Podcasts about Westlake

Westlake, Lausanne, Jesus, Gospel, world, campus, religious, morality

Fluent Fiction - Mandarin Chinese: By the Lantern Light: Mei and Zhang's Emotional Revelation Find the full episode transcript, vocabulary words, and more:fluentfiction.com/zh/episode/2026-02-20-08-38-20-zh Story Transcript:Zh: 西湖的冬夜，静谧又美丽。En: On the winter night by West Lake, it was tranquil and beautiful.Zh: 湖水微微波动，灯笼的倒影在水面上晃动着。En: The water gently rippled, and the reflection of the lanterns danced on the lake's surface.Zh: 梅站在湖边，目光凝重，心中充满了复杂的情感。En: Mei stood by the lakeside, her gaze heavy, her heart filled with complex emotions.Zh: 春节刚过，今天是元宵节，杭州的节日气氛格外浓厚。En: The Spring Festival had just passed, and today was the Lantern Festival, with an especially strong festive atmosphere in Hangzhou.Zh: 她知道，这是最后的机会，再不说出自己的心里话，张就要离开这座城市了。En: She knew this was the last chance; if she didn't speak her mind now, Zhang would leave the city.Zh: 几个月来，梅一直感到心灰意冷。En: For months, Mei had felt disheartened.Zh: 张对事业的追求无懈可击，而她却把自己的梦想暂时搁置。En: Zhang's pursuit of his career was impeccable, while she had temporarily set aside her own dreams.Zh: 虽然她想支持他的决定，但心中一直有个声音在质问：这一切值得吗？En: Although she wanted to support his decision, a voice within her kept questioning: Is all this worth it?Zh: 正是这种情感上的摒弃感，使她和张的关系越走越远。En: It was this feeling of emotional abandonment that drove a wedge between her and Zhang.Zh: 现在，她只能在西湖边祈祷一切还能回到从前。En: Now, all she could do was pray by West Lake that everything could return to how it was.Zh: 夕阳即将落下，天边泛起了一抹橘红。En: The sun was about to set, painting the sky with a hint of orange-red.Zh: 梅终于见到了张，他站在不远处，一手提着个灯笼，静静地看着湖面。En: Mei finally saw Zhang, standing not far away, holding a lantern and quietly gazing at the lake.Zh: 梅深呼吸，鼓起勇气走过去。En: Taking a deep breath, she summoned the courage to walk over.Zh: “我们聊聊吧，”她轻声说道。En: "Let's talk," she said softly.Zh: “好。”张回答，但语气里充满了不安。En: "Okay." Zhang replied, but his tone was filled with unease.Zh: 两人沉默了一会儿，梅盯着手中的灯笼，不能再犹豫了。En: They were silent for a while, Mei staring at the lantern in her hand, unable to hesitate any longer.Zh: “张，我有很多话想说。我不想你走，不想失去你。”她的声音微微颤抖。En: "Zhang, I have a lot to say. I don't want you to leave; I don't want to lose you," her voice trembled slightly.Zh: “可是，这段时间我总在想，我一直在为你妥协，却也舍弃了自己的梦想。我害怕再这样下去，我们会变成陌生人。”En: "But lately, I've been thinking, I've been compromising for you while abandoning my own dreams. I'm afraid that if this continues, we'll become strangers."Zh: 张陷入了沉思，他没有打断梅的话。En: Zhang sank into thought, not interrupting Mei's words.Zh: “我从来没想过你会这样想。你为什么不早点告诉我呢？”En: "I never thought that you felt this way. Why didn't you tell me earlier?"Zh: “我怕，怕你觉得我不支持你。”梅眼中闪着泪光。En: "I was afraid, afraid you'd think I wasn't supporting you." Tears glistened in Mei's eyes.Zh: 张轻轻叹了口气，握住梅的手。En: Zhang sighed softly, holding Mei's hand.Zh: “我没有意识到这些，我只是一心想给我们创造更好的未来，却忽略了你的感受。”En: "I didn't realize these things. I was just focused on creating a better future for us, but I overlooked your feelings."Zh: 此时，天色已暗，西湖的灯笼一盏盏亮了起来，温暖的光芒包围了他们。En: By now, the sky had darkened, and the lanterns around West Lake one by one illuminated, surrounding them with a warm glow.Zh: 梅感受到一种未曾有过的轻松感。En: Mei felt a lightness she had never experienced before.Zh: “张，我只是希望我们能一同考虑未来，而不是只有一个人去追逐。”En: "Zhang, I just hope we can both consider the future together, rather than just one of us chasing it."Zh: 他们的目光再次在灯光中相遇，张点了点头。En: Their eyes met again in the light of the lanterns, and Zhang nodded.Zh: “我会留下，跟你一起面对。或许我们可以从头再来。”En: "I will stay and face it together with you. Perhaps we can start over."Zh: 梅的心如释重负，紧握住他的手。En: Mei's heart felt relieved, and she held his hand tightly.Zh: “谢谢你愿意留下。”En: "Thank you for being willing to stay."Zh: 冬夜的寒冷似乎变得不再刺骨。En: The winter night's cold seemed no longer biting.Zh: 湖边的对话结束后，梅和张携手走进了灯笼的海洋中，决定重新开始一起生活的旅程。En: After their lakeside conversation, Mei and Zhang walked hand in hand into the sea of lanterns, deciding to begin their journey of living together anew.Zh: 梅终于明白，直面内心的恐惧和诚实，才是感情维系的关键。En: Mei finally understood that facing inner fears and being honest are the keys to maintaining a relationship. Vocabulary Words:tranquil: 静谧rippling: 波动reflection: 倒影gaze: 目光complex: 复杂festive: 节日atmosphere: 气氛disheartened: 心灰意冷impeccable: 无懈可击wedge: 摒弃感sunset: 夕阳hint: 一抹courage: 勇气unease: 不安trembled: 颤抖compromising: 妥协strangers: 陌生人glistened: 闪着sigh: 叹气overlooked: 忽略lanterns: 灯笼illuminated: 亮glow: 光芒lightness: 轻松consider: 考虑nod: 点头relieved: 如释重负biting: 刺骨journey: 旅程maintaining: 维系

Fluent Fiction - Mandarin Chinese: Capturing Tranquility: A Journey of Creativity at Xihu Find the full episode transcript, vocabulary words, and more:fluentfiction.com/zh/episode/2026-02-20-23-34-02-zh Story Transcript:Zh: 西湖的春天，总是让人心生向往。En: The spring of Xihu, or West Lake, always leaves people longing for it.Zh: 李娟和德伟决定在元宵节，去那里赏梅花。En: Lijuan and Dewei decided to visit there during the Yuanxiao Festival, or Lantern Festival, to admire the plum blossoms.Zh: 他们听说今年的梅花开的特别好，便早早出发。En: They had heard that the plum blossoms were blooming exceptionally well this year, so they set off early.Zh: 一路上，李娟带着她心爱的相机，而德伟则夹着一个小笔记本。En: On the way, Lijuan carried her beloved camera, while Dewei had a small notebook with him.Zh: 他们心中各有一个愿望，一个想拍出完美的照片，一个想写出动人的诗篇。En: Each had a wish in mind: one wanted to capture the perfect photograph, and the other wanted to write a moving poem.Zh: 到了西湖，果然如他们所料，到处都是人。En: Upon reaching Xihu, it was indeed as they expected; there were people everywhere.Zh: 节日的气氛使湖边热闹非凡，孩子们打着灯笼，人们的笑声此起彼伏。En: The festive atmosphere made the lakeside extraordinarily lively, with children carrying lanterns and laughter of people filling the air.Zh: 李娟环顾四周，发现找个安静的拍照位置几乎是不可能的。En: Lijuan looked around and found that it was nearly impossible to find a quiet spot for photography.Zh: 德伟坐在湖边的石凳上，看着笔记本发呆，他的思绪随着人群的吵闹而四处飘散。En: Dewei sat on a stone bench by the lake, staring blankly at his notebook, his thoughts drifting away with the clamor of the crowd.Zh: “我想去湖的另一边看看，”李娟提议，“也许那里会安静一点。En: "I want to see the other side of the lake," Lijuan suggested, "maybe it will be quieter there."Zh: ”德伟点头表示同意，于是他们沿着小路走去。En: Dewei nodded in agreement, and so they followed the path.Zh: 西湖的另一边果然人少了很多。En: The other side of Xihu indeed had far fewer people.Zh: 傍晚的阳光洒在湖面上，梅花树下显得格外柔美。En: The evening sunlight cast on the lake surface, making the plum trees appear exceptionally gentle and beautiful.Zh: 李娟为此景欣喜不已，迅速架好相机。En: Lijuan was delighted by this scene and quickly set up her camera.Zh: 她仔细调整了角度，把风景和节日的气氛一同收入画面。En: She carefully adjusted the angle to capture both the scenery and the festive atmosphere in the frame.Zh: 德伟坐在一旁，闭上眼睛，听着湖边微风拂过柳枝的声音，渐渐心渐安静。En: Dewei sat nearby, closed his eyes, and listened to the sound of the breeze rustling through willow branches by the lake, gradually finding peace of mind.Zh: 他的脑海中浮现出一句诗：“月影梅间落，灯筏映水光。En: A line of poetry emerged in his mind: "Moon shadows fall among the plums, lantern rafts reflect in the water's light."Zh: ”他微笑着，把这句诗快速写下。En: Smiling, he quickly jotted down this line of verse.Zh: 天色渐渐暗下来，李娟收好相机，德伟合上笔记本。En: As the sky gradually darkened, Lijuan packed away her camera, and Dewei closed his notebook.Zh: 他们在这片静谧中找到了各自的灵感，也体会到了意外之乐。En: They found their inspiration in this tranquility, as well as unexpected joy.Zh: 在返回的路上，他们都感到无比的满足。En: On the way back, they felt immensely satisfied.Zh: 李娟在这次旅行中学会了耐心和坚持的重要性，德伟也掌握了在喧嚣中寻找灵感的信心。En: During this trip, Lijuan learned the importance of patience and persistence, and Dewei gained confidence in finding inspiration amidst the noise.Zh: 他们带着满满的收获，和对西湖美好记忆，离开了。En: They left with a wealth of experiences and beautiful memories of Xihu.Zh: 对于李娟和德伟来说，这趟西湖之行不仅是一趟观光赏景的旅程，更是一次心灵的成长和收获。En: For Lijuan and Dewei, this trip to Xihu was not just a sightseeing journey but also an experience of personal growth and harvest. Vocabulary Words:blossoms: 梅花admire: 赏notebook: 笔记本festival: 节日exceptionally: 特别atmosphere: 气氛lively: 热闹clap: 吵闹persistence: 坚持inspiration: 灵感harvest: 收获tranquility: 静谧glee: 欣喜longing: 向往capture: 拍extraordinarily: 非凡path: 小路sunlight: 阳光gentle: 柔美drifting: 飘散rafts: 灯筏shadows: 月影branches: 柳枝overwhelming: 无比journey: 旅行memories: 记忆satisfaction: 满足adventure: 旅程poem: 诗篇gained: 掌握

Westlake, Lausanne, Jesus, Gospel, world, campus

Episode Description:How far would you go for a gold medal—would you risk a scandal just for a few extra centimeters? That's the question that launches this episode of The JB and Sandy Show, where JB, Sandy, and Tricia dive into Olympic controversies, Super Bowl traditions, and the quirks of Texas sports legends.The show opens with the wild “Wienergate” scandal at the Olympics, as Sandy explains, “Guys are injecting their junk at the time their suits are being fitted so it looks like it fits properly. And then later after their junk goes back to normal, they still have the extra material.” Tricia's curiosity and JB's disbelief make for hilarious banter: “You really gotta want a gold medal to shoot your junk up.”

The Pink Smoke is back on track, picking up with the sixth entry of Donald E. Westlake's Parker series. A true outlier, The Jugger doesn't feature an epic heist or a ragtag mix of reliable and backstabbing criminals. In this one Parker's all alone, dropped into a situation he's not sure about, forced to make decisions that will have giant ramifications on his life and the series moving forward. We also discuss Made in U.S.A., Jean-Luc Godard's 1966 adaptation of The Jugger which is technically the first Parker movie even though you really have to squint to find any tract of Westlake. For one thing...Parker is a woman. And it just gets more estranged from the source material from there.

