Podcasts about Northwest Territories

321. In The Weeds. Mike chats with Gord Magill author of 'The End of the Road: Inside the war on truckers. Originally hailing from Hamilton, Ontario, Gord Magill has spent most of his life behind the wheel. From spinning along the Ice Roads of Canada's Northwest Territories, to hauling logs down volcanos in New Zealand, to steering Road Trains across the outback of Western Australia, to running freight along the Interstates of America, Gord has spent over twenty-five years trucking all over the world. His writing about the industry has appeared in Newsweek, the American Conservative, and American Affairs, among other outlets. Magill lives in Ithaca, New York.

After shutting commercial operations, Diavik diamond mine wants to disappear without a trace. Lori Wilson reads How to Close a Diamond Mine in the Northwest Territories by Pat Kane. About AMIAMI is a not-for-profit media company that entertains, informs and empowers Canadians who are blind or partially sighted. Operating three broadcast services, AMI-tv and AMI-audio in English and AMI-télé in French, AMI's vision is to establish and support a voice for Canadians with disabilities, representing their interests, concerns and values through inclusion, representation, accessible media, reflection, representation and portrayal.Find more great AMI Original Content on AMI+Learn more at AMI.caConnect with Accessible Media Inc. online:X /Twitter @AccessibleMediaInstagram @AccessibleMediaInc / @AMI-audioFacebook at @AccessibleMediaIncTikTok @AccessibleMediaIncEmail feedback@ami.ca Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Text us your questions to answer on a future episode (if you want me to contact you, please include your email)Jennie and Jay's long time friend Josh sits down with them to talk about his adventure driving from his home in Victoria BC to Tuktoyaktuk, Northwest Territories on the Arctic Ocean in March 2025.Josh's websiteFollow Josh on InstagramJoin the Alaska Planning Club on Patreon and ask me anything!Jennie's digital workshops and planners (save 10% with code: podcast)Sign up for Jennie's email list (and get the free packing list)Follow Jennie on InstagramSupport the show

We just bumped up our podcast library overnight!  Today's episode is a summary, about the 5 location-specific episodes we added into the My Life As A Landlord Library, which are LIVE NOW.  The summary today features our last Canadian Territory, Northwest Territory, the Australian State of New South Wales, and Three US States:  Virginia, Connecticut, Massachusetts,  For each of these locations, there is an entire podcast dedicated to each State or Province.  In each one we explore the overview of the housing guiding document for each location, answering the same four questions:  1) What are the basics of the State or Province or Territories' Tenancy or Housing Document, 2) What are the nuances of this location – what is different that stands out?, 3) Some guidance about abandoned items left behind by a tenant in a rental in each State or Province, and 4) Where to get help in your local area in that State or Province.  As I answer these questions, you'll see me screen share all kinds of documents specific to that location, as well as check off items on my bingo card to see what each location has, what they don't, and what is different.  Today's episode is NOT all inclusive for any of these locations, mind you – you must research further in your specific area including your County, Regional District, Parish, City or any other Governing Body that involves your rental location, but today's summary episode will get you started!

Today's location-specific episode features Northwest Territories.  We explore the overview of the housing guiding document called Northwest Territories Residential Tenancies Act.  Each of my location-specific podcasts is set up the same way answering the same four questions:  1) What are the basics of the Northwest Territories Residential Tenancies Act, 2) What are the nuances of this location – what is different that stands out?, 3) Some guidance about abandoned items left behind by a tenant in a rental in Northwest Territories, and 4) Where to get help in your local area in Northwest Territories.  As I answer these questions, you'll see me screenshare all kinds of documents specific to that location, as well as check off items on my bingo card to see what each location has, what they don't, and what is different.  Then I'll go through what I call my “Bingo Card” of standard items I see most often in tenancy laws in different locations.  This episode is NOT all inclusive – you must research further in your specific area including your County, Regional District, Parish, City or any other Governing Body that involves your rental location, but today's episode will get you started! This episode includes resources for Northwest Territories including: NWT Residential Tenancies Act  Residential Tenancies Regulations  NWT Rental Office :: Justice  Abandoned Items and Rental agreements :: Justice  Legal Aid - The Law Society of the Northwest Territories  Northwest Territories Tenant Facebook Group  The Law Society of the Northwest Territories 

Send us Fan MailThere was a lot of methods that the forefathers of colonization used to reduce Indigenous rights and to take control of the land. ReferencesBryce, P.H. (1907). “Report on the Indian Schools of Manitoba and the Northwest Territories.” Government Printing Bureau, Ottawa. Long, John S. (2010). Treaty No.9: Making the Agreement to Share the Land in Far Northern Ontario in 1905. McGill-Queens University Press. Rogers, E.S. (1962). “The Round Lake Ojibwa.” Retrieved from https://archive.org/details/roundlakeojibwa00roge/page/n21/mode/2upSFXThe Dark Knight Rises " You think darkness is your ally..." 300 | Spartan Law (4K) Patsy Cline - Crazy (1961) Stolen Children | Residential School survivors speak out Support the show

Laugh Out Loud is live from Yellowknife! Northwest Territories! Comedian Mason Mantla tells us about learning to sing in his Indigenous language, while our headliner Brittany Lyseng has a soft spot for the Legion.

With 2023's El Niño – a recurring pattern of extreme weather across the pacific basin - still leaving a bad taste in people's mouth, 2026 sees an El Niño stirring in the Pacific Ocean and there are warnings that this will be one of the strongest yet.Roland Pease speaks with Amanda Maycock, a climatologist from Leeds University, to discuss what this climate phenomenon is and how it will impact the world from October to early next year. He also hears from Scott Evans from the American Museum of Natural History, who has been exploring the Mackenzie mountains of Canada's Northwest Territory to better understand the biology and ecology of life on earth before anything we might recognize - from the Ediacara era. This was before the explosion of different animal types with hard shells and bones in the later, Cambrian, time. In certain places around the world, much older rocks from the ancient ocean floor reveal an ecosystem abounding with soft, squidgy animal wierdness. In Canada Scott has found a new trove of these fossils, but from far deeper below the surface of those ancient seas. Did animal life begin deep in the darkest depths rather than paddling in pools nearer the land?Today, over 5 billion years later, bottom trawling, a common fishing method involving dragging heavy nets across the bottom of the seafloor, is an environmentally destructive process that rips up everything in its path to maximise catch. We talked to Amanda Vincent, a professor at the Institute for the Oceans and fisheries of the British Columbia university and founder of the international Project Seahorse conservation group, about what bottom-trawl bans can achieve, in the light of results published about a renaissance of biodiversity off the coast of Scotland in an area where trawling has been banned for several years.Plus, we talk to science journalist Gareth Mitchell, who explains how bottom trawling can also have negative consequences on technology, as well as other science news you may have missed, including updates on solar storms and robotic wolf shortages in Japan.Presenter: Roland Pease Producers: Alex Mansfield and Dan Welsh Editor: Martin Smith Production Co-ordinator: Jana Bennett-Holesworth

One of the greatest threat to early America was piracy, but it wasn’t found in the Caribbean or Gulf Coast. It was pirates on the Ohio and Mississippi Rivers. Samuel Mason fought bravely at the 1777 Siege of Fort Henry, became a Justice of the Peace in the Northwest Territory, then turned Cave-in-Rock into a strategic base for organized river piracy where he lured flatboat crews with promises of "liquor and entertainment" before robbing and murdering them. Mason thrived because the new republic had weak, fragmented control over its western territories. Jurisdiction overlapped between local authorities, territorial governments, Spanish Louisiana, and American claims. He exploited every gap. His story ended when two of his own men killed him, severed his head, and tried to collect bounty money in Natchez, only to be recognized as outlaws themselves and hanged. Today's guest is Carter Smith, author of From Patriot to Pirate: The Outlaw Life of Sam Mason. We discuss why Mason kicked the infamous Harpe brothers out of his gang because their extreme brutality threatened to draw too much attention to his organized operation. Smith explains how the collapse of frontier order after the Revolution pushed respected veterans into outlawry. Mason wasn't a wandering thug. He was organized, strategic, and dangerous. His life reveals what criminal opportunity looked like when the map said one thing but actual control on the ground said something else.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

World Health Organization says there are now 8 cases of deadly hantavirus infections, three of which are confirmed. US president Donald Trump pauses Operation Freedom two days after initiating the naval operation to re-open the Strait of Hormuz. CNN founder Ted Turner dead at 87. Alberta NDP claims governing UCP knew "Centurion Project" separatist group had access to confidential voters list, but did not inform police. The Northwest Territories considers expanding involuntary care provisions to include drug users. Mexico pushes back against US extradition request from for governor of Sinaloa for alleged dealings with drug cartel. PWHL adds 9th team in Detroit ahead of next season.

Across northern Canada, geography, distance, and limited infrastructure have long made equitable access to education harder to achieve. Connected North was designed to change that - using interactive video technology to connect northern classrooms with scientists, artists, Elders, and other experts. Launched with support from Cisco Systems and now operated by TakingITGlobal, it is built on a foundation of deep community trust and partnership. But technology is only part of the story. What makes Connected North work is the way it was built - in relationship with communities, not just for them. That distinction matters, and it didn't come without hard-won lessons. In this episode of Let's Imagine, host Bruce MacDonald is joined by Willa Black, who founded the program while at Cisco and now serves as Volunteer Chair of Connected North's Advisory Board, and Paul Boucher, a member of the Rocher River people, residential school survivor, Knowledge and Language Keeper, and Language and Cultural Specialist at Paul William Kaeser High School in Fort Smith, Northwest Territories. Together, they explore what it takes to build credibility and trust with northern communities, what genuine partnership looks like from inside the classroom, how Connected North keeps community voices at the centre as it grows, and what gives them hope about the future of equitable education in the North. This episode draws on insights from Imagine Canada's Partnering for Impact report, which features Connected North as a case study in why partnership-led models matter. Listen to past episodes here: https://imaginecanada.ca/en/lets-imagine-podcast  Read the full transcript here: https://share.descript.com/view/EVFjm6fOT4y 

In a week where trade irritants were on full display between Canada and the United States, Prime Minister Mark Carney has announced a new crew he wants to advise him on Canada's economic relationship with America. Former Conservative Leader Erin O'Toole and former Liberal minister and Canadian UK High Commissioner Ralph Goodale have been drafted to that lineup and join The House to talk about how this team of rivals is going to work. Plus, Carney's announcement came days after he posted a ten-minute video on YouTube declaring Canada's economic ties to the U.S. a "weakness" that must be corrected. Since that post, the prime minister gained half a million views and tens of thousands of subscribers. Former advertising advisor to Stephen Harper, Dennis Matthews and former digital strategist for Justin Trudeau, Dave Sommer unpack Carney's media strategy and discuss whether Canadians will continue to like and subscribe, or click away. And, at a live panel organized by the Canadian Chamber of Commerce, Catherine Cullen sits down with Ontario Premier Doug Ford, New Brunswick Premier Susan Holt, Northwest Territories Premier R.J. Simpson and the chair of the Council of the Federation PEI Premier Rob Lantz to talk about working with Prime Minister Mark Carney, interprovincial trade, and what all of Canada's provinces and territories can agree on. This episode features the voices of:Erin O'Toole, former leader of the Conservative Party of CanadaRalph Goodale, former Liberal cabinet minister and Canadian High Commissioner to the United KingdomDennis Matthews, president of Creative Currency and former advertising advisor to prime minister Stephen HarperDave Sommer, senior vice-president of marketing and communications for UHN Foundation, former deputy director of communications for prime minister Justin TrudeauDoug Ford, Premier of OntarioSusan Holt, Premier of New BrunswickRob Lantz, Premier of Prince Edward IslandR.J. Simpson, Premier of Northwest Territories

BRETT GOT STUCK IN THE ELEVATOR LOL (1:40); Congrats to Flin Flon Bombers in the SJHL! / Times we got stuck / trapped (4:25); Ditching the switch: Alberta, Northwest Territories moving to permanent daylight time (12:10); THE COUCH POTATOES! Why they had to scrap the already-filmed 3rd act of the Michael Jackson biopic (19:05); Weekly U.S. recap with Global's Reggie Cecchini (28:15); Game Two- Moose/Admirals tonight (35:55); CLAYHEM!!! (44:10); Winning entry on getting stuck / trappped (51:45); Remake of The Cat Came Back - from Kari Zalik, who combines jazz-driven musicality with a PhD in Music Theory to help kids learn (55:05).

Marina speaks with Shannon Smith-Gagne from the Alzheimer Society of Alberta and Northwest Territories and Brian Wanner from IG Wealth Management about the IG Wealth Management Walk for Alzheimer's.

Canada has long called itself “the North.” Now is the time to seize the economic opportunities so long unsupported in the country's true North: Nunavut, the Northwest Territories, and the Yukon. Sima Sahar Zerehi knows first-hand that building relationships is the key to delivering interconnected and impactful major infrastructure projects in Canada's North. In this episode of the Master Builders series, the Chief Executive Officer of the Arctic Opportunities Group shares the fortuitous route that led her to leadership in what she considers the country's most promising region.Exuding passionate belief in Canada's future, Sima unpacks how Arctic sovereignty conversations and renewed federal funding are shifting the narrative from untethered announcements to real, strategic projects that create jobs, unlock corridors, and signal Canada's commitment to expanding “coast to coast to coast”. The way to success, however, differs from traditional major infrastructure approaches. Sima emphasizes that Inuit and Indigenous organizations in the North are vital partners from beginning to end, not simple stakeholders. Builders who want to expand into this largely untapped region need to start with relationships, respect that communities have already identified their priorities, and structure partnerships that create direct local benefits, not just revenue they can take with them when they leave.Riccardo, Shormilla, and Sima's conversation explores the need for right-sized business models that account for the timeline, cost, and local focus unique to Northern infrastructure projects. The creative and community-driven approach that Sima champions holds enormous promise, for both Canada's True North and the provinces to the south.Key TakeawaysThe importance of relationship-building and community consulting when working with Arctic organizations;How the North's unique selection criteria keeps the focus on local economic growth;What we can learn from other Arctic nations, like Greenland;The significant impact of Nunavut's four upcoming infrastructure projects;How shifting our perspective of Indigenous peoples from victims to resilient innovators will elevate Canada as a whole.Quote:“The attention to the Arctic is an attention to Canada as a country that expands coast to coast to coast.” - Sima Sahar ZerehiThe conversation doesn't stop here—connect and converse with our community via LinkedIn:Follow Navigating Major Programmes: https://www.linkedin.com/company/navigating-major-programmes/ Read Riccardo's latest at www.riccardocosentino.com Follow Shormila Chatterjee: https://www.linkedin.com/in/shormilac/ Follow Riccardo Cosentino: https://www.linkedin.com/in/cosentinoriccardo/ Follow Sima Sahar Zerehi: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sima-sahar-zerehi-14708520/ 

Nowhere is the dual threat of climate change and geopolitical contest felt more strongly than in the Arctic. Sea ice is declining rapidly, wildfires are burning, and permafrost is thawing. All the while, global interest is gathering apace as the region transforms from being a frozen desert into an international waterway. In this episode, Mia Bennett—co-author with Kalus Dodds of Unfrozen: The Fight for the Future of the Arctic (Yale UP, 2025)—discusses the state of the Arctic today, highlighting the twin dangers of climate change and geopolitical competition, as well as how the region is becoming a space for experimentation in everything from Indigenous governance to subsea technologies. Growing geopolitical competition is accompanying environmental disruption. Countries including Russia, China, and the United States are investing in the Arctic and consolidating their interests in strategic access, resource exploitation, and alliance-building. The consequences of this emerging Arctic Anthropocene are truly global, from rising sea levels due to melting glaciers to tensions between great powers determined to protect their territory and resources, and the well-being of Indigenous Peoples who have fought for centuries for rights and recognition. If you are to read one book to understand the Arctic today, from its history to global stakes, this is the one. — Mia Bennett is an associate professor in the Department of Geography at the University of Washington. She is a 2025-26 British Academy Visiting Fellow at the Centre for Outer Space Studies at University College London and a Fulbright Arctic Initiative scholar. As a political geographer with geospatial skills, she traces, maps, and critiques processes of Arctic frontier-making from the edges of settler-colonial states and orbits of space powers like China to the depths of Indigenous lands. She is currently examining how the frontiers of the Arctic and outer space are intersecting through case studies involving the rise of Starlink satellite internet and the development of commercial spaceports and ground stations in places like Kodiak, Alaska and Svalbard, Norway. She has done fieldwork on bridges, both real and imagined, in the Russian Far East, on a new highway to the Arctic Ocean in Canada's Northwest Territories, atop the melting Greenland Ice Sheet, and inside air-conditioned offices in Singapore. Unfrozen: The Fight for the Future of the Arctic (Yale University Press 2025) Cryopolitics (started by Mia) A complete list of Mia's publications on GoogleScholar. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/new-books-network

Nowhere is the dual threat of climate change and geopolitical contest felt more strongly than in the Arctic. Sea ice is declining rapidly, wildfires are burning, and permafrost is thawing. All the while, global interest is gathering apace as the region transforms from being a frozen desert into an international waterway. In this episode, Mia Bennett—co-author with Kalus Dodds of Unfrozen: The Fight for the Future of the Arctic (Yale UP, 2025)—discusses the state of the Arctic today, highlighting the twin dangers of climate change and geopolitical competition, as well as how the region is becoming a space for experimentation in everything from Indigenous governance to subsea technologies. Growing geopolitical competition is accompanying environmental disruption. Countries including Russia, China, and the United States are investing in the Arctic and consolidating their interests in strategic access, resource exploitation, and alliance-building. The consequences of this emerging Arctic Anthropocene are truly global, from rising sea levels due to melting glaciers to tensions between great powers determined to protect their territory and resources, and the well-being of Indigenous Peoples who have fought for centuries for rights and recognition. If you are to read one book to understand the Arctic today, from its history to global stakes, this is the one. — Mia Bennett is an associate professor in the Department of Geography at the University of Washington. She is a 2025-26 British Academy Visiting Fellow at the Centre for Outer Space Studies at University College London and a Fulbright Arctic Initiative scholar. As a political geographer with geospatial skills, she traces, maps, and critiques processes of Arctic frontier-making from the edges of settler-colonial states and orbits of space powers like China to the depths of Indigenous lands. She is currently examining how the frontiers of the Arctic and outer space are intersecting through case studies involving the rise of Starlink satellite internet and the development of commercial spaceports and ground stations in places like Kodiak, Alaska and Svalbard, Norway. She has done fieldwork on bridges, both real and imagined, in the Russian Far East, on a new highway to the Arctic Ocean in Canada's Northwest Territories, atop the melting Greenland Ice Sheet, and inside air-conditioned offices in Singapore. Unfrozen: The Fight for the Future of the Arctic (Yale University Press 2025) Cryopolitics (started by Mia) A complete list of Mia's publications on GoogleScholar. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/world-affairs

Nowhere is the dual threat of climate change and geopolitical contest felt more strongly than in the Arctic. Sea ice is declining rapidly, wildfires are burning, and permafrost is thawing. All the while, global interest is gathering apace as the region transforms from being a frozen desert into an international waterway. In this episode, Mia Bennett—co-author with Kalus Dodds of Unfrozen: The Fight for the Future of the Arctic (Yale UP, 2025)—discusses the state of the Arctic today, highlighting the twin dangers of climate change and geopolitical competition, as well as how the region is becoming a space for experimentation in everything from Indigenous governance to subsea technologies. Growing geopolitical competition is accompanying environmental disruption. Countries including Russia, China, and the United States are investing in the Arctic and consolidating their interests in strategic access, resource exploitation, and alliance-building. The consequences of this emerging Arctic Anthropocene are truly global, from rising sea levels due to melting glaciers to tensions between great powers determined to protect their territory and resources, and the well-being of Indigenous Peoples who have fought for centuries for rights and recognition. If you are to read one book to understand the Arctic today, from its history to global stakes, this is the one. — Mia Bennett is an associate professor in the Department of Geography at the University of Washington. She is a 2025-26 British Academy Visiting Fellow at the Centre for Outer Space Studies at University College London and a Fulbright Arctic Initiative scholar. As a political geographer with geospatial skills, she traces, maps, and critiques processes of Arctic frontier-making from the edges of settler-colonial states and orbits of space powers like China to the depths of Indigenous lands. She is currently examining how the frontiers of the Arctic and outer space are intersecting through case studies involving the rise of Starlink satellite internet and the development of commercial spaceports and ground stations in places like Kodiak, Alaska and Svalbard, Norway. She has done fieldwork on bridges, both real and imagined, in the Russian Far East, on a new highway to the Arctic Ocean in Canada's Northwest Territories, atop the melting Greenland Ice Sheet, and inside air-conditioned offices in Singapore. Unfrozen: The Fight for the Future of the Arctic (Yale University Press 2025) Cryopolitics (started by Mia) A complete list of Mia's publications on GoogleScholar. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/environmental-studies

Nowhere is the dual threat of climate change and geopolitical contest felt more strongly than in the Arctic. Sea ice is declining rapidly, wildfires are burning, and permafrost is thawing. All the while, global interest is gathering apace as the region transforms from being a frozen desert into an international waterway. In this episode, Mia Bennett—co-author with Kalus Dodds of Unfrozen: The Fight for the Future of the Arctic (Yale UP, 2025)—discusses the state of the Arctic today, highlighting the twin dangers of climate change and geopolitical competition, as well as how the region is becoming a space for experimentation in everything from Indigenous governance to subsea technologies. Growing geopolitical competition is accompanying environmental disruption. Countries including Russia, China, and the United States are investing in the Arctic and consolidating their interests in strategic access, resource exploitation, and alliance-building. The consequences of this emerging Arctic Anthropocene are truly global, from rising sea levels due to melting glaciers to tensions between great powers determined to protect their territory and resources, and the well-being of Indigenous Peoples who have fought for centuries for rights and recognition. If you are to read one book to understand the Arctic today, from its history to global stakes, this is the one. — Mia Bennett is an associate professor in the Department of Geography at the University of Washington. She is a 2025-26 British Academy Visiting Fellow at the Centre for Outer Space Studies at University College London and a Fulbright Arctic Initiative scholar. As a political geographer with geospatial skills, she traces, maps, and critiques processes of Arctic frontier-making from the edges of settler-colonial states and orbits of space powers like China to the depths of Indigenous lands. She is currently examining how the frontiers of the Arctic and outer space are intersecting through case studies involving the rise of Starlink satellite internet and the development of commercial spaceports and ground stations in places like Kodiak, Alaska and Svalbard, Norway. She has done fieldwork on bridges, both real and imagined, in the Russian Far East, on a new highway to the Arctic Ocean in Canada's Northwest Territories, atop the melting Greenland Ice Sheet, and inside air-conditioned offices in Singapore. Unfrozen: The Fight for the Future of the Arctic (Yale University Press 2025) Cryopolitics (started by Mia) A complete list of Mia's publications on GoogleScholar. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/russian-studies

