All the Books! is a weekly show of recommendations and enthusiasm regarding the week's new book releases.

A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens from Zero to Well-Read

All the Books!

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A Christmas Carol's Revolutionary Secular Christmas: Charles Dickens's 1843 novella was groundbreaking in creating the first major secular Christmas story. It contains no mention of Christ, no churches, no scripture, and features supernatural elements that don't map onto any Judeo-Christian afterlife. This allowed the story to have universal appeal beyond religious boundaries while maintaining underlying Christian values of charity and generosity. The book helped transform Christmas from a religious village festival into an urban, civic, seasonal celebration.

Unprecedented Cultural Impact and Immediate Success: The book sold out its initial 5,000-copy print run in the first week and has never been out of print since 1843. More remarkably, it resulted in trackable increases in charitable giving at the time—an almost unimaginable impact for a work of fiction today. The story became so pervasive that it essentially lives "in the water" of Western culture, with hundreds of adaptations across every medium.

Dickens as Cultural Influencer and the First Celebrity Author: At age 31 when he wrote this, Dickens was arguably the first modern literary celebrity, going on multi-year reading tours and being mobbed by fans. He wrote the book in just six weeks as a social manifesto to draw attention to poverty in industrial London, drawing on his own childhood experiences when his father was imprisoned for debt and he worked 12-hour days in a boot-blacking factory.

Popularizing Christmas Traditions and Phrases: While Dickens didn't invent "Merry Christmas," he popularized it significantly. The book also introduced "bah humbug" to the lexicon (despite appearing only twice in the text), helped make turkey the bird of choice over goose for Christmas dinner, and contributed to numerous other Christmas traditions. The story predates Christmas trees, Santa Claus, stockings, and even electric lights.

The Bittersweet Melancholy of Christmas: Dickens may have invented the idea that Christmas carries an underlying sadness and nostalgia. This melancholic element—the pain of remembering good times that can never be recaptured—infuses most enduring Christmas stories, from "It's a Wonderful Life" to "Home Alone" to "I'll Be Home for Christmas." Even the Ghost of Christmas Past scenes emphasize that Scrooge cannot return to his happier moments with Mr. Fezziwig or his lost love.

Straightforward Moral Instruction That Still Works: The book answers rather than asks questions, delivering clear moral instruction about charity, generosity, and community responsibility. Remarkably, Dickens pulls this off without being preachy—the ghosts never judge Scrooge directly but let him draw his own conclusions. The message that "mankind was my business" and that the happiness a good boss creates is as valuable as fortune remains relevant today.

Dickens as Master Character Creator and Namer: The hosts argue that Ebenezer Scrooge might be the best-named character of all time, with Dickens rivaling only Shakespeare in character creation. Names like Scrooge (suggesting both "screwed" and "gouged"), Fezziwig, and Cratchit are outsized yet memorable. The characters are drawn large enough to become archetypes but remain indelible and human.

Surprising Strangeness of the Original Ghosts: The supernatural elements in the original text are much weirder than modern adaptations suggest. The Ghost of Christmas Past wears a hat that shoots beams of supernova light, while the Ghost of Christmas Present fluctuates in appearance, sometimes having twenty legs, sometimes just a head without a body. These trippy, uncanny descriptions don't appear in most filmed versions.

Modern Relevance and Billionaire Culture: The hosts note that while Scrooge was wealthy for his time, he had only one employee and limited scope to change the world. Today's billionaires could solve major problems like world hunger without significantly impacting their wealth, making the story's message about willful ignorance and responsibility even more relevant. They call for modern adaptations featuring tech billionaires.

Accessibility and Reading Experience: At roughly 70 minutes of reading time (three hours when Dickens performed it aloud), the novella is highly accessible. The language feels Victorian but isn't difficult, with almost no confusing vocabulary. The book remains funny, with Dickens's wit coming through strongly, and the emotional moments still land effectively despite being "on the nose."

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Legendary Queens rapper-turned show host N.O.R.E. teams up with Miami hip-hop pioneer DJ EFN for a night of boozy conversation and boisterous storytelling. The hosts and guests engage together in fun, light-hearted conversation - looking back at their paths to success, highlighting their lives, friendships, and iconic moments within their career. In this unfiltered series, drinks are flowing and jokes are rolling - take a seat at the table with N.O.R.E & EFN. You Gotta Relax!

Chris Gotti | ROC Solid w/ Memphis Bleek

Drink Champs

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Chris Gotti's Background and Early Hustling Days: Chris Gotti grew up in Brownsville but was raised in Hollis, Queens. Unlike many around him, he never sold drugs but was known for stick-up work. He was the person people came to when they needed muscle because he always had guns and no fear of consequences. He deliberately kept his younger brother Irv away from street activities to protect him.

The Origins of Murder Inc. and Producer Development: Murder Inc. didn't start as a label - Irv Gotti just wanted to be the biggest producer in the game. Chris built a construction business to fund Irv's early production work, then transitioned to music full-time. He systematically expanded their producer roster from making $5,000 per track to $250,000 per track within two years by bringing in multiple producers and creating consistent output.

Business Innovation and the "Crack House" Studio: Chris pioneered the concept of vertical integration in hip-hop by creating MINC Rentals (Murder Inc. Rentals). He bought their own studio, cars, and houses to rent back to themselves, recirculating money that would have gone to outside vendors like Quad Studios and car services. Labels later adopted this model after seeing Murder Inc.'s success.

The Federal Case and Its True Impact: Chris emphasizes that the Murder Inc. beef with 50 Cent and G-Unit was just entertainment and never truly threatened their business - they were doing over $240 million at their peak. What actually destroyed them was the federal case and the fact that Universal/Def Jam cooperated with the feds against them, cutting off their ability to release music through their own distribution machine.

Jay-Z's Character and Influence: Both Chris and Memphis Bleek speak extensively about Jay-Z's loyalty and behind-the-scenes support. Chris shares how Jay-Z intervened to get Irv Gotti his BET show "Tales" by telling executives to give Irv whatever he wanted, turning a pilot deal into an eight-show season. Bleek describes Jay as a "domesticated gangster" who maintained his street credibility while building business acumen.

Ja Rule's Musical Innovation: Chris credits Ja Rule as a pioneer of the rap-singing hybrid style that dominates modern hip-hop. While others like Puff Daddy had rappers featuring R&B artists, Murder Inc. created the model of one artist doing both rap and melodic hooks. Chris describes Ja as the original version of what Drake later became, noting that Irv Gotti holds a Guinness Book record for longest consecutive run at #1.

Current Film Projects: Chris has transitioned into independent filmmaking with his movie "Ballin'" starring NBA player Lance Stevenson, which was shot in just 17 days. He also completed "Spanish Fly," an all-Latino cast film shot in 8 days. He emphasizes the importance of casting influencers and athletes who will promote films through their own platforms rather than expensive traditional actors.

The CPL Basketball League: Chris founded the Clash Pro League (CPL), a street basketball league designed to serve the thousands of talented players who don't make it to the NBA or can't play overseas. Season one sold out every week, and he plans to expand the model to multiple cities - not as teams, but as separate city-specific leagues.

The Latin Music Division and Community Unity: Chris started a Latin division of his Adventures Music platform 10 years ago, ahead of the current Latin music explosion. He contrasts the Latino community's willingness to work together for collective success with some divisions in the Black community, noting how top Latino talent volunteered for "Spanish Fly" to support the movement.

Music Industry Distribution Challenges: Chris discusses the changing economics of streaming and distribution. While Tubi was lucrative for Black content creators early on, Fox's acquisition changed the payment structure. He notes that labels now make money from tours, merchandise, and brand deals (360 deals) rather than pure record sales, but independent artists still struggle with proper distribution and compensation.

The Importance of Consistency in Content Creation: Chris emphasizes that consistency is the key differentiator in oversaturated markets like podcasting and music. Using food as a metaphor, he explains that if you don't regularly "feed" your audience content, they'll go consume elsewhere. Only established top-tier creators can afford to take breaks from releasing content.

Business Philosophy and Studying Success: Chris describes himself as a quick learner who learned every aspect of the music business, construction, and other industries by observation rather than formal education. He deliberately stayed quiet in rooms with major figures like Jay-Z and Diddy to study their moves and protect his brother by identifying who was genuine versus who had ulterior motives.

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Calm before the storm in Venezuela & Colombia w/ Patrick Lancaster and Angelo Giuliano

The Duran Podcast

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Situation in Caracas is Calm Despite Tensions: Angelo Giuliano, reporting from Venezuela's capital, describes a surprisingly peaceful atmosphere with no visible signs of unrest. Despite US threats and sanctions, daily life centers around economic concerns like inflation rather than fear of war. The government maintains heavy military presence near the Presidential palace and strict immigration controls, but the city appears more stable than during previous crisis periods like the 2002 coup or 2014 Guarimbas riots.

Fifth Column Operations and Western-Backed NGOs: Venezuela faces ongoing covert destabilization efforts from CIA-backed agents and NGOs funded by USAID and the EU. Angelo encountered an Italian citizen claiming to do humanitarian work but with military background and security analysis experience, operating under tourist visa despite new National Security Laws restricting such activities. These elements could activate sabotage operations if tensions escalate.

Colombian Border Remains a Volatile Frontier: Patrick Lancaster reports from Cúcuta on the Colombian-Venezuelan border, describing it as a tense hub for drug trafficking and human smuggling. Armed groups like the ELN control approximately 50% of Colombian territory due to difficult geography with mountain ranges and jungle. The border region operates almost independently, affected by instability on both sides, with locals describing it as "the frontier" rather than part of either country.

Geography Makes the Region Virtually Ungovernable: The Andes Mountains branch through Colombia creating natural barriers that separate the country into distinct regions, making government control extremely difficult. Patrick's 21-hour bus journey revealed winding mountain roads and inaccessible terrain that provides ideal guerrilla country. Multiple armed factions operate in these areas, some cooperating with corrupted elements of the military, making US control of such territory highly improbable.

Trump's Shift from Drug War Narrative to Resource Grab: The US has abandoned pretenses about drug trafficking and now openly admits the conflict is about oil and resources. According to the 2024 DEA report, Venezuela isn't even mentioned as a drug trafficking hub, exposing the "war on drugs" justification as false. Trump wants complete control of Venezuelan oil assets, not a negotiated arrangement, despite Venezuela maintaining business relationships with Chevron.

Venezuelan Government Maintains Control Outside Caracas: Unlike Colombia's fragmented authority, Venezuela's government exercises strong control throughout most of the country, with challenges only in remote Amazon border regions. The political opposition is concentrated in wealthy Caracas neighborhoods like Altamira and El Chacao, where opposition leader Corina Machado operates among elite circles.

Economic Dollarization Provides Stability Despite Inflation: Venezuela operates a dual currency system with both bolivars and US dollars, allowing citizens to hedge against inflation by converting to dollars or gold. While inflation remains a concern, purchasing power has actually improved slightly over five years. The economy shows no extreme poverty, with working-class neighborhoods in Caracas appearing better maintained than parts of Philadelphia or San Francisco.

US Lacks Legal and Popular Momentum for Intervention: The Trump administration needs a false flag attack to create a casus belli for military action, as it currently lacks international legal justification, domestic popular support, and the internal Venezuelan conditions necessary for successful intervention. The polarization within Venezuela, while significant at around 40% opposition, is largely inorganic and manufactured through external funding rather than genuine domestic grievances.

Venezuela Pursues Pragmatic Non-Alignment Strategy: Despite close ties with Cuba, China, Russia, and Iran, Venezuela deliberately avoids going "all in" with any bloc to prevent becoming a direct US military target. The government maintains flexibility by continuing business with Chevron while accepting support from adversaries of the US. This careful balance contrasts with Cuba's position, which is more vulnerable due to dependence on Venezuelan gasoline.

Regional Domino Effect Threatens Latin American Sovereignty: If Venezuela falls, US intervention would likely spread to Nicaragua, Cuba, and potentially Colombia and Brazil under the renewed Monroe Doctrine. Brazil and Colombia have criticized US actions but maintain careful positioning, with Brazil even vetoing Venezuela's BRICS membership to appease Washington. Regional leaders remember previous US-backed dictatorships and understand the stakes for self-determination.

