Matt Farah and Zack Klapman sit down with automotive icons, pro drivers, comedians and other friends to discuss automotive industry news, racing, projects and whatever else comes to mind. 
Watch our car reviews at www.youtube.com/thesmokingtire

Follow us!
T: @thesmokingtire @zackklapman 
IG: @thesmokingtire @fakezackklapman 

Rent or buy our movies!, where we find out if some bad CraigsList cars can cross an entire US State, off-road!https://vimeo.com/thesmokingtire

Doug Demuro

The Smoking Tire

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Doug DeMuro's Car Collection Updates: Doug recently purchased a 1993 Porsche 911 Turbo (993) in Arena Red, fulfilling a childhood dream based on the iconic "Kills Bugs Fast" poster. He also owns a Lamborghini Countach, Ford GT, Mercedes G-Wagon Convertible, and a Toyota Sequoia TRD Pro (which he regrets due to its overtly aggressive styling).

The True Cost of Car Ownership: Both Matt and Doug discuss the hidden costs of owning exotic cars. Matt mentions that in LA, it costs about $12,000 per year per car for proper maintenance and storage. They agree that most car collectors who claim to make money on their vehicles aren't accounting for all expenses, though Doug notes his Ford GT has appreciated significantly.

The Montana License Plate Controversy: The hosts discuss the Whistlin Diesel Montana plate scandal, where the YouTuber was arrested for registering cars in Montana while living elsewhere to avoid taxes. They agree that while the arrest was excessive, it's wrong to avoid paying local taxes when you clearly live and drive in high-tax states like California.

The Countach Restoration Saga: Matt's Lamborghini Countach has been disassembled for over three years, with the engine and transmission recently returned from Italy. Doug, who actively drives his Countach, encourages Matt to finish the project so he can enjoy the car. Both agree these cars need to be driven regularly to maintain reliability.

Market Value Surprises: The hosts discuss surprising vehicle valuations, including Ferrari 599s selling for only $111,000 (despite being V12 Ferrari grand tourers), while 993 Turbos command over $200,000 and some Porsche Carrera GT recomissions cost millions. They're baffled by people paying $125,000 for manual V6 Cayennes while spectacular cars remain relatively affordable.

The Problem with Fast Wagons: Doug questions the purpose of performance wagons like the AMG E53 and BMW M5 Touring, noting they're too stiff for family use, get terrible fuel economy (the M5 Touring gets 13 MPG combined), and most buyers can afford multiple vehicles. He finds his regular Mercedes E450 wagon offers 90% of the performance with much better comfort.

Electric Vehicle Market Missteps: The hosts discuss how manufacturers focused on electric trucks rather than the family SUVs people actually wanted. They note the absurdity of vehicles like the 1,000-horsepower Rivian Quad, which is too powerful for practical use and most owners never utilize that capability outside of showing off.

Car Customization Regrets: Doug shows Matt photos of poorly executed Porsche Carrera GT recommissions, including one with exposed purple carbon fiber that doesn't match the front bumper. They agree that sometimes factory colors and specifications are best, and aftermarket modifications often reduce a car's value significantly.

The Diminishing YouTube Growth: Both Matt and Doug mention their YouTube channels have plateaued around their current subscriber counts, with Doug noting his 5.03 million subscribers haven't grown significantly recently. They joke about pivoting away from digital media in 2026.

Ferrari's Manual Transmission Missed Opportunity: When discussing automaker mistakes, both agree Ferrari's refusal to offer manual transmissions in modern cars represents a massive revenue opportunity loss. They believe Ferrari could charge enormous premiums for limited-run manual versions that would sell instantly.

The Pursuit of Automotive Authenticity: Throughout the conversation, both hosts express appreciation for cars that require engagement and effort rather than just money. Doug notes that modern supercars like the 918 make ownership too easy, lacking the connection that comes with more demanding vehicles like the Carrera GT.
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Defensive Security is a weekly information security podcast which reviews recent high profile cyber security breaches, data  breaches, malware infections and intrusions to identify lessons that we can learn and apply to the organizations we protect. 

Defensive Security Podcast Episode 331

Defensive Security Podcast - Malware, Hacking, Cyber Security & Infosec

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- Nevada State Government's Defensive Spin on Ransomware Attack: A recent ransomware attack on Nevada's state government began when an employee downloaded a trojanized admin tool that went undetected by Symantec Antivirus for months. The incident affected 80 government agencies for 28 days. The published report about the incident reads like political propaganda mixed with incident response, filled with self-congratulatory language about their "strategic foresight" and "proactive approach" despite the obvious security failures.

- Google's AI Threat Tracker Shows Real Malware Evolution: Google's Threat Intelligence blog documented early examples of threat actors experimenting with AI-enabled malware that can make calls to LLMs during execution to determine next steps or evade detection. Unlike the recently retracted MIT paper on AI threats, this represents actual observed activity. While not creating entirely new attack types yet, these developments suggest attackers will increasingly automate attacks that previously required human expertise.

- OWASP Top 10 Now Includes Supply Chain Risks: In its first major update since 2021, OWASP added software supply chain failures as #3 on its Top 10 web application security risks list. Broken access control remains at #1, while security misconfigurations moved up to #2. The addition of supply chain risks highlights growing awareness of this threat vector, though solving this issue remains challenging due to the complex web of dependencies in modern applications.

- Focus on Real Threats, Not Just AI Hype: A ComputerWeekly article emphasized that despite AI hype, organizations should remain focused on addressing the fundamental security issues that continue to cause most breaches: credential theft, edge infrastructure compromise, and phishing. While AI may make attacks more precise and scalable, the basic defense principles remain similar, and organizations should continue prioritizing security fundamentals.

- The Challenge of Security Resource Allocation: Security leaders face difficult decisions when allocating limited resources, especially when executives demand implementation of new security technologies based on marketing hype or trends seen in business media. These mandates often come without additional funding, forcing security teams to cut other important security functions. This tension between executive risk appetite and security realities contributes to CISO burnout.
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If you like The Moth, This American Life or Snap Judgment, take a walk on the wilder side with RISK! Your colorful host Kevin Allison (of the legendary comedy group The State) helms this surprisingly uncensored show where people tell jaw-dropping true stories they never thought they'd dare to share in public. RISK! is hilarious, heart-wrenching and remarkably real. Think you've heard it all? Fasten your seatbelt.

Not in Hiding Anymore

RISK!

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Workshop Story from Mira Rivera: In an unusual format, the podcast shares a story recorded during one of Kevin's online storytelling workshops. Mira shares a raw, intimate account of her post-divorce healing through an unexpected sexual connection with a Puerto Rican visitor to LA. Their chemistry provides both physical pleasure and emotional catharsis, helping her process her grief and reconnect with her body after her ex-husband had told her he was "no longer attracted" to her.

Stranded by Rachel Ann Warren: Rachel courageously shares her journey with hair loss, which began around age 19 during a period of personal crisis. After years of hiding under hats and costume wigs for her performances, she eventually confronted her insecurity when sobriety forced her to face herself. She channeled this struggle into learning wigmaking, eventually opening her own shop where she helps others experiencing hair loss, telling them: "I see your problem. I have the same problem."