Nowhere is the dual threat of climate change and geopolitical contest felt more strongly than in the Arctic. Sea ice is declining rapidly, wildfires are burning, and permafrost is thawing. All the while, global interest is gathering apace as the region transforms from being a frozen desert into an international waterway. In this episode, Mia Bennett—co-author with Kalus Dodds of Unfrozen: The Fight for the Future of the Arctic (Yale UP, 2025)—discusses the state of the Arctic today, highlighting the twin dangers of climate change and geopolitical competition, as well as how the region is becoming a space for experimentation in everything from Indigenous governance to subsea technologies. Growing geopolitical competition is accompanying environmental disruption. Countries including Russia, China, and the United States are investing in the Arctic and consolidating their interests in strategic access, resource exploitation, and alliance-building. The consequences of this emerging Arctic Anthropocene are truly global, from rising sea levels due to melting glaciers to tensions between great powers determined to protect their territory and resources, and the well-being of Indigenous Peoples who have fought for centuries for rights and recognition. If you are to read one book to understand the Arctic today, from its history to global stakes, this is the one. — Mia Bennett is an associate professor in the Department of Geography at the University of Washington. She is a 2025-26 British Academy Visiting Fellow at the Centre for Outer Space Studies at University College London and a Fulbright Arctic Initiative scholar. As a political geographer with geospatial skills, she traces, maps, and critiques processes of Arctic frontier-making from the edges of settler-colonial states and orbits of space powers like China to the depths of Indigenous lands. She is currently examining how the frontiers of the Arctic and outer space are intersecting through case studies involving the rise of Starlink satellite internet and the development of commercial spaceports and ground stations in places like Kodiak, Alaska and Svalbard, Norway. She has done fieldwork on bridges, both real and imagined, in the Russian Far East, on a new highway to the Arctic Ocean in Canada's Northwest Territories, atop the melting Greenland Ice Sheet, and inside air-conditioned offices in Singapore. Unfrozen: The Fight for the Future of the Arctic (Yale University Press 2025) Cryopolitics (started by Mia) A complete list of Mia's publications on GoogleScholar. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/chinese-studies

Nowhere is the dual threat of climate change and geopolitical contest felt more strongly than in the Arctic. Sea ice is declining rapidly, wildfires are burning, and permafrost is thawing. All the while, global interest is gathering apace as the region transforms from being a frozen desert into an international waterway. In this episode, Mia Bennett—co-author with Kalus Dodds of Unfrozen: The Fight for the Future of the Arctic (Yale UP, 2025)—discusses the state of the Arctic today, highlighting the twin dangers of climate change and geopolitical competition, as well as how the region is becoming a space for experimentation in everything from Indigenous governance to subsea technologies. Growing geopolitical competition is accompanying environmental disruption. Countries including Russia, China, and the United States are investing in the Arctic and consolidating their interests in strategic access, resource exploitation, and alliance-building. The consequences of this emerging Arctic Anthropocene are truly global, from rising sea levels due to melting glaciers to tensions between great powers determined to protect their territory and resources, and the well-being of Indigenous Peoples who have fought for centuries for rights and recognition. If you are to read one book to understand the Arctic today, from its history to global stakes, this is the one. — Mia Bennett is an associate professor in the Department of Geography at the University of Washington. She is a 2025-26 British Academy Visiting Fellow at the Centre for Outer Space Studies at University College London and a Fulbright Arctic Initiative scholar. As a political geographer with geospatial skills, she traces, maps, and critiques processes of Arctic frontier-making from the edges of settler-colonial states and orbits of space powers like China to the depths of Indigenous lands. She is currently examining how the frontiers of the Arctic and outer space are intersecting through case studies involving the rise of Starlink satellite internet and the development of commercial spaceports and ground stations in places like Kodiak, Alaska and Svalbard, Norway. She has done fieldwork on bridges, both real and imagined, in the Russian Far East, on a new highway to the Arctic Ocean in Canada's Northwest Territories, atop the melting Greenland Ice Sheet, and inside air-conditioned offices in Singapore. Unfrozen: The Fight for the Future of the Arctic (Yale University Press 2025) Cryopolitics (started by Mia) A complete list of Mia's publications on GoogleScholar. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/national-security

Nowhere is the dual threat of climate change and geopolitical contest felt more strongly than in the Arctic. Sea ice is declining rapidly, wildfires are burning, and permafrost is thawing. All the while, global interest is gathering apace as the region transforms from being a frozen desert into an international waterway. In this episode, Mia Bennett—co-author with Kalus Dodds of Unfrozen: The Fight for the Future of the Arctic (Yale UP, 2025)—discusses the state of the Arctic today, highlighting the twin dangers of climate change and geopolitical competition, as well as how the region is becoming a space for experimentation in everything from Indigenous governance to subsea technologies. Growing geopolitical competition is accompanying environmental disruption. Countries including Russia, China, and the United States are investing in the Arctic and consolidating their interests in strategic access, resource exploitation, and alliance-building. The consequences of this emerging Arctic Anthropocene are truly global, from rising sea levels due to melting glaciers to tensions between great powers determined to protect their territory and resources, and the well-being of Indigenous Peoples who have fought for centuries for rights and recognition. If you are to read one book to understand the Arctic today, from its history to global stakes, this is the one. — Mia Bennett is an associate professor in the Department of Geography at the University of Washington. She is a 2025-26 British Academy Visiting Fellow at the Centre for Outer Space Studies at University College London and a Fulbright Arctic Initiative scholar. As a political geographer with geospatial skills, she traces, maps, and critiques processes of Arctic frontier-making from the edges of settler-colonial states and orbits of space powers like China to the depths of Indigenous lands. She is currently examining how the frontiers of the Arctic and outer space are intersecting through case studies involving the rise of Starlink satellite internet and the development of commercial spaceports and ground stations in places like Kodiak, Alaska and Svalbard, Norway. She has done fieldwork on bridges, both real and imagined, in the Russian Far East, on a new highway to the Arctic Ocean in Canada's Northwest Territories, atop the melting Greenland Ice Sheet, and inside air-conditioned offices in Singapore. Unfrozen: The Fight for the Future of the Arctic (Yale University Press 2025) Cryopolitics (started by Mia) A complete list of Mia's publications on GoogleScholar. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On April 6, a group of drillers working in Canada's Northwest Territories witnessed and videoed an odd UFO floating through the night sky. Some believe the object could be alien in nature, while others insist it is only a gas plume caused by the reentry of a Space X satellite booster. Also, the results of the recent Spotify polls are discussed.Links/Sources:Tom Thompson

On April 6, a group of drillers working in Canada's Northwest Territories witnessed and videoed an odd UFO floating through the night sky. Some believe the object could be alien in nature, while others insist it is only a gas plume caused by the reentry of a Space X satellite booster. Also, the results of the recent Spotify polls are discussed.Links/Sources:Tom Thompson

The Public Safety Minister just promised 1,000 new RCMP officers. The Auditor General just tabled a report saying the force is short 3,400 — and can't process the 46,000 people who already applied. This isn't a plan. It's a press release. We break down the actual numbers: vacancy rates above critical thresholds in 9 of 11 provinces, a 330-day application backlog, recruiting analyst positions sitting half-empty, and a bureaucratic system that's eating itself alive. Rural Saskatchewan. The Northwest Territories. Your community. This is what it looks like when the system fails quietly. 

So much of what is happening these days seems utterly nonsensical, from Trump’s war crime and profanity-laced Easter rant, to the whipsaw on Iran. So, is it simply Occam’s razor, or is there more going on here than we’re led to believe? Since I entered politics, I have chiefly had men’s views confided to me privately. Some of the biggest men in the United States, in the field of commerce and manufacture, are afraid of somebody, are afraid of something. They know that there is a power somewhere so organized, so subtle, so watchful, so interlocked, so complete, so pervasive, that they had better not speak above their breath when they speak in condemnation of it. — President Woodrow Wilson, The New Freedom: A Call for the Emancipation of the Generous Energies of a People (1913) The real truth of the matter is, as you and I know, that a financial element in the larger centers has owned the Government ever since the days of Andrew Jackson — and I am not wholly excepting the Administration of W. W. The country is going through a repetition of Jackson’s fight with the Bank of the United States — only on a far bigger and broader basis. — President Franklin D. Roosevelt, letter to Col. Edward Mandell House (21 November 1933); as quoted in F.D.R.: His Personal Letters, 1928-1945, edited by Elliott Roosevelt (New York: Duell, Sloan and Pearce, 1950), pg. 373 I would suggest nothing we’re seeing, including (especially) the seemingly nonsensical, is ‘accidental’ or coincidental. It is PSYOP/PSWAR, a potent toxic mixture of POSIWID and chaos theory designed and intended to rapidly produce maximum chaos resulting in a ‘Clash of Civilizations‘ and The End of History and the Last Man, to ultimately bring about a ‘Novus Ordo Seclorum’1234 a la Genesis 11 → Genesis 6 → culminating in Psalm 2 → Revelation 19. Links Videos / Clips [x] = Played Trump says Americans against war with Iran are ‘foolish’ [x] 2:00–5:15 [x] 8:33–9:12 ‘Apparently I'm an idiot': Three-time Trump voter in Pennsylvania sounds off on Iran war [x] 3:15–3:45 Lucifer Has a NASA Moon Mission named Artemis. Here’s What They’re Hiding. Headlines [x] = Mentioned / Discussed Trump: “A Whole Civilization with Die Tonight” If President Trump carries out his threat to kill the entire civilization of Iran, he will join the ranks of Cato the Elder, Genghis Khan, Cortez, and other villains in history who chose the policy of destroying an entire civilization. Needless to say, this is not what Washington, Madison, Adams, Jefferson, and Franklin had in mind when they founded the US Constitutional Republic. Members of the US government—as well as We the People—should think about the reflections of multiple Roman authors who regarded the total annihilation of Carthage as an outrage and repudiation of Rome's republican values and virtues. In the Aeneid, Virgil frames the Punic Wars as a fateful conflict initiated by the Punic Queen Dido’s curse on Aeneas’s descendants. I interpret this as Virgil's way of condemning the “unspeakable” destruction of Carthage. The American people should be aware of the fact that if our US government does indeed annihilate the Iranian nation forever, it will certainly have a vast array of terrible consequences for us and for all of mankind. Among other disasters, it is likely that millions of Iranians will be forced to flee to other lands, including those of Europe. Many young men who see their mothers, fathers, brothers, sisters suffer will be animated with a burning desire for revenge. I anticipate great horrors ahead for all of us. Trump's F-Bomb on Iran Joins America's Rollicking History of Presidential Profanity White House Easter egg roll Monday: How to watch live White House Easter Egg Roll honors America’s egg farmers, says President Trump | Fox News [x] Pentagon's new plans in Iran give Trump a way out of war crime accusations – POLITICO [x] Trump threatens to jail journalist who reported on crew's rescue in Iran if they don't reveal source – POLITICO [x] Iran Says US Airman Rescue May Have Been Cover to ‘Steal Enriched Uranium' Artemis ‘Launch’ April Fool’s Day / Easter – Amazing ‘Coincidence’ [x] [Published April Fool's Day! Same as Artemis II 'launch'] Did Van Allen Belts Stop the Moon Landings? Myth vs Fact – FreeAstroScience [x] Artemis II live updates: Nasa astronauts returning to Earth after seeing parts of Moon ‘no human has ever seen' | The Independent Artemis – Wikipedia “Isis, Astarte, Diana, Hecate, Demeter, Kali, Innana…” & Asteroids | Fixed Stars Are the goddesses Ashteroth, Remphan, Isis, Ishtar, Belit, Anahita, Artemis, and Diana the same goddess with different names? – Quora Pan: The Complete Guide to the Greek God of Nature (2023) The Rest [x] = Mentioned / Discussed [x] Deutsche Bank – Wikipedia [x] Deutsche Bank [00:27, 17 May 2024 revision] – Wikipedia [x] Trump family faces high-stakes testimony in Manhattan fraud trial [x] At Trump Org fraud trial, ex-banker recalls ‘hunting' for Trump's business | Courthouse News Service [x] Finra Suspends Trump's Former Personal Banker – AdvisorHub [x] Rosemary Vrablic – Wikipedia [x] Jared Kushner – Wikipedia The thinly sourced theories about Trump's loans and Justice Kennedy's son (Jul 12, 2018) by Salvador Rizzo | The Washington Post [x] Why Trump Is Mentally Unfit to Be President: Pathology of Narcissism (Apr 5, 2017) by Alex Morris | Rolling Stone [x] Taibbi on the Madness of Donald Trump (Sep 19, 2017) by Matt Taibbi | Rolling Stone [x] Donald Trump Is About to Be a Loser, His Lawyers Say (Mar 22, 2023) by Asawin Suebsaeng and Adam Rawnsley | Rolling Stone [x] Donald Trump, Trickster God (Mar 4, 2016) by Corey Pein | The Baffler [x] Kushner and Witkoff – by esc [x] IMEC: Trump's War With Iran Is About Global Trade. Period. [x] What The Iran Attack Is Really All About – Road Warrior Radio [x] Road Warrior Radio with Chris Hinkley, March 10, 2026 Hour 1 – Republic Broadcasting Network [x] Road Warrior Radio with Chris Hinkley, March 10, 2026 Hour 2 – Republic Broadcasting Network On This Day Events April 2026 Calendar of Public Holidays | Office Holidays Holidays and Observances in the United States in 2026 What day is it today? Important events every day ad-free | United States OTD On This Day – What Happened on April 7 Today in History: April 7, Rwandan genocide begins | AP News What Happened on April 7 – On This Day What Happened on April 7 | HISTORY April 7 – Wikipedia What Happened On April 7 In History? 07 | April | 2020 | Executed Today Holidays National Beer Day (United States) Historical Events 2022 – The Senate confirmed Ketanji Brown Jackson – “Pizzagate” judge who was unable to define ‘woman' – to the Supreme Court, securing her place as the court's first Black female justice. 2021 – COVID-19 shenanigans: The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention announces that the SARS-CoV-2 Alpha variant has become the dominant strain of COVID-19 in the United States. 2020 – COVID-19 shenanigans: China ends its lockdown in Wuhan. 2020 – COVID-19 shenanigans: Acting Secretary of the Navy Thomas Modly resigns for his handling of the COVID-19 ‘pandemic’ on USS Theodore Roosevelt and the dismissal of Brett Crozier. 1994 – A day after the presidents of Rwanda and Burundi died in a missile attack on their aircraft, the moderate Hutu prime minister of Rwanda, Agathe Uwilingiyimana, and her husband were killed by Rwandan soldiers; in the 100 days that followed, Hutu extremists slaughtered hundreds of thousands of minority Tutsi and Hutu moderates. 1990 – John Poindexter is convicted for his role in the Iran–Contra affair. In 1991 the convictions are reversed on appeal. 1984 – The Census Bureau reported that Los Angeles had overtaken Chicago as the nation's “second city” in terms of population. 1980 – During the Iran hostage crisis, the United States severs relations with Iran. 1970 – John Wayne wins Best Actor Oscar: The legendary actor John Wayne wins his first—and only—acting Academy Award, for his star turn in the director Henry Hathaway's Western True Grit. Known for his tough, rugged, uniquely American screen persona, Wayne appeared in some 150 movies over the course of his long and storied career. 1969 – The internet is born: With the publication of RFC 1, The Advanced Research Projects Agency (ARPA) awarded a contract to build a precursor of today’s world wide web to BBN Technologies. The date is widely considered as the internet’s symbolic birthday. 1968 – Riots continue in over 100 US cities following the Apr 4 assassination of Martin Luther King Jr. 1966 – The U.S. Navy recovered a hydrogen bomb that the U.S. Air Force had lost in the Mediterranean Sea off Spain following a B-52 crash. 1964 – IBM announces the System/360. 1963 – Tito is made president of Yugoslavia for life: A new Yugoslav constitution proclaims Tito the president for life of the newly named Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia. Formerly known as Josip Broz, Tito was born to a large peasant family in Croatia in 1892. 1961 – JFK lobbies Congress to help save historic sites in Egypt: President John F. Kennedy sends a letter to Congress in which he recommends the U.S. participate in an international campaign to preserve ancient temples and historic monuments in the Nile Valley of Egypt. The campaign, initiated by UNESCO, was designed to save sites threatened by the construction of the Aswan High Dam. 1954 – Domino Theory: President Dwight D. Eisenhower coined one of the most famous Cold War phrases, held a news conference in which he outlined the concept of the “domino theory” as he spoke of the importance of containing the spread of communism in Indochina, saying, “You have a row of dominoes set up, you knock over the first one, and what will happen to the last one is the certainty that it will go over very quickly.” 1953 – Sweden's Dag Hammarskjöld elected U.N. head: By a vote of 57 to 1, Dag Hammarskjöld is elected secretary-general of the United Nations. The son of Hjalmar Hammarskjöld, a former prime minister of Sweden, Dag joined Sweden's foreign ministry in 1947, and in 1951 formally entered the cabinet as deputy foreign minister. 1950 – President Truman receives NSC-68 report, calling for “containing” Soviet expansion: President Harry S. Truman receives National Security Council Paper Number 68 (NSC-68). The report was a group effort, created with input from the Defense Department, the State Department, the CIA, and other interested agencies; NSC-68 formed the basis for America's Cold War policy for the next two decades. 1949 – Tony-winning musical South Pacific opens on Broadway: The Rodgers and Hammerstein musical South Pacific opens at the Majestic Theatre on Broadway in New York City. The romantic musical about World War II, which touches on controversial racial themes, goes on to run for almost five years, becoming one of the most popular musicals of the 1950s. 1948 – World Health Organization established: The WHO, a privately funded United Nations agency front organization, ostensibly concerned with fighting disease and epidemics worldwide, building up national health services, and improving health education in its 194 member states. 1945 – World War II: The Imperial Japanese Navy battleship Yamato, one of the two largest ever constructed, is sunk by United States Navy aircraft during Operation Ten-Go, in Japan's first major counteroffensive in the struggle for Okinawa. Weighing 72,800 tons and outfitted with nine 18.1-inch guns, the battleship Yamato was Japan's only hope of destroying the Allied fleet off the coast of Okinawa. 1943 – The National Football League makes helmets mandatory. 1943 – Holocaust in Ukraine: In Terebovlia, Germans order 1,100 Jews to undress and march through the city to the nearby village of Plebanivka, where they are shot and buried in ditches. 1940 – Tuskegee Institute founder Booker T. Washington becomes the first Black American to be honored with a postage stamp. It will take nearly four decades for a Black woman to receive a similar honor: Harriet Tubman in 1978. 1939 – Benito Mussolini invades Albania, declares an Italian protectorate over Albania and forces King Zog I into exile. 1933 – National Beer Day: Prohibition in the United States is repealed for beer of no more than 3.2% alcohol by weight, eight months before the ratification of the Twenty-first Amendment to the United States Constitution. (Now celebrated as National Beer Day in the United States.) 1927 – First long-distance television transmission: an image of Secretary of Commerce Herbert Hoover is sent from Washington, D.C. to NYC by AT&T 1922 – Teapot Dome Scandal: Interior Secretary Albert B. Fall signed a secret deal to lease U.S. Navy petroleum reserves in Wyoming and California to his friends, oilmen Harry F. Sinclair and Edward L. Doheny, in exchange for cash gifts; Fall would eventually be sentenced to prison on bribery and conspiracy charges in what became known as the Teapot Dome Scandal. 1868 – Thomas D’Arcy McGee, one of the Canadian Fathers of Confederation is assassinated by the Irish, in one of the few Canadian political assassinations, and the only one of a federal politician. 1862 – American Civil War: Battle of Shiloh concludes: Two days of heavy fighting conclude near Pittsburgh Landing in western Tennessee. Union forces led by Gen. Ulysses S. Grant and Maj. Gen. Don Carlos Buell are victorious after the Confederate attack stalled on April 6, and fresh Yankee troops drove the Confederates from the field on April 7. 1832 – The Man Who Sold His Wife: Most modern readers believe Thomas Hardy was plunging into deep fiction when he wrote about a man selling his wife. He wasn’t. Nagging wives needed to be careful in 19th Century England, for, as Hardy recounted in The Mayor of Casterbridge, her husband might put her up for sale. That's just what happened on this day to Mary Thompson, according to a local newspaper report. 1829 – Joseph Smith, Jr., founder of the Latter Day Saint cult, commences translation of the Book of Mormon, with Oliver Cowdery as his scribe. 1827 – First friction match sold: English chemist John Walker produced and sold the first operable matches. They were soon banned in France and Germany because burning fragments would sometimes fall to the floor and start fires. 1805 – German composer Ludwig van Beethoven premieres his Third Symphony, at the Theater an der Wien in Vienna 1805 – Lewis and Clark depart Fort Mandan: After a long winter, the Lewis and Clark expedition departs its camp among the Mandan tribe and resumes its journey West. The Corps of Discovery had begun its voyage the previous spring, and it arrived at the large Mandan and Minnetaree villages along the upper Missouri River (north of present-day Bismarck, North Dakota) in late October. 1798 – The Mississippi Territory is organized from disputed territory claimed by both the United States and the Spanish Empire. It is expanded in 1804 and again in 1812. 1788 – American Pioneers to the Northwest Territory arrive at the confluence of the Ohio and Muskingum rivers, establishing Marietta, Ohio, as the first permanent American settlement of the new United States in the Northwest Territory, and opening the westward expansion of the new country. 1776 – Captain John Barry and the USS Lexington captures the Edward. 1739 – Dick Turpin is executed in England for horse stealing 1724 – Johann Sebastian Bach’s St. John Passion premiered: St. John’s Passion premieres on Good Friday at St. Nicholas Church in Leipzig, Electorate of Saxony (now Germany). The sacred oratorio is the oldest extant Passion by the German composer. The highly popular work is a dramatization of the final days of Jesus Christ, according to the Gospel of John. 1521 – Ferdinand Magellan arrives at Cebu. 529 – First draft of Corpus Juris Civilis or the Justinian Code (a fundamental work in jurisprudence) is issued by Eastern Roman Emperor Justinian I 451 – Attila the Hun captures Metz in France, killing most of its inhabitants and burning the town. 30 – Scholars estimate for the crucifixion of Jesus by Roman troops at the behest of Jewish leadership (Caiaphas the high priest, chief priests, scribes, elders) on Golgotha outside Jerusalem [or April 3] Births 1964 – Russell Crowe, New Zealand/Australian actor, singer, producer 1954 – Jackie Chan, Hong Kong-born actor and director noted for acrobatic stunt work in hits like “The Young Master” and the “Rush Hour” series. 1939 – Francis Ford Coppola, American director, producer, screenwriter 1938 – Jerry Brown, American lawyer and politician, 34th and 39th Governor of California 1931 – Daniel Ellsberg, American activist and author (died 2023) 1928 – James Garner, American actor, singer, and producer (died 2014) 1920 – Ravi Shankar, Indian/American sitar player, composer (died 2012) 1915 – Billie Holiday, American Jazz singer-songwriter, actress whose soulful intensity earned her the nickname “Lady Day.” Signature hits like “Strange Fruit” and “God Bless the Child.” (died 1959) 1897 – Walter Winchell, American journalist and radio host (died 1972) 1893 – Allen Dulles, American lawyer and diplomat, 5th Director of Central Intelligence (died 1969) 1890 – Marjory Stoneman Douglas, journalist, conservationist, activist best known for her advocacy for the preservation of Florida’s Everglades region. (died 1998) 1860 – Will Keith Kellogg, American businessman, ardent eugenicist, Seventh-day Adventist cult member, founded the Kellogg Company (died 1951) 1772 – Charles Fourier, French philosopher, communist (died 1837) 1770 – William Wordsworth, English poet (died 1850) Deaths 1947 – Henry Ford, American businessman, founded the Ford Motor Company (born 1863) 1928 – Alexander Bogdanov, Russian physician, philosopher, and author (born 1873) 1891 – P. T. Barnum, American businessman, co-founded Ringling Bros., Barnum & Bailey Circus (born 1810) 1804 – Toussaint Louverture, Haitian general (born 1743) 1733 – Samuel Partridge, very stupid and unconcern'd From the New England Weekly Journal, July 23, 1733 — a three-month-old news item (part of a roundup of dated minor dispatches) that had to cross the Atlantic from the mother country. Ipswich, April 7. Last Saturday Samuel Partridge was executed here, for robbing Mr. Barwell of Brockley in this City, of 31l, 10s., a Horse, and other Things, in Company with another Person not yet taken. He said he was born at Debden in Suffolk, that he was about 22 years of Age, and was brought up in Husbandry; he appeared to be very illiterate, for he could neither read nor write, and was entirely ignorant of the first Principles of Christianity. He denied the Fact for which he suffered, and said he was perswaded to own the Robbery by a Soldier that was in Halsted Bridewell with him, he telling him, that if he confessed the Fact he would come off very well; and that he advised him to say, that he had made use of a Bolt instead of a Pistol, and that he had hid it in a certain Place, where it was found according to his Direction. At the Place of Execution he seemed very stupid and unconcern'd; only, as directed, he called on God for Mercy when he was turned off. Elon Musk Tweets ‘Novus Ordo Seclorum' After Donald Trump Wins Reelection. MAGA Is The Pied Piper – winepressnews.com ↩ Novus Ordo Seclorum – History of Motto on Great Seal’s Unfinished Pyramid ↩ Novus ordo seclorum – Wikipedia ↩ Annuit cœptis – Wikipedia ↩

