Podcasts about approximately

Approximately 59% of Americans say thathappiness—specifically the ability to spend money on things that bring themjoy—is the most important benchmark of success. This desire to achievefinancial happiness is so strong that roughly three-quarters of Americans (73%)report they would give up social media or forgo tickets to major events (76%)if it meant achieving this state, according to Empower.Dr. Nicholas E. Michels CFP™  is more than a financial expert; he's a guide,teacher, and public speaker who helps clients align their finances with whatbrings joy, fulfillment, and a legacy of abundance. With a career spanningthree different decades, he has empowered thousands to achieve financialfreedom, eliminate stress, and build purposeful wealth. With a Doctorate in Business Administration, Nick is thefounder of Michels Family Financial. He combines his expertise as a CertifiedFinancial Planner™, Certified Private Wealth Advisor™, and a National SocialSecurity Advisor.Beyond finance, Nick is a devoted husband, father, andpassionate advocate for giving back through his family's foundation, TheMichels Corporation, which supports youth education, missions, and families inneed. For More Information: https://richbychoicebook.com/ 

Canada's Ring of Fire: Strategic Mineral Wealth Development — Conrad Black — Black describes the "Ring of Fire," a geographically remote region in northern Ontario approximately 500 miles from Toronto, containing vast strategic mineral deposits including chromium, gold, and other essential industrial metals. Black highlights unprecedented cooperation between Ontario Premier Doug Ford, the Canadian federal government, and First Nationsauthorities to construct a 500-mile transportation corridor enabling extraction and market delivery of these strategic resources essential for global supply chains and technological manufacturing. 1874 GREEENLAND

It's In the News.. a look at the top headlines and stories in the diabetes community. This week's top stories: big FDA recall around Freestyle Libre (see more below to find out if you're affected), Dexcom launches their 15.5 day sensor, Omnipod announces enhancements, Tandem tests a fully closed loop (with high fat, high carb meals) and lots more! Find out how to submit your Community Commercial Find out more about Moms' Night Out  Please visit our Sponsors & Partners - they help make the show possible! Learn more about Gvoke Glucagon Gvoke HypoPen® (glucagon injection): Glucagon Injection For Very Low Blood Sugar (gvokeglucagon.com) Omnipod - Simplify Life Learn about Dexcom   Check out VIVI Cap to protect your insulin from extreme temperatures The best way to keep up with Stacey and the show is by signing up for our weekly newsletter: Sign up for our newsletter here Here's where to find us: Facebook (Group) Facebook (Page) Instagram Twitter Check out Stacey's books! Learn more about everything at our home page www.diabetes-connections.com  Reach out with questions or comments: info@diabetes-connections.com Episode transcription with links: Hello and welcome to Diabetes Connections In the News! I'm Stacey Simms and every other Friday I bring you a short episode with the top diabetes stories and headlines happening now. Our top story this week: XX Certain glucose monitors from Abbott Diabetes Care are providing users with incorrect glucose readings, an error that has been linked with the deaths of at least seven people and more than 700 serious injuries worldwide, according to an alert from the US Food and Drug Administration.   Incorrect glucose readings can lead to improper treatment. Abbott warned that about 3 million FreeStyle Libre 3 and FreeStyle Libre 3 Plus sensors are affected, but no other Libre products. Patients can visit FreeStyleCheck.com to see if their sensors are affected and to get a replacement for free.   The FDA has also published specific information about the affected products in its alert. The agency considers this to be a "potentially high-risk issue" and will continue to update its website as information becomes available.   "Patients should verify if their sensors are impacted and immediately discontinue use and dispose of the affected sensor(s)," the FDA said.   https://www.cnn.com/2025/12/02/health/abbott-diabetes-glucose-monitors https://www.freestylecheck.com/us-en/home.html XX Omnipod 5 is getting some enhancements.. and Omnipod 6 is announced. The FDA cleared updates including  a lower, 100 mg/dL target glucose option and what they call a more seamless automated experience. "This is the most significant algorithm advancement to our Omnipod 5 System since its launch in 2022," said Eric Benjamin, Insulet EVP and COO. Insulet said the new 100 mg/dL target glucose expands Omnipod 5's customization range. It now features six settings between 100 mg/dL and 150 mg/dL in 10 mg/dL increments. The company said this flexibility allows healthcare providers to tailor insulin delivery more precisely. It supports individuals seeking tighter glucose management or aiming to meet specific glucose goals. Omnipod 5's latest upgrades also help users stay in "Automated Mode" with fewer interruptions, even during prolonged high glucose events. Insulet plans to launch the updates to the algorithm in the first half of 2026. The company announced plans for an Omnipod 6 – without a lot of detail - at the company's Investor Day event in November. They also talked about a new, fully closed-loop pump for the type 2 diabetes population. https://www.drugdeliverybusiness.com/insulet-fda-clearance-omnipod-5-algorithm-enhancements/ XX Dexcom, the global leader in glucose biosensing, announced today that the Dexcom G7 15 Day Continuous Glucose Monitoring (CGM) System will launch in the United States on Dec. 1, making it the longest-lasting CGM system with 15.5 days of wear.   Dexcom G7 15 Day will first be available through durable medical equipment (DME) providers on Dec. 1 with full retail launch in the coming weeks. Dexcom G7 15 Day will also be covered for Medicare beneficiaries.   Dexcom G7 15 Day's industry-leading wear-time will provide fewer sensor changes, less disruption and more time for people with diabetes to benefit from life-changing CGM technology.   New with Dexcom G7 15 Day:  Longest lasting CGM system with 15.5 days of wear. Best-in-class accuracy1 with an overall MARD of 8.0%. Easier glucose management with fewer monthly sensor changes and reduced monthly waste. This follows yesterday's announcement – the FDA has cleared Dexcom Smart Basal, the first and only CGM-integrated basal insulin dosing optimizer designed for adults 18 and older with Type 2 diabetes using long-acting insulin. Dexcom Smart Basal will use Dexcom G7 15 Day sensor data and logged doses to calculate personalized daily recommendations to guide users towards a more effective long-acting insulin dose, as directed by their healthcare provider. At launch, Dexcom G7 15 Day will connect with the iLet Bionic Pancreas and Omnipod® 5§§. We are working closely with Tandem and look forward to extending the launch to their customers shortly as they finalize integration. For specific information on pump compatibility and availability with the Dexcom G7 15 Day system, visit Dexcom.com/connectedpumps https://investors.dexcom.com/news/news-details/2025/Dexcom-G7-15-Day-Continuous-Glucose-Monitoring-System-to-Launch-on-Dec--1-in-the-United-States/default.aspx   XX A small study of ten adults with type 1 diabetes tested Tandem's new fully closed-loop "Freedom" insulin system — and the participants put it through a real-world stress test. For 72 hours in a hotel setting, they ate heavy carb-and-fat meals, skipped all meal announcements, and didn't give any mealtime insulin boluses. The system handled almost everything automatically. Researchers said the device stayed in closed-loop mode 97% of the time and there were no incidents of diabetic ketoacidosis or severe hypoglycemia reported. While using the Freedom system, participants spent a median 61% of the day in the glucose target range — slightly higher than the 56% achieved with their usual pump at home. But the biggest improvement came overnight: time in range jumped to 96% with the closed-loop system compared to just under 70% during their home-pump week. With almost zero time spent below 70 mg/dL, researchers concluded that the fully automated Tandem system was both safe and effective even with unannounced, high-impact meals — hinting at a future of diabetes management that demands less effort from users.   XX Novo Nordisk reported promising mid-stage results for its experimental drug amycretin (AM-ee-creht-in) in diabetes patients on Tuesday. Amycretin, targets both GLP-1 and amylin hormones. In this study, it helped patients with type 2 diabetes lose up to 14.5% of their body weight over 36 weeks with weekly injections, far outperforming a placebo. The oral version delivered weight loss of up to 10.1%. Rival Eli Lilly  is surging ahead with its own amylin-based drug, eloralintide, which is advancing to late-stage testing after helping patients shed as much as 20% of their weight in a mid-stage trial. https://www.cnbc.com/2025/11/25/novos-next-gen-obesity-drug-shows-positive-results-heads-to-late-stage-testing.html XX The U.S. Medicare health plan said on Tuesday that newly negotiated prices for 15 of its costliest drugs will save 36% on those medications compared with recent annual spending, or about $8.5 billion in net covered prescription costs. The prices go into effect in 2027, including a monthly price of $274 for Novo Nordisk's popular GLP-1 drug semaglutide, sold as Wegovy for weight loss and Ozempic for diabetes. medicare's recent net price for Ozempic, opens new tab was $428 a month, according to an analysis published in the Journal of Managed Care and Specialty Pharmacy. Medicare put the drug's list price, before confidential rebates and discounts, at $959 a month. Based on such nondiscounted list prices, Medicare said savings on the 15 drugs ranged from 38% to 85%. The annual price negotiations were established under President Joe Biden's signature Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) of 2022. Previously, Medicare was barred by law from negotiating with drugmakers. https://www.reuters.com/business/healthcare-pharmaceuticals/us-negotiated-medicare-prices-15-more-drugs-test-cost-savings-promise-2025-11-25/   XX LifeScan announced its Chapter 11 bankruptcy reorganization plan received U.S. Bankruptcy Court approval. LifeScan said it's positioned to emerge from its financial restructuring process by the end of the year. The CEO says, "This balance sheet restructuring provides a stronger foundation for LifeScan to support our base business, advance new growth strategies, and commence our journey to become one of the most comprehensive players in the glucose management space." https://www.drugdeliverybusiness.com/glucose-monitor-lifescan-emerge-from-bankruptcy/ XX An artificial intelligence (AI)-led Diabetes Prevention Program (DPP) was as effective as a traditional human-led program in achieving recommended goals for weight loss, A1c reduction, and physical activity, according to a randomized trial of adults with prediabetes and overweight or obesity. One example of a push notification: "Looks like you're at the grocery store, Rita! Want a quick list of high-fiber snacks or smart swaps to stay on track this week?" The app also provided location- and goal-based education, with gamification elements to promote engagement. Approximately one third of participants in both the AI and human-led groups achieved the primary outcome (31.7% and 31.9%, respectively). Results were consistent across sensitivity analyses and individual components of the composite endpoint. "As more AI-based programs emerge, head-to-head comparisons among different AI-DPPs will be informative. An AI-led approach will not suit everyone; some individuals benefit more from human interaction and accountability," said Mathioudakis, adding that future research should focus on best matching patients to the modalities they prefer. https://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/ai-directed-diabetes-prevention-program-effective-human-2025a1000xam XX A new study suggets metformin could help people with type 1, reducing the need for insulin.  The researchers were surprised to find that metformin did not improve insulin resistance or change blood sugar levels. This suggests that, unlike in type 2 diabetes, metformin doesn't combat insulin resistance in type 1 diabetes.   However, metformin did reduce the amount of insulin people needed to keep their blood sugar levels stable.   https://www.the-express.com/news/health/192157/diabetes-medicine-insulin-type-1 XX Beyond Type 1 launches #TheBeyondType campaign in India to combat type 1 diabetes stigma. Nick Jonas is one of the founders of Beyond Type 1, his wife, Priyanka Chopra Jonas is his partner in this new non profit. The initiative highlights inspiring individuals living with T1D and partners with local organisations to improve awareness, medical support, and community networks for affected families across the nation. India has more young people living with T1D than any other nation, yet understanding of the condition remains limited. Beyond Type 1 is partnering with grassroots organisations across high-need regions. These include HRIDAY in Delhi–NCR, Nityaasha Foundation in Pune, Gram Jyoti in Jharkhand, and SAMATVAM Trust in Bangalore—each group focusing on improving awareness, providing medical support and building stronger community networks for young people with T1D.

PREVIEW — Conrad Black — Canada's Strategic "Ring of Fire" Mineral Wealth. Black describes the "Ring of Fire," a geographically remote, mineral-rich region situated approximately 500 miles north of Toronto, containing strategically critical resources including gold, copper, and base metals essential for global manufacturing and technological advancement. Black acknowledges that the region currently lacks transportation and processing infrastructure necessary for large-scale extraction operations. Black emphasizes that elevated global demand for strategic minerals is catalyzing unprecedented cooperation between Canadian government authorities and private sector mining enterprises to develop extraction, processing, and export capabilities satisfying international market requirements and positioning Canada as a critical resource supplier. 1909

European Space Agency Increases Budget and Shifts Toward Commercial Model — Bob Zimmerman — The European Space Agency approved record budget allocations, increasing funding by approximately one-third to facilitate systematic transition toward commercial space operations. Zimmerman documents that the ESA has established a "launcher challenge" incentivizing startup rocket companies, and transferred operational control of the Vega C rocket from centralized Arianespace to manufacturer Avio, enabling independent launch commercialization while the global commercial space sector expands with new entrants including Australianstartup At Space successfully conducting suborbital test flights. 1963

Interview with Mark Petersen, Senior Geological Consultant of Wallbridge MiningOur previous interview: https://www.cruxinvestor.com/posts/wallbridge-mining-wm-updated-resource-will-delight-market-2169Recording date: 27th November 2025Wallbridge Mining is pursuing a calculated two-pronged approach across its Quebec gold assets, balancing near-term development at Fenelon with aggressive exploration at the Martiniere system. Mark Peterson, Senior Geological Consultant with over 40 years of experience, leads the geological strategy following his tenure at New Gold.At Fenelon, the company has fundamentally restructured its resource model, simplifying mineralized domains from over 100 discrete zones to 16 user-friendly envelopes. This redesign better aligns with the project's 40-meter drill spacing and creates practical targets for underground mining operations. The deposit features coarse visible gold throughout all rock types, supporting bench-scale metallurgical test results showing 30% initial gravity recovery and 96% total recovery—characteristics that could enable simpler processing and lower operating costs.The company's preliminary economic assessment incorporates existing underground infrastructure from a flooded historic pit, providing capital-efficient portal access. Despite higher upfront costs, Wallbridge selected dry-stack tailings to address both industry trends and site-specific challenges posed by Quebec's saturated glacial overburden terrain. Approximately one million ounces of resource remain excluded from the current mine plan, offering future expansion potential.At Martiniere, Peterson has pivoted to testing fundamental system scale rather than incremental resource growth. The exploration team employs aggressive 150-meter drill spacing across a two-kilometer strike length, rapidly covering prospective ground while accepting that subsequent infill will be required. First-principles structural remodeling identified 14 distinct fault structures along the Bug Lake deformation corridor, with recent drilling encountering mineralization including three meters at approximately seven grams per tonne half a kilometer from the Horsefly area.The critical next phase involves a 50,000-75,000 meter infill drilling program at Fenelon to convert inferred resources to indicated category, while a mineral inventory assessment at Martiniere will determine whether data supports the target of a two-million-ounce-plus system before committing to closer-spaced delineation drilling.View Wallbridge Mining's company profile: https://www.cruxinvestor.com/companies/wallbridge-miningSign up for Crux Investor: https://cruxinvestor.com

2/8. Clovis Culture and the American Extinction: Early Humans as Ecological Simplifiers — Dan Flores — The Clovis culture, emerging approximately 13,000 years ago, rapidly spread across North America in a remarkably brief timeframe. Flores connects the Clovis expansion to the "American extinction," wherein large megafauna including mammoths disappeared with striking rapidity. Flores explains that emerging scientific consensus attributes this ecological simplification to humans functioning as novel apex predators, potentially engaging in surplus killing behavior and inducing genomic isolation within animal populations, effectively severing breeding populations and accelerating extinction processes.

