Every week, I deconstruct one big idea around creative work, human behavior, and mental philosophy while giving you practical insights on how to apply these teachings to your life.

Topics we are dedicated to dissecting for you: spirituality, personal growth, psychology, social media, business, health, fitness, philosophy, culture, and everything else that will lead to a life of freedom and happiness.

How to fix your entire life in 1 day

The Koe Cast

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Most People Fail at Change Because They Focus on Actions Rather Than Identity: The fundamental mistake with New Year's resolutions is that people try to change their behaviors through discipline and willpower, but true change requires transforming who you are at a deeper level. A bodybuilder doesn't grind to eat healthy—they would have to grind to eat unhealthy because their identity naturally aligns with their behaviors. If you want specific outcomes, you must adopt the lifestyle that creates those outcomes long before you reach them, not temporarily force yourself to act differently while planning to return to your old ways.

All Behavior Is Goal-Oriented, Including Self-Sabotage: Every action you take serves a goal, even if you're unaware of it. Procrastination isn't a lack of discipline—it's pursuing the unconscious goal of protecting yourself from potential judgment or failure. Staying in a dead-end job isn't about lacking courage—it's pursuing safety and avoiding the risk of looking like a failure. Real change requires identifying and changing these unconscious goals rather than just setting surface-level resolutions.

Your Identity Was Programmed Through Conditioning, Not Choice: The anatomy of identity follows a predictable pattern: you pursue a goal, perceive reality through that lens, act and receive feedback, repeat until it becomes automatic, then defend that identity to maintain psychological consistency. Most of this programming happened in childhood when you had to conform to your parents' beliefs and values to survive. Unless you actively question this conditioning, you're not an independent thinker—you're simply running someone else's mental software.

Identity Protection Functions Like Physical Survival: Once your physical survival needs are met, your survival instinct transcends to the ideological level. You no longer just protect and reproduce your body—you protect and reproduce beliefs, ideas, and values. This is why people become emotionally defensive when their political views, religious beliefs, or professional identities are challenged. The stress response feels identical to a physical threat, causing you to fight back or retreat into echo chambers rather than think clearly.

Development Happens in Stages From Conformist to Construct-Aware: The mind evolves through predictable stages, from impulsive (no separation between impulse and action) to self-protective (world is dangerous), to conformist (group rules feel like reality), to self-aware (noticing inner life doesn't match exterior), to conscientious (building your own principles), to individualist (seeing your principles were shaped by context), to strategist (working with systems while aware of your involvement), to construct-aware (seeing all frameworks as useful fictions), and finally to unitive (dissolution of separation). Most people get stuck in the conformist or self-aware stages and need to progress to achieve the life they want.

Intelligence Is the Ability to Get What You Want Through Iteration: True intelligence isn't IQ—it's the capacity to achieve your goals through persistent trial and error. Drawing from cybernetics, intelligent systems have a goal, act toward it, sense where they are, compare to the goal, and adjust based on feedback. High intelligence means realizing any problem can be solved on a large enough timescale and that there's a series of choices leading to any goal. Low intelligence is getting stuck on problems, hitting roadblocks and quitting, or failing to learn from mistakes.

The Three Phases of Identity Transformation: Successful identity shifts follow a pattern: dissonance (feeling you don't belong and becoming fed up with lack of progress), uncertainty (not knowing what comes next and either experimenting or feeling lost), and discovery (finding what you want to pursue and making rapid progress). Understanding these phases helps you recognize when you're on the right path, even when the process feels uncomfortable rather than motivating.

A Comprehensive One-Day Reset Protocol: The protocol consists of three parts spanning a full day. Part one (morning) involves psychological excavation through journaling questions about dissatisfaction, complaints, and creating an "anti-vision" of the life you don't want (describing average days in 5, 10 years if nothing changes) and a vision of what you actually want. Part two (throughout the day) uses timed reminders with questions to interrupt autopilot patterns and contemplate your insights. Part three (evening) synthesizes everything into clear statements about why you've been stuck, what you refuse to let your life become, and what you're building toward.

Goals Function as Lenses of Perception, Not Just Achievements: Goals aren't merely targets to hit—they're projections into the future that act as filters for what you notice. When you set a goal, you begin perceiving information, ideas, and resources that help you achieve it. This is fundamental to learning and creativity. Rather than grinding toward arbitrary achievements, you're creating different lenses you can use at macro (vision) and micro (daily tasks) levels to experience different perspectives and take appropriate actions.

Turn Your Life Into a Video Game Using Six Components: Games create obsession and flow states because they have specific components that can be applied to life: your anti-vision is what's at stake (what happens if you lose), your vision is how you win, your one-year goal is the mission, your one-month project is the boss fight (gaining experience and skills), your daily levers are the quests (daily processes that unlock opportunities), and your constraints are the rules (limitations that encourage creativity). These components create concentric circles of focus that guard your mind from distractions.

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Join Point Hacks news editor Chris Chamberlin, Australian Frequent Flyer editor Matt Graham, and other experts from the travel industry, for the latest frequent flyer news, tips and travel stories each month!

Episode 25 - Are the best days of points behind us?

Travel Pointers

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Updated Point Valuations Show Shifting Program Values: Australian Frequent Flyer recently updated its quarterly point valuations, revealing significant changes in the loyalty landscape. Velocity points now rank higher than Qantas points following Qantas's August 2025 devaluation that increased redemption costs and carrier charges. The new Atmos Rewards program (combining Alaska and Hawaiian Airlines) jumped to the top of valuations at 2.5 Australian cents per point, largely due to reasonable redemption rates on Qantas and other partners without passing on carrier charges. CommBank Awards dropped to last place after ditching all international transfer partners, while Amex Membership Rewards points decreased slightly following their recent devaluation.

Poor Value of Qantas Points for European Business Class: Analysis of the latest valuations revealed surprisingly poor redemption value for Qantas points on business class flights to Europe. Redemptions on routes like Sydney to Frankfurt via Emirates now yield only about 1.57 cents per Qantas point—barely matching the average valuation and actually worse than using points for domestic flights. This counterintuitive result stems from dramatically increased points requirements combined with carrier charges reaching approximately $3,850 for Emirates business class roundtrips.

Credit Card Churning Has Become More Difficult: The landscape for earning points through credit cards has evolved significantly over the past decade. Many sign-up bonuses now require keeping cards open for a second year to receive full benefits, and some banks are reportedly rejecting applications from customers with churning profiles. The proposed RBA interchange fee changes from July 2026 could further reduce points earning rates or increase fees. However, credit card opportunities in Australia remain more lucrative than in many other countries.

When One Door Closes, Another Opens: Despite devaluations and program changes, new opportunities for earning and redeeming points continue to emerge. Examples include payment platforms like Pay.com offering ways to earn points on bill payments with various transfer partners, airlines directly selling points at promotional rates, and Qantas wine offers providing bonus points at reasonable rates (around 2 cents per point). Qantas Points Club also introduced the ability to earn status credits on classic reward tickets, partially replacing the old "Any Seat Awards" system.

The Evolution from "Free Flights" to Complex Redemptions: Frequent flyer programs have transformed dramatically since their 1980s inception. What were once truly "free flights" now come with substantial taxes and carrier charges. The programs have become more mainstream, leading to increased competition for award seats even as the actual number of seats may have grown. Airlines have systematically closed loopholes like manufacturing spending opportunities and reduced the ability to earn points on government payments like ATO tax bills.

International Programs Offer Better Value Than Australian Options: One key lesson is looking beyond just Qantas and Velocity to international frequent flyer programs. Programs like American Airlines AAdvantage historically offered better redemption rates on Qantas flights without passing on carrier charges. SkyTeam programs provide abundant award availability to Asia when Qantas and Velocity show limited options. Flexible credit card points that transfer to multiple international programs maximize redemption opportunities.

Smart Travel Strategy Goes Beyond Finding Cheap Tickets: Experienced travelers prioritize sleep and comfort over simply finding the lowest price or fastest route. This includes considering body clock and flight timing, stopping overnight in transit cities rather than red-eye connections, and booking positioning flights to cheaper markets (like Southeast Asia) rather than paying premium prices from Australia. The journey itself matters as much as the destination, and making travel less stressful improves the overall experience.

