Tag: podcast

Neil McTaggart’s Crossing (6): A Story of 1920s Scottish Emigration to Canada (Podcast 1110 )

Neil McTaggart’s Crossing – Part 6: The Gaelic Church

Sunday broke with a sharper cold than the day before, a frost that glittered over every fence post and pine bough. Neil woke to the sound of voices moving quietly in the kitchen, the muted clatter of crockery, and Agnes’s low tones urging the children into their best clothes. By the time he came down, the house was alive with the preparations of Sabbath.

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1109 Notting Hill Carnival 1976 | Looking Back at London’s Iconic Celebration

Take a step back in time to the Notting Hill Carnival of 1976, one of the most memorable years in the history of London’s famous street festival. In this video, we explore a story it was nearly 50 years ago. The Notting Hill Carnival is the largest street festival in Europe, celebrating Caribbean culture, music, food, and freedom of expression. The 1976 carnival was a defining moment that shaped the event we know today, remembered for its vibrant energy, its challenges, and its lasting cultural impact. 🌍 If you enjoyed our recent video on the modern Notting Hill Carnival, this look back to 1976 shows how far the carnival has come and why it remains such an important part of London’s cultural identity.

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Music by suno.ai

Neil McTaggart’s Crossing (2): A Story of 1920s Scottish Emigration to Canada (Podcast 1097)

Neil McTaggart’s Crossing – Part 2: Arrival

by Joseph McTaggart

The ship groaned as it pushed into Halifax Harbour, cutting through a pale morning mist. Neil stood near the rail, coat buttoned high against the cold, his fingers wrapped around a small stone in his pocket. The stone was smooth and grey, polished by sea air and worry — a gift from his mother.

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1075 The Sea at Blackpool Transcript

Hello everyone and welcome again to another Teacher Joseph podcast.

For the last few days I’ve been on holiday in the North of England and the sea is battering against the barrier behind me. I’m in a hotel room and I have a sea view: a view of the sea, but it’s very, very rough and I can see it hitting against the barrier, wanting to jump onto the road. Well, you may hear it behind me or at least you might hear the wind.

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1073 Sabrina: The Star Who Stood Still and Became a Legend

In the world of entertainment, most stars become famous by singing, acting, or dancing. Sabrina did none of those things.

She became famous by simply standing still and smiling.

In the 1950s, Britain was still recovering from war. People needed laughter, colour, and something glamorous to look at. Then along came a young woman from Stockport, England, with blonde hair, a tiny waist, and …. very large… eh, a very large personality.

Her real name was Norma Ann Sykes, but nobody remembered that. Everyone knew her as Sabrina—no last name, no explanation. Like Madonna, but curvier.

Sabrina didn’t talk much on television. In fact, she often didn’t talk at all. She became famous just by appearing on a popular show called Before Your Very Eyes with Arthur Askey. He did the jokes. Sabrina stood beside him, smiled, and looked beautiful.

And that was it.

Yet somehow, she became a national obsession.

The Blonde Who Broke the Mould

In the 1950s, people didn’t have Instagram or reality TV. They had black-and-white newspapers and magazines. Sabrina appeared in all of them. She became one of Britain’s first “pin-up girls”—women whose pictures people hung on the wall, usually in garages, bedrooms, and army bases.

She had a body like an hourglass, with measurements that seemed almost unreal. Some people joked that she was more of a sculpture than a person.

Her image was everywhere. Her name was used to sell cars, chocolates, and even vacuum cleaners. There were “Sabrina”-style bras. Men named their motorbikes after her. The Royal Air Force painted her face on the front of their planes.

She didn’t say much—but she didn’t need to. Just being Sabrina was enough.

Her silence became part of the legend. One journalist wrote, “She speaks as much on TV as a bottle of milk—but Britain can’t get enough of her.”

Attempts at Acting

Of course, being beautiful and silent has its limits.

In the late 1950s, Sabrina tried to act in films. She appeared in Blue Murder at St Trinian’s, a comedy about a crazy girls’ school. She also had roles in a few other light-hearted films.

Unfortunately, critics didn’t take her seriously. “Too glamorous,” they said. “Not enough range.” Sabrina often played herself, or a version of herself: the glamorous blonde who distracted every man in the room.

But Sabrina didn’t seem to mind. As she once said, “If people want to look at me, that’s fine. I look at myself too.”

Some fans believed she was smarter than she let on. One reporter asked her what her hobbies were. She smiled and replied, “Shopping, sleeping, and being adored.”

It wasn’t just a joke. There was a sense of self-awareness beneath the makeup and the poses. Sabrina understood fame—and how strange it could be.

Glamour, Gloss, and Quiet Confidence

Sabrina didn’t come from wealth. She had polio as a child, which affected her health for years. But she refused to be seen as weak. She trained her body, posed for glamorous photos, and taught herself how to smile like a goddess while standing still for hours.

She knew how to play the part of the blonde bombshell. But underneath the glamour, she was clever and knew exactly how to stay famous.

She also never apologised for being feminine, fashionable, or popular. At a time when women were often told to “stay quiet” or “be modest,” Sabrina stood tall—literally—and said nothing. But her silence was powerful.

People talked about her as if she were a mystery. She didn’t explain herself. And that made her even more interesting.

America, Fame, and Disappearing

In the 1960s, Sabrina moved to the United States. She wanted a fresh start and hoped Hollywood would finally take her seriously.

For a while, she lived in Beverly Hills, surrounded by swimming pools, small dogs, and mirrors. She appeared in one or two films and a few television spots. But the American film industry already had its own blonde stars, and Sabrina struggled to find her place.

Over time, she stepped away from the spotlight.

Some people said she had married a rich man. Others said she became a recluse. Her life became quiet, even mysterious. She stopped making public appearances and rarely gave interviews.

Then, in the 2000s, someone spotted her in London again—older, slower, but still recognisably Sabrina.

She passed away in 2016, at the age of 80, having lived much of her later life in privacy. No big headlines. No dramatic farewell. Just a quiet goodbye from a woman who once stopped traffic by doing absolutely nothing.

A Legacy Built on Mystery

So, what was Sabrina’s secret?

She didn’t win awards. She didn’t sing songs. She didn’t write books or play complicated characters. Yet she became a symbol of beauty and confidence in a time when the world was still black and white.