Westlake, Lausanne, Jesus, Gospel, world, city, work

Wir sehen endlich, was die Brückencrew den ganzen Tag macht. Shax kämpft gegen seine inneren Dämonen, Ransom versucht auf seine ganz eigene Art, Ensigns anzuleiten, Billups führt ein paar dringende Reperaturen durch, T'Ana arbeitet an der Schmerzskala und Captain Freeman zeigt, wie wichtig Interesse an der Crew im Job des Captains ist. Und ganz nebenbei wird eine Invasion der Clicket abgewehrt. Am Ende bleibt sogar noch Zeit für Romantik. Die Handlung der Episode dreht sich um eine Kürbisschnitt-Party der Lower Decker, während die Brückencrew mit ihren eigenen Schwierigkeiten konfrontiert wird. Hier zeigen wir, wie die traditionsgebundene Feier und die Herausforderungen im All die Balance zwischen Humor und Ernsthaftigkeit im Star Trek-Universum widerspiegeln. Tanja hebt hervor, wie die unterschiedlichen Zeitspannen, die jeder Charakter erlebt, zu einer Bereicherung der Lebensläufe und Erfahrungen der Crew beitragen. Dies führt uns zu einem Meta-Kommentar über die sozialen Hierarchien und die Dynamik zwischen den verschiedenen Crewmitgliedern. Ein zentraler Teil unserer Diskussion ist der Charakter Schex, dessen tiefgründige psychologische Kämpfe im Fokus stehen. Seine Erlebnisse, besonders die Rückkehr aus dem Tod, werden eindringlich dargestellt und bieten einen schaurigen, aber eindrucksvollen Einblick in seine innere Welt. Die Animation sorgt dafür, dass diese verstörenden Momente beim Zuschauer starke Emotionen hervorrufen und die Reaktionen seiner Mitstreiter verdeutlichen. In einem weiteren Spannungsbogen erleben wir Captain Freemans Bemühungen, trotz der festlichen Umstände den Zusammenhalt ihrer Crew zu stärken. Die Episode bietet nicht nur eine humorvolle Erzählweise, sondern behandelt auch ernsthafte Themen wie Identität und interne Konflikte. Der visuelle Stil der einzelnen Szenen unterstützt die emotionale Tiefe und lässt die Zuschauer die Kämpfe der Charaktere nachvollziehen. Wir betrachten die Szenen, in denen Billups und Westlake die Herausforderungen im Maschinenraum meisterhaft, jedoch auf humorvolle Weise darstellen. Dabei wird deutlich, wie stark technische Probleme und zwischenmenschliche Konflikte innerhalb der Crew miteinander verwoben sind. Die emotionalen Reaktionen der Zuschauer verdienen besondere Beachtung, vor allem in Momenten, in denen wichtige Charaktere Schicksale erleiden. Diese Spannung wird durch die Rückkehr eines Charakters aus der zweiten Staffel noch verstärkt und macht die Geschichten lebendig und nachvollziehbar. Auch gruselige Elemente, wie die Darstellungen von feindlichen Kadassianern, heben die thematische Vielschichtigkeit der Episode hervor. Mit unserer eingehenden Analyse der Charakterentwicklungen und der vielschichtigen Dialoge kommen wir zum Schluss, dass die Episode nicht nur durch Humor, sondern auch durch ernsthafte Betrachtungen der menschlichen Verwundbarkeit besticht. Sie bietet eine hübsche Balance zwischen leichten und tiefgründigen Themen, während sie die besonderen Herausforderungen und Freuden des Lebens im All thematisiert. Unsere Diskussion schließt mit einer Reflexion über die Bedeutung von persönlichem Wachstum und gegenseitiger Unterstützung innerhalb der Crew und wie wichtig es ist, in schwierigen Zeiten zusammenzuhalten. Wir laden die Hörer ein, sich uns anzuschließen, während wir die Details dieser fesselnden Episode weiter ergründen.

A heartbreaking mix of stories to open the show: an injured mountain lion cub is found on a Los Angeles County street and transported to Northern California for rehabilitation, while a man is fatally shot after getting off a Metro bus in the Westlake district of Downtown L.A. A deep dive into baseball history as Miguel “Miggy” Rojas’ game-tying home run in Game 7 of the World Series is broken down — the moment, the pressure, and why it will be remembered forever. Author and podcast host Mark Malkoff joins the show to talk about his book Love Johnny Carson: One Obsessive Fan’s Journey to Find the Genius Behind the Legend. Johnny Carson’s unmatched legacy is explored — from 4,500 episodes and 25,000 interviews to his lasting impact on American culture. Plus, a personal connection: Tim Conway appeared on The Tonight Show 27 times, sharing memories of television’s golden era. An emotional plea closes the hour as Savannah Guthrie, alongside her sister Annie and brother Camron, asks the public for help in the search for their missing mother, Nancy, sharing the message on Savannah’s Instagram. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

感谢金主妈妈Tims咖啡机！ 点击专属购买链接 【聊了什么The What】 实在是不好解释，把图放在这里大家自己体会吧。 IYKYK 【时间轴 The When】 01:32 - 重大发现——12月末是星期天晚上（虽然发节目的时间已经到了一月底，请别介意） 05:43 - 年度总结框架 06:58 - 卧槽：政治极化坟墓上跳舞的Eddington 9:56 - 我操我不行了：A Simple Accident 11:22 - 可以可以：电影Sorry Baby 15:29 - 可以可以：在西湖喝茶 22:33 - 我不行了：日语学不下去 26:15 - 我不行了：补课罗马史 35:24 - 卧槽我不行了：韩娱饭圈 40:28 - 卧槽我不行了：那不勒斯四部曲 43:46 - 卧槽可以可以：今年看过的一些非虚构 45:38 - 我操我不行了可以可以：戛纳电影节 47:38 - 我不行了可以可以：2025 年看山河故人别有风味 54:58 - 我操我不行了可以可以：Chichu Art Museum和James Turrell的艺术 66:22 - 我操我不行了可以可以：简中“反清复明”阴谋论宇宙 68:25 - 我操我不行了可以可以：西非舞 75:44 - 我操我不行了可以可以：医疗剧 The Pitt 01:32 – Major discovery: late December feels like Sunday night (even though the episode drops in late January—please don't mind us) 05:43 – Year-end recap framework 06:58 – Holy Shit: Eddington — dancing on the grave of political polarization 09:56 – I can't with this: A Simple Accident 11:22 – Okay okay okay: Sorry Baby 15:29 – Okay okay okay: drinking tea at West Lake 22:33 – I can't with this: Japanese is no longer happening 26:15 – I can't with this: crash-course on Roman history 35:24 – Holy Shit, I can't with this: K-pop fandom culture 40:28 – Holy Shit, I can't with this: The Neapolitan Novels (the four-book series) 43:46 – Holy Shit, okay okay okay: some nonfiction reads from this year 45:38 – Holy Shit, I can't with this, okay okay okay: Cannes Film Festival 47:38 – I can't with this, okay okay okay: watching Mountains May Depart in 2025 hits differently 54:58 – Holy Shit, I can't with this, okay okay okay: Chichu Art Museum & the art of James Turrell 66:22 – Holy Shit, I can't with this, okay okay okay: the Simplified-Chinese internet's “Restore the Ming Dynasty” conspiracy universe 68:25 – Holy Shit, I can't with this, okay okay okay: West African dance 75:44 – Holy Shit, I can't with this, okay okay okay: the medical drama The Pitt 【拓展链接】 小杨 Sorry Baby It's just an accident The Pitt 小蓝 Ulysses Everyday is for the thief Intermezzo 那不勒斯四部曲 Ailey Studios的西非舞传奇老师 一芳 Strike, Labor Unions, and Resistance in the Roman Empire Careless People MCU: The Reign of Marvel Studios 阿花 西方文化的传统与演进 Rome Cleopatra 万历十五年 山河故人

Tune in to the February 2026 Edition of the Westlake Weekly Podcast from Westlake Charter School.   Music by Bensound.com

Fluent Fiction - Mandarin Chinese: Sibling Harmony: Balancing Tradition and Modernity at West Lake Find the full episode transcript, vocabulary words, and more:fluentfiction.com/zh/episode/2026-01-30-23-34-02-zh Story Transcript:Zh: 冬天，西湖的空气格外清新。En: In winter, the air around West Lake is especially fresh.Zh: 杭州的小茶馆安静地坐落在湖边，四周点缀着红灯笼，透着节日的气息。En: A small tea house in Hangzhou quietly sits by the lakeside, surrounded by red lanterns, exuding a festive atmosphere.Zh: 茶香在暖暖的灯光中弥漫，让人心神放松。En: The fragrance of tea permeates the warm light, soothing the mind and spirit.Zh: 茶馆里，三个兄弟姐妹——明宇、玲和佳豪，聚在一张老木桌旁。En: Inside the tea house, three siblings—Mingyu, Ling, and Jiahao—gathered around an old wooden table.Zh: 桌上摆满了准备农历新年的各种茶叶和点心，这是他们祖母最爱的传统。En: The table was filled with various teas and snacks prepared for the Lunar New Year, a tradition their grandmother loved the most.Zh: 祖母过世后，这间茶馆的未来成了他们迫切要面对的问题。En: After her passing, the future of the tea house became an urgent issue they had to face.Zh: 明宇是长子，理智且注重传统。En: Mingyu, the eldest son, is rational and values tradition.Zh: 他相信茶馆应该保持原有的历史风貌，以表达对祖辈的尊重。En: He believes that the tea house should maintain its historical appearance to show respect for their ancestors.Zh: 玲则是第二个孩子，向往新潮，想要将现代元素融入茶馆，吸引更多年轻顾客。En: Ling, the second child, longs for modernity and wants to incorporate modern elements into the tea house to attract more young customers.Zh: 最小的佳豪站在两人之间，显得有些不安。En: The youngest, Jiahao, stood between the two, appearing a bit uneasy.Zh: “我们不能忘记祖母的心血，”明宇坚定地说道，“茶馆不能失去文化根基。”En: "We can't forget grandmother's hard work," Mingyu said firmly. "The tea house cannot lose its cultural roots."Zh: “但我们也要与时俱进，”玲提出反驳，“如果我们什么都不改变，会被时代抛弃。”En: "But we also need to keep up with the times," Ling countered. "If we don't change anything, we'll be abandoned by the era."Zh: 空气中弥漫着些许紧张。En: A hint of tension filled the air.Zh: 佳豪看着哥哥姐姐，不知道怎么缓解他们之间的分歧。En: Jiahao looked at his brother and sister, unsure of how to ease the rift between them.Zh: 他抿了一口热茶，鼓起勇气说道：“我们能不能融合一些新想法？不丢掉传统，只是让茶馆更加吸引人。”En: He took a sip of hot tea, gathered his courage, and said, "Can we blend some new ideas? Without losing tradition, we could make the tea house more appealing."Zh: 玲和明宇对视片刻。En: Ling and Mingyu exchanged a glance.Zh: 玲微微点头。En: Ling nodded slightly.Zh: “或许，我们可以试试，”她妥协道，“我们可以增加一些现代茶艺展示。”En: "Maybe we can try," she conceded. "We can add some modern tea ceremony demonstrations."Zh: 明宇思考了一会儿，也终于开口：“好吧，我们可以做出一些改变，但不能失去茶馆的精神。”En: Mingyu thought for a moment and finally spoke: "Alright, we can make some changes, but we can't lose the spirit of the tea house."Zh: 他补充道，“比如，我们增加一些新年特供，不过还是要围绕我们的传统一起来。”En: He added, "For example, we can introduce some New Year specials, but they must be centered around our traditions."Zh: 这番话让佳豪心里一松。En: These words brought relief to Jiahao.Zh: 他们三人开始谈论具体计划，茶馆空气中的冬日寒意仿佛也消散了几分。En: The three of them began discussing specific plans, and the wintry chill in the air of the tea house seemed to dissipate a bit.Zh: 在新年的准备中，他们达成了和解。En: In preparing for the New Year, they reached a reconciliation.Zh: 明宇认识到接受一些创新也是对祖母的另一种敬意，玲赞同护持家族传统能带来独特魅力，而佳豪在过程中找到了自己的声音，成为了两者的桥梁。En: Mingyu realized that accepting some innovation was another form of honoring grandmother, Ling agreed that preserving family traditions could bring unique charm, and Jiahao found his voice in the process, becoming a bridge between the two.Zh: 随着春节的临近，茶馆门口的红灯笼闪耀得更明亮了。En: As the Spring Festival approached, the red lanterns at the tea house entrance shone brighter.Zh: 屋内，茶香依旧，却多了一层新的味道，承载着三个兄弟姐妹共同的心血。En: Inside, the tea fragrance remained, but with an added new aroma, bearing the shared effort of the three siblings.Zh: 通过理解和尊重，他们终于为茶馆找到了平衡点。En: Through understanding and respect, they finally found a balance for the tea house. Vocabulary Words:fragrance: 香气permeates: 弥漫soothing: 舒缓的siblings: 兄弟姐妹gathered: 聚集tradition: 传统passing: 过世rational: 理智maintain: 保持ancestor: 祖先modernity: 现代性incorporate: 合并uneasy: 不安的counter: 反驳tension: 紧张rift: 分歧courage: 勇气demonstrations: 展示conceded: 妥协innovation: 创新reconciliation: 和解preserving: 保护charm: 魅力approached: 临近aroma: 香味understanding: 理解respect: 尊重balance: 平衡festive: 节日的appealing: 吸引人的

Fluent Fiction - Mandarin Chinese: Lanterns of Renewal: Rebuilding Friendship at West Lake Find the full episode transcript, vocabulary words, and more:fluentfiction.com/zh/episode/2026-01-27-23-34-02-zh Story Transcript:Zh: 梅琳和钟站在杭州西湖的岸边，四周是热闹的灯笼节景象。En: Meilin and Zhong stood on the shores of Hangzhou West Lake, surrounded by the lively scenes of the Lantern Festival.Zh: 湖面波光粼粼，被无数彩灯照亮，空气中飘着甜甜的汤圆香味。En: The lake's surface shimmered, illuminated by countless colorful lights, and the sweet aroma of tangyuan wafted through the air.Zh: 人们欢声笑语，享受着这节日的夜晚。En: People laughed and chatted joyfully, enjoying the festive night.Zh: 梅琳心事重重，她和钟之间有个未解的误会，让她一直心怀愧疚。En: Meilin was burdened with concerns; there was an unresolved misunderstanding between her and Zhong, leaving her feeling guilt-ridden.Zh: 她希望今天能和钟在一起放天灯，为他们的友谊画上一个美丽的句号。En: She hoped to spend the evening with Zhong releasing a sky lantern, marking a beautiful ending to their friendship.Zh: 但是，钟似乎还没有完全放下过往的争吵。En: However, Zhong seemed not to have completely moved on from their past arguments.Zh: 他一边看向远处的灯光，一边在心里犹豫不决。En: While he gazed towards the distant lights, he hesitated in his heart.Zh: 他想和梅琳享受这美好的夜晚，但心里那点疙瘩又让他无法全心投入。En: He wanted to enjoy this beautiful evening with Meilin, but a nagging feeling held him back from fully engaging.Zh: “钟，我们去找个地方，放天灯吧！”梅琳试探着开口。En: “Zhong, let's find a place to release a sky lantern!” Meilin suggested tentatively.Zh: 钟沉默了一下，然后点了点头。En: Zhong was silent for a moment, then nodded.Zh: 他们在人群中穿梭，寻找一个安静的地方。En: They weaved through the crowd, looking for a quiet spot.Zh: 走了一会儿，他们来到了一处较为空旷的湖边。En: After walking for a while, they arrived at a more open area by the lakeside.Zh: “我一直很抱歉，关于上次的争吵。”梅琳小心翼翼地说。En: “I've been sorry all along, about the last argument,” Meilin said cautiously.Zh: 钟叹了口气，把目光转向湖面。En: Zhong sighed and turned his gaze toward the lake.Zh: 他看着水中倒映的灯光，心中的不快似乎也没有那么沉重了。En: He watched the reflections of the lights in the water, and the heaviness in his heart seemed to lessen.Zh: “没关系，我也不对。”En: "It's okay, I was wrong too."Zh: 梅琳感到一丝轻松，她勇敢地继续说：“我们的友谊比任何事情都重要。En: Meilin felt a bit relieved and bravely continued, “Our friendship is more important than anything.Zh: 我们应该一起放天灯，忘记过去。”En: We should release a sky lantern together and forget the past.”Zh: 钟终于露出笑容，两人一起点燃了手中的天灯。En: Zhong finally smiled, and they lit the sky lantern in their hands together.Zh: 随着天灯缓缓升起，带着他们共同的愿望和和解的心，飞向夜空。En: As the lantern ascended slowly, carrying their shared hopes and the spirit of reconciliation, it flew into the night sky.Zh: 湖面倒映出灯光的辉映，见证着两人之间的默契与友谊的重生。En: The lake reflected the brilliance of the lights, witnessing the unspoken understanding and rebirth of their friendship.Zh: 梅琳知道，这一刻将会是他们最珍贵的回忆之一。En: Meilin knew this moment would be one of their most precious memories.Zh: 在灯火通明的西湖旁，梅琳和钟终于重新拾起了友谊，迎来了一个全新的开始。En: Beside the brightly lit West Lake, Meilin and Zhong finally picked up their friendship once more, welcoming a whole new beginning. Vocabulary Words:shores: 岸边lively: 热闹shimmered: 波光粼粼illuminated: 照亮aroma: 香味wafted: 飘concerns: 心事unresolved: 未解misunderstanding: 误会guilt-ridden: 心怀愧疚tentatively: 试探着weaved: 穿梭gaze: 目光heaviness: 沉重reflections: 倒映lessen: 减轻reconciliation: 和解ascended: 升起witnessing: 见证unspoken: 默契rebirth: 重生precious: 珍贵memories: 回忆releasing: 放hesitated: 犹豫不决engaging: 全心投入spirit: 心bravely: 勇敢地shared: 共同的brilliance: 辉映

Musical composer Chris Westlake talks to Seán about writing music for Star Trek Lower Decks, working with Mike McMahan, and more!Don't forget to use #AskTrekCulture for next week's questions. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Westlake, Lausanne, Jesus, Gospel, Light, world

Westlake, Lausanne, Jesus, Gospel, Proclaiming

On today's show: A recap of last night's Golden Globes! Good Vibes. Aubrey in Westlake received a gift bag from her boss but didn't find a gift inside. Alyssa's College of Knowledge! Bill is terrified of catching the SuperFlu. Plus, we have an employee who's been working here since October and he wears shorts every day. Why is this a thing in Ohio?

Westlake, Lausanne, Christ, Gospel, Exodus, Moses, City

In the second hour, Sam gives his local sports report highlighting college school basketball. Westlake Girls basketball team got a gift from Raven Johnson?! They guys take an early look at the winter Olympics. Are you excited for the Winter Olympics? Plus, we enter Noel's World where she honors The Grateful Dead's Bob Weir and she and Greg congratulate Sam on an achievement. The Grateful Dead are cemented in pop culture.

Tune in to the January 2026 Edition of the Westlake Weekly Podcast from Westlake Charter School. Music by Bensound.com

Westlake, lausanne, Jesus, Gospel, Wise men

In this super-sized episode of our ongoing series where we discuss the exploits of career criminal Parker from the books by Richard Stark a.k.a. Donald E. Westlake, we're tackling three big Parker-based works. We start by jumping ahead in our chronological reviews to discuss The Handle, the eighth book in the Parker series, in which our professional thief is enlisted by a former enemy syndicate to rob an island casino and burn it to the ground. Next, we dive into the new Shane Black written and directed adaptation Play Dirty, starring Mark Wahlberg as Parker and LaKeith Stanfield as fellow heister Alan Grofield. This opens up the table to talk about Westlake's spin-off series starring Grofield, with its first book The Damsel. It's an epic conversation with some surprising developments and unexpected turns - much like a job pulled off by Parker or Grofield!

Fluent Fiction - Mandarin Chinese: Unearthing Secrets: The Untold Legacy of Yun Shui Xuan Find the full episode transcript, vocabulary words, and more:fluentfiction.com/zh/episode/2025-12-18-08-38-20-zh Story Transcript:Zh: 杭州的冬天，寒风萧瑟，但西湖与茶馆的结合却是无比温暖。En: In the winter of Hangzhou, the cold wind was bitter, but the combination of West Lake and the teahouse was immensely warm.Zh: 茶馆名叫“云水轩”，是明先生开的。En: The teahouse was called Yun Shui Xuan, and it was run by Mr. Ming.Zh: 他热爱历史，尤其是那些久远的传统。En: He loved history, especially those age-old traditions.Zh: 每年冬至，人们总是来这里喝杯热茶，享受节日的欢愉。En: Every winter solstice, people would come here to sip on a hot cup of tea and enjoy the festive cheer.Zh: 这天早晨，茶馆内飘散淡淡的茶香。En: That morning, a subtle aroma of tea wafted through the teahouse.Zh: 小雨在柜台后忙碌。En: Xiaoyu was busy behind the counter.Zh: 他是这里的小学徒，总是对一切充满好奇。En: He was a young apprentice here, always full of curiosity about everything.Zh: 客人们渐渐多了起来，李伟先生也像往常一样来到茶馆。En: Gradually, more guests began to arrive, and Mr. Li Wei, as usual, came to the teahouse.Zh: 他是一个学者，经常沉迷于古印章的研究。En: He was a scholar who often immersed himself in the study of ancient seals.Zh: 墙上一幅画后隐藏的书架上，有一本古书。En: On a bookshelf hidden behind a painting on the wall, there was an ancient book.Zh: 书的封面上有一个旧印章，模糊却奥秘。En: On the cover of the book was an old seal, blurry yet mysterious.Zh: 突然，明先生收到了一个包裹，里面有一封信和一个旧印章。En: Suddenly, Mr. Ming received a package, which contained a letter and an old seal.Zh: 令所有人惊讶的是，这个印章与书上的一模一样。En: To everyone's surprise, this seal was identical to the one on the book.Zh: 明先生心中激动，也有几分不安。En: Mr. Ming was excited yet somewhat uneasy.Zh: 这个印章，会不会与茶馆的历史有关？En: Could this seal be related to the history of the teahouse?Zh: 他决定要弄清楚印章的来历，不惜采取非常措施。En: He decided to uncover the origin of the seal, even if it meant taking extraordinary measures.Zh: 他与李伟先生商量，打算去调查古代的档案，尽管这有些冒险。En: He discussed with Mr. Li Wei and planned to investigate ancient archives, despite the risks involved.Zh: 茶馆渐渐安静下来，雪花在窗外轻轻起舞。En: The teahouse gradually quieted down, and snowflakes danced gently outside the windows.Zh: 经过几天的艰苦寻找，明先生、小雨和李伟先生终于找到了线索。En: After a few days of arduous searching, Mr. Ming, Xiaoyu, and Mr. Li Wei finally found a clue.Zh: 茶馆地下似乎有一个隐藏的密室，与古代一个失落的王朝有关。En: There seemed to be a hidden chamber beneath the teahouse, which was connected to a lost dynasty of ancient times.Zh: 他们心跳如雷，打开了密室的门。En: Their hearts were pounding as they opened the door to the secret chamber.Zh: 里面摆满了古代的文物和记载着茶馆起源的历史文献。En: Inside, it was filled with ancient artifacts and historical documents that recorded the origins of the teahouse.Zh: 原来，“云水轩”的来历可以追溯到一个古老的传说，这个传说讲述了一位茶艺大师如何用茶来传递和平与智慧。En: It turned out that the origins of Yun Shui Xuan could be traced back to an old legend that told of a tea master who used tea to convey peace and wisdom.Zh: 经过这次旅程，明先生对传统文化有了更深的理解。En: After this journey, Mr. Ming developed a deeper understanding of traditional culture.Zh: 而小雨，也在这个过程中对历史的保存产生了浓厚的兴趣，未来，他希望能继续这些遗产的保护工作。En: Meanwhile, Xiaoyu grew a keen interest in the preservation of history during this process.Zh: 未来，他希望能继续这些遗产的保护工作。En: In the future, he hoped to continue working on the protection of these legacies.Zh: 在冬至那天，茶馆里的人比平时多了许多。En: On the winter solstice day, there were more people in the teahouse than usual.Zh: 大家围坐在一起，听明先生讲述那个古老而神秘的传说，心中对“云水轩”更增添几分敬仰。En: Everyone sat together, listening to Mr. Ming recount the ancient and mysterious legend, and their admiration for Yun Shui Xuan grew even more.Zh: 茶香依然，传奇继续……En: The aroma of tea lingered on, and the legend continued... Vocabulary Words:bitter: 寒风萧瑟immensely: 无比subtle: 淡淡wafted: 飘散apprentice: 小学徒curiosity: 好奇scholar: 学者immersed: 沉迷ancient: 古seal: 印章mysterious: 奥秘uneasy: 不安origin: 来历extraordinary: 非常archives: 档案arduous: 艰苦clue: 线索chamber: 密室pounding: 心跳如雷artifacts: 文物documents: 文献trace: 追溯legend: 传说convey: 传递wisdom: 智慧preservation: 保存admiration: 敬仰culture: 文化legacy: 遗产lingered: 依然

A routine ride request in Los Angeles turns into a shock when a woman discovers a stranger locked inside the trunk of a self-driving Waymo near MacArthur Park in the Westlake area. An American grandmother is back home after being arrested in the Bahamas when authorities found a handgun and ammunition in her purse during a cruise stop in Nassau. Drew Nelson reports.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Tune in to the December 2025 Edition of the Westlake Weekly Podcast from Westlake Charter School. Music by Bensound.com

The New Democratic Party of Canada is currently looking for its new leader after the resignation of Jagmeet Singh and a colossal decline in support in the most recent federal election.  It seems the NDP's reduced support stems from competition with the Liberals, strategic voting, demographic shifts, and difficulties uniting diverse voter groups across Canada.  The new leader of the NDP must unite the party's diverse voter groups, rebuild national support and clearly differentiate the NDP's vision from its rivals. But how can this be done? rabble publisher Sarah Sahagian and assistant professor at the School of Public Policy at Simon Fraser University Daniel Westlake discuss this question and more this week on rabble radio.  About our guest Daniel Westlake is a term assistant professor at the School of Public Policy at Simon Fraser University. He teaches courses on Canadian politics, quantitative methods, and multiculturalism and immigration policy. Westlake completed his PhD in political science at the University of British Columbia and has previously held positions at the University of Victoria, Queen's University, and the University of Saskatchewan. If you like the show please consider subscribing on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube or wherever you find your podcasts. And please, rate, review, share rabble radio with your friends — it takes two seconds to support independent media like rabble. Follow us on social media across channels @rabbleca. 

11.24.25 - Ryan Krull - St. Louis Magazine – Homeless at the Airport; West Lake clean-up; Latest on Sheriff by

Fluent Fiction - Mandarin Chinese: Discovering Life's Beauty: Li Juan's Transformation at West Lake Find the full episode transcript, vocabulary words, and more:fluentfiction.com/zh/episode/2025-11-24-23-34-02-zh Story Transcript:Zh: 清晨的西湖，秋日的阳光洒在湖面上，金黄的树叶在微风中轻轻摇曳。En: In the early morning at West Lake, the autumn sunlight sprinkled on the lake's surface, and the golden leaves gently swayed in the breeze.Zh: 李娟站在湖边，呼吸着清新的空气。En: Li Juan stood by the lake, breathing in the fresh air.Zh: 她是个静谧的老师，外向的朋友宇辰总是说她应该多出来走走。En: She was a tranquil teacher, and her outgoing friend Yuchen always said she should get out more.Zh: 这次宇辰组织了西湖之旅，他说：“李娟，你一定会喜欢的。En: This time, Yuchen organized a trip to West Lake, saying, "Li Juan, you will definitely like it."Zh: ” 跟他们一起来的还有一个叫明浩的摄影师。En: Accompanying them was a photographer named Ming Hao.Zh: 明浩魅力十足，总能用镜头捕捉到最美的瞬间。En: Ming Hao was charming, always able to capture the most beautiful moments with his lens.Zh: 旅程第一天，李娟有些紧张。En: On the first day of the trip, Li Juan was somewhat nervous.Zh: 她喜欢大自然，但在人群中总显得拘谨。En: She loved nature but always appeared reserved in a crowd.Zh: 晚上，一场篝火派对，大家围坐在一起聊得热火朝天。En: In the evening, there was a bonfire party, and everyone sat together, chatting enthusiastically.Zh: 李娟坐在一边，看着明浩和宇辰调侃，心里有一些羡慕他们的轻松自在。En: Li Juan sat on the side, watching Ming Hao and Yuchen banter, feeling somewhat envious of their ease and comfort.Zh: 第二天早晨，宇辰邀请大家去湖边散步。En: The next morning, Yuchen invited everyone for a walk by the lake.Zh: 湖水如镜，古桥映在水中，景色宜人。En: The water was like a mirror, the ancient bridge reflected in it, making for a pleasant scene.Zh: 明浩拿着相机，注意到李娟站得远远的，他主动走上前，“李娟，要不要一起走走？En: Ming Hao, holding his camera, noticed that Li Juan stood far away and approached her, "Li Juan, would you like to take a walk together?"Zh: ”李娟犹豫了一下，最终点了点头。En: Li Juan hesitated for a moment but eventually nodded.Zh: 两人沿着岸边走着，明浩指着远处的山景，开始聊他对摄影的热爱。En: The two walked along the shore, and Ming Hao pointed to the distant mountain view, starting to talk about his passion for photography.Zh: 慢慢地，李娟放下心中的防备，诉说起她对大自然和教学的热情。En: Gradually, Li Juan let down her guard and began to speak about her passion for nature and teaching.Zh: 明浩安静地听着，分享他旅行的故事。En: Ming Hao listened quietly and shared his travel stories.Zh: 渐渐地，李娟感到一阵轻松，她从未如此坦然地和一个陌生人分享过心事。En: Slowly, Li Juan felt a sense of ease she had never experienced before, comfortably sharing her inner thoughts with someone she barely knew.Zh: 湖面在落日余晖中泛着金光，黄昏的景色更显迷人。En: The lake's surface shimmered with golden light in the sunset, making the twilight scene all the more enchanting.Zh: 那一晚，李娟和明浩坐在湖边，交换了联系方式。En: That evening, Li Juan and Ming Hao sat by the lake, exchanging contact information.Zh: “下次，我们再去别的地方走走，”明浩微笑着说。En: "Next time, let's explore somewhere else," Ming Hao said with a smile.Zh: 这句话让李娟心里涌起一阵温暖。En: Those words warmed Li Juan's heart.Zh: 最终，李娟第一次肯定地感受到自己的改变。En: For the first time, Li Juan felt a definite change in herself.Zh: 她不再只是观望者，而是主动去体验生活。En: She was no longer just an observer but someone actively experiencing life.Zh: 她很期待和明浩的下一次旅行，也期待自己每一步新的尝试。En: She eagerly anticipated her next trip with Ming Hao and every new attempt she would make.Zh: 西湖的秋，因这段关系的萌芽而显得格外动人。En: The autumn at West Lake appeared extraordinarily beautiful because of the budding relationship.Zh: 李娟走出了自己的小世界，迎接一个更多彩的生活。En: Li Juan stepped out of her small world to embrace a more colorful life. Vocabulary Words:autumn: 秋日sprinkled: 洒gently: 轻轻tranquil: 静谧outgoing: 外向nervous: 紧张reserved: 拘谨bonfire: 篝火party: 派对enthusiastically: 热火朝天banter: 调侃pleasant: 宜人hesitated: 犹豫shore: 岸边guard: 防备passion: 热爱ease: 轻松shimmered: 泛着金光twilight: 黄昏enchanting: 迷人exchange: 交换contact information: 联系方式warmth: 温暖definite: 肯定observer: 观望者anticipate: 期待budding: 萌芽embrace: 迎接colorful: 更多彩charming: 魅力十足

Fluent Fiction - Mandarin Chinese: Harmonizing Lanterns: Forging Unity at Hangzhou's Festival Find the full episode transcript, vocabulary words, and more:fluentfiction.com/zh/episode/2025-11-19-23-34-02-zh Story Transcript:Zh: 在杭州的一个深秋下午，明宇、丽华和健走进了一家古色古香的茶馆。En: On a late autumn afternoon in Hangzhou, Mingyu, Lihua, and Jian stepped into a quaint tea house.Zh: 走在石板街道上，他们感受到了空气中弥漫的茶香和栗子香。En: As they walked on the cobblestone street, they could smell the aroma of tea and chestnuts in the air.Zh: 茶馆的窗户上凝着蒸汽，温暖的光线透过悬挂的红色灯笼照亮了整个房间。En: Steam lingered on the tea house's windows, and the warm light filtering through the hanging red lanterns illuminated the entire room.Zh: 他们坐在一个低矮的漆桌旁，准备讨论即将到来的灯笼节计划。En: They sat by a low lacquered table, ready to discuss their upcoming plans for the Lantern Festival.Zh: 明宇是个心思细腻的艺术家，他一直想做一场关于西湖的灯笼展示。En: Mingyu is a meticulous artist who has always wanted to create a lantern display about West Lake.Zh: 他渴望让观众通过灯笼感受到西湖的美丽与宁静。En: He longs for the audience to feel the beauty and tranquility of West Lake through the lanterns.Zh: 丽华则是个充满活力的组织者，总想把节日变得更加难忘。En: Lihua, on the other hand, is a vibrant organizer who always wants to make celebrations more memorable.Zh: 她的计划非常宏大，希望把整个湖岸都装饰上灯笼。En: Her grand plan is to decorate the entire lakeshore with lanterns.Zh: 健却比较现实，他觉得丽华的计划过于夸张，不太可能实现。En: But Jian is more realistic, feeling that Lihua's plan is too extravagant and unlikely to be feasible.Zh: 三人在茶馆中讨论着节日的计划。En: The three discussed the festival plans in the tea house.Zh: 明宇轻声说：“我希望灯笼能展现出西湖的宁静之美。”En: Mingyu softly said, “I hope the lanterns can showcase the peaceful beauty of West Lake.”Zh: 丽华兴奋地回应：“但我们可以多加一些创意，让它更吸引人。”En: Lihua excitedly responded, “But we can add more creativity to make it more appealing.”Zh: 健则皱眉说：“我们需要考虑实际情况，不然计划可能无法实施。”En: Jian frowned and said, “We need to consider practicality, otherwise the plan might not be implemented.”Zh: 在讨论的过程中，气氛略显紧张。En: During the discussion, the atmosphere was somewhat tense.Zh: 为了打破僵局，明宇决定妥协。En: To break the stalemate, Mingyu decided to compromise.Zh: 他说：“也许我们可以把丽华的创意融入我的设计中，同时确保现实的可行性。”En: He said, “Maybe we can incorporate Lihua's creativity into my design while ensuring realistic feasibility.”Zh: 随后，他从包里拿出一张卷轴，慢慢展开，上面是他设计的灯笼展示图。En: Then he pulled out a scroll from his bag and slowly unfurled it, revealing his lantern display design.Zh: 图中不仅有明宇对西湖的独到见解，还融入了丽华生动的创意。En: The design not only featured Mingyu's unique vision of West Lake, but also incorporated Lihua's vivid creativity.Zh: 看到这一设计，丽华瞪大了眼睛，兴奋地说：“太美了！这样会给观众带来意想不到的惊喜。”En: Seeing this design, Lihua widened her eyes in excitement and said, “It's beautiful! This will bring an unexpected surprise to the audience.”Zh: 健也仔细地看着图纸，终于点了点头，说：“这样确实有趣，而且我看到了明宇的艺术和丽华的妙思，这很不错。”En: Jian also carefully examined the drawing and finally nodded, saying, “It's indeed interesting, and I see the blend of Mingyu's artistry and Lihua's ingenious ideas. It's really nice.”Zh: 最后，三人达成了一致。En: In the end, the three of them reached an agreement.Zh: 他们决定一同努力，把这场展示在灯笼节上呈现给大家。En: They decided to work together to present this display at the Lantern Festival.Zh: 明宇从这次合作中学会了团队合作的重要性，丽华意识到了创意与计划并重的价值，而健也开始对艺术眼界产生了新的尊重。En: Mingyu learned the importance of teamwork from this collaboration, Lihua realized the value of balancing creativity with planning, and Jian began to develop a new respect for artistic perspectives.Zh: 在茶馆的暖光中，三人的笑声回荡，与秋日的气息融为一体。En: In the warm light of the tea house, their laughter resonated, blending with the atmosphere of autumn.Zh: 他们的新计划将会为杭州的灯笼节增添别样的光彩与魅力。En: Their new plan would add a unique charm and brilliance to Hangzhou's Lantern Festival. Vocabulary Words:quaint: 古色古香cobblestone: 石板aroma: 香味linger: 停留meticulous: 心思细腻tranquility: 宁静extravagant: 夸张的feasible: 可行的showcase: 展示appealing: 吸引人practicality: 实际情况stalemate: 僵局compromise: 妥协incorporate: 融入unfurl: 展开ingenious: 妙思collaboration: 合作resonate: 回荡charm: 光彩brilliance: 魅力lakeshore: 湖岸vivid: 生动的feasibility: 可行性scroll: 卷轴unique: 独特的audience: 观众artistry: 艺术性balanced: 并重respect: 尊重perspectives: 眼界

Send us a textEpisode 130 of the Texas High School football podcast is kicking off Playoffs! After an 11 week regular season where 59 out of one thousand two hundred and fifty Texas high school football teams went undefeated!! We now have the brackets set and playoff football is set to begin! It all starts fresh and it is decided on the field. Win and keep playing lose and your season is over it is the best part of Texas High School football season because it doesn't matter where you were ranked if you're in playoffs you want to win and teams give it their all! This week Host Taylor Arenz talks to two players who team are ranked high in the playoffs! Kicking it off is Dripping Springs senior wide receiver Merrik Bloomgren  fresh off a history-making season. The Tigers just did what no Dripping Springs team had ever done: beat Westlake. Merrik takes us inside that unforgettable win, what this senior year has meant to him, and how fast his high school journey has flown by. They also talk team chemistry, the bond behind their success, and what it's been like growing as a player and leader. Merrik also opens up about the recruiting process, what kind of program he hopes to be part of next, and shares advice for younger athletes chasing their own Friday night dreams.Then, Taylor talks with sits down with Yates High School Quarterback Chris Brown he's a senior leading an undefeated Yates team. Taylor talks to Chris about how fast these four years flew by, and what it feels like to help bring the Lions their first perfect regular season since the mid-90s. They also dive into the night he put up one of the wildest performances in Texas high school football this year, talk through the heart of this team, and shine a light on the guys around him who make it all go. Chris shares his about senior emotions, leadership, recruiting, and what he wants the next generation at Yates to know.

Adri Westlake is an educator, coach, and the go-to “big sister” in teaching. Over her career, she has taught in classrooms, mentored new teachers, led professional development, spoken at national education conferences, and worked alongside administrators to improve school culture. She has seen firsthand how the right kind of support can transform a teacher's confidence, skills, and joy in the job. @adri_westlakeadriwestlake.com#adriwestlake #educator #teacher #coach #tsc #gogetit Chip Baker Social Mediahttps://www.wroteby.me/chipbaker

Fluent Fiction - Mandarin Chinese: Autumn's Brush and Lens: A Creative Romance at West Lake Find the full episode transcript, vocabulary words, and more:fluentfiction.com/zh/episode/2025-11-10-08-38-20-zh Story Transcript:Zh: 莲站在西湖边上，轻轻按下快门，她的相机记录下秋天的美丽色彩。En: Lian stood by West Lake, gently pressing the shutter, her camera capturing the beautiful colors of autumn.Zh: 空气中飘着桂花香，让她感到宁静和满足。En: The air was filled with the scent of osmanthus, which made her feel peaceful and content.Zh: 她爱自然，也爱拍摄自然。En: She loved nature and also loved photographing it.Zh: 这时，不远处有个男生正用铅笔在速写本上画画。En: Not far away, there was a young man sketching with a pencil on his pad.Zh: 他是伟，一个内心丰富的艺术家，常常来杭州寻找灵感。En: He was Wei, an artist with a rich inner world, who often came to Hangzhou seeking inspiration.Zh: 今天，他的画是为了捕捉西湖秋天的韵味。En: Today, his drawing was an attempt to capture the charm of West Lake in autumn.Zh: 莲继续拍摄，她专注于捕捉那一抹金黄的枫叶。En: Lian continued her photography, focused on capturing a touch of golden maple leaves.Zh: 伟也抬起头来，注意到莲的存在。En: Wei also looked up and noticed Lian's presence.Zh: 他微笑着走向她，轻声问：“你也在捕捉秋天的美吗？”En: He smiled and approached her, softly asking, "Are you capturing the beauty of autumn too?"Zh: 莲有些警惕。En: Lian was a bit cautious.Zh: 她并不喜欢太多的人知道她拍摄的位置，她担心如果太多人知道，这些特别的地方就会失去意义。En: She didn't like too many people knowing her photography locations because she feared that if too many people knew, these special places would lose their significance.Zh: “是的，我在找一个完美的瞬间。”莲回答，语气中带着些许防备。En: "Yes, I'm looking for a perfect moment," Lian replied, with a hint of wariness in her tone.Zh: “我也是，”伟说，“我想找到可以启发我下一幅画的灵感。”他说完，继续在速写本上涂抹。En: "So am I," Wei said, "I'm looking for inspiration for my next painting." After saying this, he continued sketching on his pad.Zh: 接下来的几天，莲和伟偶尔在同一个地点相遇。En: In the following days, Lian and Wei occasionally encountered each other at the same location.Zh: 他们没有过多交流，只是各自专心工作。En: They didn't converse much, just focused on their own work.Zh: 但慢慢地，莲观察到伟和她一样，对光影和色彩极为敏感。En: But gradually, Lian noticed that Wei, like her, was highly sensitive to light and color.Zh: 有一次，莲在拍摄时，弄丢了镜头盖。En: Once, while Lian was shooting, she lost a lens cap.Zh: 伟帮她找到了，并递给她。En: Wei found it for her and handed it back.Zh: 莲谢过他，二人微笑对视。En: Lian thanked him, and the two exchanged a smile.Zh: 莲开始觉得可以信任伟，因为他理解并珍惜这些风景。En: Lian began to feel she could trust Wei because he understood and cherished these sceneries.Zh: “如果你愿意，可以看看我的画。”伟鼓起勇气说。En: "If you want, you can take a look at my painting," Wei mustered the courage to say.Zh: 他的手微微颤抖，内心有些不安。En: His hands trembled slightly, and he felt a bit uneasy.Zh: 莲看了看画，发现他将秋天的颜色和光线描绘得无比生动。En: Lian looked at the painting and found that he depicted the colors and lights of autumn incredibly vividly.Zh: 她对伟说：“你的画很美。”En: She said to Wei, "Your painting is beautiful."Zh: 一天傍晚，西湖的夕阳格外美丽。En: One evening, the sunset on West Lake was exceptionally stunning.Zh: 莲按下快门，屏幕上显示出她想要的画面。En: Lian pressed the shutter, and the image displayed on the screen was exactly what she wanted.Zh: 与此同时，伟也完成了他的速写。En: At the same time, Wei finished his sketch.Zh: 二人互相展示自己的作品，发现它们是如此契合。En: They showed each other their work and found they matched so well.Zh: 这次，他们决定合作一个项目，用摄影和绘画共同展现杭州的秋天之美。En: This time, they decided to collaborate on a project, using both photography and painting to present the beauty of Hangzhou in autumn.Zh: 他们一起工作，分享见解，互相激励。En: They worked together, shared insights, and inspired each other.Zh: 莲变得愿意分享她的创作过程，她从合作中找到了乐趣。En: Lian became willing to share her creative process, finding joy in the collaboration.Zh: 而伟也愈发自信，知道自己的艺术是有意义的。En: Meanwhile, Wei grew more confident, knowing his art was meaningful.Zh: 西湖的秋天，见证了莲和伟的成长与相遇，也见证了他们的爱与创作。En: The autumn of West Lake witnessed the growth and meeting of Lian and Wei, and also their love and creation.Zh: 西湖边，风景依旧，人影成双。En: By the lakeside, the scenery remained unchanged, while the figures now walked in pairs. Vocabulary Words:capture: 捕捉autumn: 秋天scent: 香osmanthus: 桂花content: 满足sketching: 画画pencil: 铅笔inspiration: 灵感charm: 韵味presence: 存在wary: 警惕perfect: 完美wariness: 防备encountered: 相遇converse: 交流sensitive: 敏感lens cap: 镜头盖cherished: 珍惜mustered: 鼓起trembled: 颤抖depicted: 描绘vividly: 生动stunning: 美丽exceptionally: 格外collaborate: 合作project: 项目insights: 见解growth: 成长meeting: 相遇figures: 人影

Fluent Fiction - Mandarin Chinese: Crafting West Lake's Allure: A Creative Fusion Find the full episode transcript, vocabulary words, and more:fluentfiction.com/zh/episode/2025-11-07-08-38-20-zh Story Transcript:Zh: 秋天的西湖，比油画更加绚丽。En: Autumn at West Lake is more brilliant than an oil painting.Zh: 金黄和火红的树叶在水面上摇曳，湖边的小路满是落叶，轻踩过去，发出沙沙的响声。En: Golden and fiery red leaves sway on the water's surface, and the path by the lake is covered with fallen leaves, producing a rustling sound as they lightly tread on it.Zh: 在这样美丽的季节，贾浩和美丽坐在湖边的长椅上，眼前的一切都充满诗意。En: In such a beautiful season, Jia Hao and Mei Li sit on a bench by the lake, surrounded by a poetic view.Zh: 可是，他们的心情却没那么轻松。En: However, their mood is not as relaxed.Zh: 贾浩是一名热情洋溢的旅游规划师。En: Jia Hao is an enthusiastic travel planner.Zh: 他希望通过这次演示推广杭州的文化遗产，把西湖的美丽分享给全世界。En: He hopes to promote Hangzhou's cultural heritage through this presentation and share the beauty of West Lake with the world.Zh: 美丽则是一位富有创造力的平面设计师，擅长将美与实用结合。En: Mei Li is a creative graphic designer, skilled at combining beauty with practicality.Zh: 今天，他们需要在短时间内完成一份令人惊叹的演示文稿。En: Today, they need to complete an astonishing presentation in a short amount of time.Zh: “贾浩，我觉得现在的问题是，我们的时间不多，你的描述太过诗意了。”美丽微微皱着眉头说，En: "Jia Hao, I think the problem now is we don't have much time, and your description is too poetic," Mei Li said with a slight frown.Zh: “我们需要更为明确的结构和信息。”En: "We need more clear structure and information."Zh: 贾浩有些不服气，En: Jia Hao was somewhat unconvinced.Zh: 他认为打动人心需要美的力量。En: He believed that moving people's hearts required the power of beauty.Zh: “但这就是西湖的魅力啊，En: "But that is the charm of West Lake.Zh: 难道我们不该传达这种感动吗？”En: Shouldn't we convey this emotion?"Zh: 美丽深吸一口气，秋天的清新扑鼻而来。En: Mei Li took a deep breath, the fresh scent of autumn filling her lungs.Zh: 她决定不再拖延，直截了当地说出她的想法。En: She decided not to delay any longer and directly expressed her thoughts.Zh: “我们可以结合。En: "We can combine.Zh: 用你的故事吸引他们，然后用我的设计让他们记住。”En: Use your story to attract them, and then my design to make them remember."Zh: 贾浩怔了一下，环顾四周。En: Jia Hao paused for a moment, looking around.Zh: 黄昏的余晖洒在湖面上，像是大自然的画板。En: The twilight glow scattered on the lake, like nature's canvas.Zh: 他点点头。“好，我们试试看。”En: He nodded. "Alright, let's try it."Zh: 他们决定一边走一边交换意见。En: They decided to exchange ideas while walking.Zh: 走在长满秋叶的小路上，两人的思绪就像这绚烂的秋色一样逐渐清晰起来。En: Walking on the leaf-covered path, their thoughts gradually became clearer like the brilliant autumn colors.Zh: 美丽用她的平板展示了一些设计草案，贾浩则用动人的故事补充内容。En: Mei Li showed some design drafts on her tablet, while Jia Hao supplemented with captivating stories.Zh: 经过一番激烈的交流，他们在湖边的凉亭下找到了解决的方案。En: After an intense exchange, they found a solution under a lakeside pavilion.Zh: 贾浩的诗意语言结合美丽的精美设计，形成了一份完美的演示文稿。En: Jia Hao's poetic language combined with Mei Li's exquisite design created a perfect presentation.Zh: 公司董事会被他们的作品深深打动，对未来的计划充满了期待。En: The company board was deeply moved by their work and was full of anticipation for future plans.Zh: 他们看到了杭州吸引世界游客的巨大潜力。En: They saw the great potential of Hangzhou in attracting tourists from around the world.Zh: 贾浩学会了欣赏结构带来的清晰，美丽也更深入地理解了情感和诗意的力量。En: Jia Hao learned to appreciate the clarity brought by structure, and Mei Li gained a deeper understanding of the power of emotion and poetry.Zh: 西湖的夜晚，灯火初上，映照在水上的灯影和星光，一切都是那么和谐。En: At night, the lights began to shine at West Lake, reflecting in the water with the starlight, creating a harmonious scene.Zh: 贾浩和美丽对着湖水微笑，仿佛看见了一个更加美好的未来。En: Jia Hao and Mei Li smiled at the water, as if envisioning a brighter future. Vocabulary Words:brilliant: 绚丽sway: 摇曳rustling: 沙沙enthusiastic: 热情洋溢heritage: 遗产graphic designer: 平面设计师poetic: 诗意slight: 微微unconvinced: 不服气convey: 传达breath: 吸canvas: 画板twilight glow: 黄昏余晖captivating: 动人exquisite: 精美potential: 潜力structure: 结构anticipation: 期待supplemented: 补充harmonious: 和谐envisioning: 看见creative: 创造力astonishing: 令人惊叹solution: 解决board: 董事会presentation: 演示lakeside: 湖边drafts: 草案fresh scent: 清新glow: 余晖

In this episode, David J. Staley reads his latest University Design blog article for the Center for Higher Education Leadership and Innovative Practice (CHELIP).What does it really mean to attend a particular university? During the pandemic, one of Staley's students captured something essential: "I don't feel like I attend the Ohio State University." His frustration reveals a deeper truth about higher education that most metrics and rankings completely miss.In this article, Staley explores a provocative thesis: universities are in the reputation business, operating on intangible capital rather than tangible assets. Drawing on economic theory from Haskel and Westlake's "Capitalism Without Capital," he argues that the real value of a university lies not in its buildings, publication counts, or job placement statistics, but in something far more elusive—its phenomenology, brand, and ineffable experience.KEY TOPICS EXPLORED:The pandemic's revelation about what students truly value in university attendanceWhy traditional metrics fail to capture institutional valueHow intangible capital defines the modern economy—and universitiesThe gap between reputation and current reality at many institutionsArizona State's transformation from punchline to innovation leaderVanderbilt's satellite campus strategy and the question of whether reputation can transcend placeWhat university leaders must understand about phenomenology and brandABOUT UNIVERSITY DESIGN:University Design is a blog column by David J. Staley exploring innovative approaches to higher education strategy, structure, and future possibilities. Published through the Center for Higher Education Leadership and Innovative Practice (CHELIP). This podcast features audio readings of selected articles from the column.AUTHOR/READER:David J. Staley is a historian, futurist, and author focused on the future of higher education and innovation in university design.READ THE FULL ARTICLE: https://ingeniousu.wpcomstaging.com/RELATED READING: Haskel, J., & Westlake, S. (2018). Capitalism without capital: The rise of the intangible economy (Paperback ed.). Princeton University Press.

Jackie is joined by Amanda McCants to discuss being late, Westlake mom's, Amanda's recent breakup, and everything on her hate list.Thanks for supporting my sponsors:Nutrafol: For a limited time, get $10 off your first month's subscription and free shipping at www.nutrafol.com/bibleHero Bread: Use code BIBLE at checkout to get 10% off your order at www.Hero.coPique: Get up to 20% off for life, plus a complimentary gift at www.PiqueLife.com/BibleBetterHelp: Get 10% off your first month at www.BetterHelp.com/BITCHBIBLEAddyi: Check out the FDA-approved treatment for certain premenopausal women who are bothered by low libido and want their sex drive back at www.Addyi.comSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Send us a textTexas High School football fans Episode 128. This week Host Taylor Arenz talks to three big playmakers from around the state. Kicking it off out in El Paso with Franklin High School's record-breaking running back, Ernie Powers, the current state leader in rushing yards. Ernie opens up about what it's like to lead the entire state of Texas, how he's overcome injuries to have the best season of his career, and what drives his relentless mindset on and off the field.Taylor and Ernie talk about his football family, the influence of his older brothers, the pride of representing El Paso, and how Franklin's team chemistry has fueled their success. From chasing records to savoring senior year moments, Ernie shares a grounded and inspiring perspective on hard work, leadership, and leaving a legacy for the next generation of Cougars.Then Taylor gets to talk to Texas A&M commit Tank King, the heart of Port Arthur Memorial's undefeated defense and a Texas A&M commit. Tank opens up about his journey through one of the most intense recruitments in the country, holding over 30 offers from top programs and why College Station ultimately felt like home.He shares what it's been like to have the pressure of recruiting behind him, how he's soaking in every moment of his senior season, and the emotions leading into his final regular season game. Tank also breaks down the Titans' 9–0 run, their dominant defense that's posted three shutouts, and the leadership and chemistry driving one of the best teams in Texas.Then, wrapping up Episode 128 is Lake Travis quarterback Luke McBride to talk about one of the most electric nights in Texas high school football, the Cavaliers' statement win over rival Westlake in the Battle of the Lakes.Luke breaks down the emotions behind snapping a six-game skid in the rivalry, throwing three touchdowns on a night when Drew Brees was honored at midfield, and what it meant to bring that win home for Lake Travis.Taylor and Luke also dive into his senior season as the Cavs remain undefeated with two games left, his leadership style under pressure, and everything that's gone into his growth at one of the premier quarterback programs in the country. Luke opens up about the ongoing recruiting process, what he's looking for at the next level, and how he's balancing the excitement, patience, and focus that come with this moment.From rivalry triumph to playoff goals, this episode captures it all!

Tune in to the November 2025 Edition of the Westlake Weekly Podcast from Westlake Charter School. Music by Bensound.com

Today, Shane Black is back, returning to Script Apart four years since his last appearance on the show! His new film Play Dirty is a heist movie that in some ways he's been waiting his whole life to make. Fans of his will know that Shane often centres stories around flawed male characters who are informed by the pulpy novels he grew up reading. After decades creating his own spins on the literary tough guys in those books – such as Riggs in Lethal Weapon and Harry Lockhart in Kiss Kiss Bang Bang – this new film goes straight to the source, directly adapting one of the novelists who inspired him at an early age: Donald E. Westlake, or Richard Stark as he was sometimes known. Westlake wrote 28 books in total about a career criminal named Parker – a cold, calculating loner who lives by a code: thou shalt not double-cross. Unless of course, he's double-crossed first… In this spoiler conversation, Shane tells Al about what Parker means to him as a lonely bookworm adolescent, and how he threaded the needle between this quiet character and the quippy dialogue both he and star Mark Wahlberg specialise in when it came to telling his own Parker story. We get into how he constructs his action scenes, how his writing has and hasn't changed as a result of CGI – and why there was only one outcome possible in this story for a certain character who doesn't make it to the end credits.Script Apart is hosted by Al Horner and produced by Kamil Dymek. Follow us on Instagram, or email us on thescriptapartpodcast@gmail.com.To get ad-free episodes and exclusive content, join us on Patreon.Get coverage on your screenplay by visiting ScriptApart.com/coverage. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

What happens when your dream job isn't quite the dream? Join Florenza and Jaclyn Westlake for this episode of Intermissions as they dive into Lucky Break, a witty, heartfelt novel about ambition, resilience, and redefining success. #Intermissions #OnTheAirWithFlorenza #LuckyBreak #JaclynWestlake #BookTalk #AuthorInterview #ReadersLife #FlorenzaDenise Lee

www.patreon.com/dopeypodcast This week on Dopey! Dave opens the episode feeling sick, dreading his upcoming dental implants, and joking about painkillers, nitrous, and Tylenol PM. He congratulates longtime dopes Margaret Hernandez (36 years sober) and Mattie Veach (recovering from cancer surgery), prays for the Knicks, and introduces guest RJ Elizarraz, co-host of Against All Odds with Rachel Slocum and founder of Oak Forest Recovery.Before diving in, Dave reads Spotify comments from the Brace Belden episode — about therapy, high memories, Suboxone, and more — gives shoutouts to listeners, and pushes the legendary Dopey socks. He jokes about how each platform reacts differently: Patreon loves him, Reddit hates him, Facebook doesn't care.He plays an old Miles Davis clip about Charlie Parker doing drugs and sex in a taxi while eating fried chicken, and finds the recovery moral in it — acceptance is the key. A listener named Nathan from San Francisco sends a disgusting classic: at 12 he cooked and ate his own poop hoping it would make DMT. It didn't. He puked, got bullied, overdosed, and finally got sober. Dave laughs, calls it top-notch Dopey storytelling, and awards him socks. Then comes the main interview with RJ Elizares. They record in RJ's Westlake Village home — complete with an infrared sauna, cold plunge, and jade crystal massage bed. RJ also runs a marketing agency for medical clients and has a 13-year-old daughter.RJ tells his story:Grew up in Westlake, straight-edge nerd playing video games and paintball.Swore he'd never do drugs, then caved at 15 after a best-friend betrayal.Smoked weed with his stepbrother, laughed hysterically at Maury Povich, devoured frozen peas, and instantly became “the stoner.”Started selling weed and stealing paintball gear; pulled off a heist from an optometrist's back-room store until his stepbrother turned him in for the reward.Skipped school, bribed attendance clerks with weed, got caught high at a parent meeting, expelled.At continuation school, excelled while high, manipulated teachers, and got expelled again for lying.Ran away on a dirt bike, sold weed full-time, then transferred to another continuation school where a rival stabbed him in the arm with a pencil for “selling on his turf.”Graduated early by testing out, kept selling, moved out, and lived off weed money.With his girlfriend (later the mother of his daughter) did ecstasy, coke, Xanax, mushrooms, pills — everything but heroin.She overdosed on ecstasy and stopped breathing before being revived — a turning point moment. 

On this episode of On the Air with Florenza, we welcome Jacklyn Westlake, career columnist turned novelist. In her debut novel Lucky Break, Westlake blends humor, heart, and hard-earned wisdom into a story that speaks to anyone who's ever questioned their path—or wished for a do-over. Join me as we unpack her journey from job search expert to storyteller, and explore the lessons tucked between the laughter. #OnTheAirWithFlorenza #LuckyBreak #JaclynWestlake #BookTalk #AuthorInterview #ReadersLife #FlorenzaDenise Lee

Unlock the keys to skyrocketing your business's value in this episode as Adam Coffey shares his expertise in mergers and acquisitions (M&A), the intricacies of private equity, and essential advice to gear your company up for potential acquisitions. Tune in to learn how to leverage strategic insights to take your business to the next level.   What you'll learn from this episode Basics of mergers and acquisitions for title professionals The importance of clean financials and accurate valuations How to prepare a title company for potential acquisition Common mistakes in business valuation and how to avoid them Strategies to increase the value of your title company   Resources mentioned in this episode  Private Equity Playbook by Adam Coffey | Paperback, Hardcover, and Kindle Empire Builder by Adam Coffey | Paperback, Hardcover, and Kindle The Exit-Strategy Playbook by Adam Coffey | Paperback, Hardcover, and Kindle Adam Coffey - Forbes Business Council  The Millionaire Next Door by Thomas J. Stanley and William D. Danko | Paperback, Hardcover, and Kindle Good to Great by Jim Collins | Hardcover and Kindle Traction by Gino Wickman | Paperback, Hardcover, and Kindle About Adam CoffeyAdam Coffey is a CEO, Board Member, Best-Selling Author, and Acclaimed International Speaker known for driving transformative growth and fostering high-performance cultures. With over 21 years of experience as a CEO, he built three national service companies for nine private equity sponsors, completing 58 acquisitions with outcomes in the billions. Adam is a mentor to MBA candidates and a sought-after speaker at top business schools. A former GE executive and US Army veteran, he is also a licensed general contractor and pilot. His books, "The Private Equity Playbook," "The Exit Strategy Playbook," and "Empire Builder," are all #1 Amazon Best Sellers. In 2021, Adam founded the CEO Advisory Guru, providing consulting services to private equity firms and founders. He resides in Westlake, TX, with his family.   Connect with Adam  Website: Adam E. Coffey LinkedIn: Adam Coffey X: @AdamECoffey1   Connect With UsLove what you're hearing? Don't miss an episode! Follow us on our social media channels and stay connected.  Explore more on our website: www.alltechnational.com/podcast Stay updated with our newsletter: www.mochoumil.com Follow Mo on LinkedIn: Mo Choumil Stop waiting on underwriter emails or callbacks—TitleGPT.ai gives you instant, reliable answers to your title questions. Whether it's underwriting, compliance, or tricky closings, the information you need is just a click away. No more delays—work smarter, close faster. Try it now at www.TitleGPT.ai. Closing more deals starts with more appointments. At Alltech National Title, our inside sales team works behind the scenes to fill your pipeline, so you can focus on building relationships and closing business. No more cold calling—just real opportunities. Get started at AlltechNationalTitle.com. Extra hands without extra overhead—that's Safi Virtual. Our trained virtual assistants specialize in the title industry, handling admin work, client communication, and data entry so you can stay focused on closing deals. Scale smarter and work faster at SafiVirtual.com.

Fluent Fiction - Mandarin Chinese: Blossoming Friendships at West Lake's Tea Gardens Find the full episode transcript, vocabulary words, and more:fluentfiction.com/zh/episode/2025-10-12-22-34-02-zh Story Transcript:Zh: 杭州的秋天，西湖边的茶园在微风中闪烁着金色的光辉。En: Autumn in Hangzhou, the tea gardens by West Lake shimmer with golden brilliance in the gentle breeze.Zh: 秋叶纷飞，空气中弥漫着乌龙茶和菊花茶的香气。En: Leaves flutter down, and the air is filled with the fragrance of oolong tea and chrysanthemum tea.Zh: 茶园里挂满了象征中秋佳节的灯笼，温暖而欢快。En: The tea garden is adorned with lanterns symbolizing the Mid-Autumn Festival, warm and joyful.Zh: 明，一个新来到杭州工作的年轻人，心怀好奇，漫步在这个充满活力的茶园。En: Ming, a young man newly arrived in Hangzhou for work, wanders curiously through this vibrant tea garden.Zh: 他有些内向，但期待能在这个新城市结识志同道合的朋友。En: Although somewhat introverted, he looks forward to making like-minded friends in this new city.Zh: 中秋节，是个充满团圆和欢庆的时刻，他希望自己在杭州不会感到孤单。En: The Mid-Autumn Festival is a time of reunion and celebration, and he hopes not to feel lonely in Hangzhou.Zh: 这一天，茶园里正在举行一场茶品鉴会。En: On this day, a tea tasting event is happening in the garden.Zh: 明兴奋又紧张地走进人群。En: Ming, both excited and nervous, steps into the crowd.Zh: 旁边，一位叫李安的男士正认真地品尝着茶汤。En: Nearby, a man named Li An is intently savoring the tea.Zh: 李安看起来亲切且对茶文化有着浓厚的兴趣。En: Li An seems friendly and deeply interested in tea culture.Zh: 明想起自己来到这里的决心，勇敢地走向前，与李安攀谈。En: Remembering his resolve to be here, Ming bravely approaches and starts a conversation with Li An.Zh: “你好，我是明。”他有些紧张地说。En: "Hello, I'm Ming," he says, slightly nervous.Zh: “你好，我是李安。”李安微笑着回答。En: "Hello, I'm Li An," Li An responds with a smile.Zh: 两人开始聊起茶文化，聊起中秋。En: They start chatting about tea culture and the Mid-Autumn Festival.Zh: 他们各自品尝了几种不同的茶，交换了对茶味的看法。En: Each tasted various teas and exchanged opinions on their flavors.Zh: 李安向明分享了自己最喜欢的月饼口味，明也分享了他家乡的中秋习俗。En: Li An shared his favorite mooncake flavor, while Ming shared the Mid-Autumn traditions of his hometown.Zh: 在这样一个节日里，他们的谈话渐渐变得自在而亲切。En: On such a festive day, their conversation gradually becomes more comfortable and friendly.Zh: 两人都对传统文化有着同样的热情，尤其是对茶的热爱，使他们感到彼此之间的心灵契合。En: They both share a passion for traditional culture, especially their love for tea, which creates a sense of connection between them.Zh: 随着时间流逝，夕阳的余晖洒满茶园，周围的灯笼轻轻摇曳。En: As time passes, the sunset bathes the tea garden in its glow, and the surrounding lanterns gently sway.Zh: 明和李安吃着月饼，看着夜幕降临，内心充满温暖。En: Ming and Li An eat mooncakes and watch the night fall, feeling warm inside.Zh: 茶会结束时，明和李安互相交换了联系方式，他们约好下次一起再来茶园品茶，甚至探讨更多的文化活动。En: As the tea event concludes, Ming and Li An exchange contact information, agreeing to visit the tea garden together next time and explore more cultural activities.Zh: 明的心中涌动着希望和期待，他不再感到孤独。En: Ming's heart fills with hope and anticipation; he no longer feels alone.Zh: 离开茶园时，他觉得自己已经不再是一个孤独的旅人。En: Leaving the tea garden, he feels he is no longer a solitary traveler.Zh: 他的步伐轻快，眼中充满了对未来的自信与期待。En: His steps are light and his eyes are full of confidence and expectation for the future.Zh: 这个中秋节，明不仅观察了这个城市，还悄然打开了新生活的一扇门。En: This Mid-Autumn Festival, Ming not only observed this city but quietly opened a door to a new life. Vocabulary Words:autumn: 秋天shimmer: 闪烁golden: 金色的breeze: 微风fragrance: 香气oolong tea: 乌龙茶chrysanthemum tea: 菊花茶adorned: 挂满lanterns: 灯笼symbolizing: 象征introverted: 内向reunion: 团圆savoring: 品尝intently: 认真地resolve: 决心conversation: 谈话moonlight flavor: 月饼口味festive: 节日connection: 心灵契合glow: 余晖sway: 摇曳concludes: 结束时solitary: 孤独traveler: 旅人anticipation: 期待confidence: 自信expectation: 期待observe: 观察opened: 打开new life: 新生活

Spooktoberfest takes a super-heroic turn as we shine a light on 1990's Darkman. Directed by the amazing Sam Raimi over a decade before he tackled Spider-Man, Darkman features a very different sort of crimefighter. Dr. Peyton Westlake is busy developing a revolutionary “synthetic skin” intended to treat burn victims, but the substance is unable to handle prolonged exposure to light. Westlake is soon forced to don his own creation after being attacked and disfigured by crime boss Robert G. Durant. Dead to the world, Westlake adopts a variety of new faces as he sabotages Durant's operation from within. Westlake uncovers a larger scheme involving the ambitious real estate mogul Louis Strack, who has his eyes on Westlake's girlfriend Julie. Desperate to rebuild his life with Julie, Westlake continues fighting and forging new masks. But as “Darkman” emerges from the shadows of Westlake's mind, how much of a future can the doctor hope to have? Remember to properly dispose of your memorandums and prepare a few tiny model cities for today's photosensitive installment of Anime Was (Not) A Mistake! Rate, Review, Subscribe, and Listen to Us on Podbean/iTunes/Stitcher/Spotify Follow us on Instagram:@animewasnotamistakepodcast Or on Facebook:@animewasnotamistakepod Music Provided by: “HALLOWEEN THEME (TRAP REMIX) (Michael Myers Theme)” – TRAP MUSIC NOW “Virtual Mima” – Perfect Blue Original Soundtrack [Masahiro Ikumi] “Sweet Halloween - [葉月ゆら/Hatsuki Yura]

In this episode of the No Film School Podcast, host GG Hawkins sits down with legendary screenwriter and director Shane Black, known for iconic films like Lethal Weapon, The Last Boy Scout, The Nice Guys, and Kiss Kiss Bang Bang. The two dive deep into Black's creative process, his latest project Play Dirty (an adaptation of Donald Westlake's Parker novels), and how his filmmaking journey and sobriety have shaped his vision. From staying true to source material while adding his unique voice, to building character-driven action scenes and navigating Hollywood with integrity and purpose, Shane shares invaluable insights for filmmakers at every stage. In this episode, No Film School's GG Hawkins and guest Shane Black discuss... What drew Shane to the Parker novels and how he approached adapting them The balance between honoring Westlake's tone and injecting Shane's signature wit How to structure complex stories while preserving ambiguity and character depth Creating blue-collar, competent anti-heroes as a more grounded alternative to spy thrillers The role of pre-visualization, animatics, and spontaneity on set How Shane leads a creative and collaborative environment with his cast and crew The power of post-production and the art of shaping the final story in the edit Building creative stamina and the importance of structure in a writer's day Advice for filmmakers entering a fear-based industry with confidence and authenticity The impact of sobriety and self-awareness on creativity and leadership Memorable Quotes: "Parker is a lot of things. Sentimental is not one of them." "You're comparing your insides with their outside. So they look great... So are they." "You don't die from a feeling.” "Be so good they can't ignore you." Guests: Shane Black Find No Film School everywhere: On the Web: No Film School Facebook: No Film School on Facebook Twitter: No Film School on Twitter YouTube: No Film School on YouTube Instagram: No Film School on Instagram

From dirt tracks in Georgia to leading one of the nation's powerhouse high school programs, Jason Cage's journey is a story of resilience, faith, and servant leadership. As head coach at Westlake High School, he's built more than a track program—he's built a culture that attracts 200+ athletes every season, state championships, and even Gatorade Athletes of the Year.In this episode, Coach Cage opens up about:

Unity isn't just a buzzword. It's the foundation for business growth and community impact. In this episode of Building Texas Business, I sit down with Jeff Williams, president of Graham Associates, to talk about how bringing people together drives both engineering success and civic transformation. Working with his firm who design iconic Texas projects including AT&T Stadium and Southlake Town Square, and during his three terms as Arlington mayor, he demonstrats how unity principles scale from boardroom to city hall. Jeff shares his approach to bridging generational divides through Friday "High Five" meetings that transformed skeptical baby boomers and millennials into collaborative teammates. His engineering firm rebuilt their office culture post-COVID by creating collaboration spaces and displaying core values throughout their workspace, showing employees they're not just designing roads but contributing to state-of-the-art hospitals. When people understand their larger purpose, engagement naturally follows. His upcoming book "The Unity Blueprint" captures lessons from leading Arlington through the pandemic faster than any other U.S. city, according to NYU research, and emphasizes that modern leadership requires teaching over commanding, with trust and value as non-negotiables for today's workforce. Success comes from transforming "my plan" into "our plan" through genuine input and buy-in, whether you're managing engineers or running a city. This conversation reveals how Texas businesses thrive by embracing partnerships over politics, with Jeff's $8 million citywide rideshare solution versus $50 million per mile for light rail proving that innovation beats tradition when unity guides decisions. SHOW HIGHLIGHTS Discover how weekly "High Five" meetings turned skeptical senior engineers into collaboration champions, bridging baby boomers and millennials Jeff details how Arlington saved millions by implementing $8 million annual autonomous rideshare instead of $50 million per mile light rail Learn why being the first U.S. city to run autonomous shuttles attracted Uber, Lyft, and Via to compete for Arlington's contract Hear how post-COVID office renovations with collaboration spaces and visible core values brought remote workers back to rebuild culture Jeff shares how a devastating referendum loss taught him that expertise means nothing if political consultants silence your voice Understand why the Medal of Honor Museum chose Arlington over Washington D.C.—Texas builds in years what takes decades elsewhere LINKSShow Notes Previous Episodes About BoyarMiller About Graham Associates GUESTS Jeff WilliamsAbout Jeff TRANSCRIPT (AI transcript provided as supporting material and may contain errors) Chris: In this episode, you'll meet Jeff Williams, CEO of Graham Associates and former mayor of Arlington, Texas. Jeff stresses the power of creating unity within a company to foster a strong culture and how training and developing your people it's critical to success. Jeff, I want to thank you for taking the time and welcome to Building Texas Business. It's great to be here. Jeff: Chris, it's always great to talk about Texas and especially business. Chris: Yes. So let's start with just introducing yourself and tell us what it is you do. What's your company known for? Jeff: Well, I own a civil engineering firm and we build communities. We design public infrastructure, highways, roads, utilities, but we also do sports facilities, churches, schools there. We've done a lot of different things. Some of our projects you might recognize in at and t Stadium, we were the civil engineers for it. And yes, we did work with the Jones family and we also also know Chris: Is Jerry World, right? Jeff: Absolutely. And it was an exciting project to work on and then it's amazing how well it's aged and still the top special event center here in the country. But then we've had South Lake Town Square, which was kind of the granddaddy of all of the town centers that's here and a really special place. Nebraska Furniture Mark. We got to work for Warren Buffett there and doing his grand scape development here in the Metroplex. But then we've also, we have Prestonwood Baptist Church, which one of the largest churches in the Southwest. So rewarding to be able to do that. And then we've got Westlake Academy, actually Westlake, Texas. We actually got to start from scratch there. It was a town that we got in on the very beginning. They had one subdivision and now they've got Fidelity's headquarters. Schwab is there, Deloitte, and then Viro, one of the most upscale developments in the state of Texas. So those are some of the fun projects that we've gotten to do. I think it's very rewarding. Chris: Yeah, no, I mean it sounds not just fun but impactful and kind of be able to look around and see how you've changed the landscape of your community, Jeff: Chris. That is so, so true. There's nothing better than to be able to take your family and friends to be able to show them what you've done, but even more importantly, to actually be at one of your projects and see people coming together and families enjoying a special place that we created. And of course that moves to unity and that's one of the things that I have grown to value more than anything else is bringing people together to make a difference. That's great. Well, Chris: We have the benefit here at Warrior Miller represent a lot of very successful real estate developers. And so I think I know our real estate team feels the same way is right working with the client to bring projects like that together and being able to, the benefit of doing the legal work for that and just see to go by years later and go, we worked on that project or that park or that building or that community center is really rewarding stuff. Jeff: Really is the mission of our company is to be an integral partner in building communities. Chris: I like that. So let's talk a little, I mean, what was the inspiration? Obviously you're engineer I guess by education, but what's been the inspiration for you to stay in this industry and build the company that you've Jeff: Built? Well, we just hit it. I feel like it's such an important part of being able to build these communities for people to live, work and play in. And then that actually led me to being actually recruited to run for mayor here in Arlington and to serve there. I served three terms as mayor. That's very unusual for engineers to move into that. I didn't realize it until after I was elected and there aren't many engineers that do that. But however, as an engineer, we have designed public infrastructure. We have to sell our projects to the citizens so many times we also understand schedules and budgets and being able to work through that. And so it really was a great fit for me there, although it's very challenging and people go, well, why would you do that? Well, the reason we'd do it, it's rewarding. It's the most rewarding job I've ever had. But it also is the hardest because you're working with so many different people. But it really increased my awareness that the last thing we need to be doing is to be having dissension and conflict all the time. Instead, we need to be bringing people together to make a difference and actually work on projects that can actually, people can get behind and have passion and discover their purpose. And then of course, the results of that have been actually to forge friendships. Chris: So I guess, how have you taken some of those lessons and lessons along the way and incorporated them into the company at Graham Associates to kind of build the team there? Jeff: Well, as I came out of serving as mayor, I ended my last term in 2021. We'd come out of the pandemic. There still were the lingering effects of it. People wanted to work from home. So however, in our business, in so many businesses, teamwork is a big part of what we need. Chris: Absolutely. Jeff: I read everything I could get ahold of because we are at the beginning of a technology revolution, but we also have societal changes that happen every few months or perhaps even sometimes monthly. So I needed to understand the young people, but also needed to figure out how to create an atmosphere to where our people wanted to be. So literally our offices, we redid everything in the way of so that we could be a very inviting place that our employees could be proud of, but also that our clients would want to come because those face-to-face meetings are still important. And then part of that impact too was that we try to create special places for collaboration and we have several collaboration rooms there. And so that was a key. But also in our Collins areas, we wanted to be uplifting. So in our kitchens we have those stocked, but we also put up positive phrases there that really epitomize our core values and we have our core values that our employees actually fed into. They're displayed everywhere. But then I ran into a roadblock because our older engineers said, Hey, why are we doing all of this? And then we started in on doing a Friday staff meeting where everyone came together and we call it our high five meeting, an opportunity for us to encourage each other and to be able to share some of the stories that happened that week. And man, my older engineer said, man, that's a whole hour of billable time that we could be having. And they didn't like it at all for the first couple of months. And then magic started happening. They started getting to know each other better. And so I had millennials getting along with the older baby boomers, they're an understanding each other and now they all look forward to it. And we do soft skill training and IT team building there also. But it is a time that we all look forward to and it built that camaraderie because we need teamwork and it helps to get them there. And so then I still allow my people to work one day a week at all. But then our project managers actually make the decision on how much more if someone wants to work from home more because it depends on the project and what we've got going, but yet our team understands now that they've got to be able to build those relationships. Well, I like what you pointed Chris: Out there is it's not a one size fits all game. You got to be flexible and listen. And I think as leaders, if you can communicate that so that your employees understand that they'll understand when you can't be as flexible as maybe they would like because the circumstances don't warrant that. But then when you can, you allow it, Jeff: Chris. That is so true, and you've got to value people and be able to listen to them. No longer can a manager when they ask you, why are we doing something? Because you can't say because I said so. Chris: No, Jeff: It's Chris: Because it's the way we've always done it. Jeff: Oh yes, that's another great line. That is a dinosaur that can't act more. But it's actually exciting to be able to share with our people why we're doing things and to be able to understand the big picture of that, Hey, this isn't that You're just designing a roadway to a hospital. You are contributing to the overall wellbeing of actually being a part of the team that constructs a state-of-the-art hospital that, Chris: Well, I think the other thing you've discovered, we see it here. It was certainly part of our culture before COVID and it's become an important part post COVID to regain connection. And that's getting people together in community, in the office, lunches, happy hours, breakfast, whatever, because then you use the word magic started to happen. I think that's right, that as we gain connection with our coworkers, that helps with retention, it helps with collaboration because we get to know each other a little better. Especially important I think not just in a post COVID world, but in the multi-generational office that we're dealing with. Right? Four and five generations in one office together don't necessarily see things eye to eye, but if you get to know somebody, you can break those barriers. Jeff: That's right. And that leads to something else that I've discovered. Even if you're an introvert and you think you don't need other people, it is amazing because God made us to live in community. And when you're coming together and aligning people with a purpose and you are working together, suddenly those barriers get broken down. And it doesn't matter the age difference, the color of your skin, all of those differences disappear because you're working together to make a difference. And suddenly, again, I'll mention you end up with friendships that are forged. In fact, if you think about it, probably your best friends are the ones that you worked on a project with. It might be for school, for church or in your work. And certainly it's awesome to be able to forge great friendships at your workplace. Chris: I love it. We haven't used the word really much, but it sounds like you're defining the culture that you're trying to build and nurture there. How would you describe the culture and anything else other than these kind of high five meetings and such that you're doing to try to help nurture the culture? Jeff: Well, I think the other part to round it out is that we have got to be focused on teaching and training. I think the culture has really got to be a teaching atmosphere. People don't respond to that type A manager that is forceful and raises their voice and all of that. It's more they've got to see that you value them, each one of these employees do. But then also it's not just in how you truth them. You need to take action in teaching and training them and show them how they are going to be able to help themselves and help the team overall by learning. And then of course, we also have to create that accountability because we aren't professional teachers. In fact, no matter what business we're in, most of us are not professional teachers. So we need our employees to be willing to ask questions and to be willing to be vulnerable, say, I really don't understand this. I need help on this. And that's where it's got to be a two-way street, but yet you cannot. You got to really foster that culture where they are willing to ask questions and to let you know that they don't know it there. But then we have the ability to focus in on what do they not understand and be able to get that training to help fill in that hole. Chris: Yeah, that's so important. So true. Let's just talk a little bit about technology and innovation. What are some of the things that you see and that you've tried to incorporate there from an innovative way of doing your work or how technology's changing the trends of how you go about your work? Jeff: Well, Chris, this is one of my favorite topics, and of course no surprise with me being an engineer, but we are really at the beginning of a technology revolution. In fact, I'll never forget, a few years ago I heard the head of IBM technology that was actually out of Belgium, and he said exactly that We are at the beginning of a technology revolution like the world has never seen, and we are going to see more change than we have ever experienced. Well, there is a little bit of a problem because most people don't like change. And yet we have got to be willing to adapt to that. And I challenge our engineers throughout when I'm speaking to engineering groups. So you guys have got to take the lead in that we, engineers are typically very conservative. They find a great way to do something or they want to stick with it. But however, because of new technology, we've got to be researching that technology. We've got to be looking to see what technology is good, what is not. We even need to be helping in the regulation of it. And so consequently, I'll say this, we have got to be researching AI and software that is coming out constantly. I have two people dedicated to that. Larger firms probably have whole departments that are dedicated because we have an opportunity to be able to do things better faster, but we've got to be able to be competitive. I don't want to wake up one day and all my competitors are being able to do things 30% cheaper than I can and beating my price point and actually able to serve the clients better. And I do equate it to when computers really came online in the eighties, we were all worried about, well, are we going to have a job? Oh, well. And then others would say, well, we're only going to work three days a week now because of computers. No, we saw ourselves become more productive and we will become more productive with AI and other technologies, but also even with the technology being able to incorporate how you use it. I'll give you an example of that. When I was serving as mayor, we were the first city in America to run an autonomous shuttle, a driverless shuttle there on a public streets. And it was amazing at work that we were all scared of it, but we actually challenged our city staff to be looking at new technologies that we could use to be able for transportation. And we said, Hey, let's open up our city as a laboratory. And so consequently, our staff came up with the idea that we really could have Uber and Lyft type process and actually have driverless shuttles that are seven passenger vans that could be going out throughout our city in a very cost effective way. That'd be much cheaper than high speed rail or light rail there. Of course, high speed rail is still a ways off. But anyway, long story short, we went out and did an RFQ, Uber, Lyft and a accompanied by the name of Via all proposed on it. And we ended up being the first city in America to implement technology rideshare and then added the autonomous vehicle to it. And now cities across America are doing that. And instead of paying 50 million a mile for light rail, we are end up calling actually covering our whole city 99 square miles for $8 million a year. It's an amazing thing and very cost effective. Everybody's business. We've got to look at how can we do things different and more cost effective utilizing the technology. Chris: Let's talk about a corollary to that. What are some of the trends you're seeing in your industry that we should be prepared for and maybe how is being based in Texas influencing those trends? Jeff: Well, it's growth, Chris. The growth is a big change in our business there because in growth is so big and so consequently the biggest resource we need or people, it's not, we can all buy our software, we can all buy our computers, but it's really about people. Every business I talk to, it's all about finding those people and then yet we've got to be willing to train them up there. And of course, really when you're hiring experienced people, many times that's just a stop gap because they don't quite fit what you need. So I think the big change that we're seeing trend that businesses are needing to train their workforce up and do that as fast as you can because we need more people to be able to fill those positions. So again, we've got to become teachers, we've got to be able to be efficient. And then I still think one of the biggest challenges in business and really in fact in America is that we have so much dissension. People have a tough time getting along with each other. Arguments come up and then suddenly that cancel culture comes and there's no forgiveness. It's I'm done with you. And that is a poison for business there. And none of us as managers want to spend all our time in conflict resolution. So to that, right? Chris: One of the things I talk about a lot is that if we can remember to give grace in the business world, we do have a personal life a lot, but for some reason we get into, then we think we switch and put the corporate hat on or business hat on and we kind of forget that. I think that is an important aspect to remember, to your point, it helps diffuse conflict. We're imperfect human beings. And so learning to have accountability but also with a touch of grace can help resolve conflict, avoid conflict mitigated in the workplace. Jeff: That's so true. Chris. I had an interesting thing happen along these same lines as New York University actually studied Arlington when I was mayor, and they got attracted initially that we had become the sports capital of the nation, but yet they looked at how we did things. And I needed help as a mayor, so I sought out people. I needed experts, I needed people that would work. I needed input from our citizens. And so we ended up working together to accomplish a lot of things. We had to work to keep the Texas Rangers here in town. There were a lot of other cities that wanted to move them out of our community. We also had not been bringing in jobs there. And in 2014, the year before I came in, the big headlines read that the DFW Metropolitan area had created more jobs in any other metropolitan area in the country, and Arlington was not doing that. And so we had to jumpstart that economy and then yet I needed to unite our leaders and we did that. And throughout the pandemic and so forth, New York University studied us and they believed we came out of the pandemic quicker than any other city in America, both physically and economically. And so they encouraged me to write a book on Unity and how you did it. And they also then took it a step further and they went to Forbes and I ended up signing a book contract with Forbes and were releasing the Unity Blueprint on September the ninth. That really is that plan. Therefore being able to bring people together in both your personal life, your life, and then even our civic involvement and so forth there. And that has been a big change for me really since I came into office. I always valued people, but now getting it, taking it to the next step of unity because how much time is wasted there when your employees are fighting with each other or arguing and then it's a lasting effect. They never work together as well. And so working and creating that culture and actually adding forgiveness to your core value I think is a very important thing. But then also getting people to adopt character values themselves, to have a foundation that they can work with. And when you see people working to be a person of character, there can be forgiveness, but there's not much room for forgiveness when it's constantly on the other person. It's a tough deal. Right. Well, Chris: I didn't realize about the book. That sounds, I'm excited to see it and read it, and I don't know if there's anything that kind of comes out of that as a tidbit that you might be able to share with us now the listeners about maybe obviously the lessons you've learned along the way, kind of that something that you've incorporated into your kind of leadership style that has helped foster unity within the organizations you've run. Jeff: Always amazed when a person gets appointed president of his company or gets elected to a position and many times they don't have a plan. And then in addition to that, if they do have a plan, many times they didn't get any input on it. They literally concocted a plan of their own versus the opportunity for you to work on a vision and a plan after you have researched it, and then you take it to your employees and get feedback from them. And suddenly that plan transforms from your plan to our plan. And it's amazing when you get that buy-in, how it can really work together, and you're not having to sell your plan all the time. They're doing it for you, and it makes all the difference. I'm very excited about being able to move out there around the country and pushing towards unity as a matter of fact, and our book has already reached the number one new release by Amazon. They're in both business and Christian leadership, so I'm pumped about that. That's awesome. Congratulations. But we're not perfect people. We all need the space, but if you're employees can see that you're working towards it, if your fellow employees can see you are working towards being that person of character and wanting to do it. Now, we landed in the middle of honor museum here in Arlington there. We were in a 20 city competition for that, and it's probably one of the greatest things I've ever been involved in. We had a six month journey there and competing against the other cities and it was a national museum. And you go, well, why didn't they go to Washington dc? Well, the reason they didn't is going to take 20 years to get it built. And we in Texas here, can get things built quick, can't we? Right. You've got great contractors, architects, engineers to make that happen. And real estate people, Chris real estate people, government. Chris: That wants to get stuff done, right? That's right. Yeah. Rather than being an impediment to getting stuff done. Jeff: Well, the middle of honor museum or the Medal of Honor recipients that were leading that recognize that very thing, they also saw that we are the center of patriotism and we can get things done. We have a track record do it. Chris: I had there's, we could do a whole episode I think just on that museum. I had the privilege, Texas Capital Bank did a little Texas tour and they hosted something here in Houston that I was invited to all about the museum, what it is, how it came about. Very unique, very special, very proud that it's going to be in Texas and hopefully more people will take time to get to know what this is all about and then go visit it once it opens. Jeff: Well, the thing that surprised me is when I actually visited with these Living Medal of Honor recipients, and each one of them has pledged to spend the rest of their life making more of a difference there. And what they're doing is they are pushing character values, integrity, sacrifice, courage, commitment, citizenship and patriotism. Well, that's what all of us need. And currently the state board of education here in Texas has adopted a two week curriculum that our students will study in school and then they'll be able to take a field trip to the museum or a virtual field trip. And I think that's gotten everybody excited that that is happening. And then of course, it's not just the youth, our adults too. So there are adult programs that are going on, but it had me reassess my core values. It had me to, I really wanted to reassess my character values and so forth. And in business it always starts with you got to do what you say you're going to do. But then I had an interesting thing happen and I pretty well knew the answer when I asked it, but I was speaking to 20 Chick-fil-A managers, and of course Chick-fil-A is number one in service, aren't they? Chris: Right? Jeff: I asked them, I said, guys, what are you looking for and you're leader? And they immediately spoke up and they said, we are looking for a leader that we can trust, and then we're looking for a leader that values us. I think that's where it starts for us then in Texas. We know that we get that right and we believe in partnerships and collaboration, and I think that separates us from so many other places in the country. Chris: So kind of tagging on with leadership, lots of theories and about how to become a leader, how to grow as a leader. I think you hit it on the nail on the head when you said you got to be a man of your word or a person of your word. Do what you say you're going to do when you say you're going to do it. It's kind of a foundational element, but I know from my own personal experience and talking to others, we learn a lot as leaders from mistakes we've made. And I'm just curious to know if you could share one of those rather than a mistake. I call it a learning moment where it didn't go as planned, but you learned from that and from that it actually probably accelerated your leadership skills because of it. Jeff: Yes, no doubt about it. That's very easy for me to say because one of the biggest disappointments I had in my career is we had worked on a Johnson Creek Greenway here in Arlington. It was a nine mile creek beautiful creek, and we also were going to be doing a river walk in the entertainment district around those stadiums and so forth. And we had done all the preliminary planning there. It got through the core of engineers, and we also had held major charettes. We were winning awards from all over the country. I was actually traveling and speaking on that. I had an incredible partner with me, a guy by the name of Jim Richards. I loved working with our team and I thought, this is what I'm going to be doing the next 10 years. But however, the city had to pass a sales tax selection to fund the project, and they hired a political consultant that came in and said, Hey, I think you guys ought to attach an arts referendum on this. The Johnson Creek project is so popular, the Riverwalk will go, let's attach that to it. And then there was one other thing that came in that was so unique, and that was that some of our people had actually gotten a agreement with Smithsonian to build a branch museum on this Johnson Creek river wall. And so they put that on the agenda there for an election, but the political consultants said, we don't want anybody doing anything. They said, we do not want Jeff Williams and my other partner going out and speaking, what if you make a mistake and you say the wrong thing or you stir people up? And then they also did not really realize that our refer referendum was very popular. We lost that election by a few hundred loaves. It was one of the most devastating things. And it's taken 20 years. A lot of it's been And it changed my whole career there because I had to study why did this happen? How did it happen? And I said, I have got to learn about how to handle sales tax and bond elections. And so I studied hard and in fact, I learned a lot on the Cowboys sales tax election because we had that coming up a few years after that. And we were prepared when we got into the Cowboys sales tax election. And I ran several school and city bond elections after that. There's times when you have to learn more and to be able to take control. And little did I know that it's going to prepare me for serving as mayor later on too. But I'll never forget, in 2008, we had a recession and y'all may recall that. And we had a bond program going on for public works and parks, and I was not mayor then of just engineer. And we were in trouble because if we didn't get these road projects through, and actually some of these parts projects, we had buildings that were in badly needed repair wreck centers, so forth, we had to again, engage more people and raise more money. And we went ahead with that sales tax or I should say bond program, and we were able to get it passed in the midst of that. And again, I think unity and learning about knowledge there played a huge pull. I'm a big researcher. I love to, and there are so many books out there, but also generally we never come up. We think that we come up with some creative idea that no one has ever done well, especially in business. Somebody has done it. Find them, find and you can learn from their mistakes and hopefully not make your own, but also learn from their successes. But great question, Chris. Chris: Yeah, no, you're so right. I mean, I tell people never stop learning. Be curious. We learn from our mistakes. We can learn from others and we can learn from our successes because sometimes we're successful despite ourselves or despite the plan. Lots of people will tell you it's good to be lucky every now and again. So sometimes that happens. But if you take the time to learn the why behind the success or the failure you will have learning and then that learning you will grow from Jeff: You just spur the thought that I think is so important as you are a success as you grow in your success in business. There, the ego definitely comes up. And then we all know that we've got to be careful and be humble, but I want to create a definition for humbleness because so many times when we hear humble, it goes, oh, well, you need to be modest. You never to don't need to show that confidence and so forth are really, I think the important thing about humbleness is that you need to realize that you are vulnerable and that we need other people. And you can't do it alone and you don't need to do it alone because you'll not really succeed as well. So as a leader, you walk along a cliff every day and we need people to be able to keep us from falling off. And I think you've got to continue to remember that every step of the way and there's always somebody that has a better idea. Let's go find it. Chris: Yeah, that's great. Jeff, this has been a great conversation. Just love your insights and your input. Can't wait to see the book. Unity. I want to turn just a little before we wrap up, is there a favorite spot in Texas that enjoy visiting or just kind of think about when are not doing all the engineering work and planning communities? Jeff: I love Texas. There are so many rural areas and cities, but I've got to share with you about three quick ones right here. One, Arlington, Texas has become the destination between Orlando and Vegas. And it is amazing how you can come now to the metroplex and you can see all kinds of events that are taking place there in our stadiums. And it may not be sporting, it may be concerts, it may be wrestling, who knows what it may be there going on. But then also we have the premier park in the state of Texas, I believe in River Legacy Parks, 1300 acres on the Trinity River bottoms and all of the tree growth and everything is still there. Amazing place with a world-class nature center there in it. But then you can go to Fort Worth and experience the Texas experience, the Stockyards, and then the world-class museum. And so we do staycations here because we don't want to take advantage of that. But then I'll hit two others real quick. Lubbock, Texas, I know you're going to go what in the world? Check out that restaurant scene and check out the music scene that is out there. And then Tex always got things going on, but of course we love Austin, San Antonio there in particular, Fredericksburg, east Texas and Tyler is awesome, but we have found a great beach in Port Aransas, har cinnamon chores for sure. We love it Chris: A lot to offer, right? Big state. A lot to offer. We accommodate all types and tastes. Right. Well that's one of the things I love about the state of Texas is if you can kind of find anything that any interest you have, we can satisfied. Jeff: That's right. That's Chris: Maybe not snow skiing. We hadn't figured that one out yet. But other than that, I think we got you covered. Jeff: Yeah, that's right. And of course Colorado's worried Texans are going to take over Colorado. We do head up there to do our skiing Chris: For sure. Okay, last question. Do you prefer Tex-Mex or barbecue? Jeff: Oh my goodness. I hate to make this choice, but I've got to talk barbecue. We have a really neat story here in Arlington with Harto Barbecue. This was a guy that was a backyard barbecue or Brandon, he's Texas monthly now has him in the top 50. But it was really neat. We had the first neutral World Series here in Arlington. You remember during the pandemic they picked us to in the LA Dodgers in Tampa came to town. The LA Dodgers found the small little barbecue spot of Hertado here in downtown Arlington and it went viral. They put it on social media. Everybody found Brandon Hertado, including Taylor Sheridan and Taylor Sheridan with Ellison started having him out to his parties and now he signed an agreement with four six's ranch that Taylor owns to supply the beef. And he's now got several restaurants. It's just a really neat story. And how many times is it so fun for us in Texas to discover that next new barbecue spot? Got 'em all over the place. It's awesome. That is a cool Chris: Story. I've not heard of that, but now I'm going to have to go try some, so love it. Well, Jeff, this has been great. I really appreciate you taking the time, love your story and just congratulations for all the success you've had, and I know you'll continue to that into the future. Jeff: Thank you, Chris, and look forward to continuing this relationship. And thank you for what you're doing here on the podcast. Chris: Absolutely. Jeff: And remember, let's build Unity and the Unity blueprint. Special Guest: Jeff Williams.

This week on Happily Ever Banter, Uncle Dale Mills and Crystal “Kiki” Mills from OutDaughtered welcome one of their oldest friends, Brian Malveaux. Together, they dig up old memories and share some incriminating stories from their days back in Lake Charles. The laughs, the banter, and the nostalgia make this an episode you won't want to miss. Meanwhile, Dale continues his cold plunge routine and talks about the effects he's been feeling as he sticks with it. Curious about cold plunging? Learn more here: titanplunge.com/?ref=DALES Produced by Magnus of Manigold Multimedia Sponsored by Key T Wellness and Ressentials #HappilyEverBanter #UncleDale #KikiMills #OutDaughtered #Podcast #LakeCharlesStories #ColdPlunge #TitanPlunge #ManigoldMultimedia #KeyTWellness #RessentialsHealth

I was so excited to welcome Jaclyn Westlake to the podcast for her latest romcom meets women's fiction, Lucky Break. Set in a small lake town, Eliza is ready to start over after her engagement crumbles. Setting alone will have you basking in the last final moments of summer.Jaclyn was such a blast to chat with! We talked starting over, saying YES, romcoms, Bravo, writing and much more. If you are looking for a summer read finale filled with heart, look no further!

Federal agents conducted a so called "trojan horse" sweep this morning at a Home Depot in Westlake. Construction is now banned in some of the most scenic parts of Ranchos Palos Verdes. Metro is debuting a new TAP card in honor of Nipsey Hussle. Plus, more.Support The L.A. Report by donating at LAist.com/join and by visiting https://laist.comVisit www.preppi.com/LAist to receive a FREE Preppi Emergency Kit (with any purchase over $100) and be prepared for the next wildfire, earthquake or emergency! Support the show: https://laist.com