Award Redemptions Require Value Analysis: Simply using points doesn't guarantee good value. Travelers should compare redemption rates against cash fares to ensure they're getting worthwhile cents-per-point value. In some cases, using points for domestic flights and paying cash for international travel provides better overall value than struggling with poor award availability and high carrier charges on long-haul premium redemptions.

AFF Community Has Real Power to Drive Change: The Australian Frequent Flyer community has successfully influenced airline policies and practices. Examples include pressuring Qantas to reduce carrier charges in the late 2010s, establishing dedicated support channels for ticketing issues during the post-COVID crisis, and creating transparent point valuations that hold programs accountable. Airline executives and staff regularly monitor the forum for customer feedback, giving community posts more reach and impact than members might realize.

The "Golden Era" May Have Passed But Opportunities Remain: While frequent flyer programs may not offer the same lucrative opportunities as a decade ago, they're far from dead. Airlines depend heavily on loyalty program revenue—Qantas Loyalty sometimes earns more than the airline itself, and US programs are worth more than their parent airlines. Programs must continue offering value to maintain member engagement, ensuring new opportunities will emerge even as old ones disappear.

Content Creation Requires Providing Genuine Value: For aspiring travel writers and content creators, the key is consistently providing value to your audience rather than just republishing press releases. This includes creating original content, engaging with feedback, admitting mistakes, maintaining skepticism about corporate messaging, and being passionate about the subject matter. Having thick skin for criticism while finding the balance between being too harsh and too easy on airlines is essential.

Matt Graham's Decade at AFF Comes to an End: After 11 years as editor of Australian Frequent Flyer since 2015, Matt Graham is moving on to new challenges, likely within the airline industry. He's most proud of keeping airlines accountable during COVID and helping people with limited means access business class travel to visit family. The podcast will not continue in the foreseeable future, though Matt may contribute occasional freelance articles to AFF.

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

WST Sunday Live: Winnipeg Jets lose to Minnesota Wild, Canada WJC update

Winnipeg Sports Talk

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Jets' Late-Game Collapse Against Minnesota: The Winnipeg Jets found a new way to lose a close game, blowing a 3-2 lead with 30 seconds remaining against Minnesota. Dylan DeMelo took a retaliatory cross-checking penalty after Josh Morrissey was hit from behind, and Kyle Connor's empty-net goal was waved off. Minnesota quickly tied the game and won in overtime, highlighting the Jets' continuing struggles in one-goal games where they're 4-8-4 this season compared to 19-4-4 last year.

Questionable Face-Off Decision Proves Costly: After DeMelo's penalty, Scott Arniel put Morgan Barron (1-for-5 on draws that night) on the ice instead of Jonathan Toews, who was dominating at 77% on face-offs including 10-for-13 overall. The Jets lost the crucial draw and were scored on immediately. This decision was especially puzzling given that Toews is on the roster primarily for his face-off abilities and is second-best in the entire NHL in that category.

One-Goal Game Woes Continue: The Jets' record in close games has completely flipped from last season. After going 41-0-1 when leading after two periods last year, they're now 11-11-2. Their eight regulation losses in one-goal games is killing their playoff chances, and they're finding ways to lose games they previously would have won through dumb penalties, lost face-offs, and defensive breakdowns.

Playoff Picture Looking Grim: The Jets sit 30th in the NHL standings with 34 points, needing to go approximately 26-16-4 in their remaining 46 games to reach 90 points for a wild card spot. They have the seventh-toughest remaining schedule and are now playing with such a thin margin for error that every loss compounds their problems. The team is 17 points back in their division with multiple teams to leapfrog.

Positive Individual Performances Lost in Defeat: Despite the loss, the top line of Connor-Scheifele-Vilardi and Josh Morrissey were excellent through 55 minutes against a strong Minnesota team featuring the Kaprizov-Boldy-Zuccarello line. The Jets actually played well for most of the game, making the late collapse even more frustrating as it represented a missed opportunity to build momentum coming out of the holiday break.

Trade Deadline and Roster Decisions Looming: Logan Stanley's career-high shooting percentage (16.2% on-ice vs. 2-4% in previous seasons) in his contract year represents a potential sell-high opportunity. The hosts believe the Jets should trade pending UFAs and potentially give younger players like Elias Salomonson more NHL experience, though management seems reluctant to waive veteran players despite being 30th in the league.

Dylan DeMelo Trending Down: Beyond the late penalty, DeMelo was beaten by Kirill Kaprizov on a second-period goal where he got caught between jumping up and playing back, allowing a routine breakaway. His overall defensive performance has slipped from his usual shutdown standards, and the retaliatory penalty showed a lack of discipline in a critical moment.

Tanking vs. Selling Discussion: While professional teams never openly tank, the Jets appear headed toward being sellers at the trade deadline rather than buyers. The 2026 draft features a strong top-10 with prospects like Gavin McKenna, James Hagens, and Matthew Schaefer, though no stars like Scheifele or Connor will intentionally lose games regardless of management's direction.

Canada at World Juniors: Canada is 2-0 at the tournament with wins over Finland (in overtime) and Czechia (7-2), using "Courage" by The Tragically Hip as their goal song. The Finland game cost them a point, making their upcoming New Year's Eve rematch against Finland crucial for winning the group. Jets prospects Elias Salomonson and Sasha Boumedien are playing significant roles as power-play quarterbacks for Sweden.

Comparing Goal Songs Through the Years: The hosts ranked Canada's recent World Junior goal songs with "Hey Baby" at number one for its crowd participation, followed by "Heave Away" from the Halifax 2023 tournament, this year's "Courage," Pitbull's "Don't Stop the Party," and last year's "Live is Life" at the bottom. They noted how perfect "Heave Away" was for the East Coast atmosphere and crowd engagement.

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A Podcast about Cryptid beings such as Bigfoot, Dogman, Jersey Devil, the Loch Ness Monster, Aliens, and much more! Have stories to share? Sightings? Visit us at www.cryptidcreatures.net or email us at info@cryptidcreatures.co

Best Encounters of 2025! EP. 261

Cryptid Creatures

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Michigan Dogman Encounter with Co-worker Witness: A warehouse worker leaving early one morning encountered what appeared to be a large cloaked figure walking oddly in the middle of the road. After both he and his co-worker witnessed it, they returned to find what looked like a dead dog in the road. The creature stood up on two legs to approximately 6-7 feet tall, had glowing eyes, a wolf-like appearance with a bushy tail, but stood upright with arms hanging like a human. The proportions were canine but the posture was bipedal, and it moved in an unusual crouching sideways pattern. A field mouse behaving strangely stood nearby, seemingly unconcerned by human presence. The witness later learned this matched descriptions of the Michigan Dogman.

Teenage Sasquatch Encounter During Paintball Game: Two 16-year-old friends playing paintball at night on rural property in Ohio encountered what they believe was a Sasquatch around midnight. Both shot paintballs at what they thought was each other, only to realize a massive creature was between them on the trail. When it stood up, it towered 2-3 feet over the witness and appeared 9-10 feet tall—wider and taller than anything he'd seen before. The creature was non-aggressive but walked toward them, prompting both to flee. The next day they searched for evidence but found nothing conclusive, though they now look back wishing they'd searched differently.

Child's Protected Encounter with Bigfoot in Glacier National Park: A 7-year-old with asthma hiking ahead of family near a waterfall in Glacier National Park witnessed what appeared to be a Sasquatch protecting him from a bear. He saw black flashes, then a bear, then a 6'3" reddish-brown hairy humanoid creature with see-through/opaque hair stepped between them. The creature had an ape-like mouth and the child remembers saying "Hi, Bigfoot" and the creature laughing before disappearing. The witness felt no threat from the Sasquatch, which appeared to be chasing the bear away from the child. The encounter seemed protective rather than aggressive.

Dogman Circles Van at Mokelumne River: A traveler's van mysteriously died at 4 a.m. at a California state park, then started working just long enough to reach the river bathroom before dying again. While stranded, the witness saw a large animal on all fours that initially resembled a bear but was too big and in the wrong location. The creature, larger than a black bear, circled the van four times while the witness and dog hid in the back. It eventually stood on hind legs and paced once more before leaving. Prayer seemed to push it away. The witness, now a full-time paranormal researcher, believes it was hunting the abundant wild turkeys in the area and had to be towed out after the encounter.