Deep in Canada's Northwest Territories, a remote valley holds a disturbing record: since 1908, at least 44 people have vanished or been found dead, some discovered without their heads.IN THIS EPISODE: Deep in Canada's Northwest Territories, a remote valley holds a disturbing record: since 1908, at least 44 people have vanished or been found dead, some discovered without their heads. And despite it being over a hundred years ago when it began – there are still sightings of strange men, odd encounters, missing people, and still… corpses being found, right through into the 21st century. Burned.. beheaded… and in some cases… fresh.PRINT VERSION (Original Article): https://weirddarkness.com/nahanni-valley-headless-men-canada/EPISODE PAGE (includes sources): https://weirddarkness.com/ValleyOfHeadlessMenCHAPTERS (All Times Approximate – Add One Minute To Each For YouTube)…00:00:00.000 = PART ONE: They Never Stopped Coming 00:04:25.883 = Show Open00:05:59.272 = PART TWO: The People Who Were Never Found00:19:26.630 = PART THREE: The Bodies That Shouldn't Be There00:42:52.965 = PART FOUR: Still Here After All These Years00:56:46.346 = Show Close*** = Begins immediately after inserted ad break=====(Over time links may become invalid, disappear, or have different content. I always make sure to give authors credit for the material I use whenever possible. If I somehow overlooked doing so for a story, or if a credit is incorrect, please let me know and I will rectify it in these show notes immediately. Some links included above may benefit me financially through qualifying purchases.)= = = = ="I have come into the world as a light, so that no one who believes in me should stay in darkness." — John 12:46= = = = =WeirdDarkness® is a registered trademark. Copyright ©2026, Weird Darkness.=====Originally aired: March 31, 2026ABOUT WEIRD DARKNESS: Weird Darkness is a true crime and paranormal podcast narrated by professional award-winning voice actor, Darren Marlar. Seven days per week, Weird Darkness focuses on all thing strange and macabre such as haunted locations, unsolved mysteries, true ghost stories, supernatural manifestations, urban legends, unsolved or cold case murders, conspiracy theories, and more. On Thursdays, this scary stories podcast features horror fiction along with the occasional creepypasta. Weird Darkness has been named one of the “Best 20 Storytellers in Podcasting” by Podcast Business Journal. Listeners have described the show as a cross between “Coast to Coast” with Art Bell, “The Twilight Zone” with Rod Serling, “Unsolved Mysteries” with Robert Stack, and “In Search Of” with Leonard Nimoy.DISCLAIMER: Ads heard during the podcast that are not in my voice are placed by third party agencies outside of my control and should not imply an endorsement by Weird Darkness or myself. *** Stories and content in Weird Darkness can be disturbing for some listeners and intended for mature audiences only. Parental discretion is strongly advised.

In the frozen heart of the 1883 Canadian frontier, a single death unveils a darkness that could consume a town—and the men sworn to protect it.Corporal Belvedere, a Mountie scarred by a brutal past, and Surgeon Virgil Montgomery, a newcomer haunted by his own doubts, are drawn into a murder investigation in the isolated settlement of Prince Albert. As winter's grip tightens, the killing exposes a web of secrets buried beneath the snow, threatening to unravel the fragile order of the North-West Territories.In a community steeped in mistrust, Belvedere's unyielding quest for justice collides with Montgomery's struggle to uphold his oath to do no harm. Each clue they uncover draws them deeper into a maze of deception, where allies and enemies blur and every step risks a deadly reckoning. As the ice on the North Saskatchewan River begins to crack, they must confront a truth that could cost them their lives—or their souls.A gripping tale of vengeance and redemption, The Laundryman plunges you into a world where justice battles betrayal, and the truth lies buried in a frozen wilderness.Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/houseofmysteryradio. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

