Best Let Me Tell You A Tale Podcasts (2025)

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Zohran Mamdani's primary win and the Democrats' Tea Party moment 19:00

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1d ago19:00

19:00

New York State Assemblymember Zohran Mamdani pulled off an astonishing upset this week. In the New York City Democratic mayoral primary, he beat out the long-favored winner, former Governor Andrew Cuomo, who conceded the race only hours after the polls closed. The two candidates were of the same party, but held very different positions within it: C…

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Why are people freaking out about the birth rate? 24:48

3d ago24:48

24:48

There's one little statistic that seems to have gained a lot of attention recently: the birth rate. With pro-natalist ideas showing up in our culture and politics, Brittany wanted to know: why are people freaking out? Who's trying to solve the population equation, and how? Brittany is joined by Kelsey Piper, senior writer at Vox, and Gideon Lewis-K…

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Columbus Housing Authority Financial Mysteries at the Non Profit CCHDO 20:01

4d ago20:01

20:01

By pshannonevans

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Dr Sarah Ruggins: Focus, Discipline, Gratitude 1:06:15

5d ago1:06:15

1:06:15

This week Kenton welcomes Dr Sarah Ruggins back to the pod to unpick the details of her incredible bike ride from John O'Groats to Lands End and back again. Sarah blended her love of the discipline of unsupported ultra-endurance cycling with supported time-trialling to take on her most recent endurance challenge. Sarah tells Kenton all about her ap…

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Is this a medical marvel or horror movie? You tell me. 15:01

6d ago15:01

15:01

Adriana Smith's pregnancy became an ethical and legal quandary. After being declared brain dead, a Georgia hospital kept her on life support without her family's consent because of the state's abortion laws. Now that the baby has been delivered and Smith taken off life support, Brittany wonders: how has the conservative effort to see fetuses as peo…

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Welcome to midlife, Millennials. Are you in crisis? 17:08

7d ago17:08

17:08

Many Millennials are either already in their 40's, or they're staring them down. Are they having a midlife crisis? As this generation enters midlife, their lives look really different from their parents' lives: Millennials are more educated and have a higher median net worth, but the generation is also more unequal than previous generations, has hi…

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Sexy & Spiteful: the best books to read this summer 18:27

11d ago18:27

18:27

It's summer! Which means Brittany is going to be... 1) outside, 2) chilling, and 3) reading. So it's once again time for It's Been a Minute's annual summer books episode! Celebrated romance authors Bolu Babalola and Emily Henry return to the show to discuss their summer reading recommendations, ranging from spiteful and salacious to sweet and spicy…

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Don't let them politicize your menstrual cycle. Period. 20:41

13d ago20:41

20:41

In a country where birth control access is in jeopardy and women's medical needs have been historically overlooked, how do social media trends like #lutealphase and "cycle syncing" complicate the narrative? This is... Your Body, Whose Choice? And for the next few weeks, we're looking at the cultural, legal, and ideological frameworks shaping reprod…

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Columbus Housing Authority and the Complicated Money Movement 21:44

15d ago21:44

21:44

Why are large amounts of money being moved between accounts at the Columbus Housing Authority? Why is the movement of hundreds of thousands of dollars not mentioned in their meeting minutes? Who is managing the money and why are they so cavalier with their funds?By pshannonevans

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L.A. was first. Now it's your move, America. 16:31

16d ago16:31

16:31

Protests have spread across the country after dozens of workers were swept up in an ICE raid in Los Angeles last week, but the support for the protesters is far from universal. In this bonus episode, Brittany is joined by NPR Immigration Correspondent Sergio Martínez-Beltrán and author of A Protest History of the United States, Gloria J. Browne-Mar…

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The Case of the Columbus Housing Authority $75,000 Check Made to Cash 19:01

16d ago19:01

19:01

Why was a check for $75,000 made to Cash by the Executive Director of the Columbus Housing Authority, and it is not reflected in any meeting minutes to the board of commissioners before or after the event? Where did that money go? To the nonprofit Columbus Community Housing Development Organization (CCHDO)? Is anyone paying attention to where money…

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Want to date a rich man? It's harder than you think. 17:52

17d ago17:52

17:52

You may have heard that super viral song on TikTok called "Looking for a man in finance," and yeah, it's fun. But does it speak to people's broader desires to find someone who's more than comfortable financially? Host Brittany Luse is joined by Wailin Wong, co-host of NPR's The Indicator, and Reema Khrais, host of Marketplace's This Is Uncomfortabl…

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How to Search: Non-Profit Negative Revenue and MS Secretary of State Business Listings 18:19

