Podcasts about Peter Jennings

Send us a textIt is election Night 1992. We will be using the coverage I collected that night , mainly, from ABC News, but it will also feature segments from CNN, NBC, and CBS News. We saved some interesting interviews with political figures like South Carolina Governor Carroll Campbell, and Texas Governor Ann Richards, you will get insights from the leading reporters of the age such as David Brinkley, Peter Jennings, Jeff Greenfield, Cokie Roberts, Sam Donaldson, Lyn Sherr, Brit Hume, Chris Bury, Bernard Shaw, Judy Woodward, and countless other journalist who made up the best era in the news business. Finally, we will also see the results come in from the other race, our Host Randal Wallace, was involved with as Ernest Hollings defeats former Congressman Tommy Hartnett to return to Washington in the United States Senate for South Carolina. This is part A in our look at this historic election night and its coverage in 1992. (In an aside, this episode marks our 356th storyline episode of our podcast, this ties our show with the exact number of original episodes of our childhood favorite show "DALLAS" We are enormously proud of that and to celebrate this milestone we have special hat tip for our favorite all time t.v. Show)  Boundless Insights - with Aviva KlompasIn depth analysis of what's happening in Israel—and why it matters everywhere.Listen on: Apple Podcasts SpotifyQuestions or comments at , Randalrgw1@aol.com , https://twitter.com/randal_wallace , and http://www.randalwallace.com/Please Leave us a review at wherever you get your podcastsThanks for listening!!

Send us a textCatching up this week with return guest Dr. Michael Cohen, who just released a new edition of his book Modern Political Campaigns this month. He studied under iconic pollster Bill Hamilton as a student, worked in the trenches in Republican campaigns, spent time at Gallup, apprenticed under renowned GOP pollster Tony Fabrizio and worked with famed Dem strategist Mark Penn when Michael was an in-house pollster at Microsoft. Along the way, Michael started his own firm (Cohen Research Group), built the successful Congress in Your Pocket tech app, and wrote Modern Political Campaigns to bring the campaign literature up to speed with the ever-evolving political industry - including a new edition that includes a focus on the role AI is playing in political campaigns. This is a great nuts-and-bolts conversation on the political industry with a smart pollster, tech entrepreneur, and author.IN THIS EPISODE…The new edition of Modern Political Campaigns, including a focus on AI in campaigns...How political campaigns are (and are not) using AI at this point...What Michael knows about Gen Z from teaching courses at NYU and Johns Hopkins...Lessons he learned from a recent heart attack and recovery...Michael's formative years growing up on Long Island…The political switch flips for Michael in college…Michael crosses paths with famed Democratic pollster Bill Hamilton…Michael makes the jump to political polling under Tony Fabrizio…The bizarre story of how one of Michael's candidates was pilloried on the Colbert Report…Michael starts his own polling firm to move beyond partisan politics…Michael's stint as an in-house pollster at Microsoft with Mark Penn…Michael's compares working with legendary Dem pollster Mark Penn and iconic GOP pollster Tony Fabrizio…Michael creates the wildly successful Congress in Your Pocket app…Michael's 101 on how to create an app…The long journey behind Michael's new book Modern Political Campaigns…Michael's advice to those who want to write a book and get it published…Michael's take on what makes a good pollster…Michael weighs in on the question of a “polling crisis”…Michael's advice on the best books to understand how politics works…AND AAPOR, Michael Bender, Sidney Blumenthal, Stephen Colbert, Sean Cook, Bob Dole, enlargement ads, Ezra Cohen Corporation, Arthur Finkelstein, the Gallup Poll, Josh Gottheimer, Sasha Issenberg, Peter Jennings, Steve Jobs, Ed Koch, Celinda Lake, Massapequa mannerisms, mobilization vs. persuasion, Never Trump Republicans, Ronald Reagan, Rowman & Littlefield, Jake Rush, Karen Thurman, Chris Tompkins, Tevi Troy, vampire roleplaying, Ted Yoho, & more!

Grumpy Strategist Marcus Hellyer talks with co-founder Peter Jennings in SAA's secure bunker deep in the Brindabella ranges. They discuss the puzzle of the Canberra consensus that Australia is in a much more dangerous world, sitting alongside the fact that Australia's government and its security agencies are then taking no useful steps to strengthen our security. Instead, Australia is stuck with a plan to create a small, perfectly formed Australian military - the Fantasy Force - sometime in the 2040s, to plug seamlessly into an American force structure - while not knowing if America even wants such a thing...They set out practical ways Australia's military can be strengthened over the next 1, 3 and 5 years.

Warren Farrell, PhD, has been chosen by the Financial Times of London as one of the world's top 100 thought leaders. His books are published in 19 languages. They include The New York Times bestseller Why Men Are the Way They Are, and the international bestseller The Myth of Male Power. Dr. Farrell presented the findings of The Boy Crisis (2018) worldwide, from the White House to the Norwegian Parliament. It was a catalyst for bipartisan legislation for father involvement in Florida. Dr. Farrell's most recent book, Role Mate to Soul Mate: The Seven Secrets to Lifelong Love (2004), is based on his teaching couples' communication for the past 30 years to more than a thousand couples and psychologists. Warren Farrell has been a pioneer in both the women's movement (elected three times to the Board of the National Organization for Women in NYC) and the men's movement (called by GQ "The Martin Luther King of the men's movement"). He advocates for a "Gender Liberation Movement, freeing both sexes from the rigid roles of the past." His life journey is the subject of a forthcoming documentary. Dr. Farrell has been interviewed repeatedly during ratings periods by Oprah and Barbara Walters, as well as frequent interviews with Tucker Carlson and Jordan Peterson, and also by Peter Jennings, Sean Hannity, Katie Couric, Larry King, Regis Philbin, and Charlie Rose. He has frequently written for and been featured in The New York Times and publications worldwide.

Warren Farrell, PhD, has been chosen by the Financial Times of London as one of the world's top 100 thought leaders. His books are published in 19 languages. They include The New York Times bestseller Why Men Are the Way They Are, and the international bestseller The Myth of Male Power. Dr. Farrell presented the findings of The Boy Crisis (2018) worldwide, from the White House to the Norwegian Parliament. It was a catalyst for bipartisan legislation for father involvement in Florida. Dr. Farrell's most recent book, Role Mate to Soul Mate: The Seven Secrets to Lifelong Love (2004), is based on his teaching couples' communication for the past 30 years to more than a thousand couples and psychologists. Warren Farrell has been a pioneer in both the women's movement (elected three times to the Board of the National Organization for Women in NYC) and the men's movement (called by GQ "The Martin Luther King of the men's movement"). He advocates for a "Gender Liberation Movement, freeing both sexes from the rigid roles of the past." His life journey is the subject of a forthcoming documentary. Dr. Farrell has been interviewed repeatedly during ratings periods by Oprah and Barbara Walters, as well as frequent interviews with Tucker Carlson and Jordan Peterson, and also by Peter Jennings, Sean Hannity, Katie Couric, Larry King, Regis Philbin, and Charlie Rose. He has frequently written for and been featured in The New York Times and publications worldwide.

Warren Farrell, PhD, has been chosen by the Financial Times of London as one of the world's top 100 thought leaders. His books are published in 19 languages. They include The New York Times bestseller Why Men Are the Way They Are, and the international bestseller The Myth of Male Power.Dr. Farrell presented the findings of The Boy Crisis (2018) worldwide, from the White House to the Norwegian Parliament. It was a catalyst for bipartisan legislation for father involvement in Florida. He is currently working on The Man Crisis.Dr. Farrell's most recent book, Role Mate to Soul Mate: The Seven Secrets to Lifelong Love (2024), is based on his teaching couples' communication for the past 30 years to more than a thousand couples and psychologists. Warren Farrell has been a pioneer in both the women's movement (elected three times to the Board of the National Organization for Women in NYC) and the men's movement (called by GQ “The Martin Luther King of the men's movement”). He advocates for a “Gender Liberation Movement, freeing both sexes from the rigid roles of the past.” The challenges he faced also advocating for boys and men is the subject of a 2025 documentary, The Boy Crisis: Cancel Warren Farrell, nominated for “Best Documentary” by the Idyllwild Film Festival.Dr. Farrell has been interviewed repeatedly by Oprah, Barbara Walters, Tucker Carlson and Jordan Peterson, and also by Peter Jennings, Sean Hannity, Katie Couric, Larry King, Regis Philbin, and Charlie Rose. He has frequently written for and been featured in The New York Times and publications worldwide. Warren has two daughters and lives with his wife in Mill Valley, California, and virtually at warrenfarrell.com.Support the show

