Podcasts about Peace

If war is so costly, why do we keep fighting them? We dig into the wars in Iran, Ukraine and Gaza to understand the incentives that lead countries into violence. Today on the show, the five factors that lead to war. Chris Blattman's book is Why We Fight: The Roots of War and the Paths to Peace.Fact checking by Sierra Juarez. Your Next Listen — The new economic arms race Connect with The Indicator — Sign up for The Indicator's brand new newsletter — Buy the Planet Money book — Find our socials, YouTube and more! — For sponsor-free episodes, subscribe to NPR+ See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences.NPR Privacy Policy

Have you ever felt like food seems to hook you before you even realize what's happening? If you've been struggling with food cravings during menopause, I want to introduce you to a concept that has completely changed the way I think about urges. In this episode, I share the ancient Buddhist concept of shempa, which describes that moment when we become hooked by an urge. I explain why this idea has been around for thousands of years, why it's so relevant for women in menopause, and how it connects beautifully with what modern neuroscience teaches us about the brain. I also explore the Stanford Marshmallow Test, what it reveals about impulse control, and why learning to pause, even for a few seconds, can help quiet food noise and strengthen your brain's ability to make choices that serve you. We even talk about why GLP-1 medications have brought so much attention to food noise, and what you can do whether or not you're taking one. Enjoy the show!   Free Guide: Download the Jumpstart Your Weight Loss in Menopause Guide at drdebbutler.com/podcast-companion-guide Mini Session: Ready to master your mind? Book a free mini session at drdebbutler.com/workwithme Thinner Peace Quiz: Take the quiz at drdebbutler.com/quiz to identify your obstacles to eating when hungry and stopping when full Peace with Food 30-Day Course - Available at www.drdebbutler.com/joy Now, go listen to the podcast. Click here to listen to the 1st episode. It's the best place to start! If you've been loving my podcast, please subscribe and review the show. The only way it will pop up to others is when people review it, so if you're loving it – pass on the good word!  What You'll Learn From This Episode Why menopause can intensify food cravings and food noise What the Buddhist concept of "shempa" teaches about feeling hooked by urges How the famous Stanford Marshmallow Test connects to weight loss Why your prefrontal cortex is your greatest weight loss tool A simple pause technique that can help calm urges without relying on willpower  

It was always you. https://www.curlynikki.com/daily-devotional-the-peace-that-provides.html

USE CODE DONK50 TO GET 50% OFF YOUR FIRST MONTH ON PATREON UNTIL THE END OF JUNE http://www.patreon.com/lionsledbydonkeys GET JOE'S BOOK Ebook, Audiobook, and Paperbacks now available! https://www.amazon.com/Highlands-Burn-Foundling-Brigade-Saga-ebook/dp/B0GSG5CNXX/ Or you can buy the ebook and audiobook directly from us: https://www.llbdpodcast.com/products/ Get Nate's band's debut album here! https://secondhomesband.com/ Hoping to get one over on their Spartan enemies, Athens is tricked by some fancy furniture and sweet chains and invades Sicily. Before the operation can even start, one commander who is trying to stop the invasion frames another for the crime of sacrilege, leading him to defect to the Spartans and convince them to join the war to stop Athens. Somehow, that isn't even the strangest thing that happens over the next two years. SOURCES: Ellis, Walter M. Alcibiades. New York: Routledge, 1989 Kagan, Donald. The Peace of Nicias and the Sicilian Expedition. Ithaca, N.Y.: Cornell University Press, Thucydides. The Peloponnesian War. Translated by Richard Crawley. Strauss, Barry S., and Josiah Ober. The Anatomy of Error: Ancient Military Disasters and Their Lessons for Modern Strategists. New York: St. Martin's Press, 1990 Porter, Barry. Misplaced Aggression: The Athenian Defeat at Syracuse. Military Heritage. Vol. 9 No. 2.

“What makes Isaiah’s prophecies unique?” Isaiah’s writings from the 700s B.C. present some of the first clear and explicit predictions of the Messiah, including titles like “Wonderful Counselor” and “Prince of Peace.” Additionally, the discussion touches on how Daniel 7 influenced Jewish expectations of the Messiah and addresses objections regarding Jesus’ fulfillment of these prophecies. Join the Catholic Answers Live Club Newsletter Invite our apologists to speak at your parish! Visit Catholicanswersspeakers.com Questions Covered: 00:30 – You point to Isaiah, writing in the 700s B.C., as providing the first clear and explicit prophecies of the Messiah: “Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.” What makes these passages different from what came before? 20:15 – Some Jews read Daniel 7 and concluded that the Messiah would be a heavenly “Son of Man,” hidden with God before creation. That later became Jesus' favorite title for himself. What would that title have communicated to his original audience? 34:00 – One major Jewish objection is that Jesus did not establish universal peace, restore the Davidic throne in Jerusalem, or complete everything associated with the messianic age. How can Christians say he fulfilled the prophecies? 42:45 – A skeptic might respond that Jesus intentionally acted out certain prophecies or that the Gospel writers shaped their narratives to make him appear to fulfill them. How much of the evidence can those explanations account for?

Episode 4160 │ June 27, 2026 A chairman for life, $17 billion unaudited, and a founding member the ICC wants for killing children. They call it, The Board of Peace. WHAT THIS EPISODE COVERS Dispatch Two of The Eighteenth Brumaire of Donald Trump follows the permission structure documented in Dispatch One into the architecture behind it — tracing the Board of Peace, a privately governed institution chaired for life by President Trump with $17 billion in unaudited sovereign donations held at JP Morgan, no democratic accountability, and a founding member who accepted his seat by phone because Switzerland was legally obligated to arrest him for crimes against humanity if he landed, and the Pentagon technology architecture now being consolidated under a civilian whose own words name Peter Thiel's Palantir as the future of American defense. Scott Kesterson then maps the Peter Thiel network — co-founder of PayPal, Facebook's first outside investor, founder of Palantir, co-founder of the Dialog Society that has operated secretly for 20 years, funder of JD Vance's Senate campaign, and publisher of the 2009 essay stating democracy and freedom are incompatible — against the documented placements of Thiel-connected figures throughout the Trump administration, the Pentagon AI architecture, and the Board of Peace. The episode closes with the Brumaire mechanism named precisely: the most sophisticated influence operation is not the one that lies about the problem — it is the one that tells the truth about the problem and controls the map to the solution. KEY QUESTIONS ADDRESSED  What is the Board of Peace — who chairs it for life, who holds its $17 billion in unaudited donations, why could one of its founding members only accept his seat by phone, and where does the $400 million Qatari aircraft go when Trump leaves office? What is the documented relationship between Peter Thiel, JD Vance, Emil Michael at the Pentagon, Palantir's AI targeting architecture, and the Dialog Society — and what does Thiel's own published statement that democracy and freedom are incompatible mean for the institutions being dismantled around it? What is the Brumaire mechanism — and how does the pattern Marx documented in 1852 France, that Paine lived and nearly died for, map onto the America First movement's energy being used to demolish the institutional architecture that constrained the very billionaire class the movement was supposed to challenge? BABOUT BARDSFM BardsFM is a daily independent podcast covering faith, liberty, history, and information warfare. Hosted by Scott Kesterson — combat veteran, documentary filmmaker, and rancher. Over 4,100 episodes and 50 million lifetime downloads. New episodes every weekday. bards.fm This episode was researched and produced under the Sentinel Framework v3 — the analytical methodology built by Scott Kesterson — with AI-assisted research synthesis at a 70/30 human/AI authorship ratio, fully disclosed. All analysis, conclusions, and editorial judgments are those of Scott Kesterson. AFFILIATE LINKS Bards Nation Health Store: www.bardsnationhealth.com MYPillow promo code: BARDS >> Go to https://www.mypillow.com/bards and use the promo code BARDS or... Call 1-800-975-2939.  EMPShield protect your vehicles and home. Promo code BARDS: Click here Treadlite Broadforks...best garden tool EVER. Promo code BARDS26: TreadliteBroadforks.com EnviroKlenz Air Purification, promo code BARDS to save 10%: www.enviroklenz.com Morning Intro Music Provided by Brian Kahanek: www.briankahanek.com Founders Bible 20% discount code: BARDS >>> TheFoundersBible.com Windblown Media 20% Discount with promo code BARDS: windblownmedia.com White Oak Pastures Grassfed Meats, Get $20 off any order $150 or more. Promo Code BARDS: www.whiteoakpastures.com/BARDS Mission Darkness Faraday Bags and RF Shielding. Promo code BARDS: Click here DONATIONS: If you wish to support this podcast directly you can donate here... DONATE: Click here MAILING ADDRESS: Xpedition Cafe, LLC Attn. Scott Kesterson 591 E Central Ave, #740  

This week, Scott sat down with his Lawfare colleagues Kevin Frazier, Roger Parloff, and Molly Roberts to talk through some of the week's big news in AI, including:“Citizen Cain't.” When the NAACP sued Elon Musk's xAI under the Clean Air Act—alleging that the company built dozens of gas-fired turbines to power a data center in Mississippi without relevant air permits and exposing nearby, predominantly Black communities to harmful pollution—the Justice Department opted to do something it has never done before: it intervened in a citizen suit against a private company in order to kill it. DOJ's motion offers two theories: first, that shutting down the turbines would threaten national security because the military relies on xAI's Grok Gov model (including in relation to the Iran war) to secure the nation, and second, that the Constitution's vesting of executive power in the president means private citizens cannot enforce federal law over the executive's objection. How strong are these arguments? And what would it mean for environmental and other citizen-enforcement suits if DOJ were to prevail?“Grok the Vote.” We may be living through the first true “AI elections.” In Manhattan's NY-12 Democratic primary, more than $40 million in AI-industry and AI-safety money turned a little-known assemblyman, Alex Bores, into something of a national referendum on whether voters care about AI regulation and AI safety—though Bores ultimately lost to Micah Lasher this week. Meanwhile, overseas in Malaysia, parties are using chatbots and other AI-driven technologies to reach out to voters in new and novel ways. And just this week in Washington, a new study has concluded that frontier AI is perhaps more persuasive than ever, but also may not be as politically neutral as some suspect or one might hope. What does this all mean for democratic politics when both money and the messaging involved in our politics are increasingly shaped by AI?“Kill, Kill Switch, Kill, Kill!” The government's frontier-AI "kill switch" is now ready to have its first day in court. If you recall, a few weeks ago, the Commerce Department's Bureau of Industry and Security sent Anthropic an "Is Informed" letter ordering it to suspend all access to its Fable 5 and Mythos 5 models for any foreign nationals, including its own employees. This ultimately led Anthropic to pull access to those models for everyone within hours. But this past Monday, June 22, a technology startup called Legion LegalTech filed a lawsuit against the U.S. government alleging that it has acted in a way that is unlawful and raises a number of statutory and constitutional concerns. How strong is the legal challenge, and what does it tell us about whether courts—rather than the executive—will end up defining the government's power to switch a frontier model on and off?In object lessons, Molly sticks to the script for this week's episode with her call-out of Erik Nitsche's “Atoms for Peace” poster series for General Dynamics. Also inspired by this week's theme, Kevin dives into some “light summer reading” about technology, globalization, and the law with “Rules for a Flat World,” by Gillian Hadfield. Roger, similarly, is “unwinding” with “The Winter Warriors,” by Olivier Norek, a novel about the lesser-known David vs. Goliath story of Finland taking on the Soviet Union in 1939. And Scott says enough already! He's headed on vacation next week, and so is Rational Security. We'll be back with a new episode and a rejuvenated Scott on July 9.To receive ad-free podcasts, become a Lawfare Material Supporter at www.patreon.com/lawfare. You can also support Lawfare by making a one-time donation at https://givebutter.com/lawfare-institute.Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/lawfare. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

“Can historical evidence prove Jesus as Messiah?” This question opens a discussion on the differing claims of Christianity, Judaism, and Islam regarding Jesus. The conversation also touches on the expectations of the Messiah in Judaism at the time of Christ and the significance of the Davidic covenant in shaping messianic hope. Additionally, the role of Isaiah’s prophecies in this context is examined. Join the Catholic Answers Live Club Newsletter Invite our apologists to speak at your parish! Visit Catholicanswersspeakers.com Questions Covered: 02:00 – Jimmy, Christianity, Judaism, and Islam all make different claims about Jesus. Christians say he is the divine Messiah. Judaism does not accept him as the Messiah. Islam calls him the Messiah but denies central Christian beliefs about him. Can historical and biblical evidence help us determine which view is correct? 06:20 – In the introduction, you lay out the book's argument in four steps . . . Give us the thirty-thousand-foot view of that case. 07:20 – Before we examine Jesus, what did Judaism at the time of Christ actually expect the Messiah to be and accomplish? 19:30 – Everything in the messianic hope seems to hinge on King David and the promise God made him in 2 Samuel 7—that his throne would be established forever. Tell us about the Davidic covenant and why it matters so much. 36:15 – Then came the Babylonian exile, and suddenly there was no son of David on the throne. How did the Jewish people get from that apparently failed promise to the expectation of a future Messiah? 49:25 – You point to Isaiah, writing in the 700s B.C., as providing the first clear and explicit prophecies of the Messiah: “Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.” What makes these passages different from what came before?