Online Storytelling Workshops: Kevin discusses the supportive environment of his online workshops where participants can safely share vulnerable stories. He announces upcoming workshops starting January 14th, meeting Wednesday nights for eight weeks, and invites listeners to email him for information.

The Risk! Community: Kevin emphasizes the importance of community support for the podcast, encouraging listeners to become Patreon members, give memberships as gifts, or make one-time donations to help sustain the show's future.

Importance of Vulnerability: Both stories demonstrate how confronting personal insecurities and sharing them can lead to healing and connection with others. The workshop story format uniquely shows the progression from hesitance to openness in a supportive environment.

Live Show Announcement: Kevin promotes an upcoming Risk! live show in New York City on December 11th with the theme "collateral damage," encouraging listeners to attend or submit stories.

Creative Healing: Both storytellers found healing through creative expression - Mira through writing during intimate moments, and Rachel through the craft of wigmaking, transforming her personal struggle into a way to help others.
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Start your day with inspiration, positivity, and practical wisdom on Your Daily Dose of Hope. Each episode is a brief, uplifting journey designed to empower you to face life's challenges with resilience and optimism. From heartwarming stories and motivational insights to actionable tips for personal growth, we bring you the encouragement you need to thrive. Whether you're navigating tough times or just looking to add a little brightness to your day, Your Daily Dose of Hope is here to remind you that better days are always ahead. Tune in daily for your much-needed spark of hope!

The Glorious Mess of Being Human EP 227

Your Daily Dose of Hope 

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Embracing Imperfection: Nobody truly has it all together, even those who appear perfect on social media. Some people are just better at hiding their chaos, but that's okay because hope doesn't require perfection.

The Relationship Between Hope and Mess: You don't need to be perfect or have everything figured out to experience hope. In fact, being a "hot mess" can actually be when you're most hopeful, because you recognize that things have to get better.

Hope in Difficult Times: When life feels hard and dreams don't work out as planned, hope still lives within the messiness. It persists through meltdowns and challenging periods, reminding us that difficult moments don't last forever.

Finding Hope in Self-Compassion: Hope emerges when you can laugh at yourself instead of being critical, when you reflect on what you've learned from experiences, and when you make the decision to try again despite setbacks.

Permission to Be Human: Today's invitation is to simply be your wonderful human self - not perfect, not polished, just authentically human. There's tremendous hope in embracing your humanity with all its imperfections.
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Democracy Now! is an independent daily TV & radio news program, hosted by award-winning journalists Amy Goodman and Juan González. We provide daily global news headlines, in-depth interviews and investigative reports without any advertisements or government funding. Our programming shines a spotlight on corporate and government abuses of power and lifts up the stories of ordinary people working to make change in extraordinary times. Democracy Now! is live weekdays at 8am ET and available 24/7 through our website and podcasts.

Democracy Now! 2025-12-02 Tuesday

Democracy Now! Audio

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Pentagon's Caribbean Strike Controversy: The White House is defending a controversial operation where U.S. forces sank a boat in the Caribbean on September 2, then launched a second strike to kill survivors clinging to wreckage. While initially reported that Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth ordered to "kill everybody," the White House later claimed Admiral Frank Mitch Bradley authorized the strike. Legal experts, including Georgetown Law professor David Cole, argue this constitutes a war crime and violates international law, as targeting shipwreck survivors is illegal regardless of who gave the order.

Threats Against Democratic Lawmakers: Defense Secretary Hegseth threatened to court-martial Senator Mark Kelly after Kelly and five other Democratic lawmakers with military backgrounds urged service members to refuse illegal orders in a video. President Trump accused them of "seditious behavior punishable by death," leading to increased death threats against Kelly and his wife, former Congresswoman Gabby Giffords, who was previously a victim of gun violence.

Trump's Controversial Pardons: President Trump commuted the sentence of private equity executive David Gentile, who defrauded over 10,000 investors, and released former Honduran president Juan Orlando Hernandez from prison where he was serving a 45-year sentence for drug trafficking. Critics point to the hypocrisy of releasing convicted drug traffickers while justifying deadly force against alleged drug boats in the Caribbean.

Immigration Enforcement Controversies: The administration has been criticized for defying court orders regarding deportations, with Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem facing potential contempt charges for sending Venezuelans to El Salvador against a judge's order. Other controversial cases include college student Ani Lucia Lopez Baloza being deported to Honduras during Thanksgiving despite a court order prohibiting her removal, and Kilmar Abrego Garcia being sent to African countries after officials admitted his deportation was a mistake.

Starbucks Workers' Strike: New York City Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani and Senator Bernie Sanders joined striking Starbucks workers in Brooklyn, showing solidarity with their demands for better working conditions and fair labor practices. The demonstration followed New York City's announcement that Starbucks agreed to pay $35 million to 15,000 workers in what was called the largest worker protection settlement in NYC history.

Economic Inequality Focus: Both Mamdani and Sanders emphasized the stark contrast between corporate profits ($36.2 billion in Starbucks revenue last year) and worker compensation, with Starbucks CEO Brian Niccol's pay being 6,666 times larger than the average barista's salary. They called for an economy that works for everyone, not just the wealthy, with Mamdani pledging to continue standing with workers even after taking office.

HIV/AIDS Program Cuts: The Trump administration has gutted global AIDS healthcare funding and ended World AIDS Day commemorations. Journalist Stephen Thrasher, reporting from Uganda, described how USAID funding cuts have devastated LGBTQ+ health services worldwide, particularly in countries like Uganda where homosexuality laws are extremely restrictive. Organizations providing HIV prevention and testing services have been forced to drastically reduce staff, leaving vulnerable populations without essential healthcare resources.

Northwestern University Settlement: Northwestern University agreed to pay $75 million to settle allegations of antisemitism and reversed policies from the "Deering Meadow Agreement" to maintain over $700 million in federal funding. Thrasher criticized the university for abandoning principles established in good faith with students and highlighted the contradiction of wasting resources that could support public health initiatives and research.
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We talk to the pioneers in the regenerative food and agriculture space to learn more on how to put our money to work to regenerate soil, people, local communities and ecosystems while making an appropriate and fair return.

394 Stef van Dongen - Trees don’t send invoices so a Catalan valley is rewiring water, forests and finance

Investing in Regenerative Agriculture and Food

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From Valley Trust-Building to Watershed Regeneration: The Muga Valley watershed regeneration project is making significant progress by first rebuilding trust between communities that previously didn't communicate. They've created connections between villages, local authorities and regional governments, enabling cooperative action on water security, fire safety, housing, and work opportunities in this region of northeastern Spain near the French border.

Nature-Based Climate Credits for Forest Regeneration: The project has developed a cost-based "climate credit" system that funds forest restoration work at €4,000 per hectare. Each credit covers a 15-year period and measures improvements across four indicators: carbon, water, biodiversity, and fire safety. The regional government certifies both pre-work and post-work conditions and monitors results. The first pilot of 58 hectares sold out quickly, and they've already sold an additional 70 hectares, with plans to scale to 1,000 credits.

Forest Health Transformation: The watershed contains around 50,000 hectares of dense, unhealthy forest that is inaccessible, vulnerable to fires, and depleting soil moisture. The restoration work converts these dense forests into a mosaic of varying tree densities, creating fire breaks and improving water capture and biodiversity. This transforms "green deserts" into living ecosystems, with wolves, vultures, and other wildlife returning to the area.

Watershed-Scale Management: The project is currently managing 8,000 hectares (including 3,000 hectares of forest and 5,000 hectares of natural protected areas) and influencing governance of more than 40,000 hectares through a fire prevention plan. Their long-term goal is to restore the entire 100,000-hectare watershed, which would require approximately €200 million - significantly less than the €500 million recently invested in desalination plants.

Water as the Central Narrative: Water has proven to be a powerful, apolitical rallying point for the project. After six years of drought, the region experienced crop failures and water restrictions. Scientific evidence shows that 66% of water that would be lost due to climate change and poor land management can be recovered through watershed restoration. The project connects coastal tourism (which uses 23% of water) with upstream forest health.

Regenerative Economy Development: The project is working to build financial vehicles and frameworks to fund a "redemptive economy" based on nature-based solutions. They're developing transition finance instruments like the climate credits and potentially a water fund, with the aim of eventually creating a comprehensive bioregional investment vehicle that could attract hundreds of millions of euros for watershed regeneration.

Bioregional Governance Model: The team is pioneering a new governance approach that treats the watershed as the fundamental unit rather than following traditional political boundaries. They're creating partnerships between private sector, civil society, science, and government entities to manage landscapes holistically, with the fire prevention plan being the first successful example of this model.

From Technical to Natural Solutions: While many decision-makers still favor technical solutions like desalination plants, the project is demonstrating that working with nature is more cost-effective and provides multiple benefits. They're challenging the prevailing "technocratic" mindset by showing tangible results from forest restoration and water cycle improvement.

Addressing Agricultural Water Use: Intensive agriculture consumes 70% of water from the Muga reservoir. The project is beginning to engage with this sector, building coalitions with regenerative agriculture experts, soil experts, farmers' unions, and research institutes to address agricultural water use while continuing to prioritize forest restoration work.

Microclimate Bioengineering: The project frames its work as "bioengineering microclimate" - helping forests become healthy again to influence water cycles, reduce temperatures, and increase resilience. Their goal is to demonstrate that strategically managed landscapes can maintain temperatures 3-4 degrees cooler than urban areas, creating a compelling case for landscape-scale regeneration as climate adaptation.
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Come get curious with NASA. As an official NASA podcast, Curious Universe brings you mind-blowing science and space adventures you won't find anywhere else. Explore the cosmos alongside astronauts, scientists, engineers, and other top NASA experts who are achieving remarkable feats in science, space exploration, and aeronautics. Learn something new about the wild and wonderful universe we share. All you need to get started is a little curiosity.

NASA's Curious Universe is an official NASA podcast hosted by Padi Boyd and Jacob Pinter. Discover more original NASA shows at nasa.gov/podcasts

Encore: A Day In Space

NASA's Curious Universe

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- 25 Years of Continuous Occupation: The International Space Station (ISS) has reached a milestone of 25 years with humans continuously living aboard, representing over 9,000 consecutive days of international cooperation in space and scientific research that is paving the way for future missions to the Moon and Mars.

- Private Quarters in Space: Astronauts have personal "crew quarters" that function like small bedrooms where they sleep in sleeping bags attached to walls to prevent floating around. These quarters provide privacy and contain personal items like family photos and laptops for entertainment and communication.

- Daily Necessities in Microgravity: Simple tasks like preparing meals, brushing teeth, and using the restroom are adapted for the microgravity environment. Food is often dehydrated and needs to be reconstituted, and special fans and systems are required for the bathroom facilities to function properly in space.

- Exercise Routines: Astronauts must exercise daily to prevent bone and muscle loss in microgravity. The station is equipped with specialized equipment including a treadmill and the Advanced Resistive Exercise Device, which make distinct sounds during operation.

- Scientific Research: Astronauts spend most of their time conducting experiments that can only be performed in space. During the recorded day, activities included starting an experiment growing chili peppers (a first in space), combustion research, and setting up a camera that allows middle school students on Earth to take pictures of our planet.

- Communication Systems: Astronauts maintain constant communication with mission control centers around the world to receive instructions, ask questions, and get permission for various activities. They also participate in video interviews with schools and media to share their experiences in space.

- Sound Environment: The ISS has a constant ambient noise from fans, pumps, and other systems necessary for life support. The US Lab is one of the loudest areas, while sleeping quarters and the cupola (observation module) are relatively quieter. Astronauts mentioned missing natural Earth sounds like rain, wind, and birds singing.

- Morale and Recreation: Despite the isolation and limited living space, astronauts find ways to maintain morale through shared meals, birthday celebrations, and even playing musical instruments like the saxophone in microgravity.
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The Best 5 Minute Wine Podcast is a weekly podcast by Forrest Kelly exploring wineries around the world. We take 5 minutes and give you wine conversation starters and travel destinations. In addition, you'll hear candid interviews from those shaping the wine field. Join us as we become inspired by their search for extraordinary wine and wineries.

Voted One of The Best Travel Podcasts and Top 5 Minute Podcasts.

Quiz Challenge: Test Your Knowledge of the Rock Star–Turned–Chef

The Best 5 Minute Wine Podcast

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- Paul Cullen's Musical Beginnings: Despite his success as a musician, Paul Cullen didn't start playing an instrument until he was almost 20 years old. His first paid gig earned him $350, which was a modest start to what would become a significant music career.

- From Family Business to Bad Company: Before joining the famous rock band Bad Company, Paul helped his parents open a dry cleaning business in Florida. His audition for Bad Company took place in London, where he was uniquely tested on his ability to drink and play simultaneously.

- Transition to Wine and Culinary Arts: After his music career, Paul created his own Italian wine label featuring a colorful guitar design. His passion for wine led him to establish a presence in the wine industry.

- Accidental Chef: Paul's private chef business began organically after cooking for friends at home. This natural progression from casual cooking to professional culinary work demonstrates his diverse talents beyond music.

- Giving Back Through Paul Cares: Paul established a nonprofit foundation called Paul Cares, which helps young people pursue careers in culinary and musical arts, combining his two greatest passions to support the next generation.

- Love for Tuscany: Paul's favorite travel destination is Tuscany, which may become his future home. This connection to Italy likely influences both his culinary style and wine preferences.

