Podcasts about treasurers

How do you lead a global treasury team, navigate tech-driven transformation, and still stay grounded in human connection?In this episode, Cathy Fields, VP Treasurer of Hitachi Digital, shares how her unconventional career path, people-first mindset, and deep-rooted love for forecasting helped her shape Treasury at one of the world's leading digital companies. Cathy Fields is the VP Treasurer of Hitachi Digital. With over two decades of experience across credit, treasury, and corporate finance, Cathy shares her remarkable journey from exercise physiology to global finance, offering lessons in resilience, leadership, and the power of saying “yes.” Her approach to building strong teams, driving results, and leveraging soft skills in a tech-driven world is both inspiring and practical.This episode explores modern treasury leadership - from navigating AI and global banking to building empowered remote teams. Cathy shares career-shaping decisions, the value of mentorship, and why people skills matter as much as finance. Expect practical insights for treasury professionals at any stage.What We Cover in This Episode:Cathy's surprising shift from exercise physiology to corporate treasury Her philosophy of saying "yes" and embracing risk throughout her careerThe importance of early financial education and how STEM outreach fuels future talentHow Cathy built and leads a high-functioning, remote treasury teamThe evolving role of AI in treasury - what's real vs. what's hypeWhy soft skills and analytical thinking often outweigh technical experience in hiringHow to build productive and transparent banking relationshipsThe power of mentorship and networking in career developmentForecasting as a “simple math” passion and its role in treasury leadershipCathy's approach to work-life balance and empowering parents in her teamYou can connect with Cathy Fields on LinkedIn. ---

Treasurers are intensifying their efforts to achieve instant cash visibility and control. Virtual accounts, APIs, and real-time data offer the potential for faster decision-making and more streamlined operations, as long as integration, regulation, and cultural change are managed carefully.

Today's guest is Erin Thompson.  Erin is the Chief Operating Officer at the Polk Institute Foundation. Meet Erin. Erin earned a Jurist Doctorate from The John Marshall Law School where she graduated as a member of Phi Delta Honors Society. She was President of the Entertainment Law Society and Treasurer of the Mediation and Arbitration...

In the M&A world, corporate spin-offs are a well-used tactic at board level. For corporate treasurers, this can mean creating a fresh treasury framework for the new entity in a relatively short period of time. But by becoming involved in such a project from the outset, and being open to collaborating with internal and external stakeholders, they can steer their department – and business at large – towards a successful implementation.

It's The Ranch It Up Radio Show! Join Jeff Tigger Erhardt, Rebecca Wanner AKA BEC and their crew as they get recaps from some of the American Angus Association Leadership Team.  Plus, market reports, upcoming sales, news you need to hear and lots more of this all-new episode of The Ranch It Up Radio Show. Be sure to subscribe on your favorite podcasting app or on the Ranch It Up Radio Show YouTube Channel. Angus Association Leadership Comment On Beef Industry While New Leadership Is Elected   American Angus Association CEO Mark McCully and Regional Director Kurt Angus comment on some of the issues facing the current beef industry and angus seedstock producers while attending The American Angus Association 142nd Annual Convention. During the convention, five members were re-elected to a second term on the Board of Directors, reinforcing their commitment to advancing Angus genetics and supporting breeder success. The re-elected directors are: Rob Adams, Union Springs, Ala. Art Butler, Bliss, Idaho Alan Mead, Barnett, Mo. Henry Smith, Russell Springs, Ky. Roger Wann, Poteau, Okla. Additionally, the Association announced its 2025-2026 elected officers: Jim Brinkley, Milan, Mo. – President and Chairman of the Board Darrell Stevenson, White Sulphur Springs, Mont. – Vice President and Vice Chairman of the Board Smitty Lamb, Tifton, Ga. – Treasurer for Fiscal Year 2026 Strengthening the Future of the Angus Breed “It's encouraging to see new faces and continued engagement within our membership,” said Jim Brinkley, President and Chairman. “We've learned from recent member surveys that breeders are eager for tools that support both their operations and their commercial customers. Our leadership team is committed to delivering on those needs.” Directors of the American Angus Association serve up to two consecutive three-year terms, with additional opportunities to serve as president, chairman, or vice president for an extended one-year term. Featured Experts in the Cattle Industry Charles Anderson – Reporting For The Ranch It Up Radio Show Follow on Facebook: @AlphaMarketingHouse Mark McCully – CEO, American Angus Association Kurt Kangus - Regional Director, American Angus Association https://www.angus.org/ Follow on Facebook: @AngusAssoc Kirk Donsbach – Financial Analyst at StoneX https://www.stonex.com/ Follow on Facebook: @StoneXGroupInc Shaye Wanner – Host of Casual Cattle Conversation https://www.casualcattleconversations.com/ Follow on Facebook: @cattleconvos Contact Us with Questions or Concerns Have questions or feedback? Feel free to reach out via: Call/Text: 707-RANCH20 or 707-726-2420 Email: RanchItUpShow@gmail.com Follow us: Facebook/Instagram: @RanchItUpShow YouTube: Subscribe to Ranch It Up Channel: https://www.youtube.com/c/RanchItUp Catch all episodes of the Ranch It Up Podcast available on all major podcasting platforms. Discover the Heart of Rural America with Tigger & BEC Ranching, farming, and the Western lifestyle are at the heart of everything we do. Tigger & BEC bring you exclusive insights from the world of working ranches, cattle farming, and sustainable beef production. Learn more about Jeff 'Tigger' Erhardt & Rebecca Wanner (BEC) and their mission to promote the Western way of life at Tigger and BEC. https://tiggerandbec.com/ Industry References, Partners and Resources For additional information on industry trends, products, and services, check out these trusted resources: Allied Genetic Resources: https://alliedgeneticresources.com/ American Gelbvieh Association: https://gelbvieh.org/ Axiota Animal Health: https://axiota.com/multimin-campaign-landing-page/ Imogene Ingredients: https://www.imogeneingredients.com/ Jorgensen Land & Cattle: https://jorgensenfarms.com/#/?ranchchannel=view Medora Boot: https://medoraboot.com/ RFD-TV: https://www.rfdtv.com/ Rural Radio Network: https://www.ruralradio147.com/ Superior Livestock Auctions: https://superiorlivestock.com/ Transova Genetics: https://transova.com/ Westway Feed Products: https://westwayfeed.com/ Wrangler: https://www.wrangler.com/ Wulf Cattle: https://www.wulfcattle.com/

The Petersfield Gardeners; Club meets monthly and arranges visits and trips for their 100 members who love gardens. They meet next on Thursday 13 November at Herne Farm Leisure Centre at 7pm - it's their annual meeting (£3 for non-members) and the topic is beekeeping; why it's important and what people can do to help bees do their work Mel Hughes, the Treasurer, talks to Mike Waddington about the appeal of gardens - Mel mentions peonies and the glories of an allium pompom. More at Petersfield Gardeners' Club | For interesting speakers, days out and holiday trips further afield See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Note: "Act 1" was a separate published audio podcast.*Check out EZ's morning radio show "The InZane Asylum Q100 Michigan with Eric Zane" Click here*Get a FREE 7 day trial to Patreon to "try it out."*Watch the show live, daily at 8AM EST on Twitch! Please click here to follow the page.Email the show on the Shoreliners Striping inbox: eric@ericzaneshow.comTopics:*Some old bastard passes out during an Oval Office presser.*Hubby of local Treasurer hosts "Why I don't Like Jews" Podcast.*Eight "inaccuracies" in the song, The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald.*Antonio Brown arrested on attempted murder charges stemming from Spring incident in Miami.Asshole of the DaySponsors:Impact Powersports, Kuiper Tree Care, Adam Casari Realty, Frank Fuss / My Policy Shop Insurance, Kings Room Barbershop, Shoreliners, Dump A-Haulics,Striping, Ervines Auto Repair Grand Rapids Hybrid & EV, TC PaintballInterested in advertising? Email eric@ericzaneshow.com and let me design a marketing plan for you.Contact: Shoreliners Striping inbox eric@ericzaneshow.comDiscord LinkEZSP TikTokSubscribe to my YouTube channelHire me on Cameo!Tshirts available herePlease subscribe, rate & write a review on Apple Podcastspatreon.com/ericzaneInstagram: ericzaneshowTwitterOur Sponsors:* Check out Secret Nature and use my code ZANE for a great deal: https://secretnature.com* Check out Uncommon Goods: https://uncommongoods.com/zaneSupport this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/the-eric-zane-show-podcast/donationsAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Watch here: https://youtu.be/ybqWLEwL28Y  From economic reform and rising government spending to cultural shifts and the decline of liberalism, Costello reflects on the ideas that shaped the Howard years and what's needed to renew them today.

My guest is Lance Garrick, Treasurer for Hiawatha Valley Family - Beyond the Yellow Ribbon & Commander of Red Wing American Legion Post #54. We chat about the upcoming Veterans Day Commemoration at the Red WingHigh School, the new veteran's banners that will be going up and more!Sponsored by Pier 55 Red Wing Area Seniors!

Mayor Gary Iocco is joined by Vicki Jo Lambert, Red Wing City Council member – Fourth Ward & Lance L. Garrick, Treasurer for Hiawatha Valley Family - Beyond the Yellow Ribbon& Commander of Red Wing American Legion Post #54! He also chats about City of Red Wing business.

Three treasurers. Three distinct journeys. One unmissable conversation.What happens when treasury leaders from Zimmer Biomet, Capri Holdings Limited, and Element Solutions Inc. take the stage to share how they rose through the ranks, earned strategic influence, and led through uncertainty?In this special LIVE episode from New York, you'll get candid insights from treasurers who've steered through global crises, built lean but high-impact teams, and transformed how treasury shows up across the business.Whether you're just starting out or gunning for the top seat, this episode is packed with hard-earned lessons, leadership wisdom, and actionable takeaways to elevate your treasury career.Meet the Guests:Pradipto Bagchi, Treasurer at Zimmer Biomet Tai Carr-Fraser, VP & Treasurer at Capri Holdings LimitedDenis Bräuer, VP & Corporate Treasurer at Element Solutions Inc.What We Cover in This Episode:How each treasurer “accidentally” stepped into the profession - and never looked backWhat it's really like to lead a lean treasury team through global operations Lessons from managing through economic crises, currency controls, and geopolitical conflictThe leadership leap: shifting from execution to strategic thinkingHow each guest builds team capability, visibility, and influence within their companiesThoughts on education: MBAs, CTPs, and what matters most at different career stagesTreasury's role in cross-functional collaboration - from tax to supply chain to FP&AReal-world advice on networking, mentorship, and career elevation in treasuryPerspectives on hybrid work, remote leadership, and global team managementLive Q&A with the audience: dealing with uncertainty, tariffs, and tokenization----

On 13 October 2025, the Treasurer announced significant changes to the yet to be legislated Division 296 tax rules – which proposes to tax the earnings attributable to a person's total super balance over $3m at higher rates. In this podcast we discuss the proposed changes, what they could potentially mean for impacted members and funds, and outstanding uncertainties where further clarity is needed. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Illinois AFL-CIO Secretary-Treasurer Pat Devaney joins Patrick to discuss energy legislation passed through the General Assembly last week and the difficult task of reforming "Tier 2" pensions for state workers. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Simon Currin and his wife Sally started their circumnavigation in 2015. They started in the high latitudes by cruising in the summer season and leaving their boat, Shimshal, a 47-foot deckhouse built by CR Yachts in Orust, Sweden, in various locations around the world while they went back to the UK to work. Ten years later, the couple has reached New Zealand and is full-time cruisers.  You can read more about their adventures on Voyages of Shimshal. Simon is a former commodore of the Ocean Cruising Club (OCC), and Sally is a former Treasurer of the same club. OCC is a gathering of sailors with vast amounts of miles under their keels, and it has an extensive network of port officers worldwide.  Check out their website: Ocean Cruising Club. Keen on sailing the Norwegian coast? You should be. Read Sail the Norwegian Coast: How and Why you should sail the most beautiful coast in the world – Kindle edition. If you need information about sailing in the high latitudes check out the book I wrote with Bob Shepton: High Latitude Sailing – Self-sufficient sailing techniques for cold waters and winter seasons. 

