Podcasts about why here

Link to The Ten Words PDF Once again in the 4th verse in a section, the Psalmist levels up, this time with a blessing - WHY? and Why Here? Psalms 119: 12 mailto:rdilmore@truthnetwork.com

There is a question that has baffled scientists and scholars since the dawn of time: Is Scissoring A Thing? Well, finally the world has bonafide experts to answer it. Enter Daryn Carp and Liz Culley, the hosts of Scissoring Isn't A thing, one of 2020's breakout podcasts. On the season two finale of Why Here, the two join us to talk about scissoring, help us shed light on the technical term “baby dyke” and answer another huge question: can the gays and the lesbians really be friends? If this episode is any proof, yes! 

Actor, writer and director Colman Domingo has received a GLAAD Award, has starred in some of the most profound films in recent years (If Beale Street Could Talk, Lincoln, Selma, Birth of a Nation) and has played a role alongside Zendaya in HBO's critically acclaimed Euphoria. On this week's episode of Why Here, Colman joins us to talk about his passion for telling important stories, his take on kindness, his gardening obsession and he shares what #PRIDE means to him. In short, we're hooked. You will be too. TRUST. 

It easy to have an extreme crush on Wilson Cruz. Not only is he smart, thoughtful and a shining example of queer pride, he is one of the Grand Marshalls of NYC Pride this year. They're big shoes to fill, but he takes it all in stride. As he does his role as Dr. Hugh Culber on Paramount+'s Star Trek: Discovery. On this week's episode of Why Here, Wilson shares his take on queer representation in outer space (and on American TV since the 90s) and he explains what it was like being a young Puerto Rican man exploring Latino culture in California. At the end, Star Trek co-star and former RENT co-star Anthony Rapp joins the chat for a “fact check.” It's all funny and smart, but WARNING, there are tears too!  

In celebration of Pride month it’d be hard to find a campier, more brilliant light than THE Rufus Wainwright. The legendary queer performer and creator joins Why Here hosts Benton and Tristan to talk Pride, Lil Nas X’, Judy Garland (who he’s once again channeling for an upcoming show ) and he even sings a children’s song for us. 

When Diane Anderson-Minshall began her career as a journalist in small-town Idaho she had to plead with someone to hire her. Now she's literally at the top of the LGBTQIA publishing world.  The queer, Indigenous journalist, editor, author and activist, who has received numerous awards for her work, now helms Pride Media Inc. and is the editorial director of its titles, which include The Advocate and Out magazines. On this week's episode of Why Here, she shares the stories behind the Pride edition covers of The Advocate and Out, explains the moment she realized her wife was actually her husband and unpacks the devastating trend of many U.S. states squashing the rights of transgender people.   

Life as a quadruple threat is a challenge, but Kat Cunning takes it all in stride. The actor, dancer, vocalist and musician has already graced TV screens (on HBO's The Deuce), concert halls, Broadway stages and many of our playlists (and you may not even know it!). On this week's episode of Why Here, hosts Benton and Tristan go deep with Kat and learn that a three-year-old can actually know exactly what they want to be, how a father's love can mean letting his child leave home at 14 to follow a dream and why growing up knowing you aren't like everyone else can be a superpower. 

Eden Espinosa may have gotten her start singing nearly every Disney princess ballad for Disneyland park-goers, but that was just the beginning. She's now one of the best-known contemporary stage actresses in the world and has had lead roles in iconic shows including RENT and Wicked. On this week's episode of Why Here, hosts Benton and Tristan chat with Eden about her humble Orange County beginnings, her political and social activism, her Mexican American heritage and the admittedly comical recurring nightmares she has from playing a green witch. At the end, Tony award-winning actress and activist Karen Olivo joins the conversation to make sure Eden shared the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth. 

The past year has introduced the world to many folx who’ve helped us understand what our blind spots might be. One of them is Sis, an actor, activist and sister to many who’ve felt left out of crucial conversations about race, identity and gender. On this week’s episode of Why Here, she talks to hosts Benton and Tristan about growing up in Texas, how she helped call out the entertainment industry and the ultimate way to get back at a misbehaving roommate (don't worry, they've long since made up). 

Guests on Why Here often get asked what their secrets are are. WELL, the tables have turned. On this week's episode, Tristan McAllister turns the mic on himself and lets co-host Benton Whitley embarrass him on the eve of his birthday. Tristan talks about growing up in Alaska, his big gay wedding (and divorce), a chance run-in with Clay Aiken that changed the course of his life and first kisses. In truth, the only way the two stay honest is the addition of contributor Claudine Ko, who sits to run interference and make fun of them whenever they start acting like two effing annoying, queer white dudes. 

We are joined at the top of the hour by Tristian and Benton from the “Why Here” podcast and then we dive right into the deep end with Bravo TV’s favorite leader, Captain Sandy from “Below Deck.” Captain Sandy tells the girls about growing up in Florida, getting sober at a young age and why she doesn’t take sh*t from anyone!

Actor and writer Casey Thomas Brown (@shartyparty69) was a big part of our Instagram feeds all through quarantine. From Her Majesty The Queen to Fiona Apple and many more, his comical impressions of well-known people, and those he's conjured up, often done in tandem with SNL's Chloe Fineman, helped us find humor in a dark time. But he's so much more than an internet meme Queen. He's also a series regular on @Netflix's wildly funny The Kominsky Method and has appeared in various other films and TV shows, including Tell Me a Story, Shameless, Grey’s Anatomy, Law and Order SVU, and Criminal Minds. On this week's episode of Why Here, Casey joins hosts Benton Whitley and Tristan McAllister to talk about finding humor in the middle of a pandemic and if he thinks Queen Elizabeth might have actually watched him play her in that now-famous viral video. 

If you think coming out to your parents is tough, try telling them you have HIV. Even harder, try telling the world. For a decade 31-year-old Luke Ray Kelly kept his HIV diagnosis a secret, only sharing it with loved ones and sexual partners. Then he saw the hit HBOMax show It's A Sin and he realized that by keeping his secret he was complicit in creating the very shame that has stifled a critical and life-saving conversation about HIV and AIDS. On this week’s episode of Why Here, Luke joins hosts Benton Whitley and Tristan McAllister from London to talk about why he decided to go public with his status and #endthestigma. 

What were you doing at the tender age of eight? While most of us were busying ourselves with My Little Pony and Lego sets, Australian-born Jeremy Heimans was focused on things a bit headier. His childhood obsessions were nuclear non-proliferation and global poverty. He even tried to stop Desert Storm (with a fax machine). Nowadays he's a globally known activist and movement builder, whose work has literally touched all of your lives. On this week's episode of Why Here, Jeremy sits down with hosts Benton Whitley and Tristan McAllister to discuss all of this and how his Lebanese and Jewish heritage has shaped the way he's taken on the biggest racial, social, economic and environmental issues of our time.

Robert Hartwell has our hearts. Truly. After conquering Broadway in his twenties, with leading roles in multiple shows, he turned his attention to arts education. Now, as the founder and CEO of The Broadway Collective, he works tirelessly to help aspiring performers find their voice (and their footing) on stage with workshops online and across the U.S. This week he sits down with Why Here hosts Tristan McAllister and Benton Whitley to talk about Black excellence, a home purchase that went viral and a "spam" email that led to him appearing in a music video with Jay-Z and Pharrell Williams.

In 2017 Sandra Caldwell had a reckoning with herself — she could keep living as she had or she could make an admission that would shake the entertainment world. She chose the later, and gave the interview of a generation to The New York Times, revealing that she had been living and successfully working as a cisgender actress for decades, all the while being transgender. The TV, film and stage star, who was featured in the landmark Netflix documentary about trans erasure and invisibility called "Disclosure," sits down with Why Here hosts Benton Whitley and Tristan McAllister to talk about her transition from Hollywood lady to an LGBTQIA icon.

Can you imagine jumping out of an airplane with your nearly 80-year-old mother? Sian-Pierre Regis can. It was actually his mother Rebecca Danigelis’ idea. She had a few more too, all of which went on the bucket list that Sian-Pierre asked her to make after she was fired from her job and forced out of the apartment she had lived in for nearly four decades. She was devastated. He saw a chance to give her all the things she always dreamed of. The two set out on a journey to discover the world and rediscover one another. He made it into a critically acclaimed film called Duty Free. The two join Tristan and Benton on this week’s episode of Why Here.

Why Here? - Luke 2: 4Jesus was born in Bethlehem to identify with and be available to common manJesus was born in Bethlehem to satisfy our spiritual hungerJesus was born in Bethlehem to connect to the history of God's chosen people Rachel's Bethlehem - The birthplace of Israel's son of my right hand is also the birthplace of the son of God's right hand Ruth's Bethlehem - God sends the Redeemer of the world to a place remembered for the redemption of the line of David David's Bethlehem - God sent the one who is the Living Water to the place known by David as a source of refreshing water Micah's Bethlehem - You're never a nobody when God says you're somebodyJesus being born in Bethlehem reminds us each person must make their own choice

Can you imagine getting up in front of thousands of people to talk about your conservative religious upbringing AND your sexual exploits? Joel Kim Booster can. His humor is unapologetic, honest and intriguing. On this week's episode of Why Here, the Korean-American comedian and writer shares how he tactfully navigates conversations about race and sexuality with humor ... and what his "first time" sounded like. It's a conversation that proves why James Corden, Conan O'Brien and Comedy Central have all invited him to perform, and why shows like Big Mouth put him in their writer's room. At the end, Matt Rogers, Joel's friend and host of HBO Max's smash hit Haute Dog, joins in for a ”fact check."

It's Thanksgiving, that weird holiday that definitely needs a major rewrite. This year's a bit of a wash, but maybe it's a chance to start a new tradition or a new story, especially if you're not sitting at the table where you thought you'd be. To help, Why Here's very own home chef, stuffing expert and food & lifestyle contributor Dan Pelosi joins hosts Benton Whitley and Tristan McAllister to talk turkey, tradition and gratitude.

There are a lot of adoring fans who'd love to know what London hotel Charlie Carver has been holed up in for nearly four months, in quarantine for his role in the latest Batman feature. Well, that's a secret he won't share, much like any of the details around the role that he and his twin brother Max have in Gotham. But he does share so many other things with hosts Benton Whitley and Tristan McAllister on this week's episode of Why Here. It's been a big year for Charlie, the openly gay actor and activist who is currently starring in The Boys In The Band and Ratched, on Netflix. They talk all of this, "twinship" and much more.

Stories are some of the most powerful tools we have to shape our world. Native Nigerian Wana Udobang tells them on many different canvases. She's a journalist, a poet, an artist and a political activist whose work has been featured on the BBC, CNN and other renowned outlets. Her three spoken word albums focus on the themes of body, self-love, sexual agency, sensuality, female injustice and marginalization. On this week's episode of Why Here, she joins hosts Benton Whitley and Tristan McAllister from Lagos to talk about #EndSARS, a youth uprising, LGBTQIA rights, radical self love and what #BlackLivesMatter looks like from afar.

GUIDING QUESTIONS:What happened, Why Here, What does John want us to know feel do?(Go to 31-36 for the know feel do part in particular because that the the takeaway John has for us from the brief exchange between JB, his disciples, and the Jews.)How were John’s disciples measuring success? How was John measuring success? Why is John happy that Jesus is gaining a greater following?In John the Baptist's analogy there are three characters, the bride, the groom and the friend of the groom who stands with him. Which one is John? Which one is Jesus? Whose is the bride? Trace the logic and flow of 31-36. What is the author saying about Jesus? How is this similar to 3:16-21? What does John want us to know about Jesus in 31-36? How does this contribute to your understanding of belief so far in John?BIG IDEA:Jesus is better than any human system of success especially in the context of eternal (the “good”) life.APPLICATION:At the end of your life, what would need to have happened for you to be able to say, "I lived the 'good' life"?Humans struggle to get off the throne of their heart in part due to their own inflated Ego, how do you think you might be better than you actually are? What strengths of your own may actually get in the way of putting Jesus on the throne and distort your view of “the good life?

WHY ARE ELECTIONS SO STRESSFUL? Well, the media are the easiest to point a finger at, but it really has more to do with the general amount of information coming our way, especially when one of the candidates is spewing lies. Fortunately, there's a man with a plan ... or at least he knows how to make it all make sense. On this special episode of Why Here, campaign strategist and political wunderkind Brian Derrick helps us understand where the U.S. election is and where it's likely going.

Yes, it's ironic that Broadway star Elizabeth Stanley received her first Tony nomination for a show in which the cast sings a song called "Ironic," in a year that could only be described as a Jagged Little Pill. Never mind whether or not the famed Alanis Morrissette song "Ironic" actually has any real examples of irony in it. That's a debate that's raged for more than two decades ... On this week's episode of Why Here we don't get to the bottom of that, but we do indeed get the infinitely talented Elizabeth to tell us how she became the star of the Broadway musical JAGGED LITTLE PILL, an adaptation of the album that many Gen X'ers and most Millennials will recall as the music that changed their lives.

Growing up in the shadow of a Trump golf course, when you’re in-fact living in a low-income neighborhood, stokes a special brand of motivation. This is something that NYC city council member Ritchie Torres knows all too well. On this season’s first episode of Why Here he joins hosts Benton & Tristan to talk politics, his run for U.S. congress and his early crushes on WWE wrestlers. Torres is gay, which makes him the first ever openly LGBTQIA official to represent the Bronx. His highly likely win in November makes this Afro-Latino, Bronx-born political star on the rise a sure bet for the future of American politics.

The 1918 influenza pandemic killed more than 675,000 Americans, but President Woodrow Wilson never made a single public statement about it. Why? Here’s what happens when efforts to promote patriotism and suppress free speech collide with a deadly virus.

On this episode of Authentic Daily Positivity: Why haven’t you sat down to design the life that you want to live? Why? Here’s what you need to do STARTING NOW! GET IN THE BOOTCAMP NOW!! AND FORTIFY YOUR MINDSET TO DEFEAT 2020!! EARLY BIRD SPECIAL WILL EXPIRE SOON!! CLICK THE LINK: https://www.therealfredlee.com/bootcamp NEED POSITIVE VIBES? Get 1 uplifting text a day! Text “POSITIVE” to +1 630-391-2549 Click here to get info:: https://www.therealfredlee.com/textfred CONNECT WITH MY BE AUTHENTIC POSITIVE VIBES COMMUNITY OF PEOPLE THAT ALWAYS WILL LIFT YOU UP! Click here to enter my private Facebook group - Be Authentic Positive Vibes Community:: https://www.facebook.com/groups/BeAuthenticPositiveVibesCommunity/?ref=share CONNECT WITH MY BE AUTHENTIC PARENTS COMMUNITY OF PEOPLE THAT WILL KEEP YOU LAUGHING! Click here to enter my private Facebook group - Be Authentic Positive Vibes Community:: https://www.facebook.com/groups/BeAuthenticParentsCommunity/?ref=share FIND YOUR STRENGTHS NOW! Click on the link:: https://high5test.com/?ref=8&campaign=from-be-authentic-zone-podcast to find your natural strengths! Screenshot me your results via DM on any social media platform! BE AUTHENTIC T-SHIRTS AND HOODIES! Solidify your AUTHENTICITY by visiting https://www.teepublic.com/user/therealfredlee and getting your AUTHENTIC gear today! CONNECT WITH ME ON SOCIAL MEDIA: Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/TheRealFredLee Facebook Profile: https://www.facebook.com/RealFredLee100 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/therealfredlee/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/therealfredlee/ Medium: https://medium.com/@therealfredlee Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/therealfredlee Periscope: https://www.pscp.tv/TheRealFredLee/1yoKMaLWNbdKQ Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/therealfredlee/ Snapchat: https://www.snapchat.com/add/hermanonegro SoundCloud: https://soundcloud.com/beauthenticzone TikTok: https://vm.tiktok.com/HDvjLr/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/TheRealFredLee YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/therealfredlee MAXIMIZE YOUR POSITIVITY, MINDSET AND LIFE! Visit my website: https://www.therealfredlee.com/ THE TIME IS NOW: It’s time for you to commit to being a BETTER YOU! SUBSCRIBE TO THIS PODCAST to get your dose of POSITIVE VIBES ONLY!

A Sermon Incursion: Part 3 - Language. In many ways, I think language is one of the most important parts of Bible study. Because, when you study language it leads you into the history and the culture of the people you are studying. However, many preachers shy away from studying Hebrew. Why? Here are some thoughts...

A Sermon Incursion: Part 1 - History. What should you expect from a preacher in a sermon? Can they simply grab any Bible verse and run with it? The Holy Spirit of God certainly leads preachers in many ways. However, God is not the author of confusion says the Bible. One element that a preacher should know is the history of the passage they are using. Why? Here are some thoughts...

Kay Sidebottom is a lecturer in Education and Childhood at the Carnegie School of Education at Leeds Beckett University. Her specialism is teacher education (lifelong learning) and her background is in community and further education, where she has taught a range of subjects. In addition to teaching on Childhood Studies, Kay is involved in the delivery of the new Post Graduate Certificate in Coaching and Mentoring. Kay's current area of focus in research is the application of critical posthuman theory in teaching and learning. She is currently researching the ways in which educators can work with posthuman thinking in order to reimagine education for the 21st century and beyond. Other recent research projects include the use of restorative practice and Thinking Environments in education leadership; using interdisciplinary approaches (such as art and poetry) in teacher education, and employing philosophical enquiry as a pedagogical method for pro-social education. In this podcast we discuss... The privilege to speak our truth without fear...Black Lives Matter...Leeds and Whiteness Spinoza and from pain to joy Indigenous Leadership The architecture of the Civic Hall and its purpose Art Activist Barbie Why Me? Why Here? Why Now? De-centring the man from human and the human from everything else... Support this podcast

When Why Here started in May of 2020, amid a global pandemic, the hosts had no idea what the next few months would look like. On this week's episode of Why Here, contributors Claudine Ko and Dr. Virat Madia join hosts Benton Whitley and Tristan McAllister to look back on the podcast's first season. The four reflect on big moments that changed how they saw the conversation around them and how their thinking has evolved during a summer that none of us will ever forget.

When Why Here contributor Claudine Ko reports a story she always finds an angle that provokes intrigue with readers. She's spent years seeking the truth in a story about Me Too and the the pottery world. In 2004 she wrote THE American Apparel story that made some feel as though founder Dov Charney should become a pariah for his overtly candid and sexual management style. On this week's episode of Why Here, Claudine sits to chat with hosts Benton Whitley and Tristan McAllister about her take on these stories and what it means to be an objective journalist in the time of cancel culture. Special guest Jane Pratt, former editor-in-chief at Jane magazine, joins the conversation to talk about how the American Apparel story might have had a different outcome today.

Starting a conversation with Jake Shears is easy. Ending one is hard ... because he has so many INSANE stories about his career in pop music. As the lead singer of the band Scissor Sisters he shot to stardom at a young age and became a queer icon for a generation of people looking to see themselves represented in music. On this week's episode of Why Here, he joins hosts Tristan McAllister and Benton Whitley to talk about his journey to becoming a solo artist, his love of Dolly Parton, what Elton John once said to him in a dressing room and what he wishes he'd known when he first found fame. And, at the end a "Savage" friend joins us to talk about Jake's coming out story.

You’d be hard-pressed to find some of the most incredible minds in entertainment and beyond who haven’t been interviewed by Stacey Wilson Hunt. The veteran Hollywood journalist even once received a phone call from Oprah who personally thanked her for the feature story she wrote about the famed media mogul for The Hollywood Reporter. Wilson Hunt’s work goes far beyond that, as the host of the new National Geographic podcast series Consider This. On this week’s episode of Why Here, she shares her take on how Hollywood is addressing Black Lives Matter and #MeToo with hosts Benton Whitley and Tristan McAllister.

It's been more than 50 years since the historic riots at New York City's Stonewall Inn birthed the modern queer rights movement and the first Gay Pride. On this special Pride episode of Why Here, hosts Benton Whitley and Tristan McAllister speak with prominent queer role models Jake Shears, L Morgan Lee, Bob The Drag Queen, Andre De Shields, VINCINT and many more to ask a simple question: What does Pride mean to you?

For a Black, queer superstar on the rise, pandemics and protests against police brutality would seem to be a huge setback. Not so, says vocalist and musician VINCINT, who thinks they’ve actually made for the perfect time for artists like him to reflect. On episode 6 of Why Here, he joins hosts Benton Whitley and Tristan McAllister and shares his thoughts on Black Lives Matter, Gay Pride, being an emerging pop superstar and writing the theme song to Netflix’s Queer Eye series.

Are you afraid to die? If you say yes, you are the majority of this world. This group is clearly not the majority. Their answers may very well surprise you. Why? Here you go...Thanks for joining FriDudes this week. Are you still afraid to die? It's okay. It just means you are human and not sure of all this. Or maybe you're sure or kind a sure yet you are having a good time on this broken planet. As hard as life can be on this earth, and yes it can be brutal and some of you have lived it. The earth can also have moments of joy and love. My theory. This life on this broken planet is a test. We get a taste of what heaven is like at times. We also get a taste of what hell can be like at times. Then you get to choose. Do you want the life that tasted like heaven or hell? I bet most of you never thought of it that way before. You are just living in the moment, whether good or and s-sandwich. I believe God put the loved ones that you so cherish in your life to teach you how to love. God put them there to show you how much God loves you. For those that have suffered a severe loss, you are not alone. Many within FriDudes have as well. So why do they press on in Hope? Because this broken planet isn't just it. It is a test. For those still doubting, check out Imagine Heaven that Greg and Casey endorsed and judge it for yourself. Then Google John 3 and judge it for yourself. Hope rules. Hopelessness sucks. If you are able, and still in doubt, will you lift a prayer with me? God, if you are real will you show me? In John 3 it says if I choose to believe in Jesus that I will have eternal life away from this broken planet. An eternal life what is the best and beyond of this world. You gave me a taste of that beauty with your nature and the loved ones that I whole dear in my heart. I would love the clarity and confidence. Will you please give the wisdom to help better understand? In Jesus name I pray, Amen. If you prayed that, would you let us know? Simply go to Fridudes.com and hit the 'contact us' page. One of us will follow up with you to answer any questions. We'll even send you a free Bible to help you better understand. Bonus, we'll send you "Imagine: Heaven". book as well.On the flip side, maybe you get all this stuff. Ok, how are you doing sharing this Hope with your loved ones? I bet most of you are struggling. Here's my best practice. Tell them you love them. Tell them if heaven is for real then they are absolutely someone you hope to be with in eternity. If you struggle with the words then will you share this? Ask your loved one to give this episode a shot and ask if you can discuss it over coffee or lunch or _________. At a minimum, they may think you are weird, at least they know they are someone that you cherish that much for eternity. That's the Truth Ruth!Ending on a song note, so many of you are hurting and struggling. This is part of your test. How do you handle it? Whom or what do you go for help? God knows and I'm going to encourage you to go to Him more. Build a relationship with Him like Casey or Bold or Rick or Nate or Peter or _________. This is "God Only Knows" by King and Country. If you dig, will you give them some love and add them to your play list? Now, go, serve, love your neighbors and neighboring communities...

On the heels of widespread protests over injustices against BIPOC, Ru Paul’s Drag Race season 8 winner and internationally renowned queer superstar Bob The Drag Queen joins Why Here hosts Benton Whitley and Tristan McAllister for some honest conversation. She shares her thoughts on race, America and “Black joy,” something she insists we can’t forget, in spite of the complicated — and long overdue — social revolution around us.

With the U.S. in the throes of street protests sparked by the murder of African Americans at the hands of police, it's time to amplify the voices of those who can help us better understand the communities truly affected by systemic bigotry and racism. On episode four of Why Here hosts Benton Whitley and Tristan McAllister interview L Morgan Lee, who shares her experience as the first openly transgender actress to originate a role in a Pulitzer Prize winning theater production. As an African American her take on race, gender and dismantling racism is crucial for all of us to hear. Her quest to tell honest stories that are representative of many voices should serve as inspiration for anyone looking to build stronger and more just communities.

Keeping your head high during a pandemic is tough. Add to that all of the unjust, fucked up things happening in America these days and it would only seem appropriate to go bury your head in the sand. Well, don't. We need you. The world needs you. The world needs more people like our guest Dan Pelosi. On episode three of Why Here, Dan, the king of food queens, joins us to talk about standing up for yourself, love in all shapes and sizes, his sweet meatballs and defying all of the bullshit that the world lobs at you. His message is simple and ... punny: This Too Shall Pasta, if we all agree to leave fear and stereotypes in the past.

In the midst of a quarantine New Yorkers face hard truths about the city they love. Many even wonder if staying is worth it. On the first episode of Why Here we interview emergency physician Dr. Virat Madia about his time working in the Bronx, the epicenter of America's coronavirus pandemic. His perspective is sobering, but his belief New York City will make it through is cause for hope.

In early 2020 the world changed in unimaginable ways, leaving most of us to reevaluate our lives. Join Brooklyn based Why Here hosts Benton Whitley and Tristan McAllister for a weekly podcast as they explore how they and so many others ended up here (wherever that may be) and what a new version of the world we once lived in might look like for all of us.

In his article, Half of All Churches Are Instantly Growing: Here's Why & Here's What To Do, Pastor Carey Nieuwhof argues that since going online, 50% of churches have experience a growth rate of some 300%. But that really depends on how you define the word "growth". Listen in as Joshua and Drew seek to engage with this article and seek to define growth in accordance with biblical categories. If Sword & Staff has been a blessing to you, you can be a blessing to us by leaving us a rating and review on whatever podcast app you use to listen to the show. Also, be sure to hit the subscribe button so you never miss an episode. Finally, look us up on Facebook (Sword and Staff Podcast) and give our page a like so that you can stay in the loop on upcoming episodes, events, and contest giveaways! Sword and Staff Podcast is a resource from Equip Central, a ministry of Central Baptist Church in Warner Robins, Georgia. To explore more of the tools we develop to help you make disciples, visit us online at www.centralwr.com/equip     

Real Time Info on Where to Invest during Virus Times (LA 1184) Transcript: Steven Butala: Steve and Jill here. Jill DeWit: Hello. Steven Butala: Welcome to the Land Academy show, entertaining land investment talk. I'm Steven Jack Butala. Jill DeWit: And I'm Jill Dewit broadcasting from sunny Southern California. Steven Butala: Today. Jill and I talk about real time info and where... I'll try it again. Real time info on where to invest during virus times. Jill DeWit: Where to get it. Steven Butala: Where to get it. Jill DeWit: How to get it, how to dissect it, how to understand it. What else? Steven Butala: How to make money and what markets to buy real estate and step by step procedures on, hey, it now is the time to buy property in Compton. Why? Here's all the proof and the support and the whole thing. Now's the time to buy property in West Phoenix. Why? Here's how I get the data. Here's how you analyze it and why. Why? Because it all happened in 2010 exactly like this and it's going to repeat itself. Jill DeWit: Why don't you just say that? Why did you give this goofy title that we're all kind of trying to figure out what this is? Real time info on where to invest during virus times. Okay. Steven Butala: Guess who doesn't write any titles at all? Jill DeWit: I do. You know why? Because you don't like my titles. Let's call a spade, a spade. If I write them, you don't like them. Steven Butala: How to catch a flock of doves and how it applies to your pretty sweet, wonderful real estate. Jill DeWit: No. Okay. Here's how I would have written this title. You are not alone in your lack of real time data. Steven Butala: That's actually not bad. Jill DeWit: Thank you. Someone said something to me the other night. Derek came up with all the, you are not alone and- Steven Butala: They're making fun of us. Jill DeWit: Oh it was good. I can't remember what it was. I don't know. Making normal pour drinks. It was something like that. Like mister heavy hand over here. Steven Butala: I remember that. Jill DeWit: Yeah. Steven Butala: It was funny, actually. Jill DeWit: Thank you. Steven Butala: It will all come to me in a minute. Jill DeWit: Okay. Steven Butala: Before we get into it, let's take a question posted by one of our members on the landinvestors.com online community. It's free. Jill DeWit: Andy wrote, "Hey you all, I'm relatively new to the game. I sent a few mailers to Arizona and New Mexico, but I'm hoping to branch out a bit here. I've learned about abstract states and now I've been reading about certain states that require trying to close a deal. Am I correct in assuming our land deals count as real estate closings and therefore 20 plus states will require this? Any guidelines on states that have costs or requirements for closing deals that a newbie should look out for? Any advice is appreciated. Thanks." Steven Butala: This is a very popular topic and some incredibly intelligent reply. The reply string on this is huge, but I'll summarize it. Yes. Your land deal is a real estate deal. It's just as much real estate as a skyscraper in New York and the closing process is the same. It's exactly the same. Someone buys it and they were provided the money, they it into escrow. The seller gets the money through escrow and it gets deeded and recorded at the county. There's a lot of other due diligence and some other stuff that goes on, feasibility studies and all kinds of things, but the basic transaction is exactly the same. Exactly. Steven Butala: There are three ways to close a real estate deal. Number one, self close. You create the deed in Microsoft Word, you hand the deed and a blue pen- Jill DeWit: This is when you don't use a title. Steven Butala: ... to the buyer. The buyer signs it. Jill DeWit: You're doing it yourself. Steven Butala: The buyer signs it, you hand them compensation in the form of usually a cashier's check. Jill DeWit:

One of the things we can expect to receive when we take the bread and the wine at the Lord's table is healing. In this message Nick shares his own testimony of seeing healing power as he regularly took the bread and wine. Although his life group, friends, family and the elders of the church prayed, it was when Nick regularly took bread and wine that he started to see his breakthrough. Why? Here's 10 declarations that Nick confessed at the time, and shared with us:I was a sinner and have been redeemed by Jesus blood that was shed as he died for me on the cross. (Romans 3:23)I have been bought with a price. I am not my own. (1 Peter 1:18-20)I am looking to His return. Jesus will come back victorious. (1 Corinthians 11:26)I am not fighting against flesh and blood. (Ephesians 6:12)I am raising a bannerI am under Gods authority. (Matthew 28:18)I am a child of the Heavenly Father, the almighty God. (John 1:12)I had no part in my redemption, it is the work of Jesus. (Ephesians 2:8-9)I am loved beyond measure. (John 3:16)I am worshiping when I take the bread and wine.

Our Lenten series will focus on 7 Questions Every Christian Should Know How to Answer. This week's question is: "Who is Jesus?" Who do you say he is? Why? Here's an eye-opening message that will give you an answer. 

Often, the people that need the Truth the most are the most reluctant to hear it. -Why- Here are three reasons.

Love everyone, yes, but you must choose the people you hang-out with. You must be more selective. Why? Here are 3 big reasons.Support the show (https://www.feast.ph/giving/)

The good Canadian boy joins us, violins and all. You gotta hear this. The wild weather swings in Calgary are a topic of interest for your lovely host. Mike Soroka came to the Atlanta Braves by way of Calgary and he is now on Outta The Park. Barry and Mike discuss leaving hockey behind and focusing on baseball. Why did Mike make the switch? You’ll be surprised. What was Mike’s draft day like? Mike’s thoughts on Alex Anthopoulos The First Pitch discuses John Gibbons be passed over for the manager’s position in Houston. Why was Dusty Baker chosen? Aug 3, 2017 is an eventful day in the history of Mike Bolsinger. Why? Here’s a hint, it involves the Houston Astros, the Blue Jays and banging on a drum. Matt believes that The Houston Astros should be banned from playing baseball in 2020. Ban them for a full season says he. Ask Barry Davis chats about Eddie Belfour, former Toronto Maple Leaf. He’s in some trouble. The guys chat about the best basketball players that have ever played the game. They do a deep dive.

What is the Why What is the Why? This evening I want to begin our thinking with a “what if” situation. What is the Why – Here is the situation: you have a friend that you have had for years and years. Though you are very close to your friend, you have never discussed religious … Continue reading "What is the Why" The post What is the Why appeared first on Gods Message on the Web.

Inbound Marketing - What, How and Why? Here’s our next video from the  #TGIM series - “ DIFFERENT STAGES OF INBOUND MARKETING” by Raghavendra Hunasgi. Do follow us and stay tuned for more interesting videos. #ThankGodItsMonday #Marketing #ThoughtFolks #InboundMarketing

Why Do People Suck So Much? One of the biggest things you hear in the world of writing is to make your character likeable, which is great and all but gives you two questions: How. How do you make your characters likable? How do you make your characters likable when in real life people suck so much? There’s an entire Reddit threadcalled “Am I the A-Hole?” We talk about the second question in our RANDOM THOUGHT in the podcast, so the writer-helpful stuff is here, now. Ready? What Do the Bad Guys Care About? Usually they are propelled by greed or power. In our society those things are usually indicative of a bad guy. Although, some segments of our society seem to laud those traits now. What Do We Have to Do to Make Our Characters (or our selves) Not the Bad Guy? People want to care about the character. You automatically think that means the character is nice, right? No. Think about those Marvel movies. Iron Man’s kind of a jerk. Sherlock Holmes? Jerk. But we still like and care about them. Why? Here is What You Need To Do To Make Your Character Not an Butt Face The character has a big want and/or need. Iron Man wants to save the world. Sherlock Holmes needs to catch a murderer. We connect with that because we all have wants or needs. I want to make $5,000 a month. This possibly make me a bad guy because that seems to be about money BUT if I want to make $5,000 a month so that I can pay for my child with autism’s medicines? Not quite so awful, right? It’s all in the presentation and the reason. Conflicting Wants are What Really Makes It Pop When our character wants to save the world, but saving the world mean that he must sacrifice his entire business that he’s worked so hard to build up? That’s when our interest is super EXCITED. We’re all – Oh. Snap. What will he choose? What would I choose? Caring About Others Who Are More Vulnerable This is the big one, really. In the Star Wars movies, Rey is super snarky with the little droid when we first meet her, but then she refuses to sell that little droid baby for scrap money and protects it. Bing. We love this resilient go-getter named Rey who now has conflicting wants of her own survival (needs money) and protecting the droid (probably going to cost her money and her life). So, we care about Rey because she cares. She has empathy. What are the characteristics people admire in others? Authenticity Caring Kindness Empathy Bravery Charisma Loyalty Give your character one of those if you can. The rest of this is over at my website because it was too long to fit here! SO MANY TIPS! SHOUT OUT The music we’ve clipped and shortened in this podcast is awesome and is made available through the Creative Commons License. Here’s a link to that and the artist’s website. Who is this artist and what is this song? It’s “Night Owl” by Broke For Free. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/carriejonesbooks/message Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/carriejonesbooks/support

Bucky's 5th Podcast will be heading in a new direction after this week's show. Why? Here's a breakdown of what we discuss this week, along with a goodbye from one of its co-hosts:Owen and Jake touch on the tragic news pertaining to Wisconsin assistant coach Howard Moore and his family; B5Q sends it deepest sympathies to Moore and his family.We briefly touch base on Sam and Joey Hauser committing to Virginia and Marquette, respectively, but also discuss keeping perspective through what's happened in the past week.Regarding Wisconsin football recruiting, we highlight Tanor Bortolini's commitment to the Badgers and what it means for the 2020 class; plus we discuss the various cycles of UW commitments for each recruiting class.To end the show, Jake shares some departing thoughts on his last Bucky's 5th Podcast episode. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Most blogs will stall after a few months. Some make it through the first year. But most don't make it past that point? Why? Here is a little insight into how to approach your blogging effort for the first year or even two to three years.

Subscribe to the podcast and notes: https://qurantalk.podbean.com/ Quran translation on iOS: https://apple.co/2C1YGXj Additional Resources: http://www.masjidtucson.org Contact: qurantalk (at) gmail (dot) com   Evolution vs. De-evolution Sign of intelligence is that new information is created E. coli Long-term Experiment on Evolution - Started 24 February 1988.[2] 66,000 in November 2016.[3] No new molecular machines No newly designed cell structures No new protein-coding sections of DNA Evolution vs De-Evolution Example of how to make a car go faster - throw out the seats http://myxo.css.msu.edu/ecoli/ Because it is easier to destroy than to build Ask you what are some decisions in your life you can make to make your life worse? Easy  Run out in front of traffic Poke your eyes out Burn all your savings Hit your head with a hammer Hold your breath underwater until you pass out If I ask you what can be done to make the future WORSE You can probably come up with a whole bunch of ideas Ask you what decisions you can make to make your life BETTER? Little harder - At best you will come up with ideas of what to remove not what to add Easier to break down rather than to build  Because it is easier to destroy than to build If I ask you what can you do to make the future better More difficult Easier to point out the downside and all the reasons something can fail rather than how it can succeed But more ideas does not mean that the ideas are any better - but makes us feel smart Typically an inherent bias that we equate things that we can imagine as more likely than things we can’t …e.g.e shark attacks Pessimism isn't just more common than optimism, it also sounds smarter. Pessimist are intellectually captivating, and people pay more attention to them rather than optimist who are often viewed as an oblivious sucker. If you say the world has been getting better you may get away with being called naïve and insensitive. Harvard professor Teresa Amabile shows that those publishing negative book reviews are seen as smarter and more competent than those giving positive reviews of the same book. "Only pessimism sounds profound. Optimism sounds superficial," she wrote. Why? Here are a few other reasons I've observed for why pessimism gets so much attention. [4:147] What will GOD gain from punishing you, if you became appreciative and believed? GOD is Appreciative, Omniscient. Complaining makes us feel like we are smart There is a form of an iQ/creativity test where the objective is to see how many ideas you can come up in a given amount of time: What can you do with a brick? Come up with different ways that someone can go from place to another? The more answers one comes up with the smarter they feel This is good for creativity, but there are somethings that the quantity of answers is not what is important but the quality 1. Optimism appears oblivious to risks, so by default pessimism looks more intelligent.  2. Pessimism requires action, whereas optimism means staying the course. Pessimism is "SELL, GET OUT, RUN," which grabs your attention because it's an action you need to take right now. You don't want to read the article later or skim over the details, because you might get hurt. Optimism is mostly, "Don't worry, stay the course, we'll be alright," which is easy to ignore since it doesn't require doing anything.  3. Optimism sounds like a sales pitch, while pessimism sounds like someone trying to help you. And that's often the truth. But in general, most of the time, optimism is the correct default setting, and pessimism can be as big a sales pitch as anything – especially if it's around emotional topics like money and politics.  4. Pessimists extrapolate present trends without accounting for how reliably markets adapt. That's important, because pessimistic views often start with a foundation of rational analysis, so the warning appears as reasonable as it is scary. Thomas Malthus 1800 Prophets were the ultimate optimist - that after we die we can be redeemed in God’s kingdom How we respond to God’s promise determines if we believe in God’s promise or not… [3:174] They have deserved GOD's blessings and grace. No harm ever touches them, for they have attained GOD's approval. GOD possesses infinite grace. [33:11] That is when the believers were truly tested; they were severely shaken up. [33:12] The hypocrites and those with doubts in their hearts said, "What GOD and His messenger promised us was no more than an illusion!" [33:13] A group of them said, "O people of Yathrib, you cannot attain victory; go back." Others made up excuses to the prophet: "Our homes are vulnerable," when they were not vulnerable. They just wanted to flee. Psalm 91 1  Whoever dwells in the shelter of the Most High    will rest in the shadow of the Almighty.[a] 2  I will say of the Lord, “He is my refuge and my fortress,    my God, in whom I trust.” 3  Surely he will save you    from the fowler’s snare    and from the deadly pestilence. 4  He will cover you with his feathers,    and under his wings you will find refuge;    his faithfulness will be your shield and rampart. 5  You will not fear the terror of night,    nor the arrow that flies by day, 6  nor the pestilence that stalks in the darkness,    nor the plague that destroys at midday. 7  A thousand may fall at your side,    ten thousand at your right hand,    but it will not come near you. 8  You will only observe with your eyes    and see the punishment of the wicked. 9  If you say, “The Lord is my refuge,”    and you make the Most High your dwelling, 10  no harm will overtake you,    no disaster will come near your tent. 11  For he will command his angels concerning you    to guard you in all your ways; 12  they will lift you up in their hands,    so that you will not strike your foot against a stone. 13  You will tread on the lion and the cobra;    you will trample the great lion and the serpent. 14  “Because he[b] loves me,” says the Lord, “I will rescue him;    I will protect him, for he acknowledges my name. 15  He will call on me, and I will answer him;    I will be with him in trouble,    I will deliver him and honor him. 16  With long life I will satisfy him    and show him my salvation.”   [33:22] When the true believers saw the parties (ready to attack), they said, "This is what GOD and His messenger have promised us, and GOD and His messenger are truthful." This (dangerous situation) only strengthened their faith and augmented their submission. [2:249] When Saul took command of the troops, he said, "GOD is putting you to the test by means of a stream. Anyone who drinks from it does not belong with me—only those who do not taste it belong with me—unless it is just a single sip." They drank from it, except a few of them. When he crossed it with those who believed, they said, "Now we lack the strength to face Goliath and his troops." Those who were conscious of meeting GOD said, "Many a small army defeated a large army by GOD's leave. GOD is with those who steadfastly persevere.” [14:7] Your Lord has decreed: "The more you thank Me, the more I give you." But if you turn unappreciative, then My retribution is severe. [10:57] O people, enlightenment has come to you herein from your Lord, and healing for anything that troubles your hearts, and guidance, and mercy for the believers. [10:58] Say, "With GOD's grace and with His mercy they shall rejoice." This is far better than any wealth they can accumulate.

Live streaming your services can actually have the opposite effect of what you are going for. Welcome to welcome to episode 25 of Practical Church Planting. There are good reasons to live stream a service, but we believe live streaming your services as a church plant can be and often is a bad thing. Why? Here are four reasons we discuss: Bad quality is bad for your church People aren't going to Facebook for long-form videos The cost/setup to live stream The poor return on investment for church plants trying to live stream Connect and never miss an episode Did you know that you can watch the Practical Church Planting podcast? Connect with us on our Facebook page or New City Church's YouTube Channel. Have questions or want encouragement from other church planters? Join the Practical Church Planting Facebook group!

– What to do when you’re stuck in a holding pattern that just won’t break free  – There’s something that you want. Perhaps you’ve wanted it for a long time. You want it REALLY badly. But it STILL hasn’t shown up and you’re asking yourself, “Is it EVER going to happen?!?!” Author Paris Johnson went exactly through this. She felt anxious, discouraged and frustrated. She felt stuck. After working so long and hard toward her goal of becoming a recognized expert in her field, nothing seemed to manifest. WHY? Here’s the thing. When we’re feeling stuck, it’s never the situation that has become stuck. It’s our energy that’s stuck. While we’ve been putting part of our energy toward manifesting what we want, another part of our energy contradicts the vibration of what we want. We cannot manifest from this place because we aren’t a vibrational match to our desire. This was Paris’ frustration. She wanted to make a difference. She wanted to reach the people who needed her influence. But it Just. Wasn’t. Happening. The universe is impersonal. It responds only to our vibration – wherever we focus our energy. If part of us is focused on what we want, and another part is focused on what we don’t want, or on what’s lacking, we can’t manifest what we DO want. It’s like a tug of war, with opposing energies pulling at both ends. Our vibration is contradicting itself and nothing can move forward. What we want stays in the unmanifested world of wants. So what did Paris do? The secret was to focus on raising the frequency of her vibration. The higher her vibration, the more powerfully she was able to manifest her dreams and desires. And you can do the same! We often ask “When is it EVER going to happen?” But our manifestations don’t usually happen on a linear timeline. They usually happen when we align with a higher vibration that allows our manifestation to come TO us.  

Hard to believe in this time of the daily outrage or controversy, but empathy serves more than ever as a public relations strategy. Why? Here are five commonsense reasons.

Gravity Radio...dj MONDO Bringing You the Best Electronic Music from Around the Globe. 1. Gravity Intro – by MONDO 2. Berghain Girl – by Kevin Deelay 3. 2pole – by Atom 4. Transient – by Marla Singer 5. Different – by Allan Feytor 6. Far Away – by Mark Reeve 7. Funkerman – by Peter Luts 8. Chemicals – by Yotto 9. Reverie – by Audiojack 10. Why Here – by Danniel Selfmade 11. Earthlings X – by Danny Howells 12. Deya – by George Privatti 13. Been A Long Time – by Andrey Exx 14. Dance & Shout – by Crazibiza 15. Tell Me – by James Cole This show is syndicated & distributed exclusively by Syndicast. If you are a radio station interested in airing the show or would like to distribute your podcast / radio show please register here: https://syndicast.co.uk/distribution/registration

Gravity Radio...dj MONDO Bringing You the Best Electronic Music from Around the Globe. 1. Gravity Intro – by MONDO 2. Berghain Girl – by Kevin Deelay 3. 2pole – by Atom 4. Transient – by Marla Singer 5. Different – by Allan Feytor 6. Far Away – by Mark Reeve 7. Funkerman – by Peter Luts 8. Chemicals – by Yotto 9. Reverie – by Audiojack 10. Why Here – by Danniel Selfmade 11. Earthlings X – by Danny Howells 12. Deya – by George Privatti 13. Been A Long Time – by Andrey Exx 14. Dance & Shout – by Crazibiza 15. Tell Me – by James Cole This show is syndicated & distributed exclusively by Syndicast. If you are a radio station interested in airing the show or would like to distribute your podcast / radio show please register here: https://syndicast.co.uk/distribution/registration

We as Christians love to remember the things God has done for us. It's good to remember the mighty things that God has done. It's okay to rehearse them in the ears of our children and grand children. We SHOULD encourage ourselves in the Lord as David did even by remembering what God has done...But God instructed Israel in Isaiah 43:15-21 to Forget ALL ABOUT it! WHY??? Here in Isaiah 43 God is telling Israel that all they have seen Him do, to this point, is absolutely NOTHING compared to what He is about to do. What was He about to do, that was new to them? He would blot out their transgression. He would forget their sins. He would send a Savior. He would take their own sins upon himself. NO ONE could have ever dreamed of such a miracle!! To be innocent, of sin?!! Just like Israel, God is wanting to do the new thing in our lives. In this new year... We need access to the "NEW" things of God. And "God will only do the NEW thing in your life, if you can let go of the old thing."

  This episode of Optimize, Automate, Outsource features yet another list of links for you to consider to help you do more with the life you have. One of the most important aspects of that for any business owner is the task of process automation and optimization - and you know why, right? There are hundreds of things happening in the average business that are process-oriented and as we often say, many of those can be automated. We found a software service that enables process automation on a new scale, including connections with Zapier - which you know we love. Nick is quickly becoming addicted to this app so find out all about it on this episode.   Do you need an automated call center? Here’s one we’re loving.   We’ve tried plenty of call solutions in the past - including Ringcentral and Skype. For everything we tried, they were either too buggy and ineffective or had far too many features, which proved cumbersome for what we needed. But when we came upon a cool new app that integrates with Slack we found exactly what we were looking for. Nick and I talk about how OttSpot works and the ways it’s enabled us to do some process automation in our application systems, on this episode. This thing has heightened our team’s interaction and productivity to an even greater degree - which we like. Lots.   Do you sleep with a white noise generator? This takes it to a whole new level.   One of the new devices Nick and I chat about on this episode is called Nightingale - it’s a nighttime noise-maker that is designed by acoustic experts and audio engineers and claims to be the most effective sleep system on the market. When I hear a claim like that I have to ask, “Why?” Here’s what I discovered: Nightingale can be customized to your particular room’s architecture and acoustics by placing a unit on either side of your room - and it’s this two-unit system that makes the difference. They call it a "sound blanket." And besides all that, it’s IoT integrated. Find out more about Nightingale as we talk about it on this episode.   Nick has been busy helping former inmates build businesses. Here’s his experience so far.   Lately, Nick has been intrigued by the work of an organization called “Defy Ventures,” and for good reason. The folks at DV “harness the natural talents of currently and formerly incarcerated men, women, and youth and redirect them toward the creation of legal business ventures and careers.” It’s an amazing idea and Nick took part in one of their “shark tank” type events recently as one of the “sharks.” Can you imagine? Anyway, on this episode, he shares the inspiring experience and tells why he’s planning to join the DV team at another event soon. This is good stuff being done that seems to be pretty effective. Take a listen.   Ever been to a 360-degree theater? Now you can make your own 360-degree movie.   A new tech item we discuss on this episode is ORBI Prime, which claims to be the first 360° video recording eyewear. So picture this, it’s a pair of glasses you wear that has 1080p cameras integrated into it - even in the back. So you can capture and share 360° videos and images simply by wearing glasses - which you’re likely going to be doing anyway. It’s made from lightweight polycarbonate, is able to record up to 90 minutes of video, has built-in WiFi, is water resistant, and yada, yada, yada. This is a fun sounding toy/tool/tech item you’ll want to know about, so be sure you listen. Featured Links Mentioned On This Episode   [0:35] Process Street - a process documentation tool. [6:09] OttSpott - how we use it and how it works. [8:17] The Nightingale (noise machine/sound blanket) [8:55} Aware Air Detection Systems [10:17] The Cinder Grill (Indiegogo campaign) [12:18] The Orbi 360 [13:20] Nick’s experience advising at Defy Ventures   Other Resources Mentioned   Text “Leverage” to “444999” to subscribe to the mailing list and get the first chapter of our new book. Process.st - a useful tool for documenting and automating processes within a company. Zapier Trello Skype Ring Central IFTTT SousVide Cooking Device - We are offering a very special membership to our exclusive #LeverageLabs to new listeners who go to our Leverage Podcast or OAO Podcast and subscribe to or download our podcasts, take a photo and send to us via social media. #LeveragePodcast... Send us your photo and we will mention the lucky new members on the podcast each week...  All episodes, show notes, and resources can be found at www.leveragepodcasts.com

Massive floods, prolonged heat waves, and destructive storms are becoming more common. Why? Here’s everything you need to know.

When you are out looking at properties, you typically only visit homes during the day. Most open houses on the weekends end before 5 p.m. However, it’s important to visit a home at night before you purchase it. Why? Here are five reasons: Find out what the commute is like. Driving in the evening allows you to see what that commute home from work will be like. Here in the East Bay, a lot of people find that the commute is longer than what they want. It is important to know how much time you will spend driving to and from work before you buy a home. “FIGURE OUT WHAT THE COMMUTE IS LIKE BEFORE BUYING THE HOME.” You will see how many kids are in the neighborhood. During home showings, kids are usually in school. If you go to an open house on the weekend, you might see a few kids, but driving through a neighborhood in the late afternoon or evening gives you a better idea of how many kids are in the neighborhood and if the area is a good fit for your own children. Is the neighborhood safe? By driving through the area in the evening or at night, you can spot any potential issues that may threaten your family’s safety. Are there any loud neighbors? Will there be people having band practice or loud parties on school nights or during the workweek? Can you live with that? How is traffic in the area? If you are buying a place closer to downtown, that area may see some busy traffic around 7 or 8 p.m. The noise may be a problem, but you should also keep in mind that traffic is a safety issue. If you have any other questions about buying a home or about real estate in general, give me a call or send me an email. I would be happy to help you!

How the Gospel Helps Us Makes Sense of Newtown. When we see suffering around us we often ask, "Why?" Here we find the foundational truths about God and suffering.

Upon learning about and delving into the earthquake in Haiti, and specifically the lack of infrastructure within the area where the earthquake hit, and the lack of foundation to receive help, it forced me to look at what was going on in my ‘home’, my heart, my surroundings so that I could help create clarity HERE and NOW. Why HERE and NOW? I donated money. In fact, how could you not? It was made so easy to give, so very easy to give. You saw how fast the human heart can open up and offer. You all experienced a sense of unity did you not? It’s amazing how open our hearts are. I have so much faith in the human race and our ability to open our hearts. I have no doubt. Now, our ability to keep the hearts open and sensitive, to work daily to make choices that will optimize our well being and that of those around us is a different story. I can speak from personal experience as I say that I’m lazy when it comes to that stuff. I often times choose to ‘fix’ what’s broken in the house later. It’s too much of a pain now. I’ll eat healthier later. This pound of ice-cream isn’t gonna hurt me now. I’ll discipline and engage with my daughter later, she’s only 16 months old, there’s plenty of time....and on and on and on. That later, turns into years (or at minimum months). Those every day things are the infrastructure: An underlying base or foundation especially for an organization or system.The basic facilities, services, and installations needed for the functioning of a community or society, such as transportation and communications systems, water and power lines, and public institutions including schools, post offices, and prisons. If we don’t tend to that, regardless of how open our hearts are, how willing we are to give, how much we want to work, the delivery of that love, support, resources will not get there easily. At least that’s how I see it. The foundation will not be set when push comes to shove. Infrastructure is not exotic, it’s not exciting, it’s very grounded, methodical, and I guess you could say boring? Our job as yogis is to make these every day choices, these mundane often boring and at times, may I say annoying tasks sacred, valuable and full of meaning. It is in those every day ways that we build our foundation, our underlying system within our household, within our relationships, within our BODIES that we create the optimal way for us to share that wealth of heart and spirit with which we are all blessed . Build the infrastructure and Clear the path to Love The more that we cultivate our infrastructure, the more that we will be able to share and love each other, support each other in a myriad of ways. We will be ever more effective and clear and raise ourselves and each other to a higher level of consciousness. Some links mentioned in the intro: World Virtual Yoga Conference Hillary Rubin (refer to link to find out about her specific session and the magic $100 off code!) Leave a review in iTunes (link opens up iTunes) Leave a review in my Facebook Fan Page! (that would be groovy, there's a page just for reviews!)