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North Korea arrests hackers accused of stealing from state banks. North Korean authorities arrested a group of former military hackers accused of stealing funds from two state banks and laundering the money through crypto, according to a Daily NK report. The regime's hackers stole a record $2 billion in crypto last year. CoinDesk's Uyen Truong hosts "CoinDesk Daily." - This episode is brought to you by RealFi, a smarter stablecoin, backed by real-world assets. Find out more at realfi.co. - Ledn provides a secure and transparent way to access liquidity while maintaining your bitcoin holdings. Perfect 8 year track record of keeping clients assets safe. Don't sell your bitcoin. Get a bitcoin-backed loan. Check out your rate by using their loan calculator at ledn.io - JPEG Trading is a global proprietary trading firm specializing in cryptocurrency and decentralized finance markets. From market structure and liquidity provision to quantitative trading strategies, JPEG Trading operates across the full spectrum of blockchain-based assets. Follow @jpegtrading on X to stay ahead of the latest developments in digital asset markets: https://x.com/jpegtrading - This episode was hosted by Uyen Truong. “CoinDesk Daily” is produced by Jennifer Sanasie and edited by Victor Chen.
“It's kind of in the DNA of American bourgeois capitalist politics: demonize your enemy, call them a communist, and that's the end of the story. But there's another element, which is the Republican Party, the MAGA project, Project 2025 — the Trump White House is failing.” The House Ways and Means Committee has sent a subpoena to BreakThrough News, demanding internal communications, financial records and more. We are not charged with any crime, because our only “crime” has been to tell the truth – about the Palestine solidarity movement, about ICE's terror in our streets, about Washington's crimes around the world, from Cuba to the Congo. This is a flagrant abuse of power, and a direct attack on our work as journalists and on the First Amendment.The State Department's dangerous “Cuba report” released Monday – blasting Havana as the global center of a sinister anti-American communist plot by Russia, China, Iran, North Korea– is just the latest step in the Trump administration's McCarthyist revival. But attacks on the left didn't start with Trump: Brian Becker, host of the Socialist Program, joins BT Live to discuss how this latest crackdown on free speech is rooted in US history: From the Palmer Raids to COINTELPRO, every time a mass movement for a more just world starts to gain real traction, the state reaches for the same playbook.DONATE / SIGN THE PETITION: https://breakthroughnews.org/bt-under-attack
In part two of their conversation, Generation Jihad's Bill Roggio, FDD CMPP Senior Director Bradley Bowman, and FDD Senior Analyst Cameron McMillan ask a tough question following months of kinetic warfare with Iran: What's the Pentagon's readiness for the next battle?The US currently falls dangerously short on munitions supply, a modernized naval fleet, and the manpower to fight in multiple theaters. Is our military prepared for the next round of conflict with Iran—and the potential threats from other members of the “Axis of Aggressors,” Russia, China, and North Korea?For Part One, check out: https://www.fdd.org/podcasts/2026/07/23/what-is-irans-breaking-point/
Michael Angelo Zervos is a Guinness World Record holder — he visited all 195 UN-recognized countries in 499 days. Along the way he interviewed people in every country about the happiest moment of their life. That project became a book, published by Penguin Random House, out February 23rd. We talked about: how the record works and what actually counts as "visiting" a country; a year and a half of planning vs. the Brazilian who claimed he did it by accident; getting jailed overnight in Liberia for taking a photo of a building; being deported from Nicaragua because they thought he was a journalist; how he got into North Korea during a two-week window that's since closed permanently; what North Korea is actually like (his answer: Plato's allegory of the cave, in real life); Cuba on the ground vs. what the left says about it; traveling through Ukraine, Palestine, Syria, and Sudan; asking people about happiness in active conflict zones; and what his grandfather being forced to fight for communist guerrillas in the Greek Civil War has to do with any of it. Get the book → The Happiest Moment of Your Life: True Stories from a Journey to Every Country in the World https://amzn.to/4pHdYav Follow Michael on Instagram → https://www.instagram.com/theprojectkosmos/ TIMESTAMPS: 0:00 — Intro — who is Michael Angelo Zervos? 0:34 — Greeks in America — diners, Coney Islands, and the varsity jacket problem 5:05 — Christopher Nolan's Odyssey — not a single Greek in the cast 6:25 — 195 countries in 499 days — how the Guinness World Record works 8:04 — A year and a half of planning — and the Brazilian who claimed he did it by accident 9:33 — What counts as "visiting" a country? The Guinness rules 11:08 — Project Cosmos — interviewing people about the happiest moment of their life 13:13 — Brand deals, sponsorships, and the reality of Guinness World Record celebrity 14:35 — Traveling as a man vs. a woman — the real differences 16:37 — Married with two kids — how he pulled this off 20:24 — The happiest moment of the trip — waking up in Ghana 21:33 — The Swiss man who came out as bisexual at a phone-free party in Zurich 23:45 — The worst moments: jailed in Liberia for photographing a building 26:57 — Deported from Nicaragua — they thought he was a journalist 27:41 — Left-wing dictatorships and the memory hole 29:50 — North Korea — getting in through a two-week window that's now closed 32:14 — North Korea as Plato's cave — the allegory of the cave in real life 33:44 — His grandfather forced to fight for communist guerrillas in the Greek Civil War 35:29 — Dennis Rodman's translator was a libertarian 36:44 — Cuba — what it's actually like on the ground 38:40 — Poverty porn, romanticizing socialism, and what Cubans actually think 43:42 — The Facebook argument: "Oh no, Starbucks is going to ruin Cuba" 45:38 — What's actually lost when wealth is generated — community and dependency 47:27 — Traveling through conflict zones: Ukraine, Palestine, Syria, Sudan 49:37 — Asking people about happiness in a war zone 50:27 — The book: published by Penguin Random House, out February 23rd 52:23 — Chicken soup for the soul meets Anthony Bourdain — what the book actually is 54:14 — Outro — follow Michael and get the book Watch full episodes on YouTube → https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J4Vb53s4I0A&list=PLb5trMQQvT077-L1roE0iZyAgT4dD4EtJ Listen on Apple Podcasts → https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-lou-perez-podcast/id1535032081 Listen on Spotify → https://open.spotify.com/show/2KAtC7eFS3NHWMZp2UgMVU Co-host of Happy Hour Econ → https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/happy-hour-econ/id1863476697 Lou's book — That Joke Isn't Funny Anymore: https://amzn.to/3VhFa1r TheLouPerez.com | info@thelouperez.com Newsletter: https://substack.com/@louperez Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
HEADLINES Nadia Comăneci says Ana Barbosu's legal fees in the fight to retain her Paris 2024 bronze medal will be covered. U.S. CLASSIC MORNING-AFTER COFFEE KLATSCH Reese Esponda Wins the U.S. Classic All-Around Esponda improved her top all-around score by nearly a full point, finished almost a point ahead of Jade Carey and entered the conversation for a World Championships team spot. Full U.S. Classic results and video of every routine Katelyn Ohashi Returns to Elite Gymnastics Ohashi made her triumphant return to elite gymnastics for the first time since 2013—and competed in her first senior U.S. Classic. Is Skye Blakely the All-Around Favorite for Nationals? MINI COMMISSION: EFFICIENT ROUTINE CONSTRUCTION: request for smart routine construction for Dulcy Caylor and Kaylia Nemour World Championships Qualifiers China, Japan, South Korea and North Korea qualified teams to Rotterdam. Amanda Yap of Singapore earned an individual Worlds spot. The Uzbekistani and Filipino men missed Worlds qualification despite outscoring the United States and Brazil, which did qualify. CHAPTERS 00:00 – Ana Barbosu's Legal Fees 06:51 – U.S. Classic Debrief 12:55 – Reese Esponda's Worlds Case 21:25 – Katelyn Ohashi's Next Move 27:07 – Skye Blakely and Jade Carey 36:39 – Who We're Worried About 43:36 – U.S. International Standing 48:20 – Gymternet News 54:00 – Efficient Routine Construction 1:13:03 – Commonwealth Games and Worlds Qualifiers RELATED EPISODES Behind the Scenes: U.S. Classic 2026 Meet Report Behind the Scenes: Podium Training Report—U.S. Classic 2026 Behind the Scenes: Ohashi Is Back with Scott Bregman UP NEXT Behind the Scenes, our live Q&A podcast, Fridays at noon Pacific. SUPPORT OUR WORK Join Club Gym Nerd for weekly Behind the Scenes episodes, our complete members-only archive, games, the forum and live-show discounts. Shop GymCastic merchandise. Thanks to our sponsor Huel -our exclusive offer of 15% OFF with our code GYMCASTIC at huel.com/GYMCASTIC. New Customers Only. Thank you to Huel for partnering and supporting our show! GYMCASTIC TOOLS, GAMES AND RESOURCES LA 2028 Roster Lab Elite Score Explorer International Gymnastics Calendar GymCastic Games GymCastic Newsletters The Balance Beam Situation: Spencer's GIF Code of Points Gymnastics History: Uncle Tim's gymnastics history and Code of Points archive Resistance Resources Cover art photos of Skye Blakely, Jade Carey and Reese Esponda © GymCastic/Steve Cooper. All rights reserved. Katelyn Ohashi cover-art photo © Melissa J. Perenson/Cal Sport Media.
