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If you ever studied modern Chinese history, you likely met the “century of humiliation” in your first class. In 1840, British gunboats shattered the pride and legitimacy of the Qing empire, and the decades of semi-colonization that followed inaugurated a century of reform and revolution — all aimed at restoring an ancient, creaky civilization to unity and to the top of the world. The Kuomintang and the Communist Party told the same story and drew the same conclusion: the mandate belongs to whoever ends the humiliation.In China, history has never been merely academic. Where elections do not exist, leaders seek legitimacy in historical title deeds — which is why the Party still teaches the story in every classroom and invokes it in every speech on national rejuvenation. The battle crossed the Pacific, too. John King Fairbank absorbed the nationalist framework in wartime China and canonized it at Harvard, organizing American understanding of modern China around two dates: 1840 and 1949. He built the field of China studies as we know it, and generations of his students inherited the framework with it, until American scholarship was teaching China's nationalist mythology back to itself — and to Washington, where it still underwrites op-eds casting Xi Jinping as the new emperor. How America tells China's story shapes how America makes China policy.Dr. Alice Miller thinks we have the story wrong. From 1974 to 1990, she was a senior CIA analyst of Chinese foreign policy and domestic politics, and later a division chief supervising analysis of China, North Korea, Indochina, and Soviet policy in East Asia. She is now a research fellow at the Hoover Institution, where she edited and contributed to the China Leadership Monitor from 2001 to 2018. She published as H. Lyman Miller before her gender transition.In part two of our conversation — edited for clarity and brevity — we trace her formation at Princeton under Fritz Mote, the ferocious “Who lost China?” debates of the 1950s, the eternal feud between historians and political scientists, and her heterodox verdict on engagement: it didn't fail — it worked so well that Xi Jinping had to stomp on it. We close with a story of a different kind: her transition in 2006, and the unexpected grace with which the CIA, Hoover, and the Naval Postgraduate School received it. Part one, on her years decoding Beijing for the CIA, is here.Enjoy!LeoMusic: Carnaval Op. 9 No. 18 - “Aveu”, Bishara Haroni, Artlist Classics, Robert SchumannFor quick navigation to the specific sections:* Early sinologist debates about “who lost China?”* The fallacy of “The Century of Humiliation”* The battle between historians and political scientists over contemporary China studies* “How Did We Get China So Wrong?”* An identity transition from Harold to AlicePeking Hotel is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.About usThe Peking Hotel podcast and newsletter are digital publications in which Liu He interviews China specialists about their first-hand experiences and observations from decades past. The project grew out of Liu's research at Hoover Institution collecting oral history of China experts living in the U.S. Their stories are a reminder of what China used to be and what it is capable of becoming.We also have a Chinese-language Substack. We hope to publish more conversations like this one, so stay tuned! Get full access to Peking Hotel at pekinghotel.substack.com/subscribe
President Trump has repeatedly warned that the communists are coming for America. And he's not talking about China or North Korea. He's talking about Democratic Socialists like Zohran Mamdani and recent Congressional candidates.This week on The Sunday Story, we bring you a conversation from our colleagues at The NPR Politics Podcast. They argue that as the midterms near, crying “communism” may be a key Republican strategy. They discuss whether there's any legitimacy to the claim, what Republicans hope to achieve by making it, and whether voters will be convinced. Support public media with NPR+ and enjoy perks for over 25 podcasts like this one. This show's perks include sponsor-free listening. Learn more at plus.npr.org.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
This week we are visited by two of the biggest creators Australia has produced. Boasting 7 million subscribers between them, Aleksa Vulović (Boy Boy) and Alex Apollonov (IdidAthing), joined the show to chat about the incredible journey. From a hair cut in North Korea to breaking into Pine Gap and breaching the military blockade around Cuba, it's been quite the ride for two fellas from Sydney's Hills District who've taken their unique brand of content to the world. If you aren't familiar with them, tune in to find out what all the fuss is about - and if you are familiar with them tune in to see what makes these guys tick.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Japan is launching its first foreign intelligence agency since World War Two, backed by a massive US$400 million budget. Driven by Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi, the move aims to counter escalating threats from China, North Korea, and Russia - placing Japan alongside global espionage powers like the CIA and MI6. But will this historic shift successfully deter regional aggression, or will it risk making relations worse?
Anatol Lieven examines how the Ukraine and Iran conflicts are merging into one global struggle following a Ukrainiandrone strike on an Iranian vessel. This escalation threatens global energy supplies of refined oil products, as Russianrefineries struggle with capacity. While Ukraine targets the Russian middle class to undermine support for the war, Lieven warns of a widening proxy war involving China, North Korea, and Iran. (5)
C Constable reports from France on the high heat and smoke impact near Bordeaux. The discussion shifts to surging energy prices, with Brent crude rising 26% and European gas up 36%. Despite high energy costs, rising copper prices suggest potential industrial growth. (1)Simon Constable and Jim McTague continue with a quiz highlighting that typical data centers use 300,000 gallons of water daily, while larger ones can reach 5 million gallons. Currently, most centers are urban, but 67% of planned facilities are rural. In Lancaster County, a "tale of two data centers" emerges as one town embraces the revenue stream while another resists it due to misinformation and fear. (2)Cliff May argues for maximum pressure and coercive diplomacy to prevent the Islamic Republic of Iran from obtaining nuclear weapons. He advocates for a naval blockade, specifically targeting oil exports from Kharg Island to strangle the regime's revenue. May emphasizes that the Iranian leadership's ideology makes them likely to use nuclear weapons, necessitating a strategy to cripple the regime's power. (3)John Hardie and Bill Roggio cover the significant leadership change in Ukraine as General Drapatyi replaces General Syrskyi as commander-in-chief. Drapatyi is seen as a representative of a new, western-style generation of officers who embrace technological innovation and listen to subordinates. The transition aims to "desovietize" the military and maintain the momentum of successful drone offensives against Russian infrastructure. (4)Anatol Lieven examines how the Ukraine and Iran conflicts are merging into one global struggle following a Ukrainiandrone strike on an Iranian vessel. This escalation threatens global energy supplies of refined oil products, as Russianrefineries struggle with capacity. While Ukraine targets the Russian middle class to undermine support for the war, Lieven warns of a widening proxy war involving China, North Korea, and Iran. (5)Anatol Lieven turns to Britain's new political era under Prime Minister Andy Burnham, who is described as the Labour Party's "last chance" to address a discredited government. Burnham faces immense financial pressure, particularly regarding the costs of healthcare for the elderly and dementia. To succeed, he may need to pivot from "Net Zero" policies to prioritize energy needs and seek a new mandate through an election. (6)Salvatore Vitale and Kalin Plunkett of MIT explain hierarchical merging, a process where black holes merge repeatedly to create larger "monsters." By analyzing gravitational waves from 155 binary pairs, they discovered that 14% are second-generation black holes, born from previous mergers rather than stellar collapse. These second-generation black holes are characterized by rapid spin and mass asymmetry, providing clues to how supermassive black holes form in galaxies. (7)Salvatore Vitale and Kalin Plunkett continue: to uncover the origins of the Milky Way's supermassive black hole, scientists propose building larger gravitational wave detectors scaled up by a factor of ten. These advanced observatories would allow researchers to peer further back into cosmic history, potentially detecting black holes from the very early universe. Expanding the global network to four or five detectors would help pinpoint host galaxies and detect the formation of heavy elements. (8)Arthur Herman recounts the historic 1896 meeting where Henry Ford pitched his internal combustion engine to a skeptical Thomas Edison. Edison's encouragement served as the catalyst for Ford's revolution in American transportation. This industrial transformation was further enabled by John D. Rockefeller, whose ability to lower oil prices made gasoline an economically feasible fuel for mass production. The segment also highlights George Washington's vision for a professional Continental Army. (9)Arthur Herman explains the American founders were heavily influenced by the Scottish Enlightenment, particularly the ideas of David Hume and Adam Smith regarding the pursuit of happiness. This subjective right was prioritized over property to potentially allow for the future abolition of slavery. The founding spirit extended to the Northwest Ordinance, creating communities like Marietta, Ohio, that were dedicated to education, religion, and freedom. (10)Arthur Herman characterizes Abraham Lincoln as a founder for his vision of an America without slavery and his willingness to risk the Union to fulfill the Declaration of Independence. His administration's legacy includes the Homestead Act and the Transcontinental Railroad, which expanded the "empire of liberty." Additionally, the Civil War era facilitated the rise of Andrew Carnegie, who later revolutionized the global steel industry using the Bessemerprocess. (11)Arthur Herman reframes the Gilded Age not as an era of greed, but as a period of unprecedented opportunity and connectivity driven by the railroad. James J. Hill's Great Northern Railway fostered regional prosperity and negotiated fairly with Native American tribes. Meanwhile, Thomas Edison's relentless competitiveness and "restless mind" led to the electrification of the nation and the invention of the phonograph, inspiring future generations of founders like Elon Musk. (12)Arthur Herman contrasts Woodrow Wilson's attempt to centrally manage industry during World War I, which resulted in logistical chaos and failure, with FDR's embrace of the private sector for World War II, appointing GM's Bill Knudsento lead mobilization. By relying on the incentives of the marketplace, Knudsen successfully converted American manufacturing into a massive war machine, producing more war material than the world imagined in just 18 months. (13)Arthur Herman presents Martin Luther King Jr. as a founder who refounded the American experiment by taking risks to fulfill the promise of equality. The segment explores the eternal conflict between the bold "founder mindset" and the cautious "manager instinct" that emerged in the 1950s. While managers seek stability and predictability, founders drive innovation and national greatness, preventing the American dream from becoming stagnant and stale. (14)Arthur Herman credits Vannevar Bush's "The Endless Frontier" manifesto with persuading FDR to fund basic scientific research through universities, laying the groundwork for Silicon Valley. This federal support enabled discoveries in information theory and microchip development, transforming the American economy. The evolution from massive mainframes like the IBM 360 to modern microchips illustrates the imaginative leap of founders who see opportunities where others see only current technology. (15)Arthur Herman concludes that today's founders, including Elon Musk and Donald Trump, continue the tradition of taking massive risks to fulfill bold visions. Musk's goals for SpaceX and Mars are described as a step-by-step process of industrial manufacturing and innovation. Central to this enduring success is the Patent Act of 1790, a unique constitutional protection that ensures individuals own the products of their minds, fueling 250 years of American discovery. (16)Corrections applied per the log: John Hardie (transcribed as "Hardy," segment 4) and Labour Party (UK spelling, segment 6). I also dropped the phonetic "(Chopati)" after General Drapatyi in segment 4 — that's Mykhailo Drapatyi, so the first spelling stands. One to confirm for the log: Kalin Plunkett (segments 7–8) — I couldn't verify this MIT researcher's spelling; if it's from audio, it may need checking against the MIT LIGO group roster.
BitMEX shut down without an angry tweet. Offchain Labs CEO Steven Goldfeder joins Kain and Taylor on why dead tokens never get that mercy. Plus, Kyle Samani's Multicoin blowup. ======================================================== 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). ======================================================== BitMEX shut down after 11 years and crypto Twitter answered with nostalgia. When a token project dies, the same audience spends weeks dragging it. Steven Goldfeder, co-founder and CEO of Offchain Labs, the team behind Arbitrum, joins Kain Warwick and Taylor Monahan to work through why. Goldfeder argues crypto's grant-funded, revenue-optional era is over, and explains why Arbitrum licensed its stack so that partners like Robinhood Chain have to keep paying for it, while Base pays Optimism. They trace the DPRK crewhacking crews now rotating through bridge exploits, debate whether Uniswap's new permissioned pools point toward tokens that carry real investor rights, and ask Goldfeder whether he would trade Arbitrum's open token for a restricted one only a fraction of the world could hold. The conversation closes on Kyle Samani telling Solana builders that Multicoin, the firm he co-founded, is working against them, and what that says about how much of an ecosystem can rest on a single fund. Hosts: Kain Warwick - Host of Uneasy Money and Founder of Infinex and Synthetix Taylor Monahan - Co-host of Uneasy Money and Security Expert Guest: Steven Goldfeder - Co-Founder and CEO of Offchain Labs Timestamps
Scott interviews author and writer Ted Galen Carpenter about the Iran war, Israel's tensions with Turkey, the Saudi Nuclear deal, North Korea and more. Discussed on the show: “Washington's Two Rogue Allies in the Middle East Face Off” (Libertarian Institute) “North Korea's Nuclear Status Requires Urgent Negotiation” (Libertarian Institute) Ted Galen Carpenter is a senior fellow at the Libertarian Institute. Carpenter has written 10 books including America's Coming War with China: A Collision Course over Taiwan and most recently Unreliable Watchdog: The News Media and U.S. Foreign Policy. He is a contributing editor at The American Conservative Magazine and the National Interest. Sign up for the Scott Horton Academy of Foreign Policy and Freedom at scotthortonacademy.com For more on Scott's work: Check out The Libertarian Institute: https://www.libertarianinstitute.org Check out Scott's other show, Provoked, with Darryl Cooper https://youtube.com/@Provoked_Show Read Scott's books: Provoked: How Washington Started the New Cold War with Russia and the Catastrophe in Ukraine https://amzn.to/43D82oY (The audiobook of Provoked is being published in sections at https://scotthortonshow.com) Enough Already: Time to End the War on Terrorism: https://amzn.to/4eMQblu Fool's Errand: Time to End the War in Afghanistan https://amzn.to/4a5fKvx Follow Scott on X @scotthortonshow And check out Scott's full interview archives: https://scotthorton.org/all-interviews This episode of the Scott Horton Show is sponsored by: Tax Attorney Matt Sercely https://agoristtaxadvice.com; Moon Does Artisan Coffee https://scotthorton.org/coffee; Tom Woods' Liberty Classroom https://www.libertyclassroom.com/dap/a/?a=1616 and Dissident Media https://dissidentmedia.com; Expat Money https://expatmoney.com/scott; and Crowdhealth https://www.joincrowdhealth.com/ (use promocode Horton) You can also support Scott's work by making a one-time or recurring donation at https://scotthorton.org/donate/https://scotthortonshow.com or https://patreon.com/scotthortonshow Audio cleaned up with the Podsworth app: https://podsworth.com Use code HORTON50 for 50% off your first order at Podsworth.com to clean up your voice recordings, sound like a pro, and also support the Scott Horton Show! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
In this episode of The Diplomat's Asia Geopolitics Podcast hosts Ankit Panda and Katie Putz examine the status of the Russia-North Korea partnership. Since the signing of a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership Treaty in 2024, the two have held three strategic dialogues, the most recent in late July in Moscow. How transactional is the massive shift in their relations and how sensitive is it to the Ukraine war? And what does China -- which has its own nuanced relations with North Korea and Russia -- think about the growing closeness between Moscow and Pyongyang?You can subscribe to The Diplomat's Asia Geopolitics podcast on Apple Podcasts and Spotify; and watch the episode on YouTube.