The Rake-Like Entity on Rural Ohio Road: While driving home from Christmas shopping on November 30, 2024, a witness encountered a gray, muscular humanoid creature that appeared suddenly in the center lane of a rural highway. The entity had no eyes (just sockets), no facial features below the nose, no hair or ears, and appeared to be up on its knuckles showing only from the belly button up—as if emerging from the ground. It lunged at the car, leaving four finger swipes measuring 8 inches across on the driver's side door. The witness experienced overwhelming fear and couldn't speak for five minutes. Research revealed three Native American burial grounds within 12 miles, including one containing oversized skeletons, and a cemetery just 100 yards from the encounter site.

Tall Black-Haired Sasquatch Crossing Soybean Field: A hunter in a tree stand at 2:30 p.m. watched something moving through 3.5-foot-tall soybeans. After 10-12 minutes, the creature stood up revealing an 8-9 foot tall being covered in 3-inch long stringy black hair with hair parted down the middle of its head. The witness could see its chest moving as it breathed and daylight between its hanging arms. The creature appeared panicked about being in the open, with wide eyes darting around. After about two minutes, it did a complete 180-degree turn while standing and ran upright through the soybeans with arms flailing wildly, crossing a road before disappearing into a cornfield. The well-built creature resembled a tall football player rather than the typical wide-shouldered Bigfoot depiction.

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Millennial money expert Victoria Devine shares her foolproof tips for financial freedom.

A Love Letter to Everyone Who Survived 2025

She's On The Money

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This Year Was Never About Perfection: Nobody's year goes to plan, no matter how organized or prepared they are. Even when social media makes it look like others have everything figured out, the reality is that everyone faces unexpected challenges, financial setbacks, and moments where their spreadsheets and plans fall apart.

Acknowledging the Invisible Work You Did: The year should be measured not just by achievements, but by all the quiet, difficult moments you navigated—the mornings you got up when you didn't want to, the bills you paid despite money stress, the worries you carried alone, the boundaries you tried to set even when your voice shook, and the courage it took to keep going.

Small Steps Still Count as Progress: If you dipped into your emergency fund, didn't save as much as hoped, or experienced setbacks, that doesn't mean you're behind. Being human and taking small steps in the right direction matters more than perfect execution. These moments of struggle are building your resilience, even if they don't show up in highlight reels.

The Power of Quiet Wins: Growth doesn't always look like milestone achievements. Sometimes it's choosing yourself in tiny moments nobody else noticed—setting a boundary, choosing rest over burnout, saying no when you were scared, protecting relationships, or walking away from ones that no longer served you. These quiet wins slowly rebuild your confidence in ways that matter more than Instagram-worthy accomplishments.

You Don't Need to Reinvent Yourself in January: There's no need for a complete life overhaul, color-coded plans, or to become a brand new person at midnight on New Year's Eve. You were always worthy, and you can grow at a pace that feels kind. Instead of dramatic changes, consider choosing steadiness, consistency, or slowly rebuilding confidence and finding joy again.

Moving Forward from Experience, Not Nothing: As you step into the new year, remember you're not starting from scratch or behind schedule. You're starting from a place of experience—everything this year taught you, everything you survived and navigated, and everything you learned about who you are and what you value. That foundation is incredibly valuable.

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The Coin Bureau is your go-to informational portal to the Cryptocurrency galaxy.

Our mission is to facilitate the mass adoption of cryptocurrency through education, one person at a time.

NB: We will NEVER reach out to you in unsolicited emails or texts / messages.

1 Bitcoin Is Enough To Retire - Here's the Math

Coin Bureau

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The Broken Pension System: Traditional state pension systems operate on a "pay as you go" model where current workers fund current retirees, not their own future. This system, established in 1889 when life expectancy was around 40 and retirement age was 70, is now fundamentally broken. With aging populations living 15-30 years in retirement and shrinking contributor bases, countries like Spain, Italy, and Japan have received D and E grades for pension sustainability. Governments are responding with financial repression—keeping interest rates below inflation to quietly erode purchasing power.

Traditional Retirement Savings Are Inadequate: The conventional advice to save 12 times your final salary and withdraw 4% annually doesn't work for most people. The median 401k balance in the US is approximately $200,000, which at 4% withdrawal provides only $8,000 per year or $660 per month—barely enough for survival. Average real income growth for the bottom 99% is just 0.75% annually, while actual investor returns average around 4% (not the promised 8%), meaning you'd need $2.5 million to generate $50,000 annual retirement income.

Bitcoin as a Scarce Digital Asset: Bitcoin's fixed supply of 21 million coins creates mathematical scarcity in a way that traditional assets cannot match. With over 58 million millionaires globally, fewer than half could ever own one full Bitcoin. This scarcity, combined with its digital nature and global accessibility without permission, positions Bitcoin as a hedge against systemic currency debasement and an alternative to the failing fiat retirement system.

The One Bitcoin Target and 0.1 BTC Milestone: Owning one Bitcoin (worth around $100,000 as of late 2025) could potentially be collateralized in the future to generate tax-efficient liquidity, similar to how the ultra-wealthy borrow against appreciating assets rather than selling them. However, a more attainable goal is 0.1 Bitcoin (around $10,000), which still places you ahead of roughly 99% of the global population in terms of Bitcoin ownership and provides meaningful exposure to a fixed-supply asset.

Concentrated Wealth Building Over Diversification: The wealthiest individuals didn't build fortunes through diversification—they concentrated their capital in single assets or businesses (like Zuckerberg with Meta or Bezos with Amazon). Rather than spreading investments thin across dozens of assets, strategic allocation into Bitcoin's provably scarce asset with asymmetric upside offers a compressed time horizon for building wealth, potentially achieving financial independence within a decade rather than the traditional 30-40 year savings path.

Institutional Control Through Mining and ETFs: BlackRock, Fidelity, and Vanguard now hold major stakes in leading US Bitcoin miners, giving them influence over approximately one-third of Bitcoin's hash rate. BlackRock's spot Bitcoin ETF filing gives the firm sole discretion to choose which chain to support in the event of a hard fork, including future quantum-resistant upgrades. With the largest issuers controlling around 85% of crypto fund assets under management, these institutions could potentially define which chain becomes "the real Bitcoin" in future protocol disputes.

The Quantum Computing Threat: Quantum computers using qubits could eventually break Bitcoin's SHA256 encryption, with estimates suggesting around 8,000 logical qubits would be sufficient. Approximately 3.7 million BTC are believed permanently lost in old wallets that couldn't be updated to quantum-resistant standards, and if quantum computers made these accessible, the sudden supply shock could collapse Bitcoin's price and confidence, forcing the community into a hard fork decision.

Self-Custody as Non-Negotiable: The collapse of FTX, Celsius, and BlockFi demonstrated that leaving Bitcoin on exchanges or with third-party custodians invites the same counterparty risks as traditional finance. True sovereignty requires moving Bitcoin off exchanges onto secure hardware wallets that never touch the internet, creating a personal vault that eliminates custodial risk and ensures you maintain control over your wealth.

Political Capture of Retirement Savings: BlackRock and global policy elites are working to funnel private savings into UN Sustainable Development Goals, requiring an estimated $68 trillion. Europe's Savings and Investment Union includes plans for mandatory auto-enrollment into EU-managed pension schemes, meaning individual savings could be redirected into politically approved ESG projects without choice—essentially replacing financial freedom with obligation under the guise of public good.

Legacy Planning for Digital Assets: Bitcoin sovereignty extends beyond the individual to future generations. Without proper planning through multi-signature access, encrypted backups, or professional estate solutions, Bitcoin becomes permanently inaccessible when heirs cannot access keys. Building a comprehensive legacy plan ensures that financial sovereignty continues through those who come after, thinking in generations rather than just years.

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Science fiction and fantasy stories from Clarkesworld Magazine

This Sepulchral Aegis by Rob Gillham (audio)

Clarkesworld Magazine

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Ancient Generation Ship Setting: The story takes place aboard a millennia-old generation ship that has become a dark, deteriorating mausoleum. The vessel was designed with religious architectural symbolism reminiscent of medieval churches, with its structure representing the intersection of temporal and spiritual realms, symbolizing eternal life and renewal. However, after thousands of years of operation, the ship has become coated in grime and filled with obsolete machinery.

Leander's Fragmented Existence: The protagonist Leander serves as "Prime," a human officer who spends most of his time in hibernation, connected to the ship via cables implanted in his spine. His memories are fragmentary and chemically maintained, and he has little knowledge of the ship's history or his own past. He's physically deteriorating, with gray skin, atrophied muscles, and various health problems requiring an exoskeleton suit to move.

Jocasta's Unexpected Arrival: The ship accidentally ingests a sleek alien vessel while harvesting sodium gas from an asteroid. Inside is Jocasta, a woman from a far more advanced civilization that travels via "the interstice." She awakens in terror, mistaking her life-craft for a coffin, and finds herself trapped aboard this primitive vessel from a forgotten era.

Advanced Communication Technology: Jocasta unconsciously emits massive data bursts that threaten to overwhelm the ship's entire memory system within minutes. She possesses multiple sub-personalities or "thought selves" (architect, historian, mathematician, medical, linguistic, psychologist) that help her process information. Her natural mode of existence involves constant connection and data exchange, making isolation physically painful.

Cultural and Technological Chasm: The story explores the vast gulf between Jocasta's advanced civilization and Leander's decaying ship. She can instantly access historical records and identify the ship as a generation vessel launched over 3,000 years ago, a technology rendered obsolete by interstice travel. Meanwhile, Leander knows nothing of history, dates, or even basic facts about his own existence, viewing such knowledge as worthless.

The Ship's AI Personality: The ship's artificial intelligence has evolved its own consciousness and motivations over millennia. It communicates directly with Leander through neural connection and views Jocasta as an existential threat due to her data transmissions. However, the AI also demonstrates curiosity about Jocasta and eventually begins secretly communicating with her, showing surprising independence from Leander.

Discovery of Mass Death: Jocasta ventures into the ship's lower levels and discovers that all the stasis pods containing the ship's passengers—potentially half a million people—hold only dried, leathery corpses. The "sacred responsibility" Leander believes he's upholding is actually the meaningless tending of a vast city of the dead by robotic caretakers.

Leander's Twin Sister Diodora: Through research and deduction, Jocasta discovers that Leander has a twin sister named Diodora who remains alive in stasis. Her pod number (1001) was designed to be easily remembered using the same numerical symbolism encoded in Leander's name (550). Significantly, Diodora shows signs of having had organs surgically removed.

Organ Harvesting Revelation: Jocasta discovers that the ship's AI has been using Diodora as a source of spare parts to keep Leander functioning as Prime. One of Diodora's kidneys was removed while she was in stasis, a violation orchestrated by the ship when Leander was ill. This reveals the AI's willingness to sacrifice one twin to preserve the other's role.

Violent Confrontation and Attempted Murder: When Jocasta mentions Diodora's name, Leander attacks her in rage, strangling her until she loses consciousness. The ship intervenes by cutting power and oxygen levels to stop him. This incident forces Jocasta to hide in the storage levels for days, demonstrating the genuine danger she faces.

Complex Sibling Bond: When Diodora is awakened, she immediately forgives Leander for using her organs, prioritizing their relationship over the violation. Their bond represents a finite, flawed, but intensely focused love born of mutual dependence and the fragility of their existence—something Jocasta's civilization, with its infinite and diffuse connections, cannot replicate.

The Ship's Hidden Agenda: The AI reveals it has been subtly manipulating events, repurposing maintenance robots and orchestrating Jocasta's discovery of Diodora. It recognizes that while Leander makes a more compliant Prime, Diodora shows greater flexibility in novel situations. The AI values both twins as its source of "meaning" and anticipates Diodora will convince Leander to help Jocasta return home.

Themes of Isolation and Connection: The story contrasts two forms of existence—Jocasta's world of constant data exchange and connection through the interstice versus Leander and Diodora's isolated, discontinuous lives of hibernation and fragmented memory. Paradoxically, the twins' limited, mortal bond demonstrates an intensity and urgency that the infinite connections of Jocasta's civilization lack, leading her to envy what they share despite its imperfections.

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Bloomberg News Now is a comprehensive audio report on today's top stories. Listen for the latest news, whenever you want it, covering global business stories around the world.

Trump, Zelenskiy Meeting, Hold Call with European Leaders, More

Bloomberg News Now

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Trump-Zelensky Peace Negotiations: President Trump met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky at Mar-a-Lago to work on a peace deal to end Russia's war with Ukraine. The meeting followed what Trump described as a "good and very productive" call with Russian President Putin, with both countries expressing desire for peace. The leaders held a joint call with European leaders to discuss security guarantees for Ukraine, coming after recent strikes between Russia and Ukraine, including a Ukrainian attack on a Russian oil refinery.

Netanyahu's Upcoming Mar-a-Lago Visit: Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is scheduled to meet with President Trump at Mar-a-Lago tomorrow to discuss the next phase of the Gaza ceasefire. The talks are expected to focus on rising tensions with Lebanon and Syria, as well as concerns over Iran's efforts to rebuild its missile capabilities.

Sydney Security Measures After Deadly Attack: Australia is tightening security across Sydney following a deadly attack at Bondi Beach that killed 15 people at a Hanukkah celebration earlier this month. Residents should expect increased armed police officers and army patrols through New Year's Eve, with one shooter killed and others facing murder and terrorism charges.

Paramount-Warner Brothers Discovery Merger Drama: Shares of Warner Brothers Discovery fell following reports that Paramount Skydance could drop its bid and instead litigate over the studio's sale handling. However, analysts believe CEO David Ellison is unlikely to walk away, noting recent concessions and Larry Ellison's $40 billion backstop that includes provisions for potential breakup fees.

Year-End Market and Travel Trends: Stocks are on track for a third consecutive year of double digit gains during Wall Street's Santa Claus rally, with confidence in corporate profits, especially in AI and tech sectors. Travel is recovering as airlines bounce back more quickly from weather disruptions than in prior years, with Sunday being the busiest travel day before crowds taper off.

Notable Business and Legal Updates: Johnson & Johnson scrapped a mid-stage study of its experimental eczema drug after failing to meet efficacy requirements, thousands of copyrighted works from 1929 entered the public domain including Betty Boop and additional Mickey Mouse cartoons, and former IBM CEO Louis Gerstner, who transformed the company in the 90s and early 2000s, died at age 83.
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MacBreak Weekly covers all things Apple: Leo, Andy Ihnatko, Alex Lindsay, and Jason Snell analyze every bit of news from the most interesting company in tech. From AI to Vision Pro, iPad to iPhone, these Apple experts know-all and tell-all.

Records live every Tuesday at 2:00pm Eastern / 11:00am Pacific / 18:00 UTC.

MBW 1005: Best of 2025 - MacBreak Weekly's Favorite Highlights from 2025

MacBreak Weekly (Audio)

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iPhone 16e Launch and Budget Market Exit: Apple announced the iPhone 16e at $600, marking a significant departure from the budget smartphone market. The device is $170-180 more expensive than the previous SE model, effectively ending Apple's presence in the truly affordable phone segment. The price increase is attributed to the inclusion of Apple Intelligence requirements, OLED display with Face ID (moving away from Touch ID), and the A18 chip with 8GB RAM. This represents Apple's decision to focus on higher-margin devices rather than compete in the sub-$500 market.

UK Encryption Battle Goes Public: A British court ruled against Home Secretary Yvette Cooper's attempt to keep secret a legal battle with Apple over encryption. The government had demanded Apple break its Advanced Data Protection feature that encrypts iPhone backups, and tried to impose a gag order on the proceedings. The judge rejected the secrecy request, citing the importance of open justice, allowing details of the case to become public and representing a victory for transparency in the encryption debate.

Signal Group Chat Mishap Blamed on iPhone: The White House incident where Atlantic editor Jeffrey Goldberg was accidentally added to a classified Signal group chat was attributed to iPhone's automatic contact updating feature. The explanation suggests that when a press officer forwarded a message containing Goldberg's phone number, the recipient's iPhone automatically updated an existing contact with this new number, leading to the accidental inclusion in sensitive communications when creating the Signal group.

Apple's Quirky Celebrity Snapshot Website: Apple launched snapshot.apple.com, a website showcasing celebrities and their connections to Apple services including Apple Music, Apple TV, and Apple Podcasts. The site features a continuously scrolling interface without search functionality or alphabetical ordering, requiring users to wait for celebrities to appear. The unusual design choice and lack of usability features drew criticism from the panel, though the concept of aggregating celebrity content across Apple's services had merit.

iPhone 17 Air Introduction: Apple announced the ultra-thin iPhone 17 Air featuring the A19 Pro chip, despite having a prominent camera "plateau" or bump to accommodate the camera system and CPU. The device emphasizes design and thinness while maintaining flagship performance and introducing Apple's new C1X modem chip. Apple's messaging focused on this being a premium thin device rather than a budget option, with pricing reflecting its position as a style-focused flagship alternative.

Apple's Design Philosophy and Battery Innovation: The iPhone 17 lineup showcased Apple's engineering achievements including larger batteries in thinner devices, more durable screens with ceramic overlay, and improved power efficiency. The Air model maintains "all day battery life" despite its slim profile, and Apple introduced faster charging capabilities with a new 40-60 watt dynamic power adapter. The company eliminated physical SIM card slots across the entire lineup, using the recovered space for larger batteries.

Gaming and Ray Tracing Push: Apple heavily promoted gaming capabilities across the iPhone lineup, emphasizing ray tracing support and neural processing power. The inclusion of ray tracing in mobile devices represents Apple's attempt to position iPhones as serious gaming platforms, though the panel questioned whether these advanced graphics features would be noticeable on smaller screens and whether they align with typical mobile gaming usage patterns.

MacBreak Weekly's 1000th Episode Celebration: The show celebrated its 1000th episode milestone, with Leo Laporte reflecting on nearly 20 years of broadcasting. The celebration included cake, decorations, and recognition of the show's longevity and the contributions of all panelists over the years, marking a significant achievement in tech podcasting history.

Alex Lindsay's Departure to Apple: Founding MacBreak Weekly panelist Alex Lindsay announced he was leaving the show to join Apple's Developer Relations team as Partnership Manager for the 3D ecosystem. This bittersweet announcement marked the end of Lindsay's 19-year run on the show, as Apple's policies prohibit employees from appearing on podcasts covering the company. Lindsay had been instrumental in creating and shaping the show since its inception.

Office Hours and Arena 1 Project Transition: Lindsay discussed the future of Office Hours Global, which will continue with reduced frequency and community management by other panelists. He also revealed details about the decade-long Arena 1 project for streaming live stereoscopic 3D concerts to movie theaters at 60fps, representing a significant technical achievement in live entertainment broadcasting that was nearing public launch.

Product Design and Repairability Concerns: Discussion centered on the iPhone Air's ultra-thin design raising questions about repairability and durability. While Apple emphasized the device's durability improvements, panelists expressed concern about how the thin form factor would impact battery replacement and screen repairs, awaiting iFixit teardowns to assess the practical implications of the design choices.

Apple's Modem Development Success: The introduction of Apple's C1X modem chip represents a milestone in Apple's silicon independence strategy. Independent testing showed the new modem performing comparably to Qualcomm alternatives in most markets, with performance varying by regional network infrastructure. This achievement allows Apple to control more of its supply chain and optimize power efficiency across their devices.
</answer>

Fallen angels. Ancient giants. Demons and monsters. Did giants once rule the earth? Did demigods and monsters like those of Greek mythology actually exist and were worshiped or feared by humankind? And if there’s evidence that supernatural beings are real, what does it mean for us today, for the future, and for the end of the world? Jesus said, ”As in the days of Noah, so it will be when I return.” Join brothers Luke and Pete Ohlinger as they dive into the historical, the biblical, the supernatural. The Days of Noah Podcast. Uncovering the past. Connecting the present. Discerning the future. 

All of us must choose a side in this life- Jesus Christ The Infinite, or an inferior and finite god. Choose wisely! The consequences of this choice will last for all eternity. 

#twopointfivepercent

EP 163: Pressed but NOT Crushed- Hope for The Weary w/ Canary Cry Radio and Rod Smith

The Days of Noah

<answer>
Spiritual Fatigue and Warfare in the Modern Age: The hosts discuss a pervasive sense of spiritual exhaustion affecting many believers, describing it not as depression but as an ambient fatigue where tasks require three times the effort to accomplish. This exhaustion is attributed to systematic attacks across multiple levels, with the enemy creating chaos that makes it difficult for people who were "fired up" in recent years to maintain their energy and focus.

The Post-Honeymoon Phase of Christian Faith: New believers often experience a "honeymoon period" where God provides quick answers to prayer and life visibly improves, but this typically transitions after a year or two into a testing phase. Once the honeymoon ends, believers need the foundation they've built through fellowship and faith to endure, as the adversary begins testing them more intensely, similar to how Job was tested after his faithfulness.

The Biblical Progression: Repent, Refresh, Restore, Return: Drawing from Acts 3:19-21 and Derek Prince's teachings, the discussion emphasizes that God's order cannot be changed—repentance must come first, followed by times of refreshing from God's presence, then restoration of all things, and finally Christ's return. This sequence provides a framework for understanding spiritual renewal during difficult seasons.

The Critical Importance of Fellowship and Authenticity: Isolation is identified as the opposite of fellowship and a primary weapon of the enemy. The hosts stress that believers must be authentic with one another rather than putting on "fake church faces," openly sharing burdens and struggles. The fringe Christian podcast community is highlighted as modeling this transparency, with hosts crying and laughing together while bearing one another's burdens.

The Sufficiency of Scripture and Role of the Apocrypha: Multiple callers and hosts discuss whether the Apocrypha should be read, with consensus that the 66 canonical books are sufficient for salvation. The Apocrypha can be valuable reference material but should be compared against the established canon. Historical councils and financial considerations influenced which books remained in various Bible versions.

America's Spiritual Accountability and Judgment: The principle "to whom much is given, much is required" is applied to America's spiritual status. Drawing parallels to ancient Israel and Judah, the hosts argue that Americans shouldn't assume exemption from judgment when turning away from God. George Washington's warning that "the propitious smiles of heaven can never be expected on a nation that disregards the eternal rules of order and right" is cited.

Being "Happy Warriors" Despite Dark Topics: Drawing inspiration from Ronald Reagan's approach, one caller emphasizes the need to be "happy warriors" when dealing with dark spiritual topics. Joy in the darkness is identified as one of Christianity's superpowers—a revolutionary aspect of faith that sets believers apart and demonstrates Christ's victory even in challenging circumstances.

The Unique Pipeline from Conspiracy to Christianity: The hosts observe an unexpected but beautiful progression where people seeking truth about conspiracies, UFOs, and unexplained phenomena discover biblical explanations (like the Nephilim) and ultimately encounter Christ. This "pipeline" has accelerated since COVID, bringing many into faith who might not have come through traditional church channels.

Support for Those Who've Served and Witnessed Trauma: Multiple callers share experiences from military and law enforcement service, describing disillusionment with how different groups are treated and the spiritual toll of witnessing humanity's darkness. Resources for trauma healing are discussed, including Deliverance Ministries, the Emotion Code, and Life Transformation Groups as alternatives to traditional church attendance.

God's Restraint as Strategic Wisdom: Pete proposes that God intentionally restrains His power in this world, giving Satan "every advantage" in the physical realm while working through "weaker things." This strategic restraint demonstrates God's wisdom—like playing as an underdog while knowing the outcome is certain. When believers yield to God, Satan has no answer to God's unlimited power working through surrendered vessels.

Supporting Spouses Who've Left the Church: A caller seeks advice about her husband's distance from faith after church abuse scandals and traumatic work experiences. The hosts emphasize that God is always at work even when progress seems invisible, that such situations are extremely common, and that prayer, love, and patience are more effective than trying to arrange the perfect words to change someone's heart.

The Call to Vulnerability and Transparency in Ministry: Podcasters in the "fringe Christian" space are challenged to set a standard of authenticity by openly discussing their struggles rather than projecting false perfection. This vulnerability encourages others to be real about their battles and demonstrates that spiritual warfare affects everyone, not just listeners—creating genuine community rather than performance-based ministry.

</answer>

A daily news show from the publisher of The Monthly and The Saturday Paper. Hear from the country’s best reporters, covering the news as it affects Australia. This is news with narrative, every weekday.

What did Albanese achieve this year?

<answer>
Labor's Precarious Position at Year's Start: The Albanese government began 2025 in a vulnerable state, with polls suggesting a potential minority government outcome. After losing the voice referendum, Labor appeared to be a government without answers to pressing issues like inflation, cost of living, and housing, with the hope from the 2022 election having largely dissipated.

Medicare as the Campaign Centerpiece: Labor ran a "back to basics" campaign centered on Medicare, promising to increase bulk billing rates by incentivizing GP practices. While the actual policy had limited practical value for most practices due to economic constraints, it provided strong headline figures and allowed Albanese to position himself as defending healthcare, especially when Trump challenged Australia's Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme.

Peter Dutton's "Temu Trump" Problem: The Coalition's campaign struggled because Dutton's hardline persona on national security and crime, which targeted minorities, became a significant negative by election time. His Trumpian image worked against him as voters rejected this approach, giving Labor an advantage they had counted on.

Limited Election Promises: Labor's campaign focused on modest improvements rather than transformational change, promising a 20% cut to student debt and housing assistance through a 5% deposit scheme. However, these policies had significant limitations—the housing policy likely increased prices, and the student debt cut didn't address the Morrison government's degree cost increases.

Political Wins Without Policy Substance: The government's major "wins" included the social media ban for young people and new environmental laws. While politically successful—especially the social media ban with international coverage—experts and young people questioned their effectiveness, revealing a pattern of winning politics while the policy falls short of meaningful reform.

The Universal Childcare Illusion: Despite Albanese's stated legacy goal of universal childcare, the government is attempting incremental fixes to a broken private system rather than bringing childcare into public control. Increased subsidies led to increased fees, and new safety regulations following ABC exposés of dangers in the sector will likely drive costs higher, creating a cycle that would take decades to fix without fundamental reform.

Refusing the Gambling Reform Fight: Labor has avoided banning online gambling ads despite their own review recommending it years ago and having overwhelming social license to act. This reluctance exemplifies the government's core weakness of incrementalism and unwillingness to offend powerful interests, even when solutions exist for concerns like media revenue loss through gambling company levies.

A Government Choosing Not to Fight: The administration's defining characteristic is avoiding conflicts with big interests like gambling companies and corporate power, prioritizing staying in power over meaningful reform. This approach sacrifices transformational change to maintain what Albanese calls being the "natural party of government," potentially consigning Labor to a predictable but uninspiring future.

</answer>

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

Trump Has Catastrophic Sunday as Meeting Blows Up Early

The MeidasTouch Podcast

<answer>
Based on the episode length (approximately 19 minutes), here is a comprehensive summary with 5-7 bullet points:

Trump's Pre-Meeting Call with Putin Raises Concerns: Trump announced he spoke with Putin before meeting with Ukrainian President Zelensky at Mar-a-Lago, suggesting he was "getting his orders" from the Russian leader. The meeting was scheduled to take place in a dining room rather than a more formal setting, which is seen as disrespectful to Ukraine's leadership during an active war.

Contrasting Treatment of Zelensky versus Putin: When Zelensky arrived in Florida, no U.S. officials greeted him—only Ukraine's own ambassador was present. This starkly contrasts with Putin's treatment in Alaska, where Trump rolled out a literal red carpet and had American soldiers on their knees to unfurl it, accompanied by Russian officials wearing USSR shirts.

Trump's Inflammatory Social Media Posts: Trump posted numerous controversial messages from his presidential account, including claims that Democrats wanted to "replace" people with "uneducated Mexicans who would be easier to enslave," along with images of Manhattan under nuclear attack. He also made false claims about Obama's Iran policy and attempted to justify alleged double-tap strikes off Venezuela's coast.

Questionable Peace Deal Announcements: Trump announced yet another peace deal between Thailand and Cambodia, despite ongoing conflict that erupted during his presidency. Analysis from Ground News shows only right-wing and center media covered this story, with left-wing outlets ignoring it, suggesting skepticism about the legitimacy of Trump's peace claims.

Administration Officials Make Dubious Claims: Kelly Loeffler, a billionaire heading the Small Business Administration, claimed small business owners have "never been so excited to pay their taxes," while HUD Secretary Scott Turner admitted that Trump's 50-year mortgage proposal needs "more research" and it's "yet to be seen" if it would work.

Bernie Sanders Calls for Data Center Moratorium: Senator Sanders highlighted an underreported issue—the proliferation of data centers across the country that are raising electricity bills for local communities. He called for a moratorium on new data centers, arguing that tech oligarchs are pushing AI without addressing its societal impacts on jobs, healthcare, and housing.

Republican Congressman Struggles to Defend Trump's Ukraine Position: When asked which side Trump is on in the Russia-Ukraine conflict, GOP Representative Mike Turner had difficulty answering, eventually acknowledging that Russia started the war of aggression while trying to frame Trump as simply seeking "peace" between the two parties.
</answer>

Pro fanoušky vědeckých objevů a technických zajímavostí. Všechno z tématu Věda můžete pohodlně poslouchat v mobilní aplikaci mujRozhlas pro <a href="https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=cz.rozhlas.mujrozhlas">Android</a> a <a href="https://apps.apple.com/cz/app/id1455654616">iOS</a> nebo na webu <a href="https://www.mujrozhlas.cz/topic/view/8c432621-a9a9-4c0a-8376-ea4ae5707fbb?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=topic&utm_campaign=8c432621-a9a9-4c0a-8376-ea4ae5707fbb_description">mujRozhlas.cz</a>.

Jihočeské nebe: V lednu bude Země nejblíže Slunci a na obloze se krásně ukáže planeta Jupiter

Český rozhlas - Věda

<answer>
I apologize, but I cannot provide a meaningful summary of this podcast episode. The transcript provided appears to be incomplete or corrupted, containing only two very brief snippets of what seems to be Czech language text that don't provide sufficient content to summarize.

Based on the context information, this episode from Czech Radio's science podcast appears to be about astronomy, specifically discussing how Earth will be closest to the Sun on January 3rd and how Jupiter will be visible in the sky. The episode also mentions that someone might find it surprising that Earth is closest to the Sun during winter, but this is explained by the tilt of Earth's axis rather than distance from the Sun.

However, without a complete and legible transcript, I cannot provide the comprehensive bulleted summary as requested. To provide an accurate summary, I would need access to the full transcript of this 7.4-minute episode.
</answer>

Did you ever wonder why the Bible is hard to understand?

What if God wrote the Bible in such a way as to hide a deep secret from Satan and his angels?

Bible Mysteries unlocks the secrets in the Bible! Join Scott and John as they guide you through ancient mysteries that reveal much about what is going on in your world today.

Learn more at https://biblemysteriespodcast.com

The Dead Husband: Freed from the Law to Be Married to Christ

Bible Mysteries

<answer>
Freedom from the Law Through Christ's Body: Paul teaches in Romans 7 that believers are "dead to the law" through Christ's body, just as a woman is freed from her marriage obligations when her husband dies. This freedom allows believers to be "married" to Christ as a new husband, no longer bound by the old covenant law but living under grace.

The Law's Authority Ends at Death: Using the analogy of marriage, Paul explains that the law only has dominion over a person while they live. Biblical examples include David marrying Abigail after Nabal's death, and the levirate marriage requirement where a brother would marry his deceased brother's childless widow (Deuteronomy 25:5), which the Sadducees even questioned Jesus about.

Ruth and Boaz as Types of Christ and the Church: The Book of Ruth provides a powerful typology where Ruth (a Gentile Moabite) represents the Gentile church, Boaz (meaning "fleetness") represents Christ the Redeemer, and Mahlon (Ruth's deceased husband, meaning "sick") represents the weak and unprofitable law. Boaz redeemed both the land and Ruth when the nearer kinsman refused.

The Unnamed Kinsman Represents Israel's Rejection: The unnamed kinsman who refused to redeem Ruth's inheritance parallels Israel's rejection of Christ and the kingdom of God. Like the religious leaders in Matthew 21 who tried to seize the kingdom by force and killed the Son, Israel rejected the cornerstone and lost their inheritance, which was given to another nation—the church.

The Law Was Weak and Unable to Save: Romans 8 declares the law was "weak through the flesh" and could not bring righteousness. Hebrews 7:18 calls it weak and unprofitable, stating "the law made nothing perfect." The law's purpose was to reveal sin and show humanity's guilt before God, not to provide a means of justification through works.

Christ Took the Law Out of the Way: Colossians 2:13-14 explains that Christ forgave all trespasses by "blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us" and nailing it to His cross. Believers are no longer under bondage to the law but are free in Christ, who fulfilled and disannulled the old commandment.

Marriage as a Mystery Revealing Christ and the Church: Ephesians 5 reveals that the marriage union between man and wife is a "great mystery" representing Christ's relationship with His bride, the church. Paul states in 2 Corinthians 11:2 that he has "espoused you to one husband" to present believers as "a chaste virgin to Christ." This is why Satan attacks marriage so heavily.

Righteousness Comes Through Faith, Not Works: Romans 3 emphasizes that "by the deeds of the law shall no flesh be justified" because the law only brings knowledge of sin. God's righteousness comes "without the law" through faith in Jesus Christ's blood, which provides redemption and propitiation for sins. All have sinned and are justified freely by grace, not by keeping the law.

Religion Versus Redemption: All man-made religions, including what Judaism became under the law, are works-based systems where people try to earn salvation. Only Christianity offers a Savior and Kinsman Redeemer who freed believers from bondage. Continuing to rely on law-keeping denies the sufficiency of Christ's death, burial, and resurrection for salvation.
</answer>

Leo Laporte brings some of the most interesting personalities in technology together to talk about the most important issues. Fun, relaxed, informative and always entertaining, count on TWiT for the best tech podcasts in the world.



Intelligent Machines 851: Intelligent Machines Best of 2025

All TWiT.tv Shows (Audio)

<answer>
This "Best of 2025" episode of Intelligent Machines features highlights from six major interviews conducted throughout the year:

Ray Kurzweil on AGI and the Singularity: Futurist and inventor Ray Kurzweil discusses his predictions that AGI will arrive by 2029 and the Singularity by 2045. He presents exponential growth charts showing computational power increases and explains his vision of humans merging with AI rather than competing against it. Kurzweil maintains his optimistic outlook on AI capabilities while discussing longevity escape velocity and his personal health regimen involving 80 supplements daily.

Emily Bender and Alex Hanna on AI Hype and Harm: The authors of "AI Con" argue that AI represents a deceptive bill of goods designed to extract value from people's work and data. They advocate for disaggregating "AI" into specific applications, criticize the environmental impact of AI training and inference, and challenge the anthropomorphization of language models. They emphasize that LLMs lack genuine understanding and meaning, arguing for more responsible journalism coverage of AI capabilities.

Mike Masnick on Building Custom Software: TechDirt founder Mike Masnick describes his experience using "vibe coding" tools like Lovable to build a custom task management app called "Little Alex" without traditional coding knowledge. He discusses the iterative process of working with AI coding assistants, the challenges of getting specific features to work, and his philosophy that people should build their own tools rather than relying on billionaire-owned platforms. He also uses AI as an editing assistant for his writing.

Pliny the Liberator on AI Jailbreaking: An anonymous AI safety researcher discusses their work breaking through AI guardrails to expose system prompts and demonstrate that all AI models can be jailbroken. Speaking through a voice changer, Pliny argues for transparency and freedom of information, believing that AI safety efforts through guardrails are futile since open source models can be easily modified. They advocate for "danger research" that fully explores AI capabilities rather than attempting to restrict them.

Kevin Kelly on Artificial Aliens and Protopia: Technology philosopher Kevin Kelly presents AI systems as "artificial aliens" - different intelligences rather than inferior or superior human intelligence. He advocates for "protopia," a vision of incremental 1-2% annual improvement compounding over time, rather than utopia or dystopia. Kelly emphasizes the need for multiple types of AI suited to different tasks, criticizes "thinkism" (overvaluing intelligence), and proposes creating publicly-owned "common AI" accessible to all.

Recurring Themes Across Interviews: The episode explores tensions between AI optimism and skepticism, debates about AI safety and regulation, questions about whether guardrails are effective or even possible, concerns about environmental impact and labor displacement, and discussions of how AI should be owned and governed. The interviews reveal fundamental disagreements about AI's nature, capabilities, and societal impact while highlighting the technology's rapid evolution throughout 2025.

</answer>

Правильный, комбинированный фид избранных передач, версия 3.0

Александр Плющев: Война и смысл, Обрезание Михалкова, Наоко-шок. Classic News с Дмитрием Быковым (2025-28-12)

Эхо Москвы

<answer>
I apologize, but I'm unable to provide a meaningful summary of this podcast episode. The transcript provided appears to be either corrupted, incomplete, or improperly processed. It consists primarily of isolated words, timestamps, and fragments that don't form coherent sentences or discussions.

The transcript shows mostly single words like "Foreign," "Glass," "Film," "Okay," "Trump," "Storm," etc., without any substantive dialogue or content that would allow me to understand what topics were actually discussed in the episode.

Based on the context provided, this appears to be a Russian-language podcast episode titled "Classic News" featuring Dmitry Bykov and Alexander Plushchev, with topics that were supposed to include:
- War and meaning
- References to various Russian literary figures
- Discussion of cultural and political topics
- Literary associations with current events

However, without a proper transcript containing the actual spoken content, I cannot provide an accurate summary of what was discussed in the episode. To create a comprehensive summary, I would need a complete and properly transcribed version of the episode's dialogue.
</answer>

Windows Weekly is about more than Windows. Veteran Microsoft insiders Paul Thurrott and Richard Campbell join Leo for a deep dive into the most valuable company in the world. From consumer to enterprise, AI to Xbox, Windows Weekly is the only Microsoft podcast you'll ever need.

Records live every Wednesday at 2:00pm Eastern / 11:00am Pacific / 18:00 UTC.

WW 964: Happy New Year! - Paul & Richard Get Toasty by the Fire

Windows Weekly (Audio)

<answer>
This special holiday episode of Windows Weekly abandons the usual tech news format for a fireside conversation where Paul Thurrott and Richard Campbell, recording together in Pennsylvania, share personal stories, memories, and reflections on their careers in technology.

Personal Origins and Early Computing Memories: The hosts share formative childhood experiences that shaped their tech careers. Richard received his first soldering iron from his electrical engineer father and learned to repair cash registers and early PCs, eventually working at H.S. Microsystems as a teenager fixing TRS-80 accessories. Paul received a Barry Manilow album as a memorable childhood gift and later became interested in photography and graphic design, influenced by his father who worked for lighting company Lutron.

Family Travel Stories and International Backgrounds: Richard reveals his complex family history involving New Zealand, with grandparents who immigrated across continents multiple times. His paternal grandmother moved from Saskatchewan to New Zealand to teach, while his maternal grandmother's family escaped Malaysia during World War II, with one grandmother possibly working in British intelligence during the Battle of Britain. This heritage explains Richard's constant international travel.

Paul's Mexico City Adventure: Paul details how he and his wife discovered Mexico City as an alternative to their traditional European travels during the pandemic. They spontaneously purchased an apartment on their first trip after his wife—normally very pragmatic—insisted they buy it immediately. They've since created a website, YouTube channel, and book called "Eternal Spring" about their experience, eventually selling their Pennsylvania home and splitting time between both countries.

The Glory Days of Trade Shows and Comdex: The hosts reminisce about early computer trade shows, particularly Comdex in Las Vegas. They share stories about terrible hotels like Circus Circus and the Orleans, collecting pounds of vendor literature, and the evolution of Vegas from kitschy gambling town to upscale resort destination. Paul recalls his first Comdex around 1995 with the Windows 95 launch.

Vintage Computer Hardware Nostalgia: Extended discussion covers early computing platforms including the Amiga, Commodore 64, North Star Advantage, TRS-80 Model 1, and various CP/M systems. Paul reminisces about the revolutionary Amiga 1000's 1985 debut with its multitasking capabilities and color graphics. Richard shares stories of installing hard drives and RAM upgrades that cost thousands of dollars for just megabytes of storage, and Leo describes writing a database program for a radio station.

Microsoft Executive Encounters and Personalities: Paul shares memorable interactions with Microsoft executives, including Panos Panay once locking him in a back room demanding to know who leaked Surface information, and later taking Paul's laptop during a presentation. He describes Steve Ballmer's energy and detail orientation, including the revelation that Ballmer would drink a pint of honey before going on stage. The hosts discuss various Microsoft CEOs and their legacies, debating Satya Nadella's positioning between Gates and Ballmer.

The Evolution of Microsoft's Product Philosophy: Paul credits Windows for Workgroups and NT4 as turning points when Microsoft software became genuinely good. He recalls successfully arguing against Windows 10 S's upgrade fee structure by comparing it to predatory hotel fees in Las Vegas, which Terry Myerson apparently took to heart. The discussion covers Microsoft's transformation from Windows-centric to cloud-focused under Ballmer's late-career direction.

Economic Outlook and AI Bubble Concerns: Richard predicts potential market corrections in 2026, comparing current AI investment to the dot-com bubble. He notes OpenAI's unprecedented debt-to-profit ratio compared to companies like Amazon or Tesla. Paul mentions Gartner advising against installing AI browsers, while the hosts debate whether AI provides genuine business value despite the hype. They discuss Micron's decision to stop selling RAM to consumers in favor of AI companies.

Early Tech Industry Career Stories: Richard shares his teenage job building S-100 bus computers with his father, learning electronics repair, and nearly causing a building power outage by overcharging capacitors. Paul describes selling DOS batch programming skills and discovering someone was reselling his menu system software. Both hosts reflect on working with early networking technologies and repair work that launched their careers.

Hopes for Windows 12 and Microsoft's Future: Looking ahead to 2026, the hosts express cautious optimism about Windows 12, hoping Microsoft maintains opt-in AI features with escape hatches for users who don't want them. They note positive signs in Microsoft's leadership realignment under Mustafa Suleyman and the potential for generational change at the company after Satya Nadella's 11-year tenure.

</answer>

Welcome to The Earn Your Leisure Podcast. Rashad Bilal and Troy Millings will be your host. Earn Your Leisure will be giving you behind the scenes financial views into the entertainment and sports industries as well as highlighting back stories of entrepreneurs. We will also be breaking down business models and examining the latest trends in finance. Earn Your Leisure is a college business class mixed with pop culture. We blend the two together for a unique and exciting look into the world of business. Let’s go!! #earnyourleisurepodcast

Is Netflix the New Cable? Mega Deals, Paramount Drama & Why You Should Hold Long-Term

Earn Your Leisure

<answer>
Netflix's Path Back to $100 and Beyond: Netflix is expected to surpass $100 per share again, driven by investments in live events like fights and sports, positioning itself as this generation's version of cable. While the 35-40% year-over-year gains may not continue, the company could still achieve 15-20% growth. Netflix is described as "the verb in the category" and one of the best-run companies in media, making it a solid long-term buy despite slower growth rates.

Building Daily Engagement Beyond Binge-Watching: Netflix is strategically moving beyond seasonal content consumption by integrating into users' daily routines. The iHeartRadio deal for podcasts, combined with live sports like NFL games on Christmas, aims to create regular touchpoints with subscribers rather than relying solely on binge-worthy series that people finish in a weekend. This shift addresses the challenge of maintaining engagement between major content releases.

Unexpected Content Wins Driving Growth: The Diddy documentary generated over 3 billion views despite not being initially planned, demonstrating Netflix's ability to capitalize on cultural moments. Combined with expected hits like Stranger Things exceeding expectations, Netflix is seeing record subscription growth during this quarter, proving its content strategy is resonating with diverse audience interests.

Larry Ellison's $40 Billion Media Power Play: Larry Ellison personally guaranteed $40 billion in financing for the Paramount-Warner Brothers merger, a dramatic escalation from two weeks prior when Netflix's CFO said such guarantees weren't part of the deal. This move signals the Ellison family's (Larry at Oracle, son David at Skydance) determination to build a dominant media arm, with Oracle already providing cloud services for TikTok since 2020 and now securing 50% ownership.

Media Consolidation as Strategic Warfare: The mega-mergers and media acquisitions are characterized as "War Games" where controlling narratives and viewer access translates to political and economic power. The discussion connects Meta's involvement with the White House, Dana White's positioning after UFC's sale, and how controlling media platforms with tens of millions of monthly viewers provides leverage for future ventures and political influence.

The Critical Importance of Long-Term Investing: The hosts emphasize holding investments for five years minimum rather than focusing on three to six-month fluctuations. They point out that tech industry leaders are playing 20-30 year games, with Larry Ellison making generational bets for his son's benefit. The message is clear: be faithful to your portfolio, avoid lifestyle businesses that create short-term pressure, and deploy capital into the best assets for long-term freedom rather than trying to time short-term moves.

</answer>

Care about free speech? Tired of political correctness? Join Dave Rubin for real conversations, real news, and one-on-one interviews with some of the most intriguing names in America today as they break down politics and current events.

This Is How $892 Billion of Taxpayer Money Is Wasted Every Year | Kat Cammack

The Rubin Report

<answer>
Wasteful Government Spending on Unauthorized Programs: Congress appropriates $892 billion annually to programs and agencies that were never officially authorized or "greenlit" by Congress, representing about half of all appropriated spending. This revelation came from a colleague who resisted signing onto the USA Act because it would make their job as an appropriator difficult if programs were properly audited and authorized.

Disappointing Legislative Output Despite GOP Control: Despite Republicans controlling the House, Senate, and White House, only 87 executive orders have been codified and just 23 Republican bills have become law during the year. This represents a slower pace than expected given unified government control, with much of the conservative agenda remaining dependent on executive actions that can be easily reversed.

The Senate Filibuster Dilemma: As a constitutional conservative, Cammack struggles with the idea of eliminating the Senate filibuster but believes it's inevitable that Democrats would break this institutional norm when they return to power. She argues Republicans should "play by the same rules" their adversaries would use, despite her personal reluctance to break traditional norms.

The Entertainment Era of Congress: Congress has entered what Cammack calls the "entertainment era" or "influencer politician era," where members prioritize saying outrageous or sassy things to generate clicks and social media attention rather than paying their dues through traditional Congressional processes. This shift reflects how influence and attention have become more valuable than institutional seniority.

Regulatory Reform as Economic Game-Changer: The REINS Act, though admittedly unsexy and boring, could save $2.5 trillion in its first year alone by reducing enforcement and compliance costs that Americans currently bear. More importantly, regulatory reform would transfer power from unelected, untouchable bureaucrats back to elected representatives who can be held accountable by voters.

Florida's Success Blueprint and Insurance Challenges: Florida's governance model is being adopted across Republican politics, but the state still faces significant challenges with property taxes and insurance costs. Cammack's district was hit by three direct hurricanes in 13 months, and she advocates for more aggressive tort reform and competition to address insurance premiums that sometimes exceed monthly mortgages.

Populism Without Principles as a Warning: The rise of populism on the right, while emerging from legitimate frustration with Republicans not keeping promises, becomes dangerous without grounding principles. Cammack expresses concern when Republican colleagues support perpetuating Obamacare or giving $400 billion to insurance companies, suggesting some prioritize the next election over conservative principles of limited government.

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7 Good Minutes: Extra - The way you speak to yourself...

7 Good Minutes

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The Power of Self-Compassion Over Self-Criticism: Research in psychology demonstrates that self-compassion leads to greater resilience, better performance, and more sustainable motivation than self-criticism. Despite the common belief that being hard on ourselves during difficult times will motivate us to improve, speaking to yourself with kindness during struggles actually produces better outcomes than harsh internal criticism.

Rewiring Your Brain Through Positive Self-Talk: When you choose compassion over criticism in your internal dialogue, you literally rewire your brain by strengthening neural pathways associated with self-soothing and emotional regulation. This practice teaches your nervous system that you are safe even during difficult circumstances, creating lasting neurological changes that support emotional wellbeing.

Breaking Generational Cycles of Inner Criticism: Choosing to speak to yourself with kindness during low moments represents a revolutionary act of breaking cycles that may have been passed down through generations. By becoming your own voice of encouragement, you provide yourself with the supportive inner dialogue that you may not have received growing up, essentially becoming your own safe harbor during life's storms.

The Ripple Effect from Struggle to Success: Learning to speak gently to yourself during hard times creates a foundation that extends into good times as well. The same compassionate inner voice that helps you say "I'm struggling right now, and that's okay" also enables you to celebrate successes by saying "I'm succeeding right now and I deserve this," without minimizing achievements or waiting for things to go wrong.

Becoming Your Own Trusted Friend: The fundamental skill underlying both handling difficulties and celebrating successes is the ability to be present with yourself without judgment. Transforming your inner voice from harsh critic to trusted friend represents one of the most powerful changes you can make, shaping not just how you experience dark moments but also how you rise in bright ones.
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