//The Wire//2300Z November 28, 2025////ROUTINE////BLUF: SAFETY NOTICE IMPACTS MOST AIRBUS AIRCRAFT. POLICY CHANGES ANNOUNCED FOLLOWING SHOOTING IN WASHINGTON.// -----BEGIN TEARLINE------International Events-Global: This morning an Emergency Airworthiness Directive was issued for all variants of the Airbus A320 platform, due to an issue which results in solar radiation potentially affecting the Electronic Aileron Computer (ELAC). Approximately 6,000 airframes are affected by this issue.Analyst Comment: The fix for this issue is reportedly a software update, however it's quite a serious problem. Per the notice provided by the European Union Aviation Safety Agency, this issue causes the aircraft to randomly nosedive during a flight. This was identified by an A320 experiencing this phenomenon during a routine flight, which prompted an investigation and thus the discovery of the problem. No affected aircraft are allowed to carry passengers unless the issue is fixed, so delays will certainly come about as the thousands of affected aircraft are ferried to maintenance sites during the busiest travel season of the year.-HomeFront-Washington D.C. - Yesterday afternoon the White House confirmed that SPC Sarah Beckstrom (WV NG), one of the Guardsmen attacked at Farragut Station, died yesterday afternoon from wounds sustained during the engagement. SSgt. Andrew Wolfe (WV ANG) remains in critical condition following several surgeries over the past two days.-----END TEARLINE-----Analyst Comments: The aftermath of the ambush in Washington has resulted in a few policy developments on multiple fronts. In various social media posts and press conferences, the White House has stated that all immigration will be "permanently paused" from all third-world countries. A mass overhaul of the legal immigration system is also planned, as migrants with legal resident alien status from a list of 19x high-risk countries will be investigated for ties to terror groups.More broadly, further efforts to prevent future attacks are largely taking the form of cracking down on immigrant communities which are known to conduct terrorist attacks (as well as crime in general). The Somali situation in Minneapolis is a major focus, as operations were planned for the city even before the shooting in DC. On the economic front, President Trump also stated that all benefits programs in the United States will be halted for non-citizens.Whether or not any/all of this will happen is anyone's guess, but these are the claims that are being made at the moment. Minneapolis is an easy first step (by comparison, at least). Speculating a bit, the White House (and the Pentagon as well) are probably trying to prevent a future event from occurring, which might spiral into other problems. Time is of the essence, and getting involved in a counterinsurgency mission in the American homeland is something that nobody wants. It's gritty, dirty, and most Americans are not willing to see what living in that kind of world is like, so if a more traditional counter-insurgency effort were to get underway in the homeland at some point, it won't be something to jump into lightly or without much preparation.Lone-wolf attacks are usually exceptionally deadly because they're almost impossible to predict or plan for. However, doctrinally-speaking, these types of attacks are not necessarily indicative of a full-blown insurgency (which usually has a more hierarchical planning effort). However, reflecting on what's happened so far this year, each passing travesty has drawn together the fields of counterterrorism, and counter-immigration. At this point, the American people are finding out that there is much more overlap between these two missionsets than previously realized.Analyst: S2A1Research: https://publish.obsidian.md/s2undergroundDisclaimer: No LLMs were used in th

LEG Immobilien SE Elevator Pitch: Key TakeawaysOverview of LEG Immobilien SELEG Immobilien SE is one of Germany's largest and most focused residential real estate companies, dedicated entirely to affordable housing and long-term, cash-driven value creation. In this elevator pitch, Head of Investor Relations & Strategy Frank Kopfinger provides institutional investors with a clear, structured, and transparent overview of LEG's business model, portfolio characteristics, financial positioning, and the strategic levers that will drive earnings growth in the years ahead.Portfolio Scale and Regional FocusWith 172,000 apartments housing roughly 500,000 tenants, LEG is the second-largest listed residential landlord in Germany—yet uniquely concentrated on one region and one asset class. Around 80% of the portfolio is located in North Rhine-Westphalia (NRW), Germany's most populous state and an economic powerhouse responsible for 22% of national GDP. This regional focus gives LEG deep operating expertise, stable structural demand, and a consistent ability to deliver affordable housing at scale.Affordable Housing and Social ResponsibilityLEG's portfolio is positioned at the core of the German social housing ecosystem. Average rents amount to just €7 per sqm—or around €450 per apartment per month—well below national averages, ensuring consistently high occupancy and strong tenant retention. Approximately 17% of units are rent-restricted, providing predictable cash flows supported by state subsidies for low-income households. This is complemented by a disciplined asset valuation of roughly €1,700 per sqm, far below replacement cost levels of €4,000–5,000 per sqm, resulting in a substantial valuation buffer and a highly attractive 4.9% portfolio yield.Valuation, NTA, and Market DiscountBased on these valuations, LEG's NTA (NAV) per share stands at around €131, while the share price trades at a deep discount. This highlights market concerns about interest rates, as well as the potential upside as fundamentals normalise. Frank Kopfinger will explain how LEG managed the interest-rate shock remarkably well: by placing strict focus on cash, liquidity and AFO (Adjusted Funds from Operations), the company's key free-cash-flow metric since 2023.Cash Preservation MeasuresOver the past two years, LEG executed a series of disciplined measures to safeguard cash generation:  • ~6,000 non-core units sold for over €550 million  * Scrip dividends offered in 2023 and 2024  * Wind-down of the development pipeline, with the last new units completed in 2025Combined, these initiatives generated around €1 billion in cash, strengthening the balance sheet and allowing LEG to return earnings to pre-crisis levels as early as 2025—even amid high interest rates.Future Earnings MomentumLooking ahead, LEG expects earnings momentum to continue. Based on the 2025 guidance, AFO per share is set to increase by around 10%, followed by an additional ~5% in 2026. Multiple structural drivers support this outlook:  • Severe housing shortage due to collapsing construction volumes  * Ongoing market rent growth supported by strong demand  * Cost-rent adjustments for subsidised units beginning in 2026  * 16,000 regulated units coming off restriction in 2028, enabling rent increases toward market levels▶️ Other videos: Elevator Pitch: https://seat11a.com/investor-relations-elevator-pitch/ Company Presentation: https://seat11a.com/investor-relations-company-presentation/ Deep Dive Presentation: https://seat11a.com/investor-relations-deep-dive/ Financial Results Presentation: https://seat11a.com/investor-relations-financial-results/ ESG Presentation: https://seat11a.com/investor-relations-esg/ T&C This publication is intended solely for informational purposes and does not constitute investment advice. By using this website, you agree to our terms and conditions as outlined on www.seat11a.com/legal and www.seat11a.com/imprint.

Segment 7 — The Arsenal of Resistance: North Korea's Role in Ukraine and the Middle East Conflicts — Bruce Bechtol — Bechtol analyzes North Korea's critical contributions to Russia's war effort in Ukraine, providing approximately 60% of Russian artillery ammunition and one-third of Russian ballistic missiles since 2023. North Koreaalso proliferates weapons systems and military training to Iran's regional surrogates, including Hamas, Hezbollah, and the Houthis, and has constructed a 45-kilometer tunnel network supporting Hezbollah operations throughout Lebanon. 1953

California agriculture is facing unprecedented challenges, from water scarcity to rising production costs. Yet innovators like Stuart Woolf of Woolf Farms and Processing are finding ways to adapt and thrive. In a recent AgNet News Hour interview with host Nick Papagni and Ag Meter Lorrie Boyer, Woolf shared insights into family farming, water management, policy advocacy, and his pioneering work with agave cultivation. A Family Farming Legacy in Fresno County Stuart Woolf's family farming journey began in 1974 when his father purchased farmland on the west side of Fresno County at age 57. The family prioritized vertical integration from the start, particularly in tomato processing. They co-founded Los Gatos Tomato Products, which continues to operate today. Approximately 30 years ago, the Woolf's expanded into almonds with Harris Woolf California Almonds, moving from brown skin almonds to value-added products like almond paste, oil, and de-fatted flour. Woolf Farms combines both farming and processing, creating a diverse agricultural operation that has spanned multiple generations. Water Challenges and Political Engagement Woolf recalls arriving in the business in 1986, when water availability was more reliable. Over time, securing cost-effective water has become a central concern, requiring ongoing political advocacy. He explains that a large portion of California water has been diverted for environmental purposes, raising costs for farmers and complicating operations. Despite these obstacles, Woolf emphasizes that farmers continue to act as stewards of the land, producing substantial crops while managing limited resources. Regulatory Pressures and Rising Costs California's regulatory environment has significantly increased the cost of farming. Woolf cites a Cal Poly study showing that production costs have risen by around $1,600 per acre over the past decade—a 25% increase. While California offers fertile soil and a favorable climate, political and regulatory pressures threaten the state's natural agricultural advantages. As chairman of Western Growers, Woolf notes that some farmers are relocating to other states or countries due to high costs and regulatory challenges, putting multi-generational family farms at risk. Labor restrictions, trucking regulations, and rising operational expenses further complicate farming in California. Public Understanding and Agricultural Metrics Woolf stresses that the public often underestimates the pressures on modern farmers. Many consumers take grocery availability for granted, unaware of increasing costs and shrinking family farms. He critiques state agencies, such as the Department of Pesticide Regulation, for prioritizing process over practical outcomes and failing to include farmers' perspectives in decision-making. He argues that removing essential tools like pesticides can increase costs and reduce efficiency without measurable environmental benefits, highlighting the need for metrics that reflect the realities of agriculture. Innovating with Agave: A Sustainable Crop for California Woolf has turned to agave cultivation as a low-water solution for farmland with limited irrigation. Agave requires only 5–10% of the water compared to traditional crops. Inspired by Mexico's dry-farming practices, Woolf began experimenting with 12 agave varieties, eventually expanding to 450 acres over three years. His vision is to create a California agave industry akin to Napa Valley's wine culture, supporting small distilleries and building a local supply chain. Marketing, Distribution, and Crop Management California is the largest consumer market for agave-based spirits, making it ideal for local production. Woolf emphasizes: Partnering with craft distillers and larger distillation companies Raising awareness through highway visibility and marketing campaigns Carefully managing supply and demand to avoid overproduction Agave matures over 5–7 years in California, shorter than Mexico's typical 7–9 years due to hotter summers and drip irrigation. Woolf plans a rotational planting and harvesting schedule to maintain continuous production. Water Management and Land Optimization Agave cultivation is part of a larger strategy to optimize water-limited farmland: Installing solar panels on non-irrigated land Creating water banks to recharge aquifers during rainfall Adjusting crop profiles to maximize efficiency with available water This approach preserves family farmland while adapting to California's ongoing water scarcity. Policy, Advocacy, and the Future of California Agriculture Woolf underscores the importance of political engagement to improve water infrastructure and maintain a sustainable agricultural sector. He calls for: Reinvestment in state water systems Policies that balance environmental goals with productive agriculture Proactive solutions rather than relying solely on regulatory changes Woolf's long-term vision includes expanding agave production and continuing innovative strategies that combine environmental stewardship, economic viability, and community-focused farming. Conclusion Stuart Woolf's work exemplifies how innovation, adaptability, and policy advocacy can address California agriculture's modern challenges. From almonds and tomatoes to low-water crops like agave, Woolf Farms is pioneering sustainable solutions while preserving family farming traditions. For more insights on California agriculture, visit AgNet West, follow them on Facebook, Instagram, and X, and subscribe to the AgNet West podcast.

In this episode of Gangland Wire, host Gary Jenkins sits down with former FBI agent Séamus McElearney, author of Flipping Capo, for a deep dive into one of the most remarkable Mafia investigations and how he took down the DeCavalcante Family. McElearney recounts his unlikely path from the world of banking to the FBI, driven by a lifelong fascination with law enforcement. Despite being told he didn't have the “right background,” he pushed forward—eventually landing in New York's Organized Crime Squad C-10, where he investigated both the Bonanno and DeCavalcante crime families. He describes the rare and demanding experience of working two Mafia families at once, and the teamwork required to dismantle them from the inside out. As the conversation turns to his book, Flipping Capo, McElearney explains the years-long process of writing it and the rigorous FBI review needed to ensure no sensitive investigative techniques were revealed. He shares early memories of notorious boss Joe Massino, and the high-stakes surveillance and arrests that defined his career. A major focus of the episode is the arrest and flipping of Anthony Capo, a feared DeCavalcante soldier—and the first made member of that family ever to cooperate with the government. McElearney walks listeners through the tension of that operation, his calculated approach to treating Capo with respect, and the psychological tightrope that ultimately persuaded Capo to talk. That single decision triggered a domino effect of cooperation that helped bring down the New Jersey mob family many believe inspired The Sopranos. Gary and Séamus dive into the proffer process, cooperation agreements, and the behind-the-scenes strategies used to turn high-level mobsters. McElearney also draws comparisons between real mob figures and the fictional world of The Sopranos, revealing how much of the hit series was grounded in the actual cases he worked. The interview closes with McElearney's reflections on how organized crime continues to evolve. While today's mob may look different from the one he battled in the '90s, he stresses that the methods—and the money—still flow. His candid insights offer a rare look into the changing face of the American Mafia and the ongoing fight to contain it. Listen now on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, or your favorite podcast app. 2:26 Seamus’ FBI Journey 6:26 Inside the DeCavalcante Family 9:05 The Process of Flipping 10:27 Comparing Families 12:30 The First Cooperation 17:43 The Proffer Process 25:03 Protecting Cooperators 27:44 The Murder of Joseph Canigliaro 29:42 Life on Trial 30:28 The Real Sopranos 39:43 Leading the Columbo Squad 44:15 Major Arrests and Cases 50:57 Final Thoughts and Stories Hit me up on Venmo for a cup of coffee or a shot and a beer @ganglandwire Click here to “buy me a cup of coffee” To go to the store or make a donation or rent Ballot Theft: Burglary, Murder, Coverup, click here To rent ‘Brothers against Brothers’ or ‘Gangland Wire,’ the documentaries click here.  To purchase one of my books, click here. Transcript [0:00]Well, hey, welcome all you wiretappers. Good to be back here in studio of Gangland Wire. This is Gary Jenkins, retired Kansas City Police Intelligence Unit detective. [0:07]Welcome to Gangland Wire [0:07]I have a former FBI agent as my guest today. And, you know, I love having these FBI agents on. I’ve had a lot of them on and I worked with a lot of the guys and they’re really good guy. Everyone I ever met and worked with was a really good guy. Now they got their deadhead just like we did. But these aggressive guys are the ones that write books and I’ve got one on today. Seamus McElherney. Welcome, Seamus. Thank you. It’s great to be here. All right. Well, an Irish name now working on the Italian mob, huh? How come you weren’t working on the Westie? So they were maybe gone by the time you came around. There’s no such thing. [0:47]Oh, yeah. You got your code. You Irish guys got your code, too. All right, Seamus, you got a book, Killing, or Killing, Flipping Capo. I want to see it back up over your shoulder there. Really interesting book, guys. He flipped a guy named Anthony Capo. And he really took down the real Sopranos, if you will. So Seamus, tell us a little about how you got started with the FBI, your early career. Okay. When I got out of school, I really didn’t know what to do. And I got into banking and I just decided that was really not for me. And I got lucky where I got to meet an FBI agent. and I was just so fascinated by the work. It seemed like every day was different. You know, one day you could meet a CEO and another day you could be doing surveillance. It just, the job just seemed really interesting. [1:38]Like fascinating to me. So I decided to try to become an agent. And I was constantly told, Shane, you should never become an agent. You didn’t have the background for it. And one, one, a motto in life to me is persistence beats resistance. And I was just determined to become an agent. And back then in the late 1990s, it was a long process and it took me close to two years to actually become an agent. And I was selected to go down to training and I was very fortunate to be selected to go down to training. Now it was your first office back up in New York and the, one of the organized crime squads, or did you go out into boonies and then come back? I actually was born and raised in New York, and I was fortunate to be selected to be sent back to New York. So my first squad, I was sent back to the city, back to 26 Federal Plaza, [2:26]Seamus’ FBI Journey [2:24]and I was assigned to a squad called C-10. And C-10 was an organized crime squad, which was responsible for the Bonanno family, and then later became the DeCavocanti family as well, which I can explain to you yeah yeah we’ll get we’ll get deep into that now now let’s let me ask you a little bit about the book tell the guys a little bit about the process of writing a book from your fbi experiences. [2:47]It’s a long process. First of all, I was contacted by someone who was interested [2:55]Writing a Book [2:53]in writing a book based upon my career. People had encouraged me to write a book because I had a very successful career. And when you work organized crime, it’s never just about you. It’s about the people that you work with, right? It’s definitely a team. It’s never just one person. I had great supervisors. I had great teammates. I had a great partner. And so I was approached to write a book. So then I had no idea. So there was an agent, a famous agent, an undercover agent named Jack Garcia. So I kind of really leaned on him to kind of learn how to write a book. And it’s a long process. You have to get an agent, the publisher, a co-author I had. And then when you finally have all that, and you do have the manuscript ready to be written, you have to send it down to the FBI. And that is a long process. The FBI, in this instance, probably took over a year for them to review the book because what they want to make sure is you’re not revealing any investigative techniques. Fortunately for me, a lot of the information that is in the book is public information because of all the trials that I did. Interesting. Yeah, it is. It is quite a I know it was quite a process. [4:00]Now, the banana squad, you work in a banana squad. You know, we know a little bit about the banana squad. [4:07]Was Joe Pacino the boss when you first came in? Yes, he was. And I actually had the pleasure of arresting Joe as well. Ah, interesting. I did a show on Joe. He’s a really interesting guy. I know my friend, who was at the banana squad, I think just before you were, and he talked a lot of, to me personally, he won’t go on the show, but he talked a lot about Joe Massino. He said, actually, saw him in the courtroom one time later on, he hadn’t seen him in several years. And, and Joe looked across the courtroom. He said, Doug, how are you doing? He said, Joe was that kind of guy. He was real personal. He was. [4:44]Yeah, so when I first got to the squad, the supervisor at the time was a gentleman named Jack Steubing, and he had the thought process to go after Joe and his money. So there was two accountants that were assigned to a squad at that time. It was Kimberly McCaffrey and Jeff Solette, and they were targeted to go after Joe and his money. And it was a very successful case. And when we arrested Joe, I think it was in January of 2003, I believe it was, I was assigned to be part of that arrest team. Interesting. You know, McCaffrey and Sled are going to be talking about that case out at the Mob Museum sometime in the near future. I can’t remember exactly when it is. And it was a hell of a case. I think it just happened, actually. Oh, did it? Okay. I actually just spoke to Jeff, so I think it just happened about a week or two ago. Okay. Yeah, I tried to get him to come on the show, and I think maybe he was committed to doing something else, and I didn’t keep after him. And I don’t like to pester people, you know. [5:44]And Fensell was the one that said, you got to get Jeff Sillett. You got to get Jeff Sillett. When I looked into that money angle of it, that was pretty interesting about how they were laundering their money through the parking lots and just millions. And when he gave up, like $10 million or something? I mean, it’s unbelievable. Yes. And that’s that’s one of the reasons why I wrote the book is because I don’t think the public or the press really put this together where that squad, C-10, is a very unique squad where we were dismantling the two families at the same time. Half the family was working the Bonanno family and half the family was working the Cavalcanti family. So it’s a very unique squad during that six or seven year time period where we were dismantling two families at the same time. [6:26]Inside the DeCavalcanti Family [6:26]Interesting and and that gets us into the dekavocante family i could always struggle with that name for some reason but that’s all right guys know i butcher these names all the time. [6:37]Forgive me guys anyhow so you ended up working on the dekavocante family down in new jersey now that you know that’s unusual how did that come about we got we got a new jersey branch of the fbi down there too, Yes, we do. So what happened was I went to training in February of 1998. The case actually starts in January of 1998, where an individual named Ralph Guarino was the mastermind behind this, but he had the idea of robbing the World Trade Center. So he had three people that actually tried to execute that plan. They did rob the World Trade Center, but when they came out, they took their mask off and they were identified by the cameras that were actually there. So those individuals were actually arrested pretty quickly. I think two were arrested that day. The third person, I think, fled to New Mexico and was found pretty quickly. Ralph was smart enough to know that he was going to be apprehended pretty quickly. So he reached out to an agent named George Hanna, a legendary agent within the office, and George was able to convince him to become a proactive witness, meaning he would make consensual recordings. That was in January of 1998. I think it was January 14th. [7:51]Approximately nine days later, there was a murder of an individual named Joseph Canigliaro. Who was a ruthless DeKalocanti associate assigned to a wheelchair. How he got in a wheelchair was back in the 70s, a DeKalocanti soldier and him went to go collect money from a loan shark victim. And the story goes that Jim Gallo, James Gallo, actually shot Joseph Canigliaro by accident and paralyzed him. No hard feelings. It was just the course of doing their business back then. But he was paralyzed from the 70s to the 90s. He was a ruthless individual. though. And the reason that they killed him is his crew around him had him killed. They actually killed him because he was such a ruthless person and who would extort people and just really was a bad person. There were stories that he would call people over to him in his wheelchair and shoot them. So a ruthless guy. And he was killed in, I think, January 23rd of 1998. [8:50]So that’s how this case starts. Ralph Guarino, as I said, became a proactive witness. When you have a proactive witness. You just don’t know where they’re going to go. What I mean by that is you would direct him through mob associates and many guys, and you’re trying to gather evidence on tape. [9:05]The Process of Flipping [9:06]Where Ralph Guarino led us was the Brooklyn faction of the DeCavalcanti family, namely Anthony Capo, Anthony Rotondo, Vincent Palermo. [9:17]Joseph Scalfani, a whole host of DeCavalcanti people that were located in Brooklyn. And that’s how we start to build this case. Now, granted, I was just in training at that time in February of 1998. I don’t get sent back to New York until May of 1998. And from May of 1998 until December of 1998, they put you through a rotation, meaning I go through the operations center, I go through surveillance, and then I finally get assigned to C-10 in December of 1998. At that point in time, Jeff and Kim are already on the squad, so they’re operating the case against Messino. I come to the squad, and the Decalvo Canty case has now started. So I’m assigned to the Decalvo Canty portion of the squad to work them. And as I said, that’s why we’re working two parallel cases at the time. One is against the Bananos, the other is against the Jersey family. And we operate, Ralph, proactively from January 1998 up until the first set of indictments, which was in December of 1999. So compare and contrast the Banano family structure and how they operated in [10:27]Comparing Families [10:24]a DeCavocante family structure and how they operate. Were they exactly the same or were there some differences? [10:31]They’re into the same types of the rackets that the Waldemar people are into, but I would say related to the Decalvo Canty family, since they’re based in Jersey, they really had a control of the unions out there. There was two unions that they basically controlled, Local 394, which was the labor union, and they also started their own union, which was the asbestos union, which was Local 1030. [10:53]And those were controlled by the Decalvo Canty family, so that was the bread and butter of the Decalvo Canty family. So, as I said, the first set, you know, we operated Ralph proactively for almost close to two years. And then in December of 1999, we executed our first set of arrests because there was whispers that Ralph, why wasn’t he arrested yet? Where he was the mastermind behind the World Trade Center being robbed, but he hasn’t been picked up yet. So there was whispers that he might be cooperating with the government. And for his safety, that’s why we took him off off the street and we executed our first round of arrest in December of 1999. [11:33]I’m a relatively new agent. I’d only been on the squad now for a year and we arrested 39 people that day. I get assigned to arrest Anthony Capo, who’s a soldier within the Decavacanti family based out of Staten Island. And I was really surprised by that because, as I said, I was just an agent for about a year. Usually when you’re a new agent, you’re assigned to the back, you know, like we are security. I was even surprised that I was going to be on a team. And I was fortunate enough to be the team leader, which is very surprising to me. And the case was out of the Southern District of New York. And in New York, just for the public, there is two districts. There’s a Southern District of New York and the Eastern District of New York. And the Eastern District of New York also had charges on Anthony Capo as well. So for my arrest team, I had members from the Eastern District of New York as well. There was a separate squad that was looking into Anthony Capo there. [12:30]The First Cooperation [12:27]So I got the ticket to arrest Anthony Capo in December of 1999. And that’s how this case starts. [12:33]Interesting. Now, nobody’s ever flipped out of the DeCavocante family before, I believe. It’s been a pretty tight family, really rigidly controlled by this Richie the Boot. I mean, he’s a fearsome, fearsome guy. I mean, you did not want to get crossways with him. And a smaller, tighter family, it seems to me like, than the New York families. That was right. Well, like up and up until that point, up until that point and unbeknownst to me that no made member in the DeKalbacanti family had ever cooperated with the government before. [13:08]So I had watched George Hanna, how he operated Ralph Guarino for those two years, and he always treated him with respect. And prior to going to arrest Anthony Capo, Anthony Capo had had a reputation of being an extremely violent person, hated by law enforcement and even hated by a lot of people within the mob. But I was going I wasn’t going to let that, you know, use that against him. I was going to treat him with respect regardless. Right. I didn’t know I didn’t know him. I never dealt with him before. And I would basically before I went to go arrest him, I was going to study everything about him, learn everything about him. And I was going to use the approach of treating him with respect and using some mind chess when I was going to arrest him. What I mean by that is I was going to learn everything charges about him, everything about his family. I wanted him to know that I knew him like the back of my hand from head to toe, the start of the book to the end of the book. [14:02]And when I went to arrest him, I remember when we went to his house, he wasn’t there. So all the planning that you do related to going into an arrest, the checks that you do, he’s at the house, you knock on his door, and guess what? He’s not there. So his wife basically tells us that he’s at his mom’s house. So then that throws all the planning out the window, and now we go to his mom’s house. And when I met him, you know, I saw that he had a relationship with his parents, which, you know, it gives me a different perspective from what I heard from him. Interesting. And that says something about him, that’s for sure. So everything that I heard of this violent person and hated person, the way he treated law enforcement, he wasn’t that way with me. [14:49]So when I get him in the car and I start to read him his rights and start to ask him questions, every question that I would ask him, I already had the answer to, like, your date of birth, social security number. And then he would invoke his right to counsel, and then you’re not allowed to ask him any more questions. So what I would do is I would let the mind game start then. And I would ask him, you know, tell him about the charges that he had at that point in time. He was only charged with a conspiracy to murder Charlie Maggiore, who was an acting panel boss of the Decalvo Canty family. At that time, that point in time, they had three panel bosses. It was Charlie Maggiore, Jimmy Palermo and Vincent Palermo. Vincent Palermo was known as the stronger personality and really known as the acting boss. And they wanted to kill Charlie Maggiore. So he was charged with that. conspiracy to murder. And he was also charged with, I believe, stock fraud or it was mail fraud that would lead to stock fraud. So when I would question him, I would tell him, since he already invoked his right to counsel, don’t say anything, just listen to me. For an example, I would say your plan was to murder Charles Majuri. Your plan was to ring his doorbell and shoot him right there with James Gallo, Joe Macella. But you guys didn’t do that because there was a cop on the block. So instead of just doing a ring and run, you guys were going to ring and shoot him, right? [16:17]And now you’ve got to think, I told him, don’t say anything. Just listen to what I just said, right? Because I can’t have him answer any questions. And this wasn’t a question. This was a statement. Yeah. So that gives him food for thought, because you got to think, how would I know that? He doesn’t know at that point in time, this is an indictment. How do I know that? He doesn’t know who the cooperator is. He doesn’t know who made a recording. So I’m just throwing this at him. And this is the first time he’s hearing this. So it’s got to make him think, like, what else does this agent know? And I did this with the other charges as well. And then I would just throw these little tidbits at him. And then I would speak to the driver. How are you doing this? just give him food for thought. And then we just developed a bond that day, just talking sports back and forth. He actually was a cowboy fan. I’m a Steeler fan. So we have that little intensity going back and forth about that. And then we just developed a bond that day. I think that was the first time that he had an interaction with law enforcement, where it was more of a respect thing, as opposed to someone yelling at him or being contentious with him. I don’t think he’s ever or experienced that before. [17:27]Also because of his delivery as well, right? You know, it works both ways where you can, he can have his delivery really angry and that could, you know, provoke law enforcement to be angry towards him too. [17:43]The Proffer Process [17:40]So I think that helped it that way that day. And then just throughout the whole day. And I think one of the things that I do talk about within the book is just explaining processes to people, which is generally, I haven’t seen that done in a book before about how pretrial works. So what is pretrial? How cooperation works? How trial works? So I think there’s a lot of tidbits within the book that kind of explain things like that. Even some crimes, too. Like everyone hears what loan sharking is. I go into detail as to what loan sharking is and how it really works, because it’s a very profitable way to make money. So we have our day together. And, you know, then I had to meet his stepfather. I think he had heard that I treated his stepfather with respect. And then approximately a week later, I get a call from his lawyer and I basically almost fell out of my chair when his lawyer said he wanted to cooperate. [18:37]I bet. And then, yeah. And, you know, keep in mind, I’ve only been on the job for a year and I immediately call the assistant who is a seasoned assistant. Maria Barton, what was her name? And she’s really concerned, like, what did I say? Right. So I told her in these situations, less is more. I just told her I was going to call you. That’s all I said. I didn’t say anything else. Didn’t promise anything at all. I said I was going to call you. So, you know, that started with the process and then you go through a proffer. So I explained what the proffer is and how that process works. Interesting. Yeah. A proffer, guys is is like a kind of agreement you know and you you have to be totally open and admit to every crime you ever did and and we’ll cover you but to a certain point the basis you’ll lie down the basics. [19:31]Right. So what, you know, what we kind of like call it is queen for a day, right? Where you come in, we can’t use your words against you unless you lie to us, right? If you were, if you were to lie to us and then go, go to trial and, you know, we could, if you were to take the stand, we could, we could use it against you. But as long as you come in and you tell us the truth and you tell us everything, all the crimes that you’ve done. And the beauty of the mob is when they do a crime, they never do a crime alone, right? They involve a lot of people within a crime. So that’s the beauty of that. So when we have our first proffer, you know, in time, you only have a short amount of time to actually speak about this because you can only be away from jail for a certain amount of time right before the bad guys start to realize that something might be up. Right. So he comes in. And even even before that, on his on his way back, when we’re taking him back to 26 Federal Plaza, one of the things that he tells us is and it makes sense when we went to his house, he wasn’t there. He was at his mom’s house in the car ride back. He throws a little shot at me and he goes, we knew you were coming. [20:33]Meaning that there was a leak. They got a leak. Yeah. Right. So then when we have the first proffer, he explains the leak to us. And it appears allegedly there was a court reporter within the Southern District that was feeding them information. So that’s not good. And then in the proffer, he tells us about two murders. So, and there might be the bodies, a body might be buried up in Phil Lamella, who was a DeCalvo County soldier, up in Marlboro, New York. So that’s the first thing that he tells us. So these are jewels to us, right? He tells us about a leak. He tells us about two murders. Bodies might be buried. So we have to huddle and we have to decide, is he telling us the truth or not? We all decide that he’s telling us the truth. The proper takes place with George Hanna, as I mentioned him before. Kenny McCabe, a legendary Southern District investigator, and me. And in these situations, again, I’m a new agent. Less is more. I don’t want to say something stupid. So I kind of keep my mouth shut, right? And just listen. So that went really well. And that kind of started this whole process. So now, as we said before, you have… No one cooperated in 100 plus years of this family. And now we have the first [21:49]A Spiral of Cooperation [21:48]made member to cooperate. And basically, Anthony starts a spiral effect of cooperation. [21:56]After he where he reported to in the family at that particular time, since he was such a violent person and hard to control within the family himself. Well, he reported to Vincent Palermo, who was the acting panel boss out of that panel that I talked about, but viewed as the acting boss because of his strong personality. So you have Anthony cooperating. He reports to the acting boss. So from our perspective, our perspective, that’s golden, right? Because now Vinny is going to have to make a decision. Is he going to cooperate or not? And then about three months later, guess what? Vinny decides to cooperate. So now we have a soldier and we have the acting boss who’s going to cooperate. So we go from no one in a hundred years to basically two people in three months. [22:45]Then we have an associate, Victor DiChiro, decides to cooperate. So we go and we arrest him. So now we have three people in four months. So we take all their information, and they have to plead guilty, and they get a cooperation agreement. I explain all that. And when you have a cooperation agreement, as I mentioned before, Anthony was initially arrested for conspiracy to murder, and I believe it was stock fraud. When he pleads guilty, he has to plead guilty to all his crimes that he committed throughout his entire life. Off the top of my head, I remember he pled guilty to two murders. [23:23]11 murder conspiracies, boatload of extortions, and basically every other crime you could think of. And then the same thing with Vinny and Victor. We take all their information, and then we have our next series of indictments. So the first series was 39 indictments. And then the second series of indictments is in October of 2000, October 19th, which we just we just passed the 25th anniversary of that. And that was known as the hierarchy arrest, where we arrested the official boss, John Riggi. We arrested the two other panel bosses, Charlie Maggiore and Jimmy Palermo. We arrested the consigliere, Steve Vitabli, a bunch of captains and soldiers. So that’s a significant arrest, right? So now, as you know, when you have an arrest, there’s trials, there’s plea negotiations. So now we arrested 39 people plus another 13. We’re already up to like 50 something like something people out of that arrest. We get a little shockwave in the sense is that there’s an associate named Frank Scarabino. Frank Scarabino comes forward one day and tells us that there’s a contract on Anthony Capo’s family and Anthony Capo. [24:43]And also, there’s a contract on law enforcement. They want to go back to the old Sicilian ways and basically send a message. So, you know, that’s basically a little bit of a jolt where now we have to try to move Capo’s family. [25:03]Protecting Cooperators [24:59]And Capo’s in prison. He’s defenseless. And I explain all that. People have this sense of you go into the witness security program, you get a whole new life and you’re off and having a great time. They don’t realize that there are prisons within the United States that you have to go to prison. So I can’t say where the prisons are, but I kind of explain that process of how the WITSEC program works, which is run by the marshals. So that’s in that’s in the book as well. Yeah, they have a whole prisons that are just for people in WITSEC. I heard about a guy that said he was in one out west somewhere. Yeah. So and, you know, for those prisons, it’s not like you have to prove yourself. They’re all doing the same time. So they’re basically just trying to do their time and try to get out and get into the next phase of the WoodSec program. So that was kind of a jolt, right? So now we have Frank Scarabino cooperate. So now we have another person. So it’s the list is just getting more and more now. You got to stop taking cooperators and start putting people in jail for the rest of their life, man. [26:03]So it got to after that, we had like two more people cooperate. So we went from having nobody to having seven people cooperate in this period. And it’s interesting. And I know we’re going to go back and forth, but we went from 100 years of having no one to having seven people during this three year period. And since that time period, no other members have cooperated since. So we’ve started the clock again. I think we’re at 25 years plus again since no one cooperated during that period. And I mentioned the murder that we started this case, Joseph Canigliaro. So he was the guy that was in the wheelchair. So as I said, they wanted to kill him because he just tortured his crew. We were able, one of the guys who was initially arrested as part of the December 1999 arrest, he sees everybody’s, he is deciding to cooperate with the government. So he decides to cooperate. His name is Tommy DeTora. So Tommy DeTora decides to cooperate. He’s out on bail. So since he’s out on bail, we decide, let’s make him make a consensual recording. And he makes one of the best consensual recordings the Bureau has ever made. He gets everyone involved in that murder together. [27:28]And they talk about the murder from A to Z. It’s a priceless consensual recording that we used at trial. And it just, you know, one of the things that does stick in my mind is the shooter was Marty Lewis, who got a life sentence. [27:44]The Murder of Joseph Canigliaro [27:45]Marty Lewis is describing when he shot him. And he’s like, I shot him like five or six times in his car. Right. And then Marty Lewis gets out of the car. Joseph Canigliaro drives away, gets to the top of the block in Brooklyn, puts a signal on, put a signal on. And drove the traffic laws, drives to Joseph Wrightson’s house. A guy who was part of the murder conspiracy honks his horn for Joseph Wrightson to come downstairs. So can you imagine Joseph Wrightson looking down the window seeing the guy that’s supposed to be dead right now and telling him to get in the car to go to the hospital with him? [28:32]Unfortunately, when they go to the hospital one of the things that does happen is joseph brightson has uh unfortunately an nyp detective cop who’s a cousin and involves him in this as well and the cop takes shells from the car and he becomes he gets locked up by us as well they all go to trial they get convicted and. [28:55]You know, we also arrested a Genevieve’s captain related to the leak. So in total, I think the numbers were 71 defendants were convicted, 11 murders were solved, seven trials transpired. You know, as everyone knows, you have the arrest, but then you have the trials, right? And I know that from December 2002 up until November of 2003 was the year that I was on trial. There was three trials that I had, and then there was another trial. There was two trials that one was a mistrial. Then we had another trial. So during that one year, we had a year of trials, and the biggest trial I had went on for two months. [29:42]Life on Trial [29:38]So I basically had a year of no life where it was just trials. And as you know yourself, when you have trial, it’s not just you just show up at trial. You have trial prep beforehand. And then when you’re actually on trial every day, it’s 20, it’s 24, seven, you have a trial, you have trial, then at night you have to prep a witness. So there’s just constant stuff throughout the day. Yeah, really? It’s a, it’s a long, boring process for you guys. [30:05]You know, these are like what we would say the real Sopranos, you know, the Sopranos, Tom Soprano, and that’s kind of based on this New Jersey family. I tell you, that Soprano, so much of it was ripped from real life. I don’t know. They interviewed you for details. They interviewed some agents and looked some court cases in order to write those scripts. I know that. And in particular, I think of the gay member that was killed. [30:28]The Real Sopranos [30:27]You know, you guys had that down there. So there’s a lot of references in your book or things in the book that the guys will say, oh, yeah, they did that in the Sopranos. Can you tell us about some of them? [30:37]Well, the thing that was great, especially for trial, is in March of 1999, the show starts in January of 1999. And we have a consensual recording in March where we have DeCavocanti members talking about the show and them saying, saying, this is you, this is you, and this is you, which was priceless for trial. Right. It’s like a jury’s going to hear that. And even during the trial, the judge had to give the jury instructions about the show to make sure that it wouldn’t sway their decision. Then if you watch the show, the first season, the official boss in the show dies of stomach cancer. In real life, that’s happened in real life. In June of 1997, Jake Amari was the acting boss of the Decaval Canty family. He dies of stomach cancer. So that’s a… [31:40]It’s a part of the show right there. Then I know everyone sees the strip club, right? Well, the acting boss, as I told you at the time, Vincent Palermo, he had a strip club in Queens, Wiggles. [31:53]So there’s a similarity there. Then they have the meat market that they go to, right, back and forth in the show. That’s a real meat market. I don’t want to say the name of the real meat market here, but there is a real type of meat market there. We discussed the union angle, the two unions that they have. So there’s so many scams related to the unions. There’s the no show job, right, where you don’t have to show up to work. There’s the no work job where you come, but you don’t have to do any work at all. [32:26]Back then, what it was called was they had union halls, right, where you actually had to show up early in the morning. There’d be a line of people, and you would show up. It was called the shape up. and you would wait online and hopefully that you would get work that day. Well, the DeCable Cante members, they wouldn’t show up early and wait online. They would show up whenever they want and they would cut the line and they would get work. So these were their types of unions that they had. Then, as you mentioned, there was the gay angle too. So on the DeCable Cante real side, there was a guy named John D’Amato. And John D’Amato basically made himself the acting boss when John Riggie went to jail in the early 1990s. John D’Amato was part, was very close to John Gotti. There was a murder. It’s probably the most indictable murder in mob history called the murder of Fred Weiss. John Gotti wanted Fred Weiss killed because John Gotti thought that Fred Weiss was cooperating with the government. all because Fred Weiss switched lawyers. [33:35]He was paranoid that Fred Weiss was cooperating. So it became a race to kill Fred Weiss. So you had two mob families trying to kill him, the Decalvo Canty family and the Gambino family. So in total, I think either 15 people at least have either pled guilty or have been convicted of that murder. That murder happened on 9-11-1989, a horrible day, right? So, where I’m going is that happened in 89. In 1990, 1991, John D’Amato becomes the acting boss of the family. So, now he’s the acting boss of the DeKalb Alcanti family. John D’Amato had a girlfriend. His girlfriend starts to tell Anthony Capo that John D’Amato is going to sex clubs with her and they’re having sex with men. So this is this is brought to Anthony Capo’s attention. And he has to tell his superiors that we have a gay acting boss representing our family. And in his eyes, this cannot happen. Right. So he brings it to Vincent Palermo, brings it to Rudy Ferron, and the superiors that this is what’s happening. And they decide that he has to be killed. Now, also what he was doing was, and you speak to Anthony Rotondo, who also cooperated with the government. [34:58]John DeMotta was also stealing money from the family. He was borrowing money from the other families, telling him that it was for the DeCalbacanti family, but it was really to cover his game of the gambling losses that he was incurring. So those are two things that he was doing. Right. He was he was if you ask Anthony Rotondo, he says he was killed because of the gambling that he was incurring the losses. And if he asks Anthony Capo, he was killed because it was looking bad for our family, for their family, that he was a gay acting boss. And at that time, it wasn’t acceptable. Times have changed. But back then, it wasn’t an acceptable thing. And that’s similar to the show. There’s a gay angle within the show as well. [35:41]The Gay Angle in the Mob [35:42]Interesting. It’s the real Sopranos. I remember I watched that show, even going back and watch some of them every once in a while. And I just think, wow, that’s real. So, so even though the director says no one was speaking to them, it’s kind of ironic that there are a lot of like similarities between the show and real life. Yeah. And especially down there in New Jersey and, and, and their connection to the Bonanno family or to a New York, the New York families. And then also, and then also within the show is, is, is the stock stood. There’s also stocks. Oh yeah, the stock fraud. Yeah. They did a boiler room or something. And they were pumping and dumping stocks and Tony was making money out of that. So, yeah, that’s I’d forget. And then from and in real life, Bill Abrama was like the wizard of Wall Street. [36:37]So interesting. Well, you’ve had quite, quite a career. What do you think about New York organized crime now that today, you know, we just had quack, quack, Ruggiero, Ruggiero’s son and some other guys that were connected to families indicted for gambling. He’s got my gambling fraud. I haven’t really studied it yet. It is like they had some rig gambling games, which is common. Like in Kansas city, when I was working this, they would have, they would bring in guys who would love to gamble and had money businessmen. And then they’d, they’d play them for sure. They would cheat them and take a bunch of money from them. This was much more sophisticated, but that’s a, that’s a story that’s been going on a long time. You think that Bob is on a comeback from that? Ha, ha, ha, ha. [37:24]The mob has been around for 125 years. They’re not going to go away. Okay. They get smarter and they adapt. And it’s like, I haven’t read the indictment from head to toe, but they’ve used some, you know, sophisticated investigative techniques just to kind of con people. So they’re getting better, right? So some of the techniques that they use when you hear, it’s like some of the things that I saw where the poker tables that they use, the tables that they use were able to see the card. So they use some pretty, you know, slick techniques, you know, and then like some of the glasses or the contact lenses. So, you know, they’re not going to go away. They’re just going to keep on trying to rebuild. That’s why you have to continue to put resources towards them. Yeah. I think what people don’t understand for these mob guys, it’s if they don’t get out and go into legitimate business selling real estate or something like that. It’s it’s a constant scam a constant hustle every day to figure out another way to make money because they don’t have a paycheck coming in and so they got to figure out a way to make money and they got to make it fast and they got to make it big and in a short period of time it’s just constant every day every time they walk by knew a drug addict one time as a professional burglar and he said every time he’s in recovery he said every time i’ll buy a pharmacy he said in my mind I’m figuring out how to take that pharmacy off. So that’s the way these mob guys are. [38:52]And sports betting has been a staple of theirs forever. Oh, yeah. Oh, yeah. And the apps are getting into them a little bit, but I see what’s going on now. Also, we had these players, Trailblazers coach and a couple, three players, are now helping people rig the bets. And you go to the apps, and you bet a bunch of money on some guy who’s going to have a bad day. And then he just doesn’t show up to work. You end up being the supervisor of the Columbo squad, I see. Same as after that DeCavoconte case, and you spent all that time, you ended up getting promoted to a supervisor and you must’ve been good because they kept you right there in New York and gave you another mob squad. I know one agent here in Kansas City that was promoted and he kept the one squad here, as they called it. [39:43]Leading the Columbo Squad [39:40]And that was really unusual. Usually it’d be somebody in from out of town. So that says something about you. So tell us about your experiences doing that. [39:48]Well, after we did this case, which was about six years, I was requested to go down to run the Columbo squad. And at that time, I think the Columbo squad had eight supervisors in eight years. I really thought I was too young to be a supervisor because I only had six years on. So I was basically voluntold, I would say, to go down there. And guys, that is young. I want to tell you something. I’ve seen a lot of different Bob squad supervisors come through here in Kansas City. And and they were all you know like 20 year agents 15 18 year agents that came from somewhere else so yeah so you know again I thought I was just way too young to be a supervisor as I said I was just on the job for about six years and I was voluntold to go down there yeah and I said if I’m going to go down there there’s a couple of things just based upon what I saw a I’m not a yes man and two the squad needs some sort of stability so I went down there and I was able to stay there I was there from actually December of 2004 all the way up until June of 2013. [40:51]So we at that time when I first got there we really didn’t have a lot of cases going trying to go on so I was able to change the tactics right because I think juries had changed at that point in time where instead of having a historical witness just go on to stand and tell things, now we had shows out there, right? You had NCIS where the whole DNA-type stuff came in, so I had to change our approach, and proactive witnesses making consensual recordings were the way to go. And I think during a seven-year time period, our squad. [41:24]Did an amazing job. Now it went from C10. I went, the squad went down to, it became C38. And we made probably 1,800 recordings in a seven and a half year time period. So, which is an amazing amount of recordings. So, a lot of transcriptions too. A lot of transcriptions. And I, you know, a three-hour tape could take you a day to listen to because you’re just trying to find that little piece of information. Yeah. Because a lot of it is just talk, right? Yeah. So I think our first big case was in June of 2008. And we took down the acting boss, a bunch of captains. And that’s when things really started to take off. We had a violent soldier cooperate named Joseph Compatiello. And, you know, we talk about proffers. His first proffer, he comes in and he basically tells us that there are three bodies buried right next to each other. So the layman would think, OK, they’re right next to each other. They weren’t right next to each other they were about 1.1 miles apart from each other. [42:28]And you could be in your your room there and we’re trying to find a body it’s really hard to find so we were actually able to find two of the bodies one of the bodies was a guy named while Bill Cattullo he was the under boss of the Colombo family we found him in Formingdale Long Island he was behind a berm we were out there for about eight days and each day you know I’m getting pressure from my superiors. We’re going to find something because there’s a lot of press out there. There was another victim named Cormone Gargano who was buried. He was killed in 1994 and buried out there. Unfortunately, there was a new building built. [43:06]And we could not find him there, but he was initially killed at a body shop in Brooklyn, and they buried him in Brooklyn, and then they decided to dig him up and bring him out to Long Island. So we went back to the body shop. What the Colombo family used to do, though, is they used to kill you, bury you, and put lime on top of the body. What lime does is it kills the smell, but preserves the body. Oh, I didn’t realize that. I thought it was supposed to deteriorate the body too. I think most people bought that. So good information. So, so when we found wall of bill, basically from his, from his hips up were intact. Oh, And when related to Cormier Gargano, because they had killed him in the body shop and then dug him up and brought him out to Long Island. We went back to the shop and figuring, let’s see if we can actually see if there’s any parts of him there. And there actually were. And we’re able to get DNA and tie it back and confirm it was him. [44:15]Major Arrests and Cases [44:12]So that’s how that dismantling of the Colombo family started. And then just to fast forward a little bit in January 2011, we have I spearhead the largest FBI mob arrest where we arrested 127 people that day across the states and also went to Italy, too, to take down people. [44:32]And after that, the Bureau decides to reduce the resources dedicated to organized crime. And I then get the Bonanno family back. So C-10 merges back into my squad. And then I have the Bananos, the Columbos, and the Decafacanthes as well. So now I have all three families back. And I basically run that for another two years. And I guess my last official act as a supervisor is related to Goodfellas, where Jimmy Burke had buried a body in his basement. We saw a 43-year-old cold case murder where he killed an individual named Paul Katz, buried him in his basement. And when he went away for the point shaving, the Boston College point shaving case, well, he killed him in 1969, buried him in his basement. Then he goes to jail in the 80s. He gets fearful that the cops that he had on his payroll back in the 60s were going to talk. So he decides to have our witness at the time, Gaspar Valenti, who came forward back in the 80s, moved the body with Vincent S. Our son so they move the body but again they’re not professional so pieces are going to be back there so in 2013 we go back and we dig and we actually find pieces of paul cats and we tie that to dna to his son to his son and we confirm that it was him. [45:57]So that was my last official act as a supervisor. Talk about art, art, imitating life again, you know, in the Goodfellas, they dug up a body. In the Sopranos, they dug up a body. I think I saw another show where they dug up a body. One of them, they were like, man, this smells. [46:13]I mean, can you imagine that going back and having to dig up a body? And then, you know, and, you know, they’re just wearing t-shirts and jeans and maybe leather gloves. And they’d have to deal with all that stuff and put it in some kind of a bag can take it somewhere else oh my god you know i have a question while bill cutello that this guy was part of the the hit team that took him out do you remember anything about right i’m trying to remember i’ve read this story once he was kind of like more of a peacemaker and and if i remember right you remember what the deal was with him well back like what happens is in the early 1990s there’s a colombo war right you have the persicos versus the arena faction and one thing about the Colombos and the Persicos, they never forget. So in the early 1990s, while Bill Cotullo was on the arena side, and as I said, there was a war where approximately 13 people were killed. In the late 1990s, Ali Persico was going to be going to jail, and while Bill Cotullo thought that Ali was going to go to jail and that he would take over the family, Ali didn’t want that to happen. So basically while Vilcunzulo thought he was getting the keys to the kingdom and they were going to kill him. [47:28]And what they did is they lured him to Dino Saraceno’s house in Brooklyn and Dino Calabro lured him into the basement and shot him in the back of the head. And we had all these guys then decide to cooperate. As I said, Joe Caves was the first person to cooperate. Dino Calabro cooperated. [47:48]Sebi Saraceno cooperated. So we had a whole host of people cooperate and we were able to dismantle the Colombo family. And I’ve been extremely blessed to be part of teams that have dismantled three families, Bananos, the Columbos, and the D. Calacanti family. So, you know, as I said, and it’s never just one person. It’s always teammates, partners, and also other supervisors that I’ve had. Yeah, interesting. Yeah, it does take a lot of people to take those down. When you’re writing books, you try to make sure everybody gets a little bit of credit. Yeah. And, you know, I think, you know, the thing that was that was, you know, crazy when related to the recovery of Wild Bill is we had our evidence response team out there. And, you know, the witness takes us out there to show us where he thinks the bodies are buried. And related to Wild Bill, it was in the back of a field. And he kept on saying it was behind a berm. So we took him back there and he showed us where he thought it was. So we had our evidence response team dig. And they basically dug us an Olympic-sized pool. [48:57]We could not find him. So there was two other sites that we were trying to look at because Richie Greaves was supposed to be next to the train tracks. And as I mentioned, Cormac Gargano was next to a building that had been replaced. So my squad, actually our squad, C-38, decides, Seamus, do you mind if we get some shovels? So I was like, sure. So there was, because we were just looking at each other at the time. So my team, Vincent D’Agostino, they’re pretty close by. He got some shovels and came back. And there was like six of us. And we just started digging ourselves. So we dug in one area, nothing. Then another agent basically said, let’s dig over here. [49:38]And sure enough, like talk about, you know, I always say hard work leads to good luck. We started digging and then we found the white stuff. We found the line and jackpot. It was while Bill, he was hogtied face down with his feet up. And as soon as I saw the white stuff and then I saw, you know, like his foot, then we stopped and I said, let me go get the professionals. I ran over, I drove over, and I got the team leader from ERT. She got in the car. And, you know, of course, she’s very excited. I was like, you know, we F.M. got him, you know. And so I drove her back over there. And that’s when you kind of contain the crime scene. And we were able to find him. But, you know, it was our squad that found him. And then, as I said before, then, you know, our squad decides to go back to the body shop. And we found remnants of Carmine Gargano there. So the squad just did an amazing job but really we basically found two bodies ourselves you know and i think in my career i’ve been extremely blessed to find five you know which is just crazy well that’s not something those accountants and lawyers and stuff were trained for you need to get those former cops out there on those shovels and digging for bodies. [50:57]Final Thoughts and Stories [50:57]Well interesting this this has really been fun seamus any any other stories you can think of You want to you want to just want to tell just busting to make sure people know that’s in this book. I tell you what, guys, this is an interesting book. It’s it’s, you know, as I said, those kinds of stories and the procedures and how FBI works. There’s there’s a lot of stories in there. I don’t want to give to give the book away. You know, there’s a lot of stories even. Yeah. You know, there’s an even during that year of trials. There’s plenty of stories there. There was a blackout that that year, too. So there’s a lot of stories related to that. You know, even even the trials, there’s a lot of things that came up at trial. So I don’t want to give to give those stories away. But I think it’s a good read. As I said, I think it’s one of the few books that actually explains things because, you know, I think the public hears these words, but they don’t know what these words mean. And I just think it’s important that they do know what it means, because there’s a lot of things that go on behind the scenes, especially with the jury. Right. You know, the jury only sees what they see. There’s a lot of things that go on when the jury leaves the room between the government, the judge and also the defense attorney. So I try to bring to shed some light related to that as well. [52:13]Interesting. Well, Seamus McElherney. And the book is Flipping Capo. That’s Anthony Capo. The first guy to be flipped in the Cavalcante family ever, which led to a cascade of other mob guys flipping, didn’t it? [52:32]Sure did. Just like in a Bonanno family, you know, they start flipping there. And it just, I didn’t know where it was ever going to end. Finally, it ended. [52:41]It sure did. Well, I have to say, it’s been great to meet you. I wish you continued success. And this has been a lot of fun. All right. Yeah, it’s been great to have you on Seamus. Thanks a lot. Don’t forget, I like to ride motorcycles. So when you’re out on the streets there and you’re a big F-150, watch out for those little motorcycles when you’re out. If you have a problem with PTSD and you’ve been in the service, be sure and go to the VA website. They’ll help with your drugs and alcohol problem if you’ve got that problem or gambling. If not, you can go to Anthony Ruggiano. He’s a counselor down in Florida. He’s got a hotline on his website. If you’ve got a problem with gambling, most states will have, if you have gambling, most states will have a hotline number to call. Just have to search around for it. You know, I’ve always got stuff to sell. I got my books. I got my movies. They’re all on Amazon. I got links down below in the show notes and just go to my Amazon sales page and you can figure out what to do. I really appreciate y’all tuning in and we’ll keep coming back and doing this. Thanks guys.