On Monday's Mark Levin Show, the Iranian regime's ballistic missiles have caused more American casualties -this regime must be destroyed with no further timeouts, negotiations, or delays, as it's their nature is to string out conflicts while rebuilding just enough capacity to outlast the Trump administration and complicate matters through the midterms via Democratic impeachment threats. The Army identified two soldiers killed in from Iran's attack at Mufuak Salti Air Base in Jordan—1st Lt. Tyler James Freean, and Private Isabella Gonzalez. President Trump has directed that Iran will pay many times over for every American killed. Also, an armed lunatic set off an incendiary device in an apparent anti-ICE attack outside a federal building housing FBI and ICE offices in NYC. Violence against ICE is up 1,300%. This is what happens when Democrats repeatedly demonizing ICE as Nazis who “disappear” people, along with similar rhetoric against Trump, Republicans, Netanyahu, and Israel. Later, the Tate brothers, once celebrated and applauded by figures in the Woke Reich like Tucker Carlson, and Steve Bannon, are now detained on a UK provisional arrest warrant seeking extradition for dozens of rapes, human trafficking, and related charges. These are scumbags running a slave sex operation and are not conservatives or people to promote or defend. These thugs and their enablers should be rejected - MAGA supporters want nothing to do with them. Afterward, the ICC is a complete political setup job that the United States and Israel do not recognize. No, Zohran Mamdani cannot arrest Benjamin Netanyahu while he's at the UN in NYC – it's a crime to attempt to arrest an elected head of state. Mamdani is hypocritically targeting only Netanyahu while giving a pass to mass-murdering dictators and leaders from Arab, Muslim, and other regimes. Finally, the growing cabal of Marxist Islamists, who want to destroy America, will swallow the Democrat leadership. They continue to claim they are for the “working people.” Marxist polices enslave the working people. The mass grave in in communist China, the Soviet Union, and North Korea were all filled with hardworking people who rejected those systems. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Jonathan Swan, a White House reporter for The New York Times, joins School of War to discuss the reporting behind his new book, Regime Change: Inside the Imperial Presidency of Donald Trump, co-authored with Maggie Haberman. How does Donald Trump make geopolitical decisions? What drove him to join Israel's war against Iran? How has his thinking on Ukraine evolved? And how does China fit into all of this? 02:23 - Inside Regime Change 05:29 - Trump's View of the World 09:04 - Why Trump Sees Iran Differently 11:25 - Trump's Proxy Strategy 12:44 - Steve Witkoff's Worldview 13:43 - The Principles Behind Iran Policy 14:45 - North Korea vs. Iran 16:15 - Ron Dermer's Prediction 17:58 - Why the 12-Day War Matters 20:48 - Netanyahu's Case for War 25:20 - Trump's Inner Circle on Iran 28:01 - Trump's Turn on Ukraine 30:36 - Trump's Approach to China 31:55 - Taiwan and the China Challenge 33:16 - The Future of Trump's Foreign Policy Follow along on Instagram, X @schoolofwarpod, and YouTube @SchoolofWarPodcast, or at The Free Press Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Send us Fan MailIn this episode of Brewstilled Barrel Aged Mysteries continues. For this edition of Barrel Aged Mysteries, we're exploring the mystery surrounding Room 39 in North Korea. Room 39 has been described as the cornerstone of the North Korea's so-called "court economy" centered on the dynastic Kim family. Room 39 is also involved in the management of foreign currency earnings from foreigners' hotels in Pyongyang, mining operations, along with various business ventures. It's also believed to run networks of illegal and legal companies that often change names. Yet, Room 39 has a darker and mysterious side as its believed to have been involved with sinister operations surround this organization with mystery. I'll discuss the mystery of Room 39 here on Brewstilled with a Barrel Aged Ale from Pherm Brewing Company as the beer pairing.
When the pastor began to weep, Cade Jefferson, the leader of VOM's work in the Middle East and North Africa, wasn't quite sure how to respond. He had just explained to the pastor how The Voice of the Martyrs comes alongside persecuted Christians and how the ministry was ready to help should a member of his congregation be persecuted or arrested for sharing the gospel with Muslims. "We've found the people that are going to help us," the pastor exclaimed. Listen to VOM Radio this week to hear about the dream that pastor had the night before meeting with Cade, and how Christian persecution may look different for Christians in different parts of the region, depending on whether they live on the Arabian Peninsula, in North Africa, or the Levant. Cade will also share how he and his team view their region through the lens of the persecuted church and how they see the differences for Christians in countries with historic, infant, or predominantly immigrant churches. You'll hear specific kinds of persecution our brothers and sisters experience in places like Mauritania, Lebanon, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Libya and more, including the danger they willingly endure to boldly engage in gospel conversations with Muslims. Pray for unity among Christians in nations with very young churches; for stamina for immigrant churches as they reach out; and for boldness among Christians in countries with a historic church presence. Also, please lift up brothers and sisters currently imprisoned for their faith in Libya. The VOM App for your smartphone or tablet will help you pray daily for persecuted Christians in nations like North Korea, Nigeria, China, and Iran, as well as provide free access to e-books, audiobooks, video content, and feature films. Download the VOM App for your iOS or Android device today.
Cap's founders on shrinking their Stabledrop from $11M to $4M — plus a $23M hack traced toward North Korea, a BarnBridge governance exploit, and Kain's case to force weak L2s to become their own L1s. ======================================================== Thank you to our sponsors! Cape: Your biggest crypto vulnerability isn't your wallet, it's your phone number. Cape is America's privacy-first mobile carrier that rotates your SIM identity daily and blocks SIM swaps before they happen. Get 33% off your first six months at https://cape.co/unchained (use code: UNCHAINED). ======================================================== Cap committed to a roughly 11 million dollar Stabledrop in February, promising early users stablecoins instead of tokens. A delayed token sale raised less than hoped, and the reward shrank to about 4 million, forcing a fast rewrite of who got paid. Benjamin Sarquis Peillard, Founder and CEO of Cap, and Weso of Cap join Kain Warwick and Taylor Monahan to walk through a restructuring that made yield-token holders whole, left farmers without a windfall, and argue points programs are an uncapped marketing expense many projects cannot afford. The conversation widens into EthSystems, a new Ethereum Foundation spinout backed by Joe Lubin, SharpLink and BitMine, Jesse Pollak handing Base product leadership to Cobie, Robinhood Chain's Morpho integration, and whether Ethereum mainnet undercharges L2s. They revisit BarnBridge's SEC-era DAO structure, a dormant governance exploit, a MetaMask and Revoke.cash delegation tool, and a 23 million dollar Ostium hack Taylor traced toward North Korea. Kain closes with a Three Mile Island analogy: complex systems fail not from one mistake, but from small shortcuts compounding at once. Hosts: Kain Warwick - Host of Uneasy Money and Founder of Infinex and Synthetix Taylor Monahan - Co-host of Uneasy Money and Security Expert Guests: Benjamin Sarquis Peillard - Founder and CEO of Cap Weso - Co-Founder of Cap Timestamps
On this week's Defense & Aerospace Report Washington Roundtable, Dr. Patrick Cronin of the Hudson Institute think tank, Michael Herson of American Defense International, former DoD Europe chief Jim Townsend of the Center for a New American Security, and former Pentagon Comptroller Dr. Dov Zakheim of the Center for Strategic and International Studies join Defense & Aerospace Report Editor Vago Muradian to discuss renewed US-Iran hostilities; a bewildering bewildering week in Congress as the NDAA and appropriations stalled in the Senate, the Iran supplemental and reconciliation; how Sen. Mitch McConnell's illness and Sen. Lindsey Graham's sudden death impact legislation; Pentagon policy chief Bridge Colby's dismissal of “middle power” strategies; Volodymyr Zelenskyy's latest cabinet reshuffle that ousted Yulia Svyrydenko and his popular defense minister Mykylo Federov; after dismissing the Knesset and calling October elections, Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu to visit Washington for Graham's funeral; Israel and Lebanon advance peace talks and Hamas asks Iran for help; more than 100 Democratic lawmakersand one Republican vote against military support for Israel; Iraq's new Prime Minister Ali al Zaidi met with Trump at the White House; Xi Jinping continues to purge the part of top leaders accused of corruption, expelling Politburo member Ma Xingrui, the former governor of Xinjiang province who once headed the country's space program; North Korea accuses Pak Hui-chol, deputy director of the Organization Department of the Korean People's Army General Political Bureau, of abuse of power and corruption; and the US Coast Guard will base a squadron of its cutters to the Western Pacific.
Jim Carafano of the Heritage Foundation joins the show to unpack the overnight strikes near Bandar Abbas and why President Trump waited so long to respond to Iran's provocations. Carafano makes the case that Trump follows a Reagan-style peace through strength philosophy, weighing every American life before pulling the trigger, and dismisses concerns over presidential safety by praising the Secret Service under this administration. The two also dig into the president's election integrity speech, with Carafano confirming there's serious evidence China, Russia, and North Korea have hacked American election websites and stolen voter data, while blasting officials who limited the president's access to critical intelligence. The takeaway for listeners: protecting America's elections and calling out China's malicious activity isn't optional, it's a matter of national security that transcends politics. Hashtags: #JimCarafano #HeritageFoundation #IranStrikes #ElectionSecurity #ChinaThreat #PeaceThroughStrength #NationalSecurity #TrumpAdministration #ConservativeTalk #FaithFamilyFreedom #MarcCoxMorningShow
✈️ ETF III Update #6: Bangkok 2026 Hey now! I am your host Ric Gazarian, and I am here with the sixth update for the Extraordinary Travel Festival (ETF III), happening October 22-25, 2026, in Bangkok. We have 4 amazing days of community, content, and exploration of Bangkok and beyond. Over 175 people have committed to joining ETF III — 25 additional people have joined since the last podcast just 4 weeks ago. Use code BANGKOK to join and save $100.
Conspiracy theories and the football World Cup seem to go hand in hand. Football writer James Montague is digging into one that refuses to fade; a story that takes us back to the first time America hosted the men's football World Cup.. Did the US influence a qualifying tournament to keep its enemies Iraq, Iran and North Korea from playing at USA ‘94? It's a conspiracy theory put forward by the Iraqi football federation over thirty years ago and one that's obsessed football writer James Montague for over a decade.
NK News Data Correspondent Anton Sokolin joins this week's podcast to discuss North Korea's deepening ties with China and Russia, starting with Premier Pak Thae Song's meeting with Xi Jinping in Beijing during a visit marking the 65th anniversary of the China-DPRK alliance treaty. He also previews Wang Huning's upcoming visit to Pyongyang and explains what these high-level exchanges suggest about where Beijing-Pyongyang ties stand. The conversation turns to Russia's growing demand for North Korean labor, before breaking down a strange Russian court case involving a failed corn shipment to North Korea and how it exposed DPRK sanctions-evasion networks. In the second part of the episode, retired senior U.S. diplomat Susan Thornton discusses the “fire and fury” period of 2017, the Trump-Kim summit process and what lessons Washington should draw from that era of direct diplomacy with Pyongyang. She also delves into whether denuclearization remains a realistic goal, what interim steps the U.S. could pursue, how China and Russia are shaping North Korea's strategic calculations and what a realistic policy success might look like in the years ahead. About the podcast: The North Korea News Podcast is a weekly podcast hosted by Alannah Hill exclusively for NK News, covering all things DPRK — from news to extended interviews with leading experts and analysts in the field, along with insight from our very own journalists.
China's northeast region borders Russian Siberia and North Korea. It's a cold, vast area known for its gritty industrial history. But now the northeast is also the source of some of the country's most popular music, literature, comedy and culture. And it's come to represent both nostalgia for China's past and apprehension for the country's economic future. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences.NPR Privacy Policy
The Morning XTRA with Tug and Los delivers conservative talk on the biggest political, cultural, and news stories of the day. Smart analysis, unapologetic opinions, and real conversations every weekday morning. Every weekday from 6a to 10a! Tug and Los discuss the fallout from the Supreme Court's budget and security hearing, why the U.S. economy continues to grow despite ongoing global conflicts, and why they believe the rest of the country is finally realizing what conservatives have been saying for years. The guys also react to polling showing Americans' views on Hamas, take aim at the mainstream media's coverage of President Trump, and dive into the latest headlines surrounding New York City's housing crisis and President Joe Biden's new book. Also on today's show:• Storytime with Los: 20 quotes and why they still matter today• The argument that tyranny often comes in the name of compassion• Another edition of "Stupid Games, Win Stupid Prizes"• Why New York City's housing policies have fueled a rent crisis• How media narratives shape public perception and political debate• The broader cultural divide and why Americans are increasingly at odds over the country's futureAtlanta's ONLY All Conservative News & Talk Station.: https://www.xtra1063.com/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
The Morning XTRA with Tug and Los delivers conservative talk on the biggest political, cultural, and news stories of the day. Smart analysis, unapologetic opinions, and real conversations every weekday morning. Every weekday from 6a to 10a! First thing to know: We all rooted for all-time high rent in NYC Tyranny comes in the name of compassion Joe Biden’s new book / Stupid Games Win Stupid Prizes Atlanta's ONLY All Conservative News & Talk Station.: https://www.xtra1063.com/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Medical missionaries are often called upon to provide care that is beyond the scope of their training and previous experience. This interactive case presentation looks at the realities of clinical decision-making in a critically ill snakebitten patient, and offers suggestions on how to navigate similar challenging situations.
