"The Tony Kornheiser Show" (now available exclusively on-demand) is a topical, daily talk show that starts with sports and quickly moves into politics, current events, entertainment and, really, whatever happens to be on Tony’s mind that day. The format of the show—regular sit-in guests with familiar interviews and segments—highlights not only the unique perspective of Tony Kornheiser but also the expertise of his network of friends. Join one of the most recognizable and outspoken commentators of sports and entertainment (longtime radio host in Washington, DC and current co-host of ESPN's PTI) and enjoy original episodes published every weekday ‪starting September 6th.

“I hate this phone”

The Tony Kornheiser Show

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Winter Golf in Cold Weather: Tony discusses playing golf over the weekend in 41-degree temperatures with no wind, managing to play nine holes on cart-path-only conditions. He describes the challenge of constantly walking back and forth between the cart path and his ball, which resulted in more walking than a typical 18-hole round. The second day was worse, with increasing winds making the "feels like 28" temperature unbearable, leading him to quit after 14 holes.

Chicago Bears' Thrilling Overtime Victory: Michael Wilbon joins the show ecstatic after attending the Bears' dramatic comeback win against the Green Bay Packers at Soldier Field. Wilbon describes the atmosphere as electric, noting that no one left the building after the game ended, with fans staying for 45 minutes to celebrate. He calls it one of the greatest experiences of his life outside of Bulls games with Michael Jordan, emphasizing the unique rivalry where Bears and Packers fans occupy the same geographic space.

College Football Playoff Debate: Tony and Wilbon have philosophical differences about the 12-team playoff format. Tony argues against including Group of Five teams like James Madison and Tulane, believing the playoff should feature only the best teams rather than being a "charity event." Wilbon favors a more inclusive approach similar to March Madness. Tony notes that both road teams won their playoff games, unlike last year when road teams went 0-4.

NFL Coach of the Year Candidates: Three first-year coaches have made remarkable turnarounds with previously struggling teams. Ben Johnson has transformed the Chicago Bears, Mike Vrabel has led the New England Patriots to success, and Liam Cohn has revitalized the Jacksonville Jaguars. Tony suggests Vrabel might deserve the award for the largest win improvement, but acknowledges any of the three would be legitimate choices. Jacksonville's road victory over Denver, who had won 10 straight, was particularly impressive.

Golf Channel's Innovative Relay Competition: Steve Sands describes a new made-for-TV golf event that combined skills competitions with a unique relay race format. Teams of four golfers completed holes in as little as 28 seconds, with players stationed throughout the course hitting shots while literally running between positions. The event, held at Trump International in Jupiter, Florida, was designed to attract new audiences while not offending traditional golf fans, and proved successful with both players and viewers.

iPhone Update Frustrations: Tony continues to experience problems after updating his iPhone, now unable to receive any emails for four days despite texts and phone calls working. He expresses frustration with Apple's ability to "reach into my life" with mandatory updates, believing there should be laws against such intrusions. The issue has left him without access to the 300 emails he typically receives daily.

PNC Championship Emotional Victory: Matt Kuchar and his son won the father-child tournament in an emotional finish. Kuchar's father Peter had passed away suddenly earlier in the year while celebrating his wife's 70th birthday, making the victory particularly meaningful. The tournament features major champions playing with family members, including 86-year-old Lee Trevino, who holed out from a bunker, and Annika Sorenstam with her son.

Winter Solstice and Daylight Patterns: Tony discusses the winter solstice, correcting his previous understanding about daylight changes. While he initially thought everything gets lighter after the solstice, listeners have educated him that daylight increases by seconds in the afternoon starting before the solstice, but mornings continue getting darker for about two weeks afterward. He prefers having light in the morning for walking his dog.

Bears' Playoff Positioning and Remaining Schedule: Following the victory over Green Bay, the Bears are positioned well for the playoffs despite not being the number one seed in the NFC. They face challenging games ahead, including a Saturday night game at San Francisco and a season finale against Detroit. The playoff picture remains complicated with various tiebreaker scenarios still in play.

NFL Season's Competitive Balance: Tony calls this the best NFL season in recent memory specifically because Kansas City is not dominating. The competitive balance means every week sees teams considered strong losing unexpectedly, creating genuine uncertainty about playoff outcomes. Teams like the Ravens, despite high preseason expectations, are now considered done, while unexpected teams continue to compete.

Holiday Traditions and Family Skiing: Steve Sands discusses his annual Christmas week tradition of skiing in Vail, Colorado with his wife and three adult sons. Despite being 57 years old and not skiing as aggressively as he once did, he describes it as his favorite week of the year. The family has a tradition of wearing Washington sports team jerseys on the slopes one day each trip.

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Alex Smith, Shane Battier, and Ravi Gupta are coming together to cut across the worlds of sports and business and dissect the subtle art of making others better. Glue Guys explores the qualities that make individuals become better leaders, teammates, and humans alongside a trio with those same ambitions. In each episode, you’ll hear candid conversations on themes and life lessons drawn from their own high-stakes experiences. From strategies for effective teamwork to personal stories of success, the podcast covers a broad range of topics relevant to anyone looking to make an impact in their respective fields.

Our Favorite Moments from 2025 - [Glue Guys, Ep. 63]

Glue Guys

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Year-End Reflection on Guest Quality: The hosts celebrate an impressive roster of 2025 guests including Figi Simo, Mike Krzyzewski, Michael Lewis, Sheryl Sandberg, Jared Goff, Jim Harbaugh, Eli Manning, Dawn Staley, and many others. They express gratitude that guests consistently enjoyed the conversations and found them different from typical interviews, with many reaching out afterwards to say how much fun they had.

The "F*ck It" Philosophy with Steve Kerr: Alex reveals he adopted Steve Kerr's practice of writing "FI" (F*ck It) on paper before live broadcasts, inspired by Kerr's habit of writing it on his shoes as a player. This mindset helps combat over-analysis and anxiety, encouraging free and authentic performance. Alex shares how this resonated with his own experience in Kansas City where his coach Matt Nagy challenged him to let go and play freely after years of holding on too tight.

Shane's Day with Coach K: Shane describes spending a full day with Coach Mike Krzyzewski as one of the highlights of his life, not just the year. Having never had uninterrupted time with his former coach before, the experience was deeply nostalgic and emotional. The hosts note that such deep, lasting player-coach relationships are becoming extinct in college sports due to the transfer portal era.

Tiger Woods Golf Round: Shane recounts playing golf with Tiger Woods, describing the surreal experience of living out his dream foursome. Despite initial nerves, he started par-birdie-birdie and earned respect from the group. Tiger proved to be genuine and down-to-earth, and Shane emphasizes the importance of "acting like you belong" when meeting legends.

Eli Manning's Parenting Wisdom: The hosts frequently reference Eli Manning's advice about being "the car that kids want to ride home in" after games. This means creating a positive, fun environment with good music and celebration rather than post-game analysis and criticism. The metaphor resonates deeply with all three hosts as parents of young athletes.

Bones McKinney's Veto Story: Phil Mickelson's longtime caddie Bones shared the legendary story of his "one veto per year" rule. The first use came when Phil wanted to skip a golf ball across a lake to reach the green. Bones vetoed it, Phil pitched out sideways and saved par, but Phil immediately told him he'd do something even dumber before year's end.

Jared Goff's Trade Experience: Goff opened up about feeling betrayed when traded from the Rams to Detroit, having fulfilled his number one pick status and signed an extension. He had no contact with the organization for two weeks after their playoff loss, then learned of the trade when his dad called asking if it was real—before the official call came. The immediate enthusiasm from Lions GM Brad Holmes and coach Dan Campbell breathing life back into him made all the difference.

Bentonville Adventure with Doug McMillon: The hosts traveled to Walmart headquarters to play pickup basketball with CEO Doug McMillon. They were struck by the wholesome, swear-free environment and the genuine quality of McMillon and his family. The experience reinforced their belief that meeting heroes can be incredibly rewarding when those heroes are worth admiring.

Susan Lee's Purple Jeans Story: CFO Susan Lee shared a touching story about her immigrant parents who came to America in their late 20s, leaving family behind and starting from scratch. When her father bought her purple jeans from Costco for Christmas, she initially felt disappointed but later recognized the immense sacrifice and bravery it took for her parents to give her opportunities they never had.

Wright Thompson's Journalism Philosophy: Wright Thompson discusses his approach of being a "wolf in sheep's clothing," showing up friendly with a notebook while subjects don't realize what's happening until it's done. He explores the gap between the stories people tell themselves and the stories told about them, noting that even he wouldn't let someone write his story because he's "done this to too many people."

Than Healy's Obama Story: After recording, Stanford educator Than Healy shared an incredible off-air story about his father being Obama's high school principal who gave the future president tough feedback and even expelled his best friend. Years later, Obama invited them to the White House and told Healy's daughter that her grandfather made a huge impact on his life, embodying Healy's philosophy of "raising 40-year-olds, not 18-year-olds."

Personal Glue Guys Recognition: Each host identifies their own glue guys—Ravi credits his wife Avni and friends Sagar Sangvi and Will Petrie; Shane celebrates 22 years with his wife Heidi and his chief of staff Victoria; Alex acknowledges his wife Elizabeth who handles everything while he travels to New York every weekend during football season. They all recognize each other as glue guys for showing up consistently and with enthusiasm.

Fatherhood as the Ultimate Title: The hosts reflect on how their children serve as glue guys in their lives, sharing joy and good news about their kids regularly. They express gratitude for being in this phase of fatherhood together, with Ravi calling their fatherhood episode his favorite and noting that "of all the titles, the only one that matters is dad."

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Everton FC podcasts from the Liverpool ECHO, including our main Royal Blue show with Joe Thomas, Chris Beesley, Connor O'Neill, Paul Wheelock, Ian Croll and Gavin Buckland.

Everton fall to second straight defeat against league leaders Arsenal

Royal Blue: The Everton FC Podcast

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Everton's 1-0 Defeat to Arsenal Marred by Controversial Penalty Decision: Everton lost to league leaders Arsenal at Goodison Park through a Jake O'Brien handball penalty 25 minutes into the match. The panelists were baffled by O'Brien's decision to handle the ball with both hands, though the game had been relatively even until that point. Once Arsenal took the lead, they controlled possession and never allowed Everton back into the contest, though the hosts lacked the quality in the final third to create genuine chances.

VAR Controversy Over Denied Everton Penalty Claim: Everton had a strong penalty shout turned down when Arsenal's William Saliba kicked striker Thierno Barry without winning the ball. VAR deemed the contact "not sufficient" to overturn the on-field decision, which frustrated the panel who felt it was a clear foul. They noted similar incidents have been given as penalties elsewhere on the pitch and questioned the consistency of VAR decisions, suggesting consequences and team reputations influence officiating.

Squad Limitations Exposed Without Key Players: With Iliman Ndiaye, Dwight McNeil (playing out of position), and Idrissa Gueye unavailable or compromised, Everton's depth was severely tested. Carlos Alcaraz and Tyler Olusegun struggled to make an impact when called upon, highlighting the gap in quality between the first-choice XI and squad players. The absence of players like Jarrad Branthwaite through injury continues to limit Everton's ceiling against top opposition.

Positive Season Position Despite Back-to-Back Defeats: Despite losing to both Chelsea and Arsenal, Everton remain 10th in the Premier League table heading into Christmas. The panel expressed contentment with this position given the fixture difficulty, noting it's a significant improvement from recent seasons where they've spent Christmas battling relegation. This represents tangible progress under David Moyes.

Lack of Goals Remains a Critical Issue: Everton's attacking struggles continue with one of the lowest goal tallies in the Premier League. Strikers Beto and Barry have managed just six shots on target combined in 14-15 games, creating a significant problem beyond the defensive solidity. The team's expected goals (xG) against Arsenal was only 0.18, reflecting their inability to create quality chances even when needing to chase the game.

Debating Striker Selection and Performance: Barry has shown improvement in hold-up play but was criticized for being too easily pushed off the ball in key moments, particularly when played through on goal. While he's done "okay" according to the panel, more is needed from the striker position. Beto came on as a substitute but failed to make an impact, with the panel suggesting Barry should retain his place for the upcoming Burnley fixture.

Selection Decisions and Tactical Frustrations: The panel questioned Moyes's decision to play Dwight McNeil on the right wing rather than his natural left side, where he could have utilized his strong left foot and provided support against Arsenal's attacking threat Bukayo Saka. They suggested McNeil on the left and Jack Harrison or Tyler Olusegun on the right would have been a better tactical setup against Arsenal's quality right-back Jurrien Timber.

Boxing Day Fixture Absence Represents Unwelcome Change: The panel lamented that Everton don't have a Boxing Day fixture this year due to scheduling pressures from expanded European competitions. While acknowledging the professional convenience, they agreed that Boxing Day football is a cherished tradition that adds to the festive period's appeal and the rhythm of the season.

Arsenal's Quality Never Fully Tested: The consensus was that Arsenal, while not spectacular, never had to move out of second or third gear due to the early penalty. The panel felt Arsenal are capable of several more levels of performance but weren't required to reach them. Had Everton made it to halftime at 0-0, they might have exploited Arsenal's recent fragility, similar to their struggles against Wolves the previous week.

Upcoming Fixtures Offer Recovery Opportunity: With winnable fixtures approaching including Burnley away on December 27th, the panel see opportunities for Everton to capitalize on their decent league position. Despite the injuries, these upcoming matches represent chances to build momentum and address the goal-scoring issues before the January transfer window potentially brings reinforcements.

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Navigating the narrow waters of AI can be challenging for new users. Interviews with AI company founder, artificial intelligence authors, and machine learning experts. Focusing on the practical use of artificial intelligence in your personal and business life. We dive deep into which AI tools can make your life easier and which AI software isn't worth the free trial.&nbsp; The premier Artificial Intelligence podcast hosted by the bestselling author of ChatGPT Profits, Jonathan Green.

Is AI Changing the World of Website Building with Pedro Sostre

Artificial Intelligence Podcast: ChatGPT, Claude, Midjourney and all other AI Tools

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The Gap Between AI Promise and Reality in Website Building: Many AI website builders overpromise and underdeliver, often functioning as template slot machines or producing generic designs with stock photos. The core issue is that attractive design doesn't automatically translate to sales—most AI-generated websites lack strategic thinking about conversion goals, target audiences, and proper copywriting. Without understanding who you're selling to and what action you want visitors to take, even pretty websites fail to generate leads or revenue.

AI as a Tool, Not a Replacement: AI should be viewed like previous technological revolutions—computers, calculators, or the automobile. Those who resist learning it will fall behind, just as designers who refused to adopt computers in the early 1990s became obsolete. The key insight is that we won't be replaced by AI itself, but by people who become better at using AI than we are. The competitive advantage goes to those who learn to leverage these tools effectively and continuously adapt.

The Evolving Job Market and Skill Requirements: Whatever job security exists today will likely disappear within two to five years, but this represents opportunity rather than threat. Workers should train AI to handle their current tasks because their roles need to evolve to higher-level functions. Just as writers no longer worry about grammar and spelling details but can focus on storytelling and strategy, professionals across industries should use AI to eliminate mundane tasks and concentrate on bigger-picture thinking.

Builderall's Strategy-First Approach: Builderall addresses AI website building challenges by focusing on their Latin American customer base (primarily Spanish and Portuguese speakers) who don't want to become AI experts or learn complex prompting. Their solution involves pre-programming prompts in the backend and using contextual information about users' businesses to generate strategic marketing funnels. The new "builds" feature guides users through which tools to use for their specific business type and how to connect them without technical complexity.

Understanding Fundamentals Before Automating: Just as students need to learn basic arithmetic before using calculators, professionals must understand core principles of their craft before effectively using AI. For content creators, this means learning storytelling fundamentals and human psychology rather than just grammar. For any profession, the freed-up time from AI automation should be invested in understanding what makes quality work in that field, enabling users to evaluate whether AI output is actually good.

The Content Slop Problem and Future Filtering: The internet is becoming flooded with low-quality AI-generated content, similar to when blogging platforms democratized content creation. However, just as Google developed PageRank to filter quality content, new mechanisms will emerge to separate valuable content from "AI slop." The long-term winners will be those creating authentic, interesting content with strategic value rather than chasing short-term virality or gaming algorithms with mass-produced material.

Authenticity and Strong Opinions as Differentiation: In a world where everyone has access to the same AI tools, standing out requires authentic voices and strong opinions. Being forgettable is worse than being disagreeable—people who always agree with everyone lack memorable identity. Businesses should focus on narrow, specific audiences rather than chasing viral reach, since content that goes viral typically attracts people who will never become customers while diluting the message for actual target audiences.

The Overnight Success Myth: Society consistently underestimates the grinding work behind success stories. Musicians, content creators, and businesses that appear to be "overnight successes" typically invested 10+ years of effort before breaking through. One content creator made 3,000 videos before achieving success. This reality check is crucial for entrepreneurs expecting instant results from AI tools—iteration, persistence, and continuous improvement remain essential even with advanced technology.

Context and Ease of Use Over Complexity: Users don't care which AI engine powers their tools (ChatGPT, Grok, DeepSeek) or understand technical details—they only care about results. Similar to how Google search evolved from requiring Boolean operators to understanding natural language queries, AI tools are moving toward contextual understanding that eliminates the need for "prompt engineering." The winning platforms will integrate AI seamlessly in the background rather than requiring users to become technical experts.

Strategic Tool Selection Based on Problems, Not Features: Businesses make mistakes when they buy tools first and then figure out how to use them. The correct approach involves identifying specific problems or tasks that need solving, then finding appropriate tools. AI should help with tasks professionals don't have time for or handle repetitive work that must be done but doesn't require expertise, like generating terms and conditions or analyzing contracts for red flags.

The Addiction Economy in Digital Platforms: Social media and content platforms deliberately engineer addictive experiences using scientific research on human psychology, similar to how food companies optimized salt, sugar, and fat levels. Children's programming now uses real-time attention tracking to maximize engagement. Content creators face a choice about how much to "sell out" by gaming these systems versus maintaining authenticity, requiring each person to find their own balance between effective distribution and genuine expression.

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The world’s most listened to, and award-winning, podcast covering the war in Ukraine. Every weekday, the Telegraph's top journalists analyse the conflict from all angles – just as they have since Russia's full-scale invasion in 2022, when tanks, jets and troops crossed Ukraine's borders. Downloaded over 100 million times and trusted by listeners worldwide, the team considers military strategy, history, weaponry, economics, refugee crises, culture, and daily life in Vladimir Putin's autocratic Russia and Volodymyr Zelensky's democratic Ukraine. Our correspondents on the ground talk to experts and civilians to cover every aspect of Russia's brutal invasion. We are also available in both Ukrainian and Russian, so that people on both sides of the battle lines and across the region – including Central Asia and the Caucasus – have access to accurate reporting. We use cutting-edge AI technology to make this possible. Just search Україна: Останні Новини (Ukr) and Украина: Последние Новости (Ru) on your on your preferred podcast app to find them. Or find them here: <a href="https://linktr.ee/ukrainethelatest" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">https://linktr.ee/ukrainethelatest</a> A new weekly newsletter is also available, where we answer your questions, provide recommended reading, and give exclusive analysis and behind-the-scenes insights – plus maps of the frontlines and diagrams of weapons to complement our daily reporting. It’s free for everyone, including non-subscribers. Join here: <a href="https://secure.telegraph.co.uk/customer/secure/newsletter/ukraine/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">https://secure.telegraph.co.uk/customer/secure/newsletter/ukraine/</a> Telegraph subscribers get early access to bonus episodes of Ukraine: The Latest and our sister podcast Battle Lines. You can subscribe within The Telegraph app, or tap on ‘Already a subscriber’ at the top of this page to log in to link your existing subscription. For more information, head to: <a href="https://www.telegraph.co.uk/contact-us/telegraph-subscription-bonus-content-apple-podcasts/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">https://www.telegraph.co.uk/contact-us/telegraph-subscription-bonus-content-apple-podcasts/</a><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.

Moscow car bomb kills Russian General & Miami weekend talks “do not improve” peace proposal

Ukraine: The Latest

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This episode covers developments on Day 1,397 of Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine, focusing on diplomatic negotiations, military updates, and an in-depth look at rehabilitation facilities for wounded soldiers.

Moscow Car Bombing Kills Senior Russian General: Lieutenant General Kiril Suvarov, head of the Russian General Staff's Operational Training Directorate, was killed in a car bomb explosion in southern Moscow. The device was planted under his Kia Sorento, and Russian investigators suspect Ukrainian special forces involvement. This follows a pattern of similar assassinations of high-ranking Russian military officials throughout the war.

Stalled Miami Talks Produce No Progress: Three days of separate meetings in Miami between US officials (Steve Witkoff, Jared Kushner) and Ukrainian and Russian delegations yielded no meaningful results. While Russia claimed the talks were "productive and constructive," a Russian presidential aide later stated confidently that European and Ukrainian proposals "do not improve the peace proposal." Putin used these talks to reiterate the same territorial demands he made when launching the invasion nearly four years ago.

Macron Seeks Direct Dialogue with Putin: French President Emmanuel Macron is expected to have a phone call with Putin this week, potentially ending almost four years of diplomatic silence. The Élysée Palace emphasized any dialogue would occur "in full transparency" with President Zelensky and European partners, as Europe fears being sidelined from negotiations. The EU recently agreed to provide €90 billion to Ukraine to address looming budget shortfalls.

Russian Ground Advances in Eastern Ukraine: Russian forces made incremental progress around Siversk in the Donbas and in Zaporizhzhia Oblast. Russia also conducted cross-border attacks into Sumy Oblast, with forces entering the village of Hrobovska under cover of night, though Ukrainian forces are working to stabilize the area. The mayor reported approximately 50 elderly civilians were forcibly deported to Russia, violating the Geneva Convention.

Ukraine Expands Maritime Drone Strikes: Ukrainian forces struck Russian oil infrastructure in multiple locations, including a drilling platform at the Raki Noya field in the Caspian Sea—the third such strike there in recent weeks. Ukraine also hit oil facilities in the Mediterranean Sea and near the Kerch Bridge, demonstrating an expansion of uncrewed aerial systems against Russia's sanctioned oil export network and shadow fleet.

Intelligence Dispute Highlights Administration Tensions: US Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard attacked a Reuters article citing six sources claiming Putin's territorial ambitions remain unchanged, calling it "propaganda" from "warmongers." Her characterization that NATO and the EU want to "pull the United States military directly into war with Russia" represents an extraordinary statement from a senior administration official and reveals tensions within the Trump administration over Ukraine policy.

RUSI Report Warns of 2026 Hybrid Escalation: A Royal United Services Institute paper argues Putin rejected 2025's most generous off-ramp and now faces an unsustainable wartime economy and depleted conventional forces. The report predicts 2026 will be "the year of hybrid escalation," with Russia increasingly resorting to gray-zone attacks across Europe—including incendiary devices on planes, subsea cable cuts, and sabotage operations—as desperation increases.

Inside Odesa's Prosthetics Factory: The podcast features extensive reporting from a repurposed Soviet-era factory in Odesa now producing 700 prosthetic feet monthly, enough to meet Ukraine's entire demand. The facility uses high-quality components from Britain, Germany, France, and Japan, with the state funding prosthetics for combat veterans at up to £100,000 per limb to ensure highly functional artificial limbs that enable soldiers to remain active members of society.

Government Funding System for Rehabilitation: Vitaly Kaltsov, head of the Fund of Social Defence of People with Disability in Odesa, explained the streamlined process for veterans to receive prosthetics within 45 days, with no waiting lists. The budget for combat veterans has increased significantly, with the state now providing 4.5 million hryvnia for upper limbs and 3.5 million for lower limbs, reflecting commitment to socializing veterans through quality prosthetics.

Modern Rehabilitation Center Serves Veterans and Civilians: A visit to a state-of-the-art rehabilitation facility in Odesa revealed comprehensive treatment options including underwater treadmills, spinal traction, laser therapy, mud therapy using local biological resources, and hydrotherapy. The center employs multidisciplinary teams including physiotherapists, psychologists, psychiatrists, and various medical specialists to provide holistic care.

Personal Stories of Recovery and Adaptation: Interviews with patients revealed the importance of community among those with similar trauma, with experienced veterans helping newcomers adjust. One patient emphasized that despite tragedy and trauma, the facility shows people "not to give up and to move forward." The center provides not just physical rehabilitation but mental health support and programs to help veterans reintegrate into society.

Young Leadership Driving Medical Innovation: The rehabilitation center is directed by Anastasia, a doctor in her mid-20s who started as an administrator four years ago while still at university, demonstrating Ukraine's meritocratic approach to wartime healthcare. The facility continuously updates staff training monthly and semi-annually, inviting partners to educate staff on the most current rehabilitation knowledge and techniques.

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Weekly discussions between disruptive direct to consumer ecommerce brands and our amazing team about marketing, funnels, and everything scaling related. Subscribe to our newsletter for highlights and step by step tactical insights 👉🏻 📦 directtoconsumer.co 

Ep 570: Inside the Dragon's Den with Santevia and How they 2Xed Amazon Revenue by Taking Back Control

DTC Podcast

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Buying the Family Business and Pivoting from Retail to DTC: Matthew Gohl bought Santevia, a water filtration company founded by his parents in 2008, after seeing massive untapped opportunity in DTC and Amazon channels. The business had reached over 500 retail stores across Canada but growth was flattening, prompting the shift toward online channels and eventually providing his parents with a retirement exit.

The Painful Amazon Transition that Eventually 2X'd Revenue: Santevia transitioned from Vendor Central (where Amazon controlled pricing and inventory) to Seller Central (allowing full control of pricing, advertising, and PDPs). This 16-month process caused revenue to temporarily dip as Amazon sold through existing inventory, creating intense imposter syndrome. However, the move ultimately allowed them to scale Amazon 2X by controlling their brand positioning and working with Pilot House to optimize their strategy.

Creative Diversity is the New Meta Algorithm Unlock: Meta's Andromeda engine prioritizes creative diversity over complex campaign structures, favoring aggregation into single campaigns with tons of varied creative. The key is not just volume but ensuring Meta's algorithm recognizes ads as different—same influencer saying the same message in similar settings will be read as identical content that won't get spend, wasting production resources.

The Creative Strategist Role and Briefing Process: Santevia hired an experienced creative strategist whose primary role is perfecting the brief—the most critical step that kicks off contracts, influencer work, product shipping, and ad creation. A flawed brief made weeks earlier can doom an entire creative effort, so the strategist ensures each brief considers persona, hook, offer, setting, and demographic while avoiding the trap of "advertising to yourself" instead of the actual customer.

Why AOV Matters More Than Margin for Meta Profitability: Santevia initially tried scaling a $25 bath filter but found it nearly impossible to acquire customers profitably at that price point despite good margins. They pivoted to their $320 Glass Water System as the hero product, which provides enough gross profit dollars to compete in Meta's CPM environment ($10-20 CPMs). High percentage margins don't matter if the absolute gross profit per sale is too small to cover ad costs.

Persona-Based Creative Funnels with Multiple Entry Points: The team develops 5-10 active personas (like "Acid Reflux Adam") and creates full-funnel creative for each—from brand awareness to consideration to conversion. Each message is delivered by diverse voices (doctors, athletes, young influencers, older adults) in different settings to maximize Meta's perception of creative diversity and unlock more ad spend.

Meta's Creative Diversity Report Reveals What the Algorithm Actually Sees: Meta reps can provide a creative diversity report showing exactly which ads the algorithm considers different versus identical. Santevia discovered that different UGC creators delivering the same message with similar framing were flagged as duplicate content, meaning Meta would only show one ad and ignore the others—wasting hundreds of dollars in creator fees and production time.

Dragon's Den Appearance Doubled Baseline Daily Sales: Santevia appeared on season 20, episode 8 of Dragon's Den (Canada's Shark Tank), securing a $1 million deal from three Dragons for approximately 8% equity at a ~$12.5 million valuation. The episode aired November 13th, perfectly timed for Black Friday, and Michelle Romanow's on-air endorsement ("I own that one, I did all the research") provided massive social proof that doubled their daily baseline sales.

The Authority and Awareness TV Can't Be Replicated by Ads: While paid ads can reach millions, the institutional credibility from appearing on CBC's Dragon's Den created a different tier of brand awareness. Many customers who knew about Santevia but never purchased finally converted after seeing the Dragon's Den validation, demonstrating the power of third-party endorsement over direct advertising.

Record BFCM Performance Exceeded Targets by 30-38%: Santevia achieved their biggest Black Friday Cyber Monday ever, beating ambitious targets by 30-38%. The combination of Dragon's Den exposure, refined Meta creative strategy, Amazon optimization, and strong positioning in the growing health and wellness category all contributed to the exceptional performance despite concerns about consumer sentiment and tariffs.

Strategic Shift to Refillable Products for Environmental Impact: Santevia launched a $150 refillable shower filter (the first of its kind on market) where customers can open and refill the media instead of throwing away entire cartridges. This Vancouver-based company is prioritizing environmental responsibility without compromising filtration quality, with more refillable products planned for 2026 to reduce their ecological footprint.

Using Dragon Investment to Reactivate Retail with Strategic Partners: After initially pulling back from retail to focus on DTC, the $1 million Dragon's Den investment will fund a major retail expansion in the US and UK. The three Dragons' deep retail connections (all have products in Costco and Canadian Tire) provide valuable relationships for securing big retail partnerships, completing the full-circle journey from retail-first to DTC-first and back to strategic retail.

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Precision Rifle Builder Podcast By Straight Jacket Armory 3 – Stop Forcing It: Muzzle and Action Threads

Firearms Radio Network (All Shows)

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Standard Thread Pitches and Industry Variations: The most common muzzle thread pitches are 1/2x28 (primarily AR-15 and rimfire), 5/8x24 (the most popular, used on 99% of precision rifle barrels), and 3/4x24 for larger calibers. Some overseas manufacturers use metric threads. On the action end, the main specifications are 16 TPI and 20 TPI, but different manufacturers interpret thread classes (2 or 3) differently, leading to compatibility issues even when the TPI is the same.

Tight Thread Tolerances Prevent Baffle Strikes: Straight Jacket Armory deliberately cuts tighter threads than many competitors, which has resulted in zero baffle strikes across approximately 25,000 barrels produced. While tighter tolerances occasionally cause compatibility issues with certain muzzle devices, the tradeoff ensures suppressors stay properly aligned and centered even if they back off slightly during firing.

Muzzle Device Manufacturing Inconsistencies: Over half of muzzle devices sold aren't manufactured by the companies selling them but by contract shops that may only check 1 in 20 or 1 in 50 parts with thread gauges. This creates tolerance stacking issues where both the barrel and muzzle device might be at opposite ends of acceptable tolerances, causing fitment problems. When customers report thread issues, the shop recommends testing multiple muzzle devices before concluding there's a barrel problem.

The Reality of Tolerance Claims in Custom Gunsmithing: Many gunsmiths advertise holding tolerances of 0.0005" or less, but actually achieving this requires climate-controlled clean rooms and CMM (coordinate measuring machine) inspection equipment costing millions of dollars. When one of their barrels was tested on a CMM, it measured 0.0004" runout, which the technician confirmed was excellent—most shops claiming tighter tolerances aren't actually achieving them with standard dial indicators.

CNC vs. Manual Machining Quality: Both CNC and manual machines can produce high-quality barrels, but CNCs excel at scalability and consistency. The shop invested in modern tooling that runs at higher speeds while maintaining precision, as carbide tools are designed to stay loaded and engaged at peak speeds rather than running slow. Their current surface finishes are so smooth they look like they've been polished with 2000-3000 grit sandpaper.

Action Thread Specification Variations Between Manufacturers: Even among precision action manufacturers, thread specifications vary significantly. For example, a barrel that fits perfectly in a Kelbly's action won't even start threading into a Seeking's Havoc because Seeking's maximum major diameter is nearly 0.010" smaller than the standard 1.0625" for 1-1/16" threads. The shop maintains multiple thread gauges for different manufacturers, with each gauge costing $200-900.

Critical Importance of Cleaning Threads: The most common cause of threading issues is contamination—even new actions can have burrs or debris. Users must thoroughly clean both barrel and action threads with brake cleaner before assembly. The shop frequently receives barrels back with threading complaints, cleans them properly, and finds they thread perfectly. Even a piece of dust can prevent proper threading, especially with fine 20 TPI threads.

Proper Anti-Seize Application: Many users apply far too much anti-seize compound, which can actually cause problems because it has a compression value that interferes with proper thread engagement. The correct method is to wipe all excess off the brush and make just one light stroke on one side of the threads—not glob it on like you would for industrial pipe flanges.

Zero-Tolerance Threads Create Problems: Some gunsmiths create threads so tight there's no wiggle when the action is hand-threaded, which they showcase in videos. However, this is problematic because threads are designed to taper and center the barrel when tightened—they're not measured on major or minor diameters but on the taper. Zero-tolerance threads mean any contamination will prevent assembly or potentially weld the parts together.

Never Force Threads That Won't Turn: When threads start binding, stop immediately—don't reach for a wrench and cheater bar. The 20 TPI threads can friction-weld together, requiring the barrel to be milled out of the action. If threads stop turning smoothly, apply oil, flip the assembly upside down, and let it sit overnight to allow penetration rather than forcing it and making things worse.

Quality Control Process at Multiple Stages: Every barrel is checked with thread gauges at the threading operation, again during chambering, before Cerakote, and before laser engraving. The shop uses single-point cutting and dials in each barrel individually rather than using steady rests or live centers, which can cause misalignment. Their ring gauges are set with certified wire measurements and glued to prevent movement.

Action Selection Recommendations: While the shop makes the same profit margin on all actions, they consistently recommend certain manufacturers (Defiance, Kelbly's, Impact, Falcor) because 16 TPI actions are less finicky than 20 TPI, and quality manufacturers maintain consistent specifications. Customers often spend more modifying cheaper actions than they would have spent buying a quality action initially, and prefit barrels from quality action manufacturers are essentially "the easy button."

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The Cognitive Dissidents podcast is long-form exploration of geopolitics, markets, crypto, agriculture, macro-finance, commodities, ForEx, and much much more! Tune in biweekly for interviews with experts across the globe, and weekly for roundups of global financial and geopolitical events!
Hosted by Jacob Shapiro (and occasionally Rob Larity). 

Cognitive Investments LLC (“Cognitive Investments”) is a registered investment advisor. Advisory services are only offered to clients or prospective clients where Cognitive Investments and its representatives are properly licensed or exempt from licensure.

The information provided is for educational and informational purposes only and does not constitute investment advice and it should not be relied on as such. It should not be considered a solicitation to buy or an offer to sell a security. It does not take into account any investor’s particular investment objectives, strategies, tax status or investment horizon. You should consult your attorney or tax advisor.

This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: 

Chartable - https://chartable.com/privacy
Podtrac - https://analytics.podtrac.com/privacy-policy-gdrp

Right Wing Ascendant

Cognitive Dissidents

The Jacob Shapiro Podcast

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Latin America's Return to Geopolitical Centrality: Latin America is experiencing an unexpected return to geopolitical importance, contradicting predictions from last year that the region would remain peripheral. The Trump administration's aggressive approach is catalyzing a hemispheric integration reminiscent of Simón Bolívar's vision, bringing together right-leaning governments around shared priorities of security, crime reduction, and economic pragmatism.

The Rightward Shift Across the Continent: A significant rightward political shift is sweeping through South America, with upcoming 2026 elections in Colombia, Peru, and potentially Brazil likely to reinforce this trend. Chile's recent election results featuring José Antonio Kast exemplify this movement, and if successful, the entire Pacific coast of South America could align with right-wing, pro-Trump leadership, with only Brazil and possibly Mexico as holdouts.

Brazil as a Potential Exception: Despite the regional trend, Lula currently polls well ahead of potential right-wing challengers for Brazil's 2026 election. However, his isolation among increasingly right-leaning neighbors could push Brazil toward its historical protectionist stance and further separate it from Spanish-speaking South America, potentially allowing Trump to fill the leadership vacuum Lula has avoided.

The China Trade Dilemma: A fundamental tension exists between political alignment with the United States and economic dependence on China. Since 2000, China has displaced the U.S. as the largest trading partner for most South American countries including Brazil, Argentina, Chile, and Peru. Right-leaning governments will need to balance Trump-aligned politics with the economic reality that China buys their copper, beef, soybeans, and other commodities.

Strategic Infrastructure Over Trade: The competition between the U.S. and China in Latin America extends beyond trade to encompass strategic infrastructure and foreign investment. Monard predicts right-wing governments will halt new Chinese infrastructure developments (like ports) while maintaining existing trade relationships, potentially opening opportunities for renewed U.S. investment after years of neglect in the region.

Revival of Regional Integration Mechanisms: The Pacific Alliance (Chile, Peru, Colombia, potentially Ecuador) could be revitalized without Mexico, creating practical agreements on trade and movement. These right-wing leaders have strong convictions and legitimacy that could enable cooperation on shared priorities like crime reduction, potentially with U.S. support, marking a departure from ideological divisions that previously prevented regional integration.

The Fentanyl as WMD Designation: The Trump administration's declaration of fentanyl and its precursors as weapons of mass destruction represents a significant escalation in drug war rhetoric. This designation, along with proposals for letters of marque (state-sanctioned privateering) against cartels, signals a fundamental shift in how the U.S. approaches transnational crime in the hemisphere.

Venezuela as Pretext, Not Primary Target: Monard argues that the escalating U.S. threats against Venezuela—including oil tanker seizures, blockade discussions, and military posturing—are not primarily about regime change but rather establishing precedent for a broader strategy. The real target is creating legal and political justification for operations against non-state actors throughout the region.

Low-Intensity War Against Transnational Cartels: The ultimate U.S. strategy may be declaring war on non-state actors, particularly drug cartels framed as terrorist organizations, across Latin America. This approach, similar to Middle East interventions but unprecedented in the Western Hemisphere, would create a permanent state of emergency that could extend beyond normal political timelines and potentially justify extended governance.

Trump's Contradictions as Strategic Strength: What appears as contradictory messaging about Venezuela—invoking oil reserves, Chinese influence, migration, crime, and leftist threats simultaneously—actually represents strategic flexibility. Different justifications appeal to different audiences and provide multiple rationales for action, allowing the administration to emphasize whichever argument proves most effective at any given moment.

Regional Support for Anti-Cartel Operations: Right-leaning Latin American governments and their citizens would likely celebrate initial U.S. military action against transnational criminal organizations that have created migration pressures, exported organized crime, and undermined regional stability. However, inevitable civilian casualties in low-intensity conflicts could eventually generate human rights accusations and international backlash.

The Post-Maduro Question: If regime change succeeds in Venezuela, the aftermath presents critical uncertainties. A peaceful democratic transition would be unprecedented and celebrated regionally, even potentially earning Trump recognition. However, chaos following Maduro's departure—with multiple criminal organizations vying for power—could justify extended U.S. presence and operations under the pretext of stabilizing democracy.

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Every Monday, Susan Dziubinski sits down with Morningstar Chief U.S. markets strategist Dave Sekera to discuss one thing that’s on his radar this week, one new piece of Morningstar research, and a few stock picks or pans for the week ahead.

4 Cheap Stock Picks We Still Like for 2026

The Morning Filter

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Morningstar's Long-Term Investment Philosophy vs. Trading: The podcast emphasizes that Morningstar focuses on long-term investing rather than short-term trading. Their approach involves determining a company's intrinsic value (the present value of all future free cash flows) and buying stocks trading at a significant discount to that valuation, then selling when they trade at a premium. This process can take years to play out, and investors need to be right more often than wrong while riding winners and cutting losses appropriately.

Five Stock Picks That Underperformed in 2025: Baxter International faced continuing supply chain issues and margin pressures, with the turnaround taking longer than expected despite being deeply undervalued. FMC was the worst pick of the year, down 72%, due to severe patent expiration pressures and generic competition. Dow struggled with oversupplied commodity chemical markets and weak demand in construction and automotive sectors. Bath and Body Works disappointed with weak holiday season guidance representing 40% of annual sales. Americold Realty suffered from overbuilt cold storage capacity that will take 4-5 years to digest.

Five Successful Stock Recommendations from 2025: Wayfair tripled after the company cut expenses and began recapturing market share, demonstrating how stocks can swing from extremely overvalued to undervalued. Barrick Gold benefited primarily from gold prices rising to $4,300 per ounce from $2,700-$2,800 earlier in the year. Alphabet was recommended five times and performed well as concerns about DOJ breakup proved unfounded and AI integration actually enhanced Google Search rather than disrupting it. AMD gained ground as the market recognized it would become the number two player in AI chips after Nvidia, particularly following the OpenAI partnership announcement. Marvell Technology rallied as the company demonstrated strong positioning in custom AI accelerators and optical connectivity products for data centers.

Sell Recommendations That Kept Rising: Three sell calls didn't work out as expected. Broadcom continued climbing well beyond the June sell recommendation, though Morningstar subsequently raised their fair value from $200 to $480 as the company exceeded expectations. Tesla remained volatile and trades more on themes than fundamentals, moving between 1-star and 5-star ratings multiple times based on sentiment around autonomous vehicles and other ventures. Vistra, an independent power producer benefiting from AI's electricity demands, rose over 600% since late 2022 but still trades at double Morningstar's fair value estimate.

Successful Sell Recommendations from 2025: American Waterworks was correctly identified as overvalued in May due to its low uncertainty rating requiring only a 5% premium to trigger a two-star rating; it has since fallen back to four-star territory. Philip Morris was overvalued despite strong growth in Zyn nicotine pouches, with the stock up 93% to its June peak before selling off substantially. Wingstop exemplified how the market overpays for growth in restaurant concepts during expansion phases, with the stock peaking at 2.5 times fair value before declining, though it remains overvalued at 27% premium.

Why Annual Year-End Reviews Matter: Despite Morningstar's long-term focus, Dave conducts annual reviews for accountability, as a learning opportunity to understand what worked and what didn't, and to identify stocks that may have run too far up (take profits), pulled back too much (dollar cost average down), or where the investment thesis was wrong (cut losses and move on). He acknowledges wanting to find better ways to improve ongoing accountability in 2026.

The Challenge of Selling Decisions: Selling is often harder than buying for most investors. Morningstar advocates managing positions by dollar-cost-averaging down and layering out on the way up, rather than making all-or-nothing trades. Before buying any stock, investors should determine the maximum position size they're comfortable with, set downside triggers for adding more shares, and upside triggers for taking profits, while continually reevaluating whether the investment thesis has changed.

Biogen as a 2026 Pick: The biotech company is up 30% since the August recommendation but remains a four-star stock at a 20% discount despite high uncertainty. The key driver is the Alzheimer's drug Leukembe, which is on track to exceed full-year sales forecasts and could reach $3 billion in global peak sales, helping offset declines in the company's multiple sclerosis franchise. Additional pipeline decisions could provide catalysts for fair value increases.

Microsoft Remains a Core Holding Recommendation: Despite being recommended five times in 2025 and multiple times over the podcast's history, Microsoft delivered a "respectable" 13-14% return this year and is up nearly 100% over three years. It remains a four-star stock at a 20% discount with a wide economic moat. The combination of steady businesses that could cushion downside risk and higher-growth areas like Azure (30% growth), enterprise services, AI, and Copilot makes it attractive as a long-term core holding.

LPL Financial Gets Wide Moat Upgrade: The financial services company was upgraded from narrow to wide economic moat, indicating greater confidence in generating excess returns over a longer period based on switching costs and cost advantages. Up 20% since the October recommendation, it remains a four-star stock at 24% discount. The company benefits short-term from rising markets increasing existing assets under management and long-term from the ongoing shift toward advised assets, with strong organic growth and selective acquisitions.

Devon Energy for Oil Exposure: With the energy sector trading at a 10% discount to fair value and oil under multi-year pressure, Devon Energy emerges as the top pick among US domestic producers. Morningstar's oil company valuations use the two-year strip for oil prices (currently projecting WTI at $60 and Brent at $65), making Devon attractive even with modest oil price assumptions. As one of the lowest-cost providers on the US shale cost curve with a narrow moat, it's a four-star stock at a 30% discount.

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Every weekday, TED Talks Daily brings you the latest talks in audio. Join host and journalist Elise Hu for thought-provoking ideas on every subject imaginable — from Artificial Intelligence to Zoology, and everything in between — given by the world's leading thinkers and creators. With TED Talks Daily, find some space in your day to change your perspectives, ignite your curiosity, and learn something new.  

This is how kids should be learning with AI | Priya Lakhani

TED Talks Daily

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The Crisis in Education: Two critical problems plague modern education: the continued use of a one-size-fits-all approach in classrooms of 30-35 students, and 74% of teachers wanting to quit within three years due to overwhelming workload. Teachers spend their days teaching but their nights as data analysts, micromarking and assessing student progress—a role they never signed up for.

AI-Powered Personalized Learning: By combining artificial intelligence with neuroscientific theory and learning sciences, technology can learn how every individual brain learns differently. This approach can personalize education for each student while providing intelligent insights to teachers that reduce their workload. The speaker's platform has been used in over 140 countries, collecting over 40 billion data points on how children learn.

Students Are Using AI to Avoid Learning: A fifth of children admit to having AI do all their homework for them, using the technology to actively avoid learning rather than to help them learn. This mirrors adults' initial euphoric reaction to ChatGPT—thinking they'd never need to do work again—before realizing that shortcuts don't replace genuine learning and that AI can hallucinate and confabulate information.

The Science of Effective Learning: Learning requires "productive struggle"—sustained mental effort that builds understanding. Four proven techniques improve outcomes: retrieval (actively recalling information rather than just reading), spacing (distributing learning over time instead of cramming), generation (producing answers yourself even if initially wrong), and reflection (structured feedback addressing current learning state, goals, and gaps).

Mental Effort Physically Changes the Brain: Studies of London taxi drivers who must memorize 26,000 streets show that sustained mental effort strengthens and physically grows parts of the brain. The hippocampi of experienced cabbies were measurably larger due to the constant mental work of building spatial models and generating new routes, demonstrating that durable learning comes from certain types of effort, not shortcuts.

AI as a Partner, Not a Replacement: Well-designed AI can spot patterns in how we learn, predict knowledge gaps, provide timely interventions, deliver material when we're about to forget it, and offer structured feedback. However, AI predicts the future based on past data—it's humans who frame questions, set goals, choose datasets, and decide which discoveries matter. Major innovations like powered flight, penicillin, and electricity came from humans who built domain expertise through productive struggle and then took leaps of imagination.

The Critical Choice in AI Education: Whether AI is good or bad for education depends entirely on how we design and use it. The question is whether AI complements or replaces human cognition. Fluency in AI-generated responses is often mistaken for learning, creating an illusion of competence. Mental effort isn't a flaw in the learning process—it's a critical feature that allows learning to stick, builds expertise, and fuels human ingenuity.
</answer>

Emily Maitlis, Jon Sopel and Lewis Goodall – three of the UK’s top journalists – host an award-winning daily news podcast: The News Agents.  

They’re not just here to tell you what's happening, but why. Expect astute analysis and explanation of the day's news – and a healthy dose of scepticism and the ability to laugh at it all when needed.

Episodes are available every weekday afternoon. You can listen to The News Agents on Alexa, just say "Alexa ask Global Player to play The News Agents"

The News Agents is a Global Player Original podcast.

For advertising opportunities on this podcast email: dax@global.com

What the Hell just happened at MAGA-con?

The News Agents

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MAGA Movement Fracturing Over Racism and Extremism: The Turning Point USA conference in Phoenix revealed deep divisions within the MAGA movement over whether to allow neo-Nazis, white supremacists, and anti-Semites like Nick Fuentes into their coalition. Ben Shapiro warned against "charlatans who traffic in conspiracism and dishonesty," directly criticizing figures like Candace Owens, Tucker Carlson, and Fuentes for promoting dangerous ideologies including Holocaust denial and Hitler admiration.

JD Vance Refuses to Draw Red Lines: Vice President JD Vance told the conference that Trump didn't build his coalition through "purity tests" and that everyone is welcome, effectively endorsing the inclusion of extremist voices. This represents a dramatic shift from 2024 when Vance called Fuentes "a total loser" with no place in Trump's coalition, demonstrating how rapidly the movement is radicalizing.

The "Heritage Americans" Debate: A new phrase emerged at the conference suggesting only white Americans with long family histories in the country are true "heritage Americans." Vivek Ramaswamy pushed back against this blood-and-soil nationalism, arguing it would mean Trump himself is less American than Joe Biden since Trump's mother and grandfather were immigrants.

Charlie Kirk's Assassination Destabilized the Movement: Kirk's murder in September removed a key figure who maintained some control over the movement's internal tensions. Since his death, the Overton window of acceptable discourse has expanded dramatically, with conspiracy theories even emerging about Kirk's assassination itself being an inside job.

Movement's Self-Radicalization Cycle: The MAGA movement built itself on constantly pushing boundaries of acceptable speech, but this created an addiction to shock value. Having normalized previously taboo statements, adherents now seek ever-more extreme positions to achieve the same impact, leading inexorably toward genuine neo-Nazi rhetoric rather than mere political incorrectness.

Risk to Trump's Multiracial Coalition: Trump successfully built a working-class, multiethnic coalition in 2024 that Democrats had long sought to create. The current embrace of ethno-nationalism and nativism threatens to destroy this achievement, potentially handing Democrats a path back to power by alienating minority voters who supported Trump.

Anti-Semitism as Flashpoint: The conflict between figures like Ben Shapiro (an orthodox Jew) and anti-Semitic voices represents a fundamental battle over whether the movement will tolerate explicit hatred toward Jews. Tucker Carlson's sympathetic interview with Fuentes particularly inflamed tensions.

Vance Positioning for 2028: Erica Kirk, Charlie Kirk's widow, endorsed Vance for the 2028 presidential race at the conference. Vance's embrace of all factions appears to be a calculated political move to consolidate support across the entire MAGA base as Trump's influence begins to wane.

Attacks on Somali Americans Continue: Vance joked at the conference about a Minnesota state senator of Somali descent running for "mayor of Mogadishu - I mean Minneapolis," demonstrating the administration's ongoing targeting of Somali Americans alongside the broader nativist messaging.

Wes Streeting's Leadership Maneuvers: UK Health Secretary Wes Streeting gave a wide-ranging Observer interview advocating for closer EU ties, including hints at a customs union, directly contradicting Number 10's position. This follows similar comments from David Lammy that were slapped down, suggesting Streeting is deliberately testing boundaries.

Labour's Brexit Dilemma for 2026: The Labour Party faces growing internal pressure to move toward rejoining a customs union, with 80% of Labour supporters favoring this. However, the party manifesto explicitly ruled this out, and leadership fears alienating Brexit-supporting voters in red wall seats despite most vote hemorrhaging going to Lib Dems and Greens.

Streeting Gaining Political License: After Number 10's attempts to brief against Streeting backfired weeks ago, he now appears to have free rein to position himself however he wishes. This suggests Morgan McSweeney has lost authority as enforcer of party discipline, creating a warning sign for Starmer's control over his cabinet.

Westminster Lobby System Under Fire: Number 10 announced the cancellation of afternoon lobby briefings for political journalists, triggering accusations of restricting press access. The lobby system - where journalists receive private off-camera briefings - is criticized as anachronistic, with calls for public, televised briefings like those at the White House instead.

Brexit's Economic Cost Undeniable: Research from Stanford, the Bank of England, King's College London and others shows Brexit has cost every British person £3,000 in lost economic growth. Conservative MPs struggle to defend Brexit's economic record, with exports to Europe now significantly more bureaucratic and difficult for small businesses.
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Hugo Rifkind unpacks the the politics of the day - and the stuff that's even more important - with the brightest brains from the Times and Sunday Times. You can listen to Hugo on DAB, smart speaker or app 10am-1pm Monday to Friday. If you like what you hear, then read more at&nbsp;<a href="http://www.thetimes.co.uk/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">http://www.thetimes.com/</a><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.

Keir Starmer's Christmas Carol

Politics Unpacked

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Christmas Carol Framing Device: The episode uses Charles Dickens' "A Christmas Carol" as a creative framework to analyze Prime Minister Keir Starmer's political challenges, with three "ghosts" representing different threats to his leadership. The discussion takes place as an imagined Christmas Eve at Chequers, the Prime Minister's country residence.

Ghost of Christmas Past - Angela Rayner: Angela Rayner represents Starmer's troubled past relationship with his Deputy Prime Minister. While she's currently being "constructive" publicly, there are lingering tensions from her perceived marginalization by Number 10, her sacking after the Hartlepool by-election, and suspicions that negative stories about her taxes were planted from within. The government is also taking a "sledgehammer" to her cherished workers' rights bill, creating potential for future rebellion.

Ghost of Christmas Present - Jonathan Reynolds: The new Chief Whip embodies Starmer's current political health. Reynolds, who moved from Business Secretary to Chief Whip, is described as the "zookeeper to Labour MPs" and someone well-liked across the party. His role is crucial because unlike the Conservatives' 1922 Committee, Labour has no formal mechanism for removing leaders - it would be Reynolds who would have to deliver bad news if backbench support collapses.

Ghost of Christmas Future - Nigel Farage and Zach Polanski: Reform UK leader Farage and Green Party leader Polanski represent the populist threats eating away at Labour's electoral coalition "from both ends." Reform has led in over 100 consecutive opinion polls this year, while the Greens have surged to over 15% support. Their digital savvy and populist appeal pose existential threats to Labour's prospects in the May 2026 local and devolved elections.

Electoral Consequences: The May 2026 elections are framed as a critical test for Starmer's survival as Prime Minister. If Reform and the Greens perform as well as polls suggest, particularly with Reform's potential gains in Scotland and the Greens' strength in England and Wales, Starmer may not survive as leader. The episode suggests potential successors could include Wes Streeting, Angela Rayner, or Lucy Powell.

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Podcast do site Universo HQ, onde a nossa equipe discute notícias e assuntos relacionados aos mundos dos quadrinhos, cinema, televisão e cultura pop. Venha desbravar este universo conosco!

Confins do Universo 236 – Maus: A história de um clássico

Confins do Universo

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I apologize, but I'm unable to provide a comprehensive summary of this podcast episode. The transcript provided appears to be severely corrupted or incorrectly processed, containing mostly fragmented words, phrases in multiple languages (Portuguese, English, and others), and repetitive incomplete sentences. 

The only coherent phrase that appears multiple times is: "Vladek is not an unsympathetic character, but he isn't a character who is made better by going through the crucible of the Holocaust."

Based on the context provided, this episode appears to be about Art Spiegelman's graphic novel "Maus," which tells the story of the author's father's experiences surviving the Holocaust in Nazi concentration camps during World War II. However, without a properly transcribed version of the actual discussion, I cannot accurately summarize the key points, insights, or arguments presented by the podcast hosts.

To provide you with a meaningful summary, I would need a clean, accurate transcript of the episode's content.
</answer>

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.

Ellison To Personally Back WBD Bid, US Pursues Venezualen Oil Vessel, More

Bloomberg News Now

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Paramount Sweetens Warner Bros. Discovery Bid with Ellison Guarantee: Paramount and Skydance have enhanced their offer for Warner Bros. Discovery by adding a $40.4 billion irrevocable personal financial guarantee from Oracle Chairman Larry Ellison. This addresses previous concerns about the financing being revocable and strengthens Paramount's position against Netflix's competing bid.

Netflix Refinances Debt to Support WBD Acquisition: Netflix refinanced part of a $59 billion bridge loan with cheaper, longer-term debt to bolster its financial package for the Warner Bros. Discovery bid, intensifying the competition for the media company.

US Escalates Venezuelan Oil Blockade: The US Coast Guard is pursuing a third oil vessel off Venezuela's coast, ramping up enforcement of sanctions on Venezuelan crude. Former Congressman Patrick McHenry characterized this as a "full oil blockade" designed to pressure both the Venezuelan regime and Cuba, with significant implications for global oil markets as Venezuelan crude will effectively be removed from circulation.

Fed Governor Myron Advocates Continued Rate Cuts: Federal Reserve Governor Stephen Myron warned that the central bank risks triggering a recession unless it continues lowering interest rates next year. After 75 basis points of cuts this year, he hasn't decided whether to push for 25 or 50 basis point cuts at the next meeting, citing rising unemployment as justification for continued easing.

Tech Stocks Rally on AI Trade Momentum: Major technology stocks gained ground with Micron up over 1%, Oracle up nearly 2%, and Nvidia up 1% after Nvidia announced plans to ship its second-most powerful AI chips to China by mid-February, renewing investor appetite for artificial intelligence plays.

DOJ Faces Criticism Over Epstein Files Release Strategy: The Justice Department's decision to release Jeffrey Epstein files in multiple tranches rather than all at once has drawn criticism, with questions arising about heavy redactions that undermine the goal of transparency. Several photos from the first release were taken offline over the weekend.

Uber and Lyft Partner with Baidu on Autonomous Vehicles in London: Both rideshare companies will test Baidu's Apollo Go self-driving cars in London, marking an expansion of autonomous vehicle testing. This represents a challenge for Baidu's technology as the cars will need to operate on the left side of the road for the first time, while the company already dominates the space with operations in 22 Chinese cities.

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Выпуски новостей независимого медиапроекта "Эхо"

Инопресса: Блокада Венесуэлы может привести к топливному кризису на Кубе / 22.12.2025

Новости | Эхо

<answer>
I apologize, but I cannot provide a meaningful summary of this podcast episode. The transcript provided contains only the text "Foreign" with a timestamp marker, which does not contain any substantive content to summarize.

Based on the context provided, this appears to be a Russian-language news podcast episode from "Эхо" (Echo) that was intended to discuss international press coverage of the Venezuela blockade and its potential impact on Cuba's fuel crisis, including U.S. pressure on the Maduro regime through tanker seizures, expanded sanctions, and increased military presence in the Caribbean. However, without the actual spoken content in the transcript, I cannot verify what was actually discussed or provide specific details about the arguments and insights presented in the episode.

To provide an accurate and comprehensive summary, I would need a complete transcript of the podcast episode's content.
</answer>

"Answers aren't important, the journey is. Truth is the journey"Welcome to Prometheus Lens, the place where we use the allegory of the Prometheus Lens to re examine everything! How many times have we been told something, but later when we dig in for ourselves we find out we've been lied to? It's time for us to go on "The Hero's Journey", where we explore the vast unknown.We will reexamine everything from creation, evolution, paranormal, all the way to conspiracy theories. Welcome to the hero's journey!

Waking up to the truth about Esau

Prometheus Lens

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Doc Brown's Background and Journey into Biblical Research: Doc Brown, host of the Prometheus Lens podcast and author of "Epic of Esau," describes himself as a Southern factory worker who was never academically inclined but always loved history and the Bible. His research journey began in 2012 after being exposed to Trey Smith's work on biblical topics like Nephilim, fallen angels, and giants. This led him to re-examine scripture and discover content he never knew existed in the Bible.

The Bigfoot Connection That Sparked the Book: The idea for "Epic of Esau" originated during a conversation about Bigfoot with Trey Smith. Genesis 25:25 suddenly came to mind, describing Esau's birth as "red, covered in hair from head to toe, like a hairy cloak." This led Doc to wonder if Esau might be the first recorded Sasquatch. Subsequent research revealed multiple "hairy men" throughout ancient texts, including Enkidu in the Epic of Gilgamesh and accounts in the Book of Jasher.

Esau's Marriages into Nephilim Giant Clans: Building on Gary Wayne's research, Doc discovered that Esau married into known Nephilim giant clans. Two of his three wives came from these lineages, including connections to Mount Seir, whose name means "hairy, rough, rugged." This interbreeding between Esau's line and Nephilim giants produced the Amalekites, whose name means "blood lickers," suggesting vampiristic and cannibalistic practices.

The Amalekites as Fierce Warrior Giants: The Amalekites were the first people group encountered by the Israelites during their wilderness wanderings after the Exodus. According to Legends of the Jews and other sources, they were Viking-like berserkers known for extreme ferocity, practicing militia-style warfare, and requiring supernatural intervention from Moses (holding up the rod of wonder) to defeat them. They were also known as sorcerers and shape-shifters.

Biblical Laws as Response to Amalekite Practices: Many laws given during the wilderness wanderings appear to be direct responses to Amalekite practices the Israelites were witnessing and potentially imitating. Laws against drinking blood, practicing necromancy, seeking sorcerers, and passing children through the fires of Molech all correspond to documented Amalekite customs, suggesting these commandments were preventative measures.

The Serpent Seed Theory Applied to Esau: Doc presents the controversial theory that Esau may have been "serpent seed," drawing parallels between Genesis 3:15 (enmity between the woman's seed and the serpent's seed) and Genesis 25:25 (Esau's birth). The ancient texts, including Targums and writings of Rashi, describe Esau as having a serpent's branding on his body and being associated with Samael (Satan's pre-fall name), while Jacob was associated with the angel Gabriel.

Rebecca's Possible Connection to Fertility Gods: Doc speculates that Rebecca, who came from Haran where they worshiped pagan gods, may have turned to familiar fertility deities when she struggled to conceive. These gods, including Pan, Seronis, and Sam Quain, were depicted as hairy beings. In desperation, she may have prayed to these gods, which could explain Esau's unusual appearance matching these deities.

Hypertrichosis as Medical Evidence: Doc discusses hypertrichosis, a documented medical condition where people are born covered in hair due to a genetic malfunction that prevents shedding the hair all fetuses have in the womb. He provides examples including Pedro Gonzalez, a 16th-century French nobleman who was covered in hair and had children with the same condition, suggesting this trait can be inherited and may represent corrupted DNA that randomly manifests.

Migration Patterns and Global Legends: Doc theorizes that when Joshua and Caleb pushed the giant clans out of the Holy Land, many migrated north into Europe or west via Phoenician ships to America. This explains universal legends of hairy wild men across cultures, from Krampus in Europe to various Sasquatch legends worldwide. He points to traditions in Sardinia where people dress in goat fur and perform rituals involving passing through fire.

The Spiritual and Physical Dimensions of Bigfoot: Doc argues his theory explains both the physical evidence (sightings, footprints) and the "woo" aspects of Bigfoot encounters (orbs, UFOs, phasing in and out, disappearing tracks). The physical component comes from potential surviving descendants, while the supernatural aspects come from the disembodied spirits of dead Nephilim, which according to Enoch remain to torment mankind and likely take familiar forms.

Connection to End Times Prophecy: Doc sees potential connections between Esau's lineage and biblical prophecy, citing Isaiah's mention in the Septuagint of giants returning to fulfill God's wrath and Revelation's references to "beasts" (using a Greek word also meaning "monsters") that torment mankind. He suggests the increasing Bigfoot and cryptid sightings may indicate these entities being released for end-times judgment.

Modern Genetic Manipulation as History Repeating: Drawing on Solomon's wisdom that "nothing new is under the sun," Doc believes modern genetic manipulation, transhumanism, and DNA tampering are rediscoveries of forbidden knowledge given by fallen angels in Genesis 6. The Book of Jubilees mentions these beings sinned "against the beasts and birds," suggesting ancient genetic modification that created chimeras and hybrid creatures.

Lessons from Esau's Story: Doc emphasizes spiritual lessons including the dangers of pride, stubbornness, and leaning on one's own strength rather than faith. Esau was carnal, thinking only of immediate gratification (selling his birthright for stew), and chose bitterness and revenge over reconciliation. His intermarriage with Ishmael's line created ongoing conflict that continues today in Middle Eastern tensions, illustrating how unforgiveness becomes a cancer that destroys.

Methodology of Biblical Research: Doc advocates for studying extra-biblical texts, apocrypha, rabbinical writings, Targums, and ancient mythologies to understand the cultural context and mindset of biblical-era people. He argues the Bible contains foundational truths but not exhaustive details, as ancient audiences already knew many stories from oral tradition. Reading these supplementary texts provides the missing context that fills gaps in biblical narratives.
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ABC News Daily is the podcast that helps you understand the issues affecting your world. Every episode, host Samantha Hawley walks through one story with the help of an ABC colleague or expert in under 15 minutes. When you want coverage you can trust, listen to ABC News Daily.

Stephanie March on Gaza, autocracy and elephants

ABC News Daily

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Botswana's Elephant Conservation Success Creates New Challenges: Botswana now has the world's largest elephant population with 130,000 elephants after successful conservation efforts starting in the 1990s. However, this success has created serious conflict with local communities. Subsistence farmers face crop destruction by elephant herds, and about 100 people have been killed or injured by elephants over the past decade. Many farmers are left defenseless, relying only on sticks and bells to protect their crops from these massive animals.

Trophy Hunting as a Controversial Solution: In 2019, Botswana reintroduced trophy hunting to manage elephant populations and generate revenue for affected communities. Trophy hunters pay up to $100,000 to hunt elephants, with the money theoretically supporting local communities and conservation efforts. However, critics argue the funds rarely reach communities and that tourism focused on living elephants provides more sustainable economic benefits. The story contrasted two approaches: a hunter using aggressive tactics versus a conservationist training safari guides with gentle, respectful methods.

Georgia's Democratic Backsliding in Real Time: Once a pro-European democracy, Georgia has been sliding toward authoritarianism since 2022. The ruling Georgian Dream Party, led by billionaire oligarch Bidzina Ivanishvili who made his fortune in Russia, has reversed course on EU integration. The government has implemented Russian-style laws targeting LGBT communities, journalists, and foreign-funded NGOs. Former President Salome Zurobishvili believes Russia is using "hybrid warfare" tactics to take control without military invasion.

Opposition Silenced Through Imprisonment: The erosion of democracy in Georgia is exemplified by opposition MP Zurab Japaridze, who was arrested and jailed for seven months during the filming. He now faces additional charges that could result in 7-15 years imprisonment for alleged sabotage and collaboration with foreign agents. Nightly protests continue outside Parliament, with demonstrators wearing masks to avoid identification and fines. The speed of democratic decline in Georgia serves as a warning that if Russia can succeed there using these tactics, it could happen anywhere.

Life for Children in Gaza's War Zone: Working with local Gazan journalists, Foreign Correspondent followed the Muhammad family in Deir el-Balah, who had been living in a tent for nearly two years. The family included three children whose lives were completely upended by war. The 10-year-old son Siraj became increasingly angry and distrustful after being stalked by an armed drone while going to the toilet at night. Despite having one of the highest literacy rates in the world before the war (98%), Palestinian children have lost access to education and normal childhood experiences.

Maintaining Dignity Amid Displacement and Destruction: The Muhammad family's story revealed the daily struggle to maintain basic dignity without access to clean water, adequate food, or stable shelter. Just as filming concluded, they were forced to relocate again due to more people fleeing Gaza City, ending up in ruins surrounded by rubble. Even with the war now over, more than half of Gazans remain homeless, the IDF still occupies over half of Gaza's territory, and children face freezing winter conditions in tents.

The Emotional Toll of Reporting on Children in Crisis: The correspondent became visibly emotional discussing these stories, particularly those involving children bearing the brunt of circumstances beyond their control. She emphasized that while these stories capture just a moment in time, they provide crucial windows into others' lives and generate empathy and understanding. The work also creates profound gratitude for the relative safety and stability experienced by Australians.

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The day’s top stories from BBC News. Delivered twice a day on weekdays, daily at weekends.

Russian general dies in Moscow explosion

Global News Podcast

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Russian General Killed in Moscow Car Bomb: Lt. Gen. Fanil Salvorov, head of Russia's Operational Training Department, was killed when a bomb concealed under his car detonated in Moscow. Russian investigators are examining whether Ukrainian intelligence services were involved. This marks the third Russian general killed in explosions inside Russia in the past 12 months, suggesting the war has increasingly "come to the Russian capital." The incident highlights how, nearly four years into Russia's invasion of Ukraine, such attacks have become somewhat normalized in Moscow.

Failed Peace Deal Between Thailand and Cambodia: Fighting continues between Thailand and Cambodia despite signing a peace agreement alongside Donald Trump in October. Thailand's foreign minister admitted the deal was rushed by White House officials so Trump could sign it during his regional visit. Thailand has essentially snubbed Trump's pressure, denying his claim of achieving a ceasefire a week ago. The conflict represents an unprecedented situation in ASEAN's 58-year history, as member states have never fought each other like this before, violating the organization's core premise of managing differences peacefully.

Major Cybercrime Crackdown Across Africa: Operation Sentinel, coordinated by Interpol across 19 African countries, led to nearly 600 arrests and recovery of millions of dollars. The operation targeted three main areas: business email compromise (impersonating senior company officials), digital extortion, and ransomware attacks. Cybercrime now accounts for an estimated 30% of all reported crimes in East and West Africa. Examples include a cyber fraud network between Ghana and Nigeria that mimicked fast food brands, collecting payments but never delivering orders, defrauding over 200 victims of more than $400,000.

Indonesian Islanders Sue Swiss Cement Giant: A Swiss court agreed to hear a landmark climate case where four residents of an Indonesian island are suing cement company Holcim for climate change damages. The cement industry contributes up to 8% of global greenhouse gas emissions due to its carbon-intensive production process. The plaintiffs must prove causation between Holcim's emissions and the flooding and rising sea levels affecting their island. While Holcim argues it's committed to reaching net zero by 2050 and that the matter belongs with politicians rather than courts, other courts have rejected similar "drop in the ocean" defenses, stating even small contributors are part of the bigger problem.

Ukrainian Troops Receive Secret Santa Gifts: As Ukrainian soldiers prepare to spend their fourth Christmas on the front line, a Secret Santa program connects them with supporters in over 30 countries who send gifts. The scheme, started in 2022, allows people to sign up through a Telegram chatbox and be matched with soldiers. However, organizers report growing fatigue among participants, with recruitment becoming harder each year. Soldiers say these gifts provide vital morale boosts during increasingly tough conditions, especially as Russia intensifies attacks during holidays. Ukrainian troops are also sending gifts home to their families despite the challenging circumstances.

Gold Prices Hit Record Highs: Gold reached a record price above $2,420 per ounce, representing a 68% increase from the previous year—the biggest annual increase since 1979. Multiple factors are driving this surge: U.S. interest rate cuts reducing the comparative disadvantage of gold, economic pessimism about corporate profits, and widespread geopolitical uncertainty including conflicts in Ukraine and Venezuela, U.S.-China rivalry, and unclear U.S. trade policy. Additionally, central banks, particularly in Russia and China, have been buying gold for years, potentially due to concerns about sanctions and asset freezes, creating scarcity that pushes prices higher when other investors move into gold.

Jim Beam Halts Bourbon Production Amid Trade War: American whiskey maker Jim Beam announced it will stop producing bourbon at its main Kentucky distillery for all of next year, citing Donald Trump's trade war as a contributing factor. The uncertainty over trade policy has impacted business planning, while tariff-related disputes have significantly reduced sales of American alcohol in Canada, where some provinces are banning American liquor in protest. The company also faces an oversupply of aging barrels, which are taxed at higher rates as they age, combined with declining consumer demand due to the ongoing cost-of-living crisis.

Winnie the Pooh Celebrates 100 Years: The first Winnie the Pooh story, "Winnie the Pooh and the Bees," was published 100 years ago on Christmas Eve 1925 in London's Evening News and broadcast by the BBC on Christmas Day. The publication was a major promotional splash following the success of A.A. Milne's "When We Were Very Young" in 1924. Despite being quintessentially English in setting and tone, the character has achieved universal appeal across cultures, with Australian sales up 60% this year. The stories endure because they offer timeless childhood innocence, kindness, and a range of relatable characters from the clever Pooh to the melancholy Eeyore to the bouncy Tigger.
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The Game Football Podcast is the thinking fan's podcast for the debate, the tactics, the personalities, injuries, goals and analysis. From The Times and Sunday Times, it's the place for nuanced discussion around all the action throughout the 2024/25 season. Presented by Tom Clarke with contributors including Martin Samuel, Jonathan Northcroft, Charlotte Duncker, Hamzah Khalique-Loonat, Gregor Robertson, Alyson Rudd, Tom Allnutt and others.<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.

How good are Villa and who is the best midfielder in the world?

The Game Football Podcast

The Game

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Morgan Rogers' Breakthrough Season: Aston Villa's Morgan Rogers is having an exceptional 2025, ranking sixth in the Premier League for goals and assists with 19 in the calendar year. He scored two brilliant goals against Manchester United, including a stunning strike where he controlled a difficult ball and glided past defenders. His all-round game includes creative abilities and productive ball-carrying, placing him second behind Bruno Fernandes for assists in the calendar year. Rogers has elevated himself from being viewed as a good team player to genuinely elite level, now being compared to players like Jude Bellingham.

Villa's Title Credentials and Squad Depth: Aston Villa have won their last eight games by single-goal margins, with Rogers essentially winning seven of those matches himself. While data suggests they may be overperforming slightly, Unai Emery has transformed largely the same core of players who've been together since 2022. Questions remain about whether Ollie Watkins, with only three Premier League goals, can step up his production, and whether loan signings like Jaden Sancho and Ross Barkley can make impacts similar to their crucial January additions last season.

David Moyes' Declan Rice Claim: David Moyes declared Declan Rice the best midfielder in the world, sparking debate about whether he truly holds that title. Rice has made significant strides, particularly in his attacking contributions and dominant performances in the Champions League against Europe's elite. The panel discussed various contenders including Pedri, Moises Caicedo, Vitinha, Bruno Guimaraes, and Fabian Ruiz, with Rice being placed in the top five to ten rather than definitively at number one.

Tottenham's Discipline Crisis: Spurs lost 2-1 at home to Liverpool after Christian Romero received a red card, with Radu Dragusin also sent off later. Matt Doherty publicly criticized teammates as "cowardly," which may create dressing room friction. Romero, despite being captain and a World Cup winner, continues to be a "loose cannon" with poor decision-making both in challenges and on the ball. The panel questioned whether these players have the right mentality and whether they're doing Tottenham a favor by playing there.

Thomas Frank's Precarious Position: Despite some praise for Tottenham's fight with reduced numbers, the result marked their most home defeats in a calendar year in the Premier League era. The team looks lost and unhappy, not appearing to follow Frank's instructions. Players who thrived under Postecoglou's attacking style now seem uncomfortable with the more disciplined approach required. With Spurs sitting 13th, Frank's position appears increasingly precarious despite the difficult hand he's been dealt with injuries and suspensions.

Liverpool's Struggles Despite Win: Liverpool beat Tottenham but made hard work of playing against 10 men for an hour and nine men for the final minutes. The performance wasn't convincing, though Mohamed Salah's goal showed promising combinations. The devastating blow was Alexander Isak's suspected leg break shortly after scoring a excellent goal, potentially ruling him out for the rest of the season. Liverpool remain in fifth on 29 points, level with Chelsea, but continue to show inconsistencies that raise questions about their top-four credentials.

Newcastle's Missed Opportunities: Newcastle squandered a two-goal lead against Chelsea, with Gusto Mardo scoring both early goals. Eddie Howe praised his team's intensity in the first half, but soft defending for Joao Felix's winner proved costly. A controversial non-penalty decision when Gordon was shoulder-barged forcefully in the box also went against them. Despite sitting 11th, Newcastle are only six points off fourth place in a remarkably tight Premier League table, but this represented another missed chance to climb into the top five.

The Race for Fourth Place: With Arsenal and Manchester City likely occupying the top two spots and Villa potentially settling into third, the real competition appears to be for fourth place. Teams from Chelsea and Liverpool in joint-fourth on 29 points down to Tottenham in 13th on 22 points are separated by just seven points. Crystal Palace, Brighton, Everton, Newcastle, Brentford, and Bournemouth are all within striking distance, creating an unpredictable scramble for Champions League qualification.

Wolves' Historic Collapse: Wolves' 2-0 home defeat to Brentford leaves them on just two points, raising serious questions about whether they'll avoid breaking Derby County's record-low 11 points from 2007-08. Despite showing fight against Arsenal, they couldn't follow it up at home. Rob Edwards has walked into a fractured dressing room in potentially worse condition than expected. The summer saw them sell key players and bring in unproven replacements, leaving the squad desperately short of quality.

Dominic Calvert-Lewin's Resurrection: After injury-plagued seasons at Everton, Calvert-Lewin is thriving at Leeds in a two-striker system. He's scored multiple goals from a remarkably narrow zone directly in front of goal, following Carlo Ancelotti's advice to stay in the box. Playing alongside a partner has reduced his running demands, potentially helping him stay fit. At 28, he still has time to salvage his career and could even force his way into England World Cup contention if he maintains fitness, particularly with Kane's backup options struggling.

West Ham's Relegation Concerns: West Ham sit in 16th place, just six points above the relegation zone, with fans increasingly worried. Julen Lopetegui's appointment hasn't brought the expected solidarity, and defensive issues persist. Their next four fixtures against Fulham, Brighton, Wolves, and Forest represent a crucial period that could define their season. The January transfer window becomes absolutely vital for them to address their defensive frailties and avoid being dragged into a genuine relegation battle.

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The PowerShell Podcast highlights what makes PowerShell so great, the community. Each week we want to highlight people, blogs, videos, and modules that have gone into making PowerShell so great.

Living in PowerShell with Jeff Hicks

The PowerShell Podcast

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PowerShell as a Daily Workflow Tool: Jeff Hicks lives entirely in PowerShell, running his workflow—calendar management, file operations, and personal tasks—directly from the console rather than just using it for infrastructure management. He uses helper functions, aliases, and modules like Spectre Console to create polished, colorful terminal tools that make his daily work faster and more visual, demonstrating how PowerShell can be a force multiplier for personal productivity.

Fluency Comes from Time and Repetition: PowerShell fluency isn't about talent—it's about consistent use over time. Jeff emphasizes using PowerShell daily, even for small personal tasks, and turning one-liners into functions as you go. With nearly 20 years of experience, he stresses that everyone starts confused and overwhelmed, but the key is giving yourself time and comparing your progress to your past self, not to experts.

Customizing PowerShell for Better Output: Jeff heavily uses verbose messaging, write-information streams, and color coding in his functions to make troubleshooting easier and output more readable. His verbose messages include timestamps, command names, PowerShell version info, and indicators for begin/process/end blocks, which help trace execution flow and identify issues without needing debuggers. He also captures raw API data using write-information for development troubleshooting.

Terminal User Interfaces and Modern Console Features: Today's terminal capabilities far exceed what was available in early PowerShell days. Jeff showcases tools like Spectre Console for creating rich terminal UIs with boxes, colors, and multi-select menus, and Terminal.GUI for building full application-style interfaces directly in the console. These approaches provide GUI-like experiences while keeping everything keyboard-driven and in the PowerShell environment.

PSIntro - A Beginner-Focused Module: Jeff's newest project, PSIntro, provides an interactive splash screen and guided tutorials for PowerShell beginners. The module checks key module versions (like PSReadLine), displays profile script status, and offers short, interactive tutorials on fundamentals, the "trinity" commands (Get-Help, Get-Command, Get-Member), and essentials. It's localized for French and German using AI translation and runs PowerShell commands live on the user's system during tutorials.

Investing in Your Own Career: Your job is not your career—employers provide tools for their interests, not necessarily yours. Jeff advocates creating a personal learning plan focused on where you want to be in 5-10 years, investing in books, courses, and conferences outside of work hours. This gives you career freedom and ensures your skills are portable when your interests and your employer's interests diverge.

Finding Small Wins to Fuel Long-Term Growth: Learning PowerShell requires finding small victories along the way that provide immediate value and motivation to continue. Whether it's a simple file deletion script with a selection menu or automating a repetitive task, these incremental wins build toward the substantial long-term rewards that PowerShell offers, but you need those short-term payoffs to sustain the journey.

Making Yourself Available to Luck: Success in IT careers isn't about luck—it's about making yourself available to opportunities. Jeff and Andrew both emphasize that what looks like luck is actually the result of hard work, putting yourself out there through blogging, open source contributions, conference attendance, and community engagement. When opportunities arise, you're positioned to take advantage of them.

PowerShell as a Force Multiplier: PowerShell should be used to accelerate work and do more with less effort. Simple additions like color-coding output, using multi-select prompts, or creating terminal UIs can dramatically multiply effectiveness. Jeff's select-to-delete function exemplifies this—piping files to an interactive selection list and deleting chosen items without leaving the keyboard or opening Explorer.

Community Connection and Long-Term Perspective: The PowerShell community is unusually supportive, embracing beginners and celebrating shared growth. Both hosts emphasize that careers span decades, so slow, sustainable growth is preferable to burnout. Attending events like PowerShell Summit, participating in Discord/Slack channels, and staying connected during slower periods helps maintain momentum and opens doors to unexpected opportunities.

PowerShell Beyond Infrastructure Management: PowerShell's value extends far beyond traditional IT infrastructure automation. Jeff demonstrates using PowerShell for personal productivity, calendar management, and workflow optimization. This broader application helps build fluency while solving real problems, and the skills translate regardless of whether you're managing infrastructure, working in security, or any other technical domain.

Teaching and Sharing Knowledge: Jeff's two-decade journey from wanting to be a college professor to becoming a PowerShell educator shows how sharing knowledge benefits everyone. Teaching forces you to truly understand concepts, writing verbose messages and documentation improves your own code, and helping beginners have "aha moments" creates a rising tide that lifts the entire community.
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