Podcasts about predominantly

Lucy Meyle is a Tāmaki-based artist whose practice primarily explores our relationship with animals, examining and questioning the limits of human conjectures about them as a relational investigation, rather than a scientific inquiry. Predominantly working in sculpture and publication, Meyle embraces the absurd, gathering and assembling archives, found objects, drawing, and casting into material relation.   In her current solo exhibition in The Changing Room at Gus Fisher Gallery, Phone Tree, Meyle has turned her interest in human and animal relationships to moths – reframing moth traps as holders of moth narratives, as inadvertent collectors capturing moth memory, drama, and dreams.  In Phone Tree, Meyle presents five moth ‘situations', each embodying a different kind of moth and reimagining its trap into a new form reflecting its potential experience, memory, or navigation of the world as a moth – an act of anthropocentric guesswork of their interiority. Enveloping these situations are large scale ‘drawings' on the walls made of this moth-eaten looking tissue paper, layered, collaged, and hole-punched, creating this playful exploration of scale within the space.  Imagining the interior lives of moths in such detail, Meyle has turned these moth traps, as devices of surveillance and control, into portals of reconsideration of our relationships with them, reorienting our preexisting ideas of the lives and world of moths.  Sof had a kōrero with Lucy Meyle about Phone Tree and her overall practice.

The Government has announced a new €10 million scrappage scheme designed to encourage motorists to switch from older petrol and diesel vehicles to electric cars.    Under the proposal, drivers who scrap a vehicle more than 13 years old could receive up to €8,500 in support towards the purchase of an electric vehicle, with 65% of the funding reserved for people living outside Ireland's major cities.   Supporters say the scheme could help accelerate the move to cleaner transport, while others have raised questions about affordability, charging infrastructure and its suitability for rural Ireland.   To discuss the opportunities and challenges presented by the initiative, Alan Morrissey was joined by John Casey of the Clare EV Owners Club and Eddie Punch of Independent Ireland. Image (c) rattanakun via Canva 

One of our favourite global fashion icons is making headlines for her "robotic" morning habits, and we need to discuss whether her 6am espresso-and-emails vibe is aspirational or just plain exhausting.We’re also spiralling over a major security breach on a North Carolina film set that has led to "privacy please" being literally written in the sand.Finally, if you're looking for a guilty new pleasure we luxuriate in the rise of a new "sexy stories" platform that is completely flipping the business model for romance and adult entertainment.Love binge-watching TV? The Spill has launched a new podcast called Watch Party where we deep dive into the shows everyone’s talking about. Follow the feed on Apple or Spotify now. Plus remember The Spill drops the tea twice a day in this feed so follow us for all the latest entertainment news… OR you can WATCH our show in full length video on the Apple Podcast app - make sure your phone is up to date and enjoy the watch! Link here. THE END BITS Find and follow us on socials: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thespillpodcast/ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@thespillpod Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thespillpodcast/ Read all the latest entertainment news on Mamamia: https://mamamia.com.au/entertainment/ Support Independent Women’s Media: https://www.mamamia.com.au/subscribe/ Your subscription helps us continue to tell the stories that matter to women. Want to join the conversation? Have feedback or a topic you want us to discuss? Send us a voice message or email us at thespill@mamamia.com.au and we’ll get back to you ASAP! Executive Producer: Monisha Iswaran Audio & Video Producer: Michael Kean Mamamia acknowledges the traditional owners of the land on which we have recorded this podcast. From Mom and Mia. 00:02Speaker 2 Welcome to the Spill your daily pop culture fix. 00:05Speaker 1 I'm m Vernon and. 00:06Speaker 3 I'm Brief Player, executive producer of MoMA MIA's interview podcast No Filter, and former magazine editor. 00:12Speaker 1 We had a full intro. That's that's my intro. That's what I'm told to say. I love that. Well. I know yours is just your name, but you. 00:20Speaker 2 Know what that's because I don't know what's going on for me. 00:23Speaker 3 That is, it's because you are a name. It's because your talented girl too. Oh okay, well player. 00:28Speaker 1 Does stand out. 00:29Speaker 4 Well. 00:29Speaker 2 A name that is missing is LB Laura Brodney. It is she is having some fun with her family and we are holding down the fort LB. 00:38Speaker 1 If you're listening, no you're not. It's fun. We've got this. 00:42Speaker 2 Today on the show, we are going to be talking about a very firm statement a production company has put out towards its fan base of a very cult favorite show and what this means, I guess, for the future of film sets. We're also talking about how a lot of hot men doing a bit of. 01:00Speaker 1 A career turn. We're not complaining, we are, no, we are quite the opposite. 01:06Speaker 2 Really, But first I need to talk about our friend Victoria Beckham, so friend of the show, friend of the show, show of the podcast. So she recently went on Emma Gred's podcast. It's like over an hour long interview. Emma Greed, if you don't know, has developed so many of the Kardashian brands. She's like CEO of Chloe's Jean's brand, she was co founder of Skims. She's very very well known in the girl boss industry. 01:32Speaker 3 The girl is actually such an apt description. 01:36Speaker 1 I love it. 01:37Speaker 2 So Vibi did this interview with her, and there's so many juicy things in it. If you haven't watched her documentary on Netflix, you now don't need to. You just need to listen to this interview because she pretty much covers everything she says in the documentary. 01:51Speaker 1 She talks about her kids. 01:54Speaker 2 You know, when you're watching a YouTube interview and it like has the most replay, it shows you the most replayed moments literally about her talking about her kids and the differences between parenting children versus parenting adults. We've talked about bestie Brooklyn Beckham and everything that's going on between him and his mom. Best friend of the show, best friend of the show. She also talked about the alleged affair. She talked about her company making money, losing money, making money again. 02:20Speaker 3 It's super unusual for Victoria to give a like a big deep dive interview as well, so I think. 02:26Speaker 2 Like girl Boss to girl Boss, felt like it was environment Yeah, but like to be fair, a lot of the stuff she talks about with her company and her both her fashion brand and beauty brand is like really really interesting where she talks about She covered it in the documentary as well, but I guess emm agreed asks those really like kind of personal business se questions where she mixes business questions with lifestyle questions. There is one part of the podcast so that I really want to discuss, yes, and it's the part that no one's really talking about. It's her day in the live. 03:01Speaker 1 It's the highlight of the podcast for me. I just love to know. 03:05Speaker 2 What celebrity millionaires and billionaires are doing every day so I can try to replicate it in my sad little life. 03:12Speaker 3 On weekends, because we have jobs. 03:16Speaker 1 Because we have real jobs, real jobs. Should I take you through it? Yes? Oh please please? Okay, she's almost the weekend. I need to know, we need to. 03:23Speaker 2 Know okay, So she says, we get up every morning, thank God, off to a strong style. 03:31Speaker 1 We get up every single morning. That's crazy. 03:34Speaker 2 We get up every morning and we make Harper breakfast. What I've noticed in this day in the live, she doesn't mention about her own eating habits, because we all know she eats steamed fish and veggies every single day. And I don't think she wants to keep marketing that because I don't think she really wants a fish dealer. 03:49Speaker 1 She doesn't need it, doesn't need, she doesn't need, doesn't need a fish finger. 03:53Speaker 2 So they both make Harper breakfast. She says, if he's not traveling, David does the school run, she goes down to the gym. When she says down to the gym, I'm assuming downstairs. 04:03Speaker 3 And the like, Yeah, I don't think she's like popping going down the road, you know, the local like fitness first, no, non equivalent. 04:09Speaker 2 She's going down to the gym, and she does. Wait for forty five minutes. Then David comes back home, joins her, and then they work out together for another hour. 04:21Speaker 1 Oh, I know they're that couple. 04:23Speaker 2 An hour and forty five minutes every single morning in the gym that's a lot, girl, it's a lot. But she loves doing things with him. 04:29Speaker 1 Yeah, but like there are other things to do. Okay. 04:32Speaker 2 Then she says she goes to the office, which is ten minutes away from where she lives. 04:36Speaker 1 So I'm assuming the same time stamped this, Like, do we know, like when is she rolling into the now? 04:41Speaker 3 She kind of like, so it could be midday because if she's got up, we don't know when she gets up, made Harper breakfast or you know, being present for the breakfast making. 04:51Speaker 1 I can't see. I feel like it's David hands on not. 04:53Speaker 2 I feel like she'll make Harper like a juice and David makes the breakfast. 04:57Speaker 1 We know he cooks. He loves to cook. 04:58Speaker 3 And then like she's an arrow and forty five in the gym, has to shower, get I'm sure like that, you. 05:04Speaker 1 Know, becoming becoming BB. 05:06Speaker 3 Yeah, the day is not a quick time office mid day probably yeah, probably. 05:12Speaker 2 So she says it's only ten minutes away, so I'm assuming, like the same estate. 05:17Speaker 1 I'm assuming it's. 05:18Speaker 2 Like it's just next door, next door, a second home. Yeah, she says she goes in five days a week. Oh, what do we feel about that? Well, she says, I have to be there. It's where like all the ideas get made. There's something about going in every day, and I'm like, this sounds like a CEO who had hybrid working conditions and I told everyone. 05:40Speaker 1 To come here, to come back. 05:41Speaker 3 It's like, yeah, VB at the front line of pushing people back in the office's like, I. 05:45Speaker 1 Love being here all the time. Don't shut up, Phoebe. It's because you get to roll in a mid day. 05:50Speaker 2 Yes, And she says she doesn't travel that much. She only ever goes to New York because beauty. Her beauty brands in New York and her fashion brands in between London and Paris must be nice. 06:00Speaker 3 She has a lot of social engagements too, Like, I don't what she's doing this interview. 06:06Speaker 1 Yeah, on the weekend, probably. 06:09Speaker 2 Probably she's in the office five days with family time, Okay, I guess. 06:13Speaker 1 So. 06:13Speaker 2 She also says at six pm, they are all at home and they all have dinner together, no phones, they just talk about their days. 06:22Speaker 1 I love that. 06:22Speaker 2 Yeah, And she says that we are quite a traditional family. Most people won't believe that, but they are. 06:28Speaker 1 I believe that, but I think that it's ordained, like. 06:34Speaker 3 I don't know if it's well, we actually know for a fact it's not every child's choice to be part of that environment. But I can imagine they have strict rules about dinner together and no phones and yeah, well. 06:46Speaker 2 After everything that happened with like Brooklyn Beckham, I'm sure they are like quite strict parents. She also talked about how her daughter Harper is launching a skincare brand because she says that like her daughter used all of these like different skin cares and ruined her skin, and she wanted to create a really nice collection of like clean skin care for young girls to use, like sure, And I was like sure. I mean, like I'm kids meant to get acne. 07:17Speaker 1 Yeah, it's inevitable. Yeah, but it's good for them. 07:19Speaker 2 It's good for them. But as you know, I didn't really listen to any of that stuff. I was just like, let me know the day in the life. Yea other day in the life, and now we got it. So if you want to know what to do for to be Victoria Beckham, an hour and forty five minutes in the gym every morning. 07:31Speaker 1 That is in your house. Yeah, that's in your house. You have to have the gym in your house, and if. 07:35Speaker 3 You do go to work, it's down the road ten minutes. Yeah, and you're not really doing a commute. You're certainly not on the train. 07:40Speaker 1 You're fine, you'll do it. It's probably in you. I would say it's pretty easy to be VB. 07:44Speaker 3 But I don't know about an hour and forty five minutes in the gym every morning. 07:47Speaker 1 I'll give it a go tomorrow, I'm definitely not. No, I stop at waking up every day. We've got that down. I've got it down. Only five more steps to go. 07:58Speaker 2 So the summer turned pretty You might have heard of it. Yeah, she'll have a little old show. They're currently in the production of making the movie, which is meant to act as like the actual actual series finale. 08:11Speaker 1 Yes, this is it. 08:12Speaker 2 Yes, and they're currently filming. Recently, the production company that's doing so, on my Return, Pretty Amazon. 08:19Speaker 1 Tweeted this. 08:20Speaker 2 They said, we love the excitement, but sharing locations and visiting sets disrupts filming and creates real safety concerns for our cast and crew. We're working hard to create a protective bubble to make the best movie possible. Please help us protect the magic of Cousins. That's the place where it's set, not cousins in general, until it's ready to be shared after that. Jenny Hahn, who wrote the book and is also a big writer of the movie and the show, she also posted when people come to set, film and share videos, it disrupts the work and makes it harder for actors to get into character and causes unnecessary anxiety for them. 08:57Speaker 1 We often have to stop. 08:58Speaker 2 Production to clear crowds from the show, which breaks the crew's focus. This story means a lot to me, and I know it means a lot to you too. I want to give you the best version of this movie. Please help protect our process, right. 09:11Speaker 3 Oh, Look, like fervent fandoms are a double edged sword because like they need that. That's why they have had a successful series. It's why they've got this movie coming out. They wouldn't have that without the fans. And the fans are so so so passionate, and like in my heart, I'm a fangirl, I always will be, and I have so much love for fangirls and boys. 09:32Speaker 1 Yeah, and I just think like. 09:34Speaker 3 The reason why, like they're showing up because they love it so much. They want to be part of that world. And it's like it's super endearing, but I do understand why. You know, it's not necessarily conducive to a good set. 09:47Speaker 2 I think they've also like this set and crew in particular, I've had such like bad luck when it comes to like fans being so intense about the show. Because when I first read this, I was kind of like, I was a bit like boohoo. 09:59Speaker 1 Like, yeah, everyone loves the show. Nice, just be nice. 10:03Speaker 2 But then I remembered when they were filming the series finale of the last season of the summer I turned pretty where Belly goes to Paris, and a lot of it was filmed in Paris. They had to fly Gavin over also who played Jeremiah, even though Jeremiah had no scenes in Paris, because everyone was just so intense and guessing who she would choose, Conrad or Jeremiah. And then around the same time, they were putting out Statesmen saying please stop bullying our cast. 10:29Speaker 1 They're not their characters. 10:31Speaker 2 So they've really been through a lot with their fan base. But it's the same exactly what you said. I feel like if I was like walking around the US or in Europe and I saw that they were filming close to me, I wouldn't want to go. 10:45Speaker 1 Of course, I would want to have a look see. Of course I would take a couple of picks. 10:48Speaker 3 I don't know if I would necessarily share them on social media because that's just not my bag. 10:52Speaker 1 But I would show my friends. Yeah, I'd sit here and talk about it. I would literally talk about it like. 11:00Speaker 3 Yeah, like it's it's even if it's not your absolute favorite show. Like obviously there are people that are going, oh my god, I want to see them up close. Let's plan a trip, and like, you know that is happening. I know that happened a bit on the set of people we meet on vacation. 11:14Speaker 1 Yeah, but the. 11:15Speaker 3 Interactions were actually all really lovely and all the reports were fine, and there wasn't kind of a messaging sent out that I'm aware of that was like, don't do this. 11:23Speaker 1 But you know, fandoms are why a. 11:26Speaker 3 Lot of these projects get off the ground in the first place, especially if they're you know, they're based on a book or whatever, so they come with an inbuilt fan base, and so with that comes like this experience. 11:38Speaker 2 And I do think it's changed a lot as technology has changed. Very true to it, Jenny Hahn said, in her statement that it really disrupts the cast and the crew. Like imagine thinking you're filming a show and now you have like a live studio audience who're just like reacting to everything. Plus with the fans filming stuff and posting it online, it just creates like this bigger, bigger thing where was before It used to be like, oh my god, I was in the background of parks and recreation, did you see me? 12:06Speaker 3 I think, like, I find it frustrating when there's too many clips shared on my like for you page. For you that's it where you're like, I don't want to see it, and it's like, oh, like the way I was tapping interested on stuff when The Devil Wears Prata, like stuff was all coming. 12:22Speaker 2 That literally happened to me when I watched the second movie because I watched it in cinemas after you guys went to the big premiere and I was seeing scenes that I'd already seen on my TikTok. It's annoying, right because everyone was just filming them, yeah. 12:34Speaker 1 Filming the way, walking on the streets and everything. 12:36Speaker 3 But then it's also funny as well because we saw so many stills and footage from that film of Anne Hathaway and Patrick Brammel on the Street. It was so gorgeous and so romantic, and then like that was totally missing from the film. So that's a funny experience as well, because we've all been primed and it's almost like part of the promo. And that's actually really interesting because some productions, yeah, are like if you can't beat them, join them, and they're using it as an opportunity for promo. So we've seen that a lot with like they've been filming and they've wrapped filming now on Sunrise on the Reaping, which is like the next installment of the Hunger Games franchise. It's like the cast were encouraged to show stuff on their own like social media, like let's do it first. Yeah, yeah, so they're like McKenna grace was like all over it, and you know, she's so great on social media anyway. But we got a lot of behind the scenes stuff from that production and the movie doesn't come out till November, but they like really leaned into it and like knew that they had this really really really passionate fan base and so they were like feeding people from the start. 13:41Speaker 1 That's really smart. 13:42Speaker 2 I have a feeling Marvel kind of did the same for the New Spider Man movie because Tom Holland does a lot of his own stunts where they got like fans filming him, like jumping over cars and stuff in New York, and they were sharing those own videos on their own socials. It also really interesting, like can work way that kind of helps the production company or give them ideas. Do you remember when the first stills of It Ends with Us came out? Oh, and we were seeing lively in like those costs, like the most horrendous wardrobe choices, the most mirandous wardrobe choices. 14:19Speaker 3 And then it was just like mass trolling of like this she wearing? 14:25Speaker 1 What is this? 14:25Speaker 2 And then we still saw some quiet questionable efforts in that movie, but like the ones that we saw on des Moir were like not in the movie at all, very similarly love story. What they had as like the dress for Carolyne Bassett, the first. 14:39Speaker 3 First glimpse at both of them, both of them, it was like, that's not how they looked like they were wearing like h and M pieces like it just it wasn't reflective. 14:48Speaker 1 And that's so important, particularly for that story. 14:50Speaker 3 Because they're like, firstly, yeah, he had a lot of money, he dressed really well. He was like stylish and gorgeous and you know, but she was known FIRS style. That was a trademark, so to miss that and even like it was right down to the hair, like that's not what Carolyn's hair looked like, and then they started to change. When the show dropped, it was like it had been absolutely coarse corrected and then they nailed it. 15:14Speaker 1 So it is interesting to see and it must be helpful for them. 15:17Speaker 2 They're getting that live feedback as a film versus when a trailer goes out and then they see all the. 15:22Speaker 3 Feed test audience at the end, so like you can't then go await the wardrobe sucks, Like you can't go and reshoot the entire thing. So that's really yeah, that's been really beneficial for them. I've noticed as well. The next series of AHS has been like teasing so much from behind the scenes they've been doing. So they've got the core cast of Coven back, which is really exciting because like in my be in many people's opinion, Coven was the best season three, right, it was season three, that's like the Witch season that was set in Your Orleans absolutely incredible and like the cast so so stellar. Now, if you remember Jessica Lang, who was in the first maybe I think. 16:04Speaker 1 Five seasons, yes, I think. 16:06Speaker 3 So Dan left and when I said no, I'm done, I'm never going back, right, she was like adamant, like no, no, no, no. 16:14Speaker 1 No, guess who's back? 16:15Speaker 5 Shut up? 16:16Speaker 3 Yes, And it was announced on set like they had her in costume and they were like playing into it and they've been dropping in on st same. 16:24Speaker 1 As Emma Roberts is back. And of course her famous line is, hey, bitch, I bet you thought you saw the last of me. 16:30Speaker 3 So that's how she promo that she was back, which was so cool. 16:34Speaker 1 Oh my god, I love so. 16:36Speaker 3 Fun and like, as a fan of that series, I was so excited to like, it's like playing along from home from the start. 16:42Speaker 1 It also extends their run. It gets people excited from the start. That's so true. 16:46Speaker 2 I was thinking of massive cult shows where everyone's been obsessed with and movies where they had to like go through extra lengths just to make sure nothing's link. And I found this really interesting. Fun facts, fun facts for the girls in Sex and the City. The last episode, Sarah Jessica Parker said, they filmed. 17:05Speaker 1 Three this is traditional tragicity not and just like that. Yeah, okay, great, I'm a purist. I'm glad that we're talking about it. 17:12Speaker 2 So three different ending. So the first ending that we all saw on our screens is she ends up with Big. The second fake ending that they filmed was her coming back to New York alone, and the third one can guess, oh, her ending up with Alexander Petrov's no. No, And she was like, yeah, it was so obvious because they were such bad end. 17:38Speaker 3 Look, the one of her coming back to New York alone would have been nice, would have been like it would proper. Yes, I actually think maybe if the show was set today that she re that's so true. Back then everyone wanted a happy ending and we weren't. You know, the show was already revolutionary enough. 17:54Speaker 1 The people weren't. Back then, everyone was like, what would you do with that? And then yes, we don't understand. I don't understand, but now we know, we now we know. 18:03Speaker 2 Kit Harrington on Game of Throw Yeah said that because all of their scenes were filmed in like rural areas, like in forests and like snowy mountains. 18:12Speaker 1 You're a fan and you tricked out that you know what you deserved exactly? Do you take that video? You tell us what's going on. 18:19Speaker 2 But they said they had paparazzi were coming camouflage with these big with these big lenses, filming them like walking up like because everything in Game of Thrones would have been a leak, because even just seeing two characters together and Game of Thrones would have been a huge league, even seeing a character still alive, a character still alive, like a character who's like never met another character together. So everything was like really high stakes. So he said that they all had to film a certain number of fake scenes, like proper fake scenes that they knew would never I. 18:51Speaker 1 Just think of the money that's being spent, so much. 18:53Speaker 2 Money on production on actors with Game of Thrones. 18:58Speaker 1 What a waste of money because any name, you know what. 19:07Speaker 3 Us, choose your own adventure, release them all and the people can decide how it should have ended. 19:12Speaker 1 Agree. 19:12Speaker 2 Okay, And this is my favorite one in Avengers end Game. So if you haven't watched Endgame, this is going to be a spoiler. 19:20Speaker 1 But come on, it's been years and years. I haven't watched it. I probably never will. 19:24Speaker 2 Okay, well this is not going to be a huge, huge spoiler, but there's a scene where there's a funeral. So, like one of the characters dies and they all go to a funeral. They told Tom Holland and Mark Ruffalo, who are the two cast members known for accidentally leaking stuff. 19:39Speaker 1 Yeah, Tom Holland. 19:41Speaker 2 Tom Holland has given everyone Avenger plots. Yeah, his whole life, that's all he does, Avengers plots. They told the two of them that it was a wedding scene, and then they came dressed thinking they were filming a wedding scene and didn't realize. 19:54Speaker 1 Until they were there that it was a funeral. 19:56Speaker 2 And they still didn't tell them until the movie was released. Oh it was so only Robert Downey Jr. Was the only actor in that whole franchise to get the full script? 20:08Speaker 3 Is that because he was dead, because he whispered into a microphone. 20:13Speaker 1 Because he was dead, because he was don't tell anyone. 20:15Speaker 2 Yeah, so he was the only one. No one else everyone knew like bits and pieces. But Tom Holland literally thought the funeral scene he was filming for did. 20:23Speaker 1 The rest of the cart not realized when he was not there Robert because he also came there. He had to come. 20:32Speaker 3 That's so funny because that's not so much keeping it a secret from the fans. 20:38Speaker 2 Secret from the car so they don't accidentally. So Tom Holland couldn't actually like leak anything because he didn't know. 20:44Speaker 3 I want to know what film or TV set you would cross international date lines to go on stalk if it. 20:51Speaker 2 Was still filming, or if they did like another season or like brought it back to our screens. The Mindy Project, Oh I would, Oh my god, I would honestly get because like her whole thing was like she was a gynocologist, and I would literally get a doctorate and pretend that I'm a guyano and just to get on that set and be like I'm here to advise. I'm here to like, yeah, I'm here to see Mindy Kayling, here for miss Kayling. 21:19Speaker 1 Here for miss Kayling. 21:20Speaker 2 I'm here to advise as the doctor on set. Oh my god, I'd love that. 21:24Speaker 1 What would be yours? 21:25Speaker 6 Oh? 21:25Speaker 1 Look, if I'm looking backwards, it would be fleaback. That's such a good one. I feel like it would be fairly easy as well. 21:32Speaker 3 Yeah, I think so too. That would be pretty easy. Also, I feel like you're like. 21:36Speaker 1 Phoebe bit chill. 21:37Speaker 2 You know, she'd be so be excited to see you, would be I think she'dn't brite you on As a writer, I think so too. 21:42Speaker 1 Yeah, oh my god. And like looking forwards, I reckon that they'll have a bit of travel with the Hated Rivalry set next time. Oh yeah, they are going to have trouble. 21:52Speaker 3 Because if the summer I turned pretty is pulling out the fans for those two boys, imagine. 21:57Speaker 1 Taking it up a notch the Heated rivalry. 21:59Speaker 2 Will you give them so many points? Just film fake scenes, but make sure you release those ones to that. 22:04Speaker 1 Secluded cabin is suddenly going to look like it's got. 22:07Speaker 2 A great It's like, can you just remove the Airbnb signed from the lawn? 22:11Speaker 1 That'd be great. 22:13Speaker 3 Okay, And we have to talk about something that is joked around the Spill team that I have a doctrine in which she's Quinn. 22:20Speaker 1 Are you across Quinn? The app Quinn? 22:23Speaker 4 Oh? 22:23Speaker 1 When you say. 22:24Speaker 2 App Quinn, I am across it. When you just say Quinn general, I'm like, I don't think I met her. 22:30Speaker 1 The app quick Quinn. Yes. It is like audio erotica It is an app. 22:35Speaker 3 I came across it back at my last job when I was at Murray Claire and I was interviewing Thomas Dougherty. So Thomas Doherty you might remember from the reboot of Gossip Girls, and he's more recently and tell me lies. 22:48Speaker 1 Yes, he has a very chiseled jaw. He has a very chiseled jaw. 22:52Speaker 3 And despite the accent that he often sports in his shows, he's not American. 22:57Speaker 1 He's Scottish. So he's got a beautiful, beauty Scottish face. I couldn't get any better. He's got it. 23:03Speaker 3 And so Quinn is an app like you subscribe to. There's audio erotica on there, done by contributors, creators like normal guys out there. 23:13Speaker 1 It's like a sexy, calm app. It is, Yes, it's calm, but instead of falling asleep, you're getting horny. You're getting horned. Yeah, yeah, I like it because I. 23:22Speaker 2 Heard that women are more likely to get off on like audible sound versus visual. 23:30Speaker 3 Well it would seem so, and like I think, you know, that's the problem. A lot of like visual porn is not made for women, it's made for men. So this app, which was actually created by Caroline Spiegel, And if that name sounds familiar, it's because she's the sister of Snapchat creator Evan. 23:45Speaker 1 Oh my gosh, she's like and they're both sibling. 23:49Speaker 3 Yeah, yeah, Nepo's sibling. But she's like cooler chica and has created something that's like way better for the. 23:54Speaker 1 Girlies and fun sibling duo. Yeah, which also means that she's sister in law. 24:01Speaker 2 They should do a collab time Snapchat. 24:06Speaker 7 They made share a video. 24:07Speaker 6 I don't know. 24:09Speaker 1 So she's created this space where it is like about women's pleasure, much needed, much needed space where it's the focus. It's like female run, female staffed business. Predominantly most of the background creators on it are female. The voices are predominantly male. There are some female voices on it too, because it's like male for female and female for female. Correct. 24:31Speaker 3 Something that they started doing, as I mentioned with Thomas Doherty, was doing these things they call quinn originals with famous men narrating audio erotica. 24:42Speaker 1 I love that. 24:43Speaker 3 So Thomas Doherty came first, so we have to like thank him because he. 24:52Speaker 1 Led the way. 24:53Speaker 3 And what has followed has been like the most astounding lineup of top tier a War winning, and I'm like, when I say award winning, I mean like, like, these are guys that are like Emmy Golden Globe like nominade winners. So I'm going to run you through the stuff, right, Okay. So there's been Jesse Williams, who, of course like, oh my god, those eyes plays Jackson Avery in Ray's Anatomy speaking of Flea Bag, which we just did Andrew. 25:21Speaker 1 The actors at which is like normal accent, yeah, with his Irish accent. Tom blythe tom blythe Beautiful tom Bly God, so many that we already talked about today. There is is like promo for Sunrise on the Things. 25:36Speaker 3 Yeah, well he's not in that unfortunately, no, because it's set so yeah, so Ray Fines actually plays Snow in that one. Okay, Yeah, so it's it's a bit less sexy because tom blythe isn't in it, but Beautiful tom blythe Chris Brinney from the Summer Return pretty again another thing, yes, so okay, but also not only are they getting these men to do it, they're really explicit like they're not tame, right, They're not. So they're getting them to say yes to it. They're getting them to do it. There's sound effects and everything, and they're. 26:09Speaker 1 Getting them to do it at the exact. 26:11Speaker 3 Time that like their major project is. So when the summertime Pretty season three came out, that's when. 26:18Speaker 1 Chris's episode dropped. Wow, same as like okay, that's smart dropped. Like They're so amazing the way they're able to get them. 26:26Speaker 3 And as someone who like books talent, right, that's my job here, that's what I do for No Filter, I book the talent and when I worked in magazines, I booked the cover star talent. 26:36Speaker 1 Right. 26:36Speaker 3 It is hard, like there is like they have not much time to spare. It is hard to get someone like everyone's chasing them, especially when they're on for like those projects. So it is amazing to me how they've managed to get these guys to do this, which is like quite a hard sell I would imagine at the start. But I think that because of the lineup they've had, it's getting easier and easier because when you look at that roster, if you're like a talent manager and you look and you go, oh Andrew Scott, like wow, he's done this, like you know all of these like amazing actors, then you get more likely to show it and say hey, like. 27:11Speaker 1 Yeah, that's chat you. 27:12Speaker 2 And I also wonder because like Romanticy is like killing it in the genre game right now. 27:19Speaker 3 Funny you mention that because Jesse Williams, yeah, his one is themed around Romanticy still like a. 27:25Speaker 1 Very porn vie. I like that. 27:28Speaker 3 The other guys that have done it who we also just talked about was Connor Story and Hudson Williams stuff. 27:33Speaker 1 They did a series together. Of course they did. Of course they did, because that's. 27:36Speaker 3 What they can't do anything and they can yeah, they can never not do anything together. And there's plays into that same vibe as well. 27:42Speaker 2 Yeah, because it's like every like I mean, I'm a huge Romanticy reader, and like I know that a lot of production companies are thinking about taking these like books that everyone loves to the big screen. Like we know Michael B. Jordan's bought rights of a series that was like the whole room of him, like talking to Yarnha on the red carpet, everyone thinking she's going to be starring in one of his upcoming productions. 28:04Speaker 1 And I think this. 28:05Speaker 2 Is such a good opportunity for these men to like jump on this platform because you're obviously, if you're gonna listen, you're gonna visualize them. 28:13Speaker 1 Absolutely. It's not like an anonymous no, exactly what they like. And they all have like massive fan. 28:19Speaker 3 Bases and girls and the way that the Queen Girls tease the next celebrity on their TikTok and Instagram. You'll see like an arm or you'll. 28:26Speaker 1 See like I know that arm, well you do, because you're like I recognize those tattoos, I recognize those backsteps. 28:33Speaker 3 Well indeed, because the latest one to drop, the latest series was narrated by Sean Hattersey of The Pit. 28:42Speaker 1 Oh, he is such a good looking guy. He is such but everyone on the Pit is very good looking. Yeah, but especially those two sad, sad, sexy old doctors. 28:53Speaker 2 Right, oh my god, Okay, I'm really really you know now. 28:57Speaker 3 Okay, So when I hadn't watched The Pit because like, I don't. 29:00Speaker 1 Want to get around a medical drama. You know, you're very much like LB, like it's too real. 29:05Speaker 3 Yes, But then when I started seeing Sean hat to see on the Quinn's feed, I was like, he's really hot. And I've since watched The Pit now I love it, which is so I love that so they're very good, like Quinn seem very good at picking men who aren't just like super attractive and are doing really well in that. 29:21Speaker 1 Space, but also very like Zygeist. Yeah, like everyone's already talking about that. They absolutely nail it. 29:26Speaker 3 I'm going to give a shout out to the two girls at Quinn that run the social media, Brooke and Michayla. 29:32Speaker 1 You're doing guard's work. Girls. 29:33Speaker 3 Absolutely, they're like world class girls, girls what we want. They are both gorgeous, they're always on there, they're primoing, they're so funny. Yeah, you've got to get around on this great and they have really good taste in men because I can see like who they're tapping, you can you can see who that they picked. 29:52Speaker 1 But do you want to hear some? I definitely want to hear some? Okay, how do we want to do that? Shall I play you some and you can kind of guess who you think it is? Okay? 30:00Speaker 7 Yeah? 30:00Speaker 1 I like that, you like that? Okay, I'm nervous. Spillers. 30:05Speaker 2 If you're watching this on Apple podcasts or YouTube, close your eyes, don't look at me. 30:08Speaker 1 Do this. 30:11Speaker 5 I would take your clothes off until you were nothing, but you're underwear. I will get that sound out of you again, the one you made when you press your body into mind. 30:25Speaker 6 Oh, the pushing noises, breathless, desperate for some relief, and the pressure building inside you. 30:38Speaker 1 Oh my god, who do you think that is? Was that Chris Briny? No? Older? Older, much older? 30:47Speaker 3 Ah, I'm gonna read you the tags that were under the audio for that older man. 30:55Speaker 1 Forbidden romance, forbidden romance, mutual pining, sexting, nude picture, jealousy, personal backstory, consent, very important, it is important. M dom oh male dominant watching instructing you. Oh, it's my pit man. Sean had to see it is he sounds so young in. 31:18Speaker 3 That well they make so much feel like the breathy voice must be the breathiness. 31:22Speaker 1 I don't know. Maybe he just feels young because he's very exciting. 31:27Speaker 7 You like that? 31:28Speaker 1 All right, Let's try another one and say if you can guess who this is. 31:34Speaker 7 And you never even said a word about any of it to me. I thought you trusted me and we trusted each other, but you betrayed. 31:48Speaker 4 Me and no, no, I am Oh you're sorry. 32:01Speaker 7 Now you're sorry. Here, we've been sorry. We all that's your chance, prove it to me. 32:19Speaker 4 Beg. You heard me. 32:28Speaker 7 Beg. 32:33Speaker 4 Sorry isn't good enough? 32:36Speaker 7 Not for the anguish I should when you left me? 32:38Speaker 2 Oh my god, this could easily be Flee Back season three, Andrew, You're so right. 32:44Speaker 1 Yeah, So what's really funny is that not only do they like get these guys, and they get them when they're doing a major project. The story kind of weaves in a little instead of like Neil, he's saying, beg, beg, and he says it so well, and he says it so so well. 33:04Speaker 2 I wish I had like a transcript to reply to what are you saying? Because I was like, Oh, I didn't say sorry, but maybe I should have. 33:10Speaker 1 Maybe I should have. 33:11Speaker 3 Okay, and I'm going to play you one more Okay, this one I've chosen to show you just how explicit it can go. 33:20Speaker 1 Oh god, we're gonna have to beat that so much. 33:24Speaker 8 Do you want me to fill you up? 33:26Speaker 4 Darling? 33:28Speaker 1 And I will, but first the bed moving. 33:33Speaker 8 I need you to get me ready for you come here and Niel, whoa that? 33:41Speaker 1 And your leg's still working after that? 33:42Speaker 4 Darling? 33:44Speaker 8 Yeah, let me help you. You're so pretty like this so hazy from Climax on your knees for me. Do you see how hard do you make me? How much I love making you feel good? I need you to spit on it. 34:05Speaker 1 For me, please, my god. Someone British, right, someone British is a tom BLI. No, I don't know any British men. Okay, that one was Jamie Campbell Bauer. Oh my god, stranger things, Stranger things. That's guys, Oh my god. Just if you're like imagining, he is really hot in real life. He's really really beautiful in realize. 34:36Speaker 2 And this is actually a good strategy for him because a lot of people he played Bena's so good. 34:41Speaker 3 Yeah, he's very good at being scary that a lot of people just hated him. But he really just came out and this was actually he's done two series on Quicks. 34:49Speaker 1 He loves it, he loves it. 34:51Speaker 3 He's come back for more, and whenever he's asked about it in the interviews, he can't speak highly enough of it. He's like, my god, I love that it's a female led company. I love that it prioritizes women's pleasure. He's all over it, like dream man. I can talk about other days like he's love of my life. Right, So he's done two series of it, which is great news for all the fans of like ones that have been in the past thing like we want more, we want more. Jamie has like come back and done another one, so you never know what could happen. But the reason why I wanted to talk about this today is because this morning I woke up and did my morning scroll. I don't do it an hour and forty five minutes. 35:34Speaker 1 It's getting I scroll instare in TikTok instead. 35:37Speaker 3 And they're also very healthy habits, very healthy habits. They have started teasing their next Quinn original with a famous person. 35:49Speaker 1 Who is it. It would appear to be Sam Hewan from Outlander. 35:55Speaker 7 Stop. 35:56Speaker 1 They are so smart, good, are so blad, They so know what the girls want. 36:03Speaker 9 Oh, it's always hot men as well. They're always the hottest I know. And they also do you know what, they're all really good guys too. Yeah, there's no one on their rostar that you're like, oh, he's like there's complaints about him or there's something weird, Like they just they're good guys. 36:18Speaker 1 They do their background racent. 36:20Speaker 2 And it's also like this new wave of famous men and it's like I feel like it's a generational thing. Where like all the Hollywood men are kind of like aicked out by the like girl fan base because they. 36:30Speaker 1 Don't want to make movies for girls. 36:31Speaker 2 Yeshe was like, these men are leaning right in because we're the ones who are spending money to watch them exactly in our movies. Yeah, and they're like doing how I don't know, I feel like their career path, we're doing this is the absolute correct choice for them as well as like the Quinn girls, like I feel like it would have been so hard to develop like pretty much a pawn app for women, but also wanting it to be as like socially out there, like I feel like for women, firstly, no porn is ever made for women, and then for women. 37:02Speaker 1 To watch porn, we have to pretend we don't. 37:04Speaker 2 Yeah, and like with Quinn, it's like giving us a safe space to like share these videos with friends, to show them off and be like, yes, this is exactly what we want. 37:13Speaker 1 Well, that is so that it's so true. 37:15Speaker 3 And you know where one of the best places on the internet is the comments section, Yeah, Quinn's TikTok and Instagram, particularly TikTok because people are just funnier on there anyway. 37:25Speaker 1 But like I have this. 37:26Speaker 3 Theory that I know where all the hardcore directioners have grown up and gone, because no fan base was funnier, hornier, smarter the directions. 37:38Speaker 1 Now they're all Quin listeners. 37:40Speaker 2 They're all Queen listeners and probably Quinn writers. Yeah, Quinn, they're writing them scripts. 37:44Speaker 3 Yeah, but you know what they do tap really great writers to write these stories. 37:48Speaker 1 Well, it's like a proper like story. It's not like you're suddenly in the middle of it. No, no, no, It's it's like a beginning middle story. 37:58Speaker 3 So Jamie's story is like kind of a bit Draco Hermione coded. 38:02Speaker 1 It's one of those like Drake really good at. 38:04Speaker 3 Finding like the zeitgeisty things that the girlies are reading that's on platforms like AO three, which is like where all the. 38:10Speaker 1 Fan fit goes. 38:11Speaker 3 Speaking of I discovered on x there is so much AO three smart stories about the Pit. 38:19Speaker 1 It hasn't ever been going that long. 38:21Speaker 3 But the girls are at home like girls away, right, So I created the most like full on stories about the Pit. Okay, I need to know who you want to see next on Quinn. 38:31Speaker 1 Let me think who would be great? Can I tell you mine? 38:34Speaker 5 Yeah? 38:34Speaker 1 Can you tell me you tell me yours. 38:35Speaker 2 Well, I think I was thinking of this while we were just listening to those Donald Glover as childish Gambino. He was meant to come to send me to do a concert in like I think, I want to say, twenty eighteen nineteen, and he broke his foot and he couldn't perform, and I had bought VIP tickets for me and my sister and I wasn't even working then, and I sent him along Instagram message. I was disappointed that he didn't come. 39:02Speaker 1 And he didn't make it up to you by doing a Quinn. Yeah, he can make it up to me doing Quinn. 39:06Speaker 2 But I think, like I want my story to be him replying to me and going, okay, I'll do a private concept for you at my house. 39:13Speaker 1 Oh my god, I love this and that can be our whole queen story. 39:16Speaker 6 But actually went. 39:17Speaker 1 Out because you've put yourself in the narrative. I don't know what. 39:20Speaker 3 You're not wrong to do it, because that is actually the way that the stories are written. Like when you listen to them in the story, they're the partner in the story. 39:29Speaker 1 I like that. 39:30Speaker 3 Yeah, okay, I do have mine. Okay, it's Joseph Morgan. 39:35Speaker 1 It's Joseph. 39:36Speaker 3 He played Klaus in The Vampire Diaries and the Originals. 39:40Speaker 1 I need to look this up. I need to look this he makes look it up. He was like the really bad one. 39:45Speaker 3 He was like a really bad He's so sexy. He also has not aged, so I think he might. 39:50Speaker 1 Actually he's an English actor. He is an English actor. 39:54Speaker 3 He was so sexy as Klaus. I'd love him to just like can he as a vampire? 40:00Speaker 1 Yeah? Well a vampire. 40:01Speaker 3 He was a vampire werewolf highbrid because he was like way too powerful. 40:05Speaker 1 Oh, the most powerful and the bad guy. 40:07Speaker 3 Yeah, the most powerful and the bad guy. And I think he'd nail it, but I want him to do it as Klaus. 40:13Speaker 1 Yes, he would nail it. Yeah, canail You amen to that. Thank you so much for listening to the Spill today. 40:22Speaker 3 If you enjoyed this episode, the best way you can support it is to give us a five star rating wherever you listen. It goes a long way in helping us continue to bring you the very best content. And don't forget weekend watch drops at six tomorrow. The Spill is produced by Manisha it Is Warren, with video production by Michael Keene, Bye, bye,Become a Mamamia subscriber: https://www.mamamia.com.au/subscribeSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Adrian Violi is a highly accomplished musician, educator, and all round legend. Predominantly a drummer, he can sometimes also be found on guitar, the MC microphone, or waving the baton for school bands and musicals. He is a member of corporate band Connotations; tribute band DaftWeeknd, contemporary country star Sammi Palinkas; and is currently on tour with Leo Sayer. In this episode, he chats to me about drumming holes in the couch when he was a kid, his obsession with perfecting the sound of his snare, the incredible efforts and communications that happen between a band during performance, and why, no matter how successful he became as a rockstar, he would always want to teach and give back to the world by passing on his knowledge and passion for music.

