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Keith welcomes back Todd Drowlette, star of A&E's The Real Estate Commission, to help demystify commercial real estate for residential investors. They explore which sectors are most resilient to disruption from AI, automation, and Amazon, why certain office and warehouse assets still work, and how service-based retail like nail salons and quick-service restaurants can offer durable returns. Todd breaks down the basics and advantages of triple net (NNN) leases, key considerations in office-to-residential conversions, and how rising interest rates are reshaping commercial deals. He also shares negotiation tactics from large commercial transactions that investors can immediately apply to their next rental property purchase. Episode Page: GetRichEducation.com/616 For access to properties or free help with a GRE Investment Coach, start here: GREmarketplace.com GRE Free Investment Coaching: GREinvestmentcoach.com Get mortgage loans for investment property: RidgeLendingGroup.com or call 855-74-RIDGE or e-mail: info@RidgeLendingGroup.com Invest with Freedom Family Investments. For predictable 10-12% quarterly returns, visit FreedomFamilyInvestments.com/GRE or text FAMILY to 66866 Unlock truly passive real estate income—visit flockhomes.com/GRE today to see if your properties qualify for a 721 exchange with Flock Homes. To get in the best physical, mental, and professional shape of your life, go to DanielThomasHind.com and apply for Daniel's intensive 1-on-1 coaching for burnt-out entrepreneurs and executives. Will you please leave a review for the show? I'd be grateful. Search "how to leave an Apple Podcasts review" For advertising inquiries, visit: GetRichEducation.com/ad Best Financial Education: GetRichEducation.com Get our wealth-building newsletter free— GREletter.com Our YouTube Channel: www.youtube.com/c/GetRichEducation Follow us on Instagram: @getricheducation Complete episode transcript: Keith Weinhold 0:01 Welcome to GRE. I'm your host Keith Weinhold. We're talking with the star of the A&E show, the Real Estate Commission today. What real estate sectors are safe from AI, robots, and Amazon disruption? How many deals on the commercial side are still going to implode due to mortgage rates resetting higher? And some of the best negotiation techniques from $100 million deals that you can use in your own deals, and more today on Get Rich Education. You know, Mid South Homebuyers, that top Memphis turnkey provider. I learned that a secret weapon behind their explosive growth is more than just you buying their properties. It's an executive coach. For nine years now, their CEO Terry Kerr and his COO Pat Nix have worked privately with a coach who I've now learned from too, and he doesn't market himself online anywhere. After 12 years behind the scenes, that coach is now making himself available exclusively for GRE listeners, his name is Daniel Thomas Hind. If you're a hard-charging business owner or investor who wants to get in the best shape of your life, physically, mentally, and professionally, you can fill out an application for a free consult. This is private one-on-one coaching for those willing to go to uncommon lengths to achieve uncommon results. Thanks to Daniel, we've all become better leaders, better operators, and better men. It started by showing up for ourselves. Now it's your turn. Go to DanielThomashHind.com. H-I-N-D. That's DanielThomashHind.com and sign up before spots fill. What if you got your mortgage loans the same place I get mine? You sure can at Ridge Lending Group NMLS 42056 They provided GRE listeners with more loans than anyone because Ridge specializes in investment property. They'll help you build a long-term plan for growing your real estate empire with leverage. Start your prequal and even chat directly with President Caeli Ridge. While it's on your mind, start at ridgelendinggroup.com. That's ridgelendinggroup.com. Speaker 1 2:19 You're listening to the show that has created more financial freedom than nearly any show in the world. This is Get Rich Education. Keith Weinhold 2:35 Welcome to GRE from Peoria, Illinois to Peoria, Arizona, and across 188 world nations. I'm Keith Weinhold, and you're listening to Get Rich Education. Though we're a show centered on how to build wealth through residential real estate investing, today we're talking mostly about the commercial side with a guest that's more comfortable investing in commercial real estate than he is residential. We'll learn why. He is the star of the new real estate show called the Real Estate Commission that airs on A&E Network. Todd Drowlette, because he was here with us last year shortly before the show debuted, and he had so many interesting things to tell us then. That's why he's back. Now we know that residential real estate is positioned well at surviving the boom in artificial intelligence's influence because everybody still needs a place to live. You can't download a kitchen or living room, and a chatbot can't replace a roof. But some types of commercial real estate are vulnerable to AI. I'm going to ask Todd which types and businesses are the most resilient to survive AI, robots, and Amazon, because there surely are some. He does a good job of making commercial real estate approachable to those that have never invested in it before. Keith Weinhold 3:59 Contrary to the narrative, he also likes to talk about why office real estate is not dead. Occupying both worlds, I will ask him about office to residential conversions and also get his take on what is happening with commercial loans because apartment investors have been feeling the pain ever since mortgage rates doubled and nearly tripled in 2022. I'll ask about commercial loans blowing up and just how much more of that is expected to happen because the pain is certainly not over there. Let's meet this week's guest. A series on A and E Television and streaming launched last year called The Real Estate Commission, and it's going well enough that it's gearing up for season two. The star of that show is with us today. He was with us last year just before the show debuted, and that's when he shared all kinds of interesting insights with us, like why. A gas station is on a certain side of the road. He's perhaps the most prolific commercial real estate broker in the nation. He's managing director at Titan Commercial Realty Group in New York, closing deals totaling over $2 billion all across commercial real estate sectors. He's represented everyone from local startups to national reits. Hey, welcome back to Get Rich Education, Todd Drowlette. Todd Drowlette 5:26 Thank you so much for having me back. I appreciate it. It's always great to talk to you. Keith Weinhold 5:30 Yeah, same. It was so interesting when you were here last year, and I do want to ask you about how it's going with the A and E show later. Most of our listeners own single family rentals or small multifamily, and I think the commercial side, Todd. Frankly, it it intimidates some people. I know I've thought of it that way before. What are some of the misconceptions that the residential side seems to have about the commercial side? Todd Drowlette 5:56 So a big misconception is that you have to be smart to do it. You certainly do not. A lot of people also think you have to already be a multimillionaire to do it, right? So the same way with residential, there's levels to it. There's levels to commercial real estate. So I say there's pros and cons, right? So in commercial real estate, if you have an office building or a shopping center or a ground lease, you rent to a McDonald's, whatever. You don't get phone calls at two in the morning saying my hot water tank just exploded, my furnace isn't working. So you still get property management calls, but they're typically from you know Monday through Friday, nine to five type of thing, and you don't need millions of dollars. People think you do. It's like you can buy a small two or three tenant office building or a two or three tenant retail shopping center, maybe something has a nail salon, hair salon in it. Depending on the market you're in, that could be a couple $100,000 to buy. If you're in a tertiary town in the United States, if you're in a major metro, it could be a million, 2 million bucks. But the rent is commiserate with what you're paying. So if you can make an 8 or 10% return, a lot of banks will finance startup people as long they're looking in commercial at the quality of the tenant and what the lease is. So you could have no experience, but if you're going to rent to a Hertz rental car, a Starbucks, a McDonald's, even if you personally have like say a 750 credit score, it's decent. It's not a perfect credit score, but you're financeable. They're lending in commercial real estate based on the credit and the length of the leases, not necessarily on your own financials. And a lot of people don't realize that, and they think, "Oh, bank's never going to approve me because I've never done commercial real estate before. Well, nobody's ever done anything until they do it, right? So as long as you start small, banks will lend to people, you know, on smaller things, there's a ton of pros to being in commercial real estate compared to residential. There's less competition. It's easier to repeat deals because once you know one tenant's looking for something, then you can find the next thing they're looking for, and it's a small knit group. You know, if there's 3 million real estate agents in the United States, I would say across the entire country, maybe 10,000 of us are commercial real estate agents. Keith Weinhold 8:05 Yeah. Todd Drowlette 8:06 So if you get into commercial, once you get into that network of people with a deal with the tenants and the whatever, you know, if you're in, you're in. If you're out, you're out. That was a very long answer to a very short question. Keith Weinhold 8:16 Well, some people even have one of the same hangups about residential real estate investing-they think just to buy income property takes an awful lot of money, not realizing you can start with a single-family home of less than 300k or even less than 200k still today and make a small down payment on it. And you know, Todd, I think one thing that refines commercial real estate for some people and piques interest among residential investors is one of the first things that they learn when they're finding out about commercial real estate investing is the triple net lease. Oftentimes, you see that abbreviated NNN out there, and how that can make things somewhat more hands off for that commercial real estate investor. So, can you tell us about triple net leases? Todd Drowlette 9:00 I sure can. Number one, the funny thing about triple net leases: none of the three things the N's represent start with an N. So your triple nets are literally your real estate taxes, your insurance, and your commonary maintenance. None of which start with an N. Yet it's called N N N. Keith Weinhold 9:14 It's kind of like reading, writing, and arithmetic. The 3r is what only one of them starts with an R. It's a terrible acronym, but yes. Todd Drowlette 9:22 Exactly. So there's different types of triple net properties. So essentially, a triple net property, unlike most residential, where you're responsible, you get X amount of rent, and then out of that rent for your income, you're going to subtract out your school tax, your property tax, your property insurance, liability insurance, you know, snow plowing, lawn mowing, all that type of stuff, right? So triple net properties, you have absolute net properties, which is the best thing you can own from a landlord's perspective. Those are things that are called absolute ground leases or an absolute net lease. Typically, you'll see those in like many gas stations. Will be that a lot of McDonald's. Deals are that where essentially you own a piece of property, you buy a piece of property, and you go here. You have X amount of time to put your building up, do construction, get your approvals. You're going to pay me X per month in a ground rent. You build your own building, you own your own building, you're responsible for it, and I just own the dirt. And those are typically 10 to 20 year leases with options. The downside of a triple net ground lease is you can't depreciate anything because it's just ground, right? So you don't get the depreciation you get with other properties, but you have no risk other than the credit of the tenant. So if you're signing a lease with the United States Postal Service and it's the federal government, you know you're getting that. Those will trade typically about one percentage point higher than U.S. Treasuries because there's very, very little risk in it. But there is some risk, so as an investor, you need a little bit better return than the guarantee of a U.S. Treasury. Todd Drowlette 10:54 Then you have roof and structure triple net properties, where basically, okay, the roof and the structure I'm responsible for as the landlord. Anything inside of that, or you're responsible for, and then the tenants pay the proportionate share of, like I said, the taxes, the snow plowing, whatever. If that's a multi-tenant building, then you run the risk. Oh, tenant moves out as the landlord, you got to pick up that percentage. If if you have a 10,000 foot building and someone's in 2000 feet and they move out, well, now you're responsible for 20% of that tax and CAM and insurance bill until you replace it with a new tenant. But typically, if you're investing in small strip centers, smaller office buildings, which people say office is dead, I've made a fortune in office. Office is not dead. You just have to own the right office in the right place. A lot of downtown offices are dead, where they're moving to the suburbs for drugs and a lot of other issues. But typically, you know, strip centers today, people are buying those for 8% returns to as much as 10, 12% and a lot of times they're vacancy. That's upside you can add into it as well. But again, these are all things that you can get into for a couple $100,000 down, and there's way more room for error than people think there is. As long as you have a professional that's looking at the lease for you before you buy it, you know you just want to make sure the guarantee is on the lease that you have corporate guarantees. But typically, if a bank will finance it, they're also looking at that. But it's not as scary as people think it is, and it's really a strong alternative to investing in single-family homes. Not that I'm knocking single-family homes. There's pros and cons to literally everything you do in life, as you know. 100. Keith Weinhold 12:28 A triple net lease, where in commercial property the tenant covers three main expenses or nets: property taxes, insurance, and the maintenance and repairs. And in a lot of the situations, like Todd is describing, that really leaves landlords responsible for little more than the mortgage, really increasing the passivity here. And you know, tenants that are willing to shoulder a triple net lease, I don't think of them as taking on those extra costs for nothing. I think about it is in exchange, tenants typically pay lower rent then, and the tenant also gets more control over the property in a triple net arrangement. Todd Drowlette 13:08 That's a generally safe thing to say, but I hate saying this. I can't believe I'm even saying this, but you know they say location, location, location. So it really depends on the market. The biggest mistake people make to go, oh, I get asked all the time, should I invest in land? I'm like, hell no, raw land. I go when I develop stuff, I have a use for it. Once I get the approvals, then I'll close and buy the land. Land banking stuff and just going and buying land and hoping it goes up in value. I have a number one rule that I always say to people, and it's anytime you can buy $1 for 50 cents, you buy it, but you don't buy property for $1 hoping it goes to $2 because there's no guarantee that that'll happen. In raw land, you know you have a guaranteed. You're paying taxes every year, so just paying taxes on something that's also not returning you anything is a terrible investment, in my opinion. You're speculating. If you want to speculate, just go to the casino, play roulette, pick black or red, and you have roughly a 50-50 shop minus the three greens, but there's a lot easier ways to make money than buying raw land. But shopping centers, triple net properties, there's definitely ways for people to get into that that are much lower risk, and they're not as scary as you'd think. And many banks will finance them. Keith Weinhold 14:18 Now, if you had to buy one commercial asset today, what would that be? I know that might depend on some factors, but generally, I've got to say, industrial comes to mind for me as one of the hottest commercial real estate asset classes in quite a while. Todd Drowlette 14:32 So I would pick two strategies. One would be high bay warehouse, whether it's specifically industrial or just warehouse, but things with high ceilings, open floor plans, like you know, a 20,000 foot warehouse, 30,000 feet, something in that range, that a lot of people want that type of use. Warehouse rents have been increasing way faster than office or retail rents have been in the same markets. And as things get more and more automated, you still need to ship stuff. You still need to. Stuff you still need to get things to people's houses, so with the whole AI boom and the crazy things that are happening, I think there's going to be a lot fewer people with jobs sooner than people realize. But I do think the warehouse is a good thing to be invested in, especially if it's on main streets. It could be retail, could be warehouse, could be whatever. The second thing I'll say that's very low risk are any businesses that Amazon can't compete with you for. So, a small strip center that's two or three tenants, that's a hair salon, a nail salon, service type business, retail tenants, because it's a turnover business. So, like nail salons, they're never going to come to your house and do your nails unless you're a billionaire, because they can make more money with people coming to them in back-to-back appointments. So any type of service business tenant that you can have, and typically nail salons, hair salons, they don't usually go out completely. Usually, if they don't want to do it anymore, they'll sell the business to somebody else, and you keep a tenant. From an ownership standpoint, there's very low turnover and having to pay new brokerage fees or do give tenant fit-ups or free rent to like get their business up and running. So I would either go high bay warehouse with loading docks like 18 foot, 20 foot or higher ceilings, open floor plans, overhead doors, 20, 30,000 square feet, or two or three tenant strip malls with high traffic counts, good suburban locations that have service type businesses. Those are your two. Would be very hard to lose as long as you don't overpay when you buy them. Keith Weinhold 16:25 This is such an interesting thing to say when you think about a resilient business, something that can't easily be disrupted by AI or Amazon, which something like a nail salon would fit into. Tell us about some of those other types that might fit into a small retail center that are resilient that way. Todd Drowlette 16:45 End caps, so any kind of like a Popeyes, a McDonald's, anything that's drive-through or food. Even you're starting to see, you know, the Tesla robots, and you're seeing more and more of that. However, people will still buy the food. So whether the employees are actually still in there, it's all robots. They still physically need a place that's close and convenient for people to drive to, or even the food delivery apps. Like a lot of the retail restaurants now are telling me 30, 40% of their orders are delivery through like Uber Eats and whatever. But those are great tenants to have because they're still making money, and as the world's changing, they're adapting. And I want tenants that adapt to the changing world. And honestly, they can afford to pay more. This is terrible. But from a strictly landlord perspective, the fewer employees they have, you don't have workers' comp claims, you don't have the insurance, you don't have all those things. The more you can afford to pay rent to landlords. So as the world's changing, those type of retail, small strip centers, end caps, fast food, QSR type food, quick serve retail. Those are definitely things that I would be considering if I was someone getting into this, and they're things that I also own. So I always recommend what I would do myself. Keith Weinhold 17:55 Right, and with that commercial tenant, if they're serving fast food, yes, it's not like their customer has to physically show up there at that business for that business to thrive. Todd Drowlette 18:06 And actually, if you have them as a tenant, because of the delivery, like with a drive-through, you're typically only working off one or two miles. But Uber Eats or these other meal services, they're now going out five, six, even seven miles in some places. So that actually means their sales could be higher. And another thing I didn't mention, but now I'm thinking, a lot of restaurant tenants will pay a percentage rent. So actually, as their sales go up, even though there's not more infrastructure, you know, strains from more customers coming in and out of your property, as they're doing the meal delivery, you're actually potentially be getting cut of that as a landlord with percentage rent, which is a thing that doesn't exist in residential real estate, obviously, there's multiple streams of income for triple net properties at times when you have percentage rent that doesn't exist in warehouse, where it's in retail. It doesn't exist in office, doesn't exist in warehouse, doesn't exist in residential. So that can be a nice bonus, and you see that with supermarkets, restaurants, different types of retailers pay percentage run. Keith Weinhold 19:05 Okay, so in a sense, Todd, we've been talking about going against the flow, if you will, in being in businesses that are resilient toward disruption from AI or Amazon. But while we're talking about industrial real estate, warehouses do come to mind for me soon afterward, I think generations ago maybe industrial had the connotation of a dirty factory. But today, when I think about warehouses, I think about Amazon fulfillment centers or AI data centers. So, what is the business like for investing in those sort of warehouse deals, and how do those deals even get put together for these warehouse types. Todd Drowlette 19:42 So you have two types. So you have people who do spec building. So there's guys that will go out and say, "Hey, I'm in the warehousing business, and they'll go through. They'll get approvals and they'll say they'll buy 10 acres, 20 acres, 30 acres, and they'll say, "Okay, we're going to." Put I'm making this up. 500,000 square feet of warehouse on this. They'll go get approved, but they basically will put up a spec building of 40,000 50,000 feet, and then they'll lease it. Depending how long it takes them to lease it, then they'll build the next one. Once you kind of have one building up, it's much easier to prelease. If you just have a piece of dirt and say, hey, I'm going to do a warehouse building here. Unless you have a direct in specifically with Amazon, and they're like, hey, we need to be in Skoda, New York, you know, at this exit within 10 miles of that. And it's like anything. Once you do something for someone once, they're working across the whole country. So if you're particularly good in a specific region as developer, they will often say, "Hey, find me a spot here, here, because they're in the business of getting open and running data centers. They don't care if you're making a profit on the real estate, and they're not set up to locally go through the approvals, know the politicians, know the process, that whole thing. So there's opportunities like that. If you don't know anyone from a hole in the wall, if you have a big piece of property and you start with whatever you're comfortable with to spec out a warehouse, 10,000 feet, 5000 feet. See how long it takes. Do you lease that in six months? Does it take three months? Does it take a year? And then you can kind of take some of the profits from that, either refinance, or if you have a construction loan, then build the next one, build the next one, and build the next one. You can kind of build out as the demand comes along. Keith Weinhold 21:22 You're listening to Get Rich Education. We're talking to the star of the A and E show, the Real Estate Commission, Todd Drowlette. So much when we come back. He's going to update us on what's happening with office to residential conversions, how much higher interest rate pain is still going to surface in some of these deals, and a negotiation tactic or two that you can use for your own residential deals. I'm your host Keith Weinhold. 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What I like is that their team walks you through how it all works, so you can decide if it aligns with your portfolio and income goals. Every investment carries risk, and nothing is guaranteed, but with a track record of consistent, on-time investor payouts, they built real credibility. Todd Drowlette 24:15 Well, I'll tell you about some of the pitfalls, and I'll tell you the huge opportunities. If you have office buildings that are vacant, you know, particularly in downtown municipalities like in Albany, New York, you know, our state capital in New York. Politicians and the government right now are creating a lot of incentives to convert those, where they're putting up grant and giving away millions of dollars to private developers that you don't have to repay. So there's a huge opportunity to have people take on a lot of the risk for you to do it. Some of the pitfalls people get into are you want to pick the right office building to do it for. So you want to a make sure that that office building either has on site parking garages or on site parking because I've seen people try to do it and that. Downtowns where there's no parking, and you can put a lot of money in a building with no parking. And if you're not in New York City, where people are used to, and you're competing against suburban apartments, that's a tough sell. So that's number one. Number two, for whatever reason, people really want in office buildings and downtown settings floor-to-ceiling windows. So you really want to pick office buildings that already have floor-to-ceiling windows because it can be very expensive. If you get over three floors, it can be very expensive to cut out windows and make them larger. And another, this is a huge money potential pitfall if you're not careful. Many municipalities and states have different codes for elevators for residential buildings than they have for office. It makes no sense to me, but office buildings. It has to do with fitting the elevator has to be large enough that you can get a stretcher if someone had a heart attack and needed to be wheeled out. Ah, for some reason, residential buildings require larger elevators, and if your shaft isn't big enough and your car isn't big enough. You could have a million dollars or more of an unexpected expense to either make the shaft bigger. Some buildings you can't even do it. Keith Weinhold 26:08 Well, but if it was originally set up for- Todd Drowlette 26:09 It doesn't make any sense either. This is new. If you have an office building that's 30 stories tall, people could have heart attacks in the middle of the day at the office. So how is that any different than if they're at home in an apartment and have a heart attack, so it doesn't make any sense to me why the code is different for the fire code. But in New York State, the fire code is different, and that can be astronomically expensive, or it can literally stop your project dead in the tracks if it just becomes cost prohibitive to do it. Keith Weinhold 26:34 That's something that I never would have thought about. I generally like to see office to residential conversions revitalizing central business districts in our cities. You know, you talked about the parking before having less need for parking. If people can walk to work and where they work, that increases the walkability of an area. I like so many things about office to residential conversions, despite all the hardships and the pitfalls you have to avoid. Todd Drowlette 27:01 Oh, they're great. You just want to make sure you're picking the right building. So my point is, if you have five or 10 vacant office buildings, mostly vacant office buildings, just make sure you're choosing the right one. And before you buy it, do your due diligence and go through with contractors and engineers and architects that understand all the codes and say, hey, the other positive thing that saves money in office conversions is most office buildings. If you have an elevator bank, typically have bathrooms directly across from the elevator bank, so water and sewer can be very expensive when you're running apartments. So having central lines going up through usually concrete floors can save you a ton of money in the design and the layout of how you place the units and do it around central bathrooms, but typically larger office buildings will have plumbing and sewer on different parts of the floor. So it just means you have to go less distance and it saves money. And a lot of office buildings, even older ones, have higher ceilings, which today is very desirable for apartments. So if you can have a building that has natural light, high ceilings, and you can get grant money to do it, that's definitely something people should look into. And even with a smaller building, I've seen people in New York people are converting 5000 foot office buildings into like five units. You know, there's money to be made. You just have to buy right. I always say, you know, if you can buy $1 for 50 cents. Buy it. Don't buy $1 and hope it goes to $2 A Keith Weinhold 28:25 lot of these physical limitations, oftentimes in the office to residential conversion, and Todd in the residential world, oftentimes apartment buildings have been problematic. A lot of these syndicators have had their deals blow up because in 2022 or earlier they got five to seven year fixed rate debt. Those deals are coming due. The mortgage payments double, and a lot of times the operator just can't meet it, and it blows up. And apartment building values have been down about 30% nationally, largely for that reason, even though an apartment building owner gets a commercial loan, I still want to know from the commercial side and the commercial use type how much higher interest rate pain do you see that has surfaced and is still going to surface. Todd Drowlette 29:17 So, I'll answer this by quoting my grandmother. She said, "Anytime you want to cook, whatever size pot you think you need, pick twice that size pot and start using that. Keith Weinhold 29:29 Yeah. Todd Drowlette 29:29 So I say the same thing when you're financing a deal or you're writing it out and seeing what your returns are. I always say to people, make sure that you have a big enough cushion in there for all the things you can never predict in commercial loans, there's a ton of guys that are about to lose their shirts, and you're starting to see it because, unfortunately, I don't know if it's true in residential real estate, but in commercial real estate, I've seen guys go from nothing to 50 million, 100 million, $200 million net worths, but I've also seen. Lose everything. So what happens in commercial real estate that you don't want to do is so many people say OPM, use other people's money, use other people's money, use other people's money, which is fine as a strategy. But what you don't want to do is cross collateralized loans. So if you have one property and then you go, oh, let me refinance that and then buy a next property and I'll refinance that and buy the next property, and then the bank's like, okay, we'll refinance that, but we're going to now tie all these properties together as one mortgage, or you're going to cross guarantee these properties. Right. The problem with that is, the people who do that strategy, if you started at that, you know, in 2021 when interest rates, you could get things at three and three quarters percent. Well, commercial loans are five-year loans typically, and they might have 20 or 20-five-year amortizations. So, unlike a residential mortgage that's a 15 or 20 or 30-year self-amortizing loan, they're not. At the end of five years, you have a balloon payment that you have to pay off. So, if interest rates are going down, that's amazing because if your tenants are the same, and even if your rents didn't change, and you bought something at 6% and now it's at 5% Your cash flow goes up significantly, and nothing happened other than your refinance. The problem is you have a ton of guys right now, guys, women, people that were financing stuff five years ago at three and three quarters, and now interest rates are hanging six and a quarter, six and a half, depending on the property, is might maybe seven. Same tenant, same everything. You're giving the keys back to the bank because you're broke now. Because all of a sudden you're financing, you squeeze too much out of the deal. I always say you can take on the in in or you can take on the out, but you can't have both. So when people are financing stuff, they just need to make sure. Like here's another thing I'll go off on. A lot of people will buy stuff with tax credits, and you see even with residential apartments, a lot of guys are financing that, selling people tax credits. Economies and things change and things move. If a deal is so tight that you need the tax credits to make the deal make sense, yeah, don't do the fricking deal because tax credits should be an added bonus. That's just, hey, that's a nice adding to the cushion. So many people have razor thin margins. They go, oh well, I do the tax credits. If I can get 70 cents on the dollar, this is how I make the money. I tell people I will have nothing to do with tax credit deals unless it's strictly a bonus. The deal has to stand on its own, and always assume in the course of five years interest rates could go up three points or down three points. Most people will not listen to me and will not do that. If you do that, you'll never get killed and you won't lose a property. It's super conservative, but there's enough money you can make, and if you buy it right, that's how you can afford to figure that spread in when you're financing something. But just so many people get greedy, and I just think back to my friend Bob Bear, who died. I met him when he was like 70-five. He was a billionaire, self-made, and he used to say to me, "It's not what you make; it's what you keep. And when people would ask how rich are you, he knew how rich he was. He would say, "I don't owe anybody in the world a dime. Todd Drowlette 32:59 And to me, my entire strategy is I don't owe anybody in the world a dime. So I personally look at deals and say, out of my own cash flows, what can I buy? And instead of buying four properties a year, I might buy one property a year. But if I'm buying that and compounding my returns, I'm not paying interest to the banks. So it's just a different strategy. I sleep at night. I'm like the multimillionaire next door. I don't live extravagantly. I don't drive Ferraris and Rolls Royces. That's just not my thing. But I sleep at night and I have peace, which is important to me, knowing I don't owe anybody in the world a dime. But will I get as rich as the guy who's risking everything? No. But real estate to me is musical chairs, and the music always stops at some point. And there's never enough chairs for everybody. But if you're somebody who's in a cash position, which you're going to be going through in the next six months to a year, on the residential and commercial, I think there's going to be blood in the streets. And I think people who are sitting in cash are going to have