Podcasts about The Wall Street Journal

Australia is on the cusp of banning social media for children, with countries around the world expected to follow suit. Teenagers and tech companies alike have argued that the ban hurts free speech, but politicians and parents are concerned about the mental-health impacts on young people as more studies show that social media can worsen feelings of anxiety, depression and suicidal ideation. WSJ tech reporters Sam Schechner and Georgia Wells discuss the pros and cons of a social-media ban and what it could mean for companies' bottom line. Caitlin McCabe hosts. Further Reading Australia Adds YouTube to Social-Media Ban for Young Teens Families Battle Tech Giants as Australia Pushes for an Under-16 Social-Media Ban Australia Passes Landmark Social-Media Ban for Under-16s Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Subscribe to Inside Call me Back: inside.arkmedia.org/?utm_source=shownotes&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=insideGift a subscription of Inside Call me Back: inside.arkmedia.org/giftsListen to What's Your Number: lnk.to/GsOESPSeth Siegel in the Wall Street Journal: wsj.com/opinion/hatred-of-israel-caused-irans-water-crisis-4e566bacSubscribe to Amit Segal's newsletter ‘It's Noon in Israel':arkmedia.org/amitsegal/Watch Call me Back on YouTube: youtube.com/@CallMeBackPodcastCheck out Ark Media's other podcasts: For Heaven's Sake: https://lnk.to/rfGlrA‘What's Your Number?': https://lnk.to/rfGlrAFor sponsorship inquiries, please contact: callmeback@arkmedia.orgTo contact us, sign up for updates, and access transcripts, visit: arkmedia.org/Ark Media on Instagram: instagram.com/arkmediaorgDan on X: x.com/dansenorDan on Instagram: instagram.com/dansenorTo order Dan Senor & Saul Singer's book, The Genius of Israel: tinyurl.com/bdeyjsdnToday's episode: In a Call me Back bonus episode, we're publishing this week's episode of Ark Media podcast What's Your Number, co-hosted by Yonatan Adiri and Michal Lev-Ram. This week, Yonatan and Michal were joined by Seth Siegel, a leading voice on water policy and innovation, to unpack the massive role that water plays in the Middle East's economic trajectory. They also discussed how Iran's hatred of Israel has exacerbated its escalating water crisis — which Seth wrote about in a recent op-ed in the Wall Street Journal. CREDITS:ILAN BENATAR - Producer & EditorADAAM JAMES LEVIN-AREDDY - Executive ProducerBRITTANY COHEN - Production ManagerMARTIN HUERGO - Sound EditorMARIANGELES BURGOS AND PATTRICIO SPADAVECCIA - Additional EditingMAYA RACKOFF - Associate ProducerGABE SILVERSTEIN - Community ManagementYUVAL SEMO - Music Composer

An alleged page of Epstein's 50th birthday book is leaked, featuring a drawing of what looks like the outline of a woman's torso. No head, just the curves of a neck, shoulders, no arms and ‘u' shaped drawings for the breasts. Within the outlined silhouette is a badly written poem and it's signed at the very bottom, ‘Donald J. Trump' in thick black ink. His scribbled signature seemingly positioned as the pubic hair of the woman's silhouette.   Trump sues the Wall Street Journal for distributing this alleged letter for $10B and posts on ‘truth social' that it's completely fake. Despite this denial, a clip of Epstein's deposition begins to circulate alongside the poem. Epstein is sitting on a leather armchair, fully leaned to one side, arm propped on the chair, his head resting in his hand. He is asked, “Have you ever had a personal relationship with Donald Trump?” Epstein answers, “What do you mean by personal relationship?” “Have you socialized with him?” “Yes sir.” “Have you ever socialized with Donald Trump in the presence of females under the age of 18?” Epstein replies, “Though I'd like to answer that question at least today, I'm going to have to assert my 5th, 6th, and 14th amendment right sir.” The 5th Amendment permits someone to remain silent to avoid self-incrimination. The man's name mentioned in Epstein's deposition? The current president of the United States.   How many of the world's most elite and powerful people are connected to serial sex trafficker, Jeffrey Epstein??   Full show notes available at RottenMangoPodcast.com  Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Watch The X22 Report On Video No videos found (function(w,d,s,i){w.ldAdInit=w.ldAdInit||[];w.ldAdInit.push({slot:17532056201798502,size:[0, 0],id:"ld-9437-3289"});if(!d.getElementById(i)){var j=d.createElement(s),p=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0];j.async=true;j.src="https://cdn2.decide.dev/_js/ajs.js";j.id=i;p.parentNode.insertBefore(j,p);}})(window,document,"script","ld-ajs");pt> Click On Picture To See Larger Picture Trump is now helping the farmers out in California, he is now opening the waters in the north to help the farmers in the south. China is now purchasing soybeans from the US. The US is going to be a manufacturing powerhouse, the US is now building Tiny Cars. Trump is ready to release the liquid gold under our feet. Elon wants the EU abolished which will lead to the destruction of the ECB. The [DS] is trying to stop Trump from moving forward with his plan to take back the country and allow the people to control it. Trump and team released the NSS letting the old guard know that their days are numbered and put the countries on notice that the US is going down a different path and some of the allies we have now might not be our allies. Everything is about to change WW. Economy (function(w,d,s,i){w.ldAdInit=w.ldAdInit||[];w.ldAdInit.push({slot:18510697282300316,size:[0, 0],id:"ld-8599-9832"});if(!d.getElementById(i)){var j=d.createElement(s),p=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0];j.async=true;j.src="https://cdn2.decide.dev/_js/ajs.js";j.id=i;p.parentNode.insertBefore(j,p);}})(window,document,"script","ld-ajs"); Trump Administration to Direct More Water to California Farms  The Trump administration is making good on a promise to send more water to California farmers in the state’s crop-rich Central Valley. The U.S. Bureau of Reclamation on Thursday announced a new plan for operating the Central Valley Project, a vast system of pumps, dams, and canals that direct water southward from the state’s wetter north. It follows an executive order President Donald Trump signed in January calling for more water to flow to farmers, arguing the state was wasting the precious resource in the name of protecting endangered fish species. Secretary of the Interior Doug Burgum said the plan will help the federal government “strengthen California’s water resilience.” It takes effect Friday. But California officials and environmental groups blasted the move, saying sending significantly more water to farmlands could threaten water delivery to the rest of the state and would harm salmon and other fish. Most of the state’s water is in the north, but most of its people are in the south. Source: newsmax.com https://twitter.com/SecRollins/status/1997033961210433741?s=20  Trump Set to Sign Off on New Arctic Drilling Surge  Alaska’s Congressional delegation, along with the support of House and Senate Republicans, has scored a major win on the energy front. Representative Nick Begich (AK-At Large) introduced House Joint Resolution 131, stripping Biden-era restrictions on oil and gas exploration in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR). Rep. Begich’s resolution has passed the House of Representatives and the Senate and is headed to President Trump’s desk for signature. Alaska's congressional delegation on Thursday succeeded in stripping Biden-era protections from the coastal plain of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, moving to expand opportunities for drilling there. The U.S. Senate voted to eliminate the 2024 leasing program for the refuge that put much of the refuge's 1.6-million-acre coastal plain off-limits to potential drilling.  The vote does a lot more than just open the door for potential oil and gas activity.  This is another step in unlocking America’s treasure chest. The areas in question in ANWR are estimated to hold 7.7 billion barrels of oil recoverable with current technology, and the U.S. Geological Survey has estimated that there may be hundreds of millions of barrels in other areas to the west of the ANWR sites. Source: redstate.com https://twitter.com/KobeissiLetter/status/1997327003062538459?s=20 Political/Rights https://twitter.com/nicksortor/status/1997007545097961499?s=20 JUST IN: Trump-Appointed Judge Unseals Epstein Grand Jury Records in South Florida  US District Judge Rodney Smith, a Trump appointee, said the law passed by Congress and signed by President Trump overrides grand jury secrecy. The Act applies to unclassified records, documents, communications, and investigative materials that relate to Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell. Consequently, the later-enacted and specific language of the Act trumps Rule 6's prohibition on disclosure. Accordingly, it is ORDERED that United States' Expedited Motion to Unseal Grand Jury Transcripts and Modify Protective Order [DE 6] is GRANTED,” the judge wrote. Last month President Trump signed the Epstein Files Transparency act into law to release all files related to the Jeffrey Epstein investigation. Source: thegatewaypundit.com DOGE https://twitter.com/Patri0tContr0l/status/1997015233399795932?s=20 https://twitter.com/disclosetv/status/1996997974455357552?s=20 European Union Fines X (Twitter) $140 Million for Violations of Europe's Digital Services Act  The European DSA is ultimately designed to control information, that reality should not be debated. All efforts to control traditional and social media are efforts to control information. The specifics of the reasoning for the fine are typically European.  (1) Twitter allows ordinary people to deliver information at the same level as people who should be defined as more important.  (2)  Advertisers of those who pay for promotion of information on X are not easily identifiable – people need to figure it out on their own.  (3)  It is too difficult to figure out who is providing the information. Basically, all of the EU concerns center around information control.  It's really an ideology issue.  In the outlook of the EU, bureaucrats and elites feel they are superior and must rule/protect the people under them.  Ordinary people having access to information that may or may not be approved by the EU is the underlying issue. Source: theconservativetreehouse.com [SOURCE] What Christopher Landau notes as the contrast and conflict in ideological priority from the EU can just as easily be applied to the USA dynamic with Canada.  As noted by Twitter user John Frank, “The same observations can easily apply to the relations with Canada, given the divergence between the US role in the military alliance with Canada, while Canada is involved in activities which work against US interests.” https://twitter.com/robbystarbuck/status/1996925010569511321?s=20 https://twitter.com/BrendanCarrFCC/status/1996945925822939407?s=20 https://twitter.com/kadmitriev/status/1997233337354895559?s=20 https://twitter.com/elonmusk/status/1997358453698728063?s=20 Geopolitical War/Peace EU making unacceptable demands on Ukraine peace – Kremlin Western European leaders are constantly making proposals that are unacceptable for Russia, presidential aide Yury Ushakov has said EU leaders are complicating Russia-US efforts to reach a settlement on the Ukraine conflict by making unacceptable demands, Russian presidential aide Yury Ushakov has said. European states, however, have reportedly been urging Kiev to reject any deal with Moscow without receiving security guarantees from the US, according to the Wall Street Journal. The EU and UK have also insisted on playing a larger role in the peace process. Source: rt.com Ukraine State Structure in Crisis: Neo-Nazi Junta Starts Unraveling. Clash within its Military-Intelligence (SBU-GUR) Apparatus   Ukrainian state stopped existing in early 2014 at the latest, when it was replaced by a US/NATO-installed regime composed of Nazis, criminals, murderers and their enforcers (it could easily be argued that these are all synonyms and listing them separately might be redundant). This was unequivocally confirmed by the infamous Victoria Nuland, one of the architects of the NATO-orchestrated    Source: theglobalist.com Trump made it a point to when meeting with Zelensky that they don’t have elections in Ukraine because of the war.  How do you get Ukraine to accept a peace deal while the EU, NATO DS is putting on pressure on Zelensky to start WWIII 1. As more corruption is brought out into the open this will put pressure on Zelensky 2. Zelensky will either going along with Trump peace deal or be exposed 3. If Zelensky does not go along, most likely he will be removed because of the corruption 4. This will pave the way for a new candidate, someone who is not controlled by the EU,NATO DS.    NATO EU DS might push a false flag to push the war 5. Trump will be able to work with the president of Ukraine because Putin is ready to go Medical/False Flags https://twitter.com/disclosetv/status/1997083856315224405?s=20 https://twitter.com/disclosetv/status/1997073307397423152?s=20   efficacy of this “schedule,” as have I! That is why I have just signed a Presidential Memorandum directing the Department of Health and Human Services to “FAST TRACK” a comprehensive evaluation of Vaccine Schedules from other Countries around the World, and better align the U.S. Vaccine Schedule, so it is finally rooted in the Gold Standard of Science and COMMON SENSE! I am fully confident Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., and the CDC, will get this done, quickly and correctly, for our Nation's Children. Thank you for your attention to this matter. MAHA! https://twitter.com/profstonge/status/1996994177175855445?s=20 [DS] Agenda Grand Jury Says It Won't Indict Letitia James A federal grand jury refused Thursday to reindict New York Attorney General Letitia James. The grand jury rejected Department of Justice's (DOJ) second attempt to bring mortgage-fraud charges just 10 days after a federal judge tossed the original case, according to CNN. Another source told CNN that the decision should not be interpreted as a clean win for James, saying the department could ask a third grand jury to consider the allegations. Source: thegatewaypundit.com FBI Raids Home of High-Ranking DEA Official Under Obama, Charges Him For Conspiring to Launder Millions of Dollars For Mexican Drug Cartel  The FBI on Friday morning raided the home of a high-ranking DEA official under Barack Obama and charged him for conspiring to launder millions of dollars for a Mexican drug cartel. The Feds charged former DEA Deputy Chief of the Office of Financial Operations Paul Campo and friend Robert Sensi for conspiring to provide material support to a foreign terrorist organization. Paul Campo and Robert Sensi were charged with narcoterrorism, terrorism, narcotics distribution, and money laundering charges. Campo and Sensi were arrested on Thursday afternoon in New York, according to the DOJ. Campo and Sensi agreed to launder $12 million and participate in narcotics trafficking for the Jalisco New Generation Cartel, a/k/a Cartel de Jalisco Nueva Generacion or CJNG. Per the Department of Justice: As part of the scheme, CAMPO and SENSI agreed to launder approximately $12,000,000 of CJNG narcotics proceeds; laundered approximately $750,000 by converting cash into cryptocurrency; and provided a payment for approximately 220 kilograms of cocaine on the understanding that the payment would trigger the distribution and sale of the narcotics worth approximately $5,000,000, for which CAMPO and SENSI would (i) receive directly a portion of the narcotics proceeds as profit; and (ii) receive a further commission upon the laundering of the balance of the narcotics proceeds. Source: thegatewaypundit.com  President Trump's Plan Kash Patel Shuts Down Candace Owens’ Accusations About Charlie Kirk's Murder FBI Director Kash Patel shut down numerous accusations that have been made by podcast host Candace Owens involving the murder of the late co-founder of Turning Point USA, Charlie Kirk. During his appearance on Friday on the Sirius XM The Megyn Kelly Show podcast, Kelly started out by asking Patel if they believe they have the “proper suspect in custody” — if Tyler Robinson is “in fact, the man who killed Kirk.” Patel didn’t hesitate in the slightest and answered, “Yes.” The host then brought up one of the wild accusations that have been made by Owens, which includes claiming that Kirk’s own friends and his organization allegedly knew and approved of his murder. Insane. “Do you have any credible reason to believe that anyone connected with the Turning Point organization had anything to do with Charlie’s death?” Kelly asked. Patel’s response: “Zero.” He was then pressed about other claims that Owens has made about the alleged involvement of foreign governments in Kirk’s assassination, like French paratroopers, Egyptian Air Force planes flying out of Provo, Utah, and “potential underground assassins traveling through unseen tunnels,” as the producer of The Charlie Kirk Show, Blake Neff, previously explained. “At this time, the FBI doesn’t have credible information to connect any foreign governments to it,” Patel said. The FBI director made it clear that the investigation is continuing and they are looking into everything, no matter how small. “We are not done just because we arrest someone, just like in the pipe bomber case,” Patel said. “We don’t just say, Okay, we’re done, on to the next. The investigative team continues to work with the Utah authorities, and they’re deriving their own leads and coming back to us saying, ‘Hey, can you look at this piece of information? Can we get a search warrant on this account? What about this individual who is located in X, Y, or Z?'” Source: redstate.com https://twitter.com/amuse/status/1996873942406164855?s=20 https://twitter.com/JesseBWatters/status/1997120806212546797?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1997120806212546797%7Ctwgr%5Ed963eef05511b000b3f2631742a9c8e0f0d3c2a2%7Ctwcon%5Es1_c10&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fredstate.com%2Fbobhoge%2F2025%2F12%2F05%2Fdc-pipe-bomb-suspect-i-did-it-n2196869  AUTISTIC-LIKE”   SO Why didn't BIDEN'S FBI REALLY catch THIS GUY MS NOW reported that Brian Cole is a Trump supporter. https://twitter.com/DC_Draino/status/1996990984584933729?s=20 January 6 Pipe Bomb Suspect Brian Cole is NOT a Trump Supporter – Family Says He is an “Autistic Recluse” Who Lived in a Basement  January 6 pipe bomb suspect Brian Cole is not a Trump supporter like the legacy media has claimed. Brian Cole's grandmother told The Daily Mail that her grandson has no party affiliation and that he is not a Trump supporter. Cole's family said he is an “autistic recluse” and “computer nerd” who lived in the basement of his parents' Woodbridge, Virginia, home. Source: thegatewaypundit.com https://twitter.com/talk2trav/status/1996716378066505847?s=20   until proven guilt in a court of law THREAD https://twitter.com/amuse/status/1996984026129732020?s=20  written to pardon “all targeted” and “everyone involved in the events surrounding that day”, functions as a class based pardon broad enough to include DOJ linked pre riot conduct like the pipe bomb incident. Because federal authorities folded that episode into the J6 security narrative, the defense says it sits squarely within the pardon's scope. https://twitter.com/Patri0tContr0l/status/1996975974106144923?s=20 is made up. So Kash gets a big win and the NEXT DAY the Fake News comes out with a hit piece based on anonymous sources. I can't believe there are still people out there who can't see through this bullshit. https://twitter.com/TheStormRedux/status/1996722966806028760?s=20   about this FBI is that we are running investigations while providing what we can… This pipe bomb investigation should show the American public that we, while providing information on the pipe bomb over the last 8 months and protecting the integrity of our investigation, gets us to the end point we want. Accountability & transparency… This investigation should show the world how we are going to operate in every single investigation. Arctic Frost specifically, we have HUGE investigation going… and it's gonna take a little more time to peel it back. But no, I'm not gonna let people get off the hook or get a hall pass. I don't care what position you held in the FBI, you're gonna be held accountable. And this DOJ is assuredly backing us.” Love it. We keep getting bits & pieces of the grand conspiracy investigation before ultimately the hammer drops. I'm not sure why this is hard to understand for some… Pam Bondi Gives FBI Marching Orders For Tackling Antifa Terrorists Attorney General Pam Bondi instructed federal law enforcement agents on Thursday to form a list of Antifa groups for potential prosecution, according to multiple reports. Bondi's order is part of a broader counterterrorism plan after President Donald Trump's directives targeting the Antifa movement and organized political violence, Reuters and Bloomberg Law reported, citing a Thursday memo from Bondi. The FBI must provide within 30 days a list of groups “engaged in acts that may constitute domestic terrorism” along with strategies to disrupt them, with an emphasis on left-wing extremists, the memo reportedly says.  Bondi's memo directs law enforcement agencies to unearth whatever intelligence files they have on Antifa groups for investigators and to investigate unsolved domestic terrorism incidents over the past five years, Reuters and Bloomberg Law reported. The incidents may include the “doxxing” of law enforcement officers' personal information and threats against Supreme Court justices. The FBI must also streamline its tip line to allow members of the public to “send media” on suspected domestic terrorism, the memo says, according to Reuters. Source: dailycaller.com  https://twitter.com/Geiger_Capital/status/1996984378983915761?s=20 With the New U.S. National Security Strategy, Trump Revives Monroe Doctrine     Trump administration released the 2025 National Security Strategy (NSS). The intent seems to be a return to the Monroe Doctrine by increasing the United States military presence in the Western Hemisphere, taking on the drug cartels, enhancing border security, making trade deals that are better for the United States, and enhancing American energy production. That’s not the worst high-level take on the NSS, but a look at the actual document is illustrative. The NSS states as its purpose: To ensure that America remains the world's strongest, richest, most powerful, and most successful country for decades to come, our country needs a coherent, focused strategy for how we interact with the world. And to get that right, all Americans need to know what, exactly, it is we are trying to do and why. A “strategy” is a concrete, realistic plan that explains the essential connection between ends and means: it begins from an accurate assessment of what is desired and what tools are available, or can realistically be created, to achieve the desired outcomes. A strategy must evaluate, sort, and prioritize. Not every country, region, issue, or cause—however worthy—can be the focus of American strategy. The purpose of  foreign policy is the protection of core national interests; that is the sole focus of this strategy. One of the more interesting (but not surprising) pieces of this NSS is the overt and robust return to the Monroe Doctrine, an early 19th-century policy intended to restrict further European colonization of the Western Hemisphere and to ensure American dominance in that region. The modern take on this doctrine by the Trump administration uses American power by employing both internal and external security measures. The NSS states: American policy should focus on enlisting regional champions that can help create tolerable stability in the region, even beyond those partners' borders. These nations would help us stop illegal and destabilizing migration, neutralize cartels, nearshore manufacturing, and develop local private economies, among other things. We will reward and encourage the region's governments, political parties, and movements broadly aligned with our principles and strategy. But we must not overlook governments with different outlooks with whom we nonetheless share interests and who want to work with us. Source: redstate.com The Monroe Doctrine is a foundational principle of United States foreign policy, first articulated by President James Monroe in his annual message to Congress on December 2, 1823.   It declared that the Western Hemisphere was no longer open to European colonization or interference, while affirming that the U.S. would not meddle in existing European colonies or internal affairs.   Essentially, it warned European powers—particularly those in the Holy Alliance (Russia, Austria, and Prussia)—against attempting to extend their influence or establish new colonies in the Americas, positioning the U.S. as a protector of independent nations in the region The doctrine emerged amid concerns over European monarchies potentially aiding Spain in reconquering its former Latin American colonies, which had recently gained independence. It was largely drafted by Secretary of State John Quincy Adams and reflected growing American confidence following the War of 1812.  At the time, the U.S. lacked the military power to enforce it fully, so it relied on British naval support, as Britain also opposed European rivals in the Americas for trade reasons.Key excerpts from Monroe’s address include: The American continents “are henceforth not to be considered as subjects for future colonization by any European powers.” Any attempt by Europe to extend its political system to the Western Hemisphere would be viewed as “dangerous to our peace and safety.”   Significance and EvolutionInitially more symbolic than enforceable, the Monroe Doctrine evolved into a justification for U.S. intervention in Latin America during the 19th and 20th centuries. For instance: In the mid-1800s, it intertwined with Manifest Destiny to support U.S. territorial expansion, such as during the Mexican-American War.  President Theodore Roosevelt’s 1904 “Corollary” expanded it to allow U.S. intervention in Latin American countries to prevent European involvement, leading to actions like the occupation of Cuba and the Dominican Republic. It influenced Cold War policies, framing U.S. opposition to communism in the hemisphere as a defense against external threats. Critics, especially in Latin America, have viewed it as a tool for U.S. imperialism, enabling dominance over sovereign nations. Though less invoked today, it remains a symbol of U.S. hemispheric influence and anti-colonial rhetoric. facebook.com https://twitter.com/onechancefreedm/status/1996970776373735933?s=20 https://twitter.com/JoeLang51440671/status/1996992569746567173?s=20   other hand, I can see how we help real allies with aid when needed, as long as we get something of economic value in return. Regardless, NGO's are the root of a lot of EVIL and this will DESTROY a lot them. This is a good thing. https://twitter.com/PM_ViktorOrban/status/1996951610769961070?s=20 Senate To Confirm 97 More Trump Nominees After Democrat Blockade Fails Republicans will confirm a bloc of eight dozen Trump nominees as soon as next week following an attempted blockade by Senate Democrats. Republican leadership planned Thursday to kick-off the procedural process to confirm 88 of President Donald Trump's nominees in a bloc vote, but were initially thwarted by Democratic Colorado Sen. Michael Bennet, who challenged the package for violating Senate rules. When Republicans refiled the package later on Thursday, the conference included an additional nine nominees, bringing the total to nearly 100.  The Senate has confirmed 314 civilian nominees as of Thursday evening, according to a tally by the Senate Republican Communications Center. The 97-member bloc would bring the Senate to more than 410 civilian confirmations in the first year of Trump's second term. “That far outstrips total confirmations by this point in President Biden's term, and in President Trump's first term as well,” Thune said Thursday. Thune also said that Senate Republicans have virtually cleared the nominations backlog. Before Republicans changed Senate precedent to allow for certain nominees to be confirmed in groups, more than 150 of the president's picks were awaiting floor consideration. The Senate approved a 48-member nominations package in September and an additional 108 of the president's picks in a single group vote in October. Source: dailycaller.com  (function(w,d,s,i){w.ldAdInit=w.ldAdInit||[];w.ldAdInit.push({slot:13499335648425062,size:[0, 0],id:"ld-7164-1323"});if(!d.getElementById(i)){var j=d.createElement(s),p=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0];j.async=true;j.src="//cdn2.customads.co/_js/ajs.js";j.id=i;p.parentNode.insertBefore(j,p);}})(window,document,"script","ld-ajs");

What are supermarkets and consumer brands saying about shoppers? And which companies are getting a boost from higher-income customers? Plus, who are the winners and losers after Netflix's biggest acquisition? Host Francesca Fontana discusses the biggest stock moves of the week and the news that drove them. Sign up for the WSJ's free Markets A.M. newsletter.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Ralph welcomes Judith Enck (founder and president of Beyond Plastics, whose goal is to eliminate plastic pollution everywhere) to discuss her new book “The Problem with Plastic: How We Can Save Ourselves and Our Planet Before It's Too Late.” Then, Ralph reflects on the 60th anniversary of “Unsafe at Any Speed.”Judith Enck is the founder and president of Beyond Plastics, whose goal is to eliminate plastic pollution everywhere. In 2009, she was appointed by President Obama to serve as regional administrator at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and served as deputy secretary for the environment in the New York Governor's Office. She is currently a professor at Bennington College, where she teaches classes on plastic pollution. She is co-author (with Adam Mahoney) of The Problem with Plastic: How We Can Save Ourselves and Our Planet Before It's Too Late.I support recycling…But the sad reality is that plastic recycling has been an abysmal failure. Always has, always will be…You cannot really accomplish high levels of recycling with plastics because you would literally have to do hundreds, if not thousands of different sorting. The people who know this the most are the plastic manufacturers. Yet they have spent hundreds of millions of dollars confusing and deceiving the public into thinking: “Don't worry about all your plastic, just toss it in your recycling bin,” knowing that most plastic never gets recycled.Judith EnckA lot of people feel overwhelmed and that it's hopeless and what can one person do? And that fails to acknowledge that the reason we're not making more progress on climate change is because of the political power of fossil fuel companies. On the plastics issue, we're taking on fossil fuel, chemical, and consumer brand companies and plastics companies. So it's a lot. It's amazing we get anything done. But people around the country are coming together and they're getting victories.Judith EnckI do think if you start paying attention to plastic in your own life, you see that there are alternatives. And then you climb the civic ladder. So you try to reduce plastic in your own home. Then you look at your kid's school. Then you look at your faith community. Then before you know it, you're at your city council asking what can the city do to reduce plastics. You're going to get a couple victories there. And then you find the statewide environmental groups that are working on this. This is for the long haul.Judith EnckThe important thing about [Unsafe at Any Speed] now is: sure, it saved millions of lives and the laws are still on the books, and even Donald Trump can't tear seatbelts and airbags out of our cars. But if we tried to do this again today, it wouldn't happen. And that's because the concentration of corporate power over Congress and the media is so much more intense now. And it's also because the decline of civic institutions and democratic institutions has been very pronounced over the last few decades. And that is sobering us up.Ralph NaderNews 12/5/251. Our top stories this week are on Venezuela. First, the BBCis out with a report on the American military build-up around the Latin American nation, which includes “air and naval forces…a nuclear-powered submarine and spy planes...a range of aircraft carriers, guided-missile destroyers, and amphibious assault ships capable of landing thousands of troops.” So far, the Trump administration has sent mixed messages on whether they plan to launch a full-scale invasion of the Bolivarian Republic, but Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro shows no signs of stepping down without a fight, having declared a “massive mobilisation” of 200,000 military personnel throughout the country. Most ominously, on November 29th, President Trump declared Venezuela's sovereign airspace closed, per the Wall Street Journal.2. However, American bellicosity towards Venezuela is unpopular at home. A CBS poll found that only 30% of Americans would favor the U.S. taking military action in Venezuela, compared to a whopping 70% opposed. Another question in this same poll found that only 13% of Americans consider Venezuela a “major threat” with 48% considering the country a “minor threat” and 39% report they don't think Venezuela is a threat at all. Unfortunately, the lack of popular support for war is unlikely to constrain the Trump administration much, but it is a notable difference from the lead-up to the Iraq War, when 70% of Americans favored an invasion. The American people want peace, even if the government does not. 3. Another key detail from the CBS poll is that “Three in four Americans…say Trump would need congressional approvalbefore taking military action in Venezuela, including just over half of Republicans.” In light of this fact, it is significant that a bipartisan group in Congress is pushing a War Powers resolution to “block strikes on Venezuela,” per the Intercept. This new push in the House is sponsored by stalwart progressive Congressman Jim McGovern and co-sponsored by dissident Republican Thomas Massie along with other progressives like Reps. Ro Khanna, Lloyd Doggett, and Joaquin Castro, among others. As the Intercept piece notes, this resolution must be acted on in the House within 15 days, but by then the administration may have already acted, pre-empting the resolution. A similar resolution has also been introduced in the Senate, primarily backed by Senators Tim Kaine and Rand Paul, with backing from other Senate Democrats, per the Hill.4. Of course, American aggression towards Venezuela is reverberating out into the international community in myriad ways. Generally speaking, while United Nations officials decry the actions, America's European allies have kept quiet – with many speculating that these countries would prefer Maduro's ouster in order to get ready access to Venezuelan oil and decrease their dependence on Russia. China however, has issued a stiff condemnation of American actions. The Iranian Students News Agencyquotes Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Lin Jian's statement at a Beijing press conference, which where in he stated, “China opposes any action that violates the purposes and principles of the UN Charter or infringes upon the sovereignty and security of other countries…[and] opposes foreign forces interfering in Venezuela's internal affairs under any pretext.” He added, “We urge all parties to keep the Latin American and Caribbean region a peaceful zone and not allow the situation to escalate further.” However, beyond these condemnations, it remains unclear what, if anything, China will do to check American aggression.5. Despite all of this however, House Democratic leadership is typically feckless. In a corollary to the increasing likelihood of strikes against Venezuela directly, Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth has stepped up the campaign of striking boats off the country's coast. Recently, the Washington Post revealed that after a strike in September which left survivors clinging to life, Hegseth ordered a second strike, directing Admiral Frank Bradley to “kill everybody.” This revelation led to calls for House Democrats to pursue impeachment against Hegseth on charges that he violated the laws of war. However, Axiosreports House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries will not pursue a Hegseth impeachment. While true that such a push would likely be DOA, it sends a dark signal that the administration can do something like this and face virtually zero official condemnation. 6. Nevertheless, Republicans have taken such unpopular actions that it seems Democrats will retake the House, perhaps by a wide margin, in the 2026 midterms – or perhaps before. So far, 31 House Republicans have announced they will not seek re-election, with some retiring and others running for other offices. Still others however are signaling that they will resign their offices before the midterms, shaving the slim House GOP majority ever slimmer. Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene has announced she will retire in January 2026. Now, Congresswoman Nancy Mace is reportedly considering resigning early as well, though she has denied such rumors, per KOMO News. Either way, Democrats should be taking this moment to prepare an agenda for if and when they retake control of the chamber. 7. Turning to consumer protection news, Jalopnik reports Senate Republicans are seeking to rollback decades of automobile safety regulations. In a recent hearing held by the Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation ostensibly to put the CEOs of the Big Three American car manufacturers, as well as Tesla, on the record as to why cars have become so expensive, Republicans on the committee used the opportunity to blame safety regulations. Jalopnik notes that Republican Senators specifically targeted “automated emergency braking, the requirements for which will not come into effect until 2029 and have no bearing on current car prices…[and] back-seat alarms to remind you if you've left a child or pet back there. According to Kids and Car Safety, since 1990 at least 1,165 children have sweltered to death in hot cars, and another 7,500 survived with varying degrees of injury.” The cost of these sensors will amount to about $50 per vehicle. In short, while there are many reasons cars have become considerably more expensive in recent years – including everything from tariffs to data centers buying up all electronic parts – blaming safety regulations is a tired canard. 8. Meanwhile, RFK Jr. is moving to kill a proposed Food and Drug Administration rule to test for asbestos in talc-based cosmetics, the Guardian reports. As this report notes, cosmetics companies have known about potential asbestos contamination of talc since the 1950s, but that fact, like so many other corporate secrets, was suppressed, only coming to light in the 1970s. Asbestos is a highly carcinogenic substance. It has been banned in over 50 countries and “No…level of exposure is considered safe.” However, attempts to ban the substance in the U.S. have been stymied by industry, beginning with the overturning of the EPA's 1989 ban.9. In more legal news, Reuters reports the British government has announced plans to “remove the historic right to trial by jury,” for defendants in criminal cases carrying potential sentences of under three years in jail. The government argues that this will help alleviate the tremendous backlog of cases before the British courts, despite the fact that the right to a jury trial in Britain dates back to the Magna Carta itself. Barbara Mills, chair of the Bar Council, which represents trial lawyers in the U.K., decried this move, stating ”there is no evidence that [the] removal [of jury trials] would reduce the backlog, nor has it been set out how an alternative system would be resourced…We urge the government to reconsider pursuing radical changes under the mistaken belief that radical equals effective.” 10. Finally, in local news, Washington D.C. Councilmember and Democratic Socialist Janeese Lewis George has officially launched her campaign to be the next mayor of the District of Columbia. Lewis George is the first serious candidate to announce a campaign to succeed unpopular three-term Mayor Muriel Bowser, who is retiring this cycle. Like Zohran Mamdani, Lewis George is prioritizing affordability in the increasingly expensive District as well as an emphasis on fixing city services like traffic safety improvement. According to the Washington Post, “Within hours of launching her campaign Monday morning, Lewis George's campaign said it had received enough money from enough D.C. residents to qualify [for the District's matching fund program], which provides public financing for campaigns that agree not to accept large-dollar donations and corporate contributions.” Within hours, “they had netted more than $110,000 in individual donations from 1,500 D.C. residents,” which after being combined with the matching funds, will total over $750,000.” However, many expect her main challenger to be Councilmember Kenyan McDuffie, an ally of corporate interests and developers in the District, who will likely be bankrolled by those same interests. Whatever the future holds, this will surely be the most competitive citywide race the District has seen in decades. This has been Francesco DeSantis, with In Case You Haven't Heard Get full access to Ralph Nader Radio Hour at www.ralphnaderradiohour.com/subscribe

