Podcasts about roman colosseum

The newest stadiums may cost billions, but the classics still win. Shaun Morash is in for Evan Roberts alongside Tiki Barber as Connor Green ranks the Rose Bowl, Wrigley Field, Fenway Park, Lambeau Field and even the Roman Colosseum among sports' best venues, sparking a debate over why old-school stadiums still have more character than their modern replacements. The conversation turns to MetLife Stadium, American Dream and the complications of maintaining a grass field at a venue packed with concerts and other events. Then a Jets caller predicts nine wins, but Shaun pushes back on the idea that the offense is set with Geno Smith at quarterback.

Mike has announced the vehicle he chose for the next chapter of his travels—and almost nobody expected him to go in this direction.We break down the decision before moving into a brutal survival hypothetical: if you were trapped one-on-one with an apex predator inside the Roman Colosseum, which animal would you choose to face? Then we change the setting and consider each predator inside its own natural environment. Which encounter gives a human the best chance of surviving—and which one would be virtually impossible?We also debate whether good manners require letting your food get cold, examine how one license-plate typo brought four police cars down on an innocent couple, and discuss Forest Service workers being zip-tied and held inside a national forest.Later, we ask whether the FBI's mission has changed, examine efforts to cut off financial incentives for illegal immigration, debate America's nuclear agreement with Saudi Arabia, and question whether it is already time to start using the word “quagmire” when discussing Iran.

My producer, Devin Smith, flips the script and puts me in the hot seat at Podium Studios in Marietta, Georgia! I'm in town for the Blade Show, roasting knife makers, and my husband for a living, and answering your listener questions live.From Sam the skeleton's Roman Coliseum incident to why I'll never retire, bringer club truths, and why Home Depot is San Diego's hottest singles bar; this one is pure, unfiltered Suzi.⸻⏱️ Episode Highlights[00:55] – Why I'm in Georgia: The Blade Show and roasting knife makers [06:12] – Waymo chaos in Atlanta: floods, blocked streets, and "No Way." [12:43] – My special "Late Life Crisis" update and release plans [19:51] – Q&A: Where are the skeletons? The full story of Sam [21:50] – Getting kicked out of the Roman Coliseum with a plastic skeleton [30:35] – The truth about bringer clubs and how the comedy business really works [38:07] – Q&A: Why aren't you retired? [47:55] – Home Depot: San Diego's most surprising singles scene [56:17] – The Balboa Theater moment that changed my comedy dream [1:03:05] – Pain is inevitable, but suffering is optional⸻Links & Resources Mentioned• Podium Studios(thepodium.studio/) – Our production home in Marietta, Georgia • Suzi's Special Late Life Crisis – Coming soon around the 4th of July! • Podcast: Breaking Bread with Tom Papa • Follow Suzi: SuziChicago.com⸻Closing ThoughtsThanks for hanging out with us in Georgia! If you enjoyed this one, like, subscribe, and share with someone who needs a laugh. Keep those questions coming, and remember: pain is inevitable, but suffering is optional. See you next time!#suzichicago #podiumstudios #latelifecrisis #comedyspecial #bladeshow #sandiegocomedy #comedypodcast #samtheskeleton #grandmafunfun #neverretire #adhdcomedy #podcastinterview

NEW EPS EVERY WEEK. Subscribe to the Cats Clubcast: LiSTNR, Spotify, Apple Podcasts Looking for your team? All AFL Clubcasts → LINKTREE This week on the Geelong Cats Clubcast, Geelong sends a message to the rest of the AFL with a huge night at GMHBA Stadium. •

Today, we're tackling a question nobody wants to talk about but every believer must face: Why does the world hate Christianity? Why aren't we just ignored or disagreed with—why are we targeted, marginalized, rejected outright? Paul M. Neuberger pulls back the curtain on 2,000 years of pushback. From the Roman Colosseum to today's corporate boardroom—the face of opposition changes, but the mission stays the same.Because at the center of every act of ridicule, every moment of contempt, every time the mob tells you to sit down and shut up—one truth stands: Jesus is STILL Lord. The world hates what it cannot control. Faithfulness has always been more important than popularity.So when your moment of truth comes when your integrity, your courage, your commitment to Christ is put to the test—what will YOU do?Lock in. Open your Bible. This one's going to be raw, real, and relentlessly committed to the truth.“If the world hates you, keep in mind that it hated me first. 19 If you belonged to the world, it would love you as its own. As it is, you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world. That is why the world hates you." —John 15:18-19Episode Highlights14:48 - Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever. Now think about that one. Cultures change, governments change, trends change. Public opinion changes. God changes, never does. That truth is incredibly comforting for believers. It's also incredibly threatening to a culture that wants to redefine everything.22:11 - You can't kill an idea whose founder walked out of his own grave... The Roman Empire couldn't stop Christianity. Communism couldn't stop Christianity. Dictators couldn't stop Christianity... Christianity was never built upon a political movement. It was built upon a resurrected savior.46:08 - The hatred directed toward Christianity should not surprise us. Jesus told us it was going to happen. The apostles experienced it. The early church endured it. Faithful believers all throughout history have faced it. And now it's our turn. The goal has never been popularity... The goal has always been faithfulness to Christ.Connect with Paul M. NeubergerWebsite

We played a special live episode of Dragon Games on stage at TwitchCon 2025—and after a brutal tech fail, we salvaged what we could with the original stage audio plus photos (and a little bonus phone footage at the end). It's a PvP arena showdown where the audience rolls for random effects… and things get wild fast.Dragon Games is a live Dungeons & Dragons TTRPG competition. Players are placed in a fictional arena and pitted against each other in gladiatorial-style entertainment for the crowd. It's a mix of a Competition Reality Show with the Roman Colosseum and the Hunger Games, set in the D&D world with 5e gameplay mechanics. Players: @3llebelle @TheThormungandr @Ashlinaa @MikeTheQuad Dungeon Master: @SteveSaylor SPECIAL GUEST PRESENTER: @gamingwithtrashh Follow us online:WEBSITE: https://www.dungeonsanddisableds.com TWITTER: http://twitter.com/dndisabledsTWITCH: http://twitch.tv/stevesaylorINSTAGRAM: http://instagram.com/dndisabledsTIKTOK: https://tiktok.com/@dndisableds #dnd #twitch #competition

In this episode, the host Catherine Lam sits down with Stephanie Forbes, founder and CEO of The Forbes Group. Stephanie is an internationally recognized expert in supply chain strategy and operational resilience. To explore her groundbreaking new book, Global Wealth, Local Impact. From the gladiators of the Roman Coliseum to the East India Company, from the Silk Road to the Strait of Hormuz, Stephanie reveals how the invisible machinery of global trade has always shaped local lives, and why understanding that history is the ultimate playbook for navigating today's volatile world economy. This episode is part history, part world affairs, part leadership guide. It will change how you see every product and every business decision. Key Insights You'll Learn ·         Supply Chains Are as Old as Civilization: From Caesar's gladiator games to the Silk Road to the East India Company, the mechanics of global trade, logistics corridors, currency exchange, quality control, insurance, letters of credit, have been evolving and compounding for over two thousand years. ·         The East India Company Changed Everything: At its peak, it controlled two-thirds of world trade. It created the modern company, shared ownership, and insurance. It also shows what happens when one company controls too much. ·         The Silk Road Was the World's First Trust Economy: It ran for over 1,300 years. Merchants used early credit systems and reputation to do business. Think of it as the first five-star review system. ·         Trust and Reputation Are Still the Foundation of Commerce: From Silk Road merchants to Facebook Marketplace sellers, the rules haven't changed. People do business with those they trust. Stephanie's book dedicates an entire chapter to this truth — and why trust remains the single most important asset in any business relationship. ·         The Strait of Hormuz Is a Global Pressure Point Right Now: About 20% of the world's energy passes through it. Any disruption hits fuel, shipping, food, and whole economies. Geopolitics and supply chains are connected. ·         Disruption Is the New Normal — Build for Resilience: Big unexpected events happen more often now. Leaders need backup plans. They need multiple suppliers. The question isn't whether something goes wrong, it's how fast you can adapt. ·         Critical Minerals Are the New Geopolitical Battleground: Lithium, cobalt, potash, and other critical minerals are redefining global power dynamics. Who controls these resources controls leverage over the infrastructure of the modern economy, from electric vehicles to defense systems. ·         History's Lessons Are the Best Strategic Playbook: Every challenge facing supply chain leaders today, monopoly risk, geopolitical disruption, infrastructure bottlenecks, trust breakdowns, has a historical precedent. Stephanie's book connects the dots between ancient trade systems and modern business strategy in a way that is both illuminating and immediately actionable.   Global Wealth, Local Impact is a rare book that makes the complex feel personal and the historical feel urgent. Whether you're a supply chain professional, a business leader, or simply someone trying to make sense of why the world feels increasingly unstable, this book will give you the context, the language, and the framework to lead with confidence.  

Welcome to the Hollywood Hangout, the podcast where we pull back the velvet curtain on the legends of the silver screen. In this special tribute episode, your host Boxman pays homage to the ultimate icon of grit, discipline, and power: the late, great Chuck Norris.Join Boxman as he traces the incredible journey of Carlos Ray "Chuck" Norris, from his humble beginnings to becoming a global symbol of invincibility. This isn't just a look at a film career; it's a deep dive into the philosophy and the fist of a true American original.● The Early Years & The Dojo: Explore Chuck's origins and his meteoric rise through the world of competitive karate, where he became a six-time undefeated World Professional Middleweight Karate Champion.● Chun Kuk Do & The Code of Honor: Boxman breaks down the Chuck Norris System, exploring the evolution of Chun Kuk Do and the personal "Code of Honor" that guided Norris's life both on and off the mat.● The Bruce Lee Connection: Relive the iconic showdown in the Roman Colosseum. We discuss the breakthrough moment in Way of the Dragon that changed martial arts cinema forever.● The 80s Action Era: From Missing in Action to The Delta Force, we revisit the decade where Chuck reigned supreme as the quintessential action hero.● A Legacy Beyond the Screen: We look at the "Total Gym" fitness empire that made him a household name in every living room, and his transition to the beloved long-running series Walker, Texas Ranger.● The "Facts" Phenomenon: Finally, Boxman explores how a series of internet memes turned Chuck Norris into a superhuman folk hero for a new generation.Whether you knew him as a martial arts master, a movie star, or the man who could slam a revolving door, this episode is a heartfelt celebration of a life lived with intensity and integrity.Check us out every Thursday at 9:30 PM EasternYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@hollywoodhangoutpodcastSpotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/1ymX0HRkWB45ja11B2I6fmApple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/hollywood-hangout/id1132940251Castbox: https://castbox.fm/channel/4647345?country=usFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/HollywoodHangout/

2-24-26 Tonight at 9PM ET, we're talking with Ryan Kretchmer, owner of Barbarian Mead, a meadery in planning in the Philadelphia area. Like many people, Ryan has lived a quiet, normal life growing up in the suburbs of Chicago — quietly wrestling tigers in the Roman Colosseum, serving as a United States Senator, accepting a beauty pageant crown, conducting questionable laboratory experiments, and occasionally floating through low Earth orbit as an astronaut. Unfortunately, a demanding schedule of international diplomacy, space travel, and tiger hand-to-hand combat made it difficult to maintain a work-life balance, so he reluctantly retired from his many prestigious careers. The official story is “career exploration.” The real story is that the tigers unionized and HR got involved. In reality, Ryan is married to amazing and beautiful woman named Mary, who has given him more patience then he usually deserves...and a house full of dogs.  He spent many years working as a general contractor and carpenter, building and renovating homes. After a serious health scare forced him to reassess life and priorities, he stepped away from the physically demanding side of construction and transitioned into working as a quality inspector, where he now evaluates new homes for several national builders. While he no longer swings a hammer all day, the attention to detail and problem-solving mindset followed him into his next unexpected chapter. That chapter began one morning slightly hungover when he checked his email and discovered he had apparently purchased a mead-making kit the night before. Instead of canceling the order, he decided to see what would happen — and promptly fell down a very deep rabbit hole. What started as curiosity turned into an obsession. To date he has made more than 180 batches of mead. He plans to eventually operate **Barbarian Meadery**, where creativity, experimentation, and a refusal to take himself too seriously are part of the process. There are many more batches — and probably a few more questionable late-night purchases — still to come. Cheers. To listen live, you can find us on Youtube, Twitch, X (Twitter), and Facebook on the Gotmead Page. On our new platform, chat is part of the podcast! Just comment from wherever you are watching, and we'll see it!! If you'd like to call in, we can get you a link to come on! Twitch: https://www.twitch.tv/meadwench YouTube: YouTube: https://m.youtube.com/@Gotmead X(Twitter): https://x.com/RealGotMead Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/GotMead Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/GotMead JOIN CHAT ON DISCORD: https://discord.gg/zEKNujQTtM Listen in! This player will show the latest episode: Sponsor: Look no further than Honnibrook Craft Meadery in Castle Rock, Colorado, for your go-to destination for wonderful, light, and refreshing mead! We have 20 meads on tap and four seasonal mead slushees.  Go to honnibrook.com for review our tap list, upcoming events and to order online! If you want to ask your mead making questions, you can send us a question via email, join to ask a question on the show, or via X @realGotMead and we'll tackle it online! The show runs from 9PM EDT/6PM PDT (United States) for about 2 hours every other Tuesday starting Jan 13, 2026. To join live, you can use this link, and here are instructions on how to join in. Once you enter the waiting room, we get a notification and will bring you in! Upcoming Shows Show links and notes Let There Be Melomels by Rob Ratliff The Big Book of Mead Recipes by Rob Ratliff Let There Be Session Meads by Rob Ratliff Upcoming Events Feb 25 - Silver Hand Meadery, Williamsburg, VA - A Reading by Stephen R. Lawhead (and mead) Feb 26 - Valhalla Meadery, Bozeman, MT - Meadery Jam - bring your instrument Feb 26 - Dancing Skeleton Meadery, Sepulpa, OK - Karaoke Night Feb 28 - Grimsby Hollow Meadery, Middleville, MI - Drink Mead, Learn Things: Anatomy of a Killer: When Doctors Become Predators Feb 28 - Starrlight Mead, Pittsboro, NC - Mead and Girl Scout Cookie Paring Feg 28 - St. Ambrose Cellars, Beulah, MI - Barefoot Music party Mar 1 - Brothers Drake Meadery, Columbus, OH - Sabor Sundays - Salsa and bachata social Mar 5 - Crafted Artisan Meadery, Mogadore, OH - Paint and Sip Mar 5 - Valhalla Meadery, Bozeman, MT - Meadery Jam - bring your instrument Mar 5 - Dancing Skeleton Meadery, Sapulpa, OK - Trivia Night Mar 8 - Clear Skies Meadery, Rockville, MD - Acoustic Jam with Mike Rocke Folk Music Mar 13 - Manic Meadery, Crown Point, IN - Paint and Drink Mar 15 - Jane Austen Society of North America, Columbia, MD - March Mead Madness - Mead Making class Mar 15 - Harvest Ridge Winery, Toughkenamoon, PA - Mead and Cheese Pairing Mar 15 - Frederick CUUPS, Frederick, MD - Mead Making workshop Mar 20-21 Valkyrie's Horn Mead Competition, Minneapolis, MN Mar 21 - Monks Meadery, Atlanta, GA - Armored Combat Exhibition Mar 28 - Zymarium Meadery, Orlando, FL - Bonsai and Cheers with L&J Nursery Mar 28 - Folklore Brewing and Meadery, Dothan, AL - Dothan Songwriters Festival April 11 - Mershon's Artisan Cider, Stoughton, WI - Wisconsin Cider and Mead Festival April 11 - Wild Blossom Meadery, Chicago, IL - Wine Run 5k April 12 - Moon Dog Meadery, Durham, NC - Modern Calligraphy for Beginners April 19 - Crafted Artisan Meadery, Mogadore, OH - Make a Sand Art Terrarium You can buy mead online at https://shopmeads.com