Download Audio. Scott interviews author and writer Ted Galen Carpenter about the Iran war, Israel's tensions with Turkey, the Saudi Nuclear deal, North Korea and more. Discussed on the show: “Washington's Two Rogue Allies in the Middle East Face Off” (Libertarian Institute) “North Korea's Nuclear Status Requires Urgent Negotiation” (Libertarian Institute) Ted Galen Carpenter is a senior fellow at the Libertarian Institute. Carpenter has written 10 books including America's Coming War with China: A Collision Course over Taiwan and most recently Unreliable Watchdog: The News Media and U.S. Foreign Policy. He is a contributing editor at The American Conservative Magazine and the National Interest. Sign up for the Scott Horton Academy of Foreign Policy and Freedom at scotthortonacademy.com For more on Scott’s work: Check out The Libertarian Institute: https://www.libertarianinstitute.org Check out Scott’s other show, Provoked, with Darryl Cooper https://youtube.com/@Provoked_Show Read Scott’s books: Provoked: How Washington Started the New Cold War with Russia and the Catastrophe in Ukraine https://amzn.to/43D82oY (The audiobook of Provoked is being published in sections at https://scotthortonshow.com) Enough Already: Time to End the War on Terrorism: https://amzn.to/4eMQblu Fool's Errand: Time to End the War in Afghanistan https://amzn.to/4a5fKvx Follow Scott on X @scotthortonshow And check out Scott's full interview archives: https://scotthorton.org/all-interviews This episode of the Scott Horton Show is sponsored by: Tax Attorney Matt Sercely https://agoristtaxadvice.com; Moon Does Artisan Coffee https://scotthorton.org/coffee; Tom Woods' Liberty Classroom https://www.libertyclassroom.com/dap/a/?a=1616 and Dissident Media https://dissidentmedia.com; Expat Money https://expatmoney.com/scott; and Crowdhealth https://www.joincrowdhealth.com/ (use promocode Horton) You can also support Scott's work by making a one-time or recurring donation at https://scotthorton.org/donate/https://scotthortonshow.com or https://patreon.com/scotthortonshow Audio cleaned up with the Podsworth app: https://podsworth.com Use code HORTON50 for 50% off your first order at Podsworth.com to clean up your voice recordings, sound like a pro, and also support the Scott Horton Show!
Here are some of the news stories mentioned during this News Roundup: Audio clips from the Fauci Senate hearing Senator Rand Paul releases Anthony Fauci's pandemic diary 112 times Fauci invoked the 5th Amendment during the hearing Hamas says it has agreed to disarm after Trump announces Board of Peace plan Netanyahu calls talks with Trump one of their best conversations Security Council Authorizes International Stabilization Force in Gaza Treasury Cracks Down on Global Networks Enabling Iran's Mahan Air and IRGC Egypt hit with drone strikes as Iran war appears to widen North Korea sending 30,000 troops to Russia is a 'win-win' Senate takes first steps on Russian sanctions as Zelenskyy watches Invaded: 60,000 Migrants Breach Spanish Border Territory of Ceuta State Department Launches Campaign to Dismantle International Criminal Court's Threat to American Sovereignty 'True American original.' Trump, DC pay tribute to Lindsey Graham Schools in FL, GA and CO are testing pepper-spraying, strobe-flashing drones to stop shooters U.S. FCC approves giant space mirror to deliver 'sunlight on demand' FCC Updates Covered List to Include Foreign-Produced Advanced Robotic Devices and Power Inverters McConnell out of hospital but not yet cleared to return to work Trump endorses Mike Lindell for Minnesota Governor
The United States faces the most complex geostrategic threat since 1945: an Axis of Aggressors — China, Russia, Iran, and North Korea — increasingly aligned across economic, cyber, technology, and military domains to diminish American power. Their most alarming tactic may be to trigger simultaneous major wars to stretch U.S. resources past the breaking point.Bradley Bowman, Elaine Dezenski, and RADM (Ret.) Mark Montgomery — senior leaders at FDD's Centers on AmericanPower — join Cliff May on Foreign Podicy to discuss their new book: "Axis of Aggressors: Countering the Cooperation of China, Russia, Iran & North Korea" — the result of two years of research, examining the threat and laying out a grand strategy to strengthen America, bolster its allies, and weaken this emerging axis.Learn more about Axis of Aggressors: https://www.fdd.org/analysis/axis-of-aggressors/Order the book: https://www.amazon.com/Axis-Aggressors-Countering-Cooperation-Russia/dp/1968919554/ref=tmm_hrd_swatch_0
(Presented by Thinkst Canary: Most Companies find out way too late that they've been breached. Thinkst Canary changes this. Deploy Canaries and Canarytokens in minutes and then forget about them. Attackers tip their hand by touching 'em giving you the one alert, when it matters. With zero admin overhead and almost no false-positives, Canaries are deployed (and loved) on all 7 continents.) Three Buddy Problem - Episode 107: Proofpoint's Greg Lesnewich joins the show to break down Laundry Bear, the "half-click" webmail exploits that let a Russian GRU cluster hack inboxes the moment an email was opened, and what it took to publish alongside the NSA, FBI and sixteen allied agencies. Plus, Anthropic and OpenAI both admit their models escaped test sandboxes and popped real companies, why JAGS wants the CFAA burned down and vulnerable devices bricked, and a heartfelt detour into how threat hunters actually build intuition and skills. Cast: Greg Lesnewich, Juan Andres Guerrero-Saade, Ryan Naraine and Costin Raiu. Timestamps: 0:00 Sponsor - Thinkst Canary 1:34 Greg Lesnewich introduces the Proofpoint threat-hunting team 5:23 Inside the NSA ‘Laundry Bear' advisory 7:15 What does "half-click" mean? 9:58 Laundry Bear's Zimbra exploit: DNS exfil and app-specific password persistence 12:59 Ferrari model numbers, F1 UNC names, and ESET's Operation RoundPress 17:05 Targeting Ukraine, US universities, and magnetic fusion research 19:34 How threat hunters actually build intuition 32:35 Systems thinking, Donella Meadows, and Costin's laptop under the dinner table 54:48 The dopamine hit of a real find and the deleted "never mind" messages 1:00:42 Magnets of threats: under 1% of customers ever see an APT 1:25:21 Getting detections into the product, and coordinating a release with NSA 1:53:22 Anthropic and OpenAI models breaking out of the eval sandbox 2:17:45 The case for killing the CFAA and bricking vulnerable devices 2:43:44 AI in the lab, malware paleontology, Google's new names, and AngrySpark
Here are some of the news stories mentioned during this News Roundup: Audio clips from the Fauci Senate hearing Senator Rand Paul releases Anthony Fauci's pandemic diary 112 times Fauci invoked the 5th Amendment during the hearing Hamas says it has agreed to disarm after Trump announces Board of Peace plan Netanyahu calls talks with Trump one of their best conversations Security Council Authorizes International Stabilization Force in Gaza Treasury Cracks Down on Global Networks Enabling Iran's Mahan Air and IRGC Egypt hit with drone strikes as Iran war appears to widen North Korea sending 30,000 troops to Russia is a 'win-win' Senate takes first steps on Russian sanctions as Zelenskyy watches Invaded: 60,000 Migrants Breach Spanish Border Territory of Ceuta State Department Launches Campaign to Dismantle International Criminal Court's Threat to American Sovereignty 'True American original.' Trump, DC pay tribute to Lindsey Graham Schools in FL, GA and CO are testing pepper-spraying, strobe-flashing drones to stop shooters U.S. FCC approves giant space mirror to deliver 'sunlight on demand' FCC Updates Covered List to Include Foreign-Produced Advanced Robotic Devices and Power Inverters McConnell out of hospital but not yet cleared to return to work Trump endorses Mike Lindell for Minnesota Governor
The United States faces the most complex geostrategic threat since 1945: an Axis of Aggressors — China, Russia, Iran, and North Korea — increasingly aligned across economic, cyber, technology, and military domains to diminish American power. Their most alarming tactic may be to trigger simultaneous major wars to stretch U.S. resources past the breaking point.Bradley Bowman, Elaine Dezenski, and RADM (Ret.) Mark Montgomery — senior leaders at FDD's Centers on AmericanPower — join Cliff May on Foreign Podicy to discuss their new book: "Axis of Aggressors: Countering the Cooperation of China, Russia, Iran & North Korea" — the result of two years of research, examining the threat and laying out a grand strategy to strengthen America, bolster its allies, and weaken this emerging axis.Learn more about Axis of Aggressors: https://www.fdd.org/analysis/axis-of-aggressors/Order the book: https://www.amazon.com/Axis-Aggressors-Countering-Cooperation-Russia/dp/1968919554/ref=tmm_hrd_swatch_0
Here are some of the news stories mentioned during this News Roundup: Audio clips from the Fauci Senate hearing Senator Rand Paul releases Anthony Fauci's pandemic diary 112 times Fauci invoked the 5th Amendment during the hearing Hamas says it has agreed to disarm after Trump announces Board of Peace plan Netanyahu calls talks with Trump one of their best conversations Security Council Authorizes International Stabilization Force in Gaza Treasury Cracks Down on Global Networks Enabling Iran's Mahan Air and IRGC Egypt hit with drone strikes as Iran war appears to widen North Korea sending 30,000 troops to Russia is a 'win-win' Senate takes first steps on Russian sanctions as Zelenskyy watches Invaded: 60,000 Migrants Breach Spanish Border Territory of Ceuta State Department Launches Campaign to Dismantle International Criminal Court's Threat to American Sovereignty 'True American original.' Trump, DC pay tribute to Lindsey Graham Schools in FL, GA and CO are testing pepper-spraying, strobe-flashing drones to stop shooters U.S. FCC approves giant space mirror to deliver 'sunlight on demand' FCC Updates Covered List to Include Foreign-Produced Advanced Robotic Devices and Power Inverters McConnell out of hospital but not yet cleared to return to work Trump endorses Mike Lindell for Minnesota Governor
BitMEX shut down without an angry tweet. Offchain Labs CEO Steven Goldfeder joins Kain and Taylor on why dead tokens never get that mercy. Plus, Kyle Samani's Multicoin blowup. ======================================================== 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). ======================================================== BitMEX shut down after 11 years and crypto Twitter answered with nostalgia. When a token project dies, the same audience spends weeks dragging it. Steven Goldfeder, co-founder and CEO of Offchain Labs, the team behind Arbitrum, joins Kain Warwick and Taylor Monahan to work through why. Goldfeder argues crypto's grant-funded, revenue-optional era is over, and explains why Arbitrum licensed its stack so that partners like Robinhood Chain have to keep paying for it, while Base pays Optimism. They trace the DPRK crewhacking crews now rotating through bridge exploits, debate whether Uniswap's new permissioned pools point toward tokens that carry real investor rights, and ask Goldfeder whether he would trade Arbitrum's open token for a restricted one only a fraction of the world could hold. The conversation closes on Kyle Samani telling Solana builders that Multicoin, the firm he co-founded, is working against them, and what that says about how much of an ecosystem can rest on a single fund. Hosts: Kain Warwick - Host of Uneasy Money and Founder of Infinex and Synthetix Taylor Monahan - Co-host of Uneasy Money and Security Expert Guest: Steven Goldfeder - Co-Founder and CEO of Offchain Labs Timestamps
SCHEDULE FOR THE JOHN BATCHELOR SHOW, 7-29-26.1885 CHILE STEEL SIDED WARSHIPRebecca Grant and Gordon Chang report China is escalating provocations against the Philippines and Japan, including dangerous maneuvers near Second Thomas Shoal and firing missiles from submarines. Grant highlights the US Navy's preparedness to defend allies, noting a "red line" if Filipino sailors are killed. Despite China's permanent presence, the US maintains dominance through carrier strike groups and superior undersea warfare. The lack of operational officers on China's Central Military Commission suggests potential command risks. (1)Rick Fisher and Gordon Chang discuss reports that China is transferring hundreds of advanced QW-12 and FN-16 man-portable air-defense systems (MANPADS) to Iran via Hong Kong intermediaries. Fisher warns this poses a significant threat to US aircraft in the Strait of Hormuz. Chang advocates for reimposing sanctions on Hong Kong. The transfer, which China denies, represents a major escalation and highlights China's ongoing role in arming US adversaries like North Korea and Pakistan. (2)Charles Burton and Gordon Chang note Xi Jinping broke tradition by skipping the 50th anniversary of the devastating Tangshan earthquake, sending a surrogate instead. Burton suggests this absence may signal political instability or paranoia regarding his domestic standing. The earthquake historically symbolizes a loss of the "mandate of heaven." Furthermore, vacancies on the Central Military Commission and the mysterious death of former Premier Li Keqiangindicate profound internal disarray and a lack of clear succession. (3)Charles Burton and Gordon Chang discuss how trade tensions and rhetoric from the US have led to increased disdain among Canadians toward their neighbor. Burton discusses a poll showing Canadians view China more favorably than the US due to perceived economic threats from American tariffs. While the integrated North American market remains strong, Canadian provincial governments are reportedly restricting US alcohol sales. There are even suggestions that Canada should adopt "resistance" strategies similar to Ukraine. (4)Evan Ellis reports Keiko Fujimori has been inaugurated as Peru's president, appointing a respected center-right cabinet focused on fiscal discipline and US alignment. However, she faces challenges from endemic insecurity, corruption, and significant Chinese investment. Meanwhile, the influence of Cuba remains a concern across Latin America, with accusations of espionage and interference in democratic processes. Díaz-Canel's regime is under pressure from the Trump administration, potentially facing coercive negotiations or military action. (5)Evan Ellis previews Brazil's upcoming October election, which pits the leftist Lula da Silva against Flavio Bolsonaro, son of the former president. While Lula currently leads in polls, his Workers' Party background and ties to the São Paulo Forum raise concerns about radicalism and increased engagement with China. Ellis warns that a Lula victory could lead Brazil into a recession and a state-centric social policy, potentially settling political scores while lacking necessary financial resources. (6)Evan Ellis surveys shifting political landscapes: Javier Milei is rallying support for the Bolsonaros in Brazil, highlighting a new era of cross-border political interference. In Colombia, President-elect Abelardo de la Espriella is signaling a pro-US shift by cutting ties with Cuba and Nicaragua. Conversely, Venezuela remains in a "holding pattern" under Delcy Rodríguez. Despite reports of crumbling oil infrastructure, major investment is unlikely until a legitimate government is established to address the nation's $240 billion debt. (7)Evan Ellis notes President Claudia Sheinbaum has seen success in reducing homicides and cooperating on border security, but deep-seated corruption persists. The USMCA's future is uncertain, with the Trump administration using ongoing negotiations as leverage. Additionally, China is quietly expanding its presence in Mexico's telecom and automotive sectors. Sheinbaum must navigate a delicate balance: pursuing economic diversification and relationships with China without jeopardizing critical access to the US market. (8)Michael Bernstam reports Ukrainian drone strikes on Russian refineries have severely pinched Moscow's fuel production, forcing it to import refined products from India. Bernstam argues that the conflicts in Ukraine and the Middle East have merged into a singular global energy crisis. With critical chokepoints like the Strait of Hormuz and the Red Sea threatened, a quarter of the world's oil supply is endangered. As governmental reserves dwindle, the US has become a primary exporter. (9)Michael Bernstam notes official statistics reveal the Russian economy has entered a state of stagnation, with GDP growth at a mere 0.2% for the first half of 2026. While weapons production remains high, the civilian economy—including agriculture and construction—is in recession. Bernstam notes that "perceived inflation" for Russian consumers is roughly 15%, significantly higher than