Hear how completing his journey to 195 countries inspired Cameron's humanitarian work & shaped his vision for the future. ============================ Get the Monday Minute my weekly email with 3 personal recs for travel, culture, and living beyond borders you can read in 60 seconds. ============================ ON THIS EPISODE Cameron Mofid completed his quest to visit every country in the world by age 25 and shares stories from some of his most extraordinary experiences across Africa, including practicing extreme exposure therapy with the Mundari tribe in South Sudan, spending time in jail in Djibouti, and navigating security threats in Somalia. We also discuss how his travels inspired the creation of Humanity Effect, the nonprofit he founded to support schools, an orphanage, and healthcare initiatives in Nigeria. He then tells the story of completing his final country by running the Pyongyang Marathon in North Korea. Cameron also opens up about why achieving his lifelong goal left him searching for a new sense of purpose, and how travel continues to shape his life, humanitarian work, and his mission to inspire others through public speaking and storytelling. → Full show notes with direct links to everything discussed are available here. ============================ FREE RESOURCES FOR YOU: See my Top 10 Apps For Digital Nomads See my Top 10 Books For Digital Nomads See my 7 Keys For Building A Remote Business (Even in a space that's not traditionally virtual) Watch my Video Training on Stylish Minimalist Packing so you can join #TeamCarryOn See the Travel Gear I Use and Recommend See How I Produce The Maverick Show Podcast (The equipment, services & vendors I use) ============================ ENJOYING THE SHOW? Follow The Maverick Show on Instagram and DM Matt to continue the conversation Please leave a rating and review — it really helps the show and I read each one personally You can buy me a coffee — espressos help me produce significantly better podcast episodes!
The Korean Peninsula was divided after the second world war as the Soviet Union occupied the north and the US occupying the south. Though this division was initially meant to be temporary, the subsequent Korean War and its aftermath cemented the divisions for both North and South as the Cold War brought troops from both the United States and the People's Republic of China into direct conflict.Support the show My latest novel, "Califia's Crusade," is now available at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Kobo, Apple Books, Bookshop.org, and many other online platforms!
Stalin's Strategic Shift and the Path to the Korean War GUEST: Nick Bunker Throughout 1949, Stalin was skeptical of Kim Il-sung's plan to invade South Korea, doubting North Korea's capability and the strategic rationale. However, in January 1950, Stalin abruptly authorized the planning of the attack. This shift was fueled by several factors: his newfound confidence in Mao as an ally and the perception that the United States would not intervene. Stalin interpreted Dean Acheson's "defensive perimeter" speech and the congressional defeat of the Korean aid bill as signals of American withdrawal from the peninsula. Furthermore, Stalin saw Korea as strategically vital for securing the Soviet Far East and strengthening communist states in Asia. While Washington remained largely oblivious to these plans, Stalin benefited from an abundance of intelligence gathered simply by reading American newspapers, which were filled with leaks about the "confusion" and "dissension" within the Truman administration. (6)
General Jack Keane reflects on his transition from a Manhattan Catholic education and Fordham University ROTC to a distinguished thirty-eight-year military career. He attributes his development to the Jesuit emphasis on critical thinking and his early decision to trade a potential business career for the challenges of leading infantry paratroopers. Transitioning to global affairs, Keane identifies a unified strategic threat from the collaboration of China, Russia, Iran, and North Korea, arguing that these nations are exploiting perceived weaknesses in American leadership to reshape the world order. He advocates for credible deterrence through both military capability and the national resolve to use it, drawing parallels to the containment of the Soviet Union. Despite modern political divisions, Keane maintains profound faith in the American people and their historical ability to self-correct and overcome national crises through shared values and discipline. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Cindy Adams delivers a sharp critique of the perceived moral and intellectual decline of the United States, targeting the rise of superficial influencer culture and the lack of accountability among career politicians. She contrasts these societal frustrations with a structured interview featuring General Jack Keane, who provides a sobering analysis of global security threats posed by a collaborative effort between China, Russia, Iran, and North Korea. Despite his warnings regarding the fragility of international peace, Keane expresses an enduring faith in the American people and the resilience of democratic institutions to correct the nation's course. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Did you ever wonder why so many people didn't get out before the dot-com crash? It's an important question to ask yourself, especially if you believe you'll know exactly when to get out before any potential correction in today's AI and semiconductor stocks. The reality is that the dot-com bubble burst only 25 years ago. Human nature hasn't changed since then. Investors today are no smarter than investors were back then, and the same emotions that drove the bubble are showing up again. There were four major reasons so many people lost money during the tech bust. The first was that investors stopped focusing on earnings and price-to-earnings ratios. Instead, they justified sky-high valuations by looking at metrics like website traffic, page views, click-through rates, and the number of "eyeballs" on a screen. The assumption was that if revenue kept growing, profits would eventually follow. Many ignored the reality that businesses also have expenses, competition, and execution risk. The second reason was FOMO or the fear of missing out. Between 1995 and 2000, the Nasdaq surged roughly 400%. As people watched friends, coworkers, and investors make fortunes on tech stocks and IPOs, more and more money poured into the market. Institutional investors and retail investors alike stopped worrying about valuations. They simply saw stocks going up and didn't want to miss the ride. The third reason was the belief that "this time is different." You heard it everywhere: "You just don't get it. This is the new economy." Investors argued that traditional valuation metrics no longer mattered because the only thing that counted was gaining market share. Profitability could always come later. The fourth reason was the assumption that capital would never dry up. Few investors paid attention to where companies were getting their money. Many businesses were surviving on venture capital rather than sustainable profits. When funding slowed and investors became more selective, those companies had no profitable business model to fall back on. Many quickly went bankrupt. At the peak of the bubble, investors stopped asking basic questions. What am I paying for this company's earnings? What am I paying for its cash flow? In many cases, there weren't any. Yet investors convinced themselves the speculative frenzy would continue indefinitely. The biggest lesson is a humbling one. We like to believe we'll recognize the top and get out before everyone else. But investors in 2000 believed the same thing. Human psychology hasn't changed, which is why bubbles continue to repeat throughout history. Don't Build That Data Center in My Backyard The race to build AI infrastructure is running into an obstacle that many investors probably didn't see coming: local communities. Across the country, residents are protesting and filing lawsuits to stop new AI data centers from being built in their neighborhoods. One of the biggest concerns is something most people never think about, the constant noise. Data centers operate around the clock, with cooling fans, chillers, and backup generators creating a continuous hum 24 hours a day. That may not sound like a major issue until you have to live next to it. New York has become one of the focal points of this debate. While the state has plenty of available land for development, many communities are pushing back. Governor Kathy Hochul is even considering legislation that would place a moratorium on the construction of large data centers in certain areas. Public opinion reflects that growing resistance. According to recent polling, 44% of Americans oppose additional data center construction, while only 21% support it. When the question becomes more personal and whether people would support a data center being built in their own community, opposition jumps to 57%, while support falls to just 14%. Residents also question the long-term economic benefits. Building a data center may create thousands of construction jobs, but once the facility is complete, permanent employment may fall to just 100 to 200 workers. At the same time, these facilities consume enormous amounts of electricity. In some regions served by smaller utilities, a single data center could account for as much as 25% of total power demand, raising concerns about higher electricity costs and increased strain on the grid. The political landscape is becoming more challenging. Lawmakers in states including Arizona, Illinois, and Ohio have restricted or eliminated tax incentives that were previously used to attract data center investment. Even the companies building this infrastructure recognize the growing risk. The hyperscalers are expected to spend nearly $1 trillion on AI infrastructure this year, but increasing public opposition could slow those plans. Nebius Group, for example, warned in its 2025 annual report that rising resistance to data center projects in certain communities could become a headwind for future expansion. Investors have spent a great deal of time focusing on AI demand, chips, and software. However, another risk is emerging that deserves attention: if communities continue saying, "Not in my backyard," the pace of AI infrastructure growth may not be as smooth as many expect. Is Crypto Weakening One of America's Most Powerful Weapons? One of the United States' greatest geopolitical advantages isn't its military, it's the U.S. dollar. Roughly 90% of global foreign exchange transactions involve the U.S. dollar. That dominance gives the United States enormous leverage. When the U.S. imposes financial sanctions and cuts countries off from the dollar-based financial system, it becomes far more difficult for them to conduct international trade, finance military operations, or access global markets. That advantage is beginning to erode. Countries that have long opposed the United States such as Russia, Iran, and North Korea are increasingly turning to cryptocurrencies to bypass traditional financial channels. According to reports, their use of virtual currencies for cross-border transactions surged from roughly $12.5 billion in 2024 to more than $100 billion in 2025. Crypto gives sanctioned nations another way to move money. It can be used to purchase drones, weapons, military components, and fuel, while also helping finance operations such as smuggling oil and paying suppliers outside the traditional banking system. North Korea has become one of the world's most aggressive crypto thieves, using hacking and other cybercrimes to steal digital assets that can then be converted into funding for its military and weapons programs. Part of the challenge is that cryptocurrency wallets are identified by long strings of letters and numbers rather than names. While blockchain transactions are publicly visible, identifying the person or organization controlling a wallet can be extremely difficult without additional intelligence. That makes enforcement of financial sanctions much harder. Even terrorist organizations such as Hamas have, at times, solicited donations in cryptocurrency, illustrating how digital assets can be used to circumvent traditional financial controls. This is why I believe cryptocurrency has become more than just an investment story, it has become a national security issue. If Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies were to experience a significant decline in value, it would reduce the purchasing power of those holding large crypto reserves, including sanctioned actors that rely on digital assets. While it would not eliminate their ability to use crypto, it could make this alternative financial system less effective and increase the relative importance of the dollar-based financial system. The stronger the role of the U.S. dollar in global commerce, the more effective financial sanctions remain as a non-military tool of foreign policy. With cryptocurrencies becoming more widely adopted, policymakers will need to consider the risk of weakening one of America's most effective forms of economic leverage. Even with oil off its recent peak, you still may not see cheaper airline tickets. You might assume that with the decline in oil prices, jet fuel costs are also declining, and airlines will pass those savings on to travelers through lower ticket prices. Oil and jet fuel prices have indeed come down, but don't expect airlines to slash fares anytime soon. The reason is simple: demand remains strong. Even after airlines raised fares eight times since the start of the conflict in the Middle East, analysts say the average round-trip domestic ticket climbed roughly 19% to about $638 yet demand barely changed. In other words, consumers have shown they are willing to pay higher prices to travel. If people keep buying tickets, airlines have little incentive to lower fares and give up those higher profit margins. Supply is also likely to remain constrained. Airlines aren't rushing to add flights because keeping capacity tight helps support higher ticket prices. The bankruptcy and downsizing of low-cost carriers