What if the creativity you're searching for has been with you all along, just waiting for you to listen? I had the pleasure of speaking with Holly Gutwillinger, an author whose journey began in the quiet forests of northern Canada and grew through a life shaped by storytelling, solitude, and reflection. From her early days creating stories on her own to building a career while quietly nurturing her creative side, Holly shares how those moments helped form the foundation of who she is today. As you listen, you'll hear how Holly rediscovered her voice through writing, how her dogs unexpectedly became her greatest teachers, and why acceptance became a turning point in both her life and her work. We also explore the role of discipline, the challenge of staying present in a world full of distractions, and the importance of listening to your inner voice. I believe you will find this conversation both encouraging and practical, especially if you've ever questioned your own creativity or wondered if it's too late to begin again. Highlights: 00:10 Discover how early life and solitude shaped a lifelong creative mindset03:20 Learn why spending time alone can unlock creativity and storytelling14:27 Understand how to move past frustration and return to creativity20:16 Learn how walking, driving, and quiet time spark new ideas34:44 Discover what an unstoppable mindset really means in daily life53:57 Understand how acceptance can transform relationships and creativity Top of Form Bottom of Form About the Guest: Holly B. Gutwillinger is an award-winning author, podcaster, and MFA student in fiction at the University of King's College, whose work is defined by emotional honesty, curiosity, and a profound love for cats and dogs—those remarkable creatures who shape our lives in unexpected and transformative ways. She calls a small northern Ontario town home, though her journey has taken her through remote parts of northern Canada, experiences that have expanded her worldview, strengthened her resilience, and instilled a deep appreciation for the wide variety of foods, traditions, and cultures that define the Canadian human experience. A self-made creative, Holly has built her literary and podcasting path from the ground up, navigating the challenges of the writing life with an unwavering commitment to telling the stories that matter most. Her determination has led to recognition, including the prestigious On Creative Writing Award, which she received in late 2025. Yet for Holly, accolades are never the endpoint; they are encouragement to keep writing, creating, and exploring new avenues of expression. She has no plans to stop, seeing every project—whether a novel, podcast episode, or painted canvas—as part of a larger, ongoing journey of curiosity and connection to others and to herself. Although she was not always a writer, Holly's creative process began at a very young age. She recalls quiet moments of tactile creation with anything she could gather around the house—storytelling to anyone who would listen or creating picture books in school. Those early experiences laid the foundation for a lifelong passion to craft stories that resonate deeply and honestly. Holly's debut novel, North of Broken & Furever Home, launched February 14, 2026, is an intimate exploration of a woman's evolving relationship with her rescue dogs. The novel delves into themes of grief, healing, second chances, and the quiet but transformative power of animal companionship. At its core, it asks a question familiar to anyone who has loved a pet: who truly rescues whom? Holly's characters are imbued with emotional complexity, drawing from her own experience as a mother, a pet owner, and a lifelong observer of human relationships. The story invites readers to witness the beauty and struggle inherent in loving fully, openly, and sometimes imperfectly. As the project neared completion, Holly realized this was no longer just a rescue story, but a narrative of acceptance between her and her dogs, Cash and Sully—their relationship evolving into a shared stillness and quiet companionship that brings her peace. Family is central to Holly's life and work. As the proud mother of two adult sons, she offers authentic insight into the joys, challenges, and heartbreaks of parenting as children step into independence. This maternal devotion extends naturally to the animals in her care, reflecting her belief that the relationships we cultivate, whether with children, partners, friends, or pets, serve as mirrors that reveal who we are, who we are becoming, and the values we hold most dear. Her fiction and nonfiction alike are informed by this awareness, portraying relationships with honesty, vulnerability, and a deep sense of empathy. Currently pursuing her MFA in fiction, Holly is committed to honing her craft and exploring the intersections of character, voice, and emotional truth. Her academic training complements her innate storytelling abilities, allowing her to balance literary sophistication with accessibility and relatability. Whether in the quiet drafting of a manuscript or the dynamic dialogue of a podcast, Holly approaches her work with curiosity, rigor, and the understanding that art is a vehicle for both connection and transformation. She once stepped away from the voice she had worked so hard to develop, writing instead for what she thought the audience wanted, but the words ceased to flow. Returning to the style that made her heart sing reignited her literary tap, and all was well again. She encourages her peers to embrace authenticity and to hone their true voices, even when the path is uncertain. Holly also hosts a podcast with her son, Rogan, exploring how animals influence and inspire the creative lives of people from all walks of life. Through conversations with writers, artists, entrepreneurs, and creators, she examines how pets provide comfort, motivation, and even discipline for those pursuing ambitious dreams. The show highlights the often-overlooked ways animals shape human creativity, offering insights that are both practical and profoundly moving. For Holly, the podcast holds an additional personal dimension: it provides precious time with one of her adult sons who lives hours away, creating shared experiences that strengthen their bond while exploring themes of love, companionship, and creativity. The podcast's casual conversational format often leads into deeper, more meaningful discussions, with questions that invite reflection on how her animals influence her creative process and who she is as their human companion. Artistic expression extends beyond writing in Holly's life. She loves to dabble in drawing, painting, and yarn art, finding visual art a complementary form of storytelling and self-exploration. Whether sketching, experimenting with color, or simply observing the world through a brush or pencil, Holly approaches art with the same curiosity, courage, and playfulness she brings to her writing. This creative versatility allows her to explore emotion and narrative from multiple perspectives, enriching both her fiction and her podcast work. Living in remote parts of northern Canada has profoundly shaped Holly. These experiences expanded her cultural awareness, exposed her to unique foods, traditions, and practices, and deepened her empathy for diverse human experiences. The solitude and vast landscapes of the North provided not only inspiration but also perspective, fostering resilience and the ability to observe life with nuance and care. These insights permeate her storytelling, helping her craft characters and narratives that feel authentic, layered, and universally resonant, intimately connected to the great white north. Community and mentorship are integral to Holly's philosophy. She serves on the board of her local writers' guild and volunteers in literary organizations supporting emerging voices, fostering collaboration, and advocating for equity in publishing. She believes in creating opportunities for others while continuing to carve her own path, reflecting her self-made approach to the creative life. Holly's involvement in these groups underscores her commitment not only to her own work but to the broader literary ecosystem, cultivating spaces where writers can thrive, share, and grow together. At the heart of Holly's work across novels, podcasts, and visual art, is an enduring exploration of love, connection, and transformation. Her stories reveal that the relationships we cultivate, whether with humans or animals, shape the core of who we are. They highlight resilience in the face of challenge, the quiet courage required to open one's heart, and the unexpected ways vulnerability can lead to growth. Whether speaking about the craft of writing, the role of pets in creative lives, the joys and trials of parenthood, or the ongoing journey of self-made artistry, Holly brings warmth, insight, and grounded authenticity to every conversation. Despite recognition, awards, and a growing readership, Holly remains humble and curious, always ready to explore new creative avenues. She views life as an ongoing narrative, one in which personal, fictional, or podcast-shared stories serve as threads connecting individuals, communities, and generations. Her work reflects a conviction that storytelling is not just an art form but a form of stewardship—preserving experiences, fostering empathy, and inspiring others to embrace the creative life with courage and curiosity. Holly B. Gutwillinger's journey is one of heart, persistence, and a lifelong commitment to creation. She has built her career on her own initiative, cultivating her voice with passion and care. From the rugged landscapes of northern Canada to the intimate spaces shared with her family and rescue dogs, Holly's life and work embody the transformative power of love, creativity, and resilience. With every novel, podcast episode, and painting, she continues to explore the questions that have always driven her: How do we connect? How do we grow? And, ultimately, how do the creatures and people we love most help us become the truest versions of ourselves? Holly's debut novel, North of Broken & Furever Home, and her podcast offer readers and listeners a window into this world—a place where relationships, art, and compassion intersect, and where every story has the power to illuminate, heal, and inspire. As a self-made creator who refuses to stop exploring, Holly remains committed to creating work that matters, sharing space with others who care deeply about the human and animal experience, and continuing to craft stories that touch hearts, spark conversations, and celebrate the quiet courage of living fully, lovingly, and creatively. Looking ahead, Holly aspires to create a mentorship program for emerging writers who feel unsure where to start or struggle to balance a writing life with a busy schedule. Although the program is not yet in place, she hopes to establish a supportive platform where individuals feel comfortable unleashing their words on the page and finding their authentic voices in a welcoming community. Ways to connect with Holly**:** Instagram @rambling_from_the_little_shed Website: www.ramblingsfromthelittleshed.com Substack: Https://https://substack.com/@hollybgutwillinger About the Host: Michael Hingson is a New York Times best-selling author, international lecturer, and Chief Vision Officer for accessiBe. Michael, blind since birth, survived the 9/11 attacks with the help of his guide dog Roselle. This story is the subject of his best-selling book, Thunder Dog. Michael gives over 100 presentations around the world each year speaking to influential groups such as Exxon Mobile, AT&T, Federal Express, Scripps College, Rutgers University, Children's Hospital, and the American Red Cross just to name a few. He is Ambassador for the National Braille Literacy Campaign for the National Federation of the Blind and also serves as Ambassador for the American Humane Association's 2012 Hero Dog Awards. https://michaelhingson.com https://www.facebook.com/michael.hingson.author.speaker/ https://twitter.com/mhingson https://www.youtube.com/user/mhingson https://www.linkedin.com/in/michaelhingson/ accessiBe Links https://accessibe.com/ https://www.youtube.com/c/accessiBe https://www.linkedin.com/company/accessibe/mycompany/ https://www.facebook.com/accessibe/ Thanks for listening! Thanks so much for listening to our podcast! If you enjoyed this episode and think that others could benefit from listening, please share it using the social media buttons on this page. Do you have some feedback or questions about this episode? Leave a comment in the section below! Subscribe to the podcast If you would like to get automatic updates of new podcast episodes, you can subscribe to the podcast on Apple Podcasts or Stitcher. You can subscribe in your favorite podcast app. You can also support our podcast through our tip jar https://tips.pinecast.com/jar/unstoppable-mindset . Leave us an Apple Podcasts review Ratings and reviews from our listeners are extremely valuable to us and greatly appreciated. They help our podcast rank higher on Apple Podcasts, which exposes our show to more awesome listeners like you. If you have a minute, please leave an honest review on Apple Podcasts. Transcription Notes: Michael Hingson  00:00 Access Cast and accessiBe Initiative presents Unstoppable Mindset. The podcast where inclusion, diversity and the unexpected meet. Hi, I'm Michael Hingson, Chief Vision Officer for accessiBe and the author of the number one New York Times bestselling book, Thunder dog, the story of a blind man, his guide dog and the triumph of trust. Thanks for joining me on my podcast as we explore our own blinding fears of inclusion unacceptance and our resistance to change. We will discover the idea that no matter the situation, or the people we encounter, our own fears, and prejudices often are our strongest barriers to moving forward. The unstoppable mindset podcast is sponsored by accessiBe, that's a c c e s s i capital B e. Visit www.accessibe.com to learn how you can make your website accessible for persons with disabilities. And to help make the internet fully inclusive by the year 2025. Glad you dropped by we're happy to meet you and to have you here with us. Michael Hingson  01:20 Hi everyone, and welcome to you wherever you happen to be. We're really glad that you're joining us here on unstoppable mindset. I'm your host, Mike hingson, or you can call me Michael. I don't really care which, but we're glad that you're with us wherever you are, and we appreciate you tuning in today. Tuning in. That's an old word from radio and some television, but more more radio than television, but I actually heard someone today use the term don't touch that dial. So there you go. But radio is radio and podcasts are podcast anyway. We're glad you're here now that I got that out of the system, but I'm glad that we have a chance to be here with you today, and today, our guest is Holly Gutwillinger. Gutwillinger, I want to make sure I do it right. And Holly is an author, and she's got a lot of other endeavors that she's done over the years, and is going to continue to do. So I'm really looking forward to hearing all that she's got to say, and we're going to get right to it. So Holly, welcome to unstoppable mindset. We're glad you're here. Holly Gutwillinger  02:27 Thank you so much, Michael, I I like that saying tuning in. And in fact, I went a bookstore just the other day, and she had what looked to be an old transistor radio, but I know it was probably just, you know, a newer speaker that was made to look like a radio. Michael Hingson  02:45 I still have an old transistor radio. I haven't used it a lot lately, but I have it, and it has a dial you can turn to for volume, and another dial for tuning in different stations, and a button to go from am to FM. So there you are. Holly Gutwillinger  03:05 Yeah, yeah. I have many of them, like I had, I should say, not have, but yes, very familiar with them. Michael Hingson  03:13 I I collect as a hobby, old radio shows, and so I do a lot of things with radio, and it's a lot of fun to to do things. I collect a lot of different kinds of shows. And there's a show I think it's, it's blondy Blondie and Dagwood, the comic strip. And there's always starts, ah, don't touch that dial. So there you are. But, but you know, old radio is fun and it's interesting to listen to history from the perspective of what happened on a lot of those radio shows, especially in the time of war like World War Two, just how radio helped pull so many people together, it was pretty fascinating. I agree. I wish we had more of that today, but that's the way it is. Well, why don't we start, as I love to do, tell us kind of about the early Holly, growing up and all that stuff. And I know that you live in Canada, you're in what, northern Toronto, Northern Ontario, rather not Toronto. Northern Toronto isn't very far. You were, you weren't very far. But anyway, Northern Ontario. Well anyway, so tell us about kind of the early Holly. Holly Gutwillinger  04:27 Goodness. Early Holly Michael Hingson  04:28 just long time ago Holly Gutwillinger  04:30 in a galaxy, long time ago Holly. Early Holly loved to be she's just a younger version of who she is now. And she loved to do so many things. I remember going, you know, collecting wood with my father in the forest. That's what we did every weekend to collect for the winter, just spending so much time outside, creating. And what I realized in the last week or so, I had a one of those aha moments. Somebody asked me if I always. Love to write. And I said, Well, not that I can recall, but now that I think about it, I was always a storyteller, and some of those memories are coming back to me, where I used to create screenplays, almost in the basement, I'd have restaurants and school classrooms, but I did spend a lot of my time outside with my father, and he built old cars, so street rods and we would hunting for old car skeletons in the in the back bush. So that's a lot of what younger Holly's life was like. And then, of course, school and high school, and I was always creative. But yeah, why do you think Michael Hingson  05:43 that is that you were always creative and always writing and doing other kind of innovative things like that? Do you have any notion as to why were you encouraged to do that? Holly Gutwillinger  05:53 Or I was not, but I think I love that question, Mike, because now you're making me think again and I'm going in and mining for those old memories. But I think it's because my siblings were much older than me, and so by the time I was seven, they were gone, and then it was just me. So, you know, I live in rural northern Ontario, there weren't a lot of kids in the neighborhood, so a lot of time, a lot of my time was spent alone, and I think that I just needed to entertain myself, and I did. So. I think that's one of the reasons why I was so I became so creative because I just kind of kept myself company, Michael Hingson  06:33 kept yourself company, and you kept busy. Well, yes, what did your parents think of all of that? Holly Gutwillinger  06:39 Hmm, I don't know. I come from a time when, you know, kids did. Kids were sort of to the side and quiet. My parents were my father was like in the garage building his cars. And if he wasn't building cars, he was mining. My mother was working. And, you know, they had already had two children. And I was a unexpected surprise, I suppose. So I don't really know what they thought about that, but my mother's still here, so maybe I'll have to ask her that question. Michael Hingson  07:06 I'll have to ask her, what kind of work did she do? She Holly Gutwillinger  07:09 worked at like a real retail store here called Canadian Tire, which is, I don't know if you've ever heard of it, but your equivalent would be kind of like a Home Depot, but more centered towards cars. Cars, yeah, yeah, which my father loved, because he got parts at a discount. Michael Hingson  07:26 I was just going to ask, did, did that relationship and that employment benefit his his car fix? Oh, yeah, definitely. And what's happened to all the cars over the years? Holly Gutwillinger  07:39 Well, my father built so many cars. I remember every week, a new car rolling into the driveway, whether he was fixing it or selling one and buying another building for another person. Over the year, over the span of about 13 years, he built a 1934 Ford three window coupe from the frame up, and my sister has it now in her barn. And he also gifted her like a 52 Ford pickup. So she has both of those because she has the space and she has a husband who's able to keep them running, which is important, yeah. So yeah, they had the cars came and they went. Well, vehicles too much around here? Michael Hingson  08:22 Yeah, well, you know, lot of lot of fascination with cars and hot rods and all that sort of stuff. So I understand the the DMV, the Department of Motor Vehicles here, won't let me get a driver's license. And as I point out to people, given the way most people drive around here. I don't see why I shouldn't be able to get a license just as well as anybody else, because I don't think that they're watching what they're doing anyway. Holly Gutwillinger  08:47 So I agreed, I think Michael Hingson  08:49 so you went through high school. Did you go to college or university? Holly Gutwillinger  08:53 I did. I went to college. I you know, I was that kid that was supposed to go to university, but I just didn't have the money, nor did my parents. And so I did go to college, but I got a job right out of while I was in college, actually got a full time job, and they allowed me to finish my schoolwork at home, and I started working at 19, and never stopped. But I did go back to school in 2018 and got my degree and kept pushing. So there I was with my two my own two sons, in university, and I was in university, so it was an expensive time. Michael Hingson  09:31 So what is the difference between college and university in Canada? Holly Gutwillinger  09:35 So college, you will receive a diploma, and it's more hands on, whereas University is very theoretical and academic, so not as much hands on, and so you'll get like a Bachelor of Arts, three or four year Bachelor of Arts and lots of essays, but college, you do a lot of hands on, so skills more. Michael Hingson  10:00 Skills and technical things. Yes, yes. So what was this job that you got at the age of 19? Holly Gutwillinger  10:07 It was for a chartered accountant's office, and I was the receptionist, and that's right, when computers were coming in. So it was very interesting time. And I worked there for 10 years, and they became my family. But then we moved north, my husband and I, so I had to leave that work family and move on to a very remote town in northern Manitoba, and I just took on jobs. I just sort of incrementally got different jobs that were just a little bit, you know, a step up in higher pay, in a sense, and just kept building on those skills. Michael Hingson  10:42 And while that was going on, were you showing creativity in any way, or did you kind of have to put that by the wayside for a while? Holly Gutwillinger  10:50 I was always dabbling at home. So I would work during the day, do my job, and then when I returned home, I was always creating something. It could be knitting, scrapbooking, letter writing, you name it, I've tried it, and it was just how I spent my time. And yeah, there wasn't much to do up north, so it was important for me to have that outlet somehow, well, Michael Hingson  11:18 but I guess, I guess you would say definitely, though, that it kept you busy, which is kind of one of the things that you wanted to do, Holly Gutwillinger  11:27 absolutely and it also is a conversation starter. Doesn't matter if it's a small town or a big town, but if you can find that link with someone, it's a it's a way to make connections with people, friendships. And I found that it came in handy. You know that the smaller towns tend to have a lot of groups or meetings of sorts, where creatives come together, whether they're knitting circles or crafting circles. And so that was an important part of my life, because it was very difficult for me to be away from my family. Michael Hingson  12:03 So as you think about Tell me, tell me a story of one time that being involved in that and going that that route really helped you as you move forward. Holly Gutwillinger  12:14 That's a good question. So I can remember a time when I lived in Yellowknife, which is in the Northwest Territory, so further up north. We moved up there after northern Manitoba, and it was an even smaller place, but I had found a group of women who made cards, like greeting cards, and so every month. And I can't quite remember how I got myself into this group, but I'm, I suppose I'm known for, you know, popping in and saying, Hi, I'm Holly, you know, nice to meet you and try to get myself involved. But every month, we go to a different person's house, and we'd make these greeting cards, and then we'd share them. So you'd make 12 of the same kind, and then you'd share them with the other people that were there, and we'd have snacks, and it just created community. And that was very important in a northern, isolated northern community such as that one. Michael Hingson  13:12 So the sense of community was in and I gather, near, needless to say, is still very relevant to you. Did? Did you keep in touch fairly well with your family, with your parents and all that, Holly Gutwillinger  13:24 or as much as you could, because that was at the dawn of Facebook time. So it was old school rotary phones that we Yeah, landlines and we would call every week, but really that was one of the only ways that we communicated. And so it was that was probably the most difficult part, was being away from my family and having my my two children, be away from their grandparents. Michael Hingson  13:52 Yeah. What? What was the reason that you moved well up to northern Manitoba and then up into Yellowknife Holly Gutwillinger  14:01 because I had a husband who was in mining, and so we made the decision it was a great opportunity to for a young family to find work there. Well, not fine. The job came to him. And so we moved there and made a life for ourselves there. And then we saw an opportunity return back to Northern Ontario, which is where we're from, so that we could help our parents, as they were going through health issues, have our kids have the opportunity to know their grandparents as well. Michael Hingson  14:33 Well, there's a lot of merit to that, needless to say. But through all of that, were you always a writer? Did you always write things? And if you have, you kept a lot of your early writings? If that were the case, Holly Gutwillinger  14:48 I wasn't a writer of stories as much as I was of notes and love letters. I used to love having a pen pal, and I don't. Have journals or anything like that, but what I have found are all the cards that I used to make for my parents, and I'm grateful that they did keep that because it I don't know. It takes me down memory lane, and I can see where it all began. I have memories of sitting behind the wing back chair in the living room and creating out of paper towel rolls or whatever supplies I could find around the house, but those cards really mean a lot to me, because it it's still who I am, and I do enjoy writing someone a letter or a note. Michael Hingson  15:37 Yeah. Yeah. Do you find that sometimes the creativity just seems to shut down, or it isn't coming through? And if, if that's the case, how do you how do you deal with that? Holly Gutwillinger  15:52 I creativity is not something that has shut down for me. Now, that being said, I have shut it down when I am not successful at something. You know, when you get frustrated and you're trying to learn something but you can't quite get it, I'll be the one to break off with the with the hobby at hand. So let's take crochet, for example. If I just couldn't get that one stitch, I would get frustrated, and I'd put it to the side, and I move on to something else. But I feel like I've evolved when it comes to that aspect of my life. I persevere a lot more now, and I'm not filling my life with as many creative mediums. I'm really trying to focus on the ones that give me meaning, such as writing. Michael Hingson  16:46 Well, when when you put something aside just because it wasn't working out, did you ever find that you went back to it and and had success, or did you not? Holly Gutwillinger  16:56 I did, yes, yeah, after some time now, that was if I didn't throw everything out in the process. Because I've been known to do that. When you get frustrated, you're just like, oh, you know, you shake your head, and you give everything away. Because, like, I'm never doing that again. And so I have done that on a few occasions, but not in the last few years. And yes, I have returned to knitting, for example, color work was something that I struggled with, but I went back to it, and I think that sometimes it's about being in the right moment for whatever that may be. Maybe it's a book you're reading, maybe it's a movie you're watching, maybe it's something you're working on. And now I have no issues with color work, so I just I found the rhythm that I needed to get through it. Michael Hingson  17:46 How do you find that technology, as we advance with that is affecting your creativity and then the different things that you do? Good? Holly Gutwillinger  17:57 Question, as far as hobbies go, I think that digital is helpful because I'm able to access more living here in a place where I may not be able to access supplies or patterns, but I don't find that. You know, like the the computer world has affected much else in my life. I am able to navigate it. That being said, I think that keeping up with social media is a time stealer, and I know we all feel we need to do it. I know I put pressure on myself for that, and I'm not even really sure how much that advances anything. I suppose I need to do my own study on my my own social media. But as far as it goes, that I think is it's a time thief, Michael Hingson  18:54 yeah, well, I think there's, there's merit to that. I think it is a time stealer in a lot of ways, and I think that it is leading us down some paths that probably are really better left alone. We were too sensitive to social media. We're just too heavily involved with it, and it's taking us away from a lot of personal and interpersonal reactions and and involvement with other people, which is too bad I, you know, I've, I've heard about families driving somewhere and the kids are in the backseat of the car texting back and forth. Yes, you know, in the car they don't talk to each other. And I heard one of the reasons. I asked somebody once, why is that? And they said, well, they also don't want their parents to hear what they're talking about, but, but still, it's a challenge. We're being Holly Gutwillinger  19:47 in a restaurant and seeing a family at a table, but the kids are on the phones or on a on an iPad watching a movie. And I'm thinking, wouldn't you be taking these moments to talk to one another? The phones were never. Loud at my dinner table. That's the one thing, and it sticks to this day. Michael Hingson  20:04 Yeah, well, and, and it's not just the kids. Oftentimes, parents are doing it, that's right. I personally think that, like a smartphone is a is a good tool, but I don't focus on it all day. I don't do that and won't because I don't think it's necessary, and it's not adding a lot of value to my life to do that. If there's a game that I want to play, I can play that game, but I don't spend all day on the phone and oftentimes like especially when I'm doing a podcast like this, it all gets silenced so that we don't get interrupted, because the last thing I want is for something to interrupt what we're doing. But it's not just doing a podcast. I think it's important that we all take more time to be involved with others around us directly. Holly Gutwillinger  20:59 Yes, I agree wholeheartedly with that. Michael Hingson  21:02 Michael, that's my opinion. But I, you know, I think that everybody has an opinion that's okay, and some, and there will be people who disagree with that, and that's, that's fine. We'll see how it all works. But so, but you, you do a lot of ideas and create and so on. How do you channel your ideas? Holly Gutwillinger  21:26 Well, I channel them through walking and through running and driving is one of the greatest funnels that I have. So yesterday, I was on a seven hour drive, and I absolutely love it, because I listen to podcasts, audio books, and then I just drive in silence. If I if an idea is coming through, I'll just drive in silence and let the thoughts swirl, and I get to sort of sit with them. And sometimes I've even pulled over and and made notes or recorded my thoughts so that I don't lose them. But, you know, channeling them through things that I read, conversations, podcasts, I find, are a huge gift when it comes to creating because it could be a conversation someone is having and they'll just say that one word that triggers something in your thoughts that you know, unleashes something new for you. Michael Hingson  22:29 Yeah, I think there's a lot of value in podcasts, and there's so many of them. It has definitely been a very successful thing. It's one of the things that Apple has done that has changed a lot of of what we are and what we do in the world, and if it's a way for people to be able to to get out and interact, that's great. It still is. Though you're you're typically listening to someone, unless you get involved in the podcast or doing your own podcast. Holly Gutwillinger  23:02 Yeah, I agree. I I've always enjoyed podcasts, although I haven't been listening to them right from the beginning, but for several years, for sure, and I love that there's such a variety now there's something for everyone, whether it's a story you want to listen to, or meditation or having a great conversation. I've even learned so much about the craft of writing through podcasts. Michael Hingson  23:27 Have you ever thought of doing your own podcast? Holly Gutwillinger  23:30 I have, and I, I, I've recently started one with my son. We started back in November, and it's, it's going very well, and we're having a lot of fun. Michael Hingson  23:41 Tell us more about that. Yeah, I'd love to Holly Gutwillinger  23:43 it's called ramblings from the little shed because I'm sitting here in the back of my garage and but I call it my shed, and it's, it's a room on its own, and it's surrounded in cedar planks or pine, pine, my apologies, pine planks, and I have the wood stove beside me, so that's why I we ramble from the little shed, and my son is in Toronto. So we connect over video and we in we have conversations with creative individuals about their pets and their animals. So first, we talk about how they believe their animals or their pets influence their creativity. And then we shift over to who they are as creatives, but it's just conversational. And then my son and I, once the guest has left, we ramble on about things during the week and our favorite things, and yeah, we wear flannel shirts and drink warm coffee. Michael Hingson  24:42 There you go. What What prompted you to focus on having the discussions around animals? Holly Gutwillinger  24:51 Definitely, because my book is solely focused on my two dogs, and I thought if my dog. Can have so much influence on my creativity, and I thank him for the gift of giving me the story, then I believe that other people do as well. There's been such a shift in the way that people value their pets or treat them, and I feel that there's more, right? And people love talking about their pets. So I thought, Hmm, wait a minute. There's so many creative people out there. Surely they want to talk about their pets. And we have met chefs, food photographers, tarot readers, fortune tellers, authors, people of all walks of life. We're having a grand time, Michael Hingson  25:44 dogs, mainly, or other animals as well, Holly Gutwillinger  25:47 other animals as well. In fact, I just met a woman, a mother and daughter, who have an alpaca farm, and they have 36 alpacas in their backyard that they've, you know, they raise and they they they shear them. They draft, not draft. What's it called? They card, the the wool. And then they, I'm sorry, I'm trying to think of all the terms here that go with, with what they do. And then they draft it, and then they spin it, and then they knit their garments out of the alpaca wool al packable, and they have a beautiful storefront. And I'm thinking, My goodness, that is so inspiring. First of all, to start something of that caliber. And so their animals have a direct influence on their creativity. I mean, it goes hand in hand for them. So not just dogs and cats. Can be any kind of animal. Michael Hingson  26:43 Well, I'm I'm limited here. We just have a dog. Well, not just but I have my guide dog, Alamo and a cat. Stitch, and they keep me company since my wife has passed, so they keep me company and and smash up against, well, stitch the cat smashes up against me when we sleep at night, and she likes that, so I make sure that I don't roll over on her or anything like that, and Alamo sleeps on his own bed right by ours. So it works out well, and everybody seems to be pretty happy here. So that's a good thing. It's fascinating. And it's amazing how many people have done so many things with with regard to animals. Years ago, my wife discovered a website called craft sea. Have you ever heard of it? Holly Gutwillinger  27:32 Yes, I have. Yeah. I joined it a few times, yeah. Michael Hingson  27:35 And when she was looking at Craft c1, time, she found a company in Ohio called litter one, and litter one makes cat litter, but they make it out of pine kernels, and they put them in a disposable box. So you you put the box out, the cat uses it. And for, for me, specifically, we put a box out, and it'll last a week, and then we just throw it away and put up another box. And I find that I'm spending about the same amount with litter one that I would if I were just buying cat litter any other way. But it's it's clearly a lot more well, biodegradable, degradable, if you will. And and stitch seems to like it, so that's good. Holly Gutwillinger  28:20 I wonder if that's something I can get up here. Michael Hingson  28:24 I would check the website is called litter one. I would bet you can. Holly Gutwillinger  28:29 I definitely am going to check into that. Michael Hingson  28:32 Yeah, and like I said, stitch likes it from the first time we got it. And, you know, for a while, every week, of course, you got the scent of essentially fresh pine kernels, which also helps but, but I've got to really talk with them. I love to learn sometime the history of how that came to be, because it's just fascinating that they came up with this creative thing. And I wonder why and how that occurred. But there's got to be a story there. Holly Gutwillinger  29:02 You know, Michael, when I go visit my son in Toronto, we do spend some time at the dog parks, just sitting there. My dogs aren't even with me, yeah, just because I find it very calming and fun, you know? And I'm not stressed out about my dog chasing another dog, I just get to sit there and observe. But one thing I've noticed is in these parks, and there are, like, I almost call them bougie parks, because they're so fancy and the dogs are so well behaved, but they have wood chips all over and so I wonder, you know, I've often wondered, like, how do you what's the word I'm looking for? Like, how do they does the does the scent get absorbed? Or do they have to rake it all the time? Like, I'm not sure. Michael Hingson  29:52 Oh, it's raked a fair amount, and and wood chips are replaced as they need to. Be I've never been a fan of taking dogs to a dog park. Actually, I've seen some dogs that have been very seriously injured by other dogs at a dog park and so on. And I just personally tend not to, but I like the idea of just going in and being there, but yeah, I would not want to take my guide dogs there. I want to keep them as healthy as possible, so their lives are a little bit more sheltered, if you will. But that's okay, don't they do it's a team effort, and they're part of it, and it's my job to to make sure that that they stay healthy and get to be healthy. I was in New Zealand once, back in 2003 and I visited the the guide dog organization down there. What's really fascinating is they have a one square mile piece of property that is entirely fenced, and the guide dogs can can run free. So we actually, that's when I had my, my fifth guide dog who was with me in the World Trade Center, Roselle. And we let Roselle run around in there, and she was the only one at the time. But those dogs are really well behaved, and so nobody's really worried about them interacting in a negative way. But this huge, one square mile piece of property was just fascinating. The dogs can just run and romp and have a good time. Holly Gutwillinger  31:29 Nice. Yeah, I like the thought of that. Michael Hingson  31:33 So you guys do the podcast. When did you start it? You said, November? Holly Gutwillinger  31:37 Yep, we started beginning of November with I put out a small trailer because I was trying to, you know, get comfortable with the whole concept and step out of my my own fear, I suppose. And having my son there is just such a delight, because I love spending time with my sons, of course, and he's quite good at it, and he's got the voice, you know, and he does streaming on his own time, but it's, we've been doing it weekly, and it's just working. We record, you know, once, once a week. I don't overburden my my schedule and just having the best time i i do tend to when I fall into conversations with creatives. I sort of, I may be gathering information to see if they would be, you know, a likely guest. And if I feel like they are, then I, I'll ask them the question, you know, are you interested in podcasts, and would you like to be a guest? And it's not for everyone. And although no one has said no at to this point, but it's I suppose, not that I hand pick people, but I certainly I like to feel their connection with what I'm trying to say. Michael Hingson  32:52 I can appreciate that it's important to really have a conversation, which is why this podcast is much more conversational than interview ish, because I really want people to relax. And I don't remember whether I mentioned to you what the one hard and fast rule about being on this podcast is, you got to have fun. I like that. Yeah, you know. And I've had a couple people who said, Well, I can force myself to do that. And of course, they're being sarcastic, because everybody, everybody appreciates it, and that's the way it should be. It should be fun. It's not intended to be antagonistic or to make life difficult in any way. And having fun is important, Holly Gutwillinger  33:31 I agree, and it should find joy in the things that you do. And I mean not everything is joyful and brings happiness, but we should at least strive to find some joy, right? Michael Hingson  33:42 Well, yeah, we should do that. So do you have a word for the year? I do. Do you have a different word every year? Holly Gutwillinger  33:51 I do. I've been doing it for a few years because it really does give something more to my life, like it brings me joy. I mean, that's cheesy, but it really does. I have sticky notes right above my computer, and every now and again, I really do sort of spend time looking at those notes, and have to come back to the Word. So it's something that works for me. It's like, ready for my word. Sure, it's unstoppable. Michael Hingson  34:22 That's this year, huh? Yes, that's this year. And why? Holly Gutwillinger  34:30 Well, I mean, I took on writing this book. I never expected to have a beautiful paperback sitting in front of me, but I did do it, and I thought, hmm, I have always strived and pushed myself to do more, to try things. Never limit myself. You know, there's there have been many, many moments of fear of digging my heels in the sand. But I thought. Wow, look what I've accomplished in the last couple of years. And I thought, what else can I do? So I stepped out of the fear with the podcast, and I'm really finding my passion. And so it's not, you know, the word unstoppable is not meant to be arrogant. You know, ego centered. It's just, it's, it will continue to drive me forward, especially in those moments when I might falter someone and feel, whether, you know, if I'm questioning something, I just want to remember. I want to come back to no remember, you can do this. You're unstoppable, and you are the one who has created this for yourself. No one else. I've had help and I've had guidance, but at the end of the day, I I am the creator of everything I've done. Michael Hingson  35:54 So when I started this podcast back in August of 2001 I was trying to think of a title, a name for it, and I'd heard unstoppable a few times, but I didn't hear it nearly as much as I hear it now. And I heard other words like amazing and other things like that, and resilience that gets so overused, but unstoppable hadn't quite graduated to that place yet, and so I adopted it, but I also made an unstoppable mindset, and I think it's it's so important, because it led me to realize that what I wanted to do was to give anyone who had a story that they wanted to tell. Sometimes even people were brave enough to come on and say, Well, I don't think I have an interesting story, but I convinced them to come on the podcast, and we've had great times. But the idea is that, in reality, I think everyone on the planet has a story to tell, and I think that everyone on the planet has had challenges that they have overcome in their lives, and so for my purposes, and my opinion is that I want to give people the opportunity to come on and tell their stories and help encourage them to do that. And I think it's been very beneficial for a lot of people to be able to do that. But they do come on and they tell their stories and they talk about things they've done, and and they go away realizing, yeah, I'm not really as bad as I thought I was. Which is, which is really part of what it's all about. Because I think that the reality is, we all totally underrate ourselves Anyway, Holly Gutwillinger  37:35 yes, and in fact, you have taken me down a couple of memory lanes of my own right, with with some of your questions and and I appreciate that, because when we're done here, I'll get to reflect on some of those memories that I thought maybe that I had lost, and like a vision appeared in in my thoughts, and like, oh, okay, that's that's nice. Okay, so maybe that is where my origins are, and I just didn't remember. So thank you for that. Michael Hingson  38:06 Well, thank you. You know I think, I think we all have lots of memories, and I I think that the more we think about our ourselves and our lives and in a positive way, the more we do self analysis and introspection, I think that's a very important thing. I talk to people a lot about listening to their inner voice, and in my newest book, live like a guide dog, which is subtitled true stories from a blind man and his dogs, about being brave, overcoming adversity and moving forward in faith. The The idea is that, in reality, when we listen to our inner voice and when we really work at thinking about what happens every day, we are developing our as I call it mind muscle. And the reality is that that if we think about on any given day, if, like, before we go to sleep, we start to think about what happened today, what didn't work, what did work, what didn't work like we thought it would what worked, and how could I make it better? But really taking the time to do that, and then listening to our minds, which are always going to give us the right answer, if we truly listen, the fact is that we will get what we need to know. And for me, one of the greatest and strongest examples of all of that is for years, I've done a lot of reading, and I've done a lot of thinking, and I record every speech that I give, and when I listen to, well, not everyone, but most, most of them, when I can, I will listen to them. And I always said to people, I'm my own worst critic. If I listen to the speech, I'm going to figure out what needs to be done if I listen to it objectively. But over the last couple of years, just because of things I've read and heard, I realized I'm approaching this all wrong. I'm not my own worst critic, but. Because one of the things that I've learned is no one can teach me anything. I'm the only one who can truly teach me something. People can present me with information, but I have to accept it. I have to absorb it. I have to teach it to me. And so what I've learned is I'm not my own worst critic, I'm my own best teacher, and I approach what I do with that as a concept somebody, as you can tell, it's a much more positive way of looking at it. It's a less threatening way, but it opens up so many opportunities and so many doors. Holly Gutwillinger  40:32 Wow, that is incredible. I really to sit with that because I've given my inner critic a name, and I have tried to shift my perspective on my inner critic. When she's chirping loudly in my head, I shifted to She's driving me forward. She just doesn't have the right language to begin with, and so Michael Hingson  41:00 well she does. You're just not listening. Yeah, yeah. Because what I have, what I have found, is that that that inner self observed everything and has absorbed anything that you've experienced so they know the answers. And again, it's something I talk about a lot on unstoppable mindset. So I hope people don't get too bored of the example. But the game Trivial Pursuit. How many times do you play that game and somebody reads a question on a card, and you immediately think of an answer, and then you go, Oh, that's can't be the right answer. That's too easy. So you think about it, and you choose a different answer, and it turns out that first answer was the correct answer. All the time. We don't pay attention to our inner voice nearly as much as we should. Holly Gutwillinger  41:46 No, you're absolutely right about that, and we don't also, I think this is just my opinion. We don't listen to our own bodies. Michael Hingson  41:55 Yeah? Part of the same thing, but you're right. We don't, yeah? We tend Holly Gutwillinger  41:58 to ignore the signs, yeah? Because sometimes, like, I know for myself, I have actual physical, outwardly signs that I should have been listening to. And sometimes, like, what like, sometimes I'll have, well, you know, the the one that comes to mind first is the the upset stomach, but I also get like, a tingling sensation at the top of my head sometimes, or a tingling in on the top right corner of my cheekbone. And I know now what those mean, but I didn't for a long time, so I just need to listen and embrace it and just move through it. Michael Hingson  42:38 Yeah. And the reality is, your body will tell you when it's not happy with something, and you need to deal with that too. And the other part about it is there's so much in medical science, so sometimes you may not get any clue about something that's going on. And so it's always good to take advantage of all the opportunities that medical science provides to be able to keep up with what's going on with your body. Holly Gutwillinger  43:09 Agreed, and but these podcasts are so helpful because you can listen to so many different conversations, like I was saying before, and somebody will say something, and you might resonate strongly with that, but you just know it was it needed to have someone say it out loud in order for you to hear it right. Michael Hingson  43:33 But then it's not only hearing it, but it's then paying attention to it and thinking about it and then doing something with it, yes, which is really the issue paper Holly Gutwillinger  43:44 and pen around. Sorry, that's why you should always carry paper and pen around to take notes. Michael Hingson  43:49 There you go. Yeah, lot of good reasons for doing that. So what's a in in a perfect world, what would your writer's life look like, Holly Gutwillinger  44:01 Oh, I think about that a lot more these days, since I'm nearing retirement. But a perfect writer's life would be, you know, waking up in the morning reading for a while to fill that cup. No pun intended. I guess I would need a cup of coffee there as well, and then I would write, or actually I would probably go for a run or a walk right after that to get things moving. And that is one of my channels for being creative. And then I would write for quite some time. My husband would cook me a meal. This is wishful thinking, right? So I'm allowed to dream here, and then I might write a little bit more in the afternoon, but we would then go out for a walk in the late afternoon, and then just relax in the evening, because I'm an Early To Bed kind of person, Michael Hingson  44:57 yeah, me too. What time do you go to bed? I. Holly Gutwillinger  45:00 Oh gosh, 839 I prefer to be up at five, Michael Hingson  45:03 so I go to bed usually by eight, if I can, and I'm up at like 430 because my wife was always a later riser. But I'm so used to being in environments where, like from the West Coast, I would be selling to the East Coast, that I needed to to be able to take calls by 6am our time. But now I just find it relaxing to get up and get dressed, take Alamo the puppy dog out and let him do his business. Actually, we have a fenced yard so that works out feed the kitty cat who insists on being petted while she eats most all the time. So gotta go time to what you gotta do, and then have my own breakfast. So I usually don't get in the office now until around 630 unless then there are a couple of times that it happens somebody schedules a meeting really early in the day, which which can be done. But I know what you're saying, and when I do that, and I get at least eight hours of sleep, though, I am good for the whole day, Holly Gutwillinger  46:09 yes, I agree. And I do love my sleep. I find, do you find that those wee hours of the morning are just so peaceful? Yeah? Michael Hingson  46:18 And I think that's really important, yeah. I agree. I agree. You know, I I don't spend a lot of time well, thinking or worrying about things. Thought comes up, a thought comes up, but I don't worry. It's a time to relax and be peaceful. And after Alamo goes out, he comes in and he wants attention, so we sit on the floor and talk for a while. He's always happy with that and and the kitty tolerates us both, so it works out so Holly Gutwillinger  46:51 same time, Michael Hingson  46:53 and whenever she wants to eat, I have to definitely pet her. That's the usual time that she gets attention. And so, yeah, she definitely wants to be petted when she eats, and if I don't, she'll yell at me until I do. Well, we're not happy if we're not getting the attention that we want. She's not spoiled at all, is she Mike? No. Dogs have masters and cats have staff, and that's all there is to it. I like that. Yeah, that's the way it is so. So does your husband cook? Holly Gutwillinger  47:23 Oh yes, yes, we both cook. Its because he keeps saying, when he retires, which is before me, He'll prepare all the meals and I'll just have to work, and he'll have my lunch ready and my supper ready. And I said, That sounds lovely. When are you retiring? Yeah, hurry up. Michael Hingson  47:41 So is he still doing mining? Holly Gutwillinger  47:43 Yes, yeah, he works in the mining industry. And he's got another year our son, our oldest son, is still in school. He's in Michigan, going to Ferris State for Optometry. And so, you know, we just want to remain employed, just in case he needs a little bit of Michael Hingson  48:00 help and or once you both retire, then you can talk to him about being supported in the manner that you want to become accustomed to, because he's working. That's right, yeah, gotta deal with the important things. And what work do you do these days? Holly Gutwillinger  48:15 Well, I work in administration, but it's with the Correctional Service of Canada. It's here in Canada that is our correctional with public safety. So I work on corporate reports and all the very exciting pieces of reports, hopefully, but I thought it's just not very entertaining or exciting. Michael Hingson  48:38 Is that something you do remotely? Yes, ah, it Holly Gutwillinger  48:42 wasn't in this I changed jobs, you know, a few times, but this is where I am right now, Michael Hingson  48:49 but nowadays with computers and so on. So you do it from home, which, which is, which is a good thing too. And I'm used to working from home, or when I was in New York, I was in an office in the World Trade Center, and I had people who worked for me and so on. And I've had other jobs where I work remotely, so sometimes it was from home and and sometimes not. But it's also about developing a discipline, because you've still got to get the work done. And no matter what your your job is, you still gotta do the work, Holly Gutwillinger  49:25 I think yet you, you read my mind there, Michael, because for me, when I had to, you know, hunker down and get my Bachelor of Arts done in 2019 started in 2018 I needed discipline. Because I've, I worked full time throughout the whole process, had kids, and so I needed to really focus. And I think, I believe that that helped me for these times, because I do have the discipline I'm I have a separate space. I enjoy it, in fact, because my work has always been I've always. Been surrounded with people, and I used to call myself the bartender, because everybody would come to me and unload on me, and I'd be like a vault. And now I just, I get to focus on my work and get to shut the door. You know, my goal was always to have my own window, my door, and bring my dog to work. Michael Hingson  50:17 Well, yeah, yeah. What kind of dog? Holly Gutwillinger  50:22 So I have two mutts, as we call them, but we believe one is a box or pointer, we're not quite sure, and the other one is a shepherd mix. So the two rescues, Michael Hingson  50:34 that's cool. Holly Gutwillinger  50:36 Yeah, they're they're in their senior years now that we think they're around 12. Michael Hingson  50:41 Well, my guide dog, Alamo, will be 10 in May, and we rescued stitch from some people who were going to take her to the pound. And we didn't think we were going to to keep her. We said we would find her a home, until I learned that her name was stitch. And then I knew that this cat was going nowhere, because my wife has been a professional quilter, ever since 1994 quilter giving up a cat named stitch ain't gonna happen. No, no, no, no, and stitch is very happy with that. Holly Gutwillinger  51:09 Oh, that's nice. What kind of cat does it like? What color? Michael Hingson  51:14 Well, she looks like a calico, calico cat, but people tell me she's a small Maine Coon cat. Oh, she doesn't she's not that very large, though. She's only about 1011, pounds, but lots of personality, which is fine, yes. So tell us about your your first book that you wrote. How long did it take? And just tell us all about that. Holly Gutwillinger  51:40 So I would say, three solid, full, packed years. It took me from from beginning to now. Like I said, it started out with my my dogs, and kind of gifting me with the story, because I've always had dogs, but these two in particular have their own set of issues, you know, anxieties, fears, and I've always tried to fix them, and so over the years, I've tried so many different things, like dog behaviorists, obedience classes, dog parks, no dog parks, socializing, all of it, and it just, you know, they're great dogs, and I love them, but one is much more assertive than the other. So we got the other one to keep the first one company. Oh, my goodness, so many things. And that day when Sully came bounding towards me and sort of said to me, like, I'm okay, you don't need to change me or fix me. Just accept me and just the way I've accepted you. And that's when it started for me. So like, I started writing more and more and more scenes, more chapters, until I had this full story, which started out as my story, but then I thought, well, I could have some fun with this. I could give Sully a voice so he could tell people his story. And that's when I created a protagonist who was younger than me. She has a lot of my traits, of course, but she is her own character now. But the two dogs in the story are cash and Sally, and they are my dog. So everything that happens to them did happen in real life. Michael Hingson  53:16 How'd you come up with the two names for the dogs? Holly Gutwillinger  53:20 So that was a sign for me for cash. That is when I went to the pound and he told me his name, and he said his name was cash. And I said, Well, I want a dog with a gangster name like cash. He said, No, no, no, it's Johnny Cash. And I that was it. Sally came with a different name. It was rugger, and I just find that name so difficult to roll off the tongue. Yeah. So my husband named him Sullivan, ah. Michael Hingson  53:49 And so it's Sully for short, Holly Gutwillinger  53:52 yes, cool, Sullivan, when we mean business like, yeah, yeah, Michael Hingson  53:58 yeah, I understand, like parents the world over use the long version of a child's name when they're trying to really get the child's attention. Holly Gutwillinger  54:10 That's right, yeah, yeah. So what's your Holly? And there's no long or short form, Michael Hingson  54:17 they don't call you Hall for short or anything like that well, but then it's how you say it. You know, it's Holly as opposed to Holly. That's right, that's right. They still have ways. Holly Gutwillinger  54:28 Yeah, yeah. So what's your second book about? My second book is starting to work on Yes, it's a sweet romance, and it's a meet cute that takes place in the dog park. So there will be a lot of dogs in this story as well. But my hope with this book is there's been a history of you know, the guy rescues the girl all the time in these romance stories, and there will be some of that, like he will come to her rescue at times, but there will be momentum. Event where she will have to rescue him. That's fair. Michael Hingson  55:06 Yeah, it goes both ways. That's right. So what do you want readers to take away from the works that you write? Holly Gutwillinger  55:17 Well for this book, in particular, north of broken and in forever home, I started out as a way to get to know my dogs, even though I had already had them for over 10 years, but I was trying to find a different way to understand what was going on, and what I thought was, you know, that sticker, that bumper sticker, who rescued, who turned out to be more of a story of acceptance. And so I needed to realize that once I accepted them for, you know, their their personalities, their issues, then we could move into a different part of our relationship, because they accepted me from day one with all of my, you know, Holly isms and quirks and and so it was only fair that I did the same. Now that being said like they're dogs, and I'm a responsible dog owner, and I, you know, they had behavioral issues, but we always made sure that people were safe or they were safe, and so I, I don't want this to be interpreted like I just let them get away with things. No, it was more of the way that I needed to accept who they were and sort of, you know, move in line with that instead of fighting it all the time. So what I'm asking readers to take away, well, first, I'm asking them to put aside their judgment, because there's a talking dog. But second is just, you know, accept what you cannot change, and work with it. You know. Michael Hingson  56:48 Well, you said that you did a lot of different things, like obedience training and animal behavior, and obviously you worked with, I would assume, professionals and a lot of that. What did you learn from all of that? Holly Gutwillinger  57:02 Well, I did learn how to behave around a dog and how to observe the dog, looking for key signs, their eyes, their ears, their tail, their body language, something I never really paid attention to before, because the dogs I've always had never really had these types of issues. And so it was always it taught me how to almost be a step ahead of them in the sense that, like, if we were going for a walk, well, maybe I needed to just shift my body weight or be a little bit more assertive in my stance. So it was just learning how to take notice and to read my dogs instead of reacting. Michael Hingson  57:44 For a number of years, we lived in Northern California, in a town called Novato, and just down the street, well, about a mile, not quite

What Do Wolves, Caribou, and Global Superpowers Have in Common? In this episode, Professor Helen Czerski speaks to journalist and author Neil Shea about the Arctic's changing face and the struggles that its indigenous wildlife must now endure.  In this expansive yet intimate revelation, Shea explores the Arctic during a time of crisis. With Czerski, he recounts his experiences tracking caribou in Alaska, communing with the wolves on Canada's Ellesmere Island, and his travels among the Indigenous Netsilingmiut and Tlicho peoples of Nunavut and the Northwest Territories. But he also explores how the Arctic has become the centre of a new Cold War between Russia, China, Europe, and the United States. A new conflict is underway, with everyone fighting to control the pole, in order to reap its riches as the ice melts. Neil Shea has written for the National Geographic for 20 years, reporting around the world at the intersection of conflict, climate science, and cultural change. His first book, Frostlines gathers his storytelling into a narrative journey around the top of the world. If you'd like to become a Member and get access to all our full conversations, plus all of our Members-only content, just visit intelligencesquared.com/membership to find out more. For £4.99 per month you'll also receive: - Full-length and ad-free Intelligence Squared episodes, wherever you get your podcasts - Bonus Intelligence Squared podcasts, curated feeds and members exclusive series - 15% discount on livestreams and in-person tickets for all Intelligence Squared events  ...  Or Subscribe on Apple for £4.99: - Full-length and ad-free Intelligence Squared podcasts - Bonus Intelligence Squared podcasts, curated feeds and members exclusive series … Already a subscriber? Thank you for supporting our mission to foster honest debate and compelling conversations! Visit intelligencesquared.com to explore all your benefits including ad-free podcasts, exclusive bonus content and early access. … Subscribe to our newsletter here to hear about our latest events, discounts and much more. https://www.intelligencesquared.com/newsletter-signup/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Good afternoon, I'm _____ with today's episode of EZ News. Tai-Ex opening The Tai-Ex opened down 366-points this morning from yesterday's close, at 33,216 on turnover of $16-billion N-T. Pedestrian lights to cancel fast-walking signal The Ministry of Transport says it plans to phase out faster-paced walking animation on some pedestrian signals islandwide by the end of this year. According to the ministry, the move is aimed at discouraging pedestrians to run across intersections. The ministry's Department of Railways, Highways and Road Safety says the decision was made during a road safety briefing at the Cabinet earlier this week. Department head Wu Dong-ling says while the flashing green signal that appears in the final seconds of a pedestrian light will remain, the faster-paced walking animation used in some areas will be removed. Wu also says the Cabinet has asked the transport ministry to coordinate with local governments on the adjustments and ensure that signal designs are standardized nationwide by the end of the year. Only Chiayi County, Kinmen and Matsu don't use the fast-walking signal. Iraq plan to get oil flowing As the War in Iran continues to disrupt global oil flows, Iraq is trying to strike a deal that would allow its oil to flow through the autonomous Kurdistan Region. But Iraqi Kurds want something in return. Olly Barratt explains from the region's capital - Canada to Spend Billions on Northern Military Operating Locations Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney says he is putting an additional $32 billion into military forward operating locations in the North to assert sovereignty over the increasingly contested region. The prime minister made the announcement in Yellowknife, the capital city of Canada's Northwest Territories, before he takes off for his planned visit to Norway where he will observe a NATO exercise. The additional funds comes as U.S. President Donald Trump called earlier this year for the U.S. to take control of Greenland, the Inuit self-governing territory of the kingdom of Denmark. Trump has also talked about making Canada the 51st state. Cuba Announces Prisoner Release Cuba's government says it will release 51 people from the island's jails in an unexpected move. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs said the release in the upcoming days stems from a spirit of goodwill and close relations with the Vatican. The government did not identify who it would release (釋放), except to say that “all have served a significant (相當長的時間) part of their sentence and have maintained good conduct in prison.” The government said it has granted pardons to 9-thousand-905 inmates since 2010. That was the I.C.R.T. EZ News, I'm _____. －－－－以下為 SoundOn 動態廣告－－－－ Hola! 雄獅文具「作繪來野餐」4/18-19 熱情登場！✨ 走進墨西哥森林派對，享受美學創作、墨式美食與音樂演奏。 今年加開

Your tuned into Indigenous in Music with Larry K, and this week we welcome back to the North and into himself, Ivitquna from Inuvik, Northwest Territories. Fresh off the release of his brand new album IGLU, Ivitquna continues his journey of return, to home, to culture, and to identity. IGLU feels cinematic and filled with haunting melodies and space that echo memory and place. He'll be stopping by into our spotlight at our Say Magazine Studios. Come read all about him at our place on the web at www.indigenousinmusicandarts.org/past-shows/invitquna. Enjoy music from Ivitquna, Xen0art, Joyslam, The City Lines, Donita Large, Kinky, Romeo Void, The Northstars, Ernest Monias, tchutchu, DJ Krayzkree, Jayden Paz, DJ Bitman, Nora Norman, The North Sound, Cikwes, Indian City, Tom Wilson, Ariel Posen, Irv Lyons Jr, The Isley Brothers, Santana, Q052, Angela Amarualik, Stolen Identity, Aysanabee, Raye Zaragoza, Elastic Bond, Seu Jorge, Ana Tijoux, Amaru Tribe and much more. Visit us at www.indigenousinmusicandarts.org to explore our programs, celebrate culture, and connect with powerful voices shaping our communities. Step inside Two Buffalo Studios, browse our SAY Magazine Library, and meet the incredible Artists and Entrepreneurs who are making an impact today.

Good day ladies and gentlemen, this is IRC news, and I am Joy Stephen, an authorized Canadian Immigration practitioner bringing out this data analysis on the number of applicants approved for Canadian Permanent Residence for multiple years Under the Federal Spouses and Partners Permanent Residence Immigration program based on your country of Citizenship. I am coming to you from the Polinsys studios in Cambridge, OntarioThe Northwest Territories reported 80 sponsored admissions in 2024 under Spouse Sponsorship, underscoring family reunification momentum in the North. Stay tuned with IRCnews for weekly updates, data and programs on Canada Immigration.If you have an interest in gaining comprehensive insights into the Federal Spouses and Partners Permanent Residence Immigration program or other Canadian Federal or Provincial Immigration programs, or should you require guidance post-selection, we extend a warm invitation to connect with us via https://myar.me/c. We strongly recommend attending our complimentary Zoom resource meetings conducted every Thursday. We kindly request you to carefully review the available resources. Subsequently, should any queries arise, our team of Canadian Authorized Representatives is readily available to address your concerns during the weekly AR's Q&A session held on Fridays. You can find the details for both these meetings at https://myar.me/zoom. Our dedicated team is committed to providing you with professional assistance in navigating the immigration process. Additionally, IRCNews offers valuable insights on selecting a qualified representative to advocate on your behalf with the Canadian Federal or Provincial governments, accessible at https://ircnews.ca/consultant.Support the show

Good day ladies and gentlemen, this is IRC news, and I am Joy Stephen, an authorized Canadian Immigration practitioner bringing out this data analysis on the number of applicants approved for Canadian Permanent Residence for multiple years Under the Federal Spouses and Partners Permanent Residence Immigration program based on your country of Citizenship. I am coming to you from the Polinsys studios in Cambridge, OntarioThe Northwest Territories recorded 60 sponsored admissions in 2023, reinforcing Northern family-class pathways. Stay tuned with IRCnews for weekly updates, data and programs on Canada Immigration.If you have an interest in gaining comprehensive insights into the Federal Spouses and Partners Permanent Residence Immigration program or other Canadian Federal or Provincial Immigration programs, or should you require guidance post-selection, we extend a warm invitation to connect with us via https://myar.me/c. We strongly recommend attending our complimentary Zoom resource meetings conducted every Thursday. We kindly request you to carefully review the available resources. Subsequently, should any queries arise, our team of Canadian Authorized Representatives is readily available to address your concerns during the weekly AR's Q&A session held on Fridays. You can find the details for both these meetings at https://myar.me/zoom. Our dedicated team is committed to providing you with professional assistance in navigating the immigration process. Additionally, IRCNews offers valuable insights on selecting a qualified representative to advocate on your behalf with the Canadian Federal or Provincial governments, accessible at https://ircnews.ca/consultant.Support the show

Minera Alamos reported their preliminary operation results from the last quarter of 2025 from the Pan mine complex in Nevada. Li-FT Power reported results from its 2025 work program on the Yellowknife Lithium Project in Northwest Territories of Canada. Scorpio gold has entered into a property option agreement to acquire 100% interest in the thirty-two unpatented lode mining claims known as the Betty East Property in Nevada. Mithril Silver and Gold says work has commenced at Target 3 at its Copalquin District gold-silver project in Durango State, Mexico. Energy Fuels released results of a new bankable feasibility study for its planned Phase 2 circuit expansion of rare earth element processing at its White Mesa Mill in Utah. Construction decisions are made by both Orla Mining and Kinross. This episode of Mining Stock Daily is brought to you by... Revival Gold is one of the largest pure gold mine developer operating in the United States. The Company is advancing the Mercur Gold Project in Utah and mine permitting preparations and ongoing exploration at the Beartrack-Arnett Gold Project located in Idaho. Revival Gold is listed on the TSX Venture Exchange under the ticker symbol “RVG” and trades on the OTCQX Market under the ticker symbol “RVLGF”. Learn more about the company at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠revival-dash-gold.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Vizsla Silver is focused on becoming one of the world's largest single-asset silver producers through the exploration and development of the 100% owned Panuco-Copala silver-gold district in Sinaloa, Mexico. The company consolidated this historic district in 2019 and has now completed over 325,000 meters of drilling. The company has the world's largest, undeveloped high-grade silver resource. Learn more at⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠https://vizslasilvercorp.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Equinox has recently completed the business combination with Calibre Mining to create an Americas-focused diversified gold producer with a portfolio of mines in five countries, anchored by two high-profile, long-life Canadian gold mines, Greenstone and Valentine. Learn more about the business and its operations at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠equinoxgold.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Integra Resources is a growing precious metals producer in the Great Basin of the Western United States. Integra is focused on demonstrating profitability and operational excellence at its principal operating asset, the Florida Canyon Mine, located in Nevada. In addition, Integra is committed to advancing its flagship development-stage heap leach projects: the past producing DeLamar Project located in southwestern Idaho, and the Nevada North Project located in western Nevada. Learn more about the business and their high industry standards over at integraresources.com

This episode features Liz Akiwenzie, Dr. Nicole Redvers, Pam Plain, Joanne Jackson, Glenna Jacobs, Toni Murphy, and R. Doug George, recorded at the Southwestern Ontario First Nations and Inuit Cultural Practitioner Gathering. Liz Akiwenzie was raised in Chippewa of Nawash and lives in southwestern Ontario. She is Ojibway on her father's side and Oneida on her mother's side. Her spirit names are Nistangekwe (Understanding Woman) in Ojibway and Day^ya yut do La doe (She Who Reasons and Sees Both Sides) in Oneida. With over 40 years of learning in cultural ways of being, she is recognized as a Knowledge Keeper and Cultural Educator, supporting healing, education, and reconnection for individuals, families, and communities. Dr. Nicole Redvers is a member of the Denı́nu Kų́ę́ First Nation in the Northwest Territories and serves as Associate Professor, Western Research Chair, and Director of Indigenous Planetary Health at Western University. She works nationally and internationally to advance Indigenous perspectives in human and planetary health research and practice. Nicole is the author of The Science of the Sacred: Bridging Global Indigenous Medicine Systems and Modern Scientific Principles. Pam Plain, spirit name White Cedar Bark Woman, is Anishinaabe from Aamjiwnaang First Nation and Eagle Clan. She holds a Master of Social Work and has worked since 2006 in trauma, grief, child welfare, and mental health, grounding her practice in Indigenous worldviews and Two-Eyed Seeing. Since retiring in 2022, she offers private counselling and consulting services rooted in holistic and culturally based healing. Joanne Jackson is Eagle Clan from Kettle & Stony Point First Nation and has spent many years learning from Elders and traditional healers. She is entrusted to conduct Indigenous healing practices and ceremonies and provides cultural teachings to support wellness journeys. Joanne holds a Master's degree in Social Work and has over 30 years of experience in counselling, crisis work, and community healing. Glenna Jacobs is Ojibway and Pottawatomi from Bkejwanong Territory (Walpole Island), of the Crane Clan, with the Anishnaabe name Soaring Eagle Woman. Her lifelong journey in cultural healing, social work, and traditional practices led her to create community-based and private healing programs supporting Indigenous wellness. She now operates Nookmis Path to Reconnection, guiding individuals through trauma release and spiritual, emotional, and physical healing. Toni Murphy is a Registered Nurse from Bkejwanong Territory (Walpole Island) and a lifelong advocate for Indigenous community health and well-being. She is President of the Southwest Home & Community Care Network Association, supporting healthcare services across more than 40 First Nations communities. Toni serves as a bridge between Indigenous and Western healthcare systems, embodying the principles of Two-Eyed Seeing. R. Doug George is Potawatomi/Chippewa from Kettle & Stony Point First Nation and serves as Senior Program Manager of Traditional Healing at SOAHAC. With over 20 years of experience, he supports Anishnaabe wellness through culturally grounded healing programs and community engagement. Doug is dedicated to strengthening connections between traditional knowledge and contemporary healthcare in support of balance and reconciliation. amshealthcare.ca

You think it's wintry in the GTA?   Lets look and see what's happening in The Northwest Territories. Jack, Lynne and Matt McFarland continue the new year with a deep dive into Horticulture in the Northwest Territories on this week's episode of The Growing Season. Matt highlights a wonderful development in his career.  Its been years in the making. A travelogue starts the proceedings. Why is Yellowknife called Yellowknife?   HINT:  It has to do with Yellow Knives! Frost free days and growing produce - what is the correlation?  What happens when you shrink the number of frost free days?Crowberry, Cloudberry, Saskatoon berry, Bearberry are just a few of the fruiters that feature.  Matt gushes about Serviceberry.  Is Bunchberry the flower of Canada?   There is a debate. How can you get vitamin C and D, naturally,  in the Northwest Territories? MUSHROOMS and vitamin D are a couple.  WHAT!? How would one acquire fruit during the winter months in Yellowknife?  Would fresh produce be SUPER expensive in this area? ICE ROAD TRUCKERS!   Dun, dun, dun...Chill hours, and how they affect the growth of fruit, are discussed. Why are many of Canada's horticultural innovations coming from our prairie provinces? Evergreen trees - do they exist in the Northwest Territories? Matt tells a story about an engagement ring. Tune in. Looking to book a consult for your property?  We'd love to help.  CLICK HERE.What is a TGS Tiny Garden? CLICK HERE.Subscribe to The Growing Season podcast.  CLICK HERE.

Happy New Year as a new season begins for the Faqs Project in 2026. As we get a chance to talk to Randy Stone about his latest project on Kickstarter. The Supernatural Horror based in the Nanavut Region of the Northwest Territories of Canada near the Arctic Ocean in FROST BITTEN. A Stranger arrives at a remote town with a population of less than 200 people wounded as he is being hunted. A Sheriff and his Pregnant Wife who have hopes to one day leave this town with no connected roadways to the mainland with child on the way. Until creatures arrive to finish their hunt plus some more. Randy and Co-Writer Christopher Sebala even dive into the Wendigo Mythology as the creature hunting the town is an ancient beast. This 48 page One Shot Graphic Novel is a must for all looking into the fear of an isolated town with no help and nowhere to go.Written by Christopher Sebala and Randy StoneArtwork by Henry PoncianoLetters by Lucas GattoniCover Art by Marina KrivenkoSupport this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/the-faqs-project-hosted-by-james-grandmaster-faqs-boyce/donations

Good day ladies and gentlemen, this is IRC news, and I am Joy Stephen, an authorized Canadian Immigration practitioner bringing out this data analysis on the number of applicants approved for Canadian Permanent Residence for multiple years Under the Federal Express Entry program based on your country of Citizenship. I am coming to you from the Polinsys studios in Cambridge, OntarioThe Northwest Territories recorded 20 TR→PR admissions in 2023, strengthening its labour supply and population base in Canada's North. Stay tuned with IRCnews for weekly updates, data and programs on Canada Immigration. Should you be interested in gaining comprehensive insights into the Federal Skilled Worker Express Entry Immigration Program or other Canadian Federal or Provincial Immigration programs, or if you require guidance after selection, we warmly invite you to connect with us via https://myar.me/c. We highly recommend attending our complimentary Zoom resource meetings held every Thursday. We kindly ask you to carefully review the available resources. In case you have any inquiries, our team of Canadian Authorized Representatives is readily available to address your concerns during the weekly AR's Q&A session held on Fridays. You can access details for both of these meetings at https://myar.me/zoom. Our dedicated team is committed to providing professional assistance throughout your immigration journey. Furthermore, IRCNews offers valuable insights on selecting a qualified representative to advocate on your behalf with the Canadian Federal or Provincial governments, accessible at https://ircnews.ca/consultant. Support the show

