Podcasts about states

1) Media vs. Military: Narco‑Boat Strikes Central assertion: Media outlets (especially The Washington Post) allegedly “slandered” the military with false reporting about a U.S. strike on a Venezuelan drug boat; Senator Tom Cotton is quoted saying everyone on the boat was a “valid target” based on intelligence. Details cited: References to NBC’s question about orders by Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth to target all individuals on the boat; Cotton responds that the operation aimed to destroy drug boats and that intelligence gave “high confidence” all aboard were traffickers. Discussion of the Law of War Manual and whether firing on “shipwrecked” persons would be illegal; the host’s questions are framed as attempts to undermine the military. Broader framing: The piece compares this episode to past controversies (e.g., the “Russia dossier”), alleging coordinated efforts by Democrats and media to undermine or criminalize Trump officials and intimidate service members. 2) Voter Rolls & Election Integrity Core allegation: The Assistant Attorney General Harmeet Dhillon (spelled “Harmei Dylon” in the text) purportedly announced DOJ findings of 260,000+ deceased individuals on voter rolls and thousands of registered non‑citizens; DOJ has sued multiple states to obtain voter list data. States mentioned: Lawsuits or actions described against Delaware, Maryland, New Mexico, Rhode Island, Vermont, Washington, and large cleanup activity in North Carolina (over 100,000 registrations) Author’s stance: Argues for voter ID, claims Democrats oppose roll cleanup for political advantage, and quotes Trump asserting elections are “crooked and rigged.” Please Hit Subscribe to this podcast Right Now. Also Please Subscribe to the The Ben Ferguson Show Podcast and Verdict with Ted Cruz Wherever You get You're Podcasts. And don't forget to follow the show on Social Media so you never miss a moment! Thanks for Listening X: https://x.com/benfergusonshowYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@VerdictwithTedCruzSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It's Monday, December 8th, A.D. 2025. This is The Worldview in 5 Minutes heard on 140 radio stations and at www.TheWorldview.com.  I'm Adam McManus. (Adam@TheWorldview.com) By Adam McManus Pastor arrested for refusing to apologize for objecting to Drag Queen story hour Canadian Pastor Derek Reimer was arrested on December 3rd for refusing to write an apology letter to a Calgary, Alberta library manager for telling her that a library-sponsored drag queen story time event for children was misguided. At the time of Reimer's arrest, Artur Polawski, a Canadian-Polish preacher who previously spoke out against Canada's COVID lockdown, made this comment to the policemen. POLAWSKI: “You know why you're arresting this man for? He refused to apologize for his religious conviction. Are you aware of that?” POLICE OFFICER: “Thank you.” During Reimer's application to vary the conditions of his year-long house arrest sentence, which ends next month, he did not comply with a controversial court order, requiring him to write a letter of apology to Saddletowne Library manager Shannon Slater, reports Rebel News. The letter was due on November 28. Slater is the woman Reimer was convicted of alleged “criminally harassing” simply for explaining to her, on camera for 90 seconds, that drag-themed story hours for little kids, featuring men dressed like grotesque caricatures of women with big wigs and gaudy makeup, leads to the sexual grooming of children. REIMER: “They wanted me to apologize for that, and I won't apologize for it.” Reimer, who leads Mission 7 Ministries in Calgary, has insisted he cannot in good conscience apologize for warning about the drag event — an event aimed at kids and known in Calgary as “Reading With Royalty.” Reimer represented himself in court during his appearance. His submissions regarding his Canadian Charter right to freedom of religious expression and liberty of conscience were not accepted by Justice Karen Molle, who ruled them irrelevant to his application. REIMER: “It was such a travesty of justice today. It was such an egregious display of behavior through this justice where she wouldn't even let me finish my submissions. She walked out halfway through my submissions. “When she came back, I didn't even have an opportunity for rebuttal. She didn't want to hear me. I asked her, respectfully, ‘Do I have an opportunity to share the rest of my submissions?' and she says, ‘Well, I've deemed them irrelevant.'” At a prayer vigil outside Derek Reimer's jail cell, one woman expressed her anger over the injustice to him, his wife Mona, and their young son. LADY: “A man like Derek can go to the library, have a 90-second conversation with somebody, and then, all of a sudden, he gets arrested because he refuses to apologize for his Christian conviction. “This is a persecution of Christianity and Christians. This is a target to the Bible and God. This is good vs. evil. They want us to call evil good and good evil. [Isaiah 5:20] We cannot do it. They're going to continue to round up good men in society. “I'm Canadian. I was born in Canada. Ice runs through my veins, but the fire of God burns in my heart. And I want every Canadian to remember, as cold as it gets out here, it is our duty to go out and stand for the rights of the people who need it, like Derek.” The Democracy Fund is providing legal defense for Pastor Derek Reimer, who was assaulted, and then absurdly fined and arrested, while peacefully protesting the Drag Queen Story Time. Learn more at www.SavePastorDerek.com. That's www.SavePastorDerek.com. Samaritan's Purse plane hijacked in Sudan A Samaritan's Purse plane carrying medical supplies to South Sudan was hijacked by an armed man earlier this week, reports The Christian Post. At the time, the Cessna Grand Caravan plane, that operates exclusively in Africa, was en route to Maiwut, South Sudan, to deliver medicine to a mobile medical unit. The hijacker has been identified as Yasir Mohammed Yusuf.  He wore a fake reflective vest with the logo of an air charter company with operations at the airport, snuck aboard the plane, and hid in the rear cabin before takeoff. He demanded to be flown to another Central African country, Chad. After circling for several hours, the pilot told the hijacker that the plane was low on fuel and landed at Wau Airport, where Yusuf was taken into custody. A spokesman for Samaritan's Purse said, “We praise God that no one was seriously injured.” Supreme Court upholds new Texas Congressional map Late Thursday night, the U.S. Supreme Court upheld the newly redrawn U.S. Congressional map in Texas which is expected to increase Republican representation in Texas's U.S. House delegation, reports The Epoch Times. The court's new unsigned order in League of United Latin American Citizens v. Abbott was issued over the dissents of Justices Sonia Sotomayor, Elena Kagan, and Ketanji Jackson. Justice Samuel Alito filed an opinion concurring in the order. Justices Clarence Thomas and Neil Gorsuch joined that concurrence. In August, Texas adopted a new congressional map. Republicans currently hold 25 of the state's 38 seats in the House of Representatives. Under the new map, Republicans hope to win up to 30 of those 38 seats, reports the Supreme Court blog. The League of United Latin American Citizens challenged the map, falsely claiming that it was the product of unconstitutional racial gerrymandering. Justice Alito does not claim that the Supreme Court is definitively endorsing the 2025 Texas map's legality on the merits.  But he does assert that (a) The impetus for the map was partisan, not racial and (b) The lower court misapplied the proper standard of review. Eight states could vote on abortion in 2026 And finally, pro-life advocates are bracing for a pivotal battle in 2026 as voters in eight states prepare to weigh in on ballot measures that could either safeguard legal protections for the pre-born or create a fake right to kill babies by abortion, reports LifeNews.com. In Missouri, the pro-life “Amendment 3” would prohibit most abortions while allowing exceptions for medical emergencies, fatal fetal anomalies, and cases of rape or incest within the first 12 weeks. Nevada's “Question 6,” certified after passing its first vote in 2024, returns for a required second approval to embed a “fundamental right to abortion” in the state constitution until fetal viability—typically around 21 weeks. In Idaho, the “Reproductive Freedom and Privacy Measure,” is aiming to overturn the state's abortion ban by establishing a so-called “right to abortion.” Montana's proposed “Definition of Person Amendment,” seeks to amend the state constitution to define a “person” as beginning at fertilization or conception, effectively granting legal protections to the preborn. Nebraska's potential “Establish Personhood of Preborn Children Amendment,” is in the early stages of the ballot qualification process to define a preborn child as a person in the state constitution, effectively banning abortion from conception with limited exceptions. In Oregon, with a signature deadline in July 2026, abortion advocates are circulating petitions to amend the state constitution by affirming a right to kill babies by abortions. Virginia's “Right to Reproductive Freedom Amendment” advances toward a second vote in the 2026 session to embed a “right to reproductive freedom” in the state constitution. This would allow abortions up to birth in Virginia. And, in Colorado, pro-life advocates are currently before the Colorado Supreme Court with “The Right to Be Born” amendment that states: “Children have the right to continue living from the moment they are conceived.” Proverbs 31:8 says, “Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves.” Close And that's The Worldview on this Monday, December 8th, in the year of our Lord 2025. Follow us on X or subscribe for free by Spotify, Amazon Music, or by iTunes or email to our unique Christian newscast at www.TheWorldview.com.  Plus, you can get the Generations app through Google Play or The App Store. I'm Adam McManus (Adam@TheWorldview.com). Seize the day for Jesus Christ.

(The Center Square) – States that refuse to turn over data on food stamp recipients will lose all SNAP funding, U.S. Department of Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins announced Tuesday. “If a state won't share data on criminal use of SNAP benefits, it won't get a dollar of federal SNAP administrative funding,” Rollins posted on X. “Let's see which states stand for accountability and which are just protecting their bribery schemes.” USDA is combing through states' SNAP recipient data to reduce ineligible enrollment, but 21 Democrat-governed states have so far refused to provide that information, citing citizen privacy concerns. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

December 7, 2025; 8am: The Agriculture Department announced that it's planning to withhold federal funding for food stamps in Democratic-led states that have refused to share sensitive personal data about recipients. The group of Democratic states have argued against sharing the data because they are concerned it could be used for other policies like immigration enforcement. Hawaii Attorney General Anne Lopez and Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel are two Democrats who are fighting back against the Trump administration. They join “The Weekend” to discuss.For more, follow us on social media:Bluesky: @theweekendmsnow.bsky.socialInstagram: @theweekendmsnowTikTok: @theweekendmsnow To listen to this show and other MS podcasts without ads, sign up for MS NOW Premium on Apple Podcasts. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

226: How do you turn a daydream into a life? Tricia Leach has been doing exactly that for the past decade. What began as a bold leap into full-time RV living became a family adventure that took Trish, her husband, and their kids through all 50 states and beyond—stories they've shared with a worldwide following through their beloved YouTube channel, Keep Your Daydream.But the journey didn't stop at the state lines. Along the way, Trish launched her own line of spice blends and published two cookbooks (including her newest, Tastes of the States). Now, she and her husband are dreaming even bigger: they've purchased a property that will soon become the Daydream Depot café, opening its doors in 2027.This episode dives into how curiosity, courage, and a willingness to start small can turn an ordinary life into an extraordinary one.Register for Nadine's Micro Memoir course on Jan 15!About Trish:Tricia Leach is the co-creator of Keep Your Daydream, a travel-and-lifestyle brand inspiring millions to chase adventure. She's the author of two cookbooks: Small Space, Big Taste and the latest Taste of the States, which celebrates America's regional flavors and the stories behind them. Whether she's on the road in the US in an Airstream or baking croissants at Le Cordon Bleu in Paris, Tricia reminds us that daydreams are meant to be lived.About Nadine:Nadine Kenney Johnstone is an award-winning author, podcast host, and writing coach. After fifteen years as a writing professor, she founded WriteWELL workshops and retreats for women writers. She interviews today's top female authors on her podcast, Heart of the Story. Her infertility memoir, Of This Much I'm Sure, was named book of the year by the Chicago Writer's Association. Her latest book, Come Home to Your Heart, is an essay collection and guided journal. She has been featured in Cosmo, Authority, MindBodyGreen, Natural Awakenings,Chicago Magazine, and more. She writes a regular column about mid-life reclamation on Substack.

Synopsis:  Journalists Investigating Far-Right Extremism Face Growing Threats: As the Trump administration scales back investigations into far-right extremist groups, journalists on the front lines are facing increased attacks and threats from powerful figures.Make a tax deductible YEAR END DONATION and become a member go to LauraFlanders.org/donate. This show is made possible by you! Description: Today's guests have paid a price for their reporting on far Right extremists. But if journalists don't do this critical work, then who will? The Trump administration is deprioritizing domestic terrorism to serve a political agenda, scaling back investigations of far-Right extremism while redirecting DHS agents to immigration crackdowns. As programs tracking domestic extremism are dismantled and January 6 rioters are recast as "patriots," journalists find themselves on the frontlines — and their attackers are now people in power. Jordan Green is an investigative reporter for Raw Story whose coverage on far-Right extremism has spanned from Charlottesville to January 6. He is currently working on a book about militant accelerationism. Green also reported on a story we've covered extensively on the show: the attack on two power stations in Moore County, North Carolina. A correspondent for the Texas Observer, investigative journalist Steven Monacelli has been tracking extremism, disinformation, social movements, and the influence of dark money in politics. He received the The Al Neuharth Innovation in Investigative Journalism Award for revealing the identities of far-Right extremists, including government employees. Freelance journalist Amanda Moore embedded with the far Right in 2020 and has faced backlash from far-Right groups for her reporting. Her reporting at present focuses on ICE and Border Control, and her work has appeared in the Nation, Politico, and the Intercept. Join us for this chilling conversation on threats against journalists and the implications for democracy, plus a commentary from Laura.Guests:•  Jordan Green: Investigative Journalist, Raw Story•  Steven Monacelli: Freelance Investigative Journalist; Correspondent, The Texas Observer;  publisher of Protean Magazine, a nonprofit literary magazine; co-founder of Apprentice Creative Space•  Amanda Moore: Freelance Investigative Journalist Full Conversation Release: While our weekly shows are edited to time for broadcast on Public TV and community radio, we offer to our members and podcast subscribers the full uncut conversation. These audio exclusives are made possible thanks to our member supporters. Watch the episode released on YouTube; PBS World Channel December 7th, and on over 300 public stations across the country (check your listings, or search here via zipcode). Listen: Episode airing on community radio (check here to see if your station airs the show) & available as a podcast December 10th.Full Episode Notes are located HERE.Music Credit:  'Thrum of Soil' by Bluedot Sessions, and original sound design by Jeannie Hopper Support Laura Flanders and Friends by becoming a member at https://www.patreon.com/c/lauraflandersandfriends RESOURCES:Related Laura Flanders Show Episodes:•  Power Grids Under Attack: The Threat is Domestic Terrorism – Not Drag Artists:  Watch / Listen:  Episode Cut•  What is Political Violence? Uncovering MAGA Militancy & Strategies to Protect Democracy:  Watch / Listen:  Episode Cut and Full Uncut Conversation•  Congresswoman Jayapal & Marine Vet Goldbeck: Standing Against the Administration's War on Civilians:  Watch / Listen:  Episode Cut and Full Uncut ConversationRelated Articles and Resources:•  I've Seen How the Neo-Nazi Movement Is Escalating. You Should Worry.  By Jordan Green, July 14, 2025, The Assembly NC•  Pentagon Marine tied to ‘6 bullets to head' threat against Pete Hegseth won't face probe, by Jordan Green, November 7, 2025, Raw Story•. Ex-Soldier linked to far-right groups pleads guilty to gun charge, by Jordan Green, September 17, 2205, Raw Story•  I Was Banned From CPAC, but the Extremists Weren't, by Amanda Moore, February 27, 2024, The Nation•  Undercover With the New Alt-Right, by Amanda Moore, August 22, 2023, The Nation•  Trump Inauguration Official's “Phony Charity” Allegedly Pocketed East Palestine Train Disaster Funds, by Amanda Moore, January 19, 2025, The Intercept•  Revealed:  The Operators Behind Four Major Neo-Nazi X Accounts, by Steven Monacelli and Tristan Lee, December 4, 2024, Texas Observer•  The GOP Mega Donor Behind The Big to Break Dallas City Government, by Steven Monacelli, October 14, 2024, Texas Observer•  Parker County ‘White Nationalist Fight Club' Leader Exposed, by Steven Monacelli, February 15, 2024, Texas Observer•  “The Federal Government Is Gone:  Under Trump, the Fight Against Extremist Violence Is Left Up to the States, by Hannah Allam, May 29, 2025, ProPublica•  How MAGA Took Over America's 250th Birthday, by Amanda Moore and Dan Friedman, June 13, 2025, Mother Jones Laura Flanders and Friends Crew: Laura Flanders-Executive Producer, Writer; Sabrina Artel-Supervising Producer; Jeremiah Cothren-Senior Producer; Veronica Delgado-Video Editor, Janet Hernandez-Communications Director; Jeannie Hopper-Audio Director, Podcast & Radio Producer, Audio Editor, Sound Design, Narrator; Sarah Miller-Development Director, Nat Needham-Editor, Graphic Design emeritus; David Neuman-Senior Video Editor, and Rory O'Conner-Senior Consulting Producer. FOLLOW Laura Flanders and FriendsInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/lauraflandersandfriends/Blueky: https://bsky.app/profile/lfandfriends.bsky.socialFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/LauraFlandersAndFriends/Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@lauraflandersandfriendsYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCFLRxVeYcB1H7DbuYZQG-lgLinkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/lauraflandersandfriendsPatreon: https://www.patreon.com/lauraflandersandfriendsACCESSIBILITY - The broadcast edition of this episode is available with closed captioned by clicking here for our YouTube Channel

The drop dead gorgeous Corinne and Sabrina from Two Girls One Ghost (America's Most Haunted Podcast!) join us for a bonus episode this week! We cover ACTUAL GHOST EXPERIENCES from the gals in the States (one happened in Edinburgh) and we get into ghost stories from Appalachia and one in Summer Camp... Snuggle up around our campfire, this one is a real treat. We show the girls evidence of table tipping, we discuss a possible trip to Amérika, sleeping positions and seriously haunted houses... ENJOY HUNS! xoxox Want more of our American ghost sisters? Check them out here: https://www.twogirlsoneghost.com/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode of the ASC Podcast with John Goehle we discuss the latest news, including the delay in the Pre-authorization pilot and Anthem's new policy on out-of-network providers.   In our focus segment we discuss the final 2026 CMS ASC/HOPD Payment Rule    This episode is sponsored by Surgical Information Systems, RFX Solutions, Medserve and  Ambulatory Healthcare Strategies.  Notes and Resources from this Episode: Final Rule: https://public-inspection.federalregister.gov/2025-20907.pdf Press Release about Final Rule: https://www.cms.gov/newsroom/press-releases/cms-empowers-patients-boosts-transparency-modernizing-hospital-payments Fact Sheet about Final Rule: https://www.cms.gov/newsroom/fact-sheets/calendar-year-2026-hospital-outpatient-prospective-payment-system-opps-ambulatory-surgical-center Downloads for the Final Rule: https://www.cms.gov/medicare/payment/prospective-payment-systems/hospital-outpatient/regulations-notices/cms-1834-fc ASC Quality Reporting web site: https://www.qualityreportingcenter.com/en/ascqr-program/ ASC Association Web Site (Join to get more information): http://ascassociation.org INFORMATION ABOUT THE ASC PODCAST WITH JOHN GOEHLE ASC Central, a sister site to http://ascpodcast.com provides a link to all of our bootcamps, educational programs and membership programs! https://conferences.asc-central.com/ Join one of our Membership Programs! Our Patron Program: Patron Members of the ASC Podcast with John Goehle have access to ASC Central - an exclusive membership website that provides a one-stop  ASC Regulatory and Accreditation Compliance, Operations and Financial Management resource for busy Administrators, nurse managers and business office managers.  More information and Become Member The ASC-Central Premium Access Program A Premium Resource for Ambulatory Surgery Centers including access to bootcamps, education programs and private sessions More Information and Become a Premium Access Program Members Today! Important Resources for ASCs: Conditions for Coverage: https://www.ecfr.gov/cgi-bin/text-idx?c=ecfr&rgn=div5&view=text&node=42:3.0.1.1.3&idno=42#se42.3.416_150 Infection Control Survey Tool (Used by Surveyors for Infection Control) https://www.cms.gov/Regulations-and-Guidance/Guidance/Manuals/downloads/som107_exhibit_351.pdf Updated Guidance for Ambulatory Surgical Centers - Appendix L of the State Operations Manual (SOM) https://www.cms.gov/Regulations-and-Guidance/Guidance/Manuals/downloads/som107ap_l_ambulatory.pdf https://www.cms.gov/medicareprovider-enrollment-and-certificationsurveycertificationgeninfopolicy-and-memos-states-and/updated-guidance-ambulatory-surgical-centers-appendix-l-state-operations-manual-som Policy & Memos to States and Regions CMS Quality Safety & Oversight memoranda, guidance, clarifications and instructions to State Survey Agencies and CMS Regional Offices. https://www.cms.gov/Medicare/Provider-Enrollment-and-Certification/SurveyCertificationGenInfo/Policy-and-Memos-to-States-and-Regions Other Resources from the ASC Podcast with John Goehle: Visit the ASC Podcast with John Goehle Website Books by John Goehle Get a copy of John's most popular book - The Survey Guide - A Guide to the CMS Conditions for Coverage & Interpretive Guidelines for Ambulatory Surgery Centers 

Today we learn that 14 States are now targeted as they withhold Voter Rolls. In other news we see that the Assistant U.S. Attorney blasts Los Angeles after it votes to ban ICE Agents from wearing masks, and finally how the UK, EU and Japan can crash the Dollar. 00:00 SNAP Data 04:58 Voter Roll 08:38 ICE Activity 10:49 Corrupt Judges 17:00 Ukraine 20:21 Dollar

Today we learn that 14 States are now targeted as they withhold Voter Rolls. In other news we see that the Assistant U.S. Attorney blasts Los Angeles after it votes to ban ICE Agents from wearing masks, and finally how the UK, EU and Japan can crash the Dollar. 00:00 SNAP Data 04:58 Voter Roll 08:38 ICE Activity 10:49 Corrupt Judges 17:00 Ukraine 20:21 Dollar