In this episode of JCO Article Insights, host Dr. Ece Cali Daylan interviews author Dr. Jeffrey Bradley about the article, "Simultaneous Durvalumab and Chemoradiotherapy in Unresectable Stage III Non–Small Cell Lung Cancer" by Bradley, et al published October 13, 2025. TRANSCRIPT Dr. Ece Cali: Welcome to this episode of JCO Article Insights. This is Dr. Ece Cali, JCO Editorial Fellow. Today I'm joined by Dr. Jeffrey Bradley, Professor of Radiation Oncology at the University of Pennsylvania, to discuss the manuscript, "Simultaneous Durvalumab and Platinum-Based Chemoradiotherapy in Unresectable Stage III Non-Small-Cell Lung Cancer: The Phase III PACIFIC-2 Study." The PACIFIC-2 study was a phase III, double-blind, randomized trial comparing the efficacy and safety of simultaneous durvalumab with concurrent chemoradiation followed by consolidation durvalumab to the concurrent chemoradiation followed by placebo in patients with unresectable stage III non-small cell lung cancer. The primary endpoint was progression-free survival by blinded independent central review. The secondary endpoints were overall response rate, overall survival, and safety. Three hundred twenty-eight patients were randomized 2:1 to durvalumab and placebo, respectively. Unfortunately, this trial did not meet its primary endpoint. There were no statistically significant differences in PFS or OS. The frequency of adverse events was similar between the two arms. Grade 3 or higher adverse events were observed in 53% of the patients in the durvalumab arm compared to 59% of the patients in the placebo arm. Of note, the frequency of pneumonitis was similar in the two arms. Approximately 28% of patients in each arm developed pneumonitis, and about 5% of the pneumonitis observed in each arm was grade 3 or higher in severity. Treatment discontinuation rates secondary to the adverse events were higher in the durvalumab arm, 25% compared to 12%. Adverse events leading to treatment discontinuation and death were more frequently seen in the durvalumab arm during the first four months of the treatment, which corresponds to the simultaneous administration of chemoradiation and durvalumab. Dr. Bradley, before we delve into the results, can you please explain the rationale for this study design and how this concept fits into the current treatment landscape? Dr. Jeffrey Bradley: Yeah, this trial came on the heels of PACIFIC after there was a progression-free survival benefit showed in PACIFIC that in the locally advanced unresectable population that consolidation immunotherapy, in this case durvalumab, had a progression-free survival benefit. A number of us in the clinical trial space thought to add concurrent immunotherapy in addition to consolidation immunotherapy that that would also improve outcomes for patients. So a number of trials were launched to follow up of PACIFIC. In this case, this is a phase III trial where the control arm was placebo. There was no overall survival results yet from PACIFIC, just a PFS benefit, and a number of countries across the world had not approved maintenance durvalumab in this space. So this trial looked at the experimental arm, which was concurrent immunotherapy, durvalumab, and chemoradiation followed by consolidation durvalumab versus placebo. Dr. Ece Cali: And if we were to focus on the safety profile first, an increased pneumonitis risk was a theoretical concern when immunotherapy is given concurrently with radiation. Do we see any major differences in the safety profile between the two arms in this trial? Dr. Jeffrey Bradley: No, and we were concerned about the addition of concurrent immunotherapy and chemoradiation, like you said, towards concern about increased pneumonitis rate, but we did not see increased pneumonitis in the experimental arm over placebo. And the grade 3 or higher, as you said, it was roughly 5%, more or less, in both arms, so we didn't see increase in pneumonitis toxicity with concurrent IO and chemoradiation. Dr. Ece Cali: But interestingly though, despite the lack of significantly increased toxicity with durvalumab, unfortunately, administering immunotherapy simultaneously with chemoradiation therapy did not improve survival. Lack of superiority of this treatment regimen, as you mentioned, is further confirmed across multiple similar negative trial readouts such as ECOG-ACRIN 5181 and CheckMate 73L. Dr. Bradley, in your view, what are some potential explanations for why this strategy did not pan out in clinical trials? Dr. Jeffrey Bradley: Regarding toxicity, let me go back and point out that we did see an increased number of immune-mediated adverse events. It was 34.7% in the concurrent immunotherapy arm versus 15.7% in the placebo arm. So that led to a higher number of discontinuations of immunotherapy which I think probably had an effect. So we didn't... there was an increased pneumonitis toxicity, but there were expected immune-mediated toxicities that caused people to stop giving immunotherapy. You can see that in the PFS curves. They were, you know, they crossed over after like a month, but initially there was lower PFS for the experimental arm, and then the experimental arm got better after we divided into four months, before four months and after four months. Dr. Ece Cali: For one reason or another, it looks like the simultaneous administration did not really improve outcomes. We now know that simultaneously giving them another concurrent radiation should really no longer be pursued in clinical trials for this patient population. Can you share with our audience what strategies are being studied in this setting and what trials to watch out for in the future? Dr. Jeffrey Bradley: Sure, I think when you add concurrent radiation to immunotherapy, there were more central tumors in this trial, I think you're killing lymphocytes and negating the effect of immunotherapy. So I think that's the smoking gun for this trial, for the ECOG trial, for the small cell trial that NRG reported, LU005, and other trials. So correct, I don't think there's any need to continue to pursue concurrent immunotherapy in this space of lung cancer. But that's not to say there aren't many other trials that are either ongoing, have accrued and awaiting results, or being planned for the next phase of clinical trials. We have a trial within NRG Oncology called NRG-LU008. It's a randomized phase III trial that is using an SBRT boost to a peripheral primary and chemoradiation to the nodes, because the primary tumor is the one that fails more often than the lymph nodes, and that's compared to PACIFIC in the control arm. PACIFIC-9 is another trial in the same line as the other PACIFIC trials. That one is using dual checkpoint inhibition versus the control arm being PACIFIC. So there are three arms in that trial, durva and oleclumab, durva and monalizumab versus the PACIFIC arm. And that trial is completed accrual, but we have no results from that study yet. Johnson & Johnson has a trial open looking at a nanoparticle. That's a radiosensitizer where bronchoscopy is used to inject the primary tumor and the lymph nodes with a radiosensitizer. That's a randomized phase ll trial that's ongoing. It's got three arms, two different doses of this radiosensitizing drug and then a control arm without injection at all. The control arm is again the PACIFIC arm. And then those of us within the NCI-based clinical trials evaluation program, CTEP, are proposing an intergroup trial that would compare induction chemo-immunotherapy followed by chemoradiation followed by maintenance immunotherapy versus PACIFIC in a phase III study. So I think there's other trials that are either completed, ongoing completed, or on the horizon to assess in this patient population. Dr. Ece Cali: Yeah, we definitely have an unmet need to improve survival outcomes for stage III patients, and it's great to hear that there are so many efforts looking at different strategies to improve outcomes for these patients.  Thank you so much, Dr. Bradley, for this informative discussion and for sharing your insights. Any last thoughts? Dr. Jeffrey Bradley: Yeah, we need something, you know. PACIFIC was first reported in 2017, and we really haven't made progress in terms of changing that standard of care control for the last eight years. So we need progress in this area. Dr. Ece Cali: Yep, definitely. Thank you so much for joining, Dr. Bradley.  And thank you for listening to JCO Article Insights. Please come back for more interviews and article summaries and be sure to leave us a rating and review so others can find our show. For more podcasts and episodes from ASCO, please visit asco.org/podcasts. The purpose of this podcast is to educate and to inform. This is not a substitute for professional medical care and is not intended for use in the diagnosis or treatment of individual conditions.  Guests on this podcast express their own opinions, experience, and conclusions. Guest statements on the podcast do not express the opinions of ASCO. The mention of any product, service, organization, activity, or therapy should not be construed as an ASCO endorsement. DISCLOSURES Dr. Bradley Honoria: Mevion Medical Systems, Inc. Consulting or Advisory Role: Varian, Inc, Genentech, Inc. Research Funding: Varian Medical Systems Dr. Cali Research Funding Company: BeiGene, Nuvalent, Inc., Astra Zeneca 