This week, Scott sat down with his Lawfare colleagues Kevin Frazier, Roger Parloff, and Molly Roberts to talk through some of the week's big news in AI, including:“Citizen Cain't.” When the NAACP sued Elon Musk's xAI under the Clean Air Act—alleging that the company built dozens of gas-fired turbines to power a data center in Mississippi without relevant air permits and exposing nearby, predominantly Black communities to harmful pollution—the Justice Department opted to do something it has never done before: it intervened in a citizen suit against a private company in order to kill it. DOJ's motion offers two theories: first, that shutting down the turbines would threaten national security because the military relies on xAI's Grok Gov model (including in relation to the Iran war) to secure the nation, and second, that the Constitution's vesting of executive power in the president means private citizens cannot enforce federal law over the executive's objection. How strong are these arguments? And what would it mean for environmental and other citizen-enforcement suits if DOJ were to prevail?“Grok the Vote.” We may be living through the first true “AI elections.” In Manhattan's NY-12 Democratic primary, more than $40 million in AI-industry and AI-safety money turned a little-known assemblyman, Alex Bores, into something of a national referendum on whether voters care about AI regulation and AI safety—though Bores ultimately lost to Micah Lasher this week. Meanwhile, overseas in Malaysia, parties are using chatbots and other AI-driven technologies to reach out to voters in new and novel ways. And just this week in Washington, a new study has concluded that frontier AI is perhaps more persuasive than ever, but also may not be as politically neutral as some suspect or one might hope. What does this all mean for democratic politics when both money and the messaging involved in our politics are increasingly shaped by AI?“Kill, Kill Switch, Kill, Kill!” The government's frontier-AI "kill switch" is now ready to have its first day in court. If you recall, a few weeks ago, the Commerce Department's Bureau of Industry and Security sent Anthropic an "Is Informed" letter ordering it to suspend all access to its Fable 5 and Mythos 5 models for any foreign nationals, including its own employees. This ultimately led Anthropic to pull access to those models for everyone within hours. But this past Monday, June 22, a technology startup called Legion LegalTech filed a lawsuit against the U.S. government alleging that it has acted in a way that is unlawful and raises a number of statutory and constitutional concerns. How strong is the legal challenge, and what does it tell us about whether courts—rather than the executive—will end up defining the government's power to switch a frontier model on and off?In object lessons, Molly sticks to the script for this week's episode with her call-out of Erik Nitsche's “Atoms for Peace” poster series for General Dynamics. Also inspired by this week's theme, Kevin dives into some “light summer reading” about technology, globalization, and the law with “Rules for a Flat World,” by Gillian Hadfield. Roger, similarly, is “unwinding” with “The Winter Warriors,” by Olivier Norek, a novel about the lesser-known David vs. Goliath story of Finland taking on the Soviet Union in 1939. And Scott says enough already! He's headed on vacation next week, and so is Rational Security. We'll be back with a new episode and a rejuvenated Scott on July 9.To receive ad-free podcasts, become a Lawfare Material Supporter at www.patreon.com/lawfare. You can also support Lawfare by making a one-time donation at https://givebutter.com/lawfare-institute. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Subscribe now for an ad-free experience. Danny and Derek's promise ring ceremony regrettably must be relocated from MSG due to a scheduling conflict. In this week's news: The Iran negotiations show signs of progress (1:26) despite disputes over the agreement (5:20), plus conflicting reports over the status of the Strait of Hormuz* (9:24); Lebanon sees a reduction in fighting and another round of talks (12:31); in Gaza, Israel is targeting children (15:38), plus a Board of Peace update (16:48); Keir Starmer resigns as PM of the UK (18:40); the DPRK/North Korea appears to be back on Trump's radar (21:18); a battle over El Obeid, Sudan, still looms (22:53); Trump is again angry with NATO and has a spat with Italian PM Meloni (25:07); in Russia-Ukraine, an update on the war (27:40), Poland strips Zelenskyy of an award (30:21), and the Russians are again displeased with Trump (32:40); election updates in Colombia (34:25), Peru (36:08), and Ethiopia (37:27); and Trump unveils the new Air Force One (39:23). *After the time of recording, the initiative to rescue stranded ships in the Strait of Hormuz was paused due to a vessel being attacked.  Check out the replay of Wednesday's livestream.  Join the Discord. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

When students begin to study international politics, they meet some very old and well-established schools of thought. These approaches disagree about a fundamental question: what is the most important kind of information to acquire? One school of thought recommends studying power: who holds the weapons, and who fears whom. From that, the thinking goes, you'll be able to map the hierarchies and relationships that tell you everything essential that you need to know. Another recommends studying the cultures and dominant ideas that constitute the spirit of a given regime—to try to understand the way a nation will behave based on what it loves, what it honors, and how it understands itself.  Of course, ideally you would want to understand both. This week, I'm bringing together two of the most sophisticated, interesting analysts of the Middle East to discuss how they approach the region. When Michael Doran looks at the Middle East, he focuses relative power. Doing so gives him the ability to separate the signal from the noise. The vitality of theological disputes and national cultures is constrained by the ability of the state to deploy force, whether in Iran, Egypt, Turkey, or Saudi Arabia. When Hussein Aboubakr Mansour looks at the Middle East, by contrast, he sees a set of ideologies whose provenance he traces back to European philosophy. How do these two angles of vision relate to one another, and what does each offer? And what do they reflect back to us about America and the West?  Michael Doran is a senior fellow and director of the Center for Peace and Security in the Middle East at the Hudson Institute, and host, together with Gadi Taub, of the podcast Israel Update, which is cosponsored by Hudson and Tablet. Hussein Aboubakr Mansour is a fellow at JINSA's Gemunder Center, a columnist at Mosaic, and the author of the Abrahamic Metacritique on Substack. This conversation was recorded live in front of an audience of elite undergraduates, participating in this year's Beren Summer Fellowship, where this week, Michael Doran and Hussein Aboubakr Mansour have been resident faculty members. This episode of The Tikvah Podcast is generously sponsored by Vicki Phillips in memory of Phyllis Bordorf. If you are interested in sponsoring an episode of The Tikvah Podcast, we invite you to join the Tikvah Ideas Circle. Visit tikvah.org/circle to learn more and join. 

You can bring all of your emotions to God–the happy and hard. Doing so isn't doubt; it's proof that you trust him. He wants to know how you're really doing today. ResourcesPrayers for Peace of Mind by Holley Gerth

On this episode of Peace Bound and Down: A Wonder Woman Podcast, Sean is joined by Billy D, host of Magazines and Monsters and many other shows, to discuss Wonder Woman Vol. 2, Issue 19! It's finally time for Diana to face off with her nemesis, Circe! Can Diana survive? Is Julia a secret bada$$? And what happened to Mindi Meyer? This podcast is a proud member of the FIRE AND WATER PODCAST NETWORK: Fire & Water website: http://fireandwaterpodcast.com Fire & Water Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/FWPodcastNetwork Fire & Water on Twitter/X: https://x.com/FWPodcasts Fire & Water on Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/fwpodcasts.bsky.social Fire & Water Podcast Network on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/fwpodcasts Promos: Magazines and Monsters Bringing a little peace to man's world each month.

Today on Unsupervised Learning Razib talks to Zineb Riboua, a research fellow and program manager of Hudson Institute's Center for Peace and Security in the Middle East. She specializes in Chinese and Russian involvement in the Middle East, the Sahel, and North Africa, great power competition in the region, and Israeli-Arab relations. Riboua's pieces and commentary have appeared in the Wall Street Journal, Foreign Policy, the National Interest, the Jerusalem Post and Tablet among other outlets. She holds a master's of public policy from the McCourt School of Public Policy at Georgetown University. She did her undergraduate studies in France, where she attended French preparatory classes and HEC Paris' Grande Ecole program. Her Substack is Beyond the Ideological. Razib and Zineb Riboua discuss the concept of Third Worldism (following up on an earlier podcast), its historical context, and its contemporary relevance. Riboua explains that Third Worldism positions the decolonizing world as a historical actor seeking revenge and redistribution from the West, emphasizing the West's role in global South underdevelopment. They explore its manifestations in politics, particularly in the US and Europe, and its influence on foreign policy, highlighting the role of Israel as a central issue. Riboua also touches on the economic and political challenges faced by Iran and the Middle East, and the evolving dynamics of Islam in global politics.  

Today, on Karl and Crew, we wrapped up our weekly theme, "Temptation," by discussing various temptations with experts in their fields and how they overcome them. Dr. Winfred Neely joined us to discuss the temptation to manage worry in our own strength. He explained the difference between worry and concern and how believers can experience God’s peace by drawing near to Him in faith. Dr. Neely is Professor Emeritus of Old Testament, Biblical Interpretation, and Preaching at Moody Bible Institute and author of "How to Overcome Worry – Experiencing the Peace of God in Every Situation." Dr. Michael Rydelnik also joined us to talk about spiritual conflict in the Middle East, the danger of remaining silent in the face of evil, and how believers can stand firm by reading, meditating on, and speaking the Word of God. Dr. Rydelnik is Professor Emeritus of Jewish Studies and Bible and an Adjunct Professor in the undergraduate program at Moody Bible Institute. He is the author of "How Should Christians Think About Israel?" Omer Eshel joined us from Israel to discuss the reported protests in Gaza against Hamas. He explained how many Palestinian civilians are seeking freedom from Hamas’ control, urging believers to pray for peace, protection, and the people caught in the middle. Omer is the CEO and Co-founder of The Bible Comes to Life Travel and Educational Center. We then opened the phone lines to hear from our listeners and posed the question, “What temptation has God given you victory over?” You can catch the highlights of today’s program on the Karl and Crew Showcast If you're looking to hear a particular segment from the show, look at the following time stamps:Dr. Winfred Neely [ 44:34 ]Dr. Michael Rydelnik [ 13:38 ]Omer Eshel [ 7:04 ]Caller Segment [ 32:27 ]Donate to Moody Radio: http://moodyradio.org/donateto/morningshowSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Martha and Mary both loved the Lord, but their actions revealed two very different priorities. Martha was busy serving, preparing, cleaning, and trying to please Jesus through activity. Mary, however, sat at His feet and listened to His Word. In today's episode of the MY Devotional Podcast, Dr. Michael Youssef reminds believers to beware of anything—even good things—that crowds the Lord out of our lives. Jesus gently corrected Martha because she was “worried and upset about many things,” while Mary had chosen what was better. The issue was not service itself, but preoccupation. Martha's anxiety came from being consumed with the temporary things of life instead of resting in the eternal value of God's Word and the presence of Christ. Dr. Youssef explains that anxiety often reveals where we are seeking security and peace apart from the Lord. C.S. Lewis observed that God designed the human soul to run on Himself—and that lasting happiness and peace cannot be found apart from Him. Like Martha, we may sincerely desire to please God while still stressing over unnecessary tasks, emotions, and expectations. But when Christ becomes the center of our lives, our priorities are reordered, and He fills us with His peace, assurance, and hope. Prayer: Father, pour Your peace into my heart and mind as I release the cares of this world and focus on You. I pray in the name of Jesus. Amen. “And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:7). Learn more in Dr. Michael A. Youssef's sermon Jesus: Know Him and Live, Part 1: LISTEN NOW The voice you hear on the MY Devotional podcast is digitally generated with Dr. Youssef's permission. If today's devotional stirred a question, burden, or need for prayer, you don't have to walk through it alone.

