Podcasts about Thailand

Episode 1753 - brought to you by our incredible sponsors: Inocogni - Take your personal data back with Incogni! Get 60% off an annual plan at ⁠incogni.com/HARDFACTOR⁠ and use code HARDFACTOR at checkout. Lucy - Let's level up your nicotine routine with Lucy.  Go to ⁠Lucy.co/HARDFACTOR⁠ and use promo code (HARDFACTOR) to get 20% off your first order. Lucy has a 30-day refund policy if you change your mind. Factor Meals - The Best Premade Meal Delivery Service on Earth - Get started at factormeals.com/hardfactor50off and use code hardfactor50off to get 50% off your first box plus free shipping. 00:00:00 Timestamps 00:02:45 Wes' weird fantasy about the show opener 00:05:45 Blumkin talk 00:0:35 Ghislaine Maxwell update and what she does or doesn't know 00:11:50 American Coke will transition to real cane sugar 00:14:45 Tomorrowland stage in Belgium goes up in flames 00:16:40 The Beijing Bikini is this summer's hottest new fashion trend for Chinese men 00:26:30 The Curator for the Devils On The Run Tour, featuring the original Annabelle doll, has died unexpectedly after mishandling the doll 00:36:00 Monks in Thailand paida  woman nearly $12 million after she blackmailed them with videos and photos of them having sex with her And much, much more… Thank you for listening! Go to patreon.com/hardfactor to join our community, get access to bonus podcasts and the Discord chat server with the hosts, but Most Importantly: HAGFD Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Howie Kurtz on Trump wanting Jerome Powell out forgetting he appointed him, Laura Loomer warning Trump the Epstein files could 'consume his presidency' and Buddhist monks getting scammed in Thailand. Follow Howie on Twitter: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@HowardKurtz⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠For more #MediaBuzz click here Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

We were joined at The Pit Recording Studio in Sunland, CA by Nitisart “Mike” Chaiburi and Kitti “Ole” Suwan of the great WHISPERS, all the way from Bangkok, Thailand.A truly unbelievable group of people both personally and musically, they've broken through every barrier imaginable through their undeniable spirit, infectiously unique and hard and passionate love for hardcore music.Being the first band from Bangkok to achieve so much of what they have achieved, we're honored to talk to Whispers about their origin from local band in Bangkok who evolved into the definitive band that represents not only their city, but all of Thailand around the world. We can't think of a better group or a better band for the job, and just five minutes of this conversation is all you'll need to hear to understand why.______________________________________ Edited by Steven Grise (@iamoneonenineseven) • Title sequence by Nicholas Marzluf (@marzluf) HardLore: A Knotfest Series Join the HARDLORE PATREON to watch every single weekly episode early and ad-free, alongside exclusive monthly episodes: https://patreon.com/hardlorepodJoin the HARDLORE DISCORD: https://discord.gg/jA9rppggef_____________________________________ Cool links:HardLore Official Website/HardLore Records store: https://hardlorepod.comTry AG1 at DrinkAG1.com/HARDLORE to receive a free 1-year supply of vitamin D and 5 travel packs of AG1.Get 15% off MADD VINTAGE with code HARDLORE15! https://maddvintage.com/___________________________________ FOLLOW WHISPERS:INSTAGRAM | https://www.instagram.com/whispershc/TWITTER | https://www.twitter.com/whispershc FOLLOW MIKE:INSTAGRAM | https://www.instagram.com/mikelaw307/ FOLLOW OLE:INSTAGRAM | https://www.instagram.com/oletalifez/ FOLLOW HARDLORE:INSTAGRAM | https://www.instagram.com/hardlorepod/TWITTER | https://twitter.com/hardlorepodSPOTIFY | https://spoti.fi/3J1GIrpAPPLE | https://apple.co/3IKBss2 FOLLOW COLIN:INSTAGRAM | https://www.instagram.com/colinyovng/TWITTER | https://www.twitter.com/ColinYovng FOLLOW BO:INSTAGRAM | https://www.instagram.com/bosxe/TWITTER | https://www.twitter.com/bosxe #HARDLORE #HARDCORE 00:00:00 - Start00:01:02 - Introduction00:02:20 - Finding Hardcore in Thailand00:08:25 - 555555555555500:10:19 - Their Many Many Vintage Stores00:12:15 - Friendships before Whispers00:13:33 - H8000 Bands00:15:45 - Finding European Hardcore00:18:17 - Activities Outside of Whispers00:20:13 - Mike's Vocal Style00:21:19 - Whispers Through the Years00:24:34 - Bangkok During Covid00:26:00 - Relax Time00:27:57 - Stories With Stéphen Kickback00:31:02 - Pardon This Interruption00:33:40 - Meeting Gap00:37:01 - First Whispers Tour Ever00:39:00 - Asian Countries Played00:39:42 - Response To Whispers Across The World00:41:00 - Linking Up with Speed00:42:09 - Touring Europe00:43:16 - Yom Ma Lok00:47:24 - Flatspot Records00:48:15 - First US Tour00:51:00 - Future Aspirations for Whispers00:51:59 - Tied Down Fest00:53:41 - Tour Essentials (Hot Dogs)00:54:49 - US Food vs Thailand Food01:00:18 - Sound and Fury01:03:21 - Top 4 HC Records01:06:38 - Ghosts?01:10:45 - Patreon Q&A01:11:38 - Top 4 Thai HC01:12:38 - Greatest Breakdown Of All Time01:14:50 - Inspirations / Influences

Op reis in Thailand betoont Arianne Hinz zich een goede vriendin. Heb jij ook een goed, waargebeurd verhaal dat je wilt vertellen tijdens een Echt Gebeurd-middag? Ga dan naar onze website, want we zijn altijd op zoek naar nieuwe vertellers. Onze redactie neemt contact op als je verhaal geschikt lijkt. De thema's voor alle verhalenmiddagen na de zomervakantie vind je hier. Echt Gebeurd is te volgen op Instagram, Facebook, Threads, BlueSky en LinkedIn. Voor mensen die het kunnen missen hebben we Vriend van de Show. Wil je donateur worden voor € 2,50 per maand of een eenmalige donatie doen, dan kan dat hier. Om te adverteren in onze podcast kun je contact opnemen met Dag en Nacht Media.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Myanmar in Südostasien gilt als Hotspot für Online-Scams. Ein Land im Bürgerkrieg,. Journalist:innen werden dort gefoltert und umgebracht. Deshalb reisen wir nach Thailand – direkt an die Grenze zu Myanmar. Nur ein schmaler Fluss trennt die beiden Länder. Vom thailändischen Flussufer beobachten wir die Scam-Fabriken aus nächster Nähe. Wir wollen herausfinden, wie die Scam Industrie in Myanmar funktioniert. Doch was wir sehen, sind keine einfachen Fabriken. Hier sind ganze Städte entstanden. Zehntausende Scammer arbeiten für ein einziges Ziel: Sie betrügen Menschen weltweit, online. Mit gefälschten Krypto-Investments, Liebesschwindel und Catfishing. Die Gebäude haben vergitterte Fenster, Mauern und Stacheldraht. Was verbirgt sich hinter diesen Mauern? Unser Podcast Tipp: Y-Kollektiv – Der Podcast https://1.ard.de/y_kollektiv_der_podcast Jede Woche eine neue Folge, immer zuerst in der ARD Audiothek. Fragen oder Feedback? legion@rbb-online.de "Legion: House of Scam" ist eine Ko-Produktion von rbb, NDR und Undone 2025.

Today we'll be talking about an outrageous incident involving a foreign resident burying a dog a live, a disabled tourist robbed by a trio in a Pattaya hotel room, and a little later a topless Thai trans woman busted for a beach stunt in Sri Lanka.

Tropen statt Tristesse? Unternehmer Lars Jankowfsky lebt seit zwölf Jahren in Asien – und erklärt, warum Businesswachstum, Mitarbeitenden-Mindset und Lebensqualität dort oft deutlich besser skalieren als in Deutschland. Du denkst auch über den Gang ins Ausland nach? Dann findest du hier Antworten zu Themen, wie: Was internationale Expansion möglich macht, wie man Risiken wie Wegzugssteuer, Korruption und kulturelle Fettnäpfchen meistert – und warum Vertrauen vor Kontrolle steht, wenn du wirklich global denken willst. Du erfährst... …wie Lars Jankowfsky Chancen und Risiken im Auslandsgeschäft meistert …welche kulturellen Unterschiede bei der Unternehmensgründung in Asien bestehen …wie die Arbeitsmoral in Asien die Geschäftswelt beeinflusst …warum ein starkes lokales Netzwerk im Ausland entscheidend ist …wie man mit rechtlichen und kulturellen Herausforderungen umgeht __________________________ ||||| PERSONEN |||||

In this episode from the DMM Connect gathering in Northland, NZ, Keith and Joy share their journey from serving as missionaries in Thailand to how God called them to continue living on mission back home in New Zealand. They unpack how they have been able to live missionally in their own context using simple, reproducible tools. Learning to have Spiritual Conversations (Four Quadrants) A key turning point was learning how to have spiritual conversations using the Four Quadrants (casual → meaningful → spiritual → discovery). This changed how they connected with people in their local community. Joy reflects on John 4—Jesus' conversation with the woman at the well—and how He took this Samaritan woman on a spiritual journey as a person of peace to her community. Likewise, Keith and Joy have seen everyday people (like 'Ruth', a young woman from a local market) discover Jesus and share Him with others. Jesus' strategy when sending out his disciples Keith emphasises how engaging in the harvest as key to transformation—shifting from theory to practice, from "come" to "go." We listen in as the room explores these 4 scriptures where Jesus sends His disciples out: Mark 6:7–13 Luke 9:1–6 Matthew 9:36–10:16 Luke 10:1–11 These passages show that Jesus had compassion on the lost and taught His followers to beseech (or beg) God for workers—not for the harvest itself (which is already plentiful), but for more harvesters. It's a key strategy of prayer that Jesus gave twice in the gospels. We know the Lords Prayer but this is another prayer Jesus commanded his disciples to pray. Keith reflects on Matthew 9:35-38... “We've all prayed for the harvest. But in a way, this is the wrong way to pray. Jesus is telling us the harvest is already great. What we're imploring Him for is the workers. It's like Jesus is healing the sick and then steps back and looks at the large crowd and realises that a different approach is needed… Even Jesus realised that it couldn't be a one-man show. He needed a team to do what He did.” In the group discussion, we hear reflections on how traditional models often extract people from their communities to come to church. But Jesus modeled something different: staying with those who welcome you. Like the woman at the well, insiders can reach their whole communities more effectively than outsiders can. A final challenge "In a culture of ‘come,' we've made the lost person into the missionary (they have to leave their comfort zone to come to church). But ‘come' is the enemy of ‘go,' and addition is the enemy of multiplication.” – Raj (quoting those like Jim Britts)

Oscar Bergholm på P3 Nyheter förklarar morgonens stora nyheter, alltid tillsammans med programledarna för Morgonpasset i P3: Branne Pavlovic och Margret Atladottir. Lyssna på alla avsnitt i Sveriges Radio Play. Småföretagare är upprörda mot att anställda får sjuklön efter att ha gjort skönhetsoperationer och menar att kostnaderna är ett jätteproblem. Men äldre och- socialförsäkringsministern Anna Tenje (M) menar att alla har samma rättigheter och att hon litar på försäkringskassans bedömningar. Sen pratar vi om buddistmunk-skandalen i Thailand, där en kvinna gripits misstänkt för att ha haft sex och sen utpressat buddistmunkar på över 100 miljoner kronor. Nu återkallas titlarna av flera högt uppsatta munkar och landet ska föreslår en skärpning av ekonomin till templen.

Jack shares stories and insights from a rare gathering with the Dalai Lama on what really makes a teacher, and how compassion—not titles—spreads the Dharma.Today's podcast is brought to you by BetterHelp. Give online therapy a try at betterhelp.com/heartwisdom and get on your way to being your best self.This time on Heart Wisdom, Jack thoughtfully explores these themes & topics:Spring renewal at Spirit Rock & the wider Buddhist boom1,000 U.S. meditation centers — a movement far bigger than any one sanghaThe Mahāparinirvāṇa Sūtra on gathering “in harmony and concord”The Dalai Lama: compassion over conversion; students over titlesWhat really authorizes a teacher? (Hint: their students' freedom)“Spy on your teachers” — trusting slowly & wiselyThe scent-test of liberation: recognizing authentic peace“Bodhisattva off-duty?” — practice everywhere, even with late-night TV temptationsSpiritual life as engagement with, not escape from, difficultyInterdependence: why true emptiness embraces every creatureSpeaking out against spiritual misconduct & retraumatizationThe wounded student, the wounded teacher — bringing psychology into DharmaThis Dharma Talk recorded on 03/29/93 at Spirit Rock Meditation Center was originally published on DharmaSeed.“The Dalai Lama said, ‘Nirvana has a wonderful scent—like flowers.' You can tell it when you're around someone connected with nirvana. You can tell it around places where there's that fragrance of peace, well-being, and liberation.” – Jack Kornfield“Deep down, what matters is only the spirit of compassion—only what benefits beings in every form, in every realm on this earth. Don't think about how to spread Buddhism. It doesn't matter if there are even one or two more Buddhists. The only thing that matters is the well-being of each person and the well-being of the earth that we live on.” – Jack Kornfield quoting H.H. the Dalai LamaPhoto via Wikimedia CommonsAbout Jack Kornfield:Jack Kornfield trained as a Buddhist monk in the monasteries of Thailand, India, and Burma, studying as a monk under the Buddhist master Ven. Ajahn Chah, as well as the Ven. Mahasi Sayadaw. He has taught meditation internationally since 1974 and is one of the key teachers to introduce Buddhist mindfulness practice to the West. Jack co-founded the Insight Meditation Society in Barre, Massachusetts, with fellow meditation teachers Sharon Salzberg and Joseph Goldstein and the Spirit Rock Center in Woodacre, California. His books have been translated into 20 languages and sold more than a million copies.Jack is currently offering a wonderful array of transformational online courses diving into crucial topics like Mindfulness Meditation Fundamentals, Walking the Eightfold Path, Opening the Heart of Forgiveness, Living Beautifully, Transforming Your Life Through Powerful Stories, and so much more. Sign up for an All Access Pass to explore Jack's entire course library. If you would like a year's worth of online meetups with Jack and fellow community, join The Year of Awakening: A Monthly Journey with Jack Kornfield.Stay up to date with Jack and his stream of fresh dharma offerings by visiting JackKornfield.com and signing up for his email teachings.“Only the benefit you bring to others proves the depth of your own practice.” – Jack KornfieldSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Garry Morgan shares his journey from growing up in Portland, Oregon, to studying history at Seattle Pacific University and later teaching Bible classes in Kenyan high schools. He transitioned to long-term mission work in Kenya, focusing on unreached Muslim groups. After 18 years in missions, he taught at a Christian college in Minnesota before retiring and moving to Spokane. At Faith Bible Church, he has been involved in global outreach, refugee ministry, and preaching preparation. Recently, he taught English in Thailand, which uses their classes to introduce Thai Buddhists to Christianity.

https://youtu.be/FB11MbVTtlo Andrew Jernigan, CEO of Insured Nomads, is on a mission to redefine insurance for the globally distributed workforce. His Globally Distributed Company OS includes communication, documentation, education, and integration—core pillars that help companies effectively manage international remote teams. We learn about Andrew's journey from banking and global living to founding Insured Nomads—a company providing health, travel, and risk coverage for digital nomads, remote teams, and expats. Andrew shares how cultural nuance, asynchronous collaboration, and documentation help build trust and cohesion in a fully remote environment. We also explore how comprehensive global health insurance differs from standard travel insurance, what digital nomads often overlook, and why benefits like mental health access, cybersecurity, and global lounge access are becoming essential for the international workforce. --- Mine Gold in Your People with Andrew Jernigan Good day, dear listeners, Steve Preda here with the Management Blueprint Podcast, and my guest today is Andrew Jernigan, CEO of Insured Nomads, providing frictionless travel and health insurance for globally distributed teams, expatriates, digital nomads, remote workers, travelers, world schoolers for a successful international lifestyle. Andrew, welcome to the show. Well, thank you, Steve. And hi, everyone. I'm glad you're tuning in. This is going to be a fun episode. Yeah, it is going to be fun. I'm super excited about what you have up your sleeves about how you built this business, because this really a post-COVID type remotely operated business that you have, and it's a global business. You have like an interesting background. You lived in Amsterdam for several years. You're married to a Brazilian woman. I lived in Ghana, worked in England, Thailand, Emirates. Running a cross-border team is something I've been part of for a couple of decades now. So this is a valuable conversation for the way the world works today and the future of work as well. Yeah, so basically you are the target market of your company, maybe, that you call the Insured Nomads. So tell me, what is your “Why,” your personal “Why,” that inspired you to start Insured Nomads in the first place? I've lived the lifestyle, I've had the plans and then fast forward a few years, I brokered over 26 of the international companies in our space and realized, took me back to my banking days back out of university, where I was building online banking and a lot of the FinTech components many years ago. And I realized, wow, insurance needs that kind of change. Healthcare, financing of healthcare needs reform. And so brought together some leaders in the industry and said, let's do it differently. Took off to build Insured Nomads for health insurance and short term travel insurance that meets today's standards. And this was before the pandemic was declared. I was working from Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Belo Horizonte and Rio de Janeiro. And my co-founders were oceans apart. And this was birthed and soon after pandemic was declared, and the trigger effect of that, of realizing, okay, flexible, hybrid, remote first, digital first, etc. Work dynamics have affected the world.Share on X Yeah. So basically, you fell into this. So you had this international background, then suddenly the Zoom revolution came and it made it possible, or somehow people's paradigm shifted and suddenly it was totally okay to meet on Zoom. If you can meet on Zoom, then you can meet with anyone in the world on Zoom, basically, and then suddenly the world becomes your oyster because you can hire people anywhere in the world. So how did that evolve and how do you put the blocks together? Was it hard to start to build a culture with more people? Well, prior to this, we go back in time, we had ICQ, we had AOL Instant Messenger, Yahoo Instant Messenger, etc. and others in other cultures and regions of the w...

Stupid News 7-16-2025 6am …Air Force Lt Colonel thinking with his little rocket is going to prison …Hey, did we leave your mother at the rest area? …Woman in Thailand accused of seducing several monks

Today we'll be talking about a scuffle between Thai and Cambodian troops at a tourist trap along the border, a British tourist offering cannabis instead of cash for services rendered, and a little later monks defrocked in a sex scandal rocking the Buddhist clergy.

In Thailand sorgt ein Skandal um einige hochrangige buddhistische Mönche für Gesprächsstoff. Eine Frau soll mit den Mönchen intime Beziehungen geführt und sie anschliessend erpresst haben. Mönche geniessen in Thailand ein hohes Ansehen - der Fall ist deshalb auch politisch brisant. Weitere Themen: · Letzte Woche haben Kämpferinnen und Kämpfer der kurdischen Arbeiterpartei PKK einen Teil ihrer Waffen verbrannt. Nach einem jahrzehntelangen Kampf will die PKK die Waffen niederlegen. Aber wie geht das Leben danach weiter? · Der Karibik-Staat Kuba steckt in der grössten Wirtschaftskrise seit 70 Jahren. Was sind die Gründe? · Am Wochenende ist die neue Klub-WM der Fifa zu Ende gegangen. Wer hat von dem Milliardengeschäft profitiert - und hat das Marketing funktioniert?

A woman had several affairs with some monks in Thailand and then she blackmailed them for millions of dollars...and Whidbey Island 911 calls!

งานหนักไม่ว่า แต่จะจัดการงานหนักอย่างไรทั้งของตัวเอง และของทีมให้ไม่หมดไฟไปซะก่อน

For review:1. No progress on Israel - Hamas Hostage and Ceasefire negotiations.2. In a meeting in Amman on Sunday with British former prime minister Tony Blair, Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas urged Hamas to release the hostages it is holding and hand over its weapons to the PA, stressing that the terror group “will not rule the Gaza Strip” after the war there ends.3. Israeli jets carried out a wave of airstrikes deep inside Lebanon aimed at stopping  an elite Hezbollah unit from regrouping and rebuilding its strength, authorities said Tuesday.The strikes in Lebanon's northeastern Beqaa Valley were aimed at military facilities belonging to the Hezbollah terror group's Radwan force.4. Israel Strikes Syrian Govt Forces in Druze-Majority Sweida- in what Israeli PM Netanyahu and Defense Minister Katz said was meant to protect “the Druze in Syria due to the deep brotherly alliance with our Druze citizens in Israel.”5. Ukraine could secure victory over Russia if international partners supply Kyiv with additional air defense systems and end resistance to long-range strikes inside Russian territory, according to a Major Oleh Shyriaiev, Commander of Ukraine's 225th Separate Assault Battalion.6. France to Spend $74.8 Billion on Defense in 2027. The move would represent a full doubling of the nation's defense spending since 2017.7. US-Australian Exercise Talisman Sabre 2025. Countries participating in the drills alongside the US and Australia are Canada, Fiji, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Japan, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Papua New Guinea, the Philippines, the Republic of Korea, Singapore, Thailand, Tonga, and the United Kingdom with Malaysia and Vietnam as observers. China is expected, as has been the case in past iterations of Talisman Sabre, to deploy a surveillance ship to spy on the sea phases of the exercise.8.  Tropic Lightning Division Now Equipped with HIMARS. This week the US Army's 25th Infantry Division (Schofield Barracks, Hawaii) began the six-week process of replacing eight 105mm and six 155mm howitzers with 16 HIMARS launchers. The Division is not completely shedding towed artillery, as it will retain a single cannon battalion with two batteries of 105mm howitzers and one battery of M777 155mm howitzers.

Observers are calling this possibly the biggest human trafficking event in modern times. Hundreds of thousands of people recruited – usually under false pretences - to work in massive facilities in the border areas of Myanmar, Cambodia and Laos, to promote fraudulent investment schemes and romance scams to unsuspecting citizens around the world. The scams, run by criminal gangs, are thought to be making tens of billions of dollars every year. Those recruited often find themselves, trapped, beaten and tortured. Ed Butler travels to Thailand's border with Myanmar to investigate the scale of the trade, to speak to survivors and to some of those still involved, and to explore what role the ongoing civil war in Myanmar is playing in fuelling this apparently burgeoning criminal trade, beyond the reach of international law-enforcement.This episode of The Documentary comes to you from Assignment, investigations and journeys into the heart of global events.

In this episode of the Tough Girl Podcast, I'm joined by Beth, a 22-year-old veterinary student and elite dragon boat paddler based in Nottingham. Beth shares how a simple home workout routine during the COVID lockdown sparked a journey into endurance sport—from running the Robin Hood Half Marathon to discovering dragon boating at university. Since then, Beth has gone from novice paddler to competing on the world stage, representing Great Britain at the 2023 Dragon Boat World Championships in Thailand.  Now a coach, helm, and passionate advocate for women in sport, she talks about training, teamwork, and the power of inclusive communities.  Beth's story is one of grit, growth, and finding joy in pushing physical and mental limits.  New episodes of the Tough Girl Podcast drop every Tuesday at 7 AM (UK time)! Make sure to subscribe so you never miss the inspiring journeys and incredible stories of tough women pushing boundaries.  Do you want to support the Tough Girl Mission to increase the amount of female role models in the media in the world of adventure and physical challenges? Support via Patreon! Join me in making a difference by signing up here: www.patreon.com/toughgirlpodcast.  Your support makes a difference.  Thank you x Show notes Who is Beth 22 year old Vet Student  Final year of vet school, working on a placement year Working with small animals and horses Having a passion and love for animals  Deciding to be a vet Studying; Biology, chemistry and maths at A'Level Hating sports at school  Starting university in 2021 Soaring Dragons, based in Loughborough  Starting to train with the team What Dragon Boat racing is The set up of the boat Getting started in Dragon Boat Racing  The impact of covid on the Dragon Boat Club Learning the skills needed  Being put into the boat straight away Training as much as she can The challenges of training while being on work placements and rotations  Why its a good sport for involving everyone  The stroke pair - being in charge of setting the rate Getting qualified as a helm  Getting into race helming  Competing at Nationals Great Britain Premier Squad  The different categories BNTS Sessions - taster sessions where anyone from any club can try out the trainers and see what improvements can be made to their paddling  Being a new paddler in 2021 Going away and doing her own training in 2022  Wanting to take it more seriously and getting into the squad in 2023 Committing to training weekend across the country  Doing paddling and strength training  Being part of the what's app group and sharing training plans and sessions  Team Dynamics of the crew Being very competitive with herself  Wanting to be the best she could be  Heading to the World Championships in Thailand in 2023 Racing in the 2k event Race strategy and how the race unfolded  Taking a peek at the other boat! Dealing with an injury and not being able to paddle Drumming for another team - Three River Serpents Racing plans for 2025 Transporting the boat to different competitions Enjoying the 500m distance  How to connect on social media Contact your local club and give it a go  Racing as part of the women's crew  Commit to it - what you want   Social Media Notts Anaconda - www.nottsanaconda.co.uk  Instagram - @nottsanaconda  THE BDA - the national governing body for Dragon Boat Racing throughout Great Britain. www.dragonboat.org.uk  Facebook - www.facebook.com/britishdragonboatracing  @gbpremierdragonboatteam 

He's not only climbed the corporate career ladder, he's explored exotic and faraway places on his journey to become CEO and Publisher of the Minnesota Star Tribune. Stops in Tanzania, Japan, Thailand and India, then back in the US, hired as employee #85 at Google. Ultimately, like most Minnesotans who leave their home state, he found his way back and wrote a fascinating book about it. In this intriguing episode, Steve joins Kathy & Dardy to share his travels, experience and what makes the Midwest, and Minnesota in particular, so special.Connect with Versique

In der Ukraine steht eine Umbildung der Regierung an. Neue Premierministerin soll die 39-jährige Julija Swyrydenko werden. Die Wirtschaftsministerin gilt als Macherin und auch als loyale Erfüllungsgehilfin von Präsident Wolodimir Selenski. (00:00) Intro und Schlagzeilen (01:08) Ukraine: So tickt die künftige Premierministerin (04:18) Nachrichtenübersicht (08:40) Gewalt in Syrien: Was der Stabilität im Weg steht (16:07) Frankreichs umstrittenes Budget für 2026 (20:17) Herausfordernde Zeiten für die FDP (24:53) Auswege aus dem Zielkonflikt Landwirtschaft vs Klimaschutz (30:12) Wie tolerant ist Thailand gegenüber Trans-Menschen tatsächlich?