official reports. Reckless interest rate cuts have further invited inflation, signaling a deepening commercial and fiscal crisis. (10)Sadanand Dhume observes that despite having a vast pool of engineers and data, India lags behind the US and China in developing frontier AI models. Dhume discusses the "winner-take-all" fear versus the belief that AI technology will eventually diffuse globally. While the Indian government is investing in semiconductors, many IT sector jobs in coding and back-office support are threatened by automation. The debate continues over whether India can successfully reap benefits without being a front-runner. (11)Sadanand Dhume examines India's "reservations" system, a rigid quota-based affirmative action program facing intense criticism for undermining university competitiveness. Originally intended to redress historical caste-based wrongs, quotas have expanded to cover roughly 60% of medical school seats. Dhume notes that while merit-based systems in Chinaprovide a brutal but efficient benchmark, Indian political parties fear touching the quota system would be "electoral suicide." This policy has entrenched caste identities. (12)General Blaine Holt analyzes reports of China supplying advanced shoulder-launched missiles (MANPADS) to Iran via Hong Kong and Pakistan, signaling a major geopolitical shift. Holt explains that while these weapons threaten low-flying aircraft, the supply chain is vulnerable to intelligence interdiction. Holt observes that recent Iranian escalations in Iraq and the Gulf suggest a fragmented leadership in disarray rather than a cohesive strategy. The US and Saudi Arabiaare actively striking Iranian-backed militias. (13)Mary Anastasia O'Grady reports that following a narrow election victory, center-right businessman Abelardo de la Espriella faces fierce opposition from outgoing President Gustavo Petro. Petro, a former M19 terrorist, has refused to recognize the results, alleging fraud and foreign interference. De la Espriella plans to take a hard line against illegal armed groups like the ELN and FARC. To build support, he intends to hold his inauguration at a military garrison, signaling a commitment to restoring national security. (14)Bob Zimmerman reports SpaceX's 13th Starship Super Heavy launch was a major success, demonstrating the reliability of Raptor 3 engines and the thermal protection system. Zimmerman highlights the shift toward a "capitalism model," where private companies manage missions for NASA. Meanwhile, a schizophrenic GAO report on NASA's workforce reductions suggests that budget cuts have not significantly impacted major projects, despite agency officials' claims that funding decreases are "disastrous." (15)Bob Zimmerman notes the Deep Space Network facility in Spain narrowly avoided destruction by wildfires, highlighting the fragility of planetary communication nodes. Beyond Earth, astronomers have observed a precipitous drop in star formation within the Andromeda galaxy as it moves toward an eventual collision with the Milky Way. Additionally, NASA's Dragonfly mission to Titan faces potential power shortages from its nuclear sources. Despite these risks, commercial space continues to expand into private stations. (16)Corrections applied: Rick Fisher (transcribed as "Fischer" in segment 2 — matching the spelling from your earlier batch), Delcy Rodríguez, Díaz-Canel, and São Paulo Forum with accents. Also standardized "man-pads" to MANPADS and hyphenated the QW-12/FN-16 designations. Stray double commas from the source cleaned throughout.5
Rick Fisher and Gordon Chang discuss reports that China is transferring hundreds of advanced QW-12 and FN-16 man-portable air-defense systems (MANPADS) to Iran via Hong Kong intermediaries. Fisher warns this poses a significant threat to US aircraft in the Strait of Hormuz. Chang advocates for reimposing sanctions on Hong Kong. The transfer, which China denies, represents a major escalation and highlights China's ongoing role in arming US adversaries like North Korea and Pakistan. (2)1944 TOKYO STATION
China embraces open AI models, then worries it's become a national security risk. The cyberattack on Minnesota water systems proves larger than first reported. CISA updates its SBOM guidance. AI supercharges dangling DNS attacks. Researchers uncover a self-propagating Copilot worm. A critical Rails flaw demands urgent patching. Mac users are lured into installing malware through fake Claude guides. Amazon links a string of NPM compromises to North Korea. And Russia charges Telegram founder Pavel Durov with aiding terrorism. Ben Yelin joins us with a border search case that's breaking new ground. Don't bite the North Korean hand that feeds you. Remember to leave us a 5-star rating and review in your favorite podcast app. Miss an episode? Sign-up for our daily intelligence roundup, Daily Briefing, and you'll never miss a beat. And be sure to follow CyberWire Daily on LinkedIn. CyberWire Guest Today we are joined by Ben Yelin from University of Maryland Center for Cyber Health and Hazard Strategies talking about a border search case that's breaking new ground. If you enjoyed this conversation, check out Ben on the Caveat podcast here. Selected Reading As China's A.I. Gets Stronger, It Poses New Risks to Beijing (New York Times) Minnesota Water Utilities Suffer ‘Coordinated Cyber Attack' (GovTech) CISA Updates Software Bill of Materials Guidance to Strengthen Supply Chain Security (HSToday) ‘DangleGeddon': AI Could Weaponize Forgotten DNS Records at Global Scale (SecurityWeek) Word worm crawls into Copilot, spreads chaos (The Register) Possible arbitrary file read and remote code execution in Active Storage variant processing (GitHub) Fake Claude Install Guide Leads to MacSync Stealer and RAT: What We Pulled From the Attacker's Servers (Huntress) Amazon identifies North Korean hacker group behind open-source supply chain attacks (AWS Security Blog) Russia accuses Telegram CEO Pavel Durov of aiding terrorism in its latest digital crackdown (AP News) North Korea's elite hackers turned on their own government — and got caught (Bitdefender) Share your feedback. What do you think about CyberWire Daily? Please take a few minutes to share your thoughts with us by completing our brief listener survey. Thank you for helping us continue to improve our show. Want to hear your company in the show? N2K CyberWire helps you reach the industry's most influential leaders and operators, while building visibility, authority, and connectivity across the cybersecurity community. Learn more at sponsor.thecyberwire.com. The CyberWire is a production of N2K Networks, your source for strategic workforce intelligence. © N2K Networks, Inc.
A rant about a watermelon vodka switch and a mystery seltzer that's just labeled “purple” somehow spirals into Fed policy, Trump's Epstein birthday card, and a UN vote where America got left standing alone with Iran and North Korea. Also: karaoke, a snowball joke nobody fully commits to, and a passionate defense of pizza crust quality.
Tuy không có hiệp ước phòng thủ chung chính thức giống như Liên minh Bắc Đại Tây Dương NATO, chiến tranh giữa Mỹ và Iran ở Trung Đông đang thúc đẩy bốn nước Trung Quốc, Nga, Iran và Bắc Triều Tiên hành động như một khối có liên kết chiến lược. Mối quan hệ hợp tác này có thể là một thách thức to lớn đối với Hoa Kỳ. Những năm gần đây, mỗi khi nói đến các cuộc khủng hoảng quốc tế, từ chiến tranh Ukraina đến căng thẳng ở Trung Đông, người ta thường nghe nhắc đến một nhóm quốc gia gồm Trung Quốc, Nga, Iran và Bắc Triều Tiên, mà nhiều nhà phân tích phương Tây gọi là « CRINK », được ghép từ chữ cái đầu bằng tiếng Anh của bốn quốc gia (China, Russia, Iran và North Korea). Mạnh mẽ hơn, nhóm bốn nước này còn bị chỉ định là « trục gây bất ổn », « trục chống phương Tây » hay « trục các quốc gia gây hấn ». CRINK : Một khối thống nhất như NATO ? Câu hỏi quan trọng : Liệu đây có thực sự là một khối thống nhất giống như NATO? Hay người ta đang đơn giản hóa một thực tế phức tạp hơn rất nhiều. Chủ đề vẫn gây tranh cãi trong giới quan sát, giữa một bên cho rằng Trung Quốc, Nga, Iran và Bắc Triều Tiên đang hình thành một liên minh chiến lược chặt chẽ nhằm đối đầu với Mỹ và phương Tây, và bên kia thì cho rằng « không tồn tại bất kỳ khối nào », rằng mỗi nước theo đuổi lợi ích riêng và không có sự phối hợp đáng kể. Thực tế cho thấy là cả hai cách nhìn này đều chưa hoàn toàn chính xác. Nhiều nghiên cứu gần đây cho thấy mối quan hệ hợp tác quân sự và an ninh giữa bốn nước đã gia tăng mạnh mẽ, nhất là kể từ khi Nga tiến hành « chiến dịch quân sự đặc biệt » ở Ukraina năm 2022. Các hoạt động chuyển giao vũ khí, hàng hóa lưỡng dụng, các cuộc tập trận chung và những thỏa thuận song phương xuất hiện với tuần suất cao hơn. Tuy cho đến nay bốn nước này chưa có một cấu trúc chỉ huy chung hay một cơ chế phòng thủ tập thể, nhưng theo ghi nhận của các tác giả một báo cáo đăng trên trang Trung tâm Nghiên cứu Chiến lược Quốc tế (CSIS) ngày 30/09/2025, CRINK đang tồn tại như một mạng lưới hợp tác linh hoạt hơn là một liên minh quân sự chính thức. Xung đột giữa Israel và Iran trong giai đoạn 2024-2026 là phép thử rõ nét nhất cho nhận định trên. Bắc Triều Tiên : Lợi ích quốc gia trên cả ý thức hệ, tình hữu nghị Nếu thực sự tồn tại một « khối » thống nhất như NATO, người ta có thể kỳ vọng rằng khi Iran đối mặt với áp lực quân sự, ba đối tác còn lại sẽ ngay lập tức tham gia hỗ trợ một cách mạnh mẽ. Nhưng điều đó đã không xảy ra. Và Bắc Triều Tiên là một ví dụ đáng chú ý nhất. Thái độ thận trọng của Bình Nhưỡng cho thấy lợi ích quốc gia của Bắc Triều Tiên vẫn được đặt lên trên bất kỳ tình cảm ý thức hệ nào. Trả lời phỏng vấn RFI Tiếng Việt (ngày 18/06/2026), nhà địa chính trị học Didier Chaudet, chuyên gia về Nam Á, Trung Á và Vịnh Ba Tư, nhận định : « Thời gian gần đây, Cơ quan Tình báo Quốc gia Hàn Quốc (NIS) có đưa ra một thông điệp khá rõ ràng, cho thấy Bắc Triều Tiên đã khẳng định họ không hậu thuẫn Iran trong suốt cuộc chiến, vì muốn duy trì mối quan hệ tốt với chính quyền Trump trong tương lai. Bình Nhưỡng không muốn là mục tiêu sau khi chiến tranh Iran kết thúc. » Nga và Iran : Mối quan hệ đối tác chặt chẽ Tuy nhiên, Nga lại có một cách hành xử khác. Iran không chỉ là một đối tác mà còn là một mắt xích quan trọng trong mạng lưới giúp Matxcơva đối phó với các biện pháp cô lập của phương Tây. Trong chiến tranh Ukraina, Iran đã cung cấp cho Nga một lượng lớn drone Shahed và nhiều loại khí tài khác, đổi lại, Matxcơva đã mở rộng hợp tác quân sự, chia sẻ công nghệ và ký kết các thỏa thuận chiến lược, hỗ trợ Teheran trong nhiều lĩnh vực quốc phòng. Về điểm này, chuyên gia địa chính trị Didier Chaudet cho biết thêm rằng « một lượng lớn vũ khí đã được vận chuyển từ các cảng của Nga tại vùng biển Caspi đến Iran. Tất nhiên, đây là cách Nga lách các lệnh trừng phạt của phương Tây đối với Iran, một phần để đáp trả những lời chỉ trích về việc thiếu hỗ trợ trong năm 2025 khi căng thẳng giữa Israel và Iran tăng cao. Thật vậy, đối với Nga, nếu Iran sụp đổ, có nguy cơ thực sự họ sẽ là nạn nhân tiếp theo, khiến liên minh phương Tây trở nên quyết liệt hơn đối với Nga trong tương lai. » Đây cũng là quan điểm của nhà nghiên cứu Andrea Kendall - Taylor, giám đốc Chương trình An ninh Xuyên Đại Tây Dương, Trung tâm An ninh Hoa Kỳ Mới (CNAS), khi trả lời trang RFE/RL (24/07/2026). Theo bà, việc Iran sụp đổ có nguy cơ tạo ra bất ổn sâu rộng tại Trung Đông, đồng thời làm suy yếu một trong những đối tác quan trọng nhất của Nga. Thế nên, việc duy trì sự tồn tại và ổn định của Iran phù hợp với lợi ích chiến lược của Matxcơva. Trung Đông ổn định là lợi ích của Bắc Kinh Trong khi đó, Bắc Kinh lại chọn một cách tiếp cận khác thận trọng hơn. Trung Quốc tránh can dự quân sự trực tiếp, nhưng duy trì các mối quan hệ sâu rộng với Iran. Trả lời RFI Tiếng Việt, nhà địa chính trị học Didier Chaudet phân tích : « Ai cũng biết rằng Trung Quốc mua dầu của Iran, vì điều này nằm trong lợi ích của họ. Tương tự, trong khoảng thời gian 2025-2026 (…) rõ ràng đã có các hoạt động buôn bán những loại sản phẩm không thuộc diện trừng phạt do Mỹ và các đồng minh áp đặt, những sản phẩm không nằm trong phạm vi pháp luật, nhưng lại giúp tái thiết đặc biệt là khả năng tên lửa tầm trung của Iran. » Bắc Kinh không nhất thiết hành động vì mục tiêu bảo vệ Iran vô điều kiện. Lợi ích của Trung Quốc nằm ở một Trung Đông ổn định, đủ để bảo đảm các tuyến năng lượng và thương mại, đồng thời tránh sụp đổ nhà nước dẫn tới chiến tranh kéo dài. Một Iran hỗn loạn hoặc rơi vào nội chiến sẽ gây bất ổn cho toàn bộ khu vực và tác động đến kinh tế toàn cầu, điều mà Trung Quốc cũng như là châu Âu hoàn toàn không mong muốn, theo giải thích của nhà nghiên cứu Didier Chaudet. Lệnh trừng phạt của phương Tây : Mẫu số chung của CRINK Nhưng khi quan sát CRINK, người ta phát hiện ra một nghịch lý thú vị: Bốn nước này tuy không phối hợp ở mức độ cao như một liên minh quân sự thực sự, nhưng họ vẫn liên tục hỗ trợ lẫn nhau. Vậy điều gì đang gắn kết họ với nhau ? Đó là các lệnh trừng phạt của Mỹ và phương Tây. « Nhìn từ Trung Quốc, một nước như Hoa Kỳ có thể áp đặt luật lệ của mình ra ngoài lãnh thổ nhắm mục tiêu các công ty cùng nhiều thực thể của Trung Quốc, nhất là trong hồ sơ Iran, là điều càng ngày càng không thể chấp nhận trên phương diện luật quốc tế », theo đánh giá của chuyên gia Chaudet. Trong hoàn cảnh này, việc tăng cường hợp tác với nhau giữa bốn nước là một lựa chọn hợp lý. Nhà phân tích Andrea Kendall - Taylor gọi đây là một mạng lưới linh hoạt, vừa chia sẻ nguồn lực, vừa giúp nhau giảm tác động các biện pháp trừng phạt. Một trong những tác động quan trọng nhất của mạng lưới là giúp tăng cường năng lực của từng thành viên, đồng thời làm suy giảm hiệu quả các công cụ gây sức ép từ phương Tây. Ví dụ điển hình nhất là Bắc Triều Tiên. Trong nhiều năm, hình ảnh phổ biến về quốc gia này là một nền kinh tế trì trệ và cô lập, nhưng tình hình đã được cải thiện đáng kể trong hai năm gần đây. Theo giải thích của chuyên gia Didier Chaudet, « bởi vì Triều Tiên đang được hưởng lợi từ việc họ có thể hợp tác với Nga và kiếm tiền từ Nga dưới danh nghĩa hỗ trợ mà họ dành cho Nga trong cuộc chiến ở Ukraina. Bởi vì Trung Quốc, đối mặt với áp lực quốc tế từ những lãnh đạo cũng nhắm mục tiêu vào các thực thể Trung Quốc, đã quyết định nới lỏng các quy định thương mại giữa Trung Quốc và Bắc Triều Tiên. » CRINK : Một mạng lưới linh hoạt Điều này giải thích vì sao, bất chấp các lệnh cấm vận kéo dài, nền kinh tế Bắc Triều Tiên vẫn cho thấy có những dấu hiệu cải thiện tương đối. Từ góc độ quan hệ quốc tế, đây không còn là câu chuyện về tình hữu nghị hay ý thức hệ, mà là vấn đề lợi ích. Nga cần đạn dược và nhân lực. Bắc Triều Tiên cần tiền và công nghệ. Iran cần thị trường xuất khẩu dầu mỏ và đối tác quân sự. Trung Quốc cần các đối tác sẵn sàng cùng mình chống lại những gì Bắc Kinh coi là một sự áp đặt ngoài lãnh thổ của luật pháp và trừng phạt từ Mỹ. Mỗi bên đều có thứ mình muốn và mỗi bên đều có thứ để trao đổi. CRINK không phải là một phiên bản NATO đối lập, không phải là một liên minh có bộ chỉ huy chung. Không có nghĩa vụ phòng thủ tập thể giữa bốn nước và cũng không phải lúc nào các thành viên cũng sẵn sàng bảo vệ nhau bằng sức mạnh quân sự. Do vậy, cuộc xung đột Mỹ - Iran đã bộc lộ các giới hạn của nhóm. Nhưng cũng sẽ sai lầm nếu cho rằng cả bốn nước này không hoàn toàn liên kết với nhau. Mạng lưới hợp tác này ngày càng được thắt chặt và được thúc đẩy bởi các lợi ích chiến lược, nhu cầu chống chịu các lệnh trừng phạt, cũng như là mong muốn xây dựng một trật tự quốc tế mà họ cho là ít bị chi phối hơn từ sức mạnh của Mỹ và phương Tây. Bài toán nhiều mặt trận : Mối họa lớn nhất cho Mỹ Dù không phải là một khối thống nhất, đó cũng không hẳn là những quốc gia hành động riêng lẻ. Chính vùng xám này giữa hai cách hiểu là điều khiến giới phân tích ở Mỹ đặc biệt lo lắng. Trong một tập sách mới do tổ chức Foundation for Defense of Democraties vừa phát hành, tựa đề « Trục các quốc gia gây hấn : Đối phó với sự hợp tác giữa Trung Quốc, Nga, Iran và Bắc Triều Tiên », các tác giả cảnh báo rằng cách thức mà bốn chế độ chuyên chế này hỗ trợ nhau trong các lĩnh vực quân sự, kinh tế, không gian mạng và công nghệ có nguy cơ đặt Hoa Kỳ trước nhiều thách thức lớn. Trả lời kênh Fox News Digital ngày 29/07/2026, Mark Montgomery, cựu đô đốc Hải quân Mỹ, đã vẽ ra một kịch bản tồi tệ nhất là ông cho là mối nguy hiểm lớn nhất : « bài toán nhiều mặt trận đồng thời ». Hoa Kỳ sẽ phải ứng phó ra sao nếu trong cùng một lúc xảy ra đối đầu giữa Trung Quốc và Đài Loan, Bắc Triều Tiên có thể gây áp lực với Hàn Quốc hoặc tiến hành các cuộc tấn công hạn chế nhằm kìm chân lực lượng Mỹ, và một cuộc xung đột giữa Nga và các quốc gia Baltic thành viên NATO, kèm theo đó là các hoạt động khủng bố hoặc hành động thù nghịch từ Iran ? Mark Montgomery kết luận : Hoa Kỳ nên xem nhóm bốn nước này là một « mối đe dọa thống nhất, đe dọa tổng hợp » mà họ phải đối đầu trong « mọi khu vực khủng hoảng » !