Air Date: 6/24/2026 The Monthly-ish Mix™ is here to get you caught up on recent news without being overwhelming! If you've been pulling back from the news for your own sanity, this one's built for you — a quick recap and reference guide to the past month or two, organized around a single idea: when power can't earn legitimacy, it manufactures it. The performance. Spectacle, religion, and health branding standing in for real consent: Trump collecting a FIFA "peace prize," Christian nationalism worn as a costume the actual church refuses to bless, and RFK Jr. dressing up a gutted vaccine agenda as "moderate," scapegoating immigrants as he goes, while the USAID cuts run up a body count. The machinery. The infrastructure that keeps the performance going while real consent drains away underneath: a legal system bent toward self-dealing and a $1.8 billion slush fund, billionaire money rewriting the rules since Citizens United, an AI gold rush sold as inevitable before anyone voted on it, and an economy booming on paper while the ground shifts under everyone's feet. The vacuum and the reclaiming. What rushes in when legitimacy collapses, from normalized political violence to a manifesto born of that collapse — and then the democratic answer: why the rupture hasn't come, why revolutions tend to devour themselves, and why the slower work wins. Nonviolent movements draw eleven times the participation, and the ballot box the Supreme Court is fighting hardest to narrow is the same one that just turned out 78% of Hungary to remove Orbán. Full Show Notes Be part of the show! Leave a voice message, message us on Signal at the handle bestoftheleft.01, or email Jay@BestOfTheLeft.com BestOfTheLeft.com/Support (Members Get Bonus Shows + No Ads!) Use our links to shop Bookshop.org and Libro.fm for a non-evil book and audiobook purchasing experience! Join our Discord community! SECTION 1: THE PERFORMANCE OF LEGITIMACY (00:01:31) #1798 - FIFA Sportswashing Fascism: The World Cup from Mussolini to Trump 1: Trump Is a 'master Marketer' Symone Reacts to President Getting FIFA Peace Prize - Chris Jansing Reports - Air Date 12-5-25 2: Jules Boykoff on World Cup and Sportswashing Part 1 - CounterSpin - Air Date 5-15-26 3: Trump LOSES IT as FIFA SUFFERS MAJOR CRISIS!! Part 1 - MeidasTouch - Air Date 5-6-26 (00:23:20) #1787 - The American President vs The American Pope: Leo XIV, Trump, and the MAGA-Catholic Rift 4: Someone Tell Pete Hegseth That "Pulp Fiction" Isn't in the Bible - Takes™ by Jamelle Bouie - Air Date 4-18-26 5: "Two Versions of Christianity": Pope Leo Calls for Peace as U.S. Uses Religion to Justify Iran War - Democracy Now! - Air Date 4-1-26 6: Why America and the Vatican Have Fallen Out - TLDR News Global - Air Date 4-11-26 (00:46:03) #1794 - From MAHA to Measles: RFK's Public Health Purge Will Make America Sick Again 7: Why RFK Jr. Is Projecting a More 'Moderate' MAHA Stance - The Brian Lehrer Show - Air Date 4-27-26 8: RFK Jr Goes Full Eugenics to Congress; IMMIGRANTS BRING DISEASE - Brittany Page - Air Date 4-22-26 9: As WHO Declares Ebola Outbreak a Global Health Emergency, Did USAID Cuts Worsen the Crisis - Democracy Now! - Air Date 5-18-26 SECTION 2: THE MACHINERY & THE LEAK (01:13:10) #1796 - 1.8 Billion for the Mob and a Kill List for Dissent: Trump's payout fund and counterterrorism strategy, decoded 10: We Will Find You and We Will Kill You Part 1 - The Intercept Briefing - Air Date 5-15-26 11: Congress Strikes Back as Trump Rushes $1.8 Billion Scam - Legal AF by MeidasTouch - Air Date 5-18-26 12: Dictatorship in Action David Cay Johnston on $1.8B Slush Fund Part 2 - Democracy Now! - Air Date 5-20-26 (01:34:00) #1792 - Capitalist Class Warfare: AI, Billionaire Capture, and the How to Fight Back 13: The Case Against Billionaires | Chuck Collins - Washington Monthly - Air Date 1-5-26 14: How Oligarchs Hijacked America in Just 16 Year - Benaminute - Air Date 4-30-26 15: It Will Be 17 Times Worse Than the .com Crash - Upper Echelon - Air Date 5-7-26 (02:04:29) #1797 - AI Spent $540 Billion to Make You Lonelier: Betting Against Jobs, Art, and Community 16: Will SpaceX and OpenAI Starve the Market? - UNFTR Media - Air Date 5-26-26 17: Astra Taylor on AI Data Center Resistance & Fighting "Billionaire Big Tech Agenda"- Democracy Now! - Air Date 5-13-26 18: The AI Backlash Just Got VERY Public - House of El - AI - Air Date 5-24-26 (02:33:22) #1789 - Boomcession: Why the Economy Looks Great on Paper and Hurts in Real Life 19: Monday Morning Economy Politics Inflation Soars Part 1 - The Brian Lehrer Show - Air Date 4-13-26 20: Economic Implications of the U.S. War on Iran Part 1 - Economic Update with Richard Wolff - Air Date 4-14-26 21: These Georgia Swing Voters Do Not Like the Iran War - The NPR Politics Podcast - Air Date 4-16-26 (02:58:12) #1793 - Anti-Immigrant Brutality Costs Countries More Than Their Morals: ICE, Mass Deportation, and the Global Far-Right 22: Trumps Brutal Immigration Crackdown Continues Part 1 - Velshi - Air Date 3-21-26 23: 'Buyer's Remorse' This Trump Stronghold TURNS on Massive ICE Facility Part 1 - MS Now - Air Date 4-20-26 SECTION 3: THE VACUUM & THE RECLAIMING (03:15:42) #1790 - Assassin Nation: How Political Violence Got Normalized And How To Reverse It 24: "Slow Civil War" Author Jeff Sharlet on the Growing NormalAation of Violence at Home & Abroad - Democracy Now! - Air Date 4-27-26 25: The Cole Hard Truth - The Muckrake Political Podcast - Air Date 4-28-26 26: The White House Correspondents Dinner Shooting: What the "Political Violence" Framing Is Hiding - Resistance History with Tad Stoermer - Air Date 4-26-26 (03:42:14) #1795 - You Say You Want A Revolution: Successful Revolutions are the Boring Ones 27: Why the Epstein Files Didn't Start a Revolution - Uncivilized - Air Date 4-21-26 28: Is The US In Its French Revolution Era? - Leeja Miller - Air Date 5-13-26 29: Why Nonviolence Wins - Degenerate Art by Andrea Pitzer - Air Date 5-14-26 (04:14:56) #1791 - Jim Crow 2.0 — SCOTUS Kills the Voting Rights Act and Unleashes the Gerrymandering War 30: Louisiana Is Ground Zero for Voting Rights, Abortion Pill Access Part 1 - Boom! Lawyered - Air Date 5-7-26 31: Elie Mystal Supreme Court Gutting Voting Rights Act Is About Again Making US an Apartheid State Part 1 - The Dean Obeidallah Show - Air Date 5-1-26 32: What Stacey Abrams Thinks About a Recent SCOTUS Decision and the Voting Rights Amendment Part 2 - Soundside - Air Date 5-526   Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com Listen Anywhere! BestOfTheLeft.com/Listen Listen Anywhere! Follow BotL: Bluesky | Mastodon | Threads | X Like at Facebook.com/BestOfTheLeft Contact me directly at Jay@BestOfTheLeft.com

Day 1,581.As the clock ticks down on President Zelensky's ultimatum to Belarus, Dom examines reports that the drone relay stations Kyiv accused Minsk of hosting have suddenly stopped working – and asks whether Lukashenko may be edging away from Putin. He also has the latest on Ukraine's long-range strikes deep inside Russia, as France seizes another shadow fleet tanker and Kyiv presses its campaign to raise the cost of war for the Kremlin. Francis unpacks NATO secretary general Mark Rutte's visit to Donald Trump in the Oval Office. Later, we take you to Gdańsk for the Ukraine Recovery Conference, where the first tranche of the EU's €90 billion support package is formally handed over to Kyiv.Contributors: Francis Dearnley (Host on Ukraine: The Latest). @FrancisDearnley on X.Dominic Nicholls (Host on Ukraine: The Latest). @DomNicholls on X.With thanks to Orysia Lutsevych, head of the Ukraine Forum at Chatham House.Producer: Phil AtkinsSenior Producer: Lilian FawcettVideo Producer: Sophie O'SullivanSocial Producer: Tom SteedStudio Director: Meghan SearleExecutive Editor: Francis DearnleyCreated by David KnowlesNOW IN FULL VIDEO WITH MAPS & BATTLEFIELD FOOTAGE:Every episode is now available on our YouTube channel shortly after the release of the audio version. You will find it here: https://www.youtube.com/@UkraineTheLatest CONTENT REFERENCED:Orysia Lutsevych's Chatham House paper, ‘Why a ‘whole-of-society' model is essential for Ukraine's recovery':https://www.chathamhouse.org/2026/06/why-whole-society-model-essential-ukraines-recovery «Дураки за деньги закончились»: как российские власти пытаются решить проблему нехватки контрактников (Vertska, in Russian)https://verstka.media/kak-rossiiskie-vlasti-pytayutsya-reshit-problemu-nehvatki-kontraktnikov EMAIL US:Contact the team on ukrainepod@telegraph.co.uk. We continue to read every message, and seek to respond to as many as possible.HIGHLIGHTS:Putin sacrifices Crimea air defences to shield MoscowZelensky says 'Russia will be forced to choose peace' Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Let's talk about updates on Iran, Trump, peace, War Powers, and capitol hill.…

Welcome to 5 Minutes of Peace, a moment to reflect, recharge, and renew.In this episode, writer and creativity guide Lisa Tener invites listeners into the playful and spacious world of poetry.Lisa shares two original poems that explore very human experiences: exhaustion and the deeper questions we carry through life.The first poem uses simple, rhythmic language and wide spaces between words to capture the feeling of being worn out — and the natural cycle of rest, reset, and renewal. Through playful imagery of a dog chasing and rediscovering a bone, the poem gently reminds us that renewal often begins when we pause, release, and allow ourselves to start again.Her second poem turns toward deeper territory, reflecting on the emotional and spiritual “bones” we inherit from our ancestors — beliefs, wounds, and questions that can linger across generations. Rather than offering easy answers, the poem invites curiosity and compassion as we explore the patterns and stories that shape us.Lisa closes by encouraging listeners to approach poetry as an experiment in awareness and creativity. Whether through journaling, writing a poem, or simply sitting with a question, creative expression can become a pathway to insight and healing.You can learn more about Lisa Tanner, her writing programs, and her creative writing groups at lisatener.com, where she also offers resources for those interested in starting their own nonfiction books or exploring mindful writing practices.Thank you for listening — and thank yourself for taking five minutes of peace.

This is The Visionary Breakthrough Sessions, a live, intimate coaching experience with members of my private HDx Collective. In each session, we decode the energetic patterns holding them back and unlock the identity shift required to lead, scale, and succeed in alignment with their Human Design. These sessions are by application only and exclusively available inside the HDx Collective.

Bridget has a chatty neighbor, but she wants her her morning peace. He's a nice guy, but she wants to enjoy her morning quiet time -- what should she do? Jason, Colleen, Holly, and YOU help Bridget FIX HER LIFE! See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

The Tim Conway Jr. Show Hour 3 (6.24) Illegal fireworks crackdown season is underway ahead of July 4, with authorities seizing tens of thousands of pounds — but Timmy’s betting the City of Angels will still be lit up with bangers, crackers, and flashers anyway. The FIFA World Cup final is coming July 19 on the East Coast, so we’ve still got almost a full month of this global party — get out there and talk to some foreigners! Back in Boyle Heights, the massive warehouse fire is finally out, but now the real nightmare begins: millions of pounds of rotting food attracting flies, bugs, mosquitoes, and rats the size of small dogs. On a brighter note, Disney fans rejoice — Walt Disney’s original Grumman Gulfstream I plane, Mickey Mouse One, has been beautifully restored after decades and is now on display at the Palm Springs Air Museum. And finally, someone hilariously trolled Liberty Medical’s customer service line by stitching together Wilford Brimley’s iconic diabetes commercial voice — Atta boy, Brimley! Classic Conway mix of fireworks, soccer, Disney nostalgia, and random laughs. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Welcome to The Times of Israel's Daily Briefing, your 20-minute audio update on what's happening in Israel, the Middle East and the Jewish world. ToI founding editor David Horovitz joins host Jessica Steinberg for today's episode. With US President Donald Trump desperately attempting to end the war with Iran, Horovitz reviews the mixed messaging delivered by the US leader as he fawns over the Tehran regime's "nice, new" leaders and signs a "peace" deal that doesn't achieve any war goals but that he may think will keep alive his dream of the Nobel Peace Prize. Horovitz notes that the US readiness to authorize an Iranian role in Lebanon is undermining the unique readiness of the Beirut government to work with Israel toward a diplomatic, long-term arrangement. Rather than disconnecting Iran from Hezbollah -- an explicit war goal -- the US is essentially partnering with Iran regarding Lebanon's future, dooming the Israel-Lebanon talks it is currently hosting in Washington, DC. Our discussion moves on to Tuesday's New York City primaries, in which two virulently anti-Israel Democratic Socialists of America candidates and one progressive Democrat won elections against more established candidates, further bolstering Mayor Zohran Mamdani and his anti-Zionist politics in the rapidly changing city. Check out The Times of Israel's ongoing liveblog for more updates. For further reading: In Trump’s delusions of peace with Iran and efforts to bully Israel, dark echoes of appeasement Trump’s deal is a catastrophic capitulation to Iran’s aggressors, leaves Israel vulnerable and constrained American pro-Israel activists may have just had their worst week ever Mamdani-backed primary sweep further cements anti-Zionist politics in NYC Subscribe to The Times of Israel Daily Briefing on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, or wherever you get your podcasts. This episode was produced by Yitzchak Ledee. IMAGE: ToI founding editor David Horovitz joins host Jessica Steinberg on today's Daily Briefing podcast (Nathan Howard/Pool Photo via AP)See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

“And after eight days again his disciples were within, and Thomas with them: then came Jesus, the doors being shut, and stood in the midst, and said, Peace be unto you.” (John 20:26) In His ea... More...

Hello, Beautiful...I'm so grateful you're here with me. You are allowed to release what has been weighing you down. This calming meditation helps you let go of fear, emotional heaviness, and old stories so you can reconnect with freedom and peace. Let yourself awaken to the lightness, healing, and liberation available within you. Love,

In this Think Thursday episode, Molly explores reminiscing as more than nostalgia. After returning from a family reunion, she reflects on how shared stories can reconnect us with earlier versions of ourselves and remind us of the courage, humor, resilience, and connection that are still part of who we are. Key Points Reminiscing is not just remembering events; it is reconnecting with identity, meaning, and emotion.  Autobiographical memories help us understand our personal life story and the versions of ourselves we have been.  Family stories can preserve shared identity by reminding us what we value, what we survived, and how we belong to one another.  Healthy reminiscing can support behavior change by reminding us that our current emotional state is not the whole story.  Reminiscing is different from rumination. Rumination loops in shame or regret, while reminiscing helps us integrate the past with curiosity and compassion.  The past can be a courtroom or a library: rumination puts us on trial, but reminiscing helps us retrieve something useful. Science Mentioned The hippocampus helps organize memory and context.  The medial prefrontal cortex is involved in self-reflection and personal meaning.  The default mode network becomes active when we think about ourselves, our past, our future, and the stories that shape our lives.  Erik Erikson's stage of integrity versus despair describes the process of looking back over life and making meaning from both joys and losses. Think Thursday Invitation Take ten minutes to intentionally reminisce.  Look through old photos, listen to a meaningful song, ask a family member to tell a story, or think about a place you used to love.  Ask yourself:  What version of me was present in that memory?  What mattered to me then?  What does this memory remind me is still part of me?  What is one small way I could bring that version of myself into today? Closing ThoughtLooking back is not always about wanting to go backward. Sometimes reminiscing helps us gather pieces of ourselves we forgot we could bring forward. ★ Support this podcast ★

Long before humanity learned how to build civilizations, economies, governments, religions, or marriage, another architecture was already under construction. It was invisible, portable, and profoundly consequential. It determined not merely how people survived, but where they believed life itself originated. Every culture eventually answered the same question, whether consciously or unconsciously: What must another person provide before I can become fully myself? That answer became the hidden constitution of human intimacy. Perhaps the history of romantic love is not primarily the history of affection. Perhaps it is the history of psychological outsourcing. The history of transferring inward responsibilities onto outward relationships until another human being quietly inherited assignments consciousness never intended them to carry. Happiness became negotiable. Peace became conditional. Worth required witnesses. Identity required agreement. Love became increasingly measured by how successfully one person could regulate another person's interior world. What if that entire direction represents a developmental inversion? Developmental psychology demonstrates that authentic dependency belongs to infancy. Contemplative traditions repeatedly suggest that realization gradually loosens psychological clinging rather than perfecting it. Theological traditions describe Ultimate Reality as fundamentally self-sufficient rather than psychologically deficient. Yet modern intimacy often continues to organize itself around the assumption that another human being should supply what an increasingly mature consciousness might eventually cultivate from within. This conversation refuses to treat that assumption as sacred.

Are you carrying hidden burdens that cloud your vision of the future? In this guided Reiki journey, Colleen Benelli leads you across the Bridge of Light and into the River of Peace to gently dissolve the anxiety, stress, and old stories holding you back. Step into the Field of Possibilities to clarify your next steps and open your awareness to the aligned opportunities presenting themselves in your life right now. Key Insights Somatic Release in the Fascia: High levels of collective stress accumulate physically within the human body's nervous system and fascia. Utilizing the purifying energy of Reiki at the River of Peace gently lifts away these energetic blockages, clearing out the underlying tension, anxiety, and doubt that obscure your true vision. Sovereignty Through Cord Detachment: Throughout our lives, we inadvertently maintain heavy cords, attachments, and expectations originating from ancestral history, cultural conditioning, or lived trauma. Activating the power of love and divine compassion allows you to dissolve these energetic attachments safely, reclaiming your personal sovereignty and opening up mental space for new pathways. The Butterfly Effect of Opportunities: Within the Field of Possibilities, every butterfly floating through the meadow represents a unique potential direction or creative idea. Some of these options are meant to be light daydreams, while others will directly approach you; learning to pause allows your body's innate intuition to discern which ones are meant for physical manifestation. Integrating Divine and Human Research: True spiritual manifestation relies on balance; you must successfully bridge the metaphysical insights gained in the higher realms with real-world execution. Bringing your "divine research" back across the Bridge of Light into your lower chakras ensures your highest insights are securely anchored into logical, everyday action. People Also Ask (FAQ) What is the 'Tree of Life' meditation in Reiki? The Tree of Life meditation is a practice used to establish structural stability and alignment. It serves as a powerful conduit, allowing you to stay balanced and securely rooted into the earth's light while simultaneously opening your heart and soul star to receive higher divine compassion from above. How do I use automatic writing during a guided meditation? Automatic writing involves relaxing your analytical focus and letting a pen move across paper immediately following or during a meditation. By bypassing the logical human mind, this practice brings forward direct, uncensored guidance regarding the exact timing and practical reality of your future goals. Why should I combine my logical mind with intuitive guidance? True discernment blends your internal guidance with your human guidance (instincts and lower chakras) and your divine guidance (upper chakras). When your logical human mind communicates seamlessly with your heart and soul's knowledge, you gain the clarity necessary to choose authentic paths over passing daydreams. Connect with Robyn and Colleen Website: https://reikilifestyle.com Podcast: https://reikilifestyle.com/podcast/ Community: Join our next Distance Reiki Share: https://reikilifestyle.com/reiki-share/ **DISCLAIMER** This episode is not a substitute for seeking professional medical care but is offered for relaxation and stress reduction, which supports the body's natural healing capabilities. Reiki is a complement to and never a replacement for professional medical care. Colleen and Robyn are not licensed professional healthcare providers and urge you to always seek out the appropriate physical and mental help professional healthcare providers may offer. Results vary by individual.

Were you looking for more episodes of our new spinoff "Unsung Heroes of the Beatles with Tommy?"  No?  Well we have some anyway, with our guest Mr. Richard Pritchard, who hits an early Magical Mystery Word.In the episode proper we talk about the sexiest professions, the new Ringo release, if Taylor is above Ringo on the Illuminati scale, the Billy Preston doc, the best rock and roll codas, and the cheeky bop, "Lovely Rita."As always, you can find Team Blotto Beatles on Instagram (@blottobeatles) and Twitter / X (@blottobeatles), by emailing us (blottobeatles@gmail.com), or on the web (blottobeatles.com).  We want to hear from you!Please also take the time to rate and review us on Apple podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts.We have a shop!  Grab some merch.  You can always drunk dial us at 1.857.233.9793 to share your thoughts, feedback, confessions, and concerns to be featured in an upcoming episode. Enjoying the show? Buy us a beer via the tip jar (don't forget to include a message telling us what we should drink with the money).You know we're making a list of it, see the canonical, argument-ending list of Beatles songs we are assembling here: http://www.blottobeatles.com & listen to it on Spotify here.Please remember to always enjoy Blotto Beatles responsibly.Peace and Love.Hosts: Becker and TommyExecutive Producer: Scotty C.Senior Director of Sonic Strategies: RBAssociate Musical Supervision: Tim Clark (@nodisassemble)Artist-in-Residence: Colin Driscoll (@theroyal.we)