like a once in a lifetime opportunity to buy things at a deep discount. Keith Weinhold 34:02 Philosophically, we're different in one way. I use debt and leverage to grow larger, but ensuring that I do have enough income to cover the mortgage and all the operating expenses. But Todd, to your analogy about your grandmother in selecting a bigger pot than what she would need to cook whatever she's going to do, when it does come to debt, the last time I bought an apartment building myself, which wasn't recent, I could have chosen seven-year fixed-rate debt with a balloon at the end, or 10-year fixed-rate debt with a balloon at the end. The 10-year fixed-rate debt cost me one quarter of a percent more in mortgage rate, which dented my cash flow during the entire duration of that loan. But I did indeed choose that 10-year loan in order to have that much more certainty, and I sure am glad that that's what I did. Todd Drowlette 34:54 That's always the game because it's people think that rich people know what you don't, or it's inside. Whatever I'm like. Number one, if you sit in a room with a bunch of rich people, yes, they will work against you if it benefits them to work together. But if it doesn't, you have egos and separate interests that are all competing. And there's always that thing of I know very very rich people who could buy and sell me 100 times over, and I also know that you don't know what you don't know, and the world has gotten so complicated, and financial markets are all intertwined globally. Anyone to be able to predict, it's like it's a crapshoot when you're like, okay, do I take seven years? Where do I think interest rates will be in seven years? It's hard to say where interest rates going to be tomorrow. You ask a banker tomorrow, they can't tell you. So it's like, what's your best educated guess of seven or 10 years? What's the better play? But I always go the conservative route. Keith Weinhold 35:43 I think it's easier to predict the future direction of capital prices than it is interest rates. Myself, Todd Drowlette 35:50 but I will say also, I am the exception. And if you have 100 other guests on here in the next year, well, 50-one more guests in here the next year, yeah, they would all say Todd's an idiot. That's terrible advice. If you want to get rich, literally leverage, leverage. Just do it intelligently, and I acknowledge that. I don't see the world the way other people do, but my end game is to be rich and comfortable, and to sleep at night with peace. And that's why I choose to do what I do, realizing I'm giving up. It's the you know what are you giving up to what do you gain benefit analysis, and I'm realizing I'm giving up some upside in my total potential net worth. But I like peace, and you know I had anxiety for years. I don't have it anymore, and I live my life to be as anxiety free as I can possibly be. Keith Weinhold 36:34 That's interesting, and that certainly works for you, Todd. What's one negotiation tactic that you get from dealing with, well, let's say Decca or Centa million dollar commercial deals that our listeners could use the very next time that they buy a rental property. Todd Drowlette 36:53 So the number one mistake I think people make is they assume what's motivating the other person, and they assume it's always price. So anytime I'm going to negotiate a deal from someone, whoever has the most information always wins, and whoever doesn't need the deal always wins. Yeah. So I want to know as much about that other person on the other side as I am. Are they going through a divorce? Are they desperate? Do they hate each other? Is it a partnership breakup? Did somebody inherit it and they live five states away and don't even know what this thing is worth that they have. So the number one thing from a negotiating standpoint is understand exactly who you're negotiating with and what's motivating them. From an actual tactic standpoint, just think logically through whatever the process is, and you can always go up. You can't go down. So the key is to offer as little as you can without insulting the person, so they don't even respond. So figure out what that fine line is, and before you go into the negotiation, know what your walk away number is. That's just the point you're not getting over. The fast way to lose in a negotiation is to get stuck in a bidding war. There's nothing I want so much that I'm going to overpay for it. So when people go, "Well, if somebody else is interested, I go then sell it to them. Yeah, I don't need it. Sell it to them. And then the other thing I'll say is, if you start the negotiation, this is the one piece. Say your number and shut up. So many people are scared of silence. And then, right, if the person doesn't immediately respond, they go, "Oh, well, I guess I offered you 500,000 I mean, I guess I could go 550. As soon as you talk after you give a number, you're negotiating against yourself. So throw the number, let it land wherever it lands, and do not talk until that person responds to you. That's like the number one mistake I see people do. They throw out a number, they get nervous with the silence, and then they immediately go up in their offer. That person could have been thinking, "Oh my God, did I forget to call back my whatever? And they're not even thinking about the number you just threw out. But people just assume, oh God, the number was too low, and then they negotiate against those. Do not do that. Keith Weinhold 38:48 Risk the awkward silence. And yes, to your point about learning more about the other side, terms are often more important than price for sure. Well, Todd, you know a lot of commercial real estate content in mainstream media it tends to focus on these big institutional deals. But what has made your A and E show interesting, the Real Estate Commission, is what it's called. Is it focuses more on sort of leasing and this negotiation that we're just touching on there, and that's what makes you interesting. So tell us about what audiences can expect for season two of the Real Estate Commission on A and E. Todd Drowlette 39:24 So, season two, you will 100% see real landlords, real brokers, real investors. You'll see real retailers. You'll see people relocating their offices in New York City. You'll see stuff in upstate New York. It's generally in the Northeast. In the first season, we helped a kitchen cabinet manufacturer relocate their suburban offices in Philadelphia. I sold a 50-unit HUD property that has a HAP contract you might be familiar with. That was crazy going through a bankruptcy foreclosure proceeding two year. That was crazy. Yeah, so you are going to. See more of that. It's a documentary. It's not a reality show, so you're watching the deal as it unfolds. Some things have happy endings. Some things have terrible endings, but they're real endings either way. So people will see a lot of that of deals happening in the Northeast. And if someone's listening and they're a business owner and they want to be part of the show, they can apply. We're announcing the casting will be open for about three weeks across the U.S. They can go to the realestatecommission.com/forward/tv and they can apply to be part of the show. Keith Weinhold 40:32 Now, since you started this last year, I want to ask: Has this A and E exposure helped you generate more business and create traffic? I would really think so. Todd Drowlette 40:42 Yeah, I wasn't sure. You know how because you never anything new. You never know, right? Like I put time and energy into it. It definitely did. Definitely, people start to notice you, which is a little weird. I was in a cell phone store, and they literally it was playing, and the guy's like, "Oh, it's you! Like, and then everybody who's walking in, he's like, "Hey, look, it's the guy on TV. He's right here. That was like kind of an awkward. Like, I'm like, "Okay, this is weird. Guy was excited, so that was fine. It's an adjustment of things, but it definitely has increased our overall visibility and people reaching out to do deals with us for sure. Keith Weinhold 41:18 Is there any last resource you'd like to tell our audience about. Todd Drowlette 41:21 I would just quickly announce the first season did so well. We're actually doing a spinoff show that'll also air on A and E called the Real Estate Commission New York that we're casting in upstate New York as well as New York City for brokers, agents, home sellers, home buyers that will actually document real buyers, real sellers, same thing. It'll follow our format, which I know there's a million shows on TV about real estate. Those are reality shows, not docu series. And I'll say, without going into the details, there's a very big difference between those two and what you're actually seeing on camera and what's happening. That will air in March of 2027, back to back with our show, I will make cameos in that. But I'm executive producing that show, so from your residential audience, that's a show they should tune into. I think they'll get a lot out of it. Keith Weinhold 42:12 Congratulations! Your show has had so much success that it's setting the template for another show, and it has been most interesting since we first had you here last year to follow this along, Todd Drowlette. It's been a valuable chat. Thanks so much for coming back onto the show. Todd Drowlette 42:28 I'd love to come back anytime, and thank you so much for having me on again. I appreciate it. Keith Weinhold 42:38 Drowlette is spelled D R O W L E T T E. Todd and I talk a good bit off mic as well. In addition to the elevators, sometimes he emphasizes how cumbersome to impossible HVAC system compatibility is when you're doing office to residential building conversions. Too, you just never seem to hear about an easier than expected office to residential property conversion. It is most interesting and rare that Todd is not much of a leverage guy at all. Whereas in the vein of financially free beats debt free, I like to approach deals where the interest cost is lower than the expected opportunity cost. When it comes to negotiating, some of Todd's approach, you know, it's similar to what prominent hostage negotiator Chris Voss shared with you here on the show a few years ago. That silence is powerful in negotiating. In fact, if you feel like you need to say something to fill the silence. Use what Chris Voss calls the mirroring technique, and the mirroring technique that is simply repeating what the other party just said, kind of like a parrot would. For example, if you're trying to buy a property and the seller says that the best they can do is sell it to you for 550k and a delayed 90-day close. Reply with 550k and a 90-day close, and then listen to see if the seller comes down from there. Or instead, you can simply say nothing and just sit there with the silence like Todd recommended. The reason I like these particular negotiating techniques right here is that they're easy to remember and they're easy to do. You either remain silent or, per the mirroring technique, you just repeat the last words that the other party said. Thanks to Todd Drowlette today, you can check out the real estate commission on A and E Coming up here on the show soon. Back to residential, where for the first time ever on the show here we discuss what might be the greatest real estate cash flow strategy because it's becoming quite popular today. Until next week, I'm your host Keith Weinhold. Don't quit your daydream. Speaker 1 45:08 Nothing on this show should be considered specific, personal, or professional advice. Please consult an appropriate tax, legal, real estate, financial, or business professional for individualized advice. Opinions of guests are their own. Information is not guaranteed. All investment strategies have the potential for profit or loss. The host is operating on behalf of Get Rich Education LLC exclusively. Keith Weinhold 45:36 The preceding program was brought to you by your home for wealth building getricheducation.com
The United States Postal Service, in the words of the postmaster general, is out of money.The federal independent agency generally relies on no tax money, and is largely funded by stamps, packages and other sales.It's once again staring at a $1 billion shortage. The forever stamp now costs 82 cents, but who's writing and mailing letters anymore.Now there's a political battle over its future, and the use of mail-in ballots.Has the postal service, with its rich history, outlived its mission?We're talking about the future of the postal service on this hour of All Sides.Guests:Esther Fung, reporter, The Wall Street JournalAileen Day, co-host, People of Agency podcast
The United States Postal Service, in the words of the postmaster general, is out of money.The federal independent agency generally relies on no tax money, and is largely funded by stamps, packages and other sales.It's once again staring at a $1 billion shortage. The forever stamp now costs 82 cents, but who's writing and mailing letters anymore.Now there's a political battle over its future, and the use of mail-in ballots.Has the postal service, with its rich history, outlived its mission?We're talking about the future of the postal service on this hour of All Sides.Guests:Esther Fung, reporter, The Wall Street JournalAileen Day, co-host, People of Agency podcast
Oregon Secretary of State Tobias Read recently called for the United States Postal Service to look at its policies around mail pick up on Election Day, after officials in Benton county found some voters’ ballots were left in mailboxes. The postal service has said they prioritize package delivery when staffing is short. Read has also pushed back against the Trump administration’s threats to elections officials in all 50 states and D.C. President Donald Trump has repeatedly attacked vote-by-mail with false statements and is pressuring Congress to pass his “Save America Act” in an effort to exert federal control over state elections in a variety of ways. We talk with Secretary Read about federal interference in Oregon elections and the security of elections in this state.
Can a fictional book be intriguing, speak of God's redemption and encourage believers and reach non-believers? Paul Headworth believes it can. Listen and find out how and why. The summary below is from the Regal Summit Book Award:"Prophetic Redemption" by Paul Headworth weaves suspense into a riveting murder mystery. Set around the theme of Ephesians 6:12, the novel follows Paul, a young officer struggling with grief after his mentor's murder. As Paul unravels clues left by Charlie, the story unfolds with intensity, uniting themes of faith, justice, and the power of prayer. Headworth's narrative is thrilling and thought-provoking, making "Prophetic Redemption" a captivating read from beginning to end. Regal Summit Book Award Winning book, "Prophetic Redemption" is highly recommended for readers that will enjoy a thriller with a Christian twist." Prophetic Redemption Paul Headworth Paul was born and raised in Michigan. Upon graduating from Ionia High School, he joined the United States Air Force. After his tenure at Malmstrom Air Force Base in Montana, he was hired by the United States Postal Service and spent thirty-two years continuous service until retiring as a Postmaster in August 2021. During his employment with the postal service, he finished his Bachelor of Science in Religion at Liberty University. He moved to Florida upon retirement, and he enjoy daily workouts at the gym, golfing, tennis, and disc golfing. The goal of writing "Prophetic Redemption" is threefold; provide entertainment through an engaging murder mystery, sow seeds for salvation throughout the storyline, and share the tenets of the Christian faith: love, grace, mercy, forgiveness, and compassion.WebsiteFacebookYou Tube
We open Monday with Linda Kearns sitting in for Dawn Stensland alongside producer Dan, tracking down a bizarre mystery keeping drivers guessing on the Schuylkill Expressway. After spotting highway signs warning that the Ben Franklin Bridge is set to close on July 2nd, the crew reacts to the absolute lack of information online from the Delaware River Port Authority regarding reopening times or detour specifics. We break down the frustration of everyday commuters navigating local transit blunders before shifting gears to a wild new Airbnb rental near Broad and South Street—a six-room apartment completely decked out in Philly Fanatic fur and green shag rugs that has the studio divided on cleanliness and mascot odors. The crew reacts to viral footage of Joe Biden appearing entirely lost and wandering around a stage at a Maryland Democratic Party gala, prompting a deep look into the tight choreography, red carpets, and Secret Service protocols that usually govern high-profile political events. Linda breaks down her personal experience speaking at a past Trump rally in Wilkes-Barre to illustrate how highly controlled these stages are, questioning why the current administration continues to allow these on-screen lapses. We also break down the breaking news of a major 5-4 Supreme Court decision upholding state laws that allow mail-in ballots to be counted if postmarked by election day, sparking a crucial debate about election integrity, ballot security, and the United States Postal Service's handling of mail processing. Ian McGuinness, co-founder of Surge Media, joins the studio to break down the reality of independent journalism on the streets and the left's attempt to control who gets to hold a microphone. We discuss his team's recent confrontations at the DC Pride Festival, including a viral moment where a protester demanded a "journalist ID" during a debate over voter ID laws, as well as an upcoming investigation into New York City pride organizers. The conversation wraps up with a critical look at political infighting, John Fetterman's recent Fox News appearances targeting local defiance of the Supreme Court, and a sharp debate regarding Donald Trump's targeted military operations in Iran versus his campaign promise of preventing foreign conflicts ahead of the upcoming midterms.
Today on America in the MorningTrump Wins Key War Powers Vote After Contentious GOP MeetingA loud and contentious meeting with Senate Republicans results in a victory for President Trump on another War Powers Resolution vote. John Stolnis reports from Washington. Postmaster General Defends USPS FinancesThe U.S. Postmaster General testified before Congress about the financial future of the United States Postal Service. Correspondent Clayton Neville reports. IRS Tax Season Report CardThe IRS performed better than expected during tax season after slashing staff—except on the phones. A new watchdog report says many taxpayers received refunds on time, but some groups faced significant delays and difficulty getting assistance. Correspondent Marcela Sanchez reports. Federal Judge Blocks Voting RequirementWashington correspondent Sagar Meghani reports a federal judge has barred President Trump from implementing a proof-of-citizenship requirement for voting. Wall Street TodayJessica Ettinger (CNBC) reports on President Trump's comments that Iran cannot charge tolls and how investors reacted on Wall Street. Chemours Reaches $450 Million SettlementCorrespondent Haya Panjwani reports on Chemours agreeing to pay $450 million to settle a "forever chemicals" case. Northern California EarthquakeCorrespondent Ed Donahue reports a moderate earthquake shook a rural area of Northern California, the region's strongest quake since 1940. Reuters: Two powerful earthquakes struck Venezuela, killing at least 32 people and injuring 700 more as buildings collapsed in and around the capital Caracas. Second HalfTrump's Showdown with CassidyLisa Dwyer reports on a heated exchange between President Trump and Senator Bill Cassidy during a Republican meeting on Capitol Hill. New York Primary TakeawaysCorrespondent Julie Walker reports on Zohran Mamdani's influence in New York races and the biggest takeaways from Tuesday's primaries. Texas Flooding Fallout ContinuesThe fallout surrounding last summer's deadly flooding at an all-girls camp in Texas continues nearly a year later. Correspondent Clayton Neville reports. Trump Visits Capitol HillCorrespondent Haya Panjwani reports on President Trump's canceled bill signing and his visit to Capitol Hill to meet with increasingly frustrated Republican senators. Life Along Israel's Northern BorderCorrespondent Charles de Ledesma reports on Lebanese families living along the edge of Israel's occupation, where fear and rising tensions continue. Cybersecurity AlertCybersecurity researchers have uncovered 16 billion stolen login credentials harvested by infostealer malware. The New Old Tech Guy, Chuck Palm, has that. Sports Caitlin Clark Leaves Game with Back InjuryIndiana Fever superstar Caitlin Clark was forced to leave Wednesday night's game against the Phoenix Mercury because of back issues. John Stolnis has Thursday Sports. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
How can horror writing help readers — and writers — work through psychological trauma? Why does cross-genre fiction take longer to find an audience, but pay off in the long run? Is running a direct sales store actually worth the inventory, postage, and learning curve? And how can SubStack work for fiction authors? With psychotherapist and award-winning author P.D. Alleva. In the intro, thoughts on why in-person conferences are still worth it, even when they are a challenge for sensitive introverts! and tips for making the best of conferences [Self-Publishing Show]. Today's show is sponsored by Draft2Digital, self-publishing with support, where you can get free formatting, free distribution to multiple stores, and a host of other benefits. Just go to www.draft2digital.com to get started. This show is also supported by my Patrons. Join my Community at Patreon.com/thecreativepenn P.D. Alleva is the award-winning author of horror, sci-fi, thrillers, and fantasy books. He's also a psychotherapist. You can listen above or on your favorite podcast app or read the notes and links below. Here are the highlights and the full transcript is below. Show Notes Why horror puts the human condition on display better than any other genre Emotional trauma as the silent psychological killer most people overlook The pros and challenges of cross-genre writing and finding your audience Practical lessons from running a direct store, including integration and signed-copy fulfilment How a 3 a.m. writing routine keeps the writing separate from the marketing and admin Serialising fiction on Substack, multiple newsletters, and avoiding paid subscriber promotions Why Facebook groups, TikTok Lives, and the three-to-one rule are working right now You can find P.D. at PDAlleva.com or on Substack. Transcript of the interview with P.D. Alleva Jo: P.D. Alleva is the award-winning author of horror, sci-fi, thrillers, and fantasy books. He's also a psychotherapist. So welcome, Paul. PD: Thank you very much. Thank you for having me. This is a great opportunity. I love doing interviews, and I love talking to great people. Jo: Oh, good. Well, first up— Tell us a bit more about you and how you got into writing and being an indie author. PD: So I've been writing since I was a kid, at least second grade and more than likely even before that. I've always had that creative itch. Getting into indie author publishing, I published my first book in 2011. At the time I was also operating my own business, which took up about 24 hours of my time every single day. Then I kind of got through that and sold that in 2016, and I'm like, you know what? The time has come. I'd always written books, poetry, short stories, but never really did anything with them because I just didn't have the time. So in 2017, that's when I really came out and said, all right, the time is now. Indie publishing was doing great. The one good thing I do love about Amazon is they allowed us to come out there and start showing our craft to people. So in 2017, I just started—let's do this. Let's write full time. Let's put books out there. Let's be creative. Let's really get those juices flowing. Plus, I was getting a little bit old, and I was like, now is definitely the time to do this. Since then I've been publishing consistently, and most of my books are horror books, but I dabble. I have a sci-fi series, and I'm starting to get into psychological thrillers too. I've got a new psychological thriller that'll be published in early 2027 called Girl on a Mission. For the most part, I'm definitely into the horror genre—books, short stories, all that good fun stuff. Jo: Right, so a couple of follow-ups. You said you're a bit old. Can you give us what decade you're in at least? PD: Well, I'm 51, so born in 1971. Jo: Oh, there you go. Same age as me. PD: All right, good. See that? So we're going head-to-head there. Jo: I don't think that's old at all. Also, you mentioned you sold your business in 2016. So what was your business before? Because I think business experience is so important. PD: Agreed 100%. So I'm a psychotherapist, and I had owned a treatment centre for mental health and addiction. That was started in 2011, and in 2016 is when it sold. Since then, my wife and I started a private practice. So I still, even to this day—well, about a year and a half ago is when I stopped. I specialise in trauma, PTSD, and addiction. Trauma mostly. Most of my caseload has always been trauma, PTSD, sexual abuse, psychological abuse, war-type trauma. I was doing that mostly individually since 2016 in private practice, and I'll still go into treatment centres and see patients there too, specifically for trauma. About a year and a half ago is when I started wanting to do writing 100% full time. I thought about becoming a professor, maybe going to college, but then I wasn't sure if I wanted to get into that full time, as far as a caseload and school and everything like that. So I decided to just do group therapy, group facilitation, and I've been doing that consistently since then. It may be 15 hours a week. I do love to give back, and to me, it's more what I teach. I specialise in neuro-linguistic programming, bilateral stimulation or EMDR, hypnotherapy, science of mind concepts, psychopharmacology, biological bases of behaviour—which is pretty much how your brain works—ancient wisdom, quantum physics. I do this in a drug addiction treatment centre mostly, also mental health. And of course, just living an addictive lifestyle is traumatic, too, in and of itself. So pretty much I'm teaching them. Behaviour modification is a big part of what I'm teaching during that time. You'll see that, too, if you read my books. There's two things you can figure out from my books. You can figure out how to murder people and get away with it, and two, you can figure out how to overcome trauma as well. The whole “murder people and get away with it” comes from my upbringing. I have a very sorted past, let's put it that way. My upbringing was very different than what most people grow up in. Jo: Oh, can you give us any more than that? Now everyone's like, “Oh.” PD: “What's going on with this guy, right?” So I grew up, let's say, quote unquote, “in an Italian New York family.” Jo: Okay. All right. PD: That might give people ideas, right? Jo: That's going to give people a lot of ideas. PD: If you've ever seen the movie Goodfellas, I kind of grew up in that atmosphere, and with even some of those people too. My family had connections to those people in that movie, which I find very funny. If you watch that movie with me, you get a very different perspective on what's going on in the movie. Jo: Wow. So you're an interesting guy with an interesting background, with a very interesting backstory job as well. Some people are like, “Well, of course he's writing horror because horror is just awful and full of slasher gore and all that.” I often have to say to people who don't read horror, “Look, it's not like that.” Maybe some of it is, sure. But most of it isn't. Could you talk about how reading and writing horror can also be psychologically healthy? How do these worlds intertwine for you? PD: Well, sure. It 100% can be healthy. Especially over the last few years, there's a trend going on out there right now where people are taking their trauma and putting it into a creative process through poems, short stories, and even novels. They're taking their trauma and giving it a face, like a monster, where people are overcoming that monster within the creative process. I always say that horror is the genre that puts on display, better than any other genre out there, the human condition. Why is that? When people are in a terrifying situation, you really see who they are. You get to the heart of the matter of who that person is by putting them in these horrific but undefinable situations where it's like, what are they going to come out as? That real true personality needs to come out, and that courage comes out. That's huge in horror, and I think horror gets such a bad name. Now, I know there's the extreme horror and the splatterpunk, and that has its kind of role too in what I'm saying, but that's where horror is getting its bad reputation out there with the over-the-top type of gore. For the most part, that's a small part of the horror genre. It's a subgenre for a reason. It has its readership, and that's fine. Nothing wrong with it. I read it all the time. I find a lot of joy in it, a lot of excitement. However, for the most part, any horror novel that is not completely with the gore and stuff like splatterpunk can be seen as a psychological thriller, and a lot of psychological thrillers can be seen as a horror novel. Look at books like The Silence of the Lambs, Red Dragon. That's horrific as well, but if you read the novel, it's in there. It just gets that bad rap right now, and it's not all gore. Most horror novels that I read today are psychological horror. It's tame on the gore, and the psychological aspect is there. I always see that psychological aspect—it's like psychological trauma. Most people, even in my industry, when people are out there and you mention trauma, PTSD, they're thinking about sexual abuse, physical abuse, or war-type trauma. The silent psychological one—I once wrote an article called “Emotional Trauma: The Silent Psychological Killer.” The one that's out there is the psychological trauma, the emotional trauma that is widespread. Most people go through that, and it could even be from parent to child, and most people don't understand that that's a traumatic experience. It's like a distortion of reality that you're experiencing that then creates a belief system in your brain, and you're constantly acting out that belief system. That's where the psychological component of horror really comes out. People breaking through that psychological belief system that was created through a traumatic experience by reaching courage and coming out through a horrific situation. Jo: Yes, it really annoys me, because with romance, of course people understand that romance is a huge genre. Something like a small town sweet romance is a world away from the bully romantasy, dark, or mafia. Mafia romance is a really big thing with very dark themes. I'm like, well, how can you understand that romance is a huge genre with all these different subgenres, and not think that horror or thriller or fantasy or sci-fi all have so many different subgenres within them? I personally read a lot of supernatural horror, but rarely the slasher gore kind of stuff. So I'm really glad you said that, and hopefully more people will open up a bit more. I did also want to ask you about what you write. You write all these different things. You write standalone—I mean, often horror is standalone—but you also have some series. How do you balance it? What are the benefits of cross-genre writing, but also the challenges of it? PD: Okay. So obviously I love cross-genre writing. To me, I use fantasy to explain the supernatural elements. I blend mostly a tad of fantasy to help explain the supernatural components in my supernatural novels. When I write sci-fi, specifically sci-fi, that has the fantasy element in it too, but there's also a tad of horror in there as well. It's just who I am. When I grew up, I had a lot of different influences. I had Star Wars on one side, and then I'm watching B-rated '80s slasher films on the other side. Those two mixes just kind of followed me throughout my life, and that's why I like putting them into my novels. As I tell my patients, don't limit yourself. Never limit yourself. If you're just limiting yourself to one genre, you're missing out on so much more that's out there. So I love the blend of mixing genres. It just gets my goat each and every time. It is a challenge though. I remember when I first started getting into indie publishing, I was never big into Facebook and social media up until I started becoming an indie author. Before that, with my type of upbringing, you don't advertise yourself. You don't advertise where you're going. That's a big no-no. So I always had this aversion to social media. I'll tell you a funny story. It was the late 2000s, probably 2006. I was a full-time single father at that time, and I was living in Florida. My family—brothers and sisters-in-law—were living in New York, and my sister-in-law said, “Get a Facebook account so we can see pictures of the kids.” I said, “Oh.” I didn't want to do it, but I said, “Okay,” so I did it. And I'm thinking, looking at this Facebook thing, “How do I put pictures on here?” So I figured out how to put pictures in folders. Then I phone called her, and I'm like, “Okay, so they're on there.” And they're like, “Well, where are they?” I'm like, “I put them in these folders. You can go and look at them.” She's like, “No, you've got to post them.” That to me was like, “I'm not posting pictures of my kids.” That was a big no-no. It didn't click. When I got on there finally in 2016, 2017, I'm like, “Okay, so I need to figure out social media. As an indie author, I need to be on there, so I need to get through this aversion and get on there.” I started noticing how people are so particular with their genres. If they're reading a romance, it had to be very specific with that exact type of romance, and if you deviated from it, they're not going to like it. So that was the challenge. I was like, “All right, number one, I'm not going to dilute myself” and say, “All right, take things out of my writing or out of my novel just so I could cater to a certain type of audience.” I'm like, “I'm not going to do that.” I know with me, myself, as a reader, I'll read everything. I don't limit myself to a specific genre. I'll read psychological thrillers. I'll read romance. I've been doing that all my life. So I'm like, if there's a person like me out there—and look at this, I just met like four other people who also read cross genres—then I know that there's at least another 30,000 people, and I know that at least then there's 300,000, then there's three million people out there. So just write the books that you're writing and find your audience. Now, that takes longer. So you've got to chip away. Chip away. You're going to find readers here and there, and then that reader kind of tells a few people about you, and then you've got a few more readers. Then you keep going, and you go on these Facebook groups, and you do a whole bunch of different things, and then you gather a few more readers. Then they're telling some friends, and then you've got more. The process takes a lot longer, yes, 100% agreed, but I would say be true to yourself and you can never go wrong. Jo: Yes, I agree. I write cross-genre as well, and I've browsed your collection. Golem was the one I was like, “Ooh, yes, I like that one.” I haven't read it yet, it's on my list. I think when you're cross-genre, my people come to my store as well, and it's like, “Okay, I'm interested in lots of things, but this is the one by this author that I'm interested in.” Whereas with other authors who only write one type of thing, then I might not like any of their stuff. So I think there are definitely pros and cons and different ways into our world. I also wanted to ask you about the differences in business. Obviously you ran this treatment centre and there were physical humans on all sides, and now you've got a business as an author. So what have you learned in business from what you used to do and what you do now? PD: Okay. You're right. The treatment centre industry is very different from what I'm doing now, but it's still people. Treat those people right, have integrity. If you say you're going to do something, follow through with it. My word is my bond type of thing. That definitely has fed into the writing and publishing industry that I'm in now in a huge way. Just connecting with people is, to me, the biggest part of it. I mean, treatment centres, you've got to connect with people. When I would market the treatment centre, where would I go? I would go to hospitals, residential facilities, detoxes, and talk to them about my programme and why they should be referring clients there. It's the same thing here. Why should you be reading my books? You get there through interviews like what I'm doing here with you. Other podcasts. You get there by doing Facebook Lives, TikTok. I haven't started TikTok Lives yet, but I actually love that platform. I'm falling in love with it. IG Lives, anything like that where you're talking to people and you're making a connection with those people. Through that, I've gathered so many different types of readers who are like, “Yes, I'll give this book a shot.” And then they read it and they're like, “Hey, this is really good, and I'm going to read another book.” With my books, I have very different books. Golem is my psychological horror novel. It's my slow-burn psychological horror novel, heavily inspired by Frankenstein and the Pygmalion myth. It's my first true horror book that I published. Then there's Jigglyspot and the Zero Intellect, which is inspired by B-rated '80s horror movies and the old grindhouse movies of the '70s, and it's mind manipulation. It's just wild and bizarre. And then The Sleepy Hollow Incident is my Gothic tale—it's like a dark romance mixed in with Gothic horror. So I always try to put something for everyone that's out there. To me, when I'm writing, it's got to be about depth, psychological depth. I always refer to my books to be like peeling layers off a Texas-sized onion. The more you read, the more in-depth you get into not only the characters, but the story. It's just something that comes out of me. It's part of me. That's the way I always have to do it. I always have to put that depth in there. To me, that's good storytelling. When I grew up, I read a lot of classic literature. Yes, Edgar Allan Poe, but also Dante's Inferno, Milton's Paradise Lost, The Hunchback of Notre Dame, the Brontë sisters. Keep going. Ray Bradbury, Ayn Rand, Daphne du Maurier, Shirley Jackson. Those to me are my books that I absolutely love. So there's a sweet science in today's fast-paced, social media type of world in marrying the depth of the old classic literature and the entertainment value that is required today for being an author. There's that sweet science behind it, and I love just hitting that nail on the head every time. Jo: So did you ever pitch traditional publishing, or have you thought about going that way? Because I also find that a lot of horror actually sits very close to literary. Like, I read a lot more literary horror than I do in some of the other genres. PD: Correct. So in the beginning, yes. Not in a long time. I maybe went to a couple of indie publishers, but as far as traditional, the Big Five publishers, I have an aversion to them for a big reason. I know people who have worked in that industry that have told me some pretty bad horror stories about those places. So I haven't sent anything to that type of place in a very, very long time. Maybe close to 20 years. Indie publishers, the small presses, yes, here and there, but even then, I'm always moving at a fast pace. So if I've got a book and I'm sending it out as a query letter, by the time that query letter is even read, I'm almost done publishing. I love that aspect of it. The control of my story, where I know where this character's going. And listen, I've got my beta readers, I've got my ARC readers. They're there to tell me, “Hey, maybe you should change this or change that.” Whether I take that advice or not, of course my editor too, is really up to me. I always put out the book that I know is the one I want to read. And to me, I haven't gone wrong in doing so. I know with traditional publishing, you sometimes get too many thoughts in the pot there. Let's put it that way. Jo: Okay, so coming back to being indie then. You mentioned Amazon earlier, but you have a store where you sell direct. Many authors are doing this now, but it can be a challenge. So what have you found are the pros and cons of your direct store? What's working? Any lessons there? PD: Okay. So I use a place called Big Cartel. They're the platform where the books are on. They're hosting my website, PDAlleva.com. The big challenge was actually just starting it. It was so overwhelming. How do I put this on there? At the time, I've got all these books, so how do I present them? I'm even going to be doing another revamp with it too, because I want better pictures—taking pictures of the books, stuff like that, instead of just having the covers on there. I also have a lot of shirts that I'm selling. So I think the biggest challenge is just getting on there and starting it. Then of course, you've got to learn a whole new platform, and the mechanics, and how people are going to be downloading, and how that's done on an e-book versus a print version of the book. So it's a huge learning curve that you've really got to put your focus on and give it time. What most people like in indie publishing is signed copies. It's a huge part of indie publishing, selling those signed copies. People love a signed copy, and that's primarily what my website is for. You can order signed copies from me. I also use a place called IngramSpark, and they're more like a distributor. They're used by everyone. They've been around for a very long time. Traditional publishing uses them too, and they're just distributing your novel. I'd say about a year ago, maybe two years ago, they started where you can sell your books on discount through them as well. So I have that on my website too, where you're just clicking on the book and you're pretty much going directly to their site and you're buying paperbacks and hardbacks at a discount. That's going well too. For the most part, people are definitely coming to my site because they want the signed copies. A good thing with indie publishing is limited editions, first print copies, special editions. That type of stuff really just takes off. People love to see that, especially in the indie community. You can sell them too. I go to a few different book conventions during the year, and the limited editions are there. Like I said, people love the signed copies. They love being a part of that and getting that signed copy. They treasure it, just like I treasure my books too. I'm not referring to my books that I've written, but books that I have as well. I love my e-reader, don't get me wrong, but I still prefer the physical copy—the paperback, and even more so than the paperback, the hardback. So people love those signed copies, and that's why I created the website, to sell on there for them. Jo: Yes, I mean, we're getting to a point now though where I think some people are questioning the pros and cons of it. For example, you doing the signed copies—I don't do that from my Shopify store because I don't want to hold stock and I don't want to deal with postage. So I only do it when I do a Kickstarter. I've just finished one recently, Bones of the Deep, and I'm going up to the printer, and I'm going to sign a couple of hundred copies and then they do the postage. That's the only way I'm willing to do it because of the pain of getting books to your house, signing them, getting them in the post. So how do you manage that practically? PD: Okay, so the inventory's there. I don't go and sign everything right away. I just keep the inventory. Once somebody buys the book, then I'll pull out the book, log it and all that good fun stuff, sign it, and then ship it out immediately. Here in my country, we get discounts at the United States Post Office because they're books. So they pass that shipping cost over to the reader too, so it's a little bit cheaper for shipping. I'll just take books once or twice a week over to the United States Postal Service and ship those books out. I don't sign them until I actually get that order. Jo: How many do you have in your house? It's the holding stock of all the backlist that is the problem. PD: Ooh, gotcha. All right. That's why I have a two-car garage. But here's the thing, I won't order 500 at a time. I'll order 20 at a time. Jo: Okay. Right. PD: When I see that inventory's getting low, I'll order another 20 at a time. Jo: And you get those from IngramSpark? PD: Correct. When the new one comes out, maybe at that time I'm just selling those, bringing those to conventions that I go to. Or maybe doing a sale on those books at that time to get rid of the inventory so it's not sitting around anymore. Jo: I think that's so important. Then like you mentioned, you do T-shirts or shirts. That is also really hard because of sizing. So is that all print on demand? PD: Yes. So I don't really hold the stock on the shirts. When I get an order, whatever the size is at that time, I go directly to the place and order it. I use a place called Sublimation Station that's here in Orlando. They do great all-over print T-shirts. They're fantastic. I just did one for The Sleepy Hollow Incident. So The Sleepy Hollow Incident is one long story, and it's broken up into four books. Each book has its own. The covers are fantastic. I use a lady named Cherie Foxley. She's a phenomenal cover designer. So the shirts are, like, book one is on the front of one shirt with book two on the back, and then the second shirt is book three on the cover and book four on the back. However, I can customise those. I just did a giveaway in my Facebook group and I let people know I could customise them, and she wanted book one and book four, so I just got that and sent it out to her. Now, if people go ahead and order that on the website, I can just order it right away from them, boom, and that place will get it shipped right then and there. Jo: Right, so they do the shipping. These are all sort of practical things that people need to answer because I feel like sometimes it's like, “Oh, yes, having a direct store is great,” but there's actually quite a lot of work that goes into it, isn't there? PD: There is. There's a lot of work. You're pretty much opening almost like your own brick-and-mortar store at that point. You just don't have walk-in traffic coming in—your traffic is all coming online. So there is a lot to it, but it's worth it. If you're a self-published author or even a small indie press, it's good to have. Because like I said, people love the signed copies. Jo: When you say it's worth it, is it worth it financially or just because you like to serve the customers in that way? PD: Both. Jo: Right. So it is financially worth it for you? PD: Yes. Jo: I was talking to a friend of mine and saying, are you valuing your time in terms of things like taking the books to the post office and stuff like that? Do you find it eats into your writing at all, or do you just manage it all separately? PD: No, I manage it separately. So I'm an early morning riser. I get up at 3:00 in the morning, and that's when I write my books or do editing or brainstorming. I'm about to write a new novella now called The Adam and Eve Story, which is actually based on a little-known CIA shelved book from the 1990s called The Adam and Eve Story as well. So I've been brainstorming that, and I was doing that this morning. I get up at 3:00 a.m. and I do my writing, and by the time the kids are up and by the time the wife is up, it's like 8:00 a.m. is rolling around and I'm pretty much done at that point. Then I have my days. Tuesday I'm completely working from home and I do my thing in the morning, and then the rest of the day is marketing, fulfilling orders, stuff like that. On the days when I'm going to do group facilitation, I'll of course still get up at 3:00 o'clock in the morning, and then I'll plan out the day. I've got an hour between this group and I can go ahead and do that, and I'm already there so it's not a problem. The post office is right around the corner. You kind of figure out all the logistics for yourself. There are some days, like on Monday, I don't facilitate groups until the afternoon, so I've got the whole morning to work on marketing and do other things, and fulfilment. Then of course Saturday's a big day for that too. Jo: Oh, that's good. I feel like people always need to know how to balance their time, but it sounds like you manage, because at 3:00 a.m., as you say, there's not much else to do other than write. You mentioned marketing, and you have a Substack, pdsalternativefiction.substack.com. Talk about that and serialising fiction and how Substack works. Because I feel like a load of people are jumping in but might not necessarily know how it works, especially for fiction. PD: Correct. It is becoming quite popular out there. I think the one before that was Patreon, and Patreon is pretty big for that too, kind of the same thing. I wanted to start something and just get the work out there. I was very interested when Amazon came out a few years ago with what was called Vella. They kind of started that. I was like, “This is kind of cool.” Couple chapters at a time. I'm writing the books anyway, so why don't we kick this off and see how it goes—a type of experiment. I had a lot of fun doing it. I started on October 4th, 2024. I've done four novels so far. One is still going, which is Volume 3 of my Dark Veil serie— that's a sci-fi series. I wrote three other novels. The Hypnotist, which is a thriller, heavy on the sci-fi and a tad of horror in there too. And then I wrote Girl on a Mission, which is my psychological thriller, and then Cat Fight, which is a horror novel—all within that time. I think I finished all three of those novels in January, and then the first week of February they were all pretty much done. Now what I'm doing is, I went paid recently on the Substack. It's like everything else that's out there—chip away, chip away. I fell into that hole where they say, “Hey, we can promote you and get people to sign up for your newsletter.” And I'll be honest with you, don't do it. It's not worth it. You spend money, and what happens is they're what I refer to as dead leads. They don't click. You wind up shuffling them off after three to six months, because they're just not clicking. Everybody gets a star rating, so you know—are they clicking, are they staying on, are they not? So I got rid of pretty much all of those people, and I'll never do that again. It's got to be done organically. That's why when you read my books, especially the new books, towards the end it'll say, “Sign up for my newsletter.” I do more with that newsletter too. If you're on the free tier, every month I do a monthly newsletter, which is just me talking about updates, things going on in the publishing industry, things going on with me. My daughter puts together a weekly Horror and Sci-Fi Chronicles newsletter, which gives what's going on in new releases in the industry—sci-fi, horror, books, movies, television. She does deep dives into industry tropes, historical tidbits, and a weekly quiz. I also do a monthly Terrors and Tales newsletter. I started this last year, and it was a quarterly newsletter. It's other authors who are new, upcoming, never been published before, looking to get published. It's a chance for them to be on the newsletter where they have a flash fiction story or poem or even a short story that I publish for them. It's called the Terrors and Tales newsletter. What happened is I would put out calls for submissions. And a place called Duotrope—I don't even know who these people are, but all of a sudden I got an email from them stating, “Hey, we found that you're looking for submissions, and we posted your link. We hope you don't mind.” I'm like, “No, of course I don't mind.” I got so many submissions from that one link. I'm like, “Okay.” Do I really want to deny people? I'm not like that. I want to help promote other authors. I know what it's like when you're new and upcoming, no matter what age you are, to say, “Hey, here's a platform for you to see your stuff in print.” Obviously, I read through them just to make sure they're up to a certain standard, but for the most part, if you submit, you're getting in there. With Duotrope, I'm like, I have enough here to put out one a month. So in May 2026, the first one goes out, and then I'll have one each month until December, and then who knows? In 2027 I might go back to quarterly. I might get enough submissions to just keep it going once a month. So that's the Terrors and Tales newsletter, and it usually comes out towards the end of the month—the last two weeks. I have nothing to do with it in terms of content. None of my stories are on there. None of my poems are on there. None of my flash fiction. It's all other authors, just for them to see their name in print, see their work in print, share it with their friends, and put something on their resume, and to encourage people to keep reading and keep the craft going. Jo: When you say in print, you don't mean in physical print? PD: Oh, I mean in the newsletter. I'm sorry. Jo: I think that's important, or you're going to get a lot more submissions, and you will need to do publishing contracts and all that kind of thing. I think that's the difficult thing with a Substack newsletter approach—it's difficult to know where to categorise it. Is it marketing? Is it publishing? It's all of these things, I suppose. A bit like this podcast, it's all kinds of things. In terms of Substack actually making money on its own or leading to book sales that make money, do you think it does serve that purpose? PD: I think I've gotten more book sales through it, and also ARC readers who are enjoying the books and giving reviews. As far as the paid tiers, that's kind of a little bit slow, and that's where I'm saying chip away at it. Keep it up there. Keep it going. Over time, you're going to build that type of audience where it's going to be like, “Hey, this is financially feasible for me to continue to do this.” That's the response that I'm getting out there. Jo: Yes. Before, you mentioned you were doing Facebook Lives and you're looking at TikTok, but— Is anything else working for you in book marketing? If people have a few books and they're like, “What is working for book marketing right now?”—what do you recommend? PD: Okay. For me, the thing that has made the most sense is making sure the reader knows the book is out there through some sort of social media. I've had really good success on TikTok since the beginning of this year especially. I started it about a year ago, year and a half ago, but then my father got sick and passed away, and it was a new venture and I put it off to the side. I really got the flavour going at the beginning of this year. February, March of this year. It seems to be going really well, and I've noticed an uptick in sales from just getting the videos out there and getting it in front of people's eyes. There's an event I'm going to in August called ShiverCon, which is a pretty big event. After that event, I'm going to look to see what type of inventory I have left over from the event, and I'm going to start doing TikTok Lives. I'm very comfortable being on camera. So I'm like, “Yeah, that seems like a good way to go.” I know there's a few other horror authors who are doing it and having good success with TikTok Lives as well. A guy named Jason Davis is doing really well with TikTok Lives, and a few other authors too. I'm like, “Yes, I could definitely do that.” I want to get up to a certain number of people, and I want these events. I'm going to one in July, and then ShiverCon in August. Once those are done, I'm going to have more time to do the TikTok Lives. As far as Facebook is concerned, what I've had really great success with on Facebook is being in the groups and meeting other authors. That's not always about my book per se, but whatever books I'm reading, I'm posting my reviews about those books in those groups and meeting readers. Then obviously, they always say the three-to-one rule. Post about three different books and then post about your own book, whether you're doing a sale or a new release or a re-release or whatever. I've found success through that just by interacting with readers. When they post a book, I'll comment, “Hey, I've read that book,” or, “Hey, that book looks really cool. I like the review.” Commenting on it so you start these relationships with people who are out there in these Facebook groups. I've recently started my own Facebook reader group. I kind of go with the same thing. Last night, we did a live reading for another author. I like other authors to be on there. I always like to think, what does the reader need? What do I want to see as a reader? I would love to hear live readings from authors. So I kind of learn about them, learn about the book, and get a live reading. To me, that's a good way to go. So I started that recently, and it seems to be going well. I've got a new folk horror coming out soon, and I put out a call for ARC readers and got a fantastic response from that. That kind of drives the sales anyway, because when you get those reviews, then people see it gives credibility to the book, and then other people see it, and then they're buying it too. So that comes from the groups. There's so many wheels to spin in this industry as an indie author when you're doing this, especially when you're doing 99% of it on your own. You've got to get out there. No one's going to know your book exists if you don't get out there and tell somebody about it. Jo: Brilliant. Well, tell us— Where can people find you and your books online? PD: All right. Perfect. So obviously I'm on Amazon like everyone. Most of my books are worldwide, so you'll find them in Barnes & Noble as well. And of course, if you want the signed copies or discount print books, I always lead people straight to my website, PDAlleva.com. Then, of course, if you go to my Substack, you'll get all the updates, and you'll get all the links to purchase or find out where they are on Amazon and Barnes & Noble and things like that too. Jo: Brilliant. Well, thanks so much for your time, Paul. That was great. PD: Thank you very much for having me. It was great chatting with you. The post Writing Cross-Genre, Selling Direct, And Serialising On SubStack With P.D. Alleva first appeared on The Creative Penn.
When a package arrives at your door, it's easy to focus on what's inside rather than what it's shipped in—but the United States Postal Service is working to change that. In this episode, our hosts sit down with USPS Chief Sustainability Officer Jennifer Beiro-Reveille to unpack how the Postal Service is helping boost the “circular economy” by keeping packaging waste out of landfills. Discover how the USPS is turning throwaway materials like cardboard and shrink wrap into valuable resources, crushing its greenhouse gas emission targets, and how BlueEarth® services help securely and sustainably process e-waste and undeliverable mail. Tune in for this eye-opening look at how the USPS is ensuring its efforts with smart recycling, electric vehicles, and green innovation are moving customers towards a more sustainable future. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
Today's guest Tom Murphy is one of the nation's top nature photographers. His photographic passion and specialty is Yellowstone National Park. Sicne 1975 Tom has traveled extensively within its 3400 square miles, hiking and skiing on extended trips throughout the back country. He has skied across the entire park several times. Tom is featured in the PBS documentary “Christmas in Yellowstone” and his works can be found in private, public and museum collections around the world. Dedicated to honoring and protecting the natural beauty and wildlife of Yellowstone, Tom has been recognized by the United States Postal Service, which is issuing a commemorative stamp for America's 250th birthday, featuring one of Tom Murphy's majestic bison photographs.
Could the United States Postal Service soon become a major option for shipping handguns? In this episode of MX3 Podcast, we discuss the proposed change to the long-standing USPS handgun mailing ban, why the Department of Justice says the rule raises Second Amendment concerns, and what critics worry could happen with background checks, fake IDs, and firearm transfers.We also talk through how this could affect gun owners, licensed dealers, concealed carry rules, interstate travel, and the debate between personal freedom and public safety.At MX3 Podcast, our mission is discussing money, motivation, and relevant events in a way that gets people thinking and talking.What do you think? Should handguns be allowed through the mail, or is this a bad idea? Drop your opinion in the comments.Visit us at www.mx3.vipLike, subscribe, and hit the bell so you don't miss new episodes from MX3 Podcast.
8:05PM: The American Academy of Pediatrics finds kids of all ages K-12 need regular recess for physical and mental health. First new guidance in 13 years about this unstructured time at school and how it needs to be protected. Guest: Dr. Charles Hannum, MD, General Pediatrician at Tufts Medical Center 8:15PM: Boston 2026 World Expo offers 8 days of free, first-class fun for all ages. Happening May 23-30, 2026 at the Boston Convention & Exhibition Center.- Sponsored by the United States Postal Service, Boston 2026 will play host to all sorts of collectors, former collectors and folks interested in history, geography and art. With over 1,000 fascinating displays and 300+ presentations on all sorts of topics (many of them provided by the Smithsonian Institution). Guest: Lloyd de Vries - former ABC/CBS/NPR Writer/Producer - President of two of the stamp collecting organizations participating in this show, the Writers Unit and the American First Day Cover Society. Both have meetings and seminars at the show. 8:30PM: Red Sox inconsistency, clubhouse dynamics, trade deadline outlook, and front-office scrutiny. Guest: Peter Abraham – Boston Globe sportswriter and columnist 8:45PM: Women’s football finally gets its Olympic spotlight & Women’s flag football could become an NCAA sport… Guest: Andra Douglas - former national champion in rugby and quarterback in women’s tackle football, she later became a creative executive at Atlantic Records—and for nearly two decades owned the two-time national champion New York Sharks women’s pro football team, She also wrote a book that just came out: Changing Cadence: Friendship, Football and the Art of TransitionSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Justin and Evan discuss the United States Postal Service. Listen to the full episode here: https://www.patreon.com/posts/158528793 https://rockhardcauc.us
This week on the Long Island Tea Podcast, Sharon and Stacy are fully embracing the spirit of Memorial Day Weekend and all the national celebrations happening across Long Island — from Memorial Day to National Wine Day, National Maritime Day, National Craft Distillery Day, and so much more! The ladies kick things off by recapping some exciting recent events they attended including the Latino Business Awards, downtown revitalization announcements, and other exciting happenings across the region. Plus, after patiently waiting, they're finally cracking open their custom RGNY vintage to celebrate on-air! Between the laughs, local stories, summer energy, and one absolutely hysterical impression from Stacy that you truly do not want to miss, this episode perfectly captures everything we love about Long Island this time of year.#ShowUsYourLongIslanderThis week we're spotlighting Chris R. Vaccaro, who was recently honored with the Suffolk County Sheriff's Community Leadership Award for his decades of impact across education, journalism, sports history, and community service.#RevolutionaryRootsThis week we're visiting North End Burial Ground in Southampton, a historic Revolutionary War era site honoring local patriots and soldiers connected to Long Island's colonial history.#LongIslandLifeJones Beach is preparing for America's 250th anniversary celebration with a massive Fourth of July weekend event featuring live music, reenactments, and a drone show.We're also reflecting on Mental Health Awareness Month and the many peaceful places across Long Island that help people recharge and reconnect.The United States Postal Service is encouraging homeowners to participate in Mailbox Improvement Week by making sure mailboxes are safe and accessible for postal workers.The Whaling Museum & Education Center of Cold Spring Harbor is launching a public naming contest for its new inflatable sperm whale ahead of World Ocean Day.Blue Point Brewing has officially launched Magic Hour IPA, a new tropical inspired summer beer perfect for Long Island sunsets.iVogue Couture in Huntington is creating a unique blend of fashion, entrepreneurship, and community through custom designs and networking tea gatherings.Montauk was ranked the second best fishing destination in the country for Memorial Day Weekend 2026.We're celebrating National Maritime Day by spotlighting Long Island's deep connection to waterfront history and local maritime museums.National Craft Distillery Day is also shining a spotlight on Long Island favorites like Twisted Cow Distillery and Spy Trail Distillery.Long Island Wine Country is kicking off another season of brunches, tastings, and vineyard weekends ahead of National Wine Day.Splish Splash Water Park officially opens for its 36th season with Neon Nights, Kids Fest, and exciting new additions for summer 2026.Stony Brook University will host Long Island's official FIFA World Cup watch party this June with outdoor screenings, entertainment, and family fun.Long Island's official 2026 History Hunt challenge launches this weekend, inviting visitors to explore 26 historic sites stretching from Brooklyn to Montauk.#ThisWeekendOnLongIslandThis weekend features everything from concerts and theater performances to farmers markets, vineyard brunches, and live music across Long Island.#CelebriTEATate's Bake Shop cookies were featured on the latest season of HBO's Hacks, giving another exciting spotlight to the iconic Southampton brand.Michael Kors is making headlines after listing his Fire Island retreat for $6.3 million.#hotTEAsCall 877-386-6654 x 400, leave us a review, and send us a screenshot to score $5 off merch while staying connected with all things Long Island Tea.Connect With UsInstagram: @longislandteapodcastTikTok: @longislandteapodcastYouTube: Discover Long Island YouTubeFacebook: Long Island Tea Podcast FacebookX: @liteapodcastEmail: spillthetea@discoverlongisland.comShop: Discover Long Island Shop Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
LEO Round Table with Chip DeBlock S11E096, Trump Admin Overhauls The ATF Cutting Major Biden-Era Gun Restrictions UPS considers throwing out century old ban on shipping handguns. ATF announces huge changes to their rulebook. Trump admin overhauls the ATF cutting major Biden-era gun restrictions. California's open carry ban challenged by gun rights activists. AG of Florida sues city over secret registry of guns. Ex-security guard sentenced for the shooting of a teen in the back who was returning a BB gun. Gun Law Changes, Open Carry, Firearm Registries, and the Risks of Off-Duty Intervention Opening the Gun-Focused Roundtable In this episode of LEO Roundtable, host Chip DeBlock opens the law enforcement talk show by introducing the panel and explaining that this will be a firearms-heavy episode. He is joined by former LA County Sheriff's Office member and former police chief Ralph Ornelas, along with former ATF agent Dan O'Kelly of GunLearn. Chip also acknowledges the show's sponsors and distribution platforms before previewing several gun-related stories, including proposed changes to firearm shipping rules, ATF rule revisions, open carry litigation, a Florida gun registry lawsuit, and officer-involved shooting cases. Postal Service Handgun Shipping and Federal Firearm Rules The first major discussion centers on the possibility of the United States Postal Service ending its long-standing ban on private citizens mailing handguns. Chip explains that the policy dates back to 1927 and that a recent Department of Justice legal memo questioned whether the ban is consistent with current Second Amendment precedent, especially after the Supreme Court's Bruen decision. Dan O'Kelly clarifies that long guns can already be mailed in certain circumstances, but handguns have been treated differently by the postal system. He also explains that interstate firearm transfers still generally must go through licensed dealers or manufacturers, and that mailing a firearm directly to another private person across state lines remains legally restricted. ATF Rule Changes, FFLs, Braces, and Registration The panel then discusses broader ATF rule changes under the Trump administration, including rollbacks of Biden-era firearm regulations. Chip highlights changes involving stabilizing braces, the definition of being “engaged in the business” of selling firearms, recordkeeping rules, and Federal Firearms License issues. Dan explains that although the brace rule may be rolled back, firearms configured with shoulder stocks or short barrels still raise legal questions under short-barreled rifle definitions. He also discusses the practical realities of FFL compliance, including how state and local zoning or security requirements can affect whether someone can operate as a licensed dealer. Open Carry, Training, and Practical Concerns Another major topic is the legal challenge to California's restrictions on open carry. Chip explains that several gun rights groups filed a brief in the Ninth Circuit arguing that the Second Amendment and American historical tradition protect public open carry. Ralph supports lawful carry but stresses his belief that people carrying firearms should receive proper training. Dan adds that open carry often becomes less dramatic in practice than critics fear, citing Texas and Florida as examples where open carry did not lead to widespread visible gun carrying. The panel agrees that training is important, while also acknowledging the tension between practical safety concerns and constitutional carry rights. Jacksonville's Alleged Secret Gun Log The panel next discusses Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier's lawsuit against the City of Jacksonville over allegations that city personnel maintained an illegal registry of firearms. Chip summarizes the report that security personnel at two city-owned locations allegedly recorded personal information and firearm serial numbers from armed visitors over a two-year period. Dan compares the concern to federal prohibitions against national firearm registries and praises the attorney general for acting against the alleged practice. Ralph questions what the purpose of such a log would have been and whether the information was shared with law enforcement or used for any operational purpose. Security Guard Shooting and the Value of Being a Good Witness The final major story concerns an off-duty security guard in Washington State who was convicted after shooting and killing a teenager outside a sporting goods store. According to the report discussed on the show, the guard believed the teen and others were carrying a real gun and possibly preparing to rob the store, but prosecutors said the teen was returning a BB gun. Ralph uses the case to stress that off-duty officers and armed security personnel should often be good witnesses unless they or their family are directly threatened. Dan agrees that a realistic-looking BB gun could reasonably create concern, but says the reported shooting after the teen allegedly dropped the gun and raised his hands would be extremely difficult to justify. The episode closes with reminders about the show's sponsors and related law enforcement resources.
A photo of a bison Montana photographer Tom Murphy took will be printed on a United States Postal Service stamp. The stamp will be available starting May 25.
Amazon packages represent 15% of the United States Postal Service's package volume, but about 7.5% of their revenue. Amazon is USPS's biggest customer, even though Amazon passed the USPS to become the largest domestic parcel carrier in 2025. The current Amazon - USPS agreement expires on September 30, 2026, just days before the USPS may run out of the cash required to operate. Amazon has signaled that they would like to replace the USPS with their own network, but doing so will be more expensive than the company may have bargained for. In this episode of the Art of Supply podcast, Kelly Barner covers the public positioning and power dynamics playing out between Amazon and the U.S. Postal Service: The history and current status of the relationship between the two organizations How the U.S. Post Office is trying to bring market pricing into their negotiations with shippers - and how Amazon responded to that strategy Why the final outcome in this story is something all consumers may be affected by Links: UPS Picks Profitability Over Volume, and The Teamsters Push Back Kelly Barner on LinkedIn Art of Supply LinkedIn newsletter Art of Supply on AOP Subscribe to the Art of Procurement Newsletter
In this episode of Say What You Mean with Jéan P the MC, we tap into something that hits close to home—community, compassion, and showing up for one another.Jéan sits down with Stephanie Sweany, Executive Director of the Stark County Hunger Task Force, and Rebecca Ray of the United States Postal Service, for a powerful conversation about fighting food insecurity right here in our own neighborhoods.We break down what hunger really looks like in Stark County, the impact the Hunger Task Force is making every single day, and how something as simple as donating food can change lives. Stephanie shares her journey into nonprofit leadership and the mission behind serving thousands of families each month, while Rebecca gives insight into what it's like being on the front lines as a mail carrier—especially during community-driven efforts like the annual food drive.As a mail carrier himself, Jéan brings a personal perspective to the conversation, highlighting the connection between the work we do and the people we serve.This episode is a reminder that real change starts with small actions—and that we all have a role to play.
From September 1, 2020: On August 13, President Trump said in a news interview that he opposed supplemental funding for the United States Postal Service because such funding is needed for the delivery of universal mail-in ballots for the 2020 election. His comments sparked panic about whether the Trump administration is slowing Postal Service delivery in order to sway the election. Images of blue mailboxes being removed and anecdotes about slow mail delivery added fuel to the fire. Postmaster General Louis DeJoy was called to testify before Senate and House oversight committees. Lawsuits were filed by a host of state attorneys general.So what's really going on here? Is this election interference, the implementation of legitimate policies or something else? Margaret Taylor sat down with Kevin Kosar of the American Enterprise Institute and Anne Joseph O'Connell of Stanford Law School to sort through the facts, the policy changes, the investigations and the lawsuits—and what it all means for the 2020 election.To receive ad-free podcasts, become a Lawfare Material Supporter at www.patreon.com/lawfare. You can also support Lawfare by making a one-time donation at https://givebutter.com/lawfare-institute.Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/lawfare. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
The United States Postal Service has delivered mail for 250 years, from the busiest cities to the most remote parts of the country. But decades of money troubles have left the USPS billions of dollars in debt.Now, the postmaster general warns that the agency could run out of money by October – and is urging Congress to save it.We explore the uncertain future of USPS with a panel of experts.Find more of our programs online. Listen to 1A sponsor-free by signing up for 1A+ at plus.npr.org/the1a.To manage podcast ad preferences, review the links below:See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences.NPR Privacy Policy
This month, the United States Postal Service unveiled a new set of stamps honoring the lowrider community. This federal recognition comes three years after California lifted a decades-old ban on lowrider cruising. The state, widely understood as the birthplace of lowrider culture, has also historically been unfriendly to it. For decades, lowriding was blamed for traffic and alleged connections to gang violence. KQED's Paloma Yaritza Abarca explains the years-long fight by community members to let their cars ride freely. This episode originally aired Nov 3, 2023. Links: The Provocative, Rebellious and Flamboyant Origins of Lowriding | KQED For Lowriders in San Francisco, It's Not Just a Stamp — It's Respect at the Federal Level Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
The Iran war is escalating. The US is targeting Kharg Island, which is Iran's oil export hub, and it could backfire catastrophically. Oil prices are spiking. Global energy markets are in chaos. This is Trump's dumbest war getting dumber.Plus: Joe Kent, a former Trump administration intelligence official, just resigned over the legitimacy of the Iran war. This is not a small deal—it's a sign of major internal fractures inside the MAGA movement that will likely resonate into the presidential race in 2028. Markwayne Mullin advanced out of committee for DHS Secretary (John Fetterman voted yes—because of course he did). Trump embarrassed himself and the entire country in front of Japan's Prime Minister with a Pearl Harbor "joke." Elon's xAI is generating sexualized images of real people and now he's being sued by victims. The GOP is getting its wish: the likely death of the United States Postal Service. Trump's $10 billion TikTok deal commission is corrupt as hell.This is the chaos. Let's break it down.⚔️ BIG TOPIC: IRAN WAR CONTINUES
In "UPS at the Crossroads: Finding Profit in a Disrupted Landscape with Bloomberg's Devin Leonard", Joe Lynch and Devin Leonard, Senior Writer on the global business team at Bloomberg News, discuss how the logistics giant is navigating shifting markets, intense competition, and rising labor costs. About Devin Leonard Devin Leonard is a senior writer on the global business team at Bloomberg News. His work appears regularly in Bloomberg Businessweek where he has written periodically about the logistics industry. His 2011 cover story, "The End of Mail," about the existential crisis at the U.S. Postal Service was a finalist for the Gerald Loeb award for explanatory writing, In May 2016, Grove Press published Leonard's book, Neither Snow Nor Rain: A History of the United States Postal Service, which the New York Times called "sweeping and entertaining. About Bloomberg News Bloomberg News is a global news agency and a primary division of Bloomberg L.P., a privately held financial, software, data, and media company. Founded in 1990 by Michael Bloomberg and Matthew Winkler, the news service was originally created to provide real-time financial news to subscribers of the Bloomberg Terminal (the Bloomberg Professional® service). Today, it is one of the largest news organizations in the world, producing over 5,000 stories daily. Key Takeaways: UPS at the Crossroads: Finding Profit in a Disrupted Landscape In "UPS at the Crossroads: Finding Profit in a Disrupted Landscape with Bloomberg's Devin Leonard", Joe Lynch and Devin Leonard, Senior Writer on the global business team at Bloomberg News, discuss how the logistics giant is navigating shifting markets, intense competition, and rising labor costs. Historic Leadership Shift: Carol Tomé is the first woman and first outsider to lead UPS in its 118-year history, breaking a century-long tradition of promoting exclusively from within the "brown" culture. "Better, Not Bigger": UPS has pivoted from chasing high volume to prioritizing high-yield profitability. This means intentionally reducing reliance on low-margin ecommerce (like Amazon) to focus on more lucrative accounts. The Amazon Evolution: Amazon has transformed from UPS's biggest customer into its most formidable competitor, now delivering nearly as many packages as the USPS and utilizing its own massive logistics network. Teamsters Contract Impact: The 2023 negotiations led by Sean O'Brien resulted in a historic contract with top driver compensation reaching $170,000 (wages + benefits), significantly increasing UPS's fixed costs in a cooling market. Market Fragmentation: The industry is no longer a duopoly. UPS now competes against regional carriers using advanced tech to "stitch together" national services, as well as gig-economy players like DoorDash. Strategic Repositioning: To differentiate, UPS is doubling down on specialized sectors like Healthcare (cold-chain) and international logistics—complex services that simple gig-drivers or regional startups cannot easily replicate. "Shrink to Grow" Strategy: To maintain margins, UPS is closing distribution centers, automating facilities, and offering buyouts to senior staff. The challenge remains: can they grow the stock price while shrinking the physical footprint? Learn More About UPS at the Crossroads: Finding Profit in a Disrupted Landscape Devin Leonard | Linkedin Devin Leonard Website Bloomberg News | Linkedin Bloomberg News The Logistics of Logistics Podcast If you enjoy the podcast, please leave a positive review, subscribe, and share it with your friends and colleagues. The Logistics of Logistics Podcast: Google, Apple, Castbox, Spotify, Stitcher, PlayerFM, Tunein, Podbean, Owltail, Libsyn, Overcast Check out The Logistics of Logistics on Youtube
On this week's episode of Brews & Cruise, host Chris Jacobson sits down with Matt Schroeder, a Winona native whose career journey took him across the country working with major organizations before ultimately returning home.Matt shares his experiences working in the rapidly evolving worlds of e-commerce, digital media, and home entertainment, including projects involving Amazon, Walmart, NATO, and the United States Postal Service. He also discusses the transition from physical media like VHS and DVDs to today's streaming platforms, and how technology has reshaped the way we consume entertainment.Today Matt works as a financial advisor and also spends time coaching high school pole vault, combining business experience with mentorship in the community.In this episode we discuss:• The evolution from VHS and DVDs to streaming media • Experiences working with Amazon and Walmart e-commerce • Consulting work involving NATO and USPS • Career pivots and becoming a financial advisor • Growing up in Winona, Minnesota and returning after 17 years • Coaching pole vault and mentoring young athletesGrab a drink and enjoy another episode of Brews & Cruise, where interesting conversations happen over a cold beverage.If you enjoy the show, please follow the podcast and leave a rating and review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify. It helps more people discover the show and helps us continue sharing great conversations.Drink: Toppling Goliath Pseudo Sue Financial Services of Winona https://phillipanderson.sarep.com Sponsor Jacobson Real Estate Co.https://jacobsonrealestatecompany.com Brews & Cruise Podcast https://brewsandcruisepodcast.com
OA1239 - Did the Supreme Court just hand Donald Trump the biggest L in US presidential history? We go beyond the headlines to break down the first decision on the merits of any of the second Trump term's policies. What is the deal with the “major questions doctrine” and why can't the conservative justices agree about what it is and how to use it? Why did Neil Gorsuch choose this case to drop a lengthy diss track with bars about every one of his colleagues? And is there anything Clarence Thomas wouldn't let a Republican president do? We then review a lesser-noticed SCOTUS decision from this week on whether you can sue USPS for intentionally stealing your mail for openly racist reasons (the answer may surprise you!). Finally, in today's footnote: Thomas Takes the ICE Exam! Learning Resources, Inc. et al. v. Trump (2/20/2026) United States Postal Service v. Konan (2/24/2026) “The Postmaster,” William Shawn, The New Yorker (11/14/1970)(letter addressed to William Faulkner from Post Office Inspector Mark Webster) Memorandum Summary of Documents Newly Received from DHS Whistleblowers, Sen. Richard Blumenthal (2/23/2026)(with leaked ICE training documents attached) Check out the OA Linktree for all the places to go and things to do!
Welcome to The Morning Minute, your definitive source for global supply chain market intelligence. Today we break down the massive news from UPS as the company begins offering delivery drivers $150,000 voluntary buyout packages to shrink its network and reduce headcount. We also look at major structural changes in logistics software, where cargo management maker WiseTech Global is cutting a third of its workforce in a massive artificial intelligence pivot. This two-year restructuring plan will eliminate up to 2,000 jobs as the company integrates new technologies into its customer platforms and internal operations. Finally, we cover a controversial 5-4 Supreme Court ruling that protects the United States Postal Service from being sued over intentionally misdelivered mail. The decision reinforces a postal exception in the Federal Tort Claims Act shielding the agency from liability, despite dissenting arguments that it provides much greater protection than originally intended. Stay tuned for our definitive analysis on how these major shifts will impact transportation industry participants. Make sure to visit FreightWaves for more unparalleled access to news, data, and commentary. Follow the FreightWaves NOW Podcast Other FreightWaves Shows Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Welcome to The Morning Minute, your definitive source for global supply chain market intelligence. Today we break down the massive news from UPS as the company begins offering delivery drivers $150,000 voluntary buyout packages to shrink its network and reduce headcount. We also look at major structural changes in logistics software, where cargo management maker WiseTech Global is cutting a third of its workforce in a massive artificial intelligence pivot. This two-year restructuring plan will eliminate up to 2,000 jobs as the company integrates new technologies into its customer platforms and internal operations. Finally, we cover a controversial 5-4 Supreme Court ruling that protects the United States Postal Service from being sued over intentionally misdelivered mail. The decision reinforces a postal exception in the Federal Tort Claims Act shielding the agency from liability, despite dissenting arguments that it provides much greater protection than originally intended. Stay tuned for our definitive analysis on how these major shifts will impact transportation industry participants. Make sure to visit FreightWaves for more unparalleled access to news, data, and commentary. Follow the FreightWaves NOW Podcast Other FreightWaves Shows Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
The United States Postal Service has implemented a policy change regarding postmarks that could significantly affect voting and healthcare access. The updated rule specifies that postmarks now indicate the date mail is first processed at a sorting facility, rather than when it is deposited in a mailbox. This alteration could lead to the rejection of ballots or healthcare documents if they are postmarked late, potentially disadvantaging vulnerable communities. The shift is poised to impact mail-in voting and medical paperwork, both of which depend heavily on timely postmarks. Dr. Carl Mack joins the Rhythm & News Podcast to share more. Interview by Chris B. Bennett.
President of the National Association of Letter Carriers Branch 3 - Buffalo/Western New York - Dave Grosskopf on how letter carriers are dealing with the snow and extreme cold this winter full 357 Tue, 27 Jan 2026 17:30:00 +0000 CyFs5fP5inRvavN0qkto50TCsAthiNuP news,weather,wben,winter weather,united states postal service,national association of letter carriers,dave grosskopf WBEN Extras news,weather,wben,winter weather,united states postal service,national association of letter carriers,dave grosskopf President of the National Association of Letter Carriers Branch 3 - Buffalo/Western New York - Dave Grosskopf on how letter carriers are dealing with the snow and extreme cold this winter Archive of various reports and news events 2024 © 2021 Audacy, Inc.
A 25 year old Grass Valley man was arrested on January 21 after a lengthy investigation. The United States Postal Service has recently clarified that machine-applied postmarks represent the date that mail is first processed at a regional facility not when when that mail is dropped off at a post office or mailbox.
Today from SDPB - the latest news from Pierre, South Dakota, as the second week of the 101st Legislative Session begins and what Rep. Dusty Johnson is saying about failures with the United States Postal Service
The United States Postal Service provides a pathway for homeless individuals to have a P.O. Box at no cost. A free P.O. box can be incredibly useful for homeless individuals as it provides them with a secure mailing address. This allows them to receive important documents, apply for job opportunities, Read More Shared by United Resource Connection January 13, 2026
Union Pacific and Norfolk Southern have officially submitted their nearly 7,000-page application to the Surface Transportation Board to create the nation's first Union Pacific and Norfolk Southern file historic rail merger application. If the merger meets regulatory approval, the companies anticipate the deal will be finalized and the new network operational by early 2027. In an effort to restore financial viability, the United States Postal Service is opening its US Postal Services wants retailers to compete for last-mile delivery network to retailers and logistics companies willing to bid for the service. Postmaster General David Steiner's new strategy will begin accepting bids early next year, with service potentially launching in the third quarter of 2026. Meanwhile, DHL Global Forwarding has committed $1.5 million to expand DHL drops $1.5 million to expand cold storage at LAX capabilities near Los Angeles International Airport. This investment targets the growing demand from pharmaceutical and life sciences shippers while strengthening Los Angeles' role as a critical gateway for temperature-sensitive cargo. Stay tuned to FreightWaves TV for new episodes of WHAT THE TRUCK?!?, Freight Expectations, and Running on Ice later this afternoon. Listen now for a concise summary of today's top logistics stories before heading into the new year. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Union Pacific and Norfolk Southern have officially submitted their nearly 7,000-page application to the Surface Transportation Board to create the nation's first Union Pacific and Norfolk Southern file historic rail merger application. If the merger meets regulatory approval, the companies anticipate the deal will be finalized and the new network operational by early 2027. In an effort to restore financial viability, the United States Postal Service is opening its US Postal Services wants retailers to compete for last-mile delivery network to retailers and logistics companies willing to bid for the service. Postmaster General David Steiner's new strategy will begin accepting bids early next year, with service potentially launching in the third quarter of 2026. Meanwhile, DHL Global Forwarding has committed $1.5 million to expand DHL drops $1.5 million to expand cold storage at LAX capabilities near Los Angeles International Airport. This investment targets the growing demand from pharmaceutical and life sciences shippers while strengthening Los Angeles' role as a critical gateway for temperature-sensitive cargo. Stay tuned to FreightWaves TV for new episodes of WHAT THE TRUCK?!?, Freight Expectations, and Running on Ice later this afternoon. Listen now for a concise summary of today's top logistics stories before heading into the new year. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
A federal judge on Friday granted the Justice Department's request to unseal grand jury transcripts from a federal investigation in Florida into convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. The Justice Department had renewed its request for the material to be made public last month after Congress passed and President Trump signed a law that requires the attorney general to disclose records related to the government's investigation into Epstein. Friday fined Elon Musk’s social media platform X 120 million euros ($140 million) for breaches of the bloc’s digital regulations that they said could leave users exposed to scams and manipulation The European Commission said Friday it was fining Elon Musk’s social media app X with the equivalent of $140 million, saying that it had breached the bloc’s digital rulebook — a move that will likely draw the ire of the American government. .After over 30 years, Amazon may be cutting ties with the United States Postal Service as it looks to expand its own delivery network, as reported by The Washington Post. The outlet, owned by Amazon founder Jeff Bezos, cites anonymous sources who said negotiations between Amazon and Trump-appointed USPS Postmaster General David Steiner have reportedly stagnated, pushing Amazon to consider concluding the partnership altogether.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
A federal judge on Friday granted the Justice Department's request to unseal grand jury transcripts from a federal investigation in Florida into convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. The Justice Department had renewed its request for the material to be made public last month after Congress passed and President Trump signed a law that requires the attorney general to disclose records related to the government's investigation into Epstein. Friday fined Elon Musk’s social media platform X 120 million euros ($140 million) for breaches of the bloc’s digital regulations that they said could leave users exposed to scams and manipulation The European Commission said Friday it was fining Elon Musk’s social media app X with the equivalent of $140 million, saying that it had breached the bloc’s digital rulebook — a move that will likely draw the ire of the American government. .After over 30 years, Amazon may be cutting ties with the United States Postal Service as it looks to expand its own delivery network, as reported by The Washington Post. The outlet, owned by Amazon founder Jeff Bezos, cites anonymous sources who said negotiations between Amazon and Trump-appointed USPS Postmaster General David Steiner have reportedly stagnated, pushing Amazon to consider concluding the partnership altogether.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Amazon is considering ending its contract with the United States Postal Service and building out its own competing nationwide delivery network. How big a player is Amazon in parcel deliveries? Meta just poached an executive from another Mega Caps tech company. Why is this hire a big deal in big tech? Finally, the year end stock market phenomenon known as the Santa Claus rally is being closely watched. What could impact the market the markets year end performance?
Reports say Amazon (AMZN) may consider ditching its partnership with the United States Postal Service in favor of building its own postal service. Alex Coffey talks about this headline and other will impact price action as the stock remains fairly flat year-over-year. He talks about why the 5-day and 21-day SMA are metrics traders should watch before turning to the options front. ======== Schwab Network ========Empowering every investor and trader, every market day. Subscribe to the Market Minute newsletter - https://schwabnetwork.com/subscribeDownload the iOS app - https://apps.apple.com/us/app/schwab-network/id1460719185Download the Amazon Fire Tv App - https://www.amazon.com/TD-Ameritrade-Network/dp/B07KRD76C7Watch on Sling - https://watch.sling.com/1/asset/191928615bd8d47686f94682aefaa007/watchWatch on Vizio - https://www.vizio.com/en/watchfreeplus-exploreWatch on DistroTV - https://www.distro.tv/live/schwab-network/Follow us on X – https://twitter.com/schwabnetworkFollow us on Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/schwabnetworkFollow us on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/schwab-network/ About Schwab Network - https://schwabnetwork.com/about
Kierra Coles /// Part 2 Episode:716Part 2 of 2 www.TrueCrimeGarage.comKierra Coles is a United States Postal Service employee who went missing in October of 2018. This year marks five years since her disappearance and unfortunately her case is getting cold. Where is she? Did Kierra really call off from the job she loved on the same day that she seems to have vanished? Some say something happened to the young woman in the middle of the night and then someone else with working knowledge of Postal Service Employee business called off for her to cover their tracks and buy some time. Join Nic & the Captain for this almost “unbelievable” Missing Endangered - Foul Play case out of Chicago, Illinois. There is a reward for information in Kierra's case, $68,000 last time it was reported. If you have any information regarding Kierra Coles and persons that knew her please call the United States Postal Inspection Service 877-876-2455. For more information go to Missingpersoncenter.org and search Kierra Coles. Beer of the Week - 14 Karat from Sun King Brewery Garage Grade - 4 out of 5 bottle caps Follow True Crime Garage on X & on Instagram @TrueCrimeGarage / Follow Nic on X @TCGNIC / Follow The Captain on X @TCGCaptain Listen to True Crime Garage Off The Record where TCG breaks all of the rules and get NASTY, NASTY!!! Now available on Apple Podcast Subscriptions and to everyone everywhere on Patreon. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
Kierra Coles /// Part 1 Episode: 715Part 1 of 2 www.TrueCrimeGarage.comKierra Coles is a United States Postal Service employee who went missing in October of 2018. This year marks five years since her disappearance and unfortunately her case is getting cold. Where is she? Did Kierra really call off from the job she loved on the same day that she seems to have vanished? Some say something happened to the young woman in the middle of the night and then someone else with working knowledge of Postal Service Employee business called off for her to cover their tracks and buy some time. Join Nic & the Captain for this almost “unbelievable” Missing Endangered - Foul Play case out of Chicago, Illinois. There is a reward for information in Kierra's case, $68,000 last time it was reported. If you have any information regarding Kierra Coles and persons that knew her please call the United States Postal Inspection Service 877-876-2455. For more information go to Missingpersoncenter.org and search Kierra Coles. Beer of the Week - 14 Karat from Sun King Brewery Garage Grade - 4 out of 5 bottle caps Follow True Crime Garage on X & on Instagram @TrueCrimeGarage / Follow Nic on X @TCGNIC / Follow The Captain on X @TCGCaptain Listen to True Crime Garage Off The Record where TCG breaks all of the rules and get NASTY, NASTY!!! Now available on Apple Podcast Subscriptions and to everyone everywhere on Patreon. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
United States Postal Service has announced that it will raise its prices in the new year. PG County is saying that scammers are using the deputy office to scam people. Big Baby news coming out from National Zoo, the Elephant is prego!!! Make sure to also keep up to date with ALL our podcasts we do below that have new episodes every week: The Thought Shower Let's Get Weird Crisis on Infinite Podcasts See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Constitutional Chats hosted by Janine Turner and Cathy Gillespie
Did you know the post office is older than our country? The history of the United States Post Office is fascinating and is an excellent reminder of the need for fast communication across the nation before the modern era of instant global communication. As we celebrate the birthday of the post office, who better to talk us through the history of the post office, including which Founding Father was involved with its operations for more than 40 years, than the historian of the United States Postal Service? Our guest is Stephen Kochersperger and he began his postal career more than 40 years ago as a clerk and also served as a postmaster in Julian, PA., before becoming the USPS Historian in 2024.
A case in which the Court will decide whether a claim that Postal Service employees intentionally refused to deliver mail to a designated address arises out of “the loss” or “miscarriage” of postal matter under the Federal Tort Claims Act's postal-matter exception.
A surfer has had a narrow escape from a shark at a beach in northern NSW where a teenager was bitten just months ago. A former United States Postal Service letter carrier pleaded guilty today in California to a three-year spree of stealing credit and debit cards and checks from the mail, items she used to pay for luxury goods and international travel. Police say a man arrested Wednesday for driving a stolen 2020 Dodge Charger from the Memphis International Airport's long-term parking garage said he was too large to steal the vehicle. A Movie Car Museum Is Closing Down and Selling Prop Vehicles and Replicas FOLLOW TNR ON RUMBLE: https://rumble.com/c/c-7759604 FOLLOW TNR ON SPOTIFY: https://open.spotify.com/show/7zlofzL... FOLLOW TNR ON APPLE PODCASTS: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast... WEBSITE: https://nextroundlive.com/ MOBILE APP: https://nextroundlive.com/the-ne.... SHOP THE NEXT ROUND STORE: https://nextround.store/ Like TNR on Facebook: / nextroundlive Follow TNR on Twitter: / nextroundlive Follow TNR on Instagram: / nextroundlive Follow everyone from the show on Twitter: Jim Dunaway: / jimdunaway Ryan Brown: / ryanbrownlive Lance Taylor: / thelancetaylor Scott Forester: / scottforestertv Tyler Johns: /TylerJohnsTNR Sponsor the show: sales@nextroundlive.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
This week, our hosts Dave Bittner, Joe Carrigan, and Maria Varmazis (also host of the T-Minus Space Daily show) are back sharing the latest in social engineering scams, phishing schemes, and criminal exploits that are making headlines. We start with some follow up, as Joe shares with us a complaint he has with Vanguard. Maria's story is on McAfee's latest research revealing that one in five Americans has fallen for a travel scam—often losing hundreds of dollars—despite many trying to stay vigilant, as scammers use fake websites, AI-altered photos, and phishing links to exploit deal-seeking travelers. Joe's got two stories this week: the first one is from Rachel Tobac on LinkedIn, breaking down how attackers like Scattered Spider are using phone-based impersonation, fake domains, and social engineering to breach insurance companies, and the second is on Aflac confirming it was hit in a cyberattack believed to be part of a broader campaign targeting the insurance sector, likely tied to the same threat group. Dave's story is on brushing scams, a scheme the United States Postal Service is warning about, where scammers send unordered packages—often low-cost items—to people's addresses so they can fraudulently post fake “verified” reviews online using the recipient's name and address to boost product rankings. Our catch of the day is from the scams sub-Reddit, where someone shared text messages from a scammer asking for only a small favor. Complete our annual audience survey before August 31. Resources and links to stories: New McAfee Report Finds Young Adults Fall for Travel Scams More Often Than Older Generations Rachel Tobac LinkedIn Aflac Latest Insurer to Suffer Cyberattack and Data Breach Brushing Scam - Unexpected Package US Postal Inspection Service Have a Catch of the Day you'd like to share? Email it to us at hackinghumans@n2k.com.
Questions on famous plays and shows! Fact of the Day: In 1959 the United States Postal Service tried delivering mail with a cruise missile. Triple Connections: Playing cards, Chess, Proms THE FIRST TRIVIA QUESTION STARTS AT 01:15 SUPPORT THE SHOW MONTHLY, LISTEN AD-FREE FOR JUST $1 A MONTH: www.Patreon.com/TriviaWithBudds INSTANT DOWNLOAD DIGITAL TRIVIA GAMES ON ETSY, GRAB ONE NOW! GET A CUSTOM EPISODE FOR YOUR LOVED ONES: Email ryanbudds@gmail.com Theme song by www.soundcloud.com/Frawsty Bed Music: "EDM Detection Mode" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ http://TriviaWithBudds.comhttp://Facebook.com/TriviaWithBudds http://Instagram.com/ryanbudds Book a party, corporate event, or fundraiser anytime by emailing ryanbudds@gmail.com or use the contact form here: https://www.triviawithbudds.com/contact SPECIAL THANKS TO ALL MY AMAZING PATREON SUBSCRIBERS INCLUDING: Mollie Dominic Vernon Heagy Brian Clough Nathalie Avelar Natasha raina leslie gerhardt Skilletbrew Yves BouyssounouseDiane White Youngblood Evan Lemons Trophy Husband Trivia Rye Josloff Lynnette Keel Lillian Campbell Jerry Loven Ansley Bennett Jamie Greig Jeremy Yoder Adam Jacoby rondell Adam Suzan Chelsea Walker Tiffany Poplin Bill Bavar Sarah Dan Katelyn Turner Keiva Brannigan Keith Martin Sue First Steve Hoeker Jessica Allen Michael Anthony White Lauren Glassman Brian Williams Henry Wagner Brett Livaudais Linda Elswick Carter A. Fourqurean KC Khoury Tonya Charles Justly Maya Brandon Lavin Kathy McHale Chuck Nealen Courtney French Nikki Long Mark Zarate Laura Palmer JT Dean Bratton Kristy Erin Burgess Chris Arneson Trenton Sullivan Jen and Nic Michele Lindemann Ben Stitzel Michael Redman Timothy Heavner Jeff Foust Richard Lefdal Myles Bagby Jenna Leatherman Albert Thomas Kimberly Brown Tracy Oldaker Sara Zimmerman Madeleine Garvey Jenni Yetter JohnB Patrick Leahy Dillon Enderby James Brown Christy Shipley Alexander Calder Ricky Carney Paul McLaughlin Casey OConnor Willy Powell Robert Casey Rich Hyjack Matthew Frost Brian Salyer Greg Bristow Megan Donnelly Jim Fields Mo Martinez Luke Mckay Simon Time Feana Nevel
The history of the United States Postal Service as it plays out in the streets of New York City -- from the first post road to the first postage stamps. From the most beautiful post office in the country to the forgotten Gilded Age landmark that was once considered the ugliest post office.The postal service has always served as the country's circulatory system, linking the densest urban areas to the most rural outposts, a necessary link in moments when the country feels very far apart in other ways. The early American colonies knew this. Benjamin Franklin knew this The Founding Fathers who placed the postal service within the Constitution knew this.And inventions such as the stagecoach, the steamship, the railroad, the pneumatic tube and even the electric car have helped keep the mail steadily flowing over the centuries.New York has even played a pivotal role in the development of the American mail service, from the creation of the Boston Post Road (the first mail road which snaked through Manhattan and the Bronx) to the first mail boxes. Even the first postage stamps were sold in New York -- within former church-turned-post office in lower Manhattan.Why are there so many post offices from the 1930s? Why is New York's largest post office next to Penn Station? And why does New York City have so many individual ZIP codes? And who, pray tell, is Barnabas Bates?Visit our website for more information and imagesMore information here on the Bowery Boys: Gilded Age Weekend This episode was produced and edited by Kieran Gannon
It's Hump Day! Emma speaks with Elizabeth Pancotti, managing director of policy at the Groundwork Collaborative, to discuss Elon Musk and DOGE's efforts to curb government spending, and how it's faring in terms of public opinion. Then, she speaks with Tyler Vasseur, shop steward with the National Association of Letter Carriers (NALC) Branch 9, to discuss the NALC's recent decision to reject a tentative contract deal with the United States Postal Service. First, Emma runs through updates on Trump's plummeting approval rating, Hannity's sit down with the Trump/Musk regime, Trump's government funding freeze, Trump's support for Russia, Trump's agency raids, Trump's cabinet confirmations, record credit card debt, dropping homicide rates, Brazil's systems of political accountability, and Kansas' gender-affirming care ban, before watching Elon and Trump blatantly lie about their cost-cutting efforts on Hannity. Elizabeth Pancotti then joins, giving us an even more expansive view into the failures of the Musk/Trump regime to actually weed out the “$1 trillion” in “waste, fraud, and abuse” they claim to be going after, with the alleged $55 billion in progress they've made so far undermined by the fact it's only $8 million, before touching on the problem of relying on legal and constitutional strategies after decades of conservatives packing our courts. Expanding on this latter point, Pancotti and Emma dive deep into the Democratic Party's – particularly leadership's – ongoing failure to appropriately message the threat and devastation posed by the Musk/Trump regime, with a refusal to highlight the efforts to cut YOUR benefits and steal YOUR data to give more money and more power to the wealthiest man in the world and his billionaire buddies, not to mention their long-lasting refusal to present an alternative affirmative vision to this ideology of destruction. Tyler Vasseur then walks Emma through the recent decision by Postmaster General Louis DeJoy to step down from his post, exploring DeJoy's nomination under Trump 1.0 to spearhead an effort to privatize the USPS, Biden's decision to keep him on, and why it was his failure to privatize fast enough that led him to get pushed out, and what that could mean for the future of the institution. Next, Vasseur dives deep into the National Association of Letter Carrier's historic “No” vote on a contract with USPS after nearly two years of negotiations, highlighting various failures in the agreement, including keeping wages in line with inflation. After expanding on the “Vote No” campaign efforts, Tyler unpacks why their biggest push in this bargaining process is for the right to strike, with the ongoing bargaining effort now lasting well over 600 days, wrapping up the show by highlighting coming rallies to support NALC's fight. And in the Fun Half: Emma is joined by RM Brown as they talk with a 412 caller about his experience with a Democratic polling group, unpack the astonishingly pro-Israel history of Russell Brand, and explore the truly atrocious messaging on display by Democratic leaders Chuck Schumer and Hakeem Jeffries. Molly from Brooklyn discusses teaching journalism in the age of Trump and AI, Dylan from Atlanta touches on a new democratized social media project, and the MR Team looks at the most recent data disproving the right-wing crime narrative of the last two years, plus, your calls and IMs! 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We're discussing the ongoing labor disputes with the United States Postal Service with Tyler Vasseur, a shop steward with the National Association of Letter Carriers (NALC). We discuss the BFN rank and file movement to transform the postal unions, fighting for transparency in bargaining on the long-stalled new contract for letter carriers, what an equitable contract would look like, how the letter carriers fight fits in the broader labor movement, cost of living adjustments in an era of high inflation, changes in work environments post-COVID, and ongoing efforts to privatize the Post Office. More on BFN here: https://www.fightingnalc.com/about-bfn
Is this a podcast about birds and the United States Postal Service or about the 2010 made-for-TV rom-com Christmas Mail? Slap on a red clip-on tie and judge for yourself! HDTGM all-star Jessica St. Clair (The Deep Dive) brings her Big Crone Energy and Postmaster General family experience to help break down this new holiday classic. The gang discusses the sprinkles fight scene, if Santa Claus f%$ks, the poster of the underwater mail truck, if Matt has male menopause, all the fedoras, and so much more. Plus, we learn truly everything there is to know about the USPS AND new Paul childhood trauma drops. Listen now or the Ragman will get ya! Tix for our Spring 2025 tour in Austin, Denver, Seattle, Boise, San Fran, Portland, & Los Angeles are on sale now at hdtgm.com.Order Paul's book about his childhood: Joyful Recollections of TraumaFor extra content on Matinee Monday movies, visit Paul's YouTube page: youtube.com/paulscheerTalk bad movies on the HDTGM Discord: discord.gg/hdtgmPaul's Discord: discord.gg/paulscheerFollow Paul's movie recs on Letterboxd: letterboxd.com/paulscheer/Check out new HDTGM movie merch over at teepublic.com/stores/hdtgmPaul and Rob Huebel stream live on Twitch every Thursday 8-10pm EST: www.twitch.tv/friendzoneLike good movies too? Subscribe to Unspooled with Paul and Amy Nicholson: listen.earwolf.com/unspooledSubscribe to The Deep Dive with Jessica St. Clair and June Diane Raphael: www.thedeepdiveacademy.com/podcastWhere to find Paul, June, & Jason:@PaulScheer on Instagram & Twitter@Junediane on IG and @MsJuneDiane on TwitterJason is not on social mediaGet access to all the podcasts you love, music channels and radio shows with the SiriusXM App! Get 3 months free using the link: siriusxm.com/hdtgm.