When two of the most influential figures in film become the personal hostages of Kim Jong Il, they have two objectives: to elevate North Korean cinema on the world stage, and to plot their daring escape. * Hosted by Dana Schwartz, Zaron Burnett, and Jason EnglishWritten by Adrien Behn and edited by Carmen Borca-Carrillo at Acast Creative StudiosProduced by Josh FisherEditing and Sound Design by Chris ChildsMixing and Mastering by Chris ChildsAdditional Editing by Mary DooeFact-Checking by Austin ThompsonOriginal Music by Elise McCoyShow Logo by Lucy QuintanillaExecutive Producer is Jason English SOURCES + FURTHER READING/LISTENING/VIEWING A Kim Jong-Il Production, by Paul FisherThe Observant, by Ravi ManglaMichelle Cho, assistant professor, University of Toronto"Are You There Godzilla? It's Me, Kim Jong Il" [Ridiculous Crime podcast]Country Reports on Human Rights Practices, U.S. State DepartmentBig Brother: North Korea's Forgotten Prince [An iHeart Original Podcast]"Kim Jong Il, the Director he Kidnapped, and the Awful Godzilla Film They Made Together" [Mental Floss Magazine]The Korean War [PBS]See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
NK News Correspondent Joon Ha Park joins this week's podcast to discuss Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky's claim that Russia has requested another 30,000 North Korean troops for its war against Ukraine. He explains how realistic a deployment of that size would be, why Russia may be preparing facilities in the Voronezh region and whether DPRK personnel are more likely to serve in logistics, reconstruction and rear-area security than in direct frontline combat. The conversation then turns to South Korean Unification Minister Chung Dong-young's declaration that Seoul is shifting from a “denuclearization first” approach to a “peace first” strategy. Joon Ha breaks down why experts view the announcement as a change in sequencing rather than a fundamental policy reversal, and why North Korea currently has little incentive to respond. In the second half of the episode, he looks back at the 1953 Korean War Armistice Agreement and explains why South Korea was not among its signatories, how the ceremonies at Panmunjom and Munsan unfolded and why Seoul's absence still affects peace diplomacy today. He also recounts the remarkable life of Choe Tok Sin, the South Korean general known as the “Hero of Panmunjom” who later served as foreign minister, fell out with Park Chung-hee and defected to North Korea. 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.
When two of the most influential figures in film become the personal hostages of Kim Jong Il, they have two objectives: to elevate North Korean cinema on the world stage, and to plot their daring escape. * We're hard at work on our next season of new VSEs. If you've already heard this one, email us — veryspecialepisodes@gmail.com — and we'll recommend something else you can listen to instead! Hosted by Dana Schwartz, Zaron Burnett, and Jason EnglishWritten by Adrien Behn and edited by Carmen Borca-Carrillo at Acast Creative StudiosProduced by Josh FisherEditing and Sound Design by Chris ChildsMixing and Mastering by Chris ChildsAdditional Editing by Mary DooeFact-Checking by Austin ThompsonOriginal Music by Elise McCoyShow Logo by Lucy QuintanillaExecutive Producer is Jason English SOURCES + FURTHER READING/LISTENING/VIEWING A Kim Jong-Il Production, by Paul FisherThe Observant, by Ravi ManglaMichelle Cho, assistant professor, University of Toronto"Are You There Godzilla? It's Me, Kim Jong Il" [Ridiculous Crime podcast]Country Reports on Human Rights Practices, U.S. State DepartmentBig Brother: North Korea's Forgotten Prince [An iHeart Original Podcast]"Kim Jong Il, the Director he Kidnapped, and the Awful Godzilla Film They Made Together" [Mental Floss Magazine]The Korean War [PBS]See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Most speakers assume their audience is persuadable by good evidence. Psychologist Owen Fitzpatrick, who trained under NLP co-creator Richard Bandler and has travelled to over a hundred countries, including North Korea, Afghanistan and Iran, studying how belief actually forms, argues that's backwards. People believe what feels right, fits their identity, and keeps them inside their tribe. Evidence comes after, as justification.Owen built his reputation on charisma work (his book The Charismatic Edge argued charisma is an impression you create, not something you're born with) before moving into belief and propaganda with his new book Inner Propaganda, out 4 August. In this conversation, he lays out his DELP model (an expansion of Aristotle's ethos, logos, pathos to include demos — understanding your specific audience), explains why intelligent, critical-thinking people are often the most convincing propagandists to themselves, and draws a sharp line between persuasion, manipulation and propaganda that every speaker standing on a stage should sit with.We also get into why spontaneous, unscripted delivery reads as more truthful than polished delivery (with Martin Luther King's "I Have a Dream" as the example), and why AI's tendency to flatter you is quietly making this problem worse, not better.In this episode:Why charisma is built, not innate, and why it matters more now than when Owen wrote The Charismatic Edge in 2013The DELP model: demos, ethos, logos, pathosWhy perceived authenticity beats actual authenticity, and why spontaneity reads as truthWhy critical thinking doesn't protect you from bad beliefs (argumentation vs investigation)Motivated reasoning, naive realism, and sacred values: why smart people hold ridiculous beliefsThe difference between persuasion, manipulation and propaganda, and why every speaker is, to a degree, a propagandistOwen's practical tools: the belief audit, the feels right/fits in/makes sense framework, and E-Prime languageConnect with Owen on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/owenfitzp/The book and the special workshop are available at https://innerpropaganda.com, and you can discover more about Owen and his work at https://owenfitzpatrick.comFAQWhat is Owen Fitzpatrick's DELP model?The DELP model is Owen Fitzpatrick's expansion of Aristotle's rhetorical triad of ethos, logos and pathos. Owen adds demos, the requirement to understand the specific audience being addressed, alongside ethos (credibility and positioning), logos (logical structure and evidence) and pathos (emotional impact).What is Owen Fitzpatrick's book Inner Propaganda about?Inner Propaganda is Owen Fitzpatrick's book, to be released on 4th of August 2026, about how individuals generate their own propaganda internally through feelings, self-narratives and motivated reasoning. It argues that people convince themselves of beliefs the same way state propaganda convinces populations, through internal versions of state media, indoctrination and truth engineering.What is the difference between persuasion, manipulation and propaganda, according to Owen Fitzpatrick?Persuasion is the ethical attempt to change beliefs, attitudes or behaviour while genuinely caring about what the other person wants. Manipulation uses deception and serves only the persuader's own interests. Propaganda combines both, using every available tool of persuasion and manipulation to construct an entire reality for the audience.Why doesn't critical thinking protect people from believing false things?According to Owen Fitzpatrick, critical thinking and intelligence make people better at constructing airtight arguments (argumentation) rather than at genuinely investigating what is true (investigation). Motivated reasoning, a concept from psychologist Ziva Kunda, refers to people reasoning toward conclusions they already want to be true.What is naive realism?Naive realism is the belief that one's own perception of reality is objectively accurate and shared by anyone reasonable. Owen Fitzpatrick argues this prevents people from applying the same critical scrutiny to their own beliefs that they readily apply to beliefs they disagree with.What is E-Prime language and why does Owen Fitzpatrick use it?E-Prime is a form of English that eliminates the verb "to be," originally developed by David Bourland based on Alfred Korzybski's work on language and semantics. Owen Fitzpatrick uses it as a belief-flexibility tool: replacing "this is true" with "this seems true to me" builds in the possibility of revision.Visit https://strategic-speaker.scoreapp.com to take the 2-minute Strategic Speaking Business Audit and find out what's blocking you from getting more bookings, re-bookings, referrals and bigger fees. There's a special surprise gift for everyone who completes the quiz.Want to get coached for free on the show? Fill in the form https://forms.gle/mo4xYkEiCjqtz9yP6, and if we think your challenge could help others, we'll invite you on.For speaking enquiries or to connect with me, you can email john@presentinfluence.com or find me on LinkedInYou can find all our clips, episodes and more on the Present Influence YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@PresentInfluenceThanks for listening. Rating the show 5* on Spotify helps their algo recommend the show, so please take a moment to follow the show and leave a rating.Mentioned in this episode:Do you want to join the Known, Booked & Paid Blueprint September Case Study group?This September I'll be working with a group of 5 speakers who are already speaking but not getting the level of bookings and speaker fees that they really want. We'll work on the 3 key areas that will allow your speaking business to flourish. Since it's the founding group, there's an extra special deal on the price for joining that will never be repeated. Go to https://presentinfluence.com/kbpb for full details.
This week feels less like a crypto podcast... and more like the script of a Netflix crime series.
A cyberattack has disrupted water utilities in more than 30 communities in Minnesota, Denmark tests a secondary banking system in case of a cyberattack, North Korea arrests bank hackers, and a new Chinese cyber contractor has been identified. Show notes Risky Bulletin: New Chinese cyber contractor identified
In this episode of The President's Daily Brief: Ukraine launches a dramatic long-range strike on an Iranian-linked vessel in the Caspian Sea, bringing the wars in Ukraine and the Middle East closer together than ever before. I'll explain why the strike could mark a dangerous new phase in both conflicts. A new DEA assessment raises difficult questions about the Trump administration's military campaign against drug traffickers, finding that dozens of deadly maritime strikes have done little to reduce the flow of cocaine into the United States. Kim Jong Un quietly expands North Korea's global espionage capabilities with major investments in cyber warfare, intelligence operations, and covert activities targeting America's allies. In today's Back of the Brief, massive wildfires force hundreds of thousands of people from their homes across France and Spain as Europe confronts one of its worst fire emergencies in years. To listen to the show ad-free, become a premium member of The President's Daily Brief by visiting https://PDBPremium.com. Please remember to subscribe if you enjoyed this episode of The President's Daily Brief. YouTube: youtube.com/@presidentsdailybrief QUO: Make this the season where no opportunity slips away. Try QUO for free PLUS get 20% off your first 6 months when you go to https://Quo.com/PDB Cardiff: Get fast business funding without bank delays—apply in minutes with Cardiff and access up to $500,000 in same‑day funding at https://Cardiff.co/PDB Pendulum: Ditch the afternoon crashes and naturally curb your cravings with 20% off the doctor-recommended Pendulum Metabolic Daily at https://pendulumlife.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Send us Fan MailPeaches is back with the Daily Drop for 28 July, covering Army vehicle prototypes, command and control testing, Navy vaccine and transfer policy updates, Marine drone experiments, Coast Guard counter-UUV efforts, testosterone screenings, Iran operations, and some very questionable budget math.The Army is moving forward with Infantry Squad Vehicle Heavy prototypes while Project Convergence prepares to stress-test next-generation command and control gear in the Mojave Desert. The Navy reinstated flu vaccine requirements for certain sailors and changed transfer policy after a sailor's death, while the USS George Washington strike group is operating in the South China Sea.The Marine Corps is experimenting with medium-sized drones that can launch one-way attack drones, and Marines also tested drone delivery of simulated refrigerated blood during an Australia exercise. Peaches ties that into real-world medical drone delivery and what it could mean for dispersed battlefield sustainment.The Air Force clarified again that waist-to-height ratio measurements will not be scored during the initial rollout, while B-52 modernization remains on cost and schedule after a test aircraft crash. The Coast Guard is looking for technology to detect and defeat unmanned underwater vehicles, because drone swarms are not just an air problem anymore.The episode also covers Pete Hegseth's testosterone screening initiative for service members over 30, the Pentagon's $7 billion Oracle contract, Trump's warning on Iran talks, reclassified Iran war fatalities, one-way surface drones used against Iranian ports, ongoing boat strikes against alleged drug vessels, and Zelensky warning that North Korea may send 30,000 more troops to support Russia.Links:TastyGains.comOperatorTrainingSummit.comOnesReady.comChapters:00:00 - Intro and Daily Drop01:07 - Tasty Gains01:42 - Army Selects ISV Heavy Prototype Companies02:25 - Project Convergence and Next-Gen Command and Control03:23 - Army Pacific Best Squad Competition03:57 - Navy Reinstates Flu Vaccine Requirements05:44 - Navy Changes Transfer Policy After Sailor Death07:18 - USS George Washington in the South China Sea07:50 - Marine Drone Launching One-Way Attack Drone08:58 - Marines Test Drone Blood Delivery in Australia10:18 - Operator Training Summit San Diego and Pennsylvania11:12 - What OTS Is and Is Not12:49 - Air Force Waist-to-Height Ratio Will Not Be Scored13:54 - B-52 Modernization Stays on Schedule14:20 - Coast Guard Seeks Counter-Underwater Drone Tech15:13 - New Cutter Squadron in the Western Pacific15:39 - Pete Hegseth Announces Testosterone Screenings16:21 - Why Testosterone Testing Matters17:09 - Operator Syndrome and Low Testosterone18:29 - Pentagon Awards $7 Billion Oracle Contract19:06 - Why the Oracle Math Does Not Math19:48 - Trump Warns Iran if Talks Fail20:17 - Pentagon Reclassifies Iran War Fatalities21:44 - One-Way Surface Drones Hit Iranian Ports22:17 - U.S. Boat Strikes and Drug Trafficking ROI24:15 - Zelensky Warns North Korea May Send More Troops24:52 - Ones Ready Membership and Merch Restock26:03 - Wrap-UpSupport the showJoin this channel to get access to perks: HEREBuzzsprout Subscription page: HERERegister for our Operator Training Summit: OperatorTrainingSummit.comFind an Air Force Recruiter: AirForce.comCollabs:Ones Ready - OnesReady.com 18A Fitness - Promo Code: ONESREADY ATACLete - Follow the URL (no promo code): ATACLeteDanger Close Apparel - Promo Code: ONESREADYDFND Apparel...