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Watch The X22 Report On Video No videos found (function(w,d,s,i){w.ldAdInit=w.ldAdInit||[];w.ldAdInit.push({slot:17532056201798502,size:[0, 0],id:"ld-9437-3289"});if(!d.getElementById(i)){var j=d.createElement(s),p=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0];j.async=true;j.src="https://cdn2.decide.dev/_js/ajs.js";j.id=i;p.parentNode.insertBefore(j,p);}})(window,document,"script","ld-ajs");pt> Click On Picture To See Larger Picture Canada is sinking fast, 1 in 4 Canadians work for the government. UK study is turning out to be true, SNAP receipts don’t want to work. Trump voids Biden’s green new scam.  Job numbers are portraying what is really going on, the deportations of illegals is opening up jobs. Trump is building the narrative to get rid of the Fed. The [DS] knows that Trump and team are coming after them, there is no escape. The FBI arrested the J6 pipe bomber, they have known this entire time. Kash and team are building respect showing American they will arrest the true criminals. The criminal syndicate has poisoned America, Trump is in the process of curing it with the people. Economy https://twitter.com/WallStreetMav/status/1996577094294266268?s=20  who vote for every dollar they can squeeze out of the people who actually built Canada. (function(w,d,s,i){w.ldAdInit=w.ldAdInit||[];w.ldAdInit.push({slot:18510697282300316,size:[0, 0],id:"ld-8599-9832"});if(!d.getElementById(i)){var j=d.createElement(s),p=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0];j.async=true;j.src="https://cdn2.decide.dev/_js/ajs.js";j.id=i;p.parentNode.insertBefore(j,p);}})(window,document,"script","ld-ajs"); https://twitter.com/EndWokeness/status/1996350793721717150?s=20 Watch: Trump Signing Car Industry EO, Which Seeks to End ‘Burdensome’ Green Energy Regulations  In an event in the Oval Office, President Trump, along with representatives of car manufacturers and dealerships, announced a new executive order rescinding Biden CAFE tailpipe emissions standards, which raised costs on the companies and the cost of car prices for consumers. CAFE stands for “Corporate Average Fuel Economy.” An easy definition, via the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, is a regulation: …[on] how far our vehicles must travel on a gallon of fuel. NHTSA sets CAFE standards for passenger cars and for light trucks (collectively, light-duty vehicles), and separately sets fuel consumption standards for medium- and heavy-duty trucks and engines. NHTSA also regulates the fuel-economy window stickers on new vehicles. Ending these regulations is part of complying with Trump’s “Unleashing American Energy” Executive Order and the [Transportation] Secretary's “Fixing the CAFE Program” Memorandum, according to the department’s homepage. On Wednesday, the president rattled off the investments in the United States that the auto companies have made since Trump 47 began in January. In one case, he cracked up the room by joking that they could do better than the billions of dollars they are promising: Trump added that it’s part of getting rid of more of the “Green New Scam,” too. https://twitter.com/townhallcom/status/1996322694099345577?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1996322694099345577%7Ctwgr%5E31d2137f89d95733dae2dffe91ce3f002937e448%7Ctwcon%5Es1_c10&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fredstate.com%2Fbeccalower%2F2025%2F12%2F03%2Fwatch-trump-signing-car-industry-eo-ending-burdensome-biden-regulations-n2196786 https://twitter.com/townhallcom/status/1996325044260085885?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1996325044260085885%7Ctwgr%5E31d2137f89d95733dae2dffe91ce3f002937e448%7Ctwcon%5Es1_c10&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fredstate.com%2Fbeccalower%2F2025%2F12%2F03%2Fwatch-trump-signing-car-industry-eo-ending-burdensome-biden-regulations-n2196786 Source: redstate.com https://twitter.com/WallStreetMav/status/1996587083012378947?s=20 https://twitter.com/profstonge/status/1996583802559136057?s=20 https://twitter.com/unusual_whales/status/1996582009460732232?s=20   to a seasonally adjusted 191,000, the lowest level since September 2022, with expectations of 220,000. https://twitter.com/WallStreetMav/status/1996431168883900552?s=20   fourth consecutive month-over-month decline. Apartment rents are down 1.1% from November 2024 and have fallen 5.2% from their 2022 peak. https://twitter.com/JDVance/status/1996413457164566966?s=20 https://twitter.com/KobeissiLetter/status/1996635885232693482?s=20   will provide TRILLIONS of dollars to kids if invested until age 20+. https://twitter.com/MJTruthUltra/status/1996602968750047572?s=20   ELIMINATE the INCOME TAX with tariffs, just like President William McKinley did in 1897 — and President Trump is following in his exact footsteps. The Dingley Tariff Act of 1897, which was the centerpiece of President William McKinley’s domestic economic policy. He believed in protectionism (using high tariffs to protect American industries and workers from foreign competition). Just like President Trump. Between 1897–1901 the United States had just become the wealthiest and highest-output economy on EARTH, surpassing the United Kingdom as the world's #1 manufacturing nation and #1 economy in total GDP By 1900 U.S. industrial production was roughly equal to that of Britain, Germany, and France COMBINED. Taxation without representation is unconstitutional and ILLEGAL. We, The People are now finally coming to grips with the illusions that have been installed around us our entire lives. Who is the FED? What is the FED? How did the FED come to fruition? What is the Titanic? Who was on the Titanic? What year? Those illusions are now dissolving. The “Golden Age of America” truly is among us. There is a plan to restore our country. Gods plan is playing out right now. Political/Rights https://twitter.com/libsoftiktok/status/1995921829316149445?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1995921829316149445%7Ctwgr%5Ede940a2e201b3b2cbe0a9536949880a88f90b3b2%7Ctwcon%5Es1_c10&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.thegatewaypundit.com%2F2025%2F12%2Fillegal-immigrant-rapist-who-walks-free-sweetheart-plea%2F https://twitter.com/DHSgov/status/1996301518543159560?s=20  California will let him roam free even though he's been arrested for FELONY hit-and-run. Hector Balderas-Aheelor has been previously deported FOUR times and committed a felony when he illegally entered for a fifth time. This violent criminal must be deported ASAP. Assistant U.S. Attorney Blasts Los Angeles County After It Votes to Ban ICE Agents from Wearing Masks Los Angeles County's far-left Board of Supervisors voted Tuesday to advance an unprecedented ordinance that would ban law enforcement officers, including federal immigration agents, from wearing masks while working in unincorporated areas of the county. The proposal passed 4-0, with only Supervisor Kathryn Barger abstaining. A final vote is scheduled for next week, and the ordinance would take effect in January 2026, according to the LA Times. Legal experts say federal immigration agents would not be required to follow a county mask ban. The county's top lawyer, Dawyn Harrison, has said she suspects the federal government will likely argue that the county law violates the Constitution, which states that federal law takes precedence over conflicting local statutes.  https://twitter.com/USAttyEssayli/status/1996040656733814854?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1996040656733814854%7Ctwgr%5E71ecedc2cdf5f5bfec40c6e10a4a461e8ffa25fd%7Ctwcon%5Es1_c10&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.thegatewaypundit.com%2F2025%2F12%2Fassistant-u-s-attorney-blasts-los-angeles-county%2F   by the media and local politicians. We will not expose our brave men and women to personal attacks by allowing agitators to dox them and their families through facial recognition tools. Source: thegatewaypundit.com WA Democrat Rep Wants New Law to Tie ICE’s Hands, Force Americans to Pay Illegal Aliens’ Legal Bills  https://twitter.com/RepJayapal/status/1996294756876325063?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1996294756876325063%7Ctwgr%5E44a6de522e274487c6684ae078f8a1aa15daf059%7Ctwcon%5Es1_c10&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fredstate.com%2Fkatie-jerkovich%2F2025%2F12%2F03%2Fwashington-rep-wants-to-make-americans-pay-for-illegal-aliens-defense-n2196788 https://twitter.com/RedWave_Press/status/1996317691536138470?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1996317691536138470%7Ctwgr%5E44a6de522e274487c6684ae078f8a1aa15daf059%7Ctwcon%5Es1_c10&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fredstate.com%2Fkatie-jerkovich%2F2025%2F12%2F03%2Fwashington-rep-wants-to-make-americans-pay-for-illegal-aliens-defense-n2196788   dignity, justice, oversight, and accountability to the detention system by repealing mandatory detention, prohibiting the detention of families and children in family detention, phasing out the use of private detention facilities and jails, and requiring DHS to establish civil detention standards.” “The bill creates a presumption of release and imposes a higher burden of proof to detain primary caregivers and vulnerable populations. The bill also mandates the DHS Inspector General to conduct unannounced inspections and requires DHS to admit Members of Congress to detention facilities for unannounced inspections.” What a joke! Source: redstate.com https://twitter.com/bx_on_x/status/1996037478914892112?s=20   “Moist Nigerian”, 26, of Albuquerque, New Mexico Rumaldo Valdez aka “Duck”, 22, of Honolulu, Hawaii David Brilhante aka “CS:GO”, 28, of San Diego, California Camden Rodriguez aka “oHare”, 22, of Longmont, Colorado DOGE https://twitter.com/TheSCIF/status/1996302141309296710?s=20  to the Trump administration. They were taken to court and ordered by a judge to hand over the files and they still refused. They encrypted all the USAID files and internal communications because it would expose the paper trail, the players, and everything happening today. Every single NGO, shell company, and person, including government workers, involved in the active color revolution that’s taking place right now on U.S. soil and the Trump administration and U.S. taxpayers are paying for all of it. To this day the files and internal communications are still encrypted. Tons of other evidence was shredded and destroyed. Geopolitical https://twitter.com/disclosetv/status/1996534889282408841?s=20 https://twitter.com/amuse/status/1996347018621354148?s=20   key figure in the Cartel de los Soles, tells President Trump that Venezuela has weaponized cocaine, exported criminal gangs like Tren de Aragua into the U.S., and allowed FARC, ELN, Hezbollah and Cuban intelligence to operate freely. He alleges decades of espionage inside U.S. installations, Russian tapping proposals, and Smartmatic election manipulation tools exported abroad. Carvajal says the Biden–Harris border collapse allowed Venezuelan operatives to enter the U.S. and asserts Trump's hard-line policies were not only correct, but necessary for American national security. https://twitter.com/TheSCIF/status/1996472423751774516?s=20   This is nothing new to anyone paying attention. Now, it’s just verified by an inside source. Do you really believe everything happening in and around Venezuela is just about drug trafficking and a countries resources like oil? Remember, there are layers to everything. If we do not solidify and fix our elections, there is no point in anything we do because we will lose anyway. Now you understand there is more to this than meets the eye. “My name is Hugo Carvajal Barrios. For many years, I was a high-ranking member of the Venezuelan regime… …Smartmatic was born as an electoral tool of the Venezuelan regime…I know this because I placed the head of IT of the National Electoral Council (CNE) in his position, and he reported directly to me. The Smartmatic system can be altered-this is a fact. This technology was later exported abroad, including to the United States. Regime operatives maintain relationships with election officials and voting-machine companies inside your country…” Please read the documents below in full. https://twitter.com/disclosetv/status/1996243190051967395?s=20 War/Peace https://twitter.com/amuse/status/1996331133437677821?s=20  March 2025 sharing of Yemen strike information over Signal violated departmental rules but was not illegal due to his declassification authority. Sources now say Sen. Mark Kelly disclosed classified elements of that IG report to the Wall Street Journal while Democratic officials were publicly criticizing Hegseth. The reported leak raises questions about the treatment of sensitive oversight documents and the boundary between political messaging and classified material. https://twitter.com/SeanParnellUSA/status/1996361901870313541?s=20 https://twitter.com/PeteHegseth/status/1996368824397094925?s=20 https://twitter.com/sentdefender/status/1996455529644790133?s=20   declaration of war or specific authorization for use of military force,” in regard to potential hostilities – without congressional approval – against Venezuela. https://twitter.com/MarioNawfal/status/1996537466086461599?s=20   Barack Obama built. The “war on narco-terrorists” that Secretary Hegseth is bragging about is being run on a legal foundation poured years before Trump ever touched the Oval Office desk. Obama normalized the presidential kill list. He campaigned in 2008 promising rule of law, transparency, and restraint. He delivered a tenfold increase in drone strikes; a White House “Terror Tuesday” meeting where officials literally flipped through PowerPoint slides picking who lived or died; and a legal doctrine allowing the president to kill U.S. citizens without trial, notice, or judicial review. That doctrine – once unthinkable – is now standard operating procedure. Obama's Director of National Intelligence openly admitted in 2010 that the administration was targeting Americans based on vague criteria like whether a citizen was “involved” in a group “trying to attack us.” That’s not evidence… that’s vibes. When civil-liberties groups sued to force the government to explain the legal basis, Obama declared the entire matter a state secret. Meaning: the president could now kill you, and no court was allowed to ask why. The judiciary rubber-stamped it. Both parties embraced it. And the public largely applauded it. Then came the Awlaki killings. Obama ordered the drone assassination of: •⁠ ⁠Anwar al-Awlaki, an American cleric •⁠ ⁠Samir Khan, an American citizen standing next to him •⁠ ⁠Awlaki's 16-year-old son, killed two weeks later at a café The White House smeared the kid as a “21-year-old terrorist.” The next week a birth certificate proved he was a Colorado teenager with zero ties to extremism. The administration shrugged. Obama famously told aides: “Turns out I'm really good at killing people.” And Washington – media, political class, and voters – rewarded him. Fast-forward to 2025. Trump isn't inventing anything new in Venezuela. He's using the exact precedents Obama left behind: Unreviewable executive kill authority, expanded definitions of “enemy combatant,” secret memos. No congressional oversight, no geographic limits, zero court supervision. Obama created the kill switch. Trump just slammed it. If you cheered the drone program when your guy was doing it, you already endorsed what’s happening now. If you let the government redefine due process as “whatever we decide in secret,” you already consented to the next president weaponizing that power. And if you normalize extrajudicial force abroad, eventually it comes home. Obama built the architecture. Trump moved in. And Venezuela is learning what happens when a precedent meets a president with fewer brakes  EU corruption scandal could take down von der Leyen – Politico A corruption probe into former EU foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini has thrown European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen's position into jeopardy, with opponents preparing to turn the affair into a fresh push to remove her, Politico reported on Wednesday, citing officials in the bloc. Mogherini, who served as the EU's top diplomat from 2014 to 2019 and is now rector of the College of Europe, was detained on Tuesday. She was formally accused by the European Public Prosecutor's Office of procurement fraud, corruption, conflict of interest, and breaches of professional secrecy over an EU-funded diplomatic academy program. In the wake of the scandal, von der Leyen “is facing the starkest challenge to the EU's accountability in a generation,” with her rivals renewing calls for a new no-confidence vote, Politico reported. source:rt.com NATO Members Commit More Than $1 Billion to Purchase U.S. Weapons for Ukraine NATO officials from Canada, Germany, the Netherlands, Norway, and Poland pledged hundreds of millions more in U.S.-made weapons under the Prioritised Ukraine Requirements List (PURL) scheme, Ukrainian media reported. Amid Russian gains on the battlefield, they insist Ukraine must be armed “to keep the fight going.” The alliance offered these commitments while being accused of attempting to sabotage peace talks. Canada, Germany, Norway, the Netherlands, Poland, and the U.K. all announced new contributions, pushing the total put toward U.S.-made weapons bound for Ukraine toward $5 billion this year alone. These newly allocated funds come at a time when many European governments, increasingly unpopular at home, are cutting domestic programs and warning of budget shortfalls. Source: thegatewaypundit.com Leaked Transcript of EU Conference Call with Zelenskyy Highlights Fear of Trump Securing Peace for Ukraine Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy was in Paris talking to Emmanuel Macron last weekend while Rubio, Witkoff and Kushner were meeting with Ukraine officials in Florida.  This telephone call is reported to have taken place the following day, on Monday. French President Emmanuel Macron, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte, Finnish President Alexander Stubb, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy together with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen, Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre and European Council President António Costa held a conference call. A transcript of the call was leaked to Spiegel, a German news outlet. According to the narrative the assembled group of EU leaders were discussing how the Trump administration was going to betray Ukraine in order to get a peace deal with Russia. The gist of the narrative sounds accurate, though some of the EU leaders are denying the specifics of the wording used. The EU is very worried President Trump may formulate a peace agreement then present the final terms to Ukraine without the EU being involved in the construct of the details. The EU is opposed to any peaceful end to the conflict, because the EU and NATO have positioned their collective economies to only benefit if the military spending continues; they are backstopping their spending with the confiscated Russian assets.   Source: theconservativetreehouse.com   Medical/False Flags https://twitter.com/disclosetv/status/1996567491334803864?s=20 [DS] Agenda https://twitter.com/WallStreetApes/status/1996550058809188740?s=20   “Ilhan and this group, they spent a lot of money” “So, the people that work for Ilhan (0mar) are actually counting the ballots, counting the vote?” “They (Ilhan Omar’s campaign staffers) become a manager, in the precinct too.” Somalians who don't speak English are also told out how to vote “They walk with you to the booth and then they vote. Oh, vote this guy, vote this guy, vote this guy. Vote – even if you speak English.” They are on camera in this video paying people $200-$800 per vote and telling them how to fill out the ballots https://twitter.com/libsoftiktok/status/1996613642113183985?s=20 https://twitter.com/amuse/status/1996600165377945957?s=20  Investigators and policy researchers are pointing to overlapping relationships between Rep. Ilhan Omar and individuals later charged or convicted in Minnesota's billion-dollar pandemic-meal fraud. Omar's 2018 victory party was held at Safari Restaurant, co-owned by Salim Ahmed Said, now found guilty of pocketing more than $12 million in fraudulent reimbursements after reportedly serving “phantom” meals. A member of Omar's campaign staff has also been convicted in the same broader scheme. Critics note Omar publicly praised the program that later enabled the fraud, and that she maintained ties with several of the participants. Prosecutors say Minnesota's COVID-era meal programs operated with almost no verification, allowing widespread abuse through Feeding Our Future and affiliated entities. Democrat Senator Mark Warner Accused of Calling for a MILITARY COUP Against President Trump After Saying the Military Should “Save Us from This President” (VIDEO) Sen. Mark Warner appears on MSNBC's “Morning Joe” as he delivers the controversial remarks suggesting the U.S. military may need to “save us from this President.” Democrat Senator Mark Warner (D-VA) is now facing accusations of openly hinting at a military coup after suggesting on national television that the U.S. armed forces may need to “save us from this President.” https://twitter.com/gentrywgevers/status/1996413726979928245?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1996413726979928245%7Ctwgr%5Ee826188d2a4172a057b36af16e52c8fb9ad3e1a2%7Ctwcon%5Es1_c10&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.thegatewaypundit.com%2F2025%2F12%2Fdemocrat-senator-mark-warner-accused-calling-military-coup%2F Source: thegatewaypundit.com President Trump's Plan https://twitter.com/Rightanglenews/status/1996576953248211046?s=20 BREAKING: January 6 Pipe Bomb Suspect Identified  The January 6 Pipe Bomb suspect has been identified. The FBI arrested a man named Brian Cole in connection with the January 6 pipe bombs on Thursday morning. “Brian Cole is the person the FBI has in custody and whom they believe left the pipe bombs in DC on 1/5/2021, according to two senior law enforcement officials briefed on the matter,” NBC News reported. Brian Cole will appear in court on Thursday. Source: thegatewaypundit.com https://twitter.com/TonySeruga/status/1996628056853958759?s=20   Falls Church, Northern Virginia, because he gave the suspect a ride. Home Depot credit card transactions and CCTV video evidence also link the suspect to the purchase of many of the materials used to make the ‘pipe bombs’. The Big Question Why did Steven M. D’Antuono, Assistant Director in Charge of Washington Field Office, instruct the Special Agents given a target sheet (“watch and pattern of life”) on the person of interest to stand down? D’Antuono was also in charge of the Gretchen Whitmer fednapping case. D’Antuono retired when faced with having to face questioning from lawmakers. https://twitter.com/FBIDirectorKash/status/1996655400721023040?s=20  that finally nailed the suspect. Today is result of that outstanding work. We didn't need new evidence – just new leaders, and a new President @realDonaldTrump willing to let good cops be cops. I'm extremely grateful to @FBIDDBongino, our @FBIWFOleadership team,@AGPamBondi,@USAttyPirroand every partner who helped deliver this win. This is a focused, rebuilt@FBIdelivering results for the American people. I have suspected for years that this bomber was known and could have been arrested. But EVERYTHING is planned and timed. What I'm anticipating, are the connections to democrats and their operatives. I suspect there is a lot of “Panic in DC” right now. And why was the suspect arrested now? Is it table setting for what's to come? Are the Jan 6 conspirators shitting their pants? Tick Tock https://twitter.com/TheStormRedux/status/1996390425163395417?s=20 https://twitter.com/listen_2learn/status/1996339831161663688?s=20    lightweight Governor, who has allowed his State to go to hell (Tren de Aragua, anyone?), should be ashamed of himself. FREE TINA! https://twitter.com/TheStormRedux/status/1996332166947729622?s=20  things happening right now that they don't like. One of the things is the autopen… Just about everything he signed was not signed by him… People sitting around the beautiful resolute desk knew exactly what it was – and those people are guilty, in my opinion, of a major crime.” Now we just need to see action taken to hold people accountable. I have faith that it's coming   MAGA Pillow Baron Mike Lindell Files Paperwork To Run For minnesota Governor MyPillow Founder and CEO Mike Lindell filed paperwork to run for Minnesota governor in 2026, the Minnesota Star Tribune reported on Wednesday. On Wednesday, the Mike Lindell for Governor committee was registered with the state's Campaign Finance Board, according to the Minnesota Star Tribune. Lindell, a close ally to President Donald Trump, told the outlet in an interview that his gubernatorial bid “isn't 100% yet,” but vowed to announce his final decision during a news conference on Dec. 11.     Source: dailycaller.com https://twitter.com/EricLDaugh/status/1996634099235090449?s=20   JOE GRUTERS: “Ballot stubs must match, and incomplete ballots cannot be counted.” @ChairmanGruters  Election Integrity Push: DOJ on track to compel voter roll cleanups in over half of U.S. states “The sloppiness of the elections in blue states is no accident. It is on purpose. It is a feature, not a bug,” Assistant Attorney General for Civil Rights Harmeet J. Dhillon told the Just the News, No Noise television show on Wednesday night. “And the goal is to cram as many people on there and make voters who are not particularly engaged, make it easy for someone else to help them fill out their ballot and return it for them when they didn’t care enough to do it themselves,” she added. “What we can do at the federal government level is ensure that our federal election laws are observed, and that includes each state’s requirement to keep clean voter rolls,” she added. “That is a fundamental basic.” Dhillon spoke one day after her division filed lawsuits against six Democrat-run states — Maryland, Delaware, Rhode Island, New Mexico, Washington state and Vermont — seeking to compel them to turn over to the DOJ their voter rolls to be inspected for abnormalities, outdated names or noncompliant names. She also struck a deal last week with North Carolina to force it to review and fix over 100,000 voters’ names on rolls in that battleground state that were added without complying with state law. Dhillon said her office is now on track to force through litigation, settlement or voluntary efforts at least 26 states to clean up voter rolls. “We’re now in litigation with 14 states. So the six yesterday included Maryland, Delaware, Rhode Island, New Mexico, Washington State and Vermont. That adds to eight we already had going,” she said. Source:  justthenews.com 3724 Dec 18, 2019 10:52:52 PM EST Q !!Hs1Jq13jV6 ID: 6d572c No. 7555466  It must be done right It must be done according to the rule of law. It must carry weight. It must be proven in the court of law. There can be no mistakes. Good things sometimes take time. Attempts to slow/block the inevitable [Justice] will fail. [D]s election interference 2016. >Clinton/Hussein illegal FISA [D]s election interference 2018. >Mueller [D]s election interference 2020. >Impeachment Projection. These people are sick. We, the People, are the CURE. Q 556 Jan 19, 2018 12:39:17 AM EST Q !UW.yye1fxo ID: 239b20 No. 89777  Jan 19, 2018 12:37:26 AM EST Anonymous ID: 4bb19b No. 89736  >>89725 THANK YOU Q FROM CANADA TOO IM SURE THIS WILL EXPOSE OUR CORRUPTION AS WELL! >>89736 The ‘CURE‘ will spread WW. Have FAITH, Patriot. Q (function(w,d,s,i){w.ldAdInit=w.ldAdInit||[];w.ldAdInit.push({slot:13499335648425062,size:[0, 0],id:"ld-7164-1323"});if(!d.getElementById(i)){var j=d.createElement(s),p=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0];j.async=true;j.src="//cdn2.customads.co/_js/ajs.js";j.id=i;p.parentNode.insertBefore(j,p);}})(window,document,"script","ld-ajs");

