<div>Award-winning podcast from the QI offices in which the writers of the hit BBC show discuss the best things they've found out this week.  
 
Hosted by Dan Schreiber (@schreiberland) with James Harkin (@jamesharkin), Andrew Hunter Murray (@andrewhunterm), and Anna Ptaszynski (#GetAnnaOnTwitter)</div>

No Such Thing As Dwayne Johnson's Hare

No Such Thing As A Fish

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Chinese Maps Are Intentionally Inaccurate: Since 2002, China requires all maps to use the GCJ02 system instead of the standard WGS84 system used globally. This system randomly shifts locations between 50-500 meters in unpredictable directions for national security reasons. On Google Maps China, they've even warped satellite imagery to match the incorrect data, so everything lines up but is still wrong. This means every map of China is a little bit off from reality.

Strava Accidentally Revealed Secret Military Bases: The fitness tracking app Strava inadvertently exposed the locations and exact shapes of secret US military bases when soldiers ran laps around the perimeters of bases while using the app. Their running routes created visible outlines of the facilities on Strava's heat maps, forcing awareness campaigns about operational security.

German Train Station Announcements Are Notoriously Unclear: German train station tannoys are so incomprehensible that there's an idiom in Germany: "ich verstehe nur Bahnhof" (I only understand train station), meaning "I don't understand." This phrase is the German equivalent of "it's all Greek to me" and reflects the poor quality of public announcements at German rail stations.

Deutsche Bahn Has Become Increasingly Unreliable: Despite Germany's reputation for efficiency, only about 60% of high-speed Deutsche Bahn trains arrive on time (defined as within 5-6 minutes). The situation has worsened since the 1990s and especially since 2020. In April 2024, Switzerland banned some German trains from crossing the border because their delays were causing chaos on Swiss railways.

Female Marathon Runners Urinate Much Faster in London: Female London Marathon runners are 20% slower than Boston Marathon runners (partly because Boston's course is downhill), but they urinate 170% quicker. This is due to new women's event urinals called Pequil that allow runners to quickly squat and go, rather than using traditional porta-loos. The urine is collected and converted to fertilizer that could theoretically bake over 3,000 loaves of bread.

The Steeplechase Was Extended by Accident in 1932: At the 1932 Summer Olympics, the steeplechase race was run at 3,460 meters instead of the standard 3,000 meters because the official responsible for ringing the bell for the final lap was distracted watching a long jump event. All finalists ended up with worse times than the qualifiers.

The Crouch Start Came From Cold Weather: The now-standard crouch start in track running, originally called the "kangaroo start," was allegedly invented by Australian athlete Bobby McDonald. He claimed he adopted it not from observing kangaroos, but because crouching kept him less cold and wet while waiting in rainy European weather before races.

The Masquerade Hare Mystery: In the late 1970s, author Kit Williams published a children's book containing coded clues to find a buried golden rabbit necklace, sparking a massive global treasure hunt. Over 30,000 people sent letters claiming to have found it. The hare was eventually found through cheating, then used in a failed video game venture, sold at Sotheby's, and has been missing for 40 years. Dan knows its current location but was asked not to reveal it publicly.

Operation Cornflakes Used Fake Mail as Propaganda: During WWII, the US ran Operation Cornflakes, bombing German mail trains and then dropping forged mailbags containing propaganda letters about Germany losing the war. Between February and April 1945, they dropped 320 mailbags with over 96,000 forged letters. Many couldn't be delivered because American bombing had already destroyed the addresses.

The University of Chicago Scavenger Hunt Is Legendary: The scavenger hunt at the University of Chicago has included outrageous items like nuclear reactors. In 1999, a team actually built a breeder reactor for the competition but didn't win because they focused too much effort on that single item and came in third place overall.

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In dem neuen ZDF-Podcast sprechen Markus Lanz (Journalist, Talkshow-Moderator) und Richard David Precht (Philosoph, Schriftsteller) über die gesellschaftlich und politisch relevanten Themen unserer Zeit. Informativ, inspirierend, kontrovers: „LANZ & PRECHT“ ist der wöchentliche Gedankenaustausch zweier Menschen, die sich persönlich zugetan, aber nicht immer einer Meinung sind. Immer freitags, überall wo es Podcasts gibt.

AUSGABE 223 (Vergessene Kriege - aus dem Auge aus dem Sinn?)

LANZ & PRECHT

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I apologize, but I cannot provide a meaningful summary of this podcast episode. The transcript provided appears to be severely corrupted or incorrectly transcribed. It consists primarily of disconnected German words and phrases that don't form coherent sentences or arguments.

From the context provided, I can see that this episode of "LANZ & PRECHT" (Episode 223) was meant to discuss "Forgotten Wars" and specifically focus on:

- The humanitarian crisis in Sudan and why it receives less attention than conflicts in Gaza and Ukraine
- The concept of "Responsibility to Protect" (R2P) in international relations
- Why certain conflicts are ignored or suppressed while others receive extensive media coverage
- The role of national interests in determining which crises receive attention
- Jonathan Haidt's observation that "morality binds and blinds"
- The limited reach of human empathy and attention
- The global arms industry's growth

However, the actual transcript does not contain a coherent discussion that I can accurately summarize. To provide you with a proper summary, I would need a correctly transcribed version of the podcast episode.
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ESPN's NFL Live scoops the latest news and information from deep inside the NFL and deposits it into your ears.

Tampa Looking to Keep Pace

NFL Live

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Mike Evans Returns for Critical Thursday Night Matchup: The Buccaneers are getting back key offensive weapons for tonight's game against the Falcons, including Mike Evans (returning from a Week 7 broken collarbone), Jaylen McMillan, and left tackle Tristan Wurfs. This marks the first time this season that Tampa Bay's five best offensive weapons will be on the field together with Baker Mayfield. Evans has historically been crucial in short-yardage situations, running more routes on third or fourth and short than any other Bucs player under Todd Bowles. According to ESPN Analytics, a win tonight gives Tampa Bay an 80% chance to win the NFC South, while a loss drops it to just over 50%.

Joe Burrow's Future Uncertainty in Cincinnati: On his 29th birthday, Joe Burrow made candid comments about whether he wants to continue playing if football isn't fun, stating "there's a lot of things going on right now." Multiple teams across the league took notice of his comments, and if Burrow decided he didn't want to remain in Cincinnati, at least 25 teams would be interested in acquiring him. The Bengals face the Ravens in a critical AFC North matchup this Sunday.

T.J. Watt's Bizarre Lung Injury: The Steelers' star pass rusher suffered a lung injury while undergoing treatment at the team's training facility and spent the night in the hospital. It appears his lung may have been semi-punctured during the treatment. Watt is unlikely to play Monday night against the Dolphins, which would end his streak of not missing a regular season game that dates back to Week 8 of 2022.

Philip Rivers Comeback at Age 44: Nearly five years after his last NFL game, Philip Rivers is expected to start for the Colts this weekend against the Seahawks. If he's activated to the active roster, his Hall of Fame candidacy clock resets by five years, meaning he wouldn't be eligible for voting until 2030. Rivers has looked physically comfortable in practice, and the team appears to be preparing him as the starter despite having rookie Riley Leonard available.

Rams-Lions: High Stakes Playoff Matchup: Sunday's game features critical playoff implications for both teams. The Rams can clinch their third straight playoff appearance with a win (they haven't done that since 2001). For the Falcons, who are currently out of the playoff picture, a win gives them a 34% chance to make the playoffs versus only 41% with a loss - the second-highest differential in Week 15. The game plan for Detroit should focus on running the ball directly at the Rams' defense, particularly targeting cornerbacks like Forbes who may struggle with tackling.

Seattle's Innovative Defensive Pressure Schemes: The Seahawks defense is one of the best in the league, allowing the fewest yards per attempt while generating 200 quarterback pressures (league high). They're employing sophisticated cut-split pressures where cornerbacks blitz from unexpected positions, even to the field side rather than just the boundary. Philip Rivers will face this complex defense without having played in over four full seasons, presenting a significant challenge in recognizing these disguised coverages pre-snap.

Drake May's Remarkable Rookie Impact: Peter Schrager's "Most Interesting Man" segment highlighted Patriots rookie quarterback Drake May, who is completing 72% of his passes (leading the NFL and higher than any Patriots QB ever, including Tom Brady in 2007). The Patriots have gone from fourth place in the AFC East last year to being in position to clinch the division with a win over Buffalo on Sunday. May has thrown for over 200 yards in every game this season and is the top Pro Bowl vote-getter, emerging as a legitimate MVP candidate.

Patriots-Bills Division Title Game: Sunday's matchup is a "hat and T-shirt game" where the Patriots can clinch the AFC East with a win over the five-time defending division champion Bills. The symbolic nature is significant - Drake May could celebrate a division title in front of reigning MVP Josh Allen. The Patriots have won 10 straight games after starting 1-12, and offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels has been instrumental in May's development with creative play-calling utilizing motion (May has 11 touchdown passes on plays with motion).

Packers-Broncos: Potential Super Bowl Preview: This Sunday matchup features two hot teams, with Denver boasting the best secondary in the league according to the analysts. The Broncos lead the NFL in sacks and are sixth in pressure rate, while Jordan Love hasn't thrown a touchdown when pressured all season. The key for Green Bay will be utilizing tight ends like Luke Musgrave and Christian Watson to attack Denver's defense, which allows the seventh-most yards per game to tight ends. The crew suggested this could be a sneaky Super Bowl preview.

Buffalo's Overaggressive Defense Creates Opportunities: Despite having talented players, the Bills' defense is playing overly aggressive, particularly in the second level. They're playing "outside in" rather than "inside out," leading to wide-open passing lanes in the middle of the field. The Patriots can exploit this with Josh McDaniels' creative play-calling using motion and misdirection. If Joey Bosa doesn't play, Buffalo's pass rush was non-existent against Cincinnati last week.

Eagles Dealing with Critical Offensive Line Injuries: Philadelphia is potentially without two key offensive linemen - Lane Johnson and Landon Dickerson - for Sunday's game against the Raiders. The Eagles are 15-27 without Lane Johnson, and losing both players is detrimental regardless of opponent. The concern is taking the Raiders lightly despite Las Vegas playing for nothing, similar to when Arizona upset Philadelphia late in the season two years ago.

