The war between the U.S. and Iran has began on February 28th, 2026 and as of the time of this recording, the war is still going on. There's been ceasefires, but as an American, the day to day impact of the war is primarily felt when I go to fill up my gas tank or when clients cancel their appointments because it's no longer "in the budget." So when I talk to friends in Türkiye, I often wonder if the disruption caused by war extends beyond the gas pump. On occasion, my mind drifts to a wonderful young man I chatted with briefly, very handsome, and we were trying to see if we could work together. Despite his talents and professionalism, I could not work with him because he lived in Iran. We are living in a time where the global economy allows people to work from anywhere in the world, and yet there are many people who can't work despite having the talent, and the price of gas is the least of their worries. It's easy to sit alone with these thoughts, after all, many in the U.S. avoid talking about politics or talking about anything that might be perceived as leading down a path of uncomfortable feelings. It's way more fun to talk about that viral TikTok food trend, than it is to talk about the fact that congress has done nothing to exercise it's powers to end the war that they did not even approve. Sitting in silence doesn't fully solve a problem, so I was delighted to find a wicked smart Iranian-American who could help me understand how Iranians feel and what they want.
If you want to know more about the history of the U.S. and Iran, if you want to know more about what an end to the war could look like, if you want to know more about how you can help the global community that is being human, then you are going to love my chat with Zolal Habibi.

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LA Times Article: U.S. Designates 30 Groups as Terrorists October 9th, 1997
https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1997-oct-09-mn-40874-story.html

LA Times Article: Iran dissident group removed from U.S. terrorist list
https://www.latimes.com/archives/blogs/world-now/story/2012-09-28/iran-dissident-group-removed-from-u-s-terrorist-list

Protests, they come in many shapes and shades. Some protests are hand held signs, marches through the street with fists raised high, chants, slogans, and cries for change. Some protests are silent, a card swiped elsewhere, and a conscious consumer effort to simply engage elsewhere. Some protests are in the shape of a vote. An upswell that hits like an ocean wave every 4 years in the U.S. Political commentators and traditional journalist are filling posts, page, and the airwaves with predictions related to the protest that the latest polls reveal, but a little trip down the lane in New York City and me remembering the vast number of protests, I have witnessed since 2008. Almost 20 years of rally cries and yet, today my feelings towards those protest, is no different than I felt 18 years ago, 6 years ago, or 6 months ago... protesters and politicians claim they want change, but is it all just for show? So darlings, Let's chat about it.

An interesting opinion piece in the NY Times about rallying behind a cause and then changing one's mind about the way in which support was shown. https://www.nytimes.com/2026/08/26/opinion/aoc-woke-1.html

Platypus Economics with Justin Wolfers https://newsletter.platypuseconomics.com/p/how-to-fake-a-voting-scandal

Music by Mound City by Coleman Hawkins (recorded 1929)

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This podcast is recorded in a style that pays homage to talents like Miss Monitor (Tedi Thurman) and explores topics designed to stimulate conversations.

Sometimes something so mind-boggling occurs, that there's a burning desire to learn more... to know more. That's what I felt when I read the New York Times headline, A Fight Over Abortion and Surrogacy Ends With a Baby Born in Texas. My mind was filled with more than a dozen questions like:
How could this happen?
Why would anyone do this?
Who is wrong?
What is the law?!
There are times when I do lots of research to ensure that I am sharing facts on this podcast, and despite going down a rabbit whole on the subject of children born with disabilities born into large families and the cost, I grabbed the mic and recorded this episode as a stream of consciousness. Nothing that I researched changed the initial questions. While I wanted more from the times article, I had to accept that I wasn't owed anything more about the very painful struggle that all parties involved are going through. What has been shared with the J. David Goodman, is enough to spark a conversation within myself. I am not owed anything more. So darlings, there are a few longer pauses in this chat, but perhaps that space will give you time to ask yourself some big questions along the way, .. Let's chat about it.

Music by Mound City by Coleman Hawkins (recorded 1929)

**

This podcast is recorded in a style that pays homage to talents like Miss Monitor (Tedi Thurman) and explores topics designed to stimulate conversations.