such as Spirit Airlines has also reduced competition on many routes, making it easier for the remaining airlines to maintain pricing power. To be fair, airline pricing should be viewed over a longer time horizon. From 2019 through 2025, overall consumer prices rose about 26%, while average airfares actually declined roughly 3.5%. So, despite the recent increases, airline tickets are still relatively inexpensive compared with the broader rise in inflation over the past six years. The bottom line is that lower fuel costs alone don't guarantee lower ticket prices. As long as travel demand remains healthy and airlines keep capacity in check, consumers may not see much relief at the checkout screen. Letting Air Out of the Investment Portfolio Balloon Before It Pops At one point or another, we've all seen a balloon inflated until it finally bursts. The same thing can happen to an investment portfolio. Watching your portfolio grow is exciting, but every investor knows that markets don't go up forever. The challenge is that no one knows exactly when a portfolio has become too inflated. One of the biggest reasons investors refuse to sell is simple: they hate paying taxes. Believe me, I dislike paying taxes just as much as anyone else. But you should never let the tax bill dictate your investment decisions. Sometimes the smartest move is to relieve some of the pressure in your portfolio before the market does it for you. There are two simple ways to accomplish this: trim oversized positions and sell investments that have become significantly overvalued. The first strategy is reducing concentration risk. If you review your portfolio and discover that a single stock has grown to 10% or 12% of your total assets, it may be time to trim that position back to 7% or 8%. Yes, you'll likely owe capital gains taxes, but you'll also be reducing the risk that one investment can have an outsized impact on your portfolio if it suddenly declines. The second strategy is selling investments that have exceeded your target price and can no longer be justified based on their fundamentals. If the valuation has become stretched and the company's earnings outlook no longer supports the stock price, it may be time to take profits. Again, you'll probably owe taxes on the gain, but remember that capital gains are generally taxed at favorable rates. More importantly, paying a 20% or 25% tax on your profit is often far less painful than watching the entire investment lose 20% or more in value. That 20% decline occurs on the entire position rather than just the gain. No strategy is perfect. You may trim a position only to watch it continue climbing for another year or two. That's part of investing. Risk management isn't about perfectly timing the top, it's about ensuring that no single investment or sector can seriously damage your long-term financial plan. Consistently following a disciplined, conservative approach won't always maximize returns during bull markets, but it can significantly reduce risk over a full market cycle. When the next major correction inevitably arrives, your portfolio should be positioned to withstand it. That makes it far easier to stay invested, avoid emotional decisions, and continue building wealth instead of panic-selling after the damage has already been done. Successful investing isn't just about finding great investments. It's also about knowing when to reduce risk. Sometimes, letting a little air out of the balloon today is the best way to keep it from popping tomorrow. Is AI creating the next memory boom... or setting up the next bust? SK Hynix just pulled off the largest foreign ADR listing in U.S. history, pricing its American depositary receipts at $149 and raising $26.5 billion. That isn't just a fundraising event, it is fuel for one of the most aggressive semiconductor expansion plans the industry has ever seen. The company is pouring money into new factories, equipment, and advanced packaging capacity around the world. In the United States, SK Hynix is building its first manufacturing facility, a $4 billion advanced packaging plant in West Lafayette, Indiana, expected to be completed in 2028. Back home in South Korea, the spending is even more staggering. SK Hynix plans to invest up to $720 billion expanding memory production, including a $390 billion semiconductor cluster in Yongin. The company has also committed roughly $7.8 billion by the end of 2027 for additional extreme ultraviolet (EUV) lithography machines, the highly specialized tools needed to manufacture cutting-edge HBM chips. These machines cost as much as $400 million each, are in extremely limited supply, and are only produced by ASML. The company is even accelerating its expansion timeline by more than a decade, with four new fabrication plants now expected to be completed by 2033. The question investors should be asking isn't whether AI demand is real. It clearly is. The real question is whether the industry is repeating a familiar pattern. Memory has always been one of the most cyclical businesses in technology. Every major technology revolution from the dot-com boom, to smartphones, to cloud computing created a surge in demand for memory chips. Manufacturers responded by rapidly expanding production. Eventually supply caught up, prices collapsed, profits disappeared, and investors who arrived late learned just how brutal the memory cycle can be. Today feels different... but that is often what every cycle feels like while it is happening. SK Hynix's market value has increased more than sevenfold over the past year as AI infrastructure spending has created a shortage of HBM. Revenue nearly tripled between 2023 and 2025 to roughly $65 billion, and Wall Street expects sales to surge again to approximately $235 billion in 2026. Those are incredible numbers. But when major memory producers start announcing massive capacity expansions, history suggests investors should at least consider what happens when today's shortage eventually becomes tomorrow's surplus. AI may create years of strong demand for memory, but the semiconductor industry has a long history of building too much capacity just as demand begins to normalize. The opportunity is enormous, but so is the risk if history repeats itself. Financial Planning: Simple vs Compounding Interest Loans Many people assume that choosing a simple interest loan over a compound interest loan will dramatically reduce the amount of interest they pay, but in most real-world lending situations, the difference is minimal. The reason is that the power of compounding only becomes significant when a balance grows over time because interest is being added to the principal. With most consumer loans, borrowers either make interest-only payments that keep the principal balance unchanged or make payments that reduce the principal over time. In either case, the interest charged during each payment period is based on the outstanding loan balance at that time, not on an ever-growing balance. Since the loan balance is remaining the same or steadily declining rather than increasing, there is little opportunity for “interest on interest” to accumulate. While compounding can become important if unpaid interest is capitalized and added to the loan balance, that is the exception rather than the rule. For most mortgages, HELOCs, auto loans, personal loans, and similar debt, borrowers should focus far more on the interest rate than on whether the loan is described as using simple or compound interest. Too Many People Are Using Target Date Funds in Their 401(k) For years, we've discussed the drawbacks of target date funds, including their higher fees and one-size-fits-all approach. Despite those concerns, they remain incredibly popular because they are simple and require very little effort from the investor. According to Vanguard, 61% of 401(k) participants invest in target date funds. On the surface, they sound like the perfect solution. If you plan to retire around 2045, you simply choose the 2045 Target Date Fund and let it manage your investments. The fund automatically adjusts your portfolio over time, gradually reducing your exposure to stocks and increasing your allocation to bonds as you approach retirement. Many investors don't realize how significant that shift can be. By the target retirement date, a target date fund may hold around 50% of its assets in bonds. The adjustments don't stop there. Reaching the target year doesn't mean the fund is liquidated or that you receive your money. Instead, the fund continues along its glide path and could increase its bond allocation to 70% or even 80% over the following years. That approach may have made sense decades ago, but retirement looks very different today. Many people will spend 20 years or more in retirement. Over that length of time, maintaining enough exposure to stocks can be critical to helping your portfolio grow and keep pace with inflation. A portfolio that becomes too conservative too quickly may struggle to provide the long-term growth many retirees need. Another limitation is that target date funds only manage the assets inside your 401(k). They don't take into account your IRAs, brokerage accounts, pensions, real estate, or other investments. As a result, your overall portfolio allocation could end up being far different than what is appropriate for your financial goals. The convenience of target date funds is appealing, but convenience shouldn't replace planning. A successful retirement requires understanding how your money is invested, estimating what your portfolio could be worth when you retire, and developing a strategy for how those assets will be invested throughout retirement, not just until you reach it. Is That Really Your Son or Daughter Calling You? You know your children's voices. You talk to them regularly. Then one day you get a frantic phone call from your son or daughter. They tell you they've just been in a serious accident. They need $15,000 immediately or they're going to jail. They tell you exactly how to send the money. Without hesitation, you wire the funds because you want to help your child. Unfortunately, you have just been scammed by AI. AI-powered scams are exploding. Reports show AI-related fraud surged more than 1,200% in 2025, and at the current pace, losses from AI scams in the United States could reach $40 billion annually by 2027. Another study found that one in four adults has already experienced an AI voice scam. Your first reaction may be, "That could never happen to me. I don't post anything on social media." But the problem may not be your online presence. It's your children. Many people regularly post videos on social media, and today's AI only needs about three seconds of someone's voice to create a convincing clone. Once scammers have that sample, they can make it sound like your son or daughter is saying almost anything. So how do you protect yourself? If you receive an emergency call asking for money, don't panic. Before sending anything, ask a question that only you and your child would know the answer to. Make it something that has never been shared publicly. For example, ask about a funny childhood memory that only the two of you remember. Don't use information like birthdays, graduation dates, wedding dates, or other facts that could be found online or in public records. Remember with all these data centers there is so much information that is being obtained and saved but used for the wrong purposes. Even better, establish a family safe word or passphrase today. Choose something simple that everyone can remember but that would never appear online. If you ever receive one of these calls, ask for the safe word. If they can't provide it, assume it's a scam until you can verify the situation by calling your child directly or contacting another trusted family member. As AI continues to improve, these scams will only become more convincing. The same technology powering innovation is also giving criminals new tools to exploit unsuspecting families. Stay alert. Verify before you trust. A few extra minutes could save you thousands of dollars and a great deal of heartache. Is It Boom or Bust for Micron? It is hard to argue with Micron's incredible stock performance. Through July 2, the shares were up 242% year to date and an astonishing 701% over the previous 12 months. Even after recently falling about 22% from their peak, investors are still debating whether the company has much more room to run. The good news is that Micron has locked in 15 new customers under long-term supply agreements, with some contracts extending as long as five years. Many of these agreements include customer deposits, giving the company excellent revenue visibility and reducing uncertainty over future sales. For investors, that is exactly the kind of stability they like to see. But every smart investor should also ask: What is the downside? While those contracts provide a strong foundation, they do not guarantee that demand will remain as strong over the long term. Unless a customer goes bankrupt, the contracts are largely locked in, but technology changes quickly. High prices and limited supply often encourage innovation, and the AI memory market is no exception. Several companies are developing new architectures that reduce or even eliminate the need for high-bandwidth memory (HBM), which has been one of Micron's biggest growth drivers. As companies search for lower-cost and more efficient alternatives, demand for HBM could eventually soften. Nvidia also signaled in June that it is redesigning portions of its upcoming Vera Rubin AI platform to use memory more efficiently. While Nvidia remains a major customer for HBM, improvements in memory efficiency could reduce the amount of HBM required per AI system over time. Meanwhile, newly public chipmaker Cerebras has taken an entirely different approach. CEO Andrew Feldman has said the company's wafer-scale AI chips do not use HBM at all, arguing that it is too expensive and supply constrained. If other AI hardware companies pursue similar designs, it could create additional competition for HBM. None of this means Micron's growth story is over. The company's long-term contracts provide meaningful protection, and AI demand remains exceptionally strong today. However, investors should remember that today's shortages and premium pricing often inspire tomorrow's technological breakthroughs. The question for Micron investors is whether HBM remains the industry standard for years to come or whether innovation eventually reduces the need for it. If demand for HBM begins to slow, Micron's remarkable growth could also begin to moderate. Companies Discussed: Caterpillar Inc. (Ticker: CAT)
Glenn starts the show by discussing the latest in America's conflict with Iran and why Iran remains a dangerous threat to the West. Glenn also gives the difference between Iran and North Korea, as Glenn argues that President Trump is attempting to do exactly what needs to be done to end the Iran threat. Glenn also tells the story of how President Trump traveled to Turkey in a fancy new plane, but due to the Iranian threat near the border, Trump had to fly back in an old armored jet with the shades lowered. Glenn discusses the downfall of the once-informative Smithsonian Museum, which he claims has now been captured by self-loathing revisionism that turns American heroes into villains and core values into racial flaws. Glenn Beck producer and co-author of "Chasing Embers" Mikayla Hedrick joins to discuss the release of the audiobook and the production behind it. Graham Platner has officially dropped out of the Maine Senate race after a sexual assault accusation, and Glenn discusses how Democrats manipulate elections with superdelegates to hand-select candidates for critical elections. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Angel Studios https://Angel.com/TODDYoung Washington is now in theaters across America. Join the Angel Guild today for $15/month and receive two free tickets to see Young Washington.Absolute Ministries https://AbsoluteMinistries.org/ToddYour gift helps people overcome addiction, find hope and purpose, and experience lasting change through a Christ-centered system of care. Together, we can support sustainable transformation that goes far beyond temporary sobriety. Alan's Soap https://AlansArtisanSoaps.com/ToddThe legacy continues for Ian and Alan with Alan's Artisan Soaps “John's Favorites” bundle. Get one bar of each of John's favorites for only $28.99. Bulwark Capital https://KnowYourRiskPodcast.comRegister now for the FREE “Market Blind Spot" live webinar July 23rd at 3:30pm Pacific.Renue Healthcare https://Renue.Healthcare/ToddYour journey to a better life starts at Renue Healthcare. Visit https://Renue.Healthcare/Todd Bonefrog https://BonefrogCoffee.comGet the new limited release, The Sisterhood, created to honor the extraordinary women behind the heroes. Use code TODD at checkout to receive 10% off your first purchase and 15% on subscriptions.Episode Links:JUST NOW: FISA re-authorization has PASSED the House of Representatives, 261-111 This will extend FISA by six weeks. Seems like the only “bipartisan” bills in Congress nowadays are bills that screw over Americans.My bill to stop AI from telling kids to kill themselves just passed out of committee. UNANIMOUSLY. Time for the entire Senate to decide whether we fight for kids or corporationsEU plans VPN crackdown: New age ID system “cannot be bypassed” via VPNs. Couldn't stop illegal migration, but suddenly goes full North Korea on controlling what Europeans read online.Prego is selling a surveillance device that records your family dinner conversations and sends them to the Library of Congress. It sold out immediately.CNN: “Why would you be voting in California 2 years after moving to Michigan?” MCMORROW: “Moving takes time.” CNN: "You had criticized a Twitter user in 2024 for voting in Michigan after moving to California, you called it illegal..." MCMORROW: “Yeah, absolutely." - State Senator, Mallory McCMorrow, Candidate for US Senate illegally voted in California. The GOP and DOJ now KNOW this. Will she be arrested with all that data?Senate Democrats just blocked a House-passed bill prohibiting the Federal Reserve from issuing a retail Central Bank Digital Currency. That's alarming considering the massive invasion of privacy and personal autonomy that a retail CBDC would present, What do they have in mind?Rep. Roy on the kill switch: "Do you really want to put that kind of data collection mandated inside every car? At what point is there just literally no privacy at all anywhere? A lot of Americans died to protect our Fourth Amendment rights so that we don't have government looking at our stuff."Flock's Gunshot Detection Microphones Will Start Listening for Human VoicesA Dominion contractor with two degrees, swore under oath in her affidavit after working 27 hours at Detroit's TCF Center that she witnessed MASSIVE amounts of clear election fraud involving late-night ballot dumps. She detailed how her manager, Nick Economagunas (part owner of Dominion), ordered her there instead of the Detroit elections building.URGENT: New Digital ID Bill Ties Your Identity to Your Phone—and Everything You Do Online | Daily Pulse; A new Digital ID bill just crossed a line most people didn't see coming. Here's how it could take control of your phone… and what you can still do to protect yourself before it's too late.orig published 050626
Like the rest of us, China's leaders are confronting a world in turmoil. They see uncertain American commitments to allies, even as many of those allies ramp up their own defense efforts. They see changing relationships, whether deepening ties between Russia and North Korea or new connections among anxious middle powers. They see American military action in the Middle East and Western Hemisphere, with effects on American power in China's own region. And yet, as Oriana Skylar Mastro sees it, far from surprising Beijing, such disruptions are being taken as confirmation of what Chinese leader Xi Jinping often refers to as “great change unseen in a century.” Mastro has written a series of essays for Foreign Affairs on how Beijing aims to shape and exploit that change. She joined Dan Kurtz-Phelan to discuss China's strategy for navigating this turmoil—and what the United States should, and should not, do in response. You can find sources, transcripts, and more episodes of The Foreign Affairs Interview at https://www.foreignaffairs.com/podcasts/foreign-affairs-interview.
China and the Democratic People's Republic of Korea are marking the 65th anniversary of their friendship treaty, with DPRK Premier Pak Thae Song leading a delegation to China for a three-day official visit.
NK News Senior Analytic Correspondent Colin Zwirko joins this week's podcast to discuss North Korea's naval modernization push, from Kim Jong Un's latest cruise missile test from the Kang Kon destroyer to the recent commissioning of the Choe Hyon, the country's first 5,000-ton warship to formally enter service. He also breaks down his latest NK Pro analysis on the apparent restart of makeshift smuggling routes across the North Korea-China border, including what satellite imagery shows, why private vehicles appear to be a major driver of the trade and what the activity suggests about China's willingness to tolerate sanctions violations while maintaining plausible deniability. Afterward, Gabriela Bernal joins the podcast to discuss her analysis on South Korea's shift toward “peaceful coexistence” with North Korea and what Seoul can learn from the Balkans. She explains the concept of “functional coexistence,” why Serbia-Kosovo dialogue offers a useful but limited comparison and what role institutions like the U.N. Command, the Neutral Nations Supervisory Commission and the Military Armistice Commission can play. About the podcast: The North Korea News Podcast is a weekly podcast hosted by Alannah Hill exclusively for NK News, covering all things DPRK — from news to extended interviews with leading experts and analysts in the field, along with insight from our very own journalists.
On this episode of the MeidasTouch Podcast, Ben, Brett, and Jordy break down the latest news, from Trump's bizarre White House luncheon to his Trump Accounts event and more. The brothers also cover alarming developments overseas as China and North Korea test a nuclear-capable missile, Russia escalates its attacks on Kyiv, and Ukraine strikes back with major attacks targeting Omsk and one of Russia's largest fuel refineries. They examine the massive funeral processions for Iran's Supreme Leader, Trump's increasingly uncomfortable behavior toward Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, and his rambling July 4 speech delivered before sparse crowds. All that, plus more, on this episode! Subscribe to Meidas+ at https://meidasplus.com Get Meidas Merch: https://store.meidastouch.com Deals from our sponsors! HexClad: Find your forever cookware @hexclad and get 10% off at https://hexclad.com/MEIDAS! #hexcladpartner Smalls: For a limited time, get 60% off your first order, plus free shipping and free treats for life, when you head to https://Smalls.com/MEIDAS. Miracle Made: Upgrade your sleep with Miracle Made! Go to https://TryMiracle.com/meidas and use the code: MEIDAS to claim your FREE 3 PIECE TOWEL SET and SAVE over 40% OFF. IQBAR: Get 20% off all IQBAR products. Text TRUTH to 64000. (Message and data rates may apply) Remember to subscribe to ALL the MeidasTouch Network Podcasts: MeidasTouch: https://www.meidastouch.com/tag/meidastouch-podcast Legal AF: https://www.meidastouch.com/tag/legal-af MissTrial: https://meidasnews.com/tag/miss-trial The PoliticsGirl Podcast: https://www.meidastouch.com/tag/the-politicsgirl-podcast The Ken Harbaugh Show: https://meidasnews.com/tag/the-ken-harbaugh-show The Weekend Show: https://www.meidastouch.com/tag/the-weekend-show Burn the Boats: https://www.meidastouch.com/tag/burn-the-boats Majority 54: https://www.meidastouch.com/tag/majority-54 On Democracy with FP Wellman: https://www.meidastouch.com/tag/on-democracy-with-fpwellman Uncovered: https://www.meidastouch.com/tag/maga-uncovered Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
SCHEDULE JBS, 7-6-2026.1950, THE 150TH ANNNIVERSARY USA. Bill Roggio. Roggio explains Pakistan's classification as a "friendly" nation by Iran, highlighting its role as a deceptive mediator. He cautions that Pakistan's military often undermines U.S. interests to maintain its own regional influence. (1) Bill Roggio. Roggio emphasizes that Hezbollah's core goal remains Israel's destruction, rendering diplomatic ceasefires ineffective. He also warns that Syria's leader is a savvy jihadist who effectively manipulates Western perceptions while remaining a dangerous neighbor. (2) Ernesto Araújo and Alejandro Peña Esclusa. Esclusa details the Venezuelan regime's negligent earthquake response, focusing on hiding illicit assets rather than saving lives. Araújo argues the U.S. must do more to dismantle the criminal network currently governing the country. (3) Ernesto Araújo and Alejandro Peña Esclusa. Esclusa details how narco-trafficking infected the São Paulo Forum, causing leftist leaders to reject democratic losses. Araújo argues regional stability requires a dedicated alliance to eradicate the link between communism and organized crime. (4) Samuel Benner. Benner views the resignation of a Hamas official as a cosmetic tactic to maintain control over Gaza. Despite military setbacks, Hamas continues recruiting youth and manufacturing low-level explosives to remain a significant threat. (5) Samuel Benner. Benner discusses the immense difficulty of rebuilding Gaza while Hamas remains in power. He notes Hamas uses reconstruction as a political tool, often obstructing aid efforts to maintain its local authority and influence. (6) David Daoud. Daoud argues the Lebanese Armed Forces are unlikely to confront Hezbollah, potentially facilitating performative security checks. He stresses that Israel's primary objective in Lebanon is ensuring long-term security for its northern citizens. (7) David Daoud. Daoud critiques U.S. policy for treating Lebanon as a sovereign state, ignoring Hezbollah's deep social and political integration. He warns that the nation is a failed state, now entirely dominated by Iranianinfluence. (8) John Hardie. Hardie observes a more supportive U.S. stance toward Ukraine's long-range strikes. He suggests Putin is isolated, receiving flawed military reports from his generals, and continues to delay mobilization decisions despite a strategic stalemate. (9) Janatan Sayeh. Sayeh details how the Iranian regime used the Ayatollah's funeral to project false stability amidst paranoia. He reports increased internal repression and a shift in power toward the IRGC as clerics lose legitimacy. (10) Edmund Fitton-Brown. Fitton-Brown highlights the suspicious absence of Mojtaba Khamenei from his father's funeral, suggesting he is incapacitated. He also characterizes Iran's attempts to charge tolls in the Strait of Hormuz as blatant international gangsterism. (11) Edmund Fitton-Brown. Fitton-Brown describes Houthis as autonomous Iranian proxies testing regional blockades. He notes Oman serves as a critical, unpressured hub for smuggling weapons and illicit goods, enabling Houthis to recover from strikes. (12) Mary Anastasia O'Grady. O'Grady explains that Trump's refusal to renew USMCA creates investor uncertainty but no immediate trade changes. She highlights the agreement's necessity for North American manufacturing and agricultural competitiveness against global economic rivals. (13) Ahmad Sharawi. Sharawi discusses Syria's attempt to regain political influence in Lebanon without military intervention. He describes the newly formed Syrian parliament as a non-representative body designed solely to consolidate power under the current regime. (14) Bruce Bechtol. Bechtol analyzes the deepening military partnership between North Korea and Russia, driven by ammunition sales for the Ukraine war. This influx of cash allows North Korea to modernize its navy and build destroyers. (15) Alan Tonelson. Tonelson discusses Canada's attempt to pivot trade toward China, which has drawn U.S.criticism. He argues that the U.S. maintains the upper hand because of China's massive trade dependence and internal economic vulnerabilities. (16) Corrections applied: John Hardie (not "Hardy"), Janatan Sayeh (not "Sai"), Edmund Fitton-Brown (hyphenated), Mary Anastasia O'Grady (not "Grady"), Ahmad Sharawi (not "Akmed Sherari"), and Alan Tonelson (not "Tunnelsson").
Bruce Bechtol. Bechtol analyzes the deepening military partnership between North Korea and Russia, driven by ammunition sales for the Ukraine war. This influx of cash allows North Korea to modernize its navy and build destroyers. (15)1920
Start Your Transformation Now In this episode of The Jim Fortin Podcast, Jim opens a new series comparing North Korea's overt, state-mandated ideological conditioning — its real "Ten Principles for the Establishment of a Monolithic Ideological System" — to the covert brainwashing many Westerners experience through consumerism, nationalism, and religion. The difference, he argues, isn't whether brainwashing exists, but how visibly it's enforced. Jim details North Korean practices like mandatory portrait care and weekly self-criticism, then shows how Western consumerism and the need to feel "good enough" condition people just as thoroughly, only without coercion. His goal: separating listeners' true identity — their consciousness — from the conditioned "container" of the body and ego. This first episode in a multi-part series is an essential starting point for anyone ready to question who they really are. What You'll Discover in This Episode: (00:00) The hidden link between North Korea and the West — Jim reveals that the only real difference between a brainwashed North Korean citizen and most Westerners is the name and method of the conditioning. (05:18) Who gave you your thoughts? — Jim challenges listeners to question who actually taught them their fears, preferences, and even their own name. (14:31) Inside North Korea's Ten Principles — Jim details real mechanisms like mandatory portrait care and weekly self-criticism as a mirror for subtler Western conditioning. (19:49) Consumerism as covert brainwashing — Jim traces his own teenage desire for Polo shirts to a culture that uses advertising to convince people they're incomplete. (28:22) Who chose your reality? — Using a scene from The Devil Wears Prada, Jim shows how decisions we believe are our own were often shaped long before we could choose them. (30:17) You are consciousness first — Jim reveals the series' foundational truth: listeners are consciousness that inhabits a body, not a body that has consciousness. Listen, apply, and enjoy! Transformational Takeaway Most of us believe we are free-thinking, autonomous beings, but the truth is that nearly every thought, preference, and fear we carry was downloaded into us by family, media, culture, and society long before we were old enough to question it. Recognizing this isn't a cause for despair — it's the first step toward real freedom. The body is a container, conditioned and shaped by the world around it, but the listener is not that container; they are the consciousness, the life force, that inhabits it. Reclaiming that truth is where authentic power begins. Let's Connect: Instagram | Facebook | YouTube | LinkedIn LIKED THE EPISODE? If you're the kind of person who likes to help others, then share this with your friends and family. If you have found value, they will too. Please leave a review on Apple Podcasts so we can reach more people. Listening on Spotify? Please leave a comment below. We would love to hear from you! With gratitude, Jim
Ari Redbord sits down with Katherine, Jessi, and Vy to talk about SEC clarity, the onshore perps boom, and DeFi's opsec problem — plus why the U.S. should hack North Korea back. Thank you to our sponsor! Cape: Your biggest crypto vulnerability isn't your wallet, it's your phone number. Cape is America's privacy-first mobile carrier that rotates your SIM identity daily and blocks SIM swaps before they happen. Get 33% off your first six months at https://cape.co/unchained (use code: UNCHAINED). The hosts of DEX in the City spend every week breaking down crypto's legal fights. This time, they're the ones answering the questions. Ari Redbord, Global Head of Policy at TRM Labs, sits down with Katherine Kirkpatrick Bos, Jessi Brooks, and Vy Le for a wide-ranging conversation on where crypto's regulatory and security battles are actually headed. Vy traces her path from SEC enforcement to her case for "tech-neutral" rules: regulators should regulate outcomes, not technology. Katherine explains why DCMs have become crypto's hottest acronym, as true perps and prediction markets move onshore. And Jessi makes her push to stop calling North Korea's hacks "illicit finance" and start naming them a national security threat: Pyongyang, she notes, is funding a weapons program with stolen crypto. Ari goes further — if North Korea can steal hundreds of millions from DeFi, the U.S. should steal it back. Vy pushes back on the panic over the recent hacks: most, she argues, weren't broken smart contracts at all, just sloppy operational security. The conversation covers SEC clarity, the CFTC's moment, DeFi security, on-chain privacy, and what it really takes to keep the ecosystem safe. Host: Ari Redbord - Global Head of Policy at TRM Labs and Host of TRM Talks Hosts: Katherine Kirkpatrick Bos, General Counsel. Previously held senior legal roles across DeFi and centralized exchanges. Jessi Brooks, General Counsel at Ribbit Capital Vy Le - Co-host of DEX in the City and General Counsel of Veda Timestamps
SANS Internet Stormcenter Daily Network/Cyber Security and Information Security Stormcast
RCS and DNS: The NAPTR Record https://isc.sans.edu/diary/RCS%20and%20DNS%3A%20The%20NAPTR%20Record/33124 OpenSSH 10.4 released https://seclists.org/oss-sec/2026/q3/62 Beyond Trust Advisory CVE-2026-40138 CVE-2026-40139 https://www.beyondtrust.com/trust-center/security-advisories/bt26-03 PolinRider: North Korea-Linked Supply Chain Campaign https://socket.dev/blog/polinrider-north-korea-linked-supply-chain-campaign-expands My Upcoming Classes https://www.sans.org/profiles/dr-johannes-ullrich
What if North Korea tried to capture an asteroid and turn it into a second moon? What if they created their own version of Godzilla — a giant iron-eating monster that leads a peasant revolution?This is the bizarre, wildly imaginative, and heavily propagandistic world of North Korean science fiction.In this episode of My Dark Path, host MF Thomas explores the surprising stories, books, and films created under the Kim regime — from the thrilling asteroid-mining epic Course No. 651 to Pulgasari (North Korea's homegrown kaiju classic), children's propaganda tales, robots, space battles, and how Kim Jong-il personally sparked a sci-fi boom to shape the future.Timestamps:0:00 – Course No. 651: North Korea's Plan to Create a Second Moon4:05 – Welcome to My Dark Path7:10 – The Division of Korea & the Birth of the DPRK12:55 – Socialist Realism and the Rise of North Korean Sci-Fi18:40 – Kim Jong-il's 1988 Speech That Sparked a Sci-Fi Boom24:15 – Robots, Propaganda & Anti-American Themes29:50 – Social Science Fiction & the Politics of NK Sci-Fi35:10 – Children's Sci-Fi: Brainwashing the Next Generation40:05 – Pulgasari: North Korea's Insane Homegrown Godzilla43:35 – Final Thoughts: What North Korean Sci-Fi RevealsIf you love weird history, propaganda deep-dives, and stories that sound too crazy to be true, this episode is for you.
1. Celebration of America and National Pride America's 250-year history and achievements. Patriotism, family values, and traditional celebrations. The belief that the United States is the greatest country in history due to its freedoms and opportunities. 2. American Exceptionalism Rights come from God rather than government. The principles expressed in the Declaration of Independence provide the foundation for liberty. Capitalism, rather than socialism or communism, has created prosperity and opportunity. 3. Criticism of Democratic Socialists and Progressive Politics Zohran Mamdani and his speech of doom Other progressive candidates associated with democratic socialist policies. Immigration reform proposals. Criticism of capitalism. Concerns about expanding government authority. 4. Anti-Communist Perspective Cite examples from Cuba, Russia, North Korea, and other communist states. Argue that communism leads to poverty, oppression, and loss of freedom. Use personal family stories, particularly related to Cuba under Fidel Castro, to illustrate these concerns. 5. Immigration and Political Power Immigration should occur legally. Some Democratic policies are intended to increase political support for the Democratic Party. Progressive politicians support citizenship pathways that could reshape U.S. politics. 6. Sports and National Unity The FIFA World Cup. Support for the U.S. national soccer team. A controversial red-card decision that was later overturned. The role of sports in fostering national pride. Please Hit Subscribe to this podcast Right Now. Also Please Subscribe to the 47 Morning Update with Ben Ferguson and The Ben Ferguson Show Podcast Wherever You get You're Podcasts. And don't forget to follow the show on Social Media so you never miss a moment! Thanks for Listening YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@VerdictwithTedCruz/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/verdictwithtedcruz X: https://x.com/tedcruz X: https://x.com/benfergusonshowYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@VerdictwithTedCruzSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Preview for Later Today: Analyst Bruce Bechtol discusses Xi Jinping's visit to North Korea, noting Kim Jong-un'sincreased leverage as a weapons supplier. Kim seeks oil and military upgrades from China to bolster his nation's ruined economy. (2)1951
//The Wire//2300Z July 6, 2026// //ROUTINE// //BLUF: CHINA AND NORTH KOREA CONDUCT MISSILE TESTS IN PACIFIC. RUSSIA AND UKRAINE CONDUCT MAJOR TARGETING EFFORTS. INDONESIAN MILITARY RECOVERS REMAINS OF AMERICAN PILOT KILLED IN AMBUSH OVER THE WEEKEND.// -----BEGIN TEARLINE------International Events-Far East: Multiple missile tests were reported over the weekend, with both North Korea and China conducting tests of long-range munitions. North Korea tested a total of 12x cruise missiles from the KANG KON, the Choe Hyon-class Destroyer which is the newest addition to the Korean People's Navy. In China, a submarine-launched ballistic missile test was carried out at an undisclosed location in the Pacific, marking the first test of a SLBM by China in several years.Europe: The war in Ukraine escalated over the weekend as Russia renewed strikes on Ukrainian infrastructure. On Saturday, Ukrainian forces conducted more long-range drone attacks on Russian oil depots, most notably the Ust-Luga oil terminal in St. Petersburg. Separately, a different series of drone attacks struck various refineries in the Omsk region, deep within Russia. In response, Russia has conducted several strikes throughout Kiev, including the Vishnyovoye fuel depot on the southwestern outskirts of Kiev, which resulted in an extremely large fire. NASA's space-based fire detection sensors noted one very large fire at this fuel depot, along with a few smaller fires throughout the city that are anomalies from normal heat signatures in the region. In addition to the fuel depot, an ammo dump was co-located with this facility, which was used to store American tank rounds which contained depleted uranium penetrators, along with components for the production of cluster munitions which also contained depleted uranium.Analyst Comment: Depleted uranium tank rounds are about 40% less radioactive than raw uranium that is mined out of the ground, so the radiological nature of this ammunition is not normally a concern. However, this risk changes substantially if it's on fire as the smoke produced by burning uranium does indeed present a radiological hazard, thus the evacuations. This ammunition storage area was located in a densely populated residential area, with the resulting fires prompting the evacuation of roughly 600x residents.Indonesia: Over the weekend, Indonesian troops conducted an operation to recover the remains of an American civilian pilot who was killed by armed rebels in a remote town high in the mountains southeast of Wamena on the island of West Papua. Nicholas F. Goselin was a bush pilot flying supplies and materiel into Balinggama Airstrip when he was ambushed last Thursday. The attack was carried out by the West Papua Liberation Army (TPNPB), a separatist movement that has been seeking independence from Indonesia for a few decades. The rebels allowed Goselin to land, before murdering him on the airstrip and burning his aircraft. At the time of the ambush, a total of 7x passengers (local Indonesian villagers) were allegedly onboard the aircraft and their status is unknown.-----END TEARLINE-----Analyst Comments: According to the armed rebels in Indonesia, the reason for the murder is due to Goselin allegedly shuttling Indonesian special forces into the region to fight the rebels. An American bush pilot landing at sketchy airstrips, alone, in the middle of a war-torn region high in the mountains is not a particularly safe career choice, and it's not clear as to what prompted the rebels to conduct this attack. The rebel group has claimed that they warned the aircraft not to land, but the airline that Goselin was flying for (PT AMA) made no mention of acknowledging any no-fly zones declared by armed groups. In any case, due to the death of an American, the Indonesian military is likely to crack down hard on this region over the next few weeks, in order to prevent rebel groups from capitalizing on their power-projection operations. Back in April, the United States signed a non-binding "defensive cooperation partnership" with Indonesia as Washington sought to increase relations by way of undermining Chinese expansion in the region.On April 13th of this year, one day before the defense pact was signed, Indonesian media reported that their nation was discussing (or had already agreed to) allowing American military access to their airspace.Analyst: S2A1 Research: https://publish.obsidian.md/s2underground Disclaimer: No LLMs were used in the writing of this report. //END REPORT//
Ep. 203 — Escaping Oppression: North Korean Defector Yeonmi Park originally aired on September 9th, 2021. Yeonmi Park, a North Korean defector, suffered unimaginable horror on her journey to freedom. Desperate from starvation and oppression, she managed to escape to China, but had been sold. Several years later, she escaped through the Gobi Desert into Mongolia and then finally to freedom in South Korea. Once at university in America, she recognized the same propaganda tactics of North Korea. She has an incredible story and we’re honored to bring it to you. Donate to PragerU today: https://www.prageru.com/ Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.
Subscribe to Greg Fitzsimmons: https://bit.ly/subGregFitz The World Cup has completely taken over our lives. Greg and Mike dive into nonstop soccer madness, World Cup betting, bizarre fan behavior, Greg's billionaire Hamptons weekend, Chris Brown's latest lawsuit, strange Florida and Mississippi news, North Korea, history trivia, comedy captions, and much more. Greg's Tour Dates :https://www.fitzdog.com Produced by Gotham Production Studioshttps://www.gothamproductionstudios.com Subscribe for new Sunday Papers every week with Greg Fitzsimmons and Mike Gibbons. This show is produced by Gotham Production Studios and part of the Gotham Network. https://www.gothamproductionstudios.com/studios/ Follow Greg Fitzsimmons: Facebook: https://facebook.com/FitzdogRadio Instagram: https://instagram.com/gregfitzsimmons Twitter: https://twitter.com/gregfitzshow Official Website: http://gregfitzsimmons.com Tour Dates: https://bit.ly/GregFitzTour Merch: https://bit.ly/GregFitzMerch “Dear Mrs. Fitzsimmons” Book: https://amzn.to/2Z2bB82 “Life on Stage” Comedy Special: https://bit.ly/GregFitzSpecial Listen to Greg Fitzsimmons: Fitzdog Radio: https://bit.ly/FitzdogRadio Sunday Papers: http://bit.ly/SundayPapersPod Childish: http://childishpod.com Watch more Greg Fitzsimmons: Latest Uploads: https://bit.ly/latestGregFitz Fitzdog Radio: https://bit.ly/radioGregFitz Sunday Papers: https://bit.ly/sundayGregFitz Stand Up Comedy: https://bit.ly/comedyGregFitz Popular Videos: https://bit.ly/popGregFitz About Greg Fitzsimmons: Mixing an incisive wit with scathing sarcasm, Greg Fitzsimmons is an accomplished stand-up, an Emmy Award winning writer, and a host on TV, radio and his own podcasts. Greg is host of the popular “FitzDog Radio” podcast (https://bit.ly/FitzdogRadio), as well as “Sunday Papers” with co-host Mike Gibbons (http://bit.ly/SundayPapersPod) and “Childish” with co-host Alison Rosen (http://childishpod.com). A regular with Conan O'Brien and Jimmy Kimmel, Greg also frequents “The Joe Rogan Experience,” “Lights Out with David Spade,” and has made more than 50 visits to “The Howard Stern Show.” Howard gave Greg his own show on Sirius/XM which lasted more than 10 years. Greg's one-hour standup special, “Life On Stage,” was named a Top 10 Comedy Release by LA Weekly. The special premiered on Comedy Central and is now available on Amazon Prime, as a DVD, or a download (https://bit.ly/GregFitzSpecial). Greg's 2011 book, Dear Mrs. Fitzsimmons (https://amzn.to/2Z2bB82), climbed the best-seller charts and garnered outstanding reviews from NPR and Vanity Fair. Greg appeared in the Netflix series “Santa Clarita Diet,” the Emmy-winning FX series “Louie,” spent five years as a panelist on VH1's “Best Week Ever,” was a reoccurring panelist on “Chelsea Lately,” and starred in two half-hour stand-up specials on Comedy Central. Greg wrote and appeared on the Judd Apatow HBO series “Crashing.” Writing credits include HBO's “Lucky Louie,” “Cedric the Entertainer Presents,” “Politically Incorrect with Bill Maher,” “The Man Show” and many others. On his mantle beside the four Daytime Emmys he won as a writer and producer on “The Ellen DeGeneres Show” sit “The Jury Award for Best Comedian” from The HBO Comedy Arts Festival and a Cable Ace Award for hosting the MTV game show "Idiot Savants." Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
On Thursday's Mark Levin Show, what made the Declaration of Independence remarkable was that it was unprecedented in human history. The Declaration serves as the foundational basis for the nation and its Constitution, celebrating America's purpose. Critics like Presidents Obama and Woodrow Wilson have rejected or downplayed its first part on the Creator and principles, focusing instead on the list of grievances against the king to advance new ideologies; however, President Coolidge defended these enduring, universal ideas from Aristotle and Locke as perpetual, not to be dismissed. The Declaration's concise statement of American identity is incompatible with Marxism, Islamism, and fascism. Also, President Reagan was a great admirer and friend of Milton Friedman. He often sought his input on economic policies. During Reagan's presidency, there was massive economic growth, and he won two historic landslide elections, popular vote and electoral college, like no Republican before or since. Alexander Hamilton would grow increasingly supportive of a powerful central government. He would argue with Thomas Jefferson and James Madison on their approaches to government during the Washington administration and beyond. Hamilton argued for implied powers under the Constitution, which infuriated Jefferson and Madison. Hamilton claimed the necessary and proper clause was essentially a ticket to significantly expanding federal action. Later, Americanism and capitalism are philosophies enabling individual decision-making under the Declaration and Constitution, whereas ideologies are fanatical beliefs imposed society-wide regardless of consequences. Communism is defective and anti-human, misreading human nature by suppressing free will, reason, debate, and academic freedom in favor of brainwashing, conformity, and central control, as seen in places like Cuba, Nicaragua, North Korea, and China, and similarly with Islamists. Nationalists, populists, and Marxists attack the American experiment, economic system, and culture through emotion, slogans of equality, and activist government, showing overlaps reminiscent of 1930s fascists and communists. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
It seems like the only time you hear about new statues these days is when something goes horribly wrong. Unfortunate bronze renditions of Lucille Ball, Cristiano Ronaldo, Dwayne Wade, and many others are always going viral, becoming a fixture of late-night shows and mocking comment sections. Is the internet too harsh a critic? Or is American statuary a total bust?In this episode of Decoder Ring, host Willa Paskin talks to artist Atalanta Arden-Miller about what's happened to one of the oldest artistic traditions in the world—why so many contemporary statues turn out off-center, off-kilter, and off-putting. The answer takes us from ancient Greece to Nazi Germany to North Korea.This episode was written by Willa Paskin. It was produced by Max Freedman. It was edited by Josh Levin and Evan Chung, our supervising producer. Merritt Jacob is Senior Technical Director. Our intern is Phoebe Mulder.Special thanks to the Works in Progress Podcast, where we first heard Atalanta talk about the dismal state of statuary today.If you have any cultural mysteries you want us to decode, email us at DecoderRing@slate.com or leave a message on our hotline at (347) 460-7281.Get more of Decoder Ring with Slate Plus! Join for exclusive bonus episodes of Decoder Ring and ad-free listening on all your favorite Slate podcasts. Subscribe from the Decoder Ring show page on Apple Podcasts or Spotify. Or, visit slate.com/decoderplus for access wherever you listen.Need to set up your Slate Plus feed? If you subscribed through Slate.com, check out our FAQ at slate.com/podcastfaqs for easy instructions. Members subscribed via Apple Podcasts get automatic access—no setup required. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
It seems like the only time you hear about new statues these days is when something goes horribly wrong. Unfortunate bronze renditions of Lucille Ball, Cristiano Ronaldo, Dwayne Wade, and many others are always going viral, becoming a fixture of late-night shows and mocking comment sections. Is the internet too harsh a critic? Or is American statuary a total bust?In this episode of Decoder Ring, host Willa Paskin talks to artist Atalanta Arden-Miller about what's happened to one of the oldest artistic traditions in the world—why so many contemporary statues turn out off-center, off-kilter, and off-putting. The answer takes us from ancient Greece to Nazi Germany to North Korea.This episode was written by Willa Paskin. It was produced by Max Freedman. It was edited by Josh Levin and Evan Chung, our supervising producer. Merritt Jacob is Senior Technical Director. Our intern is Phoebe Mulder.Special thanks to the Works in Progress Podcast, where we first heard Atalanta talk about the dismal state of statuary today.If you have any cultural mysteries you want us to decode, email us at DecoderRing@slate.com or leave a message on our hotline at (347) 460-7281.Get more of Decoder Ring with Slate Plus! Join for exclusive bonus episodes of Decoder Ring and ad-free listening on all your favorite Slate podcasts. Subscribe from the Decoder Ring show page on Apple Podcasts or Spotify. Or, visit slate.com/decoderplus for access wherever you listen.Need to set up your Slate Plus feed? If you subscribed through Slate.com, check out our FAQ at slate.com/podcastfaqs for easy instructions. Members subscribed via Apple Podcasts get automatic access—no setup required. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
It seems like the only time you hear about new statues these days is when something goes horribly wrong. Unfortunate bronze renditions of Lucille Ball, Cristiano Ronaldo, Dwayne Wade, and many others are always going viral, becoming a fixture of late-night shows and mocking comment sections. Is the internet too harsh a critic? Or is American statuary a total bust?In this episode of Decoder Ring, host Willa Paskin talks to artist Atalanta Arden-Miller about what's happened to one of the oldest artistic traditions in the world—why so many contemporary statues turn out off-center, off-kilter, and off-putting. The answer takes us from ancient Greece to Nazi Germany to North Korea.This episode was written by Willa Paskin. It was produced by Max Freedman. It was edited by Josh Levin and Evan Chung, our supervising producer. Merritt Jacob is Senior Technical Director. Our intern is Phoebe Mulder.Special thanks to the Works in Progress Podcast, where we first heard Atalanta talk about the dismal state of statuary today.If you have any cultural mysteries you want us to decode, email us at DecoderRing@slate.com or leave a message on our hotline at (347) 460-7281.Get more of Decoder Ring with Slate Plus! Join for exclusive bonus episodes of Decoder Ring and ad-free listening on all your favorite Slate podcasts. Subscribe from the Decoder Ring show page on Apple Podcasts or Spotify. Or, visit slate.com/decoderplus for access wherever you listen. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
It seems like the only time you hear about new statues these days is when something goes horribly wrong. Unfortunate bronze renditions of Lucille Ball, Cristiano Ronaldo, Dwayne Wade, and many others are always going viral, becoming a fixture of late-night shows and mocking comment sections. Is the internet too harsh a critic? Or is American statuary a total bust?In this episode of Decoder Ring, host Willa Paskin talks to artist Atalanta Arden-Miller about what's happened to one of the oldest artistic traditions in the world—why so many contemporary statues turn out off-center, off-kilter, and off-putting. The answer takes us from ancient Greece to Nazi Germany to North Korea.This episode was written by Willa Paskin. It was produced by Max Freedman. It was edited by Josh Levin and Evan Chung, our supervising producer. Merritt Jacob is Senior Technical Director. Our intern is Phoebe Mulder.Special thanks to the Works in Progress Podcast, where we first heard Atalanta talk about the dismal state of statuary today.If you have any cultural mysteries you want us to decode, email us at DecoderRing@slate.com or leave a message on our hotline at (347) 460-7281.Get more of Decoder Ring with Slate Plus! Join for exclusive bonus episodes of Decoder Ring and ad-free listening on all your favorite Slate podcasts. Subscribe from the Decoder Ring show page on Apple Podcasts or Spotify. Or, visit slate.com/decoderplus for access wherever you listen. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
It seems like the only time you hear about new statues these days is when something goes horribly wrong. Unfortunate bronze renditions of Lucille Ball, Cristiano Ronaldo, Dwayne Wade, and many others are always going viral, becoming a fixture of late-night shows and mocking comment sections. Is the internet too harsh a critic? Or is American statuary a total bust?In this episode of Decoder Ring, host Willa Paskin talks to artist Atalanta Arden-Miller about what's happened to one of the oldest artistic traditions in the world—why so many contemporary statues turn out off-center, off-kilter, and off-putting. The answer takes us from ancient Greece to Nazi Germany to North Korea.This episode was written by Willa Paskin. It was produced by Max Freedman. It was edited by Josh Levin and Evan Chung, our supervising producer. Merritt Jacob is Senior Technical Director. Our intern is Phoebe Mulder.Special thanks to the Works in Progress Podcast, where we first heard Atalanta talk about the dismal state of statuary today.If you have any cultural mysteries you want us to decode, email us at DecoderRing@slate.com or leave a message on our hotline at (347) 460-7281.Get more of Decoder Ring with Slate Plus! Join for exclusive bonus episodes of Decoder Ring and ad-free listening on all your favorite Slate podcasts. Subscribe from the Decoder Ring show page on Apple Podcasts or Spotify. Or, visit slate.com/decoderplus for access wherever you listen. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
David Maxwell and Gordon Chang analyze North Korea's "salami slicing" strategy in the DMZ designed to normalize its activities. Maxwell warns Kim Jong-un seeks to divide the US-South Korea alliance. He urges a superior political warfare strategy to expose and strangulate North Korea's malign activities. 151951 21st Infantry
SCHEDULE JOHN BATCHELOR SHOW, 6-29-2026.1950Hussain Haqqani and Bill Roggio discuss the fragile US-Iran ceasefire and a flawed memorandum concerning the Strait of Hormuz. Roggio argues the agreement effectively grants Iran control, while Haqqani notes GCC countries feel excluded and wary of de-escalation on Iranian terms. The US lacks a plan to force Iranian understanding of consequences. 1Hussain Haqqani and Bill Roggio examine regional dynamics, noting the Iranian system remains unchanged despite the Supreme Leader's death. Haqqani describes the US-Iran memorandum as a "damp squib" that ignores fundamental security issues. Roggio suggests Saudi Arabia feels "stuck" with the US but may reconsider its primary regional backing. 2Ernesto Araújo addresses the Venezuelan earthquake and the Maduro regime's inability to manage the crisis, calling leadership a "gangster gathering." He sees international aid as a chance for accountability and renewal. He also questions why the US hesitates to allow democratic leader María Machado to return home. 3Ernesto Araújo discusses recent democratic victories in Colombia and Peru, characterizing them as a rejection of organized crime and socialism. He criticizes media bias for framing these shifts as a "right-wing drift" while ignoring the deep-seated corruption of regional leaders like Lula da Silva. 4Jonathan Schanzer and Bill Roggio analyze Iran's perceived "escalation dominance" in the Strait of Hormuz after the US lifted its naval blockade. Schanzer argues Iran uses the waterway as leverage to derail nuclear talks. Roggio critiques the US admission that there is no military solution to the waterway. 5Jonathan Schanzer and Bill Roggio investigate reports of damaged historic sites in Iran, suggesting they are Iranian information operations. Schanzer explains that many sites were actually torched by protesters rejecting Islamism. He also notes the morality police are doubling down on control following recent ceasefire stunts. 6David Daoud explores the Israel-Lebanon security deal and the IDF's destruction of a major Hezbollah arsenal. Daoud explains the concept of "pilot zones" where the Lebanese Armed Forces must perform demonstrably before territorial expansion. He notes Hezbollah wants a pragmatic end to pain but rejects normalization. 7David Daoud and Bill Roggio analyze "pilot zones" as a mechanism to hold Lebanon's feet to the fire regarding Hezbollah's disarmament. Daoud warns that if the US prioritizes quiet with Iran, these zones could become pressure tactics against Israel rather than mechanisms for actual Lebanese performance. 8Richard Epstein critiques the Supreme Court's 6-3 decision allowing the President to fire independent commission heads. Epstein argues this undermines the separation of powers between prosecution and adjudication. He warns that "presidential accountability" is an illusion in such a unitary power structure. 9John Hardie and Bill Roggio report on Russian fuel shortages caused by Ukrainian long-range drone strikes on refineries. Hardie notes this crisis breaks Putin's "social contract" of stability for passivity. Despite economic trouble, Putin maintains maximalist war demands due to inflated military reports from his general staff. 10Edmund Fitton-Brown critiques the UN's "toxic obsession" with Israel and its lack of evidence regarding genocide claims. Fitton-Brown highlights how China and Russia manipulate the UN system to avoid scrutiny. He notes Israel is uniquely targeted by permanent commissions while worse regimes go free. 11Edmund Fitton-Brown and Bill Roggio discuss the instability of the Iran MOU and the upcoming Doha talks. He contrasts this with a balanced Israel-Lebanon framework that aims to marginalize Hezbollah. However, the MOU's vague language allows Iran to claim legitimate control over the Strait of Hormuz. 12Henry Sokolski examines the stalemate over Iran's nuclear program following a previous B2 raid. Sokolski notes Iranrefuses IAEA inspections at damaged uranium enrichment sites. He warns of massive plutonium risks at the Bushehrplant and calls for public hearings on regional nuclear restraint. 13Ahmad Sharawi documents Hamas's presence in Turkey, where senior operatives enjoy sanctuary to plot attacks in the West Bank. Sharawi notes Turkey provides a permissive environment to weaken Israel's regional freedom. Hamas maintains leadership and financing networks despite being whittled down in Gaza. 14David Maxwell and Gordon Chang analyze North Korea's "salami slicing" strategy in the DMZ designed to normalize its activities. Maxwell warns Kim Jong-un seeks to divide the US-South Korea alliance. He urges a superior political warfare strategy to expose and strangulate North Korea's malign activities. 15Gordon Chang challenges China's manufacturing numbers as "science fiction" and the promotion of robotics to hide massive youth unemployment. Chang explains that Xi Jinping prioritizes manufacturing over consumption to keep the population dependent. He also warns of rising state-promoted xenophobia against foreigners. 16