Welcome back to Ozempic Weight Loss Unlocked, the show where we break down the latest developments in weight loss medications and what they mean for your health. I'm your host, and today we're diving into some exciting new data and industry shifts that you need to hear about.Let's start with what's happening right now in the weight loss medication world. A recent systematic review of over forty thousand adults found that semaglutide and tirzepatide significantly outperform older medications in achieving meaningful weight loss. In clinical trials, semaglutide resulted in a fourteen point nine percent reduction in body weight over sixty eight weeks, while tirzepatide led to a twenty point nine percent reduction. That's substantial progress compared to earlier options like liraglutide, which delivered only four to five percent weight loss.But here's something important our listeners need to understand: clinical trial results don't always match real world outcomes. When researchers looked at actual users after one year, those taking semaglutide lost seven point seven percent of their body weight, and those on tirzepatide lost twelve point four percent. Why the difference? About fifty percent of patients discontinued treatment during that first year, and eighty percent took lower dosages than prescribed.Speaking of usage, the numbers are staggering. Approximately one in eight American adults, or around twelve percent, have used a glucagon like peptide one medication at some point. Among people diagnosed with diabetes, that number jumps to forty three percent. The average age of users in the United Kingdom is forty four years old, with people aged forty to fifty nine making up more than half of all users.Now let's talk money, because cost remains a major barrier. The monthly out of pocket cost for Ozempic in the United States can reach as high as twelve hundred dollars for uninsured individuals. This pricing has created a competitive marketplace. In November twenty twenty five, Pfizer won a bidding war with Novo Nordisk to acquire obesity drug developer Metsera, giving them injectable and oral glucagon like peptide one candidates expected to enter clinical trials soon.But there's even more competition coming. Research indicates that several pharmaceutical companies including AstraZeneca, Zealand Pharma, Roche, and Amgen are expected to enter the glucagon like peptide one market with multiple drug launches planned between twenty twenty seven and twenty thirty two.Interestingly, a new alternative is emerging. A medication called eloralintide, which targets a different hormone called amylin instead of glucagon like peptide one, showed promising results. In a phase two clinical trial with two hundred sixty three participants, those receiving eloralintide experienced average weight loss between nine and twenty percent after forty eight weeks, compared to only zero point four percent in the placebo group. Up to ninety percent of participants on eloralintide improved by at least one body mass index category, and the study showed improvements in cardiometabolic risk factors including waist circumference, blood pressure, and blood sugar management.Our listeners should know that not everyone responds equally to these medications. Past studies show that as much as seventeen percent of glucagon like peptide one users may be non responders to the medication. This is why having multiple treatment options with different mechanisms of action matters so much.One final note worth mentioning: the rise in glucagon like peptide one use has sparked increased demand for cosmetic surgeries to remove loose skin following significant weight loss. Procedures like arm lifts, thigh lifts, and tummy tucks have all seen increased demand.Thank you so much for tuning in to Ozempic Weight Loss Unlocked. Please make sure to subscribe so you don't miss our next episode covering even more developments in this rapidly evolving space. This has been a Quiet Please production, for more check out quiet please dot ai. Some great Deals https://amzn.to/49SJ3QsFor more check out http://www.quietplease.aiThis content was created in partnership and with the help of Artificial Intelligence AI

fWotD Episode 3123: Indigenous people of the Everglades region Welcome to featured Wiki of the Day, your daily dose of knowledge from Wikipedia's finest articles.The featured article for Saturday, 22 November 2025, is Indigenous people of the Everglades region.The indigenous people of the Everglades region arrived in the Florida peninsula of what is now the United States approximately 15,000 years ago, probably following large game. The Paleo-Indians found an arid landscape that supported plants and animals adapted to prairie and xeric scrub conditions. Large animals became extinct in Florida around 11,000 years ago. Climate changes 6,500 years ago brought a wetter landscape. The Paleo-Indians slowly adapted to the new conditions. Archaeologists call the cultures that resulted from the adaptations Archaic peoples. They were better suited for environmental changes than their ancestors, and created many tools with the resources they had. Approximately 5,000 years ago, the climate shifted again to cause the regular flooding from Lake Okeechobee that became the Everglades ecosystems.From the Archaic peoples, two major tribes emerged in the area: the Calusa and the Tequesta. The earliest written descriptions of these people come from Spanish explorers who sought to convert and conquer them. Although they lived in complex societies, little evidence of their existence remains today. The Calusa were more powerful in number and political structure. Their territory was centered around modern-day Fort Myers, and extended as far north as Tampa, as far east as Lake Okeechobee, and as far south as the Keys. The Tequesta lived on the southeastern coast of the Florida peninsula around what is today Biscayne Bay and the Miami River. Both societies were well adapted to live in the various ecosystems of the Everglades regions. They often traveled through the heart of the Everglades, though they rarely lived within it.After more than 210 years of relations with the Spanish, both indigenous societies lost cohesiveness. Official records indicate that survivors of war and disease were transported to Havana in the late 18th century. Isolated groups may have been assimilated into the Seminole nation, which formed in northern Florida when a band of Creeks consolidated surviving members of pre-Columbian societies in Florida into their own to become a distinct tribe. Seminoles were forced into the Everglades by the U. S. military during the Seminole Wars from 1835 to 1842. The U. S. military pursued the Seminoles into the region, which resulted in some of the first recorded explorations of much of the area. Seminoles continue to live in the Everglades region, and support themselves with casino gaming on six reservations located throughout the state.This recording reflects the Wikipedia text as of 00:59 UTC on Saturday, 22 November 2025.For the full current version of the article, see Indigenous people of the Everglades region on Wikipedia.This podcast uses content from Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License.Visit our archives at wikioftheday.com and subscribe to stay updated on new episodes.Follow us on Bluesky at @wikioftheday.com.Also check out Curmudgeon's Corner, a current events podcast.Until next time, I'm standard Amy.