Welcome to RIMScast. Your host is Justin Smulison, Business Content Manager at RIMS, the Risk and Insurance Management Society.   In this last episode of 2025, Justin interviews Morgan O'Rourke and Hilary Tuttle of RIMS Risk Management magazine on the most impactful risks of 2025 and what's expected in 2026. They discuss the difficulty of reporting on the rapid pace of risk change. Morgan and Hilary discuss the most impactful natural events of 2025: wildfires in California and Canada, Hurricane Melissa, and flooding. They discuss the economic risks posed by the unusual tariff changes in 2025 and how supply chains and inflation are affected. These risks are covered in the Q4 edition of RIMS Risk Management magazine online now.   Morgan and Hilary will return for the first episode of 2026, launching on January 5th.   Key Takeaways: [:01] About RIMS and RIMScast. [:17] About this episode of RIMScast. This is our final episode of 2025, and who better to spend it with than Morgan O'Rourke and Hilary Tuttle of RIMS Risk Management magazine? [:44] We will discuss some of the top risk management stories of 2025 and what they might mean for 2026. They will rejoin us for the first episode of 2026! But first… [:55] RIMS-CRMP and Some Prep Courses. The next virtual prep course will be held on January 14th and 15th, 2026. These are virtual courses. Links to these courses can be found through the Certification page of RIMS.org and through this episode's show notes. [1:12] RIMS Virtual Workshops are coming up. On January 21st and 22nd, Chris Hansen returns to deliver the course, "Managing Worker Compensation, Employer's Liability and Employment Practices in the US". [1:26] The full schedule of virtual workshops can be found on the RIMS.org/education and RIMS.org/education/online-learning pages. A link is also in this episode's notes. [1:38] RIMS members always enjoy deep discounts on the virtual workshops. [1:48] The RIMS-CRO Certificate Program in Advanced Enterprise Risk Management is hosted by the famous James Lam. This is a live virtual program that helps elevate your expertise and career in ERM. [2:01] You can enroll now for the next cohort, which will be held over 12 weeks from January through March of 2026. Registration closes on January 5th. Or Spring ahead and register for the cohort that will be held from April through June, 2026. Registration closes on April 6th. [2:20] Links to registration and enrollment are in this episode's show notes. [2:27] On with the show! The annual Year in Risk Review edition of RIMS Risk Management magazine is now available. Visit RMmagazine.com for more information. [2:39] I wanted to dive deeper into some of the pages and the stories that made major headlines in risk management this year. Morgan and Hilary are rejoining us as part of our annual tradition. [2:54] We're not just looking back; we're also going to talk about how these events should be some warning signs and provide some extra insight for risk managers around the world. [3:05] Interview! This is our final episode of the year, and we're going out with a bang with two of my favorite people! [3:12] Morgan O'Rourke and Hilary Tuttle, welcome back to RIMScast! [3:23] Justin saw Morgan and Hilary, just a month ago in Seattle, at the ERM Conference. Morgan says it was raining the whole time, but it was a good conference. It was well-attended, and everybody enjoyed themselves, and the attendees got a lot out of it. It was a great event! [3:51] Hilary also thought it was great! The turnout was fantastic! There was some great feedback on a lot of the sessions. There were some packed rooms! People seemed pleased with the programming. Hilary didn't see the sun until she left, but she enjoyed the city! [5:12] Morgan and Hilary's goal for attending the ERM Conference is to gather good ideas for articles. They look for presenters who might be good content contributors in other formats. They look to get a sense of what is new and what is emerging. [5:24] Morgan and Hilary talk to members about what they're seeing in practice and what's concerning to them. Morgan says if there's a packed room for a session, it's clearly a topic that's resonating, which bumps it to the top of the list of things to pursue, since there's interest in it. [6:17] Justin notes that Morgan's always there in the sessions with pen and paper. He's old school! [7:36] Morgan says the hardest part of reporting on risk is the breadth of the risks they cover. Everything has a lot more nuance and a lot more effect. This incident happened, which had 57 knock-on effects. [7:47] Morgan explains why distilling that down to something that makes sense in article form is a huge challenge and compares writing about risk to the experience risk managers have with everything they deal with. [8:10] Morgan says that, at the end of the year, spotlighting the year in risk coverage is a challenge. How do you get the entire economic, geopolitical situation down to 200 words? [8:37] Hilary says the velocity of change is a challenge when covering risk. Unlike in everyday news coverage, they have to add an amount of value or takeaways for a reader who is looking to do something about risk. Developing that value, at the speed of risk, is particularly challenging. [9:15] Hilary continues. Crises are compounded now. You can't ignore a lot of those factors that make a crisis a bad issue. Hilary cites hurricanes, rapid intensification, which is a knock-on effect of climate change, lax building codes, and people building more in certain regions. [9:38] Hilary says you have to add so many layers to explain why this crisis is happening now. It becomes a lot more challenging to figure out how it impacts insurance. You have to take into account different exclusions or the way the policies are created. There are a lot of moving parts. [10:04] Morgan says, It's not just your picture. It's the picture of your suppliers and your customers, who might be across the country or around the world. All of their risks become your risks or, at least, will impact your business. [10:33] Justin compliments the digital layout of RIMS Risk Manager magazine. He speaks of how Morgan and Hilary go to RIMS events looking for inspiration for content and content contributors. [11:05] Morgan says, We're only as good as the information we've learned through the people we've met, or what we've read. We're not practicing risk managers. Hearing from experts who deal with it every day is the strongest way to get good content that resonates with our readers. [12:17] Morgan says wildfires were probably the most costly insured loss of 2025. Hilary says that earthquakes were the most costly in terms of the loss of life. The LA fire was the largest single economic loss. There are lots of expensive homes in Southern California. [13:26] Canada has had wildfires raging almost non-stop for two or three years. Wildfires are no longer secondary perils. They're a prime source of loss. Severe convective storms, in the aggregate, probably caused more damage than wildfires this year. [14:04] Hilary says severe convective storms have been in the top 10 for seven out of the last 10 years. Morgan says this was one of the top convective storm years. In natural disasters, you're not looking just at hurricanes and earthquakes, but also fires, floods, and more. [14:32] Hilary talks about secondary factors, like tremendous wind events in California, increasing the rate at which fires spread, making containment difficult. Things were moving fast. A lot of buildings were burning. It took three weeks to put out two of the largest fires. [15:05] Canada faced different challenges. All but two provinces had record, above-average fire seasons. Some fires impacted remote areas where getting people out is logistically extremely difficult. Seventy-something First Nations communities had to be evacuated. [15:35] If you're dealing with areas that are largely only accessible by air, getting communities of people out for long periods is logistically very challenging, with a devastating human impact. They're very different fires. [15:52] Hilary says it was quite a year. Morgan ties it back to the impact of climate change. It starts with drought, and it's exacerbated by winds. Then you've got these weird things that pop up where Mother Nature says, Hey, I've got a weird twist for you! [16:13] Quick Break! RISKWORLD 2026 will be held from May 3rd through the 6th in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. RISKWORLD attracts more than 10,000 risk professionals from across the globe. It's time to Connect, Cultivate, and Collaborate with them. Booth sales are open now! [16:35] General registration and speaker registration are also open right now! Marketplace and Hospitality badges will be available starting on March 3rd. Links are in this episode's show notes. [16:50] Let's Return to Our Interview with Morgan O'Rourke and Hilary Tuttle! [17:11] Some of the fires Canada experienced this year were zombie fires, also called holdover fires, or overwintering fires. They can live in the soil under the snow until it gets warm, the snow melts, and they reignite. Some of the fires of 2025 were started in 2023. [16:23] Hilary believes those holdover fires were in Saskatchewan, Manitoba, the Northwest Territories, and up North. Holdover fires are most common in the Arctic Circle. [18:43] Morgan and Hilary believe that's a good example of things that will happen more frequently with climate change, affecting a larger number of people than before. [19:15] Morgan says convective storms are tornadoes and thunderstorms. Hilary adds that it has to do with the pressure front that leads to forming them. Outbreaks of many tornadoes in a couple of days wreak havoc in the U.S. Midwest. [20:06] Morgan says the highest intensity of a tornado is EF5. There was an EF5 tornado in North Dakota for the first time in 10 years. It touched down in a place where there were not a lot of people. [20:35] Hilary says we're seeing increasingly severe convective storms and inland flooding losses. Severe storms are flooding areas that weren't thought of as being at risk of flooding. [20:50] The more we build into these plains with high-value properties, the more damaging convective storms are getting. The storms are also getting worse. We're also seeing increasingly damaging hail. That's a severe convective storm issue, as well. [21:27] Morgan says climate change makes things more intense and widespread. Morgan says his favorite climate change after-effect was the attack of the jellyfish this year. [21:57] There were multiple instances of French nuclear power plants being taken offline by giant swarms of jellyfish clogging the coolant intake lines. Europe had a super-hot summer. Water temperatures rose, which increased jellyfish activity and presence. [22:26] There were so many jellyfish, they ended up in places they shouldn't be. France generates 70% of its electricity through nuclear power. If nuclear power plants are taken offline, it's not just a minor annoyance. [22:51] If you're a company during a blackout, you don't care that it was jellyfish. You're still not in business for the time that you don't have power. Suddenly, this climate change effect is now a part of a disaster preparedness plan because of climate change. You have to plan for jellyfish. [24:43] Hurricane Melissa was another storm with widespread flooding and enormous insured losses. Morgan notes that 2025 was a relatively low-activity season from the standpoint of how many hurricanes made landfall. [25:18] Melissa was the most damaging and probably accounted for 90% of economic losses and loss of life. It did billions of dollars' worth of damage. [25:33] There were three Category 5 Hurricanes this year; four is the record, but they mostly went out into the ocean; they didn't do anything. That doesn't mean it's always going to happen. If one storm hits the right place, you're in trouble. [26:07] It was an active storm season for Jamaica. It only takes one storm in your area to be an active season for you. [26:25] Hilary says Melissa is a textbook case of some of the perils of rapid intensification. It got much worse very quickly. The fact that we've seen such a proportion of Category 5 storms is a pattern that is concerning. [26:57] They discussed rapid intensification in the hurricane outlook for the season. Hurricane Erin also occurred this year. It intensified quickly, but it didn't cause a lot of damage. Your lead time is less when a storm intensifies quickly. [27:32] Morgan says it's important to get things in order before storms hit because you may not have the time to do it when it's mid-season. You don't know where or when a storm will hit. [27:50] Wikipedia calls Melissa the costliest storm in Jamaican history, at $10 billion in damage, 102 fatalities, 141 injuries, and 27 missing. [28:38] A Final Break! The Spencer Educational Foundation's goal to help build a talent pipeline of risk management and insurance professionals is achieved, in part, by its collaboration with risk management and insurance educators across the U.S. and Canada. [28:57] Spencer awards undergraduate, graduate, Ph.D., and Pre-Instructor of Practice Scholarships to students enrolled at an accredited college or university in the U.S. and Canada, and physically studying in either location. No remote coursework eligibility from other locations. [29:14] Including part-time, graduate scholarships to risk management and insurance professionals continuing their education. [29:20] Since 1980, Spencer has invested more than $11.1 million in the scholarship program with awards to over 1,700 students. More than 85% of Spencer's scholarship recipients remain in the industry to this day. [29:35] They've got undergraduate scholarships, full-time Master's scholarships, part-time Master's scholarships, pre-dissertation Ph.D. candidates, doctoral candidates, and pre-instructor of practice scholarships all open now. The application deadline is January 31st, 2026. [29:57] Visit SpencerEd.org/scholarships. You'll find the different application buttons. See the link in this episode's show notes for more information, giving you some extra homework to do over the holiday break, if you are taking a holiday break! [30:14] Let's Return to the Conclusion of Our Interview with Morgan O'Rourke and Hilary Tuttle!  [30:46] Justin mentions that tariffs in 2025 affect 90% of U.S. imports. That's a supply chain management issue and an ERM issue. Tariffs themselves are an issue. [31:16] What Morgan connects most to tariffs is the uncertainty they create, especially in the way they've been implemented this year. Tariffs are promised, then the terms are changed, creating uncertainty. What level of costs will businesses absorb or pass on to customers? [31:50] Morgan says those things make the business landscape unstable. Tariffs in April would be better than 57 different announcements that change the picture every other week and tend to tank the stock market. [32:20] Morgan says Goldman Sachs estimated in September that 55% of the incurred costs have been passed to consumers, depending on the business. Once it impacts your customers, you've got less revenue coming in. It's an unstable environment. [32:47] Hilary contrasts this year's tariffs with past tariffs. Usually, it's a "set it and forget it" situation. Hilary calls this year's tariffs erratic and confusing. The scale and the frequency of change are unprecedented. [33:31] Morgan says you can feel it when you go to the store. That's not helping from a personal standpoint or a business standpoint. Justin speaks of shrinkflation. [33:47] Tariffs are going to affect inflation. Nobody wants that. [34:22] Hilary speaks of alternate supply chains that are in more friendly tariff environments. Some of the items in your products are going to be different. Some of your processes will be different. You don't know if you're also going to be getting inferior products. [34:52] Morgan says it's not as simple as saying just get a new supplier. That's an operational shift from procurement, on. Hilary says, hopefully, you won't have to do product safety testing or environmental impact studies, or reporting around your supply chain. [35:09] Morgan notes that some raw materials may only be available in five countries, like a rare earth mineral. [35:32] Justin asks if this is explored in depth in the Q4 edition of RIMS Risk Management magazine. Hilary says we are not talking about rare earth minerals in that issue. Morgan is working on figuring out how we can cover that, perhaps, in 2026. [35:53] Morgan is fascinated by this topic. There are limited deposits of things. The broader point is that if you're affected by tariffs and you're trying to change suppliers or sources, you may not have all the options. [36:12] Hilary says it is a situation where the risk is very much there, but the management or mitigation of it is not necessarily something you can do much about. Only so many places make cobalt. Morgan adds, There are only so many mines out there. [36:31] Justin says, The Q4 edition of RIMS Risk Management magazine is out now. This is the last episode of 2025. We're going to have you back to discuss a little bit more in the first episode of 2026. [37:01] Morgan's parting words: "I'm just glad you're listening. I'm glad you're listening. I'm glad you're reading. I'm glad you're here. I feel like it's a privilege to keep writing for you, talking to you, so hopefully, we continue to do that in the new year. Everybody, be safe and happy." [37:14] Hilary's parting words: "Thanks for making it through another year!" [37:18] So, we're going to have you back in January, and we'll pick up there, probably with some cyber and some Data Privacy Day kick-off, January 5th, 2026. [37:35] Special thanks again to Morgan O'Rourke and Hilary Tuttle of RIMS Risk Management magazine and the RIMS Publications Department for joining us on RIMScast. They will rejoin us for the first episode of 2026. That will launch on January 5th. [37:52] Mark your calendar and subscribe to RIMScast through your podcasting app of choice! Visit RMmagazine.com to check out The Year in Risk edition of Risk Management magazine. That's the Q4 edition. This is reporting from the best in the profession. [38:12] You can't get any better than RIMS Risk Management magazine. [38:17] Plug Time! You can sponsor a RIMScast episode for this, our weekly show, or a dedicated episode. Links to sponsored episodes are in the show notes. [38:44] RIMScast has a global audience of risk and insurance professionals, legal professionals, students, business leaders, C-Suite executives, and more. Let's collaborate and help you reach them! Contact pd@rims.org for more information. [39:01] Become a RIMS member and get access to the tools, thought leadership, and network you need to succeed. Visit RIMS.org/membership or email membershipdept@RIMS.org for more information. [39:18] Risk Knowledge is the RIMS searchable content library that provides relevant information for today's risk professionals. Materials include RIMS executive reports, survey findings, contributed articles, industry research, benchmarking data, and more. [39:34] For the best reporting on the profession of risk management, read Risk Management Magazine at RMMagazine.com. It is written and published by the best minds in risk management. [39:47] Justin Smulison is the Business Content Manager at RIMS. Please remember to subscribe to RIMScast on your favorite podcasting app. You can email us at Content@RIMS.org. 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Welcome back to another episode of the unSeminary podcast. Today we're joined by Scott Landry, Senior Pastor of The Bridge in Ontario. Scott first joined the church in 2013 as a worship and student pastor before later stepping into the senior pastor role. Is your leadership marked by hidden wounds? Do you struggle with vulnerability in your ministry? Are you fighting the wrong battles—externally and internally? Scott recently released his first book, The Fight, a raw, deeply reflective look at the internal battles that shape our lives. Tune in as Scott's story of redemption after hitting rock bottom offers an honest, hopeful picture of what it looks like to stop hiding, confront the truth, and let God rebuild what was lost. Honesty after years of hiding. // After ten years as a “professional Christian”, hiding behind his seminary degree, thriving ministry, external success, Scott’s internal life was crumbling. His marriage ended, his relationship with his daughter was severed, his ministry collapsed, and he hit emotional and spiritual rock bottom. That collapse became the catalyst for transformation—choosing vulnerability and refusing to fake spiritual health. Sharing scars, not open wounds. // Leadership requires discernment about transparency. Scott embraces the principle: share your scars, not your wounds. There is a kind of vulnerability that belongs with counselors, trusted friends, and Jesus alone—and another kind that can help others heal. For Scott, his book, The Fight, became a way to share healed places that might help protect others from making the same mistakes he had. Vulnerability isn't weakness; rather, it's a gift. The act of going first as a leader gives others the courage to do the same. Fighting the right battles. // One of the dangers we face is fighting the wrong battles. Scott uses the story of David and Eliab to illustrate how church leaders often get pulled into conflict—criticism, social media arguments, internal comparison—and miss the “Goliath” right in front of them. We often fight against the people we are supposed to fight for, especially in ministry. Learning to focus on the right fights is essential for healing. The breaking point—and the voice of God. // One of the most powerful moments in his journey is when Scott found himself alone, isolated, and furious at God. In an explosive moment of honesty, he shouted, “I don't even believe in You anymore!” And then he sensed God say: “Then who are you yelling at?” That moment shattered his illusions. His anger, he realized, was evidence of God's presence. God had been waiting for Scott at the place of his deepest anger—the place he had avoided his entire life. Pain as preparation. // Drawing from Joshua's story and the painful preparation before Israel entered the Promised Land, Scott argues that discomfort often precedes destiny. The battles we face now equip us for battles ahead. Instead of asking God to end the fight, ask God to form you through it. Scott’s leadership has since been shaped around embracing discomfort—having hard conversations early, sitting with difficult emotions, and obeying God before understanding. Obedience in writing the book. // Writing The Fight began as an act of pure obedience. Scott resisted God's nudge for a year, until finally acknowledging that he couldn't ask God to bless one area of his life while disobeying Him in another. Once he opened a blank document, the first draft poured out in just three days. The writing became a healing process—one he initially believed was meant only for his children. The surprise has been how deeply his congregation has embraced his honesty and resonated with his story. Visit www.bridgechurches.ca to learn more about The Bridge, and pick up Scott’s book ,The Fight, on Amazon. To connect with Scott, find him on Instagram at @scottmlandry. Thank You for Tuning In! There are a lot of podcasts you could be tuning into today, but you chose unSeminary, and I'm grateful for that. If you enjoyed today's show, please share it by using the social media buttons you see at the left hand side of this page. Also, kindly consider taking the 60-seconds it takes to leave an honest review and rating for the podcast on iTunes, they're extremely helpful when it comes to the ranking of the show and you can bet that I read every single one of them personally! Thank You to This Episode’s Sponsor: SermonDone Hey friends, Sunday is coming… is your Sermon Done?Pastor, you don't need more pressure—you need support. That's why you need to check out SermonDone—the premium AI assistant built exclusivelyfor pastors. SermonDone helps you handle the heavy lifting: deep sermon research, series planning, and even a theologically aligned first draft—in your voice—because it actually trains on up to 15 of your past sermons. But it doesn't stop there. With just a click, you can instantly turn your message into small group guides, discussion questions, and even kids curriculum. It's like adding a research assistant, a writing partner, and a discipleship team—all in one. Try it free for 5 days. Head over to www.SermonDone.com and use promo code Rich20 for 20% off today! Episode Transcript Rich Birch — Hey friends, welcome to the unSeminary podcast. So glad that you have decided to tune in. You are going to be rewarded today. We’ve got a great conversation lined up. I have my friend Scott Landry with us. He is the lead pastor at a fantastic church called The Bridge in or just outside of Ottawa, Ontario. Rich Birch — He joined the team in 2013 as the pastor of worship and student ministry and now serves as the senior pastor. Just being totally honest, friends, Scott and I are friends in real life. So it’s, these are actually, I find some of the funnier conversations because it’s like this weird conceit of like, we’ve got microphones between us and all of that. So, but Scott, welcome. So glad you’re here today.Scott Landry — Honored to be here with you, and better yet to be your friend.Rich Birch — This is going to be good. This is I’m really look looking forward to today’s conversation. So, um ah dear listener, I’m just going to pull back the the curtain. I really want you to listen in. Scott is an incredible leader and is doing, there’s lots of different things we could talk about, the way you’re using his his leadership and the church is growing and making an impact. And he’s got a bunch of platinum problems that he’s trying to figure out. And you know, where to get space and all that. But, but actually is none of that I want to talk about today. Actually, earlier this year, Scott released and a book. He wrote a book called “The Fight”. And what we’re going to talk about today is a little bit of the content, what it’s about and what led him to that process. And and then about ah the impact on ah his church. And I really want you to listen to in friends, think there’s a lot we can we can take out of this. Rich Birch — Why don’t you, how do you describe the book? When you, someone says like, oh, you wrote a book? What’s that on? I’d love to hear that. I’ve read the book, friends, so you just so you know.Scott Landry — Yeah, um it’s honestly somewhat of an autobiography, but it’s also a personal therapy session that’s on paper. It’s a little bit of biblical perspective in light of those things. And then I think hopefully pointing people who might read it to some level of personal insight or maybe personal application to both, both my story and also more importantly, the scriptural kind of you know, underlying and all of it.Scott Landry — So yeah, it’s not a self-help book, but I think it’s a self-reflective book. Rich Birch — That’s good. Scott Landry — And kind of hoping that people, yeah, hoping that people might see their story in the midst of mine. And and what what are the things that connect or are kind of similar threads through everybody’s story. And, uh, and, and it was, it it was, it was the cheapest version of therapy I could come up with, really. It was a lot of just kind of looking at my life and trying to make sense of it and and trying to find, find words for feelings I didn’t even know I felt. And, uh, yeah. And so just kind of putting it all out there for myself and also, for my kids and then, you know, the, the, you and the three other people that might read it. So it’s great.Rich Birch — Ah, and that’s not true. A lot more people than that have read it. At the core of this book, and we’ll get into this, friends, but at the core of this book, I would say it’s a high level of transparency. Like you are, you know, you let people in on, hey, here’s some stuff that I’ve been wrestling with, you know, over these years.Rich Birch — And I think most pastors think they should be transparent. That always hasn’t been the case. I’ve been in ministry long enough that there was a time where I think people actually wanted religious leaders who seemed perfect and were like… Scott Landry — Yeah. Rich Birch — …they’re these like, they’ve got their whole life together. That’s not the case anymore. People are looking for, and I think leaders want to be transparent. We want we want to kind of be honest with people. But the stakes sometimes feel higher for some reason. So what kind of led you to the place where you’re like, hey, I want to be vulnerable in a way, ah in written form, with your people, with the community around you?Scott Landry — Yeah, that’s a great question. Honestly, I think it was the fact that I hadn’t been authentic and vulnerable for too long and then lost everything because of it. You know, obviously I write in the book about my journey. I was a pastor for 10 years. I had a a seminary degree and didn’t have an unSeminary one, but I had the degree on the wall and I had, you know, the…Rich Birch — The real one, the real one.Scott Landry — They’re the real one. Yeah. And, uh, but I had all of that. I had 10 years of, of experience standing on stages and preaching the gospel and sharing who Jesus was. And, but the truth is I never really bought what I’d been selling, like in a personal, intimate way. And I wouldn’t say I was good at selling it, but I, but certainly, you know, had been doing it long enough, and and and and in some ways had been successful doing that. like Like good things were happening, ministry was growing, you know people were excited. And so then there becomes this like, oh, well, the lie, it’s amazing the lies that we can tell ourselves and the things that we can convince ourselves of. Scott Landry — So as a professional Christian for 10 years, you know, talking about but all these things and then my own life being a complete mess. And so as a leader, I’m sure other leaders that are listening to this can relate like I’m a dreamer. I always have been, always will be. But I was living a nightmare. And and for I was I had actually become a villain in my own story.Scott Landry — And and and I lost everything. A marriage fell apart. A relationship with my daughter, it was was severed at a very young age. She was four. Ministry was over. Like it was it was all done in an instant. And so 10 years of of hiding and not being, not authentic just for the people, but to my own self. And so when God resurrected my life and resurrected ministry, which I never thought was gonna happen, I was like, that that can’t ever happen again.Scott Landry — And so I wanted to kind of be someone who would lead by going first and saying, you know, and, and so I’ve been vulnerable and transparent from the pulpit. But this was something else. And, and I still am not sure why God prompted me to do this, but, but I would say, I never, I never want to go back to hiding. Scott Landry — And I think, I think we hide for a lot of reasons. I think there’s pastors or leaders listening to this. We hide, ultimately, I think we can give all the excuses we want, but it’s like, who you going to tell? Who you and what are you going to tell them? And and the minute you do, it’s like, well, then I’m going to be disqualified. I’m going to lose my job. Like, so it’s like, we kind of do this thing where I think I shared with you before. It’s like, I’m going to, we we almost force ourselves into a corner and convince ourselves we’re going to fake it till we make it. And ultimately what ends up happening is we fake it till we’re found out. Scott Landry — And and that’s, I mean, we’ve we’ve heard so many stories of that. And I was just like, that happened to me and I would hate for it to happen to anyone else. And I certainly am not going to let it happen to me again.Rich Birch — Yeah, I, friends, you can see why I’ve had Scott on today. There’s a lot here to, I think that all of us need to wrestle with. In fact, one of the, when I didn’t, didn’t even told you this, this is one of the the things I was, when I was reading it, um I had a mentor, a guy I worked for earlier in my career who his life has spectacularly failed. He had to has one of these situations that’s just blown up, and ministry’s blown up and all that. Rich Birch — And ironically, I find there’s ah multiple things about his leadership that I carry with me. And one of the things that I remember him saying very early on was he was like, there’s this interesting dance we do as leaders where we let people in. We know we have to let people into our, into our story, but we only let them in far enough. Scott Landry — Yeah.Rich Birch — We only let them in some, to something. And you’re always going to draw that line somewhere. The question is, where do you draw that line? And, um you know, you’ve chosen to to be very open and say, hey, this is my experience. This is who I’ve been here. And you kind of cast it in the book, not kind of, it’s literally called “The Fight”. You cast it in the book as an internal fight, the stuff beneath the service that shapes ultimately who we become. How do you discern, where are you drawing that line? How much are we able to, how transparent can we really be?Scott Landry — Yeah. That’s a great question. I think for me, it’s a few things. I’m not sure who said it. Um, but I, I, I’ve heard it said multiple different ways, but like, you know, you share your scars, not your wounds. So I’ve kind of, I think there’s a lot of truth to that. So for me, it’s like, if I’m still bleeding, that’s for therapy. That’s for trusted friends. That’s for my wife. That’s for Jesus.Scott Landry — But if it’s a wound that has, that is healed, and somebody can see their story in it and it’s helpful for them as either they’re still bleeding or or it could prevent them from getting hurt, then to me it’s worth sharing. Scott Landry — I’ve kind of come to the conclusion in my life, vulnerability isn’t weakness. it it’ it’s It’s actually it’s actually a gift. It’s there there is something to vulnerability in sitting with someone. You and I have done this without microphones in front of us. And we’ve we’ve told things to each other with tears in our eyes. And there’s something powerful that happens. That is a gift that you give someone. And it’s a gift for for what you give them and what you share to them.Scott Landry — But it’s also the gift to them that’s like this could, I could actually do this myself. It’s freeing for me to be given this gift to know it might not be with you, but with someone I could do that too. And, and that gift, I don’t think we truly understand how freeing and the weight that could be lifted by going first in that way. So for me, I’ve just decided that’s that’s who I’m going to be moving forward. So that the book is “The Fight” and because life is a fight. And to me, vulnerability and authenticity are worth fighting for.Rich Birch — I’d love to dig into some of the some of the stuff that you actually talk about in the book, kind of dig a couple layers deeper. You write about the danger of fighting the wrong battles that we can find ourselves in conversations that we we shouldn’t be in. You know, pulling out this… talk us through that. How does that relate? How have you seen that in your life?Scott Landry — Yeah.Rich Birch — And then what is that? How do you lead differently out of that? Because, you know, how do we pick the right battles? Talk me through that.Scott Landry — Yeah, I think it’s a personal thing. It certainly applies to leadership as well on a personal level. I think many times we fight, we fight with the people we’re supposed to fight for.Scott Landry — I think we fight amongst family members and, and then, you know, times goes by and you’re like, was that even worth it? I think, so I think those things happen. It’s like, how many fights have you had with your spouse? And it’s like I’m supposed to be fighting with you, not against you. Like we’re supposed to be in this together. And I’ve seen that happen in leadership too. It’s amazing to me how church people can, can hurt each other and and fight with each other and over things like carpet and and song selections and song volume and and preaching styles.Scott Landry — And so for me in leadership, it’s fighting the wrong battles. I talk about it, the David and Eliab thing, and you know, on the, on the battlefield where Goliath is kind of waiting in the wings and it’s really the main event. And, so much could have been so different if David had wasted his time in that argument. And, and he would have been justified in doing it. I mean, his, his character was being questioned. I mean, that’s worth fighting against. And it’s like, David’s like, I don’t get time for this, right? And I think how many of us as leaders spend so much time in the comment section, we’re fighting critics and we’re missing out on the giants. Rich Birch — Yeah.Scott Landry — You know, you, you, like that that in our culture, I think, is a huge one for leaders. And it’s like…Rich Birch — Yeah, big deal.Scott Landry — …oh, we’re so…And and I’m I’m guilty of that. You know we’re the other one I struggle with, I’m sure no one listening to this could can relate to this, but I spend so I spend so much time spending energy on who’s left, and not who’s here or who could be coming. And it’s like, and and you know what? Many times the people who’ve left, they were never really here anyway. Now that’s not to say we haven’t done something wrong at times and hurt people, but it’s like, man, I’ve I’ve spent so much time trying to convince that one person. Cause I’m like, oh, Jesus would leave the 99 to go after the one. And I’m like, maybe not that one. No, I’m just kidding.Rich Birch — That’s good. I like that.Scott Landry — But you know what I mean? Like but…Rich Birch — Yes.Scott Landry — …but we do. And and it’s it’s tragic how how distracted we can become. And and we we miss out in the fights that matter most because of ones that weren’t worth fighting to begin with.Rich Birch — Well, and this this is why we’ve seen a lot of pastors make the decision, church leaders make the decision, like, I just need to step back from social media. Because it’s like, you know, it’s like it’s like it’s set up for us to pick fights with other church leaders. Scott Landry — Yeah.Rich Birch — Like, it’s like, you know, that people are out there and there’s and there seems like there are for whatever reason, there are ah brothers and sisters in the faith who, who think that it’s their job to agitate, like that they’re like the professional agitators out there. And it’s like, so then we’re fighting with some other pastor or whatever, but that’s not, that’s like a total distraction from our mission. Like this, who, that person’s going to Jesus is going to be fine. Like, what about, like you say, the people that aren’t here yet. Rich Birch — There’s a moment in the book where you describe kind of being hitting a rock bottom or hitting an emotional bottom and crying out to God. Would you mind opening up a little bit about that? What did that teach you?Scott Landry — Yeah.Rich Birch — You know, what God meets us when, when all our strength runs out.Scott Landry — Well, yeah, that the, I mean, that I hope that’s a powerful moment in the book because it was it genuinely the most powerful moment in my life. And this was this was kind of at the crescendo of my my breaking point. So after after, you know, my my marriage and my my my life specifically falling apart. And I kind of lived in a place of isolation. I was living in, in, in, in the North, Canadian North. And, I was, yeah, I was lost. I was, I was angry. Like I had so much anger. And it was, so yeah, I talk about in the book. And, and, uh, I was angry and ultimately I was angry at myself, but I was also angry at God.Scott Landry — And, um, because even after, again, making a mess of my own life. Like He didn’t make a mess of my life. Nobody made the mess of my life. I made the mess of my life. And, but then after that, I was trying to do everything right. And I was trying to, you know, do the right thing, do the right thing. And I was like, God, when are you going to start intervening on my behalf. And so, you know, being the the preacher that I am, I was like, I got all the Bible verses that tell me that you’re going to like now is you’re going to do the redemptive thing. You’re going to show up, you’re going to move, you’re going to fix, you’re going to redeem, you’re going to restore, you’re going to repair, you’re going to do all the R words. And, and nothing was happening. Like it was like… Rich Birch — Right. Scott Landry — …and, and it was almost as if I, heard and I literally heard nothing. And I’d like to say I didn’t feel anything, but I did. It was just this, this anger that was welling up inside of me, like a, like a pot boiling. And eventually it just, I just became unhinged. Like I was alone. And I was completely isolated. I was in this, you know, empty house and I just started crying out like, and yelling out. And I threw, I threw things. I used words I’ve, I’m ashamed to admit I used. Like, I mean, I was as unhinged as could possibly, I was like, I gotta, if I saw you face to face, I would give you the thing. Like I told him all this stuff.Scott Landry — And, and what I found in that moment was like, and again, I talk about it in the book, but like I yelled, God, I don’t even believe in you anymore. I’m done. Like, like I don’t I don’t believe. You’ve promised me that you would never leave me. You would never forsake me. And that’s exactly what you’ve done. I’ve told people that you would never leave them and forsake them. And yet you’ve done that to me. You are you are dead to me. I don’t believe in you anymore. And I even now, I still feel this when I’m just talking about it. But like, this is, and this is, I know some people are going to roll their eyes at this. But like, genuinely, when I heard myself say that, I felt this like, over me, over my house. It was like this eerie like pause. And I heard, as if I’ve ever heard the voice of God, I heard a voice say, well, then who are you yelling at? And it was like this, like… Rich Birch — Beautiful. Scott Landry — …and in that moment, it was like, my anger was, it wasn’t my degree. It wasn’t my Bible. It was, it was my anger was my evidence that God was present right then and right there. And because my anger was directed at him. And he knew that I was angry with him.Scott Landry — And he met me at the place of my anger. And he was waiting. And this is the part that I still, I can’t do this, what’s what’s in my head, into my heart justice. But it was God was saying, I’ve been waiting for you at this place your whole life.Rich Birch — Wow. Right.Scott Landry — You have been hiding from this anger from your childhood, from your young adulthood, and I’ve been waiting for you to meet me here at your anger. And I’ve I’ve wanted you to know that I would be here waiting for you. And if you met me on the top of the tallest mountain, and if you look me face to face, and if you were to give me the finger, you would find me there waiting because I am waiting at who you really are, not who you’re pretending to be.Scott Landry — And everyone around you, you’ve got them fooled and you’re used car salesman and you can spin the Bible verses and you can do all that other stuff. But I know who you really are. And I’m waiting for you to finally be honest with yourself about who you really are. And now that you finally are, now we can do something about that together.Scott Landry — And that was the moment that God truly revealed himself to me. And that’s when I, for the first time in my life, truly discovered who I was. And yeah, that that’s the moment that I hope anybody who ever meets me or talks to me or listens to me or reads in it, like that’s the part that I long for people to have before it costs them like it costs me.Rich Birch — I just want to say thank you for for going there and talking about that. Because to me, that…and friends, you should pick up a copy of the book. I’m not trying to sell the book, but you should pick up a copy and actually…it’s worth it for this interaction. Because I think as pastors, people who are in what we do, I think we can give, we can put a varnish on all of this. And it and and I love that picture of you yelling at God. And then and then he’s like, well who are you yelling at? Like, what’s, what’s you you know…Scott Landry — Yeah. You don’t believe it. You don’t believe in me, but you’re yelling at me. Yeah. Yeah. That’s it. Yeah.Rich Birch — Yes. Like, I think, I think that is such a, I don’t know, there’s so much there. And I think it’s beautiful that you would open up about that and tell, talk to us here. I feel a little bit bad because I feel like I’m getting you to mine out like one of the best parts of the book, but that, um, at its core, I think would be hard for a lot of leaders to even admit to say, because by this point, friends, again, remember the pre-story, you had been a professional Christian for a long time. Like that that you had built your life around taking money from people… Scott Landry — Yeah. Rich Birch — …and doing this and came to that moment of crisis. So talk to me about the road back from there. So there’s obviously, you know, between there and today, you know, something happened. So talk us through… Scott Landry — Yeah. Rich Birch — …kind of what were some of those key steps? We’re not going to be able to cover all of it, but some of those key things that, that God used on that journey.Scott Landry — Yeah. Well, the immediate one was that I needed to get away. I was living in Yellowknife, Northwest Territories at the time, and I needed to get to Ontario because that’s where my four-year-old daughter was. And that necessity was kind of the you know the spark of of God beginning a redemptive work in my life.Scott Landry — And and then again, had never thought that I would be back in you know ministry in terms of you know a job or a career. I I I and iI wasn’t I had no idea what I was gonna do. And so I just did what I had to do to survive.Scott Landry — And, and, and again, God just, it’s the, it’s, it’s all this cliches. It’s all the songs we sing. It’s, you know, he made beauty for ashes. He, he resurrected things I was certain was dead. And so, and, and there were, he was orchestrating things to, to, you know, provide another way for me to get back into what he called me to do, which, you know, again, I, I, it would take me a long time to, to get into it. Rich Birch — Yes. Scott Landry — But I, again, I think it was just, it was, I just took the steps I had to take because I, and, but they were the steps that he was preparing for me to take, you know? Rich Birch — Yeah, that’s good. Scott Landry — It’s and I, and I see that now, but it didn’t, it just felt like, like necessity then. But it was more than necessity. It was, it was intention. So, yeah.Rich Birch — Yeah, I don’t I don’t know if I’ve said this to you, but I think, in fact, I’m pretty sure I haven’t said this to you. One of the, you know, I mentioned, and and you know the person I’m talking about whose life fell apart. You know, one of my own reflections on that experience as a leader that was in that person’s orbit, pretty close to that orbit, in hindsight, um was we have to do a better, the collective we have to do a better job on helping people to talk about what’s going on on the inside in a way that doesn’t just immediately jump to, hey, like, you you know, you should not think that thought. Like, you know, we we need to be better at that. And I you think you’ve done a gift in this, you know, this with this book. Rich Birch — One of the things you also talked about is this whole idea that comfort can be the enemy of our calling. And I wish you didn’t write about this, but because, ah you know, it’s like convenience is and comfort are organizing principles of culture, right? That is like our entire culture is based around how do I make myself more comfortable? And and it’s true. I agree. Like I’m, you know, I’ve been on the Peloton and I’ve felt discomfortable. And then at the end of that, I’m like, I’m glad I did that in the middle of it. I was hating it. I get that. Talk us through that. What’s that journey been like in this kind of return home? How has that played a, you know, a part of that as a part of the journey?Scott Landry — Yeah, I think I think what I’ve learned is pain is always preparation. And and to me, I use the word always because I don’t see it never being that. I think there’s always something in in in a situation of discomfort or pain that is always preparing you for something that’s next for you or something that’s next for someone else that’s going to require you to be a part of it.Scott Landry — So the pain that I go through a lot of times is is you know preparing my my son or my daughter. Um, and so it’s always preparation for something. And that’s what I write about in the book, the story of Joshua, you know, it’s, it’s the most uncomfortable thought in the world that, you know, the, the, before their greatest battle, they, they’re circumcised, as, as men. And it’s like, oh, you know, that’s, that’s one conversation when the kid’s like a couple days old or eight days old as it was supposed to be. But when you’re, you know, 18, 20, that’s a whole different conversation.Scott Landry — And, Any guy that’s listening right now feels uncomfortable, but that’s, but that’s the point. God brought them to a place specifically to bring pain into their lives because of the destiny that he had for them.Scott Landry — And I think that’s just true in life, you know, it’s, and, and, and going through those things is crucial. It’s always, there’s always something next. And I think that’s the thing that I’ve, and again, I use the analogy of the fight and I tried to do that in the book because I, you know, I’m not a fighter in terms of like, I don’t do, you know, mixed martial arts or anything. I love that stuff and I love watching it. And I love boxing, which the the movie Rocky was part of the inspiration for the book or at least the theme of it.Scott Landry — And I think when you look like look at that stuff, what you always see is fighters fight a fight, so they can fight another fight. It’s like, I want to win this fight because I want to win this fight, but winning this fight sets me up for another fight that has greater reward for me.Scott Landry — And so I’m I’m inspired to win this fight because it’s going to put me or it’s going to allow me to fight on another level and another dimension. And I think, you know, in leadership, I think the challenges or the platinum problems, as you call them, you know, I think those are preparation. They’re not just to solve and the problem itself to be solved. It’s also preparation for a problem that’s coming because of getting through this one.Scott Landry — And I think when we start to see it that way and we can view the fight as like, I always pray that God will cause the fight to end. Like, God, just, just stop. Like, get me through this fight. Instead of praying, God, will you help me become the person in the midst of this fight that I need to be for the fight that’s coming down the road? It, that perspective, I think changes everything.Scott Landry — And if as leaders, we looked at our current challenges and struggles as like, hey, this is just preparation for something bigger. I think we’d i think we’d go into it a whole lot differently. And I think we would be willing to endure it just and with a different mindset. And so, yeah, that’s that’s what I’ve I’ve come to discover my own life through this thing.Rich Birch — Like our friend T.D. Jakes said, every level, a new devil. Like it’s like, right?Scott Landry — Yeah, yeah, totally.Rich Birch — This idea of like, hey, we’re going to get through this, but then that’s just going to open up something else that we got to get through. And I think that’s, I think it’s a great metaphor and is, I see too many people who are, and it could be, you know, people of my age or whatever.Rich Birch — I must, you know, you reach a certain age with enough zeros on the end. You hit a couple of those zero birthdays. And then you look around at your friends and you’re like, the people that, that don’t inspire me are the ones that are hitting the coast mode. Scott Landry — Yeah. Rich Birch — That are like, Hey, I’m going to try to, i’m going to try to make life more comfortable. It’s the people that are saying, no, let’s lean in. Let’s look, what can we do next? What is the thing that God’s got for us? I love that. Well…Scott Landry — Well, I tell people, oh, sorry, I was just going to say just…Rich Birch — Go ahead. No, go ahead.Scott Landry — …well, just to to kind of follow up on that. I think practically, what does that mean? Or what does that look like for us? Like, I you know, we talk to our staff all the time, right? I, you know, constantly tell them it’s like, to embrace that means in leadership, you’ve got to have uncomfortable conversations now because you’re going to have them anyway. Rich Birch — Right.Scott Landry — So comfort tells us, oh, like if I just let it go or if I just like, no, you’re you’re just prolonging the inevitable conversation. So have it now. Rich Birch — Yeah.Scott Landry — You know, or or you sit with emotions that you’re feeling. You got to sit with them a little longer before you act on them. That’s not comfortable. We want to just, you know, so it’s that balance. Like it’s, It’s, ah you know, even obeying before understanding, right?Scott Landry — Like, like you’ve got like all those lessons and those places of discomfort, I think are all preparation pieces for the greater thing. So…Rich Birch — Yeah, that’s so good.Scott Landry — Yeah.Rich Birch — Yeah. And even in the physical world, like I was thinking about this when I was on my Peloton prepping for this. And I know you have Peloton, that like there was a time when there would be numbers on the screen in front of me that those numbers felt like death. Like I’m like, this is not like, I can’t keep doing this. But then what happens over time is you, your body acclimatizes to that, right? You become healthier. You get your cardiovascular system, your VO2 max grows, and then you’re able to, ah you know, to carry more. And I think that is true in leadership. I think that’s true in our spiritual life. I think there is like a, you know, kind of bearing on the weight of it. And um yeah, I think that’s very true. Rich Birch — Okay. I’d love to pivot in a totally different direction. So, you know, again, friends, you should pick up a copy of the book because I think it’ll be great. It’s spiritually enriching experience for you. I think this book could be helpful in like, there’s lots of conversations where I’m like, I think, I think this could be one of those books you have on your shelf. And you said, Hey, you know what, why don’t you read this book? This might help you think through, you know, might be a real encouragement. So I will, we’ll get to where you can get that in a minute. Rich Birch —But I want to kind of talk more about kind of the meta experience of you as a pastor, writing a book, choosing to do that. When you first introduced me to this idea, I still remembered it. You were like, I do not want to write a book. I am writing a book. Like, and it was like this, I am compelled. It is by obedience that I am, who knows? I think literally the thing you said to me the first time, and it was through tears, was like, I’m not really even sure why like I’m doing this thing, who knows? So talk to me about that obedience. What did that first step look like? Kind of help me ah or understand the process. Talk about that a little bit.Scott Landry — Yeah, it’s funny. You did a great version of me there. That’s exactly how I said it. And that’s exactly how I felt. And I honestly, I still feel that way, even now that it’s out there in in the world. Yeah, it was totally an act of of obedience. Scott Landry — And so for context, two years ago, my family vacations in Florida. I, I have no shame. I mooch off my in-laws who have a condo there. My wife and I both lived there at one, at one point. So it’s kind of like going home. Scott Landry — But anyway, long story, I was running on the beach. And, and I just, I felt like the Lord just stopped me and he gave me two very clear directives for the next chapter of my life. One was about the church and the other was to write a book.Scott Landry — And the first one made complete sense to me. And the other one still makes absolutely no sense to me. I am not an, writer. I’m not an author. I’m not ah like, and who am I? Like all this kind of, you know, who am I syndrome started kicking in and and I was just like, whatever. So I came back two years ago and I got to work on the first one and ignored the second one.Scott Landry — And I ignored the second one, writing a book for an entire year. And then on my birthday in September, I just, I felt like I was, I was genuinely like, how can I ask God to bless this first thing that he’s asked me to do if I’m being disobedient in this other thing that he’s asked me to do? And I, I don’t understand it. So to me, I’m, that justifies why I’m not doing it. And I was like, I’ve got to be obedient to this, whether I understand it or not. So that’s what I did. And so for me, obedience was opening a blank document. And just starting. And that’s what I did.Scott Landry — And it was, and I don’t know if you’ve had this experience, Rich, but it was amazing to me. I’ve had writer’s block for sermons. This poured out of me… Rich Birch — Wow. Scott Landry — …in a way I was not expecting. Like it it was the draft that you read of the book or the first draft of the book was done in a little over three days.Rich Birch — Yeah.Scott Landry — It just…Rich Birch — Well, that surprised me even, you know, cause I remember you were, and that hasn’t been my experience with writing. It’s been like, I have found it like arduous. But I remember you’re like, Oh, I’m going away. I’m going to this thing. And then it was like, Oh yeah, I got it done. And I was like, wow. Like that’s, that’s incredible. That’s amazing. And then obviously then there’s all the editing and you got to actually get it.Scott Landry — Well, yeah, I, yeah, everything after that was way longer than I or wanted it to be um um for sure.Rich Birch — Yes. Yes.Scott Landry — And way more than I expected it to be. But I think, I think I needed to me, to me, it was a piece of, it was a document that was basically like a therapy session that didn’t cost me anything other than time…Rich Birch — Right. Right.Scott Landry — …that I needed to get a lot of stuff off my chest and and off my heart. And it just, I needed to open that document to do it. And I think maybe that is, and it didn’t occur to me until just now, that that may be the very reason that God wanted me to do it… Rich Birch — Right. Scott Landry — …was to free me of that so I could be released to do whatever has nothing about to do about the book. It just was his way of getting me to get through it.Rich Birch — Yeah. Well, and I remember at one point, um hopefully I’m not outing something. We can cut this if you don’t want me to say this, but I remember at one point you were saying like, even if I just have it for my daughter, that would be a gift, right?Rich Birch — Like it’s like for her at some point to read this would be, um you know, a gift. Actually, I know a friend of mine who has literally done that has written full books and literally got like got them printed and given it just to them for their kids.Scott Landry — Yeah.Rich Birch — You know, tens of thousands of words. So yeah, that’s, that’s, ah that’s incredible. So, you know, the writing of books in general, is I find the line between writing and thinking is very blurry. Like it’s like, it’s like almost in my mind, like it’s kind of the same thing. Like it’s the same activity. There’s obviously writing involved, but it’s like, it’s, it costs, it’s a, or it, it drives a lot of reflection, honesty, you know, thinking about all that stuff. Was there anything as you went through this therapy process of writing that actually just surprised you about like, Oh wow. Like that was either my reflection on that was different or, um, you know, we’re, you know, like anything surprised you through the process process?Scott Landry — Yeah, there was a…good question. There was a couple things for sure. One of them was I had to go check. It’s amazing how your memory can be your greatest enemy. I remembered certain things a certain way and then going back and talking to my mother. Again, spoiler alert – I grew up in a single parent household. My mom is my hero, strongest woman ever.Scott Landry — Anyways, and I write about her and, and my life growing up and what she had to do to get us through. So, so going back and, and, and really at as an adult, getting the details of what actually happened and what my perception of what happened happened. It was it was It was much worse than I understood…Rich Birch — Oh, wow.Scott Landry — …and what she endured and went through. And I gained a level of admiration from my, I thought I admired her, but I gained a level of admiration that is a gift. And, and, and every child should have the gift to see their parents the way that I see my mom. She is, she is amazing. Scott Landry — So that, that’s one. The other one was, was I there was some things that I, I learned along the way. I think the first one was that I found was about the, the resentment that I had towards my father. And I, and, and I, as I was writing it, God just kind of revealed this to me that, that adapting, adapting to loss is different than than winning a fight. And I had adapted to the pain of what I had lost. And I thought that was the same thing as winning that fight against resentment. And they’re not the same thing. Scott Landry — And that was that that was a real breakthrough moment for me. I was in a cabin near a ski hill as I was writing that. And it was like i was almost like I was watching a movie, watching myself have a moment. Rich Birch — Wow. Scott Landry — And it was just this this really beautiful moment between God and I. And I was just like, wow, God, thank you for for showing that to me. And then, give me the words to articulate this to my kids. Cause you’re right. I, I did first and foremost, write this for my kids, Emma and Parker. And I wanted them to know, you know, who they come from, what they come from. And, and, and hopefully if I never get the chance to tell them, they’ve got this to fall back on. And then my wife being my wife was like, well, if you’re going to do it for them, you might as well go all the way. So, so that’s, that’s, that’s what we did.Rich Birch — Wow. Okay. So what did this process teach you as you’ve now, cause you’ve launched this book, it’s out in the world. You’ve, you can get it on Amazon. You, you know, it’s, you’ve done a series at the church. You’ve talked about it. You know, if you’ve been public about it. Rich Birch — What did the launching of that teach you about your congregation, about your church? What resonated? What, how, how was it helpful? Any conversations that sparked kind of what was the impact that you’ve, now that you’ve landed this in, in your church?Scott Landry — Yeah. Oh, I just got emotional there thinking about your question as you’re asking it. I think… what I talk about in the book, Rich, is that I’m a very insecure person. And and as a leader, I’m an insecure leader. And always, you know, that that dance between, you know, being authentic about who you are at the same time, the insecurity about that. And it’s, Lisa, my wife tells me all the time, if people knew how insecure you are, they they wouldn’t believe it, because you don’t present that way.Scott Landry — But I was very insecure about doing this thing and the people that I serve, and and and journey together with seeing me in a way that they might change their mind about me. But the people at The Bridge, they love me, and they are so gracious to me. And I what I’ve discovered is that me being honest about who I am is is who they’ve wanted me to be the whole time.Scott Landry — And so everybody that’s read the book, I shouldn’t say everybody, but I’ve gotten a lot of feedback from the people at The Bridge just thanking me for telling my story and then them saying so much of that I relate to, so much of that I needed right now telling me things about themselves that I had no idea was happening in their lives. And this has only been out for like a month. Scott Landry — And so I’ve just gotten overwhelmed with, with people’s responses. And, and I think for our church, you know, one of our values is authentic storytelling And so, um, it just so happens that as a leader, you get to go first Rich Birch — Right. Scott Landry — And, and, and and in order for that value to be more than something that’s just plastered on a wall or a website, like I had, I didn’t know it was going to be in in the form of a book. But I do see that, that people are opening up in ways that, you know, just in the, in the in the last month to me and in others. So, yeah, but that that’s the thing that that i’ve I’ve seen in our church is just um that that I’ve been insecure about how I’m seen as a leader and and they’ve shown me that that they love me. And that’s the greatest gift, I’m telling you.Rich Birch — Yeah, it’s so cool, man. I love that. That’s, and thanks for being vulnerable in your sharing there. Like I think I, you know, I think there is anyone that’s written has had a book definitely has those feelings on the inside of like, oh man, this was a bad idea like why am I doing this. And like I’m you know, the stuff I’ve written about is nowhere near as, you know, personal and tender as what you’ve written. And I can identify exactly with what you’re saying there around the like, what will people think of me? You know, and it’s amazing. Rich Birch — So trying to extract a bit of, you know, there might be people that are listening and I hope there’s people that are listening in who would think like, maybe I should write a book. Or maybe, maybe they had a similar experience where God told them to write a book and they’ve been dragging their feet. Scott Landry — Yeah, yeah. Rich Birch — What would be a couple kind of just practical takeaways, like maybe things you would say, I wish I would have known this before timelines, collaboration, editing, any of that kind of stuff.Scott Landry — Yeah. Well, the first thing I would do is thankfully what I did, was talk to people who have done it. So you were one of those people and I was hoping that you were going to convince me not to do it. Thanks thanks for letting me down. But yeah, just like, and, and, you know, it’s like, Hey, talk to a few different people and, and, and, you know, what’s their process is and and kind of what they did. Scott Landry — But the other thing that I learned quickly was everybody that I talked to does it differently. And so it wasn’t about figuring out the process. It was about finding my own. Rich Birch — Yep.Scott Landry — And so I kind of leaned on what I know of myself and how I kind of operate. And so that was one.Scott Landry — I think the other one was You know, however much time you think it’s going to take, double it and then add some to that. Like it’s way more time than you think it’s going to going to take.Scott Landry — I would, you know, what do they say? Like find people in your life who tell you what you need to know, not what you want to hear. Like it’s like whoever you’re going to invite into the process with you, like you want to collaborate with people who are going to tell you the truth, not that you’re profound. It’s like, yeah, like I, I wanted this to be the best that it could be for my kids.Rich Birch — Right. Scott Landry — And that’s why I asked, you know, you and a few others. And so, um, and then I think, you know, the other one is, is really have a clear, at least for me, and I don’t know if this is true for you, but it’s like, I’m sure it is, like, you know who you’re writing to and who you’re writing for. Rich Birch — Right. Scott Landry — And I think that has to be like, every time I sat down, like after a coffee and was like, okay, here, we’re opening up the laptop again, it was like, I pictured Emma. I pictured Parker. This is who I’m writing this for. It’s like who, so whether if it’s a, if it’s a book for your church, if it’s a book for leaders, you know, whoever that’s for is like have a very clear picture in your mind, who your audience is and and imagine faces that represent those people.Scott Landry — Because I think it, to me at least, is it makes it less about the content and it brings the heart into it. And I think that I hope that and is what engages people more than, because I’m not a writer. But I hope my heart comes through the words that are on the pages. And I think that’s just because I had those two beautiful kids in mind.Rich Birch — Yeah, that’s cool. That’s a great, that’s a great tip. I, the, that idea of focusing who is the person. And I worked at a church that had a very robust practice kind of sermon practice process. And that’s one of the things, one of the questions we would often ask is like, who are you preaching this to? And I loved, cause our lead guy, he would get like really specific. It wouldn’t be like, it’s not like, well, I’m generally thinking 33 year old, you know, guys that are married. He’d be like, Scott Landry… Scott Landry — Yeah. Rich Birch — …you know, like he would like, it’s like he would pick out a specific person. He said, I’m hoping that that that’s who I’m thinking about. And that always struck me as like, I think that’s a part of what gave him great kind of power in his communication because it wasn’t this vague idea of like this, some general target. It’s like, no, I’m talking to this person and I want to, I want to communicate in a way that will move them. I think that’s great when you think about from a book point of view. Rich Birch — Well, I want to encourage people to pick up a copy of the book. But before we get there, any kind of last words about any of this that you want to share? You’ve been so generous with your time today.Scott Landry — No, I appreciate your time. I appreciate you having me on. And if anybody’s gotten to the end of this podcast and is even considering, you know, getting a copy of the book, I guess my heart for you would be to discover what I discovered the hard way, but I hope that it doesn’t require you to to find out the hard way is that that God truly knows who you truly are. And all he desperately wants is for you to be honest about who he already knows you are. And and then he wants to release that person for the purpose that he has for them. And so I pray that it doesn’t take whoever you are, you losing what I lost to find that. I hope that you will be wiser than I was. Learn, you know, don’t learn from your own mistakes, learn from mine. And, and, and, and find yourself because you’re going to find God there waiting. And I hope that for you and pray that for you.Rich Birch — That’s good. That’s great. So we want to send people to Amazon. Is that the best place that they can pick up copies of this book? Is there anywhere else we want to send them just as we wrap up today’s episode?Scott Landry — No, yeah, Amazon, the book “The Fight” is there. Can also follow me on Instagram. Keep updates there – @scottmlandry. Yeah, you can see pictures my sneakers. That’s about it.Rich Birch — It’s great. Thanks so much, Scott. Appreciate you being here.Scott Landry — Thank you, Rich.

The Nahanni region in Canada's Northwest Territories has a nickname - The Valley of Headless Men - because several decapitated bodies have been discovered over the years. Most of these were found during the goldrush and while some suggest foul play, there is also talk of strange beasts and spirits in the valley. Let's explore these legends.

The Nahanni region in Canada's Northwest Territories has a nickname - The Valley of Headless Men - because several decapitated bodies have been discovered over the years. Most of these were found during the goldrush and while some suggest foul play, there is also talk of strange beasts and spirits in the valley. Let's explore these legends.

There is a valley carved by ice and time, where the South Nahanni River snakes through canyons deeper than any grave... and where men go in with dreams of gold and come out (when they come out at all) missing their heads. This is the Valley of the Headless Men.For over a century, prospectors have vanished here. Cabins burn with no trace of fire. Skeletons are found minus the skull. Gold pans sit untouched beside the ashes, as if whatever took those heads wasn't interested in riches.The Dene have always known why. Not the shy, camera-dodging Bigfoot of the Pacific Northwest. They describe it as a creature the size of a Kodiak bear with shaggy hair and dressed in the remnants of clothing and furs.Join Gary and GoldieAnn as they paddle Within the Mists of Canada's Northwest Territory to search for the Nakani.Facebook Fan Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/544933724571696Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/withinthemistpodcast/Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@withinthemistpodcast1977 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

There is a valley carved by ice and time, where the South Nahanni River snakes through canyons deeper than any grave... and where men go in with dreams of gold and come out (when they come out at all) missing their heads. This is the Valley of the Headless Men.For over a century, prospectors have vanished here. Cabins burn with no trace of fire. Skeletons are found minus the skull. Gold pans sit untouched beside the ashes, as if whatever took those heads wasn't interested in riches.The Dene have always known why. Not the shy, camera-dodging Bigfoot of the Pacific Northwest. They describe it as a creature the size of a Kodiak bear with shaggy hair and dressed in the remnants of clothing and furs.Join Gary and GoldieAnn as they paddle Within the Mists of Canada's Northwest Territory to search for the Nakani.Facebook Fan Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/544933724571696Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/withinthemistpodcast/Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@withinthemistpodcast1977 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

What if the secret to great leadership was hidden in the elements that shape our world? Educator and author Tyler Comeau believes it is. From the frozen courts of the Northwest Territories to international stages, Tyler's journey has been one of discovery—of purpose, resilience, and the fire that fuels authentic leadership. In this episode of Aspire to Lead, Joshua Stamper and Tyler unpack The Elemental Leader—a framework where Earth grounds your values, Air strengthens your perseverance, Water nurtures your adaptability, and Fire ignites innovation and action. Through powerful stories and research-based insights, Tyler challenges leaders to think differently about growth, purpose, and balance. This isn't just another leadership conversation—it's a call to realign, recharge, and rediscover your spark. If you've ever felt pulled between the weight of responsibility and the need for renewal, this episode will remind you that great leadership begins where your roots meet your flame. About Tyler Comeau: Tyler Comeau is a dedicated educator, leader, and lifelong learner with a passion for pushing the boundaries of traditional education. As a Doctoral Candidate of Education in Educational Leadership from the University of Saskatchewan (2026 Completion) and a Master of Education in Educational Administration, Tyler has a robust academic and professional background. Tyler's career spans various roles, including Principal and Assistant Principal within the province of Alberta and teaching positions in the provinces of Alberta and Saskatchewan. His extensive experience includes leading staff and students through outdoor education programs, curricular structure, optimizing engagement, operationalizing a mission and vision, supporting individuals, FNMI engagement, and coaching numerous athletic activities. Follow Tyler Comeau Website:https://elementaleducator.com/Twitter:https://x.com/elementaleducYouTube:https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLw4aYyzvNj52DGnQUXx20ynivtJIK_wU5Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/elemental_educatorPodcast:elementaleducator.podbean.com -- Unlock Your Leadership Potential: Free LIVE Event Aspire to Lead Cohort — Exclusive Info Session with Joshua Stamper October 30th, 7:00pm ET (30 Minutes Live on Zoom) Are school demands leaving you overwhelmed and unsure how to advance your leadership career?

This episode of America's Founding Series reveals the incredible true story of Francesco Vigo, the Italian immigrant who personally financed George Rogers Clark's campaign and helped secure America's Northwest Territory during the American Revolution. Vigo risked his fortune, freedom, and future for a cause that wasn't his by birth but by belief. Through courage, character, and civic virtue, he proved that the fight for liberty was a universal calling—and his forgotten sacrifice reminds us that duty without recognition is what keeps the Republic alive today.   Episode Highlights: How Francesco Vigo's funding and intelligence turned the tide of George Rogers Clark's western campaign, securing victory at Vincennes. The immigrant patriot who gave everything for liberty—and was repaid with debt, obscurity, and eventual honor. The timeless lesson of duty, character, and civic virtue, and why America still depends on citizens who serve without seeking reward.  

K92 Mining (KNT) achieved first production and inaugurated its Stage 3 Expansion at the Kainantu Gold Mine in Papua New Guinea, effectively doubling throughput capacity. Similarly, Endeavour Silver (EDR) reached commercial production at the Terronera Mine in Mexico, a milestone expected to significantly increase silver and gold output and position it as the company's flagship asset. On the exploration front, Li-FT Power (LIFT) confirmed a 1.5-kilometre lithium trend at the Cali Project in the Northwest Territories. Drilling updates included Tudor Gold (TUD) reporting 1.70 g/t gold over 46.00m at Treaty Creek in British Columbia, while Legacy Gold (LEGY) intersected 0.86 g/t gold over 115m in Idaho. Prismo Metals (PRIZ) announced high-grade polymetallic results, including 19.35 g/t gold, in Arizona. Furthermore, Guanajuato Silver (GSVR) and District Metals (DMX) also provided positive exploration updates. Finally, the morning saw significant financings, including NexGen Energy's $675 million equity offering, Banyan Gold's $31.4 million private placement, and Mako Mining's $24 million placement.

Trick-or-Treat Infamy! Taylor tells Josie about Albert Johnson (not his real name), the mysterious stranger who led Mounties on an explosive and deadly winter manhunt through Canada's Yukon and Northwest Territories. Plus: unpacking Taylor's trip to the Yukon, including the community of Carcross, population: 300, where the ghosts of Bessie Gideon and her parrot haunt the century-old Caribou Hotel.