The examen is an ancient prayer practice that enables you to find God in your daily life. Our podcast is based on a technique that St. Ignatius Loyola outlined in the "Spiritual Exercises," his classic manual for prayer. Each week Fr. Martin will provide you with a new reflection and guide you through the examen prayer.

Second Wednesday of Advent

The Examen with Fr. James Martin, SJ

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Advent as a Season of Simplicity and Prayer: The reflection encourages pulling back from busyness during Advent to make more time for prayer and deeper engagement with the liturgical season's readings. While recognizing that families with children may find this particularly challenging during the busiest time of year, the message emphasizes that those who are busiest may need prayer the most—referencing St. Francis de Sales' advice that busy people should pray for an hour rather than a half hour.

Finding One Passage to Guide Your Advent: Rather than trying to engage with all the readings, the practice of letting a single passage from daily or Sunday readings "take root" is recommended. Examples include Isaiah's pastoral imagery of dry lands blooming and deserts becoming oases, or John the Baptist's call to "prepare the way of the Lord, make straight his paths." This single meditation could serve as a focal point for the entire Advent season.

Daily Self-Examination Through the Lens of Advent: The reflection suggests using Advent as a time to ask daily questions like "How am I preparing the way of the Lord in my own life?" and "How am I helping others to do so in their lives?" This transforms the season from merely a busy preparation time into an opportunity for spiritual growth and deeper prayer.

The Structure of the Ignatian Examen Prayer: The guided meditation walks listeners through the traditional Jesuit examen prayer practice, which involves entering God's presence, expressing gratitude for 2-3 specific things from the day, reviewing the entire day chronologically from morning to night, identifying where God was present, acknowledging regrets and sins, asking for forgiveness, and finally requesting grace to see God in the coming day.

Noticing God's Presence Throughout the Day: The examen systematically moves through different parts of the day—morning, lunchtime, afternoon, evening, and bedtime—asking practitioners to recall specific people, places, and events, and to notice where they accepted or turned away from God's invitation to be loving, grateful, and authentic.

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      Welcome to Pretty Basic, a weekly podcast hosted by multi-hyphenate creators and best friends, Alisha Marie and Remi Cruz. From TMI conversations about dating to big sister chats on how to feel more confident to the dark reality of influencing; each week you'll be left wanting more "content, baby, content." New episodes every Wednesday!
    

Mel Robbins Explains Why We’re Losing Friends in Our 20s & 30s

Pretty Basic with Alisha Marie and Remi Cruz

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The Let Them Theory: A Fundamental Shift in Control: Mel Robbins introduces her transformational "Let Them Theory," which consists of two parts: "let them" (releasing control over others' thoughts, actions, and opinions) and "let me" (focusing on what you can control—your own thoughts, actions, and energy). This framework helps reduce stress by stopping the exhausting habit of trying to change or control other people, which actually gives you more power over your own life.

Comparison as an Indicator, Not a Weapon: Comparison to others is natural and unavoidable, but what matters is how you use it. When you feel jealous of someone, it's actually revealing your own ambitions and desires—you can't be jealous of something you don't want. Instead of using comparison as self-torture, recognize it as valuable data pointing toward your personal goals and dreams.

Action Over Thinking: The Five Second Rule: Mel emphasizes that thinking about doing something is a form of procrastination. She teaches the 5-4-3-2-1 countdown method to overcome overthinking and force yourself into action before your brain can talk you out of it. Motivation is "garbage" and won't magically appear—you must act first, and the feelings will follow.

The Hidden Power Other People Have Over You: Most people don't realize how much of their daily life is driven by fear of others' opinions, expectations, and reactions. Mel didn't fully recognize this until her 50s. Using "let them" throughout the day reveals how often you're giving away your mental energy to things completely outside your control, from checking if someone read your text to worrying about disappointing others.

Responsibility Means Response-Ability: Your power lies in how you respond to situations, not in trying to change them or other people. Taking responsibility doesn't mean blaming yourself—it means recognizing your ability to choose your response in any situation, which is where real control exists.

The Painful Reality Check That Changes Everything: When you start using "let them," you may realize uncomfortable truths—that your friends are selfish, your relationship is disrespectful, or your job doesn't value you. This awareness, while initially discouraging, is essential because you can't change what you can't see. This is where "let me" becomes critical for taking action.

Why Trying to Change People Backfires: Every human has a hardwired need to feel in control. When you try to control someone else (through judgment, advice, or pressure), they instinctively resist to protect their own sense of control. This explains why nagging someone to go to the gym makes them less likely to do it, or why offering unsolicited advice pushes people away rather than helping them change.

Love Is Acceptance, Not Judgment: True love and connection come from accepting people exactly as they are and as they're not—not from wishing they were different or trying to change them. Mel realized that judging people and wanting them to change isn't love; it's control issues. In relationships, you can either be right or be connected, but not both.

Adult Friendships Require Flexibility: Friendships naturally shift every seven years based on proximity, timing of life, and energy alignment. This is normal and healthy, not a "friendship breakup." As you grow and change phases of life, different people will be closer or more distant. Expecting transactional, tit-for-tat friendships creates unnecessary hurt—instead, let people move in and out of your life naturally.

The "Do You Want My Advice?" Game-Changer: One of the most powerful questions in any relationship is "Do you want my advice or do you just want me to listen?" Most people—especially from parents or partners—just want to be heard, not fixed. Rushing to offer advice or solutions is often about your own need for control, not about helping the other person.

From Rock Bottom to Global Phenomenon at 41: Mel hit rock bottom at 41—unemployed, $800,000 in debt, drinking heavily, and blaming everyone else. Her 16-year journey from that point to becoming one of the world's top podcasters and authors demonstrates that success can come at any age, and the timing of your breakthrough often happens exactly when it's meant to, not when you think it should.

The Co-Creation of the Book with Her Daughter: Mel's daughter Sawyer, who initially never wanted to work with her mom, discovered the missing "let me" component of the theory within 36 hours of researching audience feedback. Their challenging 11-month collaboration—two opposite personalities working together daily—became the perfect testing ground for the Let Them Theory itself.

The Reality of Being a "Difficult" Person in Your 20s: Mel openly admits she was "that friend you didn't want" in her 20s due to undiagnosed ADHD and dyslexia, leading to impulsive behavior, excessive drinking, and emotional immaturity. Her honesty about past struggles and growth demonstrates that self-awareness and change are possible at any stage of life.

Good Guilt vs. Horrible Guilt: Good guilt is recognizing you did something inconsistent with your values and using it to apologize and grow. Horrible guilt (shame) is deciding you're a bad person, which becomes an identity rather than a learning opportunity. It's never too late to apologize—even at 90, an apology can be incredibly validating and freeing.

The Peace of Not Caring What Others Think: After implementing the Let Them Theory consistently, Mel experienced something she never had before—a quiet mind. She no longer reflexively thinks about what others might think before making decisions, creating an unprecedented sense of peace and presence that transformed her entire experience of daily life.

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Beat conventional advice on personal finance, investing, and business with the author of Rich Dad Poor Dad, Robert Kiyosaki. Get ahead with his pull-no-punches style of challenging the advice we’ve all been given on money, investing, and the economy. Frustrated and frightened by the financial advice being given by the mainstream talking heads, Robert Kiyosaki sits down with professionals from the world of money, investing, business, and personal development. Listeners will be provided various viewpoints on how to set themselves up for financial success. If you’re looking for get-rich-quick tips and tricks to investing, move on. Listeners dedicated to the craft of finance and a better life, subscribe! New podcasts released weekly!

Why A Students Work for C Students - Robert Kiyosaki

Rich Dad Radio Show: In-Your-Face Advice on Investing, Personal Finance, & Starting a Business

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The Fundamental Premise: A Students vs. C Students: Robert Kiyosaki challenges the traditional education paradigm by explaining that academic success doesn't guarantee financial success. A students typically become employees (doctors, lawyers, accountants) who work for C students—the entrepreneurs and capitalists. B students often become government bureaucrats. The key differentiator isn't academic intelligence but financial education, which schools don't teach.

The Three Types of Education: Three distinct educational paths exist: academic (K-12 and college), professional (specialized training for careers like medicine or law), and financial (understanding money, investing, and wealth creation). Most people only receive the first two, leaving them financially unprepared despite high earnings potential.

The Cash Flow Quadrant and Tax Implications: Tom Wheelwright explains the dramatic tax differences across income types. Employees pay approximately 40% in taxes worldwide, specialists and doctors pay around 60%, big business owners pay about 20%, and investors can pay zero. This tax structure rewards those who understand how to operate in the investor quadrant rather than earning traditional paychecks.

The Cash Flow Game as Educational Tool: The Cash Flow board game demonstrates that profession doesn't determine financial success—a janitor can become wealthier than a doctor if they understand financial principles. The game teaches players to focus on building assets rather than just earning income, shifting mindset from the income column to the asset column.

Dr. Nicole's Transition from Employee to Entrepreneur: Dr. Nicole Srednicki shares her journey from working at Mayo Clinic as an employee treating disease to creating Ultra Healthy Human, a private practice focused on preventive health and anti-aging. By purchasing the real estate for her practice, she gains tax benefits while building assets, demonstrating how professionals can move from the E quadrant to S (self-employed) and ultimately to B (business owner) and I (investor).

The Conditioning Problem for High Achievers: Dr. Radha Gopalan emphasizes that the longer someone stays in the academic/professional system as an A student, the harder it becomes to "undo the conditioning" and adopt entrepreneurial thinking. Starting financial education early—even while pursuing professional careers—is crucial for avoiding decades of ingrained employee mentality.

The Synergy of Professional Teams: Building wealth requires a coordinated team of specialists. Tom Wheelwright (CPA) and Garrett Sutton (attorney) explain how accountants and lawyers typically speak different languages and work in silos, but true wealth creation requires them to collaborate—combining tax strategy with asset protection through LLCs, corporations, and trusts.

Health as a Wealth Component: Both Dr. Nicole and Dr. Radha Gopalan (cardiologist and acupuncturist) represent the integration of health and wealth. Dr. Radha combines Eastern and Western medicine, emphasizing that Western medicine often focuses on disease treatment (wealth care for the system) rather than health promotion. Cutting-edge preventive health technology often isn't covered by insurance, making financial success necessary for optimal health.

Redefining Wealth Beyond Paychecks: Dr. Radha shares a pivotal realization from 2008: he thought he was rich because of his substantial paycheck, but Kiyosaki's definition of wealth is how long you can survive without working. This time-based measure of wealth—based on passive income from assets—fundamentally differs from the professional's view of success measured by salary.

The Architect of the Future Concept: Quoting Buckminster Fuller, the episode concludes that financial education allows people to become "architects of the future." Financial freedom isn't just about money—it's about having the freedom to contribute to society according to one's spirit and purpose, rather than being trapped by the need for a paycheck.