Today we'll be talking about a naked American man pulled from a drainpipe in Bangkok, an ex-U.S. soldier arrested in Pattaya after a violent episode at a bar, and a little later online consumer protections and Sukhumvit Road safety improvements.

Why so many Thai restaurants?    “Taste and see that the Lord is good.”  - Psalm 34:8 (KJV)

In der Ukraine steht eine Umbildung der Regierung an. Neue Premierministerin soll die 39-jährige Julija Swyrydenko werden. Die Wirtschaftsministerin gilt als Macherin und auch als loyale Erfüllungsgehilfin des Präsidenten Wolodimir Selensky. Weitere Themen: Die FDP befindet sich in einer schwierigen Findungsphase. Die Partei braucht einerseits einen neuen Parteipräsidenten - oder Präsidentin und tut sich gleichzeitig überraschend schwer in der Europafrage. Thailand gilt als tolerantes Land was LGBTQ-Menschen angeht. Besonders für Transfrauen ist das Land bekannt. Doch der Schein trügt. Rechtlich sind Transmenschen in Thailand nach wie vor nicht anerkannt.

Of all the faiths in the united states, few have as troubles a history as Mormonism. The Mormon Wars, also known as the Utah War, were armed confrontations between Mormon settlers in the Utah Territory and the US government forces. The conflict lasted from May 1857 to July 1858. There was also an earlier conflict known as the Mormon War in 1838 in western Missouri. Travel to Thailand with me ⁠⁠here⁠⁠ Check out our sister podcast the ⁠⁠Mystery of Everything⁠⁠ Coffee Collab With The Lore Lodge ⁠⁠COFFEE⁠⁠ Bonus episodes as well as ad-free episodes on ⁠⁠Patreon⁠⁠. Find us on ⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠. Join us on ⁠⁠Discord⁠⁠. Submit your relatives on our ⁠⁠website⁠⁠ Podcast ⁠⁠Youtube Channel⁠ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Political strategist Ashley Smith Thomas joins the Marc Cox Morning Show to discuss the anticipated shift in President Trump's Russia policy and Secretary of State Marco Rubio's recent diplomatic trip to Asia. Thomas explains Trump's firm stance on ending the Ukraine war amid frustration with Putin's aggression and rumors of severe new economic sanctions. She details Rubio's efforts to reassure Southeast Asian nations amid looming tariffs set to kick in August 1, warning countries like Thailand, Malaysia, and Japan that punitive levies could reach 40%, with Japan and South Korea facing 25% tariffs. Thomas highlights Trump's negotiation style of pushing deadlines to force concessions and praises Rubio's diplomatic balancing act in a critical region. The conversation also touches on the complexities of trade deals and global trust. Thomas is founder of Freedom Fund USA, advocating for global freedom and economic strength.

Im neuen Handelsabkommen zwischen den Vereinigten Staaten und Vietnam wird ein bislang häufig genutzter Zollumgehungsweg für chinesische Exporte gestoppt: das sogenannte Transshipment. Produkte, die aus China stammen, aber über Drittländer wie Vietnam, Kambodscha oder Thailand in die USA gelangen, sollen künftig mit Strafzöllen von bis zu 40 Prozent belegt werden.

Today we'll be talking about public scrutiny over Trump's tariffs on Thailand, a brawl erupting amongst Korean tourists in Pattaya, and a little later Vietnam's birthrate decline and aging population crisis.

True healing isn't just physical, it's energetic, emotional, and spiritual.In this rich, real, and deeply inspiring episode, Susan and Kate welcome Marek Chromik, martial arts teacher and holistic wellness guide, for a conversation that bridges ancient Eastern practices and modern-day epigenetics.With decades of experience in Kung Fu, Tai Chi, and Qigong, Marek shares how slowing down, tuning in, and softening your strength can transform your body, your energy, and your life. He dives into the importance of breath, awareness, fascia, intention, and emotional integration, and how these all influence your genetic expression.Here's what you'll walk away with:A deeper understanding of how emotional blocks show up as physical tension (and how to release them)Why “slowing down” is the secret weapon for nervous system healing and resilienceThe underestimated role fascia and breath play in your vitalityHow to move through life as a Peaceful Warrior, with grounded strength, clarity, and compassionIf you've ever felt like healing has to be hard or that you need to push your way through, Marek offers a refreshing, embodied alternative rooted in presence and possibility."You are here to experience life, not just survive it."Marek is based in Greenwood Village, Colorado, and offers both in-person and digital workshops. Learn more at EclecticGround.com.Learn more about our guest Marek Chromik:Marek started his journey in Martial Arts in 2002 with a Brazilian martial art called Capoeira. His accomplishments in martial arts include a black belt in Sorim Kung Fu and a title of Sifu (Master) with the Hong Kong Ving Tsun Athletic Association – Wing Chun Kung Fu. In the 20+ years of studying martial arts, Marek has traveled to the Wudang mountains in China for Kung Fu and Tai Chi with the Taoist Monks, and Qigong and intrinsic energies of Tai Chi in Chiang Mai, Thailand. Experiencing the internal energy component of martial arts was life changing. About Susan Robbins and Kate KingSusan and Kate come from two very different, but perfectly complementary, worlds in the health and wellness space. Together, their synergy is magnetic. Think: science meets soul, strategy meets intuition, real talk meets radical transformation.RESOURCES:Connect with Marek Chromik:https://eclecticground.com/https://www.facebook.com/EGmartialartshttps://www.instagram.com/eclecticground/https://www.linkedin.com/company/eclectic-groundhttps://www.tiktok.com/@eclecticgroundhttps://www.youtube.com/channel/UCuAhJVA7T3_721RtvCbn77QFind all of Kate and Susan's Resources and links in the show notes!Connect with Susan: https://healthyawakening.co/Connect with Kate: https://theradiantlifeproject.com/Shownotes: https://healthyawakening.co/2025/07/14/episode66Visit the website: healthyawakening.co/podcastFind listening links here: https://healthyawakening.co/linksP.S. Want reminders about episodes? Sign up for our newsletter, you can find the link on our podcast page! https://healthyawakening.co/podcast

Global News on the topic of Indigenous Rights. In this issue, news from USA, Canada, Australia, South Africa, Namibia, Thailand, India, Peru, Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, Guatemala and Panama. Produced by Dev Kumar Sunuwar (Sunuwar) 'Burn your village to the ground', by The Haluci Nation, used with permission.

เปิดศึกหม้อสุกี้ของ MK กับการตลาดบุฟเฟ่ต์ และแบรนด์ใหม่! มาชวนคุย ชวนถก เปิดหม้อสุกี้ไปด้วยกัน

Billionaire-turned-undercover-operative Paul Hutchinson spent a decade infiltrating trafficking rings from Thailand to Colombia, rescuing thousands of children and bringing pimps—and even corrupt judges—to justice. In this raw, eye-opening interview Paul pulls back the curtain on: -Why trafficking is exploding in ordinary U.S. neighborhoods -The brutal economics that turn kids into “inventory” worth $2–5 k per rape -How traffickers groom victims and manipulate broken foster systems -Paul's record-setting rescue mission in Cartagena that saved 120+ children in one day -The surprising link between porn addiction, repressed sexuality, and pedophile demand -Psychedelic-assisted healing that helped Paul—and other operators—recover from PTSD -Real-world tips parents can use today to keep kids safe

Join us for another hot AGT pod today as Jason sits down with his wife Nivine to talk about their recent trip to Bangkok including a nasty flight home, how Jason reached ultimate calm, and a few things they learned about side chicks in Thailand. Also, Nivine makes eggs, Jason sings Whitney Houston and the pair head to the Farmer's Market where Jason has a bunch of awkward conversations. Nivine tries to show Jason the way to make things less awkward and the pair practice the art of exchanging pleasantries. . Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

On this Wide World segment of MoneyFM 89.3, we spotlight a thrilling shift in Singapore’s sports landscape: the return of skateboarding to the SEA Games. At the heart of this movement is Zulkarnaen Bin Mohammad Zin, the Skateboarding Discipline Head at the Singapore Rollersports Federation and a dedicated logistics manager, whose vision is shaping a sustainable future for Singapore’s youth in extreme sports. Alongside him are two rising stars—Sharil Effendy Bin Rohaizad, winner of the Men’s Street category and part-time coach, and 11-year-old Humairah Binte Ahmad Alkhatib, the youngest Women’s Street champion. Together, they represent the launch of the National Skateboarding Championships, a three-part series designed to scout and develop the nation’s next international athletes. With the SEA Games 2025 in Thailand on the horizon—and Singapore hosting in 2029—the stakes have never been higher. This is more than competition—it’s the beginning of a movement. Join “Saturday Mornings Show” host Glenn van Zutphen and co-host Neil Humphreys.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Jesus' love for us is that of the Father for Him. All access to perfect love.We are friends not servants. All access to God's plan.We can love each other. All access to God's gifts.Preacher: Luke Johnson, Missionary to Thailand with SIM.FIND US ONLINE

Get 20% off your first Mood orderwith promo code VIEWS https://mood.com Use our code for 10% off your next SeatGeek order*:  Sponsored by SeatGeek. *Restrictions apply. Max $20 discount https://seatgeek.oneRrlink.me/nK/VIEWS10 Welcome back to Viewssssss... Saturday upload! Hope you guys are doing great, we've got another hot podcast as David, Jason and Natalie return from their vacation in Thailand and Ibiza with a hot pod and all the scoop on what went on including: David's miserable ATV ride, Natalie's fleeting crush and Jason's report on flying halfway across the world. Also, David's lost interview with Noah Beck, a big reveal about Ilya and Jason feels bad after sex. And a story about a man with 30,000 Bitcoin that tried to marry two women. Check out Jason's podcast here: https://open.spotify.com/episode/00MvrO8mYsPokBAodmzEpS?si=-K3S07HQTdmmAs3Ksh8lrg Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Adoring fans from around the world converged in Thailand this week to celebrate the first birthday of Moo Deng, the baby pygmy hippo who became a social media sensation. John Yang reports. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

Day late and a dollar short …well we just missed 7/10 but guess what we do have the internationally recognized 7/11. Once again @therealjamesbean “man on the scene.” Is taking over the show well at least half. James Will bee bringing back on the show Dale from Skunk Really Works who have been making waves which as we know tend to attract haters. We will help him get out his message and hopefully turn these haters into future customers. SRW strives to deliver stanky acrid skunky buds we also know that skunk is truly the hardest profile to nail down but if you do then you have a true winner. Up next we have our Dollar short part of the show Thailand has reversed gears on legalization and in a sudden action chopped many small businesses at the knees by making ALL cannabis more or less medical. We will talk to our friend @greentlife Tian who is an instructor at @thaibudtenderacadamy and deep in the legal cannabis world Will this cripple the fledging cannabis industry that just a year ago seemed to have no ceiling? Also joining the convo is @cannathaiseeds who has been traversing Thailand collecting ancient landrace lines and combing them with North American powerhouses. He is also playing with our favorite mutant line of “freakshow” that lends itself to the tropical environment that isn't so hospitable to indoor poly hybrids and powdery mildew bombs that ate plaguing our gene pool. So get that @dabx GO rig charged your @jerome_baker bong Clean with some ice

Adoring fans from around the world converged in Thailand this week to celebrate the first birthday of Moo Deng, the baby pygmy hippo who became a social media sensation. John Yang reports. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

Send us a textThis July, we are featuring special guests from across The Diocese of Atlanta. This is the first of four special guest episodes. The Good Samaritan is a parable that many in our society have heard. We often think of ourselves as the Samaritan - the helper. But what happens when we find ourselves helpless and in need? The Rev. Tricia Templeton's personal journey offers a unique perspective taking us on a personal journey through the Good Samaritan parable—not as the helper, but as the one who needed help.In this episode, Melissa has a conversation with Tricia about her time serving in the Peace Corps in the early 1980s. Tricia experienced a frightening situation when thieves broke into her Malaysian hotel room while she slept, stealing everything except her passport. Stranded with limited options, she encountered unexpected compassion from a Thai woman prostitute. This stranger provided meals, packed lunch for Tricia's journey, and gave her emergency money—going far beyond basic assistance. The parallels to Jesus' radical parable are striking: help often comes from those we least expect.This episode challenges us to examine our resistance to receiving. Have we internalized the message that giving is superior to receiving so deeply that we miss blessings offered through unexpected channels? As Tricia wisely observes, "The most unlikely person might be just the person who has what you need at that moment." Listen for the full conversation.Read For Faith, the companion devotional.The Rev. Tricia Templeton has been rector of St. Dunstan's for 21 years. She previously served churches in Knoxville and Chattanooga. Before going to seminary she was a newspaper reporter and editor and a Peace Corps volunteer in Thailand. Support the show Follow us on IG and FB at Bishop Rob Wright.

In Ep. 87, hosts Ray Powell and Jim Carouso speak with Ambassador Pou Sothirak, a former Cambodian diplomat and current distinguished advisor to the Cambodian Center for Regional Studies, to unpack the complex issues facing Cambodia today. The discussion centers on the renewed border conflict with Thailand, the controversy surrounding the Ream Naval Base, and Cambodia's strategic navigation of its relationships with the United States and China.Ambassador Sothirak provides historical context for the century-old border dispute, which has its origins in French colonial-era maps from 1907. He recounts the history of the conflict, including the International Court of Justice (ICJ) rulings in 1962 and 2013 that affirmed Cambodia's sovereignty over the Preah Vihear temple and its surrounding territory. The most recent clashes, which began in late May, are described as a "misunderstanding" at face value but are deeply entangled with issues of nationalism and domestic politics in both nations. The situation has been exacerbated by a political crisis in Thailand following a leaked phone call between the leaders of the two nations, which has brought bilateral relations to a low point. The Ambassador suggests a path forward involving third-party mediation to facilitate a truce and demilitarization of the border, followed by high-level diplomatic talks.The conversation addresses widespread speculation that China's extensive support in upgrading the Ream Naval Base amounts to establishing a Chinese military outpost. Ambassador Sothirak dismisses this as a "myth," stating that Cambodia's constitution prohibits foreign military bases on its soil. He explains that Cambodia's collaboration with China is aimed at modernizing its own navy to safeguard its maritime security. However, he acknowledges the semi-permanent, rotating presence of Chinese ships and personnel at the base. He views the recent visit by the U.S. Secretary of Defense as a critical opportunity to dispel misconceptions and improve transparency, emphasizing that Cambodia must balance its ties between the two superpowers.The episode explores Cambodia's foreign policy and its efforts to manage its relationships with both the U.S. and China. China is Cambodia's largest donor and source of foreign direct investment, with its Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) funding essential infrastructure like power plants and highways. At the same time, the United States is Cambodia's biggest export market. Ambassador Sothirak expresses concern that potential U.S. tariffs, intended to pressure China, could inadvertently harm Cambodia's economy and push it further into China's orbit. He argues that for a small country like Cambodia, maintaining engagement with both the U.S. and China is essential for its development and sovereignty.Follow us on X, @IndoPacPodcast, LinkedIn, or BlueSkyFollow Ray Powell on X, @GordianKnotRay, or LinkedInFollow Jim Carouso on LinkedInSponsored by BowerGroupAsia, a strategic advisory firm that specializes in the Indo-Pacific

In this episode of 5 Questions, we sit down with Charlotte Read, GM of Brand at New Zealand Winegrowers, the national organization representing more than 1,400 growers and wineries across the country.Charlotte shares what's exciting her most in wine right now (spoiler: Pinot Noir by the fire), highlights underrated New Zealand wine regions like Nelson, Waiheke Island, and Gisborne, and discusses how packaging innovation could reshape the future of wine consumption. We also dive into her most memorable wine experiences from traveling across the globe, from India to Thailand—always through the lens of New Zealand's premium winemaking identity.Whether you're a casual enthusiast or seasoned collector, this quick conversation offers a glimpse into the evolving story of New Zealand wine on the world stage.Listen in to discover:Charlotte's current go-to wine and perfect pairingLesser-known New Zealand wine regions to exploreHow changing lifestyles are pushing wine packaging innovationWhy New Zealand wine succeeds globally—and what's nextA story from the vineyards of India, China, and beyond

Stuart Pollington was born in the United Kingdom and grew up there. After college he began working and along the way he decided he wanted to travel a bit. He worked in Las Vegas for six months and then had the opportunity to work for a year in Australia. He then ended up doing some work in Asia and fell in love with Thailand. For the past 20 years he has lived in Thailand where he helped start several entrepreneurial endeavors and he began two companies which are quite alive and well.   My discussion with Stuart gave us the opportunity to explore his ideas of leadership and entrepreneurial progress including what makes a good entrepreneur. He says, for example, that anyone who wishes to grow and be successful should be willing to ask many questions and always be willing to learn. Stuart's insights are quite valuable and worth your time. I believe you will find most useful Stuart's thoughts and ideas.     About the Guest:   Stuart Pollington is a seasoned entrepreneur and digital strategist who has spent over two decades building businesses across the ASEAN region. Originally from the UK, Stuart relocated to Thailand more than 20 years ago and has since co-founded and led multiple ventures, including Easson Energy and Smart Digital Group. His experience spans digital marketing, AI, and sustainability, but at the heart of it all is his passion for building ideas from the ground up—and helping others do the same.   Throughout his career, Stuart has worn many hats: Sales Director, CTO, Founder, Digital Marketer and growth consultant. He thrives in that messy, unpredictable space where innovation meets real-world execution, often working closely with new businesses to help them launch, grow, and adapt in challenging environments. From Bangkok boardrooms to late-night brainstorms, he's seen firsthand how persistence and curiosity can turn setbacks into springboards.   Stuart's journey hasn't always been smooth—and that's exactly the point. He's a firm believer that failure is an essential part of the learning process. Whether it's a marketing campaign that flopped or a business idea that never got off the ground, each misstep has helped shape his approach and fueled his drive to keep moving forward. Ways to connect with Stuart:   https://www.linkedin.com/in/stuartpollington/ www.smart-digital.co.th www.smart-traffic.com.au www.evodigital.com.au https://easson.energy     About the Host:   Michael Hingson is a New York Times best-selling author, international lecturer, and Chief Vision Officer for accessiBe. Michael, blind since birth, survived the 9/11 attacks with the help of his guide dog Roselle. This story is the subject of his best-selling book, Thunder Dog.   Michael gives over 100 presentations around the world each year speaking to influential groups such as Exxon Mobile, AT&T, Federal Express, Scripps College, Rutgers University, Children's Hospital, and the American Red Cross just to name a few. He is Ambassador for the National Braille Literacy Campaign for the National Federation of the Blind and also serves as Ambassador for the American Humane Association's 2012 Hero Dog Awards.   https://michaelhingson.com https://www.facebook.com/michael.hingson.author.speaker/ https://twitter.com/mhingson https://www.youtube.com/user/mhingson https://www.linkedin.com/in/michaelhingson/   accessiBe Links https://accessibe.com/ https://www.youtube.com/c/accessiBe https://www.linkedin.com/company/accessibe/mycompany/ https://www.facebook.com/accessibe/       Thanks for listening!   Thanks so much for listening to our podcast! If you enjoyed this episode and think that others could benefit from listening, please share it using the social media buttons on this page. Do you have some feedback or questions about this episode? Leave a comment in the section below!   Subscribe to the podcast   If you would like to get automatic updates of new podcast episodes, you can subscribe to the podcast on Apple Podcasts or Stitcher. You can subscribe in your favorite podcast app. You can also support our podcast through our tip jar https://tips.pinecast.com/jar/unstoppable-mindset .   Leave us an Apple Podcasts review   Ratings and reviews from our listeners are extremely valuable to us and greatly appreciated. They help our podcast rank higher on Apple Podcasts, which exposes our show to more awesome listeners like you. If you have a minute, please leave an honest review on Apple Podcasts.       Transcription Notes:   Michael Hingson ** 00:00 Access Cast and accessiBe Initiative presents Unstoppable Mindset. The podcast where inclusion, diversity and the unexpected meet. Hi, I'm Michael Hingson, Chief Vision Officer for accessiBe and the author of the number one New York Times bestselling book, Thunder dog, the story of a blind man, his guide dog and the triumph of trust. Thanks for joining me on my podcast as we explore our own blinding fears of inclusion unacceptance and our resistance to change. We will discover the idea that no matter the situation, or the people we encounter, our own fears, and prejudices often are our strongest barriers to moving forward. The unstoppable mindset podcast is sponsored by accessiBe, that's a c c e s s i capital B e. Visit www.accessibe.com to learn how you can make your website accessible for persons with disabilities. And to help make the internet fully inclusive by the year 2025. Glad you dropped by we're happy to meet you and to have you here with us.   Michael Hingson ** 01:21 Well, hello, everyone. Once again, it is time for an episode of unstoppable mindset. And today we have a guest, Stuart pullington, who is in Thailand, so that is a little bit of a distance away, but be due to the magic of science and technology, we get to have a real, live, immediate conversation without any delay or anything like that, just because science is a beautiful thing. So Stuart is an entrepreneur. He's been very much involved in helping other people. He's formed companies, but he likes to help other entrepreneurs grow and do the same things that he has been doing. So I am really glad that he consented to be on unstoppable mindset. And Stuart, I want to welcome you to unstoppable mindset. And thank you for being here,   Stuart Pollington ** 02:14 Ryan, thank you for the invitation, Michael, I'm looking forward to it.   Michael Hingson ** 02:18 And Stuart is originally from the United Kingdom, and now for the past, what 20 years you've been in Thailand? Yes, over   Stuart Pollington ** 02:27 a bit over 20 years now. So I think I worked out the other day. I'm 47 in a couple of weeks, and I've spent more than half of my life now over in Asia.   Michael Hingson ** 02:39 So why do you like Thailand so much as opposed to being in England?   Stuart Pollington ** 02:46 It's a good question. I mean, don't get me wrong, I do, I do like the UK. And I really, I really like where I came, where I'm from. I'm from the south coast, southeast, a place called Brighton. So, you know, pretty good, popular place in the UK because of where we're situated, by the, you know, on the on the sea, we get a lot of, you know, foreign tourists and students that come over, etc. I mean, Asia. Why? Why Asia? I mean, I originally went traveling. I did six months in America, actually, first in Las Vegas, which was a good experience, and then I did a bit of traveling in America, from the West Coast over to the East Coast. I did a year in Australia, like a working holiday. And then on my way back to the UK, I had a two week stop over in Thailand, and I went down to the beaches, really enjoyed kind of the culture and the way of life here, if you like. And ended up staying for a year the first time. And then after that year, went back to the UK for a little bit and decided that actually, no, I kind of liked the I liked the lifestyle, I liked the people, I liked the culture in Thailand, and decided that was where I wanted to kind of be, and made my way back   Michael Hingson ** 04:13 there you are. Well, I can tell you, Las Vegas isn't anything like it was 20 years ago. It is. It is totally different. It's evolved. It's very expensive today compared to the way it used to be. You can't, for example, go into a hotel and get an inexpensive buffet or anything like that anymore. Drinks at the hum on the on the casino floors are not like they used to be, or any of that. It's it's definitely a much higher profit, higher cost. Kind of a place to go. I've never been that needy to go to Las Vegas and spend a lot of time. I've been there for some meetings, but I've never really spent a lot of time in Las Vegas. It's a fascinating town. Um. One of my favorite barbecue places in New York, opened up a branch in Las Vegas, a place called Virgil's best barbecue in the country. And when they opened the restaurant, the Virgil's restaurant in Las Vegas, my understanding is that the people who opened it for Virgil's had to first spend six months in New York to make sure that they did it exactly the same way. And I'll tell you, the food tastes the same. It's just as good as New York. So that that would draw me to Las Vegas just to go to Virgil's. That's kind of fun. Well, tell us a little about the early Stuart kind of growing up and all that, and what led you to do the kinds of things you do, and so on. But tell us about the early Stuart, if you would.   Stuart Pollington ** 05:47 Yeah, no problem. I mean, was quite sporty, very sporty. When I was younger, used to play a lot of what we call football, which would be soccer over, over your way. So, you know, very big, younger into, like the the team sports and things like that, did well at school, absolutely in the lessons, not so great when it came to kind of exams and things like that. So I, you know, I learned a lot from school, but I don't think especially back then, and I think potentially the same in other countries. I don't think that the the education system was set up to cater for everyone, and obviously that's difficult. I do feel that. I do feel that maybe now people are a bit more aware of how individual, different individuals perform under different circumstances and need different kind of ways to motivate, etc. So, yeah, I mean, I that that was kind of me at school. Did a lot of sport that, you know was good in the lessons, but maybe not so good at the PAM studying, if you like, you know the studying that you need to do for exams where you really have to kind of cram and remember all that knowledge. And I also found with school that it was interesting in the lessons, but I never really felt that there was any kind of, well, we're learning this, but, and this is how you kind of utilize it, or this is the practical use of what we're learning for life, if that, if that makes sense. Yeah. So, you know, like when we were learning, and I was always very good at maths, and I love numbers, and you know, when we were learning things in maths and things like that, I just never felt that it was explained clearly what you would actually use that for. So when you're learning different equations, it wasn't really well explained how you would then utilize that later in life, which I think, for me personally, I think that would have made things more interesting, and would have helped to kind of understand which areas you should focus on. And, you know, maybe more time could have been spent understanding what an individual is good at, and then kind of explaining, well, if you're good at this, or passionate with this, then this is what you could do with it. I think I remember sitting down with our I can't they would have been our advisors at the time, where you sit down and talk about what you want to do after school, and the question was always, what do you want to be? Whereas, you know, for me personally, I think it would have been more useful to understand, what are your passion you know? What are you passionate about? What are you good at? What do you enjoy doing? And then saying, Well, you know, you could actually do this. This is something you could do, you know. So you could take that and you could become, this could be the sort of career you could do, if that makes sense. So anyway, that that was kind of like, like school and everything like that. And then after school, you know, I didn't, I worked for a couple of years. I didn't really know what I wanted to do. Funnily enough, there was actually a Toys R Us opening in Brighton in one of the summers she went and got, I got a summer job there at Toys R Us. And I really enjoyed that. Actually, that was my first step into actually doing a bit of sales. I worked on the computers. So we were, you know, selling the computers to people coming in. And when we opened the store, it's a brand new store. You know, it was just when the pay as you go. Mobile phones were kind of just coming out. We had Vodafone analog, but it was the non contract where you could just buy top up cards when they first came out, and I remember we were the first store, because we were a new store. We were the first store to have those phones for sale. And I remember just being really determined to just try and be the first person to just sell the first ever mobile phone within Toys R Us. And I remember I started in the morning, and I think my lunch was at, say, 12, but I missed my lunch, and I think I was up till about one, one or 2pm until finally I managed to find someone who, who was, who me, had that need or wanted the phone, and so I made that first sale for toys r us in the UK with the mobile phone, and that that, in itself, taught me a lot about, you know, not giving up and kind of pushing through and persevering a bit. So yeah, that that was kind of my, my early part. I was always interested in other cultures, though. I was always interested at school, you know, I do projects on Australia, Egypt and things like that. And, you know, in the UK, when you get to about, I think similar, similar to America, but, you know, in the UK, where you either before or after uni, it's quite usual to do, like, a gap year or do a bit of traveling. And I just kind of never got round to it. And I had friends that went and did a gap year or years working holiday in Australia, and I remember when they came back, and I was like, Yeah, you know, that's that's actually what I want to do. So when I was about 22 it was at that point, and I'd worked my way up by them from Toys R Us, I'd already moved around the country, helped them open new stores in different locations in the UK. Was working in their busiest story of in Europe, which was in London. But I decided I wanted to kind of I wanted to go and travel. So I remember talking to my area manager at the time and saying, Look, this is what I want to do. I had a friend who was traveling, and he was meeting up with his sister, and his sister happened to be in Las Vegas, which is how we, we kind of ended up there. And I remember talking to my area manager at the time and saying that I want to leave, I want to go and do this. And I remember him sat down just trying to kind of kind of talk me out of it, because they obviously saw something in me. They wanted me to continue on the path I was doing with them, which was going, you know, towards the management, the leadership kind of roles. And I remember the conversation because I was saying to him, Look, I want, I want to, I want to go and travel. I really want to go. I'm going to go to Las Vegas or to travel America. And his response to me was, well, you know, if you stay here for another x years, you can get to this position, then you can go and have a holiday in America, and you could, you can get a helicopter, you can fly over the Grand Canyon, and kind of really trying to sell me into staying in that path that they wanted me to go on. And I thought about that, and I just said, No, I don't want to just go on a holiday. I really just want to immerse myself, and I just want to go there, and I want to live the experience. And so yeah, I I left that position, went to Las Vegas, ended up staying six months. I did three months. Did a bit in Mexico, came back for another three months. And that's where I met a lot of different people from different countries. And I really kind of got that initial early bug of wanting to go out and seeing a bit more of the world. And it was at that point in my life where I was in between, kind of the end of education, beginning of my business career, I guess, and I had that gap where it was the opportunity to do it. So I did, so yeah, I did that time in America, then back to the UK, then a year in Australia, which was great. And then, yeah, like I said, on the way home, is where I did my stop over. And then just obviously fell in love with Thailand and Asia, and that became my mindset after that year going back to the UK. My mindset was, how do I get back to Thailand? You know, how do I get back to Asia? I also spent a bit of time, about five years in the Philippines as well. So, you know, I like, I like, I like the region, I like the people, I like the kind of way of life, if you like.   Michael Hingson ** 14:23 So when you were working in the Philippines, and then when you got to Thailand, what did you do?   Stuart Pollington ** 14:30 Yeah, so I mean, it all starts with Thailand, really. So I mean, originally, when I first came over, I was, I was teaching and doing, trying to kind of some teaching and voluntary stuff. When I came back, I did a similar thing, and then I got, I get, I wouldn't say lucky, I guess I had an opportunity to work for a company that was, we were, we were basically selling laptop. Laptops in the UK, student laptops, they were refurbished like your IBM or your Dell, and we they would be refurbished and resold normally, to students. And we also, we also used to sell the the laptop batteries. So we would sell like the IBM or Dell laptop batteries, but we sell the OEM, you know, so we would get them direct from, from from China, so like third party batteries, if you like. And back in the day, this is just over 20 years ago, but back then, early days of what we would call digital marketing and online marketing. And you know, our website in the UK, we used to rank, you know, number one for keywords like IBM, refurb, refurbished. IBM, laptop Dell, laptop battery, IBM battery. So we used to rank above the brands, and that was my introduction, if you like, to digital marketing and how it's possible to make money online. And then that kind of just morphed into, well, you know, if we're able to do this for our own business, why can't we do this for other businesses? And that would have been the, you know, the early owners and founders of the of smart digital and smart traffic seeing that opportunity and transitioning from running one business and doing well to helping multiple businesses do well online and that, that was the bit I really enjoy. You know, talking to different business owners in different industries. A lot of what we do is very similar, but then you have slightly different approaches, depending on them, the location and the type of business that people are in.   Michael Hingson ** 16:47 Well, you, you have certainly been been around. You formed your own or you formed countries along the way, like Eastern energy and smart digital group. What were they? Right?   Stuart Pollington ** 16:59 Yeah. So, so yeah, going back to the computer website. Out of that came a company called smart traffic that was put together by the free original founders, guy called Simon, guy called Ben, and a guy called Andy. And so they originally came together and put and had created, if you like, smart traffic. And smart traffic is a digital marketing agency originally started with SEO, the organic, you know, so when someone's searching for something in Google, we help get websites to the top of that page so that people can then click on them, and hopefully they get a lead or a sale, or whatever they're they're trying to do with that, with that traffic. So, yeah, they originally put that together. I being here and on the ground. I then started working within the business. So I was running the student website, if you like, the laptop website, and then got the opportunity from very early on to work within the Digital Marketing Company. I've got a sales background, but I'm also quite technical, and I would say I'm good with numbers, so a little bit analytical as well. So the opportunity came. We had opened an office in the Philippines, and it had been open for about, I think, 18 months or two years, and it was growing quite big, and they wanted someone else to go over there to support Simon, who was one of the founders who opened the office over there. And that's when I got the opportunity. So I was over in Cebu for what, five, five and a half years. At one point, we had an office there with maybe 120 staff, and we did a lot of the technical SEO, and we were delivering campaigns for the UK. So we had a company in the UK. We had one in Australia, and then also locally, within the kind of Thai market. And that was fantastic. I really enjoyed working over in the Philippines again. Culture enjoyed the culture enjoyed the people. Really enjoyed, you know, just getting stuck in and working on different client campaigns. And then eventually that brought me back to Thailand. There was a restructure of the company we, you know, we moved a lot of the a lot of the deliverables around. So I was then brought back to Thailand, which suited me, because I wanted to come back to Thailand at that point. And then I had the opportunity. So the previous owners, they, they created a couple of other businesses in Thailand. They're one that very big one that went really well, called dot property, so they ended up moving back to the UK. Long story short, about maybe 10 years ago, I got the opportunity to take over smart digital in Thailand and smart traffic in Australia, which are both the. Marketing agencies that I'd been helping to run. So I had the opportunity to take those over and assume ownership of those, which was fantastic. And then I've obviously been successfully running those for the last 10 years, both here and and in Australia, we do a lot of SEO. We do a lot of Google ads and social campaigns and web design, and we do a lot of white label. So we we sit in the background for other agencies around the world. So there'll be agencies in, you know, maybe Australia, the UK, America, some in Thailand as well, who are very strong at maybe social or very strong ads, but maybe not as strong on the SEO so we, we just become their SEO team. We'll run and manage the campaigns for them, and then we'll deliver all the reporting with their branding on so that they can then plug that into what they do for their clients and deliver to their clients. So that's all fantastic. I mean, I love, I love digital marketing. I love, I love looking at the data and, you know, working out how things work. And we've been very successful over the years, which then led on to that opportunity that you mentioned and you asked about with Eastern energy. So that was about three and a half years ago, right right around the COVID time, I had a meeting, if you like, in in Bangkok, with a guy called Robert Eason. He was actually on his way to the UK with his family, and kind of got stuck in Bangkok with all the lockdowns, and he was actually on his way to the UK to start Eastern energy there. And Eastern energy is basically, it's an energy monitoring and energy efficiency company. It's basically a UK design solution where we have a hardware technology that we retrofit, which is connects, like to the MDB, and then we have sensors that we place around the location, and for every piece of equipment that we connect to this solution, we can see in real time, second by second, the energy being used. We can then take that data, and we use machine learning and AI to actually work with our clients to identify where their energy wastage is, and then work with them to try and reduce that energy wastage, and that reduces the amount of energy they're using, which reduces their cost, but also, very importantly, reduces the CO two emissions. And so I had this chance encounter with Robert, and I remember, at the time I was we were talking about how this solution worked, and I was like, oh, that's quite interesting. You know, I've I, you know, the the digital marketing is going quite well. Could be time to maybe look at another kind of opportunity, if you like. So I had a look at how it worked. I looked at the kind of ideal clients and what sort of other projects were being delivered by the group around the world. And there were a couple of big name brands over in there. So because it works quite well with qsrs, like quick service restaurant, so like your fast food chains, where you have multiple locations. And it just so happened that one of the in case studies they'd had, I just through my networking, I do a lot of networking with the chambers in Bangkok. Through my networking, I actually happened to know some of the people in the right positions at some of these companies. I'd never had the opportunity to work with them, with the digital marketing because most of them would have their own in house teams, and I just saw it as an opportunity to maybe do something with this here. So I, you know, I said to Robert, give me a week. And then a week later, I said, right, we've got a meeting with this company. It's international fast food brand. They've got 1700 locations in Thailand. So when ended that meeting, very, very positive. And after that meeting, I think Robert and I just I said to Robert, you know, currently you have a plan to go to the UK. Currently you're stuck in Thailand with lockdown, with COVID. We don't know what's going to happen and where everything's going to go. Why don't we do it here? And that's where it originally came from. We decided, let's, you know, let's, let's give that a shot over here. Since then, we've brought in two other partners. There's now four of us, a guy called Gary and a guy called Patrick. And yeah, I mean, it's a bit slower than I thought it would be, but it's in the last. Six months, it's really kind of picked up, which has been fantastic. And for me, it was, for me, it was just two things that made sense. One, I love I love data, and I love the technology. So I love the fact that we're now helping businesses by giving them data that they don't currently have the access to, you know. So when you get, you know, when you when you get your electricity bill, you get it the month after you've used everything, don't you, and it just tells you how much you've got to pay. And there's not really much choice. So what we're doing is giving them the visibility in real time to see where their energy is going and be able to make changes in real time to reduce that energy wastage. And I just thought, Well, look, this is great. It's very techie. It's using, you know, date big data, which I love, using machine learning and AI, which is great. And then I also, you know, I do care about the environment. I got two young kids, so I do care about what's happening around the world. And for me, that was a win, win. You know, I got to, I got to do something with tech that was new and exciting. It's definitely new to this region, even though it's been new to the same sort of technology has been utilized in Europe and America for a number of years. So it felt new, it felt exciting. And it's also good, you know, because we are helping people on the path to net zero. You know, how can we get to net zero? How can we reduce these emissions? So, yeah, I mean that that, for me, is   Stuart Pollington ** 26:40 two different types of, in my opinion, entrepreneurial kind of journeys. One is that the with the digital marketing is, is all it's a story of working my way up to then reach the top, if you like. And whereas Eastern energy is more of a traditional kind of as an entrepreneur, this is, this is an idea. Let's do something with it and get an exciting about it. So two kind of, two different approaches to get to the ownership stage, if you like.   Michael Hingson ** 27:14 I have an interesting story. I appreciate what you're saying. The whole entrepreneurial spirit is so important in what we do, and I wish more people had it. But years ago, one of my first jobs out of college was working for a company in Massachusetts, Kurzweil Computer Products. Ray Kurzweil, who developed, originally a reading machine for the blind, and then later a more commercial version of it. And there's somebody that I had met when I was a student at UC Irvine who ended up being back in Massachusetts working for at that time, a think tank consulting company called Bolt Beranek and Newman. I don't know whether you're familiar with them. They changed their name to, I think it was CLOUD NINE or Planet Nine. But Dick was telling me one day that, and this is when mainframe computers were so large and there was a lot needed to keep them cool and so on. Anyway, he was telling me that one day the gas utility came in because the total heating bill for the six story building was like $10 and they wanted to know how BBN bolt, brannic and Newman was stealing energy and and making it so that they didn't pay very much money. And the the president of the company said, let me show you. They went down to the basement, and there they had two PDP 20s, which are like dual PDP 10s. And they put out a lot of heat, needless to say, to run them. And what BBN did was to take all of that heat and pipe it through the building to keep the building warm in the winter. Rather than paying all the gas bills, they were using something that they already had, the entrepreneurial spirit liveth well. And the bottom line is they, they kept the building well heated. And I don't know what they did in the summer, but during the winter it was, it was pretty cool, and they were able to have $10 gas bills for the six story building, which was kind of fun. No,   Stuart Pollington ** 29:39 that's brilliant, yeah, and that just goes to show me, that is what a large part of this, you know, energy efficiency and things like that, is, it's, it's, it's not about just completely replacing or stopping something. It's about better utilizing it. Isn't it? So they, you know the example you just gave there, with the heat and the wasted energy of being lost in that heat release they've used and utilized, which is brilliant.   Michael Hingson ** 30:12 I a couple of years ago. So my wife passed away in 2022 and we have a furnace and so on here, and we had gas bills that were up in the $200 a month or more up as much as $300 a month in the winter to keep the house at a temperature that we could stand. And two years ago, I thought about, how do we lower that? And I was never a great fan of space heaters, but I decided to try something. We got a couple of space heaters, and we put them out in the living room, and we have ceiling fans. So turned on the space heaters and turned on the ceiling fans, and it did a pretty decent job of keeping the temperature down, such that for most months, I didn't even have to turn the furnace on at all, and our heating bill went down to like $39 a month. Then last year, we got an additional heater that was a little bit larger, and added that to the mix. And again, the bottom line is that if I start all of that early in the morning, our heating bill is like 30 $35 a month. Now I do cheat occasionally, and I'll turn the furnace on for about 45 minutes or 50 minutes in the morning with the ceiling fans to help distribute the warmer air, and I can get the house up to 75 degrees, or almost 30 Celsius, in in a very quick time. And then with the other two space heaters running, I don't have to use furnaces or anything for the rest of the day. So I think this year, the most expensive heating bill we had was like $80 because I did occasionally run the the the heaters or the furnace, and when I was traveling, I would turn the furnace on for the cat a little bit. But the bottom line is, there's so many things that we can do to be creative, if we think about it, to make things run more efficiently and not use as much energy and eliminate a lot of the waste that that we have, and so that that has worked out pretty well, and I have solar on the house. So in the summer, when most people around here are paying four and $500 a month for their electric bills to run the air conditioning. My electric bill year round, is $168 a month, which is   Stuart Pollington ** 32:47 cool. Yeah, no, that's great that you've and you've that is a great example there of kind of how you know our approach to energy efficiency. You know what? What are you currently doing? Is there a more efficient way of doing it? Which is exactly what you found, yeah,   Michael Hingson ** 33:07 yeah, and it works really well. So I can't complain it's warming up now. So in fact, we're not I haven't turned the furnace or anything on at all this week. This is the first week it's really been warm at night. In fact, it was 75 degrees Fahrenheit last night. I actually had to turn the air conditioner on and lower the house to 70 degrees, and then turned it off because I don't need to keep it on, and made it easier to sleep. But it's it's amazing, if we think about it, what the things that we can do to make our energy lives more efficient, lower the carbon footprint, and all those kinds of things. So I hear what you're saying, and it's and it's important, I think that we all think about as many ways as we can of doing that. I   Stuart Pollington ** 33:56 think one of the biggest problems with energy is just invisible. You don't, you know, you don't really see it. No. So just, it's just one of those. You just don't really think about it. And again, you only get, you only get told what you've used once you've used it. Yeah, so it's too late by then. And then you go, Oh, you know, you might get an expensive bill. And go, oh, I need to be careful. And then you're careful for a few days or a week, and then again, you don't see it until you get your next bill. Yeah, it's really hard as with anything. I mean, it's a bit like going to the gym. If you go to the gym or the fitness and you just do it sporadically. You don't really have a routine, or, you know, it's gonna be very hard to achieve anything. But then if you, if you set your mind to it, if you maybe get a trainer, and you get a you go onto a better diet, and you follow your routine, you can you will see the results. And it's very similar to what we do. If you've once you've got the data, and you can actually see what. Happening, you can make proper, informed and educated business decisions, and that's what we're trying to do with that is to help businesses make the right decision on the path to net zero   Michael Hingson ** 35:11 well, and you have to develop the mindset as the consumer to bring in a company like yours, or at least think about yourself. What can I do consistently to have a better energy pattern? And I think that's what most people tend not to do a lot, and the result of that is that they pay more than they need to. The power companies like it, the gas companies like it. But still, there are better ways to do it so. So tell me you have been in business and been an entrepreneur for a long time. What is maybe an example of some major crisis or thing that happened to you that you you regard as a failure or a setback that you have had to deal with and that taught you something crucial about business or life.   Stuart Pollington ** 36:08 Brilliant question. I mean, I would, I would guess, over 20 years, there's been a lot of different, sorry, a lot of different things that have happened. I think probably, probably an impactful one would have been. And this taught me a lot about my team, and, you know, their approach and how everyone can pull together. So it would have been, I think it was about, it was when I was in the Philippines. So it would have been about maybe 1212, years ago, we're in Cebu, and there was a big earthquake, and when it hit Cebu, I think it was quite early in the morning. It was like 6am and I remember the whole bed was kind of shaking and rocking, and we, you know, had to get out of the condo. And we're, at the time, living in a place called it Park. And in the Philippines, there's a lot of cool centers, so it's very much 24/7 with an office environment. So as we're coming out of the condo, in literally pants, as in, when I say pants, I mean underwear, because you literally jump out of bed and run. And they were like 1000s, 1000s of all the local Filipinos all all in their normal clothes, because they've all doing the call center work. And I remember just, you know, sitting out on the ground as the aftershocks and whole grounds moving and and, and that that was a very, you know, personal experience. But then on top of that, I've then got over 100 staff in in Cebu at the time that I then have to think about. And, you know, is everyone okay? And then, because of the time it happened, Luckily no one was in the office because it was early, yeah, but it all but it also meant that everything we needed   Michael Hingson ** 38:08 was in the office. Was in the office. Yeah, yeah. So,   Stuart Pollington ** 38:10 so I remember Matt, you know, I remember getting a group of us there, was myself and maybe three or four others from the office, and I remember getting in my car, drove to the office. We were on, I think it's like the eighth or ninth floor, and they didn't want to let us in because of, obviously, the earthquake, and it was a, it was a couple of hours later, and you've got to be obviously, you know, everything needs checking. You still got all the aftershocks, but we managed to let them allow us to run up the fire exit to the office so we could grab, you know, I think we were grabbing, like, 1520, laptops and screens to put in the car so that we could then, and we had to do that of the fire exit, so running up, running down, and that was all into The car so we could then drive to a location where I could get some of my team together remote and to work in this. I think we ended up in some coffee shop we found that was open, and we had the old free G boost kind of the Wi Fi dongles, dongles. And I just remember having to get, like, 1015, of my team, and we're all sat around there in the coffee shop in the morning. You know, there's still the after shops going on the I remember the office building being a mess, and, you know, the tiles had come in and everything, and it was all a bit crazy, but we had to find a way to keep the business running. So we were in the Philippines, we were the support team. We did all of the delivery of the work, but we also worked with the account managers in the UK and Australia as their technical liaisons, if you like. So we. Helped do the strategy. We did everything. And so with us out of action, the whole of Australia and of the whole of the UK team were kind of in a limbo, so we really had to pull together as a team. It taught me a lot about my staff and my team, but it also kind of it taught me about, no matter what does happen, you know, you can find a way through things, you know. So at the time that it happened, it felt like, you know, that's it, what we're going to do, but we had to turn that around and find the way to keep everything going. And yeah, that, that that just taught me a lot of you know, you can't give up. You've got to find a way to kind of push on through. And yeah, we did a fantastic job. Everyone was safe. Sorry. I probably should have said that. You know, no one, none of my team, were affected directly from the from the earthquake, which was great, and we found a way to keep things going so that the business, if you like, didn't fall apart. We,   Michael Hingson ** 41:09 you know, I guess, in our own way, had a similar thing, of course, with September 11, having our office on the 78th floor of Tower One, the difference is that that my staff was out that day working. They weren't going to be in the office. One person was going to be because he had an appointment at Cantor Fitzgerald up on the 96th floor of Tower One for 10 o'clock in the morning, and came in on one of the trains. But just as it arrived at the station tower two was hit, and everything shook, and the engineer said, don't even leave. We're going back out. And they left. But we lost everything in the office that day, and there was, of course, no way to get that. And I realized the next day, and my wife helped me start to work through it, that we had a whole team that had no office, had nothing to go to, so we did a variety of things to help them deal with it. Most of them had their computers because we had laptops by that time, and I had taken my laptop home the previous night and backed up all of my data onto my computer at home, so I was able to work from home, and other people had their computers with them. The reason I didn't have my laptop after September 11 is that I took it in that day to do some work. But needless to say, when we evacuated, it was heavy enough that going down 1463 stairs, 78 floors, that would have been a challenge with the laptop, so we left it, but it worked out. But I hear what you're saying, and the reality is that you got to keep the team going. And even if you can't necessarily do the work that you normally would do you still have to keep everyone's spirits up, and you have to do what needs to be done to keep everybody motivated and be able to function. So I think I learned the same lessons as you and value, of course, not that it all happened, but what I learned from it, because it's so important to be able to persevere and move forward, which, which is something that we don't see nearly as much as sometimes we really should.   Stuart Pollington ** 43:34 Yeah, no, no, definitely. I mean the other thing, and I think you you just mentioned there actually is it. You know, it was also good to see afterwards how everyone kind of pulls together. And, you know, we had a lot of support, not just in the Philippines, but from the UK and the Australia teams. I mean, we had a, we had a bit of an incident, you know, may have seen on the news two weeks ago, I think now, we had an incident in Bangkok where there was a earthquake in Myanmar, and then the all the buildings are shaking in Bangkok, yeah, 7.9 Yeah, that's it. And just, but just to see everyone come together was, was it's just amazing. You know? It's a shame, sometimes it takes something big to happen for people to come together and support each other.   Michael Hingson ** 44:27 We saw so much of that after September 11. For a while, everyone pulled together, everyone was supporting each other. But then over time, people forgot, and we ended up as a as a country, in some ways, being very fractured. Some political decisions were made that shouldn't have been, and that didn't help, but it was unfortunate that after a while, people started to forget, in fact, I went to work for an organization out in California in 2002 in addition to. To taking on a career of public speaking, and in 2008 the president of the organization said, we're changing and eliminating your job because nobody's interested in September 11 anymore, which was just crazy, but those are the kinds of attitudes that some people have, well, yeah, there was so little interest in September 11 anymore that when my first book, thunderdog was published, it became a number one New York Times bestseller. Yeah, there was no interest. It's   Stuart Pollington ** 45:31 just, I hope you sent him a signed copy and said, There you go.   Michael Hingson ** 45:35 Noah was even more fun than that, because this person had been hired in late 2007 and she did such a great job that after about 18 months, the board told her to go away, because she had so demoralized the organization that some of the departments were investigating forming unions, you know. So I didn't need to do anything. Wow, so, you know, but it, it's crazy, the attitudes that people have. Well, you have it is, it's it's really sad. Well, you have done a couple of things that I think are very interesting. You have moved to other countries, and you've also started businesses in unfamiliar markets. What advice? What advice would you give to someone who you learn about who's doing that today, starting a business in an unfamiliar market, or in a foreign country, or someplace where they've never been?   Stuart Pollington ** 46:34 Yeah, again, good questions. I looking back and then so and seeing what I'm doing now, and looking back to when I first came over, I think chambers, I think if I have one, you know, obviously you need to understand the market you want. You need to understand, like the labor laws, the tax laws and, you know, the business laws and things like that. But I think, I think the best thing you could do in any country is to check out the chambers. You know, I'm heavily involved and active with aus Jam, which is the Australian Chamber of Commerce, because of the connection with smart traffic in Australia, in Sydney, the digital marketing. I'm also involved with bcct, the British chamber as British Chamber of Commerce Thailand as well, that there's a very big AmCham American Chamber over here as well. And I just think that the chambers can help a lot. You know, they're good for the networking. Through the networking, you can meet the different types of people you need to know, connections with visas, with, you know, work permits, how to set up the business, recruiting everything. So everything I need, I can actually find within this ecosphere of the chambers. And the chambers in Thailand and Bangkok, specifically, they're very active, lots of regular networking, which brings, you know, introductions, new leads to the business, new connections. And then on top of that, we've had, we've had a lot of support from the British Embassy over in in Thailand, especially with the Eastern energy, because it is tech based, because it is UK Tech, and because it is obviously something that's good for the environment and what everyone's trying to push towards. So I think the two key areas for me, if you are starting a business in an unfamiliar area, is one. Check out the chambers. So obviously the first one you'd look at is your own nationality. But don't stress too much about that. I mean, the chambers over here will welcome anyone from any nationality. So, you know, utilize the chambers because it's through that that you're going to get to speak to people, expats, already running businesses. You'll hear the horror stories. You'll hear the tips. It will save you some time, it will save you some money, and it will save you from making similar mistakes. And then also talk to your embassy and how they can maybe support you. We've had, again, some great support from the British Embassy. They've witnessed demo use. They've helped us with introductions. On the energy efficiency side,   Michael Hingson ** 49:26 one of the things that clearly happens though, with you is that you also spend time establishing relationships with people, so you talk about the chamber and so on. But it also has to be that you've established and developed trusting relationships, so that you are able to learn the things that you learned, and that people are willing to help teach you. And I suspect that they also realize that you would be willing to help others as well.   Stuart Pollington ** 49:55 Yeah, and I think I mean yes, and I'm talking about. And I mentioned, sorry, networking and the changes. But with networking, you know, you don't, you shouldn't go in there with the mindset of, I'm going into networking. I want to make as many sales as I can. Whatever you go into the networking. Is an opportunity to meet people, to learn from people you then some of those people, or most of those people, may not even be the right fit for you, but it's about making those relationships and then helping each other and making introductions. So you know, a lot of what I do with the chambers, I run a lot of webinars. I do workshops where I do free training on digital marketing, on AI, on SEO, on ads, on social. I use that as my lead gen, if you like. So I spend a lot of time doing this educationally and helping people. And then the offshot of that is that some of those will come and talk to me and ask me to how I can help them, or they will recommend me to someone else. And you know, we all know in business, referrals are some of the best leads you can get.   Michael Hingson ** 51:11 Yeah, by any, by any definition, one of, one of the things that I tell every sales person that I've ever hired is you are a student, at least for your first year, don't hesitate to ask questions, because in reality, in general, people are going to be perfectly willing to help you. They're not going to look down on you if you ask questions and legitimately are looking for guidance and information. Again, it's not about you, it's about what you learn, and it's about how you then are able to use that knowledge to help other people, and the people and the individuals who recognize that do really well.   Stuart Pollington ** 51:50 No, exactly, and I don't know about you, Michael, but I like, I like helping people. Yeah, I like, it makes me feel good. And, yeah, that's, that's a big part of it as well. You know   Michael Hingson ** 52:01 it is and, and that's the way it ought to be. It's, that's the other thing that I tell them. I said, once you have learned a great deal, first of all, don't forget that you're always going to be a student. And second of all, don't hesitate to be a teacher and help other people as well.   Speaker 1 ** 52:16 Man, that's really important. Yeah, brilliant.   Michael Hingson ** 52:20 Now you have worked across a number of sectors and market, marketing, tech, sales, energy and so on. How did how do you do that? You You've clearly not necessarily been an expert in those right at the beginning. So how do you learn and grow and adapt to be able to to work in those various industries.   Stuart Pollington ** 52:41 Yeah, I mean, for the marketing, for the marketing, it helps that I really was interested in it. So there was a good there was a good interest. And if you're interested in something, then you get excited about it, and you have the motivation and the willingness to learn and ask the questions, like you said, and then that is where you can take that kind of passion and interest and turn it into something a bit more constructive. It's a bit like I was saying at the beginning. It's the sort of thing I wish they'd done a bit maybe with me at school, was understand what I was good at and what I liked. But yeah, so with the marketing, I mean, very similar to what you've said, I asked questions. I see it just seems to click in my head on how it worked. And it kind of made sense to me. It was just one of these things that clicked, yeah. And so for the marketing, I just found it personally quite interesting, but interesting, but also found it quite easy. It just made sense to me, you know. And similar, you know, using computers and technology, I think it just makes sense. It doesn't to everyone. And other people have their strengths in other areas, but, you know, for me, it made sense. So, you know that that was the easy part. Same with Eastern energy, it's technology. It makes sense. I love it, but at the end of the day, it's all about it's all about people, really business, and you've got your people and your team, and how you motivate them is going to be similar. It's going to be slightly different depending on culture and where you're based, in the type of industry you're in, but also very similar. You know, people want praise, they want constructive feedback. They want to know where they're gonna be in a year or five years. All of that's very similar. So you people within the business, and then your customers are just people as well, aren't they? Well, customers, partners, clients, you know that they are just people. So it's all, it's all, it's all about people, regardless of what we're doing. And because it's all very similar with tech and that, it just, yeah, I don't know. It just makes sense to me. Michael, I mean, it's different. It's funny, because when I do do network and I talk to people, I say, Well, I've got this digital marketing agency here. Work, and then I've got this energy efficiency business here. And the question is always, wow, they sound really different. How did you how did you get into them? But when, again, when I look at it, it's not it's it's tech, it's tech, it's data, it's people. That's how I look at it,   Michael Hingson ** 55:16 right? And a lot of the same rules apply across the board. Yes, there are specific things about each industry that are different, but the basics are the same.   Stuart Pollington ** 55:28 That's it. I, in fact, I that isn't almost, there's almost word for word. What I use when I'm explaining our approach to SEO, I just say, Look, you know, there's, there's three core areas with SEO, it's the tech, the on site, it's the content, and it's the off site signals, or the link building. I said they're the three core areas for Google. They've been the same for, you know, 20 years. Within those areas, there's lots of individual things you need to look at, and that changes a lot. And there's 1000s of things that go into the algorithm, but the basics are the same. Sort your tech, sort the text, sort the tech of it out, the speed of the site and the usability. Make sure your content is good and relevant and authoritative, and then get other sites to recommend you and reference you, you know So, but, yeah, that's very similar to how I try and explain SEO. Yeah, you know all this stuff going on, but you still got the core basics of the same.   Michael Hingson ** 56:29 It is the same as it has always been, absolutely. So what do you do? Or how do you deal with a situation when plans necessarily don't go like you think they should, and and all that. How do you stay motivated?   Stuart Pollington ** 56:45 I mean, it depends, it depends what's gone wrong. But, I mean, I'm, I'm, I'm a big believer in, you know, learning from your mistakes and then learning also learning from what went wrong. Because sometimes you don't make a mistake and something goes wrong, but something still goes wrong. I think it helps. It helps to have a good team around you and have a good support team that you can talk to. It's good to be able to work through issues. But, I mean, for me, I think the main thing is, you know, every like you were saying earlier, about asking questions and being a student for a year. You know everything that happens in business, good or bad, is a lesson that should help you be better in the future. So you know the first thing, when something goes wrong, understand what's gone wrong first. Why did it go wrong? How did it go wrong? How do we resolve this, if we need to resolve something for the client or us, and then how do we try and limit that happening in the future? And then what do we learn from that? And how do we make sure we can improve and be better? And I think, you know, it's not always easy when things go wrong, but I think I'm long enough in the tooth now that I understand that, you know, the bad days don't last. There's always a good day around the corner, and it's about, you know, working out how you get through   Michael Hingson ** 58:10 it. And that's the issue, is working it out. And you have to have the tenacity and, well, the interest and the desire to work it out, rather than letting it overwhelm you and beat you down, you learn how to move forward.   Stuart Pollington ** 58:25 Yeah, and that's not easy, is it? I mean, let's be honest. I mean, even, even being when we were younger and kids, you know, things happen. It does. We're just human, aren't we? We have emotions. We have certain feelings. But if you can just deal with that and then constructively and critically look at the problem, you can normally find a solution.   Michael Hingson ** 58:46 Yeah, exactly. What's one piece of advice you wished you had learned earlier in your entrepreneurial career?   Stuart Pollington ** 58:56 Um, I Yeah. I mean, for this one. I think, I think what you said earlier, actually, it got me thinking during wise we've been talking because I was kind of, I would say, don't be afraid to ask questions just based on what we've been talking about. It's changed a little bit because I was going to say, well, you know, one of the things I really wish I'd learned or known earlier was, you know, about the value of mentorship and kind of finding the the right people who can almost show you where you need to be, but you could, you know, but when people hear the word mentor, they think of either or, you know, someone really, yeah, high up who I could I'm too afraid to ask them, or someone who's going to cost you 1000s of dollars a month. So actually, I'm going to change that to don't be afraid to ask questions, because that's basically what you'd expect from a mentor, is to be able to ask. Questions, run ideas. And I think, I think, yeah, I think thinking back now, understanding that the more questions you ask, the more information you have, the better your decisions you can make. And obviously, don't be afraid to learn from other people's experience, because they've been through it, and potentially they could have the right way for you to get through it as well.   Michael Hingson ** 1:00:24 And you never know where you're going to find a mentor. Exactly,   Stuart Pollington ** 1:00:28 yeah, no, exactly. I think again, you hear the word mentor, and you think people have this diff, a certain perception of it, but it can be anyone. I mean, you know, if I my mom could be my mentor, for, for, for her great, you know, cooking and things that she would do in her roast dinners. You know that that's kind of a mentor, isn't it making a better roast dinner? So I think, yeah, I think, I   Michael Hingson ** 1:00:54 think, but it all gets back to being willing to ask questions and to listen,   Stuart Pollington ** 1:01:02 and then I would add one more thing. So ask the questions, listen and then take action. And that's where that unstoppable mindset, I think, comes in, because I think people do ask questions, people can listen, but it's the taking action. It's that final step of having the courage to say, I'm going to do this, I'm going to go for   Michael Hingson ** 1:01:23 it. And you may find out that what was advised to you may not be the exact thing that works for you, but if you start working at it, and you start trying it, you will figure out what works   Stuart Pollington ** 1:01:37 exactly. Yeah, no, exactly. That's it, yeah.   Michael Hingson ** 1:01:41 Well, what a great place to actually end this. We've been doing this now over an hour, and I know, can you believe it? And I have a puppy dog who probably says, If you don't feed me dinner soon, you're going to be my dinner. So I should probably go do that. That's   Stuart Pollington ** 1:01:57 all good. So for me, I'm going to go and get my breakfast coffee. Now it's 7am now, five past seven in the morning.   Michael Hingson ** 1:02:03 There you are. Well, this is my day. This has been a lot of fun. I really appreciate you being here, and I want to say to everyone listening and watching, we really appreciate you being here with us as well. Tell others about unstoppable mindset. We really appreciate that. Love to hear your thoughts and get your thoughts, so feel free to email me with any of your ideas and your your conceptions of all of this. Feel free to email me at Michael H, I m, I C, H, A, E, L, H, I at accessibe, A, C, C, E, S, S, I B, e.com, you can also go to our podcast page. There's a contact form there, and my podcast page is www dot Michael hingson.com/podcast, and Michael hingson is spelled M, I, C, H, A, E, L, H, I N, G, s, O N. Love to hear from you. Would really appreciate it if you'll give us a five star rating wherever you're watching or listening to the podcast today, if you know anyone and steward as well for you, if any one of you listening or participating knows anyone else that you think ought to be a guest on unstoppable mindset, we'd love to hear from you. We'd love introductions, always looking for more people to tell their stories. So that's what this is really all about. So I really appreciate you all taking the time to be here, and Stuart, especially you. Thank you for being here. This has been a lot of fun, and we really appreciate you taking your time.   Stuart Pollington ** 1:03:26 Thank you, Michael. Thank you everyone. I really enjoyed that. And you know, in the spirit of everything, you know, if, if anyone does have any questions for me, just feel free to reach out. I'm happy to chat.   Michael Hingson ** 1:03:39 How do they do that? What's the best way, I   Stuart Pollington ** 1:03:41 think probably the LinkedIn so I think on when you post and share this, you will have the link. I think   Michael Hingson ** 1:03:49 we will. But why don't you go ahead and say your LinkedIn info anyway? Okay, yeah.   Stuart Pollington ** 1:03:53 I mean, the easiest thing to do would just be the Google search for my name on LinkedIn. So Stuart pollington, it's S, T, U, a, r, t, and then P, O, L, L, I N, G, T, O, N, and if you go to LinkedIn, that is my I think I got lucky. I've got the actual LinkedIn URL, LinkedIn, forward slash, I N, forward slash. Stuart pollington, so it should be nice and easy.   Michael Hingson ** 1:04:19 Yeah, I think I got that with Michael hingson. I was very fortunate for that as well. Got lucky with   Stuart Pollington ** 1:04:23 that. Yeah, they've got numbers and everything. And I'm like, Yes, yeah.   Michael Hingson ** 1:04:30 Well, thank you again. This has been a lot of fun, hasn't   Stuart Pollington ** 1:04:33 it? He has. I've really enjoyed it. So thank you for the invitation, Michael.   **Michael Hingson ** 1:04:42 You have been listening to the Unstoppable Mindset podcast. Thanks for dropping by. I hope that you'll join us again next week, and in future weeks for upcoming episodes. To subscribe to our podcast and to learn about upcoming episodes, please visit www dot Michael hingson.com slash podcast. Michael Hingson is spelled m i c h a e l h i n g s o n. While you're on the site., please use the form there to recommend people who we ought to interview in upcoming editions of the show. And also, we ask you and urge you to invite your friends to join us in the future. If you know of any one or any organization needing a speaker for an event, please email me at speaker at Michael hingson.com. I appreciate it very much. To learn more about the concept of blinded by fear, please visit www dot Michael hingson.com forward slash blinded by fear and while you're there, feel free to pick up a copy of my free eBook entitled blinded by fear. The unstoppable mindset podcast is provided by access cast an initiative of accessiBe and is sponsored by accessiBe. Please visit www.accessibe.com . AccessiBe is spelled a c c e s s i b e. There you can learn all about how you can make your website inclusive for all persons with disabilities and how you can help make the internet fully inclusive by 2025. Thanks again for Listening. Please come back and visit us again next week.

On today's episode of UFC Unfiltered, Jim Norton and Matt Serra welcome back veteran middleweight-turned-welterweight Chris “Action Man” Curtis for his sixth appearance on the show. Energized by no longer having to concede size disadvantages to larger opponents like Roman Kopylov, the 37-year-old Curtis explains why now was the right time to return to 170 pounds. He opens up about uprooting his family to Thailand to live and train overseas ahead of Saturday's pivotal fight with Max Griffin — a durable opponent who hasn't been stopped in nearly a decade. Later, Steve Garcia joins us fresh off a four-mile treadmill run to talk about his co-main event showdown with Calvin Kattar at UFC Nashville. Fully aware of the urgency surrounding Kattar's four-fight skid, Garcia shares his focused mindset and how he's sharpening his game at Jackson Wink as he aims to steal the show and crack the featherweight rankings. Plus, Jim and Matt preview and predict the UFC Nashville main card, including the Derrick Lewis vs. Tallison Teixeira main event before spotlighting a few other matchups fans shouldn't sleep on.

Tommy and Ben take a break from impersonating Marco Rubio to cover Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu's visit to Washington to kiss Trump's ass, the ceasefire negotiations between Israel and Hamas in Qatar, the IDF's latest plan to ethnically cleanse Gaza, and shifting opinions on Israel within the Democratic Party. They also discuss Trump's confusing about-face on sending weapons to Ukraine, the continued incoherence of Trump's tariff policy and his needless antagonism of the BRICS countries. Finally, they talk about the finger-wagging at Tucker Carlson for his interview with Iran's president, the border crisis in Afghanistan, the Dalai Lama's succession plan and how China could interfere, the dispute between Thailand and Cambodia that's caused a political meltdown in Bangkok, and the administration's cruel termination of Temporary Protected Status for Hondurans and Nicaraguans. Then, Ben speaks with Representative Jason Crow about how the “Big Beautiful Bill” will tank America's global standing, intelligence in the age of Trump and Tulsi Gabbard, and where the Democratic Party needs to go on foreign policy.

