Blurry Creatures chases down answers for the weird questions and enigmatic creatures that inhabit the fringes between reality, myth, and imagination. Join podcast veterans Nate Henry and Luke Rodgers as they investigate Bigfoot, Ancient Giants, Cryptids, The Nephilim, The Watchers, Ancient Burial Mounds, Forbidden History, Megaliths, Conspiracy Theories, Dogman, Mothman, The UFO Phenomenon, Extraterrestrials, and The Unexplained.

EP: 388 Nephilim Kings and the Fourth Industrial Age with Ali Siadatan *members only trailer

Blurry Creatures

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Biblical Ages as Templates for Understanding End Times: The episode explores how Jesus' disciples, as devout Jews, understood history in terms of biblical "ages" — distinct periods like the pre-diluvian age, the age of Abraham, and the age of Noah. When they asked Jesus about "the end of the age" in Matthew 24, they were asking which historical biblical period would serve as a template for the events surrounding his return. Jesus pointed to two key ages: the days of Noah and the days of the abomination of desolation (Antiochus Epiphanes).

The Days of Noah and the Nephilim: Jesus' reference to "the days of Noah" wasn't simply about moral decay, but pointed to a specific time when the sons of God (fallen angels) descended to earth and had relations with human women, producing the Nephilim — hybrid offspring who became rulers and kings. This controversial interpretation, popularized by figures like Chuck Missler, was initially rejected by mainstream Christian publishers who didn't accept the idea of angels having physical relations with humans.

Transfer of Forbidden Knowledge Before the Flood: According to the Book of Enoch (quoted in the New Testament book of Jude), the fallen angels passed down seven bodies of knowledge to humanity before the flood, including pharmacology (sorcery), celestial mechanics, metallurgy, architecture, music, and military arts (the sword). This knowledge wasn't just advanced understanding — it was perverted knowledge meant to corrupt God's creation and establish a civilization in the image of the fallen angels rather than God.

Angels as Advanced Beings Operating Within Creation's Laws: The discussion challenges the medieval Christian view of angels as purely magical beings who operate outside physical laws. Instead, angels are presented as beings who have existed longer than humanity and possess deeper understanding of creation's laws, allowing them to manipulate matter and energy in ways that appear technological. Technology is simply organizing God's physical creation according to advanced knowledge — something angels have more of due to their age and position.

Pre-Flood Advanced Civilization and Atlantis: Evidence of advanced pre-flood civilizations exists in underwater archaeological sites, including pyramids near Taiwan with precision stonework that couldn't have been created with primitive tools. These underwater cities, along with stories like Krishna's city of Dwarka (discovered in the Indian Ocean in the 1980s), point to an advanced antediluvian civilization — what Ali identifies as Atlantis — that was destroyed and submerged.

Rulership Passed Down from Heaven to Earth: Both biblical and Sumerian texts describe how rulership was "passed down" from the divine realm to humanity. The Sumerian King List mentions rulership first appearing in Eridu before the flood, then being passed down again after the flood. The Nephilim — offspring of fallen angels and human women — became the kings who ruled over this pre-flood civilization, establishing a template that may repeat in end times.

Technology as Organized Physical Creation: A key philosophical point made is that technology isn't magic or supernatural — it's simply a deeper understanding of how to organize and manipulate the physical laws God created. Whether it's building a desk, creating a microphone, or potentially destroying cities with "fire from the sky" (as happened to Sodom and Gomorrah and Krishna's city), it all involves applying advanced knowledge to the material world.
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Mayhem in Minneapolis | Episode 199

Bongino Report Early Edition 

Bongino Report: VINCE

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Minneapolis ICE Shooting and Democratic Response: A detailed analysis of an ICE-involved shooting in Minneapolis where a 37-year-old woman was killed after driving her vehicle into a federal officer. Video evidence shows she repeatedly refused commands to exit her vehicle and accelerated toward the officer, who fired through the front windshield in self-defense. Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey and Governor Tim Walz immediately condemned ICE before seeing any evidence, with Frey demanding ICE leave the city and Walz blaming the Trump administration for the violence.

Democratic Leadership Fueling Insurrection: Democratic leaders are accused of staging a continuous insurrection by demonizing ICE agents and federal law enforcement, leading to an 1800% increase in assaults on ICE agents and an 8000% increase in death threats. This rhetoric has created a dangerous environment where left-wing activists believe they have a moral duty to obstruct federal operations, resulting in yesterday's fatal confrontation.

Double Standards in Law Enforcement Deaths: Comparison between the treatment of the Minneapolis shooting and Ashley Babbitt's death on January 6th. Democrats claim the Minneapolis woman was "unarmed" despite using her vehicle as a weapon and attacking a federal officer, while Ashley Babbitt was shot without a weapon and her death was deemed justified. The Minneapolis ICE agent's identity was immediately doxxed while Michael Byrd was protected and even commended by Democrats.

Call for Insurrection Act Invocation: Argument that President Trump should invoke the Insurrection Act to restore order, citing historical precedent where it was used primarily against recalcitrant Democratic governors during civil rights crises and riots. The Act has been invoked numerous times since 1943, most recently during the 1992 LA riots, and current circumstances of mob rule and gubernatorial incitement may warrant its use again.

Dan Bongino's Return Announcement: Dan Bongino announced his return to podcasting in early February with an expanded two-hour show running from 10am to 12pm Eastern, five days a week. He appeared on Haley Carinea's Nightly Scroll and indicated he has extensive material prepared from his time at the FBI, including commentary on Charlie Kirk's death and classified information he can discuss to counter "black pill" narratives.

Minnesota's Somali Immigration and Welfare Fraud: Congressional testimony revealed that 81% of Somali-headed households in Minnesota are on welfare, compared to much lower rates for native Minnesota households (7% on food stamps versus 54% for Somali households). Representative Brandon Gill challenged the narrative that Somali immigration has made Minnesota stronger, highlighting massive dependency on public assistance programs.

Keith Ellison's Corruption Allegations: Audio evidence emerged of Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison meeting with political donors involved in the "Feed Our Future" fraud scheme, promising to relieve investigations into Somali fraudsters in exchange for campaign contributions. Ellison stated "money is freedom" and implicated Governor Tim Walz in protecting these operations, suggesting both should face RICO charges for criminal conspiracy.

Applying Seditious Conspiracy Standards: Julie Kelly argued that the same legal standards used to prosecute January 6th defendants for seditious conspiracy should apply to Democratic officials inciting violence against ICE operations. The Biden DOJ established precedents for charging people with seditious conspiracy even when they didn't directly participate in violence, as with Enrique Tarrio who wasn't present on January 6th but received 22 years in prison.

Weakness of Republican Response: Criticism that most Republican senators and House members remained silent following the Minneapolis shooting, with only J.D. Vance standing out by immediately defending the ICE agent. This contrasts sharply with the Biden administration's immediate condemnation of Border Patrol agents falsely accused of whipping Haitian migrants, demonstrating different standards for law enforcement support.

Media and Political Manipulation: Analysis of how Democratic leaders intentionally inflame tensions to create chaos before elections, similar to the 2020 George Floyd riots. The strategy involves making citizens feel unstable so they blame whoever is in power, with current Minneapolis riots potentially serving as a template for disruption leading into 2026 midterm elections.

Future of Vince's Programming: Assurances that Vince Coglianese will continue his programming despite Dan Bongino's return, including his continuation of the national radio show from 12-3pm Eastern syndicated by Westwood One. More details about the specific arrangements will be announced following Monday's press release from Rumble and Westwood One regarding Bongino's return.

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In a pivotal year for the United States, democracy and global affairs, Britain's biggest podcast, The Rest Is Politics, launches stateside with Katty Kay and Anthony Scaramucci.

The Rest Is Politics: US uncovers the secrets from inside the Biden and Trump inner circles, as well as taking a wider look at the intricacies of US society and how they shape the world's most important economy.

New episodes released every Friday. The Rest Is Politics: UK, with Rory Stewart and Alastair Campbell, is released twice-weekly.

145. The Minnesota ICE Shooting, Trump’s Greenland Gambit, and Rubio vs Miller

The Rest Is Politics: US

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The Minneapolis ICE Shooting and America's Deep Divisions: An ICE agent shot and killed Renee Nicole Goode, a 37-year-old American citizen, after she dropped her son off at school in Minneapolis. The incident occurred during federal operations targeting Somali immigrants, and eyewitnesses say she was shot in the face while trying to turn her car around. The case has exposed America's profound divisions, with people unable to agree even on basic facts despite video evidence. Anthony argues it was a murder that could have been avoided, while DHS Secretary Kristi Noem immediately labeled the victim a "domestic terrorist." The shooting highlights concerns about radically undertrained ICE officers (training cut from six months to six weeks) and some being deployed before security clearances are complete.

Trump's "Get Rough" Rhetoric and Presidential Leadership: The shooting is viewed as a predictable consequence of Trump's aggressive rhetoric telling ICE agents to "get rough" with people, combined with inadequate training and experience. In the first eight days of the administration, there have been threats of military action against NATO ally Denmark over Greenland, aggressive moves toward Venezuela, and threats against Iran and Cuba. The hosts argue this reflects a broader pattern of using force and violence to achieve political objectives, with Anthony questioning whether this constitutes fascist behavior and comparing Trump's operation to a mafia don focused on self-enrichment.

The White House's Rewriting of January 6th: The administration has created a new White House webpage completely rewriting the history of January 6th, blaming federal agents for starting the violence rather than Trump supporters. This is presented as part of a broader pattern where the use of force is always justified when deployed by the administration to further its agenda, whether domestically through ICE operations or internationally through military threats.

Venezuela Operation Reveals Internal White House Divisions: Following the military operation to remove Maduro from Venezuela, significant tensions have emerged within the administration. Marco Rubio is attempting to present a coherent three-part stabilization plan, while Stephen Miller represents the more aggressive "might makes right" faction. JD Vance, who previously opposed military interventionism as a 2024 candidate, has been notably absent from Venezuela discussions but vocal about Minneapolis, suggesting he's been sidelined. Trump spent 75% of a two-hour interview with the New York Times touting the military success but provided little detail on post-operation planning.

Marco Rubio's Credibility Crisis: Rubio is facing severe credibility problems after allegedly lying directly to senators about the administration's intentions. Despite being confirmed 99-0, senators from both parties now distrust him after he assured them military force wouldn't be used, only to have the administration do exactly that. Anthony argues this will end Rubio's political career, as there's a code among senators that you don't lie to colleagues in confidence, and Rubio has violated that trust.

Public Opposition to Venezuela Policy: A CBS poll shows 70% of Americans think Trump hasn't explained his Venezuela plans, 57% disapprove of his handling of it, and 68% disapprove of military action if it's about oil. These numbers suggest significant political risk for the administration heading into midterms, despite Trump's enthusiasm about the military operation's success.

The Greenland Gambit as Distraction: Trump continues threatening military action to acquire Greenland, though Rubio is pushing back internally, arguing Denmark has already offered everything the U.S. wants—expanded military bases and access to mining reserves—without needing force. The hosts suggest Trump is using extreme rhetoric to negotiate back to a middle position he could have achieved diplomatically, while also distracting from the Epstein files release and other domestic issues.

Damage to America's Alliance System: The threats against Denmark and broader aggressive posture toward allies is undermining America's key strategic advantage—its system of alliances—which China has always feared most. By alienating European and other allies, the administration is doing exactly what China wants as it becomes America's peer competitor. Europeans, Koreans, Japanese, and others don't want to replace America with China, but aggressive U.S. behavior is tearing at relationships that have been hugely valuable.

Trump's Socialist Housing Policy: Trump announced he would block private equity firms from buying large tracts of housing in cities, wiping $17 billion off Blackstone's market cap. This represents government intervention in free markets that contradicts traditional conservative principles, leading to the ironic observation of "Donald Trump, the socialist." Both left and right have now decided capitalism needs government intervention to make things affordable, despite 900 years of property law precedent supporting private equity's right to make such purchases.

Cruelty as Policy and Self-Enrichment as Goal: Anthony argues Trump's primary objectives are attention and personal enrichment—estimated at wanting $20 billion for his family, with $5 billion already obtained. The administration deliberately inflicts stress and pain on people while Trump pursues money, operating like a mafia don with a family operation rather than governing for the public good. Trump even told Republican congressmen they must win midterms "so I'm not impeached," not to help voters.

Marjorie Taylor Greene's Split from MAGA: Greene resigned from Congress this week, representing a significant crack in the MAGA movement. Despite being one of Trump's most loyal supporters, Trump turned on her, exposing divisions within MAGA that may become a roadmap for others breaking from Trump over policies like attacking Greenland and aggressive foreign interventions.

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Every weekday, NPR's best political reporters are there to explain the big news coming out of Washington and the campaign trail. They don't just tell you what happened. They tell you why it matters. Every afternoon. Political wonks - get wonkier with The NPR Politics Podcast+. Your subscription supports the podcast and unlocks a sponsor-free feed. Learn more at plus.npr.org/politics

What does President Trump plan to do with Venezuela’s oil?

The NPR Politics Podcast

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Venezuelan Oil Stockpile Under US Control: President Trump announced plans to control and sell 30 to 50 million barrels of Venezuelan oil currently stored in the country. This oil has accumulated because US sanctions and blockades prevented Venezuela from exporting it, particularly to China. The oil represents over a month of Venezuelan production but only a few days of US consumption, worth over a billion dollars even at discounted prices.

The "Stolen Oil" Narrative: Trump frames this as reclaiming US oil that was "stolen," dating back to Hugo Chavez's nationalization of oil companies in the mid-2000s when American oil companies were kicked out. This framing serves a political purpose, presenting the intervention as protecting domestic interests rather than foreign involvement, which appeals to his base.

Perfect Match for US Refineries: Venezuelan oil is uniquely suited for American refineries. It's heavy, thick crude that's difficult to work with, but US Gulf Coast refineries invested decades ago in infrastructure specifically designed to process this type of oil, making them eager for increased supply.

Congressional Pushback on Oil Revenue: Democrats are questioning Trump's plan to personally control revenue from the oil sales, arguing that such money should go to the US Treasury rather than being used as what they call a "personal slush fund." Trump has stated he wants to use the money to help Venezuelans and US interests, but there are concerns about bypassing congressional oversight.

Trump's Longstanding Oil Obsession: Trump has been fixated on controlling foreign oil since at least 2011, consistently saying "keep the oil" regarding Iraq, Iran, and other countries. He views energy dominance as key to lowering inflation and gas prices, making it a central part of both his domestic and international agenda.

Long-Term Production Revival Faces Major Obstacles: Trump's broader vision involves US oil companies rebuilding Venezuela's collapsed oil infrastructure, which has decayed from producing over 3 million barrels per day to less than 1 million. However, this would require billions in investment, take a decade or more (not Trump's claimed 18 months), and current oil prices around $60 per barrel fall short of the $80 needed to make Venezuelan projects profitable.

Oil Industry Caution Despite Trump's Claims: While Trump says oil companies are "eager" to invest in Venezuela, industry sources express significant caution. Companies lost billions when Venezuela previously seized property and renegotiated contracts, and they want higher oil prices and government guarantees before committing major investments—a tension since Trump wants low oil prices for consumers.

Geopolitical Ambitions in the Western Hemisphere: The Venezuelan oil strategy is part of Trump's broader goal to dominate the Western Hemisphere and push out Russian, Chinese, Iranian, and Cuban influence. The administration has told Venezuela's acting president to sever economic ties with these countries as part of reasserting American dominance in the region.

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The Portal is hosted by Brian Smith as he takes you through the biggest college football stories, College football recruiting, transfer portal, and NIL. Tune in for daily insights that will have impact at the local and national level. 
Brian Smith, a life-long recruiting fanatic, will break down the latest college football recruiting rankings, intel, commitments, evaluations from 7-on-7 and camps, and what’s next from coast to coast. He will be on the road covering what matters. That’s why Locked On College Football Recruiting is your dialed-in source for the latest news and insights!
The Portal is presented by the Locked On Podcast Network.

DEAL-BREAKER: Why CONSEQUENCES Must Be ENFORCED For LSU & Demond Williams - Part II

The Portal - Daily College Recruiting and NIL Podcast

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The Demond Williams Transfer Saga and NIL Contract Enforcement: Washington quarterback Demond Williams signed a contract extension just four days before entering the transfer portal to join LSU for an allegedly higher NIL deal (reportedly $5 million versus Washington's $4 million). This raises fundamental questions about whether NIL contracts have any enforceability if players can simply break them without consequences, potentially rendering all future agreements meaningless.

Widespread Tampering Across College Football: Of approximately 136 FBS teams, an estimated 125 head coaches are involved in tampering in some form—either directly participating, being aware without stopping it, or having staff members doing it with their knowledge. This makes selective enforcement nearly impossible, as punishing one coach would require punishing almost everyone, leaving programs without leadership.

Lane Kiffin's Complicated Role in the Controversy: LSU head coach Lane Kiffin allegedly tampered with Williams while simultaneously pursuing other quarterbacks like Swords and Love. Williams was originally committed to Kiffin at Ole Miss during high school, adding another layer to their relationship. Kiffin's history of controversial behavior and his polarizing personality may make him a target for being the first coach punished as an example, even though many others engage in similar practices.

The Transfer Portal Window Creates Urgency and Exploitation: The current portal window closes on January 16th, creating intense pressure for teams to acquire players immediately for spring practice. If a key player at any position gets injured during spring ball or decides to leave, teams will have no portal access to replace them, likely leading to schools testing the "no spring window" rule and engaging in more tampering.

Potential Legal Consequences and Litigation Strategies: Washington could pursue lawsuits not just for contract violations but for defamation and making their collective look bad. Questions remain about jurisdiction—would lawsuits against Kiffin be filed in Washington or Louisiana? The complexity of state-by-state contract law and the potential for Open Records Act requests to expose communication between coaches and players could make litigation extremely messy.

Future Contract Structures Will Include Buyout Clauses: Similar to coaching contracts, player NIL deals will likely evolve to include substantial buyout clauses and penalty provisions. Agents who don't agree to sign contracts with these provisions may be blacklisted by major programs, and players who break contracts could see their NFL draft stock plummet as coaches provide negative evaluations to professional scouts.

Media and Public Accountability Gaps: Local media members covering college football are unlikely to call out their own schools for tampering violations because they fear losing access to coaches and often root for the team they cover. This bias extends to society at large, as college football fans and boosters will turn against politicians or administrators who take actions perceived to hurt their team's chances of winning.

The Revenue Sharing vs. Play-to-Pay Contract Distinction: There's debate about whether Williams' contract was a traditional play-to-pay NIL deal or a revenue-sharing agreement, which may have different legal implications for enforceability. The specific type of contract could determine what legal grounds Washington has to challenge the transfer, though the ultimate enforceability remains unclear.

Regional and Conference Politics Will Shape Responses: The Big Ten and SEC, as the dominant conferences, will need to coordinate their approaches to tampering and contract enforcement to avoid bad PR. The conference a school belongs to may influence how aggressively they pursue litigation, with some suggesting the Big Ten should file lawsuits against LSU and Kiffin to set precedent.

The Impossibility of Fair Enforcement Creates Moral Hazard: If schools don't engage in tampering, they fall behind competitors who do, yet boosters and administrators still hold them to the same winning standards. This creates a situation where even ethical coaches are pressured to cheat or risk losing their jobs, perpetuating a cycle where "if you ain't cheating, you ain't trying."

Xavier Lucas Case Sets Dangerous Precedent: The Xavier Lucas situation, where a player transferred after the portal window closed, already established that transfer rules can be challenged successfully. If the Williams case results in the contract being unenforceable, it will open the floodgates for similar violations and potentially create a spring transfer window through litigation rather than official rules.

Recruiting Consequences and Industry Blacklisting: Kiffin and LSU will likely face informal consequences through blacklisting by seven-on-seven coaches, trainers, and recruiting contacts who disapprove of their tactics. While LSU's powerful brand may insulate them somewhat, this vindictive response from the recruiting community could cost them future prospects and relationships.

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

Is the Trump foreign policy back to the future?

Consider This from NPR

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19th Century Policy Parallels: Trump administration policies increasingly echo those from the 1890s, including high tariffs reminiscent of the 1890 McKinley Tariff Act (which raised rates up to 50%), wealthy industry leaders (now AI executives like Bezos, Zuckerberg, and Altman) donating to political campaigns similar to railroad barons, and territorial expansion efforts comparable to the annexation of Hawaii in 1899.

Venezuelan Regime Change Operation: The U.S. military seized Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, representing a significant shift from Trump's initial anti-regime change rhetoric. While Maduro was considered corrupt and ruthless, the operation resulted in "decapitation without regime change," as Maduro's government officials (defense minister, interior minister, and acting president) remain in control while the U.S. stated it would "run the country" temporarily.

Greenland and Arctic Expansion Interests: Trump advisor Stephen Miller declared the U.S. should possess Greenland, echoing 19th century territorial expansion. However, legitimate Arctic security concerns exist due to climate change opening new trade routes as polar ice caps melt. Michael Froman suggests the U.S. should increase Arctic engagement through cooperation with Denmark and Greenland rather than annexation.

Challenge to Rules-Based International Order: The Trump administration is departing from the post-World War II framework where the U.S. exercised power through a rules-based system that other nations bought into. Stephen Miller and others argue this system was always a veneer, and that foreign policy should be based purely on strength and power rather than international norms and cooperation.

Active Interventionism Over Isolationism: Despite expectations that Trump's second term would be isolationist, the administration has been deeply engaged internationally from day one, including the Venezuela regime change, state-building plans in Gaza following ceasefire negotiations, and various territorial ambitions, demonstrating active and personal presidential participation in foreign affairs.

Power Politics and International Relations: While the U.S. maintains the world's largest military and spends more than the next several countries combined, the question remains how this power should be exercised. For 80 years, the U.S. used leadership to shape a system that maintained broad global peace, but the current approach prioritizes unilateral action based on hard power over multilateral cooperation and self-imposed constraints.

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Nick Kypreos and Justin Bourne talk all things Maple Leafs and NHL!  Airing live on Sportsnet 590 The FAN weekdays from 4-6 PM ET.

Leafs Hour: Laughton Returns to Philly + Buy or Sell?

Real Kyper & Bourne

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Scott Laughton's Return to Philadelphia: The episode focuses heavily on Scott Laughton's first game back in Philadelphia after being traded to Toronto. Craig Berube praises Laughton as a "dependable" who brings effort, skill, and strong locker room presence, noting he's been crucial to the Leafs' improved penalty kill (now top three in the league). However, there's frustration that Laughton hasn't been given more offensive opportunities, consistently playing only 11 minutes per game on the fourth line with Steve Lorentz and Jarnkrok, despite never getting a chance to play with skilled linemates.

Laughton's Contract Situation and Future: As an upcoming UFA at 31 years old, Laughton faces an uncertain future with Toronto. The hosts debate whether he'd re-sign for around $3 million on a four-year deal or seek more money and ice time elsewhere. There's speculation that Craig Berube's first impression of Laughton as a rookie may have stuck negatively, limiting his usage despite strong current play. The question remains whether Laughton wants to stay in Toronto with limited minutes or pursue a bigger role elsewhere.

The Buy or Sell Dilemma: A major theme is whether the Leafs should be buyers or sellers at the trade deadline. Kypreos' article highlights the "gutsy decision" facing Toronto - they could be the 2019 Blues (not very good early, but rallying to win the Cup) or they could repeat past mistakes by holding onto UFAs like McMann, Lorentz, Laughton, and others, getting no assets back when they walk. Missing the playoffs while losing all these pieces and giving Boston a high draft pick would be an "epic disaster."

The Crowded Eastern Conference: The Leafs are stuck in a group of approximately 15 teams with similar records who could all make or miss the playoffs. The concern is that Toronto lacks tradeable assets compared to other teams in this group - while 13-14 other teams can offer first or second-round picks to improve, the Leafs have already depleted their cupboard. This puts them at a disadvantage if they try to buy at the deadline, as they'd be shopping with limited currency while competing against teams with more assets.

Bobby McMann's Contract Situation: McMann is in the midst of his best career stretch, looking like a 25-goal, 50-55 point scorer worth around $4 million annually. However, there's significant debate about whether to extend him. At 29 years old, having barely made the NHL at 26-27, there's concern he won't maintain elite performance long-term like players who break in younger. The hosts reference Warren Foegele's $3.5 million deal as a comparable, though Foegele currently has only six goals this season, illustrating the risk of overpaying based on a hot streak.

Asset Management and Trade Deadline Philosophy: The episode explores whether the Leafs can simultaneously sell some pending UFAs for assets while still competing, citing Doug Armstrong's approach with St. Louis (trading Stastny and Shattenkirk for picks before winning the Cup in 2019). The hosts suggest decisions need to be made by around January 20th, as waiting until the deadline leaves Toronto shopping on "Christmas Eve" when prices are inflated and options limited, as happened with the late Laughton and Lyubushkin acquisitions last year.

The Goaltending Situation: Dennis Hildeby is starting in Philadelphia after playing his highest minutes of the season (17:52) last game. Craig Berube praised how much Hildeby's game has grown from last year, noting he's become a regular and essentially saved the season when Joseph Woll was injured. Once Anthony Stolarz returns from injury - potentially before the Olympics - the Leafs will need to decide whether to carry three goalies or send the waiver-exempt Hildeby back to the Marlies.

Chris Tanev's Injury Timeline: Tanev's groin injury (where the muscle tore off the bone) could potentially see him return before the playoffs, depending on the type of surgery required. Apparently, when bone comes off with the injury, it actually heals easier. However, with the playoff salary cap now in effect at the trade deadline, the Leafs can't use his cap space unless they're certain he can't return. A decision on his status should be known within the next couple of weeks.

Philadelphia Flyers' Rebuild Progress: Chris Therien provides insight into Philadelphia's surprising success under Danny Briere and Rick Tocchet. The Flyers have five more wins than this point last year, haven't lost consecutive games in regulation except once (back-to-back games against Toronto and Calgary), and have significantly more talent than recent years with additions like Zegras and skilled prospects like Matvei Michkov. Dan Vladar has been the "runaway MVP," providing elite goaltending that's kept them in games they shouldn't have won.

Trevor Zegras' Rejuvenation: After being traded for essentially a second-round pick (a humbling move), Zegras has become a point-per-game player in Philadelphia and brought much-needed "pizzazz" to the team. While his exuberant celebration and postgame interview after scoring against Anaheim raised eyebrows, Therien notes this flair is exactly what the Flyers needed. Zegras appears headed toward a long-term contract extension with Philadelphia after successfully rejuvenating his career.

Nikita Grebenkin's Development: In a painful discussion for Leafs fans, Therien raves about Grebenkin's future potential in Philadelphia, calling the Laughton trade (first-round pick plus Grebenkin for a deadline rental) "an absolutely great trade for the Flyers." While still raw and working on neutral zone positioning, Grebenkin has shown he could be "a great find" for Philadelphia. The Leafs gave up both him and Knies when they traded for Laughton and Lyubushkin, moves that were necessary to compete last year but look costly now.

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Trust in the media is at an all-time low. And there’s a reason—endless virtue signaling and manufactured outrage. Finally, there’s an alternative. Morning Wire is presented by Daily Wire Editor-in-Chief, John Bickley, and co-host Georgia Howe. Get daily coverage of the latest developments in politics, culture, education, sports, and more. Wake up with Morning Wire and get the facts first on the news you need to know.

Evening Wire: Minneapolis Protests Widen & Federal Fraud Task Force | 1.8.26

Morning Wire

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Minneapolis Protests and Federal Investigation: Hundreds of protesters gathered outside a federal building in Minneapolis following the fatal shooting of a woman by ICE. Authorities say the woman attempted to ram an ICE agent with her car and ignored lawful commands, though Minneapolis city leaders dispute this account and call the shooting unjustified. The protests turned confrontational, with tear gas and pepper balls deployed and at least four protesters detained. Minneapolis Public Schools canceled classes Thursday and Friday due to safety concerns.

Federal Anti-Fraud Task Force Launched: Vice President J.D. Vance announced a new federal task force to combat fraud, with efforts starting in Minnesota but expanding nationwide to states including California and Ohio. The administration has already issued over 1,500 subpoenas and secured 100 indictments. The Justice Department will add a dedicated associate attorney general position focused solely on fraud investigations, with a nominee expected to be announced within days.

Senate Passes Venezuela Military Action Restrictions: The Senate voted 52 to 47 to pass legislation requiring congressional approval for further military action in Venezuela. Five Republican senators joined Democrats in backing the resolution. The measure now heads to the House with an uncertain future, while the White House maintains its actions in Venezuela were lawful and necessary to disrupt narco-terror networks.

Russia Sanctions Bill Gains Trump Support: Senator Lindsey Graham announced that President Trump supports bipartisan legislation to impose secondary sanctions and tariffs on countries purchasing Russian oil, including China, India, and Brazil. The bill could be up for a vote as early as next week with the president's backing.

Colombia's President Seeks White House Meeting: After President Trump threatened potential military operations in Colombia, President Gustavo Petro called the White House to explain the drug situation and other disagreements. Trump said he appreciated Petro's tone and arrangements are being made for a White House meeting, marking a shift from Petro's initial criticism of the administration.

US Exits 66 International Organizations: President Trump signed an executive order ending US affiliation with 66 international groups, many tied to climate and gender activism, including the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change and the Green Climate Fund. Secretary of State Marco Rubio called it a fulfillment of Trump's pledge to stop funding "globalist bureaucracies."

Major Gang Arrests in New York: ICE officers arrested 54 members and associates of the Trinitarios Dominican gang operating across New York, accused of weapons trafficking, human smuggling, narcotics distribution, and armed robberies. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem announced the arrests as a significant blow to the criminal network.

JP Morgan Takes Over Apple Card Program: JP Morgan Chase is taking over Apple's credit card program from Goldman Sachs, which is selling the portfolio at a rare discount reflecting higher delinquency rates and losses since the program's 2019 launch. The $20 billion portfolio transition is expected to take about two years.

College Football Playoff Semifinals Begin: The semifinals feature Miami taking on Ole Miss in the Fiesta Bowl and Indiana facing Oregon in a rematch in the Peach Bowl. Indiana is the number one seed and only undefeated team remaining, while Ole Miss is on a two-game playoff win streak under new head coach Pete Golding.
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Short, thoughtful and regular takes on recent events in the markets from a variety of perspectives and voices within Morgan Stanley.

Driverless Cars Take the Fast Lane

Thoughts on the Market

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2026 as an Inflection Point for Autonomous Vehicles: Autonomous vehicle availability in the US is projected to double from approximately 15% of the urban population at the end of 2025 to over 30% by the end of 2026. This expansion will be driven by Waymo, Tesla, Zoox, and other players rolling out fleets across multiple new cities, making autonomous rides far more commonplace for everyday use.

Geographic Expansion and New Edge Cases: The industry will test autonomous vehicles in challenging new environments throughout 2026, particularly in snow-prone cities. Waymo is expected to launch in Washington D.C., Colorado, and potentially Michigan, providing crucial proof of concept that autonomous driving can work safely in winter weather conditions beyond the current predominantly sunny-weather deployments.

Regulatory Hurdles Remain State-by-State: Despite rapid technological progress, autonomous vehicle companies still face state-by-state regulatory approval processes. Each platform must prove their autonomous offerings are significantly safer than human driving to gain regulatory approval, creating a flywheel effect where improved safety data enables fleet scaling, which in turn generates more safety data.

Tesla's Cost Advantage vs. Waymo's Safety Lead: Tesla maintains approximately a 40% cost advantage over Waymo due to vertical integration and a camera-only sensor approach (avoiding expensive lidar and radar), with vehicle costs around $35,000. However, Waymo currently demonstrates superior safety with crashes occurring every 400,000 miles compared to Tesla's crash every 50,000 miles in Austin, though Tesla has only driven about 250,000 miles total versus Waymo's 100 million cumulative miles.

Safety Data as the Critical 2026 Catalyst: The key metric to watch is how Tesla's safety data improves throughout 2026 as they accumulate more miles. Waymo's safety improved substantially as their miles driven increased and they expanded to new cities, and Tesla is expected to follow a similar trajectory. If Tesla can validate their camera-only approach with improved safety data, their manufacturing capacity advantage could enable rapid scaling.

Implications for the Rideshare Industry: The autonomous vehicle expansion poses both opportunities and threats to Uber and Lyft. While these companies have partnerships with Waymo across some markets, they're not partnered in all markets, and Tesla isn't partnering with anyone. Based on current partnerships, Morgan Stanley projects that Uber and Lyft will only capture 30% of the autonomous driving market, down from their current 100% dominance of traditional rideshare.

Incremental vs. Cannibalistic Growth Question: A critical uncertainty is whether autonomous offerings will expand the total addressable market for rideshare or simply cannibalize existing rides. While autonomous trips are projected to remain less than 1% of total US miles driven through 2032, they could represent 20-30% of the rideshare industry specifically, making it crucial for Uber and Lyft to secure additional partnerships to participate in this growth.

Long-Term Market Potential Beyond 2026: Even with projected 100% compound annual growth in autonomous miles driven through 2032, autonomous vehicles would still represent less than 1% of total US miles driven, indicating a massive addressable market remains untapped. The ultimate disruption potential depends on whether robotaxis can become cheaper than personal car ownership, which could fundamentally transform transportation patterns.
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The latest headlines and analysis from Britain’s most trusted newspaper - now delivered to you three times a day. Follow the podcast to never miss an episode.<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.

Evening briefing Thursday 8th January

Times news briefing

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Government U-Turn on Pub Business Rates: Chancellor Rachel Reeves is pledging additional financial support to pubs facing closure after a backlash against planned business rate increases. More than a thousand pubs banned Labour MPs from their premises over Christmas in protest. Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch criticized the government's approach, stating the Conservatives have a better plan to slash business rates for the entire high street, not just pubs.

Storm Eowyn Brings Rare Red Weather Warning: The Met Office has issued a red wind warning for Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly, indicating dangerous and potentially life-threatening conditions. Meteorologists note that red warnings are extremely rare, occurring perhaps once a year or less. Storm Eowyn is expected to bring winds of 80-90mph capable of causing devastating damage, with up to 8 inches of snow forecast for parts of Wales and the Midlands.

Met Police Vetting Scandal: Home Secretary Yvette Cooper has condemned the abandonment of proper vetting checks for police officers as a dereliction of duty. A diversity panel allowed 25 individuals to join the force despite earlier safety rejections, and these officers went on to commit serious crimes including rape. The scandal raises concerns about officer safety and trust within the force, with Cooper demanding an inspection into what went wrong.

NHS Corridor Care Crisis: Hospitals are adapting temporary spaces with plugs and call bells as corridor care becomes increasingly common, but medical professionals warn of serious hazards including difficult patient monitoring, infection control issues, and potential lack of oxygen access. The Royal College of Emergency Medicine emphasizes that proper care cannot be delivered in corridors due to lack of privacy, dignity, and ability to properly examine patients, though the government says it's working with NHS trusts to end the practice.
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Hosted by Matt Kittle and The Federalist’s team of fearless journalists, this is a podcast featuring engaging and in-depth conversations with reporters, scholars, authors, politicians, and thinkers of all stripes. Along with guest hosts Mollie Hemingway, David Harsanyi, and others, the show delivers smart and compelling dialogues on politics, culture, religion, and the news of the day. Support the show by subscribing, rating, and writing a review! Check out The Federalist's other coverage on <a href="https://thefederalist.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">our website</a>. Follow The Federalist on <a href="https://twitter.com/fdrlst" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">X</a>.

‘The Kylee Cast’ feat. Mollie Hemingway and Sara Prinzi, Ep. 23: Best Of The Federalist 2025, And What To Expect In 2026

Federalist Radio Hour

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The Federalist's Unique Position in Media: The Federalist distinguishes itself from corporate media by rejecting the narrative-pushing approach of outlets like the Washington Post and New York Times. Unlike DC-based publications that tell Americans what powerful elites want them to know, The Federalist tells DC what real Americans think. The staff is distributed across the country rather than concentrated in Washington or New York, providing diverse perspectives and covering politics, religion, and culture in an integrated way.

Key 2025 Coverage Areas: The year was dominated by Trump administration coverage, including his Cabinet nominations and Republican opposition, executive orders and subsequent lawfare challenges, border enforcement impacts on local communities, and the first 200 days of constant major stories. The Federalist's distributed team and understanding of average American frustrations gave them unique insight into covering these developments.

Winning the Dao Journalism Award: The Federalist won the grand prize for investigative journalism covering the Russia collusion hoax. While this story dates back to October 2016, the 2025 reporting revealed how CIA and Office of the Director of National Intelligence officials who tried to stop the hoax were bullied, isolated, and threatened. This year's exclusive stories showed how spy agencies beyond the FBI played key operational roles in the information operation against Americans.

Recognizing Information Operations: The ability to identify coordinated media campaigns comes from experience spotting patterns like simultaneous story drops, pre-prepared messaging, and recycled tactics. Examples include the Sandra Fluke hearing coordination, the Russia collusion hoax rollout, and the Kavanaugh allegations that mirrored the Clarence Thomas playbook. Recognition requires not just skepticism but willingness to investigate and push back against coordinated narratives.

COVID's Crisis of Credibility: The pandemic exposed widespread institutional dishonesty from corporate media, medical establishments, and public schools, leading many Americans to distrust previously trusted institutions. The Federalist addresses this by not just questioning narratives but providing factual reporting that gives readers solid ground to stand on, moving beyond conspiracy theories to verifiable truth.

Department of Justice and FBI Corruption: Ongoing reporting reveals systematic abuse of prosecutorial discretion, with the DOJ and FBI protecting political allies while aggressively targeting opponents. The Federalist has additional stories in development based on document releases from FOIA requests and congressional committee work that will further expose this two-tiered justice system.

2026 Preview and Midterm Elections: The upcoming midterms are critical for determining whether Trump's agenda can continue. Unlike typical midterm patterns favoring the opposition party, the 2024 election represented Americans' desire for radical change to address fundamental republic-threatening problems. House and Senate control will determine whether voters get the reforms they demanded.

Immigration as an Ongoing Story: Beyond deportations, immigration issues including fraud schemes like those exposed in Minnesota's Somali community will continue manifesting nationwide. The Federalist has been at the cutting edge of border enforcement coverage for years, with senior contributor Benjamin Weingarten previously publishing a book on Ilhan Omar and related issues.

The Federalist Foundation and Donor Support: As a 501(c)(3) nonprofit receiving no government funding, The Federalist depends entirely on donor support. The new Federalist Insider program offers monthly supporters exclusive early access to events, special communications, and merchandise for $35/month, providing sustainable funding for independent journalism.

Legacy Society for Long-Term Support: Donors can ensure The Federalist's continued existence by including the organization in their estate planning. The website offers a free will-preparation tool to make this process accessible, allowing supporters to leave a lasting impact on independent journalism.

New Federalist Store: The organization launched a merchandise store with products ranging from baby onesies to conversation-starter t-shirts, including a popular Clarence Thomas design. The store provides another way for supporters to fund the organization while publicly displaying their values and starting conversations about freedom and truth.

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It’s your favorite former truck driver, Bitcoin Ben.

I’m a cryptocurrency enthusiast. I’m also just an average guy who wants to help bring cryptocurrency into the mainstream. The adoption of cryptocurrency is key to our future. I’m excited to be part of this Revolution.

I love my family, wife and three kids. I love you guys, my followers, my fellow cryptocurrency enthusiasts.

And don’t forget to kick ass! Support this podcast: <a href="https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/bitcoin-ben/support" rel="payment">https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/bitcoin-ben/support</a>

January Starts Strong: Adoption Accelerates & Market Structure Vote Ahead

BITCOIN BEN

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Bitcoin Price Correction and Market Outlook: Bitcoin is currently trading at $89,765, experiencing a dip from its recent peak of $94,000 at the start of the year. The correction follows news about Venezuela's political changes and speculation about a potential secret bitcoin stockpile. Despite the downturn, the price is expected to stabilize and potentially rise, with the traditional four-year cycle pattern no longer applying due to new catalysts like ETFs, the presidential administration's pro-crypto stance, and institutional adoption.

Upcoming Crypto Market Structure Bill Vote: The Senate Banking Committee will vote on the Clarity Act (crypto market structure bill) on January 15th, which represents a critical milestone for cryptocurrency regulation. The bill aims to ban wash trading and fake volume, criminalize spoofing and front running, provide real-time monitoring tools for market abuse, and require proof of reserves and regulatory audits for US exchanges. Crypto industry representatives are flying to Washington this week to educate senators before the vote.

State-Level Bitcoin Reserve Initiatives: Florida has reintroduced legislation to create a strategic bitcoin reserve, allowing up to 10% of public funds to be invested in Bitcoin and ETFs. Currently, Arizona, New Hampshire, and Texas have enacted bitcoin reserve bills, with Texas already allocating $10 million (half already invested in Bitcoin ETFs). Several other states including Massachusetts, Michigan, Ohio, South Dakota, and Wyoming have bills in committee stages.

Progressive Regulatory Framework Development: The US is taking a methodical approach to cryptocurrency regulation, starting with the Genius Act last year which provided clarity on stablecoins, and now moving to the market structure bill to define SEC and CFTC jurisdictional boundaries. This step-by-step process is seen as necessary for continued industry growth and institutional adoption rather than restrictive regulation.

Major Crypto Industry Partnerships and Innovation: Tether and Rumble announced a partnership to create a self-custodial crypto wallet that will allow users to tip content creators in bitcoin directly. Tether owns approximately 48% of Rumble, making this more of an internal development than a simple partnership. Additionally, Binance is adding gold and silver perpetual futures settled in USDT, representing a shift of precious metals trading into the cryptocurrency ecosystem.

Bitcoin Ben Crypto Club Rebranding and Expansion: The organization is undergoing a rebranding to "Private Key Clubs" to better position for growth and institutional recognition, particularly with the credit union and resort ventures. Nashville is the first location to receive the new branding. The clubs plan to expand strategically by scouting locations with existing crypto communities rather than building in new areas hoping communities will develop.

New Virtual Membership Options and Pricing Changes: The club is introducing cheaper membership options including a virtual membership for people without nearby physical locations. Virtual members will be able to attend online classes held on Tuesdays and Thursdays. This change aims to make educational resources and programs like the Confidential Bulk Purchase Program more accessible to a wider audience.

Security Threats and Scam Warnings: Ledger users face potential phishing attacks after the company's global e-payment processor was compromised, exposing email addresses and names (though wallets remain secure). Bitcoin ATM scams cost victims $330,000 last year, typically through romance or "pig butchering" scams where criminals build long-term relationships before convincing victims to send cryptocurrency. Physical "wrench attacks" where thieves physically force victims to transfer crypto are also increasing.

Cryptocurrency Security Best Practices: Users should maintain multiple wallets for different purposes - a secure vault wallet on dedicated hardware like Calyx crypto-only laptops for savings, and separate wallets for active trading or DeFi activities. Having a "dummy wallet" with minimal funds can protect against physical attacks. Users must practice good internet hygiene, never click links in emails claiming to be from wallet providers, and always verify sender addresses.

Tether's Gold Token Innovation: Tether introduced the "scudo," a new unit representing 1/1,000th of an XAUT token (their gold-backed cryptocurrency). This innovation aims to make gold-backed crypto more practical for everyday transactions, similar to how satoshis make bitcoin more divisible for small purchases.

Diversified Investment Strategy Recommendation: While bitcoin remains the primary focus, the recommendation is to maintain a diversified portfolio including precious metals (gold and silver), real estate, oil, water rights, and land alongside cryptocurrency holdings to ensure comprehensive wealth protection.

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IDEAS is a deep-dive into contemporary thought and intellectual history. No topic is off-limits. In the age of clickbait and superficial headlines, it's for people who like to think.

'Dialogue between science and religion matters to the planet'

Ideas

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From Presbyterian Minister to Environmental Philosopher: Holmes Rolston III began as a Presbyterian minister in rural Virginia but was fired for spending too much time in the woods and believing in evolution. This dismissal became a turning point, leading him to pursue philosophy of science at the University of Pittsburgh and eventually to Colorado State University, where he spent 40 years developing a revolutionary new field of philosophy.

Inventing Environmental Ethics as an Academic Discipline: Ralston is credited as one of the founding fathers of environmental ethics, creating an entirely new branch of philosophy. His landmark 1975 essay "Is There an Ecological Ethic?" published in the prestigious journal Ethics, asked whether humans have moral obligations extending beyond other people to nature itself—a question that hadn't been seriously explored in Western philosophy before.

The Concept of Intrinsic Natural Value: Ralston's signature philosophical contribution was arguing that nature possesses intrinsic value independent of human interests or uses. He observed that plants and animals have "a good of their own" that they defend, giving them inherent worth regardless of whether humans find them useful. This was radical because traditional ethics treated nature's value as entirely dependent on human purposes and desires.

Bridging Science, Religion, and Philosophy: Ralston uniquely synthesized three disciplines—theology, natural science, and philosophy—into a coherent worldview. While he remained a committed Presbyterian throughout his life, he carefully separated his religious writings from his philosophical work, presenting his environmental ethics through scientific and philosophical arguments that didn't require theological belief to be compelling.

Evolution and Deep Time as Moral Foundations: Central to Ralston's philosophy was the importance of evolutionary processes and geological history spanning millions of years. He argued that these deep historical processes, creating complexity and diversity through what he called a "cruciform nature" (suffering through to something higher), gave nature its moral significance and demonstrated why ecological systems mattered more than just individual organisms.

Wilderness as the Pinnacle of Natural Value: Ralston viewed wilderness areas untouched by human development as "the grandest historical museum of all," representing the world as it had been for 99.9% of its existence. This prioritization of wild landscapes became controversial, as critics pointed out his Western, colonial perspective failed to recognize indigenous peoples who had lived on these lands for millennia without visible infrastructure.

Conflict with Animal Rights Philosophy: Though initially aligned with animal welfare philosophers like Peter Singer, Ralston's environmental ethics diverged sharply from the animal rights movement. While Singer prioritized minimizing individual animal suffering, Ralston argued that ecosystem health took precedence over individual welfare, sometimes requiring the removal or killing of animals to protect system integrity.

The Controversial "Feeding People vs. Saving Nature" Debate: Ralston sparked major controversy by suggesting that under very specific conditions—when natural values are extremely rare, human benefits would be temporary, and society demonstrates it doesn't genuinely care for the poor through other choices—saving nature could take priority over feeding people. This position, which he acknowledged could involve killing to preserve endangered species, drew immediate backlash from the environmental philosophy community.

Timing and the Environmental Movement: Ralston's philosophical work emerged alongside major environmental legislation like the Endangered Species Act (1973) and the first Earth Day celebrations. His contribution was articulating in philosophical language the public sentiment that nature mattered, providing the intellectual framework for environmental protection that was already gaining political momentum.

Legacy of Courage and Interdisciplinary Integration: Ralston's lasting impact comes from his courage in challenging the anthropocentric worldview that had dominated Western thought since Aristotle's "great chain of being." He demonstrated that environmental ethics is fundamental to human existence, encompassing every choice we make about how to interact with our surroundings, from daily decisions to global sustainability questions.

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The latest news from the fastest growing radio news network, FOX News Radio. Listen to the power of FOX News on radio! Updated hourly!

Minnesota Gov. Walz Has National Guard on Standby as Back and Forth Over ICE Fatal Shooting Continues

Fox News Hourly Update

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Minnesota National Guard Deployed Following ICE Shooting: Governor Tim Walz authorized the National Guard to support local law enforcement after a fatal shooting involving ICE agents in Minneapolis. The incident resulted in the death of 37-year-old Renee Good. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem claims Good was using her SUV as a weapon against officers and that the shooting was in self-defense. Walz called for peaceful protests and stated that Minnesota must play a role in investigating the shooting, despite the Justice Department's move to keep it under federal jurisdiction.

House Passes Obamacare Subsidy Extension: The House voted 230-196 to extend Affordable Care Act subsidies for three years, with 17 Republicans joining Democrats in support. The bill now moves to the Senate, where Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries criticized Senate Majority Leader John Thune for "playing procedural games." The Congressional Budget Office estimates the extension would increase the national deficit by approximately $80.6 million over the next decade.

Federal Prosecutor Disqualified from Letitia James Investigation: A judge ruled that a federal prosecutor cannot oversee investigations into New York Attorney General Letitia James, determining he is not lawfully serving as an acting U.S. attorney.

Head Start Program Protected by Federal Court: A federal judge blocked the Trump administration from punishing Head Start directors for using prohibited language and barred further cuts to the program. The administration had laid off half the Head Start staff and created a list of nearly 200 banned words including "Native American," "black," and "women," despite legal requirements for directors to report demographic information about families they serve.

Pennsylvania Governor Shapiro Launches Re-Election Campaign: Governor Josh Shapiro, considered a potential 2028 Democratic presidential contender, announced his re-election bid. His campaign highlights accomplishments including rapid infrastructure repair, removing college degree requirements for state jobs, funding law enforcement, and providing free breakfast in public schools. Shapiro has a memoir releasing this month covering his political career and the arson attack on his home.

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"El Test de Turing" es un podcast de Inteligencia Artificial IA semanal de 40 minutos presentado por Álvaro Peña, Arnau Vendrell y Víctor Mollá, centrado en la Inteligencia Artificial (OpenAI, ChatGPT, Google, Claude, Midjourney, Dall-e...). Cada episodio incluye noticias sobre IA, un tema relevante y preguntas de la comunidad. Con un enfoque informal y ameno, este podcast es perfecto para quienes deseen adentrarse en la IA o expertos buscando actualizaciones en el campo. 

Únete a nosotros para estar al tanto de las últimas tendencias y avances en este apasionante mundo tecnológico.

Predicciones de IA para 2026: lo que acertamos, lo que fallamos y lo que viene (Ep. 136)

El Test de Turing - Inteligencia Artificial IA Aplicada a Negocio

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I apologize, but I cannot provide an accurate summary of this podcast episode. The transcript provided appears to be heavily corrupted or incorrectly transcribed, making it impossible to understand the actual content discussed in the episode.

The transcript contains fragmented Spanish words and phrases that don't form coherent sentences or meaningful dialogue. While the context indicates this is Episode 136 of "El Test de Turing," a Spanish-language AI podcast that reviews 2025 predictions and makes new predictions for 2026, the transcript itself is not legible enough to extract the specific topics, insights, and arguments presented.

To provide you with an accurate and comprehensive summary as requested, I would need a properly transcribed version of the episode audio. The context information does provide some topic timestamps including:
- Discussion of Vuela and Gurusup projects
- OpenAI's declining visits
- Disney's $1B investment in OpenAI
- YouTube's ASK feature
- xAI's $20B funding round
- Gemini 3 achievements
- Claude Code templates
- AI predictions for 2026

However, without a readable transcript, I cannot provide the detailed analysis, context, and key points from the actual discussion that would make for a meaningful summary.
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9to5Mac Daily is a recap podcast bringing you the latest in Apple news and the top 9to5Mac stories every Monday through Friday.

The future of Apple Card

9to5Mac Daily

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Chase Takes Over Apple Card from Goldman Sachs: Apple officially confirmed that Chase will replace Goldman Sachs as the issuer of Apple Card, with the transition occurring over the next 24 months. Goldman Sachs has been seeking to exit the partnership due to mounting losses from Apple Card and its broader consumer finance division, after previously being in talks with several banks including American Express, Capital One, and Synchrony.

Seamless Transition for Existing Users: Apple Card users will not need to reapply for their cards during the transition, and can continue using both their physical and digital cards normally throughout the process. Mastercard will remain the payment network, and users will continue managing their cards through the iPhone Wallet app with the same benefits including up to 3% unlimited daily cash back on purchases and Apple Card monthly installments for Apple products.

No Fees Policy Remains Intact: Apple Card will continue to have no annual fees, no late fees, and no foreign transaction fees under Chase's management, maintaining one of its key competitive advantages in the credit card market.

Apple Card Savings Account Future Unclear: While the high-yield savings account currently offered through Goldman Sachs will continue during the transition, details about its future are pending. The Wall Street Journal reports that Chase is preparing to launch its own Apple Savings Account, though whether it will maintain the high-yield rate remains uncertain, and users may have the option to keep their savings with Goldman Sachs or move to Chase.

Goldman Sachs' Massive Losses Explained: Goldman Sachs lost billions on Apple Card primarily due to issuing cards to subprime borrowers with high limits who failed to pay their balances, resulting in a 2.93% net charge-off rate—double that of Chase and Bank of America. More than a quarter of Goldman's card loans went to people with credit scores below 660, compared to just 12% for Chase and 3.7% for Bank of America (under 620), and the bank was less aggressive at recovering charged-off debt while unable to offset losses through fees that Apple Card doesn't charge.

Kentucky Launches Mobile ID App: Kentucky introduced its new Kentucky mobile ID app for iPhone and Android, allowing residents to use digital IDs at TSA checkpoints in over 250 airports, though Apple Wallet integration is not yet available at launch but is expected later this year after years of being on Apple's list of forthcoming partners.

Passport-Based Digital ID Alternative: Apple introduced a solution in iOS 18.1 that allows anyone with a passport to create a digital ID in Apple Wallet regardless of whether their state supports the feature, eliminating the need to wait for state-specific support.
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Bloomberg News Now is a comprehensive audio report on today's top stories. Listen for the latest news, whenever you want it, covering global business stories around the world.

House Passes ACA Subsidies Extension, Minneapolis on Edge, More

Bloomberg News Now

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Affordable Care Act Subsidies Extended: House Republicans broke ranks with party leadership to join Democrats in passing legislation that restores expired ACA subsidies for three years, with a vote of 230-196. The measure now moves to the Senate for consideration.

Minneapolis Tensions Following Fatal ICE Shooting: A woman was fatally shot by an ICE agent on Wednesday, with Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem and President Trump claiming the agent acted in self-defense. However, Minnesota Governor Tim Walz expressed concern about getting a fair outcome, noting that officials in positions of power have already passed judgment. The state's investigations agency reports the U.S. attorney's office has prevented it from participating in the investigation.

Trump's Mortgage Bond Purchase Plan: President Trump announced plans to purchase $200 billion in mortgage bonds to lower mortgage rates and monthly payments, making homeownership more affordable ahead of November midterm elections. Details remain unclear about how these purchases would occur or which parties would execute them. Treasury Secretary Scott Besant clarified that Trump's proposal to restrict institutional investors from buying single-family homes would be forward-looking only, not requiring forced sales of current holdings.

Federal Reserve Rate Cut Expectations Diverge: While financial markets are pricing in about two rate cuts this year, Fed Governor Stephen Myron is projecting at least six cuts. Myron estimates underlying inflation at 2.3%, lower than the Fed's preferred measure of 2.8%, noting that shelter inflation significantly lags and that the economy could add about a million jobs without adding price pressures.

Senate Advances Venezuela Military Action Opposition: The Senate voted to advance legislation opposing further military action in Venezuela, with five Republicans crossing party lines to join Democrats. President Trump criticized these Republicans, saying they should be ashamed and never be elected again. Senator Rand Paul framed the vote as part of the ongoing debate since World War II about presidential war powers. Meanwhile, oil executives from companies like Chevron and Exxon Mobil are scheduled to meet with Trump to discuss reviving Venezuela's oil production, while Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard was notably excluded from months of planning to oust Nicolas Maduro due to her previous opposition to military action.

Supreme Court Major Decisions Pending: The Supreme Court is set to issue significant rulings, including one on the legality of Trump's tariffs imposed under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act, which lower courts have already struck down. A ruling against Trump would undercut his signature economic policy and represent his biggest legal defeat since returning to office. The court may also rule on a major redistricting case that could help Republicans maintain Congressional control in the midterm elections.
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A critical look at new technologies, new approaches and new ways of thinking, from politics to media to environmental sustainability.

Civility, trash talking and more sociable cities

Future Tense

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The Paradox of Civility: Civility is about outward behavior and conforming to conventions of appropriate conduct, not necessarily about being morally virtuous. Professor Keith Bybee explains that even con artists can have impeccable manners, and being polite doesn't mean you're actually kind. This separation between civil behavior and moral character is actually beneficial in modern society, as it allows people with different values and interests to interact without requiring them to genuinely like or agree with one another.

Why Codifying Civility Would Be Problematic: Unlike law, which has established processes and institutions for enforcement, civility lacks authoritative governing bodies—and that's a good thing. Attempting to make civility more like law by creating enforceable codes of conduct would work for small groups but fails at a societal scale. Since we encounter hundreds of opportunities for civil or uncivil behavior daily, turning these into legal matters would effectively kill social life rather than improve it.

The Myth of the Golden Age: The belief that we're experiencing a unique crisis of civility is flawed because every generation has complained about declining standards of appropriate behavior. While today we might blame social media or political polarization, past generations blamed rock music, immigration, or class tensions. Any dynamic, growing society with diverse interests and ideas will inevitably generate conflicts over what constitutes respectful behavior, making the perception of declining civility a constant throughout history.

The Dark History of Civility: Civility has been weaponized throughout history to enforce oppressive social norms. In the American South, allowing Black people to use the same facilities as white people was once considered deeply uncivil. Similarly, women expressing opinions publicly was viewed as inappropriate behavior. This demonstrates that civility standards can be used to maintain unjust power structures and suppress marginalized groups.

The Strategic Value of Trash Talk: Author Rafi Kohan argues that trash talk, a form of intentional incivility, has real psychological depth and strategic purpose that's often underestimated. It presents a challenge to test an opponent's mental fitness and ability to respond appropriately. Referees in professional sports monitor not the trash talk itself but the target's response, as escalation creates an "incivility spiral" where each retort must raise the stakes higher.

Technology's Impact on Competitive Hostility: The spread of technology changes how we experience trash talk by removing it from its competitive context. When insults from sports fields or political arenas are shared beyond their original setting—without the surrounding context—they take on different meanings and can have deeper societal costs. The volume, scale, and speed at which incivility now spreads through technology amplifies its negative impact.

Sociable Cities and Public Spaces: The Sociable Cities Project, led by Sara Liinamaa, studies how public spaces support interactions across social differences and cultivate healthy cities. Rather than focusing on incivility and conflict, the research highlights that daily life is actually full of pleasant interactions with strangers that go unnoticed because they seem unremarkable, yet they're socially affirming and important for urban health.

Social Infrastructure Matters: Cities need social infrastructure—the facilities, spaces, services, and networks that support community wellbeing—as much as physical infrastructure. Free and accessible public spaces that are open, flexible, and provide opportunities for diverse users create great cities more effectively than mega-attractions or entertainment venues. The design and availability of these spaces directly impacts social cohesion.

Civil Inattention vs. Sociable Attention: While urban life is often characterized by "civil inattention"—a mutual indifference that prevents overstimulation—research finds many more moments of sociable attention and pleasant interaction exist in public spaces than typically recognized. These occur in parks, sidewalks, public transit, and even dog parks, providing opportunities for affirming encounters with others.

Being Polite to AI: Social roboticist Eduardo Sandoval argues we should be polite to AI systems because how we treat machines reflects our values and how we treat other humans. This is especially important for children developing language skills through interactions with voice agents like Alexa and Siri. Additionally, large language models learn from the inputs they receive, so polite interactions help train more appropriate AI behavior.

Civility Crises as Transformational Moments: Not every challenge to civility conventions is profound, but there are historical periods of deep conflict over what kind of respect people owe one another. Through working out these political conflicts, societies develop new understandings of appropriate behavior. Past examples include changing norms around treating women as equals rather than children, and recognizing racial equality. Current feelings of a civility crisis reflect not an ending of civility but a conflict over what the conventions ought to be.

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A Daily Bitcoin Show that keeps you up-to-date with the peaceful Bitcoin revolution.

YOU WONT BELIEVE WHAT JP MORGAN JUST SAID ABOUT BITCOIN | EP 1414

Simply Bitcoin

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Institutional Bitcoin Bottom Calls: JP Morgan analysts and Bernstein both declared that Bitcoin has bottomed at $80k, signaling a major narrative shift from traditional finance. While JP Morgan focuses on stabilizing ETF flows and positioning data as evidence, Bernstein argues that institutional demand is disrupting the historical four-year cycle pattern. The hosts debate whether these institutions have insider knowledge or are simply late to understanding Bitcoin.

ETF Flows as Primary Price Driver: The current Bitcoin market is heavily driven by institutional capital through ETFs rather than retail demand. On-chain data shows minimal blockchain activity with transaction fees at near-zero levels, suggesting retail has largely exited. The hosts argue that institutions are now "the dog wagging the tail" rather than Bitcoin's traditional retail-driven cycles.

Four-Year Cycle Debate: Opti and his co-host Nico have been debating whether Bitcoin's traditional four-year cycle is dead, with Opti arguing that institutional involvement has fundamentally changed market dynamics. The traditional miner-driven sell-offs that created past cycles no longer exist since miners don't hold the same Bitcoin accumulation, and corporate treasuries won't liquidate like miners historically did.

Bitcoin Treasury Stocks as Bubble Protection: An interesting theory emerges that the FOMO and speculation that would have created a Bitcoin blow-off top instead went into Bitcoin treasury company stocks like Strategy. This may have protected Bitcoin from experiencing a traditional parabolic rise and crash, potentially creating a healthier market structure going forward.

Elon Musk's Energy Currency Comments: Elon Musk discussed how future currency will essentially be "wattage" or harnessed energy, which sounds remarkably similar to Bitcoin's proof-of-work mechanism. However, the hosts remain skeptical about whether he's actually referring to Bitcoin or planning another cryptocurrency project, given his history with Dogecoin advocacy.

US Marshals Bitcoin Sale Controversy: Bitcoin Magazine reported that the US Marshals sold $6.3 million in Bitcoin from the Samurai Wallet developers' guilty plea, potentially violating Trump's executive order to preserve seized Bitcoin for a strategic reserve. The US Marshals denied the report and claimed Bitcoin Magazine didn't fact-check, though on-chain evidence shows the Bitcoin moved to Coinbase, creating confusion about who's telling the truth.

Senator Lummis's Response: Pro-Bitcoin Senator Cynthia Lummis publicly questioned why the government is liquidating Bitcoin when Trump explicitly ordered preservation of these assets for a strategic reserve. This comes as Lummis announced she won't seek reelection in 2027, potentially giving her more freedom to speak out aggressively.

DCA as Superior Strategy: Conrad from Bitcoin Well delivers a passionate case for dollar-cost averaging into Bitcoin rather than trading, arguing that the most successful Bitcoiners simply bought and held consistently over time. He emphasizes that automating Bitcoin purchases removes emotional stress and allows people to live their lives while accumulating, similar to how Manhattan real estate investors built generational wealth.

Self-Custody Regardless of Amount: Conrad stresses that there's no threshold where Bitcoin holdings are "too small" to self-custody, sharing a story of someone who lost "a couple thousand dollars" on the Quadriga CX exchange that was actually half a Bitcoin—now worth significantly more. He advocates treating all Bitcoin as if it's already worth $10 million to ensure proper security practices.

Bitcoin Well's Unlimited Referral Program: Bitcoin Well offers a unique referral system where referrers earn 10% of fees indefinitely from anyone they refer, with payments sent directly to Lightning wallets. This aligns incentives for ongoing education and support rather than one-time referral bonuses, particularly valuable when referring "whales" who make large recurring purchases.

Lightning Swap Features: Bitcoin Well's Lightning Swap feature allows users to buy Bitcoin directly onto the Lightning Network to avoid UTXO management issues, then consolidate to cold storage for free. While temporarily unavailable for US users during platform upgrades, it's expected to return soon and represents Conrad's favorite way to purchase Bitcoin while maintaining self-custody.

Macro Liquidity Environment: Trump announced plans to expand defense spending through money printing, adding to global liquidity expansion trends. Combined with Bank of America recommending 1-4% Bitcoin portfolio allocations and Morgan Stanley filing for an ETF, all signs point toward increased institutional capital flows and a "run it hot" economic policy for 2026.

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From the open to the close, “Closing Bell” and “Closing Bell: Overtime” have you covered. From what’s driving market moves to how investors are reacting, Scott Wapner, Morgan Brennan and Jon Fortt guide listeners through each trading session and bring to you some of the biggest names in business.

Closing Bell Overtime: 1/8/26

Closing Bell

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Market Performance and Sector Rotation: The markets showed mixed performance with the Dow gaining 250 points while the NASDAQ declined half a percent. Energy led sector gains as oil prices rose, while tech lagged behind. The Russell 2000 hit an all-time closing high with a 1% gain, signaling a potential market broadening as investors rotated out of big tech into smaller firms and value stocks.

Tech Sector Profit-Taking and Memory Stock Decline: Big tech experienced significant profit-taking, with the "Magnificent Seven" serving as an ATM to fund rotation into other sectors. Alphabet was an exception, hitting an all-time high after a Cantor Fitzgerald upgrade citing "the golden age of Gemini." Memory and storage stocks like Seagate, Western Digital, and Sandisk plummeted 7% or more amid concerns about supply chain dynamics, though Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang highlighted memory and storage as the new bottleneck commodities for AI inferencing.

Strong Economic Data Boosts Yields: Productivity surged to 4.9% while unit labor costs were negative, providing huge positives for the economy. More significantly, the trade deficit shrank to $29 billion, a 17-year low, down dramatically from $136 billion in March 2024. These strong numbers boosted Atlanta Fed GDP expectations above 5% for Q4 and pushed 10-year Treasury yields to their highest levels since early September.

General Motors Takes Massive Charges on EVs and China: GM announced $7.1 billion in fourth-quarter charges, including $6 billion in EV-related impairment charges for writing down assets and supplier contracts, plus $1.1 billion for China operations restructuring. The company indicated it expects additional EV-related charges in 2026, signaling a significant pullback from its electric vehicle ambitions.

Investment Strategy Shift Toward "Boring" Fundamentals: Market strategists recommended investors focus on dividends, quality stocks, and international diversification rather than chasing growth. They noted the significant outperformance of non-U.S. markets in 2025 that went largely ignored, similar to early 2010s when U.S. stocks began outperforming but investors remained skeptical. Credit spreads are historically narrow, suggesting it's not the right time to take corporate credit risk.

Commodity Index Rebalancing Creates Volatility: Over $130 billion in passive capital tracking commodity indices must rebalance over five days due to massive precious metals gains in 2025. Silver faces an estimated $7.7 billion in selling after surging nearly 150% last year, while gold and aluminum could also see pressure. Cocoa is being reintroduced to the Bloomberg Commodity Index, creating significant buying demand.

Defense Industry Whipsaw on Budget and Executive Order: Defense stocks rallied to record highs on proposals for a 50% budget increase to $1.5 trillion for fiscal 2027, funded by tariffs. However, the administration also signed an executive order tying shareholder returns and executive compensation to contractor performance, using both carrot and stick approaches to accelerate weapons systems production and shake up legacy defense firms.

Washington Policy Turbulence Across Multiple Sectors: The Senate voted 52-47 to block future military strikes on Venezuela, with five Republicans joining Democrats. The administration targeted institutional investors in housing markets while pursuing changes to Obamacare subsidies. The Supreme Court is expected to rule against the administration's tariff authority as soon as tomorrow, though experts believe trading partners won't tear up existing agreements despite a legal victory.

Intel Receives Presidential Endorsement: President Trump posted about a meeting with Intel CEO Lip-Bu Tan, highlighting Intel's launch of the first sub-2-nanometer CPU processor designed, built, and packaged in the U.S. Trump noted the U.S. government's shareholder position has already made "tens of billions of dollars for the American people," providing a significant boost to the stock.

Value Stocks Show Early Signs of Comeback: The Russell 1000 Value ETF nearly matched growth performance over the past year and is up 2.75% year-to-date versus flat growth. However, value still trails growth by 27 percentage points over the past couple of years, indicating a long way to go for sustained outperformance. The equal-weight S&P 500 outperformed, suggesting genuine market breadening beyond mega-cap tech.

Labor Market Shows Unusual Dynamics: The unemployment rate has gradually increased from 3.4% to about 4.6% over two years, an unusually slow rise that defies typical recession patterns. A New York Fed survey showed consumer confidence in finding a new job within three months hit a record low since 2013. Tomorrow's December jobs report, expecting 173,000 payroll additions, will be critical for understanding whether the labor market is bending or breaking.

Nike Downgraded Amid Extended Turnaround Timeline: Needham downgraded Nike to hold, citing a turnaround taking longer than expected with deeper-rooted issues than anticipated. Concerns include weak China markets, promotional U.S. retail environment, and a concerning 25% wholesale growth disparity suggesting potential inventory issues. The analyst noted Nike needs product innovation beyond classic retro styles and that 18-month product development cycles mean fixes won't come quickly.

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