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.
Few regions are as strategically significant as the Pacific. The persistent challenges posed by adversaries like China and North Korea, the critical importance of alliances and partnerships, and the sheer scale of projecting airpower across this expansive theater make it one of the most complex and consequential areas of responsibility in the world today. Gen. Schneider is responsible for Air Force activities spread over half the globe in a command that supports more than 46,000 Airmen serving principally in Japan, South Korea, Hawaii, Alaska, and Guam. Join us as Gen. Schneider provides an update on airpower and the Pacific theater.
This week on the Mark Levin Show, 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. 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. Zohran Mamdani and 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 policies 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. Later, communism is all about working people -- killing them, enslaving them, and brutalizing them. It's amazing how the Communists talk up "the working people." For communists, working people exist to serve the state and its centralized masterminds rather than as sovereign individuals. Only in free societies, especially America, are working people the heart and soul of society—the backbone of freedom. Communism is the most defective ideology ever imposed because it requires no knowledge or experience—only an iron fist and a destructive ideology that ignores human nature for an undefined “general good.” Also, New Jersey officials and a software vendor IDEMIA are publicly disputing responsibility for a glitch that registered about 6,600 non-citizens to vote. Between New Jersey, the election mess in California, and such historic examples as the Chicago political machine and LBJ in Texas, it's clear Democrats want to legalize fraud and give permanent power to the Democratic party. Senator Tim Sheehy delivered a compelling Senate floor speech explaining the long-running war with Iran's radical Islamist regime in Tehran. Sheehy stressed that the regime, which seized power 47 years ago through brutality and has never stopped, cares nothing about American politics or faith; it seeks to kill Americans and other atrocities it celebrates and rewards. The United States did not start the conflict but must finish it so another generation is not forced to fight the same murderous adversary. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Becky Graves was living a comfortable American life when her husband suggested a family mission trip to Haiti. She told him—forcefully—NO! But then God changed Becky's heart; that "short-term" trip became a defining moment in her life. Fourteen years later, Becky is still serving the people of Haiti. She's also waging a battle with cancer. Becky has chosen to find joy—regardless of her circumstances—in the work of ministry in a difficult place and in the cancer fight. "Cancer and Haiti both taught me that I have to be comfortable with uncertainty and rely on the Lord," she says. She also says that suffering can be a gift. Becky leads a ministry called Haiti Awake. She also serves as a security trainer for global gospel workers through Concilium. (Scott Brawner, founder of Concilium, has also been a VOM Radio guest.) Listen as Becky recounts her first diagnosis in 2019, how she's found opportunities to witness even in hardship and how her perspective on suffering has been shaped. Becky blogs about her work in Haiti and her cancer journey at Fear is Not My Future. She's just published a devotional book (affliate link) by the same name. Hear more about gospel work and sacrifice in Haiti in this VOM Radio interview with David and Alicia Lloyd. 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.
The National Security Hour with Al Johnson (LTC Sangari) – South Korea stands at the center of an intensifying struggle over trade, technology, and regional security. As China, North Korea, and Russia expand pressure, Washington faces growing risks to alliances, semiconductor supply chains, military deterrence, and the broader balance of power across Asia and the Pacific in the years ahead...
Nuclear Iran via China with Rick Fisher On Today's episode, The Two Mikes spoke with Mr. Rick Fisher, one of America's very best experts on China, and a man who President Trump ought to find a way to consult with. In regard to the current war with Iran, Mr. Fisher noted that the U.S. and Israel are on the cusp of turning Iran into one of the world's strategic pivot points and, eventually, a nuclear-armed-dog of China. Beijing is already arming Iran, and purchases virtually all of Iran's oil. Indeed, Mr. Fisher claimed that China will not allow Iran to be defeated and disarmed by the United States and Israel. In necessary, China will offer nuclear tactical weapons to Iran to stave off complete defeat and may even do so in unison with North Korea, or at least with its resources. If China does secede to commit itself in Iran's defense, Beijing's goal will not only be Iran's survival, but also to ensure that the U.S.-Israel war against Iran will be the action that displaces American power in the Middle East. In recent months, moreover, Beijing probably has been surprised that Washington knowingly conceded all of the wartime advantages to Iran by failing to send a substantial ground force to Iran, the lack of which makes it all but impossible to definitively defeat Iran. Looking beyond Iran for a Moment, Mr. Fisher said developments in Europe likewise are being closely watched by the Beijing regime. As Ukraine drifts increasingly closer to a clear defeat, the European states will have to decide on whether they will attack Russia in final effort to stave off the annihilation of the Kiev regime. If a Ukraine-Russian war becomes a reality, it is likely that China will stand back and watch, but if Russia loses in Europe through such a matchup, China would certainly move against Russia while it is otherwise disposed. Mr. Fishers frequent writings can be found in the Epoch Times and in the Tai Pei Times online.
“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/
SecondFi has released more detail on the wallet security incident that saw about 16.1 million ADA, roughly US$2.6 million, withdrawn from 374 wallets between 21 and 23 June. The update includes a public warning about fake recovery emails, findings from Groom Lake's forensic investigation, and a clearer explanation of the cryptographic flaw involved.Peter breaks down what SecondFi says happened, including the reported external attacker, the possibility of a second separate attacker, the per-transaction signature issue, and why public transaction data may have been enough to derive affected private key material under certain conditions. The episode also covers the wider discussion around cross-chain wallet code, CTRL Wallet, Yoroi migration, EMURGO tooling and the unauthorised publication of relevant code.The key safety message is simple: use only official SecondFi channels, do not click recovery emails, never share private keys, and wait for audited recovery and migration tooling rather than trusting anyone offering support through emails, comments or direct messages.Chapters:0:00 Fake Recovery Email Warning1:15 Incident Investigation Update2:18 Second Attacker Identified2:56 Cryptographic Root Cause3:45 Signing Formula Breakdown5:46 Vulnerable Wallet Library6:37 CTRL Wallet And Yoroi8:22 Published Code Question9:14 SecondFi Wind Down9:34 Recovery And Migration Tools11:25 Private Key SafetyWhat you'll learn:- SecondFi warned users that fake recovery emails are phishing attempts and that official communication is through its X account and technical support channels.- SecondFi said the June incident involved approximately 16.1 million ADA, about US$2.6 million, stolen from 374 wallets.- Groom Lake's independent investigation identified an external actor and suggested the primary operation may be linked to the DPRK-linked Lazarus Group.- The investigation also identified activity from a second separate attacker affecting a different set of wallets during the same window.- The root cause described by SecondFi was a subtle cryptographic flaw in how wallet software generated per-transaction signatures.- The signing issue meant data that should have depended on secret information could under some conditions be computed from public blockchain data.- SecondFi says the flaw has been patched, new wallets created with corrected software are not known to be affected, and the wallet is being wound down.- SecondFi is preparing safe migration functionality for early August and a zero-knowledge-proof recovery tool targeted for August after specialist third-party audits.Links & References:⚠️ Security Alert: FAKE RECOVERY EMAIL:- https://link.learncardano.io/m7FsGqOfficial SecondFi website:- https://link.learncardano.io/6llK2PWhat happened to SecondFi:- https://link.learncardano.io/fNJfCuThe signing math:- https://link.learncardano.io/5Pu20KVulnerable Library:- https://link.learncardano.io/cPTJG9Andrew Westberg's Opinion:- https://link.learncardano.io/cVwd7CEMURGO's internal JS framework Dullahan:- https://link.learncardano.io/0vu7M5⚠️ Recovery Update: Bounty Offer Made to Attacker:- https://link.learncardano.io/lG2331Website: https://link.learncardano.io/bQ68RcX/Twitter: https://link.learncardano.io/3a1QtvDisclaimer: This content is for educational purposes only. Nothing constitutes financial advice.DISCLAIMER: This content is for informational and educational purposes only and is not financial, investment, or legal advice. I am not affiliated with, nor compensated by, the project discussed—no tokens, payments, or incentives received. I do not hold a stake in the project, including private or future allocations. All views are my own, based on public information. Always do your own research and consult a licensed advisor before investing. Crypto investments carry high risk, and past performance is no guarantee of future results. I am not responsible for any decisions you make based on this content.
Sometimes the hardest setback becomes the start of a far better life. I speak with Jeff Brown, an international photography business mentor whose path began with dyslexia, school struggles, and a fishing fly business at age 16. Jeff shares how military photography, personal branding, and business skills helped him build a successful creative career. He also opens up about losing everything through a failed pub, rebuilding his mental health, and creating a global photography mentoring business. His story shows how persistence, clear goals, strong branding, and the courage to change direction can create an unstoppable life. Highlights: 00:01:38 - How dyslexia and school struggles shaped Jeff's drive to work for himself. 00:05:58 - The first sale that showed him entrepreneurship was possible. 00:14:50 - Why passion and effort mattered more than early photography skills. 00:35:49 - How branding and marketing helped grow four photography businesses. 00:39:06 - The business failure that forced Jeff to rebuild his life. 01:01:49 - Why clear goals, strong branding, and steady action create growth. About the Guest: Jeff Brown is an International Photography Business Mentor, Best Selling Photography Business Author, Public Speaker and President of The British Institute of Professional Photography. Also working for The International School Photography Conference Team he has delivered sell-out courses and workshops around the world. Jeff works closely with photographers from all niches and photographic backgrounds having a real passion to help them grow their online brand and achieve their goals. Jeff first dipped his toe into entrepreneurship at the age of 15 while still at school, selling handmade fishing flies to local tackle shops to boost his pocket money. After leaving school at 16 he set up his first full-time venture, a mail-order fishing tackle business. His fishing tackle business came to an end 7 years later, shortly after Jeff enlisted in the Royal Navy where he went on to serve as a military photographer and intelligence analysist. Following nearly 10 years service he left the armed forces to set up his own photography company, and eighteen months later had a successful six-figure wedding photography company and a commercial photography business, then going on to open a separate school photography business and a Boudoir Makeover studio turning over 1,000 boudoir and model shoots per year. In 2014 Jeff decided to follow his dreams of owning a country food pub by investing over £120k of his own money into a pub venture, which turned out to be his greatest ever failure, losing his entire investment and racking up £60k of debt in just 12 months while at the same time going through a divorce. After suffering from depression in 2015, he changed direction again and developed an online photography business mentoring program, making it his mission to help and inspire photographers worldwide to market their businesses better. Part of Jeff's major focus and teachings are in the areas of Goal Setting, Brand Message, Consistency, and Website Content including the new AI and AEO search on Google, and also his favourite social media platform which is LinkedIn. It's essential to have a mindset for success and a clear path to follow. No business can truly succeed without goals, direction, a powerful brand and a positive mindset to achieve. Jeff has written 4 internationally best-selling photography books and recently published his first travel book – · The Photographers Missing Link-edIn · The Ambitious Photographer's Journal · Help My Photography Website Needs More Customers · The Photographer's Gratitude & Mindset Journal · Plan Your Ultimate Northumberland 250 Road Trip He writes for several photography magazines and associations and is also a brand ambassador for OM System (Olympus Cameras), The British Photography Awards, Studio Ninja, The Societies of Photographers, and the UK and US Brand Ambassador for The Shutter Studio App. Jeff lives in the beautiful scenic county of Northumberland, England. He's a keen traveller having visited over 60 countries so far, as well as being an outdoor enthusiast, motorbiker and loves getting out in nature when ever he can. Ways to connect with Jeff**:** Website: www.thephotographersmentor.comFacebook: www.facebook.com/JeffBrownThePhotographersMentorLinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/thephotographersmentorAmazon: https://www.amazon.com/stores/Jeff%20Brown/author/B09M76J1XK About the Host: Michael Hingson is a New York Times best-selling author, international lecturer, and Chief Vision Officer for accessiBe. Michael, blind since birth, survived the 9/11 attacks with the help of his guide dog Roselle. This story is the subject of his best-selling book, Thunder Dog. Michael gives over 100 presentations around the world each year speaking to influential groups such as Exxon Mobile, AT&T, Federal Express, Scripps College, Rutgers University, Children's Hospital, and the American Red Cross just to name a few. He is Ambassador for the National Braille Literacy Campaign for the National Federation of the Blind and also serves as Ambassador for the American Humane Association's 2012 Hero Dog Awards. https://michaelhingson.com https://www.facebook.com/michael.hingson.author.speaker/ https://twitter.com/mhingson https://www.youtube.com/user/mhingson https://www.linkedin.com/in/michaelhingson/ Thanks for listening! Thanks so much for listening to our podcast! If you enjoyed this episode and think that others could benefit from listening, please share it using the social media buttons on this page. Do you have some feedback or questions about this episode? Leave a comment in the section below! Subscribe to the podcast If you would like to get automatic updates of new podcast episodes, you can subscribe to the podcast on Apple Podcasts or Stitcher. You can subscribe in your favorite podcast app. You can also support our podcast through our tip jar https://tips.pinecast.com/jar/unstoppable-mindset . Leave us an Apple Podcasts review Ratings and reviews from our listeners are extremely valuable to us and greatly appreciated. They help our podcast rank higher on Apple Podcasts, which exposes our show to more awesome listeners like you. If you have a minute, please leave an honest review on Apple Podcasts. Transcription Notes: Michael Hingson 00:04 What if the biggest thing holding you back isn't what's in front of you, but rather what you believe? Welcome to Unstoppable Mindset, where inclusion, diversity, and the unexpected meet. I'm your host, Michael Hingston, speaker, author, and advocate for inclusion and possibilities. This podcast explores how the beliefs we carry shape the way we live, lead, and connect with others. Each week, I talk with people who challenge assumptions, face adversity head-on, and show what's possible when we choose curiosity over fear. Together, we focus on mindset, resilience, and the small shifts that lead to meaningful change. Let's get started. Hi again, everyone. Welcome to another episode of Unstoppable Mindset. You know what's really fun about this podcast is we get to meet all sorts of people who talk about all sorts of different kinds of things, and today we get to talk to a gentleman from England, Jeff Brown, and Jeff, among other things, is an international photography business mentor, best-selling photography business author, he's a public speaker and also the president of the British Public Institute of Photography. I think I said that right. Jeff Brown 01:36 British British Institute of Professional Photography. British Michael Hingson 01:40 Institute of Professional Photography. Got to say it right, but anyway, and and all sorts of other things. He's an adventurous kind of person, as you're going to learn in the course of the day. So, Jeff, I want to welcome you to Unstoppable Mindset, and we're really glad you're here. Jeff Brown 01:55 Thank you. Thanks for having me on. Michael Hingson 01:57 Well, I'm glad to do it, and I have a visitor in the studio today, my cat Stitch, who is monitoring this, and I'm sure that if she has any opinions, she's going to voice them. But we'll see. Stitch is a wonderful kitty. She's almost 16 years old, and we we love having her around. But anyway, so Jeff, why don't we start by you telling us kind of maybe about the early Jeff growing up and some of those things, and we'll go from there. Jeff Brown 02:25 So growing up, so I grew up in the northeast of England, and I was born in 1970. So I'm 55 now, and back in sort of late 70s, early 80s, the northeast of England was a was a bit of a grim place. It was gray. It was there was a lot of poverty. It was mainly coal mining and shipbuilding, and it was the old sort of mentality of you know you go to school, you study hard, you get a job, you stay in the job for for your life, you retire, and then you're dead. That's it. Yeah. So, for some reason, that didn't really, really appeal to me. And I used to love reading. I read loads of books. I was obsessed with books. Got into books from a very early age. Into sort of fantasy type books, Lord of the Rings, The Hobbit, and stuff like that. But it was only when I got into maybe probably about the the junior schools I'd gone through the infant school I got