My guest is Lance Garrick, Treasurer for Hiawatha Valley Family Beyond the Yellow Hiawatha Valley Family - Beyondthe Yellow Ribbon & Commander of Red Wing American Legion Post #54. We chat about the upcoming Veterans Day Commemoration at the Red Wing High School, the new veteran's banners that will be going up and more!

Raleigh Mayor Janet Cowell's political career has taken her from Raleigh City Council, to the North Carolina Senate, to serving as State Treasurer, and now back to leading the Capital City. Janet reflects on her time in the Senate — including her decision to hold out on the state lottery vote as one of the “Lottery Five,” a group of Democrats who initially opposed the measure — and how that experience shaped her independence and leadership style. She also discusses her vision for Raleigh's future, from sustainable growth and smart financial management to the ambitious effort to attract a Major League Baseball team to the City of Oaks. Plus, Skye and Brian break down an extraordinary week in #ncpol: a sharp Senate press release aimed at House leadership, a school system facing scrutiny, the latest congressional maps lawsuit, how the federal government shutdown is affecting the state, and the political community mourning two recent deaths in North Carolina politics. The Do Politics Better podcast is sponsored by New Frame, the NC Travel Industry Association, the NC Beer & Wine Wholesalers Association, the NC Pork Council, and the NC Healthcare Association.

State shadow treasurer Jess Wilson has clapped back at the "bizarre, desperate and inaccurate" claim from treasurer Jaclyn Symes regarding the Liberals' plan for tax changes.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Rhode Island State Treasurer James Diossa talks to Gene about the unclaimed property fund as well as an upcoming auction. The last unclaimed property auction was held in 2014. Close to 5,000 items will be up for bid on November 8th at noon at the Department Of Administration. Treasurer Diossa discuses his newest program called RISavers which helps employers and employees with their retirement fund. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Jimmy Hoke is a freelance scholar whose uses their research, writing, and teaching to enact genuine change. Their work engages and creates queer, trans, and feminist approaches to the New Testament and Early Christianity. They are the author of Feminism, Queerness, Affect, and Romans: Under God?, which reconstructs how queer wo/men engaged with impulses in Paul's letters. They are the Treasurer of Feminist Studies in Religion, Inc. and teach courses at United Theological Seminary of the Twin Cities. Their current research and writing projects include exploring asexuality in first-century Judaism and Christianity, exploring the intersections of queerness and disability in the gospels, and reexamining the rhetoric of "sluttiness" in Paul's letters. Visit Dr. Jimmy Hoke online: https://www.jimmyhoke.com/ Visit Sacred Writes online: https://www.sacred-writes.org/2025-carpenter-cohorts-summer

Dear Bank Treasury Subscribers, Connecting the dots is an age-old pastime, but the dots that bank treasurers see these days are very confusing and challenging to connect, at least without some form of AI. Even the voting members of the FOMC are not sure what picture they see. Amid significant market volatility and economic uncertainty, bank treasurers are just trying to keep their eyes on the horizon and keep their net interest margins steady.Subscribe to The Bank Treasury Newsletter and Podcast at thebanktreasurynewsletter.com for professional Insights and commentary on bank treasury issues, investment portfolio strategy, and more. Listen on Apple Podcasts,Spotify, and Amazon. Follow us on LinkedIn.

In this episode of Policy Chats, Host Dori Pham and Paula Omokhomion joins California State Treasurer Fiona Ma for a thoughtful conversation about how the state's financial decisions shape the future of public higher education and economic opportunity. Throughout this episode, Treasurer Ma explains how financial planning during economic downturns can protect students and families from rising tuition costs. She also shares how universities can partner with private companies to expand student housing, create internship pipelines, and provide students with more stable pathways to employment. With California currently facing a budget deficit, this conversation offers insight into how the state can continue to invest in students while staying financially resilient.Treasurer Ma also reflects on the importance of keeping high quality jobs in California and ensuring that future state revenue is strong enough to support public institutions like the University of California and California State University systems. Her message underscores the role of strategic planning, savings, and innovation in creating long term prosperity for all Californians.This episode highlights how financial policy is not just about numbers, but about people, opportunity, and the future of education. Tune in to hear how Treasurer Ma is working to create lasting change in California and beyond.Topics CoveredWhat the California State Treasurer's Office does and why it mattersHow state funding supports UC and CSU campusesThe impact of budget deficits on higher education and strategies to manage themStudent housing challenges and how public private partnerships can helpWays to reduce student debt through savings programs and smarter investmentsHow to retain high paying industries and jobs in CaliforniaInflation, tariffs, and the role of the federal government in stabilizationThe importance of economic planning for long term prosperity and equity

In Ep. 119, Jerry talks with West Virginia Treasurer Larry Pack, in a conversation touching on: How the ‘war on coal’ is connected to debanking controversies Debanking vs. Deplatforming: which is more dangerous, or are they the same? How Treasurer Pack is fighting for tax cuts for people wearing boots – not just suits. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

"I think that people forget that. These small businesses, they're the ones that are sponsoring your sports teams, which are helping with school things, and that are doing fundraisers that are giving back to the community all the time." - Rebecca BertoldiWhen COVID-19 hit, we launched a series to spotlight the small businesses that sustain our communities. Five years on, many are still rebuilding. This highlight episode revisits candid conversations with policymakers, advisors, and owners about what truly helped—and what must happen next.Top ProblemsFinancing gaps & collapsing revenue put leases, payroll, and inventory at risk.Technology barriers slowed the pivot to online sales and services.Minimal cash reserves left micro and solo enterprises exposed.Top SolutionsSBA pathways: PPP (including second draw), EIDL working capital, and SBA debt relief that covered principal and interest for existing borrowers.Hands-on technical assistance: devices, training, and coaching to move operations online and reach customers.Community-led purchasing: direct takeout, gift cards, curated boxes, catering, and pop-ups to keep dollars local.Show GuestsJulie Clowes, District Director, Small Business Administration's San Francisco District OfficeTim Russell, Program Director, Renaissance Entrepreneurship CenterSharon Miller, Chief Executive Officer, Renaissance Entrepreneurship CenterPierre Coeurdeuil, Director of Advising & Education, SFMadeAmanda Fried, Chief of Policy and Communications, Treasurer for the City and County of San FranciscoAdam Fowler, founding partner, CVL EconomicsKristin Houk Owner of All Good Pizza, TATO, Café AlmaRebecca Bertoldi, Rebecca Bertoldi MarketingPooja Rajani, Director of Programs, En 2 ActionLaurie Thomas, Executive Director, Golden Gate Restaurant AssociationShannon Walter, Manager, Blue Plate SFJeff Trenam, Owner, Blue Plate SFMichelle Pusateri, Owner, Nana Joes GranolaAndrea Baker, Founder, En 2 ActionShow HostsEric Estrada / Co-Host/ VOCGeorge Koster/Producer/Host Voices of the CommunityWhy listenYou'll hear what it really took to survive: from emergency capital and city tax relief to e-commerce pivots and neighborhood solidarity. Owners share the stress, the ingenuity, and the lessons they want every community to remember.Take action After you listen, do one thing to strengthen your local economy:• Order direct from neighborhood restaurants and makers (skip third-party delivery when you can).• Buy gift cards or curated boxes, book local catering for meetings and events.• Donate or volunteer with the support organizations featured in this episode.• Share this episode with a friend who loves small businesses as much as you do.

"Written in the Stars"Got writer's block? Want to unlock the art of storytelling? Grab you tarot deck and astrology chart, and let's get creative with Kacy Boccumini, a certified tarot reader, medium, and filmmaker. Afraid of Nothing podcast host Bob Heske took a workshop with Kacy at Lilydale over the summer, and revisits the experience with our listeners. Kacy also shares some paranormal encounters - including a personal ghost story that is unique and unsettling. Sometimes co-host Cuyle Carvin joins the discussion!ABOUT KACY BOCCUMINIKacy Boccumini is an award-winning writer, filmmaker, and medium from Los Angeles. He's the founder of My Best Guy, an independent film production company, and The Lighthouse, a spiritual hub offering classes, readings, and healing work. He holds a Master's degree from NYU's Tisch School of the Arts and a BFA in Film and Digital Media from UC Santa Cruz, where he graduated with honors and received a Dean's Award for his work on Scorsese's filmic evolution.Kacy spent 17 years at Sony Pictures leading innovation in physical and digital distribution, earning multiple service awards—including a DEG Award for cross-industry leadership on EMA TV avails. In his community, he became the first openly trans person elected to the Miracle Mile Neighborhood Council, where he served as Treasurer. As a filmmaker, his work has screened at major festivals like Slamdance, LA Shorts, Outfest, and NewFilmmakers Los Angeles. His debut short, Last First Kiss, was nominated for Best Dramatic Short of 2025. Most recently, he taught two classes at the renowned Lily Dale Assembly, including his original workshop “Written in the Stars,” which blends writing with tarot and astrology.You can see his films by visiting www.mybestguy.com or see his class and service offerings at www.lightwork.care. Creepy music accompanying Kacy's ghost story courtesy of Zapsplat.com.$10 Afraid of Nothing merch - and more - at the Afraid of Nothing Shopify store. Visit afraidofnothingpodcast.com or use this url:https://www.afraidofnothingpodcast.com/p/shopify-store/Never be afraid to look good and have cool merch! Support the showSUPPORT THE PODCAST NEW: SHOP OUR STORE ON SHOPIFY!Never Be Afraid to Look Good at https://383e86-d1.myshopify.com/.FOLLOW/SUBSCRIBE/REVIEW...On our website at afraidofnothingpodcast.com.SUBSCRIBE...Your gracious donation here helps defray production costs. Beyond my undying gratitude, you will also will be shouted out in an upcoming episode.WATCH ON YOUTUBE...We are uploading past episodes on our Youtube channel. WATCH THE DOC… VIMEO ON DEMAND: Rent the Afraid of Nothing documentary here: https://vimeo.com/ondemand/aondoc. TUBI: watch for free with ads on tubitv.com. REVIEW OUR FILM ON ROTTEN TOMATOES...Write your five-star review here.

The Treasurer has finally clarified how the revamped plans for the new super tax will work - including how Capital Gains Tax will work...it's a template for the future, make sure you are up to speed. James Gerrard of www.financialadviser.com.au joins Associate Editor - Wealth, James Kirby in this episode. In today's show, we cover: Final cut on the new super tax Is the gold sell-off serious? Tax consequences of renting your home* If annuities are so good...where are the deals? See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

City of Vancouver Rental Housing plan gets voted down Guest: Lisa Dominato, ABC Vancouver City Councillor If the budget doesn't pass, could there be an election? Guest: Genevieve Tellier, Professor at the School of Political Studies at the University of Ottawa and Treasurer of the Canadian Study of Parliament Group Why is the CRA so terrible at doing its job? Guest: Vern Kirshna, Professor of Common Law at the University of Ottawa, and widely recognized national tax expert Canada Lagging behind other nations in healthcare needs Guest: Nadeem Esmail, the Fraser Institute's health policy director North Vancouver is giving away free trees Guest: Erika Nassichuk, North Vancouver environmental protection officer Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Long time MUFON board member Tom Whitmore had been a San Antonio Texas resident since 1984. Originally from Tulsa, Tom graduated with a degree in business administration from Portland State University and had a career in the financial industry since the 1970's. He was most recently employed as a financial analyst with a local firm in San Antonio where he retired in 2019. He is an accomplished guitarist and has a daughter who is a pre-school teacher. Tom was invited to join the MUFON board in 1995 and experienced the organization's progress through the successive administrations of Walt Andrus, John Schuessler, James Carrion, Clifford Clift, Dave McDonald and Jan Harzan. He serves as Treasurer and focuses on long term and strategic issues for the organization. Tom has been fascinated by military and intelligence agencies' interactions with the UFO public. He has undertaken a research study of the history of the MJ12 affair, and intends to eventually publish his findings. He participates in discussions of the MJ12 topic by giving presentations to local UFO groups, appearing on Internet Podcasts and Radio Shows, and by communicating in social media. You can view his information on his blog at tomwhitmoreblog.wordpress.com He is currently residing in the Washington DC area, where he is conducting documentary research at the National Archives and the Library of Congress. www.tomwhitmoreblog.wordpress.comBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-x-zone-radio-tv-show--1078348/support.Please note that all XZBN radio and/or television shows are Copyright © REL-MAR McConnell Meda Company, Niagara, Ontario, Canada – www.rel-mar.com. For more Episodes of this show and all shows produced, broadcasted and syndicated from REL-MAR McConell Media Company and The 'X' Zone Broadcast Network and the 'X' Zone TV Channell, visit www.xzbn.net. For programming, distribution, and syndication inquiries, email programming@xzbn.net.We are proud to announce the we have launched TWATNews.com, launched in August 2025.TWATNews.com is an independent online news platform dedicated to uncovering the truth about Donald Trump and his ongoing influence in politics, business, and society. Unlike mainstream outlets that often sanitize, soften, or ignore stories that challenge Trump and his allies, TWATNews digs deeper to deliver hard-hitting articles, investigative features, and sharp commentary that mainstream media won't touch.These are stories and articles that you will not read anywhere else.Our mission is simple: to expose corruption, lies, and authoritarian tendencies while giving voice to the perspectives and evidence that are often marginalized or buried by corporate-controlled media

12 - No Kings Weekend! How did the protests go? Will it be No Krasner weekend soon, as he bungled his way through prosecuting Kada Scott's alleged kidnapper/murderer and the subsequent press conference about it this morning. 1210 - Side - all-time comeback 1220 - Why does Larry Krasner tag in his ADAs to answer all his questions? Your calls. Dom discusses the Republican strategy, locally and nationally 1240 - Callers have questions about if the city really cares about its citizens after not doing a wellness check on Kada Scott beforehand. Is that warranted? 1250 - The Inquirer pulls off a shocker! Just kidding. 1 - NJ District 24 Assemblywoman Dawn Fantasia joins us. Why does the NJEA convention go all out on activism instead of better teaching? As The Inquirer endorses Mikie Sherrill for NJ governor, what does Dawn think of Mikie's affordable housing plan? Who is being seen with Jack Ciattarelli lately? What the heck is happening is Passaic County and it's election integrity issues? Is Mikie Sherrill and her team too foreign to New Jersey for their own good? 120 - Dom details his experience at a mini golf course this weekend. Your calls. 135 - Is Judge Dugan being asked for his opinion on the Kada Scott case? He gives his answer regarding that issue as he joins Dom Time. Why does Patrick think this case should be under a national spotlight? Let's rewind the case, hope could a scenario like this even transpire in the first place? Why is this case also an indictment on the media? How long will innocent women suffer because Krasner wants the last word on every question and answer? 145 - Does the city care about Kada Scott? 150 - Your calls to round out the hour. 2 - The Persistence, Scott Presler joins us for another weekly installation on The Dom Giordano Program. How great is EarlyVoteAction's staff in New Jersey? What is Scott's take on the rule bending being implemented in Passaic County to undermine voter integrity? What is Scott's message to Pennsylvania voters? Why is it important for Republicans to go into areas previously ignored by the GOP? 215 - Dom's Money Melody! 220 - Robert De Niro gets mad at "Jewish Nazis”. What is in the water in Haverford Township? 225 - Your calls. 230 - Treasurer of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and Republican candidate for governor, Stacy Garrity joins us again today. How do we feel about the No Kings protests in Pa and across the country? What does she feel the focus should be on, instead of worrying about a non-existent king? Can we get the Governor's Budget from our Governor anytime soon? What kind of person has a 30 person media relations team? Stacy tees off on her juxtaposition from the Shapiro administration. What motivates him to roll the dice on someone like this guy who works on his staff? 250 - The Lightning Round!

2 - The Persistence, Scott Presler joins us for another weekly installation on The Dom Giordano Program. How great is EarlyVoteAction's staff in New Jersey? What is Scott's take on the rule bending being implemented in Passaic County to undermine voter integrity? What is Scott's message to Pennsylvania voters? Why is it important for Republicans to go into areas previously ignored by the GOP? 215 - Dom's Money Melody! 220 - Robert De Niro gets mad at "Jewish Nazis”. What is in the water in Haverford Township? 225 - Your calls. 230 - Treasurer of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and Republican candidate for governor, Stacy Garrity joins us again today. How do we feel about the No Kings protests in Pa and across the country? What does she feel the focus should be on, instead of worrying about a non-existent king? Can we get the Governor's Budget from our Governor anytime soon? What kind of person has a 30 person media relations team? Stacy tees off on her juxtaposition from the Shapiro administration. What motivates him to roll the dice on this guy working on his staff? 250 - The Lightning Round!

John Mikos joins Nick in Studio 809 to talk about his campaign for Colorado State Treasurer. What is a state treasurer? Well, they watch over the money the state collects before it goes out to whatever the state needs to pay for. And that's a complicated thing because there's billions of dollars in there and the state definitely wants to take the best advantage those moneys as they arrive and before they depart. John can definitely explain it a lot better than I can.Oh, and there's a point where an excited John starts shifting to the right of the view port and Producer Dave has to have him shift back, which I've kept in here for funsies.Follow BNLO on Facebook, Instagram and TikTok!0:00 Splash/Sponsor/Intro0:31 Greetings and Monologue4:27 Ad Break3:12 Introducing John Mikos/Is Colorado a Rectangle?5:27 John is Running for Colorado State Treasurer!7:05 What the Heck does a State Treasurer do?11:39 So Where is Our Money at?13:13 Impactful Investment20:13 The Treasury is Not a Scrooge McDuck Vault21:13 Investing in the Community24:29 Building the Public Bank(s)30:52 Starting Small 35:18 John's Experience and Vision42:50 Getting the Regional Buy-In51:31 Road Tripping for Treasury58:05 It's Time to Talk About TABOR Again1:04:57 Interview Closeout1:06:43 Soapbox - The Charlie Kirk proclamation1:24:01 Credits

Christian College Sex Comedy: Part 9 The Sinister Science Club In 30 parts, By FinalStand. Listen to the podcast at Explicit Novels.             Anyone can be who they want to be; the challenge is being who you need to be Raven Thorpe was awarded the 'honor' of working with me, a designation she groaned over, and other girls glared at her with jealousy. After class she attempted to shoulder past me but I tapped her arm. "Can we talk for a second?" I inquired. "Don't you have to scurry off and take care of your schedule?" she replied blandly. "Can you stop being a bitch for fifteen seconds so we can figure out which author we can work on?" I snapped angrily. She pulled up short as if she expects to be pimp-slapped next. "Okay, who do you have in mind?" she requested. "And if you say William Shakespeare, I am going to smack you with my book bag." "I was thinking the political works of Edmund Burke," I suggested. Raven blinked. "Seriously, I didn't think you even knew who Edmund Burke was, much less that he was the father of modern conservatism," Raven congratulated me. It was almost like she wanted to pat me on the head and give me a doggy bone. "I was thinking of concentrating more on his works during the American Revolution, but if that's what you are more comfortable with, we could cover his later period works instead," I offered. "Good point, Zane. Let's talk it over during lunch," Raven suggested. "Zane," summoned a female voice from outside the classroom. "Go on," Raven smirked, "enjoy your disproportionate level of abuse." "You act like I have any choice in the matter," I shrugged. It was of little consolation that Raven made it ten more feet from the door when she got snatched up too. This time out, my mistress got to point to a feature on her body and I had to give it a flattering description, I know, my life is utter hell. I had no idea where the Science Club met; I even began to get the sinking feeling they carefully controlled any information about themselves, sort of like a secret society, or the CIA. "Hello, I'm Paige," spoke this girl, who apparently materialized out of the ether. I'm not paranoid; I've spent the past two years in a region where you have to be alert because Tigers are common and I say this girl freaking ghosted me, Man. "I'm with the Science Club. You will come with me right now," she smiled like said predator cat trying to disguise herself as a white rabbit. "You are albino," I noted. She had long white hair, alabaster skin, and a red shadow to her eyes. She was also the only girl to date I'd seen with the dark blue jacket that was part of our winter uniform. She also had a jaunty blue hat and white stockings instead of socks. "You have eyes," she rolled hers, "now come along." I started to follow her. "So what is this meeting about?" I asked. "It isn't a meeting; we require you for something," she replied. "What is it?" I became more cautious. "It is a surprise," she mocked me. "Stop wasting my time and come along." "Cool, I'm out of here." I grinned, turned, and left. Paige staggered and seemed unable to grasp my departure. "Where are you going?" she snapped tartly. "To Archery Club," I replied, while still walking away. "But, but you said you would come," she stuttered. "Am I a person? Are you?" "Yes and yes," she replied with irritation. "Are you an idiot or a child? Because those are the only reasons to forgive your spoiled behavior," I turned and said. Paige glared. "So you assume you are smarter than me and can be rude to someone who is doing you a favor." "We are the ones doing you a favor," Paige snapped back. "Now we want you to repay us." "Did you discuss payment when you did me the favor of rewiring my room? No? Good, because if you had, I would clearly be suffering a form of amnesia," I gave back. "If you want something, you can ask as a friend or you can offer me something that makes it worth my while. Now go back to Cordelia and tell her you have returned alone because you were so much smarter than me. If you could only 'speak friend', I continued walking away. "Wait," Paige called out nervously. "I, I, and I could almost hear the wheels turning. "Speak friend and enter." I stopped in midstride. "So you read through my school records and know my top ten influences," I turned and responded. We stared at each other for almost a minute until she finally gave up and put on her sunglasses. I retraced my steps back to her. "Favorite member of the Fellowship?" I tested her. "Legolas," she responded. I scoffed and she had the human decency to look embarrassed. "Ha," I scoffed again. "Horny girls go for the elf; the marrying kind goes for Aragorn." "Who is yours, then, wise guy?" she volleyed. "Boromir," I declared my allegiance. "Ah, of course; the veteran warrior in a doomed struggle; he forsakes his honor only to redeem it in a hopeless fight, perishing in the arms of his brothers," Paige retorted. "I thought you would have gone for Aragorn, the Uncrowned King." "Hmm," I winced, "my second choice was actually Frodo but that would have sounded gay." "You can't be gay; you are not clever enough to conceal that," she stated. "See, now you are sounding like Saruman the White," I teased. "Let me guess: because I'm an albino," she grumbled. "You are an albino? I was talking about your facial hair and that arrogant, know-it-all vibe you've got going on," I joked. Paige stared at me, suddenly speechless, finally taping her chin. "At least you didn't call me Gollum," she admitted. "Nah; too much hair and not enough skin slime," I explained as I ran the back of one finger over her cheek. She flinched slightly. "Are you going to, please, come with me now?" she asked much more politely. "Are you going to have sex with me?" I grinned. "What?" she squawked. "Just joshing you," I smiled. "You are far too pretty to be interested in me. Let's go." I'd clearly unsettled her because she didn't say another word to me until we were going downstairs in the Clegger Science Building. "Do you really think I'm pretty?" she asked as we finished the last set of stairs. "I must confess I find most women attractive, but you are far prettier than most," I replied. "Do you still want to have sex with me?" she said in a casual voice. I took her hand and placed it on my heart. "Hah," she snorted, "I get it; your heart is beating so yes, you want to have sex with me." "I was going to say that a steady heartbeat indicated I was telling the truth, but someone keeps insisting they are smarter than me," I teased her. Am I really asking for another sex partner? What's wrong with me? Her reaction wasn't what I expected it to be and then I realized that she still had something over on me, the reason for me being here. Bitch. She opened a door into a dark room and ushered me in. There appeared to be about ten ladies in the room, playing with a variety of electronics. "Delivered as promised," Paige called out. "What did he hit you with?" a short caramel-skinned girl inquired. "Fellowship of the Ring," Paige grinned. Mother-fuckers! "Did he offer to have sex with you?" Cordelia asked playfully. "Yes. And not only gave me a 'pretty' but also a 'far prettier'." Paige gave me a smug look. "Ha, ha, ha," I muttered. Idiot me forgot that psychology is also a science, and the reason we don't have a chess club at FFU was also evident; the Science Club devoured them. "Come on, Zane," Cordelia batted her full lashes at me. "We need a little favor and it won't take fifteen minutes." "Couldn't you simply coerce me into doing this?" I stated. "I'm sure this whole rigmarole of making me think I'm doing you a favor has to be making things more difficult." "We are all friends here," Cordelia smiled. "No, if we were all friends here, Iona would be at my side," I scolded her. "I admit you did a great scam getting me in this room, but you aren't nearly as good at lying to my face as you think you are." "Iona, Paige started to say. "Don't!" Cordelia snapped, then took a deep breath. "If you threaten Iona he will hit you, no," she corrected, "He'll hit me," Cordelia reasoned out. "There are eleven of us," another girl, Pandora Jaspers, stated, somewhat angry and confident. "I've seen him fight, Pandora. I saw him drop Mercy Chaplain. I've seen him fight Cappadocia Davis and Coach Gorman too," Cordelia said coolly as we stared at one another. "Unless we curl up in a ball on the ground, he'll beat us down. We'll hurt him, but Zane can take more pain than we can because he cares about her." "On that note, I'm gone again. Good going Paige; I'm sure you can think of something to make your sisters understand," I shrugged and moved for the door. "Zane, I need you to strip down and let us attach a series of video and biometric sensors so we can create a 'Virtual Zane' for a little project we are working on," Cordelia blurted out. I had to think hard about this; not because I didn't want to do it but because I had to figure if this was an honest play or another convoluted turn of the screws. I turned and looked at Cordelia. "There was no way in hell you ever thought I was a professor and you miraculously materialized outside my first class with the knowledge I was actually a freshman, damn, Cordelia, can't you just ask for stuff?" I berated her. "If you ask, you depend on another to get what you want; if you deceive, you win or lose on your own abilities," she shrugged. "Besides, I did ask you to kiss me; remember?" "Good enough; where do you want me to stand?" I responded. "Wait," Paige gawked. "Now he is doing it." "Alright ladies," one girl grinned. "Everyone pay up. I told you we should simply ask him." With that, I stepped over to a table and began stripping. Slowly the girls around me stopped what they were doing and openly ogled me. I guess the real me was better than the video. "Aren't you curious about what we are going to do?" Pandora inquired. "You are probably going to tell me that I'm posing naked because it is easier to dress an 'uncluttered' form, or something to that effect, but really, I like Cordelia and Iona is one of my two best friends," I mulled it over. "Besides, in case you missed it, I've seen all your faces." Once they took that bit of news in, things went along smoothly, though they had some debate amongst themselves on whether my cock needed its own 'reference point', a sensor attached. The amusing thing was, when the girl running the computer imaging asked me to keep my cock still, I had to reply that certain reactions weren't under my control, which caused a rather awkward moment. When I was finally finished there was another quiet interlude as I got dressed. "So," Cordelia wondered, rocking back and forth on her feet, "if we need more, data, could we get you to come back?" "Sure," I smiled back, "you know where I live, and you certainly know what my digits are. Cordelia, I want you to consider that if something happens in my room that ends up on the web that betrays the trust people have put in me, I'm not going to come after all of you looking for excuses. Are we clear?" "Is that a threat, Zane?" Cordelia beamed playfully. "Cordelia, I'm always one step away from being tossed out of here on my ass, so those who chose to trust me and take up my cause are doing it because they are decent folk. I'm not like most people; I can't afford to toss friends away like most of the rest of the people in this room seem to be comfortable with." "Or what," Paige smirked, "you'll beat us up?" "No, Paige. I value trust, so if you take that away from me, I'll find out what you value and take that away from you," I stared at her intently. "I know what you are going to say, Paige," Cordelia jumped in, "and Zane being expelled will only mean that he has no other distractions from dealing with us and he'll still have people inside the school all too willing to help him." "Zane, how about if something is done, we give you an off switch for various sections?" Cordelia offered. "Sounds great; let me know how the project works out, but now I have to go to Archery," I replied, before slipping out the door. "How did he know we were going to wire his room?" I overheard Paige whisper to Cordelia. "You don't seriously think he came here solely because we tricked him, do you?" Cordelia answered. "He knew we would try something and he wanted us to know that he knew." Yes, I had bumbled into the message I'd wanted to get across despite myself. Does Anyone Want Me Here? I had escaped school with a double date for Thursday Night (Chastity and Hope), then stopped by the house to plead with Aunt Jill to let Rio stay for the weekend. I gave a rational case, a compassionate reason, and then fell down on my knees and told her I really, really, really wanted her to stay. Something in that last argument made Jill relent and I phoned the good news to Rio. All that groveling resulted in me making the Festivities Committee Meeting by only two minutes. I swept into the room abruptly and as the story of my life goes, everyone stopped talking and looked at me. A quick scan of the room told me that two of the eight women knew to expect me, or at least some guy, while the others clearly assumed I'd lost my way. "Can we help you, young man?" an older woman with hair mostly turned to gray. "Welcome, Glenn," Mrs. Wellington said. "Ladies, Pastor William has asked us to introduce Mr. Braxton to the good works of our Church." There was a pause. "Thank you, Mrs. Wellington, but no one alive calls me Glenn anymore, and I'm not old or accomplished enough to be Mr. Braxton, like my Father or Uncle Tim. My teachers call me Zane." "Oh, you are at the University?" a third woman asked politely. She was asking if I went to the University of Virginia. "No, I don't go to UV; I go to FFU, it is a long story," I replied with trepidation. "I have a daughter at Freedom Fellowship," one of the women responded with concern. "What is her name?" I tried to be polite, what were the odds? "Pandora Jaspers," Mrs. Jaspers answered. "Seriously? I've done Handmaiden duty for her, and today I saw her at the Science Club," I sighed with relief. "What did she have you do?" yet another woman inquired intently. "I helped her create an umbrella walkway when it was raining so that all the students could get to class without getting soaked," I informed them. "Have you been to 'camp'?" a sixth woman hinted at something. "Camp, no, I can't say I've ever been to a camp," I evaded, because I had no idea what they meant. "That's enough, ladies," Mrs. Wellington said. "We have business to take care of. We can worry about Mr. Braxton's confusion at a later time." Oh, they think I'm gay. Camp = Gay camp where fundamentalists are sure I could be cured of being homosexual. I try not to laugh. "Mr. Braxton, I want you to sit at the chair there," Mrs. Wellington pointed to a chair away from the table, against the wall. "I want you to take personal notes for the members, things that don't go into the official record. Doreen Saxon," she indicated the gray haired woman "is our secretary. She takes the official notes of the meeting, so pay attention." The Meeting for the first of September was called to order, the record of attendance including the difficulty of my name, they kept trying to call me Glenn Braxton while I politely asked for Zane. They went with Glenn. The rest of the group worked out like this: Rochelle Wellington was Chairwoman, Kendra Bainbridge was our Treasurer, and Doreen Saxon was the grey-haired Secretary. The rest of the group consisted of Claire Baker, Theresa Geiger, Columbia Jaspers, Heidi Moulin, and Sahara Penny, the Pastor's wife. As the meeting progressed there was little I could do but watch the group dynamics at work. For starters, Bainbridge was at Wellington's throat; they clearly didn't like one another. The other was an oddity; no one interacted with Sahara Penny. I wasn't sure if it was her non-white heritage (Middle Eastern of some sort), her meek nature, or some past sin, but I decided to take advantage of it. I got up quietly and began walking around the table. "Glenn," Mrs. Saxon asked, but I ignored her because, damn it, how many times do I have to tell them my name is Zane? I walked over and knelt by Sahara. "Zane," Mrs. Wellington addressed me, "are you looking for the bathroom?" Bingo! "No, Mrs. Wellington. I was hoping to get some background information on the current discussions as well as contact information for the group. Since the rest of you are treating Mrs. Penny like she has the plague, I figured she would be the perfect candidate to tell me what is really going on here," I grinned at her. "It is always the quiet ones who know the most." And everyone stopped talking. Sahara not only looked shocked and frightened to see me, she looked like she wanted to sink under the table when I told the rest of them my reason for being here. "I assure you, Mr. Braxton, we are fully including Sahara in the process," Mrs. Bainbridge snorted indignantly. "I will gladly accept your reprimand if you can please tell me the last five words you said to her since I arrived," I requested, with as much innocence as I could beg, borrow, or steal. "I asked her about the children's clothing for the Nativity this year," Kendra said after a long pause. "That was Claire, not Sahara," I corrected her. "It is in my notes, but I'm sure Doreen can corroborate my recall of events." "Well," she said testily, "I'm sure I said something to her." Silence. "I apologize for disrupting the meeting. I'll crouch here quietly and conference with Sahara while the rest of you complete the business of the day," I told them, then turned back to Sahara. "Now, what the heck is up with the live turkey at the Thanksgiving celebration?" In the end, I gathered my information, the meeting concluded its business, and the room emptied until it was me, Sahara, Kendra, and Rochelle. "A Christian gentleman would apologize," Kendra informed me. "Well, I guess that makes us both poor Christians, because a good Christian woman wouldn't have lied to me," I calmly replied. Kendra gaped like a fish out of water. "Rochelle!" Kendra snapped to the Committee head. "Zane, you apologize to Kendra right now," she commanded me, without much passion. "Kendra Bainbridge, I apologize for my rude and uncalled for behavior," I said with a bow. Neither woman had expected me to fold up like that, so all Kendra could do was huff and storm out of the room. "Thank you," Sahara whispered, as she touched my hand. "I don't always know the right side to fight on but it is usually by the side of the person being bullied," I grinned. "It is the Christian thing to do," I added with a wink. That left me with Rochelle Wellington: MILF, Lance the asshole's Mom, and wife of the Mayor. She looked like she wanted to stand up but couldn't. Me, I had a Sorority meeting to get to, I missed dinner so I had to grab something first, and why in the hell was I even thinking what I was thinking? I sat down beside her. "What's wrong?" I began. She looked at me, tired and somehow forlorn. "You wouldn't understand, Mr. Braxton, Zane," she sighed. "Try me; the worst that could happen is, I give the expression that every teenager gives an adult when something important is being said but we are too caught up in our own lives to understand." "Oh, good point, young man," she sighed, "but I'm afraid I don't have anything even remotely interesting to talk about." I waited patiently. "I'm feeling sorry for myself. My baby is leaving the nest and it has been so long since I've been alone in the house, I don't know what to do with myself." "Lance is an only child?" I wondered. "Oh, no, he is the youngest of five," she responded with sadness. My jaw dropped and she stared at me. "What, did you start having kids when you were ten?" I gawked. "What?" she sounded confused. "I have a hard time believing you are forty, much less the mother of five grown children," I stammered. At first Rochelle was embarrassed and a bit uncomfortable, but slowly the compliment seeped its way into her psyche. "I, I have a home gym," she suggested as an answer. "Well, whatever you've been doing has worked. Your husband is one lucky guy, and I hope he appreciates you and all you do to look, act, and feel so young," I wowed her. "I'm not feeling all that young right now," she slipped back into her depression. "Where does it hurt?" I changed my focus. "I don't know what you mean?" she asked. "People keep their stress in different places; the back of the neck, the mid-back, shoulders, or temples," I informed her. "I'm not comfortable talking with you about that," Mrs. Wellington replied warily. "Sure," I said popping out of my seat. "I apologize if I crossed any lines," and I made for the door. "Wait, Zane, I apologize. I'm tired and a bit cranky. I know you didn't mean anything and besides, I'm sure you already have a girlfriend," Rochelle admitted. "Please don't spread this around, but I have several girlfriends at the moment. They know about each other, I'm not going to lie about my sex life, but they are usually interested in different things," I told her. "You have, multiple girlfriends, different things? Like what kind of different things?" Rochelle spilled out her confused thoughts. "Some women like sexual contact," I related, "while others like romantic time together, and still others want companionship." There was another long pause. "But you are at Freedom Fellowship University, she trembled. "I've never taken a student's virginity, if that's what you are asking," I answered. "Oh, I understand. I've taught all my children that they should be virgins on their wedding day," Rochelle said with some pride. "I have to disagree with that," I shocked her, "but that is one of the reasons that women are better than girls." "And how would you know this?" She now turned in her chair to face me, trying to sound affronted but coming across as deeply curious. "Umm, I've had sex with girls in their teens and women in their forties, and women know more, pace themselves better, and generally have better bodies," I explained. "Teen girls need a few more years to fill out." Rochelle was utterly speechless, and part of that had to do with the fact that I was being frank and honest, yet not openly coming on to her. "You must not think much of me, then," she mused, "teaching my children my views on virginity." "Where did you get that from? If anything, you are proving yourself to be an intelligent, warm, caring, and compassionate woman and mother, who happens to look like she's less than forty years old," I added. "You did what you thought was right. I can't argue with that." "Well, good," she replied. "Now for my part, I was taught that a real man gives his lover multiple orgasms and he should never reach fulfillment before his partner does. Any man who does so is being selfish," I stated. "How did you come by this, thinking?" she inquired with a small voice. "Umm, I've had sex around five hundred times with thirty different partners," I told her, "so I've not only learned from very good teachers, I've field tested their ideas." "How can you possibly consider yourself a good Christian, Zane?" she accused me. "Compassion, respect for all living things, and forgiveness, that's what I believe in and what Christianity stands for in my eyes," I explained. "The Bible is clear on sex and the sanctity of the marriage bed," Rochelle insisted. "Mrs. Wellington, everything after the death of Jesus is conjecture. We both accept that Jesus was the Son of God, but after he dies, who is to say who was being touched by the Divine, who was building on JC's teachings, and who was simply making stuff up," I held up my hand to stop Rochelle's protest. "The Catholics have a thousand Saints, most of whom we don't hold to be divinely inspired. You chose to believe that virginity is a girl's sacred duty, but I don't recall Christ saying anything on the subject. You can certainly quote later Gospels or the Old Testament, but that makes it your choice, not the Word of God," I finished up. Another long pause followed. "I keep my stress in the top of my shoulders," she suddenly said. I stood up and moved behind her, deciding to not question her changing opinion of me. "It helps if you take off your jacket," I suggested, then helped her shimmy out of it. She tensed up as my hands weighed down lightly on her shoulders so I kept my touch gentle. Two minutes into the massage, I began squeezing harder and harder, moving my palms back and forth over her bra straps from upper arm to neck. "Rochelle," I whispered into her ear, "I am going to rotate your shoulders." I rolled over each shoulder one at a time but when I finished, I pushed her slowly forward until she was resting her elbows on the table and held her head on her upturned hands. When I went back to the massage, I worked her over harder and extended my reach from her mid-back to neck. This was clearly a case of begging forgiveness instead of asking permission. I took my time, relaxing her to a completely detached state. When I brought her back to reality, I was kneeling beside her and tapping her on the arm. "Rochelle? Are you okay," I asked in a gentle, caring voice. Dreamily, she turned her head from its resting place on her arms to look at my eyes straight-on and mere inches away. "What, huh?" she muttered. "How do the shoulders feel? Has your stress gone away?" I inquired. "Yes, yes," she popped up, alert once more. "It feels really good, in fact. I haven't felt this way in years," she added with a smile. "I think it is time for us to go," I suggested. "Can I help you with your jacket?" "Of course," she nodded. "Thank you for helping an old lady out." I held it while she put in one arm after the other but when I settled it on her shoulders, I stepped in and held her there for a moment while I pressed myself against her so she could feel how I felt about 'old ladies'. Rochelle froze when she felt my cock, rigid in my slacks, pressed against her ass. I was unsure if I'd gone too far when she pushed ever so slightly against me. "I've got to be going. I will see you on Sunday but I'm home all weekend with one of my girlfriends in case you need me," I informed her. I slipped out before she could respond because not only did I have a Sorority function to attend, I also needed to figure out where I could score some Viagra because I clearly had no common sense where sex was concerned. Besides, Sahara was obviously in need of attention because Pastor Bill wasn't giving it to her, and Bainbridge was lashing out due to years of sexual frustration, I repeat: I have no common sense. Every One Like a Fingerprint to Me When I was racing to get to the Kappa Sigma House, I hardly expected to be met by one of their pledges and absolutely no one else. After I sat down in the den and the pledge, Tina, got me a soda from the kitchen, we found ourselves staring at one another. "So, I'm here on the correct night; right?" I asked. "Yes, you are, Zane," she bubbled with anticipation. "Where is everybody?" I prodded her. "They are taking care of Sorority business but they will come get us when they are ready," she grinned. I knew I was missing something but I didn't know what it was. "Is it hot in here?" I wondered. "Yes," Tina said after a bit of concentration. "Tina, can I have some Advil? I'm getting a headache," I yawned. "Okay," Tina responded, still happy, and still sitting down. "Ah, fuck, you drugged me, didn't you?" I groaned. I doubted I could still stand and then proved my doubts as I slid off the chair. "Damn," I slurred. Tina walked over to me, took my drink away, and gently maneuvered my body to the floor. "If it is any consolation, I was selected as the pledge most likely to seduce you," she stated with real sympathy. I might have smiled at her, I wasn't sure, but I definitely passed out. Cough! Someone plunged cleaning detergent underneath my nose and fired me back to consciousness. Holy Mother of God, I'm cold, my wrists and ankles hurt, I'm outdoors in the woods illuminated by torches and surrounded in a semi-circle of bare-footed figures in ankle long brown robes and black hoods. I was cold because I was naked and my limbs hurt because I was suspended on a cross, not a 'T' cross but an 'X' cross. I certainly know some kinky, fucked-up people. "Zane," a modulated voice addressed me, "you are on trial before Kappa Sigma for your treatment of one of our sisters. You have abused the trust of one sister by seeking romantic relations with another. What do you have to say for yourself?" "If the question is that I had relations with Leigh, then had a similar encounter with Paris, then I confess. In my defense, I never sought to deceive either one and will make amends if permitted," I promised. "Sisters, we have heard his defense. Will any of you vote in his behalf?" she intoned. No one stepped forward. "Zane, we will give you one chance to save yourself. If you fail, you will be shaved bald and painted in a permanent purple dye." I assume that means seven days on human skin. "If you can pick out the woman you have wronged, beg her forgiveness, and are forgiven, you will go free." I was getting pretty nervous since they were all totally covered except for their toes when the 'leader' nodded and the girls all opened their robes to reveal string bikinis in a variety of colors. Their faces were still covered, though that wasn't really a problem for me anymore. "Choose Leigh and Paris, beg their forgiveness, and you may be pardoned," the 'leader' commanded. "That's not fair," I answered right back, "because they are not before me now." "Think carefully," the girl with the modulated voice cautioned me. "No, seriously; I'm looking at Josephine, Maria, Cynthia, Sarah, Ferrara, Petra, Yvette, Tawny, Jersey, and Monique," I named them left to right. "What?" Sarah gasped to her assembled sisters. "Do we have name tags on?" Behind me, I heard snickers turn into giggles, Leigh and Paris. Tawny stepped forward. "How did you know?" she inquired, clearly not the girl with the modulated voice. "Ah, Josephine has a birthmark on her ankle, Maria has the darkest skin tone, and Cynthia's breasts don't angle down the middle or to the side but somewhere in the middle." "Sarah has slender thighs and her calves curve just so below the knee; Ferrara always paints her nails in these crazy patterns; Petra scrapped her knee backpacking two weekends ago; Yvette, has that tattoo over her right nipple; Tawny, you have a slender neck, a, 38C chest, and a strong swell from your waist to your hips; Jersey is the tallest and has that scar she got in a boating accident in high school; and finally, Monique has the perkiest nipples and the most slender calves," I recited. Man, even the crickets went quiet after that. "Zane, did anyone help you with this test?" Tawny finally asked. "Nope." "How could they?" Leigh came to my defense. "You didn't make the line-up until thirty minutes ago." "Jersey, go check his phone log," Tawny directed her sister. "I'm getting really cold," I whispered to Leigh. She looked from my eyes to my waist with sympathy. Jersey walked out of the light but quickly returned with my phone. "His last call was at 2:10 p.m. but he did have a data download at 6:45, it seems to be a bunch of women's names and phone numbers," Jersey relayed the information to them. "It is my church group, I swear. Honestly, they are all married women in the Festivities Committee that bastard of a pastor assigned me to," I pleaded. "No phone calls?" Tawny persisted. "No phone calls," Jersey confirmed. "Okay, Zane, how did you know who we were with our faces concealed?" Tawny wondered. "Is that a serious question?" The deafening pause was its own answer. "You are women; I pay attention to women and to me, each female form is as exacting as a fingerprint. Until now I thought all of this was a joke," I related. "I mean, if you wanted to scare me, you would have given me something difficult to figure out." "And you picked all this up at one party?" Tawny sounded bewildered. "Have I mentioned how much I like women?" I reminded her. "But you brought twenty women with you; you always had a woman by your side. How?" Tawny still struggled to understand. "I repeat: have I mentioned how much I like women? I see nothing wrong with being with one woman and looking at others, but I believe it is wrong to be with one woman and thinking about someone else," I explained. "You should always appreciate the one you are with." "Umm, does any sister believe Zane has earned a reprieve?" For two seconds no one reacted, then Jersey stepped forward. "He knew about my scar," was her excuse. Five more stepped forward right after that and all had done so by the tenth second. "Very well Zane, you are forgiven," Tawny announced. Yay, me! "But I have one other issue to address. Zane, I can't have you cutting a swath through my girls so I'm going to demand that you stick to one and only one Kappa Sigma per semester." I stared at her until she finally had to question me. "What?" "I wish you would stop treating me like a child," I chuckled. "What makes you think I'm not being serious?" Tawny growled. "We've kissed. You can tell a lot about a person in the way they kiss, and you are very caring and thoughtful," I told her. "Why would I be out here in the woods naked if I didn't trust you?" "You kissed him!" yelped Leigh. Tawny smirked as she looked at her. "You left me alone with a naked Zane in your room; he looked cold and lonely," she told Leigh. I was cold and lonely because Tawny tossed Leigh out of her own room and then wouldn't let me get dressed, but only Tawny, Christina, and I knew that. "Besides, Zane, you are naked in these woods because we tricked you into our house and spiked your drink," Tawny pointed out. "Ah, but would I have been dumb enough to take that drink if I hadn't first trusted you enough to show up, wait, that didn't come out right," I mumbled. "Are you agreeing to my terms?" Tawny teased. "Nope. I prefer to hold to the illusion I'm living in the Free World," I declared. "You can certainly tell your sisters what to do because they volunteered for this but I only hang out here because all of you have been so nice to me. If I've been a poor guest, I'll just leave, because I'm not going to pretend I like one sister less than another." "Zane, you are deep in the woods, tied to a cross, and the only people who know you are here are all bound by Sacred Oaths of Sisterhood, Blood, and Secrecy," Tawny stated sweetly, as she came up and stroked my cheek. "You aren't in the best place to be dumping us." "Good point," I agreed defiantly. "Maybe I should wait to get on my high horse when I can actually get on a high horse, but I'm still not going to take it back." "We could always keep him in our secret basement," Monique suggested. When everyone looked at her she added, "Hey, he liked my nipples. Finding a guy who is good with nipples isn't as easy as you would think." Huh, what? I had a definite feeling I was losing control of events. "You have a secret basement?" I gulped. "I didn't know you had a secret basement." "Well, duh," Paris snickered. "It wouldn't be much of a secret if you knew about it." "We are not keeping Zane chained up for our amusement," Tawny warned the girls. "We specifically changed the Charter back in '02 so that we can no longer keep men on the premises for more than forty-eight hours." Yay? "We also can't leave him here," Tawny continued. "I'm sure Christina will have search parties out looking for you before sunrise." "I'll stay out here and stand guard over him," Leigh volunteered. "No," Tawny scolded Leigh. "We can't let him get fucked to death either." Leigh looked truly heartbroken. "I think we have to let Zane get off this time," Tawny sighed. "I was trying to get him off," Leigh grumbled. "Give it a rest, Leigh," Tawny demanded. "Paris, give our guest something to drink so we can wrap this up." Paris disappeared behind me, then reappeared with a glass of water. "Drink up," she smiled beatifically. "Just promise me I'm not going to wake up in some landfill or tied to a lamppost somewhere public," I groaned. "Drink it down right now and you might wake up next to me," Tawny challenged. Needless to say, I drank and quickly, because I'm an idiot who keeps too much blood in the wrong head. When I woke up, I was back in the Sorority house with a different sweet pledge smiling at me and that smell of ammonia in my nostrils. She handed me a folded piece of paper. I said 'you MIGHT wake up next to me' the paper read. 'P.S. See you and the Ladies at our Halloween Bash.' "What's your name?" I asked the pledge. This time the home was filled with the noises of occupancy. "Larissa," she giggled. "So, are you Leigh's boyfriend?" "Ah, no; I'm community property; the other sisters hand me around like a box of chocolates," I joked. "Really! That is so great," she bubbled with excitement. "I can't wait until I get initiated. I want you to make me scream the way you had Leigh singing." Does no one get my jokes? "Larissa, I am sure you will pass your initiation, no sweat," I told her as I stood up, feeling a bit drunk. Larissa walked with me to the door and gave me a quick peck on the cheek as I turned to head for my car. I made it to campus with seconds to spare. The crawl up to the Solarium was done in relative quiet, though Barbie Lynn decided to sample my tonsils before letting me up. Not two steps inside the door my phone rang. "Hello, is this Zane Braxton?" this familiar voice greeted me. "That would be me. What can I do for you this night?" I responded. "This is Felicity Tolliver. I wanted you to know that I had dinner with Rochelle Wellington tonight and I think having you on her committee has really improved her mood," she informed me. I reached the top of the landing and nearly dropped the phone. Iona sat nervously on my bed, which she had made up because I never do it that well. She was wearing lingerie that definitely made her whole form much more feminine. "Felicity, Rochelle and I talked mostly, plus I showed her some techniques to help alleviate stress," I related, "but you can tell her it was a pleasure to work with such a vibrant and beautiful woman. You two are a lot alike." There was a pause, then, "I'll tell her that," Felicity said. "I will be at my home in case she needs something this weekend. I would like to see both of you, as would my Aunt," I offered. "That would be nice," she sounded upbeat. "We could also discuss getting some FFU girls coming over to your place and the workshops you could teach on campus in October and November," I suggested. "That sounds great too," Felicity agreed. "I would like to spend some time at FFU and having some girls know where Lance's house is would be nice. When do you want to meet?" "How about after dinner, say 8:00 o'clock?" I suggested. "You can bring Lance." "After dinner is fine but Lance has a church workshop on Saturday nights," Felicity sighed. Oh hell, does this woman even get taken to first base? "He's always so busy with his fraternity at school, the Young Christian Men's Republican caucus, and the Christian Men's League at church." Does this guy spend any time with women at all? "Consider it a date," I replied. "Now I have a very good reason to go to bed, so good night." "Good night," she parted in a friendly manner, which allowed me to hang up and start undressing as I approached the bed. I looked down at my bed buddy once I'd stripped down to nothing. "You look lovely, Iona," I greeted her. "What do you want to do?" "I'll do whatever you want," Iona said with a tremor in her voice, looking down at her lap. She looked stunning in her burgundy bra and panties, which were far more lace than substance. I felt the hand of, Christina (?) in all this. "Thank you, Iona. What I really want is to lie down, you beside me so that I can look into your eyes and gently trace lines along your body, and then I want to go to sleep with you in my arms. That's what I really want." "Really?" she perked up in surprise and relief. I crawled under the covers, holding them open so she could join me. "I like this a lot," she murmured, as she settled in at my side, snug in the covers. I shifted to my side and cupped her chin before exchanging several soft kisses with her. Afterwards, I did as I told her I would; my hand caressed her body, avoiding nipples and cunt but doing my best to get everywhere else. I elicited sensual moans and ticklish giggles. When I had forced her to push me off so she could catch her breath, I felt I had given Iona what she wanted, and more importantly, what she could live with. I sat back and stared at the Moon through my glass roof. Iona's smiling face slowly invaded my view. "I give up, Iona," I pleaded. "Right now I want some sleep." "That's okay. I will sit here and watch over you," she sighed. "That's, that's a little creepy, actually," I confessed. "I've watched all of the Twilight movies so I know what secretive romances are all about," Iona explained. Unfortunately, I knew little of the Twilight series of movies. I knew it involved vampires and werewolves and some chick named Bella but I'd never actually seen any of that. Had I known it involved a 100-year-old vampire breaking into some teenager's room and staring down at her while she slept, I would have been much more concerned, but for now I went to sleep. A lesson in why I shouldn t get out of bed in the morning. I woke up to every heterosexual teenage boy's second favorite dream (the first being a morning blowjob) of a perfume-scented head resting on each shoulder as you wake. There were the tiny complications of only having gone to bed with one woman and that, by their breathing, I could tell they were both awake. "Good morning," I said cautiously; technically morning since it was 5:00 a.m. "Good morning, Zane," Iona and Barbie Lynn greeted me. They both ran hands over my chest, though they gave a sudden jolt when their hands touched. I had one arm around Iona and I used that to give her a hug. My other arm was pinned by my side by Barbie Lynn's body. I gave Barbie's thigh a squeeze and she wiggled in response. "Okay, Barbie Lynn, this is Iona's night, so what are you doing here?" I scolded my blonde nymph. "I'm sorry," Barbie demurred then looked to Iona and repeated the "I'm sorry." "I understand," Iona replied, hesitating before saying after further introspection as she snuggled in, "I want to wake up this way every morning too. I like the way he smells and the way he makes me feel all warm inside, and now you owe me a night, to be shared," she stated hopefully. "One of these days I'm going to get a say in how I spend my free time," I griped. Iona looked hurt but Barbie Lynn merely sneered. "Don't you worry none, Iona. Zane, if you could wake up next to myself and Iona tomorrow morning, would you?" she drawled like sweet molasses. "Yes," I grumbled petulantly, "but I'd still like to talk about it." "Trust us, Suga, we know what's best for you and what you want. Just let us girls take care of you and you take care of all the Man Stuff." "We'll take good care of you," Iona dog-piled on, but in a nice way. "If it makes you feel better, you can punish us," Barbie Lynn offered. "We've been bad." "Huh?" Iona and I questioned. Barbie flipped over and wiggled her ass against me. "Good point. You two get to the foot of the bed, facing away from me, now!" I demanded. "Why me?" Iona honestly worried. "What did I do wrong?" "Do it, Iona. This is virtually a rite of passage," Barbie Lynn lied to her. "No, it is not, and if you don't want to do it, you don't have to," I told her. She didn't know what I was going to do and she clearly was scared, but when Barbie Lynn crawled out from under the covers and moved to the foot of the bed, resting on all fours, ass toward me, she followed suit. "If Barbie Lynn is going to do this," she muttered, "then so am I." I followed them, positioning myself between their calves and massaging their ass cheeks lightly. Barbie shifted back and forth in anticipation; Iona couldn't de-tense. Smack! "Oh, Yes!" Barbie Lynn yelped, then playfully wiggled her other, unmarked cheek within reach. "I've been really bad!" she chirped cheerfully. "No! Bad Girl," I shook my finger at her. "I'm starting to believe you aren't learning your lesson." We both knew that spanking Barbie was like throwing gasoline on a fire. Unfortunately, my purpose right now was to get them both back to their rooms, not work off my morning arousal. I moved behind Iona and forced her legs apart. She was clearly uncomfortable when I put a hand on each hip and slowly rocked her back and forth. Barbie Lynn sat back and watched with an enchanting glow highlighting her features; clever, intuitive, and lovely all at once. I settled my body onto Iona's back, my hard-on pressing into her ass cleft and one hand rubbing her stomach. "Zane?" Iona whispered in a scared little girl voice. "Yes," I answered, while kissing her along her shoulder ridge. "You, you didn't do this to Barbie Lynn," she choked out. "Do you want me to treat you as if you were another woman?" I continued, brushing her hair to one side so I could tease her neck with my lips. That got her to finally relax. "No," she gasped. "Iona, you explaining sex to Zane is like a bobcat telling a wolf how to hunt deer," Barbie Lynn teased Iona. "He gets to know you, what you like, and what you want, even if you don't know what that is." I spent another two minutes giving Iona a sensual massage, rubbing her upper arms, down along her sides, then tracing the lines of her panties before finishing with her inner thighs. Smack! "Oh," Iona gasped from the light impact. "Why didn't you spank me as hard as you spanked Barbie Lynn?" she wondered. "Did you want me to leave a handprint on your ass?" I asked. "No, I guess not," Iona admitted. "Can you answer me something?" "I'll try," I replied. "Why do you have those marks on your wrists and ankles?" She inquired. The room was dark so Barbie Lynn hadn't seen my little gift from the Kappa Sig's until Iona showed her what to look for. "Zane?" Barbie Lynn demanded to know, her persona going from sensual lover to protective Dorm Mother. "Let's not get into this right now," I sighed. They looked past me to one another but thankfully respected the peace I had requested. Had they not left together, huddled in quiet conversation, I would have been happier, but I had to be satisfied with fifteen more minutes of sleep instead. By the time I made it to the shower, everyone already knew not to ask, they were already seeking answers on their own. Getting to breakfast involved a play-debate where I had to be the 'Bad Guy,' aka the Liberal, Baby-killing, Godless Democrat, while my mistress of the moment was the heroic Republican. I graciously allowed her to trounce me, to the cheers of my fellow classmates, when I declared that all churches should be converted to homes for unwed mothers and that church-endorsed marriage should be banned for not accepting homosexuality. Did I know my audience or what? Never a Simple Morning I love women, even though they will surely be the death of me. Case in point: breakfast. I'm about to sit down with my normal companions (Rio and Iona) when a blur shoves Rio aside and takes a seat next to me. "Zane, I've been going over the books in the school library and some, Raven began. "Bitch, you did not just bump me and steal my seat," Rio seethed. Raven looked over her shoulder at Rio. "We are not in kindergarten anymore. Grown-ups chose their own seat," Raven lectured. "Wait!" I cried out to forestall Rio's pelting Raven with the contents of her food tray. Rio gave me barely enough time to twist my tray sideways, half-stand, and pull the Hellion onto my lap. I wouldn't displace Iona and that was the only place in this section of the table for her to sit. "Nice hood ornament," Raven smirked. "You and me are far from done," Rio snarled. "What, you don't know what 'ornament' means so you opt for something out of 'Goodfellas'?" Raven taunted. "Stop!" I barked. "Rio, Raven, Raven, Rio; Rio is my twin-soul and Raven is going to help me get through English this semester so for my sake, would you both please play nice?" Neither girl would budge so I took the initiative. "Raven, I think we can get access to the libraries at UV and George Mason; I'm sure they have tons more material for us to use," I offered. "How are you going to manage that?" Raven was skeptical. "Yeah, Brainiac," Rio parroted. "How are you going to do that?" "I'll have one of the Sorority sisters help me with UV and we'll have Iona hack Lance Wellington's password from his phone," I explained. "That will get us into Mason." "Only an idiot would store their password on a portable storage device," Raven stated with confidence. "Someone smart enough to get into George Mason wouldn't do that." "Ha, ha, ha," Rio laughed. "Raven, there are smarts, then there are real smarts. Any knucklehead can crack some books and get into a law school but it takes an adult to know when the rules do and don't apply." "That makes no sense," Raven stated with authority. "Raven, would you even consider trying to access UV or George Mason?" I asked. "No," she admitted, "because we don't go there." "Men build fortresses to be impregnable; God inspires men to storm them anyway," I replied. "Which translates as, 'if Zane says he's going to get something for you, he'll do it," Rio said. "Okay," Raven mulled it over, then, "So, Zane, how did you get those rope burns on your wrists?" "Yeah, Zane, how did you get those marks on your wrists and ankles?" Rio inquired devilishly. I stole an accusatory look at Iona for ratting me out about my ankles. "I went over to the Kappa Sigma

They said he couldn’t do it, but he’s doing it. In a few days, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, fresh from a week’s holiday, will be flying to Washington to meet US President Donald Trump. And also, what really went on between the PM and his Treasurer over the super reforms that Jim Chalmers abandoned this week. Paul Sakkal says the Treasurer had his pants pulled down by the PM. Is he right? Joining Jacqueline Maley is chief political correspondent Paul Sakkal and chief economics correspondent Shane Wright.Subscribe to The Age & SMH: https://subscribe.smh.com.au/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

They said he couldn’t do it, but he’s doing it. In a few days, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, fresh from a week’s holiday, will be flying to Washington to meet US President Donald Trump. And also, what really went on between the PM and his Treasurer over the super reforms that Jim Chalmers abandoned this week. Paul Sakkal says the Treasurer had his pants pulled down by the PM. Is he right? Joining Jacqueline Maley is chief political correspondent Paul Sakkal and chief economics correspondent Shane Wright.Subscribe to The Age & SMH: https://subscribe.smh.com.au/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this episode of the InsuranceAUM.com podcast, host Stewart Foley, CFA, is joined by Frank Melaccio, CFA, CPA, FRM, Vice President, Finance and Treasurer at Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield of New Jersey, and Jason Young, Head of U.S. Corporate Private Placements and Private Structured Credit at MetLife Investment Management (MIM). The discussion explores the evolving role of investment-grade private credit and asset-based finance (ABF) in health insurance investment portfolios. Both guests share their career journeys, personal anecdotes, and their perspectives on strategic asset allocation within the unique cash flow structures of health insurers.   Together, they dive into the diversification benefits, relative value opportunities, and liquidity considerations of IG private placements and ABF. Frank offers insights into how health insurers manage illiquidity risk while optimizing return on capital, and Jason sheds light on how the ABF market has matured with shorter durations and more investor interest. This episode is packed with expert perspectives on credit market dynamics, the future of private fixed income, and how health insurers can better position their portfolios in today's rapidly changing environment.

Investors who have held property as the backbone of their retirement portfolios will be the first in line for the new taxes on super…especially at the top end. But what will the ‘final’ template for the new super tax mean for everyone else? Stuart Wemyss of ProSolution Private Clients joins Associate Editor - Wealth, James Kirby in this episode In today’s show, we cover: Ouch! Super tax on many properties will double Top-end turnover…40% wealth tax will drive sales in luxury property Doing your numbers afresh, super should still beat the alternatives Why this time around the Treasurer will get his tax plan through parliament See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It was the superannuation tax plan that helped Labor achieve a landslide victory in the last election. Though some of Australia’s wealthiest Australians - who were hit hardest by the plan - cried foul, the government has been saying, for more than two years, that it would NOT change its super proposals.Flash forward to this week, when, in an embarrassing political backflip, treasurer Jim Chalmers announced, yep, major changes to it.Today, senior economics correspondent Shane Wright on what these changes are, and how you’ll be impacted by them.Subscribe to The Age & SMH: https://subscribe.smh.com.au/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It was the superannuation tax plan that helped Labor achieve a landslide victory in the last election. Though some of Australia’s wealthiest Australians - who were hit hardest by the plan - cried foul, the government has been saying, for more than two years, that it would NOT change its super proposals.Flash forward to this week, when, in an embarrassing political backflip, treasurer Jim Chalmers announced, yep, major changes to it.Today, senior economics correspondent Shane Wright on what these changes are, and how you’ll be impacted by them.Subscribe to The Age & SMH: https://subscribe.smh.com.au/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We're joined today by California State Treasurer Fiona Ma. The Treasurer is the state's banker and manages $3 trillion per year, among many other things. Ma is a former San Francisco Supervisor, state legislator and member of the Board of Equalization, and a current candidate for Lieutenant Governor. She spoke with us about the Treasurer's job, her path to that office, and about her mentor, the legendary John Burton.  :21 Proposition 50 debate2:12 Lindsey Horvath and Measure G6:20 Fiona Ma7:09 What does the State Treasurer do?9:10 Dancing with the Capitol Stars13:32 Origin story20:22 The Board of Equalization22:03 Can CA backfill federal budget cuts?26:53 "Government by Unicorn"27:28 Public-private partnerships31:18 What's next for Fiona Ma?36:03 #WWCAWant to support the Capitol Weekly Podcast? Make your tax deductible donation here: capitolweekly.net/donations/Capitol Weekly Podcast theme is "Pickin' My Way" by Eddie Lang"#WorstWeekCA" Beat provided by freebeats.io Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

The US President has declared the war in Gaza is over, but as the world nervously waits for the hostage handover, many experts are concerned about what may lie ahead. In this episode of The Briefing, Natarsha Belling is joined by Middle East expert Dr Andrew Thomas, who warns there are many concerns over whether this latest breakthrough will actually lead to lasting peace. Headlines: Treasurer Jim Chalmers has backed down on major changes to superannuation, Victoria Police will undergo a complete restructure, and a father of four has chased down two teenagers who allegedly broke into his home. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week, State Treasurer Brad Briner visited The SEANC View Podcast for an extensive interview covering everything from the status of the State Health Plan to the prospect of cost-of-living adjustments for retirees. In the last few weeks, Briner's office has been on quite a roll. On Tuesday, he announced a significant agreement with CVS Caremark that has ended a long-standing dispute and is expected to bring savings to Plan members. It may also enable the plan to cover GLP-1 drug treatment for weight loss once again. Last week, his office brokered a deal between Duke and Aetna that will allow State Health Plan members to continue to see Duke doctors in-network. We discussed the state retirement system and the need for true COLAs for retirees at length as well. He elaborated on his comments on NC Newsline this week, stating that changes to the system's investing strategy may allow for a raise in 2027. He also discussed fees, in-house management, and the creation of an Investment Authority to oversee the system.

On this episode, Cesar and Sarah sit down with Indiana State Treasurer Daniel Elliott. Daniel isn't just the man who oversees $16 billion of Hoosier funds—he's also a passionate advocate for school choice, a dad of four, a former software engineer, and a true Hoosier at heart. Daniel shares his personal journey from growing up in rural Jennings County to public service, his family's diverse education choices, and his strong belief that parents know their kids best. The focus turns to Indiana's innovative Education Scholarship Account (ESA) and Career Scholarship Account (CSA) programs. Daniel explains why he believes the Treasurer's Office is best equipped to manage these programs instead of the Department of Education. He highlights the office's record of efficiency (including reducing payment processing times from 45 days to just 3 days), significant cost savings, and a parent-centric, flexible approach hailed as the “gold standard” nationwide. Throughout the episode, you'll hear real stories about how school choice options—homeschool, charter, public—have benefited Daniel's own children, and powerful testimonials about ESA's impact on special needs students. Daniel also addresses recent legislative proposals to move ESA/CSA program oversight, raising concerns about the possible loss of personalized service and program flexibility if transferred to a larger bureaucracy. Key Takeaways: Daniel Elliott's Background:Growing up in Southern Indiana, being first in his family to attend college, and his move from IT to public service. School Choice Journey:The Elliott family's hands-on experiences with public school, homeschool, and charter schools for their four children. Inside Indiana's ESA & CSA Programs: What the programs offer (customized education funding for special needs students and career/apprenticeship pathways). Why the Treasurer's Office administers these programs, not the Department of Education. Dramatic improvements in efficiency, provider options, and direct, responsive service to families. Parent-Centric Approach:How Daniel's team listens to parents and adapts the programs to fit real needs—plus why this nimble, small-business style model works better than traditional bureaucracy. Advocacy and Legislative Concerns:The potential risk to families if ESA/CSA oversight moves to a larger agency, and Daniel's appeal for lawmakers to keep the program where it is. How Listeners Can Help: Parents: Share feedback and personal success stories with officials. All: Reach out to Indiana lawmakers to support school choice and the Treasurer's Office's continued oversight. Did you find this episode informative? Help us out! Leave a review Share it with your friends Give us a 5 Star rating on your podcatcher of choice For more information about school choice and the Indiana Choice Scholarship Program, visit our website at https://www.i4qed.org

Note: Please note that all opinions and thoughts shared during this episode represent those of our guest, who joined in his own personal capacity and he is not representing any of the companies he works for.In this episode of FP&A Unlocked, host Paul Barnhurst welcomes Todd Niemann, Treasurer at Varo Bank, who shares his unique path through finance, treasury, and FP&A across multiple startup banks. Todd discusses how he helped launch and scale three new banking institutions, how FP&A supports better decision-making in banking, and why he believes Python is transforming financial analysis.Todd Niemann is the Treasurer at Varo Bank, where he oversees treasury and FP&A functions. A CFA charterholder with an MBA from Brigham Young University and a BA from Utah State University, Todd has helped build treasury and FP&A teams for three startup banks. His background spans banking, investing, and corporate finance, making him an authority on financial analytics and modeling in regulated industries.Expect to Learn:How to build and scale FP&A and treasury functions at startup banksWhy speed and accuracy are essential hallmarks of effective FP&AHow to forecast effectively when historical data doesn't existThe benefits of learning Python for finance automation and analyticsHere are a few quotes from the episode:“The best FP&A teams don't wait for perfect data; they create frameworks that help the business move forward anyway.” - Todd Niemann“In finance, speed matters. The faster you can analyze accurately, the more valuable you are.” - Todd NiemannTodd Niemann brings clarity to how FP&A drives smarter banking decisions through data, speed, and precision. His journey shows the power of combining technical skill with curiosity and innovation. This episode proves that the future of finance belongs to those who build, automate, and never stop learning.Campfire: AI-First ERP:Campfire is the AI-first ERP that powers next-gen finance and accounting teams. With integrated solutions for general ledger, revenue automation, close management, and more, all in one unified platform.Explore Campfire today: https://campfire.ai/?utm_source=fpaguy_podcast&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=100225_fpaguyFollow Todd:LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/toddniemann/Earn Your CPE Credit For CPE credit, please go to earmarkcpe.com, listen to the episode, download the app, answer a few questions, and earn your CPE certification. To earn education credits for the FP&A Certificate, take the quiz on Earmark and contact Paul Barnhurst for further details.In Today's Episode[02:58] - What Makes Great FP&A?[05:27] - Building FP&A at New Banks[10:37] - Banking and Regulation[15:08] - Challenges of FP&A in Early-Stage Banks[23:08] - Learning and Applying Python in Finance[31:51] - Predicting Deposits with Big Data[38:21] - Recommended Reading for Finance Pros[40:19] - Top Technical and Soft Skills for FP&A[42:48] - What Todd Would Change About FP&A[47:00] - Wrapping Up the Conversation

Homeless shelter operators are scrambling to get their centers ready before winter sets in. Plus, Vermont's Treasurer says strong cash reserves should help the most critical state programs weather the current federal government shutdown, an Addison County resident who's lived in Vermont for about 20 years and applied for asylum in 2017 has avoided deportation for the time being, the state's largest health insurer names a new CEO for next year, and the Vermont Green women's soccer club is set to compete in the pre-professional women's league next season if two more clubs join the new northeast division. 

Celebrating 400 Episodes of the Treasury Career Corner!This is a major milestone - 400 episodes of The Treasury Career Corner! For seven years, we've shared the career journeys and insights of the world's top treasury professionals. To mark this special occasion, we've brought in a powerhouse guest whose story perfectly encapsulates what this show is all about: world-class leadership, growth through challenge, and relentless focus on impact.We are delighted to welcome this week's guest Tony Masone, VP, Treasurer, Treasury & Risk Management at Amazon.Tony Masone is the Vice President, Treasurer, of the Treasury & Risk Management organization at Amazon where he oversees Treasury, Global Risk Management and Claims, and Internal Audit functions. With a treasury career spanning global giants like GE, PepsiCo, and Amazon, Tony has built treasury infrastructures from scratch, led organizations through crises, and developed a personal leadership framework rooted in fortitude, passion, creativity, and grace.In this episode Tony shares how he went from working in Audit to becoming VP, Treasurer at Amazon. This episode is a masterclass in treasury career progression, leadership mindset, and building resilience in high-stakes environments.What We Cover in This Episode:Tony's early beginnings in public accounting and how it opened the door to treasuryHis transition from internal auditor to treasury specialist at PepsiCoThe critical role of mentorship in his career movesLessons learned from major treasury operations at GE, including managing through the 2008 financial crisisThe building and scaling of Amazon's treasury functionCreating a personal leadership framework to thrive in a high-growth, entrepreneurial cultureWhy treasury professionals must write their own “career book” instead of following others' pathsThe importance of resilience, risk-taking, and strategic thinking in treasury leadershipYou can connect with Tony Masone on LinkedIn. ---

12 - Dom kicks off Wednesday with the top stories of the day, including the government shutdown, the Super Bowl halftime show selection backlash, and the Democrats' real agenda behind the shutdown. 1215 - Side - product/events with great branding 1220 - What are the voter registration numbers looking like in New Jersey? 1230 - Gloucester City Chief of Police Brian Morrell joins the program. Why did the department decide to charge the parents of juvenile criminals? How can people who have had their items stolen find them? How is the police department able to bring these charges legally? What kind of reactions do the parents have when they realize they've been charged for their children's misdeeds? 1240 - Does MAGA hate intellectuals? 1250 - The Dean of Decency confronts Mike Johnson on Trump's antics. Is she right or is she crossing a line? Your calls. 1 - Lt. Colonel Allen B. West rejoins us today as Secretary of War, Pete Hegseth, made bold declarations yesterday as to what direction he is taking the military. Would Allen have conveyed that message in the same way as Hegseth? Has the standard for the military gone so far down that we need a rejuvenation like this? Should there be only one fitness standard for the military? Where will Allen be soon? 120 - More polling on the New Jersey gubernatorial race. Your calls. 130 - Senate President Pro Tempore Kim Ward joins us this hour. Is Matt Bradford really secretly running the state? Can we get a budget passed? Are schools being hurt or helped by the state's education initiatives? How good has Stacy Garrity been on the budget? Could a lot of this be resolved if the Governor's office opened better dialogue with the Treasurer's office? As a breast cancer survivor, how proud is she of this cancer-related bill going through legislation right now? How does Kim Ward feel about Philadelphia flying a Chinese flag at City Hall? 2 - Congressman Jeff Van Drew joins us to kick off the final hour. The conversation starts with a discussion on the Chinese influence in the US, as New Jersey toll roads are being sold to the Chinese and Philadelphia flies the Chinese flag at City Hall. Where has the country's moral compass gone? What is happening with the government shutdown? What does the Republican Party need to realize as it moves forward in its legislative duties? What does Jeff think about the murder on the light rail in Charlotte, as he has been outspoken on curtailing public violence? 215 - Dom's Money Melody! 230 - Humppa! 240 - Hanoi Jane speaks up about the lack of effort in Democrat politicians and how she is creating a PAC of Hollywood personalities to demand change through cash. 250 - The Lightning Round!

1 - Lt. Colonel Allen B. West rejoins us today as Secretary of War, Pete Hegseth, made bold declarations yesterday as to what direction he is taking the military. Would Allen have conveyed that message in the same way as Hegseth? Has the standard for the military gone so far down that we need a rejuvenation like this? Should there be only one fitness standard for the military? Where will Allen be soon? 120 - More polling on the New Jersey gubernatorial race. Your calls. 130 - Senate President Pro Tempore Kim Ward joins us this hour. Is Matt Bradford really secretly running the state? Can we get a budget passed? Are schools being hurt or helped by the state's education initiatives? How good has Stacy Garrity been on the budget? Could a lot of this be resolved if the Governor's office opened better dialogue with the Treasurer's office? As a breast cancer survivor, how proud is she of this cancer-related bill going through legislation right now? How does Kim Ward feel about Philadelphia flying a Chinese flag at City Hall?

In this episode, Lisa M. Goodlett, Senior Vice President, Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer at Duke University Health System, shares insights on expansion, partnerships, and the role of technology in shaping future care delivery. She also reflects on leadership qualities needed to navigate healthcare's evolving challenges.

DAMIONOracle names two CEOs in rare leadership shift after Catz exit Who Will You Blame?Lord Emperor Larry Ellison (65% influence and 42% voting power): he still gets $8.3M in pay despite owning ~$378B in Oracle stock. Is this even possible? He got security-related costs and expenses of $2,999,264 for his primary residence. Board chairFormer CEO and now Executive Vice Chair Safra Catz. She's staying on the board.221,974: (i) Company matching contributions under our 401(k) Plan of $5,100, (ii) flexible credits used towards covering the premiums for cafeteria-style benefit plans in the amount of $14,860, (iii) security-related costs and expenses to augment the existing security system at Ms. Catz's primary residence, (iv) legal counsel fees and (v) aggregate incremental costs to Oracle of $200,086 for Ms. Catz's use of Oracle's private aircraft for non-business travel. This leaves $1,928 for legal fees and security: for a Larry:Safra We Love Him More Security Ratio of: ~3114:1Catz still got $6.5M despite owning $2.8B of company stockNew co-CEO and director Clayton Magouyrk: joined Oracle in 2014, is 39Mr. Magouyrk will receive a grant of stock options to purchase $250M in shares of Oracle common stock with 80% of the grant consisting of time-based stock options and 20% of the grant consisting of performance-based stock options (“PSOs”).New co-CEO and director Michael Sicilia: joined Oracle in 2009, is 54Mr. Sicilia will receive a grant of stock options to purchase $100M in shares of Oracle common stock with 80% of the grant consisting of time-based stock options and 20% of the grant consisting of PSOs.The writer of this article: Oracle's new Gen X and Millennial CEOs get stock options worth $350 million—but they'll have to keep the stock soaring to collect80% of the grant consists of time-based stock options, hello??AutoZone Stock Falls After Its Fifth Consecutive Earnings Miss Who Do You Blame?William Rhodes III: Executive Chair (2007-) and former CEO, causing serious leadership strainCEO Philip Danielle III (2024-) for being weak in the face of Rhodes IIIEarl Graves Jr.: the longest tenured director has served for over two decades and still has the indecency to call himself the “Lead Independent Director.” He's also the chair of the Nomination so this is ostensibly his board.Linda Goodspeed: while all directors are pictured wearing bluish/mauvish-colored shirts in the company's last proxy, Linda is wearing a red sweater over hers.Director Gale King for NOT being the same Gayle King that is Oprah's best friendShareholders: average 96% board support at last AGMThe fact that there are 4 suffixes on this board: Jr., Jr. III, III, the same number as women.The depressingly low ~-20% gender influence gap (women have no leadership roles on this board, except for Linda's red sweater)Michelob Ultra overtakes Modelo Especial as best-selling beer in the U.S. Who Do You Blame?Social media personality Dylan Mulvaney, for being alive and getting a can of beerThose woke idiots at the American subsidiary Anheuser-Busch Companies, LLCWoke CEO Brendan Whitworth was a first lieutenant in the United States Marine Corps and then as an operations officer for the CIA's counterterrorism center. Woke!Their leadership page of 15 executives also has a woke DEI hire! Chief People Officer Lindsay KingThose woke idiots at the Belgian parent Anheuser-Busch InBev (AB InBev)They are even worse than their American counterparts: of their 18 executive leaders, they have TWO DEI WOMEN: Chief Communications Officer Donna Lorensen and General Counsel Katherine Barrett. DEI gone crazy!Just all the stupid corporations that “Go woke, go broke”Oh wait: Both Michelob ULTRA and Bud Light are made by Anheuser-Busch Companies, LLC, a subsidiary of Anheuser-Busch InBev.Behind closed doors, our top CEOs say Trump is bad for business and it's time to Make America into America Again Who Do You Blame?Shareholders: This year (2025) the average vote support for director elections in the S&P 500 is about 96.5%American corporate governance practices which permit nearly half of S&P 500 CEOs to also serve as board chairs—the very bodies intended to oversee their management: giving them unmatched power and egoAverage S&P 500 CEO of about $19M, which financially protects them from the need to weigh in on political issues, left or rightThe US federal poverty line for 2025 is $15,650 per year, as established by the Department of Health and Human Services.So a 1214:1 pay ratio for those not in poverty: $15,651Passive institutional investors in U.S. equities like BlackRock, Vanguard Group, and State Street Global, who hold the door open for company managementYale Professor Jeffrey Sonnenfeld, who eschews journalism in favor of being friends with important people and lets him write things like: “One CEO of a major U.S. manufacturing company explained to the group” and “A well-known business leader with a significant manufacturing footprint in the U.S. and abroad told the group” and “The head of a major U.S. multinational investment bank”The protected class continues30-year-old billionaire college dropout recommends at least one year in higher education Who Do You Blame?The protected CEO billionaire classElon Musk says college is “not for learning, but mostly for fun” and doesn't require degrees at Tesla/SpaceXPeter Thiel: created the Thiel Fellowship, paying young people to drop out of collegeMark Zuckerberg: In a 2025 interview, Zuck expressed skepticism about the effectiveness of college education in preparing students for today's job marketRichard Branson, a college dropout, has often spoken about the value of practical experience over formal education, stating, "You don't learn to walk by following rules. You learn by doing, and by falling over."The VC BroBratClubMarc Andreessen has said traditional college is outdated compared to skills trainingChamath Palihapitiya argues real-world problem solving is more valuable than degrees.The MAGA christian supremacistsCharlie Kirk: college is “overrated” and emphasizes entrepreneurship, practical skills, and real-world experience over formal degrees.In June, when speaking to Turning Point USA's 10th annual Young Women's Leadership Summit, he encouraged attendees to trade feminism for femininity and to forgo a career to stay home and raise childrenBen Carson: praised practical experience and self-directed learning over formal college for achieving success; praised Kirk's ability to "run circles around people with college degrees"Dave Ramsey, frequently advises young adults to focus on financial literacy, entrepreneurship, or trade skills rather than taking on debt for a college degree.All of the aboveThe chorus of anti-college voices—from billionaire CEOs and MAGA pundits to Christian commentators—serves less as genuine guidance and more as a mechanism to preserve the power of the wealthy elite, discouraging widespread education and critical thinking so that the majority remain dependent, unempowered, and less capable of challenging the socioeconomic status quoMATTDisney says 'Jimmy Kimmel Live' will return to ABC on Tuesday - who do you blame??Fearless Wizard Bob Iger - 24% influence, but let's be honest, the board is in the bag entirely (100% of board members are connected, Iger is by far the most powerful person in the room)Derica Rice - board member at Target (who were attacked by citizen troll Robby Starbuck, rolled back DEI and pride merch as a result, then faced a boycott that have sunk the stores since) AND Disney (who were attacked by government troll Brendan Carr, rolled back free speech as a result, then faced a boycott that's so far cost Disney 2% of its share price in 5 days)James Gorman - head of the “succession planning committee”, which exists despite having a nominating committee because the nominating committee was so compromised and did such a bad job they basically made a new committee with an ex-CEO who picked his own successor, who's also chair of the boardConsumers who boycott DisneyShareholders who demanded Disney restore KimmelYale Professor Jeff Sonnenfeld for his mushmouth declaration that Iger was right to yank Kimmel, prompting the world to say “why does anyone listen to Yale professor Jeff Sonnenfeld?”Sinclair says it won't air Jimmy Kimmel on its stations after Disney announced his return - who do you blame??David Smith - nepobaby executive chairtoad, 25.4% voting power, toad face conservative sycophantDuncan Smith - nepobaby retired VP and secretary, 23.1% voting power, directorBob Smith - nepobaby retired VP and Treasurer, 21.8% voting power, directorDr. Fred Smith - nepobaby retired VP and oral surgeon, 10.8% voting power, amazing pivot from looking at teeth to owner of largest broadcaster because meritocracyChristopher Ripley, CEO of Sinclair and not a nepobaby, was once upon a time at UBS where he did some stuff on media or something… definitely not a figureheadBob Iger for being too wokeOffice Depot workers refused to print a Charlie Kirk poster because he was a propagandist - who do you blame?The workers at Office Depot who took the Supreme Court decision that let a web designer refuse same-sex wedding work literally Office Depot, which probably should have been closed in 1997 anyway, which, “fired the employees and issued a public apology”, bending the knee to the will of Dear LeaderPam Bondi, who missed the day the Supreme Court said business COULD discriminate: “Businesses cannot discriminate. If you want to go in and print posters with Charlie's pictures on them for a vigil, you have to let them do that,” she told Sean Hannity on Fox News, adding: “We can prosecute you for that.”Gays, who if they had JUST USED a gay web designer, the Supreme Court wouldn't have had to rule on this and then contradict itself when it inevitably reverses its own 2023 precedentFedEx, whose employees (upon hearing Office Depot employee refused service due to Charlie Kirk's overt racism and sexism while he was alive) printed the poster FOR FREE to SUPPORT Charlie Kirk, which surely discriminates against other white male racists who had to pay for their posters advertising their white male racism, right?