Podcasts about Westgate

Hello! And welcome to season 15 of the Dana Gould Hour Podcast. Fasten your enthusiasm harness, we are blasting off again. Mark Malkoff has a new book entitled Love, Johnny Carson: One Obsessive Fan's Journey To Find The Genius Behind The Legend. Johnny Carson is so larger than life now it's important to sometimes take a step back and appreciate his accomplishment. Unlike today, when there are 8,000 channels, and three network late night talk shows. Johnny Carson hosted The Tonight Show when there were around ten channels total and one, count 'em, one late night talk show, which he hosted for 30 years. He interviewed over 25,000 guests, navigated America's cultural conversation from President Kennedy through President Clinton. Mark's book covers the debuts of then-unknown comedians who are now household names. He talks about Johnny's feuds, and he had some. There were periods of time when William Shatner and Orson Welles were banned from the show. But Mark's book is very affectionate. It's honest without being exploitive. It dishes a lot of dirt but it's never bitchy, I can't recommend it enough. Mark Malkoff. Right here. In the human flesh.  The second interview is with two dudes who have written extensively about two films from a very special time in American cinema-going. Back in the 70's, you see, before cable and VHS tapes and streaming, if you wanted to see a movie, you had to wait and catch it on television. And if you wanted to see it uncut, you had to find it playing in a movie theater. And that's it. Because of this, more people went to more movies more often. And, since this was before multiplexes, movie theaters were more random. You didn't have 16 screens in one building. You had sixteen different movie theaters scattered around town.  John Gaspar has written a book about a very strange event at one such theater in one of my favorite cities in the goddamn world, and yours too, Minneapolis, Minnesota. The book is called Held Over: Harold And Maude At The Westgate Theater and it tells the story of Hal Ashby's 1971 black comedy Harold and Maude, that starred Ruth Gordon and Bud Cort, that ran for two years at the Westgate in the Minneapolis suburb of Edina. The film ran for so long, the neighbors protested, demanding a new movie! It's a terrific book about what movie going in America used to be like, before the multiplexes took over. John and I are joined by Ari Kahan, who is the archivist of The Swan Archives, which is I can best describe as a labyrinthine database covering all things pertaining to 1974's Brian DePalma cult classic, Phantom Of The Paradise. Don't know too much about Phantom Of The Paradise you say? No worries, you will by the time we get there, True Tales From Weirdsville takes us on a deep dive inside that mid 70's glam-rock Faustian gem, Phantom Of The Paradise.

Munaf Manji and Steve Fezzik talk Super Bowl 60. RJ Bell joins on Friday for Part 2. Munaf Manji opened the episode by announcing a limited time promotional offer for listeners, providing a seven day all access pass at Pregame.com with an additional twenty dollar discount using the code SLASH20, bringing the price down to seventy nine dollars. He highlighted recent performance from Greg Shaker and Steve Fezzik before transitioning into a wide ranging discussion with Fezzik focused on Super Bowl betting, particularly the evolution and current state of proposition wagers. Fezzik explained how prop betting gained prominence during the 1985 Bears Super Bowl and later became a defining feature of the Imperial Palace sportsbook under Jay Kornegay, eventually carrying over to the Westgate where large scale prop menus became a signature offering. He noted that while Westgate historically led the market, other sportsbooks now release props earlier and with increasing sophistication, reducing edge opportunities. Fezzik described how early release timing, pricing discipline, and market copying have changed over the years, emphasizing that modern props are far more efficient and difficult to beat consistently. The discussion shifted to strategy, with Fezzik cautioning against chasing longshot novelty bets and instead favoring lower variance positions, particularly minus priced props that align with game flow. He explained the importance of volatility and market movement, arguing that early bets that move significantly create opportunities for scalps or middles later in the cycle. Using quarterback rushing and passing yard props as examples, he stressed that failure of popular overs to rise is often a signal the under is correct. Manji and Fezzik also discussed specific wagers they liked, including second half scoring props based on historical trends of higher second half and fourth quarter scoring in Super Bowls, as well as selective player props tied to usage and game state rather than narrative. Fezzik shared that he prefers betting structural advantages such as time of possession, first downs, or quarter specific scoring instead of attempting to perfectly script the outcome of the game. The conversation then turned to practical advice for bettors traveling to Las Vegas, with strong recommendations to use mobile apps to avoid long lines and to favor recreational sportsbooks for better late numbers. Fezzik suggested Westgate and South Point as affordable and well run viewing locations for the game, while cautioning against overpriced sportsbook seating elsewhere. He also noted that March Madness often provides a superior overall betting experience compared to the Super Bowl due to volume, weather, and sustained action. The episode concluded with best bets for the show, highlighted by Fezzik's recommendation of second half over twenty two and a half points, and a reminder that disciplined bankroll management is essential because the Super Bowl remains just one game despite the hype surrounding it. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Munaf Manji and Steve Fezzik talk Super Bowl 60. RJ Bell joins on Friday for Part 2. Munaf Manji opened the episode by announcing a limited time promotional offer for listeners, providing a seven day all access pass at Pregame.com with an additional twenty dollar discount using the code SLASH20, bringing the price down to seventy nine dollars. He highlighted recent performance from Greg Shaker and Steve Fezzik before transitioning into a wide ranging discussion with Fezzik focused on Super Bowl betting, particularly the evolution and current state of proposition wagers. Fezzik explained how prop betting gained prominence during the 1985 Bears Super Bowl and later became a defining feature of the Imperial Palace sportsbook under Jay Kornegay, eventually carrying over to the Westgate where large scale prop menus became a signature offering. He noted that while Westgate historically led the market, other sportsbooks now release props earlier and with increasing sophistication, reducing edge opportunities. Fezzik described how early release timing, pricing discipline, and market copying have changed over the years, emphasizing that modern props are far more efficient and difficult to beat consistently. The discussion shifted to strategy, with Fezzik cautioning against chasing longshot novelty bets and instead favoring lower variance positions, particularly minus priced props that align with game flow. He explained the importance of volatility and market movement, arguing that early bets that move significantly create opportunities for scalps or middles later in the cycle. Using quarterback rushing and passing yard props as examples, he stressed that failure of popular overs to rise is often a signal the under is correct. Manji and Fezzik also discussed specific wagers they liked, including second half scoring props based on historical trends of higher second half and fourth quarter scoring in Super Bowls, as well as selective player props tied to usage and game state rather than narrative. Fezzik shared that he prefers betting structural advantages such as time of possession, first downs, or quarter specific scoring instead of attempting to perfectly script the outcome of the game. The conversation then turned to practical advice for bettors traveling to Las Vegas, with strong recommendations to use mobile apps to avoid long lines and to favor recreational sportsbooks for better late numbers. Fezzik suggested Westgate and South Point as affordable and well run viewing locations for the game, while cautioning against overpriced sportsbook seating elsewhere. He also noted that March Madness often provides a superior overall betting experience compared to the Super Bowl due to volume, weather, and sustained action. The episode concluded with best bets for the show, highlighted by Fezzik's recommendation of second half over twenty two and a half points, and a reminder that disciplined bankroll management is essential because the Super Bowl remains just one game despite the hype surrounding it. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Boredom feels unpleasant, but that may be the point. Psychologist Dr. Erin Westgate joins us to explain why boredom is a signal rather than a flaw, how meaning and attention shape it, and what it can teach us about work, burnout, and living a psychologically rich life. Topics [0:00] Intro and Speed Round with Erin Westgate [8:05] Do we think for pleasure? [13:11] Why men would rather shock themselves than be bored [15:50] The MAC model [25:23] Is boredom useful? [29:07] Enjoyable vs. interesting experiences [31:51] Can a boring life still be a good life? [39:58] Boredom and burnout at work  [49:39] Is boredom good or bad? [52:38] Designing better environments for bored people [58:31] Desert island music [1:02:17] Grooving Session: Boredom and meaning in life ©2026 Behavioral Grooves Links About Erin A Psychologically Rich Life: Beyond Happiness and Meaning Join us on Substack! Join the Behavioral Grooves community Subscribe to Behavioral Grooves on YouTube Support Behavioral Grooves Musical Links Patty Scialfa - Rumble Doll Beethoven - Symphony No.7 in A major op.92 - II, Allegretto