New research published by Repak has revealed that the Irish public will be more eco-conscious this Christmas. Almost 1 in 3 (30%) adults in Ireland are going to upcycle items to gift to a loved one and a similar amount (33%) will buy gifts that can have a second life to ensure that they last longer. Almost 4 in 5 (78%) shoppers see sustainability as an important factor when buying gifts, looking for products that are locally produced and whose packaging is recyclable. This eco-conscious mindset extends beyond gift giving, with almost half of households planning on reducing how much they spend on food and drink in a bid to cut back on waste. The days of buying mountains of wrapping paper are also over, with 57% opting to put presents in reusable or recyclable gift bags and over 4 in 10 (43%) planning on using wrapping paper that they have saved or newspaper to wrap gifts. Two thirds (66%) of the public are also planning on saving and storing gift packaging for next year. Local recycling centres are also set to see a spike in footfall after Christmas day, with two thirds (66%) of households planning to make a visit to dispose of waste. The Irish public is also getting creative with how they are giving their home a festive makeover, with approximately a third (30%) planning on using homemade decorations. Commenting on the research Repak CEO Zoe Kavanagh said: "Irish households are finding creative, thoughtful ways to make Christmas more eco-friendly, from upcycling gifts and reusing wrapping paper to cutting down on food waste. The fact that almost four in five shoppers are actively seeking locally produced and recyclable products speaks volumes about how engrained sustainability is becoming as part of our Christmas planning. At Repak, we want to make recycling simple, and we're here to help households recycle right this Christmas. Small actions like making sure all items are clean, dry and loose before recycling, make a big difference". Approximately 102,000 tonnes of packaging waste will be generated this Christmas and Repak is encouraging households to give back to the environment where possible. To make a real difference, shoppers should focus on recycling the packaging we use most in December: wrapping paper, boxes and mixed packaging. Repak's key Christmas recycling tips to follow are: The golden rule: Clean, Dry and Loose. Separate & flatten: Break down boxes; keep items loose (don't bag out items into each other) Waste in the right place: Check out repak.ie for guidance on what can go into your recycling bin this Christmas. Recycle it all: Cardboard, paper, all plastic, metals, tins and foil belong in your recycling bin. For dedicated Christmas recycling tips, visit repak.ie and follow Repak on TikTok and Instagram for the chance to win a €100 OneAll voucher as they share more top Christmas recycling tips. Instagram: @repakrecycling Facebook: @RepakRecycling See more stories here. More about Irish Tech News Irish Tech News are Ireland's No. 1 Online Tech Publication and often Ireland's No.1 Tech Podcast too. You can find hundreds of fantastic previous episodes and subscribe using whatever platform you like via our Anchor.fm page here: https://anchor.fm/irish-tech-news If you'd like to be featured in an upcoming Podcast email us at Simon@IrishTechNews.ie now to discuss. Irish Tech News have a range of services available to help promote your business. Why not drop us a line at Info@IrishTechNews.ie now to find out more about how we can help you reach our audience. You can also find and follow us on Twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, TikTok and Snapchat.

Are multivitamins bad for you? How could that be? In this video, I'll share the truth about the multivitamin scam. Find out about the vitamins you should never take, supplements that don't work, and the harmful ingredients in your supplements. 0:00 Introduction: Multivitamins truth0:19 Harmful ingredients in supplements 1:45 Synthetic vs. natural vitamins 3:38 Do multivitamins really work?9:32 Natural vitamins and minerals11:17 Fake vitamins exposed! Many multivitamins are made with the cheapest, synthetic ingredients which could be doing more harm than good.The first ingredient in many multivitamins is often calcium carbonate, which is limestone! The first ingredient usually makes up the majority of the product. Magnesium oxide, another common ingredient, is very cheap and has the lowest absorption rate compared to other forms of magnesium. The term “natural” isn't regulated, so ingredients derived from sources such as petroleum and coal tar can be labeled as natural. In nature, vitamins don't exist alone; they are combined with other nutrients and cofactors, which are often missing when you take synthetic vitamins. Biochemistry can not work without cofactors. Although there are nutrients that are difficult to obtain in sufficient amounts from food, that doesn't mean they should be replaced with synthetic multivitamins.Maltodextrin is commonly used as a filler in vitamins and minerals. It's a highly refined industrial starch, classified as a complex carbohydrate, and spikes blood sugar more than sugar. Ascorbic acid is a synthetic part of the vitamin C complex. Approximately 90% is made in China from GMO corn and sulfuric acid. Many people have a genetic issue converting cyanocobalamin, a synthetic form of B12, and folic acid, a synthetic form of B9, into their active forms. This can cause negative side effects in 40% of the population.Almost all of the popular multivitamins are owned by Big Pharma, Big Food, Big Chemical, or large investment groups. For example, Centrum Silver is owned by Pfizer, and One a Day is owned by Bayer. Nature Made is owned by the same company that sells Abilify!Dr. Eric Berg DC Bio:Dr. Berg, age 60, is a chiropractor who specializes in Healthy Ketosis & Intermittent Fasting. He is the Director of Dr. Berg Nutritionals and author of the best-selling book The Healthy Keto Plan. He no longer practices, but focuses on health education through social media.Disclaimer: Dr. Eric Berg received his Doctor of Chiropractic degree from Palmer College of Chiropractic in 1988. His use of “doctor” or “Dr.” in relation to himself solely refers to that degree. Dr. Berg is a licensed chiropractor in Virginia, California, and Louisiana, but he no longer practices chiropractic in any state and does not see patients, so he can focus on educating people as a full-time activity, yet he maintains an active license. This video is for general informational purposes only. It should not be used to self-diagnose, and it is not a substitute for a medical exam, cure, treatment, diagnosis, prescription, or recommendation. It does not create a doctor-patient relationship between Dr. Berg and you. You should not make any change in your health regimen or diet before first consulting a physician and obtaining a medical exam, diagnosis, and recommendation. Always seek the advice of a physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition.

It's Friday, November 14th, A.D. 2025. This is The Worldview in 5 Minutes heard on 140 radio stations and at www.TheWorldview.com.  I'm Adam McManus. (Adam@TheWorldview.com) By Adam McManus Iranian Christian prisoner denied treatment after spinal fracture On October 31st, Iranian Muslim authorities denied proper medical treatment to a prisoner named Aida Najaflou, an Iranian Christian convert, after she fell and fractured her spine, reports International Christian Concern. Najaflou, who suffered from spinal disc issues before her arrest, sustained the injury when she fell from her top prison bunk. She was taken to a local hospital, where medical professionals diagnosed a fractured T12 vertebra. Shockingly, Muslim authorities refused to allow Najaflou to obtain treatment and, instead, used a stretcher to bring her back to the prison that same day.  Due to the inhumane treatment and pain that Najaflou endured, fellow prisoners reportedly protested the situation. Iranian officials responded by taking the woman to a second hospital, where doctors recommended emergency surgery to repair her vertebra.   According to the Cleveland Clinic, “spinal fracture surgery” is recommended if the spinal fracture is in danger of damaging your spinal cord or if your pain doesn't improve a few months after non-surgical treatments.” The prolonging of proper care for Najaflou's injury is likely to have caused additional, unnecessary pain. Romans 5:3-5 says, “We know that suffering produces perseverance;  perseverance, character; and character, hope.  And hope does not put us to shame, because God's love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, Who has been given to us.” Sadly, previous requests from Najaflou for a lower bunk, based on her pre-existing spinal problems and a rheumatoid arthritis diagnosis, were dismissed by prison authorities.  Najaflou, along with two other Christians, was arrested in February 2025 for their Christian activities, including “praying, performing baptisms, taking communion, and celebrating Christmas.” She also spoke out against the Islamic Republic of Iran. According to Open Doors, Iran is the ninth most difficult country worldwide for Christians. Trump chastises Democrats for 43-day gov't shutdown Late Wednesday night, President Donald Trump signed legislation to end the Schumer Shutdown of government that spanned 43 days, punting the next funding deadline into late January, reports Politico.com. He called out the extortion of the Democrats who tried to force the funding of health care for illegal aliens as well as the extension of Obamacare benefits which they themselves had sunset. TRUMP: “Today, we're sending a clear message that we will never give into extortion, because that's what it was. The Democrats tried to extort our country. “In just a moment, I'll sign a bill exactly like we asked Democrats to send us all along, many days ago.  Republicans never wanted a shutdown and voted 15 times for a clean continuation of funding. Yet the extremists in the other party insisted on creating the longest government shutdown in American history, and they did it purely for political reasons.” President Trump explained the harm the Democrats caused. TRUMP: “Over the past seven weeks, the Democrats shut down as inflicted massive harm. They caused 20,000 flights to be canceled or delayed. They look very bad, the Democrats do. “They deprived more than one million government workers from their paychecks and cut off food stamp benefits for millions and millions more Americans in need. They caused tens of thousands of federal contractors and small businesses to go unpaid. And the total effect of the damage their antics caused will take weeks, and probably months, to really calculate accurately. “So, I just want to tell the American people, you should not forget this. When we come up to midterms, don't forget what they've done to our country.” The House passed the funding measure earlier in the evening, after eight Senate Democrats broke with their party to advance the package Monday night. Paychecks to federal workers reportedly will begin going out Saturday, reports NewsMax. Trump faces biggest Republican rebellion yet over Epstein Republicans are preparing a mass rebellion against President Donald Trump in a vote to release all classified files related to the late sexual predator Jeffrey Epstein, reports The Telegraph. At least 100 or more Republicans are expected to support the release of the files after a selection of emails sent by the deceased pedophile financier, that frequently mention the U.S. president, were made public on Wednesday. President Trump was friends with Epstein before the pair fell out in the early 2000s, but has always denied any knowledge of or involvement with Epstein's sex-trafficking or abuse of underage girls. Senator John Fetterman hospitalized after fall John Fetterman, the senior U.S. senator from Pennsylvania, was hospitalized on November 13th after falling down and hitting his face due to a heart-related issue, reports The Epoch Times. Because he had “a ventricular fibrillation flare,” a condition where the heart stops pumping blood to parts of the body, Fetterman became “light-headed” and then fell to the ground in Braddock, Pennsylvania, “hitting his face with minor injuries.” Kamala to Jon Stewart: Biden was competent to be President As part of her 107 Days book tour, former Democratic presidential candidate Kamala Harris was oddly hesitant to question President Joe Biden's mental acuity on Jon Stewart's podcast Listen. HARRIS: “I believe he was fully competent to serve.” STEWART: “Do you really?” HARRIS: “Yeah, I do.” STEWART:  “That, that surprises me, actually.” HARRIS: “No, I do. There's a distinction to be made between running for president and being president.” STEWART: “What's the distinction?” HARRIS: “Well, being a candidate for president United States is about being in a marathon, at a sprinter's pace, having tomatoes thrown at you every step you take.” STEWART: (laughs) “That sounds lovely.” HARRIS: “Yeah, it's more than a notion. And to be the seated president, the sitting president, while doing that, it's a lot.” STEWART: “I think it's a hard case to make for people that he didn't have the stamina to run, but he had the stamina to govern, because I think most people view the presidency as a marathon, run at a sprint, with tomatoes being thrown at you, in terms of governance.” Not surprisingly, people on social media were incredulous. On X, AdaminHTownTX asked, “If Biden was competent to serve, why did his party force him out of the race and install Kamala as the nominee?” Harris has hinted at a second presidential bid in 2028. Obama accused of destroying national landmark to build monument to himself What kind of U.S. president demolishes a cherished piece of American history in order to build a shrine to himself? Locals are still trying to make sense of the $850 million Obama Presidential Center, dubbed “The Obamalisk,” which broke ground in Chicago's historic Jackson Park in 2021 and will be finished next spring, reports the New York Post. Renowned Chicago architect Grahm Balkany, a self-described liberal, is upset. He said, “Obama, of all people, should not be building a palace for himself, a fortress in the middle of a public park. It's just contrary to what I thought he believed in.” Greg Laurie to hold crusade where Charlie Kirk was killed And finally, Evangelist Greg Laurie will headline a Harvest Crusade event at Utah Valley University, where conservative Christian activist Charlie Kirk was assassinated on September 10th during a Turning Point USA event, reports The Christian Post. Approximately, 10,000 attendees are expected. Known as “Hope for America,” the event will be held this Sunday, November 16. LAURIE:  “This is the place where Charlie left this world for the next world. We're going to go into that campus where darkness took place, and we're going to turn on the radiant light of Jesus Christ and preach that same Gospel that Charlie preached and call people to Christ.” Romans 1:16 says, “For I am not ashamed of the Gospel, because it is the power of God that brings salvation to everyone who believes: first to the Jew, then to the Gentile.” Close And that's The Worldview on this Friday, November 14th, in the year of our Lord 2025. Follow us on X or subscribe for free by Spotify, Amazon Music, or by iTunes or email to our unique Christian newscast at www.TheWorldview.com.  I'm Adam McManus. Seize the day for Jesus Christ.

Avoid these mistakes for a healthy gut! These 8 common gut health mistakes could be destroying your digestive health. Discover the habits and foods that ruin gut health, along with my expert gut health tips to improve your digestion and overall health today.1. Trying to improve gut health with fiberIncreasing fiber is one of the worst things you can do for your gut, yet it's commonly recommended. If your gut is damaged, fiber can exacerbate the issue, contributing to gas and inflammation. If you have gut inflammation, the carnivore diet can help!The carnivore diet helps increase glutamine, an amino acid that promotes gut healing. Zinc carnosine and butyrate, found in butter, are excellent for a healthy gut. Intermittent fasting and periodic prolonged fasting are crucial for maintaining digestive health.Approximately 40% of the population has SIBO. L. Reuteri can help reduce SIBO and has many other amazing benefits. It increases oxytocin, lowers stres, and even increases social capacity. Ensure you have strong stomach acid for healthy digestion and protection from microbes. 2. Commercial probiotics and yogurt The amount of probiotics in these products is so low that it won't make a difference in gut health. Many commercial yogurts are low-fat and contain added sugar and starch. 3. Colon cleansingThis eliminates beneficial gut bacteria, which can ultimately lead to constipation and other health issues. Avoid detoxing and focus on a healthy diet.4. Antibiotics Your gut microbiome does not fully recover after taking antibiotics. Bacteria that survive antibiotics can become antibiotic-resistant superbugs! If you have to take antibiotics take a good probiotic simultaneously.5. Antacids Acid reflux is a valve problem caused by low stomach acid. Weakening your stomach acid worsens the problem. Strong stomach acid is vital for digestion, protection against pathogens, and mineral absorption. 6. Low-fat diets Low-fat diets are bad for digestion because fat stimulates the gallbladder to release bile. Low bile leads to constipation and the inability to kill off microbes in the small intestine.7. Balanced diet Everything in moderation is the worst advice! Lowering carbs from 45% to 65% of your calories to 10% can significantly improve digestion.8. Superfood shakesSuperfood shakes and smoothies with kale, spinach, and fruit can overload the small intestine with fiber. Red meat is the best superfood! Dr. Eric Berg DC Bio:Dr. Berg, age 60, is a chiropractor who specializes in Healthy Ketosis & Intermittent Fasting. He is the Director of Dr. Berg Nutritionals and author of the best-selling book The Healthy Keto Plan. He no longer practices, but focuses on health education through social media.Disclaimer: Dr. Eric Berg received his Doctor of Chiropractic degree from Palmer College of Chiropractic in 1988. His use of “doctor” or “Dr.” in relation to himself solely refers to that degree. Dr. Berg is a licensed chiropractor in Virginia, California, and Louisiana, but he no longer practices chiropractic in any state and does not see patients, so he can focus on educating people as a full-time activity, yet he maintains an active license. This video is for general informational purposes only. It should not be used to self-diagnose, and it is not a substitute for a medical exam, cure, treatment, diagnosis, prescription, or recommendation. It does not create a doctor-patient relationship between Dr. Berg and you. You should not make any change in your health regimen or diet before first consulting a physician and obtaining a medical exam, diagnosis, and recommendation. Always seek the advice of a physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition.