- Upcoming Cookbook: Paul is releasing a cookbook titled "Party Like a Rock Star," further blending his rock star past with his current culinary endeavors.
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Seeking Alpha's flagship Wall Street Breakfast provides investors an overview of key investment news every morning and afternoon. Transcripts: seekingalpha.com/wsb

Netflix ready to splash the cash for Warner

Wall Street Breakfast

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- Netflix Bids for Warner Bros. Discovery: Netflix has submitted a mostly cash offer for Warner Bros. Discovery in the second round of buyout bidding. Several companies including Netflix, Paramount, Skydance, and Comcast worked through Thanksgiving weekend to improve their offers. Netflix is arranging a bridge loan worth tens of billions of dollars, while both Netflix and Comcast are specifically interested in acquiring the Warner Bros. Studio and HBO Max streaming service.

- Michael Burry Criticizes Tesla's Valuation: The "Big Short" investor argues that Tesla's $1.35 trillion market cap is "ridiculously overvalued" in his Substack post. Burry points out that Tesla dilutes its shareholders at approximately 3.6% per year through stock-based compensation with no buybacks to offset this dilution. He also criticized the "Elon cult" for shifting focus from electric cars to autonomous driving to robots whenever competition emerges in each sector.

- Amazon's Ultra-Fast Delivery Initiative: Amazon is developing a new service that aims to deliver merchandise and groceries in less than 30 minutes. The company is polling packaged goods merchandisers for suitable items, seeking municipal approval for small delivery hubs in several cities, and recruiting warehouse staff and delivery drivers. This move comes amid increasing competition from Walmart, Target, Instacart, DoorDash, and Uber Eats.

- Market Updates: Cyber Monday set a new online shopping record, and stock index futures are ticking higher after starting December in the red. Treasury yields are easing back as bond yields in Japan retreat from 17-year highs. The global semiconductor market is approaching $1 trillion in value by 2026.

- Corporate News: Marvell is in advanced talks to acquire Celestial AI, and Nvidia will participate in the 2025 NeurIPS conference showcasing AI, robotics, self-driving cars, and simulation technologies.
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America's Top Paranormal Podcaster interviews the best known names in the paranormal about UFOs, Ghosts, Bigfoot, and everything paranormal! Guests have included Josh Gates, Chip Coffey, George Noory and the biggest names in paranormal studies. This feed reflects the last 90 days of content, The Paranormal Podcast has been in production since 2005 with over 690 episodes. Hosted by Jim Harold.

Krampus Is Only the Beginning: Dark Christmas Lore - The Paranormal Podcast 915

The Paranormal Podcast

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- The Dark Side of Christmas Traditions: Beneath the cheerful veneer of modern Christmas celebrations lies a rich tapestry of frightening folklore. These scary Christmas stories served important purposes in pre-industrial societies, where winter represented a dangerous time when communities lived on the edge of survival, teaching children about boundaries, community responsibilities, and the dangers of the natural world beyond village safety.

- Krampus: The Anti-Nicholas: Originally celebrated on December 5th (Krampusnacht, the eve of St. Nicholas Day) in Alpine regions, Krampus is a goat-demon who punishes naughty children by beating them with a stick and dragging them away. This frightening counterpart to St. Nicholas has recently exploded in popularity, evolving from small village pageants to worldwide festivals that now span from November to January with elaborate costumes and parades.

- The Butcher and the Saint: One origin story for Krampus connects to a medieval tale of St. Nicholas and a murderous butcher who killed children, chopped them up, and preserved their meat in barrels. After Nicholas miraculously restored the children to life, the butcher was condemned to become Krampus, forced to wander with Nicholas and punish the wicked as penance for his crimes.

- Victorian Christmas Ghost Stories: While Dickens' "A Christmas Carol" is the most famous example, the tradition of telling ghost stories at Christmas predates him and was once a major cultural practice. This tradition emerged from the understanding that winter's darkness represented a liminal time when the veil between worlds thinned, reminding people of their mortality during the darkest days of the year.

- Regional Monsters and Their Lessons: The book documents dozens of Christmas-related monsters beyond Krampus, including Frau Perchta (the "Belly Slitter" who disembowels lazy children), the Yule Cat of Iceland (who devours children not wearing new clothes, indicating they failed to complete their work), and numerous other regional variants that enforce social norms through fear.

- The Dark Origins of Familiar Tales: The Nutcracker ballet, now a beloved holiday tradition, was based on a much darker 1816 story by E.T.A. Hoffmann featuring a seven-headed Rat King and a girl choosing to escape her restrictive family life for a strange fantasy realm. The story was later sanitized by Alexandre Dumas before becoming Tchaikovsky's famous ballet.

- Appeasing the Christmas Monsters: Most Christmas monster traditions include methods of appeasement to protect oneself—leaving out food (oatmeal for Frau Perchta, milk and cookies for Santa), wearing new clothes (for the Yule Cat), or making offerings. These practices mirror fairy traditions across cultures and represent a symbolic exchange acknowledging the boundary between the human and supernatural worlds.

- Global Winter Folklore: While many of these traditions originated in Central Europe, similar frightening winter tales appear across cultures worldwide, demonstrating universal human responses to the dangers and uncertainties of winter and darkness. Modern customs like La Quema del Diablo (Burning of the Devil) in Guatemala show how new traditions can quickly take hold and become important cultural practices.

- Reconnecting with Darker Traditions: Modern society has sanitized many of these stories, removing the violence and darkness that were once common elements of children's stories. These tales reflected a time when death was a visible part of everyday life and communities lived closer to both slaughter and starvation, giving context to their often shocking content.
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He’s a former Secret Service Agent, former NYPD officer, and New York Times best-selling author. Join Dan Bongino each weekday as he tackles the hottest political issues, debunking both liberal and Republican establishment rhetoric.

The Truth Behind Those Drug Boat Strikes | Episode 179

The Dan Bongino Show

VINCE

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Trump Administration Defends Naval Strikes Against Drug Traffickers: The Trump administration is pushing back against accusations of war crimes following military strikes on suspected drug-running vessels. The controversy centers around a September 2nd strike where Secretary of War Pete Hegseth authorized targeting narco-terrorists at sea. Despite media claims that Hegseth ordered the killing of survivors, officials clarified that he ordered strikes to destroy the vessel and its drug cargo, not specifically targeting survivors, and was not involved in the decision for follow-up strikes.

Administration's Aggressive Anti-Drug Trafficking Strategy: The Trump administration has designated narco-terrorist groups as legitimate military targets, implementing a policy of lethal force against drug traffickers at sea. This represents a shift from previous interdiction efforts to a more aggressive stance aimed at deterrence. The administration defends this approach as necessary to combat the crisis of drug-related deaths in America, which claims over 100,000 lives annually.

Media Criticism and Congressional Oversight: Initially portrayed by some media outlets as potentially unlawful, the naval strikes have prompted calls for investigation from both Democratic and Republican lawmakers. Senate Armed Services Committee Chairman Roger Wicker and House Armed Services Committee Chairman Mike Rogers have announced "bipartisan inquiries" into the military actions, despite evidence suggesting the operations were conducted legally.

Concerns About "Seditious" Military Undermining: Some Democratic lawmakers, including Senator Mark Kelly, have suggested military personnel should question certain orders from the administration. This has been characterized as dangerously undermining the chain of command and encouraging insubordination within the military ranks.

