Best Easing The Reader Podcasts (2025)

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A Russian medical student read about Ukraine’s Azov Regiment while riding the bus. Within hours, federal agents arrested him for an ‘illegal Internet search.’

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7h ago

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One fine day in late September, a medical student named Sergey was riding the bus to work in Kamensk-Uralsky, browsing the Internet on his phone. He came across some photos showing the insignia of Ukraine’s Azov Regiment and the pro-Kyiv paramilitary group known as the Russian Volunteer Corps (RDK). “Who are those guys again?” Sergey asked himself.…

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Meduza talks to analyst Balázs Jarábik about how war and martial law are reshaping Ukraine’s political landscape

12h ago

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A protester holds a Ukrainian flag during a demonstration in Kyiv against a law that stripped anti-corruption agencies of their independence. President Zelensky later backtracked on the legislation. July 24, 2025. Due to Russia’s full-scale invasion, Ukraine has been under martial law for nearly four years. Democratic processes, like elections, rem…

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Ex-policeman allegedly murders pageant queen in Russia’s Buryatia after failing to obtain refugee status in U.S.

14h ago

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The Russian authorities have concluded their investigation into the murder of a beauty pageant winner from the country’s Far Eastern Republic of Buryatia, Mediazona reports. State investigators allege that 30-year-old Seseg Buinova, also known as “Miss Buryatia,” was killed by a former police officer who had returned to the region after an unsucces…

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Russian forces close in on Pokrovsk. Meduza’s military analysts on the threat of encirclement and Ukraine’s chances of defense

15h ago

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Like our earlier reports on the combat situation in Ukraine, this article takes stock of the recent developments on the battlefield based on open-source information. Meduza has condemned Russia’s invasion of Ukraine from the very start, and our detailed military analyses are part of our commitment to objective reporting on a war we firmly oppose. O…

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Homo Putinus. In April, Kremlin ideologist Alexander Kharichev wrote a ‘blueprint for Putinism.’ In his new essay, he envisions Russia’s ‘person of the future.’

17h ago

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Alexander Kharichev Kremlin official Alexander Kharichev has published a new essay. As the head of the Putin administration’s team for “monitoring social trends,” Kharichev plays a central role in shaping the regime’s ideological doctrine. In his latest manifesto, he outlines his vision for how Russia should cultivate the “person of the future,” em…

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The plunder and violence unleashed in occupied Ukraine has reached Russia’s own towns

1d ago

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A banner on a building in the city of Shebekino, outside Belgorod, in May 2022 When Russian soldiers spilled into Ukraine in February 2022, reports soon followed of rampant looting in captured towns. Homes, museums, theaters — even schools — were stripped of everything from food and clothing to computers and washing machines. The stories of theft a…

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As Angelina Jolie tours war-torn Ukraine, her driver is arrested and drafted into the army

1d ago

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During American actress Angelina Jolie’s humanitarian visit to Ukraine on November 5, military draft officers detained her driver, according to multiple reports. That evening, authorities stopped Jolie’s motorcade at a checkpoint in the Mykolaiv region and seized one of the drivers when he couldn’t produce the required documents, then handed him ov…

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Studying abroad in occupied territory. Russian-accredited universities in Ukraine’s Donbas are admitting foreign students. Will their diplomas be recognized anywhere else?

1d ago

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Students from Indian enrolled at St. Luke Luhansk State Medical University Medical universities in Russian-occupied parts of Ukraine’s Donbas region have begun admitting foreign students. Despite their proximity to the front line and the fact that they’re on internationally recognized Ukrainian territory, these Russian-run schools are enrolling gro…

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‘Living here is impossible’. Across Russia, people who ask officials for help with flooded roads and housing problems face retribution instead

1d ago

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Across Russia, ordinary people who dare to complain about flooded roads, housing issues, or toxic air often face retribution from the authorities. When residents post videos pleading for help, in many cases the response from officials is not solutions but threats, fines, and even criminal charges. RFE/RL’s Sever.Realii spoke with people on the grou…

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Russian defense minister proposes preparations for full-scale nuclear tests

1d ago

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At a meeting of Russia’s Security Council on Wednesday, Defense Minister Andrey Belousov proposed that Vladimir Putin immediately begin preparations for a full-scale nuclear weapons test on the Novaya Zemlya archipelago, the Kremlin press service reported. According to Belousov, the U.S. has been steadily withdrawing from arms control agreements an…

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How Putin beat Russia’s nationalists at their own game. Also, RFE/RL finds new evidence that the Kremlin lies about the president’s office work.

