Podcasts about skimming

Something Offbeat host Mike Rogers interviews a man from Kentucky about becoming the world's stone skimming champion and about a scandal at the competition in Scotland.

A Holiday Haunting: Part 1 Jack returns home and reconnects with his old ghost crush. Based on a post by zeon 67. Listen to the ► Podcast at Explicit Novels. Oh. Shit! She's back. Jack had to drop everything and run to the living room; he needed to see her again. His coffee mug shattering against the kitchen floor meant little to him. Jack followed her out of the room, stumbling into the den and crashed into a chair. Any pain that he felt was instantly ignored; he just had to see her face. But she phased through the bookcase, leaving him disappointed. Ten years. It had been ten years since Jack had last seen Erin. Just a brief peek of her ghostly form, and Jack was a teenager again. The first time he met Erin, he was thirteen. Jack's parents had dragged the family from Boston to live in a stock horror mansion outside Portland, Maine. He hated everything about it, feeling depressed, isolated from his old life. Then he saw her. She appeared late one night as Jack attempted to fall asleep. His eyes widened as this woman floated in front of his bed. She wore a bulky, dark shirt with a lighter collar, a long apron over a skirt that reached her ankles and sensible shoes. Pale skin and white hair held up in a professional bun. She stood translucent and hovered a foot off the ground. Jack was freaking out, shaking under the covers and trying to release a scream. But watching her body float, her head crooked to the side with a curious smile, Jack felt an eerie calm. He sat up in his bed and examined her further. She was beautiful, an oval face with dimples, full lips, and wide, expressive eyes. He tried to guess her age, but it was impossible due to her intangible form. "Hello;" Jack said. His voice was hoarse and unconvincing. She smiled again at him before disappearing. "Fuck." Jack immediately fainted. He awoke late in the morning, still shaken. Jack ran down to his family, yelling at them in the kitchen at what he had just seen. His parents responded with blank looks. His sisters both snickered, cracking jokes about Jack's nighttime activities, and how it must have affected his brain. But as he continued, the jokes stopped, and soon Jack had weekly sessions with Dr. Miller. It was like a month until he saw her again. Jack was alone in the house and found Erin standing in between his bed. He screamed this time, but Erin just replied with a smile. She looked amused by his actions. She disappeared, and Jack had to wait another month before catching her on the stairs. But he had a plan, knowing what he should do the next time he ever saw her again. "Jack!" His mother yelled from upstairs. "What Happened!" Jack rolled his eyes. "It's nothing. I dropped my mug." He shouted back up, praying that his parents won't come down. Tomorrow was Thanksgiving, and Jack had returned home early, hoping just to relax and forget about Laura. Retreating into the kitchen, he ignored the mess he'd left behind. He wasn't that heartbroken about the end of the relationship; he just needed to get out of Boston for a while. Jack filled up a glass of water and took a couple of gulps, trying to steady himself. The plan was to drink, eat loads and watch football. But now, Jack was instantly consumed by the need to see Erin again.   Erin's Further Revelations. Jack rolled onto his back and stared at the ceiling. He guessed that it was probably two in the morning. He should be asleep, but restless energy had overpowered him, just like when he was a teenager. The weeks after her second appearance, Jack woke early in the morning and saw Erin staring out of the window. She turned to him and then disappeared. Every couple of weeks, he would see Erin around the house, mostly in his room, but always when he was alone. Whenever Jack saw her, Erin would disappear, fade into nothing in front of him. After a dozen or so appearances, Erin and Jack got used to seeing each other over the year. He would see her, and they would exchange brief smiles before would Erin dissolve. Jack got used to finding her in random places, occasionally pretending that she was never there when Erin materialized during family dinners. Though she mostly appeared in his room. He was also sure that he was the only one who could see her, which developed a special bond as he aged. It was just a shame they couldn't talk to each other. Whatever break in the dimensions that brought her here didn't allow them to speak or hear one another. Over the years, Jack and Erin relied on non-verbal communication, making up their own sign language while also writing out words on paper. Jack's parents were weirded out one Christmas when he asked for a dry erase board. He would come home from school and rush to his room, wondering if that day was the day she would appear. If he found her there, Jack would tell her about his day, what had changed since they last spoke, and random thoughts in his head. She would eagerly listen to him and try to respond in her own way. She had become this nonjudgmental friend that he could bounce off from as he dealt with his new surroundings and the horror of puberty. It took two years for Jack to know Erin's name. They were together in his room; the house was empty apart from them. It felt that Erin had trained herself to emerge only when he was alone. Jack sat on his bed, talking to Erin. For the hundredth time, he had asked her name. She led him to the bathroom and pointed to the faucet. Running the hot water, he saw Erin smile as the bathroom mirror started to fog up. She clenched her jaw and pressed a finger up against the glass. Erin's face strained as her form became clearer as she wrote 'ERIN' in the mirror. The smile on Jack's face then quickly vanished as Erin faded into nothing. He wouldn't see her for another two months. Jack rolled onto his stomach, feeling his cock throb against his leg. Without any prompting, his mind cast back when he turned 18, and Erin gave him a special present. It was one of the few times that Erin appeared, when there were other people in the house. He was half-asleep, playing on his PlayStation when she materialized. Jack shuffled back and collapsed on the bed. There was something off about her that night, her body was trembling, and her face was stone-like. With great energy, her lips curled into a smile, and there was a flash. The clothing that Jack had always seen her in the last five years had disappeared into nothing, leaving her naked. A loud guttural groan escaped Jack's mouth; it was the first time he had seen a naked woman. Her body was slim, graceful, like a dancer, and perfect. He stared at her small but firm tits; Jack assumed they were B-cups and wished he could have his hands over them. Her skin then began to change, turning from a clear white to a fair skin tone. He noticed rusty-colored freckles dot around her angular nose framed by long reddish-brown hair. Then two bright green eyes stared back, overwhelming him. "Fuck," Jack whispered. His mouth dry, his stomach twisted into knots, and all the blood drained into his penis. He was in love or lust; it was all the same back then to him. Jack rolled off the bed and waddled to the bathroom, holding out the used tissue as far away from him as if it was toxic. He was only exposed to her for a few moments before she vanished. Still, Erin's naked form had been seared entirely in his brain, giving him special comfort during lonely nights. Dumping the balled-up tissue in the toilet, he started washing his hands. The general feeling of self-disgust hit him, but this time with more power. He was fantasizing about a long-dead woman. It's not right. He crawled back into his bed and reached for his laptop. Opening the browser, Jack thought to himself for a moment before going to incognito mode. He might need some privacy should anyone have a look at his search history. In the search bar, he typed 'Medium Psychic, And Portland, Maine.'   Ophelia's Services. The doorbell rang, and Jack quickly set down his coffee and rushed to the door. He briefly checked himself out in the hallway mirror; he looked normal. Jack wanted to make sure that he pulled that off, a navy oxford shirt, black jeans, and white sneakers, that all screamed normal to him. Jack then mentally thought about what he was going to say to the medium. It wasn't like he had a lot of experience in this. He could tell her about Erin, maybe use her name. Also, he could say where she usually appears and does. Probably shouldn't mention Erin getting naked as some kind of birthday present. He then wished that the medium agreed a later time just so he could rationalize having a drink. During Thanksgiving dinner, Jack told his family that he wanted to stay in Maine for a while, maybe until after Christmas. He had exaggerated the effects that the disintegration of his relationship with Laura had on him. It was a blatant lie; his parents knew it, his sisters didn't care, but no one really questioned it. He prayed that none of them would ever find out that he booked a medium. This Ophelia from Portland, Jack didn't know what he wanted from her. From movies, he had been told that ghosts that roam around usually have unfinished business. If somehow the medium was legit and could talk to Erin, he didn't know if it would be best if Erin moved on. Opening the door, a young woman stood, waiting impatiently. Their eyes met, and Jack was stunned to find his assumptions shattered. He was expecting a woman in her fifties, heavy makeup, and lots of necklaces, someone like that Long Island psychic. Instead, a woman stood in front of him who looked like she was in her twenties, with blonde wavy hair and a curvy figure. She gave an impression of an Instagram influencer with tight high-waisted jeans, a simple tee, and a suede jacket. "Jack Taylor?" she said, pinching her mouth shut and curving her lips upward. "Ophelia?" Jack arched an eyebrow without thinking. She nodded and walked past him, taking in the house. A Victorian-style mansion, built in the 1860s, with five bedrooms, a parlor, a giant fireplace that could fit a body, a near-constant fog-covered backyard, and a bloody-red painted door. She looked unimpressed. Ophelia raised her hands and fluttered her fingers, doing a sort of jazz hands while slowly spinning. Jack had no idea what he was supposed to be feeling, but she's young and hot. Was this a con? Did he want it to be one? "Do you want anything to drink?" Jack asked, trying to get a read of the situation. He then glanced at the clock. His parents should be home in a couple of hours; he had time. "I'm fine." She replied, flashing another smile. "Should we deal with the money first?" Taken back, he slowly reached for his wallet and pulled $150 in cash. He looked at the money and felt grateful that he would only pay an extra fifty if the reading exceeded the hour. Handing her the folded bills, Jack felt a breeze. Then the hairs on the back of his neck stood up. Erin. He had been sensing her a lot, recently. "Nice house. Really Stephen King-like." Ophelia gave another forced smile. "Can you give me a tour?" Jack nodded and he took her to the home office, explaining what he had seen the other day. Ophelia took a quick photo and hummed; she felt nothing. Jack then led her around the house, describing where he had seen Erin and what she would do. Ophelia stayed quiet for most of the tour, her phone in her hand, occasionally checking it. He then explained his relationship with Erin. Jack recounted every meeting he had with her, including how he found out her name. When Jack said that he was the only one in the house that had ever seen Erin, he noticed a quick change in Ophelia's face. She definitely assumed that he's psychotic. As they climbed the stairs to Jack's bedroom, Ophelia suddenly became talkative. She put away her phone and asked several questions at rapid-fire speed. "So, who previously owned the house before you moved in? Erin, do you know her last name? Where she's from? Was she born here? Has anyone called Erin lived in the house before?" Jack knew nothing. He had known Erin for ten years and yet knew nothing about her. The house must have been her home or where she worked. He now knew what he had to find out, but Jack had no idea how he would research such things. Speak to a local historian, maybe? He should go to the library tomorrow. They entered his bedroom, a familiar feeling of cold hit his body again. Jack eyed the psychic; there was no change in her body language. Maybe she's a fake. Ophelia wandered around the room, doing the jazz hands again and calling Erin's name. His eyes narrowed on her chest, then to her slim waist, and then to her tight ass; she looked cute. It had been some time since Jack had anything close to sex. It ended with Laura over two months ago, and since then, a brunette ghost was the only thing he had to female company. Ophelia reached in her jeans and pulled out a velvet pouch. Opening it up, a nub of chalk fell into her palm. She then bent down and drew a circle just in front of Jack's bed. The circle was about three feet wide. Ophelia then drew four smaller circles inside the ring, north, east, south, and west. Jack watched her place crystals in each circle, wondering if he would be able to clean the chalk off his floor. "What are you going to do?" Jack asked, trying not to stare at the medium's ass. "I am going to summon Erin. I am going to see if we can talk to her and find out her unfinished business." "What would her unfinished business be?" "It could be anything," Ophelia said, looking around the room. "Some want revenge, especially if they were like murdered. Others are looking for missing rings, lockets or whatever. With my help, Erin could be able to move on." Jack nodded. She was right. It was fun seeing her again, he missed talking to her, but there had to be some conclusion for Erin. After Christmas, he will be back in Boston. Maybe it was best that she moved on, got closure from this world. The psychic then took off her boots and stood inside the circle. Kneeling, Ophelia raised her arms, praying to the ceiling. "Erin; Erin; Erin;" she chanted, raising her head, "Speak to us. Speak; Erin, come to us; come to Jack and me." She sang Erin's name a couple of times with no change in her composure. "Yes, Erin, I hear you. How can we help you?" Ophelia said, lacking any emotion. "How can we help you move?" Ophelia then went silent and very still. Her back was arched, and her head pointed up. Leaning in, Jack realized that her chest wasn't moving anymore; was she even breathing? Beads of sweat flowed down her face as the rest of the body began to tremble. Something was wrong. Ophelia then shuddered and Jack could see the color disappear from her face. She then slowly stood up. Looking at Jack, she gave him a warm smile. "Jack!" Ophelia then said, emphasizing the wrong parts of the name. Jack walked around and stood in front of her. Her body language was weird, not so closed off as it was before. Her eyes then focused on her left hand, marveling how far it was extended. The tips of her fingers then ran down Jack's chest. The broad grin on Ophelia's face got even wider as she felt him up. "It is me, Jack; Erin." Ophelia grinned. "No." Jack shook his head and took a step back. This had to be some weird psychic con. Was Ophelia going to sleep with him? "Ophelia, I think you should get out." "I am Erin." She closed the distance and reached for his hand. "I can prove it. You told me everything and I listened. Once you were overly excited in your classroom by a teacher. You frequently enjoy lobster rolls. And once I removed my clothing for you on your birthday." Jack whimpered, trying to collect his thoughts. Before he called Ophelia, he had read up on cold reading, but she knew things that he had never shared with anyone. Jack hit his bed frame and toppled over, hitting the mattress. He tried to compute what was going on, justify Ophelia's insider knowledge of him. But then the blonde climbed up on the bed, her body floating as she straddled him. This was real. "Jack; I missed you." Ophelia or Erin then leaned in and kissed him forcibly. Quickly sneaking her tongue into his mouth while she rubbed her body against his. Moaning as his tongue dueled, Jack was lost in a world of teenage lust. He had dreams about this, spent countless hours awkwardly pleasuring himself to the fantasy of having sex with Erin. But as he opened his eyes and remembered the blonde hair that flowed above him, this wasn't Erin. Maybe in spirit, but not in body. He pulled his face away and sighed. "Erin; no." Jack said, trying to push the possessed medium off him. "Not like this." "What?" Ophelia screamed. She shot back up and glared at him. Her eyes became demonic and bloodshot. Her fingers dug into his shoulders, breaking his skin. She began to shake and wail. "No; No; No!" "Erin; Erin!" Jack tried to get her attention. He reached up and gently touched her face. "I just want to talk to you. Please leave Ophelia." Ophelia's face contorted into a smile. Jack could tell that something was pushing back against Erin. Maybe it was the medium's spirit wanting to regain her body. She thrashed around on top of him, going from sweating to shivering to back to sweating again. Jack snuck out of her convulsing frame and watched with concern. The medium then slammed into the mattress, bounced high up in the air, and then back down. Jack watched her breathe slowly and rolled onto her back. She looked confused and tired. "What the fuck happened?" Ophelia asked as she sat up, her frazzled hair covering her face.   