Maybe that was her magic.

Sabrina proved that sometimes, you don’t need to speak loudly to be heard. She showed that glamour could be its own kind of power. And she reminded people that it’s okay to enjoy being looked at—if you’re doing it on your own terms.

Even today, people still search for her photos online. Her image lives on in old magazines, fan clubs, jokes, and memories.

One military officer once said, “There are three things a young soldier remembers from the 1950s: the Queen, National Service, and Sabrina.”

That’s quite the legacy.

Final Thought

Sabrina once joked, “I never understood what all the fuss was about.” But deep down, she probably did.

She gave the people what they wanted—beauty, mystery, and a little bit of glamour in a grey world.

She didn’t need to do much. Just stand still, smile, and let the world come to her.

And it did.

1072 Mother Angelica – The Nun Who Wouldn’t Shut Up (Transcripción en español e inglés)

Mother Angelica was not your typical sweet, smiling nun.

She didn’t play the guitar. She didn’t talk softly. And if you crossed her, she wouldn’t pray for you—she’d probably roast you live on television.

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1071 Inside the Coffee Shop transcript

Hi everyone and welcome again to another Teacher Joseph podcast.

Well, I’m here today inside a coffee shop and it’s very, very hot outside. So I walked here and I’m taking refuge inside this coffee shop. Just to shelter from the hot, scolding sunshine. It’s kind of unusual for us to have such hot weather and to be honest, its making me feel a little bit wabbit. Wabbit is when you feel a. little bit down. A little bit kind of disorientated or dizzy and you’re on autopilot. Not functioning on all cylinders. I’ll double check in the dictionary that wabbit is there.

Alright and indeed it is. I just took a moment there. I paused our recording to check… it’s used mostly in the northern part of the UK. It’s introducing you to a Scottish / English word wabbit. It sounds like rabbit, but with a W. And it’s very common to hear people saying that.

Although the dictionary says it is actually a Scottish word. I believe it’s all over the UK. I mean, I’ve heard it in different places, people feeling a bit wabbit, but do keep in mind if you use it that it’s mainly a term from the north. Well, let me just go over what I’m doing here.

So I’m sitting drinking a cup of coffee. It is delicious and I know I shouldn’t really but I also had some doughnuts. And I know, I know, I’m supposed to avoid sugary things, but they were delicious. I mean, it was (they were…) chocolate covered and glazed…. I had to…… I had to try them. Now the thing about this coffee shop is that it’s one of these heavily automized coffee shops, which means that you do everything on the screen to order , and when you do approach the counter for service, they kind of look at you terrified. It’s like they’ve never spoken to anyone before.

It’s really funny. It’s like “Really ?? You actually wanna talk to somebody”? So the screen is where we order all of our coffees and these things. It’s one of these places which is rather grey looking. Typical UK style shop. Grey…. tiles on the floor, brown seating and the ceiling is open, so you can see all of the pipes. I believe this…. this chain is actually Canadian. They’ve got pictures of ice hockey players all around the walls, which, well, doesn’t make me want to rush out and do ice hockey.

Flashing screens are near me and to be honest with you, they are almost blinding me with bright colours and that that’s of course because they’re trying to sell more things.

I’m sitting by the window looking out to a very depressing car park. There’s only four cars in it. So it’s very grey looking and what else can I tell you about it? Yeah, it looks kind of industrial. Clearly it’s near the railway line. Looks like the setting for a music video. You know when there’s rapper walking along, pulling his trousers up every two minutes, it looks something like that. It’s a very deprived kind of area. Yeah, but it’s it’s lovely. I mean, the colours are beautiful, very green today, because the sun’s out and I cut the grass this morning. That was that was an adventure.

But I have to go back to the doughnuts. I mean, they were delicious. Really. And I ate them all myself because I’m out alone.

Yeah. So that’s really all I wanted to say for today, except just to point out that the weather here really is beautiful. Very green. I can see the trees swaying in the wind. It’s almost like they’re dancing because the wind is picking up but even with that, it’s very, very beautiful.

It’s very unusual for us here to have wind, which is warm, usually the wind comes and it blows you away and you’re freezing but actually it’s it’s lovely. And for me I I just I cut the grass this morning, weeded the garden felt exhausted, fell asleep for a couple of hours and then staggered out to come to this coffee shop.

Just looking around and thinking about my forthcoming holidays. I’ll be in the Netherlands this year at some point over June and July, so it’s all booked. I’m very happy. I won’t tell you the exact dates in case you come to try to steal my television when I’m away but there really is…it really is beautiful at this time of year to see the tulips and lovely places. So I’ll be looking forward to that…. yes, yes.

And that’s all for me right now. So I hope you’ve enjoyed this and yeah, some beautiful, beautiful scenes today. I’ll just give you those words again. Wabbit. That’s how I was feeling earlier, a bit exhausted and a little bit unwell. Swaying…. What the trees are doing in the wind. And colourful, beautiful, maybe even dramatic, we could say about things. And that’s it from me. So I’ll see you all again soon.

And I wish you all a beautiful day.

Bye.

 

 

1070 – Differences between American and British English. Transcript.

One of the great things about being an English Teacher is you get to meet people from all over the world and you get to try some delicious food from different places but you also get to talk to people in other parts of the English world, other teachers sometimes, neighbours and friends of course, people who live around you. This is a very diverse place, you know the UK has people from all over the world.

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1069 Experiences of Learning Dutch Transcript

So, I started learning Dutch while I was actually living in the Netherlands which, in theory, should make everything easier. Total immersion, real-life exposure, supermarkets full of words, right?

Wrong.

Let’s be clear: living in a country and understanding what anyone is saying are not the same thing. My first few weeks there, I smiled a lot. Nodded. Laughed when others laughed, even though I had no clue what was going on. Someone could have told me their hamster had exploded and I would’ve smiled and said “lovely.”

It didn’t take long to realise I had to learn the language or spend the rest of my time ordering the same sandwich from the same café, praying they’d never change the menu.

So, I started. Tentatively. First with the street signs, they felt safe. No one expects you to respond to a street sign. Then the public transport announcements. I picked up the general vibe: something had either gone terribly wrong or would arrive in three minutes. Maybe both.