17d ago18:19

18:19

Follow along as I examine the Columbus Community Housing Development - (The Columbus Housing Authority's Non-Profit) Negative Revenue Balances. We will learn how to search the Mississippi Secretary of State Business Listings for Businesses and Charity Listings, Agents, and Members, as well as their compliance with yearly updates. Why is Seasons of …

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Oh no...I got "The Ick." What do I do now? 16:20

18d ago16:20

16:20

So you got 'The Ick?' That feeling of disgust when your date does something that you just can't look past. You think it's about them, but is 'The Ick' actually about you? Brittany is joined by B.A. Parker, co-host of NPR's Code Switch, Corey Antonio Rose, a producer for It's Been A Minute, and Josh Rottman, associate professor of psychology and a d…

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How to Search Non-Profit Financial Records - 990 Forms 14:52

18d ago14:52

14:52

When it comes to nonprofits, there's a lot that you need to know. You can ask for it in a public records request, but it's not really considered a public records request because nonprofits are guided by their nonprofit status. What you can access are their 990s, their tax filings. Here is how you do just that. (Visual version is also available on …

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Mark and Erich: Unearthing History 54:54

19d ago54:54

54:54

Whilst at Everest Basecamp this year, Kenton recorded this episode with Mark Fisher and Erich Roepke who made arguably the most exciting Everest discovery of recent years when they found Andrew Cormyn (“Sandy”) Irvine’s boot on the North Side of the mountain late last year. It was almost exactly 100 years since Irvine and Mallory went missing on th…

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How to win (or lose) a break up on social media 17:54

20d ago17:54

17:54

A lot of us have seen how explosive breakup stories have been on social media. From Reesa Teesa's "Who TF did I marry..." to Spritely's breakup song, these posts have been drawing gasps and gaining traction. But is it harmless fun, or an invasion of privacy? When do your personal stories belong on social media and when do they not? To find out, Bri…

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Public Records Requests and Searching Land Records 23:04

20d ago23:04

23:04

Public records are just that: Public! You are entitled to have information from government officials in the form of bank ledgers, meeting minutes, contracts, bids, emails, etc. Public Officials' and Private Individuals' Land and Property Tax Records are all in the public domain. You just have to go to your county courthouse or look at their website…

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Ep 14 CHA Consultant and Money Management Questions 11:30

21d ago11:30

11:30

Rusty Walker is earning $ 4,295 a month from Columbus HA. He is also receiving fees from Natchez, Hattiesburg, Brookhaven, and McComb Housing Authorities, as well as having some contracts with the City of Gulfport, in addition to his salary as a councilman for the city. I can’t imagine money should be an issue, as he appears to be a successful busi…

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Episode 13 Columbus Housing Authority and Futurespec 8:35

22d ago8:35

8:35

Gulfport's City Council President and Futurespec's Rusty Walker have been playing a shell game with money and land for some time in Gulfport while consulting for various housing authorities in his spare time. Why? According to HUD and area directors, there is absolutely no need for companies like Future Spec to do the day-to-day coding and grant f…

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The Pride month vibes are off, but there's still hope. 17:48

23d ago17:48

17:48

Is it just us, or are the Pride month vibes a little off this year? Between targeted censorship, legislative attacks on LGBTQ+ health care, and a financial pullout from many corporations, queer people and their allies are celebrating with heavier hearts this year. But perhaps it's a moment to reconsider what "pride" is really for? This week, Britta…

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"White genocide" isn't a thing. Trump disagrees. 17:51

25d ago17:51

17:51

You may have heard that the U.S. gained 59 new residents last month from South Africa - and that more came this past weekend. They're all white Afrikaners: a white minority group descended from European colonists. Trump has given some of these white Afrikaners refugee status because he claims a "white genocide" is happening against them in South Af…

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Canada hates us, but it's not all Trump's fault. 19:20

27d ago19:20

19:20

The stereotype is that Canadians are kind, but they by and large do not take kindly to President Trump's idea of making Canada our 51st state. As of April, two-thirds of Canadians considered the U.S. to be "unfriendly" or an "enemy," and 61% say they have started boycotting American companies. However, Canadian dislike and distrust of the U.S. is n…

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Episode 12 Columbus Housing Authority: CHA and CCHDO Financial Red Flags 16:11

27d ago16:11

16:11

Unravel the financial irregularities in this community housing organization. Let's take a deep dive into the financial transparency, or lack thereof, and the organizational accountability that is missing at the Columbus Housing Authority. From single and rubber-stamped signatures to initialed checks with no invoice or purchase order numbers...the …

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Episode 11 Columbus Housing Authority and The Rubber Stamp Board 13:14

28d ago13:14

13:14

This comprehensive investigative report exposes deep-seated governance challenges within the Columbus Housing Authority (CHA), revealing a complex network of potential systemic failures that compromise organizational integrity, financial accountability, and public trust. We're uncovering a peculiar board member who appears to be a long-standing fix…

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Age gaps & wage gaps: unpacking our Belichick-Hudson obsession 15:34

30d ago15:34

15:34

After 8 trips to the Super Bowl, 73 year-old former NFL coach Bill Belichick is ready to start a new phase in his career: mentor, college football coach, and now doting boyfriend to 24-year-old Jordon Hudson. But as Hudson also takes an increasingly important role in Belichick's professional life, people are speculating about the motivations behind…

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Columbus Housing Authority Ep #10 The Executive Director and Board Attorney and Non-compliance 18:18

1M ago18:18

18:18

Today we examine the Mississippi Ethics Commission rules related public access to public records information and how the Columbus Housing Authority Executive Director and Board Attorney are in non-compliance.By pshannonevans

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Can doctors test embryos for autism? And should they? 23:06

1M ago23:06

23:06

A newly available kind of genetic testing, called polygenic embryo screening, promises to screen for conditions that can include cancer, obesity, autism, bipolar disorder, even celiac disease. These conditions are informed by many genetic variants and environmental factors - so companies like Orchid and Heliospect assign risk scores to each embryo …

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Jay Whiting: Achieving the Remarkable 50:10

1M ago50:10

50:10

This week, Kenton sits down to talk to Jay Whiting at Everest Base Camp. Jay is not a professional climber or a professional athlete - he is a full-time solicitor in London - yet when this episode was recorded, he was preparing to take on an enormous Himalayan challenge. Jay talks to Kenton about his dreams of achieving the Everest Triple Crown thi…

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Brittany needs a couch. Should she buy now, pay later? 19:31

1M ago19:31

19:31

Brittany keeps looking at a new couch online, and every time she goes to buy it she sees an option to "Buy Now, Pay Later," which made her wonder...should she? Here's what she found: Buy Now, Pay Later (BNPL) loans have become one of the go-to ways to get access to credit fast. Companies like Klarna, Affirm, and Afterpay make buying big purchases r…

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Ep. 9 Columbus Housing Authority and the Case of the Bumbling Bids 15:47

1M ago15:47

15:47

The housing authority uses federal grants or gifts to help pay the housing cost of its customers. Federal money is given to the housing authority to cover all the normal costs of maintaining a place to live. As a result, the housing authority must comply with state and federal bidding rules on purchasing. The laws are really clear, and they're eas…

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Why can't we (or Ms. Rachel) talk about Gaza's children dying? 17:03

1M ago17:03

17:03

Children's educator and YouTube star Ms. Rachel has used her social media to advocate for the safety of children all over the world - but when she used her platform to call attention to the plight of children in Gaza, she was accused of being paid by Hamas. This week, Brittany is joined by Defector managing editor Samer Kalaf and The Guardian's dat…

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Pop culture has a "bean soup problem." 18:18

1M ago18:18

18:18

Online discourse has become a fun part of enjoying and dissecting big pop culture events. But after seeing all the commentary around Ryan Coogler's Sinners - one of the biggest cultural juggernauts of the year - Brittany has one question: are we in a media literacy crisis? Difference of opinion is one thing, but it feels like some viewers are missi…

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Columbus Housing Authority Ep. 8 Outrageous FOIA Bill and Continued Lack of Transparency. 13:15

1M ago13:15

13:15

My most recent FOIA request has been described as requiring 160 hours of work and cositn over $7000 to complete. What hogwash! Is nothing in the CHA digitized?By pshannonevans

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Columbus Housing Authority Ep. 7 Foxes and Henhouses 26:34

1M ago26:34

26:34

What started with looking into a truck that CHA purchased and got scammed on has made me look more carefully at how they conduct their business. It makes me question a lot of things they do and makes me wonder who else is scamming them. Follow along as I explore their ledgers.By pshannonevans

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Columbus Housing Authority and Their Bed Bug Problem 11:06

1M ago11:06

11:06

It would appear that most of the service providers to the Columbus Housing Authority are from out of town, adding to the cost of their services. Was the Cook Pest Control account ever put out for bid? Is it rebid each year? Why does the Columbus Housing Authority have a huge bedbug problem that shows up each month in one and only one unit at varyin…

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Get rich or die trying: how sports betting is changing our love of the game 16:56

1M ago16:56

16:56

It's been seven years since the Supreme Court legalized sports betting outside of Nevada. For some, it's a hobby that spices up a game, but for others it's become a side hustle or investing strategy. And in a time where 60% of U.S. households don't earn enough to afford basic costs of living... that can be a problem. This... is Money Troubles. And …

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CHA Ep. 5 The Executive Directors $52,000 in Travel Expenses and $100,000 in Credit Card Bills 12:49

1M ago12:49

12:49

Since October 13th, 2023, Executive Director Robert Grathree has spent $52,000 on conference travel and per diem. In that same period, over $100,000 has been charged to the Columbus Housing Authority's credit card. None of that is spent on resident housing improvements, and none of that is spent on bills. All of those invoices and all residency wor…

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Diddy, Cassie, & the anatomy of "mutual abuse" 16:04

1M ago16:04

16:04

The highly anticipated federal trial against Sean "Diddy" Combs has begun. The hip-hop mogul is facing charges of racketeering and sex trafficking, and could be sentenced to life in prison if found guilty. So why is his attorney, Marc Agnifilo, telling the court they're going to "take the position that there was mutual violence" in his relationship…

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A tale of murder, artificial intelligence, & forgiveness 12:57

2M ago12:57

12:57

Should AI give you a voice? Even when you've been murdered? An AI avatar of a murder victim addressed his killer in court last week, and it may have been the first admittance of an AI-generated victim impact statement in a US court. Chris Pelkey, who was shot in a road rage incident in 2021, was recreated in a video made by his sister to offer forg…

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CHA Ep4 The Missing Truck Title, Scammers, and Meeting Minutes 17:34

2M ago17:34

17:34

Looking through the board minutes on the truck and the scammer, I found other anomalies that caught my eye…big dollar anomalies and still no mention of the scam. Interesting!By pshannonevans

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The Frog Prince 8:23

2M ago8:23

8:23

The Frog Prince, by the Brothers Grimm, narrated by Keith M. Bower.By Let Me Tell You A Tale

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Recess... Recess Never Changes 6:08

2M ago6:08

6:08

'Recess... Recess Never Changes' was written and produced by Brady Flanagan as part of Dialogue Fest! Join the Voice Support Community - VSC Discord Server today! Starring Chris Bauso as David & David's Inner Monologue Eliza R as Jonathan Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices…

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Karl Egloff: The Speedy Mountaineer 36:51

2M ago36:51

36:51

In this special episode, Kenton interviews Karl Egloff at Everest Base Camp as they both prepare for their Everest expeditions. Karl is an extreme mountaineer, mountain guide, runner and speed climber with a host of impressive Fastest Known Times (FKTs) to his name. Later this month, he is aiming to become the fastest person to move from Basecamp t…

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Can OnlyFans save the music industry? 18:03

2M ago18:03

18:03

Concert tickets are more expensive than ever, and according to Live Nation, 2023 was the biggest year ever for concert turnout and ticket sales. So why are indie artists turning to OnlyFans to pay the bills? This is PART ONE of our new series, Money Troubles. And for the next few weeks, we're looking into the ways everyday people are trying to make…

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Columbus Housing Authority Ep 3 Missing Truck Emails & Scammers 35:28

2M ago35:28

35:28

My recent FOIA request related to the Columbus Housing Authority (CHA) Truck and the 60K scam has raised even more questions about the activities of the director and board at CHA.By pshannonevans

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The political power of Gen Z women 18:51

2M ago18:51

18:51

The leftward shift of Gen Z women is one of the most dramatic political trends happening right now. Polling data from Gallup found that 40% of young women aged 18-29 self-describe as liberal compared to 28% of the same demographic at the beginning of the century. So what's causing a new generation of young women to move to the left? Brittany is joi…

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Columbus Housing Authority Ep. 2 - The Case of the Missing but Not Missing Truck 13:07

2M ago13:07

13:07

Tonight, I am going to tell you a story that was told to me by people in positions of authority with the Columbus Housing Authority…a strange, convoluted story…and then I will read you three emails I was handed in a meeting. I should have much more on Friday as a result of a FOIA request and a couple of hundred dollars to get said public documents……

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The fantasy vs. reality of Trump's "smokestack nostalgia" 19:55

2M ago19:55

19:55

The Trump administration wants their recent tariffs to function as incentives for Americans to produce more of our own goods in our own factories. And one poll shows that 80% of us say the country would be better off if more Americans worked in manufacturing. But why do people on both sides of the aisle want these jobs back so much? What have we lo…

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Prohibition and the Murder of Wales Land in Lowndes County, MS 7:06

2M ago7:06

7:06

Wales Land embodied the archetypal small farmer - hardworking, unassuming, and deeply rooted in the agricultural traditions of the American South. He farmed with his father and the sharecroppers who worked the land beside them. The Great Depression and the Prohibition era had transformed quiet rural communities into complex battlegrounds of legal e…