Podcasts about Times Square

The United States is pursuing another oil tanker through the Caribbean, and President Trump says "it'd be smart" for Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro to leave power. Democratic Rep. Seth Moulton weighs in on Trump's escalating pressure campaign on Venezuela. Plus, Anderson and Andy Cohen giggle through their New Year's Eve memories as the look forward to hosting again from New York City's Times Square.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Who actually goes to Times Square for New Years Eve? The Morning Show debates which holiday traditions are the most overrated and what the Best Blunders on WIP were this year.

What happens when the strategies that built your success begin to hollow you out?Judi Holler shares the story she never planned to tell: how building a seven-figure business, listening to too many “experts,” and chasing the next level led her into burnout, disconnection, and a spiritual reckoning.This conversation explores identity loss after success, the danger of outsourcing self-trust, the role of spirituality and human design in self-leadership, and how awareness (especially discomfort) can become your most powerful signal back to alignment.Judi's Soul Dives - https://stan.store/HOLLAVERSE/p/soul-dive-with-judiTimestamps00:00 — The question that opens every interview: “Who are you?”02:30 — Why success can make identity more fragile, not stronger05:10 — The moment external advice drowned out inner knowing07:45 — “I was going bankrupt internally while everyone else got rich”10:30 — The dark spiral: money loss, confidence loss, self-loss13:00 — The difference between brain safety and soul truth15:20 — Practical self-leadership when you still have bills to pay18:40 — Scheduling spirituality instead of waiting for stillness22:10 — Finding peace inside chaos (even Times Square)25:30 — Human Design as a map back to alignment29:00 — Why bitterness is a warning signal, not a flaw32:15 — Projectors, decision-making, and riding emotional waves36:40 — Why most leadership cultures block creativity40:00 — Improv, failure, and psychological safety at work44:30 — Recreation as the fastest path to reinvention48:00 — Who Judi is becoming now50:00 — Final reflections on self-trust and expression****Get your copy of Personal Socrates: Better Questions, Better Life Connect with Marc >>> Website | LinkedIn | Instagram |*A special thanks to our mental fitness + sweat partner Sip Saunas.

Longtime sports radio host Sal Licata joins us to discuss his departure from WFAN, but first we get to the bottom of who the King of New York is and whether the Knicks should put up a banner for winning the NBA Cup. Taylor pitches a “Who Says No?” deal to Licata. Finally, we play a game of Licata or Li-nah-ta to get Sal's opinions on Times Square, riding the subway, and more. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Pittsburgh Tomorrow recently placed a dog-friendly, holiday billboard in New York City's Times Square, inviting the nearly 400,000 people who pass by every day to consider moving to Pittsburgh. While some locals say they don't love it, head of storytelling Caroline Fisher says the city needs to take big swings if we want Pittsburgh's stagnant population to grow. Host Megan Harris asks about the cost, the mission, and how they're feeling about people's reaction to the ad. Check out Pittsburgh Tomorrow's guide to starting a new life in Pittsburgh or get in touch at hello@pittsburghtomorrow.org Learn more about the sponsors of this December 18th episode: Heinz History Center Aura Frames - Get $35 off the Carver Mat frame with Promo Code CITYCAST Become a member of City Cast Pittsburgh at membership.citycast.fm. Want more Pittsburgh news?  Sign up for our daily morning Hey Pittsburgh newsletter. We're on Instagram @CityCastPgh. Text or leave us a voicemail at 412-212-8893. Interested in advertising with City Cast? Find more info here.

Learn more at TheCityLife.org

Learn more at TheCityLife.org

Katie and Keith talk through two of the major New Year's Eve TV events broadcasting before the clock strikes 2026: Dick Clark's New Year's Rockin' Eve With Ryan Seacrest, headlined by Diana Ross in New York's Times Square, and New Year's Eve Live: Nashville's Big Bash, which will be headlined by Lainey Wilson, Jason Aldean and Bailey Zimmerman. Plus, there's chart news on how Mariah Carey's "All I Want for Christmas Is You" earns a landmark 20th week at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode of Parenting Is a Joke, comedian Emily Walsh talks to Ophira Eisenberg about becoming a parent later in life and being labeled “advanced maternal age” by New York doctors while taking “nightly little baby aspirin” she was told “sometimes works” for reasons no one could explain. She describes meeting her tiny five-pound newborn who arrived a month early with “newborn fuzz” on her ears and back and a full head of hair that proved her pregnancy heartburn was accurate karma for marrying a very “hairy man.” Parenting for the first time at 40 means learning everything on the fly — sometimes quoting TikToks as if they were books — while hoarding three different “booger-sucking robots,” including a hospital-grade model she gleefully uses every morning. She shares postpartum rage (“Don't kill your husband” turned out to be wise advice), frustration with breastfeeding (“barbaric,” she says), and the absurdity of pumping in Times Square between comedy sets because the manager can't comprehend her need to schedule pumping. A broken ankle took away her baby-calming outdoor walks, she hasn't made a “mom friend” yet, and her social circle is still figuring out she's “not dead,” even as she continues podcasting, stand-up, and raising a baby who dressed as Jeff Goldblum from Jurassic Park with her bassinet converted into the Jeep and her husband in an inflatable T-Rex suit.