For the first regular episode of the year (excepting our New Year's recap) we take a look at the New Year Traditions at Temmu's court.  How did the court celebrate the New Year in the late 7th century? For more, check out our blogpost:  https://sengokudaimyo.com/podcast/episode-141 Rough Transcript: Welcome to Sengoku Daimyo's Chronicles of Japan.  My name is Joshua and this is episode 141: Temmu's New Year's Traditions   The chill winter air meant that most of the assembled crowd had donned multiple layers of robes.  Men and women had assembled together, upon the open, rock-covered courtyard, both to see and be seen.  To the north and east of the courtyard were the walls and gates of the buildings that made up the royal palace, the rooves of the buildings just visible beyond the gates. The onlookers stood arrayed around the open lanes that had been created for the event—at one end of the rocky field were targets, while at the other were archers, also arrayed in their finest outfits.  While technically they wore hunting robes, cut to allow greater movement in the arm, many of these fabrics had no business being anywhere near a moor or the dirt of open fields.  After all, this wasn't just some hunt:  They were demonstrating their skills in the center of the State.  At the officials' command, the archers let loose their arrows.  The crowd murmured at the soft crack of the bowstring, the faint whisper of arrow as the fletchings cut through the air, and the thud as the arrows struck their targets.  Looking downrange, approval bubbled through the crowd: the targets were well-struck.  Behind the archers on the field, another group awaited their turn. The events of the day would be the talk of the court, from the lowest clerk to the highest prince , for days to come.   Not just the well-placed shot, but also the grace and poise of the one who had let loose an arrow of particular note.  And heaven forbid an arrow miss its target.  Even kicking up stones or scraping the earth could have negative social consequences.  A particularly good showing could inspire poetry, and beyond the prizes being offered to the winner, could also bring notice to those from more obscure backgrounds. The new year had just started, and a good performance might be just what was needed to help put the rest of the year on a good footing.     Welcome back!  This is the first episode of the new year, 2026, and we are still going through the reign of Ohoama, aka Temmu Tenno, covering the period from 672 to 686. Before we get started, though, a quick shout out to Suzuki for supporting us on Patreon.  It means a lot and helps us keep this thing going.  If you would like to support us or our efforts to maintain the website, where we also have the Armor manual, clothing, and a miscellany on various topics, we have information at Sengokudaimyo.com and we will have more information at the end of this and every episode.  Support is appreciated as I really do want to try and minimize ads—I don't put any into the podcast myself, though some platforms may place ads around the podcast, which I cannot always control.  Now we've covered a lot this reign, but this episode we are going to cover three things in particular.  First off, and perhaps a bit of a tangent, we'll talk about some of the issues with the Chronicles when it comes to reading it,especially in translation.  It seems quite clear to me that even the sources that the Chroniclers were using weren't always in agreement with each other on how they spelled certain things or even in properly recording when things happened. After that we'll cover the major topics of this episode, focusing primarily on the New Year traditions of the court—we'll look at the major events of the first month for each year in the reign, allowing us to see some of the similarities, and differences. Finally, we'll look at the last year of Ohoama's reign, particularly as he grew ill, because it can be a fascinating question:  What did people do when disease struck before we had modern medicine?  Here the Chronicles reveal a lot about not only the beliefs of the time, but of their syncretism: how people were willing to reach out to whatever power they could in order to cure disease.  Whether it was Yin-yang divination, beseeching the local kami, or attempting to make merit, all of these things were on the table when it came to illness and mortality. And so, let's get into it. One of the first things I want to talk about is the problem that we have in trying to read the Chronicles, both in the way they are written and then the translation issue on top of that.  Even in Japanese the Chronicles have to be translated out of an ancient form of kanbun—basically a Japanese version of Chinese, using Sinitic characters.  Like any document written by non-native speakers, the Chronicles have their idiosyncrasies that make it different from what someone in Chang'an might be writing at the same time.  There are times and places where it is clear that something is meant to be read in the Japanese pronunciation, which itself was different from modern Japanese.  Add to this the fact that there are many times that different Sinitic characters sound alike in Japanese—especially in modern Japanese.  So any English translation of the Chronicles which doesn't give the actual characters in the source text can add to the confusion.  This is why I like to consult either the Japanese Historical Text Initiative or an electronic version of the National History series text—though even those have issues at times when the characters used in the text don't exist in modern character sets, though that seems to be less and less of a problem. One example I want to give of the complexities of reading the Chronicles, and the need to dive deeper into the original language and consult multiple versions, is a set of records for Ki no Omi no Abemaro and others.  He is our first mention of a member of the Ki family: on the 9th day of the 8th month of 673, the first year since Ohoama's ascension and one year after the Jinshin no Ran, we are told that Ki no Omi no Abemaro and others were given favors and rewards for their service during the war in Iga province.  Indeed, Ki no Omi no Abemaro is listed prominently in the records of the Jinshin no Ran and appears to have been one of the generals for Ohoama and the Yoshino faction in general.  Less than a year later, on the 28th day of the 2nd month, Ki no Omi no Abemaro died and was posthumously awarded the rank of Daishi, which was 5th from the top in the old system of 26 ranks.  A rather respectable rank, to be sure. Later that same year we get a note that Ki no Omi no KATAmaro—another member of the family, apparently--was appointed, along with a "Prince Mino" as a commissioner for the erection of the Great Temple of Takechi. Two years later, however, we get a record on the 22nd day of the 4th month of 676 that the sovereign, Ohoama, sent an order to the Governor of Mino telling him to let the children of Ki no Omi no Abemaro, resident in the district of Toki, be removed to the East country and become peasants in that country.  On the face of it, this appears to be an incredible fall from grace.  Ki no Omi no Abemaro is basically one of the top generals and heroes of the Jinshin no Ran, but his children are so unruly that they are banished to the East and stripped of their noble status?  There has to be a story there, right? Then in 679, on the 3rd day of the 2nd month, we are told that Ki no Omi no Katamaro died.  For his service in the Jinshin War he received the posthumous rank of Upper Daikin.  That would have been roughly the 7th rank—two below Ki no Abemaro.  So was the Ki family back in the good graces of the court?  What is going on? First off, when we go to the original text, we see that Aston, whose translation of the Nihon Shoki we've been working on Ihas made an apparent error in translation.  Remember, Aston was translating the Chronicles back in 1896, without the aid of modern computers, along with a lot of other research that has happened since then, and I can hardly fault him for missing things here and there.  This is why, if you cannot check the original, you may want to also look at the new translation from John Bentley.  Here we can see that he translates the name not as "Ki no Omi no Abemaro", but rather that of "Ki no Omi no KASAmaro".  And if we compare Ki no Omi no KaSAmaro with the previous entry on Ki no Omi no KaTAmaro we can see that these are actually the exact same names except for a single character.  Which leads us to the question:  Are these the same person, and the scribes simply miswrote one of the characters in the name?  It may not even be on the Chroniclers so much as whatever texts they were, themselves, working on.  This isn't helped by the fact that we later on see another entry for Ki no KATAmaro, but that one uses character for "KATA", meaning "hard", using the kun'yomi, or Japanese reading, rather than using two phonetic characters in the on'yomi reading.  So is this just another way to write "KATAmaro" or is this a different person altogether? Ultimately, we cannot be entirely sure.  It does seem wild that there would be two "Ki no Omi no Katamaro" at court at the same time and nobody otherwise distinguished the two.  The question about KaSAmaro and KaTAmaro, and whose kids were sent into exile, is a bit harder to untangle. And, truth be told, it is ultimately a minor point.  We have only a couple of lines here, and maybe these passages will help illuminate something later in the histories, but for now, they are just fragments of the story of what was happening.  Parts of the tattered tapestry from which the royal history was ripped out and restitched together, the rest of the story largely discarded, unless it made its way to us through other means. The Chronicles may be flawed, but they are still our main source for the period, and while we might challenge individual items, we still get a glimpse at how things operated back at this time.  For instance, if we look at the events happening around the New Year, we can see some common threads. The New Year is an important tradition in many cultures.  Whether it was a solar or lunar cycle—or some combination—the new year indicated a new cycle, and was often accompanied by associated symbols and rituals.  Today in the US it is often celebrated with fireworks and champagne, followed by making resolutions for the new year.  In Japan, people will often go to their local shrine or temple for an important first visit, and temple bells will ring out 108 times. Another tradition is the osechi-ryori, the  traditional new years foods.  This has grown over time from a tradition of eating a large bowl of rice to various other foods that are seen as auspicious or having special properties, such as the hardening of teeth—a major concern before the era of modern dental hygiene!  Then there are traditions such as the Kagami Biraki, or opening of the mirror, and the creation of special mochi, or rice cakes for the purpose.  Of course all of these traditions started somewhere and have evolved over time, so what do we know about the New Year celebrations during the late 7th century? One caveat: in the Chronicles, we only really see what was happening in the court, and the Yamato court at that.  There may have been local traditions that others were following that, unless we find documentation about them, we likely would never know.  But many of the court traditions were passed down to later generations. These traditions appear to include the giving of gifts; large, celebratory banquets; and the annual archery tournament. Banquets are some of the first and most common things we see.  We see a banquet as Ohoama assumed the throne in 673—which probably was the event that overshadowed anything else they might have done that year.  The following year, 674, there doesn't seem to have been much recorded, and I wonder if they were still pulling everything together after the turmoil of Ohoama's ascension.  And so it is that in the first month of 675 we really get to see the annual new year's events in their full form.  On the second day of that year, from the Royal Princes on down, all of the public functionaries presented their respects to the sovereign.  I suspect that this was a large ceremony, where everyone gathered in the courtyard of the palace together or something similar, not that each person individually went up and presented their respects—I doubt Ohoama would have wanted to sit through all of that.  Also, as we've already seen, there were limits on what parts of the palace different functionaries were allowed to enter.  So some of these well-wishers may have been "outside", others in the courtyard, and others in the palace building itself, depending on their rank and importance in the bureaucratic hierarchy. On the following day, all public functionaries, from the initial rank upwards, presented firewood.  Aston notes that this is the first mention of what would become a yearly practice.  Firewood may not seem like much, but it would have likely been important to keeping things running, especially given how early people were supposed to arrive at the palace and administrative complex each day.  This wasn't firewood for a fireplace—they didn't have those—but probably would have been used either for cooking or, I suspect, for the large braziers that burned with wood and pitch to light the darkness, particularly in the winter months.  Firewood could also be processed into smaller pieces of coal for other uses.  It is interesting that for the first ceremony, the Chronicles describe the court from the Royal Princes on down, while for the giving of firewood the order is from the initial—which is to say the lowest—ranks upwards.  This could indicate the order in which things progressed in these cases. Several days after that, on the 7th day of the first month, a banquet was given at court for the Ministers—so only the higher ranking functionaries.  But ten days later, on the 17th, everyone of rank—the Ministers of State; the Daibu, or high officials; and all of the public functionaries from the initial rank upwards had an archery meeting in the Court of the Western Gate. Archery and archery contests had been important to the Yamato people for ages—and the same on the continent.  Confucius, in his day, suggested that archery was a martial skill that even nobles should cultivate.  I believe we've noted before how archery could be used both for warfare and for just feeding your family.  As such, it was considered a particularly useful skill for just about everyone to have.  