Researching the Franklins. Jack ended the call and rubbed his eyes. The pains of working remotely, struggling to stay productive while also being forced to over communicate just so he won't be called a slacker was too much. The only good thing about his job was that he could move back to Maine and still collect a paycheck. But yet, he hated taking calls from his bosses when it's technically his day off. He knew he shouldn't be cursing his luck. Last night, his parents gave him some excellent news. They needed to go to Springfield and help out Jack's aunt with something. Jack wasn't listening, just focusing on the part when his mom said that they will not be returning until Christmas Eve. Yes, it meant that Jack would have to prepare the house for the holidays, put up the tree, buy the food and sort out the presents. But it also meant that he would be alone in the house; he could plan and try to talk to Erin. Maybe even help her. Finishing his latte, Jack looked up the address for the library and the closing time. Since Ophelia's possession, Jack hadn't sensed Erin's presence. It was worrying. He tried to focus on absorbing as much information about the house. Jack learned that the house was built in 1860 for the Franklins. For more information, he had to drive into the city. As he walked into the library, his heart was thumping in his chest and sweat coated his forehead. Why was he so nervous? Yeah, he had created this pubescent fantasy, and Jack wasn't sure how he would react if that was cracked. What if Erin was an awful person; her death could have been just, and that she was using him. But he still had to find out. Jack sat down at the computer and entered his address and the Franklins in the search bar. Skimming through the records, he got a brief understanding of the family that built his home. Jedidiah Franklin was a local lender who had moved from Boston to Maine due to some unpleasantness. He was followed by his wife, Alice and their two children, Robert and Emma. Franklins lived a dull and typical life and died in the 1900s. "Nothing about Erin," He went through local newspapers and again found nothing odd. Going through the search results, Jack quickly realized that he had been wasting his time, and it was pointless. By the time he reached the fourteenth page, he was about to leave. But instead, he clicked on the link about a stagecoach accident involving the Franklins. Jedidiah, Alice, Robert, and their maid were returning late one night. Their stagecoach collided with a rock, and the maid was thrown out. She died instantly. The article gave the maid's name as Erin O'Ceallachain. Letting out a loud sigh and rubbing his face, Jack then searched for Erin O'Ceallachain. There was little about her. A short obituary that stated she was born somewhere in Ireland and died in 1898. She had been a maid for the Franklins for close to a year. There were no descriptions of her or any clues of her past. Jack leaned back and stared at the screen. It could be her. He had checked; there were no other women called Erin that lived in the house. This could be her. But, if she died on the road, then why was she haunting his home. The loud sound of his phone vibrating against the desk pulled him out of his thoughts. Jack saw that he got a text from Ophelia. She really wanted to speak to him. Ignoring her, Jack continued his deep-dive on the Franklins, trying to find anything. Even a morsel of information about the family would help. After another hour of research, he ended up on the website of an antique bookstore in Bangor. They had Alice Franklin's diary and it was for sale.   Tomes of Inquiry. Two days later, Jack sat in the home office and stared at the five-hundred-dollar book. It was too much; he should have tried to haggle them down. Jack wasn't even sure if the diary would be useful; it could be another Alice Franklin or just a list of mundane observations. Jack finished another beer and opened the diary. His hands were trembling with every turn of the page. Either he was nervous or just drunk, he couldn't tell. The pages were filled with fine late-twentieth-century cursive writing that was hard to read. Jack slowly read out each entry, making out every second word. The diary covered the time Erin had already started working for the Franklins to her death if it was the same Alice Franklin. He skimmed through the journal until stopping at an entry made on January 28th, 1898, where Alice mentioned hiring a new maid called Erin. March Twenty-first, Eighteen Ninety-eight ;  I saw Robert engaged young Erin in the library. How I wish we do not have the same story as in Boston. August Fourteenth, Eighteen Ninety-eight ;  That green-eyed temptress was with my son again. The Roman whore has plans for him. Jedidiah sees nothing. He pushes his son. Then reacts in fury when Robert is in strife. November Sixth, Eighteen Ninety-eight;  Constable Standish and his ghastly son shared supper with us. He has eyes for Emma. A boor. My darling daughter would never fall that low. Robert is forlorn. I see his glances at young Erin. When I call for her, the freckled-face jezebel smiles innocently. Jedidiah will end her services in the new year. Jack paused from reading, and tried to make sense. Green eyes. Freckles. It had to be Erin. Jack skipped ahead a couple of weeks, getting closer to the time when Erin died. December Twentieth, Eighteen Ninety-eight ;  The Irish whore created a scene. Late in the evening, we found her under the influence. She screamed for Robert. She said she is with child. He is the father. She wants to be wed. That boy has ruined us. December Twenty-first, Eighteen Ninety-eight ;  A clear-headed Erin spoke to us in the morning. She lies that she is not with child. The Catholic loves Robert, or it seems. Jedidiah and I agree to end her service. We will send her to Bangor tonight. It is clear to us. December Twenty-ninth, Eighteen Ninety-eight ;  My heart is gone. Losing Emma is a great blow. They are to be wed in the next Spring. My son now lives in Boston. I pray his temperament is strong. Erin is gone, a life stopped by a stagecoach. Now I have an empty house. A lost daughter and a dead maid. Jack closed the diary and ran upstairs to his bedroom to grab his notepad, then came back down again. He needs to do more cardio. The two flights of stairs had destroyed him. He knew he had seen the name Standish somewhere. There at the family tree. After Erin's death, Emma married Nathanial Standish, son of the town constable. It made sense now; the Franklins murdered Erin and used the constable to help make it look like an accident. In return, they married Emma to his son to keep his silence. He knew what happened to Erin, but Jack wondered how he could help her. But; like what Ophelia said before, does he want her to move on to the next stage. It probably would be best for everyone. But if he could talk to her and discover her unfinished business, how could he help her. What if it meant getting vengeance on those that murdered her? What if it was on Franklin's living ancestors? The sound of the doorbell ringing jolted Jack from the thoughts of homicidal spirits. He checked his phone; it was nearly ten. Finishing another beer, Jack left the den and shuffled to the front door. He prayed that it wasn't his parents, that their stay in Massachusetts ended early, and now they wanted to talk about his future. "Ophelia?" Jack asked, opening the door.   Ophelia's Admissions. She stood there in the light rain, looking like another person. Far removed from the bored, unimpressed medium he saw days ago. She looked nervous, worried, but still attractive to Jack's eyes. The skirt she had on gave him a good view of her slender legs and made Jack think. Again, it had been two months since he last had sex, and he was now feeling it. "Hi," she said, barely audible. "Can I come in?" Jack nodded and let her pass. He tried not to look at her like that anymore; he needed to stay focused on Erin. "Look, I'm going to be honest with you. I'm a fake-ish. I go to people's houses and pretend that I feel something. I do a bit of cold reading, call out the spirits and then lie that they're talking back to me." Ophelia admitted. She paced back and forth as she spoke, nervousness flowing out from her. "Oh," Jack said, looking away. He didn't know what else he was supposed to say. "So, what are you doing here?" "Also, my name isn't Ophelia, it's Lucy. I felt Ophelia looked better on the website. Make it look real." She nervously smiled. "Why are you telling me this?" "Because;" she stepped forward, "what happened that day was real. I felt it, I really did." "Yeah?" Jack noticed that she was holding on to his hand like she was pleading with him. "I used to hear voices. I thought I was going crazy, but then I found out that I was hearing the dead; and I could talk to them. But I don't know, a mix of vodka, and my own cynicism; the spirits don't want to talk to me anymore. I want to feel like that again. I want to help you." Jack paused. Again, not knowing what to say. He felt that she could still be conning him, that she was going to ask for money. He still wasn't a hundred percent sure that Ophelia or Lucy was genuinely possessed by Erin. Then again, they could have had sex, which would be a weird move to pull when conning someone. Jack needed alcohol. "Do you want anything to drink?" He asked. "Please." Lucy nodded. Jack returned from the kitchen with a bottle of red wine and two glasses. It was the only alcoholic thing left in the house. After completely filling up both glasses on Lucy's request, he grabbed the diary and his notes, and they settled in the living room. He observed the psychic read the journal, his thoughts becoming more and more concerned about her looks. She had removed her thick coat, revealing a slinky tank top that gave him a glimpse of her bra. "So, you think Erin had sex with Robert Franklin; may have gotten pregnant; and the Franklins decide to murder her, to prevent a scandal?" "Yeah," Jack said, leaning in. There were both sitting on the sofa, awkwardly close together. "I don't know much or really anything about hauntings. But I only see Erin here. She must have been murdered here, and they faked the accident." "Erin being an Irish maid, the family are rich, and you got a friendly cop who is willing to help, if he gets a favor, that's a straightforward cover-up." Lucy smiled, patting Jack on the knee. "There is something we can do. I know people in the psychic and magic world. There's one girl who told me about this ritual-like thing. It's like a s ance on steroids. We can make her appear and we can talk to her. Then we can help her." "What's the catch? There is always a catch." "Not really. The s ance is a bit complicated and there is a shopping list, also it will be for a couple of hours only." "Sounds like a plan," Jack replied, raising a glass. They quickly finished their wine and poured some more.  Lucy asked him about his family and if they ever believed him. He told her about Dr. Miller, and how his dad would make the occasional jokes. When asked about their absence, Jack explained, and without realizing, underscoring that he had the whole house to himself. Jack then turned the attention on her, quizzing Lucy what happened when she first talked to a ghost; and what was the weirdest shit she had seen. As Lucy went through her backstory. Jack started picking up subtle clues about her. She was touching him more and getting close as she talked about hearing spirits when she turned thirteen. He tried to guess if Lucy was flirting with him, or was this some alcohol-induced delusion. After she finished her story about being asked to communicate with a woman's dead cat, they realized they were out of wine. Jack asked and quickly got another bottle on Lucy's insistence. "So, about you and Erin." She said, playing with the stem of her wine glass. "You were the only one to see her?  What relationship did you guys have?" "Like a friendship. Growing up; Erin was like my confidante. I would talk to her about every insane thought that was going through my head that day. I didn't know if she could hear me or not. It was comforting. I miss it. Guess that's why I'm here." "That's sweet." Lucy ran her hand down his thigh. "Sometimes I have some weird creeps that want to speak to their old teenage crushes, like teachers or neighbors that they used to jerk off to. It's nice to have a guy who just wants to reconnect to an old friend." Jack groaned. Looking at Lucy, his mind was made up, and he was sure that she was flirting with him. He should tell her the truth and see how she takes it. "I should tell you this. I have seen her naked." "Really?" Her eyes widened. "Yeah. On my 18th birthday, Erin appeared in my room and then flash, she's nude. She stood there for like a couple of seconds and poof, gone." Jack smiled, "That was the last time I saw her." "That's some present. Making me jealous." Lucy whispered, holding her gaze. "Really?" Jack said, leaning in. Lucy looked up at him, her tongue running over her pink lips. She craned her head forward and pressed her lips against his, her hand on the back of Jack's head, pulling him into her. Both were still holding their wine glasses, and Jack awkwardly pushed his mouth down on hers. Lucy's tongue shot out of her mouth and instantly snaked into his. They both softly moaned as Jack guided her body down on the sofa, nearly spilling her wine. She then suddenly stopped her tongue movements and pulled back. "Hold on, Ghostbuster." Lucy smirked, as she pushed Jack back upright. Taking the wine from his hands, she placed both glasses on the coffee table. With a shit-eating grin, Lucy grabbed Jack and resumed her mouth attack. Jack ran his hands down from her sides to her ass, pulling her on top of his lap. Lucy reached down and pressed her palm on Jack's bulge. She moaned into his mouth, sounding like she appreciated his size. She pulled her lips away, her attention now just all on his cock. Lucy fondled the turgid shaft through his pants, prompting it to throb in her hands. Jack leaned his head and slowly kissed down her neck, feeling her tremble in his arms. "Yes," Lucy said, closing her eyes and grinning. With a single-minded focus, Lucy unbuckled his jeans and yanked out his erect cock. Jack grunted, stunned by the blonde's eagerness. No other girl he had ever been with, was like this. They kept eye-contact as Lucy softly grasped his warm rigid shaft. Their lips met again while she stroked his cock, smearing her fingers with his oozing precum. While their tongues dueled again, Lucy's hand became a blur over his cock. They broke their kiss again, and Lucy lowered her head down, kissing his deep reddened tip. He watched in unbearable anticipation as she opened her mouth, but then instead of engulfing him, Lucy looked up and smirked. "Yeah, I'm bit of a slut," she said. "Just a bit? Jack grinned. "Okay, I'm a deeply deprived slut." She chuckled. Her very pink tongue then slid out of her mouth, and she licked up of his oozing fluid. Lucy took a moment to taste his precum, loudly humming and smiling at him. She then parted her lips and engulfed the bulging head in her wet mouth, firmly constricting, once his glans ridge was encased. Her tongue rubbed his frenulum, just under the tip.  She bobbed her head up and down, her firm round tits jiggling freely on his thighs, as she mouth-fucked him. "Oh; Fuck!" Jack grunted, taken by surprise by Lucy swallowing on more and more of his petrified cock. Lucy looked up and grinned at him again, before opening her mouth and engulfing him again. Her bright pink glossy lips slid up and down his shaft as she fucked him with her mouth. Then she sank til her nose rubbed his curly pubes, her teasing tongue gently caressed him as her throat muscle massaged his shaft, pushing his cock deeper. She hummed while she swallowed him, the hum of sucking filling the room. Her hands tightened their grip around his thighs as Lucy furiously pumped her lips up and down his cock. Once in a while, she would slowly pull his cock out, ever-so-gently running her teeth on the underside of his shaft while leaving huge trails of spit behind, then swallowing him again. It drove Jack mad in sexual bliss. She then wrapped her fingers firm around his meat again, lashing her tongue against his swollen cockhead, slurping up all the saliva and precum. Jack's balls were now sending messages to his brain, telling him that within seconds, he was going to cum; soon in big, bold letters. He also felt cold suddenly, and the hairs on the back of his neck were standing. He ignored that and watched the medium jerk him off, kissing his head as she worked the shaft of his phallus. Lucy stuck her tongue out and swirled it around his cock tip. But then he saw a figure near the TV. "Erin?" He said. She was right there and looked like she was in tears. A mix of fear and guilt hit him, destroying his previous horniness. But he still came, shooting thick loads into Lucy's face, hitting her in the lips and cheeks. She released her grip, but more jets of cum landed on her face. She raised her head and looked at Jack, the muscles in her face tensed, and her jaw clenched. "What the fuck, man? Give me some warning!" "Erin?" Jack said again, staring at the spirit. "Erin?" Lucy repeated. Her expression turned into an instant glare. But she followed Jack's gaze and looked over her shoulder, finding that they weren't alone. "Oh Fuck!" "No!" Erin screamed, deafening their ears. Her face was scrunched up in murderous intent. She lurched forward, and a force of wind cleared the table, sweeping the diary and notebooks off the surface. Jack and Lucy were pushed back by Erin's invisible energy, hitting the back of the couch. Erin raised her hands, maybe to strike, but felt her power evaporating. She looked at Jack, tears rolling down her cheeks, and then disappeared. Holiday Trimmings. Jack opened his eyes minutes before the alarm. It was Saturday and around ten. He sat up in his bed, his head still woozy from last night's drinking. He couldn't sleep and figured whiskey would knock him out. Also, he wanted to block out Erin's screams from replaying in his head. That face. Her expression dripping with anger and hurt. How Erin tried to attack them. He needed to say sorry. Erin probably won't believe him, Jack knew. But he had to try. Then there was what Lucy said, finding comfort so Erin can crossover. He hated thinking about that but realized that he couldn't be selfish. It wasn't about him. Jack's phone buzzed; he had gotten a text from his dad. It just said, 'Tree!'