The podcast that speaks your language. News and views from beyond the bubble with Telegraph columnists, Allison Pearson and Liam Halligan, every Thursday.<hr> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.

Best Voyages from the Rocket 2025 Episode 1

Planet Normal

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BBC Bias and Coverage of Israel-Gaza: Jake Wallace Simons discusses systemic problems with BBC coverage of Israel, including the network's refusal to call Hamas terrorists, uncritical reliance on Gaza Health Ministry statistics, and numerous incidents of misreporting. He argues the BBC has become ideologically captured by the left, with BBC Arabic particularly problematic in failing to criticize Hamas or cover Israeli suffering. The organization's professional polish makes this ideological drift more concerning.

Labour Government's Recognition of Palestine: Keir Starmer's decision to recognize a Palestinian state before hostage releases was highly damaging, placing all pressure on Israel while making no demands on Hamas. Hamas congratulated Britain on this policy, effectively aligning British foreign policy with jihadi interests. This was followed by antisemitic murders in Manchester, revealing the government's failure to address rising Israelophobia in society.

British Jews Under Siege: Jewish communities face unprecedented insecurity, with synagogues and schools requiring airport-level security. Many British Jews are emigrating to Israel despite it being at war, viewing it as safer than Britain. Holocaust survivors have compared the current atmosphere to 1930s Germany, warning against dangerous complacency about rising Islamism and its alliance with progressive radicals throughout British institutions.

Western Civilization's Self-Doubt: Post-Holocaust, the West mistakenly associated strong nation-states with fascism, leading to "centrist fundamentalism" that demonizes patriotism. Israel maintained belief in borders, national pride, and strong defense, resulting in economic success and happiness (ranking 5th-8th globally). Britain, by contrast, has embraced a "down with us" mentality, creating a vacuum filled by progressive radicalism, Islamism, and far-right extremism.

The Epping Bell Hotel Crisis: Approximately 100 undocumented young males were suddenly housed in the Bell Hotel without public consultation. An Ethiopian asylum seeker, Hadoosh Kebatu, was charged with sexually assaulting a 14-year-old girl just eight days after arriving. This sparked local protests from ordinary families concerned about safety, particularly for women and girls experiencing harassment and intimidation.

Grassroots Protests vs. Professional Agitators: Local Epping protests consisted of working families with homemade signs, contrasted sharply with "Stand Up to Racism" counter-protesters who arrived with professionally printed placards distributed from vans. Evidence suggests some counter-protesters were professional agitators, appearing at multiple locations. Essex Police controversially escorted masked counter-protesters directly to the demonstrations.

Intimidation of Concerned Citizens: A single mother reporting her daughter's harassment by migrants was told by police to "watch what you're saying" and reminded about Lucy Connolly's imprisonment following the Southport riots. This represents systematic intimidation of native Britons for reporting legitimate safety concerns while protecting those creating the threats.

Cultural Displacement and Integration Failure: Orla Minihan emphasizes that East London historically succeeded as a multicultural melting pot through mutual respect. The current crisis stems from forced integration without respect for British culture, with citizens unable to celebrate St. George's Day or display Union Jacks. Residents aren't racist but demand the same respect they show others.

Government's Failed Migration Response: Over 500 mostly male migrants from anti-women cultures arrive daily, housed in 200+ migrant hotels across England and Wales. The government appears to have no plan for managing the crisis, instead demonizing working-class families as "far right" for raising concerns. Proposed solution: immediate deportation with proper asylum application processes established offshore.

Reform UK as Political Alternative: Orla joined Reform UK after Conservatives lost their way and became "liberal at best." She views Reform as the only party committed to protecting taxpaying citizens and addressing economic collapse, NHS failure, and the unsustainable welfare state where more people claim than contribute.

Elderly Patriots Still Fighting: Pat, an 89-year-old East End native, attends every Epping demonstration, bringing her husband and wheelchair-bound friend. They moved from East End 60 years ago for a better life and fear their great-granddaughters will inherit an unrecognizable country, exemplifying how even the elderly won't accept the destruction of everything they built.

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The FOX News Rundown is the place to find in-depth reporting on the news that impacts you. Each morning, Mike Emanuel, Dave Anthony, Lisa Brady, Jessica Rosenthal, and Chris Foster take a deep dive into the major and controversial stories of the day, tapping into the massive reporting resources of FOX News to provide a full picture of the news. 
 
Plus, every night, The FOX News Rundown: Evening Edition brings you even more coverage of the day's biggest stories and on the weekend, you’ll hear everything that’s going on in the beltway with The FOX News Rundown: From Washington and special uncut, unedited interviews with The FOX News Rundown: Extra. 
 
Each day The FOX News Rundown features insight from top newsmakers, along with FOX News reporters and contributors, plus a daily commentary on a significant issue of the day. Check us out twice a day, every day.

Evening Edition: Are Politics Inspiring Anti-Semitic Violence?

The Fox News Rundown

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The Bondi Beach Hanukkah Attack: A father and son killed 15 people and injured 40 others at a Jewish Hanukkah celebration at Bondi Beach, Australia. Australian authorities confirmed the attackers were motivated by ISIS, finding ISIS flags and unused improvised explosives in their vehicle. Two rabbis were among those killed.

Australian Government's Role in Fostering Anti-Semitism: Rabbi Yaakov Menken criticizes Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese for contributing to rising anti-Semitism by recognizing a Palestinian state after October 7th. Menken argues this was "endorsing extremists" and "justifying murder" rather than merely being silent in the face of extremism, asserting that Australia "justified murder and now they got murder."

"Free Palestine" as Anti-Semitic Hate Speech: Rabbi Menken argues that "Free Palestine" is an anti-Semitic slur comparable to racial slurs, explaining that its goal is genocide—removing all Jews from their homeland. He recounts being accosted three times by people yelling "Free Palestine" at him solely because he is visibly Jewish, including once in the Capitol by Code Pink activists who were filming to instigate confrontation.

Anti-Zionism as Anti-Semitism: The discussion challenges the claim that anti-Zionism is distinct from anti-Semitism. Menken cites an example of an attacker who searched for "Zionist temples" online but then targeted an anti-Zionist rabbi's Hanukkah gathering. He argues that being anti-Israel means opposing the only refuge for persecuted Jews worldwide and uniquely denying Jews the right to a homeland that other ethnic groups possess.

Historical Context of the "Palestine" Name: Menken explains that the name "Palestine" was imposed by Roman colonialists after the Bar Kochba revolt to dissociate Jews from Judea and their holy land. He notes that Arabs were not called Palestinians until after 1948, when Jews discarded this "colonialist moniker" upon establishing Israel.

Online Influencers Spreading Anti-Semitism: The podcast addresses how social media has amplified anti-Semitic messaging through influencers who gain large followings. Menken specifically calls out Tucker Carlson, Candace Owens, and Nick Fuentes, noting ironically that Carlson criticized Pat Buchanan's obsession with Jews in 1999 but now frequently features anti-Semitic guests on his podcast.

Anti-Semitism as Anti-Civilization: Rabbi Menken frames the issue beyond just hatred of Jews, arguing that pro-Hamas/pro-Palestine movements are fundamentally anti-civilization, anti-American, and anti-capitalist. He contrasts pro-Israel demonstrations (which honor police, clean up after themselves, and fly American flags) with pro-Palestine demonstrations (which vandalize property, antagonize police, and burn American flags), suggesting Christians will be next after Jews are targeted.

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Peter Schiff is an economist, financial broker/dealer, author, frequent guest on national news, and host of the Peter Schiff Show Podcast. The podcast focuses on weekly economic data analysis and unbiased coverage of financial news, both in the U.S. and global markets. As entertaining as he is informative, Peter packs decades of brilliant insight into every news item. Join the thousands of fans who have benefited from Peter's commitment to getting the real story out to the world.

Year-End Special: My 2026 Economic and Market Forecasts

The Peter Schiff Show Podcast

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2025 Market Performance and Precious Metals Breakout: The year ended with stocks posting gains (Dow +13%, S&P 500 +16.4%, Nasdaq +20.4%), but precious metals dominated: gold surged 64% to close above $4,300, while silver was the star performer, up over 140% to finish above $71. Silver's rally included a spike to above $83 before pulling back, decisively breaking through the decades-long $50 resistance level. Bitcoin, despite widespread bullish predictions, finished down over 7.5% while MicroStrategy (Strategy) collapsed 47.5% to new 52-week lows.

Silver's Breakout is Not a Blow-Off Top: Unlike the 1980 Hunt Brothers episode (a 50x move with 20% interest rates and a collapsing dollar) or the 2011 top (which failed at $50 resistance after a 10x gain), the current silver rally only tripled from $30 and successfully broke through $50 resistance to reach $84. The pullback to $70 represents a healthy correction, not the end of the bull market. Widespread skepticism about silver's rally—evidenced by silver mining stocks barely rising 2% while silver gained 15%—is actually a bullish indicator.

Trade War Reality: China is Winning: The Chinese yuan strengthened 5% against the dollar in 2025, closing at the year's strongest level, which directly contradicts the promise that China would "eat our tariffs" through currency devaluation. While Chinese exports to the US dropped 30% due to higher prices from tariffs, China's overall exports increased as they redirected sales to other countries. American consumers are bearing the full burden of tariffs through higher prices, not China.

CNBC and Wall Street Missed the Call: Steve Liesman claimed on CNBC that "nobody saw this coming" regarding gold and silver's rally, despite Schiff consistently pounding the table for precious metals throughout the year. Meanwhile, every CNBC guest was bullish on Bitcoin at the start of 2025, which turned out to be one of the only assets to decline for the year.

MicroStrategy's Failed Bitcoin Strategy: Despite spending $50 billion buying Bitcoin over five years and Michael Saylor promoting 30% annual returns, Strategy's average purchase price is $75,000 (only 16% below current levels, about 3% annually). The stock would rank as the sixth-worst performer in the S&P 500 if included, and the company could not liquidate its Bitcoin holdings at current prices without losses. Strategy will likely need to stop buying Bitcoin in 2026 as it depletes its treasury reserves.

