s annoying. I don’t like you.Rich Birch — Yes. Yes. Right, right, right, right, right.Tim MacLeod — But to politely lowball and then their counter is their best price. So I just want to squeeze them for their counter offer. And now I know what their best price is.Rich Birch — Right. Okay. That’s cool. There’s a lot there. And I know you’re want to stay tuned because Tim’s got an offer of some free help that he wants to give you that we’re going to, we’re going to get to here in a minute. So I know some of you were like, go back and ask questions on that. But I know that the free offer to help is going to help with some, some of those things. Rich Birch — What about negotiation on the other side? So I get a sense of what you’re talking about to try to get them, you know, there’s a time thing there and we’re going to wait and all that. But now on the other end, you’re trying to obviously maximize or get the biggest money for that couch you just bought, bought. What are some things we should be thinking about on that? How are you offering the couches in a way that, you know, captures people’s imagination and says like, oh, okay, that’s this, I want to do business with this guy.Tim MacLeod — So a big thing is where I’m selling it. It’s almost like I have an import business. It’s that I’m I’m ripping down the city and I’m shopping in the Tesla BMW neighborhoods where nobody has trucks and they sell really slowly. Rich Birch — Yeah.Tim MacLeod — And I’m loading a trailer and then bringing it home to the sticks where there’s not as much supply. And I’m selling to people who do have pickup trucks. Like where I live, there’s lots of people with trucks and trailers, but they weren’t doing that drive to the city like I did.Rich Birch — Right. Right.Tim MacLeod — So I’m destroying a Toyota Highlander in kilometers, which is really hard to do. It’s at 400,040 and she ain’t quitting anytime soon. It’s been a great car.Rich Birch — Love it.Tim MacLeod — So that is definitely like the fact that it feels like an import business feels like cheating.Rich Birch — Well, and can I just, I just want to interrupt you for a second here. This, because that dynamic, this is a part of why I wanted to have you on the show. Because one of the things that I’ve seen is like, it’s super common, like super common for church leaders to not live in the community that they serve. Because frankly, they can’t afford to live there because of that gap that I just told you about.Rich Birch — There is a wage gap between what people make and the communities they serve in. And so they typically live you know, 45 minutes, an hour away. I actually think that that, the fact that they’re just driving into the office could be, and then going back to wherever they live, could actually set them up for running this kind of business just because they’re in and out of where they’re at.Tim MacLeod — Oh, yeah. Yeah, that’d be cheating. If you could, if you could grab a couch on your way home from on your way home from work to bring it back to the sticks, that’d be awesome.Rich Birch — Yeah. Yeah. I see that all the time.Tim MacLeod — For sure. And at a lot of…Rich Birch — So the distance is one way. So there’s like an import out, out, port anything else that you get, it’s kind of an interesting part of how you negotiate on to try to increase the, the, the price.Tim MacLeod — Knowing what it’s worth and how quickly it would sell is definitely a factor. And just patience wins on both sides.Rich Birch — Right.Tim MacLeod — Being the dude who um can pick it up and someone is now, they had their optimistic kick at the can and now it needs to go and their patience has run out. Patience wins there. And then on the selling side to where I don’t, it’s not in my foyer. It’s not in my living room. The new couch hasn’t arrived. It’s in a storage locker ready to be picked up anytime. And my lockers are fairly affordable being in a rural spot.Tim MacLeod — And so it’s kind of like if if we were playing poker, I’m holding aces. I can deliver it. I can sell to anybody. I’m not relying on people on the small demographic who can pick it up. I can sell to the Honda Civic crowd. I can sell to seniors who can’t lift a couch themselves. I can finesse it into a patio door by myself. And so there’s the there’s the skill gap there as well. And all of the all of the hindrances that make selling a couch difficult are not a factor for me. I can lift them by myself. I can I have the best trailer. I have storage lockers. They can take as long as they need to sell. And I live in a market where there’s not as much supply. So it’s just, it feels like cheating. Like I’m just really, really set up for it. And it’s super easy to be patient.Rich Birch — Now, I don’t know if I’m going to force you to give away one of your secret weapons here, but talk about the videos that you shoot ah of the, you know, of the products. Because i to me, I think this is one of the things you do that I think is super unique. What is what’s unique about the videos that you might shoot? Say got this nice leather couch. It’s like, you know, it sells for $5,000 somewhere else. You’re selling it for whatever, $1,500, $2,000. What’s actually in that video that might set your your listings apart?Tim MacLeod — Yeah, so that was something that I feel like I pioneered. And since then, Facebook has now added a feature where you can add a video to a listing. But it’s so nice to have. So I’m I’m posting flattering photos. So it’s it’s a scroll stopper when they’re on Marketplace.Tim MacLeod — And they’ll inquire. And then my video is super, super honest. And the goal is for it to be so detailed that they could confidently say, okay, he just showed me all the reasons not to buy the couch because all my stuff is used. I’m not selling anything new. It’s all pre-owned. They all have some blemishes or some quirks or worn spots or something like that. But to include ah a video that shows all of the reason not to buy it really, really greases the wheels because no one’s coming to see a couch and then being disappointed when they get there. Everything was already shown.Rich Birch — Right. Right.Tim MacLeod — So they’re coming to just give, basically just come sit and sniff and make sure that it’s something that they would want in their house, or something they’d want to sit on for two hours a day. And, um, and so those videos really, really saved me so much time and gasoline. And since then they’ve added that where you can add a feature. So, or where you can add a video into the listing. And so as long as the video is less than a minute, so I’m aiming for 59 seconds, I’ll fill the whole thing and I’m showing every inch of it and I’m packing it with dialogue on the neighborhood that it came from, the people, the house. And a lot of times that’s a selling feature of this this couch came from North York. The house was ridiculous. Rich Birch — Right.Tim MacLeod — It’s one of those houses with three living rooms. And this is the one that had the Christmas tree for a month a year. Like this was barely used. And I’m just packing it with dialogue and really, really selling it.Rich Birch — Yeah.Tim MacLeod — And my goal is that I could deliver it with them like sight unseen that they could firm up. And that when that couch arrives, there are absolutely no surprises. It’s everything they ask for [inaudible]…Rich Birch — Which from from your point of view, like this isn’t the only couch you’re hoping to sell this week. And and a part of the way that you have to protect your time and protect your business, frankly, is not having a bunch of people come and check out couches and then decide against it. Whether they’re coming to your locker or you’re driving it to their place. That’s like the worst case scenario is they show up and they’re like, oh, I don’t want this. So you might as well be fully upfront and be like, hey, here’s some stuff that’s not great about it.Rich Birch — And you do it in a really clever way. I love those videos. You helped me sell a car, which was fantastic. And I love the video you did for, you know, for that, because it was the same thing. It was this kind of like fun, um you know, here’s five reasons why you shouldn’t buy this, which which is just endearing. People, you know, lean in and want to hear more about that.Rich Birch — Well, what about the lifting piece? So, you know, if you’re not seeing one of these clips, Tim is a man of a certain size. He’s got some girth to him. He can pick stuff up. But what if I can’t? What if I’m not that guy? What if it more like me? You know, you’re like, hey, I’m not sure that guy can pick up 20 pounds. Like, is that like, I know that’s a part of what your you offer. Obviously, it’s a part of your advantage. But, you know, not everybody can do that. Talk us through that hesitation.Tim MacLeod — Yeah, I don’t think that it’s a deal breaker for having success. I think that if you can carry in a stubborn load of groceries in from the house that you could make a lot of money flipping couches.Rich Birch — That’s good.Tim MacLeod — And it it feels like a very unique form of laziness. Like I’m the kind of guy that if I need to go start start the barbecue or go run and grab my wallet from the car, I’m going to walk across the whole house and look for my flip flops instead of bending over and lacing up my boots that are right there. Like it’s a very unique form of laziness where I could jackknife park the trailer up to the storage locker. I have the dolly, but I’d way rather just, hey-yep-hey-yep-pep-pep just, just he-man lift it myself. And I’ve got a lot of really good mechanics lifting it. Tim MacLeod — Lifting a couch solo actually is not very heroic. And, and I’ve taught a lot of people how to do it. And there is, there are some heroic angles where, where the couch is on the ground and all four feet are on the ground to like clean and jerk it up overhead is that would definitely take some mass and some explosive power, but you can always also lift the couch up from the side until it’s vertical and then kind of like let it teeter and, fall on you in ah in a safe manner. And the lift itself, like once it’s up, it’s it’s as easy as like portaging a canoe. It’s not it’s not as heroic as it seems.Tim MacLeod — And I’m still reliant on other people. I am a one man show and it’s not, the money’s not good enough to pay an employee to sit in the car with me for four hours for 30 seconds of actual work. And so that’s one of my, one of my questions that I’m asking people, lift with two T’s on my phone expands into is anyone available to help me lift it? I’ll be alone. So I do need muscle.Tim MacLeod — And, um, if it’s in the garage, I can do it solo, like dragging a couch onto my trailer is easy enough. They slide very well. And I do have the dolly if there’s anything overly technical, like the pullouts, it’s nice to have a dolly. But yeah, a lot of the times there’s people, there’s someone there to help me lift it. And very, very rarely is it, sorry, I had back surgery or sorry, I’m a single senior lady or something like that. There’s usually, and even even when they say that, sometimes I’ll press a little further. Like, do you have a helpful neighbor? Rich Birch — Right. Meet us.Tim MacLeod — Do you have a son-in-law who can who could that I could coordinate with? Yep. And a lot of times I’m just handing it, or I’m squeezing them for a cell phone number of whoever the the muscle is. And now I’m on their schedule.Rich Birch — Yeah, that’s cool.Tim MacLeod — So solo lifts are not required, but they are, they are helpful sometimes, especially at the locker when I’m by myself.Rich Birch — So this is how many years you’ve been doing this full time? Like you, so you left nursing, you know, I know this goes way back to the beginning the story. You left nursing and then how many times, how many years you’ve been doing this?Tim MacLeod — July, 2019, I borrowed the trailer from my brother. And I did full-time nursing plus evening couches for about a year, pulled back from full-time to part-time, part-time to casual. And I think it was May, 2021. Like I did a year of COVID nursing and hated every second of it. Like as soon as COVID was announced, I wanted to be out of there, but I had mortgage approval on the brain and T4 income, or W2 income for the Americans, is much more preferred for lenders than self-employed income. So I held on for that reason. And eventually left just because I hated nursing. I was getting like ulcers on my ears from wearing masks all day. Just the the charades of COVID were really, really ruining it for me.Rich Birch — So we’re going I want to get to that, that help that you’re, you know, you’re offering, which is fantastic. But I want to think about like a person that, you know, they, we want people to stay in their jobs. We don’t want them necessarily to leave. And so ah somebody that wants to make maybe like an extra thousand bucks a month, maybe that’s like, which is, you know, to lots of people, that is like a, that’s a game changer. Like that’s like, that makes all the difference in the world.Rich Birch — Give me a sense of what you think that would take to actually get to that point where, okay, yes, I could, you know, how much time do you think they would need to invest? You know, what would, what is that going to look like? How many couches do you think I’d have to move? You know, I know that’s hard to say. It’s like all North America wide, but give us a sense of kind of the framework of for an extra thousand bucks a month, what would that look like for somebody? Maybe it’s like a youth pastor that’s that’s listening in or an executive pastor. Or and they’re like, Hey, if I just had an extra 1000 bucks that’d make a huge difference in my life. What what would that look like?Tim MacLeod — Sounds like five couches to me.Rich Birch — Five couches. Okay.Tim MacLeod — Buy them for 50, sell them for 250. Delivered. Yep. And that’s that’s a great way to start is just three-seaters. Just rinse and repeat. Three-seater, three-seater, three-seater. But the money is sets and sectionals. That’s where my focus is now.Rich Birch — Okay, okay.Tim MacLeod — Now that does require trailer privilege. But with a with a minivan, you can pick up a three seater. Most three seaters will fit inside a Dodge Caravan or an Odyssey or a Toyota Sienna. And that’s a really good way to start lean and mean with a U-Haul, enclosed trailer, you just need a V6 all wheel drive. So obviously preferred, especially if you have the kind of weather we do, but, um, yeah, for 45 bucks for a U-Haul enclosed, that’s, that’s insured so that you could get in an accident and you’re not paying for it. Always take the insurance. Always. It’s only like five bucks. Tim MacLeod — But um yeah, 45 bucks for 12 by 6. And then you can pick up couch, love seat twice. But yeah, just fill in those trailers. But yeah, starting lean with what you have available and scaling up when it’s smart. And once you’ve proven that it’s possible in your market as well. But everyone’s using couches, so I think it’s good alright.Rich Birch — Yeah, so five, so five couches. How many conversations do you think I’d have to get into take to buy five couches, maybe on that side first?Tim MacLeod — I think, yeah, with the numbers, I think that if you were to start 30 conversations a month, that there would be, there would be five people that hit deadlines and they’d be like, sure. 50 bucks. If you can actually show up, it’s yours.Rich Birch — Right. Right. That’s that feels very doable. That doesn’t feel like crazy out of reach. Like there’s no way that feels like a good, you know, a great starting point for sure.Tim MacLeod — And nobody wants to do it. The barrier for entry is, is ah high enough that it’s it’s basically a private little fishing pond. A lot of people to help.Rich Birch — Right. So let’s talk about, I want to, you’re going to help people, which is amazing. And so you’ve put together some resources to help them kind of get the the ball rolling on this front. And how do, first of all, tell us what it is and then talk to us about how we can get that contact information. We’ll put links and all that in the show notes, but talk us through this.Tim MacLeod — Yeah. So those scripts that I was talking about, um, I’ve made a Google doc that is available. All you got to do is comment scripts on any of my videos and, uh, my little robot Tim will fire over, um, just squeeze you for an email and then I’ll fire that over. And, uh, it’s a good little list and you can plug those in just copy and paste and plug them into keyboard shortcuts in your phone. And then you can use those. Tim MacLeod — And it doesn’t have to be for couches. Like a lot of them are pretty couch specific, but just using those as inspiration for starting conversations and getting people to their best price and making sure that you have all the information so you’re making an informed purchase and there’s not any surprises. And and you’ll see with the with the flow of the conversation, I really am just gifting the blueprint on getting people to their best price. Tim MacLeod — And yeah, and then in my in my bio on instagram I’ve also got the couch course and I’ve run that before as a high ticket offer um and I had help from an agency to, to get leads and all that stuff. And I didn’t like it cause I didn’t like how much people were having to pay in order for me to afford that team. And I just want it to be an impulse buy price range. Tim MacLeod — So for a one hundred bucks, you can come along on a three month ride along with me while I’m pulling like $15,000 months. And, uh, the summer that I recorded that, was 2023 and I did 180k in sales with a gross profit so just sales minus cost of goods was north of a 100k, I think, after tax. I think it was like an 80k a year income. Rich Birch — That’s amazing. Tim MacLeod — And I had a three-year-old with me the entire time. My wife had gone back to work and was using her teaching license and I had a little three-year-old tow. And I also got 75 rounds golf in that year. So it’s, it’s…Rich Birch — That just got some people’s attention. Yeah, that’s amazing.Tim MacLeod — Yeah. The time freedom is stupid. The money is incredible. And, uh, it was, yeah, that was a really, really fun year.Rich Birch — Love it. So what we want to do is send people to your Instagram. Would that be the best? So @thefulltimeflipper, @thefulltimeflipper. And again, you can just comment on any one of his videos.Rich Birch — Well, first of all, Tim’s a great follow on social media. I’ve said this to lots of folks. It’s just such a fun follow. You know, it makes something like flipping just like I was like, man, I think I could do that. And, but just comment scripts on any of those and we’ll get access to those scripts.Rich Birch — And then if you’ll find the link to tim-macleod.com on there as well, which takes you to the course, it’s only a hundred dollars friends. That’s worth your investment. It’ll, it’ll really literally outline. There’s a bunch we could have talked about today and there’s a bunch of details to get into. It will drive into all of those. Literally just take his approach and just do it. Like just, take his scripts, take the what he’s done and apply it. And you’ll for sure be able to find that extra thousand dollars a month or more, you know, down the road. So, yeah, I would love that. and Anywhere else we want to send them. So Instagram, @thefulltimeflipper, anything else about that?Tim MacLeod — Oh, that’s lots. That’s good. And I was feeling pretty pretty silly that I never asked to come on your podcast earlier because a lot of my students are in church ministry in the States. And I think it’s such a sweet side hustle.Tim MacLeod — For me, it was an escape from a job that I didn’t like. But the fact of that most people need supplementary income is pretty across the board and especially in ministry. And a lot of my students have um have had that background and are still in it. And a lot of the time, the people that are in church ministry have an advantage of storage where the church, like they’re like, oh, I got free storage at my church. Pastor said the back room is available. And he said, as long as I just keep a rotation of couches for the student ministry…Rich Birch — Oh, that’s a good call.Tim MacLeod — Yeah, there was a lot of advantage there for church leaders. But yeah, it’s awesome, reliable, supplementary income. And it’s nice to not rely on your ministry for income. Like people aren’t in ministry for the big bucks. They’re there because they that is their purpose. That’s their calling. But the pressure of having to rely on that for income isn’t always the best.Rich Birch — Well, and I do think, um you know, I think folks who are in church ministry, a part of what I why why I think this is great that we’re talking about this is you might underestimate that even like a part of your core, it’s like literally core to your business is like, be kind to people and like be helpful. Tim MacLeod — Yeah.Rich Birch — And, you know, you don’t need to be sleazy. You don’t need to be, ah you know, some sort of like, oh, you’re like a used car salesman of couches. No, that’s not what it is at all. You’re just being kind and helpful and you want to try to close this gap in the market. And and I think there’s a lot of people in ministry who are like, my I could totally do that. I can make that happen for sure. So, Tim, I really appreciate this.Tim MacLeod — It really does feel like stewarding my gifts, you know?Rich Birch — Yeah, that’s great. So again, that is, if you just go to Instagram, @thefulltimeflipper, you should follow them there and then comment scripts for any of those. Appreciate you being on the show today, sir. Thanks so much.Tim MacLeod — Thanks, man.