. Jack groaned, but he slipped out of the covers and took a shower. After getting dressed, Jack forced himself to eat something. He couldn't feel her. Usually, in December, he would see Erin more often than the rest of the year. Knowing that it was coming up to the day when she died, he expected to feel her. Two hours later, and overspending on a fir tree, Jack pulled into the driveway, confused. Lucy sat in front of the door, waiting for him. With a scared look on her face, she raised her hand and gave him a forced smile. Was she looking for him or for Erin? Jack climbed out of the car and slowly approached the young blonde. He never thought how she would take it, seeing Erin like that. After Erin faded away, Jack sat in silence while Lucy grabbed her stuff and bolted out of the house. "Hey," Jack muttered. "So, I have been waiting here for an hour. I walked away twice. But I really need to know. What the fuck did I see last night?" "I don't know," Jack said, looking away from Lucy's glare. "I've never seen her like this. She has never been this scary before. "Until;" "Until what?" Lucy stood up and got close. "You need to tell me." Jack sighed. "When you first came to the house, you tried to talk to her, right? Do you remember what happened next?" Lucy shook her head. "She took over your body and err; kissed me. We nearly had sex. But I stopped her. Telling her that it was wrong," Jack said, " to use your body like that." He quickly added. "Erin started shaking and going all Linda Blair. Then you woke up." "She gets rejected. Then she sees us on the couch, doing you-know-what, and takes it like a cheated-on girlfriend. That explains all the throwing." "I never knew she could do that." Jack smiled. "Can I ask you something?" Lucy stared into Jack's eyes. Jack shrugged and nodded his head. "What are you two? Is she your ghost girlfriend? Are you in love with her? What? Does she know what you are to her?" "Like I said, yesterday. Erin is my friend. Maybe there's more. I don't know, because I don't put labels on relationships with ghosts. But if I can help her, I will help her. Are you still in?" "Fuck it, yeah." He looked around, seeing his neighbors staring at him and Lucy. "Let's go inside. Can you give me a hand?" He asked, pointing to the tree. Lucy groaned but nodded her head. After undoing the bungee cords and dragging the tree off the car roof, the two of them awkwardly hauled the ten-foot fir inside the house. With Lucy leading, they pulled the tree into the living room, where the blonde suddenly stopped.  Jack was about to open his mouth, but he saw Erin standing in the middle of the room, and he went quiet. Erin raised her hands to her face, covering her eyes. Her breathing short and quick. She was freaking out. Erin then dropped her hands, clenching her fists as she glared at them. Her form floated to them, but unlike last night, there was no rush of force. Erin's face dropped, shifting into a scared expression. Dropping the tree, Lucy ran to her. She raised her hands up with open palms facing the spirit. "I am sorry. I am here to help you." She said, out loud. Erin didn't react. "He wants to help you. He wants to talk to you." Lucy pleaded with the spirit. Again, Erin stayed motionless. Lucy paused and looked over her shoulder at Jack. She mouthed 'trust me' at him and turned back to the ghost. "You can take over my body and speak to him. He would love that." Erin frowned, then faded into nothing. Jack walked past Lucy, trying to sense Erin's presence. There was nothing. He glanced at the medium; she had gone stiff, just like before. Jack's eyes bulged, realizing what was happening. But it was different. There was no sweat, no change in color, or fear on her face. Lucy just let out a small pleasurable moan. "Erin?" "What?" The woman barked back at him. "I just want to tell you that I am sorry. It was a mistake." "Liar. I saw you," Erin said, with no emotion in a unique tone. "Ye enjoyed every moment with the bonnie lass. I do not wish to intrude in your relationship with that adventuress." Her voice slowly morphed from Lucy's Mid-Atlantic accent to a faint Irish brogue. Jack sighed; he knew he had to deal with this. A simple apology wasn't going to be enough. "I'm so sorry about that. It's just that for a long time, there was this small voice in the back of my mind, saying that you weren't real and I was having a psychotic episode. When you saw me and Lucy, it was just an extension of that. I doubt it will ever happen again. But I did all this research so I can help you." "Help me?" "Yeah. I want to help you deal with whatever unfinished business you have. Lucy as well. That's why she's here. So, please don't be angry with her." "Unfinished business?" the voice then went quiet. She leaned in and kissed Jack on the cheek. Lucy's body went limp and she nearly collapsed. Jack reached out and slid his arms under her. He yelled out 'Erin'; then 'Lucy'; but got no answer. He dragged the unconscious blonde to the sofa. Carefully setting her down, Jack then prodded her cheek, trying to wake her up. She groaned and opened her eyes. "So, what are we going to do?" Lucy said immediately. Business Gets Busy. Jack looked at his phone as he walked through the front door. It was another email from his bosses in Boston. He had way too many people questioning his work. Being a cloud support engineer, he should be focused on the job. But since talking to Lucy about the s ance, Jack had been doing the bare minimum, and people were noticing. He figured that after he got closure with Erin, he could move on. Dumping the sage and wormwood on the coffee table, he saw her. Erin had been appearing more and more. Jack could actually count the times that she wasn't haunting the house. But he didn't get why; it was never this frequent back before. And she wasn't just haunting if you could call it, Jack's room. He had found her in the living room, kitchen and even the bathroom. Right now, Erin was floating near the Christmas tree. It was completely bare, left alone as Jack focused on work and the s ance preparations. There was some judgment he felt he was getting from Erin, like she still hadn't forgiven. Jack needed to remediate that, though he didn't really know how to regain trust with a ghost. He hunted for the Christmas decorations, taking longer than he hoped. Jack was desperate not to call his parents and deal with an endless conversation about how things were going in Springfield. Losing an hour to find them, Jack started decorating the tree, hoping that this will help him get back on Erin's good side. She carefully observed him as he decorated the tree, coating it in tinsel, lights and baubles. It appeared okay to Jack, the colors matched, and the string lights were all working. But looking at Erin, he was sure he had done something wrong. She wasn't that impressed. Jack first thought that she was still pissed at him, but then something hit him. While he saw her a lot during December, it was never on Christmas. This could be her first experience of Christmas in over a hundred years. With that, Jack opened his laptop and googled '19th century Christmas trees'. Getting an idea of what Christmas looked like in Erin's time, Jack grabbed his keys and told her that he will be back soon. Two hours later, Jack returned, and Erin looked like she was happy to see him. That's a positive sign, Jack said to himself as he emptied out his shopping bags. He bounced around a couple of stores before finding them, candle-like tree lights. Using real candles was a fire waiting to happen. And Jack didn't want to explain to his parents that he burnt the house down to impress a ghost. He then pulled out a ready-made popcorn and cranberry garland he got from a pop-up Christmas store. Looking at Erin, she approved by smiling back at him. He then added tinsel and icicle-like ornaments with Erin guiding him, pointing which branch needed something or if it was too much. Taking a step back, Jack admired his work. It looked old fashioned but still good. Seeing that Erin was happy was enough for him. He grabbed a beer from the kitchen and toasted, "That's one good-looking tree," he said, smiling at Erin. She rolled her eyes at him but then disappeared. That was getting Jack scared, her fading away just as they were bonding. It didn't look voluntary, like Erin really wanted to go to her void. She had this horrified look whenever it happened. Jack would then find her somewhere else in the house, an hour or two later. This time it was in the kitchen. He opened and closed the refrigerator door and found her there. Taking a moment to recover, Jack went back to making himself dinner. Erin hovered around him, curious at what he was doing. Jack guessed that she must have been shocked, that not many men cooked back in her time. He was also making pork chow-mein, and Jack wasn't sure how widespread Chinese food was in the 19th century. His phone began to buzz, and it was Lucy. Jack could see Erin's face turn. "She's probably asking about you," Jack said, putting his phone on speaker, "Hey Lucy." "Hey," she replied, "I got some news. We have to move the date of the s ance to the 12th. There's a full moon and it will go well with Hecate." "Hecate?" "Don't worry about it. Have you seen Erin since the other day?" Lucy asked, "Well, she is right here," Jack grinned at Erin, "She's in the room with me." "Whoa," she said, "How's that going? Wait shit, can she hear me?" Erin nodded. "Yeah." "Fuck. I mean shit. I mean I'm sorry," Lucy said, sounding like she was getting out of breath, "Anyway, I also need you to get some bundles of ash to burn. And candles, preferably black." "What is actually going to happen during the s ance?" "Hopefully, we can summon Erin properly and you guys can talk. Then maybe work out why is she here and if we can help her, somehow." Jack looked at Erin again. Her eyes were elsewhere. Jack started to doubt himself; was this something that she wanted him to do. "I will talk to you later, Lucy," Jack said, ending the call. Looking up from his phone, he saw that Erin had disappeared again. If the s ance actually works, Jack needed to ask where she goes whenever she vanishes. It didn't feel like a good place for her. Opening another beer, Jack sat down to eat and tried not to think about Erin. It was really hard. She still looked so sexy, and Jack was back replaying his eighteenth birthday present. Jack admitted to himself that with Erin randomly appearing in the house, he was feeling pent up.   Redhead Videos. It was close to two in the morning when Jack knew what he had to do. He had been rolling around his bed, got up twice and tried to dull his brain by checking the news on his phone. He still couldn't sleep. The only prescription that always worked for him was either whiskey or porn. As he couldn't be bothered to go all the way downstairs, Jack powered on his laptop and went straight to Porn. Jack checked out the video thumbnails, hovering over them as he tried to decide what he was in the mood for. Sometimes, he'd be craving blondes with double D-cups, getting plowed by massive cocks. Other times, it would be two lesbians slowly seducing each other. Milfs would be a good choice, but Jack felt that the algorithm would always then suggest stepmom porn, which he wasn't in to. He searched for amateur porn with Eastern Europeans, preferring their slender body shapes and lack of bad boob jobs. Jack sat up in his bed and pulled down his shorts, slowly stroking his cock to full, rigid life. He skipped the initial setup and forwarded it to the redhead pulling the guy's dick out. She grinned at the camera then kissed the man's purple head. Her tongue swirled around the tip before she quickly swallowed the man's cock. Jack shifted his weight as the redhead stripped off her top, revealing her decent-size tits. As the action turned to straight fucking with the twenty-something waitress bent over a park bench, Jack pumped his cock. He imagined himself there, in Prague, having hot, passionate sex in public. But then he felt cold. Looking up, there she was. Erin just appeared by the wall. She was confused and pressed the back of her head. It looked as if someone had just woken up, but in a different room than they were in before. She rolled her head around before stopping, and stared at Jack, her mouth agaip. He was illuminated by his laptop, so he knew that she could see what he was doing to himself. "Oh, fuck," Jack groaned, but he didn't stop stroking his cock. He thought she would float away, or scream, or do something, but Erin just stood there and watched. She even moved closer, standing at the edge of the bed. Her eyes focusing on his throbbing cock. Jack's heart was thumping as he frantically stroked his cock. His eyes darted back and forth from Erin to his laptop; the redhead had been replaced by a different model. She said that her name is Petra and is a med student, but what really turned Jack on was how Petra resembled Erin. Reddish-brown hair, slim body with perky tits, though she had tattoos and pierced nipples. His eyes bounced from Petra being fucked in a stall, to Erin's eager look. It was getting too much for him. His imagination then brought him to Prague again, but with Erin this time. He fucked her from behind, his cock pumping her hot, wet pussy, cupping her tits and making Erin groan in deep pleasure. Jack's balls were aching, then suddenly stopped, and he intensely climaxed. His tip exploded, and shot after shot of cum raced from his cock. Jack struggled to catch all his flying cum with a tissue. After cleaning himself, Jack and Erin exchanged looks. She was embarrassed, he could tell, staring at the ground and doing her most not to make eye contact. He wanted to say something, but Erin left the room. She didn't fade through the wall or vanish into anything, just walked away slowly. Jack then instantly fell asleep, not knowing what else to do.   A S ance. Jack opened the door, letting Lucy in. It was half two in the morning, and he was getting scared. A small sliver of thought wondered if she would let him down, or at least ask for $500 to proceed. For the s ance, Lucy had gone all gothic, wearing a black velvet dress and knee-high boots, also in black. She was carrying a large tote bag. There was panic in her eyes. She apologized for her lateness, saying that it took a while to get a cab. Jack was instructed by her, to get bundles of sage and wormwood for burning, plus ash. Lucy herself handled the weirder and harder to find items. She pulled out a knife that she called an athame, a ceremonial dagger Jack guessed. She also had a black bowl that she said is a water scry. It was going to help them talk to Erin. Jack led her to the kitchen and they quickly got ready. While she cut the sage and wormwood with the athame, speaking in Latin, Jack got the idea that this wasn't a con. It was real for her. That gave him hope. "So, where should we do this?" Jack asked, taking a steel bucket that she had handed him. "Your room." Lucy said, pulling more stuff out of her bag. "I've been thinking. You said you're the only one who saw her. And you normally see her in your bedroom, right? I think that's where she was murdered. By you sleeping there, a psychic link was created between you and Erin." Jack nodded. It made sense. They went to his bedroom; and with Lucy's help, he pushed his bed and everything else to one side, giving them space for the ritual. As they're going to make a fire, he opened the windows. Jack looked at the smoke alarms; if they go off, will his parents get an alert? Lucy got down on her knees and drew another circle on the floor, this time, a simple one without any other symbols. Jack lit the candles, twenty-four of them and placed them around the circle. Following her instructions, he then sat the bucket in the middle of the ring and lit the fire. Lucy took command of his bedside table and placed the porcelain bowl on top of it. She filled it with water from a special-looking bottle and dropped a crystal in it. "Take this and put it in the fire. Also, say her name in your head." Lucy said, handing him the sage and wormwood. Jack nodded and shuffled to the fire, trying not to drop the herbs. 'Erin, Erin, Erin,' he chanted in his head. He threw the herbs into the fire and was immediately overwhelmed by the aroma. It tasted sickly sweet, unnatural like. He then retreated behind Lucy; she was kneeling on the floor and speaking into the bowl. It sounded like Latin; Jack could make out the occasional word. She was calling out for Erin. The fire grew larger and smoke billowed from the bucket, looking like a volcano erupting. The smoke turned black, then blue and finally into grey. Jack took a step forward, in a trance, his mouth wide open and his hands trembling. Looking over his shoulder, he saw Lucy with her eyes clenched shut and was now calling Erin's name. Her fingers dug into the table and she frantically said 'Erin' over and over. He saw the smoke begin to clear and a body appeared above the fire. Jack gasped. Erin! She looked stunned, her hand covering her face. He opened his mouth but couldn't say a word, shocked. Color poured into her clothing, turning the transparent household dress into black. Her skin returned to its ivory color, while her hair became reddish-brown just as he saw ten years ago. Lucy had stopped chanting; she also was staring at Erin. She looked shocked, maybe a little scared. Lucy stood up and slowly shuffled towards Jack, resting a hand on his shoulder; but she kept her distance from Erin, using Jack as a possible human shield. Erin was just as surprised as the two of them. She reached out her arm, amazed by it. This was real. Erin moved forward but awkwardly stumbled as if she missed a step going downstairs. She then took a couple of more steps and touched the floor, a new sensation for her. Taking a deep breath, Erin became dazed with the menthol-like odor of burning sage. Her eyes lit up and a smile beamed from her face; she could smell. She then turned her head, focusing on the two, who had resurrected her. Her clogs banged against the wooden floor as she walked to Lucy. The psychic was trembling in her presence. Lucy flinched as she touched her arm. "Thank ye," Erin whispered. She then leaned in, and kissed the surprised blonde. Lucy moaned, instantly enjoying the kiss. Jack watched on, shocked. He didn't know if he should be terrified or turned on. Lucy wrapped her hands around Erin's waist and pushed herself against the resurrected maid. Overwhelmed by a sudden desire, Lucy slid her tongue deep into Erin's mouth. She felt good, but so tired. Erin then released the medium and watched as Lucy collapsed onto the floor in a deep sleep. She turned to Jack and grinned. "Erin?" Jack asked. His hands were trembling and he felt that he was going to sink into the floor. This is it, right? This was what he wanted, but he had no idea how to respond. "Is it really you?" He eventually spat out. "Hi, Jack," Erin smiled. "Fuck;" Jack said. He reached out and touched her hand with his. Wasn't this just supposed to be a s ance? "I can't believe I can touch you." "Me too," Erin said. "How are you?" Jack asked in a deeply sincere tone. "Confused. It felt I was being called by an unknown force. Then it took me." "I'm sorry, but I really wanted to talk to you." "I understand. Oh, it feels good to be heard and to speak with my own voice." "I need to tell you something," Jack said, "The reason we're talking is because I wanted to help you. But I never asked if you actually needed my help." She went quiet, looking like she was thinking something over, in her head. "You said about unfinished business. Bu

