Podcasts about Route

Brian Craig and Neil McIntosch bring us two more stories from the Dark Future anthology.content warning: some brief reference to sexual assault.

durée : 00:11:20 - Les Matins de France Culture - par : Guillaume Erner - Cet été 2026, la Chine a lancé sa première liaison maritime régulière entre l'Asie et l'Europe via l'Arctique. Cette "route de la soie polaire" permet de réduire les temps de trajet. Au-delà des enjeux commerciaux, que cherche la Chine en investissant les eaux arctiques ? - équipe : Félicie Faugère, Emma Lichtenstein - invités : Emmanuel Véron Géographe et spécialiste de la Chine contemporaine Vous aimez ce podcast ? Pour écouter tous les épisodes sans limite, rendez-vous sur Radio France

Travels With Randy Route 66 In The Fall of '26 Episode 2 is here! Wisconsin Ya Sure You Betcha Randy and Bubba's Casual Updates Randy and Bubba discussed Randy's recent travels in Wisconsin, including stories about mosquitoes, Wisconsin Dells, and visiting during biker week. Bubba shared challenges with hot weather affecting his book business warehouse, including issues with sweat damaging packages. They briefly discussed football season and streaming service upgrades, then concluded with Randy sharing news about Stan Kroenke's $4 billion purchase of the Los Angeles Angels baseball team. Sports Franchise Valuation Discussion Randy shared information about a team owner's background, including details about his wife who is worth around $11 billion and owns 1% of Walmart. They discussed the recent $3.9 billion sale of the San Diego Padres, making it the most expensive MLB team sale to date, which influenced the higher price paid for the Angels. The conversation also touched on sports betting scandals and the rapidly increasing value of sports franchises, with Randy noting how million-dollar values have lost significance as billion-dollar values approach that threshold. Movie Performance and Re-Release Discussion Bubba and Randy discussed recent movie performances, with Bubba noting that Avengers: Endgame is projected to become the first film to earn $3 billion, while Spider-Man and other movies have performed well despite COVID-19's impact on theaters. They also discussed the success of independent films like "Obsession," which cost under $1 million to make and earned over $200 million. The conversation then shifted to the upcoming re-release of Cars, which Randy viewed as an opportunity to introduce Route 66 to a new generation, expressing concern about the road's future and the importance of road trips in understanding America's diverse landscapes. Generational Decline in Road Trips Randy expressed concerns about younger generations' lack of interest in road trips compared to previous generations, attributing it to their heavy digital lifestyle. Randy also discussed how modern car manufacturers lack the style and variety of older cars like muscle cars and 1950s vehicles, with most new cars appearing similar in black, white, and maroon colors. Randy recommended that grandparents take their grandchildren to see the Route 66 movie and suggested that Gen Xers should take their children to refresh their memories of the route. Travel and Family History Updates Randy shared updates about recent travels, including doctor visits in South Dakota where costs were significantly lower than in Washington for car registration, insurance, and Medicare. He discussed his current Lake Michigan Circle Tour trip, encountering challenges with hot weather and mosquitoes while camping in Wisconsin. The conversation ended with Randy explaining his family history research in Wisconsin, specifically mentioning his great-grandfather's birthplace and efforts to trace ancestors who disappeared after the 1860 census. Family History and Wisconsin Travel Randy shared his research into his family's history, particularly focusing on how his great-grandfather changed his surname from Smith to Smythe around the 1860s. He visited Wisconsin Dells and observed Bike Week, describing the scene of older motorcyclists with their partners. Randy is currently traveling around Lake Michigan, staying at different wineries and farms as part of a harvest host program, and expressed strong appreciation for the people and scenery of Wisconsin. Wisconsin Travels and Route 66 Bubba and Randy discussed Randy's recent travels around Wisconsin, including his experiences in Sheboygan, Milwaukee, and Door County. They talked about Wisconsin's unique cultural aspects, including supper clubs and the state's reputation for beer production. Randy shared plans for his upcoming Route 66 trip, which will take a different direction and include interviews with local people. Bubba mentioned the success of their Route 66 calendar sales and discussed potential future content, including a paid subscription option for Randy's photography on Facebook.   SO. MANY. PHOTOS - Come join the conversation on Facebook with our 37,000 friends! https://www.facebook.com/travelswithrandypodcast Have a great idea for the guys?  Want to sponsor us?  Want us to sell something National Park or Route 66 related? Want to be a guest? Want to pay for both of us to go to Alaska? Want me to stop asking questions?   bubba@travelswithrandypodcast.com !! LISTEN TO THE OFFICIAL TRAVELS WITH RANDY SOUNDTRACK! Available on all streaming music platforms such as Apple:  TWR Full Soundtrack GET YOUR COPY OF THE TWR OFFICIAL ROUTE 66 CENTENNIAL 16 MONTH CALENDAR! ONLY $19.99 Now Shipping!   https://travelswithrandy.com/

HANK VOGLER ON NEVADA RANCHING MEMORIES, CATTLE BORDER RULES, AND THE KRS INSECTICIDE DEBATE Nevada rancher Hank Vogler joins Trent Loos on Rural Route to share decades of ranching stories, from his 1974 rodeo belt buckle win to a record-setting 2004 team branding event in Paradise Valley. The two…

JAY TRUITT BREAKS DOWN BEEF REGULATION, FOOD SAFETY, AND THE TRUTH ABOUT COUNTRY OF ORIGIN LABELING Jay Truitt joins Trent Loos from Texas for a deep dive into food regulation, deregulation, and food safety in America's beef industry. The two tackle Donald Trump's controversial comments about…

Today on MetroNews This Morning: --State Treasurer Larry Pack gives a balanced analysis on the impact of data centers in W.Va. --Members of the House from Putnam County seek a safety review of U.S. Route 35--The PSC examines the proposed sale of Bluefield's sewer system to WV American Water --In Sports:  Coach Rod working on the final tweeks to the game plan ahead of Saturday's opener for WVU

High Timeline Living Website:https://www.hightimelineliving.com/Readings with Kristin Lawhead:https://kristiraeastrology.wixsite.com/blogKristin's Pinterest Page:https://www.pinterest.com/kristirae01/?invite_code=abac4e48864546c5be3de92dd3aeea4d&sender=236439186595387133Readings with Alisa Dixon: https://www.astrologywithalisa.com/Fun Astrology YouTube Channel:https://www.youtube.com/@funastrologypodcastBuy Thomas a Coffee!https://www.buymeacoffee.com/funastrologyThank you!Join the Fun Astrology Lucky Stars Club Here!Old Soul / New Soul Podcast - Back Episodes:https://www.buzzsprout.com/2190199https://www.youtube.com/@OldSoulNewSoulAstrologyPodcastDisclaimer: The material in this episode is intended as informational and educational purposes only from an astrological perspective and reflects only the opinions of the presenter. In no way is this podcast considered professional psychological or medical counseling or advice. If you are experiencing a personal crisis, please contact 988 for immediate professional, licensed assistance. 

Welcome to the ULTIMATE Chesapeake Bay Fishing Special from Fishing the DMV!Get ready for an incredible 11-hour Chesapeake Bay fishing marathon covering fishing reports, techniques, conservation, invasive species, striped bass, cobia, snakehead, redfish, speckled trout, white perch, blue catfish, and more from across Maryland and Virginia!ANGLER'S NIGHT OUT — SEPTEMBER 10, 2026This special celebrates my upcoming appearance at Angler's Night Out on Thursday, September 10 at West End Sports Bar & Grill, presented by CCA Maryland and Waterfront Marine

Being the gray man isn't about looking tactical, disappearing into the wilderness, or pretending you're invisible. It's about understanding your environment, controlling the signals you put out, and avoiding unnecessary attention when everyone else is competing for it.In this episode, I break down the principles of actually becoming the gray man: blending into your environment, managing your appearance and behavior, developing situational awareness, controlling your ego, and knowing when to move, when to speak, and when to simply observe. We also discuss why expensive gear and tactical clothing can sometimes accomplish the exact opposite of what you intended by advertising your capabilities and making you memorable.The objective isn't paranoia. It's adaptability. Whether you're traveling, navigating an unfamiliar city, dealing with civil unrest, or simply moving through everyday life, the person who understands the baseline of their environment and knows how to operate within it has an advantage.The best gray man isn't the person nobody sees. It's the person nobody remembers.Use GLOVER to save 20% and get Right on TRThttps://hp-trt.comTrain with me Sept. 5-6th in CA, at Route 66. https://longhaulsupplycompany.com/events/gunfighter-pistolhttps://longhaulsupplycompany.com/events/h-s-o-head-shots-only-with-mike-gloverSHIRTShttps://longhaulsupplycompany.com/shop/products/god-family-prepping-shirt-greenFollow!https://youtube.com/@UCcj3FycZBXIPNj7QIBKTIDw * Longevity Farms https://getlongevityfarms.shop/ code MIKE15 for 15% OFF at checkout.Sign up for our email https://longhaulsupplycompany.comFanny Pack for EDC in stockhttps://longhaulsupplycompany.comFollow the underground https://patreon.com/mikegloverGet your Carnivault Subscription and Save on Changing Beef Prices by locking in your prices - The best freeze dried meat for prep or dinner. Use “MG10” to save!https://www.carnivault.com/promo-packs Wastach Wagyu Beef Premium Meat Snacks "MG20" saves 20% off!New Bundle Pack from WWhttps://wasatchwagyu.com/product/wagyu-sweet-spicy-stick-bundle-hot-honey/Follow me on Instagram https://instagram.com/mikegloveractual https://instagram.com/mike.a.gloverMy Book Prepared https://a.co/d/08TMwNe1

Sharla and Daniel are driving all the way from North Alabama to North Nevada for Burning Man 2026, and we're taking you along the way! We talk Black Rock City, the road trip, the stops to eat along the way, Route 66, and much more.

Join us for service live every Sunday at 10am at 5600 Route 34 | Oswego, IL 60543. You can expect passionate worship and a deep love for God's Word.  Connect with us at our website www.hopeucchicago.com

"DR. GARY THRASHER: 55 YEARS AS A VETERINARIAN, RANCHER, AND CATTLE HEALTH EXPERT On this episode of Rural Route, Trent Loos visits Arizona veterinarian Dr. Gary Thrasher, who shares stories from his 55-year career in animal health and cattle ranching. Dr. Thrasher explains his path from playing…

"TRENT LOOS VISITS CHUCK MILLER: RIGHT-OF-WAY RIGHTS EVERY LANDOWNER SHOULD KNOW On this episode of Rural Route, host Trent Loos travels to Brush, Colorado, to sit down with landowner Chuck Miller and dig into a growing problem for rural property owners: right-of-way rights. Chuck shares his fight…"

Eddie Muller Brings Noir City to Chicago + Mandala's Jazz Programming Gary Zidek On this edition of The Arts Section, host Gary Zidek catches up with Turner Classic Movies host and Noir expert Eddie Muller to talk about this year's music-themed Noir City Festival. Theater critics Jonathan Abarbanel and Emily Werner join Gary to talk about a new sci-fi play titled ADVANCE MAN. Later in the show, Gary puts a spotlight on the South Asian arts organization Mandala. And we'll hear about a Route 66 tour through Chicago.

"HANK VOGLER ON BEEF INDUSTRY STRUGGLES, WATER RIGHTS, AND GOVERNMENT OVERREACH Nevada rancher Hank Vogler joins Trent Loos on Rural Route to expose the brutal challenges crushing America's beef industry. They tackle skyrocketing costs, the controversial H-2A labor program, and frustrating…

"BEEF INDUSTRY TURMOIL: JAY TRUITT ON CATTLE IMPORTS, DROUGHT, AND MARKET SHOCKWAVES Trent Loos welcomes Jay Truitt from Texas to unpack the beef industry's biggest challenges. They discuss the reopening of the Mexican border to cattle imports, questioning claims of 300,000 metric tons of beef…"

"POWER GRID COLLAPSE, DIESEL PRICE SPIKES, AND FOOD SUPPLY CHAIN WARNINGS WITH JC COLE Trent Loos welcomes JC Cole from New Jersey for a hard-hitting conversation about America's fragile power grid and food supply chain. They break down the northern Indiana power outages that left families without…More Info"

It's been more than a year since the Trump administration intensified ICE raids in immigrant communities across the U.S. Latino entreprenuers say the toll on their businesses has been worse than the pandemic. In this episode, the ongoing economic harm caused by Trump's relentless deportation agenda. Plus: Small businesses grapple with more tariff uncertainty, Canada posts strong GDP growth, and we break down Fed Chair Kevin Warsh's first Jackson Hole speech.Every story has an economic angle. Want some in your inbox? Subscribe to our daily or weekly newsletter.Marketplace is more than a radio show. Check out our original reporting and financial literacy content at marketplace.org — and consider making an investment in our future.Read the stories in today's episode:Was that forward guidance we just heard from the Fed Chair?Canada's economy is growing as it heads to a trade war with the U.S.Tariff uncertainty means halted production for this camping chair companyImmigration enforcement leaves Latino businesses struggling for monthsHow a 21-foot-tall space cowboy has revitalized a strip of Route 66

A private eye takes a dead girl's case for a father who can't afford him, and comes home with a box of gardenias that have been cut for a month and still smell fresh.EPISODE PAGE (includes list of sources): https://weirddarkness.com/noir-gardeniasonadeadlaneTRANSCRIPT: https://weirddarkness.tiny.us/55nmcphxTHE REAL CASE BEHIND THIS STORY: The story in this episode is a fictionalized dramatization. Invented for it are the detective, his office, the gravedigger, the specific conversations, and the telephone call, and every name of a person or a place has been changed. The case underneath it is real.On the night of Thursday, June 24th, 1948, seventeen-year-old Mary Jane Reed, a switchboard operator, went on a first date with Stanley Skridla, a twenty-eight-year-old Navy veteran and telephone lineman from Rockford. They drank in taverns in Oregon, Illinois, a town on the Rock River in Ogle County, and the last place anyone could name was the Stenhouse, out on Route 2 at the south edge of town. They left around eleven-thirty. Skridla was found the next morning in the ditch along County Farm Road, shot with a .32. Mary Jane was found five days later along Silica Road, now called Devil's Backbone Road, shot once through the head, her slacks off her and her mother's wedding ring still on her hand. Roughly fifty people were questioned within a week. Nobody was ever charged, and the case was off the front pages by autumn.The casings, the photographs and the investigation reports all disappeared in the decades that followed. On November 15th, 1999 – Mary Jane's birthday – an untraceable floral arrangement addressed to her arrived at the old Stenhouse, by then the Road House, on a day the bar was closed. The owner, Mike Arians, had just been elected mayor, and the case has occupied him ever since. Her brother Warren Reed had her exhumed on August 23rd, 2005. Inside the burial vault, beside the casket, investigators found a dress and slip wrapped in newspapers dated June 25th, 1948 – four days before anyone found her. In 2007, forensic anthropologist Linda Klepinger examined the remains released to the family and reported that the skull and one vertebra had come from a different person. The DNA test that would settle it has never been run. Skridla was exhumed in 2015 on Arians's theory that Mary Jane's skull had been hidden in his coffin; it held one man and nothing else, though two .32 slugs came out of the ground with him and neither matched the gun Arians submitted.Warren Reed died on December 23rd, 2023, at eighty-one, without ever learning whose skull was in his sister's grave. The homicides remain open and unsolved.The full account – the fifty interviews, the suitor in La Crosse, the missing wallet the record can't agree on, the six years of court fights, the $25,000 reward for a skull nobody ever produced, and the haunting at the roadhouse – is documented in detail here:Mary Jane Reed's Illinois Grave Held Someone Else's Skull.WeirdDarkness® is a registered trademark. Copyright ©2026, Weird Darkness.Originally aired: August 28, 2026

It's been more than a year since the Trump administration intensified ICE raids in immigrant communities across the U.S. Latino entreprenuers say the toll on their businesses has been worse than the pandemic. In this episode, the ongoing economic harm caused by Trump's relentless deportation agenda. Plus: Small businesses grapple with more tariff uncertainty, Canada posts strong GDP growth, and we break down Fed Chair Kevin Warsh's first Jackson Hole speech.Every story has an economic angle. Want some in your inbox? Subscribe to our daily or weekly newsletter.Marketplace is more than a radio show. Check out our original reporting and financial literacy content at marketplace.org — and consider making an investment in our future.Read the stories in today's episode:Was that forward guidance we just heard from the Fed Chair?Canada's economy is growing as it heads to a trade war with the U.S.Tariff uncertainty means halted production for this camping chair companyImmigration enforcement leaves Latino businesses struggling for monthsHow a 21-foot-tall space cowboy has revitalized a strip of Route 66

This hour, we remember Dolly Parton. The music superstar, actress, businesswoman, and philanthropist died Tuesday. Parton was beloved by many — perhaps almost universally so. How was she able to transcend the division and polarization of today's society? We discuss her life and legacy, and the lessons we can learn. Our guests: Hannah Davis, Dolly Parton fan and founding director of Flower City Folk Hannah Maier, music director of The Route and lead singer and guitarist of the country band, Candy Matt Present, M.D., founder emeritus of the Rochester chapter of Dolly Parton's Imagination Library and assistant professor of pediatrics at UR Medicine ---Connections is supported by listeners like you. Head to our donation page to become a WXXI member today, support the show, and help us close the gap created by the rescission of federal funding.---Connections airs every weekday from noon-2 p.m. Join the conversation with questions or comments by phone at 1-844-295-TALK (8255) or 585-263-9994, email, Facebook or Twitter. Connections is also livestreamed on the WXXI News YouTube channel each day. You can watch live or access previous episodes here.---Do you have a story that needs to be shared? Pitch your story to Connections.

Who's on Route 66 these days? Les Français Route 66 is turning 100 this year, and communities around the state are gearing up for this milestone birthday. The 2,400-mile highway system stretches from Chicago to Santa Monica, and has always drawn tourists. But as KCRW's Jennifer Swann reports, the promise of Route 66 is not exactly what it used to be.  Meet the Bald Eagles Who Inspired a Movement A pair of majestic bald eagles named Jackie and Shadow became internet sensations after a devoted admirer set up a camera and began livestreaming their nest. Their rise to stardom sparked a movement to protect their fragile habitat above Big Bear Lake in the San Bernardino Mountains. But the story took a sad turn earlier this month when one of the eagles died. Host Sasha Khokha checked in with KVCR's Madison Aument about what's next for the remaining eagle and its fans. How One Professor is Teaching About Cesar Chavez Now Last spring, when sexual abuse allegations first surfaced about labor leader Cesar Chavez, communities across the state took immediate action – from taking down statues to renaming buildings and painting over murals. But educators had to rethink how they taught students about the farmworker movement. Oliver Rosales teaches history and ethnic studies at Bakersfield College in Delano, where the United Farmer Workers were based. He spoke with host Sasha Khokha about how his curriculum has changed this fall.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Travels With Randy Route 66 In The Fall of '26 Episode 1 is here! Finally Back On The Road Again! Road Trip and Business Updates Randy and Bubba discussed Randy's current road trip across the country, where he is pursuing genealogy research while traveling. Randy explained his decision to change plans from visiting the Upper Peninsula to doing a Lake Michigan loop, specifically targeting lighthouses along the route Angels Baseball Team Performance Discussion Bubba and Randy discussed the poor performance of the Angels baseball team, which is in danger of losing 100 games for the first time in their history. Randy expressed frustration with the team's owner, who prioritizes profit over winning, and they compared baseball's lack of promotion/relegation system to soccer's more flexible league structure. The conversation concluded with a discussion about innovative sports entertainment like the Savannah Bananas and the challenges of getting funding for new business ventures. Entrepreneurial Experiences and Business Financing Bubba and Randy discussed their experiences starting businesses 25 years ago, comparing the easier access to credit and financing during that period to the more restrictive current environment. They reflected on how their children, including Randy's son Jamison, have been influenced by their entrepreneurial experiences, with Jamison choosing stable employment over business ownership after witnessing both the successes and failures of Randy's business. Randy mentioned he is 14 months away from paying off his vehicle "Snuffy" after financing half the purchase price and using cash for the rest, following a $145,000 renovation. Car Mileage and Maintenance Discussion Bubba and Randy discussed their car mileage and maintenance issues. Bubba shared that his car Satan's Anus had reached 417,000 miles and had recently lost its bumper and back window due to an incident where he tried to push a tree off the road. Randy mentioned that his car Stuffy had reached 110,000 miles and he drives about 25,000 miles annually, with the mechanic indicating the engine could go up to 250,000 miles without issue. Historical Mining and Modern Parallels Bubba and Randy discussed the challenges of home ownership and the relentless nature of maintenance issues. Randy shared his recent road trip through South Dakota's Black Hills and Montana, including a visit to the ghost town of Garnett, which highlighted the difficult circumstances faced by early miners seeking fortune. They reflected on how people 200 years ago would have been gold miners if they lived then, and discussed the historical pattern where those who supplied the miners (like pick and shovel sellers) often fared better than those doing the mining, drawing a parallel to modern internet businesses like Google. Wealth Concentration and Travel Discussion Bubba and Randy discussed the dramatic increase in wealth concentration, noting how companies like Nvidia now generate billions daily while individual financial opportunities have shrunk. They explored the implications of AI market consolidation and discussed Randy's current retirement lifestyle of traveling across different states, including his upcoming Route 66 journey where he plans to focus more on experiencing the route rather than just documenting it. Randy mentioned his routine of trading until market open and staying at various locations including Harvest Hosts and occasional hotels during his travels. Route 66 Trip Planning Discussion Randy discussed his upcoming Route 66 trip back to the western United States, planning to visit places he missed during his spring journey and interview businesses along the route to see how they fared during the summer. He noted that many locations are preparing for the centennial celebration in November, with Disney planning a Cars reissue in September. Bubba mentioned that Randy's Route 66 photos have been popular on Facebook, with over 6,000 pictures taken and featured in a new 16-month calendar available for purchase. The discussion also covered Randy's plans to create more video content and adapt to Facebook's preference for vertical formats, with the podcast continuing weekly coverage of Randy's travels.   SO. MANY. PHOTOS - Come join the conversation on Facebook with our 37,000 friends! https://www.facebook.com/travelswithrandypodcast Have a great idea for the guys?  Want to sponsor us?  Want us to sell something National Park or Route 66 related? Want to be a guest? Want to pay for both of us to go to Alaska? Want me to stop asking questions?   bubba@travelswithrandypodcast.com !! LISTEN TO THE OFFICIAL TRAVELS WITH RANDY SOUNDTRACK! Available on all streaming music platforms such as Apple:  TWR Full Soundtrack GET YOUR COPY OF THE TWR OFFICIAL ROUTE 66 CENTENNIAL 16 MONTH CALENDAR! ONLY $19.99 Now Shipping!   https://travelswithrandy.com/  

The NFL is back in a couple weeks, and so is artificial turf. Several NFL stadiums rolled out the green carpet this summer for World Cup matches, which are mandated to be played on grass. For the 92% of NFL players who prefer the real stuff, it's proof-of-concept — and could become a players union bargaining objective come 2030. Also in this episode: Nvidia announces eye-popping long-term revenue expectations, retail inventories tick up, and we weigh a tax on robot labor.Every story has an economic angle. Want some in your inbox? Subscribe to our daily or weekly newsletter.Marketplace is more than a radio show. Check out our original reporting and financial literacy content at marketplace.org — and consider making an investment in our future.Read the stories in today's episode:America's shelves are filling upNvidia expects revenue to grow by 70% over the next yearFootball is back. So is the turf — and players aren't happyCould an AI tax disincentivize human layoffs?For specialty food importer, tariffs are still front and centerFor three generations, this family has kept up business along Route 66

The NFL is back in a couple weeks, and so is artificial turf. Several NFL stadiums rolled out the green carpet this summer for World Cup matches, which are mandated to be played on grass. For the 92% of NFL players who prefer the real stuff, it's proof-of-concept — and could become a players union bargaining objective come 2030. Also in this episode: Nvidia announces eye-popping long-term revenue expectations, retail inventories tick up, and we weigh a tax on robot labor.Every story has an economic angle. Want some in your inbox? Subscribe to our daily or weekly newsletter.Marketplace is more than a radio show. Check out our original reporting and financial literacy content at marketplace.org — and consider making an investment in our future.Read the stories in today's episode:America's shelves are filling upNvidia expects revenue to grow by 70% over the next yearFootball is back. So is the turf — and players aren't happyCould an AI tax disincentivize human layoffs?For specialty food importer, tariffs are still front and centerFor three generations, this family has kept up business along Route 66

Driving up Israel's spine on Route 60, discussing the big issues and how to fix them ... PODCAST INFO:Podcast website: https://yishaifleisher.com/podcastYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/YishaiFleisherTVSUPPORT & CONNECT:Buy Me a Coffee: https://buymeacoffee.com/yishaiFight4Israel: https://fight4israel.givecloud.coTwitter: https://twitter.com/YishaiFleisherLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/yishaifleisherFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/YishaiFleisherSupport the show

In part one of our conversation with John Godlove and Piyush Agarwal, co-founders of Fusion Hive, we talked about starting with the workflow instead of the AI. Before choosing a model or building an agent, you need to understand the problem. You also need to understand the process, the data, and what you're trying to improve. In part two, we took that conversation further. We looked at what happens when you move from an AI demo into something a business actually depends on. That's when governance, data privacy, testing, guardrails, monitoring, and cost become much more important. Piyush made a comment that sums this up well. If your workflow is already broken and you throw AI at it, you're probably going to accelerate the chaos. About John Godlove and Piyush Agarwal John Godlove is co-founder of Fusion Hive and has more than a decade of experience helping organizations from startups to Fortune 500 companies build and deploy automation. His background includes work in the Salesforce ecosystem, AI, data, and technology implementation. Piyush Agarwal is co-founder of Fusion Hive and has more than a decade of experience in artificial intelligence and machine learning. His experience includes financial fraud detection, document intelligence pipelines, generative AI multi-agent architectures, and production machine-learning engineering. Together, John and Piyush founded Fusion Hive to bring enterprise AI and automation experience to small and mid-market businesses. Their approach focuses on practical workflows, measurable outcomes, governance, and production-ready AI systems. AI Has a Way of Exposing Problems You Already Had We've been talking all season about AI exposing the cracks in businesses and software development. This conversation was a great example of what we mean. Many businesses don't have perfectly documented processes. The official procedure may say one thing, while the person doing the job follows a slightly different process because they know what works. Sometimes that critical business knowledge isn't documented anywhere. It may be sitting in someone's head, buried in an email, or handled through an informal process. Humans are pretty good at filling in those blanks and making judgment calls. Software needs us to be much clearer about the rules. John explained that small and mid-market businesses don't always have mature governance structures. Regulated organizations tend to have more structure because regulations require it. Other companies may not discover these governance problems until they start looking seriously at AI. The AI project doesn't necessarily create the crack. It often shines a light on something that was already there. That can actually be a good thing. An AI project may force you to understand how your business really works. It can push you to document processes, identify ownership, and clean up your data. You may get significant value from that work before the first AI workflow ever reaches production. AI Governance Is Bigger Than AI When I asked John and Piyush about governance and protecting customer data, one thing became pretty clear. You can't treat AI governance as something that exists by itself. Your business already has systems, users, data, security policies, vendors, and access controls. The AI system has to live inside that environment. Piyush explained that Fusion Hive tries to work within the systems a customer already uses. They don't automatically introduce another platform. A business may already be heavily invested in Microsoft, Google, Azure, AWS, or another ecosystem. Those existing systems may already provide infrastructure that can support the new workflow. John added that internal IT departments and managed service providers also need to be part of the conversation. AI governance overlaps with data governance, cybersecurity, access controls, and existing policies. You can't build one without considering the others. I think that's an important way to look at this. AI may feel like an entirely new technology problem, but it's still another component in your business systems. You still need to know who can access information, where that information goes, and who owns the process when something fails. Know Where Your Data Is Going Data privacy becomes even more important once AI enters the conversation. Before connecting business information to a model, find out where that data goes and what happens to it. Does the provider retain it? Can the provider use it for model training? Does the platform provide the protections your business needs? Those questions become critical in healthcare, financial services, and other regulated environments. Piyush talked about cases where businesses may need specific configurations or agreements with providers. These protections can prevent providers from using company data for model training. He also pointed out that not every use case requires a frontier model. A smaller or open model may work for some problems. That option may also give the business more control over where and how it processes information. The exact solution depends on the business. The important thing is to ask these questions before implementation. You don't want to connect company data to an AI system and then ask where that information went. The Wrong Use Case Can Make AI Expensive Fast When I asked John and Piyush about mistakes they've seen businesses make with AI, John's answer wasn't some crazy technical failure. One of the biggest mistakes is simply choosing the wrong use case. A business leader hears that the company needs AI. Somebody gets a directive to "get AI live," and the team builds something impressive for a demo. But nobody defines what business metric the project should improve. John suggested working backward from the business outcome. Maybe you want to improve margins or reduce turnaround time. Maybe you want to shorten lead qualification or improve the lead-to-cash process. Once you know the target, you can trace that goal back to the workflows that influence it. This is where I think many AI projects can get into trouble. "We implemented AI" isn't a business result. If you don't know what you're trying to change, you may spend money without knowing whether the investment helped. You Need a Baseline Before You Can Measure ROI Of course, that creates another problem. Some businesses don't know how their existing processes perform today. They know people are busy and a workflow feels slow. But they haven't measured the time, exceptions, rework, or actual cost. John talked about measurements such as cycle time, quote turnaround, lead qualification, and lead-to-cash timing. Those numbers give you something to compare after you introduce automation. If a process took 40 hours before AI and takes 20 afterward, you have a measurable improvement. The same applies if errors drop or turnaround improves. Without a baseline, you're guessing. Six months later, you might have a cool AI system. But when somebody asks what it saved the company, the answer can't just be that everyone seems to like it. Don't Automate a Broken Process This is where Piyush made one of the strongest points of the interview. If the workflow is already broken, AI will accelerate whatever already exists. That includes the chaos. Bad data doesn't suddenly become good because an LLM reads it. Unclear ownership doesn't disappear because an agent performs the task. If nobody can tell you whether the result is correct, you're probably not ready to hand that process over to AI. Before you automate, you may need to clean the data or document the rules. You may need to fix the process or determine who owns the outcome. That work can slow down an AI project at the beginning, but I'd rather find those problems before production than after. This reminds me of what we see in testing and automation. Automating a bad test or a bad process doesn't make it better. It just lets you run the wrong thing faster and more often. AI gives us more capability, but that basic engineering principle hasn't changed. Evaluation, Guardrails, and Monitoring This was probably my favorite technical part of the conversation because it lines up with my testing and integration background. Piyush identified three areas that matter when moving an AI workflow toward production: Evaluation Guardrails Monitoring Before production, you need to evaluate the workflow against known data. Piyush described maintaining a holdout or "golden" dataset with known expected results. You can run the workflow against that data and check whether the system produces acceptable results. For developers and testers, this should sound familiar. We've been doing versions of this forever. Give the system a known input, define the expected output, run the test, and compare the results. AI changes how predictable some outputs may be. It doesn't remove the need to test them. In fact, I think AI's variability makes evaluation even more important. Put Guardrails Around What AI Can Do Testing the output is only part of the problem. Once an AI system can take actions, you need to decide what it's allowed to do. We've already seen examples of public-facing AI systems producing ridiculous results because nobody properly constrained them. Guardrails should define where the AI has authority and what requires validation. They should also define when the system needs to stop and ask for help. Some decisions may require deterministic rules, while others may need human approval. This is another place where I don't think we should look at the problem as AI versus humans. A better solution may combine AI, deterministic software, validation rules, and people. Give each part of the system the job it's actually good at. Deployment Isn't the Finish Line Piyush's third piece was monitoring. I think this will become increasingly important as more companies put AI into production. You don't test the system once, deploy it, and forget about it. You need to watch what happens after release. What questions are users asking? What does the system return? What new exceptions appear? Where does it get confused? Those production interactions can become part of the feedback loop that improves the system. That's not very different from what we've learned from building software for years. Production teaches you things your test environment never will. AI can make the behavior less predictable, which makes monitoring and ownership even more important. Don't Forget the People Using the System You can choose the right use case, design the right architecture, and test everything correctly. The implementation can still fail if nobody uses it. John talked about enablement and training as a critical part of the rollout. This becomes especially important when AI changes an existing business process. Employees need to understand what changed, how to use the new system, and why the organization made the change. You also need to deal with the obvious concern that employees may think AI is there to replace them. If that's what people believe, don't be surprised when adoption becomes difficult. We've dealt with change management in software projects forever. AI hasn't removed the human side of implementation. The Most Powerful Model Isn't Always the Right Model Our bonus conversation moved into another area that more businesses are starting to discover: running AI in production can get expensive. Most people first experience AI through ChatGPT, Claude, Copilot, or another chat interface. Production workflows can look very different. An agent might ingest emails, read PDFs, extract information, transcribe documents, and call other systems. Now imagine doing that thousands of times. John explained that businesses need to understand these cost drivers because AI expenses can vary much more than a traditional monthly SaaS bill. Piyush made another good point here. The biggest and most capable model isn't automatically the right model for every task. If you're doing a simple email summary, do you really need the most expensive frontier model available? Probably not. Route the Work to the Right Tool This brought us back to something we discussed in part one. Sometimes the right solution isn't AI at all. Piyush described task-based routing, where the system decides what capability a particular task needs. A simple request might go to a smaller model. A complex reasoning problem could go to a more capable model. A deterministic task might go directly to traditional code. This approach can improve cost, speed, and predictability. John also talked about making systems LLM agnostic. You don't want to lock an entire business process into whichever model happens to be popular today. This market moves incredibly fast, and today's best choice may not be the best choice a year from now. That's more than a technical architecture decision. If you're building something the business expects to run for years, you need to think about changes in pricing, vendors, and technology. Build for the Business, Not the AI Trend The biggest thing I took away from this second part of our conversation is that successful AI implementation looks a lot like good engineering. Understand the problem, know where your data comes from, establish ownership, and define the expected outcome. Then test the system, add controls, monitor production, and make sure the people using it understand the change. AI gives us some incredible new capabilities, but it doesn't make those fundamentals disappear. If anything, it makes the cracks more obvious when we skip them. Before you automate that next process, take a hard look at what you're actually automating. If the process is broken, the data is bad, nobody owns the outcome, and you can't measure success, AI probably isn't your first problem. Otherwise, you may not be automating your business. You may just be automating the chaos. Stay Connected: Join the Developreneur Community

Another month, another PCE report that put annual core inflation meaningfully above the Fed's 2% target. The central bank has been fighting high inflation for more than five years now. At a certain point, you might start to wonder, does the Fed even have the power to fix it? Also in this episode: Consumer confidence falls, transportation durable goods orders tick up, and Arizona's Great Recession-era bid to save the state budget offers insight into how AI might change our tax structure.Every story has an economic angle. Want some in your inbox? Subscribe to our daily or weekly newsletter.Marketplace is more than a radio show. Check out our original reporting and financial literacy content at marketplace.org — and consider making an investment in our future.Read the stories in today's episode:Inflation is stuck above 2%. Can the Fed really do anything about it?Consumers are pessimistic about the next six monthsHow Arizona's "Capitol-ism" points to a potential tax fix for the AI ageWhat's driving an increase in orders for transportation equipment?Running a historic motel off Route 66 is no easy pursuitThe Gila River Indian Community "walks the walk" on water conservation

Another month, another PCE report that put annual core inflation meaningfully above the Fed's 2% target. The central bank has been fighting high inflation for more than five years now. At a certain point, you might start to wonder, does the Fed even have the power to fix it? Also in this episode: Consumer confidence falls, transportation durable goods orders tick up, and Arizona's Great Recession-era bid to save the state budget offers insight into how AI might change our tax structure.Every story has an economic angle. Want some in your inbox? Subscribe to our daily or weekly newsletter.Marketplace is more than a radio show. Check out our original reporting and financial literacy content at marketplace.org — and consider making an investment in our future.Read the stories in today's episode:Inflation is stuck above 2%. Can the Fed really do anything about it?Consumers are pessimistic about the next six monthsHow Arizona's "Capitol-ism" points to a potential tax fix for the AI ageWhat's driving an increase in orders for transportation equipment?Running a historic motel off Route 66 is no easy pursuitThe Gila River Indian Community "walks the walk" on water conservation

Part 1: https://open.spotify.com/episode/01Csy0cpk369jO3vYQtE1D?si=mOOgSjGAQs29pFzXITCkggCLANCYPASTA PRESENTS► "Odd things are afoot at the Motel on Route 666 - Part 2" written by MadienMotherCrone, narrated by ClancyPasta► https://www.reddit.com/r/nosleep/comments/1v9g90j/odd_things_are_afoot_at_the_motel_on_route_666/https://www.reddit.com/user/MadienMotherCrone/Here are ways to support the podcast if you wish ~PATREON ► https://patreon.com/clancypastaMEMBERSHIP ► https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCnfg9w5hrnPT7oA1H3uRZEQ/joinMERCH ► http://teespring.com/stores/clancypastastoreHere's where you can find me, and also links to the audio version of the show ~SPOTIFY ► https://open.spotify.com/show/51DHHPsFnEvDAGfRiZPMF7ANCHOR.FM ► https://anchor.fm/clancypastaX ► http://x.com/clancypastaINSTA ► https://instagram.com/clancypastaMUSIC► Background music is by my personal friend Sounds of the Woods, produced specifically for this project.#Creepypasta #scarystories #horrorstories

Beep, beep, mothertruckers! The badbois are rollin' back with yet another installment of what technically meets the standard of "podcast"! So put it in kill the headlights, put it in neutral, and let a couple of losers regale you with topics like: games unplayed, the honeybun, Route 40,000, and an actually helpful segment about tournament prep! Also, ominously, the False Wife returns. Also, Campbell's real wife jumpscared him like halfway into the show but Dan edited it out because it took Campbell a WHILE to recover. Campbell's like a tiny baby bird after a thunderstorm: shaken, red-lining, and more than a little wet! https://www.patreon.com/40kBadcast https://40kbadcast.bigcartel.com/ contact@40kbadcast.com  

In this episode, Mike examines the tragic case of Lindsey Clancy and the uncomfortable public response that followed. Clancy was accused of killing her three young children before attempting to take her own life, while her defense raised questions about postpartum mental illness, psychiatric treatment, and criminal responsibility.This conversation goes beyond one case. It asks what our growing fascination with the antihero has done to our moral judgment. Movies, television, and social media repeatedly encourage us to search for redeeming qualities in people who commit terrible acts while teaching us to distrust anyone presented as genuinely good. Eventually, empathy can become so distorted that the person accused of causing unimaginable harm receives more attention than the innocent victims.Mental illness deserves serious consideration, and compassion matters. But compassion cannot require us to minimize evil, erase accountability, or forget three children: Cora, Dawson, and Callan. Their lives must remain at the center of this story.This episode explores the difference between explanation and excuse, compassion and moral confusion, and justice and vengeance. The Lindsey Clancy case is not merely a true-crime story. It is an indictment of a culture that increasingly struggles to identify innocence, responsibility, good, and evil.Use GLOVER to save 20% and get Right on TRThttps://hp-trt.comTrain with me Sept. 5-6th in CA, at Route 66. https://longhaulsupplycompany.com/events/gunfighter-pistolhttps://longhaulsupplycompany.com/events/h-s-o-head-shots-only-with-mike-gloverSHIRTShttps://longhaulsupplycompany.com/shop/products/god-family-prepping-shirt-greenFollow!https://youtube.com/@UCcj3FycZBXIPNj7QIBKTIDw * Longevity Farms https://getlongevityfarms.shop/ code MIKE15 for 15% OFF at checkout.Sign up for our email https://longhaulsupplycompany.comFanny Pack for EDC in stockhttps://longhaulsupplycompany.comPRIMAL POWER BAR - Use GLOVER20 to save 20% OFFhttps://primalpower.com/pages/mike-gloverFollow the underground https://patreon.com/mikegloverGet your Carnivault Subscription and Save on Changing Beef Prices by locking in your prices - The best freeze dried meat for prep or dinner. Use “MG10” to save!https://www.carnivault.com/promo-packs Wastach Wagyu Beef Premium Meat Snacks "MG20" saves 20% off!New Bundle Pack from WWhttps://wasatchwagyu.com/product/wagyu-sweet-spicy-stick-bundle-hot-honey/Follow me on Instagram https://instagram.com/mikegloveractual https://instagram.com/mike.a.gloverMy Book Prepared https://a.co/d/08TMwNe1

John Hardie and Edmund Fitton-Brown outline Russia's military assistance to Iran via the Caspian Sea, a highly secure transit route. This collaboration benefits Moscow by raising energy prices and draining US munition stockpiles like Patriot interceptors, giving Russia a freer hand in Ukraine. Russia provides Iran with tactical intelligence, drone components to resist satellite jamming, and has agreed to deliver shoulder-launched air defense missiles. While Ukraine and Israel have attempted long-range strikes against trade vessels and ports to disrupt this flow, interdiction is difficult because the Caspian Sea operates as a protected, non-transparent Russian-Iranian military lake. (10)

Kim and her family spent three weeks driving historic Route 66 from Chicago to Disneyland, balancing quirky roadside stops, national parks, family traditions, and two days at Disneyland. She shares practical planning tips, creative ways to keep kids engaged, unexpected highlights, favorite foods and attractions, and lessons learned from adapting to changes along the way.    Links: Small World Vacations Disneyland Request   Leave me a message (including trip report submissions) Please use the SpeakPipe link below to leave us a message with your first name, location, and trip info. Be sure to include your exact trip dates, who is in your party, where you will stay, and anything unique about the trip. You can do that using your computer or phone at https://www.speakpipe.com/WDWPrepToGo   Subscribe to get new episodes There are a few ways to get new episodes of WDW Prep to Go (if you're used to listening on the website, subscribe so you can take new episodes with you on your phone) Subscribe in iTunes  (and please leave a review!) Subscribe to the podcast   Follow on social media Instagram Facebook Pinterest YouTube   Ways to support us Become a Patron Get a quote request for a future trip from Small World Vacations Subscribe to the WDW Prep School weekly newsletter Podcast Episode Finder Visit the site Things we recommend   Affiliate Links: Amazon DVC Rentals Quicksilver Tours and Transportation Small World Vacations Designer Park Co - Use code "WDWPrep" to save 10%

Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney hopes that he can use the collapse of trade talks with Washington to show that Canada and other “middle powers” can navigate geopolitical storms without ceding their sovereignty to nations like the United States. Also: today's stories, including a look at President Donald Trump's latest tariffs and sanctions; why Washington's curtailing of joint military drills in South Korea could push the country on a path to self-reliance; and how Native Americans along Route 66 are grappling with the highway's legacy. Join the Monitor's Ira Porter for today's news.

Vacuuming shouldn't be the task that wrecks your whole pool service route, but for a lot of pool pros it's the biggest hidden time sink. We walk through the fastest way to vacuum a pool based on real-world service conditions, from dusty pools that demand deeper cleanup to neighborhoods where suction side cleaners handle most of the daily dirt. We also talk about a simple but powerful move for your service agreement: “vacuum when necessary,” and how that one line can change expectations, protect your time, and still deliver a clean, professional result.We get specific about methods. Manual vacuuming with a hose to the skimmer is still the most thorough option, but it's also the slowest and easiest to bog down with clogs from leaves and acorns. If your accounts already have an automatic pool cleaner, spot vacuuming becomes the faster play and we explain how to do it using the existing cleaner hoses, plus the drawbacks like reduced suction and hoses popping off. From there, we move into dedicated pool vacuum systems like the Bottom Feeder, Hammerhead, Riptide, and plug-in alternatives like the Vac Daddy, including what actually happens when you rely on vacuum bags to catch dirt.Fine dirt is where most “fast” vacuuming falls apart, so we break down micron bag choices (60, 75, 100 and beyond), why a pool can look good and then show dirt again two hours later, and how a cartridge filter assembly can vacuum to a much finer level for that polished finish. We also call out popular “shortcuts” like brushing everything to the deep end or main drain and why they usually fail in practice. If you want faster cleanings without sacrificing quality, hit play, then subscribe, share this with a pool tech friend, and leave a review so more pros can find the show.We break down the fastest ways to vacuum a pool without leaving behind fine dirt or creating callbacks on a busy pool service route. We compare manual vacuuming, spot vacuuming with cleaner hoses, and pro vacuum systems so you can choose the right method for your service area, staffing, and customer expectations.  • using “vacuum when necessary” in a service agreement to reduce wasted time  • why customers equate vacuuming with visible work  • why manual vacuum hose to skimmer is effective but slow  • spot vacuuming by converting automatic cleaner hoses  • when it makes sense to invest in Bottom Feeder, Hammerhead, Riptide, Vac Daddy  • choosing micron bags and why fine dirt returns after vacuuming  • how a cartridge filter assembly captures finer dirt  • why brushing to the deep end or main drain does not save time  • recommending more reliable “bulletproof” automatic cleaners for full coverage  Join the pool guy coaching program. Learn more at swimmingpoollearning.com. If you're interested in my coaching program, you can learn more at poolguidecoaching.com.  Send us Fan MailSupport the Pool Guy Podcast Show Sponsors! HASA  REWARDS Apphttps://hasa.com/hasa-appThe Bottom Feeder. Save $100 with Code: DVB100https://store.thebottomfeeder.com/Try Skimmer FREE for 30 days:https://getskimmer.com/poolguy Get UPA Liability Insurance $64 a month! https://forms.gle/F9YoTWNQ8WnvT4QBA Support the showThanks for listening, and I hope you find the Podcast helpful! For other free resources to further help you:Visit my Website: https://www.swimmingpoollearning.comWatch on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@SPLPodcast Site: https://the-pool-guy-podcast-show.onpodium.com/UPA General Liability Insurance Application: https://forms.gle/F9YoTWNQ8WnvT4QBAPool Guy Coaching GroupJoin an exclusive network of Pool Service Technicians to access the industry's leading commercial general liability insurance program. Protect your business.Premium is $64 per month per member (additional $40 for employees and ICs)$59 per month for Pool Guy coaching Members - join here! https://www.patreon.com/poolguycoachingLimits are $1,000,000 in occurrence and $2,000,000 in the aggregate - Per member limits     [ $1,000,000 per occurrence and $4,000,000 aggregate available for $75 per month ]$50,000 in HazMat Coverage - clean up on-site or over-the-roadAcid Wash Coverage - Full Limits

durée : 00:03:54 - Les Matins de France Culture - par : Raphaël Laloum - En 1963, Janis Joplin est étudiante à Austin au Texas aux États-Unis. Passionnée de musique et en révolte contre sa famille, la jeune fille fait partie de la génération beatnik. Sa soif de liberté la pousse à prendre la route jusqu'à San Francisco. - équipe : Thomas Beau Vous aimez ce podcast ? Pour écouter tous les épisodes sans limite, rendez-vous sur Radio France

The Portland Headlight Story Behind a Retirement Bucket List Novel-GB Utilizes Route 66 filmed in Portland in 1963 - and somehow that old Corvette drive tied right into the book I'm writing now.If you love Maine history, old TV, or a good “wait, that's where what was filmed?” moment, drop a

United Airlines CEO Scott Kirby says it is an exciting day as the company announces 10 destinations in Europe and Asia to its network next year, while speaking with BTV's Lisa Abramowicz on Bloomberg Surveillance. Kirby also says that demand has been strong across the board, saying that he doesn't see any places of weakness but the economy feels a bit "tentative."See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It is never too late to chase a dream, even one that has waited decades for its turn. My guest, Evan Katz, built a career in journalism, public finance, and local government before taking an unexpected path into professional baseball. After first playing organized baseball at age 45, Evan became a professional player at 61 and later coached professional baseball at 69. We talk about how fear can become motivation, why setbacks can be powerful learning opportunities, and how skills gained across a lifetime can prepare us for challenges we never expected to face. Evan also shares what he learned from calling himself the “least qualified coach in professional baseball,” and how listening, mentoring, and supporting others became some of his greatest strengths. His story is a wonderful reminder that personal growth, career change, and lifelong learning do not come with an expiration date. Highlights: 02:47 – How family work ethic shaped Evan's drive. 11:26 – How fear can become motivation. 13:08 – Why setbacks can become learning opportunities. 35:06 – What local government taught Evan about growth. 42:29 – Why he started playing baseball at 45. 53:37 – How he became a professional baseball coach at 69 About the Guest: Evan grew up in Brookline, Massachusetts two miles from Fenway Park in the 1960s and quickly learned the emotional highs and lows of being a Red Sox fan.  When the Red Sox won the World Series in 2004, after an 86-year championship drought, he rang church bells to celebrate. After a long award-winning career in municipal and public school finance in Massachusetts, and raising a family of four with his wife Liz, Evan began his late-life baseball career in earnest at age 65.  He was an assistant high school coach for three years, and documented the team's Massachusetts state championship in the story “No Earbuds in the Outfield.” Evan Katz's pro baseball career began at age 61 when he pitched for the White Sands Pupfish of the independent Pecos League in 2017. When euphoria subsided and his infinity ERA began to sting, Evan returned to the Pecos League at age 67. With the Austin Weirdos he became one of the oldest pitchers ever to start a minor league game and lowered his ERA to 29.25 After an aborted stint as pitching coach with the Roswell Invaders in 2024, Evan returned to the Pecos League in 2025 as bullpen coach of the North Platte 80s. As the 80's scout he recruited players for the second-year Nebraska team.  As bullpen coach he supported the North Platte pitching staff which anchored the team's 27-21 record and helped the team reach the second round of the playoffs. And this despite just three years as a high school coach, and no college coaching experience. There were more than 2000 coaches among nearly 300 major, minor and independent pro baseball teams and Evan was the least qualified. To share his second career in baseball and other inspiring baseball stories, Evan manages his baseball website “Baseball by the Sea Media.” It includes exclusive feature stories plus biographies and game stories published by the Society for American Baseball Research. It also links to the 2024 award-winning two-season podcast he co-hosted with Bruce McClure, “Baseball's Last Frontier: Stories from the Pecos League.” Ways to connect with Evan**:** https://sites.google.com/view/baseballbythesea/home https://www.linkedin.com/in/evan-katz-351554b/ About the Host: Michael Hingson is a New York Times best-selling author, international lecturer, and Chief Vision Officer for accessiBe. Michael, blind since birth, survived the 9/11 attacks with the help of his guide dog Roselle. This story is the subject of his best-selling book, Thunder Dog. Michael gives over 100 presentations around the world each year speaking to influential groups such as Exxon Mobile, AT&T, Federal Express, Scripps College, Rutgers University, Children's Hospital, and the American Red Cross just to name a few. He is Ambassador for the National Braille Literacy Campaign for the National Federation of the Blind and also serves as Ambassador for the American Humane Association's 2012 Hero Dog Awards. https://michaelhingson.com https://www.facebook.com/michael.hingson.author.speaker/ https://twitter.com/mhingson https://www.youtube.com/user/mhingson https://www.linkedin.com/in/michaelhingson/ Thanks for listening! Thanks so much for listening to our podcast! If you enjoyed this episode and think that others could benefit from listening, please share it using the social media buttons on this page. Do you have some feedback or questions about this episode? Leave a comment in the section below! Subscribe to the podcast If you would like to get automatic updates of new podcast episodes, you can subscribe to the podcast on Apple Podcasts or Stitcher. You can subscribe in your favorite podcast app. You can also support our podcast through our tip jar https://tips.pinecast.com/jar/unstoppable-mindset . Leave us an Apple Podcasts review Ratings and reviews from our listeners are extremely valuable to us and greatly appreciated. They help our podcast rank higher on Apple Podcasts, which exposes our show to more awesome listeners like you. If you have a minute, please leave an honest review on Apple Podcasts. Transcription Notes: Michael Hingson  00:04 What if the biggest thing holding you back isn't what's in front of you, but rather what you believe? Welcome to Unstoppable Mindset, where inclusion, diversity, and the unexpected meet. I'm your host, Michael Hingston, speaker, author, and advocate for inclusion and possibilities. This podcast explores how the beliefs we carry shape the way we live, lead, and connect with others. Each week, I talk with people who challenge assumptions, face adversity head-on, and show what's possible when we choose curiosity over fear. Together, we focus on mindset, resilience, and the small shifts that lead to meaningful change. Let's get started. Hi, everyone, and welcome to another Unstoppable Mindset podcast episode today. We get to chat with Evan Katz, and Evan's got an interesting life, especially since, if you will, he started the second part of his life, or maybe it's not the second, maybe it's later, of being a professional baseball coach at the age of 61. Well, we're going to hear about that. Evan lives in Massachusetts, in Swampscott, grew up in Brookline, which was very close to where the Red Sox play. I'm sure he's got lots of stories that we get to talk about with that. But anyway, Evan, I want to welcome you to Unstoppable Mindset. We're really glad you're here. Evan Katz  01:42 Thanks, Michael. I really appreciate the invitation. I I think that I'm excited to be part of a show with with with the theme that that you emphasize because I think that that when you reached out to me to ask if I was interested in in sharing some of my life experiences, I realize that there's a there's an unstoppable part of my mindset that has allowed me to achieve some things I didn't think were going to be possible. Michael Hingson  02:10 There you go. Well, you know, a lot of times we plan, and what we plan doesn't always necessarily go exactly the way we thought. But that's okay. It's it's a question what we do with it and what we learn from it. I suppose why don't we start by you telling us a little bit maybe about the early Evan growing up and and all that. And I know that you had mentioned that you think you actually got your kind of unstoppable mindset attitude from your parents and all that. So if you want to talk about that as as we go, you're welcome to. But anyway, why don't you start by telling us a little bit about the early Evan, if you will. Evan Katz  02:42 Sure. Well, you know, as you mentioned, I grew up outside of Boston in the town of Brookline, which is about two miles from Fenway Park. I'm a baby boomer. My my parents worked really hard, and they they worked hard to get their first house. They worked hard to fix it up. My mother was at home. My father worked in his parents' hardware store and was always fixing up the house. We ended up upgrading houses because of all the work that he did. And my mother, although she wasn't working, you know, she was involved in local politics, trying to improve the schools. And one of the stories I told when she passed away a number of years ago that she was so effective about mobilizing people to make changes in the school system. One of the school principals said to somebody else, "Get that Pawnee cats off the phone, Michael Hingson  03:34 because of course Evan Katz  03:35 at the time telephone was the only way to connect with people. But you know she had her unstoppable mindset in terms of making changes in public education in Brookline, my dad in terms of living the dream that he had for his family, and I really think that that in my own way I picked up that same hard worth it work ethic, and it's popped up along the way throughout my my life and my career. I Michael Hingson  04:00 I know what you mean. I know my parents were somewhat the same way. My dad worked at. Well, we moved to California when I was five, and before we moved, we were in Chicago. And he and my uncle owned a TV repair shop, and my dad left that to move to California. Wanted to do that anyway, but he began working at a government installation, was called Plant 42, and then later transferred to Edwards Air Force Base. My mom stayed home for a while. She actually helped sell real estate, helped sell some of the houses on the street where we moved because they were they were brand new, and the real estate people trusted her, so she she did some of that. Don't know what she earned or how all that worked, but but she did okay. But my dad worked, and I I feel very blessed. They they clearly taught me a lot, and I value very much their work ethic. I know what you're talking about. Evan Katz  05:01 Well, family is a great resource, whether it's your immediate family or extended family. And also, again, at the time that that I was growing up, most of our extended family lived right in the area, so there was a lot of connecting with cousins and uncles and grandparents. And I think that had its own way of shaping because we had a pretty hardworking, determined family, and I think that got passed on again, not just in my parents, but from my extended family as well. We Michael Hingson  05:28 had aunts and uncles and cousins. A lot of them were in Chicago. Then aunt and uncle and their two boys and our cousins moved out to California, but it was long after we moved. And then our next closest relative was actually up in the San Francisco area. Aunt Bella and Uncle Oscar owned a shoe store, and but and there were some other people who we called aunts. I'm not sure that they actually were, but aunts and uncles. But they they lived in the L.A. area. But most of our relatives were not very close by. Well, that's that's fine, but value the relationships nonetheless. So what was what was school like for you? Well, elementary school and high school and so on. Evan Katz  06:22 Well, I went to the local elementary school, and as I think, as I as I suggested, it was one of the schools that was being neglected by the town. My mother and her friends advocated for equal resources. It was also during the time where Christmas carols were being sung in school, and it was not something that my parents thought was appropriate. I was Jewish. There were other Jewish kids in school, not very many, and just didn't seem like this was the thing that should be happening, given where our country was at the time. And so I did well in elementary school. I mean, the interesting thing was I skipped kindergarten, so I was always the youngest and the slowest on the playground, and it actually contributed to my not participating in sports through my early years and into into high school, which we will we'll hear more about that later. But I got a good education. I loved numbers. I learned in high school after I had horrible year my sophomore year writing. I was determined to learn. I took a couple of English classes from mr. Carey at Newton South High School. Learned to become a good writer, and ultimately that led to my writing on college newspapers and becoming a newspaper reporter. My first job out of college. So, you know, the kind of thing when you go through school, you try to figure out, you know, what are the things that that that sing to you. And first, it was numbers for me, and I ended up going into a career in public finance, and then the writing, which I ended up becoming a newspaper reporter, put that on hold. And about 10 years ago, or eight years ago, I started a baseball social media website, and I ended up writing baseball stories. So, so here I am in my my my formative years in school, taming numbers, becoming a CFO in the public sector, and becoming a good writer-they got me through life. Michael Hingson  08:33 How did you end up being able to skip kindergarten? Evan Katz  08:37 That was back in the day. They didn't have minimum age requirements. If you pass the test, you you got to go right to first grade. Michael Hingson  08:44 Ah, well, I know I went to kindergarten in Chicago, and you started in Chicago at age four. Then we moved to California, and the problem is in California you couldn't start kindergarten till age five, but I had had a year of kindergarten already, but they wouldn't let me just go to first grade because I was only five, so I ended up with two years of kindergarten. And I'm not sure that second year was all that exciting for me, because kids were drawing and doing all sorts of stuff that I wouldn't do being blind. But we coped, and we got through it. I also did love numbers and so on, and my dad taught me how to do math in my head, so I was really doing well with math. And my my mother helped me with spelling tests and reading other material to me, and so on. So we got through it, and again, they took that on without any remorse at all, which, as I think back on it, was just part of their gutsiness and their unstoppability. Because the doctors told them that no blind child could ever amount to anything, and they were going to prove the doctors wrong. And I would like to think that they did, but we. We went through it, and I didn't actually. I learned Braille when I was in kindergarten in Chicago, but then didn't have access to Braille till the fourth grade out here in California. Yep. Yeah. Well, but my my parents read and kept me up with everything, but still it was a problem. But then I got Braille again, and so it all worked out, but I, but I, but I know what you're saying. It still gets back to the work ethic, and our parents were gonna do everything they could to make sure we all succeeded, didn't they? Evan Katz  10:32 Well, and I think also, Michael, you've touched on it, and I did as well. You know, there are things, there are areas we go into, whether it's school or work or relationships, we're blessed with certain talents and traits, but we also have areas that are not our strengths, and we're always having to work to figure out how to how to compensate for our areas of call it weakness or limitations, and also how to allow our strengths to to overcome those and and then to help generate success. Michael Hingson  11:05 Yeah, and and we do need to do that. And and the reality is that we're all generally better at some things than we are at other things, but we can make it work if we if we try. I wrote and published with a colleague, Carrie Wagg Kent, two years ago a book called *Live Like a Guide Dog* which is all about learning to control fear and its life lessons that that tell us that fear doesn't need to overwhelm us or, as I put it, blind us. That that we can use fear as a very powerful tool to help us, and I mention that because there are so many things that we fear in the world, and most of them we don't have any control over. I mean, I know that there are things that that I don't get to do right now that other people do because they can see different things. But at the same time, I have gifts that most of those people never either learn to use or choose to use or can use, and so we all have to work together to make the world successful. And I think that's the big issue. Evan Katz  12:11 Well, I think your point about fear is really important because we we all have fears, we all have worries, and fear can be paralyzing, and but it can also be motivating, and I think it's important that if you get into a situation that that you're concerned about or worried about, you should acknowledge that you're in something. Maybe you're over your head, and we'll talk about my coaching a professional team at age 69 without ever having coached college baseball, going right from high school coaching to professional coaching, that was the hardest job of my life, and that fear motivated me to figure out how am I going to come up with those compensating skills? How am I going to be able to succeed? Because I want this to succeed not just for me, but for the players around me. So, so fear. It's important to to recognize it, and so that you know that it's there, but also be able to take advantage of what fear can motivate you to do. Michael Hingson  13:13 Well, and fear doesn't need to paralyze you unless you let it. And that's the the big issue: is that we don't learn generally how to control fear and to use fear in a positive way. We worry about so many things over which we'll never have control because we just don't, and we let all of that worry us, and that that certainly adds so much to the fear levels that we face, and if we would only learn to just focus on what we can control, that doesn't mean you don't be aware of other things. But don't worry about the things over which you don't have control. It will help your life a whole lot. Evan Katz  13:53 And another aspect to that is, and I and I learned this, and as I mentioned, I worked in the public sector for for for almost 40 years, and I came up with the phrase at one point, and I I don't remember the circumstances. And somebody said, "I don't know if this is going to work. I don't know if we have the money. I don't know we have the people. This may not be a good solution, or the operation may not work. And I said, "Well, I think we have to see if it fails because if it fails, then we're going to learn something. Obviously, we didn't want anyone to lose a job or to get hurt. It wasn't failing in that regard, but but the you have to have enough courage so that if something isn't going to work, you can use that as as a learning opportunity as well, so you can't have fear of failure either. Because then we can all look back. You're old enough. I'm old enough to look back on our lives and see those learning moments. Many of them came from times that didn't work out so well, Michael Hingson  14:55 which doesn't mean that we failed. And I think that's the big issue. I think we have to deal with. Failure is is something that we have to really get over thinking about because failure isn't really it. What what it is is that things didn't work out the way we planned, but that doesn't mean that we failed, which means we just can't go on. We're we're stuck. It's it's a learning experience, and that is part of what dealing with fear is all about. Is rather than worrying about it. All right, so this didn't work. Don't fret. Don't worry. Don't panic. What did you learn from it? How do we get beyond that? And that's the thing that we generally tend not to do very much: is to do a lot of self-analysis in our own lives. Take time at night to step back and look at what worked during the day, what didn't work, and the what didn't works weren't failures, but they were learning opportunities if we take advantage of our own skills to develop our mind muscle to do that. Evan Katz  15:57 Absolutely, I Michael Hingson  15:58 think that's that's so important. Well, so for you, you you where did you go to college? Evan Katz  16:08 I graduated from Newton South High School. We went from Brookline to Newton in the 70s. I went to a small college in Western New York, Alfred University, for two years, and ultimately graduated from Colby College in Maine in 1977. As I mentioned, I wrote for both the newspapers at Alford and Colby, and that's where I got my my my journalistic experience back then. Writing for college newspapers was was a big deal back then, Michael Hingson  16:39 yeah, Evan Katz  16:39 and that worked out really well. I was going to go into teaching. That was my original plan. I did some internships in college. I even, when I was at Colby, I took a semester and helped out at a small fourth grade class in neighboring Oakland, Maine, helping out kids doing lessons in the in the corridor and in the back of the room to help them with their math, but when I left college, I had done enough writing, primarily sports, that I decided to to follow journalism. But the college years were really an eye opener for me. As I mentioned, I was a year young. You know, I was the drinking age was 18, and I was still only 17 and a half when I went to college, but somehow my IDs got me through into the pub. But it was a really eye-opening experience going to college in New York. I'd been in Massachusetts my whole life and was in a small town in Western New York, and it was just so eye-opening to see a part of the country and people that were very unlike where I lived in terms of Alfred. Most of the kids were from New York, and then going to Maine, they were more from New England. But it was just a real eye-opening experience. I think we all go through that in our late teens and early 20s, really beginning to discover, you know, who we are, what situations are we comfortable in? We test ourselves. We do crazy things, and it all turned out okay because I was able to get a job right out of college. Michael Hingson  18:11 So teaching was your plan, but it didn't go that way. Evan Katz  18:16 No, it didn't. And interestingly enough, I was looking back through my father's memorabilia when he died, and I think I knew this, but I was reminded that he wanted to teach originally, and he actually was a mentor to many people during his working career. And he took great pride and went to the Peace Corps actually for a number of years in his 60s, and so you know the whole teaching mentoring thing ran in our family, so I guess it's kind of ironic that I ended up coaching baseball at age 65 as a as a teacher and a mentor. But but the college experience, you know, I still think about it. I just sold my vinyl records. It was it was a little traumatic, but I did sell my vinyl records recently because I can listen to everything over the internet now, and but that was a water watershed moment selling my vinyl that I listened to in college for all those years. Michael Hingson  19:14 I still have mine from working at the campus radio station. I got a lot of records back here, and I I am somewhat of the opinion of the I don't know whether I would call them snobs, but I still think the best quality is still vinyl. Evan Katz  19:30 Well, as you know, Michael, one of the best attributes of vinyl records is when they were originally the songs were compiled and sequenced. It was they were designed to listen through the whole side of an album. Michael Hingson  19:44 Yeah, Evan Katz  19:44 and I mean obviously Pink Floyd was classic, and I'm sure that there were others that come to mind that I can't think of. And I was a big fan of the Doobie Brothers, and to this day I'll still turn off my radio in the car and put on a couple of Doobie Brothers albums and listen to them straight. Same with Chicago. It just the music was meant to be arranged, you know, for half an hour or 35 minutes, not just three and a half minutes. And I think a little bit of that has been has been lost with today's music. Michael Hingson  20:13 Yeah. Well, I think there's there's truth to that. And I even go back further. I've been a fan for many many years of big bands, primarily Swing, Benny Goodman, and and so on, but also doop and early rock. But I and I like some of the other rock. But I've never been a great heavy metal fan. But that's okay. Some people like it, and then that's fine too. But I really enjoy my records as well, which is a lot of fun. Yeah, I Evan Katz  20:42 did listen to Van Halen cassettes driving. Somehow, a Van Halen arrangement wasn't quite the same as Chicago. No, Michael Hingson  20:50 no, it is a little bit different. There's no doubt about that. So, what was your job that you ended up getting out of college? Evan Katz  20:57 I ended up worked as a stringer, which I don't even know if there are any anymore, but I think I got paid 10 cents an inch for covering soccer for the Newton graphic. I covered the Newton South soccer team, and also I I don't know how much an hour I got. I covered the Westin Wildcats. That's a small town west of Boston for the Westin Town Crier. That's how I got started in journalism, and I ultimately was hired as a part-time reporter by the Walpole Times, which is small town southwest of Boston. And I eventually became a full-time reporter there, covering town government, writing feature stories, learned how to use a 35 millimeter camera. We we had our own darkroom there, and I thought it was so much fun going out to meetings, interviewing people, compiling stories. It was just it wasn't like work. It was it was it was exciting, and it paid the bills, and I was living on my own for the first time. Michael Hingson  22:06 That didn't get you to graduate to things like going into television on WEEI and doing sports for them, huh? Evan Katz  22:13 No, the the the written word at the time, and even today still is is where I am. Although, as I joke with my friends, just put a microphone in front of me, and I'll start talking. Michael Hingson  22:26 So that's okay. Well, so how long did you write? And then what happened Evan Katz  22:32 was, so as I mentioned, my mother was very involved in local government, and I grew up in Brookline. And the interesting thing was, I was covering the planning board and the school committee in Walpole, and I'm I'm going to the meetings and I'm listening to them talking about the issues that they're dealing with, and I'm thinking to myself, so this is what 1979. I'm 23 years old, and I'm thinking, I mean, I can do better than this. I mean, listening to these these people talk about how they're going to solve problems, and I said, I think I can really help. So, the local legislator from Walpole, his name was Frank Woodward, had an opening in his office, and I started working as a legislative aide for him, working in the state house. It was very exciting. My mother was so proud. When some one morning in March, I don't know if it was 1979 or 1980, and I walked up the steps of the State House. Big blue sky in Boston. It was a big golden dome. I'll never forget. I walked up the front steps, looked up at the golden dome and the big blue sky in March of whatever year that was, so excited. My mother was so proud. My dad was too, obviously. And then I got involved in government, and that's where it all started. Working in the state house to really begin to understand the importance of issues. You know, it wasn't just local government, but how the state government intersected with the federal government, and how much how how important government is to making people's lives safe and protected. Michael Hingson  24:07 Yeah, and I think that is that is something that although there is certainly a lot going on today that is not necessarily the the model of what government ought to be, probably, but still, government and what the House of Representatives and the Senate do at the federal level, and what happens at the at the state house and in the state government is really important. And I wish more people would seriously get involved with it, and and do it from an ethical standpoint. But you know, we, I guess, we go through through different kinds of eras of how things work. Evan Katz  24:54 Well, it's interesting in the tumult that we're going through here. I recently had a chance. Last month to go to England with my wife. I hadn't been there for a while, and and I was really struck by how the history dates back centuries and centuries and centuries prior. You know, to 1066, I guess is one of the lines in the sand or the dirt in England. But when they started the more modern era, and what I was really struck by when you think about a country like England and all the difficulties, all the changes, all the times that they were under threat from external forces, internal forces, all the chaos, and somehow they've survived. And I think this is one of the real attributes of Great Britain. And I just began to think about what we're going through here, and I think I have to be hopeful in the same way. Michael Hingson  25:56 Yeah, I agree that Evan Katz  25:57 that that we've been here for 250 years. I know it's short compared to England. Supposedly, one author says that republics die after 250 years. I don't know if I buy that necessarily, but but the point is that that that I think somehow, some way, we're going to survive this because other countries have been through much more over much longer periods of time, and here they are. And 2026 is stable, viable countries. Michael Hingson  26:25 Yeah, and they're still there, and they're going to be there. And I agree with you. I think that we're we're going to continue, and maybe republics die after 250 years, but it doesn't mean they have to. And I think that's that's part of it. So what did you what did you do in terms of you you went to work in the state house or what did you do? Evan Katz  26:48 And I was a legislative aide, so we would get information on legislation, take a lot of constituent phone calls because at the time the only time only way you got a hold of your legislator was either make a phone call. Of course, I think from Walpole to Boston, it might have been a toll call at that time. So maybe we got more letters from Walpole. I don't know, but constituent constituent concerns, working with state agencies to resolve things, and and it just got me acquainted with with with how government works, and it just gave me an appreciation for what it takes to make government work for for the the residents of Walpole and a couple other nearby towns, and also you get to see the the leaders of the state at that time the the Senate President and the the Speaker of the House, and you get to understand a little bit more how they show leadership and what skills and attributes work well, and what ones in your mind don't work well. But the whole bottom line is, you know, how is it working for the constituents? And to me, that became more and more important. Is what's the bottom line here? It's not about power. It's not about success at the legislator. The bottom line is the impact on people. Michael Hingson  28:13 Well, I remember that when I lived in Winthrop, every year I would go with people from the National Federation of the Blind, we went to Washington every year. Five, 600 of us descended on Washington and visited all of our legislators. And I remember actually once having the opportunity to set up an appointment and meet with Tip O'Neill. What an amazing guy he was! Yeah. But then also there was a new congressman who had just joined, Ed Markey. Evan Katz  28:45 Oh sure. Michael Hingson  28:46 Now look where he is. He's but but it was it was so much fun seeing Congress in action and actually being a part of it, talking about different kinds of issues, and of course it got to meet Ted Kennedy and also Paul Songas along the way as well. And I and I also was involved in things in in Massachusetts because one of the problems we had in the early '80s in Massachusetts and around the country was that blind people couldn't buy life insurance because the life insurance companies said we're a higher risk, we'll have a higher mortality rate, and finally, to keep the story short, we discovered that unlike what insurance companies say they do, which is they make their determinations always based on actuarial statistics, evidentiary data, and they create mathematical models based on evidence. They had absolutely not one single solitary thing to show that blind people or other people with disabilities were a higher risk than anyone else. So I worked back in the late 70s, early 80s with I don't you may. I've known him, Al Evan Katz  30:02 Sagasi. I recognize the name. Michael Hingson  30:03 Yeah, and so he he helped us shepherd a bill through that eventually eliminated discrimination in dealing with life insurance in Massachusetts, and and actually was something that passed in every state that all all the states dealt with that because the insurance companies were just playing games, which was so unfortunate. So when I was growing up, my parents couldn't insure me. When I was in college, I couldn't buy life insurance, and and eventually it got addressed. But it was, and it still is fascinating to think back and be a part of making a difference and really working to help constituents and help the legislature. Evan Katz  30:48 Well, there's a great example of numbers not being in action. You know, they're hiding behind perceived numbers, and then you do do a little bit of digging, and you find out that it's not quite as fact-based as they made it sound, Michael Hingson  31:02 yeah, and in fact there was no fact, and but still we worked through it, but the process was, I think, and still is for me one of the most fascinating things to to be able to go and be a part of dealing with things and and hopefully getting legislators to deal with issues and I'm not sure that there's as much of that that's happening today with everything going on but it'll come back. Evan Katz  31:34 Not not in Washington anyway. I think you've got to look to the states more than Washington. Washington's an anomaly right now. Michael Hingson  31:42 Yeah, Washington is really a big problem, and and but it'll it'll it'll switch at some point. I hope. I think it's going to have to, but but we'll see how it goes. If Speaker 1  31:55 you enjoy Unstoppable Mindset and would like to help us continue bringing these conversations to you each week, we've created a way for you to support the show. Your contribution helps us cover production costs and continue sharing stories, insights, and ideas that inspire people to live with purpose and possibility. If supporting the podcast feels right for you, you'll find the link in the show notes, thank you for being part of the Unstoppable Mindset Community. Michael Hingson  32:27 So you you went to work and you were legislative aide. How long did you do that? Evan Katz  32:32 Actually, not not. I think it was a little over a year because I ended up working on a referendum campaign. There's a thing in Massachusetts to limit property taxes, that's called Prop Two and a Half, that passed in 1980. I ended up working for Representative Woodward and a couple of other reps. There was an alternative on the tried to get on the ballot as an alternative to Two and a Half that wouldn't be quite as dramatic. Although I think, looking back as someone in the public sector, I think it's a good thing that Prop two and a half passed, but I got involved in working on a referendum campaign as an alternative to Prop two and a half. It didn't pass, and then at that point, I decided needed to get some professional training, and I went to get my graduate degree in public administration from the Kennedy School at Harvard, so I would have more credentials and I could really get into local government, and that really opened the door. Once I got my master's degree, I ended up working for the state. I think I mentioned my mother and family were from were from Brookline. We were acquainted with Governor Dukakis, and my mother worked actually very close with Govern was very close with Governor Dukakis, and he really encouraged me to go to graduate school, and I ended up going to the Kennedy School. And from there, I went and worked for his administration. The Massachusetts Department of Revenue started a division to support local government finance. It was really very innovative at the time in the early '80s. You know, cities and towns were separate. The state was just a regulatory reagency, and Governor Dukakis wanted to create an agency that could be a resource to local government to help them make better decisions. We created a municipal data bank to try to gather information to get to gather statistical information and ultimately help guide cities and towns to budget better, to plan their capital budgets better. And I was involved in the formation of that bureau in the Mass Department of Revenue. It was called the Division of Local Services, and I ended up working there in the early '80s, to really get a feel for how state government worked, state aid, and all that sort of thing, and then I learned enough there and decided to go out and see what it was like myself to work in a city or town, and that that's was around 1980. So I got my training at is in graduate school, learned more in state government, and then in the mid '80s went out to work in town halls and and city halls, and that that talk about fear, that that was frightening. Michael Hingson  35:18 It was a new experience. Evan Katz  35:20 Absolutely, you know, you you you you're in the state house, and there's there's 240 state reps and 40 senators, I think, all kinds of legislative aides. You're working in a state agency, and it's a whole bunch of 20 something and 30 something colleagues and bosses and this and that. There's always someone you can ask, always someone that can support you. You go to a town hall, and there's there's three clerks and a bunch of select board members. In Massachusetts, there are boards of selectmen in the small towns, or the select board now. Back then, it was select men, but you're on your own out there, and it's very, very different. You know, having a bunch of colleagues to support you in the big city when you're out in the small town of Groton, 40 miles from Boston, with 7000 people, and you're the resource in town hall. It's a lot different. Michael Hingson  36:18 I was just going to say that you you became the resource that people look to. Evan Katz  36:24 Yeah, and and so you take your professional training and you begin to develop some of those personal skills. And how do you relate to people? How do you gather information? How do you recover from from your mistakes? How do you make sure you have enough successes so that you got a good success to mistake ratio? But it's it it is very scary. I mean, I was what how old in 1986? So I was 30 years old, and it never. And I wanted to work in a small town, and I did, but it was a real, real eye-opening experience. But by the same token, you know, one of our biggest fears-you're the only person. One of the greatest attributes to the situation was you're immersed in everything. You learn everything. You learn about the police department, the fire department, which was a call department at that time. You know, if there was a fire, all the firemen, there might have been a couple of women as well, went to some went to the station to get the truck, and some drove in their cars to the scene of the fire, and and and you get a small town with one police officer on duty, you know, from from 11 to seven, you got a water department with two employees. You really get a feel for what's important and what isn't, and how do you make the system go, and what do you do in an emergency, and how do you plan for the future? And so it was it was it was frightening at one level because you're on your own and you're learning a brand new thing, but at the same time you're immersing yourself so deeply, and you're learning so much that that that that you're growing, you know, professionally and personally at a very very fast rate. Michael Hingson  38:16 And although you may or may not realize it at the time, those fears that that you started with slowly would be dissolving away because you were learning how to deal with things, and you were discovering that you had the ability to deal with things, and so you became less afraid in a positive way. Evan Katz  38:37 Right. Well, you know, you all know that the cycles in in businesses and cities and towns, and it's all in an annual cycle, the budget cycle, and you know you get through the first year and you start doing it again, and you're doing it again, and you really then you begin to expand your knowledge base. You're willing to to to experiment a little bit more, and and you're growing again at a very fast rate because you're able to do more and more that you weren't able to do when you first got there. Michael Hingson  39:10 Did you ever run for any office? Evan Katz  39:13 Actually, I did. When I left Groton, I finance was my area of interest, as as I mentioned earlier. I was hired by the city of Medford, which is just north of Boston, up Route 93, probably I don't maybe 810 miles north. And when I was working there, I was the city's finance director. You talk about culture shock, so I go from the small town of Groton with seven people to a to a 50,000 the city of 50,000 with a with a palatial city hall right off Route 93 and but I was chosen for because of my background in finance. And when I was working there, I decided that the town of Groton might benefit from my experience as an elected official. So I was working in Medford as finance director, and I ran for assessor in Groton to get started. Elected assessors to value properties and administered the taxes, and then ultimately I ran for select board a couple years after that. Michael Hingson  40:27 Were you elected? Evan Katz  40:29 I did. Yeah, I won. Okay. And here's another thing that I learned. You know, I haven't always seen elected boards, whether it was the select board or city councils or legislators, you see elected officials in action at meetings and talking about problems and making phone calls, but you forget there's a lot of other work that goes on behind the scenes when you're at home at night and when you run into somebody on the street. And so I was I was very prepared for the for the technical aspects of it, the problem solving, but I forgot about the time that it takes when people call you or have a have a have a problem with a nearby dog, or someone put up a fence, or the traffic on my street is going too fast. You have to call people. You got to follow up. You got to again. Back in the old days, it's all by telephone. So the amount of time that it took to resolve problems and have meetings, I forgot about the the the extra time that it takes when you're an elected official to do that behind the scenes stuff. But but I enjoy doing that as well. Michael Hingson  41:41 Yeah, I'll bet. And you know, it it is just it it you figure out that that's part of what you have to do. And again, I think the big issue is in figuring all that out is learning to recognize that's part of what you have to do, and accepting that that's definitely part of the job, and not trying to blow it off, not trying to get angry at people, which all too often happens today, I think more than it than it needs to. But it is part of the job. It's all part of the job, and no matter what, that hasn't really changed. Evan Katz  42:19 And I think it's I think it's in any job, and I think people have perceptions about certain types of jobs, whether it's you're you're you're a plumber, a truck driver, a lawyer. You know, people understand the responsibilities at the surface level and the visible level, but they're they're not as aware of what goes on behind the scenes, what it takes to to get things going, and and I think that's probably not and maybe underappreciated in some situations about what it takes to to to do things behind the scenes that are not as exciting, where there's more drudgery, and and and the amount of time that it takes to get you into the seat of the truck, to get you to have a meeting with clients, if you're some kind of professional, if you're a doctor, there's there's there's a lot more to any job, and I think that that that it's important to recognize it for ourselves. You know, it's not just the let's call it the glamorous part of the job. Michael Hingson  43:29 Yeah, Evan Katz  43:30 there's the behind the scenes part of the job, and the same goes for all jobs. And I think it's important to remember that. Michael Hingson  43:36 I agree. Well, you did all this work, and you kept doing it for quite a while. So, what got you into baseball, other than being a fan? But you know, Evan Katz  43:46 well, loyal Red Sox fan, been to Fenway hundreds of times, as I mentioned earlier. Was started school a year early, so I never played sports, and my kids in my 40s had finished little league, and they were all done with their sports careers at that point. And I decided I wanted to play baseball at age 45. Michael Hingson  44:14 There you go. I had Evan Katz  44:15 never played. I had never played little league. I never played high school. Never played college. And at age 45, a friend of mine who I grew up with in Brookline, he encouraged me to go to a baseball camp in Florida in 2002, and at that point, my my interest in baseball and my fandom in baseball expanded to becoming a a player and having to learn about the game as a player, not just as someone watching the game. Michael Hingson  44:47 And what did your wife think of that? Evan Katz  44:49 Well, my my wife will mention that my my wife Liz, our first date was on march 30, 2002, and that was the date. Of my first baseball practice in Massachusetts, so she has been there from the beginning of my baseball career. And if it wasn't for her one acceptance of it and her support of it, I never would have been able to achieve and enjoy all that all that I have, but she she is is is my biggest fan and supporter. Michael Hingson  45:29 That's great. She's a Red Sox fan, I would presume. Evan Katz  45:33 Yeah, Red Sox fan. Yep, and you know we watched them clinch it in 2004. We've been to Fenway together, and you know she, you know, like I played adult baseball, and and you know the when guys join, their spouses or girlfriends come the first for a bunch of games in the beginning, but then they just lose interest. Understandably, it's you know it's old man baseball. It's not like it is on TV. She she comes from time to time, but but she she's got her own life to live now. So that's okay. Michael Hingson  46:05 Well, so so tell me how baseball progressed for you. So you you started working at playing. Evan Katz  46:15 Yeah. So I went to this baseball camp in Florida, which I actually just came back from. It's called the Ponstellion Baseball Camp, and it's from a league in Washington, and they started going down for a week of what they call spring training. Well, for Washington, baseball starts a little earlier, Washington D.C. So we go down the end of January, and you know, getting on the field isn't too far away as long as there's no snow on the ground in the DC metro area. But I started going to that camp in 2002, and there was a group of professional coaches at this camp who were major league and minor league affiliated, and they have been coming to this camp since the beginning. This is now 2026. They've been going to the camp as long as as the longtime players, and so what happened was, you know, I was playing adult baseball, and there was a year where it rained a lot, and we had games postponed, and I'm driving around Fort Myers, and I think I was 60 years old at the time, so this would be 2016. And I said to myself, you know, what would be the chances that I could find a minor league team that would let me play, so I could live my dream of being a professional baseball player? And I grew up around in Brookline. I collected baseball cards. I played imaginary baseball games in my yard. Played wiffle ball with my friends. Watched the Red Sox on TV. You know, it's been in my blood since I was a little kid. And of course, many little kids want to be professional basketball players, hockey players, football players. Well, for me, it was baseball. So here I am, 60 years old, and I asked a couple of people at the camp. One of them was Stan Clyburn, played for the Angels in the 80s, and he's managed in the minor leagues for 1000s of games. He's still managing to this day. And Steve Little, who was a coach at the time with the Twins, I asked them, "Do you think I could find a minor league team that would allow me to play for them, so I could live my dream, play professional baseball? And they said, "Sure. Oh yeah, you you should give it a shot. And they gave me a couple names. Ultimately, it took me a year and a half, and I found the Pecos League, which is a low level of independent baseball. I got a hold of the commissioner. His name is Andrew Dunn, and I called him up in March. It turned out this would be March of 2017. I went out to my car at a lunch break from school. I had his phone number, and he answers the phone, "Hello, baseball. And I explain the situation, and he said, "You want to get in a game? We'll get you in a game. And that was that was in 2017. Michael Hingson  49:15 Wow! Evan Katz  49:16 And way it the way it turned out, he invited me out to play for the White Sands Pupfish the last weekend of the season, it had to be with teams that it wouldn't affect the playoffs. And I went out to White Sands, New Mexico, White Sands National Park is there. Alamogordo and the the White Sands Pupfish. I I pitched to two batters, walked one and hit one. I had one plate appearance and was called out on strikes. Didn't lift the bat off my shoulder. Too much fear, as I look back on it. But I became a professional baseball player at age 61. Michael Hingson  49:57 Well, so you got to live your dream. Evan Katz  50:00 Yep, Michael Hingson  50:00 and so after you pitched, what did you do? Evan Katz  50:04 Well, it was all very exciting, and I I actually was interviewed by Bill Littlefield on the NPR radio show Only a Game, talking about playing baseball at age 61, and my friends thought it was really neat and cool, and I had some pictures made, and I gave a lot of graph pictures to Stan Clyburn and Steve Little to thank them for inspiration, and it was all fun. But you know, in baseball, if you're a pitcher and you give up a run without getting anybody anybody out, you have an ERA, which is an earned run average. How many runs you give up in nine innings? Michael Hingson  50:43 Right. Evan Katz  50:43 I had an ERA of infinity. I'm in baseball reference with all these big known baseball players. I'm there with my my my stat line with an ERA of INF infinity, and I'm 65 years old, and I'm saying, man, I don't want to have an ERA of infinity. I don't want to retire with an ERA of infinity, so I got a hold of of Andrew Dunn again, and I said, Andrew, can I come out and pitch again? I want to get my ERA below infinity. I want to get somebody out. So it turns out in 2023, he assigned me to pitch for the Austin weirdos keep Austin weird, right? Keep Portland weird. Keep Burlington weird. You know, keep but whatever weird city you know they have their slogans of keeping the city weird. So Austin weirdos. And the interesting thing was that the weirdos that year in 2023, they had a home field in Austin, but it got burned out. They didn't they didn't have enough water, so they lost their home field. They turned into an all road team, and no player likes to drive through the Pecos League through the desert Southwest from Texas to Arizona, Michael Hingson  52:00 right Evan Katz  52:01 up to Kansas and Colorado for weeks on end. I get to the end of the season, the last weekend of the season in Alpine, Texas, to play the Alpine Cowboys, of course, in Texas, and the Austin Weirdos only have 11 players, and I can pitch. It's a Friday night, and there's a doubleheader on Saturday, and the manager decides, well, we got a guy here who hasn't pitched recently. He should start the game on Friday night. I get a text from the manager in the middle of the day. Evan, you're starting tonight, Derek Dominguez. Talk about no fear. Yeah, starting a 67-year-old pitcher against a lineup of 20-year, 25-year-olds, and I I started against the Alpine Cowboys, and talk about managing your fear. They have it's an old baseball stadium was built in the 1940s. It's got a grandstand behind home plate. You know, a couple things happen there. First of all, I get to the park early because the team was driving. They had to drive. This is the amazing thing. 1111, players. They had to drive 700 miles from the night before from Blackwell, Oklahoma, to Alpine. Michael Hingson  53:20 Wow. Evan Katz  53:22 The catcher comes in the dugout. Wonderful young man. You know, pitchers always worry who is going to catch them. Who's my catcher? And I'm in the dugout waiting, and a young man comes up to me, and he knows who I am, and he says, "I'm Marcus Bracy, and I'm catching you tonight. And the way he said that to me made me feel like he was going to take care of me, and we warmed up. I didn't have any fear. And one thing I did though, when I went out to the mound in the bottom of the first inning, and every inning after that, I made it to the fifth. By the way, I never looked up into the stands. I never wanted to see the crowd. I wanted to keep my eyes focused on this catcher, and that is what helped me get through. And I gave up two runs an inning into the fifth inning. And the interesting thing was that that that was about the team's average. The earned run average for the Austin Weirdos that year was 18 because they had lost so many players, they didn't have many pitchers, and I ended up for that game with an ERA of about 18. So I pitched the same as all the 25-year-old pitchers that pitched for Austin that year. Michael Hingson  54:39 There you go. That certainly is. That certainly is pretty cool. So, what year was that? Evan Katz  54:48 That was 2023. Michael Hingson  54:49 Okay. So, what's happened since? Evan Katz  54:52 Well, I was so taken by the Pecos League and some of the players there, and I had been coaching high school for three years. You know, I had. I had coached at Manchester Essex High School, just north of Boston. I had coached the pitchers and the catchers there. We won the state championship in 2022, and yeah, I saw I'd done a little bit of coaching. And I knew the Pecos League didn't have a lot of money. It didn't pay the players anything hardly. Players make less than $1,000 for most of the teams, and many of the coaches are volunteer coaches. And I asked one of the players; his name was Alex Westman, really nice, nice fellow. I met him for breakfast actually in the fall after the season. I was out visiting my my son in Arkansas. Met him in Missouri for breakfast, and I said, think, think the Pecos League could use a coach like me, and Alex is always an upbeat guy. And unfortunately, Alex was passed away a couple years ago in a tragic motorcycle accident. But I'll always be thankful for Alex for him saying to me, "Oh yeah, you should coach. So I got a hold of the commissioner. I I did coach for a few games for Roswell in 2024, but my mother-in-law took ill, and I had to come home. So last season I ended up teaming up with Todd Everleth, the manager of the North Platte '80s, who I had connected with during 2024 and introduced him to the league. He managed in North Platte, and I asked Todd if he could use a coach, and Todd invited me out to North Platte, Nebraska. And last summer, I was the bullpen coach. One of the hardest things I've ever done, if not the hardest, going from high school coaching to professional coaching at age 69, but somehow it was successful. I helped the pitchers. We ended up going to the the second round of the playoffs. We had a couple of guys called up to higher level leagues, and and it was a success. But but it was again one of the hardest things I've ever done, but at the same time, one of the most rewarding. Michael Hingson  57:04 That's pretty cool. You you did you did so much of that. So you also you've been coaching. So you've been coaching a fair amount over the last few years. You said I think at one point, you were the worst coach in 2025. Evan Katz  57:23 Oh right, not not the worst, close, the least qualified. Oh, the Michael Hingson  57:28 least qualified. Okay, right. Yeah, this is a good story. Evan Katz  57:31 So, so, so Todd and I, you know, Todd Everleth, we're driving his truck around the Midwest. I don't know, it's probably the second second or third road trip, but I'm I'm sitting there, and I'm really beginning to understand the credentials, my new Todd's credentials, and the credentials of the other coaches in in in the Pecos League, which, as I mentioned, is the lowest level of independent baseball. It's not connected to Major League Baseball, and I'm thinking to myself, there's got to be 1000s and 1000s of coaches in professional baseball, major leagues, minor leagues, other independent leagues. Here I am. I'm a coach in the Pecos League. I I have three years of high school coaching experience. I have got to be the least qualified coach in professional baseball. So I said, Todd, I think I'm the least qualified coach in professional baseball, and he he got a real kick out of that. Michael Hingson  58:30 Well, so the real question is, what's going to happen this year? What are you doing now? Evan Katz  58:35 Well, this year, you know, I I am definitely retiring from coaching, as I mentioned, you know, at my age, 69, coaching in professional baseball, you know, your your days start early. They go till late at night. You're traveling a lot in the Pecos League. We drove our own cars, so we drove over 7000 miles last summer. Michael Hingson  58:57 Wow! Evan Katz  58:57 And that that was on top of driving out to Nebraska and coming home, so over 10,000 miles over the course of the summer, way way too demanding. So, but what I'm what I'm doing, Michael, is I think that that I really have some some lessons to share and some experiences to share. And as I as I joked with Todd and some of the other players, the the pitchers out in the bullpen. We were sitting out in the bullpen one night, and the pitchers knew that I wasn't didn't have a lot of experience. And once we all got used to each other, we had a really good time out there. And I'd said to them, I said, I think I'm going to write a book, and the book is going to be the least qualified coach in professional baseball, a survival guide, basically telling the story of how somebody with the least credentials of all the professional coaches was able to figure out how to cope with the challenges and ultimately support the pitching staff. And contribute to the teams going 27 wins and 21 losses, making it the second round of the playoffs, and having players called up to higher level leagues. I think there's some lessons there to share to inspire other people, and so that that's my plan. I'm hoping to do a little bit of motivational speaking. I'm planning to write a book and tell the story of the least qualified coach in professional baseball. Michael Hingson  1:00:28 But you brought a lot of life experience to coaching. Evan Katz  1:00:31 Absolutely, absolutely. I mean, this is one of the things I had to figure out. I knew my technical background was limited, so I had to figure out how can I support these players, how can I be available, and I figured out where to where to sit in the bullpen, so I could listen to their conversations and chime in when needed, and still see what's going on in the game, where to where to be in the outfield during batting practice to have casual conversations, and then I also-I don't think I mentioned this earlier-I had a podcast that I did, and so the podcast, which had a weekly episode and a guest from the Pecos League, I was always looking for stories from the team to interject into the podcast, and that was a great conversation starter. I also took a lot of pictures of the players, candid shots that they would never have been able to take on their own, and then also provide some baseball lessons along the way. You know, there was one pitcher who was very dissatisfied with his outing one night. He said, "I didn't, I don't, I didn't strike out as many guys as I wanted, or I gave up too many runs. And I said, "You left the game when we were ahead here in the Pecos League, where the team score a lot of runs. It's not the absolute results; it's the relative results. Yeah, you did your job. You left the game with the '80s in the lead, and you did great. So I figured out ways to support these guys because they had their own challenges, being away from college, being away from home. Try to figure out how I could support them to bring out their best. Michael Hingson  1:02:12 What a great story, and what a a great insightful thing you said to that pitcher. Well, if people want to reach out to you, how can they do that? Evan Katz  1:02:21 Well, I have a website called Baseball by the Sea Media, where I have some of my writing that I talked about. I've done some baseball biographies and some baseball game stories and some exclusive stories. Baseball by the Sea Media. I'm also on LinkedIn. Those are probably the two easiest ways to find me. Michael Hingson  1:02:44 How do they find you on LinkedIn? Evan Katz  1:02:46 Evan Katz, just I don't think least qualified as a search parameter on LinkedIn. No, it's probably blocked. So, Michael Hingson  1:02:55 so Evan Katz is spelled Evan Katz  1:02:57 E V A N K A T Z. Michael Hingson  1:03:00 So there you go. Well, I want to tell you that when that book comes out, we have to to do another one of these because I want to really have a chance to feature the book and all that. So keep us posted. Evan Katz  1:03:13 Absolutely, I'm I'm I'm looking forward to to working on it, Michael. And I appreciate you having me on today. Michael Hingson  1:03:18 Well, I want to thank you, and I want to thank all of you for watching and listening, and I'd love to hear from you. Feel free to email me at speaker at michaelhinkson m i c h a e l h i n g s o n.com. Love it if you'd give us a five star rating, but more important than a rating, please give us a great review. Review the podcast and say nice things about Evan. That's a that's a beautiful thing to do. If anyone knows anyone who ought to be a guest on our podcast, Evan, including you, feel free to introduce us. We're always looking for people to come on and tell their stories. But for now, I want to thank you for being here, and I want to thank you for spending an hour with us and and making it a very enjoyable and an unstoppable day. Evan Katz  1:04:03 Absolutely, Michael, it's my pleasure. Michael Hingson  1:04:08 Thank you for being here with me on Unstoppable Mindset. I hope today's conversation left you with a fresh perspective, a new insight, or at least something worth thinking about. If you're ready to go deeper into the ideas that shape how we see ourselves and others, I have a free gift for you. Head over to michaelhingson.com and download my free ebook, Blinded by Fear. It explores the invisible beliefs that hold us back and shows you how to reframe them so you can move forward with clarity and confidence. Be sure to subscribe to our podcast, leave a review, and share this show with someone who can use a reminder that growth starts with mindset. When people think differently, we all move forward. Together, thanks again for listening. Keep learning, keep questioning, and keep choosing to live with an unstoppable mindset.

When 27 year old Canadian Jake Scervino hits the road alone in an old car to travel Route 66, he discovers that the best part of the journey isn't always the destination...it's the people you meet along the way. Hear about Jake's unforgettable Route 66 adventure, the kindness of strangers, and the especially memorable experiences he had in Pulaski County, Missouri. Jake's story reminds us all, sometimes you just have to get out there, meet people and look for the good. The Fort NOT Lost in the Woods Podcast is a production of O'Quinn Media. For information on guest or sponsorship opportunities, email tracy@oquinnmarketing.com. This episode has been brought to you by Nexthome Team Ellis, Security Bank of Pulaski County, TK's Pizza of St. Robert, and Sugarcreek Farms.  

In today's episode of Backpacker Radio presented by The Trek, brought to you by LMNT, we are joined by our longtime pal Elise Ott, aka Sauce, who recently completed the 94-mile Yosemite High Route. She breaks down the realities of off-trail High Sierra travel, from navigating 7,000-foot vertical climb days to the difficulty (or lack thereof) of route-finding without a GPX line.  In this one, Elise gives us a full breakdown on Skurka's new(ish) route through Yosemite- including everything you need to know regarding navigation, camping, water, difficulty, highlight views, and more. Elise also shares some fun anecdotes from her hike, including waking up with some mysterious edema that blew her face and feet up like balloons, her emotional breakdown on day four after a massive granite boulder crumbled under her weight, the nightmare of scrambling up the steep, loose gravel of "Lemonade Pass" after breaking both of her trekking poles, and the agony of cold-soaking a beef stroganoff Knorr Pasta side in the dark after running out of stove fuel.  We wrap the show with the sad news of the passing of a CDT in the Tetons, a shout-out to Trek blogger Starlight, which continent's cuisine we would choose eat forever, a story where I recently maybe got rabies, a Triple Crown of summer drinks, a one-minute gear review on Jess testing a backcountry bidet on the JMT, and a listener shares a story about meeting two hikers tripping on acid on the Tahoe Rim Trail. LMNT: Get a free sample pack with any order at drinklmnt.com/trek. Gossamer Gear: Use code "BACKPACKERRADIO" for $20 off LT5 Trekking Poles at gossamergear.com.  Shady Rays: Use code "TREK" for 40% off two or more pairs of sunglasses at shadyrays.com. Hyperlite Mountain Gear: Use code "BPRADIO15" for 15% of hyperlitemountaingear.com [divider] Interview with Elise Ott aka SOS Elise's Instagram Elise's Website Elise's Youtube Time stamps & Questions 00:05:20 - Reminders: Apply to work for the Trek, check out The Trek: On Trail on Youtube, and listen to our episodes ad-free (and bonus content!) on Patreon! 00:08:39 - Introducing Elise 00:09:00 - Tell us about your puppy 00:15:42 - What was the inspiration to do the Yosemite High Route? 00:18:45 - What permit did you need for Yosemite backcountry? 00:21:22 - Give us the fast facts overview on the route 00:26:27 - How do you plan your days on a high route? 00:30:00 - What does using a Skurka guide entail? 00:35:27 - Were you feeling good or nervous going into it? 00:36:55 - Is the route a figure eight shape? 00:39:35 - What was so rough about the first few days and when did things turn around? 00:47:47 - What was the timeline of your hike? 00:50:07 - What were the conditions like on the trail? 00:52:44 - What did that conversation with your hiking partner look like? 00:56:26 - Tell us about the mysterious swelling and edema 00:59:40 - Discussion about navigation, map layers, and campsite planning 01:02:04 - Do you attribute your foot issues to the footwear itself? 01:03:30 - Is this all type two fun? Tell us about Lemonade Pass 01:05:53 - Rank the three Skurka routes by difficulty and walk us through the terrain 01:11:03 - What was the most beautiful part of the route? 01:14:53 - Any alpine dips on the route? 01:16:42 - Walk me through the water carry situation 01:18:47 - Did you do anything specific gear-wise for this route? 01:21:39 - Did you experiment with iPhone satellite texting? 01:24:54 - What about wildlife on the route? 01:31:30 - Tell us about breaking both your trekking poles 01:34:11 - Tell us about running out of fuel and cold soaking beef stroganoff 01:37:38 - Discussion about potentially submitting an FKT 01:39:43 - Discussion about reflecting on the overall experience 01:42:20 - Where can folks keep up with you? Segments Trek Propaganda:  Missing CDT Thru-Hiker Found Dead in Tetons by Kelly Floro Ch. 64 – Vermilion Valley & Vitamin I by Starlight QOTD:  If you could only eat one continent's cuisine for the rest of time, what would it be? Batty Thing of the Week Triple Crown of summer drinks  Mail Bag 5 Star Review [divider] Check out our sound guy @my_boy_pauly/ and his coffee. Sign up for the Trek's newsletter Leave us a voicemail! Subscribe to this podcast on iTunes (and please leave us a review)!  Find us on Spotify, Stitcher, and Google Play. Support us on Patreon to get bonus content. Advertise on Backpacker Radio Follow The Trek, Chaunce, Badger, and Trail Correspondents on Instagram. Follow Backpacker Radio, The Trek and Chaunce on YouTube. Follow Backpacker Radio on Tik Tok.  Our theme song is Walking Slow by Animal Years. A super big thank you to our Bob Peoples Award winner(s) from Patreon: Alex and Misty with NavigatorsCrafting, Alex Kindle, Austen McDaniel, Bill Jensen, Bret Mullins aka Cruizy, Bryan Alsop, Carl Lobstah Houde, Christopher Marshburn, Coach from Marion Outdoors, Eric Casper, Erik Hofmann, Ethan Harwell, Gillian Daniels, Greg Knight, Greg Martin, Griffin Haywood, Hailey Buckingham, Jackson Storm, JaredNotFromSubway, Jason Kiser, Jason "I Miss Chaunce" Snailer, Luke Netjes, Matty in AZ, Patrick Cianciolo, Randy Sutherland, Rebecca Brave, Rural Juror, Sawyer Products, The Saint Louis Shaman, Thirteen Adventures, Timothy Hahn, Tracy 'Trigger' Fawns A big thank you to our Cinnamon Connection Champions from Patreon: Bells, Benjy Lowry, Bonnie Ack, Brett Vandiver, Chris Pyle, David Neal, Dcnerdlet, Denise Krekeler, Jack Greene, Jeanie, Jeanne Latshaw, Lucas Hamilton, Merle Watkins, Peter, Quenten Jones, Ruth S, Salt Stain, Sloan Alberhasky, and Tyler Powers.

Docug Nelson is a life long farmer from Wayne County, Nebraska. Today he will walk through how the government programs have shaped the ag economy and you can not find one single positive aspect of that.

Today on Your Daily Chocolate, Patty talks with Dan Roman, a retired police detective, father of five, and grandfather of eight, who completed a 5,000-mile solo bicycle ride across the U.S. to raise awareness for Parkinson's disease in honor of his father, who died after a 40-year battle. Dan explains why the timing mattered to him, including anniversaries connected to Route 66 and the TransAmerica Bike Trail, how he trained and planned his route and what he carried on a fully self-contained, heavily loaded bike. He shares challenges like extreme rain, wind, and repeated bike breakdowns, and highlights generosity from strangers and businesses, fundraising for the Michael J. Fox Foundation, and lessons about faith, support, and resilience. Episode Highlights:00:00 Meet Dan Roman01:13 Why Ride Cross Country02:34 TransAmerica Trail Explained04:09 Route Choices and Direction04:40 Training and Cycling Background06:21 Fueling with Junk Carbs08:51 Mapping and Water Stops11:48 Gear Load and Bike Weight13:29 Weather Challenges on the Road16:14 Bike Breakdowns and Repairs18:36 Kindness of Strangers Begins19:17 Kindness on the Road19:58 Six Hours of Downpour21:45 Carol's Rain Jacket24:23 Donations and Discounts26:31 Faith and Godwinks30:01 Prayers from Strangers31:35 Rapid Fire Favorites32:00 Route 66 and Vermont34:38 Next Ride and Chocolate35:35 Final Thanks and Wrap #ParkinsonsAwareness #ParkinsonsDisease #MichaelJFoxFoundation #BikeAcrossAmerica #SoloCycling #EnduranceCycling #BikeTouring #TransAmericaBikeTrail #Route66 #AdventureCycling #CyclingLife #CyclingPodcast #InspirationPodcast #Fundraising #GoFundMe #CharityRide #LongDistanceCycling #BikePacking #GarminCycling #StravaCycling #TennesseePodcast #RetiredPolice #FaithAndResilience #HumanKindness #YourDailyChocolate

The Times has discovered that thousands of migrants are using a new, hybrid route to try to come to the UK: legal flights and visas, combined with illegal border crossings. But most don't make it; the smuggling gangs detain them in Libya, to use them as slaves or for organ harvesting. Our reporter went to meet them.This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times. Subscribe today: http://thetimes.com/thestoryGuest: Shayma Bakht, news reporter, The TimesHost: Luke Jones.Producers: Olivia Case, Julia Webster.We want to hear from you - email: thestory@thetimes.comRead more: We stop two small boats a day from reaching Britain, say FrenchFurther listening: Were 60,000 migrants intentionally let into Spain?Photo: Denise Kelly, Dana Chan, Getty Images.This podcast was brought to you thanks to subscribers of The Times and The Sunday Times. To enjoy unlimited digital access to all our journalism subscribe here. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

What if the way we think about Jesus has been subtly, quietly wrong all along? In this message drawn from Matthew 16:13-19, we are confronted with one of the most penetrating questions ever asked: Who do you say Jesus is? Not who does culture say He is, not what label feels comfortable or convenient, but who do we actually believe Him to be at the deepest level of our lives? The message challenges us to examine whether we have unknowingly reduced Jesus to a life coach, a moral guru, or a spiritual self-help resource. When we do that, we place ourselves at the center of the story and relegate Jesus to a supporting role in our own narrative. The geography of this passage turns out to matter enormously. Jesus asks this defining question not in a synagogue or a safe religious setting, but in Caesarea Philippi, a place saturated with pagan worship, dark spiritual activity, and what ancient people believed was a literal gateway to the underworld. It is in that setting, standing before the rock face where false gods were worshipped and sacrifices were made, that Peter declares Jesus to be the Christ, the Son of the living God. The location is not incidental. It is a declaration made in the teeth of darkness, and it changes everything. This message invites us to stop treating our faith as a pat Sunday school answer and start wrestling with whether we carry a genuine, living revelation of who Jesus truly is. Join us for service live every Sunday at 10am at 5600 Route 34 | Oswego, IL 60543. You can expect passionate worship and a deep love for God's Word.  Connect with us at our website www.hopeucchicago.com

As the cost of higher education continues to rise, there are options to save for that expense for every student. One helpful tool can be a 529 plan, which turned 30 years old this week. Patricia Roberts, Chief Operating Officer of Gift of College and author of Route 529: A Parent's Guide to Saving for College and Career Training, is best known as the “Route 529 Mom.” She joins Fox Business's Lydia Hu to break down everything families need to know about preparing for future education costs, common misconceptions about 529 accounts, and alternative uses for the funds. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

A.M. Edition for Aug. 19. President Trump hits pause on 50% tariffs that had been set to hit a range of Canadian products – buying more time for trade negotiators to reach a deal with Ottawa. Plus, OpenAI's second quarter sales disappoint as rival Anthropic sees its revenue double. And a Chinese cargo ship sets sail for the Arctic in a move that WSJ foreign correspondent Sune Rasmussen says could upend global trade. Luke Vargas hosts. Sign up for the WSJ's free What's News newsletter. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.