The Kremlin pitched the White House on peace in Ukraine through business deals. To Europe's dismay, President Trump and his envoy are on board. WSJ's Drew Hinshaw and Joe Parkinson take us inside the Trump administration's new approach to diplomacy with Russia and how it could shake up the U.S.'s longstanding alliances. Jessica Mendoza hosts. Further Listening: - Why Trump Is Ready to Send Missiles to Ukraine - Inside the Hunt for Putin's Sleeper Agents - The Suspected Russian Plot to Set Airplanes on Fire Sign up for WSJ's free What's News newsletter. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

P.M. Edition for Dec. 5. The streaming company won the fight for Warner Bros. in a deal that would shake up Hollywood. But first it has to win approval from the Trump administration, which is already scrutinizing the acquisition, as Wall Street Journal entertainment reporter Joe Flint explains. And a key vaccine panel at the CDC voted to drop a longtime recommendation that all newborns get a first dose of hepatitis B vaccine. WSJ reporter Sabrina Siddiqui covered the vote. Plus, the WSJ reports that SpaceX is kicking off a secondary stock sale that would value the company at $800 billion, ahead of a potential IPO for the rocket maker next year. Pierre Bienaimé hosts. Sign up for the WSJ's free What's News newsletter. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A.M. Edition for Dec. 5. With Netflix clinching some Warner Bros. Discovery assets, Hollywood is bracing for a seismic reshuffle. WSJ entertainment reporter Joe Flint says even though Netflix managed to edge out Paramount, the deal faces a bumpy road ahead. Plus, the Supreme Court clears the way for Texas to use a controversial new congressional map - boosting the GOP's chances of keeping control of the House. And WSJ's Jack Pitcher explains why the stocks and crypto linked to President Donald Trump, have some investors sitting on steep losses. Daniel Bach hosts. Sign up for the WSJ's free What's News newsletter. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

If a turkey wore jeans, would it wear them like this or like this? Jodi and Nora start out with the worst (best) non-TV videos of the week, including Kate Beckinsale telling Jimmy Kimmel that her daughter's boyfriend has laid eggs (13:57), Dua Lipa's commercial for the 2026 Winter Olympics (20:30), a haunted “What's Behind Me?” segment from Fallon (26:17), Martha Stewart's denim turkey (30:22), and Kim Kardashian's low brain activity (35:30). Then they dive into some D-list (F-list, even) celebrity news: The Wall Street Journal's feature on Club Chalamet (40:00), Whitney Leavitt getting cast as Roxie Hart (52:18), and Olivia Nuzzi updates (58:20). Finally, they blush about the gay hockey show on HBO, ‘Heated Rivalry' (1:19:00), before each sharing their personal obsession for the week (1:30:30). DM us on Instagram at instagram.com/wereobsessedpod! Hosts: Jodi Walker and Nora Princiotti Producers: Sasha Ashall and Belle Roman Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

President Trump hopes to build factories around the country to power the manufacturing of AI components. Eliot Brown reports that SoftBank's Masayoshi Son is closing in on a deal that would help make that happen. Plus, Marc Vartabedian reports on why venture capitalists aren't taking AI startups at their word when it comes to revenue. Patrick Coffee hosts. Sign up for the WSJ's free Technology newsletter. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What business lessons are forged at 200 miles per hour? On this week's Bold Names, McLaren Racing CEO Zak Brown joins Christopher Mims and Tim Higgins to talk about his new book, “Seven Tenths of a Second.” A racecar driver turned executive, Brown leads a global racing organization worth hundreds of millions of dollars. We talk about the pressure and focus required to run a winning Formula One team, and what racing has taught Brown about leading a competitive business. To watch the video version of this episode, visit our WSJ Podcasts YouTube channel or the video page of WSJ.com. Check Out Past Episodes: How Uber Plans to Win the Self-Driving Car Race 70,000 Bets a Minute: How FanDuel's Parent Is Winning at Sports Gambling How Tubi Is Coming for Netflix and YouTube in the New Streaming Wars Space Trucks: One Startup's Plan to Get the U.S. Back on the Moon Let us know what you think of the show. Email us at BoldNames@wsj.com. Sign up for the WSJ's free Technology newsletter. Read Christopher Mims's Keywords column.Read Tim Higgins's column.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Dr. Michael Housman is the founder and CEO of AI-ccelerator and the author of Future Proof: Transform Your Business with AI or Get Left Behind, where he helps organizations harness artificial intelligence to make better, faster, and less biased decisions. With a PhD in Applied Economics and Managerial Science from Wharton and an A.B. from Harvard, he has spent over 15 years architecting AI platforms across hiring, fraud detection, customer communications, and real estate lending—all while translating complex AI concepts into practical playbooks for business leaders. His work has been featured in major outlets like The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, The Economist, and The Atlantic, making him a rare blend of deep technical expertise and real-world business impact.​ On this episode we talk about: Why traditional hiring processes are riddled with bias, how data-driven models outperform “gut feel,” and surprising predictors of performance like browser choice and employment history patterns.​ How business owners can start using AI today to buy back time, automate repetitive work, personalize outreach at scale, and treat AI as a strategic thought partner instead of just a better search box.​ The core ideas behind Future Proof—why most AI content is too technical, how Michael translates it for non-technical leaders, and why ignoring AI now is like refusing to build a website or adopt social media 10–15 years ago.​​ How AI-ccelerator uses live keynotes and hands-on workshops to help teams build real outputs—like pitch decks and go-to-market plans—in 90 minutes instead of weeks.​ Where AI is headed next, how it will disrupt agencies and creative work, and why founders should imagine how a brand-new “AI-native” competitor would rebuild their business model from scratch.​ Top 3 Takeaways AI isn't just a tool for writing emails or posts; used correctly, it becomes a data-driven board member that helps you make sharper strategic decisions and challenge your own thinking.​ Companies that delay AI adoption risk being blindsided by AI-native competitors who use automation, synthetic data, and smarter decision systems to deliver better results at lower cost.​ The biggest barrier is not the technology but people—getting teams to experiment, build literacy, and embed AI into workflows so it actually drives revenue and efficiency.​ Notable Quotes “Algorithms, when designed correctly, don't care where you went to school or who you play squash with—they care whether you're actually the right fit for the job.”​ “Most leaders are using AI like a fancy spell-checker for emails when they should be treating it like a strategic thought partner sitting at the boardroom table.”​ “If you were starting your business from scratch today as an AI-native company, you'd design it completely differently—and that imaginary competitor is exactly who's coming for your lunch.”​ Connect with Dr. Michael Housman: Website: https://michaelhousman.com​ AI-ccelerator (consulting & education): https://ai-ccelerator.com​ ✖️✖️✖️✖️

"Whoever wishes to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it" (Matt. 16:25). This week we're joined by Fr. Carter Griffin, rector of the St. John Paul II Seminary in the Archdiocese of Washington, and Alvaro de Vicente, headmaster of The Heights School, to examine "discernment." It's become a Catholic buzzword, applied (or sometimes, perhaps, misapplied) to a number of life situations. Here, Fr. Carter and Alvaro discuss the methods and limits of vocational discernment—and the moral courage of commitment. Chapters: 3:45 Christian discernment 6:09 Misuses of the word "discernment" 9:39 Whether we can wrongly discern vocation 14:46 Choice paralysis 20:25 Submit to the process 25:48 Dating and marriage 29:55 Mentors and spiritual directors 33:21 Principles for discerning well 39:38 "Throw your life away"?! 46:17 The need for prayer 52:36 Crisis of vocations or crisis of faith? 59:59 Church choice and church-hopping Links: "The Catholic Church Has a Manpower Problem", 22 September 2025, WSJ 2026 Men's Discernment Retreat for the Archdiocese of Washington 2026 Men's Discernment Retreat for the Diocese of Arlington Forming Families, Forming Saints by Fr. Carter Griffin Forming Fathers: Seminary Wisdom for Every Priest by Fr. Carter Griffin Cross-Examined: Catholic Responses to the World's Questions by Fr. Carter Griffin Why Celibacy? Reclaiming the Fatherhood of the Priest by Fr. Carter Griffin Also on the Forum: You're the Man for the Job: The Vocation of Fatherhood featuring Alvaro de Vicente Fostering Vocations in a Digital Age featuring Fr. Carter Griffin Featured Opportunities: The Art of Teaching Boys Conference at The Heights School (May 6-8, 2026)

In this theologically rich episode of The Reformed Brotherhood, Jesse and Tony delve into the Parable of the Lost Coin from Luke 15:8-10. They explore how this parable reveals God's passionate pursuit of His elect and the divine joy that erupts when they are found. Building on their previous discussion of the Lost Sheep, the brothers examine how Jesus uses this second parable to further emphasize God's sovereign grace in salvation. The conversation highlights the theological implications of God's ownership of His people even before their redemption, the diligent efforts He undertakes to find them, and the heavenly celebration that follows. This episode offers profound insights into God's relentless love and the true nature of divine joy in redemption. Key Takeaways The Parable of the Lost Coin emphasizes that God actively and diligently searches for those who belong to Him, sparing no effort to recover what is rightfully His. Jesus uses three sequential parables in Luke 15 to progressively reveal different aspects of God's heart toward sinners, with escalating emphasis on divine joy. The coin represents something of significant value that already belonged to the woman, illustrating that God's elect belong to Him even before their redemption. Unlike finding something new, the joy depicted is specifically about recovering something that was already yours but had been lost, highlighting God's eternal claim on His people. The spiritual inability of the sinner is represented by the coin's passivity - it cannot find its own way back and must be sought out by its owner. Angels rejoice over salvation not independently but because they share in God's delight at the effectiveness of His saving power. The parable challenges believers to recover their joy in salvation and to share it with others, much like the woman who called her neighbors to celebrate with her. Expanded Insights God's Determined Pursuit of What Already Belongs to Him The Parable of the Lost Coin reveals a profound theological truth about God's relationship to His elect. As Tony and Jesse discuss, this isn't a story about finding something new, but recovering something that already belongs to the owner. The woman in the parable doesn't rejoice because she discovered unexpected treasure; she rejoices because she recovered what was already hers. This illustrates the Reformed understanding that God's people have eternally belonged to Him. While justification occurs in time, there's a real sense in which God has been considering us as His people in eternity past. The parable therefore supports the doctrines of election and particular redemption - God is not creating conditions people can move into or out of, but is zealously reclaiming a specific people who are already His in His eternal decree. The searching, sweeping, and diligent pursuit represent not a general call, but an effectual calling that accomplishes its purpose. The Divine Joy in Recovering Sinners One of the most striking aspects of this parable is the overwhelming joy that accompanies finding the lost coin. The brothers highlight that this joy isn't reluctant or begrudging, but enthusiastic and overflowing. The woman calls her friends and neighbors to celebrate with her - a seemingly excessive response to finding a coin, unless we understand the theological significance. This reveals that God takes genuine delight in the redemption of sinners, to the extent that Jesus describes it as causing joy "in the presence of the angels of God." As Jesse and Tony note, this challenges our perception that God might save us begrudgingly. Instead, the parable teaches us that God's "alien work" is wrath, while His delight is in mercy. This should profoundly impact how believers view their own salvation and should inspire a contagious joy that spreads to others - a joy that many Christians, by Tony's own admission, need to recover in their daily walk. Memorable Quotes "Christ love is an act of love and it's always being acted upon the sinner, the one who has to be redeemed, his child whom he goes after. So in the same way, we have Christ showing the self-denying love." - Jesse Schwamb "The coin doesn't seek the woman. The woman seeks the coin. And in this way, I think we see God's act of searching grace... The reason why I think it leads to joy, why God is so pleased, is because God has this real pleasure to pluck sinners as brands from the burning fire." - Jesse Schwamb "These parables are calling us to rejoice, right? Christ is using these parables to shame the Pharisees and the scribes who refuse to rejoice over the salvation of sinners. How often do we not rejoice over our own salvation sufficiently?" - Tony Arsenal Full Transcript [00:00:08] Jesse Schwamb: There still is like the sovereign grace of God who's initiating the salvation and there is a kind of effect of calling that God doesn't merely invite, he finds, he goes after he affects the very thing. Yeah, and I think we're seeing that here. The sinner, spiritual inability. There's an utter passivity until found. The coin doesn't seek the woman. The woman seeks the coin. And in this way, I think we see God's act of searching grace. It's all there for us. And the reason why I think it leads to joy, why God is so pleased is because God has this real pleasure. To pluck sinners as brands from the burning fire. Welcome to episode 472 of The Reformed Brotherhood. I'm Jesse. [00:00:57] Tony Arsenal: And I'm Tony. And this is the podcast with ears to hear. Hey brother. [00:01:01] Jesse Schwamb: Hey brother. [00:01:02] Jesus and the Parable of the Lost Coin [00:01:02] Jesse Schwamb: So there was this time, maybe actually more than one time, but at least this one time that we've been looking at where Jesus is hanging out and the religious incumbents, the Pharisees, they come to him and they say, you are a friend of sinners, and. Instead of taking offense to this, Jesus turns this all around. Uses this as a label, appropriates it for himself and his glorious character. And we know this because he gives us this thrice repeated sense of what it means to see his heart, his volition, his passion, his love, his going after his people, and he does it. Three little parables and we looked at one last time and we're coming up to round two of the same and similar, but also different and interesting. And so today we're looking at the parable of the lost coin or the Lost dma, or I suppose, whatever kind of currency you wanna insert in there. But once again, something's lost and we're gonna see how our savior comes to find it by way of explaining it. In metaphor. So there's more things that are lost and more things to be found on this episode. That's how we do it. It's true. It's true. So that's how Jesus does it. So [00:02:12] Tony Arsenal: yeah. So it should be how we do it. [00:02:14] Jesse Schwamb: Yes. Yeah, exactly. I cut to like Montel Jordan now is the only thing going through my head. Tell Jordan. Yeah. Isn't he the one that's like, this is how we do it, that song, this is [00:02:28] Tony Arsenal: how we do it. I, I don't know who sings it. Apparently it's me right now. That was actually really good. That was fantastic. [00:02:36] Jesse Schwamb: Hopefully never auto tuned. Not even once. I'm sure that'll make an appearance now and the rest, somebody [00:02:42] Tony Arsenal: should take that and auto tune it for me. [00:02:44] Jesse Schwamb: That would be fantastic. Listen, it doesn't need it. That was perfect. That was right off the cuff, right off the top. It was beautiful. It was ous. [00:02:50] Tony Arsenal: Yes. Yes. [00:02:51] Affirmations and Denials [00:02:51] Jesse Schwamb: I'm hoping that appearance, [00:02:53] Tony Arsenal: before we jump into our, our favorite segment here in affirmations of Denials, I just wanted to take a second to, uh, thank all of our listeners. Uh, we have the best listeners in the world. That's true, and we've also got a really great place to get together and chat about things. That's also true. Uh, we have a little telegram chat, which is just a little chat, um, program that run on your phone or in a browser. Really any device you have, you can go to t Me slash Reform Brotherhood and join that, uh, little chat group. And there's lots of stuff going on there. We don't need to get into all the details, but it's a friendly little place. Lots of good people, lots of good conversation. And just lots of good digital fellowship, if that's even a thing. I think it is. So please do join us there. It's a great place to discuss, uh, the episodes or what you're learning or what you'd like to learn. There's all sorts of, uh, little nooks and crannies and things to do in there. [00:03:43] Jesse Schwamb: So if you're looking for a little df and you know that you are coming out, we won't get into details, but you definitely should. Take Tony's advice, please. You, you will not be disappointed. It, it's a fun, fun time together. True. Just like you're about to have with us chatting it up and going through a little affirmations and denials. So, as usual, Tony, what are you, are you affirming with something or are you denying again, something? I'm, I'm on the edge of my seat. I'm ready. [00:04:06] Tony Arsenal: Okay. Uh, it is, I thought that was going somewhere else. Uh, I'm, I'm affirming something. [00:04:13] AI and Problem Solving [00:04:13] Tony Arsenal: People are gonna get so sick of me doing like AI affirmations, but I, it's like I learned a new thing to do with AI every couple of weeks. I ran across an article the other day, uh, that I don't remember where the article was. I didn't save it, but I did read it. And one of the things that pointed out is that a lot of times you're not getting the most out of AI because you don't really know how to ask the questions. True. One of the things it was was getting through is a lot of people will ask, they'll have a problem that they're encountering and they'll just ask AI like, how do I fix this problem? And a lot of times what that yields is like very superficial, basic, uh, generic advice or generic kind of, uh, directions for resolving a problem. And the, I don't remember the exact phrasing, 'cause it was a little while ago since I read it, but it basically said something like, I'm encountering X problem. And despite all efforts to the contrary, I have not been able to resolve it. And by using sort of these extra phrases. What it does is it sort of like pushes the AI to ask you questions about what you've already tried to do, and so it's gonna tailor its advice or its directions to your specific situation a little bit more. So, for example, I was doing this today. We, um, we just had the time change, right? Stupidest thing in the world doesn't make any sense and my kids don't understand that the time has changed and we're now like three or four weeks past the, the time change and their, their schedule still have not adjusted. So my son Augie, who is uh, like three and three quarters, uh, I don't know how many months it is. When do you stop? I don't even know. When you stop counting in months. He's three and a quarter, three quarters. And he will regularly wake up between four 30 and five 30. And when we really, what we really want is for him to be sleeping, uh, from uh, until like six or six 30 at the latest. So he's like a full hour, sometimes two hours ahead of time, which then he wakes up, it's a small house. He's noisy 'cause he's a three and a half year old. So he wakes up the baby. The baby wakes up. My wife, and then we're all awake and then we're cranky and it's miserable. So I, I put that little prompt into, um, into Google Gemini, which is right now is my, um, AI of choice, but works very similar. If you use something like chat, GPT or CLO or whatever, you know, grok, whatever AI tool you have access to, put that little prompt in. You know, something like since the time change, my son has been waking up at four 30 in the morning, despite all efforts to the contrary, I have not been able to, uh, adjust his schedule. And so it started asking me questions like, how much light is in the room? What time does he go to bed? How much does he nap? And it, so it's, it's pulling from the internet. This is why I like Google Geminis. It's actually pulling from the internet to identify like common, common. Related issues. And so it starts to probe and ask questions. And by the time it was done, what it came out with was like a step-by-step two week plan. Basically like, do this tonight, do this tomorrow morning. Um, and it was able to identify what it believes is the problem. We'll see if it actually is, but the beauty now is now that I've got a plan that I've got in this ai, I can start, you know, tomorrow morning I'm gonna try to do what it said and I can tell. The ai, how things went, and it can now adjust the plan based on whether or not, you know, this worked or didn't work. So it's a good way to sort of, um, push an ai, uh, chat bot to probe your situation a little bit more. So you could do this really for anything, right. You could do something like I'm having, I'm having trouble losing weight despite all efforts to the contrary. Um, can you help me identify what the, you know, root problem is? So think about different ways that you can use this. It's a pretty cool way to sort of like, push the, the AI to get a little deeper into the specifics without like a lot of extra heavy lifting. I'm sure there's probably other ways you could drive it to do this, but this was just one clever way that I, that this article pointed out to accomplish this. [00:08:07] Jesse Schwamb: It's a great exercise to have AI optimize itself. Yeah. By you turning your prompts around and asking it to ask you a number of questions, sufficient number, until it can provide an optimize answer for you. So lots, almost every bot has some kind of, you can have it analyze your prompts essentially, but some like copilot actually have a prompt agent, which will help you construct the prompt in an optimal way. Yeah, and that again, is kind of question and answer. So I'm with you. I will often turn it around and say. Here's my goal. Ask me sufficient number of questions so that you can provide the right insight to accomplish said goal. Or like you're saying, if you can create this like, massive conversation that keeps all this history. So I, I've heard of people using this for their exercise or running plans. Famously, somebody a, a, um, journalist, the Wall Street Journal, use it, train for a marathon. You can almost have it do anything for you. Of course, you want to test all of that and interact with it reasonably and ably, right? At the same time, what it does best is respond to like natural language interaction. And so by turning it around and basically saying, help me help you do the best job possible, providing the information, it's like the weirdest way of querying stuff because we're so used to providing explicit direction ourselves, right? So to turn it around, it's kind of a new experience, but it's super fun, really interesting, really effective. [00:09:22] Tony Arsenal: And it because you are allowing, in a certain sense, you're sort of asking the AI to drive the conversation. This, this particular prompt, I know the article I read went into details about why this prompt is powerful and the reason this prompt is powerful is not because of anything the AI's doing necessarily, right. It's because you're basically telling the AI. To find what you've missed. And so it's asking you questions. Like if I was to sit down and go like, all right, what are all the things that's wrong, that's causing my son to be awake? Like obviously I didn't figure it out on my own, so it's asking me what I've already tried and what it found out. And then of course when it tells me what it is, it's like the most obvious thing when it figures out what it is. It's identifying something that I already haven't identified because I've told it. I've already tried everything I can think of, and so it's prompting me to try to figure out what it is that I haven't thought of. So those are, like I said, there's lots of ways to sort of get the ais to do that exercise. Um, it's not, it's not just about prompt engineering, although that there's a lot of science now and a lot of like. Specifics on how you do prompt engineering, um, you know, like building a persona for the ai. Like there's all sorts of things you can do and you can add that, like, I could have said something like, um. Uh, you are a pediatric sleep expert, right? And when you tell it that what it's gonna do is it's gonna start to use more technical language, it's gonna, it's gonna speak to you back as though it's a, and this, this is where AI can get a little bit dangerous and really downright scary in some instances. But with that particular prompt, it's gonna start to speak back to you as though it was a clinician of some sort, diagnosing a medical situation, which again. That is definitely not something I would ever endorse. Like, don't let an AI be your doctor. That's just not, like WebMD was already scary enough when you were just telling you what your symptoms were and it was just cross checking it. Um, but you could do something like, and I use these kinds of prompts for our show notes where I'm like, you're an expert at SEO, like at um, podcast show notes. Utilizing SEO search terms, like that's part of the prompt that I use when I use, um, in, in this case, I use notion to generate most of our show notes. Um, it, it starts to change the way that it looks at things and the way that it, I, it responds to you based on different prompts. So I think it, it's a little bit scary, uh, AI. Can be a strange, strange place. And there's some, they're doing some research that is a little bit frightening. They did a study and actually, like, they, they basically like unlocked an AI and gave it access to a pretend company with emails and stuff and said that a particular employee was gonna shut out, was gonna delete the ai. And the first thing it did was try to like blackmail the employee with like a risk, like a scandalous email. It had. Then after that they, they engineered a scenario where the AI actually had the ability to kill the employee. And despite like explicit instructions not to do anything illegal, it still tried to kill the employee. So there's some scary things that are coming up if we're not, you know, if, if the science is not able to get that under control. But right now it's just a lot of fun. Like it's, we're, we're probably not at the point where it's dangerous yet and hopefully. Hopefully it won't get to that point, but we'll see. We'll see. That got dark real fast, fast, fast. Jesse, you gotta get this. And that was an affirmation. I guess I'm affirming killer murder ais that are gonna kill us all, but uh, we're gonna have fun with it until they do at least. [00:12:52] Jesse Schwamb: Thanks for not making that deny against. 'cause I can only imagine the direction that one to taken. [00:12:57] Tony Arsenal: Yeah. At least when the AI hears this, it's gonna know that I'm on its side, so, oh, for sure. I, for one, welcome our new AI overlords. So as do Iye. [00:13:05] Christmas Hymns and Music Recommendations [00:13:05] Tony Arsenal: But Jesse, what are you affirming or denying today to get me out of this pit here? [00:13:09] Jesse Schwamb: So, lemme start with a question. Do you have a favorite Christmas hymn? And if so, what is it? [00:13:16] Tony Arsenal: Ooh, that's a tough one. Um, I think I've always been really partial to Oh, holy Night. But, uh, there's, there's not anything that really jumps to mind my, as I've become older and crankier and more Scottish in spirit, I just, Christmas hymns just aren't as. If they're not as prominent in my mind, but oh, holy night or come coming, Emanuel is probably a really good one too. [00:13:38] Jesse Schwamb: Wow. Those are the, those are like the top in the top three for me. Yeah. So I think [00:13:42] Tony Arsenal: I know where you're going based on the question. [00:13:44] Jesse Schwamb: Yeah, we're very much the same. So, well maybe, so I am affirming with, but it's that time of year and people you, you know and love and maybe yourself, you're gonna listen to Christian music and. That's okay. I put no shade on that, especially because we're talking about the incarnation, celebrate the incarnation. But of course, I think the best version of that is some of these really lovely hymns because they could be sung and worshiped through all year round. We just choose them because they fit in with the calendar particularly well here, and sometimes they're included, their lyrics included in Hallmark cards and, and your local. Cool. Coles. So while that's happening, why not embrace it? But here's my information is why not go with some different versions. I love the hymn as you just said. Oh, come will come Emmanuel. And so I'm gonna give people three versions of it to listen to Now to make my list of this kind of repertoire. The song's gotta maintain that traditional melody. I think to a strong degree, it's gotta be rich and deep and dark, especially Ko Emmanuel. But it's gotta have something in it that's a little bit nuanced. Different creative arrangements, musicality. So let me give two brand new ones that you may not have heard versions and one old one. So the old one is by, these are all Ko Emanuel. So if at some point during this you're like, what song is he talking about? It's Ko. Emmanuel. It's just three times. Th we're keeping it th Rice tonight. So the first is by band called for today. That's gonna be a, a little bit harder if you want something that, uh, gets you kind of pumped up in the midst of this redemption. That's gonna be the version. And then there are two brand new ones. One is by skillet, which is just been making music forever, but the piano melody they bring into this and they do a little something nuanced with the chorus that doesn't pull away too much. From the original, but just gives it a little extra like Tastiness. Yeah. Skill. Great version. And then another one that just came out yesterday. My yesterday, not your yesterday. So actually it doesn't even matter at this point. It's already out is by descriptor. And this would be like the most chill version that is a hardcore band by, I would say tradition, but in this case, their version is very chill. All of them I find are just deeply worshipful. Yeah. And these, the music is very full of impact, but of course the lyrics are glorious. I really love this, this crying out to God for the Savior. This. You know, just, it's really the, the plea that we should have now, which is, you know, maranatha like Lord Jesus, come. And so in some ways we're, we're celebrating that initial plea and cry for redemption as it has been applied onto us by the Holy Spirit. And we're also saying, you know, come and fulfill your kingdom, Lord, come and bring the full promise, which is here, but not yet. So I like all three of these. So for today. Skillet descriptor, which sounds like we're playing like a weird word game when you put those all together. It does, but they're all great bands and their versions I think are, are worthy. So the larger affirmation, I suppose, is like, go out this season and find different versions, like mix it up a little bit. Because it's good to hear this music somewhat afresh, and so I think by coming to it with different versions of it, you'll get a little bit of that sense. It'll make maybe what is, maybe if it's felt rote or mundane or just trivial, like you're saying, kind of revive some of these pieces in our hearts so we can, we, we can really worship through them. We're redeeming them even as they're meant to be expressions of the ultimate redemption. [00:16:55] Tony Arsenal: Yeah. Yeah, I, um, I heard the skillet version and, uh, you know, you know me like I'm not a huge fan of harder music. Yeah. But that, that song Slaps man, it's, yes, [00:17:07] Jesse Schwamb: it does. It's [00:17:07] Tony Arsenal: good. And Al I mean, it, it also ignited this weird firestorm of craziness online. I don't know if you heard anything about this, but Yes, it was, it was, there was like the people who absolutely love it and will. Fight you if you don't. Yes. And then there was like the people who think it's straight from the devil because of somehow demonic rhythms, whatever that means. Um, but yeah, I mean, I'm not a big fan of the heavier music, but there is something about that sort of, uh. I don't know. Is skill, would that be considered like metal at all? [00:17:38] Jesse Schwamb: Oh, that's a loaded question. Probably. [00:17:39] Tony Arsenal: Yeah. So like I found, uh, this is, we're gonna go down to Rabbit Trail here. Let's do it. Here we go. I found a version of Africa by Toto that was labeled as metal on YouTube. So I don't know whether it actually is, and this, this version of skill, it strikes me as very similar, where it's, ah, uh, it, it's like, um. The harmonies are slightly different in terms of like how they resonate than Okay. Other harmonies. Like I get [00:18:05] Jesse Schwamb: that [00:18:06] Tony Arsenal: there's a certain, you know, like when you think about like Western music, there's certain right, there's certain harmonies when, you know, think about like piano chords are framed and my understanding at least this could be way off, and I'm sure you're gonna correct me if I'm wrong, is that um, metal music, heavy metal music uses slightly different. Chord formations that it almost leaves you feeling a little unresolved. Yes, but not quite unresolved. Like it's just, it's, it's more the harmonics are different, so that's fair. Skillet. This skillet song is so good, and I think you're right. It, it retains the sort of like. The same basic melody, the same, the same basic harmonies, actually. Right. And it's, it's almost like the harmonies are just close enough to being put into a different key with the harmonies. Yes, [00:18:52] Jesse Schwamb: that's true [00:18:53] Tony Arsenal: than then. Uh, but not quite actually going into another key. So like, sometimes you'll see online, you'll find YouTube videos where they play like pop songs, but they've changed the, the. Chords a little bit. So now it's in a minor key. It's almost like it's there. It's like one more little note shift and it would be there. Um, and then there's some interesting, uh, like repetition and almost some like anal singing going on, that it's very good. Even if you don't like heavier music. Like, like I don't, um, go listen to it and I think you'll find yourself like hitting repeat a couple times. It was very, very good. [00:19:25] Jesse Schwamb: That's a good way of saying it. A lot of times that style is a little bit dissonant, if that's what you mean in the court. Yeah. Formation. So it gives you this unsettledness, this almost unresolvedness, and that's in there. Yeah. And just so everybody knows, actually, if you listen to that version from Skillet, you'll probably listen to most of it. You'll get about two thirds of the way through it and probably be saying, what are those guys talking about? It's the breakdown. Where it amps up. But before that, I think anybody could listen to it and just enjoy it. It's a really beautiful, almost haunting piano melody. They bring into the intro in that, in the interlude. It's very lovely. So it gives you that sense. Again, I love this kind of music because there's almost something, there is something in this song that's longing for something that is wanting and yet left, unresolved and unfulfilled until the savior comes. There's almost a lament in it, so to speak, especially with like the way it's orchestrated. So I love that this hymn is like deep and rich in that way. It's, that's fine. Like if you want to sing deck the Holes, that's totally fine. This is just, I think, better and rich and deeper and more interesting because it does speak to this life of looking for and waiting for anticipating the advent of the savior. So to get me get put back in that place by music, I think is like a net gain this time of year. It's good to have that perspective. I'm, I'm glad you've heard it. We should just open that debate up whether or not we come hang out in the telegram chat. We'll put it in that debate. Is skillet hardcore or metal? We'll just leave it there 'cause I have my opinions, but I'm, well, I'm sure everybody else does. [00:20:48] Tony Arsenal: I don't even know what those words mean, Jesse. Everything is hardcore in metal compared to what I normally listen to. I don't even listen to music anymore usually, so I, I mean, I'm like mostly all podcasts all the time. Anytime I have time, I don't have a ton of time to listen to. Um, audio stuff, but [00:21:06] Jesse Schwamb: that's totally fair. Well now everybody now join us though. [00:21:08] Tony Arsenal: Educate me [00:21:09] Jesse Schwamb: now. Everybody can properly use, IM prompt whatever AI of their choice, and they can listen to at least three different versions of al comical manual. And then they can tell us which one do you like the best? Or maybe you have your own version. That's what she was saying. What's your favorite Christmas in? [00:21:23] Tony Arsenal: Yeah. And [00:21:24] Jesse Schwamb: what version of it do you like? I mean, it'll be like. [00:21:28] Tony Arsenal: It'll be like, despite my best efforts, I've been un unable to understand what hardcore and medical is. Please help me understand. [00:21:37] Jesse Schwamb: Oh, we're gonna have some, some fun with this at some point. We'll have to get into the whole debate, though. I know you and I have talked about it before. We'll put it before the brothers and sisters about a Christmas Carol and what version everybody else likes. That's also seems like, aside from the, the whole eternal debate, which I'm not sure is really serious about whether or not diehard is a Christmas movie, this idea of like, which version of the Christmas Carol do you subscribe to? Yeah. Which one would you watch if you can only watch one? Which one will you watch? That's, we'll have to save that for another time. [00:22:06] Tony Arsenal: We'll save it for another time. And we get a little closer to midwinter. No reason we just can't [00:22:10] Jesse Schwamb: do it right now because we gotta get to Luke 15. [00:22:12] Discussion on the Parable of the Lost Coin [00:22:12] Tony Arsenal: We do. [00:22:13] Jesse Schwamb: We, we've already been in this place of looking at Jesus' response to the Pharisees when they say to him, listen, this man receives sinners and eats with them. And Jesus is basically like, yeah, that's right. And let me tell you three times what the heart of God is like and what my mission in serving him is like, and what I desire to come to do for my children. And so we spoke in the last conversation about the parable lost sheep. Go check that out. Some are saying, I mean, I'm not saying this, but some are saying in the internet, it's the definitive. Congratulation of that parable. I'm, I'm happy to take that if that's true. Um, but we wanna go on to this parable of the lost coin. So let me read, it's just a couple of verses and you're gonna hear in the text that you're going to understand right away. This is being linked because it starts with or, so this is Jesus speaking and this is Luke 15, chapter 15, starting in verse eight. Jesus says, or a what woman? She has 10 D drachmas and loses. One drachma does not light a lamp and sweep the house and search carefully until she finds it. And when she has found it, she calls together her friend and her neighbors saying, rejoice with me for I found the D Drachma, which I lost in the same way I tell you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents. [00:23:27] Tony Arsenal: Yeah. Yeah. On one level, this is, uh, again, it's not all that complicated of a scenario, right? And we have to kind of go back and relo through some of the stuff we talked about last week because this is a continuation of, you know, when we first talked about the Matthew 13 parables, we commented on like. Christ was coming back to the same themes, right? And in some ways, repeating the parable. This is even stronger than that. It's not just that Christ is teaching the same thing across multiple parables. The sense here, at least the sense I get when I read this parable, the lost sheep, and then the prodigal, um, sun parable or, or the next parable here, um, is actually that Christ is just sort of like hammering home the one point he's making to the tax collectors and or to the tax collectors or to the scribes who are complaining about the fact that Christ was eating with sinners. He's just hammering this point home, right? So it's not, it's not to try to add. A lot of nuance to the point. It's not to try to add a, a shade of meaning. Um. You know, we talked a lot about how parables, um, Christ tells parables in part to condemn the listeners who will not receive him, right? That's right. This is one of those situations where it's not, it's not hiding the meaning of the parable from them. The meaning is so obvious that you couldn't miss it, and he, he appeals, we talked about in the first, in the first part of this, he actually appeals to like what the ordinary response would be. Right? What man of you having a hundred sheep if he loses one, does not. Go and leave the 99. Like it's a scenario that anyone who goes, well, like, I wouldn't do that is, looks like an idiot. Like, that's, that's the point of the why. He phrases it. And so then you're right when he, when he begins with this, he says, or what woman having 10 silver coins if she loses one, does not light a lamp and sweep the house and seek diligently until he, till she finds it. And of course, the, the, the emphasis again is like no one in their right mind would not do this. And I think like we think about a coin and like that's the smallest denomination of money that we have. Like, I wouldn't, like if I lost a, if I had 10 silver coin, 10 coins and I lost one of them, the most that that could be is what? 50 cents? Like the, like if I had a 50 cent piece or a silver dollar, I guess, like I could lose a dollar. We're not really talking about coins the way we think of coins, right? We're talking about, um. Um, you know, like denominations of money that are substantial in that timeframe. Like it, there was, there were small coins, but a silver coin would be a substantial amount of money to lose. So we are not talking about a situation where this is, uh, a trivial kind of thing. She's not looking for, you know, I've, I've heard this parable sort of like unpacked where like, it's almost like a miserly seeking for like this lost coin. Interesting. It's not about, it's not about like. Penny pinching here, right? She's not trying to find a tiny penny that isn't worth anything that's built into the parable, right? It's a silver coin. It's not just any coin. It's a silver coin. So she's, she's looking for this coin, um, because it is a significant amount of money and because she's lost it, she's lost something of her, of her overall wealth. Like there's a real loss. Two, this that needs to be felt before he can really move on with the parable. It's not just like some small piece of property, like there's a [00:26:57] Jesse Schwamb: right. I [00:26:57] Tony Arsenal: don't know if you've ever lost a large amount of money, but I remember one time I was in, um, a. I was like, almost outta high school, and I had taken some money out of, um, out of the bank, some cash to make a purchase. I think I was purchasing a laptop and I don't know why I, I don't, maybe I didn't have a credit card or I didn't have a debit card, but I was purchasing a laptop with cash. Right. And back then, like laptops, like this was not a super expensive laptop, but. It was a substantial amount of cash and I misplaced it and it was like, oh no, like, where is it? And like, I went crazy trying to find it. This is the situation. She's lost a substantial amount of money. Um, this parable, unlike the last one, doesn't give you a relative amount of how many she has. Otherwise. She's just lost a significant amount of money. So she takes all these different steps to try to find it. [00:27:44] Understanding the Parable's Context [00:27:44] Tony Arsenal: We have to feel that loss before we really can grasp what the parable is trying to teach us. [00:27:49] Jesse Schwamb: I like that, so I'm glad you brought that up because I ended up going down a rabbit hole with this whole coined situation. [00:27:56] Tony Arsenal: Well, we're about to, Matt Whitman some of this, aren't we? [00:27:58] Jesse Schwamb: Yes, I think so. But mainly because, and this is not really my own ideas here, there's, there's a lot I was able to kind of just read and kind. Throw, throw something around this because I think you're absolutely right that Jesus is bringing an ES escalation here and it's almost like a little bit easier for us to understand the whole sheep thing. I think the context of the lost coin, like you're already saying, is a little bit less familiar to us, and so I got into this. Rabbit hole over the question, why would this woman have 10 silver coins? I really got stuck on like, so why does she have these? And Jesus specific about that he's giving a particular context. Presumably those within his hearing in earshot understood this context far better than I did. So what I was surprised to see is that a lot of commentators you probably run into this, have stated or I guess promulgated this idea that the woman is young and unmarried and the 10 silver coins could. Could represent a dowry. So in some way here too, like it's not just a lot of money, it's possible that this was her saving up and it was a witness to her availability for marriage. [00:28:57] The Significance of the Lost Coin [00:28:57] Jesse Schwamb: So e either way, if that's true or not, Jesus is really emphasizing to us there's significant and severe loss here. And so just like you said, it would be a fool who would just like say, oh, well that's too bad. The coin is probably in here somewhere, but eh, I'm just gonna go about my normal business. Yeah. And forsake it. Like, let's, let's not worry about it. So. The emphasis then on this one is not so much like the leaving behind presumably can keep the remaining nine coins somewhere safe if you had them. But this effort and this diligence to, to go after and find this lost one. So again, we know it's all about finding what was lost, but this kind of momentum that Jesus is bringing to this, like the severity of this by saying there was this woman, and of course like here we find that part of this parable isn't just in the, the kingdom of God's like this, like we were talking about before. It's more than that because there's this expression of, again, the situation combined with these active verbs. I think we talked about last time that Christ love is an act of love and it's always being acted upon the sinner, the one who has to be redeemed, his child whom he goes after. So in the same way, we have Christ showing the self-denying love. Like in the first case, the shepherd brought his sheep home on his shoulders rather than leave it in the wilderness. And then here. The woman does like everything. She lights the candle, she sweeps the house. She basically turns the thing, the place upside down, searching diligently and spared no pains with this until she found her lost money. And before we get into the whole rejoicing thing, it just strikes me that, you know, in the same way, I think what we have here is Christ affirming that he didn't spare himself. He's not gonna spare himself. When he undertakes to save sinners, he does all the things. He endures the cross scor in shame. He lays down his life for his friends. There's no greater love than that. It cannot be shown, and so Christ's love is deep and mighty. It's like this woman doing all the things, tearing the place apart to ensure that that which she knew she had misplaced comes back to her. That the full value of everything that she knows is hers. Is safe and secure in her possession and so does the Lord Jesus rejoice the safe sinners in the same way. And that's where this is incredibly powerful. It's not just, Hey, let me just say it to you one more time. There is a reemphasis here, but I like where you're going, this re-escalation. I think the first question is, why do the woman have this money? What purpose is it serving? And I think if we can at least try to appreciate some of that, then we see again how Jesus is going after that, which is that he, he wants to save the sinner. He wants to save the soul. And all of the pleasure, then all of the rejoicing comes because, and, and as a result of that context. [00:31:22] Tony Arsenal: Yeah. Yeah. [00:31:23] Theological Implications of God's People [00:31:23] Tony Arsenal: The other thing, um, maybe, and, and I hope I'm not overreading again, we've, we've talked about the dangers of overreading, the parables, but I think there's a, and we'll, we'll come to this too when we get into the, um, prodigal son. Um, there is this sense, I think in some theological traditions that. God is sort of like claiming a people who were not his own. Right. And one of the things that I love about the reform tradition, and, and I love it because this is the picture the Bible teaches, is the emphasis on the fact that God's people have been God's people. As long as God has been pondering and con like contemplating them. So like we deny eternal justification, right? Justification happens in time and there's a real change in our status, in in time when, when the spirit applies, the benefits that Christ has purchased for us in redemption, right? But there's also a very real sense that God has been looking and considering us as his people in eternity past. Like that's always. That's the nature of the Pactum salutes, the, you know, covenant of redemption election. The idea that like God is not saving a nameless, faceless people. He's not creating conditions that people can either move themselves into or take themselves out of. He has a concrete people. Who he is saving, who he has chosen. He, he, you know, prior to our birth, he will redeem us. He now, he has redeemed us and he will preserve us in all of these parables, whether it's the sheep, the coin, or as we'll get to the prodigal sun next week or, or whenever. Um. It's not that God is discovering something new that he didn't have, or it's not that the woman is discovering a coin, right? There's nothing more, uh, I think nothing more like sort of, uh, spontaneously delightful than like when you like buy a, like a jacket at the thrift store. Like you go to Salvation Army and you buy a jacket, you get home, you reach in the pocket and there's like a $10 bill and you're like, oh man, that's so, so great. Or like, you find a, you find a. A $10 bill on the ground, or you find a quarter on the ground, right? Yeah. Or you find your own money. Well, and that that's, there's a different kind of joy, right? That's the point, is like, there's a delight that comes with finding something. And again, like we have to be careful about like, like not stealing, right? But there's a different kind of joy that comes with like finding something that was not yours that now becomes yours. We talked about that with parables a couple weeks ago, right? There's a guy who finds it, he's, he's searching for pearls. He finds a pearl, and so he goes after he sells everything he has and he claims that pearl, but that wasn't his before the delight was in sort of finding something new. These parables. The delight is in reclaiming and refining something that was yours that was once lost. Right? That's a different thing. And it paints a picture, a different picture of God than the other parables where, you know, the man kind of stumbles on treasure in a field or he finds a pearl that he was searching for, but it wasn't his pearl. This is different. This is teaching us that God is, is zealous and jealous to reclaim that which was his, which was lost. Yes. Right. So, you know, we can get, we can, maybe we will next week, maybe we will dig into like super laps area versus infra laps. AIRism probably not, I don't necessarily wanna have that conversation. But there is a reality in the Bible where God has a chosen people and they are his people, even before he redeems them. [00:34:52] Jesse Schwamb: Exactly. [00:34:53] God's Relentless Pursuit of Sinners [00:34:53] Tony Arsenal: These parables all emphasize that in a different way and part of what he's, part of what he's ribbing at with the Pharisees and the, and the scribes, and this is common across all of Christ's teaching in his interactions and we get into true Israel with, with Paul, I mean this is the consistent testimony of the New Testament, is that the people who thought they were God's people. The, the Jewish leaders, especially the Pharisees, the Sadducees, the scribes, the, the sort of elites of, uh, first century Jewish believers, they really were convinced that they were God's people. And those dirty gentiles out there, they, they're not, and even in certain sense, like even the Jewish people out in the country who don't even, you know, they don't know the scriptures that like, even those people were maybe barely God's people. Christ is coming in here and he is going, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa. Like you're asking me. You're surprised that I receive sinners and e with them. Well, I'm coming to claim that which is mine, which was lost, and the right response to that is not to turn your nose up at it. The right response is to rejoice with me that I have found my sheep that was lost, that I have reclaimed my coin that was lost. And as we'll see later on, like he really needles them at the end of the, the, uh, parable of the prodigal son. This is something I, I have to be like intentional in my own life because I think sometimes we hear conversion stories and we have this sort of, I, I guess like, we'll call it like the, the Jonah I heresy, I dunno, we won't call it heresy, but like the, the, the like Jonah impulse that we all have to be really thankful for God's mercy in our life. But sort of question whether God is. Merciful or even be a little bit upset when it seems that God is being merciful to those sinners over there. We have to really like, use these parables in our own lives to pound that out of our system because it's, it's ungodly and it's not what God is, is calling us. And these parables really speak against that [00:36:52] Jesse Schwamb: and all of us speak in. In that lost state, but that doesn't, I think like you're saying, mean that we are not God's already. That if he has established that from a trinity past, then we'd expect what others have said about God as the hound of heaven to be true. And that is he comes and he chases down his own. What's interesting to me is exactly what you've said. We often recognize when we do this in reverse and we look at the parable of the lost son, all of these elements, how the father comes after him, how there's a cha singer coming to himself. There's this grand act of repentance. I would argue all of that is in all of these parables. Not, not to a lesser extent, just to a different extent, but it's all there. So in terms of like couching this, and I think what we might use is like traditionally reformed language. And I, I don't want to say I'm overeating this, I hope I'm not at that same risk, but we see some of this like toll depravity and like the sinner is lost, unable to move forward, right? There still is like the sovereign grace of God who's initiating the salvation and there is a kind of effect of calling that God doesn't merely invite, he finds, he goes after he affects the very thing. Yeah, and I think we're seeing that here. There is. The sinner, spiritual inability. There's an utter passivity until found. The coin doesn't seek the woman. The woman seeks the coin. And in this way, I think we see God's act of searching grace. It's all there for us. Yeah, it's in a slightly different way, but I think that's what we're meant to like take away from this. We're meant to lean into that a bit. [00:38:12] Rejoicing in Salvation [00:38:12] Jesse Schwamb: And the reason why I think it leads to joy, why God is so pleased is because God has this real pleasure. Jesus has this real pleasure. The Holy Spirit has this real pleasure. To pluck sinners as brands from the burning fire. You know, it was Jesus, literally his food and drink like not to be too trite, but like his jam went upon the earth to finish the work, which he came to do. And there are many times when he says he ammi of being constrained in the spirit until this was accomplished. And it's still his delight to show mercy like you're saying He is. And even Jonah recognizes that, right. He said like, I knew you were going to be a merciful God. And so he's far more willing to save sinners than sinners are to be saved. But that is the gospel level voice, isn't it? Because we can come kicking and screaming, but in God's great mercy, not because of works and unrighteousness, but because of his great mercy, he comes and he tears everything apart to rescue and to save those whom he's called to himself. [00:39:06] Tony Arsenal: Yeah. Yeah. I love that old, um, Puritan phrase that wrath is God's alien work. And we, you know, like you gotta be careful when you start to talk that way. And the Puritans were definitely careful about everything. I mean, they were very specific when they spoke, but. When we talk about God's alien work and wrath being God's alien work, what we're saying is not, not that like somehow wrath is external to God. Like that's not what we're getting at of Right. But when you look at scripture and, and here's something that I think, um. I, I don't know how I wanna say this. Like, I think we read that the road is narrow and the the, um, you know, few are those who find it. I think we read that and we somehow think like, yeah, God, God, like, really loves that. Not a lot of people are saved. And I, I actually think that like, when we look at it, um, and, and again, like we have to be careful 'cause God, God. God decreed that which he is delighted by, and also that which glorifies him the most. Right? Right. But the picture that we get in scripture, and we have to take this seriously with all of the caveats that it's accommodated, it's anthropopathism that, you know, all of, all of the stuff we've talked about. We did a whole series on systematic theology. We did like six episodes on Divine Simplicity and immutability. Like we we're, we're right in line with the historic tradition on that. All of those caveats, uh, all of those caveats in place, the Bible pic paints a picture of God such that he grieves over. Those who are lost. Right? Right. He takes no delight in the death of the wicked. That's right. He, he, he seeks after the lost and he rejoices when he finds them. Right. He's, his, his Holy Spirit is grieved when we disobey him, his, his anger is kindled even towards his people in a paternal sense. Right. He disciplines us the way an angry father who loves us, would discipline us when we disobey him. That is a real, that's a real thing. What exactly that means, how we can apply that to God is a very complicated conversation. And maybe sometimes it's more complicated than we, like, we make it more complicated than it needs to be for sure. Um, we wanna be careful to preserve God's changeness, his immutability, his simplicity, all of those things. But at the end of the day, at. God grieves over lost sinners, and he rejoices when they come back. He rejoices when they return to him. Just as the shepherd who finds his lost sheep puts that sheep on his shoulders, right? That's not just because that's an easy way to carry a sheep, right? It's also like this picture of this loving. Intimate situation where God pulls us onto himself and he, he wraps literally like wraps us around himself. Like there are times when, um. You know, I have a toddler and there are times where I have to carry that toddler, and it's, it's a fight, right? And I don't really enjoy doing it. He's squirming, he's fighting. Then there are times where he needs me to hold him tight, and he, he snuggles in. When he falls down and hurts his leg, the first thing he does is he runs and he jumps on me, and he wants to be held tight, and there's a f there's a fatherly embrace there that not only brings comfort to my son. But it brings great joy to me to be able to comfort him that that dynamic in a, uh, a infinitely greater sense is at play here in the lost sheep. And then there's this rejoicing. It's not just rejoicing that God is rejoicing, it's the angels that are rejoicing. [00:42:43] The Joy of Redemption [00:42:43] Tony Arsenal: It's the, it's other Christians. It's the great cloud of witnesses that are rejoicing when Aah sinner is returned to God. All of God's kingdom and everything that that includes, all of that is involved in this rejoicing. That's why I think like in the first parable, in the parable of the lost sheep, it's joy in heaven. Right? It's sort of general joy in heaven. It's not specific. Then this one is even more specific. It's not just general joy in heaven. It's the angels of God. That's right. That are rejoicing. And then I think what we're gonna find, and we'll we'll tease this out when we get to the next par, well the figure in the prodigal son that is rejoicing. The one that is leading the rejoicing, the chief rejoice is the one who's the standin for God in that parable. [00:43:26] Jesse Schwamb: Right, exactly right. So, [00:43:27] Tony Arsenal: so we have to, we have to both recognize that there's a true grief. A true sorrow that is appropriate to speak of God, um, as having when a sinner is lost. And there's also an equally appropriate way to speak about God rejoicing and being pleased and delighted when a sinner returns to him. [00:43:53] Jesse Schwamb: That's the real payoff of this whole parable. I think, uh, maybe all three of them altogether, is that it is shocking how good the gospel is, which we're always saying, yeah, but I'm really always being moved, especially these last couple weeks with what Jesus is saying about how good, how truly unbelievable the gospel is. And again, it draws us to the. Old Testament scriptures when even the Israel saying, who is like this? Who is like our God? So what's remarkable about this is that there's an infinite willingness on God's part to receive sinners. [00:44:23] Tony Arsenal: Yeah. [00:44:23] Jesse Schwamb: And however wicked a man may have been, and the day that he really turns from his wickedness and comes to God by Christ, God is well pleased and all of heaven with him, and God has no pleasure in the death of the wicked, like you said, but God has pleasure and true repentance. If all of that's true, then like day to day, here's what I, I think this means for us. [00:44:41] Applying the Parable to Our Lives [00:44:41] Jesse Schwamb: Is when we come to Christ for mercy and love and help and whatever anguish and perplexity and simpleness that we all have, and we all have it, we are going with the flow. If his own deepest wishes, we're not going against them. And so this means that God has for us when we partake in the toning work of Christ, coming to Christ for forgiveness, communing with him despite our sinfulness, that we are laying hold of Christ's own deepest longing and joy. [00:45:10] Tony Arsenal: Yeah. And [00:45:10] Jesse Schwamb: Jesus is comforted when we draw near the riches of his atoning work because as his body, even his own body in a way is being healed in this process. And so we, along with it, that I think is the payoff here. That's what's just so remarkable is that not only, like you're saying, is all heaven kind of paying attention to this. Like they're cognizant of it. It's something worthy of their attention and their energies and their rejoicing. But again, it's showing that God is doing all of this work and so he keeps calling us and calling us and calling us over and over again and just like you said, the elect sinner, those estr belongs to God and his eternal purpose. Even that by itself, we could just say full stop. Shut it down end the podcast. Yeah. That's just worthy to, to rejoice and, and ponder. But this is how strong I think we see like per election in particular, redemption in these passages. Christ died for his chief specifically crisis going after the lost coin, which already belongs to him. So like you were saying, Tony, when you know, or maybe you don't know, but you've misplaced some kind of money and you put your hand in that pocket of that winter coat for the first time that season and out comes the piece of paper, that's whatever, 20 or whatever, you rejoice in that, right. Right. It's like this was mine. I knew it was somewhere, it belonged to me, except that what's even better here is this woman tears her whole place apart to go after this one coin that she knows is hers and yet has been lost. I don't know what more it is to be said. I just cannot under emphasize. Or overemphasize how great God's love is in this like amazing condescension, so that when Jesus describes himself as being gentle and lowly or gentle and humble or gentle and humiliated, that I, I think as we understand the biblical text, it's not necessarily just that he's saying, well, I'm, I'm displaying. Meekness power under control. When he says he's humble, he means put in this incredibly lowly state. Yeah. That the rescue mission, like you're saying, involves not just like, Hey, she lemme call you back. Hey, come over here, says uh. He goes and he picks it up. It's the ultimate rescue, picks it up and takes it back by his own volition, sacrificing everything or to do that and so does this woman in this particular instance, and it should lead us. I think back to there's this virtuous cycle of seeing this, experiencing this. Being compelled by the law of Christ, as Paul says, by the power of the Holy Spirit and being regenerated and then worshiping, and then repenting, and then worshiping, and then repenting, and then worshiping. Because in the midst of that repentance and that beautifulness recognizing, as Isaiah says, all of these idols that we set up, that we run to, the one thing they cannot do for us is they cannot deal with sin. They cannot bring cleanliness and righteousness through confession of sin. They cannot do that. So Christ is saying, come to the one you who are needy, you who have no money. To use another metaphor in the Bible, come and buy. And in doing so, we're saying, Christ, Lord have mercy on me, a sinner. And when he says, come, come, I, I've, I have already run. After you come and be restored, come and be renewed. That which was lost my child. You have been found and I have rescued you. [00:48:04] Tony Arsenal: Yeah. Yeah. And these, these are so, um, these two parables are so. Comfortable. Like, right, like they are there, there are certain passages of scripture that you can just like put on like a big fuzzy warm bathrobe on like sn a cold morning, a snuggy. Yeah. I don't know if I want to go that far, but spirits are snuggy and, and these two are like that, right? Like, I know there are times where I feel like Christ redeemed me sort of begrudgingly, right? Mm-hmm. I think we have, we have this, um, concept in our mind of. Sort of the suffering servant, you know, like he's kind of like, ah, if I have to do it, I will. Right, right. And, and like, I think we, we would, if, if we were the ones who were, were being tasked to redeem something, we might do it. You know, we might do it and we. We might feel a certain sense of satisfaction about it, but I can tell you that if I had a hundred sheep and I had lost one, I would not lay it on my shoulder rejoicing. I would lay it on my shoulder. Frustrated and glad that I finally found it, but like. Right. Right. That's not what Christ did. That's right. Christ lays us on his shoulders rejoicing. Right. I know. Like when you lose something, it's frustrating and it's not just the loss of it that's frustrating. It's the time you have to take to find it. And sometimes like, yeah, you're happy that you found it, but you're like, man, it would've just been nice if I hadn't lost this in [00:49:36] Jesse Schwamb: the That's right. [00:49:37] Tony Arsenal: This woman, there's none of that. There's no, um, there's no regret. There's no. Uh, there's no begrudging this to it. There's nothing. It's just rejoicing. She's so happy. And it's funny, I can imagine, uh, maybe, maybe this is my own, uh, lack of sanctification here. I can imagine being that friend that's like, I gotta come over 'cause you found your coin, right? Like, I can be, I could imagine me that person, but Right. But honestly, like. This is a, this is a situation where she's so overcome with joy. She just has to tell people about it. Yeah. She has to share it with people. It, it reminds me, and I've seen this, I've seen this, um, connection made in the past certainly isn't new to me. I don't, I don't have any specific sorts to say, but like the woman at the well, right. She gets this amazing redemption. She gets this, this Messiah right in front of her. She leaves her buckets at the well, and she goes into a town of people who probably hate her, who think she's just the worst scum of society and she doesn't care. She goes into town to tell everybody about the fact that the Messiah has come, right? And they're so like stunned by the fact that she's doing it. Like they come to see what it is like that's what we need to be like. So there's. There's an element here of not only the rejoicing of God, and again, like, I guess I'm surprised because I've, I've, I've never sort of really read this. Part, I've never read this into it too much or I've never like really pulled this out, but it, now that I'm gonna say it, it just seems logical, like not only is God rejoicing in this, but again, it should be calling us to rejoice, right? Christ is. Christ is using these parables to shame the Pharisees and the scribes who refuse to rejoice over the salvation of sinners. How often do we not rejoice over our own salvation sufficiently? Like when's the last time? And I, I don't want to, this is, this can be a lot of loss. So again, like. God is not calling every single person to stand up on their lunch table at work, or, I don't know if God's calling anybody to stand up on the lunch table at work. Right. To like, like scream about how happy they are that they're sick, happy, happy. But like, when's the last time you were so overcome with joy that in the right opportunity, it just over, like it just overcame you and you had to share it. I don't rem. Putting myself bare here, like I don't remember the last time that happened. I share my faith with people, like my coworkers know that I'm a Christian and, um, my, they know that like, there are gonna be times where like I will bring biblical ethics and biblical concepts into my work. Like I regularly use bible examples to illustrate a principle I'm trying to teach my employees or, or I will regularly sort of. In a meeting where there's some question about what the right, not just like the correct thing to do, but the right thing to do. I will regularly bring biblical morality into those conversations. Nobody is surprised by that. Nobody's really offended by it. 'cause I just do it regularly. But I don't remember the last time where I was so overcome with joy because of my salvation that I just had to tell somebody. Right. And that's a, that's a, that's an indictment on me. That's not an indictment on God. That's not an indictment on anyone else. That's an indictment on me. This parable is calling me to be more joyful about. My salvation. [00:52:52] Jesse Schwamb: Yeah. One of the, I think the best and easiest verses from Psalms to memorize is let the redeemed of the Lord say so. Yes. Like, say something, speak up. There's, there's a great truth in what you're saying. Of course. And I think we mentioned this last time. There's a communal delight of redemption. And here we see that played out maybe a little bit more explicitly because the text says that the joy is before the angels, meaning that still God is the source of the joy. In other words, the angels share in God's delight night, vice versa, and not even just in salvation itself, but the fact that God is delighted in this great salvation, that it shows the effectiveness of his saving power. All that he has designed will come to pass because he super intends his will over all things that all things, again are subservient to our salvation. And here, why would that not bring him great joy? Because that's exactly what he intends and is able to do. And the angels rejoice along with him because his glory is revealed in his mighty power. So I'm, I'm with you. I mean, this reminds me. Of what the author of Hebrew says. This is chapter 12, just the first couple of verses. Therefore, since we have so great a cloud of witnesses in this communal kind of redemption of joy surrounding us. Laying aside every weight and the sin,

