Shows
The Oscar Project Podcast3.92-Street of Chance with Amanda KusekSend us a textToday's episode is my conversation about the 1930 film Street of Chance. I'm joined by Amanda Kusek from The 90-Minute Movie newsletter and we talk about how the gambling murder in the film ands up being front page news, how it is sometimes easier to follow a silent film than a sound film with poor sound quality, and how many of the stars of this film had just started acting in films after having successful Broadway careers. You can watch Street of Chance online for yourself and be sure to check out...
2025-11-1435 min
The Oscar Project Podcast3.90-The Rogue Song with Helen CoxSend us a textToday's episode is my conversation about the 1930 film The Rogue Song. I'm joined by Helen Cox from the Movies of Note newsletter and we talk about how MGM could let a momentous film like this end up lost over the years, the incredible work put in by YouTuber Unreeled8 to recreate the film from what we do have remaining, and how MGM marketed the film as a Laurel and Hardy production rather than relying on the relatively new stars that featured more prominently in the film. You can watch the reconstruction...
2025-11-0748 min
The Oscar Project Podcast3.82-Condemned with Luis MendezSend us a textToday's episode is my conversation about the 1929 film Condemned. I'm joined by Luis Mendez from The Mendez Movie Report and we talk about whether or not it is smart for a prison warden to bring in a prisoner to work in his home, the ongoing development of story pacing in films at this time, and some choices that were made with the intent of taking advantage of the use of sound even in the early stages of sound cinema. You can watch Condemned on YouTube and be sure to check out L...
2025-10-1046 min
Between Two HumidorsBetween Two Humidors Episode 015 > Perrie MorganIn this episode 15 of Between Two Humidors, Jonathan Ruggles welcomes Perrie Morgan, a Denver-based cigar roller who honed her craft under master cigar maker Clay Carlton. Introduced to the show by her college friend Laura, Perrie shared her journey from earning degrees in criminology and philosophy to working as a home detention officer, where she began frequenting cigar shops with colleagues. A bartending job at a cigar lounge became the gateway to learning the art of cigar making, a process that took her a year to master—focusing on filler leaf selection, mold use, construction, and wrapper techniques....
2025-08-131h 25
Between Two HumidorsBetween Two Humidors Episode 014 > The Bend FoodieIn episode 14 of "Between Two Humidors," Host Jonathan Ruggles interviews Jon Jones, aka The Bend Foodie, Founder of the food & beverage “Bend Foodies” community on Facebook, which has over 22,000 members. The live conversation starts with greetings and a discussion about cigars: Jones enjoys a Double CT Tabernacle, while Ruggles savors a 20th-anniversary JJ by Don Pepin. The discussion Jones’ journey as the Bend Foodie, beginning in Tacoma, Washington, and moving to Bend for boarding school. He transitioned from firefighting and paramedicine to writing and marketing, fueled by a desire for creativity and service. His passion for scotch and cigars evolve...
2025-08-051h 51
Between Two HumidorsBetween Two Humidors Episode 013 > MelIn episode 13 of "Between Two Humidors," Jonathan Ruggles interviews Mel, owner of Fame Wine and Cigars in Palm Springs and founder of MBombay Tobac. They discussed Palm Springs' unique vibe, flavor profiles in cigars, and stories from Mel's lounge. Mel shared how Fame evolved, emphasizing its international clientele and relaxed atmosphere where cigar enthusiasts feel welcome. He transitioned from the dot-com industry to cigars, opening Fame in 2001 and adding a curated selection of Belgian beers and wine. They explored Mel's journey into creating his cigar brand, MBombay Tobac, underscoring the importance of flavor and customer interaction. They also spoke...
2025-05-161h 25
Between Two HumidorsBetween Two Humidors Episode 012 > John PughThis episode of the Between Two Humidors podcast features Mr. John Pugh, owner of the Cigar Chapel in Bend, Oregon. John shares cigar lounge etiquette tips: refrain from asking for illegal Cubans, avoid excessively licking cigars before using shared cutters, and purchase from the lounge before smoking personal cigars. John discusses the Cigar Chapel's history, revealing that he took over the business from Specialty Cigars and chose the name. He recounts bringing in La Barba and Caldwell as the first new brands, transitioning from heritage cigars to boutique options. John also announces his...
