As a young boy in Yeblinsk, Poland, Jacked Waksul was only 13 years old when Germany invaded his homeland. He lost his entire family during the Holocaust and survived by hiding alone in the woods. After the war, he immigrated to the United States, where he went on to build a successful life and career.

In this deeply moving podcast episode, Jacked shares his story with Tom Drake. He speaks about living each day wondering if it would be his last, being forced into slave labor camps, and the overwhelming moment when freedom was finally restored. This is a powerful and emotional conversation featuring firsthand memories from someone who endured—and survived—one of history’s darkest chapters.

In this episode, The Guru of the Seas, Tom Drake, sits down for an engaging, informative, and educational conversation with Albert Gad, CEO and President of Diamonds International. Albert shares his remarkable journey, which began at just 18 years old in the wholesale diamond business and grew into the global enterprise it is today. Diamonds International now operates more than 125 jewelry centers throughout the Caribbean and Alaska.

From wholesaling diamonds to becoming a De Beers sightholder, opening a manufacturing facility in Namibia, and expanding beyond island retail into luxury boutiques aboard cruise ships, Albert’s story is one of vision, growth, and innovation in the fine jewelry industry.

In this episode, we sit down with Dr. David Bradley, the computer scientist whose work at IBM helped shape one of the most famous commands in modern computing: Control-Alt-Delete. Drawing from his years inside IBM, Dr. Bradley shares the unexpected story behind how this now-iconic keystroke came to be—and how small engineering decisions can ripple across decades of technology use.

The conversation is guided by Tom Drake, who brings a thoughtful, curious perspective shaped by his own experiences and encounters with remarkable people. Together, they explore not just the technical history, but the human side of innovation: curiosity, problem-solving, and the stories that emerge when brilliant minds reflect on the paths they’ve taken.

This episode is part of an ongoing journey—conversations with interesting people telling interesting stories—where technology, history, and personal insight intersect in surprising and memorable ways.