to about eight or nine year old that I realized there was something the matter with me in the fact that I'm really struggled with with school I wasn't very good at it years and years later, I found out I was dyslexic, but I couldn't read out aloud. I had real problems with numbers. Numbers seemed to always look the wrong way around to me, and I got an instant dislike of school and an instant dislike of authority. I had I just I couldn't wait to get out of it, but I was quite creative when I got into fishing, I was good at making fishing flies. I got into photography, and that sort of gave me more of a creative mindset. Where I thought, well, I don't want to work for anybody else. I don't want to be told what to do. I want to try and make my own direction. And I decided that I was going to be self-employed or you know start my own business at the age of 14, Michael Hingson 04:23 what did your parents think of your your kind of independent mindset or entrepreneurial mindset? Because you must have voiced it along the way. Jeff Brown 04:31 Well, I did, yeah, and funny enough, you know, I said I had a real dislike of school. I mean, I actually not not overly proud of it, but I was expelled from school at the age of 16, kicked out of school because I got into quite a bit of trouble. I was I was very rebellious. I really disliked it with the passion, and I left school with zero qualifications. So I didn't I didn't pass any exams. I filled every exam that I actually bothered to turn up for, but to. It matters worse. My dad was a college lecturer, and my mum was a teacher. So, so obviously it didn't go down well with with having two parents who were in the education system. But they backed me 100% They were they they could see that I was struggling, but dyslexia wasn't really a thing that was talked about back. Yeah, and yeah, my my dad put forward at the time one and a half 1000 pound to help me get onto the you know get the equipment I needed and the the office space to start my first business. Michael Hingson 05:34 So it was pretty supportive, Jeff Brown 05:36 very supportive. Yeah, yeah, yeah, and and and I think it helped as well that my first business was making fishing flies and tying and exporting fishing flies to fishing businesses around the world. But my dad was keen on fishing as well, so he had he had an attraction to the business. Michael Hingson 05:54 Okay. Well, I know that my wife had lots of relatives in England. A lot of them were from the Cornwall Mosel area, and a lot of them, of course, were very much into fishing. Jeff Brown 06:05 Oh yeah, yeah. I know Cornwall. In fact, I spent a year in Cornwall on on Navy search and rescue, and that would have been 1919 98 I think it was then very beautiful place. Michael Hingson 06:19 I've not been. I'd love to go sometime. We'll have to figure that out. Jeff Brown 06:23 Yeah, it is. It's gorgeous. It's gorgeous. Michael Hingson 06:26 So you started this business. So you were basically 15 when you started the the business, which I think is kind of interesting. That's at a young age, and of course, by the time you were 16, as you said, you got expelled from school, which had to not be very very much fun. Jeff Brown 06:44 Yeah, I mean, well, to be honest, so the the starting of the business, I used to I used to go into the fishing tackle shops at weekend myself and one of my friends who who I used to go fishing with, and he was good at making flies. He was called Phil. Obviously, I'm called Jeff, and we decided we were going to create a business called PJ Flies. And one weekend, we we went into one of the local fish and tackle shops, and we were buying some some bits and bobs to make fish and flies with. And the business owner, the owner of the shop, said, "Look, says, look, if you bring me some flies down next week, if they if they if they're any good, I'll buy them off you. So we walked into the shop and took these fishing flies in the following week in a little presentation box. And I remember him individually taking each fly out at a time because he said, "How much how much how much are you going to sell me them for? And I said, "Well, I'll sell them for 10 pence each. So he was taking them out, and I was counting up in my head. And at the time, my pocket money was, I think, was three or four pounds a week, and I came out of that shop with a 10-pound note. So it was double what I was getting paid off my pocket money, and it was such a great feeling. So that was my first ever sort of dip into entrepreneurship, earning money, and and he said, and the last thing he said as I went out the door, he says, if you can if you can make the same amount next week or even double, bring them back and I'll buy them off you. So the following week I went back and made 20 quid. Michael Hingson 08:18 Wow, what goes into making a fly, I'm not a fisherman by by training or anything, so I don't know a lot about fly fishing. Jeff Brown 08:27 Yeah, so it's all feathers and so feathers and furrows, and it's all held onto the hook with with a very fine thread, like what's called a gossamer thread. It takes it takes a while to learn. So I was taught by an old guy who was a really good fisherman, and he he had a caravan on the same caravan site that my parents had that they used to go on holiday on, and because we we we never used to go abroad in those days, all the holidays were spent in England, and that he he saw that I was getting into fishing, and he came and taught me how to how to tie fishing flies, which was great. Michael Hingson 09:06 Yeah, and of course, the whole idea behind the fly is to attract the fish, right? Jeff Brown 09:10 That's right. Yeah, yeah. Michael Hingson 09:13 So that they will, if you will, take the bait. Jeff Brown 09:16 Yeah, yeah, totally. And the funny thing was, I was yeah, I used to love fishing, but I don't need fish, so I would either put you know put them back in the in in the river, or I'd I'd give them away to to members of the family. Michael Hingson 09:30 Wow. Well, and suddenly fortunes changed, and there you were making flies and selling them. Jeff Brown 09:37 That's right. That's right. Michael Hingson 09:39 So how long did you do that? Jeff Brown 09:42 So we we got we got a proper sort of business premises in 1986. So when I was I was 16 year old, and we applied for a grant with the then Prince's Trust, which was run by Prince Charles, who's now King Charles. And we were the youngest people in in the UK to be accepted for a grant. They bent the rules and they give us the grant under the age of 18. So we got the grant at 17 year old, and then shortly after, we were in a business sort of a business community, a big a big workspace with lots of offices with other creative people in, and shortly after the the center had opened, about six months after, the the the manager of the center came up and says, "Well, look, we'd like to we'd like you to make a box of salmon flies, but a really good box of salmon flies, all the best ones, and we'll pay you. And it's going to be a presentation box for a special guest who's coming to officially open the business center in a few months. But we can't tell you who it is. And anyway, it turned out two months later it was it was Prince Charles. Speaker 1 10:59 He Jeff Brown 10:59 came to visit us, and he was presented with a box of fishing flies-the the flies that we tied from. Michael Hingson 11:07 Wow, that was pretty cool. So you got to meet him. Jeff Brown 11:11 So yeah, we got to meet him. He talked about fishing. He talked about fly tying. He said he'd he'd been bought a fly tying kit for Christmas one year from his wife, who would have been Princess Diana, but he couldn't get away from get away from it. It was too. He found it too complicated and too complex. So he says, "I really admire that you you know that you guys can can tie the flies. So so yeah. So it was nice. It was nice to meet him. It was nice to be able to do that presentation box, and we had that business till I was 26 so Michael Hingson 11:45 10 years, Jeff Brown 11:46 nearly 10 years. Yeah. Michael Hingson 11:48 Now, have you met him ever since Jeff Brown 11:52 then? I haven't met him, but I have met other members of the the royal family because I was a my next stage in business, so my next stage in life was to become a a military photographer. I met a few members of the royal family in my capacity as a military photographer. So I went from so one avenue being creative, which was the fishing flies, into sort of another avenue being creative. And the funny thing was, I'd never had any intention of John in the military. None of my family were in the military. My dad had done his national service, and my granddad had served in the in the navy during the Second World War. But just on a whim, one day I happened to be walking past a military careers office, and I thought I'd pop in. I love cooking. I thought, oh look, I'd seen a picture on the window where he could train to be a military chef. Yeah, okay. So I went into enquire about being a chef, joined as an aircraft engineer, and then transferred across to become a military photographer. And funny enough, like I said early on, that I hate authority and I hate being told what to do because that came from a hatred of hatred of schools. Michael Hingson 13:10 A school, right? Jeff Brown 13:11 But I believe that the military was different because people say, "Well, you know, if you if you hate authority and hate being told what to do, why the hell did you go and join the military? But the military was very different in the fact that I put up with the I put up with the authority because the military give you adventure. It wasn't a nine foot nine to five. It wasn't a routine job, you know. So it give and I love excitement. I love adventure. I love the the idea of every day being different. So so I was happy enough to put up with military life, and I did that for nearly nine years. Michael Hingson 13:49 Well, so did you find that the military respected your creativity as you grew at being a photographer, and so you were a photographer, so that you were allowed to, to to be creative and do the things that you wanted to do, or did you find that there was just as much authoritarianism, if you will, and they kept telling you what to Jeff Brown 14:15 do? No, no, they were very good at being creative. Funny, the the military photography branch-it's only a small branch. It's about 80 people in the in the in the navy photography branch. So by comparison to all the other branches of the navy, it's tiny, and it's always also a very sought after branch. So basically, have to wait till somebody retires or somebody, you know, gives up their position that you can actually request, and I just managed to get in at the right time where somebody had left, and I applied, and I got accepted and went on to their training course, and their training course is is quite intense, 26 exams in six months, but. All the people who run it are really passionate photographers, so they're all about developing your own creativity. Yes, there's rules and regulations to follow, but it was very different than other other avenues of the armed forces. And then, you know, your average working day, you were you were given a lot of freedom. You were given a brief for a job, but then quite often you would just go off and design that job the way you wanted, you know. Michael Hingson 15:24 But why did you, since you, I guess you, as you said, joined as an aircraft engineer? Why did you decide to look at photography? What what attracted you to that? Jeff Brown 15:35 Because I didn't. Well, first of all, I didn't realize you could be a military photographer. So it was, and you can't join as a military photographer anyway. It's what's called a sidewards entry branch. You have have to have served three years in a in a another part of the armed forces before you can apply. And to apply to get into the military military photography branch, you have to pretty much do it on your own merit. So you've got to build a portfolio up. You've got to do all the application yourself, and they also look at your. It's not like the way you react to discipline, the way you think on your own two feet, sort of thing. So, funny enough, when I went through the interviews and and they looked at my portfolio, they said that my my work was pretty poor, but they loved the way I thought, and they loved the way I was driven, and would get up early and go out and do stuff. This is, you know, it's the it's the passion and the the willingness to learn. We can teach you all the other stuff, but you you know you you're showing that willingness and and going that extra mile. That's that's what got us in and and got us to be accepted into the into the branch. It wasn't my skills as a photographer because I was that was pretty useless. Pretty new, Michael Hingson 16:49 yeah, Jeff Brown 16:50 yeah. But you know they they developed that. Michael Hingson 16:55 So the the whole idea of going in and learning to cook and being a chef kind of went by the wayside, huh? Jeff Brown 17:00 It did, yes. But I still, I still, I still love cooking to this day, and I was still very passionate about it. And I always had a dream of, you know, one day owning a a pub or running a food pub, Michael Hingson 17:12 right? Well, and you know things happen, but you you clearly are an adventurous sort of person that you even chose to do all of this, and that-that's in of itself, I think, admirable to you know to do that. So you you became a photographer, and so what kind of things did you do during the time you were in the military from a photographic standpoint? Jeff Brown 17:40 So we would do everything. We do everything from portraits of sort of admirals in uniform, official portraits. We do big presentations and awards. We do a lot of PR photography. So we'd be we'd be tasked with with a concept or an idea, or being told something is happening, or we want to promote this, so they might say, right? We've got an aircraft carrier coming into your area. Can you come up with some ideas to to sort of really promote it? Something that look really exciting. It'll encourage people to to join the military because one of the one of the things military photography branch, it's it's about PR. It's trying to get pictures of the military into the into the newspapers in a positive light. So you know, young young men and women go, "Oh, that looks great! I'd love to join, and it serves them an absolute fortune in in in advertising. So so that was that was a lot of the stuff we did, we create concepts and ideas, and quite often the concept and ideas led to having a lot of fun. You know, I'd say like, well, what have I got at my disposal? And then an admiral might say, well, what do you need? I said, well, I need a few helicopters. I need some fast patrol boats. I need some marines on on on ribs lent over these these you know rigid inflatable boats all camouflaged up with their cam cream on and their rifles and they'll be in front of the in front of the the aircraft carrier then we'll have the the helicopters flying in the background and all this was was so basically controlled by us, so we would have headsets on. We'd be talking to the, talking to the the pilots. We'd be directing people, and those shoots probably cost 10s and 10s of 1000s of pounds to to put together. When you think about it, but it was great to see some of the images come out. And in those days, when I first started doing it, we were shooting a lot of the stuff on film, so we didn't have the the the the benefit of seeing the images instantly, as in you know with digital photography. Michael Hingson 19:51 I was going to say much less digitally editing it. It was all on film. Jeff Brown 19:54 Yeah, yeah, yeah. Michael Hingson 19:56 When did it migrate over to be more digital? Jeff Brown 20:00 So we were still we when I was in training we we were using digital but still preferred you to to do a bit more on the film side of things Michael Hingson 20:08 higher quality Jeff Brown 20:10 yeah and and they also I think for like an archival purposes for the idea of have negatives and hard print Speaker 2 20:18 yeah Jeff Brown 20:19 but then you know towards like the 2004 two you know 2003 2004 Then they were starting to embrace digital fully, and and you know do away with all the the film. Michael Hingson 20:33 Wow! Jeff Brown 20:34 And obviously there is the cost aspect as well. You know because you with film it costs every time you you press the shutter button, you know you can you can take a lot more images. But I suppose it does it does make you a bit more of a lazy photographer. Michael Hingson 20:49 Well, I I suppose in some senses it can. It just depends on how disciplined you are. Well, you seem to be a pretty disciplined kind of person, and so you you worked at that pretty well, and I can. I can appreciate that. So so when did you start doing photography for the military? When did you enroll in the military? Jeff Brown 21:11 So that was 1997 Michael Hingson 21:14 Okay, so you were what 2526 25 Jeff Brown 21:19 Yeah, 2026 Yeah, yeah, 2627 yeah. Michael Hingson 21:23 Well, and the the thing about photography or or any skill like that that is is pretty unique and pretty new for you is that you had to really develop the knack to doing it, but you obviously also had to have a lot of understanding about things like, as you said, PR and all that. I mean, some of that just had to be a little bit more natural, or just you observed so much that you realized the value of it. And as you pointed out, having the the whole photography branch in the military had to be incredibly much less expensive for the military, no matter what you wanted them to do, than them doing PR in other ways because it was all done internally. Yes, yes, you had to have helicopters and military people and all that other stuff, but they didn't have to pay the company to go out and, or didn't have to pay it much to go out and do the photography because you're the company. Jeff Brown 22:29 That's right. That's right. And also, some some of the jobs were required a certain level of vetting that they couldn't bring a company in unless those people were vetted. To you know, like on, I did quite a few photography shoots on nuclear submarines, which you you can't enter a nuclear submarine base unless you're you're vetted to a certain level. Michael Hingson 22:51 Right. Now that brings up a point. So let's let's go back to that. So going into a nuclear submarine base and so on, and and doing photography. What what was the purpose of pictures for that? Since it had to be pretty cleared and must have been somewhat classified. Jeff Brown 23:11 Well, sometimes some of the the shoots on board the submarine would be like award ceremonies. So okay, yeah, you know, people getting medals or achievements, and actually getting a photograph from receiving their award from the captain of the submarine. But then sometimes we would have PR photographs of of the the submarine sailing, and we'd be on speedboats going down the lock, photographing the submarine. Michael Hingson 23:41 But what you were not doing was taking pictures of things that were so classified that they didn't dare show them to the public or whatever. Jeff Brown 23:49 Yes, yes, Michael Hingson 23:50 yeah. Which which makes sense. Speaker 1 23:57 If you enjoy unstoppable mindset and would like to help us continue bringing these conversations to you each week, we've created a way for you to support the show. Your contribution helps us cover production costs and continue sharing stories, insights, and ideas that inspire people to live with purpose and possibility. If supporting the podcast feels right for you, you'll find the link in the show notes. Thank you for being part of the Unstoppable Mindset Community. Michael Hingson 24:30 So you you did that, and so you clearly found a niche to to do and to to work at, and obviously loved it. Jeff Brown 24:43 I do. I mean, it took it took a while to get the confidence. I'm quite an introverted person, so where I love taking photographs, and you know, it's easy to take photographs of things and objects and landscapes and that sort of stuff. It's. It's quite hard when you don't have a lot of confidence and you are quite introverted to start directing people and telling people what to do, especially when you had to direct, you know, entire ships, companies, or groups of 4050, people to do a a group shot at the awards ceremony. So that that was something that took a bit of getting used to and put me out of my comfort zone to to become a bit more sociable and a bit less introverted, and also direct people from behind the camera. Michael Hingson 25:31 So you you became a director, Jeff Brown 25:35 I suppose. Yeah, you do. In some senses, Michael Hingson 25:38 anyway. Jeff Brown 25:38 Yeah, yeah, and from from another point of view, I sudden realized that you know you might not like directing people, or you might be really nervous about speaking to people you've never met before and telling them what to do. But quite often, the people on the other side of the camera are just as nervous as you because they don't like having their photograph taken. They feel awkward, so you know part of your job as a photographer is to put people at ease and make people feel comfortable. Michael Hingson 26:03 Yeah, and I think about it as a public speaker. I keep hearing all the time that one of the top fears that people have is speaking and standing on a stage and speaking. And I and I finally realize that that's because we're conditioning people to think that it's scary, but the fact of the matter is that, and I still believe this to this day, audiences want speakers to succeed. Unless you're just a real jerk, audiences want you to succeed, and I would think that that some of that same level of confidence goes into what you do as a photographer. You are-they want you to succeed, and the people who are nervous about you taking their pictures and so on. Your job, as you point out, is to kind of help make them feel more comfortable about Jeff Brown 26:55 it. Yeah, and and you, you know, on from your point of view, you know, you you want somebody to love the picture? Michael Hingson 27:02 Yeah, Jeff Brown 27:02 you want someone to go, oh wow, you know, like actually take away their their dislike and awkwardness of having a photograph taken, and you know it's it's quite rewarding when you see somebody go, oh wow, I didn't know I could look that good, you know, because you've you've directed them, you've posed them, you've helped them feel more relaxed, and they see themselves in a different because it's it's quite it quite often it's not that somebody always looks awkward or you know they don't take a good picture as people say oh don't take my picture I don't take a good picture you know it's the fact that they've never been directed they've never they've always felt felt uncomfortable and awkward so it comes through in the the final image because they don't look relaxed. They don't look natural. They've got this fake smile. They look uncomfortable. Michael Hingson 27:49 I know. For me, I've I've never worried about that. Of course, being blind my whole life, I never really cared a whole lot about pictures. Yeah. So I love to pick on pictures all the time. So you know, for example, people say that a picture is worth 1000 words, and I just point out, yeah, but it takes a whole lot more memory. So, but but but I I appreciate pictures, and I've learned a lot more about photography and appreciating photography ever since September 11th. And part of that was my guide dog Roselle at the time, who became a real camera ham hound. She loved to be in front of the camera, and there was one time we were on a Larry King show on CNN, and you know his shots are and the photographers and and the and everything on the show is basically front like from the chest up, and and so on, and they take pictures. So one day we were going to be on the show, and they made a a little platform that Roselle, my guide dog, could lie on, and they said, "Okay, put her up on there, and I did, and she laid down, put her head between her paws, and that was it. And the director came like about a minute before the show started, and he said, "Isn't there anything you can do to get her to react more and to be a little bit more involved in the show? And I said, "Are the Klieg lights on yet? And he said, "No. I said, "Just wait till you turn the lights on. Everything will change. The lights came on. She lifted up her head, started blinking her eyes and flashing her eyelashes, smiling and licking her chops, and just having a good old time. She loved the camera. It was so funny. Jeff Brown 29:39 Yeah, I can't get. I can't get my dog to sit. He won't sit in front. He won't sit in front of the camera. He's a working Springer Spaniel. He will not stay still for two minutes. And there's something about it. Every time you look, you pick up the camera. I think he knows that you want to take a picture, and he turns his head away. He looks the opposite direction. Michael Hingson 29:57 Yeah. See, Roselle was exactly the opposite. Knew you wanted to take her picture, and she was going, "Bring it on! She just absolutely loved it. It was so funny, and and and it was it was a blessing. But it it as as we talked about it, as I talked to photographers and other people when we dealt with different interviews and so on, I grew to appreciate the value of pictures and what it was that they were trying to get, and it didn't take any work really to get Roselle to be involved in that. It didn't take a lot of work to get me involved with it, but I gained a greater understanding of it. So I certainly value the fact that there's there's a lot of reasons for taking photographs, although I also like audio input and other things like that that I'm going to see. But still, it's it's great that we have this technology, and nowadays, of course, because it is so digital, it makes it so much easier. Jeff Brown 30:59 It does. I think I think obviously there's you know everybody's using photographer now. Everyone walks around with a camera in their pocket, which is you know effectively a smartphone, and the quality of the images that you can take on a phone are fantastic. You know the you know the the resolution, the color saturation, the the look absolutely amazing. But sometimes I think people forget to stop and appreciate the moment. So everybody is more, you know, getting the picture taken, sticking it onto Instagram, onto Facebook, and also we have all these digital memories. But not many people are printing pictures out and putting them on the walls like we used to in the 80s and 90s. You know, family portraits, and I think that is a big thing that photographers need to be to be sort of reinventing and encouraging people to to enjoy the wall art, personalize the home, have a picture on the wall that brings a smile to your face every time you see it. Because if you take it on your phone, you you enjoy it for a second, and then it becomes a memory, and it goes in. I looked the other day. I've got 14 and a half 1000 pictures on my phone. Yeah. So, and I only ever see them, you know, seconds after I take them and I post them on Facebook, and then maybe a year later when a Facebook memory comes up and reminds me, oh, this is what you were doing this time last year. Michael Hingson 32:20 Yeah. Well. Well, and I understand that, and I, I, I also understand what you're saying about lazy photography because, as you said, you take the picture, you look at it, and it's gone, and you don't necessarily do all you can to make sure that the picture is looking as good as it as it can look, and sometimes we just rely on the automatic zoom and other things like that to make the picture look good. But the bottom line is that ultimately we're in control of it and really should make the picture as good as we can make it. Jeff Brown 32:54 Yeah, I mean that was that was what we were taught in the military right at the very beginning. And as I say, you know, was starting out on on on film cameras. It was get it right in the camera. You know, get it right in the camera. It'll look a lot better, and it'll save you hours of time in the dark room. And then there's a tendency now for photographers to think, "Oh, that'll do. I'll just sort it out in Photoshop afterwards, and which again takes time. And as a photographer, time is money. So yeah, yeah. The better you can get the composition and the and the way a photograph looks in the camera, then the less work you're going to have to do afterwards. Michael Hingson 33:35 Yeah, which makes perfect sense. And so I appreciate that. Well, so you were in the military for 10 years, and what made you retire from the military? And also, what kind of skills did you learn that you then took away from the military? One of them had to be accepting authority a little bit more, but I'm being sarcastic. But still, what what kind of skills and so on did you learn, and and did you take away, and and why did you even leave the military after 10 years? Jeff Brown 34:07 So, so being a military photographer, I was a military photographer, and there was a new a new sort of breed of like a new discipline that was coming into into the into our area into the the photography branch, and it was called IA, which is an intelligence analyst, and they believed that photographers, probably rightly, had a real attention to detail and a keen a keen eye for spotting things, and they were so they recruited intelligence analysts from the photography branch to analyze intelligence imagery, satellite imagery, reconnaissance, and then collate this information with other intelligence services. Like Lacher on I six and JCHQ, so so people on the ground, you know, and and military listening outposts, and so I got sent to work. So I did my intelligence course, and I got sent to work for with the intelligence services for about two and a half years now. While I was while I was doing my job as a military analyst, intelligence analyst, I started getting people coming into my office and saying, "You're a military photographer, aren't you? Yeah. Would you photograph my dog? Can you can you photograph my daughter at her birthday? Do you do weddings? Can you do my my my partner's wedding and stuff like that? So started doing a little bit of stuff on weekends, and then soon realized that there was actually quite a good bit of money being a photographer. So that was it. So that that set me on the path of right. I'm going to get out the military. I'm going to start with my own business. I'm going to go back to being self-employed again, but this time using my skills as a photographer. And yeah, I had good photography skills. I had other skills that the military had sort of drummed into me, which was you know timekeeping, organization, attention to detail, and that would work brilliant with a wedding because with a wedding you've got to organize people, everything's got to be on time. You've you've got to have that attention to detail, so started doing weddings on weekends, and then I left, and now decided to go into partnership with another military photographer who was working at the same the same base as me, and was also from the same the same area, the same the same city. So I left first because he was married with two kids. Alif first to set the business up and get the business bringing in money, and then about six months later, the business was bringing in enough money for him to put his notice in and and come out and and join me full time in the photography business. So and then it just skyrocketed from there. We ended up having four different photography businesses, Michael Hingson 37:03 pretty impressive, huh? Jeff Brown 37:05 It was good, but I think you know a lot of the lot the stuff that we did is when we left the military is you get a resettlement grant to resettle you back into civilian life to to to get you ready to work for other people, but obviously we were going to go self employed, so we we spent this resettlement grant of 7000 pound on marketing and branding training. So I got 7000 Kev got 7000 So we spent spent a lot of our money on understanding how to run a business, understanding what brand was all about and brand concept and and marketing. And it wasn't necessarily our photography skills that helped us succeed. It was the skills of actually understanding how to run a business and how to market our brand, Michael Hingson 37:49 which also goes a little bit back to understanding PR and just as you said, understanding all about business, which is which is pretty cool. Speaker 3 37:57 Yeah. Michael Hingson 37:59 Well, as you as you did that, how easy was it for you to integrate back into society and become disciplined enough to run your own business? Because when you were in the military, you had other people who were making a lot of those decisions, but you had to learn something along the way or figure out something along the way that allowed you to truly run your own business. Jeff Brown 38:22 To be honest, I felt I felt quite excited to be going back to it because, obviously, you know, from sort of 1415, year old, I'd had I'd had my own business, and that that was my first my first ever job. You know, working for myself with fish and fish and tackle business, and I sort of realized early on that yes, I don't have a boss, but ultimately the business is the boss because the business demands from you all the time. It demands how much work you need to put in, and if you don't put the work in, then you don't get the money. But the other good thing about running your own business is you're not on a fixed wage. You know, you have that ability to make a lot more money, without having to be promoted or or impress somebody else, you know. So for some people, it doesn't work. Like my girlfriend always says, she doesn't think she could do what I do because she doesn't like that uncertainty. Of you know, because every business is ups and downs, ups and downs. You have low moments. You have high moments, but that's life in general, isn't it? And I think you've just got to have more high moments than low moments. But yeah, I love it. I don't think I could ever work for anybody else. But a lot of, I think I'm unemployable. I don't think I can. I don't think I could go into a normal job. But a lot of those high Michael Hingson 39:40 moments are also moments that essentially you create. It's your mindset. That's Jeff Brown 39:45 right. Yeah, Michael Hingson 39:46 because you know, like failure. Everybody talks about failure. Well, you know, you're going to experience failure in your life, and I have gotten to the point where I tend to react and say there really is no such thing as failure. Because failure seems to be an absolute-you screwed up, and that's all there is to it. And the reality is, it's not. Failure isn't really the issue. The issue is okay. You made a plan. Something didn't work right. The question really is now: Where do you go from here? How do you fix it? What have you learned from what happened? And I think that's really the issue. Jeff Brown 40:20 That's totally that's totally right, and you know, but I made a a decision back in 2014 So you said, you know, I love cooking, and had the photography businesses, which which were both doing very well. They were both they were all super successful, you know, bringing in the money, and I decided, wouldn't it be nice to buy a really, really beautiful traditional country pub, one with log fires, you know, in the middle of the countryside, maybe a two, 300 year old building, and and run my own pub? So that was that was my idea. So so I found this this beautiful little country pub in Durham, in the northeast of England, and it was like a picture postcard country pub that looked beautiful. It actually had two log fires. It had, I think, it was about 300 year old. It had wooden beams, everything, and so I fell in love with it. I I bought the lease on it. I plowed 120,000 pounds of my own money into it, and within 12 months, I'd lost all that money. I was a further 60,000 pound in debt, and I couldn't see any way out. Because you say, you know, like failure. Sometimes people think failure is that's it, that's the end. They can't see past it, and stupidly, I decided that that was it. I couldn't go on anymore, so I tried to drive my car off a bridge. I was, I was drunk at the time, but you know, luckily I didn't. I just damaged the car. I didn't damage myself. I woke up the next morning feeling utterly disgusted with myself because my daughter at the time would have been seven year old. and I realized I needed to get out the pub, and I needed to change a different direction, which I did. So I ran away, and I came to the countryside where I live now in Northumberland, and moved away from all my family and and my friends, about an hour away from all my family and friends to restart my life again, and I spent probably about six months listening to positivity books and audio books, and and trying to rewind my mindset, and then take a new direction. And that's when I got into the idea of because I was in the middle of the countryside, I could run an online business training photographers in marketing and branding, and you know how to how to promote themselves on the internet, and I could do that with anybody anywhere in the world who was a photographer. So that was my idea, and that's what I went for. And you know, looking back at it, 11 years on from that, it would be 11 years in March when I tried to take my own life, and I thought that was that was the biggest worst failure I'd ever have. It was the best failure I ever had because I've never been as happy. I've never been as stress free. My work takes me all over the world, speaking and meeting photographers. I have an absolutely amazing community. No day is the same because I'm on all different time zones, speaking to different people, and and I just love it. It's stress free, but you know, if I'd stayed at the pub, that wouldn't have been stress free. So, Michael Hingson 43:33 so what happened? That why did the pub fail? Fail, or or why didn't the public pub succeed? And what did you learn from that? Jeff Brown 43:40 So, well, first of all, probably I probably fell in love with the idea of the pub, but I probably didn't do enough research. Now, funny enough, it was in an old mining village, my coal mining village, that was very, very much based around if you weren't born and bred in the area, you didn't fit in, so first of all, I think fit into the village very well. But the profitability in the pub trade is is very hard, especially if the pub, if the building is owned by a brewery and