Podcasts about Ron Swanson

Growth stalls when perception outweighs reality. In this episode, Kevin and Alan unpack why facing the truth—no matter how uncomfortable—is key to real progress. Expect real talk, honest laughs, and powerful insights to help you close the gap between where you are and where you want to be.Learn more about:Next Level Nation - https://www.facebook.com/groups/459320958216700_____________________NLU is not just a podcast; it's a gateway to a wealth of resources designed to help you achieve your goals and dreams. From our Next Level Dreamliner to our Group Coaching, we offer a variety of tools and communities to support your personal development journey.For more information, please check out our website at the link below.

In What I've Been Watching, I chat about the 2018 Jon Hamm, Catherine Keener release "Nostalgia," which I found available for viewing at the Uintah County Library in Vernal, UT. Great space, and very cool show!   Hi! My name is Terry J. Aman, marking my 101st episode of VideoFuzzy, reporting the progress I've made in cataloging thousands of VHS transfers and digital recordings. First, heading toward my eighth anniversary doing this podcast, I'm trying to build some engagement. I posted an 11th installment of "VideoFuzzy: The Video - Celebrating 100 Episodes!" at https://youtu.be/eWfcCDiOZ2I. Please share as you're able to with anyone you feel might enjoy this production. Also, most of my recent episodes have posted with promos, so those are also available to share freely. And you have to scroll all the way down, but there are more general promos posted at https://videofuzzy.libsyn.com. Enjoy! This set covers discs 1801 to 1825 in my Classic Collection. For my Fuzzy Feature, from Disc 1818 I pulled up the "Parks and Recreation" second season episode "94 Meetings," and traced Cross Connections for Dan Butler, Jane McGregor, Robert Englund, Timothy Olyphant, Zeljko Ivanek, Robert Picardo, Tony Hale, John Barrowman, Diane Farr, Stephen Weber, Larry Widmore, Ted Bagley, Julie Benz, Krinstin Chenowith, Martha Plimpton, Yeardley Smith and Alex Kingston, plus from "Eli Stone" and elsewhere, I celebrate Golden Thread Loretta Devine. In my Classic Collection, I call up my 2010 "TV is the New Reading" podcast commentary on "Happy Town." David Tennant and Patrick Stewart shared the stage in a PBS "Great Performances" production of "Hamlet." Plus comments on "Doctor Who," "Fringe," "The Crying Game" from 1992, and I highlighted insights by fellow podcaster Terry Geo's "Refracted World" at Refracted World "Love is Love Legally" at https://bit.ly/3RoEg0L. Also, "Damages," "Mercy," "South Park," "The Office," "Community," "The Simpsons," OKGO on "The Colbert Report," "Minnesota Original" and on "The Daily Show with Jon Stewart," Jon hilariously simulated capping the BP oil spill. In What I've Been Watching, comments on the pilot episode of "Continuum," plus "Captain America: Brave New World," Trey Parker's "Orgazmo," the 2003 Edie Falco pilot of "Fargo," you can find a copy of that posted here: https://bit.ly/4jdNPMb. Also, Jon Hamm and Catherine Keener in the 2018 production of "Nostalgia," and the six-episode 2023 Netflix production of "Queen Charlotte." Happy viewing! TOP FIFTEEN: Here's a "Top Fifteen" episode guide for people looking for a quick read-in on this blog and podcast effort: https://videofuzzy.libsyn.com/about. Enjoy! 

The Misfit Athletics team unveils "Ulysses," their thoughtfully designed post-Open GPP phase named after Ron Swanson's middle name from Parks and Recreation. This jack-of-all-trades approach to programming serves as the perfect reset button after the intensity and specificity of the CrossFit Open season.Stepping away from specialized training cycles, Ulysses embraces true CrossFit methodology by delivering constantly varied, functional movements across all time domains and modalities. Athletes will experience everything from heavy lifting days to monostructural conditioning, couplets, triplets, AMRAPs and more - all without bias toward any particular skill or strength domain. The goal is simple yet powerful: be stronger, fitter, more powerful, and more mobile than yesterday.For coaches, this phase presents both challenges and opportunities. Unlike specialty phases focusing on a single lift pattern, Ulysses requires coaches to be ready with their complete toolkit, prepared to teach and correct varied movements each day. This mental engagement keeps coaching fresh and develops a deeper understanding of how different elements contribute to comprehensive fitness.A significant addition to this phase is the introduction of "competitor extras" - supplemental programming for those wanting additional training volume. While this serves as an important affiliate retention tool, Matt and Hunter emphasize the need for coaches to have meaningful conversations about who should actually be doing extra work. Often, the barrier to fitness improvement isn't found in more volume but in refining nutrition, recovery, and movement mechanics.Whether you're a longtime Misfit affiliate or considering trying their programming for the first time, the Ulysses phase offers the perfect entry point with its balanced, methodology-driven approach to fitness. Sign up for the two-week free trial starting March 24th and experience programming that's been field-tested and refined in their Portland "laboratory" gym.------------------------------Misfits! We hope you enjoyed this episode. If you did and you're feeling generous throw us a review and let us know how we're doing, we'd really appreciate it.If you'd like to join the Misfit family and get fit head to misfitathletics.com and start your free trial today.Free Trial on PushPress:https://www.pushpress.com/partners/misfitFree Trial on SugarWOD:https://app.sugarwod.com/marketplace/misfitathletics/misfit-affiliate-class-programmingAs always, shout out to our sponsors who make this podcast possibleSharpen The Axe - sharpentheaxeco.comProper Fuel - properfuel.coFor your Individual programming needs - misfitathletics.comFor your Gym programming needs - teammisfit.comFor your Apparel needs - sharpentheaxeco.com

Βαμπίρ και Ron Swanson. Get in touch: Email | Twitter Ι Facebook Group Hosted by: George Zokas – Facebook | YouTube | Instagram Manos Vezos – The Vez | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram Ι Apple Music

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President Trump recapped actions taken in his first six weeks in office in an address to a joint session of Congress Tuesday. Some Democrats walked out of the president's speech. CBS News' Nancy Cordes has more. "Face the Nation" moderator Margaret Brennan joins "CBS Mornings" to discuss what President Trump said in his speech to Congress. Following President Trump's new tariffs against Mexico, Canada and China, some companies, like Best Buy and Target, say price hikes are expected. The head of a Canadian company who supplies molds for parts used by car manufacturers in the U.S. expressed concern over the impact of the tariffs, saying he could be out of business in less than a year. China has vowed to retaliate against President Trump's new tariffs. While lawmakers at an annual meeting of China's legislature did not answer questions regarding the tariffs, one of China's leaders did acknowledge geopolitical tensions, a reference to the escalating trade war. CBS News' Anna Coren has more. President Trump told Congress that negotiations for a Ukraine ceasefire have resumed following last week's tense Oval Office meeting with Ukraine's president. National Security Adviser Mike Waltz joins "CBS Mornings" to discuss the latest developments. NASA astronauts Butch Wilmore and Sunny Williams have been waiting for nine months to return from the International Space Station and could be heading back to Earth in a few weeks. President Trump and Elon Musk are claiming they could have returned sooner, but the astronauts dispute feeling abandoned. Legendary actor Tony Danza, known for "Who's the Boss?" and "Taxi," returns to TV as Queens mob boss Stefano in "Power Book III: Raising Kanan." His character controls business in New York with strict rules and high stakes. Danza joins to talk about his role and the new season. Actor Nick Offerman, known for playing master woodworker Ron Swanson on "Parks and Recreation," is a director of the nonprofit "Would Works." The program teaches carpentry skills to young people facing hardships, helping them build careers and stability. Adam Yamaguchi visits Offerman's Los Angeles woodshop to learn more. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Join the discord and prepare for the movement - https://discord.gg/Pzwfy6MxG3 Support My Shows Here - https://linktr.ee/projectrooq LIVE STREAM TTS DONATIONS - https://streamlabs.com/projectrooq/tip Project ROOQ Website MORE CONTENT - https://www.projectrooq.com/ My Patreon - patreon.com/projectrooq Instagram - www.instagram.com/projectrooq/ #PODCAST #YOUTUBE #DISCLOSURE #SHAUNATTWOOD #PROJECTROOQ #NEWS

It's fitting that we are returning back to our February 3rd, 2022 episode in this second set of our featured episodes on belonging and leadership. In this episode, entitled Network Connectivity issues, we shared with our listeners how we as a guild maintained our connection and commitment to creating as we went through the first of several major shifts.  Because unlike Ron Swanson, we are always interested in caring about people…even if we haven't worked with them for three years.  Stay tuned!