2025-01-161h 05
Between Two HumidorsBetween Two Humidors Episode 011 > Robert CaldwellRobert Caldwell, founder of Caldwell Cigar Company, joins the Between Two Humidors podcast to discuss his life and career. Despite finding social interaction draining, he thrived in the cigar industry, attributing his success to a unique branding approach influenced by an artist friend who opened his eyes to the importance of aesthetics and attention to detail. He describes his approach to sourcing rare and high-quality tobacco, focusing on smaller, experimental crops and well-aged leaves. While he's stepped back from day-to-day management since selling his company, he remains passionate about product development, branding, and marketing. The conversation takes...
2024-11-261h 23
Between Two HumidorsBetween Two Humidors Episode 010 > Jason AtkinsonEpisode DescriptionThis is a wide-ranging conversation between two old friends, with Jonathan Ruggles, Host starting a podcast called "Between Two Humidors." The bulk of the discussion focuses on the career of Jason Atkinson: his early years as a ski instructor, his subsequent 14 year career in Oregon politics, including a run for governor, and his pivotal leadership in negotiating the largest restoration project in American history in the Klamath Basin. Learn more about that project at www.ariverbetweenus.com The conversation then shifts to Atkinson’s current work running a non-profit that provides fly-fishing trips fo...
2024-10-041h 40
FLOSS WeeklyEpisode 796: Homebrew, I'm More of a Whopper GuyThis week Jonathan Bennett and David Ruggles chat with John Britton and Mike McQuaid about Homebrew, the missing package manager for macOS, and Workbrew, the commercial offering built on top of it. We cover lots of territory, like why the naming scheme sounds like it was conceived during a pub visit, how Workbrew helps businesses actually use Homebrew, and why you might even want to run Homebrew on a Linux machine! You can join the conversation in the Hackaday Discord, watch live or get the video version of the show on Youtube, as well as getting the f...
2024-08-141h 15
Between Two HumidorsBetween Two Humidors Episode 009 > Brandon Oveson & Kendrick WoolstenhulmeIn Episode 009 of "Between Two Humidors", host Jonathan Ruggles and Guests Brandon Oveson and Kendrick Woolstenhulme discuss the origins and growth of their cigar brand, Apostate. Oveson and Woolstenhulme met in Utah, where they both used to be members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Oveson, inspired by his desire to work in the cigar industry, was hired by Woolstenhulme and eventually became the manager of his shop. During the pandemic in 2020, they created a super premium house blend cigar and turned it into a brand, naming it "Apostate" after the concept of someone who rejects...
2024-08-021h 18FLOSS WeeklyEpisode 791: It's All About MeThis week David Ruggles chats with Jonathan Bennett to get his origin story! What early core memory does Jonathan pin his lifelong computer hobby on? And how was a tense meeting instrumental to Jonathan's life outlook? You can join the conversation in the Hackaday Discord, where the show records live each week, as well as getting the full story and show links from Hackaday. Oh, and follow the official Mastadon account! Theme music: "Newer Wave" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
2024-07-101h 02
Between Two HumidorsBetween Two Humidors Episode 008 > Bryan SnyderIn "Between Two Humidors" Episode 008, Jonathan Ruggles, Host, and Bryan Snyder, Guest, discuss his experiences with their current cigars. Ruggles is smoking the Luciano Dreamer, and Snyder is smoking Maria Luchia. The conversation shifts to Snyder's work at the Bomarito Automotive Group in St. Louis, where they use Reynolds and Reynolds software instead of CDK Global. Snyder shares concerns about CDK's recent cyber attack, which has affected over 15,000 dealerships, causing significant impacts such as the inability to report sales to manufacturers and financial results to franchises. Moving on, Snyder shares how he came to own and operate a cigar...
2024-06-2855 min
Between Two HumidorsBetween Two Humidors Episode 007 > Alex HusnerA seasoned vacation rental marketing expert, Ms. Alex Husner has played a key role as CMO in two enterprise vacation rental management companies in the United States for the past 14 years. In early 2024, Alex decided to pursue her own entrepreneurial initiatives as CEO/Founder of Directly Alex LLC, a consultancy firm specializing in direct bookings and business growth strategies for vacation rental management companies. During her 13-year tenure as CMO with Condo-World, Alex spearheaded the growth of the company from 150 to 500 condos under management, driving $25M in annual revenue of which 95% came through direct marketing efforts. Alex served as...
2024-06-2754 min
Between Two HumidorsBetween Two Humidors Episode 006 > Conversation after the Pod > Michael J GoldrichIn the "BTH Episode 006 Conversation after the Pod" with Michael J. Goldrich, Host Jonathan Ruggles and Goldrich explored the future development of technology, with a focus on Apple's intelligence capabilities and the potential for devices to serve as trusted confidants. Goldrich envisioned a future where people would become overly reliant on their phones, which would know everything about them, raising concerns about privacy, critical thinking skills, and the impact on younger generations. They also discussed the integration of advanced technology like neuralink into phones, enabling more advanced interaction and understanding of users. The conversation shifted towards the importance of...