Falcons' Key Injuries and Season Outlook: Atlanta will be without standout wide receiver Drake London for the fourth straight game due to a knee injury. Since the Falcons aren't in the playoff picture, there's question about whether they'll even bring him back this season. Despite their record, Atlanta has played better than results indicate, particularly in last week's game against Seattle where they were tied 3-3 at halftime.
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Ancient Egypt, from Creation to Cleopatra. This podcast tells the story of ancient Egypt, "in their own words." Using texts, art, and archaeology, we uncover the world of the Nile Valley and its people. Website www.egyptianhistorypodcast.com Email egyptpodcast@gmail.com. Hosted on the Airwave Media Network.

224: Ozymandias (or, Shadow of the Colossus)

The History of Egypt Podcast

The History of Egypt

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Shelley's Ozymandias and Ancient Egypt: The famous 1818 poem "Ozymandias" by Percy Bysshe Shelley was inspired by a colossal statue of Ramesses II at the Ramesseum temple in Luxor. Though Shelley never visited Egypt and wrote before hieroglyphs were deciphered, he drew on the 1st century BCE historian Diodorus Siculus's account of this fallen monument. The actual inscription called Ramesses "Ra of rulers" (son of rulers), which is even more grandiose than the poem's "king of kings."

The Scale of Ramesses II's Colossal Statues: Ramesses II commissioned more colossal statues of himself than any other pharaoh. These massive images appear throughout Egypt, from the Ozymandias statue (originally 17.5-18 meters tall) to the standing statues at Memphis (11-12 meters) now displayed at the Grand Egyptian Museum and still at the Memphis ruins. The famous Abu Simbel temple features four colossal seated figures at its entrance, each bearing distinct names.

Religious Function and Named Identities: These colossal statues weren't merely exercises in ego—they served genuine religious purposes. Each statue had its own name incorporating various deities: "Ra of the Rulers," "Beloved of Ptah," "Beloved of Amun," "Ramesses the God," and "Ramesses Montu in the Two Lands." The statues acted as divine intermediaries, allowing common people who couldn't enter temple sanctuaries to make offerings and prayers to manifestations of both the king and various gods.

Dedicated Clergy and Worship Practices: The colossal statues had their own priests, priestesses, and musicians. The statue "Montu in the Two Lands" at Pi-Ramesses had documented clergy including a chantress named Ise, a female singer called Ka Emwia, and a man named Seti Nakht who called the statue "the one who hears prayer." People left stelae showing offerings being made to these statues, demonstrating active worship.

Precedents from Earlier Reigns: Ramesses drew inspiration from Amenhotep III and Akhenaten, who had used colossal statues similarly. Amenhotep III created the famous Colossi of Memnon and used names like "Ruler of Rulers" and "Montu of Rulers." However, Ramesses improved on this model by incorporating a wider variety of deities rather than focusing exclusively on sun gods, thus avoiding the religious controversies that plagued his predecessors.

Quarrying at Aswan and Production Process: Many statues were carved from granite excavated at Aswan quarries, where enormous rectangular holes still visible today mark where statue blocks were removed. Quarry inscriptions record overseers like Min Em Heb and Merira who supervised work on statues called "Ra of the Rulers." French explorers in the 1700s identified specific quarry locations that likely produced individual colossal statues, including the Ozymandias colossus.

The Year 8 Stele and Royal Proclamation: A remarkable stele from Ramesses' eighth year (around 1285 BCE) records his "discovery" of perfect quartzite at Gebel Ahmar (the Red Mountain) near Cairo. The inscription describes the king finding an exceptional stone block and commissioning a colossal statue called "Ramesses, Beloved of Amun." The project took one year to complete, from the third month of Shemu in year 8 to the same month in year 9.

Ramessid Innovation in Royal-Worker Relations: Both Ramesses II and his father Seti I left unusual records of speeches to their workforces, explicitly detailing provisions and rewards. This may reflect their non-royal origins—Ramesses' grandfather was the first of their family elevated to kingship. The detailed descriptions of worker provisioning (food, clothing, sandals, unguents every 10 days, annual clothing) suggest a different perspective on rulership than kings born into royalty.

Multiple Quarry Designations: The year 8 stele names multiple quarries being opened simultaneously, each bearing the name of a planned colossal statue: "Beloved Like Ra," "Ruler of the Two Lands," and "Beloved of Ptah." This indicates the quarry names matched the statue names, providing insight into the coordinated nature of this massive building program involving multiple sites and projects.

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Each week, Damian Fraser and Eduardo García dissect Mexico’s most important business stories with global impact—and bring on a guest to explore a subject the headlines missed

48. Inside MIP’s Rise, Behind HBO’s Chespirito, Alsea’s New QSR, and the AT&T–Televisa Plot

MexMoves

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This 80-minute episode covers Mexico's infrastructure investment landscape, media production, and key business developments including telecom consolidation and retail expansion.

MIP's Growth and Strategy: Jaime Guillen explains how Mexico Infrastructure Partners grew from a $200 million fund in 2014 to $6.4 billion in equity ($13.5 billion including debt) by focusing on local institutional investors (Afores) rather than international capital. MIP now operates across energy, transportation, telecommunications, water, and facilities management, positioning itself as Mexico's largest infrastructure fund.

The Iberdrola Acquisition: MIP's landmark 2024 acquisition of 12 thermal power plants and one wind asset from Iberdrola for $6.2 billion took 24 months of "shuttle diplomacy" between the government, Iberdrola, lenders, and Afores. The transaction resolved a public dispute and allowed private capital to re-enter Mexico's energy sector, with operations now successfully transitioned to MIP's Quantum Energy platform within a year.

Future Investment Plans: MIP is expanding into industrial real estate to serve nearshoring demand and plans international growth into the U.S. and Spain. The firm sees opportunities in airport and toll road expansions, renewable energy acquisitions, and telecommunications infrastructure, while awaiting regulatory clarity on projects above 20 megawatts and potential private sector involvement in transmission infrastructure.

Chespirito's Cultural Impact: Producer Bruce Boren details the six-year journey to create HBO's Chespirito biopic, which became the most-watched Latin American series in HBO's history, reaching number one across Latin America, Brazil, Spain, and globally. The show's viral success on social media unexpectedly led to Bad Bunny featuring the characters in a Saturday Night Live sketch that generated massive engagement.

Media Consolidation and Opportunities: Boren discusses the potential Netflix or Paramount acquisition of Warner Bros. Discovery with relative optimism, noting that consolidation is normal and that high-quality Latin American content continues to attract global audiences. THR3 Media has renewed its Warner deal to produce animated series based on Chapulin Colorado and a Don Ramon prequel.

Inflation and Monetary Policy: Mexico's November inflation accelerated to 3.8% annually, higher than expected, raising questions about Banxico's next interest rate decision. Despite the uptick, the Fed's dovish stance and Mexico's weak economy (projected 0.5% growth) suggest the central bank will likely cut rates from 7.25% to 7%, though future cuts may pause as salary increases create cost pressures.

Tariff Increases on Non-FTA Countries: Mexico's Congress passed tariff increases of 25-50% on products from countries without free trade agreements (mainly China, Vietnam, Brazil, Russia), though private sector pushback led to exemptions on 300 of 1,400 targeted products. The measures affect clothing, footwear, steel, aluminum, and auto parts, with hopes that aligning with U.S. policy might earn Mexico exemptions from U.S. steel and aluminum tariffs.

Alsea's Portfolio Transformation: The restaurant operator announced a development agreement with Raising Cane's, adding to its 2026 Chipotle launch while exiting underperforming brands like TGI Friday's in Spain and Chili's in Chile. The strategy focuses on younger customers and trendier concepts with higher unit volumes, with Raising Cane's averaging $6.6 million per restaurant annually in the U.S.

AT&T México-Televisa Deal Speculation: Rumors intensified around Televisa potentially acquiring AT&T México's mobile business (24 million subscribers, 17% market share), which would triple Televisa's revenues and double EBITDA. The deal faces challenges including Televisa's junk-rated debt and AT&T México's struggles with high spectrum costs, MVNO competition from Walmart's Bait, and new ID requirements for all phone lines.

Televisa's Strategic Dilemma: While acquiring AT&T would give Televisa's Izzy business a triple-play offering (broadband, pay TV, mobile) and political leverage against Telcel's dominance, financing remains uncertain. Potential solutions include a capital increase with participation from recent investors like David Martinez and Eduardo Tricio, or recapitalization at the Izzy subsidiary level.

Small Modular Reactors in Mexico: Guillen, drawing on his nuclear engineering background, explains that small modular reactors have existed for 60 years but face challenges around cost competitiveness and regulatory permitting. While they could work for data centers needing reliable green baseload power or as backup capacity, he doesn't expect them in Mexico soon.

International Capital Requirements: As Afores approach concentration limits with MIP, the fund needs to attract international investors to continue growing. Guillen notes Mexico should invest about 3% of its $1.85 trillion economy ($50-60 billion annually) in infrastructure, far exceeding what Afores can provide alone, requiring partnerships between local and international capital.

Content Production Quality: Both Boren and the hosts discuss how Latin American, particularly Mexican, production quality has reached world-class levels. The Chespirito biopic's success demonstrates that well-executed content based on powerful intellectual property can compete globally, with streaming platforms providing unprecedented reach beyond traditional linear television.

Stellantis Production Expansion: Despite Mexico's auto sector struggles (production down 1.5%, exports down 1.6% through November), Stellantis announced it will produce the Ram 1500 pickup at its Ramos Arispe plant, manufacture the Cherokee Hybrid and new Recon EV at its Toluca plant, and bring 13 Chinese Leap Motor vehicle models to the Mexican market.

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No Spin. Just Facts. Always looking out for you. Head to BillOReilly.com for more analysis.

Highlights from O'Reilly's No Spin News - December 11, 2025

Bill O’Reilly’s No Spin News and Analysis

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Minnesota Welfare Fraud Scandal: A billion-dollar fraud scheme involving predominantly Somali immigrants in Minnesota diverted COVID-era federal funds meant for community assistance. 87 people have been charged (79 of them Somali), with 61 already convicted. The scandal involved three major schemes that went undetected for years under Governor Tim Walz's watch, only being exposed by two journalists from the Manhattan Institute rather than law enforcement.

Minnesota's Massive Entitlement Spending: Minnesota ranks second in the nation behind Massachusetts in means-based entitlement spending, providing approximately $46,000 per welfare recipient. The state's liberal government, led by Governor Tim Walz, has been accused of prioritizing political power over fiscal responsibility, with critics claiming Democrats benefit politically from expanding welfare rolls.

Political Response and Accountability: Governor Walz and Lieutenant Governor Peggy Flanagan have deflected responsibility for the fraud, with Flanagan calling criticism of the Somali community "racist." Local law professor Richard Painter argues both officials are incompetent and more interested in maintaining political power than addressing systemic problems, while the Biden administration's lack of oversight enabled the fraud to flourish.

Biden Administration's Border Policy Strategy: The New York Times reported that Biden's team knew the open border was disastrous but refused to act. The discussion suggests Democrats deliberately maintained loose immigration policies as a 20-year strategy to increase congressional representation and federal funding through census apportionment, with estimates that Democrats gain 14 or more House seats due to non-citizen population counts.

NATO and European Security Analysis: Former Assistant Secretary of Defense Celeste Wallander argues that Europe cannot independently defend against Russia without U.S. military backing, particularly nuclear capabilities. Putin has been deterred from invading Europe specifically because of NATO and American involvement, as Russia knows it would lose a prolonged war against the alliance but could win a quick war against Europe alone.

Ukraine War Strategy and Assessment: The Biden administration believed Putin had to be stopped rather than expecting him to quit voluntarily. Their strategy included providing weapons and training to Ukraine, imposing sanctions, and restricting Russian access to defense technology. However, these efforts were undermined when China and Iran came to Russia's rescue economically, creating what's described as an "axis of upheaval" among Russia, China, Iran, and North Korea.

Trump's Immigration Enforcement and Public Relations: Trump's decisive action on border security and criminal alien deportations has boosted his popularity. The administration is working to counter negative narratives about ICE raids by debunking false stories in real-time and documenting that enforcement targets criminals, though innocent people may be temporarily detained during operations. Statistics show the vast majority of those detained are legitimate targets with criminal records.

Media Attacks on Conservative Figures: Left-wing commentators have launched vicious personal attacks against Erica Kirk (widow of Charlie Kirk) for suggesting marriage and family are beneficial to society, calling her a "grifter" and attacking her faith. These extreme positions are characterized as damaging the broader liberal movement and Democratic Party by association with such vitriol.

U.S. Postal Service Financial Crisis: The U.S. Post Office loses $9 billion annually as mail volume declines due to digital communication. Denmark is stopping mail delivery after Christmas and outsourcing to private companies, suggesting the U.S. may follow suit. The discussion emphasizes the value of traditional mail communication despite the shift to digital formats.

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Intelligence Squared is the home of lively debate and deep-dive discussion. Follow Intelligence Squared wherever you get your podcasts and enjoy four regular episodes per week taking you to the heart of the issues that matter in the company of the world’s great minds. We’d love to hear your feedback and what you think we should talk about next, who we should have on and what our future debates should be. Send us an email or voice note with your thoughts to podcasts@intelligencesquared.com or Tweet us @intelligence2. 

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Rory Stewart on Trump, Nationalism and The Value of Rural Life (Part Two)

Intelligence Squared

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Rewilding and Human Culture in the British Landscape: Stewart expresses concerns about large-scale rewilding projects in Britain, particularly in rural areas like Cumbria. He argues that Britain's landscape has been shaped by human agriculture for over 4,000 years, with some farms operating continuously for 700 years and Norse settlements visible in DNA and place names. Unlike America's stark division between industrial agriculture and wilderness, Britain has developed an integrated farming-nature landscape. He worries that rewilding at a "landscape scale" would destroy these ancient farming communities and their cultural heritage, though he supports selective projects like the 4,000-acre Knepp estate in Sussex.

The Role of Humans in Nature: The discussion explores whether humans should be considered part of nature or separate from it, referencing a campaign to change the Oxford English Dictionary's definition of nature from "life except for humans" to include human beings. Stewart sides with this more inclusive view, particularly regarding historic cottages at Cuckmere Haven that are about to fall into the sea, arguing that human cultural artifacts are integral parts of landscapes rather than intrusions to be removed.

Local Democracy Over Centralized Delivery: Stewart argues that Britain's political crisis stems not from government failing to deliver services efficiently, but from people feeling they lack control and agency. He believes citizens want more democracy and local decision-making power rather than technocratic solutions from Westminster. He rejects the "Elon Musk model" of government as a hyper-efficient company, arguing that politics involves negotiating between competing values—like renewable energy versus local landscape preservation—which cannot be resolved through engineering alone.

Scottish Independence and National Unity: Stewart opposes Scottish independence while acknowledging Scotland's right to decide through referendum. He compares arguments for Scottish independence to Brexit arguments, suggesting both are based on the false premise that problems will disappear by cutting ties with neighbors. He describes potential Scottish independence as a greater tragedy than Brexit, arguing that most of Scotland's problems are homegrown rather than caused by England, and that breaking away would make everyone "weaker, smaller, and more diminished."

Federalism and Devolution of Power: While opposing Scottish independence, Stewart supports a more federal UK structure with power devolved not just to Edinburgh but to much more local levels. He argues that people in the Western Isles or Scottish Borders are better positioned to understand their own needs than bureaucrats in Edinburgh or London. He advocates for devolving industrial policy decisions to local communities, believing Cumbrians know better what Cumbria needs than "wise men in Whitehall."

The Dangerous Shift in the Overton Window: Stewart expresses deep concern about how acceptable political discourse has shifted rightward, noting that a Conservative MP recently suggested deporting hundreds of thousands of legal immigrants—something unimaginable a decade ago. He contrasts this with Enoch Powell being immediately expelled from the party after his "Rivers of Blood" speech in the 1970s. He observes that the political right now has the energy, ideas, and momentum, while the center has died and the Labour left appears weak.

The Trump Threat to Democracy and Human Rights: Stewart rates his concern about Trump at the highest level, particularly worried because "so many people aren't worried." He sees Trump as an authoritarian who flouts international and domestic law, is corrupt, and tears up civil rights. He warns that people are lowering their standards—accepting Trump because "he isn't Hitler" and then accepting Farage because "he isn't Trump." Stewart emphasizes that once society accepts treating certain groups with disrespect, the foundation for treating anyone with dignity collapses.

The Erosion of Human Rights Principles: Stewart highlights disturbing trends in British discourse, including people questioning human rights and tweets asking "are there too many Muslims in Britain?" He stresses that the fundamental principle of human rights—that all humans are equal in dignity and worthy of equal respect—is a thin veneer that's being eroded. He draws parallels to 1920s-30s Europe when people believed parliamentary democracy was failing and turned toward authoritarian solutions.

Tommy Robinson and Mainstreaming of Extremism: Stewart expresses alarm at how Tommy Robinson, a convicted criminal and former football hooligan organizer, is being legitimized through Elon Musk's championing on Twitter and invitations from the Israeli government. He sees this as part of the dangerous normalization of far-right figures and ideas that echo anti-democratic movements of the 1920s and 1930s.

New Zealand's Electoral System as a Model: When asked about his admiration for New Zealand's system, Stewart explains they adopted a hybrid between first-past-the-post constituencies and proportional representation. This allowed the Conservative Party to split between its right and left wings, creating more diverse, interesting, and moderate politics. He presents this as a potential model for electoral reform in Britain.

Considering a Return to Local Politics: Stewart reveals he's contemplating running as an independent mayor, possibly in Cumbria, where he could experiment with reinventing democracy through mechanisms like citizens' assemblies. While acknowledging this might seem small in "the age of Trump," he believes there may be more freedom to innovate democratically at the local level than in large cities like London, where he previously ran for mayor.

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Technology's daily show (formerly the Technology Brothers Podcast). Streaming live on X and YouTube from 12 - 3 PM PST Monday - Friday. Available on X, Apple, Spotify, and YouTube.

Disney Partners with OpenAI, Breaking Down SpaceX’s IPO Plans, Oracle Slips | Diet TBPN

TBPN Live

TBPN

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SpaceX IPO Plans at $1.5 Trillion Valuation: SpaceX is planning to raise approximately $30 billion through an IPO at a potential $1.5 trillion valuation, which would represent minimal dilution for Elon Musk. This marks a significant shift from Musk's historical resistance to taking SpaceX public, as he previously feared shareholder pressure would conflict with his Mars settlement goals. The capital raise may be driven by the convergence of AI, robotics, and space technology, with funds potentially needed to purchase GPUs for space-based data centers rather than just building rockets.

Space Data Centers and Starlink's Role: SpaceX is developing modified Starlink satellites to serve as foundations for building data centers in space. The company has residual launch capacity that allows them to fill unused fairing space with additional Starlink satellites when carrying other payloads. While achieving a gigawatt of compute in space by 2027 faces questions about near-term competitiveness, the physics make it theoretically possible, and the $30 billion raise could help fund the expensive GPU purchases required for such infrastructure.

Founders Fund's Historic SpaceX Investment: Founders Fund's $20 million investment in SpaceX from their $220 million Fund II (which also invested in Palantir and Spotify) may become one of the greatest venture capital investments ever. The firm currently owns approximately 10% of SpaceX, which at a $1.5 trillion valuation would represent a $150 billion position, with the carry check alone being substantial. This rivals Masa Son's legendary $20 million Alibaba investment that turned into $70 billion.

Disney's $1 Billion OpenAI Partnership: Disney is investing $1 billion in OpenAI and licensing over 200 characters from Disney, Marvel, Star Wars, and Pixar for use in Sora-generated videos. The three-year deal will allow users to generate short videos featuring these characters, with curated selections streaming on Disney+. Notably, Disney simultaneously accused Google of copyright infringement using AI, suggesting they're picking OpenAI as their preferred AI partner, possibly influenced by Bob Iger's connection to Thrive Capital, which heavily invested in OpenAI.

Oracle's AI Infrastructure Spending Concerns: Oracle shares tumbled as investors grew anxious about the company's massive AI spending outrunning returns. The company's $100 billion annual AI infrastructure buildout raised concerns about the timeline for profitability, as building data centers involves lengthy processes of acquiring power, purchasing and installing chips, testing, and finally generating revenue.

Enterprise AI Adoption Stalling: According to Ramp's AI index, 45% of businesses still don't pay for AI services, with adoption holding flat in November 2025. OpenAI saw a slight decline while Anthropic and Google showed modest gains. The data suggests that simply making models smarter isn't enough to accelerate adoption—models need to become more useful and able to "learn on the job" like humans do.

GPT-5.2 Release and Capabilities: OpenAI released GPT-5.2 Pro with significantly improved reasoning capabilities, jumping from 17.6% to 52.9% on certain benchmarks. However, when tested on the "shrimp fried rice" joke benchmark, it still struggled to generate original creative content, with most successful jokes being variations found elsewhere on the internet, suggesting Gemini remains the frontier for this particular creative task.

Presidential AI Challenge Initiative: First Lady Melania Trump launched the Presidential AI Challenge, a nationwide competition for students and educators across elementary, middle, and high school levels. Winners receive $10,000 per team member (in middle and high school categories), cloud credits, presidential award certificates, and $10,000 for their schools or community groups, positioning AI education as a national priority.

Trump's AGI-Pilled Economic Vision: President Trump stated he doesn't see why the US can't achieve 20-25% GDP growth, numbers never seen in modern US history. This extremely optimistic projection suggests an "AGI-pilled" worldview similar to predictions from AI commentators like Dwarkesh Patel, potentially making Trump the first president to publicly embrace AGI-driven economic growth scenarios.

Google's AI Infrastructure Leadership Change: Google appointed Amin Vadat to head up its $100 billion annual AI infrastructure buildout, reporting directly to CEO Sundar Pichai. This budget represents four times NASA's annual spending and reflects the massive capital deployment happening in AI infrastructure competition.
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Renowned fantasy experts Adam Levitan and Evan Silva cover fantasy football, DFS, prop betting and sports betting. This podcast is for fantasy players serious about finding their edge!

How To Beat Playoffs Only Best Ball In 2025 with Adam Levitan and Justin Herzig (Episode 946)

Establish The Run Fantasy Football

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Playoff Best Ball Format Requires Strategic Thinking Beyond Just Drafting Good Players: The DraftKings playoff best ball format requires advancing through each round individually (1 out of 6 teams advance from wild card, divisional, and conference championship rounds) before reaching the 816-team Super Bowl final worth $1 million. Success requires building teams that can not only advance through early rounds but also field a full competitive lineup in the Super Bowl round, where all the prize money is concentrated.

Avoid Common Roster Construction Mistakes: Many players make critical errors like drafting 10-12 players from only one conference (making it nearly impossible to field a full team in the Super Bowl) or loading up on too many players from teams likely to get first-round byes (making it extremely difficult to advance out of the wild card round where only 1 of 6 teams progress).

This Year's Flat Playoff Landscape Changes Draft Strategy: Unlike typical seasons with clear favorites, 2025 features unprecedented parity—the Rams have only 38% odds to get the top seed in the NFC, and in the AFC no team is better than +390 to make the Super Bowl. This means traditional strategies of avoiding certain teams need to be reconsidered, and teams like the Bills (99% to make playoffs but only 6% bye odds) become extremely valuable with four potential games.

Draft Timing Strategy Around Changing Playoff Odds: There's strategic value in drafting now (mid-December) rather than waiting, as teams like the Rams are expensive when they're favorites for the bye but will become cheaper if they lose games. Conversely, teams like the Lions (54% playoff odds) will never be cheaper than right now if they need to keep winning to make the playoffs.

Roster Construction Should Balance Correlation and Uniqueness: The optimal approach has evolved from simply stacking two teams entirely to more nuanced builds featuring 4+ players from one AFC team, 4+ from one NFC team, and strategic "one-off" pieces from other teams. This balances correlation benefits with uniqueness needed to win the 816-person final outright rather than splitting the prize.

Tight End Position Strategy Differs by Platform: On DraftKings you must draft a tight end, making it surprisingly important for the Super Bowl round despite the position being generally weak (no McBride, Bowers, or healthy Laporta). On Underdog where tight ends are optional, most teams skip the position entirely except for elite options like Kittle or stack pieces like Kincaid.

Quarterback Depth is Unprecedented This Year: The flatness of Super Bowl odds means nearly every playoff quarterback has a reasonable chance to make it, from favorites like Stafford and Allen down to longer shots like Trevor Lawrence or C.J. Stroud. This makes quarterback less of a priority position early in drafts, especially since you can often get viable late-round options when stacking other positions.

Optimal DraftKings Roster Construction Ranges: Most successful builds feature 1-2 quarterbacks, 2-4 running backs, 4-6 wide receivers, and 1-3 tight ends across 12 roster spots. The most common builds are 2-3-5 or 2-2-6 (QB-RB-WR), with flexibility based on team stacks—for example, if rostering 49ers you might only need one running back (McCaffrey) and can load up on wide receivers.

Strategic Use of Low-Owned Players for Tournament Leverage: In an 816-person final, having unique players who aren't widely drafted can be the difference between winning the full $1 million versus splitting it with multiple teams. Consider rostering players like Gabe Davis, Josh Palmer, or Tank Bigsby as contrarian pieces, especially when they correlate with your primary stacks (like taking Bigsby if you missed Saquon Barkley).

Bills Present a Fascinating High-Upside, Low-Bye-Risk Option: Buffalo sits at 99% to make playoffs and 20% to make the Super Bowl but only 6% to get a bye, meaning they'd play wild card, divisional, and conference championship rounds. With Josh Allen being fantasy's best playoff scorer, the Bills stack could become even more valuable if they beat New England in Week 15, potentially pushing Allen's ADP to first overall.

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The hosts of NPR's All Things Considered help you make sense of a major news story and what it means for you, in 15 minutes. New episodes six days a week, Sunday through Friday. Support NPR and get your news sponsor-free with Consider This+. Learn more at plus.npr.org/considerthis

How a once fringe idea became a Trump administration mantra

Consider This from NPR

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Trump Administration Adopts "Reverse Migration" Language: President Trump has repeatedly used the terms "reverse migration" and "remigration" to describe his deportation agenda, including after an Afghan national was charged in shooting two National Guardsmen in Washington, D.C. The administration has since implemented extensive deportation operations to countries including Venezuela, El Salvador, and Cuba, and curtailed immigration from 19 countries.

European Extremist Origins of "Remigration": The concept of remigration is attributed to a French novelist associated with the "great replacement" conspiracy theory—the baseless claim that white Christian Europeans are being systematically replaced by immigrants to dilute Western culture. The term refers to the organized, forced removal of immigrants and even their children from traditionally white countries, essentially meaning ethnic cleansing according to extremism experts.

Mainstreaming Through the Identitarian Movement: Martin Sellner, a former neo-Nazi and Austrian political activist, has led efforts to bring remigration into mainstream discourse through his international network called Generation Identity. The movement uses "controlled provocation" and media stunts to generate attention and gradually shift the "Overton Window"—the range of policy ideas the public considers acceptable—to normalize previously fringe extremist concepts.

Violent Implementation in U.S. Cities: Deportation operations implementing this remigration agenda have involved military-style raids, tear gas, pepper guns, and beatings in cities like Chicago, Los Angeles, Charlotte, and New Orleans. NPR's reporting from Chicago documented disorder and violence in places that don't normally experience such operations, demonstrating that the removal process is inherently violent.

Administration's Use of White Nationalist Rhetoric: Beyond remigration, the Trump administration has embraced other language associated with white nationalist movements, including references to "Western values," "Western civilization," and warning against "civilizational suicide" or "civilizational erasure." When questioned about using terms adopted by white nationalists, the White House, Department of Homeland Security, and State Department rejected or didn't acknowledge the European extremist roots of these policy ideas.

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A weekly podcast that brings the biggest stories in the art world down to earth. Go inside the newsroom of the art industry's most-read media outlet, Artnet News, for an in-depth view of what matters most in museums, the market, and much more.

The Round-Up: 2025’s Highs, Lows, and WTFs

The Art Angle

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Art Market Turbulence and Uncertain Recovery: 2025 saw a topsy-turvy art market year with dozens of gallery closures including established names like Speroni Westwater and younger galleries like Clearing. While May auctions saw disappointing results (a Giacometti priced at $70 million flopped), November brought renewed hope with a Klimt selling for $236 million and $2.2 billion in total sales. However, the recovery appears K-shaped, with ultra-contemporary artists (born 1975 or later) seeing reduced auction presence—dropping from 16 artists in November 2024 to just 9 in 2025.

Gallery Ecosystem in Transition: While established galleries struggled and closed, creating real losses for artists who depended on them, a new cohort of younger galleries emerged to fill the gaps. Art Basel Miami saw veteran galleries like Miguel Abreu and Chantal Crousel pull out, but this created opportunities for younger galleries to participate. The challenge remains whether these new galleries can attract a new generation of collectors with different tastes and buying patterns than traditional blue-chip collectors.

The Rise of "Red Chip" Art: Art critic Annie Armstrong popularized the term "red chip art" to describe work that refuses to revere art history and rejects elite specialized knowledge. This encompasses artists like Banksy, digital artist Beeple, and the conceptual works of Maurizio Cattelan (whose golden toilet sold for $12.1 million—essentially just its gold melt value—and whose banana duct-taped to a wall dominated headlines). This represents a fundamental shift away from traditional "blue chip" historically validated art toward flamboyantly present-centered work.

Museums Versus Market Aesthetic Divide: A stark bifurcation exists between institutional programming and market trends. Museums continue focusing on social justice themes, with artists like Jeffrey Gibson (focusing on indigenous culture) and Kara Walker (exploring Black American experience) dominating museum shows. Meanwhile, the market increasingly embraces populist, digital, and meme-oriented work. Surprisingly, Beeple now has presence in multiple museums including LACMA and Toledo Museum of Art, suggesting institutions are attempting to bridge this gap.