In today's episode, I sit down with the delightful Ed Hearton (Eduardo, as I call him), a local comic who's so much more than just a man with a fantastic mustache. From his "Little Mermaid" roots in Brazil to our shared love for the "diva" lifestyle, we're exploring why some of us are just "a lot", and why that's exactly how we like it.We dive into Ed's journey through film school and the drag world, but the real mystery is why he thinks my life is a sitcom waiting to happen. Between my husband's tactical knife business and my history as a chicken judge, he might be onto something. Plus, I finally tell the full story of Sam, the plastic skeleton who got me kicked out of the Roman Coliseum and nearly landed me in federal prison over a Facebook ID check. Trust me, you can't make this stuff up.⏱️ Episode Timeline & Highlights[01:49] – Why I'm not a "joiner" and my lifelong fear of being controlled[03:26] – Eduardo's "Little Mermaid" origin story from Brazil[11:58] – The Sitcom Pitch: Chickens, tactical knives, and late-in-life comedy[16:37] – Sam's Facebook crisis: Why my skeleton needed a state ID[17:42] – Getting kicked out of the Coliseum by the "Carbonara"[30:37] – The Divine Goddess vs. The Mean Girl in drag[41:51] – Spackle and bronzer: Finding my inner diva at 70[50:00] – Ed's comedy evolution and what makes us "a lot"[58:30] – Why laughter is better than self-help[01:05:00] – Final thoughts on embracing your inner everythingLinks & Resources Mentioned• Book: The Heroine's Journey by Maureen Murdock• Check out Ed's shows around San DiegoClosing ThoughtsIf you enjoyed this episode, hit the like and subscribe button! And if you're feeling extra sweet, leave a review or share this episode with that one friend who is also "a lot." Life's too short not to embrace being everything and nothing all at once. See you next time for more laughs and chaos!

What kind of pastor, arrested and chained for execution, spends his final journey not begging for mercy but writing letters to churches—urging them not to save him? Ignatius of Antioch embraced martyrdom with a strength that both inspires and challenges us today. In this episode, we follow his harrowing journey from arrest to the Roman Colosseum and explore the seven powerful letters he penned along the way. His story raises an uncomfortable question: what are we truly willing to sacrifice for Christ?Connect & Go DeeperJoin the ConversationHead over to our private Facebook community, where listeners discuss episodes, grapple with historical questions, and share insights on how these ancient stories shape our faith today. It's a place for genuine conversation with fellow church history enthusiasts, from seasoned scholars to curious newcomers.Get Episodes & More in Your InboxSubscribe to the free Substack and receive each podcast episode delivered directly to your email every week, complete with full transcripts. During off-weeks, you'll also receive a devotional blog post exploring spiritual themes connected to recent episodes—perfect for personal reflection or small group discussion.Unlock Premium ContentBecome a paid Substack subscriber to access devotional/historical study guides for each episode. Your subscription directly supports the creation of more episodes and helps keep church history accessible to everyone.Buy Me a CoffeeWant to support the podcast with a one-time gift or ongoing contribution? Head to Buy Me a Coffee, where you can encourage this work in whatever way makes sense for you. Every contribution helps cover production costs and makes future episodes possible.