Marie Shannon is a Tāmaki-based artist whose practice primarily explores the quotidian and profound details of her immediate domestic surroundings. Predominantly working in photography, but also video and drawing, Shannon delicately and intimately captures her subjects on a large-format camera, representing them at their finest through these beautiful vintage silver gelatin and large digital photographs. Narratives and objects of previous homes, love notes and faxes from her late husband Julian Dashper, and sketches by her son Leo alike, her memoiristic practice embraces both the mundane and the personal, inviting the viewer intimately into her world.  Her current solo exhibition at Trish Clark Gallery, Life Stories, presents a curated selection and mini survey of her practice – spanning works from the 80s as well as those from more recent years. Presenting photographs and a body of moving image works, the show brings together over forty years of Shannon's work, life, and practice, many of which were included in her survey exhibition, Rooms found only in the home, developed by Dunedin Public Art Gallery in 2018, which went on to tour Christchurch, Wellington and Auckland as well. Sof had a kōrero with Marie Shannon about Life Stories and her overall practice. 

Two-time Emmy and Three-time NAACP Image Award-winning, television Executive Producer Rushion McDonald interviewed Ric Ross. A 37‑year veteran of the music industry who transitioned from a successful career in entertainment to entrepreneurship as co‑owner of Big Peach Running Co.—South Fulton, the first Black‑owned specialty running store in Georgia. Ric shares his journey from music promotions to health and wellness entrepreneurship, the importance of serving community, how running shaped his life, and how he built a thriving retail business that focuses on education, proper footwear, and customer experience.

Two-time Emmy and Three-time NAACP Image Award-winning, television Executive Producer Rushion McDonald interviewed Ric Ross. A 37‑year veteran of the music industry who transitioned from a successful career in entertainment to entrepreneurship as co‑owner of Big Peach Running Co.—South Fulton, the first Black‑owned specialty running store in Georgia. Ric shares his journey from music promotions to health and wellness entrepreneurship, the importance of serving community, how running shaped his life, and how he built a thriving retail business that focuses on education, proper footwear, and customer experience.

Two-time Emmy and Three-time NAACP Image Award-winning, television Executive Producer Rushion McDonald interviewed Ric Ross. A 37‑year veteran of the music industry who transitioned from a successful career in entertainment to entrepreneurship as co‑owner of Big Peach Running Co.—South Fulton, the first Black‑owned specialty running store in Georgia. Ric shares his journey from music promotions to health and wellness entrepreneurship, the importance of serving community, how running shaped his life, and how he built a thriving retail business that focuses on education, proper footwear, and customer experience.

1. United Nations Funding Crisis The United Nations is facing financial collapse because the United States has reduced or withdrawn funding. This is a move to stop funding “woke” & ideological programs. The UN is ineffective, bureaucratic, and overly dependent on U.S. taxpayer money. Symbolic examples (turned-off escalators, reduced heating) are used to emphasize desperation and mismanagement. The U.S. withdrew from 66 international organizations and treaties, framed as: Cost-saving Anti-globalist Pro-American sovereignty Many of these organizations are described as obscure, wasteful, or hostile to U.S. interests. The underlying message is that global institutions dilute U.S. power without delivering value. 2. Media Merger and National Security Concerns Focus shifts to a major media merger (Netflix / Warner Bros / Paramount context). Concerns raised include: Foreign influence, especially money from the Middle East or China National security implications Loss of American cultural control The argument is that entertainment media shapes public perception more than news. Hollywood and major streaming platforms are portrayed as: Predominantly left-wing Hostile to conservative viewpoints Engaged in ideological indoctrination Executives are challenged on whether their content fairly represents conservatives. The inability to name conservative-oriented programming is used as evidence of bias. The merger is framed as dangerous because it could: Concentrate cultural and political influence Amplify a single ideological viewpoint The Department of Justice and FCC are identified as key gatekeepers. The timeline for approval is described as months to years, with high stakes for media freedom. 3. Save America Act (Voter ID Legislation) Proof of U.S. citizenship to register to vote Photo ID to vote The bill is common-sense and widely supported, including among minority voters. Democrats, particularly Chuck Schumer, are accused of: Using “Jim Crow” rhetoric to scare voters Ignoring polling that shows broad support for voter ID Opposition is attributed to: Desire to preserve election vulnerabilities Partisan strategy rather than public opinion Ballot harvesting is described as inherently vulnerable to abuse. Examples (nursing homes, paid operatives) are used to argue: Elderly and vulnerable voters can be exploited Ballots can be selectively discarded The Carter–Baker Commission is cited to legitimize these concerns. Acknowledges internal Republican resistance and logistical challenges. Emphasizes urgency and political pressure as tools to pass the bill. Please Hit Subscribe to this podcast Right Now. Also Please Subscribe to the 47 Morning Update with Ben Ferguson and The Ben Ferguson Show Podcast Wherever You get You're Podcasts. And don't forget to follow the show on Social Media so you never miss a moment! Thanks for Listening YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@VerdictwithTedCruz/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/verdictwithtedcruz X: https://x.com/tedcruz X: https://x.com/benfergusonshowYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@VerdictwithTedCruzSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Olive oil, a cornerstone of the Mediterranean diet, boasts a rich composition of essential fatty acids, vitamins A, D, E, and K, along with polyphenols. These antioxidants are celebrated for their role in decelerating cellular ageing. Fatty acids, a pivotal component of lipids, include some that our bodies cannot produce, underscoring the necessity of sourcing them from our diets. Predominantly composed of omega-9, olive oil's monounsaturated fatty acids are linked to a diminished risk of cardiovascular ailments. They are also known to lower LDL-cholesterol—the infamous ‘bad' cholesterol—as well as the overall cholesterol levels in our bloodstream. Additionally, olive oil serves as a natural appetite suppressant, fostering a sense of fullness and aiding in the regulation of blood sugar levels. Does all this mean that olive oil is calorie-free? How do I choose the right oil? And how do you store olive oil properly? In under 3 minutes, we answer your questions! To listen to the last episodes, you can click here: ⁠⁠Could gamophobia be hurting your relationship?⁠⁠ ⁠⁠How do I know when to end a friendship?⁠⁠ ⁠⁠How often should I wash my hair?⁠⁠ A podcast written and realised by Amber Minogue. First Broadcast: 11/6/2024 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Charlie is a Professor of Applied Sports and Exercise Science at St Mary's in the Faculty of Sport, Technology and Health Sciences. Charlie also has several consultancy roles outside of St Mary's and is currently Chief Science Officer at Orreco, a sports bioanalytics compancy and creator of the FitrWoman app. He previously held positions at the British Olympic Association and the English Institute of Sport, and has worked with some of the best athletes in the world, often female. Charlie is an experienced research leader and has held the position of Academic Director of Research at St Mary's University. In 2016 and 2017 Charlie undertook a 2-year research sabbatical at the Cardiovascular Performance Program and Massachusetts General Hospital (Harvard Medical School), conducting research into the cardiovascular adaptations to marathon running. Predominantly, Charlie's research funding has come from the Sport and Exercise Science and Medicine Industry, including the Royal Ballet, FIFA, the Ministry of Defence. He is passionate about genuinely applied research that yields tools and guidance to those working with athletes and other high performing individuals. TopicsEarly career with the British Olympic Association and the English Institute of Sport. How these came about. Advice to others to get foot on the ladder. How informed rest of career.We fast forward through several years as a physiologist with the EIS to a two-year professional sabbatical at Massachusetts General Hospital/Harvard Medical School, Boston: How this happened; what he learnt from the experience. How research came to include women.Past research involving women: Research on low iron among female athletes, reasons for this and what can be done about it. PhD research on sleep and acclimatisation and whether sex differences were focussed on.Current work as Chief Science Officer at Orreco – what Orreco is and does and how Fitrwoman was established as part of that, and how more women athletes are accessing Orreco's services. Direction of Orreco for athletes in the future, specifically on women.Collaboration/funding and how business/working with professional athletes can work symbiotically with research. Future ideas for research that use case studies to inform projects.

For too long, "sex" has been predominantly equated with penetrative intercourse, kissing, or simple touch. But this limited view fails to capture the rich, multifaceted nature of human sexuality and connection. By expanding our understanding, we unlock significant psychological and emotional benefits for individuals and relationships alike. This isn't just about "non-penetrative sex" or "outercourse"; it's about a holistic approach to intimacy.Let's talk about the impact. Redefining sex encourages partners to focus on mutual pleasure and desire, fostering deeper emotional bonds, communication, and trust. Studies show that non-penetrative activities like cuddling, extended kissing, and oral sex are linked to higher relationship satisfaction. For many, especially women, orgasm isn't reliably achieved through vaginal penetration alone, highlighting the importance of diverse forms of stimulation. Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/lets-talk-sex--5052038/support.

It's Christmas Eve 2005, and the Prescott family has gathered for the presumed last Christmas celebration of family patriarch Douglas Prescott, former MP and a man of vast wealth and influence.  Predominantly out of a sense of obligation (or unwillingness to get cut out of Dougie's will), they've decided that they're willing to put up with one another for a whole weekend before they'll scatter back out into the world.  Question is: will all of them live to see the end of it?Episode 1 of 4Content Warnings: Adult Language, Adult Situations, Alcohol/Drug Use, ProfanityGeorge Prescott is SteveJaime Prescott is RoySusanne Prescott is HarmThis actual play production of ‘The Sins of the Father'  is a Real Play Games Podcast production.  Call of Cthulhu® is a registered trademark of Chaosium, Inc.  This podcast uses trademarks and/or copyrights owned by Chaosium Inc/Moon Design Publications LLC, which are used under Chaosium Inc's Fan Material Policy. We are expressly prohibited from charging you to use or access this content. This podcast series is not published, endorsed, or specifically approved by Chaosium Inc. For more information about Chaosium Inc's products, please visit www.chaosium.com.  The Sins of the Father is written by Brendan Lahey, and can be purchased in PDF or print form via the Miskatonic Repository on www.drivethrurpg.com.https://www.drivethrurpg.com/en/product/380136/the-sins-of-the-father-a-call-of-cthulhu-scenarioOur theme song “Christmas Music Box” is performed by SplashStudio and used under a commercial license which includes synch licensing.If you want to reach out to the Real Play Games Podcast, feel free to email us at realplaygamespodcast@gmail.com or reach us on Tumblr under RealPlayGamesPodcast or on Bluesky @realplaygamespod.bsky.social.  If you'd like to help support the show, as well as get early access to episodes, exclusive episodes, and behind-the-scenes looks at how we make our adventures, head on over to www.patreon.com/realplaygamespod and become a Patron today!  Thanks for listening!Support the show

The Rise of the AfD and the Threat to German Democracy. Judy Dempsey discusses the rise of the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party, noting it is infiltrating German culture, education, and town halls, predominantly in the East. She warns that the AfD poses a danger to German democracy and the rule of law. The future hinges on whether established parties can isolate the AfD or if the Constitutional Court will intervene to outlaw the party. Dempsey also notes that the BBC scandal involves the highly scrutinized domestic service, distinct from the generally "exemplary" BBC World Service. 1933

The Rise of the AfD and the Threat to German Democracy. Judy Dempsey discusses the rise of the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party, noting it is infiltrating German culture, education, and town halls, predominantly in the East. She warns that the AfD poses a danger to German democracy and the rule of law. The future hinges on whether established parties can isolate the AfD or if the Constitutional Court will intervene to outlaw the party. Dempsey also notes that the BBC scandal involves the highly scrutinized domestic service, distinct from the generally "exemplary" BBC World Service.

Swan River, WA — Kayak Round 2 Recap (26–27 July) | Hobie qualifier This episode returns to Western Australia for a deep dive on Kayak Round 2 on the Swan River, held 26–27 July in conjunction with Hobie Fishing (a qualifying round for the Hobie Kayak Fishing Series). Andrew opens with bite windows and tides, then steps through the podium interviews with Matt McCarthy (3rd), Joseph Gardner (2nd), and winner Travis Newland (1st)—including how they adapted to a brutal weather change on Day 2. Tides & bite periods mentioned Saturday: Minor bite: 7:35–9:05 AM Major bite: 12:33–3:03 PM High tide: 10:12 AM (~0.7 m) → Low tide: 7:27 PM (~0.3 m) Sunday: Minor bite: 8:06–9:36 AM Major bite: 1:19–3:49 PM High tide: 10:39 AM → Low tide: 7:39 PM (0.35 m) Big Bream & awards Day 1 Big Bream: Paul Siemaszko — 1.18 kg Day 2 & Overall Big Bream + Monster Mover: Rick Raynham — 1.27 kg Podium interviews 3rd — Matt McCarthy (6/6 for 3.970 kg; 2.26 kg then 1.71 kg) Approach: Started near Garrett Road Bridge, then worked down to the Belmont stretch. Found stacked fish on live/side scan but many were shut down. Key bites: Early flurry on an old jetty/marker line; upgraded along a two-metre contour where fish moved up and down “like a highway.” Tackle notes: Mixed confidence baits (including mussel/crab profiles and light plastics); went as light as 3 lb straight-through fluorocarbon when bites were subtle. Day 2: Weather made visual line control hard; persisted, left with a full bag late after grinding through rain and wind. Takeaway: Commit to zones holding life (even when fish are lock-jaw) and cycle proven confidence baits patiently. 2nd — Joseph Gardner (6/6 for 4.660 kg; 2.310 kg then 2.350 kg) Prefish: Four sessions with patchy results from upriver to downriver; no firm pattern before the event. Day 1 route: Tried Garrett Road Bridge (no eaters), then picked fish from Maylands Yacht Club/old jetty area and opposite banks; added reaction upgrades on small vibes when mussel bites were too slow. Day 2 pivot: In severe cold/rain, timed a window at Claisebrook Cove—casting a pygmy mussel to the waterfall/drain edge before the drain began pumping hard again—pulling three key legals in ~90 minutes. Tackle notes: Ran heavier leaders (6–8 lb) with prawn/mussel profiles; used a single rear hook on baby vibes to reduce weed/snags. Result: Another consistent runner-up finish, crediting patience, timing and a crucial drain bite window. 1st — Travis Newland (6/6 for 5.230 kg; 2.53 kg then 2.70 kg; kicker 1.14 kg) Game plan: No recent prefish; trusted a down-river milk run and slow, heavy bottom work with compact yabby/creature profiles. Day 1: Early fish from a creek mouth drop-off, then built a quality bag along the Belmont banks, working the drop-off methodically in current/wind. Day 2 (storm): Paddled straight to the key stretch; landed a “kegger” behind an overhanging tree, then another big fish later. Finished with a strong third fish (~33 fork) to seal it. Tackle notes: Predominantly a yabby/creature (“Bruce”) on a heavier jighead; 12 lb braid to 4 lb fluoro leader, light, soft-tipped rod to let big fish play out on clean ground. Outcome: Win by ~700 g, plus Hobie AC qualifying spot and $650. Emphasis on patience, line control and repeated passes over a short, productive 50 m lane. Episode themes you'll hear Reading wind/current lanes and depth contours (2 m “highways”). When to stay ultra-finesse (straight-through light fluoro) vs. forcing a reaction with small vibes. Timing drain/flow windows (bite flurries before outflow surges). Managing mindset and decisions when it's cold, wet, and slow—especially in kayaks. Hosted by: 2019 Hobie Kayak Fishing World Champion Andrew Death. If you enjoyed this recap, please subscribe and leave a rating. Andrew also mentions The Bream Fishing Project Collective for anglers who want extra tactics, live sessions and community chat.      

Olive oil, a cornerstone of the Mediterranean diet, boasts a rich composition of essential fatty acids, vitamins A, D, E, and K, along with polyphenols. These antioxidants are celebrated for their role in decelerating cellular ageing. Fatty acids, a pivotal component of lipids, include some that our bodies cannot produce, underscoring the necessity of sourcing them from our diets. Predominantly composed of omega-9, olive oil's monounsaturated fatty acids are linked to a diminished risk of cardiovascular ailments. They are also known to lower LDL-cholesterol—the infamous ‘bad' cholesterol—as well as the overall cholesterol levels in our bloodstream. Additionally, olive oil serves as a natural appetite suppressant, fostering a sense of fullness and aiding in the regulation of blood sugar levels. Does all this mean that olive oil is calorie-free? How do I choose the right oil? And how do you store olive oil properly? In under 3 minutes, we answer your questions! To listen to the last episodes, you can click here: ⁠Could gamophobia be hurting your relationship?⁠ ⁠How do I know when to end a friendship?⁠ ⁠How often should I wash my hair?⁠ A podcast written and realised by Amber Minogue. First Broadcast: 11/6/2024 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This episode is a conversation between the artist Ana Vaz and the curator Damian Lentini. It was recorded on 7 March, 2025 in the context of the exhibition: Ana Vaz Meteoro  8.4. – 18.5.2025 In her film-poems artist and filmmaker Ana Vaz collages images and sounds that revolve around violence and repression, the impact of ecological ruin and the continued colonization of the earth. The deconstruction of the grand narrative of Western modernity that imposes itself across vast territories on this planet lies at the heart of her filmography. In her exhibition at the Secession, Vaz showcases her new film series Meteoro (2023–). Predominantly focusing on Paris and Porto, European cities are depicted as on the verge of collapse or on the path to extinction. More Ana Vaz is an artist and filmmaker born in the Brazilian midwest inhabited by the ghosts buried by its modernist capital: Brasília. Originally from the cerrado and wanderer by choice, Ana has lived in the arid lands of central Brazil and southern Australia, in the mangroves of northern France and in the northeastern shores of the Atlantic. Her filmography activates and questions cinema as an art of the (in)visible and instrument capable of transforming human perception, expanding its connections with forms of life — other than human or spectral. Her film-poems are marked by a constant experimental defiance to the poetic forms of contemporary cinema, highlighting the profound contradictions of our time and questioning, above all, the destructive practices of colonial modernity. Consequences or expansion of her cinematography, her activities are also embodied in writing, critical pedagogy, installations or collective walks. Damian Lentini is a curator at the Vienna Secession. He obtained his doctoral degree in 2009 at the University of Melbourne and has realised major projects with artists such as El Anatsui, Phyllida Barlow, Kapwani Kiwanga, Sarah Sze, Sung Tieu, Raqs Media Collective, Harun Farocki, Dumb Type, Khvay Samnang, Lina Lapelytė and the Karrabing Film Collective amongst others. Secession Podcast: Artists features artists exhibiting at the Secession. The Dorotheum is the exclusive sponsor of the Secession Podcast. Programmed by the board of the Secession. Jingle: Hui Ye with an excerpt from Combat of dreams for string quartet and audio feed (2016, Christine Lavant Quartett) by Alexander J. Eberhard Audio Editor: Paul Macheck Production: Damian Lentini, Jeanette Pacher

Is Florida's new signature scent... vanilla?A few weeks ago here on the pod, Chef Justin Timineri of Fresh From Florida told us about some of his favorite trending agricultural products coming out of the Sunshine State. One in particular caught our attention: vanilla.You can almost smell it, can't you? That warm, sweet, comforting scent that reminds you of baking chocolate chip cookies or lighting your favorite candle.Stephanie Webb knows the aroma all too well. As the founder and owner of Sunshine State Vanilla, she cultivates and sells vanilla plants grown on a farm on Pine Island in Lee County. She also has a line of vanilla-scented kitchen and bath products. Predominantly grown in Africa and South America, vanilla is starting to flourish here Florida, thanks to folks like Stephanie and her partners, which include local farmers and researchers.The Zest team recently met up with Stephanie. In our conversation, she shares what led to her interest in vanilla, why the plant's beans are so expensive and her favorite sweet and savory ways to cook with vanilla.Stephanie also explains why Florida is a perfect place to grow vanilla plants—and to host the inaugural Florida Vanilla Symposium, which takes place this Saturday, April 12, 2025, at Fallen Oak Farms in Valrico. It's open to the public.Thanks to Kenya Woodard for suggesting this episode. If you'd like to suggest a Zest guest, email us at: info@thezestpodcast.comRelated episodes:Guac This Way: Sleepy Lizard Avocado Farm in the Everglades Specializes in Florida (Green) AvocadosThe Olive Grove Brings a Taste of Tuscany to BrooksvilleConscious Cuisine: Rocky Soil Family Farm on How to Reconnect with Your Food

Is Florida's new signature scent... vanilla?A few weeks ago here on the pod, Chef Justin Timineri of Fresh From Florida told us about some of his favorite trending agricultural products coming out of the Sunshine State. One in particular caught our attention: vanilla.You can almost smell it, can't you? That warm, sweet, comforting scent that reminds you of baking chocolate chip cookies or lighting your favorite candle.Stephanie Webb knows the aroma all too well. As the founder and owner of Sunshine State Vanilla, she cultivates and sells vanilla plants grown on a farm on Pine Island in Lee County. She also has a line of vanilla-scented kitchen and bath products. Predominantly grown in Africa and South America, vanilla is starting to flourish here Florida, thanks to folks like Stephanie and her partners, which include local farmers and researchers.The Zest team recently met up with Stephanie. In our conversation, she shares what led to her interest in vanilla, why the plant's beans are so expensive and her favorite sweet and savory ways to cook with vanilla.Stephanie also explains why Florida is a perfect place to grow vanilla plants—and to host the inaugural Florida Vanilla Symposium, which takes place this Saturday, April 12, 2025, at Fallen Oak Farms in Valrico. It's open to the public.Thanks to Kenya Woodard for suggesting this episode. If you'd like to suggest a Zest guest, email us at: info@thezestpodcast.comRelated episodes:Guac This Way: Sleepy Lizard Avocado Farm in the Everglades Specializes in Florida (Green) AvocadosThe Olive Grove Brings a Taste of Tuscany to BrooksvilleConscious Cuisine: Rocky Soil Family Farm on How to Reconnect with Your Food

In this episode, we're joined by distinguished guests Dr. Jacquelynne Boivin and Dr. Kevin McGowan, both esteemed educators from Bridgewater State University. Together, we'll explore the nuanced subject of privilege and how it intersects with race and equity in predominantly white classrooms. We'll address the discomfort and resistance often encountered when discussing race, and how to navigate these challenging yet necessary conversations. Dr. Boivin and Dr. McGowan provide insights from their book, offering tangible strategies for educators to integrate anti-racist perspectives across all subjects, not just those traditionally associated with social studies. We'll also discuss how educators can find their allies and build supportive communities to sustain these efforts, even amidst pushback. So, settle in and open your mind as we engage in a candid and thoughtful conversation about making education a truly inclusive and equitable experience for all students. Let's unpack privilege together, right here, in Our Classroom. Social Media: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kevin-mcgowan-ph-d-b0ba1732/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/jacquelynne-boivin-ph-d-9874a7126/ https://www.instagram.com/jacquelynneboivin/ Also on Facebook. Join the group “White teacher, white students” for the book's readership community.

Targeted networks and student-centered approaches can transform educational outcomes for under-resourced communities. By connecting Historically Black and Predominantly Black Community Colleges, Alabama Possible is changing narratives, amplifying student voices, and creating economic pathways in one of the nation's poorest states. Join CCA Alliance Engagement Director Jamia Stokes in conversation with Alabama Possible Executive Director Chandra Scott.

The newest episode from The Chemical Sensitivity Podcast is available now!It's called “Chemicals & Parkinson's Disease.”It features a conversation with Ray Dorsey, MD, professor of neurology at the University of Rochester in New York State in the U.S. I invited Ray to speak on the podcast, because he insists toxic chemicals are the leading cause of Parkinson's Disease and other neurological illnesses. MCS also affects the neurological system among others. You'll hear Ray explore:  The most harmful chemicals that contribute to neurological disorders. How we can protect ourselves from being exposed to toxicants.The need for better chemical regulation.And more!Thank you for listening!   As always, you can reach me at aaron@chemicalsensitivitypodcast.org  Please subscribe where you get your podcasts.Links:Ray Dorsey, MDParkinson's is Predominantly an Environmental Disease (2024 paper)Ray Dorsey, MD and colleaguesEnding Parkinson's Disease (2021 book)  #MCSAwareness #MCS #MultipleChemicalSensitivity #TILT   #MultipleChemicalSensitivityPodcast #ParkinsonsDisease` DISCLAIMER: THIS WEBSITE DOES NOT PROVIDE MEDICAL ADVICE The information, including but not limited to, text, graphics, images, and other material contained on this website are for informational purposes only. No material on this site is intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health care provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition or treatment and before undertaking a new health care regimen, and never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read on this website. No material or information provided by The Chemical Sensitivity Podcast, or its associated website is intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment.  Support the showThank you very much to the Marilyn Brachman Hoffman Foundation for its generous support of the podcast.If you like the podcast, please consider becoming a supporter! Support the podcast. Find the podcast on Patreon. If you like, please buy me a coffee. Follow the podcast on YouTube! Read captions in any language. Please follow the podcast on social media:FacebookInstagramXBlueSkyTikTokSponsorship Opportunites Are you an organization or company interested in helping to create greater awareness about Multiple Chemical Sensitivity and Chemical Intolerance and/or looking for sponsorship opportunities? Please email us at info@chemicalsensitivitypodcast.org

Nikola Mrkšić talks PolyAI, the future of AI-powered voices, and the impact of AI on the workforce.

Join D.C. Affairs Community Co-Chair Austin A.B. Ownbey and D.C. Public Service Commissioner Ted Trabue as they discuss the history of Fort Reno Park and the Chevy Chase neighborhood. Built on ground that was once farmland, briefly a Civil War military fort, and then a thriving predominantly Black, working-class community, today Fort Reno Park is an expanse of open grass, sports fields and the Alice Deal Middle School. Learn how a politician from Nevada created the Chevy Chase neighborhood and ultimately convinced Congress to clear out an entire neighborhood so that white children could have a park and a school. Commissioner Trabue is a fourth generation Washingtonian who will share this fascinating history and how his own family's history is interwoven with these historic events. The D.C. Affairs Community is proud to present this podcast in celebration of Black History Month and a reminder that the history of D.C. is the history of our Nation. Please note, the positions and opinions expressed by the speakers are strictly their own, and do not necessarily represent the views of their employers, nor those of the D.C. Bar, its Board of Governors or co-sponsoring Communities and organizations.

The Daily Shower Thoughts podcast is produced by Klassic Studios. [Promo] Check out the Daily Dad Jokes podcast here: https://dailydadjokespodcast.com/ [Promo] Like the soothing background music and Amalia's smooth calming voice? Then check out "Terra Vitae: A Daily Guided Meditation Podcast" here at our show page [Promo] The Daily Facts Podcast. Get smarter in less than 10 minutes a day. Pod links here Daily Facts website. [Promo] The Daily Life Pro Tips Podcast. Improve your life in less than 10 minutes a day. Pod links here Daily Life Pro Tips website. [Promo] Check out the Get Happy Headlines podcast by my friends, Stella and Mickey. It's a podcast dedicated to bringing you family friendly uplifting stories from around the world. Give it a listen, I know you will like it. Pod links here Get Happy Headlines website. Shower thoughts are sourced from reddit.com/r/showerthoughts Shower Thought credits: 2squishmaster, rouskie15, PlainPup, Ironsufex, RuffDemon214, throw040913, , NOVAbuddy, Genki0202, Biengo, I_aim_to_sneeze, TheRealOcsiban, slid3r, DerUnglaublicheKalk, IamYarrow, _Duality_, stonefiber70750, MyNameIsNonYaBizniz, PianoCharged, , Rootkit9208, jaredpinney123, Kilmnit, hearsdemons, Lord_Balu, Hixo_7, friendandfriends2, KifDawg Podcast links: Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/3ZNciemLzVXc60uwnTRx2e Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/daily-shower-thoughts/id1634359309 Stitcher: https://www.stitcher.com/podcast/daily-dad-jokes/daily-shower-thoughts iHeart: https://iheart.com/podcast/99340139/ Amazon Music: https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/a5a434e9-da18-46a7-a434-0437ec49e1d2/daily-shower-thoughts Website: https://cms.megaphone.fm/channel/dailyshowerthoughts Social media links Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DailyShowerThoughtsPodcast/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/DailyShowerPod Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/DailyShowerThoughtsPodcast/ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@dailyshowerthoughtspod Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

If you're experiencing symptoms of long COVID, you're not alone. Learn more about this condition in this informative video. Main Theme: Dr. Ellis, a medicinal chemist, delves into the complexities of long COVID, focusing on its persistent symptoms and underlying causes, with a spotlight on innovative treatment approaches. Understanding Long COVID: A condition marked by prolonged symptoms such as fatigue and brain fog, affecting daily life for three to six months post-recovery. Predominantly impacts women aged 30 to 65, leading to mental health challenges like depression and anxiety due to decreased physical activity. Biological Mechanisms: Role of platelet hyperactivation and microclots in contributing to serotonin depletion and mood disorders. Microclots linked to COVID spike proteins potentially causing inflammation and impaired oxygen delivery, worsening fatigue and cognitive issues. Challenges in Diagnosis and Treatment: Patients often encounter difficulties with primary care physicians, leading to a cycle of referrals and symptomatic treatment. Certain groups, such as those with preexisting immune issues and athletes, are more susceptible to long COVID. Innovative Treatment Approaches: A small study indicated an 80% recovery rate using a combination of apixaban and platelet inhibitors, though safety concerns exist. Dr. Ellis suggests a natural supplement combining curcumin and white willow bark, designed to mimic anticoagulant effects and improve oxygen delivery. Integration of Traditional and Modern Medicine: Emphasis on combining traditional remedies with modern medicine to offer patient-focused solutions. Highlighting CircuGuard as a potential over-the-counter option, with anecdotal evidence of effectiveness but lacking formal testing. Research and Collaboration Challenges: Noted difficulties in funding and collaboration for long COVID research. Advocacy for recognizing and integrating traditional remedies when pharmaceutical solutions are limited. Conclusion: Dr. Ellis calls for a holistic approach to long COVID treatment, blending traditional knowledge with modern scientific advancements, and urges the medical community to focus on patient-centered care and innovative solutions. Timestamps: 00:00 Introduction to Long COVID 02:06 Understanding Long COVID Symptoms 06:27 Demographics and Risk Factors 08:15 Dr. Ellis's Journey into Long COVID Research 12:09 The Microclots Hypothesis 19:01 Current Treatments and Recommendations 23:34 Exploring MCAS and Immune Response 25:01 The Role of Microclots in Long COVID 29:07 Viral Reservoirs and Long COVID 30:52 Microclots: The Hidden Culprit 33:12 Innovative Approaches to Treatment 36:52 Creating a Safer Alternative 41:00 Patient Feedback and Effectiveness 46:34 The Future of Long COVID Research 49:54 Bridging Traditional and Modern Medicine Petition for Continued Medicare Coverage for Rural Home Telehealth Visits Beyond 2024 GET IN TOUCH! rob@2docstocpodcast.com 2docstoc.com  @2DocsToc 

AP correspondent Haya Panjwani reports on the District of Columbia's lawsuit against Amazon.

Col. (Ret.) Nicole Malachowski '96 shares her insights on leadership, resilience, resurgence, perseverance, advocacy, and how she continues to serve her country, even after her military career. ----more---- A SHOW NOTE:  There are two ways to learn from Col. Malachowski's leadership journey. If you're short on time, the audio version delivers the highlights of her stories in 40 minutes. Her leadership bites, takeaways, keys to leadership and transcript are below. The video version is 1:46:00 and is well worth the investment of your time. This version includes stories and details about the Colonel's journey she hasn't shared before. Click the "Play" button in the video above and settle in for a most enlightening conversation.    SUMMARY Col. (Ret.) Nicole Malachowski '96 is a trailblazer who has broken barriers in both military aviation and advocacy. She was one of the first women to fly combat fighter aircraft, accruing more than 2,300 flight hours in six different aircraft and serving in multiple high-stakes missions, including Operations Deliberate Forge and Iraqi Freedom. But her story doesn't end there. As the first woman to fly with the U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds, a White House Fellow, and a key advisor on military and veterans' issues, Nicole's career has been defined by leadership at the highest levels. After being medically retired due to a Tick-Borne Illness, she turned her focus to advocacy, leading efforts to improve care for the wounded, ill, and injured service members through the Air Force Wounded Warrior Program. Now a passionate advocate for Tick-Borne Disease research, Nicole serves on several national committees and advisory boards, including the Department of Defense's Congressionally Directed Medical Research Program.   NICOLE'S LEADERHIP BITES "Leadership is a journey." "The runway behind you is always unusable." "Don't think you have to be perfect to be a leader." "Believe those who believe in you." "Nobody wants to lead a scripted life." "Courage, compassion, and curiosity drive me today." "It's okay to admit when you make mistakes."   SHARE THIS EPISODE LINKEDIN  |  TWITTER  |  FACEBOOK   TAKEAWAYS Leadership is personal - It's about understanding what motivates and drives each individual on your team, and tailoring your approach accordingly. Believe in those who believe in you - Mentors like Mick Jaggers who supported and encouraged Nicole were pivotal in her development as a leader. Don't write yourself or others out of the script - As General Matthews told Nicole, "Nobody wants to lead a scripted life." Embrace opportunities to dream big and take risks. Radical acceptance is key - When Nicole's military career ended unexpectedly, learning to accept the situation allowed her to move forward and find new purpose. Personal values guide your path - Nicole's core values of courage, compassion and curiosity have been instrumental in navigating life's challenges and reinventing herself.   CHAPTERS 00:00  The Journey of Leadership 02:01  Colonel Malachowski's Early Life and Aspirations 06:01  Navigating the Air Force Academy 09:46  Leadership Lessons from Soaring 14:07  Overcoming Challenges in Pilot Training 17:50  Key Leadership Experiences in the Air Force 21:59  Becoming a Thunderbird Pilot 25:47  Transitioning to Civilian Life 30:02  Advocacy and New Beginnings 34:09  Personal Values and Resilience 37:54  Final Thoughts on Leadership   NICOLE'S KEYS TO LEADERSHIP SUCCESS Leadership is a journey that requires growth and learning. It's okay to admit mistakes and seek help. Resilience is key to overcoming challenges. Personal values guide decision-making and actions. Mentorship plays a crucial role in personal and professional development. Failure is often the price of entry for success. Authentic leadership is about understanding and connecting with people. The importance of representation in leadership roles. Transitioning to civilian life can be a new beginning. Embrace opportunities and seize the moment.   ABOUT NICOLE BIO Colonel Nicole Malachowski (USAF, Ret.) is a pioneering leader whose distinguished career spans combat aviation, military advocacy, and public service. As one of the first women to fly fighter jets, Nicole's journey included over 188 combat hours and multiple leadership roles, including F-15E Flight Commander, Instructor Pilot, and Flight Lead. She also made history as the first woman to fly with the USAF Thunderbirds. Throughout her career, Nicole demonstrated exceptional leadership, serving in high-level roles such as a White House Fellow and Executive Director of the ‘Joining Forces' program, where she advised the First Lady and Dr. Jill Biden on veterans' issues. After being medically retired due to a neurological Tick-Borne Illness, Nicole transitioned to a new mission: advocating for service members, veterans, and others impacted by chronic illnesses. She's a leader in the national Tick-Borne Disease community, serving on key advisory boards and government committees, and actively mentoring wounded veterans through the Air Force Wounded Warrior Program. Nicole is also a sought-after speaker, author, and consultant, sharing her experiences of overcoming adversity and breaking barriers to inspire the next generation of leaders. Her accomplishments include two master's degrees, induction into the Women in Aviation Pioneer Hall of Fame, and founding her own speaking and consulting firm. Today, Nicole continues to serve and lead, using her story to drive change and impact communities across the country.  - Adapted from Col. Malachowski's bio at nicholemalachowski.com   READ NICOLE'S FULL STORY HERE     CONNECT WITH NICOLE LINKEDIN  |  FACEBOOK  |  INSTAGRAM  |  NICOLE'S LINKTREE     ABOUT LONG BLUE LEADERSHIP Long Blue Leadership drops every two weeks on Tuesdays and is available on Apple Podcasts, TuneIn + Alexa, Spotify and all your favorite podcast platforms. Search @AirForceGrads on your favorite social channels for Long Blue Leadership news and updates!          ABRIDGED AUDIO TRANSCRIPT DOWNLOAD THE UNABRIDGED VIDEO TRANSCRIPT HERE  SPEAKERS GUEST:  Col. (Ret.) Nicole Malachowski '96  |  HOST:  Lt. Col. (Ret.) Naviere Walkewicz '99   SPEAKERS Naviere Walkewicz, Nicole Malachowski   Nicole Malachowski  00:11 You know, leadership is a journey. We're always put into positions that we're supposed to grow into. Don't think you have to be perfect to be a leader. It's okay to admit when you make mistakes, it's okay to ask for help, and it's okay to have failures, as long as you overcome them. And I like to remind folks at all levels of leadership, you know that the runway behind you is always unusable. All you ever have is the runway that's in front of you.   Naviere Walkewicz  00:34 My guest today is Colonel Retired Nicole Malachowski, USAFA class of '96. Her career has been nothing short of extraordinary. Colonel Malachowski is perhaps best known as the first woman to fly as a pilot with the Thunderbirds, a singular distinction that set her path to reaching even greater heights. However, what you might not know is that her journey took an unexpected turn when she faced a sudden life altering loss of her place in the Air Force. The challenges that followed were extreme and personal, but through them, Colonel malikowski demonstrated a resilience and strength that not only transformed her own life, but also empowered her to help others with their own struggles. In today's conversation, we'll dive deep into the personal and professional journey that led her to transition to civilian life, the lessons she learned from the hardships she faced along the way, and how she now advocates for others, sharing the wisdom she's gained from the tough battles she's fought and won. We'll also take a look back at her time at the academy, her experiences as a pilot and the leadership principles that have guided Colonel malikowski, she has become a powerful voice for resilience, perseverance and leadership, and I'm excited to hear her insights on all of these topics. Colonel Malachowski, may I call you Nicole?   Nicole Malachowski  02:34 Yes, please.   Naviere Walkewicz  02:34 Welcome to Long Blue Leadership, and thank you for being here.   Nicole Malachowski  02:37 Thank you for having me.   Naviere Walkewicz  02:38 It's a pleasure. It truly is. I think one of the things that's so exciting for our listeners is really getting to know you. And you know, I think there's no question about who you are in the media, I mean, all the things you've accomplished, but some things that are most special is when we just sit down and kind of get to know you behind the scenes.   Nicole Malachowski  02:53 Indeed, let's do it.   Naviere Walkewicz  02:54 So let's go back to even before the Academy. Where did you grow up? Where are you from? And what were you like as a little girl?   Nicole Malachowski  03:00 Sure, yeah. So I was actually born in central California, in a town called Santa Maria, and I was born, I consider very lucky, because I was born a woman in America, so there was a lot of opportunities, you know, afforded to me. Also very lucky to be born into a solid, you know, middle class family, you know, I was a kid who always had a roof over my head and food on the table, which makes it a lot easier, right, for you to seize opportunities and to be your best. And think it's important that we acknowledge that not everybody is born into that position. And so I was very, very lucky, I will tell you, I was definitely the loner, definitely an introvert. Always have been. A lot of people would be surprised by that, but I am a solid INFJ on the Myers Briggs, but as a young kid, just very quiet, kept to myself. I was very much a dreamer, very curious about things, so I loved to dive into books. I loved school. I was the kid that would take my lunch box, you know, out into the middle of the football field by myself and just stare up at the sky and the clouds moving by, and dream about things. I remember being in the Girl Scouts during junior high we moved down towards Southern California, where I learned about Civil Air Patrol, and then from there, in high school, we actually made a big move to Las Vegas, Nevada. I continued my time in Civil Air Patrol as a cadet, but also joined the Air Force Junior ROTC at my high school.   Naviere Walkewicz  04:16 I'm just drawn to this visual of you with your lunch box in the middle of the football field looking up at this guy. So were you dreaming about flying?   Nicole Malachowski  04:24 I was, you know, I went to an air show when I was five years old, and I remember seeing an f4 phantom fly by, and it flew by so low, and it was so loud, I had to cover my ears. And I remember, like, my chest rumbling, you know, the smell of jet fuel. And I remember thinking, man, like there's a person in there, like, I want to be, you know, that person. And I had come from a family that, you know, honored and respected military service. So both of my grandfathers were career military my father had been drafted into the army during Vietnam. So I knew that, like, you know, military service was honorable and noble and good. And when I discovered that that was a military plane. I remember as a kid putting one plus one is two. I'm like, wait, you can fly jets and serve in the military. That's what I'm going to be. And wow, that was around 1979 and that's right, there are no boundaries on things. So looking up at the sky, watching planes, and of course, in high school in particular, moving to Las Vegas, Nevada, because Nellis Air Force bases there. So, I mean, I would watch the red flag launches and watch how those jets fly. And of course, I would see the six ship of Thunderbirds flying by as a kid, thinking that was pretty cool. So to be honest, I set my sights on the Air Force Academy in elementary school.   Naviere Walkewicz  05:34 Oh, my goodness.   Nicole Malachowski  05:35 Yeah. So when I was five and decided to be a fighter pilot, you had decided, I mean, I was maniacally, maniacally focused. I did not have a backup plan. I am so lucky that things worked out because I have no idea what else I would have done, you know, with my career, but I remember in sixth grade, I wrote a letter to the Air Force Academy. They responded. The admissions office responded with a personalized letter letting me know I'm kind of young to apply now, but here's the application process. They sent me a whole bunch of Air Force Academy swag, and that was it sixth grade. I was going to the Air Force Academy, goodness, when you were actually old enough to apply. Now to the academy.   Naviere Walkewicz  06:13 Let's talk about that process. What was it like for you? Well, I mean, I think it was more exciting than anything else. I told you. I had stayed maniacally focused. I was very particular and organized about prioritizing how my application would look. So of course, I strove to have the good grades, and obviously stayed involved with the activities like Civil Air Patrol or participating in sports like running cross country and track, as well as doing, you know, community service type activities. So I was indeed focused on making sure that application looked good. I remember the thing I was probably the most nervous about were those interviews with your, you know, senators and your representatives, and wondering if I was going to be able to interview well. So I was, you know, putting my best foot forward. And I remember my senior year, it was approximately October, maybe coming up on November about this time, right? And I went to the mailbox to get the mail, and I had the application had already been in, right? Because everything was done before the fall, and I saw this giant envelope from the Air Force Academy. And I thought, No way, because it's only like October or November. And I started shaking, and I opened it right there at the mailbox. I had to go up the street. I opened it, and I feel bad because I think I littered like the envelope all over the street, but I remember opening it up, and the first line was, congratulations. You know, you've been accepted to the class of 1996 and I instantaneously just started crying and running as fast as I could back to my house.   Naviere Walkewicz  07:38 Had you been to the Academy prior to the acceptance?   Nicole Malachowski  07:41 No, never stood a foot on at all. And I remember when my parents came to drop me off for for Jacks Valley and everything basic training, when we came up over that hill, over Monument Hill, and you can see the chapel and the kind of imposing, you know, white buildings on a hill, I was like, Oh, wow, that's extraordinary. And I was really just excited. People ask, were you nervous that day? I was not, because I was just so happy that this, to me, was like the first step of the rest of my life. It was that first real step towards this goal of serving my country, you know, like people my family had, and getting to fly jets while I do it, how cool is that? I don't remember any highs or lows. I do remember I got my enjoyment becoming a cadet, you know, soaring instructor pilot.   Naviere Walkewicz  08:28 So let's talk about that. That is a, kind of a key leadership role as well.   Nicole Malachowski  08:32 Yes, that was my leadership role. So my senior year, I was the cadet soaring squadron commander. Oh, let's talk about Yes, yes. So obviously, between freshman, sophomore year, I signed up as soon as I could, you know, to take soaring, and when I discovered that you could actually apply to be a soaring instructor, and I remember that was a really like growth experience, because it's one thing to be able to fly a glider, it's another thing to be able to try to teach somebody how to do that. And I really, I I give a lot of credit to this, you know, sorry, instructor upgrade program teaching me the skills of, how do you communicate something technical? How do you communicate something hard, this idea that you need to be able to communicate it not just in one way, but two or three different ways, because each of your students is going to come at it with a different skill set or a different perspective or a different personality that responds to different type of teaching. So learning how to tailor your instruction and your care and your leadership to each individual was something I learned here, you know, as a sophomore, this idea that I would carry that on into my career as a leader and, you know, ultimately into being, you know, a fighter squadron commander. This tailored leadership actually started here, but soaring is what was my respite. Soaring is where I refilled that tank. It's one thing to be successful yourself. It's a whole different level to teach somebody else to be successful.   Naviere Walkewicz  09:55 So you knew you enjoyed Well, obviously you enjoyed the flying? And soaring, the leadership aspect, I think, was something that was new to you then. Or had you done that in Civil Air Patrol? Did you also have leadership there?   Nicole Malachowski  10:06 Yeah, I had leadership experience in Civil Air Patrol, but I think this was a different level. You know, my senior year becoming the cadet soaring squadron commander, it was really cool, because not only were you trying to take inputs from your peers and your colleagues on things we could improve or do differently, you know, valuing the other cadets opinions. But how do I translate that to leadership? How do I go now and talk to the real officers, the active duty officers in charge, and go, these are maybe resources we need, or things culturally, you know, that we need to change, and that was hard for me, you know, because I had never done that before. How do you advocate for your peers in a way that's understood, you know, by the active duty leadership. So that was really something that, again, would become important in my military career, because when you're put in a leadership role, you know, it's about, I think, advocating for the people who you are, you know, accountable for and responsible to, yes, and so how can you do that and do it in a way that it's received? Well, yes, you know, by the leadership above you,   Naviere Walkewicz  11:07 After you graduated from the Academy, you went on to pilot training.   Nicole Malachowski  11:11 I was slated to go early right after graduation, and I was a casual status Lieutenant flying gliders. Of course, went out for a jog and broke my ankle. So this would be my first kind of little, little detour. And I ended up, they offered me to go, to go to shepherd a lot later, or as soon as my ankle was healed, I could go to Columbus Air Force Base Mississippi right away. And I said, I gotta go, like, I cannot sit around and wait. I want to go to Columbus Air Force Base Mississippi. And everyone's like, what you're going to turn down, like, the chance of going to fighters to like, have to fight for it at Columbus. I like, I can't be stagnant. I need to go. So showed up at Columbus Air Force Base Mississippi, and again, really grateful for all of the flying experience that I had. I think that just those foundational procedures, you know, foundational knowledge, was vital to being a little more comfortable than other people that didn't have that experience. It was easy to be slightly ahead of the curve early on, but as I like to tell people, I fell flat on my face across the starting line my second check ride in pilot training, I failed. Now, pilot training at that time was about a year long. There were about 10 check rides, and at that time, failing one check ride, statistically, traditionally, would take you out of the running for graduating high enough to be a fighter pilot. This was devastating to me, and I remember even having fleeting moments that night of like, maybe I should just quit. Now this is, of course, the youth in me, right? I'm a 21 year old kid, and I'm just getting a little bit emotional about it, but if I can't be a fighter pilot and I just knock myself out of the running, I should quit. And I didn't call my parents because I didn't want to tell them I was too, like, embarrassed maybe, to say, like, hey, my dream that you all have supported is about to come to an end, because I messed up, and I made a really junior varsity mistake. And so I called my mentor, Sue Ross, and then she just let me talk, and she's like, are you done? And I'm done. And she goes, Well, are you going to do that again tomorrow? And I said, Sue, how am I supposed to get back in the jet tomorrow? How do I face my peers? I've been telling them I'm going to fly strike Eagles this whole time. Like this is so embarrassing. What if I fail again? What if I fail again tomorrow? And I remember, she talked me off the ledge, man, you know, and I came away. I came away with that conversation, realizing that indeed, I think I rarely believe failure is the price of entry for achieving something great, because if you have the right mindset, you come away with failures, I think a lot more committed, a lot more dedicated, a lot more focused, and I think a lot more humble, and all of those characteristics and traits are good things. You know, it worked out for me, and I did finish fourth in my class, and I had an extraordinary class. It was a time of great cultural change in the Air Force, because we were the first group of women to come through pilot training with the option of flying fighter aircraft.   Naviere Walkewicz  14:04 So talk about your time while you're in uniform. You had some key leadership positions. You were squadron commander. Can you share some of your stories with that and maybe even some high points and some lessons learned, where you as a leader felt that maybe, maybe it was a low point or a failure, but you grew from it?   Nicole Malachowski 14:20 Sure, sure. Yes. I mean, I had so many, you know, different fun assignments. You know, obviously when you're in your first fighter squadron, I got out at RAF Lake and Heath out there in England. I mean, what a rage right to be a lieutenant flying strike Eagles at 500 feet, 500 miles an hour, up Loch Ness, to live in the dream, you know, becoming in my second squadron, which was at Seymour Johnson Air Force Base, becoming a, you know, flight lead and upgrading to instructor pilot. Very nervous to go into the instructor pilot upgrade. I went in very young. In fact, when I got to that squadron, the weapons officer said, hey, I want to put you in the instructor upgrade. And I was like, no. Away like I am not ready for that. I am not good enough for that. And I was new to the squadron. There were people technically older and more experienced than me. They were in the queue, and he wanted me to jump the queue, a guy by the name of Michael Jaggers, call sign, Mick, I'm still friends with him to this day, and I remember I avoided him. I avoided him like the plague because I did not want to upgrade to instructor. And I remember saying, Mick, I just am not sure I can do this. And he looked at me, and he said, it's not your job to get through it. It's not your job to get through it alone. It's my job. It's my job to ensure you have what it takes and what you need. It's my job to teach you to be a good instructor. So your success is going to be my success. I will not let you fail. What a glorious man, what a wonderful instructor. And the lesson learned here to people is this, believe those who believe in you. Believe those who believe in you.   Naviere Walkewicz  15:52 It's true, though it really is. And those people, I think sometimes your trajectory can change or just like, accelerate, because someone gave you a little bit of courage that you just needed that little piece.   Nicole Malachowski 16:03 And to learn as I gained experience and credibility how to replicate that and how to be that person for other people, right? Because it's about turning around. It really is about lifting up other people. Your success isn't your own. It's how can you help other people achieve the best of themselves? And that's what you know Mikey and Mick did for me. And of course, the rest, you know, being history, because then I had the credentials I needed to apply to be a Thunderbird. And then from the Thunderbirds, I could become a commander, yada yada, you know, but being an instructor pilot, again, in the F 15 e how extraordinary to teach a brand new pilot or WSO, not only to fly the aircraft, to how to employ it as a weapon system and then to turn around and go to war with them. There's no bigger honor. There's nothing, I think, more humbling than that.   Naviere Walkewicz  16:49 Can you share something that maybe you learned from the perspective of how to lead better?   Nicole Malachowski 16:55 So let's be honest, when you go into a fighter squadron, things are a little bit one note, right? I mean, we all are cut from a similar cloth. We all kind of have similar personality traits. You know, you don't want your fighter pilots any other way, putting the effort into understanding what drives and motivates individuals. So learning at that age how to put your arms around everybody that you're responsible for, not just the ones that maybe are easiest to lead, or maybe the ones you're the most comfortable, you know, interacting with as a leader is, how do I figure it out? You know, there were some guys that, if I were to call them on up to the front of the room, in front of the whole squadron, to compliment them on something they did, maybe a check right they had. Or this goes for my fighter squadron command as well. You know, they would love it, right? Because it it was how they were extrinsically motivated, and that's okay. There's nothing wrong with that. If that's what they need, and that's what you need to do to get the best of their strengths and best of their commitment go for it. And then were others that low? If I were to bring them in front of their peers to compliment them, they would shut down and never talk to me for the rest of the you know, their assignment. And so that's where I would take the time to write a handwritten note, maybe put it on the seat of their Humvee, or put it in their helmet, you know, in the fighter squadron. And then when they'd see me walking down the hallway, we give the knowing nod that they were acknowledged for their awesome, whatever it was, and we would move on.   Naviere Walkewicz  18:13 Yes. And so what I'm hearing, in a really, kind of summarizing way, is leadership is personal.   Nicole Malachowski 18:19 Very. it's all about people and it's about authenticity and connections.   Naviere Walkewicz  18:25 So speaking about personal and authenticity, I'd be remiss if we didn't talk about your journey to the Thunderbirds.   Nicole Malachowski  18:31 I knew this was gonna come.   Naviere Walkewicz  18:32 It's here, and so you know it is. It's a different time. There was no woman Thunderbird pilot before you.   Nicole Malachowski 18:40 I grew up in Las Vegas, Nevada, so the Thunderbirds were part of the backdrop. I knew that the Thunderbirds, you know, as a kid, were special and were considered, you know, elite. And kind of going back to my personality, I love being told that, you know, you can't do things. And the truth is, people laugh at this, but the truth is, when I applied to be a Thunderbird, I did it because the way my career was going, I wasn't ready to, I wasn't on timeline to go to ide yet or to go to ACSC, but I had, like, a weird year kind of gap, and I didn't they didn't really know what to do with me. I didn't know what to do with them, and my husband was going to be PCs in the Nellis. This is, like, a true story. Wow. I know people want me to say, well, I had this big, long dream when I was Thunderbird. Also thought about it was always in the background. Is something that, you know, wasn't, was an option. And I, you know, because of a lot of people who put a lot of effort into me, I was indeed qualified, you know, to get in there and to give it a try. But it wasn't something that was like an ultimate goal. I did not know they had not had a woman Thunderbird pilot when I applied, did not even occur to me. Remember, I had never known an Air Force without women fighter pilots in it. That's right, that's and we had all achieved the age where we had acquired the hours needed, and it just lined up with the timing. And I'm like, Well, that would be kind of fun and different to do. And. So I always tell people, you know, when you get those butterflies in your stomach that says, This could be something cool, something different, that is your cue to go do it. Don't worry about what anybody else is saying. And so, you know, I was able to put that application in. And in fact, I was I put that application in, and when I went and told everyone I was going to apply, generally speaking, people were really tickled and happy and happy and supportive. But as the days went by, people started to think about it. I heard, you know, it's too hard to be a Thunderbird, you probably won't get picked. I mean, statistically, no one gets picked to do that. They've never had a woman before. Are you sure you want to do that and this and that? And I remember the day I turned my application in. This was back when you still had hard copies, and you still had to mail them, okay, 2005 took it over to the group commander's Chief of Staff, slid it across the desk. I was super nervous, because the voice in my head was like, Nicole, other people become Thunderbird pilots, not you. That was the other people become Thunderbird pilots, not you. What are you doing? Why are you risking this? But I kept thinking, what's the worst that's going to happen? I don't get picked, like most people don't get picked, and I go back to flying strike Eagles with my community, which I love, like life is good, right? Either way, it's a win, win. So as I slid that application across the desk, said, I'm applying to be a Thunderbird. Here's my application. I remember the staff looked up to me and said, you know Nicole, It's hard to be a Thunderbird. You know Nicole, you probably won't get picked. And the exact words were, you know Nicole, they've never had a woman before, and the colonel can only stratify one person in that moment. Let's, I think there's leadership lessons here, because this person was not trying to be mean, right? What was coming out was, I think the unconscious bias all of us have to check ourselves on every day at all ages. I think what was coming out were the cultural paradigms of the Air Force at that time. And I think what was coming out, you know, were other people's expectations about what I should or shouldn't be doing. And in that moment, the truth is, I grabbed my application and I took it back, I went across to the officers club and grabbed a beer like any good fighter pilot would, and I remember thinking, thank God I didn't put myself out there. Thank God Nicole, you know, now I'm a 30 year old captain, so I'm still a young person, you know. Thank God you didn't risk failure. Who are you to think you could be a Thunderbird, silly girl, right? And in that moment, the weirdest thing happened. And I tell this story on stage, sometimes the door opened to the officers club, and in walk the Wing Commander, Brigadier General Mark Matthews, for whatever reason, comes over and starts talking to me. Now, this is weird, right? I'm a captain. He's a brigadier general. I don't know why he was talking to me, you know, like walking amongst the people that day, or, you know, just making small talk. And so I'm trying to hold my own talking to him a little bit nervous. It's a little you're probably still feeling a little bit down from totally down. And in that moment, over walks my squadron commander, a wonderful man by the name of Dan Debree. His call sign was, trash. Get it? Trash, debris. Trash. Walks over, super excited, very supportive of my application. And he's like, Hey, General, did you know Nicole's applying to be a Thunderbird now? Man, I mean, you could have slowed down time. I was like, ixnay on the underbird Fae like, this is terrible. Neither of these guys knew that I had removed my application. And Dan's standing there all proud. He's my squadron commander supporting me. A great man again. And Mark Matthews looks down at me, general Matthews, and he goes, that's great. How's your application going? And I'm like, I looked at him, and here's what happened. I said, you know, sir, it's hard to be thunder, but I probably won't get picked. They haven't had a woman, so I don't want to waste anybody's time.   Naviere Walkewicz  23:11 Oh, you said, I said it.   Nicole Malachowski  23:13 I said all of it. And this is kind of an embarrassing story to tell, but I'm just this is the truth, right? This is the vulnerable truth of how this happened. And and he looked down at me, and I will never forget this. And I hope folks listening who have big dreams and gnarly goals remember this. He looked down at me and he said, Nicole, actually. He said, Fifi. My call sign, Fifi. Nobody wants to lead a scripted life. And he walked away and left me in extraordinarily uncomfortable silence. And those words nobody wants to lead a scripted life have become my life's mantra. Every time I get the knot in my stomach that says that dreams too big or that idea is too innovative, don't rock the boat, I remember what he said, because those words, like they lifted the weight of the world off my shoulders, told me it was okay to dream big. It was okay to buck the status quo. It was okay to be different. He was telling me, it's okay to risk failure in pursuit of personal professional growth, and it's not so much. I think he's telling you and me to write ourselves into the script. What he was saying was, don't ever write yourself out of the script. And as leaders and teammates, don't you ever write anybody else or their wild ideas out of the script, either. And so nobody wants to lead a scripted life. And I, I hope what you're hearing in these stories, and maybe what I'm realizing just chatting with you, is these little turning points, these pivot moments where these really important people, the mark Matthews, you know, the Mikey whiteheads, the Mick Jaggers, the Sue Rosses, the Kim Jamesons, they all come at that right moment. You got to be open to that you know, and and how important your actions and your words are to making or breaking somebody else's journals.   Naviere Walkewicz  24:48 Yes, yeah, so you took that application back.   Nicole Malachowski 24:52 Sure did. Sure did. I did not get the number one stratification from the colonel, but I did from the general. And. So that worked out for me. When I really started thinking about, I think I was putting myself back in the kid in high school with her brown bag lunch out on the football field watching the Thunderbirds fly over that can tend to see that those six jets smoked behind in red, white and blue, screaming over your high school. You know, you wanted to be a fighter pilot. Since you're a kid, I'm staring up at them, thinking, there's people up there. You know, I want to be one of those people. This idea that there would be a little kid watching me as a Thunderbird pilot, and maybe someday go, maybe I could fulfill whatever my dream is. Maybe I could join the Air Force too, a little girl going, maybe I could be a fighter pilot someday. And I think the gravity and the weight of the mission of the Thunderbirds started to really impact me, because it had indeed impacted me as a kid, and the idea that I could be a part of that. And I think the other thing was, and maybe this sounds cheesy or trite, but it's not, you know, sitting at Al UD, drinking my one beer at three in the morning after I land from my night combat mission, sitting with all these great Americans from all over the country, from every different background, and thinking, I could go tell their story, and that's what Thunderbirds get to do. You get to represent the world's greatest Air Force and tell the stories of these airmen who are out there getting the job done, those tech piece those crew chiefs, you know, the folks that are working at the tower, the folks in the food hall, our medical professionals, the cyber the whole thing, right? And all of a sudden it got really exciting to me, like I could go out there with this team, with this mission, and we could represent our friends with the honor and the dignity and the respect that they deserve. And I think those two things kind of collided together, and I started getting really excited about excited about this Thunderbird thing. Ended up back at Lake and Heath painfully excruciating waiting for the vinyls. And when we got back from Iraq, they give you the kind of three weeks of downtime. My husband was a gracious man and took me on a Cruise of the Baltic Sea. We're sitting in our cabin in Oslo Norway, and the phone in the cabin rings. The phone in your cabin, phone in my cabin rings. It's about 10 o'clock at night, but full sun outside, because it's summertime in Norway. And immediately we looked at each other, and both of our heart we've talked about this, both our hearts sank, because why does a phone call come to military people on vacation? It's not never it's never good. Yeah, and I was a flight commander at the time. So was he we immediately thought something disastrous had happened, an aircraft accident, a death, you know, a car accident. And we let it ring another time, and he's like, You need to pick it up. And I picked it up. And I said, Hello. And they go, is this Captain malikowski? I said, Yes. And they go standby for the commander of Air Combat Command. Oh my gosh. And I looked at my husband, and I was like, What is going on? Well, I knew this was the consolation call. There was, I think, I think there was five or six of us who had made it to finals. Three people were getting good position. The other were not. And it is tradition that the commander of Air Combat Command calls all six, coach is very gracious and professionally courteous. And so I thought this was my consolation call. So I'm waiting, and it feels like an eternity, and all of a sudden I hear Stevie there, and I said, Yes. He goes, Ron keys which was General. Ron Keyes, Commander, Air Combat Command. I'm a young captain. I'm like, you've got to be kidding me. And I go, sir, how are you? He goes. We have a pretty amazing Air Force that we can find you in the middle of the Oslo Norway fjord, don't we? I said, Yes, sir, we do. He goes. Well, I know you're on vacation, so I want to keep it simple. I want to offer you a job. And I said, Yes, sir. He goes. How would you like to be Thunderbird number three? And I said, I stayed as professional as I could in my voice, but I was looking at my husband gesticulating, jumping up and down like you're not gonna believe I said, Sir, I would absolutely love that. He goes, Okay, great. You're the next Thunderbird number three. Look forward to watching you fly and get back to your vacation. And he hung up the phone. You know, the Thunderbirds are, at that time, 125 people from 25 different career fields who came together to make that mission happen. Wow, never been in a squadron with that many high performing, highly motivated people in my life. I am still dear friends with my crew chief, still friends with people on the team. It is such a crucible experience. It's a one off, you know. Well, fast forward. Finish up the Thunderbirds. I get a phone call. He goes, it's Viking blurling. I'm like, How the heck did this guy that I met once get my phone he goes, Hey, when I was an Air Force officer, a young fighter pilot, I did acse as a White House fellow, and I think you should be a White House fellow. I said, Well, what's the White House Fellowship? So he explains it to me, and I'm like, there is no way I will get picked as one of 12 to 15 people across the United States, across all career fields, including civilians, to be a White House fellow. Colin Powell was a White House fellow. I am not a White House fellow. This is ridiculous. So I entertained his conversation. He says, I want you to think about I'm gonna call you back tomorrow, same time. Boom. Phone rings. Viking borling, you're applying to be a White House fellow, no, sir. I'm not. Third day ping. Phone calls. You're applying to be a White House fellow. Anyways, I applied to be a White House fellow. Went through that whole process, semi finals, regional panel interviews, and then the finals, and was selected to be a White House fellow. I got assigned outside of the White House to the US, General Services, Administration, yes, like, it was exciting. And I was like, this is where the nuts and bolts happen? Well, the GSA also runs what's called the office of the president elect. Between election and inauguration, the incoming president and their team needs to have a place to get ready, like our current incoming administration is doing. It's a physical office building where they make decisions about cabinet secretaries, or they get their intelligence briefings and all of that. Guess who got put on the presidential transition support team to be up close and personal for the peaceful transition of power between George Bush and Barack Obama? Wow. The extraordinary part about the White House Fellowship was most of the fellows were civilian, and I had been nothing but military since I was 17 years old and showed up at the Air Force Academy. So to be able to look at leadership and teamwork and professionalism from a completely different lens, to see how people from the education field or from healthcare would solve a problem was fascinating. You know, we in the military can look to solve problems a very specific way, and a lot of us are a little bit very specific in how we do it. And so to learn how to look at problems and solve things in different ways was extraordinary.   Naviere Walkewicz  31:23 So your career trajectory is just really incredible. Because you've kind of talked about how you've been put in these places based off of circumstance, but then when you get there, it's all about, how do you make the most of it, seize the opportunity and see what's available.   Nicole Malachowski  31:38 A lot of times, you know, as human beings, we go, Well, I don't have this, or I can't do this right now, or not resource this way, man, find a way. Yeah, ask yourself the right question. What is it I can do right now with what I have?   Naviere Walkewicz  31:49 Well, that makes me feel like that's a really good lead into kind of what circumstantially happened to you, unexpectedly. Yes, so you're medically retired from the Air Force. Do you want to talk about how that happened?   Nicole Malachowski  32:00 And sure, sure, you know, the the greatest honor of my career was serving as the commander of the 3/33 fighter squadron. I enjoyed that, and I remember also during that time being physically fit, mentally fit, spiritually fit. And I remember feeling ill in the summer of 2012 like I had the flu, but within three months, I started having severe neurological problems, so things like word finding, slurring my words, inability to read write, inability to type, dropping things with my right hand, dragging my right leg, getting lost, driving home, and I remember going into a grocery store and having a complete panic attack because I didn't know what a grocery store was or why I was in there so very Alzheimer's dementia like symptoms. So in fact, what was happening was my brain was becoming inflamed with an infection. So over the next four years, my symptoms would wax and wane. They would come and go, they would change in severity. Obviously, I could no longer fly. I was grounded, but they said, Hey, you can stay in the Air Force. You just can't fly. And I said, that's great, because honestly, I just want to lead airmen. Lead airmen and be a part of a team. So, you know, there's a lot of details, you know, to this story, but my symptom list was like 63 symptoms long, covering every system in my body. And so they cast the net wide, and that's where tick borne illness came into it. And at that time, I was in a wheelchair. I couldn't talk. My husband was wheeling me around, and I remember when the doctor said, we come on in. We have the diagnosis. We know what's wrong with her. The doctor says she'll never fly again. And my husband said, Well, how long until she's better? And she goes, Well, treatment is going to take at least two years. And it was in that moment, it wasn't that I wasn't going to fly again, that hurt. But when they said two years, I knew that the military was going to medically retire me, I knew it was over, and I couldn't speak or say anything, and I was just devastated. I remember my goal was to be the commandant of the Air Force Academy. That was my dream. And all that just came crashing, you know, crashing down. And in that moment, so for nine months I couldn't walk, talk, read or write. I spent another year and a half in rehab, and during that time, obviously went through my medical evaluation board, but I was medically retired, I fought to stay in and then I realized my body wasn't gonna let me and once I accepted that it was over, you know, I was able to move forward so radical acceptance was a hard thing to come by. But the day of my retirement, December 29 2017 came, I was home alone because I was bedridden and house bound for two years. Um, was very hurtful. Remains hurtful. How my Air Force career ended. I love the Air Force based on all the stories that I told, but this moment is very painful for me. It still is. And, you know, I thought, well, what are you going to do about it? You know, you can't. Change that you were bit by tick, can't change that you have a brain injury. What are you going to do? Girl, you know, the fighter pilot in you is not going to quit. And that's when I decided, well, I'm going to, you know, I got to do something. And the phone rang, and the phone rang, and it was during this time, a gal by the name of Buff Bucha, retired colonel, had been in a helicopter accident broke her neck in Afghanistan. She said, Hey, how you doing? I said, I'm not good. She goes talk to me, and I remember for two hours just vomiting everything out to this person I didn't really know very well. Well, she was calling from the Air Force Wounded Warrior program, wow, and the Wounded Warrior program swooped in to save me, and I ended up becoming a trained ambassador and a trained mentor, which I still am to this day. I'm able to help other airmen who are being discharged, but I just want to give a shout out to the Air Force wind Warrior Program, psychologically and mental health wise, I don't know that I would have recovered, and that I would have recovered to the place that I am today without them. And so I want for the active duty, listening for people in the reserve and the guard. It is for you, yeah, it is for everyone, and it is literally a life saving program.   Naviere Walkewicz  32:45 Maybe talk about what you've been doing then since.   Nicole Malachowski  36:16 Yeah, I do leadership consulting and professional speaking, but predominantly, that helps pay the bills, and I enjoy it. Predominantly, I do patient advocacy work at the national level, so I'm on several government boards. I'm on several nonprofit panels. We've tripled them, and IH funding through the state and like TicK Act and things like that. I'm currently on a National Academies of Science Committee. Can't talk about that because our report will come out in the spring. I hope everyone will read it. But Lyme disease, I went from being a fighter pilot to being an expert on ticks and Lyme disease. Who knew the path to success is always going to be non linear.   Naviere Walkewicz  36:49 Yes, you also mentioned you have children. You have twins. Do so how is it talk about, like family life in this new kind of in the way that you're working now, right? You're not in uniform anymore. You're still pushing amazing things forward. You're consulting what's it like being a mom?   Naviere Walkewicz  37:06 Man, it's harder, it is harder to raise 14 year old twins than it is to get shot at  in combat, I will tell you that. So you know, the person that's been missing in this whole time we've been talking is the most important person in my life, which is my husband, Paul. So we will be married. We just, yeah, just had our anniversary. 23 years. I met him in my first fighter squadron in the late 90s. He's an F-15E WSO. So we met flying together. And my biggest cheerleader, my biggest supporter, the greatest human being on Earth, is my husband, Paul.   Naviere Walkewicz  37:38 I want to talk about this resurgence, because I feel like that is really important for some of our listeners. When they're, you know, they're thinking about you said you got to know who you are and what's important to you. And how did you get to that clarity?   Nicole Malachowski 37:52 You really need to be able to answer the question, what is it I value and why? And I'm talking about your personal values, the ones that you're going to wake up with every day and go, these are my values. And so I'll tell you what mine are. Mine are courage and compassion and curiosity, and I developed those as I went through this deep thinking and deep reinvention, when I lost my career and compassion, courage and curiosity are what drive me today.   Naviere Walkewicz  38:18 We'll ask for Nicole's thoughts on reinvention, resilience and leadership. But before we do that, I'd like to take a moment and thank all of you for listening to long blue leadership. The podcast publishes on Tuesdays in both video and audio, and is available on all your favorite podcast platforms. Watch or listen to all episodes of Long blue leadership and subscribe at longblue leadership.org so we have had an incredible journey together, and really where we'd like to go. One final thought on leadership, if you might, leave your listeners with something about leadership, and I can say just from being in this short amount of time with you, your your 3 Cs are coming out in spades, your compassion, your curiosity and your courage. So thank you.   Nicole Malachowski  39:01 Thank you. You know leadership is a journey. We're always put into positions that we're supposed to grow into. Don't think you have to be perfect to be a leader. It's okay to admit when you make mistakes, it's okay to ask for help, and it's okay to have failures, as long as you overcome them. And I like to remind folks at all levels of leadership, you know that the runway behind you is always unusable. All you ever have is the runway that's in front of you.   Naviere Walkewicz  39:25 Well said, well said, Thank you so much for being on long blue leadership.   Nicole Malachowski  39:29 Thank you for having me. And here's a shout out to the current cadets that are working hard up on the hill, yeah, wishing them best and hoping they take it one day at a time.   Naviere Walkewicz  39:36 Absolutely. And for our listeners, I mean, I think that it's, it's it's certainly one thing to say, you know, you get to meet these incredible leaders, but my ask of you is to share this with your networks, because it's great if you felt something and you've had an impact in your life, but imagine the magnitude you can have by sharing some of the stories of our leaders like Nicole today with your networks and the change we can make together. So until next time, thanks for being on. Long blue leadership, thank you for joining us for this edition of long blue leadership. The podcast drops every two weeks on Tuesdays and is available on all your favorite podcast apps. Send your comments and guest ideas to us at social media@usafa.org, and listen to past episodes at longblueleadership.org.   KEYWORDS leadership, resilience, resurgence, Air Force Academy, mentorship, aviation, women in military, pilot training, overcoming adversity, personal growth, fighter pilot, mentorship, leadership, Thunderbirds, women in military, self-doubt, White House Fellowship, WASP, Air Force, personal growth, diversity, WASP, Air Force, medical retirement, resilience, leadership, Lyme Disease, tick-borne illness, self-discovery, personal values, reinvention, advocacy         The Long Blue Line Podcast Network is presented by the U.S. Air Force Academy Association and Foundation    

in•HUEmanity is a Black-owned card game designed to spark meaningful discussions about the Black experience. With topics covering Society, Politics, Religion, and Spirituality, it brings friends and family together to share perspectives and connect on a deeper level. Perfect for holidays, gatherings, or any time you want to engage with your community. In addition to the card game, in•HUEmanity offers a variety of merchandise, including sweaters, T-shirts, phone cases, hats, and more. Visit https://www.inhuemanity.com/ Apply our Exclusive Promo Codes on your order: **RAP45** for 45% OFF (valid for 48 hours after publc episode release) -**RAP25** for 25% OFF, available once RAP45 expires Stay connected with in•HUEmanity on social media: **Instagram:** [@in.HUEmanity] https://instagram.com/in.HUEmanity **TikTok:** [@in.HUEmanity] https://tiktok.com/@in.HUEmanity **YouTube:** [inHUEmanity] https://www.youtube.com/inHUEmanity Get your in•HUEmanity game and merch now, and kick off unforgettable conversations with those who matter most! In this episode of #DailyRapUpCrew, we dive into insecurities, dating experiences, cultural identity, and the impact of societal pressures on mental health. From relationships and beauty standards to political and religious beliefs, our panel shares raw perspectives on what it means to navigate these issues in today's world. *Enhance Your Experience with #Dailyrapupcrew

Prudence De Marchi is a former Assistant Principal turned full-time artist. While on maternity leave, she found time to dedicate to her first passion – painting which she has built into thriving business since the birth of her son. Predominantly working with acrylics on canvas, Prudence is influenced by nature, architecture, design, music and fashion. She creates abstract paintings that vary from fervent strokes of colour to more controlled geometric and organic forms. Her works are currently available through private commission, website, Jumbled Online, Greenhouse Interiors and other stockist throughout Australia. Shop Prudence's artwork: https://www.prudencedemarchi.com/ Follow her on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/prudence.demarchi.art/ Learn more about Creator Club business coaching and resources to help you in your marketing: Watch Emails that Sell Masterclass on demand and learn how to sell through story-based emails that your audience will want to open Creator Club and our 1:1 business coaching program Connect with Ruby on Instagram

Professor Keith Chen, Assistant Professor Kareem Haggag and co-authors examined 40,000 voting locations from the 2016 election

Welcome to Season 4, Episode 42! It's another installment of Most Forgotten Massacres. Today we're going to talk about the Anti-Filipino Riots in Washington State. Although the discrimination and violence occurred in the 1920s and 1930s, the tension had been building for a few decades because the dislike of Asian laborers can be traced back to the Chinese during the Gold Rush and railroad days, the Japanese in the agricultural fields, and the South Asians in agriculture and lumber mills. For Filipinos in Washington State, many of them came in as U.S. Nationals, but they became labeled as Aliens after a few years. In this episode, we share some of the cultural, political, economic, and social issues that led to the violence against Filipino laborers in Washington. Predominantly occurring in Yakima Valley, Seattle, and Bremerton, the events highlighted a widespread problem that was exacerbated by politicians, labor leaders, nativist groups, and the media. In our opening we talk about Shohei Ohtani and the LA Dodgers as well as Adele Lim and the Princess Diaries 3. In our recurring segment, we talk about the National Federation of Filipino American Associations. They do a lot of advocacy and empowerment work. You can learn more or donate on their website.  If you like what we do, please share, follow, and like us in your podcast directory of choice or on Instagram @AAHistory101. For previous episodes and resources, please visit our site at https://asianamericanhistory101.libsyn.com or social media links at http://castpie.com/AAHistory101. If you have any questions, comments or suggestions, email us at info@aahistory101.com. Segments 00:25 Intro: Talking Shohei Ohtani and Adele Lim on Princess Diaries 3 05:50 The History of the Anti-Filipino Riots in Washington State 28:14 Organizations to Know: National Federation of Filipino American Associations

Allen and Joel speak to Bryant Bertrand, CEO and co-founder of Ronin, to discuss their innovative power ascenders used in the wind industry. Ronin's technology makes turbine climbs faster, safer, and less physically demanding for technicians, potentially transforming maintenance operations. Their products are designed with the technician in mind, from operation simplicity to weight. Sign up now for Uptime Tech News, our weekly email update on all things wind technology. This episode is sponsored by Weather Guard Lightning Tech. Learn more about Weather Guard's StrikeTape Wind Turbine LPS retrofit. Follow the show on Facebook, YouTube, Twitter, Linkedin and visit Weather Guard on the web. And subscribe to Rosemary Barnes' YouTube channel here. Have a question we can answer on the show? Email us! Pardalote Consulting - https://www.pardaloteconsulting.comWeather Guard Lightning Tech - www.weatherguardwind.comIntelstor - https://www.intelstor.com Allen Hall: Welcome to the Uptime Wind Energy Podcast. I'm your host, Allen Hall, joined by my co host, Joel Saxum. Today, joining us is Bryant Bertrand, CEO and co founder of Ronin. And for those of you who haven't encountered their equipment yet, Ronin is a company at the forefront of vertical access technology. They develop power ascenders aiming to make turbine climbs faster, safer, and less physically demanding for technicians. In today's episode, we'll explore how Ronin's ascenders are impacting maintenance operations from. Routine inspections to major component exchanges. And we'll discuss the technology behind the devices, their safety features, and how they comply with industry standards. . Will also share his insights on real world performance data and user experiences from wind farms across the country. So whether you're a technician looking to optimize your climb times or an engineer interested in the latest maintenance tech or a site engineer considering ways to enhance your team's efficiency, this conversation promises valuable insight. Allen Hall: Welcome to the program. Joel Saxum: Thanks for having me on guys. Bryant, give us a, give us the rundown. Give us the general thing here. What are you guys doing? What is the product? Bryant Bertrand: Yeah. So let me give you just a little background on myself. My team, we came out of the rescue industry. Predominantly we were designing hoists and winches for helicopters. So this is the mountainside Coast Guard rescue that you typically see on helicopters and believe it or not, there's not rescues happening every day and a lot of times these birds get multipurpose into commercial activities and those activities may be dropping a technician off on a transmission tower, an offshore wind turbine, oil and gas platform, but we would just see a ton of access issues for men and women that are climbing in these at height industries. And so we took a look saying how can we get some better access tools out there for these workers that are working on ropes. And we took a look at a lot of technology and specifically we looked at the military technology that was being deployed for power descenders. And you guys might have seen maybe videos of these devices coming out of the water SEAL teams or tactical teams doing on, off, offshore shipboarding with it. And we said how do we take this technology which is. Very nichey, very military, very high, highly tech and make a more commercialized product that's more looked like a tool. And that's really. Where Ronan was founded on, and we've seen great success there and bringing these tools in these industries. And they serve a number of great purposes in addressing access challenges and fatigue reduction and efficiency. And that's really the core founding message of this business is to bring this technology to the forefront. And allow it to essentially elevate the workforce. Allen Hall: So the key I've noticed from the Ronin technology is it's pretty compact an...

"It's Friday. . . ."  That means that the time has come for a check-in with one of our "What to Do in Richmond This Weekend" gurus -- Clay Hamner, of shoprva.com!  Predominantly, Scott, Dan, and Clay chat about Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden and St. John's Church (site of the reenactment of Patrick Henry's "Liberty or Death" speech in March of 1775).

Dr Leah Gilman of Sheffield University is a sociologist working at the intersection of the sociology of personal life, reproduction and digital sociology. She has spent over a decade researching donor conception and exploring how people negotiate family and reproductive relationships in the context of social, legal and technological change. She has contributed to several journals and articles and even written a book along the way, today she is here to share a bit of insight into her current project. Predominantly the majority of Leah's focus is the UK, however, in this episode, we explore and chat about the differences in the law between the UK and Australia, and why the UK's current laws might be more of a hindrance than actually achieving anything beneficial. We chat about the British media and the clinic's current attitudes towards online donation. We analyse the different types of donor clinics, online and those that do both. For more information about this episode and links to contact Leah head to: https://ivfdonationworld.com/episode-75/

PREVIEW: #SOUTH AFRICA: #ANC: Conversation with colleague Ronan Wordsworth, @GPFutures, re the ANC forming a coalition government with the business-dominated, predominantly white Democratic Alliance and others, and how this mix may temper  the ANC's antipathy toward Israel. More tonight. 1899 Kimberley, South Africa

Olive oil, a cornerstone of the Mediterranean diet, boasts a rich composition of essential fatty acids, vitamins A, D, E, and K, along with polyphenols. These antioxidants are celebrated for their role in decelerating cellular ageing. Fatty acids, a pivotal component of lipids, include some that our bodies cannot produce, underscoring the necessity of sourcing them from our diets. Predominantly composed of omega-9, olive oil's monounsaturated fatty acids are linked to a diminished risk of cardiovascular ailments. They are also known to lower LDL-cholesterol—the infamous ‘bad' cholesterol—as well as the overall cholesterol levels in our bloodstream. Additionally, olive oil serves as a natural appetite suppressant, fostering a sense of fullness and aiding in the regulation of blood sugar levels. Does all this mean that olive oil is calorie-free? How do I choose the right oil? And how do you store olive oil properly? In under 3 minutes, we answer your questions! To listen to the last episodes, you can click here: Could gamophobia be hurting your relationship? How do I know when to end a friendship? How often should I wash my hair? A podcast written and realised by Amber Minogue. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The one where the cream rises to the top Emma and Nicole speak to Michael Caines, is a two-Michelin star awarded chefs and one of six Black Michelin star chefs in the world. Born in Exeter, Michael was adopted into a white family at a young age and his love of cooking lead him to apprentice under Raymond Blanc, and at the age of 25 a car accident lead to him losing his right arm. He discusses growing up in a white family and predominantely white environments, working in fast-paced and highly competitive environments, relearning his skills after losing an arm, and how food connects us to culture. Michael is featured in Lucas Fothergill's Everyone Everywhere: Mixed Race Family Stories, looking into a hundred years of mixed British history, published by Unbounders. Pre-order our book The Half Of It: https://lnkfi.re/nf0upC Michael Caines: https://www.instagram.com/macaines/  Lucas Fothgergill: https://twitter.com/lucasfothergill  Everyone Everywhere: https://unbound.com/books/everyone-everywhere Instagram: https://instagram.com/mixedup.podcast Website: https://www.mixedup.co.uk/Substack: https://mixeduppod.substack.com 

Mark Fuchs, National Weather Service Senior Hydrologist joins Megan and Tom discussing just how much flooding is expected along the Mississippi this weekend.  

Predominantly squash basedThis week on the world's greatest user-generated movie creation podcast we've got toasted fingers, TransylVANia & Beethoven's 'That's What I Go To School For'Send us YOUR film (or TV) suggestions by leaving a review on Apple or by getting in touch with us by email dreamfactorypod@gmail.com, Twitter, Facebook, Threads, Tik Tok or Instagram.The Dream Factory is a comedy podcast that turns YOUR film ideas into movie masterpieces. Become a member at https://plus.acast.com/s/dreamfactory. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Am I the Genius? on

Am I the Genius? on

“The casting couch is a euphemism for the practice of soliciting sexual favors from a job applicant in exchange for employment in the entertainment industry, primarily acting roles.[1][2] The practice is illegal in the United States. Predominantly male casting directors and film producers use the casting couch to extract sex from aspiring actors in Hollywood, Bollywood,[3][4] Broadway, and other segments of the industry.[9] The term casting couch originally referred to physical couches in the casting office, but is now a metonym for the phenomenon as a whole. Depictions of casting couch sexual encounters have also become a genre of pornography. According to economists Thomas Borcherding and Darren Filson, the high risk and returns in Hollywood cinema encourage the casting couch phenomenon. The possibility of high returns incentivizes unestablished actors to accept minimal wages in exchange for roles. With the exception of a few extremely talented actors, producers are unable to evaluate the aptitude of the vast majority of qualified actors due to uncertainty. As a result, some actors give sexual favors to producers to obtain a perceived advantage in the casting; the casting couch functions as a counterpayment that effectively reduces their wages. This creates a conflict of interest in which corrupt producers substitute aptitude (an unquantifiable variable) with sexual activity in their decision-making.[10] Actors who submit to the casting couch are not guaranteed roles, as there is an abundance of actors who participate in the practice. An actor's decision of whether to provide sex is comparable to the prisoner's dilemma, and results in a tragedy of the commons in which sex is needed to obtain film roles from producers who demand it, but fails to provide an advantage relative to other actors who offer sexual favors. If the provision of sex were voluntary and performed with the consent of all parties, the casting couch would be a quid pro quo exchange and a victimless crime. However, the practice is illegal in the United States and likely involves some degree of sexual exploitation or sexual harassment. Actors who do not participate in the casting couch are subject to externalities, including reduced employability.[10] Borcherding and Filson argue that the casting couch became less prominent after the Hollywood studio system, which enforced long-term employment contracts for actors, was eliminated on antitrust grounds in United States v. Paramount Pictures, Inc. (1948). Long-term contracts gave producers stronger bargaining power, which was used by corrupt producers to extract sex from actors more effectively.[10]” -Wikipedia. --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/antonio-myers4/support

#PANAMA: Updating a new Michael Yon visit to the Darien Gap to watch the incoming migrants in the thousands week from Venezuela and Ecuador and then predominantly the Global South governances from all continents. @Michael_Yon 1927 Darien Gap

EP313 - Holiday 2023 Preview with Rob Garf of Salesforce Episode 313 is preview of Holiday 2023 with Rob Garf, Vice President and General Manager, Retail at Salesforce. This is Robs' fifth time on the show, having previously been on episodes 110, 248, 282, and 299. It's happened again. Your Halloween decorations have come down (or at least your pumpkin is not in good shape), you survived Amazon Prime Big Deal Days, and now you're getting ready to ditch your in-laws and enjoy one of the most exciting retail weeks of the year. Yes, it's time for Holiday 2023! This year, we've decided to do things a bit different by previewing the holiday in advance of Turkey 5. Rob Garf has kindly joined to walk us through Salesforce's e-commerce forecast for November and December, and we compare it to all the other forecasts out there (NRF, Deloitte, Bain, US Dept of Commerce). In addition to the top line forecasts, we touch on retail versus e-commerce, changing shape of the holiday, discounting climate, inventory and supply chain impacts, top performing categories, the economy, and the impact of rapidly growing Chinese brands (Temu, Shein, TikTok). Throughout this episode make liberal use of real-time data from Salesforce Shopping Insights HQ, which tracks how 1.5+ billion consumers are shaping shopping trends. You can see a real-time holiday dashboard, powered by Tableau so you can interact with the data yourself on the Salesforce Holiday Insights page. Episode 313 of the Jason & Scot show was recorded on Wednesday November 8th, 2023. http://jasonandscot.com Join your hosts Jason "Retailgeek" Goldberg, Chief Commerce Strategy Officer at Publicis, and Scot Wingo, CEO of GetSpiffy and Co-Founder of ChannelAdvisor as they discuss the latest news and trends in the world of e-commerce and digital shopper marketing. Transcript Jason: [0:23] Welcome to the Jason and Scot show this is episode 313 being recorded on Wednesday November 8th 2023 I'm your host Jason retailgeek Goldberg and as usual I'm here with your co-host Scot Wingo. Scot: [0:39] Hey Jason and welcome back Jason and Scot show listeners Jason is 3:13 the lucky number I had the 13 is kind of on there so I think we'll count it. Jason: [0:48] It's a lot of threes. Scot: [0:50] Yeah yeah I think it's a primal have to get one of our research analyst to work on the okay so we are recording this in early November as Jason said so at that critical part of the retail calendar all the plans are laid the discounts are on the table Cyber Monday. Thanksgiving Black Friday everything's teed up and everyone's waiting in anticipation of what holiday is going to bring us this year. And we know longtime listeners will know that our holiday turkey five coverage with a lot of sprinkling of data is second to none in the industry and this year we're going to take it up a notch in past years we've had our friend of the show Rob Garf VP and GM for retail at Salesforce on after the turkey 5 give us a real-time view of what they saw and for those of you that have been with us very long time this is her Jason's mom primarily those were episodes 110 249 282 and 299 man that's quite a track record this year we are going to take it up and have a delicious rub Garf before and after holiday sandwich it's kind of like that turkey sandwich but we're going to kind of sample it here before we even even have Thanksgiving. Rob before I before I go on welcome back for the fifth and I think record time on the show. Rob: [2:11] Wow I love it this is I will have to call the Guinness book up and make sure we get this knocked in memory on this is fantastic it's always good to be here and even better Scott and Jason and first of all thank you for having me on doing a little bit of a preview because as you mention were normally crawling through the data talking about the holiday weekend and seeing where everything lands after the critical time period and it's fun to take a little bit of a sneak preview and look at what we're anticipating and what we're seeing going into as you mentioned one of the most critical times of the year. Jason: [2:45] I think you're exactly right Rob I don't know why we didn't think of this sooner I feel like they should have always been part of our holiday tradition. And I do feel like we're getting all of the Rob protein with none of the nasty carbs so that's like a. Particularly healthy Thanksgiving treat but Rob before we jump into all of the good data remind listeners what the heck it is you do for Salesforce and how you get all this juicy data. Rob: [3:13] Yeah that's awesome let's by the way the listeners decide you know how. Advantageous this is after the fact I hope it is and again we'll do our best so yeah and I've been I always thinking about it thinking into this conversation now at Salesforce for over 7 years but I came. To the CRM Leader by way of demand where and if you remember demandware now Commerce Cloud was the leader and the cloud space and we instrumented the platform early on to get access to everything that flows. Through our Cloud so you think about all the Taps all the clicks all the swipes. [3:48] Now we don't have any access to personally identifiable information but we bubble that up and it becomes really The Benchmark for what's happening in digital and over the years we've included. Things from marketing and Service as well to look at a more complete buyers Journey. [4:08] And it's been really fun each quarter we release our shopping index which is available on salesforce.com built on Tableau and it's interactive so you can slice and dice it by vertical and by geography and it really helps. Retailers gauge how they're doing vis-à-vis their peer set which of course is extremely important anytime of the year but certainly even more important during. The holiday week now I think there's one thing that I sometimes forget to say so I want to make sure right cover it now which is. Our index and by virtue of that our benchmarks are from a outside in perspective so they are a look at the entire industry, not just Salesforce data we've modeled this over the last 10 years since its Inception so it's really intended to look at. The overall industry and benchmarking how peers are doing rather than speaking to anything that Salesforce is doing so that's my quick infomercial but hopefully more than anything just a little bit of credibility as to where we get the data, what we do with it and most importantly the conversations were able to have similar to what we're doing here. Jason: [5:19] God so that that sounds perfect. I do want just a couple clarifying questions before we jump into the actual data because I know we're going to talk about holiday like what is your official definition of holiday what what dates are you looking at. Rob: [5:38] Yeah thanks for asking that's always an important question so we've defined it over the years as the complete November and December so that's our holiday our peak season look. And we look at in particular for again the holiday weekend I know you call it cyber five or thirty five, we have cyber week which starts the Tuesday before, American Thanksgiving and works its way through Cyber Monday it's just something we started from the beginning and 4y like to like, your rear comparisons we've kept that intact so in on referencing cyber week or cyber five it's really looking at those, those seven days now of course the definition by some has been elongated and I hope we'll get into that in terms of when does the official real demand start but to answer your question straight on Jason it's for us at Salesforce November December. Jason: [6:27] Got it and so for historical purposes you've always been located in November December and then you're predominantly or exclusively focused on digital sales so you're you're reporting on what actually happened and forecasting what you think is going to happen in terms of e-commerce sales but unless I had this wrong you guys don't put a flag in the ground on on what you think is going to happen in brick-and-mortar is that true. Rob: [6:50] That is accurate now we do kind of go on the fringes a little bit because the bleeding between online or the blurring I should say between online and offline so we do have, data on buy online pick up at store we do have data on returns as well which is by virtue of, definition multi-channel omni-channel type of process but we don't put a stake in the ground because we just don't have the intrinsic data to be able to bubble that up and provide on the actuals. Jason: [7:20] Sure and then one other fun fact you reference the shopping index and you always have like the quarterly recap on there but I think. For sure during holidays and I think you're going to tell me your round you actually have a real-time dashboard up there so it's kind of a fun thing during the individual days of cyber week to kind of pop in and see see what's going on after your family Thanksgiving dinner to see if you're still going to have a retail job when this is all over. Rob: [7:50] Yeah yeah we do exactly so during particularly cyber week each morning the team is getting up super early as you can imagine and work around through the data and we're updating in real-time the data from the previous day and so for any retailer who is looking for the latest and greatest certainly by I would say 10:00 eastern time at the latest you will get that and see that up there we do have many customers who do use that in there Roundtable boardroom discussions each day to understand how they're doing it repairing it and more than anything Jason truth be told we need to get it up that early because our boss this guy named Marc benioff is typically texting us saying where's the data because I want to tweet it so yeah as much of a motivator as anything else. Scot: [8:40] Always fun when you get the text from The Seer. Jason: [8:44] Slack's slacks the he sends wax not to. Scot: [8:48] A slacks yes sorry I was off I was off brand for a second yeah he Einsteins it to his his Einstein slacks you. You mentioned one follow-up on that you mentioned American Thanksgiving that prompted me to ask this is largely we're talking about the u.s. here primarily we're not going to this is an international I'm sure you can go International but, we're doing more us right. Rob: [9:12] Yeah I'm prepared to do whatever I thought we'd probably borrow a bit more into us but we do have Global numbers but yeah. Scot: [9:20] Okay we have time Jason's obsessed with these Chinese companies I'm sure he'll ask you some questions so. Rob: [9:25] That's fair that wouldn't. Scot: [9:26] Yeah he gets all his clothes from she in any way. So before we dive into the topic du jour which is this year's holiday 2023 maybe recap for listeners kind of that you know. I know we had you on but the dust has settled and I'm sure you're going back and looking at it now with holiday 22 what were some of the bullet items that you kind of you you're thinking about as we go into 23. Rob: [9:56] Scot you don't think the listeners have totally taken This to Memory what we talked about last November 29 come on. You're probably right that's fine yeah I get it not all of us live and breathe this but yeah let's bring us back and you know actually if I could just for a minute, to put 2022 in context you need to think a little bit about 2021 and let me just spend a minute there and then I'll fast forward to 22 which is if you remember some of us don't want to in 2021 it was truly one of the first times that demand, actually got pulled forward in the holiday season and the reason was. The first mile delivery issues were stuck if you remember so many products were stuck in the port in the US of a Lala. The containers if they even got to the port or having a difficult time getting off the ship in into the domestic supply chain and people saw a headline after headline when I say people like consumers by or shoppers and they realized if they didn't buy early in the season. [11:03] They might not get the product that they actually want because in the past they would just have a waiting game and wait for the last and final deal and so. Demand got pulled earlier in the season and oh by the way retailers didn't have to Discount as steep as they normally do so going into 2020 retailers thought. [11:26] All of a sudden there would be this magical shift to Consumers buying earlier in the year and you know what that just didn't happen, there was actually a really good point of why that didn't happen when you look at the first two weeks of November we saw some of the lowest discounting rates that we typically see during the holiday season and because of these lackluster deals. People really didn't buy anything they waited and they again went back to their normal buying Behavior. One other by-product out of that is those that did by early. [12:04] We saw that they actually return the product during cyber week cyber week last year 2022 at some of the highest. Return rates during that week of the entire season people were doing their own price adjustments if they bought the product earlier in the year and realize they could have gotten a better price so there's like. I don't know how you calculate a triple or quadruple whammy on the bottom line that retailer saw. Because they were hoping to chase the deals earlier or wait I should say for the deals into the season and consumers just didn't bite. Overall and then I'll stop talking for a second here is what we saw. For let's just take cyber week as an example in the u.s. we saw a nine percent year-over-year growth growth online and globally we saw a 2% growth so us was really buoying up the global number there but a lot of that Sales Online happened right before cyber week and through the Thanksgiving holiday. Scot: [13:07] Got it it's kind of coming back to me I Remember You coining The Phrase discount chicken I remembered that is that right remember. Rob: [13:15] Yeah yeah yeah totally and thank you so discount chicken you know for the first time that we saw, retailers won the game of discount chicken last year I'm sorry in 2021 they tried to win again in 2022 but it just didn't happen consumers are really wise the real patient and now especially as they're seeing headwinds in their economic future there's definitely searching out for better and best deals. Scot: [13:46] Yeah this this kind of goes back to our data question it just occurred to me as we were talking about this obviously the macroeconomic is different now does that factor into your when you swirl all this together and you guys put together a funk forecast is that is that an input. Rob: [14:00] Absolutely yeah for sure and another piece that we look at very closely because it's driven so much of the growth over the last two years is inflation as well and so when you look at the last two years much of the online and growth is from increased prices not increased demand so people are just not getting as much from their dollar because of those increases we're starting to see that settle down the last couple quarters which is good news we're not quite seeing in Europe by the way but here in the US and so we're hoping, some of the growth will come from We're anticipating I should say some of the growth this holiday season coming from actual increase demand. Jason: [14:41] God so I want to I want to jump in the big reveal but a quick quiz first if you don't mind so last year us e-commerce growth nine percent G20 21 was also an incredibly abnormal year do you remember what the actual number you guys got for 2021 was. Rob: [15:00] For cyber week that's a. Jason: [15:02] No or sorry for holiday if you don't have it it's fine. Rob: [15:05] Overall holiday for 2021 was nine percent but that's Global so I'd have to go back to see what it was with the US. Jason: [15:13] No problem but so last year in the u.s. nine percent growth which was outlier for because Global growth was quite a bit softer. And so now here we are getting ready for Holiday 23 and what what do you think's going to happen when how much stuff we're going to sell online in November and December of twenty three in the US. Rob: [15:35] Yeah, so we're anticipating here in the US basically flat online growth and anybody I'm talking to is candidly quite okay with that and let me tell you why they're not overly bullish about significant growth online this year. For two major factors one is, we actually looked at the kegger over the last couple of years going back to 2019 and if things play out the way we anticipate we're still looking at for the holiday season compound annual growth of somewhere between 20 and 25% and so we're really where we are better than where we've been in 2019 year-over-year so we're you know we've been looking at these data points for quite some time during the holiday season if we're going to do 10 to 12 to 13 percent year-over-year growth online we're feeling really good and we've seen the average over the last couple of years come out well over that so there's a baseline that we're still needing to consider as we think about growth the second factor is. [16:50] The store. And we can't forget about even though our data doesn't explicitly account for that what we've seen in our data is that people are still going online very, aggressively meaning traffic quarter-over-quarter year-over-year is still really strong however what we're finding is people are then doing what they've naturally done for a long time which is in many cases then go into the store to actually make the purchase and so it doesn't necessarily tell when you look at flat growth year over year for the holiday season the entire story we're still feeling really good about it what helps us by the way one more caveat that I'll put in there and I should have mentioned it's got just a moment ago when you asked how we get to the numbers one of the key influences, is what does it October look like and particularly prime or we should I was about to say Prime day but the prime big deal days and so what we've seen when it first came out a nice halo effect. And we still see a halo effect certainly during the dog days of summer in July since the Inception of prime day. What was that 56 years ago but we although we saw bumps in the early part when it. First was established in October there wasn't a significant halo effect that happened during Pride a meaning those. [18:18] Not named Amazon during the October event we saw nice traffic we though saw really low discount rates once again so people were being patient they're biding their time and so we are seeing some nice add to cart rates as well so we saw people were poking around they were doing their research they were starting to. Think about what their holiday gifting this look like but they were waiting and so that's my long way of saying we're anticipating a fairly moderate holiday but we're not at all discouraged by what we. Jason: [18:54] Totally fair and so and I want to put your forecast in a little bit of context but before I do you kind of open the door on this whole October and shape of holiday thing like hey. Super useful to have historical consistency so I'm glad you guys report. The same time period every year right like I'm by no means proposing that everyone should change periods but it is interesting there's there's a lot more promotional activity. Happening in October than was true 10 years ago right and in very specific ways you convoluted 22 years ago, Prime day was cancelled in summer and happened in October and then they move prom date back to Summer but they added this second prime day and put a lot more marketing behind it this year than last year so and every other retailer on the planet. Counter programs against that that holiday and so there's been a. An increasing amount of pressure to pull sales in in October and then on the flip side a lot of people feel like holiday doesn't really end. And told mid to late January and there's a variety of reasons for that but one very particular one heck of a lot of gift cards get sold and gifted during holidays and they get redeemed. [20:18] Predominantly in January and so I guess I'm just kind of curious I'm not sure you would have necessary data behind this but like it does feel like holiday is flattening out and I know you guys pay particular attention to cyber week which you know is still a huge outlier and obviously we see way more sales on Cyber week than a traditional holiday week but. As a. Relation to the total holiday period it does feel like that spike is starting to flatten out a little bit like do you see holiday getting kind of stretched and flattened. Rob: [20:53] Yeah I love the question in this I feel like we could look back you know in a year or 25 years and do a whole. [21:03] I don't know extensive research project around how, people in mindset and shopping has evolved because it has and of course the pandemic had a big accelerator to that what we've seen in our data Jason is there has been a flattening out throughout cyber week meeting the big Spikes have typically been Black Friday and Cyber Monday and those still remain the two largest online days of the entire year but we are seeing a flattening out throughout the entire week but we haven't seen a lot of the sales, when it's all said and done pulled into October we do see a little bit of a blip in and around, the big deal days and we actually to your point other retailers have preempted the sales and we saw that in July as well meaning doing sales events the week before and it does draw them up, some traffic but we haven't seen a large portion being pulled into that time period what I will also say again lackluster discounts played a big role we're anticipating, comparing big deal days to cyber week cyber week we'll see about a 40% higher discounting rate. [22:28] Then what we witnessed just a couple of weeks ago in October you are totally right by the way that. [22:37] The holiday season does definitely extend through December and into January that's why most every retailer has there. You know fiscal year ending in January so they can really reconcile and get out from under what happened in the holiday not just gift cards but all of the returns and exchanges that invariably happen as well but at the end of the day just put a nice little underscore here is in 2020 and 2021 we did see a bit of pulling forward into October a couple of percentage points of sales but we're forecasting that 25% of all holiday sales will happen again as we Define it the 7-Day is of cyber week. Jason: [23:27] Interesting very cool okay so before we dive into some more granular topics I do you want to put the 9% in context and some listeners will be familiar with Nate silver and his poll of polls in the the kind of boring, boring a political forecast but the way more interesting March Madness forecast so I like to fancy myself as the Nate silver of e-commerce and so I do try to watch all of this data and huge caveat, nobody's data is Apples to Apples right so it's not really a matter of though this number doesn't match up to this number. Everyone has a slightly different definition of what e-commerce means everyone has a slightly different set of dates that they're looking at and they have different methodologies right so your methodology I feel like you get perfectly accurate data from a slice of the market right like there's there's no like. Human. [24:30] Are introducing your data because it's coming right from the systems and that the challenge for you guys is to take your slice and extend that to the the entire world of retail. The and I feel like you guys do that really well. So another data source that of course people are sick of me talking about is the US Department of Commerce which are these like surveys that they force retailers to fill out and. There's. Entirely different challenges and flaws in their survey methodology and how they defined e-commerce but just to kind of put things in perspective. I'm going to talk about they give us both brick-and-mortar and e-commerce data and so I pulled right before a show I pulled their data for the historical averages of November and December and so for the 27 years before covid-19. November and December sales grew, 3.8 5% per year so that's brick-and-mortar that's not related to the number you gave it all so average retail growth in that States of America / the US Department of Commerce in November and December three point eight five percent so and then I remind people the three covid years 20 21 and 22. [25:45] Were the greatest three years in the history of retail right because we didn't let anyone spend any money on travel and we mailed 10 trillion dollars to every man woman and child in America, to spend and so via the US Department of Commerce data 2020 Drew 9.2 percent. [26:04] 20:21 Drew 12.5 percent in 2020 to grew 5.4% so three straight years of, way over the historical average growth right and then using that same methodology they US Department of Commerce reports internet sales I'm way more skeptical of their internet sales because of the methodology in the way they Define it but just to put it in perspective. [26:32] For the 27 years before covid they have e-commerce growing eleven point two five percent a year and so then 2020 when everyone was locked in the house and not going to retail we had this monster year e-commerce group 35% in November and December from their data and then the following year because there was sort of a rebound and a return into two brick-and-mortar sales e-commerce sales were actually lower than the industry average so 2021 they had sales at 10.5% so a little bit off of the historical average and then last year they were the softest of all they were seven point six eight percent which is the slowest e-commerce growth in Holiday in the last 30 years so that's just kind of an interesting context right so the orders of magnitude are all right you had nine percent growth last year they had seven point six percent growth they don't forecast of course and so then I start looking at the forecast and a big forecast that comes out every year we're all friends of the NRF here and there in RF members the NRF just did their holiday forecast their forecasting brick-and-mortar growing three to four percent so. [27:45] Pretty much in line with that historical average that's a deceleration from last year which was 5.4% and they're forecasting internet sales of 7.9 percent so they're kind of perfectly splitting the difference between the US Department of Commerce and Salesforce for whatever that's worth by pretty pretty broad range and so that just kind of passes my quick sanity check Deloitte also does a forecast now deloitte's forecast is a different time range they consider holiday November to January and they're forecasting brick-and-mortar 3.5 to four point six percent so a little more optimistic and they're forecasting e-commerce at ten point three to twelve point eight percent so again a little more optimistic and then Bain did a forecast this year and they have three percent brick-and-mortar so I just wanted to throw that out there that most people are expecting this kind of three to four percent brick-and-mortar growth and this kind of we'll call it eight to eleven percent e-commerce growth. Rob: [28:51] Yeah and I would say given what you just talked about. Others a bit more bullish on the e-commerce growth than we are but I think directionally both brick and mortar and e-commerce are telling a very similar story which is e-commerce is still alive and kicking but it now has to be looked at in the context of brick and mortar and I think there's a lot of factors in that that actually will make the reporting moving forward even more difficult it is making it difficult and Jason you and I have talked about this before it's just the attribution models because it's not just about last-click anymore especially as people might you know in many cases go online and then go into the store where's that last click and how is that I'd be factored so everything from. [29:38] What we had anticipated in seeing around, you know 60% of digital sales now influenced by the physical store because the associate is driving demand through, customer service or client telling or social media or they're fulfilling Demand with being able to, you know pick pack and ship and online order. Or what's happening in digital as well in terms of people buying online and then picking up in or around the store so I think what is super interesting. In addition to what you said is how these metrics might evolve over time because it will depend a lot on, by retailer who's getting the credit and I know that's something that's been talked about for quite some time but literally how to is it how is it being accounted for and what does that do to how their reporting the numbers. Jason: [30:33] Yeah couldn't agree more and just 11 sort of example to illustrate that 11 kind of category that sold almost no meaningful volume online before the pandemic was grocery right second biggest category of consumer spending but none of it was online before the pandemic now depending on how you count ten to twelve percent of its online and guess what it all gets attributed as store sales right because it all it's all bananas that are getting delivered from a store and you know so 100% of instacart sales look like store sales to the retailer. And so it like I agree with you it's just it's just getting more and more convoluted. Rob: [31:14] Yeah well it's an interesting point around grocery you know our data showed in 2020 and most of 2021 we saw Triple digit growth year over year because of what you just talked about you just wouldn't ordinarily or historically by groceries online what drove a lot of that and what I think will drive Behavior moving forward is in 2020 we saw a 40-percent increase of net new. Digital Shoppers so these are people that hang out online but they wouldn't click the buy button and so a lot of those people now want to go back into the store but they're using digital they're using their phone in particular to really be that connective tissue. Scot: [31:55] What's a continue to peel the onion here you hit on this a little bit but tell us more about what you think is coming up in the 2023 cyber week for example if I recall last year Cyber Monday was the biggest e-commerce Day Ever set, is that did you guys agree with that or what's a my misremembering. Rob: [32:14] Yeah yeah so we actually have seen Black Friday actually. Bust up to the largest I know that's kind of hard to how others have looked at it but they're both really strong and we anticipate that being the case again again though we are seeing a bit of smoothing out of demand throughout the seven days. [32:36] Particularly on phones and I guess that's not a big butt when we weren't traveling we saw the Resurgence of you know iPads and tablets and actual regular computers especially when you get nice groovy one Scott like you did just recently but anyways I am getting distracted here by your awesome new computer but. What we are now seeing though is I move back to mobile and what we saw also during Thanksgiving a really strong traffic particularly local times between 4:00 and 8:00 if you think about it that's essentially when people are finishing their Thanksgiving Neil and they need a little break there sitting on their couch and they pull out their phone and so we're seeing a lot of traffic. Via Mobile and social as well by the way we are anticipating and we predicted this going back in June that we're going to see. Traffic via social be at a 10 times higher rate. Than traditional marketing so there's a lot of budget being pushed towards that media and we're seeing. [33:49] A lot of success there now they're still a bit of a gap in terms of conversion rate through that channel but again if you connect the dots mobile. And social happening over cyber week in particular on Thanksgiving it's going to be really strong and we're seeing again retailers lean into that. Scot: [34:10] So Black Friday was bigger growth last year or bigger absolute dollars or both. Rob: [34:18] For us it was biggest absolute dollars the growth was essentially spot-on for both Cyber Monday and Black Friday. Scot: [34:28] Jason and I'm assuming that did other people say it was Cyber Monday or it was at all. Jason: [34:32] Yeah they're they're different different folks had that different Peak yeah so but. Scot: [34:39] Controversy in e-commerce I love it. Jason: [34:41] Yeah controversy and they're getting closer together like they're worth in the early days. E-commerce Cyber Monday was a giant Tower and no one had internet access on Black Friday like that that could really is no longer the case. Scot: [34:55] Yeah well rip Cyber Monday cool I don't have any follow-ups Jason's Europe. Jason: [35:03] Awesome so. I want to jump into one of the other topics you introduced a little earlier so far we've been mostly topping up talking about Top Line which is a kind of easy way to think about this and it's you know it's a it's a kind of easy way to get your brain around it, at the end of the day retailers care a lot more about bottom line and a huge impact on holiday bottom of line is how aggressively in deeply folks have to Discount in order to achieve those sales so, are you guys like what do you forecast I don't know if you have a formal forecast for discounts but what what should people expect from discounting this year versus last year and what what are the trends there. Rob: [35:46] Yeah yeah yeah this is good because I missed a point before that I want to make as a relates to Discount and so this will give me a good opportunity to bring that up but still has to go right at that Jason we're forecasting on average a. Thirty percent discount rate throughout cyber week and again to put that in perspective it was 20% here in the US during the October event for. Prime big deal days again we look at the entire industry not just Amazon as a relates to that and so we're seeing a much more aggressive, discount rate now it's going to differ obviously by different segments you're not seeing as high in luxury as an example we do anticipate for tour toys and a consumer electronics which have been a bit of a softer category over the last 12 months again especially because because of the high Baseline they had because of the growth over 2020 2021 but we're also seeing and this goes back to the pulling forward of demand. Is more and more retailers are providing. [36:55] Black Friday deals throughout the course of November and. What's different in the past was it was fairly opaque in terms of we're giving you deals but we're not really sure those are going to be the best deals right and though we're seeing now much more transparency there's one major retailer that I'm sure you can guess who's doing Black Friday deals throughout the course of November and they are guaranteeing price matches. If for some reason they do go lower and they are also offering buy now pay later so you can commit to getting the product so you don't miss out on it but you can then pay over time and so what really came to life for me in this topic was we were doing a round table. [37:47] In Toronto in June and one of the attendees and she talked about this again at dreamforce in. September so I feel comfortable talking about it is a digital executive from Desi mm which is a cool health and cosmetics and Beauty brand that also has two other brands one called the ordinary and they have something that they've been doing for quite some time calling it, slow vember and their whole point is don't cause any urgency but rather. Make it a more relaxed buying experience and their point is throughout the course of all of November we're going to provide the same exact discount no matter when. And if you buy it and so we're seeing that a bit more and more some of it is coming by way of. [38:38] Early Access or exclusivity but also again extending and providing visibility, part of it is again trying to create that confidence that you're getting the best and final deal and also by the way you talk about the bottom line Jason. Is trying to reduce the Deluge of returns that often happen a lot of retailers. Are changing 88 percent according to our research are changing their returns policies and that's going to be a. Big risk and what and how that impacts holiday purchases this year. Jason: [39:13] Yeah you know it's funny there's so many moving Parts it's so complicated you think about like what a big impact inflation had on last holiday and you know good news like it seems like inflation is going to be lower this holiday. Consumer was in a better economic position last year than it seems like they're getting their sure we're seeing credit and defaults and things like that start start to creep up so there's there's just all these moving Parts but one thing I think a lot of people lose sight of is in the last three years predominately driven by the pandemic every retailer has completely reinvented their supply chain and their demand forecasting and I would argue everybody's way better at it now and they have way more agile Supply chains and there they're they're a lot more accurate with their level of inventory which means. They're more confident they're going to sell through their inventory and that changes their discount strategy like they're just all these moving parts that make it really hard to compare your over year when you know. Preview point the last three years sometimes we didn't have anything to sell and then the next year we had two years worth of stuff to say so. Rob: [40:24] I was just talking about that with an executive just earlier today and how retailers have gotten as you said better at demand forecasting. Better at Inventory management and I joke sometimes although I'm only half joking that supply chain has really come to the front office it's like really part of the customer experience at this point and has such an opportunity, to either negatively impact our hopefully positively impact. The customer experience especially when you're you know trying to find product after the shipping cut off window we're anticipating once again a huge uptick for those that have the ability for Consumer to buy online and. Pick it up in and around the store after. [41:06] The ship and cut off window we're seeing seven times higher growth rate for those that have that capability because essentially you're kind of shutting down your online doors if you cannot. Fulfill those orders after the fact and so but that requires to your point Jason like a lot of tuning. Around supply chain order management inventory oh and by the way store associates as well we have to. You know planned for that extra time that they'll have to take to fulfill that order will have to provide the right incentives and will have to give them the tools as well and I think retailers have gotten better at it. I don't think anybody's fully cracked the code but going back to your bottom line point last year for us the holiday theme was profitability and that doesn't go away I think people have gotten meaning retailers have gotten better at it but certainly always opportunity so I'm glad you called that out. Jason: [42:02] Yeah I like to say profit is cool again. Rob: [42:04] Providence cool again yeah. Jason: [42:06] The if you take nothing else away from this episode profit is cool. The the way it's funny like I joke about this but it's kind of serious when I started my career the the VP of supply chain probably started his career as a truck driver and and today that VP of supply chain like probably has a PHD in data science um so it's a that that occupation has dramatically changed the one other follow-up question. One of the cool things about your data set versus some of these other ones I look at is. You guys have real-time access to the data so as we record this we're eight days into November have you seen anything interesting or there any patterns that have stood out it you does it make you more confident in your forecast or in anything that's interesting for listeners to know. Rob: [43:01] Yeah we did look at the first couple days of November and also of course looked at October it's pretty consistent with what we saw, in Q3 in the US we're basically flat in terms of growth however traffic is up so traffic is up four percent. Orders are slightly down what we've seen which I think again is a very nice leading indicator is, product view rates have increased by 5% and add to cart month-over-month so September to October plus a little bit of November we've seen a slight uptick as well so what that's telling us is people are interested. They're doing their research. They're looking for the best deals they're understanding where the inventory is available and so that they're ready to make the move when they feel like they're getting the best and most value. Scot: [43:58] Cool so it sounds like if traffic's up in orders are down a lot of Tire kick in and kind of prepping and watching and making your list and you know could be the start of discount chicken 2.0 will see. Rob: [44:10] There you go exactly 2.0 I'm using that Scott I'm grabbing that I hope that's okay. Scot: [44:14] Discount chicken the chickens Strike Back. Rob: [44:18] Well and also I mean you talked about kick the tires so I think it's a good opportunity for a promo for spiffy at this point too so don't forget to get your gift cards as well right. Scot: [44:28] Yeah yeah we will be running some promos thanks. Jason: [44:30] And if you do kick your tires Scott can come to your house and replace them for you. Rob: [44:34] Exactly. Scot: [44:36] And shop for the new shoes online. Rob: [44:38] There you go I think there's a mash up there there's going to be spiffy and a DDOS coming together for anyways I don't know we'll leave that to the markers. Scot: [44:48] That's a good segue into my question in the predictions on category so I remember last year you guys had some interesting data on that does your prediction. Kind of data science get down into the category slicing of things or that's going to be more in the rearview. Rob: [45:06] Yeah no we certainly look at that we do it obviously based on what we've seen historically we're anticipating for the holiday. Active apparel active Footwear Health and Beauty being really strong so. You know we talk about the big number because that gets the headline in terms of essentially flat growth but we had tisza Pate some nice growth in those areas it's going to be a challenging partly because of comping as a relates to toys and gaming and consumer electronics if you think about that's just macro trend. People are looking for Comfort part of it is coming out of covid and maybe not all of us getting back into three piece suits but also when you feel a little bit of economic uncertainty I was listening to some Financial show. [46:02] While I was traveling over the last couple weeks and somebody put it as kind of the household PL or the household balance sheet you know when you're looking at that in your making choices you're taking more control of your finances which is happening people often migrate not only obviously to value, and safety they're looking at comfort and so there's something to be said for comfort and shoes and Footwear comfort, in apparel and almost the openness to be a bit more comfortable both in Social and in work situation so what are anticipating like I said active apparel active Footwear Health and Beauty being really strong luxury as well don't sleep on luxury they've been the most resilient category. In the pandemic and coming out of the pandemic and so that end of the market has held really well we're seeing a little bit. Of softness and what I'll call the aspirational luxury but as a whole that category is looking really strong and we anticipate it looking pretty strong, during the holiday as well. Scot: [47:12] Yeah this is old school but I remember a channel advisor going through 08-09 we were always shocked that luxury you know it's like the world is falling apart around us and people are like oh yeah I'll get a get a 400 dog and back it's gone. That part of the market just doesn't care that they're immune to those things I guess. Rob: [47:30] They're pretty resilient. Yeah I mean one other thing I'll throw in there just because I'm talking about it more and more with customers as we think about the holiday more as a. I think Bellwether to what will anticipate next year over the course and this is a global number but over the course of holiday were anticipating 194 billion dollars of online sales being influenced by a. Sorry are you thought you were going to get through this whole I know should I have not done that I'm sorry because you definitely that's on your bingo sheet. Jason: [48:07] Now I have to check the there's a I in this episode flag on iTunes. Rob: [48:11] Exactly well might get some more traffic that way so who knows but we find that super interesting most of it I want to like temper that. A lot because people are getting really excited about that headline is most of it will be from predictive a I like product recommendations which we've been doing for quite some time we're starting to see some early adoption of generative AI whether that's in email marketing with subject lines or body copy for that Saint product detail page with product descriptions or in service super interesting wood Gucci is doing and what they call a Gucci 9 their service center and teeing up responses for their agent to make them more efficient and allow them to scale but also stay on brand and so we'll see that a bit more but again a vast majority like I said it's around globally sixteen Seventeen percent of all sales will be influenced by AI this holiday. Jason: [49:06] That interesting so Rob we're almost out of time but I want to throw a super meaty 12 you for for a final question Scott was making fun of me but I am super interested in these Chinese brands that are capturing attention and share in the u.s. right and in particular that's that's Tim ooh which is has more traffic than Target more sales than Ed see in the United States Xi'an is the largest apparel reseller in the United States and then to a lesser extent Tick-Tock which has the vast majority of consumers attention in the United States and is now trying to sell stuff to people. What super interesting is it's not obvious those guys are all growing at Breakneck Pace much faster than your your nine percent growth number it's not obvious if or who they're taking share from so I'm curious of you if you have any POV it kind of seems like there they're inventing new demand or at the very least they're taking sure from brick-and-mortar it does not appear they're taking sure from the Amazons of the world. Rob: [50:09] Yeah that's awesome I'm glad you're addressing this I've just spent a couple weeks. In Europe I was in four different cities so talking to a lot of luxury Brands talking to a lot of traditional brick and mortars, and this is an area one of the executives put out Tech intermediary and I told him I would steal that and here you go I'm stealing it. Because I would say those that you just categorized are really wedging themselves in between the demand and the supply and they're creating a whole new platform where. It was just an originally with Tik-Tok and others about inspiration and now it's about purchase and so you know what we're seeing in Jason you and I have talked about this got 20 degree as well this idea of embedded Commerce or shopping at the edge. Where the buy button is being pushed up through the funnel on these delivery platforms again these Tech intermediaries I mean if you think about it they're almost like. The next generation of the shopping mall the shopping mall is created because of access because the highway here in the states and it created a place for people to hang out for people to get some food for people to shop. [51:16] People to socialize and because of that hey they could have tenants who that would then pay rent and sell stuff right and it's not dissimilar to what these Tech into mediators are doing in that they're monetizing their traffic I think they're coming after, the brick-and-mortar to a degree they're all so I wouldn't say creating more demand but fraying some of the man from. The brand sites because the brands are showing up there and so I would say there. [51:52] A little bit creating more demand but more than that they're kind of defraying the demand we've seen is. A high degree of growth thirty percent over the last couple of years of growth on these third-party intermediaries that we're talking about and they are taking from other platforms. Jason: [52:14] Interesting I don't know what the real answer is but I do know it's super interesting and important to pay attention to so I'm glad we brought it up but Rob that is going to have to be where we leave it because we have used up all of our allotted time I'm going to make sure to put a link to the Salesforce holiday dashboard in the show notes and super grateful for you taking at time and I hope you have a great Thanksgiving and we're looking forward to talking with you right after Cyber Monday. Rob: [52:45] Thanks Jason Banks got ya looking for doing a short couple weeks looking forward to talking to you then. Scot: [52:50] You robbed remind listeners where they can find your pontification xand and do they just Google the the index to find your daily things or like is there a quick URL that you guys have that. Rob: [53:04] Yeah you know to be honest with you the best way to is go to Google and put in shopping index Salesforce and you'll get to our holiday insights Hub so it not only has the dashboards but has all of the blog's were writing and all of the up-to-date analysis. Scot: [53:20] Cool well thanks we really appreciate you taking time out of your busy schedule to deliver this delicious holiday sandwich for our for Jason I in our listeners. Jason: [53:31] All right you guys be well and until next time happy commercing!

What makes Sour Rot so challenging for wine grape growers is that it is a disease complex. Hans C. Walter-Peterson, Viticulture Extension Specialist, Finger Lakes Grape Program, Cornell Cooperative Extension explains that Sour Rot comes in late season after ripening.  Yeasts get into the berries and ferment the sugar out in the vineyard. Bacteria follow up, feasting on the alcohol, converting it into acetic acid – an unwelcome component in winemaking. And, the disease is spread rapidly by fruit flies. In this interview Hans shares methods to reduce Sour Rot disease pressure by managing increasingly resistant fruit fly populations, leafing to encourage fewer berries at fruit set, the correct way to drop fruit, and timing antimicrobial and insecticide sprays to Brix to maximize effectiveness. Cornell Cooperative Extension is trialing non-chemical control practices including UV light for sterilization and hormonal sprays plus a disease model is under development with Penn State University. Resources: 17: New Discoveries about Sour Rot – Megan Hall (Podcast) 117: Grapevine Mildew Control with UV Light - David Gadoury (Podcast) 159: Under-Vine Vegetation to Control Vine Vigor – Justine Vanden Heuvel (Podcast) Alice Wise, Cornell Cooperative Extension Control of Sour Rot via Chemical and Canopy Management Techniques Hans Walter-Peterson, Cornell Cooperative Extension Hans Walter-Peterson ResearchGate Influence of timing and intensity of fruit zone leaf removal and kaolin applications on bunch rot control and quality improvement of Sauvignon blanc grapes, and wines, in a temperate humid climate Insecticide Resistance in Drosophila melanogaster (Diptera: Drosophilidae) is Associated with Field Control Failure of Sour Rot Disease in a New York Vineyard Managing Fruit Flies for Sour Rot Summer Bunch Rot (Sour Rot) Pest Management UC IPM Pest Management Guidelines Wendy McFadden-Smith, PhD., Ontario References: Vineyard Team Programs: Juan Nevarez Memorial Scholarship - Donate SIP Certified – Show your care for the people and planet   Sustainable Ag Expo – The premiere winegrowing event of the year - $50 OFF with code PODCAST23 Sustainable Winegrowing On-Demand (Western SARE) – Learn at your own pace Vineyard Team – Become a Member Get More Subscribe wherever you listen so you never miss an episode on the latest science and research with the Sustainable Winegrowing Podcast. Since 1994, Vineyard Team has been your resource for workshops and field demonstrations, research, and events dedicated to the stewardship of our natural resources. Learn more at www.vineyardteam.org.   Transcript Craig Macmillan  0:00  Here with us today is Hans Walter-Peterson. He is a viticulture extension specialists with the Finger Lakes Grape Program, part of Cornell Cooperative Extension. Thanks for being our guest today.   Hans C. Walter-Peterson  0:12  Thanks for having me. Glad to be here.   Craig Macmillan  0:14  You've been doing a lot of work on a situation I'll call it called Sour Rot on grapes. And that's what we're gonna talk about today. Let's start with some basic definitions. What exactly is Sour Rot?   Hans C. Walter-Peterson  0:24  So sour rot is pretty much what it sounds like. It's one of the late season rots that can afflict grapes comes in after ripening starts so much like Botrytis, bunch rot some of these other types of rots that that growers might be familiar with. So it's another version of that, but it comes along with the bonus of acetic acid, every rot kind of brings its own different compounds to the party. Sour rot brings one that really is not terribly welcome in winemaking, you know, essentially the the main component of vinegar. It's a particularly rough type of rot. We really are getting some more challenging years with it past several years. So my program has really started to focus in on what we can do to try to keep it under control.   Craig Macmillan  1:09  You know, I understand that part of the issue here. Is that sour rot is a disease complex. There's multiple actors involved in all of this. Can you tell us what some of those pieces are of that complex and how they interact to create sour rot?   Hans C. Walter-Peterson  1:23  Yeah, it's probably the thing that makes sour rot a more difficult thing to manage than kind of the standard diseases, the regular diseases that most growers are used to dealing with like powdery mildew, downy mildew, because those are created those are developed by one type of microbe. So if you find the one thing that can control that one microbe, you've got a control measure. With sour rot it's a like you said it's a complex of multiple organisms that bring it about. So basically, there are yeasts, the yeasts get into the berries and take the sugar that's being developed in there, and they do exactly what we use yest for in winemaking takes the sugar and turns it into alcohol. So we'd get a fermentation starting within the berries out in the vineyard. The second part of it that happens then is that there are bacteria that follow up and also arrive in there most notably Acetobacter, but also some other things like Gluconobacter and Henseniaspora. This is some great work that was done by Wendy McFadden-Smith in Ontario a number of years ago. So they all kind of come in and feast on that alcohol and convert that alcohol into acetic acid. So thereby there's the sour of sour rot. The piece that comes after that, then is not just the sour rot. But then the thing that probably is really characteristic of it also, as with some of these other rots, but it spreads really quickly in a vineyard if the conditions are right. And that's mainly done by fruit flies. And it's not just the one that we've been hearing a lot about lately, the Spotted Wing Drosophila, Drosophila suzukii but it's also just your plain old Drosophila melanogaster, the ones you used in your your high school genetics classes, or college genetic classes and see on your fruit around the sink and stuff like that. Those fruit flies, for the most part, mostly fruit flies are a couple of other suspects in the mix, too. But they're the ones that spread it from berry to berry and cluster to cluster and block the block.   Craig Macmillan  3:13  Are they spreading the yeast, the bacteria are both.   Hans C. Walter-Peterson  3:16  All of the above.   Craig Macmillan  3:17  Okay, so that's it,   Hans C. Walter-Peterson  3:18  They're gonna freeride. So that's, that's the difficulty with it. If it was just, you know, like I was saying earlier, if it's something like black rot, or botrytis, where it's just one single causal organism, that's one story. And that's hard enough to control when you've got multiple types of organisms that aren't even directly related. I mean, yeast and bacteria are very different types of organisms, for example, we don't have a spray or a single thing that control that. And so that's the real difficulty with managing it year in and year out.   Craig Macmillan  3:48  So this just made me think of something. One way of thinking about disease complexes is if I can remove one of the elements, or two of the elements I can at least reduce if not prevent or treat the disease is that the case with sour rot if I had no bacteria, if I didn't have a yeast or something like that, can I get rid of one of them and and help with this?   Hans C. Walter-Peterson  4:09  Yeah, that's that's a really good point. As I said earlier, you need the two micro organisms to cause the sour of the sour at the acetic acid development, but then you need a vector to move them through the vineyard. And that's the fruit flies. So if you can control the fruit flies, you have less chance for those microorganisms to move through the vineyard. If you create a less hospitable host for the microbes, there's less of them to be moved around by the fruit flies. So the management strategies that we're looking at are trying to come at it from both directions. Some of the original work that was done on this recently here at Cornell by a grad student, Dr. Megan Hall, who I believe you had on the show a while back.   Craig Macmillan  4:50  I had in the show, and I know her yes.   Hans C. Walter-Peterson  4:53  In Megan's original work here at Cornell. She basically found that it was somewhat more effective to control the fruit flies than to control the microbes that just the microbes by themselves could cause a certain amount of rot. But then if you're controlling the fruit flies, it just you don't get that explosive growth.   Craig Macmillan  5:10  The fruit flies in the gasoline.   Hans C. Walter-Peterson  5:12  Right. Exactly. Yeah. The microbes are the fuel. Yes. So that was the impetus of kind of saying, Okay, if you had a control just one thing, it's the fruit flies, because that's really where the explosive nature of the disease comes along. And it's a little bit easier to control a bug than it is microbes that are hiding inside the skins of berries and things like that.   Craig Macmillan  5:31  Where do the microbes come from? are they hanging out under the bark of the vine? Are they inside of shoots? Are they out in the environment and get blown on?   Hans C. Walter-Peterson  5:43  They're pretty ubiquitous in the environment, talk about a lot about Native fermentations and yeast coming in from the vineyard. So there's so they're there. And the bacteria are as well, I don't know, it's some of the exact overwintering mechanisms. And if we know all about that, somebody probably does, I just don't, but it's my understanding is they're they're pretty native in our neck of the woods. They just, they're they're pretty much all the time.   Craig Macmillan  6:05  Are there environmental conditions that are particularly conducive to promoting Sour Rot. And then also are there environmental conditions that will prevent it or retard it?   Hans C. Walter-Peterson  6:16  So the big thing that gets sour rot going is for some way for the microbes to get into the berries in the first place. Predominantly in grapes, we think about that as either being insects, birds, or water. Here in the east, obviously, we get rain throughout the growing season, including during the harvest season, we have high humidity days, plenty of times. And so those are the kinds of conditions where we see greater incidence of sour rot develop. When the vines take up water, or the berries take up water either through rainfall or just the atmosphere, and then the berries swell up, they can't handle all the water they have and they split or you have a very tight clustered variety, that just the berries start getting forced apart, and they just break by force. So those entry wounds however they're caused, is how it gets started. So we know here in New York that if we have a dry fall days, with not many days with dew points above 70, and all those kinds of things, we don't see very much sour rot develop, we might see a little Botrytis here and there. But for the most part, we don't see it. And a lot of that is because we just don't have the humidity to kind of build up the water in the berry to cause it split the years where we have it bad. On the contrary, that's that's when we see more water, more rainfall, more high humidity days, that's when we see more splitting and therefore more sour rot. Much like most other diseases, the warmer it gets, the faster it can progress. And the same thing with insects, the fruit flies at a at a lower temperature. It takes them longer for a next generation to develop. And so the warmer it gets, they get faster too. So yeah, so warm and wet.   Craig Macmillan  7:55  So cool and dry would be the opposite would be the desirable.   Hans C. Walter-Peterson  7:59  So that would be best.   Craig Macmillan  8:01  That actually that just reminded me of something. My experience has all been on the Central Coast California. This only happened once. And that was with some Pinot Noir that came in that had quite a lot of Botrytis damage. And the winemaker had us go through and sort then not simply sort out Botrytis and throw it away, but by hand sorted and then smell it for sour is something like Botrytis or a scar from powdery mildew or something like that. Is that Is that also a possible entry for the organisms?   Hans C. Walter-Peterson  8:33  Yes, very often we see Botrytis and sow rot in the same cluster. Because it's the same thing. Botrytis is a very weak pathogen, it needs a place to kind of get established like a wound. And so same thing with sour rot. We do know that, like you're just saying powdery mildew scars can create micro fissures in the skin. And later on in the season, those can start to tear apart even if you can't see them, especially around the pedicel near the stem where the stem connects to the berry. They're going to be micro fissures that those micro organisms can take advantage of as well. So those conditions are pretty similar for for other kinds of rots as well.   Craig Macmillan  9:11  Are there cultural practices or preventative or prophylactic practices that growers can use that might help manage this?   Hans C. Walter-Peterson  9:17  Yes, probably the biggest one that we know of and we're trying to get a little bit better handle on as far as how to use it for this purpose. So we know that if you pull leaves before bloom are right at the very beginning of bloom, you will reduce berry set you basically kind of starve the the clusters, the flowering clusters of carbohydrates and other nutrients and so they don't set as many berries. You have a looser cluster. Those clusters don't swell up they don't like I was talking before kind of force berries off, they dry out faster. All the good things we like about looser clusters pulling leaves at that very early, just pre bloom or very early bloom stage can reduce berries set pretty consistently year in and year out. out and help to reduce that cluster compactness aspect of rot development.   Craig Macmillan  10:05  I think it's the first time I've ever heard of a intentional shatter. Usually we're all we're all praying that we don't have what you're describing.   Hans C. Walter-Peterson  10:14  Yeah. Well, I mean, you think about table grape growers do this fairly often, they try to make more room on the cluster so that they can have larger berries, which consumers want. And so we're not worried about it. obviously, for consumer sentiment, we're worried about that for disease pressure, there's definitely a cost to it. You're reducing your yield as a grower from the standpoint of just how many grapes you're going to carry. But you also might be saving more yield later on in the year and not having to drop fruit before you send it off to the winery   Craig Macmillan  10:40  In your area. You've got wine grapes, obviously, but also there's a lot of Concord production there. And is it mostly for juice is that right?   Hans C. Walter-Peterson  10:48  Mostly for juice, yep.   Craig Macmillan  10:49  I'm assuming this problem applies there as well.   Hans C. Walter-Peterson  10:52  Concords really don't get sour rot very much, partly because their clusters more open, they don't set a tight cluster. If you think like a Pinot Noir cluster, or Chardonnay, or Riesling, they're much more loose like that. They also have much thicker skins, so they tend not to split quite as easily, they can still split, but we tend not to see sour rot develop on them. And I, I'm not totally sure why that is. But part of it from at least on a production level, a lot of our Concord gets picked before it gets much more than 16, 17 Brix. We know with sour with sour rot, we don't see symptoms start to develop until you get to 13 or 14. And I think that's partly a result of just how much sugar is in the berry, but also the relation of sugar and acid because microbes can't tolerate a certain acidic level of environment also. And so this is kind of an educated speculation right now. But I think that's part of the reason we don't see it in something like Concord and Niagara and some of these these juice varieties is that we pick it at a relatively low Brix, as opposed to wine varieties where we're picking 20 Plus.   Craig Macmillan  11:57  Right, right, exactly, exactly. Continuing on the cultural thing. I one thing that growers do for both try to fend for grape powdery mildew. They may go through and they may drop infected crop when they first see it. This sounds like this gets spread around, can you crop drop with this and control the spread?   Hans C. Walter-Peterson  12:17  The challenge with this is if and I've seen this happen in a couple of places. If you drop crop that's starting to rot and just leave it on the ground near the vines. What does it do when it's on the ground? It continues to rot. Right? It doesn't it doesn't stop and the fruit flies can easily go from the ground back up to the canopy and back down to the ground back up to the canopy.   Craig Macmillan  12:35  Find another Fissure or whatever.   Hans C. Walter-Peterson  12:37  Right, exactly. So another part of the challenge that is ideally you're not just dropping the crop and leaving it there in the vineyard, you got to kind of take it out so that it's not around that healthy fruit. Because otherwise those microbes will be back. You know, they get blown around on wind again or carried by fruit flies. And they'll find another fissure to get into.   Craig Macmillan  12:57  Can you cultivate it? Can you can you tell it under?   Hans C. Walter-Peterson  13:00  You probably could. Yeah, we don't do that much tillage in our in our vineyard rows just because we have all the rain we maintain cover crops between the vineyards all year round. Otherwise we'd slide all over the place.   Craig Macmillan  13:11  Yeah, no, absolutely. Of course. Yeah. I've talked to Justine Vanden Heuvel about undervine cover cropping and things and I was like, This is crazy. Going to California perspective. That's nuts. And she was like, Craig, you have no idea how much water is in the ground. It would be a mess if we didn't which is which is really interesting. So okay, so that's not gonna work. Do we have anything in the chemical realm for prophylactic sprays?   Hans C. Walter-Peterson  13:33  Prophylactics per se not so much what we've been looking at lately, a colleague of mine out on Long Island Alice Wise for about three or four years now we've been looking at a couple of materials that are designed to enhance the cuticle thickness around the berries basically as a way to try to see if we can prevent cracking. One of them was originally developed to reduce cracking and cherries.   Craig Macmillan  13:54  What materials are we talking about?   Hans C. Walter-Peterson  13:56  So the material we've been working with is a combination of materials, some waxes and carbohydrates and some other things that kind of just bind to that cuticle around the berry and just thicken it up. Literally from everything I've seen, it works in cherries to prevent this cracking. We've been looking at two versions of these, this material they both developed at Oregon State actually one produces a thinner cuticle and other one produces a much thicker one. And we've tested them both. And we haven't seen any difference in sour rot from using these materials. Now we've had kind of some kind of weird years when we've been testing this, we've had a couple of years where we had a lot of sour rot and a couple of years where we had almost none. So it it hasn't been the best time to be testing this. But in the two years that we've had sour rot, it didn't seem to do very much in the way of reducing it to the point that you could justify spending, you know the time and effort to do it. The only other kind of sprays that we're looking at at this point are things like hydrogen peroxide and proxy acetic acid, then there's some there's some commercial products that are out there that contain one or both of those ingredients. And those are basically just antimicrobials I mean, they they burn whatever they touch. You know, same thing like when you get a cut on your arm, you put hydrogen peroxide on there it disinfects. So that's basically what we're doing for the microbes. And it works pretty well. The key always is coverage, because it has to hit it. As soon as that material hits, hits that grape hits a microbe, whatever, it starts to convert to water, basically those those materials, if you don't have good coverage, if you can't get the material to where the microbes are hanging out, it's not going to be terribly effective. And so that's the that's always the challenge with those kinds of things. But they they do work to the extent that they can reach.   Craig Macmillan  15:36  To some extent, yeah, and again, this is going to be another issue with cluster architecture. Obviously, this is terrifying. As I'm sure everybody in the state of New York and elsewhere, certainly not limited to New York, New York, as far as I know. Okay, now I've got it. It's getting started. Maybe I caught it early, maybe I didn't know what what can I do?   Hans C. Walter-Peterson  15:59  The standard treatment that we have at this point is that either when you get to that 13, 14 Brix number or you start to see it show up, and most growers will wait until they see it show up. The standard practice is basically to start this combination of an antimicrobial and an insecticide to kind of keep it under control and try to keep it from getting to that explosive stage. The challenge with that is that fruit flies under the right conditions. And if it's above 70 degrees or so they're generation time is every six to seven days.   Craig Macmillan  16:33  Oh, wow.   Hans C. Walter-Peterson  16:33  New generation of these things at their at their utmost or at their best. Essentially, we need to be spraying every seven, eight days to try to keep this under wraps. What we've found, and this is more good news, what we found is that we are identifying a lot of populations of fruit flies here in New York, not just in the Finger Lakes, but in some other areas that we've been testing to where their fruit flies have quickly developed resistance.   Craig Macmillan  16:59  That's how they do it, isn't it.   Hans C. Walter-Peterson  17:00  And so what we've seen is that basically the fruit flies have developed resistance to a couple of these materials. We've tested them on a couple of different pyrethroids, a couple of organophosphates, a couple of other materials and found pretty high levels of resistance in the lab, at least, when we've tested them. It has pointed out to us very quickly that this is not a problem that that chemistry alone can solve. All right, there we go. Okay, that's kind of leading us in the direction of maybe not necessarily replacing chemicals completely. It'd be nice if we could, but at least supplementing some of these other cultural and non chemical practices like the leaf pulling, I was mentioning earlier to try to reduce the need for those sprays, if, again, if not eliminate it all together.   Craig Macmillan  17:42  And so what kind of research projects do you have going right now on this topic?   Hans C. Walter-Peterson  17:44  We've got a few that we're that we're kind of looking at, again, kind of tackle this from a couple different directions, we're doing some a little bit more work on that leaf pulling aspect, we've done some work, my colleagues and some other people in around the country have looked at mechanical leaf removal at that pre bloom stage and found that it works pretty well as well. There are certainly hormonal sprays that can be used. We mentioned with like with table grapes, tuberculinic acid can be used to to kind of stretch the racus and give the berries more room basically. So it kind of reducing that cluster compactness. And one of the things that I'm particularly kind of interested in and excited about is the potential for UV light to play a role in this.   Craig Macmillan  18:25  I am curious about this UV light thing, I'm hearing more about it and I'm getting kind of excited.   Hans C. Walter-Peterson  18:31  UV light is basically just another sterilant that we use. So almost all of our wastewater treatment plants have UV light to sterilize the waters that's coming through the plant. So it does the same job that these hydrogen peroxide peroxy acetic acid materials do, but we don't have to worry as much about coverage. If we apply it right. One of the pathologists here, Dave Gadoury, has done a lot of work on using UV light to control different plant diseases in grapes, normally powdery mildew, which is very effective against, but one of the things that they found kind of along the way is that they were also reducing sour rot in this test plot that they were working in. And so if again, if you kind of think about it, you're if you use the right dosage and the right retention time and da, da, da, you're basically have an antibiotic material, but it's not a chemical. It's a physical one, I'm very interested in looking at the potential for UV light to not only control powdery mildew, which would be a lovely thing, which is, but also can we use it to minimize the sour rot incidents and those microbes that are causing it, as well. So we've got a small trial is kind of a proof of concept thing we've done last year, and now this year, if it works as well as it did last year, we're going to kind of try to expand that work a little bit further and try to see how do we incorporate that into a potential grower practice, you know, how, how often do you need to do it? What's the what's the light intensity? Do you have to do it a day or at night, which is one of the considerations you have to have. So There's a bunch of things that we still need to look at, to turn it to make it something that growers can be really rely on as a potential possible part of this solution. That UV thing is really kind of exciting to me. We also are a little further down the road, we're really trying to work on with some folks at Penn State and a couple of other places on developing a model based on climatic conditions that promote sow rot. So it just kind of can we predict when it's going to be coming, if we know that we're going to have five days of 80% humidity or whatever, there was actually just a really interesting study that's come out of Uruguay that I just heard about a couple of weeks ago at the GiESCO conference that was held here in Ithica, where they saw an impact on bunch rots, they were looking specifically at Botrytis, by having undervine cover crops, where they had those underground cover crops, they saw less Botrytis and less bunch rot than they did where they had like a weed free herbicide strip. So that's something I'd like to follow up on as well, I'd be curious about and then kind of the I won't even say sci fi because this stuff seems to come along so quickly. Now. We work with a couple of really wonderful pathologists and engineers here at Cornell, I was talking to a couple of them about this last year. And they said, I bet it'd be pretty easy to develop a sensor that we could stick out in the vineyard that could detect acetic acid far earlier than any nose could and just be like, Okay, here's your early warning. You know, it's kind of an early warning sensor, it's starting to develop, let's go find it and and try it, see if we can prophylactically take care of it early on. So there's just some some things that we're starting to bandy about as far as kind of further down the road. But I do think kind of the immediate thing that I would really like to are trying to put together is can we take the practices like UV light, loosening cluster architecture, changing cluster architecture in order to reduce that environment that's promoting sour rot? And then also try what can we do on the chemical end to reduce the need for those sprays?   Craig Macmillan  21:50  Right, right. So there's some stuff coming down the pike here, that's really good. That's really, really great. And thank you and everybody else who's working on this. How big of an economic impact is this for folks?   Hans C. Walter-Peterson  22:00  It can be one of the most significant economic diseases in grapes. In 2018, we had a particularly bad year here. And I know some growers who had to drop almost half their crop of Riesling on the ground before the harvesters came through. And so if you think about a three to four ton average crop, that's a few $1,000 an acre that you're losing. So I mean, no diseases are good. But I mean, that's a pretty profound one. And again, as I was saying earlier, the thing that's so hard about it is that you've already put almost all of your work and money into that crop all the way from pruning to spraying and all the handwork and everything. And then in a bad week, to all of a sudden, just as somebody called it go to snark my favorite descriptions of sour rot seems like the perfect word for it. It's just it's a really kind of a, obviously financially, but kind of almost as much emotionally devastating feeling.   Craig Macmillan  22:57  If there's one thing, message piece of advice. One thing that you would tell growers on this topic, what would it be?   Hans C. Walter-Peterson  23:05  I'd say probably the biggest and easiest thing you could do right now, to reduce sour rot is that early leaf pulling, we just know that cluster architecture, it makes a big difference in how much rot develops, you might still get some, but it won't be nearly as profound and prolific as it would be otherwise, we have just as a very quick example of it, we have a hybrid variety here called Vignoles we use in all of our sour rot studies, because if you just say the words and it gets sour Rot. Some work that's been done by some colleagues of mine, and some folks at USDA, they basically come up with, they've created two loose clustered clones of Vignoles and so those clusters, obviously, are much less compact than the kind of the standard one. And the amount of disease that is in those clusters is drastically lower than what's in kind of the standard, the standard clone of Vignoles. It's one of those things that just kind of is really illustrative when you see it and just kind of realize that, you know, again, you can still find a few berries here and there that'll have it but you just won't see this entire two panel stretch that's just kind of wiped out by it or whatever doing that that leaf pulling to kind of open up the clusters, I think is probably the right now the biggest thing you can do.   Craig Macmillan  24:19  Interesting. Well then we're running out of time. I want to thank our guest, Hans Walter-Peterson viticulture extension specialist at the Finger Lakes grape program, part of Cornell Cooperative Extension. fascinating conversation, keep up the good work. I think a lot of people are depending upon you.   Hans C. Walter-Peterson  24:38  We're doing what we can see. It's becoming a bigger and bigger problem with climate change around here. We know we've seen it increasing in recent years. So yeah, it's it's one we'd really like to get our hands around better.   Nearly Perfect Transcription by https://otter.ai

John R. Lott Jr.—President of the Crime Prevention Research Center—joins The Rich Zeoli Show to discuss his recent editorial on Real Clear Politics, “The Crazy Right-Wing Shooter Myth.” Lott writes, “[i]f you only read the New York Times editorials, you'd believe that political violence in America is [exclusively] a ‘right-wing' problem.” However, if you closely examine the background of recent shooters, facts tell a very different story. For example, Lott documents that the Buffalo mass murder self-identified as an “eco-fascist national socialist” whose top priority was environmentalism.