Digital Art's Latest Resurgence: Art Basel Miami made a significant bet on digital art with a new 010 sector that generated substantial energy and buzz. Beeple showcased robotic dogs with celebrity heads selling for $100,000 each (all sold out). This represents another cyclical attempt by the market to attract younger buyers through technology-focused art, though skepticism remains about whether this will succeed where previous attempts have failed.

Trump Administration's Cultural Impact: The second Trump administration has created profound uncertainty for cultural institutions, with attacks on DEI initiatives, threats to NEA funding eligibility, and the firing of museum directors who refused political demands (like the Eisenhower Presidential Library director). The delayed announcement of the Venice Biennale representative—sculptor Alma Allen, who lives in Mexico and reportedly didn't even apply—symbolizes the chaotic state of government cultural policy.

The American Arts Conservancy Controversy: Investigation revealed that the organization partnering with the Venice Biennale artist is led by a Tampa-based pet food entrepreneur with no significant arts experience, was thrown together in months, and features a board of construction businesspeople and NFT advisors. The organization is openly begging for funds online with little time to assemble resources, representing an alternate Palm Beach-centric art world axis divorced from traditional institutions.

Major Museum Expansions and New Openings: Despite funding crises, several significant institutions opened or expanded, including the Frick's Annabelle Selldorf expansion, the new Studio Museum designed by Adjaye Associates (80,000 square feet across seven floors in Harlem), Calder Gardens in Philadelphia by Herzog, and the Princeton Museum by David Adjaye. However, Western museums face existential funding challenges, exemplified by the Louvre heist which exposed years of inadequate security funding.

Central Asia and Middle East Emergence: A major institutional shift saw new energy in Central Asia with the Amalfi Museum and Bukhara Biennial (reporting 1.8 million attendees), backed by Saudi-linked corporations rather than Western ties. Abu Dhabi invested roughly $1 billion in Sotheby's, while Art Basel Doha and Frieze Abu Dhabi are launching. This represents the art world's pivot toward regions with available capital as Western institutions struggle.

Anne Imhof's "Doom" and Cultural Alienation: Imhof's multi-hour durational performance at the Park Avenue Armory featured Cadillac Escalades, youth giving each other tattoos, and riffs on American high school archetypes. Critics called it boring and clichéd, but the work intentionally explored American teenage angst and cultural alienation in an uncertain political moment, capturing the sense of doom and disillusionment leading up to the election.

The Collapse of Taste Discourse: The year crystallized feelings about society "getting dumber," with traditional distinctions between highbrow and lowbrow art increasingly meaningless. An AI-generated art influencer named Marvin (a stereotypical crypto bro persona) when interviewed expressed completely mainstream liberal academic art opinions, suggesting the zombie persistence of previous cultural common sense even as new aesthetic paradigms emerge, leaving culture in an unsettled between-worlds state.

Lawsuits Exposing Market Dysfunction: The market downturn triggered aggressive legal battles, with art advisors Abigail Asher and Barbara Guggenheim trading lawsuits about behind-the-scenes behavior, and Speroni Westwater partners publicly feuding. Giannenzo Speroni remarkably wrote in legal documents that his own gallery was "unfortunately no longer a leading gallery of contemporary art," demonstrating how financial pressure makes people more candid about market realities usually kept private.

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The daily drama of money and work from the BBC.

John Pagano: the CEO trying to grow Saudi tourism

Business Daily

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From Busboy to CEO: John Pagano, CEO of Red Sea Global, grew up as the son of Italian immigrants in Canada who worked his way up from humble beginnings - starting with a paper route at age 8, then working as a busboy and eventually a cook in a restaurant while attending school. His engineering degree from the University of Toronto equipped him with a problem-solving mindset that would serve his career in large-scale real estate development.

Transforming London's Canary Wharf: Pagano spent 23 years working on Canary Wharf, the massive redevelopment of London's declining Docklands area in the 1980s. The project transformed abandoned shipping docks into a modern financial district with towering skyscrapers, helping London compete with Frankfurt and Paris as Europe's financial center. Though successful, he notes that in hindsight, a more mixed-use development balancing residential, commercial, and retail would have been better, especially given post-pandemic office space challenges.

Recruited to Saudi Arabia's Vision 2030: In 2018, Pagano was initially reluctant to move to the Middle East but was persuaded to visit Saudi Arabia's Red Sea coast. He was astonished to find pristine turquoise waters, islands, and coral reefs instead of the desert landscape he expected. During his first visit, he met Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, who shared his vision for protecting the environment while developing tourism as part of the kingdom's economic diversification plan away from oil dependence.

Building the World's Largest Off-Grid Tourism Destination: Red Sea Global is developing two major projects along 150km of Saudi coastline - the Red Sea Project and Amala - with 27 hotels and resorts opening by May. The development covers 28,000 square kilometers (slightly smaller than Belgium) but deliberately limits visitors to no more than one million annually to minimize environmental impact. The entire destination operates completely off-grid 24 hours a day, making it the world's largest tourism project with this distinction.

Science-Driven Environmental Protection: Before any development began, the team spent over a year conducting baseline surveys with scientists studying marine biodiversity, corals, sea grasses, and mangroves across the archipelago of 90 islands. They abandoned plans to develop Al Waqati island despite it being "perfect" when they discovered it was a critical nesting site for endangered hawksbill sea turtles. The project aims to increase the net conservation value of the destination by 30% by 2040, going beyond sustainability to actual environmental improvement.

Regenerative Tourism Over Mass Market: Rather than pursuing mass tourism, Red Sea Global focuses on luxury four-star and five-star accommodations to limit visitor numbers and environmental impact. Of the 90 islands in the development area, only about 20 will be developed. This approach allows visitors to enjoy nature in its purest form while maintaining harmony with the environment, using marine spatial planning simulations to model and control tourism's effects.

Saudi Arabia's Changing Social Landscape: Pagano highlights significant reforms in Saudi Arabia, particularly regarding women's rights - including the removal of abaya requirements for foreign visitors, elimination of guardianship rules, women's right to drive, and dramatically increased workforce participation. The country achieved its goal of 30% women in the workplace by 2030 several years early, though it still ranks 132nd out of 148 countries in the World Economic Forum's Global Gender Index.

Navigating the Khashoggi Crisis: Pagano joined Red Sea Global in 2018, the same year journalist Jamal Khashoggi was murdered, which brought intense international scrutiny to the Saudi government. He says the incident never made him consider leaving, as he remained focused on the project's broader mission of economic transformation, job creation, and community development, including training thousands of young Saudis and creating a cooperative for 3,000 farmers.

Vision 2030's Mega Projects Under Scrutiny: Saudi Arabia has committed over $1.3 trillion to Vision 2030 infrastructure projects, aiming to attract 150 million tourists annually by 2030 and create 1.6 million tourism jobs. Some mega projects have recently been paused or scaled back, which Pagano attributes to normal course corrections during unprecedented development rather than fundamental failures, noting these are long-term projects requiring periodic reflection and adjustment.

Personal Investment in Saudi Arabia's Future: Last month, Pagano was granted Saudi citizenship for his contributions to the kingdom's tourism sector and has also converted to Islam. He describes Saudi Arabia as his home and contrasts the optimism and positivity he sees there with what he perceives as less optimism in the West, finding the country's forward-looking energy exciting and motivating for his continued work.

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The backbone of the digital info age.

Explore: https://therollup.co/

How Kraken Is Building the Anti-Bank with Mark Greenberg

The Rollup

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Kraken's Vision for Neo Banking: Mark Greenberg, head of Kraken's consumer business, explains that banking fundamentally "still sucks" because it's too difficult to hold wealth in anything other than local fiat currency. Kraken's new crack app aims to solve this by allowing users to hold and spend any asset—whether Bitcoin, stablecoins, tokenized equities, or traditional currencies—seamlessly across 100+ countries without needing separate banking licenses in each jurisdiction.

The Three Pillars of Modern Money Apps: A successful neo bank requires three core capabilities: the ability to spend money (via cards and payments), save money (through high-yield opportunities including 5-10%+ DeFi yields versus near-zero traditional bank rates), and send money (including payroll deposits, international transfers, and peer-to-peer payments). Traditional banks have failed to execute well on any of these fronts, particularly for cross-border use cases.

X Stocks: Tokenized Equities on Blockchain: Kraken launched X Stocks in partnership with Bakkt to bring tokenized equities to market, allowing 24/7 trading on Solana and Ethereum with self-custodial wallet storage. The product has grown to 80,000 users, $200 million in total value locked, and $12 billion in trading volume within six months. Unlike traditional stock trading, X Stocks eliminate the weeks-long transfer processes between brokers and enable global access to markets previously restricted by geography.

The Bakkt Acquisition Strategy: Kraken acquired Bakkt specifically because they found a unique approach to create truly permissionless tokenized equities, avoiding the "you can only trade on Tuesday if you're KYC'd" restrictions that plague other tokenization attempts. The acquisition allows Kraken to scale X Stocks globally, with use cases ranging from South African billboards to Telegram-based trading in countries like Uzbekistan that previously had no practical access to equity markets.

Democratizing Financial Access Globally: The crack app represents a fundamental shift in financial inclusion, enabling users in emerging markets to access US equity markets, earn yields on dollar-denominated stablecoins, and preserve purchasing power—all without the traditional barriers of banking infrastructure. This aligns with crypto's original ethos of providing equal access to financial services regardless of geography or wealth status.

The crack Card's Multi-Asset Spending: The crack card allows users to spend from any of 400+ supported assets while earning cashback rewards (1% in Europe/UK, expected 4% in the US due to different interchange fee structures). Users can hold wealth in Bitcoin, earn 4% yield on USDG stablecoins, or hold tokenized Tesla stock, then spend directly from these assets as if they were local fiat currency.

Competition and Market Positioning: Kraken positions itself uniquely against both traditional banks (which offer poor yields and limited asset options) and existing fintech apps (which lack comprehensive crypto integration). The strategy focuses on bringing crypto benefits to users who "don't even care" that crypto is involved, bridging the gap between on-chain capabilities and traditional finance needs.

Network Effects Across the Kraken Ecosystem: The integration of crack app, Kraken exchange, and Inc creates synergies through a unified platform that can convert any asset to any other asset. Future possibilities include rewards paid in X Stocks, savings accounts for kids to "stack sats or stack stocks," and various gamification features like "crack backs" that reward users with random crypto tokens for transactions.

Regulatory Tailwinds and US Market Expansion: The improved regulatory environment in the United States, with SEC Chairman Paul Atkins suggesting all markets will be on-chain within two years, has created favorable conditions for Kraken's expansion. The company is preparing to launch the crack card in the US market with competitive 4% cashback rates and is navigating the new "innovation exemptions" regulatory framework.

Infrastructure Advantages Over Legacy Finance: Cross-border payments remain broken in traditional finance—Mark describes the absurdity of still needing to physically withdraw cash to pay friends in different countries, or routing through multiple services (Wise to Revolut) just to access different currencies. Crypto rails and stablecoins fundamentally solve these friction points by enabling instant, low-cost global transfers.

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Ross Stevenson and Russel Howcroft keep Melbourne informed and entertained with their razor sharp wit and humour every morning on 3AW Breakfast, 5.30am-8.30am. The daily podcast and best segments from their program are uploaded right here.

The vibrant New York-inspired restaurant that featured on the Rumour File!

3AW Breakfast with Ross and Russel

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Bodega on High Restaurant in Berwick: Emilia Fuller reviews a New York-inspired American diner-style restaurant called Bodega on High, located at 90 High Street in Berwick, about 24 minutes from the Burnley tunnel. The restaurant opened in late September 2023 and has become a beloved local spot with strong community ties.

The Restaurant's Rumour File Connection: The establishment was featured on the Rumour File the previous Tuesday after putting up a large illuminated sign saying "joy" on the main street when the council hadn't taken action, demonstrating their commitment to serving the community.

The OG Pastrami Sandwich: The standout dish is "The OG" (Original Gangster), featuring wagyu pastrami inspired by the famous Katz's Deli in New York. The sandwich includes three thick slices of pastrami with mustard and pickles on sourdough bread, making it so thick it's difficult to fit in your mouth, but incredibly juicy.

Sticky Brisket Hoagie with Dr. Pepper Glaze: Another notable menu item is the sticky brisket hoagie (using the Philadelphia term for a loaded sandwich), featuring brisket glazed with Dr. Pepper, kewpie mayo, lettuce, salt and pepper on a brioche bun, served with potato chips on the side.

Philly Cheesesteak with Gluten-Free Option: The restaurant offers a Philly cheesesteak that's also available on gluten-free bread. While the gluten-free bread wasn't the best Emilia had tried, the cheesesteak itself was praised for its sweetness and richness.
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The latest news, insight, analysis and big name guests from the Premier League, WSL and the Football League, plus Scottish, International and European football. Join us!Get in touch with us @5liveSport on social media and remember to leave us your ratings and reviews.

Euro Leagues: Alonso’s future, Pogba’s camels, ‘panic’ in Turkey and a bonkers Polish season

Football Daily

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Paul Pogba's Camel Racing Investment: Paul Pogba has purchased a camel racing team, joining a trend of French footballers making unconventional investments - Antoine Griezmann owns racehorses while Kylian Mbappé has invested in speedboating. Pogba was introduced to the sport through a friend and his children's enthusiasm, and sees it as a fun investment with potentially significant prize money. The sport uses robot jockeys to address previous child labor concerns, and Pogba has stated he dreams of owning "the world's most expensive camel one day" as a "full circle moment."

Xabi Alonso's Uncertain Future at Real Madrid: Following a 2-1 loss to Manchester City, Xabi Alonso's position as Real Madrid manager remains precarious. The club's power structure sees Florentino Pérez listening heavily to player opinions, with players historically wielding 90% of influence versus 10% for managers. The project started poorly as Alonso was brought in to implement positional, structured football - a Guardiola-style approach - but this conflicts with Real Madrid's successful tradition of giving players freedom under managers like Ancelotti and Zidane. The challenge is that the new generation of coaches all emphasize structure and demands, while the old guard of man-managers are no longer available.

Managing Real Madrid's Star Players: The tension between Alonso's tactical approach and player management has been evident since the Club World Cup when Vinicius Junior became upset about not starting against PSG and contacted Pérez directly. Players like Jude Bellingham publicly back Alonso, but the lack of clear leadership in the dressing room complicates matters. The club faces a dilemma as most modern elite coaches follow the Arteta/Guardiola model of structure and intensity rather than the light-touch approach that has historically worked at Madrid.

Jamie Vardy Named Serie A Player of the Month: At 38 years old, Jamie Vardy has become the first England international to win Serie A's Player of the Month award while playing for Cremonese, despite scoring just one goal. The award combines fan voting with statistical analysis including off-ball movement and positioning. Vardy has become hugely popular with Italian fans and his presence has helped elevate Cremonese from potential relegation battlers to a solid mid-table team under Davide Nicola. His success also highlights Serie A's current shortage of quality number nines.

Turkey's Gambling Scandal Causing "Growing Sense of Panic": More than 1,000 players and officials have been suspended in Turkish football as part of a wide-ranging investigation into illegal gambling, with 46 arrests including Fenerbahce captain Mert Hakan Yandas and Galatasaray player Metahan Baltacci. A five-year investigation found 371 of 571 officials held betting accounts, with 152 actively gambling - one official placed over 18,000 bets. However, many referees opened accounts simply to watch lower division matches whose broadcasting rights were sold to betting sites. The investigation has revealed betting is pandemic-level in Turkey, with an estimated 50 billion euros in annual illegal betting markets.

Betting Charges Against Turkish Players: Prosecutors claim Yandas had significant financial transactions with an associate who bet on Fenerbahce matches, including wagers on Yandas himself receiving yellow cards. He denies betting on his team's matches. Baltacci is accused of betting on 27 Galatasaray matches but claims he only bet as a youth player before understanding it was illegal. The internal reaction among fans has been more empathetic than outraged, as betting on sports has become widespread in Turkey amid worsening economic conditions.

Lens Lead Ligue 1 for First Time Since 2004: RC Lens sit top of Ligue 1 ahead of PSG for the first time in over 20 years, having won five consecutive matches and eight of their last nine. Their success stems from not having European football commitments, allowing them to focus solely on the league with a full week's preparation between matches. Key to their rise has been excellent recruitment, including the return of 32-year-old captain Florian Tovin from Udinese and midfielder Sangare from Austria, combined with strong coaching from Pierre Sage and one of France's best home atmospheres at the Stade Bollaert.

Legia Warsaw's Historic Struggles in Poland: Poland's most successful club with 15 titles and 77 consecutive top-flight seasons now sits in the relegation zone at the season's halfway point. After beating Chelsea at Stamford Bridge earlier this year, Legia have gone 10 games without a win - their worst run in 59 years. Problems began when they couldn't agree terms with successful coach Gonzalo Feio, then hired Romania Euro 2024 manager Edvard Joardanescu who openly complained about the squad overhaul during the transfer window and his lack of sleep before being sacked.

Poland's Unpredictable League Season: Following Joardanescu's dismissal, Legia gave their most expensive squad in club and league history to two assistant coaches with no head coaching experience, creating the smallest coaching staff in the division. Meanwhile, promoted side Wisla Plock lead the table despite never having won the top flight. The league is incredibly competitive with just 13 points separating leaders Plock from second-bottom Legia, making this one of the most unpredictable seasons in Polish football history.
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IDEAS is a deep-dive into contemporary thought and intellectual history. No topic is off-limits. In the age of clickbait and superficial headlines, it's for people who like to think.

Your tomatoes have a backstory and it’s not always pretty

Ideas

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Canada's Dependence on Migrant Workers and Its Colonial Roots: Author and journalist Marcello Di Cintio explores how Canada's economy relies heavily on temporary foreign workers, particularly in agriculture, caregiving, construction, and service sectors. The Seasonal Agricultural Worker Program began in 1966, rooted in explicitly racist policies - the government resisted bringing in workers from the Caribbean because officials didn't want Black people in Canada. Unlike Di Cintio's Italian grandfather who arrived in the 1950s and could stay permanently, today's migrants are welcomed for their labor but not allowed to remain.

The Employer-Specific Work Permit System Creates Exploitation: Temporary foreign workers are bound to a single employer through closed work permits, meaning if they quit or are fired, they must return home. This system grants employers enormous power and enables widespread abuse, from wage theft to denial of basic needs like water and bathroom breaks, to sexual assault. Workers endure these conditions because speaking up means deportation and losing the ability to support families back home.

Personal Sacrifice and Family Separation: Many migrant workers, particularly fathers, leave their families for months or years at a time. To qualify for Mexico's seasonal program, workers must have children back home - ensuring they have reason to return. Workers miss crucial milestones in their children's lives and face the heartbreaking reality that being a good parent means being an absent one. Modern technology makes communication easier than in Di Cintio's grandfather's era, but the emotional toll remains devastating.

Leamington, Ontario: Canada's Tomato Capital: The town exemplifies Canada's agricultural dependence on migrant labor, with massive greenhouse operations staffed primarily by workers from Mexico, Jamaica, and the Caribbean. The Mexican presence is so significant that Leamington has a Mexican consulate - one of the few outside major cities. The town features Mexican restaurants, Spanish-language services, and remittance centers, creating spaces of comfort for workers far from home.

Omar Walcott's 19-Year Journey: A Jamaican worker under the Seasonal Agricultural Worker Program describes his experience as "the hardest time I ever worked" and "the roughest time I've ever faced," yet he returns annually due to financial necessity. He describes working seven days a week, extremely long hours on his knees, experiencing racism and discrimination, and living in vermin-infested housing. Despite 19 years of work, he still hasn't finished building his house in Jamaica - a common goal that keeps workers returning season after season.

Modern Day Slavery Comparison: In 2023, the UN Special Rapporteur on modern slavery concluded that Canada's temporary foreign worker programs serve as a "breeding ground for contemporary forms of slavery." While politicians and employers dismissed this characterization, many workers themselves use the term to describe their conditions. The system's structure - tying workers to single employers, limiting their rights, and creating extreme vulnerability - mirrors elements of indentured servitude.

Cassandra's Story of Resilience and Transition: A Filipino worker who arrived in 2018 faced workplace harassment, reduced hours, and taunting while working in greenhouses during her transition. She hasn't seen her family since leaving, missing her mother's death. Despite the trauma, she successfully obtained a rare open work permit for vulnerable workers and is now training to become a nurse. Her case demonstrates both the extreme difficulties workers face and the near-impossibility of escaping abusive employers.

The Invisibility of Essential Workers: Migrant workers are invisible to most Canadians despite being essential to daily life - they harvest produce, clean hotels and offices, work in fast food, and provide care in long term facilities. This invisibility allows Canadians to avoid confronting the exploitation underpinning their lifestyle. Di Cintio argues that every tomato purchased implicates consumers in the system's abuses, as affordable food prices depend on workers accepting meager wages and poor conditions.

Canadian Complicity and National Mythology: Di Cintio challenges Canada's self-image as warm, welcoming, and generous. The treatment of temporary foreign workers contradicts this mythology, revealing a darker reality where people of color from the global south are systematically exploited. He predicts that, like Japanese internment and residential schools, Canada will eventually issue an official apology for its treatment of migrant workers - but argues the country should address these injustices now rather than wait decades.

Structural Problems Beyond "Bad Apples": While not all employers are abusive, the system itself enables and incentivizes exploitation. Advocates and Amnesty International Canada call the programs "inherently exploitative" because they concentrate power in employers' hands while stripping workers of fundamental rights. Federal inspections and existing complaint mechanisms are inadequate, and the process for obtaining open permits for vulnerable workers is extremely difficult to navigate despite rising applications.

Workers' Message to Canadians: Omar Walcott's plea is simple but profound: "Treat us with a little respect. We feed you, we grow your fruits, we grow your vegetables... all we want is Canadians to just treat us like normal work people, just treat us fair." Workers don't expect easy conditions - many come from extreme poverty - but they ask for basic human dignity and the same treatment Canadians would demand for themselves.

Proposed Solutions and Path Forward: Workers and advocates call for status on arrival and open work permits, allowing migrants to bring families and change employers freely if mistreated. Di Cintio argues Canada must see these workers as complete human beings rather than just arms and backs, hear their stories, and recognize their dreams and humanity. He contends that by diminishing the dignity of the most precarious workers, Canada diminishes its own national character and must confront these failures to truly embody its stated values.

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The John Batchelor Show is a hard news-analysis radio program on current events, world history, global politics and natural sciences. Based in New York City for two decades, the show has travelled widely to report, from the Middle East to the South Caucasus to the Arabian Peninsula and East Asia.

S8 Ep177:  SHOW 12-11-25 CBS EYE ON THE WORLD WITH JOHN BATCHELOR  THE SHOW BEGINS IN THE DOUBTS ABOUT THE TRUMP COROLLARY     FIRST HOUR  9-915 Ukraine-Russia Conflict and the Transformation of Warfare: Colleague Anatol Lieven discusses the Ukraine-Russia conflict

The John Batchelor Show

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This transcript appears to be an introduction/preview segment from the full episode rather than the complete show. Based on the available content, here are the key points:

Ukraine Peace Negotiations at an Impasse: President Trump has given Zelensky another deadline to accept a deal trading territory for the promise of EU membership, but Zelensky remains unmoved. Moscow is also adamant in its position, while the EU struggles to provide adequate financial support, partly due to complications around using frozen Russian assets.

Venezuela's Political Standoff Continues: U.S. special operations seized a Venezuelan tanker at sea in an escalation, while opposition leader Machado received her Nobel Peace Prize in Oslo after escaping the country. Despite these developments, there's no indication that Maduro is close to leaving power, and the situation remains frozen in a standoff.

Political Shifts in South America: Chile is holding an election where a candidate associated with capitalism and transparency is likely to win, marking a potential shift away from decades of socialist and communist tendencies. Chile's substantial copper resources could help it overcome economic difficulties, with Peru facing similar dynamics.

Honduras Electoral Legitimacy Crisis: Honduras faces a deeply contested presidential election that Congress, the losers, and international observers all deem illegitimate. Despite calls to restage the election, there's skepticism that this would resolve the underlying issues in one of the poorest nations in the Americas.

Credit Card Rate Caps Would Restrict Access to Credit: Senator Sanders and others propose capping credit card interest rates at 10%, but this would likely result in credit card companies restricting who receives cards rather than absorbing the risk, ultimately harming the people such legislation aims to help.

Restoring Classical Liberal Arts Education: There's a call to restore liberal arts education by focusing on the classical sources the Founders themselves studied—particularly late Roman Republic figures like Cicero and Cato—rather than just studying the Founders directly or English history.

Historical Intrigue of James I's Court: The episode includes discussion of James I/VI of Scotland, including the remarkable episode where Crown Prince Charles and the Duke of Buckingham traveled anonymously to Spain attempting to woo a bride from the Holy Roman Empire—a romantic but ultimately unsuccessful diplomatic adventure that seemed almost too theatrical to be real.
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Football dorks, class is in session. Yahoo Sports' Nate Tice, flanked by Matt Harmon &amp; Charles McDonald, is here every Tuesday and Thursday to grind the tape &amp; share his takes on the ins and outs NFL strategy, play-calling, coaching &amp; scouting from the guy who's done it before.

NFL Week 15 preview: Bills' final chance, Rams' one potential weakness, prayers for Philip Rivers

Football 301

Football 301 with Nate Tice

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Here is a comprehensive summary of the Football 301 Week 15 NFL preview episode:

Bills at Patriots: Josh Allen vs. Drake May Showdown: The Bills are slight favorites on the road despite New England's strong season. The Patriots defense struggles in sub-packages (nickel/dime), ranking 31st in passing success rate when fielding five or more DBs on early downs. The Bills should exploit this by using 11 personnel (one back, one tight end) and targeting their tight ends in space. Meanwhile, Drake May has emerged as an elite quarterback, though the Patriots' overall talent limitations remain concerning for playoff viability. The Bills desperately need this win to avoid falling behind in the division race.

Lions at Rams: Offensive Firepower Meets Defensive Injuries: This marquee NFC matchup features two explosive offenses, with the Rams favored by six at home despite Detroit's strong record. The Lions' defense has been decimated by injuries, losing Brian Branch to IR, which forces them into more base personnel. The Rams offense excels against base defenses, ranking first in success rate (50%) and dominating across all metrics. Since Dan Campbell took over play-calling in Week 9, Detroit has maintained elite offensive production, ranking fifth in EPA per dropback. The Rams defense has regressed since Week 9, dropping from top-five to middle-of-pack in pass defense.

Packers at Broncos: Battle of Adjustments and Fundamentals: This "Hoss Fight" features Green Bay's explosive passing attack against Denver's elite pass defense led by Patrick Surtain II. Jordan Love ranks first in EPA per dropback against blitzes, though the Broncos strategically blitz less on late downs. The Packers defense shows interesting splits—dominant in scripted first two drives but 30th in performance afterward. Conversely, the Broncos offense struggles early but becomes a top-eight unit after initial drives, suggesting Sean Payton's adjustments could exploit Green Bay's weaknesses. The game may hinge on which coaching staff makes better in-game adjustments.

Philip Rivers Returns from Five-Year Retirement: In a shocking development, the Colts are considering starting 44-year-old Philip Rivers, who hasn't played since 2020, as they face the Seahawks as 13.5-point underdogs. Rivers knows offensive coordinator Shane Steichen's system from their time together in San Diego, but concerns abound about his physical readiness and mobility after five years away. The decision seems motivated by playoff desperation despite the Colts being 8-5 without their first-round pick (traded for Sauce Gardner). Both hosts strongly criticized putting Rivers in harm's way against Seattle's aggressive defense.

Dolphins Defense Completes Remarkable Turnaround: Miami's defense has transformed from 31st-32nd in virtually every metric through Week 6 to a top-five unit since Week 7. This turnaround mirrors their offensive inconsistency—last year they started strong then faded, this year the reverse. The improvement has kept them in playoff contention as they face a Steelers team playing conservative, grinding football. Mike McDaniel's job security appears solid given the team's resilience after a disastrous start to the season.

Jalen Ramsey's Safety Transition Transforms Steelers Defense: Since moving Jalen Ramsey to safety in Week 9, Pittsburgh's pass defense improved dramatically from 24th to 6th in EPA per pass allowed and from 25th to 6th in passing success rate allowed. The 6'2", 215-pound Ramsey provides an erasing presence as a tackler and coverage player, validating the transition that many (including the hosts) had long advocated. This adjustment has solidified what was a vulnerable secondary into a playoff-caliber unit.

Rams Offense Shows No Weaknesses Against Multiple Looks: Los Angeles' offense under Sean McVay demonstrates remarkable versatility, ranking first in success rate against base defenses (50%) and excelling across all personnel groupings. They can effectively run or pass from under center, shotgun, or pistol, with Devontae Adams (46.5% target share) and Puka Nacua (41.7%) dominating against base looks. Against man coverage, Nacua particularly thrives with 21% of routes earning first downs. This adaptability makes them nearly impossible to game-plan against, explaining their status as potential Super Bowl favorites.

Chiefs Remain Underrated Despite Struggles: Both hosts emphasized that rewatching Chiefs games reveals Patrick Mahomes playing at an elite level despite poor results. Dropped passes, particularly by receivers like Taekwon Thornton, have cost Kansas City multiple games. The defense has legitimate strengths that match up well against certain opponents. The hosts predict a double-digit victory over the Chargers, refusing to count out Kansas City until they're mathematically eliminated from playoff contention.

Green Bay's Concerning Defensive Splits: The Packers defense exhibits extreme variance between scripted and reactive football. They dominate in the first two drives across all metrics but plummet to 30th in first downs per drive and 32nd in positive EPA plays afterward. This suggests vulnerability to elite play-callers like Sean Payton who excel at second-half adjustments. Despite ranking as a top-eight defense overall, this split raises concerns about playoff viability against NFC's best offensive minds.

Patriots Defense Loses Run-Stopping Identity: After Milton Williams' injury around Week 11, New England's previously stout run defense has cratered, falling to 29th in EPA per rush allowed and 25th in rushing success rate since Week 9. They remain effective in base packages but become vulnerable in sub-packages, where they rank 31st in passing success rate allowed. This creates exploitable matchups for teams like Buffalo that can dictate personnel with 11-personnel sets and versatile offensive schemes.

2026 Quarterback Draft Class Uncertainty Creates Chaos: The hosts discussed how the quarterback class remains murky, with only Ward Mendoza clearly declaring while other top prospects like Lenora Sellers remain uncertain. This could force quarterback-needy teams to settle for veterans like Jacoby Brissett if more prospects don't declare. Mock drafts in December are already drawing criticism from fan bases, though meaningful evaluation won't occur until after the Senior Bowl and Combine in March. The uncertainty could significantly impact the NFL Draft landscape and free agency.

Lions' Heavy Personnel Success Under Dan Campbell: Since taking over play-calling, Campbell has transformed Detroit's heavy personnel usage (21 and 12 personnel with two or fewer receivers). They now lead the league with 7.4 yards per play, 47% success rate, and an absurd 19.2% explosive play rate in these sets, while allowing zero sacks. This directly counters defenses like the Rams that prefer playing dime packages, setting up a strategic chess match where Detroit can physically overwhelm smaller defensive units.

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Award-winning podcast of true stories of the paranormal, supernatural, legends, lore, the strange and bizarre, true crime, conspiracy, mysterious, macabre, unsolved and unexplained -- seven days a week! Hosted by professional voice actor Darren Marlar, named one of the “Best Storytellers in Podcasting” by Podcast Business Journal.

What If Everything We Believe About The Krampus Is Wrong?

Weird Darkness: Paranormal & True Crime Stories

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The Moweaqua Mine Disaster of 1932: On Christmas Eve 1932, a methane explosion tore through a coal mine in the small Illinois town of Moweaqua, killing 54 miners who had just reported for work. The mine had a history of accidents and deaths since opening in 1891, but this disaster devastated the community, as nearly every family was affected. The explosion was likely caused by an unusual drop in barometric pressure releasing trapped gas that ignited from a spark. Rescue teams worked through Christmas Day recovering bodies, with the last found on December 29th. The tragedy transformed Christmas Eve into a solemn reminder of loss for the town for many years.

Krampus Origins Are Not Ancient: Despite Hollywood portraying Krampus as an ancient pagan monster, there's no evidence of this. The earliest documented mention of Krampus comes from 1825 in rural Austria, where the creature was one of several companions accompanying St. Nicholas on his December 5th visits. Jacob Grimm's massive 1835 study of German mythology barely mentioned Krampus, suggesting it wasn't considered noteworthy at the time. The lack of historical documentation has led to many invented origin stories, but the true nature of Krampus remains rooted in undocumented Austrian folk practices.

The Evolution of Krampus from Multiple Creatures to One: Originally, "Krampusa" (the proper plural) referred to a group of various frightening companions who accompanied St. Nicholas to punish bad children while the saint rewarded good ones. These creatures had no standardized appearance beyond being scary and disguised. The chains they wore symbolized being under St. Nicholas's control. There was no single "Krampus" - rather, it was a category of multiple different characters that could vary by region and household, with costumes made from whatever materials were available.

How Postcards Created Modern Krampus: The standardized image of Krampus as a single devil-like creature was created by urban Austrian artists producing postal cards between 1898-1918, during the "golden age of postcards." These artists, largely unfamiliar with rural traditions, invented their own version: a male figure with short horns, goat legs, a tail, red skin, a long tongue, and a basket for kidnapping naughty children. These "Grus vom Krampus" (Greetings from Krampus) cards spread worldwide and created an entirely new concept of the creature that differed significantly from the rural traditions.

The Transformation Through Masks and Costumes: In 1930, sculptor Sepp Lang revolutionized Krampus traditions by creating high-quality wooden masks with monstrous faces, paint, and animal hair. Before this, masks were crude and homemade, if they existed at all. Lang's masks featured fantastic large horns (influenced by rural traditions) and sometimes the lolling tongue from the postal cards. The body suits became standardized with sheep and goat skins creating shaggy appearances, plus chains and bells to announce the creatures' presence.

Krampus Runs: A Surprisingly Recent Tradition: The Krampuslauf or Krampus Run - parades where numerous people dressed as Krampusa perform for crowds - appears to be a very recent tradition, possibly dating only from around 1980, just before Sepp Lang's death in 1983. The earliest printed mention found was from 1980, where it was compared to the older Perchta Run tradition. These runs grew popular through the 1990s and have since spread internationally, with events now held from London to Los Angeles.

Internet Rediscovery and Hollywood Misinterpretation: Around 2007-2009, the old Krampus postal cards were rediscovered on the internet, particularly on sites like Pinterest. The bizarre images caught worldwide attention, leading to renewed interest. However, when Hollywood began making Krampus movies in 2015, filmmakers knew very little about the actual creature, resulting in wildly different depictions that only agreed on basic features: horned, hairy, and associated with Christmas. A 2012 book by Brom invented a fictional origin connecting Krampus to Norse mythology as Santa Claus's enemy, which many now incorrectly treat as the true legend.

The Authorship Mystery of "Twas the Night Before Christmas": The famous Christmas poem was first published anonymously in the Troy Sentinel on December 23, 1823, with the editor claiming not to know who wrote it. Clement C. Moore, a serious theological professor and scholar, didn't publicly claim authorship until publishing it in his 1844 poetry collection, 21 years later. The accepted story is that Harriet Butler copied the poem while visiting Moore's family in 1822 and sent it to the newspaper, though Moore reportedly was initially chagrined by its publication as beneath his dignity.

The Livingston Family's Counter-Claim: Henry Livingston Jr., a landed proprietor and poet who lived from 1748-1828 near Poughkeepsie, New York, was believed by his descendants to be the true author. His family claimed he first read the poem to them around 1804-1805, decades before Moore's publication. Multiple family members testified that Livingston had the original manuscript with corrections in his handwriting, which was eventually destroyed in a house fire around 1847-1848. The governess who allegedly gave the poem to Moore was supposedly connected to the Livingston family.

Literary Evidence Supporting Livingston: Analysis of Livingston's other poems reveals striking similarities to "A Visit from St. Nicholas." Nineteen of his 45 known poems use the same anapestic meter, while only two of Moore's 33 poems use this meter. Livingston frequently used the same rhyming patterns (clatter/madder, belly/jelly), repetitive phrases, references to clothing, ideas of levitation, and even the word "Mama" for his wife - all features found in the Christmas poem. As historian Benson Lossing wrote in 1886, "the circumstantial evidence that your grandfather wrote the poem seems as conclusive as that which has taken innocent men to the gallows."

A Christmas Eve Haunting at St. Albans Abbey: On December 24, 1944, 16-year-old Basil Seville was alone on fire watch duty at St. Albans Abbey in Hertfordshire, England, guarding against wartime bombers. Despite his familiarity with the church, he began sensing an unseen presence. He witnessed two hooded monks who vanished, leaving only their habits behind; heard bells tolling from a belfry that was empty with all bells in storage; saw phantom organ keys being pressed by invisible fingers; discovered a flickering candle and ancient music book; and witnessed a full procession of ghostly monks and their abbot accompanied by a phantom choir singing.

The Fairfax Connection and Similar Sightings: The music book Seville found was a copy of Albinus Mass, written in the early 16th century by Robert Fairfax specifically for the abbey, where he served as organist and choir director. Seville wasn't alone in his experience - since the 19th century, people reported hearing a ghostly organist at night, and numerous witnesses have seen Benedictine monk ghosts. Canon Glossop, who lived near the abbey, told someone he had heard Fairfax's music coming from the church in the middle of the night on multiple occasions when he knew no human choir was present, even before the 1921 commemorative concert marking 400 years since Fairfax's death.

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Hands-On Mac explores and explains the Mac — and beyond! From clever Terminal commands to little-known iOS settings, Mikah Sargent shares all the best tips and tricks for your Mac, iPad, iPhone, and Apple Watch. You'll get all the details on Apple's apps and the best apps in the App Store, you'll learn about awesome accessories for your Apple devices, and you'll explore updates to Apple's operating systems — including iOS, macOS, iPadOS, and watchOS. Hands-On Mac is your one-stop shop for Apple know-how. You can join Club TWiT for $7 a month and get ad-free audio and video feeds for all our shows plus everything else the club offers...or get just this podcast ad-free for $2.99 a month.

New episodes every Thursday.

HOA 211: Recover Shared Content in Messages

Hands-On Mac (Audio)

Hands-On Apple (Audio)

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Finding Shared Content in Messages: A common challenge many users face is locating photos, links, or documents that were shared in message threads over time. Rather than endlessly scrolling through long conversations, there's a simple built-in feature that provides quick access to all shared content.

Accessing the Disclosure Arrow: In the Messages app on Mac, iPhone, or iPad, click or tap the small arrow next to the person's name at the top of the conversation. This opens a detailed view that includes shortcuts for calling, FaceTiming, emailing, and screen sharing, as well as contact information and location sharing options.

Customizing Message Backgrounds: The detail view includes a Backgrounds feature that allows you to set custom backgrounds for your message conversations using photos or colors. It's important to note that when you change a background, it updates the view for both you and the recipient, not just on your device.

Photos Tab for Visual Content: The Photos tab displays all images and videos shared in the conversation thread from both parties. You can preview photos, save them to your device, drag and drop them to your desktop on Mac, and scroll to load older content from iCloud if you have iMessage in the cloud enabled.

Links Tab for Quick Access: The Links section aggregates all URLs shared in the conversation, making it easy to find articles, social media posts, or websites that were previously shared. Links can be clicked to open directly in your browser or dragged to other locations for saving or sharing with others.

Documents Tab for File Management: This tab shows all documents shared in the conversation, including PDFs, Pages files, and other file types. You can swipe between documents on Mac using trackpad gestures and access both standalone files and collaborative documents where multiple people can edit.

Filtering and Sorting Options: Each content category includes filtering capabilities, allowing you to sort between all content, photos only, videos only, screenshots, or in the case of documents, distinguishing between regular files and collaborative files where multiple users have editing access.
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