Original Episode Transcript FollowsStephanie:Hello, everybody, and welcome to Dishing with Stephanie's Dish, the podcast where we talk about food. A lot of times we talk to cookbook authors and kind of understand their process and what they're doing. Well, I'm just noticing my hair is real bedhead, but it is what it is. Friends, in this particular episode, I want to talk to my friend Michael Kenney. He is from Defined Destinations. He owns his own business, and it's a travel company. And. And Michael and I met about three years ago now, and we have done a number of trips together, and we are planning our April trip, which is going to be to Turkey, and we have a lot of different cities that we're going to visit.And one of the things that I've heard from a lot of people is they all know we're going to Turkey and they want to hear about it, and they're excited to know about the destination, but they're nervous about signing up for the trip. So said to Michael, let's just talk. Let's do a podcast where we give people an idea of what to expect, where we're going, what kind of things we're going to see. My friend Todd Walker, coincidentally has. He's in Turkey right now. And he said. And he's been. He travels all over.He works for the Viking Cruise Lines, doing trips for them and helping to write about them and help people experience them. He sent me a text, and he said, turkey is in his top three places he's ever been. He's just super hot on it. He's like, you are totally going at the exact right time. Because he's like, people are just starting to learn about it, but there's so many cool things. He said it's a trip like nothing has ever experienced before. So, Michael, I'm excited to talk to you about it. And people ask me like, well, why did you pick turkey? And I was like, why not? I have always.I met a guy 20 years ago and in Paris that was from Turkey, and first of all, he was gorgeous, so let's just go there. But second of all, he really, like, he just was telling me about where he lived and what Turkey was like and what the food was like. And he talked to me about the spice Trail and kind of how people came in through Istanbul and then crossed over into Italy and into Spain. And it made me feel like, wow, okay. Turkey is this very Mediterranean feeling place with tons of culture, and I've always wanted to go there, so I picked it. Michael, why did you allow me to pick Turkey? Knowing that it would be a destination that would be harder to sell for people.Michael Kenney:Yeah, I think that's what's great. And thanks for having me on, Stephanie. It's always a blast, you know, to travel with you and with your, your listeners. It just, we've built some really great bonds with the people, which has been a fun. So even our latest trip to Sicily. What, what a blast. And great people.Stephanie:Yes.Michael Kenney:But you going back to why we choose this and with Turkey, and that's what's great about you. It's like you're willing to try some new areas. And a lot of people are like, well, I've heard of Turkey. I don't know much about it. And I think that's where we both kind of glammed on. Like, let's go and let's have this experience. And we've been putting group trips together for 27 years and we have some great partners and some Turkish partners, too, that can really open up the, the eyes. I know several people that have been to, to Istanbul and everyone's heard of Istanbul, like, oh, it's a top five city on earth for a lot of people.And you're probably wondering, well, why? So I encourage you to kind of jump in, look at our website, do a little research on that. But Turkey is so, so much more than that. I. They have absolutely stunning beaches, their food culture, their spices, the seaside communities, the, the Roman ruins. They have so much in different little pockets. So Turkey offers. And I think that's what maybe gravitated you and I both to it. Just the diversity and still a little of that wonder, like what's, what's really, what's in Turkey.And I think, you know, we, we talked about a little earlier before the podcast about some of the places, you know, that are kind of overrun with tourists. And definitely Turkey is not there. It will be at some point. So it's kind of fun to get on maybe the ground level to, to some of these places and not just Istanbul, because it, it is busy, but some of the other places that we're going to go from Ephesus to Kabukia or Pamuk. There's so many different places that are on this trip that you've never even heard of. So it's kind of like, well, I haven't really heard of that. Go, go look at our website. Go do a little research on the Internet and see what.It's so amazing. The Europeans, they know of Turkey really, really well because it's a, it's a quick flight and they Absolutely love it. I'm in Europe nine times a year and the folks that I talk with over there, they absolutely love it. So it's kind of like a discovery trip for Americans. And what's great about our trip that will, it's fully guided. We have 31 meals included. We have the inner flight inside, Turkey included. So there's really no out of pocket expense for that.So you can really sit back and relax and take in the best of Turkey with our local guides. And there's just so much and I think that's what's going to be kind of fun to go discover. This place in our group is going to be no more than 15 people. It's a small group experience so you can really relax and enjoy that. And I know folks that maybe, well, what's a group tour? You know, I think you even mentioned that too for some people. Like, well, what do you do? It's again, we've kind of handled everything. We've taken care of the hotels, the buses, the cooking class that we're going to do. I mean, you might want to touch on that later.But we've taken all of that, these best of experiences and put it in one itinerary so you can sit back and relax and know that you're going to see the best of Turkey.Stephanie:I think explaining my husband Kurt's sort of transformation is good here. My husband is an independent person. He's owned his own business, he's a sailor. He would, he, he has no interest really in group travel. Like when I brought it up to him and that I was going to start leading trips, he was like, why would you want to do that? Why would you want to be with people you don't even know? Like, he is just anti group travel as a rule. And he came on our first trip, he wanted to come with us when we went to Cambodia and we went to Vietnam. He knew that he would never plan a trip to Asia on his own. So he thought, well, I'll go along on this group travel and I'll just suck up the group travel part because I get to go to this cool destination.Well, what happened is he loved it. He liked group travel. He liked meeting new people. He liked not being the person that had to be in charge of making sure that we got our luggage to the room and that we made it to the right flights and that he had to carry all the stuff and all the itinerary. He kind of liked that he wasn't responsible for all that. And he liked the food, he liked Meeting the people he liked, not having to be in a city he'd never been in and figure out exactly where we were going to eat every single meal. We had flexibility. Obviously, on these trips, we want it to be your trip.In our Sicily experience, you mentioned a couple times, like, if this doesn't feel like something you want to do, then don't do it. Do something else for the day. We can help you orchestrate other things. He really loved the idea that he didn't have to do everything. And in fact, when we did our cooking class in Sicily, which was amazing, by the way, we learned to make arancini, which they call arancino. We made a thing called a pinella, which was a chickpea pancake that they eat in a sandwich, which was kind of different. But Kurt didn't want to do the cooking class. He was like, you know what? I think I'm just gonna go walk around the city.So him and another friend peeled off and, like, that's the joy of these trips. We plan everything, but if you're tired or if you just want a day of rest, you can do that too. We really try to make it so that we know it's your experience. We're not as interested in you just being forced to come along on things that you're not interested in. We're interested in your experience. We want you to have a good time. So if Kurt Johnson can get turned on to group travel, I feel like, seriously, anyone can.Michael Kenney:No, that's. That's well said. I would have never guessed that about Kurt initially. You know, and I wouldn't call him an introvert by any means, but I think we get, you know, a lot of people like that with. With. Kurt. You know, maybe their. Their.Their husband or their wife drags them on a trip, and they're like, you know what? This is actually pretty cool, especially for the person that maybe is doing typically all the planning. And it's stressful. You know, we do all that for you, but you can really, again, sit back and enjoy. You spend a lot of money to go on these trips, and that's what we want. So we want you to feel like you. You have that. That freedom, too. When we set up our hotels in nice, central locations and safe areas, too, that you can go out and explore, so we encourage you to do that.But honestly, we feel pretty good that the pace of these trips are designed really well, that you have that flexibility, because we want you. Yes, you're in a group, even a small group, but we want to make it feel like you're having these experience with, with a friend or a family member that's with you too, that you, you feel like you're, you're having these little exploring trips, but it's all kind of put together already for you. But again, we, we have time for you to go exploring, to have these other experiences, which is really, really important. Balance is so important. Over 27 years, I think we've really, we focus on that so we know that, that people are comfortable having that free time to explore. But again, having the, the framework of an itinerary with, with experiences. Typically, we might do a city tour in the, in the morning and then have the rest of your day free to have your own exploring. Then maybe for, especially for this trip with the 31 meals that will meet up and have dinner in a place.And again, they're all being curated with our local team too, in the area that you're going to have foods local from the area in great mom PA type of restaurants. So sometimes it's stressful when you're trying to figure out where am I going to go eat, what should I do? I want to make sure the dinner is going to be great. We've got that taken care of so you can sit back and relax. And again, we know most of you probably have not heard of a lot of these places. Please, we implore you to go and take a look at the itinerary, do a little research, because I guarantee in a few years from now, these are going to be mainstream and you'll be able to go explore and see these places before they're overly busy. So take a look at this itinerary.Stephanie:I was impressed because when I first was thinking about Turkey, I went on a map and I didn't realize, like, when I started going to Croatia, I didn't realize how close Croatia is to Italy. That literally they share a sea and that a lot of Italians use Croatia as their summer vacation spot.Michael Kenney:Yeah.Stephanie:And I didn't also realize that Turkey and Italy are very close and that a lot of Europeans, because they've got EasyJet there, that's an Italian airline, they're going to Turkey like we would be going to Palm Springs. I mean, a lot of Europeans are experiencing Turkey and it's just not a destination that a lot of Americans are familiar with. But a lot of people are going there and having fun, doing fun things. This. It's been so fun for me to watch my friend Todd Walker, because he went to Cappadocia, which is a city that we're going to go to and they have all these fairy houses that are like these stone. They look like dunce caps sort of. They're these weird structures. And he, like, actually spent the night in one of them.He did a hot air balloon r there, which is part of our itinerary. If someone wants to add that on, I know Kurt's going to do that. It's like he went and he had all this video of it where there's 140 hot air balloons going up kind of all at once out of this city. It just looks so completely cool. And then the. The huge market. There's like, the world's largest market. So all of these trips, I always end up with a group of great women shoppers.And I'm like, okay, bring an extra bag, ladies, because you're going to come home with a rug and you're going to come home with all of these spices. There's 4,000 stalls in the Grand Market in Istanbul. Do you know that?Michael Kenney:Yeah, the Grand Bazaar. I didn't know exactly how many, but, yeah, it's massive.Stephanie:So just that, like, I love getting into a market and just, like, seeing all the different things, feeling all the different spices. In Sicily, we had an opportunity to go to the market, and afterwards we had our. Our local guide that kind of takes you around and shows you where everything is and gives you a sense of maybe what to look for at the market. And then we split up and Kurt and I, he just wanted to drink beer in the market and kind of experience feeling in the market. So we went and got sandwiches. But a bunch of other people, like, shop till they dropped. Like, they had huge shopping bags full of stuff. So if your jam is shopping, great.If your jam is just sitting and taking in the culture, great. Like, you can also learn more about a city by spending time with the city guides that are with us. They're always having lunch with us, and we have a bus driver that we get to know in certain trips. It really just. We just got back from Sicily and we had such a great experience. We had such a great trip. It was probably one of my favorite groups because a lot of the folks had traveled with us before, so we really knew each other, too. It's group travel is really fun.I'm just. I don't know, I'm really jazzed about it, and I'm jazzed about Turkey, and I want people to come. If you could describe Ephesus, because that's a place that I haven't been before and you have what is that like?Michael Kenney:Yeah, Ephesus, it was, you know, built by the Romans in the time of Christ, so 2,000 years ago. And it's. You're walking through. It's. It's unbelievable. It's not like when you're at the Roman Coliseum or that area around there that's actually, it feels like it's in. More in ruins, if you will. But you're like in this village, this Roman village that you can think of, the Apostles walk, maybe if you're, you know, religious.Mary, Jesus's mother, has walked. And the. Still, the stone streets are there. You know, a lot of the buildings are in ruins, but the library, the, the whole front facade is still there. It's, it's unreal. It feels like you're just being brought back in time. And there's truly nothing like Ephesus, which is just right outside of the, the village of Kusadasi, or city in Turkey. But it's, it's like the.If, again, if I could have an analogy, like you're in Rome, but to another level that it's, it's much more, I would say intact. Still in ruins, but intact. But this, this, this village that it's in hibernation. So walking these streets. And we have these local guides as you touched on too, that kind of can bring everything to, to, to life. So, you know, you're not looking through your, your book and trying to like, well, what is this? You listen to an audio guide or our, our local guide speaking about that. So you're learning about the history. But Ephesus is, is.Is unbelievable. And we're not going to see. There's other ruins and more Roman sites and throughout this trip, so you'll really get, you know, a history. I wouldn't say a deep dive. They touch on it. So you're not like, oh, this is so boring. But you even said it's, it's a trip like this is great for, for shoppers, if you want to shop. I'm not a shopper.I like to do what Kurt does. Sit down, maybe have a beer and take it all in and do nothing. Just take in the people walking around, the smells. There's. There's nothing like it. And again, I think this trip to Turkey really offers a potpourri of different experiences. So if you're a foodie, if you're into photography, to culture, to history, this trip really ticks all the boxes. And I guarantee it, you'll love it.You'll love the trip. But then even at the end you. There's a great chance you're going to make lifelong friends on, on a trip like this too. So it's, it really ticks a box of. Of of experiences. So hopefully April is a great time to go to. The temperatures you can expect, you know, low 70s, you know, 50s, 60s at night. So it's really comfortable.Not like in the summer when it's really busy and it's busier with the Europeans and the temperatures hotter. This April time is a great time to visit for sure.Stephanie:Can you talk a little bit about what the food is like? Like, I have an idea, but I don't really know. Like, is it Mediterranean? Is it like meat and pomegranates and couscous?Michael Kenney:Yep, you're nailing it right now. No, it. It is like that. So I think I encourage again people to. To look online too, to see what some of these are. But you maybe have heard of, you know, baklava or, you know, kebabs, the lamb, the beef, the chicken. They have, you know, the different kebabs, lots of different spices, ganache, as many, you know, like fried dishes too, but then a lot of cooked on open fires. But I would say, I wouldn't necessarily say it's comfort food, like German, you know, in having, you know, some of the staples that you might know, but still something that's not too odd.It's probably more closer to home than maybe some of the French food you would see. But you'll see a lot of lamb, the beef, I said some of the fried foods, lots of, you know, from your Turkish delights and different things like that. So I think even when we're walking around in the market, you'll get that. And then we'll at our dinners have different meals as well that will infuse some of these different experiences. So it won't be something completely foreign, but it'll be. It'll be comfortable enough that I think you'll enjoy it, but it definitely be a nice array of different experiences with the food.Stephanie:I haven't told you this, but one of the places, and I don't know where I'm going to do this, but I am going to find. Have you ever been to a hammam or done the spa experience where like, you lay on like hot marble and it's sort of like a sauna and you get sweaty and then you like, go into a room and they like brush you with salt and scrubby things and like completely clean you. It's a Muslim tradition and it's the most amazing thing I've ever done. I did this in Athens and I loved it so much. We went three times while we were in Athens.Michael Kenney:Wow.Stephanie:Find a spa that does this there. I don't know in what city or where we are, but I know a local guide can help me when we get there.Michael Kenney:Yep.Stephanie:Both Kurt and I, it was just the most amazing, relaxing experience. Just someone scrubbing you with all these different herbs and salts. And they have weird little brushes that your eyes are closed and. And you can't even. Like. One of them was this big, puffy, like, pillow feeling that was running across the top of your body. It was so weird, but so great.Michael Kenney:Yeah, I haven't done it. I've seen them. I've done, like, the part that we're just going in, like, in the. In the sauna or the steam bath. That's it. I haven't had the full rub down yet. Maybe on this Turkish.Stephanie:We're going to do it. Yeah, it's great. I'll do it.Michael Kenney:No, it'll be fun, but no, it's very popular over there. The Turkish amans. To do that. So there definitely will be that opportunity. I will. I'll give it a shot. You know, it'll be interesting to have someone scrub me down with salts. But, hey, life's about to have any experiences and.And I'm. And I'm. I'm for it, but I'm glad you enjoyed that. But, yes, they definitely have that. And you'll have that opportunity if you want again. It's. Yeah, it's always. It's.Stephanie:I'm not gonna make anyone go get naked and do this, but if you want to get naked and do this, I'm telling you, it's amazing. And they probably actually. They wear bathing suits because they're pretty modest. Or they'll have, like, a separate women's area and a separate men's area. When we did it in Athens, it was men and women together, and we wore bathing suits. And then when you got into the private room, you could take your bathing suit off. And they were very modest and helpful, but.Michael Kenney:Yeah. So being comfortable. Yeah, no, that's. That's great. Well, that'll be. Maybe we'll just get a whole group and do that to get so great.Stephanie:Yeah, it's just like. It was one of the best things I've ever done. And I. I like spas and massage, and I've done a lot of weird things like that. This was, like, just amazing. Well, I'm excited. I hope that people will join us. The way it works is you can find all the itinerary on defined destinations website.We'll link that in the show notes here you can see each particular day and what city you'll be in and what you'll be doing and what's included. I would imagine in most of these breakfast is included because that's typically a sort of European thing to do. And then as he's. As Michael said, a lot of the meals are included. I do think when you're breaking open a new destination, it's important to kind of give people a sense of what they're going to be experiencing. And food is obviously a big part of that. And food is a big part of my journey on this trip. Turkish delights, if you've never had them, they're like this beautiful little jelly.Turkish coffee is very different. It's a much more intense coffee experience. So if you're a coffee drinker, you'll learn a lot. Also, olive oil is very much present in Turkey. Like again, I keep comparing it to Italy, but it is right across the water. So there's a lot of different olive oils that are used in Turkey, a lot of different spices. We're going to have fun. So the way this works is you can go online, you can put your deposit down and full payment is due I think in January for this trip.You can book your own travel if you want to, meaning get your airfare to get to where we're going to meet for the trip. Or you can use Michael's got a service that can help you book all your airfare. I personally like to control my airfare because I like to have the miles and I like to know exactly how I'm going to set things up on my itinerary. Kurt and I also like to get there like a day or two in advance just to get acclimated a little bit before the rest of you guys come. So that I'm not super jet lagged. I'm on fire by the time you arrive. And yeah, we do. There's going to be a lot of beautiful wine, I'm assuming too, because that's something that there's a great grape destination there.You don't know about Turkish wines yet, but you will. They, they exist. There's actually quite a lot of them. Yeah. And that's how it works. Michael, you've got a special offer just to get people that may be on the fence a little bit. Yeah.Michael Kenney:Well, we're excited. The trip again is April 9th through the 20th. And again, go online, take it just take a look at the website, look at some of the pictures. You'll absolutely love it. And then even all the things that we've talked about that aren't even mentioned in the itinerary, there's so many fun things. But if you're listening to this and you're new to register, you'll get $200 off per person if you register for the trip. Final payment is January 1st, so just think about that. So this would be a great.A great gift for a loved one. Hey, let's. We're going to go to Turkey. And I hear more and more people are. They want to have a travel experience rather than having tangible things about having experiences, especially with ones you love. So hopefully this trip to Turkey, if you want to try something new and have just an amazing experience about a place you maybe haven't heard too much about, I think you'll absolutely love it. So just go to defined destinations.com, like Stephanie said. She'll have the link there, too.Against April 9th through the 20th. You can register right there. If you need help with airfare, we're happy to do that. So we make it pretty easy for you on that end. So we're gonna. We're gonna have a blast with a great group of people and hopefully, you know, you'll want to join this small group of no more than 15 people.Stephanie:Is this the time that we tell people that are listening to maybe stay tuned. I mean, we do have a pretty epic October trip planned.Michael Kenney:Yeah, no, I mean, go for it. We don't have the. All the dates totally confirmed, but we're. Yeah, go ahead.Stephanie:Well, we're working on one of the trips. So I have taken people to Spain, I've taken people to Croatia, I've taken people to Cambodia, Thailand, and now Turkey. And the Croatia trip was really magical and people loved it. And I have a huge fondness for Croatia. Obviously, I've been there a lot, and there were a lot of people that wanted to go on that trip that didn't get the opportunity because it's a luxury experience. It's a luxury yacht. It's small rooms or not small rooms. It's a small ship with actually, the rooms were quite big for a boat.And so we had so many people that wanted to do that itinerary again. Michael said, hey, how about we do it again? But I'll add a couple of new things so that it's a new experience for you too, Stephanie, because there is. I've never been to Zagreb, which seems probably surprising since I've been to Croatia so many times and there's a bunch of these finger lakes. What do they call those? Is it the plastic lakes?Michael Kenney:Yeah, the Plaviche Lakes National Park. Yep.Stephanie:The national parks in Croatia are legendary. If you. I mean Mijet has one of the most beautiful national parks on it with a monastery in the middle of this lake. So we are going to be taking another small group. It'll be smallish. I think we had 28 on our last.Michael Kenney:Yeah, enough to fill the boat. And the boat only can sleep like 34. So it's a small experience on that. But yeah, I'm excited to go back to that again. That's been one of our hot sellers, our Croatia trip. So with the Zagreb and the Blevice lakes and then our seven night cruise, the Croatia trip will be great. So maybe you want to do two trips. Our beautiful Turkey trip in the spring and then come October we'll have this amazing trip to, to Croatia.So go out and have experiences and hopefully you want to join us. I think you'll find great value, great meals just. And great people that to travel with.Stephanie:And if you're listening and you want to explore Michael's other trips because he takes trips with other people, not just me. And also he just guides trips himself. Just tell him that you're a friend of Stephanie's dish so that he knows that you came from my referral. But just like, yeah, if you want to sign up for a Christmas market or you're interested in heading to the Amalfi coast, traveling with defined destinations is a really great opportunity. They do it extremely well. I have traveled a lot and so I've had some good experiences and some not so good experiences. So I know that when you travel with Michael, you're in good hands. I'm still just missing our guide Peter, who was with us on our last Sicilian trip, who turns out has been your friend for like 25 years.I just miss him. He's such a character. I loved him so much.Michael Kenney:Yeah. And that's great. Yeah. Peter's a good friend of mine for. He's our Austrian guy, but he's. He's got family in, in Italy and does some of our, our Central European trips. But again, like you said it too, it's, it's. Again, it's more than just the sights.You're building relationships even if you're not even looking for that. But it's fun to recall and all the good people you've met and the fun experiences you've had along the way. I love what I do, and hopefully it shows in our trips. It's all about having a great experience with great people, so encourage you. And you've been such a great part of the defined destinations family. Thank you, Stephanie.Stephanie:I love it.Michael Kenney:Looking forward to more.Stephanie:If I didn't, people know I would have kicked you to the curb long ago. And you even have got. You've even converted Kurt.Michael Kenney:So, I mean, yeah, that's great. So, yeah, it's about. About having fun and that's what we do. And we'd love to have you on, on any of our trips.Stephanie:Yeah. All right, you guys. So I'll put all that information that you need in the links below. We are going to Turkey and I hope you come. That's all I can say because I'm gonna probably be talking about it non stop because I'm so excited.Michael Kenney:That's great.Stephanie:I'm.Michael Kenney:I'm looking forward to it. Thanks again, Steph.Stephanie:Thanks, Michael. Okay, bye. Bye.Stephanie's Dish Newsletter is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit stephaniehansen.substack.com/subscribe

Original Episode Transcript FollowsStephanie:Hello, everybody, and welcome to Dishing with Stephanie's Dish, the podcast where we talk about food. A lot of times we talk to cookbook authors and kind of understand their process and what they're doing. Well, I'm just noticing my hair is real bedhead, but it is what it is. Friends, in this particular episode, I want to talk to my friend Michael Kenney. He is from Defined Destinations. He owns his own business, and it's a travel company. And. And Michael and I met about three years ago now, and we have done a number of trips together, and we are planning our April trip, which is going to be to Turkey, and we have a lot of different cities that we're going to visit.And one of the things that I've heard from a lot of people is they all know we're going to Turkey and they want to hear about it, and they're excited to know about the destination, but they're nervous about signing up for the trip. So said to Michael, let's just talk. Let's do a podcast where we give people an idea of what to expect, where we're going, what kind of things we're going to see. My friend Todd Walker, coincidentally has. He's in Turkey right now. And he said. And he's been. He travels all over.He works for the Viking Cruise Lines, doing trips for them and helping to write about them and help people experience them. He sent me a text, and he said, turkey is in his top three places he's ever been. He's just super hot on it. He's like, you are totally going at the exact right time. Because he's like, people are just starting to learn about it, but there's so many cool things. He said it's a trip like nothing has ever experienced before. So, Michael, I'm excited to talk to you about it. And people ask me like, well, why did you pick turkey? And I was like, why not? I have always.I met a guy 20 years ago and in Paris that was from Turkey, and first of all, he was gorgeous, so let's just go there. But second of all, he really, like, he just was telling me about where he lived and what Turkey was like and what the food was like. And he talked to me about the spice Trail and kind of how people came in through Istanbul and then crossed over into Italy and into Spain. And it made me feel like, wow, okay. Turkey is this very Mediterranean feeling place with tons of culture, and I've always wanted to go there, so I picked it. Michael, why did you allow me to pick Turkey? Knowing that it would be a destination that would be harder to sell for people.Michael Kenney:Yeah, I think that's what's great. And thanks for having me on, Stephanie. It's always a blast, you know, to travel with you and with your, your listeners. It just, we've built some really great bonds with the people, which has been a fun. So even our latest trip to Sicily. What, what a blast. And great people.Stephanie:Yes.Michael Kenney:But you going back to why we choose this and with Turkey, and that's what's great about you. It's like you're willing to try some new areas. And a lot of people are like, well, I've heard of Turkey. I don't know much about it. And I think that's where we both kind of glammed on. Like, let's go and let's have this experience. And we've been putting group trips together for 27 years and we have some great partners and some Turkish partners, too, that can really open up the, the eyes. I know several people that have been to, to Istanbul and everyone's heard of Istanbul, like, oh, it's a top five city on earth for a lot of people.And you're probably wondering, well, why? So I encourage you to kind of jump in, look at our website, do a little research on that. But Turkey is so, so much more than that. I. They have absolutely stunning beaches, their food culture, their spices, the seaside communities, the, the Roman ruins. They have so much in different little pockets. So Turkey offers. And I think that's what maybe gravitated you and I both to it. Just the diversity and still a little of that wonder, like what's, what's really, what's in Turkey.And I think, you know, we, we talked about a little earlier before the podcast about some of the places, you know, that are kind of overrun with tourists. And definitely Turkey is not there. It will be at some point. So it's kind of fun to get on maybe the ground level to, to some of these places and not just Istanbul, because it, it is busy, but some of the other places that we're going to go from Ephesus to Kabukia or Pamuk. There's so many different places that are on this trip that you've never even heard of. So it's kind of like, well, I haven't really heard of that. Go, go look at our website. Go do a little research on the Internet and see what.It's so amazing. The Europeans, they know of Turkey really, really well because it's a, it's a quick flight and they Absolutely love it. I'm in Europe nine times a year and the folks that I talk with over there, they absolutely love it. So it's kind of like a discovery trip for Americans. And what's great about our trip that will, it's fully guided. We have 31 meals included. We have the inner flight inside, Turkey included. So there's really no out of pocket expense for that.So you can really sit back and relax and take in the best of Turkey with our local guides. And there's just so much and I think that's what's going to be kind of fun to go discover. This place in our group is going to be no more than 15 people. It's a small group experience so you can really relax and enjoy that. And I know folks that maybe, well, what's a group tour? You know, I think you even mentioned that too for some people. Like, well, what do you do? It's again, we've kind of handled everything. We've taken care of the hotels, the buses, the cooking class that we're going to do. I mean, you might want to touch on that later.But we've taken all of that, these best of experiences and put it in one itinerary so you can sit back and relax and know that you're going to see the best of Turkey.Stephanie:I think explaining my husband Kurt's sort of transformation is good here. My husband is an independent person. He's owned his own business, he's a sailor. He would, he, he has no interest really in group travel. Like when I brought it up to him and that I was going to start leading trips, he was like, why would you want to do that? Why would you want to be with people you don't even know? Like, he is just anti group travel as a rule. And he came on our first trip, he wanted to come with us when we went to Cambodia and we went to Vietnam. He knew that he would never plan a trip to Asia on his own. So he thought, well, I'll go along on this group travel and I'll just suck up the group travel part because I get to go to this cool destination.Well, what happened is he loved it. He liked group travel. He liked meeting new people. He liked not being the person that had to be in charge of making sure that we got our luggage to the room and that we made it to the right flights and that he had to carry all the stuff and all the itinerary. He kind of liked that he wasn't responsible for all that. And he liked the food, he liked Meeting the people he liked, not having to be in a city he'd never been in and figure out exactly where we were going to eat every single meal. We had flexibility. Obviously, on these trips, we want it to be your trip.In our Sicily experience, you mentioned a couple times, like, if this doesn't feel like something you want to do, then don't do it. Do something else for the day. We can help you orchestrate other things. He really loved the idea that he didn't have to do everything. And in fact, when we did our cooking class in Sicily, which was amazing, by the way, we learned to make arancini, which they call arancino. We made a thing called a pinella, which was a chickpea pancake that they eat in a sandwich, which was kind of different. But Kurt didn't want to do the cooking class. He was like, you know what? I think I'm just gonna go walk around the city.So him and another friend peeled off and, like, that's the joy of these trips. We plan everything, but if you're tired or if you just want a day of rest, you can do that too. We really try to make it so that we know it's your experience. We're not as interested in you just being forced to come along on things that you're not interested in. We're interested in your experience. We want you to have a good time. So if Kurt Johnson can get turned on to group travel, I feel like, seriously, anyone can.Michael Kenney:No, that's. That's well said. I would have never guessed that about Kurt initially. You know, and I wouldn't call him an introvert by any means, but I think we get, you know, a lot of people like that with. With. Kurt. You know, maybe their. Their.Their husband or their wife drags them on a trip, and they're like, you know what? This is actually pretty cool, especially for the person that maybe is doing typically all the planning. And it's stressful. You know, we do all that for you, but you can really, again, sit back and enjoy. You spend a lot of money to go on these trips, and that's what we want. So we want you to feel like you. You have that. That freedom, too. When we set up our hotels in nice, central locations and safe areas, too, that you can go out and explore, so we encourage you to do that.But honestly, we feel pretty good that the pace of these trips are designed really well, that you have that flexibility, because we want you. Yes, you're in a group, even a small group, but we want to make it feel like you're having these experience with, with a friend or a family member that's with you too, that you, you feel like you're, you're having these little exploring trips, but it's all kind of put together already for you. But again, we, we have time for you to go exploring, to have these other experiences, which is really, really important. Balance is so important. Over 27 years, I think we've really, we focus on that so we know that, that people are comfortable having that free time to explore. But again, having the, the framework of an itinerary with, with experiences. Typically, we might do a city tour in the, in the morning and then have the rest of your day free to have your own exploring. Then maybe for, especially for this trip with the 31 meals that will meet up and have dinner in a place.And again, they're all being curated with our local team too, in the area that you're going to have foods local from the area in great mom PA type of restaurants. So sometimes it's stressful when you're trying to figure out where am I going to go eat, what should I do? I want to make sure the dinner is going to be great. We've got that taken care of so you can sit back and relax. And again, we know most of you probably have not heard of a lot of these places. Please, we implore you to go and take a look at the itinerary, do a little research, because I guarantee in a few years from now, these are going to be mainstream and you'll be able to go explore and see these places before they're overly busy. So take a look at this itinerary.Stephanie:I was impressed because when I first was thinking about Turkey, I went on a map and I didn't realize, like, when I started going to Croatia, I didn't realize how close Croatia is to Italy. That literally they share a sea and that a lot of Italians use Croatia as their summer vacation spot.Michael Kenney:Yeah.Stephanie:And I didn't also realize that Turkey and Italy are very close and that a lot of Europeans, because they've got EasyJet there, that's an Italian airline, they're going to Turkey like we would be going to Palm Springs. I mean, a lot of Europeans are experiencing Turkey and it's just not a destination that a lot of Americans are familiar with. But a lot of people are going there and having fun, doing fun things. This. It's been so fun for me to watch my friend Todd Walker, because he went to Cappadocia, which is a city that we're going to go to and they have all these fairy houses that are like these stone. They look like dunce caps sort of. They're these weird structures. And he, like, actually spent the night in one of them.He did a hot air balloon r there, which is part of our itinerary. If someone wants to add that on, I know Kurt's going to do that. It's like he went and he had all this video of it where there's 140 hot air balloons going up kind of all at once out of this city. It just looks so completely cool. And then the. The huge market. There's like, the world's largest market. So all of these trips, I always end up with a group of great women shoppers.And I'm like, okay, bring an extra bag, ladies, because you're going to come home with a rug and you're going to come home with all of these spices. There's 4,000 stalls in the Grand Market in Istanbul. Do you know that?Michael Kenney:Yeah, the Grand Bazaar. I didn't know exactly how many, but, yeah, it's massive.Stephanie:So just that, like, I love getting into a market and just, like, seeing all the different things, feeling all the different spices. In Sicily, we had an opportunity to go to the market, and afterwards we had our. Our local guide that kind of takes you around and shows you where everything is and gives you a sense of maybe what to look for at the market. And then we split up and Kurt and I, he just wanted to drink beer in the market and kind of experience feeling in the market. So we went and got sandwiches. But a bunch of other people, like, shop till they dropped. Like, they had huge shopping bags full of stuff. So if your jam is shopping, great.If your jam is just sitting and taking in the culture, great. Like, you can also learn more about a city by spending time with the city guides that are with us. They're always having lunch with us, and we have a bus driver that we get to know in certain trips. It really just. We just got back from Sicily and we had such a great experience. We had such a great trip. It was probably one of my favorite groups because a lot of the folks had traveled with us before, so we really knew each other, too. It's group travel is really fun.I'm just. I don't know, I'm really jazzed about it, and I'm jazzed about Turkey, and I want people to come. If you could describe Ephesus, because that's a place that I haven't been before and you have what is that like?Michael Kenney:Yeah, Ephesus, it was, you know, built by the Romans in the time of Christ, so 2,000 years ago. And it's. You're walking through. It's. It's unbelievable. It's not like when you're at the Roman Coliseum or that area around there that's actually, it feels like it's in. More in ruins, if you will. But you're like in this village, this Roman village that you can think of, the Apostles walk, maybe if you're, you know, religious.Mary, Jesus's mother, has walked. And the. Still, the stone streets are there. You know, a lot of the buildings are in ruins, but the library, the, the whole front facade is still there. It's, it's unreal. It feels like you're just being brought back in time. And there's truly nothing like Ephesus, which is just right outside of the, the village of Kusadasi, or city in Turkey. But it's, it's like the.If, again, if I could have an analogy, like you're in Rome, but to another level that it's, it's much more, I would say intact. Still in ruins, but intact. But this, this, this village that it's in hibernation. So walking these streets. And we have these local guides as you touched on too, that kind of can bring everything to, to, to life. So, you know, you're not looking through your, your book and trying to like, well, what is this? You listen to an audio guide or our, our local guide speaking about that. So you're learning about the history. But Ephesus is, is.Is unbelievable. And we're not going to see. There's other ruins and more Roman sites and throughout this trip, so you'll really get, you know, a history. I wouldn't say a deep dive. They touch on it. So you're not like, oh, this is so boring. But you even said it's, it's a trip like this is great for, for shoppers, if you want to shop. I'm not a shopper.I like to do what Kurt does. Sit down, maybe have a beer and take it all in and do nothing. Just take in the people walking around, the smells. There's. There's nothing like it. And again, I think this trip to Turkey really offers a potpourri of different experiences. So if you're a foodie, if you're into photography, to culture, to history, this trip really ticks all the boxes. And I guarantee it, you'll love it.You'll love the trip. But then even at the end you. There's a great chance you're going to make lifelong friends on, on a trip like this too. So it's, it really ticks a box of. Of of experiences. So hopefully April is a great time to go to. The temperatures you can expect, you know, low 70s, you know, 50s, 60s at night. So it's really comfortable.Not like in the summer when it's really busy and it's busier with the Europeans and the temperatures hotter. This April time is a great time to visit for sure.Stephanie:Can you talk a little bit about what the food is like? Like, I have an idea, but I don't really know. Like, is it Mediterranean? Is it like meat and pomegranates and couscous?Michael Kenney:Yep, you're nailing it right now. No, it. It is like that. So I think I encourage again people to. To look online too, to see what some of these are. But you maybe have heard of, you know, baklava or, you know, kebabs, the lamb, the beef, the chicken. They have, you know, the different kebabs, lots of different spices, ganache, as many, you know, like fried dishes too, but then a lot of cooked on open fires. But I would say, I wouldn't necessarily say it's comfort food, like German, you know, in having, you know, some of the staples that you might know, but still something that's not too odd.It's probably more closer to home than maybe some of the French food you would see. But you'll see a lot of lamb, the beef, I said some of the fried foods, lots of, you know, from your Turkish delights and different things like that. So I think even when we're walking around in the market, you'll get that. And then we'll at our dinners have different meals as well that will infuse some of these different experiences. So it won't be something completely foreign, but it'll be. It'll be comfortable enough that I think you'll enjoy it, but it definitely be a nice array of different experiences with the food.Stephanie:I haven't told you this, but one of the places, and I don't know where I'm going to do this, but I am going to find. Have you ever been to a hammam or done the spa experience where like, you lay on like hot marble and it's sort of like a sauna and you get sweaty and then you like, go into a room and they like brush you with salt and scrubby things and like completely clean you. It's a Muslim tradition and it's the most amazing thing I've ever done. I did this in Athens and I loved it so much. We went three times while we were in Athens.Michael Kenney:Wow.Stephanie:Find a spa that does this there. I don't know in what city or where we are, but I know a local guide can help me when we get there.Michael Kenney:Yep.Stephanie:Both Kurt and I, it was just the most amazing, relaxing experience. Just someone scrubbing you with all these different herbs and salts. And they have weird little brushes that your eyes are closed and. And you can't even. Like. One of them was this big, puffy, like, pillow feeling that was running across the top of your body. It was so weird, but so great.Michael Kenney:Yeah, I haven't done it. I've seen them. I've done, like, the part that we're just going in, like, in the. In the sauna or the steam bath. That's it. I haven't had the full rub down yet. Maybe on this Turkish.Stephanie:We're going to do it. Yeah, it's great. I'll do it.Michael Kenney:No, it'll be fun, but no, it's very popular over there. The Turkish amans. To do that. So there definitely will be that opportunity. I will. I'll give it a shot. You know, it'll be interesting to have someone scrub me down with salts. But, hey, life's about to have any experiences and.And I'm. And I'm. I'm for it, but I'm glad you enjoyed that. But, yes, they definitely have that. And you'll have that opportunity if you want again. It's. Yeah, it's always. It's.Stephanie:I'm not gonna make anyone go get naked and do this, but if you want to get naked and do this, I'm telling you, it's amazing. And they probably actually. They wear bathing suits because they're pretty modest. Or they'll have, like, a separate women's area and a separate men's area. When we did it in Athens, it was men and women together, and we wore bathing suits. And then when you got into the private room, you could take your bathing suit off. And they were very modest and helpful, but.Michael Kenney:Yeah. So being comfortable. Yeah, no, that's. That's great. Well, that'll be. Maybe we'll just get a whole group and do that to get so great.Stephanie:Yeah, it's just like. It was one of the best things I've ever done. And I. I like spas and massage, and I've done a lot of weird things like that. This was, like, just amazing. Well, I'm excited. I hope that people will join us. The way it works is you can find all the itinerary on defined destinations website.We'll link that in the show notes here you can see each particular day and what city you'll be in and what you'll be doing and what's included. I would imagine in most of these breakfast is included because that's typically a sort of European thing to do. And then as he's. As Michael said, a lot of the meals are included. I do think when you're breaking open a new destination, it's important to kind of give people a sense of what they're going to be experiencing. And food is obviously a big part of that. And food is a big part of my journey on this trip. Turkish delights, if you've never had them, they're like this beautiful little jelly.Turkish coffee is very different. It's a much more intense coffee experience. So if you're a coffee drinker, you'll learn a lot. Also, olive oil is very much present in Turkey. Like again, I keep comparing it to Italy, but it is right across the water. So there's a lot of different olive oils that are used in Turkey, a lot of different spices. We're going to have fun. So the way this works is you can go online, you can put your deposit down and full payment is due I think in January for this trip.You can book your own travel if you want to, meaning get your airfare to get to where we're going to meet for the trip. Or you can use Michael's got a service that can help you book all your airfare. I personally like to control my airfare because I like to have the miles and I like to know exactly how I'm going to set things up on my itinerary. Kurt and I also like to get there like a day or two in advance just to get acclimated a little bit before the rest of you guys come. So that I'm not super jet lagged. I'm on fire by the time you arrive. And yeah, we do. There's going to be a lot of beautiful wine, I'm assuming too, because that's something that there's a great grape destination there.You don't know about Turkish wines yet, but you will. They, they exist. There's actually quite a lot of them. Yeah. And that's how it works. Michael, you've got a special offer just to get people that may be on the fence a little bit. Yeah.Michael Kenney:Well, we're excited. The trip again is April 9th through the 20th. And again, go online, take it just take a look at the website, look at some of the pictures. You'll absolutely love it. And then even all the things that we've talked about that aren't even mentioned in the itinerary, there's so many fun things. But if you're listening to this and you're new to register, you'll get $200 off per person if you register for the trip. Final payment is January 1st, so just think about that. So this would be a great.A great gift for a loved one. Hey, let's. We're going to go to Turkey. And I hear more and more people are. They want to have a travel experience rather than having tangible things about having experiences, especially with ones you love. So hopefully this trip to Turkey, if you want to try something new and have just an amazing experience about a place you maybe haven't heard too much about, I think you'll absolutely love it. So just go to defined destinations.com, like Stephanie said. She'll have the link there, too.Against April 9th through the 20th. You can register right there. If you need help with airfare, we're happy to do that. So we make it pretty easy for you on that end. So we're gonna. We're gonna have a blast with a great group of people and hopefully, you know, you'll want to join this small group of no more than 15 people.Stephanie:Is this the time that we tell people that are listening to maybe stay tuned. I mean, we do have a pretty epic October trip planned.Michael Kenney:Yeah, no, I mean, go for it. We don't have the. All the dates totally confirmed, but we're. Yeah, go ahead.Stephanie:Well, we're working on one of the trips. So I have taken people to Spain, I've taken people to Croatia, I've taken people to Cambodia, Thailand, and now Turkey. And the Croatia trip was really magical and people loved it. And I have a huge fondness for Croatia. Obviously, I've been there a lot, and there were a lot of people that wanted to go on that trip that didn't get the opportunity because it's a luxury experience. It's a luxury yacht. It's small rooms or not small rooms. It's a small ship with actually, the rooms were quite big for a boat.And so we had so many people that wanted to do that itinerary again. Michael said, hey, how about we do it again? But I'll add a couple of new things so that it's a new experience for you too, Stephanie, because there is. I've never been to Zagreb, which seems probably surprising since I've been to Croatia so many times and there's a bunch of these finger lakes. What do they call those? Is it the plastic lakes?Michael Kenney:Yeah, the Plaviche Lakes National Park. Yep.Stephanie:The national parks in Croatia are legendary. If you. I mean Mijet has one of the most beautiful national parks on it with a monastery in the middle of this lake. So we are going to be taking another small group. It'll be smallish. I think we had 28 on our last.Michael Kenney:Yeah, enough to fill the boat. And the boat only can sleep like 34. So it's a small experience on that. But yeah, I'm excited to go back to that again. That's been one of our hot sellers, our Croatia trip. So with the Zagreb and the Blevice lakes and then our seven night cruise, the Croatia trip will be great. So maybe you want to do two trips. Our beautiful Turkey trip in the spring and then come October we'll have this amazing trip to, to Croatia.So go out and have experiences and hopefully you want to join us. I think you'll find great value, great meals just. And great people that to travel with.Stephanie:And if you're listening and you want to explore Michael's other trips because he takes trips with other people, not just me. And also he just guides trips himself. Just tell him that you're a friend of Stephanie's dish so that he knows that you came from my referral. But just like, yeah, if you want to sign up for a Christmas market or you're interested in heading to the Amalfi coast, traveling with defined destinations is a really great opportunity. They do it extremely well. I have traveled a lot and so I've had some good experiences and some not so good experiences. So I know that when you travel with Michael, you're in good hands. I'm still just missing our guide Peter, who was with us on our last Sicilian trip, who turns out has been your friend for like 25 years.I just miss him. He's such a character. I loved him so much.Michael Kenney:Yeah. And that's great. Yeah. Peter's a good friend of mine for. He's our Austrian guy, but he's. He's got family in, in Italy and does some of our, our Central European trips. But again, like you said it too, it's, it's. Again, it's more than just the sights.You're building relationships even if you're not even looking for that. But it's fun to recall and all the good people you've met and the fun experiences you've had along the way. I love what I do, and hopefully it shows in our trips. It's all about having a great experience with great people, so encourage you. And you've been such a great part of the defined destinations family. Thank you, Stephanie.Stephanie:I love it.Michael Kenney:Looking forward to more.Stephanie:If I didn't, people know I would have kicked you to the curb long ago. And you even have got. You've even converted Kurt.Michael Kenney:So, I mean, yeah, that's great. So, yeah, it's about. About having fun and that's what we do. And we'd love to have you on, on any of our trips.Stephanie:Yeah. All right, you guys. So I'll put all that information that you need in the links below. We are going to Turkey and I hope you come. That's all I can say because I'm gonna probably be talking about it non stop because I'm so excited.Michael Kenney:That's great.Stephanie:I'm.Michael Kenney:I'm looking forward to it. Thanks again, Steph.Stephanie:Thanks, Michael. Okay, bye. Bye.Stephanie's Dish Newsletter is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit stephaniehansen.substack.com/subscribe

