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The episode reflects on Ayn Rand as a major moral novelist whose work defended freedom, integrity, and free markets, while also noting the speaker's criticism that her ethical and political philosophy remained incomplete. It discusses Rand's public reception, her personal relationships, and the claim that her affair with Nathaniel Branden damaged both her life and her movement.The conversation also turns to Western culture, with an argument that Greek universalism and Christian mysticism make it difficult to accept real differences in human abilities and outcomes. It closes with practical comments on dating apps and marriage, and with criticism of false claims in the Lindsay Clancy discussion, which he says weaken trust and make relationships harder.Support philosophy! https://freedomain.com/donate/GET FREEDOMAIN MERCH! https://shop.freedomain.com/SUBSCRIBE TO ME ON X! https://x.com/StefanMolyneuxFollow me on Youtube! https://www.youtube.com/@freedomain1GET MY NEW BOOK 'PEACEFUL PARENTING', THE INTERACTIVE PEACEFUL PARENTING AI, AND THE FULL AUDIOBOOK!https://peacefulparenting.com/Join the PREMIUM philosophy community on the web for free!Subscribers get 12 HOURS on the "Truth About the French Revolution," multiple interactive multi-lingual philosophy AIs trained on thousands of hours of my material - as well as AIs for Real-Time Relationships, Bitcoin, Peaceful Parenting, and Call-In Shows!You also receive private livestreams, HUNDREDS of exclusive premium shows, early release podcasts, the 22 Part History of Philosophers series and much more!See you soon!https://freedomain.locals.com/support/promo/FREEDOMAIN2026
What does the Great Commission actually command—evangelizing individuals, discipling nations, or both? Alex Kocman examines Matthew 28, Charlie Kirk’s “make heaven crowded” movement, and the debate over what it means to “make disciples of all nations.” Drawing from Matthew 28, Daniel 7, Psalm 2, Revelation 5, and the Greek grammar of the Great Commission, Alex argues that Christ’s mission includes personal conversion, baptism, teaching, church membership, and the long-term discipling of peoples and nations under His Lordship.
Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for October 2, 2026 is: heterodox • HET-uh-ruh-dahks • adjective Like both unorthodox and unconventional, heterodox describes something, such an idea or belief, that is contrary to or different from an acknowledged standard, a traditional form, or an established religion. Heterodox can also describe a person or group that holds unorthodox opinions or doctrines. // The two new faculty members' heterodox approach to teaching science initially met with some resistance from their peers. See the entry > Examples: “The result is what researchers call the ‘spiral of silence' (Noelle-Neumann, 1974), which describes the process by which dissenters go quiet, fearing social backlash; this, in turn, makes other dissenters feel even more alone, producing a false consensus that further suppresses dissent. The group appears unanimous, and everyone with a heterodox view assumes they're the only one.” — The Open Therapy Institute, Psychology Today, 22 June 2026 Did you know? Hot take: individuals often see other people's ideas as unconventional while regarding their own as common sense. On second thought, this take may be more on the mild side—in other words, closer to orthodox (“conventional”) insight about human nature than to heterodox (“unconventional” or “contrary”) opinion. Both orthodox and heterodox developed from the same root, the Greek doxa, meaning “opinion.” Heterodox combines doxa with heter-, a combining form meaning “other” or “different”; orthodox pairs doxa with orth-, meaning “correct” or “straight.”
I've covered a LOT of Scary Stories over the years, so I wanted to compile the ones featured in the 2019 film! Let me know what other Scary Stories To Tell in the Dark you want me to cover in the future!
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Reformed Brotherhood | Sound Doctrine, Systematic Theology, and Brotherly Love
In episode 507 of the Reformed Brotherhood, Tony and Jesse continue their journey through the parables of Luke's Gospel, landing in Luke 12:35–40. What appears at first glance to be a familiar call to watchfulness turns out to be something far more demanding — and far more gracious. The parable of the waiting servants is not a call to spiritual passivity or anxious vigil, but to active, disciplined faithfulness. Girded loins and burning lamps are not the posture of someone sitting and waiting — they are the posture of someone already at work. And when the master returns to find his household in good order, he does the unthinkable: he puts on an apron and serves his servants. Grace, as always, gets the last word. Key Takeaways Biblical waiting is never passive. The command to "gird your loins" describes a settled state of active readiness — not anxious watching, but faithful, ongoing work in the master's household. This parable is more about sanctification than justification. Unlike the Parable of the Ten Virgins, which emphasizes spiritual preparedness, this parable calls believers to holiness and continued good works in the time before Christ's return. The master's service is the shocking grace at the center of the parable. That the returning master would gird himself and serve the faithful servants is the parable's defining surprise — the reward is not earned, but given freely by a gracious master. Our best works cannot merit grace, yet God is pleased to reward sincere obedience. Drawing on Calvin and Augustine, Jesse articulates that when God crowns our faithfulness, he is crowning his own gifts working in and through us. The parable speaks differently to different audiences. Christ is addressing a mixed crowd — genuine disciples, swept-up enthusiasts, and hostile opponents. The same event (the master's return) carries opposite meanings depending on the condition of the heart that meets it. The late-watch blessing is a word of encouragement to the weary. Faithfulness at 3 a.m. is harder than faithfulness at 9 p.m. The blessing pronounced on those found faithful in the late watches is a word of hope for those in seasons of dryness, discouragement, or spiritual fatigue. Peter's question in verse 41 is not a failure — it is a mirror. Even Peter, standing directly in front of Jesus, did not know who the parable was for. Confusion in the face of these texts is not shameful — it is an invitation to slow down and look more carefully. Key Concepts Active Faithfulness: What "Girded Loins" Actually Demands The phrase "let your loins be in the state of having been girded" is a Greek perfect participle — describing not a momentary action but a settled, ongoing condition. In the ancient Near East, men wore long flowing robes, and tucking the hem into the belt was reserved for moments of work, travel, or battle. It was not comfortable. You would not stay girded longer than you had to. The parable's command, then, is not simply "be alert" — it is "stay in the posture of someone already doing their job." The servants are expected to be found working when the master returns, not merely watching out the window. Biblical waiting, as Jesse notes, has always been active: Israel ate the Passover meal with sandals on and staff in hand. Simeon waited for the consolation of Israel by being present in the temple. Waiting, rightly understood, is a form of faithfulness. Grace That Serves: The Parable's Shocking Reversal The most disorienting moment in this parable is not the master's unexpected return — it is what he does when he arrives. He finds his servants awake and the house in order, and rather than accepting their service, he girds himself and waits on them. This is not a reward they have earned by staying awake. As Tony points out, the master serves because there is nothing left to be done — the household is already well kept. The servants' faithfulness creates the conditions for the master's grace to be expressed in the most lavish possible way. This is the Reformed instinct confirmed by the parable itself: our obedience does not purchase the feast, but the master's grace sets the table. When God crowns faithfulness, he is crowning his own gifts, not ours. The banquet was always his to give. A Parable for a Mixed Crowd: One Return, Two Meanings Christ is not preaching to a tidy congregation of committed disciples. He is speaking to thousands — a traveling crowd that includes genuine believers, curious followers, and hostile observers. The sudden shift from the returning master to the image of a thief in verse 39 is jarring, but it may be precisely the point. The same event — the return of the Son of Man — carries entirely different weight depending on who is waiting for him. To those who are watchful and faithful, he comes as a beloved master bringing a feast. To those who are careless or unprepared, he comes like a thief, and loss follows. The doctrine of perseverance is not a license to coast. God perseveres his people through their persevering — working in them both to will and to do. The parable presses every hearer to ask: which household am I keeping?
We explore the reign of King Hezekiah, a righteous ruler who brought revival to the kingdom of Judah. Discover how Hezekiah, following in the footsteps of King David, restored true worship of Yahweh and celebrated Passover in Jerusalem. Learn about the threat posed by the Assyrian Empire under Sennacherib. Uncover the historical context of the Assyrian conquest of the Northern Kingdom and the subsequent challenge to Judah.Support the showRead along with us in the Bible Brief App! Try the Bible Brief book for an offline experience!Get your free Bible Timeline with the 10 Steps: Timeline LinkSupport the show: Tap here to become a monthly supporter!Review the show: Tap here!Want to go deeper?...Download the Bible Brief App!iPhone: App Store LinkAndroid: Play Store LinkWant a physical book? Check out "Bible Brief" by our founder!Amazon: Amazon LinkWebsite: biblebrief.orgInstagram: @realbiblebriefX: @biblebriefFacebook: @realbiblebriefEmail the Show: biblebrief@biblelit.orgWant to learn the Bible languages (Greek & Hebrew)? Check out our partner Biblingo (and use our link/code for a discount!): https://biblin...
Share a commentIf “love” is everywhere, why does it feel so thin? We dig into agape, the kind of love Scripture treats as the finishing touch of spiritual maturity and the one quality that keeps everything else from going off the rails. Peter's list in 2 Peter 1 stacks up virtues like knowledge, self-control, steadfastness, and godliness, then lands on love as the crown. We talk about why that matters: without agape, knowledge quietly turns into pride, virtue hardens into legalism, and perseverance becomes self-preservation.We also slow down and compare the common Greek words for love. Storge is family affection, philia is friendship built on shared interests, and eros is sexual desire that needs commitment to avoid becoming selfish and disposable. Then we get to the surprise: the New Testament keeps choosing agape, a word the surrounding culture barely used, because it points to a supernatural, learned way of living that doesn't rise naturally in us.From there we step into 1 Corinthians 13 and let Paul confront us. You can be gifted, eloquent, and loaded with Bible knowledge, but without love you're just making noise, and without love you're nothing. That lens changes how we speak, how we serve, and even how we post online, where bragging can become “helpful content” and envy can hide behind a smile. If you want a clearer, more practical picture of biblical love that shows up in patience, kindness, humility, and self-giving action, hit play, then subscribe, share with a friend, and leave a review with what challenged you most.Learn more about twenty-five years of global impact, and reserve tickets to our gala. https://www.wisdomonline.org/mp/25 Learn more: https://www.wisdomonline.org/Support the show
Victor Davis Hanson is an American historian, classicist, and political commentator known for his work on ancient Greek and Roman warfare, military history, and contemporary American politics. He is a longtime professor at Stanford University's Hoover Institution and has authored numerous books, while also becoming a prominent conservative commentator through essays, podcasts, and media appearances. Check out his new book ‘The Counter Revolution: The Fall and Rise Of Donald Trump And The MAGA Movement,' out now. IN THE NEWS: David Ellison is reportedly eyeing Elon Musk for an equity investment in Paramount, sparking concern at CNN. Gavin Newsom's childhood home in San Francisco hits the market for $4.5 million, while the first-ever Hanukkah Barbie draws both praise and backlash over its design. Adam also reacts to Newsom's speech at the United Nations and weighs in on the controversy surrounding a recent Converse advertisement.Get It On!FOR MORE WITH VICTOR DAVIS HANSON:BOOK: The Counter Revolution: The Fall and Rise Of Donald Trump And The MAGA MovementOut Now FOR MORE WITH ANDREW HOBSON:INSTAGRAM & YOUTUBE: @andrewfhobsonLIVE SHOWS: October 2 - Casper, WY (2 Shows)October 3 - Estes Park, CO (2 Shows)October 8 - Point Pleasant Beach, NJOctober 9 - Pottstown, PA (2 Shows)October 10 - Pottstown, PA (2 Shows)Thank you for supporting our sponsors:bollandbranch.com/acs Code: acsoreillyauto.com/ADAMPluto.tvSimpliSafe.com/ADAMHistory's Greatest MysteriesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
P.M. Edition for Oct. 1. The Justice Department is reviewing whether prosecutors mishandled the Watergate case, decades after the scandal led to Richard Nixon's resignation. WSJ White House reporter Philip Wegmann explains that the review comes as more conservatives, including President Trump, show renewed interest in Nixon's legacy. Plus, mortgage rates had their biggest weekly increase in four years, tracking the sharp recent rise in U.S. bond yields. Markets reporter David Uberti discusses why more ships moving through the Strait of Hormuz haven't done more to send gas prices and bond yields lower. And that global bound rout got messier today, as investors started picking winners and losers in different countries. Alex Ossola hosts. Sign up for the WSJ's free What's News newsletter. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
Two short tales from the Greek myths that explain the origin of our word echo and introduces us to the Greek nymph, Syrinx. From the D'Aulaires book of Greek Myths for children. An episode from Journey with Story, a storytelling podcast for kids ages 4-10. (duration 13 minutes) We have suspended our Patreon platform for now. But, you can receive all of this month's coloring sheets by signing up for my newsletter and you will also receive some terrific resources for raising kids who LOVE to read. Sing up for free now at www.journeywithstory.com If your little listener wants to ask us a question or send us a drawing inspired by one of our episodes, send it to us at instagram@journeywithstory. Or you can contact us at www.journeywithstory.com. We love to hear from our listeners. If you enjoy our podcast, you can rate, review, and subscribe at here Did you know Kathleen is also a children's picture book author, you can find out more about her books at www.kathleenpelley.com
The CIA has organized coups d'etat in countries around the world. But this is not just history; it still happens today. US ambassador to Greece Kimberly Guilfoyle, a top ally of Donald Trump (and former fiancée of his son), threatened a Greek minister by pointing to the collapse of Romania's government and saying, “We can do that to any country we want. We can do that here”. Her remarks recalled a comment from oligarch Elon Musk, who declared, "We will coup whoever we want! Deal with it". Ben Norton analyzes US imperialism. VIDEO: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dW24Pp__UTA Topics 0:00 US interventions and coups 1:39 US ambassador threatens Greece 4:56 Collapse of Romanian government 5:52 US-backed coup in Greece in 1967 6:48 Europe becomes US vassal 7:43 EU surrenders to Trump on trade 9:10 Trump demands EU buy US gas 10:26 Vertical gas corridor to Ukraine 11:48 EU imports of US LNG 12:40 Corruption and imperialism 14:13 Elon Musk vows more coups 15:43 US-backed coup in Bolivia in 2019 16:36 CIA coup in Chile in 1973 17:05 CIA coup in Guatemala in 1954 17:47 US coups in Brazil and Argentina 18:48 US coups in Venezuela 20:05 (CLIP) John Bolton boasts of coups 21:14 US coup in Honduras 22:13 Coup against Pakistan's Imran Khan 22:52 US blockade of Cuba 23:39 Global imperialist dictatorship
On October 1, 911, during the reign of Emperor Leo the Wise, an all-night vigil was being held at the Blachernae Church of the Mother of God in Constantinople, with many of the faithful crowding the church. St Andrew the Fool for Christ (commemorated tomorrow, October 2) was standing at the back of the church with his disciple Epiphanius. At around four in the morning, the most holy Theotokos appeared above the people, clothed in resplendent garments, surrounded by indescribable radiance, and holding a veil in her outstretched hands, as though to protect all the people. St Andrew said to Epiphanius 'Do you see how the Queen and Lady of all is praying for the whole world?' Epiphanius replied 'Yes, Father, I see it and stand in dread.' This wonderful event is recorded in Epiphanius' life of St Andrew. Because of it, the Church keeps an annual feast on this date. Note: This feast is particularly well-loved in the Slavic churches. In 1960, the Greek church transferred its observance to October 28, in memory of the Mother of God's protection of the Greek forces holding the Albanian front against Italy in 1940. St Romanos the Melodist of Constantinople (556)
Steelers vs Browns picks, NFL Week 4 market analysis and College Football Week 5 headline Thursday's WagerTalk Today!
We explore the pivotal moment when Assyria invades Israel, marking a turning point in biblical history. Delve into the rise of the Assyrian Empire and its conquest of the northern kingdom of Israel in 722 BC. Discover how King Hoshea's failed alliance with Egypt led to Israel's downfall and the implementation of Assyria's deportation policy. Learn about the spiritual significance of this event as a divine judgment for Israel's persistent idolatry and disobedience. This episode examines the fulfillment of biblical prophecies, the fall of Samaria, and the exile of the Israelites.Support the showRead along with us in the Bible Brief App! Try the Bible Brief book for an offline experience!Get your free Bible Timeline with the 10 Steps: Timeline LinkSupport the show: Tap here to become a monthly supporter!Review the show: Tap here!Want to go deeper?...Download the Bible Brief App!iPhone: App Store LinkAndroid: Play Store LinkWant a physical book? Check out "Bible Brief" by our founder!Amazon: Amazon LinkWebsite: biblebrief.orgInstagram: @realbiblebriefX: @biblebriefFacebook: @realbiblebriefEmail the Show: biblebrief@biblelit.orgWant to learn the Bible languages (Greek & Hebrew)? Check out our partner Biblingo (and use our link/code for a discount!): https://biblin...
Send voice or text msgRedge has a mop and a dream! He wants to turn Raven's Roost mansion into a beautiful bed and breakfast for the magical and mysterious residents of the Foreshadow. Even the raven's warning of spirits, ghouls, and frights dwelling within won't keep him and Jonathan from their cleanup. But when flying sponges, dancing mops, a piano that plays itself, and an endless hallway send them scrambling, they realize that the house may be unfixable. Can they convince its ghostly resident to stop haunting and help them turn the eerie estate into a wicked and welcoming haunted country inn?WEBPAGE: https://jonincharacter.com/haunting-of-ravens-roost/ MORE HALLOWEEN STORIES FOR KIDS: https://jonincharacter.com/halloween-stories-for-kids-playlist-thats-more-fun-than-fright/ DOWNLOAD DORKTALES HALLOWEEN COLOR PAGES: https://bit.ly/DorktalesHalloweenColorFunGRAB YOUR FREE PDF list of conversation questions for this episode: https://dorktalesstorytime.aweb.page/ep139freePDFPARENTS, TEACHERS AND HOMESCHOOLERS: This Halloween stories for kids episode explores how fear and first impressions can make it difficult to understand what is really happening. Jonathan and Redge initially see Walter as a frightening ghost who is trying to chase them away, but once they uncover his connection to Raven's Roost, they learn that he has his own hopes for the house. By listening to Walter and working together, they turn a frightening misunderstanding into a creative collaboration.CREDITS: This episode is a Jonincharacter production. It was written, directed, and produced by Molly Murphy and performed by Jonathan Cormur. Sound recording and production by Jermaine Hamilton at Pacific Grove Soundworks.Support the showGROWNUPS: Dorktales Storytime is more than a Kids and family stories for kids podcast. Every visit to our Once Upon a Time world invites kids to discover reimagined fairy tales, fables, Greek myths, mysteries, fantasy adventures, pirate adventures, bedtime stories, Halloween stories, dinosaur stories, spy adventures, and inspiring stories about historical figures and STEAM pioneers. We believe a well-told story brings families together, opens the door to meaningful conversations, and helps every child know they belong and their imagination can change the world.REACH OUT!Does your child have a question? Send it to us here.We love our fans! Find free goodies: https://jonincharacter.com/dorktalesfans/Support Our Storytime for Kids pod: https://www.buzzsprout.com/1267991/supporters/new Music & Lullabies: https://dorktalesstorytime.bandcamp.com/music
Flat Earthers believe that the Earth is not spherical, but rather a flat disc and the Sun and the Moon are also flat discs that circle above the Earth. According to them the edges of the world are surrounded by a wall of ice, which is what we know as Antarctica. And as for the pictures of the Earth from space - they are all fake, part of a huge conspiracy to hide the truth. The earliest cultures that believed in a flat Earth were the ancient Egyptians, Babylonians, and Greeks. They had different models that depicted the Earth as a flat surface, often supported by pillars or resting on a giant animal. But not all ancient Greeks shared this belief. Why have people started believing in this again? And why do some people still believe in the flat Earth theory despite all the evidence that contradicts it? In under 3 minutes, we answer your questions! To listen to the last episodes, you can click here: What's the best way to choose my toothpaste? What are the dangers of hustle culture? What is the Mandela Effect? A podcast written and realised by Amber Minogue. First Broadcast: 7/12/2023 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
"Was Mary a virgin?" Dan Miller unpacks the question in layers. First, the textual evidence: the Greek word parthenos and its relationship to the Hebrew alma; plus Mary's line in Luke 1:34, which together explain why the tradition reads her as a virgin. For Dan, the bigger question is why the claim matters theologically. He traces how it underscores the miraculous nature of Jesus' birth, how it ties female virginity to purity, and how the doctrine expanded into the perpetual virginity of Mary (before, during, and after the birth). That expansion goes back to at least the second century, was affirmed at the Second Council of Constantinople, and was held by reformers like Luther, Calvin, Zwingli, and Wesley, despite New Testament references to Jesus' siblings. The episode argues that the doctrine's staying power, even against that counter-evidence, shows how much is riding on it. It becomes a flashpoint for critics because it encapsulates the tradition's ties to purity culture, patriarchal assumptions, and the devaluation of embodiment and sexuality. Listeners are invited to send more questions and topic ideas for the series. If you enjoy our work, please subscribe. Paid subscribers get bonus content, ad-free listening, access to the entire 1k episode archive, an invite to our Discord community.
Our second episode in celebration of reaching the 500 mark fills a significant gap: Melissa Lane helps us to understand the ancient Greek historians Herotodus and Thucydides, including their relationship to Plato.
Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for September 30, 2026 is: epistemic • ep-uh-STEE-mik • adjective Epistemic means "of or relating to knowledge or knowing." // He's a brilliant teacher who has the epistemic humility to know that there is always more to learn. See the entry > Examples: "Is a novel's primary purpose to entertain or to deepen our experience of being alive—to offer escape or epistemic enrichment?" — Brady Brickner-Wood, New Yorker, 8 July 2026 Did you know? If you're not in the know about the history of epistemic, allow us to enlighten you. The term's root is the Greek word epistḗmē, meaning "skill, expertise, knowledge,” and specifically “scientific knowledge” (as opposed to practical skill). Epistḗmē in turn comes from the verb epístamai, meaning "to have the skill, to know how, to have knowledge of, to understand." Epístamai itself combines the prefix epi-, meaning "upon" or "attached to," with the verb hístēmi, histánai, meaning "to cause to stand." (Tidbit: histánai is also an ancestor of the English words system, stand, and, of course, understand.) The study of the nature and grounds of knowledge is called epistemology, and one who engages in such study is known as an epistemologist.
St. Jerome spent decades in a Bethlehem cave translating the entire Bible so ordinary people could finally read it themselves. Working from the original Hebrew rather than the easier Greek text, Jerome produced the Vulgate — the Latin Bible that shaped Catholic worship for over a thousand years. Sharp-tempered and imperfect, he still gave his whole life to a conviction he never let go of: that knowing Christ means knowing Scripture. "Ignorance of Scripture is ignorance of Christ." Today's challenge is just the start. Grab our free Family Pack — a saint calendar, activity pages, and discussion questions for the whole family, plus more surprises along the way: https://shop.catholicsprouts.com/pages/every-days-a-feast-day-follow-along
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Originally built in the 3rd century BCE, the ancient Greek theater of Taormina is the second largest Greek theater in Sicily after Siracusa. Constructed against the natural slope of Mt. Taurus, the structure can accommodate up to10,000 spectators and offers spectacular views of the Ionian Sea and Mt. Etna. It is still used today for musical performances and film festivals.
NFL Week 4 picks and best bets with Kelly Stewart, Marco D'Angelo and Gianni the Greek!
College Football Week 5 picks, best bets, underdogs and betting analysis with Kelly Stewart, Marco D'Angelo and Gianni the Greek!
“The end is coming!” Throughout the years, this short but terrifying sentence has sent shivers down the spines of believers, conjuring images of apocalyptic destruction and trials foretold by ancient texts. But should the faithful tremble at the thought of the book of Revelation, or is there a deeper understanding to be had?This is a question Jenny Mire was able to answer in her journey to understand the end times. In this episode of The Revelations Podcast, we take a deeper look into the Bible and human history. Jenny sheds light on Daniel's 70 Weeks prophecy, and why she believes that Jesus reigns in the present. She explains the Olivet Discourse and the relevance of the Old and New Covenant so we can better understand the meaning behind the book of Revelation.This episode will give you hope to continue Gods will in your life and peace to sustain you as you walk with Jesus!Here are three reasons why you should listen to this episode:Gain insight into the different major perspectives of the end times and Jenny's partial preterist, amillennialist view.Understand the Olivet Discourse and how Jesus' proclamations are fulfilled throughout history.Be freed from fear with a better understanding of the end times and the new covenant with our Lord, Jesus.Become Part of Our Mission! Support The Revelations Podcast:Your support fuels our mission to share transformative messages of hope and faith. Click here to learn how you can contribute and be part of this growing community!ResourcesMore from the Revelations Podcast hosted by Reagan Kramer: Website | Instagram | Apple Podcast | YoutubeSeason 4 Episode 4: The Rooted Truth of God's Word (ft. Jenny Mire)The Rooted Truth Podcast hosted by Jenny MireEpisode 92: Healing + Deliverance in the Church with Reagan KramerRemnant Rising by LoriThe Rooted Truth: Join the community | Get the app | Instagram | WebsiteThe 70th Week of Daniel free resource from The Rooted TruthThe Complete Works of Josephus by Josephus, translated by William WhistonBible Verses:Daniel 9Daniel 12:11Matthew 23; Matthew 23: 36 - 38Matthew 24; Matthew 24:2; Matthew 24:15Luke 21; Luke 21:22Isaiah 61Hebrews 8:13 Jeremiah 29Connect with Jenny: Instagram | WebsiteThis Episode is brought to you by Advanced Medicine AlternativesGet back to the active life you love through natural & regenerative musculoskeletal healing: https://www.georgekramermd.com/Episode Highlights[03:28] Jenny Explains EschatologyEschatology is the study of the end times or the end of the world as we know it. The Greek word “escha” means last or farthest away.There are many different views and words for this study. Specifically, Jenny views it as the “last days.”Like many others, Reagan and Jenny have been exposed to the fear of the end times that Hollywood and society have perpetuated.However, the book of Revelations isn't about fear. It is about the revealing of Jesus Christ. [06:55] Jenny: “Revelation is ‘the revealing of'… It means the revealing of Jesus Christ. It is about Jesus. When you look at Revelations with those lenses of ‘Where are we seeing him revealed?' your view starts to change.” It reveals the New Covenant and what that means for us, believers.[07:23] The Major Views of the End TimesThe dispensational view looks at Revelations at different times. From the growth of the Church to the 7-year peace agreement of the Antichrist and Jesus' return to reign and end all evil. The Church is raptured before, in the middle, or after the 7-year tribulationAmillennialism believes that Jesus reigns right now. There will be no rapture and the Church waits for Jesus' second coming and then eternity.A preterist view believes the Revelations were fulfilled in the first century. A partial preterist believes that it has mostly been fulfilled and only awaits the return of Jesus.Other views include historical, post-millennialism, futurism, and idealism. Listen to the full episode to gain a better understanding of the different views of the end times with Jenny.Jenny is a partial preterist with an amillennialist viewpoint. She believes that Jesus is reigning in the present. Once He comes back, he will bring eternity.[13:09] The Journey Into Studying the book of RevelationIn 2020, Jenny started questioning what other people told her about the end times. She started reading Revelations and felt uneasy about how some things didn't make sense.She discovered that the 7-year tribulation theology came from Daniel's 70 Weeks prophecy. Jenny started reading the Book of Daniel and listened to different viewsJenny started studying the Hebrew writings in Daniel. It's through this that she better understands the 70 Weeks prophecy and how it actually refers to Jesus and His ministry.The next step in her journey was understanding what Matthew 24 says when talking about the end times and the great tribulation.In the past year, she studied Revelations and listened to different views and perspectives. With prayer, Jenny felt the Holy Spirit confirm her beliefs not with fear but with peace.[17:02] A Deeper Look Into Pre-Tribulation Rapture Theology and HistoryDispensationalism was made popular in the 1800s by John Nelson Darby. His work has then been taught in seminaries.Josephus was a first-century Jewish historian. He documented the history of the Jewish-Roman War. His works are crucial in understanding the views of the end times.In Matthew 23, Jesus proclaimed destruction and judgment on that generation before He died in 30 AD. In 66 AD, Roman armies surrounded Jerusalem before pulling out and allowing Christians who heeded Jesus' warnings to flee the city.The Roma-Jewish War lasted for 3 and a half years as written in the books of Revelations and Daniel. It ended in 70 AD after a final siege lasting 5 months.A better understanding of these dates gave Jenny a deeper look. Learn more about these historical dates and Bible writings in Jenny's full explanation in this episode.[27:02] The Book of RevelationsMany believe that John wrote Revelations between 90 and 95 AD. However, based on his age and writing, it makes sense to have been written around 60 ADRevelations is the last book in the Bible as it describes the destruction of the temple and how it embodies the Mosaic Covenant.Jenny asks important questions to better understand Revelations in her journey. This brings her to the realization that the Old Covenant is done and the New Covenant has everything we need.[31:30] Explaining the Olivet DiscourseThe Olivet Discourse is found in Matthew 24 and Luke 21. Before this, Jesus calls out the Pharisees and scribes as hypocrites in Matthew 23.Jesus and His disciples talk about His proclamation of judgment on the Pharisees, the destruction of the temple, and when it will occur. The disciples ask Jesus about the signs of coming and the end of the age, referring to the Old Covenant Age.In Matthew, Jesus refers to the “Abomination of Desolation” mentioned by Daniel about the first-century destruction. Luke 21 tells the same story of this discourse where he writes about this desolation as Jerusalem surrounded by armies.These chapters and verses can be seen in the Roman-Jewish war between 66 AD and 70 AD.Jesus' proclamation was fulfilled. Romans conquered, took people captive, and left others dead. Not one stone was left in the temple when it was destroyed in the war.[42:38] The End of the Old CovenantThe 70 weeks of Daniel was during Jesus' 3-and-a-half-year ministry. He was crucified midway through the 70th week. [43:19] Jenny: “When Jesus came when he resurrected and ascended into heaven, He began reigning at that point. The new covenant was in effect for those who accepted it.” After Jesus' resurrection and ascension, the New Covenant and His reign began.This overlapped with the Old Covenant as it became obsolete and slowly vanished. The fall of the temple was the end of the Old Covenant.[46:14] Following the Way of the New CovenantRecently, there has been talk about rebuilding the temple. However, Jenny believes that this is a distraction of the enemy from our task to grow and become many. [46:34] Jenny: “You and I are the temple and the Holy Spirit. God dwells in us and where He dwells is His glory. So when it says the glory will fill the whole Earth, that is us, believers.” People are so focused on what can happen in the future that it distracts us from what we should be doing. Many are scared and choose not to live their lives due to this fear.We get stuck in fear. However, it's important to ask about if this is from the Lord. The Lord is perfect love and not based on fear.John, as a prophet of the first century, wrote Revelations referring to the first destruction of the temple like the prophets of the Old Testament.Jenny believes we are at the end of the book, experiencing Jesus' reign and waiting for His return. We are made spiritually new in Christ but yearn for physical restoration.[56:16] Freedom From Fear By Understanding the End TimesWhat Jenny has learned about the end times has helped her in understanding the New Covenant.She is now on a new journey to find out what it means to be a new creation and know our true identity.Once we stop fearing and looking for the Antichrist and more, we can focus on Jesus and the New Covenant. There is freedom from fear to be able to live and move forward. About JennyJenny Mire is the founder of The Rooted Truth and Think Fit. She is a child of God who is dedicated to her mission to teach and empower women through God's Word. Jenny is also an author, speaker, and the host of The Rooted Truth Podcast.Connect with Jenny on her website and Instagram.Enjoyed this Episode?If you did, subscribe and share it with your friends!Post a review and share it! If you enjoyed tuning in, then leave us a review. You can also share this with your friends and family. This episode is all about understanding what Revelations is about and finding freedom from fear of the end times.Have any questions? You can connect with me on Instagram.Thank you for tuning in! For more updates, tune in on Apple Podcasts.
Dive into the fascinating story of Jonah and the rise of Assyria. Explore the prophet Jonah's reluctant journey to Nineveh, his attempt to flee God's call, and the miraculous events that follow. Discover how God's mercy triumphs even in the face of Jonah's resistance. Learn about the historical context of the Assyrian Empire and its significance in biblical history.Support the showRead along with us in the Bible Brief App! Try the Bible Brief book for an offline experience!Get your free Bible Timeline with the 10 Steps: Timeline LinkSupport the show: Tap here to become a monthly supporter!Review the show: Tap here!Want to go deeper?...Download the Bible Brief App!iPhone: App Store LinkAndroid: Play Store LinkWant a physical book? Check out "Bible Brief" by our founder!Amazon: Amazon LinkWebsite: biblebrief.orgInstagram: @realbiblebriefX: @biblebriefFacebook: @realbiblebriefEmail the Show: biblebrief@biblelit.orgWant to learn the Bible languages (Greek & Hebrew)? Check out our partner Biblingo (and use our link/code for a discount!): https://biblin...
What if one of commercial real estate's most overlooked sectors is becoming one of its biggest opportunities? Andy Weiner, CEO and founder of Rockstep Capital, shares how his team acquires distressed shopping centers in secondary and tertiary markets and turns them into cash-flowing assets that strengthen local communities. He explains why local partners and community banks can reduce risk, how malls are being reinvented with new uses, and why today's retail supply-demand imbalance is creating opportunities for investors. Tune in to discover why Andy believes "boring cash" and overlooked hometown markets deserve a closer look. Key Takeaways To Listen For How local partners can reduce risk and create value in smaller markets Why distressed enclosed malls can produce attractive cash flow A savvy way for a deal to still work even if your value-add plan doesn't What makes community bank financing valuable for repositioning retail properties Reasons why diversification matters when testing a new real estate strategy Resources/Links Mentioned In This Episode RockStep Capital RockStep Capital Learning Center The Shopping Center Channel RockStep HomeTown America Fund Walmart Tractor Supply TJ Maxx Ross Dress for Less ALDI Five Below Burlington Costco Sam's Club BJ's Wholesale Club The Road Less Stupid by Keith J. Cunningham | Kindle and Hardcover About Andy Weiner Andy Weiner is the Founder and CEO of RockStep Capital, a privately held real estate investment firm specializing in shopping centers and retail real estate. His background combines hands-on retail experience from his family business, Weiner Stores, with extensive expertise in real estate investment, redevelopment, and the evolving shopping center sector. Andy earned degrees in Economics and Political Science from Stanford University, an MBA from the University of Texas, and completed Harvard's executive business program for retail professionals. A proud Houstonian, he is also an aviation and history enthusiast with a passion for languages, speaking English, Spanish, and French fluently and having studied Italian, Japanese, Greek, and Hebrew. Connect with Andy Website: RockStep Capital Instagram: @theshoppingcenterguy LinkedIn: Andy Weiner Connect With Us If you're looking to invest your hard-earned money into cash-flowing, value-add assets, reach out to us at https://slipstreamaii.com/. Follow Keith's social media pages LinkedIn: Keith Borie Investor Club: Secret Passive Cashflow Investors Club Facebook: Keith Borie X: @BoboLlc80554
"This is a personal letter to Timothy, son of a Greek father and a Jewish mother. He was converted during Paul's visit, to Lystra (Acts 16.1). He became Paul's special protégé, and, though evidently diffident and nervous in temperament, was his loyal assistant. He accompanied Paul on various missions and has now been left in charge of the church at Ephesus". - From the introduction. Originally published in Letters to Young Churches.
In this episode of The Christopher Perrin Show, Christopher Perrin reflects on wisdom as one of the chief aims of classical and liberal education. Beginning with practical wisdom, or phronesis and prudentia, he asks whether the young can become wise before age and experience have done their slow work. Drawing on Aristotle, Proverbs, Mortimer Adler, Anthony Kronman, and the older model of professors as bearers of a treasured inheritance, Perrin argues that students may grow wise by studying what is old with teachers and friends who love wisdom. He then takes listeners to the cathedral of Siena, where the medieval mosaic floor presents a journey from Lady Wisdom, Socrates, Crates, and the mountain of wisdom toward Moses, Abraham, the altar, and Christ, the power and wisdom of God. The episode unfolds the relationship between wonder and wisdom, showing how astonishment, humility, and awareness of ignorance begin the journey of philosophy and education. Perrin closes with Raphael's image of Prudence as a young woman looking into a mirror with an old man's face behind her, suggesting that the wisdom of the ages teaches us to know ourselves. This episode offers a rich meditation on Classical Academic Press's renewed motto, Wonder to Wisdom, and on the lifelong climb toward wisdom, virtue, and freedom.Episode OutlineWisdom as one of the chief ends of classical and liberal educationPractical wisdom, phronesis, prudentia, and the wisdom that comes with ageWhether the young can become wise before long experience has done its workWise friends, noble teachers, old books, and the transmission of a treasured inheritanceThe cathedral of Siena and the mosaic of Lady Wisdom, Socrates, and CratesThe floor of Siena as a journey from pagan wisdom toward Moses, Abraham, the altar, and ChristWonder as the beginning of philosophy, learning, and the pursuit of wisdomClassical Academic Press's renewed motto: Wonder to WisdomRaphael's Prudence and the need to look backward in order to know ourselvesThe lifelong climb toward wisdom, virtue, freedom, and self-examinationKey Topics & TakeawaysWisdom as Education's End: Classical education seeks more than information or novelty. It aims at wisdom, virtue, and freedom, forming students who can see and love what is true, good, and beautiful.Practical Wisdom and Prudence: Perrin distinguishes practical wisdom as the ability to know what to do in changing circumstances. The Greek phronesis and Latin prudentia both point to a kind of foresight gained through experience, mentoring, and disciplined reflection.Young Students and Old Wisdom: The young may lack long experience, but they can still receive wisdom by studying what is old. Wise teachers, noble friends, and great books can help students participate in an inheritance larger than themselves.Siena's Eucharistic Journey: The cathedral floor in Siena presents wisdom as a pilgrimage, moving from Lady Wisdom, Socrates, Crates, and Mount Parnassus toward Mount Sinai, Moses, Abraham, the altar, and Christ.Wonder to Wisdom: Wonder begins the journey toward wisdom by awakening astonishment, fear, humility, and an awareness of ignorance. A good education should preserve and deepen that wonder rather than flatten it into utility.Prudence and Memory: Raphael's Prudence suggests that wisdom requires both self-knowledge and historical memory. The young woman becomes prudent by looking into a mirror that reflects the wisdom of the old.Questions & DiscussionWhat does it mean for wisdom to be one of the chief ends of education?Consider the difference between education aimed at wisdom and education aimed mainly at information, credentials, or novelty. How would a school change if wisdom were truly one of its central goals?How can young people become wise before they have grown old?Discuss Perrin's account of wise friends, noble teachers, old books, and inherited traditions. What kinds of study, friendship, and imitation help the young receive wisdom beyond their years?Why does Siena's cathedral floor place pagan philosophers within a Christian journey?Reflect on the movement from Lady Wisdom, Socrates, Crates, and Mount Parnassus toward Moses, Abraham, the altar, and Christ. What does this suggest about natural wisdom, revealed wisdom, and fulfillment in Christ?What role should wonder play in teaching and learning?Consider Aristotle's claim that philosophy begins in wonder and Perrin's connection between wonder, fear, astonishment, and acknowledged ignorance. How can teachers provoke wonder without reducing it to entertainment?How does looking backward help us know ourselves?Discuss Raphael's image of Prudence as a young woman with an old man's face behind her. How do history, literature, and the wisdom of the ages help students see their own humanity more truthfully?Suggested Reading & ResourcesNicomachean Ethics by AristotleMetaphysics by AristotleThe Book of ProverbsClassicalU Course: Introduction to Classical EducationClassicalU Course: A Brief History of Classical EducationClassicalU Course: The Liberal Arts Tradition
Hellenistic astrology is the old root system beneath the Western astrology we know today. It took shape around the Mediterranean, especially in Egypt under Greek and Roman rule, over roughly eight hundred years, from the late 2nd century BCE into the 7th century CE. It grew where traditions met and mingled: the Mesopotamian habit of reading the sky, the Egyptian decans that divide the heavens into ten-degree stretches, and the Greek love of philosophy and reason. Together they gave us the birth chart, a map of the sky at the moment you arrived, and nearly everything in Western astrology since has grown from it.In this episode, I speak with Katrine Waugh, who is an experiential astrologer focused on Hellenistic astrology, with a passion for threading astrology into everyday life and inviting people to recognize the impact of their participation in this lifetime.What an incredible conversation this was with Katrine, and I learned so much and had many moments of connectivity and awakening. Please find Katrine on Instagram @geminiiwaves, where you can DM her to book a reading, or email her at katfish87@gmail.com.Join us for Katrine's upcoming group event, Soulscape of Arrival — an Astrology Workshop, at Mountain Hollow in Craftsbury. Learn more and register on my website's events page.Thank you for tuning in to the Dreaming in the Hollow Podcast and sharing this episode with loved ones who would find interest in the topics we share in this space.
St Paul I [brother: Stephen II] 757-767 Paul II [Pietro Barbo] 1464-1471 Paul III [Alessandro Farnese] 1534-1549 Paul IV [Giovanni Caraffa] 1555-1559 Paul V [Camillo Borghese] 1605-1621 St Paul VI [Giovanni Montini] 1963-1978 St. Paul I: brother to Pope Stephen II and succeeded him--the sort of thing that could happen in the premodern era. This was the era of Pepin the Frank, where the Frankish kingdom had just become the papacy's welcome bulwark against the conquests of the Lombards and the intrigues of the Byzantines, who also wished to take back control of as much of Italy as possible; at the end of the century this would lead to the crowning of Constantine as Western Emperor and the final decline of Byzantine influence, although the Lombard dukes would take longer to diminish in importance. Pope Paul I had a reputation for honor and personal sanctity which were still common in that era. Paul II: elected in the fifteenth century recovery and Roman Renaissance period following the Avignon period and the schism and wild experimental councils that ended it. His uncle was Pope Eugene II and apparently he became a priest after his uncle's election. Paul II was a big spender on building projects (probably still needed at the time), carnivals and festivals, and was a supporter of the arts. However, he also found it necessary to reign in some of the more ardent Renaissance figures of his day and closed something called the Roman Academy for its excesses toward paganism and moral turpitude. He made efforts, building on the conciliar period at the beginning of the century, to bring Russia into communion with Rome and to combat the Turks who had just conquered Constantinople; these big ideas and initiatives were, sadly, not successful. The Ottomans continued expanding for centuries to come and Russia is still very much in schism with Rome. Paul III: An aristocrat of the Farnese family, educated at Rome and Florence; knew Leo X from their youth in Florence. He was a cardinal from age 25 until his election as Pope at age 66, a period embracing the excesses of Popes Alexander and Julius/Julian and the beginning of Luther's disturbances. He was enormously influential between his intellect, education, wealth, time in the Sacred College, and diplomatic skill. Finally he was elected Pope in a time of turmoil, less than 20 years after Luther's 95 theses. By that point he was old and respected and past some questionable periods in his youth. Apparently Paul saw immediately that a new general council was needed to address the outbreak of Protestantism, but his efforts to get one started were thwarted by Holy Roman Emperor Charles V's attempts to hammer out vague agreements that everyone could accept, and even more so by the power politics of the French under Francois I. He wanted the Holy Roman Empire divided and weakened, and did not care if heresy was the means to that end. In that light it is not surprising that he persecuted Protestants harshly within France itself. This became a recurring French policy and would culminate in the Thirty Years' War that devastated and practically ended the Holy Roman Empire as a united country. Pope Paul was not immune to concerns about the excessive power of the Holy Roman Emperors who had mistreated so many of his predecessors, Gregory VII in particular, but in this he may have been short-sighted; his family were traditional Guelphs who supported the Popes politically against the Emperors. In any case Paul III did get the Council of Trent started and, like Pope John XXIII, did see its initial sessions. Against Charles V's desires, they immediately set to work on some of the key issues regarding original sin, justification, and the sacraments. Meanwhile Pope Paul had begun many reforms of the Curia and Church discipline on his own initiative that after his death were taken up by the Council. He supported many of the new religious orders springing up in this era. Many see Paul III as a Pope of towering importance for the history of the Church. Paul IV: Born of a Neapolitan noble family, brought into the Church by his uncle Cardinal Ottavino, but very attracted by the discipline of religious life. He, too, knew Leo X and was sent on diplomatic missions in his pontificate. Cardinal Giovanni, later Paul IV, eventually became a member of the priestly order set up by St. Cajetan. Because Giovanni was Bishop of Chieti, Theate in Latin, and because he was first general of the order, they became known as Theatines--a remarkably indirect reason. Protestant brigands sacked Rome in 1527 and the Theatines suffered greatly and went away to Venice for a few years, but Paul III believed they were needed in Rome and brought them back. Paul III made the future Paul IV a cardinal and employed him in reforming the Curia and in the Inquisition in Italy, where he was very strict if not harsh. Paul IV was very old at his election as pope and quite surprised by it. Legend has it that he might have refused the election if another cardinal had not announced that Charles V would veto Cardinal Caraffa if elected; in outrage at this attempt at meddling, Caraffa accepted. The Habsburgs shut the pope out of the serious issues of the era, especially the attempts at a political settlement with Protestants and issues around the succession to the Empire and forced the pope to ally with France. Unlike Paul III, Paul IV is not considered a successful pope. He promoted a very unworthy "cardinal-nephew" despite his own personal rigor; he was petty in awarding other family members with land taken from Spaniards due to his quarrels with the Habsburgs; he took probably very problematic measures encouraging harshness by Queen Mary in England and thwarting Cardinal Pole. He did take some actions toward re-establishing a Catholic hierarchy in the Netherlands and starting one in the Orient. He continued to encourage the Inquisition but at least had a reputation for being no respecter of persons in that regard, and he did disavow his problematic nephews after various failures. Paul V: A relative of St. Catherine, his family was from Siena and had moved to Rome. In many ways he was a stiff canon lawyer and a bad negotiator. He got into a tremendously bitter dispute with Venice on grounds that to modern ears sound pretty bad: Venice refused to exempt clergy from civil courts. They did also forbid transfer of real property to clergy and required civil approval of new churches. Paul V put them under interdict, which they flagrantly ignored. The Jesuits, Theatines, and Capuchins left the city, and the other clergy apparently sided with the government. Much was written by learned men on either side, such as Baronius, Bellarmine, and the Venetian Paolo Sarpi--something of a quasi-Protestant and despiser of the politics of the Papal Curia. The French and Spanish governments helped broker a somewhat distasteful compromise--certainly distasteful to Paul V. Yet Paul V was not always so intransigent. He tried to reach a rapprochement with James I in England, asking that Catholics in general not be persecuted after the Gunpowder Plot but commiserating with the monarch over the attempted assassination, but the pope was rebuffed. An interesting note: According to J. Jungmanns, The Mass of the Roman Rite, Paul V signed a decree in 1615 allowing the Mass to be celebrated in Chinese, out of respect for the antiquity and learning of ancient Chinese philosophy, recognizing it as a peer to Latin or Greek. This decree was never transmitted and acted upon, and Benedict XIV a few years later decided differently. In administering Rome Paul V was more successful. Even though he promoted many members of his family, they in general served the administration well. He also got to celebrate many of the achievements of the sixteenth century: the new St. Peter's was finished, and he canonized or beatified saints like Charles Borromeo, Frances of Rome, Ignatius of Loyola, Francis Xavier, and Philip Neri. Sadly, his reign also saw the actual start of the Thirty Years' War. Paul VI: Our first pope in living memory if we discount the preliminary discussion of the Piuses. Paul VI was a career Church diplomat, much like John XXIII and Pius XII. When John XXIII called the Second Vatican Council and then passed away a short time into its proceedings, Cardinal Montini was elected and took the long-disused name of Paul. He never publicly explained his choice in detail. It is widely believed that it was to hark back to the Apostle, far more than any kind of biretta-tip to a previous pope, although the legacy of Paul III and his reforms leading to the Council of Trent might be a distant secondary consideration. John XXIII had taken an even more disused name, the name of an Apostle, and Paul's legacy and its connection to Rome if anything makes it surprising that more Popes have not taken the name. In any case, Paul's pontificate was inevitably linked to the Council. His tasks were to celebrate and spread its messages, begin the authoritative interpretation of its statements, and carry out its intentions. In the event Paul was pope long enough to complete most of the latter: the enormous revisions to the Mass and to the Breviary or Liturgy of the Hours. He also implemented changes to the structure of the Curia in Regimini ecclesiae universae, a stream of influence on the later 1983 revision of the Code of Canon Law under John Paul II. Perhaps the final major document of the postconciliar period, the new Catechism of the Catholic Church, was not completed until 1994 and bears more of the mark of John Paul. Paul VI did not use the term "new evangelization" but made statements leading in that direction--for example, in the document Ecclesiam Suam on the Church's posture toward the modern world and in Evangelii Nuntiandi. He contributed to Catholic social teaching on the morality of economic development, especially in Populorum Progressio. In these ways he emphasized the positive developments begun during the Council. In other ways he took stands against the so-called "spirit of Vatican II" by emphasizing traditional doctrines. In Mysterium fidei he emphasized the continuing central role of the Blessed Sacrament in Catholic spirituality, and in Humanae Vitae he reiterated and put on a new, bolder, more consistently argued footing the traditions of Christian sexual morality, combating the unprecedented assault of the "Sexual Revolution" and paving the way for John Paul II to develop these ideas more fully in his pontificate. Why Paul VII, and what would taking that name seem to imply for a 21st century pope? Using St. Paul as a reference point could never be inappropriate. In our contemporary situation the primary inference, an emphasis on the missionary calling of the Church, would again be foremost. Paul could also be used as a symbol of Romanness, but the political situation for that is hard to see reasserting itself any time soon. Obviously folk would assume a reference is being made back to Paul VI and to the Second Vatican Council. This, as even this short summary shows, would be an ambiguous reference. Is Paul VI the "liberal" Pope who fulfilled the Council's promise to rescue us from the Latin mumble Mass? Or is he the "conservative" Pope who was so out of touch as to condemn contraception? Paul III is a prominent enough figure that he, too, could serve as a reference point. In that case look out for a Third Vatican Council or (if Providence is truly gracious) a Fourth Council of Constantinople. The assessment of such a cardinal choosing to call out Paul III specifically (in addition to Paul the Apostle, Paul VI, and perhaps other great Pauls from Christian history) might be that the situation is parallel to the situation Paul III inherited in this way: The conciliar movement at the end of the Western Schism did not reach a stable resolution at Constance, Pisa, or Basle, but left smoldering embers that roared up as Protestantism and required the Council of Trent to address (unfortunately after enormous lasting damage was done). Similarly, the legacy of the Second Vatican Council is clearly unresolved. That is to say nothing of the millennium-old schism with the East, although this hypothetical Paul VII might or might not choose to embrace the goal of complete reunification of apostolic, sacramental Christianity--he might well decide that the Roman communion needs to heal its own wounds before launching itself more vigorously into that quest. In any case, a reference to Paul III might imply a belief in the need for another Council to settle the liturgical, administrative, and other problems still facing the Church.
learn about the third declension of Greek nouns, which are neuter in gender, with this video conversation
One son ran from the Father, one performed for Him, and both forgot who they were. Most people know the story of the son who wasted everything and came home, but fewer notice the brother who never left and still refused to come inside. In this teaching from Luke 15, Deanna Hurley of The Resting Place in Tampa walks through both sons, the Greek words underneath the story, and her own journey out of an overachiever identity. If you have ever felt too far gone for God, or felt like you have to keep earning His love, this conversation will meet you where you are. The question underneath it all is simple: who gets to tell you who you are? KEY TAKEAWAYS: 1. The far country can change your circumstances and your reputation, but it cannot change what the Father calls you. 2. The prodigal and the performer both measured sonship by behavior, and the Father went out to rescue both of them. 3. You do not get to receive your identity as a child of God and then cut someone else off from theirs. For more great resources like this, head to http://trpfamily.org #TRPTampa #TRPFamily
Today's Headlines: Trump is airing a taxpayer-funded TV ad nearly identical to one of his 2024 campaign ads, ending with "paid for by the US government," which the White House is calling a public service announcement. Ok. The FBI was hacked by a criminal group called ShinyHunters who obtained tens of thousands of current and former employees' social security numbers, secret job assignments, and medical records — and many employees found out about it when the FBI sent a staff-wide email reminding them that October is cybersecurity awareness month, we couldn't make this up even if we tried. Pivoting from terrible to horrific, a former Cornell student's civil complaint alleging she was gang raped for seven hours by seven fraternity members in 2024 — after which the school allowed five of the seven back after writing essays — prompted the Cornell Sun to publish the accused men's names, a county DA to reopen the investigation, and the Ithaca mayor to call for a pause on all Greek life after the university failed to alert police. This is why women would choose the bear. In horrific tech news, Bill Gates warned on Meet the Press that AI is "certainly powerful enough to drive events that cause a billion deaths," OpenAI scrapped the release of its new model Astra after it tested poorly on alignment and showed "high levels of deception," and Florida's AG asked a court to force OpenAI to halt ChatGPT development entirely. Finally, Pete Hegseth ordered the Pentagon to protect the midterms from foreign interference while DHS simultaneously announced a crackdown on sanctuary cities in 12 states, and Texas Governor Greg Abbott declared a statewide emergency over diesel prices hitting $5.86 a gallon — Texas Republicans must be fairly worried about November. Resources/Articles mentioned: Politico: John Thune: Taxpayer dollars shouldn't fund Trump ads - Live Updates Axios: Exclusive: Hegseth directs Defense Dept. to fight foreigners who "meddle" in U.S. elections The Hill: DHS announces nationwide surge in 'sanctuary' cities NYT: Embarrassing Breach at F.B.I. Fuels Fears of Harm to Its Employees NYT: Cornell Sexual Assault Investigation to Be Reopened CNY Central: Ithaca Mayor seeks moratorium on Cornell Greek life as DA reopens sexual assault case Cornell Alumni Petition: Petition · CORNELL ALUMNI SUPPORTING JANE DOE - United States The Hill: Education Department formally rescinds Title IX protections for LGBTQ students WaPo: Bill Gates warns of ‘a billion' deaths if AI goes wrong WSJ: OpenAI Scraps Release of New AI Model Over Safety Concerns Axios: Florida asks for order to halt ChatGPT development AP News: Nvidia is touting a software tool to contain runaway AI. How would it work? WaPo: Texas governor declares emergency to bring down fuel prices Subscribe to the Betches News Room and join the Morning Announcements group chat. Go to: betchesnews.substack.com Morning Announcements is produced by Sami Sage and edited by Grace Hernandez-Johnson Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
In this episode, we welcome Edmund Richardson to the show. He is a historian of ancient Greece, professor in the Department of Classics and Ancient History at Durham University, and author of the new book “Alexander: God, King, Man”. In this interview, we discuss how he became interested in ancient Greece, what previous biographies of Alexander the Great get wrong, the relationship between Aristotle and Alexander, if the character Achilles from Homer's epic poems was a real person, why the Greek phalanx was one of the main reasons why Alexander was able to conquer much of the known world, Alexander's existential rivalry with the Persian King Darius, how Alexander became Pharaoh of Egypt, Alexander's struggle with his own humanity, the ruin Alexander left behind in the wake of his death, and much more. Let's get into it… Episode notes and links HERE. Donate to support our mission of equipping men to push back darkness. Check out our SHOP. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
What does it mean to find our way home? In this conversation with composer and classicist Eugenia Manolidou, President Stephen Blackwood asks how the living inheritance of ancient Greece – through language, music, poetry, and the pursuit of freedom – can reconnect us with sources of self-understanding, helping us to recover a sense of where we come from and what we are here for. Beginning with Homer, their discussion examines the enduring principles and intellectual postures that have characterized the spirit of Hellenism for millennia. Beyond the language of the ancients, Eugenia raises music as an ontological reality, suggesting that melody and rhythm pervade the whole of existence. In considering what music and Greek thought have in common, she gestures toward a mutual intuition first pointed out by Pythagoras: beneath the seeming disorder of things, there exists intelligible harmony, ratio, and proportion. To live well, with this in mind, is to become attuned to that very order. To learn more or become part of our community, please visit www.ralston.ac Authors and Works Mentioned in this Episode: Homer's Iliad and Odyssey Plato Lord Byron's Don Juan
Welcome back, Adnavserinos, to the wild world of H.I. Marrou. This week it's Part III, ch. III, entitled The Language Question: Greek and Latin. Here the fearless French historian takes us through bilingualism in the Roman Empire, developing familiar themes and extending them in surprising directions. Sure, the Romans steamrolled militarily over all resistance in East and West, and by the time of Trajan's greatest success in 117 A.D. the Roman Empire extended from Mesopotamia to northern Britain. But did the legions take with them more than bathing, togas, and mosaics for your entryway? Did the Latin language go along for the ride, and how was it received? Surprisingly, says Marrou, Greek was never eclipsed nor canceled, and indeed Romans were all agog to master their Homer and Menander. To serious students of antiquity this is not news, but you may be surprised at the "freshness preserving" directions in which Marrou takes the argument.
What if the greatest answers to modern life have already been discovered—and we've simply forgotten how to use them? Filmmaker, author and historian Sean Ali Stone joins Michael Jaco for a fascinating journey into ancient philosophy, mythology, spirituality and the timeless lessons behind his new book, 10 Things to Learn: Ancient Wisdom for the Modern Soul. After years spent exploring history, politics and power, Sean wanted to move beyond the divisions of the moment and ask a much deeper question: What are the lessons every human being encounters on the journey through life? Drawing from Greek philosophy, biblical stories, Eastern traditions, mythology, alchemy, Carl Jung and Joseph Campbell's hero's journey, Sean distills centuries of wisdom into lessons for navigating the modern world. The conversation explores falling, surrendering, crying, caring, hating, creating, sharing, loving, breathing and laughing—not simply as actions, but as stages of transformation. Sean explains why information isn't the same thing as wisdom. Knowing something is only the beginning. Wisdom comes from understanding it, applying it and seeing how it fits into the larger journey of our lives. They also explore the ancient concept of alchemy in an entirely different way. The alchemist's search for gold wasn't merely about transforming physical metals. Sean discusses the spiritual interpretation of alchemy as the process of transformation within ourselves—finding and expressing the “gold” of the soul.
We delve into the tumultuous reign of Athaliah, the brutal queen of Judah. Athaliah, the daughter of Ahab, seizes power through a bloody coup, murdering her own grandchildren to secure the throne. But God's covenant with David endures as young Joash, the rightful heir, is hidden in the Temple for six years. The episode explores themes of idolatry, political intrigue, and divine preservation as Jehoiada the priest orchestrates Joash's dramatic coronation and Athaliah's downfall. This tale of treachery, faith, and redemption offers powerful insights into God's faithfulness and the importance of righteous leadership.Support the showRead along with us in the Bible Brief App! Try the Bible Brief book for an offline experience!Get your free Bible Timeline with the 10 Steps: Timeline LinkSupport the show: Tap here to become a monthly supporter!Review the show: Tap here!Want to go deeper?...Download the Bible Brief App!iPhone: App Store LinkAndroid: Play Store LinkWant a physical book? Check out "Bible Brief" by our founder!Amazon: Amazon LinkWebsite: biblebrief.orgInstagram: @realbiblebriefX: @biblebriefFacebook: @realbiblebriefEmail the Show: biblebrief@biblelit.orgWant to learn the Bible languages (Greek & Hebrew)? Check out our partner Biblingo (and use our link/code for a discount!): https://biblin...
In this episode, Stanford University Professor Caroline Winterer explores how the American founders drew inspiration from not only classical Greece and Rome, but other civilizations in the ancient world, including Carthage, Rome's mortal enemy. In celebration of America's 250th anniversary, the conversation explores how the founders looked much more broadly in the ancient world for inspiration during the American Revolution and how these ideas have shaped our constitutional democracy. Thomas Donnelly, lead scholar at the National Constitution Center, moderates. This program was presented in partnership with the University of Pennsylvania Department of Classical Studies. It was the first in a three-part lecture series featuring Caroline Winterer titled “American Antiquities: Beyond the Classical World of the American Founders.” Information on the additional two lectures can be found here. Resources What the Founders Learned from the Greeks and Romans, National Constitution Center Town Hall, December 3, 2020 Caroline Winterer, American Enlightenments: Pursuing Happiness in the Age of Reason (2016) Caroline Winterer, The Mirror of Antiquity: American Women and the Classical Tradition, 1750–1900 (2007) Caroline Winterer, The Culture of Classicism: Ancient Greece and Rome in American Intellectual Life, 1780-1910 (2004) Stay Connected and Learn More Stay connected with Live at the National Constitution Center—follow, rate, and review the show wherever you listen. Questions or comments? Email podcast@constitutioncenter.org. Follow @ConstitutionCtr on social media and sign up to receive Constitution Weekly, our email roundup of constitutional news and debate. Support our important work by making a donation today. Donate
What if you could peek inside two private chefs' kitchens and see what they really cook — and eat — at home?If you're tired of the same breakfast every morning or looking for ways to make your desk lunch more interesting, this episode offers a look at how two professional cooks feed themselves on an ordinary week.By the end of this episode, you'll:Get easy ideas for better breakfasts and lunches, from a unique take on oatmeal to a satisfying broccoli saladDiscover how leftovers and a few smart additions can help you cook once and eat twiceFind a classic 30-minute chicken dinner plus a vegetarian pasta dish that is full of fall flavorsPress play now to discover two chefs' real-life meals, and get inspired with ideas for your own kitchen this week!***For more recipes and cooking inspiration, sign up for our free Substack here.And join us on our live monthly calls by upgrading your subscription to paid!***Links:SONYA DAY 1Breakfast: Scottish porridge, sautéed apples and cinnamon, topped with coconut sugar and nut butter (inspired by Adam Roberts' English porridge)Lunch: Herby tuna salad, on top of a salad made with tomato, cucumber, and lettuce with balsamic dressingDinner: Chicken piccata, garlic bread, Italian chopped saladKARI DAY 1 Breakfast: Coconut overnight oats with fresh fruit – Kari adds hemp seeds tooLunch: Deborah Madison's Ravioli and Tomato Salad with Masses of Basil from her cookbook, Four bean salad with green romesco by Alison Roman from her cookbook: Dining In, crumbled feta, pickled cherries and herbs to pile onto sourdough slicesSnack: Dragon fruit and cucumberDinner: Mississippi Chicken stuffed into sourdough ciabattaSONYA DAY 2Breakfast: Soft-boiled egg, Tabor bread sourdough toast points, mixed berries.Lunch: Leftover ratatouille, leftover chopped salad, toasted pita, avocado slicesDinner: A take on Kari's white bean soup with parm with croutons, lemony garlic parm romano beans, simple greens saladFor dessert, a cup of tea and good chocolate, like: Beyond Good, Alter Eco, Endangered Species, and CloudForest. KARI DAY 2Breakfast: Full-fat Greek yogurt mixed with honey and passion fruit, with cut-up dragon fruit, cucumber, strawberries, figs, and melonLunch: Broccoli salad, cabbage salad with peanuts, peach and herb salad with mozzarella balls and gochujangDinner : Creamy pumpkin pasta with a pine nut gremolata on top****Got a cooking question? Leave us a message on our hotline at: 323-452-9084For more recipes and cooking inspiration, sign up for our Substack here.Are you a local to Portland or planning a visit? You can now book a private farmers' market tour with Sonya through Airbnb Experiences! Or order Sonya's cookbook Braids for more Food Friends recipes!
Achilles, the greatest warrior in Greek mythology, knew his fate: stay and fight at Troy and die young with eternal glory, or go home and live a long, forgotten life. He ended up with the glory and the early grave. Then, in the land of the dead, he told Odysseus it wasn't worth it. It's one of the most powerful scenes in Homer's Odyssey, and Christopher Nolan left it out of his film.This episode goes back to the Iliad and the Trojan War to find out why Achilles ended up there. He thought he was making reasoned choices, but his passions were deciding for him the whole time. Most of us live the same way: sure of what we want in theory, hedging in practice, and letting our worst days settle the questions we never answered. Achilles shows what that costs, and what it takes to make a choice that's truly your own.---------------------------------Sign up for 'BTMC: Protagonist Edition', where you get the full story the day it releases, plus EXTENDED VERSIONS of the episodes, access to all the Character Analysis episodes, and early access to the next book. Sign-up link below:Get BTMC: PROTAGONIST EDITION: https://becomingmain.supercast.com/GET THE FREE NEWSLETTER: "THE SCHOOL OF PROTAGONISM"Substack: https://schoolofprotagonism.substack.com/BTMC on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@BecomingMainFOLLOW BTMC FOR MORE GREAT CONTENT:Instagram: https://instagram.com/becomingmainX: https://twitter.com/becomingmainBecoming The Main Character is a podcast that asks: what if fiction was so much more than just "fake" stories? What if every story was a simulation in the matrix? A chance to understand more of the world without having to live the experiences ourselves?Here at BTMC, we examine the greatest fiction ever written through a lens that pays attention to the character choices and how they ultimately lead to our heroes and villains getting what they want or being defeated.Subscribe and follow along!
Send us Fan MailThis is a micro-dose of psychedelic history. History is long, complex, and often lost or misrepresented. That said, there is evidence that psychedelics and humans go back thousands of years in all regions of Earth. I give a small sample of ancient psychedelic history and a quick rundown of modern psychedelic history. Support the show
Crying After Stroke: What Bobby Chaggar’s Recovery Taught Him About Grief and Strength The night his stroke happened, Ramandeep “Bobby” Chaggar didn’t feel what he expected to feel. No pins and needles. No dramatic collapse. Just a left arm that wouldn’t answer him anymore. He limped to the kitchen anyway, poured a glass of water, and brought one back for his wife because that’s what you do, even when your body has just stopped taking instructions from half of itself. It wasn’t until the ambulance service ran him through the BFAST test over the phone that the word “stroke” entered the room. A right ischaemic pontine stroke, in December 2023. He was, by his own account, in the best health of his life at the time: no blood pressure issues, no diabetes, cycling a hundred kilometres most weekends. Growing Up Believing a Stroke Meant You Were Gone Bobby grew up in an era and a family where a stroke wasn’t something you researched; it was something you heard about secondhand. “That particular cousin’s father’s grandfather had a stroke, and he’s gone,” is how the news used to travel. Nobody around him distinguished a stroke in the brain from a stroke in the heart. There was no internet to check, only the flat, final verdict that passed between relatives: he’s done for. It’s a belief he carried into his own stroke, even as his medical training Bobby spent years as a veterinary surgeon in India before qualifying in Australia told him something else was happening. That veterinary background is exactly why he recognised what was going on in his own body faster than most people would. It didn’t make the belief disappear. It just meant he was fighting it from the inside while everyone around him was still catching up. Why His Arm Seemed to Move Then Stopped In those first disorienting hours, Bobby was convinced his arm had started moving again. He filmed it and sent the video to his sister as proof, he thought, that he was already turning a corner. By morning, the movement was gone. “It was like a bad dream,” he says. “I was like, what was that?” What he was seeing wasn’t recovery. Doctors later explained that in the earliest hours after a stroke, the body can still fire off remnant spinal reflexes old movement patterns held in the spinal cord that can briefly activate on their own, independent of the brain damage that’s actually occurred. It’s a strange, almost cruel mechanism: the body offering a flicker of hope before the real work of recovery has even started. The Physio Who Promised Him He’d Walk Again Bobby spent 45 days in rehabilitation at Parkville, six months in a wheelchair overall, and credits one moment above almost everything else: his first physiotherapist he calls her Hannah sitting on the floor, moving his foot, and telling him he would walk again. It mattered enough that his book was originally going to be titled Walking with Hannah, before privacy considerations changed the plan. His son, who narrates the audiobook, still opens the acknowledgements by thanking her directly. Learning to Cry Again This is the part of Bobby’s story that speaks most directly to what so many stroke survivors go through and rarely say out loud. In his culture, and in his family, showing emotion, especially for the men expected to be providers and caretakers, wasn’t really an option. When his father died in 1997, he was told to be strong for his mother and sister. When his mother died in 2013, he was told the same thing again. “I’ve been told that stroke is a part of grief, and you should not suppress your feelings.” It took his brother-in-law showing up every day to help him with basic care showering, dressing, the things that felt hardest to accept before something shifted. His own psychologist eventually gave him the instruction that reframed everything: put on your own life jacket first, before you try to save anyone else. It’s advice Bobby now extends to every caregiver he talks to: the person supporting a stroke survivor needs their own support too, or they burn out trying to hold everything together. He isn’t alone in this. Bill has spoken openly on the podcast about his own experience with unexpected, involuntary crying after a neurological injury, and how much energy goes into reassuring the people around you that the tears don’t mean something is wrong. For Bobby, permission to cry didn’t erase the culture he was raised in. It just meant he stopped fighting it. A New Normal, On His Own Terms Bobby’s recovery is full of small, deliberate acts of reclaiming identity. He got his first tattoo not long after his stroke, partly, he says, because people notice ink before they notice a limp. He’s spent years slowly making peace with not tying a turban the way he used to, calling himself, with real affection, a recovering “turbanator.” He built his own incline-and-decline walking circuit near his home and quietly upped the difficulty every fortnight, the same instinct that now has him choosing stairs over the lift at the allied health course he’s completing. Running, he says flatly, is overrated. He can’t do it anymore, and he’s decided that’s fine. It’s the same acceptance that let him and his family move to Perth just one month after his stroke, and then move back again when isolation made the recovery harder than the geography ever was. None of it looks like the version of recovery he grew up believing in, the one where a stroke simply meant a story was over. Bobby’s version has a motorbike with a sidecar he now rides himself, a book he wrote one voice note at a time because typing with one hand wasn’t fast enough, and a fairly simple message for anyone who asked him to just think positively: some things are still hard, and that’s allowed to be true at the same time as everything else. If you’re navigating your own recovery or supporting someone who is, Bill’s book, The Unexpected Way That A Stroke Became The Best Thing That Happened (recoveryafterstroke.com/book), walks through ten practical tools for rebuilding after a stroke. And if trauma has made your world feel smaller than it used to be, Bill’s newest book, Your World Doesn’t Have to Stay This Small, is written for exactly that. If this episode helped you, you can support the show directly at patreon.com/recoveryafterstroke. This blog is for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. Please consult your doctor before making any changes to your health or recovery plan. Bobby Chaggar: Learning to Cry After Stroke (Interview) He was taught a stroke meant you were gone. Bobby Chaggar’s story proves otherwise and shows why crying after a stroke is nothing to hide. Highlights: 00:00 Introduction 02:00 Life Before the Stroke 09:28 Rehabilitation Journey 12:00 Crying After Stroke 14:52 Reflections on Recovery and Growth 26:33 The Promise of Recovery and Writing a Book 29:37 Cultural Identity and Personal Beliefs 37:28 Relocation and Its Challenges 41:44 The Importance of Caregiver Self-Care 44:10 Adjusting to a New Normal 51:09 The Journey of Riding Again 57:09 Bobby’s Journey of Unlearning and Grief Transcript: Introduction – Crying after stroke Ramandeep (bobby) chaggar (00:00) I realized that I was having a stroke. because it was not their usual pins and needles and there was no sensation. I couldn’t move my arm. I managed to limp. I went all the way to the kitchen. I trudged a little to the kitchen. I had a glass of water, brought a glass for my wife. in the hospital, I thought my arm started moving. And the doctors, and when I got up in the morning, it was like a bad dream. No, it was not moving again. So I was like, what was that? Bill Gasiamis (00:19) Welcome back to Recovery After Stroke. I’m Bill Gasiamis and today I’m talking with Bobby Chaggar, a veterinary surgeon originally from India, now living in Melbourne, who survived a right ischemic pontain stroke in December 2023. Bobby’s story covers a lot of ground, the cultural belief he grew up with, that a stroke simply meant you were gone. The strange confusion of a spinal reflex that made his arm move before it didn’t. Physiotherapist whose promise changed the course of recovery and what it actually took for him as a man raised to be the strong one to let himself cry. Before we get into it, if trauma has made your world feel smaller than it used to be, my new book, Your World Doesn’t Have to Stay This Small, is exactly what it’s about. Search for it on Amazon or tap the link in the show notes to grab your copy today. And one more thing, this show exists because listeners decide it’s worth keeping going. There’s no other funding behind it. If an episode like this one has ever helped you or helped someone you love, even a few dollars a month on Patreon is what keeps these conversations free for the next person who finds themselves Googling this stuff alone at two in the morning, scared, looking for someone who’s actually been through it. That’s all. patreon.com/recoveryafterstroke.. A small amount every month makes a massive difference. But now let’s get into it. Here’s my conversation with Bobby. Bill Gasiamis (01:56) Bobby Chaggar. Welcome to the podcast. Ramandeep (bobby) chaggar (01:58) Thank you very much. Thank you. Thank you, Bill. Life Before the Stroke Bill Gasiamis (02:00) So you grew up in a house with 22 dogs, three cats and a trilingual parrot as well, right? So what’s the situation there? You’re living with pets. Were you important in your family or Ramandeep (bobby) chaggar (02:10) Ha ha. Bill Gasiamis (02:11) did the animals come first? Ramandeep (bobby) chaggar (02:14) the animals definitely did come first. my mother was also a teacher, but she decided to stay at home and be a stay you know, stay a worker from home mom for for the for the kids. And my parents never used to say no to any patient. So they used to admit everything and anything. And in India also it’s quite common to rehome pets and a lot of times they don’t get proper homes. So we used to say yes to everything. So I I specifically remember this number because my mom had fallen and broken her shoulder once while walking in Labrador. So that day we counted the animals and we said, okay, no, after this, no more. That’s it. And the parrot was trilingual because the kids would play with him, so he wouldn’t know nursery rhymes, he would know the whistles, and then my grandmom’s dialect was Punjabi, so he could he could swear in Punjabi, and he could swear in Hindi because my mom was Hindi. So that’s why trilingual. Bill Gasiamis (03:08) I love that. That’s an awesome way to grow up. Ramandeep (bobby) chaggar (03:09) Yep. Yep, yep. Bill Gasiamis (03:12) Tell me about this bike though. So this Royal Enfield motorbike, what was the deal with that? Why was it coming to Australia? Why was it a big deal on that day? Ramandeep (bobby) chaggar (03:22) it was gifted to me by it was restored and gifted to me by my wife on my fortieth. And this time on my fiftieth, the guy who had restored it, he’s a friend of mine, he decided to build this sidecar and ship it to me. And it’s a vintage, it’s a nineteen seventy three. So I’ve literally grown up on motorcycles, drive riding them, and I was quite excited about the whole thing. And I was so excited because my son’s school was only five minutes away. So I was always looking forward that I’m gonna drop him off in school in the sidecar. It’s gonna be such a big thing for him. So it was quite cool. So that’s the reason we were expecting it. It took almost two months for it to come via ship. And you know, once a ship leaves the country, there’s no way of live tracking it. There they must must be ways for the guys who are doing it, but for the clients, they have no way. They have no clue. They just talk to the customer care. And you have no idea what’s happening. And suddenly one day it just pops up and they say, Yeah, it’s in customs. Here you go and you have to do this, this and this and come and pick it up. So that’s the excitement. Bill Gasiamis (04:23) So you get that phone call and that’s it. You’re on the bikes here. We’re going to go and get it. Ramandeep (bobby) chaggar (04:26) Yep, yep, yep. We were just looking forward for the bike. Yep. Bill Gasiamis (04:29) I love it. In your book, you wrote about your culture that when somebody Ramandeep (bobby) chaggar (04:34) Mm-hmm. Bill Gasiamis (04:35) has a stroke, most people believe that you’re gone, right? And it seems like you also believe that where does a belief like that come from? And what did you do in the first few hours? Ramandeep (bobby) chaggar (04:47) You know the first because it’s it’s it’s not I mean in the era I’ve grown up there was not a lot of internet. They were only encyclopedias. So getting information was a little challenge. So as as kids when we were growing up, we were just here that that particular cousin’s father’s grandfather had a stroke and he’s gone. That particular person’s family member has has had a stroke and he’s done for. So you know a few things like that. But there are families who’ve been through stroke. Now I’ve realized and also met them. So they know stroke one could recover from the stroke and one also forgets about it over time. I’ve heard that. But mostly the thought process was because it was not too kind of a disease. And we also did not know what is a stroke in the heart. Some would someone would say he had a stroke in the heart, someone would say he had a stroke in the brain. So we had no idea what that meant. We could just as kids, as growing up people, we just knew that he had a stroke and he’s done for, he’s gone. That’s one. And because of my medical background, my veterinary background, I realized that I was having a stroke. because it was not their usual pins and needles and there was no sensation. I couldn’t move my arm. I managed to limp. I went all the way to the kitchen. I trudged a little to the kitchen. I had a glass of water, brought a glass for my wife. And I’ve also realized, learnt from doctors here that there are remnant spinal reflexes which work for some time. So those reflexes help you I think, navigate the initial few hours. It’s just that’s how we are made. Because I, you know, in the hospital, I thought my arm started moving. And the doctors, and when I got up in the morning, it was like a bad dream. No, it was not moving again. So I was like, what was that? And I have a video of that. I was sending it to my sister. Look, my arm is started to move. Wow, I’m so happy. So they told me that was just a part of the spinal reflex. So maybe that’s what made me go to the kitchen and back. So we called the Ambos and they did the BFAST test. It was FAST initially, but now the acronym has changed to BFAST. so they did that over the phone and they confirmed it was a stroke. And they were they said they’ll be at my place in two minutes. And then we made the second phone call to my brother in law who works with neurointerventional surgeons all over Australia. He’s also vet by education. So I thought he might be the best person to give me advice. And he always used to share his stories of patients, aneurysms, brain things, strokes. So I thought that, you know, he he will fix me, man. So we called Bill Gasiamis (07:10) Yeah. Ramandeep (bobby) chaggar (07:11) him and he said, Come straight to Royal Melbourne and th that’s where I was. And and the Amus asked me, he they said, Your catchment is northern, but where do you want to go? I said, Please take me to Northern because my brother’s gonna be there. So they drove me to Royal Melbourne and that’s where my journey started. Yep. Bill Gasiamis (07:27) Yeah. My journey started at the Austin hospital, ended up at the Royal Melbourne as well. And I had my surgery there and I learned to walk again at the Royal Melbourne hospital and at their Parkville facility where the rehab was done. Ramandeep (bobby) chaggar (07:42) Yeah, that’s where I was. Yep. Bill Gasiamis (07:43) Yeah, good experience. Really helpful. So you are also a vet. Okay. A surgeon as well. Are all Ramandeep (bobby) chaggar (07:52) Yes. Bill Gasiamis (07:53) vets surgeons? Do they all operate on animals? Ramandeep (bobby) chaggar (07:56) So in primitive times, the veterin surgery education is made around five types of animals, which is a canine, which is dogs, that that species, filine, which is cats, equines, which is horses, bovines, which is cattle, and one animal from wildlife, and one random fish, including birds. So we have to compare them in all aspects. So when we technically pass out, or rather I would say, When we used to technically pass out in those years, we were supposed to take take care of everything surgeries, medicine, prevention for all these species throughout. And obviously it was a it was a big experience learning practically as we went. Because when my father became a vet, my my grandparents were like, I don’t know whether anybody’s gonna get married to him or not. They they got worried. It was looked so down upon though that profession, you know. So he bought clamor to it. He showed everybody that passion. Can happen. It can happen in bed science also. In India. It must be good in other countries, but that’s all I know about India. Only the rich class had the dogs. The Britishers, they’re the people who were connected to the Britishers when they had gone, when they had left the country. Only that rich class was able to afford dogs because you know it was a poor country. So that’s where he started. Yep, yep. Yep. And now you have specializations Bill Gasiamis (09:05) Yeah, understood. Understood. Ramandeep (bobby) chaggar (09:08) on around everything. Now you can be a surgeon, you can be a bone surgeon. There’s a friend of mine, he’s a he’s a animal onko oncologist. So things like that. Yep. Bill Gasiamis (09:17) amazing how far things have come. So Ramandeep (bobby) chaggar (09:19) yes, definitely. Yeah. Rehabilitation Journey Bill Gasiamis (09:20) the fact that you were kind of a surgeon, even if it was in veterinary surgery, Ramandeep (bobby) chaggar (09:28) Yep, yep, yep. Bill Gasiamis (09:30) does that kind of medical knowledge that you have make it harder to face what you’re going through? Do you apply those kind of medical skills onto your own condition? Ramandeep (bobby) chaggar (09:42) I would say it definitely helps in doing research and digging out evidence based study because that’s how we’ve been trained, right? So we have to we have been trained to look for specific information in a specific way. So I thought I think that is what probably helps a little bit extra when someone is from that background. So most of the medical jargon we understand because it’s same. Every all animals are same, mostly, except the ruminants which have four stomachs. So Bill Gasiamis (10:06) Mm-hmm. Ramandeep (bobby) chaggar (10:07) so So the single stomach animals are mostly similar, and how the physiology of the body works, how the brain works, how the conduction works, all the diseases, they have things like MS, they have things like diabetes. We used to treat them all the time. So yeah, yes, it helps. It does. Yeah. Bill Gasiamis (10:22) Yeah, that’s fascinating. I love it. so give me a little bit of an idea of you’ve gone to hospital. you realize that your arm is moving and now it’s no longer moving. And then how long were you in hospital for? And what was that, experience like what, what was your hospital stay like? Ramandeep (bobby) chaggar (10:43) I remember I was very emotional. Even now I’m very emotional. If I talk about nice things, I end up crying sometimes. Or I laugh more, I cry more. But I was really worried at that point. I didn’t know what’s gonna happen. My cousins used to call me, my friends used to call me, doctors used to go past and they would tell me that you’ll be fine, man. And you know, that was you’ll be fine was was kind of unbelievable because nothing’s moving. I mean I I don’t know how that’s gonna happen. Bill Gasiamis (11:09) your left side your whole left side was gone. Ramandeep (bobby) chaggar (11:11) Yeah, I was on the wheelchair for about six months and I was in the same rehab as you just mentioned at Parkwell for 45 days. Bill Gasiamis (11:18) Hmm. Ramandeep (bobby) chaggar (11:18) And if we must have been to the chapel, which is just behind the Parkville camp campus. So I used to go there every day. My son used to wheel me there. Yeah. So it was it was quite overwhelming for me because I didn’t know what was going on. I had heard that there are these injections which which are given within the golden period. Crying After Stroke And they can just reverse the stroke instantly. But I did not know the concept. So those injections basically work and dissolve the clot which is in the brain. But if if if the stroke is of a bleeder’s type, it can also kill the person. So we were waiting for the MRI. We are waiting for the MRI when’s that gonna happen. And it was unfortunately a Saturday night, Sunday morning. So everything were lined up. You know how the systems are in Melbourne. So all the emergency patients who are dying are first, people who are not dying are second, people who just Got normal things, they’re third. So things like that. So probably that took a little while. So I had my MRI on Monday. So I was in the hospital till Monday. I just had nurses coming in assessing me if I could stand, if I could step forward, step backwards. I mean, obviously they were doing my cognition tests and everything. I got tested for a drug which was is which is called clopedrogel, I think. that is the one which dissolves clots. So they give that as an oral thing to you and they test the blood in the body that whether it responds to that or not. So they are ready for it. As soon as they have the result, they just shoot you with injections. But it was unfortunate that I got diagnosed only in about twenty four hours. And then they moved me to the rehab. I was lucky to get a room and this amazing partner in my room, and that’s that’s when my rehab started. Bill Gasiamis (12:47) What was the cause of the stroke? Ramandeep (bobby) chaggar (12:48) Nobody knows. I was pr absolutely healthy. I don’t have blood pressure. I don’t have diabetes. I don’t have anything with I was cycling hundred kilometers on the weekend. I was walking my dog twice a day. I was very, very active. Even now I’m very active. I was I was when I was in rehab, obviously I started eating I was eating the same and I was obviously not exercising. So my weight went up to 120 kilos, for example, because my activity was so high. People were literally telling me that you’re eating like a Labrador, man. What happened? What’s happening? I was just like this. And the food in Royal Melbourne rehab is really good. They come to you with a menu and they ask you what you want. And so I was ordering everything I loved. So and I was hearing in one of your podcasts before, it it was literally like that. I had the I’ve had the best time of life in the last two years. Different realization, it’s changed me, and I’ve just had the best time. I always liked exercising. I’ve exercised Bill Gasiamis (13:39) Yeah. Ramandeep (bobby) chaggar (13:42) exercised so much at the last two years, it’s not even funny. I think he must be listening that I want to exercise. He said, Okay, go for it, man. Bill Gasiamis (13:51) You got to, you, you sounds like you were given, this like massive learning opportunity, but also a scary learning opportunity. Things were really difficult. at one point, but things have kind of progressed. Well, things are going well and that’s awesome. you’ve taken it, you’ve taken it away where this is an opportunity to grow, to learn, to try new things. but what was it like on your on the day that you noticed some movement, like in rehab, I think was that on day 28 or something like that, there was a little bit of, first Ramandeep (bobby) chaggar (14:26) I think it was twenty five it was I think. Bill Gasiamis (14:28) voluntary voluntary movement first, first, yeah. Ramandeep (bobby) chaggar (14:30) Yeah, correct, correct. I still have that video. I remember there was this friend of mine who used to come to the hospital and she used to massage my arm. So that is also called I think it’s called passive passive stretching. And she would really press my arm and she will caught cause me pain. And I’ve been told that I’ve got a good pain threshold. Maybe that’s because of my martial arts training when I was younger. Reflections on Recovery and Growth Bill Gasiamis (14:52) Okay. Ramandeep (bobby) chaggar (14:53) So she used to press my arm and it was really painful. And I remember my roommate, he he had a problem with his arm, and they had to give him Botox injections to paralyze those muscles. So he could move and the muscles could be pain free. So that’s a that’s a routine thing which they do. So Botox is basically bottleneum toxin, which causes paralysis. and they give it in the muscle which is spas spas which is spasming for the person and it it releases the muscle and they feel better. So I was fortunate that she was there and I remember after her Three, four weeks of massaging my hand, and my wife used to be sitting beside my bed and she used to be pressing on my left leg, I remember. So that particular day I could see my foot move a little like this, b which I could. So that was that was a big one for me. I just cried and I didn’t know what to what to expect. my God. Yep. Bill Gasiamis (15:41) tears of relief. Yeah. that is all often a very good sign. And then, a lot of people kind of built from that. Ramandeep (bobby) chaggar (15:52) Yeah. Bill Gasiamis (15:53) but were you, were you near the diabetic ward as well? Were you watching people, have amputations walking out after a few days and getting down about that, that they, why are they getting out so quick? Ramandeep (bobby) chaggar (16:06) So, you know, the the building which is opposite to the rehab facility on Parkville Road on the other side is the diabetic ward. Bill Gasiamis (16:11) Yep. Right. Ramandeep (bobby) chaggar (16:13) So those patients after their surgeries, after their treatments are shifted into rehab. And I could see that these guys are coming in and because initially I was a little curious that what’s happening here. This guy, you know, he’s he’s got an amputation and he’s just gone. After three days, four days, they would go away. So then they would new new patients come in, they would learn how to walk, then three, four, five days they’ll go away again. So I had no clue what was going on. But then over time I realized there was a diabetic ward. So those were guys was ob obviously coming in because of their neuropathies. They’ve lost some limbs. Some people were lucky, they only lost fingers, some people unlucky, they lost legs, arms sometimes. But it can be it can be quite challenging for them also, you know, certainly because it’s too quick. I I think stroke is still slow. It gets you ready, it gets you going, but it’s it’s slow paced. And now I’m an expert, I know what is gonna work. So I’m still completing three years in December. So With an exercise, I I know the stress and I know the difficulty and and and I can feel it. I can feel it that this will work. So in their in their case they don’t have time. They just lose a limb and they just have to learn in three, four days. Fortunately their brain is okay, so they are more you know, neuroplastic, I would say, but as compared to us. Bill Gasiamis (17:17) So was playing on your mind a little bit, seeing this difference in the way people were rehabilitating after an amputation compared to a stroke survivor. Ramandeep (bobby) chaggar (17:26) Yes, hundred percent. And considering that one of my family people, my uncles, cousins, far cousin, he had passed on because of this particular problem. And it because of the way the medicines and the medical system is in India, so I saw that he ha also had to be his one of his toes had to be amputated. and he had a neuropathy and then he lost his foot and he eventually died because of kidney problems. So this does happen in diabetic patients, very common. So it I kept thinking of those those days, you know, when I would I would hear of him, we would go and visit him in hospital. So it’s very different. They are Bill Gasiamis (18:02) Hmm. Ramandeep (bobby) chaggar (18:03) more conservative, they try to save the limb. Here they are more aggressive. They say that we if there’s a the there’s gangrene here, we want to cut from here and we want to make sure that you’re safe. Your life is safe. So they they are more aggressive here. Over there, they say, We’ll try to save this, we’ll try to save this, we’ll try to save this. So it’s it’s different. We have Bill Gasiamis (18:18) Yeah. So I’m to make a few huge assumptions. You’re a male, you’re Indian and your culture probably makes it difficult to accept care, especially when it comes to physical care. you know, being treated as stroke survivor in a rehabilitation hospital, when your left side’s not working means that people have to shower you and, help you at the bathroom and all that kind of stuff. What was that like for you? Ramandeep (bobby) chaggar (18:47) It was hard. Then that was another time when I was really crying. Maybe it happens to everyone, you know. I’m not special. But I I was I was quite emotional and it took me a couple of days to get used to my brother in law coming in, and he said, I’ll do it for you, man. And he’s he’s a champ. And he would come every day. So it’s in our culture, it’s it’s I think it’s maybe egoistic or maybe it’s how we are. That the elder people or the boys are more looked from a perspective of as providers and caretakers. So I remember when my father passed on in 97, I was told that be strong for your mom, be strong for your sister. And then when my mom passed on in 2013, I was told the same thing: be strong for your sister. But there was one of my friends, one of my uncles, who told me that, you know, you need to do something, you need to have a couple of drinks, go to a corner and just cry it out, man. It’s important. So now I know that grief is important. and I was I’ve been told that stroke is a part of a grief and you should not suppress your feelings. Like I can do with that box of tissues right now. I can go all out. No problem. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Bill Gasiamis (19:50) Yeah, man. I’m the same. was just talking about my situation a few days ago. This happened to me in 2013. Brain surgery was in 2014 and I cry all the time. It’s not really like it’s strange. Have you heard of the super pseudo bulb affect? Ramandeep (bobby) chaggar (20:06) Which one is that? No, so no, I’ve Bill Gasiamis (20:07) It’s a condition. It’s a condition where people who with neurological injuries tend to cry, or laugh Ramandeep (bobby) chaggar (20:14) More. Bill Gasiamis (20:15) more and out of the blue suddenly. And often at the beginning, it’s a very difficult to control. And then later it gets better. But then for me, I, you know, a couple of years ago, I was told to go and do a presentation for the Royal Melbourne hospital neurosciences, gala ball to, to tell them what stroke, sorry, what neurosurgery meant to me, you know, like, I’m only standing there because of neurosurgery without it, I wouldn’t be standing there. My surgeon was in the room. It was 400 people in the room. And I got up and I didn’t make it to the front lectern before I started crying. And then when I got up to say the speech, I was holding on to the lectern, just waiting for the crying to stop just so that I can start the speech. And then through the speech, I had to stop a couple of times. Now I wasn’t upset. I wasn’t sad. was, I was excited, but the 400 people and the, situation talking about me, my family, et cetera, and having to describe what neurosurgery meant to me made it impossible to get through that speech. I got through it, but it was, Ramandeep (bobby) chaggar (21:16) Yep, yep, yep, yep. Bill Gasiamis (21:20) but it was interesting to go through that, you know, 13 years, you know, 12, 13 years later, like it was, yeah, crazy. So, Ramandeep (bobby) chaggar (21:25) Two thirty news, huh? So Bill Gasiamis (21:28) It’s not uncommon, very, very common. Ramandeep (bobby) chaggar (21:30) So tell me something, is it easy for you to have a poker face? Bill Gasiamis (21:34) If the, not in a, not in a situation where I have to talk about something that’s emotional, that’s about me, my experience. And if my family involved, forget about it. can’t stay out kind of the poker face. No way. Yeah. But I can in a poker game when we’re trying to take somebody else’s money. Ramandeep (bobby) chaggar (21:52) I think same, same. So it’s similar. I can I can cry on animations also. And my son says that he’s crying, you it’s on animation also. It’s a good movie. Good movie story. And that’s you’re done. Bill Gasiamis (21:59) Yeah. Yeah, I used to cry with the cat tripping over or something Ramandeep (bobby) chaggar (22:05) Ha ha ha. Bill Gasiamis (22:06) silly, know, crazy stuff. And my wife would be going, what are you crying about now? I don’t know. I’m just crying. Ramandeep (bobby) chaggar (22:12) Short short. Bill Gasiamis (22:15) And the difficult part is not me. It’s the people around me thinking that I’m sad or thinking that there’s something wrong. And that’s reeducating them so that they know that’s not what’s happening. what’s today today we’re recording on Saturday on Thursday night. I was in Melbourne at Marvel stadium. there was an electronic dance music festival, 60,000 people in a stadium for a DJ. It Ramandeep (bobby) chaggar (22:39) wow. Bill Gasiamis (22:39) was a most amazing electronic dance laser show. It was sensational. Now my wife didn’t see because it was too dark and she was focusing on the show, but you know, I had about three or four moments where I cried. But it wasn’t big cries, it was just tears and excitement and something else happening that made me cry. And I was moved by the fact that I was A, at the event, B, it was such an amazing event that all the people there were having a great time. Like, it was moving rather than sad or upsetting or, Ramandeep (bobby) chaggar (23:14) I understand. Bill Gasiamis (23:16) and telling, kind of trying to bring people into understanding that that’s what’s happening. That was the hard part because you know, we’re from a Greek family. They see you cry. Everything’s terrible. Everything’s bad. You know, they don’t know. They don’t know how to deal with it. You know, so you’ve got to reeducate people. That was the hardest part of that experience for me. That’s all it was. Ramandeep (bobby) chaggar (23:37) No, because I keep thinking that since I was always in sales and I enjoyed my sales, I don’t know if that’s gonna settle down ever with me, my emotions. Bill Gasiamis (23:47) will, it will settle down and then sometimes it will just come out of nowhere and you won’t, you wouldn’t have expected it. Yeah. It changes for a lot of people. remember interviewing one gentleman. can’t remember his name now. And on the, on his wedding day, he told me that he was almost dehydrated from crying so much, you know, and he needed to continue, continue his fluids so that he doesn’t dehydrate. It was. We laughed about it like you and I are laughing. Cause that’s he’s got to that stage where it’s like, wow, you know, it is what it is. Like no big deal. He was totally moved by the fact that he was a alive, able to be at the wedding, get married to the person that he loved. and then, and then later on they had a kid and it was down all downhill again from there, you know, more tears, more crazy stuff. Ramandeep (bobby) chaggar (24:33) Yeah. Bill Gasiamis (24:34) It’s, it’s, it’s involuntary. And I think it’s actually very helpful for me. It’s helpful to just get it out. Like what your mate said, you know, just go into the corner and have a cry, get it out, and this whole thing, you know, our culture is the same and many cultures are the same. It’s like, you know, the men are not supposed to show emotion. You’re supposed to toughen up, you know, be stronger for everybody else. And nobody checks in with you to say, you know, okay, how are you doing now? That’s That’s just how it is. Many cultures are like that. So who’s Hannah? Ramandeep (bobby) chaggar (25:05) So Hannah was my first physio who was, you know, it’s it was quite moving for me from that perspective as well. Because I I always thank and thank my stars that I got unwell in Australia. Because there are so many systems here which help younger people like NDIS and got all kinds of help. And and the medical is top-notch. The medicine is top-notch. The first day that I remember they took me to the physio room. I had this pretty girl. I c we couldn’t see them because you know it was post COVID so everybody was still using masks. But I could just see the eyes. And she was so beautiful. So she sat on the floor and she was moving my foot. So it was quite moving for me, even now. Sorry for that. Bill Gasiamis (25:41) Yeah. Yeah. Ramandeep (bobby) chaggar (25:42) So that was Hannah. Initially, my book was supposed to be called Walking with Hannah. So, but one of my advisors told me that look, if the book becomes really popular, then she is gonna benefit more. Change the name, man. Change it. And there are different privacy laws in Australia. So just to make sure that you are around the privacy laws, don’t put anybody’s name on it. Bill Gasiamis (26:03) Like you’re on the ground. She’s moving your leg or your foot and she makes you a promise that you would walk again. Now that’s a pretty big deal to hear that from somebody who’s in the rehabilitation space trying to help you to recover. And I think at the same time, that’s kind of when you had the realization that you should write a book. how did that come about? What was the, why did that carry so much weight that situation? The Promise of Recovery and Writing a Book Ramandeep (bobby) chaggar (26:33) Should I be ready with our tissues? Have you had people who really, really break down badly on a show? Is it okay? Bill Gasiamis (26:39) Yeah, yeah, yeah. yeah, it’s okay. And yes, they have. Yeah. Ramandeep (bobby) chaggar (26:43) So I think in that situation For me, only that one promise coming from a physio was a big deal. I wanted to share with my friends, I wanted to share with my clients. I’ve got a lot of good people in my book, and vice versa. So I I wanted to share with all of them what I’m going through. So I was constantly taking pictures, recording voice notes. I was not so good at typing because you know I just had gone from two hands to one hand. So I just couldn’t type. So I was I was doing a lot of voice to text notes, I was writing notes, I was taking pictures, I was taking videos. We are very audiovisual. I am very audiovisual rather. So I was really doing a lot. And then I also have a habit of listening to audiobooks. And I was doing prayers and I was listening to audiobooks. I don’t even remember what book I was listening to. maybe I think it was Andrea Gossi the one. I was listening to that one. Moving story. Good story. So I thought, hey, why why don’t why can’t I convert all this what I’m writing into a book? So and I had ample time. So I thought Bill Gasiamis (27:41) Yeah. Ramandeep (bobby) chaggar (27:42) I was like, yeah, let’s do it. It was not it was not a business model. It was not Bill Gasiamis (27:45) Yeah. Ramandeep (bobby) chaggar (27:45) something which will actually make money. There was no thought around it. I just Bill Gasiamis (27:48) Yeah. Ramandeep (bobby) chaggar (27:48) wanted to write a book. I was just emotionally wanted to write a book. I was just compulsive. I wanted to write a book. That’s it. Done. Yep, yep, yep. Bill Gasiamis (27:55) I love it. I know that I know that feeling like same same here when I wrote the first book, Ramandeep (bobby) chaggar (28:01) Yes go. Bill Gasiamis (28:01) the unexpected way this joke became the best thing that happened. It was like, I’ve learned all of this stuff. And I kind of don’t want to forget it. I want to have it in one space. I want to capture the moment as well. Like it’s like a time in history, a snapshot Ramandeep (bobby) chaggar (28:14) Yeah, yeah. Bill Gasiamis (28:14) of history, you know, that book. And if I can just put everything in a book, then I could well, I could have a book, but then if people want to buy it and it helps them. then that would be a bonus. So it was the idea was about that. And then, of course, when you have a book, you may as well have the best book, and you may as well sell as many copies as possible. Well, what’s the point of having a book otherwise, you know, you want to make sure that it gets sold. So I really relate to what you’re saying about that. My book idea came in hospital as well. So no, the podcast came in hospital as well. I was getting wheeled transferred from the Royal Melbourne. to Parkville and I was waiting in the transit lounge and that is when I had the idea to start the podcast, but I was never going to do it. I don’t think I was going to do it. A friend of mine put the idea in my head later on again. And because of that, the podcast emerged. I had the idea, he reinforced it. And then I went ahead and did it. And the book again was an idea from another friend. You’ve learned all this stuff, know, you know, how, are you going to do with it? You how are you going to… tell other people about it. The podcast was one way and then the book was another way. And of course, then it’s not just about me, it’s about other people as well. Now, if I understood correctly, are you from the religion, the Sikh religion? Did you seek right? Cultural Identity and Personal Beliefs Ramandeep (bobby) chaggar (29:37) Yes, I’ve yep, yep. Bill Gasiamis (29:40) And in the religion turban is quite important. How was that? How is dealing with that situation where your left side doesn’t work and the use or the need to have a turban on your head, do you kind of deal with that? Ramandeep (bobby) chaggar (29:57) So I’ve been through times in my life when I was without a turban for a couple of months because I had a ac I had a small unfortunate accident with my Jeep. So I had to cut off a little bit of hair, so I just didn’t bother p going back to the turban initially. So and and I was I’m not very religious, religious. So And I was very proud of my turban because people used to tell me that your turban looks fantastic, man. You’re the best looking Sikh we’ve we’ve seen around, you know. So I was quite proud of it. And I was I used to feel on top of the world with my turban. So every every trip of mine, every travel of mine, I had to pack a couple of turbans and and I’m I think I am O C D. So I used to match it with my shirt. Sometimes I used to match it with my ties. It should should be the same color. Sometimes I’ll match it with my jeans. So you know it was it was quite a task. Every time I’m traveling. But I loved it. Having said that, I decided that my son is not gonna be a turbanator. I called myself a turbanator because of the same reason. I said that’s one thing less to take care of. It’s not that I don’t w want him to be a Sikh. He he realizes he’s a Sikh. He’s a good Sikh. He does what I do in the Sikh Sikh temple as well, which is serve. But from a religious perspective, he’s okay. He you don’t have to have a turban on your head to be that religion. You know, you can be a good person from that religion perspective also. So I was very proud of it and not being able to do it initially was a big blow to my ego or my you know image in my own brain. I lost I lost my identity, I I thought, and and my my prayer consisted of that that you know I hope I can go back to tying a turban. Even you can see I still don’t dye a turban. A lot of my friends tell me that I look good like this. The man bun suits me. But you know, I’m like, okay, go with the flow. Well, let’s see, let’s see. Bill Gasiamis (31:37) Yeah. Ramandeep (bobby) chaggar (31:38) Yep, yep, yep. Bill Gasiamis (31:39) so it’s challenging for people, right? Like if somebody is wearing a turban for their entire lives, then they have a stroke and then they can wear a turban because they can’t tie a turban. Then you can understand why that would be impactful in another way, you know, to their identity, to, their beliefs, to all the things that are associated to a turban. Ramandeep (bobby) chaggar (32:00) You know, it was it was more like a shame. It was more like Bill Gasiamis (32:03) Uh-huh. Ramandeep (bobby) chaggar (32:03) a shame of an uncovered head, nothing on the Bill Gasiamis (32:06) Uh-huh. Ramandeep (bobby) chaggar (32:06) head. Because whenever my father would get up in the morning, he’ll make sure that he just wraps around a cloth around his head. When I would whenever I would get up in the morning, I’ll put something on my head, then I’ll go out. So, you know, we had a smaller version, we had a bigger version, which was a formal more formal thing. So we were always used to having something on the head. So it’s what which was more shame shameful, you know? Yep, yep, yep. Bill Gasiamis (32:25) Yeah. Is it personal shame or is it or back in the day was a shame within the community from other people? Ramandeep (bobby) chaggar (32:33) I think we were we were brought up both ways. So personal shame number one, and a lot of times when we had gone to temples with a cap on my head, for example, some elder would come up to me and they were this is a very conservative community also in those times. You know, they would tell Why you wearing a cap? Just take it off. If you like wearing a cap, you can just cut your hair. Or if you know, Sikhs and smoking don’t go together. So it’s not that the religion says that you can’t smoke. Since they are warriors, they’re supposed to be a warrior race. It was just said that you don’t do any kind of bad thing to your body, just take care of yourself, be healthy. So if if if someone saw a Sikh smoking in public, they will definitely go up to them and tell them that if you are a Sikh, why you smoking, man? You should cut your hair. Just take it easy. So things like Bill Gasiamis (33:10) Uh-huh. Ramandeep (bobby) chaggar (33:10) that. It was a very conservative society and it was a taboo. Smoking was a taboo, for example. So that’s how we grew up. So that’s the turban part. But I was I was more more spiritual and I was just more Personally ashamed of not being able to do it. Bill Gasiamis (33:23) Yeah. Ramandeep (bobby) chaggar (33:24) But I think it’s it’s it’s worked well. So I’m I’m kind of in a in a gray area now. You know, I’ve come back to hair. So I I will I will I’m open to tying it again. I want to do it, but I’m not rushing it. I know it’ll Bill Gasiamis (33:34) Yeah. Yeah. Ramandeep (bobby) chaggar (33:36) happen. It’ll happen one day, 100%. But I’m not Bill Gasiamis (33:38) Yeah. Ramandeep (bobby) chaggar (33:39) too eager. Yep, yep. Bill Gasiamis (33:40) a lot of stroke survivors get tattoos. Did you get a few? Ramandeep (bobby) chaggar (33:43) yes. This one for example And it’s got my son’s name here. is it? It’s here. That’s Raj, Raj, yeah, that’s his name. So Bill Gasiamis (33:55) Uh-huh. Is that the impact that arm that, the arm that was impacted by the stroke? Ramandeep (bobby) chaggar (34:00) It’s it’s very funny you asked that because you know we were not very pro tattoo. I mean, to to risk due respect to everybody who’s got a tattoo. It’s not it’s nothing negative. But we we were not very inclined to color our bodies in any r any way, right? When we grew up. So, but but there’s a friend of mine who was visiting me in hospital. He had a few, and he was in New Zealand for a long time. So he was he had that Kiwi influence, he had a Kiwi wife. my first nurse who sat with me and she told me that, you know, you’ll be fine. And she held my hand. So she had a few. So maybe that had my had an effect. And then my brother in law said, he said, just don’t worry, man. When he’s when he saw me upset, he just told me, he You don’t have to be upset, you’re alive. Just just get okay, get a few tattoos, just travel around the world, do that. So, you know, that was that’s just got stuck in me. That okay, I want to do this. So I did it. Got it done. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Bill Gasiamis (34:52) Was it like also, I Ramandeep (bobby) chaggar (34:54) Mm. Bill Gasiamis (34:54) think you mentioned in your book, it was like a bit of a protection. Is this some, is was a way to change the conversation? what other role did it serve? Ramandeep (bobby) chaggar (35:03) So, you know, at that point I got it done specifically at that point because of the same reason. So I wanted to get it done, but I didn’t know when. So I just thought of it. I remember one day I was walking past someone and he was coming to that table and he sat down and people asked him about his tattoo, which is that which he had on his leg. So I was like, hey. So people are just noticing that. He’s such a gorgeous looking guy, man. He’s well dressed and look at his specks, what he’s wearing. Look at the car, he’s come in. So he was quite polished. So and still he had tattoos. So the it broke the s the usual stereotype, you know? Everything that’s stereotypical. So I thought, yeah, I think this is the right time for me if I want to do it, because people will not notice my little limp. Because I was still limping and I was in a bad way for for at least a year. I was quite negative in my mind. I mean, and especially when I was 120 kilos, I don’t know what to do about do about it because I could not exercise, I could not cycle. Just didn’t know what to do about it. And I could not fast at that time because I I was having so many medicines morning and evening. So it it would call a cause acidity. So I was quite negative end of the spectrum. But that’s the time when I realized when I then I thought that I don’t care about anybody else. I am just doing this, man. So I looked up a few people and this lovely girl who used to come to drive for me, she took me around we were in Perth at that time. So she took me around my house and we went we visited a few places and then there was this lovely gentleman who was coming to Perth and he was apparently from Melbourne. So that was my turning point. So this happened in December. I booked him for for my appointment for for my tattoo in Perth. But then he told me that he he said, look, if you want to move back, if you are moving back eventually, because I had that in my mind. I wanted to move back. So he said if you’re moving back, I’m based out of Melbourne, just come to me there. So that’s when it happened. That was my new year gift to myself. And everybody was so, you know, amazed with my the the thing which I had done on one leg. And they were like, Wow, that’s a good one. Man, where do you do it? I was like, there’s a special guy who does this. So I was just end up talking of that and not of anything else. I was so happy. I think, Bill Gasiamis (37:00) I love it. Ramandeep (bobby) chaggar (37:00) yeah, that helped that helped in my recovery for sure. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. Yeah. Relocation and Its Challenges Bill Gasiamis (37:02) Great distraction, great distraction. Yeah. That’s a great idea. So one of the things my wife says to me every so often, she says, we should go live in a different location for a little bit, know, try the beach or whatever. And I’m thinking, well, you know, that sounds like a great idea. But in my immediately in my mind and in my body, I tense up and I just find that thinking about moving. emptying a house, filling another house, doing all that stuff just fills me with like dread. And I don’t know why it’s her idea is a great idea, but I just feel kind of comfortable or whatever. But I wouldn’t think of moving. You moved your family back to Perth. And what was that like? Because. I can’t imagine leaving Melbourne and going to Perth and packing up the whole family, the whole house and all that kind of stuff and doing that. Not because I can’t do them. I can’t live in another location because I can’t do all the work that comes with that before and all the work after. It feels like it’s going to take up way too much of my attention, time, energy. What was the move like for you? Ramandeep (bobby) chaggar (38:10) So imagine if you can say that ten, fifteen years into your stroke after recovering so much. So for for even that far recovery is difficult for them. So doing it one year into the stroke, or I would say one month into the stroke and moving everybody lock, stock, and barrel. I think that was the silliest idea I had. But my family supported me and we did it together and we did it. But it was pretty lonely for me. I was pretty lonely. We had no friends, we had no support system there. Although we were in a very good place, we were very central as compared to the country here. Because we were st always struggling to get physios in, OTs in. So it was, you know, a constant struggle. So over there we were central, so everything was okay, we’ll do this. It was just bang on. And I spent a good time just learning I mean, getting myself stronger, walking every day in the morning. So that was the positive. But I was quite negative, in here. Physically I was positive, but mentally I was quite I was a goner. Bill Gasiamis (39:03) Isolated, Ramandeep (bobby) chaggar (39:03) But Bill Gasiamis (39:04) you isolated yourself Ramandeep (bobby) chaggar (39:06) Yep, yep, yep. Bill Gasiamis (39:07) unwittingly. Like you didn’t expect that that would happen. Is it just something that happened later? You, realized later. Ramandeep (bobby) chaggar (39:14) And plus, you know, I my my job, I my job questioned me that why should we not terminate your thing? Because we don’t have much in Perth. So if even if you become okay, why should we not Not let you come back. I mean, so we had the discussion and they almost fired me, but they were happy to take me back when I was back in Melbourne, but they still let go of me. So I don’t know where what happened. I don’t have a job. Bill Gasiamis (39:36) Yeah. Ramandeep (bobby) chaggar (39:36) So yep. So I think that was a very silly decision. But that whole year I spent like that in December, I moved for my son’s holidays to my sister’s house in Melbourne. She’s also in Melbourne, and we were there for about two months. she’s in the Bay side. So after spending that quality time with family and people who were familiar, I had friends visiting me, I had people visiting me, I had so many doctors, I had these doctors’ support system from RMH. supportive stride strides workshop, which was happening, things like that. So it was it just helped me recover. And I thought that this is it, man, that this is what I should do. And and then I was, you know, I was still talking to my psychologist over the phone, and she in the book by mistake, I I just wrote a he. I think I missed the S because of this bloody autocorrect. She told me that look, you need to wear your seat your life jacket first. You know, that was one statement. Ha ha. made me calculate and rethink. So that’s when we decided, okay, let’s come back. So twice, twice in here. Yep, Bill Gasiamis (40:38) Well then. Ramandeep (bobby) chaggar (40:39) yep, yep. Bill Gasiamis (40:40) You need to wear your life jacket first. That’s Ramandeep (bobby) chaggar (40:42) Yep, yep, yep. Bill Gasiamis (40:44) such an amazing statement. And also, it’s really important for caregivers to remember that that they need to wear their own life jacket first. Because caregivers go through this with their loved ones, whoever they’re caring for that had a stroke, and they put themselves second. And then they suffer, they suffer because they haven’t got time to themselves because they get on well. And often with people who are very kind of motivated to help their loved one. Often they end up becoming sick and passing away before the stroke survivor. So everyone needs to put on their life raft, their own life jacket first. Once they’re stable and everything is okay, then they need to assess what they can do for the other person. I love that. Such a profound statement. I can see why it moved you so much. Often stroke survivors also complain, not complain, but they mention when somebody says, just think positively. what was it like for you to hear that? Just think positively Ramandeep (bobby) chaggar (41:43) Okay. The Importance of Caregiver Self-Care Bill Gasiamis (41:44) statement. Ramandeep (bobby) chaggar (41:44) I think my an analyzing people was out of the window. I was not analyz analysing anyone. I’m I’m not even judgmental as a person. So I don’t easily judge. I trust people at the first instance. Sorry. So it was quite common to hear that all the time. And I wouldn’t even tell anybody that I’ve had a stroke. I wouldn’t tell them. I will just talk to them. I will try to hide my walk. I don’t know, I was a little shameful. I don’t know why. For example, I’m reskilling to be an allied health assistant at the moment in Boxhill Institute. So it took me about six months before I disclosed to my class that, you know, I walk funny sometimes because of my stroke. Because I just didn’t want to tell anybody. I was a little apprehensive. And when I warmed up when everybody got to know me and I was I’m like probably the friendliest in the class. So everybody likes me. So then I told everybody, they’re friends. I said this is this is what has happened, that’s my book. Please read it. See if it helps someone. And I don’t know if this book is gonna actually help someone or not. I don’t know if there’s no scientific information in that. There’s no medical information. But what is gonna help in that book, I’m not sure. But the idea was just if even it can help one person. Bill Gasiamis (42:46) Yeah, that’s the thing. That’s interesting. I put podcast episodes out all the time. I I’ve got no idea which part will help, but somebody will reach out and they’ll pick an obscure part of the podcast episode. I’ll say that really helped me hearing that really helped me. And I was like, okay. Cool. We’ve, we’ve, we’ve achieved our outcome. It helped you. I’m happy that it helped you. And because everyone is in a different position and they’re looking for different types of information and you know, what’s, the timeline that they’re in in their recovery, whether it’s emotional, mental or physical is unique to them. So that one word might be overlooked by you and me, but then somebody else goes, that’s just the word I needed to hear. And that’s why 400 episodes of the podcast are really good because there’s something in at least one of those episodes for everybody, you know, so it will, it will help. It will make it so that people maybe even if they just realized that they can write a book, maybe if they realize that they could just share their story, that’s all, that’s good enough. Adjusting to a New Normal So, how about this whole new normal statement? Now some people are told that they have to adjust to their new normal. And I kind of, I see why people say that it helps with acceptance in some situations when you have to let go of how you went about the past, how you did your life previously. when you were more physically able-bodied or more cognitively able. So how did you handle the new normal comment statement? Ramandeep (bobby) chaggar (44:20) I obviously didn’t like it initially. But then, you know, the whole religious part and how we’ve been brought up, it’s with a lot of acceptance. So which is, I think, important for a child sitting next to someone who’s a nobody, or for a child who’s sitting next to someone who’s super duper rich. Maybe he’s a prime minister of the country, but they are sitting on the same level and having food, for example, on the floor. Someone who’s sitting next to you who’s who cleans houses on the floor. They’re humans. So I think that probably got me ready for the acceptance. I mean, that that primed me for the level of expect acceptance we had. I had to work less towards accepting things. and yeah, for example, I can’t run at the moment. But then what I say to people about that, that it’s overrated, I don’t care. You know, for example, so that’s it. That’s my acceptance. That’s what I do. Make a joke of it, man. That’s it. You can’t do it, you can’t do it. What do you do? Bill Gasiamis (45:11) Dude, it is overrated. That’s the I’m going to use that now as well. Ramandeep (bobby) chaggar (45:16) Yep, yep, yep. Bill Gasiamis (45:18) In a couple of weeks, I’m going to go and spend some time away with a friend of mine. I’ve got a really amazing friend. We grew up together. He used to work at the Royal Melbourne hospital when I was there. He was a radiographer and he would come and see me when I was admitted. He would do my scans. Amazing. Like I’ve known this guy my entire life since I was about four years old. And we’re going to go and spend eight days just away from the whole family, the wives, everybody. We’re just going to go to Hawaii for a little bit. Ramandeep (bobby) chaggar (45:46) Are you going running? Bill Gasiamis (45:46) He said to me, I wake up in the morning and I go for a run. I said, fantastic. I’m going to wake up in the morning and go for a walk. You go for a run. Ramandeep (bobby) chaggar (45:52) Yeah. Bill Gasiamis (45:53) I’m not running. I can’t run. Ramandeep (bobby) chaggar (45:55) You can run either, huh? Yep, yep. Bill Gasiamis (45:56) Not anymore. No. My left leg, my left leg goes down a little bit differently from my right leg. And because I have proprioception issues and the feeling is not correct, I never know when it’s exactly in the right position. And I risk injuring my knee because sometimes I can overextend, hyper extend. And, and Ramandeep (bobby) chaggar (46:15) Yep, yep, yep, yep. I know exactly what he’s saying, yep, yep. Bill Gasiamis (46:17) I’m really concerned. And also my ankle, I’m not comfortable with my the foot going down and my ankle being solid. So I don’t want to run. I can run across the road to make sure that I’m safe and there’s no car coming too fast or injuring me, but I’m not running two kilometers or a marathon or anything like that. Ramandeep (bobby) chaggar (46:37) I think walking is better. Yep, yep, yep. Bill Gasiamis (46:38) Yeah, I have to think about it too much as well. And it makes it more fatiguing, more exhausting. Ramandeep (bobby) chaggar
"This is a personal letter to Timothy, son of a Greek father and a Jewish mother. He was converted during Paul's visit, to Lystra (Acts 16.1). He became Paul's special protégé, and, though evidently diffident and nervous in temperament, was his loyal assistant. He accompanied Paul on various missions and has now been left in charge of the church at Ephesus". - From the introduction. Originally published in Letters to Young Churches.
In The Londinium Chronicles, Gaius (John Batchelor) and Germanicus (Michael Vlahos) explore the intersections of Roman (AND HELLENIC) history and modern geopolitics.Greek Tyranny Reflects Modern LeadershipGaius and Germanicus: The hosts analyze modern political authority through classical Greek concepts of tyranny and seventeenth-century British history. Gaius explains that a tyrant or tyrannos arises not through lawful succession, but by promising to resolve widespread collective grievances. Germanicus compares this dynamic to Oliver Cromwell, who assumed power following the execution of King Charles I under the guise of national salvation. However, Germanicus argues that Cromwell failed to deliver genuine restoration (renovatio), instead establishing an autocratic rule marked by narcissistic self-dealing, military overreach, and personal monument building. Consequently, Cromwell suffered complete public repudiation, culminating in his post-mortem execution and historical infamy. Germanicus asserts that contemporary leaders who rely on personal grievances and military control while dismantling established institutional systems face an identical fate, as political legitimacy collapses when promises of national restoration yield only self-serving governance. (1)Q
Kam Patterson joins the pod to discuss growing up in Orlando, how it's hard to be a thug when you live near Disney, putting his grandma on blast at her 60th birthday, policing the star player on the basketball team for not practicing hard enough, how Al Pacino is still popping off and having kids old AF, and much more. Kam and Stav help callers including a guy who's wondering if he should tell his girlfriend he hooked up with an old friend of hers in the past, and a Black man who loves Greek food but whose favorite restaurant is racist.See Kam Patterson live and follow him on social media:https://kampatterson.com/https://x.com/Guapedupkamhttps://www.instagram.com/kamsoofunny/https://www.youtube.com/@Kamsoofunny https://www.tiktok.com/@kamsoofunny1Thanks to our sponsors!!Visible - https://www.visible.com/ SWITCH NOW!Twisted Tea - https://www.twistedtea.com/locations Keep It Twisted!!☎️ Want to be a part of the show? Call 904-800-STAV and leave a voicemail to get advice!
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