Podcasts about Styrofoam

The AI Capex Bubble Is Starting to Look Crazy I keep coming back to the same question when I look at the incredible amount of money being poured into artificial intelligence: Where is all of this capital ultimately going to earn a return?   Since the beginning of 2024, roughly $500 billion has been spent on chips, $350 billion on power infrastructure, $200 billion on construction and $100 billion on networking. That's approximately $1.1 trillion of AI infrastructure spending in less than three years. For perspective, the entire S&P 500 spent roughly $575 billion on capital expenditures in 2021 right before ChatGPT even existed.   And the spending is accelerating.  In 2021 The four major hyperscalers—Microsoft, Amazon, Alphabet and Meta— spent about $125 billion on new plants and equipment. It's now estimated that they will spend $1 trillion, which is about half of total capital spending for the S&P 500 and the companies could spend roughly $3.7 trillion through 2029. Add companies such as Oracle, OpenAI, SpaceX and others, and total AI spending could approach $6 trillion by the end of the decade.   Those numbers are almost difficult to comprehend. And here's where I think the historical comparisons to railroads and the internet become interesting. Yes, those were enormous infrastructure buildouts too. But the economic opportunity created by those technologies was incredibly clear.   The railroad connected producers with consumers, opened new markets, lowered transportation costs and allowed goods to move across the country. The internet created entirely new businesses and fundamentally changed commerce, advertising, communications and how we work.   I don't see AI in quite the same light. I see enormous potential, but I don't yet see the same obvious economic expansion that will ultimately justify trillions of dollars of infrastructure spending.   And now we're starting to hear another argument: "Look at the cloud. Look at how much money the cloud is generating. That's proof the AI infrastructure will earn a return."   I'm not sure I buy that. That's a little like building railroads and then saying: "Look at how much money we're making selling railcars. Look at the demand for locomotives and railroad equipment. Clearly the railroad investment is paying off." The problem is that's not where the ultimate economic return came from. The return came from transporting goods and people. The railroad was valuable because businesses used it to create economic activity.   The same is true of the internet. The real economic payoff wasn't simply selling servers and networking equipment. It came from everything built on top of the internet. So with AI, I think the ultimate question is not: "How much revenue are Nvidia, the cloud companies and data-center operators generating?" It's: "How much NEW economic value is being created by all of this computing capacity?"   That's a much harder question. Because if we're essentially spending trillions of dollars building increasingly powerful computers, data centers and power infrastructure so companies can sell more computing capacity to other companies that are also spending billions on AI infrastructure, we need to be careful about confusing activity with economic returns.   And this is where the bubble argument gets interesting. A recent Barron's article points out that historically, transformative technology booms have been able to absorb enormous amounts of capital before eventually running into trouble. Its "rule of 25" suggests that previous infrastructure booms became particularly vulnerable when investment approached roughly 25% of GDP. The railroad boom saw about $2.5 billion of rail spending before the 1873 panic and GDP was about $10 billion a year. Internet infrastructure saw about $1.5 trillion of investment before the bust and back then GDP was only about $6 trillion. For today's roughly $30 trillion U.S. economy, that would be around $7.5 trillion before we saw problems.   That's being used as evidence that the AI boom has plenty of room to run. And maybe it does. But here's the funny part. We're increasingly hearing very smart people say: "Yes, this is going to end badly." "Yes, there is too much capital being deployed." "Yes, there will eventually be excess capacity." "Yes, the financing is getting complicated." But then comes the qualifier: "Just not yet." That might be the most dangerous phrase in investing. Because that's exactly how bubbles work.   When I look at $1.1 trillion already spent, and potentially $6 trillion by the end of the decade, increasingly creative financing structures and companies racing to build capacity before we fully understand the ultimate demand, it starts to feel less like a normal technology cycle and more like a capital spending boom.   Maybe the bubble doesn't burst this year. Maybe it doesn't burst next year. But when almost everyone agrees there is a bubble and the only disagreement is about when it ends that's usually when I start paying very close attention. The technology can be real. The demand can be real. The companies can be profitable. And it can still be a bubble.   The Stock Market Today Resembles the Stock Market of 1901 Some people believe they are witnessing something completely different in the stock market today and that what is happening now has never happened before. They believe the market will continue rising forever, and that there is simply no way they can lose. History tells us otherwise.   Time and time again, we see the same patterns repeat themselves. Surprisingly, the stock market of 1901 had many of the same characteristics we are seeing today. For starters, there was a tremendous amount of trading back then like there is today. In 1901, the turnover rate on the New York Stock Exchange reached 319%, meaning stocks were changing hands roughly every 16 weeks.   They also had something that resembles today's prediction markets. Back then, they were called bucket shops, where people could bet on whether a stock would move up or down. Many were led to believe they were participating in the same type of opportunity as wealthy investors. In reality, they were speculating and many people who didn't know better confused gambling with investing.   Leverage was also widely used. Investors could put up as little as $10 and control as much as $300 worth of stock. That kind of leverage could produce enormous gains when markets were rising, but it could also lead to devastating losses when they turned.   And this is where human psychology comes into play. People's emotions are often far stronger than their logic. The more the market rises, the more people begin to believe it will continue rising and that a crash is unlikely to happen anytime soon.   When investors become excited because they are making easy money, they can lose sight of the difference between investing and gambling. The problem is that gambling can feel like investing when you're winning.   The market's performance in the early 1900s is a good example. The stock market rose 19% in 1900, another 20% in 1901 and 5% in 1902. Then came 1903, when the market declined 23%. But the good times returned, and over the next three years the market gained roughly 69%. Then came the Panic of 1907, and the stock market fell roughly 30% that year.   The lesson isn't that today's market will follow the exact same path. It won't. The lesson is that human behavior hasn't changed much in more than a century. Greed, fear, leverage, speculation and the belief that "this time is different" have been part of financial markets for generations.   As the saying goes, history may not repeat itself, but it definitely rhymes. Investors would be wise to study those rhymes and remember that making money in a rising market doesn't necessarily mean you're investing wisely. Sometimes, it simply means you haven't experienced the other side of the cycle yet.   The Jobs Report Was Much Stronger Than Expected Today's jobs report was a big surprise. The U.S. economy added 162,000 jobs in August, well above the roughly 53,000 expected and the strongest monthly gain in five months. Even more importantly, July was revised from a loss of 23,000 jobs to a gain of 21,000. June was also revised higher, meaning the previous two months were collectively revised up by 55,000 jobs.   The unemployment rate remained at 4.1%, but there was an interesting development underneath that number: the labor force increased by 683,000 people, while household employment increased by 569,000. The labor-force participation rate also rose from 61.4% to 61.6%. It is still down by 0.5% since January, but it's a positive to see it moving in the right direction.   So, we had substantially more people entering the workforce without the unemployment rate increasing. That's a pretty good sign.   There was also a significant difference between industries. Food services and drinking places added 59,000 jobs, while local government education added another 42,000 and construction added about 22,000.  Health care, which has been a large source of employment growth, saw a gain of just 13,000, compared with the monthly average of 32,000 over the prior 12 months.   On the other hand, the information sector continued to lose jobs as information-related industries reported a loss of 23,000, putting the 12-month average at a loss of 8,000. This is worth watching given the impact of automation and AI on certain white-collar industries.   Another positive: the average workweek increased to 34.4 hours, the highest level since March 2024. More hours worked can be just as important economically as more workers being hired.   But there is one area that isn't quite as strong: wages. Average hourly earnings increased just 3.1% from a year ago. That's a healthy increase, but wage growth continues to moderate, and this marked the lowest growth in 5 years.   And then we have the JOLTS data. The latest report showed 7.27 million job openings in July, that's approximately 1.1 job openings for every unemployed person.   That is an important distinction. The labor market is clearly cooler than it was a few years ago, but there are still more available jobs than unemployed workers. Put it all together and I think today's report tells us something pretty simple: The labor market is still healthy.   Job growth has cooled considerably from the boom years, but unemployment remains low, the labor force is expanding, job openings remain above the number of unemployed workers, and today's payroll number was substantially stronger than expected.   This also makes the Federal Reserve's decision much more difficult. If the Fed's primary concern is a rapidly deteriorating labor market, today's report doesn't provide much evidence for that argument. Now the focus shifts back to inflation.   If inflation remains sticky while employment is holding up this well, the argument for aggressive rate cuts becomes much harder to make. The next big test for the Fed is going to be the inflation data.   Sports betting as an investment strategy? This is crazy. According to a Siena Poll, more than a quarter (27%) of Americans and over half (52%) of men aged 18 to 49 say they have an active online sportsbook account. That's not a problem to me if you view sports gambling for what it is…. Which is gambling. The bigger problem I see is another recent survey from Betterment showed 52% of Gen Z investors (those born between 1997 and 2007) have redirected money intended for investing to sports bets.   Think about that. We're not talking about occasionally putting $20 on a football game for fun. Some people are actually incorporating sports betting into their financial plans, viewing it as a way to build wealth, pay off debt, buy a home or reach other financial goals.   People need to understand that gambling is a losing strategy in the long run. Let's say you have a 50/50 bet, essentially a coin flip. You might think that means you have an equal chance of winning or losing your money. Not quite.   To win $100, you have to bet $110. If you win, you make $100. If you lose, you lose the entire $110. So even though the underlying event might seem like a 50/50 proposition, the sportsbook has built in an advantage.   That's not investing. When you buy a stock, you're buying an ownership stake in a business. The company can generate profits, grow its earnings, reinvest in the business and potentially pay dividends. When you make a sports bet, you're putting money at risk on an outcome where the odds are designed to give the sportsbook an edge.   The consequences of legalized sports betting may go far beyond losing a bet. Research from the New York Federal Reserve has found that the expansion of legal sports betting has coincided with rising rates of delinquency and bankruptcy. And the personal financial impact can be even more alarming. A 2025 U.S. News & World Report survey found that 25% of sports bettors said they had missed a bill because of their wagers, while 30% said they had taken on debt because of their betting.   When people start borrowing money, missing bills and taking on debt to place bets, sports betting can become a serious financial problem.   I understand why this mindset is developing. Younger people are dealing with expensive housing, high living costs and the frustration that traditional investing can take decades to build significant wealth.   Sports betting offers something investing doesn't: the possibility of making a lot of money very quickly. But there's a catch. You can also lose a lot of money very quickly. And that's a terrible foundation for a long-term financial plan.   Think about what young investors are seeing every day on social media. One video might explain the benefits of starting early, investing in a diversified portfolio and letting compound interest work for decades. Then, the very next video might show someone claiming you can make all of this money in a single football game by placing bets on a sportsbook. Which one sounds more exciting?   Sports betting can also create an illusion of control. You may know a lot about football, basketball or baseball and feel like that knowledge gives you an advantage. You follow the teams, know the players, understand the matchups and watch every game. It can make you feel like you're making an informed investment decision. But knowing a lot about sports doesn't change the fact that the sportsbook sets the odds and builds in an advantage for itself.   You might think, "I know more about this team than I know about the stock market, so I have a better chance of making money betting on them."   That's a dangerous way to think about building wealth. If you want to build wealth, there's no substitute for saving, investing, compounding and time. Investing can feel slow. But slow is exactly what you want when you're building wealth. You don't need to hit a parlay to retire.   How the Big Food Companies Are Battling Diet Drugs It is estimated that by 2035, 15% of the American population will be using or will have used GLP-1 drugs. No surprise, this is a potential problem for the big food companies, which have historically benefited from consumers eating more.   We are still in the early stages of the diet-drug revolution, and some of the downsides are becoming more apparent. Some users report that food doesn't taste as good, sometimes describing it as tasting like Styrofoam. There are also concerns about muscle loss and, perhaps most importantly, the simple pleasure of eating for enjoyment.   For decades, food companies have catered to consumers' taste buds with sugar, salt and an endless variety of flavors. But that strategy may not work as well for people taking GLP-1 drugs, whose appetites and food preferences can change dramatically. At the same time, there is a broader movement toward healthier eating, which creates another challenge for traditional food companies.   So how are the big food companies fighting back? They're giving consumers what they want. One of the biggest concerns with GLP-1 drugs is muscle loss. Food companies see an opportunity here by developing products with more protein and fiber. For example, companies are introducing meals such as buffalo mac and cheese with 40 grams of protein. Another example is a chewy fudge brownie mix made with cottage cheese and a peanut-butter swirl. It not only looks appealing, but also offers significantly more protein.   And food companies know something else about consumers: we eat with our eyes first. Packaging and presentation matter. Research has shown that phrases such as "good source of fiber" and "high in protein" resonate with consumers, particularly those who are trying to make healthier choices.   At the same time, companies are tapping into something that never seems to go out of style: comfort and nostalgia. Phrases such as "Mom's meatloaf" or "Grandma's roast chicken" immediately create an emotional connection. One company has even developed a marinade and added grill marks to chicken breasts to make them look more appetizing.   Smaller portions and convenience are also becoming increasingly important. Even if people want to eat healthier, they still have busy lives. They're working, socializing and taking care of their kids. Most people don't have the time or the desire to spend two hours preparing a healthy meal every night.   And while the number of people taking GLP-1 drugs will likely continue to grow, I also think we'll see some people eventually stop taking them. Over time, some may decide the drugs don't work quite as well as they had hoped, while others may become frustrated with side effects, changes in how food tastes or the loss of muscle. When looking at themselves in the mirror one might think they look too skinny and rather frail because of muscle loss.   There is also a bigger question: How much are people willing to sacrifice the pleasure of eating? Food has always been one of life's simple pleasures. For some people, after months or years of reduced appetite and diminished enjoyment from food, the desire to sit down and truly enjoy a great meal may eventually outweigh the benefits of staying on the medication.   That creates an interesting challenge and opportunity for the food industry. The companies that succeed may not be the ones selling the most food. They may be the ones figuring out how to make healthier, higher-protein, higher-fiber foods that still look, smell and taste great. Because even in the age of diet drugs, people still want to enjoy their food.   Financial Planning: What It Means to “Be Your Own Bank” Sometimes phrases like “be your own bank” or “borrow from yourself” are presented as sophisticated ways to access capital without being taken advantage of by a lending institution. But the truth is, it is impossible to literally “borrow from yourself.” You either use your own money, or you borrow someone else's money. When you take a loan against a life insurance policy, use a HELOC, or establish a securities-backed line of credit (SBLOC), you are not borrowing from yourself. You are using your assets as collateral to obtain a loan from a bank or insurance company, which you must repay with interest just like any other loan. There is nothing inherently wrong with borrowing money, and using an asset as collateral can be a perfectly reasonable financial strategy. The problem arises when the ability to borrow against an asset becomes the justification for owning the asset in the first place. Phrases like “borrow from yourself” and “be your own bank” are marketing and sales tactics that can make a financial product sound more attractive than it actually is. For example, the fact that you can borrow against the cash value of a permanent life insurance policy does not, by itself, make permanent life insurance a good investment. The financial product should first stand on its own merits considering its costs, risks, returns, liquidity, and whether it actually meets your financial objectives. The ability to borrow against an asset should be viewed as a financing feature, not a reason to purchase the product. Borrowing can certainly be a useful financial tool, but the promise of being able to “borrow from yourself” should never be the primary justification for putting your money into an asset or financial product that you otherwise would not want to own.   Company Discussed: DICK'S Sporting Goods, Inc. (Ticker: DKS)

Bridget Phetasy sits down with Max Marion - founder of one of the highest-potency Omega-3 companies in the world, AquaOmega — for a deep dive into why Omega-3s might be the single most important supplement almost nobody is taking correctly. Max explains why less than 2% of North Americans get enough Omega-3s, how our seed-oil-soaked diets flooded us with inflammation, and why most fish oil on the shelf is cheaply made, oxidized, and processed with industrial solvents — including a live Styrofoam cup test that shows exactly what those solvents do. They get into the difference between EPA and DHA, why you can't get enough nutrients from food anymore, Omega-3s and pregnancy, anxiety, sleep and brain health, and how Max sourced supplement production after touring the disturbing underbelly of the industry. Plus: his ocean plastic passion project pulling a pound of debris for every bottle sold, microplastics in our water and food, and how to actually navigate the wellness industry without getting scammed.AquaOmega: One of the highest-dose omega-3 supplements per serving, no fish burps, and for every bottle sold, removes 1 lb. of plastic and debris from the ocean and coastlines. Use code BRIDGET for 20% off at https://myaquaomega.com/BRIDGET

Jesus prayed for His followers in John 17, asking not that they be removed from the world, but that they be protected while living fully within it. This tension between being in the world but not of it is one every believer faces. Three responses to the world are illustrated through a sponge, a block of Styrofoam, and a rock. The sponge absorbs everything around it, the Styrofoam floats above it all out of fear, and the rock remains fully immersed without being changed by what surrounds it. Jesus calls His followers to live like the rock. Grounded in the truth that God is both a loving Father and a reigning King, believers can engage the world with confidence, purpose, and love. You are already loved, and you are already sent.

This week's news in a conversational cocktail-shaker and served with ice and a little paper parasol. Those Happy Hour highlights include … … six musicians who keep getting better looking … Plas Johnson RIP, a part of everyone's life for 60 years … the Odyssey and how Hollywood thinks the rest of the world has a foreign accent … why you couldn't make Bugsy Malone today … Jonathan Richman's genuine wide-eyed love of the modern world … Clare Torry's Pink Floyd payday … “Styrofoam ice buckets full of ice”: the greatest song ever written about life on the road … Mick Jagger, the art of evasion and the exquisite boredom of Stones' B-sides about America … the four rock stars who played the Artful Dodger … and what John Wayne said to ‘Jesus'.Help us to keep The Longest Continuous Conversation In Rock'n'Roll going: https://www.patreon.com/wordinyourear Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week's news in a conversational cocktail-shaker and served with ice and a little paper parasol. Those Happy Hour highlights include … … six musicians who keep getting better looking … Plas Johnson RIP, a part of everyone's life for 60 years … the Odyssey and how Hollywood thinks the rest of the world has a foreign accent … why you couldn't make Bugsy Malone today … Jonathan Richman's genuine wide-eyed love of the modern world … Clare Torry's Pink Floyd payday … “Styrofoam ice buckets full of ice”: the greatest song ever written about life on the road … Mick Jagger, the art of evasion and the exquisite boredom of Stones' B-sides about America … the four rock stars who played the Artful Dodger … and what John Wayne said to ‘Jesus'.Help us to keep The Longest Continuous Conversation In Rock'n'Roll going: https://www.patreon.com/wordinyourear Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week's news in a conversational cocktail-shaker and served with ice and a little paper parasol. Those Happy Hour highlights include … … six musicians who keep getting better looking … Plas Johnson RIP, a part of everyone's life for 60 years … the Odyssey and how Hollywood thinks the rest of the world has a foreign accent … why you couldn't make Bugsy Malone today … Jonathan Richman's genuine wide-eyed love of the modern world … Clare Torry's Pink Floyd payday … “Styrofoam ice buckets full of ice”: the greatest song ever written about life on the road … Mick Jagger, the art of evasion and the exquisite boredom of Stones' B-sides about America … the four rock stars who played the Artful Dodger … and what John Wayne said to ‘Jesus'.Help us to keep The Longest Continuous Conversation In Rock'n'Roll going: https://www.patreon.com/wordinyourear Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Was the Gulf Breeze UFO Incident one of the greatest UFO encounters ever documented, or one of the most elaborate hoaxes in modern history?In this episode of UFO WARNING, we investigate the infamous Gulf Breeze UFO case that captivated the world beginning in 1987. Building contractor Ed Walters claimed to have photographed a massive unidentified flying object hovering over Gulf Breeze, Florida, sparking one of the largest UFO waves in American history.We examine the extraordinary eyewitness testimony, the famous Polaroid photographs, reports of mysterious blue beams, alleged alien encounters, missing time, and claims of telepathic communication. We also explore the scientific investigation conducted by physicist Bruce Maccabee, the skeptical analysis by Philip J. Klass, and the discovery of the controversial Styrofoam model that many believe exposed the case as a hoax.Was Ed Walters telling the truth? Did multiple independent witnesses observe a genuine unidentified anomalous phenomenon, or did media attention fuel one of the most enduring UFO controversies of all time?Join us as we separate fact from speculation and examine the evidence surrounding one of the most debated UFO incidents in history.

This week's news in a conversational cocktail-shaker and served with ice and a little paper parasol. Those Happy Hour highlights include … … six musicians who keep getting better looking … Plas Johnson RIP, a part of everyone's life for 60 years … the Odyssey and how Hollywood thinks the rest of the world has a foreign accent … why you couldn't make Bugsy Malone today … Jonathan Richman's genuine wide-eyed love of the modern world … Clare Torry's Pink Floyd payday … “Styrofoam ice buckets full of ice”: the greatest song ever written about life on the road … Mick Jagger, the art of evasion and the exquisite boredom of Stones' B-sides about America … the four rock stars who played the Artful Dodger … and what John Wayne said to ‘Jesus'.Help us to keep The Longest Continuous Conversation In Rock'n'Roll going: https://www.patreon.com/wordinyourear Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week's news in a conversational cocktail-shaker and served with ice and a little paper parasol. Those Happy Hour highlights include … … six musicians who keep getting better looking … Plas Johnson RIP, a part of everyone's life for 60 years … the Odyssey and how Hollywood thinks the rest of the world has a foreign accent … why you couldn't make Bugsy Malone today … Jonathan Richman's genuine wide-eyed love of the modern world … Clare Torry's Pink Floyd payday … “Styrofoam ice buckets full of ice”: the greatest song ever written about life on the road … Mick Jagger, the art of evasion and the exquisite boredom of Stones' B-sides about America … the four rock stars who played the Artful Dodger … and what John Wayne said to ‘Jesus'.Help us to keep The Longest Continuous Conversation In Rock'n'Roll going: https://www.patreon.com/wordinyourear Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week's news in a conversational cocktail-shaker and served with ice and a little paper parasol. Those Happy Hour highlights include … … six musicians who keep getting better looking … Plas Johnson RIP, a part of everyone's life for 60 years … the Odyssey and how Hollywood thinks the rest of the world has a foreign accent … why you couldn't make Bugsy Malone today … Jonathan Richman's genuine wide-eyed love of the modern world … Clare Torry's Pink Floyd payday … “Styrofoam ice buckets full of ice”: the greatest song ever written about life on the road … Mick Jagger, the art of evasion and the exquisite boredom of Stones' B-sides about America … the four rock stars who played the Artful Dodger … and what John Wayne said to ‘Jesus'.Help us to keep The Longest Continuous Conversation In Rock'n'Roll going: https://www.patreon.com/wordinyourear Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Join Jeroen van Rotterdam, Co-Founder and CEO of Foamlab, for a deep dive into the industrial transition from extracted synthetic foams to bio-fabricated materials grown by nature. Every year, millions of tons of fossil-based plastic foams are manufactured for packaging, insulation, textiles, and automotive components—materials that generate persistent microplastic pollution and are virtually impossible to recycle economically. Jeroen explains why sustainability shouldn't be a trade-off, how white biotechnology yields materials with mechanical properties superior to petrochemical plastics, and how AI-driven bio-process optimization is accelerating the transition from laboratory Petri dishes to pilot-plant production scale.

This is part six of a ten-part podcast series documenting the European Industrial Hemp Association's 23rd Annual Conference in Poznan, Poland, at the Institute of Fiber Plants and Medicinal Medicine, June 10-12.  Julia Bialecka is CEO and co-founder of S-Lab, short for Sustainable Laboratory. The company uses hemp and mycelium to make packaging that replaces expanded polystyrene. Based in Spain, S-Lab has already piloted its material with L'Oréal, Nespresso and JTI. "Every polystyrene Styrofoam packaging unit that was ever produced still remains somewhere on the landfills because it's 500 years there," she said. The material performs like polystyrene but fully biodegrades in 30 days and is certified home-compostable. Hemp makes up about 90% of the product, and mycelium is the other 10%, acting as a glue that binds the hemp shives together as it grows. S-Lab is closing a €2.5 million seed round and preparing to move from startup to scale-up. "My dream is that one day I go to the grocery shop, to the cosmetics shop, and I see most of the products packed into our material," Bialecka said. Learn More S-Lab (Sustainable Laboratory) s-lab.bio Institute of Natural Fibers and Medicinal Plants (IWNIRZ) iwnirz.pl European Industrial Hemp Association (EIHA) eiha.org EIHA Conference eiha-conference.org Thanks to Our Sponsors Condor Seed condorseed.com HEMI — The Hemp Education and Marketing Initiative thegoodnessofhemp.org Bish Enterprises — FiberCut Hemp Harvesting bishenterprise.com/fibercut 1937 International 1937international.com

The law previously applied only to large food chains.

As potentially dangerous, triple-digit heat looms later this week, Rockingham and Augusta counties declare drought emergencies… Fewer Virginians sign up for health insurance using the state's health exchange, with the end of federal subsidies and higher premiums to blame… On July 1st, Virginia's unemployment benefits increase, and Styrofoam begins to go away….

On today's Midday Report with host Terry Haines:A group of state lawmakers tasked with drafting a final version of an Alaska LNG tax relief bill kicked off work this weekend. Governor Mike Dunleavy vetoed nearly half a million dollars from the state budget Wednesday that would have gone toward efforts to retain and recruit teachers in Alaska. And Gov. Mike Dunleavy told lawmakers on Thursday he d vetoed a ban on Styrofoam foodservice packaging, among others.Photo: Gov. Mike Dunleavy speaks to reporters at a news conference in Juneau on June 19, 2026. (Photo by Claire Stremple/Alaska Beacon)

AI can write website copy that outperforms 80% of what is online today. You just have to teach it who it is writing for. In this episode of Intended Consequences, Conversion Sciences founder Brian Massey shows you how to use AI to generate website copy that actually converts. The secret is not a better prompt. It is writing for the four ways people make buying decisions. You will learn the Modes of Research framework, first published in "Waiting for Your Cat to Bark," and how to map it onto Myers-Briggs types so any language model speaks your language. Then you will watch live rewrites that turn flat, jargon-filled copy into messaging built for Competitive, Methodical, Spontaneous, and Humanist visitors. By the end you can build your own AI messaging agent in ChatGPT, Claude, or Gemini and let it do the rewriting for you. WHAT YOU WILL LEARN Why most B2B copy sounds the same and caps your conversion rate The four research modes and the buyer behind each one How to use Myers-Briggs as a shared vocabulary with any AI The simple prompt that teaches your chatbot to rewrite by mode How to generate personas straight from a URL How to A/B test copy that is finally different enough to win How to build a reusable AI messaging agent for your brand CHAPTERS 00:00 Why AI copy beats 80% of website copy 01:30 Styrofoam copy and the conversion ceiling 02:40 How our own biases sabotage copywriting 04:10 ICPs and the four-persona problem 05:40 Corner cases: copy big enough to A/B test 06:00 The 4 Modes of Research framework 06:50 Competitive and Methodical buyers 08:00 Spontaneous and Humanist buyers 09:30 Placing copy on the page by buyer mode 10:30 Why language models beat humans at this 11:20 Myers-Briggs as a shared language with AI 14:00 The simple prompt to train your chatbot 15:00 Generating personas from a URL (Calm.com) 17:40 Rewriting copy for each mode, live 24:00 B2B example: HR services, CHRO vs CFO 29:50 Laying out multiple voices on one page 31:00 Q&A: getting your team to trust AI copy 33:20 Building your own AI messaging agent 38:00 What is next: ad and landing page alignment 38:50 Q&A: CTAs, ad frequency, and brand salience RESOURCES Messaging skills and full prompts: https://conversion.science/msg-skills Conversion Sciences: https://conversionsciences.com Book: "Waiting for Your Cat to Bark" by Bryan and Jeffrey Eisenberg: https://conversci.com/catbark Roy H. Williams and the Wizard Academy: https://www.wizardacademy.org Subscribe for more on conversion optimization, AI, and the experiments behind what actually works. #AICopywriting #ConversionOptimization #CRO

Food Travel USA with Elizabeth DoughertyAlbum: The TRUTH About Food and Travel 060826 Original Broadcast Date: 06/08/26 It was a week in the air that was hard to believe and impossible to ignore. Start with the near collision over Fort Lauderdale. A JetBlue flight on final approach nearly hit a small Beechcraft 76 from a flight school that was flying erratically and had gone completely silent on air traffic control. The JetBlue crew received a TCAS collision alert and climbed hard to avoid it. The two aircraft came within 500 feet of each other. The air traffic controller's on the record assessment of the other pilot: "That guy's insane." The pilot's response: "I agree." The FAA is investigating. Then there's the story that should have been front page news everywhere. Two NIH researchers were arrested at Detroit Metro Airport after allegedly smuggling 113 vials of monkeypox virus into the United States from Brazzaville, Republic of Congo, where an active outbreak was underway, packed in Styrofoam coolers inside a large black case on a commercial Delta flight. They told Customs it was diagnostic equipment. It was not. The U.S. Attorney said it plainly: "Let that sink in." And in the background of all of it, Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin is threatening to pull Customs and Border Protection officers from airports in sanctuary cities, a move that would effectively shut down international travel at LAX, O'Hare, SFO, and six other major hubs. Elizabeth has the reaction and the details. FOOD TRAVEL USA FAST FACTS About the Show Using the chassis of a food and travel show, Elizabeth Dougherty has carved out her own lane in Talk Radio, covering the contamination of the food supply and the travel restrictions placed upon us by an overreaching government. The show also covers data protection, self-sufficiency, and homesteading-related topics to help protect us from this evil, corrupt system. With Elizabeth as the host, the show has a very different sound from the typical male-oriented talk radio. In combination with terrestrial stations that carry the show, we reach people who don't normally listen to politically-driven talk radio. In addition to the LIVE FEED of the show on Saturday afternoons from 5pm–7pm (Eastern) / 2pm–4pm (Pacific), we produce and distribute a dozen podcast segments each week. Website & Social Media Website: FoodTravelUSA.com Social Media: Facebook | X (formerly Twitter) | Truth Social | YouTube Broadcast Details New episodes:  Monday 9am (ET) 6am (PT) Listen Anytime Production Team Email Elizabeth: FoodTravelUSA@proton.me Executive Producer: Michael Serio Why Listeners Tune In ✔ The latest food & travel insights—every week ✔ Homemade videos of healthy, easy-to-make recipes ✔ No-holds-barred interviews on a LIVE, fast-paced, nationwide call-in show ✔ Elizabeth Dougherty: Writer, trained chef, world traveler, and award-winning talk show host ✔ First to bring expert insights on GMOs ✔ A true LIVE SHOW—NO "Best Of" reruns! ✔ Hard-hitting topics & interviews—no recycled political spin ✔ Engaged social media presence—200,000+ followers

At this point in the second Trump administration Fox News has become the parent of a spoiled child sitting in the principal's office of an expensive private school insisting their kid did absolutely nothing wrong.The defiant parent stares back in scorn at an underpaid and overworked school administrator explaining. while sipping instant Maxwell House from a Styrofoam cup, how little Donny set fire to another teacher's desk then faked an asthma attack to get out of detention. At the emergency room he threatened to fight the triage nurse after she determined his breathing was perfectly normal.President Donald J. Trump is the bratty monster who was never told no or given a boundary. As prices increase across the country and his poll numbers drop Fox News cannot face reality - the network helped raise this destructive beast.The pathological narcissist that they propped up and worshipped, and paid hundreds of millions in a defamation lawsuit to cover for has turned out to be a mad wannabe king hellbent on enriching himself and sticking his name and image on everything near him.As the president repeatedly makes false claims about the war with Iran the network dutifully repeats them only to correct itself hours later. The corporate heads as Fox News don't seem to care as long as their ratings remain high and the profits keep rolling in.Little Donny might even burn his family's McMansion to the ground before he's finished. Hopefully we won't all be burned to cinders along with him.Rupert Murdoch must be happy to have a lower tax rate.Last week the network also heavily promoted stories surrounding the criminal indictment issued against the SPLC (Southern Poverty Law Center). While the PBS News Hour dedicated slightly over one minute to the story it was the third most talked about topic on Fox News last week taking up 11% of the airtime on the shows I covered. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit decodingfoxnews.substack.com/subscribe

Episode 287- It’s Time to Red Flag, Red Flag Also Available OnSearchable Podcast Transcript Gun Lawyer — Episode Transcript Gun Lawyer Transcript – Episode 287 SUMMARY KEYWORDS Gun rights, Virginia gerrymandering, red flag laws, due process, gun confiscation, Mel Brooks, Spaceballs, New Jersey gun laws, universal background checks, defensive weapons, Second Amendment, Trump re-annexation, social media, gun owner faux pas, civil liberties. SPEAKERS Teddy Nappen, Speaker 3, Evan Nappen Evan Nappen  00:15 I’m Evan Nappen. Teddy Nappen  00:17 and I’m Teddy Nappen. Evan Nappen  00:18 And welcome to Gun Lawyer. So, Teddy, we were talking today, and you had some interesting things to discuss. What did you have? What did you have in mind, buddy? Teddy Nappen  00:31 Well, aside from watching the new “Space Balls” trailer, which, you know, I’m looking forward to it. But it’s never going to be, better. Evan Nappen  00:40 I love Mel Brooks. Teddy Nappen  00:42 That’s the other thing, too. I will give them credit in the trailer, because then he said we unfortunately had to change the name of the trailer. It’s not “Space Balls 2: The Search for Money” because he found money. It was literally just a bag of money that said “Space Balls”. Evan Nappen  00:59 Well, and Mel Brooks is in his 90s, man. But he’s still. Teddy Nappen  01:03 Correct. Oh, wait, I think he, I think he is like 99 like, something crazy. Evan Nappen  01:07 He’s close. I guess that’s what happened when you were married to Bancroft. I guess. You live long. Teddy Nappen  01:15 Oh, yeah, she was Mrs. Robinson? Evan Nappen  01:17 Yeah. Teddy Nappen  01:17 I guess that’s how it kept them alive. Aside from scrolling through. Evan Nappen  01:24 Well, actually, he’s trying to be the world’s oldest man. Wasn’t that his? The other thing that used to do? Teddy Nappen  01:29 Well, that was the, that was the 10,000 year old man. Evan Nappen  01:32 Right. I guess he’s trying to actually be it. I don’t know. Teddy Nappen  01:35 Yeah, and I like to stand up where it was. I think he was like, 10,000 year old man. He’s like, 0h, did you try polygamy? He’s like, yeah. And what do you, what do you think about it? Well, to be honest, I always get out voted. That’s a horrible idea. Horrible. Evan Nappen  01:58 Right! Teddy Nappen  01:58 But anyways, I saw you. You’ve been seeing what’s going on Virginia, aside from the stupid gerrymandering that they’re doing. Evan Nappen  02:07 Well, this is bad for gun rights, because Teddy Nappen  02:09 Their gun rights is the worst. Evan Nappen  02:10 Because if they take the House by gerrymandering Virginia to flip the House to the party of evil, you know, the Democrats there, we’re gonna have our hands full again. Teddy Nappen  02:25 Yeah, other than the record gun sales now, because people were paranoid thinking that Virginia was going to start going door to door to take their guns, just because of how poorly the bills were written. To the point where the Virginia State Police comes out and, you know, the Superintendent Jeffrey Katz, Spanberger’s pick to lead the State Police goes on and says, there is no legislative proposal seeking to do this. (https://wset.com/news/local/not-now-not-ever-virginia-state-police-dispel-rumor-of-law-leading-to-gun-confiscation-firarm-control-abigail-spanberger-gun-control-bill-april-2026) There will be no. The Virginia State Police work every day to enhance public safety and protect civil liberties. Those liberties not granted by Government and will not be impeded by Government. Cut to all the laws that they just passed. (https://crimeresearch.org/2026/04/virginias-long-list-of-new-gun-control-laws/) Not now, not ever. Activity of this nature, by its very nature, is un-American. Huh? Let’s and then cutting to all the bills of Universal Background Check, Safe Home Storage, the Assault Weapon ban, Red Flag, Ghost Gun ban. You know, everything else that is impeding our rights. Evan Nappen  03:32 Right! Well, the thing is, they have, there’s a history of going door to door in the history of gun control itself, which is what we’ve always talked about with the four key words. Beginning with Legislation and then leads to Registration, and then that leads to Confiscation, which leads to Extermination. And every major Holocaust has been preceded by those four words. And Virginia, you know, would get on the pathway of confiscation and them saying, oh, you know, we won’t go door to door. But of course, they will go door to door, and they’re liars. I mean, if you want to see their lies, just look at their Governor, who is the epitome of lying. I mean, that’s what she did to get into office. Teddy Nappen  04:25 She called herself moderate. Evan Nappen  04:26 She misrepresented herself, and then is doing this. So, they’re all about lies. And in America, we’ve had attempts at going door to door. New York did it, New York City, because they have registration of long arms. So, they actually, at a point, attempted confiscations. And folks may not know this, but New Jersey was going to do that. After the assault firearm law passed in 1990, there was an attempt, by way of the Administrative Code, to change what had been New Jersey’s procedures regarding Certificate of Eligibility. So, in those days, you could do a private sale. Private sales were allowed. And this is why having so-called Universal Background Checks is really just a gateway to the registration / confiscation scheme. Because back then in New Jersey, you could have private sales for long arms by doing a Certificate of Eligibility, and the Certificate of Eligibility was simply kept by the seller. As a matter of fact, with the old Certificate of Eligibility, the buyer didn’t even get a copy. The new Certificate of Eligibility that came after that, the buyer and the seller got a copy. But with the old one, only the seller got the copy when a long arm was sold. And it got filed nowhere. There was no requirement that it be filed with the Government. Evan Nappen  06:02 They tried to promulgate, through the code, a rule that said Certificates of Eligibility had to be filed with the State Police. That was not in the law. The reason they wanted that was because they needed to connect the chain so they could go door to door, confiscating so-called “assault firearms”, which were long arms, rifles and shotguns, and to force on private sales the revealing of the information as to who they got transferred to by claiming that there was a failure to file the certificate of eligibility. And I personally, when I was working at the time for the Coalition of New Jersey Sportsmen, and we were fighting the assault farm ban, I opposed in the rulemaking process. I sent a whole piece in fighting and opposing that rule change. That it was not based on the law, that they were going beyond the Administrative Procedures Act in trying to promulgate this, and I succeeded in stopping them from doing it, which broke that link in the chain for them to continue with their confiscation scheme that they wanted to do back then. So, I saw it firsthand and was able to stop it. Teddy Nappen  07:24 Imagine if you weren’t, you weren’t there, Dad. If you were in some other state or some other spot, and that had gone through. My G-d. Just that would have been. The only thing I could think of, is just bullets first at that point, like. Evan Nappen  07:37 It would have been a radically different scenario, because they were on a path of wanting and considering it. And we knew this for a fact. They were actually going to try to implement the door to door confiscation and searching down every assault farm they could find. But that didn’t happen. And the other thing that didn’t happen, interestingly, is they were supposed to put forward guns they wanted to add to the list. That’s actually in the law. They have never done that, although they still could, but they never did that. Teddy Nappen  08:16 Mass does that. Evan Nappen  08:17 Yeah. Mass does it there. Jersey has it in the law to do it. But they never did it in New Jersey, weirdly and oddly, but they could. Teddy Nappen  08:25 Who was it? The firearms bureau that was the Mass attorney? He was the one that worked for the Bureau. And then. Evan Nappen  08:33 Yeah, Jason. Teddy Nappen  08:35 Jason. And then he saw the dark side of what they were doing, and then came back and started fighting the good fight. But my G-d. Just imagine those meetings where, like, all right, what are we going to ban today? Like it’s the arbiters of truth. Like, just decide. Evan Nappen  08:50 Yeah. They purposely, in Mass, purposely had a meeting to try to figure out how to make it as difficult as possible to get licenses, particularly for non-residents. They focused on what to do. And I’ll tell you, even to this day, that was the worst carry license application process I’ve experienced. And I’ve gotten carry licenses from everywhere you could get them. And it took, it took 14 months to get a Mass carry license, and it’s only good for 12 months. It took longer to get it than the license lasts for. It’s insane. We applied in January. They  force you to have a personal meeting, and they didn’t schedule the personal meeting for nine months after the application. Then it was another five months after that before they even issued it. And that personal meeting is utterly useless. All they do is ask you the very same questions that you’ve already certified on an application, and they fingerprint you there electronically, which could be done anywhere else. Evan Nappen  10:02 So, it’s all just a load of absolute garbage. Just to discourage. And this is what licensing laws are designed to do. They’re designed to discourage and stop. And you know, any of these courts that rationalize say, oh, it’s. Like with Maine now, reenacting their, letting the injunction lapse so that they have a three-day waiting period, even on long arms. Oh, that’s just a small burden. Oh, it’s a small burden. You know, what are you an inconvenience? I mean, no, this, this is our rights. Teddy Nappen  10:38 Well, they don’t see it that way. Evan Nappen  10:39 This is intrusion in our rights. You know, how about before a news article gets published, you have to wait three days. It’s just a small burden. Just a three-day waiting period before you can exercise your First Amendment. How does that fly? Is that all right? Teddy Nappen  10:55 You have to do a background check before you post. Evan Nappen  10:59 Well, Virginia is really scary with what’s going on there. Especially, too, with the redistricting as they’re attempting to. Basically, you know, I mean, leave it to the Democrats. They always have to look for ways to cheat. So, this is their latest ploy. Teddy Nappen  11:15 They cheated heavily all over New England. They cheated all over New England. Have you ever seen the breakdown? Like, the entire New England is so gerrymandered, like the split is 56, like around 56/65 in a lot of these states in New England, and it’s all Blue representatives. How does that work for Congress, if not for gerrymandering? Evan Nappen  11:38 Well, there is a really interesting power move Trump could make in Virginia. You and I were talking about this. What Trump could do, if the redistricting cheat takes place, Trump could re-session Arlington and such. That area of land that was originally part of the District of Columbia. In 1847 that was given back, so to speak, unconstitutionally, by the way, to Virginia to keep slavery in place, essentially. It was an unconstitutional move. It was even recognized unconstitutional by President Taft, who also happened to be a Supreme Court Justice. He understood the law, and he said it was unconstitutional. It wasn’t challenged, but it was done. President Trump, by way of Executive Order, could re-secession and take Arlington and that area of land, where it’s all the Blue of the federal workers, the solid Blue, and put it in back where it belongs, into the District of Columbia. And therefore they would not have any representation in the House or in the Senate, and push it right back and literally make Virginia Red again. The way it used to be – a great state. So, that might be a power move by Trump, and he’d be better legally positioned than many of the crazy things Biden did with the auto pen. I mean, Trump has justification, constitutionally, to actually take that back and literally take away the Blue that is destroying Virginia. So, it’s something we might see happen. Teddy Nappen  13:33 It’s really almost like having a lot of Republicans who are willing to fight and have backbone. Like, I think it was in New Hampshire where Kelly Ayotte refused to redistrict, which you see clearly, it’s been gerrymandered  into the Dems favor. They’re not willing to. It’s just the weakness and so many of them that halt and stop. Like it’s amazing where Trump, the amount of foreign power that he can exert outside the country, but he’s just hamstrung so much in from everything and the weak Republicans like Thune, who I even called. Evan Nappen  14:09 Thune. It is true there. I mean, the problem is, Republicans need a backbone, not made a Styrofoam, a lot of them, and it’s really sad to see that the one thing you got to give the Democrats credit for is they stay together. They unite in their insanity. They do that. Teddy Nappen  14:33 They do it out of fear, though. It’s 90%. Evan Nappen  14:35 Right! Teddy Nappen  14:35 They’re all in lockstep, and it’s just fear. Evan Nappen  14:37 Well, yeah, unless you want to end up with like the hit on (Eric) Swalwell, Swalwell there that, you know, of course, was engineered by Pelosi, right? I mean, oh, he denies it. But. Teddy Nappen  14:42 Or you end up like Jeff Shapiro, you know, with them, fire bombing your home. Evan Nappen  14:53 Or you end up like Biden. You literally win the nomination, and then don’t run. And then they pick who they anoint for their candidate. You know, you know, like that. They’re pretty totalitarian as far as a party goes, aren’t they? Teddy Nappen  15:09 Yeah, it’s very, it’s very funny how much they rig their elections. But, uh, anyways, I will say the other article I did catch, which you know at this point now, you just gotta learn to laugh every time you read articles from our opposition. So, everyone’s favorite gun rights oppressionists, The Trace, decided to put out a new article. “This Law May Help Prevent Mass Shootings, but GOP-Led States Are Trying to Ban It.” (https://www.thetrace.org/2026/04/republican-states-ban-red-flag-erpo-laws/) Oh, wow. So, they are trying to justify red flag. They go down this whole tangent of trying to justify red flag, which everyone here knows, the damning no due process use that they try to push where there is just no due process. You are swatted, put through the system with no, little to no recourse. But don’t worry, The Trace has their answer, because they’ve been getting so much, you know, blow back for the arguments of Red Flag. Don’t worry, Dad. You know, they say there’s due process for Red Flag laws. Evan Nappen  16:15 Ha, ha. Okay! So, let’s just take New Jersey. I have worked New Jersey, and in New Jersey, Red Flag is called ERPOs, Extreme Risk Protection Orders. That is New Jersey’s version of so-called Red Flag. It begins with a TERPO, a Temporary Extreme Risk Protection Order, and then that can become a final permanent order called a FERPO, a Final Extreme Risk Protection Order. So, you have a TERPO. Yeah, well, they’re all known as ERPOs. The beginning document is a TERPO. It then can become a FERPO, and if it’s in Bergen County, it’s called a BERPO. I’m just kidding about calling it a Berpo. But it is really bad, because there’s no due process upfront at all, folks. Let that sink in – zero due process. Attention The Trace – zero due process! Evan Nappen  17:24 The TERPO, the document, the court order, that initiates the Red Flag. There is no due process in its issuance for the person who gets subjected to it. It is done ex parte. In other words, the gun owner has no idea it’s taking place. Somebody makes a claim, a wild claim, and that claim is taken at face value. A judge just hears the claim, issues the order, ordering the surrender of the person’s firearms, and then ordering the search and seizure of the person’s firearms. The privacy gets invaded. Your home gets searched. Your guns get taken. You’re hit with this order. And you had no idea that it was coming. You had no chance to say anything before it’s implemented. You’re hit with it, and only after being served and having your home and privacy raped by the Government and having your property taken by the Government, only after all that occurs, do you finally get a hearing. That hearing is to take place within 10 days. That’s called railroading. Now, 10 days after you’ve just been screwed over with zero due process, folks, you then have to fight to regain your rights. That is how New Jersey’s Red Flag system works. And if the TERPO becomes a FERPO, Not only are you disenfranchised of your Second Amendment rights, not only do you lose your guns, but you are put on an electronic database that declares you to be an extreme risk. That’s real helpful in employment and other things to be on that list, huh? Teddy Nappen  19:42 You also have to consider. Evan Nappen  19:44 And then it affects your ability. Wait. It affects your ability to even fly, because that’s put through to TSA databases as well. So, it is bad news with zero due process up front. And it is a nightmare. So, these laws need to pay. We need a federal law banning Red Flag. Red Flag is an egregious violation of our civil rights. Teddy Nappen  20:15 You also have to factor in the politically-appointed judges who are, you know, a political bias, who already hate gun owners, and then, you know, give them a free very, you’ve seen in the hearings. They’re very much like, oh, all this fate, it’s good to be the king and get to decide one’s fate. And hands and hands over. And every time someone like, oh, domestic violence, you know, “he threw pretzels at me”. Evan Nappen  20:41 Yeah! I actually had that case where that was the allegation. He threw pretzels at me. I mean, yeah, the level of allegation can be just de minimis, and they don’t care. It’s essentially harder to get, you know, a sandwich at Wawa than getting these gun confiscation orders done in the courts, They have created the pre-printed forms. They are always leaning toward taking guns and sorting it out after intruding on gun owners’ rights and privacy. That’s never a concern of any great detail, and this is constantly going on in New Jersey. The lame stream media will never cover it, folks, but I see it every day. Teddy Nappen  21:42 It also goes back, Dad. I remember the once case, I don’t remember when it was, but it was the husband and wife get into the argument. You know, they heard shout, a neighbor heard shouting, calls it in. The whole thing’s red flagged. The wife says, no, we were just having an argument. And then still they push for the Red Flag, even after everything else. They’re dragging them all through the system, where now the husband and wife are now united in that fight against the state. Evan Nappen  22:12 So, most of the time on this, on these DV restraining orders, I’d say about half the time, the person calling me is and often it’s the wife, calling me to save the husband. To save their marriage, to save their household. Because of the devastating impact of it. She had no idea that it would cause the effect of costing the husband his job, of blowing apart their relationship. It essentially is the embodiment of Reagan’s statement, “We’re here from the Government. We’re here to help.” It isn’t helping. It’s actually destroying the family, and it’s a giant wake up call. I’ve heard it so many times in the practice. The person that originally pulled the trigger cannot believe the impact, because that’s never, ever been explained to them. What will happen is never explained. And when they see it, it’s devastating, devastating to their family. Yep. Teddy Nappen  23:34 Yeah. But also, to go back to the article before I forget, their argument by The Trace. I love this. ERPO laws do have legal protections. The orders require approval from a judge, sworn evidence and a prompt court hearing. Isn’t that nice? People subject to the order receive notice. Evan Nappen  23:57 Oh, yeah, yeah. Teddy Nappen  23:59 They can contest the allegations. Evan Nappen  24:00 First of all, nothing’s up front in New Jersey. The so-called “sworn testimony”. I’ll tell you what. Of all the times I’ve done this. I mean, I’ve had hundreds of these cases. I’ve never had a single case where a person made statements that were false, where the ERPO was not issued, and that person was prosecuted for what they said. I don’t know of a single case. Never experienced it. Never experienced it. Teddy Nappen  24:31 This one is my favorite. Most laws also guarantee the return of firearms when the order has expired. How many guns cases do we have now where we are still waiting? Evan Nappen  24:40 Okay. There is no guarantee of return of firearms on the expiration of a TERPO or FERPO. As a matter of fact, when it’s issued, your guns are ordered forfeited. Okay. Tat’s how it works in New Jersey. There’s no, oh, we hold them till the orders over and you get them back. That’s not New Jersey’s law. That’s not it at all, folks. Non existent. These are lies. The typical liberal nonsense. Sell the lie, sell the lie. The reality is a whole other story. And we see it over and over again. That is The Trace. Just putting out what is not true in New Jersey. It’s not true. And they love to use New Jersey as a model for Red Flag laws. Model Red Flag laws. The worst of the worst, right? Worst of the worst. Teddy Nappen  25:44 Well, my favorite is the last bit, which is, many states punish those people who lie in their petitioners the process. Evan Nappen  25:52 Ha! Show me the person punished in New Jersey who lied on a Red Flag. Show me. Yeah, let me put it this way. The reason they don’t want to do it is they don’t want to discourage the lies. They don’t want to discourage people from doing Red Flags. So, they will not prosecute. The prosecution is within the discretion of the county prosecutors who have an agenda that is against the Second Amendment. They don’t want to discourage anyone from spouting any BS they want to spout because they want this to continue. They don’t want to discourage it. If they actually prosecuted somebody and made an example of them lying, it would discourage the abuse from taking place. They don’t want to do that. It’s against the interest of the agenda, the anti-Second Amendment agenda. So, that’s why we don’t see it happen, folks. We just don’t. Nope. Due process? That’s a joke when it comes to Red Flag. We need a national law to end Red Flag. We need to end it dead. No more Red Flag. It is one of the worst intrusions in our Second Amendment rights that has ever been contrived – just insane. Evan Nappen  27:07 Hey, Teddy, let me tell you about our buddies at WeShoot. WeShoot now has Civilian Shoot House Training. This is really cool! On April 25th – brand new at WeShoot. This is not a beginner class. This is where things start to feel real. That’s their new Civilian Shoot House Training. This is where you’ll learn how to move through spaces, clear rooms, and make decisions under pressure. You’ll learn room clearing fundamentals, shooting while moving, target ID under stress, use of light and positioning, working alone or as a team. It’s this kind of training that will help you to protect your home and not make, avoid making, a life-changing mistake. This training is great for homeowners, parents, Houses of Worship, security teams, armed guards and civilian groups. Anyone serious about real-world defense. Their top lineup of instructors that will be doing this is Jim Weinberg. Now Jim has got 30 years of experience in law enforcement. He’s former SWAT and UCERT operator and Police Academy instructor. Todd Friedman is a retired Detective Lieutenant, Special Operations Group Leader, with 500 tactical entries under his belt, over 500 actually. Scott Bonito is a 25-year veteran, former Lieutenant, tactical team leader, and a certified instructor across multiple disciplines. And Ryan Bonito is an Army combat veteran, 173rd Airborne, team leader, Master Breacher and CQB instructor. These are your phenomenal team of instructors. Bottom line is, shooting is one skill, and moving safely through your home is another. If you’re serious about protecting what matters, you want to look into this course and take it. Spots are limited, so check out WeShoot for this amazing shoot house training. Go to weshootusa.com, weshootusa.com. Check out their great range down in Lakewood, where Teddy and I both shoot. We got our training, got our Certifications. Great pro shop with a great group of folks down there. They’ll treat you like family. We love WeShoot, and you will, too. Go to weshootusa.com. Evan Nappen  29:57 Let me also mentioned the Bible of New Jersey gun law. That’s my book, and it is called, surprisingly, New Jersey Gun Law. You can get your copy at EvanNppen.com, EvanNappen.com. It’s 120 topics, all Question and Answer to help you not be a GOFU and to help you get through the insane matrix of New Jersey gun laws. Go to EvanNappen.com and get your copy today. Hey, Teddy. What else do you have up your sleeve for us, for me to get all excited about? I know you’ve got something. Teddy Nappen  30:33 Well, I think we need a good laugh from Babylon B. Now this is from “notthebee.com”, though. (https://notthebee.com/article/scottish-12-year-old-who-went-viral-with-axe-testifies-in-court-that-migrant-called-her-sexy-harassed-her?from_social=twitter) So they have to. Evan Nappen  30:41 Well, “not the bee” is their real stuff, which is cool, yeah. Teddy Nappen  30:45 Do you remember? Do you remember that Scottish girl who fought off the pedophile with the knife and AX? Evan Nappen  30:51 How dare she defend herself in Scotland. Teddy Nappen  30:54 I know, right? They dubbed her the “Sophie of Dundee”, which I appreciate that. I think it was the light, like the all the people trying to fight back against the mass migration. That is, you know, you know. You go from 12,000 rapes a year to 70,000 rapes a year and a massive cover up from the Government for grooming gangs. You know, things happen. But, apparently, she had to tell the court because, of course, you’ve got to prosecute the young. Evan Nappen  31:24 Always prosecute the victim. That’s their rule,  right? Throughout U.K. and Scotland, Australia, New Zealand. Prosecute the victim. Make sure no one ever wants to be a defender, right? Teddy Nappen  31:40 Yeah, of course, of course, you got to make sure to do that. Evan Nappen  31:43 So did they make any? Did they happen to say, I bet they have wonderful statements about what a horrible person she was, or whatever. What did they say? I’m sure they something. Teddy Nappen  31:54 Of course. First they dragged her through, trying to make a claim like saying, no, no, it wasn’t against a migrant. It was two white Europeans. Oh, yes. The two white Europeans – Ilia Belov and Nadjedzha Belov. Evan Nappen  32:15 You can’t pronounce their names. Well, so it wasn’t John Smith. Teddy Nappen  32:21 No, no. It was not. Evan Nappen  32:23 No, no, no, but, yeah. But did they have bad teeth? Oh, no, that would be England. Teddy Nappen  32:30 Okay, I know. So, it’s so ridiculous on that end. Then they try to deem like she was alt-right extremist. Evan Nappen  32:39 OH, an alt-right extremist. That’s why she had the nerve to even defend herself, I guess. Huh? Teddy Nappen  32:45 Of course, having the right to defend yourself and suggested that probably having a good reason to carry weapons for herself to protect herself. You know, when the Third World invade your country, and was proven right when two migrant were arrested in connection to the incident. The 13 year old said, the man repeatedly said to her, come here, sexy, which, you know, I guess he thought that would work. Evan Nappen  33:11 Just a friendly greeting, Teddy Nappen  33:13 Yeah, just a friendly greeting to a child, mind you. Just keep that in mind. Evan Nappen  33:18 How old was she? Teddy Nappen  33:20 Oh, 13. But I believe it might have been 12, but you know, Evan Nappen  33:25 She was a sexy 12 year old or 13 year old. So, that makes it okay, Teddy Nappen  33:32 Yeah. I know. She is accused of attacking Ilia Belov, accused of attacking the girl in Dundee. By the way, my wife and I went there for our honeymoon. We went to Scotland. Now, I didn’t get to Dundee. Evan Nappen  33:48 Well, you have Scottish blood in you. You’re a Baird. Yeah, that’s your middle name, Baird. You’re part of the Baird clan, who also were American patriots that fought alongside George Washington. Captain David Baird and General Ray Baird, and they’re buried at the Old Tenant Church in Freehold. Teddy Nappen  34:04 Funny enough. We actually found there was a little book that broke down the Baird clan. I love the tagline, Patriots and Traitors. We were all or nothing with people. Evan Nappen  34:16 Well, your relative was William Wallace’s right hand man. His top man was Baird. Yep. So, you have quite an amazing history there with the Baird clan. Teddy Nappen  34:30 Apparently, the Honor Guard was a Baird of the clan who was for the Bonnie Prince Charlie during the risings. But anyways, so Ilia Belov was accused of following her and the three girls. By the way, the ages were 12 to 14 for the girls. Belov was charged. She told the court she had been walking with her sister and three friends in the Lockheed area, and then pointed out the sexual remarks. She turned around and shouted. The girl said her sister also started shouting, but the pair were away from the friends. At some point, Belov pushed Sophie, pushed her, so already committed assault and battery. And the other witness, the beloved sister, Nadjedzha, who also was not from the country, attacked them as well. So, the sister jumps in and attacks the girl. So, the pedophile and the pedophile’s sister have already attacked Sophie, to which, drawing the ax and knife Evan Nappen  35:33 That she carries. Good for her. Teddy Nappen  35:35 that she carries. Then in the viral video was the man filming, speaking of the migrant rape gangs that have been going on over the year. Thousands of British girls are now following a new trend. And it was the Babylon doing the joke where it looks like like the new fashion trend, knives and axes. Evan Nappen  35:40 Oh, that’s the new fashion trend. Teddy Nappen  35:52 Yeah, but this is what takes the cake. So, we’ll see if the prosecution, if they’re actually going to go and follow the prosecution here, they said. But I love this, Sheriff Tim Smith told the girl, I hope you reflect that it’s not a good idea to carry weapons in the City of Dundee. There’s no such thing as defensive weapons. There’s only offensive weapons. Evan Nappen  36:23 Let that sink in. Teddy Nappen  36:25 That is the true pussification of a nation right there. Evan Nappen  36:28 Oh, my G-d. There’s no such thing as a defensive weapon. Weapons are only offensive. Imagine living in a country whose attitude is that. It’s bad enough that our states have taken that attitude to a certain degree. And of course, New Jersey had that attitude about carry licenses. They wanted everyone to be a victim and not a defender. The Bruen decision changed that. We’re still fighting to remove sensitive places and everything else that the anti-rights, the Second Amendment oppressionists try to foist upon us, because they don’t want anyone to be a defender. They want us all to be victims. But here they just say the quiet part out loud. They honestly believe that there’s no such thing as defensive weapons. I’ll tell you what. That’s what law-abiding citizens weapons are – defensive weapons, because a weapon is how it is utilized. If it is utilized in defense, it is a defensive weapon. And those that are law-abiding, that are facing threats of serious bodily injury or death when they use a weapon to defend their lives. That is defensive use. Evan Nappen  36:37 Just to state, she was charged with possession of offensive weapons. Now, I don’t know if they’re going to proceed with it other than that. This was mostly the case against the two pedophiles. Thankfully, they’re being prosecuted, but. Evan Nappen  38:07 As well? Teddy Nappen  38:08 Yes, oh, of course. You know the multiple charges of pedophilia usually goes to that. Huh? Nice, huh? Evan Nappen  38:17 Really? So, this is what they want to bring to the United States. And keep in mind, our modern gun control came to America from across the pond, as they say. It came from the U.K. It originated there after World War One, and it came here. The movement came here. Since then, the U.K. has now changed their focus after destroying all their gun rights to knives and edged weapons. This defender is facing their anti-knife laws that we have to be keenly aware of in America not to happen. So, we talk about fighting for our knife rights as well as our gun rights. Because remember, folks. The Second Amendment is not the right to keep and bear guns. It’s the right to keep and bear arms, and arms include edge weapons. It includes firearms, includes less than lethal, includes anything that can be used to defend one’s self, and underline and bold defend, and that’s what we’re about. Defensive weapons for law-abiding citizens, so that law-abiding citizens do not become victims, but instead defenders. Evan Nappen  39:48 Well, Teddy, I’ve got to tell you about this week’s GOFU. And the GOFU is, of course, the Gun Owner Fuck Up. And reason we look at GOFUs is because these are actual F UPS made by gun owners that create real problems. Real cases and real issues. So, this week’s GOFU that I want to talk about is what you post. This, you know, is so important. You have to be careful with social media. The Government intrudes into your social media. Others observe your social media, and it can lead to ERPOs. They’ll say, oh, look what he posted, and they misinterpret it. And next thing you know, you’re a victim of no due process ERPO. Being hit with a ERPO with no due process over something on social media. Or it’s used for other investigations. It’s used to deny licensing when you apply and they look at your character. They say, we don’t like this political opinion. We’ve had cases of individuals who were persecuted for their religious beliefs. We’ve had cases because they posted about their religious beliefs. It’s really dangerous. So, the GOFU is be very careful with what you post, what you put out in public, what you do on social media. It can come back and be used by those forces that want to disenfranchise us of our rights. It can be used against you. Evan Nappen  41:33 This is Evan Nappen and Teddy Nappen reminding you that gun laws don’t protect honest citizens from criminals. They absolutely protect criminals from honest citizens. Speaker 3  41:48 Gun Lawyer is a CounterThink Media production. The music used in this broadcast was managed by Cosmo Music, New York, New York. Reach us by emailing Evan@gun.lawyer. The information and opinions in this broadcast do not constitute legal advice. Consult a licensed attorney in your state. Downloadable PDF TranscriptGun Lawyer S5 E287_Transcript About The HostEvan Nappen, Esq.Known as “America's Gun Lawyer,” Evan Nappen is above all a tireless defender of justice. Author of eight bestselling books and countless articles on firearms, knives, and weapons history and the law, a certified Firearms Instructor, and avid weapons collector and historian with a vast collection that spans almost five decades — it's no wonder he's become the trusted, go-to expert for local, industry and national media outlets. Regularly called on by radio, television and online news media for his commentary and expertise on breaking news Evan has appeared countless shows including Fox News – Judge Jeanine, CNN – Lou Dobbs, Court TV, Real Talk on WOR, It's Your Call with Lyn Doyle, Tom Gresham's Gun Talk, and Cam & Company/NRA News. As a creative arts consultant, he also lends his weapons law and historical expertise to an elite, discerning cadre of movie and television producers and directors, and novelists. He also provides expert testimony and consultations for defense attorneys across America. Email Evan Your Comments and Questions  talkback@gun.lawyer Join Evan's InnerCircleHere's your chance to join an elite group of the Savviest gun and knife owners in America.  Membership is totally FREE and Strictly CONFIDENTIAL.  Just enter your email to start receiving insider news, tips, and other valuable membership benefits.   Email (required) *First Name *Select list(s) to subscribe toInnerCircle Membership Yes, I would like to receive emails from Gun Lawyer Podcast. (You can unsubscribe anytime)Constant Contact Use. Please leave this field blank.var ajaxurl = "https://gun.lawyer/wp-admin/admin-ajax.php";

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In the summer of 2000, NASCAR faced a massive safety firestorm. But while many drivers pleaded for change following the tragic crashes of Adam Petty and Kenny Irwin at New Hampshire Motor Speedway, Dale Earnhardt Sr. stood his ground, famously calling out the "candy asses" who wanted to slow the cars down. In this episode of Firestorm: 2000-2001 -- The Years That Forever Changed NASCAR, we dive deep into the intense NASCAR safety debate of 2000. We uncover the behind-the-scenes culture clash between The Intimidator's old-school macho persona and the growing push for safety from drivers like Jeff Burton and Brett Bodine. Why did Earnhardt despise restrictor plates ("Take them damn things off and let her rip!"), refuse to wear full-face helmets, and mock the HANS device? We explore the fierce resistance to modernizing stock car safety, the secret injuries drivers hid to keep racing, and NASCAR's early, desperate attempts to test energy-absorbing walls and Styrofoam blocks before Dean Sicking's game-changing invention of the SAFER barrier. What you'll learn in this episode: • The fallout from the tragic 2000 NASCAR deaths of Adam Petty and Kenny Irwin • Dale Earnhardt's unfiltered thoughts on restrictor plates, the HANS device, and full-face helmets • The intense garage divide between old-school traditionalists and new safety advocates • NASCAR's experimental (and sometimes rudimentary) soft wall tests • The origin story of the SAFER barrier Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

BTU ransomware, price of roses, owning houses longer, fire-juggling unicyclist, llamas are dangerous and you can't sue the owner in Georgia, ChatGPT, Styrofoam coolers, Dial-a-Poem — plus the latest news and sports. 

Verno and Jacoby are back as they share 10 things they are keeping an eye on. They discuss who could be possibly moved by next week's trade deadline, the seeding in the West, Flagg vs. Kon, the 2026 draft class, Jayson Tatum's eventual return, and so much more. (00:00) Welcome to The Mismatch! (00:58) Who could move at the trade deadline? (14:45) What is going on with the Toronto Raptors? (21:15) Which teams could rise in the West? (27:29) Outlook for the six and seven seed in the West (30:27) Will there be any more head coaching changes? (36:04) Rookie of the Year race with Cooper Flagg and Kon Knueppel (40:01) 2026 draft class balling out (48:17) What happens with the Lakers next season? (57:24) Netflix stock and Styrofoam cups Leave us a message on our Mismatch Voicemail line! (323) 389-5091 Hosts: Chris Vernon and David Jacoby Producers: Jessie Lopez, Stefan Anderson, and Jeff Shearin Social: Keith Fujimoto Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Dive into the rabbit hole with Lionel on The Other Side of Midnight as he dissects official narratives with his signature skepticism. Lionel questions the anomalies surrounding the death of Osama Bin Laden, asking why there was a burial at sea and zero photographic evidence. The conversation shifts to 9/11 mysteries, scrutinizing the "freefall" collapse of Building 7, the physics of the Pentagon crash, and the missing trillions announced the day before the attacks. Lionel also tackles the Pope's warning against AI, discussing the existential threat of humans forming emotional bonds with chatbots that could turn predatory. Plus, a listener reports on "fake snow" that looks like Styrofoam, a tribute to Dragnet's Jack Webb, and a plea for the return of critical thinking and curiosity. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Welcome to That Don't Sound Right a podcast about talking the way we did before the internet—when knowledge lived in the room and expertise came from the people in the conversation, not a search bar. In this episode, hosts Peter and Cecil take a hard (and slightly nostalgic) look at the insulated-tumbler obsession. From Yeti and Hydro Flask to Stanley and the explosion of stainless-steel cups everywhere you turn, they debate whether these trendy tumblers are actually helping the environment—or quietly creating a future landfill problem. The conversation drifts (as it should) into memories of Styrofoam cups, old-school thermoses, Trapper Keepers, and the practical, no-frills stuff we grew up with. Are modern metal tumblers better, or just better marketed? And what happens to all of these cups when the craze fades and the next must-have item takes over? Pull up a chair, pour something into your cup of choice, and listen in. And if at any point you find yourself thinking, “That don't sound right,” leave a comment and join the conversation. #tdsrpodcast #ThatDontSoundRight #PodcastConversation #OldSchoolThinking #StainlessSteelTumbler #Yeti #HydroFlask #StanleyCup #SustainabilityDebate #EnvironmentalQuestions #EverydayCulture #NostalgiaPodcast Connect with us:

This week, Jim and Eric shift from breaking Universal news into a fascinating look back at how the company perfected the art of staged chaos. From the official confirmation of a Fast & Furious coaster to high winds halting Epic Universe testing, the conversation eventually lands on the wonderfully cheesy, sometimes dangerous, and always ingenious Jay Bangs that defined the Universal Studios Hollywood Tram Tour for decades. NEWS • Universal officially confirms a Fast & Furious coaster to replace Hollywood Rip Ride Rockit • Universal Orlando's latest emotional ad sparks debate over nostalgia versus party vibes • High winds stall testing on Epic Universe's Stardust Racers coaster • Mystery concrete and launch tubes hint at a future nighttime spectacular at Epic Universe • A noticeable rise in lawsuits across major theme parks raises industry concerns FEATURE • Why Universal's Tram Tour illusions were internally known as Jay Bangs • Collapsing bridges, rockslides, spinning tunnels, and other classic disaster effects • How films like Jaws helped push Universal toward attractions tied to contemporary hits • The fine line between thrilling guests and accidentally pelting them with wet Styrofoam “rocks” HOSTS • Jim Hill - IG: @JimHillMedia | X: @JimHillMedia | Website: JimHillMedia.com • Eric Hersey - IG: @erichersey | X: @erichersey FOLLOW • Facebook: JimHillMediaNews • Instagram: JimHillMedia • TikTok: JimHillMedia SUPPORT Support the show and access bonus episodes and additional content at Patreon.com/JimHillMedia. PRODUCTION CREDITS Edited by Dave Grey Produced by Eric Hersey - Strong Minded Agency SPONSOR Planning your next theme park adventure? Let the experts at Be Our Guest Vacations help you plan a trip to Universal Orlando Resort, Hollywood, Disney parks, cruises, and more. Start planning today at BeOurGuestVacations.com and be sure to mention the Epic Universal Podcast. If you would like to sponsor a show on the Jim Hill Media Podcast Network, reach out today. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jim MacKay PlymouthSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Sign up for Audible, using our affiliate link! When you sign up for Audible you will be helping out our podcast, and the “Terry goat fund.” When you sign up, your first month is free. After that it becomes $15 every month. You can unsubscribe at any time. Each month you will get one token for an audible book, and some really great prices and discounts on titles that you want to add to your library. Quick recap The meeting began with personal travel experiences, including dietary preferences and climate adjustments. The group then covered various news stories and unusual events, ranging from rejected license plates to a robot setting a badminton record, before transitioning to a detailed demonstration of a DA2 digital player and its features. The conversation ended with humorous stories and jokes, followed by a reminder about listener ratings and upcoming episodes. Summary Terry shared his travel experiences, including an incident where his suitcase vibrated due to an accidentally activated beard trimmer, and mentioned his adjustment to the warm climate in Chicago, which contrasted with the cold back home. They also talked about dietary preferences, with Terry recounting a conversation with a Wisconsin resident who avoids cheese and discussed his own meal preferences during his hospital stay. Terry mentions the consistent menu of pot roast served at the facility. Terry and Keith discussed the poor quality of food and service at the hospital cafeteria at Hines, noting that meals were served on Styrofoam plates with plastic utensils since November. Terry mentioned giving braille calendars to Maggie from the Madison County Blind, to be distributed to veterans during exit interviews. News of the Week Due to technology issues Terry passes the torch to Jill to get the segment started. She shared an update on a hibernating bear under a California man’s house, which had been lured into a cage by wildlife officials but ended up capturing the wrong bear. Terry then shared a story about Illinois officials revealing rejected personalized license plates from 2025, including one that read “I be poopin’.” Keith shared details about the auction of the final run of pennies in the United States, where 232 sets of three pennies sold for $16.76 million, with the last penny sold for $8,000. They also discussed the historical value of pennies and the changing cost of penny candy over the years. Jill mentioned a story about a Japanese company building a robot, though the details were not fully explored. The unusual news stories continue, including a robot setting a world record for consecutive badminton returns against humans, a horse knocking over a mailbox in Florida, and police recovering a stolen Faberge egg in New Zealand. Terry shared a story about a West Coast fast food chain, In-N-Out Burger, removing the number 67 from their ticket order system due to a viral trend. Jill's Weird Words Before Jill can get her first word out, Terry has more technical difficulty. Will he make it back in time for his top 10 list? Jill introduces a word game, where participants had to guess the meaning of “Verso” and “e-Phyllis.” Terry's Top 10 List He makes it back just in time, and Terry shared his top 10 list of things reindeer do when it’s not Christmas. They then transitioned to discussing Terry’s new book reader from the NLS library, which he brought to Heinz for instruction. Keith helped identify features of the device, including USB ports, a cartridge slot, and the possibility of connecting a QWERTY keyboard for entering passwords and book titles. Anchor Topic This is the segment or we talk about blindness related issues. Since Terry is now receiving extra training, we turn the segment over to him so we can share what his goals are to learn. Terry demonstrated the functionality of a DA2 digital player, including its buttons, features, and navigation. He explained how to use various buttons for tasks like playing books, adjusting settings, and accessing the user guide. Keith and Jill provided clarifications and asked questions to better understand the device’s capabilities. They discussed the possibility of covering more features in a future session. Email and Final Thoughts Keith reads emails from listeners, but Terry expressed a preference for emails about real experiences rather than dreams or visions. Keith shared a humorous story about St. Peter at the gates of heaven, where he compared the rewards given to different individuals based on their earthly deeds. He followed it up with the story about a man whose wife discovered he made bets on horses. The final word from our AI companion The group then engaged in a lighthearted exchange of jokes, with Terry and Jill contributing their own humorous anecdotes. The episode concluded with Keith encouraging listeners to leave ratings and feedback, and reminding them to check for new episodes every Thursday. Show notes written by AI, edited as needed by Keith. Sponsored by: Retro Radio Podcast. Bringing you family-friendly entertainment through classic, old-time radio. Episodes are posted daily. Keith and his Retrobots share everything in his collection from the days of vintage radio. Adventure, comedy, detective, westerns, and lots in between. If you don't hear your favorite show, just ask Visit the web page today, https://retro-otr.com

In a climate-aware world, can venture capital truly be a force for good? Join us as we speak with Michael Smith, co-founder of Regeneration.VC, a firm dedicated to reshaping consumer value chains through the lens of environmental regeneration. While the firm is known for its strategic advisor Leonardo DiCaprio, the real stars of this show are the revolutionary businesses Michael and his team are funding. Michael reveals how Regeneration.VC applies a rigorous, nature-first approach to funding innovation: The CRISP Measurement System: Learn about the Circular Regenerative Investment Sustainability Protocol (CRISP), the firm's proprietary method for ensuring that investments actively contribute to environmental healing and, critically, "do no harm." Michael explains how this system uses strict negative screens to avoid environmentally destructive practices from the start. The Toxics Challenge: Michael details the urgent, often-overlooked threat of toxic materials in consumer products, especially in industries like apparel manufacturing, and how Regeneration.VC targets companies dedicated to eliminating these harmful chemicals from our planet and our lives. Success in Circularity: Discover compelling case studies, including an investment in a company that transforms waste from the seafood industry into a compostable, soil-enriching alternative to Styrofoam. Impact vs. Returns: Michael shares his personal journey to impact investing and provides insight into the challenges and opportunities of aligning financial goals with a desire to contribute positively to the planet. This conversation offers a deep dive into how strategic capital can move beyond mere sustainability and actively drive a regenerative future. Takeaways Investing with nature in mind is crucial for sustainability. The CRISP measurement system helps ensure no harm is done. Impact investing can yield profitable returns while doing good. Reducing waste and increasing efficiency is key to circularity. Toxics in consumer products are a growing concern. Carbon markets are evolving, but challenges remain. Voluntary carbon markets show promise for innovation. Mycelium packaging startups face scalability challenges. Optimism is growing in the nature technology sector. Innovative business models can drive positive change for the planet. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

祈禱 qídǎo – to pray火災 huǒzāi – fire; blaze關鍵 guānjiàn – key; crucial疑似 yísì – suspected; seemingly違規 wéiguī – to violate rules吸菸 xīyān – to smoke工程 gōngchéng – construction project起火點 qǐhuǒdiǎn – ignition point; where the fire started菸蒂 yāndì – cigarette butt痕跡 hénjì – trace; mark違反 wéifǎn – to violate; to break (rules/laws)建材 jiàncái – building materials著火 zháohuǒ – to catch fire外牆 wàiqiáng – outer wall整修 zhěngxiū – to renovate; to repair防水布 fángshuǐbù – waterproof covering/tarp窗框 chuāngkuàng – window frame保麗龍 bǎolìlóng – Styrofoam火勢 huǒshì – the spread/strength of a fire蔓延 mànyán – to spread天文台 tiānwéntái – observatory (e.g., Hong Kong Observatory)鑽進 zuānjìn – to drill into; to squeeze into鷹架 yīngjià – scaffolding縫隙 fèngxì – gap; crack煙囪效應 yāncōng xiàoyìng – chimney effect封閉 fēngbì – to block; to close off遮住 zhēzhù – to cover; to block逃生 táoshēng – to escape (from danger)消防隊 xiāofángduì – fire department救援 jiùyuán – rescue火災警報器 huǒzāi jǐngbàoqì – fire alarm濃煙 nóngyān – thick smoke故障 gùzhàng – malfunction; breakdown響 xiǎng – to ring; to sound延燒 yánshāo – to spread (fire to other areas)安置 ānzhì – to place; to arrange temporary shelterFollow me on Instagram: fangfang.chineselearning !

Send us a textThe Spinsters gather round the holiday table for a feast cooked up from some of the fiction we've consumed over the years! Ingredients: discussions about the flavor of milk-bones, lint chicken, and, of course, human food. Whoops while we clean up after our big meal we should correct our repeated falsehood that in the Twilight saga they drink human blood when it's simply a Styrofoam cup filled with blood of unknown origin. Happy Holidays!Check us out at @clashyspinsters on Twitter and Instagram, or send us an email at clashypodcast@gmail.com. Shout out to @robotjellyfish for our logo and Chris Marino for our jingle!

This week on Truth to Power, we bring you a community conversation about reducing single use disposable plastics in foodservice and the food safety codes that impact efforts to avoid disposables. This conversation was hosted by Beyond Plastics Louisville at their November 20th meeting, and it featured Alison Schleck, Environmental Health Supervisor for the Louisville Metro Public Health and Wellness Food Safety Program. Alison engaged in a rich dialogue with Beyond Plastics Louisville members about our food safety codes as they apply to reusable containers for food and drink. Learn more about Beyond Plastics Louisville at https://www.facebook.com/groups/beyondplasticslouky. Watch a recording of the evening at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0SniWcZrwwA The next meeting of Beyond Plastics Louisville will be a dinner gathering on Thursday, Jan. 15, 2026 at 6pm at Mashup Food Hall in NuLu (750 E Jefferson St.). Join fellow plastic haters at this in-person gathering for dinner, followed by a discussion of the new book, The Problem with Plastic, by Beyond Plastic's founder, Judith Enck. These are some things we learned from our conversation with Alison: • The Food Safety Program oversees 4,600 food facilities in the Louisville metro area, with 17 inspectors and 2 supervisors. Most facilities have two inspections per year. • When restaurant customers dine in, they may bring reusable containers for their leftovers, as long as the restaurant staff do not handle the containers. For other carryouts, the kitchen cannot accept a customer's container. • For coffee shops, the vendor may prepare beverages and transfer into the customer's container, as long as the transfer is contamination free, with no direct contact. Shops, such as Starbucks, may choose whether or not they will allow customers to bring their containers. • Another option (used at some college campuses and in other locales) would be for a food service to provide food in a reusable container that the customer would return to the business or a third party service to be cleaned and sanitized before being reused. • Pam asked if the food safety code addressed possible chemical or microplastic contamination from plastic packaging, containers, or utensils. Alison said the food code standards require that food contact surfaces not allow “migration of deleterious substances' into food. The current code prevents contact with some metals such as lead, copper, or galvanized metal. Regarding concerns about PFAS, Alison said the code specifies that cooking surfaces with Perfluoroalkyl non-stick coatings may not be scratched. • Pam also asked about processes where food is cooked in plastic. These are currently allowed by the code. • Beatriz asked about the process for adopting or changing the KY food code. Who decides which federal code is followed? Alison answered that the KY Dept. for Public Health adopts the code. This department is under the Cabinet for Health and Family Services. • Beatriz also asked if the Metro Food Safety Program regulates food trucks. She has noticed that most food trucks seem to use Styrofoam containers. Food trucks are regulated and inspected, but Styrofoam is allowed by the code. • Arnita asked about educational resources for a friend who teaches fifth graders. Pam recommended programs from kNOw Waste Louisville. Both Pam and Shayla recommended the film Microplastic Madness. On Truth to Power each week, we gather people from around the community to discuss the state of the world, the nation, the state, and the city! It's a community conversation like you won't hear anywhere else! Truth to Power airs every Friday at 9pm, Saturday at 11am, and Sunday at 4pm on Louisville's grassroots, community radio station, Forward Radio 106.5fm WFMP and live streams at https://forwardradio.org

Shaun Seaman from Mushroom Material recently won the Next Fest 2025 pitch competition run by the Sustainable Business Network and this is his pitch.  I attended the event and enjoyed the discussions there.   Thanks to SBN for the chance to share this with others as it is a good example of innovative and new ways of doing business and thinking!   Website: https://www.mushroommaterial.com/  His bio: Shaun is Founder & CEO at Mushroom Material. Mushroom Material is replacing expanded polystyrene (Styrofoam) with a high-performance, home-compostable alternative made from mycelium (mushrooms). The material matches expanded polystyrene in impact resistance, thermal protection, and acoustic insulation. The end product is fully circular, microplastic-free, and safe for home composting. More interviews www.theseeds.nz 

Turkey Troubles, Styrofoam Scandals & Baby Fever (Sort Of) This week on Mismatched, Danna and Kristin covered everything from Thanksgiving turkey drama to nostalgic fast-food cups. 

Hey Guys, Today's episode is going to make decluttering your plastic containers one of the easiest wins in your kitchen. We're not doing this based on emotion or guilt — we're doing it based on facts, safety, and what the research actually says about old and degraded plastics. Keep: #1, #2, #5 (in good condition) Toss: Anything pre-2010, cloudy, scratched, warped, lidless, or mismatched Avoid for heat: #1, #2, #4, #5, #7 unless labeled microwave-safe Never use for heat: #3 (PVC), #6 (Styrofoam), older #7 To-go containers: Fine for cold storage short-term; don't microwave them and don't keep them for months Know someone who needs a little nudge in the kitchen? Share this episode with them. If you want to listen to all of the kitchen Series begin with episode 289. If this episode helps you, share it with someone who's been feeling overwhelmed by their home. Tap the three dots, hit "share episode," and send it to them.  Looking forward to seeing your progress in the free Facebook group.  To join click below... https://www.facebook.com/groups/declutteryourchaos/ Let's connect:

Hey Guys, Today's episode is going to make decluttering your plastic containers one of the easiest wins in your kitchen. We're not doing this based on emotion or guilt — we're doing it based on facts, safety, and what the research actually says about old and degraded plastics. Keep: #1, #2, #5 (in good condition) Toss: Anything pre-2010, cloudy, scratched, warped, lidless, or mismatched Avoid for heat: #1, #2, #4, #5, #7 unless labeled microwave-safe Never use for heat: #3 (PVC), #6 (Styrofoam), older #7 To-go containers: Fine for cold storage short-term; don't microwave them and don't keep them for months Know someone who needs a little nudge in the kitchen? Share this episode with them. If you want to listen to all of the kitchen Series begin with episode 289. If this episode helps you, share it with someone who's been feeling overwhelmed by their home. Tap the three dots, hit "share episode," and send it to them.  Looking forward to seeing your progress in the free Facebook group.  To join click below... https://www.facebook.com/groups/declutteryourchaos/ Let's connect:

Hello you beautiful people!We start the show with a version of A Christmas Carol and it's the audio release that Mickey's Christmas Carol is based on. The full title is An Adaptation of Dickens' A Christmas Carol by The Disney Players. You can watch it here:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MCilmU2_NQMNext up it's Do You Hear What I Hear? and Bob Baker is looking at Polystyrene, or is it Styrofoam? You decide.Then we have our yearly visit with our US correspondent Scott Newman from The Tinsel Tunes and Christmas Morning Podcasts. This year we look at a few of the many versions of Do They Know It's Christmas. Here's the videos:Band Aid https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RH-xd5bPKTABand Aid 2https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RMZjb3YEUQ8Band Aid 20https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_UZ--sD_DBQBand Aid 30https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-w7jyVHocTkLad Baby https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JIS3wNkQ_UEKeith Lemonhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5_05wWm6Mp0Then Bob Baker is back with Where Are You Christmas? and he's looking at Harry Potter stuff in the UK. Check out Bob's podcast here:  https://4fpodcast.buzzsprout.com/We end with The Christmas Quiz. I managed 8, let me know how you got on.Get in touch:Email: totalchristmas@gmail.comWeb: totalchristmaspodcast.comMerry Christmas!

You don't want to miss this crazy secret a listener revealed! See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

CTL Script/ Top Stories of November 14th Publish Date: November 14th   Pre-Roll: From the Ingles Studio Welcome to the Award-Winning Cherokee Tribune Ledger Podcast  Today is Friday, November 14th and Happy Birthday to Alec John Such I’m Peyton Spurlock and here are the stories Cherokee is talking about, presented by Times Journal Canton hears from residents on proposed 28-home neighborhood Retired Cherokee County firefighter dies after cancer battle Wellstar opens new GI clinic at Cherokee Health Park Plus, Leah McGrath from Ingles Markets on pesticides We’ll have all this and more coming up on the Cherokee Tribune-Ledger Podcast, and if you’re looking for Community news, we encourage you to listen and subscribe!  Commercial: STRAND THEATRE STORY 1: Canton hears from residents on proposed 28-home neighborhood The Canton City Council is set to vote Dec. 4 on a proposal to build a 28-home subdivision on Fate Conn Road, but not without some serious pushback from locals. At a Nov. 6 public hearing, residents raised concerns about traffic, flooding, and the loss of greenspace. Earl Darby didn’t hold back: “We’ve had fatalities on that road... we don’t need more cars until there’s a plan to fix it.” Others echoed worries about stormwater runoff and privacy buffers. The developer, Legacy Design and Development, says they’ll address runoff with a stormwater system, but specifics? Still TBD. STORY 2: Retired Cherokee County firefighter dies after cancer battle Cherokee County Fire and Emergency Services is grieving the loss of retired Lt. Dave Burnaugh, who passed away after a relentless fight with cancer. Burnaugh, who retired in September, was diagnosed in 2022 with a Stage 3 brain tumor and a Stage 1 kidney tumor. Despite the odds, he returned to duty last summer after 10 months, greeted by a hero’s welcome from his CCFES family and beyond. Known for his faith, humility, and unwavering dedication, Burnaugh mentored countless firefighters during his nearly two decades of service. His legacy? It’s one of compassion, leadership, and love. STORY 3: Wellstar opens new GI clinic at Cherokee Health Park Last week, Wellstar Health System and the Cherokee County Chamber of Commerce celebrated a big milestone at Cherokee Health Park—the addition of gastroenterology services. The ribbon-cutting for the new GI Suite took place Nov. 5, though the clinic has been seeing patients since September, with procedures starting in October. “This expansion is all about bringing expert care closer to home,” said Christine Beam, Wellstar’s executive director of health parks. The GI team includes Drs. Inder Tandon, Margaret Morrison, and Nidah Khakoo, offering care for everything from liver issues to digestive disorders. Cherokee Health Park just keeps growing—one-stop care, right in Holly Springs. We have opportunities for sponsors to get great engagement on these shows. Call 770.874.3200 for more info.    We’ll be right back. Break: Ingles Markets 2 STORY 5: Woodstock hosting two recycling events on Saturday  Woodstock is hosting not one, but two recycling events this Saturday, Nov. 15, from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Woodstock City Church (150 Ridgewalk Parkway). It’s a chance to declutter and do some good for the planet—win-win, right? The “’Tis the Season to Be Green!” event is open to everyone and will take electronics, cardboard, batteries, eyeglasses, and more. Plus, free paper shredding (up to 10 boxes). They’re also collecting gently used items for Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta. Meanwhile, Woodstock residents can drop off hazardous waste—paint, chemicals, Styrofoam—at a separate area. Registration required at LiveThrive.org/Woodstock. And now here is Leah McGrath from Ingles Markets on pesticides Commercial: We’ll have closing comments after this.   COMMERCIAL: STRAND THEATRE   SIGN OFF –   Thanks again for hanging out with us on today’s Cherokee Tribune Ledger Podcast. If you enjoy these shows, we encourage you to check out our other offerings, like the Cherokee Tribune Ledger Podcast, the Marietta Daily Journal, or the Community Podcast for Rockdale Newton and Morgan Counties. Read more about all our stories and get other great content at www.tribuneledgernews.com Did you know over 50% of Americans listen to podcasts weekly? Giving you important news about our community and telling great stories are what we do. Make sure you join us for our next episode and be sure to share this podcast on social media with your friends and family. Add us to your Alexa Flash Briefing or your Google Home Briefing and be sure to like, follow, and subscribe wherever you get your podcasts. Produced by the BG Podcast Network Show Sponsors: www.ingles-markets.com Strand Marietta – Earl and Rachel Smith Strand Theatre See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Scotty B confesses to trafficking 1,000 illegal coffee cups across state lines — with Nate as his unsuspecting accomplice. Plastic bags, fireworks, and K-Y jelly taxes also make shocking cameos.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this episode we sit down with Sheridan and Ryan from Red Stick Financial. We discuss why going with a local lender can give you more flexibility, as well as a HOT debate on if party cups should be made out of plastic or Styrofoam. Tune in!Check out Red Stick Financial here: https://www.redstickfinancial.com/Sponsors: PB&J Productions, Velocity Partners, Coretechs, Falaya, and Lake Men's Health CenterThe Patty-G Show website: ⁠https://thepattygshow.com/⁠#explorebatonrouge #batonrouge #batonrougepodcast #thepattygshow #onlylouisiana #visitbatonrrouge #louisianatravel #podcast #localpodcast #entrepreneur #entrepreneurship #vodcast #batonrougebusiness #batonrougeentrepreneur

Heidi McDonald and Jason Stoner, the passionate duo behind Foodies of Lafayette and the Lafayette Community Fridge Program, join Discover Lafayette. Their mission blends a love for local restaurants with compassion for those facing food insecurity — all while promoting dignity, kindness, and connection within the Lafayette community. The Origin of Foodies of Lafayette Heidi McDonald founded Foodies of Lafayette as a Facebook group to celebrate good restaurants and people in the region, with one caveat — no negativity allowed. “I basically have two careers at this point,” she shared. “I don't think that I fully comprehended in the beginning what it could be, what that impact could be. Jason came on board early on and made me see some things that I didn't — just how it could grow, the organicness of the friendships that were happening and the power behind that.” With over 112,000 followers at the time of recording this interview (and 113,700 a week later), Foodies of Lafayette has become a true culinary movement that uplifts both local restaurants and the people who enjoy them. The Birth of the Lafayette Community Fridge The Lafayette Community Fridge Program came under Foodies' umbrella in late 2024. Jason explained, “The Lafayette Community Fridge was started in 2021 by another group of individuals. By the end of last year, only a couple of people were left, and Erinn Quinn, reached out to us and said, ‘Hey, would you like to take this over as a Foodies thing?'” Jason admitted he felt an instant calling: “I really wanted to take this on. Heidi let me have it. I said, ‘I'll handle most of the work, but I really want this.' So she allowed me to have this baby, and it's dear to me.” Through Foodies' reputation and community reach, people came forward to help. Jason said, "One of our first needs was to collect $30 a month for the electricity at McMillan's Pub to run the utilities for the fridge. We don't want Robin to come out of her pocket. We need to provide that. We had so many people donating that $30 and they're like, how much do you need? Some would say, here's six months. That paid us through 2026.“ How the Fridge Works The Lafayette Community Fridge has two locations — at McMillan's Pub (2905 East Simcoe) in Lafayette and T-Boy's in Abbeville. It is open 24/7 to anyone who needs food or wishes to contribute. And it is not just food that is needed; the sites also need power, regular maintenance, and clean outs. Jason described how restaurants donate fresh, ready-to-eat meals rather than just shelf-stable goods. “There's so much waste,” he said. “Why can't we just be a little more efficient with organizing where it goes instead of the trash can?” He praised Toby and Joey Lagneaux, owners of Lagneaux's, for stepping up early: “We've got a lot of food coming off the buffet daily. Toby said, ‘Absolutely. We've been throwing it away. I would rather it go somewhere.'” To keep meals safe, Taylor's International donated 6,000 three-compartment Styrofoam containers, and Seth Randall of Logic Refrigeration provided a double commercial fridge. “No one touches the food between Lagneaux's and the fridge,” Jason emphasized. “It's picked up and taken directly to the fridge.” Community Participation and Dignity For Heidi, the heart of the program is dignity. “It's not less dignified to need something,” she said. “We just don't know people's stories. What if they're getting it for their entire family? Or for a whole neighborhood because there's only one vehicle? We all have the ability to give back. It's not going to hurt us.” She continued, “Just because someone is coming and picking up a meal from the fridge doesn't necessarily mean that they don't have anything to offer, because we can all help each other. It's been really beautiful watching people come to pick up dinner and then realizing, ‘Oh, I have an extra can of something at home that I haven't been using...

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Do you do something strange? KiddNation wants to hear about it! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Sept. 29, 2025 - After imposing restrictions on Styrofoam food containers and packing peanuts, the state is going to prohibit the sale of disposable polystyrene containers next year. We consider this environmental initiative with Jeremy Cherson, associate director of government affairs for Riverkeeper.

OA1190 - “You have the right to remain silent.” Anyone who grew up on American crime dramas can recite the rest of these famous warnings from memory, but do you know the whole story of Miranda v. Arizona (1966)? In today's entry in our “Still Good Law” series Matt and Jenessa voluntarily waive their rights, cautiously accept a cigarette and a Styrofoam cup of bad coffee from an alcoholic cop with a dark past, and spill everything they know about the most important criminal case in Supreme Court history. Matt provides the background on Ernesto Miranda's literal life (and death) of crime and the circumstances of his arrest, interrogation, and appeal to the Warren Court while Jenessa breaks down the science of false confessions and why not just having but knowing our Fifth and Sixth Amendment rights is so important for all of us. Oral arguments and decision in Miranda v. Arizona (1966) Miranda: The Story of America's Right to Remain Silent, Gary Stuart (2008) Check out the OA Linktree for all the places to go and things to do! To support the show (and lose the ads!), please pledge at patreon.com/law!

He Still Has his Old Dunkin Styrofoam Cup by Maine's Coast 93.1

The Storm does not cover athletes or gear or hot tubs or whisky bars or helicopters or bros jumping off things. I'm focused on the lift-served skiing world that 99 percent of skiers actually inhabit, and I'm covering it year-round. To support this mission of independent ski journalism, please subscribe to the free or paid versions of the email newsletter.WhoGreg Pack, President and General Manager of Mt. Hood Meadows, OregonRecorded onApril 28, 2025About Mt. Hood MeadowsClick here for a mountain stats overviewOwned by: The Drake Family (and other minority shareholders)Located in: Mt. Hood, OregonYear founded: 1968Pass affiliations:* Indy Pass – 2 days, select blackouts* Indy+ Pass – 2 days, no blackoutsClosest neighboring U.S. ski areas: Summit (:17), Mt. Hood Skibowl (:19), Cooper Spur (:23), Timberline (:26)Base elevation: 4,528 feetSummit elevation: 7,305 feet at top of Cascade Express; 9,000 feet at top of hike-to permit area; 11,249 feet at summit of Mount HoodVertical drop: 2,777 feet lift-served; 4,472 hike-to inbounds; 6,721 feet from Mount Hood summitSkiable acres: 2,150Average annual snowfall: 430 inchesTrail count: 87 (15% beginner, 40% intermediate, 15% advanced, 30% expert)Lift count: 11 (1 six-pack, 5 high-speed quads, 1 fixed-grip quad, 3 doubles, 1 carpet – view Lift Blog's inventory of Mount Hood Meadows' lift fleet)About Cooper SpurClick here for a mountain stats overviewOwned by: The Drake FamilyLocated in: Mt. Hood, OregonYear founded: 1927Pass affiliations: Indy Pass, Indy+ Pass – 2 days, no blackoutsClosest neighboring U.S. ski areas: Mt. Hood Meadows (:22), Summit (:29), Mt. Hood Skibowl (:30), Timberline (:37)Base elevation: 3,969 feetSummit elevation: 4,400 feetVertical drop: 431 feetSkiable acres: 50Average annual snowfall: 250 inchesTrail count: 9 (1 most difficult, 7 more difficult, 1 easier)Lift count: 2 (1 double, 1 ropetow – view Lift Blog's inventory of Cooper Spur's lift fleet)Why I interviewed himVolcanoes are weird. Oh look, an exploding mountain. Because that seems reasonable. Volcanoes sound like something imagined, like dragons or teleportation or dinosaurs*. “So let me get this straight,” I imagine some puzzled Appalachian miner, circa 1852, responding to the fellow across the fire as he tells of his adventures in the Oregon Territory, “you expect me to believe that out thataways they got themselves mountains that just blow their roofs off whenever they feel like it, and shoot off fire and rocks and gas for 50 mile or more, and no one never knows when it's a'comin'? You must think I'm dumber'n that there tree stump.”Turns out volcanoes are real. How humanity survived past day one I have no idea. But here we are, skiing on volcanoes instead of tossing our virgins from the rim as a way of asking the nice mountain to please not explode (seriously how did anyone make it out of the past alive?).And one of the volcanoes we can ski on is Mount Hood. This actually seems more unbelievable to me than the concept of a vengeful nuclear mountain. PNW Nature Bros shield every blade of grass like they're guarding Fort Knox. When, in 2014, federal scientists proposed installing four monitoring stations on Hood, which the U.S. Geological Survey ranks as the sixth-highest threat to erupt out of America's 161 active volcanoes, these morons stalled the process for six years. “I think it is so important to have places like that where we can just step back, out of respect and humility, and appreciate nature for what it is,” a Wilderness Watch official told The New York Times. Personally I think it's so important to install basic monitoring infrastructure so that thousands of people are not incinerated in a predictable volcanic eruption. While “Japan, Iceland and Chile smother their high-threat volcanoes in scientific instruments,” The Times wrote, American Granola Bros say things like, “This is more proof that the Forest Service has abandoned any pretense of administering wilderness as per the letter or spirit of the Wilderness Act.” And Hood and the nation's other volcanoes cackle madly. “These idiots are dumber than the human-sacrifice people,” they say just before belching up an ash cloud that could take down a 747. When officials finally installed these instrument clusters on Hood in 2020, they occupied three boxes that look to be approximately the size of a convenience-store ice freezer, which feels like an acceptable trade-off to mass death and airplanes falling out of the sky.I know that as an outdoor writer I'm supposed to be all pissed off if anyone anywhere suggests any use of even a centimeter of undeveloped land other than giving it back to the deer in a treaty printed on recycled Styrofoam and signed with human blood to symbolize the life we've looted from nature by commandeering 108 square feet to potentially protect millions of lives from volcanic eruption, but this sort of trivial protectionism and willful denial that humans ought to have rights too is the kind of brainless uncompromising overreach that I fear will one day lead to a massive over-correction at the other extreme, in which a federal government exhausted with never being able to do anything strips away or massively dilutes land protections that allow anyone to do anything they can afford. And that's when we get Monster Pete's Arctic Dune Buggies setting up a casino/coal mine/rhinoceros-hunting ranch on the Eliot Glacier and it's like thanks Bros I hope that was worth it to stall the placement of gardenshed-sized public safety infrastructure for six years.Anyway, given the trouble U.S. officials have with installing necessary things on Mount Hood, it's incredible how many unnecessary ones our ancestors were able to build. But in 1927 the good old boys hacked their way into the wilderness and said, “by gum what a spot for snoskiing” and built a bunch of ski areas. And today 31 lifts serve four Mt. Hood ski areas covering a combined 4,845 acres:Which I'm just like, do these Wilderness Watch people not know about this? Perhaps if this and similar groups truly cared about the environmental integrity of Mount Hood they would invest their time, energy, and attention into a long-term regional infrastructure plan that identified parcels for concentrated mixed-use development and non-personal-car-based transit options to mitigate the impact of thousands of skiers traveling up the mountain daily from Portland, rather than in delaying the installation of basic monitoring equipment that notifies humanity of a civilization-shattering volcanic eruption before it happens. But then again I am probably not considering how this would impact the integrity of squirrel poop decomposition below 6,000 feet and the concomitant impacts on pinestand soil erosion which of course would basically end life as we know it on planet Earth.OK this went sideways let me try to salvage it.*Whoops I know dinosaurs were real; I meant to write “the moon landing.” How embarrassing.What we talked aboutA strong 2024-25; recruiting employees in mountains with little nearby housing; why Meadows doesn't compete with Timberline for summer skiing; bye-bye Blue double, Meadows' last standing opening-year chairlift; what it takes to keep an old Riblet operating; the reliability of old versus new chairlifts; Blue's slow-motion demolition and which relics might remain long term; the logic of getting a free anytime buddy lift ticket with your season pass; thoughts on ski area software providers that take a percentage of all sales; why Meadows and Cooper Spur have no pass reciprocity; the ongoing Cooper Spur land exchange; the value of Cooper Spur and Summit on a volcano with three large ski areas; why Meadows hasn't backed away from reciprocal agreements; why Meadows chose Indy over Epic, Ikon, or Mountain Collective; becoming a ski kid when you're not from a ski family; landing at Mountain Creek, New Jersey after a Colorado ski career; how Moonlight Basin started as an independent ski area and eventually became part of Big Sky; the tension underlying Telluride; how the Drake Family, who has managed the ski area since inception, makes decisions; a board that reinvests 100 percent of earnings back into the mountain; why we need large independents in a consolidating world; being independent is “our badge of honor”; whether ownership wants to remain independent long term; potential next lift upgrades; a potential all-new lift line and small expansion; thoughts on a better Heather lift; wild Hood weather and the upper limits of lift service; considering surface lifts on the upper mountain; the challenges of running Cascade Express; the future of the Daisy and Easy Rider doubles; more potential future expansion; and whether we could ever see a ski connection with Timberline Lodge.Why now was a good time for this interviewIt's kind of dumb that 210 episodes into this podcast I've only recorded one Oregon ep: Timberline Lodge President Jeff Kohnstamm, more than three years ago. While Oregon only has 11 active ski areas, and the state ranks 11th-ish in skier visits, it's an important ski state. PNW skiers treat skiing like the Northeast treats baseball or the Midwest treats football or D.C. treats politics: rabid beyond reason. That explains the eight Idaho pods and half dozen each in Washington and B.C. These episodes hit like a hash stand at a Dead show. So why so few Oregon eps?Eh, no reason in particular. There isn't a ski area in North America that I don't want to feature on the podcast, but I can't just order them online like a pizza. Relationships, more than anything, drive the podcast, and The Storm's schedule is primarily opportunity driven. I invite folks on as I meet them or when they do something cool. And sometimes we can connect right away and sometimes it takes months or even years, even if they want to do it. Sometimes we're waiting on contracts or approvals so we can discuss some big project in depth. It can take time to build trust, or to convince a non-podcast person that they have a great story to tell.So we finally get to Meadows. Not to be It-Must-Be-Nice Bro about benefits that arise from clear deliberate life choices, but It must be nice to live in the PNW, where every city sits within 90 minutes of a ripping, open-until-Memorial-Day skyscraper that gets carpet bombed with 400 annual inches but receives between one and four out-of-state visitors per winter. Yeah the ski areas are busy anyway because they don't have enough of them, but busy with Subaru-driving Granola Bros is different than busy with Subaru-driving Granola Bros + Texas Bro whose cowboy boots aren't clicking in right + Florida Bro who bought a Trans Am for his boa constrictor + Midwest Bro rocking Olin 210s he found in Gramp's garage + Hella Rad Cali Bro + New Yorker Bro asking what time they groom Corbet's + Aussie Bro touring the Rockies on a seven-week long weekend + Euro Bro rocking 65 cm underfoot on a two-foot powder day. I have no issue with tourists mind you because I am one but there is something amazing about a ski area that is gigantic and snowy and covered in modern infrastructure while simultaneously being unknown outside of its area code.Yes this is hyperbole. But while everyone in Portland knows that Meadows has the best parking lot views in America and a statistical profile that matches up with Beaver Creek and as many detachable chairlifts as Snowbasin or Snowbird and more snow than Steamboat or Jackson or Palisades or Pow Mow, most of the rest of the world doesn't, and I think they should.Why you should ski Mt. Hood Meadows and Cooper SpurIt's interesting that the 4,845 combined skiable acres of Hood's four ski areas are just a touch larger than the 4,323 acres at Mt. Bachelor, which as far as I know has operated as a single interconnected facility since its 1958 founding. Both are volcanoes whose ski areas operate on U.S. Forest Service land a commutable distance from demographically similar markets, providing a case study in distributed versus centralized management.Bachelor in many ways delivers a better experience. Bachelor's snow is almost always drier and better, an outlier in the kingdom of Cascade Concrete. Skiers can move contiguously across its full acreage, an impossible mission on Balkanized Hood. The mountain runs an efficient, mostly modern 15 lifts to Hood's wild 31, which includes a dozen detachables but also a half dozen vintage Riblet doubles with no safety bars. Bachelor's lifts scale the summit, rather than stopping thousands of feet short as they do on Hood. While neither are Colorado-grade destination ski areas, metro Portland is stuffed with 25 times more people than Bend, and Hood ski areas have an everbusy feel that skiers can often outrun at Bachelor. Bachelor is closer to its mothership – just 26 minutes from Bend to Portland's hour-to-two-hour commutes up to the ski areas. And Bachelor, accessible on all versions of the Ikon Pass and not hamstrung by the confusing counter-branding of multiple ski areas with similar names occupying the same mountain, presents a more clearcut target for the mainstream skier.But Mount Hood's quirky scatterplot ski centers reward skiers in other ways. Four distinct ski areas means four distinct ski cultures, each with its own pace, purpose, customs, traditions, and orientation to the outside world. Timberline Lodge is a funky mix of summertime Bro parks, Government Camp greens, St. Bernards, and its upscale landmark namesake hotel. Cooper Spur is tucked-away, low-key, low-vert family resort skiing. Meadows sprawls, big and steep, with Hood's most interesting terrain. And low-altitude, closest-to-the-city Skibowl is night-lit slowpoke with a vintage all-Riblet lift fleet. Your Epic and Ikon passes are no good here, though Indy gets you Meadows and Cooper Spur. Walk-up lift tickets (still the only way to buy them at Skibowl), are more tier-varied and affordable than those at Bachelor, which can exceed $200 on peak days (though Bachelor heavily discounts access to its beginner lifts, with free access to select novice areas). Bachelor's $1,299 season pass is 30 percent more expensive than Meadows'.This dynamic, of course, showcases single-entity efficiency and market capture versus the messy choice of competition. Yes Free Market Bro you are right sometimes. Hood's ski areas have more inherent motivators to fight on price, forge allegiances like the Timberline-Skibowl joint season pass, invest in risks like night and summer skiing, and run wonky low-tide lift ticket deals. Empowering this flexibility: all four Hood ski areas remain locally owned – Meadows and T-Line by their founding families. Bachelor, of course, is a fiefdom of Park City, Utah-based Powdr, which owns a half-dozen other ski areas across the West.I don't think that Hood is better than Bachelor or that Bachelor is better than Hood. They're different, and you should ski both. But however you dissect the niceties of these not-really-competing-but-close-enough-that-a-comarison-makes-sense ski centers, the on-the-ground reality adds up to this: Hood locals, in general, are a far more contented gang than Bachelor Bros. I don't have any way to quantify this, and Bachelor has its partisans. But I talk to skiers all over the country, all the time. Skiers will complain about anything, and online guttings of even the most beloved mountains exist. But talk to enough people and strong enough patterns emerge to understand that, in general, locals are happy with Mammoth and Alpine Meadows and Sierra-at-Tahoe and A-Basin and Copper and Bridger Bowl and Nub's Nob and Perfect North and Elk and Plattekill and Berkshire East and Smuggs and Loon and Saddleback and, mostly, the Hood ski areas. And locals are generally less happy with Camelback and Seven Springs and Park City and Sunrise and Shasta and Stratton and, lately, former locals' faves Sugarbush and Wildcat. And, as far as I can tell, Bachelor.Potential explanations for Hood happiness versus Bachelor blues abound, all of them partial, none completely satisfactory, all asterisked with the vagaries of skiing and skiers and weather and luck. But my sense is this: Meadows, Timberline, and Skibowl locals are generally content not because they have better skiing than everyplace else or because their ski areas are some grand bargain or because they're not crowded or because they have the best lift systems or terrain parks or grooming or snow conditions, but because Hood, in its haphazard and confounding-to-outsiders borders and layout, has forced its varied operators to hyper-adapt to niche needs in the local market while liberating them from the all-things-to-everyone imperative thrust on isolated operations like Bachelor. They have to decide what they're good at and be good at that all the time, because they have no other option. Hood operators can't be Vail-owned Paoli Peaks, turning in 25-day ski seasons and saying well it's Indiana what do you expect? They have to be independent Perfect North, striving always for triple-digit operating days and saying it's Indiana and we're doing this anyway because if we don't you'll stop coming and we'll all be broke.In this way Hood is a snapshot of old skiing, pre-consolidation, pre-national pass, pre-social media platforms that flung open global windows onto local mountains. Other than Timberline summer parks no one is asking these places to be anything other than very good local ski areas serving rabid local skiers. And they're doing a damn good job.Podcast NotesOn Meadows and Timberline Lodge opening and closing datesOne of the most baffling set of basic facts to get straight in American skiing is the number of ski areas on Mount Hood and the distinction between them. Part of the reason for this is the volcano's famous summer skiing, which takes place not at either of the eponymous ski areas – Mt. Hood Meadows or Mt. Hood Skibowl – but at the awkwardly named Timberline Lodge, which sounds more like a hipster cocktail lounge with a 19th-century fur-trapper aesthetic than the name of a ski resort (which is why no one actually calls it “Timberline Lodge”; I do so only to avoid confusion with the ski area in West Virginia, because people are constantly getting Appalachian ski areas mixed up with those in the Cascades). I couldn't find a comprehensive list of historic closing dates for Meadows and Timberline, but the basic distinction is this: Meadows tends to wrap winter sometime between late April and late May. Timberline goes into August and beyond when it can. Why doesn't Meadows push its season when it is right next door and probably could? We discuss in the pod.On Riblet clipsFun fact about defunct-as-a-company-even-though-a-couple-hundred-of-their-machines-are-still-spinning Riblet chairlifts: rather than clamping on like a vice grip, the end of each chair is woven into the rope via something called an “insert clip.” I wrote about this in my Wildcat pod last year:On Alpental Chair 2A small but vocal segment of Broseph McBros with nothing better to do always reflexively oppose the demolition of legacy fixed-grip lifts to make way for modern machines. Pack does a great job laying out why it's harder to maintain older chairlifts than many skiers may think. I wrote about this here:On Blue's breakover towers and unload rampWe also dropped photos of this into the video version of the pod:On the Cooper Spur land exchangeHere's a somewhat-dated and very biased-against-the-ski-area infographic summarizing the proposed land swap between Meadows and the U.S. Forest Service, from the Cooper Spur Wild & Free Coalition, an organization that “first came together in 2002 to fight Mt. Hood Meadows' plans to develop a sprawling destination resort on the slopes of Mt. Hood near Cooper Spur”:While I find the sanctimonious language in this timeline off-putting, I'm more sympathetic to Enviro Bro here than I was with the eruption-detection controversy discussed up top. Opposing small-footprint, high-impact catastrophe-monitoring equipment on an active volcano to save five bushes but potentially endanger millions of human lives is foolish. But checking sprawling wilderness development by identifying smaller parcels adjacent to already-disturbed lands as alternative sites for denser, hopefully walkable, hopefully mixed-use projects is exactly the sort of thing that every mountain community ought to prioritize.On the combination of Summit and Timberline LodgeThe small Summit Pass ski area in Government Camp operated as an independent entity from its 1927 founding until Timberline Lodge purchased the ski area in 2018. In 2021, the owners connected the two – at least in one direction. Skiers can move 4,540 vertical feet from the top of Timberline's Palmer chair to the base of Summit. While Palmer tends to open late in the season and Summit tends to close early, and while skiers will have to ride shuttles back up to the Timberline lifts until the resort builds a much anticipated gondola connecting the full height, this is technically America's largest lift-served vertical drop.On Meadows' reciprocalsMeadows only has three season pass reciprocal partners, but they're all aspirational spots that passholders would actually travel for: Baker, Schweitzer, and Whitefish. I ask Pack why he continues to offer these exchanges even as larger ski areas such as Brundage and Tamarack move away from them. One bit of context I neglected to include, however, is that neighboring Timberline Lodge and Mount Hood Skibowl not only offer a joint pass, but are longtime members of Powder Alliance, which is an incredible regional reciprocal pass that's free for passholders at any of these mountains:On Ski Broadmoor, ColoradoColorado Springs is less convenient to skiing than the name implies – skiers are driving a couple of hours, minimum, to access Monarch or the Summit County ski areas. So I was surprised, when I looked up Pack's original home mountain of Ski Broadmoor, to see that it sat on the city's outskirts:This was never a big ski area, with 600 vertical feet served by an “America The Beautiful Lift” that sounds as though it was named by Donald Trump:The “famous” Broadmoor Hotel built and operated the ski area, according to Colorado Ski History. They sold the hotel in 1986 to the city, which promptly sold it to Vail Associates (now Vail Resorts), in 1988. Vail closed the ski area in 1991 – the only mountain they ever surrendered on. I'll update all my charts and such to reflect this soon.On pre-high-speed KeystoneIt's kind of amazing that Keystone, which now spins seven high-speed chairlifts, didn't install its first detachable until 1990, nearly a decade after neighboring Breckenridge installed the world's first, in 1981. As with many resorts that have aggressively modernized, this means that Keystone once ran more chairlifts than it does today. When Pack started his ski career at the mountain in 1989, Keystone ran 10 frontside aerial lifts (8 doubles, 1 triple, 1 gondola) compared to just six today (2 doubles, 2 sixers, a high-speed quad, and a higher-capacity gondy).On Mountain CreekI've talked about the bananas-ness of Mountain Creek many times. I love this unhinged New Jersey bump in the same way I loved my crazy late uncle who would get wasted at the Bay City fireworks and yell at people driving Toyotas to “Buy American!” (This was the ‘80s in Michigan, dudes. I don't know what to tell you. The auto industry was falling apart and everybody was tripping, especially dudes who worked in – or, in my uncle's case, adjacent to (steel) – the auto industry.)On IntrawestOne of the reasons I did this insane timeline project was so that I would no longer have to sink 30 minutes into Google every time someone said the word “Intrawest.” The timeline was a pain in the ass, but worth it, because now whenever I think “wait exactly what did Intrawest own and when?” I can just say “oh yeah I already did that here you go”:On Moonlight Basin and merging with Big SkyIt's kind of weird how many now-united ski areas started out as separate operations: Beaver Creek and Arrowhead (merged 1997), Canyons and Park City (2014), Whistler and Blackcomb (1997), Alpine Meadows and Squaw Valley (connected via gondola in 2022), Carinthia and Mount Snow (1986), Sugarbush and Mount Ellen (connected via chairlift in 1995). Sometimes – Beaver Creek, Mount Snow – the terrain and culture mergers are seamless. Other times – Alpine and the Palisades side of what is now Palisades Tahoe – the connection feels like opening a store that sells four-wheelers and 74-piece high-end dinnerware sets. Like, these things don't go together, Man. But when Big Sky absorbed Moonlight Basin and Spanish Peaks in 2013, everyone immediately forgot that it was ever any different. This suggests that Big Sky's 2032 Yellowstone Club acquisition will be seamless.**Kidding, Brah. Maybe.On Lehman BrothersNearly two decades later, it's still astonishing how quickly Lehman Brothers, in business for 158 years, collapsed in 2008.On the “mutiny” at TellurideEvery now and then, a reader will ask the very reasonable question about why I never pay any attention to Telluride, one of America's great ski resorts, and one that Pack once led. Mostly it's because management is unstable, making long-term skier experience stories of the sort I mostly focus on hard to tell. And management is mostly unstable because the resort's owner is, by all accounts, willful and boorish and sort of unhinged. Blevins, in The Colorado Sun's “Outsider” newsletter earlier this week:A few months ago, locals in Telluride and Mountain Village began publicly blasting the resort's owner, a rare revolt by a community that has grown weary of the erratic Chuck Horning.For years, residents around the resort had quietly lamented the antics and decisions of the temperamental Horning, the 81-year-old California real estate investor who acquired Telluride Ski & Golf Resort in 2004. It's the only resort Horning has ever owned and over the last 21 years, he has fired several veteran ski area executives — including, earlier this year, his son, Chad.Now, unnamed locals have launched a website, publicly detailing the resort owner's messy management of the Telluride ski area and other businesses across the country.“For years, Chuck Horning has caused harm to us all, both individually and collectively,” reads the opening paragraph of ChuckChuck.ski — which originated when a Telluride councilman in March said that it was “time to chuck Chuck.” “The community deserves something better. For years, we've whispered about the stories, the incidents, the poor decisions we've witnessed. Those stories should no longer be kept secret from everyone that relies on our ski resort for our wellbeing.”The chuckchuck.ski site drags skeletons out of Horning's closet. There are a lot of skeletons in there. The website details a long history of lawsuits across the country accusing Horning and the Newport Federal Financial investment firm he founded in 1970 of fraud.It's a pretty amazing site.On Bogus BasinI was surprised that ostensibly for-profit Meadows regularly re-invests 100 percent of profits into the ski area. Such a model is more typical for explicitly nonprofit outfits such as Bogus Basin, Idaho. Longtime GM Brad Wilson outlined how that ski area functions a few years back:The Storm explores the world of lift-served skiing year-round. Join us. Get full access to The Storm Skiing Journal and Podcast at www.stormskiing.com/subscribe

All those to-go cups and food containers aren’t actually Styrofoam but those cups and Styrofoam are both forms of foam polystyrene, one of the rare materials that isn’t biodegradable. Which is a problem, because we make – and throw away – so much of it. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Download for Mobile | Podcast Preview | Full Timestamps Expédition 33's Endless Build Possibilities As Game News Crumbles, The Castle Reluctantly Soldiers On Are We Already In The Slowest Industry Crash? The Future of Devil May Cry: Remake or Sequel? Watch live: twitch.tv/castlesuperbeast Go to http://shopify.com/superbeast to sign up for your $1-per-month trial period. - Go to http://auraframes.com/ and use code SUPERBEAST to get $35-off plus free shipping on their best-selling Carver Mat frame. - Go to http://factormeals.com/castle50off and use code castle50off to get 50% off and free shipping on your first box.  - Click this link https://sponsr.is/bootdev_BLTZZ and use my code BLTZZ to get 25% off your first payment for boot.dev. Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 Director Guillaume Broche: "it would've taken one "25 years" to navigate all the bureaucracy in a AAA studio just to get started on the game." Polygon sold to GameRant owner Valne, tSome staffers have been laid off or will no longer be with the publication. Fandom Blows Up Giant Bomb Microsoft Raises the Price of All Xbox Series Consoles, Xbox Games Confirmed to Hit $80 This Holiday Silksong is set to be fully playable at a museum exhibit in Australia on September 18, meaning that's a good chance the game will release before that exhibit debuts. Grand Theft Auto VI Trailer 2 Gears of War: Reloaded announced for PS5, Xbox Series, and PC - Gematsu