Years ago, I was at a youth conference where we needed to raise some money for a camp scholarship fund. So we challenged the kids to buy their counselor into this Friday night food fight. Well, the kids found the money alright pretty quickly! So, Friday night all of us leaders showed up on the field of battle with the campers watching like sadistic spectators at the Roman Coliseum. Now, for starters, we got hosed down so everything would cling to us. I have to tell you, in retrospect, I'm embarrassed about the food we wasted. But we did it, so I'll tell you about it. Round One was flour. The campers got their money's worth as we redecorated each other with this blizzard of flour, followed by eggs, then fudge sauce. Can you imagine this? Get the idea? The last round was the worst - lard. Yea, from our hair to our toes, we were totally gross by the end of this massacre. Our only satisfaction was at the end when we went after those kids and gave them a big, gooey hug. Yeah, it was great! I couldn't wait to get a shower, though. And I was there for a long time. Ever try to get lard off? Probably not. Well, I have never felt dirtier - but clean has never felt better! I'm Ron Hutchcraft and I want to have A Word With You today about "Feeling Dirty, Getting Clean." If you've ever felt real dirty, you know how much you enjoyed that shower that made you clean again. If only there was a shower that could make us clean on the inside, where we carry the guilt, and the regrets, and the dirt of the things we wish we'd never done, or the things we should have done and we didn't do. Unfortunately, there's no medication, there's no therapist, not even a religion that seems powerful enough to remove the dirt on our soul. That's why our word for today from the Word of God is such good news. Acts 3:19 - "Repent and turn to God so that your sins may be wiped out, that times of refreshing may come from the Lord." Now look at this! All the sins of your life can be wiped out, erased from God's records forever. God says you can be clean - that you can have a new beginning. He is actually offering a cleansing spiritual shower for those who repent and turn to Him. That means you acknowledge the wrongness of what you've done and that you're ready to turn from your sin-choices and turn to Him for a new beginning. Look, we all have things we're ashamed of, things we're not proud of, things that make us afraid of what God will do when we meet Him on Judgment Day. According to the Bible, the sins of our life will, in fact, make it impossible for us to ever enter God's Heaven because there is no sin there. Our only hope is if somehow God will forgive a lifetime of choices that have left Him out. And there's only one place where a spiritual shower like that is available. It is at the cross of Jesus Christ, the place where every sin of yours was paid for. You carry all the garbage of your life up that hill, you give yourself in total trust to the One who paid for your sin on that cross with His life, and you leave your sin at that cross forever. You may have started this day guilty, but you could go to sleep forgiven tonight and finally clean. God's promise: "Everyone who believes in Jesus receives forgiveness of sins through His Name" (Acts 10:43). There is nothing you've done that is so bad that Jesus did not pay for it on the cross. Today could be the day you are finally clean. If you've never trusted Jesus to be your own Savior from your own sin, would you tell Him you're doing that right now? Your sins will be erased. He promised. And you'll never carry them again or face them when you meet God. And the only thing that would keep you from heaven can be gone today. We've put the information on how to begin with Jesus at our website. Please go there today. That's ANewStory.com. That day I felt so gross, it was an awesome feeling to stand in that shower and have all that accumulated junk get washed away. That's what Jesus wants to do for your heart, my friend. It is such an incredible feeling to be finally clean!

Tyler and Konnery eat pizza atop the Sphinx, warp fight in the Roman Colosseum, and avoid a holy war as they cover this month's Failed Franchise Friday with "Jumper (2008)"! Together they they play a new Friendmail (thanks for the name Cameron!), discuss the metaphysics behind jumping powers, the once-planned Jumper trilogy, Hayden Christensen's undersung Hollywood career, and so much more on this Coffee-in-Parising, Maldives-surfing, Kilimanjaro-napping episode of The Friendchise Podcast!

Fr. Daniel Alloy, FSSP, has served as Parochial Vicar at Regina Caeli Parish in Houston, Texas, since July of 2022. He was ordained in June of 2020. In Today's Show: What is the church's view on predestination? How do you become a trad Catholic without the Latin Mass? Is Boxing sinful? Is cohabitating before marriage sinful? What roles did deacons have in the old church? Why are Catholics seemingly idolizing Charlie Kirk? Should I receive communion by the tongue or hand? Should all religious objects be blessed? Why do priests leave their vocation? Is simulation theory contrary to catholicism? Were Catholics martyred in the Roman Coliseum?  Visit the show page at thestationofthecross.com/askapriest to listen live, check out the weekly lineup, listen to podcasts of past episodes, watch live video, find show resources, sign up for our mailing list of upcoming shows, and submit your question for Father!

Welcome to Trusty Trivia! Each Thursday you get to play a Trivia game with the Trusty Narrator! Have fun seeing if you can answer these three questions, Smartypants!

Step into the roaring chaos of ancient Rome as we journey inside the legendary Roman Coliseum — the arena where emperors entertained the masses with spectacles of blood and glory. From the engineering marvels that allowed it to hold over 50,000 screaming spectators to the brutal contests that made gladiators immortal, we uncover the history, myths, and legacy of this iconic monument. And because no tale of battle is complete without metal, we're cranking up Warkings' epic anthem “Gladiator” to bring the thunder straight to your ears. The sand may be ancient, but the spirit of the arena still rages — Let the games begin!