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We are in the midst of a digital revolution, where the line between our physical world and cyberspace is blurring. Tech Tonic is the show that investigates the promises and perils of this new technological age.&nbsp; <hr> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.

Defying death: The future of forever

FT Tech Tonic

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Fountain Life Clinic's Preventative Approach: Fountain Life, a longevity clinic in suburban New York, represents a shift from reactive to preventative healthcare. Rather than visiting doctors only when sick, patients undergo extensive diagnostic testing including full body MRIs, retinal scans, balance tests, and cardiac scans to catch diseases before symptoms appear. The clinic also offers regenerative treatments using stem cells and stem cell derivatives from placenta and cord blood, claiming these can "reset aging" and provide results comparable to a non-surgical facelift.

Stem Cell Therapies Going Mainstream: Following a July law change, stem cell treatments have become available in Florida, with robust demand from consumers. The industry spans from Southeast Asia to the Caribbean, though it remains a mixed landscape with some companies conducting proper trials while others operate in regulatory gray areas. These therapies are part of the broader regenerative medicine field that aims to renew aging body parts.

Gene Therapy Breakthroughs and Yamanaka's Discovery: Japanese scientist Shinya Yamanaka's 2006 Nobel Prize-winning research demonstrated that mature cells could be reprogrammed into stem cells, with the unexpected discovery that the cellular aging clock could be reversed to zero. This breakthrough sparked intense interest in using gene therapies to combat aging, inspiring companies like Shift Bioscience in Cambridge to develop treatments that could potentially reverse biological age at the cellular level.

The Vision of a Single Anti-Aging Pill: Daniel Ives, co-founder of Shift Bioscience, envisions a future where people could take a single pill before bed that distributes across the body overnight, reversing cellular age by weeks and potentially decades over time. His company recently made a breakthrough discovering a single gene that, when inhibited, can rejuvenate multiple cell types, potentially accelerating the drug development timeline by 5-10 years.

Liz Parrish's Controversial Self-Experimentation: Liz Parrish, founder of Bioviva, became controversial by self-administering unapproved gene therapies starting in 2015. Unable to secure FDA authorization in the US, she traveled to Colombia and even international waters to receive treatments targeting telomeres (chromosome caps that shorten with age). Bioviva reported her telomeres increased by 9%, equivalent to reversing 20 years of biological aging, though these results were not peer-reviewed and face scientific skepticism.

Regulatory Challenges and the "Wild West" Problem: Arthur Caplan, head of medical ethics at NYU and ethics advisor to Hevolution, describes the longevity industry as "a wild west" with inadequate regulation, particularly around foods, nutrients, and their efficacy claims. No national body exists to distinguish legitimate science from "kooky" theories, allowing opportunists to exploit universal human interest in living longer. The lack of international regulatory coordination presents particular challenges as different countries move at different speeds on approving treatments.

Access and Inequality Concerns: A central ethical concern is that radical anti-aging technologies could dramatically intensify global health inequality. Unlike existing healthcare disparities, the prospect of children in wealthy nations living 20 years longer than those in poor nations raises unprecedented moral questions. The industry argues that wealthy early adopters will fund development of better, more affordable second-generation treatments, but this "trickle-down" approach remains controversial.

Societal Implications of Extended Lifespans: If people live decades longer with extended healthspans, it would fundamentally reshape society. Career paths would need rethinking as people might want to change professions rather than work in the same field for 90 years. The social safety net would face strain if retirees collect pensions for 50+ years. Personal relationships would transform, with marriages potentially spanning 90 years and families including living great-great-grandchildren across multiple unions.

The Healthspan vs. Lifespan Dilemma: A critical distinction exists between extending lifespan (years lived) versus healthspan (years lived in good health). The concern is that people could reach 150 years old while being in poor health, creating enormous economic costs and personal suffering. For longevity treatments to gain mainstream acceptance and insurance coverage, regulators must recognize aging as a disease and ensure treatments genuinely improve quality of life, not just extend years of decline.

The Need for Regulatory Buy-In: For longevity treatments to move beyond a niche wellness industry potentially selling "snake oil," regulators must become more involved. Without regulatory approval declaring these treatments safe and effective, health systems and insurers won't pay for them, keeping them as expensive side offerings rather than integrated healthcare solutions accessible to the middle class.

The Complexity of Biology as a Limiting Factor: Despite advances in analyzing cellular function and using artificial intelligence, biology remains enormously complicated and not fully understood. Individual proteins, cellular interactions, and bodily systems are so complex that short-term excitement about longevity breakthroughs may be overdone, though significant long-term developments are likely. The path from lab discoveries to proven treatments remains long and uncertain.

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Правильный, комбинированный фид избранных передач, версия 3.0

Ходорковский LIVE: ХОДОРКОВСКИЙ против ПАСТУХОВА: Путин не фанатик. Хасис у Собчак. Раскол США и Европы. Украина (2025-10-12)

Эхо Москвы

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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 incomplete - it only contains isolated single words and short phrases with timestamps, rather than actual dialogue or discussion content. 

The words shown include fragments like "Yes," "Mr.," "Reason," "Ukraine," "Putin," "America," "balance," "trend," "game changer," and "problem," but there is no coherent conversation or context to summarize.

Based on the episode description, this should be a discussion between Mikhail Khodorkovsky and Vladimir Pastukhov about:
- Yevgenia Khasis's interview with Ksenia Sobchak after her release
- Trump's views on the EU and the war
- Europe's capability without American support
- The US as a declining Roman Empire
- Russia's political situation under Putin

However, without access to the actual spoken content of the podcast, I cannot provide an accurate summary of what was actually discussed, the arguments made, or the insights shared by the speakers.

To provide a proper summary, I would need a complete, accurate transcript of the episode's dialogue.
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Yes, you can start your own business.  And no, you don’t need an expensive degree (or the debt that comes with it). You also don’t need to:  Take out a loan Quit your job (right away) Risk your financial stability  You just need a little guidance, and the habits it takes to follow through.   On The $100 MBA Show, we share the practical, on-the-ground strategies and skills you need to turn your business idea into the future you want.  Host Omar Zenhom is a road-tested entrepreneur, business coach, and software developer. He’s bootstrapped two multi-million dollar businesses (and several smaller businesses, too).   Join us for short, actionable lessons on how to do everything from validating your idea, to audience-building and marketing, to sales and reinvestment, and much, much more—all with the bare-minimum resources available to your average working person. Check us out on YouTube at https://youtube.com/@100mba Free resources and more at https://100mba.net

MBA2714 Q&A Wednesday: I Can't Quit My Job. How Do I Start My Business?

The $100 MBA Show

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Don't Quit Your Job - Stability Fuels Creativity: Financial pressure kills creativity and leads to desperate, poor-quality decisions. Your job isn't the enemy—it's your oxygen that allows you to think clearly about your business. Stress from worrying about rent prevents you from making smart choices, and desperation causes rushed work. Consistency beats intensity, so building sustainably while employed is better than going all-in prematurely.

Use Your Discretionary Time Strategically: Even with a full-time job taking 9-10 hours daily (including commute) and 8 hours of sleep, you still have 6 hours available. Dedicate 2-3 evenings per week to your business and some weekend time. You don't need to match full-time entrepreneur hours—you just need enough time to prove your business concept works and can generate revenue.

Commit to a Minimum of 10 Hours Weekly: Structure your time with at least two 3-hour deep work sessions during the week, plus 4 hours on the weekend. These focused blocks are essential because you can't make meaningful progress in shorter sessions. Deep work requires solid time blocks to accomplish concentrated effort and real progress on your business.

Create Sacred, Distraction-Free Work Zones: Work in co-working spaces, cafes, or libraries—anywhere outside your home and workplace where interruptions won't happen. Don't work at your job site as your employer could claim ownership of what you create there. Put your phone on airplane mode, turn off all notifications, and close unnecessary browser tabs. If you can't develop self-discipline for 10 hours weekly now, entrepreneurship will overwhelm you later.

Get Your Inner Circle On Board: Tell close friends, family, and anyone you live with about your goals, what you're building, and your dedicated work schedule. Make clear these hours are non-negotiable and sacred. This reduces guilt, minimizes friction, and creates accountability—when others know your plans, you're more likely to follow through or risk looking like someone who talks but doesn't act.

Build Proof of Concept Before Taking the Leap: The host worked as a teacher for 10 years while side hustling, dedicating 15 hours weekly (two 3-hour sessions after work and 8-10 hours on Saturdays). Within months, he was making half his teaching salary from just those 15 hours, which gave him confidence that full-time effort could exceed his salary. This proof is essential before quitting—you need evidence your business has legs and can support you financially.

This Phase Forges Your Entrepreneurial Identity: Building a business while employed requires sacrificing short-term happiness for long-term gain—giving up Netflix, socializing, and leisure time for 6 months to 2 years to create a lifetime of entrepreneurial freedom. Most people never develop this discipline muscle and quit before seeing results. Treat the next 90 days as your proof of concept phase to launch and get customers. If you can build when life is busy, you can definitely build when it's less busy.

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Hosted by Scott McCartney, Fmr. Travel Editor/"Middle Seat" Columnist for The Wall Street Journal. Top Stories, C-Suite Guests, Listener Q's. The Leading Podcast Reaching Travel Industry Insiders, Frequent Flyers, & Aviation Geeks. Created by & Dedicated to Ben Baldanza.

316 - Host Scott McCartney attends Doug Parker's "School of Airline Pricing"

Airlines Confidential Podcast

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Basic Economy as a Transformational Event: Doug Parker argues that the development of basic economy pricing and associated "sell-up" pricing is the second most transformative event in the airline industry since deregulation (after consolidation). This pricing structure has fundamentally changed airline business models, affecting everything from ULCC competition to frequent flyer programs and labor costs. While initially developed by Delta in 2012 as a defensive "Spirit match strategy," it evolved into a powerful offensive tool that restored effective price discrimination to the industry.

The Challenge of Revenue Management and Price Discrimination: Airlines face unique challenges because of enormous disparities in what customers are willing to pay for the same seat—historically as much as seven times more for business travelers versus leisure customers. Revenue management's job is to maximize revenue on every flight, which is crucial because even a 1% increase in revenue equals a 1% profit margin improvement in an industry where 10% pre-tax margins are considered excellent years. Small tweaks in revenue management have far more leverage than cost-cutting efforts.

Evolution from Legacy Pricing Systems: Before basic economy, airlines used complex fare rules (14-day advance purchase, Saturday night stays, change fees) and sophisticated yield management systems to separate business and leisure travelers. However, this created unsustainable situations where business travelers paid $1,500 for middle seats while adjacent passengers paid $200. These systems were constrained by technology limitations—mainframe systems and GDS platforms that couldn't support more creative pricing strategies like charging premiums for window seats or extra legroom.

The ULCC Pricing Advantage Problem: Low-cost carriers like Spirit gained significant market share by displaying ultra-low base fares in booking systems, even though passengers ended up paying extra for bags, seat assignments, and other basics. Legacy carriers faced a dilemma: matching these base fares meant 20-25% revenue dilution, but not matching meant losing substantial market share since GDS systems only displayed the base fare, not the true total cost.

How Basic Economy Solved Multiple Problems: Basic economy allowed legacy carriers to match ULCC base fares without serious revenue dilution because the bare-bones product (no seat assignment until check-in, last boarding, limited miles) naturally fences out less price-sensitive customers. This eliminated the ULCC pricing advantage while creating a foundation for tiered pricing above the basic level, enabling airlines to monetize product attributes like extra legroom, early boarding, and seat selection.

Second-Degree Price Discrimination Success: The new pricing structure shifted airlines from problematic third-degree price discrimination (demographic-based, like senior discounts) to more effective second-degree discrimination, where customers self-select into product tiers based on their preferences. This is similar to Netflix offering basic, standard, and premium tiers. Airlines discovered enormous untapped demand from customers willing to pay premiums for enhanced products, which wasn't just about business versus leisure—the same person might pay differently depending on trip purpose and who's paying.

Why "More Room Throughout Coach" Failed: American Airlines' early 2000s experiment with removing seats to provide more legroom throughout coach failed because it attempted to shift market share through product enhancement in a pricing environment that couldn't monetize it. Airlines still had to match low fares due to competitive pressure, so price-sensitive customers got the extra legroom for free while business customers weren't willing to pay significantly more. The lesson became: product enhancements don't work without the pricing structure to capture their value.

The Product Enhancement Paradox Resolved: Executives who once argued against product improvements (like Scott Kirby's WiFi comments in 2009) haven't changed their thinking—what changed is the ability to monetize improvements. Before basic economy, adding premium products just raised costs without generating offsetting revenue because competitors would match them and everyone returned to natural market share. Now, with tiered pricing, airlines can charge premiums that exceed the cost of product enhancements, making investments in premium economy, main cabin extra, and other upgrades highly profitable.

Impact on Frequent Flyer Programs: Airlines are increasingly monetizing benefits that were previously given free to elite members. Delta now brags about having virtually no free upgrades to first class, instead selling upgrade opportunities or requiring mile redemption. This shift is sustainable because airlines are finding that the credit card programs remain valuable to customers even with reduced complimentary benefits. Benefits are being replaced with paid upgrades to premium economy, early boarding privileges, and special phone lines rather than automatic first-class upgrades.

The ULCC Business Model Under Pressure: The "spill carrier" model—where ULCCs captured passengers that legacy carriers turned away by closing low-fare buckets—is seriously damaged by basic economy. Legacy carriers no longer need to close low-fare inventory as frequently because basic economy isn't dilutive to their premium revenues. ULCCs must now return to competing on cost structure and natural market share rather than pricing advantages, but many have seen their costs rise toward legacy levels, creating significant business model challenges.

Natural Share and Schedule Importance: "Natural share" represents the market share an airline should expect based on its schedule, network, and competitive positioning—like getting more than 70% of customers when you have 70% of seats due to network advantages. Revenue management can't significantly change natural share; that's determined by scheduling. The key insight is that with proper tiered pricing, airlines can maximize revenue from their natural share without needing to steal share from competitors through product enhancements that ultimately get matched anyway.

Future of the Big Three Legacy Carriers: Parker strongly disputes Scott Kirby's claim that there will only be two global premium carriers, calling it "complete and total BS." All three major U.S. carriers—American, Delta, and United—have the network scale and are investing in premium products because the tiered pricing model makes this the optimal strategy for maximizing revenue from natural share. American's struggles are self-inflicted and temporary, related to distribution strategy mistakes, not fundamental positioning. The economics of premium product monetization work for all three carriers.

Sustainability and Consumer Benefits: This pricing structure is sustainable even through economic downturns because it's logical and allows customer choice—passengers select the product tier matching their willingness to pay. While fare levels may fluctuate with economic conditions, the tiered structure remains intact. Consumers benefit from transparent choices between bare-bones cheap travel and premium options, replacing the old system's arbitrary and gaming-prone restrictions. The new model is both more profitable for airlines and more customer-friendly than previous approaches.

Technology as the Enabling Factor: The transformation became possible largely due to technology changes. Legacy mainframe systems and GDS platforms couldn't support creative pricing like charging for seat selection or extra legroom. The internet and airline websites enabled direct selling with flexible product configurations. Interestingly, discount carriers pioneered many innovations precisely because they weren't constrained by legacy technology systems, allowing leaders like Ben Baldanza at Spirit to experiment with unbundling that legacy carriers later adapted through basic economy.

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Your place to talk about the Winnipeg Jets and take a look around the National Hockey League with Ken Wiebe and Sean Reynolds of Sportsnet.

Kenny and Renny Show: Game 29 | Jets vs Stars

The Kenny and Renny Show

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Jets Show Blueprint Despite Loss to Dallas: Despite losing 4-3 to the Dallas Stars, this was the Winnipeg Jets' best 60-minute effort of the season and closest to replicating their President's Trophy-winning blueprint from last year. The Jets controlled play at 5-on-5, showed territorial advantage against one of the league's best teams, and demonstrated they can compete with elite opponents. This performance provides evidence that the Jets' roster might be capable of executing their preferred style of play.

Defensive Structure and Forechecking Return: The Jets' defensemen were notably more aggressive and gapped up effectively, showing the kind of pressure that defined their play last year. The coaching staff dedicated practice time to working on defensive positioning and having the third forward support properly, allowing defensemen to take calculated risks. The forecheck was significantly improved against Dallas's mobile defense corps, marking a departure from recent passive play.

Top Line Dominance with Mark Scheifele and Kyle Connor: The Scheifele-Connor combination continues to perform at an elite level, proving they can produce against top competition. Notably, they showed effectiveness with Alex Iafallo filling in rather than Gabriel Vilardi, suggesting this top line can function without being entirely reliant on one specific third player. The line accounted for both goals scored at even strength and demonstrated they're at their best-ever versions.

Secondary Scoring Remains the Critical Issue: Coach Scott Arniel expressed frustration about the lack of support for the top line, with players like Vladimir Namestnikov going 17 games with only one assist. Logan Stanley has four goals while several forwards expected to contribute secondary offense trail him. The power play also failed to convert on crucial opportunities, including a 6-on-4 advantage late in the game.

Gabriel Vilardi's Line Deployment Creates Debate: Moving Vilardi to the Lowry line with Niederreiter appeared to revitalize that unit's grinding, puck-possession style that's crucial to the Jets' blueprint. This line looked the best it has all season with Vilardi, showing the kind of churning shifts that define their identity. However, when Vilardi was moved to the Namestnikov-Perfetti line seeking offense, the momentum seemed to shift away from the Jets' preferred style.

Jonathan Taves Moved to Fourth Line: Taves was reduced to under 10 minutes of ice time playing on the fourth line and wing rather than his usual position. The move reflects a shift from coaching to cater to struggling veterans toward rewarding players who are earning their opportunities. Taves acknowledged needing to be better and work through his struggles in a complementary role.

Missing Nikolai Ehlers in Crucial Moments: The final 2:30 of the game highlighted Ehlers' absence, as the Jets couldn't generate sustained offensive zone time or clean entries when trying to tie the game. Last year's comeback ability relied heavily on Ehlers' speed through the neutral zone and ability to maintain possession, allowing the team to pressure opponents for extended periods. This deficiency explains why the Jets aren't getting to overtime as frequently.

Eric Comrie's Performance Under Scrutiny: Comrie stopped 7 of 11 shots for a .789 save percentage, though both power play goals were deemed unstoppable. While not placing the loss squarely on goaltending, in a one-goal game there were likely saves to be made. The suggestion was that Connor Hellebuyck might have stolen this game. Dom DiVincenzo is expected to make his NHL debut during the upcoming homestand, possibly against Ottawa.

Special Teams Battle Tilted Toward Dallas: Dallas scored two power play goals with excellent movement, while the Jets managed to tie the special teams battle at 2-2 when counting Scheifele's goal that came just as a penalty expired. However, the Jets' failure to convert on third-period power plays, including a 6-on-4, proved costly in a one-goal game.

Playoff Picture Context: The Jets sit two points out of a playoff spot, and this was a good night for them standings-wise as St. Louis and San Jose lost, while Edmonton only managed an overtime point. If the Jets can replicate this type of performance consistently, they have a chance to climb back into contention, though they haven't beaten a team above the playoff line since November 24th.

Coach Arniel's Tempered Response: Arniel's post-game tone was more frustrated than encouraged, emphasizing that the compete level shown against a division rival like Dallas must be constant, not sporadic. He stressed the team hasn't earned consistency yet and can't afford moral victories. The emphasis was on stacking similar performances rather than celebrating one good game in a losing effort.

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Winnipeg Sports Talk with Andrew "Hustler" Paterson brings you the latest news, analysis and opinion on the local sports scene including Winnipeg Jets, the Winnipeg Blue Bombers, the major sports and of course betting & fantasy.

REACTION: Winnipeg Jets lose to the Dallas Stars | WST Postgame

Winnipeg Sports Talk

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Jets Lose Close Game Despite Strong 5-on-5 Performance: The Winnipeg Jets lost 4-3 to the Dallas Stars despite dominating possession and shots 33-19. The Jets controlled 63% of shots, their best shot advantage of the season, and generated 34 scoring chances to Dallas's 21. However, special teams proved decisive, with Dallas going 2-for-4 on the power play while Winnipeg went 0-for-4.

Mark Scheifele Leads Offensive Charge with Two Goals: Scheifele scored his 15th and 16th goals of the season, both on identical one-timers from the left circle. His offensive production continues to be a bright spot for the Jets during their recent struggles, demonstrating his elite shooting ability and placement.

Top Line Shuffle Shows Promise with Iafallo Addition: The Jets moved Alex Iafallo up to the top line with Connor and Scheifele while dropping Vilardi down the lineup. The new combination was highly effective, outshooting opponents 13-3 and generating 15 scoring chances to 7 in their 12:49 of ice time together, with a 56% expected goals share.

Jets Playing Better Despite Worst Record Since November 1st: This game represented a significant improvement in process and execution compared to recent performances, particularly the 5-1 blowout loss to Edmonton. However, the result still stings as the Jets have the NHL's worst record since November 1st and continue to struggle to convert strong performances into points.

Special Teams Breakdown Costs the Jets: The penalty kill has become a major concern, allowing two power play goals on four Dallas opportunities. This issue had been flying under the radar while the team dealt with other problems, but it proved decisive against Dallas's elite power play unit, particularly Jason Robertson's one-timer goal.