I downloaded an app, the one with the friendly owl who is always watching. The owl celebrated my 3-day streak like I’d climbed Everest. I felt proud… until I skipped a day and the owl got weirdly passive-aggressive. “We missed you,” it said. “Your language goals did too.” I swear the app knows guilt better than most Catholic school teachers.

In the Netherlands, I started trying out small phrases. Very small. One-word small. I once tried to say “thank you very much” to a lovely cashier but panicked halfway through and ended up making a sound somewhere between a sneeze and a confession. She looked confused, then concerned. I took my groceries and left with the grace of a damp cardboard box.

But here’s the strange thing: despite the stumbles, I kept going. There’s something oddly addictive about learning a language you hear all around you — even if most of it sounds like someone trying to clear their throat and speak at the same time. Dutch isn’t a shy language. It’s assertive. It sounds like it means business. Even when it’s talking about cheese.

Once I left the Netherlands, I thought the urge to learn would fade. But weirdly, it didn’t. Maybe I was traumatised by how many times I’d misunderstood people. Maybe I missed the weirdly satisfying rhythm of the language. Maybe I was still determined to someday understand those fast, breathless train announcements that made me question whether I was on the right planet, let alone the right train.

So I kept going. Now, though, it’s different. I no longer have daily immersion just me, my apps, a few Dutch children’s books, and the occasional YouTube rabbit hole. I read menus for fun. I test myself with grammar I will never use in real life. I once spent an entire evening trying to understand why a verb had snuck to the end of the sentence like a guilty teenager. Still no idea.

And yes, it gets lonely. No more overheard conversations to decode. No bakery lines to rehearse sentences for. Just me, whispering strange phrases at home and hoping my neighbours don’t think I’m starting a cult.

Sometimes I doubt myself. Sometimes I think I’ve made up all the progress. I’ll listen to a video, get excited that I understood a full sentence, and then realise it was in English. Or I’ll try to speak out loud and suddenly develop a completely new accent that doesn’t exist in any languages.

But there are wins. Like realising I know what a sign says without translating. Like understanding the difference between two similar-sounding words and not accidentally saying “I am pregnant” when I meant “I am full.” Like recognising a joke in a Dutch TV show and actually laughing for the right reason.

Also, I’m no longer scared of the long words. You know the ones the kind that stretch across half the page like some kind of linguistic centipede. Once upon a time, I’d look at those and assume they were medical conditions. Now I know they’re just compound words. Long, yes. But logical. Which, if you ask me, is both comforting and horrifying.

And there’s something else. Something no app or phrasebook mentions: the emotional chaos of learning a language that’s so close to English, yet not quite. It feels like dating someone who reminds you of an old flame, familiar, but ultimately unpredictable. One moment, everything makes sense. The next, the sentence flips around and throws in a word that sounds like a sneeze.

But despite everything the confusion, the grammar acrobatics, the owl-induced guilt, I keep going. Because every now and then, I get this flash of clarity. A sentence that makes sense. A word that clicks. A tiny, fleeting moment where I feel like I’m in the language, not just chasing it. And those moments, odd as they are, feel magical.

Will I ever be fluent? Honestly, I don’t know. It depends what “fluent” means. If it means giving a TED talk about philosophy, probably not. If it means ordering a coffee without causing a scene, then I’m nearly there. If it means understanding people well enough to laugh at the right moment — that’s the goal.

Tomorrow, I’ll probably forget something obvious. I’ll probably mix up the word for “because” again. But I’ll also open my notebook, press play on the next audio, and try once more. Not because I have to, but because this is who I am now: someone who once lived in a country, heard a language, and decided, quietly, to try and understand it.

Even if it takes a lifetime.

1068 The Soundtrack of Carbonated Delusion: Coca-Cola Jingles in the 1980s  – Transcript

The 1980s gave us many things: shoulder pads, mullets, cassette tapes, nuclear panic, and an unshakable belief that soft drinks could somehow save the world. Among the noisiest contributions to this surreal decade were the Coca-Cola jingles – bright, sugary musical anthems that promised joy, unity, and refreshment, all for the price of a bottle cap.

If the Cold War was the sound of tension, Coca-Cola was the soundtrack of forced optimism.

Coca-Cola’s jingles in the 1980s weren’t just catchy, they were an all-out assault on the senses. With lyrics that made sunshine sound compulsory and melodies designed to burrow into your skull like a corporate parasite, these jingles were everywhere: on radios, televisions, and the lips of disturbingly enthusiastic teenagers in advertising spots.

Take, for example, the endlessly repeated “Can’t Beat the Feeling!” campaign. This jingle, released in 1989, featured crowds of people smiling far too widely, often mid-laugh, as they sipped their Coke in slow motion. The music swelled, the camera panned over golden beaches or neon-lit cities, and somewhere, a child ran through a sprinkler. The message was clear: Coca-Cola was not a drink. It was a lifestyle.

A lifestyle where no one ever had a headache. Or rent. Or the slightest trace of cynicism.

This was not new, of course. Coca-Cola had been linking itself to happiness since the 1971 classic “I’d Like to Buy the World a Coke,” a song so idealistic it made peace in the Middle East look like a reasonable weekend goal. But in the 1980s, the jingles got louder, more polished, and somehow more desperate.

Everything about them said: “Look! Everything’s fine! Don’t think too hard!”

The irony, of course, was that much of the world in the 1980s was not fine. There was recession, unemployment, nuclear threats, and the growing fear that Ronald Reagan might accidentally press the wrong button before his next nap. Meanwhile, Coke’s ad campaigns danced forward, blissfully unaware or perhaps entirely aware of how false their promises sounded.

This made the jingles all the more surreal. In the middle of your family’s second-hand car breaking down, the radio would blast, “Can’t beat the real thing!” as if it were gently mocking your life.

They sang about sharing Coke with friends while half the country wasn’t speaking to each other. They sang about energy and joy while millions felt tired and broke.

And yet, the jingles worked. That’s the dark genius of it all. People bought the drinks. People sang along. For a few seconds, humming the tune in a supermarket aisle, you did feel a little better. Coca-Cola wasn’t selling sugar and water. It was selling escape.

Even now, those old jingles haunt us. Not just as melodies, but as memories of a kind of mass hypnosis. A time when we all agreed, without saying it, that pretending everything was wonderful was better than facing how complicated it really was.