It probably also helped that it was a martial skill that noblemen and others could use to show off without actually risking any injury to themselves in the process.  I'm just saying.  And as we described at the top of the episode, this particular archery contest would, for both participants and spectators, likely have been a chance to show off the top of their game, whether in martial prowess, clothing, or behavior. And since we are looking at the new year's celebrations, let's keep this going and look at later years in Ohoama's reign. As I go through these you'll start to see the patterns, where the events I've just described will generally recur year after year, but not identically, sometimes with a shuffle in the schedule. In 676, we see that the Ministers and public functionaries pay their respects on the first day of the new year.  On the 4th day, the sovereign granted gifts to the higher level officials, from Royal Prince Takechi, down to the high officials, or Daibu, of Shoukin rank.  Their not so secret Santa gifts included robes, hakama, lined garments, obi for their waist, leg straps, and staves, or walking sticks.  We are also told that everyone above the rank of Shoukin also got an armrest thrown in, as well.  Further gifts or grants were given out several days later, on the 7th, to everyone from Shoukin on up, based on their individual circumstances.  Then, on the 15th, we again see all of the functionaries present firewood and then they were all entertained at a court banquet. The following day they held the annual new year's archery contest, with prizes, at the court of the western gate.  Those who hit the target received prizes of different values.  In his recent translation of the Nihon Shoki, Bentley references Kuroita on Article 41 of Miscellaneous Statutes, saying that this archery event was apparently a regular new year's occurrence, and even the prizes were noted as varying over time. The same day they held the archery contest, that year, Ohoama held a banquet at the Shima Palace.  Shima was the name given to the Soga Prime Minister, back in the day, so I assume that this was at or near the site of the old Soga residence? In 677, by comparison, we don't see nearly as much referenced.  There is archery at the South Gate, vice the west gate, but that is it.  The festivities in 678 similarly only talk about the archery at the south gate.  There is also mention of a preparation for worshipping the kami of heaven and earth, for which a purification was held throughout the state.  In addition, an abstinence palace, or saiguu, was erected on the bank of the Kurahashi river.  Kurahashi appears to refer to a tributary of the Ohara river, in Sakurai.  This feels less like a New Year's celebration, however, and more like a sign of merit-making.  The Saiguu would have likely been to prepare for a trip to Ise shrine, and three months later Ohoama was preparing to go to the Saiguu, but that is when Princess Towochi suddenly died, and they scuttled the plans. In 679, the court greeted the New Year with a new decree.  Ohoama declared that Princes, Ministers, and public functionaries—anyone in service to the government, basically, were to refrain from paying respects during New Years or other ceremonies to anyone except relatives of the grade of elder brother, elder sister, and above, or to the senior members of the Houses.  Princes weren't even to pay respects to their own mothers unless they were, themselves, princesses.  Ministers were likewise not to pay respects to their mothers if they were of "mean" rank.  In other words, if they were commoners. These kinds of statutes are interesting.  First of all, you ask yourself why?  In all likelihood, there were various local traditions and individuals paid respects to their parents as well as to others to whom they owed respect for one reason or another.  Here the State is ordering society such that there is a clear hierarchy, at least among the members of the court.   Since women often found advancement by marrying up, it was usual for one's mother to have been born a lower rank in society than oneself.  And so we see them enforcing the social order. That new order was based on Confucian concepts of hierarchy, and this seems to go along with those same ideas. What we don't really see is how this was enforced—if at all.  The day after that, the yearly archery competition took place at the West Gate of the palace. The next year, 680, we see a New Year's Banquet at the Court of the Great Hall.  Ohoama himself occupied the Mukai-kodono, which appears to refer to one of the smaller wings.  Based on the palace layout that we see in the posthole remains, this probably means that he was set up in the smaller wing, likely in a more intimate space, while most of the other guests were in the large hall, maintaining that crucial separation of sovereign and subjects. This New Year's archery event included Princes of the Blood all the way down to the rank of Shouken—the very lowest rank in the court—and it was held at the South Gate. You may be noticing a pattern, that the archery competition is listed as being held at either the south or west gates.  The south gate probably refers to the main gate of the later Okamoto—aka the Kiyomihara—palace.  The West gate refers to the west gate of the Ebinoko enclosure.   We talked about these and the general layout of the palace back in Episode 134, and you can check out that podcast blog post for some images of what things looked like, as well.  These gates were on the north and east sides of a large, rectangular courtyard, which was likely the actual event location.  So it isn't as if these were separate areas, just a difference of where things were set up in what was otherwise the same relative space. The following year, 681, we see similar ceremonies.  We see offerings made to the kami of Heaven and Earth, and we once again see a note about various functionaries paying their respects at court.  Even though this wasn't mentioned every year, it could have been an annual thing and just wasn't always recorded so the Chroniclers just wrote down what they had records for.  There are certainly other things we don't necessarily witness in the records, such as the annual promotions and promulgations.  We see irregular promotions, of course, such as on someone's passing, but the regular administration of the government and promotions of people to new positions is not something we really see regularly documented, since it doesn't really shed much light on the sovereign and the royal household.  And so we sometimes see things if they get mentioned, but otherwise we only see glimpses.  That would change as records became more administrative and the histories were more about simply recording what was happening—though still from a particular angle.  At this point, however, we aren't dealing with a single court record, but rather with numerous records, stories, and recollections.  That same year, 681, we also see another banquet, with Ohoama situated in the Mukai no Kodono, while the Princes of the Blood and non-royal Princes were both introduced into the inner reception chamber.  Ministers attended in the outer reception chamber.  They all received sake and musical performances, and rank advancements were given out.  Kusakabe no Kihi no Ohogata was graduated from the rank of Upper Daisen to Lower Daikin, and given the title of Naniwa no Muraji.  A few days later, Sakahibe no Muraji no Iwazumi was granted a fief with 60 horses and received presents of coarse silk, floss silk, cloth, and one hundred mattocks—the last one being a rather interesting gift, I have to admit.  Of course, in true Chronicles fashion, we have no idea why these gifts were made—we don't even have another reference to Iwazumi around there, but he must have done something. We are later told that there was the annual archery shoot, and then a decree, possibly unrelated to New Years, that the various provinces were ordered to repair the shrines to the kami of heaven and earth. The year 682 is an anomaly.  There is no mention of a banquet, nor of an archery tournament.  I wonder if this may have to do with some of the sad events of that first month.  While it started fine—Toneri no Miyatsuko no Nukamushi was raised from Daisen to Lower Shoukin—we are told that on the 18th, Lady Higami, one of Ohoama's consorts, died in the palace.  The next day there was an earthquake, and she was buried on the 27th.  A prominent illness and death may have put a pall on the ceremonies, and could explain why we don't see any mention of them for that year. It is also possible that some of this New Year tradition had become so routine that people were no longer commenting on it, and therefore the Chroniclers weren't including references to it. The following year, in 683, we again see the functionaries paying their respects.  We also see the presentation of a three legged sparrow by the Viceroy of Tsukushi, Tajihi no Mabito no Shima, along with others.  A three legged sparrow would have been something: it is reminiscent of the three legged crow, often depicted in the sun.  It is unclear if it was still alive, but that wasn't the point.  They invited the Princes of the Blood down to the Ministers to great hall, the Daigokuden, for a banquet, where the three legged sparrow was displayed. .  Later that month, Ohoama issued a decree in regards to all of the auspicious omens and made presents to everyone, from Shouken rank upwards.  There was also a general amnesty—all crimes were pardoned, from capital offenses on down, and all forced labor was remitted, so that people didn't have to provide the normal service.  The phrasing for this particular entry is intriguing.  Ohoama is mentioned as Yamato Neko Sumera no Mikoto and is specifically called a "God Incarnate".  This is one of the rare times that we see the Chronicles explicitly call out the sovereign as a living deity.  Of course, they trace the royal lineage back to Amaterasu, but there isn't a lot suggesting that the sovereign is necessarily a deity. And in reality, this was probably something that was more honorific than anything else.  Heck, at times in Japanese history we would see sovereigns selling their calligraphy to help keep the royal palace funded while warriors went around actually being in charge of things.  However, this divine language did show up in the 19th and 20th century, especially as the Tennou, now called Emperor in English terminology, once again was recognized as the Head of State, and people would actually pray to him.  Not necessarily like praying at a shrine, but out of respect.  And remember, a lot of time the Tennou was kept out of sight of regular people and hidden, much like the way that the kami were treated.  The concept of the Emperor's divinity was very much tied up in the elevation of the State and the general sense of Nationalism that had gripped Japan in the early half of the 20th century.  And so the allies quite explicitly had Emperor Showa renounce his divinity after Japan  World War II. Those studying Japanese history have probably heard of this concept, and so it is interesting to see evidence of it here, as well as the nature of the royal house, where the sovereign is kept at a distance from those of lower rank, unless they are directly serving him.  But it was not as though the sovereign was a god in the sense of being all powerful.  Even if he were considered a living, visible kami, the kami were not omnipotent, and there was no getting over the fact that our particular sovereign, Ohoama, was getting older.  Only a year or so earlier, he had suffered a rather bad illness, so he clearly was not invincible.  And it is of course possible that this language was simply royal exaggeration, rather than any attempt to define the sovereign as something more than he was.  Still, that concept would continue to play a part throughout Japanese history. The same day in 683 that Ohoama issued the pardons, we are told that there was a special performance at the Woharida Court of dance and music from Goguryeo, Baekje, and Silla—the "Three Countries" of the Korean peninsula, even if only one of them was still going strong.  The Woharida palace is thought to have been north, along the banks of the Asuka River.  It may have been moved over time—there appears to have been a palace in the Furumiya area, near Toyoura, but there is also evidence of a palace by a shared name over by Ikazuchi-no-oka, on the other side of the river.  Excavations at Ikazuchi no oka revealed pottery with the name of the palace, suggesting that this was the site, but even then, that pottery was from the later Tempyo era.  Regardless, it seems that the Asuka valley was just chock full of palaces, new and old, though the older ones were not as regularly used for government functions, one assumes. The following year, 684, we again get told about the annual archery shoot.  It took place in the Eastern court this time, with Ministers in attendance.  Apparently they had men skilled in archery shooting alongside palace attendants and little people—the word used in Japanese is "Shuju" or "Hikihito".  This word is often translated as "dwarf"; it appears to be a derogatory term for anyone considered short of stature, though it is also used to refer more generally to those seen as either lacking wit or to actors and performers. This isn't the first time we see the term.  Back in 675, about 9 years prior, Ohoama had sent orders to a number of regions near the capital, from Awaji to Tamba, to Afumi and to Mino and Wohari, among others, to send as tribute common people who could sing, shuju—or dwarfs—and jugglers.  More generally they seem to be referring to entertainers, and it strikes me that could be what is meant here.  Either way, the entertainment industry was hardly a lucrative one, and we can see that performers are almost more of a commodity, to be "paid" as tribute, rather than a professional who is "hired" to work.  I suspect that, as in many other times and places, individuals who were shorter than average often found work as entertainers in this sense—whether they wished it or not. The year 685 we don't see any mention of archery, though it probably still happened.  Instead the Chronicles focus on the various government officials paying their respects to their sovereign.  The rest of the entries for the month are largely concerned with changes to the rank system as of that year. The year 686, we get the last records of various new years festivals—four months later, the sovereign would grow terribly ill, and he would eventually pass away later that year.  However, for those still celebrating the new year in 686, that was all in the future. The last year of Ohoama's reign started out relatively like others. Ohoama went to the Daigokuden, the Great Hall of Audience, and gave a banquet to the Princes and High Officials.  There he decided to have something of a riddle challenge.  He would ask riddles, and then offer prizes for the correct answer. And no, unfortunately we don't have any of the riddles, at least that I have seen.  Aston calls these "conundrums" and notes that they are specifically nonsensical questions, and provides examples such as "Why does a horse, after a rapid run, listen to the earth? Why does a dog, when he goes slowly, raise his leg?"  Ohoama's son, Prince Takechi, answered correctly, and so did Prince Ise.  Their prizes differed in content, but in both cases were pretty extensive.  The winners received ceremonial robes, brocade or purple hakama, numerous bolts of coarse silk, many pounds of thread, hundreds of pounds of flossed Silk, and hundreds of bolts of cloth. I think that makes it quite a bit more lucrative than any of the quiz nights I've ever been to. Later that month, there was another banquet, this time for nine Buddhist monks of Daikan-daiji. Besides its status as a national temple, this may have also been related to the year before, when Ohoama had fallen ill, and prayers had been offered at Daikandaiji for his recovery.  The courthad likewise provided gifts to the temple in the last month of the previous year, and then, at the banquet, gave to the attending monks silk and cloth, based on their rank. But that wasn't the end of the gifts.  The following day the Princes and High Officials all received upper garments and hakama—likely referring to official garments—each getting one suit, each. Then, on the 13th day of the new year, the court invited 20 exceptional individuals to a banquet.  These were talented people, professors, divination specialists, and physicians.  They were also wined and dined and presented various gifts. On the 16th day, the Princes and High Officials were then invited to a banquet in the Daigokuden.  They were given gifts of silk and cloth, based on their rank.  Then they held another riddle competition, with correct answers rewarded with gifts of coarse and flossed silk. This was only a short time after disaster had struck, though a bit removed—two days earlier, in the evening, the royal storehouse at Naniwa had caught fire, eventually burning the entire Toyosaki palace complex to the ground.  Some claimed that it was actually started at a private residence,  that of Ato no Muraji no Kusuri, and then spread to the Palace.  In the end, only the military storehouse was spared. This would have been quite the tragedy for the government, but it did not halt the festivities happening down in Asuka.  The Naniwa Palace appears to have been a major government center for the administration of the state, but it was not the royal court which had been in Asuka for over a decade.  Indeed, I imagine that the news probably reached Asuka around the time of the Banquet itself. And yet, rather than putting a damper on the festivities, they continued another couple of days – presumably everything was already prepared and there was no point in canceling.  On the 17th, the court sponsored a banquet in the rear palace, presumably for the Queen and members of the imperial family.  Then the following day there was a great revel at the palace.  Ohoama took his place in front of the royal muro and made presents to performers, as well as to the singers.  As before everything varied according to rank. Asuka wasn't the only place to get in on the festivities.  The same month, the court also sponsored a banquet for the Silla envoys in Tsukushi, sending Prince Kawachi and others. Regrettably, that would be the last new year that Ohoama would see.  In the fifth month, he grew ill, and what we see in the Chronicles after that is an interesting look into how people of the time dealt with sickness. First, the court had the Sutra of Yakushi expounded at Kawaradera and held a Buddhist retreat in the palace, inviting monks to come and expound Buddhist teachings.  Yakushi, or Yakushi Nyorai—Bhaisajyaguru in Sanskrit—was known as the Medicine Buddha, and his name in Sinitic characters was basically "Master of Medicine".  It is said that he was responsible for the Eastern Pure Land, and that, as a Bodhisattva, he had made 12 great vows to cure the illnesses of all living beings in the world.  For that reason, Yakushi Nyorai was often called upon to cure illness.  In fact, six years earlier, when the Queen, Uno no Sarara Hime, had taken ill, Ohoama erected an entire temple to Yakushi Nyorai, known as Yakushiji.  He then had 100 people take vows as priests, and they attributed her recovery to this effort. In this case, however, it seems that it didn't have quite such an effect, and Ohoama remained under the weather.  We are also told that the court sent Palace Attendants, the Oho-toneri, to clean the pagodas of various temples and that a general amnesty was announced for all under heaven, emptying the prisons.  All of this points to the idea of making merit in the hope of bringing good karma, and thus healing. But the following month, Ohoama was still ill.  Divination was performed by the Onmyoji, the court diviners, and they claimed that there was a curse from Kusanagi, the sword that is considered one of the three main royal symbols.  This is the sword that was said to have been found by Susanowo in the tale of Yamata no Worochi, and which gained its name, Kusanagi, when used by Yamato Takeru, cutting down the grass to save him when his enemies tried to catch him by setting fire to the field where he was hunting.  For more on that, check out Episodes 34 and 35. Given the importance of Kusanagi, I suspect that the idea of destroying it to remove the curse was out of the question, and so it was sent to Atsuta Shrine, where it was enshrined and would largely stay except when needed for enthronement ceremonies.  And yet, even after the sword was taken away, the illness remained.  Six days later, on the 16th day of the 6th month, the court sent Prince Ise and officials to Asukadera and asked the monks there to make and oath with the Buddha to make Ohoama whole through the power of the Three Treasures of Buddhism.   For their work, the three Buddhist Officers, the Master of the Law, and the Upadhyaya and temple directors, as well as those monks with the rank of "master" each received a donation of one robe and one cover, or "Ohi". Three days later, the court ordered the hundred officials to go to Kawaradera and perfom the ceremony of lighting lanterns and giving offerings to Buddha.  Then they held a great feast and offered repentance for their transgressions.  All of this sounds like a continued attempt to make merit for the state, and thus for Ohoama. We then see the court granting the monks Hounin and Gishou 30 stipend-households to provide for them in their old age, which may be more merit-making, or possibly was related to some of the many other activities so far.  There are a few issues with this entry, and Aston and Bentley don't seem to agree on the actual date.  Bentley has it on the 28th, but that seems odd as it comes before the entry for the 22nd of the same month.  Aston has it as the 20th, but then claimes that there is something odd about the date of the 22nd. On the 22nd, we are simply told that the district kitchen of Nabari caught fire.  Aston notes that this would have been the official government arm in the district gathering food to supply the royal household—rather than being a kitchen in terms of a place to prepare food. Merit-making continued into the 7th month.  We see the Soujou and Soudzu, the primary and secondary prelates of the Asukadera, performing ritual repentance.  The following day there is another general amnesty, and Aston specifically mentions performing a Oho-harai, or cleansing. The day after taxes were halved from the provinces and corvee labor with local conscripted labor was exempted for the year.  Then we see the court presenting paper offerings to the Kunikasu Kami in Ki provinces, as well as the four shrines in Asuka and the Great Suminoe—aka Sumiyoshi—shrine. On the 8th day of the 7th month, 100 monks were invited to the court to read the Golden Light Sutra—Konkoymyou kyou.  And on the 15th there was another court issued amnesty. Despite all of these attempts to make merit and intercede with the Buddha or with various kami, Ohoama's illness continued.  We see that the court issued a decree that all things that should occur, great or small, should be reported to the queen and the crown prince—presumably because Ohoama was no longer in a state to be able to do so. Continuing with their efforts, the court declared that destitute commoners who had been forced to borrow rice seed or money before the 12th month of the previous year would be exempted from repayment.  And then the court changed the name of the year to Akami-tori, or Shuuchou.  They also renamed the palace in Asuka to "Kiyomihara"—again, go check Episode 134 for more on the palace.  "Shuuchou" is the Red Bird, likely referring to Suzaku, though Aston also points out that "Asuka" here is given as "flying bird", as well, and there had been numerous bird-related omens reported throughout the reign. Although these names would not have been used prior to this point—the 7th month of the final year of the reign—the Chroniclers applied the nengo, Shuuchou, to all of the entries for this year, and the name of the palace is often given as "Kiyomihara" is given to distinguish it from the Later Okamoto Palace, even though it was simply the latter palace with the addition of the Ebinoko enclosure. The changing of the era name was likely another attempt to change the seemingly inauspicious year, along with all of the merit-making that the court had been undergoing. And yet they kept going. The court selected 70 people who were diligent in keeping Buddhist laws and had them take the tonsure, and they sponsored a feast—or festival—in the Royal Muro of the Palace. At the same time the various princes had a statue of the Boddhisatva of Compassion, Kannon, made for the sovereign and had the Lotus sutra—the sutra where Kannon is first mentioned—read out at Daikandaiji. Kannon, or Avalokitesvara, was originally seen as a male Boddhisatva, but is often depicted as a woman.  They are also known as Guanyin, from which we get Kannon in Japanese.  Guanyin is also seen as Goddess of Mercy, and is one of the most popular figures across multiple sects of Buddhism and even outside of the Buddhist faith, where she is still seen as a goddess.  In this case, however, it seems clear that the princes were seeking compassion to relieve the sovereign of his affliction. And yet it persisted. They had 80 more people take the tonsure, and then 100 more men and women, placed 100 statues of the Boddhisatva, Kannon, in the palace, and then read out 200 volumes of the Lotus Sutra. And then they made prayers to the kami of Heaven and Earth.  And they dispatched Hata no Imiki no Iwakatsu to present paper offerings to the Tosa great shrine.  Nothing seemed to be working. In the 9th month, we see the royal princes and others, down to the various ministers, all gathered at Kawaradera making oaths for the health of the sovereigns.  This last ditch effort would go unrewarded.  Five days later, and Ohoama would pass away.  Of course, they couldn't just say that he died:  The Chronicles actually say that he divinely departed.  After all, didn't they call him an incarnate kami? Two days later, the court began the ritual of mourning, raising voices in lamentation, and setting up a temporary palace of interment in the courtyard, south of the palace.  Ohoama's body was placed there some thirteen days later, and people mourned his passing. For the rituals, we see monks and nuns performing ritual lamentation in the courtyard between 3 and 5 am, around the time that court officials would normally be waiting at the gates.  Over the next several days, various ceremonies were held and eulogies given.  We are told that the court presented offerings of food for the dead for the first time, and over the next several days monks and nuns would offer their laments and then various individuals would provide their eulogies.  Finally, on the last day of the ninth month, the eulogies concluded with Nyang-u, a Baekje prince, who pronounced a eulogy on behalf of his father, and then the Miyatsuko of various provinces came and did likewise.  There were also performances of all manner of singing and dancing. With that, the reign of Ohoama would come to an end.  The government would continue under his wife, the Queen, and Crown Prince.  We'll get into the succession in a later episode.  For now I'll just say that he was eventually buried in a large tomb in the modern Noguchi area of Asuka, and you can still go see it. And while that does bring us to the end of the reign, we still have a few more things that I want to discuss.   This episode just seemed a good time to talk about all of the various new years ceremonies, and that seemed to lead naturally into the very last year, but there is still more to discuss.  For one thing, we still haven't quite covered the spread of Buddhism and the changes in the structure.  There are also various laws and punishments that are worth covering.  Finally, there are the Chronicles themselves: we've talked about it all along, but the Nihon Shoki and the Kojiki are attributed to this era, as is the start of what would become the capital of Fujiwara-kyo—many works that Ohoama would not live to see to the end, but is largely held responsible for starting. But until then, if you like what we are doing, please tell your friends and feel free to rate us wherever you listen to podcasts.  If you feel the need to do more, and want to help us keep this going, we have information about how you can donate on Patreon or through our KoFi site, ko-fi.com/sengokudaimyo, or find the links over at our main website,  SengokuDaimyo.com/Podcast, where we will have some more discussion on topics from this episode. Also, feel free to reach out to our Sengoku Daimyo Facebook page.  You can also email us at the.sengoku.daimyo@gmail.com.  Thank you, also, to Ellen for their work editing the podcast. And that's all for now.  Thank you again, and I'll see you next episode on Sengoku Daimyo's Chronicles of Japan.  

Le invitamos a escucharlo, es un caso terrible de un tiempo complicado en el mundo.Programa acerca del atentado en el centro comercial Westgate en Nairobi, Kenia ocurrido en septiembre de 2013.Conviértete en un seguidor de este podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/relatos-del-lado-oscuro--5421502/support.

TC Martin and Marco D'Angelo broadcast live from the Westgate SuperBook in Las Vegas for another edition of Behind the Counter. Joined by Westgate Sportsbook Vice President John Murray, the panel breaks down the biggest week on the board in College Football and Pro Football, revealing where sharp money is landing, how the lines are moving, and what bettors need to know heading into the weekend. This is a must-listen for bettors looking to understand market movement straight from one of the most respected sportsbooks in the world.

Heidi Murphy has questioned Roads Safety Minister Melissa Horne on the toll costs in the West Gate Tunnel, as well as firefighter concerns.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Send us a textHillary Duff announced shows in Las Vegas and she sold out immediately! She has added more dates. NoMad Hotel is getting a rebrand, soon. 90210 stars Brian Austin Green and Tori Spelling are bringing a 90's night to Voltaire. There's luxury coach bus that is doing tea time up and down the Las Vegas strip. They added a holiday experience and additional hours. The Westgate has a bottomless spaghetti deal. Mariah Carey still has a few Christmas shows left. We discuss what you can expect.If your home was damaged in the California wildfires, Galindo Law may be able to help you get more compensation. Call 800-251-1533 or visit galindolaw.com  VegasNearMe App If it's fun to do or see, it's on VegasNearMe. The only app you'll need to navigate Las Vegas.  If your Texas home was damaged by hail or a hurricane in the past 2-years, Galindo Law may be able to help you get more insurance compensation. Call 800-251-1533. Or, visit GalindoLaw.com Support the showFollow us on Instagram: @vegas.revealedFollow us on Twitter: @vegasrevealedFollow us on TikTok: @vegas.revealedWebsite: Vegas-Revealed.com

Some resorts talk about experiences — Westgate builds them at theme-park scale. I visited Westgate Vacation Villas with Jared Saft, Chief Business and Strategy Officer, to explore how this company evolved from 16 original units into a massive, guest-focused resort with 3,000 rooms, a full waterpark, a Chuck E. Cheese–powered arcade, an in-lobby movie theater, and a $120 million reinvestment underway. On #NoVacancyNews, Jared walks through how Westgate designs spaces for toddlers, teens, parents, and grandparents at the same time, how they turned nostalgia into a modern attraction, and how they're expanding into more than 40 new destinations in just seven months. A big thanks to Actabl — Actabl gives you the power to profit. Visit Actabl.com. What you'll see on this tour:

Jarrod Morris is opening the NFR at the Thomas & Mack on December 5 — and he's bringing his full Rodeo Rock sound to the biggest stage in rodeo. Before he hits Vegas, he sat down with Luke for a conversation packed with music, grit, and the real stories behind his journey. Texas musician Jarrod Morris breaks down his path from farrier to full-time artist, why barrel racers call him a “pixie dancer,” and how shoeing horses actually fuels his songwriting. He talks about getting “holed up” in his dorm after wrecking his car — the moment that pushed him deeper into music — and why hyper-specific lyrics end up connecting with so many people. They dive into his new album Day Money, the punk-leaning cover of “Much Too Young (To Feel This Damn Old),” and the high-energy track “Kick Rocks,” which he's performing live when he opens the NFR. Jarrod also shares how he landed both his Dec 5 NFR performance and his Westgate show on Dec 12, thanks to Bo Gardner and a little help from Chancey Williams. ⭐ This Week's Sponsor: Mountain High Furniture Huge thanks to Mountain High Furniture, a longtime craftspeople's operation led by John & Wendy Powers. They'll be at Cowboy Christmas at the Las Vegas Convention Center, Dec 4–13 — swing by their booth 2711 and check out their handcrafted pieces. ━━━━━━━━━━ ★

The CPG Guys are joined in this episode by Mike Westgate, Vertical Director of Enterprise Food, Beverage & Alcohol Advertising at TikTokFollow Mike on LinkedIn at: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mikewestgate/Follow TikTok on LinkedIn at: https://www.linkedin.com/company/tiktokbusiness/Follow TikTok online at: https://ads.tiktok.com/business/en-USMike answers these questions:1. Mike, you've talked about TikTok leading a new era of “discovery commerce.” Can you unpack what that means, and how it's shifting traditional consumer journeys?2. Historically, shopping started with intent — now it begins with inspiration. How should CPG marketers rethink their strategies in this new discovery-first model?3. How is TikTok helping brands bridge that gap between entertainment and transaction — from a “fun scroll” to an actual purchase?4. Food & Bev has exploded on TikTok — from viral recipes to emerging brands. What's fueling that momentum?5. Can you share an example or two of how leading Food & Beverage brands are using TikTok to stay culturally relevant and drive measurable business results?6. How are challenger brands — maybe smaller or niche players — using TikTok differently to punch above their weight?7. TikTok has become both a cultural hub and a shopping destination. How do you see this evolution shaping advertiser needs and consumer behavior through 2026?8. Creators have become essential to the platform's ecosystem — how do you see their role evolving as commerce becomes more embedded in content?9. What are some of the biggest misconceptions you still hear from brands about TikTok — and what's your advice for those trying to get it right?10. If you had to summarize the “future of commerce” in one phrase or prediction — what would it be?CPG Guys Website: http://CPGguys.comFMCG Guys Website: http://FMCGguys.comSheCOMMERCE Website: https://shecommercepodcast.com/Rhea Raj's Website: http://rhearaj.comLara Raj in Katseye: https://www.katseye.world/DISCLAIMER: The content in this podcast episode is provided for general informational purposes only. By listening to our episode, you understand that no information contained in this episode should be construed as advice from CPGGUYS, LLC or the individual author, hosts, or guests, nor is it intended to be a substitute for research on any subject matter. Reference to any specific product or entity does not constitute an endorsement or recommendation by CPGGUYS, LLC. The views expressed by guests are their own and their appearance on the program does not imply an endorsement of them or any entity they represent. CPGGUYS LLC expressly disclaims any and all liability or responsibility for any direct, indirect, incidental, special, consequential or other damages arising out of any individual's use of, reference to, or inability to use this podcast or the information we presented in this podcast.

John Gaspard is an author, filmmaker, and podcaster. His latest book, Held Over:Harold and Maude at The Westgate Theater, documents how Minneapolis'Westgate Theater extended the run of a box-office flop until it became a cultfavorite, drawing celebrity visits, superfans, and neighborhood protests.He writes two mystery series: the ten-book Eli Marks Mystery Series, featuring amagician-turned-detective, and the three-book Como Lake Players Mystery Series, set in a community theater where backstage tensions turn deadly.On Behind the Page: The Eli Marks Podcast, he hosts interviews with entertainers,magicians and others, along with readings from The Eli Marks mystery series of novels. Gaspard is also the author of Fast, Cheap, and Under Control and Fast, Cheap,and Written That Way, best-selling nonfiction guides to low-budget filmmaking. He has directed and produced six feature films. Ironically, the books made more than the movies. John also wrote episodes for the international western-comedy series Lucky Luke,starring Terence Hill, who's as quick to pick up a check in real life as his character is at drawing a six-gun on screen Held Over: Harold and Maude at The Westgate Theater can be found here: https://www.albertsbridgebooks.com/ - /held-over-harold-and-maude-at-the- westgate-theater/ The Eli Marks Mysteries and The Como Lake Players Mysteries can be found here: https://www.albertsbridgebooks.com/eli-marks The Filmmaking Books can be found here: https://www.fastcheapfilm.com/ James Lott Jr is the host.

TC Martin and Marco D'Angelo broadcast live from the Westgate Sportsbook in Las Vegas for an in-depth look at the betting action heading into a massive week of College and Pro Football. Westgate Vice President John Murray joins the show to break down where the sharp money is landing, which matchups are moving the numbers, and how sportsbook insiders are reacting to early action. A must-listen for bettors who want a true behind-the-scenes perspective on how the week's biggest wagers are shaping the market.

Buying a home or thinking about refinancing? Talk to Gregg Shaft with Barrett Financial Group. He makes the process smooth, fast, and stress-free. http://barrettfinancial.com/gshaft Want more MTM Vegas? Check out our Patreon for access to our exclusive weekly aftershow! patreon.com/mtmvegas Want to work with us? Reach out! inquiries at mtmvegas dot com Episode Description This week Caesars Entertainment agreed to pay a $7.8 million fine in relation to a famous bookmaker gambling in their casinos. While the company does not admit fault, in the proposed settlement they will pay huge money and tighten up AML procedures, but is this enough? Does this latest fine expose the culture of turning the other way in Nevada's casinos? In other news Stage Door Casino has reopened after months of rehab. It doesn't look too different, but that isn't necessarily a bad thing. We also discuss: MGM's holiday festivities, MGM Grand's finished renovation, Guy Fieri's higher prices, Red Rock's new pizza, Todd English losing a restaurant, TX BBQ coming to Vegas, a Downtown social media feud, more leaks and Landmark vs. Stratosphere 1995. Episode Guide 0:00 Landmark vs. Stratosphere 1995 0:37 Rain, leaks and incredible photos in Vegas 1:39 MGM's holiday celebrations - Drink specials, shows & more 3:13 MGM Grand completes $300 million room remodel 5:54 Binion's social media fights back 6:55 Westgate suite with a pianist? 8:17 Girlfriend wiped out the Vegas minibar! 9:42 Lake Mead is heading toward all-time low 10:38 Hard Rock Tejon now open - Peak at Vegas future? 12:22 Guitar Tower Christmas coming to Vegas? 13:33 Todd English Pepper Club closing 14:22 Real Texas BBQ coming to Fontainebleau popup 15:25 Guy Fieri raises the price of his $20 brunch 16:04 Stage Door Casino now reopen 16:50 Good Pie expanding - New home at Red Rock 18:38 Caesars' $7.8 million fine - Huge mistakes! 19:59 How Matthew Boyer's gambling has taken down Vegas casinos Each week tens of thousands of people tune into our MtM Vegas news shows at http://www.YouTube.com/milestomemories. We do two news shows weekly on YouTube with this being the audio version. Never miss out on the latest happenings in and around Las Vegas! Enjoying the podcast? Please consider leaving us a positive review on your favorite podcast platform! You can also connect with us anytime at podcast@milestomemories.com.  You can subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify or by searching "MtM Vegas" or "Miles to Memories" in your favorite podcast app. Don't forget to check out our travel/miles/points podcast as well!

In this episode I visited Southpoint, Silverton, Green Valley Ranch, Westgate, the Wynn casino, the Venetian, Casino Royale, Harrah's, Caesar's Palace, and Encore Casino. This was day one of my trip to Las Vegas.

Costco's interest in New Zealand could be a good sign for our grocery sector. The big-box US retail chain's bought a large plot in the new Drury Town Centre for its second Auckland store. A Westgate branch opened three years ago. Grocery Action Group chair Sue Chetwin says Costco clearly sees profit potential in New Zealand. "It would be really good if a third or a fourth operator thought like that, but was willing to have a few more supermarkets so more people could benefit." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Teacher: Adam Just Download Sermon Notes  Watch Episode Give Online: http://westgatechapel.org/give Connect With Us: http://westgatechapel.org/connect Chapters (00:00:07) - Snowbird Service at Westgate(00:00:21) - Wonders' Prayer(00:06:24) - Thanksgiving and Christmas at Westgate(00:09:04) - Thanksgiving Praise and worship(00:19:44) - Communion(00:28:45) - Giving Back to the Lord(00:30:42) - Wonders of the World(00:33:44) - Wonders of the World(00:37:44) - The Samaritan Woman and Her Questions(00:45:06) - Jesus on Mount Gerizim and Mount Ebal(00:49:24) - What is Wonders' Worship?(00:51:00) - Worship(00:55:08) - Wonders of the World(01:05:25) - Why Do We Worship?(01:11:26) - Worthy, Worthied, and Dedicated

A new study shows rents in the Las Vegas Valley have either declined or stayed afloat recently. Plus, the FBI investigates suspicious betting activity around a UFC fight. And, an airline is adding more routes to Las Vegas this Spring. You can watch 7@7 weekdays on any of your favorite streaming platforms. Stories we're covering: Rent Decline in the Las Vegas Valley (https://www.reviewjournal.com/business/housing/rents-continue-to-decline-in-las-vegas-valley-report-says-3532242/) Breeze Airways Adding Vegas Routes (https://www.reviewjournal.com/business/housing/rents-continue-to-decline-in-las-vegas-valley-report-says-3532242/) UFC Betting Investigation (https://www.reviewjournal.com/sports/betting/dana-white-says-he-met-with-fbi-after-suspicious-betting-on-ufc-fight-3533127/) Concerns Over Drilling Approval Near Death Valley (https://www.reviewjournal.com/local/local-nevada/you-cant-drink-money-mine-drilling-near-death-valley-stokes-groundwater-fears-3530806/) Medicare Skilled Nursing Coverage (https://www.reviewjournal.com/livewell/who-pays-for-a-skilled-nursing-stay-medicare-or-you-3511841/) Free Shows Coming to Westgate (https://neon.reviewjournal.com/kats/off-strip-resort-sets-elvis-series-no-cover-nye-shows-3323652/)

Victoria's top firefighters have warned the West Gate Tunnel will not be considered safe, until thorough checks have been completed. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Writer-Director Adrian Ortega's Westgate follows Netta (Sarah Nicolazzo) and her son Julian (Max Nappo) as she embarks on a torturous day of navigating hospitals, family, cultural prejudices, and more, all as she faces the threat of eviction and the ever rising debts that keep her and her son trapped in a class struggle.This is a film written from a lived-in perspective, with Adrian pulling from his own life to craft a tale that acts as an ode to mothers and the children they raised.In the following interview, recorded ahead of Westgate's appearance at SXSW Sydney on 17 October 2025, Adrian, Sarah, and Max talk about the collaborative approach to making this Melbourne based drama. Sarah and Max talk about learning from Adrian and his mother, as well as the bonding techniques they used to help strengthen that mother-son relationship that comes across so strongly on screen.Read Nadine Whitney's review of Westgate here and follow the film on Instagram here to be kept up to date regarding future screening dates.Follow us on Instagram, Facebook, and Bluesky @thecurbau. We are a completely independent and ad free website that lives on the support of listeners and readers just like you. Visit Patreon.com/thecurbau, where you can support our work from as little as $1 a month. If you are unable to financially support us, then please consider sharing this interview with your podcast loving friends.We'd also love it if you could rate and review us on the podcast player of your choice. Every review helps amplify the interviews and stories to a wider audience. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Writer-Director Adrian Ortega's Westgate follows Netta (Sarah Nicolazzo) and her son Julian (Max Nappo) as she embarks on a torturous day of navigating hospitals, family, cultural prejudices, and more, all as she faces the threat of eviction and the ever rising debts that keep her and her son trapped in a class struggle.This is a film written from a lived-in perspective, with Adrian pulling from his own life to craft a tale that acts as an ode to mothers and the children they raised.In the following interview, recorded ahead of Westgate's appearance at SXSW Sydney on 17 October 2025, Adrian, Sarah, and Max talk about the collaborative approach to making this Melbourne based drama. Sarah and Max talk about learning from Adrian and his mother, as well as the bonding techniques they used to help strengthen that mother-son relationship that comes across so strongly on screen.Read Nadine Whitney's review of Westgate here and follow the film on Instagram here to be kept up to date regarding future screening dates.Follow us on Instagram, Facebook, and Bluesky @thecurbau. We are a completely independent and ad free website that lives on the support of listeners and readers just like you. Visit Patreon.com/thecurbau, where you can support our work from as little as $1 a month. If you are unable to financially support us, then please consider sharing this interview with your podcast loving friends.We'd also love it if you could rate and review us on the podcast player of your choice. Every review helps amplify the interviews and stories to a wider audience. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Send us a textEpisode 145 - Join host Troy Saunders as he sits down with a true renaissance man of entertainment. The incomparable B.Slade.B.Slade is a Grammy®-nominated, multi-platinum-selling singer, songwriter,actor, producer, and entertainer whose genre-defying career has garneredhim Emmy®, GMA DOVE®, Ovation®, and STELLAR® Awards. Penning andproducing over 30 albums and 300+ songs spanning gospel, R&B, hip-hop,jazz, and more, B.Slade is a proven multi-hyphenate life artist.Renowned for his electrifying vocal range and magnetic stage presence,B.Slade has written, arranged, and produced for icons like Janet Jackson,Chaka Khan, Patti LaBelle, Sheila E., Shanice, Chris Brown, Ty Dolla $ign, EricBenet, Kim Burrell, Jordin Sparks, and Faith Evans. His visionary artistrytranscends genres, consistently pushing boundaries and redefining what itmeans to be a true entertainer.B.Slade's creative genius extends beyond the recording studio. He was oneof the creative directors for Patti LaBelle's world tours and the Show/BGVprogrammer for Janet Jackson's last five global tours and Las Vegasresidency. In 2024, B.Slade launched his own solo U.S. tour, “The B.SladeExperience (BSX).” BSX debuted in Detroit at the renowned Sound Board atMotor City, and toured across the U.S. in 2025, including Las Vegas at theiconic Westgate. This powerful, genre-bending showcase highlights his vocalmastery, dynamic stagecraft, and signature storytelling.Life ArtistryB.Slade has perfected his craft throughout his career, delivering ‘LifeArtistry' across genres to diverse audiences worldwide. He explains, “Being a‘Life Artist' means I sing about life in its entirety. This includes the naturaland the spiritual, crucial elements in balancing our character and faith. Ourlives are filled with experiences of humanity, love, loss, and redemption - Ising about whatever piques my interest in life now. Sometimes, that involvesmy faith, and other times, I sing, dance, and draw inspiration from myexperiences as a human being. I incorporate all these elements into myartistry.”Listen and subscribe to the BAAS Entertainment Podcast via the BAAS Entertainment website, www.baasentertainment.com, and all podcast platforms.

The CFMEU have completely stopped construction of the West Gate Tunnel project, over a South Australian major project agreement with a rival union.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this episode of "Sold in 60," host Rich sits down with timeshare legend Karim Fess. Karim shares his journey from working at his father's video store to becoming a top sales manager at Westgate in Orlando. He discusses his sales philosophy, the importance of helping people, and mastering third-party storytelling. Now based in Dubai with DAMAC, Karim highlights Dubai's safety, luxury, and multicultural appeal, as well as its attractive business environment. The episode concludes with Rich and Karim discussing opportunities for investing and relocating to Dubai, emphasizing their new partnership.

TC Martin and Marco D'Angelo go behind the counter at Westgate Sportsbook in Las Vegas with Vice President John Murray. They discuss a huge week of College and Pro Football, breaking down where the sharp money is heading and what bettors need to know.

Tonight, we shall read the next part to Persuasion, the last novel fully completed by Jane Austen, and published in 1817. The story concerns Anne Elliot, an Englishwoman whose family moves in order to lower their expenses, by renting their home to an Admiral and his wife.In the last episode, Anne visits her old school friend Mrs. Smith in Westgate-buildings. Though Mrs. Smith lives in poverty and poor health, she is cheerful, resourceful, and glad for Anne's company. As their conversation turns to acquaintances, Mrs. Smith seems unusually hesitant when Mr. Elliot's name arises. At first, she holds back, saying little. But upon realizing how closely Anne is now connected to Mr. Elliot, she finally decides it is her duty as a friend to speak. We will pick up at this point in their conversation. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Munaf Manji, Mackenzie Rivers, Dave Essler and SleepyJ talk NFL contests for week 4. Munaf Manji (0:06 – 2:21) opened by welcoming listeners, recapping Week 3, and noting that Circa Survivor lost 3,154 entries with 13,811 remaining, each valued at $1,355. He emphasized that fading the top five most-selected teams has been profitable as they went 2-12-1 ATS at Westgate and 3-12 ATS at Circa, with one entry leading Circa Millions at 14-1. Sleepy J (5:45 – 8:53) chose the Titans +7 vs the Texans, saying “I think the Titans are slowly building. Cam Ward is looking a little bit better each and every game.” He highlighted Houston's lowest points per game, Tank Dell's absence, Mixon's struggles, and a weak offensive line. He argued Tennessee is hungrier and capable of an outright win. Munaf (8:53 – 10:08) agreed, calling the Texans' line inflated, citing receiver losses, Nick Chubb's decline, and predicting a fairer line closer to six. Dave Essler (10:09 – 10:43) also agreed, calling +7 too many points, though doubting Tennessee's ability to win outright. Mackenzie Rivers (10:52 – 12:06) picked Buccaneers +3.5 over the Eagles, arguing “The Eagles have underperformed all season. If you look at advanced stats, they could easily be one and two or oh and three.” He dismissed Philadelphia's late-game magic, noted Wirfs' return, Mayfield's strong play, and called the line exaggerated. Dave (13:27 – 16:29) agreed on Tampa, then picked the Broncos -7.5 over the Bengals, pointing to Denver's defense being top 10 in yards per play, number two in the red zone, and number one in TDs not allowed per game, while Cincinnati averaged only 49 rushing yards per game with Browning already turnover-prone. Munaf (16:30 – 17:12) backed this, citing Chase Brown's meager 93 yards on 2.0 YPC and Browning's five interceptions. Sleepy (17:14 – 19:17) hesitated on Denver due to the spread, saying “I would much rather pick a dead number game” but admitted Cincinnati's WRs could still threaten Denver's defense. Munaf (19:17 – 21:45) chose Steelers +2.5 vs Vikings in Dublin, pointing out Wentz faces new pressure, Pittsburgh's defense improved with T.J. Watt, and Jalen Warren emerged as a passing-game weapon. He predicted mistakes from Wentz would cost Minnesota. Sleepy (21:59 – 23:58) liked the Steelers too, stressing the importance of the 2.5 line in a low-total game, warning Wentz has struggled under pressure and “when you get a level-headed Aaron Rodgers, you don't get five turnovers.” Mackenzie (24:37 – 26:52) disagreed, backing Vikings, criticizing Rodgers' rankings (31st in PFF, 22nd in QBR), pointing to Pittsburgh's poor metrics, and saying “Favorites do well internationally.” Dave (27:07 – 27:50) sided with Mack, calling Pittsburgh's run game the second worst in the league and Rodgers incapable of carrying them. Survivor picks followed: Dave (30:12 – 32:01) took Patriots over Panthers, dismissing Carolina's win as turnover-driven, while Sleepy (32:06 – 35:42) also chose New England, adding, “How many chances are you going to get to really play New England? I think the chances to play them is this week.” Munaf (35:42 – 37:33) added Denver and possibly Texans as options but leaned Broncos. Mackenzie (37:34 – 38:50) favored Detroit, citing a profitable trend where underdogs who win as big dogs typically fail the next week, saying, “The Browns traveling to Detroit get smoked. And I think Carolina also is going to be a little bit overmatched in New England.” The show closed with humor, coupon codes, and Dave joking about being offered Fritos for Chase Brown, ending with optimism about continuing to deliver valuable picks Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Menschen sind faul – so dachten Wissenschaftler lange. Denn wenn wir die Wahl haben, entscheiden wir uns oft für die einfachere Option. Aber warum gibt es dann Leute, die freiwillig einen Marathon laufen, Dostojewski lesen oder ein Instrument lernen? Hier liegt das “Paradox der Anstrengung”. Atze und Leon klären heute, warum wir ständig Herausforderungen suchen, obwohl wir doch eigentlich so bequem sind. Fühlt euch gut betreut Leon & Atze Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/leonwindscheid/ https://www.instagram.com/atzeschroeder_offiziell/ Mehr zu unseren Werbepartnern findet ihr hier: https://linktr.ee/betreutesfuehlen Tickets: Atze: https://www.atzeschroeder.de/#termine Leon: https://leonwindscheid.de/tour/ VVK Münster 2025: https://betreutes-fuehlen.ticket.io/ Quellen: Die neue Übersichtsarbeit zum “Effort Paradox”: Inzlicht, M., Campbell, A. V., & Saunders, B. (2025). Effort paradox redux: rethinking how effort shapes social behavior. In Advances in Experimental Social Psychology (Vol. 72, pp. 1-55). Academic Press. Die Geschichte vom Mann, der einmal um die Welt geht: https://www.tagesanzeiger.ch/karl-bushby-wandert-seit-27-jahren-um-die-welt-135782842292 Der Ikea-Effekt: Norton, M. I., Mochon, D., & Ariely, D. (2012). The IKEA effect: When labor leads to love. Journal of consumer psychology, 22(3), 453-460. Die Studie mit den Elektroschocks: Wilson, T. D., Reinhard, D. A., Westgate, E. C., Gilbert, D. T., Ellerbeck, N., Hahn, C., ... & Shaked, A. (2014). Just think: The challenges of the disengaged mind. Science, 345(6192), 75-77. Redaktion: Mia Mertens Produktion: Murmel Productions

Join TC Martin and Marco D'Angelo live from the Westgate Sportsbook in Las Vegas for Behind the Counter. This week, they're joined by Westgate Sportsbook VP John Murray to break down the hottest action in College and Pro Football. Discover which teams are drawing sharp money, how the pros are betting big, and insider insights you won't get anywhere else. Perfect for sports bettors looking to stay one step ahead this football season!

Mayor Mike Johnston revealed his proposed budget for 2026 this week — the vibes are off and the numbers are down. But what can we read between the lines of his proposals to see where the city is going next? Our politics and green chile correspondent Justine Sandoval joins host Bree Davies and producer Paul Karolyi to talk about the mayor's new priorities on homelessness and other secrets hidden in the budget. Plus, some City Park neighbors are big mad about the Denver Zoo's proposal to reopen a long-shuttered West Gate, so we're talking about one of our favorite topics — parking — and all our other wins and fails of the week. Plus, Justine has a big announcement.  Paul talked about a landmark preservation debate in Wash Park, rising homelessness in Houston, exceptions to Waste No More, and Denver's gun violence dashboard. Bree talked about the Federal Theater reopening. Justine discussed the recent debates over the Mestizo-Curtis Park Pool and Park Hill Park. We also discussed the La Loma green chile situation.  What do you think about the Zoo reopening the old West Gate? We want to hear from you! Especially if you live in City Park West. Text or leave us a voicemail with your name and neighborhood, and you might hear it on the show: 720-500-5418 For even more news from around the city, subscribe to our morning newsletter Hey Denver at denver.citycast.fm. Watch clips from the show on YouTube: youtube.com/@citycastdenver or Instagram @citycastdenver Chat with other listeners on reddit: r/CityCastDenver Support City Cast Denver by becoming a member: membership.citycast.fm/Denver Learn more about the sponsors of this September 19th episode: Arvada Center Denver Botanic Garden Denver Health Window Nation Florence Crittenton Services Elizabeth Martinez with PorchLight Real Estate - Do you have a question about Denver real estate? Submit your questions for Elizabeth Martinez HERE, and she might answer in next week's segment. Looking to advertise on City Cast Denver? Check out our options for podcast and newsletter ads at citycast.fm/advertise

Mark interviews John Gaspard about his book HELD OVER: HAROLD AND MAUDE AT THE WESTGATE THEATER. Prior to the interview Mark shares a personal update and a word about this episode's sponsor. This episode's sponsor: This episode is sponsored by an affiliate link to Manuscript Report. Use code MARK5 at checkout and save $5.00 off your own personalized report. In the interview, Mark and John talk about: John's appreciation for the honesty of the podcast and one of his favorite episodes, and why he liked it John's background and the two different cozy mystery series that he has written and published The Eli Mark's "Behind the Page" podcast that John uses to share behind-the-scenes and brilliantly market the books in audio and other formats A person with a PhD in "shuffling cards" who was a guest on John's podcast How John approached his deep love and affection for the 1971 movie HAROLD AND MAUDE The Minneapolis theatre (Westgate) that helped make this movie a cult classic How John couldn't have written this book 20 years ago John's Popcorn Principals books The book HELD OVER: HAROLD AND MAUDE AT THE WESTGATE THEATER John's philosophy of "I'm writing for me." A bit of the history of the Westgate Theater The approach to his writing and recognizing that most of the books are likely not to earn much more than making back the initial money invested into them Deciding which researched bits made it into the book How Scrivener was a helpful tool in the writing of the book and various research elements The design company that John worked with on this book The Kickstarter that John ran related to this book and what it did for him (beyond earning a bit of up front money to help with funding the expensive project Working with Bookvault on the production of this book Advice John would offer to writers who haven't yet pursued that passion project And more... After the interview Mark reflects on passion projects, networking and connecting with other writers, and the advice to pause/hesitate   Links of Interest: John Gaspard's Website EP 218 - John Gaspard on Business, Writing, and Magic Manuscript Report (Mark's affiliate link) Buy Mark a Coffee Patreon for Stark Reflections Mark's YouTube channel Mark's Stark Reflections on Writing & Publishing Newsletter (Signup) An Author's Guide to Working With Bookstores and Libraries The Relaxed Author Buy eBook Direct Buy Audiobook Direct Publishing Pitfalls for Authors An Author's Guide to Working with Libraries & Bookstores Wide for the Win Mark's Canadian Werewolf Books This Time Around (Short Story) A Canadian Werewolf in New York Stowe Away (Novella) Fear and Longing in Los Angeles Fright Nights, Big City Lover's Moon Hex and the City Only Monsters in the Building The Canadian Mounted: A Trivia Guide to Planes, Trains and Automobiles Yippee Ki-Yay Motherf*cker: A Trivia Guide to Die Hard Merry Christmas! Shitter Was Full!: A Trivia Guide to National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation   John Gaspard is author of the Eli Marks mystery series and the Como Lake Players mystery series. He also has several other stand-alone novels, including “The Greyhound of the Baskervilles,” “A Christmas Carl,” “The Sword & Mr. Stone” and “The Ripperologists.” He hosts: "Behind the Page: The Eli Marks Podcast." In real life, John's not a magician, but he has directed six low-budget features that cost very little and made even less - that's no small trick. He's also written multiple books on the subject of low-budget filmmaking. Ironically, those books made more than the films. John lives in Minnesota and shares his home with his lovely wife, several greyhounds, a few cats and a handful of pet allergies.   The introductory, end, and bumper music for this podcast (“Laser Groove”) was composed and produced by Kevin MacLeod of www.incompetech.com and is Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0

SUMMARY: It's miler season for Matt! Paul extolls the virtues of adeluxe comfy chair. Matt credits a higher power for a recent show.Jacob barely survives a visit to the bathroom at the Westgate, andPaul recalls the talking urinals next to "The Experience." Plus thedebate continues on microwave cooking in Scoop Mail, and a Price IsSkrite.

For this episode of Beyond The Album Cover I interview my good friend CJ who is currently performing in The Soul Of Motown residency at the Westgate in Las Vegas. We talk about his beginnings in Greensboro, Las Vegas life, Performing on the strip, all things music and everything else in between. You don't want to miss this interview!!!! Follow the podcast wherever you stream podcasts, Youtube.com/BeyondTheAlbumCover and Facebook.com/BeyondTheAlbumCover. Tap In!!!!

Steve Fezzik, Mackenzie Rivers and Munaf Manji talk all thing NFL contests this week. NFL Contest Pod – Week 1 Picks Recap At 0:09–1:11, host Munaf Manji introduced a new series on RJ Bell's Dream Preview focused on Las Vegas ATS contests like the SuperContest, Circa Millions, and Survivor formats. The goal: share do's and don'ts to help players map a winning season. At 1:11–1:26, Mackenzie Rivers highlighted his track record of “never less than a 55% record,” underscoring how even solid numbers don't always cash. Munaf at 1:27–1:51 set up Steve Fezzik as the two-time SuperContest champion, with Fezzik admitting at 1:51–2:28 that staying motivated after elimination has been his biggest challenge. Munaf recalled at 2:28–3:37 placing in 2019 with a $4,500 cash, stressing contests as a learning tool for NFL handicapping. Fezzik at 3:37–6:39 traced his rise from parlay cards to winning five contests between 2008–2009 and most recently finishing 21st in Circa Millions with a $400,000 Survivor payout. His advice: start with free contests, move to low-cost formats like “Last Man Standing,” then scale to Circa Millions or the $100,000-entry Grandissimo depending on bankroll. At 7:06–7:53, Mackenzie recalled entering Westgate and Circa via free entries, noting a 57% year still didn't cash. Munaf said his 2019 success came with a 60%+ record when payouts reached the top 100. Fezzik stressed at 8:45–10:56 the importance of overlays, preferring Circa Millions to Westgate, and warned against submitting picks early, especially before Thursday games, since injury news can shift opinions. His top rule: never miss deadlines but don't rush. At 12:11–16:19, discussion turned to Circa's rise. Fezzik pointed to cheaper entry fees, quarterly prizes, heavy marketing, and the excitement of downtown Las Vegas. By contrast, Westgate lost ground with high rake, fewer prizes, weak advertising, and restrictive betting limits. Fezzik's lesson at 17:47–19:00: “Don't play a bad number.” Contest picks should mirror real bets, with plus three always better than plus two-and-a-half. Hitting 60% requires value-driven selections. At 19:01–20:45, Munaf promoted Pregame's free “SuperContest 25 Free and Easier,” highlighting flexible pick submission and a $1,500 prize or Westgate entry for winners. Fezzik cautioned at 20:45–21:11 that no system guarantees profit, reminding listeners it's still gambling. Survivor strategy took over at 22:19–25:54, with Fezzik urging players to save elite teams like Philadelphia for holiday weeks but also noting overlays emerge when big favorites lose, creating profitable re-entry opportunities. At 26:46–28:33, he explained his simplified approach: keep holiday teams available, ride big favorites like Denver, and avoid coin-flip games. At 29:25–31:11, Fezzik described partnering with players by buying entry shares below market and offering consultation, a cleaner hedge alternative. He reaffirmed at 31:23–32:48 that hedging late in Survivor is essential, locking life-changing profits without eliminating rooting interest. The pod closed at 36:20–36:38 with Fezzik naming Denver as his Week 1 survivor pick. Mackenzie at 36:47–37:36 promoted his “Straight Outta Vegas AM” survivor show, while Munaf previewed weekly contest coverage. Fezzik wrapped at 37:57–38:04 with a playful reminder: “survive, survive, survive.” Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Live from the Westgate Sportsbook in Las Vegas, TC Martin and Marco D'Angelo sit down with Westgate VP John Murray to go Behind the Counter. Get the inside scoop on a huge week of College Football and find out where the sharp money is landing.

In this hour of VSiN PrimeTime, Tim Murray and Greg Peterson follow the in-game odds and betting opportunities on tonight's MLB betting slate. We go Behind the Counter with the Westgate's Jeff Sherman and DraftKings' Matt Grill. 

Rev. Dr. Matthew Harrison, president of The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod, takes some time during the Gathering to talk about Christ's life and Christian love for all human life.   Bio: The Rev. Dr. Matthew C. Harrison has served as president of The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod (LCMS) since 2010. As president, he is the chief ecclesiastical supervisor of the Synod and is responsible for the ministries directed by LCMS International Center staff, including the Office of International Mission and its nearly 150 missionaries serving around the globe. Before becoming president, Harrison served for nine years as executive director of LCMS World Relief and Human Care (2001–2010), which expended over $100 million for mercy efforts done in the clear name of Christ. These efforts included caring for people after 9-11, Katrina and many hurricanes, the great Asia tsunami, the Haiti earthquake, and many other disasters and humanitarian efforts. Harrison also managed relationships with some 120 LCMS Recognized Service Organizations and other inter-Lutheran social ministry organizations, worked in consultation with LCMS partner/sister churches to build capacity during numerous mercy outreach efforts, and managed LCMS pro-life efforts. From 1995 to 2001, Harrison served as pastor of Zion Lutheran Church in Fort Wayne, Ind. Prior to that, he served St. Peter's Lutheran Church in Westgate, Iowa (1991–1995). Ordained in 1991, he has served in a number of elected and appointed positions in the LCMS and on various entity boards of directors. Harrison is co-founder and chairman of the board of The International Lutheran Society of Wittenberg (Old Latin School), which hosts some 40 students and church planters from the European Union and beyond who are studying to become ordained pastors. In addition, Harrison chairs the board of the Lutheran Center for Religious Liberty and serves on the executive committee of the International Lutheran Council. Harrison is also active in the prolife movement and frequently speaks at such events. A native of Sioux City, Iowa, Harrison holds a bachelor's degree in religious studies from Morningside University in Sioux City, Iowa. He attended Concordia University, Nebraska, in 1984. He has M.Div. and S.T.M. degrees from Concordia Theological Seminary, Fort Wayne. Harrison has pursued additional graduate study at Concordia Seminary, St. Louis, and Concordia Theological Seminary, Fort Wayne. Furthermore, he has received honorary doctorates from Concordia University Ann Arbor, Ann Arbor, Mich., and Concordia Theological Seminary, Fort Wayne. Since 2010, Harrison has served as assistant pastor of Village Lutheran Church, Ladue, Mo. He has translated and edited five volumes of essays and letters by Lutheran theologian Hermann Sasse (published through Concordia Publishing House [CPH]). He has also revised C.F.W. Walther's The Church and the Office of the Ministry (CPH) and written several other books, including Christ Have Mercy, A Little Book on Joy and At Home in the House of My Fathers. Harrison has been married to Kathy (Schimm) Harrison since 1981, and they have two sons (Matthew M.L. married to Courtney, and Mark M.C. married to Tara). The Harrisons have two grandchildren, Rosie and Shiloh. In his spare time, Harrison enjoys reading, writing, vintage Jeeps, old banjos and books, and — most of all — time with family. Resources: Email us at friendsforlife@lcms.org LCMS Life Ministry: lcms.org/life  Not all the views expressed are necessarily those of the LCMS; please discuss any questions with your pastor.

Want more MTM Vegas? Check out our Patreon for access to our exclusive weekly aftershow! patreon.com/mtmvegas Want to work with us? Reach out! inquiries at mtmvegas dot com Episode Description This week earnings reports and stats came rolling in to indicate whether Las Vegas is really struggling or not. While some numbers do indicate a pullback in visitation, the gaming numbers were actually quite positive giving us mixed results. We also dive into a few earnings calls to see what is driving the good and what they have to say about the rest of the year. In other news Boring Company is expanding with another loop system in Nashville. We also discuss: Venetian removing their LOVE sign, stats showing how local gamblers differ from tourists, 3 rules for living in Las Vegas, Plaza's Jonny Suite, GVR's $200 million renovation, the John Wick Experience and how you can score the Aviator's cool new roulette jacket. Episode Guide 0:00 Vegas blue pool water 0:30 The Fall of Vegas? Rough visitor numbers for June 2:12 Looking at visitor numbers over the years 3:16 How REVPar in June compares to the past - More revenue per room? 5:05 The worst takes on the Vegas slowdown 7:45 Will Las Vegas shift back towards the gambler? 8:58 A look back at 2008 Caesars Total Rewards 10:30 Caesars - lower drink prices & less comps for elites 12:55 Carversteak's tricky prix fixe menu 15:15 NYNY pizza bargain? 16:11 Hogs & Heifers announces new Downtown Vegas location 17:22 Is Downtown Grand in serious financial trouble? 18:07 Another Vegas casino is closing soon - End of $3.99 AYCE spagetti! 20:12 Venetian's new Wizard of Oz activation 22:12 Westgate brings back Elvis 1969 23:48 Fontainebleau may be getting desperate - Tons of new promos 26:29 Resorts World - strangest comp ever? 27:47 The wider slowdown is worse for the newest Vegas casinos Each week tens of thousands of people tune into our MtM Vegas news shows at http://www.YouTube.com/milestomemories. We do two news shows weekly on YouTube with this being the audio version. Never miss out on the latest happenings in and around Las Vegas! Enjoying the podcast? Please consider leaving us a positive review on your favorite podcast platform! You can also connect with us anytime at podcast@milestomemories.com.  You can subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify or by searching "MtM Vegas" or "Miles to Memories" in your favorite podcast app. Don't forget to check out our travel/miles/points podcast as well!

In this hour of VSiN PrimeTime, Matt Youmans and Greg Peterson follow the in-game betting on tonight's MLB betting slate. We go Behind the Counter with DraftKings Trading Manager Matt Grill and Westgate's VP of Risk Management Jeff Sherman.

Elvis Presley would've turned 90 this year, and Las Vegas is celebrating by recreating his legendary 1969 residency at the Westgate (formerly the International Hotel). Co-host Sarah Lohman talks with Elvis's brother, David Stanley, about growing up at Graceland, touring during the Vegas years, and why the city still worships the King. Plus, how accurate are the iconic Vegas Elvis impersonators? Want to get in touch? Follow us @CityCastVegas on Instagram, or email us at lasvegas@citycast.fm. You can also call or text us at 702-514-0719. For more Las Vegas news, make sure to sign up for our morning newsletter, Hey Las Vegas. Learn more about becoming a City Cast Las Vegas Neighbor at membership.citycast.fm. Looking to advertise on City Cast Las Vegas? Check out our options for podcast and newsletter ads at citycast.fm/advertise. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Reviewing the UNLV football players who made Athlon's 2025 Preseason All-Mountain West Conference team. Live from Treasure Island's Golden Circle Sportsbook & Bar, Westgate Race & Sports Vice President John Murray joins Cofield & Company to preview the Westgate college football sports betting competition and detail the process of setting lines for college football while adjusting to roster changes. Addressing the rumors that Tom Brady is dating actress, Sofia Vergara. Sports writer & broadcaster, Ryan McKinnell joins Cofield & Co. to discuss the arrest of boxer Gervonta "Tank" Davis over battery charges, review Shakur Stevenson's criticism toward Dana White moving into boxing, and give his thoughts on Jon Jones coming out of retirement in order to fight on the 2026 UFC fight card at the White House.

John Murray of Westgate Sportsbook in Las Vegas stops by, to preview their inargurual College Football Conetst for the upcoming season and some of the action he's seen for the Heisman Trophy Market as well. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

John Murray of Westgate Sportsbook in Las Vegas stops by, to preview their inargurual College Football Conetst for the upcoming season and some of the action he's seen for the Heisman Trophy Market as well. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In this hour of Follow The Money, hosts Pauly Howard and Mitch Moss are joined by Jeff Sherman, Westgate VP of Risk Management, to talk about Westgate's Survivor and College Football SuperContests, plus recaps NBA Free Agency. Also on the show, the hosts are joined by George Shea, Nathan's Hot Dog Eating Contest MC and Co-Founder of Major League Eating, to talk about the Nathan's Hot Dog Eating Contest.

In this hour of VSiN PrimeTime, Matt Brown and Keith Irizarry break down tonight's MLB in-game betting opportunities, plus they share their AFC Division winners and Super Bowl picks. Jeff Sherman, VP of Risk Management at the Westgate, joins the show to preview this week's John Deere Classic and talk NBA Free Agency. DraftKings' Trading Manager Matt Grill takes us behind the counter, talking golf, college football and NFL markets.

On Wednesday's edition of WagerTalk Today, Ross Benjamin gives his favorite MLB best bets for Royals vs Mariners. Westgate's John Murray drops by to discuss the upcoming Super Contests and what to expect this upcoming football season. Andy Lang provides props and free picks, and Gianni The Greek gives daily betting advice – don't miss out!Wednesday Games/Topics Covered & Timestamps:Introduction 00:00Gianni the Greek Steam Report & Free 4% Rated Play 2:10Betting MLB Series Bets 7:35Hot Dog Eating Contest Betting? 8:35Ross Benjamin 14:45Win Free WT Swag - Name Score In the Comments Below 15:00Kansas City Royals vs Seattle Mariners Analysis & First Five Free Pick 16:00Sleeper CFB Future Play 23:19John Murray from WestGate SuperBook 26:06Season Long Football Contests 26:40NFL Future Sharp Action 28:15Tuesday MLB Sharp Action & Needs 29:43John Murray's favorite NFL Future Play 31:00College Football Teams to Watch/Fade 32:35Denver Broncos 2025 Team Preview and Over/Under Season Win Total Best Bet 34:00

Live from the Westgate Sportsbook in Las Vegas! TC Martin and Marco D'Angelo go Behind the Counter with Westgate's Executive Director John Murray. They dive into the NBA Finals recap, preview the NBA Draft betting market, and break down how the Kevin Durant trade shook up the Futures book. Insider sportsbook perspective you won't hear anywhere else.

In this hour of VSiN PrimeTime, Tim Murray and Will Hill follow the in-game action around Major League Baseball and look ahead to the NBA Draft with the Westgate's Jeff Sherman.

In this hour of VSiN PrimeTime, Tim Murray and Matt Yomans follow the in-game action around the MLB and Game 5 of the NBA Finals. Westgate's Jeff Sherman joins the show to talk NBA Finals and recap a dramatic end at the U.S. Open.