In this episode, Jeff interviews Luca about his intensive experience presenting at five conferences in two and a half days, including the Embedded Online Conference and a German conference where he delivered a keynote on AI-enhanced software development. Luca shares practical insights from running an LLM-only hackathon where participants were prohibited from manually writing any code that entered version control—forcing them to rely entirely on AI tools.The conversation explores technical challenges in AI-assisted embedded development, particularly the importance of context management when working with LLMs. Luca reveals that effective AI-assisted coding requires treating prompts like code itself—version controlling them, refining them iteratively, and building project-specific prompt libraries. He discusses the economics of LLM-based development (approximately one cent per line of code), the dramatic tightening of feedback loops from days to minutes, and how this fundamentally changes agile workflows for embedded teams.The episode concludes with a discussion about the evolving role of embedded developers—from code writers to AI supervisors and eventually to product owners with deep technical skills. Luca and Jeff address concerns about maintaining core software engineering competencies while embracing these powerful new tools, emphasizing that understanding the craft remains essential even as the tools evolve.Key Topics[02:15] LLM-only hackathon constraints: No human-written code in version control[04:30] Context management as the critical skill for effective LLM-assisted development[08:45] Explicit context control: Files, directories, API documentation, and web content integration[11:20] LLM hallucinations: When AI invents file contents and generates diffs against phantom code[13:00] Economics of AI-assisted coding: Approximately $0.01 per line of code[15:30] Tightening feedback loops: From day-long iterations to minutes in agile embedded workflows[17:45] Rapid technical debt accumulation: How LLMs can create problems faster than humans notice[19:30] The essential role of comprehensive testing in AI-assisted development workflows[22:00] Challenges with TDD and LLMs: Getting AI to take small steps and wait for feedback[26:15] Treating prompts like code: Version control, libraries, and project-specific prompt management[29:40] External context management: Coding style guides, plan files, and todo.txt workflows[32:00] LLM attention patterns: Beginning and end of context receive more focus than middle content[34:30] The evolving developer role: From coder to prompt engineer to AI supervisor to technical product owner[38:00] Code wireframing: Rapid prototyping for embedded systems using AI-generated implementations[40:15] Maintaining software engineering skills in the age of AI: The importance of manual practice[43:00] Software engineering vs. software carpentry: Architecture and goals over syntax and implementationNotable Quotes"One of the hardest things to get an LLM to do is nothing. Sometimes I just want to brainstorm with it and say, let's look at the code base, let's figure out how we're going to tackle this next piece of functionality. And then it says, 'Yeah, I think we should do it like this. You know what? I'm going to do it right now.' And it's so terrible. Stop. You didn't even wait for me to weigh in." — Luca Ingianni"LLMs making everything faster also means they can create technical debt at a spectacular rate. And it gets a little worse because if you're not paying close attention and if you're not disciplined, then it kind of passes you by at first. It generates code and the code kind of looks fine. And you say, yeah, let's keep going. And then you notice that actually it's quite terrible." — Luca Ingianni"I would not trust myself to review an LLM's code and be able to spot all of the little subtleties that it gets wrong. But if I at least have tests that express my goals and maybe also my worries in terms of robustness, then I can feel a lot safer to iterate very quickly within those guardrails." — Luca Ingianni"Roughly speaking, the way I was using the tool, I was spending about a cent per line. Which is about two orders of magnitude below what a human programmer roughly costs. It really is a fraction. So that's nice because it makes certain things approachable. It changes certain build versus buy decisions." — Luca Ingianni"You can tighten your feedback loops to an absurd degree. Maybe before, if you had a really tight feedback loop between a product owner and a developer, it was maybe a day long. And now it can be minutes or quarters of an hour. It is so much faster. And that's not just a quantitative step. It's also a qualitative step." — Luca Ingianni"Some of my best performing prompts came from a place of desperation where one of my prompts is literally 'wait wait wait you didn't do what we agreed you would do you did not read the files carefully.' And I'd like to use this prompt now, even before it did something wrong. And then it apologizes as the first step. And I feel terrible because I hurt the LLM's feelings. But it is very effective." — Luca Ingianni"As you tighten your feedback loops, quality must be maintained through code review and tests. Test first, new feature, review, passing tests—you need to go through that red-green-refactor loop. You can just hopefully do it much more quickly, and maybe in slightly bigger steps than you did before manually." — Jeff Gable"A lot of what I'm doing is really intended to rein in an LLM's propensity to sort of ramble. It's very hard to get them to practice TDD because you can ask them to write the test first, then they will. And then they will just trample on and write the implementation right with it without stopping and returning control back to you." — Luca Ingianni"Those prompts tend to be to some degree specific to the particular code base or the particular problem domain. Every now and then you stumble across ways of making an LLM do exactly what you want it to do within the context of the particular code base. And once you find a nugget like this, you keep it. You don't just keep it in the generic library. Some of those tricks will be very specific to a particular code base." — Luca Ingianni"Just like humans, LLMs tend to pay more attention to the stuff at the beginning of the context and at the end, and the middle sort of gets not quite forgotten but kind of fuzzy. You really need to have a way to extract all of that before it becomes fuzzy and store it in a safe place where it can't be damaged, like a file." — Luca Ingianni"I think we will hit this weird valley in the coming five years where everyone's just using LLMs and no one knows how to write code anymore. And there will be a need for people who can leverage the tools, but still have the skills that serve as the solid foundation." — Jeff Gable"Maybe this is essentially software engineering finally becoming true to its name. At the moment, software engineering is sort of more like software carpentry. You're really doing the craft. You're laboring to put the curly brackets at the right places. And maybe now it's more about taking a step back and thinking in terms of architecture, and thinking in terms of goals, as opposed to knowing how to swing a hammer." — Luca IngianniResources MentionedEmbedded Online Conference - Premier online conference for embedded systems professionals featuring talks on AI integration, development practices, and cutting-edge embedded technologies. All sessions are recorded and available for on-demand viewing.Aider - AI pair programming tool mentioned for its ability to integrate web content into context using commands like '/web [URL]' to incorporate API documentation and other online resources directly into the development workflow.GitHub Copilot - AI-powered code completion tool integrated with VS Code and other IDEs, enabling context-aware code generation and assistance for embedded development workflows. You can find Jeff at https://jeffgable.com.You can find Luca at https://luca.engineer.Want to join the agile Embedded Slack? Click hereAre you looking for embedded-focused trainings? Head to https://agileembedded.academy/Ryan Torvik and Luca have started the Embedded AI podcast, check it out at https://embeddedaipodcast.com/

It's Tuesday, November 11th, A.D. 2025. This is The Worldview in 5 Minutes heard on 140 radio stations and at www.TheWorldview.com.  I'm Adam McManus. (Adam@TheWorldview.com) By Kevin Swanson Nigerian Governor denies Christian genocide Just days after Nigerian Nasarawa State Governor Abdullahi Sule publicly denied the existence of religious persecution or Christian genocide in Nigeria, about 50 Fulani Muslim gunmen launched a deadly midnight assault on a Christian community in the state.   Three individuals were murdered and others were critically wounded in the massacre.   In protest, hundreds of youths from the community displayed the dead bodies of the victims and blocked traffic until the military showed up to disperse them.  They were protesting the persistent invasions and kidnappings, in hopes of some government intervention. According to Open Doors, Nigeria is the seventh most dangerous country worldwide for Christians. Sudanese civil war claims 70,000 civilian lives The ongoing civil war in Sudan, Africa is bringing untold losses to human life. Approximately, 70,000 civilians were killed in the last year, and the same number the year before. A paramilitary group, known as the “Rapid Support Forces,” is killing civilians with darker skin in the ethnic purge — and then burying the bodies in mass graves, reports Al Jazeera. America invested twice as much in Africa as China did The BBC reports that the U.S. has overtaken China as Africa's biggest investor for the first time since 2012. America invested $7.8 billion in 2023, compared to China's $4 billion. America absent from U.N. Climate Change Conference The 30th United Nations Climate Change Conference kicked off yesterday in Belém, Brazil. Notably, the U.S. federal delegation is absent, reports The Hill.com. 7 Democrats, 1 Independent join GOP to end gov't shutdown The U.S. Democrat Party has experienced a seismic split. In an historic development on the national scene, seven Democrat senators and one Independent senator agreed to a compromise with the Republicans in the U.S. Senate to bring the government shutdown to an end, report The Epoch Times. The defectors were Dick Durbin (D-IL), Catherine Masto (D-NV), Jacky Rosen (D-NV), John Fetterman (D-PA), Tim Kaine (D-VA), Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Maggie Hassan (D-NH), and Angus King (I-ME). The big bone of contention among the Democrats in the shutdown concerned there hope of extending the Obamacare funding of individual and family health insurance.  Health insurers are corrupt and contribute heavily to Democrats Breitbart and American Resolve estimate that health insurers are taking in $1 trillion per year in federal subsidies, thanks to Obamacare. Plus, their stocks are up 1,000% since 2009. These companies contributed five times more funds to the Kamala Harris presidential campaign than they contributed to Donald Trump's campaign. And “Blue Shield of California donated $500,000 and UnitedHealth donated $75,000 to Democratic Governor Gavin Newsom's ballot measure effort, Prop. 50” which could give Democrat and insurance companies five additional seats in Congress. Even more egregious, federal auditors estimate that Medicare Advantage will overbill medical services somewhere in the neighborhood of $1 trillion this decade. Isaiah 1:23 warns of princes who “are rebellious, and companions of thieves. Everyone loves bribes and follows after rewards. They do not defend the fatherless, nor does the cause of the widow come before them.” Tucker Carlson in hot water for Nick Fuentes interview But then, the “conservative right” has their own dumpster fire going after Tucker Carlson interviewed Nick Fuentes. (It was a 2-hour-long interview). Ben Shapiro, the conservative founder of The Daily Wire, referred to Carlson as the “most virulent super-spreader of vile ideas in America.”  Mark Levin layered on another epithet for Carlson, calling the conservative talk show host a “Nazi promoter. " And Republican Senator Ted Cruz of Texas called the Fuentes interview “cowardly and complicit." Supremes unlikely to affirm Trump's tariffs According to the SCOTUS BLOG, the U.S. Supreme Court appears doubtful as to the constitutionality of the Trump tariffs.   Both Chief Justice John Roberts and Justice Neil Gorsuch appeared skeptical in the oral arguments which took place last Wednesday.  Supreme Court will not reverse homosexual marriage The U.S. Supreme Court will not reverse Obergefell.   The high court issued their decision Monday to let the 2015 decision stand — codifying the legitimization of faux marriage for those living in unnatural relations, men with men, and women with women — here in the United States. The justices rejected an appeal from former Kentucky County Clerk Kim Davis — who had refused to issue marriage licenses to homosexual couples — on the basis of her religious beliefs. A few weeks ago, Justice Amy Barrett admitted her reluctance to oppose the homosexual campaign for same-sex faux marriage because of what she called "very concrete reliance interests,” reports the New York Times. These apparently did not include God's interests. In a speech Justice Samuel Alito gave a few months ago, he called the Obergefell decision a “precedent of the court that is entitled to the respect afforded by the doctrine of stare decisis.”   That's a legal term meaning the policy of following principles laid down in previous judicial decisions. Mat Staver of Liberty Counsel was quite disappointed.  He said, “The majority of Supreme Court Justices know Obergefell is wrong, and this case should have been granted review and reversed that unconstitutional opinion. We are committed to overturning Obergefell. Like the abortion issue in Roe v. Wade, the Obergefell opinion has no basis in the U.S. Constitution.” The Prophet Micah issued this lament in Chapter 7:2-4. “The faithful man has perished from the Earth, and there is no one upright among men. They all lie in wait for blood; The best of them is like a brier; The most upright is sharper than a thorn hedge; The day of your watchman and your punishment comes; Now shall be their perplexity.” Household debt shot up by 30% Total U.S. household debt has registered a 30% increase since 2020 — now at $18.5 trillion. And, the U.S. dollar has weakened against major currencies this year by about 10%. That's the worst performance since the Nixon presidency.   Meanwhile, gold has increased about 60% in value this year to date. Average American wedding costs $33,000 And finally, in other economic news, The Knot reveals that the average wedding now costs $33,000. And couples who invite over 140 guests will need to pay $40,000. The price tag is location dependent.  New York weddings run $48,000 while Wyoming weddings average $17,000. To compare, the cost of the average starter home in America this year, by RedFin's metric, is $260,000 with a down payment of $16,900. Close And that's The Worldview on this Tuesday, November 11th, in the year of our Lord 2025, the 19th wedding anniversary of my bride Amy and me. Check out our love story at www.AdamsWedding.net.  Follow The Worldview on X or subscribe for free by Spotify, Amazon Music, or by iTunes or email to our unique Christian newscast at www.TheWorldview.com.  I'm Adam McManus. Seize the day for Jesus Christ.