International Business Presence Indicates Economic Opportunity: Despite sanctions, Venezuela hosts significant foreign business activity from Turkey, Azerbaijan, Iran, and other nations who see potential in the resource-rich country. Turkish shopping mall chains and Iranian business delegations represent unprecedented levels of engagement, suggesting the country offers viable commercial opportunities beyond the conflict narrative.

Venezuela as Testing Ground for China Strategy: Trump's blockade tactics against Venezuela may serve as a prototype for future operations against China, particularly targeting chokepoints like the Malacca Strait. Since only the US possesses global power projection with 800 military bases worldwide, while China and Russia lack comparable reach, Venezuela becomes a test case for economic warfare that simultaneously harms China (Venezuela's largest oil customer), Russia, Cuba, and the BRICS alliance.

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For thousands of years, Kabbalists have been studying on a daily basis for their and humanity's spiritual progress. Continuing this tradition into today's globally connected world, the Bnei Baruch Kabbalah Education & Research Institute, studies daily from authentic Kabbalistic sources, with commentary by Dr. Michael Laitman. (Audio)

23 Dec 25 11:32 UTC; Work with Faith Above Reason

Daily Kabbalah Lesson (Audio)

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Faith Above Reason as the Foundation of Spiritual Work: The lesson emphasizes that authentic spiritual work requires operating with faith above reason rather than relying on intellectual understanding or emotional feelings. When obstacles arise, practitioners must believe that everything - both ascents and descents - comes from the Creator who is guiding them toward spiritual advancement, even when they cannot comprehend this rationally.

Redefining Ascents and Descents: A crucial teaching is that descent doesn't mean feeling bad or disconnected; rather, it means failing to properly use the disturbances given by the Creator. True spiritual work involves not measuring states by how we feel, but by how much we can bestow contentment to the Creator and connect with the group, regardless of our internal emotional state.

The Mother's Example of Unconditional Service: The lesson uses the analogy of a mother caring for her baby - she doesn't focus on whether she feels comfortable or tired, but only on serving her child. Similarly, spiritual practitioners should rise above their personal feelings of ascent or descent and focus solely on their intention to bestow, making this the primary measure of their spiritual state.

Disturbances as Essential Spiritual Tools: Obstacles and disturbances are presented not as hindrances but as necessary gifts from the Creator. Without them, there would be no opportunity to demonstrate true spiritual effort or develop the "left line" that balances with connection (the right line) to create the middle line of proper spiritual work.

The Role of the Group in Overcoming States: The ten (group) serves as the essential framework for spiritual advancement. When facing obstacles, practitioners must turn to their group, help remind each other of the Creator's presence behind all events, and work together to maintain their spiritual intention. This mutual guarantee (arvut) is what enables individuals to transcend their personal limitations.

Correct Use of Obstacles Determines Progress: The lesson teaches that if you know how to correctly use disturbances to achieve greater connection with the group and Creator, that's an ascent. If you cannot or will not use them properly, that constitutes a descent. The obstacle itself isn't the issue - it's the practitioner's response that determines whether they're ascending or descending.

Revelation of the Creator Between Friends: The Creator is revealed specifically in the connection between people, not to individuals alone. Practitioners must constantly work to discover Him "between us" by arranging the group, feeling the connection, and understanding that they are part of this collective vessel for His revelation.

The Healing Power of Blows from the Creator: When the Creator removes the "flavor" or pleasure from spiritual work, this blow itself becomes the healing. It forces practitioners to work purely with faith above reason without any support or reward, elevating them to a higher spiritual degree characterized by pure faith and absence of self-interest.

Growing Coarseness (Aviut) Drives Deeper Unity: As the ego (aviut) grows stronger, it specifically does so to push practitioners toward even greater unity. Each increase in egoistic desire is an invitation to build connection above it, constructing spiritual "screens" that enable transcendence of self-concern and movement toward genuine mutual care.

The Righteous Revoking Divine Decrees: When the Creator makes a decree by removing vitality and pleasure from spiritual work, the righteous person can revoke it by declaring willingness to work without any reward or pleasure. This declaration itself cancels the harsh decree and elevates the person to a state of pure faith.

Intention Over Action in Spiritual Work: Every corporeal action - preparing meals, organizing meetings, studying - must be accompanied by constant scrutiny of intention. The question "what reward am I seeking?" must be continuously examined, with the goal of reaching a state where actions are performed purely for bestowal without any self-benefit.

Daily Reset and Renewal of Spiritual Work: Each morning, a person awakens "like an animal" - the spiritual connection is erased and must be rebuilt from zero. This daily renewal is the blessed work itself, requiring practitioners to continuously re-establish their connection with the Creator through the group, repeatedly climbing the same ladder throughout their spiritual journey.

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Locked On A’s podcast is your daily ticket to stay ahead of the game and the first to know the latest news, analysis, and insider info for the Oakland A’s and Major League Baseball. Hosted by Wayne Coy, Locked On A’s podcast provides you daily insightful analysis of one of the youngest rosters in all of MLB to their upcoming move to Las Vegas. Locked On A’s takes you beyond the scoreboard for the inside scoops on the biggest stories from within the A’s locker room and all over MLB.  Locked On A’s podcast is part of the Locked On Podcast Network. Your Team. Every Day.

MAKING OF AN ACE: Why Steven Echavarria Might Be the Most Important Arm in the A’s System

Locked On A's - Daily Podcast On The Oakland Athletics

Locked On A's - Daily Podcast On The Athletics

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Steven Echavarria's Draft Investment: The A's selected Echavarria in the third round of the 2023 MLB Draft but paid him late first-round money, signaling serious organizational belief in his talent. Coming from Milburn High School in New Jersey, he was a cold-weather prep arm who dominated with a 0.28 ERA and proved himself against elite competition on the national showcase circuit with a mid-90s fastball, plus slider, curveball, and changeup.

Four-Pitch Arsenal and Starter Profile: Echavarria's foundation as a developmental starter includes a mid-90s fastball with riding life, a sweepy mid-80s slider that misses bats, a separate vertical curveball, and an advanced changeup for a prep arm. His clean athletic delivery, competitive mound presence, and comparisons to Sonny Gray suggest sneaky fastball effectiveness beyond what the radar gun shows.

The Stockton Struggle of 2024: As one of the youngest starters in Single-A at age 18-19, Echavarria posted a brutal 6.55 ERA with 1.91 WHIP and 36 walks across 57⅔ innings. However, the underlying metrics told a better story—velocity held all season, strikeout rates stayed healthy, and his fielding independent pitching was significantly better than surface numbers, indicating he was learning rather than failing.

Organizational Patience During Adversity: The A's never panicked during Echavarria's difficult 2024 season, maintaining him as a starter without bullpen conversion talks or developmental resets. This patience reflected their understanding that prep arms need to learn how pro hitters won't chase, how counts snowball, and that command matters more than raw stuff—lessons that can only come through uncomfortable innings.

The Lansing Turnaround in 2025: Moving to High-A Lansing, Echavarria showed meaningful improvement with a 4.59 ERA over 104 innings, doubled workload, reduced walk rate, and fastball velocity touching 98-99 mph deep into games. His slider evolved into a legitimate out pitch holding hitters to barely over .400 OPS, and he began finishing innings instead of just surviving them.

Mental and Physical Maturation: According to play-by-play commentator Jesse Goldberg-Strassler, Echavarria demonstrated growing maturity and understanding of pitching mechanics by season's end. He learned that hitters want to get themselves out and began understanding pitch placement by vectors rather than trying to hit tiny spots, showing the mental development necessary for future success.

Velocity Ceiling and Competitive Fire: When facing Tigers super prospect Kevin McGonagall, someone Echavarria knew personally, the adrenaline pushed him to 100 mph—demonstrating additional velocity in reserve beyond his typical 96-98 mph range. This ability to reach back for more when needed, combined with his competitive nature, suggests untapped physical potential.

2027 ETA and Ace Potential: If command continues trending forward and the changeup becomes a consistent third pitch, Echavarria projects for a 2027 major league debut. His floor is power reliever, median outcome is back-end or mid-rotation starter, but his ceiling remains a true number-one ace—someone you trust with the ball because he has answers, not just velocity.

The Ingredients Over Results Philosophy: The A's evaluation focuses on ingredients rather than immediate dominance: a four-pitch mix at 19 years old, plus fastball life, true bat-missing breaking ball, athletic repeatable delivery, and mental resilience after adversity. These messy, nonlinear developmental paths are how real aces emerge, boring until they suddenly aren't.

The A's Developmental Identity: The podcast emphasizes that the A's organization mirrors the underdog spirit of overlooked players and fans—built on cast-offs, misfits, and those with something to prove. This patient approach to development, refusing to give up on struggling prospects like Echavarria, reflects a broader organizational philosophy of believing in potential over polish.

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The Financial Advisor Success podcast brings you real success stories and insights from the most successful financial advisors, and leading industry consultants, about how to take your advisory business to the next level. Get a glimpse of what it's like behind the scenes building a successful advisory business, and how entrepreneurial advisors navigate the inevitable highs, and lows, of growing a firm. Whether you're a new financial advisor trying to get started on the right foot, or an experienced advisor who's hit a wall, we're here to give you the insights and inspiration you need to break through and reach the level of success you want to achieve. Subscribe to the show, and get even more at the leading industry blog Nerd’s Eye View at www.Kitces.com.

Ep 469: Specializing In (Sound) Income Sources For Retirees To Differentiate A $4B Advisor Enterprise with David Scranton

Financial Advisor Success

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Differentiation Through Income-Focused Investing: David Scranton built a $4 billion advisory practice by specializing in income-generating portfolios rather than traditional total return strategies. This approach emerged accidentally in 1999 when he shifted clients into bonds, preferred stocks, and fixed annuities to protect them from the tech bubble. The strategy became his defining characteristic—in his Connecticut town, people would say "if you want growth, go to the big wirehouses; if you want income, go see Scranton."

The Four Keys to Attracting Clients: David's framework for client attraction includes: (1) having a clear point of differentiation that separates you from competitors, (2) branding through education rather than just lead generation, (3) lead generation systems that attract rather than chase prospects, and (4) a conversion process that doesn't inadvertently spook prospects. He emphasizes that advisors must excel at all four components—failure in any one area can sabotage the entire process.

Individual Securities Versus Pooled Investments: Rather than using mutual funds or ETFs, David manages portfolios with 30-40 individual equity holdings and 50-80 individual bonds and preferred stocks. This approach provides multiple benefits: clients can see exactly what they own, it demonstrates active management work, and it provides a "get out of jail free card" during market downturns because clients recognize the underlying securities as quality companies rather than blaming the advisor.

Three-Tier Investment Structure: David constructs portfolios using three categories: "insured options" (bank CDs, government bonds, fixed/indexed annuities), "non-insured contractual securities" (individual bonds and preferred stocks with stated coupons), and equity-oriented investments (BDCs, REITs, high-dividend stocks). This structure allows customization based on each client's income needs and risk tolerance while maintaining the income-generation focus throughout the entire portfolio.

Branding Over Short-Term Lead Generation: David evolved from spending 80% of marketing budget on lead generation early in his career to 80% on branding as his firm matured. He advocates writing books (using ghostwriters if necessary), hosting radio shows, and other long-form content to educate prospects about why his approach is different. He used services like Forbes Books, investing around $40,000 for turnkey book creation, though advisors must still provide substantial input to capture their authentic voice.

The Monte Carlo Analysis Critique: David challenges the industry's reliance on Monte Carlo analysis and withdrawal strategies, arguing that a 90% success rate means 10 out of 100 clients will run out of money. He believes the only way to guarantee clients never run out is to never touch principal—generating true income through interest and dividends as a renewable resource rather than relying on market appreciation and systematic withdrawals.

Psychology of Income Versus Withdrawals: David observed that retirees who earned $250,000 pre-retirement would claim they could live on $70,000 (matching their pension and Social Security) because withdrawing principal felt wrong psychologically. By showing them they could generate actual income without touching principal, clients became comfortable planning for $150,000-200,000 in retirement spending, leading to happier retirements and more referrals.

Scaling Individual Security Management: Despite the complexity, David scales his approach by using both Orion (for trading) and Black Diamond (for reporting), creating over 100 different portfolio sleeves for various client situations, employing eight to ten Bloomberg terminals, and having skilled traders who negotiate "tradeaways" directly with larger firms for 90% of bond purchases. This infrastructure allows better execution than going through standard clearinghouse channels.

Serving Mass Affluent Successfully: With 10,000 households and $4 billion in assets, David's average client has roughly $400,000. He deliberately focuses on "mom and pop" and mass affluent rather than chasing ultra-high-net-worth clients, driven by his blue-collar upbringing. He demonstrates that advisors don't need to move upmarket to build a substantial practice—proper systems and differentiation can make serving average families highly profitable and personally fulfilling.

The Multi-Advisor Evolution: David's practice in New England now includes 12 advisors—eight "acquisition advisors" bringing in new clients (with qualified appointments scheduled for them) and four service advisors conducting reviews and obtaining referrals. An additional 28 firms across 40 offices either join as investment advisor reps or use Sound Income Group as a sub-manager, creating different service and pricing tiers.

Transforming from Analyst to Salesperson: David spent his first eight years in the industry struggling financially because his highly analytical CFA background made him terrible at sales—he would overwhelm prospects with details. At his low point, he was interviewing at medical schools. He transformed himself by finding mentors and copying their sales processes exactly, down to when they took sips of coffee during presentations, until the techniques became natural to him.

The Disease of Ease: David and his advisors push back against what they call the "disease of ease"—the industry trend toward outsourcing everything to make practices maximally scalable. While acknowledging his approach is harder to implement than using ETF models, he argues that doing difficult work that competitors won't do creates sustainable differentiation and builds something truly worth being proud of.

Finding Your God-Given Talent: David advises young advisors to stop trying to be good at everything (prospecting, closing, nurturing, planning, and business management). Instead, spend 2-3 years at a firm with good training to discover your natural strengths, then find a firm where you can focus 80% of your time on that one thing. Working on weaknesses only makes you slightly less weak—working on strengths can make you exceptional.

Success as Building Something Meaningful: David defines success not by the $4 billion in assets but by building something he's proud of and helping families live better retirements without fear of running out of money. His "big hairy audacious goal" is to directly help 1 million families achieve financial security in retirement—a mission that provides deep personal fulfillment beyond financial metrics.

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Sarah is a journalist obsessed with the past. Every week she reconsiders a person or event that's been miscast in the public imagination.

Where I Live: The Listener Holiday Special

You're Wrong About

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Portland and the Power of Community Care: Sarah introduces the episode by reflecting on how Portland was portrayed in the media as a "scary" city, when in reality it's a place where neighbors leave boxes of fruit out for each other in the fall—a true expression of anarchism as mutual aid rather than violence. This distorted narrative was weaponized to justify federal intervention in the city.

Denmark's Dark Winter Days and Cozy Living: A listener describes their 1860s rental house in Denmark, where it's dark even at midday in winter. They share their messy, hobby-filled living room with their partner, cat, and crested gecko, embracing the slow, indoor lifestyle of Scandinavian winters.

Greater Manchester's Working-Class Identity: A listener celebrates the collection of small mining towns that make up Greater Manchester, England—from Leigh where rugby players wear leopard print, to Wigan's famous pies and Boxing Day fancy dress tradition. The city's "worker bee" symbolism reflects its Industrial Revolution history.

A German Trailer Park Community: Marbles shares sounds from their 20-person community in Germany, including wood chopping, passing trains, and a trumpet that signals when someone has cooked for everyone—a beautiful example of communal living and care.

Ring-Necked Parakeets in Bonn: A listener finds joy in the unexpected parakeets living along the Rhine River in Bonn, Germany. When having hard days dealing with Germany's rightward political shift, stepping onto the balcony to watch these unusual birds brings comfort and smiles.

Casablanca's Morning Call to Prayer: A resident of Morocco's largest city describes the peaceful early morning call to prayer echoing across the city before the day's delivery motorcycles take over, offering a rare moment of quiet in an otherwise noisy urban environment.

South Africa and the Myth of White Genocide: Cath reports from Hamburg in the Eastern Cape, directly refuting claims about white genocide, describing instead a beautiful, peaceful place in the farmlands—pushing back against dangerous political narratives about her country.

Puerto Rico's Coquí Frogs and Resilience: A listener shares the beloved nighttime sounds of el coquí, endemic frogs whose chirping is the favorite sound of Puerto Ricans. Some recent arrivals want them gone, but the message is clear: "the coquí isn't going anywhere, and neither are we."

Florida's Hidden Beauty and Abundance: Beyond the politics and problems, a South Florida resident describes morning coffee walks spotting sharks, rays, and crocodiles, watching herons hunt and manatees swim—a place of diversity, celebration, and unexpected joy that makes them feel safe and inspired.

Louisiana's Cajun Prairies and Harvest Seasons: Noel describes growing up across Louisiana, particularly remembering the Cajun Prairies where life follows harvest cycles—sugarcane debris on November roads, rice fields becoming crawfish ponds, the smell of fermenting soybeans, and their grandmother's rice and gravy.

Houston's Soul and Diversity: Grace celebrates Houston as one of America's most diverse cities, where Spanish, Chinese, and Vietnamese are constantly heard. Despite Texas's political reputation, Houston is beautiful, authentic, and resilient—full of people playing baseball, having picnics, and teaching kids to ride bikes in neighborhood parks.

Being Visibly Queer in Nashville's Conservative Suburbs: Kara lives in Williamson County, Tennessee's richest and most Republican area, deliberately wearing rainbow clothing and gay shirts to be "as loud and obnoxious and as gay as I possibly can be" to provide cover for less comfortable LGBTQ+ people, believing "there are more of us than there are of them."

Memphis and Reproductive Justice Work: Hannah reflects on her complicated relationship with Memphis—leaving as a teenager angry about how adults treated her sexuality, finding queer community in Atlanta, then returning during COVID. Discovering a Pride exhibit at the Pink Palace museum helped her see Memphis's hidden history of queer activism and mutual care.

Charleston's Gentrification Crisis: Multiple listeners address Charleston's rapid gentrification, explaining that "losing character is a failure of design, losing demographics is a failure of policy." They encourage newcomers to shop local and support small businesses to preserve what makes Charleston special, while acknowledging the city's beauty in wetlands, wildlife, and hidden pockets of genuine community.

Richmond's Mutual Aid Network: Irina describes MAT RVA, which evolved from COVID food distribution to opening the Meadowbridge Community Market, a free grocery store serving 200 families weekly in a neighborhood experiencing food apartheid. "Giving food to people for free is a political act."

Washington D.C. Beyond Federal Politics: Multiple D.C. residents push back against media narratives, celebrating Club Banneker's summer DJ pool parties, the beauty of platonic family with roommates, and the importance of recognizing D.C.'s full lives and communities despite federal intervention, secret police, and National Guard presence.

Philadelphia's Puzzle Piece Feeling: Listeners describe the moment they knew Philly was home—seeing the skyline at sunrise, the attitude of "if you see something wrong, come help," and the magic of saying "go birds" which can mean anything depending on inflection. It's a city where people around and find out, where effort and authenticity matter.

New Jersey's Three States and Resilience: Residents explain that New Jersey is actually three states—North Jersey influenced by NYC, South Jersey by Philadelphia, and the contested Central Jersey. From cryptids and haunted woods to parakeets and sacred land, New Jersey makes people tough: "there's nothing that can surprise you and nothing that can take you down."

New York City's Holiday Contradictions: A tour guide describes Rockefeller Center's transformation into Christmas spectacle while showing how real New Yorkers navigate it—taking the subway uptown to Central Park to find "private, warm, real intimate moments" away from the tourist glitz.

Western Massachusetts and Daily Mutual Aid: Amy connects Portland's fruit-sharing culture to her own four pear trees, explaining how her library and church involvement focuses on giving things away to neighbors, with her family constantly asking "how can we help make this corner of the world more peaceful?"

Cape Cod's Seasons and "The Vortex": Lucille's poetic piece describes how Cape Cod transforms from summer's tourist-choked beaches to fall's cool, foggy, bearable landscape. The region is called "the vortex"—you never really leave, trapped in a paradise of poisoned water, traffic, and oncology departments, yet somehow still home.

Toronto's Ferries and Threatened Diversity: Emily celebrates Toronto as one of Earth's most diverse cities where over half the residents were born outside Canada, describing summer ferry rides to the islands filled with families speaking dozens of languages. She fears narratives that chip away at the consensus that "this place is for all of us."

Springfield, Ohio and Haitian Neighbors: A resident directly refutes Trump's lies about Haitians eating pets, instead sharing a moment of connection when saying "padqua" (you're welcome in Creole) to a Haitian woman at the grocery store, watching her face light up—"that is the heart of what this country really is."

Chicago's Community Response to ICE Raids: Multiple Chicagoans describe their immigrant neighborhoods hit hard by ICE raids, but celebrate the community response—signal threads for bike patrols, ensuring kids get home safe from school, and the general openness that comes from people having to make friends as adults in a city that doesn't value conformity as much.

Duluth's Cold Climate Care Ethics: A resident theorizes that extreme cold enables connection because "if you pass somebody whose car has given out, you gotta stop, because if you don't, that person could be toast in 10 minutes"—wondering if this mutual aid impulse is Midwestern, cold climate, or specifically Minnesotan.

Nebraska's Diverse Landscapes: Morgan describes falling in love with Nebraska by studying how landscapes shape people—the state has more rainfall variation east to west than from Omaha to the coast, contains the world's largest stabilized sand dunes, and has more river miles than any other state.

Oakland's Platonic Family: A listener describes the "really special moment" of lying sandwiched between their spooning husband and dog they were spooning, listening to both breathe—defining home not by place but by the platonic family they've built.

Australian Trans Takeover Weightlifting: Amanda celebrates attending the fourth annual Trans Takeover, a grassroots gender-inclusive weightlifting competition that might be the only one of its kind in the world, while also noting that "Aussie Trump" lost badly in their recent election.

Aotearoa's Folk Punk Festival: Hannah shares pride in helping run a volunteer folk punk festival in Tasmania for its ninth year, emphasizing that "community is the most important thing right now" and the importance of people who give time, effort, and money to make community events happen.

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We are reclaiming what it means to be a man. Each week we interview the world’s most successful men on the planet - elite athletes, warriors, New York Times Bestselling Authors, and world-class entrepreneurs – extract their hard-fought lessons and experiences and deliver them straight to you. Past guests include Jocko Willink, Tim Kennedy, Andy Frisella, Lewis Howes, Grant Cardone, Ryan Holiday, Ben Greenfield, Rich Roll, and so many more. If you’re ready to level up your life as a man, this is the show for you.

WIM HOF | Factory Reset: How Cold, Breath, and Solitude Rewire Your Brain

Order of Man

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The Power of Cold Exposure for Accessing the Reptilian Brain: Cold exposure activates the deepest part of the brain—the reptilian or survival brain—which operates beyond thinking and language. This shifts blood flow away from the overactive thinking brain that dominates modern life, allowing access to pure, primordial feelings and instincts. By consciously engaging with cold, you learn to control stress responses and activate the adrenal axis, which expels toxins and anything blocking optimal body function.

Daily Ritual for Mental and Physical Reset: Wim's daily practice involves cold exposure, breathwork, exercise, and music to cleanse himself internally and return to what he calls "factory settings." This 25-30 minute morning ritual removes stress hormones like cortisol, floods the body with energy and dopamine (250% increase), and prepares him to handle any challenge throughout the day without becoming sluggish or overwhelmed.

Full Body Immersion vs. Shortcuts: While placing your face in ice water or holding ice cubes provides some benefits, full body cold immersion is far superior. The skin is the body's largest organ containing 70,000 miles of veins, arteries, and capillaries. Full immersion exercises the entire cardiovascular system, addressing the number one killer in modern society—cardiovascular disease—which stems from comfort-zone behavior that desensitizes millions of receptors.

Breathwork as Biochemical Control: Deep breathing techniques make the body highly alkaline, like an alkaline battery, improving nervous system function and neurotransmitter activity. By consciously controlling breath and holding it after exhalation, you create a "biohack" that triggers the brain's danger response without actual danger, activating stem cells, boosting immune cells, reducing cancer cells, and expelling neurotoxins including alcohol, microplastics, and spike proteins.

Cold Exposure Dramatically Improves Sleep Quality: Cold exposure activates the adrenal axis, which expels stress hormones like cortisol that prevent deep sleep. When you go to sleep "clean" after cold exposure, melatonin kicks in more effectively, the vagus nerve activates the parasympathetic nervous system, and the body enters deep regenerative sleep, resulting in better rest and more energy upon waking.

The Carbon Dioxide Revelation: When you feel out of breath, you're not actually out of oxygen—your carbon dioxide levels are too high, making your blood acidic. Understanding this allows you to manipulate your biochemistry through breathing techniques, creating extended periods without breathing that trigger beneficial cascades of neurotransmitter activity and cellular regeneration.

Ancient Practices for Modern Problems: While humans live longer today due to advanced brains and modern medicine, we've neglected our mammalian and reptilian being. Modern stress—mortgages, relationships, taxes, death—affects us deeply because we don't know how to access our survival mechanisms. Cold and breath provide the tools to handle contemporary stress using ancient physiological responses.

Feeling vs. Thinking as the Path to Fulfillment: The moments of greatest happiness and fulfillment cannot be articulated with words—watching your child succeed, falling in love, feeling truly alive. These experiences activate the deep brain's feeling centers. Wim challenges Descartes' "I think, therefore I am" with "I feel, therefore I am," arguing that true happiness, strength, and health come from accessing feelings, not thoughts.

Top-Down Interoception and Decision Making: Cold exposure provides mental clarity by cleansing the brain through the blood-brain barrier, enhancing cognitive awareness and connection to intuition. Studies in Detroit showed "compelling evidence" of autonomous processes in the brain related to mood regulation. When you feel good, you think better and make clearer decisions—intuition consistently leads to better outcomes than logic alone.

Scientific Validation Without Commercial Backing: Wim and his team demonstrated in hospital settings that conscious breathing could control immune response to E. coli bacteria injection, bringing down dangerous inflammation. Despite proven effectiveness, these techniques don't receive research funding because they're free and don't generate profit. The "real disease" is that health solutions that make money are prioritized over effective natural methods.

The 250-Person Cold Endurance Demonstration: Last week in Sweden, 250 people aged 20-80 spent 3-4 hours in freezing cold wearing only bikinis and shorts. Through motivation and proper breathing techniques, everyone succeeded, proving that humans can endure far more stress than believed. This revelation transforms people's understanding of their own capabilities and resilience.

Purpose Rooted in Childhood Faith: At age 12, Wim declared the world "sick" for accepting depression, wars, and pollution as normal, vowing to change it. His mother nearly lost him at birth and promised God she'd make him a missionary. His mission became bringing goodness through science and nature-based techniques, eventually teaching doctors and professors worldwide despite being a school dropout—proving real wisdom exists in nature, not just books.

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Fantasy football doesn't have to feel so luck-driven. The award-winning Late-Round Fantasy Football Podcast is a fantasy football show that helps you win through bite-sized, analytically-driven episodes. Instead of just drafting from a list of players and crossing your fingers with the hopes that those players produce, host JJ Zachariason provides a process to help you find breakout candidates, sleepers, busts and more. The approach is logical. It's strategic. And it wins.

1074: 15 Transactions for Week 17

The Late-Round Fantasy Football Podcast

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Emmanuel Wilson - High-Priority Waiver Add: With Josh Jacobs limited to a 39% snap share due to a knee injury, Wilson led Green Bay in snaps and had 14 carries for 82 yards in Week 16. If Jacobs sits, Wilson becomes a legitimate fantasy starter against Baltimore, especially with Jordan Love in concussion protocol potentially leading to a more run-heavy approach. His 37% roster rate should be much higher.

Cleveland Browns Backfield Options: After Quinshawn Judkins' season-ending injury, the Browns backfield split between Rocket Sanders and Travion Williams. Sanders is the preferred add, handling early-down work with 11 carries compared to Williams' 3. Dylan Sampson is also worth adding if his hand injury clears, as he saw a 57% running back rush share back in Week 1.

Michael Carter - Hold Despite Mediocre Week: Though Carter managed only a 50% running back rush share against Atlanta due to rookie Corey Kiner's involvement, he still ran 17 routes and faces Cincinnati in Week 17. The Bengals matchup features a 52.5-point total and ranks as the best matchup for running backs by adjusted points allowed.

Wide Receiver Streamers: Trey Tucker operates as Vegas's number one receiver with at least a 90% route share in every game, making him a deep sleeper against the Giants. Ameka Ibuka is a drop candidate after his route share plummeted to 63% and then 50% in the last two games with Mike Evans and Jalen McMillan healthy.

Quarterback Streaming Options: Geno Smith and Tyler Shuck are recommended streamers in deeper formats. Smith faces the Giants, a top-10 matchup for quarterbacks, while Shuck has scored 17+ standard fantasy points in four straight games and gets the Titans, who had allowed top-10 quarterback performances in eight consecutive games before facing Kansas City.

Taysom Hill's Volatile Upside: Hill had exceptional usage in Week 16, leading the Saints with 12 carries, completing a 38-yard touchdown pass, and seeing six targets on just 44% of snaps. While his usage is unpredictable, he offers ceiling potential for teams needing high variance plays in championship week.

Tight End Recommendations: Colston Loveland is a hold despite disappointing production, as he achieved a season-high 82% route share without Luther Burden and Roma Dunze. Jake Tonjas becomes a streaming option if George Kittle's ankle injury keeps him out against Chicago. Dalton Kincaid is droppable after failing to reach a 60% route share since Week 9 and facing Philadelphia, the second-toughest matchup for tight ends.

Running Back Depth Adds: Chris Rodriguez saw a season-high 62.5% running back rush share in Week 16 and faces Dallas, an especially favorable matchup when Quinn Williams is out. Jawar Jordan is worth adding if Woody Marks remains out with his ankle injury, as Jordan posted a 68% rush share and 15% target share against the Raiders.

Defense/Special Teams Streamers: The New England Patriots defense faces the Jets, who have a 15-point implied team total and have allowed top-five defensive performances in three straight games. The New York Giants defense is another streaming option against Las Vegas, as opposing defenses have ranked as top-10 fantasy units against the Raiders in seven consecutive games.

Season Finale Reflection: This marks the final episode of the 2025 season, though off-season content will continue for subscribers. The host emphasizes his commitment to providing analytically-driven fantasy football advice and expresses gratitude to listeners for making the show possible, acknowledging that while not every recommendation works out, the goal is always to provide a strategic edge and escape from daily life.
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Find your purpose, build your network and make money doing what you love with Earn Your Happy, a motivation-packed podcast! You’ll think bigger, dig deeper and gain the confidence to go for your (world dominating) goals.
Each week, learn how to get to the next level personally and professionally with host Lori Harder, best-selling author, investor, multi-passionate entrepreneur, and founder of Glōci, for which Lori raised over $2 million through the strong network she has built.
Lori will give you a vulnerable, behind-the-scenes look at the challenges of growing a business, the toll it can take on your relationships and mental health, and how to support yourself through it all so you can reach your massive goals. Be mentored through your earpods on the topics of starting and scaling a company, building a personal brand, manifestation, boundaries, money, fear, relationships and taking the next big leap in life. Get the inside scoop on who you need in your circle, how to find them and the lies you need to stop believing to be successful. You’ll laugh, cry and feel like you’re not alone in the journey.
Follow Lori @loriharder on Instagram for more inspiration and behind-the-scenes of how she is building Lite Pink. This podcast is sponsored by GrowthDay and part of the GrowthDay Podcast Network: https://growthday.com/podcasts.

New Holiday Traditions Guaranteed to Create Lasting Memories

Earn Your Happy

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Holiday Power Nine Tradition: Chris and Lori share their daily practice of the "Power 9" - stating three things you're grateful for, three things you're excited about, and three things you're manifesting - which they've adapted for family holiday gatherings. This structured conversation helps everyone learn what matters most to their loved ones as they close out one year and step into the next, creating meaningful connection instead of surface-level small talk.

Overcoming Family Resistance to New Traditions: Introducing new family traditions often meets with pushback initially, as illustrated by Lori's brother-in-law Nick who resisted their birthday tradition of sharing favorite memories or traits about the person. However, he eventually became the first to initiate this practice with his own friends. You can ease resistance by blaming it on "these two cheese balls from a podcast" and sizing down the tradition if needed - perhaps starting with just one grateful and one excited statement instead of all nine.

The White Christmas Ornament Activity: Lori describes a powerful tradition where each family member receives a white ornament, writes their name on the bottom, and passes it around the table. Everyone writes one word or short phrase describing that person until the ornament returns full of affirmations. Optionally, each person can explain why they wrote their word. These ornaments become precious keepsakes placed on the tree each year, especially meaningful after Chris's father passed in 2020 - they still have his ornaments with words he wrote.

The Importance of Facilitation: Someone must take responsibility for making these traditions happen by setting a specific time and insisting the family participate, even when people resist or are comfortable watching movies. While you may initially be seen as the villain for disrupting comfort, you'll ultimately be the hero for creating lasting memories. The traditions require consistent pushing each year but the results are always worth it.

Creating Memories While You Still Can: The hosts emphasize the sobering reality that we don't know how much time we have with loved ones. Having structured opportunities to express appreciation ensures that people know how you truly feel about them before it's too late. These traditions create tangible memories and keepsakes that become even more precious after someone passes.

Outgrowing Your Circle as an Entrepreneur: Lori shares a "rich girl tip" about the importance of proximity and being in the right rooms for business growth. She and Chris once paid $75k each for a mastermind where they were the most successful people - good for ego but terrible for business growth. The lesson: if you're the one mentoring everyone, you're in the wrong room. They created their Elite Entrepreneur Mastermind for entrepreneurs making $500k-$1M+ who need to be surrounded by people thinking bigger.

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Natasha Daniels, Child OCD and Anxiety Therapist, shares practical advice for parents raising kids with OCD and anxiety. Raising a child or teen with OCD can feel overwhelming and isolating—but you don’t have to do it alone. In this podcast, Natasha shares practical, evidence-based strategies to support kids with obsessive-compulsive disorder and anxiety disorders. With over 20 years of clinical experience and first-hand knowledge as a parent herself to children with OCD and anxiety, Natasha offers clear guidance to help you understand how OCD works in kids—and what you can do to help. From managing OCD compulsions at home to finding the right anxiety or OCD therapy, you’ll get professional insights delivered in a relatable, real-world way. Whether you’re a parent or therapist, this podcast will help you feel more confident and less alone on the journey of raising a child with OCD and anxiety. You can find Natasha on <a href="www.instagram.com/atparentingsurvival" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Instagram</a> and tap into her online courses in the <a href="www.atparentingsurvivalschool.com" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">AT Parenting Survival School.</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.

Building Trust When Your Child Has OCD

AT Parenting Survival | Raising Kids with OCD & Anxiety

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Why Trust is Critical for Helping Kids with OCD: Trust forms the foundation for everything else when supporting a child with OCD. Without it, kids won't communicate openly, parents lose awareness of what's actually happening beneath the surface (the "iceberg effect"), and children become less likely to engage in therapeutic approaches. When kids feel their parents don't understand them, they shut down and isolate, which can lead to dysregulation, physical health issues, and depression.

Distinguishing Trust from Compulsive Confession: Parents need to recognize the difference between genuine trust-based communication and OCD-driven compulsions. If a child becomes distressed when unable to share intrusive thoughts or confess details, that's likely a compulsion rather than authentic openness. True trust looks different from compulsive narration of every thought or action.

Validate Before You Solve: The most common mistake parents make is rushing in with solutions before acknowledging their child's emotions. When a child shares a struggle, they need to feel heard first—not immediately diagnosed or fixed. Simple validation like "That sounds really rough" goes much further than jumping straight to "This is moral OCD and here's what you need to do."

Let Your Child Lead Their Recovery: Empower children by putting them in the driver's seat of their OCD journey. Ask questions like "How can I support you?" or "What do you want to do about that?" rather than telling them what to do. This builds agency and prevents them from becoming dependent on parents for their recovery. However, these questions only work if the child is ready to acknowledge their OCD.

Go at Their Pace, Not Yours: Recovery is a marathon, not a sprint, and parents must accept moving slower than they'd like. Whether a child hasn't showered in weeks or is homebound, pushing at the parent's pace typically results in dysregulation, self-harm, or shutdown. Identify the one step above where they currently are that they can manage, which will look vastly different for each child.

The Delicate Balance of Reducing Accommodations: While parents need to stop enabling OCD behaviors, pulling back accommodations too quickly without explanation can destroy trust. The SPACE program (Supportive Parenting for Anxious Childhood Emotions) offers a systematic approach to reducing accommodations slowly. Sometimes repairing the relationship must take priority before addressing accommodations.

Avoid Becoming the Micromanager: When children associate their parents only with nagging and demands (wake up, eat, shower, do homework), they develop a Pavlovian negative response to seeing them. The host realized she needed to pause her constant micromanaging of daily life skills to preserve her relationship with her son, even if it meant accepting some things wouldn't get done.

See Your Child Beyond Their OCD: Make intentional efforts to connect with who your child is outside their disorder. Listen to their stories and interests with full attention (even when they're not particularly interesting to you), carve out time for activities they enjoy, and avoid being the "OCD police" who comments on every visible compulsion. Kids already know they're doing compulsions—they don't need it constantly pointed out.

Timing Matters When Addressing Issues: Just because you notice something that needs addressing doesn't mean that moment is the right time to mention it. Whether it's a compulsion, a mess, or incomplete chores, consider waiting for a better moment rather than making it the first thing your child hears from you that day.

Bring Appropriate Humor into the Relationship: Humor can lighten the relationship, but it must be tailored to your child's sensitivities. Some kids can laugh at themselves while others become defensive at any teasing. Meet your child where their sense of humor is rather than imposing your own style of joking.

The Power of Repair: When trust is broken—and it will be—parents can repair it through acknowledgment and apology. Circling back to say "I'm sorry I snapped at you" or "I shouldn't have said that first thing this morning" actually strengthens trust rather than weakening it. Repair is an essential part of maintaining healthy relationships.

Trust is an Ever-Evolving Daily Practice: Trust must be rebuilt at different developmental stages (tweens, teens, young adults) and after significant life events. It's never too late to foster trust, regardless of where the relationship currently stands. Like all relationships, parent-child connections have seasons and chapters that can strengthen over time with intentional effort.

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Welcome to Hub Podcasts, the audio version of the big ideas and in-depth conversations found at The Hub.ca, Canada’s fastest growing digital news outlet with over 200,000 weekly users. Hub Dialogues features The Hub's editor at large Sean Speer engaged in longform conversations with leading thinkers on the big issues and ideas shaping the public conversation.&nbsp;&nbsp; In Conversation with David Frum features the insight and analysis of leading author, journalist, and thinker David Frum, who weighs in every second Friday on global and Canadian news events.&nbsp; Hub Headlines features audio versions of the best analysis published daily in The Hub. Enjoy listening to original and provocative takes on the issues that matter while you are on the go. Each Friday, The Hub Roundtable features Hub co-founders Rudyard Griffiths' and Sean Speer's take on the big political and economic stories making the news. <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.

Chief Aaron Pete: Why we need truth before reconciliation (re-release)

Hub Podcasts

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Personal Connection to Residential Schools: Chief Aaron Pete's grandmother attended St. Mary's Indian Residential School in B.C., struggling with alcoholism throughout her life and unable to show warmth to her family. His mother was born with Fetal Alcohol Syndrome and was taken in as part of the Sixties Scoop, creating a complex family legacy of intergenerational trauma while also receiving crucial support through foster care.

Viewing Legacy Through Responsibility, Not Victimhood: Pete explicitly rejects the victim label, explaining that he views his ancestors' struggles through the lens of "seven generations"—recognizing that previous generations endured hardship so he could have better opportunities. He sees his role as building upon what they overcame rather than dwelling on victimhood.

Truth and Reconciliation Day Should Be Optional, Not Obligatory: Pete argues that reconciliation days, like other statutory holidays, won't resonate personally with everyone, and that's acceptable. Canadians should be given the choice to engage if interested, with opportunities available to learn about Indigenous culture and history, rather than treating it as a mandatory obligation.

The 2021 Kamloops Story Was Built on Unverified Claims: Pete criticizes the media's handling of the 2021 story about 215 children's remains at a BC residential school, noting that ground-penetrating radar only found soil disturbances, not actual bodies. He argues this represents a failure of journalism to verify evidence before sparking a national conversation, though he maintains the broader discussion about residential schools was necessary.

The Graves Debate Distracts from Documented Truth: Pete emphasizes that regardless of what excavation reveals, 95% of what we know about residential schools is documented fact—the TRC testimony, records of abuse, tuberculosis deaths, and systemic neglect. He's frustrated that focus on unverified graves allows some to dismiss the entire verified history of residential school trauma.

Both Extremes Undermine Reconciliation: Pete identifies harmful actors on both sides: those on the right who deny residential school atrocities and claim they "weren't that bad," and those on the left who conflate "cultural genocide" with actual genocide, suppress questioning of evidence, and make unsupported claims about ongoing genocide. Both prevent productive middle-ground conversations.

Free Speech Absolutism and Engaging Critics: Despite disagreeing with figures like Maxime Bernier who call residential school genocide a "hoax," Pete defends their right to speak and advocates for debate rather than censorship. He notes that extremists often become more reasonable in actual conversation than they appear online, though he wishes more people would challenge these views publicly.

The Distinction Between Cultural Genocide and Genocide Matters: Pete explains that the TRC used "cultural genocide" to describe residential schools' goal of assimilation—removing Indigenous language, culture, and governance. He argues this term has been misused by others to conflate it with actual genocide as defined by the UN, eroding trust and clarity in public discourse.

Indigenous Languages Connect People to Land and Morality: Pete describes how Indigenous languages embed both moral teachings and geographic knowledge, using the example of mountains named through stories that teach lessons while also serving as navigation markers. Destroying these languages through residential schools severed Indigenous peoples' connection to their moral compass and their land.

Most Indigenous People Aren't Part of These Debates: Pete notes that members of his community aren't engaged in Twitter debates about evidence or terminology—they're living the trauma through their parents' inability to show love due to residential school experiences. Their priority is practical: securing daycare, employment, and better futures for their children, not arguing about historical details they already know are true.

Reconciliation Has Become Too Performative: Pete criticizes initiatives like land acknowledgements, ICBC allowing driver's tests to avoid culturally significant areas, and renaming places with unpronounceable Indigenous names as performative gestures that don't address actual Indigenous poverty, lack of education, or overrepresentation in the criminal justice system.

Reconciliation Needs Measurable Goals and Finish Lines: Pete argues that reconciliation projects need clear metrics and endpoints, not endless processes. He questions whether programs like First Nations Court and Gladue reports actually reduce Indigenous overincarceration rates, noting that when they don't, organizations simply shift their stated goals rather than acknowledge failure.

A Concrete Model for Indigenous Community Success: As chief, Pete's vision includes building 31 BC housing units with 104 affordable beds, creating 48 childcare spaces, and pursuing economic development through partnerships with companies like Enbridge and Fortis. His goal is to prove a replicable model for lifting First Nations communities out of poverty that can be adopted across Canada.

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On Masters of Scale, iconic business leaders share lessons and strategies that have helped them grow the world's most fascinating companies. Founders, CEOs, and dynamic innovators join candid conversations about their triumphs and challenges with a set of luminary hosts, including founding host Reid Hoffman (LinkedIn co-founder and Greylock partner). From navigating early prototypes to expanding brands globally, Masters of Scale provides priceless insights to help anyone grow their dream enterprise.

Resurrecting dire wolves is just the beginning for Colossal Biosciences’ Ben Lamm

Masters of Scale

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De-Extinction Through Functional Genomic Engineering: Colossal Biosciences successfully created dire wolf puppies by extracting DNA from 13,000 and 72,000-year-old specimens, identifying key genes that made dire wolves distinct from gray wolves (their closest living relatives at 99.5% genetic similarity), and editing approximately 15 genes in gray wolf cells. Using somatic cell nuclear transfer (cloning), they implanted embryos into domestic dogs, resulting in puppies after 60 days. This process, called "functional de-extinction," creates animals with extinct species' traits rather than perfect clones, similar to how Jurassic Park depicted genetically modified birds with dinosaur DNA.

Semantic Controversy Over Scientific Achievement: The scientific community debated whether these creatures are truly "dire wolves" or genetically modified gray wolves. Ben Lamm argues this semantic dispute overshadows the groundbreaking science—comparing it to the "moon landing of genetics." Whether called dire wolves, colossal dire wolves, or genetically modified wolves, the achievement of creating puppies from 12,000-year-old DNA represents unprecedented scientific advancement. The project revealed previously unknown information, including that dire wolves were actually white, not the red or orange coloring depicted in historical art.

Conservation Focus and Biodiversity Crisis: Colossal's mission addresses the forecasted loss of up to 50% of biodiversity between now and 2050. Beyond extinct species, the company works on endangered animals like red wolves (only 15 left in the wild) and Northern White Rhinos. They developed a new cloning technique using blood draws rather than invasive procedures. All technology developed for de-extinction is made available free to conservation partners, and Colossal raised an additional $50 million for the Colossal Foundation to fund academic conservation research.

Business Model Beyond Direct Revenue: Despite a $10 billion valuation after just three years, Colossal has no revenue and focuses on expensive R&D. The business model includes spinning out companies based on developed technologies (Form Bio for computational biology, Breaking for plastic decomposition, and an unannounced third company—all valued over $100 million). Long-term revenue will come from rewilding impacts through carbon credits, biodiversity credits, and government subsidies when species are successfully reintroduced to their natural habitats.

Parallel Conservation Wins Including Red Wolves and EEHV Vaccine: Beyond de-extinction, Colossal created four red wolf puppies (the world's most endangered wolf) from blood samples, though this received less attention than dire wolves. The company is developing vaccines for EEHV (elephant endotheliotropic herpesvirus), which causes more elephant deaths than poaching. If successful, this vaccine could save more elephants than all previous conservation efforts combined and would be engineered into mammoths to protect them from the same disease.

Artificial Womb Technology (Exodev) Development: Colossal's 17-person team is working on exogenous development—growing animals fully outside a womb without surrogates. If successful within two years, they may birth a mouse ex utero. This technology could allow creation of 200 Northern White Rhinos with engineered genetic diversity, grown in labs and rewilded without bothering existing rhinos. While the technology has potential human applications (particularly improving IVF), Colossal maintains strict ethical boundaries against working with humans or non-human primates.

Self-Imposed Ethical Framework and Boundaries: Colossal established its own ethical guidelines: no work on non-human primates, no Neanderthal or human-related projects, and every extinct species project must connect to saving existing endangered species. Lamm, who is not a scientist but a tech entrepreneur, believes more qualified experts like George Church and Beth Shapiro should guide broader synthetic biology ethics. The company actively engages critics, notably hiring initial skeptic Beth Shapiro as chief science officer.

Celebrity Investor Appeal and Public Inspiration: High-profile investors like Tom Brady and Peter Jackson approached Colossal rather than being recruited. Jackson invested because the work reminded him of childhood sci-fi dreams that sparked his imagination—the first company he's seen trying to achieve something from those fantasies. Colossal receives weekly pictures from children and classroom thank-you videos, demonstrating the project's inspirational value. Lamm hopes to create "one less influencer and one more scientist" by making science exciting and accessible.

Strategic Species Selection and Ongoing Projects: Colossal's main de-extinction targets are woolly mammoths (requiring 85 gene edits, with 25 completed), Tasmanian tigers, and dodos. Mammoths have a 22-month gestation period and require extensive work on assisted reproductive technologies. The company is also the exclusive genetic rescue partner for the Northern White Rhino project and works with indigenous communities who may have connections to extinct species like dire wolves in their oral traditions.

Founder's Tech Background Applied to Biology: Lamm, who previously built software companies, didn't intend to start Colossal. He approached Harvard geneticist George Church asking about opportunities in synthetic biology with proliferation of AI, automation, and compute power. When Church identified mammoth de-extinction as his dream unlimited-capital project, Lamm assembled a team of scientists smarter than himself. Now with a nine-month-old son, he's motivated by leaving a legacy beyond another software company, focusing on conservation and inspiring future generations.

Implications for Human Health and Reproduction: While Colossal avoids human applications, Lamm acknowledges their technologies could revolutionize IVF clinics, where morphological grading of embryos seems "archaic." The company has created healthier embryos that grow longer, which could replace current grading systems. Lamm believes growing humans ex utero is scientifically easier than elephants but faces moral, ethical, religious, and regulatory hurdles. Inherited diseases could potentially be eradicated, though this isn't Colossal's focus.

Dire Wolf Rewilding Plans and Pack Dynamics: The current dire wolf puppies, including Romulus and Remus, live in a 2,000-acre ecological preserve with a six-acre secure area featuring a storm shelter and animal hospital. Lamm bottle-fed Romulus as a pup but recognizes they're becoming more wolf-like and expects his recent interaction with Remus was his last time inside the preserve. Plans include creating three to five more for proper pack dynamics, with potential future rewilding on indigenous land in collaboration with tribes who may have connections to dire wolves in their traditions.

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Bryce Paul, acclaimed author of 'Crypto Revolution'—with over 100,000 copies sold and a foreword by ABC Shark Tank's Kevin Harrington—teams up with Brendan Viehman on this podcast. Viehman, a crypto seer since 2012, has accurately pinpointed major market shifts, secured major returns on Ethereum, Cardano, and Chainlink, and is recognized as a top 15 crypto YouTuber by Coin Bureau. Together, they cater to a community of hundreds of thousands of retail investors, aiming to bring the world's leading crypto experts to their listeners. The podcast's mission: to equip these retail investors with the insights they need for massive crypto success!

Crypto Rundown: This Gold vs Bitcoin Stat will Shock You & Coinbase's New Products

CRYPTO 101

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Market Conditions During Holiday Season: Bitcoin is trading around $88,000-$90,000 with continued choppy price action and multiple rejections at higher levels. The hosts expect this sideways trading to persist through the holiday weeks due to low liquidity as major hedge funds and traders take time off, though they caution that low liquidity can create volatility in either direction.

Fear and Greed Index Signals Caution: The crypto fear and greed index has moved from extreme fear (10) last month to the fear range (20-30), indicating continued market anxiety. Bitcoin Google search trends have decreased from their peak, which the hosts view positively as excessive interest on either side (up or down) typically precedes major corrections.

Bitcoin Leading Broader Market Drawdowns: Bitcoin's 30-35% correction mirrors similar drawdowns in momentum stocks like Oracle (-48%), Lululemon (-52%), Netflix (-30%), and Nvidia (-20%). However, unlike crypto where money appears to be exiting entirely, stock market capital is rotating into defensive sectors like healthcare and discretionary spending rather than leaving the market altogether.

Historic Bitcoin vs Gold Investor Behavior: In 2013, when gold crashed 28%, it saw $25 billion in redemptions as investors panicked. In 2025, despite Bitcoin dropping 10%, it has experienced $25 billion in inflows—a $50 billion behavioral swing. This demonstrates that Bitcoin is now being treated as infrastructure by institutions rather than a speculative trade, with buyers using volatility as an accumulation opportunity.

Institutional Bitcoin Adoption Continues: The Bitcoin ETF (IBIT) ranks 6th overall in 2025 ETF inflows with $25 billion, making it the only negative performer on the top inflows leaderboard yet still attracting massive capital. JP Morgan is now exploring crypto trading for institutional clients, a dramatic shift from calling Bitcoin a "pet rock" just years ago.

M2 Money Supply Divergence: The traditionally reliable correlation between M2 money supply and Bitcoin price has significantly diverged, with M2 rising while Bitcoin has corrected. This represents the widest gap in recent memory, though the hosts believe this divergence is unlikely to persist long-term and could signal future Bitcoin price appreciation.

Coinbase Launches "Everything Exchange": Coinbase announced a major expansion beyond crypto, adding 24/7 stock trading, prediction markets, direct deposit, instant Ethereum unstaking, ETH-backed loans, peer-to-peer payments, and an AI financial advisor. This mirrors Robinhood's "everything app" strategy, though the hosts debate whether Coinbase will successfully transition users who originally came for crypto into using traditional financial products.

Prediction Markets Explosion: Multiple major platforms are launching prediction market products, with DraftKings releasing a separate prediction markets app and Coinbase adding the feature. The hosts describe this as a "prediction market super cycle," though they note DraftKings may be late and face challenges requiring a separate app rather than integration into their main platform.

Regulatory Progress with Clarity Act: David Sacks indicated the Clarity Act vote is coming in January, which would clearly define when crypto assets are securities versus commodities. This regulatory clarity is expected to be a major catalyst for 2026, potentially enabling more institutional participation and stablecoin adoption that could increase liquidity flowing into the crypto ecosystem.

Senator Loomis Retirement: Cynthia Loomis, one of the first and most vocal pro-Bitcoin senators who regularly attended crypto conferences, announced her retirement. The hosts speculate she will likely take a position with a major crypto company like Coinbase rather than fully retiring from the industry.

Meme Coin Market Update: The "6-7" meme coin reached $25 million market cap, with the hosts noting it would likely have become a multi-billion dollar coin if the trend had emerged during January's stronger market conditions. They continue monitoring it as meme coin activity remains subdued compared to earlier in the year.

Community Engagement and Long-Term Perspective: The hosts emphasized zooming out and maintaining perspective, noting that Bitcoin has seen 500%+ gains from the FTX collapse bottom with multiple 30%+ corrections along the way being normal. They encouraged dollar-cost averaging during drawdowns and thanked their growing community for continued engagement even during difficult market conditions.

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Longtime Atlantic tech, culture and political writer Derek Thompson cuts through all the noise surrounding the big questions and headlines that matter to you in his new podcast Plain English. Hear Derek and guests engage the news with clear viewpoints and memorable takeaways. New episodes drop every Tuesday and Friday, and if you've got a topic you want discussed, shoot us an email at plainenglish@spotify.com! You can also find us on tiktok at www.tiktok.com/@plainenglish_

Plain English BEST OF: How Gen Z Sees the World

Plain English with Derek Thompson

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Gen Z Subgroups and Their Relationship to Technology: Gen Z can be divided into three cohorts based on their relationship with technology and COVID-19. Gen Z 1.0 (born late 1990s) sees smartphones as a tool and graduated into the pandemic. Gen Z 1.5 experienced high school or college during COVID, creating complex relationships with institutions. Gen Z 2.0 has never known life without smartphones and struggles to separate online from offline reality, viewing technology as an environment rather than a tool.

The Housing Crisis as Gen Z's Defining Economic Anxiety: Housing affordability is the foundational economic problem shaping Gen Z's worldview. Unlike previous generations who could expect to afford rent and eventually buy homes, young people today face skyrocketing costs that make traditional markers of adulthood feel impossible to achieve. This crisis fundamentally shapes how they interact with the economy and plan their futures.

Financial Nihilism and "FAFOnomics": Gen Z exhibits unprecedented engagement with high-risk investments like meme coins, cryptocurrencies, and sports gambling—what Scanlon calls "FAFOномics" (fuck around and find out economics). This stems from the disappearance of predictable career paths and the sense that traditional investing won't lead to stability, leading young people to take chaotic, attention-based financial risks.

The Attention Economy and MrBeast's Philosophy: MrBeast's leaked corporate memo reveals Gen Z's work philosophy: optimize purely for metrics and outcomes rather than artistic quality or process. His philosophy explicitly states the goal is to make "the best YouTube videos possible," not the most creative or beautiful ones. This reflects a generation shaped by algorithmic feedback loops that make success measurable through clicks, views, and retention rates.

Outcome-Oriented Work Culture Over Hours-Based: Gen Z prioritizes work quality over quantity, rejecting the Boomer/Gen X focus on hours spent in the office. They want to be judged on what they produce rather than time invested, creating tension with traditional corporate cultures but potentially offering more capitalistic freedom around how work gets done.

Institutional Trust at Historic Lows: Gen Z shows dramatically declining trust in institutions across the board (except the United Nations). This stems from visible political gridlock, the disappearance of traditional career paths, pension systems collapsing, and the inability to achieve previous generations' milestones like homeownership. Social media amplifies institutional failures while misinformation from leaders further erodes confidence.

Technology's Role in Shaping Psychology: The smartphone has fundamentally altered Gen Z's psychology by making outcomes explicitly clear through likes, views, and engagement metrics. This creates a numerate feedback system that previous generations never experienced, making people more outcome-oriented but potentially deadening creativity by focusing solely on measurable results rather than artistic or intellectual merit.

The Political Shift Isn't About Ideology: Young people's rightward shift in the 2024 election was primarily driven by economic anxiety rather than conservative ideology. Young voters, particularly men, wanted economic stability and change rather than endorsing specific conservative policies. The gender gap in politics reflects young women responding to perceived attacks on autonomy while young men seek economic security.

The Crisis of Dating and Romance: Only 56% of Gen Z adults have been in romantic relationships during their teens and twenties, compared to over 70% of previous generations. Dating apps are struggling to retain users (Bumble down 90% since IPO). Factors include social anxiety, political polarization, economic instability, and what Scanlon calls the "convenience contradiction"—technology promised to make dating easier but human complexity remains difficult.

Elevated Anxiety as a Generational Defining Feature: Gen Z reports experiencing negative emotions "almost or all of the time" at significantly higher rates than previous generations. This stems from the three-headed hydra of smartphones (constant availability, rage-bait cycles), the pandemic (institutional disruption), and economic anxiety (housing, AI threatening careers). The difficulty of constructing an "algorithmic self" while discovering identity in front of thousands of strangers compounds this anxiety.

The Algorithmized Self and Identity Formation: Young people face the unprecedented challenge of developing their identity while navigating two realities—physical and digital. The constant algorithmic curation of content makes it difficult to distinguish authentic preferences from algorithmically-fed ones, creating fundamental questions about "who am I beneath the algorithms?"

Delayed Adulthood and Changing Milestones: Traditional markers of adulthood—dating, marriage, homeownership, having children—are being significantly delayed. This isn't just about personal choice but economic constraints (housing costs, childcare expenses) and technological factors (digital reality consuming time previously spent meeting people in person).

AI as an Emerging Source of Existential Anxiety: College students express uncertainty about whether career paths will even exist by the time they graduate, fearing AI will replace their planned professions. This represents the first time a generation faces simultaneous "political creative destruction" and "technological creative destruction," creating more questions than answers about their futures.

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The PBD Podcast is a podcast that discusses, current events, trending topics and politics as they relate to life and business. Stay tuned for new episodes and guest appearances. Support this podcast: <a href="https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/pbdpodcast/support" rel="payment">https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/pbdpodcast/support</a>

“The Clash Of The Turbans” - Imam Tawhidi EXPOSES Islam Extremism, Iran’s Regime & War On The West | PBD Podcast | Ep. 706

PBD Podcast

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Distinguishing Islam from Islamism: Imam Tawhidi emphasizes the critical distinction between Islam as a religion and Islamism as a contemporary political ideology that uses Islam to gain power. He argues that organizations like the Muslim Brotherhood, which spawned Al Qaeda, ISIS, and Hamas, have hijacked Islam for political purposes. The extremists don't represent traditional Islam but rather a corrupted version designed to infiltrate and change societies.

The Muslim Brotherhood's Infiltration of America: Tawhidi details how the Muslim Brotherhood gained legitimacy during Obama's presidency, with organizations like CAIR becoming advisers to the White House. He celebrates Florida and Texas for designating CAIR as a terrorist entity and argues that the Muslim Brotherhood operates like a mafia, representing themselves as the face of Muslim Americans despite not having authority in most mosques.

Iran's Regime as Islamic Extremism: Tawhidi describes Khamenei as "the Persian Hitler" and "the Shia Osama bin Laden," explaining Iran's system of Wilayat al-Faqih (guardianship of the jurist) where the Supreme Leader claims absolute authority over all Muslims worldwide on behalf of God. He emphasizes that Iran has no real elections and is run by a cult of clerics, not a legitimate government. The real power lies with Vahid, Khamenei's right-hand man.

Personal Journey from Extremism to Reform: Tawhidi shares his experience studying at Al Mustafa University in Qom, Iran from 2008-2013, where he was being trained in revolutionary Islam and exporting Khomeini's ideology. He describes how discovering forbidden books and meeting clerics who opposed Khamenei opened his eyes, leading him to withdraw from the extremist education system and reject their ideology while maintaining his Islamic faith.

Immigration Policy Through Security Lens: Tawhidi advocates for strict immigration vetting similar to UAE and Saudi Arabia, where 200 nationalities coexist peacefully due to excellent screening systems that prevent extremists from entering. He argues that American immigration policy has been treated as a political issue rather than a security issue, allowing extremists rejected from Middle Eastern societies to migrate to the West.

The Estimated Scale of Extremism: While declining to give exact percentages, Tawhidi acknowledges that extremism exists on a significant scale (discussing figures from 5-10% or roughly 100 million people). However, he emphasizes that extremist movements are always governed by small leadership groups, and that dealing with these leaders would cause the larger movements to disperse.

Decision-Making Centers of the Muslim World: Tawhidi argues that the future of Islam is determined in Riyadh, Mecca, and Abu Dhabi—not Tehran or other extremist centers. He points to the Abraham Accords, the Abrahamic Family House, and leaders like Sheikh Zayed of UAE as examples of Islam heading toward peace, coexistence, and prosperity, with total rejection of extremism.

Prophet Muhammad's Marriage to Aisha: Addressing the controversial topic, Tawhidi firmly states that Aisha was an adult (18-21 years old) when she married the Prophet, not 6 or 9 as commonly claimed. He argues this narrative comes from sources also used by ISIS and should be rejected entirely, emphasizing that credible Islamic scholarship supports his position and that he would never follow a religion whose founder committed such acts.

The Concept of 72 Virgins: Tawhidi explains that while the concept exists in Islamic tradition, the number 72 in Arabic literature means "a lot" rather than an exact count. He contextualizes this as part of conversations with a primitive 7th-century Arabian society that needed relatable examples, similar to how the Prophet had to tell people to enter homes through front doors rather than digging holes in the back.

Apostasy and Religious Freedom: When asked about Muslims who choose to leave Islam, Tawhidi clearly states they are free to leave and that there is no agreed-upon Islamic law requiring their execution. This directly contradicts extremist interpretations that mandate death for apostasy.

Ownership of Islamic Heritage: Tawhidi powerfully articulates his position as a third-generation imam from an Arab tribe whose ancestors were companions of the Prophet Muhammad. He argues that Islam is his heritage—the religion came in his language, to his people, and his DNA is "as old as this religion." He insists extremists like Khamenei and the Muslim Brotherhood need to leave Islam, not him.

The Need for "Clash of the Turbans": Tawhidi calls for public theological debates between moderate and extremist Islamic scholars, arguing that the West needs to see the internal Muslim conflict rather than only hearing from extremists. He criticizes media platforms for giving voice to organizations like Hizb ut-Tahrir (which seeks a global caliphate) without equally platforming peaceful Muslim voices.

The Role of Vetting and Expertise: Tawhidi distinguishes between actual Islamic scholars (imams) and mere preachers or influencers, arguing that many prominent Muslim voices in media lack proper theological education. He emphasizes that social media influencers and the children of imams are not necessarily qualified theologians, and platforms should feature those with genuine religious depth and understanding.

Coexistence Based on Abrahamic Unity: Throughout the conversation, Tawhidi emphasizes that as an Abrahamic faith, Islam shares common ground with Judaism and Christianity. He notes that the Quran defended Mary's virgin birth when Jewish tradition disputed it, and that Abraham's legacy calls for Muslims, Christians, and Jews to coexist peacefully rather than spill each other's blood.

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The Influencer Podcast is your go-to resource for coaches, service providers, and online educators ready to elevate their messaging, visibility, and authority. Hosted by Julie Solomon, a master in messaging and brand visibility, this podcast is designed to help you break through the noise, attract high-paying clients, and scale your business—without needing endless content creation or sales calls.
If you’re tired of generic strategies and want to master messaging that converts effortlessly, this is the space for you. Each episode dives deep into practical frameworks, high-level marketing strategies, and behind-the-scenes insights to help you craft compelling messaging that speaks directly to your dream clients. Learn how to position yourself as the authority in your niche, build a sustainable sales system, and unlock the sales growth you’ve always known you’re capable of.
With a focus on creating long-term sustainability, you’ll discover how to build a sales system that works for you—turning your content into consistent revenue and scaling your business in the online space with ease.
Ready to make your message magnetic, build a lasting sales system, and scale with confidence? Subscribe and start transforming your business today.

Why Slowing Down Can Actually Move You Forward Faster

The Influencer Podcast

Woman of Influence

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This is a 60-minute episode featuring Julie Solomon as a guest on The Mystic Millionaire podcast, where she shares her journey from publicist to brand strategist and coach for online entrepreneurs.

From Publicist to Personal Brand Expert: Julie's career began in music PR in New York City, working with major acts like Lenny Kravitz, Pink, and Maroon 5. This background taught her to see the "inner stardom" in people, though she struggled with allowing herself to be seen while keeping others in the spotlight as a publicist literally standing "in all black" in the shadows.

The Rock Bottom Moment That Changed Everything: In 2015, Julie's husband discovered she had hidden $30,000 in credit card debt from him. This catalyst moment forced her to confront her fears, insecurities, lack of self-worth, and fear of being imperfect. Rather than being the end, being "found out" became a gift that set her on a journey of self-discovery and ultimately built the foundation for her current business.

Breaking Generational Patterns: Julie recognized that her debt wasn't just a personal failing but represented ancestral and generational patterns she had the opportunity to break. She emphasizes that hiding things is a protection mechanism, and the first step is self-acceptance rather than judgment. Within a year of facing this truth, she paid off the entire debt by finally showing up authentically in her business.

"Act As If" vs. "Fake It Till You Make It": Julie distinguishes between these two approaches, explaining that "fake it till you make it" is an immature version where your subconscious knows you're faking it. "Act as if" is a more self-aware, evolved approach where you make a conscious decision to embody your future self—it's about becoming the character rather than pretending.

The Power of Proximity Without Pedestals: Julie discusses how being around successful people early in her career didn't make her starstruck, but she did put their needs and dreams before her own. She believes that what you recognize and respect in others exists within you—it's a mirror of your own potential rather than something to worship from afar.

Messaging and Positioning as Core Business Tools: Julie's signature work focuses on two key areas: messaging (the strategy of effectively articulating your brilliance) and positioning (how you're being perceived and your reputation). She helps clients identify what people will actually pay them for consistently, not just what they think they should offer.

The Networking Dinner Wake-Up Call: Julie shares a pivotal moment when she casually shared advice at a dinner that helped another entrepreneur generate an $800,000 launch. This made her realize she wasn't fully owning the power of her proprietary work and was oversharing from a place of needing validation rather than honoring the value of her expertise.

Loving "Boring Money": Julie teaches clients to embrace simple, sustainable, consistent revenue streams instead of constantly chasing drama and dopamine hits. This "boring money" creates the baseline security that allows for true creativity and play, rather than burning down the house trying to create excitement.

The Confidence Building Process: When clients struggle with feeling like frauds, Julie works on belief systems and uses stepping stones rather than giant leaps. For example, if someone makes $20K monthly but wants $100K, she helps them first embody the $30K identity. She emphasizes that you can hustle to six figures, but you cannot hustle to seven figures without embodying the identity.

The Brand Accelerator Program: Julie's signature program focuses on helping established coaches and service providers refine their messaging frameworks, identify their true genius, and position themselves as "not the best, but the only." It's about making the mundane unique to their experience and calling in only their ideal clients.

Content Without Magnetism Is Just Noise: Julie's key wisdom is that creating more content isn't the answer—embodying magnetic positioning and messaging is. She encourages asking: "Without fear of anything, what would you be talking about right now?" and emphasizes working with someone who has successfully done what you're trying to do.

Magnetism Comes From Honoring Inner Stardom: True magnetism isn't something to chase or find externally—it's about allowing your inner authenticity to breathe and lead. Julie believes we're all artists in our own right and that showing up as genuinely yourself attracts the right opportunities and people in harmony with who you are.

Luxury Travel as Freedom Defined: When asked about her millionaire mindset indulgence, Julie identifies high-end travel experiences—particularly being able to travel first class anywhere with her family without worry—as her definition of freedom. Paris, especially staying at the Ritz, is her favorite destination where she truly comes alive.

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What Trump’s tariffs mean for holiday shopping

Apple News Today

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Congressional Dysfunction Reaches Historic Levels: Congress ended 2024 as one of the least productive in modern history, failing to resolve major issues like the longest government shutdown on record and expiring health care subsidies that will leave millions facing higher premiums. A record number of lawmakers—11 senators and 44 House members—are choosing not to run for reelection, citing increasing partisanship, death threats against members and their families, and frustration over the inability to accomplish meaningful work.

Structural Changes Have Eroded Congressional Culture: Former members from both parties identify key structural problems that have transformed Congress over decades. Since Newt Gingrich instituted shorter work weeks in 1985 to allow more time for fundraising, members spend less time in Washington, families rarely relocate to D.C., and the personal relationships that once fostered bipartisan cooperation have disappeared. This has contributed to steadily increasing partisanship and isolation among members.

Power Consolidation Has Diminished Committee Authority: The traditional committee system that allowed members to develop expertise and craft legislation has been significantly weakened. Former members report that speaker's offices now essentially dictate what goes into bills, removing the agency and meaningful work that committees once provided, making the legislative role less appealing and effective.

Children Held in ICE Custody Beyond Legal Limits: New reporting from the Marshall Project reveals that more than 1,300 children—about one-third of all children in ICE custody—have been detained longer than the 20-day limit established by a decades-old legal settlement. One case involved a mother and five-year-old daughter arrested by 20 armed officers at a Chicago laundromat and transferred to Texas detention facilities that lawyers describe as lacking adequate water, food, medical care, and educational resources.

Extended Detention as Deportation Strategy: Former ICE officials believe the federal government is intentionally holding families longer to increase the likelihood of deporting them directly from detention. Data shows a significant spike in custody lengths right around the 20-day limit. While ICE claims transportation delays, medical needs, and legal processing slow releases, the practice makes it harder for detainees to mount legal defenses with limited resources while in custody.

Surprise Tariff Bills Hit Holiday Shoppers: The Trump administration eliminated the "de minimis" exemption that previously excluded packages under $800 from import taxes, leaving many holiday shoppers with unexpected tariff bills. One customer who ordered $431 worth of skincare from Belgium was charged $657 in fees due to 200% aluminum tariffs and 50% steel tariffs, plus an additional $65 late fee after refusing the package.

Shipping Companies Struggle with New Customs Requirements: The abrupt removal of the de minimis exemption in August has overwhelmed shipping companies like UPS, which now must perform customs clearance on vastly more packages regardless of value. This has created processing bottlenecks and resulted in tariff costs being passed directly to consumers, with some international companies stopping U.S. shipments entirely and major retailers like Costco and Revlon filing lawsuits against the administration.

State Department Recalls Two Dozen Diplomats: The Trump administration is removing more than two dozen diplomats from embassies worldwide, all appointed during the Biden administration, with Africa most affected by at least 13 ambassador removals. While officials call this standard practice for aligning the State Department with presidential agenda, the move has angered personnel who warn of critical vacancies at key embassies.

Extreme Weather Threatens Holiday Travel: An atmospheric river will dump up to 8 inches of rain on parts of California through Christmas, creating significant risks for mudslides and flooding, while winter storms bring ice and snow to the Northeast. Meanwhile, much of the middle of the country from the Rockies to the Appalachians will experience some of the warmest Christmas weather on record.

TSA Holiday Travel Tips: Common holiday items frequently get stopped at TSA checkpoints, including peanut butter (considered a liquid), play doh, snow globes, and candles. Travelers should consider leaving gifts unwrapped until after security, as TSA agents may need to inspect packages and will have to undo wrapping.
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Join The New World's Matt Kelly and Matt d'Ancona plus occasional guests for weekly chat on politics and media with a side of cultural stuff. A podcast in the spirit of the award-winning New World newspaper - irreverent, witty, surprising, argumentative ... and annoying all the right people.<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.

The Matts’ cultural highlights of the year

The Two Matts

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Television Excellence with "The Studio": Matt d'Ancona's first pick was "The Studio" on Apple TV, a multi-part series starring Seth Rogen as the head of Continental Studios who allows Martin Scorsese to make an epic adaptation of the 1978 Jonestown Massacre. The series features an extraordinary lineup of celebrities mocking themselves, including Zoe Kravitz, Olivia Wilde, Ice Cube, and Bryan Cranston, and works in a similar style to Curb Your Enthusiasm with ironic, witty humor that serves as a love letter to Hollywood.

"The Brutalist" as Epic Cinema: Matt Kelly highlighted this three-and-a-half-hour film starring Adrian Brody as a Jewish Holocaust survivor and architect working under patronage in America. The film left a lasting impact through its stunning cinematography shot in VistaVision, haunting soundtrack available on Spotify, and epic sweep comparable to "Giant" and "There Will Be Blood." A particularly memorable scene set in the Carrara marble quarries in Italy combines breathtaking visuals with one of the most shocking moments in recent cinema.

"Blue Moon" - A Jazz Age Tribute: Matt d'Ancona praised Richard Linklater's intimate chamber piece set in March 1943, starring Ethan Hawke as Larry Hart, the small, drunk, gay librettist who wrote classic songs with Richard Rogers before being replaced by Oscar Hammerstein. Set in Sardi's restaurant on the night of Oklahoma's premiere, the film features Andrew Scott as Rogers and explores themes of friendship, betrayal, and the end of a creative partnership with a gorgeous soundtrack.

"The Traitor's Circle" - A New Literary Genre: Matt Kelly celebrated Jonathan Friedland's book as a groundbreaking "historically accurate whodunit" about German resistance to the Nazi regime. The narrative follows an elite group gathered at a 50th birthday party with a Gestapo informant among them, told through approximately 70 cliffhanger chapters. The book represents a wholly new form that combines historical accuracy with thriller conventions to inform, educate, and entertain simultaneously.

David Bowie Archive at V&A East: Matt d'Ancona highlighted the opening of the permanent David Bowie archive at the V&A East in Stratford as an incredible cultural phenomenon. Bowie meticulously cataloged everything throughout his career, creating a rotating permanent exhibition featuring costumes, notes for unmade projects, the stylophone from various albums, and curated materials exploring his debt to Black artists. The archive represents Bowie's final gift to the world.

"Adolescence" - A Cultural Lightning Rod: Despite controversy about its portrayal of 13-year-olds, Matt Kelly praised this Netflix series for its extraordinary cultural impact and brilliant execution. Featuring outstanding performances by Stephen Graham and Emmy-winning Owen Cooper (the youngest ever Primetime Emmy winner), the series was shot in continuous takes to create a condensed, high-pressure atmosphere. It sparked widespread conversation on both sides of the Atlantic and demonstrated how politics and political discussion now happens through drama on streaming platforms.

"One Battle After Another" - Political Violence Epic: Matt d'Ancona's favorite film of the year was Paul Thomas Anderson's tenth feature, starring Leo DiCaprio as a member of the militant group French 75 and Sean Penn as a deranged right-wing Colonel. Shot in VistaVision, the film oscillates brilliantly between absurdity and darkness, exploring political violence and militancy with Tarantino-esque dark humor. The film features incredibly funny dialogue and demonstrates Anderson's position as possibly ahead of Tarantino in their friendly directorial competition.

Liverpool's Historic Victory: Matt Kelly's passion pick was Liverpool's 5-1 victory over Tottenham in April 2025, which secured the club's 20th league title, equaling Manchester United's record. This marked the first time Liverpool won the league in front of their fans in 35 years (the previous victory was during Covid lockdowns). The moment represented the highest form of culture through what football means to devoted fans, with Anfield's electric atmosphere creating a quasi-religious experience.

Oasis Reunion at Wembley - The Joint Pick: Both Matts chose the Oasis reunion concert at Wembley on July 26th as their shared cultural highlight. Attended with their families, the concert proved that Oasis's songs from their first two albums have achieved classic status, transcending the 1990s nostalgia to become timeless. Liam Gallagher demonstrated why he's the front man for a generation, while Noel Gallagher's songwriting showed supernatural quality. The brothers appeared to genuinely enjoy performing together, suggesting this may become an ongoing Rolling Stones-style touring situation.

Stephen Graham's Acting Supremacy: Throughout the discussion, Stephen Graham emerged as a recurring cultural force, appearing in "Adolescence" and mentioned alongside Gary Oldman as one of Britain's greatest actors. His transformative performances range from the Bruce Springsteen biopic to "A Thousand Blows" where he underwent a complete body transformation to play a bare-knuckle fighter, demonstrating genius-level commitment to his craft.

ABBA Voyage and the Future of Live Performance: Matt Kelly praised the holographic ABBA Voyage show as extraordinary and mind-boggling, potentially heralding a new era of entertainment. The technology has reportedly inspired plans for a Beatles holographic show, which could allow audiences to experience the Fab Four through their various eras from Sergeant Pepper to Let It Be, representing an exciting frontier in cultural preservation and experience.

The Golden Age of Television Continues: Both hosts agreed that 2025 represented part of "the greatest quarter century of television the world's ever seen," with streaming platforms like Apple TV and Netflix producing exceptional content. The year demonstrated how drama now serves as a vehicle for political and social discussion, with shows like "Adolescence," "Mr. Bates versus the Post Office," and "Toxic Town" keeping important issues in public consciousness.

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The Pakistan Experience is a podcast looking to tell stories about Pakistan, and Pakistanis, through the lost art of conversations.

https://www.youtube.com/c/ThePakistanExperience

Also available on Spotify, Google Podcasts and Apple Podcasts.

Hosted by Shehzad Ghias Shaikh 


Floods, Climate Change, Balochistan and PTI vs the Writ of the State - Dr. Musadiq Malik - #TPE 499

The Pakistan Experience

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Climate Change Infrastructure vs. Development Projects: The discussion opens with tensions between climate-focused infrastructure and large development projects like motorways. Dr. Malik defends that while projects like the Karachi-Hyderabad route are important, there needs to be a balance between development and climate considerations, acknowledging that new housing colonies and infrastructure often create "heat capsules" that exacerbate climate issues.

Flooding, Housing Societies and Urban Planning: A major point of contention is how elite housing societies are built on natural water flow paths, contributing to urban flooding. The conversation addresses how these developments, particularly in Punjab, disrupt natural drainage systems. Dr. Malik discusses the need for proper zoning and assessment, though the host expresses skepticism about accountability given past incidents like the Parkview society flooding.

Early Warning Systems and Flood Prevention: Dr. Malik outlines efforts to establish integrated early warning systems for floods, including digital twinning and machine learning capabilities at NDMA. He explains the shift from a "pull system" to a "push system" where data flows automatically to relevant authorities. However, the host questions why these obvious solutions weren't implemented earlier, especially after the devastating 2022 floods.

Federal vs. Provincial Jurisdiction Challenges: A recurring theme is the limitations of the Climate Ministry due to Pakistan's constitutional structure. Dr. Malik emphasizes that implementation falls under provincial jurisdiction while his federal ministry handles policy, climate diplomacy, international treaties, and funding. He acknowledges frustration with this structure but notes he must work within these constitutional constraints.

Deforestation and Accountability Gaps: The conversation addresses illegal deforestation, particularly for hotels and housing developments. When pressed on accountability and naming those responsible, Dr. Malik deflects, citing jurisdictional issues and stating that while he sees problems at conferences, actual enforcement power lies elsewhere. The host expresses frustration at the lack of concrete action or named perpetrators.

Limited Ministerial Power and Political Realities: Dr. Malik candidly discusses using "every ounce of force" he had, sometimes winning and sometimes being depleted before achieving victory. He acknowledges that political entitlement and powerful interests often override climate concerns, and describes having to choose strategic retreats, saying "sometimes you have to lose the bridge to save the city."

Balochistan's Complicated Security Situation: The discussion shifts to Balochistan, where Dr. Malik describes "warlike situations" with excessive forces and administrative complications. He defends military tribunals and extraordinary measures as necessary to counter forces that "have brought the war into our country," though acknowledging these measures are controversial and ideally should be temporary.

Missing Persons and Due Process Concerns: When challenged about missing persons and the lack of transparency in Balochistan, Dr. Malik argues for trusting state institutions during extraordinary circumstances while admitting the process may be imperfect. The host pushes back, questioning why Baloch rights seem more "dispensable" and why families cannot access information about detained individuals.

Military Courts and Institutional Strengthening: Dr. Malik defends military tribunals for cases involving attacks on military installations, arguing that civilian courts lack capacity during crises. He acknowledges the "cultural problem" of impunity and entitlement within institutions, but maintains that the state needs tools to establish its writ while fending off destabilizing forces.

PTI, Political Violence and the Writ of State: Addressing PTI protests and the May 9 events, Dr. Malik argues for respecting state writ and going through proper legal channels rather than storming red zones. When asked about mistreatment of Imran Khan's sisters, he suggests the state should handle civilians better but maintains that establishing state authority is paramount during what he sees as organized attempts at destabilization.

Breaking the Cycle of Political Revenge: Dr. Malik acknowledges the "vicious cycle" of political vendetta and polarization in Pakistani politics. He states the only way out is through dialogue between political parties, though offers limited detail on how to achieve this given current tensions.

Energy Crisis and Electricity Costs: On the electricity pricing crisis, Dr. Malik explains the structural problem of excess capacity payments for power plants that aren't being fully utilized. He acknowledges the economic hardship but suggests the future lies in distributed grid systems, renewables, and battery technology, though admits current consumers face continued difficulties.

Air Quality and Anti-Smog Measures: Dr. Malik outlines a comprehensive strategy for addressing Pakistan's severe air pollution, particularly in Punjab. This includes promoting electric two and three-wheelers, addressing crop burning through supply chain solutions, enforcing industrial emission standards, and expanding public transportation like the Orange Line metro, while acknowledging that smog can reduce life expectancy by four years.

Russian Oil Deal Success: Contradicting claims that Pakistan never received Russian oil, Dr. Malik insists the deal was successful, explaining the complex financial structures and insurance arrangements needed to navigate Western sanctions. He states the private sector participated and results were achieved, describing it as a pilot program completed within four months.

Climate Change Strategy Moving Forward: Dr. Malik outlines a three-phase approach: fixing what's broken in 1-3 years, expanding existing programs in 3-5 years, and implementing new essential initiatives beyond that. He emphasizes programs with high public and private rates of return, including a "Shark Tank" style competition for green climate startups, carbon credit markets, and building technological capabilities in universities to position Pakistan as an environmental technology exporter similar to China's solar strategy.

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