Stories have a way of helping us recognize ourselves, and that's exactly what happened in my conversation with Nana Ekua Brew-Hammond. Nana shares what it was like to grow up in Queens, then suddenly move to a boarding school in Ghana, and how that experience shaped her identity in ways she's still uncovering today. As Nana describes her path from writer to author, her years of persistence, and the curiosity that led to books like Powder Necklace and Blue, I felt a deep connection to her commitment to keep creating even when the process feels uncertain. We also explored trust, partnership, and the lessons my guide dogs have taught me—all ideas that tie into the heart of Nana's storytelling. This conversation is an invitation to see your own life with more clarity, courage, and compassion. Highlights: 00:00:10 – Step into a conversation that explores how stories shape courage and connection. 00:01:41 – See how early environments influence identity and spark deeper questions about belonging. 00:02:55 – Learn how a major cultural shift can expand perspective and redefine personal truth. 00:23:05 – Discover what creative persistence looks like when the path is long and uncertain. 00:27:45 – Understand what distinguishes writing from fully embracing authorship. 00:33:22 – Explore how powerful storytelling draws people into a moment rather than just describing it. 00:46:45 – Follow how curiosity about history can unlock unexpected creative direction. 00:59:31 – Gain insight into why treating a publisher as a partner strengthens both the work and the audience reach. About the Guest: Nana Ekua Brew-Hammond is the author of Powder Necklace: A Novel, the award-winning children's picture book Blue: A History of the Color as Deep as the Sea and as Wide as the Sky, the collection Relations: An Anthology of African and Diaspora Voices, and My Parents' Marriage: A Novel.  Tapped for her passion about Africa's rich fashion traditions and techniques, Brew-Hammond was commissioned by the curators of Brooklyn Museum's "Africa Fashion" exhibit to pen and perform an original poem for the museum's companion short film of the same name. In the clip, she wore a look from the made-in-Ghana lifestyle line she co-founded with her mother and sister, Exit 14. The brand was featured on Vogue.com. Every month, Brew-Hammond co-leads the Redeemed Writers Group whose mission is to write light into the darkness. Learn more about it here.Learn more at nanabrewhammond.com. Ways to connect with Nana**:** Instagram, Facebook and Threads: @nanaekuawriter Twitter: @nanaekua  www.NanaBrewHammond.com  ORDER my new novel   MY PARENTS' MARRIAGE Read 2023 NCTE Award Winner & NAACP Image Award Nominee   BLUE: A History of the Color as Deep as the Sea and as Wide as the Sky   Read RELATIONS: An Anthology of African and Diaspora Voices , stories, essays & poems by new and established Black writers   Shop Exit 14 , all weather, uniquely designed, 100% cotton apparel sustainably made in Ghana About the Host: Michael Hingson is a New York Times best-selling author, international lecturer, and Chief Vision Officer for accessiBe. Michael, blind since birth, survived the 9/11 attacks with the help of his guide dog Roselle. This story is the subject of his best-selling book, Thunder Dog. Michael gives over 100 presentations around the world each year speaking to influential groups such as Exxon Mobile, AT&T, Federal Express, Scripps College, Rutgers University, Children's Hospital, and the American Red Cross just to name a few. He is Ambassador for the National Braille Literacy Campaign for the National Federation of the Blind and also serves as Ambassador for the American Humane Association's 2012 Hero Dog Awards. https://michaelhingson.com https://www.facebook.com/michael.hingson.author.speaker/ https://twitter.com/mhingson https://www.youtube.com/user/mhingson https://www.linkedin.com/in/michaelhingson/ accessiBe Links https://accessibe.com/ https://www.youtube.com/c/accessiBe https://www.linkedin.com/company/accessibe/mycompany/ https://www.facebook.com/accessibe/ Thanks for listening! Thanks so much for listening to our podcast! If you enjoyed this episode and think that others could benefit from listening, please share it using the social media buttons on this page. Do you have some feedback or questions about this episode? Leave a comment in the section below! Subscribe to the podcast If you would like to get automatic updates of new podcast episodes, you can subscribe to the podcast on Apple Podcasts or Stitcher. You can subscribe in your favorite podcast app. You can also support our podcast through our tip jar https://tips.pinecast.com/jar/unstoppable-mindset . Leave us an Apple Podcasts review Ratings and reviews from our listeners are extremely valuable to us and greatly appreciated. They help our podcast rank higher on Apple Podcasts, which exposes our show to more awesome listeners like you. If you have a minute, please leave an honest review on Apple Podcasts. Transcription Notes: Michael Hingson  00:00 Access Cast and accessiBe Initiative presents Unstoppable Mindset. The podcast where inclusion, diversity and the unexpected meet. Hi, I'm Michael Hingson, Chief Vision Officer for accessiBe and the author of the number one New York Times bestselling book, Thunder dog, the story of a blind man, his guide dog and the triumph of trust. Thanks for joining me on my podcast as we explore our own blinding fears of inclusion unacceptance and our resistance to change. We will discover the idea that no matter the situation, or the people we encounter, our own fears, and prejudices often are our strongest barriers to moving forward. The unstoppable mindset podcast is sponsored by accessiBe, that's a c c e s s i capital B e. Visit www.accessibe.com to learn how you can make your website accessible for persons with disabilities. And to help make the internet fully inclusive by the year 2025. Glad you dropped by we're happy to meet you and to have you here with us. Michael Hingson  01:20 And a pleasant, Good day to you all, wherever you happen to be, I would like to welcome you to another episode of unstoppable mindset. Today, we get to have a conversation with Nana Ekua Brew-Hammond And Nana has a lot of interesting things to talk about. She's written books, she's done a variety of different things, and rather than me giving it all away, it'll be more fun to let her tell the stories and get a chance for us to listen to her. She is in Oakland, California, so she's at the other end of the state for me, and we were just comparing the weather. It's a lot colder where she is than where I live down here in Victorville, where today it's 104 degrees outside. And Nana, you said it was like, what, somewhere around 70. Yeah, it's 68 There you go. See lovely weather. Well, Nana, I want to welcome you to unstoppable mindset. We're really glad you're here, and I want to thank you for taking the time to be with us. Nana Ekua Brew-Hammond  02:23 I feel the same way. Thank you for having me on your amazing show. And it's so wonderful to be in conversation with you. Michael Hingson  02:30 Well, I'm glad we get a chance to spend some time together and we can, we can talk about whatever we want to talk about and make it relevant and interesting. So we'll do that. Why don't we start with what I love to do at the beginning of these is to talk about the early Nana growing up and all that. So take us back as close to the beginning as your memory allows. Nana Ekua Brew-Hammond  02:52 Oh gosh, as my memory allows. Um, I so I was born in Plattsburgh, New York, which is upstate near Montreal, Canada. Michael Hingson  03:06 Been there. Oh, cool in the winter. I even crossed the lake in an icebreaker. Nana Ekua Brew-Hammond  03:12 But yeah, oh my gosh, wow. Okay, yeah. Bring back memories. Well, I was only there for till I was, like two years old. So, but I do, I have gone up there in the winter and it is cold. Yes, it is cold, yeah. So I was born there, but I grew up in New York City and had that really was sort of my life. I lived in New York, grew up in Queens, New York, and then at 12 years old, my parents decided to send me to Ghana to go to school. And that was sort of like a big, the biggest change of my life, like I know that there was a before Ghana and an after Ghana, Nana and so, yeah, wow. Michael Hingson  04:02 So, so when was that? What year was that that you went to Ghana? Nana Ekua Brew-Hammond  04:06 That was 1990 August of 1990 actually. Michael Hingson  04:11 So what did you think about going to Ghana? I mean, clearly that was a major change. Nana Ekua Brew-Hammond  04:15 Yeah, you know, I, you know, my parents are from Ghana originally. So when, you know, they would always talk about it. We, you know, back then phones, long distance phone calls to Ghana. I, you know, that was, that was the extent of my sort of understanding of Ghana, the food that we ate at home, etc. So going to Ghana was just sort of mind blowing to me, to sort of be crossing, you know, getting on a plane and all of that, and then being in the country that my parents had left to come to the United States, was just sort of like, oh, wow, connecting with family members. It was just, it was a lot. To process, because life was very, very, very, very different. So yeah, it was just sort of a wild eye opening experience about just the world and myself and my family that ultimately inspired me to write a book about it, because it was just, I just, it was a lot to process. Michael Hingson  05:25 Why did they want you to go to to Ghana to study? Nana Ekua Brew-Hammond  05:30 Yeah, so in the 90s, in New York City or and in the late 80s, there was the crack epidemic was happening, and we, you know, I mean, I remember, we lived in a house in Queens, and when we would, you know, part of our chores was to sweep in front of the house, you know, rake the leaves, that kind of thing in the fall. And we would, all the time there would be crack files, you know, like as we're sweeping up, and I didn't get there where we were young. My sister was, you know, a teenager. I was 12, and my, you know, my younger brother had just been born. He was just like a, like, a little under a year old. And I think my parents just didn't feel that it was a safe place for us as kids to grow up. And so, yeah, they wanted to kind of give us an opportunity to get out of, you know, that environment for a while. Michael Hingson  06:33 What did you think of it? Nana Ekua Brew-Hammond  06:35 I mean, you know, as a kid, you never want to leave what to you. So it was, I would say it was, it was, it was interesting. Because initially I loved it. I was like, I actually campaigned, you know, I was like, I really, you know, would like to stay in Ghana, but I didn't want to stay for, you know, the three years, which is what I what happened? I wanted to stay for maybe, like a year, kind of try it, you know, go to school for a year. I found it this really cool adventure, go to boarding school and on all of that. But my parents made the decision that we should just sort of ride it out and finish like I had to finish high school. And, yeah, so, so great for me. Michael Hingson  07:25 So you were there for three years, yes. So by you were 12, so by 15, you had finished high Nana Ekua Brew-Hammond  07:32 school, yeah, because the system there is different. It's it was at the time the British system. So it was like a form system where I saw I entered in form three, because it was, it wasn't quite the equivalent in the sense that I probably should have started in form two or form one, but I was also an advanced student, and and they, the way the system there works is you have to take a common entrance exam from primary school to get into secondary school. So it's very difficult to get into school midstream there. So we had to go through all of these hoops. And, you know, there was an opening in form three, and that was higher than my, you know, than where I should have been, but I was advanced, so I was able to get into that school that way. You did okay. I assume I did. I mean, I struggled, which was interesting, because I was a very, you know, good, strong student in the States, but I struggled mightily when I first got there, and throughout, it was never easy, but I was able to manage. Michael Hingson  08:49 Now, did your sister also go to Ghana? She Nana Ekua Brew-Hammond  08:52 did, and she was hopping mad. Michael Hingson  08:55 How old was she when you were 12, she was Nana Ekua Brew-Hammond  08:59 17, so she Okay, yeah, almost about to go to college. She was really excited about, like, that portion of life. And then it was like, okay, she's in Ghana. She was hopping mad. Michael Hingson  09:13 Well, how long did she stay? Nana Ekua Brew-Hammond  09:16 Well, so she stayed for two years. Because what Ghana has is sort of like, at the time it was something called sixth form, which is, again, the British system. So it's sort of like a college prep in between the equivalent of that. So she basically did that in Ghana. Michael Hingson  09:38 Okay, well, and your little brother didn't go to Ghana, Nana Ekua Brew-Hammond  09:44 not yet, not not yet. You Michael Hingson  09:47 mean they didn't send him over at one year? No, okay, well, that's probably a good idea. Well, so looking back on it, what do you think about having spent three years in. Nana Ekua Brew-Hammond  10:00 Ghana, looking back on it, I think it was actually really, really good for me. I mean, it was that doesn't take away from the fact that it was very difficult. It was very, very challenging, not only academically. It was I was bullied really hard at this boarding school that I went to. The girls just kind of made my life hell. But what was amazing about it for me was that I had, I had exposure to Ghanaian culture in a way that I would never have had in the States. As I mentioned to you, Ghana was sort of that country over there when I lived in America. And you know, it existed as you know, family members coming to visit, long distance phone calls, the food that we ate, that you know, the accents that we had, things that made us different, and at the time, that was not cool. You know, as a kid, you just want to fit in and you don't want to be different. And going to Ghana was my opportunity to learn that, wow, I didn't have to be embarrassed or ashamed of that difference. There was so much to be proud of. You know, my family was, you know, a sprawling family, you know, my my grandmother owned a business, my grandfather owned a business, you know, it was, it was really, it was eye opening, just to sort of be in another environment. People knew how to, you know, pronounce my name, and I didn't have to, you know, just explain things. And that was really affirming for a 12 year old and a 13 year old when you're going through that, you know. So it was really good for me. And in Ghana is where I came to know Christ. I became a Christian, and it was something that spiritually, I was not really, I don't know, I just didn't really think about spiritual. I did on some level. But going to Ghana, it everything just felt so palpable. It was really like we're praying for this. And it happened, you know what I mean, like, yeah. It felt very Yeah. It was just a time in my life when life really felt very the mysteries of life really felt like they were open to me, Michael Hingson  12:37 interesting and so you clearly gained a lot of insight and knowledge and experience over there that you were able to bring back with you when you came Yes, yes. Nana Ekua Brew-Hammond  12:55 When I returned to the States, I was just, I think of myself, I guess, as a weirdo. Like, when I came back, I just felt so weird because I couldn't really, fully, you know, connect with my friends, because I had missed out on three years of culture, you know. And you You don't realize how much culture means, like, until, like, you know, you don't have those references anymore. I didn't know the songs that were popular. I didn't, you know, know about, I forget, there was some sort of genes that were really popular while I was gone. I didn't know what they were. I didn't have a pair of them. So it was just sort of this, this interesting time. And I was also young, because I had finished high school, and I was 15, yeah, my friends were, you know, sophomores, yeah, you know, and I was beginning the process of looking into college. So it was just a really isolating time for me and I, but also, you know, interesting and I, again, I say it was, it was ultimately in the in the wash of it. I think it was good because it enabled me to sort of, I guess, mature in a way that enabled me to start college earlier. And, you know, sort of see the world in a much different way. Michael Hingson  14:26 So when you went to college, what did you want to do? Or had you had you decided to start laying plans for a major and what you wanted to do post college, Nana Ekua Brew-Hammond  14:36 I did not know what I wanted to do. I kind of, I mean, I kind of thought I wanted to be a doctor. I thought I wanted to be a doctor. Like, all my life, growing up, I was like, I'm going to be a doctor. And I was a science student in Ghana, but I struggled mightily. But still, I went. I entered college with us. You know, the plans? To become a bio psychology major. And you know, I took two, three classes, well more than that, I did, like, a year of classes. And I was just like, This is not for me, not for me at all. But yeah, yeah. So it was, it was that was a little rough. Michael Hingson  15:21 Things happen. So what did? What did you go off and do? Nana Ekua Brew-Hammond  15:25 Then I ended up majoring in political science and Africana Studies, and it was, I remember taking a political science class my freshman year, and I, my my professor was amazing, but it was, it was interesting to me. I think looking back now, being able to think about the world in a way that was sort of linking history and politics and culture together. And I think that was interesting to me, because I had just come from Ghana and had been exposed to, like, sort of this completely different culture, completely different political system, and, you know, kind of having that, I that thinking, or that wonderment of like, wow, you can Life can be so different somewhere else, but it's still life, and it's still happening, but also having that connection as an American to America and what's happening there. And so holding both of those things in my hands when I got to college, I think I was, I just what I was really sort of intrigued by the idea of studying politics and studying culture and society, Michael Hingson  16:48 and that's what you did. Yes, I did. So you got a degree in political science. Nana Ekua Brew-Hammond  16:54 Yes, a double degree political science and Africana Studies. Michael Hingson  16:57 Africana Studies, okay, and again, that that's probably pretty interesting, because the the Ghana influence had to help with the Africana Studies, and the desire to to do that, and you certainly came with a good amount of knowledge that had to help in getting that as a part of your major. Nana Ekua Brew-Hammond  17:16 Well, interestingly, my focus was on African American Studies, because I really growing up as an immigrant, like with immigrant parents, their understanding or their their thought process wasn't necessarily, I don't know they weren't. They didn't really raise us to think about race or being black, because their consciousness wasn't about that. It was they were immigrants. You know what? I mean, they weren't thinking about that. So I was actually quite curious, because I did grow up in America and I was black, but I didn't understand, you know, the history of America in that way. And I remember, actually, when I was in was it the third or maybe it was the second or third grade, or maybe it was fifth grade. I did a project on the Civil War, and I remember being so interested in it, because I had, I just didn't, you know, it wasn't. I was so fascinated by American history because I really wasn't. I didn't, I didn't understand it in the way that maybe somebody who wasn't the child of immigrants, you know, might, you know, connect with it. So I was just Yeah, so I was really fascinated by African American history, so I ended up double majoring in it and concentrating on African American politics, which was really fascinating to me. Michael Hingson  18:55 Yeah, and there certainly has been a fair amount of that over the years, hasn't there? Yes, there has, but you can, you can cope with it and and again. But did your time in Ghana, kind of influence any of what you did in terms of African American Studies? Did it help you at all? Nana Ekua Brew-Hammond  19:15 Um, I, I don't know, because I don't because, because I think what, what I what, what Ghana helped me with was, I remember, I'll say this. I remember one time in Ghana, in class, we were reading a book by an author who had we were reading a play, actually by a Ghanaian writer who was writing about a Ghanian man who married an African American woman and brought her to his home. And there was a lot of clash between them, because, you know, they were both black, but they had different sort of backgrounds. Yeah, and I remember the teacher asking, because the. The the wife that he brought home, the African American woman, mentioned certain things about America, and no one in the classroom could answer any questions about America, and I was the only one who could. And I was, you know, very, very sort of shy in that in that school and in that context. But I remember that day feeling so emboldened, like I was, like, I can actually contribute to this conversation. And so maybe, you know, in on some level, when I got back to the states, maybe there was some interest in linking those two things together. But it wasn't as as is in life. It wasn't obvious to me. Then it was sort of just kind of me following my interest and curiosity. And I ended up, I didn't set out to be an Africana Studies double major, but I ended up taking so many classes that I had the credits. And, you know, I was like, Okay, I guess I'm I have two degrees now, or two, two concentrations, Michael Hingson  21:02 yeah, did you go and do any advanced work beyond getting bachelor's degrees? Nana Ekua Brew-Hammond  21:08 No, I did not. When I graduated, I initially thought I might get interested, get in, go to law school. But this was me again, following my muse. I realized that my real interest was in writing papers when I was in college. You know, give me a 15 page paper, 20 page paper, I was ecstatic. I loved writing papers. And I think that's one of the reasons, too, why I loved political science and Africana Studies, because we were assigned tons of papers, and it enabled me to sort of, you know, writing these papers enabled me to kind of think through questions that I had, or process what I was reading or thinking about or feeling. And so when I graduated from college, you know, I got, you know, a job, and was working, trying to figure out, Okay, do I want to go to law school? But at the time that I graduated, that was also during the time of, like, the.com boom, and there were a lot of online magazines that were looking for writers, and so I started, kind of, you know, submitting, and I got some some things published. And as that was happening, I was like, I think this is what I want to focus on. Michael Hingson  22:30 So when did you really know that you were a writer? Then? Nana Ekua Brew-Hammond  22:34 I mean, I don't I think that when I got back, when I started working, so I, ultimately, I got a job in advertising, and I was working, you know, as an assistant in the on the account side of things, but there was this whole creative department that, you know, got to, you know, come up with all of the, you know, the the taglines and write commercials and write jingles and all that kind of stuff. And I was, like, so fascinated by that, and that's what I thought, okay, I could if you know, I need a job, I need money, and I want to write, so maybe this is what I need to be doing. And so I ultimately did get a job as a copywriter and and I still, you know, do that work today, but I think I always knew that I needed to write, and I wanted to actually write about my experience in Ghana. So I remember, you know, I started kind of very fledgling. Would began to write into that, and I ultimately started writing that the book that became my first book, powder necklace, on the subway to and from work. Every morning I would wake up very early, write what I could get ready for work, right on the bus, right on the subway, you know, get to work after work. You know, repeat. And it took me many years, but that's what I did. And I wrote my first book, Michael Hingson  24:14 and that was published in 2010 right? Yes, it was, did you self publish? Nana Ekua Brew-Hammond  24:18 Or I well, I did not self publish. I was published by Simon and Schuster. Simon and Schuster's Atria Books, Washington Square press. And part of my process was I started just kind of, you know, the Internet. The Internet was new. It was something that was available to me. So I started just kind of Googling, how do you get published? And they said you needed a literary agent. So I started looking online for literary agents. And because I lived in New York City at the time, I would literally write my my query letters and like, hand deliver them different agencies. 90s, and one woman, after four years of looking, said, Okay, this sounds interesting. I'd love to meet with you. And I didn't believe. I was like, wow, I've been rejected for four years, and somebody actually wants this, and she was able to sell the book. And I was shocked. I was like, Simon and sister, okay? And at the time they bought it, the, you know, the America, the US, was going through the whole financial, you know, crisis, the recession, in 2008 so they held my book for a year, and then we began the process in 2009 and then they, you know, we were on track to publish it in 2010 Michael Hingson  25:46 Wow. Well, tell me about that book. Yeah. Nana Ekua Brew-Hammond  25:51 Powder necklace is a novel. It's a fictionalized account of my experience going to high school in Ghana. I when I went to school in Ghana. I went to a girls boarding school in the mountains of Ghana central region, and that school was going through a major water crisis. We did not, I mean, we the short story is that, I guess, because of we were on the mountain, the water pressure was very low, and so it was really difficult to get the water up that mountain. And they didn't have like enough, you know, tanks around the school and what have you. So we had one artificial well, and then we had, like, an underground well, and that was it. And the underground well wasn't always, you know, full of water to service the whole school. It was really difficult. So, you know, we had to bring in our own water, some. And then it became, if you had money, you could bring water. But if you didn't have money, you didn't and it was a very desperate time for for young girls without being not being able to take a shower on demand. And it was, it was wild. Michael Hingson  27:15 Where does the title powder necklace come from? Nana Ekua Brew-Hammond  27:19 So the title, I named it powder necklace, because, as I mentioned, taking a shower became this like symbol of the haves and the have nots. And, you know, all of this having water, really. And if so, what, what the girls, what we would do is, you know, after you've taken a bath, people would put tons of powder on their necks. And it was sometimes it was okay we didn't take a bath, so we're going to put powder on our necks to scented powder to cover the odor. But it was also a way, like if you had bathed, to sort of, you know, show off that you'd bathed. So for me, it was as I was reflecting on the on this as I was writing this story and reflecting on that whole experience, I thought, wow, it was sort of our way of holding our heads up, you know, in the difficult situation, and kind of making the best of it. So that's why I called it powder necklace, Michael Hingson  28:17 okay? And that was for children. Nana Ekua Brew-Hammond  28:20 Well, it was for young adults, young adults, but Michael Hingson  28:25 it was more writing than pictures. Nana Ekua Brew-Hammond  28:27 Yeah, it was a young adult novel. I actually, I mean, this was my first book. I really didn't know what I was doing. I just, I wrote the book and I didn't know that it was a young adult novel, until people were like, Yeah, you wrote a young adult novel. I'm like, okay, Michael Hingson  28:47 works for me. Well, what does, what does being a writer mean to you? Nana Ekua Brew-Hammond  28:54 Um, I think being a writer means to me being able to articulate. A time, a place, a mood, a moment, being able to articulate it, one for myself, but also to create a record that helps people who don't necessarily have that gift to be able to sort of put words to the experience of living at a time place, having a certain feeling about something. Michael Hingson  29:34 Do you think there's a difference between being considered a writer and being an author, are they the same, or are they really different? Nana Ekua Brew-Hammond  29:45 I do think that there is a difference, and not in a sort of, you know, highfalutin way. I think the difference is the fact that when you I think, like, when you asked me initially, like, when do you think that you you became. Became a writer. My My instinct is to say that I think I was always a writer, because I think if you write, you're a writer. And whether you're published or not, you're a writer. If you have that inclination, that gift, and you sort of invest in that gift, and invest and develop it. I think you're a writer, but I think with an author, I think then that's to me. I think of it as the business of being a writer, or the business of being, yeah, you are now sort of in business with your publisher. Publisher has invested a certain amount in you, and it then becomes a more sort of public facing thing. The work is not just for you anymore. The work is now being disseminated to a group and hopefully to as many people as possible, and you as the writer now have to figure out, like, how do I get to my audience? How do I maximize or expand the reach of this thing that I wrote? How do I connect with people around the story and build build a readership. And how do I ultimately, you know, the my desire and goal would be to live off of this. How do I make turn this into something that I can, I can do, you know, full time and live off of Michael Hingson  31:38 so you turn from a writer to being an author. Nana Ekua Brew-Hammond  31:42 I'm, yes, I am an author, and I'm and I'm hoping to get to the to the, you know, the point where I can do it 100% full time, and it be, you know, 100% lucrative in that way. Michael Hingson  31:56 So what are you doing now? In addition to doing books, I Nana Ekua Brew-Hammond  32:01 also freelance as a copywriter, so I'm still copywriting, Michael Hingson  32:05 okay, I was wondering what you what you did? So you're doing, still marketing and jingles and all those things, yeah, well, I Nana Ekua Brew-Hammond  32:13 I'm my focus. I do do that, but my focus is mainly in the digital space. So I write lots of websites and web ads and social media copy, and, you know, things of that nature, campaign work. Michael Hingson  32:33 Well, that's, is there anything that you've written or copy written that we would all know, Nana Ekua Brew-Hammond  32:42 yeah, I mean, I did. I've done a lot. I guess the maybe the most recent thing that I've done that people might be aware of, or some people might be aware of, is the Brooklyn Museum in New York, did a an exhibition called Africa fashion. And I, they created a short film to promote it, and I, they commissioned me to write an original piece for it. And so I wrote that piece and and performed it in the film. So, you know, people who are into that kind of thing a museum, that that museum might be aware of it. But I've also written for, I did a lot of work for L'Oreal Paris, USA, and I've just done a lot of beauty work. So many of the beauty brands you might be aware, you know, you might know, I've done some work for them, cool. Michael Hingson  33:45 Well, that, you know, you do have to do things to earn an income to to be able to afford to write until you can do it full time. Nana Ekua Brew-Hammond  33:53 Yeah, yeah. And I actually really love copywriting. I think it's an it's been an incredible teacher in the sense of how to how to crystallize an idea in very short, you know, in just a few words, how to convey emotion in just a few words. And also that storytelling is not just the words, it's how you deliver the story that's all part of it. So I think it's been an incredible teacher in that way. Michael Hingson  34:28 I know for me as a speaker, it is how you tell the story. And I've learned over 23 and a half years of speaking how to take people inside the World Trade Center and actually have them travel with me and do all the things that, and experience all the things that that I went through, and then come out of the other side and I and I say that because so many people after I speak somewhere, well. Come up and say, we were with you in the building. We were with you with everything that you did. And I appreciate that there is a real significant art to storytelling, and part of it is also, and I'm sure that this is true for you as a writer and an author, that part of it has to be that you have to actually connect with the audience. You've got to understand the audience. You've got to connect with them, and you have to bring them along, because they're not expecting to go with you. Nana Ekua Brew-Hammond  35:33 Absolutely, absolutely. And I will say that I started one of your books just the beginning of it, and I was just running with Roselle, and I was so taken, so absorbed by the first few pages of it. You really do immerse us. And I think that that's the best kind of of writing. You know, when you're able to kind of present material that people may or may not be familiar with, and make it riveting and really bring us into it, and then have us invest being, feel invested well. Michael Hingson  36:16 And I think the last book that we did last year live like a guide dog. I worked really hard to make sure that we were drawing people into the experiences, because every chapter is actually taking lessons from one of my guide dogs and also from Fantasia, which who is my wife's service dog, but each chapter relates to one of those dogs, and I wanted them to be environments where people again were drawn in and appreciate the dogs for what they are and what they do, not just some dumb Animal that comes along. Yeah. Nana Ekua Brew-Hammond  37:00 Yeah, absolutely. I mean, yeah, so interesting. I think there's, there's so much, I guess. I don't want to use the word, I guess what I want to say, there's a lot of mystery in in the sort of human animal interaction, and people just aren't aware of how powerful it is, and I can, I'm saying that I speak for myself, because growing up, actually, I was really, really scared of dogs and animals, all animals, and I so there's, there's two, there's kind of two stories I'll share. But one is when we were, when we were growing up, my parents, you know, were from Ghana. They wanted to eat goat meat. And at the time, you couldn't just go to a supermarket goat meat. So we used to go to a farm out in New Jersey that had goats, and we would have to go and have the goat, you know, slaughtered and, you know, cut up and all that kind of stuff for the meat. And I remember that whenever the hand would go into, you know, the pen where the goats were, the goats would just were. They would be so stressed out, they would like, you know, part like the ocean walked in, and if he picked, when he picked one out. There would be other people, other goats in the pen that would start screaming in agony, along with the goat that had been picked out. And I was just like, Oh my gosh. That must be his family members, like, or his loved ones. And it was so I remember that was so eye opening to me, like, wow. So I ended up years, years later, I wrote a short story, and I actually did some research on goats and how brilliant they are, and I was just like, wow, oh my goodness, I remember that so well. But I have a cat right now, and my kitty cat is just such a such a joy, like just sort of to build that relationship with, with my with my pet, is just such a beautiful thing, and how she just kind of, because I grew up really scared of pets, and I sort of inherited her when I got when I got married, you know, she's been very patient with me, like, because at first I was so skittish around her, and I could see her, kind of like rolling her eyes, like, I mean, you no harm. You can pick me up. It's all good. And she's just been so wonderfully patient with me. We've built that bond over time. Michael Hingson  39:31 Well, yeah, I have, of course, my my eighth guy, dog, Alamo, and stitch the cat. Stitch is 15 and a half and a real cutie pie. We rescued her. Actually, there were people who were living next to us, and he was moving out. His wife had died, and he just told the people who were moving all of his stuff out, take the cat to the pound. I don't want anything to do with it. And we, we said, Absolutely not. We'll find it a home. And then I asked, What the. Cat's name was, and they told me the cat's name was stitch. And I knew that this cat wasn't going to go anywhere because my wife had been, well, my wife had been a quilter since 1994 and a quilter is never going to give away a cat named stitch. Yes. Nana Ekua Brew-Hammond  40:14 Oh, I'm so glad stitch found a home with you. Michael Hingson  40:18 Oh, yeah. Well, we found a stitch. Nana Ekua Brew-Hammond  40:20 Oh, that's right, that's right. Michael Hingson  40:23 And, and, and so she's, she's got lots of personality. And so it really works out pretty well. No, no complaints. And I've always said, Whenever I get a guide dog, because my wife has always had cats, when I get a new guide dog, I've always said, and will continue to say, it has to be a dog that's been raised around cats and has no problems with cats. I have seen a couple of Guide Dogs, actually, that hated cats, and one almost killed a cat, and that's I will never tolerate that. Yeah, they have to get along. Yeah, absolutely, absolutely now, when we brought Alamo home, stitch had a few concerns about this dog in her house. She got over it when she decided that Alamo wasn't going to do anything to bother her and they they talk all the time now and rub noses and all that sort of stuff. Oh, that's so cool, yeah, but, but it's, it is great, and they, they bring so much joy and so many lessons to us that I think it was really important to learn. Nana Ekua Brew-Hammond  41:34 Yeah, yeah. You're reminding me the first dog, because my grandmother actually loves animals, and when I went to Ghana, she got a dog, and, you know, as a kid, so we got a puppy. And I remember the puppy was initially supposed to be a guard dog, but we I, I would feed the I would hand feed the dog sausages and just spoil the dog so much. Could not be a guard dog, so I loved that dog. Joshua, yeah, Joshua, Michael Hingson  42:07 well, but you and Joshua got along really well. On we got along great. One of the things that people sometimes ask me is if my dog trained to protect and the answer is no, they're not trained, and then they've said, Well, what would happen if somebody were to decide to attack you with the dog around? And my response will always be and rightly so, I wouldn't want to be the person to try that and find out what will happen, because much more than guarding, there's love. And I've always believed that dogs love unconditionally. I think trusting is a different story. They are open to trust, but, but you have to earn their trust. They'll love you, but will they trust you? That depends on you. And so it's it's really pretty cool, but I would not want to be the person to ever decide to try to attack us, because I, I am sure that Alamo would not tolerate that at all. Nana Ekua Brew-Hammond  43:10 Oh, not at all. How do, how do you or how have you built trust with your your pets? Michael Hingson  43:17 Well, a lot of it has to do with they want us to be the pack leaders. They want us to be their team leader. And so I have to set the ground rules. So, for example, no jumping on the furniture and all that. But again, it's also how you convey that. So if my dog is going to jump up on something and I don't want that, I'll say, leave it. And as soon as the dog obeys, I'll give the dog a food reward, a kibble, to let the dog know, and I'll also use a clicker, but I'll let the dog know I approve of what you did, not punishing them for, you know, something else. Yeah, so it's not punishment, it's positive rewards. I think that's extremely important, but also it is in the stressful times being very focused and calm. So if we're walking somewhere and we get lost, that is not the dog's fault, because it's my job to know where to go and how to get where I'm going, and it's the dog's job to make sure that we walk safely to get there, so if we get lost, that's on me. And what I can't do, or shouldn't do, is panic and become very fearful and upset, because the dog will sense that I have to stop and figure it out and continue to praise the dog, saying what a good job you're doing, and so on. And those kinds of things are the things that will, over time, build that trust. I think it takes a good year to truly build a trusting relationship that is second. To none. And that's the kind of teaming relationship that you want, whether it's a guide dog or any dog. And even as far as that goes, although they're different cats, yeah, but it's, it's all about building that relationship and conveying the command and conveying that you want to trust and be trusted? Nana Ekua Brew-Hammond  45:24 Yeah, yeah. I think you're you. What you said that really resonated with me is that they want to know. They want you to be the pack leader and the and part of that is, you know, you lay down the ground rules, but also you're responsible for them and their well being. And, yeah, that really, that really resonated with me. Michael Hingson  45:48 Well, so you wrote your first book, and then when did you write your second book? Nana Ekua Brew-Hammond  45:55 My second book came out in 2022, so it was a 12 year spread in my first book and my second book, Why so long? Oh my gosh, my book, I was the book I was working on, like to sort of follow, was just rejected for, for all that whole time, and I was, you know, in more and more distraught, and, you know, in despair about it. I didn't know what to do about it. And I actually, you know, I was actually reading the Bible, and I came across the fact that there was a curtain, a blue curtain, in King Solomon's temple. And I was like, why does it matter that the curtain was blue? And so I just started googling casually, and I discovered that there was a snail in antiquity that was harvested for the blue drops that it it secreted, or it secreted drops that were ultimately oxidized to turn blue. And I was like, what I've never heard about this? I started doing some more research, and I realized, like, oh my gosh, the color blue has such a fascinating history. Kids need to know about this. And so I wrote it really as a poem initially, but then I thought, you know, I really want to see if I can get this published. And I was able to get it published, and that became my children's book blue, which was such a bomb to my soul, because after sort of a decade of getting, you know, rejected, and, you know, close to a decade of getting rejected, this, this sort of beautiful, like, sort of knowledge, you know, I came across, But I was able to create a book, and it's just been a wonderful experience with the children's Michael Hingson  47:45 book, wow, so the full title of blue is, Nana Ekua Brew-Hammond  47:51 it's blue a history of the color as deep as the sea and as wide as the sky. Wow. Michael Hingson  47:57 That should be enough to get the book sold. But as you point out, there's, there's a lot of history, yes, and that, that's pretty cool. So it was, it was released in 2022 and they finally, the publishers finally bought into that, huh? Nana Ekua Brew-Hammond  48:16 Well, yeah, I mean, that wasn't the novel that I've been working on. So I was still working. I ultimately, I did sell the novel, but that was its own journey, and I ended up writing another book that became the book is called my parents marriage, and it is not about my actual parents marriage. It's a novel about a young woman for adult readers. It's my first book for adult readers, and it is about a young woman whose parents are in a polygamous union, and how they're they have a really turbulent polygamous union, and how that relationship kind of kind of cast a shadow on this woman's, you know, choices in relationships and marriage for herself. Michael Hingson  49:10 So you you publish that my parents marriage. You also did a collection relations. Tell me about relationships. Nana Ekua Brew-Hammond  49:18 I did. Yeah, so relations is an anthology of its stories, essays and poems that are by writers from all across the continent of Africa. So I have Egyptian poets and Libyan you know essayists and you know, Nigerian storytellers, just it was, it was a really amazing project to work on. I started working on it during August of 2020, which was sort of like I've heard it described as peak pandemic, right? You know, we were several months. Into lockdown, and you know, it became this wonderful way for me to kind of connect while I was sort of holed up in my apartment in New York. Michael Hingson  50:15 Okay, now, were you married by then? Nana Ekua Brew-Hammond  50:18 No, I was not. I had just started dating my now husband, and I was like, Am I ever gonna see this man again? Because he lived in California, so at that time, the planes were grounded. I remember we were, like, on the first, very first flights that were able to start, you know, that started and be on planes, there'd be like, four people on the entire plane. Michael Hingson  50:42 Yeah, hopefully you both weren't on planes going against each other at the same time. No, you did communicate a little more than that. Oh, good. Well, so you published. So when was well? What was relations published? Nana Ekua Brew-Hammond  51:02 Relations came out in 2023 okay, February of 2023, and my parents marriage came out in July of 2024. Just came out in July of 2025, Michael Hingson  51:14 which one the paperback of the paperback? Oh, okay. Have any of them been converted to audio Yes, Nana Ekua Brew-Hammond  51:23 all, but my first book, are audio books. So blue is an audio book, beautifully read, and then their relations, the stories and essays and poems are read by two speaking artists, and then my parents, marriage is is also wonderfully performed. So, yeah, they're all an audience. Michael Hingson  51:50 That's cool, yeah. So when you're writing, what, what's kind of the difference, or, how do you differentiate between writing for young people and writing for adults. There must be differences. Nana Ekua Brew-Hammond  52:07 Yeah, I think, I think with for young people, and the practical thing that I try to do is make sure that the vocabulary is are is familiar to them, mostly familiar. I like to put in a stretch word now and then to kind of get them to, like, get to the dictionary and find out what. But if I'm right, when I when I wrote blue, for example, knowing that, you know, the the age group is, the age spread is four to 888, year olds are in third grade. Four year olds are in pre K, so that's that's pretty big spread. So my sweet spot is first and second grade vocabulary words. Okay, it has to be something that they've been exposed to. So thinking of it in that way, the other thing too is breaking down concepts that are, you know, as adults, you know, we just assume that you know, or you can go look it up, but just kind of thinking it through. So if I'm talking about, instead of saying that, you know, there was a snail in antiquity who, you know, heart, you know, dyers were harvesting blue dye from these snails through after a process of oxidation. I wouldn't use any of those words. I would say, snail produced some drops that when exposed to the air and the sun turned blue. And so just sort of really, kind of being mindful of that, and also thinking very visually, writing, very visually. How can I create pictures with words that would be familiar to a child, that can sort of ignite their imagination? Michael Hingson  53:53 Yeah, I think it's extremely important to to deal with the visual aspects of it, but using words and really drawing again, drawing people in because if you just say, well, you can see this in this picture. That doesn't mean a lot, and you're also, I would think, helping to teach or create the concept that some people might some children might want to go off and write because they like how you say and what you say Nana Ekua Brew-Hammond  54:24 absolutely and when I when I talk to kids, I go or visit schools, I invite them like I wrote about the color blue. What's your favorite color? These are some some things that I did to kind of learn about it. You can do these things to learn about your favorite color and write your own book? Michael Hingson  54:42 Yeah, yeah, it's, I think, so important to really draw people in and get them to think. And I think it's so much fun for me, I do some of that, but I have probably more of a chance. Challenge, because kids want to play with the dog. Yeah, it's all about the dog. I did a lecture at a K through six elementary school in San Francisco several years ago. I'm trying to remember what school it was anyway, and the teacher said you can only talk for about 10 or 12 minutes, because they just won't pay attention any longer than that. 35 minutes later, I finally ended the discussion, because they were so fascinated to hear me talk about what my dog did. And then I carried that over to how blind people work and function and all that. And the fact is, they were fascinated. The teachers couldn't believe it, but for me, it was a great lesson to know that it's all about creating these pictures that people can follow, Nana Ekua Brew-Hammond  55:53 yeah, and also to extending those pictures or those words into an experience for kids. Yeah, they really, they really appreciate, sort of like seeing it, kind of, you know, see if the having the concept come to life, yeah, way. And so I'm sure when they see your dog, or are able to interact with your dog, that must be so wonderful for them, Michael Hingson  56:22 but it's important for them to understand what the dog is all about. So by the time they get to interact with the dog, we've talked about things like, you never pet a guide dog in harness. This is what a guide dog does, and this is what they don't do. There are a lot of things to to cover. So it's great when I have the opportunity to really teach them. And sometimes we'll walk around a classroom and I'll show them what he does. Yeah, it's important to be able to do that. Oh, I love that. I love that. And he loves it, of course, all the way. So no question about that. He's you haven't lived until you've seen two or 300 kids all wanting to pet this dog. And the dog knows what to do. He's down on the floor with every appendage stretched out as far as he can go to maximize petting places, petting. Oh, it is so funny. I love that. He loves it. He's, he's, he's so happy. He doesn't care whether he'll do it more with kids even than adults, but, yeah, he'll do it with everybody. It's all about petting me and just remembering I'm the dog. I love that. Well, you've gone through a fair amount of time between books, and I'm sort of curious, what do you think about all the various kinds of changes and ebbs and flows that have come along in the book business, in the book publishing business and so on. Nana Ekua Brew-Hammond  57:56 Yeah, there have been a lot of changes. Um, I think, um, when my first book came out, like things like, you know, Instagram Bookstagram did not exist. There weren't many sort of podcasts or things of that nature. So I think that there is, there's definitely, there are more venues and more platforms to, you know, get the message out about the book. But I think also there is, it's also just hard. It's in some ways, it also feels in some ways more challenging to get the word out, because in addition to, like, yes, there are more venues in that way, regard, there are fewer book reviewers and fewer places to get a book reviewed, and there's a whole kind of interesting business about around getting reviews. So it's just not the same in that way. But then at the same time. I think what remains the same is connecting with readers. I think the most effective thing is, you know, writing a book that's good and then getting people who have read it and liked it to evangelize, to tell people I liked it, please buy it, or you should have you heard of and because at the end of the day, you know, that's what's going to, you know, give it some wind Michael Hingson  59:30 when thunder dog came out, and we did mention about reviews, and it actually has had, like well over 1600 reviews since it came out in 2011 live like a guide dog hasn't had, of course, so many yet, but every time I get a chance to talk about that book, I ask people to go review it and tell them why it's so important, because potential readers want to know what people think of the book. Yeah, for sure. For sure, it's. It really is important for readers to review and just be honest and say what you think. It's fine, but people should do that. For me, I think one of the biggest things that I see that publishers are doing less of is in a lot of ways, true marketing. You don't, you know, you don't see them doing nearly as much. Of course, I know it's more expensive, but to help create book tours or anything like that, they focus only on social media, and that's not the way to market the book. Nana Ekua Brew-Hammond  1:00:33 Yeah, I think, I mean, I've never worked inside a publishing office, so I don't know what actually, how they make these decisions and what goes on, but I do. I think what I have come to sort of think, how I've come to think of it, is the publisher is my business partner, sort of invested in terms of, they've given me an advance. They're going to do the turn key things like, you know, make sure the book gets reviewed by Publishers Weekly, or, sorry, Publishers Marketplace, or no Publishers Weekly. I was correct, and Kirkus review, Kirkus right, and all those kinds of things. And maybe they'll do a mailing to you know who they believe are the people that they need to mail it to. But outside of that, unless you know you, you know it's stipulated in your contract, or you know you are that high, yeah, you know that that celebrity author, or that that best selling author that they you know, are willing to put that money behind. You're working with some your publicist, who's been assigned to your book has is probably working on 10 other books. Can devote so much to it. And so what I've learned is thankful. I'm thankful that, you know, I have this publisher, but I also know that I need to do a lot of work on my own to get Michael Hingson  1:02:04 you've got to be your best marketer, yes, but, but there's value in that too, because you can tell the story whatever it is, like no one else, exactly, exactly. And so that's that's really pretty important, yeah, Nana Ekua Brew-Hammond  1:02:18 for sure, for sure. And you can be, you know that I think, also giving yourself permission to be creative, yeah, you know, how can you get the word out in really creative ways, like, again, the publisher. These are things that like, if there was, you know, people, there were many people dedicated to your book for this amount of time, they could kind of sit there and brainstorm and do all those things. But, you know, the reality is, in most cases, it's a small it's a lean and mean team. They don't have that bandwidth, so yeah, just kind of coming up with creative ways. And at times, what I have learned to do is, how can I, if I have an idea that is maybe low cost and but I can't necessarily do it on my own? How can I ask them for support, because they do have, you know, a little bit more resources, Michael Hingson  1:03:16 yeah, and, and the how is really pretty simple. Actually, you just ask exactly, exactly, and you know either they will or they won't, or you'll share it, or whatever. And I have found that same thing to be true. Well, Nana, if people want to reach out to you, how do they do that? If they might want to talk about you doing copywriting for them or whatever, how can people find you? Nana Ekua Brew-Hammond  1:03:41 So my website is Nana brew-hammond.com, can you spell please? It's n, a n, a, b, r, e, w, H, A, M, M, O, N, d.com, and I have a newsletter there. So a newsletter sign up. So they can sign up to be a part of my newsletter and connect with me that way. They can also find me on Instagram, I'm at n, a, n, a, e, K, U, a writer on Instagram, and I'm also on Facebook at that same name, and then on Twitter, I am that without the writer. So, n, a, n, a, e, K, U, a, Michael Hingson  1:04:28 okay, cool. Well, I hope people will reach out and and I hope that they will read your books and like them and review them. I hope the same thing. Well, I want to thank you for being here, and I want to thank all of you for listening and watching us today. We really appreciate you being here with us. I'd love to hear what you think. Please feel free to email me. I'm reachable at Michael H, I m, I C, H, A, E, L, H i at accessibe, A, C, C, E, S, S, I. B, e.com, Michael H i@accessibe.com love to hear your thoughts and love to get your your opinions. I would really appreciate it if you would give us a five star rating when you have the opportunity to review this podcast. We really value your ratings and reviews very highly, and definitely want to know what you think, but please give us a great rating. We love that. If you know anyone who wants to be a guest on a podcast, or you think ought to be a guest, we're always looking for guests. And Nana you as well. If you know anyone, we're always looking for more people to come on the podcast and tell their stories. So we appreciate it. If you'd let us know. By the way, you can also go to my podcast page, www dot Michael hingson, M, I C, H, A, E, L, H, I N, G, s o n.com/podcast, that's another way to reach out to me as well. But definitely anything you can do to bring more folks to us, we value it very highly. And so with that, once again, Nana, I want to thank you for being here. This has been great. Nana Ekua Brew-Hammond  1:06:01 Thank you so much. I really appreciate you having me on, and you are such an inspiration. And thank you. Michael Hingson  1:06:13 You have been listening to the Unstoppable Mindset podcast. Thanks for dropping by. I hope that you'll join us again next week, and in future weeks for upcoming episodes. To subscribe to our podcast and to learn about upcoming episodes, please visit www dot Michael hingson.com slash podcast. Michael Hingson is spelled m i c h a e l h i n g s o n. While you're on the site., please use the form there to recommend people who we ought to interview in upcoming editions of the show. And also, we ask you and urge you to invite your friends to join us in the future. If you know of any one or any organization needing a speaker for an event, please email me at speaker at Michael hingson.com. I appreciate it very much. To learn more about the concept of blinded by fear, please visit www dot Michael hingson.com forward slash blinded by fear and while you're there, feel free to pick up a copy of my free eBook entitled blinded by fear. The unstoppable mindset podcast is provided by access cast an initiative of accessiBe and is sponsored by accessiBe. Please visit www.accessibe.com . AccessiBe is spelled a c c e s s i b e. There you can learn all about how you can make your website inclusive for all persons with disabilities and how you can help make the internet fully inclusive by 2025. Thanks again for Listening. Please come back and visit us again next week.