Michael digs into the controversy surrounding the unreleased video of the second boat strike — the tape lawmakers saw but the public hasn't. He breaks down conflicting accounts from the Wall Street Journal, New York Times, Washington Post, and CNN, revealing key details about the 41-minute deliberation, what the survivors were actually doing, and whether the strike may violate the Law of War. Listen here, then vote on today's poll question at Smerconish.com, and be sure to rate, review, and share this podcast. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

More on the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) arrest of a suspect who was believed to have planted pipe bombs near Democrat and Republican national party headquarters ahead of the January 6, 2021 Capitol riots. Listener call-in commentary on Anarcho-Capitalism and Venezuelan fishing trawlers. Dane from Production joins the show to introduce himself to the listening audience. Peggy Noonan’s column piece at The Wall Street Journal, “We’re in an Era of Political Violence.”See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A reading of articles and features from the Review section of the Weekend Wall Street Journal

Wall Street Journal

Ron opens today's show fired up after Wall Street Journal reporting confirms a theory he raised earlier this week about Georgia native / Morehouse graduate Admiral Alvin Holsey's abrupt retirement. It seems SECDOW Pete Hegseth didn't much care for Holsey's persistent pushback on (potentially) illegal orders given in the Caribbean. Ron lined it up earlier this week: the Holsey surprise resignation announcement was mere weeks after the "double tap" bombing that has Hegseth scrutinized now. Marilyn Marks—executive director with the Coalition for Good Governance—joined Ron to explain why the unresolved breach of Georgia's statewide voting software remains an urgent, ongoing threat. She pushes back on recent legal takes, argues the case never should've been dropped entirely, and details what voters should know heading into 2026.Ron also spotlights a surprising bipartisan moment forming around hand-marked paper ballots. Then, a conversation with Roswell mayor-elect Mary Robichaux about her unexpected national attention and what comes next for her community.Tune in to catch the Ron Show weekdays from 4-6pm Eastern time on Georgia NOW! Grab the app or listen online at heargeorgianow.com.#AdmiralHalsey #MarilynMarks #MaryRobichaux #GeorgiaElections #ElectionIntegrity #WSJReport #CoalitionForGoodGovernance #GeorgiaPolitics #HearGeorgiaNow #TheRonShow

Patrick Bishop and Roger Morehouse discuss a familiar feeling of "deja vu" as the latest US peace mission to Moscow—led by envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner—ends with no substantial progress. They argue that Russian President Putin is deliberately "stringing Trump along" to keep the outside world waiting while Russia continues to make incremental gains on the ground. The hosts also dive into a revealing Wall Street Journal article suggesting a "chilling" motivation behind the American peace efforts: charting a path to bring Russia's $2 trillion economy "in from the cold," positioning American businesses to beat European competitors to the dividends.  They also examine the widening corruption scandal in Ukraine and joining them to discuss this is friend of the show Askold Krushelnycky, who helps them look at the negative impact of the scandal on Zelensky's standing at home and abroad, and why Putin cannot afford to stop the war short of a total victory. Finally, the hosts answer a listener's questions including one about Ukraine's "remarkably bold" and "symbolic" drone attacks on Russia's "shadow fleet" of oil tankers. If you have any thoughts or questions, you can send them to - podbattleground@gmail.com Producer: James Hodgson X (Twitter): @PodBattleground Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The U.S. wine industry hasn't had it this bad since Prohibition. WSJ's Laura Cooper reports from Sonoma County, California, a major region for American wine production, on why growers are drowning in unsold grapes, shrinking demand and trade-war fallout. Jessica Mendoza hosts. Further Listening: - Who Wants Non-Alcoholic Bear? Everyone, Apparently. - Why Coke Isn't Getting Rid of High-Fructose Corn Syrup Sign up for WSJ's free What's News newsletter. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A Pentagon inspector general reportedly concluded that Secretary Pete Hegseth violated regulations when he shared sensitive information over Signal. The Wall Street Journal’s Michael Gordon explains why the White House has so far stuck by Hegseth. Texas’s “bathroom bill” goes into effect today. Texas Tribune reporter Ayden Runnels joins to discuss why enforcement might prove tricky. Trump pardoned sitting Democratic Congressman Henry Cuellar, who was facing bribery charges. USA Today reports on how Cuellar intends to remain with his party and run for reelection. Plus, why Trump is rolling back vehicle fuel-efficiency standards, a doctor who supplied ‘Friends’ star Matthew Perry with ketamine was sentenced to prison, and why AI chatbots find it so hard to tell time. Today’s episode was hosted by Shumita Basu.

A.M. Edition for Dec. 4. A controversial U.S. boat strike takes a new turn, as an Admiral plans to tell lawmakers that two survivors were trying to continue their drug-run. WSJ correspondent Shelby Holliday explains why videos of the strike have sparked allegations of war crimes. Plus WSJ's Tom Fairless and Max Colchester detail how the promise of Europe's green energy transition has proved costly for consumers and damaging for the economy. And the billionaire class is booming – with a new study showing the world has more mega-rich than ever before. Caitlin McCabe hosts. Sign up for the WSJ's free What's News newsletter. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

P.M. Edition for Dec. 4. The Trump administration cut the validity of work permits for some migrants to 18 months rather than five years, saying more vetting of immigrants is needed. Plus, the fight over Warner Bros. Discovery gets messy as Paramount says rival Netflix's bid has problems. And WSJ's Peter Grant explains how New York City became the epicenter of office-to-residential conversions. To see examples of the changes developers are making to buildings, read his story. Sabrina Siddiqui hosts. Sign up for the WSJ's free What's News newsletter. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On today's Top News in 10, we cover: President Trump obliterates the Biden administration fuel economy standards. Sen. Mark Kelly (D - Ariz.) may have illegally leaked details of a classified Inspector General report to the Wall Street Journal. Minneapolis triples down on protecting Somalian migrants from deportation. Keep Up With The Daily Signal Sign up for our email newsletters:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ https://www.dailysignal.com/email⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠     Subscribe to our other shows:  The Tony Kinnett Cast: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://open.spotify.com/show/7AFk8xjiOOBEynVg3JiN6g⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠  The Signal Sitdown: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://megaphone.link/THEDAILYSIGNAL2026390376⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠   Problematic Women:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://megaphone.link/THEDAILYSIGNAL7765680741⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠   Victor Davis Hanson: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://megaphone.link/THEDAILYSIGNAL9809784327⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠   Follow The Daily Signal:  X:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://x.com/intent/user?screen_name=DailySignal⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Instagram:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ https://www.instagram.com/thedailysignal/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠  Facebook:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ https://www.facebook.com/TheDailySignalNews/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠  Truth Social:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ https://truthsocial.com/@DailySignal⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠  YouTube:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/dailysignal?sub_confirmation=1⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠    Subscribe on your favorite podcast platform and never miss an episode. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

When we clock in on Monday morning, most of us are looking at a 40-hour work week. But what's so special about 40 hours? Andrew Blackman joins host Krys Boyd to discuss the history of the 40-hour week, how the Great Depression finally presented an opportunity to shrink the working day, and how we might shave off even more hours in our modern era. His article “How Did We Get a 40-Hour Workweek and Has It Had Its Day?” was published in The Wall Street Journal.   Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices

NY GOP Rep. Elise Stefanik sits down with Jake Sherman and Anna Palmer to chat about her feud with Speaker Johnson, her gubernatorial bid and more! Stick around after for That's Not Gonna Fly with The Wall Street Journal's Olivia Beavers and The New York Times' Carl Hulse. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Plus: Dollar General shares surged after the discount retailer lifted its full-year outlook. And Snowflake stock tumbled following slower quarterly revenue growth. Danny Lewis hosts. Sign up for WSJ's free What's News newsletter. An artificial-intelligence tool assisted in the making of this episode by creating summaries that were based on Wall Street Journal reporting and reviewed and adapted by an editor. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Plus: A group of former FDA commissioners has criticized the agency's new vaccine standards, citing risks to public health. And UBS says the world has more billionaires than ever. Daniel Bach hosts. Sign up for WSJ's free What's News newsletter. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Plus: The European Commission has opened an antitrust probe into Meta Platforms over WhatsApp's AI policy. And the FBI has arrested a Virginia man in connection with Jan. 6, 2021, pipe bombs placed in Washington, D.C. Pierre Bienaimé hosts. Sign up for WSJ's free What's News newsletter. An artificial-intelligence tool assisted in the making of this episode by creating summaries that were based on Wall Street Journal reporting and reviewed and adapted by an editor. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

➡️ Want To Learn More About Partnering With Me at eXp (Get all my Training & Coaching For Free) Schedule a Zero Pressure, Fully Confidential Zoom Call with me: https://go.oncehub.com/PartnerwithJoshuaSmithGSD   ➡️ Connect With Chandra: Instagram handle - https://www.instagram.com/chandra_kaladhar_real_estate/ LinkedIn profile - https://www.linkedin.com/in/chandra-kaladhar-vennapusa-realtor/ Facebook business page - https://www.facebook.com/ChandraKaladharVennapusa/ Google Business - https://share.google/qh9b1dSNFPmF9AEiu Zillow profile - https://www.zillow.com/profile/Chandra%20Vennapusa YouTube channel - https://www.youtube.com/@ChandraKaladharVennapusa   ➡️ Connect With Me On Social Media: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/JoshuaSmithGSD Instagram: https://instagram.com/joshuasmithgsd/   About Joshua Smith: -Licensed Realtor/Team Leader Since 2005 -Voted 30th Top Realtor in America by The Wall Street Journal -NAR "30 Under 30" Finalist -Named Top 100 Most Influential People In Real Estate -Top 1% of Realtors/Team Leaders Worldwide -6000+ Homes Sold & Currently Selling 1+ Homes Daily -Featured In: Forbes, Wall Street Journal, Inman & Realtor Magazine -Realtor, Team Leader, Coach, Mentor

Dr. Boyce Watkins is a Finance PhD and one of the most respected voices in Black economics. He has been featured in USA Today, The Wall Street Journal, BET, CNN, and The Breakfast Club, helping millions learn the keys to wealth, investing, and Black economic empowerment. As the founder of The Black Business School, he has taught over 10 million students worldwide through his books, courses, and daily broadcasts. His podcast and social commentary reach a global audience seeking financial clarity and cultural truth.To learn more or join one of his wealth-building programs, visit DrBoyceWatkins.com.And to receive a free list of his favorite AI stocks, just text the word Stock to 87948.

Walmart is quietly testing a new ad format called "sponsored prompts" inside its Sparky AI shopping engine and both Chris and Anne agree this is exactly the right move. This segment, sponsored by the A&M Consumer and Retail Group, Mirakl, Ocampo Capital, Infios, and Quorso, breaks down why retailer-owned AI is the smart play. According to Wall Street Journal reporting, Walmart's new ad format integrates sponsored content directly into Sparky conversations with click-to-buy options. Anne loves it because it captures consumers at the perfect moment with relevant offers. Chris sees it as proof that retailers should focus on their own AI experiences rather than chasing ChatGPT integration—especially since Walmart's ad business is already growing at nearly 100% per year. #walmart #retailmedia #aishopping #sparky #retailstrategy #advertising #ecommerce #retailtech

Summary In this episode of the Customer Service Revolution podcast, Denise Thompson and John DiJulius discuss the findings of a Wall Street Journal intelligence report on the impact of AI on customer experience. They explore the disconnect between AI's potential and its actual implementation in businesses, emphasizing the importance of emotional intelligence and human interaction in customer service. The conversation highlights cultural barriers to effective customer experience transformation and the need for a human-centric approach in the AI era. They also discuss how companies can innovate customer value by leveraging AI effectively. Takeaways: 93% of leaders say their customer experience is broken. AI is still in its infancy and needs careful implementation. Companies are chasing AI for efficiency but missing emotional connection. Cultural dysfunction is a major barrier to customer experience transformation. AI can personalize customer interactions but should not replace human touch. 76% of executives feel behind on AI transformation. Emotional intelligence is crucial in customer experience. AI should supplement, not replace, human interaction. Companies winning with AI are inventing new categories of customer value. A human-centric approach is essential in the AI era. Chapters: 00:00The State of Customer Experience and AI 03:43The Challenges of AI in Customer Experience 08:47Cultural Barriers in CX Transformation 14:03Emotional Intelligence in Customer Interactions 19:07The Human Element in AI Integration 24:21Innovating Customer Value with AI 29:13The Future of Customer Service and AI Links: The Experience Gap, AIs Imminent Impact on CX:  Code and Theory, Wall Street Journal Report Schedule a Complimentary Call with one of our advisors:  tdg.click/claudia Ask John!  Submit your questions for John, to be aired on future episode:  tdg.click/ask Customer Experience Executive Academy: https://thedijuliusgroup.com/project/cx-executive-academy/ The DiJulius Group Methdology: https://thedijuliusgroup.com/x-commandment-methodology/ Experience Revolution Membership:  https://thedijuliusgroup.com/membership/ Books:  https://thedijuliusgroup.com/shop/ Contacts:  Lindsey@thedijuliusgroup.com , Claudia@thedijuliusgroup.com   Subscribe We talk about topics like this each week; be sure to subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts so you don't miss an episode.

HOLIDAY SHOW TICKETS > https://bit.ly/CITOPHILLYSHOW. Kelly Keegs joins the show! (00:00-12:20). 'Stranger Things' S5 thoughts so far + Kelly's ‘Hamnet' review (13:31-29:24). Miley Cyrus is engaged to Maxx Morando (31:09-36:37). Club Chalamet's Wall Street Journal spread (36:38-46:46). Andy Cohen says Jen Shah will not return to 'RHOSLC' after her prison release (46:47-52:13). PopCorner voicemails: Hot take that Glinda is a bad person in ‘Wicked,' Why does no one talk about Hilary Duff's Christmas album?, Jeff Probst's feelings toward 'Survivor' contestants going on ‘Traitors' + more! (53:13-1:12:34). Interview with Austen Kroll - talking all the drama on this season of ‘Southern Charm,' where he stands with Craig Conover, his breakup + more! (1:13:52-1:59:01). CITO LINKS > barstool.link/chicks-in-the-office.You can find every episode of this show on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or YouTube. Prime Members can listen ad-free on Amazon Music. For more, visit barstool.link/chicks-in-the-office

As part of a year-long investigation, WSJ's Shalini Ramachandran and Betsy McKay have been reporting on two of the most commonly prescribed psychiatric medications in America: benzodiazepines and antidepressants. These drugs weren't intended for long-term use, but some Americans end up on them for years. Betsy and Shalini spoke to many patients who experienced the downsides. So a basic question popped up: Is America overmedicated? Further Listening: - A Quick Fix for Hair Loss Is Making Some Men Sick - Uncontrolled Substances, Part 1: Subscribe and Prescribe Sign up for WSJ's free What's News newsletter. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Pressure is mounting for transparency on a “double tap” boat strike in the Caribbean that critics say may constitute a war crime. NBC News reports on how Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth is defending the administration’s actions. Trump pardoned the former Honduran president who was convicted of taking bribes from cartels that flooded the U.S. with cocaine. BBC News reports that the clemency comes as Hondurans are electing a new president. Services like 23andMe have revealed the existence of “surprise heirs” asking for a piece of the family inheritance. The Wall Street Journal’s Ashlea Ebeling explains how the development is throwing estate planning into chaos. Plus, ICE is set to crack down on Somali immigrants in Minnesota, a Republican win in Tennessee but Democrats gained ground, and why ‘Mad Men’ fans are catching some unexpected mistakes on streaming. Today’s episode was hosted by Shumita Basu.

A.M. Edition for Dec. 3. President Donald Trump rails against Somali immigrants in Minneapolis, describing them in disparaging terms ahead of an expected ICE operation. Plus, Republicans pull out a victory in Tennessee's special election – though a tighter-than-usual margin keeps Democrats fired up. And WSJ's Matthew Luxmoore unpacks how one of Russia's European neighbors is preparing for a possible invasion, as peace talks in Moscow fail to reach a deal to end the war in Ukraine. Caitlin McCabe hosts. Sign up for the WSJ's free What's News newsletter. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

P.M. Edition for Dec. 3. President Trump is closing in on his pick to succeed Jerome Powell as the Federal Reserve chair. WSJ's chief economics correspondent Nick Timiraos explains why longtime Trump adviser Kevin Hassett is winning the race. A Pentagon review found that Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth violated departmental regulations with Signalgate—but the findings suggest Hegseth didn't break the law. And WSJ's national security reporter Lara Seligman reports on why the Pentagon is deploying new drones copied from Iran's Shahed drones to the Middle East. Sabrina Siddiqui hosts. Sign up for the WSJ's free What's News newsletter. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Dividend Cafe: December 3rd Market Update and Economic Insights In this episode of Dividend Cafe, host Brian Szytel from The Bahnsen Group provides an update on stock market performance, noting gains in major indices and a rotation from growth sectors to value-oriented sectors. He discusses the impact of a Wall Street Journal article about the potential nomination of Kevin Hassett as the next Fed Chair, current Fed policies, and interest rate expectations. The episode also covers recent economic data, including a significant miss in ADP payroll numbers and better-than-expected ISM services data. Brian answers a listener question about asset allocation and rebalancing, emphasizing a customized, goals-based approach over a one-size-fits-all strategy. 00:00 Introduction and Market Overview 00:42 Fed Chair Speculations and Market Reactions 02:20 Economic Indicators and Market Impact 03:53 Ask TBG: Asset Allocation Insights 05:45 Conclusion and Final Thoughts Links mentioned in this episode: DividendCafe.com TheBahnsenGroup.com

On this Live Greatly podcast episode, Kristel Bauer sits down with cognitive psychologist, keynote speaker, and the author of Great Work: Do What Matters Most Without Sacrificing Everything Else, Dr. Amanda Crowell.  Kristel and Amanda discuss overcoming being a people pleaser, overcoming being a controller as well as how to lean into your great work.  Tune in now!  Key Takeaways From This Episode: How to overcome being a people pleaser How to overcome being a controller A look into Amanda's book, Great Work A look into the struggles in Amanda's life that led her to write this book ABOUT DR. AMANDA CROWELL Dr. Amanda Crowell is a cognitive psychologist, keynote speaker, and the author of Great Work: Do What Matters Most Without Sacrificing Everything Else, now in its 2nd edition. Amanda's TEDx talk has been viewed nearly two million times. Her work has appeared in The Wall Street Journal, NPR, Al Jazeera, Thrive Global, and MSN. She lives in New Jersey with her husband, two awesome kids, and a remarkable Newfiepoo named Ruthie.  Connect with Amanda: Order Amanda's book: https://www.amandacrowell.com/great-work  Website: https://www.amandacrowell.com/  Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dr-amanda-crowell-51188130/  Instagram:  https://www.instagram.com/aj_crowell/  About the Host of the Live Greatly podcast, Kristel Bauer: Kristel Bauer is a corporate wellness and performance expert, keynote speaker and TEDx speaker supporting organizations and individuals on their journeys for more happiness and success. She is the author of Work-Life Tango: Finding Happiness, Harmony, and Peak Performance Wherever You Work (John Murray Business November 19, 2024). With Kristel's healthcare background, she provides data driven actionable strategies to leverage happiness and high-power habits to drive growth mindsets, peak performance, profitability, well-being and a culture of excellence. Kristel's keynotes provide insights to "Live Greatly" while promoting leadership development and team building.   Kristel is the creator and host of her global top self-improvement podcast, Live Greatly. She is a contributing writer for Entrepreneur, and she is an influencer in the business and wellness space having been recognized as a Top 10 Social Media Influencer of 2021 in Forbes. As an Integrative Medicine Fellow & Physician Assistant having practiced clinically in Integrative Psychiatry, Kristel has a unique perspective into attaining a mindset for more happiness and success. Kristel has presented to groups from the American Gas Association, Bank of America, bp, Commercial Metals Company, General Mills, Northwestern University, Santander Bank and many more. Kristel has been featured in Forbes, Forest & Bluff Magazine, Authority Magazine & Podcast Magazine and she has appeared on ABC 7 Chicago, WGN Daytime Chicago, Fox 4's WDAF-TV's Great Day KC, and Ticker News. Kristel lives in the Fort Lauderdale, Florida area and she can be booked for speaking engagements worldwide. To Book Kristel as a speaker for your next event, click here. Website: www.livegreatly.co  Follow Kristel Bauer on: Instagram: @livegreatly_co  LinkedIn: Kristel Bauer Twitter: @livegreatly_co Facebook: @livegreatly.co Youtube: Live Greatly, Kristel Bauer To Watch Kristel Bauer's TEDx talk of Redefining Work/Life Balance in a COVID-19 World click here. Click HERE to check out Kristel's corporate wellness and leadership blog Click HERE to check out Kristel's Travel and Wellness Blog Disclaimer: The contents of this podcast are intended for informational and educational purposes only. Always seek the guidance of your physician for any recommendations specific to you or for any questions regarding your specific health, your sleep patterns changes to diet and exercise, or any medical conditions.  Always consult your physician before starting any supplements or new lifestyle programs. All information, views and statements shared on the Live Greatly podcast are purely the opinions of the authors, and are not medical advice or treatment recommendations.  They have not been evaluated by the food and drug administration.  Opinions of guests are their own and Kristel Bauer & this podcast does not endorse or accept responsibility for statements made by guests.  Neither Kristel Bauer nor this podcast takes responsibility for possible health consequences of a person or persons following the information in this educational content.  Always consult your physician for recommendations specific to you.

In the U.S., it's illegal to edit genes in human embryos with the intention of creating a genetically engineered baby. But according to the Wall Street Journal, Bay Area startups are focused on just that. It wouldn't be the first such baby: in 2018, a Chinese scientist announced he had altered embryos to create a baby immune from HIV. He was sentenced to prison for the illegal practice of medicine. In the US and across the globe, ethical concerns about gene editing embryos to eliminate disease and replicate certain traits like a higher IQ are raising alarms. We'll talk to experts about what is at stake and how innovations in genetic engineering are being directed. Guests: Dr. Fyodor Urnov, Professor of Molecular Therapeutics, University of California, Berkeley - Urnov is also the scientific director at its Innovative Genomics Institute (IGI) Katherine Long, reporter, investigations team, Wall Street Journal - Long's latest piece is titled "Genetically Engineered Babies Are Banned. Tech Titans Are Trying to Make One Anyway" Katie Hasson, executive director, Center for Genetics and Society Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Plus: President Trump says he doesn't want Somali immigrants in the U.S., amid reports of an ICE operation in Minneapolis. And the Trump administration calls off interviews with candidates vying to lead the Federal Reserve. Daniel Bach hosts. Sign up for WSJ's free What's News newsletter. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Plus: Payroll processor ADP says U.S. private hiring sank in November. And federal agents are fanning out across New Orleans, the latest focus of the Trump administration's immigration enforcement. Pierre Bienaimé hosts. Sign up for WSJ's free What's News newsletter. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Plus: Microsoft shares fall after a media report suggested the tech giant had cut growth targets for artificial-intelligence software sales. And stock in Dollar Tree rose after the retailer reported stronger-than-expected adjusted earnings. Danny Lewis hosts. Sign up for WSJ's free What's News newsletter. An artificial-intelligence tool assisted in the making of this episode by creating summaries that were based on Wall Street Journal reporting and reviewed and adapted by an editor. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Winner of the CTP Cup for IBIT Announcing the participants for the CTP Cup 2025 Calling a Code Red! Sam Altman’s declaration PLUS we are now on Spotify and Amazon Music/Podcasts! Click HERE for Show Notes and Links DHUnplugged is now streaming live - with listener chat. Click on link on the right sidebar. Love the Show? Then how about a Donation? Follow John C. Dvorak on Twitter Follow Andrew Horowitz on Twitter Interactive Brokers  Warm-Up - Winner of the CTP for IBIT - Announcing the participants for the CTP Cup 2025 - Calling a Code Red! Sam Altman's panic - Here come the Tariff lawsuits - - Smart Toilets are a thing (And learning the Bristol Scale) Markets - Horses can smell the barn.... Seasonal Trends - PR Teams - full throttle - (This is their Social Media) - Tax planning over the next couple of weeks may see some selling into year end Impressive Results - India's economy grew at a faster-than-expected pace of 8.2% in the quarter ended September against a forecast of 7.3% in a Reuters poll and 7.8% expansion in the previous quarter, data released last Friday showed. - The Indian government has cut consumer taxes on hundreds of items and implemented long-delayed labour reforms in the last three months as it tries to keep the domestic economy strong in the face of global uncertainties. - Strongest in 6 quarters - Economists said stockpiling for the festive season as well as expedited exports ahead of the 50% tariff deadline on August 27 might have contributed to the quarterly growth figures. - Manufacturing output rose 9.1% in the quarter ending in September from a year earlier against growth of 7.7% a quarter ago, while construction expanded 7.2% year-on-year from 7.6% a quarter ago. NVDA Spreading Out - Nvidia on Monday announced it has purchased $2 billion of Synopsys common stock as part of a strategic partnership to accelerate computing and artificial intelligence engineering solutions. - As part of the multiyear partnership, Nvidia will help Synopsys accelerate its portfolio of compute-intensive applications, advance agentic AI engineering, expand cloud access and develop joint go-to-market initiatives, according to a release. - Nvidia said it purchased Synopsys' stock at $414.79 per share (Now at $445) Amazon Ultra Fast Service - The parent company of Instacart fell nearly 4% after Amazon said it's testing “ultra-fast” delivery of groceries in Seattle and Philadelphia. - These deliveries take about 30 minutes or less, said Amazon. - Doordash and other delivery companies stocks also fell. Microstrategy - Strategy - Stock has been under pressure - Who knows what the company actully does anymore - Leverage Bitcoin play - issuing massive debt and convertibles to but Bitcoin - Stock down 39% this year and 52% 1 -year (Up 400% in the last 5 years) -Bitcoin dropped below $87k this week before staging a recovery bounce. Devil's Metal - Silver has outpaced gold in 2025, with a growth of about 71%, compared to gold's 54%. - Silver mine production has been decreasing for the past ten years, especially in Central and South America, due to mine closures, resource depletion and infrastructure challenges. - While industrial demand for silver is expected to decline slightly in 2025, the metal is increasingly used in electric vehicles, for AI components and in photovoltaics. - Some people are saying that people were having to transport silver by plane rather than on cargo ships to meet delivery demand INTERACTIVE BROKERS Check this out and find out more at: http://www.interactivebrokers.com/ Some Trump Updates: - Reiterates his view that Chair Powell should reduce rates. - Says he's negotiating with Democrats on healthcare. - Plans to give refunds out of collected tariffs. Crying Game - SoftBank Group founder Masayoshi Son on Monday downplayed the decision to offload the conglomerate's entire Nvidia stake, saying he “was crying” over parting with the shares. - Speaking at a forum in Tokyo Monday, Son addressed SoftBank's November disclosure that the firm had sold its holding in the American chip darling for $5.83 billion. - According to Son, SoftBank wouldn't have made the move if it didn't need to bankroll its next artificial intelligence investments, including a big bet on OpenAI and data center projects. Are Stocks Overvalued? CAPE RATIO Consumers... Consumer Confidence CODE RED -  Chief executive Sam Altman reportedly declared a “code red” on Monday, urging staff to improve its flagship product ChatGPT, an indicator that the startup's once-unassailable lead is eroding as competitors like Google and Anthropic close in. - In the memo, reported by the Wall Street Journal and The Information, Altman said the company will be delaying initiatives like ads, shopping and health agents, and a personal assistant, Pulse, to focus on improving ChatGPT. This includes core features like greater speed and reliability, better personalization, and the ability to answer more questions, he said. - Herein lies the problem with this entire tech market - what if ChatGPT fades to the sideline with $1.5Trillion promised over the next 5-7 years? - Remember, Google declared a Code Red after the arrival of ChatGPT. AI Takeover - Massachusetts Institute of Technology on Wednesday released a study that found that artificial intelligence can already replace 11.7% of the U.S. labor market, or as much as $1.2 trillion in wages across finance, health care and professional services. - The study was conducted using a labor simulation tool called the Iceberg Index, which was created by MIT and Oak Ridge National Laboratory. - The index simulates how 151 million U.S. workers interact across the country and how they are affected by AI and corresponding policy. Costco Sues - Costco filed a lawsuit asking for a full refund of tariffs the warehouse club giant has paid since President Donald Trump imposed “reciprocal” and “fentanyl” tariffs earlier this year. - Costco sued the Trump administration to get a full refund of new tariffs it paid so far this year, and to block those import duties from continuing to be collected from the retail warehouse club giant as a Supreme Court case plays out. - Costco is worried that it would lose the money even if the Tariffs were deemed illegal. Fat Cutting -  Eli Lilly said it is lowering the cash prices of single-dose vials of its blockbuster weight loss drug Zepbound on its direct-to-consumer platform, LillyDirect. - Starting Dec. 1, cash-paying patients with a valid prescription can pay $299 to $449 per month for Zepbound vials on LillyDirect, depending on the dose, down from a previous range of $349 to $499 per month. - The announcement comes just weeks after President Donald Trump inked deals with Eli Lilly and Novo Nordisk to make their GLP-1 drugs easier for Americans to access and afford. Smart Toilets - This year industry giants Toto Ltd. and Kohler Co. introduced smart toilets capable of analyzing what is in the bowl - Launched in August, the latest model in the Neorest line starts at roughly $3,200. - It uses an LED light and a sensor to read the shape, color, hardness and volume of stool as it drops, and sends data to a smartphone app in less than a minute. - Each toilet can support as many as six users — enough for most households — while some companies have bought multiple units for their employees. Toto aims to sell 7,300 units annually by 2028. - For now the stool-scanning Neorest is available only in Japan. - The app analyzes bowel movements against the Bristol scale, which is commonly used to diagnose constipation, inflammation or diarrhea, and offers simple recommendations such as eating more fiber and drinking more water, or even menu suggestions, like vegetable soup. Bristol Scale Feel Good - Entrepreneur Michael Dell and his wife, Susan, will deposit $250 in the individual investment accounts of 25 million American children in a $6.25 billion philanthropic pledge as part of the Trump administration's Invest America initiative. - $250 each child born after between 2015 and 2025 - The money will go to the accounts of children who live in ZIP codes where the median family's income is $150,000 or less, according to a spokesperson for the Dells. Love the Show? Then how about a Donation? Announcing the Winner for iShares Bitcoin Trust ETF (IBIT) Winners will be getting great stuff like the new "OFFICIAL" DHUnplugged Shirt! CTP CUP 2025 Here is the list of players: Jim Beaver Mike Kazmierczak Joe Metzger Ken Degel David Martin Dean Wormell Neil Larion Mary Lou Schwarzer Eric Harvey (2024 Winner) FED AND CRYPTO LIMERICKS See this week's stock picks HERE Follow John C. Dvorak on Twitter Follow Andrew Horowitz on Twitter

An escalating artificial intelligence race between China and the U.S. is drawing comparisons to the Cold War, and is likely to be just as consequential. As the technology barrels ahead from ChatGPT to DeepSeek and beyond, the competition is now primarily focused on advanced computer chips, but some worry that the race to innovate will lead to loosening safety regulations. WSJ's Josh Chin explains China's strategy to Ryan Knutson. Further Listening: - CoreWeave, the Company Riding the AI Boom - Is the AI Boom… a Bubble? - What's the Worst AI Can Do? This Team Is Finding Out. Sign up for WSJ's free What's News newsletter. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices