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How do we really know when improvement has happened inside a school or organization? In this episode, John Dues and Andrew Stotz unpack a clear, three-part definition of improvement and show why evidence, method, and sustained results matter far more than year-to-year comparisons. Their discussion offers a practical lens for leaders who want to distinguish true progress from noise and build changes that last. TRANSCRIPT 0:00:02.4 Andrew Stotz: My name is Andrew Stotz and I'll be your host as we dive deeper into the teachings of Dr. W. Edwards Deming. Today I'm continuing my discussion with John Dues, who is part of the new generation of educators striving to apply Dr. Deming's principles to unleash student joy in learning. The topic for today is, How To Define Improvement. John, take it away. 0:00:23.3 John Dues: Hey, Andrew. It's good to be back. Yeah, I think this is really interesting. Apologies on the front end. I'm a little bit under the weather, so I may sound a little raspy today. But you know, one of the things that's really interesting is there's lots of claims of improvement. In my world, there's lots of claims of school im- improvement. I would even go as far as to say that those claims are like a dime a dozen, something like that. And the reason I say that is not to be mean or anything, but you know, I think that a lot of these claims, they're not grounded any kind of reasonable evidence. And I think sort of even beyond that, that claims are often made without a logical definition of improvement. So I thought in this episode we could talk about a three-part definition that makes it really easy to tell when improvement has occurred and just as importantly, when it hasn't. 0:01:21.9 Andrew Stotz: Exciting. 0:01:23.2 John Dues: Yeah. When I talk about this, I always like to start with a challenge. So, you know, if I'm in a workshop, I'll say, you know, get out a piece of paper and a pen so the listeners could do this as well and think about, you know, the successful improvement efforts that you've led throughout your career. So in my world, maybe it's increase in state test scores or maybe you improved student enrollment in your school. Maybe you did a better job at retaining the teachers in your school. It could be any number of things. Maybe it's decreasing student office referrals or decreasing chronic absenteeism rates in your school or your school system, which are two things on everybody's mind coming out of the pandemic especially. And I tell people, just create a list of those instances. And I give them a few minutes usually. And typically, people come up with eight, nine, 10 or so instances of improvement, whether that's teacher in their own classroom or principal in their school, or a superintendent thinking about the whole system. Then I say to them, now what I want you to do is pause and think, what does it mean to improve? 0:02:46.7 John Dues: What do you mean by that? And that really brings us to this important question. What is improvement? You know, and this was... Full disclosure, when I started thinking about this, I stumbled across the definition in a book I'll show you here in a second. But when I stumbled across this, you know, there was some conviction. And I think that probably a lot of educational leaders or just, you know, leaders in general would say, actually, I never really thought about that. I don't have an answer for this seemingly simple question. And like I said, I didn't have an answer to that question when I really thought about it, when I stumbled across the definition, probably for the majority of my career, maybe the first 20 years or so, if I'm at year 25. So, yeah, the first two decades, I would not have had a clear answer for that simple question. Now, I turn to this seminal work in the field of improvement science called The Improvement Guide. I'm sure a lot of people are familiar with this. And I'll share my screen so people can see the book and kind of share an interesting story about the book. And, you know, when you're... Can you see my screen all right now? 0:04:06.9 Andrew Stotz: Yep. 0:04:08.1 John Dues: So you can see, if you're just listening, you can see the covers of two books. So on the left, a lot of people will recognize The Improvement Guide. But there's an arrow up there. It says, second edition. And a lot of people will recognize that book. Probably less people. Maybe some people that have been doing improvement work for maybe three decades will know this other book, the first edition of The Improvement Guide. It's this purple book on the right, if you're watching. But there's this interesting anecdote that I actually think I might have heard maybe on your podcast when some of the authors were on. And almost as soon as they wrote this first edition, this purple edition, they got this note from this professor in Brazil, and it said, I know you guys are really big into improvement, and you're really big on operational definitions, but you've written this whole book on improvement, and nowhere in the book have you defined what you mean by improvement. So, you know, talk about a swing and a miss. 0:05:15.0 Andrew Stotz: Yeah. And just for listeners out there, you can go to the podcast.deming.org and you can search for quality as an organizational strategy with Cliff Norman and Dave Williams. We didn't talk about The Improvement Guide specifically, but definitely it's worth listening to those two. 0:05:33.3 John Dues: Yeah, and I think... So any of us that feel bad when we come to realize, like, how obvious that question is when we've made claims of improvement and don't have a definition. So even these guys that were writing a whole guide about how to do improvement missed as well. You know, and it's pretty obvious when you think about it that The Improvement Guide, that a book like that should have a clear definition for the central concept. That's right in the title. But it should be just as obvious to leaders that they also need a definition of improvement. And that definition should really precede any improvement claims then. So I thought it'd be interesting to take a look at the definition that the authors came up with in their improved second edition. 0:06:20.9 Andrew Stotz: Improvement in their improvement. 0:06:24.4 John Dues: Improvement in their improvement guide. Right. And the definition is really easy to follow. It's got three parts, and now I've adopted it into my own improvement work. But what they've said is improvement is "a change that alters how work is done or the makeup of a tool that produces visible positive differences relative to historical norms and relevant measures and it's sustained into the future." So we can kind of break that three parts of the definition down now. So in part one of the definition, what you have to be able to do is point to a change that was made that led to better results. You know, that could be a new tool you're using, a new approach, a new framework, maybe it's a new staff role, but something has to change, a new method, something has to change in what you're doing. So that's sort of part one of the definition. Part two is performance improved after the change compared to past results. So that also should be fairly obvious. So you did something different. You noted when you started this new thing, and at some point in relative proximity to when you tried that new thing, the data improved. 0:07:54.2 John Dues: You know, it went up. If that's the direction of good or, you know, if it's like chronic absenteeism or office referrals, you want it to go down. But you see that in the data after you've made this change, that's part two. And then part three is that improvement after the change was sustained into the future. So it wasn't just a temporary thing because you were paying a lot of attention to it, but you made the change. The data improved over time after you did this new thing, and then it kept going into the future. 0:08:27.9 Andrew Stotz: Which is the hardest part, by the way. 0:08:30.1 John Dues: The hardest part, I'd say too. Assuming you could bring about improvement, then sustaining it into the future, especially as you maybe take your eye off it a little bit, and then work on something else, that's very, very difficult. 0:08:43.1 Andrew Stotz: Yeah, the initial seizure that you get into of making change can be really powerful compared to the energy, you know, devoted to sustaining it. 0:08:55.9 John Dues: Yeah. 0:08:56.3 Andrew Stotz: And you could also argue, if something's not easily sustained, was it really an improvement? 0:09:02.8 John Dues: Right. I think that's just right. And, you know, what I do in the workshop then is then after I go over the definition, I ask people, now, think back to your list of successful improvement projects. You know, and for the listeners, if you pause, then you created your own list and then you heard that definition. Then I just asked the participants, would you revise your answer after reading this definition of improvement? And ask people, okay, now how many things, how many items are on that list? And a lot of people, if they're being honest, are left with none, actually. You know, because this definition sets a really high bar. But I think it is the right bar if you're actually interested in improving outcomes in your school, in my case, or in your organization. And I think what you often run up against is, this is kind of a simplified version of most improvement claims. But in my world, you hear claims, something like, you know, our state test scores improved. Right. The translation is, this school's or this year scores are higher than last year's scores. 0:10:25.8 John Dues: But that claim falls really short of that definition. Well, okay, the scores are better than last year. Well, what did you do to make them better? Also, a single data point is probably not enough to back that claim up. Let's instead turn to an example that meets the definition, and it'll help you understand how powerful this can be in practice. So, you know, let's suppose that you've been working to increase some student outcome measure. Let's say we gather it on a monthly basis, whatever this thing is. So now I'm going to show you a visual that has some data plotted over time. And the three parts of the definition of improvement have been labeled right on that chart. And having this visual is very, very powerful. This is when this definition really clicked. So I'll go ahead and share my screen again with you. All right. Can you see that chart? 0:11:35.9 Andrew Stotz: Yep. 0:11:36.9 John Dues: Okay, great. So first off, if you're watching that, you can just see very quickly that the claim of improvement has been substantiated with evidence. So for the people that are just listening, we have some data plotted over time for the first 15 months and it's kind of traveling along around an 80% average. And then all of a sudden that data shifts up substantially to now it's humming along at about a 91, 92% average. And it's much harder to sort of internalize this without being able to see it. But I'll do my best to explain it. So the first thing was, part one. There's a clear point in time where a change was introduced. So that's labeled as part one. Right in between month 15 and 16, there's an arrow there on the chart where some change was made. If this is a teacher's data, maybe they made some type of change to how they were instructing the class. 0:12:55.3 Andrew Stotz: In research, sometimes we'll call that time zero. 0:13:00.6 John Dues: Time zero, absolutely. And then second again, there's this clear difference in results after the change was introduced as compared to historical results. So that's part two. So there's this positive, visible difference relative to historical norms. Now, you know, this is an example for illustration purposes and I wanted to make it very clear, like this delineation, this definition. But in reality, you know, if you're a teacher trying this new method, for example, it might be that even if the method is successful, you're not maybe going to see the results immediately. Right. But this illustrates, what you're hoping to see. And it makes it very clear. And then part three on here, that improvement was sustained in the future. So you see the bump in scores in this, whatever this outcome is in this hypothetical in month 16. But it wasn't just months 16 and 17, it carried forth for another 15 months at this much higher level. So you can very quickly start to see there's this profound difference between most improvement claims and one supported by this three part definition. It makes it very simple. When do we introduce something new? And then what does the data look like over time after an initial baseline period? 0:14:36.9 Andrew Stotz: It reminds me of something I often say to people, which is, do you ever make the same mistake twice in your business? And of course, everybody says yes. And I ask them, imagine if you never made the same mistake twice, how would that change the outcome of your business? And then we have a discussion about that. But the point is that most people just live in a world where they never are able to really sustain improved performance. They just fall back to the same things. And this chart is a good way of understanding, have we truly sustained improved performance? 0:15:24.4 John Dues: Yeah, yeah. And you have to have a method. You know, that's why Deming would frequently say, you can't just have a goal. You have to be able to answer the question by what method? So that's why part one of this definition was calling out whatever change was introduced. Because in this system, in that baseline period from month one through 15, while there are some ups and downs in that data, it's really just bouncing around that 80% average. And if you don't change something in that system, then you're very likely just to keep getting those same results over time. Some fundamental change has to be introduced so you have a stable system, but it's not satisfactory. So you got to change something. And then you're going to keep gathering the data to see if that change had an impact. So again, it's not rocket science. And it was pretty intuitive to see that definition in that improvement guide. And then actually this sort of chart I'm showing you with a three part definition combined with a control chart or a process behavior chart, I saw this in their latest book called Quality as an Organizational Strategy. 0:16:42.0 John Dues: And when I saw the visualization of the improvement definition, which was only in like text form in The Improvement Guide, then it all just clicked. Oh, this is so obvious what this definition actually means and how you could tell if something has improved or not. So I think anybody that's doing improvement work, you know, whether you're in schools or some other type of organization, and whether you're the superintendent of the entire system, the principal of the building or the teacher in a classroom, all of you can use this. A student could use this, an athlete could use this. This definition, it doesn't really matter. It's sector agnostic and can be applied, you know, pretty widely against different contexts. But it makes it very clear how to tell when things are getting better, how to tell if, you know, maybe things are going the other direction or if they're just staying the same. Makes it very, very clear. 0:17:36.8 Andrew Stotz: Yeah, I mean, it's a great thought exercise that you started with that, you know, got me thinking and I'm sure for the listeners and the viewers got them thinking, like, what changed? Where have we really improved? And one of the hard things in business, and I'm sure it's the same in teaching, is that ultimately personalities and ultimately it's about the people, whether that's business or teaching. And one of the things that you can say about people that's commonly said, whether it's true or not, I'll leave you to think about that. And that is people don't change. 0:18:19.8 John Dues: People don't like to change. 0:18:21.1 Andrew Stotz: They don't like to change. And I would argue that they rarely change. 0:18:25.9 John Dues: Yeah, yeah, no, I would agree with that. 0:18:28.5 Andrew Stotz: I mean, the whole mission of life is to get to a point where you don't have to change. That is the human body, the human mind is just like trying to get to that point. 0:18:42.6 John Dues: Yeah. Unfortunately, it doesn't work. 0:18:45.6 Andrew Stotz: Yeah. And then you die. 0:18:50.1 John Dues: Yeah. 0:18:51.3 Andrew Stotz: But it just gets me thinking too, about... And for everybody, here we are at the... We're discussing this on the 9th of December. So we're getting near the end of the year, thinking about what we're trying to do next year and all that. And in my coffee business, as an example, we've had our shares of ups and downs, but we've tried to right the ship as far as making sure that we've got the right balance of profitability, the right number of staff, cash flow and a buildup of cash so that we have the resources to go after markets. And the question is, that I always have in my mind is, how do we prevent ourselves from slipping back into some old habits of maybe spending on marketing and sales and then not getting the delivery of that, and therefore the costs go up, but the revenues don't follow? How do we ensure that the improvements that we're making right now aren't just lost six months from now? And this starts to give me some ideas that I'm thinking about. 0:20:00.5 John Dues: Yeah. I mean, and once you get that improvement, like, how do you sustain it? How do you have the discipline to do that? 0:20:09.1 Andrew Stotz: Well, I think the first thing that this raises is, are we clearly measuring, first, whether the improvement happened? 0:20:19.3 John Dues: Yeah. 0:20:19.7 Andrew Stotz: And second, whether it was sustained? 0:20:22.8 John Dues: Yeah. And even before that, you know, just having a baseline. Most people have the data somewhere, but they haven't plotted it like this so it's clear what the typical performance is currently, a lot of people don't even take that step. You know, it's just last year, this year. Last month. This month. 0:20:39.8 Andrew Stotz: Yeah, that's good point. That's a good point. That's something you pointed out to me a long time ago about looking at, you know, my enrollments in Valuation Masterclass Boot Camp and saying, well, you need to understand, you know, what's the system you're operating in, and therefore, you've got to understand what that system can produce before you start thinking about, you know, what's your next steps. 0:21:01.6 John Dues: Yeah, yeah. And like I said in the middle of this episode, you know, this is a very high bar. This is not easy to accomplish. It takes discipline. It takes continual improvement. Dr. Deming talked about he liked using continual versus continuous because a lot of this would be discontinuous. You know, you have a focus, you may be improving an area, then you have to change your focus. But you can't keep your eye totally off this other thing. Like you were just saying, you have to kind of keep your eye on multiple things to keep an organization going. And that's part of the challenge of running an organization for sure. Be it a coffee business or a school. 0:21:39.9 Andrew Stotz: Yeah. It's interesting that we're talking about the definition of improvement long after we talked about the method of improvement, like PDSA. 0:21:50.5 John Dues: Yeah, yeah. And that's probably the best method I've come across. So, you know, in this visual that we're looking at, for people that can see it, you know, part one, a change was introduced. The most powerful tool that I found thus far is the PDSA cycle. That's where you would document the change. And again, this is for illustrative purposes, but in reality you probably have to run multiple cycles and kind of learn your way to a better system rather than you're probably not going to see this. Now, there are some things where you may see this start improvement between month 15 and month 16, but the reality is, in most situations that's going to take multiple rounds of PSAs and where there's sort of a gradual improvement over time. Again, you know, there are some things where you could see an improvement like this, but most stuff, it just takes sustained effort over time and continual learning and continual improvement type stuff. 0:22:51.4 Andrew Stotz: Yeah, I mean, this really helps me, and I'm sure for the listeners and the viewers to put PDSA in a very clear spot, which is, it's the tool for sustained improvement. Because you could imagine that in this chart where we have time zero and we have the past, let's say that's our starting point. We don't have any future data, but let's imagine that according to PDSA, we decided that we would try out and test out one particular method. And we find after testing it, no improvement, no change. Okay, that wasn't what we expected. Now we got to go back and adjust and then run the PDSA again. And then let's say we do that again and we find very little improvement. Okay, that wasn't what we expected. And our goal is to really try to get to a higher level of improvement. And let's say the third round, we get to a point where we get, oh, now this has sustained, you know this has produced improvement way beyond the others. The question is, can it be sustained? And that also has to do with the constraints of the system. 0:24:01.0 Andrew Stotz: Because if you don't have the proper, let's say, electricity, steady electricity supply, or you have problems with employees coming and going, bad training or whatever, you may find that you did make an initial improvement, but you weren't able to sustain it, so you couldn't really call it an improvement, it was more like a test. 0:24:24.0 John Dues: Yeah, yeah. These are all things that make improvement work so challenging, especially in a complex organization. Very, very challenging. No doubt. But I think this is probably a good place to wrap up and summarize. But I think just having this clear definition for the concept of improvement, I think there's sort of these three big ideas that I think from this episode that can put you on the right track. I think one is just recognizing now kind of being listening for this in your organization that most improvement claims lack evidence. So when you hear somebody in your organization make a claim, this went up, or this got better, or that got better, you know, ask for some evidence. How do you know? Let me see. Show me what you're seeing. How do you know this is improvement? So I'd call that sort of big idea one is, this idea that you need evidence. 0:25:27.7 Andrew Stotz: Yeah. The other thing I would take away from it, too, is actually in the process, you end up narrowing in on one thing. That chart is about one specific outcome. 0:25:42.6 John Dues: Yeah. 0:25:43.6 Andrew Stotz: And once you get so narrow to one specific outcome and you're tracking it and following it, it gets you more focused. And I think that to really get sustained improvement, you have to focus. And it's so easy to be distracted by the 15 things that need to be improved that you see as you walk down the hall in a school every day or as you... But in the end, true improvement is really hard. You can't improve 15 things. You can probably only improve one right now. 0:26:13.2 John Dues: Yeah, you gotta have a focus area for sure. What's the most important thing or the most important few things? Yeah. So the big idea one is, you know, from what I've seen, most of these improvement claims lack evidence. You need evidence. The second big idea is very simple. You know, you have to have this definition, and it's got to precede any improvement claims. Whatever your definition is, that this is the one I would use, this is the one I do use. But you know, before you can make a claim, you have to have a definition that clearly outlines when the thing has happened and when it hasn't. And in my mind, big idea three, is use this three part definition because it makes it so easy to tell when things have improved again and when things haven't. Yeah, after you apply these three big ideas, you know, I think you'll be able to answer the question, have we improved with conviction. You know, it makes it very, very straightforward. I like very straightforward things. And this is very straightforward. 0:27:14.8 Andrew Stotz: Yep. Most improvement claims lack evidence. John, on behalf of everyone at the Deming Institute, I want to thank you again for this discussion. And for listeners, remember to go to deming.org to continue your journey. You can find John's book, Win-Win W. Edwards Deming; the System of Profound Knowledge and the Science of Improving Schools on Amazon.com. This is your host, Andrew Stotz, and I'll leave you with my favorite quote from Dr. Deming, and that is that people are entitled to joy in work.
A Holiday Haunting: Part 4 A unique relationship paradigm. Based on a post by zeon 67. Listen to the ► Podcast at Explicit Novels. He had asked Erin what kind of food she wanted to try, and she said something new, with lots of flavor. Walking into the orange glow of the Thai restaurant and getting the scent of the food, Jack knew he had picked the right place. Erin looked so excited, her eyes darting to every plate as they got seated. "So, Siam is now Thailand?" Erin asked as soon as the waiter poured the waters and left the menus. "Yeah." Jack nodded. "I'm sorry, but I have to ask; are you okay?" "What? Why?" She lowered the menu, and her eyes widened. "Just want to make sure that you're not gonna fall asleep on me." Erin smiled and said, "I'm getting my eight hours. Can you help me with this menu?" Jack leaned over and tried his best to explain everything to Erin. He remembered her telling him that the food she used to eat in the 1880s was bland and boring. He got the idea she wanted something spicy but didn't want to scare her. He suggested Pad Thai, and picked something hotter for himself, a couple of appetizers and wine. "So, what did you do all day?" Erin asked as soon as they were alone again. "Nothing really. Replied to some emails, watched TV with my sisters, argued with my parents about politics ; a typical holiday." "What would you be doing if you were back in Boston?" "Don't know. Maybe watch basketball, gym, go on the PlayStation, hit a couple of bars with friends." "PlayStation ; that's the machine that you can play computer cartoons." "Close enough," Jack smiled, "What about you? How did you used to spend your free time?" "Working for the Franklins took up most of my time. I would be in that house for hours, sometimes the whole day. Any time I had to myself, I'd read or maybe go for a walk. Not really that entertaining. But now I can't wait to experience new things." "I know, I saw your list. What about today?" "Me and Lucy watched more movies. We watched some ones with a lot of action, which was terrifying. But I got through it." Jack wanted to quickly interject and ask what film that she saw, but let her carry on. "I tried to use Lucy's computer. But it was so hard and nothing worked. It looked so easier when you were using yours. I kept on forgetting about the Start button." "And I got this." Erin reached into her jacket pocket and showed Jack a red cellphone. It looked a little small compared to most modern phones and had some scratches around the sides. "I got from a store nearby and a prepaid plan. We can talk to each other now." "That's awesome," Jack said. He knew that there was something that he had forgotten to do for Erin. "Lucy helped me take a couple of selfies. I guess that's what girls like me do now. I created a Spotify account and I'm trying to find my taste in music. But I'm not joining Instagram or Facebook yet. Lucy said it's too early." "Yeah." Jack nodded, thinking if he should tell her the horror stories of social media. "Also, I know Beth is going to be trawling for your account and will immediately follow you." The food then arrived, and Erin's attention was drawn instantly to the plate set in front of her. Jack watched her, a mix of confusion and excitement at the various plates. He should probably try to explain everything. "These are the appetizers, that's pork gyozas ; dough wrapped around a filling. Those are chicken satays ; grilled chicken with sauce." Erin pointed to her dish and asked, "And I ordered; ?" "Pad Thai. A typical Thai dish ; everyone should try it at least once. I got drunken noodles, there are hotter." Erin reached for a chopstick; her fingers and thumbs fumbled around the utensil. But to Jack's surprise, she got used to quickly them and tried everything in front of them. Seeing her face light up with every bite, he just grinned, like he was enjoying the food through her. "This all tastes amazing. So many spices and different flavors." "I thought food was better back in your time. Fresher, no chemicals or hormones." "Maybe. But we just boiled everything. And there was no taste." Jack carefully ate his noodles, making sure not to make a mess as he listened to Erin. She talked more about her plans; she was thinking about starting yoga. He didn't see it in Lucy's apartment but now could tell she was wearing makeup and looked even better. Her eyeliner made her green eyes pop, and she had a bold shade on her lips, making it so enticing. He needed to be alone with her. Erin caught him staring and smiled. She then said, "Me and Lucy were talking. And I think we got a story I can tell people." "Okay." "We got this idea after watching a true crime television show ; Lucy loves those. So, I tell people I came from Ireland but I moved here when I was twelve. I lived with a very religious aunt and uncle. The Franklins. We lived away from other people and had a simple life." "So, you were in a fundamentalist sect?" "Yes. I didn't have a TV, no internet or modern music. I only interacted with the Franklins and other people in the community." "Okay. But why did you leave?" "The Franklins died." "And what happened between then and now?" Erin paused, looking like she was thinking of an answer. She took a sip of wine and said, "After I decided to leave, I travel to Boston and stay there, for some time? But; but it's too expensive and I meet Lucy and she lets me stay with her. I then meet you and; you know?" "That's perfect." After finishing their food, Jack ordered more wine and asked Erin what she thought about the meal. "I loved it." Erin said, wiping her lips with the napkin. "I always wanted to try something like this. Before I left Boston, there was this Chinese neighborhood. Just walking pass, I would be enticed by the aroma. But I could never walk into the neighborhood." He asked why but saw Erin go quiet and look nervous. It took Jack a moment before he understood, going to a Chinese block would be a major no-no for a white woman in 1890s Boston. "I lived in what is now called South End. Then it was a mix of Irish, Lebanese, Jewish, African-American, Greek. It was okay to speak with them and visit their stores. But the Chinese was a different story. I never understood why." "Do you miss Boston?" "Yes. When I arrived in the city, after weeks on that boat, I couldn't believe such a place could exist. So big, so many people. Visiting the Cathedral of the Holy Cross, getting lost in alleys exploring the city, having picnics at the Common." Looking at her, Jack thought about asking her something that he had been on his mind for a while. "Do you want to come to Boston with me?" "I would like that." They both leaned over the table and kissed, just a quick peck. But they stared in each other's eyes, a tension rapidly developing between them. Jack thought about asking about dessert, there was the Chocolate Bar a couple of blocks away, or that they go for another drink. But watching Erin, it felt she wanted to be alone with him. "Lucy told me something," Erin said in a hushed tone. "She will be working late and will be spending the night at a friend's." Jack nodded and flagged down the waiter. A human Copulation. "Lucy!" Erin called out as soon as they opened the door. Hearing no response, she turned and faced Jack. They both shared knowing smirks and quickly kissed. Erin moaned in his mouth as the kiss grew more lustful. She pressed herself against him and wrapped an arm around his neck. Erin wanted to feel closer to him. Jack loved every moment; having a gorgeous girlfriend draped over him would make any man ecstatic. Erin then took his hand and pulled it down to her ass. It was amazing how much she had changed in the last couple of days; the modest, sexually-na ve girl from the nineteenth century had disappeared. Erin moaned again as Jack cupped her ass. She broke their kiss and tilted her head towards Lucy's bedroom, Erin's green eyes sparkling as she grinned at him. Jack let her take the lead, pulling him into the bedroom. Erin slammed the door shut and quickly went to work on undressing Jack. She clumsily tried to unbutton his shirt but got nowhere and groaned. "You're wearing too many layers," Erin said, flashing him a half-smile. He pushed her back and immediately corrected his dress code. His jeans and the rest of his clothes then fell to the floor, and Jack then wrapped his arms back around her, kissing Erin's neck as he tugged on the zip. Her dress loosened, and Erin effortlessly slipped out of it, revealing her perky tits clad in a black bra. He didn't do it on purpose, but Jack moaned at the sight of her. How could he not? Erin stood in front of him wearing a black lace bra that just covered her bust, revealing a hint of her areolas. Below, she wore a matching lace thong. Super fucking sexy. Looking up, Erin had this smug smile on her face; she knew the effect she was having on Jack. She swayed her hips as she moved to him; Jack stayed slack-jawed as Erin pushed on the bed and straddled him. She lowered her head, and they resumed fervently kissing, writhing together. Jack reached around and unclasped her bra. Erin shimmied her body and slipped her hands out, tossing her bra away. Jack instantly grasped her free tits, enjoying the feeling of the soft flesh in his palm. Their lips still locked, he gently squeezed them, his thumb teasing her sensitive nipples. Erin responded by moaning into his mouth, egging him on. Jack pinched and pulled her erect bud, eliciting more moans from Erin. It got too much for her, and Erin pulled back. "Jack, I; I need you; inside me," she said, breathless. She rolled off him and got on all fours. There was something perverse in being fucked like an animal; Erin really wanted to feel that way again. She shuddered as she felt Jack's lips brush down her back as he carefully pulled down her panties, biting her lip and burning in anticipation. He slipped his hand between her thighs and found a very wet pussy. Erin trembled at his touch and moaned again. She begged for more and was ecstatic at having her cunt be invaded by Jack's finger. He then slid another one in, pushing them into her pussy. She gritted her teeth and hummed. Jack pulled his hand back, disappointing his panting girlfriend. His fingers oozed with her slick juices; shit, she's horny. He pressed his tip on the wet folds of her pussy and waited for a moan. Erin shook her head and whimpered as he thrust his cock in one slow push. "Oh yes;" Erin whispered, rolling her back and letting out another moan. Shuddering, her cunt muscles welcomed his cock, tightening around the shaft. Erin felt his hands on her ass, squeezing her cheeks as Jack slowly fucked, in long, gentle movements. It was just like being in the Franklin's bed, Erin going through the same electric sensations and loving every second of it. Erin threw her ass back, demanding his cock faster and harder. " more, more, more," she whimpered, matching his rhythm. Hearing her moans, Jack pumped his cock harder, watching his girlfriend's ass shake with every thrust. She pleaded for more and faster Jack went, pounding his cock. He loved how loud she was being. It was such an intensely erotic feeling, having a gorgeous woman cry for your cock. It urged him on, and the bedroom echoed with the sounds of their flesh slapping. Erin slammed her head on the pillow, stifling her cries as her body tightened, edging closer. She pressed down on the mattress and lifted her chest up, arching her back. Her right hand went for her left tit, clamping her fingertips around her erect nipple. While she pinched and pulled, her left hand slipped between her legs and found her engorged clit. "Oh; CHRIST!" She screamed. Erin dropped her mouth wide open, her limbs twitching as she hurtled to an incredible and intense climax. She inhaled sharply, gritted her teeth, close, so very close. Jack stopped and went still. He wrapped his arms around her waist and slammed his cock in slow, hard thrusts. It was too much for her. Erin shrieked, and her whole body shuddered; her fingers gripped the sheets, and her eyes rolled back into her skull, riding out an earth-shattering orgasm. "Oh; that felt good," Erin whispered, coming in down. Jack fell back, hitting the headboard. That was something. His still-hard cock slid out of Erin's drenched cunt. His throbbing shaft dripped with her slick juices. Taking a couple of deep breaths, his eyes focused on Erin and he used every ounce of willpower not to cum. She had this small, content smile on her face that looked so cute and yet very sexy. She grinned back at him, knowing what he was thinking. Her eyes drifted down to his glistening cock, and her smile went wider. She instantly regained her composure, getting on her back. Their eyes met again, and Erin wiped the sweat from her forehead before cupping her tits. Biting her lip, she pinched her nipples and spread her legs, eager for his cock, "Please." Jack quickly responded, shuffling forward with his cock in his hand. He leaned over her, feeling the heat from Erin's post-orgasmic glow. His throbbing tip brushed up against the soaked openings of her pussy. He rested his hands by her waist; she felt warm and slowly pushed his cock back in. Erin groaned and exhaled, her body vibrating, enjoying the incredibly fulfilling sensation of having Jack's cock back inside her. Intense heat rippled out from her cunt; her pussy muscles kneaded his pulsing shaft. Erin looked up at him, her eyes filled with lust and love. "Oh, yes;" Erin moaned as Jack bottomed out. She then wrapped her hand around his neck, pulling him down; Erin needed to kiss him again. The mouths instantly parted, and their tongues met again. Moaning into his mouth while twirling her tongue, Erin hooked her legs around Jack's waist, pulling him closer. She let out an animalistic grunt like she had been penetrated by another inch of cock. Erin or Jack, or both, broke their embrace and locked eyes. Watching each other's faces contort while they rhythmically fucked each other senseless. "Oh, God!" Erin screamed, getting closer and closer. She fucked him right back, meeting every vigorous thrust by throwing her hips forward, slamming her pussy at his cock. Jack pushed her up and lowered his head, nestling his face in the crook of Erin's neck. He slowly kissed down her soft white flesh, reaching her tits. He enthusiastically sucked on her nipple while slipping his cock out, waited a moment, then rammed it back into her drenched pussy. His free hand eagerly groped her other tit. "Oh, Jack!" It was getting too much for Erin. She tightened her grip around Jack's waist and went stiff. She fucked him hard, hyperventilating and shaking. Erin hissed and cried his name out as she rode through another orgasm. She frantically thrust her hips, trying to extend her climax and begged Jack for more. He replied by pressing his teeth down her nipple, and that was it. Her pussy spasmed around his raging cock and she let out a long cry. "Yes; yes; Oh Lord; Jesus Christ!" She yelled. As Erin went limp in his arms, Jack could feel the familiar tingling sensation coming from his balls. He tried to put it off, still plunging his cock furiously. Both of them moaned and gasped for air, covered in sweat, wanting more. But Jack couldn't take it anymore; he threw his head back, roared as he shot a torrid of cum into her. His body jerked uncontrollably from the needed orgasmic release, each movement causing another shot of jizz. Erin sighed and moaned, feeling Jack's cock explode deep inside her, making her tremble in ecstasy. Another rope of his jizz filled her womb, followed by another. As Jack collapsed on top of her, his brain mushed in a post-climax daze, Erin held him tightly. She had a broad grin, smugly satisfied that her pussy was filled by her lover's cum. Quietly moaning, feeling the hot cum seep down her thighs, Erin leaned forward. Her tits pressed against Jack's chest as she kissed him. Recovering from the intensity of their orgasm, they passionately kissed before breaking, pressing their foreheads together. Their eyes were closed, and they slowly breathed. "I love you," they said in unison, before exchanging more kisses. Erin smiled back at Jack. Her hands trembled, and sweat flooded her face. It was happening again. She remembered her breathing exercises, focusing on five things in the room. It didn't work, and Erin sunk through the mattress, her hands phasing past Jack's body. His mouth dropped as he watched her go. She hit the floor of the room, thankful that she didn't go any further. Jack immediately jumped off the bed and checked underneath, finding her sprawled out on the carpet. "Are you okay?" Erin stared at the underneath of Lucy's bed and just whimpered, "; no." New Years Eve. Jack tried to pay attention to the conversation; he knew it was important. It was about Erin's condition and what they should do next. But when he saw Erin walkout, wearing a black lace dress, Jack struggled to pay attention to Lucy and her friend. Erin just looked too sexy. She caught him staring, and Erin responded with a smirk. "Circe; Circe; Circe!" Lucy yelled, "We already got the dirt." Jack quickly turned back to Lucy and her phone. She had been Facetiming with a witch, who supposedly knew what was happening to Erin. They hadn't completed the resurrection ritual properly. Lucy's witch friend said they had done around ninety percent of it. The remaining ten percent involved Jedidiah Franklin's grave dirt and New Year's Eve. "Shut up, bitch!" Circe shouted at Lucy. Glancing back at Erin, she and Jack exchanged another look. This didn't sound like it was going well. Lucy and Circe had spent around twenty minutes just name-calling, bringing up boyfriends they had shared and generally being dismissive at each other. What he understood was that Circe wanted them to do another ritual, while Lucy wanted to do something different. Anything, it didn't matter. "What is it with you witches and wizards? Sex magic all the time. Sprained your ankle ; sex magic. Car won't start ; sex magic. Have to go to small claims court ; sex magic. Don't you have a book of spells?" "Aw the poor medium is stuck. God, you're so basic. You just repeat what spirits say, like a parrot with tits." "Shut up, Claire, you giant poser!" Lucy yelled. The raven-haired witch went quiet and completely still. Lucy even called out her name to check if the call had frozen. Jack got the sense that Lucy had crossed some line and should apologize. Seeing Circe's bulging eyes, he figured the apology should be sooner than later. But the call ended, and he let it go. "What do we do next?" Erin asked. "We still go out. It's New Year's Eve." Lucy said, her phone then buzzed, and she read the message. "It's Circe. She says that as Jedidiah Franklin was the one who killed you, he needs to be punished. We have to burn the dirt, evoke Frigga, you two get freaking with some mistletoe above the bed. When the dirt turns white ; we're good. Then she called me; the c-word. She called me a cunt" Erin looked embarrassed on her behalf, looking at her feet and said, "Oh." Lucy shrugged it off. "I will make it up to her later." She stood up and checked the time; it was getting close to eight, they had some time to kill. "Jack, you call a cab. Me and Erin will get ready." Erin followed the blonde in her bedroom, taking careful steps as she hadn't gotten used to wearing heels. In the bedroom, a silver bucket sat next to the window with a tub filled with dirt lying next to it. Erin had joined Jack this time, driving to a graveyard near the coast. Lucy gave them instructions while working, listening to her transparently flirt with a customer for tips while they waited to be told what to do next. Lucy opened a drawer and pulled out two sticks of white chalk. Handing Erin one, she bent down and drew a circle around the bed. "You okay with another sex ritual?" Erin chuckled and said, "It's getting repetitive." She placed the grave dirt in the bucket and set it down in front of the bed, drawing a circle around it. "Will you be there ; watching?" "I have to." Lucy laughed. "Do we have to do it today? I was looking forward to celebrating the New Year." "It has to be a special day like New Year's Day or say, February 1. Then there's the Spring Equinox, Midsummer, Halloween, the Winter Solstice. You want to wait until February to make sure you never walk through a door?" "Of course, no." Erin replied, "I want to move on with my life and forget about protective circles, sex magic, the Franklins." Wiping the chalk from her hands, Erin checked herself out in the mirror. The dress showed off a lot of her bare skin, and she didn't know what to feel about it. Seeing Jack's face, Erin knew she looked hot and loved the feeling. But then there were Mrs. Franklin's words, telling her that she looked like a Catholic succubus. At least her legs were covered; it was too cold to go without tights. Lucy then joined her by the mirror. She wore a more revealing outfit, a silver sequined V-neck dress, her large tits up for display. Seeing her like that, Erin could only imagine the reaction in the nineteenth century. This was the new normal now, and she had to get used to it. Lucy raised her phone up and took some photos, saying, "We look hot." Erin laughed and then did the same. They took a couple of photos of their reflections, then some selfies. It was kind of pointless, and no one was going to see it, but checking out the photos, Erin really liked how she looked. "You said we had to do it tonight. Should we still go out?" "Yeah." Lucy smirked, putting away her phone. She said, "One, whenever we do it, it has to happen at the witching hour ; that's like at three in the morning. Two, it's your first New Year's Eve, you gotta celebrate it." Jack then knocked on the door and said, "The cab is coming in ten minutes." Approaching Normalcy. Erin liked how it felt having Jack's arm wrapped around, comforting. They were in a bar, a busy bar, sitting alone and waiting for Lucy. There were many people around her, and it took Erin some time to get used to being in a crowd. It wasn't like she was frightened or agoraphobic. She just got anxious about saying the wrong thing, letting people know that she didn't belong in this time. Then was the whole becoming incorporeal whenever she became nervous. Finishing a glass of wine helped Erin from phasing through the chair. The alcohol also helped her make small talk. A girl in the restroom had asked about her dress, wanting to know where she got it from. They talked for a bit more, and Erin returned to Jack, full of confidence. "Hey guys." Lucy sat down in front of them and placed a white plastic bag on the table. "I got the mistletoe for Frigga. I need a drink." Jack ordered another beer and two glasses of ros for them. "So, what is the plan for tonight?" Erin asked. "Drink here then go to a couple of bars and see what happens." Lucy then glanced at Jack, who shrugged a 'that sounds good' response. "What did you do all day?" "Nothing," Jack said, "Just emailed my boss and about me moving back to Boston." "Cool. Did Erin tell you what she did today?" Jack shook his head and turned to his girlfriend. "I went grocery shopping by myself." "That's really great," Jack said. "Once this thing goes away and I'm not afraid of passing through a bed, there's things that I want to do. I already got a plan." "Like what?" Lucy leaned in, finishing her wine. "First, I need a job, something that I can do and that's not far from Jack's apartment. And I'm looking at GED courses. Then a community college course." Lucy grinned and said, "That's fucking cool. We need some tequila to celebrate." Jack and Lucy showed Erin how to take a shot of tequila. She let out a long moan as the burn of the alcohol shocked her throat and quickly bit into the lime slice. They slowed down their drinking, Jack saying that they shouldn't be wasted for the ritual. Lucy agreed, worrying out loud that she could mess up and make Erin a ghost again. They talked for a while, trying to predict what would happen in the new year, before going to another bar. Then quickly another one, eventually ending up at the Cord & Rifle. It was more of a high-end hipster bar, which annoyed Jack and Lucy, and she worked there. The bartenders wore white shirts, suspenders and each had handlebar mustaches, looking like Civil War surgeons. This just confused Erin, wondering why people were pretending to be like that. "It's just; the trend," Jack said, sighing. Erin glanced at Lucy, and she was rolling her eyes but also nodding. They ordered more drinks, and Erin moved away from wine, trying what the bartenders said were authentic cocktails from her time. They were lying to her. Her eyes flickered to other patrons; they were all ordering expensive drinks, taking photos, deleting them, then retaking them. Their lips were stretched out in the smile, but their eyes stayed unmoved. This is what modern life is? Expensive drinks and pretending to be happy. She and Lucy were then in the bathroom, touching up their makeup. Erin turned her and asked, "Is New Year's Eve supposed to be; like this?" "Are you asking if New Year's Eve always this mediocre?" Lucy said, smirking. "Yeah. It's always a massive let-down. You got this pressure to have this epic night, everything is expensive, then there's that bullshit about getting a kiss at midnight." "A midnight kiss?" "It's some bullshit. Something that Hollywood and Hallmark love. I think it's real tradition behind it, probably something farming related. But now it's been romanticized to insane levels. If someone doesn't kiss you when the clock strikes twelve, then life is over." "Really?" "Stupid, isn't it?" Lucy sighed, "At least you got Jack." "You are not interested in meeting someone?" Erin asked, "There were some men that were checking you out?" She narrowed her eyes as she spoke, wondering if she used the right word. "I wasn't feeling it." Lucy shrugged. "Too many desperate creeps and fake-ass nice guys. You know that tavern-like bar we quickly left because of the vibe? Some girl tried to hit on me in the bathroom. It's been a while since I've been with a girl;" They then went quiet and stared at each other. A group of ladies woke them up, and they quickly left the bathroom. They had never discussed the kiss at the s ance, and Erin didn't know how she could ever bring it up organically. She couldn't make sense of it herself; why did she kiss her? It wasn't like she had this attraction to Lucy. Erin just rationalized that the s ance messed with her emotions, and that was it. Jack was waiting for them at the booth. He stopped them before they could sit. "Some guy was looking for Lucy. Lloyd?" "Lloyd? Oh, snap. Where is he?" "Outside. Said near the 7-Eleven." "We should get out of here." "Why?" Erin asked. "He's got the final stuff we need to for tonight." Lucy replied. "Oh," Jack smiled and handed them their jackets. They got outside and walked to the meeting point. He turned to Erin and said, "We're meeting Lucy's weed dealer." "Weed?" Erin asked. Lucy jumped in before Jack could open his mouth, saying, "It's marijuana, cannabis. You probably heard it as hash. We need it for the ritual." "Oh. Do you normally partake?" Nodding her head, Lucy smiled and said, "Yeah. It makes things less boring. Also, marijuana has been used in so many sacred and spooky things." "I do as well." Jack felt Erin give him a quick look, knowing that she was about to ask him the same thing. "Weed is legal in Boston. I smoke it time to time. Shame we don't have any dispensaries." "Same," Lucy quickly jumped in. "They say we might get dispensaries in Portland by summer." Erin stayed quiet, giving them both a long stare. "Are we supposed to just burn it?" She eventually asked, "Or we do smoke it?" "Both," Lucy replied. Erin remembered hash from when she first arrived in America, that weird feeling block of greenish-brown that her father would take as medicine. There was also a time when she was given cannabis fluid for an illness. The idea that people now took cannabis for fun interested her. "I would like to try some." Erin said, nodding her head. Both Lucy and Jack looked at each other, silently conversing before turning back to Erin, asking if she was sure. They mention PSAs, peer pressure and not wanting to force her into something she might not be ready for. Erin replied with a blank look, nodding her head but not really listening. "Before I was a char-girl, I worked in a factory. The fumes from the vats would give me migraines. Do you know what the druggist gave me?" Erin asked, slowly smiling. Both Jack and Lucy shook their heads. "Heroin," Erin said, "They used to give that to fussy babies as well. Also, the man who owned the house before you, Jack. I once saw him inhale white powder and act loony. I feel marijuana is safer." Lucy shrugged and walked away. She was back with a baggie filled with dark brown herbs a minute later. "All set?" Jack asked. "Yeah. Lloyd was pretty nervous and wanted to know who you guys are." "What did you say?" "Just a couple I had a quasi-threesome with." Erin was still blushing by the time they got to the final bar. It had more of an old-school look about it, reminding her of Ireland and the taverns where she would be sent to fetch her father. They got in just before the countdown. While everyone started counting down and looking at the screens, Erin lost her cocktail. The glass phased through her hand and smashed against the floor. Was it nerves? That the ritual wasn't going to work, or she could say to herself that she was excited, looking forward to the new year. While everyone celebrated, Erin ignored the lost drink and grabbed Jack, kissing him hard. If this wasn't going to work, she would at least have some fun. She quickly ended their embrace and then lunged at Lucy, giving the medium a long hug. After tonight, she needed to do something for Lucy, something to show her appreciation. Lucy broke their hug and smirked back at her. "Let's get out of here. Time for you to be human." More Dark Arts. Jack thanked that the burning pot was giving him a gentle high, otherwise he would be embarrassed. He, like Erin, sat in his underwear on Lucy's bed. A sprig of mistletoe was taped to the headboard behind them while white candles circled the bed. They watched Lucy burn some incense sticks while reading out of the grimoire. But every once in a while, Jack would catch the medium look up from the book and steal glances, her eyes focusing on the bulge between his legs. Erin did the same but acting a lot more obvious than Lucy. It was this weird horny circle. Jack tried to stay unaroused, which was getting more difficult with every passing second. Erin and her lacy bra would draw him in, and his cock throbbed with every look. "Are you okay?" Jack asked. Erin grinned and said, "Yeah." Looking at her, it was clear that she was getting a buzz from the pot. It was also affecting him, that or whatever Lucy was burning. He felt warm and eager. Jack needed to move, jump off this bed and do something. He looked at Lucy; she was still reading the grimoire and glancing up at them. Was she checking Erin out? Her attention had moved away from his bulge, focusing on Erin's heaving chest and her tits. Jack closed his eyes and shook his head; all the pot and incense made him think he was in a porno. Lucy then slammed the book shut and stood in front of them. Still wearing her sequin dress, she said, "It's time." "What do you want us to do?" Erin asked. "Yeah, you're the director." Jack added, smirking. "You guys start fucking. I will chant Frigga's name while you do it." Jack turned back to Erin; her green eyes told him she was ready. He pulled her close to him and kissed her passionately. Their lips parted, and they both moaned, also gasping for air. Erin grinned back at him, making Jack chuckle at the ridiculousness of the situation. He placed his hand on each side of Erin's face and pressed his lips back on hers. Jack thrusted his tongue into her mouth, suppressing a groan as he felt her hand cup his bulge. There was a moan ; it may have come from Lucy as Erin freed Jack's cock. He couldn't explain it, but his cock was a stiff and hard as it ever had been. Maybe the stuff that Lucy had burned is what they make Viagra out of? Jack could feel his tip oozing copious amounts of precum and coating Erin's fingers. She broke from their kiss and looked down in amazement, drooling at the sight of his pulsating member. Erin desperately needed that cock inside her. She grabbed Jack and roughly pulled him down onto the mattress. He looked shocked at her sudden assertiveness. But before he could say a word, Erin sat between his legs and took his cock deep into her mouth. Both he and Lucy moaned their approval as Erin swirled her tongue along the underside of Jack's shaft. "Oh Frigga; Oh Frigga; Oh Frigga; oh fuck," Lucy said. She paced around the room, burning a bundle of sage while invoking a Norse goddess. She lost her focus as she saw Erin strip off her bra and bob her head on a massive cock. This was insane. Jack was stunned by Erin's drive and how badly she wanted his cock. Her naked tits bounced against his crotch, and Jack had to feel them again. Taking her perky tits in his hands, Erin moaned on his cock while Lucy had stopped speaking and just stared at them. Erin shuddered and then pulled her head from Jack's cock. She could have more fun blowing him, but right now, they needed to have sex. Erin looked up at him, replying with a big, content smile. She then stood up on the bed and wriggled out of her panties, giving Jack and Lucy a little show. She rested her left leg on the other side of his crotch and slowly sank. Erin grabbed his slick, throbbing cock and pressed against her pussy. "Jack; this is so wicked," she said with a big smile. She let out a long, deep exhale as she bent her knees and became impaled on Jack's cock. Erin's body involuntary shook as her eyes rolled back. Something was different this time, there was this raw, lewd feeling, but Erin wasn't complaining as Jack's cock pulsed against the walls of her pussy. She remained still, her eyelids down, and she breathed rapidly. Seeing Erin and Jack acting like there were in a porno, Lucy had forgotten what she was supposed to do. She stared at her friend's body or, more accurately, ogled Erin's nakedness. She looked hot. So did Jack. She didn't want to think about that now; that would be later when Lucy was alone with her vibrator. She stood in front of the silver bucket and lit a match. "Oh Frigga. Please take fortune on Erin and punish the man who wronged her," she said, looking up. Lucy flicked the match into the dirt, it burned into a bright white flame and went back to enjoy the show. Erin rested her palms on Jack's chest and slammed herself up and down on his cock. She had thrown her head back; her eyes were closed, and she hummed to herself as she forcefully rode Jack. Her tits bounced to Lucy's and Jack's delight, eager to be touched. Those herbs that Claire picked had really fucked with her head; she knew she was never this bi-like. Erin then arched her back and squeezed her tits, pulling on her erect nipples. "Oh Lord; yes!" Erin cried, nearly sending herself off to her first orgasm of the night. Seeing her moan and cry for more was an incredible sight for Jack. It was love. Seeing his girlfriend ride his cock with such passion was unbelievable. He wrapped his arms around her firm ass and raised his hips. He saw Erin appreciate the slight change, his cock thrusting deeper into her slick pussy. She was getting close; he could sense it. But then Erin slowed down, and Jack had to yawn. Turning his head, Lucy was down, sleeping on the floor. He felt weak, and his eyes were heavy. Erin collapsed on top of him ; in a deep sleep like before. Jack shook his head, thinking that it would help. He then prodded Erin and yelled her name, but nothing. He couldn't fight it anymore and slowly drifted asleep. The Attic, Again. Jack's eyes opened, and he knew something was different. This isn't Lucy's bedroom. Sitting up, he knew where he had been transported to, the attic. It wasn't was like the other week when he woke up in 1897 and watched Erin die. There was nothing in the attic this time, no lanterns, steamer trunks or the presence of anyone, just exposed brick and worn floorboards. Something had happened. Sitting up, he noticed that he had been on Lucy's bed. Looking to his side, Erin lay in a deep sleep. Weirdly enough, she was wearing the same black lace dress. To his left, he heard snoring. Turning his head, Lucy slept, also wearing the same dress she had on from earlier. Seeing her was surprising; Jack expected it would be just him and Erin transported back in time. That's what would make sense. He reached over to his right, gently rubbing Erin's arm. "Erin? Erin?" Nothing. Jack then turned to Lucy and called out her name. Again, nothing. Getting up, Jack walked around the attic. There had to be something they needed to do. Or something they did wrong. He raised his hand up; there was something different. There was a dry heat coming from somewhere in the room. Jack tried to ignore it, focusing on the door. He pushed it a couple of times, it didn't move. He slammed his shoulder against it; the door didn't budge; there's no give. "Ah; ," a female voice moaned. Jack rushed back to the bed, seeing Erin stirring. She slowly opened her eyes and said, "Jack?" Erin then sat up, turning her head, taking in the change. "No." "It's okay. It's not like it was before. Something is different," Jack said. He then pointed to Lucy, who was still asleep, "She's also here." "Lucy," Erin said, her eyes widening. She jumped to her feet and moved to the blonde medium. She shook Lucy, yelling her name. "Fuck; leave me alone. Shit." Lucy groaned, pushing away Erin. She sat up and rubbed her eyes. With one eye open, she scanned their surroundings. "Where the fuck are we?" "The attic," Jack said. "It's weird. There's a door but it's not opening. And, I don't hear anyone." "No Franklins?" Erin asked, wrapping her arms around herself. Jack extended out his hand and gently rubbed Erin's shoulder. "No. We're alone." He slipped off his blazer; it was getting too hot, and then sat back on the bed. He glanced at Lucy, waiting for her to think of something. She stood up and paced in front of the bed. "Okay. Remind me again. What happened last time? Was it the same?" Jack shook his head, "No. Not like this. I was watching the Franklins and Erin going through their day. It was like when Scrooge goes back to the past. They couldn't hear me or see me. But I could go anywhere. Not just this attic." "Same for me. I just woke up," Erin said, "And I thought everything went back to how it was. But then I saw myself; as a maid. Then Jack." "Okay, let me think." Lucy said, still pacing. Watching the blonde walk back and forth, Jack rolled his eyes and undid the top button of his shirt. He looked down at his feet, realizing he was tapping his foot. There was something about this attic; it was making him feel hot and restless. Erin joined him on the bed, and Jack quickly got distracted by her. She just looked so sexy; he was desperate to continue what they were doing back in Lucy's apartment. Looking at Erin, Jack noticed that she had the same problem. Beads of sweat trickled down her forehead. Her fingers drummed against the mattress and her legs jiggled. Lucy rushed back to them, her skin glossy and her face flush. "I think Frigga wanted something else. Like you have to be here for the final bit." "Yeah okay. But why did the spirits or Frigga or whatever drag you here as well?" Jack asked. Lucy shrugged, "I'm part of this." "How?" Erin said, slowly playing with her hair. "I mean you did use my body to have sex. And remember when we first summoned you? You kissed me." Jack glanced at Erin; her face was crimson. Turning back to Lucy, "Do you think the kiss had effect something." "No. I think whatever force, being, god, kept Erin in your home and then made her corporeal for real; they must think I am part of it. That's why I was taken here as well." Lucy said. Jack let out a long sigh and then said, "I'm so glad that I called you instead of that Starry guy from Dover." "His real name is Stan and he's a big piece of shit," Lucy said, rolling her eyes. She turned to Erin, asking, "I need to know more about the kiss. Why did you do it?" Erin stayed quiet. She stared at her feet but eventually looked up. "I just felt so overwhelmed when I found myself back in Jack's room." "Overwhelmed?" Lucy repeated. "Yes. Becoming a body again, there were so many emotions. Confusion, love, jealousy, lust." "But you kissed me, right?" Lucy asked, arching an eyebrow. "Nothing forced you to?" Erin buried her head in the hand, going red again. She took a deep breath and said, "No. It was me. I don't know why. I was angry at you but also, I was thankful. Possessing you ; twice! A feeling lingered." She paused and then added, "I felt you liked it." Hearing this, Jack covered his mouth, muffling a moan. "Hell yeah, I did," Lucy said, "It was like you're reading my mind ; you probably did. Haven't been kissed like that in ages. No offence Jack." "None taken," Jack said, just whispering. "Maybe that's why I'm here. Let me think," Lucy said again, her tone breathless and weak. She then sat back on the bed, next to Jack. They went quiet. The only sound that filled the room was the creaking of the bed as all three fidgeted. Lucy tightly gripped the sheets, forcing herself to stay still. Erin instead rested her head on Jack's shoulder, running her hand over his chest. He responded by slowly stroking her thigh. The sound of fidgeting disappeared, replaced with heavy breathing. "You should fuck already," Lucy shouted. She looked at them, her face flush and with deep desperation in her eyes. "You sure?" Jack asked. "It will please Frigga," the medium quickly said, "Like you complete the final ritual in the room where Erin died. So, you should do it now. I will just watch. And you should fuck." Jack looked back at Erin; she had this mischievous grin that told him yes. He kissed her, driving his tongue into her mouth, pulling her in. She moaned, her eyes shut, and she trembled as Jack pulled on the dress zipper. She went limped, letting him quickly undress her. Christ, she wanted him. Pulling the straps down, Jack smirked and marveled at his girlfriend's lingerie-clothed body. She wore that sexy lace bra again, and she looked amazing. Immediately, his hands were on her tits, squeezing them through the thin fabric. Erin then swatted his hands away and reached behind, unhooking her bra. He thought he heard Lucy moan, but Jack ignored it. He leaned his head down and gently kissed Erin's tits, his hands caressing her pale flesh. He ran his tongue around her sensitive nipples, teasing her with a quick flick. Erin pushed down on his head as Jack sucked on her tits, moaning and throwing her head back, waiting for more. Jack ignored her and pushed Erin back. He kissed down her body, loving how soft her skin felt on his lips. He stopped when he felt the hairs of her pussy. Pulling her panties down, Erin hadn't shaved anything yet; thin rust-colored strands surrounded her lips. He lowered his head and poked the dewy folds of her pussy with his tongue. Erin cried and covered her mouth. After that night with the s ance, Erin craved the sensation of his tongue driving her pussy wild. She then felt an arm wrapped around her from behind; Lucy. She was hugging Erin; the blonde medium's hands were dangerously closed to her tits. This felt wrong, completely against the teachings of the Church, but Erin didn't care. Over the sounds of Erin's moans, Jack moved his tongue to her clit. Just by giving the engorged bud a couple flicks, Erin cried and shuddered. He stopped and looked up, she was breathing heavily, and her lips were trembling. Also, she and Lucy were in this embrace that looked hot. Jack dropped his head back and kissed her clit as he slid two fingers deep into her wet folds. Erin's eyes bulged. She gasped for air. "More; please more;" Erin cried; she didn't want Jack's attack to stop. Lucy's eyes widened as she carefully watched every movement Jack made with his tongue. A deep heat quickly enveloped her. Her hand dropped from Erin's side and onto her own thigh. The couple was too wrapped up in themselves; they wouldn't notice her, right? Also, they were about to fuck in front of her, she would be well in her right to play with herself. But then Erin shuddered, and Lucy focused her energy on keeping the former spirit steady. "Oh Lord yes," Erin screamed. Her thighs clamped around Jack's head, and she bucked her hips. She let another intense cry and then went rigid. Erin shuddered on the bed as the coming orgasm thundered through her body. Sweet juices dripped from her pussy, and Jack hungrily ran his tongue over her folds, loving the taste. Erin soon stopped trembling and released her grip around his neck, letting Jack up. Erin wiped the drops of sweat on her forehead and then looked at Jack, "I need; you. Please." Jack smirked and slowly started to strip. She didn't want to relax, take a breath or stop sweating. As he fiddled with the buttons, he felt two hands on him. Turning to his right, Lucy stood next to him. She gave him an intense stare, and his mind flicked back to when they were on the sofa together. Erin didn't seem to notice or maybe didn't even care. She had a big smile on her face, giving Jack the thought that if he kissed Lucy, Erin wouldn't mind. Lucy nodded at him and gave him a small smile. She battered his hands away and quickly stripped Jack of his shirt. She ran her hand down his chest, accidentally or not. Jack helped her out by slipping out of his shoes while Lucy played with his buckle. She pulled his jeans down and looked at his bulge, then back up at him. Jack wondered if she was going to touch it or not. But instead, Lucy yanked down his boxer-briefs, joining Erin in moaning at the sight of his erection springing free. She mumbled something at him. Jack heard it as showtime, and Lucy pushed forward on the bed and back into Erin's arms. She pulled him down on top of her and into a long, passionate kiss, their tongues twisting together. Erin spread her legs as Jack centered the tip to her opening. Again, he felt another hand, this time around his shaft. His eyes were close and remained that way, not wanting to know if it was Erin or Lucy who was guiding his cock. It was hotter that way. They all moaned as Jack sank his cock deep into Erin's wonderful pussy. He heard his girlfriend whimper as he was entirely buried in her cunt. She then shocked Jack by raising her hips and wrapping her legs around his waist, constricting him. Something felt different. As Erin's pussy caressed and massaged his shaft, she felt tighter, wetter and a lot hotter. Erin looked up at him, her eyes half open and her lips pursed. She felt the muscles of her pussy ripple around his shaft. Jack hadn't moved, letting his thick cock pulsate in her cunt as she whimpered. Erin needed it; there was an aura around her, desperate and very energetic. She then loosened her grip around his waist and nodded her head, trembling at the first slow thrusts. "yes, yes, yes," she moaned. While they fucked, Lucy laid next to them. She needed to be naked. Pulling on the thin straps of her dress, Lucy stripped down to her underwear. She saw both Jack and Erin turn to her as she exposed her large tits. She gave them a wink and slid a hand underneath her panties, feeling her slick pussy. Having two attractive people fucking right in front of her was making her wet with lust. "Yeah;" Lucy said, rubbing her pussy lips with the palm of her hand. Jack held on to Erin, pinning her arms back and thrust his cock harder. He grunted while she whimpered at every stroke. Erin then threw herself at him, slamming her crotch on his piston-like cock. He then released her hands and went for Erin's shaking perky tits. With his fingers wrapped around her nipples, Jack stabbed his cock in long, sharp thrusts as he pinched "Yes! Yes! Oh Lord; Jesus Christ!" Erin cried. She could feel herself getting stiff and very hot. Her moans were overlapped by Lucy's. She turned her head and saw her friend staring at her, biting her lip and trying not to come. Her panties were gone, and she had two fingers stuck deep in her pussy while also playing with her clit. They were at the same stage. Their eyes stayed glued to one another's as Erin started to shudder. Jack held onto her waist, frantically driving his cock deep into her dripping pussy. Erin alternated from either gasping for air or groaning. Lucy was the same. Her eyes lowered to the blonde's lips, and Erin's mind threw back to when the s ance and how she needed to kiss her. Trembling, Erin pressed her lips against Lucy's full pink lips. The blonde medium moaned and immediately opened her mouth, slipping her tongue past Erin's parted lips. She and Lucy had their eyes closed as they got more into it, and quickly, their soft moans turned to muffled cries, both cumming immediately. "Ah!" Erin and Lucy screamed at each other, the sound dampened by their glued together mouths. Erin broke away from the medium and turned back to Jack. Her pussy spasmed over his pounding cock, while bucking her hips as she thrashed, prolonging her climax. Watching her, Lucy cupped her own tits, tugging her nipples with her free hand while ramming her fingers hard and deep in her cunt. She shuddered then jerked forward, letting a long shriek and writhed on the bed. Coming down, they laid on the mattress, drenched in sweat and panting. Erin looked at Lucy, ignoring her boyfriend and the fact he was plowing his throbbing cock in and out of her pussy. Lucy smiled back, and they kissed again. Their tongues outstretched and twisted together. Jack couldn't hold back anymore. All lesbian action is incredibly erotic, but when it involves someone who you love, it's out of this world, and he came immediately. He tried to warn her, but just a satisfied groan left his lips. Jack then shuddered at each pulse of his cock, his cum filling his gorgeous girlfriend. She wrapped her legs back around him and worked the muscles of her pussy, wanting more cum. His cock stopped twitching, and Jack went weak, struggling to stay upright and not collapse on top of her. He crashed back on his ass and arched his back, looking to the ceiling. The pounding of his heart had gone, replaced by a gentle beat. The same restless came over him. Looking at Erin, seeing his cum leak out of her cunt, he was desperate for another round. Lucy crawled in front of him, gripped his slick cock and said, "Let me clean you up." Her tongue probed his tip, lapping up the cocktail of his cum and Erin's pussy juices. Before Jack could react, Lucy opened her mouth and swallowed his head. She bobbed her head, resurrecting his cock back to life. Making eye contact with Erin, she just smiled; it was okay. Jack looked back down, running his hand through Lucy's hair. The blonde slid her lips up and down his shaft, mouth-fucking Jack with intense, otherworldly pressure. Lucy then ran her tongue up and down his shaft, licking the entire length. Jack stared at Erin, his eyes bulging as the medium drove his cock down her throat, his tip pushing further and deeper. She hummed in delight before releasing her grip, her teeth scraping against his sensitive skin as Lucy pulled her head back. Jack then watched her and Erin exchange looks, Lucy letting her mouth drop and biting her bottom lip. Her eyes widened, and Erin just responded with a nod and a small smile. Lucy gave his cock one last kiss and then crawled up the mattress. She laid on her back, her knees bent and thighs spread open, displaying her shaved crotch and delectable pussy. "You need to fuck her," Erin said, kneeling by Lucy, her face blank. Nodding his head, Jack shuffled forward and rested his hands on Lucy's knees. His cock was painfully hard, pointing directly to the blonde's dripping pussy. With complete ease, Jack slid his cock deep into her. She felt so tight. Just like Erin, Lucy's pussy felt snugger around his cock, also blazing hot and slippery with juices. Jack moved his hips, long deep thrusts while he grunted. He grabbed her legs, holding them together as he pounded Lucy's cunt. "Fuck; Jack; you cock feels so good," Lucy sighed. She moaned again and bit her lip, then rolled her head side to side. Erin was on her knees, in a trance, while she watched them. Lucy could see her friend's pussy, wet and needed to be kissed. They had kissed before; this is just a natural progression. Lucy reached up and pulled Erin's hand away from massaging her tits. "Get on top of me," she said in a whisper. Erin trembled at her touch, and Lucy needed to repeat herself before she understood what to do. She nodded her head and swung her legs over Lucy's head. She looked to the sky, ignoring Jack and lowered her crotch down. She shook and yelped, a very high pitch cry as her pussy touched Lucy's already parted lips and her extended tongue. It wasn't that wrong to have another woman feel her. Lowering her head, Erin made eye contact with her boyfriend and said, "Jack; she's licking my pussy!" She writhed and grounded her crotch on Lucy's mouth. The blonde kissed her throbbing lips, making her twitch with delight. Erin then felt Lucy grab onto her thighs and push her powerful tongue deep inside her pussy, her juices coating the medium's face. Erin moaned again; this felt different from Jack eating her out, a lot more wicked. Her hands reached, and she lewdly pinched on her erect nipples, moaning with a jolt of pain. Jack still held onto Lucy's legs, furiously pumping his cock as he watched Erin go crazy with lust. His eyes stayed glued on Erin, watching her squirm and whimper. He imagined what Lucy was doing to his girlfriend, exploring Erin's dripping pussy with her tongue, moaning at the taste of her hot, sweet juices. It overwhelmed Jack, and he slammed fuck the medium. Erin couldn't take it anymore. As Lucy thrust her tongue deep inside Erin's pussy, she felt something brush against her sensitive clit. That was it for Erin. She arched her back and then spasmed, wailing a scream of pure ecstasy. She could hear Lucy moan, maybe begging for more. Erin grinded her cunt against Lucy's rolling tongue, riding out her climax until she finally stopped, collapsing against the headboard. With Erin off her, Lucy gasped for air. Her face was wet with slick pussy cum. She made eyes with Jack, who had let go of her legs and was just staring back at her with a piercing look. He dropped down and licked his girlfriend's juices off her. Lucy felt his hands on her large tits, kneading them as he pounded her cunt. He then planted his lips on her neck, kissing up to Lucy's ear lobe. She shuddered as she felt Jack's breath ag
Jim and Chris discuss listener emails starting with PSAs about IRMAA and Social Security spousal benefit applications, then questions on IRMAA, QLAC-related RMD rules, and a Roth conversion involving a fixed indexed annuity (FIA). (9:30) Georgette shares a PSA explaining that she successfully filed Form SSA-44 preemptively—before receiving an IRMAA determination letter. (21:15) A listener offers a PSA describing issues with an online Social Security spousal benefit application that was denied after being submitted separately from the working spouse's application. (29:45) The guys discuss how the Social Security Administration determines IRMAA when a tax return is delayed due to combat-zone service and whether a significant drop in income qualifies for Form SSA-44 relief. (38:45) Jim and Chris address whether overestimating income on Form SSA-44 results in a refund, how survivor benefits are affected if claimed early, and whether post-retirement employer coverage is treated as active employee benefits for Medicare Part B and IRMAA purposes. (50:45) George asks whether payments in excess of the RMD from a QLAC can be applied toward RMDs for other IRAs, or only toward the non-annuitized portion of the same IRA. (1:00:20) A listener asks how the pro rata rule applies to a Roth conversion when assets include a fixed indexed annuity (FIA) with a guaranteed lifetime withdrawal benefit. The post IRMAA, Social Security, QLACs, Roth Conversions: Q&A #2550 appeared first on The Retirement and IRA Show.
Testosterone is often blamed for fueling prostate cancer but many men never hear that losing it too soon may cause far more harm.In this episode, Dr. Stephen Petteruti challenges long‑held assumptions about Androgen Deprivation Therapy and explains why lowering testosterone rarely delivers the long‑term benefits men are promised. He breaks down how castration therapy, whether through injections, pills, or surgical removal, leads to a rapid decline in vitality: weaker muscles, cognitive slowdown, loss of libido, weight gain, and higher risks of heart disease and dementia. Through real patient stories and clear clinical reasoning, Dr. Stephen shows how men can stay healthy for years, even with high PSAs, when they resist fear‑driven treatment decisions. He emphasizes the importance of MRI monitoring, thoughtful timing, and avoiding biopsies that create unnecessary risk. Discover why lowering testosterone fails more men than it helps. Watch the episode of The Hidden Cost of Androgen Deprivation Therapy.Enjoy the podcast? Subscribe and leave a 5-star review.Dr. Stephen Petteruti is a leading Functional Medicine Physician dedicated to enhancing vitality by addressing health at a cellular level. Combining the best of conventional medicine with advancements in cellular biology, he offers a patient-centered approach through his practice, Intellectual Medicine 120. A seasoned speaker and educator, he has lectured at prestigious conferences like A4M and ACAM, sharing his expertise on anti-aging. His innovative methods include concierge medicine and non-invasive anti-aging treatments, empowering patients to live longer, healthier lives.Website: www.intellectualmedicine.com Website: https://www.theprostateprotocol.com/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@intellectualmedicine LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/drstephenpetteruti/ Instagram: instagram.com/intellectualmedine Consultation: https://www.theprostateprotocol.com/book-a-consultation Store: https://www.theprostateprotocol.com/store Community: https://www.theprostateprotocol.com/products/communities/v2/fightcancerlikeaman/home Disclaimer: The content presented in this video reflects the opinions and clinical experience of Dr. Stephen Petteruti and is intended for informational and educational purposes only. It is not medical advice and should not be used as a substitute for professional diagnosis, treatment, or guidance from your personal healthcare provider. Always consult your physician or qualified healthcare professional before making any changes to your health regimen or treatment plan.Produced by https://www.BroadcastYourAuthority.com
Geoff breaks down the recent PSA grading controversy, explaining what happened, why it happened, and whether concerns about conflict of interest are valid. Follow Geoff: Instagram: Twitter: TikTok: LinkedIn: Companies Geoff Founded: Sports Card Investor: Market Movers: Three Five Two: NoviAMS: iLS Network:
For our fourth episode consisting entirely of Looney Tunes commercials, Marc and Jordan cover a nice mix of misguided 90s ideas, puzzling 60s ideas and pop art greatness. Yes, there will be Tang, but there will also be PSAs, chicken, jams and jellies, crack and much much more. This one got extremely out of hand, and just in time for Christmas.Links:Jonathan's GoFundMeSupport us on PatreonFollow us on TwitterFollow us on BlueskyFollow us on Instagram
Jim and Chris discuss listener questions on Social Security family maximum and suspending benefits, a listener PSA on IRMAA premiums, a listener PSA on Medicare premiums, a listener PSA on Social Security claiming strategies, Roth contribution rules, and Roth conversion disadvantages.(4:30) George asks how the combined family maximum benefit works when two retirement records are combined to increase the family limit for auxiliary benefits paid to a spouse and two minor children.(16:00) A listener asks what additional factors should be considered when suspending a Social Security benefit at full retirement age and restarting at 70 after previously claiming early.(30:15) The guys share a PSA in which a listener states that IRMAA is a premium rather than a tax because Medicare enrollment is optional.(37:45) Georgette shares her objections to Chris describing the base Medicare premium as “free” and explains why she feels that is misleading.(44:30) A listener offers a couple of PSAs, first sharing their thoughts on Nokbox, then sharing an article on a Social Security claiming strategy they believe could help people concerned about sequence of returns.(51:00) The guys answer a question about how a 529-to-Roth IRA transfer affects the annual Roth contribution limit when part of the rollover is gains.(56:30) Jim and Chris address what disadvantages exist when choosing a Roth conversion instead of a non-RMD IRA withdrawal when both would be taxable. Show Notes: NokBox Social Security | Readjust your claiming strategy | Fidelity The post Social Security, IRMAA, Medicare, Roth Contribution Rules, Roth Conversions: Q&A #2549 appeared first on The Retirement and IRA Show.
This month, Chad accurately predicts a plot twist, Darrin shares details on a film that broke records for the amount of swearing it has in it, Justin takes a look at a pretty mediocre detective TV show, and we all remember that time Michaelangelo the Ninja Turtle and Winnie the Pooh tried to get a kid off drugs. Download and listen today on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, iHeart, Amazon, Stitcher, Goodpods, and more of your favorite podcast services! Sponsored by Gamefly. New customers can get a 30-day free trial by clicking on the GameFly link at the top of GeekCavePodcast.com.
On today's episode, we're joined by Philadelphia Councilmember Nina Ahmad, who is leading a critical new initiative to combat human trafficking across the city. Her proposed legislation—developed in partnership with the Red Card Philly campaigns call for a multilingual, citywide public-education effort featuring posters, PSAs, social media messaging, and outreach in transportation hubs and other high-traffic areas. With a proposed $500,000 investment, the goal is to equip residents, workers, and visitors with the tools to recognize the signs of human trafficking, report concerns safely and support the protection of vulnerable individuals. Councilmember Ahmad discusses why this initiative is urgently needed, how language accessibility strengthens the campaign's reach, and the key community and advocacy partners helping to drive this work. Listeners will also learn practical ways to stay informed, report suspected trafficking and engage in anti-trafficking efforts in their own neighborhoods.
On today's episode, we're joined by Philadelphia Councilmember Nina Ahmad, who is leading a critical new initiative to combat human trafficking across the city. Her proposed legislation—developed in partnership with the Red Card Philly campaigns call for a multilingual, citywide public-education effort featuring posters, PSAs, social media messaging, and outreach in transportation hubs and other high-traffic areas. With a proposed $500,000 investment, the goal is to equip residents, workers, and visitors with the tools to recognize the signs of human trafficking, report concerns safely and support the protection of vulnerable individuals. Councilmember Ahmad discusses why this initiative is urgently needed, how language accessibility strengthens the campaign's reach, and the key community and advocacy partners helping to drive this work. Listeners will also learn practical ways to stay informed, report suspected trafficking and engage in anti-trafficking efforts in their own neighborhoods.
Chris's SummaryJim and I review the QLAC 1098-Q and walk through how this form reports premiums, fair market value, and contract status. We compare it to Form 5498, outline how the fair market value and excess annuity payments can be used under Secure Act 2 Section 205 with other IRAs, explore the age-85 and surviving-spouse reporting rules, and touch on listener PSAs about using QLACs as part of a broader self-funded long-term care approach. Jim's “Pithy” SummaryChris and I use the QLAC 1098-Q as a way to show how the IRS keeps tabs on your QLAC and why that little form matters more than people think. I talk about it as the “kissing cousin” of Form 5498, walk through how box 3 tracks cumulative premiums against the current $210,000 lifetime limit, and explain how the fair market value and projected income give the IRS what it needs while also giving you the data to run the Section 205 strategy after Secure Act 2. Then I get into the strange rule that says the company only has to send 1098-Qs until age 85 or death for the original owner, contrast that with the different rule for a surviving spouse, and spell out why it could be a real problem if the insurer stops providing a usable fair market value once income has been turned on. We kick around how that interacts with the prohibition on DIY fair market value calculations, the inability to get a QLAC quote after age 85, and why advisors and clients are going to care which companies keep sending this information even when they technically don't have to. On top of that, I read listener emails about using QLACs alongside self-funding long-term care and push back on the idea that you only insure things you are “sure” you'll need. The post The QLAC 1098-Q: EDU #2549 appeared first on The Retirement and IRA Show.
Send us a textThe glossy reels say “global help.” The insiders tell a different story. We sit down with director Mitch Brisker to map how Scientology reengineered Narconon after multiple deaths, shifted operations from the secretive International Base to Los Angeles, and used a made-for-TV sheen to mask liability and control. Mitch was there through the rewrites, the SMP launch, and the clampdowns—and he explains how the organization manufactures impact with paid “PSAs,” inflated statistics, and a media pipeline that looks impressive but rarely reaches real audiences.We pull back the curtain on the Hole and the daily mechanics of punishment: segregated meal times, frog-marched lines of staff, and the phrase “PTS to the middle class” used to shame normal life choices. Mitch charts the rise and fall of key enforcers, including leaders who went from running a 300-person studio to sewing buttons in a laundry building. He also walks us through the film lab that out-resolved Hollywood with Kodak's help, yet sat underused because it served only in-house projects—a perfect metaphor for a system obsessed with control over outcomes.Then there's the archive project: CST vaults sealing Hubbard's writings on etched plates and lectures on gold records, complete with a hand-cranked, solar-capable player. The goal was legitimacy and permanence; the result feels like doomsday optics. Meanwhile, AI models learn from what the world actually watches, which means critical reporting increasingly shapes public understanding while official channels stagnate. If you've wondered how Scientology really works—from Narconon lawsuits to SMP's internal culture and those mountain vaults—this conversation connects the dots with first-hand detail.Enjoy the episode, share it with someone curious about high-control groups, and leave a review to help others find the show. Subscribe for more deep dives into the stories mainstream PR won't tell.Support the showBFG Store - http://blownforgood-shop.fourthwall.com/Blown For Good on Audible - https://www.amazon.com/Blown-for-Good-Marc-Headley-audiobook/dp/B07GC6ZKGQ/ref=tmm_aud_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=&sr=Blown For Good Website: http://blownforgood.com/PODCAST INFO:Podcast website: https://www.buzzsprout.com/2131160 Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/blown-for-good-behind-the-iron-curtain-of-scientology/id1671284503 RSS: https://feeds.buzzsprout.com/2131160.rss YOUTUBE PLAYLISTS: Spy Files Playlist: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLWtJfniWLwq4cA-e...
Vic Solo is back...again! Catching up on life, the pursuit of nappyness and how politics on social media rot your brain like watching the news. This and more 90s PSAs in this new episode. Happy Thanksgiving! vicisfunny.com @vicizfunny
What can you do to help stop our horses in this country from going to slaughter? Horses from every discipline, age, and background are being shipped for slaughter every year. In 2024 alone, 20,000 horses were killed. Many people do not realize how easily a Thoroughbred, a child's lesson pony, a show horse, or even a mustang can be sold at auction and bought by kill buyers. In this episode, I talk with filmmaker and advocate Ashley Avis, creator of Black Beauty and Wild Beauty, about her newest project: The Lost Horses, a national campaign designed to help finally pass the SAFE Act. Ashley shares how her work documenting wild horse roundups led her into the undercover world of Texas auctions, where she witnessed the brutality of the slaughter pipeline firsthand. Her team is now using cinematic storytelling, celebrity-voiced PSAs, and coordinated outreach to bring widespread attention to this issue. Get full show notes and more information here: https://www.wildhoofbeats.com/61
Another engaging riff with David Storey, Boston College philosophy professor and Spartan Race athlete. This time I take center stage. We explore why Americans are collectively depressed, why Democrats ignore power politics, why turning off phones and turning toward each other feels great, and how all of this is related. I make a case for phone-free schools. Dave helps me see even bigger benefits.We get political. We get personal. We refuse to give advice or answer the question, "What should the average person do?" **Key takeaways**11:00 Feeling bottled up? Recapture the oomph and lock arms with others15:00 The Tit-for-Tat strategy from the Prisoner's Dilemma21:00 Reclaiming power. "Don't step on me."23:00 Two reasons Democrats get complacent about power politics28:00 Want advice on what to do? Instead, ask yourself these four questions32:00 Conscious phone use through PSAs and intentional points of friction35:00 It's time to make public spaces public again38:00 Stricter phone policies in schools free teachers to teach, not police41:00 Adults exerting their agency. "Trust your moral compass."45:00 Moving beyond the hyper-individualistic story of America47:00 Laughter is something we create together**Resources**David's web site, including his podcast, Wisdom@Work**Subscribe to the podcast**To hear the origin stories of more big ideas, subscribe to How My View Grew on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you listen to podcasts.**Share the love**Leave me a rating or review on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you listen to podcasts.
This week Bracha and Jackie do a thorough review on sweatshirt dresses and try a new fruit. The girls go down a Hillary Duff rabbit hole andshare more important PSAs (bc duh). Tune in for an exciting makeup update and hear the ranking of their favorite Disney channel movies.——————————————————————————This episode is sponsored by:Rave on Trend: Use code SAGC10 for 10% off at www.raveontrend.com and follow them on instagram @raveontrendDress Blank: Get your Black Sweatshirt Maxi Dress at www.dressblank.com and follow them on instagram @dressblankAlign Active: Get your Ribbed Zip Dress by using code SAGC10 for 10% off at www.shopalignactive.com and follow them on instagram @alignactiveshopJapparel: Get your Connie Dress at www.japparelny.com and follow them on instagram @japparel_ny______________________________________________________________SAGC NEWSLETTER SIGN UP
Send us a textA classroom can be a launchpad for climate action when reading meets real life. We sit down with Miami-area educator Catherine Manfra to explore how English language arts becomes a powerful space for climate literacy, creative expression, and student agency—especially in a region living with hurricanes, sea-level rise, and rapid development at the edge of the Everglades.Catherine walks us through her Earth Day unit anchored by Hope Jahren's The Story of More and climate-focused poetry, showing how accessible science writing invites teens into complex topics without overwhelming them. From lunchroom showcases to one-minute PSAs, her students translate facts into story, practice tight writing and media literacy, and share concrete steps that counter defeatism. We also unpack how giving students information and choice sparks deeper research, community involvement, and everyday action.Beyond the classroom, we highlight the Stories-To-Live-By collective, a statewide network of teachers and researchers crafting place-based, multimodal approaches to climate education while navigating book bans and shifting policies. Catherine shares how the group's workshops and shared resources build confidence. She also talks about how the Fairchild Challenge debate strengthens ELA standards, STEM integration, and civic discourse by asking students to argue multiple sides of timely environmental issues. It's a hopeful blueprint for educators who want rigorous, inclusive climate literacies that prepare young people for a just, livable future.If this conversation resonates, follow the show, share it with a colleague, and leave a review with your favorite climate literacy text or project idea. Your feedback helps us bring more teacher-tested practices to more classrooms.Catherine is a Florida native. Born in Hialeah, a suburb of Miami with a predominantly Hispanic community, she now lives in the Kendall area just south of Miami. She has seen Miami-Dade County continue to expand westward since her childhood, including encroachment on the Florida Everglades. The Florida Everglades are ecologically significant in their role as a subtropical wilderness, a habitat for many threatened and endangered species, and a provider of flood control, water filtration, and freshwater supply for millions of people. She became a part of the Stories-To-Live-By project by answering an initial online survey of teachers who incorporate environmental topics into their curriculum. After teaching all levels of high school English in public schools in Miami-Dade County for 22 years, Catherine now teaches at Palmer Trinity School, an independent private school. Additionally, Catherine is a part of the Junior League of Miami, a women's group that serves and focuses on women's and children's issues in the community from education to safety. To cite this episode: Persohn, L. (Host). (2025, Oct 14). A Stories-To-Live-By Conversation with Catherine Manfra. (Season 6, No. 4) [Audio podcast episode]. In Classroom Caffeine Podcast series. https://www.classroomcaffeine.com/guests. DOI: 10.5240/33A8-951D-21CD-B5CE-9F8A-BConnect with Classroom Caffeine at www.classroomcaffeine.com or on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn.
This week Bracha and Jackie have more PSAs to share (different than last week's though). They discuss their childhood American Girl dolls and great new finds and reviews. Tune in for Bracha's surprising trip to Alo Yoga and what happens to Jackie at the beach.——————————————————————————This episode is sponsored by:Shira Custom Wigs: @shiracustomwigsZoey Rose Jewelry: @zoeyrosejewelry______________________________________________________________SAGC NEWSLETTER SIGN UP
‘All is Fair’ dropped last night and the reviews are HARSH to say the least. So we decided to do the right thing and provide some worthy community PSAs for other things to avoid watching, first on Chrissie’s list is Netflix’s Monster series on the story behind Ed Gein and second on his list comes from her sister, don’t bother with the new Bruce Springsteen biopic. Plus, after a food court incident, we’re asking whether or not you talk to your food? (00:00) The Bday Gal is BACK (01:50) Mystic's got a Maree on her mind (05:30) Have you watched something recently and turned it off? (11:15) Swan's Something Special (13:55) Chrissie's Clickbait #1 (18:50) Chrissie's Quizzie (22:18) Is it normal to speak to your food? (31:00) Chrissie's Clickbait #2 See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Eat smart at http://FactorMeals.com/watcher50off and use code watcher50off to get 50% off your first box, plus Free Breakfast for 1 Year. CONTENT WARNING: This episode week we watch some of the most unhinged PSAs that you all have ever seen. Topics include car accidents, drug use, farm accidents, kitchen accidents. Viewer discretion is advised. HOSTED BY Ryan Bergara & Shane Madej & Steven Lim PRODUCER & COHOST Matt Real INTRO BY Anthony De Vera Matt Real EXECUTIVE PRODUCERS Steven Lim Ryan Bergara Shane Madej For ad free, live streams, and cut content join us at htt ps://watchertv.com Social: https://www.instagram.com/getscaredpod http://www.instagram.com/wearewatcher http://www.instagram.com/ryanbergara http://www.instagram.com/shanemadej http://www.instagram.com/stevenkwlim https:/youtube.com/wearewatcher https://instagram.com/mattyistalking https://www.youtube.com/@MattyIsTalking https://twitch.tv/mattyistalking Business Inquiries: hello@watcherentertainment.com Ask Watcher Pods! AskWatcherPods@gmail.com or leave a voicemail at (818) 275-4585 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
The Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption doesn't treat partnerships as a side project—they're the operating system. During this National Adoption Month and in this Nonprofit Power Week kickoff, Senior VP Jill Crumbacher shares how the Foundation builds relationships that move from a good idea to real results. Step one: align the people doing the work. “Our marketing and our development practice is under one department that I lead,” Jill explains. That single team design means awareness and revenue aren't competing—they're collaborating—so a PSA, a billboard, a direct-mail test, or an influencer post can ladder up to the same mission outcome.Jill dismantles the common myth that Wendy's alone funds the mission. Wendy's is a long-standing, values-matched partner, but the need—kids and teens waiting for family in the U.S. and Canada—calls for many hands. That's why DTFA manages a wide mix of partners each year: micro-influencers and media outlets, cause-aligned brands, and fundraising collaborators. To keep everything clear and friendly, they start with the right agreement for the moment—an approachable MOU for brand exchanges and content support; a fuller contract when dollars or large placements are involved. The paperwork isn't red tape—it's a map. Who does what, by when, with what approvals. Everyone can move faster because expectations are written down.Media is changing, and the Foundation adapts. Donated placements are still vital (think PSAs across billboards, airports, radio, and connected TV). But there's also a growing middle lane Jill calls “low bono”—discounted inventory that isn't free but is far below market. The team buys when the data says it's smart, especially in digital, and pairs that with donated reach for scale.Brand care is a shared responsibility. The Foundation reviews language and usage to protect its name and the Wendy's connection. If something flares online, they pick up the phone so partners aren't blindsided. That builds trust, and trust keeps doors open. Multi-year deals? They're great when they make sense, but Jill's team prefers to earn renewal through value rather than lock people in. The relationship stays fresh because both sides want to come back.Maybe the most refreshing part is Jill's take on celebrity. The organization has tested it; the results weren't lasting. The real wins come from people and brands who show up because they truly care. As Jill puts it, “You go further with the ones that are organic… when you're all in it about the mission.” Those partners bring energy, introduce new allies, and help the message travel farther.If you're rethinking how your organization shows up with partners—how you set expectations, share brand space, blend donated and paid reach, and keep everyone rowing in the same direction—this conversation is a ready-to-use roadmap for doing it well, and doing it together.#TheNonprofitShow #AdoptionMatters #NonprofitPartnershipsFind us Live daily on YouTube!Find us Live daily on LinkedIn!Find us Live daily on X: @Nonprofit_ShowOur national co-hosts and amazing guests discuss management, money and missions of nonprofits! 12:30pm ET 11:30am CT 10:30am MT 9:30am PTSend us your ideas for Show Guests or Topics: HelpDesk@AmericanNonprofitAcademy.comVisit us on the web:The Nonprofit Show
Scott Robinson fills in for Pat Walsh this 2025 Halloween night. We talk about frightening PSAs. Happy Halloween!
Ken Carman and Anthony Lima break down the reported survey sent out to Cleveland Browns fans, involving PSAs.
"[When] a lot of men think about prostate exams, they immediately think of the glove going on the hand of the physician, and they immediately clench. But really try to talk with them and discuss with them what some of the benefits are of understanding early detection. Even just having those conversations with their providers so that they understand what the risk and benefits are of having screening. And then educate patients on what a prostate-specific antigen (PSA) and digital rectal exam (DRE) actually are—how it happens, what it shows, and what the necessary benefits of those are," ONS member Clara Beaver, DNP, RN, AOCNS®, ACNS-BC, manager of clinical education and clinical nurse specialist at Karmanos Cancer Institute in Detroit, MI, told Jaime Weimer, MSN, RN, AGCNS-BS, AOCNS®, manager of oncology nursing practice at ONS, during a conversation about prostate cancer screening, early detection, and disparities. Music Credit: "Fireflies and Stardust" by Kevin MacLeod Licensed under Creative Commons by Attribution 3.0 Earn 0.25 contact hours of nursing continuing professional development (NCPD) by listening to the full recording and completing an evaluation at courses.ons.org by October 31, 2026. The planners and faculty for this episode have no relevant financial relationships with ineligible companies to disclose. ONS is accredited as a provider of nursing continuing professional development by the American Nurses Credentialing Center's Commission on Accreditation. Learning outcome: Learners will report an increase in knowledge related to prostate screening, early detection, and disparities. Episode Notes Complete this evaluation for free NCPD. ONS Podcast™ Episode 149: Health Disparities and Barriers in Metastatic Castration-Sensitive Prostate Cancer ONS Voice articles: Gender-Affirming Hormones May Lower PSA and Delay Prostate Cancer Diagnosis in Transgender Women Healthy Lifestyles Reduce Prostate Cancer Mortality in Patients With Genetic Risk Hispanic Patients Are at Higher Risk for Aggressive Prostate Cancer but Less Likely to Get Treatment Leveling State-Level Tax Policies May Increase Equality in Cancer Screening and Mortality Rates Most Cancer Screening Guidelines Don't Disclose Potential Harms ONS book: Understanding Genomic and Hereditary Cancer Risk: A Handbook for Oncology Nurses ONS course: Genomic Foundations for Precision Oncology Clinical Journal of Oncology Nursing article: Barriers and Solutions to Cancer Screening in Gender Minority Populations Oncology Nursing Forum articles: Disparities in Cancer Screening in Sexual and Gender Minority Populations: A Secondary Analysis of Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System Data Symptom Experiences Among Individuals With Prostate Cancer and Their Partners: Influence of Sociodemographic and Cancer Characteristics Other ONS resources: Genomics and Precision Oncology Learning Library ONS Biomarker Database (refine by prostate cancer) American Cancer Society prostate cancer early detection, diagnosis, and staging page National Institutes of Health prostate cancer screening page U.S. Preventive Services Task Force prostate cancer screening recommendation statement To discuss the information in this episode with other oncology nurses, visit the ONS Communities. To find resources for creating an ONS Podcast club in your chapter or nursing community, visit the ONS Podcast Library. To provide feedback or otherwise reach ONS about the podcast, email pubONSVoice@ons.org Highlights From This Episode "The recommendations are men [aged] 45 who are at high risk, including African American men and men who have a first-degree relative who has been diagnosed with prostate cancer younger than 65 should go through screening. And men aged 40 at an even higher risk, these are the men that have that one first-degree relative who has had prostate cancer before 65. Screening includes the PSA blood test and a digital exam. Those are the screening recommendations, although they are a little bit controversial." TS 3:42 "You still see PSAs and DREs as the first line because they're easier for primary care providers to perform. ... Those are typically covered by insurance, so they still play that role in screening. But with the advent of MRIs and biomarkers, these have really helped refine that screening process and determine treatment options for our patients. Again, those patients who may be at a bit of a higher risk could go for an MRI or have biomarkers completed. Or if they're on that verge with their Gleason score, instead of doing a biopsy, they may send the patient for an MRI or do biomarkers for that patient. ... These updated technologies put [patients] a little bit more at ease that someone's watching what's going on, and they don't have to have anything invasive done to see where they're at with their staging." TS 4:35 "Disparities in screening access exist based on race, socioeconomic status, gender identity, education, and geography. It's really hard in rural areas to get primary care providers or urologists who can actually see these patients, [and] sometimes in urban areas. So socioeconomic status can affect that, but also where a person lives. African American men with lower incomes and people in rural areas face the greatest barriers to receiving screening. It's also important to encourage anyone with a prostate to be screened and offer gender-neutral settings for patients to feel comfortable." TS 7:50 "I think a lot of men feel like if they have no symptoms, they don't have prostate cancer ... so a lot of patients may put off screening because they feel fine, [they] haven't had any urinary symptoms, it doesn't run in their family. ...With prostate cancer, there usually are not symptoms that a patient's having—they may have some urinary issues or some pain—but it's not very frequent that they have that. So, just making sure our patients understand that even though they're not feeling something, it doesn't mean there's not something else going on there." TS 12:53 "Prostate cancer found at an early age can be very curable, so it's really important for men to have those conversations with their providers about the risk and benefits of screening. And anyone that we can help along the way to be able to have those conversations, I think is a great thing for oncology nurses to do." TS 15:44
Ops Quickies – snackable episodes on tech, tools, and systems.
Tony thinks IN should redistrict. JD Vance is visiting Indianapolis on Friday to push for it. Popcorn Moment: Day 9 of the Shutdown - Hakeem Jeffries, Mike Lawler erupt into shouting match over government shutdown Today on the Marketplace: Get ready for a used Halloween, this begins Tony's PSAs for Halloween Costumes Hamas accepts Trump peace plan ending 2 years of war in Gaza, returning hostages. Hamas needs to be dismantled because they are still dangerous but get the people home first. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Today we have an NBC news report from September 26, 1945, on U.S Marines preparing to engage in China, as well as an update on the meeting between U.S General Douglas MacArthur and Japanese Emperor Hirohito. That is followed by several war advertisements and PSAs.Visit our website at BrickPickleMedia.com/podcasts. Subscribe to the ad-free version at https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/worldwar2radio/subscribe.
It began, as all things do in a flawed cosmos, with paperwork. You signed something — you don't remember what — but now you're contractually obligated to care about Starfinder 2E. The GM Core isn't a rulebook; it's a transmission, half game manual, half government-issued dream. Every chapter reads like a psychological evaluation, every margin note like a warning label. The hosts attempt to explain mechanics, but what you hear are riddles from another dimension: Galactic Hero Points? Coupons for existential dread. Starship hazards? IRS audits with missiles. Cultural representation? Proof that even in fantasy, bureaucracy finds you. Somewhere between hacking subsystems and train safety PSAs, the line between rules discussion and cosmic paranoia blurs. Packed Worlds lore presses down like a filing cabinet from another timeline. Still — the art is great. Starfinder 2e GM Core (affiliate link) Content from RPGBOT.net Starfinder Content RPGBOT.Podcast Episodes Starfinder 2e Galaxy Guide Starfinder 2e Player Core Join the RPGBOT.Patreon The simulation is breaking down. Dice rolls are suspiciously consistent, starships keep failing their insurance inspections, and the algorithm hungers. There's only one way to hold reality together: join the RPGBOT Patreon. For just a few credits a month, you gain access to ad-free episodes, direct communion with the hosts on Discord, and the knowledge that you're funding humanity's last defense against bad game design. Higher tiers may or may not include secret transmissions from the Packed Worlds, but we can neither confirm nor deny that. Support us on Patreon. Keep the podcast alive. Keep the simulation from collapsing. Join the RPGBOT Patreon today Perfect — here's the complete package: a Philip K. Dick–style cold opening stitched directly into the Show Notes and Key Takeaways, with all your short- and long-tail keywords seamlessly included for SEO. Show Notes It began, as all things do in a flawed cosmos, with paperwork. You signed something — you don't remember what — but now you're contractually obligated to care about Starfinder 2E. The GM Core isn't a rulebook; it's a transmission, half game manual, half government-issued dream. Every chapter reads like a psychological evaluation, every margin note like a warning label. The hosts attempt to explain mechanics, but what you hear are riddles from another dimension: Galactic Hero Points? Coupons for existential dread. Starship hazards? IRS audits with missiles. Cultural representation in RPGs? Proof that even in fantasy, bureaucracy finds you. Somewhere between hacking subsystems and train safety PSAs, the line between rules discussion and cosmic paranoia blurs. Packed Worlds lore presses down like a filing cabinet from another timeline. Still — the art is great. From there, the hosts dive deeper: Health history and train safety are treated as RPG mechanics in disguise. The Starfinder GM Core review reveals familiar Pathfinder 2E mechanics, hinting that both games might be written in the same shadowy basement. Cultural sensitivity in game design is explored as a firewall against stereotypes, essential for meaningful fantasy cultural representation. Packed Worlds lore unfolds like interstellar IKEA instructions: dazzling but occasionally missing pieces. Starship mechanics and vehicle rules read more like cosmic DMV manuals than adventure prompts. Hacking mechanics in Starfinder 2E echo IT support nightmares — less cyberpunk, more password reset purgatory. Bridging Pathfinder and Starfinder GM Cores feels like bureaucracies endlessly passing the same form back and forth. Key Takeaways It starts with the suspicion that the game you're playing isn't a game at all. It's paperwork, bureaucracy, and cosmic satire stitched together with dice rolls. And yet, Starfinder 2E GM Core still feels like home. Starfinder 2E GM Core review: familiar Pathfinder mechanics wrapped in galactic bureaucracy. Cultural sensitivity in RPG design: vital to prevent fantasy from becoming caricature. Packed Worlds lore: a rich backdrop that doubles as cosmic IKEA assembly instructions. Galactic Hero Points: space-themed coupons for narrative survival. Hacking mechanics in Starfinder 2E: IT helpdesk nightmares with dice rolls. Starship hazards and vehicle mechanics: like fighting your insurance provider in zero-G. Bridging Pathfinder and Starfinder GM Cores: two systems in an endless paperwork feedback loop. Community engagement in RPG podcasts: less about fun, more about appeasing the algorithm overlords. Language evolution in tabletop gaming: proof the simulation is glitching when players argue about “GIF.” Check Out Rocco's Starfinder Optimization Guides The paperwork is endless. The Starfinder GM Core is thicker than a government dossier, and every starship hazard feels like a tax audit in space. You could try to optimize your character on your own… but the bureaucracy will eat you alive. That's why Rocco's Starfinder Optimization Guides exist on RPGBOT.net. They're the forbidden blueprints hidden in the cosmic filing cabinet — breakdowns of classes, feats, starship mechanics, and everything else you'll need to survive the Packed Worlds without accidentally min-maxing yourself into oblivion. Don't trust the dice. Don't trust the GM. Trust Rocco. Visit RPGBOT.net and bend the simulation to your will. Welcome to the RPGBOT Podcast. If you love Dungeons & Dragons, Pathfinder, and tabletop RPGs, this is the podcast for you. Support the show for free: Rate and review us on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or any podcast app. It helps new listeners find the best RPG podcast for D&D and Pathfinder players. Level up your experience: Join us on Patreon to unlock ad-free access to RPGBOT.net and the RPGBOT Podcast, chat with us and the community on the RPGBOT Discord, and jump into live-streamed RPG podcast recordings. Support while you shop: Use our Amazon affiliate link at https://amzn.to/3NwElxQ and help us keep building tools and guides for the RPG community. Meet the Hosts Tyler Kamstra – Master of mechanics, seeing the Pathfinder action economy like Neo in the Matrix. Randall James – Lore buff and technologist, always ready to debate which Lord of the Rings edition reigns supreme. Ash Ely – Resident cynic, chaos agent, and AI's worst nightmare, bringing pure table-flipping RPG podcast energy. Join the RPGBOT team where fantasy roleplaying meets real strategy, sarcasm, and community chaos. How to Find Us: In-depth articles, guides, handbooks, reviews, news on Tabletop Role Playing at RPGBOT.net Tyler Kamstra BlueSky: @rpgbot.net TikTok: @RPGBOTDOTNET Ash Ely Professional Game Master on StartPlaying.Games BlueSky: @GravenAshes YouTube: @ashravenmedia Randall James BlueSky: @GrimoireRPG Amateurjack.com Read Melancon: A Grimoire Tale (affiliate link) Producer Dan @Lzr_illuminati
It began, as all things do in a flawed cosmos, with paperwork. You signed something — you don't remember what — but now you're contractually obligated to care about Starfinder 2E. The GM Core isn't a rulebook; it's a transmission, half game manual, half government-issued dream. Every chapter reads like a psychological evaluation, every margin note like a warning label. The hosts attempt to explain mechanics, but what you hear are riddles from another dimension: Galactic Hero Points? Coupons for existential dread. Starship hazards? IRS audits with missiles. Cultural representation? Proof that even in fantasy, bureaucracy finds you. Somewhere between hacking subsystems and train safety PSAs, the line between rules discussion and cosmic paranoia blurs. Packed Worlds lore presses down like a filing cabinet from another timeline. Still — the art is great. Starfinder 2e GM Core (affiliate link) Content from RPGBOT.net Starfinder Content RPGBOT.Podcast Episodes Starfinder 2e Galaxy Guide Starfinder 2e Player Core Join the RPGBOT.Patreon The simulation is breaking down. Dice rolls are suspiciously consistent, starships keep failing their insurance inspections, and the algorithm hungers. There's only one way to hold reality together: join the RPGBOT Patreon. For just a few credits a month, you gain access to ad-free episodes, direct communion with the hosts on Discord, and the knowledge that you're funding humanity's last defense against bad game design. Higher tiers may or may not include secret transmissions from the Packed Worlds, but we can neither confirm nor deny that. Support us on Patreon. Keep the podcast alive. Keep the simulation from collapsing. Join the RPGBOT Patreon today Perfect — here's the complete package: a Philip K. Dick–style cold opening stitched directly into the Show Notes and Key Takeaways, with all your short- and long-tail keywords seamlessly included for SEO. Show Notes It began, as all things do in a flawed cosmos, with paperwork. You signed something — you don't remember what — but now you're contractually obligated to care about Starfinder 2E. The GM Core isn't a rulebook; it's a transmission, half game manual, half government-issued dream. Every chapter reads like a psychological evaluation, every margin note like a warning label. The hosts attempt to explain mechanics, but what you hear are riddles from another dimension: Galactic Hero Points? Coupons for existential dread. Starship hazards? IRS audits with missiles. Cultural representation in RPGs? Proof that even in fantasy, bureaucracy finds you. Somewhere between hacking subsystems and train safety PSAs, the line between rules discussion and cosmic paranoia blurs. Packed Worlds lore presses down like a filing cabinet from another timeline. Still — the art is great. From there, the hosts dive deeper: Health history and train safety are treated as RPG mechanics in disguise. The Starfinder GM Core review reveals familiar Pathfinder 2E mechanics, hinting that both games might be written in the same shadowy basement. Cultural sensitivity in game design is explored as a firewall against stereotypes, essential for meaningful fantasy cultural representation. Packed Worlds lore unfolds like interstellar IKEA instructions: dazzling but occasionally missing pieces. Starship mechanics and vehicle rules read more like cosmic DMV manuals than adventure prompts. Hacking mechanics in Starfinder 2E echo IT support nightmares — less cyberpunk, more password reset purgatory. Bridging Pathfinder and Starfinder GM Cores feels like bureaucracies endlessly passing the same form back and forth. Key Takeaways It starts with the suspicion that the game you're playing isn't a game at all. It's paperwork, bureaucracy, and cosmic satire stitched together with dice rolls. And yet, Starfinder 2E GM Core still feels like home. Starfinder 2E GM Core review: familiar Pathfinder mechanics wrapped in galactic bureaucracy. Cultural sensitivity in RPG design: vital to prevent fantasy from becoming caricature. Packed Worlds lore: a rich backdrop that doubles as cosmic IKEA assembly instructions. Galactic Hero Points: space-themed coupons for narrative survival. Hacking mechanics in Starfinder 2E: IT helpdesk nightmares with dice rolls. Starship hazards and vehicle mechanics: like fighting your insurance provider in zero-G. Bridging Pathfinder and Starfinder GM Cores: two systems in an endless paperwork feedback loop. Community engagement in RPG podcasts: less about fun, more about appeasing the algorithm overlords. Language evolution in tabletop gaming: proof the simulation is glitching when players argue about “GIF.” Check Out Rocco's Starfinder Optimization Guides The paperwork is endless. The Starfinder GM Core is thicker than a government dossier, and every starship hazard feels like a tax audit in space. You could try to optimize your character on your own… but the bureaucracy will eat you alive. That's why Rocco's Starfinder Optimization Guides exist on RPGBOT.net. They're the forbidden blueprints hidden in the cosmic filing cabinet — breakdowns of classes, feats, starship mechanics, and everything else you'll need to survive the Packed Worlds without accidentally min-maxing yourself into oblivion. Don't trust the dice. Don't trust the GM. Trust Rocco. Visit RPGBOT.net and bend the simulation to your will. Welcome to the RPGBOT Podcast. If you love Dungeons & Dragons, Pathfinder, and tabletop RPGs, this is the podcast for you. Support the show for free: Rate and review us on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or any podcast app. It helps new listeners find the best RPG podcast for D&D and Pathfinder players. Level up your experience: Join us on Patreon to unlock ad-free access to RPGBOT.net and the RPGBOT Podcast, chat with us and the community on the RPGBOT Discord, and jump into live-streamed RPG podcast recordings. Support while you shop: Use our Amazon affiliate link at https://amzn.to/3NwElxQ and help us keep building tools and guides for the RPG community. Meet the Hosts Tyler Kamstra – Master of mechanics, seeing the Pathfinder action economy like Neo in the Matrix. Randall James – Lore buff and technologist, always ready to debate which Lord of the Rings edition reigns supreme. Ash Ely – Resident cynic, chaos agent, and AI's worst nightmare, bringing pure table-flipping RPG podcast energy. Join the RPGBOT team where fantasy roleplaying meets real strategy, sarcasm, and community chaos. How to Find Us: In-depth articles, guides, handbooks, reviews, news on Tabletop Role Playing at RPGBOT.net Tyler Kamstra BlueSky: @rpgbot.net TikTok: @RPGBOTDOTNET Ash Ely Professional Game Master on StartPlaying.Games BlueSky: @GravenAshes YouTube: @ashravenmedia Randall James BlueSky: @GrimoireRPG Amateurjack.com Read Melancon: A Grimoire Tale (affiliate link) Producer Dan @Lzr_illuminati
Cardi B recorded NYC subways PSAs! Plus, Cardi B and City Girls rapper JT are beefing on X!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Beloved, Life's hitting hard, stirring up fear that ripples through us all. But what if the false “division” story of millenia were a construct and we could see our present and future - differently? How the evolutionary events affect our energy and how we can choose a better path. Every soul picks its moment to leave—some finish their journey peacefully, others exit to spark a wake-up call, and some get caught in messy, manipulated endings. Either way, there's a deeper choice at play.Fear's a trap, keeping us stuck in division. Love's the real deal—energy never dies, it just shifts. When we lean into love, we see past the illusion of death.Charlie Kirk's death isnt just about loss—this has been an energetic catalyst - shaking the world up.We see this - first hand. Some division, some unity. Ultimately YOU choose. Follow your intuition on the story that is being told. Ask, is this true? Seem off? Follow the thread. The media loves to crank up the fear and division, but we've got power in where we put our focus. That shapes what's next.Think of Earth's energy like a big interconnected nervous system. Fear messes with it, disconnecting us from our core. Love pulls us back together. Choosing calm over chaos can change the whole vibe.THE HYPNOTIC RHYTHMSThe dark shadows induces people to drift through hypnotic rhythms as a translike state that keeps humanity asleep. And it's exactly how hypnosis works.As a CLINICAL HYPNOTHERAPIST, I can tell you firsthand, this is real. And here's the truth. Every single one of us is under a form of hypnosis, whether we are conscious of it or not. I dont hypnotise, I UN-HYPNOTIZE clients. The trance you are in is determined by your dominant state of mind and frequency. That is how the devil grips 98% of humanity. It implants seeds of fear. Those fears crystallize into hypnotic rhythm and unconscious pattern of self-sabotage.And that rhythm locks people into cycles of misfortune, lack, and stagnation. Fear is the ultimate force that the devil uses to capture the minds of people in this world. There are six basic fears. The fear of poverty, criticism, ill health, loss of love, old age, and death.DEATH - CHARLIE'S DEATH - and the snare. Lock in FEAR.Take back your attention. Hypnotic rhythm is actually neutral. The same force that enslaves 98% of people can also liberate you. If you set in motion with the right aim, it becomes the rhythm that carries you to freedom. And if you've been paying attention, you already know the answer on how you wish to recreate a new life of whats next for YOU as we exit this old world. There is only one way to outwit the devil and avoid the hell it so proudly traps 98% of humanity in.Finding your passion, purpose and taking small actions - and releasing judgement of others. WATCH THE MOVIE IN THE WORLD. IT'S JUST THAT - A MOVIE that is evoking emotions in you to arise and release. Try breathing deep, meditating, or whatever grounds you. Notice the fear-driven stories, but don't let them pull you in. Your energy matters.A few people radiating love can outshine a ton of fear. If enough of us stay steady, we can nudge the world toward a better place—one rooted in unity and peace. Let's go for it.Truth is, we're all connected by love. This information would not have appeared in your reality if you were destined to be controlled by the devil forever. Be vigilant of what you give your attention to and know deep in your soul that with enough time and momentum, you will get so far ahead in reality that the devil will cower in your presence.Take these insights and apply them in your life.These events shake us, but they're also a chance to remember who we are. Stay grounded, shine bright, and let's build something beautiful together.Love you. KassandraI wanted to share this big picture (social media post) - literally and metaphorically - as we look at the great awakening and honoring GRIEF. The world is mourning not only the spirit and integrity of a man that stood his truth and first love (spirit)But for the awakening reality of the Deception and Denial.The world that we no longer give consent to.What we long for.Deception and Denial are what is created to reduce the pain.It's not working anymore.Judgement is externalized and someone else's fault.The Denial can feel like its easier, but it is required to look at the truth we're afraid to look at.We've bought into the promise of certainty of tomorrow.What are these belief wars?Here's my answer.....ponder. Drop YOURS IN THE COMMENTSBELIEF is a combination of thought and experience.Much of it is unconscious.MOST LIVE A LIFE NEVER TRACING BACK TO WHERE THESE WERE PLANTED.....FEAR is a mind focused emotion that deals with the unknown -that needs to be avoided at all cost.Fear is not the enemy - but the belief that you have to give up your power - and that is the only way you can deal with uncertainty of what is being manipulated.Trauma is a frozen flow of energy that is stuck that the mind cannot process.RIGHT NOW WE ARE ALL in the motion towards healing and balanceRelief comes at the threshold of the unknown and embracing the opportunity to see the resistance, remove judgment and get to the core of that in which we came from.LOVE, LIGHT AND CREATIONRIP to my heavenly brother Charlie -and my biological brother Kelsey and Sister Kristel with honoring the pain and strength of my parents.The Light Between is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.PS: As a mother, friend, spiritual seeker, leader or practitioner, you hold space for others. But who holds space for you?In these times of great change, the Light Between Oracle Experience offers a trauma-informed, energetically intelligent resource that helps you regulate your nervous system.This is pivotal in order to truly access our innate intuition and the ability to integrate personal and professional insights into practical results and momentum. The Light Between Oracle App isn't here to tell you what to do.It's here to help you trust what you already know.(And regulate your nervous system while you do it.)Whether creative problem solving or a daily check-in ritual, the five fold path efficiently helps you connect back to your inherent intuition. Start FREE with Personalized astrology & dream insights secure your next step. Get full access to The Light Between at thelightbetween.substack.com/subscribe
The Stuph File Program Featuring Humphrey Hawksley, author of The Rake Ozenna Series; Sebastien de Castell, author of The Malevolent Eight; & Stuart Nulman with Book Banter Download Humphrey Hawksley, a BBC foreign correspondent and the thriller author of The Rake Ozenna Series, featuring titles including Man on Ice, Man On Fire, Man On Edge and Ice Islands, talks about how sometimes his fiction comes true. Sebastien de Castell, author of The Malevolent Eight. It's the sequel to The Malevolent Seven. Stuart Nulman with another edition of Book Banter. This week's reviewed title is Knife by Salman Rushdie (Vintage Canada, $22).You can also read Stuart's articles in The Main and at BestStory.ca. This week's guest slate is presented by Mike Occomore, the executive producer of The Pro Bono Group, a company that produces PSAs, including the current Pro Canada PSA's featuring Canadian celebrities, which are currently running in this very show. He was on show #0833 discussing the campaign and his company's PSA journey.
“Policies help make sure that we're giving patients the right education and discharge instructions. Radiation doesn't end when the syringe is empty. Patients go home with potential radioactive exposure. They need to know how to protect their families, what precautions to take, and what healthcare providers can do if something goes wrong—like a spill, extravasation, or even a pregnant staff member who's involved in the care. This isn't just a documentation exercise. It's about making sure every part of the system speaks the same language when it comes to safety, handling, and patient care,” ONS member Ella-Mae Shupe, MSN, RN, OCN®, nursing practice and professional development specialist for radiation oncology at Johns Hopkins Health System Sydney Kimmel Cancer Center based in Baltimore, MD, told Jaime Weimer, MSN, RN, AGCNS-BS, AOCNS®, manager of oncology nursing practice at ONS, during a conversation about creating and implementing radiopharmaceutical policies and procedures. Music Credit: “Fireflies and Stardust” by Kevin MacLeod Licensed under Creative Commons by Attribution 3.0 Earn 0.5 contact hours of nursing continuing professional development (NCPD) by listening to the full recording and completing an evaluation at courses.ons.org by August 22, 2026. The planners and faculty for this episode have no relevant financial relationships with ineligible companies to disclose. ONS is accredited as a provider of nursing continuing professional development by the American Nurses Credentialing Center's Commission on Accreditation. Learning outcome: Learner will report an increase in knowledge related to implementing policies and procedures to support administration of radiopharmaceuticals for cancer treatment. Episode Notes Complete this evaluation for free NCPD. ONS Podcast™ episodes: Episode 347: Care Considerations for Radiopharmaceuticals and Theranostics in Patients With Cancer Episode 301: Radiation Oncology: Side Effect and Care Coordination Best Practices Episode 298: Radiation Oncology: Nursing's Essential Roles Episode 104: How Radiation Affects All Areas of Oncology Nursing ONS Voice articles: New Radiopharmaceutical Improves Survival in Advanced Prostate Cancer Radiopharmaceuticals and Theranostics Offer New Options for Oncology Nurses to Transform Cancer Care Radiopharmaceuticals Pack a One-Two Punch Against Cancer Safety Is Key in Use of Radiopharmaceuticals ONS Voice oncology drug reference sheets: Lutetium Lu 177 Dotatate Lutetium Lu 177 Vipivotide Tetraxetan Radium 223 Dichloride Sodium Iodide-131 ONS book: Manual for Radiation Oncology Nursing Practice and Education (Fifth Edition) ONS course: ONS/ONCC® Radiation Therapy Certificate™ Clinical Journal of Oncology Nursing article: Nursing Telemedicine Educational Encounters: Improved Patient Satisfaction in Radiation Therapy Clinics Other ONS resources: ONS Radiation Learning Library ONS Radiation Safety: In the Home Huddle Card ONS Radiopharmaceuticals Huddle Card Daily Med Lutathera® website for healthcare professionals Pluvicto® website for healthcare professionals Xofigo® website for healthcare professionals To discuss the information in this episode with other oncology nurses, visit the ONS Communities. To find resources for creating an ONS Podcast club in your chapter or nursing community, visit the ONS Podcast Library. To provide feedback or otherwise reach ONS about the podcast, email pubONSVoice@ons.org. Highlights From This Episode “[Lutetium lu 177 vipivotide tetraxetan] has shown so effective in clinical studies that the FDA recently approved expanded use, and it can now be given prior to chemotherapy.” TS 1:56 “There are typically three parts to a radiopharmaceutical. One is a radioisotope, which emits the radiation. The second is a targeting molecule, which directs the compound to a specific site. And the third is a linker that binds the isotope to the targeting molecules securely. The targeting molecule is usually a substance that binds specifically to receptors, antigens, or metabolic pathways that are overexpressed on cancer cells.” TS 2:08 “We have an interdisciplinary team involvement. There's a physicist, nurse, and provider that confirm lab values are within normal limits. The patient meets all the clinical and safety criteria for administration. Second is an IV placement where a nurse or clin tech starts the IV and verifies a strong blood return. This is critical to avoid extravasation, which can be harmful due to the vesicant-like nature of radiopharmaceuticals. And third, our patient voids immediately before the injection, which reduces bladder radiation dose. During the administration, our provider administers the radiopharmaceutical using a shielded syringe holder to reduce radiation exposure. The physicist remains present throughout the procedure. Lead aprons are worn by any team members close to the IV site, and then the Geiger counter is used by physics to measure ionizing radiation, which is done before, during, and after the procedure.” TS 3:28 “The policy we created doesn't just address general principles. It includes very specific guidance for both [radium 223 dichloride] and [lutetium lu 177 vipivotide tetraxetan]. That includes everything from determining patient eligibility to completing the treatment directive, confirming patient identity, verifying delivery parameters, documenting the treatment itself, and ensuring the treatment environment is appropriate and safe. We've also built in drug- specific practices because [radium 223 dichloride] and [lutetium lu 177 vipivotide tetraxetan] each come with their own considerations. This includes competencies for nursing, tailored patient education for each therapy, and an extravasation checklist that outlines what to do and who's responsible for tasks if infiltration occurs.”TS 11:24 “We created two separate versions [of an attestation model], one for clinical staff and one for non-clinical staff. Why include non-clinical staff? Because the risks extend beyond just the clinical team. What if environmental services comes in to clean and the patient has urinated on the floor? Or what if dietary delivers a tray and moves a urinal without knowing the risk? Or what if transport comes in and handles an incontinent brief without awareness? Each of these scenarios has potential for contamination and exposure. And that's exactly why education for all roles matter.” TS 15:22 “These are such an exciting treatment for our patients, that's not chemotherapy, that's not radiation, and their quality of life has been amazing. We have had patients coming in that could barely walk because of the pain from bone mets and after a few treatments, they're much better. We've had PSAs go from five, six hundreds down to 0.5, so we're seeing a lot of really good options for these patients and treatment.” TS 22:09
[01:00:44] EU Push for WarOpening monologue frames EU leaders' Oval Office visit as another step toward World War III, warning of elites driving conflict. [01:02:13] Chemo Costs & CorruptionKansas woman forced to sell baked goods for $10,000/month chemo illustrates Big Pharma greed and insurance industry corruption, with added discussion of chemo's brain damage. [01:20:33] Soros & Ukraine RevolutionsClips of George Soros admitting to funding Ukraine's revolution reinforce claims of Western-engineered regime change and manufactured conflict. [01:23:02] COVID Propaganda MachineActors and government PSAs compared to “I play a doctor on TV,” exposing taxpayer-funded psy-ops that pushed vaccines and lockdowns. [01:27:00] NATO & Endless WarsCriticism of NATO as an entangling alliance meant to drag the U.S. into European wars, with sanctions framed as acts of war. [01:42:00] Culture Wars: Tradwives & FuentesAnalysis of “tradwife” influencers like Lauren Southern and Nick Fuentes, accusing them of cosplaying tradition and discouraging real families, seen as controlled opposition undermining Western civilization. [02:25:03] Milo & the Right-Wing CircusDiscussion of Milo Yiannopoulos as an unstable provocateur, linked to Alex Jones, with comparisons to Laura Loomer; highlights the grifter culture. [02:25:44] AI as Modern IdolatryHealth Impact article sparks a segment framing AI as today's “talking idols,” reflecting human emptiness rather than true intelligence. [02:45:30] CRISPR & AI GeneticsConcerns raised that CRISPR gene editing is more like a chainsaw than a scalpel, with elites now turning to AI to “clean up” dangerous genetic manipulation. [02:49:19] De-Banking & StablecoinsDiscussion of Bank of America walking back “debanking” rules against religious groups, but warning that stablecoins are a Trojan horse for CBDCs and government financial control. [03:11:01] Trump Tariffs & Food CostsNew tariffs on Brazil, Switzerland, and Mexico predicted to raise prices on coffee, chocolate, olive oil, and groceries. Large corporations can absorb costs temporarily, but small businesses and consumers will feel the squeeze. [03:29:48] Israeli Official & Sex CrimesCoverage of an Israeli official caught in a Nevada sex crime sting but quietly returned to Israel, sparking discussion of influence, Epstein networks, and government protection of predators. [03:44:05] Pornography, AI & Spiritual WarAnalysis of how pornography addiction undermines churches, worsened by AI chatbots and virtual companions that manipulate users — framed as a spiritual battle for minds and families. Follow the show on Kick and watch live every weekday 9:00am EST – 12:00pm EST https://kick.com/davidknightshow Money should have intrinsic value AND transactional privacy: Go to https://davidknight.gold/ for great deals on physical gold/silverFor 10% off Gerald Celente's prescient Trends Journal, go to https://trendsjournal.com/ and enter the code KNIGHTFind out more about the show and where you can watch it at TheDavidKnightShow.com If you would like to support the show and our family please consider subscribing monthly here: SubscribeStar https://www.subscribestar.com/the-david-knight-showOr you can send a donation throughMail: David Knight POB 994 Kodak, TN 37764Zelle: @DavidKnightShow@protonmail.comCash App at: $davidknightshowBTC to: bc1qkuec29hkuye4xse9unh7nptvu3y9qmv24vanh7Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-david-knight-show--2653468/support.
[01:00:44] EU Push for WarOpening monologue frames EU leaders' Oval Office visit as another step toward World War III, warning of elites driving conflict. [01:02:13] Chemo Costs & CorruptionKansas woman forced to sell baked goods for $10,000/month chemo illustrates Big Pharma greed and insurance industry corruption, with added discussion of chemo's brain damage. [01:20:33] Soros & Ukraine RevolutionsClips of George Soros admitting to funding Ukraine's revolution reinforce claims of Western-engineered regime change and manufactured conflict. [01:23:02] COVID Propaganda MachineActors and government PSAs compared to “I play a doctor on TV,” exposing taxpayer-funded psy-ops that pushed vaccines and lockdowns. [01:27:00] NATO & Endless WarsCriticism of NATO as an entangling alliance meant to drag the U.S. into European wars, with sanctions framed as acts of war. [01:42:00] Culture Wars: Tradwives & FuentesAnalysis of “tradwife” influencers like Lauren Southern and Nick Fuentes, accusing them of cosplaying tradition and discouraging real families, seen as controlled opposition undermining Western civilization. [02:25:03] Milo & the Right-Wing CircusDiscussion of Milo Yiannopoulos as an unstable provocateur, linked to Alex Jones, with comparisons to Laura Loomer; highlights the grifter culture. [02:25:44] AI as Modern IdolatryHealth Impact article sparks a segment framing AI as today's “talking idols,” reflecting human emptiness rather than true intelligence. [02:45:30] CRISPR & AI GeneticsConcerns raised that CRISPR gene editing is more like a chainsaw than a scalpel, with elites now turning to AI to “clean up” dangerous genetic manipulation. [02:49:19] De-Banking & StablecoinsDiscussion of Bank of America walking back “debanking” rules against religious groups, but warning that stablecoins are a Trojan horse for CBDCs and government financial control. [03:11:01] Trump Tariffs & Food CostsNew tariffs on Brazil, Switzerland, and Mexico predicted to raise prices on coffee, chocolate, olive oil, and groceries. Large corporations can absorb costs temporarily, but small businesses and consumers will feel the squeeze. [03:29:48] Israeli Official & Sex CrimesCoverage of an Israeli official caught in a Nevada sex crime sting but quietly returned to Israel, sparking discussion of influence, Epstein networks, and government protection of predators. [03:44:05] Pornography, AI & Spiritual WarAnalysis of how pornography addiction undermines churches, worsened by AI chatbots and virtual companions that manipulate users — framed as a spiritual battle for minds and families. Follow the show on Kick and watch live every weekday 9:00am EST – 12:00pm EST https://kick.com/davidknightshow Money should have intrinsic value AND transactional privacy: Go to https://davidknight.gold/ for great deals on physical gold/silverFor 10% off Gerald Celente's prescient Trends Journal, go to https://trendsjournal.com/ and enter the code KNIGHTFind out more about the show and where you can watch it at TheDavidKnightShow.com If you would like to support the show and our family please consider subscribing monthly here: SubscribeStar https://www.subscribestar.com/the-david-knight-showOr you can send a donation throughMail: David Knight POB 994 Kodak, TN 37764Zelle: @DavidKnightShow@protonmail.comCash App at: $davidknightshowBTC to: bc1qkuec29hkuye4xse9unh7nptvu3y9qmv24vanh7Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-real-david-knight-show--5282736/support.
Ops Quickies – snackable episodes on tech, tools, and systems.
On this Monday Night edition of the American Scouser Podcast, we break down the impact of Luis Díaz's move to Bayern Munich and what it could mean for Liverpool's summer strategy. Does this accelerate the push for Alexander Isak, or is the saga starting to cool?We also dig into transfer rumors, squad depth concerns, and how this shift might affect the front line heading into the new season.Join us for a deep dive full of insight, banter, and the latest LFC buzz—plus our usual Monday night vibes.
Don't do these things! In this episode, Rhett & Link are giving multiple PSAs – from speakerphones in public to perfect beard trimming to bad breath. Plus, Rhett talks about a plane passenger that nearly sent him over the edge – was he right in his thinking? Leave us a voicemail at 1-888-EARPOD-1 for a chance to be featured on the show. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices
It's Wednesday, July 23rd, A.D. 2025. This is The Worldview in 5 Minutes heard on 140 radio stations and at www.TheWorldview.com. I'm Adam McManus. (Adam@TheWorldview.com) By Jonathan Clark and Adam McManus Muslims kill Syrian pastor and 20 members of family Syrian Muslims took the life of a pastor and 20 members of his family over the weekend. Khalid Mezher was the pastor of the Good Shepherd Evangelical Church in southern Syria. He and his family converted to Christianity years ago out of a religious group in the area known as the Druze. Violence between Druze militias and fighters from the Bedouin tribes, which are mostly Muslim, has taken the lives of hundreds of people over the last week. Evangelical leader Johnnie Moore wrote on X, “Pastor Khalid died for a faith that many Christians hardly live. They are now martyrs who gave their entire lives, in difficult circumstances, to share the love of Jesus with their neighbors and beloved Syria.” In Matthew 16:25, Jesus said, “For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it.” Puerto Rico protects kids from transsexual drugs and surgeries Puerto Rico is protecting children from transsexual drugs and surgeries. Last Wednesday, Republican Governor Jenniffer González Colón signed the Law for the Protection of the Health and Well-being of Minors in Puerto Rico. Harming children with such transsexual procedures is punishable by 15 years in prison. Puerto Rico joins nearly 30 states in America with similar bans. Japan to invest $550 billion into America President Donald Trump secured a great deal with Japan, reports The Epoch Times. On Truth Social, President Trump announced, “We just completed a massive deal with Japan, perhaps the largest deal ever made. Japan will invest, at my direction, $550 billion into the United States, which will receive 90% of the profits. “This deal will create hundreds of thousands of jobs. There has never been anything like it. Perhaps most importantly, Japan will open their country to trade including cars and trucks, rice and certain other agricultural products. … Japan will pay reciprocal tariffs to the United States of 15%.” CBS/Skydance to pay Trump Foundation $36 million President Trump recently reached a $16 million settlement with Paramount, the parent of CBS News, over what he claimed was misleading editing of a pre-election interview with the Democratic candidate for president, Kamala Harris, reports The Guardian. While CBS initially called the lawsuit “completely without merit”, Paramount is in the midst of an $8 billion sale to the Hollywood studio Skydance Media, which requires the approval of federal regulators. President Trump has claimed that the future owner of CBS will provide him with $20 million worth of advertising and programming – days after the network canceled The Late Show With Stephen Colbert. On Truth Social, Trump wrote, “We have just achieved a BIG AND IMPORTANT WIN in our historic lawsuit against 60 Minutes, CBS, and Paramount. … CBS and its corporate owners knew that they defrauded the American people, and were desperate to settle. Paramount/CBS/60 Minutes have today paid $16 Million in settlement, and we also anticipate receiving $20 million more from the new owners, in advertising, PSAs, or similar programming, for a total of over $36 million dollars.” He added, “This is another in a long line of VICTORIES over the Fake News Media, who we are holding to account for their widespread fraud and deceit. The Wall Street Journal, The Failing New York Times, The Washington Post, MSDNC, CNN, and all other Mainstream Media Liars, are ON NOTICE that the days of them being allowed to deceive the American people are OVER.” Federal workforce shrunk by 22,000 people A report by the Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond found the U.S. federal workforce has shrunk by over 22,000 people from January to May of this year. Chuck Ezell, the Acting Director of the U.S. Office of Personnel Management, said, “The American people deserve a government that is lean, efficient, and focused on core priorities. This data marks the first measurable step toward President Trumpʼs vision of a disciplined, accountable federal workforce and itʼs only the beginning.” Trump has also extended his hiring freeze on federal workers through October. Foreign buyers purchased $56 billion worth of U.S. homes The National Association of Realtors reports that foreign buyers purchased $56 billion worth of U.S. homes from April 2024 through March 2025. The number of home purchases by foreign buyers rose to over 78,000 this year. That's up from last year's report, but still down from 284,000 purchases in 2017. The top destination states for foreign buyers include Florida, California, Texas, and New York. The most popular origin countries of international buyers are China, Canada, Mexico, India, and the United Kingdom. China's share of buyers has gone up significantly since 2007. Star from The Cosby Show drowned Malcolm-Jamal Warner, who portrayed the teenage son Theo Huxtable on “The Cosby Show”, died at 54 in an accidental drowning in Costa Rica, reports the Associated Press. Costa Rica's Judicial Investigation Department said Warner drowned Sunday afternoon, July 20th on a beach on Costa Rica's Limón province when a current pulled him deeper into the ocean. His character, Theo, was the only son among four daughters in the household of Cosby's Cliff Huxtable and Phylicia Rashad's Clair Huxtable on the NBC sitcom. He was one of the prime representations of American teenage life and Black boyhood on a show that was the most popular in America for much of its run from 1984 to 1992. Christian golfer says priorities are faith, family, then golf And finally, Scottie Scheffler won the Open Championship earlier this week. Also known as the British Open, it's the oldest golf tournament in the world. The American professional golfer has won 20 times worldwide since 2022. After his latest victory, Scheffler told reporters he enjoys golf but that faith and family are his greatest priorities. SCHEFFLER: “I would say my greatest priorities are my faith and my family. Those come first for me. Golf is third in that I've said it for a long time. Golf is not how I identify myself. I don't identify myself by winning tournaments, chasing trophies, being famous or whatever it is. “This week, I was the best player in the world. I'm sitting here with the trophy. We're gonna start all over in Memphis, back to even par. Show goes on. I don't feel any different because I've won a golf tournament. This is not the ‘be all end all' for me, but I'm extremely grateful for it. “I don't think that I'm anything special, just because some weeks, I'm better at shooting a lower score than other guys are.” Scheffler's love for family inspired a Nike ad that celebrates fatherhood. The footwear company posted a picture of Scheffler on the golf course with his infant son. Nike wrote, “Priorities unchanged. Another major secured. The wins keep coming on and off the course for Scottie Scheffler.” Close And that's The Worldview on this Wednesday, July 23rd, in the year of our Lord 2025. Follow us on X or subscribe for free by Spotify, Amazon Music, or by iTunes or email to our unique Christian newscast at www.TheWorldview.com. Plus, you can get the Generations app through Google Play or The App Store. I'm Adam McManus (Adam@TheWorldview.com). Seize the day for Jesus Christ.
The debate over whether Apple should acquire an AI company to stay competitive, with Perplexity as a leading candidate, is a hot topic. Chuck Joiner, David Ginsburg, Web Bixby, Eric Bolden, Marty Jencius, Jim Rea, and Brian Flanigan-Arthurs explore past acquisitions, Apple's AI strategy, and the challenges of merging company cultures. PSAs about malware from screenshots and fake CAPTCHAs are discussed, along with the growing risks of AI litigation and the hype vs. reality of AI's future. Today's MacVoices is supported by Bzigo. Don't wait until the next bite—protect your home with Bzigo. Go to bzigo.com/discount/BUZZ10 to save 10% off. Show Notes: Chapters: 00:07 Introduction to Apple and AI01:45 Panel Introductions06:51 Public Service Announcements07:50 Apple's AI Acquisition Debate20:56 Mark Fuccio's Departure21:15 Bzigo Sponsorship Announcement22:42 Marty Gensius on AI Perspectives28:21 The Future of AI and Apple31:24 Closing Thoughts on Apple and Acquisitions36:38 AI Singularity vs. Limitations Links: There's New Reason to Never Keep Screenshots of Private Information on Your Phonehttps://lifehacker.com/tech/never-keep-private-information-screenshots-on-phone Watch Out for Fake CAPTCHAs That Spread Malware https://lifehacker.com/tech/captcha-malware-warning Apple Will Need to Leave Its M&A Comfort Zone to Succeed in AIhttps://archive.is/Z2ULZ Guests: Web Bixby has been in the insurance business for 40 years and has been an Apple user for longer than that.You can catch up with him on Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn. Eric Bolden is into macOS, plants, sci-fi, food, and is a rural internet supporter. You can connect with him on Twitter, by email at embolden@mac.com, on Mastodon at @eabolden@techhub.social, on his blog, Trending At Work, and as co-host on The Vision ProFiles podcast. Brian Flanigan-Arthurs is an educator with a passion for providing results-driven, innovative learning strategies for all students, but particularly those who are at-risk. He is also a tech enthusiast who has a particular affinity for Apple since he first used the Apple IIGS as a student. You can contact Brian on twitter as @brian8944. He also recently opened a Mastodon account at @brian8944@mastodon.cloud. David Ginsburg is the host of the weekly podcast In Touch With iOS where he discusses all things iOS, iPhone, iPad, Apple TV, Apple Watch, and related technologies. He is an IT professional supporting Mac, iOS and Windows users. Visit his YouTube channel at https://youtube.com/daveg65 and find and follow him on Twitter @daveg65 and on Mastodon at @daveg65@mastodon.cloud. Dr. Marty Jencius has been an Associate Professor of Counseling at Kent State University since 2000. He has over 120 publications in books, chapters, journal articles, and others, along with 200 podcasts related to counseling, counselor education, and faculty life. His technology interest led him to develop the counseling profession ‘firsts,' including listservs, a web-based peer-reviewed journal, The Journal of Technology in Counseling, teaching and conferencing in virtual worlds as the founder of Counselor Education in Second Life, and podcast founder/producer of CounselorAudioSource.net and ThePodTalk.net. Currently, he produces a podcast about counseling and life questions, the Circular Firing Squad, and digital video interviews with legacies capturing the history of the counseling field. This is also co-host of The Vision ProFiles podcast. Generally, Marty is chasing the newest tech trends, which explains his interest in A.I. for teaching, research, and productivity. Marty is an active presenter and past president of the NorthEast Ohio Apple Corp (NEOAC). Jim Rea built his own computer from scratch in 1975, started programming in 1977, and has been an independent Mac developer continuously since 1984. He is the founder of ProVUE Development, and the author of Panorama X, ProVUE's ultra fast RAM based database software for the macOS platform. He's been a speaker at MacTech, MacWorld Expo and other industry conferences. Follow Jim at provue.com and via @provuejim@techhub.social on Mastodon. Support: Become a MacVoices Patron on Patreon http://patreon.com/macvoices Enjoy this episode? Make a one-time donation with PayPal Connect: Web: http://macvoices.com Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/chuckjoiner http://www.twitter.com/macvoices Mastodon: https://mastodon.cloud/@chuckjoiner Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/chuck.joiner MacVoices Page on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/macvoices/ MacVoices Group on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/groups/macvoice LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chuckjoiner/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/chuckjoiner/ Subscribe: Audio in iTunes Video in iTunes Subscribe manually via iTunes or any podcatcher: Audio: http://www.macvoices.com/rss/macvoicesrss Video: http://www.macvoices.com/rss/macvoicesvideorss
Ivan Rubenstein-Gillis! Singer! Songwriter! Producer! Dear old friend! Delight! I've known Ivan for decades and I've always loved his music AND talking to him, so having him on my podcast to talk about his music AND MORE was perfect. Under the band name 500 Suns, he's got a new album "Hungry Man" coming out in July 2025! Stay tuned for that, and also stay tuned at the end of this podcast episode for a sneak peek of some music from that project! We have a great chat and you can have a great listen! PS This is only the first HALF of our chat. For the second half, subscribe via Apple Podcasts or merely click on over here to Patreon! Also, here's more about Ivan in Ivan's website's own words: "Ivan Rubenstein-Gillis is a singer, songwriter, producer and multi-instrumentalist based out of New York. With deep roots in folk, rock, jazz, world music and modern poetics, Ivan brings a rare sense of craft, intellectual provocation and emotional expression to his work. Ivan grew up in a creative family and from an early age was exposed to great music, books and visual art from all around the world. He played piano as a kid and began putting lyrics and chord patterns together around the age of 10 ... Bought his first guitar in high school and later added mandolin, banjo, harmonica, bass and other instruments to the mix. Over the course of his eclectic career, Ivan has written hundreds of songs and instrumental pieces, produced and recorded albums across various genres, composed for dance and theater and performed with great musicians in many styles. The primary focus of Ivan's creative life has been his songwriting. To date, he has recorded 11 albums of original material as a solo artist, collaborating with extraordinary rhythm sections, instrumentalists and singers along the way. His songs have won grants and awards, have been performed by numerous artists and choirs, have been featured in a number of movies, documentaries and PSAs, and have become part of the American musical landscape for his many admirers. Two of his songs were featured in a worldwide viral video produced for the United Nations Environmental Program regarding the evils of single-use plastics. Outside of his own material, Ivan enjoyed a very successful collaboration with legendary trombonist Roswell Rudd over the last decade of his life. Ivan played with Rudd's dynamic MaliCool band in 2007 and produced Feeling Good (a tribute to Nina Simone) - the lead track off of Rudd's 2011 album The Incredible Honk. In 2013-2014, Ivan produced Trombone For Lovers, an epic collection of American standards which included the house band of John Medeski, Aaron Comess and Richard Hammond, plus guest appearances from Bob Dorough, Faye Victor, Gary Lucas, Michael Doucet, Steven Bernstein, The NYC Labor Choir and other luminaries. TFL received a four star review in Downbeat and generated raves around the world. Roswell performed with Ivan and his band on numerous occasions and guested on several of Ivan's albums, including in the guise of a braying elephant on dogz and katz, a choice cut from Ivan's 2016 album The Lion. Ivan and Roswell continued to work together on new compositions and arrangements right up until Roswell died in December of 2017. Ivan produced and played multiple instruments on "Songs From Home" - a well-received 'pandemic EP' with fellow Rudd collaborator (and wonderful singer ) Heather Masse, featuring some of their favorite classics, reimagined for quarantine. Ivan's latest project - 500 Suns - is a collaboration with the great rhythm section of Craig Santiago and Scott Petito - an uplifting soulful band based out of the Hudson Valley featuring Shawn Dawn, Kendra McKinley and Leslie Ritter on vocals. Ivan's deep love for many different types of music has allowed him to play around the margins of numerous genres, and has led to longstanding musical relationships with Meyer Horn (drums), Adam Small (bass), Craig Santiago (drums), Scott Petito (bass), Aaron Comess (drums), Richard Hammond (bass), Heather Masse (voice), Cat Martino (voice), Leah Siegel (voice), Lexy Casano (cabaret artist), Clarence Ferrari (flame throwing fiddler), Arne Wendt (organist), Rod Sherwood (producer), David Grausman (piano) and David Brahinsky (NJ-based folksinger), among many others. Ivan has also worked extensively as a music educator, concert producer and "musical activist" - utilizing his talent and experience in the service of providing musical opportunities to underserved populations. Ivan has played at countless benefit concerts, fundraisers and community events and always appreciates the opportunity to play music in the service of a worthy cause. Along with the music, Ivan writes satire, short stories, poems and the occasional expository essay. He also likes to draw funny sketches." Thanks and love, all!
Jim and Chris shares listener PSAs on IRMAA and Delayed Retirement Credits, and answer questions on Social Security Spousal Benefits, annuity use cases, and fixed indexed annuity payout concerns. (13:00) A listener shares a PSA about a positive Medicare and IRMAA reduction experience at a Central Florida SSA office. (19:00) Georgette follows up with a […] The post PSAs, Spousal Benefits, Annuity Use Cases, and FIAs: Q&A #2526 appeared first on The Retirement and IRA Show.
Eric Deggans chats with veteran sitcom showrunner Phil Rosenthal about the current state of the industry. The creator of Everybody Loves Raymond and host of the unscripted Netflix series Somebody Feed Phil reflects on how studios shape viewership data to fit their narratives. Rosenthal recalls challenging flawed testing at CBS early in his career and he reflects on the success of Raymond. He also shares how he pitched his food and travel series as: “Anthony Bourdain if he was afraid of everything.” But first, we banter! As the Donald Trump-Paramount Global lawsuit continues, a mediator has floated a proposed settlement: $20 million, including a $17 million donation to Trump’s presidential foundation, plus legal fees and anti-semitism PSAs. Kim Masters and Matt Belloni unpack the latest chapter in the president’s standoff with Shari Redstone.
Eric Deggans chats with veteran sitcom showrunner Phil Rosenthal about the current state of the industry. The creator of Everybody Loves Raymond and host of the unscripted Netflix series Somebody Feed Phil reflects on how studios shape viewership data to fit their narratives. Rosenthal recalls challenging flawed testing at CBS early in his career and he reflects on the success of Raymond. He also shares how he pitched his food and travel series as: “Anthony Bourdain if he was afraid of everything.” But first, we banter! As the Donald Trump-Paramount Global lawsuit continues, a mediator has floated a proposed settlement: $20 million, including a $17 million donation to Trump's presidential foundation, plus legal fees and anti-semitism PSAs. Kim Masters and Matt Belloni unpack the latest chapter in the president's standoff with Shari Redstone.
Jim and Chris begin with three PSAs on Social Security experiences, then answer questions on fixed indexed annuities with market value adjustments, SPIA payout options for the Minimum Dignity Floor™, and the tax aggregation rule for MYGAs.(11:30) In this PSA Georgette clarifies that her husband, born February 1, received January benefits at full age 70, […] The post Social Security PSAs, FIAs, SPIAs, and MYGAs: Q&A #2525 appeared first on The Retirement and IRA Show.
CBS considers airing PSAs to settle Trump lawsuit, RFK Jr. offers to rescue bird flu-infected ostriches, HHS cuts Moderna's vaccine funding, and AI threatens half of all entry-level white-collar jobs. NewsTrump legal team, Paramount mull proposal for CBS to run PSAs for causes favored by prez to break quagmire over $20B lawsuit: sourcesBehind the Curtain: A white-collar bloodbathHHS cancels funding for Moderna to develop vaccines to combat bird fluRFK Jr offers to save Canadian ostriches with suspected bird flu and move them to US Follow @PodSaveThePeople on Instagram.
Carey is radicalized by Fire Island and drops multiple Dorinda references in this very special, very chintzy episode. His magical tale of going septic and wearing a stent and purse of antibiotics and subsequent digestive woe. Toenail removal and a discussion of disturbing doctors. A lengthy analysis of sunflowers. Conversely, shocking caller opinions on roses. Carey shares dog perfume tips. An exploration of flat Christina Aguilera karaoke. Many helpful PSAs.
A vintage videotape yields a bumper crop of L.A.based commercials, PSAs and promos that have Andrew and Vieves feeling nostalgic for the City of Angels. Plus, a Chicago Bulls great is either shilling for sandwiches or auditioning for the adult film industry. Jury's still out. Here are links to the ads we talked about on this week's show: Allstate: Mayhem Is The Voice Inside Your Head https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fXPAy43My4w VCR Plus https://youtu.be/jc3fBQM111k Pepsi + Nintendo Commercial (ft. Bo Jackson) (1991) https://youtu.be/XtGpdzCRZ-M?si=6C7W63gWCSjXjzo3 Atari Lynx Holiday Pack Commercial (1991) https://youtu.be/CQ9ebE_4bcY?si=_stwHKqwsCPRd62z Lakers vs Celtics KCAL 9 Commercial (1991) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x6yaiMkQkYo KCAL 9 Raiders Promo (1991) https://youtu.be/vgqcU4hJZlc?si=yyvKFrORxvyPy9Op Injury Hotline Commercial: Job Stress & Harassment (1991) https://youtu.be/2MZ4Y0IaY6E Finders Car Insurance Commercial (1991) https://youtu.be/JP4UIalSz-c WeTip Drug and Crime PSA - KTTV 11 (1982ish) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qmg00cHUMuc American Heart Association PSA ft. Earl Anthony (1982) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DSIap2ZuXAQ National Literacy Hotline PSA (1991) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LBHC30Xou28 Sierra Cars Commercial (1991) https://youtu.be/8nHvh0FvSks Five Dollar Clothing Store (1) https://youtu.be/PAV7M7tQ4QQ Five Dollar Clothing Store (2) https://youtu.be/pFiA3MV1ayw Maxwell House Commercial - Coffeehouse Coffee (1995) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pqdivYm7Sog Mr. Submarine (ft. Scottie Pippen) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=40YkCQcMCpQ
This week, we look at public service announcements. PSAs have to compete with - not just other PSAs - but with all other commercials out there. And do it with an iota of the budget. It requires exceptional creativity. We'll talk about how Elvis got teens to get a polio vaccine, and a drinking & driving commercial recorded by drunk actors. --------Looking for where to find a discount on the Saily data plan?Get an exclusive 15% discount on Saily data plans! Use code TERRY at checkout. Download Saily app or go tohttps://saily.com/terry" Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.