There’s a special kind of horror in watching an old 1980s Coke ad today. The hair is big. The smiles are bigger. Everyone is dancing in a way that suggests they’ve either found salvation or been recently electrocuted. You know it’s fake. They knew it was fake. But we all played along.

And let’s not forget the children. In many of these jingles, kids sang too—voices so clear and hopeful it made you feel guilty for ever doubting anything. Their eyes sparkled with the kind of trust you only see in people who haven’t read the news yet.

What were we teaching them? That joy came in a can? That unity could be achieved through matching T-shirts and high kicks?

Perhaps the darkest joke of all is that the Coca-Cola jingles were right, in their own strange way. They did bring people together. They united us in pretending that the world was simple, that problems could be solved with bubbles and branding.

It wasn’t true, of course. But it was catchy.

And maybe, in the end, that’s all a jingle needs to be.

1064 – Happy New Pope Transcript

Hi, everyone. Welcome again to another teacher Joseph podcast.

Well, we have a new Pope and you’d think after 266 tries (at least) we’d have perfected the art of picking someone. So that it doesn’t feel like a rerun TV show.

…but no, they pushed him out onto the balcony like a contestant in a reality show. The crowd of course, cheered. Somebody fainted, I think, a nun in the front row. And yeah, it was quite a day. Well, I was watching it on the Vatican live screen, the BBC News headlines were on the screen in front of me as well. …and yeah, I was talking to a student at the time.

Um, yeah. They always talk about this white smoke like it’s some kind of grand mystery. But yeah, I mean, it’s just people in the background burning the ballot slips, isn’t it? Well, of course the new Pope gave the usual speech. Humble, hopeful, big on unity, short on specific things that he’s going to do. I preferred the old pope. With his speeches, remember, every time he appeared on the balcony.

Be not afraid. Be not afraid.

That’s all he ever said when they they pushed him out, wasn’t it? On the balcony?

The future is in your hands. Be not afraid.

He repeated that with a lot of passion, didn’t he? Well, yeah, this one gave the usual speech. Peace to everyone and love and everything. Yeah, mercy mission. Something about climate. I’m not sure exactly what he said. I didn’t watch all of it. They’re saying that he’s the man of the people. I don’t know quite what that means. The Guardian newspaper’s calling him transformative, which makes him sound like medication or plastic surgery. Yeah. And of course, Twitter. Well, X. They’ve already started some…. well… half of them think he’s the second coming of Christ, and the other half think he’s some kind of infiltrator from dark forces. I don’t know where these conspiracy theories come from. I mean, he’s a Pope. I I’m not sure I even care enough to form a conspiracy theory. Yeah, I’m just here sipping tea and waiting to see if he makes it past the honeymoon period without re-banning the guitar at mass. Do you remember? You know, when I was growing up going to mass was very much a very Latin affair. My goodness me. You could get thrown out for smiling and then somewhere along the way in the 1970s. Going to mass was like going to a folk music concert. Everything suddenly sounded like a song by Peter Paul and Mary, by the way. If you don’t know who Peter, Paul and Mary are, you need to listen to them. It’s a kind of a… just a nice trio. Singing very nice songs about life with the guitar, yeah.

Yeah, one of my friends rang me to say that they think the new Pope looks like a kind of man who, who’s going to introduce sweeping reforms. Yeah, but he’ll probably then just, you know, delegate these reforms to a committee who meet once every 10 years. I don’t know if they, if they’re able to make big reforms, I think there’s so many differing views now than there used to be. I’m. I mean, I’m not against the papacy. I think it’s probably a good idea. It’s just that…this idea that each new pope is going to fix something, you know, like a plumber fixes the water tank. I mean, it’s been 2000 years. So I don’t know, maybe it’s it’s time for them to look at things differently. But anyway, they started this, this kind of idea of change, isn’t it, to make them fit in with everybody else. So …many people don’t like that, I think. And but of course, there’s always that voice. It says, oh, well, this will be the last Pope. Honestly, everyone keeps telling me this. I’m not sure.,,,obviously somebody has some direct link with God.

Yes, this Pope is the last one.

Well, nice. Yeah, whatever. Yeah. So of course, everyone’s saying, well, maybe things will be different. But I thought the last one did a good job. You know, he seemed to, you know, like, stand on the tarmac at airports, kiss it, and then say things like. Be not afraid, just like the last one did. John Paul the second. So yeah, they seem to enjoy making these statements. There’s always the robes, the Latin, the bells ringing in the backgrounds. I love the drama. You know, wearing these long flowing purple robes.

Yeah, it’ll be interesting to see what happens, though. I mean, the first few months, of course, they’re all……. the first few months, everyone will love him. They will all love him, is what I want to say. And then, of course, the cracks will show. Then the encyclicals will come just like, you know, Donald Trump’s Executive orders. And then everyone’s going to be unhappy, and I suppose I’ll be sitting in the church wondering if they’ll ever fix the heating. Yeah. Who knows? Maybe he’ll surprise us. And he’ll excommunicate a few people.

Nice face. Not big on smiling. I think… you know, he was kind of pulling his mouth apart like the Royals do…. you know they,,, they smile in a way that makes them all look like Dracula. But yeah. Yeah. Well, let’s see what happens. I mean, he can’t do that much damage, can he? He’s only in the first day of the job, so. I don’t know. He he’s not a world power, so to speak, with economies. But he has a lot of moral power. So I don’t know what that means exactly, but we’ll have to wait and see. So…. Yeah, let’s see how long it lasts and what changes he’s able to make. And yeah, be not afraid, that’s still my favourite ….Pope John Paul the second he started that, didn’t he? The future is in your hands, making him sound like some kind of really bad version of Dracula, but nice phrase, though he did make us feel better. Or maybe it’s just because I was younger and less cynical. I don’t know.

But anyway, enjoy the new Pope.

See you all.

Bye.

 

 

1063 Diary Entry – Goodbye Skype Transcript

So, it’s official: Skype is shutting down.

I stared at the announcement for a few seconds longer than necessary, then exhaled — that kind of slow, quiet sigh you make when something ends that you didn’t realise you still cared about.

For most people, it’s probably no big deal. They’ve moved on to Zoom or Teams or whatever platform makes sense now. But for me — for those of us who started teaching English online before it was trendy, before the world locked down and “virtual” became normal — Skype wasn’t just software. It was a classroom. It was a lifeline. It was my job, my tiny digital schoolhouse, open to the world.

I taught my first Skype lesson in 2012. A teenager in Turkey, nervous and excited, who called me “teacher” with such reverence I didn’t know where to look. My first webcam lesson. My first shared screen. My first time realising: this works. This really works.

What followed were thousands of hours of teaching — sometimes in pyjamas, often with tea, occasionally with a cat walking across the keyboard. I taught kids in Moscow and doctors in Seoul, Korea. I had early mornings with Brazil and late nights with Japan. Skype turned my living room into a little United Nations of hope and grammar and laughter.

Skype was glitchy. The audio would cut out mid-sentence. Students would freeze with their mouths open and eyes closed. We’d spend ten minutes just trying to hear each other. But somehow, that made it more human. Less polished. More real.

I remember one adult learner from Syria who practised his job interview with me every week. I remember the quiet teenager from Spain who barely spoke for three months, then suddenly recited a poem. I remember a student in Ukraine during a blackout, sitting in near darkness, reading from a worksheet lit only by candlelight. All of it over Skype while she worried about her pet tortoise.

It wasn’t perfect, but it was personal.

In the early days, there were no fancy scheduling apps or built-in whiteboards. I used Word docs, email attachments, the “share screen” button like it was magic. We worked with what we had. And what we had… was enough.

Skype made language learning intimate. One-on-one, face-to-face, across oceans and time zones. Sometimes I’d be the first English speaker someone ever had a full conversation with. Sometimes we didn’t even finish the lesson — we’d just talk, about life, about dreams, about homesickness or hopes or how to pronounce “though.”

And now, it’s ending.

I opened it one last time this morning. The icon still sitting there on my desktop like a relic. Same soft blue. My old status still set to “Available.” My contact list — dozens of names, now silent. I scrolled through old chats. Homework links. Encouraging words. The occasional “Thank you, teacher. I passed.”

It’s strange, mourning a piece of software. But I think what I’m really mourning is the era it represents. The beginning. When this whole online teaching thing was new and exciting and fragile. When Skype was the bridge between strangers who wanted to learn and teachers who wanted to help.

I still teach, of course. On other platforms, with better tools and smoother tech. But nothing else has felt quite like Skype did. It was imperfect, yes. But it let me teach from anywhere, and let my students learn from anywhere, and that — that still feels like magic.

So here’s to Skype.

You brought the world into my home.
You introduced me to hundreds of people I never would have met.
You helped me grow into the teacher I am now.

Thank you.
You did good.

1062 The History of LBC Radio (podcast transcript)

Hi, everyone. Welcome again to another Teacher Joseph podcast….

…and today, we’re going to look at the history of LBC radio, now LBC… I’m always telling you all that you should listen to LBC because it’s a natural flowing radio station.

It’s a call-in 24 hour service where anyone can call them and discuss anything that they want. So Leading Britain’s Conversation is LBC radio. It wasn’t always like that. When I was a boy listening to LBC, it was the London Broadcasting Company and it wasn’t even national. It was just a London radio station. It’s very influential and and it’s kind of evolved into a national platform for people to have their views but of course, you know the kinds of people who call radio stations during the night are always a little bit strange. So some of the opinions that come up aren’t always reflecting how the people feel but its history reflects the changing landscape of British radio, shifting away from the very posh, uptight BBC “Hello” into something much more usable and practical because up until 1990, in any radio station in the UK you had to have the Queen’s English, whereas now anybody can produce a programme on radio if they are employed to do so. It doesn’t matter what they sound like, as long as they sound fairly clear. LBC was launched on October the 8th, 1973. Apparently it was the first legal commercial radio station in the UK. Well, I’m not sure about that because I know Radio Clyde here in Scotland was also launched around that time. I’d have to check to see which one was actually first. Yeah, in those days we had AM and FM.. and to be honest with you, I think I might be buying a radio after the power failure in Spain last week. I want to make sure I have one just in case …

I remember it’s early presenters Douglas Cameron, Bob Holness. Oh, they had very, very Polish accents. Yes. “Hello yes. LBC here”. Yes, very unlike today and it also pioneered the use of rolling news because it set up some kind of news service that other radio stations could use. They… they kind of like all joined LBC on the hour for the news through a service which was called the Independent Radio News network. Very interesting. However, with LBC, its journey with radio wasn’t always smooth. There was a time when it had financial difficulties and it was sold off to different companies and was split up but eventually I think it reformed and regrouped back into one station… very interesting though, if you like radio as I do, it’s fascinating thing.

…and then in 1996, it actually lost its licence, because here you have to bid money to operate a radio station…if you want to be on air in our AM and FM spectrum and they lost their licence and I don’t know exactly how they got it back. I know it was rebranded as News Direct and then (in)2003 I think it came back again, but it had been bought over again by that point by Chrysalis Radio and they decided to make it just 24 hour call-in.

Then it was bought by Global Media, which its owned by today. They have a lovely app. If you download the Media app, Global, you can see and hear all kinds of podcasts from all of their radio stations. They have dozens of the things. It’s really exciting if you like British accents and Global also own Capital Radio, Heart, Radio, Classic FM. Oh, there’s tons of them… tons. Yeah, I think in 2014 they changed from being London only into a national broadcaster yeah, so they they were known as the London Broadcasting Company, then they became London’s Biggest Conversation. Then they became Leading Britain’s Conversation but we were all listening to them online anyway. I mean, it was known that it was one of the best. People like me who enjoy English media, I used to listen to them all the time and many people do.

So it became the UK’s first National talk radio station. But again, I would dispute that because there was one before. Which didn’t last long. I think it was….. It eventually became a sport radio station, but it used to have a 24 hour call-in and I can’t remember the name. Of it but I don’t think LBC was Britain’s fast National Call-in station. I could be wrong.. If you don’t know it…. It has names like Nick Ferrari, James O’Brien very very well known people. And yes, they’re always interviewing prime ministers and these these kind of people. And so yeah, it’s a vital part of the UK’s media ecosystem that has space for robust debate, critical journalism. Participation. Yeah. So if you’re looking for a radio station today to be listening to, I do recommend LBC.

These days there’s probably lots of commentary about war celebrations. I was listening to it this morning and they’re saying, there are street parties and celebrations to remember the end of the war. Not where I am, there isn’t. I don’t know where these parties are, but they’re certainly not in my neighbourhood. There’s none here. So I would say if you are listening, their focus probably is on the London area. If they’re thinking of war celebrations, because our Royals, of course, and governments are pushing this because we were, after all, the winners. Had we lost the war, I don’t think they’d be celebrating quite so much. Anyway. Most of us really don’t care. It’s another day we’ll be working… there’s a 2 minute silence at 11 AM, (tomorrow) which probably will be ignored by most of us. I don’t know. It’s a a strange thing. We need to remember the lessons of democracy, but yeah.

Anyway, that’s it.

See you. Bye.

 

 

1060 Film Review: Love at First Bite (1979) Transcript

Love at First Bite is a comedy film from 1979 that mixes romance, horror, and humour. Directed by Stan Dragoti and written by Robert Kaufman, it offers a light-hearted version of the Dracula story. Instead of being scary, this Count Dracula is charming, funny, and completely out of place in modern-day America. Starring George Hamilton in the lead role, the film invites viewers to see the famous vampire in a whole new way.

The story begins in Transylvania, where Dracula is being forced to leave his castle. The Communist government wants to turn it into a training centre for gymnasts. With no other choice, Dracula decides to move to New York City. He hopes to find his true love, who has been reborn as a fashion model named Cindy Sondheim (played by Susan Saint James). However, life in America is not as easy as he expected. He has to deal with fast food, busy streets, and Cindy’s jealous boyfriend—who happens to be a descendant of Dracula’s old enemy, Van Helsing.

George Hamilton’s performance as Dracula is one of the film’s greatest strengths. He plays the character with style and confidence, giving the vampire an elegant, old-fashioned charm. Unlike traditional horror films, this Dracula is not frightening. He’s polite, well-dressed, and always looking for love—not just blood. His thick accent and romantic manners add to the humour, especially when he tries to understand American culture.

The film’s comedy comes mostly from this cultural clash. Dracula is confused by everyday things like taxis, phones, and disco clubs. One of the most memorable scenes shows him dancing at a nightclub with Cindy, surrounded by flashing lights and loud music. The use of the popular disco song “I Love the Nightlife” makes the moment even funnier. These scenes highlight the differences between Dracula’s world and the fast-paced life of New York in the 1970s.

Cindy Sondheim, played by Susan Saint James, is a strong and independent character. She is modern, stylish, and not easily impressed. Her relationship with Dracula is both romantic and comedic, as she tries to decide between him and her current boyfriend, Dr. Jeffrey Rosenberg (played by Richard Benjamin). Rosenberg adds more comedy to the film. He is nervous, jealous, and always trying to prove that Dracula is dangerous—even though no one takes him seriously.

While the film is entertaining, it also shows its age. Some jokes rely on stereotypes that may seem outdated today. The style, music, and references are all from the 1970s, which might feel strange to modern viewers. However, if you enjoy retro fashion, disco music, and classic comedy, you will likely find it amusing.

Visually, the film offers a modest but effective aesthetic. The contrast between Dracula’s gothic attire and the gaudy excess of New York’s disco scene is used to strong comedic effect. The cinematography isn’t especially stylish, but it supports the story well, and the limited special effects are enough for the film’s light-hearted tone.

Love at First Bite was a box office success when it was released and remains popular with fans of classic comedy. It may not be as well-known as other horror parodies like Young Frankenstein, but it has its own charm. The idea of a vampire trying to live in New York City is funny enough, but George Hamilton’s performance makes it even more enjoyable.

Conclusion:

Love at First Bite is a playful and humorous take on the Dracula story. It’s more of a romantic comedy than a horror film, and it uses the contrast between old traditions and modern life to make the audience laugh. While some parts feel dated, the film still has plenty of charm. If you’re looking for a funny and unusual vampire film—and you like disco—this is a great choice.

1055 – The Story of Maggie McTaggart

Hi Everyone,

Welcome to another podcast from Teacher Joseph.

Today I want to tell you a story about my ancestor Maggie McTaggart, who lived in south-west Scotland in 1920.

Maggie was just sixteen years old when this story takes place. She came from a lively, hardworking family — one of eleven children. Her father worked long hours in the steelworks, and her mother stayed at home, looking after the younger ones, cooking, cleaning, sewing, and somehow keeping everything running.

Life wasn’t easy for Maggie, but it was full of energy. Their small stone house stood at the edge of the town, close enough to the railway tracks that you could hear the trains rattling past at all hours. Inside, it was always noisy — children shouting, babies crying, pots banging, someone always rushing in or out. But there was warmth too, a sense that no matter how little they had, they had each other.

Maggie herself was bright and full of life. She had a quick smile, a love of singing, and a fierce determination to make the best of whatever came her way. Like many girls her age, she had started working young — not in the mills like some of her friends, but in a small bakery on the high street. Every morning before sunrise, she would tie back her hair, pull on her apron, and walk into town with the smell of fresh bread already filling the air.

The bakery was a busy place, especially in the early hours, and Maggie worked hard. She learned to knead dough quickly, to pack up loaves without squashing them, and to deal with all sorts of customers — from grumpy old men to tired mothers with crying children clinging to their skirts.

But Maggie didn’t mind the hard work. She liked being busy, and she liked knowing she was helping her family. Every Saturday, she handed over most of her wages to her mother, keeping just a few pennies for herself — enough to buy a second-hand book now and then, or a bright ribbon for her hair.

At home, Maggie helped raise her younger brothers and sisters. She mended torn clothes, told bedtime stories, and sometimes even led the whole group in games out in the fields after supper. She had a natural gift for finding joy in small things: the way the sun fell on the river, the sound of the church bells on a Sunday morning, the laughter of her brothers tumbling over each other in the long grass.

Sometimes, in the evenings, when the day’s work was done and the younger ones had finally fallen asleep, Maggie would sit by the window with a book on her lap, dreaming of what life might hold for her. Maybe, one day, she would save enough money to travel — not far, perhaps just to Glasgow or Edinburgh — and see the world beyond the grey streets of her hometown.