VS episodes are back! Our friend, Luke Richter is back! Our 2 favorite shows, The Office and Parks and Rec are back!! LET'S GOOOO! Take a listen to hear Luke give his favorite Dwight Schrute quotes, and Jacob give his favorite Ron Swanson quotes! Follow us on Instagram and X - search for @therankerspodcast You can email us for anything at therankerspodcast@gmail.com  Don't forget to like, rate, and review us on whatever platform you're listening on

Are you ever going to text me?Jason has listened to most of this episode (but hasn't finished it).Jason, Jim, and Joseph review the best movies of 2024.What do you mean, "You People!” Joseph admits to being a sucker for a good road-trip flick. Jason's documentary entry is nothing more than a Dunkin Donuts commercial. Wicked 2: Electric Boogaloo Jim has decided to take the same amount of time to critique Boyhood as it took to make it. Chalamet over Hubert? Joker 2: fans 1 (Spoiler - it's Jason) Jim and Jason are impressed with the return of Chet from Weird Science.Who voted for Ron Swanson? Is Joseph a true F1 Racing fan?

Leave it to Mark and Allen to wait until the podcast is almost done to deliver an interview like this. It was so great to meet with Mike Scully - what a nice guy, a great conversationalist, and a good sport! Not only is his body of work fascinating, but he doesn't mind when we accidentally add credits to his resume that don't even exist (keep your ears peeled to hear Mark make a royal screwup, LOL). The boys were extremely lucky to get a chance like this to talk with Mike around late September 2024. We got to hear about Mike's work on big shows such as Everybody Loves Raymond and The Simpsons (and Parks of course), what he thought about acting as Pawnee citizen Pearl, concerns he had about Champion the 3-Legged Dog, his start in stand-up (and two famous people he met in the process), and many, many other topics. Please tune in and listen to a thoroughly interesting and tremendously entertaining conversation with writer/producer Mike Scully.

I'm worried what you just read was LOTS of rain and thunder. What I said was ALL the rain and thunder. (Shoutout to Ron Swanson from Parks & Rec!) After Ron heard there was no internet or phone service on this tropical island, he immediately packed his bag and left southwestern Indiana for only his second time. As he is happily eating all the eggs and bacon in the jungle, a crazy rainstorm pelts the trees with buckets of rain while thunder rumbles in the distance. Two soothing nature sounds in one video! Whether you're eating an entire tropical island's supply of breakfast fare or trying to sleep or study, this thunderstorm is a great background sound to set the mood. And Ron, aka Duke Silver, knows all about setting the mood. Since Ron is not encouraging company to join him on the island, we can all enjoy this video of jungle rain with lightning. By blocking out distracting sounds, the rainforest white noise is perfect for helping you fall asleep and remain sleeping all night long. This episode was originally published in 2022. Here are some great products to help you sleep! Relaxing White Noise receives a small commission (at no additional cost to you) on purchases made through affiliate links. Thanks for supporting the podcast! ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Baloo Living Weighted Blankets⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ (Use code 'relaxingwhitenoise10' for 10% off) At Relaxing White Noise, our goal is to help you sleep well. This episode is eight hours long with no advertisements in the middle, so you can use it as a sleeping sound throughout the night. Listening to our white noise sounds via the podcast gives you the freedom to lock your phone at night, keeping your bedroom dark as you fall asleep. ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Check out the 10-Hour version on YouTube⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Contact Us for Partnership Inquiries⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ With rain and thunder in the forecast, it's a great chance to enjoy some rain sounds for sleeping, studying or relaxation. Listening to thunderstorm sounds can bring about a feeling of calm, while also blocking out distracting noise. Play a storm sounds podcast to enjoy a good night's sleep or to focus on that homework assignment that needs doing. Relaxing White Noise is the number one online destination for white noise and nature sounds to help you sleep, study or soothe a baby. With more than a billion views across YouTube and other platforms, we are excited to now share our popular ambient tracks on the Relaxing White Noise podcast. People use white noise for sleeping, focus, sound masking or relaxation. We couldn't be happier to help folks live better lives. This podcast has the sound for you whether you use white noise for studying, to soothe a colicky baby, to fall asleep or for simply enjoying a peaceful moment. No need to buy a white noise machine when you can listen to these sounds for free. Cheers to living your best life! DISCLAIMER: Remember that loud sounds can potentially damage your hearing. When playing one of our ambiences, if you cannot have a conversation over the sound without raising your voice, the sound may be too loud for your ears. Please do not place speakers right next to a baby's ears. If you have difficulty hearing or hear ringing in your ears, please immediately discontinue listening to the white noise sounds and consult an audiologist or your physician. The sounds provided by Relaxing White Noise are for entertainment purposes only and are not a treatment for sleep disorders or tinnitus. If you have significant difficulty sleeping on a regular basis, experience fitful/restless sleep, or feel tired during the day, please consult your physician. ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Relaxing White Noise Privacy Policy⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ © Relaxing White Noise LLC, 2024. All rights reserved. Any reproduction or republication of all or part of this text/visual/audio is prohibited.

Selam fularsızlar. Bugün birtakım uzak mesafe arkadaşlık hikayeleri var ve çıkarmanız gereken hiçbir ders yok, ne güzel rahat olun.Konular:(00:04) "Halen bazen hiç konuşmayız" -Ron Swanson(02:09) Nişan olmayan nişan(05:35) Devremülk yaşam(08:28) Psikopat arkadaş(15:07) Patreon teşekkürleri------- Podbee Sunar -------Bu podcast, Hiwell hakkında reklam içerir .Pod50 kodumuzla Hiwell'de ilk seansınızda geçerli %50 indirimi kullanmak için Hiwell'i şimdi indirin. .1500'ü aşkın uzman klinik psikolog arasından size en uygun olanlarla terapi yolculuğunuza kolaylıkla başlayın.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Late Nights at Blockbuster Grab your Goblin-cleaver, sound the horn, and jump on your armored battle pig as we come to the finish line of the Hobbit Trilogy with The Battle of the Five Armies! We keep the disdain for the love triangle lighter in this episode as there is a lot less to complain about. We get into a conversation about watch order for newcomers to Middle Earth movies and how that might change with future generations similar to Star Wars. Byers makes Troy giggle with his outside the box choice for our over actor award. Goofs: Troy misquoted Ron Swanson, it was “I once worked with a guy for three years and never learned his name. Best friend I ever had. We still never talk sometimes.” Intro/Outro music by friend of the podcast Seth Gilbertson. Find more music at iTunes (⁠⁠https://music.apple.com/us/artist/seth-gilbertson/1155231950⁠⁠) and YouTube (⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/user/sethgilbertson/videos⁠⁠)

Emmy-winning actor Jim O'Heir, best known as Jerry from PARKS & REC, chats with Trey Elling about WELCOME TO PAWNEE: STORIES OF FRIENDSHIP, WAFFLES, AND PARKS AND RECREATION. Topics include: Auditioning for Ron Swanson (0:00) #2ing himself, on camera (7:34) Getting permission for some stories (12:07) Learning to kiss from Rob Lowe (16:42) Throwing a 1st pitch at Wrigley (19:15) An ode to PARKS & REC (25:07)