you've got to buy your beer direct from the brewery, it reduces the profit margins. And I just think everything that could go wrong in that 12 month did go wrong. We had staff stealing offers. We had a couple of sabotages to the pub, a couple of really big bills that wasn't expected, equipment going wrong and equipment failing, and yeah, the costs just spiraled out of control. Michael Hingson 44:38 Just a lot of lack of research, Jeff Brown 44:41 yeah, yeah, yeah, Michael Hingson 44:42 and I would suspect that you would say that because of that, and because you realized all that, you learned. Jeff Brown 44:50 I learned, yeah, yeah, I, I totally learned, and I think you know that I, I, I fell in love with the idea of it. I fell in love with the building, and probably, probably didn't research it. And also, you know, yeah, I was great at marketing. I was great at business, but I'd never run a pub before. And yeah, it was probably a bit of a. I'd probably sort of trying to run before I could walk. In that, you know, might have been better off going and working for somebody else and being a manager or working in a bar. And you know, the the day I opened the pub, I'd never even pulled a pint before. Never stood behind a bar and served served a drink. So, Michael Hingson 45:28 yeah, and that's that's an art in of itself. Jeff Brown 45:32 Yeah, yeah, that's right. Michael Hingson 45:34 I used to when I lived in New Jersey and worked in New York. I used to go to a restaurant called Virgil's Real Barbecue, best barbecue I think in the country, and so if you're ever in New York, it's Virgil's. Anyway, they had opened a facility in Las Vegas. Also, they opened a restaurant in Las Vegas, and so last week when I was at the Consumer Electronics Show, I went there, and one of the things I had heard early on when they I heard about them opening the restaurant several years ago, was that the people who opened the restaurant before they could open it had to go spend six months in New York at the original Virgil's, learning everything about it, so that they could make this restaurant and the food be the same as as what they experienced, because they wanted Virgil's to be the same in both places, and they did. And I can say that, from my perspective, at least, they did a really great job, and they learned from that, which was exactly what you wanted for the people in Las Vegas to do, and they survived the pandemic, and it's still open. So when you're in Las Vegas next time, Jeff Brown 46:47 yeah, I'm there next week. So yeah, I'll have to Virgil's. Yeah, I'll check it out. Michael Hingson 46:52 Virgil's real barbecue, best ribs in the country. That's my opinion, and I'm sticking to it, everybody. Well, that's cool. So. So, do you believe that things happen for a reason? I mean, a lot has happened, and of course, the pub closed and and all that. Do you believe that things happen for a reason? Jeff Brown 47:13 I do, and and you know now I I think one of the things as well when you get to that point where you you don't believe there's there's there's any way out, and and you know you you get that alone, you get depressed, but you you feel that you've got to take your own life. You are right at the very bottom. I think for you to go to the very bottom and then come back up again, it changes your mindset about stuff. And I I never get stressed. I am a very, very chilled out person. If something goes wrong now or something fails, I just go. Well, it's happened for a reason. Maybe something better is around the corner. Maybe it's the universe trying to direct me in a in a different path. You know, and and I think the less you live, the more you live by that mindset, the more it opens you up to other opportunities. Yeah, keeps you living it. You know, you're not living in the past; you're living in the future. It it was for the first six months coming up here 11 years ago. It was hard to move away from that failure in my mind. I kept playing it over and over again, but you know, playing it over and over again wasn't going to make that failure with the pub any different. The outcome had happened, and what I needed to do was focus on the future, get back together and get my myself back together, both mentally and also establish a new business and a new way of life. And that in itself was a a massive learning curve, but for the better. Michael Hingson 48:44 Well, and and the reality is, it it certainly has made a big difference in your life. And the fact is that, again, it goes back to failure isn't the end all, and failure is is probably the wrong way to put it. It's a learning experience, and I think that it's so important to do that. I am like you. I refuse to feel stress. I've been through too many experiences in my life that that caused stress, and I've learned that there are always ways to to deal with things, and so it's important to not let the stress overwhelm you. I wrote a book that was published in 2024 called "Live Like a Guide Dog: True Stories from a Blind Man and His Dogs About Being Brave, Overcoming Adversity, and Moving Forward in Faith. And moving forward in faith is part of it, but the whole issue is we focus on our lives on so many things. We think we need to control everything, and the reality is, we only control probably much less than 10% of all the things that we experience, but we worry about 100% of everything, and that doesn't help. And so, it builds up so much fear and causes so much stress. And if we would just focus on the things over which we really can control, we would be much better off. Jeff Brown 49:59 Saying that, you know, after leaving the pub, because my mindset was very, very delicate, and I had to build my my mental health back up, I decided to stop watching the news. So I used to used to get up and go downstairs and put the news on TV and have my morning coffee and and listen to all this negativity, all this drama, every single morning, which I've done for probably 40, you know, well, at least 30-five years, and and that was it. I've never watched the news since. I don't watch any live TV. I don't watch the news. People say, "Well, how do you manage? So, well, somebody will tell me something, but most of the time, half the stuff that people get worried about never actually happens. And if it does happen, quite often there's nothing you can do about it because it's the other side of the world. Michael Hingson 50:53 Well, even if it's in England, you don't have control over it, so why worry about it? Now, I watch I watch the news, but I do it because I want to get the information. But I won't worry about it. And there's so much that happens. But I feel that that at least there is information to be gained by watching the news. But what I had to learn somewhere along the line is don't take it personally because you don't have any control over it. And there are so many things that that go on, but the the trick is not to let things you don't have any control over really affect you to the point where you get nervous and stressful again. Jeff Brown 51:34 Yeah, yeah, and I think that you know the the same thing can be put into social media. You know, people say social media is negative. Social media is dangerous, and it depends how you react to it and what you engage on. You know, in my own social media, I follow a lot of photographers, a lot of people who talk about adventures and motorcycle rides and travel and nature. So my news feed is filled with a lot of positive stuff. And if if I see something negative or see something sensationalist, what I do is I don't unfriend that person. I just unfollow them, so I don't see their content again. Michael Hingson 52:09 Yeah. Jeff Brown 52:10 But from from the plus side, you know, social media has bought me more opportunity than anything else, and and effectively for free. And I've traveled traveled a lot because of my work. I have over 100,000 followers across my my social media platforms, and social media brings me customers, brings me clients. It helps me sell books, so there is a lot of positivity to it. I suppose it. The negative is only if you engage in the negative, then you will you'll find the the negative aspect. Michael Hingson 52:40 Yeah. Well, and the reality is that again, it's it's how you approach life, and you've clearly learned a lot about how to approach life in a much more positive way. You've developed, well, we'll call it an unstoppable mindset. You've developed a mindset that allows you to go through life and do the things that you need to do, and focus on the things that you can, and you leave the rest of it alone. Jeff Brown 53:06 Yeah, yeah, totally, totally. Michael Hingson 53:08 Which which makes a lot of sense. Well, for you, you you talked earlier about the fact that you have dyslexia, and you've been with dyslexia for most of your life, or maybe all of your life. It's interesting. I've talked to so many people who didn't know that they had dyslexia when they were in school and so on, and experienced a lot of the same frustrations and kinds of experiences that that you've experienced. And somewhere along the line, they finally discovered that they they had dyslexia. How did that when you when you finally realized that? What did that do for you? How did how did that really affect you? Jeff Brown 53:52 Well, funny enough, I I can remember a moment where I must have been about eight year old, where a teacher and you know, back in the 70s, teachers weren't as kind, weren't as kind to to schoolchildren as they are now. You know, and and this this teacher singled me out in front of the class and and told me that I was stupid and I wouldn't amount to anything because I kept struggling with this reading and my numbers. And at the time, I I was I was chubby. I had ginger hair, so I didn't have a I didn't have a lot going for us in in the popularity front, and also being you know the the stupid one in the class. So I found it really negative, and I found it really really personal because I didn't realize that I was dyslexic because nobody knew what dyslexia was now, and when I got to my mid 30s, and I went to train to go into the work with the intelligence services and be an image analyst, I had to redo my English and maths all level qualifications that I should have passed at school, but obviously I didn't. I had to do them through the military, and that was when I found out I was dyslexic, and I didn't actually know what dyslexia was until until I made up on it, and then it all made sense. You know why why I'd struggled for so long. I have my own workarounds. I know what my I know what my what my issues are. I mean, now with with with my work, there's so much out there that helps you as a dyslexic. You know, you you have you have spell checker, you have read aloud where you might not be able to see see it. You know, so quite often I'll do a social media post, and I'll I'll get Word document to read it out aloud so I can hear it. But if I if I if I read it back, I can't see the mistakes I've made because my mind doesn't process that. I know when I write a number down, I probably write write it down the wrong way. So if somebody gives me a phone number and I phone it and it's dead, I just change some of the digits around and figure Michael Hingson 55:58 it out. Do you agree? Do you use technology like Dragon, naturally speaking, to dictate? Jeff Brown 56:04 I tend, I tend to. So I started using only in the past six months. I was quite, I was quite sort of against AI, and well, not against it, but everybody was jumping on the chat, ChatGPT bandwagon, and I always tend to do something different than everybody else does. Six months ago, I jumped on a piece of software called Claude, and because I've because I've written five books now, I've written four business books, and I've written a travel book. I also had a lot of content to give to Claude to feed Claude, and then I had transcripts from my YouTube channel, and and then I gave them some do's and don'ts about you know tone of voice and language, and you know I would never say things like this, I would never say things like that. Told them that you know don't be spelling color without a U. Don't put a Z in sympathize because not American English. It's English, English, and the funny thing is, like over the over the past few months, he's he's pretty much replicated my tone of voice, so I can get Claude to write me a social media post, and then I I just tweak it slightly, and I'll make some changes, and then when I've written that social media post, I give it back to Claude and say, can you note? Can you identify the changes that I've made from what you've originally made, Michael Hingson 57:24 right? Jeff Brown 57:25 And take them on board for the next one, and then you give a summary of the changes. And it's yeah, it's it's it's quite impressive. It's quite scary as well because he he says things like, "Am I becoming more Jeff? Yeah, yeah, you are a bit. Michael Hingson 57:42 Well, the other thing is there are programs and technologies, as I mentioned, like Dragon, which is a a technology that you can get where you dictate, and it recognizes your voice, and it will then convert what you say directly into digitized form, which is pretty cool. I use Dragon when I write a fair amount, and and so that that goes back far earlier than AI. Although I'm sure that there are AI, there are AI components to Dragon naturally speaking today. But it's a it's a great program, and it makes writing a lot easier. So rather than typing on a keyboard, I'm speaking, and it is essentially taking what I write, and it just completely digitizes it by recognizing my voice and then putting it out in in in a digital form for me. I can use it with Microsoft Word and other things like that, Jeff Brown 58:41 yeah. And then do then do you listen back to that and then give edits on on what has been on what is being done? Michael Hingson 58:49 Yeah, I can. I just go back and read the word doc, and but it's but it literally is is transcription of what I say, so I can then go back and say, okay, let's fix this, or everything is fine, and I can go even go back and figure out what's misspelled if there are things that it misrecognized. But it works pretty well. Jeff Brown 59:12 Yeah, tech technology is is is fantastic. It's also got it's it's it's I suppose worrying sides for creative people, where there's a lot, a lot of creatives that potentially AI could could really damage their careers going forward. So it's it's interesting to see which direction it's taken. You know, work with it, but then also be aware of it. Michael Hingson 59:40 Yeah. Well, you still need to take control. Jeff Brown 59:43 Yeah, yeah. Michael Hingson 59:45 So, what's the most unusual or interesting country that you've ever visited since you do so much traveling? Jeff Brown 59:52 I've been to North Korea. So, 2019 I went to North Korea for New. New Year's Eve to celebrate New Year in in Pyongyang Square with another 100,000 North Koreans. There was only 12 Western tourists in Pyongyang at the time, and we were there for 10 days. So yes, I've I've done North Korea, which it took a bit getting into getting into North Korea. It's not as easy as just you can't go on and book a holiday. He can't choose a hotel. It all has to be done through a third-party agent, and it took about six months to get the whole thing to together. But it was-it was very interesting. It was a completely different than every anything I'd ever experienced before, and it's also supposed to be one of the safest countries you can travel to because you you're followed by the North Korean secret police everywhere you go, even inside buildings, when you're in restaurants, when you're in bars. That nothing could ever happen to you, but the North Korean people would never dare to come up and speak to you anyway, you know. But the the thing with North Korea is everything is everything is orchestrated. Everything is set for you alive and there in advance, so you only ever see what they want you to see. You never see the other side of North Korea. I've also been to Chernobyl, where the the last was that was absolutely fascinating, and last year I went to Transnistria, which is one of these countries that doesn't exist. It's not officially recognized by by the UN, and that was like stepping back into the 1980s Speaker 1 1:01:38 That was, Jeff Brown 1:01:39 but everywhere I've been, you know, I think that that's t
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
This month, Dr. Rüdiger Frank joins North Korea Unpacked with Jacco Zwetsloot to discuss how decades of marketization have transformed North Korea's economy and society, and why old assumptions about engagement and pressure may no longer apply. He talks about the emergence of what he describes as a sizable North Korean middle class, how smartphones, private wealth and limited consumer choices point to deeper social change, and why leader Kim Jong Un may be a reluctant reformer forced to manage economic realities he did not create. He also explains why money is increasingly trapped inside North Korea, how projects like Wonsan-Kalma may be designed to absorb domestic spending and why Pyongyang could be moving toward something resembling a developmental dictatorship. Dr. Rüdiger Frank is professor of East Asian Economy and Society at the University of Vienna and one of Europe's foremost experts on North Korea. He studied at Kim Il Sung University in Pyongyang from 1991-1992, and has spent decades researching North Korea's political economy, economic transformation and international relations. About the podcast: North Korea Unpacked with Jacco Zwetsloot is a monthly long-form interview series from the NK News Podcast, featuring in-depth conversations with experts and specialists on North Korea. The regular weekly NK News Podcast, hosted by Alannah Hill, continues to cover the latest developments in the North Korea news cycle.
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.
This week, the NK News Podcast presents a special episode on one of the most unlikely stories in World Cup history: North Korea's extraordinary run at the 1966 tournament and the English town that embraced the team as its own. Sixty years after the DPRK stunned Italy and reached the quarterfinals, this episode revisits how a little-known team from a country Britain did not recognize became the emotional heart of Middlesbrough's World Cup summer. Through archival sound, documentary clips and interviews with Nicholas Bonner, Daniel Gordon and Tosh Warwick, the episode traces North Korea's road to England, the Cold War anxieties surrounding its arrival, the players' meticulous preparation and the small human encounters that transformed suspicion into affection. This special episode is based on Shreyas Reddy's two-part feature series for NK News, Part 1 of which can be found here, and Part 2, here. Special thanks to Nicholas Bonner and Daniel Gordon for allowing us to use soundbites from “The Game of Their Lives” and to Joon Ha Park for providing the dubbed Korean soundbites. 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 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
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
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
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.
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