Some days just suck and that’s okay. Here’s what you can do about it with simple these mood elevators. There will be times when a bad mood hangs around. Maybe something triggered you. It could be a cloudy day when you counted on sunshine. Or you might feel crummy or no reason at all. You just feel off. [Join me at the Intuition Cafe – the 1st & 3rd Wednesdays every month from 10 -11am ET for just $11/session.] Feeling Dysregulated A lot of people describe this as feeling dysregulated, which includes feeling anxious, irritable, overwhelmed, emotionally reactive, or just plain blah. The truth is there’s likely nothing truly wrong. You’ve had too much stress, too much news, too many demands. You haven’t had enough downtime or sleep. You’re overdue for some self-care. The good news? You don’t need therapy, a silent meditation retreat, or an appointment of any kind to feel more at peace. These five simple mood elevators are free, fast, and surprisingly powerful. I’m sharing them today because honestly, I’ve been in a mood myself for a few days and putting this together for you has already lifted my spirits. 1. Start Moving One of the fastest ways to lift your mood is to move your body, even for just a couple of minutes. Go outside, especially if it’s sunny. Fresh air and natural light work quickly to shift your emotional state. But even a rainy day has its benefits. Rain actually reduces an overabundance of positive ions that are absorbed from electronics and screens. Walking in the rain, taking a shower, or spending time near moving water like a stream or the ocean helps clear that energetic overload. Other easy options: Put on your favorite music and dance around the room for three minutes Take a short walk around the block Do a few minutes of stretching Try just three yoga poses Get physical, even briefly, and watch how quickly things start to shift 2. Stop Arguing with Reality When you’re in a bad mood, your mind can drift to unhappy thoughts. Then you might think you shouldn’t feel this way. Or other people have it worse and even things aren’t really that bad. But pushing your feelings away doesn’t make them go away. It suppresses them, and that’s not good for your emotional health long-term. The faster path to feeling more at peace is actually to own what you’re feeling. Face it. Accept it. Don’t make yourself wrong for it. When you acknowledge your feelings, even the uncomfortable ones, that’s often the quickest way to move through them and come out the other side. 3. Find One Tiny Thing Going Your Way Okay, this might feel difficult, but the truth is EVERYTHING is not bad. Even on your worst days, something is working in your favor. You don’t need to drag out you gratitude journal or make a list of 20 things. Just noticing one positive thing will be a solid mood elevator. Did you eat a good lunch? Find something on sale? Pay your bills and have a little left over? Hit a string of green lights? (One of my personal favorites!) These tiny moments count. I’ll share one that happened to me just yesterday. A client I coached a few years ago texted to say he got engaged. He was a sweet guy who struggled with social anxiety around dating, and we worked together to find some simple solutions. He sent me their happy engagement photo and said it wouldn’t have happened without me. I left him the most choked-up voicemail. That moment brought me completely to tears in the best heart-filled way. Finding even one thing that’s going your way shifts your brain out of fight or flight mode and into a place of greater peace and joy. Try it right now. 4. Call a Funny Friend As I was sitting down to write this episode, my phone rang. It was my friend Tammy. She has this gift for finding the humor in everything. We ended up reminiscing about our 20s, when we’d get together every Thursday night to listen to new music and dance in my living room. Laughing with someone who knows you well is one of the most a powerful mood elevators. If you have a friend with a good sense of humor, call her. Tell her your moody little story. Find the humor in it together. Nostalgia is genuinely uplifting. That’s why people love a good stroll down memory lane. Childhood stories, old shared jokes, funny memories are all good stuff, and can absolutely raise your spirits. Who could you call right now? 5. Create a Moment of Delight This is a fun one. What’s one small, easy thing that’s guaranteed to bring a little joy back into your day? Here’s mine – mascara. I stopped wearing mascara during COVID. Who was I going to see? But this year I started putting it on again every single day, just for me. When I catch myself in the mirror now, I smile. Those long dark lashes make me feel pretty and more youthful. That’s a genuine moment of delight, and it costs almost nothing. Here’s another one. I recently discovered a brand of sugar-free chocolate made with allulose that tastes just like the real thing. No funny aftertaste, no compromise and only one carb! It’s called Goalz  I’m not getting paid to say that, I just love it and had to share. Your moment of delight might be an iced coffee, a hot scented bath, a funny cat video, drawing Zentangles, or cutting flowers from your garden to put on the kitchen table. Whatever it is, do it now. Don’t wait until later. You deserve a moment of delight today. Bonus: Ground Yourself and Breathe Sometimes what you really need is to reconnect with the earth beneath your feet which is one of the most powerful mood elevators. Try this: This is a three-minute practice. Close your eyes and imagine sending roots down from the soles of your feet, deep into the earth. Connect with the soil, stones,  plants, and all the creatures. Acknowledge the four directions and all the elements. Say hello to the nature spirits. Thank Mother Earth for giving you a home for this life. Then take three slow, deep breaths. With each inhale, draw earth energy back up through those roots, up through your feet, and into your body. Draw the energy all the way up through the top of your head. As that energy rises, picture each of your chakras lighting up in sequence from root to crown. Notice how you feel afterward. This simple practice can open your energy field, deepen your breathing, and calm your nervous system. It can help you feel genuinely connected again. Your connection to the earth and nature is one of the most reliable paths to inner peace. Key Takeaways Feeling dysregulated or moody is normal. It doesn’t mean something is truly wrong. Moving your body, even for just a few minutes, is one of the fastest ways to shift your emotional state. Accepting your feelings rather than fighting them helps you move through them more quickly. Gratitude doesn’t have to be a big practice. One good thing is enough to help shift your brain out of fight or flight mode. Laughter and nostalgia are genuinely powerful mood elevators. Do not underestimate them. Small moments of delight are available to you right now, today, at little to no cost. Grounding with breathwork can reset your energy and restore a sense of peace in just a few minutes. Frequently Asked Questions What does it mean to feel dysregulated? Feeling dysregulated means your nervous system is out of balance. You might feel anxious, irritable, emotionally reactive, exhausted, or unable to focus. It’s often caused by too much stress, too little rest, or sensory overload from things like news and social media. It’s not a clinical diagnosis, it simply means your system needs some care and reset. What are the fastest ways to lift your mood naturally? The fastest natural mood boosters include moving your body (even briefly), going outside, calling a funny friend, and finding one small thing to feel grateful for. These methods work because they shift your nervous system out of threat mode without requiring any appointments, products, or significant time. Why does changing your physical state help your mood? Your body and mind are deeply connected. Physical movement releases tension, shifts your energy, and triggers neurochemical changes that help you feel better. Even three minutes of dancing, a short walk, or standing in sunlight can have a noticeable effect on how you feel emotionally. Is it okay to just sit with a bad mood? Yes, and in fact, accepting your feelings rather than fighting them is often the most effective approach. Suppressing emotions keeps them stuck. Acknowledging them without judgment allows them to move through you naturally. What is grounding and how does it help emotional well-being? Grounding is a practice of consciously connecting your energy to the earth. It can involve visualization, breathwork, or walking barefoot outside. Grounding helps regulate your nervous system, deepen your breathing, and restore a sense of calm and inner peace. It’s one of the best mood elevators! How can I feel more at peace on a difficult day? Start small. Move  your body, accept how you’re feeling without judgment, or find one tiny thing going your way. You might reach out to someone who makes you laugh, treat yourself to one small moment of delight, or take a few slow deep breaths. You don’t need to do all six. Even one can begin to shift your mood. Now you know that feeling moody from time to time is part of being human. And, the good news is that you have more tools than you might think to feel more at peace and most of them are easy and already within reach. The post Try These 5 Simple Mood Elevators To Feel Greater Peace appeared first on Intuitive Edge.

Episode 303 - Borrowing Peace What if peace isn't something you have to create on your own? In this episode, the friars reflect on the gift of "borrowing" from Jesus. His peace, His confidence, His mercy, His steadiness, especially when our own hearts feel overwhelmed, anxious, or shaken. Like a child borrowing calm from a loving parent, we're invited to bring our storms to the One who is never overcome by them. They explore how Jesus offers us His very life: in prayer, in the Eucharist, and in the quiet steadiness of His presence. When we feel disregulated, afraid, ashamed, or unable to hold everything together, we don't have to manufacture peace by ourselves. We can receive His. This conversation is an invitation to return to Jesus in the boat, Jesus in the Eucharist, Jesus who gives His body and His peace to us so that what we receive from Him can become what we offer to others. Join us as we learn to borrow peace from Jesus, and become a place of calm, mercy, and safety for others. The Poco a Poco podcast happens because of many generous donors, including recurring monthly donations of any amount. Thinking about helping out? You can give at https://spiritjuice.org/supportpoco. Thank you!

The Left likes to argue that neocons are fueling the war in Iran, but the same radical, anti-Trump Leftists will say anything to criticize the president's foreign policy. When one actually goes looking, America doesn't seem to have enough ‘neocons' to be fueling an entire war. Once again, the war may actually be a strategic […]

Aaron Maté Iran Deal a Pause Not PeaceSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Tom welcomes legendary investor educator and longtime friend Paul Merriman for a wide-ranging conversation about the evolution of indexing, the proposed changes to the S&P 500, and why investors should understand both the strengths and limitations of traditional index funds. Paul explains why firms like Dimensional Fund Advisors and Avantis Investors use a more flexible, evidence-based approach than traditional indexing and discusses how academic research has reshaped portfolio construction over the past several decades.The discussion also explores lessons from market history, including the importance of understanding major bear markets, determining appropriate risk levels, and building portfolios that align with personal goals rather than chasing maximum returns. Paul shares insights from the latest Dimensional Matrix Book and explains why he believes studying 100 years of market data helps investors stay disciplined during inevitable downturns.Finally, Paul introduces a simple but powerful strategy for helping newborns and young children build substantial retirement wealth through small annual investments that can compound over many decades.Timestamps0:11 Special guest Paul Merriman joins Talking Real Money0:55 Long friendship and investing partnership between Tom and Paul1:20 S&P 500 rule changes and earlier inclusion of major IPOs like SpaceX2:07 Historical examples of S&P 500 additions and omissions2:35 Microsoft's delayed entry into the S&P 5002:56 NVIDIA replacing Enron in 20013:29 How index rule changes can affect future returns and volatility4:08 Why indexing remains the preferred strategy for most investors5:16 Traditional versus non-traditional index funds6:37 How Avantis and Dimensional incorporate factors beyond company size8:05 Why factor-based investing differs from traditional indexing9:02 Problems with rigid index reconstitution schedules10:16 Momentum, flexibility, and portfolio management advantages11:22 Introduction to Dimensional's annual Matrix Book11:53 Using market history rather than forecasts to guide investing decisions13:09 Lessons from past bubbles, crashes, and lost decades14:20 Why Paul trusts academic research more than Wall Street forecasts15:14 The case for small-cap value investing15:49 Clarifying Paul's allocation to small companies16:53 Investing for heirs, charities, and future generations18:10 Remembering investor panic during the 2008 financial crisis19:18 Determining an appropriate risk level for retirement portfolios20:43 Different investor goals: beating the market, maximizing returns, or minimizing risk21:28 Peace of mind versus maximum growth21:55 Helping young people build retirement wealth early22:54 The $365-per-year retirement funding concept24:09 Final thoughts and appreciation between Tom and PaulQuestions? Comments? Click!

Your child is messaging neo-Nazis on Discord, role-playing the Columbine shooting on Roblox, or making fan art of mass killers, and you have no idea. That is the pattern Matthew Turner, an emergency medicine physician at Hershey Medical Center, is now seeing in his pediatric ER, where parents bring in children after spotting a chat-message leak that exposes months of online radicalization. He discusses the KevinMD article "The true crime community is radicalizing kids online." You'll hear how the true crime community pulls kids as young as eight from casual interest into obsession, imitation, and sometimes real-world violence, with one 14-year-old going on to commit a mass shooting. You'll learn which warning signs matter, why parental firewalls don't work, and the named resources clinicians and parents can use right now, including Parents for Peace, the Prevention Practitioners Network, and the Global Project Against Hate and Extremism. If you treat children or raise them, this conversation names a threat hiding inside platforms you already let them use. Partner with me on the KevinMD platform. With over three million monthly readers and half a million social media followers, I give you direct access to the doctors and patients who matter most. Whether you need a sponsored article, email campaign, video interview, or a spot right here on the podcast, I offer the trusted space your brand deserves to be heard. Let's work together to tell your story. PARTNER WITH KEVINMD → https://kevinmd.com/influencer SUBSCRIBE TO THE PODCAST → https://www.kevinmd.com/podcast RECOMMENDED BY KEVINMD → https://www.kevinmd.com/recommended

Welcome to The Times of Israel's Daily Briefing, your 20-minute audio update on what's happening in Israel, the Middle East and the Jewish world. US bureau chief Jacob Magid joins host Jessica Steinberg for today's episode. Following the first of three days of talks between Jerusalem and Beirut, Magid discusses the sharp critique first issued by Israel's US Ambassador Yechiel Leiter, regarding the connection being made between the Lebanon talks and the US-Iran deal, and the notion that Iran is being allowed to demand a ceasefire in a separate country. There is a battle of narratives in US President Donald Trump's administration over the US-Iran deal, notes Magid, extending into the Israel-Lebanon talks. US Vice President JD Vance is leading the Israel-Lebanon talks and supports some degree of Iranian influence over Hezbollah in Lebanon, reports Magid, viewing it as the only way forward for the embattled country. It appears that Secretary of State Marc Rubio, currently on a regional tour in the United Arab Emirates, isn't as supportive of the terms of the US-Iran Memorandum of Understanding, says Magid, or of Iranian influence in Lebanon, and is keeping some distance, perhaps to protect his place as a possible Republican Party candidate for the 2028 presidential election. Finally, Magid discusses Gaza's Board of Peace, as various members head to Cyprus for a retreat to continue figuring out how to move forward, while insisting that it will take time to make headway on Hamas disarmament and Gaza reconstruction. Check out The Times of Israel's ongoing liveblog for more updates. For further reading: ‘A train wreck’: As Jerusalem and Beirut hold talks, Israeli envoy pans linkage to US-Iran deal Rubio: Iran will not be allowed to charge tolls in Strait of Hormuz under any final deal Board of Peace members to ‘recalibrate’ at Cyprus resort after rocky first six months Subscribe to The Times of Israel Daily Briefing on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, or wherever you get your podcasts. This episode was produced by Ari Schlacht. IMAGE: US bureau chief Jacob Magid joins host Jessica Steinberg for today's Daily Briefing podcast (ToI/Israeli Embassy)See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Today Griffey and Dandino chase down Alien Drug Dealing Murderers in I Come In Peace. We discuss the film's bizarre blend of alien drug fueled action and comedic police procedural, Dolph Lundgren trying to find his place in the action star pantheon, and the wild unfurling of deadly CD's. It's an action packed Messed Up hodge podge this week! Synopsis: Jack Caine is a Houston vice cop who's forgotten the rule book. His self-appointed mission is to stop the drugs trade and the number one supplier Victor Manning. While involved in an undercover operation to entrap Victor Manning, his partner is killed, and a sinister newcomer enters the scene… Starring: Dolph Lundgren, Brian Benben, Betsy Brantley Directed by Craig R. Baxley Youtube: https://youtu.be/2ISY91Kxsjc Help us make our first feature length Messed Up Movie:  https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/mr-creamjean-s-hidey-hole-horror-comedy-movie#/ Support the show on the Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/c/messedupmoviespod

In this episode of the Exploring More podcast, Michael Thompson and SJ Jennings continue their conversation around The Life You Built by Scott Jennings, diving deeper into one of the most important realities of spiritual formation: growth is cyclical, not linear. Many of us expect healing and transformation to happen in a straight line. But what if the journey actually looks more like a wave? Awareness. Breakthrough. Peace. Trigger. Old patterns resurfacing. New awareness. Deeper surrender. Renewal. Michael and SJ explore how the false self and true self continue to emerge throughout life, especially in our closest relationships. They discuss the challenges of marriage, recurring conflicts, and the temptation to interpret, predict, and protect ourselves rather than remain open, curious, and compassionate. The conversation reveals how the false self operates through fear and self-protection, while the true self invites us into trust, presence, and connection. The episode also continues the discussion on the Enneagram as a tool for understanding motivations, emotional patterns, and relational dynamics. Rather than serving as a label, it can become a map that helps us recognize why we react the way we do and where God may be inviting deeper freedom. At the heart of the conversation is a powerful reminder: healing is not a one-time event. It's a lifelong process of learning to "ride the wave"—returning again and again to awareness, compassion, and truth. If you've ever felt discouraged by recurring struggles or wondered why old patterns keep resurfacing, this episode offers hope. Growth isn't about never falling back. It's about learning how to return.

Episode 22 - Julia Woods joins Jessica and Susanna to discuss marriage, vulnerability, emotional connection and navigating hardship together.Disclaimer: Please note that all information and content on the UK Health Radio Network, all its radio broadcasts and podcasts are provided by the authors, producers, presenters and companies themselves and is only intended as additional information to your general knowledge. As a service to our listeners/readers our programs/content are for general information and entertainment only.  The UK Health Radio Network does not recommend, endorse, or object to the views, products or topics expressed or discussed by show hosts or their guests, authors and interviewees.  We suggest you always consult with your own professional – personal, medical, financial or legal advisor. So please do not delay or disregard any professional – personal, medical, financial or legal advice received due to something you have heard or read on the UK Health Radio Network.

For real though, peace and love to all the good fathers out there; and to all the happy spouses, lovers, and childrens: Good for you. This is more for the rest of us. Good God.

On the DSR Daily for Tuesday, we discuss the mass firings at ODNI under Bill Pulte, the US enacting a 60 day lift on Iranian sanctions, friction between MAGA and the Supreme Court, and more.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Left likes to argue that neocons are fueling the war in Iran, but the same radical, anti-Trump Leftists will say anything to criticize the president's foreign policy.   When one actually goes looking, America doesn't seem to have enough ‘neocons' to be fueling an entire war. Once again, the war may actually be a strategic part of Trump's foreign policy in the Middle East.

You don't need more willpower. You need a different relationship with your urges. In this episode, I talk about one simple technique that can help women in menopause handle food cravings differently. Inspired by conversations around GLP-1 medications, I explain what these medications appear to do for food noise and how you can begin creating similar awareness without relying solely on medication. I break down why urges start with thoughts, how those thoughts create feelings in the body, and why many cravings feel stronger than they really are. Most importantly, I share a practical exercise you can use immediately the next time you find yourself reaching for food when you're not physically hungry. Enjoy the show! Free Guide: Download the Jumpstart Your Weight Loss in Menopause Guide at drdebbutler.com/podcast-companion-guide Mini Session: Ready to master your mind? Book a free mini session at drdebbutler.com/workwithme Thinner Peace Quiz: Take the quiz at drdebbutler.com/quiz to identify your obstacles to eating when hungry and stopping when full Peace with Food 30-Day Course - Available at www.drdebbutler.com/joy Now, go listen to the podcast. Click here to listen to the 1st episode. It's the best place to start! If you've been loving my podcast, please subscribe and review the show. The only way it will pop up to others is when people review it, so if you're loving it – pass on the good word!  What You'll Learn From This Episode What GLP-1 medications actually do to food urges Why cravings begin with thoughts, not food The difference between an urge and true hunger How to pause before reacting to food noise A simple exercise to calm cravings naturally

If you're in your 20s, you probably have roomates. But cohabitation is no easy thing. Cleaning, cooking, socializing, and even farting, are all done within a shared space. In this episode, Lynn walks us through those awkward conversations that help us all get along. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Tiff and Dana address one of the most popular topics for Dental A-Team consultants: overhead! They talk about what it entails, where to start when looking to reduce it, critical questions to ask yourself about needs versus wants, and more. Episode resources: Subscribe to The Dental A-Team podcast Schedule a Practice Assessment Leave us a review Transcript: Tiff (00:00) Hello, Dental A Team listeners. Thank you for being here with us today. Thank you for listening. We say this every time, but we love what we do and we love bringing you so much valuable information. And the fact that Kiera can do all the podcasts she does blows my mind. ⁓ but she is a busy bee over there, and the fact that we get to do these as well is just really, really fun for us. It allows all of the consultants here on our team to really feel like we're giving back to you guys. So with that, I have Dana here with me today, and   Dana, gosh, we have been podcasting together for a really long time. I can't even put a number to it. And I remember, I don't know if you remember, but I remember I remember where I was sitting. I remember the thought process. And I remember it was me, you and Britt on a call on a Zoom link. And it was the first time marketing had said we want to do video with the podcast. And I was like, what? And video like was not, it was just like up and coming.   I didn't understand it. It was on Instagram. I was watching I was like, why am I watching you talk? Like the a podcast is to listen. Why am I watching you talk? And now I mean it's very normal and that's how I watch them. And I feel like I feel like it was like YouTube came back around, you know. But anyways, I remember that day vividly. ⁓ I don't remember what we were talking about, but I remember being like, I have to like do my hair. I'm gonna be seen.   DAT-Dana (01:23) Yeah. Yeah. I know it was   funny because we always could see each other, right, in those early days, but it was just like we weren't creating the video content for it. And I remember thinking exactly like who's gonna want to watch   Tiff (01:33) Yes.   DAT-Dana (01:35) us who's gonna want to watch us do this thing but then I see my kids literally like watching people play Minecraft and it's like their favorite thing and I'm like wouldn't it be more fun to actually go play? So I do feel like there is definitely this like niche of people like wanting to watch and like you know get a glimpse in of like the podcast world and just different worlds in general and so I agree with you. I remember the three of us just kind of being like who's gonna want to watch us talk to each other but hey we're so glad you're here.   Tiff (01:37) Yeah.   Yes.   It's true.   Yeah.   DAT-Dana (02:05) Yeah.   Tiff (02:06) Yes, I agree. And the three fur podcasts are hard. So hard when there's so many people virtually. And yeah, I r I remember the shock. I wish I could remember what the ⁓ podcast actually it was probably I bet you it was probably one that we did for Kiera. We probably it bosses day or something, yeah, 'cause if there are multiple of us. Anyways, that was that popped into my head this morning as I I always have to now have like prep for podcast time so I can like   DAT-Dana (02:12) Yeah.   Like Boss's Day or something like that. Yeah.   Tiff (02:35) just tame my hair or get my ring light just right. And I'm like, gosh, I remember the days that we did not have to do this. And then we have c new to Dental A Team consultants come on and I'm like, we're gonna podcast. And they're like stressed and I'm like, I get it. I just I get it. I saw them go talk yourself in the mirror for a bit first. You'll get used to it.   DAT-Dana (02:50) Yeah. Yeah.   I know   I remember in the early days I would always have to reframe my podcast because I'd see podcasting on my schedule and I'm like, ⁓ like I gotta get on. So then I just started reframing it. It was like time with Tiff, time with Britt, time with Kiera. And it's how I like kind of learn get over the like of the podcasting space. So I totally feel it when new consultants are like, I have my first podcast today.   Tiff (03:12) I love that.   Yeah,   yeah, and they all come to you, right? 'Cause I'll all schedule it and then they're like, Dana, what do I do? That's so cute. Yeah. I love the reframe. That actually like goes I think hand in hand with what we're talking about today. ⁓ but I think you can do that with anything and I have to remind myself, even like gosh, when I get up in the morning, I got up this morning and I went from for my walk and I was like, ⁓ this sucks and I was like, No, you get to be in the morning sun.   You get to move your body before anybody else in the house is awake. Like I think that's the part that's the hardest is like everybody else gets to sleep, you know? But you that reframe is so powerful. And we can look at a schedule and think I I look at my schedule and I'm like, shoot. This is so busy. Or gosh, I'm I'm like   So long today, and I have to reframe it often and be like, gosh, no, actually I get to do something really cool. And I get to wake up and go for a walk and I get to do these things or I get to go to an office and I get to be boots on the ground with other people. So I love that you mentioned that reframe, Dana. That was really smart. So today's reframe, which I love, I think this is one of the most popular conversations that we have. We get a couple of things here at Dental A Team. ⁓   We love everything that we get, but the most common, most popular things are systems, which we will help you with systems, I promise you. And there are thousands of podcasts I think that just Dana and I have done on systems and operations manual. So go look them up. We're not doing that today. And the second, which I actually really have grown to truly love, ⁓ is overhead cost reduction and and overhead analysis. And so many practice owners and leaders come to us and they're like, gosh.   what does overhead even mean? I know I had a conversation with a client last week that has been in the dental like consulting world for years and years and years. And w his question was what does that even what does it mean? Like overhead can mean so many different things to so many different people and so many different consulting companies. And for the sake of today's conversation and the sake of forever with Dental A Team know that when we say overhead, we are talking about top of the line   Whatever I always say if someone were to purchase your practice, what are the expenses they'd be taking over? Anything outside of that, your pay, your taxes, your debt, your debt will follow you typically, right? You can lump it into the loan, ⁓ but it's not overhead top of the line expense. So your debt, meaning your scanners, ⁓ your school debt, anything like that is outside of quote unquote overhead. So when we talk about overhead, it's top of the line and that had to that that   explanation, I think it can just vary. It can vary depending on who you're talking to. So today we wanted to reframe that, Dana Go. No, I love it.   DAT-Dana (06:08) and I don't want to interrupt you, but I think too just   just to be clear on overhead too, anything that you run through the business, right? Again, that's not something absolutely with your CPA, you structure it how you want. But understand that that's not an expense that somebody is going to take on when they take over the bracket.   Tiff (06:25) Yes, I love that. Thank you. Good clarification. so with this kind of reframe, every everybody's like reduce overhead, reduce overhead. And I totally agree. And a lot of a lot of companies, a lot of people, ⁓ a lot of strategists will come in and they're like, okay, what can we cut? And we for sure, like, we'll come in and look at what if there's space to make cuts, but our biggest piece is always we're not gonna spend a lot of time on it today because we've got a million other podcasts about it.   I think I just did one actually with Kristy not that long ago, but the first place we're gonna look is your collections. A lot of people will say, I need to over I need to produce. And I love the statement, you can't outproduce your problems. So if you're producing, producing, producing, producing, but you're still feeling like there's an issue. And if you're meeting the financial, like you're meeting your goal, your production goal, but you're still cash flow short, then there's an issue in your collections. And so look at your collections and Dana.   I would love to hear quick snippet, what are the areas that you tackle when it comes to overhead and it comes to collections? And then I want to talk about the reframes and the other pieces.   DAT-Dana (07:33) Yeah, so you're exactly right. The first thing I'm gonna look at is the collections number. I'll look at the total, like what is the total percentage and like what profit point do we need to get to when it comes to collections? And then the very next thing I'm gonna look at is your AR because honestly and truly I've been able to get practices out of cash flow crisis, out of really feeling that pinch simply by going after already produced   ⁓ monies. And so I think that those are usually the things that I look at. Okay, what are we collecting? What does our profit point need to be for healthy AR?   Right. And and obviously we're gonna talk about is that possible? How do we get your schedule to get you there? But then the very next thing I'm gonna look at is AR. Is there money that I can just quickly tackle that's already been produced that's gonna help the collections problem? So I'm looking at the total collections, collections percentage, and then what's sitting in AR, because if I can tackle that and make a really quick difference, ⁓ sure, we can budget things, we can line item your PL, we can we can chop where we need to, but those things are often the fastest, easiest, quickest fixes.   and like you said, you like outproducing the problem. If I can fix AR and then we can create systems that it doesn't happen again, oftentimes we don't even have to really touch production, right? Because we're already producing pretty well in a lot of these cases. So those are that's kind of where I start.   Tiff (08:46) Yeah.   Yeah, I love that. And it's something that makes such a massive difference. Knowing one, knowing your numbers, knowing what your numbers mean. So knowing your overhead, knowing your outgoing expenses is massive. And then looking to see, okay, well, if these are my outgoing expenses, what do I need to collect in order to profit? Right. And then if we're not collecting that, is it because production isn't where it needs to be? So what's our what's our bare minimum?   And is collections meeting that or is production meeting that so that collections can meet our bare minimum. If production is or is way above and our collections is just tanked, like I saw somebody the other day that was like 83% collections. They're like, we gotta produce more. And I Yeah, absolutely. If we want to maintain 83% collections and get your overhead in line, you for sure have to produce more. But also we can tackle your collections and get your collections up to that ninety-eight percent that it should be or above, and really not have to work   you harder as the provider work our numbers harder and get that collections up. It also kind of flows into Dana, I think the capacity that we just recorded a podcast. So probably the podcast ahead of this one I would assume is is about capacity. And I think that capacity conversation flows into this one really, really well. So all right, collections.   Go do it. We will harp on that for days, but go do it. If you need help with it, you're not sure, you don't know how to analyze it, you need help with your numbers, Hello@TheDentalATeam.com. We are honestly and truly here to help you. We will provide you as much information as we possibly can to get you on the right track. Now, something else that we like to do within that, and we talked about this on capacity, we talked about analyzing ⁓ fee schedules, right? But then we also need to analyze expenses. So when we're really looking at things and we're saying, okay.   Great, this is my overhead. I like to think, okay, does it have to be my overhead though? So a lot of people will look at staff cost, the employee cost. I actually I look at it, I kind of glaze that, you guys. I don't, I don't like to touch the staff cost unless it absolutely is extraordinary and there's maybe team members that are taking advantage or you're feeling like there's something culturally wrong in your practice, then I'm gonna say, okay, great.   Let's really take a look at this and make sure that we're being efficient with our time. We're not in overtime. We're not in those spaces. But I'm gonna kind of glaze at that unless there's a red flag somewhere else. And then I'm gonna look at those other expenses as well. And something that I really love to do is to analyze what do we need versus what we have. It reminds me of when Brody was little, we'd go to the store and he'd be like, Mom, is this a want or a need? Is it on your list? Is you have are you getting it because you just want it and it sounds exciting?   Or do we actually need this? And Dana, I love the conversation that you have around. I'm gonna say like analyze your vendors, analyze your contracts with vendors, but I love the conversation around ⁓ the wants versus needs when it comes to scanners, when it comes to mills. And I love I I miss the conversation actually. I miss the conversation of negotiate with your labs. And I miss that conversation because   I think that the mill has become such a bandwagon thing. It's been around for so long and it's such a bandwagon thing that everybody's that jumped into. But I love your your like evaluation of is it necessary? Is it actually going to save us the time and the money and get us the results that we want? And I would love, Dana, for you to talk through some of that and how you help your clients decide. Because I'm not against the mill, I'm not for it. I'm for it for the practices that it works.   And I'm for making sure that it's going to work and it's gonna do its due diligence. So what how is that conversation for you, Dana, when you talk to your practices about it   DAT-Dana (12:44) Yes. I love this conversation too, too. I   think first and foremost, I always want to know when when somebody wants to purchase something big like that. So whether it's a new scanner or whether it's a mill, like why.   Why do we want to purchase it? Is it because we have a scanner that we constantly use and we're constantly pulling and we never have it in the like appointment times that we need? So then we need to talk about adding another scanner. Is it that like we need another tool to show patients, but like could we just do IOPs a little bit more until we've got the budget set for the scanner? I'm not saying no to scanners. I'm not saying no to mills. I'm just saying, why do we want it? Is it the right time and is it going to do what you anticipate it's going to do as far as your budget goes?   Because I think we can talk about scanners and what's going to add so much more to my production. Okay, well, it is, but when are we going to use it? How often are we going to use it? Who's going to use it? How are we mapping it out to make sure that it really is putting more production on your schedule and it really is reducing your lab fees? Right. Scanner is a great tool for negotiating with a lab, but are you going to do that? Are you going to do the negotiations? Are you going to send them enough work to make it worth having the scanner?   Same thing with the mill. I'm always asking like why, right? And I know that kind of the mill is the hot spot or the mill is like the next big thing. And I think sometimes, you know, I hear a lot from doctors, well, it's gonna buy me back a lot of time. Well, it's only gonna buy you back time if you're going to let your assistant, right, help design and do the actual milling. If you're not gonna let that happen, then we're actually using more of your time than and sometimes it's not will you let them, it's do you have the capacity within your assistant team right now to be able to allow them.   Tiff (14:07) Yeah.   Mm-hmm.   DAT-Dana (14:21) to do those things because maybe we're short staffed in that area or maybe assistants are really hard to find. Well then maybe now's not the time to bring on the mill because it's actually going to use more of your time versus less of your time. And then you know all of these purchases typically come with either a large payout, right? Or a decent size loan that we're paying every single month. And so I like to kind of reverse engineer with my practices so they know cold hard facts how many crowns they have to do every single month.   to make that loan payment worth it or make that payout out of their emergency fund or their growth fund or wherever they're pulling that funds from. Hopefully not their emergency funds, but sometimes right, doctors get wild on us and it feels like an emergency to get that.   Mill. So knowing exactly how many crowns you have to do every single month. And then I'm saying, okay, let's go back through the last year. Let's see, did we even do as many? Because if we didn't do as many, then now's not the time. Let's get to that many crowns every single month, then take a look at the mill. Because so often we think, hey, the mill is going to save me on lab fees, but you have to do so many of them for it to save you on lab fees. And again, I'm not pro mill. I'm not like I'm neutral when it comes to mill. I think it's a great tool, but it's not the best tool for every   Tiff (15:25) Yeah.   Mm-hmm.   DAT-Dana (15:35) practice at that exact time. I think you really have to look   At and crunch things when you decide to make those purchases and really look at it as is it truly going to give your time back? Is it truly going to give you your lab fees back? Is it truly going to up your patient experience or up your diagnosis or whatever it is? Because that is when it makes it worth it. So I just like to like have the conversation, review the numbers together, and kind of say, hey, like this is the reality of the purchase. I, you know, I am.   Totally understand the like purchase in the feels, right? I get that. I've done it. I'm human. I think we've all been like, but this is gonna feel so good when I have it. But I think look at the numbers and make sure because these things can really hit your these these debt services can really hit your profit points if it's not set up correctly and you don't know kind of the benchmarks you have to hit to make it help with profit versus hurt.   Tiff (16:11) Yeah.   Yeah.   Absolutely. I think it's so beautiful. And a follow-up to that too is if you already have the mill, you already have the scanner, you already made the purchase or the laser, Dana, as you were talking, I was like, the lasers, the lasers. There's so many there's just so many really cool tools that dentistry has that makes us feel like we've got to jump on it to be the most progressive, to be the most exciting, to stay up with the times, to to not fall behind. And really they're just fun and exciting. It's like   ⁓ Canva and you know we only had Photoshop and then Canva came out and then we had, you know, all of these different opportunities. And it it can be easy to jump on board with them. So if we already have jumped on board, we didn't have this conversation, or maybe we did, and then gosh, we're just falling a little bit short. This is the overhead analysis as well. This all flows into that overhead analysis. So as you're looking at your overhead and you see those   those loans under on you have your bottom you have your top line and you have a bottom line. And at your bottom line, when you see those other loans in there and you're like, gosh, Def, Dana, I just I'm not using the scanner as much as I thought I did. I know both of us have I all of our consultants are really, really fantastic at having conversations like this that say, okay, great, why? Dana, you said something earlier, you said it asking more questions, right? Like I want to know, I want to know why you want it.   what it's gonna do for your practice and then reverse engineer it. And we are really great at pulling out the why for anything. So if you're not, if you bought it and you're not using it, we're gonna say, well, why aren't we using it? Is it because it's not the tool that we needed or we wanted and or we don't have the patient base for it or is it because we're not trained, we're not holding accountabilities. And ultimately, if this thing isn't working for your practice, it's not doing what you wanted it to or gosh, you just hate it. You don't like it. You don't want to use it.   This is a conversation with the company that you can have. You can call the company and say, Hey, what can I do? How can I how can I get out of this? I've had ⁓ I've had doctors that have had this conversation with them and they do have like a smaller buyout, right? They're like, Well, we'll buy it back from you, but you're gonna it's kind of like taking a car in and you you're you know, you're under.   So you you owe a little bit more on your car and then you owe on the car that you're buying. So it kind of sucks because you do have to pay that out, but could getting out of that contract early, sending the equipment back, save you in the long run because you haven't paid that total balance. Or a lot of doctors will call and they're like, yeah, absolutely. I have a doctor actually who's looking for one that might buy it from you.   And so you can you can sell this equipment as well if it's not working for you. So I don't ever want doctors to really just feel so stuck in the decisions that either they've made or that they want to make and you have that kind of decision paralysis. So as we're going through that looking at ⁓ cost control and overhead control.   Part of the conversation as well. So there's the projecting side and really looking at do I do I need this? What can it do? And then there's the evaluation side of is this working for me? And Dana, I think that same conversation when it comes to like marketing. Are is my marketing ROI coming in? Is it getting me what I what I thought it was going to? There's magazines investments, there's all of these like hottie-totty ⁓ marketing efforts that are coming around right now. They're trying to like really reinvent a lot of wheels.   And projecting and seeing, does this fit my avatar? Is this gonna work? Gosh, your telephone company, I know our like cable and internet. We don't even have cable, but it's the same company, right? And I'm like, why are we paying for cable and internet? And it just jumped like $90. And I'm like, what the heck? It's a call and a conversation with your vendors and looking at, okay, am I getting the most value for what I'm spending? And that I think Dana helps us to calm the storm.   Because what happens typically is we're like, okay, I gotta produce more in order to afford my life. And it's just like personal, right? I gotta work more in order to afford the lifestyle that I want. Well, maybe the lifestyle that you want can be had with less debt or less stuff, you know, and really evaluating your quote unquote lifestyle in the practice and out.   DAT-Dana (20:43) Yeah, I agree with you because like dental offices, do we have to spend money? Do we have expenses? Yes, absolutely. Let's make sure those expenses are doing what we need them to do and and we have an ROI on those expenses. And I do feel like just doctors highlighting like, don't forget those bottom of the line things because oftentimes it's like, hey, my payroll's in line, my rent's in line, my marketing is in line, everything's in line, but I don't have any profit at the end of the month. And I think don't forget to take a look at oftentimes I think there's an impression of doctors that like those below the   aligned things are like fixed expenses and oftentimes they are variable expenses that we can do something about it. We can make changes like you said, sell it or start using it, right? Or incorporating a way for it to help us produce or collect more. I think just don't forget those bottom of the line things and don't look at them as hey, those are fixed things, right? A lot of times those items aren't. We can either move the needle as far as using them or move the needle as far as offloading them.   Tiff (21:15) Uh-huh.   Yes.   DAT-Dana (21:42) Right. I just had a conversation with the practice. Like, why do we have two scanners? Right. Like, why do we need them? Walk me through it. If if you can walk me through why and it makes sense, totally keep your scanners, utilize them, have it help you. Right. But if we don't need them, then let's not have that sit there every month and pull from that profit that you so desperately need.   Tiff (21:45) Mm-hmm.   Yeah, I love that conversation and I think it's something that's a piece of value that the consulting team brings to our clients that I think is totally undervalued. I know I have clients that are like, Teff, I wanna buy this thing. And I'm like, Okay, cool. Like, tell me why. How are we gonna afford it? Great. I have a doctor that was like, I like this scanner better, but I bought this scanner before I knew that this scanner was better. And I was like, Awesome. Well it sounds you want that scanner. He's like, Yeah, I'm gonna get it. And I said, Cool, what are you gonna do with that scanner that you don't like?   Because that one is still being paid on. It's still in your office. And he's like, okay. So it's like we have this innate ability, right, to see things very, very cleanly. I had a conversation just last week with a client that was like, Tiff, what do I do? And it was like a personnel thing, right? I said, Listen, my job and the and the superpower that I have for you is to be very black and white in business. I'm not emotionally attached to what's going on in the practice. I I love you, I love the practice, I love the team.   And I I have emotions towards you, but I'm able to separate it out and say, hey, do this, don't do this, or these are the black and white opinions that I see. These are the pros and the cons that I can see. I'm not emotionally attached to one scanner is better than the other. I'm emotional, I'm not emotionally attached to the money that's coming in or going out. I am neutral and I'm able to say it is or it isn't. And so that value, that ROI is not always really easy to see.   in the numbers until you look backwards and say, gosh, actually I sold that scanner because of or I didn't buy that and gosh, I'm so happy. Or I was able to invest in my team because I could see my shortcomings or my accountability faults or the accountability that Dana was able to give me so that I could give my team like those spaces are just so   valuable in this overhead analysis is huge. And I know you and I do it often. I know the rest of the consulting team does. Gosh, Kristy, Kiera likes to say she's like a truffle hunting ⁓ little, you know, little piggy out there finding the dollars. And that's how she does it as well. And Nikki and Pam and all of you know, Diana, every one of us are out there looking for those dollars from that black and white kind of business mindset because it's easier for us as a pulled out   Peace, right? And Dana, I just think that is a space that doctors, I can't imagine making those kinds of decisions by myself, right? Even just as simple as purchasing a mill. Like because it's so it's like walk walking into Louis Vuitton with a credit card with no limits and expecting me to not leave with a purse, right? Because in my head it's paid for, it's done, it's it's good.   But then on the flip side, I've got expenses and other things and they've always got just gotta have that person who can be that sound mind.   DAT-Dana (24:58) Yeah. Yep. I agree with you.   Tiff (25:00) All right, Dana, so overhead cost analysis. ⁓ I would say, and I think Dana, add anything you can think of. My pro thought process is figure out your bottom line first of all. Figure out what are your costs, your fixed costs that aren't changing. If someone were to purchase your practice, then then look at what's left over. How much debt do you have? what do you want to be making? Are you paying yourself and are you paying yourself what you want to be making?   And are you saving money? So what do those buckets look like? That to me is your is your bare minimum. You have your bare minimum of this is what it takes to keep my practice open and my employees paid. And then you have your bare minimum of this is what I want my practice to look like. So I like to add that fluff in there. I know Dana does as well. We have our bare minimum and then we have our bare minimum. And our our second bare minimum is the number that I work from ⁓ and tack on a little bit extra. So overhead analysis, look at what your numbers are, look at what your   DAT-Dana (25:46) How many? Yeah.   Tiff (25:55) Collecting, always look at collections and then look at what your debt looks like and look at what your spending is. Is there anywhere in there that can be negotiated? Is there anywhere in there that maybe we need to start using a tool a little bit more to get it paid, paying for itself? Just like you want your team to pay for themselves, you want your equipment to pay for themselves as well. Dana, is there anything you can think of that I missed that I didn't add in there as an action item that they can scurry on home to do?   DAT-Dana (26:24) No, I think I think that those are great tools for them to really be able to slice and dice and look at those pieces.   Tiff (26:31) Awesome. All right, guys, go do the thing. Pull up your PLs, pull up month by month, pull up year to date, pull up last year's, and look at what your expenses truly are. And when you get to the point that you want some third-party perspective, some eyes on it, if you're a current client, you should be doing this with your consultant too. So do it. I want you to know how to do it and I want you to do it with your consultant as well. If you're not yet a consultant, you're ⁓ someone who is a listener and you want you're not a consultant, you're not a client.   You're a listener and you want help with this, please reach out. Hello@TheDentalATeam.com There's also a link on our website, TheDentalATeam.com, that you can schedule a consult with us and they'll help you run through a lot of that information as well. We are here to help. So let us know how we can best serve you and how we can help you in the short and the long run. Hello@TheDentalATeam.com. All right, guys, and we will catch you next time. Thanks so much.  

A lot of Washington thinks JD Vance is damaging his presidential hopes by being the face of the Iran deal. But what does the rest of the country feel? Rich Baris explains why he thinks Vance is greatly enhancing his presidential appeal, no matter what Beltway pundits think. Steve Deace talks about the state of the coalition amid battles over Iran. Jenny Clark talks about the battle for school choice in Arizona, which has become one of the most important political battles of any kind in the whole country. Watch every episode ad-free on members.charliekirk.com! Get new merch at charliekirkstore.com!Support the show: http://www.charliekirk.com/supportSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Hey Heal Squad! Now, we know you all love Maria's recommendations on what's working for her each week, and don't worry…she's got a few of those for you today. But this episode goes a little deeper than products, trends, and wellness hacks. This week, Maria shares something that genuinely worked for her, and it came in the form of a powerful Bruce Lee quote that completely shifted how she's thinking about peace, forgiveness, boundaries, and where we choose to put our energy. (Trust us, you're going to want to save this one, it's below!). She also opens up about a family wedding she recently attended and how reconnecting with relatives she hasn't spent meaningful time with in decades unexpectedly filled her cup in the best way. That leads to a really honest conversation about forgiveness, family healing, and how letting go doesn't have to mean giving someone unlimited access to your life. We get into all of it.Of course, we also take a detour into a very unexpected rabbit hole: foot health. Is anyone else suddenly terrified of getting bunions? Just us? Maria shares why she's rethinking nearly every shoe in her closet and the surprising things she's learning about foot health along the way.And yes, there are products! Maria shares her newest obsession: a pair of jeans from White House Black Market that she can't stop wearing. (FYI: the cream pair is sold out, but we've got an alternative for you below!) Plus, a plot twist….one of her favorite kitchen gadgets, the one responsible for all those homemade nut milks, officially stopped working, and Athena's big girl chats! Yeah, it's been a very emotional week lol. A little wellness, a little shopping, a little family healing, and a lot of perspective. We hope you enjoy this one, friends! Join us at our Canyon Ranch 2026 Retreat: https://www.canyonranch.com/lenox/retreats/heal-retreat-maria-menounos HEAL SQUAD SOCIALS IG: https://www.instagram.com/healsquad/ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@healsquadxmaria HEAL SQUAD RESOURCES: Heal Squad Website: https://www.healsquad.com/ Heal Squad x Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/HealSquad/membership Maria Menounos Website: https://www.mariamenounos.com My Curated Macy's Page: https://stylecrew.macys.com/@mariamenounos EMR-Tek Red Light: https://emr-tek.com/discount/Maria30 for 30% off Airbnb: https://www.airbnb.com/host Shop What Worked This Week Finds: https://shopmy.us/shop/mariamenounos Bruce Lee “Energy” Video: https://www.instagram.com/reels/DXiMyoSNCeu/ Bruce Lee “4 Things” Video: https://www.instagram.com/reels/DXuU8aokl-b/ “Forgive You Video” : https://www.instagram.com/reels/DY0tEQ0g3z_/ Sneex by Sara Blakely: https://sneex.com/ Athena's shoes: https://www.littlelovebugcompany.com/ ABOUT MARIA MENOUNOS: Emmy Award-winning journalist, TV personality, actress, 2x NYT best-selling author, former pro-wrestler and brain tumor survivor, Maria Menounos' passion is to see others heal and to get better in all areas of life. ABOUT HEAL SQUAD x MARIA MENOUNOS: A daily digital talk-show that brings you the world's leading healers, experts, and celebrities to share groundbreaking secrets and tips to getting better in all areas of life. DISCLAIMER: This Podcast and all related content (published or distributed by or on behalf of Maria Menounos or http://Mariamenounos.com and http://healsquad.com) is for informational purposes only and may include information that is general in nature and that is not specific to you. Any information or opinions provided by guest experts or hosts featured within website or on Company's Podcast are their own; not those of Maria Menounos or the Company. Accordingly, Maria Menounos and the Company cannot be responsible for any results or consequences or actions you may take based on such information or opinions. This podcast is presented for exploratory purposes only. Published content is not intended to be used for preventing, diagnosing, or treating a specific illness. If you have, or suspect you may have, a health-care emergency, please contact a qualified health care professional for treatment.

The deal to end the war with Iran is already looking shaky, with Vice President Vance delaying his trip to Switzerland to start negotiations and Israel still bombing Lebanon even though the deal says that has to stop. Vance is supposed to lead difficult negotiations with Iran, but he has limited diplomatic experience with a 60 days goal of going through a long list of tough issues still left to settle. And the Obama Presidential Center opens to the public in Chicago today, where Obama used the dedication to tell people not to miss the past, but to remember what is still possible.Want more analysis of the most important news of the day, plus a little fun? Subscribe to the Up First newsletter.Today's episode of Up First was edited by Kate Bartlett, Dana Farrington, Megan Pratz, Mohamad ElBardicy, and Lindsay Totty.It was produced by Ziad Buchh and Ava Pukatch.Our director is Christopher Thomas.We get engineering support from Simon-Laslo Janssen. Our technical director is Carleigh Strange.And our Executive Producer is Jay Shaylor.(0:00) Introduction(02:19) US-Iran Talks Delayed(05:55) Vance Peace Architect(09:16) Obama Presidential Center OpensSee pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences.NPR Privacy Policy