Donate (no account necessary) | Subscribe (account required) Join Bryan Dean Wright, former CIA Operations Officer, as he breaks down today's biggest stories shaping America and the world. Brennan and Comey Under DOJ Investigation The Department of Justice is investigating former CIA Director John Brennan and former FBI Director James Comey for their roles in the Trump–Russia probe. Allegations include false statements to Congress and broader conspiracies against President Trump. Bryan calls their actions one of the greatest crimes of his lifetime and demands accountability. Supreme Court Empowers Trump to Fire Federal Workers In an 8–1 ruling, the Supreme Court sided with President Trump's effort to carry out mass federal layoffs. The justices made clear the move will likely withstand future legal challenges. Polls show strong public support for downsizing a federal workforce that ballooned under President Biden. Antifa Shoots ICE Agent in Texas, More Attacks Planned A far-left terror cell ambushed an ICE facility in Texas, injuring one agent. Ten people were arrested and charged with attempted murder. In New York, another leftist was arrested for online threats to kill ICE agents and their children. Bryan warns that Democrat rhetoric is fueling real-world violence. State Department Alerts Global Leaders to AI Voice Fraud Foreign ministers and U.S. officials were targeted by an AI-generated voice mimicking Secretary of State Marco Rubio. The State Department has issued new guidance to prevent deception via deepfake audio. Bryan advises listeners to use private “code words” with loved ones as a precaution. Trump Plans Work Permits for Migrant Farm Workers, Long-Term Shift to Automation President Trump's administration may offer work visas to some illegal immigrants in agriculture while pursuing a long-term shift toward farm automation. New weeding robots and AI-driven farm equipment are gaining traction, with a goal of replacing migrant labor with American-led automation. Trump Moves to Ban Chinese Ownership of U.S. Farmland The administration is crafting an executive order to force Chinese nationals off U.S. farmland, especially near military bases. Chinese-owned Smithfield Foods pushes back, but Bryan urges revoking all Chinese visas, citing espionage and sabotage risks. Trump May Send Patriot Missiles to Ukraine as U.S. Stockpiles Shrink The White House is considering a new Patriot missile system for Ukraine. Stocks are already low due to conflicts in Israel and Yemen. Bryan warns that America is risking strategic depletion and urges Europe to step up—possibly with troops on the ground. Dozens of Countries Race to Strike Trade Deals Before Trump's August Deadline European nations are close to locking in low tariff rates, while countries like Thailand, Indonesia, and Bangladesh scramble to avoid steep penalties. BRICS members, including China and India, face an automatic 10% tariff penalty for trying to undermine the U.S. dollar. Trump Imposes 50% Tariff on Copper to Revive U.S. Mining With only three copper smelters left in America and rising dependency on imports, Trump hikes copper tariffs to boost domestic refining and national security. U.S. Removes Terrorist Label from Syrian Rebel Group Trump revokes the terror designation from HTS, a former al-Qaeda affiliate in Syria, citing a high-confidence intel assessment that its leadership has reformed. The move could open Syria to investment and peace talks with Israel. "And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free." – John 8:32

What if the blueprint for a more beautiful world is already within you? Jack explores how trust, joy, and imagination awaken transformation—from the inside out.Join the Year of Awakening with Jack Kornfield for monthly livestream Q&A hangs with Jack, and weekly lessons and reflections to keep your year focused on awakening. Use code AWAKEN50 for 50% off entry.“In the chrysalis, as the caterpillar imagines itself into the butterfly, there's a message: trust that transformation is possible. Not only is it possible—but from the heart, you can help shape it. You can make a difference.” – Jack KornfieldIn this episode, Jack mindfully explores:What brings us joy in this life?Trust, morals, justice, and taking the long viewEnlightenment and cultivating a trusting heartThe imaginal cells of the butterflyHow your voice, joy, imagination, and trust can truly make a differenceStories on trust, love, and making a differenceMindful presence and the Awakened Heart Sangha/Satsang, community, and helping each otherImagining a beautiful new world togetherFeeling yourself as a playful child of the spiritSpelunking the great mystery of life and the universeAdding your make-weight of hope to the worldAllen Ginsberg's poem HowlBringing our joy, love, tenderness and compassion to the worldThe big questions: how to hold suffering, and those causing sufferingThe power of protest, standing up, letting go of fear, and embracing the strength of joyQuestions and Responses on how to navigate modern times skillfully and joyfully with trust, balance, love, gratitude, equanimity, and compassion“Trust that you make a difference, and that each one of us makes a difference.” – Jack KornfieldThis episode was recorded on 04/07/2025 for the Spirit Rock Meditation Center Monday Night Dharma Talk and Guided Meditation. “We're in this together, we can awaken together, and we can support our hearts, minds, and the beautiful world that we can be—it's in us as part of our imaginal cells.” – Jack KornfieldAbout Jack Kornfield:Jack Kornfield trained as a Buddhist monk in the monasteries of Thailand, India, and Burma, studying as a monk under the Buddhist master Ven. Ajahn Chah, as well as the Ven. Mahasi Sayadaw. He has taught meditation internationally since 1974 and is one of the key teachers to introduce Buddhist mindfulness practice to the West. Jack co-founded the Insight Meditation Society in Barre, Massachusetts, with fellow meditation teachers Sharon Salzberg and Joseph Goldstein and the Spirit Rock Center in Woodacre, California. His books have been translated into 20 languages and sold more than a million copies.Jack is currently offering a wonderful array of transformational online courses diving into crucial topics like Mindfulness Meditation Fundamentals, Walking the Eightfold Path, Opening the Heart of Forgiveness, Living Beautifully, Transforming Your Life Through Powerful Stories, and so much more. Sign up for an All Access Pass to explore Jack's entire course library. If you would like a year's worth of online meetups with Jack and fellow community, join The Year of Awakening: A Monthly Journey with Jack Kornfield.Stay up to date with Jack and his stream of fresh dharma offerings by visiting JackKornfield.com and signing up for his email teachings.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

President Trump publicly released tariff letters to around a dozen countries—including Japan, South Korea, Thailand, and Indonesia—warning they'll face import taxes of at least 25% starting August 1 unless they finalize new trade deals. Meanwhile, a California National Guard deployment to an empty park in LA drew backlash as a political stunt, while Customs and Border Protection issued a call for advanced surveillance tech to analyze seized digital devices. Cybersecurity experts raised alarms over Scattered Spider, a hacker group targeting U.S. infrastructure using phishing and impersonation tactics. The DOJ and FBI released a memo denying any Epstein “client list” or foul play in his prison death—despite past contradictions—including new (but suspect) footage. Physician groups are suing HHS Secretary RFK Jr. over new federal COVID vaccine recommendations, and the Trump administration says a U.S.-friendly version of TikTok is on track to launch September 5 as part of a deal to avoid a full ban. Resources/Articles mentioned in this episode: NYT: Here Are Trump's New Tariff Threats  AP News: Troops and federal agents briefly descend on LA's MacArthur Park in largely immigrant neighborhood Wired: CBP Wants New Tech to Search for Hidden Data on Seized Phones Wired: A Group of Young Cybercriminals Poses the ‘Most Imminent Threat' of Cyberattacks Right Now Axios: Exclusive: DOJ, FBI conclude Epstein had no "client list," died by suicide Axios: Docs sue RFK Jr. over COVID vax policy changes  The Verge: TikTok's ‘ban' problem could end soon with a new app and a sale  Morning Announcements is produced by Sami Sage and edited by Grace Hernandez-Johnson Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices