Podcasts about Uncle Sam

Wednesday's A.M. Update details Operation Epic Fury's first 72 hours: U.S. Central Command reports strikes on IRGC command centers, aerospace/missile sites, navy ships/submarines, air defenses, and comms infrastructure, while Israel hits covert nuclear development facilities and the Assembly of Experts building during successor voting. President Trump dismisses claims Israel "forced" U.S. involvement, emphasizing his belief Iran would attack first and Rubio clarifying preemptive timing to minimize casualties. A British F-35 scores its first combat kill downing an Iranian drone over Jordan; Spain refuses base access, prompting Trump threats of trade cutoff. Lloyd's of London halts Gulf shipping insurance, leading Trump to direct U.S. government coverage and Navy escorts. Texas primaries head to runoffs including Cornyn-Paxton Senate and Roy-Middleton AG races. Analysis warns of CCP propaganda amplifying "Israel roped us in" narratives to fracture U.S.-Israel ties.   A.M. Update, Aaron McIntire, Operation Epic Fury, IRGC strikes, Marco Rubio Israel, Trump Iran, Kuwait friendly fire, Texas primaries, Lloyd's insurance Gulf, CCP propaganda, Lindsey Graham

On this episode: Remember the creature feature scary movie when you were a kid? The financial industry is very similar. When you start tapping into your 401(k), Uncle Sam sees you in a whole new way. Many people try to do their own retirement planning. How are they doing five years later? Subscribe or follow so you never miss an episode! Check out Fire Your Financial Advisor on YouTube! Learn more at GoldenReserve.com or follow on social: Facebook & LinkedIn.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Church, not the government, holds the real answer to helping those in need. On today's edition of Family Talk, Dr. James Dobson continues his conversation with Star Parker about her book, Uncle Sam's Plantation. She explains why welfare programs have devastated black families, and how Christians can become the true safety net for struggling families. To support this ministry financially, visit: https://www.oneplace.com/donate/1091/29?v=20251111

The Church, not the government, holds the real answer to helping those in need. On today's edition of Family Talk, Dr. James Dobson continues his conversation with Star Parker about her book, Uncle Sam's Plantation. She explains why welfare programs have devastated black families, and how Christians can become the true safety net for struggling families. To support this ministry financially, visit: https://www.oneplace.com/donate/1091/29?v=20251111

Uncle Sam pointed and said “I want YOU.” Jesus is pointing today and saying the same. Step up — the harvest is ready, the vision is huge, and it happens through YOU.A Church Worth the Drive starts with people worth the call.Point at yourself: Yes, YOU.

James Corbett appears in two separate interviews for KLA.TV. In the first, he discusses how the US/Israeli relationship explains Uncle Sam's moves in the Middle East and how technocracy explains the so-called "Donroe Doctrine." In the second, he goes in-depth on the Epstein files and what they reveal about the operations of the kakistocracy.

If your student loan payment is tied to your income, your tax return isn't just paperwork — it's part of your repayment strategy. Listen to a live tax webinar we did with Sim Terwilliger, CFP®, CSLP®, Director of Tax at SLP Wealth, as we share the biggest mistakes we're seeing this season, especially around married filing separately, community property states, and backdoor Roth IRAs — plus when filing an extension can legitimately save you real money on income-driven repayment. If you're navigating forgiveness, IDR, or just trying not to overpay Uncle Sam, this one's for you. Key moments: (02:09) Married filing separate vs. joint: when it lowers payments (08:29) The top mistake: Backdoor Roth errors that trigger penalties (20:37) Niche tax savings under RAP plan, managing AirBnbs, and passive income (35:31) The new SALT cap changes and who benefits   Like the show? There are several ways you can help! Follow on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or Amazon Music Leave an honest review on Apple Podcasts  Subscribe to the newsletter Join SLP Insiders for student loan loopholes, SLP app and member community Feeling helpless when it comes to your student loans? Try our free student loan calculator Check out our refinancing bonuses we negotiated Book your custom student loan plan Get profession-specific financial planning Do you have a question about student loans? Leave us a voicemail here or email us at help@studentloanplanner.com and we might feature it in an upcoming show!  

This episode was livestreamed on February 22, 2026.

In this special Suze School, we’ll highlight why a Roth retirement account ultimately gives you more money than a pre-tax retirement account. Check out Suze’s NEW website: SuzeOrman.com Watch Suze’s YouTube Channel Jumpstart financial wellness for your employees: https://bit.ly/SecureSave Protect your financial future with the Must Have Docs: https://bit.ly/3Vq1V3GGet your savings going with Alliant Credit Union: https://bit.ly/3rg0YioGet Suze’s special offers for podcast listeners at suzeorman.com/offerJoin Suze’s Women & Money Community for FREE and ASK SUZE your questions which may just end up on the podcast. Download the app by following one of these links: CLICK HERE FOR APPLE: https://apple.co/2KcAHbHCLICK HERE FOR GOOGLE PLAY: https://bit.ly/3curfMISee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this weekend's edition of The Alpha Wealth Hour, Tom Fortino explains why Uncle Sam will always want a slice of your retirement savings—whether it's pie or Double Stuffed Oreos. He also breaks down what to do with your 401(k) when you retire, how to build a smart spending plan for retirement, and the key steps […]

This week on New World Next Week: the Epstein headcount keeps rising; Uncle Sam is doxxing ICE dissidents; and Obama previews Disclosure Day.

This week on New World Next Week: the Epstein headcount keeps rising; Uncle Sam is doxxing ICE dissidents; and Obama previews Disclosure Day.

Donald Trump hat für ein vereintes Europa fast nur Verachtung übrig. So viel ist den meisten inzwischen klar. Was die europäische Staatengemeinschaft dagegen unternehmen kann, ist bislang nicht ganz geklärt. Viele Blicken nach Deutschland und sehen die Bundesrepublik in der Vorreiterrolle. Holger Stark, der stellvertretende Chefredakteur der "Zeit" hat dieser Frage sein neues Buch "Das erwachsene Land" gewidmet. Wir sprechen bei "Thema des Tages" mit ihm über das Verhältnis zwischen den USA, Europa und Deutschland und wie wir als Kontinent auch ohne "Uncle Sam" künftig überleben können.

It's Valentine's Day, and there's nothing more romantic than talking about money with your partner. Well, maybe not. But it is important because studies show that financial acrimony can lead to marital disharmony.  Soon after they got married, Motley Fool Money host Robert Brokamp and his wife, Elizabeth, wrote what they called their financial manifesto – an agreement about how they'd manage money as a couple. Twenty-six years and four kids later, Robert and Elizabeth discuss what was in it, what worked, and what didn't.Also in this episode:-The dowdy Dow has its day, crossing 50,000 and beating the S&P 500 and the Nasdaq over the past few months-The job market is giving mixed signals, with the unemployment rate dropping – but so are job openings-The CBO projects that Uncle Sam's debt-to-GDP ratio will exceed its all-time high over the coming years-Send us your tips, tricks, and recommendations for monitoring your finances and maintaining money harmony as a coupleHost: Robert BrokampGuest: Elizabeth BrokampEngineer: Bart Shannon Disclosure: Advertisements are sponsored content and provided for informational purposes only. The Motley Fool and its affiliates (collectively, “TMF”) do not endorse, recommend, or verify the accuracy or completeness of the statements made within advertisements. TMF is not involved in the offer, sale, or solicitation of any securities advertised herein and makes no representations regarding the suitability, or risks associated with any investment opportunity presented. Investors should conduct their own due diligence and consult with legal, tax, and financial advisors before making any investment decisions. TMF assumes no responsibility for any losses or damages arising from this advertisement.We're committed to transparency: All personal opinions in advertisements from Fools are their own. The product advertised in this episode was loaned to TMF and was returned after a test period or the product advertised in this episode was purchased by TMF. Advertiser has paid for the sponsorship of this episode.Learn more about your ad choices. Visit ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠megaphone.fm/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Tim Martinez, Value Creation, Strategic, and Exit & Succession Planning Advisor—also known as “The Inside Man”—is on a mission to empower entrepreneurs and make the world a better place with his philosophy of “No entrepreneur left behind.”  In this episode, Tim shares how he evolved from starting small businesses as a teenager to advising founders on high-stakes growth and exit decisions. We explore Tim's 3 Exits Framework, which breaks exit planning into three critical phases: Mental Exit (separating identity from the business), Role Exit (building leadership and succession so the business can run without the owner), and Technical Exit (valuation, deal structure, and the formal sale process). Tim also explains why AI is accelerating business disruption, why minimalism is a competitive advantage, and what keeps so many businesses stuck at the $3M revenue ceiling. — 3 Ways to Exit Your Business with Tim Martinez Good day, dear listeners. Steve Preda here, the Founder of the Summit OS Group. And I have as my guest today Tim Martinez, who is a Value Creation, Strategic, and Exit & Succession Planning Advisor, also known as “The Inside Man.” Tim also has a successful Substack with lots of followers, which has a similar title, Inside Man. He's also built his own ChatGPT API, so he's running with the times. Tim, welcome to the show.  Thanks, Steve. Great to be here.  Finally, we have someone who is ahead of the curve on AI and the technological evolution that's part of this new industry revolution. So let’s start with my favorite question. What is your personal ‘Why’ and how are you manifesting it in your practice and in your business?  Yeah. My personal ‘Why’ is to make the world a better place and to empower entrepreneurs. “No entrepreneur left behind” has kind of been my motto. Since I was a kid—I started businesses very young, like 15 or 16—people would ask me, “How are you doing this?” And I would help however I could. And it was just always felt really good to help my fellow entrepreneurs, whether I was helping them in a small way or a big way. And there's nothing better than seeing some of the advice you're able to give someone actually get implemented.Share on X Then you see them go, “Wow, oh my gosh, this is great.” And again, sometimes it’s small, sometimes it’s big. But I believe entrepreneurs rule the world, and I do my part every day—whether it's writing my Substack, jumping on podcasts, or writing books. I'm always here just to share what I've learned, because I think that’s what makes the world go round.  Well, you have a boundless energy, because you are writing books, you are writing your blog, you are doing these podcasts. Then you also have to gather the information, right? You have to work with clients—otherwise there's no raw material. That is very impressive. So what took you to this point? How did you evolve? I mean, you started at 15, but surely you were not coaching or consulting people at 15.  Yeah, so I probably spent about 10 years just starting small businesses. I had the lemonade stand, then a coffee business and a silk-screen business. I had a DJ business, a retail store, a marketing and advertising agency, a small one, but I was able to sell it. And I got lucky and sold a couple of these small businesses. I built websites, built apps—I mean, anything you can do to make a buck. I was just kind of hustling and figuring it out on my own. And at a certain point in time, maybe like 10 years later, someone asked me to help them write their business plan. It was the first time I thought, “Huh, someone wants to pay me to help them write a business plan. That sounds interesting.” Okay. And I had written all of my own business plans for 10 years. I used to go to SCORE—the Senior Corps of Retired Executives, a division of the SBA—and they would consult for free. They still do, by the way. And I always said my long-term goal was to be an old advisor at SCORE, because they helped me so much when I was a kid.Share on X So I charged money for my first business plan. That person was able to raise money from their uncle. Then they said, “Well, hey, we got this money. What do we do now?” So I said, “Well, I think I can charge you. I think this is called consulting. Maybe I'll just charge you to help execute your business plan.” It was a small business, and I went to Barnes & Noble and bought a book that was like this big—How to Start a Consulting Business. I just sat there and highlighted the whole thing. It had CD-ROM forms in the back. I knew nothing about consulting. And probably for the next handful of years, I just focused on writing business plans and helping people. That's kind of what got me into consulting and working with bigger businesses. It really started with business plans and small businesses.Share on X  Yeah. I mean, business plans are great because you are envisioning the future of the business, crunching the numbers—what's going to happen with your top line, bottom line, costs, overhead, margins—and essentially it helps you visualize the skeleton of the business. Then you can put the meat on the bone, kind of thing.  Yeah. And I had worked on hundreds of business plans, and  pitch decks, financial models, and market research. That documentation aspect of a business, I had spent a good, let's say, 10 years working very heavily with clients as an analyst in consulting firms. And that’s really what got me into the game and got me into bigger and bigger businesses, because I got very good at doing that with no formal training—and we didn't really have what the internet is today. I remember going to the downtown library in Los Angeles, finding articles, and taking scanned copies of them. That’s how we did our market research. And business plans used to be like a dictionary. The SBA would require business plans to meet all these requirements, so we ended up with huge business plans. Now people want a one-pager, maybe a 10-slide deck, and call it a day. Where I got my chops was from understanding every imaginable nuance of every business in all verticals. I worked around the world with businesses, and I guess I was in the right place at the right time for it.Share on X  Yeah, that’s very humble. So one of the things that you do is you help people prepare for exit, and you came up with this framework called The 3 Exits Framework. I thought it was fascinating to think about exits from different perspectives and to have different mental models for them. How did you come up with this, and can you explain to the audience what it looks like, how it works, and how it helps entrepreneurs? Yeah. And it’s important to note that I started my career starting businesses, helping people get the start. And as I got older, the businesses I worked with were also getting older. And as I got a little more gray hair and a few more wrinkles, people would take me more seriously at the later stages of the business, when they maybe wouldn’t take me so seriously when I was in my early twenties. So my business had evolved from starting to growing and then eventually to exiting, and that’s where most of my clients are now. What I’ve discovered is most people enter the exit planning conversation at the very end, asking, “What is my business worth? Who wants to buy it?” Needing a business valuation is the most common first question: “Whoa, what's it worth?” But after working with a handful of companies through this whole exit process, you start to realize that there’s far more than just the numbers. The 3 Exits Framework says there are three exits that need to occur before you're out and on your yacht, sailing into the sunset.Share on X The first exit is the mental exit, which we can talk about at length. It's your role—your identity in the business. Who am I if I'm not the CEO? What am I going to do with my time if I'm not running this business? Who am I if people can't come to me with their every burning question? It’s this piece, it’s so important. And a lot of people don’t want to give up control. They don’t even know they’re control freaks, which I'll call them for lack of a better term. But they don’t even know that they are that. You have to help them through that.  The second exit is really your role exit, because eventually someone needs to run this business in your absence. The whole tenant of selling a business is that you're not going to be in it. You might have earnouts or some transitional involvement, but eventually, you will not run this business. So you have to replicate yourself. Most people say, “I've tried, but it hasn't worked.” Well, you know what? Now’s the time for this to work. It's time to build SOPs, standards of excellence, and get someone who could be better than you ever were in that seat. So that role exit is a big part, and that would be true succession. The other part of that is it’s not just the CEO or the owner. A lot of times it’s them and they’re number one, or they’re number two, or number three, because in many cases those people also have equity and ownership in the companies in some cases. So we need to get succession in line for multiple roles.  And then the third exit is your technical exit. It’s the one piece everyone feels like they start with that is your valuation, getting your documentation together, running a formal auction process, making sure that you’re looking at multiple buyers, whether strategic or financial. And just running a very thorough, formal process that’s going to get you the highest valuation possible. And structuring a deal that there’s going to be a little bit of give and take. Most deals die because of misaligned expectations. And they’re usually misaligned expectations on that final exit. So when you put those three things together and someone says, I want to sell my business, or we're thinking about exiting in the next couple years, I just start first with the identity part.Share on X Yeah. And people underestimate the significance of that. It can sound touchy-feely and like an afterthought in most cases. And people think that just by earning a sack of money, their life will be solved and all problems will disappear. But actually, problems exist at all levels. Elon Musk probably has more problems than most listeners here.  Sure.  So, it's not going to solve your problems, and identity is huge. I talk to people—I was also an M&A advisor for over 10 years, sold many businesses, visited former clients, and went out on their boats on the lake. Often, that was the one time they actually used the boat, because they didn't really need it. They thought they did, but they didn't. Next time, the engine wouldn't start, or the boat was full of water. Or they'd go out on the golf course, meet new people, and ask, “Who are they?” It turned out they were just retired rich people—not interesting entrepreneurs or CEO. That's a huge change. And with the Great Wealth Transfer and the aging Baby Boomer population, there's a statistic that says 50% of business owners are forced into an exit—meaning there’s some life event that occurs that says you now need to sell your business and get out. And you and I both know that if you’re forced to an exit, you’re going to be taking a major discount. But those forces can happen when you have a heart attack, or someone in your family has a health issue, or your grandkids and everybody moves multiple states and you want to go with them. All these things happen. So our recommendation is just start having the conversation now.  Yeah. And so I think it's a little bit like saving for retirement. A lot of people keep putting it off, and eventually there's no time left to do it, and then they’re in trouble. So how do you even raise awareness with people about this? How do you work with them to prepare this? Can you actually raise awareness and make them feel this is a real issue? How do you raise awareness?  Well, I have my blog, and that’s probably where I do most of my conversations. I wrote about the 3 Exits Framework. Any chance I get to speak, I always use it to raise awareness around the subject. In my consulting practice, I work with a handful of consulting firms and investment banks. Anytime I get pulled into a conversation about exit planning, I usually just pause for a second and just talk about their life goals.Share on X Like, what do you really want this exit to do for you? Because there are so many things you can do and a million ways to do it. So, what do you really want this exit to mean for you? Also, remember, Uncle Sam is going to take his cut—so not everyone gets the biggest check possible. Usually, what we hear is people say, “I'm just so exhausted. I don't have anything left in me for this thing, and anything I can get for it, I'd be happy to take, as long as it means I don't have to put out every single fire.” And this usually happens because they didn't build good systems to remove themselves from the business.  Otherwise, they would've been the chairman, and just meeting with their CEO, who's running the business. That’s usually not the case with these owner-operator businesses. And that doesn't mean they're small, by the way. I mean, they could be running a $50 million business and still the choke point where everything has to run through them and they’re just exhausted and burnt out.  Do you think that this AI revolution is going to change things? Is it going to make more people exit-ready because it's easier to create systems?  Perhaps. Yeah, I think it's helping the service provider world be more efficient. In my world as a management consultant, I'm 10 times more efficient. I’m sure you’re 10 times more efficient with tools like the one we’re using here, and it just helps us speed things up. I've noticed people use it as a thought partner, as a psychiatrist, even as a best friend. I've seen people go into deep dialogue like, “Should I sell my business? Give me five factors.” The ones who are aware of this are using it fully. The people who aren't are a little behind the times. And then from an operational standpoint, yeah, I mean with the bots and all the many things you could put in your business to make you more efficient, but that doesn’t apply to everybody. I would say there’s going to be a 10 to 20% group of people that are already on it, making it work for them, and then there are the laggards who will probably never touch it.  Or is it that—okay, maybe we can be more efficient with AI, but we'll have the appetite to do more, and there will be more complexity? Some things we'll simplify, but we'll create other complexities that replace the previous ones. What do you think about it?  Yes. So businesses typically have cycles. There's usually a five- to seven-year cycle where a business hits its peak, and then it starts to trend down. And they usually have some level of innovation that has to reoccur for it to hit another up cycle, and then there will be a down cycle and so on and so forth. So it's always like an up slope after an up slope. When you've been in business for 30 or 40 years, you've gone through multiple rounds of these cycles—three or four rounds of those cycles. What I’m hearing right now is business owners that are, let’s say, at retirement age, they’re saying, “I don't know if I have what it takes to go through this AI cycle. Maybe I had what it took to make it through the eighties, nineties, and two thousands, but now we're in 2026. I’m not sure I’m equipped, or my team who’s also very senior, they don’t feel like they have what it takes to get through that next cycle without hiring young talent. But even then, they don’t really understand what they’re talking about. So there’s this gap. And again, I’m hearing it more and more of people saying, I think now’s the time to get out and let some other company that has gas in the tank, vision, and capacity to come in and do that thing.  Yeah, that's interesting. Do you think a multiple-AI–enabled company versus a post-AI company is going to be markedly different?  Maybe. Because it all comes down to revenue—it comes down to the revenue story. I'll give you a perfect example. You have a very profitable company, but they're using an old CRM. A new company comes in and says, “Hey, you're already profitable. If we buy you and put in a new CRM, maybe we could be even more profitable.” That’s cool. So we don’t really need you to put in all the tech. We’ll come in and do all that, and then we’ll get the upside on that. Just as long as you’re profitable, as long as you’re profitable, yet you don’t have major client concentration, your business has all the components. A new company with new vision could come in. That would largely be a strategic buyer. The PE buyer, the financial buyer, most likely is going to want to inject capital into your business so you can go and reinvest, and build new tech, or become a platform, whatever you’re going to be. But that would be a different arrangement. So it's basically a numbers issue. It doesn't matter your technological evolution. And maybe it’s even worse if you've already implemented AI and that only allows you to make five million dollars—there's less upside for the buyer.  Yeah. The bigger concern is: Is your industry at risk because of AI? Is your particular business at risk? And that's why I think people need to adopt it—so they can say, “No, we're not at risk. We've adopted it, we're applying it in whatever fashion we're doing it, and we're going to see the results.” We've already seen a major downswing in a handful of industries because of AI. I mean, advertising agencies are getting hit really hard. People used to be able to charge for writing press releases, to write blogs, to write social, to do video editing on social media. A lot of that's gone, so the bottom tier of those agencies is just gone—there's no need for them anymore.  Do you see people proactively working on making themselves AI-resilient? Everyone knows that they need to do it. Nobody is unaware that today, it’s like websites. There was a time when everyone knew they needed a website. They just didn’t really know how they were going to build it or who was going to build it. They knew it was going to be expensive. It’s kind of where we’re at right now. Everybody knows they need AI. They’re just not exactly sure how they need AI, what it can actually, literally do for them.I think for some people, that big dream that it was going to do everything quickly got taken off the tableShare on X and they say, okay, we could do this much, but even this much is make me very effective.  But it’s just not going to do everything. Like, I still need an accountant. I still need an account manager. I still need someone to do these things, but maybe I don’t need as many people as I once did. So we’re seeing kind of some leveling off there. But I would say largely most people don’t know what AI can do for them, and they’re not really prepared to make those investments. We have a client right now that just made a half million dollar investment into an RFP tool that’s going to help them move faster than their competitors, submit more on RFPs, build everything out in a very complicated way, but they’re making a half million dollar investment. How many companies out there are saying, let’s go, give me the invoice. I’m ready to roll. There’s still a lot of pause there.  What you're describing feels more like a defensive play—okay, we know AI is coming, so we have to implement some AI tools. But I’m thinking more about the big picture. Is my industry going to be disrupted by AI? And how do I pivot my business before I lose momentum, so I become like Netflix—going from a video rental company to a streaming company? Yep.  Do you see companies rethinking their business model?  I think from what I’ve seen, people are rethinking everything—top to bottom. Because you have to start with labor. That’s usually where people start. “AI can do all these things—do I need less talent on the deck?” And if I do, then what can AI do so I don’t have such heavy overhead? Because overhead is also liability, and it has this employment risk behind it. So if you can go from a thousand staff to 800 or 750, great, let’s do it—why wouldn't you do it? Most people are saying, “Let's figure that part out first.” The next thing is the industry disruption, which is what’s our competitors doing to service clients better, manufacture faster, or do things cheaper, so then we’re not left in the dust. So from a production standpoint, we need to figure this out quickly. What I'd say—what I do—is, as an analyst, as a consultant and advisor coming in, that's why I built my AI. I built my AI to fire myself. I basically said, “What I used to do as a management consultant is now irrelevant, because AI is better than me.” So let me just build the digital me and not worry about that side of my business anymore. So I just don’t worry about that anymore. I don’t even really take on assignments that I used to, because AI can do it better and faster. Now, if you want to hire me and allow me to use my AI tool to handle the technical work, I'm more than happy to do that. But I'll tell you firsthand—save your money.  So you're giving it away, or are you selling it?  Yeah, it's free. It's free. It's on ChatGPT. What people can’t do is sit down and have an honest, sincere conversation and ask them the hard questions and challenge them. That's where AI still lacks the human component. I can take a client and say, “Hey, let's hang out. Let's get lunch. Let's go play golf. Let's bring in your kids. Let's talk to your kids. Let's talk about the family dynamic.” Let’s just have a sincere conversation. Let me hold space and create a forum where I can hear people. And that human component is the only thing that I’m worried, like I’m working on now. I'm out of the technical side, because that part of my job is gone.  So fascinating. So does it mean you have to be more of a social animal?  I think so. If you're not going to be a social animal and you're just going to sit at your desk, you should probably be building software using tools like Replit, n8n, or any of these different software tools and just go all in.Share on X But the way we used to do it—you probably see this on LinkedIn, with all the bots on LinkedIn, it’s not what it used to be. It used to be a place where you had a handful of connections and actually met people. Now it’s just so overrun with the bots. It’s like I don’t even want to accept connections anymore. I'd much rather have a conversation like this. To me, this is the future.  Yeah. But maybe we connected originally through LinkedIn. I don’t know where, how we connected, but we may have have connected through a bot—actually.  It’s possible.  Yeah.  It’s possible. But I'll tell you, I connect with maybe one or two percent of people now. Previously, because I didn't get so many inbound inquiries, I would connect with more, because I felt like there was a sincere person on the other end. Now, I really don't know. I've become very skeptical.  Yeah, I'm with you. Let's switch gears, because our time is running out. And there are a couple of things that in our pre-interview you talked about, and one was minimalism. Yeah.  What is minimalism? How do you do it? And what’s a low-hanging way to start to become a minimalist?  It's kind of like that first-principles idea of what really matters. It’s essentialism. It’s kind of getting down to the one thing, that was my recent blog, if there was only one thing you could do this year, but it would make all the difference, what would it be? And anything that gets in the way of that one thing is just noise. For me, minimalism is really about reduction, and kind of getting rid, and being aware and cognizant of things that really shouldn't be on your desk, on your to-do list.Share on X And using AI tools and assistance to get rid of everything that’s low-level activity. If you think of a pyramid, at the very top is where the most value that you can add would be. But yet we spend all of our time, if this is a time pyramid, most of our time is spent at the bottom, the wide part that pretty much anyone can do. So we kind of got to invert the pyramid. To get there, you have to reduce and extract. To protect your time, you have to treat it as very precious and focus only on the most important thing at all times. It is a very hard thing for all professionals to do, and it’s always been a hard thing, but I just take it upon myself and say, okay, well, as a minimalist, I mean, if you were to come to my house and see how sparse my furniture is on purpose. How sparse my closet is on purpose. I’m trying to get rid of options. It's like Steve Jobs and the black turtleneck—if I have one less thing, because I can only make so many choices and decisions in a given day, let me spend my time on the things that are the most important and most impactful.Share on X And that’s not always, because it’s going to put millions of dollars in my bank account. Sometimes it’s just helps me sleep better at night. So I don’t need 50 clients. If I’m going to have 50 headaches. What if I just have five clients? And every one of those was one that I felt very good about, and that would allowed me to charge more. It allowed me to go deeper with them. It's that concept—then you're free to see where your scalable opportunities are. It's the story I told you about a monk who was carving away at this beautiful elephant. Someone walks up and asks, “How did you learn to do this, carving away this elephant in the stone? And he says, Oh, I just chip away everything that's not the elephant. So for me, I have to have a very clear picture of what the elephant is. I have to see the picture in my brain first—like what my life is, what I’m trying to build, how good of a dad I’m trying to be, how good of a husband I’m trying to be, how good of a business partner or a service provider, an advisor. This is my life’s work as a masterpiece, so let me just get rid of anything that doesn’t belong as part of that picture. So that, to me, is kind of how I would explain it. And my approach toward it is I just get rid of everything. It’s not about accumulation. I don't really need more information, because AI already has all the information. Anything I'm going to absorb, I have to be very intentional about—why am I reading it? I see all the books on your shelf. I could show you my bookshelf—tons of books, right? I feel like I've read them all. Am I going to learn anything new? I could also just go back to the books I've already read. I try to highlight them and stuff, but it's like, what more do I need at this point?  Yeah. So I’m wondering about this idea of a lifestyle business versus a growth business. Because what I see is that people who are building a lifestyle business, it’s easier for them to be a minimalist. Because you just do this most valuable thing. You don’t have to build the business. You don’t have to worry about necessarily all the other people, systems, and processes, or making sure of quality control. You just do your high-value work, and at the end of the day, you can put things down and relax. Whereas a growth business, it's different.  I would say with the clients that I have—some have thousands of employees, some have hundreds—I still encourage them to reduce and subtract. Even though they're in high-growth, highly scalable businesses, sometimes the conversation is: How many direct reports do you have, and why do you have that many direct reports? How are you delegating? How are you giving authority? How are you limiting all the inputs? Because a lot of it is noise in your given day. So how do I make your day a little more silent so you can have a little more peace to make better decisions while you run this highly scalable business? Just because you're scaling doesn't mean it needs to be pure chaos. That's what people think—they think, “Oh, if I scale, that means chaos.” I'm anti-chaos.  Okay. But let me ask you this: Two of the most successful entrepreneurs of our time are Elon Musk and Jensen Huang. Elon Musk runs six companies, so he's got a lot of direct reports and goes deep in each of them. And then Jensen Huang has, I don't know, 20, 30, or 40 direct reports—he basically has a million direct reports as well. And that actually allows them to be closer to decisions and make sure things don't go off the rails and their vision gets manifested. So that's what I'm kind of wondering—whether minimalism means you're going to, maybe the flip side is you have to accept less growth, or maybe not.  So I’ve met with a lot of entrepreneurs in my life. Not one of them has been Elon Musk. So I would say we’re looking at the median of entrepreneurs, the average entrepreneur. Those are the people I deal with. I’m not dealing with Elon Musk. I would love to, but I don’t have those types. I have the family-owned business who took it over from their dad and they’ve been running it for 50 years, and he has 250 employees, and he’s got pure chaos, and I’m getting the call to go in and try to sort him out. These are not always the highly sophisticated Steve Jobs types of the world. If you really take a look under the hood with Elon—I read his book and listened to the audiobook with my kids, so I'm very familiar with his story, because I've heard it twice now—what they don't really mention is all the heroes underneath Elon. He wouldn't be who he is without all the many heroes, all the systems, and the Six Sigma and other processes and procedures. That's not to say he doesn't take a deep analytical look at everything, but who are those heroes and what are the processes? I'm far more interested in hearing about his VP of Operations than about Elon. Because what has his VP of Operations worked out? What systems have they implemented that allow him to scale and build a Tesla? Or his COO, like, what do they have going on? Elon's a face. Elon's a madman. He creates all this momentum and chaos, and then he has teams of people behind him who make sense and order out of that chaos. That's why you have what you have with Tesla. If he were just Elon Chaos, without that, I don't believe he would be where he is. But he had people that wanted to get in line. He had a lot of people that wanted to get in line. They believed in his vision. He had huge visions, and it's very inspiring to get behind those visions. Then they say, “Okay, give me the ball. We'll create the infrastructure that allows this thing to take off.” So I'm far more interested in the infrastructure that allows for that scale.  I agree. I'm just thinking whether there is this kind of dichotomy. Because I see that many entrepreneurs—when I was an investment banker—until they sold their business, they were not able to have that simple lifestyle they perhaps desired, because they were building, they were reinvesting. And it wasn't just reinvesting their cash—they were reinvesting their time. So every time they simplified, that was the opportunity cost of not using that time to improve their business. So they plowed it back in, plowed it back in.  Well, it's kind of like the E-Myth is a bit skewed. It's almost like the E-Myth is a myth. E-Myth is a dream—a dream that you can work on your business, step out completely, and everything about it runs itself. It doesn't really work that way. If you're going to be a successful entrepreneur, you're going to have late nights, long weekends, and you're going to feel like every major problem is your own because you're taking all the legal risks. I'm not telling people not to scale. I'm not telling them not to have chaos. What I'm trying to help them do is get clear on what they consider to be important.  And not get killed in the process, and not get divorced.  Statistically, that can happen—the more successful someone gets.  Yeah, it does. Because our time becomes much more valuable, and at some point, it's really hard to say no to the million-dollar hour—to spend that hour watching Netflix with your spouse, right? Exactly. Just feels harder to do.  Exactly.  Yeah.  That was good.  Alright, well, I enjoyed this tremendously. So one more question, one more question that I have to ask you. You talk about this $3 million rule—what do you mean by that? That’s a really interesting concept.  Yeah. So most small businesses get stuck around $3 million, statistically. The question is, why? Why do they get stuck there? A large majority gets stuck and it’s because they create a lifestyle for themself around $3 million. They’re taking enough off the table that they would never be able to find a job that would be able to replace that type of income. So they've made their small business their sole business, their job, and they say, “This is good enough for me,” because let's say half a million dollars, more or less, is going into their bank. They're filling up their 401(k), sending their kids to private school, giving themselves big bonuses. If they're profitable, they don't really see the need to take more risks or double down to go past that wall. I've seen many businesses kind of stay there. They’ll go fluctuate up and down through the years, but more or less they’ll hit that wall. They could stay there for 20 years and never make any progress. It’s not until they put on new thinking and say, we’re going to grow through acquisitions, we’re going to target a different market, new products, we’re going to innovate in some way. But that takes extra gas in the tank. Sometimes, a lot of entrepreneurs, once they hit that first level of success, say, “This is good enough for me,” because it usually takes them about five to seven years to get to that first major breathing point.  They're not hungry enough anymore.  Exactly.  Does someone has to be a little crazy to still want to eat more, even though they're already full?  Yeah. Some people are just wired that way. Some people just more and more, and that's no slight against them. They're never satisfied. They always want more—another dollar, another nickel. If they saw a nickel on the floor, they would stop and pick it up. They want every piece of everything. And those people usually are the ones that go and go and go and go. They’re usually the ones that just keep going because it’s an insatiable appetite. I'm not talking about people who get—well, I don't want to call it lucky—but sometimes things do fall out of the sky. Sometimes a big client falls out of the sky, or an opportunity opens up, and people are smart enough to buy their competitor when the competitor approaches them. Or sometimes they make these little moves, and that gives them a leap. I’m not talking about those people. Those are outliers to me. I’m talking about your average entrepreneur that built a $3 million business on his own with no major clients falling, just hard work, blood, sweat in tears. The average Joe typically gets stuck around that $3 million.  Yeah, that’s interesting. Fascinating. Alright, well, if you don't want to be stuck around $3 million, or if you want to get to the next level, then reach out to Tim and check out what he’s doing. So where can our listeners find you? Where can our listeners find you if they want to learn with you, learn about you, read your Substack, read your books? Where should they go?  Just go to Google or AI and type in Tim “The Inside Man” Martinez. The Inside Man is an acronym for Tim. You'll find my LinkedIn—happy to connect with you, just tell me you heard me on Steve's podcast. You can also check out my blog: it's Tim “The Inside Man” on Substack, or go to www.theinsideman.biz, my website. I'd love to connect with anyone. Well, do check out Tim's Substack—it's awesome. You're going to get more of what you heard on this podcast. And if you enjoy listening, make sure you follow us. Subscribe on YouTube, LinkedIn, Apple Podcasts, or wherever else you get your podcasts, because every week I'm inviting—and luckily more and more people want to come on the show—to have a conversation. So thank you, Tim, for coming, and thank you for listening. Important Links: Tim's LinkedIn Tim's website

Send us a textMost leaders think payroll is a simple math problem. This conversation breaks down why it is more complex—and why the way you classify, pay, and structure your team directly impacts profitability, valuation, retention, and culture. From the real differences between W-2 employees and 1099 contractors to exempt vs. non-exempt rules, the episode clarifies what “Uncle Sam gets paid either way” actually means and why a contractor-heavy model can limit the value of a business.You will learn how to evaluate compensation beyond salary by valuing time, calculating employee pay-to-time ratios, and tracking Total People Expense as a core operating percentage. The discussion covers productivity pay, incentive alignment, and the “business algorithm” leaders can use to connect employee risk, margin, and ownership-based motivation—plus how to build crucial benchmarks and review timelines so every employee has a roadmap.The episode shifts from spreadsheets to leadership: how to see more than numbers, offer options without losing accountability (including overtime and hybrid hourly structures), define work-life balance clearly, and improve employer branding so your marketing attracts the right workers. It closes with practical context around global wage equivalency and market salary stats to ground decisions in reality.Welcome to Private Practice Survival Guide Podcast hosted by Brandon Seigel! Brandon Seigel, President of Wellness Works Management Partners, is an internationally known private practice consultant with over fifteen years of executive leadership experience. Seigel's book "The Private Practice Survival Guide" takes private practice entrepreneurs on a journey to unlocking key strategies for surviving―and thriving―in today's business environment. Now Brandon Seigel goes beyond the book and brings the same great tips, tricks, and anecdotes to improve your private practice in this companion podcast. Get In Touch With MePodcast Website: https://www.privatepracticesurvivalguide.com/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brandonseigel/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/brandonseigel/https://wellnessworksmedicalbilling.com/Private Practice Survival Guide Book This show is proudly produced at PS Studios — learn more https://www.psstudios.co

The Church, not the government, holds the real answer to helping those in need. On today's edition of Family Talk, Dr. James Dobson continues his conversation with Star Parker about her book, Uncle Sam's Plantation. She explains why welfare programs have devastated black families, and how Christians can become the true safety net for struggling families. Learn more on Dr. James Dobson's Family Talk, right here at __________ on __________. To support this ministry financially, visit: https://www.oneplace.com/donate/707/29?v=20251111

Send us a textMost leaders think payroll is a simple math problem. This conversation breaks down why it is more complex—and why the way you classify, pay, and structure your team directly impacts profitability, valuation, retention, and culture. From the real differences between W-2 employees and 1099 contractors to exempt vs. non-exempt rules, the episode clarifies what “Uncle Sam gets paid either way” actually means and why a contractor-heavy model can limit the value of a business.You will learn how to evaluate compensation beyond salary by valuing time, calculating employee pay-to-time ratios, and tracking Total People Expense as a core operating percentage. The discussion covers productivity pay, incentive alignment, and the “business algorithm” leaders can use to connect employee risk, margin, and ownership-based motivation—plus how to build crucial benchmarks and review timelines so every employee has a roadmap.Finally, the episode shifts from spreadsheets to leadership: how to see more than numbers, offer options without losing accountability (including overtime and hybrid hourly structures), define work-life balance clearly, and improve employer branding so your marketing attracts the right workers. It closes with practical context around global wage equivalency and market salary stats to ground decisions in reality.Welcome to Private Practice Survival Guide Podcast hosted by Brandon Seigel! Brandon Seigel, President of Wellness Works Management Partners, is an internationally known private practice consultant with over fifteen years of executive leadership experience. Seigel's book "The Private Practice Survival Guide" takes private practice entrepreneurs on a journey to unlocking key strategies for surviving―and thriving―in today's business environment. Now Brandon Seigel goes beyond the book and brings the same great tips, tricks, and anecdotes to improve your private practice in this companion podcast. Get In Touch With MePodcast Website: https://www.privatepracticesurvivalguide.com/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brandonseigel/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/brandonseigel/https://wellnessworksmedicalbilling.com/Private Practice Survival Guide Book This show is proudly produced at PS Studios — learn more https://www.psstudios.co

This is a recap of the top 10 posts on Hacker News on January 31, 2026. This podcast was generated by wondercraft.ai (00:30): Euro firms must ditch Uncle Sam's clouds and go EU-nativeOriginal post: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=46835336&utm_source=wondercraft_ai(01:59): Finland looks to introduce Australia-style ban on social mediaOriginal post: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=46838417&utm_source=wondercraft_ai(03:28): Mobile carriers can get your GPS locationOriginal post: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=46838597&utm_source=wondercraft_ai(04:57): Show HN: I trained a 9M speech model to fix my Mandarin tonesOriginal post: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=46832074&utm_source=wondercraft_ai(06:26): The $100B megadeal between OpenAI and Nvidia is on iceOriginal post: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=46831702&utm_source=wondercraft_ai(07:55): Swift is a more convenient Rust (2023)Original post: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=46841374&utm_source=wondercraft_ai(09:24): We have ipinfo at home or how to geolocate IPs in your CLI using latencyOriginal post: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=46834953&utm_source=wondercraft_ai(10:53): Automatic ProgrammingOriginal post: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=46835208&utm_source=wondercraft_ai(12:22): Court Filings: ICE App Identifies Protesters; Global Entry, PreCheck Get RevokedOriginal post: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=46832751&utm_source=wondercraft_ai(13:51): YouTube blocks background video playback on Brave and other browsersOriginal post: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=46834441&utm_source=wondercraft_aiThis is a third-party project, independent from HN and YC. Text and audio generated using AI, by wondercraft.ai. Create your own studio quality podcast with text as the only input in seconds at app.wondercraft.ai. Issues or feedback? We'd love to hear from you: team@wondercraft.ai

The US Army is now accepting applications for a new enlisted career track focused entirely on space operations. Varda Space has successfully completed the reentry of its W-5 capsule.SpaceX is reportedly considering a merger with Tesla and artificial-intelligence company xAI, and more. Remember to leave us a 5-star rating and review in your favorite podcast app. Be sure to follow T-Minus on LinkedIn and Instagram. T-Minus Guest Elysia Segal brings us the Space Traffic Report from NASASpaceflight.com. Selected Reading Army seeks Soldiers to become space operations specialists  Varda Space Industries Successfully Executes W-5 Mission Reentry, Debuting Vertically Integrated Satellite Bus Elon Musk's SpaceX said to consider merger with Tesla, Bloomberg News reports- Reuters Tesla invests $2 billion in Musk's xAI and reiterates Cybercab production starts this year- Reuters L3Harris quarterly revenue misses estimates on government shutdown pressures- Reuters EU SST closely monitors upcoming re-entry of space object ZQ-3 R/B I bought “Remove Before Flight” tags on eBay in 2010—it turns out they're from Challenger Share your feedback. What do you think about T-Minus Space Daily? Please take a few minutes to share your thoughts with us by completing our brief listener survey. Thank you for helping us continue to improve our show.  Want to hear your company in the show? You too can reach the most influential leaders and operators in the industry. Here's our media kit. Contact us at space@n2k.com to request more info. Want to join us for an interview? Please send your pitch to space-editor@n2k.com and include your name, affiliation, and topic proposal. T-Minus is a production of N2K Networks, your source for strategic workforce intelligence. © N2K Networks, Inc. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Ever wondered what happens when Superman (George Reeves) swaps his cape for a sales pitch or Uncle Sam?In this obscure 1954 short film, Stamp Day for Superman, Superman busts a burglar who is basically just a guy who didn't have a budget, and Lois Lane gets snagged by his accomplice (who literally just asks her to come get captured, to which she obliges).The moral of the story? Kids should support our country by buying US Savings Stamps!

Tonight the guys take a look at some of the cool new things coming out at Shot Show 2026, including a few things that might not be so cool. SAK-21? PKM imports? A freakin' SR3M built in the land of Uncle Sam?!? That and more on this episode of your favorite Party-mandated gun podcast!

This week on FREAKQUELS, Johnny law has given EJ and Rory the choice between attending Kent academy or jail. Having burned a lot of bridges in the clink, they decide to give the military academy a go. After blowing off formation to review “CHILD'S PLAY 3”, Cadet Lieutenant Colonel Chris Conforti subjects the jerks to brutal punishment, intense training, and multiple rounds of Hide the Soul, which was enforced by Uncle Sam's favorite demonic doll, Chucky. All in all, the whole experience wasn't nearly as bad as the gang's trip to Disney.

LISTEN and SUBSCRIBE on:Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/watchdog-on-wall-street-with-chris-markowski/id570687608 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2PtgPvJvqc2gkpGIkNMR5i WATCH and SUBSCRIBE on:https://www.youtube.com/@WatchdogOnWallstreet/featured  The federal government is now taking equity stakes in private companies. Let that sink in. A $1.3 billion loan, hundreds of millions in taxpayer cash, and Uncle Sam as a shareholder. This isn't capitalism—it's state-directed, Chinese-style economics. When the government picks winners and losers, competition dies, innovation stalls, and moral hazard explodes. If you wouldn't trust the referee to own one of the teams, why are we okay with this?

041 - You Have A Health Savings Account!  Now What? explains how to get the most from your HSA now and into the future, for both beginners and those who want to be better with money when it comes to savings and healthcare.Scott looks at HSAs in entirely different way from how newly-hired 20-something year olds choose their health plan to who can contribute to your HSA (they are many!)FREE MONEY - there is a lot to be had when your HSA is funded to your advantage.   When you deposit the maximum amount available, you could see at least another $1,000+ returned to you by Uncle Sam.  Just for making a deposit from money you might have had in a different savings account.Your HSA saves you money for the long term and today.  Don't miss the huge discounts you get when you buy things today that you already need.  Instead of paying like you usually do, pay with your HSA and get the discount, at least 28% and up to over 50% depending on your current tax bracket.  Overpaying today for things that you need is just plain goofy and it is money you will never get back!Book a One on One with Scott now! Click the link below! Not sure which health plan fits you best? [Pick My Best Plan - Book 1:1] New to or want to better start saving tax-free? [Start My HSA The Smart Way - Book Now]

Mitch Lyons, founder of Mitch Lyons Wealth, joins Jon Hansen to talk about Roth IRA conversions. Additionally, Mitch discusses transitioning from the NFL to helping people secure their retirement. Text Blueprint to 844-86-STEEL (844-867-8335) to speak with a pro to see what a conversion would look like to you, or go to MitchLyonsWealth.com to set an appointment […]

What if the lowest tax years of your life are the ones you never planned to take advantage of? Today we're talking about what we call the Retirement Tax WINDOW — that sweet spot between leaving work…and hitting Required Minimum Distributions. And that window can determine how much of your money you keep versus how much goes back to Uncle Sam.    

Uncle Si re-creates a chilling Vietnam moment when he braced himself for what he believed was imminent combat, only to later realize the situation was not at all what he thought. Rucker opens up about his nerves ahead of a trip to Africa and admits he's still amazed Uncle Sam handed a passport to an ex-con, which earns him a more relentless ribbing than usual from John-David. Martin briefly steps away from Si's spiraling theories and hands over the reins to Hunter from Kentucky, a young man the guys have been covering with prayer for months. Duck Call Room #518 is sponsored by: https://trybeef.com/duck — Get 10% off your first TriTails box straight from their ranch to your door. Protect your family with life insurance from Ethos. Get up to $3 million in coverage in as little as 10 minutes at https://ethos.com/DUCK. Application times may vary. Rates may vary. https://preborn.com/duck or dial #250 and say the keyword BABY — Just $28 can help save a life! https://www.mypillow.com/duck — Get the best deals on all MyPillow's products, including the classic MyPillow for just $17.98, with code DUCK at checkout! - Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The so-called “Trump economic miracle” isn’t a talking point — it’s a real, measurable reality, no matter how hard the media tries to deny it. While Washington reflexively reaches for gimmicks and control levers, President Trump has been proving something far more powerful: real prosperity comes from free markets, not federal micromanagement. Lower taxes, deregulation, energy dominance, and unapologetic America-First trade policies are doing exactly what they’re designed to do — ignite growth without artificial stimulus or central-planner schemes. On today’s episode of Stinchfield, we lay out why Trump must stay the course — and why he should not listen to voices inside his own administration pushing non-free-market ideas. Credit card price controls? That’s government setting prices. A $200 billion expansion of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac housing interventions? Did we learn nothing from the 2008 housing collapse? Prohibiting investors from buying housing only distorts supply further, and Uncle Sam taking equity stakes in Intel or defense firms crosses a dangerous line into state-run capitalism. The foundation for growth is already set. Capital is moving. Confidence is rising. Productivity is coming back online. The lesson is simple and timeless: when government gets out of the way, Americans build, innovate, and win. We don’t need bailouts, price controls, or Washington picking winners and losers. This is what real economic leadership looks like — trusting free people instead of controlling markets. Don’t interfere. Don’t panic. Just let it happen. Trump is on the right track, and the results are speaking for themselves. Links:https://TheMaverickSystem.comhttps://GrantLovesGold.comhttps://www.EnergizedHealth.com/Granthttps://www.PatriotMobile.com/Granthttps://Twc.Health/Grant — use code Grant for 10% offhttps://vraletter.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Two movies. Two comedians. Two very big beers. This week on Beer and a Movie, Dave and Joe bring on comedian Uncle Sam to dig deep into comedy on film with Bradley Cooper's newest, Is This Thing On?, and Bob Fosse's 1974 Lenny Bruce biopic, Lenny—two very different looks at life onstage, offstage, and the price of being funny. One film captures the awkward grind and personal fallout of chasing laughs, while the other revisits the myth, brilliance, and self-destruction of a Mt. Rushmore comic who changed the rules by breaking all of them.  On the beer side, things get dangerously boozy. The guys start with Martin House Brewing's Death by Chocolate Cake (a casual 12% ABV) before escalating to the heavyweight main event: Bourbon County Brand Stout 2025, clocking in at a staggering 14.6% ABV. It's a lot of beer, a lot of alcohol, and maybe not the best idea—but definitely the right one. High-proof stouts, iconic comedians, and two comics trying to keep it together long enough to finish the episode. What could possibly go wrong?

Welcome to 2026! A new year brings a fresh set of rules for your retirement savings, and not all of them are straightforward. With the turning of the calendar comes changes to contribution limits, Social Security adjustments, and new tax mandates that could catch you off guard if you aren't paying attention. In this first episode of the year, I break down exactly what is changing for 2026, from the "good news" of higher contribution limits to the "bad news" of Medicare premium hikes that might eat up your entire Social Security cost-of-living adjustment. I also dive into a controversial new rule from the Secure Act 2.0 that forces high earners to change how they save in their 401(k)s, removing the choice of pre-tax savings for many. We also tackle some fantastic listener questions, including a look at why Target Date Funds had a "lucky" year in 2025 (and why I still don't recommend them), and I dismantle a dangerous misconception about retirement withdrawals, the "Mayonnaise Jar" math that convinces retirees their money will last 20 years when, in reality, inflation and life have other plans. You will want to hear this episode if you are interested in... (00:23) Intro to 2026 Changes. (04:36) Social Security COLA vs. Medicare Premiums. (06:40) New IRA and 401(k) Contribution Limits. (10:24) The New "Roth Catch-Up" Mandate for High Earners. (18:57) New Charitable Deduction Rules. (20:03) Listener Q: Target Date Funds Explained. (29:12) Listener Q: The "Mayonnaise Jar" Withdrawal Mistake. The "Fake" Raise: Social Security vs. Medicare in 2026 We start the year with what sounds like a win: a 2.8% Cost of Living Adjustment (COLA) for Social Security recipients. However, before you start budgeting that extra cash, you need to look at the other side of the ledger. Medicare Part B premiums have jumped by nearly 9.67%, rising to $202.90 a month. For many retirees, this increase will come directly out of their Social Security check, effectively wiping out the "raise" they thought they were getting. It is a reminder that healthcare inflation often outpaces general inflation, and your plan needs to account for that reality, not just the headline numbers. The $150k Trap: New Mandatory Roth Rules One of the biggest changes for 2026 comes from the Secure Act 2.0, and it impacts high earners. If you earned $150,000 or more in FICA wages in 2025, you no longer have a choice on how you make your "catch-up" contributions. Uncle Sam now mandates that your catch-up contribution (the extra $8,000 you can save if you are over 50) must go into a Roth 401(k). This means you lose the immediate tax deduction on those dollars. It is a way for the government to grab more tax revenue now rather than later, and for many savers, it removes the flexibility to design a tax strategy that fits their specific needs. If your employer doesn't offer a Roth option, you might be out of luck entirely. Why "Cookie Cutter" Investing Still Fails (Even When It Wins) A listener asked why their Target Date Fund performed so well in 2025. The answer lies in a rare alignment of international markets and bond performance that boosted these funds last year. But one good year doesn't change my fundamental problem with these funds: they are "cookie-cutter." They treat every 65-year-old exactly the same, ignoring your personal goals, your risk tolerance, and your income needs. It's like walking into a car dealership and being told you have to buy a minivan just because everyone else your age is buying one. You deserve a plan customized to your life, not a default setting based on your birth year. The "Mayonnaise Jar" Math Mistake Finally, I address a listener who believed he was set for 20 years because he could withdraw $50,000 a year from his $1 million nest egg until it hit zero. I call this "Mayonnaise Jar" math, assuming you can just pull cash out of a stagnant jar until it's empty. This logic fails because it ignores inflation. As we saw in 2025 with beef prices jumping 20%, the cost of living does not stay flat. $50,000 today will not buy $50,000 worth of goods in ten years. If you don't have your money invested to grow and outpace inflation, you aren't planning for a 20-year retirement; you're planning to run out of purchasing power long before you run out of money. Resources & People Mentioned 3 Steps to Retirement Planning Retirement Budgeting Tool Connect With Gregg Gonzalez Email at: Gregg.gonzalez@lpl.com Podcast: https://RetirementMadeEasyPodcast.com Website: https://StLouisFinancialAdvisor.com Follow Gregg on LinkedIn Follow Gregg on Facebook Follow Gregg on YouTube Subscribe to Retirement Made Easy On Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts

This special podcast with Ann Wirtz and CD Financial discusses taking control of your financial success. We explore essential aspects of personal finance and financial management to help you make smarter decisions. Learn how to navigate your future with confidence and robust financial planning. Take the quiz: https://lb1nm6qa2sh.typeform.com/to/pKWB4w8b

In this episode from 2022, Alex speaks with Abigail Hall about propaganda - an elusive and at times far-reaching concept that can be found everywhere: from overt wartime speeches by presidents to covert uses of sports and film to promote the ends of state militarism. References 1. “Manufacturing Militarism: U.S. Government Propaganda in the War on Terror” by Christopher J. Coyne and Abigail R. Hall Link: https://www.amazon.ca/Manufacturing-Militarism-Government-Propaganda-Terror/dp/1503628361  2. “Tyranny Comes Home: The Domestic Fate of U.S. Militarism” by Christopher J. Coyne and Abigail R. Hall Link: https://www.amazon.ca/Tyranny-Comes-Home-Domestic-Militarism/dp/1503605272  3. Abigail Hall's Previous Episode on The Curious Task Link: https://thecurioustask.podbean.com/e/ep-13-abigail-hall-%e2%80%94-how-does-foreign-policy-create-a-boomerang-effect-at-home/  4. “Keep Calm and Carry On” Poster Link: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Keep_Calm_and_Carry_On  5. “Uncle Sam” Poster Link: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Uncle_Sam  6. “Smith-Mundt Act” by US Agency for Global Media Link: https://www.usagm.gov/who-we-are/oversight/legislation/smith-mundt/ 7. “Dick Cheney” by Britannica Link: https://www.britannica.com/biography/Dick-Cheney  8. “Biographies of Secretaries of State: Colin Powell (1937-2021)” by Office of the Historian Link: https://history.state.gov/departmenthistory/people/powell-colin-luther  9. “Biographies of Secretaries of State: Condoleezza Rice (1954-)” by Office of the Historian Link: https://history.state.gov/departmenthistory/people/rice-condoleezza 10. “Pat Tillman” by Britannica Link: https://www.britannica.com/biography/Pat-Tillman 11. “The Life and Death of Phil Strub” by Spy Culture Link: https://www.spyculture.com/the-life-and-death-of-phil-strub/ 12. “Windtalkers” by IMDb Link: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0245562/ 13. “Top Gun” by IMDb Link: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0092099/ 14. "Transformers" by IMDb Link: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0418279/ 

Are You "Shutdown-Proof" for Retirement? Find out here: https://lb1nm6qa2sh.typeform.com/to/pKWB4w8bYour TSP, Your Rules — Take control of your federal retirement savings and overcome processing delays, tax traps, and income planning pitfalls with smarter decisions.” Learn how to manage your Thrift Savings Plan distributions, withdrawal strategies, and TSP loan options with confidence.“Understanding your TSP withdrawal options and income planning — from required minimum distributions to installment strategies — is one of the smartest steps you can take for a secure federal retirement.”FREE 15-minute call: https://calendly.com/charlesdzama/complimentary-15-minute-phone-call-youtubeSocials:Instagram: https://instagram.com/cdfinancial.llc/Facebook: https://facebook.com/cdfinancialLinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/company/cd-financialNewsletter: https://cdfinancial.com/newsletter

January 12, 2026 ~ Chris Renwick, Lloyd Jackson, and Jamie Edmonds speak with Lucas Tomlinson, Fox News Washington correspondent. Tomlinson discusses US strikes in Syria and the situation in Iran. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Today, we're talking about an ICE agent fatally shooting a Minneapolis woman; the USDA's new food pyramid; the Trump administration's threefold plan for Venezuela; and other top news for Friday, January 9th. Stay informed while remaining focused on Christ with The Pour Over. Looking to support us? You can choose to pay ⁠⁠⁠⁠here⁠⁠⁠⁠ Check out our sponsors! We actually use and enjoy every single one. Cru Wild Alaskan Safe House Project Gloo QAVA CCCU Filament Bible Upside Mosh LMNT Theology in the Raw Not Just Sunday Podcast Bible Gateway Plus

He's a symbol of patriotism, protest, and power. But behind the red, white, and blue is a real man—and a disputed American origin story. How did a real guy go from meatpacker to meme, to personification of a nation and, eventually, the most famous Army recruiter in history?I WANT YOU… to listen and find out.Guests: Frank Blazich, curator of modern military history at the Smithsonian's National Musuem of American HistoryKathy Sheehan, executive director of the Hart Cluett Museum in Troy, New York; The Redela County and Troy City historian 

January 6, 2026 ~ Chris Renwick, Lloyd Jackson, and Jamie Edmonds speak with Richard Primus, Professor of Law at the University of Michigan. They discuss the legality of the US capturing a foreign head of state. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Bloody New Year (1987) was chosen by co-host Dave as the final movie pick in the Year of the Stitch-Up, and what a note to end on. The film was directed by Norman J. Warren, a cult British filmmaker best known for low-budget horror and exploitation fare like Satan's Slave and Inseminoid. By the late 1980s, Warren was working with extremely limited resources, and Bloody New Year was produced on a modest budget aimed squarely at the VHS and late-night rental market. The production leaned heavily on atmosphere, strange concepts, and practical effects rather than polish, embracing the scrappy DIY ethos of British horror in the post-slasher boom era.Shot largely on location along the Welsh coast, the film made creative use of abandoned buildings and seaside settings to create an eerie, off-kilter mood without the expense of large sets. Like many British genre films of the time, it struggled with distribution, receiving little theatrical exposure before finding its audience on home video. While largely ignored on release, Bloody New Year has since gained a cult reputation among horror fans who enjoy obscure, unconventional oddities from the VHS era. As the closing chapter of the Year of the Stitch-Up, it's an appropriately strange, divisive, and deeply VHS-coded selection — the kind of movie that feels discovered rather than released.If you enjoy the show and would like to support us, we have a Patreon ⁠⁠⁠here⁠⁠⁠.Referral links also help out the show if you were going to sign up:⁠⁠⁠NordVPN⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠NordPass⁠⁠⁠Trailer Guy Plot SummaryFrom a quiet coastal town… to an island where time itself has gone horribly wrong.A group of unsuspecting teenagers arrive at a deserted hotel expecting nothing more than a getaway — but what they find is something far more twisted. As reality fractures, clocks stop making sense, and unseen forces close in, the line between past, present, and pure nightmare begins to dissolve.Bloody New Year — where the party never ends… and time is out to get you.Fun FactsBloody New Year was also released in some territories under the alternate title “Time Bomb”, which caused confusion among VHS collectors.The film became far more well-known on home video than in cinemas, thriving during the late-80s VHS horror boom.Many fans mistakenly associate the movie with the “Video Nasties” era, even though it narrowly missed official banning in the UK.The eerie fairground setting was created using abandoned seaside attractions, adding an unintentional layer of decay to the visuals.Several special effects were achieved using camera tricks and editing rather than gore, due to budget limitations.The movie's synth-heavy soundtrack is frequently cited by fans as one of its most memorable elements.Bloody New Year gained renewed attention in the 2000s thanks to cult horror forums and late-night TV screenings.Today, the film is often discussed alongside other late-80s British horror oddities like Uncle Sam and The Outing as a cult curiosity.⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠thevhsstrikesback@gmail.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://linktr.ee/vhsstrikesback⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Watch The X22 Report On Video No videos found (function(w,d,s,i){w.ldAdInit=w.ldAdInit||[];w.ldAdInit.push({slot:17532056201798502,size:[0, 0],id:"ld-9437-3289"});if(!d.getElementById(i)){var j=d.createElement(s),p=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0];j.async=true;j.src="https://cdn2.decide.dev/_js/ajs.js";j.id=i;p.parentNode.insertBefore(j,p);}})(window,document,"script","ld-ajs");pt> Click On Picture To See Larger Picture[CB] around the world are dumping the Fed note, they just aren’t taking on anymore, everything is about to change. Trump’s GDP outshines Biden’s. China is now going to restrict silver, silver is used in electronics, batteries,solar panels etc. Silver prices are going to move. [CB] fraud is now exposed. The Tariff system is the future. The [DS] criminal syndicate is being exposed, it’s not just in DC it is world wide. As people learn how corrupt the system is and most of the taxes and borrowing goes to support the criminal system the people will be with Trump to remove the Fed. Trump is in the process of bringing down the entire corrupt temple on the [DS]. Trump moves closer to peace with Ukraine, 2026 is going to change everything. Economy Status of the US Dollar as Global Reserve Currency: USD Share Drops to Lowest since 1994  Central Banks diversify their holdings into dozens of smaller “non-traditional reserve currencies.”  The share of USD-denominated assets held by other central banks dropped to 56.9% of total foreign exchange reserves in Q3, the lowest since 1994, from 57.1% in Q2 and 58.5% in Q1, according to the IMF's new data on Currency Composition of Official Foreign Exchange Reserves. USD-denominated foreign exchange reserves include US Treasury securities, US mortgage-backed securities (MBS), US agency securities, US corporate bonds, and other USD-denominated assets held by central banks other than the Fed. Excluded are any central bank's assets denominated in its own currency, such as the Fed's Treasury securities or the ECB's euro-denominated securities. It's not that foreign central banks dumped US-dollar-denominated assets, such as Treasury securities. They did not. They added a little to their holdings. But they added more assets denominated in other currencies, particularly a gaggle of smaller currencies whose combined share has surged, while central banks' holdings of USD-denominated assets haven't changed much for a decade, and so the percentage share of those USD assets continued to decline.   Central banks' holdings of foreign exchange reserves in all currencies, and expressed in USD, rose to $13.0 trillion in Q3. Top holdings, expressed in USD: USD assets: $7.41 trillion Euro assets (EUR): $2.65 trillion Yen assets (YEN): $0.76 trillion British pound assets (GBP): $0.58 trillion Canadian dollar assets (CAD): $0.35 trillion Australian dollar assets (AUD): $0.27 trillion Chinese renminbi (RMB) assets: $0.25 trillion Source: wolfstreet.com (function(w,d,s,i){w.ldAdInit=w.ldAdInit||[];w.ldAdInit.push({slot:18510697282300316,size:[0, 0],id:"ld-8599-9832"});if(!d.getElementById(i)){var j=d.createElement(s),p=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0];j.async=true;j.src="https://cdn2.decide.dev/_js/ajs.js";j.id=i;p.parentNode.insertBefore(j,p);}})(window,document,"script","ld-ajs");  https://twitter.com/elonmusk/status/2004750391435755846?s=20 https://twitter.com/ElectionWiz/status/2004928015172821228?s=20 https://twitter.com/ElectionWiz/status/2004946780216328590?s=20  Political/Rights https://twitter.com/Patri0tContr0l/status/2004590513182367845?s=20  https://twitter.com/Geiger_Capital/status/2005107085865103608?s=20 ICE: 70% Arrested Had Criminal Ties Roughly 70% of illegal migrants arrested by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) under the second Trump administration reportedly had been convicted of or faced charges for criminal offenses. New data provided to the Washington Examiner shows the Trump administration arrested about 595,000 illegal immigrants between Jan. 20 and Dec. 11, according to the Department of Homeland Security. ICE said 70%, roughly 416,000, had “criminal convictions or pending criminal charges” in the United States, underscoring President Donald Trump’s promise to prioritize the “worst of the worst” in immigration enforcement. ICE officials stressed that even those without U.S. criminal records can still pose major public safety threats, the agency said, noting many are wanted abroad for violent crimes or have ties to gangs, terrorism, or other serious offenses. “This statistic doesn’t account for those wanted for violent crimes in their home country or another country, INTERPOL notices, human rights abusers, gang members, terrorists, etc. The list goes on,” an ICE spokesperson told the Examiner. Source: newsmax.com   New Files Show Epstein Was ‘Too Useful' for Banks to Drop — Trump Was ‘Too Politically Dangerous' to Keep  The newest Epstein disclosures include deposition testimony that illustrates, in unusually concrete detail, how major financial institutions assessed risk, value, and accountability. The transcript does not add new allegations about Epstein. Instead, it explains why he remained bankable long after his 2008 conviction and why his relationship with major banks survived despite generating almost no traditional revenue. That institutional logic is the same logic that later drove JPMorgan to end its ties with Trump Media, and the contrast between the two cases shows how selectively these standards are applied. In the deposition, Paul Morris—a private banker who handled Epstein's accounts at JPMorgan Chase and later Deutsche Bank—described Epstein's financial profile with unusual precision. Epstein's trading was minimal. His accounts produced limited fees. He was not a high-activity client and did not utilize the investment tools that banks rely on to generate consistent revenue. By every conventional benchmark, he was a low-value account. And yet, the relationship continued. The deposition shows why. Epstein was not retained for his financial performance but for his institutional usefulness. Morris acknowledged that Epstein facilitated introductions to ultra-wealthy individuals that the bank viewed as essential prospects. One example was Leon Black, whom Morris identified as a “priority prospect” because of Black's significant net worth and influence in the investment sector. Epstein introduced the bank to real-estate investor Andrew Farkas and discussed a potential connection involving biotech investor Boris Nikolic, who had ties to Bill Gates. These introductions were specific, documented, and initiated by Epstein, not the bank. This is the key element that many public accounts overlook. Epstein was not being managed as a traditional client. He functioned as a relationship broker inside a system where introductions to power carry more internal value than account-level returns. Source: thegatewaypundit.com  DOGE Geopolitical The EU Leaders Shouting About Visa Bans Are the Same EU Leaders Who Sent Political Operatives Into the U.S. to Support Kamala Harris  EU leaders from across the spectrum of their collective assembly, are furious with the administration of President Donald Trump for restricting their entry into the United States by blocking their visa permissions.  However, these same EU leaders are the people who sent operatives into the United States in order to interfere in our 2024 election. The Vice President of the European Commission, Kaja Kallas, sums up the European position: “The decision by the U.S. to impose travel restrictions on European citizens and officials is unacceptable and an attempt to challenge our sovereignty. Europe will keep defending its values — freedom of expression, fair digital rules, and the right to regulate our own space.” The “attempt to challenge our sovereignty” statement is a particular type of hubris when we consider THIS: GREAT BRITAIN (October 2024) – The British Labour Party is sending approximately 100 current and former staff members to the United States to work for Vice President Kamala Harris' campaign in key swing states. [SOURCE – LINKEDIN] Not only did the U.K attempt to challenge our sovereignty, but they also actively worked to influence the outcome of our national election in 2024. It is worth remembering the British intelligence operation, (Secret Intelligence Service (SIS), commonly known as MI6), was at the center of the Trump-Russia collusion conspiracy in 2016. The first EU political group to be targeted with the visa bans includes French former EU commissioner Thierry Breton, who was one of the architects of the EU's Digital Services Act (DSA). Also: Imran Ahmed, the British CEO of the U.S.-based Center for Countering Digital Hate, Anna-Lena von Hodenberg and Josephine Ballon of the German non-profit HateAid, and Clare Melford, co-founder of the Global Disinformation Index. https://twitter.com/GeneHamilton/status/2004656229684224393?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E2004656229684224393%7Ctwgr%5E91706d63d41394916634b106fbd2268d7711e121%7Ctwcon%5Es1_c10&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Ftheconservativetreehouse.com%2Fblog%2F2025%2F12%2F27%2Fthe-eu-leaders-shouting-about-visa-bans-are-the-same-eu-leaders-who-sent-political-operatives-into-the-u-s-to-support-kamala-harris%2F https://twitter.com/GeneHamilton/status/2004656234910433405?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E2004656234910433405%7Ctwgr%5E91706d63d41394916634b106fbd2268d7711e121%7Ctwcon%5Es1_c10&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Ftheconservativetreehouse.com%2Fblog%2F2025%2F12%2F27%2Fthe-eu-leaders-shouting-about-visa-bans-are-the-same-eu-leaders-who-sent-political-operatives-into-the-u-s-to-support-kamala-harris%2F Source: theconservativetreehouse.com https://twitter.com/michaelgwaltz/status/2005058695647166898?s=20 https://twitter.com/visegrad24/status/2005035840934723894?s=20 War/Peace   EIGHT, perhaps the United States has become the REAL United Nations, which has been of very little assistance or help in any of them, including the disaster currently going on between Russia and Ukraine. The United Nations must start getting active and involved in WORLD PEACE!   the United States is capable of doing. Under my leadership, our Country will not allow Radical Islamic Terrorism to prosper. May God Bless our Military, and MERRY CHRISTMAS to all, including the dead Terrorists, of which there will be many more if their slaughter of Christians continues.   DONALD J. TRUMP PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA Trump Tasks Military With an ‘Oil Quarantine' Against Venezuela, as Economic Pressure Is Chosen for Now Over Military Action Venezuela's oil industry under maximum pressure.   And now that the extended holidays are over, the socialist regime will have to deal with the veritable siege imposed by the US and its unprecedented armada. Venezuela is running out of storage space for its oil production since some ships are being seized and many others turned around and left.  Now, it arises that Donald J. Trump has directed US forces to enforce ‘an oil quarantine' against Venezuela for at least the next two months. These moves lead many to think that the Trump team will focus on economic rather than military means to pressure Caracas into ousting Maduro. Reuters reported:   Read  more: Source: thegatewaypundit.com Trump Blockade Leaves $1 Billion Of Venezuelan Crude Stranded On Tankers  With a two-month “quarantine” placed on Venezuelan oil by the Trump administration in a foreign policy move called “gunboat diplomacy,” new data estimate that roughly $900 million worth of crude is currently loaded on tankers, unable to depart Venezuela due to the U.S. blockade. “Based on our visual analysis from both shore and space, we estimate that there are around 17.5 million barrels of crude oil floating onboard tankers in Venezuela which are unable to depart due to the ongoing US blockade,” independent research Tanker Trackers wrote on X. “That’s around $900M of oil.” https://twitter.com/TankerTrackers/status/2004713684871078162?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E2004713684871078162%7Ctwgr%5E016cd45f97095edcd74bb159f40c4e93caf9794d%7Ctwcon%5Es1_c10&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.zerohedge.com%2Fcommodities%2Ftrump-blockade-leaves-1-billion-venezuelan-crude-stranded-tankers Source: zerohedge.com Trump to POLITICO: Zelenskyy ‘doesn't have anything until I approve it' Trump's comments come ahead of his Sunday meeting with Zelenskyy, who will bring with him a new 20-point plan to end the war President Donald Trump on Friday cast himself as the ultimate arbiter of any peace deal between Ukraine and Russia, in an exclusive conversation with POLITICO. “He doesn't have anything until I approve it,” Trump said. “So we'll see what he's got.” Source: politico.com https://twitter.com/FoxNews/status/2005352028365848993?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E2005352028365848993%7Ctwgr%5E1588e24fb392689513bf7b2f064c646c1bf5f470%7Ctwcon%5Es1_c10&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.thegatewaypundit.com%2F2025%2F12%2Ftrump-says-russia-ukraine-peace-talks-entering-final%2F  Medical/False Flags 19 Blue States Sue Trump Admin to Preserve Right to Perform Child Sex Changes Last week, Secretary of Health and Human Services Robert F. Kennedy Jr. said he would cut off Medicare and Medicaid funding to any provider that offers so-called gender-affirming treatment to minors. “Under my leadership, and answering President Trump's call to action, the federal government will do everything in its power to stop unsafe, irreversible practices that put our children at risk,” Kennedy said at the time. The Oregon-led lawsuit claims that the decision “exceeds the Secretary's authority and violates the Administrative Procedure Act and the Medicare and Medicaid statutes.” A total of nineteen blue states are suing the Trump administration in a bid to protect the right to perform child sex changes. His office said in a press release: Source: thegatewaypundit.com [DS] Agenda  https://twitter.com/nickshirleyy/status/2004642794862961123?s=20   work way too hard and pay too much in taxes for this to be happening, the fraud must be stopped. https://twitter.com/MAGAVoice/status/2005011311756017964?s=20 https://twitter.com/libsoftiktok/status/2005158623442600391?s=20 https://twitter.com/DataRepublican/status/2005292438114738555?s=20  diabolical. And it’s going to work until we understand that primaries will be more important than generals from here out on. https://twitter.com/C_3C_3/status/2005016429687701811?s=20 https://twitter.com/WarClandestine/status/2005351086115405986?s=20 https://twitter.com/CynicalPublius/status/2005030256382464493?s=20  and your tribe. I spent a lot of my life in the Middle East and Central Asia, working closely with foreign contractors and foreign governments to provide support to American military operations. As a US Army officer with a big checkbook courtesy of Uncle Sam, I can't really count the sheer number of times I was offered bribes to award a contract, or falsify records to do things like create larger (fake) headcounts at places like dining facilities, or to just simply be on the take for future illegal requests. Of course I had enough sense to never comply with such requests. Moreover, they were never explicitly structured as “bribes”; instead it was usually along the lines of “Here I have these Rolexes as gifts for you and your wife to show our friendship.” (Unfortunately, too many US officers and NCOs succumbed to this siren song and ended up breaking rocks in Leavenworth.) The weird thing about this to me was that whenever I turned down such an offering, it was treated as a grave insult. I was the one in the wrong, and not the fraudster trying to bribe me. They considered it rude that I was in their country and refused to accept how things got done. After all, why did I not want to help my tribe by helping their tribe? Let me repeat: in these cultures, FRAUD IS NOT EVEN A CONCEPT. There is only what helps your tribe. Such thought processes are so alien to Americans and much of the West. We are raised on the presumption that our institutions are valid, that the rule of law always prevails, and that integrity is universal. We need these presumptions to have working governments and economies, and without those presumptions—without the mental barrier that causes us not to accept outright fraud—our nation would quickly descend into the economic and social hellscape of countries like…. ummm… you know…. SOMALIA! So when we import people en masse from cultures that accept bribery and fraud as routine, acceptable ways to advance one's tribe, we should not be surprised that things like the $8 BILLION fraud schemes of the Somali population in Minnesota happen so easily. Introducing a fraud-based culture based on tribalism into America is like introducing some sort of lethal virus into a population that has no natural immunity. The virus will spread and grow, unchecked, because it is so alien to the host. Similarly, a culture of fraud is anathema to American thinking, and it must be cut out before it consumes the host. So when you see and hear patriotic Americans decrying what is happening in Minnesota or elsewhere, and when they seek deportation of the offenders, it is not “racism,” it is not “bigotry,” it is not “xenophobia”; instead, it is preserving the American tradition of responsible institutions and national integrity. https://twitter.com/MarioNawfal/status/2005262465190223928?s=20 https://twitter.com/FBIDirectorKash/status/2005305530651189719?s=20   exploiting federal programs. Fraud that steals from taxpayers and robs vulnerable children will remain a top FBI priority in Minnesota and nationwide. To date, the FBI dismantled a $250 million fraud scheme that stole federal food aid meant for vulnerable children during COVID. The investigation exposed sham vendors, shell companies, and large-scale money laundering tied to the Feeding Our Future network. The case led to 78 indictments and 57 convictions. Defendants included Abdiwahab Ahmed Mohamud, Ahmed Ali, Hussein Farah, Abdullahe Nur Jesow, Asha Farhan Hassan, Ousman Camara, and Abdirashid Bixi Dool, each charged for roles ranging from wire fraud to money laundering and conspiracy. These criminals didn't just engaged in historic fraud, but tried to subvert justice as well. Abdimajid Mohamed Nur and others were charged for attempting to bribe a juror with $120,000 in cash. Those responsible pleaded guilty and were sentenced, including a 10-year prison term and nearly $48 million in restitution in related cases. The FBI believes this is just the tip of a very large iceberg. We will continue to follow the money and protect children, and this investigation very much remains ongoing. Furthermore, many are also being referred to immigrations officials for possible further denaturalization and deportation proceedings where eligible. https://twitter.com/ScottPresler/status/2004932316926193933?s=20 https://twitter.com/HarmeetKDhillon/status/2004976287270731981?s=20 https://twitter.com/rising_serpent/status/2005080344610177489?s=20  https://twitter.com/amuse/status/2005092720927232198?s=20  “skeptical jurors” in federal cases involving President Trump. Co-founder Alex Dodds said jurors have “enormous power” to judge the administration itself. Critics report the sessions encourage rigging trials against the administration, conduct plainly barred under 8 USC §1503. President Trump's Plan https://twitter.com/WarClandestine/status/2004653262491058216?s=20 accomplished what no one else could. When we arrived, taxpayers were about to be on the hook for nearly $5 billion for a new headquarters that wouldn't open until 2035. We scrapped that plan. Instead, we selected the already-existing Reagan Building, saving billions and allowing the transition to begin immediately with required safety and infrastructure upgrades already underway. Once complete, most of the HQ FBI workforce will move in, and the rest are continuing in our ongoing push to put more manpower in the field, where they will remain. This decision puts resources where they belong: defending the homeland, crushing violent crime, and protecting national security. It delivers better tools for today's FBI workforce at a fraction of the cost. The Hoover Building will be shut down permanently.  They Got Her: FBI Caught Hillary Clinton Talking Donations with Foreign Felon on Tape As Hillary Clinton closed in on the presidential nomination in the spring of 2016, FBI field officers advised colleagues at headquarters to press her on the foreign donations flowing to the Clinton Foundation while she steered American foreign policy and whether she had used the charity as a campaign piggy bank. But the FBI HQ in Washington — a city in which the former secretary of state and first lady wields enormous influence — let the trail go cold. FBI New York Assistant Director in Charge Diego Rodriguez advised agents in Washington to ask Clinton several questions about the foundation, which are reproduced in full in documents released to the Senate Judiciary Committee by the FBI and published on Dec. 15. The questions reveal the concerns about foreign bribery that the Clinton Foundation case — codenamed “Cracked Foundation” — had uncovered. Among the evidence available to investigators, according to their questions: A recorded conversation between Clinton and Indian hotel magnate Sant Singh Chatwal in which Clinton discussed donations to the foundation and her remaining 2008 campaign debt. The new documents confirm that the FBI had at one time been “intercepting individuals associated with the Clinton Foundation.” Source: westernjournal.com  John Brennan's Lawfare Lawyers are Revealing More Than They Intend   former CIA Director John Brennan are sending proactive letters to the Federal District Court for the Southern District of Florida {SEE HERE}.  However, some of the information included in the letters intended to be exculpatory is actually damning against their defense position. You have to go deep in the weeds to see it but if you understand the details of the events, the information being revealed by Brennan's lawyers is the opposite of helpful to his case.  As an example, there is a citation included in a footnote of the December 22, 2025, [fn #20 page 6] letter that links to a March 31, 2022, letter sent to John Durham. Here's page 6 of the 2025 letter. Compare the underlined section to the 2022 letter sent to John Durham. In 2025 Brennan is telling the Florida court the Intelligence Community Assessment (ICA) conclusion was confirmed by Special Counsel Robert Mueller in a “very serious review.”  However, in 2022 Brennan told John Durham that Robert Mueller never interviewed him or offered an assessment of the ICA; Mueller just regurgitated it. So, which is it? These contradictions are throughout both of the letters when you compare them side-by-side.  In 2022 former CIA Director John Brennan was trying to escape the Durham review.  In 2025 Brennan is trying to escape a grand jury review. [We are aware that the U.S Attorney for the Southern District of Florida, Jason Reding Quiñones, has access to the CTH public library of research into all of these historic events.] There are other citations in the 2022 letter that are certainly worth reviewing because the legally binding statements made by John Brennan at the time have been shown to be false in 2025. Another of the claims in the 2022 letter to John Durham highlights why it was critical for the CIA to assist in the capture and arrest of Julian Assange in 2019. Source: thegatewaypundit.com  Trump: Upcoming Midterms Will Be ‘About Pricing’ The 2026 midterm elections will be “about pricing,” according to President Donald Trump, who said that his administration is restoring the nation’s economy after the condition in which former President Joe Biden left it. “I think it’s going to be about the success of our country,” Trump said in an interview with Politico, the outlet reported Saturday. “They gave us high pricing, and we’re bringing it down. Energy’s way down. Gasoline is way down.” Over the past two weeks, a series of positive economic reports has shown that inflation is decreasing, with the White House highlighting the latest data while addressing cost-of-living concerns nationwide. According to a Politico poll conducted last month, Americans say they are finding that the costs of groceries, utilities, healthcare, housing, and transportation are too expensive. Trump has been fighting to reframe that, however, blaming Democrats under Biden for driving prices up. He said in the interview, conducted Friday, that “electricity is down. It’s way down.” “When the gasoline goes down, and when the oil and gas go down, the electricity comes down naturally,” he said. “But it’s all coming down. It’s all coming down. It’s coming beautifully.” Source: newsmax.com https://twitter.com/WarClandestine/status/2004696380531503505?s=20   the NG will have quick response troops on standby in every state, the FBI building is being moved to a new location, the war between Russia and Ukraine is coming to an end, and all of Trump's pieces will be in place. There seems to be a shift in attitude. I think we are passing into a different phase of the operation. The shadow war will eventually have to come to the surface. (function(w,d,s,i){w.ldAdInit=w.ldAdInit||[];w.ldAdInit.push({slot:13499335648425062,size:[0, 0],id:"ld-7164-1323"});if(!d.getElementById(i)){var j=d.createElement(s),p=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0];j.async=true;j.src="//cdn2.customads.co/_js/ajs.js";j.id=i;p.parentNode.insertBefore(j,p);}})(window,document,"script","ld-ajs");

Watch The X22 Report On Video No videos found (function(w,d,s,i){w.ldAdInit=w.ldAdInit||[];w.ldAdInit.push({slot:17532056201798502,size:[0, 0],id:"ld-9437-3289"});if(!d.getElementById(i)){var j=d.createElement(s),p=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0];j.async=true;j.src="https://cdn2.decide.dev/_js/ajs.js";j.id=i;p.parentNode.insertBefore(j,p);}})(window,document,"script","ld-ajs");pt> Click On Picture To See Larger PictureThe Tren De Aragua gang tried to insert malwar into the ATM system to steal millions. Was this the first stage of the [CB] trying to hurt the economy? Trump’s economy is accelerating, the job numbers don’t reflect it because of the manipulation calculation and the jobs that he is removing from Gov. Trump is winning against the [CB]. The [DS] agenda is failing. The D party is on the wrong side of history and everyday that passes the people are waking up to this fact. The only way out is a war and this is why the [DS] is continually pushing back on Trump’s peace plan. Putin has agreed to it, [DS] is fighting it. Trump’s message is clear, we are taking back the country and in the end the D’s and the [DS] will cease to exist. Economy (function(w,d,s,i){w.ldAdInit=w.ldAdInit||[];w.ldAdInit.push({slot:18510697282300316,size:[0, 0],id:"ld-8599-9832"});if(!d.getElementById(i)){var j=d.createElement(s),p=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0];j.async=true;j.src="https://cdn2.decide.dev/_js/ajs.js";j.id=i;p.parentNode.insertBefore(j,p);}})(window,document,"script","ld-ajs"); Tren De Aragua Members and Leaders Indicted in Multi-Million Dollar ATM Jackpotting Scheme  December 18, 2025 – United States Attorney Lesley A. Woods announced that a federal grand jury in the District of Nebraska has returned two indictments charging 54 individuals for their roles in a large conspiracy to deploy malware and steal millions of dollars from ATMs in the United States, a crime commonly referred to as “ATM jackpotting.” An indictment returned on December 9, 2025, charges 22 defendants with offenses corresponding to their role in the conspiracy, including conspiracy to provide material support to terrorists, conspiracy to commit bank fraud, conspiracy to commit bank burglary and fraud and related activity in connection with computers, and conspiracy to commit money laundering. The indictment also alleges that Tren de Aragua (“TdA”) has used jackpotting to steal millions of dollars in the United States and then transferred the proceeds among its members and associates to conceal the illegally obtained cash.   Source: .justice.gov  https://twitter.com/DC_Draino/status/2001781948465746206?s=20 https://twitter.com/profstonge/status/2001993417291960468?s=20   Political/Rights Soros DA Ignores ICE Detainer, Releases El Salvadorian Illegal Who Allegedly Commits Murder the Next Day  Marvin Morales-Ortez, 23, an illegal from El Salvador, was released from custody after the Fairfax County Commonwealth's Attorney's Office, led by Soros-backed Attorney Steve Descano, dropped a case against him for charges of allegedly brandishing a gun and assaulting and injuring someone. Fox News' Bill Melugin notes he was released back onto the streets after an ICE detainer was ignored. The next day, it is alleged he is responsible for the murder of a man found dead in a home in Reston, Va., according to the Fairfax County Police Department. Before the latest incident, Morales-Ortez already had a lengthy criminal record. WJLA News reports, “court records indicate that since 2020, Morales-Ortez had been charged with at least seven crimes in Fairfax County.” Per WJLA: Source: thegatewaypundit.com BREAKING: Milwaukee Judge Hannah Dugan Found GUILTY of Obstruction For Helping Illegal Alien Evade ICE Agents – Faces 5 Years in Prison Milwaukee Judge Hannah Dugan on  evening was found guilty of obstruction for helping an illegal alien evade ICE agents. Dugan was acquitted of count 1 – the misdemeanor but she was found guilty on count 2 – the felony obstruction. She is facing five years in prison. AP reported: Source: thegatewaypundit.com https://twitter.com/FBIDirectorKash/status/2001976516876681590?s=20 https://twitter.com/Brooketaylortv/status/2001867929940574469?s=20   help crack this case since there was no clear image of the shooter entering the building. The suspected shooter was found dead six days after he opened fire at Brown University and killed two students and critically wounded nine. The shooter has been identified as 48-year-old Claudio Neves-Valente. He was a Brown University student and a Portuguese national. https://twitter.com/JohnDePetroshow/status/2002000197124075699?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E2002000197124075699%7Ctwgr%5E4fa4b47b64971deb3c6bff71f8f137f50b1c8efc%7Ctwcon%5Es1_c10&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.thegatewaypundit.com%2F2025%2F12%2Frevealed-here-is-how-homeless-man-blew-brown%2F https://twitter.com/libsoftiktok/status/2001937671115923906?s=20   TARGETED https://twitter.com/nicksortor/status/2001808961906016366?s=20 https://twitter.com/AutismCapital/status/2001865134214647920?s=20  the apartment building in Brookline, Massachusetts, where MIT professor Nuno F. Gomes Loureiro lived and was fatally shot has security cameras. Surveillance footage from the building was used in the investigation, including video showing the suspect entering the premises   authorities have not publicly released the security camera footage from the Brookline apartment building where MIT professor Nuno F. Gomes Loureiro was shot.   https://twitter.com/ColonelTowner/status/2001995157093200088?s=20   his actual storage unit never gets unlocked, and he's found dead in the one next door. I noticed last night that the DOJ AAG was very careful to say he was found dead. Then the following news reports all said he committed suicide. Those are not the same thing. Someone needs to ask about the possibility of him being murdered after his mission was completed. Keep your eyes and ears open No Leads, No Leads, No Leads finally a lead from a homeless man and reddit So the shooter lived in Miami, flew to Providence, waited for Ella, knew her schedule, then drove to Massachusetts, to shoot the professor that he knew in Portugal, then drove back to his storage unit that was in New Hampshire  . He had a foreign phone that couldn’t be pinged and tracked.  So what was the motive https://twitter.com/nicksortor/status/2001878709385728416?s=20   including the NYC ISIS truck ramming terrorist. Our ENTIRE immigration system needs to be SCRAPPED and REBUILT at this point. ENOUGH! https://twitter.com/MarioNawfal/status/2001724267906691531?s=20   Texas and Arizona. Total spending on border construction: $8 billion so far. The full plan: 1,418 miles of “Primary Smart Wall,” 536 miles of waterborne barriers, and 708 miles of secondary barriers. Funded through Trump’s “One Big Beautiful Bill Act” passed in July – $46.5 billion allocated specifically for border wall completion through 2029. The “Smart Wall” isn’t just rebranded concrete. It’s steel bollards combined with patrol roads, cameras, lighting, advanced detection sensors, and in some locations waterborne or secondary barriers. CBP calls it an integrated border security system – not just a physical barrier but surveillance infrastructure covering gaps where terrain makes construction impractical. Here’s the funding story: Biden canceled wall contracts when he took office in 2021. The appropriated money – FY2021 funds – never expired. Trump returned in January 2025 and immediately restarted construction using those leftover billions. Then Congress passed his budget package allocating $46.5 billion more for multi-year construction. DHS Secretary Kristi Noem issued nine waivers since October to fast-track construction by bypassing environmental review requirements. The contracts are moving – $4.5 billion awarded in September, $3.3 billion now, with more queued through 2029. The system includes 536 miles where physical barriers won’t be built due to terrain – those sections get detection technology instead. Another 549 miles will add tech to barriers Biden left incomplete. Trump built 455 miles in his first term, mostly replacing existing fencing. This time the scale is bigger and the tech integration is real. Whether it achieves the enforcement outcomes CBP Commissioner Rodney Scott is promising remains to be seen, but the construction is happening and the funding is locked in.  https://twitter.com/EndWokeness/status/2001837612487840164?s=20 Import IsIamists. Disarm Australians. What could possibly go wrong? https://twitter.com/Patri0tContr0l/status/2001745373052936625?s=20 https://twitter.com/ShadowofEzra/status/2001719516422676556?s=20 DOGE Geopolitical Tren De Aragua Members and Leaders Indicted in Multi-Million Dollar ATM Jackpotting Scheme  December 18, 2025 – United States Attorney Lesley A. Woods announced that a federal grand jury in the District of Nebraska has returned two indictments charging 54 individuals for their roles in a large conspiracy to deploy malware and steal millions of dollars from ATMs in the United States, a crime commonly referred to as “ATM jackpotting.” An indictment returned on December 9, 2025, charges 22 defendants with offenses corresponding to their role in the conspiracy, including conspiracy to provide material support to terrorists, conspiracy to commit bank fraud, conspiracy to commit bank burglary and fraud and related activity in connection with computers, and conspiracy to commit money laundering. The indictment also alleges that Tren de Aragua (“TdA”) has used jackpotting to steal millions of dollars in the United States and then transferred the proceeds among its members and associates to conceal the illegally obtained cash. One of the individuals named in the Indictment is Jimena Romina Araya Navarro, an alleged Tren De Aragua leader and Venezuelan entertainer who was sanctioned by the U.S. Department of the Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC).  OFAC's press release alleged that Araya Navarro reportedly helped the notorious head of TdA, Hector Rusthenford Guerrero Flores (a.k.a. “Niño Guerrero”) escape from the Tocorón prison in Venezuela in 2012, and others in this network have laundered money for TdA leaders.  Jimena Romina Araya Navarro was indicted by the grand jury for the District of Nebraska for material support to Tren De Aragua for factual allegations stemming from TdA's nationwide ATM jackpotting scheme that included burglaries of many ATMs located in Nebraska. Jimena Romina Araya Navarro has been publicly photographed at parties and social events with the alleged head of TdA Nino Guerrero. Source: .justice.gov  https://twitter.com/BasilTheGreat/status/2001917147963101255?s=20 https://twitter.com/elonmusk/status/2002018167611408489?s=20 Foreign Office has been hacked – ministers ‘fairly confident’ individual data not at risk Foreign Office data has been compromised by hackers, a minister has confirmed to Sky News, but he said the government is “fairly confident” that no individual data has been accessed. Trade minister Sir Chris Bryant told Sky’s Mornings with Jones and Melbourne that the government first became aware of the hack in October, and was now “on top of it”. Sky News understands that the data stolen was on systems operated on the Home Office’s behalf by the Foreign Office, which detected the breach. The Sun reported last night that a Chinese groups of hackers known as Storm 1949 targeted Foreign Office servers and had accessed information relating to visa details, with “thousands” of confidential documents and data stolen. But the minister told Sky News that it is “not entirely clear” who is responsible for the hack, and he could share “remarkably little detail”. Source: skynews.com Denmark blames Russia for destructive cyberattack on water utility Danish intelligence officials blamed Russia for orchestrating cyberattacks against Denmark’s critical infrastructure, as part of Moscow’s hybrid attacks against Western nations. In a Thursday statement, the Danish Defence Intelligence Service (DDIS) identified two groups operating on behalf of the Russian state: Z-Pentest, linked to the destructive water-utility attack, and NoName057(16), flagged as responsible for the DDoS assaults ahead of November’s local elections in Denmark before the 2025 elections. Source: bleepingnews.com War/Peace https://twitter.com/WallStreetMav/status/2001727675950383572?s=20 https://twitter.com/MyLordBebo/status/2001987088586354804?s=20 https://twitter.com/MyLordBebo/status/2001987615856476213?s=20 https://twitter.com/MarioNawfal/status/2001804678045274293?s=20   holding Russia financially accountable for the destruction. Zelensky: “Basically, as of today, now Ukraine must close this problem and have the money, that’s number one. About the prospects, the most right form is reparation loan, so that we all understand, so that Russia understands that it’s guilty and that it will have to pay reparations.” This push ties into the crunch EU summit over a $105B package funded partly by profits from frozen Russian assets, even as legal concerns and U.S. warnings hover. Zelensky says it's moral, fair, and the pressure tool needed to make Putin back down. https://twitter.com/clashreport/status/2001953679491109013?s=20 https://twitter.com/aleksbrz11/status/2001656372220301547?s=20 https://twitter.com/philippilk/status/2001918505957134742?s=20 https://twitter.com/MarioNawfal/status/2001973600405049683?s=20 ”  some offers and they invited us to certain compromises.’ And with that in Anchorage, back in Anchorage, I said that this would be difficult decisions for us. But we agree to the compromises that are being proposed to us. So it’s incorrect to say that we are refusing something.””So that’s completely incorrect. So the ball is totally on the side of our Western opponents, of the head of the Kiev regime and its European sponsors. https://twitter.com/CynicalPublius/status/2001773196727713853?s=20   other EU countries rattling their sabers and demanding that their native populations gear up to fight Russia in a war that would rival WWI in terms of exterminating a generation of young European men, is it possible that this is part of a New World Order scheme to eliminate native Europeans in favor of their migrant replacements? After all, that would be the ultimate expression of the guilt-ridden, cultural suicide Western Europe has been hellbent on achieving for the past thirty years. Conspiracy theory? YES. Reflective of current sentiments? YES. Take it for what it is worth. Medical/False Flags https://twitter.com/Rasmussen_Poll/status/2001457867614798265?s=20 [DS] Agenda https://twitter.com/GuntherEagleman/status/2001766583757394263?s=20 https://twitter.com/JoeLang51440671/status/2001871246141567421?s=20 Trump HUD Hunts Down Fraud in Colorado: 221 Dead People Were Getting Housing  That’s right. 221 dead people, out of almost 3,000 people in Colorado who were improperly receiving benefits from HUD. The Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) is investigating whether Colorado providers helped nearly 3,000 people swindle taxpayer money from Uncle Sam, The Post has learned. The investigation comes after an internal HUD audit found that benefits were granted to 221 dead people, while another 87 were otherwise ineligible. The department also said that another 2,519 beneficiaries will need to undergo additional verification. Here’s the question: Were these just mistakes, the results of bad record-keeping, or deliberate fraud? Not that either is exactly a comfortable finding; when the answer is either criminality or gross incompetence, the taxpayers take a bath either way. And HUD is calling this apparent fraud. Source: redstate.com https://twitter.com/elonmusk/status/2002067526977720452?s=20 https://twitter.com/EricLDaugh/status/2002054582202200131?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E2002054582202200131%7Ctwgr%5E9511fa92be723c1b11f9bd872529227569dc1dd9%7Ctwcon%5Es1_c10&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.thegatewaypundit.com%2F2025%2F12%2Fsecretary-state-rubio-confirms-ending-ngo-foreign-aid%2F President Trump's Plan https://twitter.com/FBIDirectorKash/status/2001794199046287594?s=20  the American people. These will be changes that you may not have read about in the media over this last year – but they're just as important for the new FBI. December 18: The FBI reporting structure. When Deputy Bongino and I arrived, FBI leadership was constructed to have all 50+ field offices report to one office in Washington D.C. This created inefficiencies and bureaucracy through no fault of the agents working hard in the field. When we got here, we sent personnel out to the field and then broke down the reporting structure giving a team of Operations Directors regional authority over each office. This allowed us to much more effectively manage each field office and get them the resources they need to do the job and protect the American people. The results speak for themselves: 100% increase in violent crime arrests, 35% increase in espionage arrests, 31% increase in fentanyl seizures, 500% increase in NVE arrests, and more. Making FBI leadership more responsive to the field allowed for the field to be more responsive to the American people – who we work for. https://twitter.com/KanekoaTheGreat/status/2001754813034533328?s=20 https://twitter.com/Rasmussen_Poll/status/2001699622553592254?s=20 https://twitter.com/Peoples_Pundit/status/2001817750952440044?s=20 https://twitter.com/EricLDaugh/status/2001837345113542864?s=20 https://twitter.com/KariLake/status/2001723271771726246?s=20  the center is not officially renamed solely based on the board’s vote. The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts was established and named by an act of Congress (Public Law 88-260 in 1964, codified in 20 U.S.C. § 76h et seq.), making its official name part of federal statute. While the Board of Trustees can vote to recommend or propose a name change—as they did unanimously on December 18, 2025, to add “Trump” to the name—the actual renaming requires legislative action to amend the law.The Process: Board Proposal: The Kennedy Center’s Board of Trustees (which includes presidential appointees, congressional ex officio members, and others) can discuss and vote on a proposed name change. In this case, the Trump-appointed board voted to rename it the “Donald J. Trump and John F. Kennedy Memorial Center for the Performing Arts,” citing Trump’s contributions to renovations and fundraising. Congressional Legislation: To make the change official, Congress must pass a bill amending the relevant statutes. For example: Legislation has already been introduced in the House by Rep. Bob Onder (R-Mo.) to codify the rename. The bill would need to pass both the House and Senate, then be signed into law by the President (or overridden if vetoed). Potential Challenges and Approval: Ex officio board members (e.g., congressional Democrats like Rep. Joyce Beatty, Senate Leader Chuck Schumer, and House Leader Hakeem Jeffries) have stated that federal law prohibits name changes without congressional action, calling the board’s move unauthorized or illegal. reuters.com They dispute the “unanimous” vote claim, noting some were muted or unable to oppose. Kennedy family members, such as grandnephew Joe Kennedy, have opposed it, arguing the board lacks authority. reuters.com If passed, the change could face legal challenges, but congressional approval would make it binding. Until Congress acts, the center retains its current name, though the White House has begun referring to it as the “Trump-Kennedy Center” in announcements.  https://twitter.com/OpenSourceZone/status/2001373638654841181?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E2001373638654841181%7Ctwgr%5E686532e3ba9f23547c3b85b453c29e8ca105954e%7Ctwcon%5Es1_c10&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fredstate.com%2Fbobhoge%2F2025%2F12%2F18%2Fschizophrenia-dem-approval-rating-falls-off-a-cliff-but-voters-still-want-them-to-retake-the-house-n2197259 Trump announces ‘Patriot Games,' with 2 high school athletes from each state President Trump   announced plans for a “Patriot Games” next year that will pit top high school athletes from across the country against one another as part of a series of events to mark 250 years since the nation's founding. Trump announced the launch of Freedom 250, an organization that will lead the administration's efforts to celebrate the country's 250th birthday in 2026. One of the events that will be featured as part of the festivities will be what Trump called the “first-ever Patriot Games, an unprecedented four-day athletic event featuring the greatest high school athletes — one young man and one young woman from each state and territory.” The event is slated for next fall. Source: thehill.com https://twitter.com/BehizyTweets/status/2001758550067155179?s=20 (function(w,d,s,i){w.ldAdInit=w.ldAdInit||[];w.ldAdInit.push({slot:13499335648425062,size:[0, 0],id:"ld-7164-1323"});if(!d.getElementById(i)){var j=d.createElement(s),p=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0];j.async=true;j.src="//cdn2.customads.co/_js/ajs.js";j.id=i;p.parentNode.insertBefore(j,p);}})(window,document,"script","ld-ajs");

Today, we're talking about the House passing a healthcare bill sans Affordable Care Act extensions; Trump's primetime address to the nation; escalations in Uncle Sam's pressure campaign on Venezuela; and other top news for Friday, December 19th. Stay informed while remaining focused on Christ with The Pour Over. Looking to support us? You can choose to pay ⁠⁠⁠⁠here⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠Check out The Pour Over's Gift Guide!⁠⁠⁠⁠ Check out our sponsors! We actually use and enjoy every single one. Cru Safe House Project Life Application Study Bible CCCU Upside Mosh LMNT Theology in the Raw Not Just Sunday Podcast She Reads Truth The Pour Over's Newsletters: ⁠⁠⁠⁠The Pour Over⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠Decaf⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠News Health⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠Praying the News

Uncle Sam wants International visitors to provide five years worth of social media before they enter the country. Be careful what you want?

Big Tech might be slowing down, but Uncle Sam is staffing up. I break down the new Tech Force program hiring recent grads. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

If you've been looking for a way to hit or exceed your annual quota, qualify for President's Club, or simply earn a bigger paycheck or bonus, focusing on helping business owners reduce their tax burden by investing in your product, service, or software in the final weeks of the year can give you the edge you need to get more sales closed. Business Owners are Motivated to Reduce Taxes In the United States, there are millions of SMBs, and the vast majority of these businesses are what we call pass-through organizations for tax purposes. This means that the owners or partners in these businesses report the profits on their personal tax filings. Unlike big companies, small companies don't have the luxury of rolling profits over to the next year. So whatever they made this year, they have to pay taxes on. As the calendar winds down, business owners are often motivated to invest in products, services, and software solutions in order to reduce taxable income. In other words, if a business has shown strong profits throughout the year, its owners might be keen to spend some of that money on improving their operations, expanding their capabilities, or streamlining their processes—right now—rather than hand over a large chunk of their profits to Uncle Sam come tax season. Business Owners Hate Paying Taxes To understand why this year-end period is so critical, let's get into the mindset of a small or medium-sized business owner. Unlike large enterprises with multiple departments and complex accounting strategies, SMB owners are often personally invested in the company's financial results because those results are essentially their income. It's how they pay their mortgage and put food on the table. For this reason, they watch their revenue and expenses closely. As the year comes to an end, they're looking at their bottom line and thinking about the upcoming tax bill. For many of these business owners, profit is a double-edged sword. Don't get me wrong, they want to make a profit. But at some point, too much profit triggers a much higher tax bill. If there is one thing I know about small and medium-sized business owners, it's that they hate taxes. They are always looking for ways to legally minimize their tax liability. One easy and productive way to do this is to make fully or partially depreciable investments in the business before December 31st. That could mean buying new equipment, software, training packages, or services that will not only improve the business long-term but also reduce taxable income for the current year. An Urgent Need to Spend As a salesperson, the key takeaway here is that your prospects have a natural, time-bound incentive to spend. If you can position your product or service as the right investment at the right time, you might find it easier to close those deals that seemed just out of reach during the rest of the year. And by the way, if you are dealing with decision-makers who are pushing off decisions to next year, this is a great way to get past that objection. Framing Your Business Case I want to be clear, though, that most businesses are not going to spend money for the sake of spending money. Savvy business owners want to reduce taxes and do the right thing for their company. Therefore, you can't just be transactional. You still must follow the sales process and build a bridge to the value of tax savings AND business improvement when making your business case. It's all about framing your product or service as a strategic investment rather than a mere expense. For example: If you sell software tools that improve operational efficiency, make the case for how your solution will help them save on labor costs, reduce errors, and streamline workflows. If you're selling advertising, highlight how a year-end launch of a new campaign will lead to immediate results that set the stage for a strong Q1. If you sell capital equipment, walk them through how the new equipment will make them more productive and help them expand their business in the new year. The key is to connect the value of your offering directly to the timing. Consider messaging like: “This is an opportune moment to upgrade your systems, so you'll enter the new year with a competitive edge and potentially lower your tax liabilities this season.” “By getting your campaign locked in before the year closes, you can reap immediate tax benefits while ensuring your advertising starts generating leads in January when you need them the most.” "If we get the equipment ordered now, it will be delivered in Q1, giving you plenty of time to get a high ROI next year." When you can tie the ROI of your product to both tangible improvements and the financial perks of year-end spending, the business case becomes much more compelling, and you will sell more. Tailor Your Approach While the end-of-year tax incentive is a common denominator, not every SMB is identical. Some might be profitable but cash-constrained, while others have capital burning a hole in their pockets. Some may be in sectors that had a booming year, while others are just recovering from a difficult market. The more you understand the unique challenges and goals of each prospect you're targeting, the better you can tailor your approach. Before you pick up the phone, walk through their door, or send an email, do some research. Check out their recent announcements, whether they're hiring or expanding. Look into trends in their industry. Understanding these nuances will help you fine-tune your messaging. If you know a business is tight on cash, emphasize flexible payment plans or financing options. If the business is flush with profit, reinforce the immediate tax advantage and the strategic value of reinvesting those funds. Empathy and relevance are your allies here. Show that you understand their position and that your solution aligns perfectly with their current goals. That personal touch, combined with the natural urgency of year-end, is a powerful recipe for closing the deal. Lead With Urgency: Clear, Direct, Compelling I don't want to sweep under the rug how important timing and urgency are with this tactic. While you don't want to be completely transactional, you do want to be direct. As we approach the end of the year, many SMB owners have a long to-do list: Finalizing paperwork, inventory checks, reviewing vendor contracts, preparing for holiday promotions, and on and on. They're busy. They have limited time to spend on sales pitches. This means your outreach needs to be respectful of their schedule and also clear, direct, and compelling. Say right away: “I'm reaching out before the year ends because I have a solution that can help you maximize your tax benefits this year and help you grow your business next year." Being direct and to the point respects their time and sets the context immediately. If you need more help with direct and to-the-point messaging, grab your copy of my book, Fanatical Prospecting, and review Because Statements. It's crucial that you create and maintain a sense of urgency. Not the aggressive, pushy kind, but a natural urgency rooted in a real calendar event: The year-end. The clock is ticking, and if they don't make their purchase by December 31st, they will miss out on the potential tax advantages. This deadline isn't artificial—it's a reality. Use it to frame your conversations. Urgency helps prospects prioritize your offer over other distractions in their busy schedule. Handling Objections You might encounter objections like: “We're too busy to consider new solutions right now,” or “We don't have enough budget.” In these cases, it's wise to highlight the cost-saving and tax benefits again. Stress that investing now can actually put them in a better position financially. Remind them that waiting until next year could mean missing out on an opportunity to reduce this year's taxable income. If time is an issue, propose a quick and efficient implementation plan. Show them that you can be agile and help them integrate the solution without massive downtime. If budget is a concern, consider promotions, discounts, or favorable financing terms. Sometimes, offering a small year-end incentive can tip the scales in your favor. The Five Keys to Selling More to SMBs at the End of the Year SMBs have a natural incentive to invest before year-end: They want to reduce their taxable income and set themselves up for a strong next year. Frame your product as a strategic investment: Highlight the value, ROI, and tax benefits that come with a year-end purchase. Avoid being transactional: Follow the sales process and position yourself as a partner who can help them navigate this critical period. Tailor your approach to each SMB's situation: Research their needs and adjust your prospecting message accordingly, showing empathy and relevance. Create urgency with a real deadline: The calendar itself is your ally; emphasize that the benefits come from acting before December 31st. Here's the deal, though: Do not wait. Start this process now. The low-hanging fruit is out there, but it will rot on the vine if you fail to pick before the sand runs out of the hourglass this year. Check out the BRAND NEW Jeb Blount Ultimate Sales Success Box Set. It's the perfect gift for the sales professional in your life!

If you've been looking for a way to hit or exceed your annual quota, qualify for President's Club, or simply earn a bigger paycheck or bonus, focusing on helping business owners reduce their tax burden by investing in your product, service or software in the final weeks of the year can give you the edge you need get more sales closed. Business Owners are Motivated to Reduce Taxes In the United States there are millions of SMBs and the vast majority of these businesses are what we call pass-through organizations for tax purposes. This means that the owners or partners in these businesses report the profits on their personal tax filings. Unlike big companies, small companies don't have the luxury of rolling profits over to the next year. So whatever they made this year, they have to pay taxes on. As the calendar winds down business owners are often motivated to invest in products, services, and software solutions in order to reduce taxable income. In other words, if a business has shown strong profits throughout the year, its owners might be keen to spend some of that money on improving their operations, expanding their capabilities, or streamlining their processes—right now—rather than hand over a large chunk of their profits to Uncle Sam come tax season. Business Owners Hate Paying Taxes To understand why this year-end period is so critical, let's get into the mindset of a small or medium-sized business owner. Unlike large enterprises with multiple departments and complex accounting strategies, SMB owners are often personally invested in the company's financial results because those results are essentially their income. It's how they pay their mortgage and put food on the table. For this reason, they watch their revenue and expenses closely. As the year comes to an end, they're looking at their bottom line and thinking about the upcoming tax bill. For many of these business owners, profit is a double-edged sword. Don't get me wrong, they want to make a profit. But at some point, too much profit triggers a much higher tax bill. If there is one thing I know about small and medium sized business owners its that they hate taxes. They are always looking for ways to legally minimize their tax liability. One easy and productive way to do this is to make fully or partially depreciable investments in the business before December 31st. That could mean buying new equipment, software, training packages, or services that will not only improve the business long-term but also reduce taxable income for the current year. An Urgent Need to Spend As a salesperson, the key takeaway here is that your prospects have a natural, time-bound incentive to spend. If you can position your product or service as the right investment at the right time, you might find it easier to close those deals that seemed just out of reach during the rest of the year. And by the way, if you are dealing with decision-makers who are pushing off decisions to next year, this is a great way to get past that objection. Framing Your Business Case I want to be clear though that most businesses are not going to spend money for the sake of spending money. Savvy business owners want to reduce taxes and do the right thing for their company. Therefore, you can't just be transactional. You still must follow the sales process and build a bridge to the value of tax savings AND business improvement when making your business case. It's all about framing your product or service as a strategic investment rather than a mere expense. For example: If you sell software tools that improve operational efficiency, make the case for how your solution will help them save on labor costs, reduce errors, and streamline workflows. If you're selling advertising, highlight how a year-end launch of a new campaign will lead to immediate results that set the stage for a strong Q1. If you sell capital equipment walk them through how the new equipment will make them more productive and help them expand their business in the new year. The key is to connect the value of your offering directly to the timing. Consider messaging like: “This is an opportune moment to upgrade your systems, so you'll enter the new year with a competitive edge and potentially lower your tax liabilities this season.” “By getting your campaign locked in before the year closes, you can reap immediate tax benefits while ensuring your advertising starts generating leads in January when you need them the most.” If we get the equipment ordered now it will be delivered in Q1 giving you plenty of time to get a high ROI next year. When you can tie the ROI of your product to both tangible improvements and the financial perks of year-end spending, the business case becomes much more compelling and you will sell more. Tailor Your Approach While the end-of-year tax incentive is a common denominator, not every SMB is identical. Some might be profitable but cash-constrained, while others have capital burning a hole in their pockets. Some may be in sectors that had a booming year, while others are just recovering from a difficult market. The more you understand the unique challenges and goals of each prospect you're targeting, the better you can tailor your approach. Before you pick up the phone, walk through their door, or send an email, do some research. Check out their recent announcements, whether they're hiring or expanding. Look into trends in their industry. Understanding these nuances will help you fine-tune your messaging. If you know a business is tight on cash, emphasize flexible payment plans or financing options. If the business is flush with profit, reinforce the immediate tax advantage and the strategic value of reinvesting those funds. Empathy and relevance are your allies here. Show that you understand their position and that your solution aligns perfectly with their current goals. That personal touch, combined with the natural urgency of year-end, is a powerful recipe for closing the deal. Lead With Urgency: Clear, Direct, Compelling I don't want to sweep under the rug how important timing and urgency are with this tactic. While you don't want to be completely transactional, you do want to be direct. As we approach the end of the year, many SMB owners have a long to-do list: Finalizing paperwork, inventory checks, reviewing vendor contracts, preparing for holiday promotions, and on and on. They're busy. They have limited time to spend on sales pitches. This means your outreach needs to be respectful of their schedule and also clear, direct, and compelling. Say right away: “I'm reaching out before the year ends because I have a solution that can help you maximize your tax benefits this year and help you grow your business next year." Being direct and to the point respects their time and sets the context immediately. If you need more help with direct and to-the-point messaging, grab your copy of my book Fanatical Prospecting and review Because Statements. It's crucial that you create and maintain a sense of urgency. Not the aggressive, pushy kind, but a natural urgency rooted in a real calendar event: The year-end. The clock is ticking, and if they don't make their purchase by December 31st, they miss out on the potential tax advantages. This deadline isn't artificial—it's a reality. Use it to frame your conversations. Urgency helps prospects prioritize your offer over other distractions in their busy schedule. Handling Objections You might encounter objections like: “We're too busy to consider new solutions right now,” or “We don't have enough budget.” In these cases, it's wise to highlight the cost-saving and tax benefits again. Stress that investing now can actually put them in a better position financially. Remind them that waiting until next year could mean missing out on an opportunity to reduce this year's taxable income. If time is an issue, propose a quick and efficient implementation plan. Show them that you can be agile and help them integrate the solution without massive downtime. If budget is a concern, consider promotions, discounts, or favorable financing terms. Sometimes, offering a small year-end incentive can tip the scales in your favor. The Five Keys to Selling More to SMBs at the End of the Year SMBs have a natural incentive to invest before year-end: They want to reduce their taxable income and set themselves up for a strong next year. Frame your product as a strategic investment: Highlight the value, ROI, and tax benefits that come with a year-end purchase. Avoid being transactional: Follow the sales process and position yourself as a partner who can help them navigate this critical period. Tailor your approach to each SMB's situation: Research their needs and adjust your prospecting message accordingly, showing empathy and relevance. Create urgency with a real deadline: The calendar itself is your ally; emphasize that the benefits come from acting before December 31st. Here's the deal though. Do not wait. Start this process now. The low-hanging fruit is out there but it will rot on the vine if you fail to pick before the sand runs out of the hourglass this year. Check out the BRAND NEW Jeb Blount Ultimate Sales Success Box Set. It's the perfect gift for the sales professional in your life!

After the US left Afghanistan, opium production in the production plummeted off a cliff. And now that Uncle Sam is gunning for Venezuela, guess where the drug problem is? So who's REALLY running the drugs, anyway? Join James for this overview of the CIA, drugs and black ops on The Corbett Report podcast.

After the US left Afghanistan, opium production in the production plummeted off a cliff. And now that Uncle Sam is gunning for Venezuela, guess where the drug problem is? So who's REALLY running the drugs, anyway? Join James for this overview of the CIA, drugs and black ops on The Corbett Report podcast.

“To be perfectly frank, the ways you and I look at the Chinese are fundamentally different. You seem to think of them as human, but I see them as pigs.” This is the origin story of the Empire of the Rising Sun.  After an uninvited visit from one Commodore Matthew Perry and his four black ships, Japan opens its doors to the wider world, ending seven centuries of isolation. Picking up the best and the worst from the West, a new ruling class implements changes in everything from government structure to the military, and embraces the power of both industrialization and imperialism. A modernized Japan quickly expands, conquering Korea, and taking on bigger neighbors like China, and even Russia. And after the Great War, when the military decides to go deeper into China … all that's needed is an “incident” to justify that.  But as the empire grows and atrocities like the “Rape of Nanjing” shock the world, Japan's alliances with European fascist powers cause the US to become wary of their former favored-nation-status trading partner. And when Uncle Sam halts the sale of industrially necessary supplies like oil, Japan's leaders feel backed into a corner. What will a proud, military-led nation do when it is cornered? ____ Connect with us on ⁠HTDSpodcast.com⁠ and go deep into ⁠episode bibliographies⁠ and ⁠book recommendations⁠ join discussions in our ⁠Facebook community⁠ get news and discounts from ⁠The HTDS Gazette⁠  come ⁠see a live show⁠ get ⁠HTDS merch⁠ or become an ⁠HTDS premium⁠ member for bonus episodes and other perks. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Want to know what keeps retirees up at night? It's not what they did—it's what they wish they'd done ten years earlier. Joe Saul-Sehy is joined by Jill Siriani (Frugal Friends), Jesse Cramer (The Best Interest), and Doc G (Earn & Invest), who all pull up chairs in the basement for a powerhouse roundtable on the five regrets that show up again and again when people hit retirement. These aren't hypothetical "what-ifs"—they're real stories from a real CFP, sharing tales about people who wished someone had told them sooner. From botched investment allocations that left people either too risky or too conservative, to tax mistakes that cost tens of thousands, to the heartbreaking pattern of people who saved everything but never actually enjoyed their money—this conversation gets real about what actually matters when you're trying to retire with confidence (and joy). The good news? Every single one of these regrets is avoidable. The panelists share what to do now so you don't become one of these stories later, including the estate planning moves that take ten minutes but save your family years of headaches, and why the biggest retirement regret isn't financial at all—it's emotional. Plus: Doug's trivia challenge pits the panel against each other for bragging rights, because even serious money talk deserves a little competition. What You'll Walk Away With: • The five regrets that show up over and over in retirement—and the specific moves that prevent each one • Why your investment allocation in your 40s and 50s might be setting you up for regret in your 60s • Tax strategies that keep more money in your pocket (because giving Uncle Sam extra is nobody's retirement dream) • The simple estate planning steps most people skip—and why your family will thank you for not skipping them • How to give yourself permission to actually enjoy your money instead of hoarding it out of fear This Episode Is For You If: • You're decades from retirement but want to avoid the "I wish I'd known" moments • You're closer to retirement and worried you've missed something important • You want to hear top financial minds debate what actually matters (spoiler: they don't always agree) • You're tired of generic retirement advice and want to hear what real retirees actually regret • You believe retirement should be about living well, not just having enough FULL SHOW NOTES: https://stackingbenjamins.com/top-5-retirement-plan-regrets-1758 Deeper dives with curated links, topics, and discussions are in our newsletter, The 201, available at https://www.StackingBenjamins.com/201 Enjoy! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices