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The David Alliance TDAgiantSlayer@gmal.com Garth Heckman So what am I talking about today?  But we get our gifting, our passions our talents and our purpose all confused. What is what? Gifting is a natural ability. Athletics, singing, math, Art Passion is something we love doing. Performing, creating, teaching, playing Talents are typically something we have practiced to achieve.  And sometimes these all weave together for the perfect storm.    But none are the sum total of our purpose!    The Bible doesn't give just one single sentence for a person's purpose;  it unfolds it like a grand narrative with a few core pillars.    OT and NT a person's ultimate purpose is generally broken down into three main relationships:    -  your relationship with God,    -  your relationship with others,    -  and your relationship with the world around you.   1. To Know God and Bring Him Glory MGLG At the very foundation, the Bible states that humans were created by God and for God. Your primary purpose is to be in a relationship with Him and to reflect His character to the world.   Reflecting His Image: In Genesis 1:27, it says humans are made in the "image of God." Think of this like a mirror—our job is to reflect His love, justice, kindness, and creativity into the world. Bringing Him Glory: MGLG -The prophet Isaiah quotes God as saying, "Everyone who is called by my name, whom I created for my glory, whom I formed and made" (Isaiah 43:7). BOTTOM LINE: LOOK LIKE GOD AND MAKE HIM LOOK GOOD       2. The Twin Pillars: Love God, Love People When Jesus was asked what the most important commandment in the entire scripture was, He simplified the entire Old Testament law into two direct actions. This is often looked at as the "Ultimate Summary" of human purpose.   MATTHEW 22:37 The first commandment Love the Lord your God with all your heart, mind and spirit. Second greatest is to lover your neighbor as yourself.        3. Cultivate the World (The Cultural Mandate) Purpose in the Bible isn't just spiritual; it's also practical and action-oriented. Right at the beginning of the human story, God gave mankind a specific job description regarding the earth itself. In Genesis 1:28, humans are told to "Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it." This is often called the Cultural Mandate. It means humans are designed to be stewards—caretakers of creation. Your purpose includes taking raw potential (whether that's land, a business, a family, or a talent) and cultivating or literally squeezing everything out of it to help life thrive. 4. Walking in Unique, Prepared Good Works   the Apostle Paul writes about how Gods purpose intertwines with our purpose which is good works.  We are uniquely crafted for specific contributions to this world.   "For we are God's handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do." — Ephesians 2:10   The word used for "handiwork" or "workmanship" in the original Greek text is poiema (where we get our word poem). The Bible views your life as a unique masterpiece designed to carry out specific good deeds that match your exact strengths, personality, and experiences. Does "Handiwork" Tie into "Good Works"? Thematically yes, strongly: The verse's logic flows from identity (we are God's crafted masterpiece) to purpose (created for good works God pre-planned). Being God's poiema equips and orients us toward the erga agatha. Good works are the outworking and goal of His creative work in us—not the cause of salvation, but its fruit (tying back to vv. 8–9).   Picture this: His work in us, created us for his works through us to fulfill his purpose.      Handiwork vs. Good works in Eph. 2:8,9 Two different words. Gods work is a masterpiece Our work is a labor. ONE IS OUR IDENTITY THE OTHER IS OUR ACTIVITY     Life experiences we see in scripture and the real world.  Their life experiences were not random or wasted but formed the precise preparation, character development, skills, relationships, and credibility God used for their callings.** The Bible shows a consistent pattern: God shapes people through seasons of obscurity, suffering, failure, cultural exposure, and incremental faithfulness long before the "big moment." These experiences built humility, dependence on God, specific competencies, empathy, and strategic positioning.     David (1 Samuel 16 – 2 Samuel) **Key experiences**: Rejected by His father born illegitimate, Shepherd boy overlooked by family, given menial jobs, trials by lion/bear protecting sheep, anointed privately as future king, served Saul as musician/warrior, faced Goliath with past faithfulness as proof, 13 plus years as fugitive hiding in caves from Saul, attracted misfits and losers, forced to work with the Philistines his enemies.    - **How it prepared him**: Learned how to deal with rejection and turn to God. Shepherding taught leadership, courage, and reliance on God (Psalms reflect this). Defeating Goliath came from tested faith in small battles. Wilderness years forged trust in God's timing (refusing to kill Saul), developed military strategy, and created a loyal following. These equipped him to unite Israel, establish the kingdom, write worship that endures, and prepare the way for the temple/Solomon. His "rejection" years were kingship training.

In this follow-up to their discussion of the Parable of the Ten Virgins, Jesse and Tony make a critical discovery about Matthew 25:13 that fundamentally changes how we should read Christ's eschatological parables. The command to "watch therefore" isn't primarily about staying awake—it's about preparedness for Christ's return. This episode explores the grammatical and theological connections between the Parable of the Ten Virgins and the Parable of the Talents, revealing how Matthew 25:13 functions as a hinge verse that binds these parables into a unified teaching on eschatological readiness. The hosts demonstrate how modern chapter divisions and translation choices can sometimes obscure the organic flow of Christ's teaching, and why understanding these connections matters for Christian living today. Key Takeaways Matthew 25:13 is a hinge verse, not an endpoint. The Greek grammatical structure (using post-positive connectors "therefore" and "for") links verses 1-13 forward to the Parable of the Talents, not just backward to the Ten Virgins. Sleep wasn't the problem in the parable. Both the wise and foolish virgins fell asleep. The issue was preparedness—having oil ready before the bridegroom's arrival, not staying physically awake. "Watch" means preparedness, not wakefulness. The better translation of the Greek word emphasizes alert readiness and preparation rather than literal sleeplessness. The Parable of the Talents explains what preparedness looks like. Christ intentionally connected these parables to show that watchfulness manifests in faithful stewardship and fruitful living. Christ himself made these connections. This isn't just Matthew's editorial arrangement—Jesus deliberately taught these parables together as a unified discourse on eschatological readiness. Sanctifying grace is non-transferable. The wise virgins couldn't share their oil because saving grace and the Spirit's indwelling cannot be borrowed or transferred between people. Eschatological ignorance is divinely ordained. Not knowing the day or hour prevents us from delaying obedience until the last moment, which was precisely the foolish virgins' error. Key Concepts The Grammatical Evidence for Connection The discovery that transformed this discussion centers on how Greek post-positive particles function. Both "therefore" (οὖν) in verse 13 and "for" (γάρ) in verse 14 cannot grammatically stand as the first word in a Greek sentence—they must connect to what precedes them. This means verse 13 isn't simply concluding the parable of the virgins; it's simultaneously introducing the parable of the talents. English translations that insert paragraph breaks between these verses may inadvertently suggest a harder separation than exists in the original text. When Christ says "watch therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour, for it will be like a man going on a journey," He's creating a seamless logical progression: the reason for watchfulness is eschatological uncertainty, and the nature of that watchfulness is illustrated by what follows in the talents parable. Preparedness vs. Wakefulness in Translation Some English translations render Matthew 25:13 as "stay awake" or "keep alert," emphasizing the sleep imagery from the preceding parable. However, this creates a logical problem: if falling asleep was the sin, then both groups of virgins sinned, since the text explicitly states "they all became drowsy and slept" (v. 5). The better understanding recognizes that the Greek word (γρηγορέω) encompasses a broader semantic range including vigilance, preparedness, and readiness—not just physical wakefulness. The wise virgins weren't praised for staying awake; they were praised for having secured oil before the bridegroom's arrival. This preparedness enabled them to respond appropriately when the moment came, regardless of whether they had been sleeping. Translating with an emphasis on sleep therefore misses Christ's point and artificially seals verse 13 off from the explanation that follows. The Perseverance of the Saints in Action This parable sequence reveals an often-overlooked dimension of the doctrine of perseverance: believers must actually do the persevering. While the Holy Spirit enables, empowers, and ordains our perseverance, He doesn't persevere instead of us—He causes us to persevere. The wise virgins' preparedness wasn't passive; they actively obtained oil before it was needed. They prepared for both the bridegroom's arrival and the potential delay. This illustrates that Christian preparedness isn't anxious vigilance or frantic last-minute effort, but the steady, Spirit-enabled work of sanctification, growing in grace, abiding in Christ, and maintaining readiness over the long haul. The Parable of the Talents then unpacks what this looks like practically: faithful stewardship, productive kingdom work, and diligent use of what God has entrusted to us during the time of waiting. Memorable Quotes The difference between foolishness and wisdom in the first parable is not whether or not the virgins fell asleep. It's whether or not they were prepared for the eventual coming of the bridegroom. - Tony Arsenal When God's people take to see and request his eminent and transcendent power in the lives of somebody else through intercessory prayer, a special bond is created that is very real. - Jesse Schwamb Christ himself has strung these different parables together... Christ was the one who decided that the parable of the talents was a proper explainer for the parable of the wise and foolish virgins. - Tony Arsenal Full Transcript [00:00:08] Jesse Schwamb: Welcome to episode 495 of the Reformed to Brotherhood. I'm Jesse.  [00:00:14] Tony Arsenal: And I'm Tony. And this is the podcast with ears to hear. Hey brother.  [00:00:18] Jesse Schwamb: Hey brother. So sometimes the episodes just seem to write themselves, and I say that of course, tongue in cheek from my full providential register. But in the last episode, we went over with great detail, the parable of the 10 virgins, or the 10 bridesmaids found in Matthew 25. And I think we did all the things that we were supposed to do, like contractually. We made really good oil puns. We talked about Petras song, midnight Oil. We talked about 10 bridesmaids, five Ys, five foolish. They're all waiting for the bridegroom who is late because he operates on divine timing. The foolish five run out of oil and begged the five whys to share theirs. The five whys decline, because sanctifying grace is non-transferrable. This is not a potluck. We went through all of that stuff and then what happened is we turned off the microphones and somehow you and I started a, a new conversation about this thing still. And we thought there's more to say and we didn't even expect it. And incidentally, it all hinges on a single word. Yeah. So we're gonna come back to that on this episode because we couldn't help ourselves. And I say that because we couldn't help ourselves. We literally kept talking about this long after the episode had ended. So we wanted to bring it back and it's something new. I think that you and I were really pondering that's gonna be really, really, really good. Yeah. But the other thing that's really good is either affirming with something or denying against something that's the part of the conversation where we either affirm with something that we think is underrated, really exceptional, that we wanna recommend or we deny against something that's just not that great. So Tony, what have you got for us today?  [00:02:04] Tony Arsenal: I'm gonna phrase this in a very particular way, of course, and then I'll explain why I'm phrasing it that way. I'm starting. Great. Um, I am affirming adult baptism upon a profession of faith, and I say it in that particular way. Sure, of course. Um, because I often hear, and I've heard, I mean, I've heard Presbyterian pastors say this, um, I've heard, heard it said that Presbyterians do cradle baptism too. And, uh, and sort of like, sometimes it's kind of in like a, I'm trying to like build a bridge with a, a cradle Baptist. Sure. Um, I actually object to that because the, the basis on which an adult is baptized in a Westminster covenant theology framework is different than the basis, uh, on which a believer is baptized under a traditional Baptist credo, Baptist position. Right. So I'm affirming adult. Profession of faith, baptism or adult baptism upon a profession of faith. Um, and the reason I'm saying that is because my wife and I had this opportunity this morning to go to another church to visit, uh, a friend of ours. It's actually a friend of our son's, which is crazy to say. He's four years old. A friend of our son's from school, his mother, um, who is a Christian, um, but had never been baptized, was being baptized at her church today. And so we got an opportunity to go to their church. It's a church we've been to before. It was not like a brand new church or any, like, super far away. It's a church we've been to before. Um, so we got to go to church and then we went over to the local sort of like swimming hole. Uh, like there's this little, uh, like recreational area called stores pond, I'm sure. Just I know you're familiar with it. Oh,  [00:03:38] Jesse Schwamb: yeah.  [00:03:39] Tony Arsenal: Um, and they did sort of like a testimony ceremony and, uh, all of the baptizes, I don't know if that's the right word, but all of those being baptized. Uh, I would normally call them catechumens, but I don't think that actually that applies here. But all of those being baptized, uh, got up and gave their testimony. There was eight people being baptized, which was fun to see. Um, of course all adults. This is a Baptist, um, a Baptist church that we were visiting. And then we walked over to the, over to the lake and they dunked him in there. And, uh, it was really great to see. And the reason that I'm affirming adult baptism upon a profession of faith, um, uh, is because it's really quite beautiful, right? I think we've, we just recently talked about this, um, and I'm sure we'll talk about it again at some point in the future, but we just recently talked about a baby baptism at my church that, uh, is beautiful in its own right for its own reasons, and it's got its own theological, uh, underpinnings and theological elegance to it. But there's also something just very beautiful about an adult who either has come to faith, um, and I don't, I don't know, um, this woman very well, like I, she's another mom at, um, at Agie school. And so our kids go to school together and so we interact with her periodically at like drop off and other times and they've been over to the house. I don't know her, well, I heard enough of her testimony today to know that she was kind of a nominal Christian. Uh, and they actually started going to church because in order to bring their son to the school that, um, they wanted to go to, which is, uh, the school that my son goes to, the school that your father teaches at, um. You have to have at least one parent needs to be a Christian, needs to be a regular attender, a regular member of a church. And so they, they joined a church, um, to be able to fulfill that requirement. And either, and, and again, I wasn't, I was watching the kids, um, including her son while she was doing this. So I was only kind of hearing with one ear. So either she was a nominal Christian and was kind of like renewing her faith or she was coming to faith for the first time. I'm not sure. But in either case, she had not been baptized previously that I know of. I didn't, I mean, I guess maybe she was baptized as a baby or something, I don't know. But, um, she was being baptized today upon a sort of a new profession of faith or renewal of faith, and it's just very sweet to see. The emotional investment that occurs when someone is recognizing that God's promise is being sealed on them. Right. And I don't know that, I don't know that a lot of traditional Baptist, and this is a pretty like plain Jane Evangelical church. I'm not sure that a lot of evangelicals would really recognize or use that language. But I also think there's an intuitiveness to it that like this is a sign that God gives us. It's gotta be a sign of something. Right. Um, it's not, this was a church that brought sort of broadly Calvinistic part, the baptism of house was actually adopted or adapted from, uh, a modification of question, one of the Heidelberg catechism. So I warned my Presbyterian heart, um. So they're in a context where like covenantal language is not foreign to them, even if it's not the primary structure that they're using. But it was just very sweet and kind and a, a really encouraging, uh, opportunity for the body of Christ to gather. Uh, it was a little bit chilly. It was raining actually, and people, anybody, like everybody was out there and, and in the rain, most people didn't have umbrellas. And you know, people's hair is wet and their clothes are getting wet and nobody cares. Nobody is bothered by it because there is some baptism going on. There's some, uh, some new birth in a roundabout sense and some yes, uh, some, some signification of that new birth in a very direct sense. So that's what I'm affirming today. Adult baptism upon a profession of faith, uh, with an asterisk in a covenantal mode. That's, that's my very specific, very technical affirmation today.  [00:07:19] Jesse Schwamb: There's also something about that's just special. Again, it's not prescriptive, but there's something special about those open water baptisms too. Oh  [00:07:27] Tony Arsenal: yeah.  [00:07:28] Jesse Schwamb: I mean,  [00:07:29] Tony Arsenal: yeah, it was like super picturesque. It was like, I felt like I was on the Jordan with Town of Baptist, like the, like, it was like a, that classic like Baptist minister standing in the water, like it was very right. Very, uh, it looked staged, but I don't think it was, I think it just was actually this, that genuine scenario. [00:07:44] Jesse Schwamb: Right. So, yeah. Yeah. And that's like a beautiful thing. Like we're saying, oh, we're not trying to get into the particulars. It's just to appreciate, I think all of those details. I myself was baptized by my father in a pond and it was glorious. That was, that was special. And there was something about the occasion and the environment as well that was special to me in that. But you're right, like in that Baptist mode, I, I think when it's like properly administered, when it's really appreciated and the theology is rich and richly exemplified in what's happening there to, it's hard not to be moved, I think in the Christian heart, not to be warned by seeing somebody go down into the water to come up into this representation of new life in Christ. I think regardless of your convictions on this, it's hard not to be moved by the power of the spirits.  [00:08:25] Tony Arsenal: Yeah.  [00:08:26] Jesse Schwamb: And the sign and seal being delivered to God's people. In a profound way. So whether you're a Pado or Cradle Baptist, I think it really is difficult not to be moved. And especially in an environment like that, you love to see it, right? I mean, this idea of of, um, being able to come to the Lord because he's called you and whatever season of life that is, and then to follow an obedience into baptism is a glorious thing that we should all celebrate. So I love this idea of people on a chilly day in New Hampshire standing in the rain saying, give us the baptism. Like let, let us see the Holy Spirits working through the lives of the people in our midst. Let, we wanna be a part of that. We wanna celebrate that we're here for that.  [00:09:07] Tony Arsenal: Yeah. Yeah. It was just a, it was just a very, very sweet, like, I, like I said with, when we were talking about the, the baby baptism at my church, it's, there's just a, there's a sweetness to it. It's, yes. It's almost like, um, I've never been present for the birth of someone's child other than my own. Um, I've been at the hospital, uh, so meeting the family and the, the baby like very shortly after birth, but I've never been actually there. But there's something reminiscent to that, whether it's a baby being baptized or an adult being baptized where it's, it's just this sort of sweet moment of introduction to yes, this person with, um. To varying degrees depending on the theology, underlying baptism. But this person with a very real new identity that they have been given, yes, it's, it's, the old has gone, the new has come new creation in Christ. Um, whether, you know, I, I don't affirm baptism or regeneration, right? That's not a reformed position. But whether you have a, a position of some form of baptismal regeneration or baptismal efficacy, which is where kind of the, the reform tradition tends to fall, or even just, uh, I say just, I don't mean just in a peor sense, but like, even if, if what's going on is, is entirely a symbol that you know, is being applied to a person, there is a new sense of identity. There's a, there's a, a mark, a, a physical mark that it isn't persistent like circumcision, but it's a physical mark being applied, a visible mark being applied to, to the person claiming them as God's child. Um, and, and there's something very sweet and genuine. And, and to see, like, just to see, like I said, the, just the emotionality. And not a crass like emotionalism, but a genuine, heartfelt, emotional moment that someone is going through like a real, genuine emotion, um, is also not something we actually see that much in the world anymore, which is, it was nice to see. Anyway, I could, I could blather on about baptism and, and adult baptism and baby baptism and how great it is. Uh, God knew what he was doing and he, he gave us this beautiful symbol. So next time you have an opportunity to experience a adult baptism upon a profession of faith in a covenantal mode, uh, than you make sure you take advantage of that.  [00:11:14] Jesse Schwamb: Yeah. You know what it's like for me and certainly I, baptism is way more profound, uh, than this example I'm about to give. But there's something within me that feels similarly or appreciates in a similar way when you're participating or just viewing a wedding. Yeah. Isn't there? There's that new identity. There's the vows and the covenants being made and promises being given and that that's just like a really meaningful, profound thing. And then like, you know, a thousand times, a million times, that is to participate or to witness again, baptism. And in my own church, which is Cradle Baptist, the one I attend, baptism, I'll say it this way in like this most trite way again, is like a super big deal. And one of the things I really appreciate is when that person, after they've given their testimony and they've gone down into the water and they come back up, our congregation goes like wild. Like just wild in celebration. Yeah. And at first I was like, wow, this. This seems like too much. Guys, can we take, can we take it down now? Just the Lord's day after all. And then I was with you in the sense of like, really, it's like we, you and I have talked so much about like the, the way in which you're trying to sometimes manufacture or theologians try to bring in some sense of emotionalism to kind of convey some kind of like, really, so I can demonstrate that I have a heartfelt and genuine commitment and love for God and Christ and you know, we can leave that as it is right now. Here is a place where I think that celebration is like just wholly and totally appropriate.  [00:12:36] Tony Arsenal: Yeah.  [00:12:36] Jesse Schwamb: And so I love that there's genuine enthusiasm and excitement over those things. And you're genuinely gonna get that more in the kind of traditional Baptist mode of this thing. I'm just saying celebrate where you celebrate, you know, get in where you fit in. Yeah. And so I think that your admonishment to us and affirmation there is really good. Um, totally about that. And all the better if you can do it in a, on a rainy day in a pond in New Hampshire. That sounds like a glorious spot.  [00:13:02] Tony Arsenal: Yeah. Yeah, it's, it was interesting. It was good. It was a good time. Jesse, what do you got for us tonight? [00:13:07] Jesse Schwamb: I'm also gonna go affirmation, and I think we can file this one for me, under seeing the power of God in his, that power demonstrated in his transcendence and in his eminence. All our timing is gonna be off on this, but there's a certain compulsion I have to report back to everybody. And that reporting is really on my wife who did undergo some surgery this week. And I'm about to say a bunch of things medically so you can, I mean, there's nothing in here like grotesque, but I say that because somebody might be like, wow, you're seeing a lot of personal things. I have her permission to share all this. But of course some of you may remember, she spoke on the podcast, I dunno, like a half dozen episodes ago. Go back and listen to that. She talks about her medical journey, but she just had this big surgery. And here's the reason why I want to report back. I sense that when God's people take to see and request his eminent and transcendent power in the lives of somebody else through intercessory prayer, that like a special bond is created that is very real. So I think when somebody comes to their brothers and sisters and says. Would you pray for us? Would you pray for me? That's not just an act. I think of vulnerability. It's one of of truly seeking after what God desires for his people to help and to intercede for one another. And there's something special about that. And then equally special, and I think binding is when people say, yes, I will pray. And they make themselves committed to doing that. When that relationship is established, what I think is like mutual accountability, mutual yielding to one another, mutual submission. The lovely thing about that is I think there ought to be a reporting back. I really feel highly convicted about that because so many people, including those in the from Brotherhood hanging out in the Telegram, TT Me Reform Brotherhood, they have prayed for us. My church has prayed, my parents have prayed. You have prayed. So many people have prayed. And so my wife did go undergo an 11 hour surgery just two days ago. And uh, I can say that that surgery, the doctors, the three surgeons who are working as part of this interdisciplinary team, this multifactorial, multidisciplinary team, were able to accomplish everything that they wanted to do, which was a wild accomplishment. And it was more intense than they thought it was going to be. But I can say to you very, very clearly, very cogently that, uh, God was in the midst of all of these things in a mighty and powerful way. Now, I know people are prone to say that kind of thing. I'm saying it because it was all exceptionally real. Not only as I sat there waiting for the next updates in the waiting room, did I really sense a peace of God that I haven't felt before, even in all of my wife's previous surgeries, when this was the most uncertain, this was the biggest, the highest risk that was all real. But at the very end, and I'll, I'll spare a lot of the details, uh, but at the very, very end when the surgeon reported back to me all the things that they did, which included having to take out a portion of her bowel and stitch it back together again, because she had some endometriosis that had embedded itself in there and that was unknown to them. You can't see that stuff in an MRI and yet God ordained that the right surgeon, the right preparation would be in the room and ready to go if something like that occurred and it did. That she had a full hysterectomy, which we were praying that it would be lack laparoscopic because they were concerned they would not be able to do it that way. And God answered that prayer that she needed to have her ureter, the thing that connects your kidney to your bladder, that also was filled with endometriosis. It had to be resectioned and repaired. And it was that the end of all of this, what the main doctor kept saying to me was, we wanted to put your wife in a position where her anatomy would determine the outcome and that you would have all of the skilled persons in the room to provide the best care, the best expertise possible. And what he said to me at the end is, it's strange things just kept breaking her way. And I said, well, I can tell you why that is. That's because God was answering the prayers of so many people who are praying for her. And so I'm so thankful for everybody who's prayed. She's in a critical time of healing right now. Our prayers now are turning to just that God would solidify the work that he has already accomplished, that there'd be no complications, that all the things that they did, and they did a lot of things. The surgeon in fact said to me at the end, it's gonna feel like she got hit by a truck. And that's actually not a bad description of what we did to her. And so the next days are the ones where we're really pleading for God to do this kind of miraculous healing that he started by providing all the things that he's, he's already done. I, as a husband, cannot be more thankful, more grateful, without words for everybody who has prayed. Uh, for my parents, for you guys, Tony, for all of our friends who reached out for so many people, I've realized I have a part-time job now just answering text messages, uh, on behalf of my wife for those who desperately are loving her through prayer. And again, I think I'd affirmed before. I'll say this very quickly, about the elders praying over her. About what a sweet time that was. Not only did that happen, but uh, unbeknownst to me until a little bit later on in that day did I learn that a bunch of women in the church had taken it upon themselves to schedule an 11 hour block where there was gonna be somebody praying every hour for my wife. And, um. Man, if, if, if this is not what the family of God does for one another, I don't know what they do.  [00:18:35] Tony Arsenal: Yeah.  [00:18:35] Jesse Schwamb: So I'm so grateful. Thank you for everybody who has prayed. I also don't want to testify. That's the power of God and his eminence. And his transcendence is just unreal loved ones. It's unreal, it's otherworldly and he comes in power when his people pray. He does good work and it's very James one. There's a lot that even as I'm worried now about the outcome of this surgery and how it will play out, that I can still somehow truly count it all joy, because it is God who does these things in our lives to test and to prove out our faith and our love towards him, because he's in fact good. And I'm just testifying to that goodness in the midst of this difficulty. So wherever you are at. For whatever it's worth. And I think it's worth a lot. God is faithful. He will do the work that he began, and he will meet us when we need him, where we are at in his loving kindness because of his great mercy. So be encouraged by that. And again, my sincere gratitude.  [00:19:36] Tony Arsenal: Yeah. Yeah. I don't, I don't have much that I can add to that. I mean, I, I, I think, um, prayer is an undervalued commodity in the church.  [00:19:48] Jesse Schwamb: Yes.  [00:19:49] Tony Arsenal: And. As good and right as it is for us, uh, to pray when there's some big, um, big need like this. Um, and, and there's no, there's no, uh, dishonor or shame in asking for prayer in the big situations. I think sometimes too, like we forget that prayer is just as vital and just as important and just as powerful and just as meaningful and just as everything in the small things. Amen. Um, and, and I also think, you know, sometimes we, maybe this is just me, but like sometimes we go into, we go into a, a scenario like what you and your wife are going in and we sort of like prepare ourselves for. The hard providence to come. Like, I don't know if, if that's where you've been at, but I know when I'm facing things like this, um, I'm, I'm kind of like asking people to pray, expecting God to bring the hard providence.  [00:20:43] Jesse Schwamb: Yes.  [00:20:44] Tony Arsenal: Um, and maybe that's just a coping mechanism to sort of like get out in front of it in case he does. Um, but like that God, God doesn't, uh, how do I wanna say this? I don't think that God takes any particular joy in bringing the par, the hard providences. Mm-hmm. And I actually think he does take a particular joy in answering the prayers of his people unto good effect. Um, I think there's a particular joy that God brings when he, God has in his own divine accommodated, anthropo, pathic way, um, when he can make sure that everything just breaks the right way for his children. Right. In a really difficult, complex, long surgery. Um, and all of the butterfly effect elements of, of how all of those different things are gonna, you know, spread out. Right. I don't know if this surgeon's gonna come to faith because you attributed his success in this surgery to, you know, to, to God. I don't know. Maybe, maybe not. Um, but, but either way, there are a thousand, a million imperceptible little ways that God's providence flows out of these kinds of situations that we will never know. Um, and he, he takes great joy in answering the prayers of his people and. Yes, it's true that when God, when we ask God for bread, he does not give us a stone even when he gives us the hard providences, right? The hard providences are not a stone, but he likes to give us really good bread.  [00:22:10] Jesse Schwamb: Amen.  [00:22:10] Tony Arsenal: And I think at times, um, we, we sort of almost doubt that he is able and willing and joyful to do so. So that's more, I think, more a reminder for me than it is for anyone else. 'cause I, I have a tendency to prep myself for the hard providences, um, before they come and, and pray to that effect that God would comfort me in the midst of whatever trials is coming. Um, maybe I need to show a little bit more faith in a good God who gives good gifts, um, to pray and thank him in advance for the good providence is the, the easier the soft providence is that he has in store for his people as well.  [00:22:46] Jesse Schwamb: Well, I think we all need that reminder from time to time and I, again, I like where you've taken that. It is a good reminder to pray for the people that you love around you all the time, or just ask. What's something that you would like some prayer for, especially maybe something that you can't pray for yourselves through this time? I can't tell you how many times somebody has asked to pray with me or for me, and they pray in ways that just astound me. I dunno if that makes sense. Yeah. Like just, I get off the phone and I think, well, that was spirit filled because I didn't know that I needed to hear those words. I didn't know exactly like what needed to be stitched together in terms of the requests that would really minister to my heart and provide me encouragement. But course the Lord knows, and even in prayer as you're saying, he's giving that good gift to each other.  [00:23:35] Tony Arsenal: Yeah.  [00:23:35] Jesse Schwamb: When we pray with one another, when we pray for one another, it's just a remarkable thing that I fail to understand and I definitely fail to appreciate. So in this season of being able to see it very clearly as if like the clouds. Parted and I could see some of this power of prayer and what God does in prayer, what God does to us in the prayer of others. I can't help but testify again. I feel it is my duty to do so, actually. So be encouraged, loved ones that this is a powerful weapon that God gives us. I think you and I have said before, Tony, maybe we can also partly this into like another reform. A brotherhood bumper sticker. I said another, like, we have bumper stickers. We don't, we definitely should. At some point  [00:24:17] Tony Arsenal: we do have at least one cross stitch pillow floating around out there  [00:24:20] Jesse Schwamb: somewhere. That's true. Yes. We need to get our hands on that. And maybe here's something else we could add to it, which is of course, when, when we work, we work, but when we pray, God works. And so I've just been reminded of that over and over and over again. The situation, like you said in the big times and the small times, what a blessing, what God is like this, who cares. Who again, is what I've been thinking about is how high and lifted and transcendent God is, so that like he's not moved in, uh, in a dis, like a passionate way by this nonsense of our world. He's steady and steadfast. You know, Isaiah 26, like our God is an everlasting rock, and yet he's eminent in sending his son to identify with the kind of pain even my wife is in right now. In her time of trial and struggle. He is there and yet separated and so powerful that he orchestrates all the details himself. I mean, what God is like this.  [00:25:11] Tony Arsenal: Yeah.  [00:25:11] Jesse Schwamb: So this is the one to whom we get to bend his ear, as it were, and we'll avail ourselves of that opportunity. Always. You're gonna have to stop it, Tony. Otherwise, I'm, this whole episode is just gonna be me talking about, which would not be bad, I suppose, but me talking about how good our God is, I suppose we can talk about that actually in the context of Matthew 25. [00:25:30] Tony Arsenal: Yeah. You better watch yourself before you wreck yourself. Is that how it goes? But I did that, that took a month off of podcasting. I forgot how to do transitions. Not that we were ever great at transitions. It's just slamming into gear  [00:25:43] Jesse Schwamb: now. That loved one's a segue that you, you don't even know about yet. You didn't even get it. So let me help you try to get it. 'cause I, I wanna do this quickly, but of course it's always the best part of our conversations where we can get to the scripture. Let me read just the first, uh, 13 verses Matthew 25, and I'm gonna read them from the version that I read on the last episode because part of the fun of this conversation that Tony I had had subsequently was, do you remember what you said to me, Tony, about, about the, this, I don't wanna say the word yet, but this word. [00:26:10] Tony Arsenal: Yeah. I, what I remember is, um, feeling confused because I, I said, I thought this was like a Mandela effect kind of thing. Yes. We might have to, I'll explain briefly what that is in that I could have swore this word was in the, in the Bible. Like I was, it was so ingrained in my head that this was there. And then I'm trying to find it in my, my version that I'm bringing in. It's not there. And the obvious answer is it actually was there in the version that Jesse was reading and is there in many translations. Um, so we'll, we'll read the translation, uh, Jesse read, and then we'll talk about why not only why this is, uh, important in the light of our last conversation, but actually how it's important in light of what will likely now be the beginning of our conversation on the next parable, and in the next week or maybe two of, of the discussion of the parable of the talents here, or one of the parable and talents. [00:26:57] Jesse Schwamb: So this is Matthew 25, beginning in verse one. Then the kingdom of heaven may be compared to 10 virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet the body groom. Now five of them were foolish and five are prudent. For when the foolish took their lamps, they took no oil with them, but the prudent took oil in flasks along with their lamps. Now, while the bridegroom was delaying, they all got drowsy and began to sleep. But at midnight there was a shout. Behold the bridegroom come out to meet him. Then all those virgins rose and trimmed their lamps. And the foolish said to the prudent, give us some of your oil for our lamps are going out. But the prudent answered saying, no, there will not be enough for us. And you go to and instead to the dealers and buy some for yourselves. And while they were going away to make the purchase, the bridegroom came and those who were ready went in with him to the wedding feast and the door was shut. And later the other virgins also came saying, Lord, Lord, open for us. But he answered and said, truly, I say to you, I do not know you. Therefore, stay awake for you. Do not know the day nor the hour.  [00:28:02] Tony Arsenal: Yeah. Yeah. So the part of this, uh, passage that I was having, like a brain cramp on and couldn't figure out is actually verse 13 and, um. The reason this is important and ties in, and this is part of why Jesse and I after we sort of had like a second, the beginning of a second episode, following the last episode, um, wanted to come back, is that this, this verse in verse 13 actually makes, um, in effect it makes the second parable that we're gonna talk about the parable of the talent here. It actually makes that parable like an extension of the first one or maybe an explanation of the first one, or further clarification. I'm not sure. It, it links the two together in a way that's really significant. So we need to make sure we really understand. Verse 13, and I'm gonna read verse 13 in my translation to demonstrate kind of where I think the, the question starts and says, watch therefore for, you know, neither the day nor the hour. And what Jesse and I kind of like marveled at is, um, the word for watch, uh, it's actually the same word we get the name Gregory, for, uh, from, um, the, the idea of being wakeful or alert or not falling asleep. That's that's there in the word. Um, and, and I don't think it's a bad translation. I don't. I always, um, wanna be really hesitant to sort of like make an argument that you wanna like build an entire theological point on a translation or a mistranslation. I think those are really shaky arguments, and even more than that, I don't ever wanna make an argument that makes it so people feel like they can't trust their English bibles. So the, the difference between the version that Jesse read with, you know, statements of being awake or stay awake or be alert versus watch, or more generalized alertness language, which is I think probably a better, not, not that the other one's bad, but this is probably a better translation. And it's a translation decision that's trying to connect that verb back to something that was said about the virgins. Right, right. The, the virgins, um, and this is, this is where our conversation went, is actually the, the sort of like real time epiphany that Jesse and I had, maybe I just had Jesse new, the, the sort of like real time epiphany that both, both groups of virgins fell asleep. Right. And so being asleep is not the necessary, it's not the thing that makes the virgins foolish.  [00:30:35] Jesse Schwamb: Exactly.  [00:30:36] Tony Arsenal: The, the translation, I think, I mean, I'm not, I'm not, I'm not, not like a mind reader and I haven't read anything from the translation committees that explain that this is why they did it. But I'm, I'm, I think it's reasonable to think they translated in light of that wakefulness element of being alert because of the fact that the virgins fell asleep and they were sort of caught off guard when the bridegroom came. But the reason I think that's an over translation is exactly the dynamic we pointed out last week, falling asleep was not the problem,  [00:31:04] Jesse Schwamb: right?  [00:31:05] Tony Arsenal: What was, what was the problem was not being prepared. And so this concept of watch, therefore is more, I think is more about preparedness because of the fact that the parable is about preparedness, not about wakefulness. So when we wanna think about translations, yes, verse 13 comes after verses one through 12, but there's this little word therefore that connects this one with the next one, right? And so it's watch therefore for, you know, neither the day nor the hour. If that was the end of, end of the book of Matthew, right, right there, then that therefore would be like, because of what I just said, watch for, you neither know the day nor the hour, you know, neither the day nor the hour. But then in verse 14, it starts with four. It will be like a man going on a journey who called his servant and entrusted them through his property. That word for, that's another connecting logic word. So it's watch therefore, so like, because of what I just said, be alert, watch, be wakeful, be mindful, be prepared for, you know, neither the day or the hour. Four, because it will be like a man going on a journey, right? The reason you have to watch is partially, or the reason you have to watch is that you will neither know the day nor the hour. And the reason you will neither know the day nor the hour is because it will be like a man who's going on a journey called his servants and entrusted them to his property, right? So these two parables are connected and we have to sort of like understand what that watch word means and how it relates to the previous parable to understand now what it is that the next parable is trying to say and how the two relate to each other.  [00:32:45] Jesse Schwamb: I think that's right. It's like you said before, we talked about last time, it's not that sleep was the problem. That's not where the condemn nation comes in. It's merely that sleep revealed the lack of preparedness. Right. Like I suppose if you wanted to change it up, you could be like, and then they all played Uno for a while and the lambs were going strong and then suddenly the bride coon came out and it was like, okay, well it was the fact that all the lamps were still burning. Yeah. But as they were still burning and that time was passing and the bridegroom delayed, providentially, then it was only those imbued with that grace who already I prepared for that moment in time. Not that they were all playing Uno itself. So, which, which I know this is like my own translation, which is horrible, but. It is important if somebody thinks like we're overworking this.  [00:33:26] Tony Arsenal: Right?  [00:33:26] Jesse Schwamb: It's important, I think, because it, it's gonna set up the next stuff, which we're gonna get to, uh, I presume in the next episode. But this verse is, is like a, is like kind of like the keystone. It's, it constitutes like the entire moral conclusion of both this parable, but the other two that are just like it, that come before it in different ways. And of course it's like structurally parallel to a bunch of like mark and stuff that we may or may not get to. And then it echoes like the broader, all that discourse as well. So I was just looking up quickly, mark 13, in other words like where do we hear this same type of language? Where does it almost rhyme in our minds? And so if you go over just to mark 1333, and this is the parable of the fig tree. So we won't get into that there, but you'll see kind of like the same conclusion, the same, I kind of high and lifted point at the end. And this is where Jesus says, see to it, keep on the alert. For you do not know when the appointed time will come. So instead, really what we're getting at is there's all this language about watchfulness, like the, the present imperative in Greek. Keep on watching, be continuously a work, uh, alert, but it's not like watchfulness in this like anxious, vigilant, kind of nervous energy uncertainty, but it's the prepared readiness of one who has oil in the vessel and knows that the bridegroom is coming regardless of whether you fall asleep. [00:34:46] Tony Arsenal: Yeah. Yeah. And again, you know, the, the way that, um, the way that English translations are broken up into paragraphs and into, with headings and editorial content and chapter divisions and verse divisions, um, those things are all helpful and they're all really useful and I'm glad they're there. Uh, they're not inspired though, right? They're not the word of God. The, the, for the little, the little super script 14 before the word four and the little super script 13 before the word watch. Is not, it's not inspired and neither is the little, at least in the version I'm looking at on logs Bible start, neither is the little paragraph break that separates these two. So we, we can equally read and again, like I haven't done a full Greek exo treatment of this and maybe I should to, to know whether there is actually some real specific grammatical reasons why we would break these. There probably is, but we could equally read it saying, but he answered truly I say to you, I do not know you watch therefore for, you know, neither the hour or the day nor the hour. For it will be like a man going on a journey who called his sermon or we could read it, watch therefore for, you know, neither the day nor the hour for it will be like a man going on a journey. Right, right. We can, we can, the way that we read it, we can, we can clump verse 13 with what comes before it and sort of imply a full break or we can clump it with what comes after it and imply a full break before it. In reality, we shouldn't do either of those. Right. This is in, this is linked together in the, the Bible specifically to take these two parables. And pull them together. Right. Thematically, they're the same. They match, they, they have kind of this rhyming nature that like, there's, there's this theme of like, these people who have a specific task and they accomplish it to greater or lesser degree. And the ones who do it, right, the ones who do it well are rewarded in some sense because of their preparedness and their diligence. And again, I, I don't, um, I know that we can't overemphasize this because this is God's word, right? Right. The, the difference between foolishness and wisdom in the first parable is not whether or not the virgins fell asleep. It's, it's whether or not they were prepared for the eventual coming of the bridegroom, meaning that they had everything they need, not only to, um, and this is a, a real time realization I'm having here, not only to be ready when the bridegroom came, but to be prepared for the long haul until he came. Right. I think that's actually probably another big part of this pearl that we didn't even really talk about is that there's a, there's a, um. There's an implied statement here about the, the, um, perseverance of the saints in the fact that the saints have to persevere. Right? That's a corollary of the doctrine, of the perseverance of the saints, is that we actually have to do the persevering, right? Empowered by the spirit. Enabled by the spirit. Ordained by the spirit, of course, but that doesn't mean the spirit is the one who's persevering, right? Right. The spirit is not persevering for us. The spirit is causing us to persevere, but it's still us that he's causing to persevere. That's a major part of that. This next parable and, and we'll read, we'll read the parable here and then we'll get into some of the beginning part. I think this next parable here is really about like what does that perseverance look like? What does that diligence until the master comes, looks like. It's kind of like taking this, this period of time where the bride groom is delaying and the virgins all are becoming drowsy and sleeping. Well, what does that actually look like? What does it look like for the virgins who have gotten the oil ahead of time versus the virgins who waited and then had to go buy it? Well, the parable of the talents in this next passage shows us what it means to be prepared. And part of what it means to be prepared is to be diligently working to advance the kingdom of God diligently working to pursue and excel in righteousness, insofar as it depends on us, and insofar as we're empowered by the Holy Spirit. So these two, these two parables are linked together and um. Maybe we're falling into this trap a little bit, although I think because of the way we're kind of doing these, these passages in sort of organic fashion, rather than really insisting on sort of hermetically sealing off each parable, we have a tendency, I think to say like, this parable is this right? This parable is that. And we don't really ever talk about them unless you're in like a parables of Christ Seminary class or like you're reading a book on the parables of Christ. Um, if you're just sort of looking at popular teaching on parables or you're. Like a sermon series through the parables. I don't think you're gonna run into a lot that's gonna show these connections and relationships between the parables in the way that I think we're, I'm stumbling upon is maybe not right. But that's what it feels like. We're sort of like discovering in real time together that these parables are so organically linked to each other that we really can't seal them off from each other or we do some violence to the text.  [00:39:36] Jesse Schwamb: Right on. Yeah. And speaking of that whole life, whole preparedness, whole watchfulness, John Owen writes, in the mortification of sin, the whole of Christian living may be described as a preparation for eternity, mortifying sin, growing in grace, abiding in Christ, waiting for his appearing, which really strikes me as maybe a summary of like an umbrella of all of these parables of ones that we've just seen most recently and the ones that we're about to go into because. The ground for the watchfulness here is that like legitimate eschatological ignorance. This is like a deliberate, divinely ordained uncertainty. So of course, like knowing the precise moment would just tempt the flesh to delay until the last possible moment, which is precisely the error of the foolish virgins who assume that there was enough time to obtain the oil after that midnight cry. So all of this is happening right now. Like I, I do think this verse is just so critical now. It's like really a weird linchpin. It is like the capstone in a strange way of like the three parable sequence in the olive discourse, which we already talked about, the 10 virgins, the talents, and the sheep and the goats. Because it strikes me as you were speaking, Tony, what was coming to my mind is like each is almost escalating from, as it were, like a watchfulness to like a fruitfulness, to like a final judgment. And each of those are kind of building on each other. In other words, like there is a logical consistency and chronology to those things that Christ is leading us through. And the verse therefore doesn't stand alone. It's like this hinge between the eschatological warning of the virgin narrative and the productive stewardship demanded in the parable of the talents. And I think unless you see that here, it's like saying, listen, the watchful person does this. You know, why should you be watchful because of this example I've just given to you. So within that Oliver discourse, there's the exhortation to watchfulness, which occurs with that striking force. Stay awake, be ready, watch. And of course, I think we're just joining in all the reform exe and the pros who had this instinct of reading those with a unity. Yeah. The whole discourse is like the L, the Lord's own like pastoral Herman Hermeneutic, I guess on like Daniel nine or whatever. So like it is important, and I think it is maybe a bridge that, at least in my mind, I often didn't build or didn't seem necessarily because you're like, well this, this ends one. And the warning is to be watchful. And now here's something else. That's something interesting you should consider. Yeah. But really this is all one and the same, all, all. Maybe one like well like parable to rule all parables, like it's a single parable told in many sequential pieces.  [00:42:06] Tony Arsenal: Yeah. Which is something we saw before, right? Yes. And maybe, maybe not to belabor the point and, and again taking, take this in the context of me saying I never want to try to make an argument that you must be able to read Greek in order to profit from the scriptures. [00:42:20] Jesse Schwamb: Sure.  [00:42:20] Tony Arsenal: All of that said, it's very helpful to understand a little bit about how Greek works, even if you don't actually learn Greek. So for example, and here's, I promise you that this is not just me being nerdy about Greek. I'm looking at the ESV and verse 13 says, watch therefore for, you know, neither the day nor the hour. Right? So the, the command comes, uh, before the logical connector that sort of like, is explaining why, right? Because of, because of something. Right? When it's the thing that comes before, maybe it's the thing that comes after, usually it's probably before, but because of this thing, watch therefore for, you know, neither they or the hour, right? And then in verse 14 it says four. It will be like a man going on a journey. This is where I think understanding how Greek works a little bit is important. Both the word therefore and the word for. In Greek, which it's, it's therefore it's un OUN or omega upsilon new un and gar for four. Both of those are what's called post positive, and what that means is that it cannot be the first word in a sentence. So, um, verse 13 is translated very word order, literal watch. Therefore that ma matches the Greek very closely. Verse 14 is not right, right. Verse 14, if you translated it very literally would be like, uh, let's see. Would be. Just as for a man, and I get like, you can hear there, right there, why we don't translate it that way is 'cause it's really awkward, but it's just as for a man, uh, a man went on a journey or a man, um, going on a journey who called his servants. Right. The, the point of what I'm trying to say here though is that that subtle variation in the verb, the command coming first versus this post positive, logical connector coming first, that that sort of like gears your brain towards a certain conclusion. Right? Right. Watch, therefore we, we have a tendency to think like watch connects to the previous one. Right? This verb must connect us to the previous one, where the next one we see four being the beginning of a word, beginning of a sentence. We feel like that's the beginning of a new thought, right? This logical connector at the be very beginning of a sentence is like starting a new thought. The problem with that is, one, it doesn't actually match the Greek word order in both cases. Neither of these is the first word of the sentence, but let's just think of it in as a post positive and say that it should have been the first word of the sentence, but the Greek grammar won't allow it to be.  [00:45:00] Jesse Schwamb: Right.  [00:45:01] Tony Arsenal: That connector in both cases is linking us to the previous sentence, and that means both of these sentences are linking us to the previous sentence, meaning both segments of thought are linked to other together. Verse 14 is linked to verse 13, and verse 13 is linked to verse 12. There's no good grammatical reason that I can see with the 30 seconds of looking at it and the five semesters of Greek, right? Keep that in mind. I'm not an expert, but there's no good reason I see immediately from the Greek text, right? There are certain phrases and indicators in Greek that tell you like, this is a new segment of thought. I don't see those here. What I see is a very strong, strong, logical sequence of connection between 13 and 14, right? Therefore, watch for, you know, neither the day nor the hour. Well. Going back to our discussion about translating that in terms of sort of general watchfulness or preparedness or translating it in light of sleep. These are the things that are important for us to think about when we're reading English translations. 'cause this keys us off to what the, what the translators thought in terms of what belongs with what translators. Even though there's a paragraph break here in the ESV, the translation that says be awake or be, you know, uh, do not sleep like this language that's specifically connected to this, like not falling asleep aspect of watchfulness, they're signaling to you that this sentence belongs with the parable above it. Right. Almost exclusively. Right. Because there's nothing in the next parable that has anything to do with being awake or sleeping.  [00:46:35] Jesse Schwamb: Right?  [00:46:36] Tony Arsenal: Right. So, so by translating it as sleep language or do not sleep language, they're sealing it off from the parable that follows and they're kind of like making it this firm break in the text. That's not there in the Greek. That language is not there in the Greek. And it's, um, again, I think the sleep language, that's certainly a part of this word and it's, it's fine for us to interpret this word in light of the parable that came before it, as long as we're not letting that interpretation of it in light of the word that came before it seal it off from the next parable. And I, I worry that if we, if we think about it in terms of the sleepiness aspect of it, which again, there's already some contextual reasons why that doesn't make a lot of sense. Why would, why would Christ command to the people that are listening to him be about not falling asleep when falling asleep was not the problem in the, in the bearable He's told. Right, right. But the problem was, was be prepared. And it actually may be, this is also maybe an overt translation. A better translation might be, be prepared, therefore, right. Be alert, be wakeful, be be mindful, be uh, be on top of things. Right. Be ready for anything. Might be a good way to look at this. Be ready for anything for you. Neither know the day nor the hour. Four. It will be like a man going on a journey and called his servants and entrusted them to his property. So he tells the parable of the virgins, which is, is all about being prepared for the sudden, unexpected coming of the Lord after a delay, after he tarries. And then he says, for it will be like a man going on a journey. Well, what will be like a man going on a journey? The coming of the Lord, the coming of the bridegroom, the coming of the one, the promised one from the previous parable, the bride groom. For that will be like a man going on a journey for the day on the hour, which you do not know. That will be like a man going on a journey, I think. Um, and this will be the last thing I say before I, I let you jump in and, and we're getting close to ending anyways here. I think that, um, these parables are so often, uh, this parable about the talents and the parallels. I mean, there's several different par uh, parables that have to do with this theory. This sort of like scenario of like a master is giving some, some funds to his servants, or a man going on a journey. He's giving some funds to his servants and he expects them to make a return. Right? That's a, there's multiple parables that tell that same basic principle. This one here. Is an eschatological one, but I think it gets clumped in with the others in sort of this idea. And it doesn't hurt that the word talents has a meaning in English, right? It gets clumped in with these sort of like way of teaching this that's like Christ has given you some special abilities and some gifts, you better use it for his glory. Or you're all done. That's not really at all what this is talking about, at least this version of it. You might be able to make an argument for some of the others that that is about kingdom fruitfulness and, and to much is given, much is expected, right? That's the output of those parables. This one is really, it's explicitly about being prepared for this sudden arrival of the bridegroom, uh, after he delays, after he tarries. So that's all I'll say for now on that. I just, this is. This is why we had to do another episode, right? Like, because we couldn't do all of this Last week we started and we were like, we gotta push pause, save something for next week. This is one of those like realtime discoveries, realtime uh, epiphanies that I'm just like, I cannot believe I didn't see this in the text before, but I'm so glad that we're doing this deep dive. This sort of like long running slow burns through these parables because these are the kinds of things we're able to see when we really slow down and take our time.  [00:50:17] Jesse Schwamb: Yeah, it's that good old like crockpot theology. I'm with you. There is like in the next par we'll see a kind of manifest fruitfulness that comes from a preparedness and if, if we divorce that we're gonna get to the end of the next parable. And I think what we'd find is that, wow, the master seems super harsh here. Why is he so ticked off that the people with whom he entrusted all of these resources didn't do anything with them? It just seems like he's overzealous in saying, well, you just wasted a lot of things until you see like that full emphasis that comes all the way through these other parables in terms of the reason why. Then I think it starts to make more sense. So I did have to look it up like you're right, that the NIV has therefore keep watch. The King James version also is using watch, therefore. So if that's the emphasis, in other words, if the thrust is you ought to be watchful and prepared in all of your life for all the things preparing for Christ, doing the things in the work of Christ. Now it makes sense that to go away again and to have this time of not knowing when the perusia happens and being unprepared and unfruitful because you were not watchful, because you did not do the things you ought to have done and be making yourself again aware and vigilant in that awareness, then there's a problem. And that's like gonna be, I think, the full thrust of what's gonna happen that we're gonna see next when we look into this parable. I think it's important to remember that this parable is not as it sometimes is presented like an allegorize timeless moral maxim that's divorced from its eschatological referring. Yeah, the 10 virgins are figures of those awaiting Christ perusia. The oil is not some kind like vague symbol of like good works in a ian sense, but I think it's best understood as the reality of saving grace and the spirits in dwelling, which cannot be borrowed or transferred. If all of that is true. Then how does that manifest in daily living? What does that look like? And then what does that lead to on the day of judgment? All of that is to come for us, but it actually starts in this verse here in verse 13, just with the simple, very direct, but e expressly articulated phrase, be watchful or be prepared. Maybe like a better incidentally, like contemporary treatment would be like, don't sleep on this. Like, I like the word sleep in that context. Yeah. Which of course, when somebody says that to you, they're not actually meaning like, don't fall asleep now. But make sure that you're paying attention to this thing. Get after this thing, go and grab this thing, get a hold of this very thing. Make it your priority. And I think really that is what is Christ is after here as he moves us from one example into another. That's almost, again, to me like the manifestation or the outworking 'cause because one might ask, and maybe this is like a good question, he was anticipating, you hear that story and we're just used to like things moving, or like you said, like discreet chunks of text, which we appropriate for ourselves. We take out, it's almost as they have little boxes on the shelf and we remove that box. We look at it, we study it, we turn over, we put it back, and it's a little compartment place. And instead you can imagine, uh, as I could, I think if you were hearing this in the context of conversation, of teaching in this way, that you might say like, so what? Like be prepared for what, how do we get prepared? What does preparedness look like? And so that's what's coming for us next.  [00:53:34] Tony Arsenal: Yeah. And you know, the other thing I think that's, um, important for this parable, um, there are some places in the scripture in the, uh, in the gospels where Christ's teaching and nothing specific comes to mind. So this is. Hypothetical, but I know there are actual places. I just can't think of anything right off the top of my head. There are some places where sort of like discrete chunks of Christ's teaching are juxtaposed next to other discreet chunks. Sure. That's an editorial decision by the gospel author. Right. Matthew makes a decision to put this story next to this story, and we might see in Luke actually, it's slightly different. A good, a good example would be like in the temptation narratives, um, the order of the Temptations is different I think between Matthew and Luke. Right. And there's, there's an editorial decision that's made there and there's a theological reason. I don't know off the top of my head what it is. I'm sure I studied it in, you know, like gospels class in seminary. Um, that's not what's happening here, right? These are not two discreet chunks of text. That Matthew has decided to put together, right? Right. Christ is the one that says, watch therefore for you. Neither know the day nor the hour for it will be like a man going on a journey. Christ is the one who has decided, and this is one chunk of teaching. There's, um, like the Sermo

Michael Drew (Guest)CALI THE DESTROYER is a bold and highly stylized work of visionary fiction that blends dystopian themes, mythological symbolism, and speculative romance into a provocative and imaginative narrative. Sol Luckman constructs a world that is both futuristic and allegorical, using heightened reality to explore control systems, awakening, and resistance.At its core, the story presents a reality where societal structures have collapsed into a controlled, surveillance driven “Fatherland,” shaped by patriarchal power, hidden forces, and distorted systems of authority. Against this backdrop, the narrative introduces Cali and Juice, characters whose connection becomes both personal and mythic, suggesting a bond that transcends ordinary time and identity.What makes the book distinctive is its fusion of genres and tones. It moves between dystopian critique, supernatural romance, and spiritual allegory, often within the same narrative space. This gives the novel a surreal, almost dreamlike quality, where symbolic meaning often carries as much weight as plot progression.Thematically, the book is driven by ideas of awakening, resistance, and hidden truth. It explores what happens when individuals begin to question the systems around them and perceive reality as something constructed rather than fixed. The introduction of mythological and Gnostic elements amplifies this sense of revelation, positioning the story as both a rebellion narrative and a metaphysical journey.The romantic element between Cali and Juice adds emotional intensity and grounding to the broader philosophical themes. Their connection is framed as timeless and foundational, reinforcing the idea that identity and love can exist beyond imposed structures.Overall, CALI THE DESTROYER is a visionary and symbolic dystopian novel that will strongly appeal to readers who enjoy metaphysical fiction, myth driven storytelling, speculative rebellion narratives, and experimental blends of romance and philosophy. Thank you for subscribing. Leave a comment or share this episode.

We are now recording an audio version of written posts that we will upload to Apple, Spotify, and YouTube, which you can listen to by clicking the button the play button above.As the Strait of Hormuz (SoH) Crisis completes its third month and on-again/off-again peace talks drag on, we are starting to see the outlines of various structural themes emerging, and, as importantly, some that are not. Thematically we see the following:* Power Surge! Our Power Surge! super-cycle theme has not only not been knocked off track by the SoH Crisis, but has likely been enhanced based on “the four Ds” of pragmatic energy policy orientation we discuss below. Recently completed 1Q 2026 earnings season shows the AI (artificial intelligence) and broader digital transformation theme is as strong as ever.* Geopolitical Super Vol. Geopolitical Super Vol remains our commodity macro framework, in particular for crude oil prices. Since Russia-Ukraine and through SoH-to-date, we have resisted crude oil super-cycle framings while also, importantly, rejecting perma bear doom-and-gloom. The unforgiving math of global oil demand being forced down to circa 95 million b/d of supply from around 105 million b/d pre-crisis suggests recession is the most likely clearing mechanism rather than a structural increase in long-dated oil prices in the event a significant disruption to flows persists. To be clear, we do see scope for a modest increase in long-end oil on the order of $10/bbl to account for both cost inflation and an increased geopolitical risk premium.* Molecules to markets. In our view, getting molecules to markets is the more pressing strategic imperative for countries than simply trying to find the molecules in the first place. In traditional energy, this puts a premium on well-positioned midstream and downstream assets. In the upstream business, there is always an opportunity to find acreage that is well positioned on the future cost curve. Having a midstream or downstream solution (e.g., LNG) may be an increasing success factor for larger E&P (exploration and production) companies.* New business models > pure-play (for larger companies). The era of extreme pure-play specialization we think will fade, or at least will no longer be the dominant ask of investors. Business model evolution is likely to continue to separate leaders from laggards. Examples we find intriguing include pressure pumpers and midstream companies diversifying into behind-the-meter (BTM) power, US shale gas producers expanding into midstream and potentially LNG, refiners that have grown midstream capabilities, midstream companies that have grown export opportunities, and the expanded commercial trading opportunities that larger companies have pursued. The list is growing.* Brownfield > greenfield (usually). The advantage of doing more from existing assets is something both countries and companies have in common. Brownfield almost always beats greenfield on profitability and speed-to-market, though a best-in-class greenfield project like Guyana oil is the type of exception that exists to the general rule.From an energy policy perspective, the Strait of Hormuz Crisis reveals what we are now calling the four Ds of country-level energy policy aspiration:* Do as much Domestic production as possible;* Diversify energy sources and technologies;* Do more from existing assets; and* embrace Digital transformation and AI.Subscribe to Super-Spiked to receive all content via email. Also available on https://veriten.com.The Four Ds of Pragmatic Energy PolicyThe four Ds are the pragmatic policy implication of country leaders recognizing energy's natural hierarchy of needs (Exhibit 1). On the right side of Exhibit 1, we rank (higher on list is better) resource rich countries and resource challenged areas in terms of federal policy orientation that recognizes energy's natural hierarchy of needs and implementation of the four Ds relative to a given country's strengths and weaknesses.Saudi Arabia and United Arab Emirates among resource rich regions and China among resource challenged areas we see as having favorable federal energy policy orientations. Laggards are not surprising: Western Europe, California, Canada, and Australia. What KSA, UAE, and China have in common are national leadership that emphasizes the ideas of “all of the above,” maximum (or optimal) output of what you can control, and unapologetic “their own country first” mentalities.Super-Spiked subscribers know we have a very favorable view of Canada's oil and gas potential and the leading companies in the province of Alberta. We had an unfavorable view of the federal energy policies pursued by the prior Trudeau regime, with the jury out on the current Carney administration. On the latter, we appreciate that the rhetoric has improved off a low starting point. The proof will be in the policy implementation pudding.No country should aspire to follow the path of California or Western Europe and their “climate first” ideology (dishonorable mention goes to many states in the US northeast). Sadly, poor energy policy choices made in those areas are going to mean that less fortunate consumers and businesses in developing Asia suffer from being outbid for needed energy like LNG, jet fuel, and diesel during times of stress, as we last saw in the early days of Russia-Ukraine. It has been some time since we have done a deep dive on Australia; our sense would be that it is in the Canada category of having substantial oil and gas resources that the world would massively benefit from, but is being held back by ill-advised climate-first ideology by its national leaders.Exhibit 1: A Hierarchy of Energy Needs & Country Policy Objectives and OrientationSource: Veriten.Doing More From Existing AssetsIn previous issues of Super-Spiked, we have discussed three of the Ds: do as much domestic production as possible, diversify energy sources and technology, and embrace digital transformation and AI. Therefore, in this post we will expand on the “do more from existing assets” theme.* A major advantage the developed world has over China, India, and other developing areas is a large installed base of assets and infrastructure. Prematurely retiring old power plants in the name of “energy transition” and “The Climate Crisis” is the type of 2020-2023 mistake that has hurt competitiveness and affordability in the United States and Western Europe. In power generation, we are intrigued with trying to answer the question of how much new generation from legacy sources (e.g., natural gas, BTM, and traditional nuclear) is needed versus how much new generation technology is needed (e.g., fuel cells, enhanced geothermal, advanced nuclear) versus how much can existing grid utilization be improved via flexible loads and various grid enhancing technologies. How much more can we get from existing is important to how much we need from the other two options.* In crude oil markets, we do not believe there is the urgency to figure out “what's next” from a resource perspective as there was in the 2004-2014 super-cycle. To be clear, this comment is intended at the macro level; individual companies are almost always in need of figuring out what's next. Exploration and capital spending is likely to grow but we do not believe the kind of re-rating that happened during China/BRICs is warranted now. Rather we are most intrigued with what companies are doing to extend asset life (i.e., resource to production ratio) via a combination of technology application, business development, and midstream/downstream investment that can ensure molecules get moved to markets and turned into usable end products. Ironically, the Middle East looks like a compelling upstream opportunity for western oil and gas firms, given improved fiscal terms in certain areas. We have long held a favorable view of Canada (our concerns about its federal energy policies notwithstanding) and Alaska. Recent developments in many Latin American countries warrant a fresh look at the region for western players.* The largest areas that seem ripe to “do more from existing” include US shale oil, US shale gas, Middle East oil, Canada's oil sands, Venezuela oil, and developed market power grids.Growth and opportunityThe five areas of energy where we are most confident in growth include:* US and global power generation* Midstream and downstream infrastructure for crude oil and various metals and minerals* Grid enhancing technologies* US and global natural gas* Renewables and storageThe long-term opportunity to grow nuclear power is going to prove to be compelling for many countries, justifying the required patience in terms of time to development. Nuclear is the ultimate baseload, domestic, clean energy source.We remain open-minded about emerging and new energy technologies. We are seeing current growth in fuel cells and optimism about enhanced geothermal on the power generation side of the business. The SoH Crisis will accelerate adoption of electric vehicles and LNG trucks in particular in oil importing countries for diversification and affordability reasons.The success of new business models should diminish investor and activist demand for pure-playsThere is a misperception that investors prefer pure-plays or that investors only want more dividends and stock buybacks. Investors prefer companies that generate superior profitability with differentiated growth. Both are needed to sustainably outperform: profitability AND growth.The challenge in mature, cyclical sectors is that corporate over-enthusiasm for growth usually erodes profitability to the point where investors demand a disavowal of growth in favor of profitability and returning capital to shareholders. To be sure, if structural demand growth for a given commodity is something like 1%-2% per year, the expected growth rates for the largest companies within that sector is unlikely to be any more than +/- 1%-2% of the broader demand trajectory.As businesses mature and growth slows, the demand by investors to focus on sub-parts of the business often increases in order to enhance the combination of per share growth and profitability for a particular business segment. The post-2014 oil super-cycle bust and growth in U.S. shale turbocharged the demand for pure-plays, especially within the traditional oil & gas value chains. Certain pure-play shale oil producers, midstream companies, and refiners in fact performed exceptionally well.Power is clearly in a super-cycle and traditional oil and gas is operating with a Geopolitical Super Vol macro backdrop (a dramatic improvement from the post super-cycle bust phase of 2015-2020) and business opportunities abounding in the different product lines and geographies.SoH Crisis FAQQuestion 1: Has an oil super-cycle begun?Answer: No. Our core view remains Geopolitical Super Vol, not super-cycle.Q2: Have the odds of “peak oil demand” increased?A: No, we don't think so. However, we are concerned that if the Strait remains significantly disrupted that the painful adjustment down in global oil demand could mean that we spend a good part of the remainder of this decade recovering back to pre-crisis demand levels as incremental supply is brought online. In our view, the timing of a more permanent peak in oil demand is unknowable so long as the other seven billion people on Earth continue to use only a fraction of the energy The Lucky 1 Billion of Us take for granted.Q3: Isn't AI and the resulting power demand growth forecasts a bubble waiting to pop?A: No or, perhaps more accurately, not at this time. The fact that numerous stock markets like the U.S. (S&P 500), Japan (NIKKEI), and South Korea (KOSPI) are at or near all-time highs may indeed reflect complacency with the risk of global recession due to the ongoing SoH Crisis. We would differentiate stock market complacency with an AI bubble. We see it in the areas where we spend a lot of time: digital transformation and the application of AI is a game changer for numerous businesses. The stock market may well experience a major correction if the world tips into recession. Whatever short-term setback that might mean for near-term power generation we think would be akin to the Great Financial Crisis hit to oil demand in the middle of the China/BRICs super-cycle of 2004-2014, i.e., it was temporary.Q4: Don't investors prefer “pure-plays” over diversified companies? A: That view is missing our point. Investors prefer companies with competitive profitability and differentiated growth opportunities. The demand for “pure-plays” typically is the result of a mature sector experiencing a structural downcycle and investors being disappointed on both profitability and growth. And for sure, some companies should remain as pure-plays. The larger a company's market capitalization and overall size, the less we think a pure-play business model makes sense, be it basin or geography or asset type or business line. For small-caps and new technologies, the pure-play business model is often logical.Q5: So E&Ps will merge with refiners?A: No, we aren't expecting that type of integration or diversification. A future “integrated E&P” likely means some combination of midstream and commercial exposure as opposed to a historical upstream-refining mix, as an example.⚡️On A Personal Note: Work Hard. Golf Hard.It's been a great three-week stretch of Spring golf ramp-up. 8 rounds in 5 days in and around Troon, Scotland the first week of May and then our NJ club's flagship member-member Governor's Trophy tournament over Memorial Day weekend featuring 45 holes of match play over 2 days. Day 2 of Governor's featured a good Scottish cold snap of low 50s weather and a light drizzle. Glad my rain pants got more work in and happy to be in sunny Houston as I finish writing this.At Governor's you can always see the short-game comfort from the returning Florida crowd versus those that stayed north over what is typically a 4-5 month winter hiatus. I failed to take advantage of part-time Houston residency this past winter and my partner and I didn't win our flight for the first time since 2021. Five 3 puts—FIVE!!!—from yours truly in Round 2 and two more missed make-able putts in Round 3 were seven half-point giveaways we did not overcome. Based on my accounting, my partner cost us only 2 points versus my 3.5, so the disappointing performance is on me. I'll need a stricter winter routine next year.I will say the Scotland golf intensity helped stamina at Governor's. The intensity and deliberate pace of hole-by-hole match play is usually mentally and physically draining. I didn't feel that this year. For future reference: I need to play 36 more often! It forces an easier swing. It improves mental resilience. Seems better than a cold plunge.Does a high level of golf intensity make you a better energy equity analyst, advisor, or board member? For sure it does. There is no question about this. Are we advising our companies to settle for mediocrity? That an 8% return on capital is good enough? That sector average TSR is fine? Of course not.Work Hard. Golf Hard.A Lot of Great Golf In Scotland: Western Gailes Near The Top Of My ListSource: Super-Spiked selfie.The Calm Before The Governor's Trophy StormSource: Super-Spiked.⚖️ DisclaimerI certify that these are my personal, strongly held views at the time of this post. My views are my own and not attributable to any affiliation, past or present. This is not an investment newsletter and there is no financial advice explicitly or implicitly provided here. My views can and will change in the future as warranted by updated analyses and developments. Some of my comments are made in jest for entertainment purposes; I sincerely mean no offense to anyone that takes issue.Subscribe to Super-Spiked to receive all content via email. Also available on https://veriten.com. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit arjunmurti.substack.com

Today I am joined on the podcast by Voyd of the Enniskillen Death Metal band, Necromaton!Necromaton was formed in 2025 by brothers Voyd (bass/vocals) and Rony (guitar/vocals), both veterans of their old band Gargantuan. Necromaton have spent the last two years writing, rehearsing, and recording in the shadows. Completing the Necromaton lineup are Brian (guitar) and Shea (drums).They have already released a self-titled demo in January 2026 that I cannot recommend enough!Thematically, they explore their own satirical fictional concept, Necromaton: a totalitarian cyber-parasite empire engineered for self-perpetuation through subjugation and manipulation.I'll be chatting with Voyd about how this band started, the concepts that go into their lyrics, how their first ever gig was in Czech Republic and what the band has in store for the rest of 2026, which includes work on their debut album!Necromaton will be the headliner act for Templemore's Metalfest tomorrow so make sure to catch them at that unreal festival!Necromaton on BandcampOutsound at Sin E!Uncultivates live at Lost LaneSpaced W/ Dry Socket live at Lost Lane Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Across the record, shimmering synth layers collide with reverbed guitars, pulsing analog bass, distant tape hiss, and fragmented vocal transmissions that sound half-remembered, half-haunting. Drum machines arrive like mechanical heartbeats—steady but emotionally cracked—while live percussion occasionally breaks through like something still human trying to reach the surface. Thematically, Afterlife Frequency explores the idea of consciousness after the signal drops: love messages looping in eternity, broken radio prayers, and sonic “afterimages” of life replaying in distorted clarity. Each track feels like stepping through different channels of the same dream—some warm and nostalgic, others cold and uncomfortably infinite. It's not just an album—it's a listening liminal space, where sound becomes memory, and memory becomes static.

Episode Notes Look, I was going to write something else here but I just found a copy of the unmade Magneto movie so I'm going to be over here reading that. Thematically appropriate. Ranked This Episode: Uncanny X-Force #9 Magneto #13-17 Uncanny X-Men #161 Check out the Battle of the Atom Master Ranking List! New content every week on ComicsXF.com Follow Adam on Twitter @arthurstacy & never try to find Zack! Our theme music is Junk Factory from the X-Men Arcade Game by Seiichi Fukami, Yuji Takenouchi, Junya Nakano, and Ayako Hashimoto. Cover art is by Adam Reck after Dave Cockrum with logo design by Mikey Zee If you want to support the show make sure you rate and review the show or check out our Patreon!

Electricity Canada CEO Francis Bradley joins thinkenergy to unpack the 2026 State of the Industry report, Forging Canada's Electricity Future. Why is public trust in utilities peaking in light of extreme weather? Why is a single word in the Fisheries Act halting major hydro projects? They dive into supply chain headaches, bureaucratic red tape, and how treating the power grid like core tax-funded infrastructure can make electricity bills more affordable for consumers. Related links  Electricity Canada: https://www.electricity.ca/ Francis Bradley on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/francis-bradley-icd-d-ias-a-3617802a/   Electricity Human Resources Canada: https://ehrc.ca/  Trevor Freeman on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/trevor-freeman-p-eng-8b612114  Hydro Ottawa: https://hydroottawa.com/en    To subscribe using Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/thinkenergy/id1465129405  To subscribe using Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/7wFz7rdR8Gq3f2WOafjxpl  To subscribe on Libsyn: http://thinkenergy.libsyn.com  --- Subscribe so you don't miss a video: https://www.youtube.com/@thinkenergypod Follow along on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thinkenergypod/  Stay in the know on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thinkenergypod Keep up with the posts on X: https://twitter.com/thinkenergypod - Transcript: 00:01 Trevor Freeman: Welcome to Think Energy, a podcast that dives into the fast-changing world of energy through conversations with industry leaders, innovators, and people on the front lines of the energy transition. Join me, Trevor Freeman, as I explore the traditional, unconventional, and up-and-coming facets of the energy industry. If you have any thoughts, feedback, or ideas for topics we should cover, please reach out to us at thinkenergy@hydroottawa.com. 00:27 Trevor Freeman: Hi everyone, and welcome back. Here's something you've heard me say before: the energy transition isn't coming, it's here now. And that's showing up in a lot of different ways—from the significant increase in demand that we're seeing driven by AI data centers and electrification, to the ever-increasing adoption of distributed energy resources by everyday Canadians in their homes and businesses. Even utilities looking to non-wire solutions as a strategy to employ alongside the traditional poles and wires approach to meet this growing demand. That's all happening now. 01:03 Trevor Freeman: And that really underscores the message that the time for talking about how we will eventually build out our grid to handle the energy transition has turned into the time to build and deliver on that talk. But, as with most things, it's never just that easy. This is all happening against the backdrop of an energy industry that is, to say the least, facing some pretty significant turmoil. What sector isn't right now? There's global conflict, there's a need for bold new policy direction, changing technology—these are not insignificant factors. 01:38 Trevor Freeman: And so, to help us understand where we currently are at and where immediate action is necessary, I think it's time we check in with a two-time previous guest on this show: Francis Bradley. Francis is the President and CEO of Electricity Canada, the leading voice for the electricity industry in this country. We've had Francis on the show before in the past and it's great to have him back here today to chat about some of these issues. 02:04 Trevor Freeman: Every year, Electricity Canada releases a State of the Industry report that serves as kind of a pulse check on our sector. You'll hear shortly in my conversation with Francis that there is something to the naming of these reports. In 2023, the message was "Build It". In 2024, they used the title "Getting to Yes". But the 2026 report, which was just released, has a bit of a different title: it's called "Forging Canada's Electricity Future". 02:35 Trevor Freeman: Now, to forge something implies heat, pressure, a lot of hard work. And this report does exactly that. It dives into the regulatory system that we operate in, the gaps in our labor and supply chains, and this new geopolitical reality that's pushing Canada to prioritize our own domestic production. But it's not all warnings. There is a roadmap, so to speak, in the report that specifies 18 recommendations that Electricity Canada proposes be addressed in order to help our industry thrive. As the need to increase our capacity and meet these rising energy demands intensifies, getting projects moving, getting shovels in the ground is absolutely critical. So, it's really great to have Francis here today to chat through that and talk about what's in the report, and I'm sure it'll be a great discussion. 03:26 Trevor Freeman: Francis Bradley, welcome to the show—welcome back to the show. 03:29 Francis Bradley: Oh, delighted to be back. Good to see you. 03:32 Trevor Freeman: So Francis, it's great to have you back on the show. It's always a pleasure to catch up and get, you know, your perspective, your take on what's happening in the world of energy, and particularly the Canadian energy landscape. So, we chatted just under a year ago, and I don't think it's an exaggeration to say that was a pretty tumultuous time in the world of energy, at least here in Canada. 03:52 Trevor Freeman: So, just for context setting for our listeners as a reminder: we had just come out of both a provincial and federal election here in Ontario. Our various levels of governments were responding to actual tariffs and threats of additional tariffs. There was a lot of talk about national energy projects from pipelines to east-west electricity grids. So, with that as the backdrop, how has the last year been for you and Electricity Canada, being kind of the main association representing the electricity industry in Canada? Have we seen some of those big projects move forward? Is it all talk or have things actually happened in the last sort of 10, 12 months? 04:36 Francis Bradley: Yeah, I mean, this is a—this is a really good question and it's a great place to start our conversation. You're right, things have been pretty crazy this past year. But also, from the perspective of energy and electricity, there's also been some pretty significant developments as well, particularly I'd say the people who are responsible for the things that we care about in the federal government. 05:04 Francis Bradley: So we've, you know, we've got a Prime Minister that used to be Vice Chair at Brookfield; we've got a Minister of Energy that used to chair the board of Hydro One; the head of the civil service most recently was the President of Hydro Quebec. So, you know, among all of that massive change, we also saw now a team in Ottawa that actually understands our sector and that gets the challenges that we're talking about. 05:32 Francis Bradley: So, you know, have we seen significant projects moving forward? Well, I mean, part of the challenge, of course, is projects in this sector are very, very long-term. I mean, they take a long time. These are not, you know, kind of shovel-ready projects that are just sitting on the sidelines and immediately you get a go, you can move forward. These are generational investments. But what we have seen, I think, is some real movement by the federal government and a very significant change in terms of their approach. 06:05 Francis Bradley: Bill C-5, for example—the first piece of legislation that we saw moving through—that sent a real signal that the government was serious, as serious as you can be in a minority government situation. Short of changing a large number of laws, they essentially do a carve-out for those projects of national interest—or some people call them "PONIs," Projects of National Interest. So we saw addressing, trying to move that small set of projects more quickly through the process. We saw the establishment of the Major Projects Office as a kind of a concierge for these major projects. We saw the MOU with the province of Alberta also, I think, a sign that there is a real desire to see major projects move forward. 07:01 Francis Bradley: But the challenge here—and this is what I raised when I appeared before the parliamentary committee reviewing Bill C-5—is that's all well and good if you happen to be one of those PONIs. If you happen to be the proponent for one of these projects of national interest, that's terrific; you're able to move through this project more quickly. But you know, the reality is the vast majority of the projects that are going to make a difference for the electricity sector and ultimately for Canadian customers may not rise to that level of a Project of National Interest. And so, all of the concerns that we had previous to Bill C-5 really remain for the vast majority of projects that we're going to be facing. 07:44 Francis Bradley: So, yeah, have we seen movement? Yeah, I think we've seen pretty significant movement. We've seen all of the right signals, but as I said, the government can only go so far as a minority government. Now, that's today when we're recording this, but by the time this plays, we may not be in a minority government situation anymore. But that is the reality; it is difficult for the government to get legislation through as a minority, and I'm certainly pleased that one of the first priorities was addressing "how do we get projects built?" because that's something that we've been talking about for a long time. 08:24 Trevor Freeman: And do you see—you know, obviously Canada exists within the broader backdrop of global energy politics or the energy kind of situation? There's a lot going on there right now, of course, you know, conflict in energy-producing countries. Do you see us continuing to move forward on these? So, the last year was kind of a foundation setting, figuring out how to get major projects done, and now we're moving into hopefully implementation, or have we been knocked off course? Do you see something changing significantly in Canadian energy policy and politics as a result of what's happening globally? 09:03 Francis Bradley: Yeah, you know, again, a really good question, Trevor. Because certainly the short-term challenges that we've seen with now the war in the Middle East and the roiling of markets and the significant increase, I think if anything, it's going to prove to be an even greater impetus for us. I don't think it's going to slow us; it's probably going to get us to speed up. I think it certainly will with respect to our colleagues that are in the oil and gas space, but also for electricity. 09:37 Francis Bradley: I think it's going to increase the desire that people will have to see greater energy sovereignty in Canada. And so, a lot of the issues that we've been talking about with respect to building out, meeting the future demand, and getting things built were not directly addressing Canadian sovereignty, but they indirectly address Canadian sovereignty. And over the last year with the challenges with the Trump administration, suddenly questions around Canadian sovereignty are getting more traction. So yeah, I think what's happening in the world today—certainly the most recent past—is going to prove to be, I think, even more impetus for us to want to move and move expeditiously in this space. 10:24 Trevor Freeman: Yeah, I guess something that I think has become clear to folks outside of us who kind of are in the industry is just how tied our energy reality and energy policy is to what's happening globally. And to your point, kind of that global policy, global economics—it's all intertwined and probably people are paying attention to it more now than at least in recent memory. 10:48 Francis Bradley: Yeah, and the good news, at least with respect to electricity, is we are not tied to a world market for electricity and electricity pricing the way like the oil and gas and the price at the pump. If you're filling up your car—I don't fill up my car anymore, I drive electric. But I, you know, I've got family and colleagues that are filling up and I'm hearing, you know, already feeling pain at the pump, which is, you know, the reality of having an international world market. 11:21 Francis Bradley: Our electricity market thankfully doesn't get that kind of—of an impact as a result of those changes. However, what happens in the U.S. with respect to supply and reliability certainly affects us, and it's something that we're watching closely. You know, we've seen cancellations of offshore wind projects, for example, off the East Coast of the United States. You know, we've seen a step back from a number of different types of technologies in the U.S.. So, while international affairs are not necessarily making me as concerned directly with respect to electricity, the North American picture, though, is raising questions with respect to reliability. 11:58 Trevor Freeman: We always go to interesting places during these conversations, right, Francis? 12:02 Francis Bradley: We do, I know. And I kind of—you got my brain going here. Sometimes I like to go down a rabbit hole. 12:09 Trevor Freeman: Okay, so I think that's a good context setting. That's a good place to start to understand where we are, what's been kind of going on, who knows what's coming up. But I do want to spend the bulk of our conversation here talking about Electricity Canada's 2026 State of the Industry report, and the title of that report is "Forging Canada's Electricity Future". 12:31 Trevor Freeman: So, not to spend too much time on semantics, but in previous years, you've titled these reports "Build It," "Getting to Yes" was another example. This year you've chosen "Forging." Is there a play on words there? You know, we're moving into a more high-pressure, difficult phase of the energy transition? Is there anything that we should read into that title, or am I kind of just picking at straws here? 12:56 Francis Bradley: No, you're not. We've been very intentional in terms of what we've been titling our State of the Industry. And so, you know, we've seen an evolution in terms of the thematic approach that we've been taking to this report. And so, you know, when I moved into the role of CEO, we began producing sort of these annual snapshots of the sector. They're intended to kind of lay out what we see as the current state of the electricity sector in Canada and our prescriptions for, you know, what should be done to be able to address our challenges. 13:30 Francis Bradley: And you know, if I look back over the last several years—and you noted some of the thematic approaches we've had in the past—2019 we started with, you know, it was all about "Resilience". 2020 it was about "Transformation". 2021 it was "Renewal". 2022 everybody was talking about net zero, so our theme back then was "Accelerating to Net Zero". 2023, "Build It," you noted that. 2024 was "Getting to Yes," and you noted that one as well. That was an interesting report because it really did focus on—it seemed to have a culture of "no" when it comes to "can we get stuff done?" and it attempted to address that. 14:14 Francis Bradley: 2025, last year's report, you know, as you noted, we were in an interesting place this time last year. You know, we'd just come out of an election. So at the beginning of last year, we put out our annual State of the Industry and it was focused on—we called it "Electricity is Essential" and it really was kind of our election platform edition for electricity. 14:38 Francis Bradley: And yeah, here we are in 2026, so "Forging Canada's Electricity Future." And now, you know, we were very conscious; we wanted to use that term "forging". And forging is, as we note in the report at the very beginning, it means to create something strong and something lasting. So, for example, one forges steel, but you just bake a pie. So, like, we're talking about what is going to be long-lasting and sustainable in terms of our build-out for the future. 15:11 Francis Bradley: So, it isn't necessarily about higher pressure, but it's that it's time to build. It's time to build now, but it's time to build stuff that is going to be enduring, especially given the moment we're in. And that moment includes—well, some things that we haven't seen for a while: federal-provincial-territorial consensus on the need to address long-term electricity needs. 15:37 Francis Bradley: You know, as I mentioned a little bit earlier, we've got people in the key offices in Ottawa, for example, that actually understand the electricity sector, and a federal government that has said that they're going to be introducing very soon—by the time this airs, it's probably already out there—a federal strategy with respect to electricity, something that we've been asking for for a while. So, it isn't necessarily about pressure; it's more about building something that is enduring and something that will last and something that is sustainable given the sort of the time and place that we find ourselves in. 16:15 Trevor Freeman: And in light of that, like looking at the fact that we are hopefully moving into this period of building, of growing, you know, something that jumps out from the report is trust in electricity companies. So, you note that trust is at an all-time high in the players in the sector, even as a majority of Canadians are feeling, you know, to put it in quotes, "financially paralyzed"—and that's from a 2025 RBC study. Trust isn't usually a word that we use for large institutions, large organizations, which a lot of our energy companies are. Why do you think that Canadians are feeling an all-time high in trust in their utilities right now, maybe more so than other parts of the sector? And how do we protect that trust, and I'm thinking especially as we move into periods of growth, periods of change in the industry? How do we protect that? 17:08 Francis Bradley: Yeah, trust is—it's an interesting concept, particularly with sort of institutions when we're approaching it from that perspective. So, you know, what we're talking about here in the report is a specific measure on favorability, and the favorability towards electricity companies specifically. And so, this comes from the polling work that we do, the annual polling that we undertake on behalf of the sector. 17:39 Francis Bradley: Now, polling is interesting; public opinion research is interesting. Almost 40 years ago, when I was hired into this sector, I was hired at the Canadian Electrical Association at the time specifically because of the work that I'd previously and quite recently been doing in public opinion research in the oil and gas sector. So, you know, when we've got questions about what our polling is, I bring both some historical perspectives and I perhaps bring some biases to these conversations. 18:13 Francis Bradley: So, what is trust and why are we suddenly seeing this upswing in favorability? So, my take on it is that it's all about reliability. My take is that favorability is being driven, I think, partially by extreme weather of all things. Because, you know, the last time we saw favorability ratings this high was following the ice storm in Eastern Canada in 1998. 18:41 Francis Bradley: So, customers are seeing electricity companies now, today, keeping the lights on, restoring power following extreme weather events. And they're being told by the media, and they see it and read it everywhere, that weather events are becoming more frequent, they're becoming more extreme, and yet the companies are maintaining reliability. And that is something I think the customer is feeling. 19:10 Francis Bradley: So, like, if you think of sort of a hierarchy of needs from a customer's perspective of what they need from an electricity company—and while, you know, it's going to differ from person to person in terms of what the ordering is going to be—I can guarantee that the top three will be environmental impact, cost, and reliability. And of those three, that last one is actually the first one: reliability. For the customer, they want all of the different attributes that you get from electricity, but the one thing that is non-negotiable is reliability; the lights need to stay on. 19:48 Francis Bradley: And you know, I approach this based upon the work that I've done, as I said, historically. I recall doing focus groups in the spring of 1998 following the ice storm, when we saw the last really major surge in favorability. And I was asking customers about their views, and you know, at the time, as I said, you've got people that are suddenly more favorable towards the sector. 20:13 Francis Bradley: And what I was getting in the focus groups, in the conversations, was people had seen a lot of images on television news and on the cover of newspapers and magazines back when people actually had hard copies of newspapers and magazines. Of images of crews doing heroic things—you know, like hanging off of helicopters, working on lines, and so on. And so, you know, I really do think there is a direct relation between people's favorability of the sector and their perception that given that reliability is so critically important, we as a sector seem to be doing really good stuff. And, you know, they continue to see images on the net as opposed to necessarily in hard copy newspapers of the sector doing incredibly, you know, difficult and challenging things to make sure that the lights stay on for customers. 21:12 Francis Bradley: But of course, it isn't all about simply favorability, and as I said, it's reliability, it's environment, and its cost. And the biggest challenge outside of that, I think over the long term, is going to be the whole question around affordability and cost to the customer. So, you know, you're asking what's driving it, I think it's reliability, but what's the major challenge going forward? I think it's going to be all about affordability for the customer. 21:40 Trevor Freeman: Yeah, it's this interesting, almost ironic feature of extreme weather, of these major outage events—and you know, I'm speaking from Ottawa, we've had our share in the last number of years, let me tell you—that it does force the customers to think more about what it takes to keep the lights on. And if everything's running smoothly and there's no bumps in the road at all, it almost gets forgotten a little bit. But it takes those big events to sort of bring that back to the forefront and there's inconvenience, of course, in the outage, but it also helps people to understand, yeah, this is what is required for this, you know, a grid that is complex and difficult to keep up and running. 22:24 Trevor Freeman: So, I kind of hear what you're saying, affordability you've highlighted a couple times there in the last little bit, and that's kind of where I want to go next. That continues to be top of mind for customers, and you've highlighted it, we hear that from our customers, we see that in the kind of conversations that we're having with our customers. Electricity Canada runs a national customer survey; back in 2024, 84% of respondents to your survey said that an increase in my electricity bill would have a major impact on my finances. So, you know, customers are saying, we'll feel it if electricity bills go up. 23:02 Trevor Freeman: And there's a tension in that because for the foreseeable future, affordability and the need to invest in the grid to build, to grow—we talk about that a lot on the show about how we kind of need to allow for more capacity, accept more distributed energy resources—those two things are going to be in tension with each other. How can utilities manage that, work with other stakeholders—for example, like various levels of government—how do we work together to ensure that the need to expand and invest in the grid doesn't impact rates too dramatically and impact affordability that customers say is so important? 23:44 Francis Bradley: Yeah, and that's the—that's the, you know, that's I think probably the most fundamental challenge that the sector is going to face in the years ahead, the whole challenge around affordability. But sort of I come at this in a bit of a different way, and that is not, you know, not the question of what the customer is paying but what the customer should be paying versus the taxpayer, right? 24:14 Francis Bradley: And so, the question I have is, you know, shouldn't we be looking at treating electricity as part of our core infrastructure? Right? And you know, we've actually started to have conversations around this with respect to our, you know, our defense spending targets. We're going to go from 2 to 3.5%, but that includes, you know, sort of all the supporting infrastructure for defense. Well, geez, shouldn't that actually include, you know, the defense infrastructure, the defense critical electricity infrastructure? 24:49 Francis Bradley: So, you know, if we're thinking about infrastructure and electricity being part of the core infrastructure, as we do with roads or ports or public transit, for example—core infrastructure that is required to enable the economic prosperity of the country—then we shouldn't be looking at relying solely on the kilowatt-hours paid by customers. Because this isn't simply, you know, delivering electricity to a customer; it is ensuring that we have the infrastructure that the economy as a whole needs. 25:27 Francis Bradley: So, you know, just like transit users today, when they buy their transit pass, are not paying 100% of the cost because we recognize that that's actually part of core infrastructure for a country and it needs tax-based funding. So, you know, we need to be looking at more creative ways to be able to address what that funding gap is going to be. 25:54 Francis Bradley: You know, we've got existing tools; we've got the clean technology and clean electricity investment tax credits, we've got the Canada Infrastructure Bank, we've got indigenous loan guarantees—there's a number of other programs that the federal government has in place. But we're going to need to do a lot more if we're going to actually look at kind of growing the Canadian economy and bringing in the investments of basically $2 trillion over the next 25 years. All of that $2 trillion can't go on the rate base, right? But by the same token, when you look at every other piece of core infrastructure that we've got, it is paid for by a mix of user fees and tax base because this is what one does as a nation—one supports the core infrastructure that we've got. So, I think that's how we're going to have to address this in the future. It is kind of having a clear understanding of what one does as a country for our infrastructure, and so it should be paid for as infrastructure as opposed to consumption of electricity by consumers. 27:01 Trevor Freeman: Now, in Canada—like a lot of other jurisdictions—energy is a provincial jurisdiction. So, the kind of change and change in thinking that you're talking about, it's not just one conversation you need to have with the federal government across the country; you're talking about multiple different stakeholders and players and trying to move that conversation. How do you go about that? And I know you're not starting from scratch; this is a conversation you've been having for a while. What does that change look like in a country like Canada where we've got so many different jurisdictions? 27:37 Francis Bradley: Yeah, well, you know, we've done this before. And we've done this with other sectors. No, I mean we have, right? You quite rightly point out that electricity is a provincial responsibility according to the Canadian Constitution. But guess what? So is health. So is public—I mentioned public transit. You know, when we build the next LRT line, it's not going to be all paid for by transit users in Ontario. Some of it is going to be paid for by the provincial government and some of it is going to be paid for by the federal government. You're not seeing any major transit infrastructure in this country—and that is not a federal responsibility—not being built today without some federal contribution. 28:23 Francis Bradley: So, we're not starting from zero from a conceptual standpoint; we do this with many other sectors, but it is those sectors that we know are the kind of the core infrastructure that we require as a country, you know, from health care to public transit to roads and so on. And the conversations are not, you know, not just starting tomorrow, right? These are conversations that have been going on for quite some time. 28:50 Francis Bradley: But yeah, you know, it's interesting when talking to folks that don't spend a lot of time in this space, they ask, like you did, they ask the question, "Wait a second, this is provincial responsibility, isn't it going to be just like an absolute bear to try and have this conversation?" Yeah, not so much. It's like, this is—we've had this conversation on a whole pile of other files where we recognized that we needed a more holistic approach and a national approach that brings together the federal government, the provincial government, the regional municipal governments, and the local community. 29:26 Trevor Freeman: Great. So, pulling on that same thread, regulatory constraints—we all like to talk about regulatory constraints, it's a reality in our industry. The report talks about this being a system that chooses delays. So, tell me a little bit about that and about some of the specific challenges that utilities are hitting right now when they're trying to get projects moving, trying to get things off the ground, and what do you recommend, what does Electricity Canada recommend to streamline that process and get things moving? 30:00 Francis Bradley: Right. So, you know, and we talked earlier about some of the themes of the previous reports—one of them was thematically called "Getting to Yes". Because yeah, I mean, at least our view is by and large the approval regimes that we've got for projects in this country are biased towards figuring out how to turn down projects. You know, what are all of the ways that one can say no, as opposed to like, how do we actually get to yes, and how do we use these—and that isn't to say that it should automatically be a yes or automatically be a no. It should be a clear process that isn't biased one way or the other. 30:41 Francis Bradley: And also, you know, the way we've kind of built this system over the years, we've got multiple levels of government—we were chatting about that just a moment ago with respect to funding—from municipal to regional to provincial and territorial and federal government. And on any project, there's requirement, there's regulations, and there's requirement for approvals and need for coordination, and so inevitably right off the bat, it's going to result in delays. Delays, as I always like to point out to people, delays mean costs—additional costs, additional costs are borne by the customer. So, you know, if we can address this, it also helps us to address the question that we were talking about earlier about affordability. 31:30 Francis Bradley: Right? Like, how long does it take to get a major project built? Depending upon the kind of project that you're talking about, it can be decades or more. So, you know, to what degree can we simplify this? We've got duplication—federal and provincial processes. As well as, in addition to that duplication and different layers, we've got unnecessary regulatory actions that crop up, and the example that I often use—because it's a real head-scratcher for me—is a couple of years ago, the federal government changed the Fisheries Act. 32:07 Francis Bradley: And the Fisheries Act now protects fish as opposed to protecting fisheries. And that sounds like a fairly simple esoteric issue, but it is massively now complicating the licensing and the relicensing even of existing facilities when their licensing comes up. So, by—it wasn't intentional to make it that much more complicated, but it is almost impossible right now to license a hydro facility. There are very few hydro facilities that are currently compliant with this new Fisheries Act that protects individual fish as opposed to fish populations. I don't know, maybe part of the problem is the word fish is both singular and plural, but that just gives you a little more complication for when lawyers get involved in this. 32:59 Francis Bradley: So, listen, what do we need, right? For years, we've had, in four or five years in a row, either in the federal budget or in the fall economic statements or in other pronouncements by the government of Canada, a promise to bring in a "one project, one approval" regime, which sounds great, but we haven't gotten there yet. And it's something that keeps getting promised year after year after year. We need to get to that one project, one approval regime. 33:34 Francis Bradley: And then the other thing is the federal government has also now committed—they introduced it in Bill C-5 for the projects of national interest—a two-year federal approval timeline for major projects. Well, we actually need that for all projects, not just those "PONIs," not just those projects of national interest. We should have a federal timeline on all projects. Again, which isn't to say that every project gets approved within two years, but like, if it's going to get a thumbs up or a thumbs down, you need to know in a reasonable amount of time so that you can figure out what the alternative will be if it's a thumbs down. 34:16 Francis Bradley: So, you know, I think it's just as reasonable to say we need to know if we're getting approval, but we also need to know if we're not getting approved so that alternatives—and that needs to be done in a timely manner. And so the federal government has permitted, has committed to like this two-year timeline for projects of national interest; we'd like to see that across the board—federal government, provincial governments as well—for all projects. We've got the Major Projects Office that's been set up; I'm certain that already there's lessons that are being learned from the Major Projects Office. Well, let's draw those lessons and apply them to all projects, not projects of national interest. 35:00 Francis Bradley: Red tape reduction—we've heard of desires to ensure that we're looking at opportunities—well, that should be a continuous and ongoing process. And then finally, duplication between the federal government and the provinces—we need to eliminate that duplication. You know, for example, even on things as simple as environmental assessments—well, pick one, right? Let's get an agreement between both levels of government that one project, one review for that project will be sufficient. And so the feds can recognize the provincial process, the provincial can recognize the federal—one or the other as opposed to having multiple levels of government essentially doing the same work over and over again. And again, as I said earlier, as you well know, Trevor, these additional costs land in one place and one place only right now, and that's on the ratepayer, that's on the customer. 35:56 Trevor Freeman: And it's that double cost of the additional time and effort necessary as well as delaying whatever kind of economic activity the customer might be waiting for, which kind of ties into my next question here of we're seeing more and more—and this has always been the case but maybe it's just a little bit more on the forefront now—the importance of energy for economic development, for attracting investment and business. And that's true in our service territory absolutely as well as others. So, supply chain challenges have cropped up in the last little while and are getting into the mix and causing some of those delays. In order to move forward, what can the federal government do to bolster supply chains? Is it bringing more things domestically? Are there other tools that they have at their disposal? How do we go about addressing the supply chain challenge? 36:52 Francis Bradley: Yeah, and this is a real issue—as you know from your perch at Hydro Ottawa—it's a challenge for even a company such as yours and it's right across the sector. The delays and the time that it takes to get into the queue to get particularly for large pieces of equipment, but even for some of the smaller stuff, is simply becoming more and more challenging. We thought it was a COVID-19 blip, but it wasn't, right? I mean, it is continuing, it is persisting six years later; the supply chains remain as challenged as they were, probably even more so. I mean, a couple of years ago we saw a ship get stuck sideways in the Suez Canal and it affected supply chains for every sector right across the globe. 37:46 Francis Bradley: So yeah, you know, we need to be addressing this. So what we're proposing is we look at the establishment of what we're calling a Canadian Electricity Supply Chain Roadmap. This, done in partnership with the federal government, electricity companies, suppliers, and so on—everybody that's got a stake in this—to take a more systematic and collaborative and cooperative approach to addressing supply chains, and come together to identify those opportunities to do some of the things that you mentioned. You know, what about domestic production on some of these things? What about domestic production in those areas where we've got the potential for exports as well? So that would be potentially not only an ability to address a supply chain issue, but also to look at economic opportunities for Canadian businesses. 38:43 Francis Bradley: And can we look at leveraging some of the existing tools that we've got and repurpose them so that they are focused on addressing what would be identified as needing to be in that supply chain roadmap? Let's leverage tools such as tax credits, Business Development Canada, Export Development Canada, the Canada Growth Fund. So, you know, it'd be interesting if there were other venues and other opportunities, but we have existing tools; we're just not, I think, focusing them directly and specifically with respect to the supply chain requirements for the electricity sector and we should be looking at doing that. And you know, the challenges—I've spent time with the steel producers, for example—it is fascinating to try and get a sense of what those challenges are for the partners that we've got, whether it's steel or aluminum or finished products or transformers; it is endlessly complex, evolving, and so you know, we really do think developing some kind of a clear roadmap with all of the stakeholders would benefit the sector as a whole. 39:56 Trevor Freeman: Yeah, I mean certainly those challenges are ubiquitous across multiple sectors, and I think the one thing that we do find is when we bring up the challenges we're having with our customers or potential customers, they all get it, it's not a surprise. They don't sit there kind of surprised to hear that oh, it's going to take us this much time to bring in that transformer because they're going through some of those same challenges and I think the need is cross-cutting to address it. Another input, of course, into any sector and certainly the electricity industry is just the human capital required—the skilled labor required on the design side, on the construction side. Your report recommends establishing a Federal Industry Workforce Advisory Council. What would the priority be for that council and how do you help the utility industry compete against other industries that are also out there kind of participating in this war on talent trying to get the best and brightest into their sectors? 41:03 Francis Bradley: Yeah, no, I mean it is definitely a challenge. It's something that we've been addressing for, geez, probably two decades now at the association. We helped establish Electricity Human Resources Canada back in the day; it was spun off from some of our activities we'd done previously. So, you know, this is an area that we've been particularly concerned about in the sector for, well, as I say, you know, 20 years, it's been a generation that we've seen this challenge coming and we know it's on its way. 41:38 Francis Bradley: We are seeing, I think, some very good work in this space—I did mention Electricity Human Resources Canada; they do some terrific work, they are absolutely a critical stakeholder, increasingly a thought leader in this space. But you know, as you note, we have a very specific ask in our State of the Industry and that is getting the federal government to pull together a senior-level advisory committee with representatives from industry associations, from unions, from training providers, from the sector as a whole, to discuss these emerging labor market issues, to review the forecasts. 42:18 Francis Bradley: They need to address strategies, and so the mandate needs to be very specific: ongoing review, monitoring, and improvement of our workforce mechanisms to ensure that they remain adaptive and responsive to labor market realities. And so, this is not something that the sector and the electricity companies themselves control; this is something that requires the collaboration and participation of governments with respect to the policies that they bring forward, with unions, and with the training providers. 42:55 Trevor Freeman: Yeah, and as we look at sort of that next generation—you talk about this being a generational challenge—it's one thing to attract the skilled workers of today, it's another to bring up and build those skill sets. We talk about that a lot on the show about how we kind of need to build those skill sets. So, a bit of a platform for you here: why should someone consider that career in the electricity industry? What's the hook? What's the thing that you would convince them to come? I kind of know what my pitch is, but I'm curious to hear what yours is. 43:29 Francis Bradley: All right. Well, listen, I mean, like, sort of on the first piece, you know, I think this is where the adaptive and responsive comes into play. That advisory council I talked about I think would be able to recommend how we adjust and how we adapt our programs to further, you know, promote the sector. But why would I recommend somebody in this sector, and who would I begin with? Absolutely. 43:56 Francis Bradley: I mean, first off, I mean, this is a sector where we're going to see massive growth. We know that it is coming; we know that we're going to see a doubling of demand out to 2050. And so, with that massive growth, the prospects for skilled trades, the prospects for anybody in this sector is very bright. 44:21 Francis Bradley: And you know, one of the other things as well that I'd like to point out is we hear a lot of talk about how AI is going to massively change the workforce of the future. But when we're talking about skilled trades, you know, AI can do a lot of things, but ChatGPT is never going to be able to climb a pole, swing a hammer, or install an insulator. So, you know, not only is this a sector where the growth is going to be very significant over the next 25 years, it's also one where we know we actually need people to do these things. 44:54 Francis Bradley: And these are, you know, for a certain type of person, this is really cool and interesting stuff. So, you know, whether it is in the skilled trades or people in the technologies, this is a sector that has some really interesting, fascinating career choices and they're ones that, you know, the ChatGPT is not going to be taking away from you. 45:18 Trevor Freeman: Yeah, and it is this—the sector is evolving, it's innovating, it's changing, but to your point, we still need that traditional infrastructure. We need that growth, there will be more poles and wires, there will be cooler technology to work on, but we still need folks to install them. And something that I tell people that are interested—you know, a lot of younger folks coming up are really passionate about the environment, climate change—this is a great sector for that. This is a great spot to focus on that; the electricity industry is the, you know, tip of the spear when it comes to addressing climate change—electricity is the solution. 46:01 Francis Bradley: And it will continue to be so well into the future. Yeah, no, absolutely couldn't agree more. 46:07 Trevor Freeman: So, pivoting then to climate change, and we're seeing we've talked here a couple times about the increase in severe weather events, you know, wildfires in parts of the country. Utilities are facing this challenge of not only meeting growing demand but also meeting it in a harsher environment—I think there's no better way to say it—our grid needs to be more resilient and people are relying on it even more. What are some of the recommendations that you've identified on how utilities adapt to this changing world and become more resilient? 46:46 Francis Bradley: Yeah, well, you know, you're right, the conditions, the extreme weather that we're facing is not something that's going to go away. I find it interesting that I think every six months we add something new to the lexicon to try and just describe how crazy the weather has gotten—you know, like atmospheric rivers and heat domes and... 47:09 Trevor Freeman: Derecho! 47:11 Francis Bradley: Yeah, right, like when did we—I never heard of a derecho until it ripped through, I don't know, how many thousands of poles it tore up through Ottawa. Exactly. So, you know, this stuff is real and it's evolving. 47:25 Francis Bradley: And so, yeah, what are we proposing? We've kind of got three big asks in this area. The first one is we need to do a review of those federal and provincial legal frameworks. Do we have the appropriate protections related to industry-caused ignitions as we say? So, you know, if inadvertent but there is a spark from infrastructure that causes, for example, a fire, you know, do we actually have legal frameworks that can address this in a way that doesn't simply go in and bankrupt a company as happened in California? So we're supporting work in this space. 48:06 Francis Bradley: Second, we want to establish formal coordination mechanisms between our sector and—it may sound a little esoteric for us sitting here in downtown Ottawa—but Parks Canada, to address vegetation management on federal lands. There is a lot of federal land particularly, for example, in the Rockies, but not exclusively; there's lots of other parts of this country where there's vast swaths of land that is owned by Parks Canada that our infrastructure transits through, and so we need better coordination mechanisms. And we saw that frankly with respect to the fire in Jasper a couple of years ago that we could and need to do a lot better in terms of our coordination. 48:54 Francis Bradley: And then finally, we're suggesting looking at a resiliency tax credit or some kind of a targeted funding program to support weather hardening of electricity infrastructure, to protect the system from growing exposure to extreme weather. To cover off all of those things, whether it's wildfires or ice storms or windstorms or floods or tornadoes. You know, again, it kind of comes back to that concept of this is core infrastructure; there are some things that actually should be tax-supported, and weather hardening of our core infrastructure is something that we should be thinking about. Is that should be on the bills of customers, or is that something that as a country we need to address? 49:43 Trevor Freeman: Great. So Francis, as we wrap up our conversation here—you know, if we go to the end of your State of the Industry report, you've got 18 recommendations. We're not going to go through each one individually. Is there one that rises above the rest, or let me put this a different way: if you could sum up or distill this kind of entire report into a key takeaway or a key action item, what would that be? How do you kind of wrap all this up in a bow, which I know is a difficult thing to do for such a comprehensive report as this? 50:23 Francis Bradley: Right. So, you're actually asking two questions there: is there one I want to point out or and what's the wrap-up? I mean, if there was one thing of those 18 that I'd say, "Please in the next 12 months, for goodness' sake, at least do this one thing," it would be reforming the Fisheries Act, and I mentioned that earlier. Because right now, it focuses on individual fish as opposed to the impact on fish populations. So, that's one if I wanted one that I think should be fairly easy to address and to move forward with, it would be that one, which I think was number two on the list. 51:03 Francis Bradley: But you know, of all of the 18, they're all about "can we get our stuff built?" and "can we get it done in a timely manner because the customer is counting on us?" So, you know, if one of those encapsulates that, I would say it's probably the first one, which, though talks, specifically to this two-year federal approval timeline. Thematically, what it's all about is we have to move and we have to move quickly, but we have to do it in a collaborative manner. 51:35 Francis Bradley: But you know, in the end here, what we're talking about is demand is going to double in the next 25 years. We need to invest $2 trillion. So let's do this in a manner that is sustainable and enduring, so not piecemeal, not piece by piece. So that kind of brings me back full circle to the very beginning of this report: "Forging Canada's Electricity Future." Forging is to create something strong and lasting through effort. And so I think thematically it's "let's build sustainably and in an enduring manner and not piecemeal". So, let's forge. 52:13 Trevor Freeman: I had planned on wrapping this up with inviting you back on the show a year from now to kind of talk about where we go, but you've recently announced that you're retiring soon—the next sort of few months are going to be wrapping up your time at Electricity Canada. So first of all, congratulations on that. 52:32 Francis Bradley: Thank you. 52:33 Trevor Freeman: The invitation stands, so you're welcome to come back out of retirement to come on the show and check in with where we are, and so the invitation will remain open. 52:43 Francis Bradley: Well, and as you know, I do a podcast, and I may continue to do my podcast on the future of electricity beyond that. Remains to be seen. 52:54 Trevor Freeman: That's great. Well, I hope that on your show, on this show, we'll be able to talk through how some of these things that we're discussing now, how they've been implemented, how they've actually moved forward and we're able to see some results in that. Francis, thanks so much for coming on the show. Always appreciate your insight and appreciate you being here and looking forward to chatting again soon. 53:18 Francis Bradley: Awesome, always great to chat. Thanks for the invitation. 53:21 Trevor Freeman: Take care. 53:26 Trevor Freeman: Thanks for tuning in to another episode of the Think Energy podcast. Don't forget to subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts and it would be great if you could leave us a review—it really helps us to spread the word. As always, we would love to hear from you, whether it's feedback, comments, or an idea for a show or a guest. You can always reach us at thinkenergy@hydroottawa.com.

In this introductory episode to our Isaiah series, we explore how Isaiah functions as a microcosm of the biblical story itself. The book of Isaiah has long been called a Bible within the Bible - and for good reason. With its 66 chapters mirroring the 66 books of Scripture and its structural division into 39 chapters followed by 27, echoing the Old and New Testaments, Isaiah offers a sweeping vision of judgment and hope, sin and restoration, exile and salvation. We begin in Isaiah 1:1, where the prophet situates his ministry across the reigns of multiple Judean kings, spanning roughly 30–40 years of political upheaval and spiritual decline. Isaiah does not arise from the margins. Unlike some prophets who emerge from rural obscurity, Isaiah appears to operate near the royal court and priestly establishment. He speaks from the center of power, likely with access to scribes and disciples who preserved and shaped his prophetic legacy.Thematically, like his contemporary prophet Micah, Isaiah confronts injustice, idolatry, and false security - warning of coming captivity while simultaneously unveiling breathtaking visions of future restoration and glorification.We explore Isaiah's distinctive conception of God - especially his repeated use of the titles “Lord of Hosts” and “Holy One of Israel.” These are not abstract theological labels. They directly address Judah's twin crises: military threat and moral corruption. The Lord of Hosts commands the armies of heaven; the Holy One of Israel confronts the defilement of His covenant people. The very nature of God becomes the answer to both their political anxiety and their spiritual disease.Yet Isaiah is not only a prophet of critique. He is a prophet of hope. His visions stretch beyond judgment to a coming Servant and King, a renewed Zion, and the inclusion of the nations.Finally, we conclude by exploring the meaning of Isaiah's name: “YHWH is Salvation.” The Hebrew concept of salvation (yeshua) carries the sense of being released from constriction, pressure, confinement - of being brought out into spaciousness and freedom, which is reflected in the name of Jesus - Yeshua. This episode sets the stage for a journey through one of the most theologically rich and powerful books in Scripture, one that prepares us to see Jesus more clearly and to understand the fullness of God's saving work in him more accurately.Welcome to Isaiah.Key Passages: Isaiah 1:1Matthew 1:20-21Explainer⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Video⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ on how to use ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.biblehub.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.blueletterbible.org⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Leave us a question or comment at our ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠website podcast page⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

Linktree: ⁠⁠https://linktr.ee/Analytic⁠⁠Join The Normandy For Ad-Free NME, Additional Bonus Audio And Visual Content For All Things Nme+! Join Here:⁠⁠ ⁠⁠https://ow.ly/msoH50WCu0K⁠⁠In this segment of Notorious Mass Effect, Analytic Dreamz delivers a detailed breakdown of Reanimal, the gripping co-op horror adventure from Tarsier Studios, creators of Little Nightmares I & II. Released February 13, 2026, by THQ Nordic, this spiritual successor plunges players into a war-torn island as two orphaned siblings (brother and sister) rescue missing friends from mutated animal-human hybrids. Experience environmental puzzle-solving, stealth, platforming, tense pursuits, light combat, and boat-based traversal across 9 linear chapters (roughly 45–60 minutes each). Standout features include a shared directed camera for heightened tension in local/online co-op or single-player with AI assist, haunting hand-crafted environments, grotesque mutations, and cosmetics like pre-order masks. Completion times average 4.5 hours for main story, 5 hours main + sides, and 7.5–8 hours completionist. Launch saw 24,309 peak concurrent players on Steam, 384,000 units sold ($12.3M revenue), and strong wishlists. Critically acclaimed with Metacritic/OpenCritic scores of 79–84/100 and 81/100 (84% recommendation), praised for visuals, audio, co-op tension, and refined formula, though noted for short runtime and some repetitive elements. Community faced early PC review bombing over delayed Friend's Pass (now resolved, Steam positivity 74–86%), plus launch bugs addressed in Patch 1.5. Thematically, it explores cycles of trauma and warfare with ambiguous, interpretive storytelling—darker and more grounded than predecessors. Analytic Dreamz assesses Reanimal as a commercially successful, critically solid title that reinforces Tarsier as a top atmospheric horror developer, despite technical hurdles at launch. Perfect for fans seeking intense, tightly designed horror.  Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/analytic-dreamz-notorious-mass-effect/exclusive-contentPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Following on from an accomplished debut EP release that garnered praise from the likes of 13th Floor, The Listener and muzic.nz, Fiona & The Glow returns with an Indie-Pop heater ahead of their mainstage debut at Rhythm & Alps Festival.I ADORE's driving piano melodies act as a fitting counterpoint to Fiona's empowered vocals, while glistening lines of shimmering guitar float over the propulsive rhythm section's lock-step grooves. Thematically, the single celebrates keeping pace with the mundane while wrestling to get the best out of the ordinary.

Linktree: ⁠https://linktr.ee/Analytic⁠Join The Normandy For Ad-Free NME, Additional Bonus Audio And Visual Content For All Things Nme+! Join Here:⁠ ⁠⁠https://ow.ly/msoH50WCu0K⁠Analytic Dreamz unpacks the explosive new single "Made It On Our Own" by Yeat and EsDeeKid in this segment. Dropped February 27, 2026 (with some reports noting February 26 evening rollout), this marks the first-ever collaboration between Portland's Yeat and Liverpool's rising star EsDeeKid. The track serves as the lead single from Yeat's upcoming album ADL (A Dangerous Lyfe), his follow-up to 2024's Lyfestyle, with no release date announced yet.The official music video, directed by Director X, was filmed inside Drake's exclusive Toronto mansion (The Embassy)—a rarely seen high-profile location. Yeat and EsDeeKid deliver bars amid luxurious interiors, with cameos from NFL quarterback Caleb Williams and Cole Bennett. Drake doesn't appear physically but makes an indirect impact via a phone call scene at the end, adding a symbolic co-sign layer given Yeat's prior feature on Drake's "Dog House" from Iceman.Thematically, "Made It On Our Own" celebrates independent success, underground-to-mainstream breakthroughs, and defying industry norms—aligning both artists as boundary-pushing alt-rap forces. Yeat has teased ADL as boundary-shattering, dangerous-life inspired, and sonically transformative. EsDeeKid, fresh off his October 2025 debut album Rebel (which charted on Billboard 200) and a December 2025 "4 Raws" remix with Timothée Chalamet, brings UK flair and BRIT Breakthrough Artist nomination buzz.The release generated massive streams—1.5 million first-day on Spotify, Yeat's career-high for a single and the week's top hip-hop debut. Analytic Dreamz dives into the transatlantic chemistry, Drake connection symbolism, visual flexes, career momentum, and what this means for Yeat's evolving sound and EsDeeKid's global push.Tune in for the full breakdown on Analytic Dreamz—raw rap culture analysis.Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/analytic-dreamz-notorious-mass-effect/exclusive-contentPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Have any questions, insights, or feedback? Send me a text!Length: 58 minutesSynopsis: This evening (2/25/26), in our Wednesday night Tehilim shiur, we concluded our analysis of Tehilim 29. After reviewing the text and the original approach we came up with last week, we delved into R. Elia di Nola's commentary, inspired by Sforno. While I prefer our original interpretation in isolation, R. Elia di Nola's take fits right into the way we've been learning the "Kabbalas Shabbos perakim," despite not being part of the 90-100 set of "Moshe Rabbeinu chapters." The ideas we arrived at were simultaneously aspirational and depressing, depending on your perspective. Either way, I'm happy we landed the plane! The plan for the next few Wednesdays is to do something Pesach/Haggadah themed. Let me know if you have any requests!-----מקורות:תהלים כטספורנור' אליה די נולה - שיעורי עובדיה ספורנו-----The Torah content for the month of February is sponsored by the Koffsky family in memory of Adira Rose Koffsky a”h, whose third yahrzeit is on the 11th of Shvat. Adira was a gifted writer, a deep thinker, and an exceptionally kind soul. I am grateful to have been able to call her my student.תְּהֵא נִשְׁמָתָהּ צְרוּרָה בִּצְרוֹר הַחַיִּים (May her soul be bound up in the bundle of life.)-----If you've gained from what you've learned here, please consider contributing to my Patreon at www.patreon.com/rabbischneeweiss. Alternatively, if you would like to make a direct contribution to the "Rabbi Schneeweiss Torah Content Fund," my Venmo is @Matt-Schneeweiss, and my Zelle and PayPal are mattschneeweiss at gmail. Even a small contribution goes a long way to covering the costs of my podcasts, and will provide me with the financial freedom to produce even more Torah content for you.If you would like to sponsor a day's or a week's worth of content, or if you are interested in enlisting my services as a teacher or tutor, you can reach me at rabbischneeweiss at gmail. Thank you to my listeners for listening, thank you to my readers for reading, and thank you to my supporters for supporting my efforts to make Torah ideas available and accessible to everyone.-----Substack: rabbischneeweiss.substack.com/YU Torah: yutorah.org/teachers/Rabbi-Matt-SchneeweissPatreon: patreon.com/rabbischneeweissYouTube Channel: youtube.com/rabbischneeweissInstagram: instagram.com/rabbischneeweiss/"The Stoic Jew" Podcast: thestoicjew.buzzsprout.com"Machshavah Lab" Podcast: machshavahlab.buzzsprout.com"The Mishlei Podcast": mishlei.buzzsprout.com"Rambam Bekius" Podcast: rambambekius.buzzsprout.com"The Tefilah Podcast": tefilah.buzzsprout.comOld Blog: kolhaseridim.blogspot.com/WhatsApp Content Hub (where I post all my content and announce my public classes): https://chat.whatsapp.com/GEB1EPIAarsELfHWuI2k0HAmazon Wishlist: amazon.com/hz/wishlist/ls/Y72CSP86S24W?ref_=wl_sharel

“We're all in this together.” Join Ian, Megs & Kev for our 318th episode as we lace up the Wildcats, grab the basketball (and the sheet music), and head back to East High for Disney Channel's cultural phenomenon High School Musical (2006). It's jazz hands, jump shots, and mid-2000s sincerity this week — and yes, we're absolutely committing to the choreography. This week we discuss: The lightning-in-a-bottle appeal — how a made-for-TV movie became a generational event - especially for one member of the panel. Zac Efron and Vanessa Hudgens — chemistry, charisma, and the myth-making of teen stardom.  Does Hudgens get enough credit for the success of the franchise? Ashley Tisdale's Sharpay Evans — villain, icon, or misunderstood theatre kid with ambition? Is she too good to dislike? Megs breaks down the musical structure — why the songs are catchier than they have any right to be, and which ones still slap. The team talks about the difficulty about the audition process - on both sides of the equation  We talk about the differences in social cliques in the North American school system versus the British school system Ian talks about how the whole plot is a conceit that he can't fully buy into - but why? Thematically — identity, peer pressure, and the fear of stepping outside the box. Why this simple message resonated so hard. The “show, don't tell” debate — does the film trust visual storytelling, or does it lean on dialogue and lyrics to do the heavy lifting? The Disney machine — how the film's success reshaped the network's future output. The ending performance — triumphant, predictable, or perfectly engineered for maximum serotonin? And finally, whether High School Musical is the Best Film Ever — or simply the most aggressively rewatchable Disney Channel Original Movie ever made. Become a Patron of this podcast and support the BFE at https://www.patreon.com/BFE We are extremely thankful to our following Patrons for their most generous support: Juleen from It Goes Down In The PM Hermes Auslander James DeGuzman Synthia Shai Bergerfroind Ariannah Who Loves BFE The Most Paul Komoroski Andy Dickson Chris Pedersen Duane Smith (Duane Smith!) Randal Silva Nate The Great Rev Bruce Cheezy (with a fish on a bike) Richard Ryan Kuketz Dirk Diggler Stew from the Stew World Order podcast NorfolkDomus John Humphrey's Right Foot Timmy Tim Tim Aashrey Youth Hosteling with Chris Eubank Buy some BFE merch at https://my-store-b4e4d4.creator-spring.com/. Massive thanks to Lex Van Den Berghe for the use of Mistake by Luckydog. Catch more from Lex's new band, The Maids of Honor, at https://soundcloud.com/themaidsofhonor Also, massive thanks to Moonlight Social for our age game theme song. You can catch more from them at https://www.moonlightsocialmusic.com/

Linktree: ⁠⁠https://linktr.ee/Analytic⁠⁠Join The Normandy For Additional Bonus Audio And Visual Content For All Things Nme+! Join Here: ⁠⁠https://ow.ly/msoH50WCu0K⁠⁠J. Cole delivers his most ambitious and introspective work yet with The Fall Off, his self-proclaimed final album released February 6, 2026. This double album spans 24 tracks across two discs—Disc 29 and Disc 39—each featuring 11 main songs plus a bonus. Presented by Analytic Dreamz on Notorious Mass Effect, this segment breaks down the project's profound narrative structure.Disc 29 captures J. Cole at age 29, returning to his Fayetteville hometown a decade after moving to New York, reflecting on pivotal crossroads in relationships, career dedication, and city roots. Disc 39 shifts to age 39, offering an older, more peaceful perspective on a similar homecoming, shaped by creative renewal following his 2024 resolution with Kendrick Lamar.Nearly eight years after teasing the concept in KOD's "1985," The Fall Off evolves into a full-circle moment from Cole's debut era. Executive produced by J. Cole, Ibrahim “IB” Hamad, T-Minus, and Dreamville, the album maintains minimal features for a self-driven feel, with standout contributions from Future on “Run a Train,” Tems and Erykah Badu on “Bunce Road Blues,” Burna Boy on “Only You,” Westside Gunn on “The Villest,” and others.The rollout emphasized intimacy and scarcity: announced in January 2026, preceded by the Birthday Blizzard '26 EP (four freestyles hosted by DJ Clue on Cole's 41st birthday), and distributed direct-to-consumer via his official website for stronger fan ownership and data control. Selective press included one major interview, while fan-led listening events in homes, record stores, bars, and spaces like Brooklyn Public Library's Bars & Books gathering amplified community engagement over traditional hype.Thematically, subtle nods to the 2024 lyrical tensions appear, notably in the alternate-history track “What If,” imagining reconciliation. Analytic Dreamz explores how this strategic, narrative-first approach reinforces J. Cole's authenticity, prioritizing depth, loyalty, and legacy over mass exposure in today's industry landscape.Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/analytic-dreamz-notorious-mass-effect/donationsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Linktree: ⁠https://linktr.ee/Analytic⁠Join The Normandy For Additional Bonus Audio And Visual Content For All Things Nme+! Join Here: ⁠https://ow.ly/msoH50WCu0K⁠J. Cole delivers his most ambitious and introspective work yet with The Fall Off, his self-proclaimed final album released February 6, 2026. This double album spans 24 tracks across two discs—Disc 29 and Disc 39—each featuring 11 main songs plus a bonus. Presented by Analytic Dreamz on Notorious Mass Effect, this segment breaks down the project's profound narrative structure.Disc 29 captures J. Cole at age 29, returning to his Fayetteville hometown a decade after moving to New York, reflecting on pivotal crossroads in relationships, career dedication, and city roots. Disc 39 shifts to age 39, offering an older, more peaceful perspective on a similar homecoming, shaped by creative renewal following his 2024 resolution with Kendrick Lamar.Nearly eight years after teasing the concept in KOD's "1985," The Fall Off evolves into a full-circle moment from Cole's debut era. Executive produced by J. Cole, Ibrahim “IB” Hamad, T-Minus, and Dreamville, the album maintains minimal features for a self-driven feel, with standout contributions from Future on “Run a Train,” Tems and Erykah Badu on “Bunce Road Blues,” Burna Boy on “Only You,” Westside Gunn on “The Villest,” and others.The rollout emphasized intimacy and scarcity: announced in January 2026, preceded by the Birthday Blizzard '26 EP (four freestyles hosted by DJ Clue on Cole's 41st birthday), and distributed direct-to-consumer via his official website for stronger fan ownership and data control. Selective press included one major interview, while fan-led listening events in homes, record stores, bars, and spaces like Brooklyn Public Library's Bars & Books gathering amplified community engagement over traditional hype.Thematically, subtle nods to the 2024 lyrical tensions appear, notably in the alternate-history track “What If,” imagining reconciliation. Analytic Dreamz explores how this strategic, narrative-first approach reinforces J. Cole's authenticity, prioritizing depth, loyalty, and legacy over mass exposure in today's industry landscape.Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/analytic-dreamz-notorious-mass-effect/donationsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Linktree: ⁠⁠https://linktr.ee/Analytic⁠⁠Join The Normandy For Additional Bonus Audio And Visual Content For All Things Nme+! Join Here: ⁠⁠https://ow.ly/msoH50WCu0K⁠⁠J. Cole delivers his most ambitious and introspective work yet with The Fall Off, his self-proclaimed final album released February 6, 2026. This double album spans 24 tracks across two discs—Disc 29 and Disc 39—each featuring 11 main songs plus a bonus. Presented by Analytic Dreamz on Notorious Mass Effect, this segment breaks down the project's profound narrative structure.Disc 29 captures J. Cole at age 29, returning to his Fayetteville hometown a decade after moving to New York, reflecting on pivotal crossroads in relationships, career dedication, and city roots. Disc 39 shifts to age 39, offering an older, more peaceful perspective on a similar homecoming, shaped by creative renewal following his 2024 resolution with Kendrick Lamar.Nearly eight years after teasing the concept in KOD's "1985," The Fall Off evolves into a full-circle moment from Cole's debut era. Executive produced by J. Cole, Ibrahim “IB” Hamad, T-Minus, and Dreamville, the album maintains minimal features for a self-driven feel, with standout contributions from Future on “Run a Train,” Tems and Erykah Badu on “Bunce Road Blues,” Burna Boy on “Only You,” Westside Gunn on “The Villest,” and others.The rollout emphasized intimacy and scarcity: announced in January 2026, preceded by the Birthday Blizzard '26 EP (four freestyles hosted by DJ Clue on Cole's 41st birthday), and distributed direct-to-consumer via his official website for stronger fan ownership and data control. Selective press included one major interview, while fan-led listening events in homes, record stores, bars, and spaces like Brooklyn Public Library's Bars & Books gathering amplified community engagement over traditional hype.Thematically, subtle nods to the 2024 lyrical tensions appear, notably in the alternate-history track “What If,” imagining reconciliation. Analytic Dreamz explores how this strategic, narrative-first approach reinforces J. Cole's authenticity, prioritizing depth, loyalty, and legacy over mass exposure in today's industry landscape.Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/analytic-dreamz-notorious-mass-effect/donationsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Linktree: ⁠⁠https://linktr.ee/Analytic⁠⁠Join The Normandy For Additional Bonus Audio And Visual Content For All Things Nme+! Join Here: ⁠⁠https://ow.ly/msoH50WCu0K⁠⁠J. Cole delivers his most ambitious and introspective work yet with The Fall Off, his self-proclaimed final album released February 6, 2026. This double album spans 24 tracks across two discs—Disc 29 and Disc 39—each featuring 11 main songs plus a bonus. Presented by Analytic Dreamz on Notorious Mass Effect, this segment breaks down the project's profound narrative structure.Disc 29 captures J. Cole at age 29, returning to his Fayetteville hometown a decade after moving to New York, reflecting on pivotal crossroads in relationships, career dedication, and city roots. Disc 39 shifts to age 39, offering an older, more peaceful perspective on a similar homecoming, shaped by creative renewal following his 2024 resolution with Kendrick Lamar.Nearly eight years after teasing the concept in KOD's "1985," The Fall Off evolves into a full-circle moment from Cole's debut era. Executive produced by J. Cole, Ibrahim “IB” Hamad, T-Minus, and Dreamville, the album maintains minimal features for a self-driven feel, with standout contributions from Future on “Run a Train,” Tems and Erykah Badu on “Bunce Road Blues,” Burna Boy on “Only You,” Westside Gunn on “The Villest,” and others.The rollout emphasized intimacy and scarcity: announced in January 2026, preceded by the Birthday Blizzard '26 EP (four freestyles hosted by DJ Clue on Cole's 41st birthday), and distributed direct-to-consumer via his official website for stronger fan ownership and data control. Selective press included one major interview, while fan-led listening events in homes, record stores, bars, and spaces like Brooklyn Public Library's Bars & Books gathering amplified community engagement over traditional hype.Thematically, subtle nods to the 2024 lyrical tensions appear, notably in the alternate-history track “What If,” imagining reconciliation. Analytic Dreamz explores how this strategic, narrative-first approach reinforces J. Cole's authenticity, prioritizing depth, loyalty, and legacy over mass exposure in today's industry landscape.Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/analytic-dreamz-notorious-mass-effect/donationsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Linktree: ⁠⁠https://linktr.ee/Analytic⁠⁠Join The Normandy For Additional Bonus Audio And Visual Content For All Things Nme+! Join Here: ⁠⁠https://ow.ly/msoH50WCu0K⁠⁠J. Cole delivers his most ambitious and introspective work yet with The Fall Off, his self-proclaimed final album released February 6, 2026. This double album spans 24 tracks across two discs—Disc 29 and Disc 39—each featuring 11 main songs plus a bonus. Presented by Analytic Dreamz on Notorious Mass Effect, this segment breaks down the project's profound narrative structure.Disc 29 captures J. Cole at age 29, returning to his Fayetteville hometown a decade after moving to New York, reflecting on pivotal crossroads in relationships, career dedication, and city roots. Disc 39 shifts to age 39, offering an older, more peaceful perspective on a similar homecoming, shaped by creative renewal following his 2024 resolution with Kendrick Lamar.Nearly eight years after teasing the concept in KOD's "1985," The Fall Off evolves into a full-circle moment from Cole's debut era. Executive produced by J. Cole, Ibrahim “IB” Hamad, T-Minus, and Dreamville, the album maintains minimal features for a self-driven feel, with standout contributions from Future on “Run a Train,” Tems and Erykah Badu on “Bunce Road Blues,” Burna Boy on “Only You,” Westside Gunn on “The Villest,” and others.The rollout emphasized intimacy and scarcity: announced in January 2026, preceded by the Birthday Blizzard '26 EP (four freestyles hosted by DJ Clue on Cole's 41st birthday), and distributed direct-to-consumer via his official website for stronger fan ownership and data control. Selective press included one major interview, while fan-led listening events in homes, record stores, bars, and spaces like Brooklyn Public Library's Bars & Books gathering amplified community engagement over traditional hype.Thematically, subtle nods to the 2024 lyrical tensions appear, notably in the alternate-history track “What If,” imagining reconciliation. Analytic Dreamz explores how this strategic, narrative-first approach reinforces J. Cole's authenticity, prioritizing depth, loyalty, and legacy over mass exposure in today's industry landscape.Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/analytic-dreamz-notorious-mass-effect/donationsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Linktree: ⁠⁠https://linktr.ee/Analytic⁠⁠Join The Normandy For Additional Bonus Audio And Visual Content For All Things Nme+! Join Here: ⁠⁠https://ow.ly/msoH50WCu0K⁠⁠J. Cole delivers his most ambitious and introspective work yet with The Fall Off, his self-proclaimed final album released February 6, 2026. This double album spans 24 tracks across two discs—Disc 29 and Disc 39—each featuring 11 main songs plus a bonus. Presented by Analytic Dreamz on Notorious Mass Effect, this segment breaks down the project's profound narrative structure.Disc 29 captures J. Cole at age 29, returning to his Fayetteville hometown a decade after moving to New York, reflecting on pivotal crossroads in relationships, career dedication, and city roots. Disc 39 shifts to age 39, offering an older, more peaceful perspective on a similar homecoming, shaped by creative renewal following his 2024 resolution with Kendrick Lamar.Nearly eight years after teasing the concept in KOD's "1985," The Fall Off evolves into a full-circle moment from Cole's debut era. Executive produced by J. Cole, Ibrahim “IB” Hamad, T-Minus, and Dreamville, the album maintains minimal features for a self-driven feel, with standout contributions from Future on “Run a Train,” Tems and Erykah Badu on “Bunce Road Blues,” Burna Boy on “Only You,” Westside Gunn on “The Villest,” and others.The rollout emphasized intimacy and scarcity: announced in January 2026, preceded by the Birthday Blizzard '26 EP (four freestyles hosted by DJ Clue on Cole's 41st birthday), and distributed direct-to-consumer via his official website for stronger fan ownership and data control. Selective press included one major interview, while fan-led listening events in homes, record stores, bars, and spaces like Brooklyn Public Library's Bars & Books gathering amplified community engagement over traditional hype.Thematically, subtle nods to the 2024 lyrical tensions appear, notably in the alternate-history track “What If,” imagining reconciliation. Analytic Dreamz explores how this strategic, narrative-first approach reinforces J. Cole's authenticity, prioritizing depth, loyalty, and legacy over mass exposure in today's industry landscape.Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/analytic-dreamz-notorious-mass-effect/donationsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Linktree: ⁠⁠https://linktr.ee/Analytic⁠⁠Join The Normandy For Additional Bonus Audio And Visual Content For All Things Nme+! Join Here: ⁠⁠https://ow.ly/msoH50WCu0K⁠⁠J. Cole delivers his most ambitious and introspective work yet with The Fall Off, his self-proclaimed final album released February 6, 2026. This double album spans 24 tracks across two discs—Disc 29 and Disc 39—each featuring 11 main songs plus a bonus. Presented by Analytic Dreamz on Notorious Mass Effect, this segment breaks down the project's profound narrative structure.Disc 29 captures J. Cole at age 29, returning to his Fayetteville hometown a decade after moving to New York, reflecting on pivotal crossroads in relationships, career dedication, and city roots. Disc 39 shifts to age 39, offering an older, more peaceful perspective on a similar homecoming, shaped by creative renewal following his 2024 resolution with Kendrick Lamar.Nearly eight years after teasing the concept in KOD's "1985," The Fall Off evolves into a full-circle moment from Cole's debut era. Executive produced by J. Cole, Ibrahim “IB” Hamad, T-Minus, and Dreamville, the album maintains minimal features for a self-driven feel, with standout contributions from Future on “Run a Train,” Tems and Erykah Badu on “Bunce Road Blues,” Burna Boy on “Only You,” Westside Gunn on “The Villest,” and others.The rollout emphasized intimacy and scarcity: announced in January 2026, preceded by the Birthday Blizzard '26 EP (four freestyles hosted by DJ Clue on Cole's 41st birthday), and distributed direct-to-consumer via his official website for stronger fan ownership and data control. Selective press included one major interview, while fan-led listening events in homes, record stores, bars, and spaces like Brooklyn Public Library's Bars & Books gathering amplified community engagement over traditional hype.Thematically, subtle nods to the 2024 lyrical tensions appear, notably in the alternate-history track “What If,” imagining reconciliation. Analytic Dreamz explores how this strategic, narrative-first approach reinforces J. Cole's authenticity, prioritizing depth, loyalty, and legacy over mass exposure in today's industry landscape.Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/analytic-dreamz-notorious-mass-effect/donationsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Dry (1992) is PJ Harvey's fierce and arresting debut album—an explosive arrival that instantly set her apart from every other voice in early '90s alternative rock. Recorded with her original trio (Rob Ellis and Steve Vaughan), the album is raw, unvarnished, and emotionally unfiltered, driven by jagged guitars, stark arrangements, and Harvey's commanding, shape-shifting vocals.Thematically, Dry plunges into desire, bodily autonomy, vulnerability, and power, often flipping traditional gender roles on their head. Songs like “Dress” expose the expectations placed on women with biting wit, while “Sheela-Na-Gig” merges mythology and sexuality into something both confrontational and darkly humorous. Throughout the album, Harvey wields minimalism like a weapon—the production is rough, the edges deliberately frayed, making every lyric and every tremor in her voice hit with greater force.Despite (or because of) its grit, Dry sounds remarkably self-assured for a debut. It's visceral, urgent, and unafraid of messy emotions, introducing PJ Harvey as an artist who wouldn't just push boundaries—she would explode them. Over time, the album has come to be seen as one of the defining statements of ‘90s indie rock and a blueprint for countless artists who followed.Website Support the show Contact

While early Buddhists hailed their religion's founder for opening a path to enlightenment, they also exalted him as the paragon of masculinity. According to Buddhist scriptures, the Buddha's body boasts thirty-two physical features, including lionlike jaws, thighs like a royal stag, broad shoulders, and a deep, resonant voice, that distinguish him from ordinary men. As Buddhism spread throughout Asia and around the world, the Buddha remained an exemplary man, but Buddhists in other times and places developed their own understandings of what it meant to be masculine. This transdisciplinary book brings together essays that explore the variety and diversity of Buddhist masculinities, from early India to the contemporary United States, and from bodhisattva-kings to martial monks. Buddhist Masculinities (Columbia UP, 2023) adopts the methods of religious studies, anthropology, art history, textual-historical studies, and cultural studies to explore texts, images, films, media, and embodiments of masculinity across the Buddhist world, past and present. It turns scholarly attention to normative forms of masculinity that usually go unmarked and unstudied precisely because they are "normal," illuminating the religious and cultural processes that construct Buddhist masculinities. Engaging with contemporary issues of gender identity, intersectionality, and sexual ethics, Buddhist Masculinities ushers in a new era for the study of Buddhism and gender. MEGAN BRYSON is Associate Professor of Religious Studies and chair of the Asian Studies program at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville. She received her B.A. in Religious Studies and Chinese from University of Oregon, and her Ph.D. in Religious Studies from Stanford University. Her research focuses primarily on themes of gender and ethnicity in Chinese religions, especially in the Dali region of Yunnan Province. The geographical specificity of her work is balanced by its temporal breadth, which ranges from the Nanzhao (649-903) and Dali (937-1253) kingdoms to the present, as reflected in her monograph, Goddess on the Frontier: Religion, Ethnicity, and Gender in Southwest China (Stanford University Press, 2016, an interview with her about this book is also on the New Books Network), which traces the worship of a local deity in Dali from the 12th to 21st centuries. KEVIN BUCKELEW is Assistant Professor of Religious Studies at Northwestern University. He received his B.A. in the liberal arts from Sarah Lawrence College, and his Ph.D. from Columbia University's Department of East Asian Languages and Cultures. His research focuses on Buddhism in premodern China, with special attention to the rise of the Chan (Zen) Buddhist tradition and to interactions between Chinese Buddhists and Daoists. Thematically, his work explores how religious identities take shape and assume social authority; how materiality, embodiment, and gender figure into Buddhist soteriology; and how Buddhists have grappled with the problem of human agency. Jue Liang is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Religious Studies at Case Western Reserve University. She is currently completing her first book, entitled Conceiving the Mother of Tibet: The Early Literary Lives of the Buddhist Saint Yeshé Tsogyel. She is also working on a second project, tentatively titled i. As a scholar of Buddhist literature, history, and culture in South and East Asia, she reflects in her research and teaching continuities as well as innovations in the gender discourses of Buddhist communities. She is also interested in the theory and practice of translation in general, and translating Tibetan literature in particular. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/new-books-network

While early Buddhists hailed their religion's founder for opening a path to enlightenment, they also exalted him as the paragon of masculinity. According to Buddhist scriptures, the Buddha's body boasts thirty-two physical features, including lionlike jaws, thighs like a royal stag, broad shoulders, and a deep, resonant voice, that distinguish him from ordinary men. As Buddhism spread throughout Asia and around the world, the Buddha remained an exemplary man, but Buddhists in other times and places developed their own understandings of what it meant to be masculine. This transdisciplinary book brings together essays that explore the variety and diversity of Buddhist masculinities, from early India to the contemporary United States, and from bodhisattva-kings to martial monks. Buddhist Masculinities (Columbia UP, 2023) adopts the methods of religious studies, anthropology, art history, textual-historical studies, and cultural studies to explore texts, images, films, media, and embodiments of masculinity across the Buddhist world, past and present. It turns scholarly attention to normative forms of masculinity that usually go unmarked and unstudied precisely because they are "normal," illuminating the religious and cultural processes that construct Buddhist masculinities. Engaging with contemporary issues of gender identity, intersectionality, and sexual ethics, Buddhist Masculinities ushers in a new era for the study of Buddhism and gender. MEGAN BRYSON is Associate Professor of Religious Studies and chair of the Asian Studies program at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville. She received her B.A. in Religious Studies and Chinese from University of Oregon, and her Ph.D. in Religious Studies from Stanford University. Her research focuses primarily on themes of gender and ethnicity in Chinese religions, especially in the Dali region of Yunnan Province. The geographical specificity of her work is balanced by its temporal breadth, which ranges from the Nanzhao (649-903) and Dali (937-1253) kingdoms to the present, as reflected in her monograph, Goddess on the Frontier: Religion, Ethnicity, and Gender in Southwest China (Stanford University Press, 2016, an interview with her about this book is also on the New Books Network), which traces the worship of a local deity in Dali from the 12th to 21st centuries. KEVIN BUCKELEW is Assistant Professor of Religious Studies at Northwestern University. He received his B.A. in the liberal arts from Sarah Lawrence College, and his Ph.D. from Columbia University's Department of East Asian Languages and Cultures. His research focuses on Buddhism in premodern China, with special attention to the rise of the Chan (Zen) Buddhist tradition and to interactions between Chinese Buddhists and Daoists. Thematically, his work explores how religious identities take shape and assume social authority; how materiality, embodiment, and gender figure into Buddhist soteriology; and how Buddhists have grappled with the problem of human agency. Jue Liang is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Religious Studies at Case Western Reserve University. She is currently completing her first book, entitled Conceiving the Mother of Tibet: The Early Literary Lives of the Buddhist Saint Yeshé Tsogyel. She is also working on a second project, tentatively titled i. As a scholar of Buddhist literature, history, and culture in South and East Asia, she reflects in her research and teaching continuities as well as innovations in the gender discourses of Buddhist communities. She is also interested in the theory and practice of translation in general, and translating Tibetan literature in particular. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/gender-studies

While early Buddhists hailed their religion's founder for opening a path to enlightenment, they also exalted him as the paragon of masculinity. According to Buddhist scriptures, the Buddha's body boasts thirty-two physical features, including lionlike jaws, thighs like a royal stag, broad shoulders, and a deep, resonant voice, that distinguish him from ordinary men. As Buddhism spread throughout Asia and around the world, the Buddha remained an exemplary man, but Buddhists in other times and places developed their own understandings of what it meant to be masculine. This transdisciplinary book brings together essays that explore the variety and diversity of Buddhist masculinities, from early India to the contemporary United States, and from bodhisattva-kings to martial monks. Buddhist Masculinities (Columbia UP, 2023) adopts the methods of religious studies, anthropology, art history, textual-historical studies, and cultural studies to explore texts, images, films, media, and embodiments of masculinity across the Buddhist world, past and present. It turns scholarly attention to normative forms of masculinity that usually go unmarked and unstudied precisely because they are "normal," illuminating the religious and cultural processes that construct Buddhist masculinities. Engaging with contemporary issues of gender identity, intersectionality, and sexual ethics, Buddhist Masculinities ushers in a new era for the study of Buddhism and gender. MEGAN BRYSON is Associate Professor of Religious Studies and chair of the Asian Studies program at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville. She received her B.A. in Religious Studies and Chinese from University of Oregon, and her Ph.D. in Religious Studies from Stanford University. Her research focuses primarily on themes of gender and ethnicity in Chinese religions, especially in the Dali region of Yunnan Province. The geographical specificity of her work is balanced by its temporal breadth, which ranges from the Nanzhao (649-903) and Dali (937-1253) kingdoms to the present, as reflected in her monograph, Goddess on the Frontier: Religion, Ethnicity, and Gender in Southwest China (Stanford University Press, 2016, an interview with her about this book is also on the New Books Network), which traces the worship of a local deity in Dali from the 12th to 21st centuries. KEVIN BUCKELEW is Assistant Professor of Religious Studies at Northwestern University. He received his B.A. in the liberal arts from Sarah Lawrence College, and his Ph.D. from Columbia University's Department of East Asian Languages and Cultures. His research focuses on Buddhism in premodern China, with special attention to the rise of the Chan (Zen) Buddhist tradition and to interactions between Chinese Buddhists and Daoists. Thematically, his work explores how religious identities take shape and assume social authority; how materiality, embodiment, and gender figure into Buddhist soteriology; and how Buddhists have grappled with the problem of human agency. Jue Liang is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Religious Studies at Case Western Reserve University. She is currently completing her first book, entitled Conceiving the Mother of Tibet: The Early Literary Lives of the Buddhist Saint Yeshé Tsogyel. She is also working on a second project, tentatively titled i. As a scholar of Buddhist literature, history, and culture in South and East Asia, she reflects in her research and teaching continuities as well as innovations in the gender discourses of Buddhist communities. She is also interested in the theory and practice of translation in general, and translating Tibetan literature in particular. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/religion

While early Buddhists hailed their religion's founder for opening a path to enlightenment, they also exalted him as the paragon of masculinity. According to Buddhist scriptures, the Buddha's body boasts thirty-two physical features, including lionlike jaws, thighs like a royal stag, broad shoulders, and a deep, resonant voice, that distinguish him from ordinary men. As Buddhism spread throughout Asia and around the world, the Buddha remained an exemplary man, but Buddhists in other times and places developed their own understandings of what it meant to be masculine. This transdisciplinary book brings together essays that explore the variety and diversity of Buddhist masculinities, from early India to the contemporary United States, and from bodhisattva-kings to martial monks. Buddhist Masculinities (Columbia UP, 2023) adopts the methods of religious studies, anthropology, art history, textual-historical studies, and cultural studies to explore texts, images, films, media, and embodiments of masculinity across the Buddhist world, past and present. It turns scholarly attention to normative forms of masculinity that usually go unmarked and unstudied precisely because they are "normal," illuminating the religious and cultural processes that construct Buddhist masculinities. Engaging with contemporary issues of gender identity, intersectionality, and sexual ethics, Buddhist Masculinities ushers in a new era for the study of Buddhism and gender. MEGAN BRYSON is Associate Professor of Religious Studies and chair of the Asian Studies program at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville. She received her B.A. in Religious Studies and Chinese from University of Oregon, and her Ph.D. in Religious Studies from Stanford University. Her research focuses primarily on themes of gender and ethnicity in Chinese religions, especially in the Dali region of Yunnan Province. The geographical specificity of her work is balanced by its temporal breadth, which ranges from the Nanzhao (649-903) and Dali (937-1253) kingdoms to the present, as reflected in her monograph, Goddess on the Frontier: Religion, Ethnicity, and Gender in Southwest China (Stanford University Press, 2016, an interview with her about this book is also on the New Books Network), which traces the worship of a local deity in Dali from the 12th to 21st centuries. KEVIN BUCKELEW is Assistant Professor of Religious Studies at Northwestern University. He received his B.A. in the liberal arts from Sarah Lawrence College, and his Ph.D. from Columbia University's Department of East Asian Languages and Cultures. His research focuses on Buddhism in premodern China, with special attention to the rise of the Chan (Zen) Buddhist tradition and to interactions between Chinese Buddhists and Daoists. Thematically, his work explores how religious identities take shape and assume social authority; how materiality, embodiment, and gender figure into Buddhist soteriology; and how Buddhists have grappled with the problem of human agency. Jue Liang is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Religious Studies at Case Western Reserve University. She is currently completing her first book, entitled Conceiving the Mother of Tibet: The Early Literary Lives of the Buddhist Saint Yeshé Tsogyel. She is also working on a second project, tentatively titled i. As a scholar of Buddhist literature, history, and culture in South and East Asia, she reflects in her research and teaching continuities as well as innovations in the gender discourses of Buddhist communities. She is also interested in the theory and practice of translation in general, and translating Tibetan literature in particular.

Daniel Dornel, Head of ETF Research, explains to Chief Market Strategist Daniel Morris why the third quarter was remarkable for inflows into exchange-traded funds. Thematically, defence has remained in the lead, closely followed by artificial intelligence.For more insights, visit Viewpoint: https://viewpoint.bnpparibas-am.com/Download the Viewpoint app: https://onelink.to/tpxq34Follow us on LinkedIn: https://bnpp.lk/amHosted by Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

Today was a lot of fun.  Great friend of the show Gary joins us again while Shana is out on her (maybe?) crime spree.  We play Mister Lister's something or other and it was a rootin' tootin' good time!  Thematically awesome with some fun questions.  We hope you enjoy! Please subscribe and review today!

fWotD Episode 3058: Alicia (album) Welcome to featured Wiki of the Day, your daily dose of knowledge from Wikipedia's finest articles.The featured article for Thursday, 18 September 2025, is Alicia (album).Alicia is the seventh studio album by American singer-songwriter and pianist Alicia Keys. It was primarily recorded at Oven Studios and Jungle City Studios, both in New York, after her 2016 album Here and her judgeship on the singing competition series The Voice, before being released by RCA Records on September 18, 2020. Written and produced largely by Keys, the album also features songwriting and production contributions from Swizz Beatz, Ryan Tedder, Johnny McDaid, Ed Sheeran, and The-Dream, among others. Keys collaborated with more artists on the recording than in her previous albums, enlisting vocalists such as Sampha, Tierra Whack, Diamond Platnumz, Snoh Aalegra, and Jill Scott for certain tracks.Alicia's mostly low-tempo and melodically subtle music reconciles the experimental direction of Here with her earlier work's bass drum-driven R&B and piano-based balladry. Throughout, individual songs incorporate sounds from a wide range of other genres, including orchestral pop, progressive soul, funk, ambient, country, and Caribbean music. Thematically, they explore identity as a multifaceted concept, sociopolitical concerns, and forms of love within the framework of impressionistic lyrics, personal narratives, and self-knowledge. Keys has described the album as therapeutic and reflective of greater introspection in herself, expressing ideas and feelings of hope, frustration, despair, ambivalence, and equanimity shared in her memoir More Myself (2020), which was written during Alicia's recording.The album was originally scheduled to be released on March 20, 2020, then May 15, before being delayed indefinitely in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. It was marketed with an extended traditional rollout campaign that featured various media appearances by Keys and the release of seven singles, including the Miguel duet "Show Me Love", "Time Machine", "Underdog", and "So Done" (with Khalid). After a surprise announcement of its impending release in September, Alicia debuted at number four on the Billboard 200 in its first week and became Keys' eighth top-10 record in the US, while charting in the top 10 in several other countries. However, it fell off the US chart a few weeks later.A critical success, Alicia received praise for Keys' nuanced vocal performances and the music's broad appeal, while her thematic messages were considered balanced, healing, and timely against the backdrop of unfolding world events. The singles "Good Job" and "Perfect Way to Die" resonated especially with the importance of essential workers during the pandemic and with the 2020–2021 racial unrest over police brutality in the US, respectively. The album also won the Grammy Award for Best Immersive Audio Album at the 2022 Grammy Awards. In further support of the album, Keys performed in concert from June to November 2022 and in May 2023 on the Alicia + Keys World Tour, which had been postponed from 2020 and 2021 due to the pandemic.This recording reflects the Wikipedia text as of 00:52 UTC on Thursday, 18 September 2025.For the full current version of the article, see Alicia (album) on Wikipedia.This podcast uses content from Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License.Visit our archives at wikioftheday.com and subscribe to stay updated on new episodes.Follow us on Mastodon at @wikioftheday@masto.ai.Also check out Curmudgeon's Corner, a current events podcast.Until next time, I'm standard Kendra.

Get access to this entire episode as well as all of our premium episodes and bonus content by becoming a Hit Factory Patron for just $5/month.Associate Editor at Roger Ebert Robert Daniels joins to discuss the latest Spike Lee joint Highest 2 Lowest, a loose reimagining of Akira Kurosawa's 1963 procedural masterpiece High & Low that marks the fifth collaborationg between Lee and the inimitable Denzel Washington. Thematically rich, unabashedly confrontational and occasionally baffling, Highest 2 Lowest is everything you would hope for from a late period Spike Lee picture, as Lee grapples with personal concerns about masculinity, the contradictions of Black capitalism, and the generational divide around the nature of authenticity in art when success has finally come your way.We begin with a discussion of the bold formal choices of Highest 2 Lowest, including the stylistic gambit of dividing the film firmly into two aesthetic halves; the first half marked by an austere, antiseptic, and artificial atmosphere that finally gives way to a more daring, brash and musical rhythm when the film descends on the streets of Spike's native New York, escaping the Dumbo high rise apartment of the film's early chapters. Then, we explore the film as autocritique, with Lee and Washington examining their positions as elder statesmen of Black artistry, and the push-pull of working within systems of capital built upon racialized heirarchies. Finally, we tackle the film's thorny political propositions, its conservative tendencies, and the thrill of trying to parse where exactly an artist like Spike Lee stands on the issues and questions he presents within the text.Read Robert Daniels on Highest 2 Lowest at Roger EbertRead Alphonse Pierre on Highest 2 Lowest at PitchforkFollow Robert Daniels on Twitter.....Our theme song is "Mirror" by Chris Fish

By Selva Ozelli Esq, CPA, Author of Sustainably Investing in Digital Assets Globally. In this interview she talks with Digital Artist Des Lucrece Des Lucrece, Digital Artist interviewed by Selva Ozelli Tell us about your journey to becoming a digital artist and why you prefer the digital art medium over others? My journey into digital art started out of necessity. I didn't have access to traditional materials or studio space growing up, but I did have a tablet, a bootleg copy of Photoshop, and time. Drawing digitally gave me the flexibility to work from anywhere, to experiment without fear of wasting materials, and to iterate endlessly in a way that left no physical traces. Over time, those tools became more than a means to an end - they became an extension of how I think. After earning my BFA with a focus in design, I worked in the branding world, but I never felt creatively fulfilled. On a whim, I applied for an artist residency in Tokyo. I didn't think I was qualified, but I got in - and it changed everything. I lived with five artists from different backgrounds who were years ahead of me in their practices. Their advice was simple but transformative: Make what's true to you and show it to everyone who'll look. That's where the seeds for Des Lucréce were planted. I created the alias as both a shield and a reflection of my identity - a nod to my Vietnamese roots, my love of French philosophy, and the long history of artists adopting personas to carve out their own space. I started posting the work I'd hidden for years, and it found an audience. Going digital wasn't just a practical choice - it was philosophical. The internet, like my identity, is fragmented, contradictory, and constantly under revision. Digital art gave me a space where those contradictions weren't weaknesses - they were the language. Digitized Decentralized Identification seems to be the way of the future https://crypto.news/decentralized-identifier-systems-are-key-to-the-future/. Tell us about your latest series "The Erosion of Time and Neo-Techne: Art in the Age of the Machine" on exhibit at the Art Light Museum which invites audiences to explore themes of identity, displacement, and innovation in the digital age. The Erosion of Time is my most ambitious exhibition to date - a fully immersive, 3,500-square-foot installation that blends animation, light, sound, and architectural scale to explore memory, cultural fragmentation, and the impermanence of digital identity. Exhibited at the Museum of Art + Light, the show is paired with Neo-Techne, a group exhibition that situates my work in dialogue with questions about technology, automation, and what it means to make art in a machine-mediated era. Thematically, the exhibition builds on the idea that our identities - particularly as second-generation immigrants or culturally displaced people - are constantly eroding and being rewritten. We leave traces everywhere, yet feel rooted nowhere. The show uses a combination of celestial imagery, shifting landscapes, and meditative pacing to give form to this emotional terrain. There's also a literal decay built into the projections - subtle loops where forms fall apart and reform, referencing both the fragility of memory and the persistence of digital traces. There's also a physical component to the show. I've created exclusive merchandise - plush figures and wearables - that extend the work beyond the screen. For me, this is about expanding Des Monsters into the everyday: they're not just artworks, they're avatars, totems, and mirrors of the self. It's a way to let the work travel with people, and blur the line between art, identity, and utility. What are your thoughts about the US Government's latest focus on digital assets ? Will this help institutional investment in NFTs in your opinion? It's a double-edged sword. On one hand, regulatory clarity could unlock more institutional investment, which would legitimize NFTs in spaces still resistant to them. It might m...

K-Pop Demon Hunters K-Pop Demon Hunters sounds like a joke title, but this action packed adventure/romance/musical/ martial arts action film… is really something different! The surprise animated hit of the year which has been not only smashing streaming video records (thats Netflix for ya), but also demolishing the music charts (Golden hitting no. 1 on Spotify!) is something nobody saw coming, but now that it’s here we may never be the same! Its a heady mix of Korean mythology, flying swords-person action, heartbreaking romance, radical self acceptance and all with a K-Pop soundtrack that lets be clear… absolutely slaps. We have a special guest for this show, with our beloved Ardella (Bec) chiming in to profess her undying love of this unexpected gem! Dion may have his demonic grump on, but Jill and Quinny both are singing from the hymn-book of hon-moon creation. Synopsis K-Pop Demon Hunters” tells the story of a K-pop girl group, Huntrix, who are also demon hunters, tasked with protecting the world from demons and their king, Gwi-Ma. They use their music to maintain a magical barrier called the Honmoon and work towards strengthening it into the Golden Honmoon, which would permanently banish demons. Their mission is complicated when a rival demon boy band, the Saja Boys, emerges, stealing their fans and weakening the Honmoon. https://youtu.be/gsMp_Oq-_mY As always, a musical magical thank-you to the K-popping demon hunting divas who join in with the conversation on the Twitch stream, live each Tuesday night at 7:30pm AEDT. And an especially huge thanks to any of the glow stick waving uber fans who are kind enough to support us by programming a tip in our jar via Ko-Fi, or subscribing on twitch… every bit helps us to keep the honmoon strong and if not golden, a bit bronzed… If you feel so inclined drop us a sub we really love them, The more subby mc-sub-faces we get, the more Emotes You get! https://youtu.be/3JTVQTk36R8?si=CPEwLl_mx84YG1Iw https://youtu.be/yebNIHKAC4A?si=ImoyGFkIO-pC3a99 https://youtu.be/983bBbJx0Mk?si=_B-EAl_rChUeZ8c0 WE WANT YOUR FEEDBACK! Send in voicemails or emails with your opinions on this show (or any others) to info@theperiodictableofawesome.com Please make sure to join our social networks too!  We're on: Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/user/TPToA/ Twitter: www.twitter.com/TPToA Facebook: www.facebook.com/PeriodicTableOfAwesome Instagram: www.instagram.com/theperiodictableofawesome/ Full text transcript Dion  Ohh hello and welcome to the periodic Table of awesome. Well, we’re getting on to this Tuesday night, going down the good old road of something Netflix. Are you related? Hello. Yes.  Quinny  Hello, we’re going down. And we’re going down, down, down.  Speaker 3  I know.  Quinny  What, John, why aren’t?  Dion  You singing. I don’t understand the concept. What the **** is happening? This is not a regular. Hi. My name is Dion. I’m joined tonight by Queenie and I’m joined by Jill. And I’m joined by Beck. Pop. Hello, pop. It’s been a while. Thanks for joining us. This one.  Quinny  Hey, welcome back.  Dion  Because yeah, for your viewing pleasure, you’re helping us talk about K pop.  Ardella  I am. I am this cultural phenomenon has been on repeat in my household for the last month, so I’m thrilled to talk about it.  Speaker  Hi.  Jill  Oh.  Dion  Oh.  Ardella  On the Internet.  Dion  A month.  Quinny  Yeah, yeah.  Ardella  OK, we are late to this party.  Dion  I am but I I’m 100% late to this party only because. Yeah, sorry.  Quinny  All right.  Dion  Good to you.  Quinny  No, no, no. I like I said, I actually talked about it. I don’t know the weekend it came out or the like. I watched it because I had nothing else on. I was sitting on the couch and I was like, that looks entertaining. I’ll just put that on in the background. And was then kind of like this is ******* cool. And then when in the next episode, I’m like Jill, Jill, Jill, you gotta you gotta check it out. You gotta check it. And she’s like.  Jill  Like, leave me alone. Otherwise I won’t watch.  Speaker 4  Yeah, yeah. And then the.  Quinny  It was like Jill, Jill, Penny, Penny, Penny, Penny, Penny, and she’s like, leave me alone.  Jill  Next, let’s do yeah. Sorry, it’s it’s the Aries. You can’t tell me what to do.  Quinny  Yeah, the license.  Ardella  Can I just say though, despite being one of the longest bloody trailers in the world, I. I’m so impressed by how little it manages to give away, and I wonder if we can manage to give away a similar level of not spoilers.  Jill  Yeah.  Quinny  Yeah, we can. We can. I mean we can. We also do a. Spoilery bit after we’ve done the thing, but.  Ardella  I remember how this works.  Quinny  OK, OK.  Ardella  I also remember that we often suck it, not giving too many spoilers in the free spoiler bit.  Quinny  This is a good point. Well made.  Jill  OK, we’re going to be as vague as.  Quinny  Possible. Yeah. So how did your come to it? Did you just find it on Netflix? Did did somebody recommend?  Jill  It to you. I know. Yeah. Somebody annoyed. Me to watch it, yeah.  Dion  No, Quinn. He made me watch it.  Ardella  Yes. Yeah. Did he tape your eyelids open and struck you to the chair? Yeah.  Dion  Yeah, it’s 100% Clockwork Orange, me. For this but but I’ve got this.  Speaker 1  Yep.  Quinny  And I’m not sad. I’m not. I’m not. Embarrassed about that?  Dion  I’ve got this weird. Sort of tick now that I have to keep kind of doing this and I feel like I need to do choreographed dances every now and again. So I don’t know what’s happening. I don’t know anything about.  Jill  Can teach you.  Quinny  See, I don’t think we were fully aware that Beck was as into this as not as until like you you posted a video to us. You’re like look at.  Dion  Excellent.  Speaker 4  This did you dance?  Dion  Like ohh OK, you know, we’re gonna talk about stuff that, like quite blatantly. I have absolutely no ******* idea what’s going on.  Jill  I mean.  Dion  We might as well open the floor up to people who do know what the **** is.  Ardella  Going on, but have you watched it dear?  Dion  Yes, I watched it from the start to the last song.  Ardella  Great. How? How the **** do you still? Have no idea what is going on then.  Dion  Have you seen the film?  Ardella  It’s a very cromulent storyline.  Speaker 2  No wonder.  Dion  Here’s what’s going on. They’re just doing things on screen and singing songs and going. This is good. Yeah. And you’re watching it.  Jill  Yeah, pop music is a part of Concepto dialog. OK, yeah.  Dion  Sure.  Ardella  Dion should never go and see a.  Jill  Thank you.  Speaker 13  Musical is what?  Ardella  We’re hearing this is an even musical.  Quinny  No, no.  Speaker 13  Devil story.  Dion  No, this isn’t far off though.  Speaker 13  Season.  Dion  This is it. Musical level storytelling and I watched it. And I’m not saying like things are bad or weird or out of my comfort zone. It’s just it’s not really for me.  Speaker 3  Dion  And that’s OK, you know.  Ardella  You’re allowed to be wrong.  Jill  He often is.  Quinny  Also I I will point out that that Dean had had a very, very long bad day by the time that this came onto his screen and I kind of get the feeling that it was like.  Speaker 4  Oh.  Quinny  Is that a reasonably accurate description deal?  Dion  Look, you know I’m not. I’m able to separate church and state here. I can understand the value of something even though my personal opinions may have coloured it slightly. That being said, I still don’t really know what’s going on in Capot demon.  Jill  Would you? Would you like this is not.  Speaker 4  Let’s let’s have us.  Dion  I mean, sure, if you think I’ve got it, I wonder if I’ve got any music somewhere. Hang on a second.  Quinny  Yeah. Yeah. OK. K pop. Hang on. What voice am I doing?  Speaker 13  Nothing, right?  Quinny  Well, that’s it. Somebody else better do.  Dion  Ohh no.  Quinny  OK, K pop demon hunters tells the story of A K pop girl group called Hunt Tricks, who are also demon hunters tasked with protecting the world from demons from for their king Guimar. They use their music to maintain a magical barrier called the honeymoon, and work towards strengthening. Hit into the golden Hon moon. Which would permanently vanish.  Ardella  Day and age of Tik toking. And if you’re my age, Instagram, reeling a week after it’s appeared on TikTok. We’ve basically have a a huge collection of people who’ve basically seen half the movie through real. Or tick tocks and then go. OK, I may as well go and watch this movie now. So I think that a lot of people have had that experience when Quinny mentioned it. I then was like, let’s watch the trailer for this and was on board after watching the trailer and.  Speaker 1  Mm-hmm.  Ardella  My partner and I sat down and. Watched it over Friday night. We were amazed by the number of layers that this movie has that you do not get from the trailer, and I was on board just with what that surface level stuff was already.  Quinny  Yeah, yeah, yeah. And that was the thing that surprised me. It was just the the like from a trailer, like or because I didn’t even see a trailer. I just saw it pop up on Netflix, as you know, the the, The little preview that starts playing. And I was like.  Ardella  Yeah, that’s the trailer.  Quinny  Well, but it I didn’t even watch the whole thing like it was just sort of there in the background and I was. I don’t know what that is. But **** it looks cool.  Dion  Did you just hit it like a fricking pokie machine button? As soon as it popped up, you were like chin, let’s do this.  Quinny  My good addition. Yeah, sorry, Jill. You’re gonna.  Jill  Say something. Yeah, I think at the time, quinny, when you said. Hey, Jill, have you watched K pop demon hunters yet? I think my best friend had also watched it and had, like. Posted a story about it and all I heard all over Instagram was the the main song from it Golden. It was on everything and not just like animated clips of the movie, but like just people’s reels. They’re using that song. And so I was like, oh, no.  Speaker 4  Hmm.  Jill  This is the hype zone. Jill doesn’t like being.  Speaker 4  5th.  Jill  In the hype zone. Jill wants to avoid ever watching stuff that gets into the hype zone. I still have not watched Everything Everywhere, all at once because it got too hyped, so this was heading in that direction and went. Queenie, when you said to me, have you watched it yet? I was like, I’ll get to it.  Ardella  Was interesting that you mentioned that Jill, because there are theme crossovers.  Jill  Yeah. So I don’t push me. But then I. Kept hearing the bloody music. I’m like ****, this is a catchy song and then I think it got to like the following weekend and I’m like, I’m not gonna talk to anybody about this, but I’m gonna watch.  Speaker  It.  Jill  And I was like, oh, that’s great.  Quinny  Because I’ve seen so many people who, like, have watched it, and then it’s just become their whole personality.  Jill  Ohh yeah, I mean that was on heavy rotation like the album it was. It became a hyper fixation for a.  Quinny  Yes.  Jill  Week.  Dion  Wait, so can I just get this one like coming into this just a little bit blind, you know, from this whole stuff. So you’re telling me that there are real people in the real world that saw the small part of this and it’s become a hyper fixed?  Speaker 4  Yeah.  Dion  Which is mirroring the fact that the fans of this band in the fake world have a hyper fixation problem.  Ardella  So interestingly, interestingly, the soda pop song by the Demon Boy Band for a very long time there took over the charts from the actual you know, K pop boy band of the moment BTS.  Quinny  You say?  Speaker 4  Oh yes.  Dion  The soju boys. I love the soju boys, they’re great.  Speaker 4  Ohh I love some soju.  Quinny  Beck, how do you feel about this? Pineapple surgery.  Speaker 1  What?  Dion  Soulja boys.  Jill  I like the lemon one, it’s.  Dion  Delicious.  Jill  Kind of funky, but it’s good.  Dion  Yeah, yeah, yeah. I like the one with the six pack.  Ardella  But what’s what’s really interesting about the soundtrack to this as compared to a traditional musical, is in a traditional musical, you’ve always got that one song that everyone skips or tunes out goes to the bathroom during it’s usually the one that the token old man sings.  Jill  Ohh OK.  Speaker 13  But.  Ardella  If you think about it, is.  Quinny  It’s the talk singing 1. You give it to the guy who can barely sing.  Jill  Ohh yeah yeah. Jeff Goldblum. Number in wicked. Yeah, exactly.  Ardella  There are no low points in this soundtrack and.  Quinny  In new tiles.  Ardella  I think even. The one song that when I was watching the movie for the first time I was like, this is kind of my bathroom breaks on. When I went back and listened to the soundtrack.  Speaker 13  Through by.  Ardella  Wolf it was still a banger. I was still singing along. I was still fully on board. I was finding all the hidden messages in the lyrics. I don’t think there is a a dud on this soundtrack.  Quinny  Nope. And as of 2 days ago, Golden went to literal #1 on the Billboard chart like it’s ******* stupid.  Ardella  Something that’s really cool about the creatives behind this entire movie is that the movie has so many authentic South Korean cultural elements to it that it has become huge in South Korea as well. And many, many people there.  Speaker 3  Hmm.  Ardella  Absolutely love it, which is so wonderful because there have has been a lot of outcry in the past about South Korean culture being misrepresented. And this is a wonderful example of cultural appreciation rather than appropriation, and one of the reasons behind that is that they have actually included many South Korean genuine K pop stars and producers, writers, and the singing voice of. The main main individual from home tricks. She was a K pop star in training who went away to go to school and stopped Kpop training. And when she came back to try and be a K pop star they told her she was too old and couldn’t do it. Anymore. And so she became a writer and a producer. Of K pop music instead, and now is singing on this and has gone to the top of the charts so incredibly hard. And I think that that lends this incredible authenticity to it, but also is kind of like a stuff you to the industry at the same time, which is amazing.  Dion  Because it’s look, it’s a curious thing about the the making of it, because actually, yes, I did. I watched the whole thing and then I even watched the credits where they showed all the behind the scenes bits of the people in there. And I thought that was really interesting. And then reading more about it and trying to find out more about it. I was like, oh, that’s interesting that they have. A bunch of Korean American. Others. Doing the voice work, but then a bunch of South Korean singers doing the song work and I was just a little bit like oh, oh, OK like why, why the need for the split like?  Ardella  They’re two different skill sets. Yeah, yeah, yeah.  Quinny  You you don’t find that many actors who can sing that ******* well. Like who can sing to the level that is required of.  Ardella  Yeah. The vocal range in golden is outstanding. That is like 3 octaves of belting. That’s insanity.  Dion  I’m asking the question to not because I’m attacking the I’m not asking the question because I might. Why? They have to get more. You know, why is it a whole bunch of different sort of people in there?  Jill  Deon, Every Disney musical movie had a talking voice actress and a singing voice actress as well. It was.  Dion  I’m pretty sure John Oliver did all the singing for his parts as Zazu, right?  Ardella  Not all. Yeah, not all of them. I think the more recent ones like Moana, the.  Dion  Of course I know.  Jill  Yeah. The more, yeah, I mean, the classic ones, I mean the ones from the.  Ardella  Voice actor sings as well.  Jill  90s when we were kids.  Ardella  Yeah. Speaking of which.  Dion  Sure.  Jill  Yes, the travesty of casting Leah Salonga in this movie.  Ardella  Yeah. And then giving her 30 seconds of background vocals to do. Leah Salonga was the singing voice of Jasmine and Mulan, and is an incredible musical theatre.  Jill  Yeah, crazy.  Ardella  Actress and amazing singer and is in there as like the the main mentor character for the Huntress Girls. And has no real singing. It’s so background that I didn’t even notice when it happened.  Jill  It’s devastating, but.  Quinny  Yeah. Yeah. Like, like putting, I don’t know. One of the. Yeah. Mariah Carey is a background character.  Speaker 3  Yeah, yeah. Like what?  Ardella  Mariah would never let that happen.  Quinny  No, no, absolutely not. So what was it about it that that sort of caught your eye? Immediately because I know what put me on the back foot straight away and made me go. That’s different. But I’d love to. Know what you guys thought?  Dion  What? What? Yeah. So there’s two. There’s two parts in that which which caught your eye. And there was a bit that caught you on the back foot which.  Quinny  Was your question what? What caught your what? One you were talking about excited you, really. Grabbed you. What?  Dion  Was that what put you? What put you on the front foot? Linked you into this show?  Quinny  The. What? Yeah, yeah.  Jill  The music I think, like I I enjoy the odd K pop. I’m. I’m not a die hard. I’m not a I don’t have a bias. I’m not like fully into the K pop culture. But I do enjoy the music peripherally, and so I thought like the songs were so catchy. And then when I saw, like, some of the animated stuff, I’m like, ohh, that’s very reminiscent of the spider verse animation. And then I realized it was a Sony thing. And then I’m like, OK. Well, this is probably going to be good.  Ardella  Yeah. I think the thing that put me off was the time.  Speaker 4  Well.  Ardella  What the hell is that? Title K pop Demon Hunters makes me think that this is trash and it is trash, but the best kind of crack trash. It’s amazing.  Jill  Quinny  MHM.  Jill  OK, you know what? It’s 100% tapped into for me was the female power story, but based in music like. I was one of those kids that was like ohh yeah, I wanna be in a girl band like that was like one of my fantasy things when I was. A child, but. Also, like yeah, being a superhero too. And like Sailor Moon. Is so intrinsic for me. It really had those kind of vibes of like, you know, magical girls that can save the planet.  Quinny  Yeah. Yeah, that’s one of the first things I why I was like, ohh you would love it. Just for the magical girl factor. Like the the costume changes the.  Speaker 4  What’s this?  Quinny  The that that very Sailor Moon kind of vibe.  Ardella  What’s so interesting for me about? The introduction, just the opening sequence was that.  Speaker 2  Hmm.  Speaker  That.  Ardella  Funky kind of intro music. The the K pop music that it starts with reminds me a lot of earlier K pop when I was into it and some of my South Korean friends just roll their eyes at me because I think that my idea of K pop is like someone. These days, being like my favorite band is the Backstreet Boys. You know, it’s like ohh sweetie.  Jill  OK. Ardella  There we go. Yeah, you’re you’re the the shush now, grandma. Everything’s fine. Because my my favourites were like the Wonder Girls. And you know quite quite early K pop. I think, you know, compared to what’s in today, but.  Dion  You can.  Ardella  It’s just so funky and fun, and the fact that. It immediately started with the classic K pop mixing of Korean lyrics in with English lyrics, and then the flip to rap in there as well, and the rap being in both Korean and English, it really grabbed me in that I was like, OK, this is. Actually K pop it, it’s not just in the name, they are actually going with it and I found it really interesting learning afterwards that the K pop element was the last thing to be added into this storyline.  Dion  Yeah.  Ardella  Interesting. Yeah, that that was the last kind of piece of the puzzle when they were developing this movie was creating it as a K pop story.  Dion  Which is very strange because I think the thing that made me. Sort of get on board a bit with it. Like a bit more was the fact that it was self aware enough to understand some of? The. Insanity behind massive mass market fandom? Not that anyone is immune to it, like it’s all around when you go looking hard and you know the West. The West has borrowed from the that that world very heavily in the past. Our last Spice Girls etcetera, etcetera.  Quinny  Not that hard.  Dion  Was the ability for it to just to be self aware take a bit of fun, have a bit of fun with it, and then continue on go like, yeah, we acknowledge that there’s this there is there is some weird **** that happens in that world and we’re just going to lean into it and understand that it’s part of it. And then move. For with the rest of it, you know, apart from the animation is great and the characters were somewhat likeable.  Quinny  There, there, there are two things that got me straight up. So initially looking at it, I thought oh, wow, this reminds me of what, KD A yeah, which, you know, is the the League of Legends K Pop group. And I was like, OK, we’re obviously kind of gonna. Yes. That’s the thing there.  Dion  Thank you. You’re not like you’re saying things like Katie and I’m like, wait, is it three letter acronym? Should I know? What the **** is going on here? Kill. Kill, death, aggression.  Quinny  K/BA.  Dion  Right, OK. So just just help me with. This it’s a foreign territory.  Quinny  They they are a a AK pop group that was done by the animation company that did League of Legends. So they’ve they’ve got a couple of songs that I actually have no idea how many songs they have about that. And I looked at that and I thought, OK, there’s a touch point. But the thing that and I have the same thing. Hip hop demon hunters. What a stupid ******* name. But watching it, I got to about 5 minutes in and the moment that they’re on the plane and. And they allowed their characters to be ugly and to do stupid faces. And they’re beautiful characters who are fully, you know, gorgeous and made-up, and everything are burping and, like, eating ramen and fighting like ******* demons. But at the same time, they are. Very, very comedic and and I was like oh. ****, this is really kind of like as as soon as I watch it. I was like, this is gonna play to a a female crowd so. Well because it’s not saying look at these perfect, you know, pristine things. These are people who just want to have snacks and lie on the couch and you know relax and be ******* normal. Humans, but at the same time, they want to be super powerful. You know, warlocks that are protecting the world from demons and **** like that. Like this is every little girl’s ******* dream combined and. I was like, holy ****.  Jill  Yeah, like women can be multifaceted. They’re not just put into one box.  Quinny  The power of that.  Jill  As one thing.  Ardella  They can, but there’s absolutely no way an actual K pop band would be allowed to pig out on.  Speaker 4  Junk. Yeah, that’s the thing. It’s.  Ardella  That’s not happening in the real life world, I’m sorry to say. That is. I mean, when we think about.  Dion  But but but. The dropping in out of a plane? Sure.  Speaker 4  Just.  Ardella  Kind of disbelief there. Day on. Yeah, carries through. It carries through. But I do think that it’s interesting having that acknowledgement of. I mean it, it’s it’s an an issue, an underlying issue. I think the treatment of pop stars and this isn’t just a problem in South Korea with K pop or in Japan with J Pop, although it’s a very similar kind of culture from my understanding, yeah, in the their K pop J pop. Machines that churn out these bands that are designed and kind of almost bread to create hype and money and. All of this, we see it in like Dan was saying in. The Spice Girls.  Quinny  Yep.  Ardella  As well, we see it in these manufactured bands that have been created to take our love and to take our money, OK.  Quinny  The eagles.  Jill  There’s literally another program on Netflix right now called building the band.  Ardella  Yeah, exactly. Exactly. And I think it’s really interesting then to look at our K pop demon band. And see that they are. They’re they’re saying the quiet part out loud with with the demon boy band here. But the reality is that that is what all K pop bands are. They are there to take the love to take the energy and to take the money of their fans. And they’ve been created. Expressly to do that. And so I I just find that really interesting to have. That kind of duality on display where we’re saying no hunt tricks are the the good guys when the reality is that. All K pop bands are there to do exactly what the Demon Boy band are doing.  Dion  Yes.  Quinny  And that duality is also encompassed in the lead character as well that, yeah, there are so many elements of things that she is not comfortable with. There’s elements of her public perception that she’s not comfortable with and. You kind of like the stories of the three characters. You know that that one of them is the bad girl who doesn’t get on with her family. The other ones come from, you know, America and is is a a rapper, but she’s also really sweet. All of these things are. Prepackaged they’re made to make them assailable, you know, definable feature.  Ardella  A personality.  Quinny  Yeah, yeah, that people can latch on to, but then you’re also watching and going. Yeah, they’re really funny. And they’re really cool. And I like them. And, you know, they’re they’re little horn dogs. And they, they, they just turn into popcorn and.  Dion  Thank, thankfully. Yeah, I mean, thankfully, you know, they they expressed all those lessons and of course that was the end of it. And this is all we have when. There’s one. Oh, no. That’s why there’s going to be sequels and a TV show and a live stage show. And it’s like, oh, oh, no, the demons won. Ohh no.  Jill  That’s one thing that I I would like to talk about a bit more is like the actual structure of the story. I know we’re not gonna give anything away, but I was interested that it was a movie. TV and not a TV series because I felt like there could have been a lot more character development actually happened throughout a TV series. I wanted more about the back story of the girl’s mentor. I wanted a little bit more time with the Saga boys in the demon. From in general, yeah, just a little bit more fleshing out of story I thought would be great.  Ardella  Apparently it was originally 3 hours long and I. Saw. Someone, I think it might have been tally in the in the chat mentioned that earlier.  Jill  I’d watch 3 hours of this.  Quinny  Yeah, I’m there for, I mean.  Speaker 3  Actually really.  Ardella  Joined a 90 minute movie though.  Speaker 4  We have so many long.  Speaker 3  Yeah, yeah.  Ardella  *** films coming out these days and the pacing in this felt great. I would much rather be left wanting more than be left sitting on my couch, scrolling Instagram halfway through because I’m like, this is a this is a.  Speaker  I wanted.  Jill  Sure.  Ardella  Dull bed.  Quinny  Yeah, yeah, this is the song that I’m not into. And that’s the reprise of the song. I’m not. Into.  Speaker 13  It’s the old man song again.  Speaker  Ohh.  Quinny  It’s something I did like though is is while I was watching it. I you know the first number I was like ohh yeah, this is pretty cool. And then within the 1st 13 minutes, there were three, you know, musical numbers, completely different songs. Like I was watching, and I was like, oh ****, this is a secret musical. It’s not that secret, but it’s a proper musical and that, I mean, for me, for my, my taste, that was ******* great sick. Amazing and like to your point, Dion, I immediately then go totally see. This is a stage. And to your point, Beck. Ohh one of you. I’m not sure who was. Yes, I could see it working as a series because there’s a lot more to explore, and while Dion, I know that you’re like the capitalist pigs, they’re just trying to make money out of the kids sometimes. That’s OK. Because this is a ******* cool story.  Speaker 4  Yeah, I I mean.  Ardella  If you do like everyone wants our money, it is a we live in a society.  Speaker  Oh.  Jill  Here at the in the high points of the capitalism, my friend.  Ardella  Yeah, but I think that there is a a way that feel feels friendly and genuine to do that and this is hitting that nail for me. And there’s a way that feels inauthentic and.  Speaker  Hmm.  Ardella  Cash grabby and that’s not this at the moment. We’ll see how many spin offs they try and squeeze out of this and when it tips that line.  Speaker  Sure.  Ardella  But I think at the moment it still feels.  Dion  And in 15 years, when Netflix rolls back around and makes a live action version of the K pop Demon Hunters franchise, we will know hey. Yeah, now.  Ardella  Warm and flat.  Quinny  Ohh, so he said. They’re not doing it.  Dion  If you’re talking about.  Quinny  They they they got, they got absolutely ******* pilloried on the Internet when the initial run of things that they announced was live action. Make stage show and ongoing series. Everyone said do not ******* do this live action they.  Dion  Quinny. Went OK. Producers don’t care. It’s just that now there’s a lot of complaints. They’ll wait till they’re less complaints and then they’ll do it anyway for a tax break. That’s how the system works, quinny.  Speaker 4  That.  Quinny  So you’ve got another K pop.  Dion  People.  Speaker 6  Exactly.  Speaker 3  For me.  Speaker  You know like.  Dion  Stuff will happen that way, unfortunately and sometimes, fortunately, anyway, philosophically.  Ardella  Well, the sequel has already been greenlit by Netflix, which is unsurprising given that this is apparently in the couple of months that it’s been out a month and 1/2 that it’s been out. It has already topped all other animated movies on Netflix for the most watched.  Dion  Yeah. And we’re a good time behind as we have already. Explain like in in terms of the pickup of this is that came out in June, you know and it’s now **** me, August.  Quinny  Yes.  Speaker  Yeah.  Quinny  That’s the official date.  Dion  Yeah, yeah. Every time I look at the calendar these days.  Ardella  It is now **** me.  Dion  I’m like ****. Anyway.  Quinny  I’m Jill. I want to know on your your new rating system, how many? How many tips have you got less after this?  Speaker 4  ****. No. I think that’s a good.  Jill  2 tips off.  Dion  Ohh no **** left.  Speaker 4  Yeah, yeah, I it it. Yeah, it. Put my ****.  Jill  Off I enjoyed it a lot more than I.  Dion  Jill is Jill is untited.  Jill  Was expecting to because like. I know Queenie loves animation and so his glowing review was like Oh well, it’s gotta be good. And then also my friend who loves K pop and and animation as well and even her husband who enjoys animation like both raved about it. So I’m like, OK well. This has got to be good. That kind of got me in to watch it, but it’s so strange that like. I then convinced my other friend group to watch it and they were all like, oh, this is very kiddy and every everybody else thought it was. It was quite junior, but I didn’t really. Get that read.  Quinny  No.  Jill  They were like ohh it seems like a bit of a teen bop kind of thing and I’m like, well, I am 15 years old. Guys like, that’s why I like it.  Speaker 4  I think this.  Ardella  Is very Shrek adjacent in the figure. Pitch the kid. TV like category if you want to put.  Jill  Yeah, but there’s.  Ardella  It there, but it’s so grown up.  Jill  This was the stuff for the horn bag older women like.  Speaker 4  Is that what you say, Shrek? Yes.  Quinny  She’s not.  Dion  Shrek can get it.  Speaker  I mean.  Dion  Shrek can’t get. I mean, sorry. Before we go into the ratings, which we should do soon to try.  Speaker 4  Yeah.  Quinny  No, no. We need to talk about so.  Dion  And keep in time.  Quinny  Many more things.  Dion  Yeah, there are many things to talk about. The the Quinny, you did raise a point to me the other day talking about K pop demon hunters, which is going. Yes, it’s an interesting comparison, like an interesting comparison film to perfect blue, which we talked about recently too and.  Speaker 2  Yeah.  Dion  I was like. You may have a point.  Jill  Maybe not a companion piece.  Dion  There.  Quinny  I don’t know. I think I think they’re a fantastic companion faced 11 after the other and just.  Dion  Thematically. Thematically, it’s it’s somewhat similar in in in certain ways, not not the same way, like let’s they’re too.  Jill  Ones are very dark and twisted version.  Dion  Exactly, but they both.  Quinny  Yeah, what’s when’s the demons we met. Along the way.  Dion  But they both talk about fandoms. They both talk about the some of the crushing nature of conformity and having to represent yourself as something you may not be, and the damage that that could do. And. And let’s be honest, yeah, it diverges. Very, very different. But there are interesting themes and it’s really interesting to me to think about that. That film made back in the 90s was like working out these problems then and how far we’ve come and how we relate to it. Now, how creatives are relating to that now in this space with, you know, capable demon hunters is like, yeah, look at all these. Things that are still pretty much a problem, but we’re going to acknowledge that they have been a problem and that, you know, these are the things and but we still keep going because we have good messages that we want to try to put out. And if we could all make some money, that’s. Great. But if we have competition, we will crush. It that’s one take away I got from from like K Pop bands is they crush each other.  Speaker 1  Also.  Dion  As they can.  Jill  In the charts in the.  Dion  Yeah, it’s in the chat, but literally.  Quinny  Charts that I think you know differentiate some really very differently is that in perfect blue fandom is seen as being toxic and dangerous and bad. In this one fandom is is the beautiful glowing. Power of house that will save the world and die on your face. Is telling me that you ain’t buying any of this.  Dion  I think that’s a stretch.  Ardella  Ship, haven’t we all been in a a stadium watching a band that you love and just all singing along at once and just felt that that vibe? I mean, it’s what gets people into cult. So you know that it can be used for good or for ill.  Quinny  I was we we we both watched 11,000 with 11,000 other people. People rolled dice.  Speaker 14  Yeah.  Speaker 1  Yeah.  Dion  I mean I.  Speaker 3  Yeah, it’s.  Dion  Went I went to the Jared Leto 1 and that was fine. I’m normal.  Ardella  It’s a powerful thing, is what I’m getting at, yeah.  Quinny  Yeah.  Dion  I get.  Speaker  Quinny  You and in the chat a couple of people mentioned that there’s a comparison with the Puss in Boots, the last Wish, same automotive.  Ardella  I thought his favorite movie of all time.  Dion  I still haven’t. I still haven’t watched it. Even though you keep telling me I. I know. I know get that ***** kids. You know, like there’s only so many.  Quinny  Fine.  Ardella  Come here. We will. Clockwork Orange you again.  Dion  Alright, time to go to my friend’s house and be forced. Watched it or something.  Quinny  Yeah.  Ardella  That’s how I feel about the drunk DC. Watches that we’ve.  Dion  Oh yeah, we still gonna. Do that one.  Quinny  Hmm.  Dion  I still haven’t seen Aquaman 2. Can we bookend it? Which? One should go first, is it?  Speaker 2  Oh.  Speaker 13  I didn’t even know.  Ardella  There was an Aquaman. Ohh yeah.  Speaker 4  Yes, ******* all.  Dion  Yeah. Anyway, OK, think of your think of your ratings. Yes, rate, rate and rate and spoil.  Speaker 4  Should we right and then spoil? Yeah, yes, yes, yes.  Quinny  And if you have seen it in the chat, drop me some numbers so that I can put them into the thing I love. I love keeping an eye out for them.  Dion  Look, OK, I’ll look. I’ll start. Cause Get Me Out of the way. Why? Not. RIP the Band-Aid. Off, yeah, I look, I had a fun time because it was quite poppy and exciting and the animation is actually quite flawless. I like the characters all had a bit of humanity in them. They weren’t that way. U. Kind of. Everyone kind of worked. There’s definitely a saleable marketable thing going because that blue cat is why is that not a plushy already?  Speaker 4  Oh yes.  Quinny  Going to tell you about the blue cat.  Ardella  Derpy is his name.  Dion  Derpy is great. Yeah. OK, all the like. It’s good. I can see the the bit of the franchise there. And I can also see.  Speaker  He loves derpy.  Dion  Me having to scream when I hear the song again after the yeah, yeah. Yeah. 100% not for me, but I will give it 75. Because yeah, like, I think it’s good. Like if someone said, hey, you know, should I watch K pop diamonds? I’m like, yeah, like, you know, I recommend it to people with small kids. I don’t recommend all the way up to people who are 75. Yeah. I was the whole gamut. You can get something out of it. There is a good message in there.  Ardella  75 yeah.  Dion  And I think it’s quite a little hidden gem or. Unreleased jam, even if you don’t particularly like K Pop.  Quinny  Fair, Jill. Sorry.  Jill  Yeah. Look, I’m so excited to say that I have no tips after this film. It’s been a while. It’s been a while, but I am going to give it a 90.  Speaker  Off.  Quinny  We yellow.  Jill  Been a while since we’ve hit the nines for me, but I love that animation. There were just some moments where I was like. What am I watching like? This is just like the textures and everything were so ******* beautiful. There were moments where I’m like Christ, that looks almost realistic.  Speaker 1  Mm-hmm.  Jill  Loved how everybody had a personality. Everyone was like, different. Had their clerks had their faults, like had their beautiful moments. The only reason why it’s not getting more is because there were just some like small unresolved story things that I wish had been explored a little bit more, but. Other than that. We loved it.  Quinny  Heck, do you want to drop a number?  Ardella  Quinny  Nice.  Ardella  I’m a harsh marker, but what can I say? It’s interesting that you mentioned the animation, Jill, because one of the beautiful things that I’ve learned is that the hunt tricks characters our protagonists are animated in a very traditional way, which means that every second frame they move. Whereas our demon Boy band animated differently where they move every single frame and there are certain times at where it’s poignant in the movie where they swim.  Speaker  Which?  Ardella  Ohh and so there’s there’s lots of super cool things that happen behind the scenes that we don’t consciously recognise, but it’s doing stuff to our brains and I think it’s really, really cool. So yeah, I think the more that I learn about this movie and the work that’s gone in behind the scenes, the more I love it. And that’s why it’s really reaching those top numbers.  Quinny  Oh.  Dion  You gotta respect a bit of filmmaking.  Quinny  Yeah.  Dion  Bit of craft work in there.  Ardella  Exactly.  Quinny  And and that’s very much like the first spider verse. Yes, where like they were animating different characters on different frame rates and you know the the attention to detail. And one of the things that gets me about this is the. The absolute love for Korean culture, but also Korean mythology, and it’s also going to be very, very interesting down the track. Seeing people cosplay from it because already there have been people who have gone to do cosplays of the Soulja Boys and so forth and have had to. That that question of appropriation or appreciation. Is very difficult around certain parts of costumes because the hats are an actual part of a very specific part of Korean culture that you really can’t **** with. Yeah. So like the fact.  Ardella  Historical Korean culture, not even current really Korean culture as far as I’m aware as well.  Quinny  Yeah. Hmm. So yeah, whipping one up out of warbler is is kind of not. Not cool, not kosher. And that kind of.  Ardella  Derpy is my next cosplay. Yeah.  Quinny  Thing. And when we come back from the the and everything, I will talk about Derpy because that’s another piece of amazing Korean history and culture right there. My rating is 95. I ******* watched the **** out of it and love the **** out of it. The like the music aspect of it, I I’m not a big K pop fan or anything like that. I I don’t listen to a lot of that music, but I didn’t care because it was super catchy. The vocals were insane. I love that mix of of like the three different voices and the three different styles. Of the girls like that, you know, one will drop into really American style rap, but they’re all capable of rapping. They’ll all take, you know, high parts, low parts. But at the same time, then mix it with a bunch of really cool choreography and and martial arts. Mix in some extra mythology, add some cute characters. I love the fact that you know secondary characters are given a bit of love to like. The band’s manager is. Not a ********. You know how ******* lovely is it that that you know, you’re not just going? Yeah. The traditional ******** band manager? No, he ******* loves.  Dion  Them. Did you not learn anything from Jersey and the Pussycats? What the? ****.  Speaker  Yeah.  Quinny  Yeah, I I just, I mean, as I was watching, I just kept thinking, Oh my God, this is this is a thing for a generation of of girls to watch and. And relate to and want to be and emulate and I suddenly understood that whole thing that all the girls in primary school would go off and learn dances. And then to tie that whole thing that that you know, people want to do of of singing and dancing with, like, spiritual power and empowerment and protectiveness. I was just like, **** me. So yeah, I got a little love for it. I really don’t have much bad to say about it, which is, I mean, I don’t want to give it 100 because that would be ridiculous, but ****** really enjoyed.  Dion  It you can give it a.  Speaker 13  100 and that’s just the surface story.  Quinny  I know we haven’t even talked about what it all means.  Dion  Can’t wait for you to review the stage musical 350,000 out of.  Quinny  Review it, I’m going. To direct the. *******.  Dion  Which would you like to go? Would you like to meet the? Boys or yeah. With that one, we see who, who we. Talking about here, who are the Sargent boys? Sounds weird?  Speaker  Yeah.  Speaker 3  Look normal.  Speaker 5  Ohh yeah.  Speaker 6  Come on. Take your time. Yeah.  Speaker 14  Just like.  Speaker  Yeah.  Speaker 2  Ohh hot.  Speaker 3  You guys are so gross.  Speaker 6  No, yet you go hot. Then we’ll go. He.  Dion  Ohh that is just harsh. No helping hand there whatsoever. So the Sarja boys are a bit of * ****, really, aren’t they? They’re just *****. Hot *****.  Speaker  Yes.  Jill  Yeah, but they’re hot. They’re hot.  Speaker 4  Hot *****.  Dion  Yeah. Yeah, Jesus.  Jill  I’m going to tell you like we went to smash. What was it like 3 weeks ago? The artist Alley was chocolate block of K pop demon hunters. Art anything? Right with that tiger on, it was sold.  Quinny  Oh.  Dion  Right.  Jill  Out. Yeah, right. Good. There were. There’s a scene in the film where the both of the bands are Hunter Eggs and the Sergeant Boys are doing a meet and greet with fans.  Quinny  Oh my God. So.  Jill  And Abby, the gentleman with the. Tabs instead of signing a piece of paper with his name, he runs like pencil against a piece of paper on his ABS, and that’s his signature. There were drawings of that in the artist Alley for sale. The insanity.  Dion  I love Jesus. Yeah. I mean, OK question here. I don’t understand why I have questions now and spoil the logo is up and we’ll talk about spoil everythings if you like. Yeah, it’s been a month. It’s been out for quite a long time. I get derpy the thing.  Jill  Of this movie.  Speaker 14  Yes.  Dion  But what was with the strange Game of Thrones crossover with the Three Eyed Raven?  Speaker  Quinny  Do you want the?  Speaker 4  It’s not a Game of Thrones crossover deal on.  Dion  Everything’s a Game of Thrones crossover.  Ardella  It’s.  Quinny  Heck, do you wanna take it?  Ardella  Quinty no quinny you take this, you are so keen.  Quinny  No, I was so keen. But I I mean, I’m guessing we’ve probably watched the same explainer videos and stuff.  Speaker 13  No, I I read I don’t. Watch.  Quinny  Ohh God, within you actually.  Jill  Jesus, she’s an intellectual.  Speaker 13  Exactly. Where’s my glasses?  Quinny  Just need to take these things off and becomes derpy. The ******* yeah, well.  Dion  You’re on. You’re on.  Jill  Stick your tongue out.  Dion  New media now not only this traditional lofi media that you may try.  Speaker 2  Oh.  Quinny  Yeah. So OK, it’s not a Raven, it’s a magpie. And in Korean culture, the A, this is a it’s a historical joke. So the, the, the, the tiger and the magpie is the punchline of a historical joke. That tigers were traditionally shown as being the representative of the upper class and of rich culture, and specifically the governing class, and the magpie was the symbol of the lower class, the worker. Pass whatever and the hat which I’ve got to remember the name of. Thank you. If somebody wants to look it up for me, that’d be great. The hat is essentially a symbol of power. And so there’s a joke, or there’s a moment in there where the sorry.  Dion  It’s called a gap. It’s called a get, yeah.  Speaker 4  Yeah.  Jill  Yeah, ginu ginu.  Quinny  So.  Jill  Said he made it for the tiger.  Quinny  So yeah, that’s the joke is that it’s a symbol of power that was meant for the tiger, but the magpie keeps stealing it.  Speaker  Ah.  Quinny  And so it’s the it’s a symbol that the lower class will always get one up on the upper class because the upper class is ******* stupid and that’s why he’s derpy. And you’ll see in a lot of Korean art, tigers are always drawn slightly cross eyed or just a little bit dumb looking.  Jill  Quinny  And it’s because essentially, they’re just going upper class. The stupid look at the smart magpie with three eyes, you can see everything.  Dion  So this is exactly like parasite.  Ardella  Yeah, that’s what we’re saying.  Speaker 4  Yeah.  Dion  No, just that that character representation of the blue cat and the magpie is just parasite as a metaphor.  Quinny  Yeah.  Jill  Yeah. Yep, yeah.  Quinny  And and it makes that sequence where where Derpy comes out and knocks over the plant and then just can’t get it to stand up way too long. Like ohh you stupid.  Speaker  Yes. Thank you.  Dion  But it’s good to know, you know, like, I like those little trivia bits. It’s fun. It’s fun to.  Ardella  Learn. Feel like I I was so. Impressed that for the first time I think ever.  Speaker  Hmm.  Ardella  A Netflix trailer. Managed to intrigue and make me want to watch more and actually get me invested in the story without giving away the actual plot. Yeah, there is. There is a very surface level plot being shown out there and I think now that people are, you know, watching more of the clips on TikTok and Instagram and that sort of thing and watching even the golden video clip, they’ll, you might get spoiled.  Quinny  Hmm.  Ardella  Before watching the movie, if you’ve seen all of that, but for me my first tip popped off in the opening in.  Quinny  In the you’re missing how many sticks are you missing?  Ardella  Well, I have lost the second hit for me when the pattern reveal.  Speaker 7  Hmm.  Ardella  Happened in the.  Speaker  Ah.  Ardella  There was. It is very rare that any movie, a movie directed for adults with high levels of intelligence, they rarely get me with the whoa. What happened there was seeing that coming. This movie did that, I gasped. At that reveal, there were. There was nothing in me that thought that that was coming and that is so rare these days. I am so impressed that this movie called K Pop Demon. And so kind of surface level, you know, just fun on top, managed to have this flip. It had this beautiful level of depth to it. I just really loved that so much. I would have enjoyed, I think, a movie where it was just a, you know, magical girl. Banned fighting demons. I would have enjoyed that anyway, but this went a step further.  Speaker  Hmm.  Quinny  So in when we’re talking about the patterns and we’re talking about that, that reveal and that question about Rumi. What are the? Different like so I think that there are so many different layers of what it could mean. And I think one of the things that’s really smart about the film is that. It. Doesn’t specifically say it means any one thing. But what? What did you guys?  Ardella  Because they’re they’re waiting for the sequel or the spin offs or.  Jill  Yeah. So we’re gonna get the story that gives you the back story about, like who roomie’s father was and what happened to her mother and the the what were they called the Sunshine Sisters or whatever.  Quinny  Yeah.  Speaker  Yeah.  Jill  The.  Quinny  Yeah.  Jill  Band. Was and then we also need to have Gino come back because that was unfair how he went. Out. I know it was a beautiful sacrifice, but no, I want Ginyu back.  Ardella  He’s now in the blade, though. If you if you watch the sequence, you can see his spirit get pulled into the blade, which is an actual thing in Korean.  Quinny  Oh no.  Ardella  Mythology. Spirit blades. I believe. I believe I’m not Korean. Please correct me if I’m wrong.  Jill  OK, well I love. I love me as sexy anthropomorphize spirit coming out. Of the sword. So I’ll take. Yeah.  Speaker 3  And then the grade.  Ardella  Changes once his spirit is absorbed into it, so you can see the two different forms of the the blades are.  Jill  I need to ******* watch this movie again. Don’t.  Ardella  Very, very cool.  Speaker 13  I let’s go right now.  Quinny  Yeah, yeah.  Dion  Let’s see. We’re doing a watch along right now.  Speaker 4  It’s.  Jill  Now become a live stream.  Quinny  So damn, what was your you? You had some different takes on on what, some of that meaning may have? Been.  Dion  Which what do you mean the the meaning of which the whole?  Quinny  Thing of the past.  Dion  There’s a lot going on me was there? Did I say something that I’ve I’ve undoubtedly forgotten since yesterday?  Quinny  On. Yeah, well, quite possibly. So, I mean there there’s, there’s that whole thing of like being, you know, intergenerational trauma, like of this is the Korean trauma. Of what? Their history is the split of the country, North and South Korea, which you can read into that. You could also read into it an LGBT thing of this thing that you have to keep hidden about. Yourself. And whether or not she’s allowed to be, especially in K pop, the idea that is she allowed to be who she actually is. Because that is not appropriate like that whole thing of you wearing marks on your. That. You have to keep hidden. I think it has a lot of meaning for a lot of different people for probably a lot of different reasons.  Speaker 1  MHM.  Ardella  Yes, I would agree. I would hesitate to say that this is implying that Ruby is LGBTQIA plus at all, but I have 100% think that people who are LGBTQ a.  Quinny  No, not necessarily.  Ardella  Us could find a lot of parallels there.  Quinny  Yeah, I think that that’s sort of like that X-Men kind of thing. It’s like, yeah, no, we’re not saying that these characters are gay or whatever, but they are a fantastic.  Ardella  Except the ones that.  Quinny  Are. Yeah. So my my best X-Men guy.  Ardella  I think it’s really interesting. We’re seeing a lot of this storyline coming out in a lot of Asian and Asian American stories over the last decade especially, I’ve noticed a a real through line in a lot of the media that I’ve seen, at least. Where these cultures seem to be very much from an outsider perspective. Very much about conforming and not rocking the boat and being being part of a whole community that works well together because everyone kind of assimilates and and doesn’t step outside of the mold or make anyone uncomfortable. And I think yeah, exactly. I think that there is a lot of media coming out these days.  Jill  Yeah, homogeneous.  Ardella  And it’s interesting, Jill, that you mentioned Everything Everywhere all at once earlier, because that’s definitely part of the story behind that movie and and a real message in that movie is. Is that we need to allow the newer generations to be a little bit more unique and individual and celebrate that as something that is wonderful and and adds colour to our cultures and our societies, rather than being something that we should squash. Or avoid and to me, that’s what the patterns were and that’s what you know, was a a real underlying message behind this story is it’s not about conforming, it’s about celebrating what’s unique and individual about each of us.  Jill  Yeah.  Quinny  Yeah, I I did just check and and the reason I brought it up is because of the writer did say that the the intent was that it was a. Bit like coming. Out to your parents? Ohh, so she was. She was. It was a very deliberate piece to say hey, it’s like that. She’s not saying that Remy is, you know.  Dion  So coming out.  Ardella  I mean, could be you go off in your head cannons out there.  Dion  To your friends. Also coming coming out to your friends who have literally been trained to murder. You.  Speaker 13  Your your partner.  Quinny  Yeah.  Dion  For the whole thing.  Speaker 4  Yes.  Dion  Look, I like the little bit of the sort of Buffy the Vampire Slayer chosen. Ones. You know, how do we do this? We just kind of go and kill these faithless demons which there are thousands and thousands and thousands of them, apart from the very special one.  Quinny  Yeah, very.  Dion  That ohh wait. Yes. Yes. So you know I got that sort of storyline.  Ardella  Although I do think that there is a pot, I mean obviously we see Janus. Progression where he was genuinely villainous. He was * ****. Wow, what * **** we learned.  Dion  Sure. What is it again with? Absolutely ancient men and young women.  Jill  That’s like type.  Speaker 4  Being like can.  Ardella  You I I just want to be rich and wealthy at the expense of my family. What a ******* nightmare, human. But then.  Speaker  And.  Ardella  Obviously evolves and become someone who we can genuinely sympathise with, I think, but I feel like we also, especially in that scene, I think Jill, you mentioned the the signing scene, we see a lot of the other members of the Demon Boy Band of the Sargent Boys.  Speaker 4  Yeah, yeah.  Ardella  Have a little bit more personality and a little bit more empathy, I think, than I was expecting and I I would be interested to see that explored a bit more. As well, yeah.  Speaker 1  Hmm.  Quinny  One thing I do love is also the the historical mythological context of it too, that the the idea of the the Singing priestess is is quite a a long history in Korean culture. So the moon or mudang not mudang. Are a an offshoot of of Korean shamanism who their their whole thing was, you know, singing to keep their people safe and, you know, reach out and and bridge the world between gods and humans and so forth. And you see that at the at the very start, like there’s the flashback to the original ones. They’re they’re all traditional like priestess outfits. But then the fact that they’re, you know, really latching into the the Korean singing group thing. You know that there was another group in the 50s and the 60s called the the Kim Sisters. Who group of three well known all around the world, appeared on the Ed Sullivan Show. Did like 22 shows over the years on Ed Sullivan. Like that kind of thing. We’re going. Yes, we’re gonna do it. I love the idea that we could have, you know, stories told in different time frames.  Ardella  Yeah. And before the Kim’s sisters, there was the Jair Gory sisters. I think it’s pronounced and they were also a three piece girl band who we assume is kind of being referenced in that introduction as well.  Dion  Can can we just make sure that we even if we go across different time periods they still kill demo? That’s right. Yes, as long as there’s still some demon hunting and killing going on in there. I’m fine. I’m on board with it.  Ardella  Like.  Quinny  100%.  Speaker 4  Absolutely.  Ardella  100 percent, 100% yeah. I also need to mention I’m sure many of us already know this, but Saja as the name of the Saja boys also has multiple meanings. It means lion.  Dion  Yeah, yeah.  Ardella  But it is also a kind of slang term for the grim Reaper. So there’s that duality there. So that’s that’s why they have the lion like logo. That’s what they’re saying. That’s the that’s the loud part. They’re like, we’re the Lion Boys essentially, but.  Speaker 2  Oh.  Quinny  I didn’t know.  Dion  That, and also dark and mysterious.  Quinny  And.  Ardella  It’s also. Through. Yeah, slang for the grim Reaper in South Korea.  Quinny  And I don’t think I would have understood or appreciated this film if I hadn’t for the past couple of years had an awful lot to do with idol culture like, yeah, but I I’ve learned a lot in the past few years of working for idol festivals and, you know. The whole idol scene and. And. Something that I find fascinating and is really like key to the film, but it’s sort of unless you’ve seen the crowds doing their thing in person. The relationship between crowd and band. Is incredibly intense. Like and the crowds at these events are not. Just, you know, observers, they’re part of the show and they see their role really importantly, you know, all of the glow glowing sticks that they’re holding up all of the colours that they choose to wear, the fact that they, you know, stand a particular singer or whatever and will then change the.  Ardella  They’re bias.  Quinny  Yeah, yeah. You know, they will do all these things and like, you’ll see them during songs. Like I watch them at smash people climbing up on each other’s shoulders just so that they can. Performatively go. You know, I’m not actually singing at you. I’m just showing you how much I appreciate what you’re doing. Is like if you don’t know about it, you’re gonna think it’s ******* weird as ****, which I did for a while, but then when you see it, you go ohh. OK, I get it. And now I watch this film and you realize why so much time is spent with the fandom as well, like. They they spend a lot of time, you know, looking at the the kinds of fans who have latched on to these people. Is it the the sex starved older ladies? Is it the preteen girls who are just utterly, you know, smitten? Is it the big boofy guys who will cry at the drop of a hat? You know, all of that is.  Ardella  I think it’s interesting, though, to suggest that it’s just a AK pop thing or a J pop thing or something like that where you have these biases when you think about, you know, kiss people would wear their specific band members makeup style to go to a kiss concert. It’s it’s a similar.  Quinny  Oh, not at all.  Speaker 4  Yeah, it’s just all.  Jill  About finding community and the things that. You love, yeah.  Quinny  Yeah. Really. And. And it’s also like I remember I wanted to write a ******* paper on this at one point. It’s the the concept of avatar rism that you wear the thing that you want to take on the, the, the, the feeling of you know, so.  Jill  Dude, I’ve done it for 20 years doing cosplay.  Speaker 13  Exactly. Hello cosplay? Yeah.  Quinny  And cosplay is cosplay is like the the the doing it out loud and doing it at the biggest possible way. But for other people it’s that whole thing of wearing your favorite band T-shirt or wearing a Superman T-shirt or wearing, you know something. It’s that thing of.  Jill  Yeah.  Quinny  This gives me all these feelings. And I want to then wear it so that I can try and, you know.  Jill  Yeah. Now, name five of their. Songs.  Ardella  Jesus.  Speaker 4  Yeah.  Ardella  And when you bring that all together, it really is. Powerful and I.  Quinny  Hmm.  Ardella  Think that that’s what they’re they’re tapping into on both sides here where you know that it can be used for good or for evil.  Quinny  Yeah. And. And the idea that a golden home moon only comes when, like, everybody’s actually being true about who they are, you know, that’s a it’s a pretty powerful ******* feeling. Yeah.  Speaker  Beautiful.  Dion  Yeah, beautiful. Speaking of powerful feelings. What are we doing for the rest of? The month, I don’t know. You don’t. You don’t know. Even though you you know exactly what it is. We’ve got a few things. There’s a lot going on in the month of the Merry, Merry month of August. We’ve got lots of movies that are out there. Things like nobody too.  Quinny  I do have a do in front of.  Dion  And one that we’re gonna see tomorrow night, which is. Weapons.  Quinny  Yeah.  Dion  You need the weapon. Give me the yeah. OK.  Ardella  I saw an ad for weapon the other night which just said 100% on Rotten Tomatoes and it was a print ad and I was like that. That’s a that’s a strong choice.  Dion  Yeah.  Speaker 1  Hmm.  Jill  From the team that brought us barbarian.  Dion  Yeah.  Jill  He ******* loves barbarian.  Dion  Yeah, that was. That was one that came out of left field w

Resident Evil changed everything.  When originally released in 1996, what was once a niche genre for enthusiasts was now a blockbuster staple in every second home.  All of a sudden people were craving zombies, horrifying monsters and disturbing themes.  It was so popular that Square, far more known for its more traditional JRPGs, decided to throw its hat in the ring and make Parasite Eve.On the surface, the game appeared to be textbook survival horror.  But dig a little deeper and you could see that Square was unable to escape its roots.  Turn based mode happened in a sphere similar to Vagrant Story, upgrades were plentiful and incremental, and the storytelling had more cutscenes than gameplay at least in the early stages.  Thematically this was still horrifying…but under the hood was a different story.Was this blend of genres ultimately successful, giving survival horror a fresh new perspective?  Or is it impossible to reconcile grim resources management with the power fantasy that RPGS almost always offer?On this episode, we discuss:StoryHow does Parasite Eve use real world science to lend an air of credibility to the horrific changes that are happening all over Manhattan?  Does it execute the smaller details well even if the larger picture is a bit silly at times?CombatHow enjoyable is the moment to moment real time combat of Parasite Eve?  The game requires you to dodge attacks, and pick the best moment to strike.  Is this too simplistic or does it work well?ProgressionHow do the weapon and armour upgrades work in Parasite Eve?  Does it provide the player with a satisfying sense of progression, or is it all just a confusing mess?We answer these questions and many more on the 132nd episode of the Retro Spectives Podcast!—Intro Music: KieLoBot - Tanzen KOutro Music: Rockit Maxx - One point to anotherParasite Eve OST: Yoko Shinomura—What crazy weapon upgrade paths do you like to use?  Is the NG+ mode worth playing?  How is Parasite Eve 2 different from the original?  Come let us know what you think on our discord server!Come let us know what you think or recommend us a new game on our community discord server!If you would like to support the show monetarily, you can buy us a coffee here!

'Tis but a scratch! This week on Cocktails & Classics, we embark on a ridiculous quest with the legendary 1975 comedy, "Monty Python and the Holy Grail." Join us as we laugh our way through King Arthur's absurd journey, killer bunnies, and insulting Frenchmen. We'll dissect the film's unique comedic style, its quotable lines, and its enduring influence on pop culture. Feeling silly? Craft a classic cocktail while you listen! Don't miss this episode for a hilarious deep dive into a timeless comedic masterpiece, fueled by classic cocktails and gloriously silly discussions.Monty Python's Unique Humor: Analyze the distinct comedic style of the Monty Python troupe, including surrealism, silliness, satire, and breaking the fourth wall.Pop Culture Impact: From memorable characters and infinitely quotable lines, we take a look at how the film has permeated pop culture. Low-Budget Brilliance: We discuss how the film's constrained budget led to creative and iconic comedic choices (e.g., coconuts for horses & multiple roles for actors).Thematically, What is it About? Beyond the laughs, is there any underlying commentary or message? (e.g., quest for meaning, absurdity of life, class critique).What's your favorite "Monty Python and the Holy Grail" quote or absurdist moment? Share your thoughts and funniest film experiences on Instagram! #CocktailsAndClassics Don't forget to share this hilariously absurd episode with your friends and family! Subscribe and leave a rating wherever you listen.

At 82, Isabel Allende is one of the world's most beloved and best-selling Spanish-language authors. Her work has been translated into more than 40 languages, and 80 million copies of her books have been sold around the world. That's a lot of books.Allende's newest novel, “My Name Is Emilia del Valle” is about a dark period in Chilean history: the 1891 Chilean civil war. Like so much of Allende's work, it's a story about women in tough spots who figure out a way through. Thematically, it's not that far off from Allende's own story. She was raised in Chile, but in 1973, when she was 31, raising two small children and working as a journalist, her life was upended forever. That year a military coup pushed out the democratically elected president, Salvador Allende, who was her father's cousin. She fled to Venezuela, where she wrote “The House of the Spirits,” which evolved from a letter she had begun writing to her dying grandfather. That book became a runaway best seller and it remains one of her best-known.Allende and Book Review editor Gilbert Cruz spoke about her life and career. Unlock full access to New York Times podcasts and explore everything from politics to pop culture. Subscribe today at nytimes.com/podcasts or on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.

Readers love knowing what to expect from a publisher. Having consistent theming in your titles can help with discovery, trust, and bringing readers back for more.But how do you find your theme? And what happens if you want to diverge from your theme? Jelani Memory of A Kids Co is back on the pod this week to talk about it!

“More Deep Thoughts,” the eighth studio album by Chicago rapper Lil Durk, born Durk Derrick Banks, arrived on March 21, 2025, through Alamo Records and Only The Family (OTF), cementing his reign as a drill music titan. Spanning 22 tracks and 63 minutes, this follow-up to 2022's “7220” and its 2023 deluxe, “Almost Healed,” dives deeper into Durk's duality—street-hardened grit meets vulnerable reflection—while showcasing his evolution as a melodic storyteller. Released amid a banner year for the 32-year-old, who saw his Smurkchella festival sell out Chicago's United Center in February 2025, the album reflects both personal triumph and lingering pain, underscored by his ongoing legal battles and the loss of peers like King Von.The album opens with “Turn Up a Notch,” a menacing banger produced by Brizzy on Da Beat and Noc, where Durk's Auto-Tuned flow snarls over eerie keys and thumping 808s, signaling his intent to dominate. Lead single “Monitoring Me,” dropped in October 2024, blends haunting piano with boasts of resilience, peaking at #12 on the Billboard Hot 100 and setting the tone for a project heavy on introspection. Collaborations shine bright: Drake trades verses on the syrupy “Discontinuing Wockhardt,” 21 Savage snarls through “Internet Trolls,” and Future's woozy croon elevates “Late Checkout.” Rising stars like GloRilla and Lil Baby add fire to “Oprah's Bank Account” and “Went Hollywood for a Year,” respectively, while a posthumous King Von feature on “Same Me” delivers a gut punch of nostalgia.Production, helmed by Durk's go-to crew—Touch of Trent, Chopsquad DJ, and Noc—leans into drill's signature sound but softens it with melodic flourishes, a nod to his crossover appeal. Tracks like “Newsroom” and “Stomach Growling” tackle betrayal and hunger, both literal and figurative, with Durk lamenting lost friends and fake love. X posts from @LilDurkDaily praised its emotional heft, with one fan noting, “Durk really poured his soul into this, you can hear the growth.” The album's centerpiece, “Old Days,” a February 2025 loosie turned fan favorite, mourns his pre-fame simplicity over a soulful sample, earning comparisons to “What Happened to Virgil” for its raw honesty.“More Deep Thoughts” isn't without flaws—its 22-track length drags at times, and some cuts like “Bad Guy” feel formulaic. Yet, its highs are undeniable. Thematically, it wrestles with Durk's O Block roots, his role as a father of seven, and the weight of surviving a war-torn scene, all while dodging a 2024 murder-for-hire charge tied to a 2022 L.A. shooting. Rolling Stone gave it 4 stars, calling it “a victory lap with scars,” while Pitchfork lauded its “cinematic scope.” Debuting at #1 on the Billboard 200 with 185,000 units, it's his third chart-topper, proving his commercial clout.As of March 27, 2025, with Durk free on bond and teasing a deluxe via X, “More Deep Thoughts” stands as a testament to his staying power—a bruised, defiant diary of a drill king still fighting to heal.

“More Deep Thoughts,” the eighth studio album by Chicago rapper Lil Durk, born Durk Derrick Banks, arrived on March 21, 2025, through Alamo Records and Only The Family (OTF), cementing his reign as a drill music titan. Spanning 22 tracks and 63 minutes, this follow-up to 2022's “7220” and its 2023 deluxe, “Almost Healed,” dives deeper into Durk's duality—street-hardened grit meets vulnerable reflection—while showcasing his evolution as a melodic storyteller. Released amid a banner year for the 32-year-old, who saw his Smurkchella festival sell out Chicago's United Center in February 2025, the album reflects both personal triumph and lingering pain, underscored by his ongoing legal battles and the loss of peers like King Von.The album opens with “Turn Up a Notch,” a menacing banger produced by Brizzy on Da Beat and Noc, where Durk's Auto-Tuned flow snarls over eerie keys and thumping 808s, signaling his intent to dominate. Lead single “Monitoring Me,” dropped in October 2024, blends haunting piano with boasts of resilience, peaking at #12 on the Billboard Hot 100 and setting the tone for a project heavy on introspection. Collaborations shine bright: Drake trades verses on the syrupy “Discontinuing Wockhardt,” 21 Savage snarls through “Internet Trolls,” and Future's woozy croon elevates “Late Checkout.” Rising stars like GloRilla and Lil Baby add fire to “Oprah's Bank Account” and “Went Hollywood for a Year,” respectively, while a posthumous King Von feature on “Same Me” delivers a gut punch of nostalgia.Production, helmed by Durk's go-to crew—Touch of Trent, Chopsquad DJ, and Noc—leans into drill's signature sound but softens it with melodic flourishes, a nod to his crossover appeal. Tracks like “Newsroom” and “Stomach Growling” tackle betrayal and hunger, both literal and figurative, with Durk lamenting lost friends and fake love. X posts from @LilDurkDaily praised its emotional heft, with one fan noting, “Durk really poured his soul into this, you can hear the growth.” The album's centerpiece, “Old Days,” a February 2025 loosie turned fan favorite, mourns his pre-fame simplicity over a soulful sample, earning comparisons to “What Happened to Virgil” for its raw honesty.“More Deep Thoughts” isn't without flaws—its 22-track length drags at times, and some cuts like “Bad Guy” feel formulaic. Yet, its highs are undeniable. Thematically, it wrestles with Durk's O Block roots, his role as a father of seven, and the weight of surviving a war-torn scene, all while dodging a 2024 murder-for-hire charge tied to a 2022 L.A. shooting. Rolling Stone gave it 4 stars, calling it “a victory lap with scars,” while Pitchfork lauded its “cinematic scope.” Debuting at #1 on the Billboard 200 with 185,000 units, it's his third chart-topper, proving his commercial clout.As of March 27, 2025, with Durk free on bond and teasing a deluxe via X, “More Deep Thoughts” stands as a testament to his staying power—a bruised, defiant diary of a drill king still fighting to heal.

“More Leaks,” the fourth compilation album by Baton Rouge rapper YoungBoy Never Broke Again (Kentrell Gaulden), dropped on March 7, 2025, via Never Broke Again and Motown Records, serving as a gritty send-off before his anticipated prison release later that summer. Clocking in at 48 minutes across 16 tracks, this project arrived while YoungBoy was still incarcerated, serving a 23-month sentence for federal gun charges stemming from a 2020 arrest in Louisiana, with additional legal woes tied to prescription drug fraud in Utah. Billed by his team as his “last project” before freedom, “More Leaks” compiles previously teased snippets and unreleased cuts, offering fans a raw, unfiltered glimpse into his relentless creative output despite confinement.The album kicks off with “Trapped Out,” a menacing opener that sets the tone with booming 808s and YoungBoy's signature raspy aggression, reflecting the claustrophobia of his legal battles. Tracks like “Rich Junkie” and “Cut Throat” maintain this high-octane energy, driven by producers like D-Roc and Jason “Cheese” Goldberg, who amplify the trap-heavy sound YoungBoy's built his empire on. The lead single, “5 Night,” released February 28, 2025, pairs a hypnotic beat with visuals of YoungBoy dancing beside a G-Wagon, a stark contrast to his prison reality. Posts on X from fans like @YoungboySnippet highlight the vault's depth, with one noting, “Shows how crazy his vault is man, stuff [has] been getting leaked for months and still has songs which are very good.” Indeed, the title “More Leaks” nods to this chaotic rollout, embracing the flood of unofficial releases that have kept his name buzzing.While “More Leaks” lacks the polish of albums like “Sincerely, Kentrell” (2021), it compensates with raw intensity. Tracks like “Never Stopping” and “Meet the Reaper,” briefly available before being yanked from Spotify post-leak, resurface here, satisfying diehards who've tracked his every move. The production leans minimalist—think distorted bass and eerie synths—mirroring his isolated mindset, though some criticize its lack of variety. HotNewHipHop called it a “love-it-or-hate-it album,” noting its appeal to fans craving aggression over evolution. Features are sparse, with only a rumored Lil Baby verse on “Lost Soul” making the cut, keeping the focus squarely on YoungBoy's unapologetic delivery.Thematically, “More Leaks” wrestles with fame's weight and street loyalty, though introspection takes a backseat to bravado. Lines like “I'm still thuggin' ‘til I'm gone” from “Cut Throat” underscore his defiance, a sentiment echoed in his legal saga—pleading guilty yet dodging harsher penalties via a global settlement. Billboard reported its debut at #3 on the Top Rap Albums chart, a testament to his loyal fanbase, even as critics argue it's more a stopgap than a statement. Recorded partly before his December 2024 sentencing, the album's sound quality impressed peers like engineer Jason Goldberg, who lauded similar prison-recorded efforts on the “Ray Daniels Presents” show.As of March 27, 2025, with YoungBoy reportedly released early on March 24 from Talladega, Alabama, per HipHopDX, “More Leaks” bridges his incarceration and freedom. It's not his strongest work—lacking the cohesion of “Top” (2020)—but its chaotic energy mirrors his life, making it a fitting cap to a turbulent chapter.

https://music.amazon.com/artists/B0B2L4VCYM/justhutchSpotifyYoutube InstagramDrummer and songwriter JustHutch never set out to launch a career as a recording artist—it simply happened. Her debut album, Maze, features nine tracks that span hip-hop, rap, and various other genres. With a conversational and melodic rap style, she also incorporates her vocal talents, blending rap with singing. Some tracks even include actual conversations, further adding to the album's unique charm.The album's melodies are diverse, ranging from blues and hip-hop to orchestral and funk influences. As a drummer, Hutch brings a distinctive flavor to the beats, which she creates herself as part of her wider musical portfolio. “It's kind of all over,” she explains, reflecting on her genre-bending approach. “But that's just the thing. It's cool to play in different genres and showcase different things.”Thematically, Maze delves into Hutch's personal experiences, particularly her toxic relationships. "A lot of those songs were in the vault, and I just wanted to push them out," she reveals. "I wasn't going to do anything with those songs, but then I thought, I might as well put them out and see where it goes.”The album opens with "Drums Intro," which holds special significance for Hutch, as it marks the moment her musical journey as an artist began. The track was created spontaneously in a friend's studio. "We were just jamming," she recalls, "I didn't even know it was being recorded. I was just having fun with it." After the session, her friend encouraged her to pursue music, and Hutch realized she had something special.Although she's primarily known for her drumming, Hutch has performed with bands, including at LA's Peppermint Club, a venue where Justin Bieber has performed. She also runs Icebox Studios LLC, where she produces and creates her own beats. Despite her extensive background in music, venturing into artist work and songwriting is a new endeavor for her. “This is new to me,” she admits. “I didn't even know I had the potential."Maze is a reflection of her exploration into new artistic territory. The album's varied sounds, unexpected transitions, and eclectic use of instruments, such as the haunting flute in “Drill,” make it a dynamic listening experience. Hutch is also working on other projects and hints that her next album will explore more R&B influences. "Sometimes it's rap, sometimes it's R&B, sometimes it's hip-hop," she shares. “Artistically, I can play guitar, I can play drums, I can produce anything that comes my way. I'm just going to keep doing this and see how much better I can get.”Maze marks the beginning of JustHutch's exciting journey as an artist, and she's eager to continue experimenting and perfecting her craft.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/creator-to-creators-with-meosha-bean--4460322/support.

Visit our Patreon page to see the various tiers you sign up for today to get in on the ground floor of AIPT Patreon. We hope to see you chatting with us on our Discord soon!NEWSMarvel Comics Solicitations for March 2025!X-ManHunt crossover kicks off in March 2025Marvel sheds light on 'Godzilla vs. Fantastic Four' #1Marvel's next Disney mashup features Mickey & Friends as the AvengersMarvel Rivals Infinity Comic series launches this weekNew advance look at March 2025 Ultimate Universe titlesNew 'Web of...' series to setup SPIDER-VERSE vs. VENOMVERSE'Deadpool Kills the Marvel Universe One Last Time' #1 coming April 2025Marvel kicks off new era with 'Amazing Spider-Man' #1 April 9thMarvel sheds light on 'Predator vs. Spider-Man' #1Deniz Camp's 'Assorted Crisis Events' coming March 2025New four-issue series 'Arcana Royale' coming spring 2025'Monkey Meat: The Summer Batch' coming March 2025New Peter Pan series 'The Last Boy' coming to BOOM! StudiosSpace Ghost & Jonny Quest team up for ‘Space Quest' in March 2025‘Star Wars: Hyperspace Stories—Codebreaker' coming April 2025New horror series 'You'll Do Bad Things' coming March 2025BOOM! sets March 2025 for 'Mouse Guard: Dawn of the Black Axe'DC Comics solicitations for March 2025DC unleashes 'Batman' #158 'Batman: H2SH' preview and coversOur Top Books of the WeekDave:The New Gods #1 (Ram V, Evan Cagle)Absolute Batman #3 (Scott Snyder, Nick Dragotta)Nathan:The New Gods #1 (Ram V, Evan Cagle)Ultimate Spider-Man #12 (Jonathan Hickman, Marco Checchetto)Standout KAPOW moment of the week:Nathan - Absolute Batman #3 (Scott Snyder, Nick Dragotta)Dave - Psylocke #2 (Alyssa Wong, Vincenzo Carratu)TOP BOOKS FOR NEXT WEEKDave: Timeslide #1 (Steve Foxe, Ivan Fiorelli)Nathan: Sabretooth: The Dead Don't Talk #1 (Frank Tieri, Michael Sta. Maria)JUDGING BY THE COVER JR.Dave: The Flash #16 (Mike Del Mundo Cover)Nathan: Timeslide #1 (Mike Del Mundo variant)Interview: J. Holtham teams with Michael Lee Harris talk Motherfu*kin Monsters One-Shot (The Horizon Experiment) - Out December 18, 2024!J, Michael, thanks for joining us on the AIPT comics podcast! Thematically, what inspired the blend of comedic and horror elements in this story, and how do these genres enhance the narrative?We've had Pornsak on, Michael Walsh, and each time I'm curious, how did you guys get in on this exciting project of one-shots?How was your collaboration with Pornsak?The Horizon Experiment introduces complex characters dealing with extraordinary circumstances—how did you approach balancing humanity with the monstrous elements of the plot?Can you share your creative process for developing the visual tone of the comic, and how the artwork complements the story's darker, chaotic themes?The concept of 'monsters' often carries deeper metaphorical weight—what underlying social or personal themes did you aim to explore through this one-shot?Take us through your collaborative process? For instance, what do the action beats look like in a script vs the page?Michael, a lot of the art has an almost fish-eye lens, what was your goal in that approach?Were there any monsters or villains you didn't get to put in here that you've got sketched out?J, you probably get this all the time, but with a few comics series now under your belt, do you approach writing comics differently than with TV?How far out have you planned future chapters?What comics are you currently reading?

"Structurally, I transferred the crow of the cockerels into midi notes and used these for the overall cadence and tonality of the arrangement. This was then transmitted to outboard synthesizers and effects and recorded. A cockerel crow from the original recording was then pitch shifted, stretched and layered texturally into the recorded arrangement.  "Thematically, the audio piece made me think a morning brimming with light and suddenly becoming flooded with the warmth and radiance of the sun; a satiating feeling that makes the day feel like a chance to greet life anew." Dusk in Valldemossa reimagined by Twilight Sleep.

March 1984. Prince, Kenny Loggins, and Bruce Springsteen dominated the pop charts, but something heavier was brewing. Hard rock and metal were clawing their way into the spotlight, and MTV was playing a pivotal role in this revolution. Enter Ratt, with their major-label debut, Out of the Cellar. In a year defined by arena-ready riffs and eye-catching videos, Ratt burst onto the scene with an album that captured the spirit of the times and proved that metal could be more than just a passing trend.Ratt's Out of the Cellar is a quintessential snapshot of a band balancing grit and glam at the height of their powers. Released in March 1984, the album combines raw energy with slick production, delivering a sound that's equal parts rebellious and radio-ready. With tracks like “Round and Round” and “Wanted Man,” Ratt crafted an album that helped define the MTV era of glam metal while staying grounded in the Sunset Strip's hard rock roots.A Band Ready for the Big StageBy the time Out of the Cellar dropped, Ratt was no overnight success. Years of grinding it out in the Los Angeles club scene had sharpened their skills, and their 1983 self-titled EP had already sold an impressive 100,000 copies independently—a testament to their undeniable appeal. The band's lineup had solidified around frontman Stephen Pearcy, guitarists Warren DeMartini and Robin Crosby, bassist Juan Croucier, and drummer Bobby Blotzer, creating a dynamic chemistry that carried them to the top of the hard rock heap.Ratt's dual-guitar approach set them apart, with DeMartini's sharp, groove-heavy riffs balancing Crosby's bold, melodic solos. Pearcy's distinctive snarl gave the band a rougher edge compared to many of their contemporaries, adding a layer of grit to their glam. Their sound wasn't just catchy—it had character.The Tracks That Made Out of the Cellar Legendary“Round and Round” remains the standout hit, with its infectious hooks and soaring dual-guitar solo. The track epitomizes Ratt's ability to create music that's equal parts heavy and accessible. Then there's “Wanted Man,” a cinematic opener that channels old-school Western vibes, and “Back for More,” a slow-burning anthem that builds from acoustic introspection to full-on rock power.Ratt's rhythm section deserves its own spotlight. Blotzer's drumming, especially on tracks like “Lack of Communication,” is far more dynamic than your average 80s metal backbeat. His clever use of cymbal accents and syncopated rhythms brings depth to the album, making it as danceable as it is headbang-worthy.A Sound That Defined Its EraRatt hit their stride at the perfect moment, just as glam metal was breaking into the mainstream. Out of the Cellar is a product of its time, but its rawness and unique qualities keep it relevant. While the production leans a little thin by modern standards, it complements the band's high-energy style, letting their dual guitars and blistering solos shine.Thematically, the album balances tales of outlaws (“Wanted Man”) with relationship struggles and party anthems. It's a snapshot of a time when rock bands weren't afraid to have fun, but Ratt did it with a touch more grit and attitude than their more polished peers.The Legacy of Out of the CellarRatt wasn't just another glam band—they were trailblazers for the MTV generation of hard rock. Out of the Cellar went on to sell over 3 million copies in the U.S., cementing the band's place in 80s rock history. Its success wasn't just about “Round and Round” dominating MTV; it was about Ratt's ability to craft songs that could move between stadiums and smoky clubs with equal swagger.This album helped set the stage for the glam metal explosion that defined the mid-to-late 1980s. Its raw edges, blazing guitars, and distinct personality made it stand out in a crowded field, giving Ratt a voice that's still celebrated today.Why Out of the Cellar Still RocksListening to Out of the Cellar today, it's clear why this album endures. Its energy, musicianship, and unapologetic attitude make it more than a nostalgia trip. It's a cornerstone of 80s rock that still feels fresh and fun, especially when tracks like “Back for More” or “Lack of Communication” hit your speakers.Ratt didn't just release an album—they created a moment in time. Out of the Cellar captures the raw ambition of a band poised to take over the world, and for a while, they did.Songs in this EpisodeIntro - Round and Round 30:16 - In Your Direction 35:17 - Lack of Communication 36:08 - Back for More 39:06 - Lack of Communication 44:10 - Wanted Man 1:09:09 - One Like a Son (Vertex) Outro - Round and RoundMake Your Metal Voice Heard!We're on a mission to dig deep into the heart of 80s metal, and we can't do it without you. Your album suggestions fuel the show—whether it's an overlooked classic or a hidden gem that deserves the spotlight. When you join the DMO Union on Patreon, you're not just helping us stay independent and ad-free; you're getting a say in the albums we explore. Together, we'll uncover the anthems, riffs, and stories that shaped a decade. Let's rediscover 80s metal, one listener-driven episode at a time.Thanks for reading Dig Me Out! This post is public so feel free to share it. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit digmeout.substack.com/subscribe

"Whatever happened, you're still part of the team! You're still one of the X-Men!" Much like the comics from which X-Men: The Animated Series drew so much of its inspiration, season 2 would immediately see the show begin to double down on its history and build out an ever-expanding mythology. No longer obligated to present stories at an entry level, the show took full advantage of its serialized format to springboard plots off the backs of its own previous plots. To that end, season 2 opens with a bombshell: the return of Morph, long thought dead since the events of the series' opening two-parter. This came as a shocking and satisfying twist, rewarding loyal viewers for their continued interest. And if it came at the cost of invalidating the show's edgiest, most ground-breaking moment? So what! This was comics, after all, or at least comics-on-Saturday-morning. Further to that, Morph had proven to be an unexpected fan favorite based on initial impressions, so a reversal of fortune was arguably worth it not merely for a big reveal, but to offer a path back to semi-regular appearances for the character. The revolving door of death would be one of the many ways the show was brought more into alignment with the tropes of the comics. More direct echoes could be traced in the form of Scott and Jean's wedding, which would occur in the comics a mere four months later. Likewise, new anti-mutant antagonist Graydon Creed and his homegrown militia, the Friends of Humanity, had made their print debuts a little over six months prior to the airing of "Till Death," part 1. Henchmen the Nasty Boys are utilized prominently beginning in part 2 and throughout the season, despite having appeared in exactly one comics storyline from 1992 (and in lieu of an older and more infamous group that preceded them in the Marauders). All this, with little in the way of reintroductions to our principal cast. From a critical standpoint, this approach for a season premiere might politely be described as "inaccessible" to say the least. Owing to many of these changes was no doubt the arrival of X-Men line editor Bob Harras in an official capacity as Story Consultant. To Harras, inaccessibility was a feature far more than a bug. During his tenure overseeing the X-office at the height of the speculator era, the more tangled, sprawling, and convoluted the storytelling, the better. For the industry's many eager young collectors, the complex nature of the X-Men's history, combined with the present-day storylines whose conclusions typically offered more questions than answers, there was a desperate need to Make It All Make Sense. Helping Jenny and Tim to Make It All Make Sense on this installment of X-Position is Keithie, not unlike Beast, joining the episode in progress. All told, this two-parter delivers a satisfying, intricately-plotted opening salvo that will be representative of the season as a whole. Thematically, the story makes excellent use of deception as a recurring motif. From Wolverine's brawl with a robotic duplicate of Cyclops, to the mutant-impersonating crisis actor disrupting President Kelly's inauguration, Graydon Creed's subsequent manipulation of the media, and right down to Morph's duplicitous divide-and-conquer scheme to use the X-Men to undo the X-Men, truly nothing is as it seems. And that's to say nothing of Morph's return from a seemingly certain death. It's fitting, then, that standing atop all of this subterfuge is the riddle wrapped in a mystery inside an enigma known as Mr. Sinister. His presence will loom large throughout the series following this maleficent animated debut. To its credit, the script makes effective and logical use of Sinister as Morph's corrupting benefactor, and even manages to flesh out his ultimate motives more decisively over the course of 22 minutes than 6-plus years worth of comics appearances had managed. Though taking its cues ever more from the comics, this stands as an example of the finite nature of the animated series imposing a storytelling discipline that occasionally outshined its source material.

Today we present the first episode of Jacob Smith's new eco-critical audiobook, Lightning Birds: An Aeroecology of the Airwaves. In this audio-only book, Smith uses expert production to craft a wildly original argument about the relations between radio and bird migration. The rest of the book is available, free of charge, from The University of Michigan Press, but this introduction is a great standalone experience that we think Phantom Power listeners will delight in. It tells a truly unique cultural history of radio, describes important scientific discoveries about bird migration through interviews with key researchers, and continues exploring Smith's singular mode of ecocriticism, combining text-based scholarship with sound art, music, and audio storytelling. Professor Jacob Smith is Director of the Masters in Sound Arts and Industries Program at Northwestern University and author of numerous books. He is a cultural historian focused on media and sound who never fails to come at his subject matter from an oblique and completely original angle. His first three books focused on the relationship between the media technologies that developed over the course of the twentieth century—the phonograph, radio, film, and TV—and the kinds of performance styles we have come to expect from performers. For example, his 2008 book Vocal Tracks  tackles questions such as how radio changed acting and why fake laugh tracks developed on television—and why we feel so weird about canned laughter. In recent years, Jacob Smith's work has changed in a couple of ways. Thematically, he took a hard turn towards environmental criticism. His 2015 book Eco-Sonic Media lays out an agenda for studying the negative environmental effects of media culture while also telling a strange alternate history of “green” sound technologies: hand-cranked gramophones with eco-friendly shellac records and needles sourced from cacti instead of diamonds. His next book maintained this eco-critical perspective while revolutionizing the format of the scholarly book. 2019's ESC: Sonic Adventure in the Anthropocene was a 10-part audiobook that mined golden age radio shows and sound art to explore the dawn of the Anthropocene era, in which humans emerged as the primary force affecting earth systems. In episode 12 of this podcast, we played an excerpt of that book and interviewed Jake about the process of crafting a book-length scholarly argument in sound by sampling sounds from other eras. Lightning Birds continues this Smith's work in this innovative vein. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/new-books-network

Today we present the first episode of Jacob Smith's new eco-critical audiobook, Lightning Birds: An Aeroecology of the Airwaves. In this audio-only book, Smith uses expert production to craft a wildly original argument about the relations between radio and bird migration. The rest of the book is available, free of charge, from The University of Michigan Press, but this introduction is a great standalone experience that we think Phantom Power listeners will delight in. It tells a truly unique cultural history of radio, describes important scientific discoveries about bird migration through interviews with key researchers, and continues exploring Smith's singular mode of ecocriticism, combining text-based scholarship with sound art, music, and audio storytelling. Professor Jacob Smith is Director of the Masters in Sound Arts and Industries Program at Northwestern University and author of numerous books. He is a cultural historian focused on media and sound who never fails to come at his subject matter from an oblique and completely original angle. His first three books focused on the relationship between the media technologies that developed over the course of the twentieth century—the phonograph, radio, film, and TV—and the kinds of performance styles we have come to expect from performers. For example, his 2008 book Vocal Tracks  tackles questions such as how radio changed acting and why fake laugh tracks developed on television—and why we feel so weird about canned laughter. In recent years, Jacob Smith's work has changed in a couple of ways. Thematically, he took a hard turn towards environmental criticism. His 2015 book Eco-Sonic Media lays out an agenda for studying the negative environmental effects of media culture while also telling a strange alternate history of “green” sound technologies: hand-cranked gramophones with eco-friendly shellac records and needles sourced from cacti instead of diamonds. His next book maintained this eco-critical perspective while revolutionizing the format of the scholarly book. 2019's ESC: Sonic Adventure in the Anthropocene was a 10-part audiobook that mined golden age radio shows and sound art to explore the dawn of the Anthropocene era, in which humans emerged as the primary force affecting earth systems. In episode 12 of this podcast, we played an excerpt of that book and interviewed Jake about the process of crafting a book-length scholarly argument in sound by sampling sounds from other eras. Lightning Birds continues this Smith's work in this innovative vein. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/environmental-studies

What is it about Times Square that has inspired such attention for well over a century? And how is it that, despite its many changes of character, the place has maintained a unique hold on our collective imagination?  In Times Square Remade: The Dynamics of Urban Change (MIT Press, 2023), which comes twenty years after her widely acclaimed Times Square Roulette, Dr. Lynne Sagalyn masterfully tells the story of profound urban change over decades in the symbolic space that is New York City's Times Square. Drawing on the history, sociology, and political economy of the place, Times Square Remade examines how the public-private transformation of 42nd Street at Times Square impacted the entertainment district and adjacent neighbourhoods, particularly Hell's Kitchen. Dr. Sagalyn chronicles the earliest halcyon days of 42nd Street and Times Square as the nexus of speculation and competitive theatre building as well as its darkest days as vice central, and on to the years of aggressive government intervention to cleanse West 42nd Street of pornography and crime. Thematically, the author analyses the three main forces that have shaped and reshaped Times Square—theatre, real estate, and pornography—and explains the politics and economics of what got built and what has been restored or preserved. Accompanied by nearly 160 images, more than half in colour, Times Square Remade is a deftly woven narrative of urban transformation that will appeal as much to the general reader and New York City enthusiast as to urbanists, city planners, architects, urban designers, and policymakers. This interview was conducted by Dr. Miranda Melcher whose new book focuses on post-conflict military integration, understanding treaty negotiation and implementation in civil war contexts, with qualitative analysis of the Angolan and Mozambican civil wars. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/new-books-network

What is it about Times Square that has inspired such attention for well over a century? And how is it that, despite its many changes of character, the place has maintained a unique hold on our collective imagination?  In Times Square Remade: The Dynamics of Urban Change (MIT Press, 2023), which comes twenty years after her widely acclaimed Times Square Roulette, Dr. Lynne Sagalyn masterfully tells the story of profound urban change over decades in the symbolic space that is New York City's Times Square. Drawing on the history, sociology, and political economy of the place, Times Square Remade examines how the public-private transformation of 42nd Street at Times Square impacted the entertainment district and adjacent neighbourhoods, particularly Hell's Kitchen. Dr. Sagalyn chronicles the earliest halcyon days of 42nd Street and Times Square as the nexus of speculation and competitive theatre building as well as its darkest days as vice central, and on to the years of aggressive government intervention to cleanse West 42nd Street of pornography and crime. Thematically, the author analyses the three main forces that have shaped and reshaped Times Square—theatre, real estate, and pornography—and explains the politics and economics of what got built and what has been restored or preserved. Accompanied by nearly 160 images, more than half in colour, Times Square Remade is a deftly woven narrative of urban transformation that will appeal as much to the general reader and New York City enthusiast as to urbanists, city planners, architects, urban designers, and policymakers. This interview was conducted by Dr. Miranda Melcher whose new book focuses on post-conflict military integration, understanding treaty negotiation and implementation in civil war contexts, with qualitative analysis of the Angolan and Mozambican civil wars. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/history

What is it about Times Square that has inspired such attention for well over a century? And how is it that, despite its many changes of character, the place has maintained a unique hold on our collective imagination?  In Times Square Remade: The Dynamics of Urban Change (MIT Press, 2023), which comes twenty years after her widely acclaimed Times Square Roulette, Dr. Lynne Sagalyn masterfully tells the story of profound urban change over decades in the symbolic space that is New York City's Times Square. Drawing on the history, sociology, and political economy of the place, Times Square Remade examines how the public-private transformation of 42nd Street at Times Square impacted the entertainment district and adjacent neighbourhoods, particularly Hell's Kitchen. Dr. Sagalyn chronicles the earliest halcyon days of 42nd Street and Times Square as the nexus of speculation and competitive theatre building as well as its darkest days as vice central, and on to the years of aggressive government intervention to cleanse West 42nd Street of pornography and crime. Thematically, the author analyses the three main forces that have shaped and reshaped Times Square—theatre, real estate, and pornography—and explains the politics and economics of what got built and what has been restored or preserved. Accompanied by nearly 160 images, more than half in colour, Times Square Remade is a deftly woven narrative of urban transformation that will appeal as much to the general reader and New York City enthusiast as to urbanists, city planners, architects, urban designers, and policymakers. This interview was conducted by Dr. Miranda Melcher whose new book focuses on post-conflict military integration, understanding treaty negotiation and implementation in civil war contexts, with qualitative analysis of the Angolan and Mozambican civil wars. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/performing-arts

“I came up doing improv where failure is the golden standard. And in improv, if you're not failing, you're doing something wrong. I feel really lucky that that was one of my bridges into entertainment and creativity, to have such a loving relationship with failure because, boy! As a writer, your days are filled with it and rejection and killing your darlings. I think comedy and improv have taught me how wonderful failure can be and how much we can get out of it for sure,” says Carrie Solomon, writer of the new Netflix romantic comedy, A Family Affair starring Nicole Kidman and Zac Ephron.  In this episode, Carrie talks about working as an assistant when she first came to Hollywood, calling it a job that can be, “Thankless at times, certainly, but really rewarding in the amount of information that you can absorb.”  She also talks about bringing her own life experience – like being an assistant – to her storytelling.  “Thematically, I think a lot of lot of the arcs in this movie are certainly my own. It's my own therapy coming to the screen, going to the page. I should probably send my therapist a Netflix., QR code to go check out the movie,” Carrie says.  Carrie also shares a lot of advice, including how to get your writing noticed. “For anyone who wants to make a splash or write something crazy or noticeable, write something that's crazy to you. Don't worry about what. If you yourself were entertained or wowed by an idea or you think, oh my god, that's absolutely like ass backwards crazy. Try it. I have a lot of friends that the minute they stop worrying about audiences or development execs or what people want to read, that's when they really found their voice and it clicked. I think being personal is one of the one of the quickest ways to find success.” To hear more about Carrie's writing journey, listen to the podcast.