Podcasts about quaker

Host Natalie Grueninger interviews Dr Erica Canela about her new book, 'Zealous: A Darker Side of the Early Quakers'. They explore how the English Civil Wars and the rise of print culture spawned a radical, disruptive Quaker movement led by George Fox, its beliefs in direct revelation and social equality, and the often violent reactions it provoked. The episode traces the movement's early urgency—marketplace preaching, unlawful meetings, arrests—and follows its later transformation into a disciplined, influential community known for pacifism, business integrity, and social reform. VISIT DR CANELA'S OFFICIAL WEBSITE https://ericanela.co.uk/ TUDOR TAKEAWAY 'Thorns, Lust, and Glory: The Betrayal of Anne Boleyn' by Estelle Paranque Find out more about your host at https://www.nataliegrueninger.com Support Talking Tudors on Patreon!  

Today's poem is a “row of perfect rhymes” and an absolute delight. Happy reading.You can find the text of the poem here.George Starbuck was born in Columbus, Ohio on June 15, 1931. He grew up in Illinois and California. He attended the University of California at Berkeley for two years, and the University of Chicago for three. He then studied with Archibald MacLeish and Robert Lowell, alongside peers Anne Sexton and Sylvia Plath, at Harvard University. Starbuck won the Yale Younger Poets Prize for his collection Bone Thoughts (1960). He is the author of several other books, including The Argot Merchant Disaster: New and Selected Poems (1982), Elegy in a Country Church Yard (1974), and White Paper (1966). He taught at the State University College at Buffalo, the University of Iowa, and Boston University.Starbuck's witty songs of protest are usually concerned with love, war, and the spiritual temper of the times. John Holmes believed that “there hasn't been as much word excitement ... for years,” as one finds in Bone Thoughts. Harvey Shapiro pointed out that Starbuck's work is attractive because of its “witty, improvisational surface, slangy and familiar address, brilliant aural quality” and added that Starbuck may become a “spokesman for the bright, unhappy young men.” Louise Bogan asserted that his daring satire “sets him off from the poets of generalized rebellion.”After reading Bone Thoughts, Holmes hoped for other books in the same vein; R.F. Clayton found that, in White Paper(1966), the verse again stings with parody. Although Robert D. Spector wasn't sure of Starbuck's sincerity in Bone Thoughts, he rated the poems in White Paper, which range “from parody to elegy to sonnets, and even acrostic exercises,” as “generally superior examples of their kind.” In particular, Spector wrote, when Starbuck juxtaposes McNamara's political language and a Quaker's self-immolation by burning, or wryly offers an academician's praise for this nation's demonstration of humanity by halting its bombing for “five whole days,” we sense this poet's genuine commitment.Starbuck died in Tuscaloosa, Alabama on August 1, 1996.-bio via Poetry Foundation This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit dailypoempod.substack.com/subscribe

Bell Curve author joins the intellectual mob (Peter Thiel, Jordan Peterson, Ross Douthat et al) and finds GodCharles Murray, the infamous co-author of the Bell Curve, has joined the crowd and is Taking Religion Seriously. But what if God doesn't take him seriously—or worse, finds his work on cognitive elites sufficiently annoying to sentence him to give powerpoint presentations on IQ for eternity? Murray doesn't seem too stressed by these Dantesque scenarios. Instead, he's eager to keep up with his Quaker wife, Catherine Bly Cox, who has taken religion far more seriously than Murray himself. Even Murray's discovery of God feels slightly detached and skeptical—as if the social scientist is laughing at himself for doing such an unverifiable and perhaps even low IQ thing. So if Murray can't take his own faith seriously, why should God—or fellow skeptics of today's mob fashion for religion—take him any more seriously? 1. The Intellectual Zeitgeist Has Shifted on Religion Twenty years ago, the New Atheists (Dawkins, Dennett, Hitchens) dominated intellectual discourse. Today, figures from Peter Thiel to Jordan Peterson to Ross Douthat are taking religion seriously again. Murray sees this as the West emerging from “intellectual adolescence”—no longer assuming our Enlightenment parents were wrong about everything.2. Science Has Flipped from Religion's Enemy to Its Unexpected Ally For centuries, scientific discoveries (evolution, psychology, astronomy) delivered body blows to religious belief. But Murray argues that 20th-century science—from the Big Bang to near-death experiences to the hard problem of consciousness—has created new mysteries that materialism can't explain but religion can. We've moved from a “god of the gaps” to genuine scientific anomalies that challenge pure materialism.3. Spiritual Sensitivity Is a Trait, Not an Achievement Murray believes sensitivity to spiritual matters is like musical ability or artistic appreciation—a genetically grounded continuum from low to high. His wife has access to spiritual insights he doesn't. This isn't about intelligence (both Christopher Hitchens and Francis Collins are brilliant) but about a distinct cognitive capacity. Smart people at Harvard don't believe because they lack this trait, not because they're smarter.4. Murray Is Chasing His Wife's Faith (and Losing) Catherine Bly Cox began her religious journey after feeling she loved their baby “more than evolution required”—sensing she was a conduit for mysterious, superfluous love. Her faith has slowly evolved “like a light on a rheostat.” Murray, the empiricist, can't access what she experiences. He's stuck investigating historicity and near-death experiences while she explores meaning and the human condition. He's envious but can't catch up.5. Murray Won't Apologize for The Bell Curve—Even to God When pressed about whether guilt over his controversial work might motivate his religious turn, Murray was emphatic: “Not the slightest. I am not only proud of the bell curve, I think that the bell curve contains the germ of a lot of the arguments I've been making to you today.” He insists God cannot be anthropomorphized or placed on an IQ scale. But his refusal to reckon with how his life's work might look from a divine perspective—or from the perspective of Christian love and universal human dignity—suggests his religious journey remains fundamentally intellectual rather than transformative. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit keenon.substack.com/subscribe

This Day in Legal History: Massachusetts Institutes Death Penalty for HeresyOn November 4, 1646, the Massachusetts General Court enacted a law that imposed the death penalty for heresy, marking one of the most extreme expressions of religious intolerance in early American colonial history. The law required all members of the colony to affirm the Bible as the true and authoritative Word of God. Failure to do so was not merely frowned upon—it was made a capital offense. This legislation reflected the theocratic underpinnings of the Massachusetts Bay Colony, which had been established by Puritans seeking religious freedom for themselves but not necessarily for others.The Puritan leadership equated dissent with disorder, and heresy with treason against divine authority. The law was aimed particularly at groups such as Quakers, Baptists, and others who challenged orthodox Puritan theology. While it is unclear whether anyone was actually executed under this specific statute, it laid the foundation for later persecution, including the execution of Mary Dyer, a Quaker, in 1660. The law exemplifies how early colonial governments wielded both civil and religious authority in tandem.It also foreshadows the centuries-long struggle in American legal and cultural history to define the boundaries between church and state. Though the U.S. Constitution would later enshrine religious freedom in the First Amendment, this 1646 law demonstrates how precarious that freedom was in earlier periods. The harshness of the law also underscores the broader context of 17th-century Europe and its colonies, where religious uniformity was often enforced through state power. Massachusetts would gradually shift away from such punishments, but not without considerable resistance.Sam Bankman-Fried's legal team will argue before the 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals that his conviction for defrauding FTX customers should be overturned. The 33-year-old former crypto executive is currently serving a 25-year sentence after being found guilty in 2023 of stealing $8 billion from FTX users. His lawyers claim the trial judge unfairly excluded key evidence—specifically, information supporting Bankman-Fried's belief that FTX had sufficient assets to cover customer withdrawals. Prosecutors counter that the evidence against him, including internal records and testimony from former associates, was overwhelming.Bankman-Fried was once considered a leading figure in the crypto space, known for his high-profile donations and media presence before his downfall. During the trial, former executives at FTX and Alameda Research testified that he instructed them to misuse customer funds to cover hedge fund losses. He was convicted of two fraud counts and five conspiracy charges. Judge Lewis Kaplan, who sentenced him in March 2024, said Bankman-Fried knowingly acted criminally but underestimated the risk of detection. There are also unconfirmed reports that some in his circle are lobbying Donald Trump for a pardon, though Trump has not commented. Bankman-Fried is currently incarcerated at a low-security facility in California and is expected to be released in 2044.Sam Bankman-Fried's lawyers to argue for new fraud trial for FTX founder | ReutersGetty Images has largely lost its high-profile UK lawsuit against Stability AI, the company behind the image-generating tool Stable Diffusion. Getty had accused Stability AI of copyright infringement, claiming the AI system was trained on millions of its images without permission. However, Getty dropped the core part of the case mid-trial due to insufficient evidence about where and how the AI was trained, leaving that central legal question unresolved. The remaining claims focused on trademark infringement and secondary copyright violations.The High Court ruled that Getty partially succeeded on the trademark issue, noting Stable Diffusion sometimes generated images that included Getty's watermark. But the judge emphasized that this finding was historically narrow and of limited scope. Getty's broader copyright claim was dismissed, with the court finding that Stable Diffusion does not store or directly reproduce copyrighted works. Legal experts called the ruling disappointing for copyright holders and warned it exposed gaps in UK intellectual property protections regarding AI.Both companies claimed aspects of victory: Getty pointed to the trademark ruling and the recognition that AI models can be subject to IP laws, while Stability AI emphasized that the decision effectively cleared the core copyright concerns. Getty warned the decision highlights the difficulty even well-funded companies face in protecting creative works and urged governments to strengthen transparency rules around AI training data. Legal analysts say the ruling leaves a major legal question unresolved—whether training AI on copyrighted content without consent constitutes infringement under UK law.Getty Images largely loses landmark UK lawsuit over AI image generator | ReutersPennsylvania lawmakers are advancing a regulatory and fee-based proposal targeting “skill games”—arcade-style gambling machines—without first resolving the legal and oversight framework surrounding them. Senate Bill 1079, introduced by Senators Gene Yaw and Anthony Williams, proposes a $500 monthly fee per machine, capped at 50,000 terminals, potentially raising $300 million annually. However, I argue that this revenue-driven approach puts fiscal goals ahead of sound regulation. The bill includes some regulatory provisions like machine limits, ID checks, and a centralized monitoring system, but these appear to have been crafted after the fee structure, not as foundational policy.Skill games have operated in a legal gray area since a 2023 court ruling found they don't meet the state's definition of gambling devices. That ambiguity has persisted, leaving the machines largely unregulated but widespread. Instead of clarifying the legal status of these machines and building a regulatory framework first, lawmakers now seem focused on monetizing them quickly—potentially to preempt a stricter tax plan proposed by Governor Shapiro. The bill notably keeps enforcement under the Department of Revenue rather than the more experienced Gaming Control Board, raising questions about effective oversight.This structure may incentivize the rapid deployment of machines to meet revenue goals, risking poor compliance and ineffective safeguards. In sum, I go on to say the proposal uses regulation to justify revenue collection, rather than using revenue to support a robust regulatory system. Without a clear legal definition, licensing process, and proper enforcement authority, the current plan prioritizes money over governance.Pennsylvania Skill Game Fee Regulations Have Questionable Timing This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.minimumcomp.com/subscribe

John 11:1-37We read John 11 with attention to language, source questions, and the inward Light, moving from Lazarus's death to Jesus's tears and the claim “I am the resurrection and the life.” We contrast Martha's presumption with Mary's surrender, and explore how glory means God's manifest presence, not spectacle.• ethical framing against gambling and exploitation• John 11 context, Bethany near Jerusalem• name meanings and linguistic notes in Greek and Hebrew• “glory” as manifested presence of God• light “in” a person vs external light• sleep vs death and Johannine misunderstanding motif• “I am the resurrection and the life” and zoe vs bios• Martha's doctrine vs Mary's inward posture• Johannine community, late dating, and source theories• Jesus's emotions, “deeply moved,” “troubled,” and “Jesus wept”• early heresies: Docetism and the full humanity of Christ• Quaker emphasis on inward life, peace beyond understandingA complete list of our podcasts, organized into topics, is available on our website. To learn more about Ohio Yearly Meeting (Conservative) of the Religious Society of Friends (Quakers), please visit ohioyearlymeeting.org. Those interested in exploring the distinctives of Conservative Friends waiting worship should consider checking out our many Zoom Online Worship opportunities during the week here. All are welcome! We also have several Zoom study groups. Check out the Online Study and Discussion Groups on our website. Advices read in these podcasts can be found on page 29 in our Book Of Discipline. We welcome feedback on this and any of our other podcast episodes. Contact us through our website.

John 11:38–57 We study this part of John with clear attention to Greek terms that reshape belief as trust and signs as pointers beyond miracles. Lazarus's raising, the council's response, and the approach to Passover reveal how language, liberation, and wholehearted faith meet in practice.• Belief as trust and confidence, not mere assent• Christos as title Anointed, not a surname• Names like Yeshua, Iakobos, Ioudas shifting across testaments• Lazarus raised, unbind him as liberation motif• Jesus deeply moved, nuance of Greek verbs• signs pointing beyond miracles to God's glory• Council fear, Caiaphas's unintended prophecy• Children of God, adoption and unity• Passover approaching, Jesus's withdrawal to EphraimA complete list of our podcasts, organized into topics, is available on our website. To learn more about Ohio Yearly Meeting (Conservative) of the Religious Society of Friends (Quakers), please visit ohioyearlymeeting.org. Those interested in exploring the distinctives of Conservative Friends waiting worship should consider checking out our many Zoom Online Worship opportunities during the week here. All are welcome! We also have several Zoom study groups. Check out the Online Study and Discussion Groups on our website. Advices read in these podcasts can be found on page 29 in our Book Of Discipline. We welcome feedback on this and any of our other podcast episodes. Contact us through our website.

In this episode of the Awekura series we talk with Renée Orr, Rare Book specialist and Curatorial Services Team Leader at Auckland Council Libraries Heritage Collections. Renee shares with us a rare 17th Century book, its history and provenance, to this recently donated gift to the Heritage Collection. It's a bit of a tongue twister of a title! "The Memorable Works of a Son of Thunder and Consolation: Namely, that True Prophet, and Faithful Servant of God, and Sufferer for the Testimony of Jesus, Edward Burroughs, who Dyed a Prisoner for the Word of God, in the City of London, the Fourteenth of the Twelfth Moneth, 1662". The book was printed in 1672 in London and is a collection of the writings of influential Quaker, Edward Burrough. Read more about the book and find links to related material here: https://heritageetal.blogspot.com/2025/11/awekura-edward-burrough-1634-1663.html Image: A collage produced by Julian Lubin from photographs of the Auckland Libraries Heritage Collections.

"We've cultivated a way of being in the world that eliminates quiet, stillness, and inactivity." Tyler Staton proposes a return to the ancient Christian practice of solitude to combat the rampant busyness and inattention that characterize the modern life. Tyler Staton is the lead pastor of Bridgetown Church in Portland, Oregon: https://bridgetown.church/He's also the author of three books: https://www.tylerstaton.com/If you enjoy listening to the George Fox Talks podcast and would like to watch, too, check out our channel on YouTube! We also have a web page that features all of our podcasts, a sign-up for our weekly email update, and publications from the George Fox University community.

We trace how Ohio Wilburite Friends built a “guarded education,” from printed minutes and women's records to a brick-by-brick boarding school culture that survived fire, standardized primary schools, and balanced conviction with modernization. A story of plain speech, strict standards, aid associations, and a networked push for quality.• women's minutes printed and epistles included alongside men's• boarding school built at Barnesville with local bricks and pride• guarded culture of plain dress, thee and thou, strict discipline• bans on baseball and careful curation of reading material• high academics with limited salaries and leadership turnover• aid associations and alumni organizing to raise funds and standards• tuition increases and building upgrades amid cultural unease• 1910 fire, rapid rebuilding, improved safety and infrastructure• primary schools revived, subsidized, and gradually standardized• custom readers published to align texts with Quaker testimonies• education associations set courses, exams, and reporting norms• cross-yearly meeting cooperation to supervise and improve schoolsA complete list of our podcasts, organized into topics, is available on our website. To learn more about Ohio Yearly Meeting (Conservative) of the Religious Society of Friends (Quakers), please visit ohioyearlymeeting.org. Those interested in exploring the distinctives of Conservative Friends waiting worship should consider checking out our many Zoom Online Worship opportunities during the week here. All are welcome! We also have several Zoom study groups. Check out the Online Study and Discussion Groups on our website. Advices read in these podcasts can be found on page 29 in our Book Of Discipline. We welcome feedback on this and any of our other podcast episodes. Contact us through our website.

Thu, 23 Oct 2025 23:30:00 GMT http://relay.fm/rd/272 http://relay.fm/rd/272 My Bibles and Books 272 Merlin Mann and John Siracusa TiVo: The Exit Interview. TiVo: The Exit Interview. clean 6389 Subtitle: Merlin can still smell the slide oil.TiVo: The Exit Interview. Links and Show Notes: John leads us through the TiVo Exit Interview. In this month's member bonus segment, your hosts discuss Alien: Earth (FX, 2025). You can sign up today to hear all the member episodes, get more bonus stuff, and help support our program. (Recorded Tuesday, July 22, 2025) Credits Audio Editor/First Chair Saxophonist: Jim Metzendorf Admin Assistance: Kerry Provenzano Music: Merlin Mann The Suits: Stephen Hackett, Myke Hurley Get an ad-free version of the show, plus a monthly extended episode. Quaker meeting (game) - Wikipedia Last One Laughing: Bob Mortimer's Funniest Moments - YouTube TiVo Stops Selling DVRs Philips DSR6000 for DIRECTV - TiVopediaMerlin's first TiVo Alien: Earth - Wikipedia Alien (1979) Aliens (1986) Alien³ (1992) The Tithingman at the Ipswich Meeting House – Historic IpswichApparently, what Merlin calls "the bonking stick" refers to a staff or rod wiel

Thu, 23 Oct 2025 23:30:00 GMT http://relay.fm/rd/272 http://relay.fm/rd/272 Merlin Mann and John Siracusa TiVo: The Exit Interview. TiVo: The Exit Interview. clean 6389 Subtitle: Merlin can still smell the slide oil.TiVo: The Exit Interview. Links and Show Notes: John leads us through the TiVo Exit Interview. In this month's member bonus segment, your hosts discuss Alien: Earth (FX, 2025). You can sign up today to hear all the member episodes, get more bonus stuff, and help support our program. (Recorded Tuesday, July 22, 2025) Credits Audio Editor/First Chair Saxophonist: Jim Metzendorf Admin Assistance: Kerry Provenzano Music: Merlin Mann The Suits: Stephen Hackett, Myke Hurley Get an ad-free version of the show, plus a monthly extended episode. Quaker meeting (game) - Wikipedia Last One Laughing: Bob Mortimer's Funniest Moments - YouTube TiVo Stops Selling DVRs Philips DSR6000 for DIRECTV - TiVopediaMerlin's first TiVo Alien: Earth - Wikipedia Alien (1979) Aliens (1986) Alien³ (1992) The Tithingman at the Ipswich Meeting House – Historic IpswichApparently, what Merlin calls "the bonking stick" refe

In this episode of Marketing Insights with Shanita Baraka Akintonde, we look into Advertising Ecosystems to explore what really fuels today's advertising industry — people, purpose, process, and perspective.Her guest, Sean Brewster, Global Business Lead, Omnicom Production, is a seasoned advertising professional with over two decades of experience guiding some of the world's most recognized brands. From Bayer and Bud Light to SC Johnson and Quaker, Sean has led integrated campaigns across media, PR, social, experiential, and e-commerce, first at BBDO and now as part of Omnicom Production.Together, Shanita and Sean unpack the ever-evolving advertising ecosystem — how brands are building content systems that deliver at scale without losing soul — and what it takes to balance that professional intensity with real-life priorities like faith, family, and growth.Get ready for an inspiring, behind-the-scenes look at how leaders like Sean bring both strategy and humanity to the fast-paced world of modern marketing. #AdEcosystem #MarketingInsightsPodcast#AdvertisingLeadership#MarketingStrategy#BrandStorytelling#OmnicomProduction #BBDO#ShanitaSpeaksLLC#GlobalMarketing#AdIndustryTrends

The Quaker experiment at Eastern State Penitentiary was meant to be a sanctuary for the soul, a place to reform criminals through silence and reflection. Instead, it accidentally engineered a form of psychological torture: solitary confinement. This episode uncovers the complicated history of this "Great Experiment" and then journeys to the offices of AFSC Prison Watch, where a new generation of Quaker activists are confronting this legacy by listening to the raw, firsthand accounts of people who have survived the modern system.  ---------------------------------------------Westtown School, a leading Quaker day school for Pre-K to 12th grade is hosting Open Houses this Fall. Upper School, Saturday, October 25th, 9:30 to 11:30 a.m.Middle School, Thursday, October 30th, 9:00 to 11:30 a.m.Lower School, Wednesday, November 5th, 9:30 to 11:30 a.m.Learn more at www.westtown.edu/fall. Become a monthly supporter! Sign up for the Daily Quaker Message.

John 10:1-42 We read John 10 with attention to the gate, the Good Shepherd, and what it means to recognize a voice that leads to life. Greek insights on “amen amen,” voice and calling, and zoe versus bios deepen a conversation about obedience, abundance, and union with the Father.• historical context of shepherding and danger in the fields• the gate as a real threshold for discernment and salvation• voice recognition versus noise and false guides• good shepherd versus hired hand and motive under pressure• free will, temptation, Gethsemane, and chosen obedience• other sheep, one flock, universality without relativism• feast of dedication and the claim “The Father and I are one”• works as witness when belief feels hard• eternal life as zoe, the life of the ages, now• kingdom as divine state, not territory• practical prayer: making space to listen and followA complete list of our podcasts, organized into topics, is available on our website. To learn more about Ohio Yearly Meeting (Conservative) of the Religious Society of Friends (Quakers), please visit ohioyearlymeeting.org. Those interested in exploring the distinctives of Conservative Friends waiting worship should consider checking out our many Zoom Online Worship opportunities during the week here. All are welcome! We also have several Zoom study groups. Check out the Online Study and Discussion Groups on our website. Advices read in these podcasts can be found on page 29 in our Book Of Discipline. We welcome feedback on this and any of our other podcast episodes. Contact us through our website.

Today, we'll try an already open box of Protein Granola from Quaker. Then, a store brand box of Corn Flakes, and we'll ruin Donna's kindness with a box of Cinnamon Crisps that we already had in the sack. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

(Oct 20, 2025) About 7 million people across the country took to the streets over the weekend to protest the Trump Administration, including more than a thousand people in Potsdam; a private group chat is having big consequences for Republicans around the country and in New York; and sit down with a local philosopher and Quaker to talk about what makes for effective demonstrations. 

Nick Jeffery and John Granger continue their Q&A conversations about Rowling-Galbraith's Hallmarked Man (if you missed the first discussion, click here to catch up). As usual, the pair promised to send links and notes along with their recorded back and forth for anyone wanting to read more about the subjects they discussed. Scroll down for their seven plus one questions and a bevy of bonus material they trust will add to your appreciation of Rowling's Strike 8 artistry and meaning. Cheers!Q1: What is the meaning of or artistry involved with Pat Chauncey's three fish in the Agency's fish tank, ‘Robin,' ‘Cormoran,' and ‘Travolta/Elton'?Mise en Abyme (Wikipedia)In Western art history, mise en abyme (French pronunciation: [miz ɑ̃n‿abim]; also mise en abîme) is the technique of placing a copy of an image within itself, often in a way that suggests an infinitely recurring sequence. In film theory and literary theory, it refers to the story within a story technique.The term is derived from heraldry, and means placed into abyss (exact middle of a shield). It was first appropriated for modern criticism by the French author André Gide. A common sense of the phrase is the visual experience of standing between two mirrors and seeing an infinite reproduction of one's image. Another is the Droste effect, in which a picture appears within itself, in a place where a similar picture would realistically be expected to appearSnargaloff pods (Harry Potter Wiki)“It sprang to life at once; long, prickly, bramble-like vines flew out of the top and whipped through the air... Harry succeeded in trapping a couple of vines and knotting them together; a hole opened in the middle of all the tentacle-like branches... Hermione snatched her arm free, clutching in her fingers a pod... At once, the prickly vines shot back inside and the gnarled stump sat there looking like an innocently dead lump of wood“— The trio dealing with the Snargaluff plant in sixth year Herbology classSnargaluff was a magical plant with the appearance of a gnarled stump, but had dangerous hidden thorn-covered vines that attacked when provoked, and was usually best handled by more than one person.Juliana's Question about the Oranda Goldfish:did anyone else notice - I confess to only noticing this on my second re-read of THM- that Travolta, Pat's third fish, dies?What do we think about this? Could this mean Mr. Ryan F. Murphy dies…? Or could it just be foreshadowing of the fact that him and Robin don't end up together? I think the fish symbolism was quite humorous and delightful paralleling such a deep and intricate plot. Just wanted to know if anyone noticed this tinge of humor towards the end of the book… As for the fish theory, Pat's three fish in the tank: Strike, Robin and the third, she calls, Travolta — ironically, named after a “handsome” man. I'm thinking JKR meant Travolta, the fish to symbolize Murphy…What I was referring to in my original comment: the three fish = the love triangle between Ellacott/Murphy/Strike. I was asking: since Travolta died in Chapter 113, do we think this foreshadows Murphy either dying physically, or just that Robin and Murphy do not end up together?John's ‘Fish and Peas' Response:It's a relief to learn that Travolta's most famous role wasn't a character named Ryan Murphy that everyone in the world except myself knows very well. Thank you for this explanation!There's more to your idea, though, I think, then you have shared. Forgive me if you were already aware of this textual argument that suggests very strongly that these Oranda goldfish have been an important part of Rowling's plan from the series from the start. In brief, it's about the peas.In Part 2, Chapter 3, of ‘Cuckoo's Calling,' Robin and Matt are having their first fight about Strike and the Agency. The chapter ends with an odd note that this disagreement has blemished the Cunliffe couple's engagement.“She waited until he had walked away into the sitting room before turning off the tap. There was, she noticed, a fragment of frozen pea caught in the setting of her engagement ring.” (73)Your theory that the fish bowl is an embedded picture of the state of Robin's feelings for Murphy and Strike, a Mise en abyme of sorts, is given credibility in the eyes of this reader by the appearance of frozen peas as the cure for the dying Cormoran goldfish. It is hard for a Rowling Reader to believe that these two mentions of frozen pea fragments were coincidental or unrelated, which means that (a) Rowling had the office Oranda goldfish scene-within-the-scene in Strike 8 foreshadowed by the Strike 1 tiff, and (b) therefore of real significance.There is another pea bit, of course, in ‘Troubled Blood' at Skegness, a passage that links Robin's heart or essence with peas.Strike was still watching the starlings when Robin set down two polystyrene trays, two small wooden forks and two cans of Coke on the table.“Mushy peas,” said Strike, looking at Robin's tray, where a hefty dollop of what looked like green porridge sat alongside her fish and chips.“Yorkshire caviar,” said Robin, sitting down. “I didn't think you'd want any.”“You were right,” said Strike, picking up a sachet of tomato sauce while watching with something like revulsion as Robin dipped a chip into the green sludge and ate it.“Soft Southerner, you are,” she said, and Strike laughed. (807-808)If you tie this in with the fish symbolism embedded in Rowling's favorite paintings and the meaning of ‘Oranda,' this is quite a bit of depth in that fish bowl -- and in your argument that the death of Travolta signifies Murphy is out of consideration.You're probably to young to remember this but Travolta's most famous role will always be Tony Manero in ‘Saturday Night Fever,' the breakout event of his acting career. Manero longs for a woman way out of his league, attempts to rape her after they win a dance contest, she naturally rejects him, but they wind up as friends.Or in a book so heavy in the cultish beliefs and practices of Freemasonry, especially with respect to policemen that are also “on the square,” maybe the Travolta-Murphy link is just that the actor is, with Tom Cruise, as famous (well...) for his beliefs in Scientology as for his acting ability.So, yes, it's fun, your ‘Peas and Fish' theory, but there's something to it.Check out this note on ‘Peas' in the Strike novels from Renee over at the weblog: https://www.hogwartsprofessor.com/hallmarked-man-placeholder-post-index/comment-page-1/#comment-1699017 The fish symbolism embedded in Rowling's favorite painting: https://hogwartsprofessor.substack.com/p/rowlings-favorite-painting-and-what And the meaning of ‘Oranda:' https://www.hogwartsprofessor.com/rowling-twixter-fish-and-strike-update/Follow-Up by Julianna:I'm not sure what exact chapter this is in, but let's also not forget that on Sark, Strike procures a bag of frozen peas to soothe the spade to his face injury. I also want to add that he has used frozen peas before, to soothe his aching leg too, but I could be wrong about that…I cant remember where I've read that, so it might not be true….Lastly, after reading Renee's comment, I have to say, that now I do believe that the peas might have been an ongoing symbol for Strike (a la…the pea in the engagement ring) and…stay with me here….peas are potentially, what save Cormoran, the goldfish, from dying.“The black fish called Cormoran was again flailing helplessly at the top of the tank. ‘Stupid a*****e, you've done it to your f*cking self'.” And the very last line of the book being: “Then pushed himself into a standing position ear and knee both throbbing. In the absence of anything else he could do to improve his present situation, he set off for the attic to fetch the empty margerine tub…and some peas.” (Chapter 127).My point being: this could be a way of Rowling saying, that Strike saves himself from himself…another psychological undertone in her stories. (Lake reference: Rowling has pulled herself up out of poverty ‘by her own bootstraps' we say.) Thoughts? Thanks for induldging me here, John! I am enjoying this conversation. Apologies for the grammar and potentially confusing train of thoughts.And from Vicky:Loving the theories and symbolism around the peas and fish! Just had a thought too re John quoting the Troubled blood scene. Robin calls mushy peas by a familiar term “Yorkshire caviar”. Caviar is of course fish eggs, and poor Robin, Yorkshire born, spends much of THM agonising over the thought and pressure of freezing her eggs. Giuliana mentioned the frozen peas Strike puts on his swollen face after the spade hit...maybe this is foreshadowing to their intimate and honest dinner conversation later with Robin baring her heart to Strike about her ectopic pregnancy griefQ2: Why didn't the Strike-Ellacott Agency or the Metropolitan Police figure out how the murderer entered the Ramsay Silver vault to kill William Wright the first time they saw the grainy surveillance film of the auction house crate deliveries?Tweet UrlFrom ‘The Locked Room Lecture' (John Dickson Carr) It's silly to be disappointed in a border-line absurd Locked Room Mystery such as Hallmarked Man because improbability is close to a requirement in such stories:“But this point must be made, because a few people who do not like the slightly lurid insist on treating their preferences as rules. They use, as a stamp of condemnation, the word ‘improbable.' And thereby they gull the unwary into their own belief that ‘improbable' simply means ‘bad.'“Now, it seems reasonable to point out that the word improbable is the very last which should ever be used to curse detective fiction in any case. A great part of our liking fofr detective fiction is based on a liking for improbability. When A is murdered, and B and C are under strong suspicion, it is improbably that the innocent-looking D can be guilty. But he is. If G has a perfect alibi, sworn to at every point by every other letter in the alphabet, it is improbable that G can have committed the crime. But he has. When the detective picks up a fleck of coal dust at the seashore, it is improbable that such an insignificant thing can have any importance. But it will. In short, you come to a point where the word improbable grows meaningless as a jeer. There can be no such thing as any probability until the end of the story. And then, if you wish the murder to be fastened on an unlikely person (as some of us old fogies do), you can hardly complain because he acted from motives less likely or necessarily less apparent than those of the person first suspected.“When the cry of ‘This-sort-of-thing-wouldn't-happen!' goes up, when you complain about half-faced fiends and hooded phantoms and blond hypnotic sirens, you are merely saying, ‘I don't like this sort of story.' That's fair enough. If you do not like it, you are howlingly right to say so. But when you twist this matter of taste into a rule for judging the merit or even the probability of the story, you are merely saying, ‘This series of events couldn't happen, because I shouldn't enjoy it if it did.'“What would seem to be the truth of the matter? We might test it out by taking the hermetically sealed chamber as an example, because this situation has been under a hotter fire than any other on the grounds of being unconvincing.“Most people, I am delighted to say, are fond of the locked room. But – here's the damned rub – even its friends are often dubious. I cheerfully admit that I frequently am. So, for the moment, we'll all side together on this score and see what we can discover. Why are we dubious when we hear the explanation of the locked room? Not in the least because we are incredulous, but simply because in some vague way we are disappointed. And from that feeling it is only natural to take an unfair step farther, and call the whole business incredible or impossible or flatly ridiculous.” (reprinted in The Art of the Mystery Story [Howard Haycraft] 273-286)Q3: Hallmarked Man is all about silver and Freemasonry. What is the historical connection between South American silver (‘Argentina' means ‘Land of Silver'), the end of European feudalism, and the secret brotherhood of the Masons?How Silver Flooded the World: And how that Replaced Feudalism and the Church with Capitalism and Nation-States (‘Uncharted Territories,' Tomas Pueyo) In Europe, silver also triggered the discovery of America, a technological explosion, and a runaway chain of events that replaced feudalism with capitalism and nation-states. If you understand this, you'll be able to understand why nation-states are threatened by cryptocurrencies today, and how their inevitable success will weaken nation-states. In this premium article, we're going to explore how Europe starved for silver, and how the reaction to this flooded the world with silver. ,See also Never Bet Against America and Argentina Could be a Superpower, both by Pueyo.‘Conspiracy Theories associated with Freemasonry' (Wikipedia)* That Freemasonry is a Jewish front for world domination or is at least controlled by Jews for this goal. An example of this is the anti-Semitic literary forgery The Protocols of the Elders of Zion. Adolf Hitler believed that Freemasonry was a tool of Jewish influence,[12] and outlawed Freemasonry and persecuted Freemasons partially for this reason.[13] The covenant of the Palestinian Islamist movement Hamas claims that Freemasonry is a “secret society” founded as part of a Zionist plot to control the world.[14] Hilaire Belloc thought Jews had “inaugurated” freemasonry “as a bridge between themselves and their hosts”[15]* That Freemasonry is tied to or behind Communism. The Spanish dictator Francisco Franco had often associated his opposition with both Freemasonry and Communism, and saw the latter as a conspiracy of the former; as he put it, “The whole secret of the campaigns unleashed against Spain can be explained in two words: masonry and communism”.[16] In 1950, Irish Roman Catholic priest Denis Fahey republished a work by George F. Dillon under the title Grand Orient Freemasonry Unmasked as the Secret Power Behind Communism. Modern conspiracy theorists such as Henry Makow have also claimed that Freemasonry intends the triumph of Communism[17]* That Freemasons are behind income taxes in the US. One convicted tax protester has charged that law enforcement officials who surrounded his property in a standoff over his refusal to surrender after his conviction were part of a “Zionist, Illuminati, Free Mason [sic] movement”.[18] The New Hampshire Union Leader also reported that “the Browns believe the IRS and the federal income tax are part of a deliberate plot perpetrated by Freemasons to control the American people and eventually the world”[19]Umberto Eco's The Prague Cemetery, a Freemasonry Novel (Wikipedia)So much for the link between Freemasonry and Baphomet worship!‘The Desacralization of Work' (Roger Sworder, Mining, Metallurgy, and the Meaning of Life)Q4: Ian Griffiths is the Bad Guy of Hallmarked Man. His name has definite Christian overtones (a ‘Griffin,' being half-eagle, half-lion, King of Heaven and Earth, is a symbol of Christ); could it also be another pointer to Rowling's mysterious ‘Back Door Man,' Harry Bingham, author of the Fiona Griffiths series?Troubled Blood: The Acknowledgments (Nick Jeffery, November 2020)In both Silkworm and Career Rowling/Galbraith's military advisors are thanked as SOBE (Sean Harris OBE?) Deeby (Di Brookes?) and the Back Door Man. Professor Granger has identified the Back Door Man as a southern US slang term for a man having an illicit relationship, but beyond this is so far unidentified.Any thoughts on her dedications or acknowledgements? Any new leads for the elusive Back Door Man? Please comment down below.Harry Bingham's website, June 2012“My path into TALKING TO THE DEAD was a curious one. I was approached by a well-known figure who was contemplating working with a ghostwriter on a crime thriller. I hadn't read any crime for a long time, but was intrigued by the project. So I went out and bought about two dozen crime novels, then read them back-to-back over about two weeks.”Could Rowling have hired a (gasp) “ghost writer”? Or was it just “expert editorial assistance” she was looking for, what Bingham offers today?Author's Notes in The Strange Death of Fiona Grifiths (Publication date 29th January 2015, before Career of Evil):“If you want to buy a voice activated bugging device that looks like (and is) an ordinary power socket, it'll set you back about fifty pounds (about eighty bucks).”This is the same surveillance device used in Lethal White, but interestingly is not used in Bingham's book. (Nick Jeffery)Moderators Backchannel List of Correspondences between Cormoran Strike series and Bingham's Fiona Griffiths mystery-thrillers (John Granger):(1) A series that has an overarching mystery about which we get clues in every story, one linked to a secret involving a parent who is well known but whose real life is a mystery even to their families;(2) A series that is preoccupied with psychological issues, especially those of the brilliant woman protagonist who suffers from a mental illness and who is a student of psychology;(3) A series that is absorbed with death and populated by the dead who have not yet passed on and who influence the direction of the investigation more or less covertly (”I think we have just one world, a continuum, one populated by living and dead alike,” 92, This Thing of Darkness), a psychic and spiritual realm book that rarely touches on formal religion (Dead House and Deepest Grave excepted, sort of);(4) A series that, while being a police procedural because the detective is a police officer, is largely about how said sergeant works around, even against the hierarchy of department authority and decision makers, “with police help but largely as an independent agent;”(5) A series that makes glancing references to texts that will jar Rowling Readers: “All shall be well” (284, Love Story with Murders), she drives a high heel into a creepy guy's foot when he comes up to her from behind (75, This Thing of Darkness), Clerkenwell! (103, The Dead House), a cave opening cathedral-like onto a lake, the heroine enters with a mentor, blood spilled at the entrance, and featuring a remarkable escape (chapter 34, The Dead House), etc, especially the Robin-Fiona parallels....(6) A series starring a female protagonist who works brilliantly undercover, whose story is about recovery from a trauma experienced when she was a college student, who struggles mostly with her romantic relationships with men, a struggle that is a combination of her mental health-recovery progress (or lack of same) and her vocation as a detective, who is skilled in the martial art of self-defense, and who is from a world outside London, an ethnicity and home fostering, of all things, a love of sheep;(7) A series with a love of the mythological or at least the non-modern (King Arthur! Anchorites!)Q5: Can you help us out with some UK inside jokes or cultural references of which we colonists can only guess the meaning? Start with Gateshead, Pit Ponies, and Council Flats and Bed-Sits!* Gateshead (Wikipedia)J. B. Priestley, writing of Gateshead in his 1934 travelogue English Journey, said that “no true civilisation could have produced such a town”, adding that it appeared to have been designed “by an enemy of the human race”.* Pit Ponies (Wikipedia)Larger horses, such as varieties of Cleveland Bay, could be used on higher underground roadways, but on many duties small ponies no more than 12 hands (48 inches, 122 cm) high were needed. Shetlands were a breed commonly used because of their small size, but Welsh, Russian, Devonshire (Dartmoor) and Cornish ponies also saw extensive use in England.[2] In the interwar period, ponies were imported into Britain from the Faroe Islands, Iceland and the United States. Geldings and stallions only were used. Donkeys were also used in the late 19th century, and in the United States, large numbers of mules were used.[6] Regardless of breed, typical mining ponies were low set, heavy bodied and heavy limbed with plenty of bone and substance, low-headed and sure-footed. Under the British Coal Mines Act 1911 (1 & 2 Geo. 5. c. 50), ponies had to be four years old and work ready (shod and vet checked) before going underground.[15] They could work until their twenties.At the peak of this practice in 1913, there were 70,000 ponies underground in Britain.In shaft mines, ponies were normally stabled underground[16] and fed on a diet with a high proportion of chopped hay and maize, coming to the surface only during the colliery's annual holiday.* Council Flats (Wikipedia)Q6: What are Rowling Readers to think of Robin's dream in chapter 22 (174 )when she's sleeping next to Murphy but dreaming of being at Ramsay's Silver with Strike and the showroom is filled with “cuddly toys instead of masonic swords and aprons”?* ‘Harry's Dreams:' Steve Vander Ark, Harry Potter LexiconQ7: The first bad news phone call that Robin takes from her mother Linda in Hallmarked Man is about the death of Rowntree. What is the connection between Robin's beloved Chocolate Labrador, Quakers, and Rowling's Golden Thread about ‘What is Real'?‘Troubled Blood: Poisoned Chocolates' (John Granger, 2021)‘Troubled Blood: The Secret of Rowntree' (John Granger, 2021)I explained in ‘Deathly Hallows and Penn's Fruits of Solitude‘ why Penn's quotation is a key to the Hogwarts Saga finale, how, in brief, the “inner light” doctrines of the Quakers and of non-conformist esoteric Christianity in general inform the story of Harry's ultimate victory in Dobby's grave over doubt and his subsequent ‘win' in his battle against death and the Dark Lord. I urge you to read that long post, one of the most important, I think, ever posted at HogwartsProfessor, for an idea of how central to Rowling's Christian faith the tenets of Quakerism really are as well as how this shows itself in Deathly Hallows.What makes the historical chocolate connection with the Quakers, one strongly affirmed in naming the Ellacott dog ‘Rowntree,' that much more interesting then is the easy segue from the “inner light” beliefs of the Christian non-conformists to the effect of chocolate on characters in Rowling and Galbraith novels. The conscience of man per the Quakers are our logos within that is continuous with the Logos fabric of reality, the Word that brings all things into existence and the light that is in every man (cf., the Prologue to St John's Gospel). Our inner peace and fellowship, in this view, depend on our identification with this transpersonal “inner light” rather than our ephemeral ego concerns.What is the sure way to recover from a Dementor attack, in which your worst nightmares are revisited? How does Robin deal with stress and the blues? Eat some chocolate, preferably a huge bar from Honeydukes or a chocolate brownie if you cannot get to Hogsmead.Access, in other words, the Quaker spiritual magic, the “inner light” peace of communion with what is Absolute and transcendent, a psychological effect exteriorized in story form by Rowling as the good feeling we have in eating chocolate. Or in the companionship and unconditional love of a beloved Labrador, preferably a chocolate Lab.Christmas Pig: The Blue Bunny' (John Granger, 2021)“Do you just want to live in nice houses?” asked Blue Bunny. “Or is there another reason you want to get in?”“Yes,” said Jack, before the Christmas Pig could stop him. “Somebody I need's in there. He's called DP and he's my favorite cuddly toy.”For a long moment, Jack and Blue Bunny stared into each other's eyes and then Blue Bunny let out a long sigh of amazement.“You're a boy,” he whispered. “You're real.”“He isn't,” said the panic-stricken Christmas Pig. “He's an action figure called—”“It's all right, Pig,” said Blue Bunny, “I won't tell anybody, I promise. You really came all the way into the Land of the Lost to find your favorite toy?” he asked Jack, who nodded.“Then I'll be your decoy,” said Blue Bunny. “It would be an honor” (169).The Bunny's recognition here of Jack as a messiah, sacrificial love incarnate, having descended into existence as a Thing himself from Up There where he was a source of the love that “alivens” objects, is one of, if not the most moving event in Christmas Pig. Note the words he uses: “You're real.”Rowling has used the word “real” twice before as a marker of reality transcending what we experience in conventional time and space, the sensible world. The first was in what she described as the “key” to the Harry Potter series, “lines I waited seventeen years to write” (Cruz), the end of the Potter-Dumbledore dialogue at King's Cross….In a Troubled Blood passage meant to echo that dialogue, with “head” and “backside” reflecting the characters inverted grasp of “reality,” Robin and Strike talk astrology:“You're being affected!” she said. “Everyone knows their star sign. Don't pretend to be above it.”Strike grinned reluctantly, took a large drag on his cigarette, exhaled, then said, “Sagittarius, Scorpio rising, with the sun in the first house.”“You're –” Robin began to laugh. “Did you just pull that out of your backside, or is it real?”“Of course, it's not f*****g real,” said Strike. “None of it's real, is it?” (Blood 242, highlighting in original).The Bunny's simple declaration, “You're real,” i.e., “from Up There,” the greater reality of the Land of the Living in which Things have their awakening in the love of their owners, clarifies these other usages. Dumbledore shares his wisdom with Harry that the maternal love which saved him, first at Godric's Hollow and then in the Forest, is the metaphysical sub-stance beneath, behind, and within all other reality. Strike gives Robin a dose of his skeptical ignorance and nominalist first principle that nothing is real but surface appearance subject to measurement and physical sensation, mental grasp of all things being consequent to that.Christmas Pig‘s “real” moment acts as a key to these others, one evident in the Bunny's response to the revelation of Jack's greater ontological status. He does a Dobby, offering to die for Jack as Jack has done in his descent into the Land of the Lost for DP, a surrender of self to near certain death in being given to the Loser he considers an “honor.” He acts spontaneously and selflessly as a “decoy,” a saving replacement in other words, for the “living boy” as Dobby did for the “Boy Who Lived.” The pathetic distraction that saved the DP rescue mission in Mislaid despite himself, crying out in desperation for his own existence, has metamorphized consequent to his experience with Broken Angel and in Jack's example, into a heroic decoy that allows Jack and CP to enter the City of the Missed.The Blue Bunny makes out better than the House-elf, too, and this is the key event of the book and the best evidence since the death of Lily Potter, Harry's defeat of Quirrell, and the demise of the Dark Lord that mother's love is Rowling's default symbolism for Christian love in her writing. The Bunny's choice to act as decoy, his decision to die to his ego-self, generates the life saving appearance of maternal love and its equivalent in the transference attachment a child feels for a beloved toy. The Johannine quality of the light that shines down on him from the Finding Hole and his Elijah-esque elevation nails down the Logos­-love correspondence.EC: All through Hallmarked Man Robin is saying to herself, “I think I love Ryan, no, really, I know I love him…,” which of course is Rowling's way of signaling the conflict this character has in her feelings for Strike and for Murphy. What is that about?* See ‘The Hallmarked Man's Mythological Template' for discussion of the Anteros/Eros distinction in the myth of Cupid and Psyche as well as the Strike-Ellacott novels Get full access to Hogwarts Professor at hogwartsprofessor.substack.com/subscribe

When you think about PepsiCo…your brain either beelines to carbonated soft drinks and their flagship Pepsi brand or packaged foods and their significant market share across salty snack categories. But how about what I like to call the “three-headed categorical monster” of active nutrition? Or maybe it's time to expand my phrase slightly…especially after PepsiCo CEO stated last week within its third quarter earnings call that “fiber will be the next protein.” However, while PepsiCo leadership now talks wildly about “elevating its innovation agenda with core brands by capturing new occasions through added functional benefits,” categorical offerings outside hydration (so energy, protein, and fiber) were mostly strategic afterthoughts only a handful of years ago. Though, if your primary indicator for strategic change was looking for broad-based portfolio product innovation, you'd likely believe PepsiCo leadership was “all talk” in 2022 when expressing "optimism about the runway for growth within the active nutrition category." Outside of Gatorade deepening its “fuel solutions” for athletes and simultaneously broadening into more active lifestyles…PepsiCo could've just looked like another Big CPG player plagued with a mix of poor portfolio management, missed opportunities, and persistent share loss. In fact, you'd only understand where it was heading due to PepsiCo leadership leaving breadcrumb after breadcrumb throughout quarterly earnings statements and investment conference presentations regarding how the $200 billion market cap sized CPG conglomerate would transform its products to better reach shifting consumer preferences…as more moved closer towards this four-way intersection of taste, convenience, nutrition, and functionality. However, heading into 2025…when the business landscape seemed cloudier than ever, as massive “drivers of demand” like GLP-1 weight loss second-order effects became more pronounced and the MAHA movement gained political power, PepsiCo appeared to build further conviction surrounding its long-awaited strategic game plan. Suddenly, all those “nice if possible” innovation cycles focused on reimagining products quickly turned into a cascade of “must have” strategic actions. But my latest first principles thinking content will explore (through the lens of hydration, energy, protein, and fiber) why I believe PepsiCo contains one of the most fascinating “active nutrition” brand portfolios. And while PepsiCo is also making huge “nutrition” adjustments across its entire portfolio, I'll only sporadically mention the most relevant changes that are adjacent or congruent to adding “functionality” in products. I'll cover subject matter that ranges from Muscle Milk and Gatorade MAHA changes, the recent energy drinks deal that involved PepsiCo, CELSIUS, Alani Nu, and Rockstar Energy...along with how more grams of protein seem to be making its way into anything and everything that's quick, easy, and accessible (including Doritos, Quaker, Sun Chips, PopCorners, and Smartfood products). Also, I'll cover the two massive decisions (Poppi acquisition and Pepsi Prebiotic) that really showed how serious PepsiCo is about the “fiber will be the next protein” CEO statement. Lastly, PepsiCo is a world-class company with iconic brands, and its willingness to reinvent those brands (against the backdrop of shifting consumer habits and preferences) is venerable. If PepsiCo keeps this “disrupt ourselves” mindset going…I believe it's well-positioned to continue winning in this important “active nutrition” space.

Claire de Mézerville López welcomes Dr. Ellen Skilton to the Restorative Works! Podcast. Dr. Skilton joins us as we explore how creative expression and restorative pedagogy open new pathways for repair, resilience, and transformation. She shares moving selections from her poetry manuscript Collateral Repair, weaving together themes of grief, love, and unexpected healing. She reflects on her personal journey of “unexpected repair,” finding possibility for restoration in spaces shaped by loss. With honesty and depth, she invites listeners to consider how grief can be not only endured but transformed into an opening for connection and creativity. Dr. Skilton also discusses her work on restorative pedagogy. She emphasizes the importance of disrupting hierarchies in education, fostering “with” rather than “for” orientations, and cultivating classrooms where risk-taking and mistakes become essential parts of learning. Highlighting programs like Student Pedagogical Consultants, she demonstrates how shifting power dynamics in higher education empowers both faculty and students to thrive. Dr. Skilton is a professor at Arcadia University in the Department of Education and the faculty director of the Center for Teaching, Learning, and Mentoring.  She is an educational anthropologist, applied linguist, teacher educator, and poet. She first encountered restorative practices embedded in Quaker decision-making processes as a student at Earlham College more than 35 years ago. Supported by her continued education with the IIRP, she now engages in restorative practices pedagogies in more thoroughly embedded ways and sees restorative processes and practices as a crucial element of addressing harm on campus. She and her students were past presenters at the IIRP's Restorative Practices in Higher Education Forum in December 2024, and she will be presenting her session at the IIRP World Conference, Artful Integration: The Art and Science of Restorative Practices, in October 2025 in Tennessee entitled "Poetry-writing, Online exhibit-building, and Image/Forum Theater-making as Restorative Pedagogical Tools for Addressing Individual and Structural Harm."   Tune in to hear about poetry as a tool, teaching as a collaborative practice, and the courage it takes to lean into vulnerability. 

Think Herbert Hoover was just a failed Great Depression president? Think again. Historian George Nash reveals the shocking truth about one of America's most misunderstood leaders in this eye-opening episode of The American Idea.What You'll Discover: How Hoover saved more lives than perhaps any person in history through WWI humanitarian efforts Why both Democrats AND Republicans wanted him as president in 1920 (FDR even supported him!) The real story behind his Great Depression response - and the external shocks that derailed recovery How a Quaker orphan from Iowa became a global mining engineer and international hero Why his "American Individualism" philosophy still matters in today's political debates The Full Story Behind the Myths: Most Americans only know Hoover's 4-year presidency, but George Nash - the world's leading Hoover expert - reveals his incredible 50-year career in public service. From organizing food relief that fed millions across war-torn Europe to pioneering the role of Commerce Secretary, Hoover's progressive Republican vision shaped American policy for decades. Learn how Hoover's post-presidency "crusade against collectivism" influenced the conservative movement, why he founded the Hoover Institution as his "most important contribution," and how his ideas about limited government and voluntary associations remain relevant today. Perfect for: American history enthusiasts, political science students, anyone curious about presidential leadership, and viewers interested in the roots of modern conservative thought.

New series! Work in progress! just me talking about my neurodiverse life. This week I may have become a Quaker. An Evening with (The Late) Anna Mann, November 11th at The Pleasance, London. Book ticketsAn Evening with (The Late) Anna Mann: Christmas Party! December 9th at Komedia, Brighton. Book ticketsTo hear more of Colin's podcasts, visit https://iamcolinhoult.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Using both the pulpit and the page, Quaker pastor Philip Gulley has been a bold voice that challenges the church's stance on heaven and hell, LGBTQ issues, and more. As he's seen greater censorship in the publishing world, Phil has moved to an online newsletter where he examines the rise of Donald Trump and calls on Christians to be more active in the pursuit of truth and justice.In this interview, Jon speaks with Phil about Christian nationalism, his focus post-election, and much more.This episode was originally released on February 12, 2025. Check out our full archives for more stories of spiritual courage. Become a monthly supporter! Sign up for the Daily Quaker Message.

In this episode of Quakers Today, co-hosts Sweet Miche (they/them) and Peterson Toscano (he/him) explore the impact of affinity groups and how they provide a space for community and spiritual nourishment. Affinity Spaces: A Sacred Necessity African American Friends Vanessa Julye and Curtis Spence speak from the heart about why affinity spaces are sacred. Vanessa, Associate Secretary for Organizational Cultural Transformation at Friends General Conference, and Curtis, a writer and minister, share how these groups offer "soul rest," a place to breathe, and an opportunity to be fully seen without constantly centering polite white supremacy (PWS). Vanessa credits Yawo Brown as the originator of the phrase, “polite white supremacy.” “I didn't join a BIPOC Quaker affinity group because I had something to teach. I joined because I needed to breathe.” — Curtis Spence “If there is a BIPOC person within Quakerism looking for a place where they can have more connections with other BIPOC people, there are resources out there... I hope there comes a time when we can stop justifying affinity spaces.” — Vanessa Julye You'll hear excerpts from their influential articles in the October 2025 issue of Friends Journal: Vanessa Julye, Affinity Spaces for BIPOC Friends: Healing from Polite White Supremacy Together [link to article at FriendsJournal.org] Curtis Spence, We Gather to Affinity Worship and the Light That Disrupts [link to article at FriendsJournal.org] Extended Conversation: Watch the full video conversation with Vanessa Julye and Curtis Spence on the Friends Journal YouTube channel. [insert hyperlink] Environmental Justice & the Illusion of Separation Writer and activist Eileen Flanagan shares wisdom from her new book, Common Ground: How the Crisis of the Earth Is Saving Us from Our Illusion of Separation. She connects the spiritual dilemma of loving one's neighbor with the urgent realities of the climate crisis, highlighting how environmental racism creates a shared, though unequal, stake in the fight for a habitable world. “I boiled down my dilemma to a challenging theological question: How do I love my neighbor when he is killing my other neighbors?” — Eileen Flanagan Learn more about Eileen, her tour, and her writing at EileenFlanagan.com. Read a review of Common Ground by Rua Swinterfeld at FriendsJournal.org. For one of her chapters, Eileen interviewed Daniel Hunter. Learn more about Daniel at DanielHunter.org.   Resources for Community & Spiritual Nourishment We share a few of the vibrant affinity spaces available online for Friends seeking deeper connection and specific spiritual community: Ujima Friends Meeting: An online community of Friends of African descent. (Worship on Sundays, Prayer on Wednesdays). Visit UjimaFriends.org. Three Rivers Meeting: An online queer Christian meeting. (Worship on Thursdays, Vespers on Sunday evenings). Visit ThreeRiversMeeting.org. Quaker Discord Channel: An active app-based server with channels for Spanish-speaking Friends, queer Friends, disabled Friends, and more. FLGBTQC, Friends for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans, Queer, Concerns.   Question for Next Month Who is someone you've encountered in fiction that embodies Quakerness? The character could be from a book or movie. They could be a hero or even a minor character, and they do not need to be Quaker. Leave us a voicemail with your name and town at 317-QUAKERS (317-782-5377). (+1 if outside the U.S.) You can also reply by email at podcast@FriendsJournal.org or on our social media channels. Quakers Today is the companion podcast to Friends Journal and other Friends Publishing Corporation content. It is written, hosted, and produced by Peterson Toscano and Sweet Miche.   Sponsors   Season Five of Quakers Today is sponsored by Friends Fiduciary   Friends Fiduciary  This season is sponsored by the American Friends Service Committee.   AFSC works at the forefront of social change to meet urgent needs, challenge injustice, and build peace.   Did you know AFSC helped thousands of Jewish and non-Jewish refugees during World War II resettle in the U.S.? Today, AFSC works toward a future where everyone can thrive, has access to legal status, and is safe from detention and deportation.    Learn how you can take action for immigrant safety, dignity, and well-being at afsc.org/stronger-immigrants.   Friends Fiduciary combines Quaker values with expert investment management. They serve more than 460 organizations with ethical portfolios, shareholder advocacy, and a deep commitment to justice and sustainability. Friend Fiduciary blends Quaker principles with smart, mission-driven investing. With 100% of revenue supporting their mission and a 100% Quaker board, they help hundreds of faith-based groups invest ethically and affordably. Learn more at FriendsFiduciary.org. American Friends Service Committee (AFSC) works at the forefront of social change to meet urgent needs, challenge injustice, and build peace. Did you know AFSC helped thousands of Jewish and non-Jewish refugees during World War II resettle in the U.S.? Today, AFSC works toward a future where everyone can thrive, has access to legal status, and is safe from detention and deportation. Discover how you can take action for the safety, dignity, and well-being of immigrants at AFSC.org. Music in this episode comes from Epidemic Sound. For the extended video version of this episode, visit the Friends Journal YouTube channel (insert hyperlink). For a full transcript, visit QuakersToday.org.

Old Testament scholar Brian Doak talks with author & speaker Andy Crouch 17 years after the release of Crouch's popular book, Culture Making. What exactly does the word “culture” mean, and are Christians supposed to contribute to it? What is the fastest way for a Christian to make a million dollars today? Where does the term “Mainline” Christian come from? (It's not what you think).Andy Crouch is a well known author, speaker, and partner for theology and culture at Praxis, a venture-building ecosystem advancing redemptive entrepreneurship.Dr. Brian Doak is an Old Testament scholar and professor.Jerry B. Jenkins & Tim LaHaye's Left Behind series.The Chosen TV series.Listen to The Brilliance.If you enjoy listening to the George Fox Talks podcast and would like to watch, too, check out our channel on YouTube! We also have a web page that features all of our podcasts, a sign-up for our weekly email update, and publications from the George Fox University community.

A turning point in 1874 becomes a season of rebuilding, wider correspondence, and confident witness among conservative Friends, culminating in shared fundamentals and a stronger print and school culture. We trace how harmony, service, and publishing shaped a subculture that held firm as modern pressures rose.• relocation to Barnesville and renewed harmony• conservative separations forming new yearly meetings• circle of correspondence and tendered epistles• Philadelphia ties in funds, visitors and publications• tract associations, libraries and home reading• Indian concerns and service at Tunesassa• expanding memorials, journals and peace pamphlets• 1911–1913 synopsis of conservative principles• the Great War's pressure on a rural subcultureA complete list of our podcasts, organized into topics, is available on our website. To learn more about Ohio Yearly Meeting (Conservative) of the Religious Society of Friends (Quakers), please visit ohioyearlymeeting.org. Those interested in exploring the distinctives of Conservative Friends waiting worship should consider checking out our many Zoom Online Worship opportunities during the week here. All are welcome! We also have several Zoom study groups. Check out the Online Study and Discussion Groups on our website. Advices read in these podcasts can be found on page 29 in our Book Of Discipline. We welcome feedback on this and any of our other podcast episodes. Contact us through our website.

Prior to 1871, America's retail stores relied on individual price negotiations with each customer. In October of 1871, Philadelphian merchant and Quaker, John Wanamaker, instituted the one price system. Wanamaker started his department store with a desire to build his store on Christian principles. He created many innovative ideas in alignment with his faith that ... The post John Wanamaker's Innovations: Part I appeared first on Unconventional Business Network.

In this episode of Now I Get It, I explore why simply memorizing formulas in math—or blindly trusting any model—can lead to catastrophic outcomes. I take a hard look back at the financial meltdown and show how a lack of deep understanding, not just fraud, helped steer us into crisis. It wasn't that the models themselves were flawed; it was that people used them without grasping their limits, breaking the very assumptions they were built on.From there, I connect the dots to today's frontier: artificial intelligence. We dive into how AI has evolved, from early struggles to today's large language models, and why what looks like intelligence is often just really good pattern-matching (and yes, BS-ing). But the stakes are far higher than math class. Whether it's driverless cars, legal briefs, or drones in warfare, AI is already reshaping society—and the real danger is how humans will choose to use it. I close with a challenge: educate yourself, because the future of AI depends on whether we use it wisely or repeat history's mistakes.In this episode, you will learn:(00:34) Why “just following formulas” in math can lead to real-world disasters(01:17) How the Quaker ethic of honesty once fueled prosperity—and why forgetting it hurt us(02:46) What went wrong with financial models during the meltdown and why users misunderstood them(04:12) The mechanistic view of intelligence and why building AI always takes longer than expected(05:40) How large language models mastered BSing—and why their “hallucinations” fool even experts(07:08) Why AI-driven drones and robots raise dangerous questions about life-and-death decisions(09:06) How society normalizes new tech—from Waymo cars to armed robots—and why awareness mattersLet's connect!linktr.ee/drprandy Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Despair doesn't serve the world, but neither does cheap hope. So what's the alternative? Join Quaker musician and author David LaMotte on a journey from smoky bar gigs to the silence of a Quaker meeting to discover a powerful vision of "grounded hope" that confronts the myth of powerlessness. Stick around for profound insights and two live song performances that will leave you feeling a little less alone and a lot more capable of changing the world. https://www.davidlamotte.com/ Become a monthly supporter! Sign up for the Daily Quaker Message.

John 9:1-41We walk through John 9 and watch blame give way to purpose as a blind man sees, confronts power, and becomes a witness. Along the way we unpack signs vs miracles, the Sabbath dispute, Siloam as “sent,” and how spiritual sight grows from trust and humility.• cultural belief in generational sin vs Jesus' reframing toward God's work• “light of the world” as a thread through John 8–9• healing with mud on the Sabbath and social controversy• signs rather than miracles as Johannine theology• fear of synagogue expulsion and late-first-century context• Origen on spiritual truth and narrative arrangement• the healed man's rising testimony against entrenched authority• movement from physical to spiritual blindness and the nature of belief• practical picture of spiritual sight as humility, readiness, and obedienceWe welcome feedback on this or any of our podcast episodes. We can be contacted through our website at Ohio Yearly Meeting.orgA complete list of our podcasts, organized into topics, is available on our website. To learn more about Ohio Yearly Meeting (Conservative) of the Religious Society of Friends (Quakers), please visit ohioyearlymeeting.org. Those interested in exploring the distinctives of Conservative Friends waiting worship should consider checking out our many Zoom Online Worship opportunities during the week here. All are welcome! We also have several Zoom study groups. Check out the Online Study and Discussion Groups on our website. Advices read in these podcasts can be found on page 29 in our Book Of Discipline. We welcome feedback on this and any of our other podcast episodes. Contact us through our website.

Can we have a normal conversation about AI? Brian talks with Meghan Sullivan about the effect of rapidly advancing technology on human dignity and our understanding of the imago Dei. Dr. Brian Doak is an Old Testament scholar and professor.Meghan Sullivan is a decorated scholar and teacher at the University of Notre Dame, where she is professor of philosophy.Check out the opening ND Summit Keynote on the DELTA Framework and the Institute for Ethics and the Common Good.New York Times article: Finding God in the App StoreIf you enjoy listening to the George Fox Talks podcast and would like to watch, too, check out our channel on YouTube! We also have a web page that features all of our podcasts, a sign-up for our weekly email update, and publications from the George Fox University community.

Banjo Music courtesy of Banjo HangOut -- Maple Leaf Rag -- Scott Joplin used with permission. Seri Strikes Again -- Geographic ignorance on display. Yes, it's true, fans, TCM has finally corrected the reference to a "poor" Quaker family  (Friendly Persuasion) when in fact they are quite well off. However, they have moved the action from Pennsylvania to Indiana for no apparent reason.PS TCM has a similar problem with Giant -- to be broadcast this weekend. Look for Maryland to be moved to New England. 

Think Quakers are all pacifism, porridge and quiet meetings?

It's been 20 years that Northern Spirit Radio has been broadcasting, and to celebrate that milestone we've set up a John McCutcheon concert event both streaming online and right here in-person, in Eau Claire, WI, on Sunday October 5th, 2025, starting at 6:30 pm Central Time. Get more info and tickets on the NorthernSpiritRadio.org website. I've interviewed John several times, including live at a Quaker gathering at Grinnell College in Iowa on July 4th, 2019.

Carl Syvertson shares his journey from understanding salvation intellectually to experiencing the transformative revelation that God has already freed him from sin and given him a new identity.• Carl's spiritual journey began with a family legacy of seeking closeness to Jesus• His great-great-grandfather was a Quaker missionary who became an Adventist after a dream showing others closer to Jesus• Carl describes himself as having been a "hothead" with a prideful attitude before understanding the gospel• During college at Andrews University, Carl encountered the writings of Jones and Wagner about righteousness by faith• For decades, Carl believed in salvation but still thought transformation required constantly asking the Holy Spirit for power• A breakthrough came when Carl realized God had already transformed him and given him the Holy Spirit• Carl found this truth confirmed in Scripture and in the writings he'd studied years before• The revelation changed Carl's relationships, particularly with his wife and daughter• Angry outbursts that once caused multi-day arguments became shorter and less destructive• Carl began recognizing the Holy Spirit's promptings to share these truths with others• Understanding comes through intimacy with God, not just intellectual knowledge• The gospel revelation isn't just a doorway to knowing God but must lead to ongoing relationshipDownload the Love Reality app. Available in the App Store & Google Play.

I, for one, think geese really do have souls.Topics in this episode include librarian Thomas Lyster and his Quaker faith, why Lyster always seems to be dancing in “Scylla and Charybdis,” the journal of Quaker founder George Fox, what James Joyce knew about the Quakerism, Christfox, leather trews, confusing Shakespeare and George Fox in the context of “Scylla and Charybdis,” whether or not women have souls, George Fox traveling about debating people about religion, Stephen's jealousy of spiritual leaders who attract women, Anne Hathaway at the end of her life, the real Thomas Lyster, how the real Lyster compares to the Ulysses version, what “baldpink lollard costard” means, and the extremely petty reason Joyce wrote Lyster the way he did.Support us on Patreon to access episodes early, bonus content, and a video version of our podcast. On the Blog:Decoding Dedalus: Christfox in Leather TrewsBlooms & Barnacles Social Media:Facebook | BlueSky | InstagramSubscribe to Blooms & Barnacles:Apple Podcasts | Spotify | YouTube

⁠⁠Support us on Patreon⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠---American troops descend into a humid jungle, sniped at from the trees from an invisible enemy. Unable to discern insurgents from civilians, the army begins burning villages and destroying entire communities. After years of failures on the battlefield, and extreme criticism of the war at home and abroad, American troops withdraw battered and beaten, leaving piles of native corpses in their wake. Sound familiar? This is the Second Seminole War, one of the largest conflicts fought on American soil and the bloodiest war waged against Native Americans.This episode of Gladio Free Europe continues our discussion on the conquest and settlement of the Sunshine State, with a focus on the violent but ultimately unsuccessful subjugation of the Seminole Nation. Though little-discussed in modern times, this brutal and genocidal struggle made Florida what it is today. The violent removal of thousands of Seminoles from Florida to Oklahoma would open up the peninsula to white settlement and the expansion of plantation slavery. By the outbreak of the Civil War, Florida would be an essential piece of the Southern economy. The circumstances of Seminole defeat, including the betrayal of Chief Osceola, would be a black stain the reputation of American military, President Andrew Jackson, and the United States at large. And while most Seminoles were deported, Seminole resistance would continue for the next century. Some reseilient Seminoles, led by people such as Billy Bowlegs, would stand their ground in the South Florida swamps until the present day. In Oklahoma, Seminoles like the black warrior John Horse would continue their struggle against colonization and and empire. Parallel to conflicts with the Seminoles, Florida history would be shaped by many enterprising eccentrics who sought to tame this wild country as they saw fit. Liam, Russian Sam, and Jackson discuss the careers of figures like Jean Lafitte, the New Orleans pirate who had a brief thassalocracy across the Gulf of Mexico, and Zepheniah Kingsley, a bizarre and contradictory Quaker planter who proclaimed the evils of racism while holding dozens of black slaves in bondage, and apparently styled himself not as a white planter but instead as a polygamist African chief. Listen to this latest episode of Gladio Free Europe to understand just why Florida is America's strangest state.Please forgive the audio glitches in this episode! Ending track is "Seminole," recorded by the Esso Steel Band of Bermuda in 1959.

Visit: RadioLawTalk.com for information & full episodes! Follow us on Facebook: bit.ly/RLTFacebook Follow us on Twitter: bit.ly/RLTTwitter Follow us on Instagram: bit.ly/RLTInstagram Subscribe to our YouTube channel: www.youtube.com/channel/UC3Owf1BEB-klmtD_92-uqzg Your Radio Law Talk hosts are exceptional attorneys and love what they do! They take breaks from their day jobs and make time for Radio Law Talk so that the rest of the country can enjoy the law like they do. Follow Radio Law Talk on Youtube, Facebook, Twitter & Instagram!

n this premiere episode of Season Five, co-hosts Peterson Toscano (he/him) and Sweet Miche (they/them) explore the urgent question: How do we balance peace and protest in today's world? Prophetic Voices for Troubled Times Australian Friend Greg Rolles shares his experiences with nonviolent direct action, police intimidation, and the risks of faithful disobedience. Arrested more than 25 times for his activism, Greg challenges Quakers to move beyond polite pacifism. “Peace is not the same as passivity. We think that peace is about being polite and nice and being quiet in public spaces. But peace is proactive, and it calls us to take action and take risk.” —Greg Rolles Greg's article We Are Having an Effect: The Necessity of Spiritual Resistance in Climate and Justice Activism appears in the September 2025 issue of Friends Journal (add link to article at FriendsJournal.org). You can also watch the extended interview on the Friends Journal YouTube channel (insert hyperlink). Quaker Renewal in a Fast-Moving World Jade Rockwell, pastor at West Elkton Friends Meeting in Ohio, lifts up the role of renewal and revival in Quaker practice today. “Our emphasis has shifted in the 21st century more towards being a people called to action. We're living in a time when inaction is risky. If we're not able to respond to our world, bad things can happen—and we may be morally responsible if we aren't able to be active.” —Jade Rockwell You can find more of Jade's ministry in the QuakerSpeak video, “Transforming Quakerism in Troubling Times” at QuakerSpeak.com or on the QuakerSpeak YouTube channel. Anger, Grief, and Action This month's Friends Journal book review features Richard Rohr's The Tears of Things: Prophetic Wisdom for an Age of Outrage (Convergent Books). Rohr highlights how the anger of prophets like Amos and Jeremiah matures into grief, then into transformative action. Read Wendy Cooler's full review at FriendsJournal.org (insert hyperlink). Game Recommendation In addition to books, this season introduces a new segment: recommendations beyond the bookshelf. Peterson suggests Fate of the Fellowship, a cooperative board game by Matt Leacock, creator of Pandemic. Players work together in Tolkien's Middle-earth to guide the Fellowship while resisting the growing Shadow. Learn more at BoardGameGeek or through major retailers. Listener Responses Friends share their favorite Quaker expressions—from “That of God in everyone” to “Hold you in the Light.” Eleanor from Colorado reflected, “I think of all people as a Friend or a buddy. That framework helps me move through life more peacefully.” Question for Next Month Quaker gatherings often create space for specific affinity groups—such as Friends of Color, Young Adult Friends, or FLGBTQC (Friends for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and Queer Concerns). We want to hear from you: How has being rooted in a small group changed the way you share your voice in bigger settings? Leave us a voicemail or text at 317-QUAKERS (317-782-5377). (+1 if outside the U.S.) You can also reply by email at podcast@FriendsJournal.org or on our social media channels. Resources Mentioned in This Episode Greg Rolles, We Are Having an Effect — Friends Journal (September 2025) [link] QuakerSpeak video: Transforming Quakerism in Troubling Times — QuakerSpeak.com Richard Rohr, The Tears of Things (Convergent Books) — [FriendsJournal.org book review link] Fate of the Fellowship board game — BoardGameGeek Quakers Today is the companion podcast to Friends Journal and other Friends Publishing Corporation content. It is written, hosted, and produced by Peterson Toscano and Miche McCall. Sponsors Friends Fiduciary: Providing values-aligned investment services since 1898. Learn more at FriendsFiduciary.org. American Friends Service Committee (AFSC): Working for peace, justice, and human dignity worldwide. Learn more at AFSC.org. Music in this episode comes from Epidemic Sound. For the extended video version of this episode, visit the Friends Journal YouTube channel (insert hyperlink). For a full transcript, visit QuakersToday.org.

Erika talks with medical doctor Miles Hassell about taking ownership of your own health. Through thoughtful eating and by giving your palate a chance to develop an appreciation for the richness of available food, you can have a transformative impact on the quality of your life and your body's ability to resist disease.Dr. Miles Hassell is the founder and Chief Medical Officer of GreatMed.org and co-author of Good Food Great Medicine, now in its 4th edition.Check out the podcast Walk, Don't Run to the Doctor with Miles.Dr. Erika Barber teaches in George Fox University's physician assistant program and holds board certification in internal medicine and geriatrics.If you enjoy listening to the George Fox Talks podcast and would like to watch, too, check out our channel on YouTube! We also have a web page that features all of our podcasts, a sign-up for our weekly email update, and publications from the George Fox University community.

Nathan Meckley reflects on John Donne's reminder that “no one is an island,” connecting it to the Quaker belief that there is that of God in everyone. In light of recent violence and division, he shares the struggle of living out compassion even toward those who cause harm, and reminded us that our deepest values may still call us to it. He closes with queries: How does the witness of Jesus Christ guide us in this moment? How is the Quaker testimony of peace practiced now? What will your/our witness be?

Send us a textGary brings you performances from the 2nd annual contest held on the isle of Raasay, organised by Hamish Moore.PlaylistFinlay Cameron with Miss MacGregor's Favourite, Jerry's Pipes, Cailleach A' Ghobhainn and Merrily Danced the Quaker's Wife from the Raasay Restitution Contest 2025, EYP Recording.Angus Nicholson with A Mhairi Mhin Mo Mheallshuileach Dubh, Lucy Campbell (Lady Louden), Little Donald in the Pig Pen, The Bobbers of Brechin and Buachaille Dubh Fionnghala from the Raasay Restitution Contest 2025, EYP Recording.Ailish Sutherland with Bruadar Dheirdre from the Raasay Restitution Contest 2025, EYP Recording.Dr Brendon Eade with The Gathering, Thunderhead and Chridhe ur Anna from the Raasay Restitution Contest 2025, EYP Recording.Angus MacColl with strathspeys and reels from the Raasay Restitution Contest 2025, EYP Recording.Decker Forrest with Cailleach Beinn a' Bhric from the Raasay Restitution Contest 2025, EYP Recording.Ciar Milne with Ardrishaig, Hang Up the Kilt,* Xenia Corum's,* Loch Goil, Hamish the Carpenter, Sheila's Hanky Trail,* The Primrose Lass and Finlay Rowe's* from the Raasay Restitution Contest 2025, EYP Recording. (* composed Ciar Milne)Calum Alex MacMillan with Piobaireachd Dhomhnaill Duibh from the Raasay Restitution Contest 2025, EYP Recording.Simon McKerrell with Atholl Cummer (jig) and Tubular Peat from the Raasay Restitution Contest 2025, EYP Recording.Gary West with Fhir a Chinn Duibh and Cumha na Cloinne from the Raasay Restitution Contest 2025, EYP Recording.Hazel Whyte with Craig-a-Bodich, Suid Mar Chaidh an cal a Dholaidh, Pitnacree Ferryman, Gravel Walks and Buntàta's Sgadan from the Raasay Restitution Contest 2025, EYP Recording. Support the show

"What's the one thing people remember from your message—and is it what you intended?" In this compelling episode of Kent Hance: The Best Storyteller in Texas, Kent sits down with Merrie Spaeth, a trailblazing communicator whose career spans journalism, television, the Reagan White House, and crisis management for Fortune 500 companies. From her Quaker school roots to becoming the first female intern at the Philadelphia Inquirer, Merrie shares stories that are as insightful as they are entertaining. Listeners will hear how Merrie: Became a White House Fellow and worked directly with FBI Director Judge William Webster. Helped reshape the FBI's public image and diversity efforts. Created the White House News Service, pioneering direct-to-public communication long before social media. Built a global communications firm focused on proactive crisis management and employee advocacy. Offers timeless advice on how to communicate clearly, avoid PR disasters, and turn employees into brand ambassadors.

SIXTY YEARS AFTER THE CRIME REMAINS UNANSWERED:   7/8: The Long Reckoning: A Story of War, Peace, and Redemption in Vietnam –by  George Black  (Author) https://www.amazon.com/Long-Reckoning-Story-Redemption-Vietnam/dp/0593534107 The American war in Vietnam has left many long-lasting scars that have not yet been sufficiently examined. The worst of them were inflicted in a tiny area bounded by the demilitarized zone between North and South Vietnam and the Ho Chi Minh Trail in neighboring Laos. That small region saw the most intense aerial bombing campaign in history, the massive use of toxic chemicals, and the heaviest casualties on both sides. In The Long Reckoning, George Black recounts the inspirational story of the small cast of characters—veterans, scientists, and Quaker-inspired pacifists, and their Vietnamese partners—who used their moral authority, scientific and political ingenuity, and sheer persistence to attempt to heal the horrors that were left in the wake of the military engagement in Southeast Asia. Their intersecting story is one of reconciliation and personal redemption, embedded in a vivid portrait of Vietnam today, with all its startling collisions between past and present, in which one-time mortal enemies, in the endless shape-shifting of geopolitics, have been transformed into close allies and partners.

SIXTY YEARS AFTER THE CRIME REMAINS UNANSWERED:   1/8: The Long Reckoning: A Story of War, Peace, and Redemption in Vietnam –by  George Black  (Author) 1920 SAIGON https://www.amazon.com/Long-Reckoning-Story-Redemption-Vietnam/dp/0593534107 The American war in Vietnam has left many long-lasting scars that have not yet been sufficiently examined. The worst of them were inflicted in a tiny area bounded by the demilitarized zone between North and South Vietnam and the Ho Chi Minh Trail in neighboring Laos. That small region saw the most intense aerial bombing campaign in history, the massive use of toxic chemicals, and the heaviest casualties on both sides. In The Long Reckoning, George Black recounts the inspirational story of the small cast of characters—veterans, scientists, and Quaker-inspired pacifists, and their Vietnamese partners—who used their moral authority, scientific and political ingenuity, and sheer persistence to attempt to heal the horrors that were left in the wake of the military engagement in Southeast Asia. Their intersecting story is one of reconciliation and personal redemption, embedded in a vivid portrait of Vietnam today, with all its startling collisions between past and present, in which one-time mortal enemies, in the endless shape-shifting of geopolitics, have been transformed into close allies and partners.

SIXTY YEARS AFTER THE CRIME REMAINS UNANSWERED:   2/8: The Long Reckoning: A Story of War, Peace, and Redemption in Vietnam –by  George Black  (Author) https://www.amazon.com/Long-Reckoning-Story-Redemption-Vietnam/dp/0593534107 The American war in Vietnam has left many long-lasting scars that have not yet been sufficiently examined. The worst of them were inflicted in a tiny area bounded by the demilitarized zone between North and South Vietnam and the Ho Chi Minh Trail in neighboring Laos. That small region saw the most intense aerial bombing campaign in history, the massive use of toxic chemicals, and the heaviest casualties on both sides. In The Long Reckoning, George Black recounts the inspirational story of the small cast of characters—veterans, scientists, and Quaker-inspired pacifists, and their Vietnamese partners—who used their moral authority, scientific and political ingenuity, and sheer persistence to attempt to heal the horrors that were left in the wake of the military engagement in Southeast Asia. Their intersecting story is one of reconciliation and personal redemption, embedded in a vivid portrait of Vietnam today, with all its startling collisions between past and present, in which one-time mortal enemies, in the endless shape-shifting of geopolitics, have been transformed into close allies and partners.

SIXTY YEARS AFTER THE CRIME REMAINS UNANSWRED:   3/8: The Long Reckoning: A Story of War, Peace, and Redemption in Vietnam –by  George Black  (Author) https://www.amazon.com/Long-Reckoning-Story-Redemption-Vietnam/dp/0593534107 The American war in Vietnam has left many long-lasting scars that have not yet been sufficiently examined. The worst of them were inflicted in a tiny area bounded by the demilitarized zone between North and South Vietnam and the Ho Chi Minh Trail in neighboring Laos. That small region saw the most intense aerial bombing campaign in history, the massive use of toxic chemicals, and the heaviest casualties on both sides. In The Long Reckoning, George Black recounts the inspirational story of the small cast of characters—veterans, scientists, and Quaker-inspired pacifists, and their Vietnamese partners—who used their moral authority, scientific and political ingenuity, and sheer persistence to attempt to heal the horrors that were left in the wake of the military engagement in Southeast Asia. Their intersecting story is one of reconciliation and personal redemption, embedded in a vivid portrait of Vietnam today, with all its startling collisions between past and present, in which one-time mortal enemies, in the endless shape-shifting of geopolitics, have been transformed into close allies and partners.

SIXTY YEARS AFTER THE CRIME REMAINS UNANSWERED:   4/8: The Long Reckoning: A Story of War, Peace, and Redemption in Vietnam –by  George Black  (Author) https://www.amazon.com/Long-Reckoning-Story-Redemption-Vietnam/dp/0593534107 The American war in Vietnam has left many long-lasting scars that have not yet been sufficiently examined. The worst of them were inflicted in a tiny area bounded by the demilitarized zone between North and South Vietnam and the Ho Chi Minh Trail in neighboring Laos. That small region saw the most intense aerial bombing campaign in history, the massive use of toxic chemicals, and the heaviest casualties on both sides. In The Long Reckoning, George Black recounts the inspirational story of the small cast of characters—veterans, scientists, and Quaker-inspired pacifists, and their Vietnamese partners—who used their moral authority, scientific and political ingenuity, and sheer persistence to attempt to heal the horrors that were left in the wake of the military engagement in Southeast Asia. Their intersecting story is one of reconciliation and personal redemption, embedded in a vivid portrait of Vietnam today, with all its startling collisions between past and present, in which one-time mortal enemies, in the endless shape-shifting of geopolitics, have been transformed into close allies and partners.

SIXTY YEARS AFTER THE CRIME REMAINS UNANSWRED:   5/8: The Long Reckoning: A Story of War, Peace, and Redemption in Vietnam –by  George Black  (Author) https://www.amazon.com/Long-Reckoning-Story-Redemption-Vietnam/dp/0593534107 The American war in Vietnam has left many long-lasting scars that have not yet been sufficiently examined. The worst of them were inflicted in a tiny area bounded by the demilitarized zone between North and South Vietnam and the Ho Chi Minh Trail in neighboring Laos. That small region saw the most intense aerial bombing campaign in history, the massive use of toxic chemicals, and the heaviest casualties on both sides. In The Long Reckoning, George Black recounts the inspirational story of the small cast of characters—veterans, scientists, and Quaker-inspired pacifists, and their Vietnamese partners—who used their moral authority, scientific and political ingenuity, and sheer persistence to attempt to heal the horrors that were left in the wake of the military engagement in Southeast Asia. Their intersecting story is one of reconciliation and personal redemption, embedded in a vivid portrait of Vietnam today, with all its startling collisions between past and present, in which one-time mortal enemies, in the endless shape-shifting of geopolitics, have been transformed into close allies and partners.

SIXTY YEARS AFTER THE CRIME REMAINS UNANSWERED:   6/8: The Long Reckoning: A Story of War, Peace, and Redemption in Vietnam –by  George Black  (Author) https://www.amazon.com/Long-Reckoning-Story-Redemption-Vietnam/dp/0593534107 The American war in Vietnam has left many long-lasting scars that have not yet been sufficiently examined. The worst of them were inflicted in a tiny area bounded by the demilitarized zone between North and South Vietnam and the Ho Chi Minh Trail in neighboring Laos. That small region saw the most intense aerial bombing campaign in history, the massive use of toxic chemicals, and the heaviest casualties on both sides. In The Long Reckoning, George Black recounts the inspirational story of the small cast of characters—veterans, scientists, and Quaker-inspired pacifists, and their Vietnamese partners—who used their moral authority, scientific and political ingenuity, and sheer persistence to attempt to heal the horrors that were left in the wake of the military engagement in Southeast Asia. Their intersecting story is one of reconciliation and personal redemption, embedded in a vivid portrait of Vietnam today, with all its startling collisions between past and present, in which one-time mortal enemies, in the endless shape-shifting of geopolitics, have been transformed into close allies and partners.

SIXTY YEARS AFTER THE CRIME REMAINS UNANSWERED:   8/8: The Long Reckoning: A Story of War, Peace, and Redemption in Vietnam –by  George Black  (Author) https://www.amazon.com/Long-Reckoning-Story-Redemption-Vietnam/dp/0593534107 The American war in Vietnam has left many long-lasting scars that have not yet been sufficiently examined. The worst of them were inflicted in a tiny area bounded by the demilitarized zone between North and South Vietnam and the Ho Chi Minh Trail in neighboring Laos. That small region saw the most intense aerial bombing campaign in history, the massive use of toxic chemicals, and the heaviest casualties on both sides. In The Long Reckoning, George Black recounts the inspirational story of the small cast of characters—veterans, scientists, and Quaker-inspired pacifists, and their Vietnamese partners—who used their moral authority, scientific and political ingenuity, and sheer persistence to attempt to heal the horrors that were left in the wake of the military engagement in Southeast Asia. Their intersecting story is one of reconciliation and personal redemption, embedded in a vivid portrait of Vietnam today, with all its startling collisions between past and present, in which one-time mortal enemies, in the endless shape-shifting of geopolitics, have been transformed into close allies and partners.