Podcasts about tackling

In Hour 2 of the show, Jonas Knox, Brady Quinn, & LaVar Arrington chime in more on the Brendan Sorsby situation from Texas Tech defending him highly lately. Plus, the guys have some fun with a Kansas State recruit getting tackled by his mom, we have a flight edition of the FSR IR, and more!!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

How do regulators actually write the rules for crypto? SEC Commissioner Hester Peirce and Taylor Lindman, Chief Counsel of the SEC's Crypto Task Force, take us inside the process, recorded at the SEC offices in Washington, D.C.We cover CLARITY Act rulemaking, lessons from Dodd-Frank, principles-based regulation and navigating the risks of decentralized projects. If you want to understand how an agency like the SEC actually works, this episode is for you.Timestamps:0:00 Intro1:20 Commissioner Peirce's philosophy on capital markets5:04 Rulemaking at the SEC6:48 The SEC's divisions, explained8:27 How the Crypto Task Force is staffed10:37 Lessons from Dodd-Frank13:10 Legal artisans15:15 The Clarity Act deadlines18:55 Decentralized intermediaries20:56 Principles-based vs prescriptive regulation24:49 Tackling difficult crypto questions26:23 Leveraging AI for data review29:46 "Come in and register" under this SEC33:50 SEC & CFTC collaboration35:52 Re-engaging the crypto industry40:00 Crypto Task Force & the Clarity Act45:54 The SEC's non-crypto priorities48:41 Avoiding another regulation-by-enforcement era57:14 Thank you to Sam Enzer, Lewis Cohen and Cahill, plus a shoutout to Day One Law and Nick PullmanNewsletter: I'm re-launching the Law of Code newsletter soon: you can ⁠⁠⁠stay updated on emerging tech law for free here⁠⁠⁠: https://www.lawofcode.fm/Any feedback on this episode? Or how to improve the podcast? ⁠⁠Click here: https://forms.gle/W4d2a5aHuLJjuNdn7Disclaimer: This podcast is for informational and educational purposes only and does not constitute legal or investment advice. Views expressed by guests are their own and do not necessarily reflect those of their employers. Listening to this podcast does not create an attorney-client relationship.

Hello there! Welcome to Force Ghost Conversations. This podcast is your home for cozy, deep dives into all things Star Wars and Lucasfilm-adjacent properties. Each week, our host will be joined by fans, creators, and believers in the principles from the Galaxy far, far away to discuss the thematic elements from our favorite Lucasfilm properties. Without further adieu, it is time to gather around the campfire for some Force Ghost Conversations.How many times have you seen the Mandalorian and Grogu in cinemas? Our tally is 4 and counting. Our guest will have seen the movie at least 5 times by the time this recording is released. Mike Celestino from Who's the Bossk? joins the show again to give his thoughts and candid commentary on the film. We discuss what worked and what this movie will indicate for Star Wars moving forward.Topics Discussed Include:1. Seeing the Film with Commentary2. The Joy of the Slow Moments of the Movie3. Tackling the CriticismSupport the show on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Patreon⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠!If you want to continue the conversation, please follow us at the following websites:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Blue Sky⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Threads⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Twitter⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Facebook⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠YouTube⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Merchandise⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Today's guest is Mike Celestino from Who's the Bossk. Be sure to support their work online!

In this episode, Morgan Kendrick, EVP and President, Commercial Health Benefits, Elevance Health, discusses the rising cost pressures facing employers and explores how balanced funding, self-funding, and multiple employer welfare arrangements can help improve affordability while simplifying healthcare benefits for businesses and their employees.

Welcome back to the final part of my interview with Philip Eil, an award-winning freelance journalist based in his hometown, Providence, Rhode Island and the author of “Prescription for Pain” and a work in progress about the history of the Wyatt Detention Facility, a maximum-security prison in Central Falls, Rhode Island.Today we're going to get a glimpse at where Phil's throughline is leading him next and end with my fast final five questions about what he's been reading, watching, listening to, and fantasizing about eating.We talked about:- The local nonprofit news outlet he just joined the board of- Stumbling into being an expert on AI and misinformation (book him for a talk at your local library!)- Why it's helpful to think about the people whose careers you envy- The parts of being an author he finds especially rewarding and thrilling- The link between clutter and mental health- The novels he recently binged, the brand of coffee he swears by, and the absolute best part of his weekConnect with Phil at philipeil.com, or on Instagram @philip.eil or Bluesky @phileil.For full show notes with links to everything we discuss, plus bonus photos!, visit katehanley.substack.com.Thank you for listening! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Ahead of London Climate Action Week, we're exploring how the UK is adopting International Sustainability Standards Board (ISSB) standards.   This episode of the All Things Sustainable podcast is the latest in our ongoing series about global ISSB adoption. Sustainability-related reporting is well established in the UK, and in today's episode we speak to Sally Duckworth, Chair of the UK Sustainability Disclosure Technical Advisory Committee (TAC). The TAC was formed to provide recommendations to the UK government on adoption of the ISSB standards.   "We want to eliminate what's often called the 'alphabet soup' of fragmented reporting by promoting consistency and comparability," Sally tells us.  Sally says companies' understanding of risk has evolved in the face of geopolitical conflicts and climate-related disasters. "People now see risk with a much broader lens, looking at what's happening in their ecosystem as a whole — and clearly, sustainability forms a key part of that."  We also speak to ISSB board member Richard Barker, who explains how the UK fits into the broader global context of countries adopting ISSB standards. Richard joined us on stage for our podcast event recorded live in London on April 29,and you can hear the full interview here: Live in London: How sustainability is evolving into a broader conversation about resilience | S&P Global  Listen to our interview with the Chair of the Canadian Sustainability Standards Board here: Why Canadian Sustainability Standards Board Chair calls sustainability disclosures "table stakes"  Read our latest quarterly tracker on ISSB adoption here: May 2026 – Where does the world stand on ISSB adoption? | S&P Global  Copyright ©2026 by S&P Global    DISCLAIMER  By accessing this Podcast, I acknowledge that S&P GLOBAL makes no warranty, guarantee, or representation as to the accuracy or sufficiency of the information featured in this Podcast. The information, opinions, and recommendations presented in this Podcast are for general information only and any reliance on the information provided in this Podcast is done at your own risk.    Any unauthorized use, facilitation or encouragement of a third party's unauthorized use (including without limitation copy, distribution, transmission or modification, use as part of generative artificial intelligence or for training any artificial intelligence models) of this Podcast or any related information is not permitted without S&P Global's prior consent subject to appropriate licensing and shall be deemed an infringement, violation, breach or contravention of the rights of S&P Global or any applicable third-party (including any copyright, trademark, patent, rights of privacy or publicity or any other proprietary rights).    This Podcast should not be considered professional advice. Unless specifically stated otherwise, S&P GLOBAL does not endorse, approve, recommend, or certify any information, product, process, service, or organization presented or mentioned in this Podcast, and information from this Podcast should not be referenced in any way to imply such approval or endorsement. The third party materials or content of any third party site referenced in this Podcast do not necessarily reflect the opinions, standards or policies of S&P GLOBAL. S&P GLOBAL assumes no responsibility or liability for the accuracy or completeness of the content contained in third party materials or on third party sites referenced in this Podcast or the compliance with applicable laws of such materials and/or links referenced herein. Moreover, S&P GLOBAL makes no warranty that this Podcast, or the server that makes it available, is free of viruses, worms, or other elements or codes that manifest contaminating or destructive properties.    S&P GLOBAL EXPRESSLY DISCLAIMS ANY AND ALL LIABILITY OR RESPONSIBILITY FOR ANY DIRECT, INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL, SPECIAL, CONSEQUENTIAL OR OTHER DAMAGES ARISING OUT OF ANY INDIVIDUAL'S USE OF, REFERENCE TO, RELIANCE ON, OR INABILITY TO USE, THIS PODCAST OR THE INFORMATION PRESENTED IN THIS PODCAST.

Why do so many girls disengage from sport during their school years and what can schools do to change that? In this special Teachers Talk Radio show in partnership with the Football Association (FA), hosts Tom Rogers and Rae Whitehouse are joined by Stacey Mullock, Head of Development at The FA, and secondary teacher Helen Tonks to explore the barriers still holding girls back in sport and school life. Whether it be misogyny and exclusion to body confidence, periods, kit anxiety and the fear of judgement, this honest and practical conversation looks at the real experiences many girls face and why these issues extend far beyond the football pitch. Drawing on insights from the FA & Barclays Made for This Game: Breaking Barriers campaign, the panel discusses how schools can create environments where girls feel confident, included and able to belong. The conversation explores what misogyny looks like in schools today, how teachers can open difficult conversations with confidence, and the small cultural shifts that can make a big difference. With 90% of schools now offering girls equal access to football, progress is real but access alone isn't enough. This show looks at what comes next and how teachers can help girls build confidence, resilience and a lasting sense of self-worth.

In this episode, Morgan Kendrick, EVP and President, Commercial Health Benefits, Elevance Health, discusses the rising cost pressures facing employers and explores how balanced funding, self-funding, and multiple employer welfare arrangements can help improve affordability while simplifying healthcare benefits for businesses and their employees.

Join Mike D The Referee for a special solo episode of Whistle Talk as we review NFHS Football Rules 1, 2, and 3 through a comprehensive quiz designed to sharpen your officiating skills before the season begins.Whether you're a new official preparing for your first varsity assignment, a veteran referee looking for a refresher, or simply a football fan who wants a better understanding of the rules, this episode will challenge your knowledge and help reinforce key concepts every official needs to know.Special thanks to Tom Barlow, Cadet Supervisor for the NJFOA Shore Chapter, whose training materials and instruction continue to help develop the next generation of football officials.

In this episode, Melissa shares insights from both her professional experience and her personal journey, offering a thoughtful look at the many factors that can influence a child's learning. Together, we explore different perspectives, practical considerations, and ways to approach challenges with fresh eyes and renewed confidence. Every child should have access to a whole education. While we work hard to keep our virtual school tuition and curriculum prices affordable, there will always be families that desire this education but can not afford it. It is our deepest desire to help those families. https://www.aurielslight.orgAuriel's Light is a non profit and all donations are tax deductible. Candle Access: Full Length Podcast Library + Gathering Replays https://www.aurielslight.org/donate Learn more about our Waldorf Homeschool Curriculum and Planning for Peace here: https://www.waldorfessentials.com/store Learn more about our Seasons of Seven homeschool program here: https://www.seasonsofseven.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/waldorf_essentials/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/WaldorfEssentials/ Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/waldorfessentials/

Dora, Robin, and Headspace mental health coach Corey answer questions about navigating unpredictable events, reframing your identity after family members have passed away, and coping with senior coworkers who humiliate or embarrass you. Follow Robin ⁠here⁠ or at ⁠Well…Adjusting⁠ and follow Dora ⁠here⁠ and follow Corey ⁠here⁠. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

When we fly we love to take our gadgets with us. But the lithium batteries that power them can catch fire. We find out about a new campaign urging us to pack with safety in mind.Also this week: the BBC's Lily Jamali visits an international competition for new AI applications in San Francisco. And protecting Africa's endangered wildlife is an increasingly high-tech business - a new scheme aims to give conservation workers the latest skills.Presenter: Chris Vallance Producer: Tom Quinn(Photo: A man is in an airport lounge. He is charging his smartphone with a portable charger, which is resting on a suitcase. Credit: Getty Images)

Hospital-acquired bacterial pneumonia (HABP) and ventilator-associated bacterial pneumonia (VABP) are serious conditions that often affect critically ill patients in ICUs. These infections carry a high risk of mortality and are frequently caused by multidrug-resistant bacteria like MRSA. On this episode of the ATS Breathe Easy podcast, Scott Micek, PharmD, University of Health Sciences and Pharmacy in St. Louis, explains to host Eddie Qian, MD, Vanderbilt University, why treating HABP/VABP needs to be tailored to the patient, how rapid diagnostics have pros and cons, and the importance of balancing aggressive early treatment with careful reassessment. This episode is sponsored by Innoviva Specialty Therapeutics.

Swan Alley, located between Thomas Street and Hanbury Lane, has long been a source of discussion among members of the South Central Area Committee...Last week, it was gated shut due to the ongoing issues related to drug abuse, anti-social behaviour and illegal dumping. Is this the correct thing to do to tackle anti-social behaviour?Joining Ciara to discuss is Brendan Brady of Brady Associates on Meath Street and Lesley Byrne, Dublin City Councillor with the Social Democrats.

Andy Harrington is the executive director of Canadian Foodgrains Bank, a partnership of 15 Canadian churches and their agencies working together to end global hunger. He describes the challenging state of global aid work, government funding and how Canadians can respond.

What does it take to go from helping millions of people breathe easier to helping patients keep their legs?   Join The Heart of Innovation as Kym McNicholas talks with Sarvajna Dwivedi, Ph.D., entrepreneur, inventor, and CEO of AngioSafe, whose career has spanned some of the most challenging problems in medicine.   Sarvajna co-founded Pearl Therapeutics, a company focused on breakthrough respiratory therapies that was ultimately acquired by AstraZeneca for $1.15 billion. Along the way, he helped develop inhaled therapies and drug-device combinations designed to improve the lives of patients with asthma and COPD. (AngioSafe United States)   Today, his focus has shifted from the lungs to the arteries.   As CEO and co-founder of AngioSafe, Sarvajna is leading the development of the Santreva-ATK Endovascular Revascularization Catheter, a novel device designed to restore blood flow through some of the most challenging chronic total occlusions (CTOs) physicians encounter in patients with peripheral artery disease (PAD). The technology is designed to cross completely blocked arteries, compress plaque, create a new channel, and restore blood flow without relying on a guidewire or external power source. (Medical Economics)   In this episode, we discuss:   • How a pharmaceutical scientist became a medical device innovator   • The story behind Pearl Therapeutics and its $1.15 billion acquisition   • Why chronic total occlusions remain one of the biggest challenges in PAD treatment   • How AngioSafe's Santreva-ATK technology works   • What it means to restore blood flow through arteries that are 100% blocked   • The future of cardiovascular and vascular innovation   If you or someone you love has peripheral artery disease, diabetes, leg pain while walking, non-healing wounds, or has been told an artery is completely blocked, this is a conversation you won't want to miss.  

Ricky talks about RCDC pt2, we're joined by Team Main Phase's baby boy, and then we look at MARVEL BABYTeam Main Phase: https://x.com/TeamMainPhaseMetafy: https://metafy.gg/@teammainphaseWant to support the show? You can find our Patreon here: https://www.patreon.com/crew3mtg You can now also support us by buying cards through our TCG Affiliate link! http://crew3mtg.com/Buy a playmat or used our Inked Gaming affiliate link here: https://bit.ly/3aX4hzOWant to keep up with the show? Join our Discord http://discord.gg/h62MXE5raf or follow us on twitter @Crew3podcastWant more Crew3 content? Check out our YouTube channel or watch our weekly streams on Twitch.If you like the show, please share us with your friends and leave a review!

Brad Ross worked on four Fifa World Cups during more than a decade with Coca-Cola, but he likens the expanded 2026 edition to having 104 Super Bowls in five to six weeks. Now, as managing director of global marketing partnerships at Bank of America, he is overseeing the financial services giant's first-ever sponsorship of soccer's flagship international tournament. In this episode of the SportsPro Podcast, Ross sits down with Head of Editorial Sam Carp to discuss the strategy underpinning Bank of America's World Cup debut and what opportunities and challenges the expansion of the tournament creates for sponsors. Recorded at SportsPro London, the conversation also explores how the bank will activate the partnership across its 100 US markets, what it takes to cut through in a noisy tournament environment, and how it is tracking ROI. There's also time for Ross to reveal what it's really like to work on a World Cup and share his key piece of advice for sponsors.

Sen. Sally Harrell was elected to the Georgia State Senate in 2018, representing DeKalb and Gwinnett counties. Prior to serving in the Senate, Sen. Harrell earned a Master of Social Work and worked as a non-profit executive. Recently, Sen. Harrell co-chaired a legislative study committee on Kids' Online Safety. She and her husband are proud parents of two young adult children. In this episode… Keeping kids safe online has moved beyond screen time limits and reminders about what not to click. From social media and gaming platforms to AI companion chatbots, lawmakers are focusing on features that can manipulate children or expose them to harmful interactions. Parents want stronger protections for their children, and lawmakers on both sides of the aisle agree more must be done. As lawmakers push to regulate harmful design and AI-driven risks, balancing child safety with innovation remains a challenge.  Protecting kids online takes more than one policy or parental control setting. Georgia State Senator Sally Harrell knows this well. She introduced a resolution to create a bipartisan-led Senate Study Committee dedicated to keeping kids safe online. The committee's work helped advance the bell-to-bell cellphone ban for high school students, building on the K through eight ban previously signed into law in Georgia. Their efforts also led to bills addressing addictive social media and gaming design and AI companion chatbot safeguards. The legislative process revealed how lobbying pressure and buried bill language can weaken broadly supported protections. Yet call to action matters. Parents and constituents need to stay engaged, get involved, and speak up to ensure legislators are held accountable for protecting children online.  In this episode of She Said Privacy/He Said Security, Jodi and Justin Daniels speak with Georgia State Senator Sally Harrell about the realities of advancing kids' online safety legislation. Senator Harrell explains how the bipartisan-led Georgia Senate Study Committee on kids' online safety turned parent concerns into legislative action. She shares a behind-the-scenes look at what it takes to keep bills moving, including the constraints of short legislative sessions, Big Tech lobbying, and the role public advocacy plays. Senator Harrell also provides privacy and security tips for families navigating children's online activity.

E-waste, that's electronic waste, is a serious problem in Australia, where we generate nearly three times as much e-waste per person as the global average.  

On Iowa Politics is a weekly news and analysis podcast that aims to recreate the kinds of conversations that happen when you get political reporters from across Iowa together after the day's deadlines have been met. Tackling anything from local to state to national, On Iowa Politics is your weekly dose of analysis and insight into the issues affecting Iowa.This week on the On Iowa Politics podcast, we review the 2026 Primary Election.This episode was hosted by Gazette Des Moines Bureau Chief Erin Murphy. It features Gazette Deputy Des Moines Bureau Chief Tom Barton, Sarah Watson of the Quad City Times, Jared McNett of the Sioux City Journal, and Gazette columnists Althea Cole and Todd Dorman.This episode was produced by Gazette Social Video Producer Bailey Cichon.Read the articles mentioned in this episode:Lahn tops Feenstra for GOP nominationHow did Zach Lahn win Iowa's GOP gubernatorial primary?Iowa primary takeaways: Democrats see opening, economy dominates and Lahn reshapes governor's raceTurek wins Democratic nomination for Iowa U.S. Senate seat, setting up showdown with HinsonMiller-Meeks, Bohannan advance to rematch in Iowa's 1st District raceAdam Peters defeats incumbent Ken Croken in Iowa House District 97 raceKing counties from 2020 Fourth District primary stayed with Lahn in gubernatorial primaryDave Rowley survives primary challenge from human trafficking lecturer Stacy BeschChris Cournoyer advances in tight Iowa auditor primary

What happens when you wake up one day and realize you've been asleep for 20 years successful on paper, but dead inside? For Brian "Dixon" Dixon, that realization came after a near fatal pulmonary embolism. But it didn't have to. In this powerful episode of Productivity Smarts, host Gerald J. Leonard sits down with Brian Dixon, Colorado based adventurer, speaker, and author of the upcoming book Hold My Beer, I'm Going to Change My Life. Dixon shares his raw, personal journey from decades of misalignment, chasing the wrong career, surrendering his dreams, and becoming a "man zombie," to a life changing breakthrough at age 52, when he finally launched a paraglider off Lookout Mountain, a dream he had buried for 25 years. Gerald and Dixon explore the "provider trap" that causes so many men to lose themselves, the small signals of misalignment we ignore until a crisis hits, and the antidote: Hold My Beer energy, a non negotiable, committed launch toward the one thing that still lights you up. Dixon offers a simple "man zombie test" to check in with yourself, explains why most people never recover their fire, and proves that it's never too late to stop talking about the old days and start living the new ones. Whether you're feeling stuck, burned out, or just vaguely numb, this episode will give you the permission and the push to say, "Hold my beer, I've got something I need to do." Ready to wake up? Listen now and learn how one committed launch can start a positive flywheel that changes everything.   What We Discuss [00:00] Introduction [02:01] Meet Brian "Dixon" and his upcoming book [04:39] The "hold my beer" moment that changed everything [05:35] Living 20 years in misalignment and autopilot [06:46] Financial collapse and personal reset after 2008 [07:42] The life-threatening health scare that sparked change [09:12] Rediscovering a lost dream: paragliding off Lookout Mountain [10:56] Turning one decision into a life transformation [13:55] Defining "hold my beer energy" [14:27] The hidden danger of the provider trap [17:55] Losing yourself in responsibility and routine [19:00] Why making time for yourself is essential [20:52] How to realign your life before a crisis hits [22:09] The "man zombie test" and self-check questions [24:05] Tackling misalignment one decision at a time [25:11] Why commitment, not interest, drives transformation [26:19] Building a positive momentum flywheel [27:08] Reigniting passion at any stage of life [30:13] Signs you're losing your fire and how to reverse it [31:56] It's never too late: overcoming the "I'm stuck" mindset [34:35] Where to find Dixon and what's next  Notable Quotes [05:56] "My passion and my fire for life went to sleep, and I call it a man zombie stage. I basically went into autopilot for 20 years." – Brian Dixon [08:35] "After the pulmonary embolism, I said: I am halfway through my life. I am 44 years old and I have been asleep this whole time." – Brian Dixon [15:21] "I feel like men can lose themselves inside of that provider ship piece – they don't have any guardrails for their own dreams." – Brian Dixon [21:56] "The big thing is, it's tough for men to actually know they're asleep. If you're taking a nap in the middle of the night, you don't know you're asleep." – Brian Dixon [22:23] "When is the last time you did something just for you? Not for your boss, not for your spouse, not for your kids? These check-in questions can help you avoid the hospital." – Brian Dixon [24:20] "Eat the elephant one step at a time. Find the one thing that's most misaligned. Then hold my beer – non-negotiable. Nothing's going to stop me." – Brian Dixon [24:44] "When you launch a paraglider, we call it a committed launch. Life or death. That's how you should treat Hold My Beer." – Brian Dixon [30:56] "If you ever find yourself where most of your conversation is about how things used to be, that's a trigger signal. Your fire is going out. You should be talking about what you're planning on doing right now." – Brian Dixon [31:35] "You don't quit snowboarding when you get old. You get old because you quit snowboarding." – Brian Dixon [33:59] "It's never too late if you can kindle that fire again." – Brian Dixon   Resource and Links Brian "Dixon" Dixon Website: www.gowithdixon.com Book: Hold My Beer, I'm Going to Change My Life (coming Fall)   Productivity Smarts Podcast Website - productivitysmartspodcast.com Gerald J. Leonard Website - geraldjleonard.com Turnberry Premiere website - turnberrypremiere.com Scheduler - vcita.com/v/geraldjleonard Kiva is a loan, not a donation, allowing you to cycle your money and create a personal impact worldwide. https://www.kiva.org/lender/topmindshelpingtopminds

When parenting philosophies clash and real-life questions don't have easy answers, where do you turn? Jim Scudder and a panel of fathers tackle your toughest parenting questions with wisdom from experience and Scripture.

Kelly Brownell interviews Jon-Paul Bianchi, Director of Systems Change at the W.K. Kellogg Foundation, about the foundation's systems-change approach linking food, health, early childhood, and family economic security to address inequities affecting children and families. Bianchi describes his path from PhD research to policy work and then to Kellogg, and explains how integrated grantmaking focuses upstream on policies, practices, resource flows, narratives, and long-term investment in people and relationships rather than isolated programs. He highlights Vermont's inclusion of food quality in childcare ratings and the foundation's Farm to Early Childhood efforts connecting procurement, regional food systems, and state policy, with examples from states like North Carolina, Iowa, and Wisconsin, and notes Brazil's national local purchasing policy as a model for success. Transcript As I was mentioning before we got started, I've long admired the work of the Kellogg Foundation. Working with the concept of food systems or connecting agriculture with nutrition and thinking about regenerative agricultures. There are a lot of places where your foundation was out front. So, I salute you and your colleagues for that. And it'll be interesting to find out what's happening right now. Tell us a little bit about yourself, and how did you get into the philanthropic work and your work with Kellogg in particular? I'm Jon-Paul Bianchi. I'm the director of the Systems Change team at the W.K. Kellogg Foundation. And what that essentially means is I'm the director of national programs at the foundation. But we call it systems change because we really do see in the different areas of work that we focus on- health, family economic security, food, and early childhood- that these things are all interconnected by some distinct systems. But also, common systems that overlap across them. And so, that's the approach that we take. And I'll spend some time sort of diving into that today. You know, to answer the question of how I got here... you know, a master stroke of luck. I was set to be an academic researcher. I was working on my PhD at the University of Wisconsin. I was ABD and decided that I didn't want to be a researcher and I wanted to work in policy. And I moved to Colorado to take a job sort of sight unseen, being the policy director of an organization that worked in K-12 and children's health, and food and early childhood education. And did that for a few years and learned to translate research into practice; into policy. And was giving a presentation and got a tap on a shoulder from somebody that worked at the Kellogg Foundation who was interested in what I was saying. And we had one conversation, and six months later, I wound up having a new job and leaving Colorado and moving to Michigan. That was 15 years ago. Well, you went into this with a great background having done the science as a graduate student and then into the policy world. And you're right, the intersection of those two is really where the magic can occur. You began talking about this, but let's talk about it a little bit more. So, when you say that there are systems that cut across different problems like food and health and economic security, etc., and I know you structured your team to reflect that cross-cutting kind of view of things. But tell us a little bit more about that. And how is this different than what's usually done, and how does it affect the way your work gets carried out? So, big picture at the Kellogg Foundation, we envision a society where every child can thrive. But we know that there's too many kids and families that still can't access good food or quality childcare, or their parents can't find quality jobs because of inequities that are embedded in the policies and the practices and narratives that shape our systems. And so, having a multi-issue integrated grant making team, it's made us more effective by better understanding the points of intersection and collaboration across those bodies of work. So, our food systems program officers are in the same team, and they work closely with our program officers in early childhood and family economic security and health. And those collaborations strengthen the work in a variety of ways. We have experts in each of those areas, but because they're spending time with each other and working in the same team, they're exposed to, and they learn about each other's work and each other's worlds. And that creates powerful collaborations in the foundation, but more importantly, out in the field. And it helps us to see that we can't fix any of these systems, including food systems, with surface level or patch kinds of solutions. We really have to work together to get upstream and focus on policies, focus on practices, focus on resource flows and narratives that really sustain the inequities that we see. And so, the foundation partners with organizations to dismantle barriers in food systems in the other areas so that children and families can access quality food. But I think we also recognize that's about investing in people. And it's about investing in people over time to drive transformational change in any of these systems, including food. For people listening to this who aren't in the world of philanthropy or academics or science or policy they might be saying, "Well, this kind of makes common sense. Isn't this the way it's usually done?" And in fact, it's not usually done to have this cross-cutting work accomplished the way you're doing it. It's actually a pretty impressive thing. Yes, thank you. And I have a lot of respect for our philanthropic partners and peers, and we work very closely with a lot of large and small foundations. And I think the adage in philanthropy is you know one foundation you know one foundation. So, we do it this way and somebody else will do it differently. And I think there's a lot of connection for us back to our founder. You mentioned Will Keith Kellogg at the top of the call. He was ahead of his time in terms of understanding the interconnectedness between food and the land and opportunity and people's education. And a lot of that came out of his tradition as a Seventh Day Adventist. But also, I think just as a person coming up in the Depression and seeing what happened afterwards and really beginning to understand in his own community of how these things were sort of connected to one another. And so, for us, both inside and outside the foundation, systems change really means betting on people long term to reshape those systems from the outside in. But also, from the inside out. And that's really what we're striving for. You mentioned the history of Dr. Kellogg. The history of that family is so interesting, and what went on in, you know, the sanitarium in Battle Creek, Michigan, and how the concept of breakfast cereals came about. And how the focus on natural foods was so important. It's worth spending a little time even on just Wikipedia to try to find out what that history is, because I find it fascinating. So, let's go back to food and go a little bit deeper and talk about what this systems approach looks like in practice. You're a philanthropic organization. You exist in the context of a capitalist society where businesses are out to do as well as they can. How is the foundation's work different from, say, funding a food pantry, launching a single nutrition program somewhere, which is what typically might be done? Yes, I think what we intend to do and how I think our systems approach is a little different from, say, you know, funding a single nutrition program, is that we mean to design and redesign practice and policy based on how kids and families actually live their lives. Right? So, where food and health and early childhood and family economic security show up together in a community, right? Families experience these things simultaneously in their everyday lives. They don't experience these things in silos. And so, we try to have our team and our work reflect that. So, instead of treating food as a narrow problem to fix with one program, we try to think about how the entire system around a child and their caregivers works or doesn't work and find those opportunities and levers to move that whole system. I'll give you a concrete example that will bring in our colleague Linda Jo Doctor, who you mentioned at the top of the conversation. Early in my time at the foundation, I was a reviewer for the Race to the Top Early Learning Challenge Grant. This was an Obama era competitive grant process for building early childhood systems in states. And the state of Vermont did something really interesting that I had the good fortune to review as part of that team. They included the quality of food and access to fresh, healthy food in childcare centers as part of their quality rating and improvement system for childcare. They didn't just talk about teacher quality or curriculum or reflective practice. They actually said, "If we care about child development, then what children are eating every day in those childcare centers is part of what quality means." That's a systems approach. They connected food policy and procurement directly into early childhood policy and practice so that nutrition and education and child wellbeing were all being advanced simultaneously. I brought that back to the foundation and brought it back to Linda. And we had a really great conversation about it, and then another, and then another, and then another. And that experience helped shape how I think and how many people think about our work at the foundation. And it led to things like the expansion of our Farm to Early Childhood work, which again, leans heavily on procurement as the strategy to drive systems change, but connects it into early childhood policy. Tell us about that. You know, the Vermont example you gave is a terrific one. And you talked about Farm to Early Childhood. What does that mean in practice? In practice for the foundation, it really leaned heavily first on, sort of, understanding the landscape of where there was capacity to connect regional food hubs, farmers and producers and growers to systems of early childhood. At the same time that you have these burgeoning and developing systems of early care and education with regard to financing and sophistication, you have something similar going on in them in the food system movement, depending on the state that you're in. And so, we work diligently in a subset of states to really connect those policy levers, pull them together, and try to create essentially more situations like Vermont, you had partnership at the local community level, at the regional level, and then at the state systems level. So, syncing up the actual practice on the ground, syncing up how the relationships between different organizations are formed and maintained with regards to better food and early childhood. But then also trying to codify that into state policy and practice. And we did that for a number of years and had remarkable success in places like Iowa and Wisconsin and even in North Carolina, and a handful of other states. And we very much saw this as a build off our successful farm-to-school work, but doing it in a system that comparatively in terms of early childhood, was a little more fragile, right? And it wasn't necessarily as easy to do it, but all the more important and helpful because of the age and the vulnerability of the kids and families that we're talking about. The systems approach is very powerful, and so I'm going to ask a question not to be challenging, but to in some ways give you a softball for proving the systems approach. If at the end of the day, the most important thing in a childcare setting is to get healthy food into the bodies of the children so they can thrive intellectually and medically and everything else. Couldn't you accomplish that by just giving a good shopping list, a Costco shopping list to the daycare directors, and they could go buy good foods? And why does it need to be connected with farmers and, you know, the broader connection into the community at large, why is that important? Yes. Well, backing up, I wouldn't want to state, as an early childhood person, that the only thing that, you know, makes an early childhood program high quality would be the quality of the food and that that would, you know, lead to optimal child development and school readiness. I think, you know, there's other things in there that actually matter too. But this is definitely a key component. I would say, you know, to your question, that that system that you named already exists. We have the Child and Adult Care Food Program. We have the ability to subsidize the cost of food, and to have that good shopping list in play. But, I think, what the systems approach does is it asks different questions, right? It seeks to say, where does the food come from? How is it grown? Who is benefiting economically, right? How are schools and childcare centers and farmers and communities connected? And how do we strengthen those, connections and relationships so that we can begin to shift policy and practice so that children and families can reliably have access to good food. And they know that it's coming from the community in which they're situated. And the people on the side that are actually producing the food, the farmers and the folks doing procurement and others, that they're actually connected to it too. And they know where the food is going. And so there is this social kind of interstitial benefit to connecting those systems in a way that I think brings value beyond just you get a healthy meal today. I think it begins to shift culture. And if you could shift culture in the institutions that people are participating in, you can actually shift culture in people. So, you could see if a parent that potentially wasn't exposed to that before, or maybe didn't have access, or didn't know how to get access to that kind of food, if their expectations suddenly shifted because in their childcare program they're getting access to quality food, that then becomes an opportunity to engage in a different way. But it also becomes an opportunity for that parent to become empowered and to come together with other parents and other community members and begin to insist that's a reality in everyday life for them. That becomes a norm rather than an exception. I really like your answer because, you know, in some ways, people in our country have become distant from their food. You know, it used to be you could just go to the store, and there might've been one agent between you and who grew the food. The farmer would deliver it to, and now there are factories and machines that process the food, and 10 steps, and it comes from different countries, and all that kind of thing. And what you're talking about is shrinking that gap again to decrease the distance, so people are more in touch. And you could easily see that if the food is coming from farmers and the daycare providers know that they're going to feel better about the food. They're more likely to tell a story about it to the children. The farmer might come to the daycare center, or the children go to the farm. And you could see there's a lot more going on here than nutrition, and that's the beauty of this systems approach, isn't it? I mean, the children want to have a garden, right? I mean, how many times have we seen that? It seems like a small thing in early childhood, but just that simple act of having a garden and being able to understand how things are cultivated and grown. Even for a small child, and I have two small kids, we have a small garden in our backyard: it's meaningful. And it also, I think, establishes a norm that the tomato that you pick off the vine or the pole bean that you pick off, that you eat, that you find just unbelievably delicious, then that becomes normative for them. That's a normative experience, and kids are not as frightened by things when they encounter it. And I think we have a real opportunity in the early childhood space to link up those two systems to say, "Yes, we can affect change." And I think that, again, back to this notion of investing in people long term, the investment in those kids long term and what they come to expect will be the norm matters very much to how we think about our work at the Kellogg Foundation. So you're talking about both practices and policies and a cross-sector approach to these things. And let's talk about policy for a moment. Where does policy typically break down? And what kind of people need to be at the table, and what sort of partnerships need to be established in order to have better food policy? I think if we take seriously that food policy is cross-sector, I believe that we need to build tables that look like the food system. And that means not just public health experts or nutrition advocates or academics, but farmers and food workers, and those childcare providers and teachers, and leaders in K-12, and tribal leaders, community organizers, local state government officials, right? And the funders, right? The funders who are willing to invest in the long slow work of doing systems change. And, you know, one place I would highlight is in your home state of North Carolina. For years, there was significant investment that helped really build a dense ecosystem. You established regional food hubs and meat processing infrastructure, and anchor institutions into schools and early childhood centers. And a really strong network of organizers and philanthropic partners. And that made it possible to fully integrate farm to early childhood in your state's definition of early childhood. And as an aside, I would say North Carolina was also one of the leading states back when I was first coming into the field of building out a high-quality system of childcare. North Carolina led that. And so, these two things converging is a very powerful example, but again, we're getting back to local sourcing. We're getting back to bigger things than just doing food education, right? Those things are now built into the system. And they're not just a side project of the system. They actually are the system. So, you're talking about a foundation doing a lot more than getting proposals, seeing what needs to be funded, and then sending money out the door. You're talking about connecting people in innovative and unique ways. And building bridges that didn't exist before. And getting people to understand the systems change approach. And it just can lead to so many interesting and innovative things that just weren't possible using traditional models. So, really my hat's off to the work you do, and I can see why it's creating such powerful outcomes. One piece I would be remiss if I didn't say this, right? What makes all those partnerships work or fall apart? Usually, it's not the brilliance of a single policy idea or practice idea. I. Sort of. Sound like a broken record, but I'm going to come back to this. Investing in that people infrastructure that sits underneath it is really important. And the places that we find that make progress in any of the issues we're talking about, family economic security, food, health, Medicaid, early childhood, K-12, right? The places that make progress really do have varied and diverse voices at the table, and they're able to build real trust. And they're able to cultivate champions and also the next generation of champions and the next generation of champions who can move between those sectors, right? And the funders are involved, but they really understand that they're financing relationships and governance and people. They're not financing programs. And I think as a grant maker, that's an interesting distinction to think about. Think we know it implicitly and we know it when we see it. It's a lot harder to stick it in a white paper and define it and disseminate it in Stanford Social Innovation Review, for example. No, I totally agree. In the work that we've done over the years with, uh, community partners in Durham, it's been my impression that they get this systems thing from the very get-go. That they understand that if poverty is too severe, then nothing else is going to work, and if housing is a problem, then these other things are going to be affected in pretty serious ways. And they understand the importance of these. And in a way you're letting the flowers bloom. You're taking, I think, what some people understand intuitively and would like to accomplish, but they've been forced into silos. And then once a funder comes along and can allow this to prosper, I think it's sort of a natural thing that occurs. I think so. And I think the tricky thing there is to not be seduced by the programmatic solution. Like, do you remember several years ago when the notion of collective impact was this very popular term that folks talked about? And it's a good thing. I mean, I think the framework and the model is powerful, and it's a useful thought exercise. But what I found in a lot of collective impact work was that it focused very much on aligning the programs. Sufficiently funding the programs and aligning the programs, but not the human side of design and redesign of how do those programs function, right? Who do they serve? Who's at the table when building them or rebuilding them? Do you have the ability to change them midstream if you feel that you need to? And I think a slightly different approach with systems change is you're sort of engaging in a loose hold of the policies and the practices and the issues to give people and the people infrastructure and the relationships time to come together and figure out how they want to move them individually, and how they want to move them collectively. And that's a subtle difference. That's a nuance that I think has really worked in our particular corner of the world. One thing I bet some people are interested in is how the Kellogg Foundation might be distinct from Kellogg as a company. You've described beautifully the innovative work you're doing. The company is off doing what it does commercially. How do these two things intersect? And what's been the history of the connection between the foundation and the company? Yes. So, when the foundation was founded in the 1930s, Will Keith Kellogg, as you said, he endowed the foundation and created it separate and apart from the company. So, it's an independent philanthropic organization. And so, while we bear the name of Will Keith Kellogg, the foundation does not have a formal connection or stake in the company any longer. As you may know, the company split into two companies a few years ago, one called Kellanova and one called the W.K. Kellogg Cereal Company. And since then, I believe both companies have been acquired. I think Mars now owns Kellanova, and Ferrero, an Italian company, owns W.K. At present, the W.K. Kellogg Foundation does not have any connection to either of those companies because they've been acquired by other groups. And aside from having some stock with the foundation, that was sold to support our endowment, we don't have any formal connections anymore. But I think the proximity of the foundation to the company in Battle Creek, and I think the shared history of Battle Creek and the shared history of Mr. Kellogg's vision is actually important to note. And I think it does matter to how the two institutions are connected. I said this a little while ago in the conversation, but in the 1930s, Mr. Kellogg knew that you couldn't separate food from health and education, family economic security, and he knew this while he was making cornflakes, right? And so he helped make sure in the late 1930s that children in Battle Creek had access to fresh milk in schools at the same time that he was doing work in soil conservation and in building healthy land. And he had a sense of knowing that how the food is grown and how kids are nourished, it's part of the same story. And I think that DNA has pulled forward into the foundation, and it makes it a really special place to work because we still carry that memory of him, and we still carry that vision of him into the work that we do. Thanks. You know, a long time ago, when I first became familiar with the Kellogg Foundation, I wondered about the history and the independence of the foundation from the company. And I pretty quickly came to learn that the foundation, as you said, is quite independent from the company. But you've enriched my knowledge even beyond what I've known over the years, so thank you. That's a fascinating history. So, let's end with one final question. If you fast-forward and kind of look ahead, what do you think is on the way? And what does success look like to you and your colleagues? Yes, it's a good question. I mean, I think if we got this right, you know, 10- 20 years from now, success would look like children and families living in communities where good food is just a part of everyday life. It's normal and reliable and not something that folks are lucky to find. I talked a little bit about how Mr. Kellogg thought about this in the '30s, but we also see what's possible in other places, right? When that vision can become a reality in terms of policy and practice. So, we had done some work in the country of Brazil. And we see now that national policy in the country of Brazil now requires that at least 50% of school food be purchased from local sources, grown with high-quality standards, right? That one decision reshaped incentives all along the food chain. What farmers grow, what institutions buy, what kids eat. That's a powerful example of institutions using their everyday purchasing power to build healthier and a more just system. So, you know, 10- 20 years from now, if we've done our job, it would mean that the kinds of innovations in places like Brazil or North Carolina or even in Michigan with our 10 Cents a Meal program, that those types of things would have become the norm. That schools and early childhood centers and hospitals and tribal and local governments would be routinely buying good, locally rooted food. And that workers and farmers are earning a fair and stable wage, and they have incomes. And the communities most affected by hunger and inequity are actually at the core of leading and designing new systems. And food policy would no longer be a patch on top of the inequity. It would be one of the main ways that we build healthier and more equitable futures for kids and families. BIO Jon-Paul Bianchi is the Director of Systems change at the W.K. Kellogg Foundation (WKKF) in Battle Creek, Michigan. In this role, he leads WKKF's national grantmaking strategy focused on early childhood care and education, health equity, employment equity and food systems. As a longtime philanthropic leader and national expert with a focus on early childhood education, Bianchi provides strategic oversight to the foundation's national programmatic work to support thriving children, families and communities. Bianchi holds a doctorate of Education from Vanderbilt University's Peabody College of Education and Human Development, a master's degree in child development and a bachelor's degree in child and family studies from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. He helped found and currently serves on the board of Valley Settlement in Glenwood Springs, Colorado.

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If you listened to Episode 352 with Cynthia Kersey, you'll love this conversation. Think of it as a beautiful continuation of that thread, the work of changing lives through purpose-driven leadership, conscious business, and heart-centered impact.    Today, I'm bringing you Janet Driver, someone I've known for many years through my connection with the Unstoppable Foundation.    Janet is the Director of Partnerships at the Unstoppable Foundation, where she partners with generous supporters to create lasting transformation in underserved communities in rural Kenya.    For the past 8 years, she has worked alongside global philanthropists to expand access to education, support emerging leaders, and help families develop the leadership, financial literacy, and entrepreneurial skills needed to break cycles of poverty.    And this is what I love about Janet's work.    She understands that true abundance is never just about one person rising.    It is about the ripple effect.    Janet and I dish on:    Why the organization focuses highly on girls and women    - The intention behind empowering women; building a strong family structure   - Resources versus culture; tackling one thing at a time   - The Unstoppable Foundation as a possibility creator    - The vision; from providing sustainability to solving problems   - Donating changes the giver more than the receiver; learn how   - Money expands your capacity to receive when you use it wisely    This conversation invites you to reflect and consider what you can do to support similar initiatives in your community.    Subscribe now so you'll never miss an episode and leave us a review! It really helps us know which content resonates with you the most.    Join our Feminine Business Magic Facebook Group (https://tinyurl.com/ygdkw7ce)  with your host, Julie Foucht. This is a community of women dedicated to connecting, supporting, and celebrating each other in growing businesses that honor their Divine Feminine while filling their bank accounts abundantly.    Resources mentioned:    Take the Witchpreneur Quiz and discover which Feminine Magic is your Key to Financial Success. (https://bit.ly/witchpreneur-quiz)    Episode 352: Creating a Ripple Effect in Communities and Lives with Generosity with Cynthia Kersey at https://youtu.be/TOme6_IOvAI       Purchase Love-Based Feminine Marketing (https://tinyurl.com/ydmzb6qz)        Donation Page: https://donate.unstoppablefoundation.org/Empower    **Contact Janet Driver via Facebook or https://unstoppablefoundation.org/**     **Connect with Julie Foucht via Facebook (https://tinyurl.com/yeb82uuj) or email at https://juliefoucht.com/** 

Wholesome entertainment that deals authentically with real life and honors God can feel almost impossible to find. Where can Christian parents turn for stories that inspire, edify, and wrestle with tough issues—without sacrificing biblical truth? Catherine welcomes acclaimed author Felicia Ferguson, whose award-winning women’s fiction is making waves for all the right reasons. Felicia, who holds master’s degrees in health care administration and speech language pathology, writes novels featuring strong female characters who face trauma, tragedy, and real-world dilemmas—always anchored by Christian faith and ethical choices. Together, they discuss how fiction can model kingdom impact, spark empathy, and equip Christians of all ages to handle adversity with faith. Felicia Ferguson reveals the inspiration behind her latest works, including "When Secrets Come Calling" and "The Choices She Made." She shares how her own professional and personal experiences—like navigating the loss of a parent or working with dementia patients—inspire her realistic, hope-filled storylines. Key Insights & HighlightsWrestling with Trauma through Faith Felicia's characters don’t avoid pain or gloss over difficult situations—like sexual assault, family secrets, or dementia. Instead, they walk through the challenges, lean into God, and make decisions rooted in biblical principles. The Power of Redemptive Fiction As Catherine notes, many Christian entertainment options simply sanitize secular stories without offering real answers or hope. In contrast, Felicia Ferguson’s novels show what it looks like to grieve, heal, and find identity in Christ—even if life doesn’t tie up with a pretty bow. Identity Beyond Circumstance A recurring theme in the conversation is pursuing an identity rooted not in career, family roles, or past mistakes—but in being a beloved child of God. In Felicia’s words: "Who I am intrinsically is who God created me to be." Stories That Heal and Equip Whether it’s helping readers process trauma or showing how to biblically navigate hard conversations, Felicia Ferguson’s ultimate goal is kingdom impact: “I want my characters to have that same experience because...I don’t see that enough in the Christian market.” Real-Life Application Catherine and Felicia discuss how stories—whether on the page or in real life—can prepare us as parents to face giants, support our kids through hardships, and remind us that healing and hope are possible through Christ. Guest Bio Felicia Ferguson is an award-winning author with master’s degrees in Health Care Administration and Speech Language Pathology. After a decade in the Florida Panhandle and a career as a speech therapist, Felicia now writes full-time from Colorado. Her passion is crafting women’s fiction featuring strong female leads who confront trauma and tragedy using biblical principles. Felicia’s uniquely encouraging perspective blends professional expertise with a heartfelt desire for kingdom impact, both in fiction and in life. Episode Resources Felicia’s Website & Book Links "When Secrets Come Calling" "The Choices She Made" Catherine Segars Resources Do you and your children have wholesome models for processing trauma, wrestling with identity, and making faith-based decisions? In a culture that defines us by achievements, roles, or wounds, how can you point your family toward finding identity and hope in Christ? Tune in for encouragement, inspiration, and summer reading that truly makes a difference! Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

The end of this week finds the 3WHH crew in situ in Enna, up in the highlands of Sicily, visiting the University of Kore for a conference on, well, everything, though it is hard to tell since half the speakers are speaking in Italian and the rest of us are speaking in English. John Yoo's […]

The end of this week finds the 3WHH crew in situ in Enna, up in the highlands of Sicily, visiting the University of Kore for a conference on, well, everything, though it is hard to tell since half the speakers are speaking in Italian and the rest of us arenspeaking in English. John Yoo's incoming plane was delayed—again—but it gave us the prompt we needed to have in John place R.J. Pestritto, the Dean of graduate education at Hillsdale College, but above all one of the most treachant critics of the Progressive revolution of the early 20th century, and the insidious administrative state it birthed. If ever you want to throw down on Woodrow Wilson—and what sensible person doesn't?—R.J. is your man.For this episode we consider R.J.'s recent short monograph for the Claremont Institute's "Provocations" series, Government by the Unelected: How It Happened, and How It Might Be Tamed. Settle in with your favorite chianti for this one, as "D.J.—R.J" as I like to call him when he gets rolling on this subject, really gets rolling on this subject with us.For this episode, recorded in a hotel lobby with some visitors wandering by our "field recording studio (which included Michael McConnell listening in for some of it), we decided to keep the "authentic feel" of the background noise, in case you get to wondering.

After Uvalde, Texas bet big on safety with police in every school, but a new report suggests an unintended and very troubling side effect. The New York Times and the San Antonio Express-News reports thousands of incidents of officers tackling, pepper-spraying even tasering students for offenses that once would have meant a trip to the […] The post Probe says officers are tackling, pepper-spraying and tasering students in Texas schools appeared first on KUT & KUTX Studios -- Podcasts.

Rural ministry challenges are evolving. What was once known as the “Big Three”—isolation, vocational identity, and limited resources—has now become the “Core Four” with a new and critical addition: hopelessness. Recorded live at the North American Mission Board Replant Lab in Alpharetta, this episode dives into why so many rural pastors are battling discouragement and […]

America's foster care crisis is serious for nearly 400,000 kids who rely on the system. In the latest episode of Us & Them, host Trey Kay looks into the shortage of licensed foster homes – and the wide range of agencies and nonprofit organizations who offer help navigating what can be a complicated system. The post How A Wide Range Of Agencies Are Tackling The Foster Care Crisis, This West Virginia Morning appeared first on West Virginia Public Broadcasting.

This week on the On Iowa Politics podcast, we preview Iowa's primary election coming up on Tuesday, June 2, including the gubernatorial, U.S. Senate, 2nd Congressional District and 1st Congressional District races.On Iowa Politics is a weekly news and analysis podcast that aims to recreate the kinds of conversations that happen when you get political reporters from across Iowa together after the day's deadlines have been met. Tackling anything from local to state to national, On Iowa Politics is your weekly dose of analysis and insight into the issues affecting Iowa.This episode was hosted by Gazette Des Moines Bureau Chief Erin Murphy. It features Gazette Deputy Bureau Chief Tom Barton and Gazette opinion columnists Althea Cole and Todd Dorman.This episode was produced by Gazette Social Video Producer Bailey Cichon.Read the articles mentioned in this episode: Read the articles mentioned in this episode:(1:22) Here are the 5 Republicans who want to be Iowa's next governor(17:54) Meet the Iowa Democrats running for U.S. Senate(25:43) Meet the Iowa Republicans running for U.S. Senate(32:15) Meet the Democrats running for Iowa's 2nd Congressional District seatMeet the Democratic candidates running for Iowa's 1st Congressional District

Rising hip hop influencer Cameron McCloud lets us in on his journey and his processPART ONE: Paul and Scott chat about a song that's getting a lot of hate online and consider how the internet has redefined how we hear music. PART TWO:  Our in-depth conversation with Cameron McCloudABOUT CAMERON McCLOUD Cure for Paranoia is the Dallas-based alternative hip hop collective fronted by Cameron McCloud. Crowned "Rap Group of the Year" by the Dallas Entertainment Awards in 2025 and "Artist of the Year" in 2026, the group's name came about following McCloud's diagnosis with bipolar depression and paranoid schizophrenia. Their breakthrough came when Erykah Badu's tapped them to perform at her birthday bash, and they have since shared bills with such artists as George Clinton, Nas, Ludacris, and Leon Bridges. The group was named NPR Tiny Desk Contest finalists three times in 2023, 2024, and 2025 before winning the contest in 2026. In addition to the success of their most recent EP, Work of Art, they've gained attention online thanks to Cameron's 2025 challenge to release an original verse every day on his social media channels. Tackling everything from mental health to social injustice, his rhymes earned a substantial following. Inspired by groups such as Outkast, The Roots, and a Tribe Called Quest, Cameron McCloud and Cure for Paranoia are rapidly gaining a major national audience.  Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Commencement season is here, and while we all love the tradition, let's be honest: a lot of graduation ceremonies are still operationally stuck in the 18th century. This week, Chase Rigby, CEO of Tassel, joins Mike Palmer to talk about what it actually takes to modernize the final milestone of the student lifecycle. Chase shares his path from teaching seventh-grade math and science with Teach For America to working as a product manager at Google, before ultimately using a search fund model to acquire Marching Order and evolve it into Tassel. We dig into why forward-thinking colleges are moving away from treating graduation as just a logistical headache and starting to view it as a strategic marketing and recruitment engine. Chase explains how Tassel is trying to upend the traditional business model by moving away from nickel-and-diming students with steep fees for their own achievement, and instead leveraging community gifting platforms that put money back in their pockets for rent or student debt. We also get into the tech side of things, discussing how they train AI models on a 20-year phonetic database to get broadcast-quality name pronunciations on stage, all while navigating the strict landscape of biometric privacy and user consent. It turns out getting that final touchpoint right pays massive dividends for lifelong alumni relations. Episode Timestamps: 00:00 - Chase's journey from Teach For America to product management at Google. 03:00 - Running a search fund and finding the graduation space with Marching Order. 05:30 - Shifting mindsets: Treating commencement as a strategic marketing and alumni recruitment tool. 09:00 - Turning graduation into a net-positive financial event for students via gifting. 12:30 - Blending digital software with real life to provide free graduation photos. 18:30 - How Tassel uses a 20-year phonetic database and AI to nail name pronunciation on stage. 21:30 - Tackling biometric privacy, user consent, and BIPA compliance. 28:30 - Scaling campus software point solutions and trends in the lower middle market. 32:30 - Final takeaways, looking out for Tassel at upcoming ceremonies, and closing shots. Subscribe to Trending in Education wherever you listen to podcasts to stay ahead of the curve on what's emerging across the changing landscape of education!

Modern linebacker play lives in the tweener space: guys who can fit the run, play in space, and rush off the edge without being a true safety or a true edge. In this episode, Kyle and Matt sit down with Coach Nick Vagnone, linebackers coach and recruiting coordinator at Lenoir-Rhyne University, to break down how he develops modern linebackers inside a 3-3-5.Coach Vagnone gets granular on the Sam, Mike, and Rush roles, the read step versus pop in place debate, how he teaches block destruction and tackling, and the exact Indy drills he uses to build it all. If you coach defense at the high school, youth, or small college level, there is a lot here worth stealing.SIDELINE HQStop running your equipment room out of a spiral notebook. Sideline HQ lets you check gear in and out in seconds, track what every kid has, and knock out end of season inventory in minutes instead of a whole Saturday. The first 30 days are free, no credit card, no catch. Try your free trial at www.sidelinehq.coCHAPTERS00:00 Welcome and tonight's guest, Coach Nick Vagnone06:00 Why Lenoir-Rhyne moved from a 3-4 hybrid to a 3-3-509:41 Building a player-led defensive identity14:21 Defining the modern linebacker: Sam, Mike, and Rush23:40 Read step versus pop in place30:53 The five movements and five core skills of a linebacker36:54 Stance and start: the first drill every linebacker runs42:04 Coaching pass drops, angle pedal, and head on a swivel51:10 Change of direction and linebacker ball skills1:00:10 Walking run fits with the scout line1:03:09 Block destruction: taking on half a man1:10:33 Living on the sled and the dip and rip1:14:38 Tackling with the donuts1:18:58 Circle chase: forced fumbles and ball security1:26:35 The closing question: 828 Day at Lenoir-RhyneSUBSCRIBEFor more coach to coach conversations on scheme, technique, and player development, subscribe and check out everything we are building at www.boarddrill.com

Daniel Clewlow sits down with Natalie Acton, Co-CEO of the UK's leading family charity Home Start UK to talk about Parental Loneliness. As families struggle to balance social time with parenting young children, what help is out there for people who are struggling and just how big a problem is it across the UK?

Chuck Todd opens with Ken Paxton's runoff blowout over John Cornyn — a result that confirms Texas Republicans remain the base of what eventually grew into MAGA nationally, that the insurgent wing of the GOP consistently wins in the state, and that Paxton is somehow simultaneously the least electable nominee Republicans could have picked and still electable enough to make this a real fight. He argues Texas is slowly moving toward swing state status the way Georgia did over the past decade — the ingredients are there for a Democrat to finally break through, the question is whether James Talarico can move his 45% number higher and prove he's the political athlete this moment requires. The downstream consequences for Republicans are brutal: the GOP will have to drop a $500 million anvil on Talarico that can't be deployed in other races, and Democrats' path to a Senate majority just got measurably wider. But the more fascinating story Chuck unpacks is Pope Leo's stunning new document on AI, automated weapons, and concentrated power — a text Chuck argues is essentially an indictment of American military dominance dressed in the language of moral theology. The Pope explicitly compares AI-driven targeting systems to slavery, arguing both reduce human beings to data points and dehumanize their victims, and apologizes for the church's historic slowness on slavery while warning Catholics that they cannot afford the same slowness on artificial intelligence. He declares the centuries-old "just war" framework outdated, argues that no algorithm can ever make war morally acceptable, and pushes back forcefully on the entire concept of nuclear deterrence — drawing a direct line back to Pope Leo XIII's 1891 intervention on industrial capitalism. He argues the document, while never naming the United States, is speaking directly to American politicians: it's framed as a call for a moral framework around AI that can live above the political discourse, an explicit argument that technological capital must be regulated, and a warning that AI is not morally neutral no matter how much Silicon Valley wishes it were. The larger message is unmistakable — the Pope, who Chuck notes is now arguably the most formidable global moral voice that even secular Americans look to for clarity, has just put concentrated technological power on notice in a way no head of state has been willing to. Then, Virginia Kase Solomon — president of Common Cause, one of the country's oldest and most respected pro-democracy organizations — joins the Chuck Toddcast to deliver a clear-eyed assessment of just how broken American self-government has become, and what it might actually take to fix it. Kase Solomon argues that Trump's corruption has gone so far beyond anything in modern history that it makes Watergate look quaint by comparison — she points to Trump stealing roughly $1.8 billion from American taxpayers as a single staggering example — but warns that the most dangerous development isn't the corruption itself, it's that young voters are growing up normalized to it, with no living memory of an administration where this kind of behavior carried consequences. She makes a striking comparison to Hungary, where it took genuinely staggering levels of corruption before Orbán could be toppled, and where the opposition only succeeded once it tied that corruption directly to degrading quality of life for ordinary people — a lesson she says American Democrats badly need to learn. They note that there are real bipartisan calls to address money in politics, that a congressional stock trading ban enjoys overwhelming public support, that Amy Klobuchar's Disclose Act keeps getting reintroduced and ignored, and that forced disclosure of large-dollar donors alone would significantly reduce political giving — but the country is on a runaway train, with big tech money flowing to whoever holds power and Trump openly running the country like a corporation. The conversation broadens into Kase Solomon's structural diagnosis of why American democracy isn't working. She argues that the way the founders designed the country no longer functions in the modern era — but that the founders also gave us the tools to fix what's broken if we choose to use them. Congress is too small to genuinely represent the public, the Senate is horribly malapportioned, the Supreme Court has offered no real solution to the gerrymandering crisis, and we've completely lost the "statesmen" in Congress who once voted their conscience because there's no longer any incentive to compromise or work across the aisle. She is deeply concerned about the regulatory vacuum around AI — deepfakes have terrifying implications for elections and civil litigation is currently the only meaningful path to push back — and she warns that the election of judges has corrupted the rule of law in ways America needs a movement to address. Despite all of this, she is genuinely hopeful: Common Cause is litigating against the corruption, organizing a million conversations between activists and ordinary Americans, and operating from the conviction that the public isn't stupid and still loves this country. Her closing argument is the most American one possible: the United States has always emerged from its darkest periods better than it went in — but only because people refused to accept the broken system as permanent, and that work has to start now. Finally, Chuck reveals his ToddCast Top 5 list of Democrats who could be vaulted into 2028 contender status for the presidency if they perform well in the midterms. He highlights two midwestern gubernatorial candidates, two upstart senate bids and one name that stands above the rest… Jon Ossoff of Georgia. He also answers listeners’ questions in the “Ask Chuck” segment. Predict the action all the way through the finals. Sign up now for your twenty-five dollar bonus on https://fanduel.com/predicts Link in bio or go to https://getsoul.com & enter code TODDCAST for 30% off your first order. Refresh your wardrobe with Quince. Go to https://Quince.com/chuck for free shipping on your order and 365-day returns. Thank you Wildgrain for sponsoring. Visit http://wildgrain.com/TODDCAST and use the code "TODDCAST" at checkout to receive $30 off your first box PLUS free Croissants for life! Timeline: (Timestamps may vary based on advertisements) 00:00 Chuck Todd’s introduction 03:30 Ken Paxton trounces John Cornyn in runoff election 05:00 Texas Republicans are the base for what grew into MAGA nationally 07:15 The insurgent wing of the GOP consistently wins in Texas 09:00 Paxton is the least electable nominee, but he’s still electable 10:30 Is 45% Talarico’s ceiling, or can he move that number higher? 11:30 Texas is slowly moving towards swing state status like Georgia did 13:00 Ingredients are there for a Democrat to finally break through in TX 15:30 Senate Republicans won’t be happy having to serve with Paxton 16:00 Texas is more winnable than other races for GOP, will have to spend in TX 16:30 Republicans will have to spend big to drop the anvil on Talarico 17:30 We’ll find out how talented of a political athlete Talarico is 19:30 This will be the magnet race that national reporters will focus on 21:30 Race will cost the GOP $500m that can’t be deployed elsewhere 23:15 Democrats now have a better chance of winning the senate 24:00 The Pope speaks to more than Catholics, seculars look to him for moral clarity 25:00 The Pope is formidable influencer in America 26:15 The Pope speaks out about AI, concentrated power & the “just war” theory 26:45 He compared automated weapons to slavery 28:00 The Pope spoke out similarly in 1891 during the Industrial Revolution 29:00 The Pope’s document says AI is not morally neutral 30:15 Document argues that technological capital needs to be regulated 30:45 The church has had a “just war” framework for hundreds of years 31:15 Pope Leo says “just war” framework is outdated 32:15 Document argues no algorithm can make war morally acceptable 33:15 Document argues against the concept of nuclear deterrence 33:45 Pope apologizes for church’s role in slavery 34:30 Document says AI systems reduce human beings into targeting data 35:00 Pope argues the dehumanization of AI targeting is similar to slavery 36:00 While not saying it directly, the document is speaking about the United States 37:00 The document is an indictment of American military dominance 38:30 Document does have a carve-out for self defence 40:15 The document was speaking directly to American politicians 41:30 A call for a moral framework for AI can live above the political discourse 42:30 Pope argues church was too slow on slavery, can’t be slow on AI 49:00 Virginia Kase Solomon (Common Cause) joins the Chuck ToddCast 50:30 Common Cause works to hold the government accountable to the people 51:30 Corporate lobbies have disproportionate power compared to people 52:15 Many people threw their hands up after Citizen’s United 53:30 States are working to change campaign finance rules 55:15 States can ban companies in their state from making political donations 57:00 Rules changes but money always seems to find a way around them 59:00 Parties stopped becoming the epicenter of political donations 1:00:30 There are bipartisan calls to do something about money in politics 1:02:00 More GOP support for reform at the state level than national level 1:02:45 We’re on a runaway train for money in politics 1:03:30 Big tech money goes to whoever is in power 1:04:00 The country is being run like a corporation 1:04:45 Jamie Raskin has started an anti-corruption task force 1:05:15 A congressional stock trading ban has massive public support 1:06:15 Trump is obviously corrupt, but people fear him too much to act 1:07:30 Forced disclosure of large dollar donors would reduce donations 1:08:30 Amy Klobuchar has put forward the Disclose Act in almost every congress 1:11:00 The Trump administration’s corruption is beyond egregious 1:11:45 Trump stealing $1.8 billion from taxpayers, makes Watergate look quaint 1:13:15 Young voters have grown up being normalized to this corruption 1:13:45 There will be a backlash to the corruption at some point 1:14:45 America’s long term global standing has been severely damaged 1:15:30 Common Cause is involved in litigation trying to prevent the corruption 1:17:30 Striving to have a million conversations between organizers & normal people 1:18:45 People are struggling and feeling fatigued 1:20:30 It took staggering levels of corruption in Hungary before Orban was toppled 1:21:30 Opposition in Hungary tied corruption to degrading quality of life 1:23:30 A fairness criteria was implemented in the California redistricting 1:24:30 CA and VA put redistricting before the voters, but still a race to the bottom 1:25:00 The Supreme Court hasn’t offered any solution to gerrymandering problem 1:26:00 Congress is too small to effectively represent the public 1:26:45 The senate is horribly malapportioned 1:28:30 The way the founders designed the country doesn’t work anymore 1:29:00 The founders gave us the tools to fix the democracy 1:31:15 There’s no incentive to work in a bipartisan manner or compromise 1:32:45 We’ve lost the “statesmen” in congress who vote their conscience 1:33:30 Politics has become a zero sum game 1:34:45 Politics has always been dirty, but we’ve hit an all-time low 1:36:00 Government seems completely unequipped to regulate AI 1:38:45 Deepfakes impact on elections are very concerning 1:40:00 Civil litigation is the only current path to push back on AI 1:41:30 Status of “sunshine laws” in the country? Could they be rolled back? 1:43:45 Need a movement against the election of the judiciary 1:46:45 The reason for optimism… is that people aren’t stupid and love the country 1:47:30 Our country has always emerged better after dark times 1:49:30 Chuck’s thoughts on interview with Virginia Kase Solomon 1:50:30 ToddCast Top 5 2028 contenders depending on their 2026 performance 1:54:00 #5 Amy Acton 1:56:15 #4 Rob Sand 1:57:45 #3 Graham Platner 2:01:15 #2 James Talarico 2:03:45 #1 Jon Ossoff 2:07:15 Ask Chuck 2:07:30 Why are people rounding up Trump’s 1.776B slush fund to $1.8b? 2:09:30 Supporting candidates you oppose just for judicial confirmations? 2:16:30 New Parallel AI model that prioritizes original writing and journalism? 2:20:15 How are candidates allowed to deploy financial resources during campaigns? 2:24:30 Pattern of Dems fixing the economy and GOP making it worse?See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Virginia Kase Solomon — president of Common Cause, one of the country's oldest and most respected pro-democracy organizations — joins the Chuck Toddcast to deliver a clear-eyed assessment of just how broken American self-government has become, and what it might actually take to fix it. Kase Solomon argues that Trump's corruption has gone so far beyond anything in modern history that it makes Watergate look quaint by comparison — she points to Trump stealing roughly $1.8 billion from American taxpayers as a single staggering example — but warns that the most dangerous development isn't the corruption itself, it's that young voters are growing up normalized to it, with no living memory of an administration where this kind of behavior carried consequences. She makes a striking comparison to Hungary, where it took genuinely staggering levels of corruption before Orbán could be toppled, and where the opposition only succeeded once it tied that corruption directly to degrading quality of life for ordinary people — a lesson she says American Democrats badly need to learn. They note that there are real bipartisan calls to address money in politics, that a congressional stock trading ban enjoys overwhelming public support, that Amy Klobuchar's Disclose Act keeps getting reintroduced and ignored, and that forced disclosure of large-dollar donors alone would significantly reduce political giving — but the country is on a runaway train, with big tech money flowing to whoever holds power and Trump openly running the country like a corporation. The conversation broadens into Kase Solomon's structural diagnosis of why American democracy isn't working. She argues that the way the founders designed the country no longer functions in the modern era — but that the founders also gave us the tools to fix what's broken if we choose to use them. Congress is too small to genuinely represent the public, the Senate is horribly malapportioned, the Supreme Court has offered no real solution to the gerrymandering crisis, and we've completely lost the "statesmen" in Congress who once voted their conscience because there's no longer any incentive to compromise or work across the aisle. She is deeply concerned about the regulatory vacuum around AI — deepfakes have terrifying implications for elections and civil litigation is currently the only meaningful path to push back — and she warns that the election of judges has corrupted the rule of law in ways America needs a movement to address. Despite all of this, she is genuinely hopeful: Common Cause is litigating against the corruption, organizing a million conversations between activists and ordinary Americans, and operating from the conviction that the public isn't stupid and still loves this country. Her closing argument is the most American one possible: the United States has always emerged from its darkest periods better than it went in — but only because people refused to accept the broken system as permanent, and that work has to start now. Link in bio or go to https://getsoul.com & enter code TODDCAST for 30% off your first order. Refresh your wardrobe with Quince. Go to https://Quince.com/chuck for free shipping on your order and 365-day returns. Thank you Wildgrain for sponsoring. Visit http://wildgrain.com/TODDCAST and use the code "TODDCAST" at checkout to receive $30 off your first box PLUS free Croissants for life! Timeline: (Timestamps may vary based on advertisements) 00:00 Virginia Kase Solomon (Common Cause) joins the Chuck ToddCast 01:30 Common Cause works to hold the government accountable to the people 02:30 Corporate lobbies have disproportionate power compared to people 03:15 Many people threw their hands up after Citizen’s United 04:30 States are working to change campaign finance rules 06:15 States can ban companies in their state from making political donations 08:00 Rules changes but money always seems to find a way around them 10:00 Parties stopped becoming the epicenter of political donations 11:30 There are bipartisan calls to do something about money in politics 13:00 More GOP support for reform at the state level than national level 13:45 We’re on a runaway train for money in politics 14:30 Big tech money goes to whoever is in power 15:00 The country is being run like a corporation 15:45 Jamie Raskin has started an anti-corruption task force 16:15 A congressional stock trading ban has massive public support 17:15 Trump is obviously corrupt, but people fear him too much to act 18:30 Forced disclosure of large dollar donors would reduce donations 19:30 Amy Klobuchar has put forward the Disclose Act in almost every congress 22:00 The Trump administration’s corruption is beyond egregious 22:45 Trump stealing $1.8 billion from taxpayers, makes Watergate look quaint 24:15 Young voters have grown up being normalized to this corruption 24:45 There will be a backlash to the corruption at some point 25:45 America’s long term global standing has been severely damaged 26:30 Common Cause is involved in litigation trying to prevent the corruption 28:30 Striving to have a million conversations between organizers & normal people 29:45 People are struggling and feeling fatigued 31:30 It took staggering levels of corruption in Hungary before Orban was toppled 32:30 Opposition in Hungary tied corruption to degrading quality of life 34:30 A fairness criteria was implemented in the California redistricting 35:30 CA and VA put redistricting before the voters, but still a race to the bottom 36:00 The Supreme Court hasn’t offered any solution to gerrymandering problem 37:00 Congress is too small to effectively represent the public 37:45 The senate is horribly malapportioned 39:30 The way the founders designed the country doesn’t work anymore 40:00 The founders gave us the tools to fix the democracy 42:15 There’s no incentive to work in a bipartisan manner or compromise 43:45 We’ve lost the “statesmen” in congress who vote their conscience 44:30 Politics has become a zero sum game 45:45 Politics has always been dirty, but we’ve hit an all-time low 47:00 Government seems completely unequipped to regulate AI 49:45 Deepfakes impact on elections are very concerning 51:00 Civil litigation is the only current path to push back on AI 52:30 Status of “sunshine laws” in the country? Could they be rolled back? 54:45 Need a movement against the election of the judiciary 57:45 The reason for optimism… is that people aren’t stupid and love the country 58:30 Our country has always emerged better after dark timesSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Despite all the advancements we have achieved globally in recent decades, as many as 750 million people still lack access to electricity. Tackling energy poverty requires far more than linking communities to an electric grid. Closing the massive disparity in opportunity for people around the world will require building energy abundance, not just access. Energy is prosperity, and one way to measure it is by the Modern Energy Minimum. Developed by the Energy for Growth Hub, this benchmark posits that a truly modern life requires at least 1,000 kilowatt-hours per person, per year—10 to 20 times the amount typically used to define electricity access.  Here at the Center on Global Energy Policy we're partnering with the Rockefeller Foundation to launch a High-Level Panel on Universal Energy Abundance. The panel is dedicated to providing decision-makers with the insights needed to drive industrialization, job creation, and broad-based prosperity across emerging economies.  So how can we develop and invest in energy infrastructure globally in a way that supports prosperity? What role should governments play? Do the right tools to improve access exist? And how do we navigate the tension between energy growth and climate policy?  Today on the show, Jason speaks with Katie Auth about energy's role in driving lasting economic change and why the modern energy minimum model could produce a meaningfully better standard of living in developing economies. Katie is the deputy executive director at the Energy for Growth Hub, which works to end poverty through sustainable development and climate resilience. She's also a non-resident fellow on US-Africa relations at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace and a member of the Economic Advisory Council for the U.S. Millennium Challenge Corporation. Previously, she spent seven years at the U.S. Agency for International Development, including as senior development finance advisor and acting deputy coordinator of Power Africa. Credits: Hosted by Jason Bordoff and Bill Loveless. Produced by Mary Catherine O'Connor, Caroline Pitman, and Kyu Lee. Engineering by Gregory Vilfranc.  

The question comes up in almost every divorce: what happens to the house? It is usually one of the biggest assets of the marriage, one of the biggest debts, and one of the most emotionally loaded decisions people face. Wanting to keep the house and actually being able to keep the house are two very different things. This week Susan is bringing back one of the most downloaded archived conversations from the Divorce and Beyond library, a conversation with Tami Wollensak, licensed mortgage loan originator and Certified Divorce Lending Professional, walking through the real financial realities of keeping the marital home.  Together, Susan and Tami unpack what it actually takes to keep the house in a divorce, from refinancing challenges and equity buyouts to qualifying for a mortgage on a single income, the hidden costs of homeownership, and why making this decision without proper financial planning can create serious problems long after the ink is dry. Covered in this episode: Why wanting to keep the house and being able to keep the house are two very different things, and what a Certified Divorce Lending Professional can do to help close that gap How equity is calculated, why the purchase price is not the value, and what it means to buy out your spouse's share as part of the refinance Why maintenance, alimony, and child support do not automatically count as qualifying income and what lenders actually need to see How a missed mortgage payment can drop credit scores by hundreds of points and why "it was their responsibility" has never once removed a negative mark from a credit report Why getting a home inspection before finalizing your divorce agreement is one of the most overlooked and important steps you can take KEEPING THE HOUSE: WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW BEFORE YOU SIGN Almost everyone walks into divorce negotiations with the same instinct: I want to keep the house. It is understandable. It is the family home. It is where the children have put their heads on pillows for years. But signing a settlement agreement without knowing whether you can actually execute it is not a successful negotiation. Some of the most important things to understand before you commit, are discussed in this episode: Know the fair market value of your home today, not the purchase price, and understand what the actual equity is and how it will be divided Understand that keeping the house means refinancing into your name alone, which means qualifying on your income alone, and your payment will be based on current market rates, not what you are paying today Work with a divorce mortgage professional early in the process, before the settlement agreement is signed, so you can generate real options rather than make decisions based on guesses Get a home inspection before finalizing the agreement, just as you would when buying a new home, so you know exactly what you are signing up for If your spouse agrees to stay on the mortgage temporarily, set up protections: require advance notice if a payment may be missed, and request a duplicate mortgage statement so you can monitor it yourself The goal is not to win the house. The goal is to make the decision that sets you up for the strongest future. Get the answers, both good and bad, and then decide. Referenced Episodes from the Archive: How to Get Your Act Together So that You Can Tackle Your Divorce with Alex Beattie of Divide & Thrive The Solution for Tackling the Divorce Detour with Storey Jones, Creator of dtour.life It's All About the House: What You Need to Think About Before You Decide to Keep It with Tami Wollensak ______________________________________________________________________ This Week's Sponsors:  Hello Divorce - Hello Divorce is a modern platform designed to support people before, during, and beyond divorce, providing legal information, tools, and access to professionals who help individuals navigate the process more thoughtfully. Resources created specifically for Divorce & Beyond listeners are available at HelloDivorce.com/Susan. Yumiyu - YUMIYU Jewelry is Susan's favorite source for meaningful, handcrafted jewelry designed to empower women and celebrate individuality. Each piece is made with care, using high-quality materials like real gold and vermeil, and is water-resistant, non-tarnish, and hypoallergenic. Explore their stunning collection at yumiyujewelry.com and find your perfect piece today! Be sure to use Code: “BEYOND” for 20% off! ______________________________________________________________________ This week's guest: Tami Wollensak Tami Wollensak is a Divorce Mortgage Specialist and VP Loan Consultant with New American Funding (NMLS #1963450), bringing over 30 years of experience in the mortgage industry. She specializes in helping individuals navigate one of the most overlooked and misunderstood aspects of divorce: what happens to the marital home. After going through her own divorce, Tami saw firsthand how financial decisions made during this time can have long lasting consequences. Today, she works closely with individuals, attorneys, and mediators to bridge the gap between divorce agreements and mortgage lending, ensuring that what is decided on paper can actually be executed in real life. Tami's approach is calm, strategic, and solution focused. She helps her clients understand their options clearly so they can move forward with confidence, whether that means keeping the home, selling it, or buying again in the future. She is the founder of Empowered Uncoupling, a platform dedicated to helping people transition from endings into new beginnings with clarity, confidence, and financial empowerment. For those navigating this decision now, Tami offers a simple starting point with her guide, Can I Keep the House?, along with a complimentary 15 minute consultation to help bring clarity to the next steps. Website https://www.empowereduncoupling.com Book a 15-Minute Consultation https://calendly.com/tamiwollensak/15min Ebook: Can I Keep the House? https://iwantthehouse.com YouTube https://www.youtube.com/@empowereduncoupling Instagram https://www.instagram.com/tamiwollensak LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/tamiwollensak ______________________________________________________________________ If This Episode Helped You Subscribe to Divorce & Beyond so you never miss an episode. Share it with someone who needs clear, reliable guidance right now. And if you have a moment, leaving a five-star review makes a real difference in helping this show reach the people who need it most. Follow Divorce & Beyond Website: divorceandbeyondpod.com Instagram: instagram.com/divorceandbeyondpod ______________________________________________________________________ About Our Host: Susan E. Guthrie, Esq. Susan E. Guthrie is one of the nation's leading family law and mediation attorneys, with more than 35 years of experience helping individuals navigate divorce with clarity and strategy. She is the Immediate Past Chair of the American Bar Association Section of Dispute Resolution, a best-selling author, and a sought-after speaker and trainer. Susan recently appeared as the featured expert on The Oprah Podcast and has been cited in The Wall Street Journal, Forbes, The Washington Post, NewsNation, and NBC Chicago Today, among others. As the creator and host of Divorce & Beyond, ranked in the top 1% of all podcasts worldwide with millions of downloads and an Apple Top 100 Self-Help designation, Susan brings together top legal and mental health experts to help listeners move through divorce and into what comes next. Learn more at https://divorceandbeyondpod.com/about Disclaimer: The commentary and opinions shared on this podcast are for informational and entertainment purposes only and do not constitute legal advice. Consult a licensed attorney in your state regarding your specific situation.

The premiers of Canada's western provinces and territories hold their annual meeting, with the Rockies in the backdrop, and the issues of Alberta's separation referendum and pipeline tensions looming large in the foreground.Plus: Canada's Prime Minister Mark Carney weighs in on Alberta's separation referendum question, saying Premier Danielle Smith's plan is "not helpful" and votes such as the one coming up in the fall are, "a dangerous bluff."And: CBC News looks to Ireland, and whether that country's ban on ticket scalpers can work to keep millions of sports fans and concert-goers from getting gouged by resale markets.Plus: India's trade delegation to Canada, Iran War negotiations, Tim Hortons' recruiting drive, and more.

In this episode of 'Mindful Workday Interludes,' we delve into 'Tuesday's Triumph,' a guided meditation designed to empower your workweek. Join us as we navigate the tasks of Tuesday with a newfound sense of calm and confidence. Through guided visualization and affirmations, we'll transform your approach to challenges, making productivity not just a goal, but a joyful journey. Tune in, find your focus, and let's triumph over the tasks of the day together. This episode is more than a meditation; it's your companion in crafting a mindful and triumphant workday.Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/find-your-daily-calm/exclusive-contentAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Cybersecurity assurance was supposed to give boards, regulators, customers, and partners a clear answer to one question: can the security of the organizations they depend on actually be trusted? In 2026, that answer is harder than ever to come by. Supply chains are sprawling, attackers are pivoting through third parties, and too many assurance reports still rely on questionnaires, self-attestations, and frameworks that have not kept pace with the threat landscape. The 2026 HITRUST Trust Report calls that gap what it is: a Trust Crisis. In this Brand Spotlight, Vincent Bennekers, VP of Quality at HITRUST, walks through what four years of performance data across thousands of certified environments now show: 99.62% of HITRUST-certified environments remained breach-free in 2025. That stands in stark contrast to industry surveys reporting that more than 40% of organizations have experienced a breach. Vincent Bennekers is direct on why the numbers hold up: prescriptive controls, a centralized quality review, and an assurance methodology built for measurable outcomes rather than checkbox compliance. Healthcare makes the point even sharper. HITRUST examined the top fifty breaches on the HHS OCR breach portal, the public listing some in the industry refer to as the wall of shame. None of them occurred in a HITRUST-certified environment. For an industry that consistently ranks as the most breached and the most expensive to breach, that is a signal worth pausing on. Quality of the report itself matters as much as the framework behind it. Vincent Bennekers describes a layered review model with automated and manual checks, independent reviewers, and centralized HITRUST quality assurance prior to issuance. Every certification HITRUST issues goes through that same review. Stakeholders consuming any other assurance report should be asking exactly how its integrity is being ensured, and what is actually behind the stamp. Supply chain risk is the throughline. The 2025 Verizon Data Breach Investigations Report found third-party-involved breaches doubled, climbing from 15% to 30%. HITRUST requires service provider coverage, mandatory in the r2 assessment and optional but heavily adopted in the e1 and i1, where over 80% of organizations are choosing to address service provider controls thanks to a streamlined inheritance model. The report closes with a five-step roadmap for stakeholders: shift from flexible compliance to threat-intelligent assurance, verify assurance report integrity, reduce supply chain exposure, secure AI implementations through prescriptive controls, and reassess the definition of good information security assurance. Vincent Bennekers is clear that AI belongs in this conversation now, with HITRUST offering AI certification to address risks across data protection, model integrity, and automated decision-making. This is a Brand Spotlight. A Brand Spotlight is a ~15 minute conversation designed to explore the guest, their company, and what makes their approach unique. Learn more: https://www.studioc60.com/creation#spotlight GUEST Vincent Bennekers, VP of Quality at HITRUST LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/vincent-bennekers-a0b3201/ RESOURCES Learn more about HITRUST: https://hitrustalliance.net/ Download the 2026 HITRUST Trust Report: https://hitrustalliance.net/trust-report Are you interested in telling your story? ▶︎ Full Length Brand Story: https://www.studioc60.com/content-creation#full ▶︎ Brand Spotlight Story: https://www.studioc60.com/content-creation#spotlight ▶︎ Brand Highlight Story: https://www.studioc60.com/content-creation#highlight KEYWORDS Vincent Bennekers, HITRUST, Sean Martin, brand story, brand marketing, marketing podcast, brand spotlight, 2026 HITRUST Trust Report, trust crisis, cybersecurity assurance, third-party risk, supply chain security, healthcare cybersecurity, HHS OCR breach portal, HITRUST certification, r2 certification, e1 certification, i1 certification, threat-intelligent assurance, AI security certification, information risk management Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

In today's episode, we dive into the “clinical faces of fatigue.” Join Datis Kharrazian as we explore why some individuals never fully recover from illnesses or injuries, the intricate link between mood and brain energy, and why two patients with similar medical conditions like anemia can have vastly different experiences of fatigue.We'll unravel how mitochondrial dysfunctions, both inherited and acquired, lie at the heart of chronic fatigue, depression, fibromyalgia, and other conditions often resistant to simple solutions. You'll discover why bagfuls of supplements aren't enough, and how real recovery requires understanding and addressing the unique bioenergetic roadblocks each patient faces, ranging from oxidative stress and poor sleep to blood sugar imbalances and exposure to environmental toxins.Register for Chronic Fatigue and Pain Syndromes Clinical Strategies and Treatment Applications at https://pages.kharrazianinstitute.com/chronic-fatigue-and-pain-syndromesTo become a Certified Functional Medicine practitioner, visit https://kharrazianinstitute.com/⁠. Try our 7-day free trial, no credit card required. 00:00 Factors affecting mitochondrial function03:55 Optimizing patient bioenergetics basics09:27 Mitochondria and cell evolution12:33 Focus on acquired mitochondrial dysfunctions14:23 Mitochondrial ATP production process20:22 Ketogenic diet and energy pathways21:15 Ketogenic diet for chronic fatigue27:02 Exploring functional medicine resourcesSupport this show http://supporter.acast.com/solving-the-puzzle-with-dr-datis-kharrazian. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Have you ever noticed a tendency in yourself to put your own wants before the needs of others?If we're honest, that's not an easy thing to admit. Most people don't naturally think of themselves as selfish. And yet, when we slow down and truly examine our hearts, selfishness is something we all wrestle with at times.Recently, Mark has felt God directing his attention to this area in his own life. What we've discovered is that selfishness can be sneaky—which makes it difficult to identify. It can show up as that desire to stay on the couch rather than fold the load of laundry sitting in the dryer. It could look like neglecting to show up at a friend's party because you didn't feel like going, even though you know it would mean a lot to them.Selfishness takes many forms, but no matter how it shows up, it affects the state of our hearts in a very real way. That's why we wanted to take some time to talk about how addressing selfishness is having an impact in our life, as well as offer some tips that everyone can use to tackle selfishness.In this episode, you'll hear:How avoiding sacrifice can cause us to miss blessingsFour steps to address selfishnessHow self-care is different from selfishnessAnd more!Find resources mentioned and more in the show notes: jillsavage.org/tackling-selfishness-298Check out our other resources:Mark and Jill's Marriage StoryMarriage CoachingMarriage 2.0 IntensivesSpeaking ScheduleBook Mark and Jill to SpeakOnline CoursesBooks Marriage Resources:Infidelity RecoveryFor Happy MarriagesFor Hurting MarriagesFor Marriages Where You're the Only One Wanting to Get Help Mom Resources:New/Preschool MomsMoms with GradeschoolersMoms with Teens and TweensMoms with Kids Who Are LaunchingEmpty Nest Moms

What if the smallest act of vulnerability… could completely change someone's life? In this deeply heartfelt solo episode, Darin explores a simple but radically transformative idea: go first. In a world where people are more digitally connected yet emotionally isolated than ever before, Darin breaks down the neuroscience, psychology, and human power behind making eye contact, giving genuine compliments, expressing appreciation, and risking authentic connection. From oxytocin and nervous system regulation to loneliness research and real-life stories of spontaneous connection with strangers, this episode is a reminder that healing doesn't always begin in a therapist's office—it can begin in a coffee shop, a grocery line, or a brief moment where one human being chooses to truly see another.     What You'll Learn Why modern society is experiencing a crisis of disconnection and loneliness The hidden psychological cost of avoiding vulnerability Why brief positive interactions with strangers improve mental health The neuroscience behind social rejection and fear of connection How oxytocin, dopamine, and serotonin are activated through authentic interaction Why vulnerability is a trainable "muscle" that rewires your nervous system The power of eye contact, compliments, and acknowledgment Why meaningful human interaction lowers stress and inflammation How small moments of courage create ripple effects for others Practical ways to "go first" and create more connection every day Chapters 00:00:32 – Sponsor: Fatty15 and the science of cellular health 00:01:03 – C15:0, mitochondrial function, and healthy aging 00:02:12 – Why many people may be deficient in C15 00:03:19 – "Celebrate science": discovering new essential fatty acids 00:04:13 – Opening reflection: noticing strangers in everyday life 00:04:52 – The moment we stop ourselves from speaking 00:05:10 – How many genuine moments do we suppress every day? 00:05:33 – Why these "tiny swallowed moments" matter deeply 00:06:02 – Humanity starving for real human connection 00:06:23 – "I see you. You are real to me." 00:06:51 – Vulnerability begins in ordinary daily moments 00:07:18 – The central thesis: "Go first" 00:07:37 – More surrounded and more isolated than ever before 00:07:57 – Research: meaningful interactions with strangers rarely happen 00:08:07 – Loneliness and lack of belonging in modern society 00:08:27 – Gen Z and Millennials: digitally connected yet emotionally isolated 00:08:47 – The silent routines of everyday life 00:09:16 – Why engaging with strangers feels risky or intrusive 00:09:47 – The cost of avoiding connection 00:10:12 – University of British Columbia study on strangers and belonging 00:10:48 – Positive interactions reducing loneliness and increasing happiness 00:11:03 – People predict interactions will be awkward—and are wrong 00:11:15 – Darin's recent experiments talking to strangers 00:11:38 – "Everyone wants connection" 00:12:00 – The emotional lives strangers are carrying invisibly 00:12:22 – One sentence can remind someone they matter 00:12:38 – Why vulnerability feels biologically terrifying 00:13:05 – Social rejection activating the same pathways as physical pain 00:13:20 – Ancient survival wiring and fear of exclusion 00:13:49 – "Your brain is firing a lion alert" 00:14:05 – What happens biologically when you push through fear 00:14:17 – Dopamine and meaningful social interaction 00:14:53 – Why real connection feels different from notifications 00:14:59 – Oxytocin as an anti-inflammatory bonding hormone 00:15:26 – Genuine interactions changing biology in seconds 00:15:43 – Polyvagal theory and nervous system safety states 00:16:17 – Vulnerability as a practice and a muscle 00:16:37 – Darin's valet story: "Bring the cash back!" 00:17:10 – How small interactions can shift someone's entire day 00:17:20 – Going deeper with loved ones and emotional openness 00:17:53 – Vulnerability rewiring the nervous system 00:18:07 – "If you want love, be love" 00:18:24 – Small acts of kindness shifting your heart and brain 00:18:53 – Sponsor: Shakeology and nutrient density 00:20:40 – Six practical ways to practice vulnerability 00:21:05 – Action #1: make eye contact and say hello 00:21:25 – Stop swallowing genuine compliments 00:21:46 – Asking deeper, more meaningful questions 00:22:05 – Giving honest answers instead of autopilot responses 00:22:28 – Seeing and acknowledging "invisible" people 00:22:50 – Gratitude toward workers, attendants, and strangers 00:23:04 – Reaching out to someone who changed your life 00:23:30 – "Going first" is about willingness, not fearlessness 00:23:59 – Stop hiding behind your phone and look around 00:24:16 – Human connection as medicine and nervous system healing 00:24:35 – Tell someone they made you smile today 00:24:50 – Calling loved ones and expressing appreciation 00:24:59 – "Don't let another moment go by without fully engaging in your life" 00:25:07 – Closing reflections: "This is SuperLife"     Thank You to Our Sponsors Fatty15: Get an additional 15% off their 90-day subscription Starter Kit by going to fatty15.com/DARIN and using code DARIN at checkout. Shakeology: Get 15% off with code DARINO1BODI at Shakeology.com.     Join the SuperLife Community Get Darin's deeper wellness breakdowns — beyond social media restrictions: Weekly voice notes Ingredient deep dives Wellness challenges Energy + consciousness tools Community accountability Extended episodes Join for $7.49/month → https://patreon.com/darinolien     Find More from Darin Olien: Instagram: @darinolien Podcast: SuperLife Podcast Website: superlife.com Book: Fatal Conveniences New Show: Roadmap to Happiness      Key Takeaway "Vulnerability isn't weakness, it's willingness. The willingness to go first. To smile first. To speak first. To love first. Because every time you choose connection over fear, you're not only changing someone else's day… you're rewiring your own biology, your nervous system, and your relationship to the world around you."     Bibliography/Sources: Public Health & Loneliness Data American Psychological Association. (2023). Stress in America 2023: A nation in crisis. https://www.apa.org/news/press/releases/stress British Red Cross. (2022). Tackling loneliness: From awareness to action. https://www.redcross.org.uk/about-us/what-we-do/action-on-loneliness Cigna. (2023). Cigna U.S. loneliness index. Evernorth Health Services. https://newsroom.cigna.com/loneliness-epidemic-continues-to-rise-cigna-study The Science of Micro-Connections & Strangers Barlow, J., & Møller, C. (1996). A complaint is a gift: Recovering customer loyalty when things go wrong. Berrett-Koehler Publishers. https://www.bkconnection.com/books/title/A-Complaint-Is-a-Gift Epley, N., & Schroeder, J. (2014). Mistakenly seeking solitude. Journal of Experimental Psychology: General, 143(5), 1980–1999. https://doi.org/10.1037/a0037323 Sandstrom, G. M., & Dunn, E. W. (2014a). Is efficiency overrated? Minimal social interactions lead to belonging and positive affect. 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Journal of Abnormal Psychology, 106(1), 95–103. https://doi.org/10.1037/0021-843X.106.1.95 Porges, S. W. (2011). The polyvagal theory: Neurophysiological foundations of emotions, attachment, communication, and self-regulation. W. W. Norton & Company. https://wwnorton.com/books/9780393707007 Gratitude, Disclosure & Emotional Expression Algoe, S. B. (2012). Find, remind, and bind: The functions of gratitude in everyday relationships. Social and Personality Psychology Compass, 6(6), 455–469. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1751-9004.2012.00439.x Algoe, S. B., Haidt, J., & Gable, S. L. (2008). Beyond reciprocity: Gratitude and relationships in everyday life. Emotion, 8(3), 425–429. https://doi.org/10.1037/1528-3542.8.3.425 Frattaroli, J. (2006). Experimental disclosure and its moderators: A meta-analysis. Psychological Bulletin, 132(6), 823–865. https://doi.org/10.1037/0033-2909.132.6.823 Pennebaker, J. W. (1997). Writing about emotional experiences as a therapeutic process. Psychological Science, 8(3), 162–166. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1467-9280.1997.tb00403.x Seligman, M. E. P., Steen, T. A., Park, N., & Peterson, C. (2005). Positive psychology progress: Empirical validation of interventions. American Psychologist, 60(5), 410–421. https://doi.org/10.1037/0003-066X.60.5.410 Relationship Building, Oxytocin & Health Aron, A., Melinat, E., Aron, E. N., Vallone, R. D., & Bator, R. J. (1997). The experimental generation of interpersonal closeness. Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, 23(4), 363–377. https://doi.org/10.1177/0146167297234003 Brown, B. (2012). Daring greatly: How the courage to be vulnerable transforms the way we live, love, parent, and lead. Gotham Books / Penguin. https://brenebrown.com/book/daring-greatly/ Canevello, A., & Crocker, J. (2010). Creating good relationships: Responsiveness, relationship quality, and interpersonal goals. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 99(1), 78–106. https://doi.org/10.1037/a0018186 Cohen, S., Doyle, W. J., Turner, R. B., Alper, C. M., & Skoner, D. P. (2003). Sociability and susceptibility to the common cold. Psychological Science, 14(5), 389–395. https://doi.org/10.1111/1467-9280.01452 Szeto, A., Sun-Suslow, N., Mendez, A. J., Hernandez, R. I., Wagner, K. V., & McCabe, P. M. (2017). Regulation of the macrophage oxytocin receptor in response to inflammation. American Journal of Physiology—Endocrinology and Metabolism, 312(2), E183–E189. https://doi.org/10.1152/ajpendo.00424.2016 Uvnas-Moberg, K. (2003). The oxytocin factor: Tapping the hormone of calm, love, and healing. Da Capo Press. https://books.google.com/books?id=b-aKjQoB_nQC