Skimming through the tanks one day, a pair of old-school-ish tracks caught my ear, so I decided to start there. After that, a quiet mood took over and I knew it was not the time to barge in and get all chatty on you. So we float, we glide, and we bring things back around […]

A classic pastime is getting its own national championship. The Stone Skimming Nationals will be held next May at Lake Hāwea, with the winners heading on to the World Championship in Scotland. Around 150 people are expected to compete, with more than 100 spectating the event. Lake Hāwea Station's Tourism Manager Richie Lang told Heather du Plessis-Allan originally there wasn't a huge amount of interest in hosting the event, but then a cheating scandal at the World Stone Skimming Championships came around and put the sport on the world map. After that, he said, they thought it was time to strike. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In the 1970s, Studio 54 stood as the ultimate temple of disco, decadence, and hedonism. Lifelong friends and business partners Steve Rubell and Ian Schrager curated a coveted guest list, deciding who slipped past the velvet rope into a celebrity-studded playground that attracted everyone from Cher to Truman Capote to Imelda Marcos. But while Steve and Ian were meticulous about crafting the perfect mix of the rich, famous and beautiful, they were far less disciplined with their finances. Skimming cash became routine – and a series of missteps eventually brought their seemingly neverending party crashing down.Be the first to know about Wondery's newest podcasts, curated recommendations, and more! Sign up now at https://wondery.fm/wonderynewsletterListen to Scamfluencers on the Wondery App or wherever you get your podcasts. You can listen early and ad-free on Wondery+. Join Wondery+ in the Wondery App, Apple Podcasts or Spotify. Start your free trial by visiting wondery.com/links/scamfluencers/ now.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Discover how resilient leadership is forged through pressure, capacity, and the barbell mindset—and learn how to build unshakeable strength under stress. Table of Contents Toggle IntroductionUnderstanding Resilient LeadershipWhy Resilient Leadership MattersCommon Challenges and Limiting BeliefsStep-by-Step Implementation GuideReal-Life Success StoriesMistakes to AvoidAdvanced Strategies for MasteryCall to ActionQ&A Section Introduction Resilient leadership isn't built in strategy meetings or motivational workshops—it's built under load. Most leaders think resilience is about staying calm, staying positive, or staying busy. But that's not resilience. That's performance acting. The truth is far more uncomfortable: resilient leadership is the capacity to take on more pressure without breaking—and to keep rising even when the weight feels unbearable. The keyword resilient leadership stands at the center of this conversation because the modern leader isn't collapsing from lack of skill… they're collapsing from lack of capacity. You don't fix that with time hacks. You fix it with training. This is where the barbell becomes your greatest teacher. In CrossFit, I learned early that the weight never lies. The barbell tells you exactly who you are under pressure. It exposes weakness, reinforces discipline, and demands growth. Leadership does the same. Today, you'll learn how resilient leadership is built the same way strength is built: friction, load, recovery, and progressive challenge. And you'll learn why leaders who avoid metaphorical weight become fragile while those who train under stress become unstoppable. Understanding Resilient Leadership Resilient leadership is the ability to stay centered, decisive, and effective under pressure—even as demands, uncertainty, and responsibility increase. It is the mental toughness for leaders that separates those who fold from those who rise. The misconception? People assume resilience is a personality trait. Something fixed. Something you're born with. But pressure doesn't care about personality. Pressure only cares about capacity. In the gym, capacity is measured by load: how much weight you can move, how well you can stay composed, and whether you keep form when things get heavy. Leadership works the same way. Many leaders crumble not because the weight is too much… …but because they never trained for it. Resilient leadership is trainable. It is measurable. And it grows through deliberate exposure to stress, challenge, and responsibility—just like strength training. The barbell metaphor leadership model teaches us that you grow capacity the same way you grow strength: gradually, intentionally, and with humility. Resilient leadership skills emerge from adversity, repetition, discipline, and reflection. They aren't earned by reading leadership books—they're earned by carrying the load. Why Resilient Leadership Matters The world is not slowing down. Expectations aren't decreasing. Pressure isn't easing. Your people, teams, and family don't need a leader who is simply informed—they need a leader who can remain grounded when the room is shaking. CrossFit taught me that strength is never about the first reps. It's about the last ones—the ones completed when your mind is screaming for relief. Those reps build the ability to perform under fatigue. In leadership, the equivalent reps come when:   You're tired but must stay clear.   You're overwhelmed but must still decide.   You're uncertain but must still lead. This is why resilient leadership training becomes essential. When leaders lack resilience, everything downstream suffers—culture, morale, communication, execution, and results. You can't give clarity if you don't have inner stability. You can't drive performance if you're emotionally depleted. You can't inspire trust when you're constantly reactive. High-performance leadership habits aren't built in moments of ease—they're built under stress. And if you're not deliberately building your resilience muscles, the weight of leadership will eventually break you. Common Challenges and Limiting Beliefs Every leader struggles with the same three traps: “If I just get through this week, it will get easier.” This is the business version of hoping the weight magically gets lighter. It doesn't. The load always increases—sometimes gradually, sometimes overnight. “Resilience means doing it alone.” This is outdated warrior mythology. In strength training, no one grows without coaching, programming, accountability, and a system that pushes them just beyond their comfort zone. “I need to avoid stress.” Avoiding stress is the fastest way to shrink capacity. Overprotection weakens the system. Stress doesn't destroy leaders—poor recovery and lack of training does. Resilient leadership isn't about dodging pressure. It's about expanding who you become in the presence of it. Step-by-Step Implementation Guide Here's how to build resilient leadership using the principles of the barbell metaphor leadership model: Step 1: Load Before You're Ready In CrossFit, if you only lift when it's comfortable, you'll stay weak. The same is true in leadership. Begin deliberately taking on responsibilities, conversations, and decisions that stretch your emotional and mental capacity, expanding your tolerance for uncertainty and increasing your ability to stay composed under pressure. Step 2: Train with Intent Resilient leadership training requires conscious practice—structured reflection, emotional regulation techniques, nervous system resets, and pressure management rituals—all performed consistently to reinforce mastery and build a dependable foundation for responding to real-world challenges confidently. Step 3: Embrace Micro-Adversity Just as strength grows through controlled stress, resilience grows through micro-adversity—cold exposure, tough conversations, difficult workouts, disciplined routines, and intentional friction designed to strengthen your capacity for discomfort and sharpen your psychological edge. Step 4: Recover Like a Professional Recovery isn't optional—it's strategic. Leaders who fail to schedule recovery confuse burnout for weakness. Proper recovery replenishes energy, restores clarity, reinforces emotional balance, and ensures you can consistently show up with strength when pressure inevitably increases. Step 5: Build a Coaching Environment Even elite athletes need coaches. Leaders who avoid coaching plateau quickly. Coaching accelerates growth by calibrating load, challenge, and perspective, helping you identify blind spots, strengthen performance habits, and stay aligned with high-level leadership standards. This is how you build mental toughness for leaders—reps, reflection, and regulated stress. Real-Life Success Stories I've watched executives transform their leadership capacity the same way athletes transform under the bar. One client came in exhausted, overwhelmed, and convinced he was failing. We rebuilt his leadership habits the same way we'd rebuild a lifting program—load management, mental conditioning, energy protocols, emotional hygiene, and progressive challenge. Six months later, he was leading with decisiveness, clarity, and unshakable presence. His team noticed it. His family felt it. His results proved it. Resilient leadership is visible. You don't have to announce it. People feel it. Mistakes to Avoid   Trying to lift everything alone – isolation kills resilience, drains emotional capacity, limits perspective, and slowly erodes your ability to lead with clarity and grounded strength.   Avoiding conflict – conflict is pressure; pressure is training, and sidestepping it prevents growth, weakens influence, reinforces fear-driven behavior, and ultimately diminishes leadership credibility.   Overworking – fatigue without recovery is collapse, and grinding nonstop destroys focus, reduces creativity, impairs decision-making, and trains your nervous system to operate in permanent survival mode.   Being reactive – reactions kill precision and signal instability, creating unnecessary chaos, damaging trust, and undermining the reliability your team depends on during high-pressure moments.   Ignoring feedback – leaders blind to feedback lose their edge, miss critical growth opportunities, repeat avoidable mistakes, disconnect from their people, and gradually fall behind more adaptive competitors. Avoid these mistakes and your capacity will skyrocket. Advanced Strategies for Mastery If you want elite-level resilient leadership, adopt the following practices:   Contrast training: move between high-pressure and calm states intentionally to strengthen adaptability, sharpen cognitive control, and train your nervous system to handle rapid transitions without losing clarity, presence, or emotional stability.   Identity conditioning: see yourself as a resilient leader first—actions follow identity, and reinforcing this self-concept through daily behaviors, rituals, and decisions helps you embody strength even when external circumstances attempt to knock you off center.   Load calibration: weekly reviews of your responsibilities, energy, and emotional weight ensure you’re managing demands intelligently, preventing overload, redistributing pressure effectively, and staying ahead of burnout before it sneaks up and compromises your leadership effectiveness.   Archetype integration: balance Warrior discipline, King vision, Magician strategy, and Lover emotional intelligence by consciously activating each archetype, aligning your behavior with your highest potential, and ensuring no single aspect of your leadership becomes overextended or underdeveloped. This is where resilient leadership becomes a lifestyle, not a skill. Call to Action If you skimmed this, go back. Skimming is fragile behavior. Resilient leadership requires presence, pressure, and precision. If this resonated, it's because you know the truth: the barbell doesn't lie—and neither does your life. You're either growing capacity or losing it. If you're ready to train your resilience like an athlete trains for competition—if you're ready to build the leadership strength your team, your family, and your future demand—then it's time to step up. Sharpen your edge. Elevate your capacity. Book your Power Strategy Session and let's forge your next level. Q&A Section What is resilient leadership? Resilient leadership is the ability to stay composed, decisive, and effective under pressure while navigating complexity and stress. It matters because modern leaders face relentless demands, and without resilience, performance collapses. Imagine trying to lift a heavy barbell without proper training—the weight crushes you. Leadership works the same way. How can I develop resilient leadership skills? By treating resilience like strength training: progressive challenge, intentional stress exposure, structured reflection, emotional regulation, and mentorship. Leaders who integrate these practices rapidly expand capacity and confidence. Why do leaders struggle with resilience? Because most avoid discomfort. Resilience requires deliberate exposure to challenge. When leaders avoid conflict, stress, or hard decisions, they weaken their capacity over time. What is the role of coaching in resilient leadership? Coaching acts like a training program—it provides structure, pressure calibration, feedback, and accountability. Without coaching, leaders plateau. With coaching, they grow faster and sustain results. How does the barbell metaphor apply to leadership under stress? The barbell teaches that strength comes from controlled pressure, repetition, and recovery. Leadership mirrors this exactly. You build capacity by showing up, doing the reps, and leaning into the weight instead of avoiding it. .lwrp.link-whisper-related-posts{ margin-top: 40px; margin-bottom: 30px; } .lwrp .lwrp-title{ }.lwrp .lwrp-description{ } .lwrp .lwrp-list-container{ } .lwrp .lwrp-list-multi-container{ display: flex; } .lwrp .lwrp-list-double{ width: 48%; } .lwrp .lwrp-list-triple{ width: 32%; } .lwrp .lwrp-list-row-container{ display: flex; justify-content: space-between; } .lwrp .lwrp-list-row-container .lwrp-list-item{ width: calc(25% - 20px); } .lwrp .lwrp-list-item:not(.lwrp-no-posts-message-item){ } .lwrp .lwrp-list-item img{ max-width: 100%; height: auto; object-fit: cover; aspect-ratio: 1 / 1; } .lwrp .lwrp-list-item.lwrp-empty-list-item{ background: initial !important; } .lwrp .lwrp-list-item .lwrp-list-link .lwrp-list-link-title-text, .lwrp .lwrp-list-item .lwrp-list-no-posts-message{ }@media screen and (max-width: 480px) { .lwrp.link-whisper-related-posts{ } .lwrp .lwrp-title{ }.lwrp .lwrp-description{ } .lwrp .lwrp-list-multi-container{ flex-direction: column; } .lwrp .lwrp-list-multi-container ul.lwrp-list{ margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; } .lwrp .lwrp-list-double, .lwrp .lwrp-list-triple{ width: 100%; } .lwrp .lwrp-list-row-container{ justify-content: initial; flex-direction: column; } .lwrp .lwrp-list-row-container .lwrp-list-item{ width: 100%; } .lwrp .lwrp-list-item:not(.lwrp-no-posts-message-item){ } .lwrp .lwrp-list-item .lwrp-list-link .lwrp-list-link-title-text, .lwrp .lwrp-list-item .lwrp-list-no-posts-message{ }; } Related Posts The 4 Stages of Personal Growth For Personal Success20 Mental Strength Character Traits – Part 2: Warrior Mind Podcast #367Chunking Down To Workable Pieces: Warrior Mind Podcast # 160Risk Taking: Warrior Mind Podcast # 147 11 Tips for Personal Development: Warrior Mind Podcast #324Unlocking the Power of Character Archetypes Through Spirit Animals: A Path to TransformationLife Rules Shape Our Reality- Warrior Mind Podcast #6658 Bold Steps to Stop Living in Fear and Take Control

Did you hate the proposal Were they skimming a bit off the top Oasis giveaway Gorey Stories Join the Pod Squad Listen Live on the Nova Player App Follow us on Instagram - TikTok - Facebook - SnapchatSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Education doesn't end with graduation. Leaders may attend induction sessions, compliance programs, or even prestigious executive courses overseas, but these experiences are too infrequent to sustain long-term growth. In Japan and globally, too many bosses stop learning once they hit senior ranks, focusing only on routines that keep the business running. But standing still in today's world is as dangerous as making mistakes. Continuous learning is not optional—it's the fuel that keeps leaders, teams, and companies alive. Why isn't one-time executive training enough? Business schools and executive programs can be stimulating—case studies are fascinating, the networking is inspiring, and global perspectives broaden thinking. But the problem is frequency. These are often “one-shot” experiences, occurring once in a career. Leaders return home excited, but implementing new ideas proves difficult in day-to-day operations. Without continuous reinforcement, old habits resurface, and inspiration fades. Growth stalls because education was treated as an event, not a rhythm. Mini-summary: One-time executive courses inspire but don't sustain growth—leaders need continuous, not occasional, education. What modern learning opportunities do leaders have today? We live in an era of abundant resources. Podcasts, TED Talks, YouTube, online courses, and audiobooks can turn commutes or downtime into classrooms. Platforms like Coursera, LinkedIn Learning, and Udemy provide structured modules, while practitioners share real-world insights through blogs and webinars. Many of these resources are free or low-cost, making access easier than ever. The real issue isn't availability—it's whether leaders have the discipline to use them consistently. Mini-summary: Learning resources are everywhere; the challenge is discipline, not access.   The trap is routine. Leaders often spend all their time working in the business rather than on it. They minimise effort by narrowing focus to daily operations, convincing themselves they're too busy for study. Over time, this creates stasis. But the world doesn't stop—technologies shift, competitors emerge, and markets evolve. In Japan, where lifetime employment and rigid routines are common, this tendency to fall into comfortable habits is especially dangerous. Mini-summary: Routines trap leaders into working in the business, leaving no time to work on their own growth. How dangerous is standing still in business? Stasis can be fatal. Consider iMode, once a global pioneer of mobile internet in Japan, now irrelevant. Blackberry dominated professional phones but collapsed. MySpace once led social media, but disappeared. Nokia's CEO famously said, “We didn't do anything wrong,” yet the company still fell. The lesson: even without mistakes, standing still is enough to destroy a business. Leaders who stop learning repeat this error—they allow yesterday's success to blind them to tomorrow's risks. Mini-summary: Standing still is as dangerous as making mistakes—stagnant leaders risk organisational decline. How does generational change affect the need for learning? Generational perspectives shift rapidly. Leaders raised with telephones view the world differently from those raised with faxes, computers, or smartphones. Today, immense computing power fits in the palm of our hands. What was cutting-edge five years ago may already be outdated. This means knowledge has a shorter shelf life than ever. If a company has made its last formal investment in a leader's development, then the responsibility to keep up rests squarely on the individual. Mini-summary: Knowledge expires quickly—leaders must take responsibility for staying relevant across generations. What should bosses do to keep learning alive? Leaders must block time for deliberate study every week. Skimming newspapers or glancing at reports isn't enough. Deep engagement—through reading, listening, structured courses, or reflection—is required. Just as they expect their teams to grow, bosses must first stimulate themselves. Organisations mirror leadership. When the boss stops learning, the company's culture stagnates. But when leaders prioritise growth, they inspire their teams to follow, building resilience and innovation. Mini-summary: Leaders set the tone—if they learn and grow, their teams and businesses do too. In Japan and worldwide, bosses who stop learning stop leading. Executive courses and OJT provide valuable boosts, but they are not enough. Today, resources for continuous learning are abundant, affordable, and accessible. The barrier isn't availability but mindset and discipline. History shows that standing still destroys even the strongest firms. The same is true for leaders. Growth starts at the top, and in 2025, leadership without learning is not leadership at all—it's decline.

A scandal erupted at the World Stone Skimming Championship in Scotland when several competitors were disqualified for tampering with their stones. RoShamBo co-host and Stone Skimming competitor, Ted Ladue, has the story. 

On Culture Friday, Katie McCoy on truth in an artificial age; Arsenio Orteza talks with the producer of Reagan; and competitive stone skipping. Plus, the Friday morning newsSupport The World and Everything in It today at wng.org/donateAdditional support comes from Barnabas Aid. The ministry of Barnabas Aid is to provide help for our brothers and sisters where they are suffering the most. The projects aim to strengthen Christian individuals, churches and their communities by providing material and spiritual support in response to needs identified by local Christian leaders on the ground. We also partner with gleaning organizations across North America, sending dehydrated food to the neediest countries, including recently to Haiti and Cuba. More at barnabasaid.orgFrom WatersEdge, offering church building loans that are ministry-backed, ministry-built, and ministry-bound. watersedge.com/loansAnd from Asbury University — where students are known, supported, and prepared to lead. Customized visits available. asbury.edu/visit

Al CPK 326:· Tramposos de merda al mundial d'Skimming d'Easdale? De veritat? Com es pot fer trampes amb això de fer rebotar pedres a l'aigua? Italians...· Freddo VanVleet serà baixa per tota la temporada amb els Rockets? Quines són les opcions de Houston sense el seu líder, base i un dels màxims triplistes i millors defensors? Amen Thompson? Sheppard? Fitxar?· Estiu mogudet a les oficines de can pavelló amb molts lavabos, tot indica que els Clippers van pagar en B part del salari de Kawhi Leonard. Fem un repàs a com hem arribat fins aquí i que pot passar d'ara en endevant.

Ever feel like you spend hours scrolling through LinkedIn job postings – only to apply to two?

Le prime pagine dei principali quotidiani nazionali commentate in rassegna stampa da Davide Giacalone. Lo sciopero di ieri e la guerriglia a Milano, il figlio di Grillo condannato, il voto per la revoca dell'immunità per Ilaria Salis. Spazio Donna Moderna. Parliamo di piccoli acquisti e dell'effetto che hanno sul nostro umore. In diretta con noi Giulia Scolari, di Donna Moderna. Spazio Esteri. Torna a trovarci Dario Fabbri, direttore di Domino. Don Antonio Mazzi, fondatore della comunità Exodus, regala ogni giorno un pensiero, un suggerimento, una frase agli ascoltatori di RTL 102.5. Ci occupiamo di uno sport molto particolare, lo Skimming (al secolo, rimbalzello). Su un'isoletta scozzese si sono svolti i campionati mondiali di lancio di sassi sull'acqua e una squadra italiana è arrivata al terzo posto. Ci siamo collegati con Andrea Cassinari, capitano della squadra di Skimming Mattia's Brave, che ha partecipato alla World Stone Skimming Championship. L'attualità, commentata dal direttore del giornale Il Foglio Claudio Cerasa. All'interno di Non Stop News, con Giusi Legrenzi, Enrico Galletti, Massimo Lo Nigro e Ludovica Marafini.