Potential New Travel Ban Policy: DHS Secretary Kristi Noem met with President Trump and recommended "a full travel ban on every damn country that's been flooding our nation with killers, leeches and entitlement junkies." This strong stance on immigration appears to have the President's support, though details of implementation remain unclear.

Special Election in Tennessee's Trump-Heavy District: A special election in Tennessee features Republican Matt Van Epps against Democratic candidate Afton Bain, described as "Tennessee's AOC." Bain has made controversial statements about defunding police, celebrated protesters who burned down police stations, and expressed unusual views on childbearing, including the statement "I don't want children, I want power."

Shifting Public Trust in Legacy Media: The podcast celebrates what it sees as declining public trust in traditional media, suggesting Americans are increasingly skeptical of mainstream news narratives and able to "cut through" media "hoaxes" more effectively than in the past.
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Curiosity solved. JDP features diverse guests & topics including: Wild Stories, Current Events, Geopolitics, True Crime, Society & Culture, History, Tech, Investigative Journalism and much more. Hosted by Julian Dorey.

#361 - NXIVM Cult Victim on Hollywood Elite, 17,000 “Slaves” & being a “Good Girl” | Sarah Edmondson

Julian Dorey Podcast

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Keith Raniere: Sociopathic Cult Leader: Keith Raniere, founder of NXIVM, was a deeply manipulative individual with a pattern of unethical behavior dating back to his youth. Despite being portrayed as a celibate, genius-level "Vanguard" with a 240 IQ who created a philosophical movement for world peace, he was actually running what would later be exposed as a cult. Evidence suggests he may have even poisoned members who became inconvenient to his agenda, particularly older women as he shifted focus to younger recruits.

NXIVM's Evolution from Self-Help to Cult: What began as "Executive Success Programs" (ESP) marketed as personal and professional development gradually revealed its true nature. The organization used legitimate therapeutic techniques blended with manipulation tactics, creating a hierarchical "stripe path" system where members wore colored sashes to denote their rank. Eventually growing to between 17,000-20,000 members worldwide, the organization was most active in Albany, NY, Vancouver, and Mexico.

Sarah's Recruitment and Indoctrination: Sarah Edmondson, a Canadian actress seeking purpose and connection, joined NXIVM in 2005 after meeting filmmaker Mark Vicente (who directed "What the Bleep Do We Know?"). Despite initial reservations about strange practices like sashes and calling Keith "Vanguard," Sarah was drawn in by the promise of personal growth and community. The organization expertly targeted her "situational vulnerability" as she sought career advancement and deeper meaning.

Psychological Manipulation Tactics: NXIVM employed sophisticated psychological techniques including "loaded language" (redefining common terms), gaslighting, and preemptively framing normal reactions as personal deficiencies. They taught that discomfort during training meant you were "hitting against limitations" rather than experiencing legitimate concerns. The organization gradually normalized bizarre behaviors by incrementally introducing them and positioning criticism as "suppressive."

Financial Structure and MLM Components: Though they denied being a multi-level marketing scheme, NXIVM operated like one. Initial courses cost approximately $2,700, with high-pressure sales tactics including "48-hour discounts." Members could earn credits by recruiting others (called "enrolling" or "building humanity") and eventually become paid recruiters. Sarah eventually opened her own NXIVM center in Vancouver, investing considerable personal resources while receiving inconsistent compensation.

Celebrity and Wealth Connections: NXIVM deliberately cultivated relationships with celebrities, wealthy individuals, and influential people. Most notably, Clare Bronfman (Seagram's heiress) contributed approximately $150 million to the organization. A-list actors hosted trainings in their homes, and the Dalai Lama even endorsed the group (allegedly after a significant donation). These connections provided both legitimacy and financial resources.

DOS: The Secret Society Within NXIVM: As Sarah rose through the ranks to become a "Proctor" (orange sash), she was unaware of the organization's darkest aspects, including a secret society called DOS. This inner circle involved sexual exploitation and literal branding of women with Keith's initials. Women were recruited into what was presented as a women's empowerment group but was actually a master/slave structure that served Keith's desires.

Organizational Decline and Frustrations: Around 2013-2014, Sarah and others began experiencing increasing frustrations with the organization. The "toxic positivity" culture prevented open criticism, while organizational changes made success increasingly difficult. Despite recruiting Lululemon executives and other potential high-profile clients, Keith would sabotage growth opportunities with unreasonable demands.

Finding Love Within the Cult: Sarah met her husband Anthony "Nippy" Ames within NXIVM. Unlike many members, Nippy maintained stronger boundaries while still participating enough to pursue his acting aspirations (which were dangled as a recruitment tool). Their relationship provided a safe space to voice frustrations about the organization that they couldn't express elsewhere.

Breaking Free and Speaking Out: Eventually, Sarah discovered the truth about DOS and recognized the full extent of NXIVM's manipulative nature. She made the courageous decision to leave and expose the organization, despite significant personal risk. Her whistleblowing was instrumental in bringing down NXIVM and leading to Keith Raniere's conviction. He is now serving a 120-year prison sentence, while some devoted followers reportedly still believe in his teachings.

Healing and Moving Forward: After leaving NXIVM, Sarah has focused on healing through therapy, psychedelics like microdosing mushrooms, and helping others avoid similar situations through her podcast and public speaking. She and Nippy renewed their wedding vows to reclaim their relationship outside the cult's influence. Sarah now uses her experience to educate others about cult dynamics and manipulation tactics.

Broader Cultural Context: Sarah draws parallels between NXIVM and other controlling groups including Scientology, MLMs, and even abusive power dynamics in Hollywood (like the Harvey Weinstein case). She emphasizes that anyone can be vulnerable to manipulation under the right circumstances, particularly during periods of transition or when seeking purpose and community.
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ABC News Daily is the podcast that helps you understand the issues affecting your world. Every episode, host Samantha Hawley walks through one story with the help of an ABC colleague or expert in under 15 minutes. When you want coverage you can trust, listen to ABC News Daily.

What new lending rules mean for property prices

ABC News Daily

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• Australian Property Prices Continue to Rise: Property values nationwide increased by 1% in November 2023 and 7.5% over the year, with the median home value reaching more than $880,000. While Sydney and Melbourne markets are showing signs of moderation (up 5% and 4% respectively), other markets like Brisbane are booming with a 12.8% annual increase.

• Regional Markets Experiencing Growth: As Sydney and Melbourne hit affordability constraints, buyers are looking to markets that have previously lagged behind, such as Brisbane, Perth, and Adelaide, driving significant price increases in these regions as people seek more affordable options.

• Interest Rates and Affordability: While interest rate cuts initially improve affordability through lower repayments, they also enable buyers to borrow more. This increased borrowing capacity across the market ultimately pushes prices higher, effectively canceling out the affordability improvements that lower rates provide.

• Housing Policies and Unintended Consequences: Government schemes intended to help people enter the housing market, such as Labor's 5% home loan deposit scheme, often end up increasing demand and pushing prices higher. These policies initially benefit early participants but quickly become subsidies for sellers rather than buyers.

• Banking Regulator's Intervention: The Australian Prudential Regulation Authority (APRA) is implementing new rules from February 1 to limit high debt-to-income ratio lending, restricting banks to offering no more than 20% of their mortgage book to borrowers seeking loans more than six times their income. These measures particularly target investors, who currently make up about 40% of new home loans.

• Household Debt Concerns: Australia's real estate market is worth $11.6 trillion, underpinned by nearly $2.6 trillion in mortgage debt. This debt burden is concentrated among younger, recent homebuyers who have purchased at peak prices, creating potential financial stability risks if economic conditions deteriorate.

• Previous Regulatory Interventions: APRA has successfully cooled the property market before, particularly in 2017 when they restricted interest-only loans, leading to a measured 8.5-10% price decline over two years. However, these gains were reversed when COVID hit and the Reserve Bank cut interest rates to near zero.

• Growing Social Divide: The ongoing affordability crisis is creating a societal split where homeownership is increasingly restricted to those who can receive parental financial assistance or inheritances. This situation is shifting public sentiment about housing policy, potentially leading to future changes in tax incentives that currently favor investors over owner-occupiers.
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Multiamory offers support and advice for modern relationships. Whether you are monogamous, polyamorous, swinging, casually dating, or if you just do relationships differently, we see you and we’re here for you. Multiamory is a proud member of Pleasure Podcasts. For network details, contact cameron@pleasurepodcasts.com.

558 - This Is Your Brain on (Jealousy) Drugs

Multiamory: Rethinking Modern Relationships

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# Comprehensive Summary of "The Science of Jealousy"

Physiological Responses to Jealousy: When experiencing jealousy, the body triggers an acute stress response (fight, flight, or freeze). Physical symptoms include increased heart rate, sweating, faster breathing, muscle tension, and digestive changes. The brain redirects resources to prepare for threats, shutting down non-essential functions like speech processing and digestion.

Jealousy's Impact on Brain Function: During jealousy, the brain shifts into a "radar system" mode, scanning for potential threats. This activates state-dependent memory, where similar past experiences are recalled. The frontal lobes (responsible for reasoning) become less engaged, making it difficult to "snap out" of jealous reactions.

Evolution and Purpose of Jealousy: While traditionally viewed as an evolved mechanism to protect relationships or resources, research shows jealousy is more complex. The common theory that men are more upset by sexual infidelity while women are more upset by emotional infidelity (JSIM model) has been largely disproven by subsequent studies.

Research Findings on Jealousy Patterns: People tend to be more jealous of those similar to themselves who are doing slightly better, rather than those significantly more successful or wealthy. We're more likely to be envious of someone having something we want regardless of whether it makes them happy, suggesting jealousy isn't about pursuing happiness but access to resources.

Gender and Jealousy: Studies show that heterosexual men are more likely to be jealous of their female partners having sex with other men than with women (96% of respondents), even if the experience with women was more pleasurable. This supports the observation that jealousy isn't about the partner's pleasure but about perceived threats.

Jealousy in Relationships: Research indicates relationships where people experience more jealousy tend to last longer, but studies don't measure whether these are actually healthy relationships. This highlights how "relationship-preserving behaviors" triggered by jealousy can range from harmless to potentially abusive.

Attachment Theory and Jealousy: Research on how attachment styles relate to jealousy shows mixed results. Some studies suggest securely attached people experience less jealousy, while others found they might react more strongly with jealous anger in certain situations.

Cultural Ambivalence About Jealousy: Society holds contradictory views about jealousy - some see it as proof of love and commitment, while others view it as destructive. This ambivalence is reflected in research findings and personal experiences.

Jealousy Across Development: Studies show that even infants as young as 6 months display jealousy when caregivers give attention to others. By age 4, children begin distinguishing between legitimate needs for attention (like for infants) versus peers receiving attention, showing jealousy can be moderated through understanding.

Managing Jealousy Effectively: Recognizing jealousy as a natural biological response rather than a character flaw helps with management. Question whether what you're jealous of is something you actually want, and remember that feelings aren't facts. Your body is trying to protect you, even if the threat isn't real or immediate.

Problems with Evolutionary Psychology: Many jealousy theories rely on evolutionary psychology, which often makes assumptions about human history that can't be tested or confirmed. These theories sometimes reinforce gender stereotypes or use "natural" behaviors to justify problematic attitudes.

Changing Perceptions of Jealousy: With experience and understanding, jealousy responses can change. Just as children learn which situations truly represent threats, adults can develop more nuanced reactions to potential jealousy triggers through experience and self-awareness.
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The Self-Publishing with Dale Podcast is devoted to teaching you relevant and up-to-date information in the world of self-publishing. Subscribe today!

Baker & Taylor Shift That Could Hurt Your Reach | Self-Publishing News (Dec. 2, 2025)

The Self-Publishing with Dale Podcast

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- Lakeside Book Company Acquires Baker & Taylor Distribution Arm: Lakeside Book Company has purchased Baker & Taylor Publishing Services (BTPS), one of the few remaining operational parts of Baker & Taylor. The acquisition includes the Print on Demand operation in Ashland, Ohio and will retain all BTPS employees. This move preserves a valuable distribution channel for small and midsize publishers while indicating that the distribution business still holds value despite Baker & Taylor's overall decline.

- Holiday Deadlines for Authors: BookVault and Draft2Digital have announced cutoff dates for Christmas delivery. BookVault UK recommends various deadlines depending on service level, with the earliest being December 5th for Bespoke through Shopify. For US, Canada, and Australia partner locations, the recommended deadline is December 5th. Draft2Digital advises authors to submit new books and updates by December 8th to ensure they're live by Christmas, as their offices will be closed December 24-25 and January 1st.

- Job Opportunities in Author Services: Draft2Digital is hiring a US-based customer support representative with experience in customer support and Microsoft Word. Booksprout is seeking a part-time freelance Community and Partnerships Coordinator for 20 hours per week to manage their affiliate program, set up interviews, create content, and build relationships.

- IngramSpark Title Processing Guide: IngramSpark has published a detailed guide explaining common issues that slow or stop title processing. The guide covers requirements for print-ready files including cover files, interior files, bleed trim safety areas, and embedded fonts. It also addresses common error messages such as incorrect TR sizes, unembedded fonts, crop marks, corrupt files, and barcode scanning failures.

- Platform Policy Updates: Google Play Books Partner Center will update its publisher program policies on January 1, 2026. The key change requires partners to maintain current contact information in both Account Settings (publisher address, email preferences, user access) and Payment Center (billing and payment contacts).

- Rise in Author Scams and Warnings: Both Crave Books and Written Word Media have issued warnings about increasing scams targeting authors. Common tactics include fake support messages, impersonation of industry professionals, phishing from fake promotion companies, fake book club invites, fake review pages, fake marketing audits, and pay-to-play podcast invitations. These scams typically use urgency, fear, and flattery to pressure authors into quick decisions.