2d ago

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The Russian March in Moscow on November 4, 2011 It’s Unity Day in Russia, when nationalists once staged some of the Putin era’s biggest recurring anti-Kremlin rallies On November 4, Russians celebrated National Unity Day — marking more than four centuries since a popular uprising ended the Polish-Lithuanian occupation of Moscow. The holiday general…

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‘Cynical and completely reckless’. Latvia has the highest femicide rate in Europe — including Russia. Its parliament just voted to exit a treaty protecting women from violence.

2d ago

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In September 2025, a right-wing populist party in Latvia introduced legislation to withdraw the country from the Istanbul Convention, a key international treaty aimed at protecting women from violence. In the lead-up to the vote, thousands of people took to the streets of Riga in protest, a petition against the bill garnered more than 22,000 signat…

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How many soldiers have Russia and Ukraine lost? And how do their armies compare? Meduza’s military analysts answer readers’ biggest questions about the war (part 3)

3d ago

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Ukrainian soldiers inspect a vehicle hit by a Russian kamikaze drone near the front line. Kostiantynivka, Ukraine. October 16, 2025. In October, we asked our Russian-language readers to send in their most pressing questions about the Russia–Ukraine war. We received hundreds of messages in response, and our Explainers team reviewed each one, grouped…

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Russia charges woman who adopted Mariupol teenager with child trafficking. Yes, you read that right. Also, Belgium eases Russian asset unfreezing while stalling Europe’s ‘reparations loan.’

3d ago

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The Russian woman who adopted a Mariupol teen now faces child-trafficking charges — in a Moscow court One of the most public figures in Russia’s controversial “adoption” of minors removed from occupied Ukraine now faces up to a decade in prison on child-trafficking charges. Irina Rudnitskaya, who heads an organization that advocates for “family val…

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352. Solar Tax Credits for Real Estate Investors: What's Legit (And What's Not) With Nathan Sosa 35:55

3d ago35:55

35:55

In this episode of the Tax Smart REI Podcast, Thomas Castelli and Nathan Sosa, Head of the National Tax Department at Hall CPA, dive deep into solar tax credits: how they work, who qualifies, and whether they can truly offset your tax liability as a real estate investor.From residential installations to short-term rentals and syndicated solar inves…

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Russian clients living in the E.U. struggle to regain banking access after fintech company Revolut freezes accounts

4d ago

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Revolut, an online bank popular among expats in the European Union, has started freezing accounts belonging to Russian and Belarusian citizens. According to the company, the measure is an effort to comply with the latest package of E.U. sanctions against Russia, which was adopted on October 23. The abrupt move has left clients scrambling to regain …

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Russia’s city of shadows. Alexey Titarenko’s photos use long exposure to capture the ‘infernal’ atmosphere of 1990s St. Petersburg

4d ago

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This fall, an exhibition by Soviet-American photographer Alexey Titarenko opened in the Italian city of Monopoli as part of the PhEST photography and art festival. Around the same time, the U.S. publisher Nailya Alexander Gallery released the second edition of his book, which brings together his projects “City of Shadows,” “The Black and White Magi…

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Will Russia invade the E.U.? . Meduza’s military analysts answer readers’ biggest questions about the war (part 2)

4d ago

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Tank crews in Russia’s Leningrad region take part in live-fire exercises at a training range. October 14, 2025. In October, we asked our Russian-language readers to send in their most pressing questions about the Russia–Ukraine war. We received hundreds of messages in response, and our Explainers team reviewed each one, grouped similar questions by…

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Russia’s new reservist law looks like another ‘quiet mobilization’. It’s October 31, 2025. Here are two stories worth your attention.

6d ago

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Who ya gonna call when the country’s not ready for Round Two? The reservists! Both houses of Russia’s Parliament have passed legislation allowing the state to call up reservists to protect “critical infrastructure” during special drills. In practice, this will likely involve defending energy, transport, and industrial sites from Ukrainian drone att…

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‘Russia is a superpower of the past’. Meduza asks China expert Alexander Gabuev what Trump’s ‘12 out of 10’ meeting with Xi Jinping means for Putin

6d ago

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U.S. President Donald Trump and Chinese leader Xi Jinping in South Korea. October 30, 2025. On October 30, U.S. President Donald Trump met with Chinese leader Xi Jinping for the first time in six years. Trump described the meeting, which came after a months-long trade war, as “amazing” and a “12 out of 10.” He also announced plans to immediately re…

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Could Russia occupy all of Donbas in a year? And what if Ukraine’s ‘fortress belt’ falls? Meduza’s military analysts answer readers’ biggest questions about the war (part 1)

7d ago

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Destroyed apartment buildings in the city of Chasiv Yar, Donetsk region. July 2025. Last week, we asked our Russian-language readers to send in their most pressing questions about the Russia–Ukraine war. We received hundreds of messages in response, and our Explainers team reviewed each one, grouped similar questions by topic, and then selected the…

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How Russian and American signaling turned nuclear again. It’s October 30, 2025. Here are three stories worth your attention.

7d ago

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Gee, I wish we had one of them doomsday machines Donald Trump ordered the U.S. military to resume testing nuclear weapons for the first time in 33 years. The announcement, made during the president’s tour of Asia and following Moscow’s recent tests of two nuclear-powered weapons, appears intended as a message to rival nuclear powers China and Russi…

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Episode 418: The Gang Catches Pokémon – Q&A Quest 1:33:47

8d ago1:33:47

1:33:47

In this episode, we continue to enjoy Pokémon Legends: Z-A. We also continue our mission to answer more questions. The post Episode 418: The Gang Catches Pokémon – Q&A Quest appeared first on RPGamer.By Michael Apps

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‘Clothing has nothing to do with public safety’. Chechen officials plan to ‘educate’ women who go out without headscarves

8d ago

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A woman poses with cherry blossoms in Grozny. April 3, 2024. Officials in Russia’s Chechnya have announced plans to summon women who appear in public without headscarves for so-called “informational talks.” The authorities say the campaign will promote modesty and respect for local traditions. Rights advocates say it’s a thinly veiled attempt to ti…

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Grokipedia vs. Ruwiki. Elon Musk’s Wikipedia rival uses AI to push its creator’s views — something Moscow already tried. Meduza compares the results.

8d ago

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This week saw the launch of Grokipedia, a large language model-powered online encyclopedia created by Elon Musk. The U.S. billionaire claims the new product is a less “biased” alternative to Wikipedia, the decades-old reference site widely seen as one of the last surviving relics of a healthier, more democratic Internet. However, users have found m…

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One bad apple . Meduza explains why the Kremlin is cracking down on Russia’s Yabloko party and its floundering campaign for peace

8d ago

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Ahead of next year’s parliamentary elections, the Kremlin is cracking down on the liberal party Yabloko, which opposes the war in Ukraine. Just this month, authorities arrested one of its leaders, spread rumors about another, and placed a third under house arrest. At the same time, Yabloko’s approval rating only hovers around 3–4 percent, and the p…

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‘Like stepping into a mousetrap’. Russian military academies won’t let cadets drop out. Legal experts say Putin’s 2022 mobilization decree is to blame.

8d ago

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First-year cadets at a maritime technical academy attend an oath ceremony in the naval port of Kronstadt outside of Saint Petersburg. October 3, 2025. In a new report, iStories revealed that the Budyonny Military Academy in St. Petersburg refuses to let its cadets drop out. One now-former cadet told iStories that his withdrawal request was ignored.…

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America’s ‘force posture adjustment’ in Europe, and how Russia lost Nyash-Myash. It’s October 29, 2025. Here are two stories worth your attention.

8d ago

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The U.S. military to Europe: Don’t call it a withdrawal! The thousand-odd U.S. soldiers who rotated out of Romania last month won’t be replaced, Bucharest revealed on Wednesday. The withdrawal follows months of signals from the Trump administration that America’s military presence on NATO’s eastern flank could be sustained at lower levels. In its o…

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‘Zeroed out’. How Russian army officers are executing their own men — and getting away with it

9d ago

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Russian soldiers on the front line aren’t just dying in combat with Ukrainian troops — many are being killed by their own commanders. In a new investigation, the outlet Verstka identified 101 servicemen accused of involvement in field executions, referred to within the Russian army as “zeroings out.” Their alleged crimes include cases where soldier…

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Russia adds Meduza co-founder and CEO Galina Timchenko to international wanted list

9d ago

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Russia has placed Galina Timchenko, co-founder and CEO of Meduza, on its international wanted list, the country’s Investigative Committee announced on Wednesday. The measure comes in connection with Russian authorities’ charges against Timchenko for allegedly organizing the activities of a designated “undesirable organization.” According to the Inv…

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Episode 417: The Gang Answers Questions – Q&A Quest 2:30:13

9d ago2:30:13

2:30:13

This week in Q&A Quest, the gang actually answers some questions. We also discuss Pokémon Legends: Z-A. The post Episode 417: The Gang Answers Questions – Q&A Quest appeared first on RPGamer.By Michael Apps

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351. Year-End Tax Planning 2025: What Every Investor Should Be Doing Now with Justin Shore, EA 32:50

9d ago32:50

32:50

In this episode of the Tax Smart REI Podcast, Thomas Castelli and Justin Shore discuss essential year-end tax strategies for real estate investors looking to close out 2025 strong. As Q4 winds down, they walk through the most effective levers you can pull before December 31 to minimize taxes, maximize deductions, and set yourself up for a smoother …

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Russia changes military recruitment tactics, a mayor threatens a constituent for ‘dislikes,’ and Ukraine will start exporting weapons. Meduza breaks down today’s biggest Russia-related news stories, October ...

9d ago

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Below, you’ll find a digest of news reports from October 28, 2025, in Russian and English. Do you enjoy daily news briefs? Are you starved for direct, hand-crafted, microbrewed stories and commentary about Russia? If you shouted “Yes!” to any of these questions, check this out: Listen up, Europe and America 🕊️ State Duma deputies have cautiously we…

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‘We traveled across the whole world’. YouTuber MrBeast removes mention of Ukraine from Russian-language version of video showing war-torn zoo

10d ago

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The world’s most popular YouTuber is facing criticism after censoring the Russian-language voiceover in one of his videos to avoid mentioning Ukraine — even though part of the video is set there and shows destruction from Russia’s ongoing war. In his latest release, 27-year-old Jimmy Donaldson, better known by his username MrBeast, claims to have r…

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350. What Every Syndicator Gets Wrong About Taxes, Funds, and Their CPA with MLRE 31:36

16d ago31:36

31:36

In this episode of the Tax Smart REI Podcast, Thomas Castelli sits down with Matt Hamilton and Nathan Sosa, co-hosts of the Major League Real Estate Podcast and leaders at Hall CPA, to unpack the complex world of real estate syndications and funds and the tax traps that even seasoned operators overlook.Matt and Nathan work directly with large priva…

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Episode 416: The Gang Fails to Answer Questions – Q&A Quest 1:47:25

20d ago1:47:25

1:47:25

In this episode of Q&A Quest, the gang is sidetracked into a variety of topics. This means that very few questions are answered. The post Episode 416: The Gang Fails to Answer Questions – Q&A Quest appeared first on RPGamer.By Michael Apps

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Episode 415: The Gang Talks About Hades – Q&A Quest 1:42:07

20d ago1:42:07

1:42:07

In this episode, we continue to talk about the joy that is Hades II. We also answer questions and discuss the slate of upcoming releases. The post Episode 415: The Gang Talks About Hades – Q&A Quest appeared first on RPGamer.By Michael Apps

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349. How to Scale, Profit, and Survive in Today’s STR Market with Thanks for Visiting 36:43

23d ago36:43

36:43

In this episode of the Tax Smart REI Podcast, Thomas Castelli sits down with Annette Grant and Sarah Karakaian, co-founders of Thanks for Visiting, to reveal what it really takes to run a profitable short-term rental business in today’s market.Annette and Sarah have coached thousands of hosts on how to build scalable, hospitality-driven operations …

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348. How to Turn ANY Airbnb into a Money Machine with Taylor Jones 38:16

1M ago38:16

38:16

In this episode of the Tax Smart REI Podcast, Thomas and Ryan sit down with short-term rental expert Taylor Jones to break down how investors are transforming ordinary Airbnbs into high-ROI “money machines”, even as the STR landscape becomes more competitive.Tune in to learn:- Why data-driven decisions outperform emotion-based investing every time.…

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Episode 414: Goodbye EA – Q&A Quest 1:42:07

1M ago1:42:07

1:42:07

In this episode, we discuss the likely disastrous buyout of EA. We also discuss Hades II. The post Episode 414: Goodbye EA – Q&A Quest appeared first on RPGamer.By Michael Apps

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Episode 413: Your Host Is Distracted – Q&A Quest 1:38:17

1M ago1:38:17

1:38:17

This week in Q&A Quest, your host is distracted trying to solo a Destiny 2 dungeon. We also discuss the slate of upcoming releases. The post Episode 413: Your Host Is Distracted – Q&A Quest appeared first on RPGamer.By Michael Apps

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347. W-2 Tax Strategies in 2025: What's Actually Working 39:08

1M ago39:08

39:08

In this episode of the Tax Smart REI Podcast, hosts Thomas Castelli and Ryan Carriere dive into one of the most-requested topics from high-income investors and professionals, W-2 tax strategies.Tune in to learn:- Why W-2 income is so highly taxed and the biggest obstacles to offsetting it- How Section 469 passive activity rules work and proven ways…

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Episode 412: Gabo Quest VII – Q&A Quest 2:33:32

1M ago2:33:32

2:33:32

This week in Q&A Quest, we discuss the recent Nintendo Direct. Our Dragon Quest correspondent joins us to discuss the reimagining of a classic series entry. The post Episode 412: Gabo Quest VII – Q&A Quest appeared first on RPGamer.By Michael Apps

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346. From Cockpit to Capital: Tax Strategies High W-2 Earners Need to Know with Tait Duryea 55:42

2M ago55:42

55:42

From the cockpit to commercial real estate, Tait's story shows how a high-earning W-2 professional can build wealth outside of the stock market. In this episode of the Tax Smart REI Podcast, Tait shares the lessons he learned moving from single-family to multifamily to syndications and the strategies that help pilots and other professionals put the…