Despite more than two years of intense negotiations, the Veterans Day deadline to agree on the allotment of reduced water supplies under the Colorado River Compact passed without a consensus. If the seven states divided into the upper and lower basins of the river cannot put forward a joint proposal by February 14, the federal government will institute its own plan—which will likely result in appeals to the Supreme Court.  Since the first federal shortage declaration in 2021, Arizona has volunteered to accept the largest cuts in shares of Colorado River water. Given that a third of its overall water demand has relied on the river's supply, leaders in the state are anxious to conclude the current negotiations so that their long-term planning for alternatives can proceed.  The Central Arizona Project (CAP) is a 330-mile manmade canal built to transport Arizona's portion of Colorado River water across the state. Approved for federal funding by President Lyndon Johnson in 1968, CAP is an outstanding example of the infrastructural might that has often been required for cities in the Ten Across region to thrive. The urban boom that began in Phoenix and Tucson in the 1980s and 90s would not have been possible without CAP water.  In this episode Duke Reiter and Terry Goddard, CAP Board president and former Phoenix mayor, discuss how the state has weathered uncertainties surrounding growth and water security in the past, and how leaders need to step up to meet the present moment...and the future.  Relevant Articles and Resources  “Former Phoenix mayor: Embrace bad news” (AZ Central, April 2015)  “40 Years of Central Arizona Project Water Use” (Kyl Center for Water Policy, December 2025)  “'Dream' of desalinating water to boost Arizona's supplies moves ahead with vote” (AZ Central, November 2025)  “The Peirce Report, Revisited: Greater Phoenix Grows Up” (Greater Phoenix Leadership)  1987 interview with Neal Peirce on PBS Horizon  Relevant Ten Across Conversations Podcasts  Latest Deadpool Projections Inject New Urgency into Colorado River Negotiations  Understanding Groundwater Risks in the Southwest with Jay Famiglietti  Checking in on Tense Colorado River Negotiations with Anne Castle and John Fleck  CreditsHost: Duke ReiterProducer and editor: Taylor GriffithMusic by: Gavin Luke and Pearce RoswellResearch and support provided by: Kate Carefoot, Rae Ulrich, and Sabine Butler  About our guest Terry Goddard served as Arizona attorney general from 2003 to 2010, addressing major issues, including the fallout from the mortgage crisis, border security, and consumer and environmental protections. While mayor of Phoenix from 1984 to 1990, Terry conceived and presided over the Phoenix Futures Forum, the largest city visioning process in the U.S., measured by the number of citizen participants and scope. He was also elected president of the National League of Cities in 1988. Today, Terry is serving his third term as president of the Central Arizona Water Conservation District Board, which oversees the Central Arizona Project.

Episode 310 - Neither Happiness Nor Virtue Are Binary StatesWelcome to Episode 310 of Lucretius Today. This is a podcast dedicated to the poet Lucretius, who wrote "On The Nature of Things," the most complete presentation of Epicurean philosophy left to us from the ancient world. Each week we walk you through the Epicurean texts, and we discuss how Epicurean philosophy can apply to you today. If you find the Epicurean worldview attractive, we invite you to join us in the study of Epicurus at EpicureanFriends.com, where we discuss this and all of our podcast episodes.       We'll pick up this week at [Section 14 of Part 5](https://handbook.epicureanfriends.com/Library/Text-Cicero-TusculanDisputations/#xiv_2) of Tusculan Disputations, continuing to look at how the Stoic/Platonic philosophers use logic to deduce that since only virtue is within our control, happiness comes from exclusively relying on virtue, excluding all else from being considered to be truly good.https://www.epicureanfriends.com/thread/4829-episode-310-td38-neither-happiness-nor-virtue-are-binary-states/

In this episode of Main Street Matters, Elaine Parker and National Taxpayers Union EVP, Brandon Arnold, break down the major migration shift happening across America as taxpayers leave high-tax states for lower-tax Southern destinations. They examine the economic forces driving this trend, from costly tax burdens and strained housing markets to the impact of the SALT deduction and how businesses respond with strategic relocations. The conversation also explores what these patterns mean for the future of blue states, competitiveness, and the national economic landscape. Learn more HERE | https://www.ntu.org/foundation/detail/report-high-tax-states-losing-residents-at-the-fastest-ratesSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Mina Shirakawa talks about her whirlwind AEW journey – from her surprise debut saving Mariah May in borrowed gear to adjusting from Japan's quiet, focused crowds to America's loud, expressive audiences. She shares the chaos of finding out about major matches with Mercedes Moné and Toni Storm hours before showtime, how her rivalry with Toni transformed into the “Timeless Love Bombs,” and what winning the ROH Women's World TV Title meant to her. Mina also opens up about moving to the States, rescuing her Orlando street cat, and her biggest dream in AEW: becoming champion on a major stage with her parents watching for the first time. AEW Unrestricted is sponsored by Upper Deck. The AEW SP Game Used set is out now – packed with autographs, tech cards, and real match-used relics. Get it today! https://bit.ly/3XpHOmx AEW Unrestricted video episodes available Mondays at 1pm Pacific on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLJ4e4Lb87XTzETPZyj7nZoJ4xPBjKdzgy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

'Avatar: Fire and Ash' cast join 'GMA'; Doctor sentenced in drug-fueled death of Matthew Perry; '50 States in 50 Weeks': Alabama Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Hugh broadcasts from the American Legislative Exchange Council's 2025 States & Nation Policy Summit in Fort Worth, Texas. Hugh talks with: Texas Senator Phil King, ALEC Board Member North Carolina Senate President Pro Tem Phil Berger Iowa Speaker Pro Tem John Wills, ALEC Board Member Texas Tech University Chancellor Brandon Creighton Kansas Speaker Dan Hawkins, ALEC State Chair for Kansas Jonathan Williams, ALEC President & Chief Economist Michigan Speaker Matt Hall, ALEC Board Member Florida State Rep. Berny Jacques Chaplain Rich Stoglin, President, the Tarrant County Texas Fredrick Douglass Republicans. Ohio Senator Jerry Cirino, Finance Chair Missouri Senator Nick Schroer Florida State Rep. Demi Busatta ALEC Incoming National Chair for 2026 Texas Senator Paul Bettencourt, ALEC State Chair for Texas See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

'Avatar: Fire and Ash' cast join 'GMA'; Doctor sentenced in drug-fueled death of Matthew Perry; '50 States in 50 Weeks': Alabama Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Your host Jonathan Viaud sits down for an exclusive interview with Dr. Gold, CEO of Goldcare.com, founder of the civil liberties organization America's Frontline Doctors, and an official endorser of Convention of States Action. Jon asks Dr. Gold about her fight for medical freedom, how Obamacare has changed healthcare for the worse in America, why Article V and Convention of States is the answer. Dr. Gold graduated from Chicago Medical School prior to earning a Juris Doctorate at Stanford University Law School, and served minority communities as an emergency room doctor for over 20 years, all without a single complaint of malpractice. Dr. Gold is familiar with the inner workings of government policy and procedure, as she has worked for the U.S. Surgeon General, as well as for the former chairman of the U.S. Senate Labor and Human Resources Committee. She is also the author of the book 'Selective Persecution: The Legalization of American Fascism.'

“What is your passion? Why are you doing this?” In this episode, Nick speaks with Vincent Wanga about the intersection of creativity, entrepreneurship, and leadership. Vince shares his unique journey through the creative industry, discussing the challenges and advantages of being an insomniac and how it has shaped his work ethic. What to listen for: Insomnia can be both a challenge and a competitive advantage. Leadership requires sacrifice and understanding of employee dynamics. Passion and purpose are essential for sustainable entrepreneurship. Vision is crucial for effective leadership and business success. Scaling a business requires preparation and understanding of resources. Failure is a necessary part of the learning process. Creatives must balance their artistic mindset with business skills. “Everything that I do is passion and purpose-rooted. And that should be your first mission.” When you anchor decisions in passion, you can more naturally stay motivated during the hard parts of the journey Purpose brings clarity, so you waste less time chasing things that don't matter. Leading with what lights you up often creates the most authentic and sustainable success. Passion-driven work tends to attract the right people and opportunities without forcing it. Starting with purpose sets the tone for how you show up. “Creatives have a visionary mindset. So why can’t creatives be those same CEOs? We just lack the business acumen.” Creativity is the foundation of innovation. Many creatives underestimate how transferable their skills are to leadership. Visionary thinkers often make better long-term strategists than traditional operators. When creatives embrace structure and systems, they become unstoppable leaders. About Vincent Wanga Vince is a dynamic international design thought leader, creative keynote speaker, award-winning creative and executive, author of “The Art of Direction,” serial entrepreneur, and experienced brand consultant with an exceptional range of expertise over a distinguished two-decade career. As former vice president and head of creative for one of the fastest-growing technology startups in North America, he oversaw corporate brand strategy and creative during unprecedented company growth from pre-Series A to an over $1 billion “unicorn” valuation. Vince lives in Washington, DC, and Asheville, NC, with his dog, Okello. When he is not working on new business ventures, he passionately travels the world, collecting creative inspiration at the finest boutique hotels rewards points can buy. https://www.vincentwanga.com/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/vincent-wanga/ Resources: Check out other episodes about creativity and entrepreneurship: Creativity Within Us All With Joe Tertel Post Traumatic Growth, When Trauma Makes You Stronger And More Creative With Christian Ray Flores Interested in starting your own podcast or need help with one you already have? Send Nick an email or schedule a time to discuss your podcast today! https://themindsetandselfmasteryshow.com/contact/ Thank you for listening! Please subscribe on iTunes and give us a 5-Star review! https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-mindset-and-self-mastery-show/id1604262089 Listen to other episodes here: https://themindsetandselfmasteryshow.com/ Watch Clips and highlights: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCk1tCM7KTe3hrq_-UAa6GHA Guest Inquiries right here: podcasts@themindsetandselfmasteryshow.com Your Friends at “The Mindset & Self-Mastery Show” Click Here To View The Episode Transcript Nick McGowan (00:01.507)Hello and welcome to the Mindset and Self Mastery Show. I’m your host, Nick McGowan. Today on the show we have Vince Wanga. Vince, how you doing today? Vincent Wanga (00:11.372)I’m doing all right, Nick. I’m looking forward to our conversation and thanks for having me on. Nick McGowan (00:15.618)Yeah, absolutely. I’m excited, man. I think this is gonna be fun. I know there’s a lot that you’ve been through, a lot that you’ve done. One of the biggest reasons why I wanted to have you on the show was to be able to talk about creativity and how it ties into us as people, but also into the systems that we’re in, like the capitalistic system, our family systems, all those things. I grew up as a creative in a… not a typical creative house, so to say. So it felt a little weird, but that was the system that I was in. And then you get into jobs, you get into your career, and like, how do you do all that stuff? And that was one of the things that really stood out to me about having you on. So I’m gonna stop talking. Why don’t you kick us off? Tell us what you do for a living, and what’s one thing that most people don’t know about you that’s maybe a little odd or bizarre? Vincent Wanga (01:00.142)Well, thank you. I am in a weird place in my career because I’m transitioning. I have been a creative at the highest levels and the lowest levels for 20 years. Started as an intern, worked my way up through the agency world, stints as a freelance independent operator working for clients all over the world to owning my own agency and having that unique experience as a business owner and operator. and all the responsibilities that come with managing employees and being responsible for payroll and profit and loss and the other side of the industry, as well as becoming a senior executive and top 100, well, first 100 employees for a billion dollar tech startup and a crazy transformational journey. So I only preface that to say I’ve done it all in so many different industries. I’ve worked with so many different sectors, in-house, freelance. agency, you name it in the creative sector, I’ve done it. And I think that offers me a lot of perspective and advice that I can offer to people, whether you’re creative or not, particularly in the aspects of leadership, which is something I really focus on at this point in my career. But as I mentioned, I’m in a major transition away from creative and more into my real core ethos, which is entrepreneurship and taking all that creative talent, marketing, business acumen into my own businesses and consulting and other opportunities to really express my creativity in a different way. So it’s a really exciting paradigm for me. As far as something that’s really unique about me, I could wax philosophic on that. But I think the most unique thing is I am an insomniac. I get an inhuman amount of sleep and it has been a very difficult, like physical manifestation in my life because that’s not healthy, but it has been an incredible. competitive advantage in my career, where I’m able to work day and night and create businesses on a weekend and maximize my time. But as I get older, the other side of the coin starts catching up and trying to figure out how to adjust as I move forward is a new paradigm I’m dealing with. But that’s one of many unique things about me. Nick McGowan (03:16.459)Wow, I’m really glad that you consider that a unique thing. that you see that as a… there’s kind of a silver lining that you look at that instead of some people saying like, well I just… I’m struggling with this thing. It sounds like even the personality that you have, like you’ll go, well I am kind of struggling but it is what it is and this is what it is. Then I could do something with it. And it’s funny how as you get older, things will shift and change just across the board. I mean we could have a whole fucking episode just about like the specific changes that happen from your knees and your back and the way you think about things. or whatever you don’t mean I wonder at times with the people that are insomniacs that it’s something that they actually kind of crave and it’s like a mental thing where like I want to keep going and I think about it from this perspective In the human design way I’m a generator and I have to use all of my energy every day So by the end of the day there are times where I’m like I’m totally done. It’s nine o’clock at night I guess I’ll go to sleep because I’m done for the day and like all the energy’s out other times It’s like three or four in the morning and it is what it is But for the people that… Nick McGowan (04:27.617)can hear that and say, well, you’re just trying to hustle and just trying to use all that to get ahead and do the grind and all that stuff. I’m reading between the lines and a little bit I know about you so far, that’s not the case with you. So it’s more of one of those like, I do these things because I’m led to do these things, but I also have a really hard time sleeping. So how do you manage that going through each day and saying like, all right, well, I got whatever amount of sleep and my body needs more, but I also have a lot of mental energy where it’s like you can feel the physical of like, man, I’m just fucking dragging. But my brain’s still going and like that must take a toll on you. I could imagine, you know, you have a week of that. Most people would just be driven insane. So how do you how do you manage that? Vincent Wanga (05:12.344)Yeah, and I think, you know, this reminds me of that. I think it was a New Yorker editorial cartoon that had a building in Manhattan with lights on. And it said these three lights are either a drug dealer, serial killer or creative. Right. We’re the only ones up at 3 a.m. So I don’t think it’s as unique within the creative realm. But I think what makes me unique is the duality that I’m up all night in human hours, but I’m also functional in the morning. Like I’ve stayed up for 72 hours before. Nick McGowan (05:25.854)Yeah. Nick McGowan (05:37.93)Hmm. Vincent Wanga (05:40.718)on deadlines and things that push beyond human norms and are completely unhealthy, but have also, again, like I said, been an advantage historically in my career. think the way my brain is wired, and I think a lot of critics can resonate with this, is I’m my most creative and intellectual at night. I could spend the same amount of time and energy between nine to five on the same thing, and that… You know, error of time, I could achieve better results in an hour at 3am. It’s just the way these ideas flow in my mind. It’s the same mindset for anyone who can’t relate where like CEOs get up early in the morning and take a bike ride or do a run. And then they come back to the office and now they got a new product idea that everybody’s got to scramble to do. It’s the CEO brain, but it just kicks on at the wrong time. but it is, it is a burden, because it’s not healthy. And unfortunately there’s, there’s Nick McGowan (06:30.472)You Vincent Wanga (06:39.982)long-term cognitive effects that happen on that and there’s a diminishing return. But I think the most important point here is that I didn’t want to be this way. This is something that evolved from my artist background where I would the only time I had to myself and peace and quiet to create was at night. It started kind of rewiring my brain and then I went to college long story short got kicked out because of money and found myself with my career over before it even started. So I had to hustle and work twice as hard as everybody else just to get started. I started at a deficit. So I always maximize my time in order to try to achieve the results that I needed to get back into the industry. And then the third thing I think people can resonate with is if you’re an entrepreneur, it’s this paranoia when you go to sleep and you don’t want to wake up with bills. You don’t want to wake up with problems. You just want to stay up and solve everything that you can. you could have $10,000 in your bank account for that week and still feel insecure. And I think that just keeps me up at night constantly hustling and hoping that that hustle prevents the worst case scenario from happening. So it’s just this convolutions of things that are part of my experiences and my mindset. But it has been an advantage up until about now where I’m kind of paying the health effects of it, but it’s helped me become incredibly successful. And I think that’s a unique. perspective for me. Nick McGowan (08:09.086)I love when conversations head this way. I’ll ask that question every single episode. So everybody listens. They’re used to that question being asked. But I love when that question invokes us going down a different path for the conversation. Obviously, we were going to talk about creativity and leadership, and that just jives with us both. But that’s a really important thing, I think, to get into because you had neural pathways that were literally changed. And you created these paths so, so many years ago saying, like, everybody leave me the hell alone. Great, you’re all asleep. Everybody’s left me alone. I get to do the thing I want to do. And then you turn that, especially as an agency, for anybody that’s been in any sort of agency, imagine running around with your hair on fire, 15 other people having their hair on fire, and somebody just yelling at you constantly, and you’re constantly late on things that you’re actually pretty much on time for with your projects. And that’s like a typical Tuesday in most agencies. And that will drive you Vincent Wanga (08:41.592)Mm-hmm. Nick McGowan (09:08.848)to have more those neural pathways change because then you have to do things at night. Dude, I’ve been in the same spot where it’s like we have this thing coming up, somebody sent this thing back to me and it’s time for me to QA it or just basically give it once through. Seven hours later you have to do a complete re-haul or whatever and from a leader’s perspective you have to love on that person and help them and work through them. You can’t just go and physically slap them in the back of head and go, the fuck? That’s my first question, you know? So as a creative, I’m right there with you. think a lot of us do have that. Nocturnal energy almost to be able to create but I wonder if a lot of that does come from like when you were in middle school or high school like Just everybody leave me alone. Like when your parents tell you like go to your room. You’re like, thank God awesome now Will you all just stay can I lock the door and like just paint or whatever? I want to do and then that turns into the the systems that we’re in that tell us you have to grind you have to hustle and I I just wonder about how many people are still stuck in that because they don’t see the patterns of, well, I’m having a hard time with this. Like, you see that there’s a pattern with you being an insomniac. But how do you actually combat that, work on that, and not drive yourself crazy each and every day, you know? Vincent Wanga (10:31.522)Yeah, I think that’s a challenge. I think there’s a few ways I can approach that question. One, I really loved your point about the sacrifice of leadership. I think a lot of people underestimate that. It’s like the swan analogy, where it’s calm and collected at the top, but your feet are vigorously swimming and kicking. I think people who are employees and check in nine to five and their check clears on Monday when it’s payday. don’t understand the sacrifice sometimes that their leadership have to make to make that happen. And part of that is that paranoia that we deal with every single day. You know, I also think, you know, I’m highly functional introvert. So I love the quiet time that that allows me to think and to process and to execute on. But I also love that quote. I hope I’m not misquoting them. I think it was by Warren Buffett who said it took me 10 years to be an overnight success. There is no skipping the grind, the hustle. Nick McGowan (11:13.436)Mm-hmm. Nick McGowan (11:25.959)Yeah. Vincent Wanga (11:28.258)the sacrifice, know, your family hates you and you don’t see people enough and your friends are wondering if you’re okay. And that’s what it takes to build business, to build legacy, to build anything. So whether I had this unique deposition to work on godly hours or not, I think people find the will in the way because there’s no shortcuts around that to success. And that’s what you got to do. And if you’ve got a nine to five job, well, guess what? Now you got to work five to nine. and find the time that you need to execute on something. And I think it’s more of an entrepreneur’s brain than a creative’s brain. again, like I said, it’s been advantageous in ways and disadvantageous in others. Nick McGowan (12:07.259)I think they actually tie together though, the creativity and the entrepreneurship. I’ve met, god I can’t even put numbers to the amount of entrepreneurs I’ve met over the course of time, but I could probably say in one hand that the people that weren’t really creative and… Vincent Wanga (12:17.667)Mm-hmm. Nick McGowan (12:24.125)definitely told me like I am not creative at all. But then when you look at their processes, how they handle situations, all of it is just oozing creativity. They’re just not creative in the medium of painting or graphic design or web or whatever it is, but they’re still being creative in how they handle it. Shit, even leaders that are like, okay, well I know if I yell at you as a creative, you’re not gonna do the work that you need to do and you’re probably gonna hate it here. So how do I talk to you nicely about it? That is a creative approach. approach to it where you’ve been in spots, I’ve been in spots where somebody clearly didn’t take that spot and they just yelled at you about the thing because they’re hurt or they’re upset and they can’t manage themselves and they’re just diving it at you. But there is a lot of creativity that ties into that. And I think there’s a lot of people that talk about being an entrepreneur with really a hobby in a sense and not understanding that basic principles of entrepreneurship is you just have various means of income and you just work on things as a creative. You can sit down and work on things for six hours and you think, shit, I was doing this for two hours, but six hours later, I’ve been standing here, I’ve been working through this thing. And I want to dive deeper into this because I don’t want people to think that you’re saying to them, you just need to grind. No matter what you’re feeling, what you’re doing, just shut up and grind. That’s not the case. But how do you balance that? Because I know people that literally they take that ethos and just say, well, this is who I am. And it’s in a It’s a false way for them instead of being able to say like this is who I am because man I’m just so passionate about this thing that I eat sleep and dream this because this is my purpose in the world instead of saying well the system tells us this and my god I got a mortgage and these mouths to feed and whatever else it’s like you have to shift from that so how do you shift from that? How did you? Vincent Wanga (14:15.714)Man, I think that’s such a good point. I think too many people get enamored with the grind part, right? That’s what they teach you in investment banking. That’s what they teach you in all these other segments. Just grind and the reward will come and they’ll dangle this carrot in front of you that somehow disappears on your journey, right? Entrepreneurship’s very similar. And I’ll just say, this is the hardest shit in the world, like next to raising a child. Like it is incredibly difficult and that’s… Nick McGowan (14:37.446)Yeah. Vincent Wanga (14:42.102)what discourages most people. But I think the point that you made that was really excellent is you first have to have a purpose. What is your passion? Why are you doing this? Never have I thought when I’m in an entrepreneurial pursuit and I’m working, you know, 18 hours a day, did I ever feel burnt out? Isn’t that interesting that I can go to a typical corporate job and after five hours just can’t wait to leave, but I’ll work nonstop on my own thing and never feel burnt out. I have stress maybe related to money or something. but it’s not work stress. And I think that’s because everything that I do is passion and purpose rooted. And that should be your first mission. Don’t do this thing because you think it’s going to make you rich. You know, start that brewery because you love beer, you love the science of beer, and that you realize that by getting into that business, you are now an agriculture. You’re a farmer. You need to know about hops and the process and supply chain and fermentation. And you are a chemist and you got to figure out the right, you know, balance in order to have the best beer in the world. Otherwise, don’t do it. Nick McGowan (15:11.93)Yeah. Nick McGowan (15:21.561)Hmm. Vincent Wanga (15:41.056)So I think people need to understand what’s your passion would start there. The grind is easy if you’re passion and purpose driven and don’t let that kind of blind you. Start with your passion and your purpose. And that’s really helped keep me balanced so that I make sure the most precious commodity I have right now at this age is my time. And I make sure that just like my money, I invested reasonably and responsibly and only things that really bring me value in return. I think my second point is The grind is should be front end, you know, where your typical nine to five and there’s no wrong path is something you progressively invest in. And at the end, around 65 years old, you get your benefit and you get to go, you know, travel and live in Florida and do whatever you want with your life and retirement. Entrepreneurship is different. You literally grind for three years. The first year you’re just getting established. The second year you’re trying to become profitable. That third year, if you make it that far, you might actually thrive and have a business. And unless you’re paying yourself, Like you said, it’s just a hobby. So you have to be serious about this, understand the business fundamentals, but also understand for three years you’re in the suck and you have to work and work hard. And if you’re passionate and purpose driven, it won’t feel like a burden. And then you get your reward where all of a sudden you have enough profit to hire a COO or even a CEO as a founder to run your business and employees and your scaling and it gets easier. So you just have to understand the different philosophies between a nine to five and entrepreneurial pursuit. and make sure you’re passion and purpose driven and that will really help you keep balanced in this kind of crazy lexicon that is working like we do. Nick McGowan (17:17.338)Yeah, especially here in the States. We work much more than other people, but then there are other countries that… It’s the system that they’re in and how they go through it. I think one of things that you pointed out that really stood out to me was how when you take that approach of the passion and the purpose and you’re doing those things, you’re gonna work so much more on that because you’re fired up about it instead of doing whatever reports or whatever BS meetings or whatever you’re doing at nine to five. And you can just keep working on these things. But as you do that, you really start to stretch that muscle. So it’s like you’re able to handle things in year two, year three differently than you could in year one or even year two, let’s say, because everything starts to stack up. So in a very black and white way, for the most part, I think the people that listen to the show are leaders, at least in what they do, if not entrepreneurs, and there are a lot of entrepreneurs that are already in their business. But the people that think about, want to get out of my job, I want to get into a business, if you’ve got to go through that work anyway, and you’re just going to basically jump in a boat and go down that river. Don’t you want to go down the river with the stream instead of trying to fight up it like you’re currently doing in your nine to five? And it’s like, how do you then take that approach and say, all right, well, this is what I want. And there is a difference between passion and purpose. I think we have a seed of purpose that’s within us and there are ways that we get to show our passion with that purpose. But if you can tie that stuff together, you’re almost unstoppable. There’s shit that’s going to happen, but you’re going to get through that. When you talk to different Vincent Wanga (18:34.254)Sure. Right. Nick McGowan (18:58.138)from people about that sort of stuff and tying those two together. What’s the way that you can kind of put that into a vision to be able to show this is where these two pieces kind of can join? Vincent Wanga (19:06.818)Yeah, and I think for me to tell a little story, I was a senior designer art director at an agency in Minneapolis at the time. And I was getting really good insights on the business side of creative from the particular owner I was working with. He was very transparent about those things. So I found out how much he was profiting per employee, particularly me. And that didn’t match up with my salary. Now he’s a business owner. has every right to a profit. That’s not what I’m questioning. What I said is that my value is significantly higher than I thought it was this whole time. I thought it was defined by my salary. And the funny thing about these nine to five jobs, and I’m not knocking them, we all have done it and are having to do it, but they pay you just enough to kill your dreams. You know, I’m sure you’ve heard that before and just enough to be comfortable. And when I realized the potential there, I started taking advantage of that, you know, five to nine time that overnight time. I started, you know, freelancing and getting clients. And when I compared the numbers, I realized if I went full time with my own hustle, I could triple my income and not triple my work hours. So that was the passion part, right? So what that did is it led into my purpose and the purpose was, and I think this is really important is oftentimes when you get into entrepreneurship, Money should never be your motivation. Money is a reward that comes down later. It should be rooted deeper than that. But if you can tie your entrepreneurship with your lifestyle, your ideal lifestyle and outcome, that is the greatest gift in earth. So for example, imagine you’re a snowboarder and you just want to go to Vail and Whistler and, you know, go down the most amazing double black diamond mountains and make that a part of your lifestyle. Imagine starting a business. where you could be in that community and make profit. Now you’re in your ideal lifestyle, your ideal community, and you have a business that helps fund that. And that was kind of my motivation. So I am now independent, tripling my income. I’m working half as much. I’m able to travel the world. And as long as I have wifi, I can continue to make money indefinitely in whatever country I stay in. It was the most incredible lifestyle of my life. And there’s some limits to that we can talk about later, but it gave me this purpose. Vincent Wanga (21:29.1)and passion combined to continue to progress. And I think people just really need to identify not just passion and purpose, but what is that ideal lifestyle that you want this to lead to? What is that outcome? What is that ambition that you have? If you don’t have that goal and you’re just starting out, what are you doing? You’re making trinkets. You’re not getting paid. You have a very expensive hobby that’s probably gonna cost you your family. So you really have to understand at the end of the day, this is a business. You have to have business fundamentals and run it accordingly. And I think you’ll be in a much better place than just going on some wild adventure because you don’t want to wake up at 9 a.m. I promise you, you’ll be disappointed by entrepreneurship if that is the case. Nick McGowan (22:08.812)Yeah, and it’s interesting because that’s like, there are like shades to that almost. You know, like there are times where you call it like we can’t sleep or we have a hard time because we’re thinking we got to pay for this. We got this thing coming in. There’s this thing and I’m sure there’s a left hook that’s going to come out of nowhere and like whatever and you just kind of manage through that stuff. You work through it. But if you are in a better mental spot because of the passion and purpose that you have to do these things, you can actually handle those things instead of just being crippled by it. I’ve thought many different times about how many people got into podcasting during COVID because they were like, what the fuck? I have nobody to talk to. I don’t know what to do right now. I guess I’ll start a podcast or people that became a coach and are like, I guess I’ll become coaches. And if you look at the numbers, they all skyrocketed. then quickly after that just shot down. So many people just couldn’t do it, didn’t want to do it, didn’t have the skills or whatever. And ultimately it wasn’t right for them to be able to do it. Now there are lots of people that stuck with it. I started this in 2014. Vincent Wanga (22:47.256)Mm-hmm. Nick McGowan (23:15.145)So I wasn’t one of those ones that just started it in 20, but I remember thinking that too. Like well now I’m stuck at the house. What am gonna do? And had friends that I talked to and then just came a podcast and whatever else from there. But being able to actually understand like you’re going to start to take those steps and it doesn’t all have to happen at once. So even with the stuff you’re saying like you get to travel, you make money, you do these things. To somebody if they’re listening on the surface they’re gonna go okay cool you’re just another one of those guys who just like pushes this thing and says I live the best life in the world and work. Vincent Wanga (23:22.648)Right. Yep. Nick McGowan (23:45.148)two hours a day and I harvest butterflies and get four billion dollar homes. Like it’s not what we’re saying. But this is a stacked upon process. Like I talked to people at times, I had somebody on recently it was like man you were in like Idaho and Montana and doing this and you travel and it’s like yeah but this has been a work in progress. This isn’t just one of those things like last Tuesday. It’s like you know what fuck everything else and we’re gonna travel we’re gonna do this thing. It’s like you have to build upon those things so you have to take those initial steps. So for somebody trying to figure out right now. I hear what you guys are saying, I want to take these steps and I think I kind of know what I want to do but I’m afraid to do it as a creative saying I’m stuck in this system and I have to pay for things and I’ve built this whole big career and what do I do now? What advice do you give them? Vincent Wanga (24:35.496)well, the first thing is it’s mostly rooted in fear. Release your inhibition of fear because you will fail. You will fail big, you will fail small, you will fail often. I think what actually ironically makes me successful is my lack of fear of failure. I could write a whole thesis on failure and how that’s affected me. But the true reality is it’s been the greatest education of my life. More than a Harvard MBA could teach me going out there doing something really hard and failing or succeeding in that are immense lessons that you can apply to the next thing and you’ll fail a little bit less and apply to the next thing and fail a little bit less. And I just talked about earlier how your job posting a position where you, you don’t want to risk that comfortability to go out there and potentially fail, but you have to understand that’s part of the cycle and learning process that gets you to success. love that Japanese proverb, you know, fall down seven times, get up eight. That’s, that is, it’s a cliche, but it’s so true. You just have to. Nick McGowan (25:29.973)Hey. Vincent Wanga (25:35.192)get out there and fucking do it. And I think the other most important thing is people get into this journey and they’re not prepared for scale. They never think about it. I think they’re too absorbed in the lifestyle part. Like, okay, I get to work from home. I get to take my kids to baseball. This is great. I want to stay in this comfortable zone. If you’re too successful, if you fuck up, you actually have something that scales. Now you need employees. Now you need people to run your business. Nick McGowan (25:52.084)Yeah. Vincent Wanga (26:03.842)Now you need to redo your supply chain. Now things get more expensive. Now you got to pay attention to your margins. Nobody has that ambition. So always enter this with what is that ideal grand scale? If you’re just in this to just, you again, have this hobby mindset, you will fail and failure is okay, but you need to realize you’re building a business. What is the plan for scale? What is the grand ambition? What is the ideal circumstance you want to reach? And then what resources do you need to get there? I think the second most important thing is Choosing your business partner wisely. And I’m emphasizing business partner like it’s almost a requirement. Sure, you can get to a certain level by yourself. You know, there’s that saying, if you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together. You need a partner. Nobody has expertise in everything. So figure out what your core competencies are. If you can’t, failure will do that for you. Figure out what you do enjoy and then go find a business partner who complements your skills or compensates for the things that you’re not skilled at. And together. that you and that person can build something really immense and double your time. Because I think the biggest dilemma, particularly in entrepreneurship, historically has been, how do you duplicate yourself? You get to a certain point, how do you find somebody else who will work as hard as you, who’s as motivated as you, who’s as passionate about you? And I think in this age of AI, it doesn’t take a founding team of six anymore. You, another competent person, and three AI agents can really get to a place where you can scale effectively and efficiently in three years. So you just have to think about the grand perspective and not treating it as a hobby. And I think that’s half the way to success and release that inhibition of failure. know the stakes get greater as we get older, but imagine, you know, I mentioned Warren Buffett earlier, if he thought that way, imagine if George Washington thought that way, if Martin Luther King thought that way, like anything worth doing is hard. So get over it, get out there and do it and fail. Take those lessons, apply it to the next thing until you succeed. Nick McGowan (28:01.332)I think something to point out with. George Washington, Buffett, anybody else. Like there are times where I bring up purpose and people are like, well, I don’t know if my purpose is supposed to be the next Steve Jobs or something. No, that was his. Let him have his. You do yours. George Washington, Buffett, everybody else had these thoughts of like, this is where I want to get to. This is what I want to do. But it wasn’t like, I’m going to do this because it’s deep in my heart that I’m going to become George Washington or Buffett or whatever else. They had to actually build upon those things. And there are people that just want to have a solo business. There are people that want to have a small business. And by small, I mean, you know, a few handful of employees, maybe they make millions of dollars, but like, it’s a group of a small group of people. There others that want to have a huge bustling business of hundreds of employees and all of that. But I think it’s important for us to actually talk to ourselves about, do you want it? Because you want the ego of purposes of, have all these employees. I have all these things. Look at the boat that I have that I never get into because I have to work and manage all these employees. What’s the actual purpose underneath that? And I think as a creative and the people that are creatives, we can rely on the creativity inside of us because that’ll always nudge us along. It’s sometimes really hard to listen to. I’m sure you’ve experienced some of that going through probably years where you’re like, it’s hard to listen to it. I’m being creative, but I’m not really being creative. You’re getting paid to be a creative, but you’re basically like churning things out or using of stuff and not really creating but everybody’s like well this looks amazing and you’re like I fucking hate it and I hate you and I hate all this stuff so leave me alone. So for people that are in that spot right now and really for the people that are on their path towards self mastery what sort of advice would you give to them? Vincent Wanga (29:47.938)Well, speaking specifically to creatives, I think you can relate. We have a very unique mindset when it comes to certain things. And I think people misdiagnose us that our advantage is somehow attached to our hands and the software and skills. It’s our mentality in the way that we think. For example, the way we solve problems are completely different. What most people would see as an obstacle, we see as a challenge and we use our creativity to get around it. With the systems that we build, the solutions that we build, that’s what we get paid for. So I think that is an invaluable skill when, whether it’s business or your nine to five is remembering that that is your core competency and your greatest value that you bring is your ability to uniquely solve problems. And that’s why we are employed in every single industry in the world and have survived all kinds of efforts to remove us from those industries. And they keep coming back to us because of that skillset. think in addition to that, you just have to really be prepared for change. And we are an adaptable force. Look at all of the journeys that we’ve been through from the digital revolution and the elimination of print to interactive and AI, all of these things we are at the bleeding, cutting edge of. So we are in a natural position to be early adapters, to see and flesh out these new emerging technologies and see if they’re viable or not, and then use them to our advantage in a competitive sense against some of our non-creative peers in order to thrive. it while others are being replaced by it. So I think we need to recognize our power in that context and use that to our advantage. I’ll also add that you look at the highest level of leadership, a CEO, right? They have immense powerful responsibilities, but the number one is to create vision. They create the vision like Steve Jobs saying, I want a thousand songs in your pocket. And then it trickles down to the rest to execute and to figure out how to make that vision a reality. So vision is a creative mindset. creatives have visionary mindset. So why can’t creatives be those same CEOs? We just lack the business acumen. And I think if I was a creative in that position, that’s the first thing I would balance and start studying is what business skills do I lack that can compliment this thing that is very rare, which is that creative mindset that could make me unstoppable in the marketplace. And I am on this mission in my life to help creatives become more entrepreneurial, to think more business minded because the hardest skill we already have. Vincent Wanga (32:15.498)So having that balance that yin and yang between the creativity and conceptual and the analytical and business mindset will really put you in a place where you will be much more successful than if you try to pursue anything with just one mindset or the other. Nick McGowan (32:30.736)Yeah, what a cool way to be able to put that too. It’s like just being resourceful in that sense. You know, if you think from a basic creative perspective, if you’re just sketching, we need paper or something to draw on. You need the pen or pencil or whatever. And then you need the time. You need these pieces to do these things. So any of these things are like, well, what pieces do I need? Even to the fact about the partners, it’s like, what am I lacking here? What am I not a 10 at? And what does somebody else attend at that I could even just Have some help with some people don’t want to take on partners. They want to do the business by themselves I think that’s where coaches mentors come into play to be able to say I’ve been through this and before here’s some suggestions Here’s how you can go about it. Even just that fact of like just reaching out and having some of those conversations There’s somebody that’s out there. There’s some information that’s out there and I I Don’t want everybody to just lean on AI and everybody’s gonna do whatever they’re gonna do, but I do think that atrophies things I use AI at times. I mean fucking everybody does. It’s more so just being pushed on us at this point. But not literally just saying, I’m just going to hand this thing off and not understand how it is. Like you pointed out earlier, if you want to have a brewery, you have to be all these different things. And if all that is too much for you, don’t do it. If you just want to be a money person, then sure, be a money person and never show up. Maybe go and have a beer every once in a while and that’s it. That’s a whole different story though. Like where the fuck did you get that money from? Did you create a business to do that? know, or some Vincent Wanga (34:00.134)Sure. Nick McGowan (34:00.451)somebody handed to you. But being able to point that out and understand the resources of that and then what you’re good, what you’re not good at, I think it’s really good stuff, man. So I appreciate you bringing that up. It’s been a pleasure having you on. Before I let you go, where can people find you and where can they connect with you? Vincent Wanga (34:14.382)No, I really appreciate the conversation. Again, I speak all over the country and internationally. So if I’m in a conference in your area, please feel free to come up to me. And I love meeting new people, especially in different industries. In addition to that, have a website, VincentWongred.com, where you can see some of my other thought leadership across entrepreneurship, creative, design. Leadership is another thing I speak on often. I also have a book called The Art of Direction. personal perspectives on the path to creative leadership. So that is available through Amazon, Walmart, all the major online retailers and for special order at your bookstore. It’s a book about leadership. And I think that’s agnostic of just the creative industry and the unique, soft and hard skills that you need to make that leap that few people are prepared for. So it also very deeply personal and talks a little bit about my experiences and my journey and of course my failures and how that led to my success. And then you can also contact me on LinkedIn and Instagram through my website. Those are the primary ways you can get a hold of me. Nick McGowan (35:20.208)And again, it’s been pleasure having you on Vince. I appreciate your time. Vincent Wanga (35:23.478)Absolutely. Thank you,

Lots of thinking about thinking in this episode as the Nice Hosts attempt to define some core concepts to gameplay. What even is a game? Interactivity? Play? A failstate?!Buckle in for an intellectual conversation, and remember to go to nicegames.com/feedback to tell Stephen exactly why he's wrong about any of it. Word Play - Steam This Is Minnesota Orchestra: Søndergård and Symphonie fantastique - YouTubeWho is the Sky - David ByrneTwin Cities violin maker saves the day for David Byrne's bandleader - Brianna Kelly, Bring Me The NewsNoble Robot Website - Noble Robot0:14:47Interactivity vs. PlayBlippo+Steam0:35:24Fail States in ArtThis topic is a continuation of Lydia's previous roundtable topic/therapy session in"I saw a Beatle."Stephen brought forward the concept of purposefully designing friction into games earlier in the year. You can find that conversation in"This is an impossible challenge."

Hello world! Your favorite podcast host Anthony here with another episode of 50 States of Terror - The American Cryptid Podcast! Before we get back into the rest of the US states and their cryptids, I thought it would be cool to head down south to Brazil and explore the beauty and incredible history this country has to offer...oh and of course the knarly cryptids! Thank you all for listening, I truly appreciate every single one of you. Follow the show! Facebook: 50StatesofTerror Instagram: @50statesofterror Twitter: @50statesterror TikTok: @50sotpodcast YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@50statesofterrorEmail: the50sot@gmail.comSupport the show!Patreon: www.patreon.com/50StatesofTerror Buy Me A Coffee: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/50sotpodcast Listener Advisory: LanguageSupport the show

Dirk Mathews—Team Leader of We Sell Oklahoma Real Estate, Co-Owner of Iron Tiger Investments. Army Vet, World Traveler, Entrepreneur and all around rad dude. Based in OKC.He was raised on a small ranch in Wyoming, the son of a preacher, built on grit and straight talk. He carried that into the Army Reserves from 2006–2012, becoming a Sergeant and deploying to Iraq with the 910th QM CO. Outside the uniform, he built hot rods and learned how to solve problems with his hands before he ever solved them with words.After the Army, he hit the road with his bass guitar, touring the States and Europe with Blacklist Royals, then Australia and Japan with Red City Radio. Those miles are etched in his character like the tattoos on his skin: part punk rock, part philosopher, all lived experience.Today, adventure takes new forms—motorcycles, scuba dives, mountain-bike trails… but the spirit's the same. Dirk brings the same passion for adventure into his work life: with style, earnestness, and a direct approach that resonates with his clients. He helps Oklahoma families build wealth with honesty, trust, and intention.Dirk and his wife, Emily, built The We Sell Oklahoma Team and Iron Tiger Investments together. They adopted their children in 2020, grounding their purpose in something bigger than ambition. At his core, Dirk believes in building community the way you build a good life; piece by piece, person by person, until nobody feels like they're walking alone.Follow Dirk:Website: https://www.weselloklahoma.comFB: https://www.facebook.com/dirk.mathews.pmaIG: https://www.instagram.com/dirk.mathews.pmaYT: www.youtube.com/@weselloklahomarealestateFollow me:Youtube: Keep Going Podcast - YouTubeIG- https://www.instagram.com/zdsellsokc/FB- https://www.facebook.com/ZDsellsOKC/Website: https://keepgoingpodcast.carrd.co/ Click here to be a guest on Keep Going Podcast: https://form.jotform.com/252251121299149

//The Wire//2300Z December 2, 2025////ROUTINE////BLUF: UNITED KINGDOM OFFICIALLY LAUNCHES PLAN TO END TRIAL BY JURY IN MOST CASES. PRESIDENT TRUMP STATES THAT KINETIC AIRSTRIKES MAY BEGIN SOON IN VENEZUELA OR OTHER NATIONS.// -----BEGIN TEARLINE------International Events-United Kingdom: This morning Justice Secretary David Lammy announced the previously mentioned plan involving the removal of the right to trial by jury, reversing 800 years of legal precedent throughout the nation. A new category of "Swift Courts" will be created, allowing for rapid verdicts to be issued for crimes where a guilty verdict would result in a sentence of less than three years imprisonment.-HomeFront-Washington D.C. - President Trump stated that airstrikes within Venezuela might begin soon, and might not be contained to Venezuela itself. Per statements made by President Trump himself, the US will target narcotics traffickers in any nation that conducts such activities.Analyst Comment: The comments made during today's press conference were vague, which is to be expected due to the secrecy needed to ensure the success of the impending military operation. Nevertheless, this is probably as clear of an indication and warning as we're going to get regarding the shifting of the operation to including ground-based airstrikes. Probably the biggest revelation is that the comments made today confirm what has obviously been building for some time; the US is not necessarily interested in just Venezuela.-----END TEARLINE-----Analyst Comments: Around the United States winter weather conditions have arrived as significant snowfall was reported throughout the northeastern and mid-atlantic regions. Multiple traffic pileups were reported from Missouri to Connecticut, and a snowfall record was reported in Louisville overnight. States of Emergency have been reported in several states, which were not prepared for roughly a foot of snow.Every year the first wave of winter weather highlights gaps in personal preparedness in the form of calamity on the highways. As winter gets underway this year it would be wise to remember budgetary cutbacks which have reduced capabilities this season in many jurisdictions. For example, the village of Vernon, Wisconsin (a small municipality outside Milwaukee), approved a 47% budget reduction for the Public Works department earlier this year, so staffing delays and long wait times for road plowing have been reported. This is an important planning factor for many locations this year, as dwindling resources remain common in many small towns.Analyst: S2A1Research: https://publish.obsidian.md/s2undergroundDisclaimer: No LLMs were used in the writing of this report.//END REPORT//

Hugh broadcasts from Day 1 of the American Legislative Exchange Council's 2025 States & Nation Policy Summit in Fort Worth, Texas. Hugh talks with: Rhode Island Rep. Jon Brien Michigan Rep. Ann Bollin West Virginia Senator Patricia Rucker, 2025 ALEC National Chair Lisa B. Nelson, ALEC Chief Executive Officer Ohio Senate President Rob McColley, ALEC Board Member Kansas Senate President Ty Masterson, 2024 ALEC National Chair Texas Rep. Caroline Harris Davila, ALEC Board Member New York Assemblyman Robert Smullen, ALEC Board Member Utah Senate President Stuart Adams, ALEC Board Member, 2021 National Chair Oklahoma Senate Majority Floor Leader Julie Daniels, ALEC Board Member Arizona Senate President Pro Tem. T.J. Shope, ALEC Board Member Arkansas Senator Jim Dotson, ALEC Board Member See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Tara breaks down the explosive revelations shaking the nation: massive welfare fraud, illegal immigration, and voter roll manipulation under Democrat-run states.

In 1963, Capitol Records considered the Beatles “a band who looked and sounded weird with an odd name and no leader” and refused to release their records in America, despite being owned by EMI. As author Andrew Cook points out, “the truth is stranger than fiction”. New correspondence unearthed in his fascinating Capitol Gains maps out the tortuous wranglings of the deal-makers and “pantomime bad guys” behind the greatest and most successful marketing hype in history, all jockeying to take credit and manage their reputations. Some highlights here … … the truth behind Epstein's mythical phone calls … “the more successful the Beatles were, the more Capitol were proving themselves wrong” … why 1966 was the band's “Last Supper” … “from the Battle of Hastings to World War 2 to the Beatles ... it's the winners who rewrite history” … the American 12-track rule and how they repackaged product “to give it more grab” … the Beatles' commercial fate if they'd never been successful in the States … the pitiful (standard) original EMI deal – “18.75 of a penny per group member for every album” … the “Butcher sleeve”: how 750,000 were printed and the fortune lost in “Operation Retrieve”. And the Capitol exec whose kids made $1.5m from copies stashed in his garage … how Epstein was contracted to make 25 per cent of all Beatles monies ‘til 1975 … Bob Dylan's tangential role in the signing of the Beatles to Capitol … and the “cowboy film” that nearly happened. Order Capitol Gains here: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Capitol-Gains-Beatles-Conquered-America/dp/1803997281Help us to keep The Longest Conversation In Rock going: https://www.patreon.com/wordinyourear Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode, we explore one of St. Augustine's most influential theological frameworks: the Four States of Man. From humanity's original harmony in Eden to the tension-filled struggle after the Fall, Augustine explains our different nature in relation to sin. Join us as we break down each state—able to sin, not able not to sin, able not to sin, and not able to sin—and unpack what they reveal about the human condition.Whether you're new to Augustine or revisiting his thought with fresh eyes, this episode offers an accessible, engaging guide to one of the foundational ideas in Christian understanding. ResourcesEpisodes093 - Doctrines of Grace / Calvinism094 - Total Depravity095 - Unconditional Election096 - Limited Atonement097 - Irresistible Grace098 - Perseverance of the Saints100 - Debated Passages in the Doctrines of Grace Conversation101 - Q & A Over the Doctrines of GraceArticles and Books"aw-GUS-tin"The Battle of the Will, Part 1: Pelagius and AugustineAugustine's Four-fold State of HumanityBoston's Fourfold StateAugustine of HippoAugustine's ConversionConversion of St. AugustineWhat Is the Biblical Evidence for Original Sin?The Bondage of the Will by Martin LutherConfessions by St. AugustineConnect With Us providenceomaha.org | Instagram | Facebook Email Us formation@providenceomaha.org

This Day in Legal History: Morgan v. VirginiaOn December 3, 1946, the NAACP filed the pivotal case Morgan v. Virginia, challenging state-enforced segregation on interstate buses. The case arose after Irene Morgan, a Black woman, refused to give up her seat to a white passenger on a Greyhound bus traveling from Virginia to Maryland in 1944. Arrested and fined under Virginia law, Morgan appealed her conviction with the support of the NAACP Legal Defense Fund. Thurgood Marshall, who would later become the first Black Supreme Court Justice, argued the case before the U.S. Supreme Court.The legal argument hinged on the Commerce Clause of the U.S. Constitution, which grants Congress—not individual states—the power to regulate interstate commerce. Marshall argued that Virginia's segregation law placed an undue burden on interstate travel and was thus unconstitutional. In a 7–1 decision issued in June 1946, the Court agreed, holding that states could not impose segregation on interstate passengers.Though the ruling did not end segregation on all public transportation, it was a critical legal breakthrough. It limited the reach of Jim Crow laws and marked one of the earliest Supreme Court victories for the civil rights movement. The decision also served as a foundation for future rulings, including Boynton v. Virginia (1960), and inspired direct action like the Freedom Rides of the early 1960s.Morgan v. Virginia helped establish a constitutional framework for challenging racially discriminatory laws under federal authority. It demonstrated the NAACP's strategy of incremental legal challenges and the importance of judicial victories in the broader civil rights struggle.A federal judge has blocked the Trump administration from enforcing a law that would strip Medicaid funding from Planned Parenthood and similar organizations in 22 states. U.S. District Judge Indira Talwani ruled that the provision, part of the Republican-backed One Big Beautiful Bill Act, likely violates the Constitution's Spending Clause by retroactively imposing ambiguous conditions on state Medicaid participation. The law bars Medicaid funding for nonprofit reproductive health providers that offer abortions and received over $800,000 in Medicaid funds during fiscal year 2023.Talwani issued a preliminary injunction, temporarily halting the law's enforcement in the states that sued, including California, New York, and Connecticut, along with the District of Columbia. However, she stayed her ruling for seven days to allow the Trump administration time to appeal. The judge warned that enforcing the law would increase healthcare costs and reduce access to preventive services like birth control and screenings.Planned Parenthood welcomed the ruling, calling the law unconstitutional and harmful. The organization reported that at least 20 health centers have closed since the law began taking effect in September. States argued the law forced an unexpected change to Medicaid operations and undermined their authority to choose eligible healthcare providers.US judge blocks Trump from cutting Medicaid funding for Planned Parenthood in 22 states | ReutersThe Trump administration has dismissed at least seven immigration judges from New York City's immigration court, located at 26 Federal Plaza, a central site for immigration enforcement and protests. This move is part of a broader pattern under President Trump's second term, with over 100 immigration judges reportedly removed nationwide since January, according to the American Immigration Lawyers Association. Critics say these firings are worsening backlogs at a time when arrests and deportations are increasing.Immigration judges operate under the Department of Justice, not the independent federal judiciary, and are considered inferior officers who can be dismissed by the president or attorney general. The Justice Department declined to comment on the terminations. Among those fired was Amiena Khan, the court's assistant chief immigration judge and former president of the National Association of Immigration Judges, who had previously opposed efforts to dismantle the judges' union.Khan and six other judges, all women, had their names removed from the court's staff directory, with five appointed by Democratic administrations and two during Trump's first term. These dismissals follow similar firings in San Francisco, Boston, and elsewhere. One former judge in Ohio has filed a lawsuit, alleging her termination was due to discrimination based on sex, national origin, and political beliefs.Trump administration fires numerous New York immigration judges | ReutersRahmanullah Lakanwal, the suspect in a deadly Washington, D.C. ambush that killed one National Guard member and critically injured another, pleaded not guilty during his first court appearance. He participated remotely from a hospital bed and was ordered held without bond due to the violent nature of the attack, which occurred just blocks from the White House. The judge cited the “sheer terror” of the incident in denying release.Prosecutors allege that Lakanwal, a 29-year-old Afghan national, traveled from Washington state to D.C. with the intent to carry out the shooting. He reportedly opened fire while shouting “Allahu akbar,” fatally shooting 20-year-old Sarah Beckstrom and injuring 24-year-old Andrew Wolfe, both West Virginia National Guard members deployed to aid law enforcement. Lakanwal was subdued by military personnel and a Secret Service officer after being shot.He faces four charges, including first-degree murder and assault with intent to kill while armed. Lakanwal's defense highlighted his lack of criminal history, but prosecutors emphasized the premeditated nature of his actions. His immigration status has drawn political attention—he entered the U.S. under a resettlement program launched during the Biden administration and was granted asylum under Trump, making the case a focal point in renewed debates over immigration policy.Washington shooting suspect pleads not guilty to murder, ordered detained | Reuters This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.minimumcomp.com/subscribe

In 1963, Capitol Records considered the Beatles “a band who looked and sounded weird with an odd name and no leader” and refused to release their records in America, despite being owned by EMI. As author Andrew Cook points out, “the truth is stranger than fiction”. New correspondence unearthed in his fascinating Capitol Gains maps out the tortuous wranglings of the deal-makers and “pantomime bad guys” behind the greatest and most successful marketing hype in history, all jockeying to take credit and manage their reputations. Some highlights here … … the truth behind Epstein's mythical phone calls … “the more successful the Beatles were, the more Capitol were proving themselves wrong” … why 1966 was the band's “Last Supper” … “from the Battle of Hastings to World War 2 to the Beatles ... it's the winners who rewrite history” … the American 12-track rule and how they repackaged product “to give it more grab” … the Beatles' commercial fate if they'd never been successful in the States … the pitiful (standard) original EMI deal – “18.75 of a penny per group member for every album” … the “Butcher sleeve”: how 750,000 were printed and the fortune lost in “Operation Retrieve”. And the Capitol exec whose kids made $1.5m from copies stashed in his garage … how Epstein was contracted to make 25 per cent of all Beatles monies ‘til 1975 … Bob Dylan's tangential role in the signing of the Beatles to Capitol … and the “cowboy film” that nearly happened. Order Capitol Gains here: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Capitol-Gains-Beatles-Conquered-America/dp/1803997281Help us to keep The Longest Conversation In Rock going: https://www.patreon.com/wordinyourear Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In 1963, Capitol Records considered the Beatles “a band who looked and sounded weird with an odd name and no leader” and refused to release their records in America, despite being owned by EMI. As author Andrew Cook points out, “the truth is stranger than fiction”. New correspondence unearthed in his fascinating Capitol Gains maps out the tortuous wranglings of the deal-makers and “pantomime bad guys” behind the greatest and most successful marketing hype in history, all jockeying to take credit and manage their reputations. Some highlights here … … the truth behind Epstein's mythical phone calls … “the more successful the Beatles were, the more Capitol were proving themselves wrong” … why 1966 was the band's “Last Supper” … “from the Battle of Hastings to World War 2 to the Beatles ... it's the winners who rewrite history” … the American 12-track rule and how they repackaged product “to give it more grab” … the Beatles' commercial fate if they'd never been successful in the States … the pitiful (standard) original EMI deal – “18.75 of a penny per group member for every album” … the “Butcher sleeve”: how 750,000 were printed and the fortune lost in “Operation Retrieve”. And the Capitol exec whose kids made $1.5m from copies stashed in his garage … how Epstein was contracted to make 25 per cent of all Beatles monies ‘til 1975 … Bob Dylan's tangential role in the signing of the Beatles to Capitol … and the “cowboy film” that nearly happened. Order Capitol Gains here: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Capitol-Gains-Beatles-Conquered-America/dp/1803997281Help us to keep The Longest Conversation In Rock going: https://www.patreon.com/wordinyourear Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

As we look ahead to the 250th anniversary—the semiquincentennial—of the Declaration of Independence in 2026, communities and commissions across the United States are asking big questions: How should we commemorate this historic milestone?
What's the right balance between celebration and education? And how can this moment bring people together across political divides, generational gaps, and complex histories? To explore these questions, I've invited my friend, colleague, and Clio Digital Media co-founder Karin Wulf to guest host a special conversation with two people who are leading the way: Gregg Amore, Chair of the Rhode Island 250 Commission, and Carly Fiorina, Chair of the Virginia 250 Commission. Together, they reveal how their states are planning commemorative programs that center civic engagement, local storytelling, and inclusive history—and how the 250th can be more than a moment. It can be a spark. Karin's Website | Book |Show Notes: https://www.benfranklinsworld.com/427 EPISODE OUTLINE00:00:00  Introduction00:01:10  Welcome & Episode Overview00:04:45  Guest Introductions00:07:32 Virginia & Rhode Island's Commemorative Plans00:11:21 State Efforts and Collaborations00:16:32 Engaging Young People00:20:11 Educational Initiatives00:22:13 Ken Burns's The American Revolution00:24:30 Navigating the Political Climate00:32:05 Reflections on the Bicentennial00:35:00 Challenges to Achieving Commemorative Goals00:42:51 Conclusion and Future Opportunities00:46:53 Final ThoughtsRECOMMENDED NEXT EPISODES

Logan Davidson joins the show to talk about the fast-moving world of Ibogaine in American and why state-based leadership is shaping the future of psychedelic reform. Davidson is the executive director of Texans for Greater Mental Health, the legislative director at VETS, and a key strategist behind Texas' landmark interest in ibogaine research. He also advises for Americans for Ibogaine. His work sits at the intersection of science, policy, and lived experience, and this conversation offers a clear look into what is happening right now. Early Themes: The Rise of State Advocacy Davidson explains how he entered politics at nineteen and how his professional path merged with psychedelic policy work during the 2021 Texas legislative session. Through that first bill, he saw how science, bipartisan cooperation, and strong local leadership could advance major reform. Early discussion focuses on: How Texas became the first state to pass a major psychedelic research bill Why ibogaine became a central focus How the special operations community helped shift political momentum The personal mental health stories that shaped Davidson's commitment This section also highlights how Americans for Ibogaine entered the conversation through veterans, researchers, and state lawmakers who felt the urgency of the opioid crisis and traumatic brain injury. Core Insights: Ibogaine, Risk, and the New Research Model In the middle portion of the episode, Davidson breaks down the strategy, challenges, and promise behind ibogaine research and state-based policy innovation. Key insights include: The unique bipartisan environment in Texas Why stories from veterans and spouses moved lawmakers The importance of medical screening for cardiac risk Why research is essential for safety How states can use funding, revenue sharing, and public health goals to shape future access What policymakers are watching right now Effectiveness for opioid use disorder Data from traumatic brain injury studies Cardiac safety protocols The risk of untreated depression and addiction The national security implications of forcing service members to seek illegal care Davidson also explains why removing the psychedelic experience from the molecule remains controversial and why many researchers believe the full experience matters. Later Discussion and Takeaways: The Road Ahead for American Ibogaine In the final part of the conversation, Davidson speaks about the future of American Ibogaine and the broader psychedelic field. He outlines why local leadership matters, why federal funding, like what Psychedelic Medicine Coalition is supporting, could be the next major tipping point, and how big pharmaceutical companies may eventually enter the space through acquisitions or proprietary molecule development. Concrete takeaways include: States should expect clear benefits: lower-cost treatments, shared revenue, and local control Community leaders, not outsiders, often drive legislative wins The need for long-term safety data remains National security concerns highlight why regulated access must expand Federal research money could radically transform the pace and scale of studies He also encourages listeners to join or build local organizations, since nearly every major win comes from people who live in the state pushing from the ground up. Frequently Asked Questions Is Ibogaine safe? Ibogaine has cardiac risks that require medical screening and careful monitoring. Researchers stress that safety improves with proper protocols and more clinical data. Why is Ibogaine important for veterans? Many special operations veterans report major benefits for traumatic brain injury, PTSD, and addiction. Their stories have driven political momentum. How are states involved in Ibogaine research? States like Texas are funding clinical trials, drug development, shaping policy, and exploring revenue and access models to support long-term public health benefits. Will Ibogaine become federally supported in America? New federal interest, including major grants and bipartisan discussions, suggests that broader support may be coming in the next few years. Closing Thoughts This episode shows why the work of Logan Davidson sits at the center of today's psychedelic resurgence. It highlights a complex but hopeful moment where science, policy, and lived experience are beginning to align. As American Ibogaine research expands, state leaders, clinicians, veterans, and advocates all have a role in shaping a safer and more effective future for these treatments.

The Giving TreeMichael and Susan Dell to donate $6.25 billion to fund 'Trump accounts' for 25 million U.S. kidsLyft CEO: This Giving Tuesday, I'm matching every rider's donationDavid Risher: $78M in 2023Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sánchez Bezos commit $102.5 million to organizations combatting homelessness across the U.S.: ‘This is just the beginning'The wedding of Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sánchez in Venice is estimated to have cost between $46.5 million and $55.6 millionMacKenzie Scott's $19 billion donations have turned philanthropy on its head—why her style of giving actually worksFighting back! (Stakeholders Rule!)New York City Council passes landmark AI oversight packageThe New York City Council unanimously passed a collection of bills that are designed to provide a heightened level of oversight for the city's use of artificial intelligence tools.Bernie Sanders and Mamdani joined the Starbucks picket line in Brooklyn More than 1,000 Amazon employees sign open letter warning the company's AI ‘will do staggering damage to democracy, our jobs, and the earth'Costco sues Trump administration over tariffs, seeks full refundCostco filed a lawsuit at the U.S. Court of International Trade on Friday, saying the administration's tariffs imposed under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) are unlawful.The 1977 law has historically been used to impose sanctions against other nations.Exxon bid to dismiss Connecticut climate lawsuit failsA judge moved the case closer to trial after rejecting the company's request to toss it out.OpenAI Completed Its Conversion. A New Ballot Initiative Seeks to Reverse ItA coalition that tried and failed to block OpenAI's conversion earlier this year is back with a new tactic: a California ballot initiative aimed at reining in the startup's power.The planned initiative, dubbed the California Charitable Assets Protection Act, was filed Monday with California's attorney general. It doesn't mention OpenAI by name, but calls for the creation of an oversight board empowered to review and potentially reverse conversions to nonprofit organizations engaged in scientific and technological research that have happened in the state since January of 2024.Starbucks to settle with over 15,000 New York City workers for roughly $35 millionStarbucks will pay about $35 million to more than 15,000 New York City workers to settle claims it denied them stable schedules and arbitrarily cut their hours.The company will also pay $3.4 million in civil penalties under the agreement with the city's Department of Consumer and Worker Protection.It also agrees to comply with the city's Fair Workweek law going forward.Fighting back! (Shareholders Rule!)Michael Burry calls Tesla ‘ridiculously overvalued' and knocks tech industry for a widely used practiceThe post is critical of Tesla and the technology industry as a whole for its use of stock-based compensation and then ignoring it as a legitimate expense.Burry said Tesla share dilution should continue following shareholder approval of CEO Elon Musk's historic pay package.Second proxy adviser calls for vote against Westpac director over ASX stintA second influential proxy adviser has recommended institutional investors vote against re-electing Westpac non-executive director Peter Nash, citing his six-year stint on the board of the troubled Australian Securities Exchange (ASX).CGI Glass Lewis said in a new report on Tuesday that investors should vote against Nash who joined the Westpac board in March 2018 and chairs the board's audit committee.Norway wealth fund to back call for Microsoft human rights report at AGMMicrosoft AGM takes place on December 5Norway wealth fund is Microsoft's eighth-largest shareholderThe fund also said it would vote against the re-appointment of CEO Satya Nadella as chair of the board, as well as against his pay package.PotpourriOpenAI declares ‘code red' as Google catches up in AI raceIn the memo, reported by the Wall Street Journal and The Information, Altman said the company will be delaying initiatives like ads, shopping and health agents, and a personal assistant, Pulse, to focus on improving ChatGPT.This includes core features like greater speed and reliability, better personalization, and the ability to answer more questions, he said.Corporations say they prioritize people. So why do so few chief people officers become CEOs?Only 16 of the CEOs at the 1,000 biggest companies have HR experience.Stephanie Mehta is CEO and chief content officer of Mansueto Ventures, publisher of Inc. and Fast CompanyMATTUplifting stories:Costco sues Trump admin seeking tariff refunds before Supreme Court rules if they're illegalWhy it's uplifting:Costco is the retail bulwark against stupidity - and they're getting paid for it with persistent quarterly growthCostco board member defends DEI practices, rebukes companies scrapping policiesCostco Under Fire in 19 States for Taking Stand Against TrumpSecond proxy adviser calls for vote against Westpac director over ASX stintWhy it's uplifting:This IS NOT AN ACTIVIST DRIVEN VOTE, and it isn't about attendance! This is purely driven by conflict of interest - an ASX listed company using an ASX board member, a board member who up until 6 years ago lead KPMG in Australia - and KPMG is now Westpac's auditorThe move is underway - ISS/GL were never going to vote against directors in the US first, but Australia is much easier to targetGoogle's data centers could actually be going to the moonWhy it's uplifting:While we couldn't solve the climate crisis for the sake of HUMANITY, we WILL solve it for the sake of AI:one hundred trillion times more energy than we produce in all of Earth todayThe space pitch arrives when Earth is starting to look like a bad long-term landlord for the AI build-out. A 2024 Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory report found that U.S. data centers already chew through about 4.4% of the country's electricity, and that share could climb to as much as 12% by 2028 as GPU farms multiply. McKinsey puts a price tag on the race to scale data centers: roughly $6.7 trillion in global data center capex by 2030, about $5 trillion of that aimed at AI-ready infrastructureextraterrestrial data centers could cut emissions by a factor of 10 compared with their earthbound cousinsAlso, GTFO!

In this mind-bending, heart-opening conversation, Harmony and Russell welcome back author, former Benedictine monk, financial advisor, and Enneagram educator Doug Lynam. What begins as a discussion about money and spirituality quickly expands into psychedelics, ego structures, ancient Christian history, mystical experiences, and why our deepest personal wounds shape both our financial lives and our spiritual paths. Doug unpacks how his monastic vows, his monastery's bankruptcy, and years of guiding others through financial distress led him to explore the emotional and psychological roots of money. He explains why money acts as “stored energy,” why it absorbs our intention, and why integrating spirituality with finance is essential for living a whole, aligned life. From there, the episode rolls into the psychedelic origins of the Enneagram, how different types experience altered states, and why Doug believes psychedelic journeys can reveal the deepest architecture of the ego. Harmony and Russell share their own recent experiences with 5-MeO-DMT, exploring consciousness, connection, lineage healing, and the dissolution of the self. This is one of the most surprising, expansive, and spiritually charged conversations ever recorded for the Finding Harmony podcast. In this episode: Setting the Stage: Who Is Doug Lynam Today? Harmony introduces Doug as a “monk, a money manager, and a mystic” wrapped into one. Doug's backstory: 20 years as a Benedictine monk, vow of poverty, monastery bankruptcy. How reconciling money and spirituality became his life's work. Money as Spiritual Energy Doug reframes money as “stored work energy.” Why separating spirituality and money leads to fragmentation. Russell shares his discomfort about mixing spirituality and money, prompting a rich dialogue about cultural conditioning and internal conflict. Psychedelics in Early Christianity Doug shares research from The Immortality Key. Evidence of psychedelic sacraments in early Christian rituals. Greek, Roman, and pagan traditions that shaped early Christianity. Understanding the Enneagram from a Psychological Lens Doug explains the Enneagram as nine ego-structures shaped by childhood stressors. The three emotional roots: anger, sadness, fear. Russell identifies strongly with Type Nine. How the Enneagram predicts emotional triggers and core wounds. Psychedelics and the Enneagram Doug's theory: psychedelic experiences mirror your type's greatest fear and greatest hope. Anger-triad types often benefit from dissociatives like ketamine. Shame-triad types often benefit from MDMA. Fear-triad types often resonate with psilocybin or LSD. The Untold Psychedelic History of the Enneagram The Enneagram's modern lineage through Oscar Ichazo and Claudio Naranjo. Naranjo's psychedelic clinic and collaborations with Alexander Shulgin. How psychedelic history was stripped out when the Enneagram entered Christian communities. Five-MeO-DMT, Ego Dissolution, and the Mystical Experience Doug outlines safe, trauma-informed approaches to 5-MeO facilitation. Why slow, intentional dosing may be safer than single “breakthrough” hits. How the Enneagram enriches psychedelic integration. Harmony and Russell share their own recent journeys, including lineage healing and somatic release. Trauma, Healing, and Union with the Divine Doug shares his own intense 5-MeO experience involving collective suffering and infinite love. Philosophical reflections on consciousness, non-duality, pain, and interconnectedness. A powerful closing on how expanded states reveal the architecture of the ego and the nature of reality. Guest Bio: Doug Lynam Doug Lynam is a former Benedictine monk turned financial advisor, author, and expert on the intersection of money, psychology, and spirituality. After spending two decades in monastic life, Doug unexpectedly became responsible for navigating his monastery through bankruptcy. This launched his mission to help others heal their relationship with money. He's a partner at a New Mexico investment firm, an Enneagram specialist, and the author of From Monk to Money Manager and Taming Your Money Monster. Doug also integrates his deep interest in psychedelics, consciousness, and emotional transformation into his work. Relevant Links Taming Your Money Monster by Doug Lynam: https://www.thomasnelson.com/p/taming-your-money-monster/ Clarity Session with Harmony: https://harmonyslater.as.me/Clarity-Session Call to Action If this episode stretched your mind, cracked open your heart, or made you rethink your relationship with money and spirituality, share it with someone who loves exploring consciousness. And make sure to subscribe so you don't miss future episodes where we keep expanding what's possible. Upcoming events: https://harmonyslater.com/events 21 Day Money Magic Manifestation Challenge: https://community-harmonyslater.com/landing/plans/1542444Use PROMO CODE for additional $20 Savings: MANIFESTATIONMAGIC  FREE Manifestation Activation: https://harmonyslater.kit.com/manifestation-activation FIND Harmony: https://harmonyslater.com/ JOIN the Finding Harmony Community: https://community-harmonyslater.com/ Harmony on IG: https://www.instagram.com/harmonyslaterofficial/ Finding Harmony Podcast on IG: https://www.instagram.com/findingharmonypodcast/ FREE 2 min breathwork practice: https://harmonyslater.com/morning-breathwork-optin Find your Spiritual Entrepreneur Archetype! Take the Quiz! https://harmonyslater.com/spiritual-entrepreneur-archetype-quiz BOOK Your Spinal Energetics Session: https://harmonyslater.as.me/

Ray Ray's Podcast — Episode 171 “Chef Henry Johnson”This week, Chef Henry Johnson joins Ray Ray's Podcast! Currently featured on this season of Hell's Kitchen: Battle of the States, Chef Henry represents Team Texas and shares his journey from the early days in the kitchen to becoming the Executive Chef at EVELYN, one of Dallas's top dining spots.He opens up about what it's like working under high pressure, his time filming with Gordon Ramsay, and the dedication it takes to rise through the ranks in the culinary industry. From competition kitchens to creating culinary art in Dallas, this episode delivers heat, hustle, and heart. Recorded at Hello Studios Dallas, this one's for fans of Hell's Kitchen, culinary success stories, and Dallas dining culture. Subscribe for weekly episodes featuring actors, musicians, athletes, entrepreneurs, and community leaders sharing their stories and lessons learned. Topics & Keywords: Chef Henry Johnson interview, Hell's Kitchen Battle of the States, Dallas chefs, EVELYN restaurant Dallas, Gordon Ramsay, culinary journey, Texas chefs, Dallas dining, cooking competition, restaurant life, Hello Studios Dallas. Connect with Us:Instagram: @rayrays_podcastWebsite: www.rayrayspodcast.comEmail: ray@rayrayspodcast.com#RayRaysPodcast #ChefHenryJohnson #HellsKitchen #DallasPodcast #DallasChef #EVELYNDallas #TexasChefs #CulinaryJourney #CookingCompetition #GordonRamsay #HelloStudiosDallas

AP's Lisa Dwyer reports on a warning to blue states over SNAP benefits.

*Notice* Podcasting will be on Monday And Tuesday From now on. I have to do what works for me. Thank you for understanding.Thank you for all for the blessings

The Washington Education Association has no place left to hide. Suspect in shooting of National Guard members in DC was living in Washington. States sue Trump admin so they can continue a failed homeless approach. Did local Democrats bribe voters? 

Her mother attempted to abort her, but God intervened in a miraculous way. The Lord has touched her life in so many ways and it's amazing how my two guests met!  Today, Adriana's testimony is one of forgiveness, redemption, and hope—and it's incredible how her path crossed with Jenny's second guest, Melanie Azarcon, Partner & Church Liaison for Health Bridge Global. They are partnering to help build "Life Medical Hospital", a women's hospital in Romania so women don't have to resort to abortion for birth control. The plan is to care for women from conception to post birth. How do you forgive your mother who tried to abort you, reminded you of it throughout her life, and aborted your siblings? How do you forgive? Only JESUS!  And now Adriana and her husband have two beautiful children of their own! Her story also reaches beyond her own family: She shares a heart-wrenching story of how an abortion 30 years ago affected a family here in the States and how God used Adriana to help them heal and break those lies of the enemy. This conversation is raw, inspiring, and filled with hope—a powerful reminder of God's ability to transform pain into purpose. If you or someone you know needs emotional healing after abortion, Deeper Still Ministries can help. (deeperstill.org) - Find freedom from your abortion wounded heart.  Hope Resource is a pregnancy resource center who will walk beside you to empower you to choose life. (knoxvillehope.com). Both of these organizations bring hope and the love of Jesus Christ. You can find more about Health Bridge Global at healthbridgeglobal.org.

You know why Neville didn't teach alignment…Because there's nothing out there to line up with…Since the universe is in infinite response to you…States are dead…You give them life when you occupy them…Alignment is a totally different beast…It lives in the head and it creates a battle in the mind…Teams… labels… causes…Red… blue…Cat… dog…Chevy… Ford…None of that tells me who I am…None of it tells you who you are…It only reveals what argument you prefer…Manifestination and transformation is all about STATE…What state - way of percieving - are you living from…Right now…Happy Loving Teacher…That one runs my life…Before coffee…Before sunlight…Before I even know what day it is…It's not a job…It's who I am in the world…Same with Happy Loving Husband…I don't line up with her vibe…Her mood…Her stories…I show up as the man I choose to be…That's my gig…That's my gift…If she had to align with me…And I had to align with her…We'd never touch - we'd never tango…Have you noticed, most folks live who try to live like that…They think something's wrong with them…So out come the mantras…The frequencies…The sigils…The magic numbers…The special hours…Once you open that door…Crazy walks right in…Boots on…Here's the thing…You don't need alignment…You need occupation…Neville said you're the operant power of God…He meant it…Wisdom…Power…Love…That's what you are…So what exactly are you trying to align with…Stop trying to align…Start exploring - who you are - how this works…And if you want to explore with us…Join us in ManifestingMasteryDeluxe.comNinety new vids…Private group…Live calls every ninety days…Real people… real work…Because it's exploring the truth about you that sets you free…See ya…The Power of Imagination with Mr Twenty Twenty is a reader-supported publication.

On Monday's show: Texas Gov. Greg Abbott has often been a staunch champion of states' rights, including when Joe Biden was president. But reporting from ProPublica and the Texas Tribune takes a closer look at how different things have been with Donald Trump in the White House.Also this hour: Then, we offer listeners a chance to vent about their pet peeves about life in our city. Share yours now at talk@houstonmatters.org.And we discuss the latest developments in Houston sports with Jeff Balke.Watch

Today we learn that Trump Obliterates a reporter, the FBI raids an Apartment of an Immigrant who ambushed two National Guards near the White House, and how God could be laying a “Snare” for America. 00:00 A House Divided Shall Not Stand 04:29 Divided 07:56 A Great Divide 10:40 A Snare 12:07 Silver 13:44 Dumitru 20:23 FastGap 23:24 Covert Intel 25:16 Digital ID

Today we learn that Trump Obliterates a reporter, the FBI raids an Apartment of an Immigrant who ambushed two National Guards near the White House, and how God could be laying a “Snare” for America. 00:00 A House Divided Shall Not Stand 04:29 Divided 07:56 A Great Divide 10:40 A Snare 12:07 Silver 13:44 Dumitru 20:23 FastGap 23:24 Covert Intel 25:16 Digital ID

On this episode, John Michael and Nicole Caldwell share some of their Christmas traditions and memories growing up in Uruguay and the United States. They also share some encouraging thoughts for us as we head into the Christmas season. This episode also includes excerpts from Season 1 Episode 5 (“Christmas Traditions and Expectations” with Colton Shrader). This episode also includes excerpts from season 1 episode 5 (“Christmas Traditions and Expectations” with Colton Shrader). Who doesn't love the Christmas season? Well, sometimes the reality of the season doesn't live up to the expectations we place on it. Whether that's from trying to mix winter-based, northern hemisphere traditions into South American summer contexts, or sacrificing your traditions to make time for family and friends while in the States. This season, whatever it looks like for you, still reminds us that we can live in expectation and joy, despite trouble, because of the very good news of Jesus.What are your family's Christmas traditions where you grew up? Send them in! We'd love to hear about it! Connect with us HERE. HOSTS: Michelle Ellis, John Michael Caldwell, Nicole Caldwell, Colton ShraderSONG: Sunscreen by Vic Davi CONNECT WITH US: Instagram | FacebookSHOW NOTES:14:32 | Isaiah 9:6 - “For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.”15:28 | Ephesians 3:16-21 - “…And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the Lord's holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ…”KEY QUOTES:9:08 | “ It's all about Jesus in the end.”10:50 | “No matter what you're going through in this season of life, the Lord sees you. He knows exactly what you need.”11:09 | “There is hope and there's definitely hope in Jesus.”12:29 | “ You're here on this earth at this time for a reason.”12:58 | “Jesus does relate to you.”14:07 | “Let His presence enter your heart and your life and let His word consume you so that you can have the joy of Jesus every single day.”29:44 | “He has made a way for us to have an abundant life now. There are ways for us to enjoy, even in the hardships, even in the stressful times, there are ways for us to enjoy being followers of Christ now in our day-to-day life.”30:09 | “We can also live with joy and expectation for what is going to come.”30:35 | “If you want to be someone that has the ability to give to others spiritually, right? To pour into others and to give out of the abundance of your intimacy with Jesus, then it has to be more than just a Sunday morning experience.”34:08 | “Your pain and the challenges in this season that you're feeling have not gone unnoticed.”Interested in partnering with John Michael & Nicole in prayer, one-time giving, or monthly giving? Do that HERE.COMMON TERMS:TCK - third culture kidMK - missionary kidLAC - Latin America Caribbean

Bienvenue à Oklahoma City !La ville des cow-boysLa ville des Thunder (passion NBA)La ville qu'on appelle : OKC (prononcez : O-KAY-SI)Oklahoma City a été marqué par un attentat terrible en 1995Un attentat qui a choqué l'AmériqueUn attentat commis par une jeune américain de 27 ans : Timothy McVeighCe nom sera très présent dans cet épisodeMais pas seulement !En nous écoutant, vous pourrez aussi croiser des chevaux, des calèches, des diligences, des puits de pétrole et des tunnels éclairés avec des néons...Pour en savoir plus, une seule adresse, Le podcast Fifty States Hébergé par Audiomeans. Visitez audiomeans.fr/politique-de-confidentialite pour plus d'informations.

Watch The X22 Report On Video No videos found (function(w,d,s,i){w.ldAdInit=w.ldAdInit||[];w.ldAdInit.push({slot:17532056201798502,size:[0, 0],id:"ld-9437-3289"});if(!d.getElementById(i)){var j=d.createElement(s),p=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0];j.async=true;j.src="https://cdn2.decide.dev/_js/ajs.js";j.id=i;p.parentNode.insertBefore(j,p);}})(window,document,"script","ld-ajs");pt> Click On Picture To See Larger PictureCanada just folded and is now doing what Trump wants in regards to steel and aluminum, Trump has all the leverage. The Dept of Labor confirms that Americans were being replaced in the work field. Trump is set to push homeownership thru the roof with a  50 year mortgage. Trump has the solution to the affordability crisis that the [CB] created, get rid of the [CB]. Trump is dismantling the [DS] world wide. The criminal syndicate was setup in many countries to make it virtually impossible to dismantle. But it is being done through peace through strength. The [DS] system is being strangled and soon those who have been held captive will be removed or come to heel. Trump is now setting the stage to bring the [DS] to justice. He has now voided out 92% of Biden orders, which means judges, other nominees will be removed. Justice is coming and the [DS] players are panicking. Economy Interesting Development – Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney Announces New Limits on Foreign Steel and Aluminum, With New 25% Tariff on Steel Derivative Components   Prime Minister Mark Carney is conceding defeat to President Trump and positioning the Canadian economy to be compliant with U.S-Mexico trade regulations. However, Carney is not saying that, indeed he cannot; he's spent over a year telling Canadians that President Trump's trade and economic demands are not going to be accepted by Canada.  However, what he is factually doing is exactly what President Trump has demanded. Prime Minister Carney is saying he is restricting Steel and Aluminum imports from non-free trade agreement countries, and he is lowering the tonnage of Steel and Aluminum that will be permitted for import.  His claim is that this approach will help drive up “domestic demand” for Canadian Steel and Aluminum, but that's ancillary to the real objective. President Trump has demanded Canada stop importing cheap steel and aluminum mostly from China; including manufactured component goods that are made with steel and aluminum (think autos).  Canada would not stop, because they could not stop.  Their manufacturing base, green energy and climate change economy, is more of a component assembly system now. So, President Trump hit Canada with a 35% tariff, and things got ugly.  In June Trump raised the tariff to 50%. The back and forth has gone on all year. Carney now announces restrictions on imported steel and aluminum, as well as restrictions on imported derivative goods that come from steel and aluminum, in combination with a spending plan to bolster the Canadian steel and aluminum manufacturing base.  This ends up shifting the Canadian industrial sector to making steel and aluminum products without Chinese import dependency. Source: theconservativetreehouse.com https://twitter.com/USDOL/status/1994841467345670569?s=20 https://twitter.com/unusual_whales/status/1994556411439976468?s=20 (function(w,d,s,i){w.ldAdInit=w.ldAdInit||[];w.ldAdInit.push({slot:18510697282300316,size:[0, 0],id:"ld-8599-9832"});if(!d.getElementById(i)){var j=d.createElement(s),p=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0];j.async=true;j.src="https://cdn2.decide.dev/_js/ajs.js";j.id=i;p.parentNode.insertBefore(j,p);}})(window,document,"script","ld-ajs"); https://twitter.com/KobeissiLetter/status/1994918010197278811?s=20 https://twitter.com/SecScottBessent/status/1994478437042438573?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1994478437042438573%7Ctwgr%5Ee930cbbc1182e7871f84fda0a85e43c6c0f2ca9c%7Ctwcon%5Es1_c10&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.thegatewaypundit.com%2F2025%2F11%2Ftreasury-working-cut-benefits-money-transfers-illegal-aliens%2F   are no longer available to illegal and other non-qualified aliens, covering the Earned Income Tax Credit, the Additional Child Tax Credit, the American Opportunity Tax Credit, and the Saver's Match Credit. https://twitter.com/unusual_whales/status/1994064168115478599?s=20 https://twitter.com/unusual_whales/status/1994844057110262116?s=20   Prices and Taxes are DOWN. Education is being brought back to the States (where it belongs!), and our Military, and Southern Border, is the strongest they have ever been. The USA is respected again, respected like never before. All of this was brought about by Strong Leadership and TARIFFS, without which we would be a poor and pathetic laughingstock again. Evil, American hating Forces are fighting us at the United States Supreme Court. Pray to God that our Nine Justices will show great wisdom, and do the right thing for America! Political/Rights https://twitter.com/amuse/status/1994796365461758352?s=20   public that illegal entry violates 8 U.S.C. §1325 and reentry after deportation violates §1326, a felony the left avoids acknowledging. He said 60–70% of illegal aliens arrested in immigration sweeps carry prior criminal or immigration histories. With DHS logging over 527,000 deportations in 2025, Trump's enforcement surge is targeting high-risk offenders. Bovino said the radical left simply ignores the law because it undermines their narrative. DOGE Trump White House Unleashes Media Bias Tracker to Crush Fake News Narratives  The Trump administration has launched a brand-new “Media Bias Tracker” directly on the White House website. Unveiled on Friday, this tool is designed to call out and document the endless stream of false, misleading, and biased stories peddled by outlets that have spent years attacking President Donald Trump and his agenda. According to the White House, the tracker serves as a “record of the media's false and misleading stories flagged by The White House.” The tracker highlights “offenses” from major news publications, including an “Offender Hall of Shame” and a leaderboard ranking the worst culprits in spreading misinformation. Described as “a race to the bottom,” this feature ranks outlets based on repeat offenses. Topping the Hall of Shame list is The Washington Post, followed by rebranded leftist mouthpieces like MSNBC (now MS NOW), CBS News, CNN, The New York Times, Politico, and The Wall Street Journal. In response to their top spot, a spokesperson for the Washington Post said, “The Washington Post is proud of its accurate, rigorous journalism.” The page also features a “Media Offender of the Week,” currently blasting outlets for exaggerating Trump's calls to hold Democrats accountable for their seditious behavior. Source: thegatewaypundit.com https://twitter.com/newstart_2024/status/1994506579660689812?s=20  entire Silicon Valley “tech wife mafia” and how they were used. Her exact words (full clip attached): “I don't think many of the tech mafia wives realize… they were used to set the groundwork for what Klaus Schwab calls The Great Reset. Their money especially was being conscripted through a network of NGO advisors, Hollywood, Davos, and their own companies. A really small group of people… completely blind to how their groundwork is being used to enable these Great Reset policies.” Then she turns the knife inward: “These women find their meaning through philanthropic work. I really believed I was helping Black communities and indigenous communities rise up. But now the problems have gotten worse. Crime worse. Mental health worse. The whole model is broken. At the end of the day they always go: ‘But climate change.' Social justice + climate change — it gets progressive women 100% of the time.” She even says many now believe the biggest “climate change issues” are actually geoengineering issues. This isn't some random podcast bro. This is a woman who lived in the mansions, sat on the boards, flew private to Davos parties… and is now saying: “We were the useful idiots.” Geopolitical https://twitter.com/elonmusk/status/1994936233878065399?s=20   with a legally possessed shotgun at a Florida shooting range, a British man was arrested, locked in a cell overnight, interrogated, and lectured that he “must understand how posts make people feel.” Police seized his computer and phone, wiping out his ability to work. Weeks later, all charges were quietly dropped because they were baseless from the start. Critics say the ordeal proves the UK has turned social media into a surveillance trap where innocent people are punished by process alone. https://twitter.com/amuse/status/1994781531244474604?s=20   terrorizing AfD. Antifa extremists descended on an AfD youth event in Giessen, attacking attendees and Bundestag member Julian Schmidt in a coordinated effort to intimidate the rising populist party. Germany has faced a wave of Antifa terror: doxxing AfD addresses, firebombing cars and threatening families. Mike Benz says Antifa is part of a transnational Marxist network weaponized since Trump's 2016 victory to shield globalist interests by attacking democratic populist movements across the West. Violence increases as AfD gains support. War/Peace   roads. His chief opponent is Rixi Moncada, who says Fidel Castro is her idol. Normally, the smart people of Honduras, would reject her, and elect Tito Asfura, but the Communists are trying to trick the people by running a third Candidate, Salvador Nasralla. Nasralla is no friend of Freedom. A borderline Communist, he helped Xiomara Castro by running as her Vice President. He won, and helped Castro win. Then he resigned, and is now pretending to be an anti-Communist only for the purposes of splitting Asfura's vote. The people of Honduras must not be tricked again. The only real friend of Freedom in Honduras is Tito Asfura. Tito and I can work together to fight the Narcocommunists, and bring needed aid to the people of Honduras. I cannot work with Moncada and the Communists, and Nasralla is not a reliable partner for Freedom, and cannot be trusted. I hope the people of Honduras vote for Freedom and Democracy, and elect Tito Asfura, President!   potential, of Honduras! Additionally, I will be granting a Full and Complete Pardon to Former President Juan Orlando Hernandez who has been, according to many people that I greatly respect, treated very harshly and unfairly. This cannot be allowed to happen, especially now, after Tito Asfura wins the Election, when Honduras will be on its way to Great Political and Financial Success. VOTE FOR TITO ASFURA FOR PRESIDENT, AND CONGRATULATIONS TO JUAN ORLANDO HERNANDEZ ON YOUR UPCOMING PARDON. Thank you for your attention to this matter. MAKE HONDURAS GREAT AGAIN! PRESIDENT DONALD J. TRUMP https://twitter.com/DataRepublican/status/1994907658021998933?s=20   a crisis. International law has no force here. Your authority, mine, and that of the scholars you cite sits on the same level: none. It is all gatekeeping dressed as expertise. The video urging people to ignore “illegal orders” made your intent clear. You stretch the term until it covers anything that suits your goal of weakening the security apparatus and pushing Trump out of office. People see that. They see you. That you all are walking free and making those posts trying to advance a color revolution is the ultimate proof that Trump is not an authoritarian… he is far too lenient. https://twitter.com/CynicalPublius/status/1994807665147744671?s=20 https://twitter.com/SecWar/status/1994552598142038358?s=20  intended to be “lethal, kinetic strikes.” The declared intent is to stop lethal drugs, destroy narco-boats, and kill the narco-terrorists who are poisoning the American people. Every trafficker we kill is affiliated with a Designated Terrorist Organization. The Biden administration preferred the kid gloves approach, allowing millions of people — including dangerous cartels and unvetted Afghans — to flood our communities with drugs and violence. The Trump administration has sealed the border and gone on offense against narco-terrorists. Biden coddled terrorists, we kill them. Our current operations in the Caribbean are lawful under both U.S. and international law, with all actions in compliance with the law of armed conflict—and approved by the best military and civilian lawyers, up and down the chain of command. Our warriors in SOUTHCOM put their lives on the line every day to protect the Homeland from narco-terrorists — and I will ALWAYS have their back. https://twitter.com/TimOnPoint/status/1994570386239852571?s=20   is probably closer to the SECWAR's office in the Pentagon. The Washington Post begins writing the story. C) a Soros-funded NGO puts billboards up encouraging military personnel to report unlawful orders… although there are no unlawful orders identified. D) out of nowhere, the Seditious Six – which includes one presidential hopeful and one former IC member who had direct involvement in the original attempt to destroy Trump – delivers to social media a “don't give up the ship” video – a public service announcement to all personnel to refuse unlawful orders. *** the video was funded and produced a Soros funded NGO. E) Senator Slotkin, the former CIA ghoul, goes on the news and is very careful to state that she can't identify any unlawful orders that have been given. F) boom, the WaPo delivers the story claiming unlawful orders. G) Friday evening, everyone on the left hits social media – with paid amplification – about the unlawful orders. H) the Sunday shows will be filled with calls for war crimes charges, impeachments, and resignations. All a coincidence, right? None of it was coordinated, right? Not all civil wars happen on the battlefield. https://twitter.com/PeteHegseth/status/1994553202767700041?s=20  https://twitter.com/sentdefender/status/1994957376764424644?s=20   House through a number of channels, with ongoing discussions about what future communication between the two countries might look like, multiple administration officials told CNN. Venezuela Issues Statement After President Trump Orders All Aircraft to Avoid Regime-Controlled Airspace   In Venezuela's statement, the regime accused the United States of attempting to “intimidate Venezuela” and framed Trump's announcement as an attack on Latin America as a whole. The press release ignored every factual concern raised by U.S. intelligence, including increased military involvement in cocaine transport and the regime's long-standing partnership with the Cartel of the Suns. Today's outburst from the Maduro regime is another example of Venezuela deflecting blame while its role in regional crime expands. Meanwhile, President Trump's position is clear: protect international aviation, disrupt drug networks, and stop allowing a criminal regime to use its airspace as a staging ground. Source: thegatewaypundit.com https://twitter.com/GhostEzraQ/status/1994769781073867174?s=20   Pentagon for decades. Who do you think really armed the Venezuelan “gangs” that flooded swing states right before the election? Who flew the untraceable Gulfstreams full of product and kids out of Maturín and Maiquetía while Biden looked the other way? Same people who ran Iran-Contra, fast-forward 40 years. Trump isn't just closing airspace, he's cutting the oxygen to the deep-state money laundering superhighway that's been funding black sites, color revolutions, and child trafficking networks across the hemisphere. Land operations begin “VERY SOON.” Translation: The white hats are moving in to seize the servers, the tunnels, and the ledgers the mockingbird media swore didn't exist. The storm over Caracas is about to expose everything. https://twitter.com/xAlphaWarriorx/status/1994912948201165251?s=20   just talk…he'll detonate his/deep states entire network. Many are struggling with discernment, but the strategic reality is simple: Maduro hasn't controlled Venezuela for years. The deep state held the reins. Then the guardians caught him, flipped him and weaponized the façade of control against the deep state. They may publicly acknowledge it; they may bury it. But the aftermath will speak for itself. In the days immediately following his surrender or “death,” watch the information floodgates burst wide open…especially involving U.S. elections. The timing will be surgical. The disclosures will be coordinated. And the narrative collapse will be unmistakable. Zelensky’s Sacked Top Aide ‘Escapes’ To Front-Line To ‘Hide’ From Corruption Investigators  Andriy Yermak, the man who until just over 24 hours ago was Zelensky’s right hand man and the president’s top most powerful aid as chief of staff, and Ukraine’s appointed chief negotiator with the US on the peace process, is going to the front lines, apparently to “fight”. After his home and offices were raided by Ukraine’s anti-corruption investigators Friday related to the ongoing massive energy sector kickback scandal, Yermak announced by text message to The New York Post, “I'm going to the front and am prepared for any reprisals.” He followed with, “I am an honest and decent person.”  According to the lengthy analysis [emphasis ZH]:  Zelensky's fixer, enforcer, gatekeeper, and indispensable ally, isn't a “corruption scandal.” It's Washington slapping the table. NABU, the U.S.-trained attack dog of Ukrainian politics, didn't raid the Presidential Office by accident.It raided to remind Zelensky that the war isn't his to command, the peace process isn't his to veto, and the leash around Bankova Street is held in Washington, not Kiev and certainly not European chihuahuas. Because the real story isn't Yermak's resignation. The real story is the West turning on itself over how to end a war Russia has already won.      Source: thegatewaypundit.com Ukrainian Delegation Arrives in the US To Meet Secretary Rubio, Witkoff and Kushner for Peace Talks  Kiev regime leader Volodymyr Zelensky announced Saturday (29) that a peace talks delegation was on its way to the United States. The Ukrainian team, now headed by former Defense Minister and Security Council Secretary Rustem Umerov, will continue talks today (30) on an agreement to end the war with Russia. Zelensky expects that these talks, to be held tomorrow (30) to develop upon the previous meeting in Geneva. “U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, special envoy Steve Witkoff and U.S. President Donald Trump's son-in-law Jared Kushner will meet Ukrainian officials on Sunday in Florida, a senior U.S. official told Reuters.” Source: thegatewaypundit.com https://twitter.com/MZHemingway/status/1994835005357576325?s=20 https://twitter.com/WarClandestine/status/1994938711729938444?s=20 Medical/False Flags https://twitter.com/ImMeme0/status/1994907732890325212?s=20   let millions of illegal aliens pour into the country? But sure, keep acting like Americans are too stupid to notice what's actually going on. You really think people are that dumb, don't you? https://twitter.com/BretWeinstein/status/1994904606913302874?s=20  medicine, the debut of a lethal new vaccine platform, shredding of the First Amendment, and robotic pens used to brazenly pardon criminal masterminds—all lurk just below the surface. Thanks to @VPrasadMDMPH for stepping up.    win the Midterm Elections in RECORD NUMBERS. I AM THE AFFORDABILITY PRESIDENT. TALK LOUDLY AND PROUDLY! President DJT https://twitter.com/MrAndyNgo/status/1994939951293895094?s=20 [DS] Agenda  President Trump's Plan https://twitter.com/julie_kelly2/status/1994543710437007421?s=20   DC) is the basis of the contempt investigation. Kash Patel says all contents of FBI Trump-Russia burn bags will be made public FBI Director Kash Patel says the contents of the burn bags containing Trump-Russia documents discovered at the FBI building will be made public one way or another. “You're going to see everything we found in that room in one way or another, be it through investigation, public trial, or disclosure to the Congress,” Patel told The Epoch Times in an interview with reporter Jan Jekielek that will air Saturday. The bureau said that the classified information was stashed away in a room at FBI Headquarters and was related to Crossfire Hurricane and also other FBI inquiries into President Donald Trump and his allies. Patel previously said that the FBI had found “several bags” containing evidence related to the Russiagate investigation. One electronic communication made public by the Justice Department in court filings related to the prosecution of former FBI Director James Comey earlier this month indicated the FBI began a preliminary investigation into the discovery this summer. Source: justthenews.com https://twitter.com/EricLDaugh/status/1994913285259272493?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1994913285259272493%7Ctwgr%5Ef8c44fa6520e3b2f5c1b1f5de5158fa619710e1c%7Ctwcon%5Es1_c10&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fredstate.com%2Fnick-arama%2F2025%2F11%2F29%2Fpass-the-popcorn-kash-patel-has-intriguing-news-about-comey-case-and-those-burn-bags-n2196663   tuned for right after Thanksgiving. And you’ll see multiple responses…” @FBIDirectorKash https://twitter.com/RonDeSantis/status/1994967913636528531?s=20 https://twitter.com/MarioNawfal/status/1994582862176149809?s=20  fundraisers. Limiting events. Stage-managing appearances. Reducing his workload. Avoiding interviews. Even recruiting Hollywood directors Steven Spielberg and Jeffrey Katzenberg to help with the State of the Union. They controlled everything, including who could see him. This wasn’t a presidency. It was a production. The 91-page committee report found Biden’s “inner circle” took steps to “meticulously stage-manage” his public appearances, lighten his private workload, and block lawmakers from talking to him directly. Three key aides took the Fifth Amendment when questioned, including White House physician Dr. Kevin O’Connor, who refused to answer: “Were you ever told to lie about the president’s health?” Former Chief of Staff Jeff Zients admitted under oath he didn’t even know who operated the autopen that signed approximately 92% of Biden’s documents. Trump has now declared all autopen-signed executive actions “NULL AND VOID” and threatened Biden with perjury charges if he claims he authorized them. The same people who called you a conspiracy theorist for questioning Biden’s fitness were stage-managing his every movement. They knew. They all knew. And they lied to your face for four years. TIMESTAMPS: 0:22 – Panicked Donor Calls Chief of Staff Immediately After Biden Fundraiser 1:33 – Zients Confession: “Age is the Most Difficult Issue” 2:37 – Why Spielberg and Katzenberg Were Secretly Brought In 5:30 – The Makeup and “Discipline” Strategy to Hide Biden’s Decline 7:05 – The Real Reason Biden Dodged Super Bowl Interview 9:58 – Staff Ordered to Reduce His Steps After Multiple Falls Source:   directly signed by Crooked Joe Biden, because the people who operated the Autopen did so illegally. Joe Biden was not involved in the Autopen process and, if he says he was, he will be brought up on charges of perjury. Thank you for your attention to this matter! https://twitter.com/JoeLang51440671/status/1994860387108340010?s=20 (function(w,d,s,i){w.ldAdInit=w.ldAdInit||[];w.ldAdInit.push({slot:13499335648425062,size:[0, 0],id:"ld-7164-1323"});if(!d.getElementById(i)){var j=d.createElement(s),p=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0];j.async=true;j.src="//cdn2.customads.co/_js/ajs.js";j.id=i;p.parentNode.insertBefore(j,p);}})(window,document,"script","ld-ajs");

Prospects for peace in Ukraine, more states consider assisted suicide, and the first Bible translated in America. Plus, Janie B. Cheaney on what we leave behind, a cow's woolly hideout, and the Tuesday morning newsSupport The World and Everything in It today at wng.org/donateAdditional support comes from Dordt University, where pre-med students gain knowledge through undergraduate research and hone skills through hands-on simulations. Dordt.eduFrom Free Lutheran Bible College. The Free Lutheran Bible College (FLBC), Plymouth, MN, prepares students to live out their calling through the study of God's Word in authentic community since 1964. At FLBC, biblical truth isn't an elective course—it's the foundation of our academic study. Through the study of God's Word in authentic, Christ-centered community, you'll form a biblical worldview that gives you clarity and confidence for whatever comes next—college, career, family, or ministry. Learn more at flbc.edu/worldAnd from Cedarville University—a Christ-centered, academically rigorous university located in southwest Ohio, equipping students for Gospel impact across every career and calling. Cedarville integrates a biblical worldview into every course in the more than 175 undergraduate and graduate programs students choose from. New online undergraduate degrees through Cedarville Online offer flexible and affordable education grounded in a strong Christian community that fosters both faith and learning. Learn more at cedarville.edu, and explore online programs at cedarville.edu/online