Today is day 1 and we are beginning the section on Salvation. 1. What is the human condition? Though created good and made for fellowship with our Creator, humanity has been cut off from God by self-centered rebellion against him, leading to lawless living, guilt, shame, death, and the fear of judgment. This is the state of sin. (Genesis 3:1–13; Psalm 14:1–3; Matthew 15:10–20; Romans 1:18–23; 3:9–23) Our daily collect is the Ash Wednesday Collect on page 605 of the Book of Common Prayer (2019). If you would like to buy or download To Be a Christian, head to anglicanchurch.net/catechism. Produced by Holy Trinity Anglican Church in Madison, MS. Original music from Matthew Clark. Daily collects and Psalms are taken from Book of Common Prayer (2019), created by the Anglican Church in North America and published by the Anglican Liturgical Press. Used by permission. All rights reserved. Scripture quotations are from The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved. Catechism readings are taken from To Be a Christian - An Anglican Catechism Approved Edition, copyright © 2020 by The Anglican Church in North America by Crossway a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Scott and Eben discuss some bold predictions for sports business in 2026, with topics that include the World Cup in North America, the NFL's media renegotiations, the MLB and WNBA labor battles, the chaos in college sports, and more. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We cannot escape death, regardless of our social status. We cannot buy our way out of the final decree of life – that death is our physical destiny. Yet… God opened a way for us to live – to escape the totality of being dead forever by sacrificing His own life on our behalf. The result is life beyond the grave. God has redeemed us so we can move from grace to grace, and be transformed from the physical realm to the eternal one. Daylight Meditations is a daily podcast from CFO North America. Please visit CFONorthAmerica.org to learn more about our retreats, and online courses. If you are encouraged by this podcast, please consider supporting us. Contributors: Michelle DeChant, Adam Maddock, and Phil ReaserAnd please check out our other podcast, Lamplight, featuring insightful messages and conversations from real people pursuing hope and change. Lamplight is available on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Amazon, or you can find it here: https://anchor.fm/pod/show/cfo-north-america

Lord, Open My Lips is a daily devotional produced by Fr. Josh Fink and John Caddell in association with All Souls Church in Lexington, South Carolina. New devotionals are available every day. More information can be found at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠allsoulslex.org/dailyprayer⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.Original music is composed and recorded by John Caddell. Our liturgy is based on "Family Prayer" from the Book of Common Prayer (2019), created by the Anglican Church in North America and published by the Anglican Liturgical Press. Used by permission. All rights reserved. Scripture quotations are from The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

This week we're revisiting our conversation with Marlee Liss from January 18, 2024! Claire de Mézerville López welcomes Marlee Liss to the Restorative Works! Podcast. Marlee speaks with us about her experiences as a survivor of sexual assault. Her case made history as the first in North America to conclude with restorative justice processes through the courts. She describes her experience in the traditional court system as one where her voice, needs, and ability to make decisions in her best interest were dismissed. Concerning the use of restorative justice processes, Marlee emphasizes how imperative it is to engage with fully prepared, skillful, humane, trauma-informed, and attentive individuals who are striving to meet the needs of survivors. She provides examples of centering and identifying survivor's needs and making space to hear directly from them. Marlee Liss is a somatic educator, award-winning speaker, author, restorative justice advocate and lesbian Jewish feminist. She has supported thousands of women and non-binary folk in healing shame, transforming trauma, and bridging healing with justice. Marlee's work has been featured in Forbes, Huff Post, Buzzfeed, the Mel Robbins Show, and more. As an award-winning speaker, she's delivered talks for: The US Military SAPRO, Vanderbilt University, Fordham University, Trauma & Recovery Conference, Women's Mental Health Conference at Yale, National Sexual Assault Conference, and more. Marlee was 1 of 25 survivors on an elite panel for the National Action Plan to End Gender Based Violence informing federal policy, and her story was made into a documentary directed by Kelsey Darragh, The Limits of Forgiveness, which premiered on December 17, 2025! Tune in to learn more about Marlee's perspective on the future of restorative justice and the potential of continued healing for survivors and offenders of violent crimes.

After their historic fourth-place finish in Qatar, the Morocco national team is no longer an underdog—they are a global powerhouse. In this episode, we break down Walid Regragui's tactical masterclass and how his disciplined 4-1-4-1 formation aims to dismantle Group C opponents Brazil, Scotland, and Haiti. From the defensive steel of Romain Saïss and Yassine Bounou to the attacking flair of Achraf Hakimi and Brahim Díaz, we explore why bookmakers have the Atlas Lions as heavy favorites to reach the knockout stages. Join us as we analyze whether Morocco can surpass their 2022 heroics and cement African football's dominance on the world stage in North America. 2026 FIFA World Cup, Morocco national football team, Walid Regragui, Atlas Lions, World Cup Group C predictions.

A magical tale from North America about how the frost fairies use their magic to delight the children on the earth.  An episode from Journey with Story, a storytelling podcast for kids ages 4-10. (duration 10 minutes)   Our Journey with Story teeshirts are now available for purchase from our website .https://journeywithstory.printify.me   To download this month's free coloring sheet,  simply subscribe to my Patreon here, it's free! By subscribing, you not only support our mission to ignite imagination through enchanting fairy tales but also receive exclusive benefits like monthly free coloring sheets corresponding to our podcast episodes, and more! Your support means the world to us and enables us to continue creating captivating content for children everywhere. Thank you for joining us on this adventure!   If you are enjoying this podcast you can rate and write a review here   Be sure and check out some terrific resources for raising kids who LOVE to read by  signing up for my newsletter at www.journeywithstory.com If your little listener wants to ask us a question or send us a drawing inspired by one of our episodes, send it to us at instagram@journeywithstory.  Or you can contact us at www.journeywithstory.com.  We love to hear from our listeners. If you enjoy our podcast, you can rate, review, and subscribe at here Did you know Kathleen is also a children's picture book author, you can find out more about her books at www.kathleenpelley.com    

Jinky Panganiban serves as Professor of Practice at the University of Oregon's Sports Product Management Program, founder of 1969Blue Consulting, and founding member of Oregon Sports Angels. She is a former Vice President and General Manager at Nike with over 20 years of global executive experience. She led multibillion-dollar businesses across Asia Pacific, North America, Latin America, and Europe. In this episode, Jinky reveals why "fitting in" kills leadership potential and how your cultural background becomes your superpower in global business. Jinky explains how the sports product industry has built intentional leadership development by translating a shared mission to fit local cultures instead of forcing one uniform way while maintaining a unified mission. She addresses the volatile state of global trade by emphasizing curiosity and critical thinking as essential skills for the next generation. Jinky argues that despite rising nationalism and tariff threats, consumers are already voting for a borderless world through their digital behavior and content consumption. In this episode, you'll discover how to leverage your cultural background as a superpower, build high-performing global teams, and lead with authenticity in an increasingly connected world. Find The Leadership Podcast episode 492 on YouTube, or wherever you get your podcasts! Watch this Episode on YouTube | Jinky Panganiban on Stop Fitting In https://bit.ly/TLP-492 Key Takeaways [04:09] Jinky describes how she started at Nike through a blind ad in Manila and was handpicked to help build Southeast Asia operations. [06:26] Jinky reveals how three white male mentors helped her realize her cultural background was her superpower. [09:47] Jinky explains that great leadership starts with being—knowing who you are and what you stand for—not just the doing of checking off deliverables and performance goals. [12:51] Jinky distinguishes influence from selling. [13:42] Jinky describes how SPM deliberately keeps students in the same project teams for 18 months because leadership is formed in the messy middle when deadlines are tight and not everybody agrees. [17:12] Jinky explains the collective industry commitment to raising next-generation leaders who will progress the culture. [20:32] Jinky demonstrates how global brands must translate their message locally. [25:17] Jinky shares how mentor Kate Delhagen gave her courage to leave corporate and explore angel investing. [28:58] Jinky describes her current advisory work with startup brands where she's both business advisor and biggest cheerleader, modeling what Kate did for her. [31:04] Jinky argues that despite borders and tariffs, the next generation of consumers already thinks globally through social media and digital platforms, celebrating differences rather than fearing them. [34:09] Jinky emphasizes that curiosity combined with critical thinking—vetting sources and asking why—is essential for navigating today's information-saturated world. [37:26] Jinky encourages everyone to celebrate where they've come from because there's only one of you, and you can't be more original than that—your background is your competitive advantage. [ ] And remember… "To be one, to be united, is a great thing, but to respect the right to be different is maybe even greater." – Bono Quotable Quotes "There's only one of you, so you can't be more original than that." "My cultural background and where I came from and all of my lived experience actually isn't something that I should shy away from or even be embarrassed about, but actually use it to my advantage and actually leverage it." "Great leadership starts with being. It's knowing who you are, what you stand for, and how you show up, especially when no one's watching." "We believe that leadership is formed in the messy middle. You know, when the deadlines are tight, the tempers are like rising and then not everybody's agreeing, but then you still have a deadline to hit." "Global doesn't mean uniform. The best teams share common purpose but express it in ways that feel very local." "Even if we put borders around things, the consumers will vote anyway to go beyond borders. Ideas, innovation, their talent, creativity, I don't think it carries a passport." "Human leadership never goes out of style." "Learn to lead yourself first. Build credibility, make sure that you practice empathy, and then lead through action and not titles." "If you don't know how to work in teams, you cannot work in the industry." "It's not so much exporting the culture, it's about translating it so that it works for everybody." "Cultural intelligence or cultural fluency is really critical because I've seen how that has become the one skill that could bridge global teams and communicate even beyond language." "Making sure that you find sources that are credible. Not just take things face value. Critical thinking is also something that's really important to ask the question why." "Culture, whether that's country culture or community culture, it's something to leverage, and it could always be a superpower for you." "We want to make sure that we leave this place better than we found it." Resources Mentioned The Leadership Podcast | theleadershippodcast.com Sponsored by | www.darley.com Rafti Advisors. LLC | www.raftiadvisors.com Self-Reliant Leadership. LLC | selfreliantleadership.com Jinky Panganiban LinkedIn | http://linkedin.com/in/jinky-panganiban

Send us a textDownload study notes for this chapter.Download study notes for this entire book.**********Scriptures taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version ®, NIV ® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc. Used with permission. All rights reserved worldwide.The “NIV”, “New International Version”, “Biblica”, “International Bible Society” and the Biblica Logo are trademarks registered in the United States Patent and Trademark Office by Biblica, Inc.  Used with permission.BIBLICA, THE INTERNATIONAL BIBLE SOCIETY, provides God's Word to people through Bible translation & Bible publishing, and Bible engagement in Africa, Asia Pacific, Europe, Latin America, the Middle East, and North America. Through its worldwide reach, Biblica engages people with God's Word so that their lives are transformed through a relationship with Jesus Christ.Support the show

Today I'm joined by Whitney Faires, internationally recognized coach, keynote speaker, and executive leader, for a powerful conversation about magnetic presence, authenticity, and real connection. We unpack why being magnetic is not about being loud, why authenticity is not the same as being unfiltered, and how vulnerability builds trust in leadership, sales, and life. We talk relational drift, emotional intelligence, and the small, intentional moments that create loyalty, influence, and impact. You'll leave rethinking how you show up, how you lead, and how connection truly changes everything.https://whitneyfaires.com/https://www.linkedin.com/in/whitney-faires-14955a38/Let's Stay in Touch! Sign up HERE today!Connect with Barb BettsInstagram: @barbbettsLinkedin: @barbbettsFacebook: @barbarambettsYouTube: youtube/@barbbettsWebsite: www.barbbetts.comBarb Betts is a keynote speaker, CEO, and author who teaches leaders and professionals how to drive growth through authentic, trust-based relationships. With over 23 years of success building multi-million-dollar businesses and leading top-performing sales teams, Barb brings real-world experience and a proven approach to human connection in business. A respected industry leader for more than a decade within the largest trade association in North America, she offers powerful insight into how relationships fuel performance, retention, and results. Barb has worked with top organizations including Fidelity, Fairway Mortgage, Horsepower Brands, LVMH, and Thelios. Her high-energy, actionable keynotes inspire professionals to connect with confidence, lead with authenticity, and transform how they do business—proving that relationships aren't just a soft skill, they're your greatest advantage.

Every January starts with fresh goals and big intentions, and then life hits, momentum fades, and by February most people are restarting again. In this New Year's Eve episode, Kelly breaks down what momentum actually is, why it matters, and how to build it in a way that lasts, not with hype or burnout, but with consistent weekly actions that compound over time. He reframes momentum as simple forward motion, the stacking of small and significant wins, and shows how consistency is what creates the “overnight success” people think is luck.Kelly then delivers a practical momentum playbook you can apply immediately: write 15 to 20 goals by hand, create an early win by finishing one task you have been avoiding, and make the Move the Needle list a weekly non negotiable. He challenges work life balance in favor of work life coherence and lays out the habits that keep momentum alive, consistency over intensity, repeatable weekly processes, fewer priorities, tracking small wins, launching early, protecting your calendar, and staying in motion while others pause, so when the year truly starts for everyone else, you are already moving.Key Takeaways: 1. Momentum is not motivation or luck, it is simple forward motion created by consistently completing the right tasks week after week. 2. Small wins matter more than big bursts of effort because progress compounds when you keep stacking completion over time. 3. Consistency will always outperform intensity because extreme effort is temporary but repeatable action builds lasting results. 4. Writing goals down by hand dramatically increases follow through and forces clarity on what actually matters. 5. Momentum accelerates when you create early wins by finishing something you have been putting off. 6. Weekly focus beats daily chaos when you commit to a Move the Needle list and prioritize only the highest impact actions. 7. Processes create momentum while random tasks drain it, because rhythm removes decision fatigue. 8. Reducing priorities increases results since momentum dies when everything feels urgent. 9. Tracking progress builds belief, and belief fuels momentum even when results are still forming. 10. The people who win long term keep moving when others pause, downshifting if needed but never fully stopping. 2026 Title Sponsor

Today is day 365 and we are studying the section on Justification and Sanctification: Living in Forgiveness and Healing. 368. What marks a life of sanctification? God calls me to a life marked by gratitude and joy. In gratitude for God's grace in Jesus, I die daily to the desires of my fallen nature. In the joy of knowing that I will become like Jesus, I live each day in service to him. (Luke 9:23–26; Romans 5:1–5; 2 Corinthians 4:5–18; 1 Thessalonians 1:6–10; Titus 2:11–14) We will conclude today by praying The Collect for Transfiguration Sunday found on page 604 of the Book of Common Prayer (2019) and a Prayer for the Increase in the Love of God found on page 114 of To Be a Christian. If you would like to buy or download To Be a Christian, head to anglicanchurch.net/catechism. Produced by Holy Trinity Anglican Church in Madison, MS. Original music from Matthew Clark. Daily collects and Psalms are taken from Book of Common Prayer (2019), created by the Anglican Church in North America and published by the Anglican Liturgical Press. Used by permission. All rights reserved. Scripture quotations are from The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved. Catechism readings are taken from To Be a Christian - An Anglican Catechism Approved Edition, copyright © 2020 by The Anglican Church in North America by Crossway a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Before jumping into big goals for 2026, Anthony guides you through a structured reflection on 2025 using a framework inspired by Tony Robbins. This isn't a motivational hype piece, but an honest audit of the year you've actually lived — your real wins, the costs you may have ignored, the patterns that kept repeating, and the moments where you were or weren't honest with yourself. From there, you'll step into two possible versions of your 2026 and create clarity around the path you want to take. This episode is designed to help you train with purpose, identity, and intention — not just motivation.We've just started to build something really cool. Want to be one of the first to join?

In this exclusive preview of a members-only Bigfoot Society episode, you'll hear the first 10 minutes of a gripping conversation featuring multiple real Sasquatch encounters from across North America.This preview introduces reports from Texas, Appalachia, the Pacific Northwest, and Canada, including unsettling details like unexplained whooping sounds, wood knocks, guttural growls, powerful smells, and the unmistakable feeling of being watched in remote wilderness areas.You'll get a taste of:Bigfoot activity in The Woodlands and East Texas swampsWood knocks and tree crashes in the Appalachian Mountains of TennesseeA chilling encounter near Washington's coastal forestsA hint at one of the strangest Sasquatch experiences ever shared on the show⚠️ Important: This is only a preview. The full episode goes much deeper, including additional eyewitness accounts and an extraordinary encounter involving first-person vision—seeing what the Sasquatch sees, something never before shared on the podcast.To hear the entire members-only episode, join Bigfoot Society:Visit bigfootsocietypodcast.com and click Members LoginOr tap Join on the Bigfoot Society YouTube channelIf you're into real Bigfoot encounters, Sasquatch eyewitness testimony, and unexplained wilderness experiences, this preview will give you just enough to make you want the rest.

As we say goodbye to 2025, join Sara, Nicole, and Sal for a fun chat about everything they're looking forward to in the year ahead. From thrilling sports events like the Winter Olympics in Italy and the massive FIFA World Cup across North America, to binge-worthy TV including the explosive final season of The Boys, the stylish drama of The Gilded Age Season 3, a new Game of Thrones spin-off, Blade Runner 2099, and big Marvel returns with Vision Quest and Avengers: Doomsday. The crew also shares personal highlights like conferences, literacy programs, and even curiosity about real-world changes like Australia's social media restrictions for teens. What has you buzzing for 2026? Share in the comments!

SHOW NOTESWe talk about:Key highlights, milestones, and moments that shaped One Firefly in 2025The successes we're most proud of this past year and the challenges that tested us and helped us growHow AI is influencing our business today and what it means for One Firefly as we head into 2026 Before we dive in, I want to take a moment to say thank you to everyone who has listened, shared episodes, sent feedback, and supported Automation Unplugged throughout the year. This podcast exists because of you, and we're incredibly grateful to have you along for the journey.With that, let's tune in to our final AU episode of 2025. About One FireflyOne Firefly, LLC is an award-winning marketing agency that caters to technology professionals in the custom integration, security and solar energy markets. One Firefly is headquartered in Davie, Florida with staff located throughout North America and has been operating since 2007.

2026 is a special year for the History of North America. The USA is celebrating its 250th anniversary, and so shall we in this podcast. Interspersed throughout this year's regular programming, I will present special series and episodes connected with the American Revolutionary period, including the fascinating years and dramatic events leading to the Shot Heard Round the World, The monumental Declaration of Independence, The harsh War years and Key Battles that followed, the people who played pivotal roles in shaping the epoch, and finally, the conflict's shocking outcome. Every one of these episodes shall be indicated with the code RW followed by the designated number of each episode (RW.1) I hope you will join me on this journey of discovery as I delve into the improbable birth and incredible founding story of the United States of America. The Revolution DVD box-set available at https://amzn.to/4p8seIt American Revolution books at https://amzn.to/43DduIG Revolutionary War games and souvenirs at https://amzn.to/487e2YU ENJOY Ad-Free content, Bonus episodes, and Extra materials when joining our growing community on https://patreon.com/markvinet SUPPORT this channel by purchasing any product on Amazon using this FREE entry LINK https://amzn.to/3POlrUD (Amazon gives us credit at NO extra charge to you). Mark Vinet's video channel: https://youtube.com/c/TIMELINE_MarkVinet Mark's HISTORICAL JESUS podcast at https://parthenonpodcast.com/historical-jesus Website: https://markvinet.com/podcast Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mark.vinet.9 Twitter: https://twitter.com/MarkVinet_HNA Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/denarynovels Mark's books: https://amzn.to/3k8qrGM Audio credit: The History Channel Presents - The Revolution narrated by Edward Herrmann & directed by Peter Schnall (2006 A&E Television Networks). Audio excerpts reproduced under the Fair Use (Fair Dealings) Legal Doctrine for purposes such as criticism, comment, teaching, education, scholarship, research and news reporting.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Jesus' words are our words: "The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me.. to set the oppressed free, to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor." It is with confidence, we can seek God for wisdom, for confidence and for an anointing. After all, "It is for freedom that Christ has set us free."Daylight Meditations is a daily podcast from CFO North America. Please visit CFONorthAmerica.org to learn more about our retreats, and online courses. If you are encouraged by this podcast, please consider supporting us. Contributors: Michelle DeChant, Adam Maddock and Christine Miller

Lord, Open My Lips is a daily devotional produced by Fr. Josh Fink and John Caddell in association with All Souls Church in Lexington, South Carolina. New devotionals are available every day. More information can be found at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠allsoulslex.org/dailyprayer⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.Original music is composed and recorded by John Caddell. Our liturgy is based on "Family Prayer" from the Book of Common Prayer (2019), created by the Anglican Church in North America and published by the Anglican Liturgical Press. Used by permission. All rights reserved. Scripture quotations are from The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Happy New Year for 2026 from Peter and Mark at the CX Files podcast. We asked our listeners to send some thoughts about 2025 and the year ahead... If you listen to this episode you will hear messages from the Netherlands, Philippines, UK, South Africa, Australia, Canada, and Brazil... that's North America, South America, Europe, Africa, Asia, and Australasia all covered! Contributors listed in the order they feature on the podcast: Leo Ooms https://www.linkedin.com/in/leoooms/ Nathan Muniz https://www.linkedin.com/in/bdcoutsourcing/ Lian Rowlands https://www.linkedin.com/in/lian-rowlands-a26119/ Rod Jones https://www.linkedin.com/in/rodjonessouthafrica/ Paul O'Hara https://www.linkedin.com/in/pauloharateleperformance/ Michael Gray https://www.linkedin.com/in/michaelgray7/ Anna Bessarabova https://www.linkedin.com/in/anna-bessarabova/ Michael Clark https://www.linkedin.com/in/michaelclarkcx/ Mike Ortegon https://www.linkedin.com/in/mikeortegon/ Stephen Loynd https://www.linkedin.com/in/stephenloynd/ David Neale https://www.linkedin.com/in/david-neale-08b80011b/ Peter Ryan https://www.linkedin.com/in/peter-ryan-montreal/ Mark Hillary https://www.linkedin.com/in/markhillary/ ---- "All I Want for CX-mas (Is the Future)" Composed by Mark Hillary with Suno Verse 1 Snow's falling on the dashboards, Year-end reports are due, Another season of predictions, But nobody knows what's true. From São Paulo to Montreal, Different skies, same screen, Two voices cut through the noise, Talking 'bout what CX means. Pre-Chorus The year's been long, the change came fast, AI hype, then lessons learned, But now we're looking forward, To the value still to be earned. Chorus All I want for CX-mas is the future, Not the buzzwords, not the fear, Just better service, smarter choices, And a little more trust next year. From every brand to every customer, Let's build it human, let's build it right, All I want for CX-mas is the future, And the CX Files on a Wednesday night. Verse 2 Agents, bots, and blended teams, Journeys changing shape, Less about the tech itself, More about escape From broken processes, From friction no one sees, Designing moments that feel simple, Even when the systems aren't easy. Pre-Chorus We've learned that scale needs patience, And strategy beats speed, The future's not autonomous, Unless it serves a real human need. Chorus All I want for CX-mas is the future, Not another pilot that won't land, Just outcomes, empathy, and clarity, Finally working hand in hand. From every continent and culture, One community, one shared view, All I want for CX-mas is the future, And the CX Files guiding us through. Bridge From São Paulo sunshine, To Montreal snow, Two hosts, one question: "Where do we go?" Analysts, founders, leaders, friends, Four hundred stories, and still it never ends. No silver bullets, no easy claim, Just better questions changing the game. Final Chorus All I want for CX-mas is the future, Designed with care, not just code, Where trust is built in every interaction, And experience carries the load. So here's to 2026 and beyond, To curiosity, courage, and insight, All we want for CX-mas is the future, And the CX Files lighting the way each night. Outro So press play, pour a drink, Let the old year fade from view, The future of CX is being written— And it starts with me and you.

Introduction to a new comprehensive health care management course which is values-based

Watch The X22 Report On Video No videos found (function(w,d,s,i){w.ldAdInit=w.ldAdInit||[];w.ldAdInit.push({slot:17532056201798502,size:[0, 0],id:"ld-9437-3289"});if(!d.getElementById(i)){var j=d.createElement(s),p=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0];j.async=true;j.src="https://cdn2.decide.dev/_js/ajs.js";j.id=i;p.parentNode.insertBefore(j,p);}})(window,document,"script","ld-ajs");pt> Click On Picture To See Larger PictureThe WSJ is predicting higher electricity costs in 2026. Trump is bringing down the cost of energy and implementing new energy sources. Electricity increased because of the the green new scam. Trump is now going after the Federal Reserve for gross incompetence, this will lead to exposing the Fed’s criminal activity. The [DS] infiltrated Congress going all the way back to 1929, the continued to present day. They made it so they have the ability to control those people they install. There are no term limits, this allows these people to stay in their positions for a very longtime. Trump is now setting the stage to return the power back to the people. This is much bigger than a few arrests. Economy Average Electricity Rates by State, What Do You Pay?  Hawaii and California have the highest rates. Idaho the lowest. Average Residential Electricity Rates by State   Electricity Cost 10 Lowest States Be Prepared to Keep Paying More for Electricity The Wall Street Journal says Be Prepared to Keep Paying More for Electricity Source:  mishtalk.com  (function(w,d,s,i){w.ldAdInit=w.ldAdInit||[];w.ldAdInit.push({slot:18510697282300316,size:[0, 0],id:"ld-8599-9832"});if(!d.getElementById(i)){var j=d.createElement(s),p=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0];j.async=true;j.src="https://cdn2.decide.dev/_js/ajs.js";j.id=i;p.parentNode.insertBefore(j,p);}})(window,document,"script","ld-ajs"); https://twitter.com/ElectionWiz/status/2005964583727780156?s=20 https://twitter.com/EricLDaugh/status/2005751158149615698?s=20  Trump claims the project has overrun by $4 billion (he mentions $4.1 billion total for “a few small buildings”), calling it the “highest price in the history of construction.” He contrasts this with his own White House ballroom project, which he says is under budget and ahead of schedule despite its cost doubling to $400 million from an earlier $200 million estimate.  Yes, discovery could occur—if the case advances past initial hurdles. This would allow Trump’s side to subpoena Fed documents, emails, financial records, and testimony related to the renovations. This could effectively let them “look into” specific aspects of what the Fed has been doing, such as budgeting, contracting, and project management for the HQ overhaul. Discovery rules under the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure are broad, potentially uncovering internal Fed communications or decisions tied to the alleged incompetence.    Trump could request a GAO investigation into the HQ project overruns. Political/Rights Longtime Democrat George Clooney and His Family Ditch America, Move to France, and Secure French Citizenship Hollywood elitist and longtime Democrat activist George Clooney has officially joined the growing list of wealthy, left-wing celebrities who preach “American values” while quietly distancing themselves from the United States. Clooney, along with his wife, Amal Alamuddin Clooney, and their two children, has reportedly obtained French citizenship through a naturalization decree. The couple's 8-year-old twins, Ella and Alexander, were included in the process.  Clooney went on to explain that he feared raising his children in Los Angeles. “I was worried about raising our kids in L. A., in the culture of Hollywood. I felt like they were never going to get a fair shake at life. France—they kind of don't give a shit about fame. I don't want them to be walking around worried about paparazzi. I don't want them being compared to somebody else's famous kids.” Source: thegatewaypundit.com https://twitter.com/RichardGrenell/status/2005844962769064196?s=20 beliefs. Boycotting the Arts to show you support the Arts is a form of derangement syndrome. The arts are for everyone and the left is mad about it. https://twitter.com/Oilfield_Rando/status/2005834821503705445?s=20 DOGE Geopolitical New Report Appears to Confirm Covenant School Shooter Audrey Hale Bought Guns With Student Loan Money The FBI has just released more pages from the manifesto of Covenant School shooter Audrey Hale, which suggest that she bought the guns used in the 2023 shooting with money she had from a Pell Grant. Hale's parents suggested this two years ago and this report appears to confirm that. The Tennessee Star reports: Latest FBI Release of Covenant School Manifesto Files Appears to Confirm Trans-Identified Killer Bought Guns with Pell Grant Money The FBI on Monday released another 230 manifesto pages written by Audrey Elizabeth Hale, the biological female who identified as a transgender man on March 27, 2023, when the 28-year-old killed six at the Covenant School in Nashville, the Christian elementary school she once attended. This latest journal appears to have been written sometime in late 2021, and includes lengthy sections about the weapons the killer planned to use to commit a mass shooting at a school sometime that year. Following multiple pages full of weapons to purchase, the journal includes a page labeled “Account Savings Record,” which appears to reference the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). It also records multiple payments received from Nossi during the period when Hale attended the Nossi College of Art and Design in Nashville. “FASFA [sic] grant checks started at $2,050.86,” wrote Hale at the top of the entry. The page then lists a series of apparent ledger entries, starting with, “$2,656.87 (x3 checks from Nossi).” The next ledger entry states, “+$530.00 (x1 check Nossi) ($3,186.87).” This reference to Hale's federal student aid, located in the writings next to her entries about guns she considered buying, appears to corroborate the claims made by her parents to Metro Nashville Police Department (MNPD) detectives in 2023, when they told law enforcement their child purchased the firearms using federal Pell Grant money.  Source: thegatewaypundit.com https://twitter.com/Noahpinion/status/2005425950306263265?s=20 War/Peace https://twitter.com/disclosetv/status/2005747398614847766?s=20 https://twitter.com/WhiteHouse/status/2005757621278761205?s=20 Trump clarifies that if Hamas do not disarm like they promised, that any number of the 59 countries who signed onto the peace deal, will completely wipe out Hamas.  Protests Erupt Across Iran As Angry People Flood Streets  The mullahs have ruled in Iran since 1979. So you had millions that went to helping to prop up the terrorist state. But the Iranians are a persistent people, it would appear, especially when you hurt them in their wallets and make it challenging to survive. We’re at another one of those moments in history where hope has sparked again in the country, and people are in the streets, calling for change. Nationwide strikes and protests by merchants continued across Iran, with shops shuttered in major commercial hubs including Tehran's Grand Bazaar, Lalehzar Street, Naser Khosrow and Istanbul Square. Demonstrators chanted anti-government slogans calling for the downfall of the ruling clerics and demanding the leadership step aside. Video circulating online showed protesters inside a major shopping complex in Tehran's Grand Bazaar chanting, “Have no fear, we are all together,” while hurling insults at security forces and calling them shameless. Source: redstate.com Crushed by inflation, soaring living costs, and a future stolen by the regime, Iranians are back in the streets to protest. In a chilling echo of Tiananmen's Tank Man, one man defiantly sits down before the riot police. Desperation has met courage. Funds have been cutoff to the Mullahs/DS. They will lose control in the end and the people will rise up and take back their country. Cyber attacks ‘tipping point' warning issued after Harrods and M&S targeted Cyber attacks surged into prominence in 2025, inflicting significant financial damage on major British businesses and exposing widespread vulnerabilities across the economy. High-profile targets included automotive giant Jaguar Land Rover, retail stalwart Marks & Spencer, and luxury department store Harrods, underscoring how firms of all sizes are susceptible to sophisticated digital threats. Andrew Bailey, governor of the Bank of England, articulated his belief that cyber attacks represent one of the most substantial threats to UK financial stability, stressing the “critically important” need for collaborative defence. He stated: “Cyber attacks are far from new, but 2025 has shown just how deeply cyber risk is intertwined with economic stability and business continuity.” Source:  uk.news.yahoo.com  President Trump Responds to the 91-Drone Attack on Putin's Residence in Novgorod region During an impromptu press availability beside Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, President Trump responded to a question about a drone attack against the personal residence of Russian President Vladimir Putin. President Trump noted that he was informed of the attack by President Putin during an early Monday phone call between the two leaders. Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has denied the accusation that Ukraine carried out this particular attack.  The attack took place while Zelenskyy was in Florida meeting with President Trump. U.S. media have said the attack on Putin may be a lie; however, with physical evidence from the defense operation, it is less likely Russia just made up the attack.  At this moment in the conflict, Putin doesn't need domestic propaganda. CONTEXT: British intelligence previously confirmed their participation in the successful Ukraine drone attack against long-range Russian bombers.  That operation, highly controversial at the time, was previously confirmed by President Trump saying the U.S. was not informed in advance. The “coalition of the willing” has also expanded.  Outside the Ukraine regime, the current group making up the “coalition of the willing” includes: the U.K, France, Germany, Canada and Australia.  It is worth noting the additions are all part of the British commonwealth (U.K, Canada, Australia).   I suspect the British did it Source: theconservativetreehouse.com https://twitter.com/KobeissiLetter/status/2005810672672624746?s=20   and utilities have materially underperformed the broader market over the last few years. This has been fueled by the outsized gains in the US technology sector. A similar pattern occurred during the 1990s, while the opposite took place during the 2008 Financial Crisis, when global defensive stocks outperformed. Defensive sectors are lagging. Medical/False Flags [DS] Agenda Soros family reportedly donated more than $71,000 to Letitia James campaigns Leftist billionaire George Soros and members of his family have donated more than $71,000 to political campaigns supporting New York Democratic Attorney General Letitia James since 2019, according to a report published Sunday by the New York Post. The report, citing campaign finance records, said the total includes $31,000 contributed toward James' 2026 reelection bid. Soros personally donated $18,000 in July 2024, while his daughter-in-law, Jennifer Soros, contributed $13,000 in May. With earlier donations included, Soros and his family have provided James with roughly $40,000 more since 2019, the Post reported. The figure does not include the indirect support James has received through left-leaning organizations backed by Soros. The report said Soros' Open Society Foundations have given more than $865,000 to the New York branch of the Working Families Party since 2018. Source:  rsbnetwork.com  https://twitter.com/SteveRob/status/2005683753432351171?s=20 https://twitter.com/mazemoore/status/2005361462580011272?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E2005361462580011272%7Ctwgr%5E084f3c4b7bd7fa1059f91dab99d5e9dce1ab3cec%7Ctwcon%5Es1_c10&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fredstate.com%2Fnick-arama%2F2025%2F12%2F29%2Fthis-didnt-age-well-what-tim-walz-said-about-child-care-providers-during-2024-debate-n2197568 in Minnesota.” Yes Tim, you sure did make it easy for people to open childcare businesses. They don’t even need to provide childcare to get paid. https://twitter.com/amuse/status/2005702559239946273?s=20  admitted to the scheme and was sentenced to 10 years in prison for his role in the underlying fraud, with nearly $48 million ordered in restitution. Separate sentencing remains pending for the bribery conviction. https://twitter.com/CollinRugg/status/2005794263091798284?s=20   in there until today. That parking lot is empty all the time, and I was under the impression that place is permanently closed,” a local said. About 20 kids were seen “streaming in and out” of the center, according to the Post. “You do realize there's supposed to be 99 children here in this building, and there's no one here?” Shirley said in his viral video. The owner’s son, Ali Ibrahim, claims Shirley came before they opened and is blaming their graphic designer for messing up the sign. “What I understand is [the owners] dealt with a graphic designer. He did it incorrectly. I guess they didn't think it was a big issue,” Ibrahim said https://twitter.com/MrAndyNgo/status/2005812805786607882?s=20   children for the cameras. https://twitter.com/libsoftiktok/status/2005766571487289395?s=20   citizens.” – MN AG Keith Ellison https://twitter.com/amuse/status/2005871452562555304?s=20  shootings the morning of Saturday June 13th at approximately 2:30am and 3:30am, in around [unclear] that I will probably be dead by the time you read this letter. I wanted to share some info with you that you might find interesting. I was trained by U.S. Military people off the books starting in college. I have been on projects since that time in Eastern Europe, North America, the Middle East, and Africa. All in the line of duty what I thought was right and in the best interest of the United States. Recently I was approached about a project that Tim Walz wanted done, and Keith [unclear] was also aware of the project. Tim wanted me to kill Amy Klobuchar and Tina [unclear]. Tim wants to be a senator and he doesn't trust [unclear] to retire as planned and this is meant to stay in the last mile with Amy & [unclear] gone. Tim would get one of the open senate seats, and [unclear] was to be VP, and Keith Ellison would be rewarded with a lucrative governing position. I told Tim I wanted nothing to do with it and that I didn't call off that plan I would go public. He said he would call it off himself if I didn't play ball. Then he set up a meeting with me and [unclear] and [unclear] to take care of me when I refused. They had some people waiting to kill me. I was able to get away by God's mercy. So I went back a short time later and shot back at [unclear]. You should notice how I didn't fire me rounds at any police officers and by God I have plenty of opportunity. Ask for the report on how many weapons and ammunition I had with me. Cops were pulling up right next to me in unmarked vehicles and I had an AK pistol across my lap. And I could have left a pile of cops dead but I did not. Short burst towards law enforcement. You can ask them. Because I snapped the police and chose not to see them hurt. But it may end up my wife and kids next time. I won't give them a pass. If you think I'm making this up just get on the phone and tell Tim you have a few questions for him. Then ask Tim Walz if he knows me and see what he says? If he says he doesn't know me, or never met me, look in the files and you will see that Tim personally approved me to be on his Governor's workforce. Bridges are the business representatives. He is probably trying to destroy that note but it is public record. Then ask Tim Walz why they kept the shots silent from the media when they first happened. Not a word in the press and I. Why? They needed to get their stories figured out. So everyone was on the same page about what happened. Tim is probably crapping bricks right now because I'm still at large and he knows what I can disclose and that I know about all the buried skeletons are. So I will be shot on sight you can bet on that. If you want me to turn myself in it need to be directly to you and then I need to be held at a military prison or in the Middle East, or at least on a ship. These guys have military backgrounds and can get to anybody. I am willing to spill all the beans. I just want my family safe. They had nothing to do with this and are totally innocent. This was a lone person https://twitter.com/RapidResponse47/status/2005811252409344411?s=20 Tim Walz is trying to bury the evidence of Somalian money laundering. His government website showing all the daycare licenses is having a mysterious “outage”. They are freaking out. https://twitter.com/feelsdesperate/status/2005736682100777121?s=20 https://twitter.com/elonmusk/status/2005699538808697062?s=20 Trump fires 17 government watchdogs at various federal agencies President Donald Trump fired 17 independent watchdogs at various federal agencies late Friday, a Trump administration official confirmed to Fox News, as he continues to reshape the government at a blistering pace. Trump dismissed inspectors general at agencies within the Defense Department, State Department, Energy Department, Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Department of Veterans Affairs and more, notifying them by email from the White House Presidential Personnel Office, the Washington Post first reported. “It's a widespread massacre,” one of the terminated inspectors general told the Post. “Whoever Trump puts in now will be viewed as loyalists, and that undermines the entire system.” Source: foxnews.com Trump has been in office for 11 months. The Trump US Attorney has been in control of the Minneapolis Office less than that. These are programs the Biden DOJ did not investigate — they investigated “Feeding our Future” only. So the investigations of 13 other federally funded welfare programs started from scratch.   https://twitter.com/AGPamBondi/status/2005764911427731459?s=20 THREAD https://twitter.com/Geiger_Capital/status/2005688449026908544?s=20 https://twitter.com/politico/status/2005765912167911931?s=20 https://twitter.com/StephenM/status/2005851479425310785?s=20  https://twitter.com/C_3C_3/status/2005864187575128397?s=20 President Trump's Plan https://twitter.com/WarClandestine/status/2005816218226233847?s=20 The National Guard is building a “quick reaction force” (QRF) of some 23,500 troops trained in crowd control and civil disturbance that can be ready to deploy to U.S. cities by early next year, according to a leaked memo reported by multiple outlets Wednesday.  The Oct. 8 memo, signed by National Guard Bureau Director of Operations Maj. Gen. Ronald Burkett, orders the Guard from nearly every U.S. state, Puerto Rico and Guam to train 500 service members. States with smaller populations such as Delaware will have 250 troops in its force, while Alaska will have 350 and Guam will have 100, Task & Purpose reported. Attorney General Pam Bondi Directs DOJ to Investigate Obama-Biden Era ‘Lawfare' as Ongoing Criminal Conspiracy Attorney General Pam Bondi has confirmed that the Department of Justice is actively probing what she describes as a decade-long pattern of government weaponization and “lawfare” under the Obama and Biden administrations. Bondi has directed U.S. Attorneys and federal agents to treat these actions as an “ongoing criminal conspiracy,” potentially allowing prosecutors to bypass statutes of limitations and hold high-ranking officials accountable for alleged election interference and civil rights violations. Source: thegatewaypundit.com  child-like illogic. And if you want to jump in and comment on whatever your particular axe to grind is and how disappointed you are that axe did not get ground in 11 months, please refer to the preposterous, child-like illogic mentioned above. https://twitter.com/TonySeruga/status/2005766903579701465?s=20 Look at the structure itself. 435 representatives for more than 300 million citizens. One voice per 700,000 people. The founders envisioned one per 30,000. That ratio was frozen in 1929, locked by the Permanent Apportionment Act, ensuring the number would remain manageable. Manageable for whom? One hundred senators. 535 total legislators controlling the direction of the largest economy in human history. You do not need to purchase a nation. You purchase 535 people. Or fewer. Buy the committee chairs. Fewer still. Buy the leadership. A few dozen individuals, properly leveraged through money or blackmail (it's actually both), steer everything. The bottleneck is artificial. Engineered for efficient capture. The Federal Reserve arrived in 1913, transferring monetary sovereignty from the people to a private banking cartel. That same year, the 17th Amendment removed state legislatures from Senate appointments, severing the balance between federal and state power. The intelligence apparatus emerged after World War II as a parallel government operating beyond electoral accountability. The administrative state metastasized into an unelected fourth branch writing rules with the force of law. Layer upon layer. Each generation inherits chains from contracts they never signed, bound by compromises made long before their birth. Yes, the Founding Fathers intended for the House of Representatives to expand as the population grew. The U.S. Constitution’s Article I, Section 2 established an initial apportionment ratio of no more than one representative per 30,000 inhabitants (with each state guaranteed at least one), implying that the total number would increase based on census results every ten years. the framers expected regular adjustments to maintain proportional representation as the nation expanded.  James Madison, in Federalist No. 58, directly addressed concerns that the House might not grow, arguing that the Constitution’s mechanisms—such as decennial reapportionments—would “augment the number of representatives” over time, and that political incentives (e.g., larger states pushing for increases) would ensure it happened.  This intent is further supported by the proposed (but unratified) Congressional Apportionment Amendment from the original Bill of Rights, which aimed to set a formula preventing the House from becoming too small relative to the population.  However, the House was permanently capped at 435 members by the Apportionment Act of 1929, diverging from this original vision. https://twitter.com/CynicalPublius/status/2005740095979069669?s=20   attempt instead chase smaller game, run interference, attack each other, send you down rabbit holes, and offer limited hangouts that lead nowhere. The silence is bipartisan. The silence is the tell. If your enemy acts and your ally does nothing despite holding every lever of power, you do not have two sides. WAIT… THERE'S MORE… https://twitter.com/WarClandestine/status/2005729994782466232?s=20   our walls, with Antifa and radical Islamic terrorist groups still at large, without Trump's people in position, without the public being informed of the treasonous conspiracy, without the wars around the globe being settled, without rogue Deep State elements like Iran's nuclear capabilities being shut down, all while the public are extremely emotionally charged after the election cycle and have been repeatedly brainwashed to believe that Trump is Hitler about to unleash a military dictatorship… There's levels to this shit. Many variables must be accounted for and many pieces must be in place before we can do something of this magnitude. But if you've been paying attention, you'd see that much of these things have already been taken care of over Trump's first year. I'm more optimistic than I've ever been, and frankly I don't understand how people don't see what Trump is doing. The price to pay for striking early, could result in mass civilian casualties, the entire operation will be ruined, the Republic will fall to the Deep State, and all of us will be tax/labor slaves forever. We can't afford to miss. Everything must be perfect, and Trump is putting the pieces into place to make it happen. (function(w,d,s,i){w.ldAdInit=w.ldAdInit||[];w.ldAdInit.push({slot:13499335648425062,size:[0, 0],id:"ld-7164-1323"});if(!d.getElementById(i)){var j=d.createElement(s),p=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0];j.async=true;j.src="//cdn2.customads.co/_js/ajs.js";j.id=i;p.parentNode.insertBefore(j,p);}})(window,document,"script","ld-ajs");

Some of the best songs you can hear this spring aren't on the radio.Hundreds of millions of birds make their annual migration back into North America in early March. Despite their return to our neighborhoods and backyards to wake us up bright and early, a new report reveals they're numbering fewer and fewer.The 2025 State of the Birds report is a joint effort spearheaded by a coalition of science and conservation organizations. It found widespread population decline across nearly all habitats and that over one third of species require conservation help.But it's not all bad news. The report also finds that an increased interest in birding has led to more volunteer data that helped shaped the report. What can we learn about our feathered friends and our environment while watching?Find more of our programs online. Listen to 1A sponsor-free by signing up for 1A+ at plus.npr.org/the1a.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

Original Release Date: December 3, 2025Our Global Head of Fixed Income Research and Public Policy Strategy Michael Zezas and Chief Global Cross-Asset Strategist Serena Tang address themes that are key for markets next year.Read more insights from Morgan Stanley.----- Transcript -----Michael Zezas: Welcome to Thoughts on the Market. I'm Michael Zezas, Global Head of Fixed Income Research and Public Policy Strategy.Serena Tang: And I'm Serena Tang, Morgan Stanley's Chief Global Cross-Asset Strategist.Michael Zezas: Today we'll be talking about key investor debates coming out of our year ahead outlook.It's Wednesday, December 3rd at 10:30am in New York.So, Serena, it was a couple weeks ago that you led the publication of our cross-asset outlook for 2026. And so, you've been engaging with clients over the past few weeks about our views – where they differ. And it seems there's some common themes, really common questions that come up that represent some important debates within the market.Is that fair?Serena Tang: Yeah, that's very fair. And, by the way, I think those important debates, are from investors globally. So, you have investors in Europe, Asia, Australia, North America, all kind of wanting to understand our views on AI, on equity valuations, on the dollar.Michael Zezas: So, let's start with talking about equity markets a bit. And one of the common questions – and I get it too, even though I don't cover equity markets – is really about how AI is affecting valuations. One of the concerns is that the stock market might be too high, might be overvalued because people have overinvested in anything related to AI. What does the evidence say? How are you addressing that question?Serena Tang: It is interesting you say that because I think when investors talk about equities being too high, of valuations – AI related valuations being very stretched, it's very much about parallels to that 1990s valuation bubble.But the way I approach it is like there are some very important differences from that time period, from valuations back then. First of all, I think companies in major equity indices are higher quality than the past. They operate more efficiently. They deliver strong profitability, and in general pretty solid free cash flow.I think we also need to consider how technology now represents a larger share of the index, which has helped push overall net margins to about 14 percent compared to 8 percent during that 1990s valuation bubble. And you know, when margins are higher, I think paying premium for stocks is more justified.In other words, I think multiples in the U.S. right now look more reasonable after adjusting for profit margins and changes in index composition. But we also have to consider, and this is something that we stress in our outlook, the policy backdrop is unusually favorable, right? Like you have economists expecting the Fed to continue easing rates into next year. We have the One Big Beautiful Bill Act that could lower corporate taxes, and deregulation is continuing to be a priority in the U.S.And I think this combination, you know, monetary easing, fiscal stimulus, deregulation. That combination rarely occurs outside of a recession. And I think this creates an environment that supports valuation, which is by the way why we recommend an overweight position in U.S. equities, even if absolute and relative valuation look elevated.Michael Zezas: Got it. So, if I'm hearing you right, what I think you're saying is that comparisons to some bubbles of the past don't necessarily stack up because profitability is better. There aren't excesses in the system. Monetary policy might be on the path that's more accommodative. And so, when compared against all of that, the valuations actually don't look that bad.Serena Tang: Exactly.Michael Zezas: Got it. And sticking with the equity markets, then another common question is – it's related to AI, but it's sort of around this idea that a small set of companies have really been driving most of the growth in the market recently. And it would be better or healthier if the equity market were to perform across a wider set of companies and names, particularly in mid- and small cap companies. Is that something that we see on the horizon?Serena Tang: Yes. We are expecting U.S. stock earnings to sort of broaden out here and it's one of the reasons why our U.S. equity strategy team has upgraded small caps and now prefer it over large caps. And I think like all of this – it comes from the fact that we are in a new bull market. I think we have a very early cycle earnings recovery here. I mean, as discussed before, the macro environment is supportive. And Fed rate cuts over the next 12 months, growth positive tax and regulatory policies, they don't just support valuations. They also act as a tailwind to earnings.And I think like on top of that, leaner cost structures, improving earnings revisions, AI driven efficiency gains. They all support a broad-based earnings upturn. and our U.S. equity strategy team do see above consensus 2026 earnings growth at 17 percent. The only other region where we have earnings growth above consensus in 2026 is Japan; for both Europe and the EM we are below, which drive out equal weight and slight underweight position in those two indices respectively.Michael Zezas: Got it. And so, since we can't seem to get away from talking about AI and how it's influencing markets, the other common question we get here is around debt issuance related to AI.So, our colleagues put together a report from earlier this year talking about the potential for nearly $3 trillion of AI related CapEx spending over the next few years. And we think about half of that is going to have to be debt financed. That seems to be a lot of debt, a lot of potential bonds that might be issued into the market – which, are credit investors supposed to be concerned about that?Serena Tang: We really can't get away from AI as a topic. And I think this will continue because AI-related CapEx is a long-term trend, with much of the CapEx still really ahead. And I think this goes to your question. Because this really means that we expect nearly another [$]3 trillion of data center related CapEx from here to 2028. You know, while half of the spend will come from operating cash flows of hyperscalers, it still leaves a financing gap of around [$]1.5 trillion, which needs to be sourced through various credit channels.Now, part of it will be via private credit, part of it would be via Asset Backed Securities. But some of it would also be via the U.S. investment grade corporate credit bond space. So, add in financing for faster M&A cycle, we forecast around [$]1 trillion in net investment grade bond issuance, you know, up 60 percent from this year.And I think given this technical backdrop, even though credit fundamentals should stay fine, we have doubled downgraded U.S. investment grade corporate credit to underweight within our cross asset allocation.Michael Zezas: Okay, so the fundamentals are fine, but it's just a lot of debt to consume over the next year. And so somewhat strangely, you might expect high yield corporate bonds actually do better.Serena Tang: Yes, because I think a high yield doesn't really see the same headwind from the technical side of things. And on the fundamentals front, our credit team actually has default rates coming down over the next 12 months, which again, I think supports high yield much better than investment grade.Michael Zezas: So, before we wrap up, moving away from the equity markets, let's talk about foreign exchange. The U.S. dollar spent much of last year weakening, and that's a call that our team was early to – eventually became a consensus call. It was premised on the idea that the U.S. was going to experience growth weakness, that there would also be these questions among investors about the role of the dollar in the world as the U.S. was raising trade barriers. It seemed to work out pretty well.Going into 2026 though, I think there's some more questions amongst our investors about whether or not that trend could continue. Where do we land?Serena Tang: I think in the first half of next year that downward pressure on the dollar should still persist. And you know, as you said, we've had a very differentiated view for most of this year, expecting the dollar to weaken in the first half versus G10 currencies. And several things drive this. There is a potential for higher dollar negative risk premium, driven by, I think, near term worries about the U.S. labor markets in the short term. And as investors, I think, debate the likely composition of the FOMC next year. Also, you know, compression in U.S. versus rest of the world. Rate differentials should reduce FX hedging costs, which also adds incentive for hedging activity and dollar selling.All this means that we see downward pressure on the dollar persisting in the first half of next year with EUR/USD at 123 and USD/JPY at 140 by the end of first half 2026.Michael Zezas: All right. Well, that's a pretty good survey about what clients care about and what our view is. So, Serena, thanks for taking the time to talk with me today.Serena Tang: And thank you for inviting me to the show today.Michael Zezas: And to our audience, thanks for listening. If you enjoy Thoughts on the Market, please leave us a review and share the podcast. We want everyone to listen.

Sammy Matsaw Jr. is the Director of the Columbia Basin Program at The Nature Conservancy, where he works at the intersection of salmon recovery, tribal sovereignty, and large-scale river restoration across one of the most complex watersheds in North America. In this role, Sammy helps guide conservation strategies that span state lines, political boundaries, and cultural histories—while keeping people, relationships, and responsibility at the center of the work. Sammy grew up on the Shoshone-Bannock Reservation, surrounded by salmon stories, land-based learning, and a deep sense of responsibility to place. He served in the U.S. military, including combat deployments overseas, before returning home to heal, reconnect, and rebuild—eventually earning advanced degrees in ecology, policy, and conservation science. Along the way, he's navigated life as a soldier, scientist, ceremonial practitioner, husband, father, and now grandfather, carrying Indigenous knowledge forward while engaging directly with Western institutions and systems. In this conversation, we talk about salmon restoration as a healing journey—not just for rivers, but for communities and cultures shaped by loss, displacement, and change. We dig into Indigenous knowledge alongside Western science, the role of humility and trust in conservation, and why Sammy believes real progress only happens through relationships and long-term commitment. We also explore his vision for the Columbia Basin, his leadership inside TNC, and what it means to show up—day after day—with curiosity, care, and what he calls "barefoot trust-building." This is a thoughtful, hopeful, and vulnerable conversation, and I greatly appreciate Sammy taking the time to chat with me.  I hope you enjoy. --- Sammy Matsaw Jr., Director of TNC's Columbia Basin Program TNC's Columbia Basin Program Full episode notes: https://mountainandprairie.com/sammy-matsaw --- This episode is brought to you in partnership with the Colorado chapter of The Nature Conservancy and TNC chapters throughout the Western United States. Guided by science and grounded by decades of collaborative partnerships, The Nature Conservancy has a long-standing legacy of achieving lasting results to create a world where nature and people thrive. During the last week of every month throughout 2025, Mountain & Prairie will be delving into conversations with a wide range of The Nature Conservancy's leaders, partners, collaborators, and stakeholders, highlighting the myriad of conservation challenges, opportunities, and solutions here in the American West and beyond. To learn more about The Nature Conservancy's impactful work in the West and around the world, visit www.nature.org --- TOPICS DISCUSSED: 3:00 - Intro, where and how Sammy grew up 10:03 - Sammy's decision to join the military  15:34 - Readjusting to home 20:48 - What helps heal 24:58 - Sammy's academic journey 32:12 - Salmon work 39:09 - Entry into TNC 43:55 - Salmon restoration as a healing journey 50:09 - Layers of the job 57:31 - Book recs 1:01:18 - Wrapping up --- ABOUT MOUNTAIN & PRAIRIE: Mountain & Prairie - All Episodes Mountain & Prairie Shop Mountain & Prairie on Instagram Upcoming Events About Ed Roberson Support Mountain & Prairie Leave a Review on Apple Podcasts

In 1971, a paleontologist discovered an animal graveyard in northeastern Nebraska. It was crammed with species that lived in North America millions of years ago: camels, rhinos, and three-toed horses…  Excavating this site, two things immediately became clear: something had drawn all these animals to this particular spot – and something very bad had happened to them. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Matt Harrison and Dr. Mike Brasher welcome outdoor writer and DU ASCEND Host Bethany Beathard to discuss her MeatEater article on North America's four waterfowl flyways. Bethany shares her background, research process, interviews with banders and guides, and insights into how hunting tactics differ across regions. Dr. Brasher expands on migration science, flyway councils, Adaptive Harvest Management, and why reliable data is critical for the future of waterfowl conservation.Listen now: www.ducks.org/DUPodcastSend feedback: DUPodcast@ducks.orgSPONSORS:Purina Pro Plan: The official performance dog food of Ducks UnlimitedWhether you're a seasoned hunter or just getting started, this episode is packed with valuable insights into the world of waterfowl hunting and conservation.Bird Dog Whiskey and Cocktails:Whether you're winding down with your best friend, or celebrating with your favorite crew, Bird Dog brings award-winning flavor to every moment. Enjoy responsibly.

In this powerful interview, Shana sits down with Sam Hughes, VP of Sales at Unicity, to uncover the story and science behind the Feel Great System—a metabolic support protocol built on two potent products: Unimate and Balance. Sam shares his unique journey from working in customer service to helping roll out this system across North America. He breaks down the ingredients inside each product, why they were chosen, and how they're helping thousands reverse insulin resistance, balance blood sugar, and feel better—often fast. If you're ready to simplify your wellness journey and actually feel great, this episode is for you. What We Cover in This Episode Sam's journey from customer service to VP of Sales at Unicity How the Feel Great System was developed—and why it's so effective Ingredient breakdown: Unimate: Yerba mate extract, chlorogenic acid, mood + fat metabolism Balance: Biosphere fiber matrix, insulin + cholesterol control Success stories from the field Why metabolic health is in crisis (and what's working) How to integrate these nutraceuticals with fasting and circadian health strategies

What if your next vacation could transform lives—including your own? In this inspiring episode of the Leaders of Transformation podcast, host Nicole Jansen welcomes Kimberly Haley-Coleman, founder and executive director of GlobeAware - an award-winning nonprofit that has mobilized volunteers across more than 25 countries through service adventures that create lasting social impact. Kimberly shares how voluntourism, when done responsibly, goes far beyond traditional travel. These immersive experiences cultivate cross-cultural leadership, deepen human connection, and shift how people see the world - and themselves. From her own journey leaving the corporate world to building GlobeAware, Kimberly breaks down the power of meaningful service and the practical steps for participating in global volunteer projects. This conversation reveals why service travel isn't just about helping others - it's about developing resilience, gratitude, empathy, and a renewed appreciation for humanity. If you've ever wanted your vacation to mean more than photos and souvenirs - or you're seeking a powerful way to grow as a leader, family, or team - this episode may spark your next bold step. What We Discuss in This Episode How Kimberly's passion for cross-cultural service travel began What "voluntourism" really means—and how GlobeAware ensures ethical, responsible impact How volunteers and local communities benefit from service-based travel Why working alongside - not above - local populations creates sustainable change Who can participate in GlobeAware projects and how it works How COVID-19 forced nonprofits to innovate in international service travel The unique growth families and corporate teams experience through these programs How volunteers fund their trips and how GlobeAware remains financially sustainable The leadership challenges of running global programs in dynamic environments The lasting personal transformation participants experience—and why joy is central to it all 10 Key Takeaways Accessible Voluntourism: GlobeAware offers short-term service travel—often described as a "mini Peace Corps"—making global volunteering accessible to families, professionals, and corporate teams. Ethical, Community-Led Service: True impact begins with equality. Projects are designed and led by local communities, ensuring their needs and voices come first. Transformative Learning Through Experience: Side-by-side service fosters empathy, gratitude, and cultural awareness—especially powerful for families and young people. A Powerful Perspective Shift: Exposure to different ways of living reshapes views on privilege and consumption through experiential learning—not lectures. Simple, Supported Participation: Trips are tax-deductible and easy to join, with logistics like food, lodging, and bilingual coordinators fully managed. Leadership & Team Development: Corporate groups use GlobeAware experiences to build trust, resilience, gratitude, and cross-cultural leadership skills that translate back to the workplace. Sustainable Operating Model: Only 15% of program fees support operations; the rest directly funds project materials and local labor—without government funding. Resilience Through COVID: GlobeAware survived global shutdowns by pivoting to virtual programs, adapting health protocols, and reimagining community engagement. Redefining Impact: Success isn't measured by numbers alone—but by the lasting shifts in perspective, gratitude, and connection participants experience. Joy at the Core: Beyond impact, volunteering creates enduring joy—rooted in shared humanity and the simple act of serving together. Podcast Highlights & Timestamps 00:00 – Transformative Travel with Kimberly Haley-Coleman 03:23 – From Tourism to Purposeful Travel 07:49 – Lessons on Water Conservation 10:27 – Creating Meaningful Engagement Through Service 14:02 – The Ethical Evolution of Voluntourism 16:44 – Building Homes and Changing Lives 22:40 – Overcoming Barriers to Girls' Education 25:35 – Ending Child Labor Through Sustainable Solutions 28:19 – Adapting Service Travel During COVID 30:18 – Measuring Impact Beyond Numbers 34:46 – Reconnecting to Our Shared Humanity 39:15 – Traveling for Growth and Perspective 42:55 – Why Now Is the Time to Act 43:40 – Team-Building Through Shared Service Experiences Listen and empower your next journey to be one that transforms—not just the world, but you. Favorite Quotes It changes how you see the world, and it brings joy you can't get anywhere else. We often lose sight of what our standard of living is in North America. In Cambodia, you can have access to neither running water nor electricity and still be considered middle class. Experiential learning is so valuable—no lecture needed. Episode Resources: https://leadersoftransformation.com/podcast/leadership/550-transform-your-next-vacation-volunteer-abroad-and-create-lasting-impact-with-kimberly-haley-coleman   Check out our complete library of episodes and other leadership resources here: https://leadersoftransformation.com ________

Send us a textDownload study notes for this chapter.Download study notes for this entire book.**********Scriptures taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version ®, NIV ® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc. Used with permission. All rights reserved worldwide.The “NIV”, “New International Version”, “Biblica”, “International Bible Society” and the Biblica Logo are trademarks registered in the United States Patent and Trademark Office by Biblica, Inc.  Used with permission.BIBLICA, THE INTERNATIONAL BIBLE SOCIETY, provides God's Word to people through Bible translation & Bible publishing, and Bible engagement in Africa, Asia Pacific, Europe, Latin America, the Middle East, and North America. Through its worldwide reach, Biblica engages people with God's Word so that their lives are transformed through a relationship with Jesus Christ.Support the show

Today is day 364 and we are studying the section on Justification and Sanctification: Living in Forgiveness and Healing. 367. For what does sanctification prepare you? Sanctification enables me to serve and bear witness to Christ in this life, and prepares me for the glory of God in the world to come. There I will be completely freed from sin and conformed to the likeness of my Lord, whom I will see face-to-face. (Matthew 5:16; 1 Corinthians 13:9–13; 2 Corinthians 3:17–18; 1 John 3:1–3) We will conclude today by praying Prayer 72.For Knowing and Loving God found on page 668 of the Book of Common Prayer (2019). If you would like to buy or download To Be a Christian, head to anglicanchurch.net/catechism. Produced by Holy Trinity Anglican Church in Madison, MS. Original music from Matthew Clark. Daily collects and Psalms are taken from Book of Common Prayer (2019), created by the Anglican Church in North America and published by the Anglican Liturgical Press. Used by permission. All rights reserved. Scripture quotations are from The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved. Catechism readings are taken from To Be a Christian - An Anglican Catechism Approved Edition, copyright © 2020 by The Anglican Church in North America by Crossway a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

In this episode, I sit down with metabolic expert Angelo Poli to break down why so many athletes and cyclists get stuck trying to lose the last few kilos despite doing “everything right.” We dive into metabolic adaptation, why eating less eventually stops working, and how your body actively slows weight loss to keep you alive. Angelo explains why calories aren't linear, why crash dieting backfires, and how eating more at the right time can actually help you get leaner and perform better. If you've been stuck in a weight-loss plateau, struggling with rebound weight gain, or afraid that fueling properly will make you heavier, this conversation will completely change how you think about metabolism.We've just started to build something really cool. Want to be one of the first to join?

Ready to adjust your messaging to earn new business and better business? In this special 'best of' edition, we're cutting through the noise to bring you your favorite, most impactful marketing and sales-themed episodes. No fluff, no fakery—just what's working right now for the thinkers in freight.You can binge this one over the holidays for ideas and inspiration to refine your strategy for the new year.In this episode, we revisit five key conversations:The Supply Chain is the Product: A solo episode on how to stop selling shipments and start selling your entire supply chain journey as a competitive advantage. Starts at 5:35-minute mark.TMSA Study Deep Dive: Grace Sharkey joins the show to unpack the surprising data from the Transportation Marketing & Sales Association on what's really happening in our industry—from budgets and sales quotas to the tools marketers are actually using. Starts at 36-minute mark.The Best Reddit Freight Sales Tips: We scoured the freight broker subreddit for years to find the most valuable, unconventional, and effective sales tactics that are getting people in the door. Starts at 1:47:24-minute mark.How Marketers Are Actually Using AI: Moving past the hype to discuss the smart AI tools that work when you put them into practice right now. Starts at 2:25:44-minute mark.A Modern Marketer's Guide to SEO: A masterclass on navigating SEO, AEO, and GEO in the age of AI, finding low-hanging fruit, and answering the question: "should you even be blogging anymore?" Starts at 2:56:15-minute mark.Whether you're looking for high-tech digital strategies or fundamental tactics that are making a comeback, this episode is packed with useful takeaways to fuel your 2025 planning. Watch the video versions of these episodes on YouTube: The Supply Chain Is the ProductTMSA Study Unveils Winning Freight Marketing StrategiesBest Reddit Freight Sales TipsHow Marketers Are Actually Using AI: New Data + Smart Tools That Work Logistics SEOFeedback? Ideas for a future episode? Shoot us a text here to let us know. -----------------------------------------THANK YOU TO OUR SPONSORS! SPI Logistics has been a Day 1 supporter of this podcast which is why we're proud to promote them in every episode. During that time, we've gotten to know the team and their agents to confidently say they are the best home for freight agents in North America for 40 years and counting. Listen to past episodes to hear why. CargoRex is the search engine for the logistics industry—connecting LSPs with the right tools, services, events, and creators to explore, discover, and evolve. Digital Dispatch manages and maximizes your #1 sales tool with a website that establishes trust and builds rock-solid relationships with your leads and customers.

#EP326 Happy Holidays! Today on the Clean Power Hour, Tim Montague breaks down his top 5 episodes of 2025, featuring conversations that shaped how we think about solar, storage, virtual power plants, microgrids, and AI. From Jigar Shah's call for the industry to become a political force to Spark AI's permitting breakthroughs, these episodes capture where clean energy is headed.Key Episodes Covered:Episode 304 - Jigar Shah85% of new grid capacity will be solar, wind, and batteriesFossil fuels outspend clean energy 10:1 on political lobbyingVPPs could shift 20% of peak load by 203020% of Americans struggle to afford their electricity billsEpisode 274 - Ryan Mayfield and Jayson Smith CPS America's Gonzo containerized battery (125-256 kWh)20-millisecond switchover for grid-forming capabilityDaisy chain up to 12 units for megawatt-scale deployments60% of CPS workforce dedicated to serviceEpisode 307 - Peter Kelly-Detwiler 1,500 MW of data center load disconnected in Virginia incidentPJM capacity prices jumped from $30 to $329 per MW-dayCalifornia VPPs dispatched 535 MW from 100,000 homesEpisode 310 - Jeff St. John (Canary Media) 93% of new U.S. grid additions were solar, batteries, and windTexas ERCOT grid now 50% solar, wind, and batteriesCalifornia VPPs show 2:1 cost-benefit ratioTexas allocated $1.8B for microgrids after Winter Storm UriEpisode 322 - Julia Wu and Anuj Saigal (Spark AI) Platform compresses 4-10 hours of research to secondsStandard Solar reduced acquisition diligence from months to one weekThree core use cases: site selection, regulatory monitoring, acquisition due diligenceBonus: Episode 296 - Mark Palmer (Conductor Solar)Most listened to and shared episode on SpotifyCovers PPAs, project finance, and tax credit swappingDiscusses tariffs, supply chain pressures, and state policy importanceEpisodes MentionedEp 304 - https://youtu.be/lGv6NoDlf70Ep 274 - https://youtu.be/QxLIzBSM-lQEp 307 - https://youtu.be/apMrWUz7TV8Ep 310 - https://youtu.be/76PDeZ7ZGpsEp 322 - https://youtu.be/B3t0cpvTT-YEp 296 - https://youtu.be/aj_zNnpAUk8 Support the showConnect with Tim Clean Power Hour Clean Power Hour on YouTubeTim on TwitterTim on LinkedIn Email tim@cleanpowerhour.com Review Clean Power Hour on Apple PodcastsThe Clean Power Hour is produced by the Clean Power Consulting Group and created by Tim Montague. Contact us by email: CleanPowerHour@gmail.com Corporate sponsors who share our mission to speed the energy transition are invited to check out https://www.cleanpowerhour.com/support/The Clean Power Hour is brought to you by CPS America, maker of North America's number one 3-phase string inverter, with over 6GW shipped in the US. With a focus on commercial and utility-scale solar and energy storage, the company partners with customers to provide unparalleled performance and service. The CPS America product lineup includes 3-phase string inverters from 25kW to 275kW, exceptional data communication and controls, and energy storage solutions designed for seamless integration with CPS America systems. Learn more at www.chintpowersystems.com

New Year's horror, horror movie history, and messages from the other side—welcome to This Week in Horror History, the weekly horror podcast where we track what happened on these dates across film, books, and cult classics.In this episode, Henrique Couto follows a haunting thread that runs straight through the holiday: a phone that calls from the future, a killer hiding in the power grid, a cursed ghost anthology, and the original “new year, new monster” that's been chasing us since 1818.This week in horror history (Dec 29–Jan 4):Dec 29, 1964 — Kwaidan premieres in Tokyo, Japan: a gorgeous Japanese ghost anthology that feels like a curse you can't look away from.Dec 29, 1993 — Ghost in the Machine is released: serial killer + electricity + early internet panic = a surprisingly fun tech-haunting nightmare.Jan 1, 1818 — Frankenstein is published: Mary Shelley's warning label for ambition, still echoing through modern horror.Jan 4, 2008 — One Missed Call opens in North America: a remake built on dread you can't silence—because the voicemail is already there.Horror birthdays this week: Barbara Steele, Eliza Dushku, Anthony Hopkins, Shelley Hennig, and Jaden Martell.Where to watch / read (U.S., this week — availability changes fast):Kwaidan — HBO MaxGhost in the Machine — Rent: Apple TV, Fandango at Home, Amazon Prime, Google Play, YouTubeWitchboard — Free w/ ads: Tubi (plus Roku Channel and other ad-supported options); also available via subscriptions on select platformsOne Missed Call (2008) — Tubi, Apple TVFrankenstein — Read free via Project Gutenberg / Archive.orgSponsor: This episode is sponsored by Savorista Coffee — premium half-calf and decaf blends. Grab yours at Savorista.com and use promo code SPOOKY for 25% off at checkout (and you support the podcast with every purchase).If you love horror movie history, spooky trivia, and date-driven deep dives, follow This Week in Horror History on the Weekly Spooky feed and ring in the new year the only proper way: with the lights low and the dread turned up.

Is Bitcoin mining getting squeezed out of North America or is it about to evolve into its next, off-grid chapter?In this episode, Jake Corley (@jacobcorley) and Justin Ballard (@JLB_Oso) sit down with Matt Williams (Luxor) to unpack what's changing in the mining and power markets and why Luxor just launched an energy business inside ERCOT to become a true “one-stop shop” for miners.From netting mining rewards against power bills to using BTC as collateral, from AI/HPC demand pressuring grid capacity to the comeback of smaller 5–20 MW sites, this conversation connects the dots between power markets, miner survival, and the next wave of infrastructure.We explore: ⚡ Why Luxor launched an ERCOT retail power offering and how it integrates with pools, firmware, and hash-rate derivatives ⚡ The miner pain point nobody stops talking about: deposits, cash drag, and capital efficiency (BTC collateral, automated payments, reward netting) ⚡ What AI/HPC demand is doing to energy pricing, grid stability, and North American hashrate growth (plateau vs migration) ⚡ Why “mega-sites” may permanently shift to AI and where Bitcoin mining still wins (flexible load, grid services, speed-to-energize) ⚡ The market reality: 50+ MW sites are hard to energize fast, and 10–20 MW sites are back in play ⚡ Hash price cycles, breakevens, and why disciplined operators with low overhead can stack through the ugly periods ⚡ The on-grid vs off-grid tradeoff and why oil & gas companies with stranded gas may be the best-positioned to scale off-grid mining ⚡ A quick reality check on AI infrastructure economics: margin compression, monetization uncertainty, and why the “bubble” debate isn't going awayIt's Power x Bitcoin x AI and the operators who understand all three will have the edge.

The theme for today's meditation is I am Trusting You, based on selected verses from Psalm 57. God is on our side. In our troubles, we praise Him for we know He is taking care of us. Our heart is quiet and we are confident trust is in a God who will hear us.Daylight Meditations is a daily podcast from CFO North America. Please visit CFONorthAmerica.org to learn more about our retreats, and online courses. If you are encouraged by this podcast, please consider supporting us. Contributors: Michelle DeChant, Adam Maddock, and Phil Reaser

How do fans cope when the object of their fandom becomes problematic? Dr. Zoë Jay returns to the show to share insights from her research within the Eurovision community about this topic through the Eurovisionaries project. We also discuss ideas for fans who may be approaching 2026 with the mindset of new year, new me, new special interest. Dr. Zoë Jay Dr Zoë Jay is a researcher in international politics at the University of Helsinki. She is the lead investigator of the Eurovisionaries Project, which explores how Eurovision fans think about and participate in cultural diplomacy and international politics.

For the last episode of 2025, get to know Abrigo's CTO, Ravi Nemalikanti, as he talks about his AI philosophy at Amazon's AWS Re:Invent conference. Listen in to learn about the metrics Abrigo considers when making decisions about machine learning in its solutions, ensuring that those decisions support community banks and credit unions. About the guest: Ravi Nemalikanti is Abrigo's Chief Product and Technology Officer and is responsible for leading technology strategy and determining product and development priorities to drive innovation and increase the company's competitive advantage. Ravi is the Winner of the 2024 Haas Technology Leadership Awardee for North America by Carlyle, an award given to celebrate an exceptional technology leader. Before joining Abrigo in 2022, Ravi was the CTO of Digital Banking at NCR Corp., where he led the organization's digital-first banking technology roadmap. Earlier, he held leadership roles in Tax and accounting, Global Trade, and Risk Management during 14 years at Thomson Reuters. Ravi holds a bachelor's degree in engineering from Andhra University in Andhra Pradesh, India, and an MBA from the University of Chicago's Booth School of Business.Helpful links: AI Hub - AbrigoWebinar: AI strategy for banking: Unlock the most value - Abrigo

In this episode of the AgNet News Hour, Nick Papagni, “the Ag Meter”, and Lorrie Boyer explore a wide array of topics that matter to California agriculture and beyond, from environmental policies to the wine industry, and international trade. The discussion starts with the ongoing controversy surrounding the reintroduction of wolves, which is a significant issue for farmers and ranchers in both California and Colorado. While environmentalists advocate for the reintroduction to restore balance in the ecosystem, ranchers argue that the wolves are attacking livestock, causing economic harm. Nick and Lorrie reflect on the challenges of proving wolf depredation incidents, pointing out the complexities of navigating federal regulations that often hinder swift action by farmers. This segment underscores the importance of balancing conservation efforts with the practical realities faced by the agricultural community. Next, the conversation shifts to the California wine industry, featuring insights from Allison Jordan of the Wine Institute. As the holiday season approaches, Allison shares her personal wine preferences, such as Pinot Noir for the colder months and sparkling wines for New Year's Eve celebrations. The discussion highlights the unique challenges the wine industry faces in marketing to younger generations, emphasizing the need for fresh, innovative approaches. Despite the hurdles, Allison remains optimistic about the industry's future, noting that wine is an integral part of California's agricultural identity. The segment also touches on the hard work of grape growers and wine producers who dedicate their lives to producing high-quality wine while navigating shifting consumer demands and increasing competition. In the realm of global trade, the hosts discuss the upcoming review of the US-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA), which will play a crucial role in shaping the future of trade relations across North America. With President Trump's administration focusing on tariffs to bring manufacturing jobs back to the U.S., the agricultural sector has seen significant impacts, especially in trade with Mexico and Canada. Nick and Lorrie emphasize how tariffs are reshaping markets, and they speculate on how future negotiations might affect agriculture. While trade uncertainties persist, the hosts are hopeful that 2026 will bring clarity and new opportunities for U.S. farmers and ranchers as relationships with these key trading partners evolve. The episode also delves into more lighthearted topics, including holiday traditions and the economics of Christmas tree farming. As 2025 comes to a close, the hosts reflect on the popularity of real versus artificial trees, pointing out that nearly 30 million real trees are sold each year in the U.S. Nick and Lorrie discuss the growing significance of Christmas tree farming, a multi-million-dollar industry involving over 10,000 family farms. Despite the challenges posed by changing consumer preferences, the hosts agree that the joy of picking out a Christmas tree remains a cherished tradition for many families. Looking ahead to 2026, Nick and Lorrie discuss the challenges and opportunities facing the agricultural sector. With cattle numbers at historic lows, rebuilding herds and addressing the rising costs of feed and land will be top priorities for ranchers. While the ag economy may face another rough year, both hosts remain cautiously optimistic about the recovery prospects. They also highlight the need for new generations to step into the industry, as many older farmers and ranchers are retiring. With the rising cost of land and resources, ensuring that the next generation is equipped to continue the agricultural legacy will be critical in shaping the future of California agriculture. In conclusion, the AgNet News Hour provides listeners with a comprehensive update on California agriculture and the issues shaping the future of the industry. Whether it's environmental policies, the wine sector, or trade relations, the podcast offers valuable insights and expert opinions on topics that matter most to ag professionals. Stay tuned for more episodes as Nick and Lorrie continue to cover the most pressing agricultural news and trends.

Strap in and grab your NG tubes, because the EGS team in TIGER Country is taking you on a fast, forceful, and evidence-packed ride through 15 years of global SBO literature. From the OG 2011 Zielinski model to the latest 2025 predictive tools sweeping across Europe and North America, we're breaking down what matters when the bowel stops behaving and the clock starts ticking.  Join Dr. Rushabh Dev and the Acute Care Surgery crew at the University of Missouri as they tackle the most common EGS consult in America with humor, data, and real-world pearls. Get ready for CT red flags, strangulation scores, Gastrografin truths, and the eternal battle between “operate early” vs. “wait it out.” Whether you're a med student trying to decode your first CT or a seasoned attending debating the next Gastrografin challenge, this episode delivers the insights you need to Dominate the Day. Participants: Dr. Rushabh Dev FACS (Moderator, Surgical Attending) – Assistant Professor of Surgery, Associate PD ACS & SCCM Fellowship, SICU Medical Director, Lieutenant Commander United States Navy Reserve   Dr. Raymond Okeke; Acute Care Surgery & SCCM Fellow  Dr. Eugene Ismailov, General Surgery Resident; PGY 5 Dr. Brycen Ratcliffe, General Surgery Resident; PGY 4 Dr. Desra Flecher, General Surgery Resident; PGY 3 Objectives: 1. Identify the core clinical and CT predictors of operative need in SBO including mesenteric edema, free fluid, closed-loop obstruction, lack of enhancement, and feces sign absence — and understand how these features have remained consistent across 15 years of research. 2. Compare major international SBO predictive models (Zielinski, Geneva Severity Score, STRISK, and NOFA) and describe how they inform real-time decision-making in North American acute care surgery. 3. Apply evidence-based algorithms, including the 2025 JTACS EGS pathway to structure SBO evaluation, integrate Water-Soluble Contrast studies, and avoid delayed surgery in high-risk patients. 4. Evaluate the long-term impact of operative vs. non-operative management with emphasis on recurrence risk, timing between episodes, and how to incorporate recurrence data into patient counseling. 5. Synthesize 15 years of evolving SBO literature into practical bedside strategies by balancing red-flag findings, risk-model guidance, and individualized clinical judgment to optimize outcomes. STRISK and NOFA Calculator: Prediction Models | Clinical Abdominal Surgery Helsinki References  1. Geneva Clinical Severity Score Wassmer, C. H., Guber, J., Zeindler, J., Meier, R. P. H., Ouaïssi, M., Ris, F., Morel, P., Didier, C., & Gkikas, I. (2023). A new clinical severity score for the management of adhesive small bowel obstruction: A cohort study. International Journal of Surgery, 109, 262–270. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/37026805/ 2. STRISK & NOFA Predictive Models Räty, S., Rinta-Kilpinen, E., Eklund, M., Turunen, N., Koskinen, I., Rasilainen, S., Korhonen, T., & Paajanen, H. (2025). Development and external validation of prediction risk models for strangulation or non-operative treatment failure in small bowel obstruction: A multicenter prospective study. Surgery, 178(1), 45–56. Prediction Models | Clinical Abdominal Surgery Helsinki 3. JTACS EGS Algorithm – Evidence-Based, Cost-Effective Management Livingston, D. H., Wolfson, D., Cogbill, T. H., Rice, T. W., Patel, N., et al. (2025). Evidence-based, cost-effective management of small bowel obstruction: An Emergency General Surgery Algorithms Work Group project. Journal of Trauma and Acute Care Surgery, 98(4), 512–528. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/40842046/ 4. Tennessee Recurrence Study (Operative vs Non-Operative Management) Medvecz, A. J., Dennis, B. M., Wang, L., Countouris, M. E., Croce, M. A., Sharpe, J. P., Ivanova, A., & Miller, R. S. (2020). Impact of operative management on recurrence of adhesive small bowel obstruction: A longitudinal analysis of a statewide database. Journal of the American College of Surgeons, 230(4), 544–551.e1. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31954815/ 5. Early Predictive SBO Work – Zielinski (2010–2011) Zielinski, M. D., Eiken, P. W., Bannon, M. P., Heller, S. F., Lohse, C. M., & Huebner, M. (2010). Small bowel obstruction—Who needs an operation? A multivariate prediction model. World Journal of Surgery, 34(5), 910–919. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/20217412/ 6. Zielinski, M. D., Haddad, N. N., Cullinane, D. C., Eiken, P. W., & Huebner, M. (2011). Prospective, observational validation of a multivariate small bowel obstruction model to predict the need for operative intervention. Journal of the American College of Surgeons, 212(6), 1068–1076. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/21458305/ Please visit https://behindtheknife.org to access other high-yield surgical education podcasts, videos and more.   If you liked this episode, check out our recent episodes here: https://behindtheknife.org/listen Behind the Knife Premium: General Surgery Oral Board Review Course: https://behindtheknife.org/premium/general-surgery-oral-board-review Trauma Surgery Video Atlas: https://behindtheknife.org/premium/trauma-surgery-video-atlas Dominate Surgery: A High-Yield Guide to Your Surgery Clerkship: https://behindtheknife.org/premium/dominate-surgery-a-high-yield-guide-to-your-surgery-clerkship Dominate Surgery for APPs: A High-Yield Guide to Your Surgery Rotation: https://behindtheknife.org/premium/dominate-surgery-for-apps-a-high-yield-guide-to-your-surgery-rotation Vascular Surgery Oral Board Review Course: https://behindtheknife.org/premium/vascular-surgery-oral-board-audio-review Colorectal Surgery Oral Board Review Course: https://behindtheknife.org/premium/colorectal-surgery-oral-board-audio-review Surgical Oncology Oral Board Review Course: https://behindtheknife.org/premium/surgical-oncology-oral-board-audio-review Cardiothoracic Oral Board Review Course: https://behindtheknife.org/premium/cardiothoracic-surgery-oral-board-audio-review Download our App: Apple App Store: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/behind-the-knife/id1672420049 Android/Google Play: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.btk.app&hl=en_US

In this heartfelt year-end episode, Connected Families team members Stacy Bellward, Chad Hayenga, and Joe Dewey gather to reflect on a transformative year and share exciting plans for 2026 to continue to encourage you on your journey with intentional parenting. Along the way, they open up about their own families’ rhythms for reflecting on the year past and looking ahead. This episode has practical ideas you can try with your own family. Whether you’re curious about what’s next for Connected Families or looking for fresh ways to close out the year together, this episode has something for you. Key Takeaways: Ideas for family rhythms for year-end reflection Connected Families highlights from 2025 Looking forward to 2026 Mentioned in this Podcast: The Heart of Jesus, Dan Orland Book Connected Families Impact Stories Donate to Connected Families Connected Families Certified Parent Coach Program Check out our website for more resources to support your parenting! This podcast was made possible by members of The Table, whose monthly support creates a ripple effect of change for generations to come. We'd love to have you take a seat at The Table! Love the podcast? Leave a review to help other parents discover the show! Guest Bio: Joe Dewey is a Connected Families Certified Parent Coach. He has a Bachelor's in Mechanical Engineering and has served in full-time ministry with Cru in Leader Development and Human Resources since 2010. He has been a certified life coach since 2017. These experiences and more have molded him to lead with solutions. Whether it comes to ministry or parenting, he finds clarity in the midst of complexity, providing win-win solutions. Chad Hayenga joined Connected Families in 2005. He is married to Carma and has three adult daughters and two sons-in-law. Chad oversees coaching and the Parent Coach Certification Program, which continues to grow in its reach across North America and worldwide. © 2025 Connected Families .stk-14eb4a5-inner-blocks{justify-content:center !important;}.stk-14eb4a5 {background-image:url(https://connectedfamilies.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/iStock-894693700-scaled.jpg) !important;padding-top:64px !important;padding-right:64px !important;padding-bottom:64px !important;padding-left:64px !important;}.stk-14eb4a5-container{background-color:#00000096 !important;}.stk-14eb4a5-container:before{background-color:#00000096 !important;}.stk-14eb4a5 .stk-block-hero__content{min-height:300px !important;max-width:400px !important;min-width:auto !important;margin-right:auto !important;margin-left:0px !important;}@media screen and (max-width:689px){.stk-14eb4a5 {background-position:center right !important;padding-top:30px !important;padding-right:30px !important;padding-bottom:30px !important;padding-left:30px !important;}} .stk-a848eca .stk-block-heading__text{color:var(--theme-palette-color-8, #ffffff) !important;}“Things began to change when…” .stk-945cf01 .stk-block-text__text{color:#FFFFFF !important;}Be part of the team that brings “aha” moments of grace to families. .stk-6b4031e .stk-button-group{flex-direction:row !important;}@media screen and (max-width:999px){.stk-6b4031e .stk-button-group{flex-direction:row !important;}}@media screen and (max-width:689px){.stk-6b4031e .stk-button-group{flex-direction:row !important;}} .stk-9906cf2 .stk-button{background:#431c3b !important;}.stk-9906cf2 .stk-button:hover:after{background:#95848f !important;opacity:1 !important;}.stk-9906cf2 .stk-button__inner-text{font-size:21px !important;color:var(--theme-palette-color-8, #ffffff) !important;font-weight:600 !important;}.stk-9906cf2 .stk-button:hover .stk-button__inner-text{color:var(--theme-palette-color-8, #ffffff) !important;}@media screen and (max-width:999px){.stk-9906cf2 .stk-button__inner-text{font-size:21px !important;}}DONATE TODAY