Welcome to another episode of Spooky Gay Bullsh!t, our new weekly hangout where we break down all of the hot topics from the world of the weird, the scary, and issues that affect the LGBTQIA2+ community!This week, we cover: a tourist finds themselves impaled at a Roman Colosseum, a jail sends itself into a tailspin by temporarily losing an inmate, a beauty influencer is killed on live stream, a woman ends her marriage based on a psychic reading from AI, and conflama over an alleged kangaroo fight takes mainstage in a death investigation.See you next Friday for more Spooky Gay Bullsh!t!Join the Secret Society That Doesn't Suck for exclusive weekly mini episodes, livestreams, and a whole lot more! patreon.com/thatsspookyGet into our new apparel store and the rest of our merch! thatsspooky.com/storeCheck out our website for show notes, photos, and more at thatsspooky.comFollow us on Instagram for photos from today's episode and all the memes @thatsspookypodWe're on Twitter! Follow us at @thatsspookypodDon't forget to send your spooky gay B.S. to thatsspookypod@gmail.comSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

From Amphitheaters to Apps: The Evolution of User ExperienceLong before we had screens, scroll wheels, or skeuomorphism, we were already wrestling with what it meant to design for humans.Take the Roman Colosseum, for example.Built nearly two thousand years ago, this wasn't just a feat of architecture—it was a carefully orchestrated user experience. The Romans didn't just think about how to build it. They thought about how people would use it.They designed for easy access, with a ticketing system based on numbered entrances and a layout that could empty 50,000 spectators in under 15 minutes. The acoustics were finely tuned so the roar of the crowd carried across the arena, and shaded awnings (the velarium) helped protect people from the sun. Every detail was intentional.It was, in many ways, a masterclass in UX before UX had a name.UX Has Always Been About PeopleWe like to think of UX as a digital thing. But humans have been designing with users in mind since the first tool was shaped to fit a hand. Egyptian sickles curved to match the arc of an arm. Greek amphitheaters optimized for sightlines and sound. Roman roads were engineered for ease of maintenance—because someone had to clean them, after all.These weren't just technical solutions. They were people-first designs.Even medieval cathedrals were built with experiential thinking. Architects considered the way light would filter through stained glass at different times of day. The experience of awe wasn't accidental.And while we'll skip ahead now (you didn't pick up this book for a lecture on Mesopotamian farming tools), it's worth acknowledging this simple truth:UX isn't new. Only the term is.The Digital ShiftThings changed in the mid-20th century. The rise of aviation and computing forced us to formalize our approach to usability. Mistakes became expensive—or fatal. So, human factors engineering emerged. We studied how people interacted with complex systems and tried to design those systems to be safer and more intuitive.It started in cockpits. Aircraft instrumentation had to be easy to read and understand under pressure. This wasn't about making things pretty. It was about saving lives. That pragmatic approach to human-centred design later shaped everything from microwave interfaces to early computer systems.Fast forward to the 1980s, and computing hit the mainstream.That's when things really took off.At Xerox PARC, researchers introduced the first graphical user interface. Apple took it further with the Macintosh, turning computing from a tool for specialists into something everyone could use. Suddenly, usability wasn't just a nice-to-have. It was a competitive advantage. And in 1993, Don Norman, while working at Apple, coined the term "User Experience."“I invented the term because I thought human interface and usability were too narrow.” — Don NormanThat moment matters. Because what Norman was arguing for was a broader view of design. Not just the screen. Not just the features. But the entire experience—from the first moment someone hears about a product to the support they receive after using it.“User experience encompasses all aspects of the end-user's interaction with the company, its services, and its products.” — Don Norman and Jakob NielsenIn other words, UX was never meant to be confined to wireframes and user flows. It was meant to be everything.UX Gets StrategicBy the early 2000s, UX had a seat at the table—albeit a wobbly one. Jesse James Garrett released The Elements of User Experience in 2002, which became a cornerstone for the field.Garrett didn't just break UX down into layers—strategy, scope, structure, skeleton, and surface—he emphasized that it all starts with strategy. Before we push pixels or run tests, we need to understand user needs and business goals.That idea changed things.We weren't just designing interfaces. We were shaping how people experienced products, services, and even entire brands. UX wasn't just implementation. It was about shaping products from the very beginning, not just making tweaks at the end.And as agile methods took over, UX adapted again. We embraced faster feedback loops, closer collaboration, and more iterative design. We moved from long documentation to quick prototypes. From abstract personas to real user insight.By the 2010s, UX had grown up.Design thinking gained traction. Suddenly, UX was sharing the spotlight with business strategy. Service design entered the conversation. We weren't just designing digital tools—we were solving human problems, often in messy, non-linear ways.UX vs. Everything ElseAs UX matured, we saw these disciplines emerge from within it. Our understanding of UX broadened, leading to specialization in areas like UI design, product design, service design, DesignOps, and even extending into marketing and customer experience.So let's clear things up a bit:UI Design is about what the user sees and interacts with. Think buttons, typography, animations. It's the look and feel.Product Design is broader. It connects user needs with business goals. Product designers care about features, roadmaps, KPIs, and how the product evolves over time.DesignOps and Service Design sit more behind the scenes. They're about scaling design efficiently. They orchestrate people, tools, and workflows to support good outcomes—kind of like stage managers for a show who make sure the lighting, props, and crew all hit their marks. You might never notice them when everything goes well—but without them, the whole production risks falling apart.And UX?UX is front of stage. It's the performance the audience actually experiences. It's the story that unfolds when someone buys your product, uses it, recommends it, or gets frustrated and gives up. Every moment on that journey is part of the user experience, whether it's a sleek onboarding flow, an unreadable error message, or a helpful reply from customer support.UX is the full experience. It's not a department. It's not a phase. It's not a deliverable. It's what happens to your users—whether you intended it or not.Take something as emblematic as buying an Apple product. The UX includes everything from the anticipation built by the marketing, the elegant packaging design, the satisfying moment of lifting the lid, the device that powers on right out of the box, the intuitive setup process, and even the helpful support at the Genius Bar.You might admire the product design. But the experience is everything that surrounds it—something Apple has understood since Don Norman helped shape their approach in the early 1990s.“No product is an island. A product is more than the product. It is a cohesive, integrated set of experiences… Make them all work together seamlessly.” — Don NormanA good UI is important. A strong product strategy is essential. But if the experience feels clunky, frustrating, or inconsistent—none of it matters.UX connects the dots.It asks: How does it feel to use this? Does it make sense? Does it meet a real need?And it reminds us that what we design isn't just a product or a service. It's a human moment.The Reality CheckSo, UX has matured significantly. Most business leaders now understand its importance, at least in theory. You'll rarely hear someone argue against the value of good user experience.But understanding isn't the same as implementation.The reality in many organizations is far from the idealized vision we read about online. UX teams are often understaffed and under-resourced. They're expected to deliver transformative results with minimal support, limited budgets, and impossible timelines.The problem goes deeper than resources. UX has been fundamentally misunderstood and under-appreciated within many organizations. Instead of being involved in strategic decisions from the start, UX professionals are often relegated to implementation roles—brought in to "make things pretty" after all the important decisions have already been made.True UX work—which should touch every aspect of how users interact with an organization—frequently runs into organizational silos. The kind of cross-functional collaboration required for excellent user experience threatens established power structures and comfortable routines. As a result, UX's wings are clipped, its scope limited to safe, contained projects that won't ruffle too many feathers.The promise of UX isn't just about better interfaces—it's about better organizations. But that promise remains largely unfulfilled in many companies.These challenges aren't just frustrating for UX practitioners; they're holding back organizations from delivering truly exceptional user experiences. The gap between what's possible and what's actually being delivered continues to widen.Throughout the rest of this email course, we'll explore these challenges in detail and, more importantly, discuss practical strategies for overcoming them. Because understanding the problem is only the first step—what matters is how we respond to it.Your Turn: Reflect and ShareIn our next email, we'll explore what it means to be a true UX designer within an organization. But, between now and then, I encourage you to reflect on your current role. Consider whether there's a gap between what others in your organization expect from you and what you believe you should be doing. Are you being asked to simply "make things pretty," or are you empowered to shape meaningful experiences.Take a moment to jot down your thoughts. This reflection will be valuable as we dive deeper into defining and claiming our role as UX professionals.Also, if you wouldn't mind, share those thoughts with me by replying to this email. Your insights will help shape the future content of this course, ensuring it addresses the real challenges you face in your UX role. I read every response and use them to make this journey more valuable for everyone.User Experience design has evolved far beyond its digital roots. From ancient Roman architects to industrial designers, and finally to today's digital interfaces - the journey of UX shows how we've always strived to create better human experiences.

Keith, Karen, Chad, & Cat sit down to recap the 2025 Institute Trip to Greece & Italy. Part 2 shares memories and highlights from Pompeii, the Mamertine Prison, Roman Colosseum, and exploring & enjoying the culture of Italy.To learn more about future trips with the Kanakuk Institute, click here.

Podcast Summary Imagine standing amidst the roaring cheers of the WM Phoenix Open Pro-Am, right on the edge of the iconic 16th hole, famously referred to as the Roman Coliseum. As a top 100 golf teacher, I found myself in the thrilling role of caddying for the event's sponsor, guiding him through an exhilarating day of golf. With the crowd's energy electrifying the air, my player stepped up like a true "king for the day," delivering a shot just nine feet from the hole, raising the temperature of excitement even higher. Join us as we recount this unforgettable experience, rubbing shoulders with golfing greats like Jordan Spieth and Joel Damon, and having a swing at the prestigious "shot at glory" contest. We then transition from the greens to the cutting-edge world of golf technology, unraveling how advancements in simulators and launch monitors are reshaping the game. Brands like TrackMan, Foresight, and Full Swing Golf have made professional-level practice accessible right from the comfort of home. Esteemed instructors Ryan Manzella and John Dunnigan share their insights on integrating these technologies into their teaching studios, showing how even a modest home setup can significantly boost your game. We'll also walk you through the essentials of creating your own home golf simulator, ensuring that these innovations aren't just for the pros but for anyone eager to improve. But what if you're not ready to invest in high-tech gadgets? Fear not, as we explore simple yet effective ways to refine your golf swing without breaking the bank. From using basic tools like the Orange Whip or even a flexible rope to enhance swing technique, to incorporating quality putting mats and feedback tools like the RoboCup, we offer practical advice for honing your skills at home. As a new golf season edges closer, these tips and strategies will help shake off any offseason rust, ensuring you're prepared to hit the course with renewed confidence and skill. Tune in for a blend of stories, expert advice, and practical insights designed to inspire your golfing journey. Podcast Summary Imagine standing amidst the roaring cheers of the WM Phoenix Open Pro-Am, right on the edge of the iconic 16th hole, famously referred to as the Roman Coliseum. As a top 100 golf teacher, I found myself in the thrilling role of caddying for the event's sponsor, guiding him through an exhilarating day of golf. With the crowd's energy electrifying the air, my player stepped up like a true "king for the day," delivering a shot just nine feet from the hole, raising the temperature of excitement even higher. Join us as we recount this unforgettable experience, rubbing shoulders with golfing greats like Jordan Spieth and Joel Damon, and having a swing at the prestigious "shot at glory" contest. We then transition from the greens to the cutting-edge world of golf technology, unraveling how advancements in simulators and launch monitors are reshaping the game. Brands like TrackMan, Foresight, and Full Swing Golf have made professional-level practice accessible right from the comfort of home. Esteemed instructors Ryan Manzella and John Dunnigan share their insights on integrating these technologies into their teaching studios, showing how even a modest home setup can significantly boost your game. We'll also walk you through the essentials of creating your own home golf simulator, ensuring that these innovations aren't just for the pros but for anyone eager to improve. But what if you're not ready to invest in high-tech gadgets? Fear not, as we explore simple yet effective ways to refine your golf swing without breaking the bank. From using basic tools like the Orange Whip or even a flexible rope to enhance swing technique, to incorporating quality putting mats and feedback tools like the RoboCup, we offer practical advice for honing your skills at home. As a new golf season edges closer, these tips and strategies will help shake off any offseason rust, ensuring you're prepared to hit the course with renewed confidence and skill. Tune in for a blend of stories, expert advice, and practical insights designed to inspire your golfing journey. Chapters Caddying at the WM Phoenix Open (00:01) Caddying at the WM Phoenix Open Pro-Am for the sponsor, experiencing the lively atmosphere of the 16th hole, and competing alongside pros like Jordan Spieth. The Advancements of Golf Simulator Technology (13:00) Golf technology has rapidly advanced, allowing for year-round practice with realistic simulators and topographical hitting mats, as discussed by top instructors. The Benefits of Golf Simulators (20:13) Sim in a box allows for convenient at-home golf practice with valuable feedback on key data points. DIY Golf Practice Without Technology (34:17) Nature's surprises and opportunities in golf, debates on green reading techniques, and tips for practicing at home. Improving Golf Swing at Home (43:01) Enhance golf swing with training aids like flexible rods and ropes, promoting body-initiated technique for improved game. Chapters (00:00:02) - Caddying at the WM Phoenix Open (13 Minutes) This chapter captures an exhilarating day at the WM Phoenix Open Pro-Am, where I had the privilege of caddying for the event's sponsor. As a top 100 golf teacher, I recount the unique experience of carrying a hefty golf bag through the lively atmosphere of the 16th hole, famously known as the Roman Coliseum. The crowd's energy was palpable as my player, dubbed the "king for the day," was introduced with much fanfare. He skillfully navigated the pressure, hitting an impressive shot just nine feet from the hole and making a birdie putt amidst roaring cheers. Our day continued with a solid performance alongside pros like Jordan Spieth and Joel Damon, culminating in a memorable moment as we returned to the arena for the "shot at glory" contest. (00:13:01) - The Advancements of Golf Simulator Technology (7 Minutes) This chapter highlights the rapid advancement of golf technology, especially in launch monitors and simulators. We discuss how the technology available for home use now rivals professional models from just a few years ago, making it possible for golfers to practice year-round regardless of climate. The conversation touches on various brands, such as TrackMan, Foresight, and Full Swing Golf, noting their significant improvements and the enhanced feedback they provide. Additionally, we explore the advancements in hitting mats, which now offer realistic topographical features to mimic course conditions. We also share insights from top golf instructors like Ryan Manzella and John Dunnigan, who have built state-of-the-art teaching studios using cutting-edge technology. Lastly, we consider the costs and components involved in creating a home golf simulator, emphasizing that even a modest setup can provide substantial benefits for improving one's game. (00:20:14) - The Benefits of Golf Simulators (14 Minutes) This chapter explores the concept of "sim in a box," an $8,000 setup that allows golf enthusiasts to practice at home using a launch monitor and simulator. We discuss how this setup can fit conveniently in a garage, providing an easy transition from practice to playing on a real course. The focus shifts to the valuable feedback provided by these simulators, highlighting the key data points golfers should pay attention to, such as club path, carry distance, and total distance for drivers. While advanced metrics like spin rates are available, we emphasize the primary information most useful for the average golfer to improve their game. (00:34:17) - DIY Golf Practice Without Technology (9 Minutes) This chapter explores the incredible experiences and unexpected opportunities that come from a life dedicated to teaching and playing golf, such as caddying at the WM Phoenix Open. I reflect on the joy and surprise of these moments and the fortunate position I find myself in, living and teaching in sunny Palm Springs. We touch on the ongoing debates in golf about green reading techniques, specifically the efficiency of AimPoint Express compared to traditional methods. Additionally, practical tips are shared for improving your golf game at home without high-tech simulators. From investing in quality putting mats to utilizing tools like the RoboCup for feedback, these strategies offer ways to practice effectively indoors. The conversation is a mix of personal anecdotes and practical advice for golf enthusiasts looking to hone their skills. (00:43:02) - Improving Golf Swing at Home (2 Minutes) This chapter focuses on enhancing your golf swing using various training aids. We explore the benefits of using a flexible rod with weighted ends, such as the Orange Whip or similar tools, which can be swung using your arms due to their heft. However, the emphasis is on using a simple rope as a training aid, highlighting how its flexibility requires you to initiate your swing with your body, thereby promoting a more effective technique. We encourage listeners to practice at home, reiterating the importance of patience and persistence as a new golf season approaches. By incorporating these tips and reflecting on the insights shared throughout the episode, you can improve your game and shake off any rust from the off-season.

The Roman Coliseum has better plumbing than my apartment building. Tarantino says “2019 was the last real year for movies,” and I agree with him quite emphatically. For the movie Blink Twice, you're better off blinking just once, and then holding it for 2 hours. Don't get “Buffaloed” by the movie “Buffaloed.” (It's a Canadian piece of shit) My Beatles are coming! The Deadguy documentary. I went to the heart doctor and they almost needed defribulators instead of electrodes. A day of shooting and French fry betrayal.

Josh Wright makes another appearance on Vibing With Sleezy. We discuss Reptiles, Kentucky Basketball, John Calapari, SEC Basketball, the NBA, NBA All Star Voting, the NFL Pro Bowl, Chat GPT Stories, Roman Colosseum, Mascots, and more! 

Join us for this year's NCSEA Policy Forum, happening Jan. 30th –Feb. 1st in Washington, DC! Hosted by Mariellen Keely, this episode features special guests and Policy Forum Co-Chairs, Trish Skophammer and Carla West. Trish, Director of Child Support Services in Ramsey County, MN, brings over 27 years of experience in child support evolution. Carla, Division Director for Human Services in North Carolina, shares insights from her 28-year career spanning multiple states and roles. With the theme "Holistic Changes: Continuing to Build a Program That Serves Families," the forum will explore innovative strategies, impactful policies, and the future of child support services.

Gladiator II is the massive sequel to director Ridley Scott's award winning original film, released in 2000. This time everything is raised up a few notches though. The sound team of Paul Massey (Dialog/Music Re-Recording Mixer) Danny Sheehan (Supervising Sound Editor), Matt Collinge (Supervising Sound Editor & SFX/Foley Re-Recording Mixer) and Stéphane Bucher (Production Sound Mixer) had to equal, and even exceed, that levelling up with their sound work. So much detail and effort went into making the crowd reactions in the Roman Coliseum, almost narrate the emotions of the battles. The production sound team and the audio post team had to work hand in hand to create this impressive feast for the ears. This episode is sponsored by Sound Ideas, check out their 50% off sale happening now until Jan 31st: www.sound-ideas.com Notes: https://tonebenderspodcast.com/294-gladiator-ii/ Podcast Homepage: tonebenderspodcast.com This episode is hosted by Timothy Muirhead

This is our third bonus episode and our fifth review of the season! We are covering one of Dad's childhood favorites: Cecil B. DeMille's notorious tale of forbidden love and Roman Empire decadence, The Sign of the Cross. With scandalous scenes such as the Dance of the Naked Moon and an over-the-top extravaganza in the Roman Colosseum (naked women! elephants trampling gladiators! lions mauling Christian traitors!), Sara and Dad discuss whether this movie is a hidden treasure or a guilty pleasure.PLUS, our history timeline includes a perplexing moment where Albert Einstein is...a villain? Books mentioned by Dad:Louvish,  Simon. Cecil B. DeMille and the Golden Calf. Faber & Faber, 2007.Quirk, Lawrence. The Films of Fredric March. Citadel Press, 1971.Boller, Paul. Hollywood Anecdotes. William Morrow & Company, 1987.Please leave us a review wherever you are listening!Email us rants as well as raves: sheacinema@gmail.comYou can also find us on Instagram (and now Twitter/X): @sheacinema

On this episode of Drive-In Double Feature Podcast, Nathan and Ryan dive into Gladiator (1992), a gritty sports drama that trades the Roman Coliseum for underground boxing rings. Starring James Marshall and Cuba Gooding Jr., this lesser-known 90s gem delivers hard-hitting fight scenes, intense rivalries, and the emotional weight of a young man battling for justice and survival. The hosts discuss the film's blend of action and drama, its commentary on corruption and class struggles, and how it stands out in the world of fight films. With its high stakes and 90s aesthetic, Gladiator packs a punch worth revisiting. Don't miss this deep dive into a film that might have slipped under your radar.

Take a trip back in time to Ancient Rome, to discover the bizarre and barbaric world of the gladiators. But who were these mysterious warriors? And how much truth lies behind the legends? Take your seat in the Roman Colosseum, the games are about to begin. This is a Short History Of the Gladiators. A Noiser production, written by Addison Nugent. With thanks to Dr. Neville Morley, historian and author of The Roman Empire: Roots of Imperialism. Get every episode of Short History Of a week early with Noiser+. You'll also get ad-free listening, bonus material, and early access to shows across the Noiser network. Click the Noiser+ banner to get started. Or, if you're on Spotify or Android, go to noiser.com/subscriptions. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

This week on The Broski Report, Fearless Leader Brittany Broski impersonates Josh Kiszka, analyzes different types of fan behavior, discusses The Roman Colosseum, and otherwise takes the nation on a journey through her rapid train of thought. 

The Captains discuss movies coming to theaters in October/November of 2024.  In this episode, we'll talk about addiction, the creation of a conman, the creation of a comedy institution, and a return to the Roman Colosseum. The OutrunThe ApprenticeSaturday NightGladiator IIWebsite: https://amoviepodcast.com/Twitter: @ItsaFilmPodcastInstagram: @toomanycaptainsproductions

The newly anointed Reclaimers begin their trek across the globe in search of the pieces of an ancient mechanism that may sway the war in their favor. Their first stop - the Roman Colosseum where evidence points to a secret passage. The Reclaimers must work together to solve the puzzle that gains them access to the catacombs below as the moon shines down from above. Our original band of WWII Superheroes come together once more to combat the forces of the Axis Powers in part two of our In the Shadow of Evil campaign entitled In the Mouth of Madness. Featuring players from Startplaying.gamesMusic featured from Syrinscape: https://syrinscape.com/attributions/?id=22&id=928Like what you see? Support us on Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/DreamslayerStudiosPick up your Dreamslayer Merch at https://www.teepublic.com/user/dreamslayer-studios or https://dreamslayerstudios.creator-spring.com/Check out our website at https://dreamslayerstudios.renderforestsites.com/Join us on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/dreamslayerstudios.entertainment/A Marvel Superheroes FASERIP RPG Actual PlayMusic and SFX in this episode provided by Syrinscape https://app.syrinscape.com/Additional Music from this episode may come from the following sources: Tabletop Audio and Monument Studios Thanks to our monthly supporters Shawn Pearce (FluffyAlpacaGM) Staci Teter Artalis Jonathan Morton Alan Johnson Oraxsis Laura Shepherd Clint Byrd Michael Brightbill

The newly anointed Reclaimers descend into the depths of the Roman Coliseum in search of the Roman Dodecahedron. Within the catacombs, a puzzle awaits and an ancient Roman myth comes to life.Our original band of WWII Superheroes come together once more to combat the forces of the Axis Powers in part two of our In the Shadow of Evil campaign entitled In the Mouth of Madness. Featuring players from Startplaying.gamesLike what you see? Support us on Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/DreamslayerStudiosPick up your Dreamslayer Merch at https://www.teepublic.com/user/dreamslayer-studios or https://dreamslayerstudios.creator-spring.com/Check out our website at https://dreamslayerstudios.renderforestsites.com/Join us on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/dreamslayerstudios.entertainment/A Marvel Superheroes FASERIP RPG Actual PlayMusic from this episode may come from the following sources: Tabletop Audio and Monument Studios Thanks to our monthly supporters Shawn Pearce (FluffyAlpacaGM) Staci Teter Artalis Jonathan Morton Alan Johnson Oraxsis Laura Shepherd Clint Byrd Michael Brightbill

Football Guys' Sigmund Bloom makes his first appearance on the Randomizer and goes on an 18-round trip where he compares players to the Roman Coliseum and panda bears, locates a hacky sack, and treats us to some ASMR.

From the Roman Colosseum to battlefields and corporate meetings, the elevator has taken humanity to quite a few places throughout history. And no one quite loves a good elevator like everyone on moving day. On today's podcast episode, we take a little bit of time for a little bit of gratitude for elevators.

BONUS EPISODE – Pack your bags for Italy and dust off some clues with us as we dig into our first episode of a new ongoing bonus series – Ancient Venues. For this first episode we take a look at the Amphitheatre of Capua (Anfiteatro Campano), located in modern day Santa Maria Capua Vetere, Italy. We are joined by Valerie Higgins, Associate Professor of Archaeology at The American University of Rome, who guides us through the history of this legendary venue from the Roman Empire. The current amphitheatre sits on the site of two former, smaller amphitheatres, the first of which is presumed to have been built close to 100 B.C. It is second in size only to the Roman Coliseum and is located next to what was the most notable school for gladiators, where Spartacus was from and began his rebellion. We learn all about this incredible venue, historic venue terminology, seating and ticketing, events that were hosted, why large scale events like this took place, concessions and design, and its fascinating hypogeum – located under the arena floor where they staged scenery and warriors for the events. Whether you're a venue nerd or a history buff, or a little of both, you'll love hearing all about this ancient wonder that helped shape the venues we all know and love today.Valerie Higgins: Website | Papers | Book ––––––ADVENTURES IN VENUELANDFollow on Instagram, LinkedIn, Facebook, or X/TwitterLearn more about Event & Venue Marketing ConferenceMeet our team:Paul Hooper | Co-host, Booking, Branding & MarketingDave Redelberger | Co-host & Guest ResearchMegan Ebeck | Marketing, Design & Digital AdvertisingSamantha Marker | Marketing, Copywriting & PublicityCamille Faulkner | Audio Editing & MixingHave a suggestion for a guest or bonus episode? We'd love to hear it! Send us an email.

Ladies and gents, hold onto your hats, grab your ketchup and mustard, and get ready for the mother of all hot dog-eating contests! This week's episode of the “What are We Doing” podcast is serving up a buffet of bizarre news, juicy rivalries, and the kind of absurdity you've come to expect and love. First up, let's talk about the gastronomic gladiators themselves: Joey Chestnut and Takeru Kobayashi. These titans of the tubular meat world are set to face off in the ultimate hot dog-eating contest, “Chestnut vs. Kobayashi: Unfinished Beef,” streaming live on Netflix this Labor Day. Yep, Netflix is now your go-to source for watching grown men devour hot dogs like they're training for an apocalypse where food is solely measured in units of hot dogs per minute. For those of you who've been living under a rock (or maybe just not paying attention to the high-stakes world of competitive eating), Joey Chestnut is the guy who once inhaled 76 hot dogs in ten minutes. That's right, the man is a literal black hole for frankfurters. And now, after being booted from Nathan's Hot Dog Eating Contest for cozying up to vegan hot dogs—yes, you heard that correctly, vegan hot dogs—he's back with a vengeance. His arch-nemesis, Kobayashi, the former hot dog overlord, is coming out of retirement because nothing says “unfinished business” like a few thousand calories of beef and bun. Just when you thought things couldn't get weirder, enter stage right: Donald J. Trump, the man who puts the “why” in “why is this happening?” Fresh from a meeting with his probation officer, Trump went on an impassioned rant about the dual threats facing our great nation: sharks and electric boat batteries. Forget the economy, climate change, or healthcare. No, the real issue plaguing America is the shocking epidemic of battery-powered boats sinking and leaving their hapless passengers to choose between electrocution or becoming shark chow. In a moment of sheer brilliance, Trump pondered the existential dilemma: “Do I get electrocuted if the boat is sinking and water goes over the battery, or do I jump over by the shark and not get electrocuted?” This is the kind of hard-hitting, deeply intellectual question that keeps America up at night. Biden? Sleepy Joe is probably too busy napping or running his alleged global crime family to even consider the lethal combination of aquatic predators and boat batteries. Why are the boats sinking? Is it a Democratic plot to destroy our freedom? Are the sharks secret agents working for the Biden Crime Family? These are the real questions, people! Forget about inflation or foreign policy—Trump is the hero who's going to save us from the electrifying jaws of battery-powered boat destruction. Vote wisely, or else face the wrath of the underwater electric apocalypse. Moving on from the ridiculous to the just plain scandalous, Chris Brown is back in the news. This time, it's not for throwing shade or fists but for throwing hands—literally—on his fans' derrières. Brown's meet-and-greets have evolved into legendary events where fans can not only meet the star but also experience his enthusiastic grasp. For a mere $1,111 (a nod to his “11:11” album), fans get a whole package deal including early concert entry, signed merch, and a personal photo op with Brown himself, complete with booty-grabbing action. Yes, you too can have a memory that will last a lifetime: a picture of Chris Brown cupping your cheeks like he's shaping pottery in “Ghost.” Fans are flocking to these sold-out events, eager to be the next viral sensation with a photo that screams, “I met Chris Brown, and all I got was this unexpected fondle.” So there you have it, folks. Episode 145 of the “What are We Doing” podcast is a rollercoaster ride through the bizarre, the hilarious, and the downright absurd. From hot dog showdowns that make the Roman Colosseum look like a playground scuffle, to presidential shark rants that belong in a sci-fi thriller, to celebrity meet-and-greets that redefine “personal touch,” we've covered it all. Stay tuned, because as long as there are hot dogs to eat, sharks to misunderstand, and celebrities to awkwardly engage with their fans, we'll be here to bring you the best of the bizarre. Until next time, keep your ketchup close and your sense of reality closer. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/what-are-we-doing-pod/message Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/what-are-we-doing-pod/support

Reporting from the depths of the great Santa Clara County hailstorm of 2024, the Earful Gang is back in the fray! We overcome a series of bright flashing lights as well as the blinding Hayden glint to pick apart the eighth five minutes of Jumper, in which Millie wears cute socks, falls out of a bed, and David opens so many gates. We give listeners an appropriate amount of factual content about the history of the Roman Colosseum. Featuring the famous segments "Jump Into Spelling", "What's That Shirt?", "We Weed the Tweets", "One Final Reminder", and a super-sized edition of "Pageful of Jumper".

Part 2 Acomi and Turk continue with their open discussion on child actors. With so much talk about the Quiet On the Set docu-series, and the lack of protection for the actors, the two talk why these abuses have gone on for so long. To break dreary tone of unfortunate victims, Acomi talks about someone he can wait to see hurt. The upcoming boxing match between "Iron" Mike Tyson and Jake "my Pokemon cards are fake" Paul. Hoping for a Roman Coliseum style fight where only the mystery man himself walks out of the ring. Turk talks about WWE's disastrous Brawl For All boxing tournament, and Ray "Boom Boom" Mancini's tragic fight. #OMTWF #Acomi #Turk182 #KorovaEntertainment Follow Acomi on Twitter at @AcomiDraws and on Instagram at AcomiDraws. Follow Turk182 on Twitter at @Turk182_KE and on Instagram at Turk182_KE.

The coaches are back! Johntay gotta get on the line with 1-800-Gambler (03:22). Mike breaks down his O's game experience with pops (08:11). Salute to LSU, but Iowa was the better team that night (24:47). Rolly's horrendous footwork lead to a devastating victory for Cruz (35:38). Final Boss Rock is a MENACE in the WWE (57:21)! With much more! #RIPBigReese

This is The Briefing, a daily analysis of news and events from a Christian worldview.Part I (00:13 - 09:35) ‘We See What We Want to See': What Interest in ‘Bigfoot' Teaches Us About HumanityWhat the hunt for Bigfoot teaches us about ourselves by The Washington Post (Carl Hoffman)Part II (09:35 - 12:16) Should Christians Attend the Wedding of Unbelievers? — Dr. Mohler Responds to a Letter from Listeners of The BriefingPart III (12:16 - 14:18) When Do You Decide to Use the Name of a Person When Addressing a Public Controversy and When Do You Do So Without Mentioning a Name? — Dr. Mohler Responds to a Letter from Listeners of The BriefingPart IV (14:18 - 16:53) How Do Christians Decide What Significant Events to Attend for Friends and Family Members? — Dr. Mohler Responds to a Letter from Listeners of The BriefingPart V (16:53 - 17:44) Should Protestant Christians Attend Roman Catholic Funerals? — Dr. Mohler Responds to a Letter from Listeners of The BriefingPart VI (17:44 - 18:27) What About a Birthday Party? Coming to Terms Some New QuestionsPart VII (18:27 - 22:26) Does it Matter If Christians Were Really Martyred in the Roman Colosseum? — Dr. Mohler Responds to a Letter from Listeners of The BriefingPart VIII (22:26 - 24:20) How Do Christian Parents Decide Which Portions of Scripture to Read to Young Children? — Dr. Mohler Responds to a Letter from Listeners of The BriefingPart IX (24:20 - 26:48) What Do You Really Think About Christian Counseling? — Dr. Mohler Responds to a Letter from Listeners of The BriefingSign up to receive The Briefing in your inbox every weekday morning.Follow Dr. Mohler:Twitter | Instagram | Facebook | YouTubeFor more information on The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, go to sbts.edu.For more information on Boyce College, just go to BoyceCollege.com.To write Dr. Mohler or submit a question for The Mailbox, go here.

(00:00) Patriots broadcaster Bob Socci joins the show to discuss last night's game and the season outlook. (18:05) Rich thinks that Italy should agree to host the Musk vs Zuckerberg fight at the Roman Colosseum. (33:36) THE STACK   CONNECT WITH TOUCHER & RICH: Twitter: @Toucherandrich | @FredToucher | @KenGriffeyrules  Instagram: @toucherandrichofficial | @fredtoucher Facebook: Toucher & Rich Twitch: TheSportsHub   Visit the Toucher & Rich page on 985thesportshub.com. Follow Boston's home for sports on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram!

Folks, on this week's episode we hear about Wimbledon banning sex in their quiet room, a guy who carved his name into the Roman Colosseum, a judge who was too wacky on Tik Tok, a man who was ignored during an armed robbery, and whether or not you can use an emoji on a legal contract We are on Patreon! Become a patron for weekly bonus eps and more stuff!: www.patreon.com/whatatimepod Check out our YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/c/whatatimetobealive Get one of our t-shirts, or other merch, using this link! https://whatatimepod.bigcartel.com/ whatatimepod.com Join our Discord chat here: discord.gg/jx7rB7J @pattymo // @kathbarbadoro // @eliyudin // @whatatimepod © 2023 What A Time LLC

On this week's episode of the Need to Know Podcast, SaVon, Alex, and Regi delve into the blacked situation involving Adam22 and Lena The Plug (10:18). The gang then engages in a discussion about the podcast wars within the media industry (35:45). They also touch upon the intriguing topic of a potential boxing match between Mark Zuckerberg and Elon Musk in the Roman Colosseum (55:52). Lastly, the crew talks about the downfall of Twitter (59:45) and the rap album of 2023 (1:09:38) before Alex wraps up the podcast with the "Fun Fact of the Week" (1:19:16). Become a Patron for additional bonus episodes and access to both our voicemail number and monthly giveaways: www.patreon.com/NeedToKnowPodcast Get your Need to Know Mixer tickets today to take advantage of early bird pricing: posh.vip/e/the-need-to-know-podcast-mixer

Tim, Ian, Hannah Claire, & Kellen join Alex Stein & Ashley St. Clair to discuss Elon saying the Zuckerberg fight could be held at the Roman Colosseum, DeSantis' new attacks on Trump, PornHub pulling out of Virginia over new age verification law, & Michigan passing a bill making misgendering a felony. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jerry starts with a Yankees win big against the A's (as they should) including a homer for Josh Donaldson and a bunch of RBIs for IKF. The Mets lost again and lost the series and are anemic at best. Marlins had an exciting moment in their surprising season. Former GM of the team David Samson was on with Dan Le Batard and called Derek Jeter a “fraud”. Phoenix Suns introduced Bradley Beal. Ernie Johnson spoke to Charles Barkley at a golf tourney who announced the former was going into the Broadcasters Hall of Fame. Josh Hart stays with the Knicks. NFL suspends Isaiah Rodgers indefinitely for gambling along with three other players. Boomer says just don't bet. Period. Gio questions whether a big star would be suspended. TMZ reports that the Italian government wants to host the Elon Musk/Mark Zuckerberg fight in the Roman Coliseum.

Hour 1: It's a Summer Feel Good Friday. We start with the weather and the air conditions today. Hopefully a good day despite the smoke from the fires in Canada. We transition to talking about Big Zoo losing weight, getting healthy and getting healthy by the bike tour next year. On the sports front, we talk about the Knicks wanting to trade for James Harden. Gio doesn't want it under any circumstance even if his being on the team would be the talk of radio every day. Boomer says the Knicks need someone who makes everyone else better and how Julius Randle is not that person. Jerry starts with a Yankees win big against the A's (as they should) including a homer for Josh Donaldson and a bunch of RBIs for IKF. The Mets lost again and lost the series and are anemic at best. Marlins had an exciting moment in their surprising season. Former GM of the team David Samson was on with Dan Le Batard and called Derek Jeter a “fraud”. Phoenix Suns introduced Bradley Beal. Ernie Johnson spoke to Charles Barkley at a golf tourney who announced the former was going into the Broadcasters Hall of Fame. Josh Hart stays with the Knicks. NFL suspends Isaiah Rodgers indefinitely for gambling along with three other players. Boomer says just don't bet. Period. Gio questions whether a big star would be suspended. TMZ reports that the Italian government wants to host the Elon Musk/Mark Zuckerberg fight in the Roman Coliseum. The hour ends with a story about an airport in Bangkok, Thailand when a woman lost her leg after getting her foot dragged into a moving walkway. However, there is talk they might be able to reattach the leg - maybe. 

Hour 1: It's a Summer Feel Good Friday. We start with the weather and the air conditions today. Hopefully a good day despite the smoke from the fires in Canada. We transition to talking about Big Zoo losing weight, getting healthy and getting healthy by the bike tour next year. On the sports front, we talk about the Knicks wanting to trade for James Harden. Gio doesn't want it under any circumstance even if his being on the team would be the talk of radio every day. Boomer says the Knicks need someone who makes everyone else better and how Julius Randle is not that person. Jerry starts with a Yankees win big against the A's (as they should) including a homer for Josh Donaldson and a bunch of RBIs for IKF. The Mets lost again and lost the series and are anemic at best. Marlins had an exciting moment in their surprising season. Former GM of the team David Samson was on with Dan Le Batard and called Derek Jeter a “fraud”. Phoenix Suns introduced Bradley Beal. Ernie Johnson spoke to Charles Barkley at a golf tourney who announced the former was going into the Broadcasters Hall of Fame. Josh Hart stays with the Knicks. NFL suspends Isaiah Rodgers indefinitely for gambling along with three other players. Boomer says just don't bet. Period. Gio questions whether a big star would be suspended. TMZ reports that the Italian government wants to host the Elon Musk/Mark Zuckerberg fight in the Roman Coliseum. The hour ends with a story about an airport in Bangkok, Thailand when a woman lost her leg after getting her foot dragged into a moving walkway. However, there is talk they might be able to reattach the leg - maybe.  Hour 2: Hour starts with callers wanting to talk about the Bangkok airport mangled leg story. The first caller goes for a one-liner and it doesn't land. They can't all be gems. The next guy talks about how people are not careful when using moving sidewalks - allowing their kids to sit and play around on them. Disasters waiting to happen. We talk about how confusing it is to get in and out of MSG and how much of a “dump” MetLife Stadium is and that it's difficult to get to if you're in Long Island. Congestion pricing also comes up and how terribly dirty an experience using the subway is. Jerry's back and starts with the Yankees win with some quotes from players. Also a very excited fan after the perfect game. The Mets losing the game when they had a chance gets a mention including Howie's call featuring the entire stadium booing in the background. Another Shohei Ohtani home run. The Rays announcer lost his voice and had to leave during the broadcast. An odd error loses it for the Padres which makes Adam Schein very upset. Harvard University addresses abuse in their women's hockey program. The coach quit because of it. Celtics introduce Porzingis and other NBA notes. In the final segment of the hour Shohei Ohtani comes up regarding where he ends up and how great of a player he is. If he ends up on the Giants, would be the greatest player who was on a team named the Giants. Hour 3: Pete Hoffman's swollen tongue becomes the topic of discussion along with how fast he speaks. Is Tiki a “fraud” Yankees fan? According to Carton he is.  The last Carton & Roberts show is discussed as well as the upcoming Evan & Tiki show and Brandon Tierney with Sal Licata. Jerry's got remarks from Kiner-Falefa regarding the Yanks win and the team feeling positive right now. Mets simply not doing well. Even good players have given up. A stolen home plate in extra innings to no avail as Royals score two in the bottom of the tenth. Discussion about arguing balls, strikes and challenging calls. Some NBA notes as well. Finally, an issue with Braxton Berrios and his dating life. Hour 4: Discussion of the rumors regarding the Knicks wanting to get James Harden. No one is happy about it. We also discuss what other options the Knicks have and what they might want to pursue. But the consensus is that Harden ain't the one. July 4th coming up. Let's face it, the Mets aren't just mediocre - they stink.

Scott Pelley explores images captured by NASA's James Webb Space Telescope, the world's most powerful space telescope. Speaking with astrophysicists and astronomers, Pelley reports on the telescope's discoveries of distant galaxies, including one that's over 33 billion light years away, and an observation that, if confirmed, could upend the belief on how the universe formed and more. In the days of the Roman Coliseum, they called it “Bread and Circuses”—leaders using entertainment to distract citizens from genuine problems. Today, Saudi Arabia is accused of using the same tactic with a different name: "sportswashing." Is the Kingdom diversifying its economy, as they insist, or covering up human rights abuses and political repression? Jon Wertheim traveled to Saudi Arabia to find out. Four years after the Cathedral of Notre Dame was nearly destroyed by fire, Bill Whitaker returns to Paris to witness the resurrection of the medieval structure and powerful symbol of France.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

The Roman Colosseum is a giant, oval amphitheater built almost two thousand years ago. Despite its age and a 14th century earthquake that knocked down the south side of the colosseum, most of the 150-some foot building is still standing. Like many ancient Roman structures, parts of it were constructed using a specific type of concrete. Scientists and engineers have long suspected a key to these buildings' durability is their use of this Roman concrete. But exactly how this sturdy concrete has contributed to the architecture's strength has been a mystery to researchers across the globe.A team of interdisciplinary researchers have recently discovered one answer to why these ancient Roman buildings have weathered the test of time — while many modern, concrete structures seem to crumble after a few decades. The answer: self-healing concrete. Curious about other new discoveries or potential climate solutions scientists are researching? Email us at ShortWave@NPR.org.