Middle Six Forwards Show Signs of Life: Cole Perfetti generated 9-1 scoring chances in his favor at 5-on-5, Adam Lowry had one of his better games recently, and Gabe Vilardi performed well despite being moved off the top line. The more diversified offense was seen as a positive step forward for a team that has struggled to generate production beyond its top line.

Josh Morrissey's Aggressive Play Drives Late Push: Morrissey logged over 26 minutes and was particularly active in the third period when the Jets were chasing the lead. His offensive aggressiveness and gap control were credited with setting the tone for the Jets' best moments, making him a gravitational force on the ice.

Logan Stanley's Unexpected Scoring Pace Highlights Depth Issues: Stanley is now fourth on the team in 5-on-5 goals with four (his previous career high was one), trailing only the three top-line forwards. This statistic underscores the lack of scoring depth throughout the roster 29 games into the season.

Defensive Structure Improves Despite Loss: The game marked the Jets' second-best performance in shot attempts against (44) all season. However, five of their six best shot-attempt-against games have resulted in losses, suggesting they're playing well defensively but not getting results.

Hellebuyck's Absence Continues to Impact Results: Eric Comrie faced a difficult night, making 15 saves on 19 shots. While some goals were tough to stop (screens, cross-slot passes), the team acknowledged that having Hart Trophy winner Connor Hellebuyck return in the next week or two will be crucial for their success.

Regulation Losses Mounting as Key Concern: The Jets now have 14 regulation losses, and their inability to salvage even a single point from games where they play well is becoming a defining characteristic of the season. Last year's team would have found ways to get at least a loser point from games like this.

Four-Game Homestand Presents Opportunity for Turnaround: With upcoming games against Boston, Washington, and Ottawa following Dallas, the Jets have a chance to build on this improved performance against opponents that aren't as dominant as the Stars, who came in 25-5 and second in the NHL.
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Are you living your best life now? Not always? This is a podcast for you. Duke Professor Kate Bowler is an expert in the stories we tell about success and failure, suffering and happiness. She had Stage IV cancer. Then she didn’t. And since then, all she wants to do is talk to funny and wise people about how to live with the knowledge that, well, everything happens.  Find her online at @katecbowler.
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Listen Again: Father Richard Rohr on Learning to Hold On, Learning to Let Go

Everything Happens with Kate Bowler

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The Two Halves of Life: Father Richard Rohr describes the spiritual journey as divided into two stages. The first half focuses on identity, certainty, winning, and building—concerns about being right and proving others wrong. The second half, often entered through great love or great suffering, is about letting go, acceptance, and moving from a "win-lose" to a "win-win" understanding of the gospel. Most organized religion, he suggests, keeps people in the first-half mindset rather than helping them mature into second-half spirituality.

Franciscan Spirituality and Suffering: As a Franciscan priest, Rohr explains that Francis of Assisi's spirituality wasn't centered on sin but on suffering—specifically human suffering. Francis understood suffering so deeply it manifested in his body through the stigmata. Yet he remained "the joyful beggar," demonstrating that one can hold suffering while maintaining joy. This alternative reading of the Gospel from "the underside" emphasizes freedom, beauty, and happiness rather than sin management.

The Spirituality of Subtraction: The spiritual journey is more about subtraction than addition—about descending rather than climbing a ladder. This concept, drawn from Meister Eckhart, challenges the prosperity gospel and achievement-oriented spirituality. Rather than accumulating graces or measuring worthiness, spiritual growth involves letting go of the need to count, measure, and deserve. God, as one mystic said, "knows nothing about mathematics."

Necessary Suffering as Teacher: Most people need to be forced onto the spiritual path through what Rohr calls "necessary suffering"—losing a job, a loved one, health, or experiencing addiction. Kate reflects on her own experience feeling almost "insulted" when her life fell apart, but Rohr's framework helps remove the shame from suffering. Nothing moves us from the first to the second half of life except great love and great suffering, and life will make sure suffering happens whether we choose it or not.

The Gift of Presence Over Fleeting Consolations: Rohr explains that God sometimes gives moments of profound consolation—feeling loved in hospital rooms despite despair—but these experiences must fade. If they didn't, we'd fall in love with the gift rather than the giver. The real spiritual work is learning to trust God when the feeling is gone, not making feelings or prosperity the sign of God's love as some evangelical and Pentecostal traditions do.

Embracing Mystery and Relationality: Mystery isn't what's incomprehensible but what's "infinitely understandable"—always inviting deeper exploration. Rohr emphasizes that if God is relationship (the Trinity), then relationship is where we find our souls. This is particularly meaningful for those who struggle with losses they can't simply "put down"—like the inability to become a mother or losing children—because these relational wounds touch something sacred.

Practicing Letting Go in Small Ways: Rather than trying to let go of major losses, Rohr suggests starting with very small things. He shares his personal story of a stoplight near his home where he learned that if he couldn't be happy waiting on one side of the street, he wouldn't be happy rushing to the other side either. The art of letting go is the art of living in the present moment, and it's practiced through tiny daily frustrations.

The Danger of Entitlement: American culture's sense of entitlement—believing we deserve certain outcomes—creates misery. "Every expectation is a resentment waiting to happen." Those who practice dying through religious vows (giving up belongings, children, control of their future) learn to expect less and find more happiness. Without practicing letting go beforehand, loss comes as a shock that feels undeserved.

Being Present to What's Here: Rohr points to his geranium and his dog Opie as examples of what's available right now. If we can't be present to a flower, a dog, or another person, we won't know how to be present to God. The older people on the semester-at-sea trip who refused to take pictures understood this—they wanted only to look, feel, and taste the salt air, fully receiving what was there rather than hungrily consuming more.

Homesickness as Spiritual Compass: The "essential restlessness" and homesickness we feel isn't a problem to solve but evidence of what we're made for. Just enough of home is planted in us to know we belong there and to want more of it. In a happiness-obsessed culture that promises ultimate satisfaction, this ache reminds us we're made for something beyond what this life can fully provide.

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Cheat on the news with Hard Factor. Satirical daily news podcast, not hyper-polarizing and depressing like all the others. Drops at Midnight Eastern, 5 Days a Week, 24/7/365. Follow the pod on social @HardFactorNews. Hosts: @hardfactorMark @hardfactorPat @hardfactorWes @hardfactorWill. Full video episodes: YouTube.com/HardFactorNews Join our community: patreon.com/hardfactor Voicemail Line: 512.270.1480

Bonnie Blue's Bang Bus BUSTED in Bali | 12.10.25

Hard Factor

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Bonnie Blue Arrested in Bali for Bang Bus Operation: Adult performer Bonnie Blue (Tia Billinger), known for breaking the record for most partners in 12 hours at 1,057, was detained in Indonesia facing up to 15 years in prison. She purchased a tuk-tuk to create pornographic content with Australian "schoolies" (spring breakers) in Bali, a majority Muslim country where pornography production is illegal. Police seized cameras, condoms, Viagra pills, and other equipment, and released 14 of 17 tourists found at the scene. Her stunt was particularly reckless given Indonesia's strict laws against pornography, and she may have violated Bang Bros Inc.'s trademark for the "Bang Bus" brand.

Taliban Cracks Down on Peaky Blinders Cosplay: Four Taliban members in their early 20s—Ashgar Hussein, Jalil Yakubi, Ashore Akbari, and Duad Rasa—were detained and sent to "rehabilitation" for dressing like and constantly walking around as characters from the TV show Peaky Blinders. The behavior was seen as promoting Western ideologies and violating religious dress codes. The men may have also been clean-shaven, which is forbidden under Taliban rules. The incident reveals Taliban members were accessing Western streaming content despite bans.

Kidney Transplant Patient Dies from Rabies: A Michigan man died from rabies five weeks after receiving a kidney transplant. The donor had collapsed and died mysteriously in November 2024 after rescuing a kitten from a skunk that scratched him and caused bleeding. The donor never sought medical care and was unaware he had rabies. The rabies came from a bat that bit the skunk, which then scratched the donor. Rabies testing isn't part of routine organ screening, and only the kidney showed signs of infection upon detailed examination. The other organs from the donor were checked but didn't show rabies.

New Psychedelic Mushroom Species Discovered: Scientists at the University of Utah are studying Landmaua Asiatica, a second type of magic mushroom from Papua New Guinea and the Philippines that reportedly causes "fairy tale-like hallucinations." These distinctive red, chode-like mushrooms have been used by locals for centuries or millennia but haven't been widely studied by Western science. Researchers are trying to understand why they produce different effects than traditional psilocybin mushrooms.

Austrian Alpine Guide Charged in Girlfriend's Freezing Death: Thomas Plamberger, a professional alpine tour guide, faces up to three years for negligent manslaughter after his girlfriend Kirsten Gertner froze to death 50 feet from the summit of Austria's highest peak, Gross Glockner. Prosecutors outlined nine key mistakes: attempting the climb in negative 4-degree wind chill with 45 mph winds, starting two hours late, bringing no camping equipment, having his girlfriend wear only soft boots, failing to alert EMS at dark, missing a police helicopter overhead, not sheltering her body or leaving supplies when he abandoned her, putting his phone on silent, and leaving her for 6.5 hours while he camped in a safer location. He claimed they "mutually agreed" he should leave her, but he took the sleeping bag and foil blanket with him.

Hosts' Personal Updates and Banter: Pat's family has been sick for six days with intense illness affecting both ends, while Will's kids also had a sick day. The hosts joked about avoiding taking temperatures and calling nurses, comparing it to STD tests—if you don't check, you don't know. They also discussed historical events from 1853 including the transition from President Fillmore to Franklin Pierce, Levi Strauss forming his company, and the introduction of horse-drawn fire engines after steam-powered ones kept exploding.

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Ben, Brett and Jordy Meiselas are three brothers with very unique backgrounds! Ben is a top lawyer and Colin Kaepernick’s business partner. Brett is a two-time Emmy award winning video editor from the world of film and television. Jordy, the fan favorite, was an award-winning advertising executive in New York. The brothers' unique approach at covering news by combining hilarious brother banter with an unapologetic support of democracy has earned them millions of supporters in America and across the globe and made them social media icons. The MeidasTouch Podcast combines brotherly love, comedy, news coverage, and deep discussions about supporting our democracy and is the go-to destination for top political leaders who view the podcast as a pivotal stop for their interviews. Join the Meiselas brothers and their loyal following — the self-described MeidasMighty — with new episodes featuring all three brothers released every Tuesday and Friday morning, and breaking news updates every single day! Catch the MeidasTouch Podcast with the brothers LIVE on video every Monday and Thursday night at 8p ET/5p PT on the MeidasTouch YouTube channel!

Colin Allred Discusses House Race and Turning Texas Blue

The MeidasTouch Podcast

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Republican House Members Mass Resignation Threat: Reports from Puck, Punchbowl News, and other outlets indicate that approximately 20 Republican Congress members may be resigning in the near future. When Trump was asked about these potential resignations during a press conference, he became enraged and attacked the reporter instead of addressing the question, deflecting by asking about Democratic retirements.

Trump's Erratic Behavior and Attacks on Allies: Trump went on a rampage calling Marjorie Taylor Greene "Marjorie Trader Brown" after she received death threats following his comments. Greene had appeared on 60 Minutes revealing that behind Trump's back, many MAGA Republicans mock him and despise him while pretending to support him publicly. Trump also attacked multiple reporters during his press conference, including one from ABC News.

Mike Johnson's Delusional Claims About Congressional Productivity: Speaker Mike Johnson claimed the current Congress is "one of the most productive Congresses in the history of the institution" despite widespread evidence of dysfunction. The reality is that Congress was only in session for about 10 days out of 120 and wouldn't even allow a newly elected member from Arizona to be sworn in due to fears about Epstein files being released.

Colin Allred's Strategic Congressional Race Decision: Former Democratic Congressman Colin Allred announced he is running for the newly created 33rd congressional district in Dallas County, Texas, after withdrawing from the crowded Senate race. Allred explained that staying in the Senate race would likely have resulted in a runoff election, which wouldn't be in the best interest of the party or state, and he felt he could better serve by running for the House seat.

Republican Gerrymandering in Texas: The Texas congressional maps have been repeatedly gerrymandered, with a Trump-appointed district court judge even calling them "incredibly racist." Despite this ruling, the Supreme Court allowed the maps to stand. The gerrymandering has reduced Texas Democratic House representation from 13 members out of 38 down to potentially only 8-10 members, despite Texas having 30 million residents.

Shifting Latino Voter Sentiment in Texas: Allred reported dramatic changes in Latino community attitudes toward Trump, with approval ratings falling into the 30s. During visits to South Texas, including Brownsville where his family is from, he observed a palpable sense of fear around immigration enforcement and significant economic impacts from tariffs. One flea market owner compared the business devastation to "Covid 2.0."

Republican Hypocrisy and Abandonment of Principles: Allred noted the irony of Republicans abandoning their stated principles on states' rights, being China hawks, and supporting free trade. They've thrown Taiwan and Ukraine "under the bus" and agreed to global tariffs that violate their Reagan-era positions. Allred described having private conversations with Texas delegation Republicans who admit behind closed doors they can't believe Trump's behavior but refuse to speak out publicly.

Focus on Working Class Economics: Allred emphasized that working Texans feel they were lied to about Trump's economic promises and are frustrated seeing "openly corrupt jackasses" getting ahead while they work harder for less. He argued Democrats need to acknowledge this rigged system and propose big, dramatic changes rather than small incremental ones to match the dramatic moment the country is in.
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Join Josh Norris and Hayden Winks as they outline the most actionable information around the NFL. From Fantasy Football, Team Building, NFL Draft and Analytics plus game picks... it‘s all covered here.

32 Teams. 32 Fantasy Football Facts to BULLY Week 15

Fantasy Football with Josh & Hayden

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Chargers' Offensive Line Struggles Despite Win Over Eagles: The Chargers defeated the Eagles 22-19 in overtime, but their offensive line performance was concerning, leading the league with 30 more quick pressures than any other team. Justin Herbert played with a broken left hand, constantly under pressure from the Eagles' defense, yet managed to put the team on his back despite fumbling issues and limited weapons.

Running Back Split Between Vidal and Hampton: Kamani Vidal dominated snaps (69%) over Amar Hampton (31%) returning from injury, though touches were more evenly distributed. Vidal earned more trust in pass protection after Hampton had crucial blunders, but both running backs showed athletic ability. The offense struggled overall due to offensive line issues rather than individual running back performance.

Eagles' Offense Hits Rock Bottom: Jalen Hurts had arguably his worst game since the 2022 wild card loss to Tampa Bay, throwing multiple interceptions and failing to utilize his rushing ability (only 8 yards). The offense struggled with consistency, managing just one touchdown on 13 possessions despite elite weapons. The passing attack lacked rhythm, especially over the middle of the field.

Chiefs' Playoff Hopes in Jeopardy: Kansas City fell to 6-7 and faces only a 12% chance of making the playoffs. Even winning out would give them just 46% odds due to needing help from other teams. Their offense has stagnated, with no true man coverage beaters among their receivers and a struggling offensive line that leaves Mahomes under constant pressure.

Philip Rivers Returns From Retirement: The 44-year-old former quarterback signed with the Colts' practice squad and is expected to start immediately, bringing familiarity with Shane Steichen's offense from weekly discussions during his son's high school season. The Colts are projected for just 14.5 points against Seattle, signaling a very limited offensive approach.

Tyler Schuck Shows Enough to Win Starting Job: The Saints rookie quarterback has displayed surprising athleticism, running legitimate zone reads and extending plays. His mobility has translated better than expected from college, making him a legitimate weapon with his legs while showing adequate arm talent. The Saints may opt to build around him rather than draft a quarterback high.

Michael Wilson Emerges as Cardinals' Most Reliable Receiver: Wilson has been the wide receiver 2 over the past month when healthy, showcasing excellent route running and quarterback-friendly play. He consistently creates separation and comes back to the ball effectively, potentially putting pressure on Marvin Harrison Jr. to match his production and reliability.

Derek Henry's Misleading Season Stats: Despite recording 1,025 rushing yards and 10 touchdowns (joining Hall of Fame company), Henry's performance feels underwhelming due to bottom-five short yardage success rate and decreased explosiveness. The Ravens' offensive line hasn't performed as well as last season, contributing to Baltimore's struggles.

Bo Nix and the Broncos' Unexpected Success: The Broncos are tied for first in the AFC at 10-3, though books still favor road opponents like Green Bay. RJ Harvey has taken over the backfield with 20.2 expected half-PPR points in his season-high usage, becoming a crucial handcuff who could pay off down the stretch.

Josh Allen Carries Bills Despite Limited Weapons: Buffalo's passing offense remains inconsistent, with Khalil Shakir ranking as the wide receiver 59 over the past month despite being their WR1. The offense heavily relies on Josh Allen's improvisation and scrambling, while structured dropback plays continue to struggle.

Jaguars' Offensive Improvements Under Liam Cohen: Trevor Lawrence delivered possibly his best full-game performance, showing improved mobility and decision-making. The offense appears more organized with better pre-snap execution, and Travis Etienne has been the RB4 since the bye week, benefiting from the improved scheme.

Bears' Developing Passing Attack: Despite a last-second interception loss, Caleb Williams showed growth in the second half. Luther Burden leads the team in receiving yards over the last five games (224), followed by Colson Loveland (201) and Rome Odunze (188), while DJ Moore has fallen to just 95 yards in that span.

Seahawks' Sam Darnold Joins Elite Company: Darnold became only the second quarterback after Tom Brady to win 10+ games in consecutive seasons with two different teams. He ranks first in downfield accuracy on 10+ air yard throws, with JSN consistently getting open and making plays in the passing game.

Pat Bryant Overtakes Troy Franklin in Denver: The bigger receiver has seen his route participation grow to 68% compared to Franklin's 40%, earning 12 targets versus 7. Bryant wins with physicality on slants and sit routes, potentially positioning himself as the Broncos' WR2 for 2026 while helping Courtland Sutton's production.

Jordan Love's Elite Quarterback Play: Love currently ranks first in EPA per dropback across the league, with Christian Watson emerging as the team's clear WR1. Both Watson and Tucker Kraft are averaging an absurd 1.0 EPA per target, giving the Packers two of the most efficient pass catchers in the NFL.

Texans' Offensive Limitations Exposed: Despite winning, Houston ranks 31st in red zone touchdown success rate and struggles with rushing consistency. The offense is one-dimensional without an effective ground game, though C.J. Stroud has shown improvement making plays out of structure and using his athleticism more than in college or his rookie season.

Rams Dominate with 13 Personnel: Los Angeles ran 40 of 67 offensive snaps in 13 personnel against Arizona, the most by any offense since 2016. The formation proved dominant in both run and pass, with the Rams establishing themselves as potentially the best team in football with a 55.5-point total projected against Detroit.

Commanders' Depth Issues Surface: Jayden Daniels suffered another injury in a loss to Minnesota, raising concerns about his durability over two short seasons. The team lacks depth due to missing second and fourth-round picks, and losing Zack Ertz at tight end exposes their thin roster even further.

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The Uncensored CMO was created to explore the good, the bad and quite frankly downright ugly truth about marketing theory & practice. 

The creative genius behind Amazon’s world beating advertising - Jo Shoesmith

Uncensored CMO

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Agency to Client-Side Transition: Jo Shoesmith shares how moving from agency to Amazon was humbling, revealing that creativity is just one of many priorities for brands rather than the core product. She learned the importance of understanding the business context behind decisions—why ideas might not work isn't about clients lacking bravery, but about operational complexity and business implications that agencies often don't see.

Amazon's Mass Media Strategy: Despite being a digital platform, Amazon invests heavily in traditional media including TV and out-of-home advertising. The approach varies by country based on high-visibility opportunities—subway ads work in New York and London, while out-of-home dominates in Japan. Amazon also innovates with new ad placements like pause ads on Prime Video streaming.

The Secret to Effective Creative: Amazon's award-winning advertising (achieving maximum 5.9 star ratings three out of five years) comes from finding universal truths, building strong character tension and story arcs, and keeping narratives simple. They avoid overwriting for 30 seconds and focus on one compelling character journey rather than kitchen-sink montages, while ensuring distinctive brand assets are integrated throughout.

Right-Brain Storytelling Approach: Amazon's advertising exemplifies right-brain features—unfolding stories, cultural references, characters with agency, humor, and music—rather than left-brain tactics like fast cuts and multiple messages. This entertainment-focused approach treats ads like compressed films where audiences need to invest in characters within 30 seconds, leveraging Amazon's broader storytelling culture across sports and entertainment streaming.

Building Campaigns for 3-5 Years: Contrary to industry norms of annual campaign changes, Amazon creates work designed to run for three to five years. Research shows consistency is the biggest differentiator in campaign effectiveness over time, with campaigns often "wearing in" rather than wearing out. This patient approach requires creating stories compelling enough to watch repeatedly, like favorite movies.

The "Grannies" Campaign Success: Despite receiving a "Turkey" award from industry press, the grannies sledding ad struck a deep chord with actual customers by tapping into the power of traditions during uncertain times. The intergenerational friendship story resonated because viewers could see themselves, their mothers, or their future selves in the characters, proving industry insiders sometimes lose touch with what customers actually want.

The Gen Z Representation Problem: New research reveals 93% of ads feature Gen Z despite them being only 25% of the population and 17% of spending power. Critically, when Gen Z sees themselves in advertising, scores go down (especially for men, dropping 1.5 stars). The industry relies on stereotypes—showing them on tech devices and in awkward situations—when they actually respond better to real-life scenarios, career success, kindness, and intergenerational relationships.

Production as Story Discovery: The best stories often emerge during production rather than being rigidly pre-determined. Amazon's India campaign about female delivery drivers evolved when pre-interviews revealed every woman was doing it for their children—shifting focus to Mother's Day and the "why" behind their work. Similarly, a Japanese ad about a boy visiting his grandmother became more powerful as a story about his emotional intelligence rather than her loneliness.

Strategic AI Application: Amazon uses AI primarily as a workflow and insight tool rather than for creative execution. A standout example: they built an AI tool to curate the best customer reviews from millions for their Adam Driver campaign, saving weeks of manual searching. The key principle is starting with the problem to solve rather than the technology, with AI helping across production line quality control, ocean plastic detection, and copy optimization.

Maintaining Agility at Scale: Amazon's agility comes from constantly looking forward rather than backward, with leadership focused on what the company will look like in five years. The culture tolerates failure as a learning opportunity, enabling fast forward momentum without dwelling on what didn't work while extracting lessons for future initiatives.

The Foundation of Brand Architecture: The single biggest impact over five years has been defining Amazon's brand architecture and design system—standardizing voice, fonts, colors, and visual expression across all markets and touchpoints. Though not glamorous work, this foundational consistency (like fattening the smile logo) enables better customer recognition globally and creates a repeatable system ready for AI-driven future applications, while paradoxically liberating creative expression within clear boundaries.

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Jason Calacanis covers startups, tech, markets, media, and all the hottest topics in business and technology. He also interviews the world’s greatest founders, operators, investors, and innovators.

FLASHBACK: The future of remote work, juggling APIs, and dream integrations with Wade Foster of Zapier | E2221

This Week in Startups

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Tour's AI-Powered Virtual Apartment Tours: Tour automates property digital tours and competitive research for property managers, combining AI-generated video walkthroughs with lead qualification. The platform creates interactive, choose-your-adventure style tours that require phone verification before access, effectively filtering out casual browsers and increasing lead quality by 4x. Property managers pay $299-$650 monthly per property, with the company adding $80k ARR recently and serving 130+ properties.

Tour's Competitive Intelligence Engine: Beyond virtual tours, Tour tracks pricing, specials, and advertising across 150,000+ apartment properties, automatically alerting managers to market gaps and competitive shifts. The platform generates tour scripts using AI agents that scrape property websites to learn about amenities and floor plans, dramatically reducing the busy work of market research that previously required manually scouting 10+ competitor websites.

Alembic's Causal AI for Marketing Attribution: Alembic tackles the notoriously difficult problem of marketing attribution by using causal AI and spiking neural networks (SNNs) to connect cause and effect across disparate marketing channels. Unlike traditional analytics, their approach can detect patterns with minimal historical data—solving problems like measuring Delta's Olympics sponsorship impact with just 14 days of data by identifying when data patterns fundamentally change.

Spiking Neural Networks as Digital Brain Twins: Alembic uses SNNs that mimic human brain function to detect outliers and normalize diverse data sources (foot traffic, TV ratings, digital ads) into a common space. This allows the system to compare vastly different types of signals and calculate trillions of potential causal connections, rather than working backwards from a single metric like traditional attribution models.

Brand Marketing's Hidden Effectiveness: The Delta Olympics case study revealed that the most effective advertising wasn't the expensive 30 or 60-second commercials, but rather the emotional medal presentation ceremonies sponsored by Delta. This type of in-program content—often bundled into large media buys—generated significantly more ticket sales to Paris than traditional ads, demonstrating how crucial proper attribution is for understanding marketing ROI.

Private Data as Competitive Moat in the AI Era: Alembic's CEO argues that as LLMs become commoditized, the only sustainable competitive advantage will be private, evolving models trained on proprietary data. If everyone uses the same ChatGPT or Claude to ask the same questions, they'll get the same answers—but unique data allows companies to generate unique insights and maintain differentiation in the marketplace.

Zapier's Early Remote Work Pioneering: In 2016, Zapier was already running a fully distributed team of 36 people with no central office, years before COVID normalized remote work. Their solution to productivity concerns was requiring weekly "Friday updates" on an internal blog where everyone posted their accomplishments, creating a "digital trail" that made output visible without micromanaging time or requiring physical presence.

The Recurring Challenge of White Collar Automation: The 2016 Zapier interview revealed concerns about automation replacing clerical work that mirror today's AI agent discussions. Wade Foster noted that Zapier was essentially providing scripting capabilities to non-developers, allowing savvy people to automate workflows that previously required hiring programmers—a conversation that sounds remarkably similar to current debates about AI replacing knowledge workers.

API Politics and Platform Risk: Zapier's growth was constantly threatened by platform changes, particularly from consumer-focused companies like Twitter, LinkedIn, and Facebook that repeatedly "pulled the rug out" from developers. Enterprise B2B platforms like Salesforce proved more reliable because integrations made their core product stickier, while consumer platforms worried third-party apps would siphon away ad revenue.

The Invisible Software Problem: Zapier faced a unique challenge where their product worked so well in the background that customers forgot they were using it. This led to experiments with "concierge" services—essentially consultants who would audit companies' workflows and help them maximize the tool's potential, an approach that prefigured today's "forward deployed engineers" from AI companies.

Microsoft Office as the Holy Grail Integration: In 2016, Zapier's dream integration was Microsoft's Office Suite (Excel, Outlook, Word), which was then a closed ecosystem. Wade Foster recognized that despite all the exciting new tools, "the world still runs on email and spreadsheets," making Office integration crucial. Today, Office 365 is fully integrated with Zapier, proving that persistence pays off.

Self-Service Growth to Multi-Billion Valuation: Zapier grew from a $1.2M seed round in 2012 to a $4+ billion valuation (Sequoia's later investment) almost entirely through self-service, with no sales team as of 2016. Customers simply added the tool to corporate cards, with pricing ranging from free to $125/month, demonstrating the power of product-led growth in the right market.

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Veteran prosecutors Andrew Weissmann and Mary McCord discuss and dissect the cases against former President Donald Trump, including the historic indictments from the Manhattan D.A., Special Counsel Jack Smith and Fulton County D.A. Fani Willis.

Damage to the System

Prosecuting Donald Trump

Main Justice

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Supreme Court Allows Texas Gerrymandering Despite Lower Court Findings: The Supreme Court issued an emergency decision allowing Texas to use its redrawn congressional maps despite a three-judge district court panel finding after a full trial that the redistricting was racially motivated. Justice Alito's concurrence argued this was purely partisan gerrymandering (which the Court has deemed non-reviewable), while Justice Kagan's dissent emphasized that the district court had made detailed factual findings after hearing witnesses that race was the primary factor. The decision effectively makes it nearly impossible to challenge racial gerrymandering when states claim partisan motives, and signals how the Court may rule on similar redistricting challenges in California.

Supreme Court's Disregard for Lower Court Fact-Finding: Justice Kagan's dissent highlighted how the majority ignored the district court's factual findings about racial gerrymandering, instead substituting its own judgment without having heard any witnesses. The decision represents part of a broader pattern where the Supreme Court shows little deference to district judges who conduct trials and assess witness credibility firsthand. The majority also claimed Texas showed "irreparable harm" because elections were approaching, despite the 2026 elections being nearly a year away and primaries not until March.

Grand Jury Refuses to Re-Indict Letitia James: After a federal judge dismissed the criminal case against New York Attorney General Letitia James because Lindsey Halligan was not properly appointed as U.S. Attorney, prosecutors attempted to re-indict using a different prosecutor. The grand jury refused to indict, demonstrating the weakness of the case. While the government can legally continue seeking indictments multiple times at the grand jury level without double jeopardy attaching, doing so would further evidence selective and vindictive prosecution—especially given that the original Comey case only passed the grand jury 14-9, an unusually narrow margin for a probable cause determination.

Ongoing Chaos Over Improperly Appointed U.S. Attorneys: Despite a court ruling that Lindsey Halligan was invalidly appointed as interim U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, her name continues appearing on court filings in other cases. The Department of Justice has not appealed the decision, sought a stay, or properly appointed a replacement through statutory mechanisms. Instead, Attorney General Pam Bondi and Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche have taken to social media to attack district and magistrate judges, accusing them of bias rather than following proper legal procedures to address the court's ruling.

Alina Haba Resigns from U.S. Attorney Position: After the Third Circuit ruled that Alina Haba was not validly serving as U.S. Attorney, she finally resigned and was given a newly created position at Main Justice. Her departure leaves multiple U.S. Attorney offices uncertain about who legitimately holds authority and whose name should appear on official filings, creating significant operational confusion in major districts handling important cases.

Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche's Problematic FCPA Conference Remarks: At the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act conference, Todd Blanche suggested the DOJ would note "inconsistencies" when defense lawyers publicly claim the department isn't serious about white collar prosecutions while also arguing their clients are being treated unfairly. While not explicitly threatening retaliation for criticism, the remarks are troubling given there's no actual inconsistency between those positions. Moreover, the data shows the administration has brought only one FCPA case since January, supporting claims that white collar enforcement has been dramatically scaled back.

Judge Beryl Howell's Scathing Decision on Warrantless Immigration Arrests: Judge Howell issued an 88-page decision finding that ICE and CBP engaged in systematic Fourth Amendment violations by conducting warrantless arrests without probable cause that individuals were in the country unlawfully or posed a flight risk. The decision detailed horrific conditions including detainees being held in freezing rooms, denied food and water to the point of needing to drink from toilets, being told they have no rights, and experiencing multiple detentions despite being released previously. One plaintiff and his father were arrested twice without any questioning to establish probable cause.

Government Officials Misstate Legal Standards for Immigration Arrests: Judge Howell documented that senior DHS and Border Patrol officials repeatedly and publicly stated they only need "reasonable suspicion" to make immigration arrests, when the actual legal standard is "probable cause." Chief Border Patrol Agent Gregory Bovino explicitly stated he knew he didn't need probable cause or a warrant. These public misstatements demonstrate a fundamental misunderstanding or willful disregard of constitutional requirements at the highest levels of immigration enforcement, contributing to the systematic Fourth Amendment violations the court found.

Judge Boasberg Continues Investigation into March 15 Deportation Flights: Judge Boasberg is trying to determine whether his order to turn around planes carrying alleged Venezuelan gang members to El Salvador was willfully disobeyed. Declarations filed by Secretary Kristi Noem, General Counsel Joseph Mazzara, Deputy AG Todd Blanche, and former Principal Deputy AG Emil Bove claim the decision was made after consulting legal advisors and receiving privileged legal advice that planes already in flight didn't need to return. The judge found these declarations insufficient and has now requested testimony from whistleblower Erez Riveni, who reported that he told superiors the planes needed to be turned around per the court's order.

Attorney-Client Privilege Complications in Deportation Case: The government officials are claiming attorney-client privilege to avoid revealing what legal advice was given about continuing the March 15 flights to El Salvador. However, government lawyers represent agencies, not individuals, which complicates privilege claims—especially in criminal investigations where courts have cut through such claims. Notably absent from any declarations is any White House involvement, which the hosts find implausible given the significance of the decision.

Inspector General Report Contradicts Hegseth's "Total Exoneration" Claim: The Pentagon IG report on Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth's use of Signal to discuss military operations revealed that 19 people were on the chat discussing a planned strike on the Houthis using an unauthorized communication method. Despite Hegseth claiming he had declassified the information and that the report was a "total exoneration," the IG found he was treating the information as classified when discussing it in a SCIF, didn't retain required documents (violating retention rules), didn't sit for an interview, and didn't turn over requested documents. The IG noted that discussing such operational details on an unclassified system jeopardized the mission and put troops at risk.

Moral Consequences of Legal Advice in High-Stakes Situations: The hosts emphasized that government lawyers must consider the serious real-world consequences of their legal opinions, not just whether an argument is "plausible." This applies both to the deportation cases, where men were sent to terrorist prisons without due process and subjected to inhumane conditions, and to military strikes that kill people. Lawyers who lack ethical grounding or who tell clients what they want to hear rather than providing honest counsel can cause enormous damage to the system and to human lives.

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Conversations draws you deeper into the life story of someone you may have heard about, but never met. Journey into their world, joining them on epic adventures to unfamiliar places, back in time to wild moments of history, and into their deepest memories, to be moved by personal stories of resilience and redemption.

Hosted by Richard Fidler and Sarah Kanowski, Conversations is the ABC's most popular long-form interview program. Every day we explore the vast tapestry of human experience, weaving together narratives from history, science, art, and personal storytelling.

Whether it's an exploration of Australian and American politics, the intricacies of mental health, or the mysteries of ancestry and origin stories, our episodes offer a conversational approach that brings topics to life.

We uncover epic tales of war and peace, the complex dynamics of relationships and family, and the profound impact of grief and loss.

Follow Conversations for thought-provoking discussions, heartfelt stories, and a deeper understanding of the world around us.

Conversations explores the meaning of life, history, relationships, motherhood and fatherhood, love, religion and the origins of human life through a contemporary and conversational Australian lens.

From distinctive accounts of crime, mental health, ancestry, cults, grief, family and parenting, to discussions about science, books, art, music, war, spies and economics, Conversations traverses myriad topics.

Our interviews focus on pioneers of the natural world, wildlife, oceans, fungi, archaeology, palaeontology and megafauna.

Our guests speak about geopolitics, being a refugee and the experience of migration. They come from all walks of life — First Nations, Indigenous and Torres Strait Islander peoples, CALD communities and ancestors of Australia's first fleeters. We explore Christian, Muslim, Jewish, Catholic, Buddhist, Sikh and Hindu faith traditions, among other beliefs, including atheism.

We look at social history as well — close encounters with the ancient world, the Stolen Generations, and adventurers on an explorative odyssey.

In a Conversations interview, you will hear personal stories of secrets, lies, adoption, and living with disability, neurodiversity or chronic illness.

We traverse a person's life story, full of human interest topics, including redemption, love at first sight, spirituality, poverty, having children, family dynamics and even hidden families.

We hear from individuals who have struggled with drug addiction, jail, family violence, political imprisonment, persecution, abuse, depression, anxiety and mental health issues.

Conversations also speak to the public figures of Australian and international society — leaders, artists, politicians, authors, sports stars, actors and musicians.

A writer, a builder, a neurologist, a Paralympian, an Olympian, an amputee, a historian, a comedian, a funeral director, a bird photographer, an ethicist, a doctor, a spy, a pilot, a choreographer, a firefighter, a bookseller, an astrophysicist, a martial artist, a principal, an oud virtuoso, an ecologist, a carer, a demographer, a chess master, a forensic archaeologist, a biologist, a chef, a surfer, a button shop owner, a costume and set designer, a boxer, a drummer, a conductor, a dog behaviourist, an AFL player, a longevity expert, a barber, a Matilda, and a psychologist have all appeared on our program.

Stories make us who we are. Join Conversations for an hour of diverting listening, to transport, touch and uplift you. Our guided storytelling will teach you something new, introduce you to someone extraordinary and take you away to a different place or time in history.

After almost 20 years of digging into the lives, stories and worlds of thousands of people, Conversations continues as the ABC's most popular podcast, providing Australians with a social history of our country and paying close attention to the small, personal details that make up a life.

How living like a Stoic changed my life

Conversations

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Brigid Delaney's accidental discovery of Stoicism: Journalist Brigid Delaney initially approached Stoicism as a humorous assignment from her Guardian Australia editor, who suggested she try "Stoic Week" for a column. After writing a flippant piece about the experience, Stoics wrote to say she'd wasted an opportunity. She tried again the following year with friends, taking it seriously, and found it profoundly transformative—leading to years of study and two books on the subject.

The origins and accessibility of Stoic philosophy: Stoicism began around 350 BC in Greece, named after the "stoa" (painted porch) where followers would meet in the marketplace to discuss philosophy. This public setting reflects the philosophy's accessibility—it wasn't confined to elite academies. The philosophy later moved to Rome, where it was adopted by leaders and politicians. The main surviving texts come from three figures: Epictetus (a former slave), Seneca (advisor to Nero), and Marcus Aurelius (emperor whose private journal "Meditations" remains a bestseller).

The dichotomy of control: Central to Stoicism is understanding what we can and cannot control. According to Epictetus, only three things are within our control: our character, our reactions, and how we treat others. Everything else—health, money, reputation—is outside our control. The Stoics introduced "preferred indifference," meaning we can prefer good health or wealth but should remain emotionally indifferent since we cannot fully control these outcomes. Brigid applies this practically, like accepting she doesn't control whether her landlord will renew her lease.

Voluntary discomfort and friction: The Stoics advocated deliberately introducing hardship into life to prepare for inevitable difficulties. Seneca recommended periodic fasting or eating only rough bread so that if famine came, one would be both physically and psychologically prepared. This runs counter to modern life's pursuit of frictionless experiences—from Uber eliminating the need to wait for buses to phone apps designed for maximum ease. Brigid admits this is the one Stoic practice she hasn't yet incorporated into her own life.

Rethinking happiness and contentment: Stoics weren't interested in happiness as a goal, focusing instead on contentment, "eudaimonia," and "ataraxia" (emotional equilibrium). They recognized that happiness is fleeting and often tied to external circumstances through the "hedonic treadmill"—we adapt to improvements and constantly want more. The philosophy aims for emotional balance, avoiding extreme highs and lows. Brigid found this particularly relevant during the Netflix deal for Wellmania, when initial highs were followed by difficult lows, and she wondered if the brain chemically corrects extreme emotions to maintain balance.

Taming anger through rational pause: Seneca wrote extensively about anger in "De Ira," identifying a crucial moment between the initial impression (like being cut off in traffic) and the reaction (road rage). The Stoics believed we have a brief window where rationality can intervene before anger is expressed. While the emotion itself is natural, expressing it causes cascading problems. This teaching feels particularly relevant today, as evidenced by the proliferation of signs in hospitals and airports asking people not to abuse staff—we're living in "angry times."

The Mercy Campaign and righteous anger: Brigid's involvement in the campaign to save Myuran Sukumaran and Andrew Chan from execution in Indonesia predated her Stoic studies. The experience raised difficult questions about whether righteous anger is necessary for social change and activism. While Stoics rejected anger as outside our control, Brigid believes society needs both "flamethrowers" (idealists and activists) and Stoics who can assess reality rationally. Ten years later, she still becomes emotional discussing the executions, which happened despite the campaign.

Preparing for death and loss: The Stoics advocated regularly contemplating death—both one's own and that of loved ones. Epictetus suggested looking at your child before bed and imagining they might not wake up. While this sounds harsh to modern ears, it serves two purposes: it makes us more present and wholehearted with loved ones while we have them, and it prepares us psychologically for inevitable loss. Marcus Aurelius lost seven children and needed philosophy to function. The practice doesn't create distance but rather pulls us toward people, ensuring we don't casually postpone time together.

Time as the most precious resource: Seneca observed that we treat money cautiously but "fritter away time as if we have endless expanses of it." He noted that money can always be regained, but time cannot. The Stoics would be horrified by modern phone usage—people spending four or five hours daily on devices. They also cautioned against bragging about being busy, seeing busyness as a sign of someone not in control of their time and a way of signaling self-importance rather than genuine productivity.

Stoicism versus the wellness industry: While both Stoicism and wellness aim to reduce suffering and create a good life, Brigid sees the wellness industry as a "corrupted form" of philosophy. Wellness packages answers into products that must be continuously purchased and replaced, never providing lasting solutions. Stoicism, by contrast, is completely free—accessible through library books or discussion groups, with no buildings, hierarchy, or money required. It offers intellectual depth and nuance that wellness culture lacks, while remaining accessible to anyone.

Practical application through journaling: Unlike organized religion with weekly services and systematic teaching, Stoicism requires self-direction. The key practice is end-of-day journaling—not planning what you want to do, but reflecting on what you did and whether you exercised the four Stoic virtues: courage, justice, wisdom, and temperance. Marcus Aurelius' "Meditations" was his private journal attempting to apply Stoic principles. Brigid combines this with Vedic meditation (20 minutes twice daily), finding meditation brings her to a relaxed state while Stoicism provides the theoretical framework.

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CNN's lead DC anchor and chief Washington correspondent, Jake Tapper, hosts this two-hour long weekday afternoon program, with headlines from around the country and the world, the top stories in national and international news, politics, health, money, the environment, sports and popular culture. The Lead also concentrates on bringing stories that aren't found on front pages—buried leads—to the forefront.

Australia Social Media Ban Takes Effect For Teens Under 16

The Lead with Jake Tapper

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Australia's Groundbreaking Social Media Ban for Teens: Australia has implemented the world's first ban on social media for children under 16, blocking access to platforms including Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, Snapchat, YouTube, X, and Reddit. The ban uses age verification technology, and while motivated by concerns about bullying, mental health, and harmful content, critics argue it infringes on young people's constitutional rights to political speech. Other countries including Malaysia, Denmark, Norway, and EU nations are watching closely and considering similar restrictions.

Debate Over Social Media Bans in the United States: While some U.S. politicians like Rahm Emanuel are calling for America to follow Australia's lead, the situation in the U.S. is complicated by varying state laws and free speech concerns. Current restrictions differ widely by state, with some requiring parental consent, others banning certain age groups entirely, and many facing legal challenges from tech lobbies. Experts suggest that rather than outright bans, developmentally appropriate design and safer online environments may be more effective solutions.

Trump's Economic Messaging Challenges: President Trump gave himself an "A" grade on the economy despite only 36% of Americans approving of his economic handling—a disconnect that concerns Republicans heading into 2026 midterms. Trump continues to call affordability concerns a "hoax" and blame Biden while Americans face rising costs for groceries, housing, and healthcare. His advisors view this as a "perception" and "communications" problem, but voters on the ground report genuine financial struggles.

Congressional Democrats' Healthcare Fight: Senate Democrats are pushing for a three-year extension of Obamacare subsidies before January 1st to prevent 24 million Americans from seeing their health insurance premiums double. Senator Dick Durbin negotiated a vote on this issue in exchange for helping reopen the government, but bipartisan support remains uncertain with Republicans proposing alternative healthcare reforms that Democrats find inadequate.

Controversial Honduras Drug Trafficker Pardon: Trump pardoned former Honduras President Juan Orlando Hernández, who was serving a 45-year sentence for trafficking 400 tons of cocaine. Trump claimed Hernández was set up in an "Obama, Biden type" operation, despite the investigation beginning before Biden took office and being prosecuted by Trump's own appointee. Honduras has now issued an arrest warrant for Hernández on money laundering and fraud charges, creating questions about Trump's war on drugs messaging.

Pentagon Boat Strike Controversy: Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and Secretary of State Marco Rubio briefed congressional leaders on a September 2nd follow-up strike that killed survivors on an alleged drug trafficking vessel. Bipartisan lawmakers are demanding the full video be released, with Democrats calling the briefing "unsatisfying" and questioning whether the Trump administration had legal authority to carry out such strikes.

Illinois Congressional Race Drama: Democratic Congressman Chuy Garcia announced his retirement after the filing deadline but tipped off his chief of staff Patty Garcia (no relation) to file beforehand, effectively hand-picking his successor. Longtime Democratic activist Myra Macias is now challenging this by running as an independent, raising over $100,000 in three days and arguing that voters deserve a real choice.

Birthright Citizenship Under Threat: Trump told Politico he "hasn't thought about" whether he would strip citizenship from people who already have it if the Supreme Court rules to end birthright citizenship. He referenced a fringe legal theory about the 14th Amendment, claiming it was only meant for children of slaves, not immigrants. The Supreme Court will hear the case next year, with immigration hardliners viewing this as their ultimate goal.

Women Losing Ground in Corporate America: A new study from Lean In and McKinsey shows only 50% of companies now say women's career advancement is a priority, down from previous years. Women face a significant "ambition gap" compared to men regarding promotions, with entry-level women and women of color facing particular barriers. For every 100 men promoted to manager, only 93 women, 60 Black women, and 82 Latinas receive the same promotion. Since January, 455,000 women have left the U.S. workforce.

Texas Senate Race Heats Up: Congresswoman Jasmine Crockett announced her bid for U.S. Senate in Texas, launching with a video featuring Trump's insults against her to demonstrate she's the threat he fears. She argues Democrats can win Texas not by appealing to all Trump voters but by expanding voter turnout in a state with historically low participation and connecting with voters who feel Trump has betrayed them on issues like immigration enforcement.

Brian Walsh Murder Trial DNA Evidence: Forensic experts presented DNA evidence linking Anna Walsh's blood to multiple items including a hacksaw, hatchet, and rugs purchased by her husband Brian Walsh days after she disappeared. Walsh has already pleaded guilty to disposing of her remains but denies murdering her. The prosecution is using the evidence to demonstrate premeditation, with the case potentially concluding this week.

ICE Family Detention Conditions: Exclusive CNN reporting revealed troubling conditions at Texas ICE family detention facilities, including prolonged stays, undrinkable water, constant lighting, and despondent children who were previously enrolled in U.S. schools. Court declarations describe the facilities as prison-like, affecting children ranging from infants to teenagers whose families had been living in the U.S. for years before being detained.

Citizenship Ceremonies Canceled for Legal Immigrants: Immigrants from 19 countries deemed "high risk" who had completed every step of the legal citizenship process—including background checks and passing the citizenship test—had their oath ceremonies canceled at the last minute. These individuals had followed all rules and were at the final step of becoming U.S. citizens when their ceremonies were abruptly halted.

Trump's Rice Tariff Push: Louisiana rice mill CEO Merrill Kennedy met with Trump to advocate for universal tariffs on rice imports, claiming countries like India, Thailand, and China are "dumping" rice into the U.S. market at artificially low prices. She argues that 30% of the U.S. rice supply is now imported and that foreign countries maintain high tariffs against U.S. rice while flooding American markets, hurting domestic farmers who can't compete with subsidized foreign production.

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The World Today is a comprehensive current affairs program which backgrounds, analyses, interprets and encourages debate on events and issues of interest and importance to all Australians.

Teens react to social media ban

The World Today

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Australia's Social Media Ban Comes Into Force: Australia has implemented a ban on social media platforms like Facebook, TikTok, and Instagram for children under 16. While some teens support it as encouraging kids to develop their own identities without social media influence, others worry about losing social connections and have already thought of ways to circumvent it using fake ages. The ban has sparked international attention, with countries like Denmark, Malaysia, Indonesia, New Zealand, and the UK considering similar measures.

Implementation Challenges and Early Problems: The rollout has already encountered issues, with 17-year-old transgender advocate Emily Courtney being incorrectly blocked from TikTok despite being above the age threshold. The appeals process requires government ID, which many teens don't have, or a parent photo verification that could be easily manipulated. Big tech companies are now responsible for verifying users' ages, but the practical implementation remains bumpy.

Minister Annika Wells Under Scrutiny for Travel Expenses: Communications and Sport Minister Annika Wells, who has been the face of the social media ban policy, is under intense pressure over $100,000 in taxpayer-funded flights to New York and other expenses. The timing is particularly awkward as the government wants her front and center promoting the social media ban. While she has referred herself to an independent audit and maintains she followed all rules, the scrutiny focuses on whether her use of family travel entitlements meets community expectations, particularly for events that appear recreational like sporting events.

Broader Parliamentary Expenses Debate: ABC analysis reveals federal politicians have charged taxpayers over a million dollars for family travel in the last 12 months. The controversy has expanded beyond Wells to include other MPs from various parties. While reforms to specific rules like business class travel for family members may be considered, a broad-scale review of entitlements appears unlikely as more politicians from both sides get swept into the scandal.

Trump's Inflammatory Comments on Europe and Ukraine: In an explosive interview with Politico, President Donald Trump called Europe "a decaying group of nations led by weak people" and suggested Russia has the upper hand in Ukraine due to its size and strength. He accused Ukrainian President Zelensky of holding up peace talks by not reading recent proposals, while Zelensky says he's preparing a revised peace plan. Pope Leo expressed concern that Trump's remarks appear designed to break apart important alliances.

European Response to Trump's National Security Strategy: Trump's new national security strategy views Russia's aspirations in Ukraine and China's sphere of influence as having some legitimacy, causing tension with European allies. German Chancellor Friedrich Mertz responded that while "America first" is understandable, "America alone" cannot be in U.S. interests, emphasizing that America needs partners and Germany could be that partner.

Thailand-Cambodia Border Conflict Intensifies: Fighting between Thailand and Cambodia has entered its third day, with both sides reporting casualties and thousands of civilians fleeing to temporary shelters. Thailand's Prime Minister rejected ceasefire talks, saying the military has a mission to complete. The conflict appears more intense than previous clashes, spreading to multiple border areas including key economic hubs. A U.S.-brokered peace deal from July appears to have collapsed.

Lady Gaga Concert Chaos in Brisbane: Technical issues at a Brisbane stadium delayed gate opening by 50 minutes for Lady Gaga's concert, causing massive queues and leaving many fans still outside when the show started. Some fans who had queued all day to get close to the stage missed the opening songs, with reports of people crying over missing performances. The stadium's director of marketing acknowledged the issues and said they would debrief before hosting ACDC this Sunday.

Christmas Cards Project for Prisoners: A grassroots initiative in Adelaide is collecting around 2,000 handwritten Christmas cards for every prisoner in metropolitan Adelaide. Organizers, including former prisoners themselves, emphasize that Christmas can be one of the loneliest times in prison. The project is described not as rehabilitation but as a "love project and community care project" to remind incarcerated people they haven't been forgotten, with some recipients potentially getting their only Christmas greeting.
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Hear what is really going on, beyond the headlines, with Israel and the Jewish people. Avi Abelow is a proud Jew, living the Jewish dream in the ancestral homeland of the Jewish people, here to give you the true pulse of Israel.

The Most Blessed Generation of Jews

The Pulse of Israel

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Historical Context of Jewish Suffering and Antisemitism: The episode begins by acknowledging that antisemitism has been a persistent reality throughout Jewish history, but emphasizes that the Jewish people have always outlived, outshined, and overcome it as a collective.

The Miracle of Living in Modern Israel: Today's Jews have the unprecedented privilege of living and raising families in the land of Israel, something ancestors spent nearly 2,000 years of exile crying, praying, and dreaming about. What was once almost impossible is now accessible through simple means like booking a flight and filling out paperwork.

The Dangerous Journey of Historical Aliyah: For most of Jewish history, reaching Israel required tremendous sacrifice. Jews risked their lives crossing deserts, oceans, and empires, enduring pogroms and plagues. Many never made it, and those who did often arrived destitute or lived in poverty, yet considered one more day in God's land worth every sacrifice.

The Four Holy Cities That Kept the Flame Alive: Throughout centuries of persecution under various empires, small Jewish communities in Jerusalem, Tzfat (Safed), Hebron, and Tiberias maintained a continuous Jewish presence. These few thousand souls kept Jewish identity, prayer, learning, and Shabbat observance alive when the world declared the Jewish people finished, representing an unbroken 3,000-year chain.

The Modern State as Prophecy Fulfilled: The modern State of Israel, 77 years young but over 3,000 years old in heritage, represents redemption (Geula) unfolding in real time. Jews now live with sovereignty, their own army, and the ability to raise children in their ancestral homeland without seeking permission from foreign rulers—something unprecedented in Jewish history.

The Greatest Response to Modern Threats: Despite ongoing challenges from enemies, the "Red Green alliance," the Deep State, and jihadist forces, the most powerful answer is simply to live, build, invest, purchase, plant, and raise families in Israel, thereby continuing to write the greatest miracle story in human history.

A Call to Action for Diaspora Jews: The episode concludes with an urgent appeal for Jews to make aliyah, emphasizing that today's generation has opportunities their ancestors would have sacrificed everything to have, making them the most blessed generation in over 3,000 years of Jewish history.
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