Jim O'Heir has almost 200 acting credits to his name, appearing on dozens of iconic TV shows like ‘ER,' ‘Friends,' and ‘Better Call Saul.' But as he reveals in this episode, he almost turned down the role of Jerry Gergich on ‘Parks and Recreation' because his agents worried it was too small. O'Heir writes about his fateful decision to take a chance on what could have remained a “background” part in his new book ‘Welcome to Pawnee,' which is part memoir, part oral history and all around love letter to the show that changed his life. The veteran character actor shares stories about auditioning for Ron Swanson, finding out he and Retta had been elevated to series regulars just of Paul Schneider (Mark Brendanawicz) had been let go, learning that Christie Brinkley had been cast as his wife, and why he believes the show is still comforting people in dark times nearly a decade after it went off the air. Plus, O'Heir delivers perhaps the all-time greatest answer to our final question: What's a memory from your career that you laugh about now but really was not funny when it happened?Buy Jim O'Heir's Welcome to Pawnee: Stories of Friendship, Waffles, and Parks and RecreationFollow Jim O'Heir on Instagram @therealjimoheir Follow Matt Wilstein on Bluesky @mattwilstein and Threads @mattwilsteinFollow The Last Laugh on Instagram @lastlaughpod and Threads @lastlaughpodHighlights from this episode and others at The Daily Beast Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Cordell & Cordell – Don't let divorce take more than it has to. MUSIC Dave Grohl has called the lawyers that he retained in September before announcing that he fathered a child outside of his marriage, according to People magazine.  Sean “Diddy” Combs turned 55 yesterday and This year was much different. He jumped on the Metropolitan Detention Center (MDC) phone for a conference call with his adult children. Kourtney Kardashian and Travis Barker‘s baby boy officially turned one on Friday (Nov. 1), and in honor of his birthday, Grandma Kris Jenner gifted Rocky with a handwritten letter from Sylvester Stallone, AKA, Rocky Balboa.  TV Ryan Reynolds and Martha Stewart are having a playful public beef right now and Hugh Jackman is weighing in, siding with Martha. Martha Stewart appeared as a special guest on Bilt Rewards' November Rent Free game show and said that Reynolds is "not so funny in real life." Nate Bargatze is having his moment! He is currently the top-earning standup comedian in the world and now he's finally getting his own movie. Jason Kelce has apologized for spiking a Penn State student's phone on the pavement. The kid and Jason exchanged words that included a gay slur. The school released a statement about Kelce's possible criminal mischief and disorderly conduct, saying, “University Police and Public Safety is the investigating agency for this incident and the process is ongoing.” Kelce is a member of ESPN's Monday Night Football pre-game show. On set, he acted humbled in describing his regret in failing to follow the Golden Rule. Jason said, “I'm not happy with anything that took place. I'm not proud. Within a heated moment, I chose to greet hate with hate. I don't think that's productive.” AND FINALLY Would your favorite fictional character have voted for the same people you do? Well, Americans were asked in a new poll who various fictional characters would vote for.   The Kamala Harris supporters include: Liz Lemon from "30 Rock". . . Leslie Knope from "Parks & Rec" . . . Phoebe, Monica, and Joey from "Friends" . . . Olivia Benson from "Law & Order" . . .Elaine from "Seinfeld", Peter Parker (slash) Spider-Man . . . Marge Simpson . . . Blanche from "The Golden Girls". . . Elle Woods from "Legally Blonde". . . Barbie and Ken . . . and Cliff Huxtable from "The Cosby Show".  The Donald Trump voters include: Tony Stark (slash) Iron Man . . . Archie Bunker . . . Hank Hill from "King of the Hill". . . Don Draper from "Mad Men" . . . Roseanne Conner . . . Tony Soprano . . . Homer Simpson . . .Hannibal Lecter . . . Biff from "Back to the Future" . . . Dwight from "The Office" . . . Ron Swanson from "Parks & Rec" . . . Walter White from "Breaking Bad" . . . Rambo . . . and Maverick from "Top Gun". Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Zdravo. Tokrat začnemo epizodo z rubriko Zadnjih 30, kjer se pogovarjamo o humorističnih TV serijah, ki si jih je vredno ogledati. Nato se znajdemo na travniku s klopco, kjer razmišljamo o svobodi in omenimo vsakodnevna opravičila Slovenskih železnic, ki jih lahko slišite na premnogih železniških postajah širom po Sloveniji. Pogovor nadaljujemo v smeri svobode, glasbe, kitar in studija, preden se že šestič posvetimo 4. poglavje 6. knjigerazpravljamo o sanjah, letenju in travniku, omenimo pa tudi basen o lisici in kislem grozdju. Za konec se posvetimo konceptu resnične virtualne resničnosti in hiši na travniku. Epizodo zaključimo z željo, da se tudi ta teden lepo imejte.

You know, true professionals wouldn't hold out until the very end of their podcast series to deliver the "big guns" like this ... but Mark and Allen have never been accused of being true professionals, have they? Oh my gosh ... Talking with Jim O'Heir was truly a pleasure, and an outright blast! He was so easy to talk to, so friendly, that we probably could have gone on for another half hour if we really wanted to. The boys were extremely lucky to get this chance to talk with Jim around mid-September 2024. We got to hear about Jim's upcoming book, how they filmed the 2020 Special, his thoughts on the series finale, and LOTS of other things, including his opinions on Amy Poehler, Nick Offerman, Paul Schneider, Aziz Ansari, Retta, Ben Schwartz, and many others. Please tune in and listen to what ended up being a thoroughly entertaining and enjoyable time with Jerry Gergich himself, Jim O'Heir. Perhaps our best Pawnee Spotlight ever.

On The Adventures of Tom Bombadil.

This week Mark and Allen continue (and finish) the Episode where we see what ultimately happens ... to everyone. TO RECAP: As Leslie and the gang face their last day together in Pawnee before everyone goes their own ways, one final little job crosses their path ... fixing a broken swing. Mundane though it may seem, Leslie throws herself into it with her typical level of gusto, convincing the rest of the gang to band together to do this one last task. In the process of going through the necessary motions to get the swing fixed, we do deep dives into every single person, including time jumps into their futures, so we can see how things turned out for them. As always, we tackle the tough questions, such as ... Will they get the swing fixed?  Will everyone get the story they want?  Can Mark and Allen make it through this last episode review?  How many times will Mark break down?  What will the boys do with Robonstantine?  Will we ever hear from Constantine and Harvey again?  What is WITH that stupid f**king Stargate portal and the post-it notes? Everyone ... hold hands, smile, laugh, and be grateful for the good things in life ... of which this series was certainly one.

This week Mark and Allen break down the Episode where we see what ultimately happens ... to everyone.  As Leslie and the gang face their last day together in Pawnee before everyone goes their own ways, one final little job crosses their path ... fixing a broken swing. Mundane though it may seem, Leslie throws herself into it with her typical level of gusto, convincing the rest of the gang to band together to do this one last task. In the process of going through the necessary motions to get the swing fixed, we do deep dives into every single person, including time jumps into their futures, so we can see how things turned out for them.  As always, we tackle the tough questions, such as ... Will they get the swing fixed?  Will everyone get the story they want?  Can Mark and Allen make it through this last episode review?  How many times will Mark break down?  What will the boys do with Robonstantine?  Will we ever hear from Constantine and Harvey again?  What is WITH that stupid f**king Stargate portal and the post-it notes?  Everyone, this is it - the series finale. So buckle up, buttercup. It's going to be a bittersweet journey.

n this episode, Frank and Thomas take us on a journey to the heart of Pawnee as they dive into the beloved series Parks and Recreation. They explore the pilot episode, the series finale, and the evolution of characters across all seven seasons. With plenty of laughs, shout-outs to iconic moments (like little Sebastian!), and deep reflections on the show's cultural impact, this episode is a must-listen for any fan of Parks and Rec. Timestamps and Topics: 00:00 - Introduction to the episode and today's topic 06:00 - Shout-out to little Sebastian and the start of the Parks and Rec discussion 17:00 - Exploring the pilot episode: Initial impressions and key moments 22:00 - The evolution of Leslie Knope and Ron Swanson's relationship 32:00 - How Parks and Rec stands the test of time 40:00 - Breakdown of the series finale and what it meant for fans 50:00 - Fun Parks and Rec trivia: Behind-the-scenes moments Key Takeaways: Parks and Recreation evolved from a simple office satire to a heartwarming exploration of small-town government and community. The dynamic between Leslie Knope and Ron Swanson became one of the show's emotional cores. Parks and Rec has become a cultural staple, with timeless humor and moments that continue to resonate with audiences. The series finale offered closure and heartfelt moments for every main character, making it one of the most satisfying series finales in TV history. Memorable Quotes: “It feels like Parks and Rec lasted so much longer than seven seasons, right?” “Leslie Knope's optimism is contagious—whether you're watching it for the first time or rewatching for the hundredth time.” “I can't think of a more perfect finale for any show. It's like they knew exactly what the fans wanted.” Call to Action: If you enjoyed this episode, be sure to subscribe to the Geek Freaks Podcast and leave us a review on your favorite platform! Share this episode with your fellow Parks and Rec fans using the hashtag #ParksAndRecMoments, and let us know your favorite episode or character. Don't forget to follow us on social media for more behind-the-scenes content! Links and Resources: For all the latest geek news and updates, head over to GeekFreaksPodcast.com. That's your source for everything discussed during our podcast! Follow Us: Facebook: facebook.com/thegeekfreakspodcast Threads: threads.net/@ChallengeaccpetedLive Patreon: patreon.com/GeekFreakspodcast Instagram: instagram.com/challengeacceptedlive Listener Questions: We'd love to hear from you! Send us your questions or suggest topics you'd like to hear on future episodes. You can reach out to us on social media or through our website. We may feature your question on the next episode! Apple Podcast Tags: Parks and Recreation, Leslie Knope, Ron Swanson, TV Reviews, Comedy Shows, Geek Culture, TV Show Finale, Podcast Episode, Pop Culture, TV Sitcom ​

Once again, Mark and Allen were extremely lucky to spend time with another fantastic guest during a Pawnee Spotlight interview, this time around the middle of May 2024. It was fascinating to talk to Jim about not only his take on the always entertaining M.C. Martin Housely, but also voice overs and impressions, his childhood growing up as the son of Marion Ross, and many other interesting topics.  Jim was a tremendously kind and gracious guest on our show, and we are proud to have one of the only occurences in the world of an honest-to-God "Swanson-Off"! If you're confused at this (and you should be), tune in to see what we're talking about! We've said it before, and will say it once more here, this was yet another in a stream of incredible guests we've had the privilege to have on our show ... A fantastic Pawnee Spotlight featuring a tremendous multi-talented guest! We hope you all enjoy this as much as we did.Visit Jim at https://jimmeskimen.com/ and on Instagram @jimpressions

In this episode of BullCast, we dive into the concept of Money Personalities, exploring the five main types that shape our relationship with money—from big spenders to savvy investors. Katie then puts the boys to the test, challenging them to guess where popular culture icons like Cher Horowitz and Ron Swanson fit within these categories. We also discuss the challenges and benefits of working with people who have different money personalities and share practical tips for making informed financial decisions. Tune in for a fun and insightful episode on discovering your Money Personality! The List: Pop Culture Characters' Money Personalities Hashtags: #moneypersonalities #bigspenders #savers #shoppers #debtors #investors #AsIf #RonSwansonIsTheGOAT Visit us online: www.bullcastpodcast.com Produced by Cameron Spann | Powered by Pickler Wealth Advisors Sound effects obtained from https://www.zapsplat.com

Okay, look. Let's face facts. The series is ending. This wonderful, beloved sitcom, full of equal parts laughs and heart, is coming to a close. No doubt, it's a hard thing to contemplate for anyone, but it's just POSSIBLE that one of the guys is having a harder time than the other. Look, you have to understand, this isn't just a silly little hobby ... this gig has generated monetary kickbacks, medical benefits, travel opportunities, being asked to speak at conventions, movie deals ... and that's just the tip of the iceberg. We're not even mentioning all of the other fringe benefits, such as working with world class scientists and engineers to build what is frighteningly close to a sentient AI, or even (slightly flawed) time travel! I mean ... wow. It's so much, that it's ALMOST like we're just making this up. To imagine all that suddenly ending, well ... It's a little scary. But fans of the show deserve the truth. So, ugly or not, we're going to give you a peek into what has been going on, as well as our sincere assurance that the finale review is COMING!  We promise.  No, really ... we pinky promise.  Just like Leslie.  And if you can't believe a pinky promise ... well, then I guess the world is in worse shape than we ever imagined.  So bear with us just a few more weeks.  You won't be disappointed, and it'll be worth the wait.  We pinky promise.

This week Mark and Allen break down the Episode where FINALLY, after all this time ... we get a visual of the often talked about but never seen Mayor Gunderson! Right after the gang tells each other about their immediate plans for the future (Donna & Joe moving to Seattle, April & Andy leaving for DC, Leslie & Ben splitting their time between DC & Pawnee, Jerry retiring again), the gang learns that Mayor Gunderson has passed away. At the memorial, while everyone processes their grief, Ben asks April and Jerry to help find an interim mayor. Together, they begin interviewing several Pawnee citizens as potential candidates for interim Mayor, including such notables as Bobby Newport, Joan Callamezzo, Dr. Saperstein, and Howard "The Douche" Tuttleman. As the day progresses, they realize finding an appropriate candidate that is ABLE to (and WANTS to) do the job is trickier than they thought. Meanwhile, Leslie is somewhat depressed at all the "endings" going on, and desperately wants to find a "beginning" to balance things out. At Mayor Gunderson's funeral, Leslie talks to Tom, who is now back from his trip to New York with Lucy, and Tom tells Leslie how serious the two of them are, and that they've even looked at rings together. Seeing this as a chance for a "beginning", Leslie convinces Tom to go forward with the proposal ASAP, offering to help Tom with such extravagant details as filming a bombastic action movie for the proposal itself, not to mention lots and lots of over-the-top preparations and decorations to celebrate the (assumed) answer of yes. Finally, Ron seems to be rather composed and generally unaffected by the death of Mayor Gunderson. However, at Gunderson's funeral, he learns that Salvatore, his barber for the past four decades, also passed as well, causing him to nearly collapse in shock and grief. Wanting to show his respects, Ron attends Salvatore's funeral, accompanied by Andy and Donna for support. As Ron approaches Salvatore's coffin to say his final goodbyes, we sense Ron's sadness stems from his fear of change in this whirlwind of changes currently happening all around him ... Salvatore was one of the only constants left in Ron's life. As always, we tackle the tough questions, such as ... Who seems to be the strongest of all the interviewed candidates for interim mayor? How will Tom's proposal action movie turn out? Does Ron end up crying at Salvatore's funeral? Can Ben make a decision regarding interim mayor given these circumstances? Will Leslie's preparation for the engagement celebration be used as intended, or will it go to waste? Will Ron find a way to process his grief? What actually HAPPENS to the office of interim mayor? Does Tom end up proposing to Lucy, and if so ... what is her answer? Can Donna and Andy help Ron figure out who his next barber will be? Loyal viewers, we are winding down to the VERY, VERY end of this fantastic series! Can this episode possibly live up to the expectations of its fans? Just how big will the guest star list be? Do we actually consider the Parks and Recreation 2020 Special a "canon" episode in the series? Stay tuned to find out! Many thanks to our wonderful sponsor "Hair by Typhoon."

Parks and Rec Vs Schitt's Creek. We got Ron Swanson fighting Johnny Rose. 

The Rooster talks about showers, studios, and his Ron Swanson red shirt.

On today's episode of the Craft Industry Alliance podcast, we're talking about building an audience with my guest Amber Kemp-Gersel of Damask Love. Amber was the keynote speaker at h+h americas 2024 in Chicago and this is a recording of her presentation. It was inspiring, smart, and funny and I think you're going to love it. Amber Kemp-Gerstel is a television host and founder and creative director of Damask Love, a creative lifestyle blog all about doable DIY. Amber has partnered with brands like Martha Stewart, Home Depot, The Container Store, Coca-Cola, and Canon and is the social media face of JOANN Fabric and Craft Stores. She has been featured on Huffington Post and Buzzfeed and in Better Homes and Gardens Magazine just to name a few. Amber Kemp-Gerstel was a finalist in Season #1 of NBC's Making It - a crafting competition show hosted by SNL's Amy Poehler and Nick Offerman – otherwise known as Ron Swanson from Park's and Recreation. Amber has a bachelor's degree from Duke and PhD from Vanderbilt. You can also find Amber on Disney+ as the host of their original family crafting show Disney Family Sundays. +++++ This episode is sponsored by Craftsy. Calling all crafters! Are you ready to dive deep into your favorite crafting projects and learn new techniques along the way? Then it's time to join Craftsy Premium Membership. Take advantage of this special promotion! For ONLY $1.49, you'll receive a full year of access to expert-led tutorials, patterns, and projects in every category you can imagine. With a massive library of resources at your fingertips, you'll be able to create your best work yet and bring your crafting dreams to life. Don't wait – sign up now at CraftsyOffers.com and discover the endless possibilities of Craftsy Premium Membership! +++++ To get the full show notes for this episode visit Craft Industry Alliance where you can learn more about becoming a member of our supportive trade association. Strengthen your creative business, stay up to date on industry news, and build connections with forward-thinking craft professionals. Join today.  

This week Nancy steps in for Ian, we discuss Ron Swanson, daytime TV, get into a discussion about SNL, how some music acts are big overseas but never get big in the US, concerts we would go back in time to see, have some cat talk, the most dangerous spot in the world is in my house, Superfan Thad has a Kennywood review and we discuss celeberties that have liked my posts and so much more

Mark and Allen were once again very lucky to spend time with another great person during a Pawnee Spotlight interview, this time near the end of March 2024. It was fascinating to talk to the person behind Brandi Maxxxx, and a joy to discover what a total gem she is! Nice, funny, talented, easy to talk to ... who could ask for more?  Yet another in a stream of incredible guests we've had the privilege to have on our show.Join us as Mara talks about being Canadian, her lifelong love of acting and her experiences on Parks and Recreation, Schitt's Creek, and much much more! This was a great Pawnee Spotlight from an even greater guest! We hope you all get as much out of this interview as we did.

This week Mark and Allen break down the Episode where Ron first learns April and Andy will be moving away to Washington DC!  With the Harvest Festival once again in full swing, Ben's busy congressional campaign continues, and he and Leslie make the call to skip a few Festival-related things, one of which is the "Pie-Mary", a Southern Indiana tradition where the wives of congressional candidates face off in a pie-baking contest ... something which Leslie would have refused to participate in anyway due to its antiquated and retrogressive nature. Unfortunately, several reporters pounce on this, which, combined with the yellow journalism of Mike Patterson, quickly makes this a point of controversy. Not wanting to make things harder for Ben, Leslie decides to reverse her position and participate in the Pie-Mary ... but unfortunately, THIS gets the attention of the Indiana Organization of Women, who threaten to protest both Leslie and Ben at the event. Scrambling to figure out the right move, Ben comes up with an idea that would sidestep the controversy, refocus the campaign on the candidate, and flip the antiquated tradition on its head ... HE'S going to enter the Pie-Mary instead of Leslie.  Meanwhile, April informs Ron that she is about to move to Washington with Andy to take on a new job. Ron tells her that she has to return the key to his house. April realises that she has changed the hiding place of the key, and that she left a trail of clues, the first being 4 human teeth and a Twilight ticket stub. She and Andy tell Ron, but Ron is very excited to solve this mystery. They first visit Donna, who informs them that she and April watched that movie together years ago, when April removed her wisdom teeth. Donna also informs them that April also visited the shoeshine stand that day. The trio runs to the shoeshine stand, only to find that it was removed during the remodeling of the city hall.  Finally, during the search for Ron's key, Andy finds a small brown box where April used to hide things outside in the City Hall courtyard. The box did NOT contain Ron's key, but it DID contain Jerry's wedding ring that he lost down the sewer grate 6 years ago. Jerry is overjoyed to have it again, but then in typical Jerry Gergich fashion ... drops it in the sewer grate  ... AGAIN. As Jerry attempts to fish the ring out, Donna notices him, and chooses to stay with him and keep him company. Donna and Jerry enjoy each other's company, reminiscing with each other about the old days. As Jerry ends up losing more and more things down the grate, Donna keeps things light by laughing about it and ordering them dinner.  As always, we tackle the tough questions, such as ... Does Ben have any ideas about redefining what a pie is? Are there more clues to find, or is this a dead end? How does Donna feel about hanging out with Jerry all day? Can Ben entering the Pie-Mary instead of Leslie prevent the IoW from protesting? Will Ron ever get his key back? Does Jerry get an earful when he returns home? Will any other protestors rise up to complain about anything political or pie related? Will April ever get satisfying closure from Ron? Will Jerry ever get his wedding ring back?  Loyal viewers, this looks like a great episode with a lot of nice callbacks, but will it live up to the hype? Could it be a perfect 10? Stay tuned to find out! Many thanks to our wonderful sponsor ... The Calzone Zone.

There's no complete list of 70's paranoia thrillers without The Conversation-- and it almost never came to be! Sophia and Nick dive into Francis Ford Coppola's other 1974 film this week, walking through the film's pre-Watergate production, key scenes, and quotes, how Room 773 was the original Room 237, and why Harry Caul and Ron Swanson would be friends. At the end, they answer some fun listener questions and mourn the film's many snubs at the Oscars.Follow us on Twitter, Instagram, and TikTok @oscarwildpodFollow Sophia @sophia_cimFollow Nick @sauerkraut27Music: “The Greatest Adventure” by Jonathan Adamich

We had so many juicy details for this one, we had to split it into 2 parts!!!! And our favorite and only Kris Carr is here! The best!!! - THE Brad Leland aka Fester Trimm from the Debate episode and from Friday Night Lights fame stops by to share his amazing stories and BTS of someone the crew who was actually named Fester!- Norm Hiscock emails us to confirm the tea on why Leslie hates libraries! - Danielle Kennedy who plays the reporter breaking the news of Nick Newport's death stops by with amazing BTS of why she couldn't have lunch with the cast (it has to do with filming senior yoga with Jane Fonda omg!) - AND we do a breakdown on Mike O'Malley!!! (Bill from the rental vans - did you know he was thought of for Ron Swanson?) SO MUCH!We also talk about the process of Jerry getting slammed with pies, parasocial norms (the "I...sad" statement was based on Paul McCartney's reaction to John Lennon's death and the reporters are BRUTAL), and how Parks really gets the cringe in this episode by bringing back "Get On Your Feet". Great writing, great guests, great pod. Enjoy! Don't forget to rate and review! Join us next week for Part 2! Brad Leland (click here for his IMDB!) is in a movie called The Last Whistle with Jim O'Heir (from 2019), Love and Death with Elizabeth Olsen and Jesse Plemons, LaRoy, Texas with Steve Zahn, Accidental Texan with Bruce Dern and Thomas Haden Church. Working Texan actor right there!!!! Danielle Kennedy (click here for her IMDB!) is filming a new series with Ted Danson called A Classic Spy, A Big Bold Beautiful Journey with Colin Farrell and Margot Robbi comiing out 2025 and Rockbottom where she plays Agatha Sprinkles, the oldest living rock groupie with Jon Bon Jovi and Tom Everett Scott! AMAZING JOB DANIELLE! Take voice-over classes from Kris and Logan! You will not regret it! https://www.speakfriendstudio.com/Follow Kris Carr's podcast! She also has a Patreon!! Do it up! https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/two-filthy-casuals/id1711440300Follow her Instagram to see her wonderful projects and comedy!https://www.instagram.com/itskriscarr/?hl=enAlso check out Kris on The Big Thing YouTube and Podcast!https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TmEbb1FqQEg&list=PLSJdE28YyUT3KAwbzDsv6mdR-gwUiydQg&index=2Don't forget to rate, review and share with all your friends! Support the Show.Rate and review us on Apple Podcasts!Follow us @parkpalspodcast on Instagram! Or email us at parkpalspodcast@gmail.com

This week Mark and Allen break down the Episode where we actually meet one of Ron's brothers in person! Leslie and April are headed to Washington D.C. to convince a bunch of senators to support the National Parks. They've prepped, and Leslie is excited, convinced that April will show how thorough and hardworking she truly is. However, April is quietly freaking out about having to break it to Leslie that bureaucracy is not her calling ... as a friend, Leslie is loyal, thoughtful, and caring to a fault, but she's also stubborn and thoroughly convinced she knows what's best, not only for herself, but for literally everyone around her. As Leslie, April, and teammate Randy have meeting after meeting with senators, it seems like things are going well ... They're getting decent responses from senators, and during a one-on-one walk with Randy, Leslie is even offered a promotion to the position of Deputy Director of Operations and Interior. Despite all this, we see April just getting more and more anxious about telling Leslie the truth. Finally, while sitting with Leslie and listening to her news about the offered promotion, April finally gives in to her anxieties and blurts out that she wants to quit the National Parks Service. Meanwhile, knowing April is unhappy with her current job situation, Andy waits until she is gone on her trip to D.C. (see the A-Story above), then reaches out to Ben to brainstorm some new jobs April could pursue. Their first stop is meeting with Ron at the Very Good Building and Development company, Ron tries his best to help, but unfortunately, the routine work available there doesn't quite fit April's need to think creatively. Nevertheless, Ron joins Andy and Ben in trying to find the perfect job for April. Their second stop is a meeting with Barney Varmn at Tilton and Radomski Accounting, who (along with everyone else at the accounting firm) absolutely LOVES Ben. Anyway, Barney tells them Tilton and Radomski is opening a consulting arm, which would involve a lot of creative thinking. The good news? This sounds like it *could* be a good fit for April. The bad news? It's too late, and they aren't taking any more applicants. However, after discussing it, the guys decide they will make one last final attempt to pitch April to Barney. As always, we tackle the tough questions, such as ... How does Leslie take April's news? Who else do the guys get to help with their final pitch to Barney? Does Leslie end up taking the promotion? What secret plan does Andy have to help convince Barney? Will Leslie have to lean on her good friend Madeleine Albright for advice? Do the guys make a successful pitch, and if so, does April end up working for Barney? Can April ever figure out what job she actually wants? Loyal podcast viewers, April's job arc seems to be drawing to a close ... or is it? Stay tuned to find out! Many thanks to our incredible sponsor ... the Very Good Building and Development Company.

Today, actor and author Nick Offerman returns to the show! We call him up to unpack his latest role as a fictional president in Alex Garland's Civil War (2:30), the function of the film's politics (9:30), and a powerful poem by Wendell Berry (26:15). Then, we turn to Offerman's personal journey, beginning with his recent book Where the Deer and the Antelope Play (32:48), which was inspired by growing up in rural Minooka, Illinois (33:30) and his experiences with the late Sam Shepard at Steppenwolf Theatre (35:55). Shortly after working with Shepard, Offerman began to find his footing—on and off the stage—as a performer, carpenter, and fight choreographer (39:48). He reflects on his galvanizing role in the film Going All the Way (42:37), the guiding principles of George Saunders (45:30), lessons from his sensei Shōzō Satō (52:10), the start of his nearly two-decade marriage with actress Megan Mullally (54:05), the phone call that changed his life (1:00:00), and the complicated legacy of Ron Swanson from Parks and Recreation (1:06:36).  Then, before we go, we return to the timely (and urgent) message of his latest book (1:11:30), a piece by Jeff Tweedy (1:14:10), and words by Wendell Berry (1:16:45). For questions, comments, or to join our mailing list, reach me at sf@talkeasypod.com.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

You just got JAMMED! Jon Glaser (Jeremy Jamm himself!) joins Jim O'Heir and Greg Levine in this week's walkthrough of “How a Bill Becomes a Law” to break down Leslie Knope's first encounter with the Pawnee councilman we love to hate, the 311 hotline that leads Ron Swanson to find the love of his life, and the reason Ben and April can't make it out of the parking garage. Plus, Jon reveals the origin story of his character's iconic quaff and how well Jeremy Jamm would fit into today's political landscape. Got a question for the Pawnee Town Hall? Send us an email at ParksandRecollectionTownHall@gmail.com!

Senator cameos, D.C. location shoots, AND a live pig named Tom—Jim O'Heir and Greg Levine break it all down in this week's walkthrough of “Ms. Knope Goes to Washington.” In Parks & Recreation's season five premiere, Leslie is off to the Capitol to visit Ben and apply for a federal grant to clean up Pawnee's riverbed, leaving Ron Swanson in charge of the The Leslie Knope Employment Enjoyment Summerslam Grill Jam Fun-Splosion.  Got a question for the Pawnee Town Hall? Send us an email at ParksandRecollectionTownHall@gmail.com!

Dust off your podium - Jim O'Heir (Jerry Gergich himself!) and writer Greg Levine are back to discuss “The Debate”! In this episode, Jim and Greg break down Leslie Knope's face-off with a slew of Pawnee's City Council hopefuls (including local porn star Brandi Maxxxx and Sweetums heir Bobby Newport), Andy Dwyer's one-man reenactment of the movie “Roadhouse”, and Ron Swanson's scaling of a telephone pole. Plus, they dive into which character's backstory would make the best prequel series in our Town Hall segment. Get your rebuttal ready and go ahead and treat yo' self! Got a question for the Pawnee Town Hall? Send us an email at ParksandRecollectionTownHall@gmail.com!

Last time we spoke about the invasion of Sakhalin and the Portsmouth Treaty. The Japanese had defeated their enemy upon the land and sea, yet the reality was, both empires were ailing. They were both verging bankruptcy, but Russia held the edge in more troops and deeper allied pockets for loans. The Japanese sought the aid of President Theodore Roosevelt to usher a peace, but more importantly one that favored Japan's war aims. With his advice, Japan seized Sakhalin to improve their poker hand. At the Portsmouth negotiations, the Japanese would be rather shocked to find their American hero somewhat championed the Russian side when it came to war indemnities. In the end Japan signed the Portsmouth Treaty and would face an outraged population back home. The Hibiya riots erupted, and now the Japanese felt betrayed by America. Yet what of China, how was this going to affect her?   #85 Old Ways Meet New Policies    Welcome to the Fall and Rise of China Podcast, I am your dutiful host Craig Watson. But, before we start I want to also remind you this podcast is only made possible through the efforts of Kings and Generals over at Youtube. Perhaps you want to learn more about the history of Asia? Kings and Generals have an assortment of episodes on history of asia and much more  so go give them a look over on Youtube. So please subscribe to Kings and Generals over at Youtube and to continue helping us produce this content please check out www.patreon.com/kingsandgenerals. If you are still hungry for some more history related content, over on my channel, the Pacific War Channel where I cover the history of China and Japan from the 19th century until the end of the Pacific War. The turn of the 20th century saw the Qing government face an unprecedented national crisis. The Boxer Rebellion did not go well. The Empress Dowager Cixi and the Beijing government literally fled the capital, not a good look. On January 29th of 1901, Empress Dowager Cixi, from her refuge in Xi'an issued an imperial edict in the name of Emperor Guangxu “After we moved out of the capital city, the empress has been constantly busy with state affairs. As emperor, I deeply regret my mistakes. In the past decades, problems have accumulated and been papered over as we mindlessly followed the old ways, leading to the calamity we face today. Now that peace negotiations are underway, we should reform all political affairs so that the country can become strong and prosperous”. To the Qing government she issued this “submit suggestions regarding reform measures within two months. The suggestions should be based on the current situation with reference to both Chinese and Western experience. Reform proposals should cover law, administration, people's livelihood, education, the examination system, military affairs, and public finance. What should be continued and what changed? What should be eliminated and what combined? What should be done to strengthen China, develop human talent, reach fiscal balance, and build a strong army?'. Thus the Qing officials busied themselves looking into the matters and expressed their opinions in countless memorials. The most influential of these opinions would come from three memorials jointly submitted by the Governor General of Jiangnang, Liu Kunyi and the governor general of Hubei-Hunan, Zhang Zhidong.  The first memorial proposed 4 methods for improving education. It advised setting up schools of liberal arts and military academies. To reform the civil examination system, abolish the military examination system and encourage studies abroad. The second memorial proposed 11 measures to reform the administration. They should promote frugality, abandon outdated rules, cease the sale of office, reform official salaries, eliminate clerks and runners, bring more leniency to criminal punishments, change the policies for official selection, find new ways to support the livelihood of Manchu serving in the eight banners, eliminate garrisons, eliminate the Green Standard army and simplify literary formalities. The third memorial proposed 12 reforms based on Western practices. To dispatch intellectuals to tour the world, to adopt foreign military practices, a new military strengthening program, improve agriculture, further industrialize, enact some new laws on mining/transport and commerce, revise the criminal code, introduce silver coins, introduce a stamp tax, create a modern postal service, learn foreign medicine practices and translate more foreign books.  These memorials were approved by Cixi and would become the blueprint for the New Policy Reforms of the late Qing dynasty. On July 20th, Cixi issued another edict to affirm these ideas would be implemented ‘“For the sake of the dynasty and people, the emperor and I have no other choice.” The Zongli Yamen was officially changed to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Outdated posts were eliminated, such as the director general of the Yellow River and Grand Canal, governorship over Hubei, Yunnan and Guangdong provinces whom already held governor-generals, the court of sacrificial worship and the court of banqueting, those 2 last ones are something else arent they. For the military, traditional troops were disbanded or retrained as a reserve army or for police forces. The military examination system was abolished, new military academies were created. A military training bureau was created to train the “New Army” and a Ministry of Police took charge of public security instead of the wonky Green Standard system. To further economic development, a Ministry of Commerce was created. New regulations for chambers of commerce were promulgated. Business laws and provisional regulations for corporate registration were both promulgated. An exhibition center to encourage industrialization was set up in Beijing; vocational colleges were created; the Board of Revenue Bank was also created. On September 7th of 1901, the Qing government signed the humiliating Boxer Protocol and on the 6th of October Cixi made her glamorous return to the capital. China began a new approach with the west. On January 28th of 1902, the Qing court invited foreign ministers to the Imperial Palace ““The audience was conducted throughout with more formality and dignity and with greater outward show of respect for the foreign representatives than heretofore; the event was especially noteworthy as being the first occasion on which the empress dowager has openly appeared in an audience, and not behind the screen of gauze”. Qing officials of all ranks followed suit, trying their best to please the foreign representatives. The term walking on eggshells applies, the Boxer Rebellion had greatly pissed off most of the powerful nations. Thus the Qing dynasty was doing its very best to please both the foreign powers and its people, trying desperately to maintain its ailing rule. Yet the damage beginning all the way in the 1830's was too much. The Qing government also did not outright abandon its autocratic ruling system, in many ways it was providing band aid solutions in the form of reform measures. In a rather dramatic fashion, in 1902 during the birthday of Empress Dowager Cixi a poem was read y Gu Hongming, the aide to Zhang Zhidong “Everywhere people sing about loving the state, but nobody sings about loving the people.The emperor enjoys longevity, and the people pay the bill; the emperor lives forever, and the people suffer.”Everyone gasped in shock. Moments like this highlight the reality of the situation. While the Qing government was tossing reforms left and right, they were not far reaching enough. There were also countless provincial and local officials who refused to adopt the reforms. One example was the governor of Guangdong, Shanxi, Henan and governor-general of Guangdong and Guangxi, yes the age old classic of too many titles on a single person, Zhang Renjun. Zhang was a hardcore conservative and thought the reforms would increase government expenditures and thus further aggravate the populace, in his words “The people are already exhausted and catastrophe will come if we keep exploiting them.” He also believed the dynasty would not benefit from the reforms. He was against the organization and training of a modern army, establishing chambers of commerce and sending intellectuals abroad to study. To the last point he believed the Chinese students going abroad would have their minds poisoned and come back ushering in revolution, he would not be too wrong there. Above all else, he had been a Qing official a long time and knew fundamentally most Qing officials were greedy morons. He was basically the Ron Swanson of the Qing Dynasty haha. He was stuck in some ways, but brought up pretty good glaring problems with the reforms.  After 1905 further reforms were established and there was talk of preparing for constitutionalism, perhaps setting up provincial assemblies with a national assembly, introducing local self-government and such. Yet dramatic change required dramatic change, ca-ching, it would be a heavy financial burden. The Qing government assigned the expense for the reforms upon the provinces, whom in turn apportioned costs upon prefectures and counties. Ultimately the money was being extracted from the common people, whom were already paying enormous indemnities for the Boxer Protocol. Alongside this government stipends for their officials were spearing, as the greedy morons, in Zhang's words of course, lived lavishly. As you can imagine, the age old practice of fleecing the populace ran rampant. Qing officials were exploiting the populace for self gain. A German missionary working in China at the time, Richard Wilhelm had this to say “The Manchu aristocracy made use of the new chaotic conditions in order to feather their [sic] own nest. One reform crowded out another. A great deal of money was spent and nothing substantial was achieved. This state of affairs led to far-reaching dissatisfaction throughout the Empire. The officials, who were not given a clear and uniform lead by the authorities, were placed in the most awkward positions as a result of having to find money locally in accordance with the various edicts of reform which followed rapidly one upon another”. There were numerous flaws in the implementation of the reforms. A large reason for this was a lack of comprehensive planning. In terms of public financing, the reforms simply cost too much. For example, the cost for policing of a small province was something like 2 million taels, for larger provinces it was 3 million. A Qing official named Daungfang said of the situation ‘“As China is vast, if there were only two policemen per square kilometer, the annual expenditure for police nationwide would approach half a billion. The annual state revenue is insufficient to afford this expense, not to mention other reforms.” French diplomats aiding Beijing's Police and military reform programs at the time had this to say “At least we can say that the Qing empire lacks wisdom and foresight, as it decided to establish 36 divisions and to regroup the navy in a great hurry, but failed to consider how to finance these large annual expenses.” Alongside the enormous costs of the reforms, there were those trying to profit from them as well. In 1911, the American sociologist Edward Alsworth Ross had this to say “In an educational center far up the Yangtse the authorities kept bringing out American teachers at great expense under a year contract and then at the end of the year replaced them with others no better qualified. Inasmuch as every shift calls for an allowance of $300 for travel money, the knowing ones suspect that some official gets “squeeze” on the travel money and that is the reason for the incessant changing of teachers”.  As reformed institutions were created, many officials seized the opportunities to get their friends and family positions forming cliques. One account had Tang Shaoyi, one of the Chinese who got to go abroad to study, received the appointment of General director over the Shanghai-Nanjing railway, the Beijing-Wuhan Railway and Vice Minister of Communications, it was said of his tenure “Into every vacant place in the Customs or the railways or in the ministry that came to his bestowal he stowed one of his own relatives by blood or marriage or one of his own Cantonese clan. Out of 400 appointments in the Ministry of Communications made during his tenure of office 350 were jobs for which he could be called to account'.  A lot of new taxes were introduced in the name of the “New Policies”, some added by the Qing government directly, some by local officials, hell even local gentry got involved in the fleecing. An imperial edict acknowledged it “In recent years, the people have been exhausted. In addition, provinces have extracted reparations from the people, robbing Peter to pay Paul, so that the people's livelihood is ever more precarious. … Provincial governors have used all means to collect funds to finance local administration and pushed the people to desperation” A lot of schools sprang up all over China, nearly all of them offering studies in the natural sciences. Colleges of liberal arts and law offered Western social sciences, and this in particular opened new avenues to the Chinese. As the students embraced all kinds of new knowledge, they also took a critical eye to their society and current affairs. Many who were sent to study abroad came back and taught at universities, bringing with them revolutionary ideology.  On September 24th of 1905, Empress Dowager Cixi dispatched 5 ministers abroad; Zhen Prince Zaize, Minister of Finance Dai Hongci, Minister of the Military Xu Shichang, Governor of Hunan Duanfang and Prime Minister of the Business Department Shaoying. On November 25th, the Qing government set up a special institution to study constitutional governments of foreign nations, to provide guidance on their own constitutional reform. It was quite similar to what the Japanese did during the Meiji restoration, albeit quite late. Dai Gonci and Duanfang were the first to depart, traveling to the US to meet with President Theodore Roosevelt. Then Zaize led the rest to depart. At the end of 1906 they all submitted a report stating “the only way for the state to be powerful is constitutionalism”. This prompted Cixi to promulgate a decree on September 1st of 1906 announcing the “preparatory imitation of constitution”. By 1907 the preparatory office of the “Zizhengyuan Institute” Ie: parliament was created. Ming Lun and Sun Jiaxuan were appointed presidents of it. After this, constitutional guilds were established in all major cities within China. By 1908 a constitutional outline was published, showcasing civil rights and obligations; essentials of parliament and election law essentials.  Now for the military, in 1905 the Beiyang Army was reorganized into the New Army. Initially the Qing government planned to establish it as 500,000 regular troops over the course of 10 years, but they would only managed to train roughly 190,000 by 1911. By 1909 a Ministry of War was established to control the new army. Now back in 1904 a study was done, looking into what needed to be done for the New Army. The report indicated China should dispatch government officials to the provinces to make sure imperial decrees were being followed, this might seem like an obvious thing to do, but it had not really been enforced previously. There was a lot of huff and puff over who controls New Army units and a concession was made to allow provinces to raise them, but ultimately they took orders from the Qing court. The 8 banners were excluded from the reform. The report argued the need for specialized and educated officers for both the front lines and staff. Officer pay was increased in an attempt to thwart corruption. Officers were given detailed regulations and were expected to lead their men, not their drill instructors, who due to a lack of qualified officers were often employed to instruct the men. Officers therefore were pretty useless in battle and the soldiers had very little faith in their officers. The report called for standardization of weaponry and for the army to be divided into 3 categories as per the norms of western armies: the standing army was to be 1st class reserves; second class reserves for the regulars would serve 3 years, then they would return home and enroll in the first reserve for another 3-4 years. The army would organize into corps with 2 divisions each consisting of 2 brigades of infantry, 1 regiment of cavalry and artillery, 1 battalion of engineers and transport units. It was estimated each corp would cost nearly 3 million taels and divisions about 1.3 million. With an expected 36 divisions this would amount to 50,000,000 taels annually to grow the new army.  Taking a look at the political reforms, on July 28th the governor-general of Zhili province, Yuan Shikai submitted a 10 point memorial. He suggested creating a national assembly, Zizhengyuan, at the central level, while provincial assemblies would be set in provincial capitals and other assembles would be set up in prefectures and counties. For legislatures, he suggested finding qualified members of the provincial assemblies to be promoted to the national assembly. Now he was one of many to make suggests, others like Cen Chunxuan also made proposals. By October of 1907 an imperial decree was made “Provincial governors should promptly set up provincial assemblies in provincial capitals; fair-minded and enlightened officials and gentry should be prudently selected to take charge; and qualified gentry and citizens should select capable persons as members of provincial assemblies. … Local governments should carry out reforms, and the decisions made by assemblymen should be implemented by provincial governors. Provincial governors should report significant events to the provincial assemblies before they take initiatives. In the future, provincial assemblies shall promote some of their members to the National Assembly. If the National Assembly conducts inquiries, it shall send official documents to provincial governors to ask them to pass on the information, and also directly ask the provincial assemblies for response. If provincial assemblies have some issues, they shall inform the provincial governors and report directly to the national assembly for investigation”. In the end the Qing court favored Yuan Shikai's ideas. Though they endorsed the ideas, the Qing court also had no plan to implement them. Because of this the provincial governors had no idea what to do. Lackluster and inconsistency resulted, prompting the Qing court to issue a Charter for the Provincial assemblies and election of provincial assemblymen on July 22nd of 1908. The Qing court basically gave the provinces a year to set up the assemblies. Now elections had never before occurred in China, officials and peoples had no experience with them. The process of preparing provincial assemblies, verifying the qualifications of voters, first, second round elections, organizing the sessions all required a lot of people and a lot of money. There was no way they were going to pull it off in a year. The Qing court began harassing the provincial officials and the first session of the provincial assemblies would convene on October 14th of 1909. There would be two regular sessions held prior to 1911. After pulling off the first session, provincial governors were under a lot of pressure to produce action. Ultimately most were too afraid to act on specific issues, corrupt or incompetent and this led to a large dissatisfaction. When the second annual session of provincial assemblies occurred there was a large amount of conflict. Issues like finally banning opium were hotly debated, many argued its poisoning effect on their society, while others argued the government would lose too much revenue from opium taxes. We haven't talked about opium in quite some time eh? It honestly was a large problem until Mao Zedong's reign. The provincial assembly system had a lot of problems. The governor of Zhejiang province, Zengyun described much of them in a report he made in 1910 “One year after it was established, the provincial assembly has still accomplished little. … Assemblymen can point out problems, but few can articulate the reasons for them. … As China did not have this system before, legislators are confused. They do not know what issues should be discussed. A few persons with exposure to the law and politics of other countries have only a partial understanding and cannot cite appropriate precedents or articulate them clearly. Moreover, they cannot communicate well with others as most people are rather ignorant. Therefore, although decisions are made by majority vote, the assemblymen rarely support or reject proposals appropriately. During the thirty to forty days of the session, more than half of the assemblymen have not spoken at all. Constitutionalism was introduced with the aim of fostering communication between the government and people. I fear that if such problems persist, the government and people will be further estranged. It is particularly worrisome that the outcome would deviate so much from our initial aim”. There were countless reasons for conflicts between the provincial assemblies and governors. First the provincial officials tended to have a weak idea of constitutionalism and tended to not allow the provincial assemblies participate in public administration. Secondly, the new restrictions upon governors within the constitutional order hindered action. Thirdly the transition to constitutional rule was messy, for example the respective powers of provincial officials and assemblies were very vague. Fourth provincial assemblies tended to be insensitive to the real problems faced by governors. Fifth governors and assemblies had very different positions, responsibilities and thus priorities, conflict was inevitable. Lastly, the provincial assemblies often focused too much on trivial issues such as etiquette. Simultaneously while all of these reforms and debates were going on, something else was brewing, revolutionary fever. In September of 1905, a revolutionary named Wu Yue set off a bomb trying to assassinate the 5 ministers who were about to be sent abroad to study constitutionalism. On July 6th of 1907 Xu Xilian led a failed revolt in Anqing, but was successful in killing its governor. This incident sparked a lot of attention from the Qing court and provincial officials. The Qing government was in a tough spot, to them it seemed there were revolutionaries pushing for constitutionalism and those pushing against it. There were countless revolutionaries and revolutionary groups that had formed throughout the Qing Dynasty's history. Many sought to re-establish a Han-led government, you know all those pesky Ming types. I obviously cant talk about them all, but there is one in particularly thats worth mentioning. In 1891 one man studying to become a doctor, met some friends in Hong Kong, many of whom were revolutionaries. One was named Yeung Ku-wan, and he was the leader of the Furen Literary Society calling to overthrow the Qing dynasty. The man went on to become a doctor and wrote a 8000 character petition to our old friend Li Hongzhang in 1894. His petition presented ideas for modernizing China. He traveled to Tianjin to try and personally meet Li Hongzhang and give him the petition, but was not granted an audience. It seems from the experience, Sun Yat-Sen's heart turned to revolution. He departed China and traveled to Hawaii, a place that was basically a second home to him, he was educated there and had family living in Honolulu. In 1894 in Hawaii he founded the Xīngzhōnghuì “Revive China Society”. This would be the first Chinese nationalist revolutionary society and each person admitted to it would swear the following oath “Expel Tatar barbarians, revive Zhonghua, and establish a unified government”. Sun Yat-Sen returned to Hong Kong in 1895 and met up again with Yueng Ku-wan. Both men viewed the First Sino-Japanese war situation as a huge opportunity and resolved to merge their societies. Dr. Sun Yat-Sen became the secretary of the newly merged group while Yeung Ku-wan was the president. They had Lu Haodong design a flag for their society, the Blue sky with a white Sun flag. If you pull up a picture of the flag, the 12 rays of the white sun represent 12 months and 12 traditional chinese hours, it symbolizes the spirit of progress. Soon their society began to brush shoulders with some old friends of ours, the Tiandihui “heaven and earth society” and even the triads. Dr Sun Yat-Sen was associating with such groups to gain funds and aid in his global travel to support a revolution.  In 1895, the Xīngzhōnghuì unleashed their planned uprising in Guangzhou, thus earning the name the “first Guangzhou uprising”. On October 26th , Yeung Ku-wan and Dr Sun Yat-sen led Zheng Shiliang and Lu Haodong to Guangzhou intending to capture the city in a single strike. However their plans were leaked to Qing authorities. The Qing arrested many of the revolutionaries, including Lu Haodong who would later be executed. The uprising was a complete failure. Yeung Ku-Wan and Dr Sun Yat-sen were both sent into an exile for 5 years. Dr Sun Yet-sen spent his exile promoting revolution within China abroad. He went to Japan, the US, Canada and Britain. While in Britain Dr Sun Yat-sen was seized by the Chinese secret service and nearly smuggled back to CHina in an effort to be executed. James Cantlie working with the globe, the times and foreign office managed to get Dr Sun Yat-sen released. James was a former teacher of Sun at Hong Kong college for medicine and a lifelong friend. When Sun made his way to Japan in 1897 he befriended the Japanese politician Tōten Miyazaki who motived him towards Pan-Asianism. Sun would also befriend Mariano Ponce, a diplomat of the first Philippine Republic. During the Philippine Revolution and Philippine-American War, Sun helped Ponce procure weapons from the IJA. Sun hoped to help the Filipinos win back their independence so the Philippines could be used as a staging point for another Chinese revolution. Ultimately the Americans won and thus Sun's dreams of allying with the Philippines vanished. On October 8th of 1900 Sun ordered the launch of another uprising, this time in Huizhou. A revolutionary army led by Zheng Shiliang, around 20,000 men strong, began a coup. This led his force to fight against the local Qing forces, with Sun working out of Taiwan promised to supply his men with ammunition from the Japanese. However, the Japanese got cold feet and the Japanese Prime Minister prohibited Sun Yat-sen from carrying out revolutionary activities on Taiwan. Sun tried to turn to the triads for help, but it simply did not pan out, thus after a month of fighting, Zheng Shiliang had no choice but to order the army to disperse.  After this Sun traveled to Bangkok in 1903 trying to secure funds. On Yaowarat Road in Bangkok's Chinatown Sun issued a famous speech claiming “overseas Chinese were the mother of the revolution”. Yaowarat road would later be commemorated as Sun Yat Sen Street. In 1905 Sun Yat-sen went to Singapore and merged his Xinzhongwei with the Guangfuhui “restoration society” and a few other smaller groups to form the Tongmenghui. Sun then created the three principles of the people: Minzu “nationalism”, minquan “democracy” and minsheng “welfare”. With Minzu, Sun sought national independence, as during his time China was under threat from imperialist powers. China needed to break the unequal treaties and harmonize the differing peoples of the nation. This led to the development of the Five races under one Union: Han, Mongol, Tibetan, Manchu and Muslim. For Minquan, he sought for the people to have real say in governance, and for Minsheng he sought for the government to take care of its peoples needs.  The Tongmenghui rapidly grew, finding support all over the world. With this rapid growth came more and more uprisings. On December 1st of 1907, Sun led an uprising in Zhennanguan against the Qing forces at the Friendship Pass. If you remember all the way back to when we were covering the Franco wars in indochina, the Friendship Pass is the border of China-Vietnam In Guangxi-Lang Son provinces. The uprising failed after 7 days of fighting, but Sun never gave up. In 1907 he launched more failed uprisings such as the Huanggang uprising, the Huizhou seven women lake uprising and Qinzhou uprising. In 1908 even more came, the Qin-lian uprising and Hekou uprising. And these were those backed by Sun Yat-Sen, there was a hell of a lot more going on such as the Great Ming Uprising in 1903, the Ping-liu-li uprising, the Anqing uprising. Then in 1910 Sun unleashed the second Guangzhou uprising, seeing a few hundred revolutionaries break into the residence of the Qing viceroy of Guangdong and Guangxi provinces. This one was initially pretty successful,but the Qing gathered forces and turned the tide of battle. 72 revolutionaries out of 86 dead bodies were identified and revered as the 72 martyrs. To say revolutionary fever was at an all time high is an understatement. China was about to change forever, in the year 1911. I would like to take this time to remind you all that this podcast is only made possible through the efforts of Kings and Generals over at Youtube. Please go subscribe to Kings and Generals over at Youtube and to continue helping us produce this content please check out www.patreon.com/kingsandgenerals. If you are still hungry after that, give my personal channel a look over at The Pacific War Channel at Youtube, it would mean a lot to me. The Qing government was in full panic mode. Too much damage had been dealt to the empire, China had lost face. To quell the outside world she signed humiliating treaties, but to quell her own people, now that was more challenging. The old ways gradually fell to new policies, but can an old dog learn new tricks? 

This week, Nick Offerman—noted actor, humorist, author, woodworker, canoe paddler, and agrarian philosopher—talks about Willie's 1968 song, “Buddy.” It's likely an obscure title even to real-deal Willie nerds, but not to devoted fans of Nick's old show “Parks and Recreation,” who should recall it as Ron Swanson's favorite song. Nick's going to explain why “Buddy” was chosen for a key moment in what he calls the show's most important episode, and then he'll describe the magic of his first Willie concert, the vital work of Farm Aid, and why he considers Willie Nelson one of the greatest Americans who ever lived.

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