Today on the show McCafe Quick Fix 1 Mastermind Monday Rog V Bryce Builders Resilience Brekkie McCafe Quick Fix 2 Stone Skimming Champs KFC one Question Quiz Rog Whistles WInd Of Change

Début septembre 2024, une habitante de l'Ain a été victime d'une arnaque appelée "Skimming". En consultant ses comptes bancaires, elle constate un paiement de plus de 1800 euros dans un hôtel à Montpellier. Elle n'y a pourtant jamais mis les pieds ! Très vite, elle contacte l'hôtel par téléphone et le réceptionniste comprend qu'il s'agit d'une fraude. La police arrive sur les lieux et place les occupants de la chambre en garde à vue. À la suite de l'enquête, les policiers ont conclu que la carte bancaire de la victime avait été clonée à son insu ! Mais comment cloner une carte bleue ? Suis-je à risque ? Comment se protéger de cette arnaque ? Écoutez la suite de cet épisode de "Maintenant vous savez". Un podcast Bababam Originals, écrit et réalisé par Hugo de l'Estrac. À écouter aussi : ⁠Quels sont les "standards" de beauté les plus insolites de l'histoire ?⁠ ⁠Qu'est-ce que le "pretty privilège", ce facteur discriminant ?⁠ ⁠S'épiler les parties intimes augmente-t-il le plaisir sexuel ?⁠ Retrouvez tous les épisodes de ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠"Maintenant vous savez".⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Suivez Bababam sur ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Cheating drama at the world champs!

LauRen's anniversary Is it skipping rocks or skimming rocks?Game of the day What lie did you use to call out of work?TV shows and Movie pet peeves3 in the QCCan't Beat LauRen War of the Roses LauRen's girls trip rewind... See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Man Allegedly Urinates in Movie Theater During 'Demon Slayer,' Beaten Up and Arrested Cheating scandal rocks world stone skimming championships Investigators are searching for a man they say robbed a popular Disney Springs restaurant by swimming up in scuba gear and a wetsuit and then swimming away after he stole thousands of dollars. An influencer has riled up thousands of people on TikTok after posting a video of herself making homemade pasta from scratch on a plane, 30,000 feet in the air. FOLLOW TNR ON RUMBLE: https://rumble.com/c/c-7759604 FOLLOW TNR ON SPOTIFY: https://open.spotify.com/show/7zlofzLZht7dYxjNcBNpWN FOLLOW TNR ON APPLE PODCASTS: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-next-round/id1797862560 WEBSITE: https://nextroundlive.com/ MOBILE APP: https://nextroundlive.com/the-ne.... SHOP THE NEXT ROUND STORE: https://nextround.store/ Like TNR on Facebook: / nextroundlive Follow TNR on Twitter: / nextroundlive Follow TNR on Instagram: / nextroundlive Follow everyone from the show on Twitter: Jim Dunaway: / jimdunaway Ryan Brown: / ryanbrownlive Lance Taylor: / thelancetaylor Scott Forester: / scottforestertv Tyler Johns: /TylerJohnsTNR Sponsor the show: sales@nextroundlive.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The allegations really rocked the rock skimming world. Hour 4 9/17/2025 full 2131 Wed, 17 Sep 2025 22:00:00 +0000 I1frNc4o3v5mQjJfTC6DeoGNulET2SsV news The Dana & Parks Podcast news The allegations really rocked the rock skimming world. Hour 4 9/17/2025 You wanted it... Now here it is! Listen to each hour of the Dana & Parks Show whenever and wherever you want! © 2025 Audacy, Inc. News False https://player.amperw

#WHATSHAPPENING / A Bucolic Stone-Skimming Contest in Scotland Is Infiltrated by Cheaters / #WHATCHAWATCHING – ‘Love Con Revenge' Reveals the Scammers' Playbook.

Brittany brings us a wild scandal in a world that none of us event knew existed and Kendall is so pumped for Victoria's series. Also our Boss Amy swings by and won't tell us anything about Project Down and Dirty and Jenna Bush Hager just wants to eat and we get it. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

There was a cheating scandal revealed at a stone scimming championship!

We spoke to the recently crowned World Champ Jon Jennings to talk Stone Skimming controversies and our stone skimming competition!

Here are some of the craziest sporting stories from the past week!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Cheating scandal rocks the rock skimming world championship. British Airways bans flight crew members from drinking coffee pretty much anywhere. Parents ordered to pay a $300k fine after their dumb drunk teenagers urinated in a hot pot pot at popular restaurant. // Weird AF News is the only daily weird news podcast in the world. Weird news 5 days/week and on Friday it's only Floridaman. SUPPORT by joining the Weird AF News Patreon http://patreon.com/weirdafnews - OR buy Jonesy a coffee at http://buymeacoffee.com/funnyjones Buy MERCH: https://weirdafnews.merchmake.com/ - Check out the official website https://WeirdAFnews.com and FOLLOW host Jonesy at http://instagram.com/funnyjones

On today's Extra, Naked Swim, Tom's pool skimming, & Willie Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Ben and Nathan field a handful of questions with a common theme: they come from students who are moving too fast on the LSAT, attempting too many questions, and failing to understand what they're reading. In other words, they're rushing to failure. The solution is simple: Attempt one question at a time. If you miss it, review until you understand why. Then, move on to the next one. Slow down, skip all the gimmicks, and the LSAT becomes easy. ⁠Study with our Free Plan⁠⁠Download our iOS app⁠⁠Watch Episode 519 on YouTube⁠0:33 – Reading All Answer ChoicesSydney asks if she can skip answer choices once she finds her prediction. Skimming bad answer choices is fine, but you still need to glance at all of them. You also don't have to read every word. As soon as an answer starts moving in the wrong direction, eliminate it confidently and move on.8:35 – Master's Degree to Make Up for a Low GPA?Joe recognizes that his undergraduate GPA will hurt his admissions chances and is considering a master's degree to improve his odds. Ben and Nathan note that his 4.0 GPA in his senior year already shows he can succeed in law school. Graduate grades won't factor into his LSAC GPA. Joe should focus instead on removing bad grades from his transcript and getting the best LSAT possible.13:37 – Mean LSAT TweetsAfter a 144 diagnostic, Chris sends Nate an angry email. Ben and Nathan outline the Demon's resources for improvement—if Chris wants to use them. They also note that academically strong students often approach the LSAT like school: skimming, rushing, and relying on outside knowledge—habits that hurt scores.19:12 – Worst GPA You've Ever SeenRachel has a 1.73 GPA and just wants to get into law school. The guys commend her paralegal experience but explain that her only shot is with a strong LSAT. Given her situation, she should consider part-time or state-accredited programs to reduce cost and risk.26:41 – Two-Word Accommodation RequestA Reddit student gets 50% extra time for “severe anxiety” with a simple two-word doctor's note. Ben and Nathan highlight the ease of securing accommodations but remind listeners that they aren't necessary to succeed.34:30 – When to Take a BreakBlake feels burnt out after hours of daily studying with little progress. The guys point out that he's prioritizing quantity over quality. They advise him to skip September, focus on learning, and wait to take the official test when he's ready.43:17 – ABA JournalBen and Nathan scoff at the latest ABA Journal, which addresses loneliness, gambling addiction, and the California bar exam mishap just on the cover. Inside? A first-page ad asking lawyers to donate more money to the ABA with a testimonial from a dental hygienist. 50:10 – What's the Deal with Purdue Global Law School?Peter wants to know if Purdue Global Law School, a California-accredited law school, is worth applying to. 1:09:40 - Personal Statement Gong ShowSophia signs up as the next Gong Show contestant. In this segment, Ben and Nathan read your personal statement until they reach an unforgivable mistake, then they ring the gong. The number of lines to beat is 21—the record currently held by listener Danielle. 1:20:27 - Word of the Week - AmeliorateThe new tutoring program was designed to ameliorate students' struggles with reading comprehension.Get caught up with our ⁠Word of the Week⁠⁠ library. 

Send us a textIn today's episode, I'm diving into a topic every pool pro faces sooner or later — collecting past-due money. We've all had that one client who ghosts us when it's time to pay up. I'll share the systems I've put in place to stay ahead of overdue invoices, tips on how to communicate professionally (without sounding desperate), and ways to prevent getting stiffed in the first place. From clear billing practices to strategic late fees and auto-pay setups, this episode is your toolkit to get paid on time — every time Support the Pool Guy Podcast Show Sponsors! HASA https://bit.ly/HASAThe Bottom Feeder. Save $100 with Code: DVB100https://bit.ly/THEBOTTOMFEEDERTry Skimmer FREE for 30 days:https://getskimmer.com/poolguy Get UPA Liability Insurance $64 a month! https://forms.gle/F9YoTWNQ8WnvT4QBAPool Guy Coaching: https://bit.ly/40wFE6y Thanks 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/F9YoTWNQ8WnvT4QBA Pool Guy Coaching Group Join 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/poolguycoaching Limits 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-road Acid Wash Coverage - Full Limits

Ever feel like you read your Bible...but don't really understand it? In this episode, we explore the second step of the EASY Bible Study Method: Assess the Main Idea. Whether you have just 10 minutes or a full hour for Bible study, you'll learn a simple, flexible approach to understanding Scripture that meets you right where you are: and grows with you over time. Click here to send us your email for our newsletter OR to send a message to the show! We have no way of responding unless you leave your email.Want to study God's Word for yourself? Try our In-Depth Bible Study Academy Click here to try a free mini-course!Support the show

(Disclaimer: Click 'more' to see ad disclosure) Geobreeze Travel is part of an affiliate sales network and receives compensation for sending traffic to partner sites, such as MileValue.com. This compensation may impact how and where links appear on this site. This site does not include all financial companies or all available financial offers. Terms apply to American Express benefits and offers. Enrollment may be required for select American Express benefits and offers. Visit americanexpress.com to learn more.  ➤ Free points 101 course (includes hotel upgrade email template)https://geobreezetravel.com/freecourse  ➤ Free credit card consultations https://airtable.com/apparEqFGYkas0LHl/shrYFpUr2zutt5515 ➤ Seats.Aero: https://geobreezetravel.com/seatsaero ➤ Request a free personalized award search tutorial: https://go.geobreezetravel.com/ast-form If you are interested in supporting this show when you apply for your next card, check out https://geobreezetravel.com/cards and if you're not sure what card is right for you, I offer free credit card consultations athttps://geobreezetravel.com/consultations!Timestamps:00:00 Introduction00:30 How to set award alerts using Seats.aero03:05 How to set award alerts using Roame05:30 Requesting personalized GeoBreeze tutorial05:50 How to set earning notifications using SaveWise08:15 Using CardPointers Plus for offer reminders09:35 Downsides of too many notifications10:10 Manual calendar reminders for Amex credits12:10 Filtering deal newsletters in Gmail14:30 Skimming newsletters without distraction15:15 Final thoughts You can find Julia at: ➤ Free course: https://julia-s-school-9209.thinkific.com/courses/your-first-points-redemption➤ Website: https://geobreezetravel.com/ ➤ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/geobreezetravel/ ➤ Credit card links: https://www.geobreezetravel.com/cards ➤ Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/geobreezetravelOpinions expressed here are the author's alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, hotel, airline, or other entity. This content has not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of the entities included within the post. The content of this video is accurate as of the posting date. Some of the offers mentioned may no longer be available.

ใครกำลังเป็นแบบนี้บ้าง แม้จะอ่านข้อมูลมากขึ้นทุกวัน แต่กลับรู้สึกเข้าใจอะไรได้น้อยลง? จดจ่อกับสิ่งที่อ่านได้ไม่นาน พออ่านจบแล้วกลับลืมเลือนเรื่องราวไปได้เร็ว . ความจริงที่ซ่อนอยู่คือ คนไทยยุคนี้ไม่ได้อ่านน้อยลง แต่เรากำลังอ่าน "ผิดวิธี" ทำให้สมองเราไม่ได้พัฒนา และเซลล์ประสาทไม่เชื่อมโยงกันแบบที่ควรจะเป็น . ใน Mission To The Moon EP. นี้ เราจะไปดูกันว่าทำไมการอ่านแบบ "Skim Reading" ถึงทำให้เราเข้าใจน้อยลง และจะอ่านอย่างไร ให้สมองพัฒนาขึ้นจริงๆ ไม่ว่าจะเป็นการอ่านหนังสือ หรือแม้แต่การอ่านโพสต์ในโซเชียล . . #การอ่าน #สมอง #missiontothemoon #missiontothemoonpodcast

ใครกำลังเป็นแบบนี้บ้าง แม้จะอ่านข้อมูลมากขึ้นทุกวัน แต่กลับรู้สึกเข้าใจอะไรได้น้อยลง? จดจ่อกับสิ่งที่อ่านได้ไม่นาน พออ่านจบแล้วกลับลืมเลือนเรื่องราวไปได้เร็ว . ความจริงที่ซ่อนอยู่คือ คนไทยยุคนี้ไม่ได้อ่านน้อยลง แต่เรากำลังอ่าน "ผิดวิธี" ทำให้สมองเราไม่ได้พัฒนา และเซลล์ประสาทไม่เชื่อมโยงกันแบบที่ควรจะเป็น . ใน Mission To The Moon EP. นี้ เราจะไปดูกันว่าทำไมการอ่านแบบ "Skim Reading" ถึงทำให้เราเข้าใจน้อยลง และจะอ่านอย่างไร ให้สมองพัฒนาขึ้นจริงๆ ไม่ว่าจะเป็นการอ่านหนังสือ หรือแม้แต่การอ่านโพสต์ในโซเชียล . . #การอ่าน #สมอง #missiontothemoon #missiontothemoonpodcast

www.marktreichel.comhttps://www.linkedin.com/in/mark-treichel/FRAUD SCHEMES[00:41:00] Timeshare resale fraud targeting elderly[00:44:00] ATM "jackpotting" - new threat explained[00:45:00] Skimming device sophistication[00:46:00] Universal key vulnerabilities

Sam is calling in because he wants to know if what he is doing with his Uber Eats customer's food makes him the a-hole... See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Sam is calling in because he wants to know if what he is doing with his Uber Eats customer's food makes him the a-hole...

Borry's back from his swing with one less pair of jocks, we're entering the professional rock skimming competition and on a mission to make brekkys big again. A wild catch up as we cover everything that's happened since we've seen each other last: our trip to the No Limit Card in Cairns, our UFC companion and plenty more before we kick off in the news with some bangers, including the wild rise of Liver King over the past week. The Poo's Reviews is back and raunchier than ever and we finish off with the return of The Doghouse. Plenty of dribble in this one to pepper your ears. Enjoy trendsetters!Ever wanted to watch the Podcast? Check out full visual ad-free episodes and all of our vlogs on our Patreon for only 5 bucks a week. Our vlog from Sydney with Hello Sport has just dropped and it's the place to be for the upcoming PBR Origin and Five Rocks vlog: patreon.com/alphablokespodcastBetter Beer: The Zero Carb stubbies are perfect after a big day, available at Uncle Dans and BWS: www.betterbeer.com.auNeds: Whatever you bet on, take it to the neds level: https://www.neds.com.au/NordVPN Exclusive Alpha Blokes Deal https://nordvpn.com/alphablokes Try it risk-free now with a 30-day money-back guaranteeIf you want to keep up to date with what we're up to, the best way is to follow us on the socials down below:PODCAST INSTAGRAM: www.instagram.com/alphablokespodcast/PODCAST TIKTOK: https://www.tiktok.com/@alphablokespodcastPODCAST FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/alphablokespodcast/Follow the boys on Instagram to check out their solo content too:Tommy: https://www.instagram.com/tomdahl_/?hl=enBandit: https://www.instagram.com/_thepoobandit_/?hl=en0:00 - Admin4:40 - Poo's Round16:40 - Rock Skimming22:30 - Alpha Blokes Stable29:30 - Pub Of The Week33:25 - Man Caves37:05 - Cookin'44:26 - Alpha News1:20:44 - Trendsetters Group1:22:00 - The Poo's Reviews1:40:00 - The Doghouse Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Using an ATM, paying for petrol or shopping at a retail store are pretty routine things that many of us do on a frequent basis. But it's important to be aware of the often invisible threat posed by a criminal practice called skimming, which sees fraudsters clone bank cards.  Across the pond in the US, data analytics firm Fico reported a 96% increase in debit card skimming in 2023, and recent months have also seen prominent cases in the UK. Let's take a moment to understand what skimming is a little better, and go over the best ways in which you can protect yourself. Is it really possible to clone a bank card? Once they have my card details, how do they use them? Are banks doing anything to protect consumers? In under 3 minutes, we answer your questions! To listen to the last episodes, you can click here: ⁠How do sim swapping scams work?⁠ ⁠What is Quantum medicine and is it a scam?⁠ ⁠Why do web addresses start with www?⁠ A podcast written and realised by Joseph Chance. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Thinking patterns can make or break your career trajectory, and nowhere is this more evident than in how people approach new information. Our conversation today dives into the fascinating case of "Sal," a recent graduate whose dismissive attitude toward required reading reveals deeper issues with professional thinking.When Sal told their manager that important job documentation was "boring" and only deserved skimming, they unknowingly demonstrated one of the most career-limiting mindsets possible. We explore why the rejection of reading and learning isn't merely a personal preference but a subtle form of workplace defiance. Whether you prefer physical books with margin notes, e-readers for convenience, or audiobooks during commutes, the willingness to deeply engage with new information remains non-negotiable for professional success.The discussion moves beyond reading preferences to examine how early workplace behaviors reveal fundamental thinking patterns. What initially appears as simple disinterest often masks arrogance and resistance to organizational norms. We challenge the notion that completing formal education means learning is finished, highlighting how even CEOs must regularly do things they don't particularly enjoy for the greater good of their organizations. The conversation provides valuable insights for both leaders evaluating new team members and professionals seeking to advance their careers through improved thinking.Have you encountered someone who proudly proclaims "I don't read"? Or perhaps you've worked with someone who believes their prior education makes ongoing learning optional? Share your experiences with these thinking patterns and how they've impacted workplace success in your organization.

Remember to follow us on Social Media! Grazie Mille! Instagram Facebook  In this episode, Tommaso discusses how to manage cyber and personal security risks while traveling, particularly in tourist hotspots. He shares practical tips to protect against scams and pickpockets, ensuring a safer travel experience. Key Points: Cybersecurity Risks: Travelers are prime targets for cybercriminals due to their reliance on public Wi-Fi and charging stations. Skimming devices and compromised Wi-Fi routers are common methods used to steal personal data. Criminals are getting more sophisticated with phishing and vishing schemes Personal Safety: Pickpocketing is prevalent in popular tourist destinations like Rome and Venice. Organized criminal groups operate strategically, often with women performing thefts and men watching for law enforcement. Large crowds and momentary distractions provide ideal cover for these activities. Episode Highlights: Cybersecurity Tips: Avoid using public USB charging stations due to the risk of juice jacking. Use a portable charging brick and a backpack with an external charging port. Use cellular data or an eSIM instead of public Wi-Fi whenever possible. Use a VPN to encrypt your internet traffic, especially on public Wi-Fi. Only use ATMs inside banks to avoid skimming devices and shoulder surfing. Personal Safety Tips: Be aware of your surroundings, especially in crowded areas. Use money belts and hotel safes to protect valuables. Avoid showing off expensive items like jewelry. Keep wallets in front zipped pockets. Resources and Links: The link below will help you extend your phones batter life while traveling. https://www.makeuseof.com/tips-to-help-iphone-battery-last-while-traveling

What does drinking your parents booze at 16 and weight loss have in common??? Let me tell you!

North Korean IT worker army expands operations in Europe Stripe API skimming campaign unveils new techniques for theft Verizon call filter API flaw exposed customers' incoming call history Thanks to today's episode sponsor, Qualys "Overwhelmed by noise in your cybersecurity processes? Cut through the clutter with Qualys Enterprise TruRisk Management. Quantify your cyber risk in clear financial terms and focus on what matters most. Actionable insights help you prioritize critical threats, streamline remediation, and accelerate risk reduction— while effectively communicating impact to stakeholders. Empower your cybersecurity strategy with tools that drive faster, smarter, and more efficient risk management. Your secure future starts today with Qualys Enterprise TruRisk Management. Visit qualys.com/etm for more information."  

Steven Trotter, an experienced education leader, has spent over a decade as a principal, system leader, and senior leader. His book, The Art of Skimming Stones, introduces the SKIM Model—a practical approach to sustained school improvement. Unlike traditional leadership frameworks, SKIM focuses on intentional, subtle shifts that drive meaningful change. With a passion for professional learning, He equips educators and leaders with actionable strategies for lasting impact.  

Skimming expressions or words can be dangerous. Learn how to avoid making critical mistakes by jumping to conclusions. #ThePitch #INICIVOX #VirtualMentorship

Protecting Your Family from Credit Card Scammers   In this episode of The Secure Family Podcast, Andy discusses the methods scammers use to steal credit card information, particularly focusing on credit card skimming. He explains the process of how skimming devices steal your data and shares practical tips to safeguard your credit card, such as using ApplePay and inspecting card readers for skimmers. Take control of your data with DeleteMe. Because they sponsor the podcast you can get 20% off a privacy plan from DeleteMe with promo code: DAD.  Andy's new ebook is coming soon. Look for Level Up: The Parent 30-Minute Guide to Online Gaming Safety on February 12th! Connect

On our podcast, we have often talked about the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP. In many of those conversations, we've talked about the benefits and eligibility, and ways to improve the work that SNAP does to help low-income families meet their food needs. In today's podcast, we're going to turn our attention to a particular challenge, and it's the SNAP skimming fraud. To help us understand this and the larger context of SNAP, we have the great pleasure of talking with Salaam Bhatti, who is the director of SNAP at the Food Research and Action Center, or FRAC. Interview Summary So, let's provide a little bit of level setting for our listeners. Can you tell us what role SNAP plays in the lives of individuals who are facing low income or food insecurity? Yeah, Norbert, the problem with being in the richest, most powerful nation in world history is that we are facing a food and hunger crisis. We have the means, we have the resources to solve for it, but we haven't. For the record, the USDA, the United States Department of Agriculture, did a study last year. They do this study every year where they report food security in the country. In 2023, 86.5 percent of U. S. households were food secure. The remaining 13.5 percent, which is 18 million households, were food insecure. And this was an increase from 2022. So, 86.5 percent of food security is barely a B+. To be in the most powerful wealthiest nation in the world and we're barely getting a B+ in this space is unacceptable. And so, we saw some really interesting policies happen during the pandemic. We saw emergency allotments come in for the SNAP program, where all households received the maximum benefit amount for their households. And that, unfortunately, sunset. When that emergency allotment was in place, food insecurity-surprise, surprise-decreased. But not just that, we also saw Medicaid healthcare spending costs decrease as well. Because who would have thought that when people had food security, they didn't need to go to the emergency room because their blood sugar was low. So, we're experiencing a lot of challenges where we've seen the government show its hand that it can end poverty. It can end hunger. It just chooses not to. We know that SNAP is an entitlement program. It's available to anyone who meets the eligibility requirements. But we know that everyone who's eligible doesn't participate in the SNAP program. Can you help us think about how more people can be enrolled who are eligible. And maybe we even need to think more broadly about what is eligibility? What are your thoughts about this? In a given month these days, about 42 million people participate in SNAP. That's a lot of people. I would say that 42 million people are participating in it every day, but unfortunately, SNAP benefits do not last the whole month. By the third week of the month, people's SNAP benefits have been exhausted. Now, taking a step back, in case the listeners don't know how SNAP benefits work, it's a, as you said, a government program. And it comes in the form of an electronic benefits transfer card, an EBT card. It looks like a credit card, looks like a debit card. But really, it's more like a hotel card key, because it doesn't have the security measures, which we can talk about later in the show. It doesn't have the security measures that a credit and a debit card have. It is essentially a glorified hotel key. It's got the magnetic stripe on the back, circa 20 years ago. Maybe 15. I'm dating myself. I don't know how long ago it was we were swiping the cards. But all you gotta do is you swipe the card and you type in your PIN. And then you can use it at the EBT retailer. That is in a nutshell how 40 million people are utilizing SNAP benefits every single month. The program itself is also vital to retailers as well. We've seen that every dollar of SNAP benefits generates about $1.54 in economic activity during an economic downturn. So that means that when somebody is using their SNAP benefits at the grocery store, it's helping that grocery store keep the lights on. You know, employ the cashiers. And we need to employ cashiers, enough of this self-checkout stuff. It helps to pay the truck driver who's transporting the produce to the store. And it ultimately even helps pay the farmer for growing the crop. So, it's a great investment from the federal government into not just our households to help them put food on the table, but really into the whole local economy. And it is immediately used directly by the people and helps so many people. Now so, to your question about how do we enroll more people? Well, luckily we are at a time where the USDA reports that in the fiscal year 2022, 88 percent of eligible individuals were participating in SNAP. And that is the highest participation rate we've seen since they started tracking this in the past 50 years. That's great. But again, it's just a B+ so we can do better. There is room to improve. In the study, it showed that older adults, those who are over 60, they're participating at lower rates with only 55 percent of eligible members in that age category participating. We also have so many military families and veterans who are eligible, but don't participate. This SNAP gap is something that our partners are working throughout the states, throughout the entire country. We're working in partnership with a lot of federal agencies and partners as well. So, how do you ultimately close the SNAP gap? We're seeing a lot of targeted outreach. Seeing a lot of education efforts, but, you know, with 88 percent of eligible people participating, what's going on-on the local level? And unfortunately, Norbert, we've seen that state agencies which administer the SNAP program are unfortunately understaffed and they're underfunded. I used to be a state advocate at the Virginia Poverty Law Center. And when I was, hustling in the halls and lobbying for a million households with low income, I became friends with our social services agency because we had similar goals. We wanted to help households with low income. And we came to learn that the agency that we are relying on to administer the program was never getting their budget met by the legislative assembly. So, what we did was we got into partnership with them to advocate for their budget so that they could retain their staff, and so that the staff could do the job. That is something that we have to do across the states. Support these social service agencies in getting the funding so that they can have the staffing so that they can administer the programs in a timely way. Unfortunately, I don't know if you've seen this but earlier this year, the USDA Secretary Vilsack sent out a letter to like 44 state agencies, including D. C. and Guam. Being very concerned about their timeliness issues because they're supposed to complete the application reviews and determine eligibility within 30 days. And that's for a normal SNAP application. You have seven days for expedited applications. And 44 of these agencies were not meeting the mark. That's bad for, in terms of deadlines, but even worse for the families experiencing the food insecurity. So that is a very layered answer. It's the seven-layer dip answer of how we increase participation. Well, we need more staff to, to help that out. I hear that, and I'm really grateful for how you hit it at this point, and I want to draw a little more attention to it. While you talk about 88 percent participation, it looks different on a state-by-state level. Some states have a higher level of participation, other states don't. Do you think it's really the ability of those state agencies to provide that support, or do you think there are other factors that may be influencing the differential participation rates across states? Yeah, so we saw a big retirement, the great resignation, that happened during the pandemic. There were so many state agency employees, you know, who were, who were doing the job because they were passionate about it. They were also at retirement age. So, we saw quite a resignation happen. Because it was incredibly difficult. It was traumatizing to be involved in this space. And so, they resigned, or they retired, or they moved on to somewhere else. The new workers came in and they learned the programs with the flexibilities that were provided during the pandemic. Now, they have to relearn the program because all those flexibilities are gone. So, we're seeing a lot of administrative burden taking place within these agencies. I have a colleague, Carolyn Barnes, who's worked on this idea of administrative burden and the challenge of what's sometimes referred to as street level bureaucrats. The people who are on the ground who do the administration of these programs and the challenges that they face and the ways they engage folks. I appreciate hearing more about this. And I'm going to ask a potentially controversial question then. What if we took that responsibility out of the hands of state agencies and privatized that? What would that look like? Oh, and people have tried that. Governments have tried that, and it's always resulted in net losses. Not only has it cost the states more, but it has also led to the participants not receiving their benefits, or receiving less than, or receiving an error of more than. So many errors have resulted, which has made the program and administration worse. Which is an interesting question because a lot of people don't know that there are skilled employees at the helm within the agencies that are working on these eligibility determinations. They're known as merit-based staff. And every now and then you'll see a Farm Bill, that's the piece of legislation that houses the SNAP program, it'll come in and they'll try to privatize parts of the program. In the guise of, 'Oh, we're just wanting to help the agencies out and get the benefits to the people.' But listen, the several states that have privatized their benefit programs have learned the hard way and they've done away with those privatization efforts. Okay. I want to turn our attention to something that you hinted at, and we talked about at the top of the program. This idea of skimming or the SNAP skimming fraud. And this is not something that participants are doing. It's something that's happening negatively to participants. So, could you tell us a little bit more about this skimming issue? You know, skimming is a very serious problem that has affected all types of consumers. It's a device that gets put on the point-of-sale system, like that thing that you insert your card into or swipe at the checkout. And it's indistinguishable from the actual point of sale system. You could have a trained eye and still not be able to tell that this point-of-sale system has been compromised. So, what happens is when somebody uses a compromise point of sale system, their information, their card number, their pin is all taken. And within the same day, within an hour, you'll see the benefits are extracted. Usually in an entirely different state, and just the account balance is completely wiped out. The SNAP participant does not find out. If they don't check their account balance, they won't find out until the next time they're at the grocery store and they've done their, you know, 30 minutes of 45 minutes of shopping, with their kids in tow, and they've put everything on the conveyor belt and they're checking out and they swipe their card. And it says your payment is declined. And that is an awful harrowing situation that people are subjected to in the richest nation on the planet. They can't even use their government benefits to put food on the table. And then the process that currently exists to replace those stolen benefits is a lot of administrative burdens there as well. Where you have to you go home without the food, you fill out a piece of paper to say what happened, and then it takes weeks for you to get your benefits replaced. And God forbid that this happens to you more than twice in one year because the current resolution from Congress only allows two benefit replacements every year. But I mean, Norbert the question might be, who's stealing all this stuff? And why aren't the states doing something about it? Or why isn't the SNAP participant doing more to protect themselves? What we have to understand is that there are federal authorities, the FBI, are looking into this. They are investigating this because tens of millions of government dollars have been stolen. Over 120,000 households have been affected. This is big. This is bigger than the SNAP participant. This is bigger than the state. This is bigger than the retailers. And so, there's a lot for the federal government to do not just in replacing the benefits. Because that's you know, you we have a hole in the boat and we can't throw money at the hole. We need to fix the hole. So, what are we looking at here? We're looking at the opportunity to Secure our cards, secure the EBT card, by moving to chip. So, that is the next big thing You know what I appreciate out of this conversation is the experience of individuals who are using their SNAP benefits and they go to the store and the pain of discovering that their SNAP benefits have been expended. Not by them, but through some other means. I know the experience of having identity theft and, losing a credit card and not being able to do it. But I'm not in a situation where that means I'm not able to put food on my table. So, thank you for bringing our attention to the individual tragedy of that experience. And I think that's something important. But what you're also hinting at is that this is not some small-time incident. This is something much bigger. And of course, the federal government has a deep interest in trying to address this issue. And there needs to be some fix. And how this fix occurs also needs to be cognizant of the individual experience of low income individuals who are just struggling to make sure that they're able to solve this food problem. Yeah, you were talking about identity theft and when identity theft happens in the private sector things are resolved pretty quickly. If your credit card is hacked, nowadays you can just go online and say dispute charge and everything's taken care of within 24 hours. But can you imagine like not getting food benefits, like your debit card, your bank account being emptied, and you don't get everything back for weeks. It's mind numbing. It's really awful to think about. You've mentioned some technology fixes. And seems like they're pretty well known, the chip technology. Are there other fixes or in terms of technology or security systems that could help prevent this skimming challenge? One of the other challenges we're facing with the skimming is that the replacement benefits are temporary, it's going to expire on December 20th of this year (2024). And this is an extension that happened after the original replacement benefits, which was just under two years. These short-term fixes, or these short-term replacement benefit strategies are not what we need. We really need a permanent replacement benefit because no matter how secure the card gets, criminals are just going to be creative, and they will attack every single type of card as they continue to do with chip cards. Because we're talking about skimming, there's also something called shimming. S H I M M I N G. And that's when the point-of-sale system isn't compromised from the top, but from within, where you insert the card. That's shimming. So, that's something that exists as well. Chip cards will go a long way to decreasing the benefit theft when chip cards rolled out in the private sector it reduced theft by like around 90 percent. We're hopeful and optimistic that similar patterns will emerge there. But that's of course not 100 percent. It's not AA+++ It's a reason for why permanent replacement benefits need to continue. When it comes to chip card benefits, your listeners might be like, wait, wait, wait, this is 2024. We still have cards that haven't gone chip? It's because there's so many layers in the financial sector of what's going on the back end of these cards. So thankfully there was this massive process known as the x9 process where the entire industry came together. All the card manufacturers, grocers, convenience stores, retailers, banks, us humble nonprofits, and we came in to talk about what needs to be done. And so, they finally released the standards just over a month ago. And now we have two states in the running California and Oklahoma to roll out chip cards in the new year. All eyes are on Cali and Oklahoma to see how it goes before, I guess other states are going to hop on. The chip card is going to be the next big thing in the SNAP benefits world. Thank you for sharing this. I want to ask you one additional question about this technology issue. And it's related to a project I'm working on. It's the idea of online grocery shopping and the expansion of the SNAP benefits for online grocery shopping. And I'm wondering if there's any relationship between what you're seeing in skimming and the ability to use online grocery shopping. Or are these completely disconnected? I haven't seen anything regarding theft online, it's all been physical. We are seeing some promising things coming out of online shopping, especially for people who are living in areas without food access. Once we can bridge that gap of getting fresh food, like the produce and meats and chicken and fish, to people who are far away from grocery stores, then we've found the magic solution. But it's a promising trend on the online delivery space. Oh, that's awesome. I want to ask you just more generally about SNAP and where FRAC is right now. Where are you all thinking about in this space? And then what are ways that you can get just regular everyday people to help in the policy work of eliminating food insecurity? For more than 50 years, FRAC has been working to improve health, nutrition, and the well-being of people who have been struggling with poverty related hunger in the United States. Now, we have made tremendous strides in the fight against hunger. We've played a critical role in expanding SNAP. We've secured increased benefits for households with low incomes through landmark legislation, litigation. But unfortunately our work is far from over and we are really trying to work ourselves out of jobs. We cannot do it alone. We really need all hands on deck, especially as we are seeing in this upcoming Farm Bill effort some cuts that are being suggested or offered to SNAP benefit. We really need all hands on deck to protect this program. To build a nation free from hunger we encourage your listeners to go to frac.org, frac.org. Sign up for our action network and urge your members of Congress to prioritize ending hunger in America. Now, I know that oftentimes we're not sure what we should be saying to our Congress members. Our action network tells you all the things and it helps you really quickly and easily customize templates. Send in your own messages to your members of Congress. And also learn about hunger in your state and the solutions that exist as well. So, what will it achieve for you at the end of the day? Your efforts will advance bold and equitable policy and program solutions. And provide technical assistance and training to thousands of anti hunger advocates across the country, because we're collecting your stories. And your stories help impact Congressmembers. It helps us win their hearts. Bio Salaam Bhatti joined FRAC in November 2023 as the SNAP Director. In this role, he works to strengthen SNAP access and benefit adequacy. Salaam works closely with the Interim President to develop, lead, and track annual work plans; set and meet unit goals; collaborate with other unit Directors to assist in achieving FRAC's strategic plan goals; and expand the unit's innovation and work. Salaam joined FRAC after working at the Virginia Poverty Law Center (VPLC). While at VPLC, he successfully lobbied to fully repeal the drug felon ban for SNAP and TANF, twice achieved record increases to TANF cash benefits, subsidized reduced-priced school meals, repealed the TANF family cap, ended lunch shaming policies in schools, and received a unanimous vote to expand SNAP for over 20,000 families.  Salaam also helped develop a mobile-friendly, SNAP screening tool which is used by tens of thousands of people & multiple non-profits and has been rolled out to be available for all states and D.C. He received the Young Alumni Achievement Award from Albright College for his work in alleviating poverty and promoting Muslim-Jewish relations. Salaam also received the inaugural Stuart A. Freudberg Award for Regional Partnership for his work with Maryland and DC Hunger Solutions to address food insecurity across the metropolitan Washington area from the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments. Salaam has a J.D. from Touro Law School, is barred in New York and Virginia, and received his Bachelors in Political Science and International Relations from Albright College (with a year abroad in the University of Aberdeen). 

The shidduch process can be very frustrating, waiting for suggestions, waiting for responses. Sometimes, things look like they are going so well, and all of a sudden, everything falls apart. Sometimes, after waiting a long time, a prospective shidduch is finally set up. The girl begins getting excited, hoping this could be the one. Then, on the day they are supposed to meet, the boy calls in sick and somehow never follows through. Getting rejected or overlooked is considered tremendous yesurin . We don't know why people have to experience them, but for sure, they are accomplishing so much through their experience. Every moment of waiting is accomplishing different types of tikkunim that will benefit them for all eternity. As hard as it is to imagine, everything is happening exactly the way Hashem wants it to happen, for the person's benefit. If the person can stay strong in their emunah and trust that they are in Hashem's loving hands, the value of what they are experiencing will become exponentially greater. No matter how long it has been or how bleak it seems, we must always have the emunah of ישועת ה' כהרף עין -everything can change in the blink of an eye. Salvation can literally come at a moment's notice. Part of a person's responsibility as a God-fearing Jew is to always have hope that salvation could come instantly. The Jewish world was overjoyed when we found out last year that a Rosh Yeshiva in Israel had his first baby at the age of 88. The Rosh Yeshiva had lost his first wife in 2015 and then, at the age of 82, remarried a woman in 2018 who was more than 30 years younger than him. Six years later, she miraculously gave birth to a healthy baby boy. The Rebbetzin told the incredible story of how this shidduch took place at a massive gathering in Lakewood, and Rabbi Binyamin Prusansky related it in his new book, Living with Miracles . After marrying late and having a family, she found herself alone again. She was nearly 50 years old and had one dream: to marry a talmid chacham . She strengthened her emunah and prayed to Hashem to make it happen. In the meantime, she dedicated a sefer on tefilla as a zechut for herself and others, written by Rabbi Daniel Travis. She was hoping to get married within the year, but as the end of the year approached, not one shidduch had been suggested to her. One Erev Shabbat , she brought her son to the orthopedist to have his cast removed. On her way into the building, she slipped and fell down a flight of steps. She hobbled into the office and was told that she had pulled some tendons and might have a hairline fracture. When she arrived home, she sat in the kitchen and elevated her leg, resting her foot on a chair while her children prepared for Shabbat. As she sat there, she noticed her diary on the kitchen table. Skimming through it, she came to a notation she had made for Tu B'Av, which was just two weeks away. The date was circled, and written on the page were the words, Im Yirtzeh Hashem, My Wedding Day . Sitting there with her injured foot, just two weeks away from what she so fervently believed would be her wedding day, she felt dejected. She had worked so hard on her bitachon . How could this be the outcome? But then she caught herself and said, "Hashem can do anything. I need to remain hopeful—Hashem could bring me a shidduch in the blink of an eye." That Shabbat, she focused her thoughts and heart on building her confidence that Hashem could answer her tefillot כהרף עין . On Motza'eh Shabbat , a shadchan called with a suggestion—it was the Rosh Yeshiva. The shadchan said what set her resume apart from others was that Rabbi Daniel Travis, a student of the Rosh Yeshiva, was listed as one of her references. Rabbi Travis read to the Rosh Yeshiva the dedication she had written in his sefer , which expressed her profound love and support for Torah. Those words convinced the Rosh Yeshiva that he had found his zivug . Their meeting took place during the Nine Days. About thirty minutes into their conversation, the Rosh Yeshiva asked her, "What date would you like the wedding to be?" Unprepared for the question, she steered the conversation in a different direction. But then, ten minutes later, he asked again, and again she diverted the discussion. A few minutes later, he asked her if she wanted to get married, to which she replied, "Yes." "So when do you want the wedding to take place?" he asked. She said, "Tu B'Av is a beautiful day to get married." "Tu B'Av it is," the Rosh Yeshiva answered. And eleven days later, their wedding was held. It had seemed like salvation was far off. But the Rebbetzin renewed her strength in believing in ישועת ה' כהרף עין , and amazingly, she was married on Tu B'Av, just as she had hoped.

With the holiday travel season approaching, we're revisiting a podcast episode featuring Paul Radu, the co-founder and co-executive director of the Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project (OCCRP). Paul describes his team's work in uncovering an international team of cash machine skimmers that ultimately skimmed hundreds of millions of dollars, largely from tourist hot spots. Travelers often don't realize their accounts are being drained until after they return home. This episode was originally published on 9 June 2020.

Todd receives a box with photographs from his grandmother who had recently passed away.  Skimming through the photos, Todd finds a picture of a man in WWII army attire. Immediately, he has flashbacks of childhood memories he long forgotten.Thank you, Todd, for sharing your story with the Spooked! Produced by Erick Yáñez, original score by Lalin St. Juste, artwork by Teo Ducot.Happy Halloween Season Spooksters! Now you can also subscribe on YouTube for scary stories from Spooked.