What happens when your voice is built through visuals, not volume? In this Unstoppable Mindset episode, I talk with photographer and storyteller Mobeen Ansari about growing up with hearing loss, learning speech with support from his family and the John Tracy Center, and using technology to stay connected in real time. We also explore how his art became a bridge across culture and faith, from documenting religious minorities in Pakistan to chronicling everyday heroes, and why he feels urgency to photograph climate change before more communities, heritage sites, and ways of life are lost. You'll hear how purpose grows when you share your story in a way that helps others feel less alone, and why Mobeen believes one story can become a blueprint for someone else to navigate their own challenge. Highlights: 00:03:54 - Learn how early family support can shape confidence, communication, and independence for life. 00:08:31 - Discover how deciding when to capture a moment can define your values as a storyteller. 00:15:14 - Learn practical ways to stay fully present in conversations when hearing is a daily challenge. 00:23:24 - See how unexpected role models can redefine what living fully looks like at any stage of life. 00:39:15 - Understand how visual storytelling can cross cultural and faith boundaries without words. 00:46:38 - Learn why documenting climate change now matters before stories, places, and communities disappear. About the Guest: Mobeen Ansari is a photographer, filmmaker and artist from Islamabad, Pakistan. Having a background in fine arts, he picked up the camera during high school and photographed his surroundings and friends- a path that motivated him to be a pictorial historian. His journey as a photographer and artist is deeply linked to a challenge that he had faced since after his birth.  Three weeks after he was born, Mobeen was diagnosed with hearing loss due to meningitis, and this challenge has inspired him to observe people more visually, which eventually led him to being an artist. He does advocacy for people with hearing loss.  Mobeen's work focuses on his home country of Pakistan and its people, promoting a diverse & poetic image of his country through his photos & films. As a photojournalist he focuses on human interest stories and has extensively worked on topics of climate change, global health and migration. Mobeen has published three photography books. His first one, ‘Dharkan: The Heartbeat of a Nation', features portraits of iconic people of Pakistan from all walks of life. His second book, called ‘White in the Flag' is based on the lives & festivities of religious minorities in Pakistan. Both these books have had two volumes published over the years. His third book is called ‘Miraas' which is also about iconic people of Pakistan and follows ‘Dharkan' as a sequel. Mobeen has also made two silent movies; 'Hellhole' is a black and white short film, based on the life of a sanitation worker, and ‘Lady of the Emerald Scarf' is based on the life of Aziza, a carpet maker in Guilmit in Northern Pakistan. He has exhibited in Pakistan & around the world, namely in UK, Italy, China Iraq, & across the US and UAE. His photographs have been displayed in many famous places as well, including Times Square in New York City. Mobeen is also a recipient of the Swedish Red Cross Journalism prize for his photography on the story of FIFA World Cup football manufacture in Sialkot. Ways to connect with Mobeen**:** www.mobeenansari.com Facebook: www.facebook.com/mobeenart  Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mobeenansari/ Instagram: @mobeenansariphoto X: @Mobeen_Ansari About the Host: Michael Hingson is a New York Times best-selling author, international lecturer, and Chief Vision Officer for accessiBe. Michael, blind since birth, survived the 9/11 attacks with the help of his guide dog Roselle. This story is the subject of his best-selling book, Thunder Dog. Michael gives over 100 presentations around the world each year speaking to influential groups such as Exxon Mobile, AT&T, Federal Express, Scripps College, Rutgers University, Children's Hospital, and the American Red Cross just to name a few. He is Ambassador for the National Braille Literacy Campaign for the National Federation of the Blind and also serves as Ambassador for the American Humane Association's 2012 Hero Dog Awards. https://michaelhingson.com https://www.facebook.com/michael.hingson.author.speaker/ https://twitter.com/mhingson https://www.youtube.com/user/mhingson https://www.linkedin.com/in/michaelhingson/ accessiBe Links https://accessibe.com/ https://www.youtube.com/c/accessiBe https://www.linkedin.com/company/accessibe/mycompany/ https://www.facebook.com/accessibe/ Thanks for listening! Thanks so much for listening to our podcast! If you enjoyed this episode and think that others could benefit from listening, please share it using the social media buttons on this page. Do you have some feedback or questions about this episode? Leave a comment in the section below! Subscribe to the podcast If you would like to get automatic updates of new podcast episodes, you can subscribe to the podcast on Apple Podcasts or Stitcher. You can subscribe in your favorite podcast app. You can also support our podcast through our tip jar https://tips.pinecast.com/jar/unstoppable-mindset . Leave us an Apple Podcasts review Ratings and reviews from our listeners are extremely valuable to us and greatly appreciated. They help our podcast rank higher on Apple Podcasts, which exposes our show to more awesome listeners like you. If you have a minute, please leave an honest review on Apple Podcasts. Transcription Notes: Michael Hingson  00:00 Access Cast and accessiBe Initiative presents Unstoppable Mindset. The podcast where inclusion, diversity and the unexpected meet. Hi, I'm Michael Hingson, Chief Vision Officer for accessiBe and the author of the number one New York Times bestselling book, Thunder dog, the story of a blind man, his guide dog and the triumph of trust. Thanks for joining me on my podcast as we explore our own blinding fears of inclusion unacceptance and our resistance to change. We will discover the idea that no matter the situation, or the people we encounter, our own fears, and prejudices often are our strongest barriers to moving forward. The unstoppable mindset podcast is sponsored by accessiBe, that's a c c e s s i capital B e. Visit www.accessibe.com to learn how you can make your website accessible for persons with disabilities. And to help make the internet fully inclusive by the year 2025. Glad you dropped by we're happy to meet you and to have you here with us. Michael Hingson  01:20 Well, hi everyone, and welcome to another episode of unstoppable mindset. I am your host. Michael Hingson, we're really glad that you are here, and today we are going to talk to Mobeen Ansari, and Mobeen is in Islamabad. I believe you're still in Islamabad, aren't you? There we go. I am, yeah. And so, so he is 12 hours ahead of where we are. So it is four in the afternoon here, and I can't believe it, but he's up at four in the morning where he is actually I get up around the same time most mornings, but I go to bed earlier than he does. Anyway. We're really glad that he is here. He is a photographer, he speaks he's a journalist in so many ways, and we're going to talk about all of that as we go forward. Mobin also is profoundly hard of hearing. Uses hearing aids. He was diagnosed as being hard of hearing when he was three weeks old. So I'm sure we're going to talk about that a little bit near the beginning, so we'll go ahead and start. So mo bean, I want to welcome you to unstoppable mindset. We're really glad that you're here. Mobeen Ansari  02:32 It's a pleasure to be here, and I'm honored to plan your show. Thank you so much. Michael Hingson  02:37 Well, thank you very much, and I'm glad that we're able to make this work, and I should explain that he is able to read what is going on the screen. I use a program called otter to transcribe when necessary, whatever I and other people in a meeting, or in this case, in a podcast, are saying, and well being is able to read all of that. So that's one of the ways, and one of the reasons that we get to do this in real time. So it's really kind of cool, and I'm really excited by that. Well, let's go ahead and move forward. Why don't you tell us a little about the early Beau beam growing up? And obviously that starts, that's where your adventure starts in a lot of ways. So why don't you tell us about you growing up and all that. Mobeen Ansari  03:22 So I'm glad you mentioned the captions part, because, you know, that has been really, really revolutionary. That has been quite a lifesaver, be it, you know, Netflix, be it anywhere I go into your life, I read captions like there's an app on my phone that I use for real life competitions, and that's where I, you know, get everything. That's where technology is pretty cool. So I do that because of my hearing does, as you mentioned, when I was three weeks old, I had severe meningitis due to it, had lost hearing in both my ear and so when my hearing loss were diagnosed, it was, you know, around the time we didn't have resources, the technology that we do today. Michael Hingson  04:15 When was that? What year was that about? Mobeen Ansari  04:19 1986 okay, sorry, 1987 so yeah, so they figured that I had locked my hearing at three weeks of age, but didn't properly diagnose it until I think I was three months old. So yeah, then January was my diagnosis, okay. Michael Hingson  04:44 And so how did you how did you function, how did you do things when you were, when you were a young child? Because at that point was kind of well, much before you could use a hearing aid and learn to speak and so on. So what? Mobeen Ansari  05:00 You do. So my parents would have a better memory of that than I would, but I would say that they were, you know, extra hard. They went an extra mile. I mean, I would say, you know, 100 extra mile. My mother learned to be a peace therapist, and my father. He learned to be he learned how to read audiogram, to learn the audiology, familiarize himself with hearing a technology with an engineer support. My parents work around me. David went to a lot of doctors, obviously, I was a very difficult child, but I think that actually laid the foundation in me becoming an artist. Because, you know, today, the hearing is it fits right into my ear so you cannot see it, basically because my hair is longer. But back then, hearing aids used to be almost like on a harness, and you to be full of quiet, so you would actually stick out like a sore thumb. So, you know, obviously you stand out in a crowd. So I would be very conscious, and I would often, you know, get asked what this is. So I would say, this is a radio but for most part of my childhood, I was very introverted, but I absolutely love art. My grandmother's for the painter, and she was also photographer, as well as my grandfather, the hobbyist photographer, and you know, seeing them create all of the visuals in different ways, I was inspired, and I would tell my stories in form of sketching or making modified action figures. And photography was something I picked up way later on in high school, when the first digital camera had just come out, and I finally started in a really interacting with the world. Michael Hingson  07:13 So early on you you drew because you didn't really use the camera yet. And I think it's very interesting how much your parents worked to make sure they could really help you. As you said, Your mother was a speech you became a speech therapist, and your father learned about the technologies and so on. So when did you start using hearing aids? That's Mobeen Ansari  07:42 a good question. I think I probably started using it when I was two years old. Okay, yeah, yeah, that's gonna start using it, but then, you know, I think I'll probably have to ask my parents capacity, but a moment, Mobeen Ansari  08:08 you know, go ahead, I think they worked around me. They really improvised on the situation. They learned at the went along, and I think I learned speech gradually. Did a lot of, you know, technical know, how about this? But I would also have to credit John Troy clinic in Los Angeles, because, you know, back then, there was no mobile phone, there were no emails, but my mother would put in touch with John Troy center in LA and they would send a lot of material back and forth for many years, and they would provide a guidance. They would provide her a lot of articles, a lot of details on how to help me learn speech. A lot of visuals were involved. And because of the emphasis on visuals, I think that kind of pushed me further to become an artist, because I would speak more, but with just so to Michael Hingson  09:25 say so, it was sort of a natural progression for you, at least it seemed that way to you, to start using art as a way to communicate, as opposed as opposed to talking. Mobeen Ansari  09:39 Yeah, absolutely, you know, so I would like pass forward a little bit to my high school. You know, I was always a very shy child up until, you know, my early teens, and the first camera had just come out, this was like 2001 2002 at. It. That's when my dad got one, and I would take that to school today. You know, everyone has a smartphone back then, if you had a camera, you're pretty cool. And that is what. I started taking pictures of my friends. I started taking pictures of my teachers, of landscapes around me. And I would even capture, you know, funniest of things, like my friend getting late for school, and one day, a friend of mine got into a fight because somebody stole his girlfriend, or something like that happened, you know, that was a long time ago, and he lost the fight, and he turned off into the world court to cry, and he was just sort of, you're trying to hide all his vulnerability. I happened to be in the same place as him, and I had my camera, and I was like, should I capture this moment, or should I let this permit go? And well, I decided to capture it, and that is when human emotion truly started to fascinate me. So I was born in a very old city. I live in the capital of Islamabad right now, but I was born in the city of travel to be and that is home to lots of old, you know, heritage sites, lots of old places, lots of old, interesting scenes. And you know, that always inspired you, that always makes you feel alive. And I guess all of these things came together. And, you know, I really got into the art of picture storytelling. And by the end of my high school graduation, everybody was given an award. The certificate that I was given was, it was called pictorial historian, and that is what inspired me to really document everything. Document my country. Document is people, document landscape. In fact, that award it actually has in my studio right now been there for, you know, over 21 years, but it inspired me luck to this day. Michael Hingson  12:20 So going back to the story you just told, did you tell your friend that you took pictures of him when he was crying? Mobeen Ansari  12:32 Eventually, yes, I would not talk. You're familiar with the content back then, but the Catholic friend, I know so I mean, you know everyone, you're all kids, so yeah, very, yeah, that was a very normal circumstance. But yeah, you know, Michael Hingson  12:52 how did he react when you told him, Mobeen Ansari  12:56 Oh, he was fine. It's pretty cool about it, okay, but I should probably touch base with him. I haven't spoken to him for many years that Yeah, Michael Hingson  13:08 well, but as long as Yeah, but obviously you were, you were good friends, and you were able to continue that. So that's, that's pretty cool. So you, your hearing aids were also probably pretty large and pretty clunky as well, weren't they? Mobeen Ansari  13:26 Yeah, they were. But you know, with time my hearing aid became smaller. Oh sure. So hearing aid model that I'm wearing right now that kind of started coming in place from 1995 1995 96 onwards. But you know, like, even today, it's called like BDE behind the ear, hearing it even today, I still wear the large format because my hearing loss is more it's on the profound side, right? Just like if I take my hearing, it off. I cannot hear but that's a great thing, because if I don't want to listen to anybody, right, and I can sleep peacefully at night. Michael Hingson  14:21 Have you ever used bone conduction headphones or earphones? Mobeen Ansari  14:30 But I have actually used something I forgot what is called, but these are very specific kind of ear bone that get plugged into your hearing it. So once you plug into that, you cannot hear anything else. But it discontinued that. So now they use Bluetooth. Michael Hingson  14:49 Well, bone conduction headphones are, are, are devices that, rather than projecting the audio into your ear, they actually. Be projected straight into the bone and bypassing most of the ear. And I know a number of people have found them to be useful, like, if you want to listen to music and so on, or listen to audio, you can connect them. There are Bluetooth versions, and then there are cable versions, but the sound doesn't go into your ear. It goes into the bone, which is why they call it bone conduction. Mobeen Ansari  15:26 Okay, that's interesting, I think. Michael Hingson  15:29 And some of them do work with hearing aids as well. Mobeen Ansari  15:34 Okay, yeah, I think I've experienced that when they do the audio can test they put, like at the back of your head or something? Michael Hingson  15:43 Yeah, the the most common one, at least in the United States, and I suspect most places, is made by a company called aftershocks. I think it's spelled A, F, T, E, R, S, H, O, k, s, but something to think about. Anyway. So you went through high school mostly were, were your student colleagues and friends, and maybe not always friends? Were they pretty tolerant of the fact that you were a little bit different than they were. Did you ever have major problems with people? Mobeen Ansari  16:22 You know, I've actually had a great support system, and for most part, I actually had a lot of amazing friends from college who are still my, you know, friend to the dead, sorry, from school. I'm actually closer to my friend from school than I am two friends of college difficulties. You know, if you're different, you'll always be prone to people who sort of are not sure how to navigate that, or just want, you know, sort of test things out. So to say, so it wasn't without his problems, but for most part of it's surprisingly, surprisingly, I've had a great support system, but, you know, the biggest challenge was actually not being able to understand conversation. So I'm going to go a bit back and forth on the timeline here. You know, if so, in 2021, I had something known as menus disease. Menier disease is something, it's an irregular infection that arises from stress, and what happens is that you're hearing it drops and it is replaced by drinking and bathing and all sorts of real according to my experience, it affects those with hearing loss much more than it affects those with regular, normal hearing. It's almost like tinnitus on steroids. That is how I would type it. And I've had about three occurrences of that, either going to stress or being around loud situations and noises, and that is where it became so challenging that it became difficult to hear, even with hearing it or lip reading. So that is why I use a transcriber app wherever I go, and that been a lifesaver, you know. So I believe that every time I have evolved to life, every time I have grown up, I've been able to better understand people to like at the last, you know, four years I've been using this application to now, I think I'm catching up on all the nuances of conversation that I've missed. Right if I would talk to you five years ago, I would probably understand 40% of what you're saying. I would understand it by reading your lips or your body language or ask you to write or take something for me, but now with this app, I'm able to actually get to 99% of the conversation. So I think with time, people have actually become more tired and more accepting, and now there is more awareness. I think, awareness, right? Michael Hingson  19:24 Well, yeah, I was gonna say it's been an only like the last four years or so, that a lot of this has become very doable in real time, and I think also AI has helped the process. But do you find that the apps and the other technologies, like what we use here, do you find that occasionally it does make mistakes, or do you not even see that very much at all? Mobeen Ansari  19:55 You know it does make mistakes, and the biggest problem is when there is no data, when there is no. Wide network, or if it runs out of battery, you know, because now I kind of almost 24/7 so my battery just integrate that very fast. And also because, you know, if I travel in remote regions of Pakistan, because I'm a photographer, my job to travel to all of these places, all of these hidden corners. So I need to have conversation, especially in those places. And if that ad didn't work there, then we have a problem. Yeah, that is when it's problem. Sometimes, depending on accidents, it doesn't pick up everything. So, you know, sometimes that happens, but I think technology is improving. Michael Hingson  20:50 Let me ask the question. Let me ask the question this way. Certainly we're speaking essentially from two different parts of the world. When you hear, when you hear or see me speak, because you're you're able to read the transcriptions. I'm assuming it's pretty accurate. What is it like when you're speaking? Does the system that we're using here understand you well as in addition to understanding me? Mobeen Ansari  21:18 Well, yes, I think it does so like, you know, I just occasionally look down to see if it's catching up on everything. Yeah, on that note, I ought to try and improve my speech over time. I used to speak very fast. I used to mumble a lot, and so now I become more mindful of it, hopefully during covid. You know, during covid, a lot of podcasts started coming out, and I had my own actually, so I would, like brought myself back. I would look at this recording, and I would see what kind of mistakes I'm making. So I'm not sure if transcription pick up everything I'm saying, but I do try and improve myself, just like the next chapter of my life where I'm trying to improve my speech, my enunciation Michael Hingson  22:16 Well, and that's why I was was asking, it must be a great help to you to be able to look at your speaking through the eyes of the Translate. Well, not translation, but through the eyes of the speech program, so you're able to see what it's doing. And as you said, you can use it to practice. You can use it to improve your speech. Probably it is true that slowing down speech helps the system understand it better as well. Yeah, yeah. So that makes sense. Well, when you were growing up, your parents clearly were very supportive. Did they really encourage you to do whatever you wanted to do? Do they have any preconceived notions of what kind of work you should do when you grew up? Or do they really leave it to you and and say we're going to support you with whatever you do? Mobeen Ansari  23:21 Oh, they were supportive. And whatever I wanted to do, they were very supportive in what my brother had gone to do I had to enter brothers. So they were engineers. And you know what my my parents were always, always, you know, very encouraging of whatever period we wanted to follow. So I get the a lot of credit goes to my my parents, also, because they even put their very distinct fields. They actually had a great understanding of arts and photography, especially my dad, and that really helped me have conversations. You know, when I was younger to have a better understanding of art. You know, because my grandmother used to paint a lot, and because she did photography. When she migrated from India to Pakistan in 1947 she took, like, really, really powerful pictures. And I think that instilled a lot of this in me as well. I've had a great support that way. Michael Hingson  24:26 Yeah, so your grandmother helps as well. Mobeen Ansari  24:32 Oh yeah, oh yeah. She did very, very ahead of her time. She's very cool, and she made really large scale painting. So she was an example of always making the best of life, no matter where you are, no matter how old you are. She actually practiced a Kibana in the 80s. So that was pretty cool. So, you know. Yeah, she played a major part in my life. Michael Hingson  25:05 When did you start learning English? Because that I won't say it was a harder challenge for you. Was a different challenge, but clearly, I assume you learned originally Pakistani and so on. But how did you go about learning English? Mobeen Ansari  25:23 Oh, so I learned about the languages when I started speech. So I mean to be split the languages of Urdu. You are, be you. So I started learning about my mother tongue and English at the same time. You know, basically both languages at work to both ran in parallel, but other today, I have to speak a bit of Italian and a few other regional languages of Pakistan so and in my school. I don't know why, but we had French as a subject, but now I've completely forgotten French at Yeah, this kind of, it kind of helped a lot. It's pretty cool, very interesting. But yeah, I mean, I love to speak English. Just when I learned speech, what Michael Hingson  26:19 did you major in when you went to college? Mobeen Ansari  26:24 So I majored in painting. I went to National College of Arts, and I did my bachelor's in fine arts, and I did my majors in painting, and I did my minor in printmaking and sculpture. So my background was always rooted in fine arts. Photography was something that ran in parallel until I decided that photography was the ultimate medium that I absolutely love doing that became kind of the voice of my heart or a medium of oppression and tougher and bone today for Michael Hingson  27:11 did they even have a major in photography when you went to college? Mobeen Ansari  27:17 No, photography was something that I learned, you know, as a hobby, because I learned that during school, and I was self taught. One of my uncles is a globally renowned photographer. So he also taught me, you know, the art of lighting. He also taught me on how to interact with people, on how to set up appointments. He taught me so many things. So you could say that being a painter helped me become a better photographer. Being a photographer helped me become a better painter. So both went hand in hand report co existed. Yeah, so photography is something that I don't exactly have a degree in, but something that I learned because I'm more of an art photographer. I'm more of an artist than I am a photographer, Michael Hingson  28:17 okay, but you're using photography as kind of the main vehicle to display or project your art, absolutely. Mobeen Ansari  28:30 So what I try to do is I still try to incorporate painting into my photography, meaning I try to use the kind of lighting that you see in painting all of these subtle colors that Rembrandt of Caravaggio use, so I tried to sort of incorporate that. And anytime I press my photograph, I don't print it on paper, I print it on canvas. There's a paint really element to it, so so that my photo don't come up as a challenge, or just photos bottles or commercial in nature, but that they look like painting. And I think I have probably achieved that to a degree, because a lot of people asked me, Do you know, like, Okay, how much I did painting for and create painting. So I think you know, whatever my objective was, I think I'm probably just, you know, I'm getting there. Probably that's what my aim is. So you have a photography my main objective with the main voice that I use, and it has helped me tell stories of my homeland. It has helped me to tell stories of my life. It has helped me tell stories of people around Michael Hingson  29:49 me, but you're but what you do is as I understand you, you're, you may take pictures. You may capture the images. With a camera, but then you put them on canvas. Mobeen Ansari  30:05 Yeah, I just every time I have an exhibition or a display pictures which are present in my room right now, I always print them on Canvas, because when you print them on Canvas, the colors become more richer, right, Michael Hingson  30:22 more mentally. But what? But what you're doing, but what you're putting on Canvas are the pictures that you've taken with your camera. Mobeen Ansari  30:31 Oh, yeah, yeah, okay. But occasionally, occasionally, I tried to do something like I would print my photos on Canvas, and then I would try to paint on them. It's something that I've been experimenting with, but I'm not directly quite there yet. Conceptually, let's see in the future when these two things make properly. But now photographs? Michael Hingson  31:02 Yeah, it's a big challenge. I i can imagine that it would be a challenge to try to be able to print them on cameras and then canvas, and then do some painting, because it is two different media, but in a sense, but it will be interesting to see if you're able to be successful with that in the future. What would you say? It's easier today, though, to to print your pictures on Canvas, because you're able to do it from digital photographs, as opposed to what you must have needed to do, oh, 20 years ago and so on, where you had film and you had negatives and so on, and printing them like you do today was a whole different thing to do. Mobeen Ansari  31:50 Oh yeah, it's same to think good yesterday, somebody asked me if I do photography on an analog camera, and I have a lot of them, like lots and lots of them, I still have a lot of black and white film, but the problem is, nobody could develop them. I don't have that room. So otherwise I would do that very often. Otherwise I have a few functional cameras that tend to it. I'm consciously just thinking of reviving that. Let's see what happens to it. So I think it's become very difficult. You know also, because Pakistan has a small community of photographers, so the last person who everybody would go to for developing the film or making sure that the analog cameras became functional. He unfortunately passed away a few years ago, so I'm sort of trying to find somebody who can help me do this. It's a very fascinating process, but I haven't done any analog film camera photography for the last 15 years now, definitely a different ball game with, you know, typical cameras, yeah, the pattern, you could just take 36 pictures, and today you can just, you know, take 300 and do all sorts of trial and error. But I tried, you know, I think I'm a bit of a purist when it comes to photography, so I kind of try and make sure that I get the shots at the very first photograph, you know, because that's how my dad trained me on analog cameras, because back then, you couldn't see how the pictures are going to turn out until you printed them. So every time my dad took a picture, he would spend maybe two or three minutes on the setting, and he would really make the person in front of him wait a long time. And then you need to work on shutter speed or the aperture or the ISO, and once you would take that picture is perfect, no need to anything to it, Michael Hingson  34:09 but, but transposing it, but, but transferring it to from an analog picture back then to Canvas must have been a lot more of a challenge than it is today. Mobeen Ansari  34:24 No back then, working canvas printing. Canvas printing was something that I guess I just started discovering from 2014 onwards. So it would like during that this is laid up, Michael Hingson  34:38 but you were still able to do it because you just substituted Canvas for the the typical photographic paper that you normally would use is what I hear you say, Mobeen Ansari  34:50 Oh yeah, Canvas printing was something that I figured out much later on, right? Michael Hingson  34:59 Um. But you were still able to do it with some analog pictures until digital cameras really came into existence. Or did you always use it with a digital camera? Mobeen Ansari  35:11 So I basically, when I started off, I started with the handle camera. And obviously, you know, back in the 90s, if somebody asked you to take a picture, or we have to take a picture of something, you just had the analog camera at hand. Yeah. And my grandparents, my dad, they all had, you know, analog cameras. Some of it, I still have it Michael Hingson  35:36 with me, but were you able to do canvas painting from the analog cameras? No, yeah, that's what I was wondering. Mobeen Ansari  35:43 No, I haven't tried, yeah, but I think must have been possible, but I've only tried Canvas printing in the digital real. Michael Hingson  35:53 Do you are you finding other people do the same thing? Are there? Are there a number of people that do canvas painting? Mobeen Ansari  36:02 I lot of them do. I think it's not very common because it's very expensive to print it on canvas. Yeah, because you know, once you once you test again, but you don't know how it's going to turn out. A lot of images, they turn out very rough. The pictures trade, and if can, with print, expose to the camera, sometimes, sorry, the canvas print exposed to the sun, then there's the risk of a lot of fading that can happen. So there's a lot of risk involved. Obviously, printing is a lot better now. It can withstand exposure to heat and sun, but Canvas printing is not as common as you know, matte paper printing, non reflective, matte paper. Some photographers do. It depends on what kind of images you want to get out? Yeah, what's your budget is, and what kind of field you're hoping to get out of it. My aim is very specific, because I aim to make it very Painterly. That's my objective with the canvas. Michael Hingson  37:17 Yeah, you want them to look like paintings? Mobeen Ansari  37:21 Yeah? Yeah, absolutely, Michael Hingson  37:23 which, which? I understand it's, it is a fascinating thing. I hadn't really heard of the whole idea of canvas painting with photograph or photography before, but it sounds really fascinating to to have that Yeah, and it makes you a unique kind of person when you do that, but if it works, and you're able to make it work, that's really a pretty cool thing to do. So you have you you've done both painting and photography and well, and sculpting as well. What made you really decide, what was the turning point that made you decide to to go to photography is kind of your main way of capturing images. Mobeen Ansari  38:12 So it was with high school, because I was still studying, you know, art as a subject back then, but I was still consistently doing that. And then, like earlier, I mentioned to you that my school gave me an award called pictorial historian. That is what inspired me to follow this girl. That is what set me on this path. That is what made me find this whole purpose of capturing history. You know, Pakistan is home to a lot of rich cultures, rich landscapes, incredible heritage sites. And I think that's when I became fascinated. Because, you know, so many Pakistanis have these incredible stories of resilience entrepreneurship, and they have incredible faces, and, you know, so I guess that what made me want to capture it really. So I think, yeah, it was in high school, and then eventually in college, because, you know, port and school and college, I would be asked to take pictures of events. I'll be asked to take pictures of things around me. Where I went to college, it was surrounded by all kinds of, you know, old temples and churches and old houses and very old streets. So that, really, you know, always kept me inspired. So I get over time. I think it's just always been there in my heart. I decided to really, really go for it during college. Well. Michael Hingson  40:00 But you've, you've done pretty well with it. Needless to say, which is, which is really exciting and which is certainly very rewarding. Have you? Have you done any pictures that have really been famous, that that people regard as exceptionally well done? Mobeen Ansari  40:22 I Yes, obviously, that's it for the audience to decide. But right, I understand, yeah, I mean, but judging from my path exhibitions, and judging from system media, there have been quite a few, including the monitor out of just last week, I went to this abandoned railway station, which was on a British colonial time, abandoned now, but that became a very, very successful photograph. I was pretty surprised to see the feedback. But yes, in my career, they have been about, maybe about 10 to 15 picture that really, really stood out or transcended barriers. Because coming out is about transcending barriers. Art is about transcending barriers, whether it is cultural or political, anything right if a person entered a part of the world views a portrait that I've taken in Pakistan, and define the connection with the subject. My mission is accomplished, because that's what I would love to do through art, to connect the world through art, through art and in the absence of verbal communication. I would like for this to be a visual communication to show where I'm coming from, or the very interesting people that I beat. And that is that sort of what I do. So I guess you know, there have been some portraits. I've taken some landscapes or some heritage sites, and including the subjects that I have photography of my book that acting have probably stood out in mind of people. Michael Hingson  42:14 So you have published three books so far, right? Yes, but tell me about your books, if you would. Mobeen Ansari  42:24 So my first book is called Harkin. I will just hold it up for the camera. It is my first book, and what is it called? It is called turken, and the book is about iconic people of Pakistan who have impacted this history, be it philanthropist, be it sports people, be it people in music or in performing arts, or be it Even people who are sanitation workers or electricians to it's about people who who have impacted the country, whether they are famous or not, but who I consider to be icons. Some of them are really, really, really famous, very well known people around the world, you know, obviously based in Pakistan. So my book is about chronicling them. It's about documenting them. It's about celebrating them. My second book without, okay, most Michael Hingson  43:29 people are going to listen to the podcast anyway, but go ahead. Yeah. Mobeen Ansari  43:35 So basically it's writing the flag is about the religious minorities of Pakistan, because, you know, Pakistan is largely a Muslim country. But when people around the world, they look at Pakistan, they don't realize that it's a multicultural society. There's so many religions. Pakistan is home to a lot of ancient civilizations, a lot of religions that are there. And so this book document life and festivities of religious minorities of Pakistan. You know, like I in my childhood, have actually attended Easter mass, Christmas and all of these festivities, because my father's best friend was a Christian. So we had that exposure to, you know, different faiths, how people practice them. So I wanted to document that. That's my second book. Michael Hingson  44:39 It's wonderful that you had, it's wonderful that you had parents that were willing to not only experience but share experiences with you about different cultures, different people, so that it gave you a broader view of society, which is really cool. Mobeen Ansari  44:58 Yeah. Absolutely, absolutely. So your third book? So my third book is a sequel to my first one, same topic, people who have impacted the country. And you know, with the Pakistan has a huge, huge population, it had no shortage of heroes and heroines and people who have created history in the country. So my first book has 98 people, obviously, which is not enough to feature everybody. So my second book, it features 115 people. So it features people who are not in the first book. Michael Hingson  45:41 Your third book? Yeah, okay, yeah. Well, there's, you know, I appreciate that there's a very rich culture, and I'm really glad that you're, you're making Chronicles or or records of all of that. Is there a fourth book coming? Have you started working on a fourth book yet? Mobeen Ansari  46:05 You know in fact, yes, there is. Whenever people hear about my book, they assume that there's going to be landscape or portraits or street photography or something that is more anthropological in nature. That's the photography I truly enjoy doing. These are the photographs that are displayed in my studio right now. So, but I would never really study for it, because Pakistan had, you know, we have poor provinces. And when I started these books, I hadn't really documented everything. You know, I come from the urban city, and, you know, I just, just only take taking pictures in main cities at that time. But now I have taken pictures everywhere. I've been literally to every nook and cranny in the country. So now I have a better understanding, a better visual representation. So a fourth book, it may be down the line, maybe five years, 10 years, I don't know yet. Michael Hingson  47:13 Well, one thing that I know you're interested in, that you've, you've at least thought about, is the whole idea behind climate change and the environment. And I know you've done some work to travel and document climate change and the environment and so on. Tell us, tell us more about that and where that might be going. Mobeen Ansari  47:36 So on tape, note, Michael, you know there's a lot of flooding going on in Pakistan. You know, in just one day, almost 314 people died, but many others you had missing. You had some of the worst flooding test time round. And to be reeling from that, and we had some major flooding some teachers back in. Well, climate change is no longer a wake up call. We had to take action years ago, if not, you know, yesterday and till right now, we are seeing effects of it. And you know, Pakistan has a lot of high mountain peaks. It has, it is home to the second highest mountain in the world, Ketu, and it has a lot of glaciers. You know, people talk about melting polar ice caps. People talk about effects of climate change around the world, but I think it had to be seen everywhere. So in Pakistan, especially, climate change is really, really rearing space. So I have traveled to the north to capture melting glacier, to capture stories of how it affects different communities, the water supply and the agriculture. So that is what I'm trying to do. And if I take pictures of a desert down south where a sand dune is spreading over agricultural land that it wasn't doing up until seven months ago. So you know climate change is it's everywhere. Right now, we are experiencing rains every day. It's been the longest monsoon. So it has also affected the way of life. It has also affected ancient heritage sites. Some of these heritage sites, which are over 3000 years old, and they have bestowed, you know, so much, but they are not able to withstand what we are facing right now. Um, and unfortunately, you know, with unregulated construction, with carbon emissions here and around the world, where deforestation, I felt that there was a strong need to document these places, to bring awareness of what is happening to bring awareness to what we would lose if we don't look after mother nature, that the work I have been doing on climate change, as well as topics of global health and migration, so those two topics are also very close To My Heart. Michael Hingson  50:40 Have you done any traveling outside Pakistan? Mobeen Ansari  50:45 Oh, yeah. I mean, I've been traveling abroad since I was very little. I have exhibited in Italy, in the United States. I was just in the US debris. My brother lives in Dallas, so, yeah, I keep traveling because, because my workshop, because of my book events, or my exhibition, usually here and around the world. Michael Hingson  51:14 Have you done any photography work here in the United States? Mobeen Ansari  51:19 Yeah, I have, I mean, in the US, I just don't directly do photography, but I do workshop, because whatever tool that I captured from Pakistan, I do it there. Okay, funny thing is, a funny thing is that, you know, when you take so many pictures in Pakistan, you become so used to rustic beauty and a very specific kind of beauty that you have a hard time capturing what's outside. But I've always, always just enjoyed taking pictures in in Mexico and Netherlands, in Italy, in India, because they that rustic beauty. But for the first time, you know, I actually spent some time on photography. This year, I went to Chicago, and I was able to take pictures of Chicago landscape, Chicago cityscape, completely. You know, Snowden, that was a pretty cool kind of palette to work with. Got to take some night pictures with everything Snowden, traveling Chicago, downtown. So yeah, sometimes I do photography in the US, but I'm mostly there to do workshops or exhibitions or meet my brothers. Michael Hingson  52:34 What is your your work process? In other words, how do you decide what ideas for you are worthwhile pursuing and and recording and chronicling. Mobeen Ansari  52:46 So I think it depends on where their story, where there is a lot of uniqueness, that is what stands out to me, and obviously beauty there. But they have to be there. They have to be some uniqueness, you know, like, if you look at one of the pictures behind me, this is a person who used to run a library that had been there since 1933 his father, he had this really, really cool library. And you know, to that guy would always maintain it, that library would have, you know, three old books, you know, a philosophy of religion, of theology, and there was even a handwritten, 600 years old copy of the Quran with his religious book for Muslims. So, you know, I found these stories very interesting. So I found it interesting because he was so passionate about literature, and his library was pretty cool. So that's something that you don't get to see. So I love seeing where there is a soul, where there is a connection. I love taking pictures of indigenous communities, and obviously, you know, landscapes as well. Okay? Also, you know, when it comes to climate change, when it comes to migration, when it comes to global health, that's what I take picture to raise awareness. Michael Hingson  54:33 Yeah, and your job is to raise awareness. Mobeen Ansari  54:41 So that's what I try to do, if I'm well informed about it, or if I feel that is something that needed a light to be shown on it, that's what I do. Took my photograph, and also, you know. Whatever had this appeal, whatever has a beauty, whatever has a story that's in spur of the moment. Sometimes it determined beforehand, like this year, particularly, it particularly helped me understand how to pick my subject. Even though I've been doing this for 22 years, this year, I did not do as much photography as I normally do, and I'm very, very picky about it. Like last week I went to this abandoned railway station. I decided to capture it because it's very fascinating. It's no longer used, but the local residents of that area, they still use it. And if you look at it, it kind of almost looks like it's almost science fiction film. So, you know, I'm a big star. Was that Big Star Trek fan? So, yes, I'm in port the camps. So I also like something that had these elements of fantasy to it. So my work, it can be all over the place, sometimes, Michael Hingson  56:09 well, as a as a speaker, it's, it's clearly very important to you to share your own personal journey and your own experiences. Why is that? Why do you want to share what you do with others? Mobeen Ansari  56:28 So earlier, I mentioned to you that John Tracy center played a major, major role in my life. He helped my mother. They provided all the materials. You know, in late 80s, early 90s, and so I will tell you what happened. So my aunt, my mom's sister, she used to live in the US, and when my hearing loss were diagnosed, my mother jumped right into action. I mean, both my parents did. So my mother, she landed in New York, and to my aunt would live in New Jersey. So every day she would go to New York, and she landed in New York League of hard of hearing. And a lady over there asked my mom, do you want your child to speak, or do you want him to learn? Frank Lacher and my mother, without any hesitation, she said, I want my child to speak and to see what put in touch with John Troy center and rest with history, and they provided with everything that needed. So I am affiliated with the center as an alumni. And whenever I'm with the US, whenever I'm in LA, I visit the center to see how I can support parents of those with hearing loss, and I remember when I went in 2016 2018 I gave a little talk to the parents of those with hair in glass. And I got to two other place as well, where I spent my childhood joint. Every time I went there, I saw the same fears. I saw the same determination in parents of those with hearing loss, as I saw in my parents eyes. And by the end of my talk, they came up to me, and they would tell me, you know, that sharing my experiences helped them. It motivated them. It helped them not be discouraged, because having a child hearing loss is not easy. And you know, like there was this lady from Ecuador, and you know, she spoke in Spanish, and she see other translators, you know, tell me this, so to be able to reach out with those stories, to be able to provide encouragement and any little guidance, or whatever little knowledge I have from my experience, it gave me this purpose. And a lot of people, I think, you know, you feel less lonely in this you feel hurt, you feel seen. And when you share experiences, then you have sort of a blueprint how you want to navigate in one small thing can help the other person. That's fantastic. That's why I share my personal experiences, not just to help those with hearing loss, but with any challenge. Because you know when you. Have a challenge when you have, you know, when a person is differently able, so it's a whole community in itself. You know, we lift each other up, and if one story can help do that, because, you know, like for me, my parents told me, never let your hearing loss be seen as a disability. Never let it be seen as a weakness, but let it be seen as a challenge that makes you stronger and that will aspire to do be it when I get it lost all of my life, be it when I had the latest or many years, or anything. So I want to be able to become stronger from to share my experiences with it. And that is why I feel it's important to share the story. Michael Hingson  1:00:56 And I think that's absolutely appropriate, and that's absolutely right. Do you have a family of your own? Are you married? Do you have any children or anything? Not yet. Not yet. You're still working on that, huh? Mobeen Ansari  1:01:10 Well, so to say, Yeah, I've just been married to my work for way too long. Michael Hingson  1:01:16 Oh, there you are. There's nothing wrong with that. You've got something that you Mobeen Ansari  1:01:22 kind of get batting after a while, yeah. Michael Hingson  1:01:26 Well, if the time, if the right person comes along, then it, then that will happen. But meanwhile, you're, you're doing a lot of good work, and I really appreciate it. And I hope everyone who listens and watches this podcast appreciates it as well. If people want to reach out to you, how do they do that? Mobeen Ansari  1:01:45 They can send me an email, which is out there for everybody on my website. I'm on all my social media as well. My email is being.ansarima.com Michael Hingson  1:01:57 so can you spell that? Can you Yeah, M, o b e n, dot a do it once more, M O B, E N, Mobeen Ansari  1:02:07 M O B, double, e n, dot, a n, S, A R, i@gmail.com Michael Hingson  1:02:17 at gmail.com, okay, and your website is.com Mobeen Ansari  1:02:26 same as my name. Michael Hingson  1:02:27 So, okay, so it's mo bean.ansari@our.www.mo Michael Hingson  1:02:35 bean dot Ansari, or just mo Bean on, sorry, Mobeen Ansari  1:02:41 just moving on, sorry. We com, no.no. Michael Hingson  1:02:44 Dot between mobien and Ansari, okay, so it's www, dot mobile being on sorry, yeah, so it's www, dot, M, O, B, E, N, A, N, S, A, R, i.com Yes. Well, great. I have absolutely enjoyed you being with us today. I really appreciate your time and your insights, and I value a lot what you do. I think you represent so many things so well. So thank you for being here with us, and I want to thank all of you who are out there listening and watching the podcast today, I'd love to hear your thoughts. Please email me at Michael H, i@accessibe.com that's m, I, C, H, A, E, L, H, I at accessibe, A, C, C, E, S, S, i, b, e.com, and we appreciate it if you would give us a five star rating wherever you are observing the podcast. Please do that. We value that a great deal. And if you know anyone else who ought to be a guest, please let me know. We're always looking for people and mobeen you as well. If you know anyone else who you think ought to be a guest on the podcast, I would appreciate it if you would introduce us. But for now, I just want to thank you one more time for being here. This has been absolutely wonderful. Thank you for being on the podcast with us today. Mobeen Ansari  1:04:08 Thank you so much. It's been wonderful, and thank you for giving me the platform to share my stories. And I hope that it helps whoever watching this. Up to date. Michael Hingson  1:04:26 You have been listening to the Unstoppable Mindset podcast. Thanks for dropping by. I hope that you'll join us again next week, and in future weeks for upcoming episodes. To subscribe to our podcast and to learn about upcoming episodes, please visit www dot Michael hingson.com slash podcast. Michael Hingson is spelled m i c h a e l h i n g s o n. While you're on the site., please use the form there to recommend people who we ought to interview in upcoming editions of the show. And also, we ask you and urge you to invite your friends to join us in the future. If you know of any one or any organization needing a speaker for an event, please email me at speaker at Michael hingson.com. I appreciate it very much. To learn more about the concept of blinded by fear, please visit www dot Michael hingson.com forward slash blinded by fear and while you're there, feel free to pick up a copy of my free eBook entitled blinded by fear. The unstoppable mindset podcast is provided by access cast an initiative of accessiBe and is sponsored by accessiBe. Please visit www.accessibe.com . AccessiBe is spelled a c c e s s i b e. There you can learn all about how you can make your website inclusive for all persons with disabilities and how you can help make the internet fully inclusive by 2025. Thanks again for Listening. Please come back and visit us again next week.

Broadway newcomer Wesley Wray, currently starring in Buena Vista Social Club, joins host Joel Crump for a new edition of Broadway Time at Carmine's. About Wesley: Wesley Wray (Young Ibrahim) Broadway debut! BFA Musical Theatre student at the University of Michigan (class of ‘26) and proud native of Miami, Florida. Wesley is a member of the Peter London Global Dance Company, celebrated for its distinctive Afro-Caribbean movement style. Wesley's extensive training includes studying at the Alvin Ailey School, where he honed his skills in Martha Graham, Lester Horton, and ballet techniques. He further developed his classical acting at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art, where he not only performed as Amiens and Silvius in Shakespeare's As You Like It, but also composed the music for the production. While attending Michigan, Wesley has been seen in A Chorus Line (Mike Costa), Guys and Dolls (Harry the Horse), and most recently in Shaina Taub's Twelfth Night (Duke Orsino). His most notable film credit includes working as a stand-in for Little in the Oscar-winning film Moonlight. Wesley is thrilled to make his Broadway debut, originating a role in such a beautiful, culturally enriching production. He is deeply grateful to his community for supporting him in reaching this dream. IG: @wesleywwray "Broadway Time at Carmine's" features Broadway stars over lunch in engaging conversations at the iconic Carmine's Times Square eatery. For more, visit www.BWayTime.com, and follow:

Welcome to Episode 249 of Pelo Buddy TV, an unofficial Peloton podcast & Peloton news show. This week we cover the following topics: Peloton's CEO talked about why the Row+ and Tread+ aren't available in Europe & Australia yet. Emma Lovewell has a new "Crush Your Core 3 – 14 Day Streak" program available. The Hospital for Special Surgery (HSS) helped Peloton create the new "Road To Recovery: Shoulder" program. The first two for one classes featuring guest instructor Tim Robards are now available. Peloton will release the next several weeks of in-person classes early all on December 18th due to the holidays. The first "Club Peloton Live Class" took place where only "Legend" members could ride live. There was a surprise artist series to celebrate Taylor Swift The Eras Tour. A new artist series featuring the music of Michael Buble took place. The Peloton UK team has a class telling the story of "A Christmas Carol", plus there are "London Holiday Light" scenic classes. Cheyenne Jackson was a featured guest and on-camera being interviewed during Matty Maggiacomo's Broadway Holiday Walk. Peloton highlighted some classes in "This Week at Peloton." Peloton is giving away 2 tickets to the NBA All-Star Game for 2026 to promote the new Las Vegas micro store. Peloton is following up Black Friday by immediately jumping into some Holiday sales that run through the end of the year. Happy Birthday to Marcel Maurer this week. There is a virtual event with Susie Chan and Halle Berry. Callie Gullickson was on a billboard in Times Square as part of her book release. Jenn Sherman is moderating a conversation with Dr. Ezekiel Emanuel. Jess King was interviewed on the CEO School podcast. Cliff Dwenger recaps his time on The Voice this season. Class Picks of the Week Enjoy the show? Become a Pelo Buddy TV Supporter!  Find details here: https://www.pelobuddy.com/membership-account/membership-levels/ You can find links to full articles on each of these topics from the episode page here: https://www.pelobuddy.com/pelo-buddy-tv-episode-249/ The show is also available via YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/PeloBuddy This episode is hosted by Amanda Segal (#Seglo3) and Holly Kabler (#Crabbie_KakeS).

Cette semaine, découvrez une saison qui vous entraîne au cœur des contes, énigmes et légendes oubliées. Plongez dans les mystères du Saint Graal, du trésor des Templiers, ou encore du Minotaure, créature mythique au destin tragique. Explorez les secrets du Triangle des Bermudes, revivez la sombre histoire de Michée Chauderon, dernière sorcière exécutée à Genève, et interrogez l'étrange aventure temporelle de Rudolph Fentz. Entre mythes, zones d'ombre et vérités enfouies, découvrez ces récits qui défient le temps… et l'imagination. Rudolph Fentz, l'étrange voyageur du passé C'est l'histoire d'un homme dont le mystère n'a jamais été résolu. Retrouvé en plein Times Square au milieu des années 50 habillé en costume du 19ème siècle, des années de recherche n'ont jamais réussi à élucider le mystère de son apparition. Ou plutôt si, on l'a retrouvé, mais près d'un siècle plus tôt ! Son nom : Rudolph Fentz. De l'incroyable voyage dans le temps à la légende urbaine, découvrez son Fabuleux destin. Une production Bababam Originals Ecriture : Hélène Vézier Réalisation : Célia Brondeau, Antoine Berry Roger Voix : Andréa Brusque Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

David Wondrich is one of the few people in the world of spirits and cocktails that truly needs no introduction. The James Beard and Spirited Award-winning author of Imbibe!, Punch, and The Oxford Companion to Spirits and Cocktails is back with a new book, The Comic Book History of the Cocktail. He sits down with the band to talk about breaking new ground in the world of cocktail history, picking the right collaborator for a work of this size and answering the age old question that eats at all of us: Cocktails… what are they for?PLUS, Jimmy's Corner, a hidden gem in Times Square, is in danger of closing. Greg, Sother and Damon discuss why it's so hard to get a decent drink in that part of the world (for less than forty dollars) and what losing a storied institution like this would mean for the theatre district, and for New York City.Follow David at @splificatorLINKSBecome a Regular: patreon.com/SpeakeasyRegularsFor resources on dealing with ICE agents in your community visit nouswithoutyou.la/ and @thenycallianceThe Speakeasy is now on YouTube! Tune in to “see” what we're talking about at youtube.com/@Speakeasy.PodcastCheck out Quiote Imports at quioteimports.com and use promo code “Speakeasy” to get free shipping at checkout.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Art fills us in on everything Jaxson Dart, week 14 preview, the coaching search, and more from the Heisman in Times Square, NYC.

To coincide with this week's "Fun for All Ages" salute to 1960s and '70s New York television, GGACP revisits this 2014 interview with a legend of local broadcasting, the one and only Joe Franklin. In this episode, Gilbert and Frank drop in on Joe's infamously cluttered (an understatement!) Times Square office to nosh on chicken salad, dodge falling stacks of collectibles and ask the “King of Nostalgia” about his memories of Charlie Chaplin, Woody Allen, Buster Keaton, Frank Sinatra, Barbra Streisand and John Lennon (to name but a few). PLUS: The Ramones! Remembering the Toastmaster General! Joe interviews Boris Karloff (and Bela Lugosi?)! And the greatest entertainer of all time! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

MUSICA new Courtney Love documentary, Antiheroine, will premiere at the Sundance Film Festival, which is set for January 22nd through February 1st in Park City, Utah. https://festival.sundance.org/program/film/6932fb761a55354cab91b505 Deftones are helping out a soccer team in their hometown of Sacramento, California.The band is sponsoring Street Soccer USA's Los Jaguares team, which is a team of team of 11–14-year-old boys and girls from the Oak Park neighborhood where Deftones got started.Deftones and GOAL Projects teamed up to design the team's official 2026 jerseys and a soccer ball, both of which can be purchased now at Shopdeftones.com. Proceeds from each jersey sold will go to Los Jaguares and Street Soccer USA, a nonprofit that serves over 75,000 players in 16 U.S. cities. James Cameron co-directed Billie Eilish's upcoming 3D concert film, "Hit Me Hard and Soft: The Tour (Live in 3D)". Here's part of the trailer that takes us onstage and backstage. Jelly Roll just fulfilled a lifelong dream. Yesterday, Craig Morgan invited him to join the Grand Ole Opry. And it all happened on "The Joe Rogan Experience". Joe played Jelly a clip from one of his past Opry performances. Jelly called it "the most special night of my life." He talked about how Craig's song "Almost Home" helped him while he was in jail. TVRIP: Jeff Garcia, the comedic actor, who is best known for voicing the Jimmy Neutron character Sheen passed away at the age of 50. An official cause of death was not yet made public. https://www.tmz.com/2025/12/10/jeff-garcia-dead-comedian/ Icon and legend Diana Ross has been confirmed as the headliner for Dick Clark's New Year's Rockin' Eve with Ryan Seacrest 2026 in Times Square! https://www.billboard.com/music/music-news/diana-ross-perform-dick-clarks-new-years-rockin-eve-2026-1236133111/ MOVING ON INTO MOVIE NEWS:HBO Max made a documentary called "Happy and You Know It" about the popularity of annoying kids' music. It includes several children's artists like the Wiggles, and as you'll hear in this part of the trailer, the guy who made the original "Baby Shark" video is still upset at Pinkfong making a massive hit out of it.Andy Dick suffered an apparent overdose Tuesday, in broad daylight outside a building in Hollywood. Someone administered Narcan, and Andy didn't need to go to the hospital. He says he's okay. https://www.tmz.com/2025/12/09/andy-dick-suffers-apparent-overdose/ Jack Nicholson had an interesting way with stalkers. At least one particular stalker. One FEMALE stalker. Ben Dreyfus is the son of "Jaws" star Richard Dreyfus and a woman named Jeramie Rain. Jeramie dated Nicholson in the early 80s. And Ben told a crazy story that happened when they were together. https://x.com/bendreyfuss/status/1993502358551380205 AND FINALLY Billboard released their 2025 Year End charts. https://www.billboard.com/charts/year-end/ Hot 100 Songs:1. "Die with a Smile", Lady Gaga and Bruno Mars2. "Luther", Kendrick Lamar and SZA3. "A Bar Song (Tipsy)", Shaboozey Billboard 200 Albums:1. "The Life of a Showgirl", Taylor Swift2. "I'm the Problem", Morgan Wallen3. "SOS", SZA Top Artists:1. Morgan Wallen (More on him here.)2. Kendrick Lamar3. Taylor Swift Top Female Artists:1. Taylor Swift2. Sabrina Carpenter3. SZA Top Male Artists:1. Morgan Wallen2. Kendrick Lamar3. Drake This is the worst Country Song of the year: See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

On this jam-packed episode of **Remy's Roundtable: The Florida Theme Park Podcast**, Remy and Ryan are behind the microphones, ready to deliver another fun-filled discussion that blends TV talk, trivia, travel, and theme park thrills! From the very start, the conversation takes off with energy as the duo dives into what they've been watching lately — from the latest streaming sensations to classic comfort shows that never get old. It's the kind of laid-back banter that gives you the feeling of chatting with your theme park buddies after a long day of rides and churros.

MS Now's Stephanie Ruhle is back on Independent Americans for the first time since March 2020, joining host Paul Rieckhoff to let it fly. She's candid, uninterrupted and going deep on Trump's unchecked power over the U.S. military, the runaway big business of youth sports, the affordability crisis, and why “kind is the new cool.” Paul opens with a rapid-fire rundown of Trump's Pennsylvania “affordability” speech, looming Fed rate cuts, Venezuela boat strikes and alleged war crimes, the Gang of Eight briefing, Admiral Holsey's sudden retirement, China and Russia's bomber patrols, Afghan allies left behind, and below-the-radar moves in Ukraine, Georgia, and Miami politics. Joining from Times Square, Stephanie is unplugged and talks candidly about news exhaustion, why tuning out is a dangerous privilege, and how independent and social media are reshaping how people—especially kids—stay informed. She shouts out the Pentagon press corps for refusing to sign away their independence and explains why Trump's attacks on journalists and his control of the military might be the most important story in the world. They dig into parenting in the Trump era, raising boys and a middle-school daughter amid misogyny and online cruelty, why empathy is a superpower, and how small acts—and her family tradition—can change someone's day—and your own. On youth sports, Stephanie unloads on the “insane” monetization of travel teams, showcases, and year-round club schedules that shut out working families while Paul describes what he's seeing as a youth coach watching rec sports get cannibalized. On the economy, she breaks down what Fed cuts really mean, why inflation and a K-shaped recovery are fueling anger, and how both parties are failing people at the grocery store, gas pump, and rent check—while calling out tariffs, farm aid politics, and the illusion of Trump as a populist fighter. They also go global on China's trillion-dollar trade surplus, Russia and Putin's “amazing year,” Trump's Ukraine “peace” timeline, and the risks of shifting U.S. focus away from the Pacific, before hitting Taylor and Travis, Diana Ross headlining New Year's Eve in Times Square at 81, and why Stephanie will never stand for hours in a corral without a bathroom. Because every episode of Independent Americans with Paul Rieckhoff breaks down the most important news stories--and offers light to contrast the heat of other politics and news shows. It's independent content for independent Americans. In these trying times especially, Independent Americans is your trusted place for independent news, politics, inspiration and hope. The podcast that helps you stay ahead of the curve--and stay vigilant. -WATCH video of this episode on YouTube now. -WATCH Stephanie and Ali Velshi's “It's Happening” on YouTube. -Learn more about Paul's work to elect a new generation of independent leaders with Independent Veterans of America. -Join the movement. Hook into our exclusive Patreon community of Independent Americans. Get extra content, connect with guests, meet other Independent Americans, attend events, get merch discounts, and support this show that speaks truth to power.  -Check the hashtag #LookForTheHelpers. And share yours.  -Find us on social media or www.IndependentAmericans.us.  -And get cool IA and Righteous hats, t-shirts and other merch now in time for the holidays.  -Check out other Righteous podcasts like The Firefighters Podcast with Rob Serra, Uncle Montel - The OG of Weed and B Dorm.  Independent Americans is powered by veteran-owned and led Righteous Media. Spotify • Apple Podcasts • Amazon Podcasts  Ways to watch: YouTube • Instagram  X/Twitter • BlueSky • Facebook  Ways to listen:Social channels: Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

MS Now's Stephanie Ruhle is back on Independent Americans for the first time since March 2020, joining host Paul Rieckhoff to let it fly. She's candid, uninterrupted and going deep on Trump's unchecked power over the U.S. military, the runaway big business of youth sports, the affordability crisis, and why “kind is the new cool.” Paul opens with a rapid-fire rundown of Trump's Pennsylvania “affordability” speech, looming Fed rate cuts, Venezuela boat strikes and alleged war crimes, the Gang of Eight briefing, Admiral Holsey's sudden retirement, China and Russia's bomber patrols, Afghan allies left behind, and below-the-radar moves in Ukraine, Georgia, and Miami politics. Joining from Times Square, Stephanie is unplugged and talks candidly about news exhaustion, why tuning out is a dangerous privilege, and how independent and social media are reshaping how people—especially kids—stay informed. She shouts out the Pentagon press corps for refusing to sign away their independence and explains why Trump's attacks on journalists and his control of the military might be the most important story in the world. They dig into parenting in the Trump era, raising boys and a middle-school daughter amid misogyny and online cruelty, why empathy is a superpower, and how small acts—and her family tradition—can change someone's day—and your own. On youth sports, Stephanie unloads on the “insane” monetization of travel teams, showcases, and year-round club schedules that shut out working families while Paul describes what he's seeing as a youth coach watching rec sports get cannibalized. On the economy, she breaks down what Fed cuts really mean, why inflation and a K-shaped recovery are fueling anger, and how both parties are failing people at the grocery store, gas pump, and rent check—while calling out tariffs, farm aid politics, and the illusion of Trump as a populist fighter. They also go global on China's trillion-dollar trade surplus, Russia and Putin's “amazing year,” Trump's Ukraine “peace” timeline, and the risks of shifting U.S. focus away from the Pacific, before hitting Taylor and Travis, Diana Ross headlining New Year's Eve in Times Square at 81, and why Stephanie will never stand for hours in a corral without a bathroom. Because every episode of Independent Americans with Paul Rieckhoff breaks down the most important news stories--and offers light to contrast the heat of other politics and news shows. It's independent content for independent Americans. In these trying times especially, Independent Americans is your trusted place for independent news, politics, inspiration and hope. The podcast that helps you stay ahead of the curve--and stay vigilant. -WATCH video of this episode on YouTube now. -WATCH Stephanie and Ali Velshi's “It's Happening” on YouTube. -Learn more about Paul's work to elect a new generation of independent leaders with Independent Veterans of America. -Join the movement. Hook into our exclusive Patreon community of Independent Americans. Get extra content, connect with guests, meet other Independent Americans, attend events, get merch discounts, and support this show that speaks truth to power.  -Check the hashtag #LookForTheHelpers. And share yours.  -Find us on social media or www.IndependentAmericans.us.  -And get cool IA and Righteous hats, t-shirts and other merch now in time for the holidays.  -Check out other Righteous podcasts like The Firefighters Podcast with Rob Serra, Uncle Montel - The OG of Weed and B Dorm.  Independent Americans is powered by veteran-owned and led Righteous Media. Spotify • Apple Podcasts • Amazon Podcasts  Ways to watch: YouTube • Instagram  X/Twitter • BlueSky • Facebook  Ways to listen:Social channels: Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Most C-suite executives resist group coaching. They think it's beneath them. That they need one-on-one attention. That the cool kids don't do groups. But here's what they're missing: The executives landing fastest aren't going it alone - they're in rooms with other sharp leaders who push them, connect them, and amplify their momentum. Group coaching isn't about splitting attention. It's about multiplying force. The hidden math of going solo One coach. One perspective. One set of connections. Versus: One coach + 10-15 C-suite peers from different industries + guest experts + cross-pollinated networks + collective negotiation intel + real-time market intelligence. That's not diluted support. That's exponential leverage. In this episode: Why the job market playbook from 10 years ago (or even last year) is obsolete The real reason networking doesn't work - and what to do instead How LinkedIn went from "nice to have" to non-negotiable visibility engine Why referrals make up less than 10% of applications but 40% of hires The hidden talent economy: roles created for people before they're ever posted What separates executives who land in 60 days from those still searching at month 9 The power of micro-networks (clusters) over massive, generic connections How to build your own digital power circle in 3 steps Who should NOT be in a group program (and why that matters) A real transformation Before: A 20-year healthcare executive. Over a decade at one company. LinkedIn follower count: under 1,000. No active presence. Outdated job search strategies. No idea how to navigate the new hiring landscape. Then: Joined Portfolio Rocket's group coaching program. Learned to build a voice on LinkedIn. Showed up authentically. Shared vulnerable stories (like iPhone rules for her daughter). Connected with peers across industries - education, design, marketing, advertising. After: 14,000+ LinkedIn followers. A viral post picked up by Angela Duckworth. Global reach. Podcast invitations. A negotiation expert from the cohort coached her through her package. Introductions to Oprah's network within 24 hours. And a career ecosystem that breathes, responds, and remembers. That's not luck. That's the compounding power of being in the room where it happens. Timestamps (0:00) - Intro (1:17) - Why Cece joined group coaching after 10+ years out of the job market (5:00) - The first piece of armor to drop: building a voice on LinkedIn (8:11) - Why job searching today is fundamentally different than even a year ago (10:50) - The hidden job market and roles created before posting (14:30) - Networking is dead. Clustering is alive. (16:40) - Times Square vs. the Sahara Desert: where do you want to be? (19:03) - How to tap into micro-networks and digital power circles (21:28) - The exponential effect: classmates become colleagues, friends, connectors (22:00) - The intangibles: mindset, structure, guardrails, and optimism (25:08) - Who should NOT be in a group program (26:30) - October: 5 people landed. November: still counting. The takeaway Your next role isn't waiting in a job posting. It's being shaped in a conversation you're not part of yet - with people who don't know your name. Unless you're in the room where it happens. Group coaching isn't a compromise. It's a catalyst. Stop going solo. Start going exponential. About Cecilia Aviles Cecilia Aviles (Ceci) is a healthcare executive and nurse leader with over 20 years of experience in healthcare leadership roles - from nurse to manager, director, VP, COO, and CEO - at large health systems and federally qualified health centers. She holds an MBA and is passionate about patient experience, quality care, and developing the next generation of healthcare leaders. Cecilia is a fierce advocate for authenticity, transparency, and lifelong learning. Connect with Cecilia: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ceciliaaviles/ Subscribe to Career Blast in a Half

“Is your grocery cart blocking the aisle, or are you the one laying on the horn the second the light turns green?” 

AP correspondent Julie Walker reports the Queen of Motown, Diana Ross, will perform in Times Square for New Year's Eve.

Review of our trip to Christmas in New York City! We took our moms on a once in a lifetime voyage and we did ALL OF THE THINGS. Statue of Liberty, Empire State Building, Ground Zero, Times Square, Broadway musical, and some of the best food I've had in my entire life. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

MIKEY said working 12-hour shifts will make people crash out at homeAlways be proud of yourself for your hustle and how far you have come! The Grind don't stopMikey said favorite thing to do is unfollow people on their birthday if they don't follow me backI get Diddy took everybody girl, but can we talk about how EVERY GIRL was a goer for a lame dude because he got some money?Netflix has confirmed it has entered into a definitive agreement to buy Warner Bros. including its film and television studios, HBO Max and HBO, in a deal worth $82.7 billion.Netflix didn't kill the movie theatre industry $25 small popcorn, $12 water bottles and people with no etiquette did.Mikey give his fight review of Pitbull vs Roach JrThe Cheesecake Factory on Wisconsin Ave NW.... closing the doors at the end of January after over 3 decades!!My lorddd they said 30,000 people applied for the housing voucher program in PG county!!Health department data shows there are more than 8,600 people living with HIV in Prince George's County — a disproportionately high number — and those between 20 and 39 years old have the highest rate of new cases.Southwest Airlines * Just Announced That Its Mandatory Policy to Require Plus-Size Passengers to Buy 2 Seats Will Go into Effect on January 27th, 2026！YouTuber Trap Lore Ross responds to backlash over his documentary on NBA YoungBoy's 19 alleged bodies, and fans calling him a fedSouth Carolina rapper Blacc Zacc could reportedly face the death penalty after being charged in a murder-for-hire plot and a RICO conspiracySummer Walker reveals she wanted to remove a rib after getting 4 breast surgeries and lipo.50 Cent's new documentary Sean Combs: The Reckoning debuted on Netflix on Tuesday (Dec. 2). The four-part series features several jaw-dropping claims about the disgraced media mogul.Lil Baby's "THE LEAKS" took over Times Square billboards last nightMelo was WEAK watching Kiyan on the mic after Syracuse's win over Tennessee Angel Reese and Paige Bueckers are teaming up for a Reese's x Oreo collaboration.Ray J had a few things to get off his chest about Jay-Z & Beyoncé. He hopped on IG to call out the couple for never showing love to Brandy when they visit “The Boy Is Mine Tour.”Cinnabon employee (Crystal Wilsey) who was reportedly fired for harassing a Somali couple and calling them the N-word & more has garnered significant online support, raising almost $20,000 alreadyRapper Toosii Commits to Syracuse as Part Of 2026 Football Signing ClassProsecutors want Kay Flock sentenced to 50 years. Sentencing set for Dec. 16FBG Casino, Future's brother, out on $100K bond amid fentanyl case. Russell Westbrook SURPASSES Allen Iverson for 14th ALL-TIME in stealsJAMES HARDEN HAS MOVED INTO THE TOP 10 SCORERS OF ALL-TIME20 years ago today, Lil Wayne dropped ‘Tha Carter II'Maino says he stopped going to strip clubs after realizing how dancers 'manipulate' men for money and then don't leave with them!!Man Goes Viral After Reacting to BM's Request to Let Her New Boyfriend Around Their Child — “Yes Please… Tell Him to Help”

Lewis Capaldi popped in for a yarn and honestly, it felt like catching up with an old mate at the pub. Tim grilled him about life on the road, writing one of his most vulnerable songs and why releasing it scared him more than actually creating it. Lewis opened up about taking a proper break from songwriting because he felt “creatively bankrupt” and is gearing up to start fresh in January. He also laughed about his meteoric rise from sinking beers at Splendour to billboards in Times Square and shared why having mates like Yungblud and Ed Sheeran in his corner keeps him sane. Plus, he told the very wholesome story of discovering Aussie opener Fletcher Kent and why he knew immediately he wanted him on the tour.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

There's no hyperbole in this statement: my guest, native New Yorker and founder and managing principal at East End Capital, Jonathon Yormak, influences independent filmmaking more than any other guest I've had on the podcast. East End will have over 2.5 million square feet of studio space under management at the opening of his fifth studio in Los Angeles.So not only does that space support a number of studio-level productions, the talent that works there is your next audio engineer, gaffer, cinematographer, or director...if New York and California remain friendly to U.S.-based production.A big if...and a big topic in this extraordinarily special -- and important -- episode of the podcast.In this episode, Jonathon and I talk about:what drew him to developing five different studios across Los Angeles and New York;the recent history of real estate/TV + film production, including the opportunities available in New York City;the role of COVID in building out the new studios;the expectations vs. reality of building in the entertainment world;the economics of building studio space after the strikes;competing for business, in the United States and abroad;the kinds of business his studios attract and why a production might choose one stage over another;the future of AR/VR and AI in studio space;how he stays current on news in this space;what he advises the New York City mayor and California regarding the film business;how he'd love Quentin Tarantino or Steven Spielberg to use one of his facilities.Memorable Quotes:"if you really look back the intersection...between real estate and film and TV production, it really began with Netflix and their explosion into digital content distribution and then spending an enormous amount of money directly on content creation.""And so by 2018, 2019, you also had Apple and Amazon that had both started to get into the game. And in a couple of instances, Amazon in particular had leased some space for ten year terms. And so what you started to see was that occupancy was well north of 90% in almost every sound stage in the United States. And on top of that, there really had been no new development, with the exception of Atlanta, of new best in class film and television sound stages in the US for 25 years.""To build anything in California takes forever." "What happened is, the strikes hit and at the same time, Wall Street was putting pressure on all of the streamers to figure out how they were making money.""So they started to go to places...that had very favorable tax incentive regimes. So those would be...the UK, Ireland, Canada in particular.""Our view of [AR/VR/AI], it actually is supportive of higher stage occupancy.""So if you wanted to film in Times Square, you had to actually go to Times Square. You wanted to film in front of the Eiffel Tower, you had to go in front of the Eiffel Tower. In facilities like ours, where you can get the height and the distance away from them, you can film that in a sound stage.""From AI...being able to make a movie. I still think that, the human element...it's not from everything I'm seeing, it's just not able to capture that well."Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/first-time-go/exclusive-content

On Dec. 6, people across the United States marched. They protested. They carried banners: No war on Venezuela. No blood for oil. US hands off Venezuela. They chanted and waved Venezuelan flags.Trump says he's coming to remove Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro. He's promised it's only a matter of time. The United States has amassed the largest military buildup in the Caribbean since the 1962 Cuban Missile Crisis. But according to a recent CBS poll, 70% of Americans are opposed to US military action in Venezuela. And over the weekend, those voices were loud. Marches against US military intervention. Against the ongoing US boat strikes in the Caribbean and Pacific. Against Trump rhetoric that claims to applaud peace, while carrying out and threatening violence at home and abroad—violence against Venezuela. BIG NEWS! This podcast has won Gold in this year's Signal Awards for best history podcast! It's a huge honor. Thank you so much to everyone who voted and supported. And please consider signing up for the Stories of Resistance podcast feed on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Spreaker, or wherever you listen. And please take a moment to rate and review the podcast. A little help goes a long way.The Real News's legendary host Marc Steiner has also been in the running for best episode host. And he also won a Gold Signal Award. We are so excited. You can listen and subscribe to the Marc Steiner Show here on Spotify or Apple Podcasts. Please consider supporting this podcast and Michael Fox's reporting on his Patreon account: patreon.com/mfox. There you can also see exclusive pictures, video, and interviews. Written and produced by Michael Fox.Resources:Here are links to some of my recent reporting on these issues:With the Strike on a “Drug-Carrying Boat,” Trump Returns to a Dangerous US Policy for Latin AmericaCaribbean Leaders Call for Unified Latin American Resistance to US AttacksHere are links to some of the clips I used in today's episode:En Burlington, Vermont, los movimientos sociales se movilizan activamente en apoyo a #Venezuela frente a las amenazas de guerra provenientes de #EstadosUnidos.https://x.com/teleSURtv/status/1997430017744122186Los manifestantes recorren Los Ángeles en una movilización nacional contra la guerra de Estados Unidos contra Venezuela. Hubo manifestaciones en más de 65 ciudades de todo #EEUU, y los manifestantes exigieron el fin las amenazas de #Trump contra #Venezuelahttps://x.com/manelmarquez/status/1997631357279736148"Estados Unidos no tiene nada que hacer en #Venezuela la única razón por la cual EEUU entraría en Venezuela es el petróleo...EEUU ha tenido una política desastrosa en América Latina" Isabel Allende.https://x.com/FlorenciaLagosN/status/1996750163327537537Massive ‘NO WAR ON VENEZUELA' Billboard Drops in Times Square A new sign in the heart of #TimesSquare highlights the truth: the majority of Americans oppose #USA military operations in #Venezuela. As the #Trump administration escalates toward a catastrophic military operation by passing Congress, violating international law, and fabricating pretexts, the message is now impossible to ignore.https://x.com/telesurenglish/status/1996338046048903299A movement incubator based in NYC for the working class. Political education. Cultural work. Internationalism & movement building.https://x.com/PeoplesForumNYC/status/1997397881699930114/video/1Protestors hold "No War on Venezuela" rally in downtown L.A.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cc_dweHYl0cNew poll shows most Americans are against military action in Venezuelahttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j2nKT-yl-OcBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-real-news-podcast--2952221/support.Help us continue producing radically independent news and in-depth analysis by following us and becoming a monthly sustainer.Follow us on:Bluesky: @therealnews.comFacebook: The Real News NetworkTwitter: @TheRealNewsYouTube: @therealnewsInstagram: @therealnewsnetworkBecome a member and join the Supporters Club for The Real News Podcast today!

 ✨ En este episodio íntimo del Diario de una Podcaster CEO te comparto lo que realmente significa cerrar el año con intención cuando lideras un negocio basado en contenido. Hablamos de productividad, claridad, límites, excelencia vs. perfeccionismo, y de cómo auditar tu año para entrar al siguiente con dirección, enfoque y estrategia.Te cuento lo que funcionó en mi negocio este año, lo que no, lo que aprendí de mis mentoras, cómo evalúo mis números, mis ofertas y mis procesos, y por qué escucharte a ti misma —y no a la versión antigua de ti— es clave para crecer como CEO.Este episodio es una invitación a cerrar tu año como una verdadera Podcaster CEO: con claridad, honestidad, valentía y dirección."Tu podcast no es tu negocio. Tu negocio es tu negocio. El podcast es la máquina que te ayuda a expandir tu negocio".

You're listening to American Ground Radio with Stephen Parr and Louis R. Avallone. This is the full show for December 5, 2025. 0:30 We break down a moment that’s quietly shaking the political world — a Christmas message from President Trump that critics and supporters alike weren’t expecting. Standing before the National Christmas Tree, Trump delivered a line that hit with the weight of history: with the birth of Jesus, “human history turned from night to day.” No politics, no polling, no spin — just a call to love one another, serve one another, and remember that every child is made in the image of God. 9:30 Plus, we cover the Top 3 Thing You Need to Know. The US Supreme Court announced they will hear a challenge to President Trump's executive order denying birthright citizenship for children of illegal aliens. A federal grand jury refused to indict New York Attorney General Letitia James for mortgage fraud this week. Netflix is buying Warner Brothers Discovery. 12:30 Get Performlyte from Victory Nutrition International for 20% off. Go to vni.life/agr and use the promo code AGR20. 13:00 We dig into a stunning new revelation that the media would’ve once treated like a five-alarm fire — but now barely whispers about. Assistant Attorney General Harmeet Dhillon has reviewed just a slice of America’s voter rolls, and what she found is jaw-dropping: hundreds of thousands of dead voters still listed as active, thousands of non-citizens registered for federal elections, and more than a dozen states fighting tooth-and-nail to block transparency. We walk through the numbers, the lawsuits, and the obvious question no newsroom seems interested in asking: why would any state hide its voter data unless there was something to hide? From “most secure election in history” to the growing evidence that the system is riddled with cracks, we break down how fraud becomes a feature — not a glitch — and why trust in elections keeps eroding. 16:00 American Mamas Teri Netterville and Kimberly Burleson take on a question a lot of families have quietly wondered: why aren’t people doing obituaries anymore? From the rising cost of funerals to the decline of newspapers, from social media replacing the old morning paper to families choosing simplicity over tradition, the Mamas dig into what’s changing — and what might be getting lost. They talk about how obituaries once anchored local communities, how funerals serve the living more than the dead, and how skipping those rituals leaves a hole many people don’t realize is there until it’s gone. With personal stories, sharp humor, and a whole lot of heart, the Mamas break down how our culture handles loss, why those final tributes still matter, and why even in a digital age, remembering someone shouldn’t disappear. If you'd like to ask our American Mamas a question, go to our website, AmericanGroundRadio.com/mamas and click on the Ask the Mamas button. 23:00 We wade into a scandal brewing out of Minnesota — a jaw-dropping scheme where Somali fraud rings siphoned off millions in taxpayer funds meant to feed hungry children, and where, according to new reports, some of that stolen cash ended up flowing straight into Democrat campaign coffers. From Ilhan Omar’s backyard to Attorney General Keith Ellison’s campaign account, we break down how a billion-dollar fraud operation slipped past state officials, how fake nonprofits claimed to feed thousands of kids a day from buildings with no kitchens, and how money funneled through Minnesota wound up in Somalia — and potentially in the hands of Al Shabaab. 26:00 We Dig Deep a headline that sounds almost too wild to be true: did Donald Trump accidentally save the American AI industry from being overtaken by China? According to Nvidia’s CEO Jensen Huang — one of the most influential figures in tech — the answer is yes. Not because Trump set out to rescue AI, but because he unleashed U.S. energy production with “drill baby drill,” giving America the massive, continuous power supply that AI absolutely devours. From Goldman Sachs warning that AI energy use could explode 160% by decade’s end, to data centers now drawing power like mid-sized cities, we break down why reliable energy isn’t just an economic issue — it’s national security. And we walk through the near-miss that almost kneecapped the entire industry: a last-minute Biden-era “AI diffusion rule” that Trump killed before it could take effect. 32:00 Get Prodovite Plus from Victory Nutrition International for 20% off. Go to vni.life/agr and use the promo code AGR20. 32:30 We dig into a stunning move from New York’s mayor-elect Zoran Mamdani — a promise to end homeless encampment sweeps the moment he takes office. In a city once called America’s crown jewel, the new plan means police won’t be allowed to clear tents from sidewalks, parks, or even Times Square. Instead, the mayor says the answer is “connecting people with housing”… even as the real crisis is addiction, mental illness, and a system that can’t compel anyone to get help. From cities like Portland and San Francisco collapsing under the same policies — more crime, more overdoses, more fires, more chaos — we lay out the hard truth: ignoring encampments doesn’t solve homelessness, it supercharges it. 35:30 Plus, it's Fake News Friday! We're putting you to the test with our weekly game of headlines—are they real news, fake news, or really fake news? From CNN fumbling pipe-bomb speculation and climate-change studies collapsing under their own bogus math, to FIFA surprising everyone with a Peace Prize to Chuck Schumer taking a theatrical dive worthy of the World Cup, can you spot the fake news? Play along, keep score, and share your results with us on Facebook page: facebook.com/AmericanGroundRadio. 39:30 We tackle what can only be described as a constitutional earthquake — the Supreme Court’s decision to take up Donald Trump’s challenge to birthright citizenship for children of illegal immigrants and temporary visa holders. 41:30 And we end today's show with the 21st amendment that was ratified 92 years ago and ended prohibition. Follow us: americangroundradio.com Facebook: facebook.com / AmericanGroundRadio Instagram: instagram.com/americangroundradio See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this episode of The Wisdom Of... Show, host Simon Bowen speaks with The Hon. Victor Dominello, CEO of the Future Government Institute and Co-Founder of ServiceGen. As NSW's inaugural Minister for Customer Service and Digital, the first role of its kind anywhere in the world, Victor delivered landmark reforms that transformed fragmented government services into an internationally studied model of citizen-focused delivery. Discover the Trust Trinity framework that achieved 85% digital driver's licence adoption, how to build trust systematically in complex transformations, and why the moonshot approach beats incremental thinking every time.Ready to master the systematic approach to capturing transformational wisdom? Join Simon's exclusive masterclass on The Models Method: https://thesimonbowen.com/masterclassEpisode Breakdown00:00 Introduction and creating the world's first Ministry for Customer Service and Digital07:15 The foundational principle: governments exist to serve people15:42 The Trust Trinity framework. Digital Identity, Digital Credentials, Performance24:18 Why 85% adoption is possible when trust is built systematically32:55 From dozens of agencies to one website, one phone number, one account41:30 The digital identity paradox. How control enhances privacy49:12 Performance measurement as feedback loops for continuous improvement57:08 COVID-19 response and the $1.4 billion Dine & Discover economic injection01:05:44 Moonshot thinking versus incremental improvementAbout The Hon. Victor DominelloVictor Dominello is a globally recognised leader in public sector transformation and a pioneer of secure, citizen-centred digital identity. His guiding principle is simple. Governments exist to serve people, and in the digital age, that service must be trusted, seamless, and measurable.As NSW's inaugural Minister for Customer Service and Digital, Victor delivered landmark reforms including one of the world's first fully digital driver's licences, with 85% adoption and 93% satisfaction, statewide QR check-ins, digital vaccine certificates, and the Dine & Discover programme which injected over $1.4 billion into local economies during COVID-19.Over his 12 years in cabinet, Victor held portfolios in Digital Government, Innovation, Finance, and Aboriginal Affairs. He drove transformative initiatives such as the creation of the Department of Customer Service, Service NSW, and the $2.1B Digital Restart Fund.Today, as CEO of the Future Government Institute, Victor advises governments, the World Bank, and major organisations on modernising services and embedding trust. He is also Chair of the Services Australia Independent Advisory Board, Senior Advisor to the Tony Blair Institute for Global Change, and a Director of the Tech Council of Australia.Victor has been recognised in The Australian's Top 100 Innovators and in Okta's Identity 25 list of global visionaries, with his image featured on the Nasdaq Tower in Times Square.Connect with Victor Dominello:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/victordominelloInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/victordominelloTwitter: https://x.com/VictorDominelloFuture Government Institute:...

Ez New York Gulyás Virággal Magyarok Óriási Kalandjai Amerikában ep. 292   A mai MÓKA Podcastben Gulyás Virággal merültünk el New York legfurcsább és legszórakoztatóbb jelenségeiben. Ha azt hitted, hogy ezt a várost már semmi nem tudja felülmúlni, akkor készülj, mert most is sikerült pár újabb szürreális történetet elővenni.   Elsőként szóba kerültek az ICE raid-ek. Arról beszéltünk, hogyan hat ez a város mindennapjaira, a bevándorlók életére és milyen különös, gyakran feszült hangulatot teremt New York utcáin.   Ezután áttértünk a patkány miniszterre és a véget nem érő rágcsálóháborúra. Igen, New York tényleg kinevezett valakit, aki hivatalosan a patkányok elleni küzdelemmel foglalkozik. A magyar közönség valószínűleg már itt felnevet, mert ennél new yorkibb abszurditás kevés létezik.   A metró világa sem maradhatott ki. Virág mesélt a random táncosokról, prédikátorokról, vakond méretű patkányokról, a lopásokról, és a veszélyes metró szörfözés trendjéről, amely sajnos már több tinédzser életét követelte. Ha valahol mindig történik valami, az a New York-i metró.   Manhattan gasztrofrontja is szépen hozza a formáját. Például amikor egy péksütemény húsz dollár és ez senkiben nem kelt felháborodást. Hát persze, hiszen Manhattanben ez már majdnem akciósnak számít.   Nem hagyhattuk ki az Uber árakat sem. Arról beszéltünk, hogyan lett egy három kilométeres út 45 és 60 dollár között. Ez simán elér egy balatoni hétvége árát. A legjobb, hogy a helyiek ezt teljes zen állapotban tűrik.   A végére maradt a turisták új kedvence, a "I survived Times Square" póló. Valahol érthető, mert aki péntek este átvágott már ott, az tényleg megérdemli a túlélő kitűzőt.   Ha szereted az olyan beszélgetéseket, ahol egyszerre nevetsz, bólogatsz és néha azt kérdezed magadtól, hogy ez tényleg megtörténhet, akkor ez az epizód neked szól.   Írd meg kommentben, melyik történet lepett meg legjobban vagy milyen New York-i élményt mesélnél el te.   #MÓKAPodcast #GulyásVirág #MagyarokAmerikában #NewYorkÉlet #NewYorkMagyarul #PatkányMiniszter #NYCSubway #UberNYC #TimesSquare #ICERaid #MagyarPodcast #USAÉlet #NewYorkTörténetek #MagyarokNewYorkban  

Sean "Diddy" Combs is facing three new lawsuits from anonymous male plaintiffs who allege drugging and sexual assault incidents between 2019 and 2022. The lawsuits describe encounters where Combs allegedly provided the men with spiked drinks, leading to unconsciousness and subsequent sexual assaults at various locations, including his East Hampton residence and Manhattan hotels. One plaintiff claims he was assaulted after being drugged during an afterparty at a Manhattan hotel, with parts of the incident reportedly recorded. Another plaintiff, a long-time employee of Combs, alleges he was assaulted during a meeting at a Times Square hotel to discuss unpaid compensation. The third accuser states he was drugged and raped by Combs and associates at a 2020 party at the East Hampton property.Combs' legal team has denied the allegations, calling them fabricated and expressing intent to challenge the claims and seek sanctions against the plaintiffs' attorneys. These lawsuits add to a series of legal challenges for Combs, who is also facing federal charges of sex trafficking and racketeering. Attorney Thomas Giuffra, representing the three plaintiffs, revealed that over 60 individuals have come forward with similar allegations, though only these three cases have been filed after vetting. The plaintiffs are seeking damages and jury trials, with their identities kept confidential due to safety concerns and fears of intimidation. Combs has pleaded not guilty to the federal charges and awaits a trial scheduled for May 2025.(commercial at 8:19)to contact me:bobbycapucci@protonmail.comsource:Diddy's 'perverted three word excuse when victim woke up while being raped' | Daily Mail Online

Welcome to the first week of December — the season when the air gets colder, the movies get cheesier, and Mariah Carey respawns from her cryo-chamber like a Final Fantasy summon. On this episode of M3P, we break down the chaotic transition from Thanksgiving leftovers to holiday lights, starting with Pod Decks warm-ups, our Thanksgiving wrap-up, and War Games reactions.We dive into the latest news: Twitter wants to resurrect Vine, there's a new box office champion, and Netflix is reportedly bought Warner Brothers. We're talking classic toys turning 30, Pokédex progress (and the ever-growing pile of duplicates), Eminem vs. Slim Shady in Hitman VR2, and everything that went down at the Marvel Rivals Anniversary celebration in Times Square. Plus: what's coming to Netflix, what's leaving, and our reaction to the first four episodes of Stranger Things Season 5, Part 1. (full spoiler review from 1:12:30 - 1:26:04, feel free to skip that part if you dont want to be spoiled)Then we hit the December main event — Movies That Feel Like Christmas… but Technically Aren't. The cozy, chaotic, “why does this feel festive?” films we will die defending.Call to Action:What movies feel like Christmas movies to you?AND — in honor of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles turning 35, tell us: What's your favorite TMNT movie?⁠⁠⁠Your Kind of Cuts⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠: A sensory friendly, special needs haircut experience for all. As we are motivated by the challenge. 973-661-1235."At Your Kind of Cuts, we believe that everyone deserves a great haircut experience, including those with sensory sensitivities and special needs. That's why we've created a welcoming and accommodating environment that caters to the unique needs of every client. Our experienced barbers are trained to provide a relaxed and comfortable atmosphere, making sure that every visit is a positive one for all."Check out these delicious treats from ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Cakes and More By Sabrina⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Fulltime home baker. Let her be your cake lady.Listen to other amazing podcasters or just hang out with our amazing network by following our socials. For more on that check us out at.⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠linktree.com/m3pnetwork⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Become a member of the My 3rd Place Network Community and watch me live stream the podcast nightly on⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠tiktok/evolutionofageek⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠email us m3pnetwork@gmail.com

Ichigo's voice actor Masakazu Morita reveals exciting TYBW Part 4 details in a new interview, while Kubo celebrates the global success of Bleach Soul Resonance! We break down every major reveal, from emotional behind-the-scenes stories to production updates directly from Kubo himself. Morita also reveals behind-the-scenes surprises like how his “BANKAI!” scream was so intense it broke the sound mixer three times, and how Kubo personally explained foreshadowing and hidden meaning to help the cast deliver their best performances for the 2026 arc.We also cover this week's Klub Outside questions — from how marriage works in Soul Society, to what it takes to leave the Maggot's Nest, to Omaeda's surprisingly cheap rice cracker addiction. Plus, Kubo reacts to Bleach Soul Resonance's huge launch success (including a Times Square billboard), and we take a look at the brand-new Tsume Shunsui TYBW figure that has collectors losing their minds. More lore, more laughs, and more Bleach absurdity on this episode of Bleach Boys!

ABOUT BRYAN:LinkedIn Profile: linkedin.com/in/bryanmeszarosWebsites:openeyeglobal.com (Company)marketscale.com/industries/podcast-network/experience-by-design/ (Experience By Design Podcast)experienceunitedsocialclub.com (Experience United Social Club)email: bmeszaros@openeyeglobal.comBio:Bryan Meszaros is a 25-year veteran of the digital signage and experience design industry, known for blending innovation with measurable impact. As the founder of OpenEye Global, he proved that a small, focused team can deliver big results and helped shape the early evolution of digital engagement.He later made history as the youngest President of SEGD and the first with a digital centric background, while also contributing to the Digital Signage Federation and Shop! Association to advance industry standards.Bryan is also the founder of the Experience United Social Club (XUSC), an international networking series all about bringing together creative minds from the AV, digital signage, and design industries to share ideas and collaborate. With global experience across Europe and APAC, he has spoken at major events including EuroShop, ISE, InfoComm, and DSE, and regularly contributes to leading industry publications.Dedicated to pushing boundaries, Bryan remains focused on shaping what comes next in digital signage and experiential design.SHOW INTRO:SHOW INTRO:Welcome to Episode 83! of the NXTLVL Experience Design podcast…In every episode we continue to follow our catch phrase of having “Dynamic Dialogues About DATA: Design, Architecture, Technology and the Arts.” And as we continue on this journey there will be thought provoking futurists, AI technology mavens, retailers, international hotel design executives as well as designers and architects of brand experience places.We'll talk with authors and people focused on wellness and sustainable design practices as well as neuroscientists who will continue to help us look at the built environment and the connections between our mind-body and the built world around us. We'll also have guests who are creative marketing masters from international brands and people who have started and grown some of the companies that are striking a new path for us follow.If you like what you hear on the NXTLVL Experience Design show, make sure to subscribe, like, comment and share with colleagues, friends and family.The NXTLVL Experience Design podcast is always grateful for the support of VMSD magazine. VMSD brings us, in the brand experience world, the International Retail Design Conference. I think the IRDC is one of the best retail design conferences that there is bringing together the world of retailers, brands and experience place makers every year for two days of engaging conversations and pushing us to keep on talking about what makes retailing relevant. You will find the archive of the NXTLVL Experience Design podcast on VMSD.com.Thanks also goes to Shop Association the only global retail trade association dedicated to elevating the in-store experience. SHOP Association represents companies and affiliates from 25 countries and brings value to their members through research, networking, education, events and awards. Check then out on SHOPAssociation.org Today, EPISODE 83… I talk with Bryan Meszaros founder of EpenEye Global. Bryan is a 25-year veteran of the digital signage and experience design industry, known for blending innovation with measurable impact. Naturally, in a world that is increasingly digitally mediated, Bryan's business is significantly focused on the emergence of Artificial Intelligence as a tool in his experience place-making toolbox.We'll get to more of how Bryan sees the use of AI in digital applications in brand experience places in a minute but... first a few thoughts…*                     *                          *                          *I grew up on Star Trek. They original version with Shatner as Captain James T Kirk. These were the sightly campy years in black and white but wonderfully prescient in foretelling what was to come. I used to say that my father, who lived to the ripe old age of 97 was so into it that was holding out until he could just beam up through the transporter to the next phase of his existence. We all watched, my 4 brothers and I every week, my mom? Well not so much…I got used to thinking about digital communication, robots, space travel and technology integrated into our lives facilitating everything from washing dishes to extending lifespans. There isn't a day that goes by now where my media consumption doesn't include something on the evolution of Artificial Intelligence. Both the amazing and the alarming.  How it will make workplaces completely different replacing much of what we now do with human brain and brawn with algorithms and computer chips that can fit 1000 computers from the old Star Trek days on your fingertip. How it is changing the way human brains are wired, though when it comes to our neural networks that trundle along at a speed ridiculously slow compared to the digital pace of change that is exponential and moving at the speed of light.How as a visualization tool it is becoming indistinguishable from real life people and places. Creating deep fakes that are so good at impersonating humans that avatars are no longer cartoonish but facsimiles of us that are, well, exactly like us - but whose knowledge base is the compendium of all human knowledge that can be accessed on the internet and provide cogent answers to well-crafted prompts and have them served up in a few seconds. ‘The times they are a changin' but at a pace that even Dillan couldn't have imagined. Don't even get me started about when we finally, and I don't think it is going to take too long, get to Artificial General Intelligence (AGI) and what that portends for humankind. I am often concerned for my sons and the world they are growing into as young adults. I wish sometimes that they'd have had the experience of growing up in the 60's and 70's when times were simpler – but of course they weren't really. Every decade has it's messes – sometime beautiful sometimes not and sometimes each of these ends of the human experience spectrum were happening at the same time.What we are experiencing now is evolution at a revolutionary pace. A slow simmering flame has exploded into a blast furn ace of change propelling us all, whether we like it or not, on a path that at times seems to be heading towards the edger of a cliff. Concerned? Well you'd have good reason to be.But then again, if you accept the Ray Bradburry adage of sometimes while standing at the edge of the cliff ‘you need to jump and build your wings on the way down', may we all then transform in midflight into some sort of lemmings with wings.The subject of AI has surfaced a number of times on this podcast notably with data visualization artists like Refik Anadol and architect artist Samar Younes,  spatial computing specialist and near futurist Neil Redding and Synchronicity Architect Justin Bolognino. Each of these creators and theorists shape the AI narrative to their own ends, each of them proclaiming the virtues and vices of the technology.Uses of AI in design and architecture, as well as other industries, is multifarious and, I would admit, well beyond my more general appreciation for using it as an ideation tool and writing assistant in my everyday work.In the world of experience design there are at least 2 ways - although I would guess many more - to look at it:- on a very basic level there is the physical integration of digital media facilitated by Ai and then there is actual content that ends up on the digital interface – be it a touch screen kiosk, a display array in a sports bar or an enormous multi-story wall in Times Square. Getting these screens to work with the environment is always a challenge. Mainly I believe because they come as an afterthought rather than an integrated design solution and part of a digital experience strategy.In the second case of content, one size does not fit all. Places and people are different. The same content being played on those screens all day are visual noise detracting from overall experience rather than enhancing it. These days, every minute of every day things are changing. Why should digital content on screen of any size and shape be any different?If purveyors of brand experiences are not changing content to adapt to customers everchanging needs across the journey, digital content simply becomes part of the visual texture of the environment slipping into irrelevancy and lending nothing to the embodied memory of a place.This is one area Ai is able to change the game – creating content to meet customer needs more directly. Now it would be difficult, if not impossible to change digital content in Times Square to continually meet the needs of the thousands of people in that digital epicenter in New York. But then we all carry cell phones – person digital devices. All of those phones are geolocated. Each of those those has an address – a personal identifier about who it belongs to and bunch of other information about you – personal, financial, home address, etc.Are a bunch of guys at google looking at you individually as you make your way across Times Square – not really – but your Hazel and Gretel trail of ones and zeros from purchases, GPS searches, app use, etc., etc., tell a lot about you should anyone want to do a little digital forensics.The idea here is that we are giving up this information every time we turn our phones on. That information isn't snatched from us without our consent (generally) it's in our service agreement terms and conditions – that impossibly long text that most of us scroll through to the end and click “agree.”But that information could be used to make your path across Times Square more relevant to you. Perhaps your device communicates with other devices or screens and changes the content that you see.This isn't quite Minority Report yet, where Tom Cruise courses through a store and the displays are talking to him because they recognize his retinas – but it is possible to create messaging that is more personalized to you, specifically, as a customer.Digital signage can change either on the wall of as shelf signage.It is about recognizing your customer and understanding that they are used to creating experience narratives that are more relevant to them because they, in part, have contributed to their making. Want to stay relevant to your customers, new or old? Support their collaboration in the shopping journey offering up opportunities for them to write themselves into the narrative. Story and strategy must be connected. Doing good by your customer is about building a relationship and Ai can support that effort but including engaging digital content that recognizes them as individuals, with relatable and relevant messaging.But the whole enterprise needs to be seamless. Sometime I think that the best tech is the tech you don't see, but it think it is also perfectly OK to see it if there are no disconnects in journey. Signature moments in the customer journey have to link up so the customer follows the bouncing ball from their first connection point through the purchase moment and then beyond. And this is where this episode's guest comes into the picture.Bryan Meszaros is a 25-year veteran of the digital signage and experience design industry, known for blending innovation with measurable impact. As the founder of OpenEye Global, he proved that a small, focused team can deliver big results and helped shape the early evolution of digital engagement.Bryan was the youngest President of SEGD and the first with a digital centric background, while also contributing to the Digital Signage Federation and Shop! Association to advance industry standards.He is also the founder of the Experience United Social Club (XUSC), an international networking series all about bringing together creative minds from the AV, digital signage, and design industries to share ideas and collaborate. With global experience across Europe and APAC, he has spoken at major events including EuroShop, ISE, InfoComm, and DSE, and regularly contributes to leading industry publications.Bryan likes the idea of staying dedicated to pushing boundaries, so he is a natural fit for the show. ABOUT DAVID KEPRON:LinkedIn Profile: linkedin.com/in/david-kepron-9a1582bWebsites: https://www.davidkepron.com    (personal website)vmsd.com/taxonomy/term/8645  (Blog)Email: david.kepron@NXTLVLexperiencedesign.comTwitter: DavidKepronPersonal Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/davidkepron/NXTLVL Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nxtlvl_experience_design/Bio:David Kepron is a multifaceted creative professional with a deep curiosity to understand ‘why', ‘what's now' and ‘what's next'. He brings together his background as an architect, artist, educator, author, podcast host and builder to the making of meaningful and empathically-focused, community-centric customer connections at brand experience places around the globe. David is a former VP - Global Design Strategies at Marriott International. While at Marriott, his focus was on the creation of compelling customer experiences within Marriott's “Premium Distinctive” segment which included: Westin, Renaissance, Le Meridien, Autograph Collection, Tribute Portfolio, Design Hotels and Gaylord hotels. In 2020 Kepron founded NXTLVL Experience Design, a strategy and design consultancy, where he combines his multidisciplinary approach to the creation of relevant brand engagements with his passion for social and cultural anthropology, neuroscience and emerging digital technologies. As a frequently requested international speaker at corporate events and international conferences focusing on CX, digital transformation, retail, hospitality, emerging technology, David shares his expertise on subjects ranging from consumer behaviors and trends, brain science and buying behavior, store design and visual merchandising, hotel design and strategy as well as creativity and innovation. In his talks, David shares visionary ideas on how brand strategy, brain science and emerging technologies are changing guest expectations about relationships they want to have with brands and how companies can remain relevant in a digitally enabled marketplace. David currently shares his experience and insight on various industry boards including: VMSD magazine's Editorial Advisory Board, the Interactive Customer Experience Association, Sign Research Foundation's Program Committee as well as the Center For Retail Transformation at George Mason University.He has held teaching positions at New York's Fashion Institute of Technology (F.I.T.), the Department of Architecture & Interior Design of Drexel University in Philadelphia, the Laboratory Institute of Merchandising (L.I.M.) in New York, the International Academy of Merchandising and Design in Montreal and he served as the Director of the Visual Merchandising Department at LaSalle International Fashion School (L.I.F.S.) in Singapore.  In 2014 Kepron published his first book titled: “Retail (r)Evolution: Why Creating Right-Brain Stores Will Shape the Future of Shopping in a Digitally Driven World” and he is currently working on his second book to be published soon. I caught up with Bryan at the SHOP Marketplace event in Charlotte and chatted about his focus on shaping what comes next in digital signage and experiential design. The NXTLVL Experience Design podcast is presented by VMSD magazine and Smartwork Media. It is hosted and executive produced by David Kepron. Our original music and audio production is by Kano Sound. The content of this podcast is copywrite to David Kepron and NXTLVL Experience Design. Any publication or rebroadcast of the content is prohibited without the expressed written consent of David Kepron and NXTLVL Experience Design.Make sure to tune in for more NXTLVL “Dialogues on DATA: Design Architecture Technology and the Arts” wherever you find your favorite podcasts and make sure to visit vmsd.com and look for the tab for the NXTLVL Experience Design podcast there too.

Realbotix (TSXV: XBOT | FSE: 76M0.F | OTC: XBOTF) has emerged as an early mover in commercial humanoid robotics, driven by its advanced technology and humanoid robot, Aria.In this interview, Co-Founder and CEO Andrew Kiguel discusses his outlook for the humanoid robotics market, Realbotix's competitive advantages, milestones achieved in 2025, and plans heading into 2026. From their debut at CES 2025 in Las Vegas to humanoid robot showcases in Dubai, Berlin, and New York City's Times Square, Realbotix has been expanding its global presence.Learn more about Realbotix: https://www.realbotix.ai/Watch the full YouTube interview here: https://youtu.be/Bkut4BLSxX8And follow us to stay updated: https://www.youtube.com/@GlobalOneMedia

Realbotix (TSXV: XBOT | FSE: 76M0.F | OTC: XBOTF) has emerged as an early mover in commercial humanoid robotics, driven by its advanced technology and humanoid robot, Aria.In this interview, Co-Founder and CEO Andrew Kiguel discusses his outlook for the humanoid robotics market, Realbotix's competitive advantages, milestones achieved in 2025, and plans heading into 2026. From their debut at CES 2025 in Las Vegas to humanoid robot showcases in Dubai, Berlin, and New York City's Times Square, Realbotix has been expanding its global presence.Learn more about Realbotix: https://www.realbotix.ai/Watch the full YouTube interview here: https://youtu.be/Bkut4BLSxX8And follow us to stay updated: https://www.youtube.com/@GlobalOneMedia

Send the show a text message!In this episode of the Space Between Podcast, Renae Lipsmeyer invites Caroline Markel to co-host and share her powerful story of overcoming domestic violence and abuse. Caroline discusses her journey of healing, the role of Dave Matthews Band community in her recovery, and the importance of addressing the normalization of violence. The conversation touches on the challenges of reporting abuse, the lack of support from authorities, and the innovative resources available through Safe in Harm's Way. Show Notes:Caroline Markel is the CEO and Founder of Safe In Harm's Way, a Kansas City-based nonprofit and an online secure resource for people navigating the sadness, worries, lies, screaming, fear, and pain of domestic violence. Premiering in Times Square, and spreading across the country, Caroline and her team launched two unique campaigns for diversified communities related to domestic violence, achieving one billion impressions and opportunities for immediate and actionable help. As CEO and Founder of Epizon Strategy Solutions, Caroline and her team create tailor-made solutions for employers within diversity, equity, and inclusion criteria related to profit, safety, retention, reward, and recruitment.As a survivor of domestic violence, plus revival from a death experience, Caroline uses storytelling to evoke change and has been featured on Oprah, Forbes, PBS, NPR, Ms. Magazine, M+M Magazine, national and regional television, and podcasts as an initiator to disrupt complacency within the domestic violence arena and overcoming adversity.Links from Episode:Caroline Markel Email: caroline@safeinharmsway.orgResources/Support: www.safeinharmsway.orgSupport the showTo share your DMB fan journey, email Renae: renae@thespacebetweenpodcastDMB.com

Polymarket is making it easier than ever to bet billions on anything — including politics. But should we be able to? This episode was produced by Ariana Aspuru, edited by Jolie Myers, fact-checked by Miles Bryan and Kelli Wessinger, engineered by Patrick Boyd and David Tasciore, and hosted by Noel King. A Polymarket billboard displaying New York City mayoral election odds in Times Square. Photo by Adam Gray/Bloomberg via Getty Images. Listen to Today, Explained ad-free by becoming a Vox Member: vox.com/members. New Vox members get $20 off their membership right now. Transcript at ⁠vox.com/today-explained-podcast.⁠ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Discover how Kate Wik, CMO of Las Vegas, drives bold innovation and storytelling to transform the city into a global destination brand. Episode TranscriptPlease note, this transcript  may contain minor inconsistencies compared to the episode audio. Damian Fowler (00:00):I'm Damian Fowler.Ilyse Liffreing (00:01):And I'm Ilyse Liffreing.Damian Fowler (00:02):And welcome to this edition of The Big Impression.Ilyse Liffreing (00:09):Today we're joined by Kate Wik, chief Marketing Officer at the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority. The team behind the city's newest brand campaign, which launched in September,Damian Fowler (00:20):Las Vegas, is known around the world for its energy, its entertainment, and its edge. But this ladies' campaign takes a closer look at what the city means today beyond the casinos and into its growing identity as a cultural and sports destination.Ilyse Liffreing (00:34):We'll talk with Kate about the ideas behind the campaign, how Vegas is connecting with new audiences, and what it takes to evolve one of the most recognizable brands in the world. Q,Damian Fowler (00:45):Frank Sinatra. It's okay. You have an unusual role in that you represent a city as an iconic one, but could you tell us about the role?Kate Wik (00:56):That's exactly right. So I work for the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority. Nobody knows what that is or what that means. So really, I shorthand it and I say I am the CMO of four Las Vegas. Las Vegas is my product, which is very unique. It is a city, it's a destination. It's unbelievably dynamic. And what's so unique and thrilling for a CMO of Las Vegas is that our product is always changing, always evolving. If you think back, we were known as the gaming destination. We've evolved into, we're the number one hospitality destination in the US with more hotel rooms than any other destination. And we are the entertainment capital of the world. You've got the world's best artists coming and performing on stages across destination every single night. And we've worked really hard to evolve ourselves into the sports destination as well through a lot of recent things. So really the exciting thing for me in this role is no one day is ever the same. Our product is constantly iterating and evolving, and that is a marketer's dream come true.Damian Fowler (02:10):Just on that point about the evolution of the city and the perception of it, how fast has that happened in the last, say, five, 10 years?Kate Wik (02:20):Yeah, absolutely. Incredibly fast. And so today we are known as the sports and entertainment capital of the world, but less than 10 years ago, we did not have any sports teams. Yes, sports has kind of always been in our DNA. We'd host major boxing matches in the eighties, NFR we've had for decades. NBA, we hosted their in-season tournament, NBA Summer League, but really it was through infrastructure development that really led to the explosion of sports today. So what I mean by that is we had T-Mobile Arena, which was a joint venture between MGM resorts and a EG that enabled NHL to come to town with the Vegas Golden Knights in 20 17, 20 18, we purchased the WNBA team, which we renamed the Las Vegas ACEs. And so now we've got A-W-N-B-A team. And then in 2020, of course with Allegiant Stadium, we welcome the Raiders. And so now we've got the Las Vegas Raiders, and we are, so actually in four years, we went from having zero professional sports teams to having three, and we're actively working to bring our fourth to town, which is the major league baseball. We're welcoming the Las Vegas a,Damian Fowler (03:34):Not to mention Formula One.Kate Wik (03:36):Yes, exactly. And Formula One now an annual event on our calendar. So it's a lot. It's a lot. And it creates new reasons to come to Las Vegas for our visitors. And what we found through research actually, is that the sports traveler, number one, we know sports tourism has just exploded the sports traveler. Through our research, we found that it creates a new reason to come to Las Vegas for those that haven't been here before. It creates a reason to explore the destination, see it, consider it, and then ultimately come. And then most importantly, we find that they spend more money than the average leisure traveler. So it's a really rich new audience for Las Vegas. And F1 has definitely exploded that for us too.Ilyse Liffreing (04:24):Do you know by just how much more do they spend?Kate Wik (04:27):It's usually anywhere from 500 to 800 more per trip.Ilyse Liffreing (04:31):Wow, that's a lot. And the rest on gambling,Kate Wik (04:36):AnythingIlyse Liffreing (04:36):Extra? It'sKate Wik (04:37):Funny. Gambling hasn't been, revenue from gaming hasn't been the primary source of how consumers are spending their budget while they're in town. Hasn't been that for over a decade.Ilyse Liffreing (04:51):AndKate Wik (04:51):I think it speaks to the diversification of the experience in Las Vegas. And when I say we're the entertainment capital of the world, we absolutely are. People come here to see shows, to see comedians, to experience not just like a touring show, but unbelievable residencies where our property resorts will build these amazing theaters where Lady Gaga performs, Bruno Mars performs, Adele performs, they'll create these residencies, which is unlike nowhere else in the US or world.Damian Fowler (05:26):I mean, I've been aware of that. I mean, obviously it goes right back to the Rat Pack, but more recently, like Sting had a residency there. I've been aware, IKate Wik (05:34):Just saw Backstreet Boys at the Spear, which was probably mind blowing, which was mind blowing. That's a whole nother level to the entertainment experience where it's just completely immersive that has changed the game for live music.Damian Fowler (05:48):The perception of Vegas has changed or is changing, and maybe that teases up to talk a little bit now about the new brand campaign and why this is the right moment to do it.Kate Wik (06:00):Yeah, absolutely. So we just launched a new campaign September of this year, so just a couple of weeks ago really. And the intent behind it is this notion that there are so many different reasons to come to Vegas, but there are also so many different vacation options. What we wanted to do was break through the noise and make sure that people understood that Vegas is the ultimate destination regardless of the experience you're looking for. We have it all, the breadth and depth that exists within our destination iss, it's uncomparable to any other destination. So we needed to get out there and get that message out there in big form. And why now what we found was through a lack of big brand messaging over the summer, we actually took a hit with a lot of negative headlines. And so we needed to get in front of that. And I think one of the big takeaways for marketers out there is that if you're not actively talking about your brand day in and day out, you create room for others to create their own narrative. And so after we launched the campaign, it's been about a month in market, we've seen a lot of that negativity drop because now everybody's covering, oh, here's the new elements, here are the new promotions they're doing, here are the new experiences that you can find. So it's really about driving the narrative that you want for your brand.Ilyse Liffreing (07:29):Very cool. And could you tell us a little bit about the campaign itself, maybe the creative, and then what channels are you leaning into?Kate Wik (07:36):Yeah, absolutely. In looking at how we were going to develop the work around this new brand campaign, what we wanted first and foremost was to be really authentic about Las Vegas and be very unique to a message that only Las Vegas can deliver. And so we took inspiration from our iconic welcome to Fabulous Las Vegas sign. So it's the sign that exists literally on Las Vegas Boulevard as you drive into town. And that sign, it's 65 years old today, but it is more iconic. And the awareness on that is it puts it as one of the highest elements assets within our portfolio. So you think Las Vegas, you think of Bellagio, you think of Wynn, even Luxor or all these amazing resorts. When we show that sign, the amount of awareness of what that is and where it is and what it's for just exceeds every other asset that we have out there. So we took inspiration from that. We took the neon, the lights, the really, the notion of setting the example of fabulous Las Vegas. That's the experience that our visitors can come to expect when they come to Las Vegas. So it truly has been our brand promise for over 65 years. So that's the inspiration behind the campaign.Damian Fowler (08:57):Yeah, I can see that sign now.Ilyse Liffreing (08:59):Yes,Kate Wik (08:59):That's right.Ilyse Liffreing (09:00):Yeah, that's right. Do you have a sense of the audience that you're trying to reach and through, I guess, which channels are you trying to reach them?Kate Wik (09:10):Yeah, so we have a really diverse audience set, which is very unique for a marketer, which usually has a single product or they've got a very specific audience for that product. Vegas is really the 21 and older adult playground. And so if you look at just an average audience, it's like a 45-year-old split, 50 50 male, female, et cetera. But what we offer is an unbelievable unbeatable experience at every single price point. So we absolutely cater to that high-end luxury market, that luxury traveler, all the way down to the entry level budget conscious traveler. And so we've got products from a circus circus all the way up to a win Las Vegas. And so for us, our audience is very broad, but generally it's adult travelers, people that have traveled in the past year looking to travel again,Ilyse Liffreing (10:11):We just had Marriott on the podcast and we were talking about how more travelers now are singles and single people. And I would think that might be particularly true for Vegas. For some reason, people are coming for a new experience and to get away.Kate Wik (10:28):I think that's exactly right. Not necessarily single travelers, but the idea of it's a getaway, it's a new experience. What we find from our visitors is number one, it's really high repeat visitation because every time they come, they're finding something new. So we usually get at least 80% repeat visitation from our visitors and really high satisfaction rate, but it's that mindset of wanting to try something new. For sure. Yeah.Damian Fowler (10:56):One thing that just occurs to me as we are talking is how the awareness of Las Vegas has been so kind of embodied in so many movies and TV shows. I was just thinking, I watched the studio recently, the Seth RoganKate Wik (11:09):Show,Damian Fowler (11:09):Which I think that has a combination in Vegas whileKate Wik (11:12):I actually haven't seen it yet. So no spoilers on my list.Damian Fowler (11:16):I mean, I was thinking about Oceans 11, you can go back and back. I have to see it. But that is all kind of part of the kind of braided cultural iconography as it were of the city, I guess.Kate Wik (11:27):Yeah, I think movies represent, you almost have to think of it as a channel for marketing. It represents an amazing opportunity to penetrate culture, reach new audiences that you wouldn't normally get to talk to. And so we have a history of iconic movies. Actually this past summer, you might've seen it, but the F1 movie, that was a partnership that we did with them to make sure that they filmed in Las Vegas and the Las Vegas Grand Prix circuit. That was really important. But again, reaching new audiences, keeping us sort of at the pinnacle and sort of leading culture. Also really awesome to have Brad Pitt lead in that. I'm not going to lie. That was pretty awesome. But a ton of movies. And it's kind of interesting to think of it as almost like a marketing channel, not a traditionalIlyse Liffreing (12:17):One, but yes. Yeah, like free marketing too sometimes, because a lot of things are based in Vegas,Kate Wik (12:22):Right? On the marketing channel front, I know you had sort of asked about how do we launch the campaign, and it was very much an integrated multi-channel approach. We did everything from brand marketing, product marketing, I call it value, but it's really promotional as well as experiential. So of course, from a brand marketing point of view, TV or movies are wonderful, but there's also tv. And we launched the campaign actually with NFL kickoff, so September 4th. We know that when people tune into tv, they're tuning in really into an NFL game. That's where the most eyeballs are at any single time. So from a marketing point of view, it's great return on your investment there. So we launched with a 62nd ad on September 4th on kickoff, but really it was about making sure that this is not just a TV campaign, but it's a platform that reaches the consumer at every different touch point throughout their travel journey or through their daily life.(13:27):And so we maximized the viewership by making sure that, yes, we had a TV spot, but we partnered with the Raiders to actually take over the tunnel walk. And so when players arrive at the stadium, any stadium across the us, it's usually sort of this gray back of house space. And what we did was we installed neon all over the wall as the backdrop. And so it gave our players the sense of pride as they're walking in where they see this huge fabulous Las Vegas neon sign, and then they get a bit of a swagger. And then we partnered with GQ to cover sort of the fit that the players are wearing because that's a whole thing, this sort of new cultural moment where you've got the intersection of professional sports and these athletes in fashion. And so GQ wants to cover that. And so now the backdrop for all of this is the fabulous Las Vegas neon sign that we installed.(14:22):And so then CVS and ESPN want to cover it because they're like, oh, what's going on with the Vegas tunnel walk? And so every time Vegas shows up, we want to make sure that we're sort of breaking through the clutter. We're doing something very unique, bold and different, and whatever we do, it's sort of Vegas worthy. So I guess another channel is outdoor. We don't just buy outdoor. We worked with media partners to find these super high impact spectacular units that just command attention. So around the corner, in Times Square, we have this huge 3D board where you've got a 3D view of the iconic welcome to Las Vegas sign that rotates and dice come out, chips come out, an F1 race car comes out, right? It's a showstopper. And when you walk into Times Square, you see people taking pictures of advertising and that blows your mind.(15:21):And then on the other side of the country, we've got an actual neon installation on Sunset Boulevard. So we took, quite frankly, one of the ideas behind the campaign is let's take the neon and export it. Let's take our Neon National. And so we've got these big neon relics all across the us and so this one on Sunset Boulevard is spectacular. And then you walk across any of our resorts in Las Vegas and you see our Neon Signs Launch week. We took over all of our, well in our top 10 markets, we took over our digital outdoor boards and we had a roadblock for the whole week of launch. So just doing these big spectacular moments to capture the attention of our viewers. Wow,Damian Fowler (16:08):That's a lot that you're doing a tremendous amount, but on the other side of it, how are you kind of measuring and tracking all of these moments that you've created?Kate Wik (16:18):Yeah, I think measurement is incredibly important for any brand. We are actually consistently in market every single week with a research tracker, a brand health tracker. We've been doing it for decades. Making sure that we're keeping a finger on the pulse of our consumer is really important to us. So before we launched the campaign, obviously we tested it to see, number one, does it break through? Does it resonate? Does it deliver on the message of escape? Does it make people want to go to Las Vegas? It actually tested stronger than any other campaign that we've tested, and we test all of our campaigns. So that was pretty exciting. And then post-launch, again, we're in the market every single week. We found that we continue to uptick in terms of likability of the campaign, the campaign that makes you want to travel to Las Vegas. Those metrics are really important to us, intent to travel, and so it's continued to climb every single week since we've been in market. That's really strong. I think outside of traditional campaign testing, something that we consistently do is social listening, and so understanding what the current conversation is on social, I had mentioned this summer was a little bit rough. There was a lot of negativity out there for us. What we found was we had peaked in terms of negativity online in, gosh, in August. We launched Campaign in September, and that number has dramatically reduced, which is fantastic. It goes back to this point of you have to constantly be talking and driving your own narrative.(18:01):Otherwise if there's a void, others are going to fill it for you. That's was aIlyse Liffreing (18:05):Quick turnaround time too fromKate Wik (18:07):InIlyse Liffreing (18:07):August to launching inKate Wik (18:08):September. Absolutely. So a couple weeks. So I would say early August was peak and then Campaign formally launched September 4th, but working with our property partners to seed components of the campaign before, that was a big part of it as well. And then I think a very tactical measurement is we launched actually the first ever destination wide sale, so we called it the Fabulous Five Day Sale. Our campaign is Welcome to Fabulous, so fabulous five day sale. We wanted to make sure that we were putting a spotlight on the value that exists across the destination. And what we found was we drove four times the amount of website volume that we normally do to visit las vegas.com and that we actually were driving more referrals, so people were coming in to see what these deals were, what the sale was, this first ever limited sale, and then the traffic, the referral traffic that we were sending out to the booking engines of each of our property partners. That was 120 times the normal weekly average that we have in terms of, oh my gosh, yeah, referral, wait. So really unbelievable. It was kind of mind blowing for us in terms of the results of that. Nice.Ilyse Liffreing (19:28):And what was the reception from businesses in Las Vegas too, because that involved all of them?Kate Wik (19:34):Absolutely. Yeah. We don't launch a campaign without the support of our property partners. The reception was fabulous to use a cliche, incredibly fabulous. They leaned into it, you'll see part of the campaign. We created these neon elements and literally handed over this toolkit to our property partners so they can push out on all of their digital signage, on all of their marketing elements, sort of reflections of the campaign work as well and tie into it.Damian Fowler (20:05):Great. Just out of curiosity, is the campaign driven from the ground up by businesses or does it come top down as it were, from what your office, what's the kind of interaction?Kate Wik (20:19):Yeah. Well, the interaction is we are the DMO, the destination marketing organization for Las Vegas. So what we do is we work closely with our property partners to understand what's the business needs, what are the trends they're seeing. We do research and provide them top level trends, and then we work with them on what do we need the advertising to accomplish, and then we develop the campaigns. We're funded by them. We're actually funded by a room tax, which is paid by our visitors. And so there is complete coordination with our property partners, and we really do all of the upper funnel marketing for them. That's kind of the role we play for them.Damian Fowler (21:00):Interesting. Yeah. Yeah. I want to ask you, actually, I guess this is a big picture question. Are there other big cities that kind of have similar outreach or similar marketing campaigns, or are you unique in lots of ways?Kate Wik (21:15):I think the big destinations like New York, la, they will have a tourism authority within their destination that we'll do it for them. I think what's unique about Las Vegas is how we're funded. Again, it is through this room tax. And so generally, I'm not out there every day trying to drum up membership funds or anything. Our job is to go market the destination 365 days a year. That is why we exist. And so I think other destinations have something similar, but not quite the structure or the support behind it. And I think what is unique for Las Vegas is tourism is the number one economic driver for southern Nevada, and so we're the engine behind that. We have to make sure we're continuing to fuel that. Tourism represents 55 million or 55 billion, excuse me, in direct economic impact. That's visitors coming, spending fueling the local economy. And so the role we play matters. The advertising that we do matters because it fuels the entire ecosystem and the economic climate for Southern Nevada. Wow.Damian Fowler (22:33):Another quick question, follow up question there because you keep making me think of things. You have a lot of international visitors. Do you have a sense of where the majority of them are comingKate Wik (22:42):From? Yeah. Yeah. So international visitors are really important to us. Interesting. Canada's typically is our number one market. We have seen a decrease this year from our Canadian visitors. That's true for the US overall. We love our neighbors to the north and we welcome them back. But Canada is generally number one. Mexico is number two. Mexico is still going strong. They've actually seen growth year over year. UK is our number three market. We love our UK visitors and our partnership with F1 continues to grow that, which is phenomenal. And then interesting, our fourth market is actually Australia, and we don't have a direct flight there today, but it's an easy stopover from la. But the Australians and the Aussies, they love coming to Las Vegas. Great cultural alignment, but in general, we love all of our international visitors, and it's about anywhere from 10 to 15% of our overall visitor mix,Damian Fowler (23:46):So Cool.Ilyse Liffreing (23:47):Well, so along with just how many changes Las Vegas has seen, how would you, I guess, describe the expectations around hospitality and how that has changed over the years?Kate Wik (23:59):Gosh, hospitality, not unlike marketing, it's really fueled by tech innovation. Everything from keyless check-in, you can check in on your phone, you can use your phone as your key. All of these things have been unbelievable accelerants to a great experience, but that's across the board in every city, across the world. Technology has fueled that. I think what's unique for Las Vegas is actually doubling down on the core of who we are. And that's about service, and that's about kind of going back to the brand promise of the campaign where the welcome to fabulous Las Vegas isn't just a sign. It is the brand promise of the experience you're going to have here. And before we launched the campaign, we actually went around to all the CEOs and all the presidents of all our resort property partners to say and to remind them, we're going to launch this campaign, we're going to go back to the roots of Las Vegas. And the roots of that is hospitality, and it's about making every individual feel like somebody special that is so uniquely Las Vegas. You can walk into a circus, circus, an Excalibur, and have this mind blowing unbelievable experience. You could also walk into a Bellagio, an aria, a fountain blue, and have a mind blowing unbelievable experience. It's not based on your economic value or your financial worth. It's based on who you are as a visitor coming. We're going to deliver that unbelievable experience, and that is service related, hospitality related for us.Ilyse Liffreing (25:39):Very cool. So what's next then? How are you planning to build on the success?Kate Wik (25:44):I think for us, welcome to Fabulous is not just like an A Flash in the Pan ad campaign. What we intended to do was create a marketing platform that will just stand the test of time that will continue to iterate off of it. We have three big announcements, not yet announced, but still coming out later this year that just continue to build on this platform. So it's a platform for us as the DMO, but it's also a platform for our property partners to continue to iterate because it is so unique to us.Damian Fowler (26:20):Now we've got some kind of quickfire questions now we've looked at that bigKate Wik (26:24):Picture.Damian Fowler (26:25):What are you obsessed with figuring out right now?Kate Wik (26:29):I am obsessed with figuring out how you hack the social algorithms. And I think what's super interesting is something that can go viral that isn't necessarily representative of the brand or the experience that you have. And so really making sure that for us, it's fueling a ton of content out there to make sure that we're dominating what that narrative is. And that's not just from brand voice, it's influencers or whatever, but that social algorithms I think is really important forDamian Fowler (27:05):Brands. Yeah, absolutely. I would love to figure that out too. It seems like a kind of a magic unlock.Ilyse Liffreing (27:11):Yes. Right.Damian Fowler (27:14):Okay.Ilyse Liffreing (27:15):This year you are included on the Forbes list of 50 Fierce Global leaders.Kate Wik (27:20):Yes.Ilyse Liffreing (27:20):Congratulations. Thank you. What is one piece of wisdom you'd pass on to other marketers?Kate Wik (27:27):Oh gosh. Constant learning, constant iteration. Nothing is ever done, right? You put something out in the world, there's always a chance to continue to iterate and learn and get feedback and continue to push it further. Yeah.Damian Fowler (27:44):Another is ai, a marketer's friend.Kate Wik (27:46):Yeah, absolutely. But actually, let's be careful with that. It's a friend, but it's like a starting point, right? I think using it as information, as research, as sort of an input but not a final output is really important.Damian Fowler (28:01):I like that. That distinction is important.Ilyse Liffreing (28:03):One last fun one for you, maybe outside of the Brad Pitt movie from the summer. What's your favorite movie set in LasKate Wik (28:12):Vegas? Oh, gosh. I love Oceans 11. I mean, how can you not? I mean, it's still Brad Pitt, butDamian Fowler (28:20):Oh, yeah.Kate Wik (28:20):But it's an icon. He can be at anything, everything.Ilyse Liffreing (28:27):And that'sDamian Fowler (28:27):It for this edition of The Big Impression.Ilyse Liffreing (28:29):This show is produced by Molten Hart. Our theme is by Love and caliber, and our associate producer is Sydney Cairns.Damian Fowler (28:36):And remember,Kate Wik (28:37):If you're not actively talking about your brand day in and day out, you create room for others to create their own narrative.Damian Fowler (28:45):I'm Damian, and I'm Ilyse, and we'll see you next time. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

New Year's Eve in Times Square. Talkback Caller. Morons in the News.   The People's Movie Critic. Everyone Needs a Laugh. A Christmas Story.   Talkback Callers. Can You Believe This?   From the Vault.

From an ill-fated cruise ship, to the streets and sewers of NYC, Jensen Daggett battled Jason Voorhees across many different settings as Rennie in “Friday the 13th Part VIII: Jason Takes Manhattan.” Tune in to hear all about filming everywhere from in the water to actual Times Square, the sequence with Jason that truly scared her, and how it feels being one of the final girls in this beloved franchise.

Philly legend Reed Dollaz pulls up for Episode 100 of If This Doesn't Work… and gives us a full timeline, from juvenile placement and “Too Raw for the Streets” VHS & DVDs to URL stages, Eminem's “Rap God” video and his new project Reedvenge 4.In this episode, Rambo Reed talks about:Starting to rap at 11, ciphers at 13, and being “really him” in Philly before YouTubeThe classic Reed vs. Trigger (Harrisburg) battle and the “Too Raw for the Streets” era pre–Smack DVDEarly tension with Meek Mill, Philly beef, and why he says he was the one everyone had to mentionGetting sent away to juvenile placement for 18 months and coming home locked in on rapBattle rap then vs now: real “dog fights,” no time limits, side bets and blocks putting money downLegacy battles with Murder Mook, T-Rex, K-Shine, Suge, Surf and why he never ducks smokeWhy he'll never battle Cassidy, and why he's still rooting for Cass vs. EasyBeing featured in Eminem's “Rap God” video and what that co-sign meantWriting on Irv Gotti's BET show Tales and getting his paperwork and percentages rightDropping Reedvenge 4, sitting on 1,000 unreleased songs, and his plan to drop albums every 60 daysPhones turning us into zombies, Times Square epiphany, attention span, and short song cultureGuns, ranges, the “no lacking” mindset, and wanting land to build a full-blown content compoundFaith, Islam to Jesus, prayer, “leap of faith” stories and why prayer without action is nothingBeing a father, not speaking to his son, still praying for him daily, and the Bible's “honor thy father”Marriage, not wanting to die alone, and why your homies aren't wiping your ass when you're oldMoving his grandmother out of the Philly trenches at 80 and why that's his definition of successThis one is a mix of battle rap history, street wisdom, spirituality, guns, relationships and dark humor, classic If This Doesn't Work… energy.

New York City conjures up images of a neon-drenched Times Square, skyscrapers gleaming in the sun, and the labyrinthine subway system.  Yet the city also boasts three main rivers; the Hudson to the west, the East River to the east (unsurprisingly), and the Harlem to the north. Where we find rivers, we can find islands. Where we find islands, we find folklore.  New York is no exception. That said, the stories we'll explore this time are far from the druids of Ynys Môn or the megaliths of Menorca. These are stories of people, those arriving, those forced to stay, and those who want to bury treasure. Let's go and meet them in this week's episode of Fabulous Folklore… Find the images and references on the blog post: https://www.icysedgwick.com/new-york-islands-legends/ Get your free guide to home protection the folklore way here: https://www.icysedgwick.com/fab-folklore/ Become a member of the Fabulous Folklore Family for bonus episodes and articles at https://patreon.com/bePatron?u=2380595 Buy Icy a coffee or sign up for bonus episodes at: https://ko-fi.com/icysedgwick Fabulous Folklore Bookshop: https://uk.bookshop.org/shop/fabulous_folklore Pre-recorded illustrated talks: https://ko-fi.com/icysedgwick/shop Request an episode: https://forms.gle/gqG7xQNLfbMg1mDv7 Get extra snippets of folklore on Instagram at https://instagram.com/icysedgwick Find Icy on BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/icysedgwick.bsky.social 'Like' Fabulous Folklore on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/fabulousfolklore/

The Cinematography Podcast Episode 335: Jess Hall Cinematographer Jess Hall, ASC, BSC reunited with director Matt Shakman to bring the retro-future world of The Fantastic Four: First Steps to life. The two had collaborated on several projects together, such as Marvel's Wandavision. “I have a lot of faith in Matt Shakman,” says Jess. “I went into it with a lot of goodwill behind me. I was very aware that this was one of the original Marvel, it is the first family of Marvel, so I took that responsibility very seriously. I got very well prepared and I made sure that I was making choices that I thought would bring success to the project as well as tell the story that Matt wanted to tell.” Fantastic Four: First Steps required a higher level of pre-production planning than most, involving intense collaboration with the special effects team and production design. Many complicated sequences were prevised to meticulously establish the intended 1960s aesthetic. Jess achieved this period look through his lighting, camerawork, and lens choices. For the majority of the cinematography, he chose the relatively new Panavision Ultra Panatar II lenses, which coved the IMAX camera and were customized to his specifications. He also used a 16mm camera and Hasselblad lenses for some of the newsreel sequences. Color was crucial for establishing the 1960s aesthetic, and Jess infused it with a comic book vibrancy. He was inspired by a 1968 Fantastic Four comic book, creating a unified color palette for the LUT that featured blue, green, orange, and pale blue. Complex lighting setups were essential, incorporating miniatures, bluescreens, blackscreens, and motion capture performances. Jess opted for tungsten lights on Mr. Fantastic's (Pedro Pascal) lab set—a deliberate, retro choice that grounds the technology in the past. He found controlling the light challenging on bluescreen and blackscreen stages, as the lack of background required him to carefully conceive and control the light sources to maintain a sense of photorealistic depth. The production team prioritized creating as much of the film practically as possible to achieve the photoreal look director Matt Shakman wanted, with characters and scenes enhanced with VFX in post. Both Ben Grimm “The Thing” (Ebon Moss-Bachrach) and the Silver Surfer (Julia Garner) performed in motion capture suits. Rather than working on a volume stage, blue screens and black screens were used for the space sequences. A miniature scale model of the Fantastic Four's ship helped bring it to life, while a realistic 1960's Times Square set was built for the New York action sequences. For the planet-eater Galactus, Jess had a unique practical concept: treating him like a miniature. An extremely detailed costume was constructed, and Galactus moved through a small-scale set. Jess used specialized lighting and camerawork on his suit to create the illusion of the villain's immense, terrifying size. Find Jess Hall: Instagram: @metrorat See The Fantastic Four: First Steps streaming on Disney+ SHOW RUNDOWN: 01:56 Close Focus 13:10-59:54 Interview 01:00:08 Short Ends 01:10:09 Wrap up/Credits The Cinematography Podcast website: www.camnoir.com YouTube: @TheCinematographyPodcast Facebook: @cinepod Instagram: @thecinepod Blue Sky: @thecinepod.bsky.social

Jim and Lauren celebrate Thanksgiving with a whirlwind mix of Disney history, holiday nostalgia, and a merch-filled New York adventure. From Wicked-branded ice rinks and a Zootopia 2 takeover at JFK to Macy's exclusive parade collection and a stop at the Harry Potter Store, Lauren brings back a suitcase full of stories. Jim then dives into the legacy of Don Knotts, his long relationship with Disney, and how he ended up voicing Mayor Turkey Lurkey in Chicken Little. A cozy, funny, and very seasonal edition of I Want That Too. HIGHLIGHTS Lauren's NYC trip featuring massive Wicked and Zootopia 2 marketing across Rockefeller Center, Times Square, and JFK Inside Macy's Disney Thanksgiving Day Parade collection, plus Marvel arcade surprises A butterbeer meetup at the Harry Potter Store and standout Potter merch finds Jim's holiday watchlist, including the debut of Prep and Landing: Snowball Protocol A deep dive into Don Knotts' Disney career and his final animated role as Turkey Lurkey HOSTS • Jim Hill - IG: @JimHillMedia | X: @JimHillMedia | Website: JimHillMedia.com • Lauren Hersey - IG: @lauren_hersey_ | X: @laurenhersey2 FOLLOW • Facebook: JimHillMediaNews • Instagram: JimHillMedia • TikTok: JimHillMedia SUPPORT Support the show and access bonus episodes and additional content at Patreon.com/JimHillMedia. PRODUCTION CREDITS Edited by Dave Grey Produced by Eric Hersey - Strong Minded Agency SPONSOR This episode is brought to you by unlockedmagic.com, the trusted team behind the DVC Rental Store and DVC Resale Market. Planning a Disney trip? They can help you secure the best deals on Walt Disney World tickets—sometimes as much as 12 percent off. Pick your dates, grab your tickets, and be sure to tell them Jim and Lauren sent you. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today's Mystery: A wealthy man is knifed in Times Square.Original Radio Broadcast Date: June 9, 1951Originating from HollywoodStarring: Larry Thor as Lieutenant Danny Clover; Charles Calvert as Sergeant Gino Tartaglia; Jack Kruschen as Sergeant MuggavanSupport the show monthly at https://patreon.greatdetectives.netPatreon Supporter of the Day:Support the show on a one-time basis at http://support.greatdetectives.net.Mail a donation to: Adam Graham, PO Box 15913, Boise, Idaho 83715Take the listener survey at http://survey.greatdetectives.netGive us a call at 208-991-4783Follow us on Instagram at http://instagram.com/greatdetectivesFollow us on Twitter @radiodetectivesJoin us again tomorrow for another detective drama from the Golden Age of Radio.

Independent Americans host Paul Rieckhoff (@PaulRieckhoff) rips through one of the most urgent, dangerous stories in American politics right now: Donald Trump and Pete Hegseth's unprecedented weaponization of the Department of Defense and FBI against Senator Mark Kelly and five other members of Congress, and millions of military retirees—just days before Thanksgiving.  Coming to you from the new MS Now (formerly MSNBC) headquarters in Times Square, and after a whirlwind of speaking out, Paul connects the dots between Trump's escalating attacks, Ukraine's ongoing fight, 9/11 first responder revelations, and why this moment demands maximum vigilance from you—and every independent American.  Paul explains how Trump and his “Acting” Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth are targeting Senator Mark Kelly and six other members of Congress—sending a chilling message to over two million military retirees—who now fear being dragged back under the Uniform Code of Military Justice for what they post or say.  This is bigger than Democrat vs. Republican—it is about right vs. wrong, and about whether America is still a place where free speech is protected from government retaliation. He analyzes Senator Slotkin's warning about a new FBI counterterrorism inquiry into her after a Trump-criticizing video, and how combining DOD and FBI power into a dual intimidation strike looks less like a democracy and more like the behavior of despots in Russia, North Korea, or Saddam's Iraq.  In classic Independent Americans fashion, Paul also hits rapid headlines that everyone should be tracking heading into Thanksgiving: fresh Russian missile and drone attacks on Ukraine, the simmering risk of U.S. strikes on Venezuela, the underreported stakes for National Guard and Reserve members serving in Congress, and new revelations about long-buried documents on the toxic dust that has killed more 9/11 first responders than were lost on the day itself. He connects it all back to accountability, vigilance, and the open seats at Thanksgiving tables that still remind families of the lasting costs of 9/11.  And because this show always brings light, Paul closes with “something good”: a shout-out to The Duffel Blog—the “Onion for the military”—whose brutal satire of Trump's “woke” rhetoric, ICE raids, and Pentagon absurdity offers a sharp, much-needed laugh for vets and civilians alike. Because every episode of Independent Americans with Paul Rieckhoff breaks down the most important news stories--and offers light to contrast the heat of other politics and news shows. It's independent content for independent Americans. In these trying times especially, Independent Americans is your trusted place for independent news, politics, inspiration and hope. The podcast that helps you stay ahead of the curve--and stay vigilant. -WATCH video of this episode on YouTube now. -Learn more about Paul's work to elect a new generation of independent leaders with Independent Veterans of America. -Join the movement. Hook into our exclusive Patreon community of Independent Americans. Get extra content, connect with guests, meet other Independent Americans, attend events, get merch discounts, and support this show that speaks truth to power.  -Check the hashtag #LookForTheHelpers. And share yours.  -Find us on social media or www.IndependentAmericans.us.  -And get cool IA and Righteous hats, t-shirts and other merch now in time for the holidays.  -Check out other Righteous podcasts like The Firefighters Podcast with Rob Serra, Uncle Montel - The OG of Weed and B Dorm.  Independent Americans is powered by veteran-owned and led Righteous Media. Spotify • Apple Podcasts • Amazon Podcasts  Ways to watch: YouTube • Instagram  X/Twitter • BlueSky • Facebook  Ways to listen:Social channels: Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Independent Americans host Paul Rieckhoff (@PaulRieckhoff) rips through one of the most urgent, dangerous stories in American politics right now: Donald Trump and Pete Hegseth's unprecedented weaponization of the Department of Defense and FBI against Senator Mark Kelly and five other members of Congress, and millions of military retirees—just days before Thanksgiving.  Coming to you from the new MS Now (formerly MSNBC) headquarters in Times Square, and after a whirlwind of speaking out, Paul connects the dots between Trump's escalating attacks, Ukraine's ongoing fight, 9/11 first responder revelations, and why this moment demands maximum vigilance from you—and every independent American.  Paul explains how Trump and his “Acting” Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth are targeting Senator Mark Kelly and six other members of Congress—sending a chilling message to over two million military retirees—who now fear being dragged back under the Uniform Code of Military Justice for what they post or say.  This is bigger than Democrat vs. Republican—it is about right vs. wrong, and about whether America is still a place where free speech is protected from government retaliation. He analyzes Senator Slotkin's warning about a new FBI counterterrorism inquiry into her after a Trump-criticizing video, and how combining DOD and FBI power into a dual intimidation strike looks less like a democracy and more like the behavior of despots in Russia, North Korea, or Saddam's Iraq.  In classic Independent Americans fashion, Paul also hits rapid headlines that everyone should be tracking heading into Thanksgiving: fresh Russian missile and drone attacks on Ukraine, the simmering risk of U.S. strikes on Venezuela, the underreported stakes for National Guard and Reserve members serving in Congress, and new revelations about long-buried documents on the toxic dust that has killed more 9/11 first responders than were lost on the day itself. He connects it all back to accountability, vigilance, and the open seats at Thanksgiving tables that still remind families of the lasting costs of 9/11.  And because this show always brings light, Paul closes with “something good”: a shout-out to The Duffel Blog—the “Onion for the military”—whose brutal satire of Trump's “woke” rhetoric, ICE raids, and Pentagon absurdity offers a sharp, much-needed laugh for vets and civilians alike. Because every episode of Independent Americans with Paul Rieckhoff breaks down the most important news stories--and offers light to contrast the heat of other politics and news shows. It's independent content for independent Americans. In these trying times especially, Independent Americans is your trusted place for independent news, politics, inspiration and hope. The podcast that helps you stay ahead of the curve--and stay vigilant. -WATCH video of this episode on YouTube now. -Learn more about Paul's work to elect a new generation of independent leaders with Independent Veterans of America. -Join the movement. Hook into our exclusive Patreon community of Independent Americans. Get extra content, connect with guests, meet other Independent Americans, attend events, get merch discounts, and support this show that speaks truth to power.  -Check the hashtag #LookForTheHelpers. And share yours.  -Find us on social media or www.IndependentAmericans.us.  -And get cool IA and Righteous hats, t-shirts and other merch now in time for the holidays.  -Check out other Righteous podcasts like The Firefighters Podcast with Rob Serra, Uncle Montel - The OG of Weed and B Dorm.  Independent Americans is powered by veteran-owned and led Righteous Media. Spotify • Apple Podcasts • Amazon Podcasts  Ways to watch: YouTube • Instagram  X/Twitter • BlueSky • Facebook  Ways to listen:Social channels: Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.