Our guest this time, Kane Brolin, will quickly and gladly tell you that as a blind person born in Iowa in 1965 he was mightily blessed to be born in that state as it had the best programs for blind people in the nation. Kane was born prematurely and, because of being given too much oxygen he became blind due to a condition known as retinopathy O. Prematurity. In fact I am blind due to the same circumstance. As it turns out, Kane and I share a great many life experiences especially because of the attitudes of our parents who all thought we could do whatever we put our minds to doing. Kane attended public school and then went to Iowa State University. He wanted to be a DJ and had a bit of an opportunity to live his dream. However, jobs were scarce and eventually he decided to go back to school at Northwestern University in Illinois. He formed his own financial and investment company which has been in business since 2002. He is a certified financial planner and has earned the Chartered Special Needs Consultant® designation.   We talk quite a bit about financial matters and he gives some sage advice about what people may realize are good investment ideas. He talks about investing in the stock market and urges investing for the long term. I leave it to him to discuss this in more depth.   Kane is quite committed to “pay it forward” insofar as dealing with blind people is concerned. He is currently the president of the National Federation of the Blind of Indiana. He also serves as a member of the Board of Directors for Penny Forward, Inc., a not-for-profit founded and run by blind people which strives to build a diverse and aspirationally-focused community of blind people who help one another achieve financial fitness, gainful employment, and overall fulfilment in life.   I find Kane quite inspirational and I hope you will do so as well. He has much to offer and he provided many good life lessons not only about financial matters, but also about blindness and blind people.       About the Guest:   Born in 1965, Kane Brolin spent his formative years in the state of Iowa and later went on to earn a Master's degree from the JL Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University in Evanston, Illinois, which is near Chicago.  Since the year 2002, he has owned and operated a financial planning and investment management business based in Mishawaka, Indiana, located not far from The University of Notre Dame.  Over the years, he has become a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ Professional and has earned the Chartered Special Needs Consultant® designation.  When doing business with his clients, securities and Advisory Services are offered through Commonwealth Financial Network, a Registered Investment Advisor which is a Member of FINRA and SIPC,.   Having been totally blind for all his life, Kane feels indebted to many people who selflessly gave of their time, talent, and resources to help him acquire the education, skills, and confidence that enable him to lead a busy and productive life in service to others.  Many of those who made the biggest impact when Kane was growing up, also happened to be members of the National Federation of the Blind.  So after getting established on his current career path, he increasingly felt the impulse to give back to the organized blind movement which had served his needs from an early age.   Kane co-founded the Michiana Chapter in the National Federation of the Blind in 2012 and subsequently was elected to serve a two-year term as president of the Indiana State Affiliate of the NFB in October, 2022.  He is thankful for the early introduction of Braille, as well as for the consistent drumbeat from parents, peers, and professors which set and reinforced continuously high expectations.     In addition to his work with the NFB, Kane serves as a member of the Board of Directors for Penny Forward, Inc., a not-for-profit founded and run by blind people which strives to build a diverse and aspirationally-focused community of blind people who help one another achieve financial fitness, gainful employment, and overall fulfilment in life.   Kane lives in Mishawaka with Danika, his wife of 27 years, and their four children.  Kane and Danika were active foster parents for 11 years.  The Brolin family have been committed to numerous civic organizations; they and their family are active in their place of worship.  Giving back to the world is a continuously high priority.  They endeavor to teach their children by example, and they impart to them the wisdom of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.: “You can all be great, because you can all serve.”   Ways to connect with Rob:   BrolinWealth.com LinkedIn public profile nfb-in.org pennyforward.com   About the Host:   Michael Hingson is a New York Times best-selling author, international lecturer, and Chief Vision Officer for accessiBe. Michael, blind since birth, survived the 9/11 attacks with the help of his guide dog Roselle. This story is the subject of his best-selling book, Thunder Dog.   Michael gives over 100 presentations around the world each year speaking to influential groups such as Exxon Mobile, AT&T, Federal Express, Scripps College, Rutgers University, Children's Hospital, and the American Red Cross just to name a few. He is Ambassador for the National Braille Literacy Campaign for the National Federation of the Blind and also serves as Ambassador for the American Humane Association's 2012 Hero Dog Awards.   https://michaelhingson.com https://www.facebook.com/michael.hingson.author.speaker/ https://twitter.com/mhingson https://www.youtube.com/user/mhingson https://www.linkedin.com/in/michaelhingson/   accessiBe Links https://accessibe.com/ https://www.youtube.com/c/accessiBe https://www.linkedin.com/company/accessibe/mycompany/   https://www.facebook.com/accessibe/       Thanks for listening!   Thanks so much for listening to our podcast! If you enjoyed this episode and think that others could benefit from listening, please share it using the social media buttons on this page. Do you have some feedback or questions about this episode? Leave a comment in the section below!   Subscribe to the podcast   If you would like to get automatic updates of new podcast episodes, you can subscribe to the podcast on Apple Podcasts or Stitcher. You can subscribe in your favorite podcast app. You can also support our podcast through our tip jar https://tips.pinecast.com/jar/unstoppable-mindset .   Leave us an Apple Podcasts review   Ratings and reviews from our listeners are extremely valuable to us and greatly appreciated. They help our podcast rank higher on Apple Podcasts, which exposes our show to more awesome listeners like you. If you have a minute, please leave an honest review on Apple Podcasts.       Transcription Notes:   Michael Hingson ** 00:00 Access Cast and accessiBe Initiative presents Unstoppable Mindset. The podcast where inclusion, diversity and the unexpected meet. Hi, I'm Michael Hingson, Chief Vision Officer for accessiBe and the author of the number one New York Times bestselling book, Thunder dog, the story of a blind man, his guide dog and the triumph of trust. Thanks for joining me on my podcast as we explore our own blinding fears of inclusion unacceptance and our resistance to change. We will discover the idea that no matter the situation, or the people we encounter, our own fears, and prejudices often are our strongest barriers to moving forward. The unstoppable mindset podcast is sponsored by accessiBe, that's a c c e s s i capital B e. Visit www.accessibe.com to learn how you can make your website accessible for persons with disabilities. And to help make the internet fully inclusive by the year 2025. Glad you dropped by we're happy to meet you and to have you here with us.   Michael Hingson ** 01:20 Hi, everyone. I am your host, Michael Hingson, or you can call me Mike. It's okay. And this is unstoppable mindset where inclusion, diversity in the unexpected. Meet today. We're going to do a little bit of all. We're inclusive because my guest Kane Brolin, or if you're from Sweden, it's Brolin, and it's pronounced Brolin, not Brolin, but Kane bralin, or broline, is in Indiana, and Kane also happens to be blind, and has been blind his entire life. We'll get into that. He is very much involved in investing and dealing with money matters that I'm interested to get a chance to really chat about it's always fun to talk to people about how they're helping people with finances and money and getting insights. And I'm sure that he has some to to offer. So we'll get to that. Kane also happens to be the president of the National Federation of the Blind of Indiana, and so that keeps him busy, so he deals with money, and he's a politician to boot. So what else can you ask for? I pick on Kane by doing that, but nevertheless, Kane, welcome to unstoppable mindset. We're glad you're here. Thank   Kane Brolin ** 02:34 you. And there are there are times when the politics and the money issues can be a dream. There are other times it can be an absolute nightmare, either one, either one or both and and the thing that ties those together in common ground is that I walk in in the morning, and sometimes they have no idea what I'm about to walk into. So it does make for an adventure. Well,   Michael Hingson ** 02:57 the Fed has lowered interest rates. What do you think about that?   Kane Brolin ** 03:01 Well, there is some ramification for what happens in the consumer marketplace. The main thing that I've been hearing today is that even with those lowering of short term interest rates, you're seeing some long term interest rates go down the mortgage rates, especially, and those two are not necessarily always related. You don't always see the long term interest rates that the market determines through supply and demand. They don't always go in sync with the short term baseline rate that the Federal Reserve banking system sets, but in this particular case, they are, and what I've been reading this morning is that that may be at least good news in the short run for consumers, because they'll be paying Lower interest for new mortgages and also perhaps lower credit card rates or credit card payments. Of course, the downside is that if one invests and is lending money instead of borrowing it, that means sometimes lower rates of income that you can get from things like a certificate of deposit or an annuity. So there's always two sides of the same coin, and then it depends on which side you happen to be looking at. At the moment, right now, the market seems to like this convergence of interest rate activities, and the stock market has generally been up today. So by the time people hear this, that won't matter because it's a whole different day, but, but right now, the early returns coming in are pretty good for the the common human being out there trying to just manage their money.   Michael Hingson ** 04:54 Well, that's not really surprising, in a sense, because rates have been high for a while. Yeah, and things have been tough. So it's not surprising that people have made, and I would put it this way, to a degree, the marketing decision to respond favorably to the rates going down, and I know there's been a lot of pressure for the thread to lower its rate, and so they did. And I think that a lot of different entities kind of had to respond in a reasonably positive way, because they kept saying that it's time that the rates go down. So they had to respond. So we'll see how it it all goes. I   Kane Brolin ** 05:33 think, you know, and there's an issue I think that's salient to people with disabilities, blind people, included, if it's less expensive for the consumer to borrow money, it should follow that in the coming weeks, it should be less expensive for businesses to borrow money if they need some, and they may be more inclined to open up more jobs to people or to not shrink the jobs or The hiring that they have done by laying people off so and that's what I was just about. No one is a recession, and so it may mean that there are openings, there's room in the job market for more of us, because the thing I'm most passionate about in this whole game of helping blind people is getting us access to money and getting us access to gainful permanent work.   Michael Hingson ** 06:24 And that's what I was actually going to going to talk about, or not talk about a long time, but, but mention was that the real test will be how it affects the job market and the unemployment rate and so on. And I hope that that that will go down. I know it's been sort of ticking up a little bit, although in reality, of course, for persons with disabilities, the unemployment rate is a whole lot higher than around 4% so it'll be interesting to see how all that goes all the way around. But even just the national unemployment rate, I would hope that if that has been an excuse because the rates have been high, that now we'll see that start to drop, and, you know, so we'll see. But I think it's a it's going to be one of those waiting games to see how the world responds. Of course, we have a whole political thing going on with the election and I'm sure that some people on the political side like the the drop better than people on the other side do, but again, we'll see how it all goes. So it's it makes life fun. Well, tell me a little bit about you, if you would, sort of maybe the early cane growing up and all that sort of stuff. You were born, according to your bio, back in 1965 so I was 15 at the time, so I remember the year. So you've, you've been around a little while, though, however, so tell us a little bit about the early cane.   Kane Brolin ** 07:54 Yeah, I don't remember too many years, or any years, really, prior to about maybe 1971 or 72 with any degree of real clarity. You know, I would say that my early years were a mixed bag, but in the main they were good, of course, being immediately confronted with rLf, or retinopathy of prematurity, as they call it these days, and being blind from the very beginning, most people would probably out there consider it a tragedy. But if I if I knew that it was my fate to be a blind person, which I suppose it is, then I won the lottery as being a blind person, I think. And that might be a controversial statement, but the truth is that there is no place in the United States, and probably no place in the world that would have been better for me to grow up in in the late 1960s and 1970s than in Iowa, because now there was, there was no other blindness in my family. It's not hereditary. My parents had no idea how to deal with it in the very beginning.   Michael Hingson ** 09:12 Were you born prematurely? I was, yeah, which is why I weigh you have that   Kane Brolin ** 09:16 something like two pounds, 10 ounces at birth. So there is a part of me that realizes that I am very fortunate to be alive, and I'm very fortunate that my brain has functioned pretty well for most of my life. You can't always count on that either, you know, and when you get when you get older, my my father was a very bright person, and yet he lived during the last 10 years of his life, he struggled with dementia and some other problems so but I can say that I've had a good run so far, and you know what they what they didn't know. At least my parents and others in my family knew what they didn't know. And I. But when you don't know what you don't know, you flounder and and settle for almost anything, including fear. But when you know what you don't know, then you understand you need to research things. And I happened to be in a state that had been graced by the presence of Dr Kenneth Jernigan, principally. And of course, other people that I had no idea who they were at that time. You know, folks like James gaschell and James on VIG right, and and others. I think Joanne Wilson came out of that mix. I didn't know her either, but I've read about all these people in the past, but, but first and foremost, my parents found out that Dr Jernigan was number one, very brilliant. Number two did not settle for low expectations. And number three had the advantage of being both the head of the Iowa Commission for the Blind, which was a state sanctioned Agency, and the National Federation of the Blind, which is, or, you know, has been for most of the last 84 years, the leading advocacy organization and civil rights organization of the Blind in in the United States. Now, I'm not here to make a political point about that, but in Iowa, they were definitely more well known than anyone was, and because he could pull strings which influence things like educational budgets, and he also had very much a civil rights mindset and an aggressive mindset of going forward and breaking down barriers, this is a rare combo platter of traits and possibilities that I very much benefited from. And when I say that, I mean that from the very beginning, at five or six years old, I had Braille. I didn't have Braille in the beginning, but, but my parents did and and my dad actually knew enough about it to construct a set of blocks with print lettering on one side, Braille on the other side. And so not only did I have a really good teacher in my first couple of years of public school education named Doris Willoughby, some may be familiar with her. I know Doris will rip she has passed on in the past couple years, but she made a great impact in in my life, and a very deep impact in others lives too. But because of her influence and like minded people, I had access to books. I had access to mostly mainstreamed integrated education, where I was in the classroom with other sighted students, except for certain parts of certain days, you know, I had access to a great big wall mounted tactile map that was like a puzzle. And I understand Dr Jernigan designed that one too, where I could actually feel and take apart the states of the Union. And so I could tell where Oklahoma was, where Massachusetts was, where Indiana is. I could tell the shapes of the various states. I thought it was kind of curious that California, where you are from, Michael, is shaped very much like a banana, or at least that's what occurred to me at that time. I had recorded books. I had talking books. And you know, while there are things I did not get out of a mainstream public education that I kind of wish I had gotten out of it, from a social standpoint, from an athletic standpoint, the academics were on point, and I had access to resources, and I kind of just was living in a in a dream world, in a way, because even through my college days, I thought, Well, gee, it's great that we have all this now. Why is there all this blind civil rights stuff going on now? Because this was solved from the beginning of my childhood. Little did I realize that that is not the case in most other parts of the country or the world, but I got what I needed to at least have a shot on goal at success, and I'm very grateful for that, and it's one of the reasons that I have chosen to dedicate a portion of my life, during my prime working years, even to the National Federation of the Blind, because I want to pay this forward and help out some people that may not have had all the advantages that I had, even, even in the bygone days that I was growing up,   Michael Hingson ** 14:23 sure? So tell me, because I went through some of the same experiences you did in terms of being born premature and becoming blind due to rLf, which stands for retro enteral fibroplasia. And if people want to know how to spell that, they can go by thunder dog, the story of a blind man, his guide dog, and the triumph of trust at ground zero. And you can learn how to spell it there, because I don't remember how to spell it. We put it in the book, but that's what I remember. But so when you be when it was discovered that you were blind, how did your parents handle that? What did they say? Right? What did the doctors say to them? Because my experience was and, you know, of course, I didn't know it at the time, but my parents told me later that the doctor said, send him off to a home because he could never amount to anything, because no blind child could ever contribute to society. What was, if, from your understanding from your parents, what was what happened to you? If any   Kane Brolin ** 15:21 doctor ever said that to them? They never told me about it. What I what I do know is that there is an eye doctor that was a part of their lives, who I saw a couple of times, probably in my childhood, who was a a female optometrist or maybe an ophthalmologist in the area, and they really had a lot of respect for her. I never felt marginalized or dismissed. Yeah, as a part of my childhood, part of it is that I don't think my parents would have tolerated that, and my   Michael Hingson ** 15:55 parents didn't, either my parents and my parents didn't either they said, No, you're wrong. He can grow up to do whatever he wants, and we're going we're going to give him that opportunity. And they brought me up that way, which is, of course, part of what led to my psyche being what it is. And I too, believe in paying it forward and doing work to try to educate people about blindness and so on, and supporting and and I've been involved with the National Federation of the Blind since 1972 so it's been a while. Yeah, I would say,   Kane Brolin ** 16:27 I know I remember. I have a very, very fuzzy memory of being four, maybe five years old, and I know that they considered putting me into the Iowa Braille and sight saving School, which was a school for the blind in Iowa no longer exists, by the way, but they did consider it and decided against it. I don't think they wanted me to just go off to boarding school I was five. I know that that does work for some people, and I know that in later years, I've read that in some cases, even Dr Jernigan believed that schools for the blind were better, especially in places where there wasn't a truly sincere effort by public school systems to integrate and set high expectations for blind students. Well,   Michael Hingson ** 17:13 of course, here in California, for example, in the 50s and so on, as the California School for the Blind we had and and earlier, Dr Newell Perry, among others, who was a blind mathematician. Of course, Dr tembrech was was out here, and there were values and reasons why the schools could make a difference. My parents were pushed really hard by my elementary school principal to send me off to that school, and I actually remember hearing shouting matches between them, because parents said ah and and I didn't go to the school. I don't know what it was like by the time we moved out here and we were putting me in kindergarten, first and second grade. So like in 5657 I'm not sure what the school was like, but my parents didn't want me to not have a real home environment. So, you know,   Kane Brolin ** 18:12 yeah, and so, you know, I remember my childhood is, well, it wasn't like everybody else's childhood. One of the the issues happened to be that my the neighborhood that my family lived in, did not have a lot of kids in it that were my age for most of the time I was there, the schools in the early to mid 70s at least that admitted blind students in the town that I grew up in, which was Cedar Rapids, Iowa, there was only one set of schools on the opposite side of town where they were sending blind kids for those resources. Now that later changed and the decision was made. I guess I made the decision to stay out there. So one of the differences was that I was bussed from the southeast side of town to the southwest side of town. So there were kids I got to know through school, but I didn't have any kind of social life with most of them, with a couple different exceptions, through my childhood. So it was a lot of academics, it wasn't a lot of play time, right? That certainly informed how I grew up, and it's made me a little bit struggle to understand and and be a really sensitive, playful, patient type parent, because my my kids and I'll, we'll go there when we get there, but my, my children, I have four, they're all still in home right now, are very normal kind of rambunctious kids that enjoy and struggle with the same things that any other kids do. They are all sighted, but, but my parents were. Was pretty strict. They set high expectations, but some of that was high expectations for behavior as well. So I really wasn't ramming around and causing trouble and getting into mischief and, you know, getting on my bike and riding for miles outside the way kids did in the 70s. So there there were limitations in my childhood, but, but, you know, my parents, too, expected me to utilize and to have the resources that would lead me to be anything I wanted to be. And I honestly think that if I had said, I want to be the President of the United States, they would not have ruled it out. Now, the only thing I've really been president of is several different civic organizations and the Indiana branch of the NFB. You know, that's something not everyone does. I've interviewed a governor before when I was a journalism student. That was fun, and I've met congress people, but they did not set the limitations. You know, sometimes maybe I did, but but they didn't. And so I'm really grateful for that, that as long as I knew what I wanted, they made sure that I had the tools and access to whatever training they knew about that could help me to   Michael Hingson ** 21:18 get there. So you you went through school. And I think our our younger lives were fairly similar, because I also, when I went into fourth grade, and we finally had a resource teacher in the area, I was bused to the other side of town for that. And all of that kind of came together when I started high school, because everyone in Palmdale went to the same high school, so anyone I knew prior to going across town, I got to know again, and still knew as as friends growing up, but we all went to high school together. But you know, I hear exactly what you're saying, and my parents did not impose limitations either, and I'm very blessed for that. But you went through school and then you went to college. Tell me about college.   Kane Brolin ** 22:19 It was a fun experience. Glad that I went through it. I attended Iowa State University for my bachelor's degree. I know that you've never, ever heard this before, but I really dreamed about being a radio personality. And I say that sarcastically. It's what I wanted to be, because I had a cousin that was in the business. But of course, since then, as I've gotten more into blind blindness culture and met many other people that I never knew growing up, I know that that the media and especially radio as a gift, is really fascinating to many of us, and a lot of us have had rotations in different parts of that, especially with the advent of the internet, but this was back during the 70s and 80s, and what I wanted to be at first was a DJ. Used to pretend to be one at home all the time and then, but I also knew where the library was, and I developed a great love of books and information and data. To some degree, I wasn't really a math guy, more of a word guy, but I then developed a deep interest in journalism and investigation and research, and so by the middle to late 80s, what I wanted to be was, let's just call it the next Peter Jennings, if one can remember who that is, right. And I'm sure that there are probably, you know, facsimiles of him today,   Michael Hingson ** 23:50 but it's hard to be a facsimile of Peter Jennings. But yeah, he really is,   Kane Brolin ** 23:55 and that he was great and but you know the disadvantage, the advantage and the disadvantage of going to Iowa State University. I Why did I go there? Because any of my few relatives that had gone to college, including my dad, had had gone there. My dad was very loyal to his alma mater, and he told both myself and my sister, who is a very different person and not blind at all. If it was good enough for me, it's good enough for you, and if you want me to pay for it, here's where you're going to go. Now, Iowa State is mostly an engineering and agricultural school. It's a land grant institution. And I know that land grant institutions are a little controversial in today's climate where there is more of an emphasis on diversity, equity, inclusion and making up for some past societal wrongs, but these are deeply respected institutions that mainly turned out people that ended up well, doing things like building. Bridges and being mechanical engineers and developing new seed corn hybrids and things of this nature. It did have a telecommunicative arts program, and I was in it, but there were very few of us in it, and I did get a chance to get my hands on the equipment. I was a broadcaster, first on a student radio station at Iowa State called K usr. Then I actually did work for pay, sort of for a number of years for w, O I am and FM, which were flagship stations of what we would now call the the NPR network. You know, these were around since the 20s, and I actually did work for them. I was on air a little bit. I ran the control board a lot, and I worked for those two stations on a part time basis, probably about a three quarter time basis, for several years after leaving college, and it was really a student job, but I had trouble finding any other more meaningful work in the industry. What I gradually came to find out is that I loved radio, but radio really didn't love me, and I wasn't really thinking strategically. At that time, I graduated in 1988 it is that very same year that a little known figure from Kansas City named Rush Limbaugh hit the American airwaves like a ton of bricks. And because of him and some other people like him, all of a sudden, local stations realized that they could drop their news and information programming, stop hiring so many people, and because Mr. Limbaugh was as popular as he was, they could basically run a lot of satellite based programming, have somebody sort of halfway monitor the board and hire somebody else to program computer systems that would put automated commercial breaks on and things like this, and they wouldn't really have to produce local content. We also saw the elimination of the equal time standard and the Fairness Doctrine, which required local stations to put on a variety of viewpoints and air programming every week that was in the public interest, that didn't necessarily have commercial value. And so the things I wanted to do became a lot harder to do, because by the time I was ready to get hired to do them, not a lot of radio stations were hiring people to do it, even in the even in the television world, and so strategically, I was buying into a sinking market, and That wasn't a great place to be at that time. And so with some reluctance, after a lot of fruitless job searching, I chose another path, not necessarily knowing where that path would lead. And so the last time I ever got paid to run a shift for a radio station was in late June of 1993 I've been a guest on a couple of different shows and some podcasts like this one. I greatly enjoy it. I've even thought about doing some internet broadcasting. I don't have the time, really to do that now, but, but, and I miss it, but I have found out there are ways of diverting the skill sets I have to another path.   Michael Hingson ** 28:25 And what path did you choose?   Kane Brolin ** 28:28 Initially, the path I chose was graduate school. I was fortunate enough to have gotten good enough grades that I was able to get approved by a number of different business schools. You know, the first path I really wanted to do is be a Foreign Service Officer for the diplomatic corps. I applied for the US Department of State. And I had some hopes in doing that, because around 1990 a gentleman named Rami Rabbi. You may know him, I do did became the first blind person ever to be a Foreign Service Officer. Now, he had advantages. He had traveled the world. I had traveled to Mexico and Costa Rica, and I spoke Spanish, and I was pretty fluent, but he was a little bit more qualified in different ways that they were looking for. So I wanted some international experience. I applied for the Peace Corps, and I had no real shot at that. What they were looking for was something very different from what I was then. But I did apply to the Foreign Service, and I made it almost all the way down the hiring process. I made the final 3% cut among the class they were looking at in 1990 and 91 I went to Virginia to, I think Alexandria and I sat for the last round of interviews and simulations that they did. Unfortunately, I was in the top 3% and they wanted the top 1% so I had a really fun few days out there at the government's expense. But I also found that I was not going to be hired to be the second blind. Foreign Service officer. I later found out that Mr. Robbie had to actually file a lawsuit and win that lawsuit to get his opportunity. So I know that the system were not exactly bought in to blame people doing this on a regular basis. I know there's others that have gotten there since that, and I've met one of them, but but that that wasn't for me, but they also said what I really needed was more management experience. I'd never done anything in management, so I decided to go to management school or business school as graduate school. I got accepted by a few different places. I chose Northwestern University in Chicago. My sister had gone through that program. I guess that's maybe one of the reasons I selected that one. I could have gone to a couple of others that also had accepted me, and sometimes I wonder what would have happened had I done that. But I did spend two years in Chicago land met some of the most impressive people that I've ever met in my life. Figured out train systems and pace bus systems, and went all over the place and had friends in the city, not just in the school. I made the most of that time, and that's what I did from 1993 to 1995 unfortunately, I found out you can get a an MBA or a master of management, but they still, still weren't hiring a lot of blind people out there. And so while my associates were getting jobs at McKinsey and Company, and Booz Allen Hamilton, as it was known at that time, and they were working for Bank of America, doing all kinds of interesting things and and also brand management companies like disco and Kellogg and all that. I got all of one job offer coming out of one of the top 5b schools in the country, and I took that job offer, which led me to Midland, Michigan, where I knew nobody at that time, but I spent about three and a half years doing various types of business research for the Dow Chemical Company, and that did not last as a career, but I got a chance to make the first real money I had ever earned. At that time through another connection that wasn't related to Dow, I happened to meet the woman that I eventually married and am with now, and have had four kids with, and so that was a whole different kettle of fish. But at the end of 98 I was downsized, along with several others in my department, and we decided at that time that entrepreneurship was probably not a bad way to go, or, you know, something that wasn't just strictly speaking corporate. In 2000 I landed in the South Bend, Indiana area, which is where she is from. I had never lived here before. This is where I am now. And while struggling to find a place here, I realized that I could get hired on as what is called a financial advisor. I had no idea what that was. Well, you know, with a business degree, I could probably be a credible hire as a financial advisor. Little did I know that that involved tele sales. In the very beginning, never thought I was a salesperson either. Since then, I have found out that I have more selling ability than I had ever thought that I might and that that is an honorable profession if you're convincing people to do what is right for themselves. And so I've found that over the years, being what I am enables me to, well, in a way, keep my own hours. We've chosen the small business, sort of independent contracting route, rather than the employee channel, working for a bank or for somebody else's brokerage. I get to be a researcher, I get to be a public speaker now and then, and I get to help people problem solve, which is something I would not have had a chance to do on the radio. And when someone comes up to you, as a few people have and have, said, you know, thank you for making it possible for me to retire and to do what I want to do, and to spend time with grandkids and to live where I want to live. You know, that's a that's definitely a hit. That's a great feeling to have someone say, Thank you for helping me to do and to be what I didn't know I could do or be. So   Michael Hingson ** 34:38 investing isn't what you had originally planned to do with your life. So I can't say that it was necessarily a lifelong goal from the beginning, but you evolved into it, and it seems to be going pretty well for you.   Kane Brolin ** 34:51 Well, yeah, I think it has. It's investing means different things to different. People, to some clients, the goal is, I just don't want to lose money. Please put me in something that earns a little bit, but I don't want the chance for anything I'm in to go down for others. What investing means is, I want to be more aggressive. I want to build what I have. What do you think about this or that opportunity? What stock should I be in? Because I really want to grab onto an opportunity and seize the day and have as much as I can have at the end of the day. And you know, For still others, it means, it means giving. It means building something up so I can pass it along, either to a charity, to the kids, to the grandkids, to to my religious institution of choice, whatever that is. So I find that investing is not just investing, the the at the root, at the heart of investing, the heartbeat of it, is really the people that I serve. And you know, I was told early on, hey, you don't have a practice. All you're doing is practicing, unless you have people to be in front of. And so in my mind, you know, and I'm not that much of a quantitative guy. I'm I'm not the person out there working as an actuary for Symmetra Life Insurance Company figuring out how much money has to go in and how much it must earn to be able to give 50,000 people the payouts they want from an annuity till the end of their projected lifespans. That's that's not where I am. I'm not designing a mutual fund that's more like what a certified financial analyst would be. I am a Certified Financial Planner practitioner, and what a CFP does is takes numbers that you see and translates those into action steps that I can explain in plain English terms to a client I'm in front of that can give that individual person, family or small business the kinds of outcomes that they want. So I'm on the retail end of the food chain, and my job is to try to take the numbers that others are generating and boil that down into something that is digestible to the common man and woman, that allows them to, we hope, live the way they want. So   Michael Hingson ** 37:29 I gather from listening to you though, that you enjoy what you do.   Kane Brolin ** 37:36 I do particularly when it works.   Michael Hingson ** 37:39 Well, there's times.   Kane Brolin ** 37:40 There are times it gets a little tricky. 2001 2002 I know that you had a very personal experience that vaulted you, Michael, into this, into the realm of the famous, or the Almost Famous, on 911 I remember what 911 was like as a very small time retail investment person working out of a field office. I was somebody's employee at that point. I was working for American Express financial advisors, and I remember my life was never in danger in 911 but there were a lot of clients that thought their money and their data were in danger, and then the country that the country itself, might even be in danger. And so I morphed during that week from being a telemarketing person trying to set appointments with people I'd never met to being a person who was trying to dole out comfort and a feeling of security and solace to people I had met who the few that I was managing their accounts at that time, calling them and saying, You know what, your money and your data are safe. I'm here. The company that you have your stuff invested with is based in Minneapolis. It's not based in the Twin Towers, the markets are shut down. There will be volatility, but you're not crashing today, just so   Michael Hingson ** 39:08 the other the other side of it, the other side of that, was that during that week after September 11, there were a lot of people who were working and moving, literally Heaven and Earth, if you will, to bring Wall Street back. And I know I'm working with some of those companies and providing them with the backup equipment, or not so much at the time, backup equipment, but the equipment that would be able to read existing tape backups and put that back on computers. And I know, I think it was Morgan Stanley had found an office space sometime during the week after September 11. Then, as they describe it, it was the building with a floor the size of a foot. Football field, and they scrounged and scavenged and got their providers of equipment, like IBM to provide them with computers, even taking them from IBM employees desks to provide enough equipment to be able to set up what was the equivalent to the trading floor that had been in the world trade center that was destroyed on September 11, and literally from Friday afternoon that would have been the 14th to the 16th in 36 hours. They not only reconstructed physically what the trading floor was but because of what we provided them with, they were able to completely reconstruct what everything looked like on their computers. So when Wall Street reopened on the 17th, everything was like it was when everything shut down on the 11th now, I think there's some blessings to the fact that the towers were struck before Wall Street opened. I don't know how much easier that made it maybe some, but the reality is that data is backed up regularly, so they would have been able to to survive, but the fact that the markets hadn't opened in the US certainly had to help. But by Monday, the 17th, they brought Wall Street back, just as if nothing had happened. It was a monumental feat to be able to do that. That is a story   Kane Brolin ** 41:37 that I would love to read, because I've never heard that story before, and that makes me feel very unintelligent. Michael, you know, I can't even imagine the logistics and the people and just even the imagination that it would take to reconstruct that. I'm sure it was 1000s. I'm sure it was 1000s of people. And I'm sure that probably that's something that somebody had thought about even before the 911 incident happened. I don't think that was invented out of whole cloth on Friday the 14th, but that's a story that would be a very captivating book, and if no one's written it, then, gosh, would that be a fun thing to research and write.   Michael Hingson ** 42:21 Well, you know, the reality is, the SEC required that all data from financial institutions had to be backed up and kept available off site for seven years. So first of all, the data was all around and that's why I think it was an especially great blessing that the markets hadn't opened, because all the backups from the previous night, and probably from all the not only the futures, but the sales from foreign markets, were pretty much all backed up as well. So everything was backed up. That, of course, was the real key, because getting the hardware, yes, that was a logistical nightmare that they were able to address, getting the computers, getting everything where they needed it. Then companies like ours providing them with the wherewithal to be able to pull the data from the tapes and put it back onto the computers. It had to be quite a feat, but it all worked. And when Wall Street opened, it opened as if nothing had happened, even though some of the the offices were now in completely different places across the river. But it all worked, incredible. Yeah, I was, it was, it was pretty amazing. I knew people from the firms. And of course, we helped them by providing them with equipment. But at the same time, hearing about the story later was was really quite amazing, and and they did a wonderful job to bring all that back. So it was pretty, pretty amazing that that all that occurred. So that was pretty cool all the way. And   Kane Brolin ** 44:00 of course, the other struggle was in 2007 2008 I remember when I would be sitting at my desk and I'm not a day trader, I'm, I'm, I'm a long term investor. That's what most of my clients want. I'm not in there, you know, trading, trading daily options. I'm not doing inverse leveraged products that have to be bought in the morning and then sold in the afternoon under most cases. But I remember sitting at my desk in 2008 when the great recession was going on with the financial crisis happened and and when banks and huge investment banks, brokerage institutions were, in some cases, completely failing, that's a whole other story that was chronicled in books like The Big Short as an example, but I remember sitting at my desk and timing it and watching in a five minute period of time. As the Dow Jones Industrial Average, which was back in in those days, was, was what maybe 6000 or so as a benchmark. It was going up and down by a margin of error of 800 points in five minutes, it would be 400 up one minute, and then 400 down from that level. In other words, an 800 point swing within a five minute period of time. There was one day I went to take a test, because I have continuing education on a pretty regular basis, had to go to a testing center and take a test that lasted maybe three hours. I got back, and I think the market for at least the Dow Jones had dropped by 800 points during the time that I was in the testing center. And that gives you some stomach acid when that sort of thing happens, because even though it it's, you know, things always bounce back, and they always bounce up and down. Clients call and they say, oh my gosh, what happens if I lose it all? Because people really think that they could lose it all. Now, if you're in a mutual fund with 100 different positions, it's very unlikely, right? All of those positions go to zero. What I found out is that when people's money is concerned, it's emotional. Yeah, it's all rational. They're not looking at the empirical data. They're thinking fight or flight, and they really are concerned with what in the world am I going to do if I go to zero? And   Michael Hingson ** 46:38 it's so hard to get people to understand, if you're going to invest in the market, it has to be a long term approach, because if you don't do that, you can, you can disappoint yourself, but the reality is, over the long term, you're going to be okay. And you know now, today, once again, we're seeing the evidence of that with what the Fed did yesterday, lowering by a half a point, and how that's going to affect everything. But even over the last five or six years, so many people have been worried about inflation and worried about so many things, because some of our politicians have just tried to scare us rather than dealing with reality. But the fact of the matter is that it all will work out if we're patient and and allow things to to work. And what we need to do is to try to make wise decisions to minimize, perhaps our risk. But still, things will work out.   Kane Brolin ** 47:43 Yeah, I remember, I think, the Dow Jones Industrial Average, which is what always used to get quoted, at least on the radio and the television. It was somewhere in the somewhere in the 11,000 range, before the 2008 debacle. And it fell to, I think, 6400 right was the low that it reached. Now it's over 41,000   Michael Hingson ** 48:11 closed up above 42 yesterday. I'm not   Kane Brolin ** 48:13 sure it very well may have so you know when you when you really think about it, if you just stayed in and it's more complicated than that. One of course people have with the market is that when the market crashes, they also may need to get their money out for different, unrelated reasons. What if I lost my job as a result of the market crashing? Right? What if? What if there is a need that I have to fulfill and that money has to come out for me to make a house payment. You don't know that. And so that's the unfortunate part, is that a lot of the academic missions don't take into account the real human factor of real people that need to use their money. But if you could stand to hang on and leave it in, it would be worth you know, what would that be like six or seven times more than it was in 2008 but that's not what what clients often do. They they often want to sell out of fear when things are down, and then wait too long to buy back in when the elevator has already made its way quite a ways up, right?   Michael Hingson ** 49:25 I remember once, and I don't remember what the cause was, but Rolls Royce dropped to $3 a share. And there were some people saying, this is the time to buy. It is it's not going to go away. And those who did have done pretty well. Bank   Kane Brolin ** 49:44 of America was $3 a share for quite some time. It was, it was technically a penny stock. This is Bank of America, you know, one of the leading financial institutions in the in the country, which, incidentally, has a very interesting. History. It wasn't born in New York, it was born in the south, right? But, yeah, if you only knew what those trough opportunities were and knew exactly when to buy in and and I'm constantly telling people, look my my goal is, is not so much to figure out what to buy but when to buy in. We're trying to buy low and sell high, and just because something did well last year doesn't mean you have to hang on to it. It might mean we want to trim that position a little bit, take some profit and and pick something that doesn't look as attractive or sexy because of last year's lackluster returns, but maybe this year. It will just due to changing conditions. Financial markets run in cycles. And it's not that some things are inherently good or bad. Some things are in favor now. They were not in favor last year, and they might not be in favor, you know, two years from now, but they are now. So that's the hard part. You're not supposed to really time the market. We can't predict all these things, but that's why you encourage people to diversify and to have some things that are not correlated with each other in terms of doing well or badly at the same time. So you can always sometimes be gaining with in with your left hand, while your right hand is is struggling a bit. Hence,   Michael Hingson ** 51:25 the need for people who are certified financial planners, right? So there you go. So you, you got married, what, 27 years ago, and you married someone who was fully sighted, who probably didn't have a whole lot of exposure to blindness and blind people before. How did all that work out? Obviously, it's worked out because you're still married. But what was it like, and was it ever kind of an uncomfortable situation for you guys?   Kane Brolin ** 51:58 I don't think blindness. Surprisingly enough, I don't think it was super uncomfortable for her. Now, she had not encountered lots of blind people before, maybe not even any before. She met me, but I met her, and this is where I had it easy. She didn't have it easy, but I met her through her family. I knew my wife's name is Danica. I knew her brother before I knew her, because he and I had been buddies. We for a little while. We ended up living in the same town up in Michigan, and it was not here in the South Bend area where she is, but I went home and had a chance to be to tag along as he was doing some some family things and some things with his friends so but, but my wife is a very interesting father. She has a very interesting dad who is no longer with us. May he rest in peace? No, no. Hello. Sorry. My nine year old just made a brief appearance, and she's incorrigible.   Michael Hingson ** 53:00 You wouldn't have it any other way. No, there   Kane Brolin ** 53:03 are days when I would, but I don't. So anyway, the I found out some interesting things raising kids as a blind parent too, but you know, her dad did not see really any kind of limitations when the world around him was racist he really wasn't. When the world around him was ableist. He really didn't. And one of the things he encouraged me to do, they had a little acreage Danika parents did. And he actually asked me one time when it was a leaf blowing or leaf storing season, it was in the fall, lots of oak trees, different things there to drive the garden tractor, as there was a Baleful leaves behind that he was taken to an area where they would eventually be burned up or composted or something. And I did that. He had an old garden tractor with a, you know, his gas powered, and it had pedals and steering wheel, and he would literally run around alongside it, didn't go very fast, and tell me kind of when and where to turn. I'm told that I almost crashed into the pit where the basement of the home was one time, but I didn't. So he was one of these people that like saw virtually no limitations. Encouraged his kids and others to do great things. He didn't have a great feel for people. He would have been an anti politician. He had trouble remembering your name, but if you were a decent person and treated him right, it didn't matter if you were black, purple, green, blind, deaf, whatever. He saw it as an interesting challenge to teach me how to do things. He taught me how to kayak. He taught me how to cross country ski. Back in those days before climate change, we actually got quite a bit of snow in the area where I live, even as early as Thanksgiving to. I'm in November. And so the first couple of winters that we lived here, and we would go to a local park, or, you know, even just out in the in the backyard of where his property was, and, and, and ski, Nordic ski, not downhill ski, really, but it was, it was an amazing exercise. It's an amazing feel to be able to do that, and I have no memory, and I had no relatives that that were in touch with the true Scandinavian heritage, that ancestry.com says that I have, but the act of doing a little bit of Nordic skiing with him gave me a real feel for what some people go through. Because traditionally, skiing was a form of transportation in those countries. In the Larry P you skied to work, you skied to somebody else's house. So, you know, I thought that that was fun and interesting. Now, the last few winters, we haven't gotten enough snow to amount to anything like that, but I do have, I still have a pair of skis. So no, that may be something that we do at some point when given the opportunity, or some other place where we have a bit more of a snow base.   Michael Hingson ** 56:10 Well, I'm sure that some people would be curious to to know this being blind and doing the work that you do, you probably do. Well, you do the same things, but you probably do them in different ways, or have different technologies that you use. What's some of the equipment and kind of technologies that you use to perform your job?   Kane Brolin ** 56:32 Well, you know, I wouldn't say that. I'm cutting edge. I'm sure there are people who do differently and better than I do, but I do most of my work in a PC based environment. It's a Windows based environment at the present time, because the broker dealers and the other firms that I work through, you know, I'm independent, in a way, meaning I pay my own bills and operate out of my own space and have my name of Berlin wealth management as a shingle on my door, so to speak. But you never walk alone in this business. And so I chose, ultimately, a company called the Commonwealth financial network to serve as my investment platform and my source of technology, and my source of what is called compliance, which means, you know, they are the police walking alongside what I do to make sure that I've documented the advice I've given to people, to make sure that that advice is suitable and that I'm operating according to the law and in the best interest of my clients, and not Not taking money from them, or, you know, doing phony baloney things to trade into a stock before I recommend that to somebody else. You know, there's a lot of malfeasance that can happen in this type of industry, but all these securities that I sell and all the advice that I given are done so with the blessing of the Commonwealth Financial Network, which is a member of FINRA and SIPC, I just need to point that out here. But they also provide technology, and most of their technology is designed to work in a Windows environment, and so that's typically what I have used. So I use JAWS.   Michael Hingson ** 58:23 And JAWS is a screen reader that verbalizes what comes across the screen for people who don't know it right, or puts   Kane Brolin ** 58:28 it into Braille, or puts it into Braille in the in the in the early days of my doing the business, many of the programs that we had to use to design an insurance policy or to pick investments, or to even monitor investments were standalone programs that were not based on a web architecture that would be recognizable. And so I was very fortunate that there was money available from the vocational rehab system to bring somebody in from Easter Seals Crossroads here in Indiana, to actually write Jaws script workarounds, that is, that could help jaws to know what to pull from the graphics card on the screen or in the system, to be able to help me interact. Because otherwise, I would have opened up a program and to me, it would have just been like a blank screen. I wouldn't be able to see or interact with data on the screen. Now, with more things being web based, it's a little easier to do those things. Not always. There are still some programs that are inaccessible, but most of what I do is through the use of Windows 10 or 11, and and with the use of Jaws, I do have, I devices. I like Apple devices, the smaller ones. I'm actually speaking to you using an iPad right now, a sixth generation iPad I've had for a while. I have an iPhone so I can still, you know, look up stock tickers. I can send 10. Text messages or emails, if I have to using that. But in general, I find that for efficiency sake, that a computer, a full on computer, tends to work best and and then I use that more rapidly and with more facility than anything else, right? I use the Kurzweil 1000 system to scan PDFs, or sometimes printed documents or books, things like that, into a readable form where I'm trying to, trying to just kind of anticipate what other things you may ask about. But you know, I use office 365, just like anybody else might. You know, I I have to use a lot of commonly available programs, because the people monitoring my work, and even the clients that I interact with still need to, even if they have sight, they need to read an email right after I send it. You know, they've my assistant has to be able to proof and manipulate a document in a form that she can read, as well as one that I can listen to or use Braille with. I'm a fluent Braille reader and writer. So there are some gizmos that I use, some braille displays and Braille keyboards and things of that nature. But, you know, most people seem to be under the misconception that a blind guy has to use a special blind computer, which must cost a king's ransom, not true, if anybody's listening to the program that isn't familiar with 2024 era blindness technology, it's mostly the same as anybody else's except with the modifications that are needed to make stuff accessible in a non visual format, and   Michael Hingson ** 1:01:45 the reality is, that's what it's all about. It's not like it's magically expensive. There are some things that are more expensive that do help. But the reality is that we use the same stuff everyone else uses. Just have some things that are a little bit different so that we are able to have the same access that other people do, but at the same time, that's no different than anyone else. Like I point out to people all the time, the electric light bulb is just a reasonable accommodation for light dependent people. Anyway, it's just that there are a whole lot more people who use it, and so we spend a whole lot more time and money making it available that is light on demand to people. But it doesn't change the fact that the issue is still there, that you need that accommodation in order to function. And you know that that, of course, leads to and, well, we won't spend a lot of time on it, but you are are very involved in the National Federation of the Blind, especially the NFB of Indiana, and you continue to pay it forward. And the NFB has been all about helping people to understand that we're not defined by blindness. We're defined by what we are and who we are, and blindness is happens to be a particular characteristic that we share   Kane Brolin ** 1:03:09 well, and there's a lot of other characteristics that we might not share. As an example, somebody, I don't know that he is involved in the NFB as such, but you know blind, if you're involved in American Blind culture and and that you've probably heard of a man named George Wurtzel. He is the brother of the guy that used to be president of the NFB of Michigan affiliate. But I understand that George is very good at things that I am not at all good at. He, you know? He understand that he almost built his own house from the ground up. His skill is not with computers and email and all this electronic communication that they do today, but he's a master woodworker. He's an artisan. You know, I I'm also involved, and I'd be remiss if I didn't mention it, I'm also involved with an organization called Penny forward, which is, you know, it could be the direction that I ultimately head in even more because it dovetails with my career. It's financial, education and fitness by the blind, for the blind, and it was started by a young man named Chris Peterson, who's based in the Twin Cities, who is not an NFB guy. He's actually an ACB guy, but his values are not that much different, and he's been a computer programmer. He's worked for big organizations, and now he started his own and has made a full time business out of financial fitness, educational curricula, podcasting, other things that you can subscribe to and buy into. And he's trying to build a community of the varied blind people that do all kinds of things and come from all sorts of backgrounds. And in one of the later editions of his podcast, he interviewed a man who's originally from Florida, who. Founded a company called Cerro tech that some might be familiar with, Mike Calvo, and Mike came to some of the same conclusions about blindness that you and I have, except that he's much younger. He's from Florida, and he's a Cuban American. He's a Latino whose first language growing up probably was Spanish, and who actually came out of, out of the streets. I mean, he was, he was in gangs, and did all kinds of things that were very different from anything I was ever exposed to as a young person. So I think in a lot of ways, we as blind people face the same types of issues, but we don't. None of us comes at it from the same vantage point. And, you know, we're, we're all dealing with maybe some of the same circumstances, but many, many, we've gotten there in very many different ways. And so I try to also impose on people. We are all different. We're a cross section. We don't all tie our shoes or cook our meals the same way. We don't want to live in the same environment. We don't want to do the same hobbies. And we don't all have better other senses than sighted people do. I don't know how many times you've heard it. I'd be a very rich man if I had $1 for every time someone said, Well, yeah, but you know, being blind, your hearing must be so much better, your sense of smell must be so much more acute. Well, no, the the divine forces in the universe have not just compensated me by making everything else better. What do you do with someone like Helen Keller, who was blind and deaf. There are people with plenty of people with blindness, and also other morbidities or disabilities, or I don't even like disabilities, different different abilities, different strengths and weaknesses. Along with blindness, there are blind people who also happen to be autistic, which could be an advantage to them, in some ways a disadvantage to others. I would like to go beyond the discussion of disability and think of these things, and think of me and others as just simply being differently able, because, you know, what kinds of jobs and roles in life with people that have the characteristic of autism, maybe they are actually better at certain things than a non autistic person would be. Maybe overall, people who live with the characteristic of bl

Donald Trump wants to be like Winston Churchill. But is he really like Neville Chamberlain, appeasing Vladimir Putin as Chamberlain appeased Adolf Hitler in the 1930s? Today - defence expert Peter Jennings analyses a fiery Oval Office clash between JD Vance, Trump and Volodymyr Zelensky. Find out more about The Front podcast here. You can read about this story and more on The Australian's website or on The Australian’s app. This episode of The Front is produced and presented by Claire Harvey and edited by Tiffany Dimmack. Our team includes Kristen Amiet, Lia Tsamoglou, Joshua Burton, Stephanie Coombes and Jasper Leak, who also composed our music.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Strategic Analysis Australia representative Peter Jennings chats with John.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

John Quiñones is an ABC News correspondent who reports across "20/20," "Nightline" and "Good Morning America." During his 40-year tenure at ABC News, he has reported extensively for all programs and platforms and served as anchor of "What Would You Do?" and "Primetime." This discussion focused primarily on his work on "What Would You Do?," which just began its 17th Season on ABC. Podcast Highlights: The importance of ABC's "What Would You Do?" TV show Shift in the public's perception of right vs. wrong Shift in the public's view of journalism John's reaction when people ignore a potentially dangerous scenario Teresa DeZarn and the challenges of being an actor on the show Security on the set Fresh ideas from new Executive Producer, Emmy Award-winner Joel Relampagos Reaching out to teachers who inspired you John's youth as part of a San Antonio-based farmworker family The beauty of Latin Culture What white people need to know about being Latin in America Response when bystanders see people like them being threatened What John KNOWS Quiñones has won seven national Emmy® Awards for his work on "Primetime Live," "Burning Questions" and "20/20." He received an Emmy for his coverage of the Congo's virgin rainforest, which also won the Ark Trust Wildlife Award. In 1990, he received an Emmy for "Window in the Past," a look at the Yanomami Tribe. He received a National Emmy Award for his work on the ABC documentary "Burning Questions: The Poisoning of America," which aired in September 1988.   In 2024, John was honored with the Distinguished Journalist Award presented by DePaul University's Center for Journalism Integrity & Excellence and became a member of the NATAS Silver Circle. In 2022, Quiñones received the Lifetime Achievement Award from MALDEF (Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund), the country's oldest and most prominent Latino civil rights organization; was named a "Fellow of the Society" by the Society of Professional Journalists; and received the President's Award for Journalism Excellence from the National Association of Hispanic Journalists. In 2021, Quiñones received the Carr Van Anda Award for his "enduring contributions to journalism" from the E.W. Scripps School of Journalism at Ohio University, as well as the "Inspire: Visionary Leadership Award" from the Anne Frank School in San Antonio for "What Would You Do?" scenarios that shined a light on antisemitism in the United States. In 2019, he received RTDNA's John F. Hogan Award for national and international reporting.   Quiñones was also honored with a World Hunger Media Award and a citation from the Robert F. Kennedy Journalism Awards for "To Save the Children," his 1990 report on the homeless children of Bogota. Among his other prestigious awards are the First Prize in International Reporting and the Robert F. Kennedy Prize for his piece on "Modern Slavery — Children Sugar Cane Cutters in the Dominican Republic."   Quiñones joined ABC News in June 1982 as a general assignment correspondent based in Miami, providing reports for "World News Tonight with Peter Jennings" and other ABC News broadcasts. He was one of the few American journalists reporting from Panama City during the U.S. invasion in December 1989.   Before joining ABC News, he was a reporter with WBBM-TV in Chicago. He won two Emmy Awards for his 1980 reporting on the plight of migrants from Mexico. From 1975 to 1978, he was a news editor at KTRH radio in Houston, Texas. During that period, he also was an anchor/reporter for KPRC-TV.   Quiñones received a Bachelor of Arts in speech communications from St. Mary's University, San Antonio, Texas. He received a master's from the Columbia School of Journalism. Quiñones received two honorary degrees: In 2016, he received an Honorary Doctorate of Humane Letters from Utah Valley University and, in 2014, a Doctor of Letters from Davis & Elkins College. ON THE KNOWS with Randall Kenneth Jones is a podcast featuring host Randall Kenneth Jones (bestselling author, speaker & creative communications consultant) and Susan C. Bennett (the original voice of Siri). ON THE KNOWS is produced and edited by Kevin Randall Jones. www.OnTheKnows.com  John Quiñones : https://www.johnquinones.com/  Randall Kenneth Jones: www.RandallKennethJones.com  Susan Bennett: www.SusanCBennett.com  Kevin Randall Jones: www.KevinRandallJones.com

Today I talked to David Tereshchuk about his memoir A Question of Paternity: My Life As an Unaffiliated Reporter (Envelope Books, 2024) Tereshchuk leapt from a bleak childhood in a small town on the English-Scottish borders to a precocious high-flying career as a TV reporter, first in London, then in New York. During his years as a journalist, he managed to elicit revealing statements from tyrants and the oppressed, but there was one person he never persuaded to open up to him—his mother. He wanted to know just one thing: who his father was. It wasn't until he was in his 50s that she confided to having been raped, aged 15, by a priest – and even then, not all her information was reliable. Alongside his career, the search for his mother's abuser has haunted him, adding further layers of stress to a life already marked by alcoholism and insecurity. This is his astonishing story, one that deserves to sit alongside those of Tom Brokaw, Peter Jennings and David Brinkley, and another revelatory title from EnvelopeBooks. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/new-books-network

Today I talked to David Tereshchuk about his memoir A Question of Paternity: My Life As an Unaffiliated Reporter (Envelope Books, 2024) Tereshchuk leapt from a bleak childhood in a small town on the English-Scottish borders to a precocious high-flying career as a TV reporter, first in London, then in New York. During his years as a journalist, he managed to elicit revealing statements from tyrants and the oppressed, but there was one person he never persuaded to open up to him—his mother. He wanted to know just one thing: who his father was. It wasn't until he was in his 50s that she confided to having been raped, aged 15, by a priest – and even then, not all her information was reliable. Alongside his career, the search for his mother's abuser has haunted him, adding further layers of stress to a life already marked by alcoholism and insecurity. This is his astonishing story, one that deserves to sit alongside those of Tom Brokaw, Peter Jennings and David Brinkley, and another revelatory title from EnvelopeBooks. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/biography

Today I talked to David Tereshchuk about his memoir A Question of Paternity: My Life As an Unaffiliated Reporter (Envelope Books, 2024) Tereshchuk leapt from a bleak childhood in a small town on the English-Scottish borders to a precocious high-flying career as a TV reporter, first in London, then in New York. During his years as a journalist, he managed to elicit revealing statements from tyrants and the oppressed, but there was one person he never persuaded to open up to him—his mother. He wanted to know just one thing: who his father was. It wasn't until he was in his 50s that she confided to having been raped, aged 15, by a priest – and even then, not all her information was reliable. Alongside his career, the search for his mother's abuser has haunted him, adding further layers of stress to a life already marked by alcoholism and insecurity. This is his astonishing story, one that deserves to sit alongside those of Tom Brokaw, Peter Jennings and David Brinkley, and another revelatory title from EnvelopeBooks. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/journalism

Daniel Irvin Rather Jr. (/ˈræðər/; born October 31, 1931) is an American journalist, commentator, and former national evening news anchor. He began his career in Texas, becoming a national name after his reporting saved thousands of lives during Hurricane Carla in September 1961. In his first national broadcast, he helped initiate the successful evacuation of 350,000 people. He reported on some of the most significant events of the modern age, such as the fall of the Berlin Wall, the Gulf War, 9/11, the Iraq War, and the war on terror. Rather also famously reported from Dallas in November 1963 at the time that President John F. Kennedy was assassinated. Based on such reporting, he was promoted at CBS News, where he served as White House correspondent beginning in 1964. He served as foreign correspondent in London and Vietnam over the next two years before returning to the White House correspondent position. He covered the presidency of Richard Nixon, including Nixon's trip to China, the Watergate scandal, and the president's resignation. In 1981, Rather was promoted to news anchor for the CBS Evening News, a role he occupied for 24 years. Along with Peter Jennings at ABC News and Tom Brokaw at NBC News, he was one of the "Big Three" nightly news anchors in the U.S. from the 1980s through the early 2000s. He frequently contributed to CBS's weekly news magazine, 60 Minutes. Rather left the anchor desk in 2005 following the Killian documents controversy, in which he presented unauthenticated documents in a news report on President George W. Bush's Vietnam War–era service in the National Guard. He continued to work with CBS until 2006, when he was abruptly fired.[1] In September 2007, Rather filed a $70 million lawsuit against CBS and its former parent company Viacom. Rather accused the network and its ownership and management of making him a "scapegoat" in the Killian story.[2][3] An intermediate New York state appeals court dismissed the lawsuit in September 2009, and the New York Court of Appeals refused to reinstate it in January 2010.[4][5] On the cable channel AXS TV (then called HDNet), Rather hosted Dan Rather Reports, a 60 Minutes–style investigative news program, from 2006 to 2013.[6] He also hosts several other projects for AXS TV, including Dan Rather Presents, which provides in-depth reporting on broad topics such as mental health care or adoption, and The Big Interview with Dan Rather, in which he conducts long-form interviews with musicians and other entertainers. In January 2018, he began hosting an online newscast called The News with Dan Rather on The Young Turks YouTube channel. Since 2021, he has been writing the newsletter "Steady" on the Substack platform. In April 2024, Rather was interviewed by correspondent Lee Cowan on Sunday Morning, his first return to CBS News since his 2006 departure.[7] PICTURE: By Moody College of Communication from Austin, USA - IMG_6355, CC BY-SA 2.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=105396903

Happy Tuesday! It's election day and chat about Peter Jennings, OSU hoops had a great opening win, Man hit his 20 leg rock hard parlay, Man tells us about a movie memorabilia auction, we do Rapid Fire, we recap the Ryan Day Presser & it's Game Show Tuesday.

Typical Skeptic Podcast Links and Affiliates:❤ - support the Typical Skeptic Podcasthttps://paypal.me/typicalskepticmedia - PayPal- cashapp $kalil1121 venmo @robert-kalil- or buy me a coffee at https://buymeacoffee.com/typicalskeptic

About Warren Farrell PHD Warren Farrell, PhD, has coached couples and psychologists in couples' communication for the past 30 years. His Role Mate to Soul Mate book emanates from his popular course of the same title. Dr. Farrell has been chosen by the Financial Times of London as one of the world's top 100 thought leaders. His books are published in 19 languages, and include The New York Times bestseller Why Men Are the Way They Are, international bestseller The Myth of Male Power, and 2018's The Boy Crisis.. Dr. Farrell has been interviewed repeatedly by Oprah, Barbara Walters, Tucker Carlson and Jordan Peterson, and also by Peter Jennings, Katie Couric, and Charlie Rose. He has frequently written for and been featured in The New York Times and publications worldwide. Warren has two daughters and lives with his wife in Mill Valley, California, and virtually at warrenfarrell.com.   Episode Notes 08:51 Soulmate Wisdom 1: The secret to feeling loved is to feel understood. 14:18 Soulmate Wisdom 2: Our choice of partner is the most important statement about our choice of values. 18:09 Soulmate Wisdom 3: Every virtue taken to its extreme becomes a vice. 22:48 Soulmate Wisdom 4: Criticism looks different to the criticizer and the criticized 25:28 Soulmate Wisdom 5: Anger is Vulnerability's Mask. 30:10 Soulmate Wisdom 6: Falling in love is biologically natural and sustaining love is biologically unnatural 31:15 Soulmate Wisdom 7: The path to relationship wealth is appreciating your partner as if you're panning for gold 33:29 Soulmate Wisdom 8: The more you love your partner, the more vulnerable you feel. 35:28 Soulmate Wisdom 9: When either of us wins, both of us lose. 36:24 Soulmate Wisdom 10: Never say what you don't want, ask for what you do 38:55 Soulmate Wisdom 11. When criticism appears, wisdom disappears

TO WATCH ALL FLYOVER CONTENT: www.flyover.liveTO WATCH ALL FLYOVER CONTENT: www.flyover.liveScotty SaksScotty SaksWEBSITE: www.sovereignradio.com WEBSITE: www.sovereignradio.comwww.sovereignradio.com Scotty Saks has been actively involved in the media and entertainment industry since 1981, working closely with legends like Johnny Cash, Kenny Rogers, James Brown, and The Blue Angels, producing and syndicating TV shows. With his firsthand experience, he's gained a unique insight into the inner workings of what he describes as the “Satanic Media and Entertainment Complex.” As an MSM insider turned whistleblower, Scotty exposes the methods and tactics employed by the Cabal Media. He brings a well-informed perspective on critical issues of our time, aiming to reveal the truth behind the scenes of mainstream media and entertainment.Scotty Saks has been actively involved in the media and entertainment industry since 1981, working closely with legends like Johnny Cash, Kenny Rogers, James Brown, and The Blue Angels, producing and syndicating TV shows. With his firsthand experience, he's gained a unique insight into the inner workings of what he describes as the “Satanic Media and Entertainment Complex.” As an MSM insider turned whistleblower, Scotty exposes the methods and tactics employed by the Cabal Media. He brings a well-informed perspective on critical issues of our time, aiming to reveal the truth behind the scenes of mainstream media and entertainment.--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Tonight at 8:30 pm CST, on the Flyover Conservatives show we are tackling the most important things going on RIGHT NOW from a Conservative Christian perspective!  Tonight at 8:30 pm CST, on the Flyover Conservatives show we are tackling the most important things going on RIGHT NOW from a Conservative Christian perspective!  TO WATCH ALL FLYOVER CONSERVATIVES SHOWS - https://flyover.live/show/flyoverTO WATCH ALL FLYOVER CONSERVATIVES SHOWS - https://flyover.live/show/flyoverTO WATCH ALL FLYOVER CONTENT: www.flyover.liveTO WATCH ALL FLYOVER CONTENT: www.flyover.liveScotty SaksScotty SaksWEBSITE: www.sovereignradio.com WEBSITE: www.sovereignradio.comwww.sovereignradio.com Scotty Saks has been actively involved in the media and entertainment industry since 1981, working closely with legends like Johnny Cash, Kenny Rogers, James Brown, and The Blue Angels, producing and syndicating TV shows. With his firsthand experience, he's gained a unique insight into the inner workings of what he describes as the “Satanic Media and Entertainment Complex.” As an MSM insider turned whistleblower, Scotty exposes the methods and tactics employed by the Cabal Media. He brings a well-informed perspective on critical issues of our time, aiming to reveal the truth behind the scenes of mainstream media and entertainment.Scotty Saks has been actively involved in the media and entertainment industry since 1981, working closely with legends like Johnny Cash, Kenny Rogers, James Brown, and The Blue Angels, producing and syndicating TV shows. With his firsthand experience, he's gained a unique insight into the inner workings of what he describes as the “Satanic Media and Entertainment Complex.” As an MSM insider turned whistleblower, Scotty exposes the methods and tactics employed by the Cabal Media. He brings a well-informed perspective on critical issues of our time, aiming to reveal the truth behind the scenes of mainstream media and entertainment.--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

In this podcast, veteran newsman Jim Williams speaks with his former colleague Alita Guillen about the challenges of broadcast television. He also shares a behind the scenes look at working as press secretary for the infamous Chicago Mayor Richard M. Daley, offers viewers tools to differentiate fictional reporting, and reveals what goes through his mind 10 seconds to air.Williams began his broadcast journalism career more than 40 years ago at WGN-TV.He has served as a correspondent for ABC News, reporting across the country for "World News Tonight with Peter Jennings,” "Good Morning America," and “Nightline.”He joined CBS Chicago in December 2002.Williams has won several journalism awards, including an Emmy for investigative reporting. In May of 2018, he was inducted into the National Television Academy of Arts & Sciences' Silver Circle for his lifetime of work in Chicago television.Williams was born and raised on Chicago's South Side. YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCG1_DIh33LfXaiEiOscEyGQInstagram:  https://www.instagram.com/alitakguillen/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/10secondstoair/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alitaguillen/Web: https://www.alitaguillen.com/Web: https://www.10secondstoair.com/

Kamala Harris' "whirlwind" press tour was a disaster...A look back at how America's newsmen were once committed to delivering the truth to their viewers...The randy side of Walter Conkite, Dan Rather and Peter Jennings.

Part two with former 4th-generation Latter-day Saint James K. Walker and astrophysicist and Cosmologist Dr. Luke Barnes, plus some bonus surprise guests. Make sure you listen to Part One for fuller context of our conversation! There is a reason the Gospel has often been referred to as "the Greatest Story ever told." Here on part two, we flesh out a little bit more into the ideas of many universes, materialism, Mormonism cosmology, and how they compare to the Christian story and our place within it. Come and see! Free four-page profiles from Watchman Fellowship! Latter-Day Saints https://www.watchman.org/articles/mormonism/ Scientism https://www.watchman.org/scientism/ProfileScientism.pdf Carl Sagan's Cosmos https://www.watchman.org/CosmosTV Naturalism https://www.watchman.org/Naturalism/ProfileNaturalism.pdf Dan's presentation on the Book of Abraham https://youtu.be/GV5elJ_xSck?si=HtMfWVWBj5r675fx Wayne and Dan's book The Story of the Cosmos https://www.watchman.org/CosmosBook Luke A. Barnes is a Senior Lecturer in astronomy and cosmology. With PhD at the University of Cambridge, he has published papers in the field of galaxy formation and on the fine-tuning of the Universe for life. He is the author, with Geraint Lewis, of "A Fortunate Universe: Life in a Finely Tuned Cosmos" and "The Cosmic Revolutionary's Handbook: (Or: How to Beat the Big Bang)", published by Cambridge University Press. Luke, along with Allen Hainline, has also written a contributing chapter to The Story of the Cosmos - How The Heavens Declare the Glory of God (Harvest House).  James Walker, the president of Watchman Fellowship, is a former fourth generation Mormon with over twenty years of ministry experience in the field of Christian counter-cult evangelism, apologetics, and discernment. He has been interviewed as an expert on new religious movements and cults on a variety of network television programs including Nightline, ABC World News Tonight with Peter Jennings, and The News Hour with Jim Lehrer. He has spoken at hundreds of churches, colleges, universities, and seminaries throughout the United States and internationally. Luke's Books https://www.amazon.com/Fortunate-Universe-Finely-Tuned-Cosmos/dp/1107156610/ https://www.amazon.com/Cosmic-Revolutionarys-Handbook-Beat-Bang/dp/1108486703   Podbean enables our podcast to be on Apple Podcasts and other major podcast platforms.  To support Good Heavens! on Podbean as a patron, you can use the Podbean app, or go to https://patron.podbean.com/goodheavens.  This goes to Wayne Spencer. If you would like to give to the ministry of Watchman Fellowship or to Daniel Ray, you can donate at https://www.watchman.org/daniel. Donations to Watchman are tax deductible.

Something a little out of the ordinary for our Good Heavens! family. How about theories in physics and cosmology combined with a discussion about Mormonism and storytelling? Yes! That's a lot to process, but we hope you'll find it mildly interesting and encouraging. This broadcast will also be airing on our sister podcast Apologetics Profile later next month. On this episode and next we'll be featuring our president of Watchman Fellowship, James K. Walker, a former 4th-generation Latter-day Saint in conversation with astrophysicist and cosmologist from Sydney, Australia, Dr. Luke Barnes, discussing many worlds, multiverses and Mormonism. There are also some surprise bonus clips from previous episodes you'll not want to miss! For millennia, man has been telling stories about himself, his origins and the nature of the cosmos. How do they all fit together? What's the right story of the cosmos and how can we know? We think you'll find this episode and next quite fascinating as we dive into these and other topics! Free four-page profiles from Watchman Fellowship! Latter-Day Saints https://www.watchman.org/articles/mormonism/ Scientism https://www.watchman.org/scientism/ProfileScientism.pdf Carl Sagan's Cosmos https://www.watchman.org/CosmosTV Naturalism https://www.watchman.org/Naturalism/ProfileNaturalism.pdf Wayne and Dan's book The Story of the Cosmos https://www.watchman.org/CosmosBook Luke A. Barnes is a Senior Lecturer in astronomy and cosmology. With PhD at the University of Cambridge, he has published papers in the field of galaxy formation and on the fine-tuning of the Universe for life. He is the author, with Geraint Lewis, of "A Fortunate Universe: Life in a Finely Tuned Cosmos" and "The Cosmic Revolutionary's Handbook: (Or: How to Beat the Big Bang)", published by Cambridge University Press. Luke, along with Allen Hainline, has also written a contributing chapter to The Story of the Cosmos - How The Heavens Declare the Glory of God (Harvest House).  James Walker, the president of Watchman Fellowship, is a former fourth generation Mormon with over twenty years of ministry experience in the field of Christian counter-cult evangelism, apologetics, and discernment. He has been interviewed as an expert on new religious movements and cults on a variety of network television programs including Nightline, ABC World News Tonight with Peter Jennings, and The News Hour with Jim Lehrer. He has spoken at hundreds of churches, colleges, universities, and seminaries throughout the United States and internationally. Luke's Books: https://www.amazon.com/Fortunate-Universe-Finely-Tuned-Cosmos/dp/1107156610/ https://www.amazon.com/Cosmic-Revolutionarys-Handbook-Beat-Bang/dp/1108486703   Podbean enables our podcast to be on Apple Podcasts and other major podcast platforms.  To support Good Heavens! on Podbean as a patron, you can use the Podbean app, or go to https://patron.podbean.com/goodheavens.  This goes to Wayne Spencer. If you would like to give to the ministry of Watchman Fellowship or to Daniel Ray, you can donate at https://www.watchman.org/daniel. Donations to Watchman are tax deductible.

Matt Crawford speaks with author David Tereschchuk about his book, A Question of Paternity: My Life as an Unaffiliated Reporter. Tereshchuk describes his childhood in a small town on the English-Scottish borders to a precocious high-flying career as a TV reporter, first in London, then in New York. During his years as a journalist, he managed to interview some of the most interesting figures of our times, from tyrants to heads of state, but there was one person he never persuaded to open up to him—his mother. The question of who his father was still haunted him. It wasn't until he was in his 50s that she confided to having been raped, aged 15, by a priest – and even then, not all her information was reliable. Alongside his career, the search for his mother's abuser has haunted him, adding further layers of stress to a life already marked by alcoholism and insecurity. This is his astonishing story, one that deserves to sit alongside those of Tom Brokaw, Peter Jennings and David Brinkley, and another revelatory title from EnvelopeBooks.

We gladly roll out the red carpet this week, on the Rick Flynn Presents podcast, and welcome in veteran reporter DAVID TERESHCHUK to our worldwide show. David Tereshchuk leapt from an unpromising childhood in a small town on the English-Scottish borders to a precocious high-flying career as a TV journalist, first in London, then New York, interviewing such luminaries as Nelson Mandela and countless others. During his working life, he has managed to extract revealing answers from tyrants and the oppressed, but never managed to coax his mother into admitting who his father was, even after her revelation to him, when he was in his 50s, that she had been raped, aged 15, by a priest. Alongside his career, the search for his mother's abuser has haunted him, adding further layers of stress to a life already marked by alcoholism and insecurity.  This is his astonishing story, and one that deserves to sit alongside those of Tom Brokaw, Peter Jennings and David Brinkley. A compelling addition to EnvelopeBooks' "Media" and "Memoir" titles. Contact David on all social media, including LinkedIn, or through his website: www.TheMediaBeat.us --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/rick-flynn/support

SERIES 3 EPISODE 14: COUNTDOWN WITH KEITH OLBERMANN A-Block (1:44) SPECIAL COMMENT: You heard that right. RFK Junior will drop out of the presidential race tomorrow. Whether or not he then endorses Trump reportedly depends on when his wife, Curb Your Enthusiasm actress Cheryl Hines, relents on her opposition to Trump. Of course it may not matter. There is no reliable polling on what Kennedy's remaining support thinks of Trump or Harris or anybody else. And despite what individual state polls suggest, national polling suggests he's been taking 2% or 3% support from both Kamala and Psychotrump. The other wild card is what position in his cabinet Trump is willing to offer. I'm thinking "Secretary of Bears." THE OTHER NEW POLLING IS SO ASTONISHING that the whole thing may be irrelevant. Rasmussen Republican polling has her up by one in Wisconsin. University of New Hampshire polling has her having gone from four behind Trump in the conservative Maine 2nd District to five points AHEAD of him. And Politico analyzed ten quality polls and suggests that the data suggests the snowball is forming. MEANWHILE TRUMP'S GREATEST FREUDIAN SLIP EVER: His antisemitic trope about Democrats and Jews is well known by now. "If Jewish people vote for her they ought to go out and get their heads examined." And yet on the Hugh Hewitt show yesterday he forgot the back half of it. He stopped after "go out" and started talking about something out. The part he left out was "get their heads examined." Trump also made up a story about Harris meeting with Putin before the Ukraine invasion. This also sounds crazy but may be less insanity and more an indicator that the Trump campaign is giving up on actually winning at the ballot box and just amping up the conspiracy theories so its minions in state legislatures and the House can try to steal the election by coup after Harris wins. B-Block (21:05) THE WORST PERSONS IN THE WORLD: How could you misspell Bruce Springsteen's name? A Philly hotel managed to do it! Rudy Giuliani says Steve Bannon is being "tortured" in prison (I wish), and should the FBI or Secret Service be visiting Hulk Hogan and asking him why he threatened the Vice President of the United States? C-Block (29:30) THINGS I PROMISED NOT TO TELL: A non-broadcasting friend of mine brought up the name the other day and I was surprised he knew him. Meet the former president of MSNBC who threatened - while his screams were audible in the background live on the air - to destroy and kill me. Fun place to work!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

March, 11 - 1995 This week Ken welcomes comedian, and man behind the new special "Jew Verses the Volcano", Adam Newman. Ken and Adam discuss their mutual obsession with guitars, Sam Kinison, getting into magic, being awkward, learning card tricks out of spite, Dealt, Penn & Teller Fool Us, The X-Files, Dorfin', If I Did It, the OJ Simpson Trial, final meals, commemorative plates, American Gladiators rip offs, final meals, Roller Blades, figure skating, Blue Chips, sports movies, Shaq, Nick Nolte, Slapshot, Valerie Harper's version of "The Office", The Higgins Boys and Gruber, Joan Rivers Live in London, Comics Unleashed, taping an episode that airs TEN YEARS later, Dolph Lundgren's Punisher, Masters of the Universe, The Cosmic Key, John Tesh live at Red Rocks, Tim Robinson, Tim Busfield, Dabney Coleman, how we watch TV in hotel rooms, Death on the Job, Newbury Comics, Fanuel Hall, Mottley's, Erin Judge's Dress Up Show,J Jeff Foxworthy, The Beavis and Butthead Do America Soundtrack, Cartoons and real people getting together, Fox New Spring Season, Medicine Ball, Donal Logue, comics in cover bands, Primus, Black Hole Sun, Guitar Center riffs, Richard Grieco spending the night with a centerfold, religious cults, Peter Jennings, Sov Citizens, "First Amendment Auditors", YouTube recommendations, Rescue 9-11, Boy Meets World, Jonathan Gries, non-Gillian Anderson episodes of The X-Files, wanting to sit in your hotel room and play guitar, Dwayne Barry, loving Bonnie Hunt, compilations of depressing things, loving to see bad guys get theirs and Ken HIGHLY recommending the Equalizer films. 

B and B discuss the early days of FM Talk 101.1 WZTK, NC's Lt Gov goes unhinged in a church AGAIN, should Biden be rep[laced?, it's a huge mess Venmo: BBCast PayPal: @bradandbritt Cash App: $bdub336

Peter Jennings, associate professor of leadership studies at Hillsdale College, joins host Scot Bertram to discuss the origins of athletic competition in antiquity, why athletics are an integral part of a well-rounded classical education, and whether or not sports build character.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Paul Harvey - Peter Jennings

After a visit from China's Premier, many Australians are worried that the government is being too friendly with China. But many more are happy that tariffs on Australian goods have reopened trading routes. Peter Jennings from Strategic Analysis Australia joins John to discuss why improving trade relations with China could have negative impacts on our political relations with the country. Listen to John Stanley live on air from 8pm-12am Monday to Thursday on 2GB/4BCSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In Episode 26 of Betting The Limit, Drew sits down with Peter Jennings, renowned former professional poker player turned entrepreneur, known for his expertise in sports analytics and media. Hear about his journey, including his million-dollar win at Draft Kings' inaugural live fantasy sports event in 2014, which sparked the creation and success of two ventures. Tune in for an insightful discussion on sports, crypto, and the entrepreneurial journey.

OJ Simpson is dead, Tom Mazawey loses a hero, Jeffrey Felix remembers Guarding The Juice, a brand-new Bonerline, the return of Jim's Picks, and the new Detroit sign get the Gmac Cash treatment. It's The Drew Lane Show now. OJ Simpson is dead. Rico Beard believes OJ is innocent. OJ was a bad husband, though. OJ was a pretty good actor. Peter Jennings got HAD by Mr. Higgins. We listen to OJ's suicide note. Tom Mazawey joins the line to eulogize The Juice. We also discuss the Lions new uniforms, Shohei Ohtani's interpreter is going down, getting scammed and more. Joy Mode brings you the Bonerline! Use promo code DREW. Call or text 209-66-Boner to communicate with the show. Trudi believes Tommy Lee is the source of the famous eclipse video. Congresswoman Sheila Jackson-Lee's moon knowledge. Drew will appear on Point Dabblepoint this weekend. Stuttering John took a shit mid-show. Politics: NPR is only staffed by registered Democrats… no Republicans. The woman who stole Ashley Biden's dairy is headed to jail. People are still arguing about it's authenticity. Allen Weisselberg goes down on perjury charges. Drew is still watching Catfish. We check in with Jeffrey Felix, who famously guarded The Juice. Follow Jeff on TikTok today! Michigan remains a cult and are charging money to look at their trophies. Valerie Bertinelli has lost 10 lbs. She's been axed by Food Network. Gmac Cash drops a song about the Detroit sign. People are complaining it looks basic. Jim's Picks: 1990's One Hit Wonders. Visit Our Presenting Sponsor Hall Financial – Michigan's highest rated mortgage company If you'd like to help support the show… consider subscribing to our YouTube Page, Facebook, Instagram and Twitter (The Drew Lane Show, Marc Fellhauer, Trudi Daniels, Jim Bentley and BranDon).

A Morning News Update That Takes Into Account The News Stories You Deem 'Highly Conversational' Today's Sponsor: Flowers Fast!https://thisistheconversationproject.com/flowersfast  Today's Rundown:NY state is demanding more information on Trump's $175 million appeal bond in civil fraud casehttps://apnews.com/article/trump-civil-fraud-trial-appeal-bond-e72da14328ebd4bd81ab7d96f5b962a8 Angel Reese announces to join rival Caitlin Clark in WNBA move for 2024 leaving fans surprisedhttps://firstsportz.com/wnba-news-angel-reese-announces-to-join-rival-caitlin-clark-in-wnba-move-for-2024-leaving-fans-surprised/ NFL Network Has Fired Multiple Popular Television Personalities And Analysts During Massive Offseason Purgehttps://www.totalprosports.com/nfl/nfl-network-has-fired-multiple-popular-television-personalities-and-analysts-during-massive-offseason-purge/ Julia Garner to Play a Version of Silver Surfer in Marvel's The Fantastic Fourhttps://people.com/julia-garner-play-version-silver-surfer-marvel-the-fantastic-four-8624543#:~:text=The%20new%20Fantastic%20Four%20movie,Deadline%20first%20reported%20the%20casting. Conan O'Brien's first Tonight show guest appearance since leavinghttps://deadline.com/2024/04/conan-o-brien-tonight-show-guest-1235875535/ Los Angeles heist sounds like it came from a thriller novel with thieves taking $30 million in cashhttps://apnews.com/article/los-angeles-heist-21c37245b954d21d8714de668a986718?utm_source=substack&utm_medium=email The Athletics will leave Oakland after the 2024 season and play at least three years in a minor league ballpark in West Sacramento before Vegas residencyhttps://www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/39873638/athletics-play-minor-league-park-vegas-residency 80-year-old American tourist killed in elephant attack during game drive in Zambiahttps://apnews.com/article/zambia-american-tourist-killed-elephant-game-drive-b4c97080362ed8b524cc79609973dcfe Website: http://thisistheconversationproject.com  Facebook: http://facebook.com/thisistheconversationproject  Twitter: http://twitter.com/th_conversation  TikTok: http://tiktok.com/@theconversationproject  YouTube: http://thisistheconversationproject.com/youtube  Podcast: http://thisistheconversationproject.com/podcasts  #yournewssidepiece #coffeechat #morningnews      ONE DAY OLDER ON APRIL 5:Mitch Pileggi (72)Pharrell Williams (51)Sterling K. Brown (48)  WHAT HAPPENED TODAY:1987: Married with Children debuted on Fox television.1994: Singer Kurt Cobain committed suicide in his home. His body was found on April 8.2005: ABC News anchor Peter Jennings informed his viewers that he had lung cancer. It was his final broadcast.  WORD OF THE DAY: queue / [ kyoo ]https://thebigwordsproject.morebettermediacompany.com/queue-4-5-2024/a waiting line especially of persons or vehicles  PLUS, TODAY WE CELEBRATE: Caramel Dayhttps://www.nationaldaycalendar.com/national-day/national-caramel-day-april-5  

Welcome to the Instant Trivia podcast episode 1124, where we ask the best trivia on the Internet. Round 1. Category: Dr. Alex' Old-Time Feel-Good Medicine Show 1: Muscles inflamed?Joints in pain?Dr. Alex' Youth Elixir clears away the ol' rheumatiz, or osteo- this (and it ain't "porosis"!). arthritis. 2: Make your mucous membranes merry and mirthful! Enjoy Dr. Alex' Cure-All to fight these, be they duodenal or gastric. ulcers. 3: Ate too much MSG or feelin' a megrim, or one of these, comin' on? Beta-blocker, shmeta-blocker! Try Dr. Alex' Head Cream!. migraine. 4: For this inherited trait in men, sure, you can use Propecia--or my amazing new "Trebektophan". baldness. 5: Step right up!I got me an "L" of an ointment for the chronic lower back pain known as this 7-letter malady. lumbago. Round 2. Category: VAcation Spots. With V in quotes 1: A town 14 miles southwest of Paris developed around this 17th century palace that tourists flock to. Versailles. 2: Covering only 44 hectares, this country is found on the west bank of the Tiber River. Vatican City. 3: Ferdinand III made this city his royal residence in 1248, maybe to be near his barber. Seville. 4: The Trapp Family Lodge in Stowe in this state welcome skiers as well as superfans of "The Sound of Music". Vermont. 5: Brothers of the Sword merged with the Teutonic Knights and conquered this Baltic nation in the 13th century. Latvia. Round 3. Category: 5 Guys Named Moe 1: Last name of Moe of the Three Stooges. Howard (real name Moses Horvitz). 2: Moe Strauss founded this auto parts chain along with Manny Rosenfield and Jack Jackson. Pep Boys. 3: Major league catcher Moe Berg was also a WWII spy for this agency, precursor of the CIA. OSS (Office of Strategic Services). 4: Term for the type of country music Moe Bandy plays, the clubs where he began, or the "Queen" he sang of in 1981. Honky Tonk. 5: This "Kool" rapper's album "How Ya Like Me Now" began a rivalry with LL Cool J. Kool Moe Dee. Round 4. Category: Cable Dramas 1: Please refer to this actor as "Boss", his title role on a Chicago-set drama. Kelsey Grammer. 2: Denis Leary has to deal with fires and ghosts as Tommy Gavin on this show. Rescue Me. 3: CIA officer Claire Danes suspects that a U.S. marine sergeant is working for al Qaeda on this Showtime drama. Homeland. 4: Starz entered the arena with an ultra-bloody take on this character once played by Kirk Douglas. Spartacus. 5: The Starz series about this title swordsman has subtitles like "Blood and Sand" and "Gods of the Arena". Spartacus. Round 5. Category: The Lost World. With World in quotation marks 1: The American League's Boston Pilgrims won the first of these in 1903. World Series. 2: This NYC complex is noted for its huge twin towers of 110 stories each. World Trade Center. 3: Peter Jennings hosts this show on ABC. World News Tonight. 4: Abbreviated the WTO, it promotes and enforces international commerce laws. World Trade Organization. 5: A giant panda is the symbol of this international organization. the World Wildlife Fund. Thanks for listening! Come back tomorrow for more exciting trivia!Special thanks to https://blog.feedspot.com/trivia_podcasts/ AI Voices used

Dan and Ellen talk with Emily Rooney, the longtime host of the award-winning show on WGBH-TV, "Beat The Press." Dan was a panelist on "Beat the Press," which had a 22-year run but was canceled in 2021 by GBH. The show, which is much missed by many former viewers, had a brief second life as a podcast. Emily has got serious television news cred. She arrived at WGBH from the Fox Network in New York, where she oversaw political coverage, including the 1996 presidential primaries, national conventions, and presidential election. Before that, she was executive producer of ABC's "World News Tonight" with Peter Jennings. She also worked at WCVB-TV in Boston for 15 years, from 1979–'93, as news director and as assistant news director. There's a revival of interest in responsible media criticism. Boston Globe columnist Kimberly Atkins Stohr recently wrote an op-ed calling for the restoration of a public editor position at The New York Times, The Globe and other news outlets.  Dan has an update on one of our favorite topics — pink slime. Wired magazine has a wild story out of rural Iowa involving a Linux server in Germany, a Polish website and a Chinese operation called “the Propaganda Department of the Party Committee of the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region.” Ellen recounts a legal saga in Southeastern Minnesota involving the sale of a newspaper group and allegations of intellectual property theft. It's all about a single used computer and its role in creating a media startup.  

Tom and Julie listen to McDonald's Breakfast Radio and AI George Carlin. Plus they confront Producer Brett about showing pornography on his monthly Patreon movie watchalong. Brett talks at length about The Big Chicken and the Waterworld Stunt Spectacular. Also Julie converts to Christianity, Colonel Sanders, communion wafers, icebox cake, Federal Bikini Inspector, small plates is a con job, Buca di Beppo, Matt Berry saying “Chef Boyardee,” the most expensive shirt we've ever made, Snake Meal, types of booths, My Dinner with Andre the Giant, I Like To Eat When Nobody's Watching Me, weird lemons, what people in Georgia call books, the cast of the movie The Dream Team, why horses are like living motorcycles, when Sheena Easton dated Peter Jennings, Sam Donaldson, Home Improvement, the 1963 Oscars, favorite Billy Joel songs, Producer Zoë's disgust for horses, and more! CLIPS FROM THIS EPISODE McDonald's Breakfast Radio youtube.com/watch?v=xTgE0Vh0jMU Tomcat youtube.com/watch?v=o5hU3o8nGm4 AI George Carlin youtube.com/watch?v=2kONMe7YnO8 Joan Crawford at the 1963 Oscars deadline.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/2612597c881e803b736d8e59a6d0c4b9.jpg SUPPORT DOUBLE THREAT ON PATREON Weekly Bonus Episodes, Monthly Livestreams, Video Episodes, and More! https://www.patreon.com/DoubleThreatPod WATCH VIDEO CLIPS OF DOUBLE THREAT https://www.youtube.com/@doublethreatpod JOIN THE DOUBLE THREAT FAN GROUPS *Discord https://discord.com/invite/PrcwsbuaJx *Reddit https://www.reddit.com/r/doublethreatfriends *Facebook https://www.facebook.com/groups/doublethreatfriends DOUBLE THREAT MERCH https://www.teepublic.com/stores/double-threat TOTALLY EFFED UP T-SHIRTS https://www.teepublic.com/user/dttfu SEND SUBMISSIONS TO DoubleThreatPod@gmail.com FOLLOW DOUBLE THREAT https://twitter.com/doublethreatpod https://www.instagram.com/doublethreatpod DOUBLE THREAT IS A FOREVER DOG PODCAST https://foreverdogpodcasts.com/podcasts/double-threat Theme song by Mike Krol Artwork by Michael Kupperman Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Adam Levitan is joined by Mike Leone and Peter Jennings to preview the Thanksgiving NFL DFS slate from a GPP perspective. They talk through the chalky plays, contrarian plays, and everything in between. In this episode, we discuss: Packers-Lions Commanders-Cowboys 49ers-Seahawks Links mentioned in the episode: Establish The Million: Thanksgiving Actionable Week 11 Stats Silva's Matchups: Thanksgiving WE CAN HELP: Tired of attention-seeking hot takes? Get the highest-quality analysis in fantasy football in your inbox, FREE. https://bit.ly/establishtherun DFS OPTIMIZER: We have launched a new tools company called THE SOLVER.​​ THE SOLVER will not have any content - just the software we think fantasy players need to win.​ ​Check it out: https://thesolver.com/?ref=etr SPORTSBOOK OFFERS: We've partnered with several major sportsbook outlets to help supply you with the best offers in the industry and ensure you're maximizing your bankroll from the start: https://establishtherun.com/offers/ Want ETR on your team this season?  Our 2023 NFL IN-SEASON PRODUCT  has you covered with: Silva's Matchups Column Projections for Every Player In Every Game DFS Top Plays Weekly Fantasy Rankings And tons more! All in one place. Subscribe now at https://establishtherun.com/subscribe/ $100 BONUS: Looking to play Best Ball on Underdog? If you don't have an Underdog account yet, use promo code “ETR” for a first deposit match up to $100. SIGN-UP LINK: https://play.underdogfantasy.com/p-establish-the-run FOLLOW US: Check out our social media channels for FREE fantasy football & DFS videos, analysis, and more: https://linktr.ee/establishtherun

Robert Jefferson is an American broadcast news anchor and Air Force veteran, professor of journalism and has had the majority of his career working in Japan.Jefferson shares an overview of his career and biography, while offering his views on the decline of journalism and the West. He offers advice for those considering life abroad and emphasizes the importance of staying curious, questioning authority, and learning history to navigate the current media landscape. Jefferson also shares his personal health journey and the benefits of gardening and maintaining a healthy lifestyle in this insightful interview.Connect with The Kamakura GardenerSupport The Kamakura Gardener : patreon.com/TheKamakuraGardenerSubject Time Stamps:* (01:26) The Mid-Atlantic Broadcast Accent and Biography* (03:25) The Dark Side of Paradise* (07:25) Relationship to Social Media* (09:25) Work at NHK World TV…* (15:58) An Interest in the Foreign* (20:24) Moving to Japan* (27:19) A Decline in Japanese Media * (34:48) Being a Free Man in Japan* (45:07) The Kamakura Gardener / Catharsis * (57:05) Teaching at Temple University* (1:02) Critique of being labeled a conspiracy theorist and the importance of seeking truth* (1:09) Finding Opportunities Abroad * (1:15) Closure and Where to ConnectLeafbox:Today I had the pleasure of speaking and learning from Robert Jefferson. Robert is an American 47 year broadcast news anchor, and Air Force veteran. He's a professor of journalism and has had the majority of his career working in Japan. Aside from his broadcast duties, he has a smaller, intimate project known as the Kamakura Gardener. Today we explore his biography, his disenchantment with corporate media, truth finding and sense-making, and his eventual catharsis in finding local content, connecting community to the gardens and surroundings of Kamakura Japan. He shares his experience finding freedom in Japan and offers an analysis of the decline of journalism and of the West. We talk about his brief stint in Hawaii and the mainland, and offer an option for those considering life abroad and paths for finding opportunity. Thanks for listening. I hope you enjoy. That's one of my first questions. I think my mom, she introduced me to your videos and I think she fell in love with your voice. You definitely have a beautiful broadcaster voice. Where did you actually grow up in the States?Robert Jefferson:I was born in Philadelphia, but I grew up in Montgomery County, which is about an hour north of Philadelphia. And I have what's called a Mid-Atlantic Broadcast accent. I was in broadcasting in the military. That was my job information broadcast specialist. I was a TV news announcer in the Air Force. I was lucky. I insisted. I had an FCC license when I joined. I had been studying up to that point, actually. They tried to make me an inventory management specialist, and I said, hell no. Hell no. And I prevailed, and it didn't take long, just a week or so, and I was sent to a technical school, the Defense Information School of Journalism Public Affairs. I know Honolulu well, I knew Honolulu very well back in the mid eighties for KHVH News Radio 99 and KGU Talk Radio 76. The voice of "Hawaii".Leafbox:Well, you actually had the perfect Hawaii accent there. That was pretty well done.Robert Jefferson:Yeah, most people have no clue what the W is a “V” sound.Leafbox:It's not America and it's not Japan. It's in between both. But here in Hawaii, I think we have, there's a strong sense of Aina, of place, of localism, of culture, of being connected to each other. People haveRobert Jefferson:The benefit of true diversity. You have the Japanese, the Chinese, the Portuguese, and the Polynesians, and then all of the other imports from around the world. So yeah, it's truly diverse. And that's not some just trite word. It truly is. Yeah. And then the local traditions, the first time I was ever called nigger was in Hawaii, in Honolulu. I was walking home one night from a club or somewhere. I was living in Lower Manoa, and I was walking up the hill from Honolulu. And these young, they were Asian kids, they were drunk or something, and they lean out the window, Hey nigger. That was the first and only time. I never felt any racial discrimination or antipathy or anything like that while I was there. And I was like, well, what the hell was that all about?Leafbox:What year was this in?Robert Jefferson:85, 86. But yeah, that was the only time. And so I would never let that taint my view or my experience in Hawaii. I mean, I was, it's this young, skinny black kid basically who got hired at two of the best radio stations in town. And then ABC News hired me to come back to, I left Japan to go to Hawaii, and then ABC News hired me to come back. So I'm not sure what that was all about, but that was the only time most people were very kind and gracious.Leafbox:So how long were you in Hawaii for?Robert Jefferson:About two years. And I meant to do this. I had to go back. When you get older, you kind of forget certain things, especially when it was four decades ago, a year and a half to two years that I was there. And I was able to, actually, I think I may have it, if you give me just a quick second here. There was a recreation of a voyage, a Polynesian voyage, the Hokulea, and I was there when they arrived at the beach, sort of like a spiritual leader, Sam Ka'ai. He was there, and yeah, I'll never forget that. They were blowing a co shell and they were doing all kinds of Hawaiian prayers and whatnot. It was absolutely beautiful.Leafbox:I didn't know anything about this. And your biographies kind of limited online a lot about yourRobert Jefferson:Yeah, I used to be on LinkedIn and all that. I erased it all. I got rid of it all. I don't trust LinkedIn, and I don't mind people knowing about me. But yeah, I would just prefer to have control over it.Leafbox:I apologize about these people in, butRobert Jefferson:Oh, no, no, no, no. You don't have to apologize at all. You have to apologize.Leafbox:Well, I mean, the good thing is you saw some of the darkness in Paradise as well, that there's very complex class issues.Robert Jefferson:When I was in Lower Manoa, I lived at, it was a house share, actually an old converted garage share. I was sharing with two other guys. One was Filipino American and the other one was from Detroit, a black American. And the owners were Chinese, and they were really sweet, very nice. The old lady, she used to get, she realized how poor we were. So she used to give us our lunches or dinner boxes, whatever. And she would always say "Sek Fan" , she couldn't speak much English. Sek Fan" is Cantonese for Have you Eaten? Which means How are you? But basically, it literally means have you eaten Shan Shan? And yeah, she's very sweet. Her sons were very nice, very nice. So yeah, I mean, I never had any racial issues except for that one night. Luckily it was just that one night. Yeah, you're right. It's good that I did experience a little darkness in paradiseLeafbox:Talking about darkness. I just was wondering what your concern a few times in the interview with the Black Experience guy, you talked about how you removed your Facebook account and how you just said that you deleted your LinkedInRobert Jefferson:Pretty much at the same time. Yeah, that was like 2016. I had just gotten fed up with big media.Leafbox:Well, that's one of my first questions is that you were in big media. Yeah. What shifted that media disenchantment or disgust?Robert Jefferson:Well, it was what Facebook and Zuckerberg were doing, prying into people's private affairs, restricting people from doing this, that and the other. I could see it coming, what we have now, the blacklisting, the shadow banning the outright banning of people. I could see that coming. And I said, I don't want to be any part of this. That's why I did sign up for Twitter years ago. I tried to use it a couple of times, and I was like, what the hell is this for? I couldn't really see the purpose. And it turns out it's just a place for people to go and show off or b***h and complain about each other. I don't want to be a part of that. It's something that Americans don't learn in school, and that is Jacobinism, bolshevism, Communism, Marxism. It is exactly what's happening in the United States now.It's being taken over. You go back and look at the French Revolution, the Jacobins, the Bolshevik Revolution in Russia, how they destroyed Russia, what happened in Germany during World War ii, the Nazism and all that. And they're doing it here now. Well, here, they're doing it in the United States now, and most people aren't taught about this stuff. They have no clue. They have no clue what's happening, and you can see it. For example, what's his name? The former FBI Director McCabe back in the seventies when he was in college and just getting out of college, he was identified Marxist, a communist. He was a member of the Communist Party, Brenner, the former CIA director, communist.And the media won't say anything about them. You try to bring it up and they'll deny it. But I mean, their quotes are out there. They don't deny the quotes. And now these people are running government. I mean, the whole Congress just pisses me off. I mean, how do you have somebody making 170,000 between $170,000 and $200,000 a year owning million dollar mansions? What's Maxine Waters in California? She owns a four and a half million dollar house on a $170,000 salary. That's impossible. Nancy Pelosi is worth hundreds of millions of dollars. Her husband is worth more.Leafbox:Robert, why don't we go back one second, and just for people who don't know about your career and who you are, just a one minute biography for people.Robert Jefferson:Currently, I am a broadcast journalist. I work for Japan's public Broadcaster, NHK, at which I am a news writer and an announcer. I worked for two sections of NHK , NHK World tv, and I also work for the domestic service channel one as an announcer. We have what's called here, bilingual news. And the evening news is translated by a huge staff of translators and simultaneous interpreters, and I'm one of the on-Air English language announcers. So on a sub-channel, sub audio channel, how you can tune into either Japanese or English or both. You can split the channels. NHK world TV is internet based. It's for a foreign audience. It's not allowed to be broadcast in Japan, sort of like Voice of America used to be banned from broadcasting in the United States until Barack Obama came along. It was illegal for the United States government to propagandize its citizens, and the Voice of America is considered to be propaganda.And Barack Obama changed that to allow them to broadcast propaganda to American citizens. But anyway, I digress. So yeah, I've been in broadcasting as a professional. It'd be 50 years in 2026, actually started learning broadcasting in 1974. So next year will be my 50th anniversary as a novice, at least. I started in Philadelphia. I started, I heard it at W-D-A-S-A-M at FM in Philadelphia, if you can see that. I think it says 1977. I actually started in 1976, and I also worked at WRTI in Philadelphia, Temple University's radio station. And that was back in the late mid seventies. And then in 2003, when I went back to the States, I worked at WRTI, Temple University's radio station for a short while, while I was still in Philadelphia. Sorry to be jumping around like this, but right now, yes, I work for NHK right now. I was in high school.I started studying television production in high school in 1974 as a freshman. And then in 1976, I went to work as an intern, a production assistant at WDAS AM and FM in Philadelphia. People may remember Ed Bradley. He was with 60 Minutes. He got his start at, I don't know, maybe not his start, but he did work at WDAS in Philadelphia for a short time. And I went on and joined. I was enrolled at Temple University after high school in 1978, and I only spent one semester there because I was just sick and tired of sitting in classrooms after having spent 12 years in grade school and already had experience. I even had a federal communications commission's license, a third class radio telephone operators permit, which I still have somewhere around here, the certificate be in the business. I wanted to be, my dream was to be a foreign correspondent, which came true later.I'll get to that. And I wanted to be a war correspondent, but there were no wars at the time because the Vietnam War had ended, had it continued, I probably would've been drafted, but it ended in 75, and I came of age, well military age in 77. So I decided to join the Air Force. A friend of mine was thinking of joining the Air Force, and he wanted me to come along and basically sit with him and hold his hand while he talked to an Air Force recruiter. And so I went along and listened to him, and after he finished his spiel with my friend Tony, he turned to me and said, well, what about you? And I said, I'm fine. I'm enrolled at Temple University. And yeah, I've been a pursue a broadcasting career. And he said, well, don't you realize that the United States military has the largest network at the time in the world?And I said, really? Never heard of that? And he said, yeah, I'll come back and I'll bring some pamphlets and show you what we have. So he did, did come back, and there was the promise of being stationed overseas. I wanted to be a foreign correspondent. And so here I had an opportunity to travel the world and be paid for doing something in the United States military, at least that I wanted to do. And it was so enticing that I said, sure, I'll do it. I said, get away from the college classes. That would just totally boring. And to continue doing what I had already been doing for the past couple of years, four years at least. So yeah, I signed up and went to the Defense Information School of Journalism and Public Affairs. Overall, it was about a two year course and my first assignment, I was never stationed stateside. All of my assignments were overseas. My first assignment was in Southern Turkey at Interlink Air Base, just outside the southern Turkish city of Adana, just off the Mediterranean coast, just above Greece and Cyprus, close to the border with Syria and not too far from Lebanon.Leafbox:Where did this interest for the foreign come from? Was your family also military family, or where did you have Philadelphia? Why were you concerned with the rest of the world?Robert Jefferson:My family wasn't, we weren't traveling military. All of my grandfather was a jet engine mechanic in World War ii. My father was in the Korean War, but he was stationed in Germany. His younger brothers were also in the Korean War. They wanted to take advantage of the GI Bill, which they did. My father went on to study architecture at Drexel University in Philadelphia, but from a very young age, I was very curious about news. My first recollection, well, what I remember most about my childhood, the earliest recollection that I have of my childhood was November 22nd, 1963. I was three years old when John F. Kennedy was shot. And I was wondering, why are all of these adults staring at the television and crying, and why is the TV on all the time? All day long, we had this black and white TV sitting in the living room. We lived in Philadelphia at the time, and I was just fascinated.I could still remember the cortage of Kennedy's horse-drawn coffin on top of a horse-drawn carriage going down. I guess it was Pennsylvania Avenue towards the White House or wherever. I'm pretty sure it was the White House. And ever since that, I was just curious. I would sit when my mother would have her little cocktail parties or whatever, I would sit in the other room and eavesdrop. I was just curious about what they were talking about. I was always curious about news. Back in the sixties, you had the African liberation movements and the assassinations of African leaders. The Vietnam War was in full swing. Well, after Kennedy was assassinated and Johnson came in. Then there was the moon, the space race, how the Soviets were winning the space race, the first country to put a satellite in space, the first country to put an animal in space, the first country to put a man in space, the first country to put a woman in space, the first country to put a person of African descent in space in Americas was being shown up. See, we don't learn this stuff in school, but you could fact check me. Yeah, we had had newspapers galore. We had the Philadelphia Daily Bulletin in the morning and afternoon. We had the Philadelphia Enquirer. They had two papers a day. Of course, there was no internet back then, but people actually read the newspaper and actually talked about it. It was okay to talk about things. The civil rights movement was in full swing. It was quite a heady time to be young and impressionable.Leafbox:Robert, did your sister share this interest in media and international, your twin sister, you have?Robert Jefferson:No, not at all. Not at all. And I've, she recently joined Telegram, and I sent her a little welcome message, and then I tried to send her something newsworthy and she didn't want to hear it. She even said, I don't want to be seeing things like this. I forget exactly what it was. And so I deleted it. And I've never said anything like that. I have an older brother. I have two older sisters who are also twins, and then an older brother, and we used to send each other articles and we used to talk about things. But there's been a huge divide I found in America. A lot of people have joined a team, a tribe, and they don't want to hear anything else, whether it's the cult Covidian or the staunch Democrats or the staunch Republicans, the MAGA country people or whatever, people, a lot of people just don't want to talk anymore. But back in the sixties and seventies, people talked. They argued and they went out and had a barbecue together. There wasn't this vitriol in this division. Now, and this is done on purpose to divide and rule people. This is all being done on purpose. But back to your point, yeah, my sister, she was interested in sports. I wasn't. I became the house announcer at basketball games. I did play in junior high school. I did play football, but that was about it. I never played basketball, never learned the rules, never learned the positions. It just didn't interest me. I saw brothers fighting over basketball games and whatnot, destroying each other's bicycles over, and these were brothers how they went home and solved it, I don't know. ButLeafbox:Just moving forward a bit in time to Japan, you do the Air Force, they train you to be a journalist or announcer, and then how do you get to Japan?Robert Jefferson:Not only that announcer, a writer, a camera operator, a technical operator pressing all the buttons in the control room, ENG, electronic news gathering, the little mini cam on the shoulder thing, everything they taught.Leafbox:I mean, this might be a direct question, but you talked about propandandizing the population, being educated as a journalist or person in the Air Force seems, I'm curious how that educational experience is different than maybe how you're teaching a Temple and what the goals of that information management is.Robert Jefferson:Well, it is interesting. I dunno if you've seen the movie, Good Morning, Vietnam. Remember the two twins who were censors, the identical twins who were censoring, they would stand in the other room just beyond the glass, staring at the DJ or whatever, making sure they don't say anything wrong or if they're reading the news or something. That's Hollywood. There was never any such censor. We had no one censoring us. We had host nation sensitivities. Here I am in Southern Turkey during the Iran hostage crisis. No one stood over my shoulder censoring me. When I put together a newscast, it was my responsibility, and nobody told me what I couldn't say or what I couldn't say. It was just be respectful. We are in a predominantly Muslim country, Turkey, and so be respectful. And I was actually studying Islam at the time, and so I was one of the few people who could pronounce the names of the people in the news back then, the Iranian Foreign Minister or the Iranian president, the Iranian Foreign Minister.. , and the president's name was..., and I was one of the only people who could even pronounce these names.And the Saudi Arabian, who was the OPEC oil chief, Ahmed Zaki Yamani. I was studying Arabic at the time. I was studying Turkish and Arabic, and so I could pronounce these names, but we didn't have censorship. We used the wire services, United Press International, UPI and Associated Press AP. And they had some really good broadcast wires and far different than today. They were real journalists. Then.There may have been some slants pro this or pro that pro Europe, pro-Israel or whatever, but it wasn't as blatant as it is today. I think we were far more objective and neutral back then than what I hear today, especially on the corporate networks, the big American networks, the cable networks and whatnot. We were far more objective and neutral than what people are listening to today. And this was in the Air Force. So the news that I was broadcasting was basically pretty much the same as people heard on the radio while driving to work in Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, although I was in Southern Turkey, we tried to recreate the American media atmosphere there as either as DJs or news announcers, because we had all of the same inputs that you would have at a radio and television station back in the state. The obvious slants that you see today, that CNN, for example.Leafbox:What about Japan? That's one of my main critiques or questions I have about how the Japanese media is managed and your analysis as an American of how that media consensus is created in Japan. If you have any opinion on that.Robert Jefferson:Well, it seems to me, I've noticed, I've worked in Japanese media now for 40 years. It seems to me that now there's been a huge change. Japanese media used to be more curious than they are now. They seem to follow, how should I put it, the status quo, the western status quo. Don't, for example, the war in Ukraine between Russia and Ukraine, they're calling it an unprovoked attack on Ukraine. It was not unprovoked. Hello? There was a coup d'etat instigated by the United States during the aba, the Barack Obama administration, the overthrew, a democratically elected, the first democratically elected president of Ukraine, was overthrown by a US backed coup led by the state department's, Victoria Neuland and John McCain was there, John Kerry was there, Neuland. She was there handing out cookies in Maidan Square, and now they called it an unprovoked invasion. The Ukrainians were killing their own people.They happened to be ethnic Russians, but they were killing their own people. 14,000 of them were dying in Eastern Ukraine. The Donetsk Lugansk don't question that. To answer your question, the Japanese don't question. They just go along with whatever Reuters is saying, whatever the AP is saying, whatever the Western American corporate TV networks or cable news are saying, it is just blindly following the status quo. And years ago, they didn't do that. They're taking sides because Japan and Russia have some territorial disputes, some four northern islands that Russia invaded and took over in the closing days of World War ii. And Japan and Russia have yet to sign a peace treaty. They have diplomatic relations, but they've yet to sign a peace treaty because the Japanese were upset that the Russians won't vacate those adds and give them back. But there's a lot of untruths being told in Japanese media about what's going on, that the Ukrainians are winning when they're obviously losing, that the Russians committing atrocities. And it's been proven that the Ukrainians military has committed far more atrocities than the Russians have, and on and on.Leafbox:Do you think that change in journalistic culture, where does that come from? Is that from just external pressure, the lack of, why do you think? Is that because of the decline of Japan economically, the independence that it's had? I'm just curious where you think thatRobert Jefferson:There's a lot of them. Yeah, it is the economic decline. It's wanting to feel as though there's a feeling, in my opinion anyway. I sense that there's a feeling among the Japanese leadership that they want to be accepted. They have been accepted in the Western Bloc. That's a full fledged member of the Western Bloc, and they don't want to lose that position. But they sense it's obvious that economically Japan has fallen very far, and basically it's suicide. We had trade representatives, and I still remember some of the names, Charlene Barshefsky, the US Trade representative coming to Japan, forcing Japan to stop being successful economically, forcing their automobile companies and other industries to stop being so goddamn successful. How dare, how dare you produce such wonderful cars that everyone wants to buy, especially from the 1970s when they produced cars with great, great mileage, gasoline mileage.And here we are watching Japan. It's already slipped from number two to number three behind China, United States. And United States is not the number one economic power anymore. And Western media, American media won't admit that, but America may have more in the way of money or wealth. But when it comes to purchasing power, there's an index called PPP, purchasing Power Parity, and then there's also manufacturing China, far outstrips the United States in manufacturing capacity and purchasing power of parity. So China is number one economically. The United States is number two. Japan is number three, but it's about to lose that spot to Germany, but then Germany is going to lose it to whoever. I mean, Germany economy has been screwed. Again, it's another example of the German economy is another example of how a company is committing suicide. All the EU is basically committing suicide, allowing the United States to blow up the Nord Stream pipeline, and it's like, whoa, we don't know who did it? Who did that? Who did? Okay, well knock it off. Joe Biden ordered that pipeline being destroyed, and we have him on tape saying that if the Russians do this, that pipeline is dead. We have Victoria Neuland saying basically the same thing. We have a Twitter message from someone in the US State Department to, I think it was the Polish leader. The job is done, and she got fired soon after that. I mean, it's all a sick game, a deadly game being played here.Leafbox:As a journalist and as a thinker about media information management, how do you think you are seeing through it? How are you seeing through the untruths? Why does writers at the New York Times differ? Is it because you're a foreigner in Japan that you think you have that, or where do you get that independent spark from?Robert Jefferson:I've got nearly 50 years of experience in news in international news as a foreign correspondent with ABC news here in Japan. I was also the Tokyo correspondent for the West German public broadcaster Deutsche Welle Radio at the same time that I was working with ABC. And at that time, I was also an announcer at Tokyo Broadcasting System. It was a weekend anchor at Japan able television. I did some radio programs and entertainment program music programs here in Japan. I've been around the world, not all everywhere. I haven't been to Africa, I haven't been to South America, but Europe and Asia and Pacific I've been to and covered stories. I can see how the news coverage has changed. It's very obvious to me. I can see right through it. I stopped watching television. I've got a television here. I've got one downstairs, big TVs. I don't even watch them anymore. I may hook them up to my computer and watch something online on my TVs, but I don't watch CNN. I don't watch Fox News. I'll watch little snippets of it online.And one of my heroes was Peter Jennings, someone I really looked up to. He was with ABC. He started at ABC back in the sixties when he was 26 years old. He was an anchor for ABC's World News tonight. It may not have been called World News tonight then, but ABC's Evening News, whatever it was called back then. His father was a Canadian. He's Canadian. Well, he naturalized as an American citizen eventually, but his father was a news executive in Canada and Peter Jennings, I mean, he was a high school dropout. He never went to college, but he was absolutely brilliant. He was an autodidact. And yeah, I think he was quite brilliant. He didn't need such diplomas and degrees and things, but he felt that he needed to leave the anchor role and go and hone his skills as a journalist, which he did.And he stayed with ABC, and he became the chief international correspondent based in London. And back in the early eighties, there was a tripartite anchor team, Frank Reynolds in Washington, max Robinson, the first black network news anchor in the United States. He was based in Chicago, and Peter Jennings was based in London. They had a wonderful, wonderful, and the ABC Evening News back then was absolutely wonderful. They actually told you what was going on around the world, but you could learn the names of countries and cities and leaders and places and people, and now you've got people on these networks now who can't even pronounce names correctly. Even people who are foreign correspondents can't even find places on maps. It's just, it's sad to see how low journalism has fallen and trust in journalism has really fallen. I mean, it's in the single digits now, which is sad.So yeah, I can see through, I mean, the whole situation that erupted in February of 2022 in Ukraine, people like unprovoked attack by Russia. Russia wants to take over Europe. No, they don't. They simply want to be left alone. The United States under Bill Clinton tried to rob Russia, tried to go in there and steal Russian industry, the Soviet industry, basically to use the oligarchs who basically swooped in and scooped up all of these industries and made billions of dollars who were trying to persuade born Yeltsin who was suffering from alcoholism to basically sell out his country. He wasn't stupid, but he did have an alcohol problem, and he turned to Vladimir Putin and told him basically, dude, you got to help save Russia. A lot of Americans don't know the history between Russia and the United States, that Russia supported the American Revolution, that Russia parked some of its armada, naval armada off the coast of New York Harbor and told the French and off the coast of I think the Carolinas, and told the British and the French, don't you dare interfere in the American Civil War. The French and the British were trying to help the South and against the north, and the Russians, the Russian empires said, no, no, don't you dare.Leafbox:In one of the interviews you had with the, I forget the host of the name, but you said that you feel free in Japan. I forget the exact quote. You said, maybe like I'm a free black man in Japan.Robert Jefferson:Yeah.Leafbox:How does that connotate to how you analyze the world? I mean, do you think if you had been 40 year career in the States, you'd have this lens?Robert Jefferson:I have been back to the States once the first time to Hawaii for two years, and then when I was in 2000, I was turning, I think by the time I went back, yeah, well, that year, 2000, I turned 40. So I have been back to the states, and I had no desire to work for corporate media. I went back and went to work for WHYY in Philadelphia, which is an NPR and PBS affiliate, and I actually was an NPR correspondent. I was their Philadelphia correspondent. While I was there covering expressly presidential visits, whenever a George Bush would come to town, president Bush would come to town, I would join the White House press pool at the airport and ride in the presidential motorcade into the city and follow the president around. I was a pool reporter, and then I left WHYY and went out west.I wanted to challenge myself and do more. So I went into media management and worked at a community radio station in Portland, Oregon. And then I went to another community radio station owned by Bellevue Community College, just outside of Seattle, Washington, and went into a management there as assistant general manager and program director at a radio station there. And it was wonderful to work at a nonprofit media organization teaching people how to do news. And when I was there, Portland, Oregon was voted year after year as the most livable city in America. Look at it now, a shithole, a shithole of left-wing people who've just destroyed the city. And I'd always consider myself left. But at 63 years old, now I'm conservative, not a Republican conservative. No, I'm just conservative of hopefully someone who's got a little bit of wisdom and who would like to conserve decency and morality and people's right to practice whatever religion they want to and to say what they want to look at, how free speech is being eroded in the United States.Now, some of the things, I'm talking to you now, I'd be criticized or banished from saying, and this is by people on the left. We never heard anybody on the right saying banished them. And I remember when I was in Hawaii at KHVH News Radio, rush Limbaugh was getting his start. He was on KHVH. Larry King was on KHVH, and we allowed people to say what they wanted to say, Limbaugh. He would take the word liberal and say liberal. He would just vomit it out. But you had another voice on there, Larry King and other voices, left, right, center, whatever. And now look at how polarized and divided America is today. It is sad. It's very sad. But yeah, it is not like I'm here in Japan in a bubble. I can see everything. You see, I don't watch television, so I'm not watching KION or what, I forget what the other stations are. I wouldn't watch them. But if something is newsworthy, I can go online and see what's happening in Lahaina or Lana, as most of the journalists these days call it. They don't even do your research, learn the pronunciation, and they even put up a transliteration on the screen, L-A-H-H-A-Y-nah. It's not Laina, it's Lahaina.It's just laziness. A lot of journalism today is just laziness going along to get along, being part of the team. And this is what I didn't like about sports growing up, just seeing brothers fighting over a goddamn ball game. And here we have that now, this sports mentality, this tribal mentality of wearing colors and painting your face colors of your team, and it's bled into our politics. Now. I remember the house speaker Tip O'Neill, he would say something, oh, my friend across the aisle, now it's that terrorist across the aisle or that oph file across the aisle or something. America has really devolved, and as someone who grew up at a time when in the sixties, up until the early to mid seventies, we didn't lock our doors. There were no home invasions. What happened in Lewiston, Maine yesterday, 22 people being shot. We didn't have kids going into school, shooting up each other. We had kids walking down the street with a shotgun over their shoulder. They were going to hunt some squirrels or deer hunting or something, and they did it right. They registered their guns, they wore the orange stuff, and what the hell happened? What happened to families? What happened to mother and father? Now you've got single women raising kids, fathers, making babies, and walking away, what the hell happened to America? And it's going to get a whole lot worse before it gets better.Leafbox:Going back to Japan, I'm just curious, Japan has a history of political violence and disagreement.Robert Jefferson:Last year we had the assassination of a former Prime minister.Leafbox:Correct. So I thinkRobert Jefferson:The attempt assassination this year of another one, it's successor.Leafbox:So I'm just curious how you contrast that to the us or if you do, or I always feel like information in Japan is actually more freeIf you look for it.Robert Jefferson:YouTube channel, well, not used, but websites aren't banned here in Japan as they are in the eu. They don't have these draconian measures like the EU does. And the United States would love to impose information flows freely here in Japan, if you know where to look for it. If you want it, you can look for it. You can get a VPN and disguise your location and find out more information. But yeah, political violence, there's a long history of it here. I mean, going back thousands of years, I mean, Kamakura, the city I live in here, there's a monument and the graveside of a guy named Hino who had his head lopped off because he disobeyed a Shogun. And just this morning I walked past his little, this little graveside. It is like, wow. And I looked into the history of it. He got beheaded because he disagreed or the win against a local warlord or Shogun, the leader of, well, Japan wasn't unified then, but it was becoming unified.But yeah, Japan was extremely fascistic at the turn of the last century, the 20th century, prime ministers were assassinated. The military took over, got Japan involved in World War ii. Yeah, yeah. But it's been very peaceful here, post World War ii, there are lots of heinous crimes that are committed every day, seemingly ordinary people. People you wouldn't expect to fathers against sons, sons against fathers or against mothers. It happens here. Japan is not a paradise here, but it is. I do lock my doors here, but no one has ever bothered me here at my home. No one's bothered my car. People are very decent. There's decency here that is disappearing fast, disappearing in the United States. Neighbors who won't talk to you in the United States, I know my neighbors here. One reason I moved out of Tokyo is because neighbors, you lived in an apartment building. You get on an elevator, you're like, well, who are you? I wanted to know who you are.I'm Robert. I live on the sixth floor. Who are you? I demanded people to know who people were. But here, people are curious. They want to know, well, who's this black guy who moved here when I moved here 17 years ago, and now everybody knows me. The police know who I am. They come by and check on me. They have a registration that you fill out so that they know who's who. But yeah, I've never bothered by the police. I don't fear going to the police station. I laugh and joke with him. One policeman came on his motorbike years ago when I first moved here a few years after I moved here. And he was just doing his patrols. And he slipped and fell, and he had some mud on his boots and up his pant leg. And so I helped him wash it off and whatnot. And we had a good laugh about that. Yeah, I mean, it is, I don't have to put up with foolishness, and I'll look at things on Twitter or X as it's called now, of black, especially youth running amuck in the states, going into convenience stores or department stores and just going crazy, acting crazy in fast food joints, tearing the place up, throwing chairs and tables and stuff. It's like, what the hell? I never experienced that when I lived in the United States. And everybody thinks it's normal now.That happens. Something terrible is going on in the United States, as you say. It's happened in Venezuelas, it's happened in Colombia, it's happened in Mexico, it's happening in Europe. Now. The chickens are coming home to roost. I don't know, but something is afoot, and I'm simply saying, not today, Satan. Not here, not with me.Leafbox:So maybe we can go to your gardening project, Robert, because that sounds like a, to me, it feels like a counter to all that negative energy. You have this personal space, and you have such a wonderful voice and broadcast history, but now you're producing this content that offers an alternative. So I'd love to know where that comes from and why you're doing it.Robert Jefferson:It's catharsis, it's healing. Nearly 50 years of covering wars and murder and mayhem and thievery, and just, I'll admit it, it's still exciting when news happens. It's exciting to see. When I was a kid, I always wanted to be the first to know and the first to tell. I wasn't a snitch. No. But that's what attracted me to journalism was being the first to know and the first to spread the word for me. Now, after all these years, five, six decades of reporting the news, I'm tired. Some or so that I gave up drinking three years ago. I gave up alcohol, completely, cold Turkey in one day, April 30th, May 1st next day, Mayday, mayday, mayday. I was alcohol free. And I had been since then, desire, I even had still a few bottles left in the fridge and here and there, and I gave them away.I had no desire to drink anymore. So my gardening, I've been doing that pretty much all of my life with some breaks in between. I grew up gardening, helping a neighbor, particularly with her garden. And then as a teenager, when I was also working at the radio station, and on weekends, during the week, especially in the summertime, during summer break, I worked for a landscaper, a guy in my town. He had a landscaping business. And I love working with plants, either cutting them down or helping them grow. Yeah, it is just beautiful for me. This is very cathartic, the gardening. And then something said, well, I've been doing this for years and I'm not, I thought about YouTube years ago, and it's like, nah, it is the alcohol that made me so lazy. I didn't even want to do it. And then finally, oh, about 2016 or so, 2016 I think it was, I made one video, and if you go back and you can see my very first video, it's featured my two dogs at the time, my band spunky and just showing my garden.And then three years ago when I quit drinking, I needed something to do with my time because I'm an independent contractor, so I don't have a set schedule, schedule changes, and sometimes I'm busy and sometimes I'm not back. Three years ago, I was not very busy at all, and now I'm extremely busy and I love it. But yeah, it was a chance to channel my energies into something productive and to give something back to the world. Instead of talking about how many people got murdered in Lewiston, Maine yesterday, how to take this little seed, sprout it, grow it into a tree that's taller than me now, and to give something back. A lot of my subscribers and viewers, as you say, they mentioned how calming my videos are. And I think now that you've heard me talk for a while, you can see why I do what I do.I've got a lot in me that's just screaming to get out, and it's not all negative, but there's a lot of negativity out there. And instead of joining that bandwagon, I decide to put this energy into something that can hopefully, even if people don't want to get into gardening or they can't because they live in an apartment. Someone just sent me a message the other day saying, I mentioned growing stuff. If you have a balcony, and they said, no, I live in an apartment. I don't have a balcony. Then I thought about, yeah, there's a lot of people who don't even have balconies, but if they can't do gardening, at least I can bring them some sort of enjoyment or peace of mind for the 15 or 20 minutes that they're watching my channel.Leafbox:Well, that's why I enjoy it. I think you're offering kind of like, yeah, just a counter to that negative informational, and also being in Japan, you're creating, as an American, you're offering this alternative Look, you can live in this calm way. You can go to the gardening store and be polite. You don't have to rob the store. You don't have to get in a fight. You can share this space. And you met this British guy, and he's doing the natural farming. Another form,Robert Jefferson:Actually, he's Dutch.Leafbox:Oh, Dutch, sorry.Robert Jefferson:He studied in Britain. He went to Oxford. And yeah.Leafbox:Anyway, it's just nice to see you building this community. I mean, you have the community of foreign correspondents and Japanese broadcasters, so it's nice to see you go very local, but now you're sort to, you can feel the layers building you're building.Robert Jefferson:Yeah, you're absolutely right. This is one reason why I wanted to come back to Japan. I went back to the States, and I was there for five years. Even though the people here is a majority Japanese country, it's not as homogeneous as you think it is because the foreign communities are growing here, especially other Asians, Vietnamese and Chinese and Koreans. The article in the newspaper just yesterday that I saw that the numbers are increasing quite a bit, but it's a place to come and meet people from all over the world. Hendrick, my neighbor here, I walked past this house every morning and I'm like, this is Hendrick. This is interesting. And then one afternoon I walked past and I see, oh, this is your place. And he looked at me like, who are you? Like, well, who are you? Why are you half naked out here in somebody's front yard and it's his front yard?And I said, dude, we sat and talked for an hour and a half, and then I came back with the camera. I said, if you don't mind, I'd like you to give me a garden tour and whatnot. He just sent me an email this morning. He's going back to Shizuoka, which is south of here. He's got some land there. Him and his son are going down for the weekend to do some work on the land they just bought. They don't have a structure on the land yet, but they're just working the land. Yeah, it's a chance to meet people from all over the world. And I found that when I was in the States, there's this closed mindedness, this closed mentality. You in Honolulu, you've got a lot more, as we were saying earlier, there's a lot more diversity, cultural diversity, ethnic diversity, and that makes a living in Hawaii so nice is that diversity.It's not just all the same types of people or people. They had their enclaves here and there, but there's more of in the United States, I mean even in places like New York or even the larger cities, people are separated in different enclaves. Here, there's a lot more melding in, well, it wouldn't make sense for all Americans to live in this section or all the Chinese to live in that section. But I mean, you do like an ost, there's a preponderance. There's a lot more people of Korean descent than in other cities. And in Yokohama, a lot more people of Chinese descent. But you don't have these ghettos that you see, these ethnic ghettos that you see in the States. So here, it's, it's a place to be, place to be yourself, to be oneself, to be who you are. A lot of people, especially when they're young, they come here and they do this.If, I dunno if you remember that song, turning Japanese, I forget who, a Divo or somebody turning Japanese. Oh, yes, I'm turning Japanese. Oh, yes, I think so. I forget who did the song. And people play that little thing. Everybody goes through that. We're in kimono and going to the Matsui, the festivals and stuff. Everybody goes through that. Then you've kind of had enough of that. But it's a place to, because I don't care. Even if you get Japanese citizenship, you're never going to be Japanese. So it's a chance to come and find out who you are. I don't have to speak like a brother from the hood, and I really can't do it anyway, so I better not even try. I don't have to act black. You may see in some of my speech patterns and mannerisms and whatnot, but I can just be me. We were talking, you were trying to figure out my accent. Earlier. When I was in high school and junior high school, I used to be ridiculed by other black kids. Bobby talked like he white because, well, if you notice, most children speak very clearly. They don't have black accents or this accent or that they speak very clearly. It's not until they get into puberty and beyond that, they start adopting these speech mannerisms of black or Asian or whatever.Leafbox:Do you think Japanese have the same freedom when they come to the US or when they leave Japan?Robert Jefferson:Yes. Yes. Because Japanese are under extraordinary pressures to fit in, to join a company, to fit into society, to not break the rules. It's a very rules-based society. And that's why you see such rebellion. And a lot of it, it may be superficial. A young Japanese kid with dreadlocks or now since the nineties, the big fat is to bleach blonde your hair, bleach your hair blonde. It's such a, and they're trying. Even still, there's a debate going on for high schoolers about the length of hair. They have to keep their hair at a certain length. The girls can't perm their hair. In many of the schools, the boys, if they have curly hair, they have to straighten it. And now you've got kids of mixed heritage. And there was a kid who's part black and part Japanese, and he was trying to wear cornrows at his graduation ceremony and couldn't attend. They banned it from attending and things like that. But see, I didn't grow up that way. I didn't grow up here for one. But yeah, there's a huge pressure. There's a lot of pressure, tremendous pressure for Japanese to conform, and they leave a lot of 'em still. There's a huge desire, oh, I want to go to the States, because they can finally explore who they are, who they want to become.And I had many students when I was teaching at Temple for 13 years, they said, yeah, next semester I'll be going to the main campus. And my advice was, be careful, make good friends and be very careful. But I said, go and explore. I mean, you're going to meet some wonderful people there, and you'll meet some horrible people. Some of them will be white, some of them will be black, some of them will be fellow Asians. You're going to have good times and bad times, but just take care. Be careful. Watch your back.Leafbox:Robert, talking about your classes at Temple, I think you were teaching ethics. What were you teaching? Ethics. I taught Journalism. I taught journalism. I started teaching media management and organization. That was my first course. Then I taught writing courses. And then at the end, I was teaching, the last four years or so, five years maybe. I was teaching ethics in journalism and the history of journalism. They were separate courses. So I taught history one semester, ethics, the next history, the ethics, the next, or over the summer I teach one or the other. So the history of journalism and ethical issues in journalism. Yeah.Well, I was just curious about what topics you were particularly interested in the ethics of journalism.Robert Jefferson:A lot of it dealt with hypocrisy in the media and using clips from media showing the hypocrisy and the outright lies, showing how, for example, CNN, there's a CNN correspondent in London, staging a demonstration. They went and got a group of people from a particular group. They were Muslims, and I forget exactly what they were protesting against, but they were actually telling people where to stand and how to stand. And the cameraman only framed these people in the shot to make it look like it was a huge crowd, but it was only about 10 or 12 people. I don't know why they recorded the whole thing, but I showed them the clip of the correspondent and the producers telling people what to do, when to hold up their signs. And then suddenly, oh, we're live now in London and it's all fake. And I played a lot of them. Have you seen the clip of the news catches like a montage of clips of newscasters all across the United States. We're concerned about our democracy. And they're all saying the same thing.Leafbox:Yes, it's troubling. I playedRobert Jefferson:That years ago, three, four years ago to my classes. And that was from Sinclair Broadcasting. They had all of their affiliates around the country read the same script, and somebody got ahold of all of them and put them all together in this montage. And that was three years ago. And look what we have now, people being canceled for saying the wrong thing. And these news organizations claiming to want to protect democracy. No, no, no. This is what communists do. And in America, we don't learn about the communist Ong. In China, the cultural revolution back in the 1970s, it wasn't that long ago, just 50 years ago, of students going after their professors, putting paint on their faces, making them wear dunk caps and stuff. And what's the guy's name? Weinstein in Oregon, who was raked over the coals by his student.Leafbox:Oh, Brett Weinstein. Yes. Weinstein. That was before CovidRobert Jefferson:Out of his university. Him and his wife. Yeah. Yeah. And I was being, they didn't have the balls. My core supervisor, temple University didn't have the balls to confront me. He wouldn't even have, we never once sat down and have a conversation. How about anything? He's one of these probably Marxists. I mean, they were marching up and down the streets supporting George Floyd, who just recently this news came out when he died, that he was not killed by the police officer. And this is what I was trying to tell my students. He died of a fentanyl and not fentanyl. It's fentanyl. Look at how the word spell you idiots. NYL is nil. Tylenol, fentanyl. And you got broadcasters who don't even know the difference, can't even pronounce the word correctly. But he died of a drug overdose. Fentanyl was in his system. Alcohol was in his system, cocaine was in his system. And what was he doing when he got arrested? He was trying to steal from a shop owner by passing counterfeit bills. And he and the police officer were bouncers at a nightclub. They knew each other, they knew each other. But that was hushed. This whole thing was hushed and cities burned. Milwaukee burned. Five police officers in Dallas were killed. Shot in their cars or on the street or wherever. Five of 'em just murdered by B bbl, M and Antifa.Leafbox:And what was your relationship with the Temple professor? You were saying?Robert Jefferson:He was my core supervisor and he was talking behind my back, calling me a conspiracy theorist. Journalist should be conspiracy theorists. That's why we had, I have Stone and Jack Anderson and Seymour Hirsch, who's still alive. And Glenn Greenwald. All journalists should be conspiracy theorists. We have to theorize about conspiracies because our government carries them out. The Nord streaming bombing was a conspiracy to tell Germany and the rest of Europe stay in line. The Gulf of Tonkin incident, it was a conspiracy to get America more involved. The Vietnam War, the bombing of Pearl Harbor was a conspiracy not only of the Japanese, but Theodore Roosevelt, not Theodore Roosevelt. Franklin Roosevelt, FDR, to get America involved in World War ii, and he blamed it on Commanders of the Pacific fleets. There we should always be conspiracy. And this is what I was trying to teach my students to always ask questions. When I was a news director at the radio station at Portland, I was news and public affairs director, and I would put little reminders on the wall. Stay curious. Always stay here when somebody crossed out the C and put an F. Stay furious.And yeah, this is what I was trying to teach my students to question authority. Our job as journalists is to give voice to the voiceless and to question those in power. Not to just power what they say. I mean, this whole Covid thing, especially Black people who were complaining about systemic racism, they ran out to get the man's poison injected into them multiple times. And now we're learning just how dangerous that s**t is. People dying of myocarditis, sports, people first and now just regular people, children, they injected the s**t into children. My own twin sister, she got injected and now she doesn't want to talk much about her medical problems. I mean, this is what the media has done to the United States in particular. It's happened here too.Leafbox:Robert, do you know what post-truth is, meaning the sense that we're moving into a media empire state, that it's almost impossible to know what's real or what's true AI like you're talking about the CNN,Robert Jefferson:It's OrwellianLeafbox:Generating narratives. What are some tools?Robert Jefferson:We have AI news announcers now. Yeah,Leafbox:I know, but how do you try to stay sane in a world where it's like a Philip k Dick universe in the sense that everything is unreal and unreal at the same time? So how do you navigate this post-truth? Reality?Robert Jefferson:You have to have a good knowledge base. You have to have lifelong learning. When you see that link in something online or whatever, click that link. Go deeper. When you see that word you don't know, click on it and look up that word. Broaden your knowledge base, read history. Go onto YouTube and look at some of the historical documentaries. And one, some of it, it's b******t, but the more knowledge you have read books. Who's reading books anymore? Not many people, whether it's an audio book, but you can listen to it, or if it's an ebook. Read study history. That's why I was telling you about the history between Russia and the United States. Most of us Americans have no freaking clue that Russia and the United States were once so very close. That's why Russia sold us Alaska for pennies on the dollar, and it was so far away. They hadn't even explored much of their far east. But yeah, and most people don't know that Russia and the United States, that Soviet Union were allies in World War ii. It was that Russia did most of the heavy killing in World War II to defeat the Germans. We're not taught that.The whole thing with a Russiagate, you remember that? It was totally bogus. I was trying to tell my students then that this is b******t. It was all b******t, and I was proven right. I'm not there anymore. I tell the truth, but I was right. And those students will hopefully realize that their professor was trying to tell them the truth, and my superiors were trying to undermine me, and it is just sickening to see that whole Hillary Clinton cooked up that whole Russiagate thing and the FBI went along the FBI should be disbanded. The CIA was involved in overthrowing a duly elected president. And if it happens to Trump, I don't care what you think about Trump, I'm not. Are you a Trump supporter? No, I'm not a Trump supporter. I'm a truth supporter, and I would say this in class. I'd be the honest, do you support Trump?No, I don't support, I didn't support Barack Obama either. Here's this obscure, skinny Black dude from Chicago who's elevated to the presidency, first to the Senate, and then the presidency. This is all b******t. It's all b******t. He's fake. I'm sorry, but yeah, the key is, is to become an autodidact, mean someone who learns on their own. Yeah. See, and a lot, Al Robert, you're just a conspirator theorist. It's like grow up. I've had enough, I tried to warn people about the Covid injections. It is totally bogus, and most people don't realize that the whole thing was a Department of Defense project. Most Americans had no clue. That was all DOD working with the Chinese. Anthony Fauci sent millions of dollars because of gain of function. It has been banned in the United States, but they did it anyway, the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. So they farmed it out to the Chinese and then blamed it on them. Isn't that some nasty s**t?Leafbox:I mean, that's one theory. There's also the Chinese theory, so there's so many theories and alternative theories, and that's why I,Robert Jefferson:Yeah, the Chinese theory is like, okay, okay, we're not stupid, so we're going to weaponize this thing against you. The art of war. That's another thing people need to study. People like Sun Tzu, study Confucius.Leafbox:One of my last questions, Robert. I have a lot of friends in America who are concerned about collapse in the US and the West, and they're all dreaming about either moving to Japan or moving to Alaska or doing the homesteading kind of thing. I lived in South America and we had a hyperinflation situation when I was young, so I've seen it firsthand.Robert Jefferson:Where were you?Leafbox:In Brazil when I was like 13. We had hyperinflation. Yeah. And so I'm just curious how you feel being in Japan. Are you going to retire? I mean, do you plan on staying the rest of your life in Japan, or what's your, do you want to return to the states or who knows what the so is?Robert Jefferson:I have no desire to return to the States. I did twice. And when I went back, was it 23 years ago, middle age, I could see then the downward spiral of American society. America's a beautiful country. I drove from Pennsylvania all the way across the country to the West coast, to Oregon, three and a half days. It took me, it's a beautiful country. They're beautiful people in America. I'm not anti-America. There's beautiful people there. Our governments, local, state, national, are basically ripping us off America's in debt. They've been talking about 33 trillion in debt. No, no, no. It's more than that. We're talking about quadrillions. If you can imagine trillions of quadrillions of dollars in debt, the pension plans are broke. There's no money there. Social security. There's no money there either. Remember Al Gore talking back in the 2000 election about the social security lockbox? People, Social security is gone. They'd spent all that money, and this is why they had to take us to war. To war. And there's going to be, I'm watching. I'm hearing a number of different voices. We're going to war on a global scale, world War iii. It's going to happen. They have to because most governments are broke. America's broke. Japan is broke. The European Union is broke, but Japan has been around for thousands of years. It still has cohesion.They seem to be committing suicide. Young people don't want to have children. Businesses, when I first came to Japan, there were clear societal roles, familial roles. The father went out to work and he worked hard, and he worked for his company for a lifetime, whatever, and that's all gone now. Young people can't even find jobs or they're getting part-time jobs or whatever.Everybody should first of all know where their food comes from. Where's the chicken come from? The supermarket not done. People should know where their food comes from. They should know how to grow food. They should start growing little things like herbs and tomatoes and potatoes. They're the easiest thing to grow. Go to the supermarket, buy some potatoes, wash them really good, and then put 'em in a brown paper bag. When they start sprouting, put 'em outside. Or if you have some old potatoes that start sprouting, put'em outside in a bag, I use grow bags, buckets will work.Just have some drainage in them. People need to grow, need to know where their food comes from, and they need to start learning how to grow their own food and just like their ancestors did. Not that many generations ago when I was growing up in the sixties, I had friends whose parents could barely speak English. They're from Germany, they're from Italy. They were from Hungary or Ukraine. They left their countries for a better life. Americans of today may have to lead the United States for a better life. Don't just sit in the same place going through the same. I tried to tell my elder brother, how about Mexico? Oh, man, Mexico is dangerous. Dangerous. There are some wonderful places in Mexico, Probably. He's five years older than me. He's 68. He could live very well on social security there. People don't want to take the chance.I always get on an airplane. Boom, I'm gone. I couldn't wait to get on an airplane, go somewhere else. Will I stay here in Japan? Yeah, I'll probably, but I'm keeping, I've got the corner of my eye on a side escape route. I'm not sure where. But like I just said, I can live on a retirement very cheaply somewhere. It could be, I don't know, Cambodia. It could be Vietnam. There's no major wars going on there right now. And the people there still, they still know how to smile. I do get asked this quite often, keep your eyes wide open, Japan. Not unless there's a major war. And it seems as though the leadership here, the political leadership, are just itching to get into a fight with someone and Japan's military, and they do have, it's called the Self-Defense Forces, but it's a military, but they have no practical experience fighting.They'll get massacred. They don't understand guerrilla warfare. They don't understand urban warfare. Japan should just stay pacifist. I'd be glad to see American military bases. It leaves Japan. I mean, it's how I got here is through the military, but there's no need. Japan can defend itself, and actually it shouldn't be any need. Japan, Korea needs to stop fighting over some dumb s**t that happened a long time ago. So much of their culture has come from China and India and elsewhere through Buddhist connections and contacts. But yeah, Japan should stop trying to ape the west. Stop trying to imitate the West and be Japanese. Be Asian for once. Yeah, I mean, Japan and Korea should not be arguing the way they still are and China as well. But then these are global forces trying to divide and rule to keep the Korean peninsula separated. That's ridiculous that the Korean peninsula is still separated.The same people still quarreling over some dumb s*

The title above does not do justice to today's guest, Alex Achten. Alex is from Kansas City where he grew up. After college he spent time in Texas where he worked as a news reporter for several years. We talk quite a bit about news reporting and what makes a good reporter.   As Alex explains, he finally felt that the stress of the reporting job caused him to want to go more into the communications and public relations aspects of media and media relations. His parents had moved to San Diego several years ago and so Alex decided to moved to San Diego as well. He joined the staff of the national nonprofit agency, Identity Theft Resource Center, where he directs media relations.   Alex tells us some about identity theft although he says he is not an expert. Even so, he has some excellent ideas about identity protection he passes along.   I asked him about his college minor in Leadership Studies and a certificate he recently earned in “Coaching as a Leadership Tool.” As you will hear, he is quite passionate about this topic and offers some great ideas about good leaders and quality leadership.   In all, no doubt that Alex is quite an unstoppable person. I am sure you will see why by the end of our conversation.     About the Guest:   Alex Achten is the Director of Communications & Media Relations for the Identity Theft Resource Center. Alex oversees the Communications Department of the ITRC and all of the company's Communications initiatives. He specializes in public relations and media relations. At the ITRC, Alex has helped secure media coverage with programs like CBS This Morning, NBC Nightly News, CNBC's American Greed, NPR, The New York Times, The Washington Post and Red Table Talk, and many others.   Previously, Alex was a TV Reporter at KAUZ-TV News Channel 6 in Wichita Falls, Texas. While at News Channel 6, Alex covered the political beat and interviewed Governor Greg Abbott, Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick, U.S. Congressman Pat Fallon, former U.S. Congressman Mac Thornberry, and many others. He also worked the city beat and covered breaking news ranging from plane crashes and fires to shootings and stabbings.   Alex is a graduate of Kansas State University, where he earned his Bachelor of Science with a Major in Broadcast Journalism and a Minor in Leadership Studies. While at K-State, Alex was involved with Channel 8 News, The Collegian, and The Wildcat 91.9. Alex won First Place in the Kansas Association of Broadcasters Student Awards for Complete Sports Feature and Sportscast, as well as Honorable Mention for Entertainment Programming and DJ Personality. His radio show was also a finalist in the South Central Competition for Audio Talent.   Alex recently completed and received a certificate for his participation in Fieldstone Leadership Network's Course titled “Coaching as a Leadership Tool.” His passion for leadership dates back to his involvement in Student Leadership Institute in high school. He has taken part in numerous leadership projects, most notably a service project that consisted of gathering and manipulating data to figure out better and more efficient ways of advertising for the Flint Hills Discovery Center in Manhattan, Kansas. Alex was born and raised in Kansas City and is a huge Chiefs and Royals fan! There is a good chance you will find him in San Diego wearing either blue, red, or purple!     Ways to connect with Alex:   Alex Achten LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alex-achten-27a9002b/ Alex Achten Twitter: @Alex_ITRC https://twitter.com/Alex_ITRC Alex Achten Facebook: @Alex-Achten-Identity-Theft-Resource-Center https://www.facebook.com/people/Alex-Achten-Identity-Theft-Resource-Center     About the Host: Michael Hingson is a New York Times best-selling author, international lecturer, and Chief Vision Officer for accessiBe. Michael, blind since birth, survived the 9/11 attacks with the help of his guide dog Roselle. This story is the subject of his best-selling book, Thunder Dog.   Michael gives over 100 presentations around the world each year speaking to influential groups such as Exxon Mobile, AT&T, Federal Express, Scripps College, Rutgers University, Children's Hospital, and the American Red Cross just to name a few. He is Ambassador for the National Braille Literacy Campaign for the National Federation of the Blind and also serves as Ambassador for the American Humane Association's 2012 Hero Dog Awards.   https://michaelhingson.com https://www.facebook.com/michael.hingson.author.speaker/ https://twitter.com/mhingson https://www.youtube.com/user/mhingson https://www.linkedin.com/in/michaelhingson/   accessiBe Links https://accessibe.com/ https://www.youtube.com/c/accessiBe https://www.linkedin.com/company/accessibe/mycompany/ https://www.facebook.com/accessibe/       Thanks for listening! Thanks so much for listening to our podcast! If you enjoyed this episode and think that others could benefit from listening, please share it using the social media buttons on this page. Do you have some feedback or questions about this episode? Leave a comment in the section below!   Subscribe to the podcast If you would like to get automatic updates of new podcast episodes, you can subscribe to the podcast on Apple Podcasts or Stitcher. You can also subscribe in your favorite podcast app.   Leave us an Apple Podcasts review Ratings and reviews from our listeners are extremely valuable to us and greatly appreciated. They help our podcast rank higher on Apple Podcasts, which exposes our show to more awesome listeners like you. If you have a minute, please leave an honest review on Apple Podcasts.     Transcription Notes      Michael Hingson ** 00:00 Access Cast and accessiBe Initiative presents Unstoppable Mindset. The podcast where inclusion, diversity and the unexpected meet. Hi, I'm Michael Hingson, Chief Vision Officer for accessiBe and the author of the number one New York Times bestselling book, Thunder dog, the story of a blind man, his guide dog and the triumph of trust. Thanks for joining me on my podcast as we explore our own blinding fears of inclusion unacceptance and our resistance to change. We will discover the idea that no matter the situation, or the people we encounter, our own fears, and prejudices often are our strongest barriers to moving forward. The unstoppable mindset podcast is sponsored by accessiBe, that's a c c e s s i  capital B e. Visit www.accessibe.com to learn how you can make your website accessible for persons with disabilities. And to help make the internet fully inclusive by the year 2025. Glad you dropped by we're happy to meet you and to have you here with us.   Michael Hingson ** 01:21 Well, hi, yep, it is Mike Hingson Once again, and welcome to another episode of unstoppable mindset. Today, we get to chat with Alex Achten and Alex and I have had some wonderful discussions ahead of this podcast and just to help you out and get you hungry. Since he spent a lot of his life in Kansas, we talk about ribs and shrimp. And we're now both very hungry, but we are going to resist on the podcast we're going to just chat and not eat in front of all of you. And we we do have the willpower at least for one episode to resist. Alex, welcome to unstoppable mindset.   Alex Achten ** 02:02 Thank you I'm so so happy to be here and appreciate the the invite to be on. And I have to say saying no to ribs as someone from Kansas City that that's just wrong. Like I you know, I should not be saying no to ribs or rib talk or anything barbecue related or shrimp related. But here I am saying let's talk about something more important. So people listening to this against that. You might say Alex, what are you doing? Why are you giving up an opportunity to talk about ribs? But But hey, you know, you mentioned it we talked a lot about in our political.   Michael Hingson ** 02:38 I want to say that we're going to talk about something more important what we're going to talk about something else. But we could always talk about ribs, you know that's   Alex Achten ** 02:44 true. Ribs is an evergreen topic. You can talk about a whenever, wherever,   Michael Hingson ** 02:48 right? And eat them wherever and whenever you can just to say,   Alex Achten ** 02:54 just don't wear a white shirt. Like I'm like, I'm   Michael Hingson ** 02:56 right now. Right? Yeah, we're at least wear a bib. Yes, I've   Alex Achten ** 03:00 been at the minimum. Yeah, federal. Well, I   Michael Hingson ** 03:03 really am glad you're here. We had a fun time when we chatted last time. So why don't we start by maybe you telling me a little bit about you growing up and a younger Alex and all that kind of stuff?   Alex Achten ** 03:15 Yeah, absolutely. So I started I suppose I told you. I grew up in Kansas City. That's where I was born and raised. That's where my roots are. That is, that's where a lot of my family is. And and it's still home. You know, it is absolutely still home at my core. But yeah, that's where it that's where I grew up. I went to Kansas State University. So I am a Wildcat. Through and Through. I graduated there in 2015. I got a Bachelors of Science and I majored in broadcast journalism, and I minored in Leadership Studies and and from there, I went and pursued a TV career. And I went down to Texas, and was a TV reporter and multimedia journalist for about three to three and a half years down at KU Zee TV NewsChannel, six, and had a really good time there did a lot of a lot of interesting, interesting things that you wouldn't get to do it. Many other jobs, covered tons of different stories there. But even after three, three and a half years, I made the decision that I wanted to get into communications and public relations and also wanted to have the opportunity to get closer to home. And as I told you, in the past, my parents actually moved to San Diego in 2011, which is when I went to Kansas State so they had been there for a while I come out here and I knew I loved it. And I knew that ultimately, you know with my brother in Los Angeles as well, you know, it gave me an opportunity to get closer to home. So I went ahead and moved out here and I was able to land a job with the identity that The Resource Center where I'm at now and I've been here for four years working in communications and public relations. I'm our Director of Communications and Media Relations at the identity theft Resource Center now, and it's just really worked out. It's been a it's been a great, a great experience and opportunity for me. So that is kind of be in a nutshell on my background. But again, my roots, my roots are in Kansas. That's there's no doubt about that. But, but you know, you can't be living in America's Finest City there.   Michael Hingson ** 05:33 Well, having lived in Vista for six years, I can very well appreciate what you're saying. And we love the San Diego area. I still think it's the best weather in the country.   Alex Achten ** 05:44 I will not debate you on that. I will not debate you on I was telling I literally like the 10 day forecast for the next 10 days it is sunny and either 7374 75 or 76. That 10 day so yeah, doesn't get much better than that. It does it.   Michael Hingson ** 06:00 Next Friday, I fly to the National Federation of the Blind Convention, which this year is in Houston. Oh, one that's gonna weather Yeah, well be nice and toasty. That'll be nice and toasty there. You're wearing your clothes. Yeah, there is something to be said for air conditioning.   Alex Achten ** 06:22 But I've been down there to the   Michael Hingson ** 06:24 humidity in Houston is no fun either. been there before. That's okay. I can cope. Well. So when you were a news broadcaster, that must have been pretty interesting. Did you find it interesting and fun. And you must have introduced interviewed lots of people like the governor of Texas and people like that. Did you get a chance to talk to people like that?   Alex Achten ** 06:46 Absolutely. I did. I did interview the governor of Texas, Greg Abbott, three or four different times, in my stint there at Channel six. And I actually worked the political beat. So I interviewed a lot of political figures in the state of Texas. So I interviewed Governor Greg Abbott, Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick. I also interviewed Beto O'Rourke a handful of times when I was there, and then pat Fallon, who is in the he is in the US House. Now. I interviewed him a handful of times, former congressman Mac Thornberry was was one of them. So a lot of a lot of political figures. I interviewed in my time there and I also had the, the city beat so that actual Wichita Falls that he beat. So I've covered all the the government related things going on in the city of Wichita Falls. And, you know, really what was kind of the, the wildcard was was really the breaking news that you've covered. I think, you know, I think every reporter will tell you that's one of the probably one of the most exciting parts of the job is the breaking news that you cover. And unfortunately, you know, not not all breaking news is good news. But as a reporter, you know, that's that's, that's what you go to school for, you know, you go to school for opportunities to be able to tell the public, you know, do your service tell the public what is going on and, and while it is something that you know, a lot of it is stuff you never want to see happen. You want to do to the best your ability, and it is a thrill to be in a situation now it can be a moment, don't get me wrong, it is emotionally draining. It is physically draining, mentally draining, it is draining in every sense of that word, but but your passion, your passion is what drives drives you and I tell everybody you know what my passion and my core is journalist I'm a I'm a I'm a journalist, at my core, even though I work in public relations, and Media Relations and Communications now and I love it. At my core, I'm a journalist and I am telling story. So in Wichita Falls, you know, I was able to, to cover so many stories that impacted my life in so many different ways and stories they'll carry with me forever. And I met people that I will remember and carry with me forever. You know, you talk with so many people every single day. When you when you're doing so many different stories and you hear so many stories from so many different people. It is just a very rewarding job and it can be very exhausting job. So it was it was something that again, I covered everything from you know, amazing story. I covered one guy who had like, multiple heart surgeries, didn't know if he was going to live and then he ended up a few months later being able to come out and ride in the Hunterdon hell bike race, which is a really really popular bike race Wichita County. I got to interview him. That was a great story. I got to do stories like that I got to ride To be 25 Bomber for one particular story, which was something that was actually really near and dear to my heart because my grandma was actually a Rosie the Riveter. So that was really, really cool opportunity for me. But on the flip side of that, you know, I covered a handful of stories and breaking news that didn't end well, that things that you won't forget. And, you know, those are the things that stick with you. But you know, I know, as a reporter, something that I was passionate about was telling these people, some of these people that may have been gone too soon telling their story, and telling their story in a way that that really highlighted them and showed them in the best light possible, so people could really get to know who they were in some of the tragic events that happen. And so that was something I took very seriously. And those are some of the things that I'll definitely remember. So, again, I could go on for days, about everything I got in that, in that in that role. But ultimately, what it just came down to was, it was a position where sustainability, you know, I just didn't think it was something that I could sustain long term going through that, again, that that mental, emotional, psychological, physical strain, needed some better work, some better work life balance, that was something that was really important. And then look, you know, I'm honest with people about it, you know, TV reporters, it's not the biggest salary in the world. It's not a and, you know, you also got to worry about you being able to support yourself financially. So you know, that's another piece of it, too. And again, not that you don't make a livable wage. But that, you know, I know a ton of people who have made the jump to communications PR for that reason, as well. So, but don't get it all.   Michael Hingson ** 11:47 As a speaker. I know that when I go somewhere to speak, from the time the airplane lands until I take off, I have to be on. Oh, yeah. And so I appreciate what you're saying about the whole emotional aspect of it, then sometimes you go on well, I went, I've gone to places where it was very interesting. And certainly the the tenor and tone of people and some of their views. Were not the views that I had. But I can't ever let that get in the way. And I'm there to do something. And I'm there to inspire. And I learn as much as I can about how to inspire every audience when I go. So it is different for different kinds of audiences. And for you, it must have been a challenge. I mean, going from beta O'Rourke to Greg Abbott, talk about two different ends of the spectrum. And that kind of thing has to be a real challenge for you, as a reporter, and if you are working to represent the story and talk to the people, then you have to do it without getting emotionally involved in and letting your biases and show on show and that has to be emotionally draining   Alex Achten ** 13:01 it 100% It absolutely is emotionally draining. I don't think people understand, understand how many aspects of that job, are emotionally draining. And, you know, not just that, but there's, you know, there's a lot of people out there that, that don't love what you do, and that, that you have to deal with when you're on the public as well. And unfortunately, I have stories about things that have happened to me, just trying to do stories and cover stories. And unfortunately, too many reporters do have stories like that. And it just kind of comes with the territory. But you're right, getting back to what you were saying, working that political beat in particular. When you're covering, you know, politicians from these, you know, complete opposite sides of the spectrum. You do, you have to let your biases, you have to leave your rises at the door, and you have to come in and you have to do your job, which is strictly to report, report what this person is saying, and then report what the other person is saying. And then you let the viewer come to the conclusion of whatever conclusion they're going to come to but your job is to report the facts. Your job is not to apply any, you know, any sort of speculation or any sort of any sort of leanings one way or the other. There's just something that you can't do. And I think I always told people that I thought the ultimate compliment was not when a when a when a politician told me that I did a good story. It was when they told me that I did a fair story, that that was what I really took as the ultimate cost. Because if I did a fair story, it meant they respected what I did, but you know, understood that, you know, I was tough, you know, and but I was but I wasn't disrespectful. You know, I did, I did my job. And so that was really kind of what I strive for in that in that position. So that was one piece that was really important. And then as you mentioned when you're getting a lot of these other stories that are emotional like Again, you know, I, you know, one story, did a touched on a girl who unfortunately was murdered walking home from school and her friend was with her and shot as well. And that was a story that really captivated kind of the way it happened really captivated the entire community. And it was really hard to leave your emotions out, you know, at the door on this particular piece, he was only 14 years old. It was a really sad backstory to it. And I was reported it was live on the scene, I was the reporter that was at her memorial, and I was the reporter that was speaking with her family, and that was just super emotionally draining. And there's multiple times stories like this, where you're trying to talk about someone's life. And you're also trying to report about the breaking news that might be happening, and maybe also about that trial, you know, I was part of the trial coverage do? How do you leave your emotions out of that when there's so much heavy emotion in it. But you have to find a way to leave it at the door. And that is really difficult to do, and it takes a toll on you. But you have to do it to be able to do the job to the best of your ability   Michael Hingson ** 16:07 I listened to from a standpoint of collecting old radio shows some interesting news reports through the years, I think the probably one of the most dramatic ones is when the Hindenburg exploded, and there was one reporter on the scene everybody else had left because it was late coming in. And he was there reported the whole thing herb Morrison did and did an incredible job. Although his emotions came through some there was no way not to. But yeah, but the point is that he was able to report the whole thing. And even through the emotion, he reported everything. I've heard reports, because I was alive then about JFK getting shot. And I heard the Columbia challenger or the Columbia space shuttle thing. And, you know, other things. What amazes me today is how many people when we see some reporters reporting on stories, and clearly being very bias and not just reporting, which we see a lot, and to all too many people won't hold them accountable and say that's not your job, your job is to report the news. And it's really scary. And so unfortunate that we see all too often today where people don't leave their biases at the door. And they portray things as facts that aren't. And that's too that's too bad too, because that gives the whole industry a very bad name.   Alex Achten ** 17:43 Exactly. You nailed it right there. At the end, it gives the industry a bad name. And it really damages the credibility of good reporters and a majority. And we say this best so many different fields of work, but you know, there's always a few bad apples that seemed it can ruin it for everybody. And in the news, everybody sees what to do. So if those few bad apples are going to be directly seen what what they're doing, and I used to tell some of the new reporters that came in, that I would train, you know, don't you know, don't take, you can't take some of this, you know, stuff that you're going to hear some stuff you're going to encounter, you can't take it too hard. You can't take it too personal. Yeah. And you can't you have to let it go if you have a bad day, because the reality of the fact, you know, the reality is, when you have a bad day, unfortunately, everybody's gonna see it, because you're on TV every day. And, you know, people aren't gonna see my bad days. Now, you know, when I'm when I'm working at the CRC, but they did when I was on TV, and there was no way to get around that and it's in the public eye. But you have to find a way to let that go. Getting to these kind of these bad apples that really kind of paint media in a bad light. It's the same thing, you know, they're being seen. And then, you know, people think, well, that's what all journalists and all media are like, and I think that's what's most disappointing to me is that there are so many good journalists out there, and they get overshadowed by some bad apples that ruin it. And I'm very clear with people that, you know, those that are inserting their opinions into things. That's not news. I mean, that that is entertainment programs and entertainment. Right? That is entertainment, that is not news. Entertainment, but no, I agree. And I've had people come up to me and say, you know, well, you know, I don't watch the news because of this person. And I think that's not like I don't even consider that a news program, whatever. They whatever. They came to me, and I'll tell them, you know, some of some of the some of the places that I think do have good news, but again, I you know, I got to know a ton of reporters when I worked in the industry. I know a ton now for my current role and working in media relations. And again, there's just so many good reporters out there. Air. And you know, I will say that the line, it's thinner now than it's been in a long time with within certain opinion in the news. And that is kind of a, you know, scary thing a little bit. But, you know, when you, you know, they teach you these things in school, how to handle these situations, and there's a lot of really good reporters who do good work. And it's hard work work that requires tons of research and education, and being able to be impartial and ask good questions. And not even just that, you have to, after you ask the question, do you have to tell the story and you have to be a good storyteller. There's so many pieces of that. And there's so many good reporters that doing that, and getting messages out that needed need to get out there. But unfortunately, not enough people. Read the news, watch the news, hear the news, because they just associate some of those bad apples in the opinion with it. So it's disappointing to hear kind of that misconception. And again, I, as a former reporter, I will obviously stand up for many reporters, and believing that it is it is still a good industry. But I will admit at the same time that there are some some some bad apples out there. But I definitely encourage people to if you hear opinion, you see opinion, there is a differentiator between what I would consider news and entertainment program. Yeah,   Michael Hingson ** 21:22 yeah. Well, for me, I was so impressed, watching a lot of the news once I got home on September 11, having gotten on at the tower and all that, but people like Aaron Brown on CNN, who all day stayed and covered it. Of course, they were across the river. I think he was in New Jersey, I believe, but he, he did the reporting for hours and hours. And I finally got to meet him. And just anyone who could do that, and Peter Jennings did the same thing on ABC, and just being able to do that. And I think with Peter Jennings Finally, there was some emotion, but but still ropey, how can there not be on the next Monday? Dan, rather, was interviewed on Letterman, and and he broke up on the Letterman Show. And yeah, how could you not and why shouldn't you? Yeah, because you're doing Yeah, they're human, they should you be able to react?   Alex Achten ** 22:26 Exactly. I, you know, I, I, I haven't met a reporter that hasn't had a broker who has not had a breakdown, I'll be honest and honest, I, every single reporter that I've worked with had a breakdown at one point or another, I've had breakdowns before as a reporter. It's going to happen, it comes with the territory. And when you're covering something like, like, September 11, I can't even imagine how difficult that had to be. And again, you're only human, you only can take so much. And, and that that is just a incredibly tough job to do. But I'm glad that you mentioned that is because that's that's a great example, and a perfect example. But you know, I think that you mentioned in there human. I mean, I think that that is kind of when I would remind people of you know, these reports are human. And, you know, they they're out here trying to do the best job that they can. Yeah, sure, there are again, there are some bad apples out there. And they're gonna, you know, you know, you need to be able to decipher news from non news. That's deaf, right thing. But But I again, I think that there's just a lot of lack of respect for for some media out there. And I don't think people understand how hard they work and what they go through. And so, you know, hopefully, that's something that, you know, I've been an advocate, again, that a lot for a long time, I'll continue to advocate for that. Because it's like I said, I'm a journalist at my core. Those are my people always advocate for them. But, but just again, you know, you're human, you will and go through so much. And I can't even imagine what it was like this 911 coverage, but I will say I have watched, I have gone back again, news junkie, I've just pronounced surprised anybody. I've gone back and watched to the coverage, one of the coverage from September 11. And it was, it was some very, very good coverage that day.   Michael Hingson ** 24:14 There was some some really good coverage that day. And it was very amazing that people held it together as much as they did. And it's a testimony to them and to their character that they did and they didn't go off and try to go off on deal with diatribes and lecturing people and so on but reported the business which is what they should have done.   Alex Achten ** 24:34 Exactly. And I'll say just one thing with that, too, that's so hard because you don't know they didn't know initially what was going on? No, and you have to have essentially wall to wall coverage of what's going on and you have to fill that time was something so you have to fill it and it's hard not to go to those places on well, they could have been this or it could have been that right it's that is that is so hard when you don't have a script, there's there's not a playbook for that. There's not there's not a playbook for that. That is so hard. You're going wall to wall all day long covering this event where you're learning what's going on. But you don't fully know, I mean that there's no job more difficult.   Michael Hingson ** 25:13 And one of the things that I realized pretty early on, and I'm not sure it was said, as much as it should have been, is that this was not an attack by Islam, this was attacked by a fringe group that wanted to have their way. But that's not the representation of the Muslim church. Yeah. And and I think that not nearly enough people understood that. And again, it's all too often that we, as the public haven't learned to step back and truly analyze, we listen, and we hear somebody, Oh, I agree with that. And then we just go on, and we don't analyze for ourselves. And we really need to do that. I'm not a great fan of Fox, but I watch Fox to hear what they say, as long as I can, can take it, and then I will go back and listen to other news, but I do like to watch a variety of different kinds of newscasts. And I could also go off and say things like, watching the BBC, or news from Europe and so on is really fascinating, because the way they report a lot of stuff is totally different, compelling way we do it here. And there's a lot of value in what they do.   Alex Achten ** 26:29 Oh, yeah, absolutely. Did you write I would encourage someone go go watch a BBC broadcast and see what the way that it did. It is much different than the way than the way and that's not a bad thing. No, no, not a bad thing at all. And, but But I will say, you know, you're right. I think that it is important for people to again, be able to watch different different news outlets and be able to get news from different places. And because, you know, again, I just think it's good to be hearing what everybody's saying and thinking and then I think if you can come to more of an educated opinion, on whatever it is that that that's going on. But if you're only watching the news that plays into the narrative that you want to believe I mean, how much are you really, you know, learning or to the flip side of that, if you're only watching news that goes against what you believe in, they're there to just, you know, mock what they're saying, again, I'll say the same thing. What are you what are you really gaining from that? I my default is always tell people that I go back to you know, I like to watch. You know, I like to watch a galley i I'm, I worked at CBS affiliate, I think CBS news is, is pretty good. I work with the investigate TV team, for television a lot. I actually used to be in a great, great TV employee. But I think investigate TV has an has an incredible team of people there. And I think that NBC is not not MSNBC, just NBC MVCs investigative team is tremendous. I think that there's some tremendous reporters on their investigative team. So again, I think it's about you know, figuring out being able to sift out you know, who's, you know, who's going to really tell this, you know, who tells stories from an impartial standpoint,   Michael Hingson ** 28:28 given my age. I'm a relative late comer to 60 minutes. I love watching 60 minutes, but I had a radio program on our college radio station K UCI at 9.9 on your dial on every Sunday night, I played old radio shows for three hours. And I learned along the way when somebody called from the Orange County Jail in California, that half the people in the jail wanted to listen to our show on Sunday nights and roughly half of the people wanted to listen and watch 60 minutes. And ultimately we beat out Wallace so I'm really glad that we'd be Wow, look at that. And you know, of course what I say to everybody is that Wallace was really just kind of a guy with criminal tendencies if you listen to him when he did old radio shows. What did he announce the Green Hornet What's that all about? Crime and Sky King you know, what's that all about crime? So we know what we don't what kind of mic well, it says I never got to meet him and say that a person who would have been great to do   Alex Achten ** 29:29 Mike Well, that is true. But it was it   Michael Hingson ** 29:33 was really funny that we we we beat out 60 minutes and so they wanted more entertainment the news that's okay.   Alex Achten ** 29:40 Hey, you know what? There's so many there's so many things that are coming into my mind right now but it's it's what was it I you know, if it bleeds it leads like that was one that I remember being like a really popular saying yeah, and then there I there was another one that rhymed at sales, and I'm pretty sure I'm forgetting what it was but but You're right. I mean, you know a lot of these news producers, I mean, they're stalking their shows know what what people are gonna be most interested in here and are seeing at the beginning of a show.   Michael Hingson ** 30:09 My favorite, my favorite 60 minutes is still the one where Morley Safer interviewed Miss Piggy. And she had him on the ropes. It was so funny. I'd love to get a copy of that. She kept calling him Morty and all sorts of stuff that is still my favorite 60 minutes episode.   Alex Achten ** 30:29 Well, I'll say this. I do like some good news mixed in with that. Yeah. I hear people talk about you know, I hate how much bad news is the beginning. And I get it why people say that. I also understand why is it the beginning of shows and why it's so prevalent, but I think it is important to sprinkle some things in. And yeah, I watched CBS Sunday Morning, every morning because I love their feature stories. And I at the station that I worked at, we had a good news segment at the end of every show. So I'm sure it's something that we that we'd like to mix in, I think it's important to be able to get that in. So again, you know, you have to hear the people and there's a lot of people want some more good   Michael Hingson ** 31:05 news. Yeah. And sometimes I don't think we get as much of it as we could, and probably should. There's so much bad stuff. And that's what seems to get a lot of the headlines, I understand it. But and the other part of it is there always seems to be something that is dramatic enough that we do have to get those headlines. So you know, that's the other part about it. We there's there's hardly a slow news day anymore. No, no. Which is, which is too bad. Well, you know, but we cope. So how did you then I understand why you decided that you wanted to leave actually doing real reporting? How did you end up at the identity theft Resource Center?   Alex Achten ** 31:47 Yeah, well, you know, getting back to, you know, you count what I said a little bit earlier in the podcast, you know, it was kind of a situation where, you know, okay, and do you want to sign on it, you know, sign a contract with your, you know, with your current employer and, you know, stay longer? Do you want to look to go to a new station and a bigger market? You know, what do you want to do, and I was kind of at the crossroads, they were, you know, it was time to make a decision one way or the other. And I've been mulling it over for a while, you know, again, I was like, This is not something that's not sustainable. It's really a stressful job. I love what I'm doing. But it's super stressful. And, you know, again, I wanted a little bit of more financial stability, my life, I wanted a little more work life balance, and I wanted to be ultimately be, you know, a little bit closer to family. That was something that would that I wanted as well. So I moved to San Diego, and said, You know what, I'm going to go after this communications thing and see what happens. So I came out to San Diego, I got involved in prsa, which is the Public Relations Society of America, the San Diego chapter in particular, and took part in a mentorship program actually, there. And that was an amazing experience, I was able to work with somebody who at the time was with VA II, out here in San Diego. And they helped me with with a ton, you know, with prep on the industry, interview PrEP. PrEP on the resume, refining the resume. And they really helped me with a lot of that. And I'll say this is a very common jump. And I don't know how many of you will know this very common jump for people and news to jump to communications and PR, I would say, I mean, I don't know if 50% of the people who work in PR are former news people but it, it feels like it well, I'm meeting with them all the time. And it feels like half the time they're like, Yeah, I used to be a reporter as well or used to work in the news as well. And I have a ton of friends that have made the jump since me even from news to PR. So it's a really, really common jump. There's a lot of parallels there. But I ended up you know, the mentorship program was great, it helped me learn a lot. And then I landed a position with the identity theft Resource Center is a communication specialist with a focus on PR. And after about a year, a little over a year, year and a half, I got a promotion to earn an own media specialist. So it was more really focused on media relations. In particular, which is more what I wanted to do. And then from there, I got a promotion to head of earned and owned media relations, which really kind of allowed me to kind of begin to run the show on that side of things. And then the way things ended up shaking out I got another promotion to Director of Communications and Media Relations. So now I'm running an overseeing the communications team for the identity theft Resource Center. And it is a position that that I Love, you know, I love the company, I love the people that I work with. And I love that, you know, I have an executive that we have an executive team there that is so supportive of me and supportive of the work that I do, and they give me the freedom to go out and, and do what I think needs to be done to put the ITRC in the best light publicly, to get us media coverage, to execute successful communications campaigns. And it is something that I really do enjoy, we got a great team. I'm in a managerial role now, which is something that that I said I would never do. I was like, I'll never I'm never I'm never gonna be be a manager, I'm never going to manage people. That's not something I'm going to do. Here I am 31. And now I'm a director, so, so much for that. But, but that's what I said, But you know, I really do enjoy it. I better work life balance. Closer my parents, I get to see them more often. And I've built a community of friends out here that that I really enjoy. And, again, you can't beat San Diego, but but I really I really do. I really do love it. And I think what is something that has really helped me is being a former reporter. Being able to speak with people who work in the media, I feel like it's so much easier for me to speak with them. And so yours didn't say easier. But it's so easy for me to speak with them. Because I feel like I know how to talk to them. How would I know? How to myself back when I was sitting at my news desk? What would I tell? What would I tell Alex like, that's what I think when I'm when I'm writing a press release, or I'm right, you know, I'm I'm personally pitching somebody, or if I'm about to send out a media alert, you know what, what I want to hear and then I think of it just about how people will have it I want people to communicate with me, so much of it is about building relationships. And I put a ton of stock and building relationships with with these people in the media, and it goes beyond just hey, I've got a story for you, or, Hey, I'll scratch your back here, if you scratch our back there, you know, it goes further than that. It's about you know, taking genuine interest in these people. Because again, you know, these amateurs, good journalists, I mean, they're good people, and being able to build those relationships with them. And getting to know them is something that I think is really important. And when I was a reporter, it was the same, you know, I kind of had the same approach, I wanted to get to know the PR people that I was working with, and I took a lot of stock and building those relationships. So I that's something that's really important to me, kind of with where I'm at right now with the with the communications team, at the ITRC is our executive team knows that media relations and public relations is really kind of my my bread and butter. So they let me really stay in the weeds and kind of do all of that. But, but I delegate for the most part, a good chunk of the the other stuff that we do marketing stuff, project management stuff, I'll delegate that to other to other people on the team. But, but I really do stay in the weeds with the media relations stuff, because I love it, I mean that I really am passionate about that. And I love to see the ITRC highlighted on these programs. And and now that I've worked in a space for four years, I didn't I am really passionate about helping these victims because I see the the way that these victims of identity crimes are impacted. And I always I you know, one of the things I wanted to do, and I moved into communications, I wanted to take take a role, where I felt like I would make a difference. You know, I didn't want to take a role to take a role, you know, I wanted to take a role or I could make a difference. And I feel like you know, being able to get media coverage of the ITRC and our services and our reports and our data and all this stuff in return helps get more, you know, help to these victims who need it again, whether or not that means it leads to more government assistance, government programs, whether it means that they find the ITRC and we're able to help them whatever it might be they know that's something that I'm that I'm definitely passionate about. So it has been it has been a great four years working with the communications team at the ICRC   Michael Hingson ** 39:23 well tell me a little bit more about what the ITRC is what it does and and all that kind of stuff. Yeah, the   Alex Achten ** 39:29 I didn't have resource center there. It's a national nonprofit. And it really is and I won't sit here and you know, read off I'm not gonna I won't go into Mr. PR and read off the mission statement and do all that. I'll say the thought of that. But I but I will say it's a national nonprofit that works in the in the identity crime space. The only national nonprofit that has free remediation services for for victims of victims can call us or live chat with us for free and we can help I help them with their identity crime case. Or we can help. Even if you're not a, you know, a victim of identity theft, you know, you can always message us if you have a question or you know, something that's preventative, you can message us about anything. And we are advisors will, will work with people on whatever the issue is toll free. And it's not like you just call one time or message one time, and then we're like, well, there's a fee, the second or third time No, it's, you know, you can, however, many times you need to reach out to us however long you need to talk to us, we'll do it, we'll do it. And that is something that we do. And we also work with, we also work a lot in the research side of things, we do a lot of research. When it comes to identity crimes, right now we're doing a lot of research in the identity crime landscape, in particular in the black communities, and how they're impacted by any crime. So that's something that we're working on right now. We track data breaches, and we report our findings and our trends and what they mean and, and we do things to try to see, you know, try to get additional support for victims. So you know, we'll work we'll work with the, with other organizations, and you know, the government, we have a lot of federal federal grants, and we'll we'll work to try to get more resources for victims add that as part of it as well. And then, you know, we obviously provide education, we'll provide education to businesses, and things of that nature. So there's a lot of different things that we do. But ultimately, you know, the goal is to, is to help reduce identity crime, and, and really to be able to educate people on what's going on in cybersecurity,   Michael Hingson ** 41:36 privacy. So somebody, so somebody calls and says, you know, my identity has been stolen, I've had 10,000 or $50,000, in lost credit card charges, and so on. How do you guys help? What is it that the senator does?   Alex Achten ** 41:51 Yeah, so the senator, what we do is we ultimately can help somebody create a resolution plan with, okay, you know, here's what you need to do next. In regards to steps, who, here's who you need to call, here's what you need to tell them. Here's what you need to get from them. And then here's the steps that you need to take to protect yourself. So we're not there actually doing all of these things for the victims, but we are there to help provide them a resolution plan. And to really guide them through this process that is so tricky, and so difficult, especially people are so vulnerable at those moments. And it's hard. I mean, look, I mean, I mean, a lot of us are the victims of identity crimes, and we know how it can play on your emotions. And you may not be thinking in your proper state of mind at that time, you know, well, we can we can help you in that moment. Walk you walk you through that process, and make sure that you're able to take the appropriate steps to keep yourself as as safe as possible. So that's really, really our role in that. And again, you know, we're there to always provide support.   Michael Hingson ** 42:58 One of the things that we did I have a niece who had she and her family had their identity stolen, gosh, it's gotta be close to 10 years now. And one of the things that we did was we signed up with LifeLock obviously gives some protection and so on. But that's a different kind of an entity that does sort of different things than what you do, right.   Alex Achten ** 43:24 Yeah, yeah, exactly. You're You're right that there, that's more identity theft, protection. Talking about that, and look, you know, I Norton, Norton LifeLock is one of our is one of our supporters. So we work with them on certain things, but But you're right, that that is that is more service based. And we, you know, we're really, we're really not service based, you know, we're just some things in the works that that will roll out at a later time, but, but we're really not.   Michael Hingson ** 43:54 You help people and you help give people perspective and you help give guidance in some way.   Alex Achten ** 43:59 Exactly. We're there to provide guidance for people that help help victims and, and be able to help businesses and and again, get and do the research and figure out what's going on what are the trends and that really could help guide us and what needs to be done next in the space to to help reduce the number of data breaches or identity crimes or whatever it may be. And so again, there's so many layers to what we do, but at the core, again, it comes back to the victims and being able to help those help those victims and provide them the best resources that we can.   Michael Hingson ** 44:38 And really, again, help them get back to having some perspective because you are in a very traumatized situation when you discover something like this has happened. And sample. Generally, it's like being a reporter. They don't know how to step back like most reporters can do and you're probably in theory, a little bit better position. Shouldn't if identity were to be stolen from you, because you can learn to step back, but I'll bet even then you are going to have to deal with it with the emotions. And so it's a challenge for you to.   Alex Achten ** 45:09 I'm glad you brought that up. Because recently that did happen to be where I was targeted, I won't get into the details of it, but I was targeted with with a particular scam, and even knowing exactly what scam there, I could I could have told you the name of the scam, I could have told you what exactly their tactics were, I could have told you everything. But when you hear it, it's still scary. And it still can, you know, make you paranoid, and you can freeze and you know, I froze for a brief, you know, brief minute in that situation. And again, that's with a background is being a reporter and working in this space and all these different things and knowing what scams are talking about and knowing that they're they're literally following a playbook knowing all this, it's still hard for me to pull myself back. So I can't even imagine someone who may not have that type of knowledge. And you know, it can there's so many identity criminals out there. And it's really, it can just be really difficult. And I think the emotional impacts is again, you know, people talk about identity crimes and financial losses. And yeah, you know, financial losses are really, really sad seeing some of them. But I think one of the things that people don't talk about enough as the the emotional impacts of those crying, we ever we do a report that's strictly on that, because it's such a such an important piece. But, um, but it's just, you know, that's something that I don't think people think about is just that, you know, yeah, physical physical abuse, you can see, right, you can you can see the marks from the emotional abuse, you can't, you can't see it. And so, you know, it's harder sometimes to to get people to take it seriously, they can't actually see the, you know, the physical marks of what you've gone through, you know, because it's something that's emotional.   Michael Hingson ** 47:05 One of the challenges that happened with my niece was, for a while even law enforcement was not convinced that she wasn't doing this to herself, or perpetrating and in some way, and she said, look, here's all the evidence, and it was still hard for people to accept that this really occurred, which is so unfortunate   Alex Achten ** 47:29 why and unfortunately, it's not surprising. Yeah, I've heard that story so many times, too. And the crazy thing is, I've had, again, working in media relations. I've had reporters who I'll work with who work, maybe a cybersecurity beat, or a consumer reporter beat reach out to me and say, Oh, my gosh, I'm a victim. Can I talk with one of your advisors like that? Or, you know, this horrible thing is happening to me, I need your help. That is absolutely, I've had a handful reach out like that. It is just so hard to to escape it. I really, really is. And I tell people I said I think this just made me a little more of a cynic now because I feel like I'm questioning everything. My mom will it's funny. I'll use this example. She so I'm still on my parents family plan for our phone because we're all on the family plan together. But my brother and I, we have to pay right? You know, so yeah, Your Honor family pay up you have to pay. So we Venmo my mom every month she'll sit she'll send us like the transaction saying this is how much you owe. And you know, we'll we'll pay through Venmo I am such a cynic. Now that I text my mom every time even though I know it's coming. And it says it says the amount it says it's from her it says what it's for, but I'll still text her and say did you just spend money for this this much money for the phone bill? Then yeah, she'll say yep. And I'll be I'll go, Okay, I'll pay it now. I mean, that is like, that is where my brain is, because of where I work, but, but they're just they're just, you know, there's so many, again, identity criminals out there and, and you have to you have to keep an eye on them. But the good news is, the good news is there are things you can do to protect yourself. And that's the great thing. And, you know, again, we're about education. So you know, we'll try to educate people the best we can, so they can be as safe as possible. So hopefully they don't fall victim.   Michael Hingson ** 49:17 Yeah, and it is it is so easy. I've seen some really good email scams that I almost fell for until I really looked carefully at where the mail came from and all the stuff in the header. I went Wait a minute and chose correctly I know not to do anything with it, but you've got to watch 24 hours a day. Because it is so scary that they're they're getting so clever about what they do much less all the robo calls on the scams that come from that   Alex Achten ** 49:53 100% and and you know, again, this gets back to BBA probably being a little bit of a cynic, but this is this is it definitely something that we put in all of our content. We always tell people, if you get a message or someone you're not expecting, don't respond to it, you know, reach out directly to the person they claimed to be, or the sword, you know, the company they claimed to be from and say, did you send this? And if they did, then you're going to respond? And if they didn't, you know, that it's a scam? And, and again, it's crazy that it's like, oh, I have to I really have to, like, go to the source every time I receive a message where Yep, for somebody I didn't, didn't expect. And I'm gonna say, Yeah, I mean, that that would be my that would be what I would encourage you to do.   Michael Hingson ** 50:32 I do it from people where I'm expecting a message. And this is this comes through. And I haven't had a problem that is I haven't, like you with Venmo haven't had one where it wasn't true. But I still check. Because I've seen some really good texts, too. I got a message about a month ago, from Walmart. And it said that there was a charge for $124 or $184, or something like that. And I forget what it wanted me to do to verify it or whatever. But Amelia, I'm going, Wait a minute. First of all, I didn't spend any money at Walmart. Yeah, of course, the scammer wouldn't know that. But you know, I wasn't even going to respond to the message because of that kind of thing. I didn't expect it. It couldn't have possibly been true. But unfortunately, things happen. I've done credit card charges somewhere, like buying gas. And a day or so later, suddenly, the bank calls and said, we've got these other charges that we don't know about how in the heck, they got the credit card. Info. I mean, this is a long time ago. So I don't think that they even had the ways of sticking the credit card tracker inside of the reader. But nevertheless, somehow people got charged information and used it. And you got to watch everything that goes on. You've got to monitor it all.   Alex Achten ** 52:01 Yeah, it's a scary world. It's a scary world. And unfortunately, people are going to continue to try to find ways to to get Yeah,   Michael Hingson ** 52:08 yeah, it is. It is really too bad. Well, what are some things that you would advise people to do to protect themselves?   Alex Achten ** 52:19 I, you know, yeah.   Michael Hingson ** 52:21 Obviously, one is, is what we just talked about, what kinds of things would you advise people?   Alex Achten ** 52:27 Yeah, you know, I'll go back to our default messaging that we have at the ITRC, which really is gets back to kind of what we would call I know, we, you know, preventative tips, some of you could call it cyber hygiene. But really, it gets back down to not over sharing information. I think that's yeah, that's one we always talk about, you know, not over sharing personal information, using unique passwords on all your accounts. So essentially, using a different password on every account, in particular passphrase is that's actually something that's more effective passphrase is that we say, are usually at least 12 characters long. So some sort of saying that you'll remember. So that way, if somebody may get into one account, they won't get into all your accounts. So that's, that's one of the common ones we give. And then we always encourage people to use multi factor authentication with an app if possible, because text messages can get spoofed. But But user acquisition is an added layer of security that people have to go through to get into an account. So if you have that, that's just going to, you know, make it make your accounts that much safer. So those are some of the basics. And we always tell people freeze their credit, if you there's no reason for your, you know, if you don't have, you know, a loan out or anything like that, you know, we always tell people that or I shouldn't say tell we don't tell people anything, we encourage people to freeze your credit, if it's something that they may not need at that time, because, again, you know, a criminal can't access credit that's frozen. So that what does that mean, exactly? Here? You know, I have to be 100% honest, it's hard for me to get into the specifics, because I tell people all the time, I'm not going to act like I'm an expert in identity theft.   Michael Hingson ** 54:10 But if you talk about freezing freezing credit, what does that mean?   Alex Achten ** 54:14 Yeah, so freezing credit, essentially, that means that you can't have your credit taken by somebody else. I mean, that that you can do there's you can get your credit frozen by the credit reporting agencies. And essentially, they can't, uh, you know, they can't happen to that they can't get that credit and use it against you and commit identity crimes. That is because that's again, you can there's credit monitoring, right that we were you can monitor your credit, but it's just, you know, it's something that we always tell people it's not necessarily as effective because you can monitor it but once something happens to us, something happened to it. If your credit if your credit is frozen, you know, nothing. Again, nothing can happen to it because it is frozen, and then you can unfreeze it. We especially tell people who have who have children to freeze their credit, reduces child identity theft, because a child's not going to be using their credit, no, that's not you, they don't, they're not going to have their child's not going to go get an apartment tomorrow, you know, go buy a car and get a loan. That's not something that's going to happen. So that's something that we encourage, too. But, but yeah, so that's just a good universal tip. But again, you just take those tips, typically, it it does indeed, help bring someone   Michael Hingson ** 55:25 at risk. If someone freezes their credit, does that mean then that nothing can be charged, or you have to verify it before a charge can be made?   Alex Achten ** 55:33 Well, essentially, freezing the credit. So do that you can't do again, like if you've got a loan out or something like that, that's not something that you can that you can do, I that more really applies to and again, I won't get too too much in the weeds, you don't want to act like I'm the expert on it. But, um, but that is something that it can't be you, right? You can't like if your credit is frozen, you can't necessarily use that if you need to use it for something you will have to go thaw that credit or unfreeze it. And then you can use that credit again, if you want again, you go in, I'm ready to go buy a car, you know, how to get a loan? Well, you can unfreeze that credit, and then you can use it for for that purpose.   Michael Hingson ** 56:13 Freeze credit again, so that nothing else can be done.   Alex Achten ** 56:16 Exactly that you can think of when you're when you're not using it again. So that is it. And I think there's a misconception people think if I freeze it, I can't unfreeze it when you can't, I   Michael Hingson ** 56:23 am That was why I was asking. Well, you minored in Leadership Studies and you just got a certificate. Tell us about that?   Alex Achten ** 56:32 Yes, I did. So I am a Leadership Studies minor. And you know, my passion for leadership studies, actually, I think came in high school, where I was involved in the Student Leadership Institute at Kansas Christian, where I, where I graduated high school. And I actually got a scholarship to leadership, the School of Leadership Studies at Kent State. And so, you know, I was I can't, you know, this is this is interesting. And let me let me, you know, obviously, what this is about, and I got into it, and, you know, I was captivated. I was captivated immediately, in my introduction class. And, and we learned about so many different things. So many different leadership styles, you know, culture and context, adaptive leadership, a bunch of different types of leadership practices that can be implemented. And by the way, people, people think about leadership, and they think, oh, you know, that just means you're a good leader here. You're a good leader there. But there are so many, I mean, there's so much, there's so much leaders that people don't understand. But it really hooked me and, and I learned a ton about being a good leader, being an effective leader. And our, our mission statement, which is something that I really believed was becoming, I'm gonna blank on it now that I'm on the spot, but it was becoming more it was becoming. I see I rattle off time all i rattle it off all the time. And now I'm on here, and I'm freezing when I'm trying to think of it, but the crux of it is to become knowledgeable, ethical, caring, inclusive leaders for a diverse and changing world. knowledgeable and knowledgeable, ethical, knowledgeable, ethical, caring, inclusive. I'm missing one, I'm missing one or two. But everywhere people get the point of that. So the cool, knowledgeable, ethical, caring, caring giver, yes. And in inclusive. Yeah, exactly. Because you haven't. And I think it is something that is really, really true. Because, you know, the world is constantly changing. And to be a good leader, you have to be able to evolve and adapt with what is changing in the world. And so it's something that has been really helpful to me, I've been able to apply it to my jobs, I was able to, again, apply a lot of that a lot of those things as a reporter. And then in the role now I'm able to apply it as a manager as a director as a leader. And you mentioned that I just got done. Taking a about a four month course, that on coaching, coaching as a leadership tool, and it was through the fieldstone fields Student Leadership Network, in San Diego, through the Nonprofit Leadership Alliance. And it was really, really a beneficial course and it really kind of reinforced kind of reinforced a lot of the things that I really tried to implement, which is the first thing you have to do as a leader is you have to look at yourself and who like who are you what are your values, what do you stand for, and we talk about being like the self aware leader, you know, you have to be a self aware of the type of leader that you are. Once you're aware of that then you can dive into you know, the other aspects of being able to be a good coach. And, you know, we talk about one thing we talked about a lot was was, was these different models that you can use, and one is the is the GROW Model, which can apply to many different leadership, leadership situations where you're able to kind of objectively look at these situations and say, you know, what's the goal, you know, what are some realistic opportunities here. And, you know, what's next, and when, and, and it's really, really an impactful model, that that you can apply. So I, that was a very, very helpful course and being able to look at that, you know, being able to be a good leader includes so many things, and you have to be authentic, you have to be empathetic, you have t

Is Biden's presidency unraveling? It's even worse than that, according to Scotty Saks. According to Scotty, leading military insiders predict Biden's downfall. But is America ready for what comes next? Buckle up as we analyze Scotty's take on 3 years of Biden, the disastrous fallout, where we go from here, and how to take our country back. Brian Nichols welcomes Scotty Saks, a 40-year mainstream media veteran turned whistleblower. He drops bombshells about Peter Jennings and Johnny Cash allegedly exposing media and music as "a Luciferian satanic cult.” In Scotty's view, we've been brainwashed by mainstream narratives, but Scotty's sources claim the military is quietly taking control to remove Biden and reveal the truth. Scotty describes an apparent executive order signed by Trump in his final days in office, leaving the military in charge, and leading to two factions battling for power. He believes the "White Hats" recognize Trump as the actual president and aim to expose the Deep State's supposed crimes, including stolen elections, 9/11, JFK, and more via an Emergency Broadcast System. Scotty recounts alleged eyewitness evidence of rampant pedophilia, citing his work with James Brown's band. He argues Biden is just an "actor" under Obama's supposed control, in his opinion, heading us toward a one-world government of central bank digital currency and WHO totalitarian health control. Brian emphasizes keeping an open yet questioning mindset, rather than blindly believing or dismissing conspiracies outright. He observes people bravely engaging in once-taboo discussions, moving past the narrow Overton window of allowable opinion. Brian encourages listeners to tune in and engage with unconventional perspectives while maintaining a healthy skepticism. According to him, we must avoid remaining distracted and complacent, and instead carefully consider claims like Scotty's, even if we don't ultimately agree with everything presented. Scotty concludes by urging local action and getting involved in city councils, county boards, and sheriff races to take back control. With elites supposedly captured at every level, change starts in our own backyards, he says. And while his shocking interview may alarm some listeners, we emerge with new perspectives, even if we don't agree with everything said. Knowledge is power as we strive to reclaim America. ❤️ Order Cardio Miracle with code TBNS at checkout for 15% off and take a step towards better heart health and overall well-being.

Please enjoy the brilliant story telling of the late Michael J. Tamura in this episode.Michael J. Tamura (July 14, 1953 - Oct. 24, 2023)Spiritual Teacher, Clairvoyant Visionary & Author of You Are The AnswerMichael Tamura lived the miracle: Spiritually aware from childhood, he saw everyone the way they are - as immortal souls. To guide thousands to their healing, awakening, and true life purpose, he drew from years of intensive training, profound past-life recall, nightly out-of-body sojourns, forty-three years of teaching and giving clairvoyant counseling, and a lifetime of extraordinary experiences, including returning from five near-death experiences until he finally passed away in October of 2023.Born and raised in Japan, yet educated in American schools, Michael spent a lifetime bridging gaps: Not only between East and West, young and old, men and women, but, above all, between humanity and Divinity. Beloved around the world as a spiritual teacher, visionary clairvoyant, and pioneer of healing and psychic development, he has been featured on NBC's The Leeza Show, The New Ricki Lake Show, CNN, Bridging Heaven & Earth, Gaiam TV, Virtual Light Broadcast, The Aware Show, Hay House Radio, and many other media programs. He was also included in ABCNews' The Century: America's Time with Peter Jennings.For Michael, every experience in life offered a golden opportunity for healing, miracles, and the fulfillment of one's divine purpose.Celebration of Life (Memorial): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=khfMfR2R7ZMThe introduction to this podcast is narrated by Rick Lamb PhD.*The information provided in this podcast is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical, psychiatric or veterinary advice or treatment. Always seek licensed medical, psychiatric, or veterinary care. Interspecies Evolution™ promotes holistic balance through an integrative treatment model defined by the National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health.Please use discernment when contracting with energy "healers" who claim to heal humans or animals in any capacity. Interspecies Evolution™ promotes self-awareness and empowerment through education and direct experience on one's own journey of remembering.www.interspeciesevolution.comFor more information about the Host, Ginny Jablonski, please refer to her website at www.heartofthehorse.us

BONUS: From journalism to Scrum Mastery, collected lessons on working with teams by Ian McGrady Read the full Show Notes and search through the world's largest audio library on Scrum directly on the Scrum Master Toolbox Podcast website: http://bit.ly/SMTP_ShowNotes. Ian's journey from journalism to becoming a Scrum Master is a testament to his adaptable mindset and persistence. His transition stemmed from a unique start; he secured his first job due to his fast typing skills and a desire to meet Peter Jennings. Ian's persistence in seeking a meeting with Jennings honed his tenacity. The introduction to the Scrum Master role came through recognizing the news industry's agile, continuous delivery setup. Despite challenges, like sending out 400 resumes for just 3 interviews and a job offer, Ian's honesty on his resume and his ability to relate his existing skills to the software field were pivotal. In interviews, he remained coachable, acknowledged his learning curve, and emphasized genuine interest in others. He underlines the importance of not striving to be the smartest person in the room, instead focusing on collaboration and curiosity. From TV News Deadlines to Agile Leadership, learning how to work under pressure Becoming a Scrum Master has brought about significant changes and personal growth for Ian. Inspired by Jeff Sutherland's book "The Art Of Doing Twice the Work in Half the Time," he realized the value of efficiency. Transitioning from TV News, where deadlines were paramount, he leveraged his experience to provide leadership to his team. Ian's principles and vision became guiding forces, focusing on extracting the best from individuals and incorporating it into the work. He emphasized stepping back to allow the team to shine and maximizing their value without personal dominance. His journey exemplifies transformation through collaborative leadership and value-driven mindset. Building the Foundation: Key Steps for Launching Effective Teams Launching new teams is a crucial process that Ian has garnered valuable insights from. Key lessons involve the necessity of team formation events, despite potential resistance from upper management. Addressing this as a communal effort, Ian suggests socializing the idea of team formation through specific activities. Four critical steps include creating a working agreement, establishing a workflow, defining a Definition of Ready (DoR), and a Definition of Done (DoD). These artifacts can aid in resolving conflicts. Ian recommends the book "Liftoff" by Diana Larsen and Ainsley Nies and advises using timeboxes to identify and address conflicts during team formation. Empowering New Teams: Strategies for Maximizing New Team Potential Addressing challenges faced by new teams in attaining maximum value from Scrum events, Ian shares insights and solutions. He recounts an NGO team's bureaucratic hurdles that hindered effective team startup events. Ian emphasizes the importance of focusing on delivering the essence of Scrum events and the Scrum Master's role in ensuring team value. He recalls an example where a team failed to update the board during the daily scrum, suggesting the live update approach to enhance visibility. He advises keeping work consistently on the board and centering the daily scrum on "done" work. Ian also recommends incorporating refinement into the workflow for improved outcomes. Turning the Tide: How Effective Team Formation Revolutionized Scrum Outcomes Ian shares a transformative case study highlighting the impact of team formation. He joined a team of talented individuals struggling with teamwork. After obtaining buy-in for a startup event from his boss, the team's performance improved drastically. Shifting from completing 3 items per month to 22, Ian recommends focusing on metrics that emphasize "done" work. Addressing the challenge of team composition, having reliable contributors was vital. Open communication and transparent norms facilitated tough discussions. Challenges during formation included gaining buy-in from all stakeholders and addressing pushback from senior management. Ian emphasizes that while some individuals may be natural stars, teams require nurturing for success. In this segment we refer to the OTOG mnemonic (One Team, One Goal) as a team effectiveness maximizing strategy. The One Team, One Goal approach is depicted in this blog post by Vasco Duarte.   About Ian McGrady Ian McGrady started in IT as a co-founder and Junior Project Manager at Blue Lotus Systems Integration and Data Conversion. There he co-authored an internal book about project management. He has worked as a Scrum Master in wagering, banking and healthcare. You can link with Ian McGrady on LinkedIn. 

Jordan Cooper welcomes on Peter Jennings (CSURAM88) to discuss how profitable DFS players can translate their skills to sports betting including utilizing fantasy-based player projections appropriately, understanding the dynamics of inefficient prop markets, and the pitfalls & perils of scaling your volume. Peter Jennings on Twitter: https://twitter.com/CSURAM88 Unabated: https://unabated.com ➔ Theory of DFS For Advanced Players: https://www.theoryofdfs.com/advanced ➔ Questions or feedback, e-mail questions@theoryofdfs.com

Chris Mottola is in his fifth decade as a Republican media consultant, with nearly 400 campaigns under his belt - including seven presidential campaigns and working with eleven US Seantors and six governors. His client list includes the highest echelons of GOP names like Bush, Dole, McCain, Giuliani, Specter, Rubio, Pataki, Sununu, Frist & many more. In this conversation, we talk his nearly lifelong passion for film, the non-political techniques he's brought to his political work, what drew him into campaigns, lessons learned from some of the smartest operatives who preceded him, and the stories behind some of his most memorable campaigns and effective TV ads.IN THIS EPISODEChris's roots as a Philly kid…The movie that ignited Chris's passion for film at age 7…Chris breaks down his embrace of “formalism” in filmmaking…A memorable first press conference in his first real political job…Handling over 50 spots in one cycle as a young NRCC production staffer…Chris tells lessons learned from legendary admakers Bob Goodman and Charles Guggenheim…Chris on the influence of “his favorite person on campaigns" , pollster Arthur Finkelstein…Chris talks some of his signature wins in Wisconsin and Florida as he establishes himself as a media consultant…Chis explains how a narrow loss to Patty Murray in the 1992 Washington Senate race that spurred his growth as a consultant…Chris's work for longtime PA Senator Arlen Specter and the drama around his 2009 party switch…Chris's time riding the campaign bus with Bob Dole in 1996…Chris on his work for colorful Montana Senator Conrad Burns…The story behind Chris's creation of the first gay rights spot for a Republican Senator…Three techniques that make Chris's spots a little different…Chris's 1970s moonlighting as an offensive football guru…How Chris embraced women voiceover artists…Why Philadelphia over-indexes on political media consultants and production talent… AND 80/20 questions, Adagio for Strings, JJ Balaban, the barbers' union, Brian Bellick, Ed Blakely, Don Bonker, Bertolt Brecht, Tom Brokaw, Buckely v. Valeo, the C&S Club, the Capitol Hill Club, Jimmy Carter, Alex Castellanos, Ronald Castille, Rod Chandler, commuter schools, Gary Cooper, Earl Cox, Mouse Davis, Dickens' novels, Fund for a Conservative Majority, David Garth, Tony Earl, Wilson Goode, Rod Goodwin, Bill Green, Gary Hart, Jesse Helms, Bernard Herrman, Edward Hopper, the Houston Gamblers, Asa Hutchinson, Peter Jennings, Andi Johnson, Ted Kennedy, laundry lists of grievances, Connie Mack, Buddy MacKay, Joseph Mankiewicz, David Marsden, George McGovern, Sally Mercer, Michealangelo's Pieta, Jack Mudd, Mike Murphy, Patty Murray, Neil Newhouse, old auctioneers, Neil Oxman, George Pataki, pearl clutching, potato peelers, Hester Prynne, Jerry Rafshoon, Dan Rather, Resonance Theory, the run-and-shoot, Tony Schwartz, Doc Schweitzer, seersucker suits, Judy Shepard, Matthew Shepard, Saul Shorr, Don Sipple, Gordon Smith, Bob Squier, Greg Stevens, stick time, Temple University, Tommy Thompson, Pat Toomey, the Voight-Kampff test, Bill Walsh, the World Football League, you bet....& more!

Hey BillOReilly.com Premium and Concierge Members, welcome to the No Spin News for Wednesday, April 5, 2023. Stand Up for Your Country.Tonight's rundown:  Talking Points Memo: Bill explains what you might not know about Donald Trump's case and what it means going forward The Heritage Foundation's Zach Smith joins the No Spin News to break down the latest Trump case information BlazeTV's Jason Whitlock comes in hot, calling for secession and giving his hot takes on the political Civil War This Day in History: ABC's Peter Jennings reveals he has lung cancer Final Thought: Passover In Case You Missed It: Read Bill's latest column, "The Right Thing To Do" Join 'Team Normal!' Preorder your gear at BillOReilly.com! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Johnny from betstamp and Rob Pizzola are joined by Peter Jennings from FantasyLabs, Action Network, Unabated, Establish the Run, and much more joins the Circles Off Podcast on the Hammer Betting Network to discuss his start in betting, getting robbed at gunpoint, his business ventures, and more... If you want more content like this, DM us on the Circles Off Twitter account and let us know what to react to next!

Dr. Warren Farrell is a political scientist, activist, speaker, and author of The Boy Crisis. He has been interviewed by Oprah, Barbara Walters, Tucker Carlson, Peter Jennings, and many others. Dr. Farrell conducts communication workshops, and his writings have been frequently featured in The New York Times. In this episode, Dr. Farrell and I discuss issues that lead to mass homicides committed by young men. We also talk about child-rearing and boundary enforcement, discriminating between male competence and male power compulsion, and the importance of recognizing and rewarding a father's contributions to their children's development. Dr. Farrell and I also share a personal message to anyone who may be harboring vengeful fantasies. —Links— The Boys Crisis - https://warrenfarrell.com/product/the-boy-crisis/ Follow Dr. Farrell on Twitter: https://twitter.com/drwarrenfarrell Website: https://warrenfarrell.com Couples' communication course: https://warrenfarrell.com/couples-communication/ More books by Dr. Farrell: https://amazon.com/s?i=stripbooks&rh=p_27%3AWarren+Farrell+Ph.D.&s=relevancerank&language=es&text=Warren+Farrell+Ph.D.&ref=dp_byline_sr_book_1 —Chapters— [0:00] Intro [2:51] The Boy Crisis & Mass Shootings [8:57] A Lack of Father Figures [9:29] Differences Between Mothers, Fathers, & Boundary Enforcement [13:42] Why Family Dinners Matter [15:43] Frans de Waal, Chimp Behavior, & the Human Moral Ethos [18:45] Why Involved Fathers Matter [22:59] Psychology of School Shooters  [25:41] Dr. Farrell's Similarities with the Uvalde Shooter  [33:25] Effects of ‘Toxic Masculinity' & ‘Male Privilege' on Young Men [37:03] Male Competence vs. Male Power Compulsion [42:15] Saying ‘No' & Expecting Girls to Share Rejection-Risks [44:49] Crumb & Psychopathological Fantasies  [47:00] Conflicting Emotions & Motivations  [49:22] “A Billion Wicked Thoughts” [53:58] “When only one sex wins, both lose”  [54:12] On Feminism [57:36] Empathy, Facades, & Male Vulnerability [1:03:51] Why Play Matters [1:12:33] Teasing, Bullying, & Resilience [1:17:32] Rewarding Dads [1:20:36] Appreciation Training  [1:24:07] Character Development [1:29:07] Status, Negotiation, & Reconciliation [1:33:34] Opponent Processing & Handling Criticism  [1:43:46] Words for Anyone Harboring Vengeful Fantasies [1:46:51] Setting Families Up for Success  #Masculinity #MassShootings #Communication #Men #Uvalde Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Dr. Warren Farrell is a political scientist, activist, speaker, and author of The Boy Crisis. He has been interviewed by Oprah, Barbara Walters, Tucker Carlson, Peter Jennings, and many others. Dr. Farrell conducts communication workshops, and his writings have been frequently featured in The New York Times.In this episode, Dr. Farrell and I discuss issues that lead to mass homicides committed by young men. We also talk about child-rearing and boundary enforcement, discriminating between male competence and male power compulsion, and the importance of recognizing and rewarding a father's contributions to their children's development. Dr. Farrell and I also share a personal message to anyone who may be harboring vengeful fantasies.—Links—The Boys Crisis - https://warrenfarrell.com/product/the-boy-crisis/Follow Dr. Farrell on Twitter: https://twitter.com/drwarrenfarrellWebsite: https://warrenfarrell.comCouples' communication course: https://warrenfarrell.com/couples-communication/More books by Dr. Farrell: https://amazon.com/s?i=stripbooks&rh=p_27%3AWarren+Farrell+Ph.D.&s=relevancerank&language=es&text=Warren+Farrell+Ph.D.&ref=dp_byline_sr_book_1—Chapters—[0:00] Intro[2:51] The Boy Crisis & Mass Shootings[8:57] A Lack of Father Figures[9:29] Differences Between Mothers, Fathers, & Boundary Enforcement[13:42] Why Family Dinners Matter[15:43] Frans de Waal, Chimp Behavior, & the Human Moral Ethos[18:45] Why Involved Fathers Matter[22:59] Psychology of School Shooters [25:41] Dr. Farrell's Similarities with the Uvalde Shooter [33:25] Effects of ‘Toxic Masculinity' & ‘Male Privilege' on Young Men[37:03] Male Competence vs. Male Power Compulsion[42:15] Saying ‘No' & Expecting Girls to Share Rejection-Risks[44:49] Crumb & Psychopathological Fantasies [47:00] Conflicting Emotions & Motivations [49:22] “A Billion Wicked Thoughts”[53:58] “When only one sex wins, both lose” [54:12] On Feminism[57:36] Empathy, Facades, & Male Vulnerability[1:03:51] Why Play Matters[1:12:33] Teasing, Bullying, & Resilience[1:17:32] Rewarding Dads[1:20:36] Appreciation Training [1:24:07] Character Development[1:29:07] Status, Negotiation, & Reconciliation[1:33:34] Opponent Processing & Handling Criticism [1:43:46] Words for Anyone Harboring Vengeful Fantasies[1:46:51] Setting Families Up for Success #Masculinity #MassShootings #Communication #Men #Uvalde Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices