Principled conservatism with a snarky twist served up daily.

Time to Say GOODBYE to Ukraine | Guest: Brent Buchanan | 12/9/25

Steve Deace Show

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Trump's Stance on Europe and Ukraine: Trump stated in a Politico interview that continued U.S. military partnership with Europe depends on whether European nations remain "viable as a civilization," criticizing their immigration policies for fundamentally changing their ideology and weakening them. Steve argues Trump should completely walk away from Ukraine, noting that Zelensky continues to reject peace deals and that the U.S. has given Ukraine 115% more money than Israel this year despite both being in active conflicts.

Republican Senate Obstructionism and Trump's Endorsement Record: Trump was caught on a hot mic complaining about GOP senators slow-rolling his judicial and attorney appointments. Steve points out that since Trump became the GOP standard-bearer in 2018, incumbent Republican U.S. senators are 56-0 in their primaries, with Trump endorsing many who now obstruct his agenda. He argues Trump's political capital would be better served either endorsing more grassroots candidates or not endorsing at all.

America's Emotional Divide and Voter Motivation: Trump pollster Brent Buchanan discusses how human decision-making is primarily emotional rather than rational, driven by survival instincts. He explains Trump's "Kamala is for they/them, Trump is for you" ad was effective because it portrayed Harris as extreme and threatening. The diploma divide has fundamentally swapped the voter bases of both parties, with working-class voters now Republican and wealthy educated voters now Democratic.

Challenges of Reaching Low-Propensity Voters: Buchanan explains that Trump's success came from reaching voters who actively avoid political news through long-form podcasts and social media where they weren't seeking political content. The challenge for 2026 midterms is replicating this without Trump on the ballot, as these low-propensity voters don't turn out when they can't vote for Trump directly.

Institutional Distrust and Media Fragmentation: Three major factors drive America's emotional divide: the diploma divide between education levels, massive institutional distrust in government and media established post-WWII, and media fragmentation where algorithms feed people only what reinforces their existing beliefs. This creates completely different worldviews even among people in the same household.

Responding to Charlie Kirk's Death and Reaching Young Men: The show discusses filling the void left by Charlie Kirk's murder, particularly in reaching young men. They play a clip from Nick Freitas about acknowledging the unique challenges young men face being told their entire lives that their masculine instincts are wrong, while ultimately calling them to be the good men the times require regardless of cultural rewards.

The Message to Young Men About Masculinity: Freitas argues that young men, especially young white Christian men, have been told they're responsible for all the world's problems and their only role is penance for things before they were born. However, he insists they must choose to be good men anyway, as when good men lead with honor, strength, and integrity, women are naturally attracted to it despite what universities or politics claim.

Headship as Responsibility, Not Authority: Steve emphasizes that biblical headship means being willing to "eat the crap sandwich first" and swallow pride first out of love for those God has given you responsibility for. True masculine leadership is about taking on responsibility and sacrifice, not gaining power or privilege as the world teaches.

Netflix, Paramount, and Warner Brothers as Political Metaphor: Steve analyzes the fight over Warner Brothers as a microcosm of American politics. Netflix represents today's Democratic Party (complete spirit-of-the-age promotion, Obama connections, making everything gay). Paramount/Ellison represents the Republican Party (not hostile but not truly with conservatives, pushing AI technocracy). Warner Brothers represents America itself—flawed but with a great legacy worth fighting for.

"Candace Christmas" Parody: The show debuts an elaborate Christmas song parody targeting Candace Owens, featuring original lyrics to classic Christmas songs critiquing her recent controversies. Steve emphasizes they're "just asking questions" and notes any person named Candace could be the target, using the same defense mechanisms Owens has employed.

Young Men as the Determinative Generation: The show emphasizes that today's young men will decide whether Western civilization survives or dies. They will determine whether their children need to know Chinese and Arabic or can continue in Western tradition. While there are positive signs, the jury is still out on whether this generation will rise to the challenge.

The Cultural Battle Over Content Creation: Discussion of how Netflix requires filmmakers to insert LGBT characters into family-friendly films as a condition of distribution, and how they punished employees who refused COVID vaccines. This represents the broader cultural battle over who controls entertainment and information distribution in America.

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There’s more news and less comprehension today than any historical period that didn’t involve literal witch trials, and trying to stay on top of it all can feel like playing a game of telephone with 30 people, except everyone’s speaking at the same time and like a third of them are openly racist for some reason. From Cracked co-founder Jack O’Brien, THE DAILY ZEITGEIST is stepping into that fray with some of the funniest and smartest comedic and journalistic minds around. Jack and co-host Miles Gray spend up to an hour every weekday sorting through the events and stories driving the headlines, to help you find the signal in the noise, with a few laughs thrown in for free.

Dude, You're Getting A Trend! 12/9: Trump's "Affordability Tour", Australian Social Media Ban, McDonald's AI Ad, Sean Duffy/RFK Jr.

The Daily Zeitgeist

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Trump's Affordability Tour Launch: Trump is kicking off an "affordability tour" despite no positive economic indicators to support it. His advisors acknowledge that "perception is reality" in politics, but the reality is that tariffs have caused prices to rise significantly, costs are being passed to consumers, and people are genuinely struggling financially. The approach of telling people they only "feel" poor while they're actually experiencing economic hardship is compared to a doctor celebrating advances in medicine while ignoring a patient's actual illness.

Australia's Social Media Ban for Minors: Australia is implementing a social media ban for everyone under 16, affecting Instagram, YouTube, TikTok, Facebook, X, Snapchat, and Reddit. The companies - not kids or parents - will face fines for violations. While 96% of Australian kids age 10-15 are currently on social media, enforcement will likely require age verification, and kids will probably use VPNs to circumvent it. The hosts debate which platforms should actually be banned, with Reddit being called the real problem.

Prestige Casting Academy Expansion: Jack and Miles have been invited to join Anna's Prestige Casting Academy, though Anna maintains total authoritarian control over final decisions. The awards are "vibe-based" rather than requiring actually watching the films, focusing on whether actors seem well-cast. The nominations episode was postponed due to Miles being sick, with the final awards show planned for the holiday break.

McDonald's AI-Generated Christmas Ad Disaster: McDonald's Netherlands created what may be the year's worst AI-generated ad, depicting Christmas as terrible with scenes apparently stolen from holiday movies like National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation. The ad features disturbing imagery including a sentient teddy bear that appears to feel pain, and ends with the message to "hide out in McDonald's until it's January" - an odd pitch since January is even worse than the holidays. The creative team defended their work claiming they "hardly slept for seven weeks" working on AI prompts.

RFK Jr. and Sean Duffy's Airport Wellness Stunt: Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy and HHS Secretary RFK Jr. set up a pull-up bar outside an airport bathroom as their solution to air travel problems. RFK Jr. performed 20 pull-ups (looking like he was dying throughout) while Duffy promised $1 billion in grants for airports with wellness ideas. They also discussed breastfeeding "with a weird, far away look in their eye," showcasing a bizarre approach to addressing actual flight delays and cancellations.

The Decline of Classic Vegas: Discussion of how private equity is transforming Las Vegas from an affordable, hedonistic escape into a bougie, corporate experience. Traditional buffets are being replaced by celebrity chef restaurants, resort fees are proliferating, and events like F1 are bringing wealthy tourists while pricing out regular visitors. This shift defeats Vegas's original purpose as an accessible place for "weekend debauchery," instead creating what was called "corporate hedonism" that doesn't work conceptually.

Thunder From Down Under vs. Magic Mike Live: A detailed comparison of male revue shows in Vegas, with Thunder From Down Under suffering from poor choreography despite featuring attractive performers. The dancers are described as being off-time with each other during group numbers, while Magic Mike Live focuses on acrobatics and aerial work rather than synchronized dancing. The analysis suggests Thunder's declining ticket sales stem from outdated concepts and lack of proper dance training, advocating for the "mean old Southern woman" approach to creating legitimate dance crews.

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When David Axelrod and Mike Murphy get together to talk politics, it’s not academic. They speak from the perspective gained through hundreds of campaigns for offices from City Hall to the White House. So if you want to know what’s really going on behind the scenes, where strategic decisions are being made, pull up a stool for Hacks on Tap. Incisive, sometimes uproarious and always entertaining, these political warhorses and their guests will give you insights you’ll only get from folks who have spent a lifetime in the political trenches of both parties.

The Canary in the Keystone Mine (with Bob Shrum)

Hacks On Tap

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Bob Shrum's Political Legacy and Retirement: Legendary political strategist Bob Shrum joins as a special guest, bringing over 60 years of experience as a speechwriter, media strategist, and counselor to presidential candidates. He co-directs USC's Center for the Political Future with Mike Murphy and is retiring after a storied career that included writing for Ted Kennedy, working on international campaigns including defeating Netanyahu in 1999, and writing the Kennedy Center Honors show for 20 years.

Trump at a Potential Turning Point: The hosts debate whether Trump has finally reached "peak Trump" and begun an irreversible decline. Multiple crises are converging simultaneously—economic concerns over tariffs and affordability, Trump's visible aging and declining performance, healthcare premium increases, the Venezuela boat strike controversy, and internal Republican panic about the 2026 midterms.

Trump's Cognitive and Physical Decline: Trump is visibly aging, falling asleep in meetings, slurring speech, and showing reduced energy compared to his 2016 performance. His vocabulary has shrunk dramatically, he walks poorly with swollen ankles, and had a mysterious MRI he claims not to know about. Unlike his earlier incoherent but energetic persona, he now appears both mentally diminished and physically exhausted.

The Venezuela Boat Strike Scandal: Trump ordered military strikes on Venezuelan boats suspected of drug trafficking, killing people who appeared to be surrendering or helpless. Congressional leaders from both parties who viewed the classified footage were "profoundly shaken." The administration is now refusing to release the video despite Trump's initial promise, raising questions about potential war crimes or outright murder, since the U.S. isn't at war with Venezuela.

Healthcare Crisis Looming for Republicans: Trump's healthcare policies threaten to increase premiums by 50-100% for millions of Americans, with those increases hitting in January. Republicans in Congress recognize this is politically disastrous but can't get Trump to take it seriously—he keeps calling concerns about affordability "a scam" despite White House staff begging him to address it.

Record Congressional Retirements Signal GOP Panic: Twenty-six House Republicans have announced retirements, matching the 2017 record, with more expected. This reflects widespread belief among Republicans that they'll lose the House in 2026 and face endless Trump investigations. The "rats jumping off the ship" phenomenon indicates they see catastrophe coming.

Marjorie Taylor Greene's Break with Trump: Trump's most loyal congressional supporter publicly turned on him after he nicknamed her "Marjorie Traitor Greene" (with a parenthetical explanation that "green grass turns brown when it rots"). She revealed on 60 Minutes that Trump sent death threats to her son and responded dismissively when she complained, illustrating how Trump turns on even his most devoted followers.

Trump's Disconnect from Real America: Trump hasn't held a campaign rally since May and has become obsessed with foreign trips, meeting dignitaries, and the trappings of power rather than connecting with voters. This represents a fundamental shift from his previous energy source—being among MAGA base supporters—and has left him without his former visceral sense of what voters care about.

Democratic Strategy for 2026: Shrum advises Democrats to focus relentlessly on economic messaging about making the American dream achievable and affordable, in the tradition of FDR and JFK. While corruption and constitutional issues matter, the economic argument must be the "engine pulling the train" with other issues in the "caboose," not reversed.

The Future of Trumpism Beyond Trump: Murphy predicts J.D. Vance won't be the 2028 Republican nominee, arguing that Trump will eventually turn on him and that Vance lacks Trump's compelling, charismatic qualities. Trump may prefer a family dynasty with Don Jr. or even Ivanka. The Republican Party has become populist but remains "ill-defined" about what comes after Trump.

Trump's Tennessee Special Election Absence: Trump avoided campaigning in a Tennessee special election in a Trump+22 district, likely because White House staff feared that even a narrow win would be blamed on him. This risk-averse approach reflects awareness of his current political toxicity and marks a departure from his previous campaigning appetite.

The Permission Structure for Turning on Trump: Marjorie Taylor Greene's defection provides a "permission structure" for hardcore MAGA supporters to begin questioning Trump. When the most loyal supporters publicly break away, it creates space for others to follow, potentially accelerating Trump's political decline among his base.

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Motley Fool Money is a daily podcast for stock investors. 
Weekday episodes offer a long-term perspective on business news with The Motley Fool's investment analysts. Weekend shows are a mix of investing classes and longer-form interviews.
The show is hosted by Dylan Lewis, Ricky Mulvey, and Mary Long.

$70 billion and Chill

Motley Fool Money

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Netflix's $70+ Billion Acquisition of Warner Bros. Discovery: Netflix is acquiring Warner Bros. Discovery's film and TV studio segments, including HBO and its massive content library, for over $70 billion. This represents a major shift for Netflix, which has historically been a content builder rather than a buyer. The deal would significantly increase Netflix's debt load but combines their 300+ million subscribers with Warner Bros.' valuable IP and HBO's premium content.

Strategic Logic Behind the Deal: The acquisition serves both defensive and offensive purposes for Netflix. Defensively, it locks up Warner Bros.' deep content library and prevents competitors from acquiring it. Offensively, it allows Netflix to reimagine classic content (similar to Disney's approach with Star Wars and Marvel), expand HBO's ad-based tier globally, and consolidate its position as viewership increasingly fragments across social media platforms like TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube.

Paramount's Hostile Counter-Offer: Paramount launched a hostile tender offer at $30 per share (all cash) for Warner Bros. shareholders, attempting to derail the Netflix deal. If more than 51% of shareholders tender their shares within 20 days, Paramount would effectively control Warner Bros. Unlike Netflix's offer, Paramount wants all of Warner Bros.' assets, not just select pieces, reflecting a position of competitive weakness rather than strength.

Why Warner Bros. Chose Netflix Over Other Bidders: Warner Bros. selected Netflix's bid despite multiple interested parties because it offered a compelling combination of cash, Netflix stock, and importantly, would spin off certain cable assets (including Discovery Networks, CNN, Food Network, HGTV) as a separate entity. This allows shareholders to potentially benefit from both the Netflix deal and retain ownership in the cable business, which some analysts believe still has underappreciated value despite industry skepticism.

Historical Context of Failed Media Mega-Mergers: The podcast examines cautionary tales including the 2000 AOL-Time Warner merger (which resulted in nearly $100 billion in losses) and AT&T's 2018 acquisition of Time Warner for $80 billion (unwound within four years with a $25 billion goodwill impairment). Research suggests 70-90% of all mergers fail to achieve their stated goals, raising concerns about Netflix's ability to succeed where others have failed.

Key Differences From Past Failed Deals: Unlike previous Warner-involved mergers that combined disparate businesses for empire-building purposes, Netflix and Warner Bros. are in the same core business of content production and distribution. This creates genuine opportunities for cost savings and operational synergies. Netflix also benefits from a strong corporate culture, disciplined operational history, and sufficient scale to integrate the acquisition without being overwhelmed culturally.

Regulatory Scrutiny and Pricing Concerns: The deal faces significant regulatory hurdles, marking a major test case for the Trump administration's approach to media consolidation. Netflix would likely argue that a combined Netflix-HBO Max subscription would be cheaper than paying for two separate services. However, there are legitimate concerns about whether the combined entity would have too much pricing power and whether subscribers would accept eventually merging the two platforms.

Framework for Evaluating Mega-Mergers in Your Portfolio: Investors should first assess whether company leadership has a proven track record of successful M&A execution. If not, look for a history of operational discipline and strong balance sheet management. The acquisition should be offense-focused rather than defensive, and the acquiring company's culture must be strong enough to integrate the new assets without being eroded. Tax implications for shareholders are also critical, particularly whether deals are cash-based (triggering gains/losses) or stock-based (typically tax-deferred).

Netflix's Disciplined History as a Positive Signal: Netflix previously leveraged up significantly when it shifted to producing original content, but demonstrated exceptional discipline in managing that debt while growing free cash flow to $9 billion annually. This operational track record suggests they may be one of the few companies capable of successfully executing a mega-merger of this scale, similar to how Activision Blizzard successfully grew through strategic studio acquisitions.

Potential Culture Clash Risks: Despite Netflix's strengths, there are concerns about integrating two workforces with different approaches to content production and distribution. Warner Bros. represents traditional studio culture, while Netflix built its business as a disruptor. Whether Netflix's culture is strong enough to prevail in this integration remains an open question, though analysts believe Netflix is now large enough that its culture should win out.

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We're Sean "Down Goes Brown" McIndoe of The Athletic and Ryan Lambert of EP Rinkside and this is a hockey podcast, in the sense that we talk about hockey, both on the ice and about fan culture. That’s the “puck.” This is also a podcast about movies, TV, fast food, life lessons and general idiocy. That’s the “soup.” Unless you ordered the minestrone.

The Other Shoe

Puck Soup

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NHL Trade Market Activity and General Manager Hesitation: The league appears to be in a waiting game where teams are reluctant to make the first move on trades or coaching changes. Everyone wants to see what others do first before acting, creating a stalemate situation as GMs try to avoid being the first to show their hand.

New Jersey Devils' Trade Talks and Steven Stamkos Rumors: The Devils are actively working the phones amid injuries (Jack Hughes) and a five-game losing streak. They've had conversations with Nashville about Steven Stamkos, though this seems questionable given Stamkos has only 8 goals and 3 assists in 28 games. The trade would require Nashville to retain salary, and it's unclear what the Devils would give up that Nashville would actually want.

Quinn Hughes Trade Speculation and New Jersey Connection: Vancouver has sent out emails indicating they're open for business, with Quinn Hughes drawing significant interest. Hughes referred to Devils GM Tom Fitzgerald as "Fitzy," fueling speculation about wanting to play in New Jersey with his brothers. The debate centers on whether the Devils should trade for him now or wait until he's a free agent in a year and a half, with the risk that another team (like Detroit) could acquire him first.

Edmonton Oilers' Goaltending Crisis and Potential Solutions: The Oilers are reportedly interested in Tristan Jarry from Pittsburgh, despite Jarry's struggles and recent AHL stint. Calvin Pickard has an .851 save percentage in 10 starts, forcing the Oilers to explore options including potentially Juuse Saros from Nashville or even Sergei Bobrovsky if Florida falls out of contention.

Nashville Predators' Difficult Situation: Beyond Stamkos, the Predators could also move Ryan O'Reilly, though they've indicated they'll honor his no-movement clause even though he doesn't technically have one. The challenge is that these veterans aren't playing well enough to command significant returns, but the team has promised to respect their preferences on any potential moves.

The New CBA's Double Retention Rule Change: A fast-tracked change from the upcoming CBA now prevents the double retention trade strategy (where a team retains salary, then trades to another team who also retains) by requiring a 75-day gap between trades. This complicates potential deals involving expensive players like Stamkos.

Phil Danault's Surprising Advanced Stats: Despite having zero goals and only 5 assists in 29 games, Danault's underlying numbers show the Kings are scoring 58% of goals when he's on ice with a .942 save percentage behind him. He's essentially playing the lowest-event hockey imaginable while still being effective defensively, though his $5.5 million cap hit for another year makes him difficult to trade.

Tyler Seguin's ACL Injury and Dallas Cap Space: Seguin's season-ending ACL injury allows Dallas to designate him as long-term injured reserve, freeing up all $9.85 million of his cap hit (prorated). This gives Jim Nill, who consistently wins GM of the year, significant cap flexibility to potentially make a major move.

Coaching Hot Seat and Potential Firings: Ryan Huska in Calgary is the betting favorite to be fired first, followed by Andrew Brunette in Nashville (though GM Barry Trotz keeps insisting he won't do it). Scott Arniel in Winnipeg has emerged as a dark horse candidate after the Jets' struggles following Connor Hellebuyck's injury, despite not being high on preseason lists.

Peter DeBoer's Availability and Market: DeBoer is circling NHL jobs, with speculation about Los Angeles (which the GM denied) and other teams. The discussion raised questions about whether Connor Hellebuyck would want DeBoer after DeBoer threw Jake Oettinger under the bus in Dallas.

Milan Olympics Ice Surface Controversy: NHL Deputy Commissioner Bill Daly provided updates on the 2026 Olympics rink construction, which is reportedly not NHL-sized as expected. While Daly gave "positive reports," the buildings aren't supposed to be done until February 2nd with games starting February 5th, raising concerns about the quality and safety of the ice surface.

Charlie McAvoy's Jaw Injury Recovery: McAvoy had his jaw wired shut, lost 20 pounds because he couldn't eat solid food, but has already put 10 pounds back on in two weeks. The extreme weight loss despite trying to consume as many calories as possible through liquids demonstrates the severity of the injury.

Athletic Player Poll on Connor McDavid's Future: Only 56% of players surveyed believe McDavid will stay in Edmonton, with 44% thinking he'll leave. Toronto (10%), Rangers (8%), and Vegas/Chicago (4.5% each) received votes as potential destinations. One player hilariously voted for Calgary and another for Buffalo, likely trolling the survey.

Tax Advantages Debate and Player Perspectives: 86% of players said playing in a no-income-tax state matters, a dramatic shift from what the response would have been five years ago. The discussion revealed that teams in tax-free states regularly show tax comparison charts to free agents as a primary recruiting tool, suggesting this advantage is more significant than some analysts previously believed.

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The Clay Travis and Buck Sexton Show. Clay Travis and Buck Sexton tackle the biggest stories in news, politics and current events with intelligence and humor. From the border crisis, to the madness of cancel culture and far-left missteps, Clay and Buck guide listeners through the latest headlines and hot topics with fun and entertaining conversations and opinions.

The Truth with Lisa Boothe: Affordability Crisis Explained: Inflation, Housing Costs, Immigration, and the Real Economy Impacting Americans

The Clay Travis and Buck Sexton Show

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Trump's Affordability Tour and Economic Messaging Strategy: President Trump is embarking on a cross-country affordability tour, starting in battleground states like Pennsylvania, to highlight his administration's economic achievements. The discussion emphasizes that while Democrats' claims about Trump causing an affordability crisis are false, Americans' real financial struggles should be acknowledged rather than dismissed. The recommended messaging approach is to validate people's pain while showing progress made and explaining that Biden's policies created problems requiring more time to fully reverse.

Energy Policy Success and Ripple Effects: The Trump administration has successfully brought gas prices down to their lowest levels in five years, with most states now under $3 per gallon and some approaching $2. These lower energy costs will create downward pressure on prices throughout the economy, reducing transportation and delivery costs for everything from Amazon packages to grocery store items, ultimately benefiting consumers across multiple sectors.

The Economic Detox Analogy: Biden's economy operated like alcoholism, moving from one spending binge to the next, with government spending propping up GDP numbers and federal hiring inflating jobs data. The Trump administration is implementing a "sobering up" process through spending cuts and federal layoffs, which initially appears painful in official statistics but represents a return to long-term economic health rather than continued artificial stimulus.

Tariffs as Short-Term Pain for Long-Term Gain: While tariffs may cause temporary price increases and give Trump more ownership of the economy, they're incentivizing major manufacturers to move production back to the United States. Over $10 trillion in investment has been promised for American factories, IT infrastructure, and manufacturing plants. However, these benefits require the President to stay the course rather than abandoning the strategy when faced with political pressure.

Timing Challenges in Economic Recovery: Biden's multitrillion-dollar spending began immediately upon taking office, but peak inflation didn't hit until 18 months later. Similarly, Trump's policies take time to implement and even longer to show effects. Americans have already been suffering for three years under Biden's policies, so asking them to wait another 18 months means requesting patience for a total of four and a half years of economic hardship.

Deregulation and Tax Changes Coming in 2026: The Trump administration's deregulation efforts will begin showing tangible results in 2026, while tax changes will allow Americans to keep more of their paychecks through adjusted withholdings and potentially sizable tax refunds. These changes, combined with energy policy improvements, are expected to significantly improve Americans' purchasing power even if prices don't dramatically decrease.

Gen Z Faces Unprecedented Financial Hardship: Unlike millennials who often lived beyond their means through poor financial choices, Gen Z is actually more financially conservative but still living paycheck to paycheck because basic necessities are beyond their means. Over half of Gen Z either lives with parents, other family members, or shares housing with multiple roommates—the highest rate of young adults living with parents since the Great Depression of the 1930s.

Housing Affordability Crisis Is Real and Severe: The monthly mortgage payment on a median-priced home literally doubled under the Biden administration, creating a bifurcated economy between those who bought homes before 2020-2022 and those after who likely never will be able to afford homeownership. While interest rates were higher in past decades, the ratio of home prices to salaries and overall cost of homeownership as a percentage of income is worse today than in previous generations.

Illegal Immigration's Impact on Housing Costs: Biden imported over 10 million illegal aliens—equivalent to the entire population of New Jersey, the most densely populated state. This massive increase in demand for housing units directly drove up home and apartment prices through basic supply and demand economics. The claim that deporting illegal aliens will cause inflation is contradicted by the fact that importing them didn't cause deflation.

The Myth of Illegal Aliens as Economic Contributors: Contrary to claims that illegal immigrants primarily work in construction and other industries, many are enrolled in government welfare programs, with states like California providing them Social Security numbers and benefits. They strain public services including schools, emergency rooms, public roads, and housing, placing burdens on taxpayers. Deportations will reduce demand on these services and housing units.

Progress on Specific Price Points: Some targeted improvements have been achieved, such as egg prices coming down after the Trump administration reversed Biden's policy of paying farmers to kill egg-laying hens. Similar measures are being implemented to increase the cattle herd, which will bring down beef prices in coming months as supply increases.

Young People Turning to Political Extremes: The severity of the affordability crisis is driving younger generations toward political extremists of various types, including figures like Jamaal Bowman (referred to as "Mamdani" in the transcript), who received nearly 90% support from some young demographics in New York. Young people gravitate toward any politician willing to simply acknowledge that the cost of living crisis exists and that their generation received an unfair economic hand.

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Soccer analysis, analytics, and commentary with hosts Mike Goodman and Michael Caley

Salah Drama

The Double Pivot: Soccer analysis, analytics, and commentary

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Mo Salah's Explosive Post-Match Interview: Mohamed Salah gave an unplanned interview to Norwegian television after sitting out Liverpool's match against Leeds, making maximal statements about feeling personally hurt by manager Arne Slot's treatment. He claimed no one understands how he feels, that he no longer has a relationship with Slot, and feels he's been "thrown under the bus" multiple times. The unusual circumstances—grabbing whoever had a camera post-game rather than a structured media appearance—suggest this was emotionally driven rather than strategically planned.

Salah's Emotional Needs Over Strategic Interests: The interview appears designed to ensure the narrative becomes "Liverpool got rid of me" rather than "Salah chose to leave" or "Salah walked off into the sunset." This matters because Salah refuses to accept he's in decline and wants to remain a star at a top European club. Unlike typical player-manager disputes where the player wants to leave, Salah's situation is unique—he desperately wants to stay and be a regular starter, which makes this conflict essentially unresolvable without it ending badly.

Liverpool Management's Position: Liverpool's front office didn't want to give Salah his current contract in the first place but lacked better options. They settled on two years at massive wages since it's not that much total money without a transfer fee. Now that he's clearly in decline and causing issues, management is likely willing to let him leave in January, possibly even to Saudi Arabia for a transfer fee, rather than risk him undermining Slot's authority.

Slot's Tactical Decision and Its Inevitability: Once Arne Slot determined that Liverpool plays better without Salah—viewing him as a major defensive liability—this blowup became more or less inevitable. There's no scenario where Slot could have handled this conversation that would have left Salah emotionally satisfied with being benched. The Dutch manager's bluntness may not have helped, but the fundamental issue was Salah's inability to accept his reduced role.

Liverpool's Season-Long Statistical Consistency: Liverpool's underlying performance metrics (expected goals difference, team ratings) have remained remarkably stable all season at roughly a 4th-8th place Premier League level. They started by winning their first seven games despite these mediocre underlying numbers, then won just three of their next fifteen. The results haven't tracked changes in performance—they've been consistently average underneath, just with wildly varying outcomes.

The Goalkeeping Crisis Nobody's Talking About: Liverpool have conceded 24 goals from just 17.7 expected goals, with their squad goalkeeping being the worst in the Premier League by post-shot expected goals. While this metric is notoriously noisy and likely includes significant variance, Alisson is 33 and dealing with unusual muscular injuries for a goalkeeper. Liverpool is clearly planning for his succession, and the lack of the world-class shot-stopping that has bailed them out in previous rough patches is a real problem.

The Striker Scoring Problem: A puzzling trend across Slot's 60+ matches is that his strikers consistently underperform. Last season Darwin Nunez fell off, and this season expensive acquisitions Hugo Ekitike and Isak are both performing at mediocre levels. The likely explanation ties back to Salah—last season he was scoring striker goals from striker positions on the pitch, and this season the team was still built around him doing that even as his ability to execute declined.

Slot's Long-Term Vision vs. Short-Term Results: Slot appears to be making decisions aimed at building toward a future system (likely a 3-4-3 or 3-4-2-1) rather than optimizing current results. Key signings like Kerkez and Pong suggest this direction, but they're missing a third center back to make it work. However, Slot has struggled to keep the ship afloat during this transition, making some puzzling tactical choices that seem like overkill (like pairing Joe Gomez at right back with a defensive right winger).

The Cultural and Emotional Dynamics: Alisson gave a strong public statement backing the manager, showing the locker room may be less sympathetic to Salah than expected. The "old guard" at Liverpool is smaller than people think with many recent signings, potentially making it easier for Slot to move forward without Salah. The maximal nature of Salah's statement enabled similarly strong responses from management and players, which seems to have worked in Slot's favor so far.

Mo Salah's Penalty Area Presence Decline: Liverpool's penalty area touches have dropped by about 5 per match this season, with Salah's dropping by about 3 per match. Last season Salah was getting nearly 10 penalty area touches per 90 minutes. It's extremely difficult for strikers to score when a winger is occupying those spaces, whether that winger is performing well (laudatory interpretation) or poorly (pejorative interpretation).

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HBO and The Ringer's Bill Simmons hosts the most downloaded sports podcast of all time, with a rotating crew of celebrities, athletes, and media staples, as well as mainstays like Cousin Sal, Joe House, and a slew of other friends and family members who always happen to be suspiciously available.

An NBA Power Poll, the Surprise Celtics, the Queen Conundrum, and Fake Trades Galore With Rob Mahoney

The Bill Simmons Podcast

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The Worst Teams and Trade Candidates: Washington leads the league's basement at 3-22 with a defensive rating near 124, but their assets like Alex Sarr look promising for the rebuild. New Orleans at 3-22 made a disastrous unprotected pick trade for Derrick Queen, though Queen himself has been impressive as an offensive creator. Potential trades discussed include Herb Jones to the Lakers, Jose Alvarado to Minnesota or Detroit, and the wild card of Zion to the Clippers.

Sacramento's Catastrophic Decisions: The Kings' downfall represents one of the most spectacular front office disasters in recent memory, including drafting an injured player ahead of McCain and Ware, giving DeMar DeRozan $74 million with no clear fit, extending De'Aaron Fox early for $186 million, firing Mike Brown for Doug Christie, trading Fox for Zach Levine, overpaying Keegan Murray, and signing Dennis Schroeder only to have Russell Westbrook take his minutes.

The Derrick Queen Trade Debate: While the Pelicans' failure to put protections on the Atlanta pick was inexcusable, Queen himself has been outstanding. He's already showing elite half-court offensive skills with unique footwork, passing ability, and a surprising spin move. He could be a top-10 offense anchor despite defensive limitations, making him a potential franchise centerpiece for whoever ends up with him.

Young Teams Providing Entertainment: Charlotte (7-17), Portland, and Utah have been surprisingly fun League Pass teams. Brandon Miller shows flashes of potential All-NBA talent, while Charlotte's broader roster construction remains questionable with Lamelo Ball's inconsistency being their biggest issue. These teams are executing their rebuilds correctly while remaining competitive.

Tyrese Maxey's All-NBA Case: With Joel Embiid and Paul George's contracts becoming albatrosses, Maxey has essentially erased their impact by carrying Philadelphia's offense. He's in the conversation for first-team All-NBA alongside Cade Cunningham, Jalen Brunson, and Anthony Edwards, with a strong argument for being the leader among that group given his scoring burden and consistent excellence.

Boston's Improbable Success Without Tatum: The Celtics are 15-9 despite Jason Tatum's injury, fueled by Jalen Brown's career year, a system emphasizing offensive rebounds and three-point volume (16 makes per game), and a roster where every single player has something to prove. Jordan Walsh, Josh Minot, and Hugo Gonzalez have all exceeded expectations as energy players. The debate is whether Tatum should return this season or wait until next year.

Is This Draft Class Historic?: The 2024 draft could rival 1996 as the best ever. Six players have conceivable paths to making an All-NBA team: Flag, Harper (who looks 25 years old already), Knipple, Edgecomb, Cedric Coward, and Derrick Queen. Harper in particular has been sensational for San Antonio, getting to the rim effortlessly with running back-like movement and already looking like a future star.

The Lakers' Surprising Record: At 17-6, the Lakers feel more like a 14-9 or 15-8 team but have earned their success through Luca's MVP-caliber play (shooting 94% at the rim when not fouled, drawing fouls better than anyone when physical) and Austin Reaves averaging 29 points per game when LeBron sits. However, when all three stars play together, they're minus-8.9, suggesting fit issues.

Cleveland's Disappointing Season: Despite their talent, the Cavs are 14-11 with extensive injuries and unclear chemistry. Darius Garland should be a trade target for teams willing to bet on him as a second or third option. The Nets make sense as a trade partner given their cap space. The bigger question is whether this roster configuration with Donovan Mitchell can ever truly work.

OKC's Historically Dominant Start: At 23-1 with a net rating near 16, Oklahoma City is the prohibitive favorite and could threaten the 73-win record. They have answers for everyone, with Shay Gilgeous-Alexander being the league's best crunch-time player. The only team that should chase them is Denver, who could use Cam Johnson and picks to acquire someone like Trey Murphy to add more firepower.

Houston and Denver as OKC's Only Competition: Houston (15-6, plus-10.8 net rating) has the size and physicality to potentially challenge OKC, with the Kevin Durant trade indicating they're all-in. Denver (17-6) has been the second-best offense despite missing Aaron Gordon and Christian Brown, with their depth dramatically improved. These are the only two Western Conference teams with realistic championship aspirations beyond Oklahoma City.

Can the Knicks Compete for a Title?: New York is 16-7 but faces a ceiling against elite Western Conference competition. Karl-Anthony Towns' defensive limitations make them vulnerable to Denver's Jokic, Houston's size, and OKC's versatility. Even swapping Towns for Anthony Davis wouldn't solve the Jokic problem. Their realistic goal is reaching the Finals, not winning it.

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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!

Erick Sermon | ROC Solid w/ Memphis Bleek

Drink Champs

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Early Career and EPMD Origins: Erick Sermon shares the origin story of EPMD, describing how he and Parrish drove a stripped-down '68 Camaro to labels in search of a deal. They eventually signed with Sleeping Bag/Fresh Records before joining Russell Simmons' Rush Management, where they toured with Run-DMC on the Runhouse Tour in 1988. Despite not having their own tour bus initially, EPMD's album went number one while touring alongside hip-hop legends like Public Enemy and DJ Jazzy Jeff & The Fresh Prince.

Brooklyn Connections and Pink Houses: Though born and raised in Long Island, Sermon spent significant time in Brooklyn's Pink Houses projects where his cousins lived. He developed deep ties there during his teenage years, which gave him a connection to Brooklyn street culture. This background later intersected with his music career, as he discusses encounters with various Brooklyn figures including Uncle Murda and others from that era.

Staten Island Robbery and Retaliation: Sermon recounts being robbed at gunpoint in Staten Island's New Brighton projects while visiting a girl. Embarrassed by the incident, he returned with shooters from Fort Greene (Hawk and Dog from Pink Houses) and shot up a club in retaliation. This incident became part of his street credibility, though he acknowledges it was "dumb and stupid" and could have ended his career.

The Hit Squad and Artist Development: Sermon discusses building the Hit Squad roster, which included Redman, K-Solo, and Das EFX. He emphasizes how each artist brought unique styles—K-Solo's third-person narrative approach influenced Nas, Das EFX opened crossover lanes by going platinum, and Redman became one of the era's most respected MCs. He notes that Jay-Z once said Redman was one of his favorite rappers and that he played Muddy Waters in his car regularly.

Missed Opportunities with Future Stars: Sermon reveals several major artists he could have signed but didn't, including The Notorious B.I.G. (who was brought to him at a Brooklyn barbershop but he was too busy getting his haircut to listen), Wu-Tang Clan, The Game, Ludacris, Rick Ross, and 50 Cent. He produced for many of these artists early in their careers and maintains relationships with them despite not signing them.

Publishing and Catalog Ownership Philosophy: A significant conversation unfolds about selling publishing catalogs. Memphis Bleek states he would never sell his catalog, viewing it as generational wealth that pays forever. Sermon initially debates this, suggesting large sums like $100 million could be justified, but Bleek argues that if someone offers that much, the catalog is worth far more. Bleek reveals Jay-Z advised him never to sell, emphasizing the importance of passing down income streams to children rather than one-time payouts.

Production Evolution and R&B Work: Sermon discusses his extensive R&B production catalog, which many overlook when focusing on his hip-hop work. He produced for D'Angelo, Chico DeBarge, In Vogue, Mary J. Blige, Jodeci, Angie Stone, Blackstreet, Keith Sweat, and Brownstone. He credits the EPMD breakup as both a curse and blessing—it freed him to become the prolific producer he became rather than staying confined to one group.

The "Stick Me Up" Beat Controversy: Sermon shares the story behind Jay-Z's "Stick Me Up" beat, which was originally created for Method Man. After the beat leaked and Angie Martinez played it, Dame Dash demanded Just Blaze deliver it, ultimately paying $62,000—Just Blaze's biggest check at the time. Sermon jokes that he deserves $10,000 back from the transaction.

Loss of His Mother and Kanye West's Support: Sermon emotionally discusses losing his mother two and a half years before the interview. He credits Kanye West with helping him through the grief, as Kanye encouraged him to work through the pain the same way Kanye did after losing his own mother. Sermon spent five months working with Kanye in LA and Italy, though the material they created together didn't end up on the final Vultures album after the direction changed.

Dynamic Duos Album Series: Sermon announces his "Dynamic Duos" project, which took years to release due to label changes and sample clearances. Volume One, releasing December 5th, features collaborations with Cypress Hill, M.O.P., EPMD, Snoop Dogg and Nate Dogg, Lil Wayne, Conway the Machine, The Game, Redman and Method Man, Tha Dogg Pound, and Heltah Skeltah. He also cleared vocals from deceased artists including Biggie, Tupac, Prodigy, Nate Dogg, and Sean Price.

Business Ventures and Entrepreneurship: Beyond music, Sermon discusses multiple business ventures including Def Rugs (a rug company run with his sister), a partnership with Unique Autosports for car customization, Douce cognac (his liquor brand), and the upcoming "Beats and Bars" competition show executive produced by Sway. The show takes place across 10 cities, featuring rapper and producer battles with a $250,000 prize, set to air on Netflix.

Legacy and Respect in Hip-Hop: Sermon reflects on wanting to be remembered as "a good dude" who gave away half his money and did work for people for free. He discusses the importance of respect over loyalty, noting that while loyalty can be faked, respect must be earned. He acknowledges feeling underrated at times but recognizes that when people need to know his contributions, they do—pointing to producers like Just Blaze, Kanye West, and Metro Boomin who followed in his footsteps.

Advice for Young Artists: Sermon emphasizes the importance of independence and ownership, noting that many legendary acts started as independents before signing to majors. He advises artists to tell their own authentic stories rather than lying, because "when the lies run out, the rhymes run out." He stresses doing the work yourself to maintain control and building genuine respect in the industry through humility and professionalism.

The Golden Era of 1988: Sermon passionately argues that 1988 was the true golden era of hip-hop, not just the '90s. He lists the artists who emerged or peaked that year—MC Lyte, Chaos One, Rakim, Big Daddy Kane, Special Ed, Kool G Rap, NWA, and Hammer—noting that everything in hip-hop that came after was built on the foundation laid in '88, from the fashion (Dapper Dan, gold fronts) to the culture around crack cocaine.

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Hosted by Matt Kittle and The Federalist’s team of fearless journalists, this is a podcast featuring engaging and in-depth conversations with reporters, scholars, authors, politicians, and thinkers of all stripes. Along with guest hosts Mollie Hemingway, David Harsanyi, and others, the show delivers smart and compelling dialogues on politics, culture, religion, and the news of the day. Support the show by subscribing, rating, and writing a review! Check out The Federalist's other coverage on <a href="https://thefederalist.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">our website</a>. Follow The Federalist on <a href="https://twitter.com/fdrlst" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">X</a>.

Year in the Review: 2025’s Biggest Election Integrity Stories

Federalist Radio Hour

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Redistricting Emerges as Top Election Integrity Threat: Redistricting battles represent one of the biggest election-related threats for 2026, with states like California dramatically gerrymandering districts to draw Republicans out entirely. This rigging happens before elections even start. Texas has also entered mid-decade redistricting, and the Supreme Court will weigh in on multiple cases including RNC vs. Wetzel regarding race-based redistricting and the Louisiana vs. Calais case on using race in the redistricting process.

Lawfare Against Political Opponents Continues to Escalate: Legal persecution remains a major way Democrats rig elections, from investigations like the Russia collusion hoax to criminal prosecutions. While some state-based lawfare cases have been thrown out (like Fani Willis's Georgia case and Michigan's case against Republican electors), Democrats are already promising to prosecute Trump officials for following legal orders. Republicans need strategies to hold perpetrators accountable and insulate their people from future abuse.

Post-Election Day Ballot Counting Creates Systemic Problems: Approximately 30 states accept ballots arriving after Election Day, extending elections well beyond when they should conclude. In Nevada's 2022 midterms, nearly 40,000 mail ballots arrived after Election Day in Clark County alone—four times the margin of victory in the Senate race. The Supreme Court case RNC vs. Wetzel could address this constitutional issue and have significant consequences for future elections.

Republican Congressional Inaction Threatens Midterm Turnout: Republicans in Congress have failed to advance President Trump's agenda, moving at a snail's pace and failing to codify executive orders that can easily be overturned. Speaker Mike Johnson has been particularly uninspiring, focusing on prayer rather than action. Without giving voters something concrete to vote for, Republicans risk low turnout in the 2026 midterms, especially since Trump won't be on the ballot.

The Socialist Tsunami Within the Democratic Party: The election of Zohran Mamdani in New York represents not just a socialist wave but a socialist tsunami taking over the Democratic establishment. Leaders like Hakeem Jeffries and Chuck Schumer failed to reject this wing of their party, signaling that socialism and communism are now acceptable. Republicans have no effective strategy to counter this beyond repeatedly saying "socialism is bad," which hasn't worked as voters increasingly support socialist candidates who use simple populist messaging on platforms like Instagram and TikTok.

Voter Registration and ID Requirements Remain Fundamental Issues: Clean voter rolls and proper identification requirements are essential to election integrity, yet many states continue to accept driver's licenses from non-citizens for voter registration. States like Pennsylvania had 12,000 provisional ballots in one county alone due to poll book errors. The SAVE Act, which would require proof of citizenship for federal elections, has been blocked by Republicans in Congress, reportedly by Mitch McConnell in the Senate.

Non-Citizen Voting Poses Serious Threat: Immigration has significantly affected election integrity, with non-citizens receiving driver's licenses that can be used for voter registration without proof of citizenship. When registering remotely or requesting mail-in ballots, applicants only need to provide a Social Security or driver's license number with no verification of citizenship status. This undermines the integrity of elections despite claims that non-citizen voting doesn't happen.

Lower Federal Courts Conducting Judicial Coup: Unelected inferior court judges are systematically blocking President Trump's executive orders, including those requiring proof of citizenship to vote. This judicial obstruction is shaping election outcomes and represents a real insurrection in American politics. The lower courts' interference will continue to impact the 2026 elections unless higher courts intervene.

RNC Election Integrity Efforts Showed Promise in 2024: The RNC's election day integrity operation was impressive, with personnel on the ground at polling locations ensuring parity and lawyers in major cities ready to address questionable incidents. This presence provided comfort to voters and helped ensure proper procedures were followed. If replicated in 2026, this could be crucial for election security.

Census Errors Favor Democrats in Representation: The U.S. Census Bureau revealed significant errors after the 2020 census, showing population undercounts in red swing states and overcounts in blue states. These errors affect both congressional representation and federal funding distribution. Non-citizens being counted in the census taint districts and skew representation, with some recommending a mid-decade recount to address these problems.

Low Voter Engagement in Primaries Enables Establishment: Too many Republican voters only show up for presidential elections, ignoring primaries where the real power lies—especially in heavily partisan districts where the primary essentially determines the winner. Voters need to understand that being a citizen requires more than just voting in general elections; it means engaging in the primary process to vet candidates and hold representatives accountable.

Left-Wing Political Violence Threatens Election Participation: Democrats' willingness to elect people who want Republicans and their families murdered represents a terrifying trend toward political violence. This intimidation tactic directly relates to elections and campaigns, as evidenced by the assassination attempt in Butler. This atmosphere makes it difficult for candidates to stage effective campaigns and poses risks to election integrity.

Trump Administration Committed to Reform Despite Obstruction: The Trump administration has demonstrated genuine commitment to election reform through executive orders and requests for voter data from states to investigate non-citizen voting and voter roll maintenance. However, courts continue to sideline these efforts with lawsuits claiming Trump is rigging elections, when he's actually trying to prevent Democrats from rigging them.

Spiritual Revival Needed for Citizenship Renewal: Beyond mechanical election reforms, the country needs spiritual revival to restore genuine citizenship. Too many Americans remain complacent, failing to engage as active citizens in their government. Without this deeper renewal, no amount of election integrity legislation will solve the fundamental problem of civic disengagement that allows establishment politicians to maintain power.

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Helping you live a better life, if times get tough or even if they don't

Are We the Last Free Generation – Epi-3772

The Survival Podcast

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Defining Freedom and Liberty: Freedom means the ability to do anything you want as long as you don't harm or steal from another person. The key test for any law is asking yourself what you're willing to use violence on another person to prevent - because all laws ultimately enforce compliance through state violence. We should evaluate authority figures based on their track record and results, not their titles or credentials. True freedom requires personal restrictions by design, not restrictions imposed by others.

The Gradual Erosion of Freedom: Freedom declines slowly, like a dimmer switch being turned down incrementally rather than all at once. If you reduce the light by a quarter percent every 10 minutes, you could reduce it by 10-20% before anyone notices. This is exactly how government has stolen freedom - gradually enough that people don't perceive the change. Anyone arguing that young people today have as much freedom as those in the 1980s either doesn't remember that era or was too sheltered to experience it.

What "Last Free Generation" Really Means: The phrase refers to everyone alive now who has experienced better conditions than what's coming, not just Gen X specifically. While we've seen significant freedom decline, we haven't yet experienced the full descent that future generations may face. The children and grandchildren of today may look back and tell their own children about how much more freedom they had, just as we lament what we've lost.

How Youth Have Been Conditioned Away from Freedom: Children have been systematically taught not to value privacy through school searches, lockers, metal detectors, and social media conditioning. They've been trained to respect authority based on titles rather than competency and track records. They've been placed in unserviceable debt through student loans while being convinced college is the only path to success - even though high school grads now find jobs faster than college grads for the first time since the 1970s.

The Comfort Trap: Younger generations have been made far too comfortable, receiving expectations of eternal comfort and happiness as a right rather than something to pursue. This has left them unable to handle discomfort, failure, or unhappiness - all of which are necessary for success. When reality doesn't match their unreasonable expectations, they either blame themselves and become depressed, or blame everyone else and embrace Marxism as a solution.

Believing in Convenient Lies: Young people deeply believe things that simply aren't true, like climate change apocalypse predictions that have been repeated for 40+ years without coming true (the 1989 prediction that we only had 10 years to act). They passionately defend these beliefs despite easily available contrary evidence. This divorce from reality, when people believe things that are demonstrably false, creates a fractured society headed for disaster.

Protection Over Vigilance: Society has been taught that the government's primary job is to keep us safe, when previous generations would have found this idea absurd. People now value security and protection over personal vigilance and responsibility. This makes them perpetually dependent on the state and unable to take care of themselves.

Modern Slavery Through Debt and Conditioning: Modern slavery is based on debt and psychological conditioning rather than physical chains. People enforce totalitarianism upon themselves through debt obligations and social pressure. Slavery became economically inefficient once machines could do the work of 100 men - it's far more effective to have people voluntarily work to service their debts while believing they're free.

The Screen as Modern Control: Unlike Orwell's 1984 where screens couldn't be turned off, today's screens don't need to be mandatory - people are psychologically unable to turn them off. Many exhibit actual addiction symptoms when separated from their devices. The mark on the right hand or forehead from Revelation manifests as people constantly holding phones or staring at screens. People enforce this control on themselves more effectively than any totalitarian state could.

Self-Editing Language and Thought: Society is self-editing the dictionary, stopping use of certain words not because of laws but because of social ostracism. People enforce language controls on each other, just as in 1984, except we're doing it to ourselves. The party/state tells you to ignore the evidence of your own eyes and ears, and increasingly people comply without being directly forced.

The Endless War Strategy: Government maintains control through endless wars - not just foreign conflicts but domestic wars on concepts like poverty, drugs, and terror. When you declare war on an idea or concept, you can stay at war forever. The "war on COVID" used the same propaganda techniques as World War II war bonds, convincing people they were heroes for complying with restrictions that never actually solved the stated problem.

Teaching Children Essential Skills: The more skills you have, the less brittle your life becomes - things that break become inconveniences rather than problems. A broad skill set makes you more marketable to employers and more adaptable when things go wrong. When you can say "I got this" to problems others can't solve, you become invaluable. Learning to build things, fix things, and handle real-world challenges is essential for maintaining any degree of freedom.

The Spirit of Insurrection: True freedom requires cultivating an insurrectionist mindset - not violent revolution, but refusing to comply with unjust demands. This includes malicious compliance (following rules exactly as written when they're used to control you), agorism, using Bitcoin despite restrictions, and doing things your own way within moral boundaries. An insurrectionist takes power from rulers, period, rather than just transferring it to different rulers like a revolution does.

Hope Through Individual Action: There will always be freedom if there are people willing to live free. While mass freedom where society broadly recognizes liberty may be disappearing, individual freedom is always possible for those who figure out how to be free in spite of the system. The question isn't whether we can course-correct a hundred years of declining freedom as a society, but whether each individual will choose to remain or become free regardless of circumstances.

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"Lex Fridman Podcast of AI" is a forward-thinking podcast dedicated to exploring the latest developments and innovations in artificial intelligence. Each episode delves into a variety of AI-related topics and news, offering listeners insights into the ever-evolving world of technology. The show provides in-depth analysis and discussions on how AI impacts industries, society, and the future. In the same style of your favorite Lex Fridman interview tune in for a comprehensive understanding of the AI landscape and its significant role in shaping our world.

Is Political Violence in America Rising?

Lex Fridman Podcast of AI

Let Freedom: Political News, Un-Biased, Lex Fridman, Joe Rogan, CNN, Fox News

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Political Violence Is Becoming a Persistent Threat: Recent years have seen a dramatic increase in political violence targeting public figures across the ideological spectrum, from Minnesota lawmakers murdered in their homes to assassination attempts on Donald Trump, the killing of Charlie Kirk at Utah Valley University, shots fired at Tim Pool's property, and the hammer attack on Paul Pelosi. This violence isn't random crime—it represents targeted political assassination attempts that are becoming a steady drumbeat rather than isolated incidents.

Why Violence Is Rising Now: Three key factors are driving the increase in political violence. First, political identity has become treated like religious identity, where disagreements feel like betrayals and opponents are viewed as enemies who must be eliminated. Second, the internet has created permission structures for radicalization, allowing people to spend months in feedback loops of videos, conspiracies, and forums without any social friction to bring them back to reality. Third, security for public figures hasn't caught up with the threat environment—most officials are far more exposed than the average person realizes.

Awareness Over Paranoia: Most targeted violence begins long before any physical attack occurs, starting with patterns like reconnaissance, online stalking, weird messages, or unexpected visits. Warning signs include people casing locations or vehicles sitting outside too long. The key is maintaining simple awareness rather than living in constant paranoia—being vigilant when warning signs appear rather than being perpetually anxious.

Breaking Predictable Patterns: Threats thrive on predictability. Leaving and returning home at the same times, walking the same routes, or posting regular public habits online makes anyone easier to target. Breaking these patterns costs nothing but makes targeting exponentially harder, as demonstrated by the Minnesota suspect who impersonated an officer rather than attempting forced entry because it was faster.

Practical Home Security Measures: Physical security doesn't require wealth—upgrades like good locks, reinforced door frames, motion detectors, and exterior lighting can transform someone from a soft target to one that's too hard to hassle. These simple deterrents cause attackers to look elsewhere rather than persist with a difficult target.

Online Privacy as a Defense Tool: Many people unintentionally create entire threat profiles by posting their location, schedule, children's schools, workplace, or political identity online. The solution isn't to vanish from the internet but to be intentional about not posting pictures of home exteriors or regular absence patterns that could aid potential threats.

Second Amendment as an Equalizer: When politicians can be attacked in their homes while police are minutes away, average citizens must accept they become their own first responders. Owning a firearm isn't a solution by itself, but it's a powerful tool and sometimes the only effective solution that can arrive fast enough. However, training, situational discipline, and understanding firearms laws are essential—preparedness brings calm and confidence rather than paranoia.

The Root Cause: Collapsing Social Trust: Political violence rises when social trust collapses—when people believe the system isn't listening, when disagreement turns into disgust and hatred, when the other side becomes a threat instead of a fellow citizen, and when institutions lose trust causing individuals to feel justified in acting alone violently. This environment producing violence is the long-term risk, not just the violence itself.

Individual Power to Counter Extremism: Average citizens have more power than they realize because everyday culture sets boundary lines long before laws do. The way people speak to each other, disagree, and treat neighbors who vote differently—every small act is a counterweight against a society drifting toward extremism. Having conversations about differences and being open to understanding perspectives, even without agreement, matters significantly.

Reclaiming Security to Break the Cycle: When regular people reclaim their own sense of security through preparedness, principles, and community building, the cycle that fuels political violence loses its momentum and power. America and its people aren't powerless—the rising violence trend doesn't guarantee future violence but calls for vigilance, awareness, and taking responsibility for security without surrendering humanity.
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The John Batchelor Show is a hard news-analysis radio program on current events, world history, global politics and natural sciences. Based in New York City for two decades, the show has travelled widely to report, from the Middle East to the South Caucasus to the Arabian Peninsula and East Asia.

S8 Ep178: PREVIEW — Gregory Copley — Australian Prime Minister Pivots Toward Washington Despite Chinese Ties. Copley analyzes Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese's rapid diplomatic pivot from Beijing toward Washington to establish direct engagement with Pres

The John Batchelor Show

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Albanese's Rapid Diplomatic Shift from Beijing to Washington: Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese demonstrated a striking diplomatic pivot by hastily flying to Washington to meet with President Trump, abandoning prior Chinese commitments. This rapid shift occurred despite Albanese having been feted by the Chinese Communist Party earlier in the year, when he spent his holidays and birthday in the Beijing countryside, suggesting a calculated reassessment of Australia's strategic priorities.

Recognition of American Strategic Ascendancy: Albanese's urgent desire to establish a relationship with Trump signals his recognition that the United States, not Beijing, represents "the winning side" in the current geopolitical landscape. His almost "shocking haste" to secure White House engagement reveals an intrinsic understanding of shifting power dynamics in the Indo-Pacific region.

Chinese Influence Operations Within Australian Politics: Despite Albanese's pivot toward Washington, the Chinese Communist Party has successfully penetrated Australian political consciousness, particularly within the Labor Party and Green movement. This deep institutional influence creates ongoing tensions and causes caution among Albanese and his political allies, even as they reorient toward the United States.

Balancing Act Between Two Powers: The Australian government faces a fundamental challenge of navigating between Beijing and Washington, with some politicians remaining dependent on "under the counter support from Beijing" while simultaneously recognizing the strategic necessity of strengthening ties with the United States.
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Every weekday, NPR's best political reporters are there to explain the big news coming out of Washington and the campaign trail. They don't just tell you what happened. They tell you why it matters. Every afternoon. Political wonks - get wonkier with The NPR Politics Podcast+. Your subscription supports the podcast and unlocks a sponsor-free feed. Learn more at plus.npr.org/politics

Trump Offers Farmers $12-Billion Bailout To Offset Pain From Trade War

The NPR Politics Podcast

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Trump's $12 Billion Farm Bailout Program: President Trump announced a $12 billion bailout for farmers, with $11 billion allocated to row crop farmers (grains, soybeans, corn, cotton) and $1 billion reserved for vegetable farmers. The program is limited to farms earning up to $900,000 annually and capped at roughly $150,000 per farm, excluding the largest operations while including small family farms.

Tariffs Creating Self-Inflicted Economic Pain: The bailout addresses damage caused by Trump's own tariff policies, which have hurt farmers in two key ways: raising costs for inputs like fertilizer, steel, and aluminum used in expensive equipment like tractors, and triggering Chinese retaliation that shut down the major market for U.S. soybeans. This represents Trump essentially admitting that tariffs raise prices, contradicting his frequent claims that they will usher in economic prosperity.

The China Trade War and Soybean Markets: China, previously the biggest buyer of U.S. soybeans, stopped purchasing them in retaliation for Trump's tariffs. While Trump struck a deal in October for China to resume purchases, there's skepticism about whether China will follow through, echoing similar unfulfilled promises from Trump's first term. The longer-term concern is that China may permanently shift to buying from Brazil instead.

Circular Flow of Tariff Money: The bailout essentially shifts money from American consumers and businesses—who ultimately pay the tariffs through higher prices—to farmers. This highlights how tariffs function as a redistribution mechanism rather than foreign countries paying the U.S., as Trump often suggests.

Political Implications for Rural Voters: Farmers constitute a core constituency for Trump, making this bailout politically significant. Democrats have recently recognized their weakness in rural areas and are investing heavily in messaging around affordability, arguing they can better address price concerns than Trump. The 2026 midterm elections will likely hinge on these marginal differences in key agricultural districts.

Whack-a-Mole Approach to Economic Problems: The administration has been rolling out various piecemeal solutions to address economic pain, including rolling back tariffs on certain foreign foods like coffee and bananas, proposing $2,000 checks for everyone, suggesting 50-year mortgages, and now this farm bailout. This scattershot approach suggests the White House is responding to widespread voter concerns about affordability.

Supreme Court as Potential Political Relief: If the Supreme Court rules Trump's tariffs unlawful, it could paradoxically benefit Republicans by removing a politically damaging policy before the 2026 midterms. However, given Trump's stubborn commitment to tariffs—calling them "the most beautiful word in the English language"—it's unclear whether his administration would accept such a ruling or attempt to reimpose tariffs through alternative legal mechanisms.

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An entrepreneur channel created by Serial Entrepreneur, Patrick Bet-David. Valuetainment is referred to as the best channel for entrepreneurs with weekly How To's, Motivation and interviews with unique individuals. 

About PBD: 

During the Iranian Revolution of 1978, Patrick's family had to escape to survive and ended up living at a refugee camp in Erlangen, Germany. At 12 years old Patrick found himself collecting cans &amp; beer bottles to raise money that could help his family and get him a Nintendo. Support this podcast: <a href="https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/valuetainment/support" rel="payment">https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/valuetainment/support</a>

"A Tool Of Qatar?" - Tucker Carlson Sparks OUTRAGE Over Qatar Deal REVELATION

Valuetainment

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Tucker Carlson's Qatar Property Purchase Announcement: Tucker Carlson announced he is purchasing property in Doha, Qatar, stating this is to demonstrate that he's "an American and a free man" who can go wherever he wants. He made this announcement during an interview, emphasizing he has never taken money from Qatar but is instead giving them money, sarcastically asking if this means he's "bought" Qatar to spread his propaganda.

The Panel's Confusion Over Tucker's Rationale: The hosts express significant confusion about Tucker's explanation, noting that his justification of being "a proud American" doesn't logically connect to purchasing property in Qatar. They point out that if he simply wanted to experience the world or Muslim culture, that would make sense, but using American patriotism as the reason is perplexing and doesn't add up.

Qatar's Controversial Reputation and Funding Concerns: The discussion highlights Qatar's problematic history, including accusations of funding terrorism, financing Al Qaeda through charities, supporting extremist groups in Syria, and hosting the Muslim Brotherhood. The panel notes that Qatar's own neighbors—Saudi Arabia, UAE, Bahrain, and Egypt—have been highly critical of Qatar's funding of Islamism worldwide.

Investment Connection to Tucker's Media Network: The conversation reveals that Tucker's media network received approximately $15 million in investment from Omid Malik of 1789 Capital, whose mother is Iranian and father is Pakistani. While Malik himself has no direct link to Qatar and was born in New Jersey, the panel suggests this investment relationship may influence Tucker's coverage decisions regarding Muslim-related topics.

Selective Criticism and Editorial Bias Questions: The hosts question why Tucker appears protective of certain topics related to Islam and Muslim countries, avoiding criticism of issues in places like Nigeria. They compare this to how Ben Shapiro would face criticism if he avoided certain topics while having Israeli connections, arguing that the standard should be applied equally regardless of who has financial ties to which regions.

Real Estate Investment Logic Doesn't Compute: Using the analogy of vacation home purchases, the panel argues that people only buy property where they plan to spend significant time—not just a week or two per year. They suggest that if Tucker is buying in Qatar, he must be planning to spend considerable time there, raising further questions about his motives and future activities in the region.

Western Real Estate Trends in Qatar: Research presented shows that Qatar has been actively courting Western buyers, with Sotheby's becoming the number one real estate group in Doha. Southern Europeans, particularly Italians, have been purchasing properties there, with luxury penthouses selling for around $2.26 million with four-year payment plans. However, this still doesn't explain why someone from Maine would buy property halfway around the world when the Bahamas are much closer.

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Sound like a tech pro, even if you’re not! Award-winning popular host Kim Komando is your secret weapon.

Kim is in a class all her own. Her widely successful radio show is heard on over 500 stations in the United States and internationally in 175 different countries. Kim has millions of fans who love her down-to-earth, deeply relatable, and easy-to-understand way of talking about consumer tech.

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Trick to a cheap Uber or Lyft

Kim Komando Daily Tech Update

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Price Comparison Between Uber and Lyft: A joint study by Johns Hopkins and Harvard found that prices between Uber and Lyft can fluctuate by about 14% at the exact same moment for identical trips. Both companies claim their rates are determined by complex algorithms based on demand, traffic, and driver availability that change by the second, though they insist they don't know if users are checking rival apps. The key money-saving tip is to always check both apps before booking and choose the cheaper option.

Personal Data Protection with Incogni: Personal information like names, addresses, and phone numbers are freely available on the internet through data brokers and shady databases that collect and sell private details. Incogni is a service that removes personal information from over 420 websites automatically, and their unlimited plan allows users to request removal of their data from any other sites they discover, providing comprehensive privacy protection.

DoorDash Driver Contamination Incident: A Florida family captured their Ring camera footage showing a DoorDash driver dropping their food order, including chicken wings that hit the ground. The driver picked up the fallen food, put it back in the container, wiped barbecue sauce off the cement with his foot, licked his fingers, and left the contaminated food for the family without informing them of the incident.

DoorDash's Poor Initial Response: When the family contacted DoorDash about the incident with video evidence, the company showed minimal interest, simply saying they would start an investigation. DoorDash only became actively concerned and responsive after local news media (News 4 Jax) reached out for an interview about the story, highlighting how companies often prioritize media attention over customer complaints.

Driver Still Active Despite Complaint: Despite the investigation and warnings, the same driver (referred to as "Reuben") continued making deliveries for DoorDash. The family's goddaughter encountered him delivering food shortly after the incident. DoorDash eventually removed the driver from the family's account so he couldn't deliver to them specifically, but he remained active on the platform, raising questions about quality control and accountability standards.

Food Delivery Safety Concerns: The incident highlights broader concerns about food delivery security and tampering. The preference for sealed boxes and stapled bags helps ensure food hasn't been tampered with during delivery, as there's always a risk of delivery drivers eating items or otherwise compromising food quality during transport.
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Is the Fed About to Trigger the Next Bitcoin Boom? | Anthony & John Pompliano

The Pomp Podcast

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Federal Reserve Meeting and Rate Cut Debate: Prediction markets show 95% probability of a 25 basis point rate cut at the upcoming Fed meeting, with very low odds of either no cut or a 50 basis point cut. However, three factors suggest a more aggressive 50 basis point cut may be warranted: the weakening labor market (with layoffs at 2020 pandemic levels and hiring at 2010 crisis levels), deflationary pressures in the inflation data (including declining housing costs and gas prices that could save families $150 annually), and unprecedented "divergent dissent" within the Federal Reserve not seen in 35 years, with members pushing for both more aggressive and more hawkish positions.

Bitcoin's Monetary Policy as a Counter-Model: Bitcoin's predetermined, non-reactive monetary policy fundamentally differs from the Federal Reserve's reactive approach. While the Fed looks at past data to make present decisions affecting the future (always playing catch-up), Bitcoin's fixed supply of 21 million and unchanging issuance schedule means the world must react to Bitcoin rather than Bitcoin reacting to the world. This creates a more reliable store of value, though the Fed's challenge is compounded by making decisions based on flawed data where 40% of CPI inputs are estimates or guesses.

Exponential Productivity and Deflationary Forces: Elon Musk predicts that AI and robotics will create "exponential productivity" that could overwhelm the rising money supply and create deflation within three to six years. This concept includes AI writing its own software and humanoid robots manufacturing more robots, dramatically increasing productive capacity without corresponding increases in labor. If this thesis proves correct, the Fed should be preparing now by lowering rates more aggressively to the 2.5-3% range rather than maintaining rates at 3.75-4%.

The Shift from Government to Alternative Economic Data: Over the next 15-20 years, the finance industry is predicted to shift from relying primarily on government economic data to real-time private alternative data sets. Examples like Truflation, which provides more accurate real-time inflation data than the CPI, demonstrate how alternative metrics are already proving superior. This shift will be driven by continued erosion of trust in government statistical agencies and the availability of better private sector alternatives.

QE's Return and Asset Price Implications: With quantitative tightening ending and easier monetary policy returning, asset prices are expected to perform well over the next three to five years, accompanied by continued dollar debasement. However, micro factors often outweigh macro trends for specific assets or sectors—the Blackrock Bitcoin ETF announcement being a prime example where a company-specific development overshadowed broader economic conditions. Investors should focus on finding pure-play exposure to emerging trends rather than convoluted positions.

Pure-Play Investment Exposure Strategy: The importance of pure-play exposure is illustrated through examples like DraftKings for sports gambling or potential future AI model companies going public. Many current AI investments like Tesla or Google come bundled with multiple business lines, making it difficult to express a specific investment thesis. The first standalone AI model company to go public is expected to receive exceptionally strong market reception as it will allow investors to make a focused bet on that specific technology.

Risk Management in a QE Environment: As quantitative easing returns and risk-taking increases, investors must balance opportunity with prudence. The cardinal rule is "don't blow yourself up" by taking excessive risk or debt despite cheaper capital. The 2022 example demonstrates the danger of focusing only on micro factors while ignoring the Fed's aggressive rate hiking—the fastest pace in history from 0% to 5%. Fighting the Fed during major policy shifts is compared to picking up pennies in front of a steamroller.

Bitcoin Miners Transitioning to AI Infrastructure: Bitcoin mining companies are increasingly pivoting to AI infrastructure by repurposing their existing assets—power, land, and data centers—to meet the higher-value AI compute demand. Different companies are taking varied approaches: some like Iris are completely switching from Bitcoin miners to GPUs, Hut 8 spun out their Bitcoin operations into American Bitcoin while focusing the parent company on AI data centers, and others are maintaining Bitcoin operations while adding AI capacity. This flexibility demonstrates that companies with energy and infrastructure expertise can optimize returns by switching between use cases.

Early GPU Mining Insights and Missed Opportunities: Personal experience mining Ethereum in 2016-2017 with GPUs revealed early understanding that graphics processors would have multiple use cases beyond cryptocurrency—including self-driving cars, DNA sequencing, and 3D rendering. Despite correctly predicting in 2017 that "the world runs on CPUs today but will eventually run on GPUs" and actively mining with Nvidia hardware, the mistake was not buying Nvidia stock due to the erroneous belief that hardware manufacturers would become commoditized. This demonstrates how conviction must match insight to capture full returns.

George Soros's Bubble Philosophy: The investment strategy of "when I see a bubble, I rush in and push it higher" represents sophisticated understanding that bubbles typically last longer and go higher than most people expect. While conventional wisdom says to flee bubbles, exceptional investors recognize that bubbles offer asymmetric returns and significant outperformance opportunities during their formation phase. This mindset explains why Bitcoin miners and infrastructure companies are aggressively pivoting to AI despite concerns about overheating—they're capitalizing on strong economic incentives while they exist.

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Mina talks all things football with her unique brand of humor and insight. Her friends join each episode to talk about the NFL's latest storylines along with her football loving dog, Lenny, making frequent contributions.

Hurts like Hell, and Every NFC Contender's Weakness

The Mina Kimes Show featuring Lenny

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Eagles Offensive Struggles Run Deeper Than Turnovers: While Jalen Hurts had five turnovers against the Chargers, the problems extend beyond one bad game. The Eagles have been trying new passing concepts in Week 14 that should have been implemented months earlier, revealing systemic issues with offensive coordinator Kevin Patullo. Hurts fundamentally struggles throwing over the middle of the field (lowest rate in NFL) and requires single-high coverages created by a strong run game to succeed. Without being able to run the ball effectively this season, the offense has become predictable and stagnant.

Jalen Hurts Requires Specific Circumstances to Excel: Hurts falls into the tier of quarterbacks who can win when circumstances are right, but isn't among the elite few who can elevate any situation. Similar to late-career Russell Wilson, when his mobility declined and the run game disappeared, Hurts needs play-action and single-high looks generated by run threat. The Eagles' 2023 success came when they minimized his role after Week 5, reduced turnovers, and leaned on the running game—a formula that isn't working in 2024.

Eagles' Path Forward Involves Firing Patullo and Committing to the Run: The most likely scenario is bringing in a new offensive coordinator focused on run game design—potentially someone from Detroit or Chicago's staff—while running it back with Hurts. His contract situation (no-trade clause, significant dead cap) makes moving on extremely difficult. The decision around backup Tanner McKee, who's looked impressive in limited action, centers more on whether to trade him for value rather than replacing Hurts.

Chargers Face an Untenable Offensive Line Crisis: Justin Herbert showed incredible toughness playing with a fractured hand while being pressured on over 60% of dropbacks—the highest rate of the season. The offensive line, particularly with Makai Becton giving up 11 pressures, represents one of the worst units in recent years. Despite Herbert's heroics and strong defensive play, the team keeps trying to win with deep passing (10.4 yard average depth of target) rather than adjusting with screens or quick game to combat pressure.

Philip Rivers Returns to Football at Age 44: The Colts signed Philip Rivers to their practice squad after injuries to their quarterback room, potentially setting up a matchup against the Texans' elite pass rush. This represents both a fascinating science experiment about aging quarterbacks and a potentially dangerous situation given Rivers hasn't played since the 2020 season. The move highlights the desperation of the Colts' situation despite rookie Riley Leonard showing competence before his injury.

NFC Playoff Contenders All Have Significant Defensive Weaknesses: The Packers struggle with defensive line depth beyond Michael Parsons, with Rashawn Gary underperforming and injuries depleting the tackle position. The Rams' smaller cornerback group struggles against big-bodied receivers. The 49ers have a historically bad pass rush (26.3% pressure rate, lowest ever under Robert Salah) and can't convert pressures to sacks. The Lions face interior offensive line issues that specifically hurt Jared Goff's pocket presence, while their secondary has become vulnerable without consistent quick pressure.

Bears Show Promise Under Ben Johnson Despite Loss: While Chicago's defense remains concerning (31st in pass rush win rate), the offense has dramatically improved from first half to second half under new coaching. Johnson and his staff make effective halftime adjustments, jumping from 18th to 8th in passing EPA and 16th to 1st in rushing success rate. The willingness to stick with the run game and play-action even when behind demonstrates strong coaching philosophy that bodes well for 2026 and beyond.

Seahawks Need Run Game Consistency to Protect Sam Darnold: Seattle ranks 24th in rushing DVOA with just four expected yards per carry (28th in NFL), creating too many difficult passing situations for their volatile quarterback. The offensive line issues, particularly at guard, prevent both Kenneth Walker and Zach Charbonnet from finding rhythm. Against pressure-heavy defenses like the Rams, establishing any ground game becomes essential to prevent Darnold from making the kind of mistakes that derail playoff hopes.

Cowboys Defense Improved But Still Exploitable: Despite adding Micah Parsons generating excitement, Dallas only improved from 31st to 28th defensively by most metrics. The secondary remains the biggest weakness, lacking the talent and depth to consistently cover in man coverage. While they're capable of upset performances in the playoffs thanks to opportunistic playmakers like Parsons and Donovan Azaraku, the defense isn't consistent enough to sustain a deep postseason run.

Buccaneers Derailed by Offensive Line Injuries: Tampa Bay lost starting guard Ben Bredeson again, forcing them to play two backup guards (Dan Feeney and Michael Jordan). This has destroyed the diverse running game and excellent screen game that defined Liam Cohen's offense last year. Without a reliable first-down mode, Baker Mayfield faces too many third-and-long situations where his volatility becomes problematic. The team has gone 3-for-17 on throws of 10+ yards over the last two weeks, making offensive success dependent on getting healthy rather than scheme.
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Machine learning and artificial intelligence are dramatically changing the way businesses operate and people live. The TWIML AI Podcast brings the top minds and ideas from the world of ML and AI to a broad and influential community of ML/AI researchers, data scientists, engineers and tech-savvy business and IT leaders. Hosted by Sam Charrington, a sought after industry analyst, speaker, commentator and thought leader. Technologies covered include machine learning, artificial intelligence, deep learning, natural language processing, neural networks, analytics, computer science, data science and more.

Why Vision Language Models Ignore What They See with Munawar Hayat - #758

The TWIML AI Podcast (formerly This Week in Machine Learning & Artificial Intelligence)

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Vision Language Models Fail to Attend to Visual Information: VLMs often ignore visual tokens and rely heavily on their language model's parametric memory when answering questions. Analysis shows that attention scores for relevant visual tokens are surprisingly low, and the embedding distributions of matching versus non-matching image-text pairs are highly overlapped rather than properly disentangled.

Attention-Guided Alignment Improves Visual Grounding: The proposed solution interleaves cross-attention modules throughout the language model rather than concatenating visual and text tokens upfront. This approach, combined with an auxiliary loss that maximizes attention on relevant visual regions (identified via segmentation masks), forces the model to actually look at images when answering questions. The method also reduces computational complexity from (m+n)² to n²+mn, improving training efficiency.

Physics-Aware Generation Remains a Major Challenge: Current foundation models fail at simple physical reasoning tasks, such as unstacking boxes while preserving their shapes and sizes, or predicting how a drawer opens. These models can generate intricate visual details but struggle with basic physics understanding that humans take for granted, which is critical for robotics and real-world applications.

Existing Benchmarks Are Not Vision-Centric Enough: Many popular VLM benchmarks can be answered by language models alone without looking at images. Newer vision-centric benchmarks like CVBench require models to actually process visual information to answer questions about spatial relationships, object positions, or counting tasks that cannot be solved through language priors.

Generalized Contrastive Learning Enables Composed Retrieval: A new approach reformulates the contrastive learning loss to handle queries and keys that can be composed of any combination of image, text, or fused image-text representations. This enables scenarios like "show me all images of a person looking like this wearing X" without collecting additional triplet training data or increasing inference costs.

Cross-Modal Retrieval Should Move to VLM Embedding Spaces: Current CLIP-like models use relatively weak text encoders trained only on image descriptions. Future retrieval systems would benefit from operating in the embedding space of true language models within VLMs, which have richer text understanding from training on trillions of tokens.

Multi-Person Image Generation Suffers from Identity Loss: Generating images with multiple people while preserving facial identities is extremely challenging. Even proprietary foundation models struggle to generate the correct number of subjects beyond three or four people, and often lose facial identity information during conditional generation.

MultiHuman Testbench Provides Comprehensive Evaluation: The new benchmark includes 5,500 individuals across 1,500 test samples with quantifiable metrics including count accuracy, facial identity preservation (via discriminator embeddings), and MLLM-as-judge scoring. The benchmark aims to drive progress on this open research problem.

Attention Masking Prevents Identity Leakage: The proposed solution creates isolated attention "islands" where tokens corresponding to each person only attend to that person's tokens, preventing identity leakage across subjects. This inference-only approach avoids the computational overhead of methods like DreamBooth that require per-person adapter fine-tuning.

On-Device AI Deployment Drives Research Priorities: Qualcomm's mobile focus influences research directions toward efficient inference, with demonstrations like generating 48-frame videos in under 8 seconds on mobile phones and single-step image editing. Solutions must balance performance improvements with computational constraints for edge deployment.

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Whether it’s season-long fantasy rankings, NFL draft analysis, DFS dart throws, betting implications or anything else NFL-related, the Rotoworld Football Show has you covered. Listen as RotoPat, Denny Carter, Kyle Dvorchak and others from the Rotoworld crew give their analysis and opinions on all things NFL on the Fantasy Sports Writers Association’s 2019 winner for Best Fantasy Football Podcast.

Eagles-Chargers Recap, Colts bring in Philip Rivers + Falcons-Bucs Preview

Rotoworld Football Show – Fantasy Football

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Eagles Offensive Dysfunction and the Rally Bunny Saga: The Eagles offensive line ordered a giant inflatable "happiness bunny" to ease locker room tension, but it coincided with continued struggles. The offense has been plagued by dysfunction, with palpable tension between Jalen Hurts and A.J. Brown. Since Brown complained to ownership about his role, the offense has circulated around him with disastrous results. Despite Brown receiving significant targets, he dropped multiple crucial passes including potential touchdowns in the Monday night loss to the Chargers, while Hurts' best throws went uncaught.

Eagles Offensive Scheme Issues: The Eagles offense has fundamentally broken down due to elite offensive line injuries, particularly Lane Johnson. Hurts was in empty sets on 35.6% of plays against the Chargers (highest rate for any QB this season) with just a 37% success rate. The team seems unable to adjust, with offensive coordinator Kevin Petula likely headed to the booth as a precursor to being fired. Nick Sirianni appears increasingly unhinged, and the coaching staff lacks the creativity to adapt to their current personnel limitations.

Saquon Barkley's Favorable Schedule Ahead: Barkley finally broke off explosive runs including a 52-yard touchdown, offering hope despite offensive line problems. His upcoming schedule (Raiders, Commanders, Bills, Commanders) is extremely favorable, as all three opponents give up significant yards before contact, which suits Barkley's style. He's also running the second-most routes among running backs over the past three weeks, though he's only received 11 targets, suggesting potential PPR upside if they utilize him more in the passing game.

Chargers Shift to Run-Heavy Offense Without Joe Alt: The Chargers have become significantly more run-heavy following injuries to Joe Alt and other offensive linemen, operating at 6% below their expected pass rate against the Eagles (their second most run-heavy game of the season). This approach has led to more rushing volume split between Omarion Hampton (13 carries) and Kimani Vidal (14 carries). However, Hampton's limited route running (8 routes vs Vidal's 24) makes him game-script sensitive despite likely handling 15+ touches per game going forward.

Justin Herbert and Chargers Passing Attack Struggles: Herbert took seven sacks against the Eagles with a season-low 2.5 adjusted yards per attempt and completed just 51% of passes despite a 68% expected completion rate. Without Joe Alt, the Chargers' early-down pass rate has dropped from 65% (2nd in league through Week 8) to 45% over the past two games. This run-heavy approach severely limits the fantasy viability of Chargers receivers like Quentin Johnston and Keenan Allen, with only Ladd McConkey remaining in the flex conversation.

Philip Rivers' Stunning Return to Indianapolis: The Colts signed 44-year-old Philip Rivers to their practice squad after Daniel Jones tore his Achilles and Riley Leonard suffered a knee injury. Rivers last played in 2020 and entered the NFL in 2004. While he hasn't been elevated to the active roster (which would reset his Hall of Fame eligibility clock), the Colts coaching staff is treating this as normal, with defensive coordinator Lou Anarumo simply noting Rivers is a Hall of Famer. Rivers represents a higher upside option than typical veteran backups like Josh Johnson.

Shedeur Sanders Named Browns Starter: Sanders has cleared the lowest bar set for him by avoiding the catastrophic negative plays expected from his college tape. He's been sacked on just 10% of his pressures (better than half the league), showing improved pocket awareness compared to predecessor Dylan Gabriel. Sanders leads the league in yards per attempt on intermediate throws (10-20 yards) and is 8% above expected completion rate on those throws. The Browns have become a yards-after-catch machine with Sanders under center, though the coaching staff inexplicably pulled him for the game-tying two-point conversion attempt.

Buccaneers Offensive Collapse: Baker Mayfield and the Buccaneers have been a bottom-six offense since Week 10, ranking 24th in EPA per play and 28th in dropback success rate. Mayfield has been bottom-10 in both adjusted yards per attempt and completion rate over expected, particularly struggling on intermediate throws (10-20 yards). The team's struggles coincided with injuries to Mike Evans and Jalen McMillan, combined with Mayfield dealing with a separated shoulder. The rain loss to the Saints exemplified their recent ineptitude.

Mike Evans' Potential Return Impact: Evans is expected back for Thursday night's game against the Falcons and will likely see massive target volume in front of a home crowd as he chases his streak of 1,000-yard seasons. When healthy for the first three weeks, Evans commanded a 41% air yard share and 27% target share while being targeted on 30% of his routes. His return will significantly dampen Rachaad White's fantasy profile, as White saw his target rate drop from 29% without Evans to 21% with him active.

Bucky Irving's Role Post-Injury: Irving has handled 32 of 54 running back rushing attempts over his two games back from injury, leading the backfield with 31 routes run. However, Baker Mayfield rarely targets running backs this season, making Irving somewhat game-script sensitive. The favorable matchup against a Falcons team that appears ready for vacation should provide a solid workload, and Irving has scored touchdowns in consecutive games since returning.

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