- Resource and Event Announcements: Several upcoming author resources and events were mentioned, including Twin Flames Studios' holiday book selling guide, Dibbly Create's new handbook, Spoken's live session about audiobooks on December 3rd, and BookLinker's Facebook ad session with Melissa Storm on December 4th. Additionally, the host announced that his video courses will be migrating from selfpublishinghub.com to YouTube channel memberships at the Honorary Channel Sponsor tier ($9.99/month).
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Let's talk about some news (Live)

The Duran Podcast

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Russia's Military Progress in Ukraine: Russia has announced the capture of Pokrovsk and Volchansk, two important towns in Ukraine. This momentum indicates a military collapse on Ukraine's side that is no longer in "slow motion." Putin met with his military chiefs to receive reports on these victories and stated that Russia needs to create more of a buffer zone in the Sumy-Kharkiv region.

Negotiations Between Russia and US: David Witkoff is traveling to Moscow to present "Trump's peace plan" regarding Ukraine. He was reportedly in Ireland at the same time as Zelensky, possibly giving him "marching orders." Russia has made its position clear: NATO membership for Ukraine is non-negotiable, Western troops must be categorically excluded from Ukraine, and the Zaporozhye and Kherson regions must be transferred to Russia in their entirety.

Zelensky's Position Weakening: There are reports that Ukrainian MPs are calling on Zelensky to step down by January 1st. Rumors suggest General Zaluzhny (former Ukrainian commander) may be in Kyiv, potentially being positioned as Zelensky's replacement. However, the hosts argue Zaluzhny would lack legitimacy as he hasn't been elected, and his appointment would essentially constitute another coup.

EU's Plan to Seize Russian Assets Failing: The European Central Bank has refused to backstop Ursula von der Leyen's €140 billion plan to seize frozen Russian assets. EU member states are unwilling to provide "blank guarantees" for this legally dubious scheme, with the Belgian government, Euroclear, and the ECB all pointing out the illegality of such actions.

Trump Administration and Venezuela: The Trump White House held what was described as a "war party meeting" in the Oval Office regarding Venezuela. The hosts believe military action against Venezuela is increasingly likely, driven by Trump's desire for a "win" after setbacks in Ukraine. They discuss how removing Maduro could disrupt Venezuela's oil deliveries to Cuba (which currently receives free or discounted oil) and destabilize both countries.

Europe's Weakened Position: The Ukraine conflict has exposed Europe's weakness and marginalization on the global stage. Despite this, some European countries continue to provide financial support to Ukraine - Ireland recently committed an additional €150 million and Sweden €114 million. The hosts argue that Europe's talk of preparing for potential conflict with Russia in three years is unrealistic given the state of European militaries and economies.

Russia-India Energy Relations: Despite reports that Reliance Industries (India's largest importer of Russian oil) has stopped importing Russian crude, the hosts suggest these official statements may not reflect reality. They note that oil labeled as coming from other countries may actually be Russian in origin, and predict that the situation will "return to normal" in about two months. Putin's upcoming visit to India is expected to include energy agreements.

Military Security vs. Diplomatic Guarantees: When discussing potential security guarantees for Ukraine, the hosts argue that paper agreements with the US are unreliable since administrations routinely disregard previous commitments (citing examples like the JCPOA with Iran and NATO expansion promises). They suggest the only reliable guarantee for Russia would be either regime change in Kyiv or the presence of the Russian military.

Cultural Discussion on Soviet/Russian Cinema: The conversation included an extensive exchange about Soviet and Russian cinema, with recommendations for films that provide insight into Russian history and culture, including works by Eisenstein, Tarkovsky's "Andrei Rublev," "Come and See," and "Ballad of a Soldier."

Trump's Disconnect from His Base: The hosts express concern that Trump has become isolated from his voter base, preferring the company of advisors like Susie Wiles and establishment Republicans. They suggest he needs to reconnect with ordinary supporters by holding rallies where he listens rather than speaks.
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Produced by Products That Count, a 501(c)3 nonprofit that helps everyone build great products, this podcast is an award-winning show by and for product minds, with millions of downloads and a 5-star rating on most major platforms. Each of the 300+ episodes features a product leader interviewing another product leader and exploring what it takes to build great products. Recent ones feature the Chief Product Officers of Brex, Glassdoor, Experian and more.

About Us: Products that Count is a 501(c)3 nonprofit that helps everyone build great products. It celebrates product excellence through coveted Awards that inspire 500,000+ product managers and honor great products and the professionals responsible for their success. It accelerates the career and rise to the C-suite of 30% of all Product Managers globally by providing exceptional programming – including award-winning podcasts and popular newsletters – for free. It acts as a trusted advisor to all CPOs at Fortune 1000, and publishes key insights from innovative companies, like Capgemini, SoFi, and Amplitude, that turn product success into business success. Learn more at ProductsThatCount.com.

Elysian Aircraft Co-Founder on Decarbonizing Aviation with EV Batteries

Product Talk

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## Comprehensive Summary of "Elysian Aircraft Co-Founder on Decarbonizing Aviation with EV Batteries"

Elysian's Revolutionary Electric Aircraft: Elysian Aircraft is developing the world's largest battery-electric aircraft with a 90-passenger capacity and 500-mile range (800 kilometers). This ambitious project focuses on short-haul flights under 1,000 kilometers, which represent about half of all global flights. The aircraft features innovative design choices including distributed propulsion (multiple engines), batteries integrated into the wing, and reliable backup systems.

A Design Built From First Principles: Traditional approaches to electric aircraft failed because researchers tried to electrify existing aircraft designs. Elysian's team started from scratch, designing an aircraft optimized specifically to accommodate heavy batteries. This novel approach was initially met with skepticism from academic institutions like TU Delft and MIT, but the team successfully validated their concept through rigorous research and demonstration.

Market Strategy and Customer Targeting: Elysian's target customers are global airlines, both regional carriers and major airlines with regional operations. The aircraft's design allows it to be integrated into existing airline networks with minimal changes, making it an attractive option for carriers. The 90-passenger size and electric operation create economic advantages over regional jets and potentially even narrow-body aircraft in certain markets.

Geographic and Infrastructure Opportunities: The company is focusing on regions where high-speed rail isn't feasible, such as the US and Northern Europe, and targeting the approximately 500 US airports that meet their operational requirements. Their strategy leverages existing electrical infrastructure at airports and aims to create networks between underutilized airports while connecting regions that currently lack direct transportation options.

Battery Safety and Certification Challenges: One of the biggest challenges Elysian faces is ensuring and demonstrating battery safety for aviation applications. The company is developing innovative solutions to address these concerns and working toward convincing regulatory authorities of their safety measures to achieve certification.

Bridging Research and Physical Development: The company learned the importance of moving quickly from theoretical research to building physical technology demonstrators. This approach helps convince customers, investors, and other stakeholders of the viability of their concepts. Having a culture of building and fast prototyping has been crucial to their development process.

Diversity in Team Building: While aerospace engineering traditionally lacks diversity, especially in senior roles, Elysian is working to build a more diverse team by focusing on different perspectives, backgrounds, and thinking styles. They're particularly emphasizing diversity in junior positions and non-technical roles to help develop the next generation of aerospace professionals.

Funding Strategy for Capital-Intensive Development: Developing a commercial aircraft is extremely capital-intensive, requiring hundreds of millions of dollars. Elysian has broken down their funding approach into phases, with the initial development phase requiring approximately $300 million. They've secured seed funding and are currently raising a Series A round, while developing relationships with customers and suppliers that will be crucial for later-stage financing.

Climate Tech in a Challenging Political Environment: Despite the urgency of climate change, political and economic support for climate technologies has fluctuated. Elysian sees both challenges and opportunities in this environment, noting that countries that continue to innovate in green technologies will have economic advantages in the future, while those retreating to fossil fuels risk being left behind.

Product Development Philosophy: For product leaders, especially those transitioning from large companies to startups, the ability to adapt quickly, unlearn established processes, and embrace the inherent messiness of startup environments is essential. Customer focus remains paramount—even for deep tech startups—with early validation of concepts being critical to success.
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The Hartmann Report is an independent daily podcast hosted by award winning, author, radio &amp; TV host Thom Hartmann. Thom’s podcast highlights the bigger picture behind politics, science and culture through discussion and debate. Catch Thom’s live show&nbsp;Monday&nbsp;through&nbsp;Friday noon ET / 9am PT-&nbsp;<a href="http://www.thomhartmann.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">www.thomhartmann.com</a>.

Daily Take: How Many Times Will the Morbidly Rich Crash America Before We Learn?

The Hartmann Report

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- Wealth Does Not Equal Wisdom: Donald Trump and the billionaires in his administration have reminded America that being rich doesn't make someone smart, especially when they inherited their starting capital. Our society has conflated wealth with genius, elevating some of the least thoughtful and least competent people to positions of power.

- Inherited Privilege vs. Earned Success: Bill Gates Sr. acknowledged that while his son was smart, he also had advantages that most Americans don't have. Talent exists everywhere, but opportunity does not. Privilege insulates foolish people from the consequences of their poor decisions.

- Billionaire Blunders: Several examples demonstrate the poor judgment of celebrated billionaires: Trump's casino bankruptcies and mishandling of COVID; Musk's Twitter/X purchase and undermining of USAID; and Zuckerberg's failed metaverse investments. These aren't genius moves but the actions of men surrounded by yes-people.

- Historical Pattern of Oligarch Destruction: America has repeatedly seen the morbidly rich crash the economy. From plantation oligarchs who launched the Civil War, to Gilded Age robber barons, to the 1920s financiers whose recklessness led to the Great Depression—every time the ultra-wealthy gain unchecked power, ordinary Americans suffer.

- The Powell Memo's Legacy: Lewis Powell's 1971 memo urged wealthy Americans to seize control of media, academia, Congress, and the judiciary. This successfully led to a resurgence of wealth worship in American society, funded by right-wing think tanks, media consolidation, and dark money in politics.

- The Psychology of Extreme Wealth: Studies show the ultra-wealthy often experience declining empathy, reduced ability to recognize others' emotions, and dangerous overconfidence. Research indicates about 20% of CEOs exhibit psychopathic traits compared to just 1% of the general population.

- America's Strength Comes from Community: The nation is strongest when it recognizes that great communities, not great fortunes, build a great country. Character should be measured by contribution rather than bank balance. The morbidly rich won't police themselves, so democratic accountability and guardrails are essential.
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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>

“Washington Won’t Let This Happen” - Why Trump’s Income Tax BAN Terrifies D.C. Establishment

Valuetainment

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• Trump's Bold Income Tax Claim: Former President Trump has made a striking claim that he could potentially eliminate or substantially cut income taxes by replacing that revenue with tariffs. He suggests that money collected from countries that have been "ripping us off" would generate enough funds to make this possible.

• The Feasibility Reality Check: Tom believes the likelihood of completely eliminating income taxes is zero, as the federal establishment would never relinquish that power. However, he acknowledges that significant tax cuts could be possible if tariffs generate substantial revenue, especially during a potential second term if midterm elections go well.

• Historical Context of Federal Revenue: The discussion notes that tariffs were once the primary source of federal revenue, with the modern income tax system only emerging around 1916-1920 after World War I. This suggests there is historical precedent for Trump's approach.

• Projected Economic Impact: According to CBO estimates cited in the conversation, new tariffs could reduce primary deficits by $2.5 trillion and cut interest payments by another $500 billion. Even after accounting for potential economic drag and higher inflation, the net deficit reduction is estimated at $2.8 trillion.

• The Affordability Crisis: Adam frames Trump's proposal within America's broader affordability crisis. He argues that skyrocketing costs of housing, food, healthcare, and other essentials have made the American Dream feel unattainable for many citizens, particularly in major blue cities. Trump's tariff and tax plan is positioned as part of an "America affordable again" approach.

• Establishment Resistance: The panel suggests Washington's establishment would strongly resist eliminating income taxes, comparing it to how they've fought against a balanced budget amendment. The conversation implies that bureaucratic and political interests would work to preserve the taxation system regardless of tariff revenue.
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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.

Wellness Unmasked: A December Reset and the FDA Vaccine Memo Controversy

The Clay Travis and Buck Sexton Show

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- December Reset Challenge: Dr. Nicole Saphier is undertaking a personal challenge in December rather than waiting for January resolutions. She's committing to 20 workouts during the busy holiday month and reducing social media use to improve mental health, noting that social media affects brain chemistry and is linked to anxiety and depression.

- FDA Memo Controversy: A leaked internal FDA memo released the Friday after Thanksgiving claimed that at least 10 children's deaths were "likely or possibly related" to myocarditis after COVID vaccination. Dr. Saphier criticized the timing and method of release, noting the memo lacked supporting evidence or data to substantiate these serious claims.

- Data vs. Opinion: Dr. Saphier emphasizes that the FDA memo presents opinions without peer-reviewed data to back them up, making it difficult to evaluate the validity of the claims. She argues this approach isn't much better than pharmaceutical companies potentially hiding safety data, and that delivery matters when communicating public health information.

- Pediatric Vaccine Concerns: Dr. Saphier shares that she's had longstanding concerns about COVID vaccines for children, particularly regarding inflammatory responses in healthy children and adolescents. She notes that myocarditis risk is particularly documented in adolescent boys, and questions whether the benefits outweigh the risks for healthy children.

- Changing Vaccine Approach: The current FDA is taking a more cautious approach to vaccines, not automatically recommending annual COVID boosters for everyone, particularly healthy children. Dr. Saphier supports this approach while still maintaining vaccine availability for high-risk populations who show documented benefits.

- Upcoming ACIP Meetings: The Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices is meeting to discuss the vaccine schedule, including potential changes like separating combination vaccines (which Dr. Saphier sees as logistically challenging) and recommendations around Hepatitis B vaccines for newborns.
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