2026 Stagflation Forecast: Weak Economy, Strong Inflation: The coming year will disappoint both bulls (who expect strong growth) and bears (who expect weak growth to suppress inflation). The economy will be weaker than expected while inflation accelerates, creating a toxic combination. Tariffs will increasingly filter through to consumer prices, either directly or through reduced corporate earnings, layoffs, and decreased investment—all borne domestically by the US economy.

Federal Reserve Pressure and Renewed QE: The Fed has already quietly returned to quantitative easing without officially acknowledging it. Political pressure will intensify in 2026 (an election year) to slash rates and expand QE, especially with Trump's handpicked Fed chair taking over mid-year. The Fed will rationalize away inflation data while focusing on economic weakness, despite Trump simultaneously claiming the economy is the strongest ever.

Global Bond Bear Market Accelerating: Despite Fed rate cuts, the 10-year Treasury yield remains above 4% and the 30-year approaches 5%. Sovereign bond yields are rising globally, with Japan's 10-year JGB now above 2%. Central banks worldwide are shifting from Treasuries into gold, a trend that will accelerate in 2026 as the US national debt surpasses $40 trillion.

Dollar Hegemony Ending: The current period marks the beginning of the end of US dollar reserve currency status. The dollar's days as the global reserve are numbered, which will end America's "exorbitant privilege" of creating dollars to buy goods it doesn't produce. This represents a major shift where the US can no longer live beyond its means while the rest of the world can redirect savings toward productive domestic investment rather than financing US consumption.

2026 Investment Outlook: Foreign Assets to Outperform: The outperformance of US markets is ending while foreign market outperformance is beginning. The Dow Jones will likely outperform the Nasdaq as tech weakens. Emerging markets, commodities (especially precious metals and energy), and foreign stocks will be the winners. Money will flow out of US dollars and stocks into these alternatives, similar to the current flows from Treasuries into gold and silver.

Precious Metals Mining Stocks Poised for Breakout: Despite gold and silver's massive gains, mining stocks underperformed in 2025, suggesting significant upside potential. In 2026, these companies will report blowout earnings that grab Wall Street's attention, leading to share buybacks and higher dividends. Money flowing out of collapsing crypto investments will find its way into undervalued gold and silver mining stocks.

Trump's Contradictory Economic Messaging: Trump simultaneously claims the US has "the strongest economy in history" while demanding the Fed slash interest rates and threatening to sue Powell. This contradiction reveals either that Trump knows the economy is weaker than he admits (and needs rate cuts to prevent a crisis) or creates confusion about why the Fed should cut rates if the economy is truly strong. The political pressure for rate cuts despite high inflation will intensify heading into the 2026 midterms.

Midterm Election Consequences: Voters elected Trump expecting solutions to economic problems, but when those problems worsen by the 2026 midterms, Trump will shift from "part of the solution" to "part of the problem." The party in power typically loses midterm seats, especially with a weak economy where the president claims everything is great while voters struggle with higher costs and debt. Democrats will likely recapture seats as voter disappointment grows.

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“Mad Money” takes viewers inside the mind of one of Wall Street’s most respected and successful money managers for free. Cramer is listeners’ personal guide through the confusing jungle of Wall Street investing, navigating through opportunities and pitfalls with one goal in mind—to help you make money. “Mad Money” features the unmatched, fiery opinions of Jim Cramer and the popular Lightning Round, in which he gives his buy, sell and hold opinions on stocks to callers.

Mad Money w/ Jim Cramer 12/31/25

Mad Money w/ Jim Cramer

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The Concept of Suitability in Investing: Jim Cramer introduces the fundamental concept of suitability - ensuring investments match your age, risk tolerance, and temperament rather than chasing what's working today. He learned this lesson early in his career at Goldman Sachs when an executive explained that recommending hot stocks without considering whether they fit the individual investor was inappropriate. Unlike other consumer goods that can be returned, stocks come with no guarantees, making it crucial to understand what you're buying.

Starting Investment Accounts for Newborns: For babies and young children, parents should open UGMA (Uniform Gift to Minors Act) accounts and start saving immediately to maximize compounding over time. Cramer recommends cheap S&P 500 index fund ETFs as the foundation, plus at least one dividend aristocrat stock for income (like Procter & Gamble or PepsiCo) and one high-quality growth stock (like Apple, Nvidia, Tesla, or Meta). An unconventional suggestion is buying gold or silver as insurance against inflation, stored properly in a safety deposit box.

Teaching Kids About Investing Through Consumer Brands: Rather than picking stocks based on technical indicators or momentum, children should learn about investing through companies they actually know and use. Buy them shares in companies whose products they interact with daily - toy makers like Hasbro, Disney for theme parks, McDonald's or Chipotle for fast food, Johnson & Johnson for Band-Aids, or Kimberly-Clark for Kleenex. This creates a tangible connection between ownership and the businesses they encounter.

Learning from Teenage Preferences: Teenagers can be invaluable sources of investment ideas based on their consumer behavior, even if they don't want to discuss stocks directly. Cramer's biggest winners came from observing his daughters' preferences - Domino's app-based ordering, Apple products as fashion accessories and ecosystem lock-in, Google as the default search engine, Netflix for entertainment, Facebook/Instagram's effective advertising, and Chipotle's fresh organic options. Kids naturally identify emerging trends before they become obvious to older investors.

The Index Fund Foundation: While Cramer teaches stock picking, he strongly advocates that the first $10,000 of savings from your first job should go into an S&P 500 index fund before buying individual stocks. This provides protection against the risk of one bad stock destroying your nest egg early in your investing life. He sees index funds and individual stock picking as complementary strategies rather than mutually exclusive approaches, despite index fund proselytizers being "fundamentalists" about their superiority.

Age-Based Risk Tolerance and Asset Allocation: Investment strategy should evolve with age. In your 20s, take maximum risk with growth stocks since you have time to recover from losses. By late 20s, limit speculative growth stocks to 20% of your portfolio. Start adding dividend-focused investments gradually in your 30s. Don't introduce bonds until your 40s, and even then sparingly - Cramer prefers high-yielding dividend stocks over bonds. Only in your 60s should bonds reach 50% of your portfolio, increasing 10% per decade thereafter.

The Danger of Bonds for Long Life Expectancy: Cramer strongly warns against buying bonds too early in life, calling it "betting against your life." With people living longer and needing money for potential long-term care, loading up on bonds in your 50s and 60s can leave you broke later. Stocks have historically outperformed bonds over long periods, and a 30-year time horizon doesn't justify significant bond allocation. This puts him at odds with conventional financial advisors.

The Importance of Technical Analysis: Charts and technical indicators like RSI (Relative Strength Index) and MACD are integral to investment decisions because other investors use them. Cramer doesn't like buying stocks with poor chart patterns and recommends Larry Williams as a resource for learning technical analysis. However, technical analysis should complement fundamental analysis rather than replace it, and beginners can reference his book "Get Rich Carefully" for guidance.

Taking Losses vs. Being Stubborn: The key distinction is whether company fundamentals have deteriorated versus simply being unable to emotionally handle a loss. Take a loss when structural issues emerge at the company or industry level, not just because the stock price has declined. Some of the best investments have been "losers" that recovered, so you need to differentiate between broken stocks and broken companies before making the decision to sell.

The Evolution of Investment Research: Cramer contrasts his experience in the 1980s - accessing months-old research on microfiche at Harvard Business School library, leaving stock tips on answering machines - with today's instant access to information online. The democratization of information means the old "hour per week per stock" homework rule is outdated. Now investors can Google endless articles, read conference call transcripts, and get research pushed to them, or join the CNBC Investing Club for curated analysis.

College Years and 401(k) vs. IRA Decisions: Cramer doesn't expect college students to save anything due to high costs, viewing it as a "total hardship." Once in the workforce, prioritize saving through retirement accounts, preferably a self-directed IRA over employer 401(k) plans. IRAs allow you to pick individual stocks rather than being limited to high-fee options chosen by employers, giving you more control over your investments and potentially better returns.

The CNBC Investing Club as Educational Tool: Throughout the episode, Cramer promotes the CNBC Investing Club as the venue for in-depth stock analysis and homework that complements Mad Money. The club uses his Charitable Trust portfolio as a teaching example (with restrictions to prevent conflicts of interest) and provides detailed research to help members make informed decisions. He positions himself as "input" - an important resource but not the only factor in investment decisions.
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Listening to the news can feel like a journey. But 1A guides you beyond the headlines – and cuts through the noise. Let's get to the heart of the story, together – on 1A. Support NPR and get your news sponsor-free with 1A+. Learn more at plus.npr.org/the1a

Best Of: Finding Agency In Chaos

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Finding Balance Through Intentional News Consumption: In today's chaotic information environment, establishing boundaries around news intake is crucial for mental wellbeing. Drawing from the model of 1970s news consumption—morning and evening newspapers plus brief radio updates—experts recommend avoiding news first thing in the morning and before bed, particularly when it's dark outside, as this vulnerability can amplify anxiety and prevent quality sleep.

Self-Efficacy as a Psychological Foundation: Self-efficacy, or the belief that your actions matter even in difficult situations, provides the psychological basis for agency. While macro-level events may feel beyond our control, focusing on micro-level choices and actions that fill us up emotionally can help restore a sense of meaning and control in chaotic times.

Connection to Nature as an Antidote to Modern Life: Engaging with the natural world at the pace of our bodies—through walking, breathing, and observing—offers a powerful counter to 21st-century speed and overwhelm. This doesn't require extensive outdoor space; nature exists everywhere, from house sparrows nesting in city buildings to clouds passing overhead. The key is slowing down, removing earbuds, and being present enough to notice wildlife that actively hides from us.

Building Strong Community Bonds: Grounding in relationships and developing community connections is essential for managing stress and maintaining mental health. This includes both close friendships and "loose social ties" like neighborhood walking groups, monthly potlucks with standing dates, or regular gatherings at local third spaces like the YMCA. These connections provide crucial support networks during difficult times.

The Power of Small Creative Practices: Small moments of creativity and joy—listening to jazz instead of news during commutes, knitting, puzzles, watching feel-good TV, or playing piano—aren't escapes from reality but ways to protect our humanity. These practices enable us to stay engaged with important issues without being consumed by them, allowing us to be more present and effective when we do engage.

Community Organizing as Both Purpose and Connection: Political organizing provides dual benefits: working toward meaningful change while building deep relationships with others. As demonstrated by trans rights organizing in West Virginia, effective advocacy centers both resistance against oppression and celebration of community joy, creating spaces where marginalized people can feel safe, seen, and beautiful despite attacks on their existence.

Historical Perspective as a Source of Resilience: Looking to past movements—civil rights, ACT UP, Stonewall—reminds us that marginalized communities have survived worse and made tremendous progress. This historical grounding provides both inspiration and proof that collective action works, helping current organizers maintain hope and persistence.

The Transformative Power of Love and Care: Rather than centering organizing solely around fighting injustice, grounding activism in love for community members creates more sustainable motivation. This means checking in on people after difficult news, celebrating the beauty of marginalized identities, and creating events focused on joy rather than only trauma narratives.

Starting Small with Time Management: Building agency doesn't require clearing your schedule or making dramatic changes. Setting aside just 15 minutes daily for something meaningful—whether creative work, organizing, or connecting with nature—is self-reinforcing and often naturally expands. The time spent on phones often reveals how much time is actually available for more fulfilling activities.

Removing Rather Than Adding Tasks: Instead of adding more to already overwhelming to-do lists, take one or two tasks off and replace them with activities that feel good—moving your body, creating art, or calling an old friend. This reframing shifts focus from productivity to wellbeing and makes building agency feel achievable rather than burdensome.

Random Acts of Kindness as Daily Practice: Small gestures like buying someone a cookie they're admiring, letting people go ahead in line, being extra kind to stressed service workers, or giving generous tips create genuine smiles and connections that lift both giver and receiver, building hope through everyday interactions.

Using Skills for Community Benefit: Applying personal hobbies and skills to help others—like refurbishing bikes for kids' school programs or volunteering with local organizations—combines self-care time with meaningful contribution, creating feelings of purpose while engaging in enjoyable activities that provide mental breaks from overwhelming news cycles.
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Motley Fool Money is a daily podcast for stock investors. 
Weekday episodes offer a long-term perspective on business news with The Motley Fool's investment analysts. Weekend shows are a mix of investing classes and longer-form interviews.
The show is hosted by Dylan Lewis, Ricky Mulvey, and Mary Long.

3 Stocks We Love in 2026

Motley Fool Money

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Space Sector Momentum and Investment Opportunities: The space sector had an exceptional 2025 with the Arc Space and Defense Innovation ETF up 50%, and momentum is expected to continue into 2026 driven by SpaceX's anticipated IPO at a rumored $1.5 trillion valuation. This massive valuation could make other space stocks appear more reasonably valued by comparison.

Rocket Lab as the Space Sector Leader: Rocket Lab (RKLB) stands out as the top publicly traded space investment, with its Neutron rocket launch expected between Q1 and Q2 of 2026 being a critical milestone. The company has built a strong track record and aims to get their launches right the first time, unlike SpaceX's iterative approach of launching until they succeed.

Redwire as a High-Risk, High-Reward Space Play: Redwire (RDW) manufactures critical components for space applications and drones, including solar panels and other fundamental building blocks needed for space missions. Trading at 1/30th the price-to-sales multiple of Rocket Lab, the company acquired Edge Autonomy to diversify into drones and move toward profitability, though it carries significant risk and could potentially go to zero.

Space Industry Long-Term Viability Concerns: While many space technologies can pass the first hurdle of proving they work scientifically, the critical challenge is whether they can become long-term profitable businesses. Potential applications beyond communications include data centers in space leveraging solar power and pharmaceutical experiments in zero gravity, though the killer app may be something mundane not yet envisioned.

TransMedics Revolutionizing Organ Transplantation: TransMedics Group (TMDX) has pioneered a new standard for organ transplantation with their Organ Care System (OCS), the only FDA-approved portable multi-organ platform for hearts, lungs, and livers. Unlike traditional cold storage methods, the OCS perfuses organs with warm oxygenated blood, allowing hearts to beat and lungs to breathe during transport, extending viable transport time and distance.

TransMedics' Vertically Integrated Business Model: After acquiring Summit Aviation in 2023, TransMedics now operates its own fleet of approximately 21 aircraft, controlling the entire transportation chain. This vertical integration, combined with their technology advantage, has given them over half the market share in the U.S. and enables high-margin recurring revenue from transplant fees and single-use plastic capsules required for each procedure.

TransMedics Clinical Trial Catalysts: Two major clinical trials are expected to drive future growth - one focused on further lung transplant market adoption, and the largest heart preservation trial ever with over 650 patients. Additional FDA approvals for broader use cases of their OCS system would be key growth drivers, though scaling the transportation business and potential government healthcare reimbursement changes present challenges.

Hims & Hers as Healthcare Disruptor: Hims & Hers (HIMS) operates outside traditional insurance channels and has scaled controversial but legal compounding facilities to provide affordable healthcare solutions. Starting with ED and hair loss treatments, they've expanded into weight loss, testosterone, perimenopause, and are moving toward longevity treatments, with a business model that aggregates consumer demand similar to Netflix or Amazon.

GLP-1 Weight Loss Controversy and Opportunity: While GLP-1 weight loss products represent only about 20% of Hims & Hers' business, they've significantly moved the stock and attracted over 30% short interest. The company faced complications when Novo Nordisk backed out of an agreement over concerns about compounded medications, though notably neither Novo Nordisk nor Eli Lilly has sued Hims & Hers despite legal action against other compounders.

AI Integration in Healthcare Delivery: Hims & Hers is incorporating AI to process complex health data that human doctors cannot efficiently handle, such as real-time data from wearable devices like Garmin watches. This represents a meaningful application of AI in healthcare beyond just marketing hype, potentially enabling more personalized and data-driven medical decisions at scale.

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Listen to FREE podcast versions of Rebel News livestreams and premium shows, The Ezra Levant Show and The Gunn Show with Sheila Gunn Reid.
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SHEILA GUNN REID | New Year's Eve '12 Days of Cringemas' Special

Rebel News Podcast

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This is a special "12 Days of Cringemas" episode where hosts Sheila Gunn Reid and Lise Merle review the most cringeworthy moments from Canadian politicians and public figures throughout 2025. The episode is a compilation of their "Daily Cringe" segment from the Rebel Roundup show.

Canada's Top General Apologizes for Systemic Racism: The hosts critique a tearful apology from Canada's military leadership for systemic racism while the armed forces face recruitment crises, retention problems, and equipment shortages. They argue the military should focus on operational readiness rather than DEI initiatives.

Drag Queen Sermon in Canadian Church: A United Church of Canada service features a drag queen performing and encouraging parishioners, including children, to explore cross-dressing. The hosts note the absence of Christian symbols like crosses while rainbow imagery is prominent, criticizing this as a violation of religious principles in favor of self-gratification.

Alberta NDP MLA Janice Irwin's Barefoot Alley Dance: Edmonton MLA Janice Irwin is shown dancing barefoot in an Edmonton alley with multiple cameras present. The hosts mock this as taxpayer-funded nonsense and inappropriate behavior from a public official, comparing her unfavorably to American counterparts.

Mark Carney and Diana Fox Carney's Awkward Dancing: The Liberal leadership candidate and his wife are shown doing uncomfortable, jerky dance moves at a public event. The hosts describe it as having "zero rizz" and mock Toronto-area voters for supporting such uncharismatic politicians.

Justin Trudeau's Trade War Strategy: Clips show Trudeau announcing Doug Ford as Canada's point person with Americans while dismissing Alberta Premier Danielle Smith. The hosts argue this strategy backfired spectacularly, with retaliatory tariffs harming Canadian industries while Trump administration remained hostile.

Doug Ford Calls Trump a Tyrant: Ontario Premier Doug Ford repeatedly calls President Trump a "tyrant" and insults American companies during trade negotiations. The hosts criticize this approach as counterproductive during a trade war, noting it damaged Canadian automotive and steel sectors.

Doug Ford's Crown Royal Stunt: Ford attempts to pour out a bottle of Crown Royal whiskey in protest, not realizing it has a slow-flow cap and is bottled in Manitoba, not owned by the French company he's protesting. The hosts mock the failed theatrical gesture.

Toronto Mayor Olivia Chow's Festival Dancing: Multiple clips show Mayor Chow dancing in revealing outfits at Caribbean festivals while Toronto faces serious urban problems. The hosts criticize this as exemplifying "selfie culture" in politics where appearing fun on social media takes priority over governing.

Elizabeth May's Musical Performances: Green Party leader Elizabeth May is shown singing Joni Mitchell's "Big Yellow Taxi" on camera and making statements calling Americans "white supremacists" and "misogynists" during trade tensions. The hosts describe her as having a pathological need to perform for cameras.

Elizabeth May on the Ostrich Cull Controversy: May discusses refusing to support protecting ostriches from culling because American "MAGA billionaires" support the birds, saying it makes her "sympathize with the ostriches less." The hosts note she's letting political affiliations determine her animal welfare positions.

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The Unicorn Roast podcast features sparkling conversation between journalists Mike Elgan and Emily Forlini about technology, culture and our fast-changing world. SUBSCRIBE to Unicorn Roast on Spotify, Apple, YouTube, Overcast, Pocket Casts, Podcast Republic, Podcast Addict or wherever you get your podcasts! <a href="https://www.unicornroast.com?utm_medium=podcast">www.unicornroast.com</a>

New Year’s Resolution: To Make My Phone Boring

Unicorn Roast

Superintelligent

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Tech New Year's Resolutions: Mike and Emily kick off 2025 by sharing their tech-related resolutions. Mike is focused on reducing the weight of his travel gear, which had reached 70 pounds, by switching from a MacBook Pro to a MacBook Air, ditching his heavy iPad for a mobile keyboard paired with his phone, and upgrading to the ultra-light iPhone 17 Slim. Emily's resolution centers on reducing screen time and changing her relationship with social media by experimenting with grayscale mode on her iPhone, which makes the phone less stimulating and naturally discourages endless scrolling.

The Grayscale Strategy for Digital Detox: Emily discusses the growing trend of people using grayscale mode or even switching to flip phones to combat smartphone addiction. She explains how putting your phone in black and white makes it boring and less appealing, naturally reducing usage time. Mike shares that a winemaker friend uses this technique by switching to grayscale at a specific time each day, finding it highly effective for evening screen time reduction.

Social Media Content Strategy vs. Consumption: The hosts debate whether Emily should delete social apps from her phone entirely, but she explains her competing goal of posting more TikTok content. Mike argues that modern social media success is less about follower counts and more about capturing the algorithm's attention through viral clips. He notes that even mega-famous people now hire specialists to create viral clips rather than focusing on building large followings.

The Fall of iRobot and Chinese Competition: Mike discusses how iRobot, maker of the Roomba vacuum, went bankrupt despite being a pioneer in home robotics. The culprit was Chinese manufacturers who created equally good products at half the price, a pattern that repeats across many tech industries. This phenomenon of "Chinese slow followers" represents a significant challenge for Western tech innovators who invest in product development.

Humanoid Robots vs. Specialized Robotics: The conversation explores two competing visions for home automation. One is the humanoid robot approach exemplified by 1X Neo, which costs $20,000-25,000 and promises to walk around performing household tasks like folding laundry and mowing lawns. Mike expresses skepticism about this approach, noting it seems designed to hijack our human nature by giving robots faces and human-like features.

The Concept of Ambient Robotics: Mike introduces the term "ambient robotics" to describe a different vision where robots remain out of sight until needed, then appear to help and disappear again. This approach, being pioneered by Carnegie Mellon researcher Violet Han, uses cameras and AI to watch users and anticipate their needs, with small robotic devices emerging from walls or cupboards only when required.

Carnegie Mellon's Kitchen Innovation: The hosts discuss Carnegie Mellon's research showing trivets (pot holders) that watch someone take a hot dish from the oven and autonomously scurry across the counter to position themselves for the hot item to be set down. This demonstrates how everyday objects could become proactive assistants that anticipate needs without requiring human-shaped robots.

Ambient Robotics in Daily Life: Mike provides creative examples of how ambient robotics could work, including a cat litter box that emerges from a wall when it detects the cat needs it, then automatically cleans itself and retracts; garage tools that roll themselves over when the system sees you working on your bike; and clothes hampers that appear when needed and automatically transport themselves to the laundry room.

Apple AirPods as Ambient Computing Success: Mike praises his AirPods 4 as an example of ambient computing done right. They use AI to automatically pause podcasts and disable noise cancellation when he speaks to someone, then gradually resume both features when the conversation ends. This subtle, behind-the-scenes assistance feels helpful rather than invasive, unlike more obtrusive smart home devices.

Smart Home Fatigue and Disappointment: Emily expresses disillusionment with smart home technology based on personal experience. She describes how Ring doorbells and similar cameras have provided more anxiety than security, with footage of thefts proving useless when police don't act on them. She also notes that devices like Nest thermostats often don't maintain temperature accurately despite their sleek appearance and high cost.

The Hidden Costs of Smart Devices: The hosts discuss how camera doorbells created unexpected problems, including constant notifications about pedestrians walking by, required subscriptions, two-factor authentication issues, and the mental burden of feeling obligated to monitor feeds. Emily contrasts this with a simple $25 self-charging doorbell that solves the basic problem of hearing when someone rings without any of the complexity.

Low-Tech Solutions That Just Work: Emily highlights how her $25 kinetic doorbell (which generates its own power from button presses) proved superior to complicated smart doorbells that required three separate components totaling $90, plus batteries, apps, and subscriptions. This exemplifies a broader theme of overcomplicated technology creating problems rather than solving them, and the value of simple solutions that reliably work.

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9to5Mac Daily is a recap podcast bringing you the latest in Apple news and the top 9to5Mac stories every Monday through Friday.

What’s next for Apple Fitness+?

9to5Mac Daily

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Apple Fitness+ teases major 2026 announcement: Apple posted a cryptic teaser on Instagram featuring trainers reading a mock newspaper with headlines about "major moves for 2026" and "January will be one to watch." While no specific details were revealed, the timing is notable given recent reports that Apple Fitness+ was under internal review as one of Apple's least popular services with high churn rates. However, the company recently expanded the service to 28 new markets using AI-powered voice dubbing, signaling that despite challenges, Apple Fitness+ is here to stay.

iPhone 17 Pro users reporting hissing sound when charging: Multiple iPhone 17 Pro and Pro Max users have reported hearing a static or hissing noise when their devices are charging, similar to an old radio. The issue has been documented on Reddit and Apple's support community since September and persists through iOS 26.2. Some users hear it when playing audio at low volumes, while others hear it with no audio playing at all. Replacing devices has helped some users but not others, and there's currently no evidence Apple is working on a fix, though iOS 26.3 could potentially address it.

CarPlay Ultra adoption remains uncertain and limited: First announced at WWDC 2022, next-generation CarPlay (CarPlay Ultra) has faced significant delays and partner attrition. While Apple originally promised Porsche and Aston Martin would launch it in 2024, only Aston Martin has implemented it as of May this year. Several automakers initially on Apple's partner list—including Mercedes-Benz, Audi, Volvo, Polestar, and Renault—have since abandoned their plans. The current confirmed partner list includes Acura, Aston Martin, Ford, Genesis, Honda, Hyundai, Infiniti, Jaguar, Kia, Land Rover, Lincoln, Nissan, and Porsche, though uncertainty remains about some commitments.

Hyundai Ioniq 3 could bring affordable CarPlay Ultra access: According to Top Gear, Hyundai's upcoming Ioniq 3 EV is expected to support CarPlay Ultra and could launch in early 2026, possibly at the Brussels Motor Show starting January 9th. If confirmed, this would be significant as the vehicle is expected to start around $33,000—making it far more accessible than the $200,000 Aston Martin models that currently offer the technology.

Apple lacks transparency on CarPlay Ultra rollout plans: Apple doesn't provide a public list of committed automakers or timelines for CarPlay Ultra availability beyond Aston Martin. The company hasn't updated its partner information since the original 2022 announcement, leaving consumers and industry observers to piece together information from various sources and speculation about which partnerships remain active.
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The #1 Bitcoin and Crypto news daily show 7 days a week. Your one-stop source for all the latest Cryptocurrency, Ethereum and BTC breaking news. The only podcast where 'stackin' sats' is a way of life. Seeking daily premium content? Then you're in the right place here! Stay informed with the best premium Crypto content on the planet. HODL!

2211: US Strategic Bitcoin Reserve — Supercycle Narrative Accelerates

Crypto News Alerts | Daily Bitcoin (BTC) & Cryptocurrency News

Bitcoin News Alerts | Daily BTC News

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Market Overview and Year-End Performance: Bitcoin ended 2025 trading around $87,500, down significantly from its all-time high of $126,300 hit in early October. The crypto market remained in "extreme fear" throughout Q4, with Bitcoin down 20% since November while traditional assets like gold (+9%) and the S&P 500 (+1%) showed gains. December marked a disappointing close with Bitcoin shedding over $20,000 in a single month during November with no recovery.

Strategy's Aggressive Accumulation Campaign: MicroStrategy accumulated over 22,000 Bitcoin during December alone, bringing their total holdings to 672,479 BTC representing 3.3% of the circulating supply. The company made Bitcoin purchases in 41 separate weeks throughout 2025, more than doubling their activity from 18 weeks in 2024, as they work toward their goal of holding 7.5% of Bitcoin's supply.

Bitcoin ETF Inflows Signal Liquidity Shift: U.S. spot Bitcoin ETFs broke a seven-day outflow streak with $355 million in net inflows, led by BlackRock's IBIT ($144 million), ARK 21Shares ($110 million), and Fidelity ($78 million). Despite this reversal, December overall saw $744 million in net outflows as investors pulled back amid falling prices and thin year-end liquidity.

Global Liquidity Conditions Improving: Analysts including Arthur Hayes indicated that global dollar liquidity likely bottomed in November and has been increasing since. Money supply measurements across major economies are rising, and the Fed is scheduled to inject $8 billion into markets through Treasury bill purchases, suggesting a shift to the bullish side of the liquidity cycle.

Uganda Adopts BitChat During Election Concerns: Ugandan opposition leader Bob Wine promoted Jack Dorsey's decentralized BitChat messaging app ahead of the country's January 2026 elections, citing fears of government Internet blackouts similar to those in 2016 and 2021. The peer-to-peer encrypted platform uses Bluetooth mesh networks and requires no central servers, with downloads spiking from 0 to 100 on Google Trends following Wine's recommendation.

Pakistan Emerges as Potential Crypto Leader: Binance founder CZ predicted Pakistan could become a global crypto leader within five years if current momentum continues. The country has established the Pakistan Virtual Asset Regulatory Authority, permitted exchanges like Binance to operate, built a Bitcoin reserve, and is exploring real-world asset tokenization to attract foreign investment.

US Strategic Bitcoin Reserve as Price Catalyst: Market analysts identified a potential U.S. Strategic Bitcoin Reserve under the Trump administration as a key catalyst that could drive Bitcoin to $150,000 or higher in 2026. Various Wall Street predictions range from JPMorgan's $170,000 target to Fundstrat's Thomas Lee projecting $250,000, with some bulls like Arthur Hayes, Adam Back, and Max Keiser suggesting prices could reach $1 million.

Institutional Accumulation Patterns Shifting: Large Bitcoin holders and whales showed flat to negative accumulation during the second half of 2025, while small wallets aggressively accumulated through the October all-time high before selling off. Historically, bullish patterns emerge when large wallets accumulate while retail dumps, suggesting the current market structure may need to shift before the next major rally.

Real World Assets Surpass DEXs: Real World Assets (RWAs) overtook decentralized exchanges with $19 billion in distributed asset value, including $8.7 billion in U.S. Treasury debt, $3.5 billion in commodities, $2.6 billion in institutional alternative funds, and $2.1 billion in private credit, demonstrating growing institutional adoption of tokenized traditional assets.

Security Concerns Persist in Growing Market: Crypto exploits totaled $22.5 million in December alone, while Chainalysis reported crypto thefts hit $3.4 billion for the full year. As the industry becomes more mainstream, hackers and scammers are increasingly targeting investors and protocols, highlighting ongoing security challenges.

Historical Context Supports Recovery Potential: Bitcoin's historical performance shows strong recovery potential, with seven years achieving triple-digit percentage returns. Analysts suggest 2026 may resemble 2019, when Bitcoin appreciated 95% following the dismal 2018 bear market, supported by institutional interest, macroeconomic uncertainty, and similarities to previous cycle patterns.
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Fortnightly narratives on the unsolved and the unexplained, mysteries, historical true crime, touches of the paranormal and cultural peculiarities.

Christmas Campfire 2025 (Part 2)

Dark Histories

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Introduction and Holiday Greetings: Host Ben Cutmore opens with New Year's wishes, explaining the episode arrived later than planned due to extended family time over Christmas. He shares how he spent the holidays playing games, including a murder mystery case file game, and emphasizes his hope that 2026 will be easier than 2025.

The Mining Community Haunting: Matthew from northeast England shares his father's story from the 1970s-80s about a family moving into a two-bedroom house in a small mining community. The three brothers sharing a room would hear distinct footsteps and creaking floorboards on the hallway landing at night, which they rationalized as their parents moving about. Years later, they learned the previous occupant, Mr. Swan, had committed suicide on that very hallway landing.

Ghost Hosts on a Snowy Night: Ryan recounts his grandmother's story from the late 1920s or early 1930s about a young couple traveling through Pennsylvania during a severe snowstorm. They found shelter with a kind elderly couple in a farmhouse who fed them and gave them lodging. The husband left a gold coin as thanks. After the holidays, they returned with gifts but found the house abandoned and derelict. A gas station attendant confirmed the elderly couple had been dead for 30 years, yet inside the ruined house, the gold coin still sat on the dusty table.

The Victorian Police Station: Jack, a police officer from west London, describes his experiences at an old Victorian station with a basement full of disused cells. Officers would regularly hear unexplained banging sounds—one sharp hit like someone smacking a cell door. The story goes that a violent drunk died in one of the cells after banging and shouting all night, possibly from terror of something in the cell with him. Even after the building was renovated into office space and the basement sealed off, workers still report hearing the banging from beneath their feet.

The Unexplained Mattress Depression: Darren from Saskatchewan describes waking up one February morning in his bedroom, lying in bed fully conscious with a t-shirt draped over his eyes (his habit for complete darkness). He felt a distinct depression on the mattress beside him, as if someone had sat down on the bed. When he removed the t-shirt, no one was there, and his wife was still sleeping in their daughter's room. He emphasizes this was definitely not sleep paralysis, which he has experienced before.

The Dream Message from Beyond: Steph shares a deeply personal story about her ex-partner who died by suicide after struggling with mental health and alcoholism. Six months later, she dreamed of manifesting his spirit in her bedroom, where he cryptically told her there are only two places to go after death—he went to one, she'd go to another. In the dream, she also received a text from his 14-year-old daughter saying they were okay. Days later, Steph learned the daughter had also taken her life around the time of the dream.

The Haunted Loft and Family Farewell: Andy shares two stories from northeast England. As a child playing Doom on his computer in a converted loft, a door leading to the eaves suddenly slammed shut with tremendous force despite being open at nearly 180 degrees. Years later, while cleaning his deceased aunt's house with family, multiple people independently felt a hand gently rest on their shoulder—Andy and both his sisters all experienced this sensation on the same day, which they interpreted as their aunt giving them a comforting goodbye.

The Venezuelan Medium: Doug describes a 1995 trip from Merida, Venezuela to see a medium by a desert river. The medium said the Lord's Prayer, then threw a lit cigar in the air which landed perfectly upright "like a rocket." She cut her tongue with a razor blade until it bled, then channeled three distinct entities—a middle-aged woman, a young man, and an old man—each with completely different voices and mannerisms. Despite the vivid memory of the experience, Doug cannot remember a single word any of the entities told him.

The Active Spirits at the Rust Belt Bar: Lindsay describes cleaning a lakeside club bar in a Lake Erie community where founding members' photos from the 1800s line the walls. Her teenage son heard and discovered a brass bingo ball mixer with its handle slowly turning itself. Weeks later, the electronic jukebox turned on at full volume and played three consecutive sea shanties before abruptly shutting off and never making another sound during years of daily cleanings. Lindsay felt the presence wanted them to know it was there, though she never felt truly menaced.

The Haunted Desert Hotel: Amanda recounts a 2018 Memorial Day weekend stay at an art deco hotel in Borrego Springs, California. Despite the dining room below their suite being closed for renovations, she and her husband heard music and party sounds throughout the evening. When Amanda stepped out briefly, she returned to find herself locked out with her husband inexplicably fast asleep. The next morning, staff confirmed the dining room was under renovation and no party had occurred. Their seven-year-old son conducted his own "investigation" and gleefully concluded they'd stayed at a haunted hotel, particularly noting the property advertised itself as adults-only.

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As The Sunday Times’ West Coast Correspondent, Danny Fortson has witnessed the technological whirlwind coming from Silicon Valley first hand.&nbsp;The Times' Technology Business Editor Katie Prescott has reported on how digital technology is transforming businesses and society around the world. Now, 'Danny in the Valley' meets 'Katie in the City', with a podcast presented from San Francisco and London. Each week sees a fresh interview with pioneers in tech, from the brightest start-ups to the tech giants, as Katie and Danny chronicle the AI revolution.<hr> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.

Holiday Special! Part 2: Has AI already taken your job?

The Times Tech Podcast

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Autonomous Vehicles Making Real Progress: Self-driving cars are becoming increasingly viable, with companies like Waymo and Wave demonstrating significant advances. Wave's AI learns driving behaviors rather than following pre-programmed rules, enabling it to interpret pedestrian body language and navigate complex urban environments. The technology has expanded to over 70 cities in the last 90 days, driving on everything from German autobahns to downtown Tokyo streets, signaling that autonomous transport is transitioning from science project to reality.

The Rise of AI Wearables and Digital Companions: The wearables market is moving beyond fitness tracking into AI companionship territory. Friend.com represents this trend with a pendant that acts as an always-listening AI companion, learning about users' lives and providing constant interaction. Statistics show 4% of ChatGPT users already use it for companionship or therapy—roughly 16 million people weekly—and surveys indicate 25% of people under 40 are open to AI romantic relationships, suggesting a significant cultural shift in how humans relate to technology.

No-Code Development Democratizing Software Creation: Companies like Lovable are revolutionizing software development by enabling anyone to create apps and websites without coding knowledge. Dubbed potentially "the last piece of software," these AI-powered platforms allow users to describe what they want and have it built automatically. Lovable achieved a $1.8 billion valuation shortly after launch, demonstrating massive market demand for tools that democratize software creation beyond traditional engineering skills.

AI Transforming the Legal Profession: Goldman Sachs predicts 44% of legal services could be automated by AI, and companies like Luminance are leading this transformation. Their contract analysis bots can perform in seconds what would take junior lawyers all day, reviewing contracts, flagging risks, and suggesting changes. The shift represents a fundamental change in how legal work is structured, with AI handling repetitive tasks while humans focus on complex, high-value matters requiring judgment and expertise.

The White-Collar Job Crisis: Unlike previous technological disruptions that primarily affected manufacturing workers, AI is creating what Klarna's CEO calls an "AI-induced recession" targeting white-collar jobs. Klarna reduced its workforce from 7,000 to 3,500, with their customer service AI handling work previously done by 700 people. Anthropic's CEO predicts 50% of entry-level white-collar jobs could disappear within five years, completely reversing the pattern from 1990s recessions where blue-collar workers bore the brunt of layoffs.

The Paradox of Human Value in an AI World: While AI automates routine tasks, human interaction is becoming more valuable as a premium offering. Klarna found that as AI handles basic customer service, human support becomes a VIP feature customers will pay more for—similar to how handcrafted goods became more valuable after mass manufacturing. This suggests a future where human expertise shifts from routine execution to high-touch, complex problem-solving and genuine personal connection.

Europe's AI Ambitions Through Mistral: France is positioning itself as Europe's AI leader through companies like Mistral, the continent's only frontier AI company building large language models. With an $11.7 billion valuation, Mistral represents Europe's attempt to compete with Silicon Valley giants. Founder Arthur Mensch emphasizes keeping humans "in the loop" and warns against "descaling"—people becoming lazy and passive—arguing that AI should drive human intelligence further rather than replace it.

Salesforce's Vision of Digital Labor: Marc Benioff envisions a future where CEOs lead combined human-AI workforces, with AI agents and robots serving as "digital labor." Despite laying off 4,000 employees, he argues AI can expand opportunities, citing Gucci's augmented call center where revenue increased 30% because agents could sell products they previously lacked expertise to recommend. He predicts robots will soon escort passengers through airports, providing personalized service impossible with current human staffing levels.

The Chess Problem and Human Nature: Despite AI achieving superhuman chess ability in just eight hours, people still watch human chess players compete, illustrating a fundamental truth about human nature. Delphi's founder argues this proves humans still matter—that for 300,000 years people have found meaning in other humans, and this won't change regardless of AI capabilities. This insight challenges Silicon Valley's "hyper-optimization" mindset that assumes humans will eventually become unnecessary.

Digital Clones and the Model of the Mind: Companies like Delphi are creating AI versions of individuals that can scale their presence across multiple interactions. Rather than focusing on the underlying AI models, they're developing "mind architecture"—systems that represent how someone's beliefs change over time, their certainties and uncertainties, and how they behave in different situations. The vision includes minds simulating conversations with other minds to predict optimal collaborations and interactions.

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A dive into the top headlines in Chicago, delivering the news you need in 10 minutes or less multiple times a day from WBBM Newsradio.

Cook County Health prepares for loss of ACA subsidies

Chicago All Local

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ACA Tax Credits Expiring: Enhanced tax credits for Affordable Care Act marketplace insurance are set to expire, affecting approximately 300,000 Cook County residents who get health insurance through ACA marketplaces, with 90% of them currently benefiting from these subsidies.

Expected Health System Impact: Cook County Health officials anticipate that many patients will let their insurance coverage lapse due to unaffordability, leading them to delay routine medical care until emergencies arise and they need emergency room services.

Inefficient and Costly Care Delivery: Chief Medical Officer Dr. Lauren Smith warns that delivering routine care through emergency rooms is the most expensive and least efficient method of healthcare delivery, with costs ultimately being shared across the entire healthcare system.

County Health System Preparations: Cook County Health is preparing to redirect resources to emergency rooms and urgent care clinics, with plans to increase staffing levels if necessary to handle the anticipated surge in uninsured patients seeking emergency care.
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The simplest questions often have the most complex answers. The Philosopher's Zone is your guide through the strange thickets of logic, metaphysics and ethics.

What's the time? Indigenous temporalities and the 'Everywhen'

Philosopher's Zone

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Indigenous Temporality as a Challenge to Settler Colonialism: Bronte Gosper, a Wiradjuri filmmaker and scholar, explores how Indigenous understandings of time differ fundamentally from Western linear time, and how colonial time operates as a form of possession and control alongside land. She argues that Indigenous temporalities shouldn't be seen as separate cultural curiosities but as practical ways of thinking that could benefit all of society, particularly in addressing issues like climate change and sustainability.

The Problem of Indigenous Testimony and Symbolic Listening: Indigenous testimonies, particularly those collected in reports like Bringing Them Home, are often framed by the state as moments of "national reckoning" that allow closure without meaningful action. This "performance of symbolic listening" relegates injustice to the past and promises change in the future, while erasing the present where actual change must happen. The state contains Indigenous grief through listening exercises but avoids monetary compensation or structural change.

Australia's Treatment of Indigenous Issues as Symbolic Rather Than Material: Gosper's experience studying in the United States, where she encountered spaces where whiteness wasn't the overwhelming majority, highlighted how Australia treats Indigenous concerns as symbolic gestures rather than material realities. She found it freeing to be in environments where Indigenous and Black people had carved out spaces for work that wasn't always in conversation with a white audience.

The Tension of Being Subject and Explainer: Indigenous scholars face constant pressure to make their stories legible to non-Indigenous audiences while simultaneously being treated as representatives of a monolithic Indigenous identity. There's an expectation that Indigenous testimony will always involve suffering and that Indigenous people must both tell their stories and explain them, which creates exhausting dual roles and colonial pressures.

The "Everywhen" and Layered Time: W.E.H. Stanner's concept of the "Everywhen" describes the temporal logic of the Dreaming as layered rather than linear, where past, present, and future inform each other. The Dreaming isn't a mystical concept outside time but practical stories that help understand the present and future while generating obligations to the world, demonstrating an awakening or paying attention rather than unconscious dreaming.

Colonial Time's Strategic Deferral of Justice: The settler state claims the future through constant deferral, with each new government minister resetting time and requiring communities to prove their need repeatedly. Protest slogans like "still here" and "always was" are particularly disruptive because they challenge the assumption that the future is inevitably settler, while the state maintains power by ensuring that promised Indigenous futures never actually arrive.

Turning Away from the World as Political Action: Drawing on Tyrone Palmer's concept, "turning away from the world" doesn't mean abandoning activism but refusing to accept the terms offered by current systems that only understand value in symbolic or short-term ways. It means reorienting away from what currently exists toward something else, which is itself an assertion of Indigenous sovereignty and a practical demand for governments to change how they think about time.

Indigenous Affairs as Inseparable from All Social Issues: The treatment of Indigenous affairs as separate from other policy areas is a fundamental mistake. Issues like housing, climate change, and resource extraction are Indigenous issues happening in the present, not just historical matters to be addressed. The government's tendency to discuss Indigenous affairs separately from mainstream policy discussions perpetuates the problem of seeing these as distinct rather than interconnected concerns.

Short-Termism and Australia's Inability to Relate to Time: Australia's focus on industries like mining demonstrates a fundamental inability to consider long-term consequences or relate properly to time. This short-termism with every election cycle affects not just Indigenous affairs but nearly every major issue facing the country, representing a colonial way of thinking that prioritizes immediate extraction over sustainable futures.

The Need for Nuanced Indigenous Representation in Media: Gosper is working on TV and film projects featuring Indigenous characters who are complicated, sometimes wrong, sometimes right, rather than serving as avatars of suffering or mirrors for white society. She emphasizes the importance of Indigenous writers creating nuanced portrayals, particularly in regional stories, that move beyond the limited representations typically seen in non-Indigenous productions.

Colonization as Harmful to Everyone: While colonization has materially benefited many white people, as a fundamental way of thinking about the world it has been harmful to all. The extractive, short-term colonial thought systems and capitalism create suffering across society, suggesting that addressing colonization isn't just an Indigenous issue but something that would benefit everyone if recognized as a shared problem requiring collective solutions.

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Tom Merritt, Sarah Lane and the team help you&nbsp;stay up to date with independent, authoritative and trustworthy tech news.

Our Tech Predictions for 2026 - DTNS 5176

Daily Tech News Show

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AI-Generated Lead Actor in Major Film: Sarah Lane predicts a major Hollywood studio will release a movie featuring an AI-generated lead actor in 2026. The prediction notes that while there will be controversy about ethics, the bigger issue will be that audiences find it boring rather than objectionable. The panel debated whether this is too early, with concerns about industry hesitancy, but acknowledged existing AI actors like Tilly Norwood suggest it's possible. The prediction received a multiplier of 8 out of 10 for difficulty.

iPhone Fold Launch and Success: Sarah also predicts Apple will release a foldable iPhone (expected fall 2026) that becomes a major hit and reinvigorates the entire foldable phone market. While foldables already exist in the Android space, the panel agrees Apple's entry could make this product category mainstream, despite concerns about pricing and the lukewarm reception to the iPhone Air. This prediction received a difficulty multiplier of 4.

Blockchain's Comeback for Digital Provenance: Rob Dunwood predicts blockchain technology will make a mainstream comeback in 2026, specifically for establishing provenance of digital content. With increasing concerns about AI-generated content, blockchain could help verify who created content first. The panel discussed how this might involve existing standards like C2PA potentially integrating blockchain technology. This received a multiplier of 3.

Threads Overtakes X in Users: Rob predicts Meta's Threads will surpass X (formerly Twitter) in daily active users and other major metrics by the end of 2026. The panel noted that Threads has momentum while X feels like a declining platform, though X still maintains a large user base. The introduction of ads on Threads is expected to accelerate growth rather than slow it. This prediction received a difficulty multiplier of 6.

Increased Android-iOS Interoperability: Ron Richards predicts more barriers between Android and iOS will fall in 2026, driven largely by EU regulations. Examples include the recent AirDrop compatibility and data transfer improvements between platforms. The panel agreed this is almost entirely driven by government regulation forcing Apple's hand, with 98.9% of the impetus coming from EU requirements. This received a multiplier of 3.

Two-Day Battery Life Becomes Standard: Ron predicts that two days of battery life between charges will become the norm for flagship smartphones in 2026. The OnePlus 15 with its 7,000 milliamp battery demonstrating two-day usage serves as evidence. However, the panel debated whether this would reach mid-range phones quickly enough to truly be "the norm" in just one year. This received a difficulty multiplier of 4.5.

Passkeys Kill Passwords for Normal Users: Scott Johnson predicts 2026 will be the year passkeys finally replace passwords for mainstream users, not just tech enthusiasts. Ron Richards strongly disagreed, arguing there's been a failure in educating users about passkeys and people don't trust big tech companies to tell them what to use. The panel acknowledged adoption challenges despite the technology's benefits. This received a high multiplier of 6.

Shift Toward Intentional Online Communities: Scott predicts a pendulum swing away from algorithmic "for you" feeds toward smaller, human-curated communities in 2026. He argues people are tired of the "shouting match" of current social media and miss the community aspects of older platforms. The panel debated whether platforms prioritizing engagement and ad revenue would actually make this change, noting Discord and similar services already fill this need. This received a multiplier of 2.

5G Advanced Marketed as 6G: Tom Merritt predicts that some carrier will market their 5G Advanced (5.5G) service as "6G" in 2026, even though it's not true 6G. The panel unanimously agreed this is highly likely given the same thing happened with previous generation transitions. This received the lowest difficulty multiplier of 1.

Smart Glasses Become Widely Adopted: Tom predicts 2026 will see multiple smart glasses with real visual displays (not just audio/camera) available for consumers, creating a vibrant marketplace with widespread adoption. Recent developments from Meta and Google with Android XR support this prediction. The panel clarified this means iPhone 4-era levels of commonplace usage on subways and in daily life. This received a difficulty multiplier of 2.

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The logic of personal, philosophical and political freedom.

6245 How to have the BEST 2026! Twitter/X Space

Freedomain with Stefan Molyneux

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The Narcissism of "I Want" Without Considering "You Offer": Modern dating culture encourages people, especially women, to create extensive lists of demands (height requirements, income levels, physical attributes) without thinking about what value they bring to a potential partner. This self-centered approach is fundamentally infantile—wanting without offering reciprocity. If you demand someone who provides tremendous value (high income, emotional maturity, stability), you must offer equivalent value yourself, not just physical attractiveness.

Seeing Yourself From the Outside In: A crucial skill for maintaining love and successful relationships is imagining how others experience you. What is it like to sit across from you at dinner? To be your child looking up at you? To work alongside you? Most people fail to consider their own behavior from another person's perspective, focusing only on their own wants and needs rather than understanding what they offer to others.

Exploiters Attract Exploiters: When you present yourself as someone who wants to exploit others (demanding everything while offering little), you broadcast a signal that attracts exploitative people. Men who manipulate women for sex recognize women who have unrealistic demands without self-awareness, because these women are essentially advertising their own exploitative mindset. If you're unconscious about your desire to exploit, you'll be defenseless against being exploited.

The Modern Assault on Love Through Gender Division: Contemporary education and media systematically work to prevent people from experiencing love by making men fearful of women and women suspicious of men. Schools denigrate boys while praising girls, creating inflated female vanity and unrealistic expectations (like the "6'4" height fetish"), while simultaneously destroying men's confidence and willingness to pursue relationships.

Raising Children With Deep Conversation Skills: Parents can protect their children from promiscuity and shallow relationships by modeling meaningful conversations and deep connections in their own marriage. When children grow up experiencing substantive dialogue and genuine intellectual exchange, they develop a taste for real connection that makes them impatient with shallow interactions, including empty sexual encounters. Bad actors who rely on manipulation will avoid these children because deep conversation would expose their emptiness.

The Height Obsession as Status Signaling: Women's fixation on extremely tall men (6'4" and above) isn't about finding love—it's about impressing other women and gaining social status. Since women increasingly "marry the government" through welfare and social programs, they seek affirmation from the sisterhood rather than from men, leading to unrealistic and ultimately self-defeating mate selection criteria.

Trustworthiness as the Foundation of Marriage: For men, the greatest fear in marriage is infidelity or divorce; for women giving up career and economic independence to have children, the greatest fear is abandonment. Both parties need evidence of integrity—a demonstrated track record of adhering to principles even when uncomfortable. By your mid-to-late twenties, you should have concrete examples of sticking to moral standards despite significant personal cost.

The Value Exchange in Traditional Marriage: When a woman agrees to have multiple children, she's accepting that her body will change, her attractiveness may diminish, her career opportunities will vanish, and her dating market value will plummet. In exchange, she needs absolute certainty that the man will provide financially and remain committed. This requires the man to demonstrate consistent integrity and earning potential, not just make promises.

Religious Standards and Drifting Morality: While religious frameworks can provide moral guidance for relationships, they're vulnerable to institutional drift—churches and religious leaders can become "woke" or change their teachings. True integrity comes from fidelity to principles (reason and evidence) rather than fidelity to people or institutions. Someone with genuine integrity will change their mind when presented with better arguments, but won't simply follow whoever has authority.

Small Talk Versus Meaningful Connection: People raised on meaningful conversations become progressively impatient with small talk and NPC (non-player character) interactions. Just as you wouldn't want to engage in endless shallow pleasantries when you've experienced deep dialogue, children raised with substantive communication won't settle for relationships based purely on physical attraction or superficial qualities.

The Welfare Safety Net Undermines Commitment: The existence of government welfare programs reduces women's need to carefully select trustworthy partners, since they can fall back on state support if a relationship fails. However, this ignores that while welfare provides survival resources, it doesn't provide love—a woman with multiple children from a failed marriage becomes essentially undateable to quality men.

Communication Clarity and Defining Terms: Effective communication requires constantly considering how your words land with the other person, especially when discussing abstract concepts. Terms like "legacy," "reputation," "virtue," and "honesty" are highly ambiguous and mean different things to different people. Without clear definitions, conversations become people talking past each other rather than genuine exchanges of understanding.

The Paradox of Protecting the Weak: While there's virtue in defending vulnerable people, the more you advertise yourself as a protector of the weak, the more people will pretend to be weak to exploit your resources and protection. Like honesty, protecting others requires an Aristotelian mean—too much and you enable manipulation, too little and you're callous.

Allowing Children to Experience Failure: Parents can't protect children from all negative experiences, nor should they try. Children need to experience things directly, including some bad relationships or social consequences, because otherwise they remain dependent on their parents' perceptions and never develop their own judgment. The goal is to prepare them with principles and conversation skills, then allow them to fall off the bike occasionally.

Reputation and Virtue Often Conflict: The idea that being virtuous leads to a good reputation is demonstrably false in corrupted societies. Speaking truth often destroys reputation in the short term, as evidenced by anyone who challenges mainstream narratives. Teaching children to prioritize reputation over honesty creates conformists; teaching them to prioritize truth over reputation prepares them for the real costs of integrity.

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MindPump exposes the RAW TRUTH about health, fitness, nutrition and more... Hosts Sal Di Stefano, Adam Schafer & Justin Andrews pull back the curtain on the mythology, snake oil and pseudo-science that pervades the fitness industry and present science-backed solutions that result in increased muscular development and performance while simultaneously emphasizing health. No fitness institution or fitness "truth" is safe from their quick wit and over 40 years of combined experience in the fitness industry. Produced by Doug Egge. Find Mind Pump and the Mind Pump hosts on Instragram @mindpumpmedia, @mindpumpsal, @mindpumpadam, @mindpumpjustin & @mindpumpdoug and at mindpumppodcast.com. Get expertly programmed Mind Pump training protocols at mapsfitnessproducts.com

2762: Roxanne Saffaie Gets Us Emotional Reminiscing The Past 10 Years

Mind Pump: Raw Fitness Truth

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Roxanne's Journey and Connection to Mind Pump: Host Roxanne Saffaie shares how she discovered Mind Pump through her brother Arya in 2017 and was immediately drawn to the hosts' authenticity. She explains how the podcast inspired her to start lifting heavy weights and helped shape her own podcasting journey, which began nearly 8 years ago. Coming to interview them in their studio represents a long-held vision finally realized.

Authenticity Over Algorithm: The hosts reveal they recently fired a YouTube algorithm expert who was helping them get more views because following trends made them feel uncomfortable and inauthentic. Despite increased metrics, they chose to return to creating content based on what feels right rather than chasing clicks, demonstrating their commitment to staying true to themselves even at a potential business cost.

The Foundation of Their Partnership: The group identifies selflessness as the key ingredient to their successful 11-year partnership. They share how this manifested when Sal went through a devastating divorce and could only give "10%" for 2-3 years, but his partners held him up without complaint. This created an unbreakable bond and loyalty among them.

Teammates Versus Friends: The hosts discuss the crucial distinction between teammates and friends - both require selflessness, but teammates share a specific goal and mission. They must show up and perform regardless of personal feelings or conflicts, whereas friendships allow more flexibility and space during difficult times.

Managing Public Recognition While Maintaining Privacy: The group shares their conflicted feelings about growing publicly, with Sal being particularly protective of his family and rarely mentioning his children's names on air. They credit their older age (30s) when starting and slow growth for helping them maintain healthy boundaries, with none of them initially seeking fame or attention.

The Myth of Self-Sufficiency: Sal identifies his former limiting belief that he could do anything on his own as actually being a weakness. He's learned that acknowledging you can't do everything and need to rely on others is both humbling and freeing, representing true strength rather than the false confidence of thinking you're invincible.

Running Toward Fear: Justin explains how his entire Mind Pump journey represents facing his fears - from public speaking to podcasting - but knowing from athletics that growth happens on the other side of fear. He consistently seeks out what scares him because he trusts the process of becoming better through discipline and practice.

The Power of Perspective: Adam shares a pivotal moment when his wife Katrina asked during one of his venting sessions: "Would you have it any other way?" This question helped him realize that the challenges, friction, and difficulty are exactly what make the journey rewarding, and easy success would be boring and unfulfilling.

Balancing Masculine and Feminine Energy: Roxanne observes that all three hosts embody a beautiful balance of masculine strength and feminine qualities like empathy, compassion, and creativity. They don't posture or have anything to prove, which makes their strength more authentic. Their softness isn't weakness but actually demonstrates their confidence.

Redefining Masculinity and Fatherhood: The hosts discuss how men have been sold terrible lies about masculinity - that fatherhood is a burden and freedom means no responsibility. They consider it their highest compliment when young men tell them the podcast inspired them to want to become fathers, helping counter toxic cultural narratives.

The Business Pivot to Human Connection: Facing plateauing digital product sales due to AI competition, the company made a major pivot to focus on one-on-one personal training with human connection. This decision stretched their capacity significantly but has been deeply rewarding, reconnecting them to their roots as trainers and emphasizing the irreplaceable value of human interaction.

The Role of Good Men in Male Development: Sal emphasizes that men need to be around other good men who can check them, provide structure, and offer accountability. Without this, masculine energy becomes undisciplined and wild. He also credits their years training predominantly female clients for teaching them how to communicate, connect, and truly listen.

Individual Strengths Within the Team: In an emotional segment, each host honors the others - Justin is described as a solid rock with deep integrity and creativity; Sal as the passionate mother figure with incredible teaching ability; Adam as the honest, direct "gas" of the operation with a huge heart; and Doug as the wise, humble navigator who quietly manages operations.

Ten Years of Evolution: The hosts reflect on how they've each lived multiple lives during their 11-year partnership - Sal went from atheist to Christian, from divorced to remarried with more children; Adam became a father after saying he might never have kids; and Justin settled into full authentic self-expression after initially overthinking every word.

Vision for the Next Decade: Looking forward, they hope to build a national coaching brand with 50-100 exceptional personal trainers, possibly physical locations, and continue podcasting at a slightly reduced frequency (2-3 episodes weekly instead of 5). Their goal is to create the standard for what professional fitness coaching can be, combining their love of team culture with helping people transform their lives.

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Hosted by Melissa Lee and a roundtable of top traders, “Fast Money” breaks through the noise of the day, to deliver the actionable news that matters most to investors. Fast Money airs weeknights at 5p ET on CNBC. Visit http://fastmoney.cnbc.com for additional information.

2025 Trading In The Books… And UnitedHealth’s Next Move In The New Year 12/31/25

CNBC's "Fast Money"

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Market Performance and Volatility in 2025: The S&P 500 gained over 16% in 2025, hitting 46 intraday records throughout the year. However, it wasn't a smooth ride - the market experienced a violent drawdown in April due to tariff turmoil, dropping quickly before staging one of the fastest rebounds in recent memory. The traders noted that while 10 of 11 sectors closed positive, only three sectors actually outperformed, and 71% of actively managed mutual funds underperformed, making it a treacherous year for stock pickers despite strong headline numbers.

2026 Market Outlook and Expected Volatility: Guy Adami predicts another volatility event in 2026, potentially early in the year. The consensus among traders is that while markets typically experience 8-10% drawdowns annually, investors should expect these moves to happen faster than in previous decades, with three months of decline compressed into three weeks. Dan Nathan believes the equal-weight S&P may start outperforming the market-cap weighted index as investors demand proof of return on AI investments.

Bond Market Concerns and Rising Yields: Guy Adami highlighted the bond market as something "not enough people are paying attention to," predicting the 10-year Treasury yield could reach 4.5%. This would have significant implications for mortgage rates and the housing market. The 30-year yields are currently at multi-year lows, but the expectation is for rates to move higher due to global debt concerns and dedollarization trends.

Oil Market Challenges and Geopolitical Risks: Oil had its worst year since 2020, settling around $57 per barrel and down about 20% for the year. Halima Croft discussed multiple geopolitical risks including Venezuela's political instability, Russia's production levels amid Ukraine negotiations, and questions about whether OPEC will maintain production discipline. She noted that current prices in the low $50s are "suboptimal" for U.S. domestic producers and that OPEC has paused production increases while reserving the right to cut output if needed.

Precious Metals Shine While Bitcoin Struggles: Gold and silver had their best years since 1979, both trading near record levels. Bitcoin, despite hitting a record of $125,000 in October, finished the year down about 6%, illustrating the divergence between traditional safe havens and digital assets.

AI Investment Returns Under Scrutiny: Dan Nathan raised concerns about private market valuations and AI investments, noting that SoftBank had to sell its entire Nvidia position and significant ARM holdings to fund its $40 billion investment in OpenAI at an $850 billion valuation. He warned that pockets of risk in private markets funded by VCs, private equity, and sovereign wealth funds could spill over into public markets when companies need to sell liquid assets.

Second and Third Derivative AI Plays Emerging: While the Magnificent Seven and chip stocks dominated 2025, traders identified opportunities in companies benefiting indirectly from AI. Examples include Caterpillar's power business (50% of revenues) and JP Morgan, which doubled the S&P's performance partly due to expected returns on AI investments and improved productivity from reduced hiring needs.

Retail Sector Resilience Despite Headwinds: Despite tariff concerns and inflation, retail showed surprising resilience with the XRT up 7.5%. Discount retailers like Five Below (up 80%), Dollar General (up 75%), and Dollar Tree (up 64%) led gains. Specialty mall brands also performed well, with Victoria's Secret gaining 200% in six months. Karen Fineman highlighted Abercrombie & Fitch as her biggest retail position after it was "left for dead" at 6 times earnings before rallying 90% on solid results.

Warren Buffett's CEO Transition: Warren Buffett stepped down as CEO of Berkshire Hathaway after 60 years, with the A shares having gained over 1.1 million percent since 1976. Carter Worth noted Buffett is "literally going out on top" at his all-time relative peak versus the S&P. The company holds over $370 billion in cash (significant for a trillion-dollar company), positioning it to deploy capital during any market downturn.

UnitedHealth Technical Recovery Signal: After falling 35% this year (its worst performance since 2008), Carter Worth sees signs of a technical bottom in UnitedHealth. The stock has broken above well-defined downtrend lines and is establishing higher lows. Worth believes the downside risk is minimal with potential for upside, though the company withdrew guidance following the murder of one of its CEOs earlier in the year.

IPO Market Thawing: Over 200 IPOs priced in 2025, raising $44 billion total - a 36% increase from the prior year and the most since 2021. However, performance has been mixed with some big names like Circle and Core having strong initial gains before retreating, while Klarna and Venture Global fell significantly. The challenge for 2026 is whether massive private companies like OpenAI can successfully go public at unprecedented valuations.

Final Trade Picks for 2026: Karen Fineman chose Amazon, noting it now trades at a lower multiple than Walmart despite deserving a premium. Carter Worth selected Rivian after a 2-3 year basing period. Dan Nathan picked Snap, calling for an "AI moment" next year after extended bottoming. Guy Adami chose Devon Energy (DVN) and the XLE energy sector, expecting energy to outperform in 2026.
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Mark Levin is one of the hottest talk radio hosts in America. A prominent conservative commentator, best-selling author and constitutional scholar, Mark offers fresh takes on daily news headlines and dissects important events of the day. Heard weeknights on nearly 400 radio stations, Levin is loved in every corner of America. He cuts through the noise with his passion and intellect, often saying things others won’t. Or as Mark himself would declare: “That’s right. I said it!”

12/31/25 - The Best Of Mark Levin

Mark Levin Podcast

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Historical Education on the Constitutional Convention: Mark Levin emphasizes the importance of understanding America's founding by highlighting lesser-known signers of the Constitution. He discusses figures like Rufus King, John Langdon, Jonathan Dayton, William Patterson, and Hugh Williamson, explaining that while 70 delegates were appointed to the Constitutional Convention, only 55 attended and just 39 signed the final document. He stresses that Americans need to learn their own history to counter those who claim the founding was inherently flawed.

Defense of Stephen A. Smith Against Racial Criticism: Levin defends ESPN commentator Stephen A. Smith from attacks by retired NBA player Stephen Jackson, who accused Smith of being harder on black figures than white ones. Levin argues that Jackson is attempting to intimidate Smith into abandoning independent thought and joining a racial "chorus line" rather than thinking for himself, characterizing this as mental cowardice and potentially rooted in jealousy.

Trump's Consistent Support for Israel: Levin highlights President Trump's unwavering support for Israel and the Jewish community, sharing footage from a Hanukkah reception where Trump expressed deep concern about rising anti-Semitism in America and Congress. Trump noted that the once-powerful Jewish lobby has weakened and warned about anti-Semitic members of Congress like AOC and Ilhan Omar, emphasizing that people even deny the October 7th attacks occurred.

Condemnation of Neo-Fascist and Anti-Semitic Elements: Levin strongly denounces what he calls the "neo-fascist right," specifically naming Tucker Carlson, Nick Fuentes, Candace Owens, and Steve Bannon as enemies trying to destroy MAGA, the Republican Party, and Trump's presidency. He criticizes them for their anti-Semitism and pro-Putin, pro-Qatar stances, arguing that true MAGA conservatives are constitutional conservatives rooted in Reagan-era and Tea Party principles.

Australian Synagogue Terror Attack and Heroism: Levin discusses the horrific anti-Semitic terrorist attack in Sydney, Australia, during a Hanukkah celebration where 15 Jews were murdered. He highlights the heroism of Detective Senior Constable Caesar Barraza, who from 130 feet away with only a pistol took down the terrorists. Levin notes the lack of condemnation from the Palestinian world because such violence is encouraged and even financially rewarded.

Radical Islam's Threat to the West: Levin emphasizes that radical Islamism targets not just Jews but the entire Western civilization. He discusses a foiled LA bombing plot by the Turtle Island Liberation Front planned for New Year's Eve, which combined anti-Israel, anti-capitalist, and anti-American ideology. He criticizes how neo-fascist podcasters ignore these threats while attacking conservatives and Jews.

FBI Documents Reveal Mar-a-Lago Raid Opposition: Newly released emails show the FBI's Washington Field Office believed there was no probable cause for the Mar-a-Lago raid and preferred negotiating with Trump's lawyers. However, Merrick Garland's Department of Justice overruled them and insisted on the confrontational raid, demonstrating the weaponization of the DOJ under the Biden administration.

Jack Smith's Testimony and Prosecutorial Overreach: Levin criticizes former Special Counsel Jack Smith's closed-door congressional testimony claiming he had proof Trump tried to overturn the 2020 election. Levin argues that challenging election results through legal means, including alternate elector slates, is entirely legal and constitutional, and that Democrats have done the same throughout history without facing criminal charges.

Criticism of Marjorie Taylor Greene's Self-Promotion: Levin harshly criticizes Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene for her disruptive behavior, calling her "dumb" and "evil" for her attacks on Trump and Republican leadership. He notes she's resigning to secure a lifetime pension despite becoming wealthy in office, and accuses her of self-promotion rather than constructive legislating, pointing out her alliance with Code Pink and appearances on The View.

Florida Imam's Anti-American Rhetoric: Levin highlights a Miami imam who declared America deserves divine punishment and called Trump "human garbage" while claiming Somali feet are cleaner than the president's face. Levin questions why neo-fascist podcasters ignore such radical Islamic rhetoric while constantly attacking conservatives, Jews, and American institutions.

Tribute to Norman Podhoretz: Levin pays tribute to the late Norman Podhoretz, a renowned literary critic and intellectual who passed away at 95. He explains that Podhoretz moved from left to right and became a leading neoconservative voice, and notes how racists and anti-Semites have weaponized the term "neoconservative" to attack Jews without explicitly saying so.

AOC's Baseless War Crime Accusations: Levin criticizes Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez for calling U.S. military operations against Venezuelan drug cartels "war crimes" after a classified briefing. He argues she violated protocol by discussing classified information and represents the leftist view that America is always wrong, unjust, and unequal.
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The Mises Institute, founded in 1982, is an educational institution devoted to advancing Austrian economics, freedom, and peace in the classical-liberal tradition. Our website offers many thousands of free books and thousands of hours of audio and video, along with the full run of rare journals, biographies, and bibliographies of great economists.

The Rise of the State and the Fall of Natural Law

Mises Institute

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Pope Pius XI's Political Vision of Christ the King: The 1925 encyclical Quas Primas, which established the Feast of Christ the King, was intended as a deeply political statement rather than merely a spiritual metaphor. Pius emphasized that ideal government exists separately from corrupt earthly civil governments, which God tolerates as temporary and imperfect stopgaps that must remain subject to divine and natural law.

The Western Tradition of Limited Government Through Divine Authority: Christian political thought in the West historically placed constraints on civil authority by maintaining that divine rule and human rule do not intersect directly. While Christ possesses absolute authority over all creation, he deliberately refrained from exercising direct political power on earth, instead governing through "social kingship" over civil society institutions like the family.

Natural Law as the Foundation of Legitimate Authority: Civil governments can only exercise legitimate power when leaders govern according to natural and divine law. Following St. Augustine, rulers who govern otherwise are no better than pirates and thieves. This unchanging framework prevents any civil government from claiming divine mandate or demanding religious veneration, as ancient Eastern despotisms did.

Desacralization of the State in Western Political Thought: Historian Ralph Reico identifies Augustine's contrast between the City of God and the City of Man as central to Western freedom. Unlike the Roman Empire, which deified the state and its emperors, Christianity rejected the notion that any earthly government could be archetypal or perfect, since Christ declared "my kingdom is not of this world."

The Collapse of Authority When Natural Law Is Abandoned: When civil governments substitute the whims of political rulers for divine and natural law, they lose the very basis of their authority. The distinction between ruler and subject is eliminated, causing human society to lose its secure foundation and tottering toward collapse.

Historical Church-State Relations and Property Rights: The conflict over whether modern states could exercise total monopoly power dates back to St. Ambrose in the 4th century, who barred Emperor Theodosius from Milan's cathedral, asserting that "God's to God, Caesar's to Caesar." This refusal to recognize state authority over all institutions within its borders became foundational to Western concepts of private property, political decentralization, and individual freedoms.

The Rise of the Total State and Abandonment of Natural Law: By 1925, when Pius wrote his encyclical, Europe had nearly completed the consolidation of modern state power following World War I. Natural law had been eclipsed by Enlightenment thinking, and socialism and fascism promised total state control. The new European regimes believed they could create a new City of God in their own image, independent of outdated concepts like natural law—a hubris that led to World War II and decades of totalitarianism.

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