But Maggie wasn’t unhappy. She loved her family fiercely, and she loved the life she knew. There was music in her world — real music, played on battered fiddles and old pianos at dances in the village hall. There were friendships that had lasted since childhood, solid and dependable. And there was the deep satisfaction of knowing that, even with so many mouths to feed and so many worries to carry, her family never gave up on hope.

In the spring of 1920, Maggie’s life took a small but important turn. The bakery owner, impressed by her hard work and cheerful manner, offered her an apprenticeship to learn more about the business. It was an unexpected opportunity — and one Maggie seized with both hands. She began learning how to balance the books, manage orders, and even create new recipes.

It wasn’t just about the money, although that helped too. It was about the pride she felt every time a customer smiled and complimented her work. It was about standing a little taller, knowing she was building a future for herself, bit by bit.

That summer, there was a celebration in the town — a fair held in the fields just outside the church. Maggie went with her brothers and sisters, laughing as they ran from stall to stall, their pockets full of sticky sweets. She wore a blue dress her mother had helped her sew and danced late into the evening under the open sky.

When the stars came out, she sat with her friends by the riverbank, her bare feet dangling in the cool water. They spoke about dreams — of travelling, of owning shops or farms, of simply living good lives. Maggie listened, smiling quietly, her heart full. She didn’t know exactly what the future would bring, but for the first time, she believed it could be bright.

Maggie McTaggart never became rich, or famous, or travelled very far from the town where she was born. But she built a life of meaning — full of laughter, kindness, and hard work. She became a pillar of her community, a woman others turned to for help or advice, someone who always had a warm loaf ready for a neighbour in need.

And perhaps that’s the best kind of legacy to leave behind — not one written in grand histories, but in small, steady acts of love that ripple outward long after we’re gone.

Today, when I think of Maggie, I don’t picture tragedy or hardship. I see a bright-eyed girl with a ribbon in her hair, singing as she walks down a dusty road at sunrise, ready to face whatever the day will bring.

Care for Older People in the UK (with transcript)

Listen to the most recent episode of my podcast: #772 Care for Older People in the UK (with transcript) https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/joseph-mc42/episodes/772-Care-for-Older-People-in-the-UK-with-transcript-e2jqag4

It will be on youtube shortly too.

Transcript: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1h_1HX3Bsi1CMHmMKQoPT0G36CwgMdNBS0uekz6NK7EE/edit?usp=drivesdk

We all want our friends and relatives to be happy, but who is responsible for their care?
Today we read a story about a 95 year old woman in the UK.

Continue reading “Care for Older People in the UK (with transcript)”

To Focus (with transcript)

Listen to the most recent episode of my podcast: #770 To Focus (with transcript) https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/joseph-mc42/episodes/770-To-Focus-with-transcript-e2jnmd5

Transcript https://docs.google.com/document/d/19E1q6pK03LswlyXGzhTZi8NEnZtAnIjQO4dajuWu-O8/edit?usp=drivesdk

Today’s phrase for ESL Learners is “To focus”.

Also today:
Darts becomes Britain’s most exciting sport and Scientists study the language of Apes.

Continue reading “To Focus (with transcript)”

To be treated like Cattle (with Transcript)

Listen to the most recent episode of my podcast: #768 To be treated like Cattle (with transcript). https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/joseph-mc42/episodes/768-To-be-treated-like-Cattle-with-transcript-e2jm6j7

Full transcript: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1o1Cxj13Rbidow4B972fyccKk2IAOluoPgnfZasJiI20/edit?usp=sharing

Continue reading “To be treated like Cattle (with Transcript)”

To Be Hooked on.. (with transcript)

Listen to the most recent episode of my podcast: To Be Hooked on Something (with transcript) https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/joseph-mc42/episodes/To-Be-Hooked-on-Something-with-transcript-e2jj93u

Transcript: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1JLikBSeqMOjVYniaOzLwQxaN7N-nm6jj-teWCEm3pqE/edit?usp=drivesdk

Today’s Learning English idiom for ESL learners is to Be Hooked on Something (with transcript)
Also:
Are British people addicted to Smartphones?
The English Breakfast is evolving – we now have cheese with coffee.
British People now drink Japanese wine “sake”.

Continue reading “To Be Hooked on.. (with transcript)”

To Hit the Right Note (With Transcript)

Listen to the most recent episode of my podcast: #763 To Hit the Right Note (with transcript)

https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/joseph-mc42/episodes/763-To-Hit-the-Right-Note-with-transcript-e2ji4d5

Today’s Idiom to help you learn English is “to hit the right note”. Also:

  1. Nemo, a Swiss non binary singer wins Eurovision.
  2. An Archeological dig in Orkney will vanish again into the earth.
Continue reading “To Hit the Right Note (With Transcript)”

To Probe (with transcript)

Listen to the most recent episode of my podcast: #760 – To Probe (With Transcript) https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/joseph-mc42/episodes/760—To-Probe-With-Transcript-e2jh8ro

In Today’s Podcast to help you learn English:
The verb and noun “Probe”.
Antidepressants are being probed by the Government.
Cheers Stars, Ted Danson and Woody Harrelson begin a new podcast.
Tom Sellick from Magnum PI writes a Book
Jurors in the UK get offered Counselling.

Transcript: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1yuC-p53_L5WmIzvQkNzlOzrZdiOQHjNAvfHCJQL-1xw/edit?usp=sharing

To be Fed Up (with transcript)

Listen to the most recent episode of my podcast: #751 To be Fed Up (with transcript) https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/joseph-mc42/episodes/751-To-be-Fed-Up-with-transcript-e2ja5bf

Full Transcript: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1p14A3_eBXZQD9bTOqN8s5NxSrtF9wwNFwX-5lncg0Sg/edit?usp=drivesdk

Extract:

Hello, everyone, and welcome again to another Teacher Joseph podcast.


Today, the phrase we have is “to be fed up”. To be fed up, and it basically means to be bored or to be mentally tired of a particular situation. Now, it can also mean a little bit depressed.
So for example, you might hear your friends say:
 Oh, I’m really fed up of this job, I’ve been doing it now for 10 years.
 I’m fed up of my boss’s behaviour. He always acts inappropriately.
 Today, I feel really fed up. It’s wet outside and I don’t have very much to do.
To be fed up. A synonym of bored  or perhaps even to be depressed.

Continue reading “To be Fed Up (with transcript)”

Getting the Best from Online Lessons (with transcript)

Listen to the most recent episode of my podcast: #749 Getting the Best from Online Lessons (with Transcript) https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/joseph-mc42/episodes/749-Getting-the-Best-from-Online-Lessons-with-Transcript-e2j85n5

Transcript https://docs.google.com/document/d/13_FTArCu98SOXOw3oGTjV0XdHVqvIMGhTlNmtDKWYvc/edit?usp=drivesdk

Extract:
Today. I want to explore with you the difference between face-to-face classroom lessons and e-learning lessons on the internet. I’ve done both and there’s a very real difference. And if you’re someone who hasn’t had an online lesson before or you’re just not sure how they work, we’re going to be looking at that today.

Continue reading “Getting the Best from Online Lessons (with transcript)”

Pints of Wine (with transcript)

Listen to the most recent episode of my podcast: #748 Pints of Wine (with transcript) https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/joseph-mc42/episodes/748-Pints-of-Wine-with-transcript-e2j6q1u

Transcript: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1s9FlLsMihQwiRdgsN4A2pXyw_32R3JxLKgLopkLY-Ow/edit?usp=drivesdk

Extract: Well, there’s a story in one of our newspapers today. This is from the Daily Mirror and it’s saying that pints of wine will be on sale from this coming Autumn. Now, you may remember a few months ago, I told you about this….that pint size glasses and bottles of wine were to be made available in the UK. And of course, as a nation, we don’t really taste things. We just drink in volumes because we, we don’t really have an appreciation you know…. we don’t taste the wine and say 

“Oh delicious, dry, sweet,,,, would be nice with fish”. 

No…. we just drink to get drunk so it’s no surprise then that we would want wine by the pint rather than appreciating the delicacy and beauty of the drink. So we’re going to go through this story and we’ll be talking about it as we go.

To be Rigged (with transcript)

Listen to the most recent episode of my podcast: #747 To be Rigged (with transcript) https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/joseph-mc42/episodes/747-To-be-Rigged-with-transcript-e2j5dfn

Transcript https://drive.google.com/file/d/1EAOtcKX3LOgmTEWRU5SaEV4pLLDDtzx9/view?usp=drivesdk

Today’s phrase is to be rigged. Now when something is rigged, it is believed that it’s operated using deceit or some kind of malicious behaviour to promote a desired outcome. Now, let me just give you some examples to show you what I mean:

So, if we say, for example, 

We had an election today to vote for our Union leader but I honestly believe the election is rigged. 

Continue reading “To be Rigged (with transcript)”

Set to Become (with transcript)

Listen to the most recent episode of my podcast: #699 Set to Become…(with transcript)

The Phrase “set to become”, Wales to get a new leader and my shopping gets delivered with insults. https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/joseph-mc42/episodes/699-Set-to-Become—with-transcript-e2h5f5k

Transcript: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1ce3ihBzN_4myidBf-5XnPTbgtWfkAzrj/view?usp=drivesdk

Washed up Starfish (with transcript)

Listen to the most recent episode of my podcast: #695 Washed up Starfish (with transcript), Eric Carmen dies, Lillian Gish and London’s AIDS memorial. https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/joseph-mc42/episodes/695-Washed-up-Starfish-with-transcript-e2gv5vc

Transcript https://drive.google.com/file/d/17S6tkvTqNvx8C-Ox8QAU0V9KDNb6hDVO/view?usp=drivesdk

Eye-watering (with transcript)

Listen to the most recent episode of my podcast: #681 Eye-watering (with transcript). 

The phrase Eye-watering, Freddy Mercury’s House, Madonna and the grave of Edward Munch. https://anchor.fm/joseph-mc42/episodes/681-Eye-watering-with-transcript-e2gcmrq

Transcript: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1aA01sA3LPUlGVQBqGbRe3kvMcCBr_1C8/view?usp=drivesdk

Under the Hammer (with transcript)

Listen to the most recent episode of my podcast: #679 Under the Hammer (with transcript)

The Phrase Under the Hammer, the gun that killed John Lennon and actress Pamela Salem dies.

https://anchor.fm/joseph-mc42/episodes/679-Under-the-Hammer-with-transcript-e2g9eo2

Transcript: https://drive.google.com/file/d/141Y6dHtNSfuvQVd2cda1AAoiWpmSEqU6/view?usp=drivesdk

To Shed Light On (with transcript)

Listen to the most recent episode of my podcast: #676 To Shed Light On (with transcript). 

I look at the phrase “to shed light on”, a new William Blake Art Exhibition and a London Museum wants to employ a Taylor Swift fan as an adviser. https://anchor.fm/joseph-mc42/episodes/676-To-Shed-Light-On-with-transcript-e2g5ttf

Transcript: https://drive.google.com/file/d/169vSssT9OzHRbTeLDL3mM2Duzfw2TXm6/view?usp=drivesdk

The BT Tower (with transcript)

Listen to the most recent episode of my podcast: #675 The BT Tower London (with transcript). 

Today I talk about the Phrase “To be Gutted” and details about the BT Tower which will be converted into a hotel.

https://anchor.fm/joseph-mc42/episodes/675-The-BT-Tower-London-with-transcript-e2g4cc9

Transcript: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1B9HKPOh5noUZoB8OyqkIzXgN2IWP4fOk/view?usp=drivesdk

To Fall Through (with transcript)

Listen to the most recent episode of my podcast: #674 To Fall Through (with transcript).

Today I talk about the phrase “to fall through”,the young couple who lied about a house sale falling through and a story about a woman defending her seat on an airline. https://anchor.fm/joseph-mc42/episodes/674-To-Fall-Through-with-transcript-e2g2t1m

Transcript: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1R1RwlljBdc4KKhyjPmnLP_t2zv6OPO56/view?usp=drivesdk

To Pull it Off (with transcript)

Listen to the most recent episode of my podcast: #666 To Pull It Off (with transcript). The phrase “to pull it off” is examined and Harry and Meaghan get a new website. We also look at ways of speaking better. https://anchor.fm/joseph-mc42/episodes/666-To-Pull-It-Off-with-transcript-e2fnhhb

Transcript https://drive.google.com/file/d/1fmexu0yzB522TY4Z60jzH_U7HkGrBiK1/view?usp=drivesdk