2024-06-1809 min
Between Two HumidorsBetween Two Humidors Episode 005 > Michael J GoldrichSummaryIn the latest Episode 005 of Between Two Humidors, hosted by Jonathan Ruggles, special guest Michael J Goldrich shares his journey from becoming fascinated with the internet and technology as a PhD student at Northwestern in the late 1990s to his current exploration of artificial intelligence (AI). Goldrich discusses his experience working with Anderson Consulting during the early days of the internet and how he transitioned from a literature major to a tech team member. He also talks about his recent interest in AI and the potential it holds for automating tasks and generating content. Goldrich emphasizes...
2024-06-131h 04
Between Two HumidorsBetween Two Humidors Episode 004> Conversation after the Pod > Jeremy McDonaldIn "Episode 004, Jeremy McDonald - Conversation After the Pod", Jeremy McDonald (Wildfire Cigars) and Jonathan Ruggles (Host) discuss the contrasting nature of AI and the cigar industry. While AI demands human creativity and innovation, cigar production is an old-world craft with unique nuances that cannot be learned from the internet. McDonald shares his appreciation for cigars and the human experiences they provide, using an anecdote about introducing a friend to new cigars as an example. He contrasts this experience with artificial intelligence, acknowledging its potential as a creative tool but emphasizing the importance of the human experience, including the...
2024-05-3111 min
Between Two HumidorsBetween Two Humidors Episode 003 > Jeremy McDonaldIn Episode 003 of Between Two Humidors, Host Jonathan Ruggles has a conversation with Jeremy McDonald, Founder of Wildfire Cigar Company. They discuss his cigar line, and his shared appreciation for unconventional offerings. McDonald expresses surprise at the popularity of his Wildfire Cigars, which he created as part of an experiment. They reminisce about McDonald's unexpected win for Best in Show Small Booth at the PCA 2023 trade show and his plans for PCA 2025 with a camping theme. McDonald shares his personal story of discovering cigars at 18, despite his parents' disapproval, and how he started working at a local cigar shop...
2024-05-301h 14
Between Two HumidorsBetween Two Humidors Episode 002 > Juan LugoIn Episode 002 BTH Juan Lugo, Juan shares his background, including growing up as a first-generation American in Washington Heights, Manhattan, and his experiences in the military and Silicon Valley. He also discusses his fascination with cigars, which began during his military deployment to Iraq and deepened as he learned more about his family history in the Dominican Republic's cigar industry. Lugo started a cigar company named after his grandfather, Don Doroteo, and shares his unique approach to promoting the brand by bringing homemade mamana and andulo tobacco to shows. He emphasizes the importance of staying true to his family...
2024-05-221h 10
Between Two HumidorsBetween Two Humidors Episode 001 > Scott van HartesveltIn the first episode of Between Two Humidors, Host Jonathan Ruggles visits with Scott van Hartesveld, they discussed various topics including the evolution of data usage in marketing, particularly in the travel industry, and the challenges faced by hotels in the digital age. Van Hartesveld shared his experiences with marketing strategies, such as Dollywood's successful approach to building a brand community and creating a Founders Club for a hotel. He emphasized the importance of fundamental marketing principles like scarcity, exclusivity, and access, and the need for hotels to leverage first-party data to build long-term relationships with their customers. They...
2024-05-2154 minFLOSS WeeklyEpisode 782: Nitric -- In Search of the Right KnobThis week Jonathan Bennett and David Ruggles chat with Rak Siva and Steve Demchuck to talk about Nitric! That's the Infrastructure from Code framework that makes it easy to use a cloud backend in your code, using any of multiple providers, in multiple programming languages. It's a neat project, so check it out! You can join the conversation in the Hackaday Discord, where the show records live each week, as well as getting the full story and show links from Hackaday. Oh, and follow the official Mastadon account! Theme music: "Newer Wave" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.c...
2024-05-0859 minFLOSS WeeklyEpisode 777: Asterisk -- Wait, Faxes?This week Jonathan Bennett and David Ruggles sit down with Joshua Colp to talk about Asterisk! That's the Open Source phone system software that you probably use way more often than you realize. What's new in Asterisk? What'd the deal with faxes? And will we ever have a real solution for spam calls? You can join the conversation in the Hackaday Discord, where the show records live each week, as well as getting the full story and show links from Hackaday. Oh, and follow the official Mastadon account! Theme music: "Newer Wave" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.co...
2024-04-031h 12
Alex and Annie: The Real Women of Vacation Rentals3 Points for Hospitality Marketing: Alex & Jonathan Ruggles of Flip.toSend us a message!In this episode, Alex had the opportunity to sit down with Jonathan Ruggles, the Director of Partnerships at Flip.to. They discuss three key points in hospitality marketing: building your digital presence on your own land, leveraging guest-generated content and audiences, and the power of being a first mover in adopting innovative strategies. Alex shares insights from her experience in the vacation rental industry, emphasizing the importance of owning data, creating authentic interactions, and staying ahead of the competition.Key Takeaways:📱 Owning Your Digital Presence: Alex highlights the significance of...
2024-02-2828 min
New Books in African American StudiesJonathan Daniel Wells, "The Kidnapping Club: Wall Street, Slavery, and Resistance on the Eve of the Civil War" (Bold Type Press, 2020)In a rapidly changing New York, two forces battled for the city's soul: the pro-slavery New Yorkers who kept the illegal slave trade alive and well, and the abolitionists fighting for freedom.We often think of slavery as a southern phenomenon, far removed from the booming cities of the North. But even though slavery had been outlawed in Gotham by the 1830s, Black New Yorkers were not safe. Not only was the city built on the backs of slaves; it was essential in keeping slavery and the slave trade alive.In The Kidnapping Club: Wall S...
2023-09-141h 02
Bards & Nobles: A Tabletop RPG PodcastEvil Ends | E5 - The Beginning of the EndThe Lethal Legion has entered the vault and faced off against M Bison and Zangief, but their quest isn’t over yet. They still must face Xerxes and retrieve the black heart for the Lich King. Will the group succeed in their mission? Will they retrieve the heart and kill King Xerxes? Listen now to find out!
Intro Music Courtesy of Gogol Bordello
This will be the last episode from us for the foreseeable future, as such we would like to list all the Patrons who have supported us in the past and present, a hu...
2021-08-302h 48
This Week in Black History, Society, and CultureInterview with Jonathan Daniel Wells on his Book The Kidnapping ClubIn this episode, Dr. Hettie V. Williams interviews Dr. Jonathan Daniel Wells about his new book The Kidnapping Club: Wall Street, Slavery, and Resistance on the Eve of the Civil War published by Bold Type Books in 2020. Wells is a Professor of History in the Department of Afro American and African Studies at the University of Michigan. This is a stunning book about a network of prominent New Yorkers including judges, businessmen and police officers who were a part of a “kidnapping club” in Antebellum New York that was involved in kidnapping African Americans and selling them into enslavement. The...
2021-02-151h 06
Start An Must-Listen Full Audiobook And Elevate Your Mindset.The Kidnapping Club: Wall Street, Slavery, and Resistance on the Eve of the Civil War by Jonathan Daniel WellsPlease visithttps://thebookvoice.com/podcasts/1/audiobook/484985to listen full audiobooks.
Title: The Kidnapping Club: Wall Street, Slavery, and Resistance on the Eve of the Civil War
Author: Jonathan Daniel Wells
Narrator: Devante Johnson
Format: Unabridged Audiobook
Length: 10 hours 12 minutes
Release date: February 2, 2021
Genres: The Americas
Publisher's Summary:
Winner of a 2020-2021 New York City Book Award In a rapidly changing New York, two forces battled for the city's soul: the pro-slavery New Yorkers who kept the illegal slave trade alive and well, and the abolitionists fighting for freedom. We often think of slavery as a southern phenomenon, far removed from t...
2021-02-0210h 12Listen to New Full Audiobooks in History, The AmericasThe Kidnapping Club: Wall Street, Slavery, and Resistance on the Eve of the Civil War by Jonathan Daniel WellsPlease visithttps://thebookvoice.com/podcasts/1/audiobook/484985to listen full audiobooks.
Title: The Kidnapping Club: Wall Street, Slavery, and Resistance on the Eve of the Civil War
Author: Jonathan Daniel Wells
Narrator: Devante Johnson
Format: Unabridged Audiobook
Length: 10 hours 12 minutes
Release date: February 2, 2021
Genres: The Americas
Publisher's Summary:
Winner of a 2020-2021 New York City Book Award In a rapidly changing New York, two forces battled for the city's soul: the pro-slavery New Yorkers who kept the illegal slave trade alive and well, and the abolitionists fighting for freedom. We often think of slavery as a southern phenomenon, far removed from t...
2021-02-0210h 12