Apart from their vocation, teachers also handle administrative work and counselling. Synopsis: Every second Wednesday of the month, The Straits Times takes a hard look at Singapore's social issues of the day with guests. Teachers in Singapore work longer than their peers in other advanced economies. They spend less time teaching but more on planning, counselling and communicating with students’ parents, according to the Teaching and Learning International Survey (Talis) released on Oct 7, 2025. In total, the Talis survey polled 194,000 teachers in 55 education systems across Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) countries. Teachers in Singapore work an average of 47.3 hours a week, higher than the overall average of 41 hours. Approximately 3,500 teachers and respective school principals across all 145 public secondary schools and 10 randomly selected private secondary schools participated in the survey from April to August 2024. In this episode, ST assistant podcast editor Lynda Hong examines why this is happening, and whether there is any way their workload and stress can be reduced. In the studio with her is Ms Sarah Tan, a former secondary school teacher with 17 years of experience and taught till 2020, but now gives tuition. She is also a mother of two children aged 13 and 15. Mr Manogaran Suppiah was formerly the principal of Anderson Serangoon Junior College. He first started out teaching for 16 years, before moving to different departments within the Ministry of Education, including becoming the founding executive director of Academy of Singapore Teachers (AST). In 2022, he retired from his career spanning over 40 years. Highlights (click/tap above): 7:23 Teacher workload: Why it has gone up 11:08 How technology adds to and can also lighten workload 14:10 Learning to use AI tools? 18:18 Administrative duties, parents' expectations 23:20 On teachers having to 'parent' students? 28:43 Mid-career switches from other professions to teaching: Different perspectives 30:00 Why education leaders must find out from teachers what is meaningless 33:08 School leaders, heads of departments and teachers: What's lacking? Read ST’s Opinion section: https://str.sg/w7sH Host: Lynda Hong (lyndahong@sph.com.sg) Produced and edited by: Hadyu Rahim Executive producers: Ernest Luis & Lynda Hong Follow In Your Opinion Podcast here and get notified for new episode drops: Channel: https://str.sg/w7Qt Apple Podcasts: https://str.sg/wukb Spotify: https://str.sg/w7sV Feedback to: podcast@sph.com.sg SPH Awedio app: https://www.awedio.sg --- Follow more ST podcast channels: All-in-one ST Podcasts channel: https://str.sg/wvz7 Get more updates: http://str.sg/stpodcasts The Usual Place Podcast YouTube: https://str.sg/4Vwsa --- Get The Straits Times app, which has a dedicated podcast player section: The App Store: https://str.sg/icyB Google Play: https://str.sg/icyX --- #inyouropinionSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Last time we spoke about the Changsha fire. Chiang Kai-shek faced a brutal choice: defend Wuhan to the last man or flood the land to slow the invaders. He chose both, pushing rivers and rallying a fractured army as Japanese forces pressed along the Yangtze. Fortresses at Madang held long, but the cost was high—troops lost, civilians displaced, a city's heart burning in the night. Wuhan fell after months of brutal fighting, yet the battle did not break China's will. Mao Zedong urged strategy over martyrdom, preferring to drain the enemy and buy time for a broader struggle. The Japanese, though victorious tactically, found their strength ebbing, resource strains, supply gaps, and a war that felt endless. In the wake of Wuhan, Changsha stood next in the Japanese crosshairs, its evacuation and a devastating fire leaving ash and memory in its wake. Behind these prices, political currents swirled. Wang Jingwei defected again, seeking power beyond Chiang's grasp, while Chongqing rose as a western bastion of resistance. The war hardened into a protracted stalemate, turning Japan from an aggressive assailant into a wary occupier, and leaving China to endure, persist, and fight on.   #175  The Soviet-Japanese Border Conflicts Welcome to the Fall and Rise of China Podcast, I am your dutiful host Craig Watson. But, before we start I want to also remind you this podcast is only made possible through the efforts of Kings and Generals over at Youtube. Perhaps you want to learn more about the history of Asia? Kings and Generals have an assortment of episodes on history of asia and much more  so go give them a look over on Youtube. So please subscribe to Kings and Generals over at Youtube and to continue helping us produce this content please check out www.patreon.com/kingsandgenerals. If you are still hungry for some more history related content, over on my channel, the Pacific War Channel where I cover the history of China and Japan from the 19th century until the end of the Pacific War. So based on the title of this one, you probably can see we are taking a bit of a detour. For quite some time we have focused on the Japanese campaigns into China proper 1937-1938. Now the way the second sino-japanese war is traditionally broken down is in phases. 1937-1938, 1939-1942 and 1942-1945. However there is actually even more going on in China aside from the war with Japan. In Xinjiang province a large full blown Islamic revolution breaks out in 1937. We will be covering that story at a later date, but another significant event is escalating border skirmishes in Manchukuo. Now these border skirmishes had been raging ever since the USSR consolidated its hold over the far east. We talked about some of those skirmishes prior to the Sino-Soviet war in 1929. However when Japan created the puppet government of Manchukuo, this was a significant escalation in tensions with the reds. Today we are going to talk about the escalating border conflicts between the Soviets and Japan. A tongue of poorly demarcated land extends southeast from Hunchun, hugging the east bank of the Tumen River between Lake Khasan to the east and Korea to the west. Within this tongue stands Changkufeng Hill, one of a long chain of highlands sweeping from upstream along the rivers and moors toward the sea. The twin-peaked hill sits at the confluence area several miles northwest of the point where Manchuria, Korea, and the Russian Far East meet. The hill's shape reminded Koreans of their changgo, which is a long snare drum constricted at the center and tapped with the hands at each end. When the Manchus came to the Tumen, they rendered the phonetic sounds into three ideographic characters meaning "taut drum peaks" or Chang-ku-feng. The Japanese admired the imagery and preserved the Chinese readings, which they pronounce Cho-ko-ho. From their eastern vantage, the Russians called it Zaozernaya, "hill behind the lake." Soviet troops referred to it as a sugar-loaf hill. For many years, natives and a handful of officials in the region cultivated a relaxed attitude toward borders and sovereignty. Even after the Japanese seized Manchuria in 1931, the issue did not immediately come to a head. With the expansion of Manchukuo and the Soviet Far East under Stalin's Five-Year plans, both sides began to attend more closely to frontier delimitation. Whenever either party acted aggressively, force majeure was invoked to justify the unexpected and disruptive events recognized in international law. Most often, these incidents erupted along the eastern Manchurian borders with the USSR or along the 350-mile frontier south of Lake Khanka, each skirmish carrying the seeds of all-out warfare. Now we need to talk a little bit about border history. The borders in question essentially dated to pacts concluded by the Qing dynasty and the Tsardom. Between the first Sino-Russian Treaty of Nerchinsk in 1689 and the Mukden Agreement of 1924, there were over a dozen accords governing the borders. Relevant to Changkufeng were the basic 15-article Convention of Peking, supplementing the Tientsin Treaties of November 1860, some maps made in 1861, and the eight-article Hunchun Border Protocol of 1886. By the 1860 treaty, the Qing ceded to Tsarist Russia the entire maritime province of Siberia, but the meaning of "lands south of Lake Khanka" remained rather vague. Consequently, a further border agreement was negotiated in June 1861 known as "the Lake Khanka Border Pact", by which demarcations were drawn on maps and eight wooden markers erected. The border was to run from Khanka along ridgelines between the Hunchun River and the sea, past Suifenho and Tungning, terminating about 6 miles from the mouth of the Tumen. Then a Russo-Chinese commission established in 1886 drew up the Hunchun Border Pact, proposing new or modified markers along the 1860–1861 lines and arranging a Russian resurvey. However, for the Japanese, in 1938, the Chinese or Manchu texts of the 1886 Hunchun agreement were considered controlling. The Soviets argued the border ran along every summit west of Khasan, thereby granting them jurisdiction over at least the eastern slopes of all elevations, including Changkufeng and Shachaofeng.  Since the Qing dynasty and the house of Romanov were already defunct, the new sovereignties publicly appealed to opposing texts, and the Soviet side would not concede that the Russian-language version had never been deemed binding by the Qing commissioners. Yet, even in 1938, the Japanese knew that only the Chinese text had survived or could be located.    Now both the Chinese and Russian military maps generally drew the frontier along the watershed east of Khasan; this aligned with the 1861 readings based on the Khanka agreement. The Chinese Republican Army conducted new surveys sometime between 1915 and 1920. The latest Chinese military map of the Changkufeng area drew the border considerably closer to the old "red line" of 1886, running west of Khasan but near the shore rather than traversing the highland crests. None of the military delimitations of the border was sanctified by an official agreement. Hence, the Hunchun Protocol, whether well known or not, invaluable or worthless, remained the only government-to-government pact dealing with the frontiers.  Before we jump into it, how about a little summary of what became known as the Soviet-Japanese border conflicts. The first major conflict would obviously be the Russo-Japanese war of 1904-1905. Following years of conflict between the Russian Empire and Japan culminating in the costly Battle of Tsushima, Tsar Nicholas II's government sought peace, recognizing Japan's claims to Korea and agreeing to evacuate Manchuria.  From 1918 to 1920, the Imperial Japanese Army, under Emperor Taishō after the death of Meiji, assisted the White Army and Alexander Kerensky against the Bolshevik Red Army. They also aided the Czechoslovak Legion in Siberia to facilitate its return to Europe after an Austrian-Hungarian armoured train purportedly went astray. By 1920, with Austria-Hungary dissolved and Czechoslovakia established two years earlier, the Czechoslovak Legion reached Europe. Japan withdrew from the Russian Revolution and the Civil War in 1922. Following Japan's 1919-1920 occupations and the Soviet intervention in Mongolia in 1921, the Republic of China also withdrew from Outer Mongolia in 1921. In 1922, after capturing Vladivostok in 1918 to halt Bolshevik advances, Japanese forces retreated to Japan as Bolshevik power grew and the postwar fatigue among combatants increased. After Hirohito's invasion of Manchuria in 1931–1932, following Taishō's death in 1926, border disputes between Manchukuo, the Mongolian People's Republic, and the Soviet Union increased. Many clashes stemmed from poorly defined borders, though some involved espionage. Between 1932 and 1934, the Imperial Japanese Army reported 152 border disputes, largely tied to Soviet intelligence activity in Manchuria, while the Soviets accused Japan of 15 border violations, six air intrusions, and 20 cases of "spy smuggling" in 1933 alone. Numerous additional violations followed in the ensuing years. By the mid-1930s, Soviet-Japanese diplomacy and trust had deteriorated further, with the Japanese being openly labeled "fascist enemies" at the Seventh Comintern Congress in July 1935. Beginning in 1935, conflicts significantly escalated. On 8 January 1935, the first armed clash, known as the Halhamiao incident, took place on the border between Mongolia and Manchukuo. Several dozen cavalrymen of the Mongolian People's Army crossed into Manchuria near disputed fishing grounds and engaged an 11‑man Manchukuo Imperial Army patrol near the Buddhist temple at Halhamiao, led by a Japanese military advisor. The Manchukuo Army sustained 6 wounded and 2 dead, including the Japanese officer; the Mongols suffered no casualties and withdrew after the Japanese sent a punitive expedition to reclaim the area. Two motorized cavalry companies, a machine‑gun company, and a tankette platoon occupied the position for three weeks without resistance. In June 1935, the first direct exchange of fire between the Japanese and Soviets occurred when an 11‑man Japanese patrol west of Lake Khanka was attacked by six Soviet horsemen, reportedly inside Manchukuo territory. In the firefight, one Soviet soldier was killed and two horses were captured. The Japanese requested a joint investigation, but the Soviets rejected the proposal. In October 1935, nine Japanese and 32 Manchukuoan border guards were establishing a post about 20 kilometers north of Suifenho when they were attacked by 50 Soviet soldiers. The Soviets opened fire with rifles and five heavy machine guns. Two Japanese and four Manchukuoan soldiers were killed, and another five were wounded. The Manchukuoan foreign affairs representative lodged a verbal protest with the Soviet consul at Suifenho. The Kwantung Army of Japan also sent an intelligence officer to investigate the clash. On 19 December 1935, a Manchukuoan unit reconnoitering southwest of Buir Lake clashed with a Mongolian party, reportedly capturing 10 soldiers. Five days later, 60 truck‑borne Mongolian troops assaulted the Manchukuoans and were repulsed, at the cost of three Manchukuoan dead. On the same day, at Brunders, Mongolian forces attempted three times to drive out Manchukuoan outposts, and again at night, but all attempts failed. Further small attempts occurred in January, with Mongolians using airplanes for reconnaissance. The arrival of a small Japanese force in three trucks helped foil these attempts; casualties occurred on both sides, though Mongolian casualties are unknown aside from 10 prisoners taken. In February 1936, Lieutenant-Colonel Sugimoto Yasuo was ordered to form a detachment from the 14th Cavalry Regiment to "drive the Outer Mongol intruders from the Olankhuduk region," a directive attributed to Lieutenant-General Kasai Heijuro. Sugimoto's detachment included cavalry guns, heavy machine guns, and tankettes. They faced a force of about 140 Mongolians equipped with heavy machine guns and light artillery. On February 12, Sugimoto's men drove the Mongolians south, at the cost of eight Japanese killed, four wounded, and one tankette destroyed. The Japanese began to withdraw, but were attacked by 5–6 Mongolian armored cars and two bombers, which briefly disrupted the column. The situation was stabilized when the Japanese unit received artillery support, allowing them to destroy or repel the armored cars. In March 1936, the Tauran incident occurred. In this clash, both the Japanese Army and the Mongolian Army deployed a small number of armored fighting vehicles and aircraft. The incident began when 100 Mongolian and six Soviet troops attacked and occupied the disputed village of Tauran, Mongolia, driving off the small Manchurian garrison. They were supported by light bombers and armored cars, though the bombing sorties failed to inflict damage on the Japanese, and three bombers were shot down by Japanese heavy machine guns. Local Japanese forces counter-attacked, conducting dozens of bombing sorties and finally assaulting Tauran with 400 men and 10 tankettes. The result was a Mongolian rout, with 56 Mongolian soldiers killed, including three Soviet advisors, and an unknown number wounded. Japanese losses were 27 killed and 9 wounded. Later in March 1936, another border clash occurred between Japanese and Soviet forces. Reports of border violations prompted the Japanese Korean Army to send ten men by truck to investigate, but the patrol was ambushed by 20 Soviet NKVD soldiers deployed about 300 meters inside territory claimed by Japan. After suffering several casualties, the Japanese patrol withdrew and was reinforced with 100 men, who then drove off the Soviets. Fighting resumed later that day when the NKVD brought reinforcements. By nightfall, the fighting had ceased and both sides had pulled back. The Soviets agreed to return the bodies of two Japanese soldiers who had died in the fighting, a development viewed by the Japanese government as encouraging. In early April 1936, three Japanese soldiers were killed near Suifenho in another minor affray. This incident was notable because the Soviets again returned the bodies of the fallen servicemen. In June 1937, the Kanchazu Island incident occurred on the Amur River along the Soviet–Manchukuo border. Three Soviet gunboats crossed the river's center line, disembarked troops, and occupied Kanchazu Island. Japanese forces from the IJA 1st Division, equipped with two horse-drawn 37 mm artillery pieces, quickly established improvised firing positions and loaded their guns with both high-explosive and armor-piercing shells. They shelled the Soviet vessels, sinking the lead gunboat, crippling the second, and driving off the third. Japanese troops subsequently fired on the swimming crewmen from the sunken ships using machine guns. Thirty-seven Soviet soldiers were killed, while Japanese casualties were zero. The Japanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs protested and demanded the Soviet forces withdraw from the island. The Soviet leadership, apparently shocked by the incident and reluctant to escalate, agreed to evacuate their troops. By 1938 the border situation had deteriorated. The tangled terrain features, mountain, bog, stream, forest, and valley, would have complicated even careful observers' discernment of the old red line drawn in 1886. Fifty years later, the markers themselves had undergone a metamorphosis. Japanese investigators could find, at most, only 14 to 17 markers standing fairly intact between the Tumen estuary and Khanka—roughly one every 25 miles at best. The remainder were missing or ruined; five were found in new locations. Marker "K," for example, was 40 meters deeper inside Manchuria, away from Khanka. Japanese military experts noted that of the 20 markers originally set along the boundaries of Hunchun Prefecture alone, only four could be found by the summer of 1938. The rest had either been wrecked or arbitrarily moved and discarded by Russian or Chinese officials and inhabitants. It is even said that one missing marker could be seen on display in Khabarovsk. The Chinese had generally interpreted the boundary as the road line just west of Khasan, at least in practice. Free road movement, however, had become a problem even 20 years before the Japanese overran Manchuria in 1931–1932 during the so-called Manchurian Incident. The Japanese adopted, or inherited, the Chinese interpretation, which was based on the 1886 agreement on border roads; the key clause held that the frontier west of Khasan would be the road along the lake. Japanese sources emphasize that local residents' anger toward gradual Soviet oppression and penetrations westward into Manchurian territory fueled the conflict. Many natives believed the original boundaries lay east of the lake, but the Soviets adjusted the situation to suit their own convenience. In practice, the Russians were restricting road use just west of Khasan by Manchurian and Korean residents. There was speculation that this was a prelude to taking over the ridgelines, depending on the reaction of the Manchukuoan–Japanese side. Villagers who went to streams or the lake to launder clothing found themselves subjected to sniper fire. Along a 25-mile stretch of road near Shachaofeng, farmers reported coming under fire from new Soviet positions as early as November 1935. Nevertheless, Japanese and Koreans familiar with the Tumen area noted agrarian, seasonal Korean religious rites atop Changkufeng Hill, including fattened pigs sacrificed and changgo drums beaten. Village elders told Japanese visitors in 1938 that, until early the preceding year, no Russians had come as far as Changkufeng Hill. Looking only at the border sector around Changkufeng, the easy days were clearly behind us. In the summer of 1938, Gaimusho "Foreign Ministry" observers described the explosive situation along the Korea–Manchuria–USSR borders as a matter of de facto frontiers. Both sides pressed against each other, and their trigger-happy posture was summed up in the colloquial refrain: "Take another step and we'll let you have it." Near dawn on 13 June 1938, a Manchurian patrol detected a suspicious figure in the fog swirling over Changlingtzu Hill on the Siberian–Manchurian frontier. Challenged at 15 feet, the suspect hurled two pistols to the ground and raised his hands in surrender. At headquarters, the police soon realized this was no routine border-trespassing case. The man was a defector and he was a Russian general, in fact he was the director of all NKVD forces in the Soviet Far East. Beneath a mufti of spring coat and hunting cap, he wore a full uniform with medals. His identification card No. 83 designated him as G. S. Lyushkov, Commissar 3rd Class, countersigned by Nikolai Yezhov, NKVD head in Moscow. Lyushkov was promptly turned over to the Japanese military authorities, who transferred him to Seoul and then to Tokyo under close escort. On 1 July, the Japanese press was permitted to disclose that Lyushkov had sought refuge in Japan. Ten days later, to capitalize on the commissar's notoriety and to confound skeptics, the Japanese produced Lyushkov at a press conference in Tokyo. For the Japanese and foreign correspondents, who met separately with him, Lyushkov described Soviet Far East strength and the turmoil wracking the USSR, because for those of you unfamiliar this was during the Stalinist purges. Clearly, the Japanese had gained a unique reservoir of high-level intelligence and a wealth of materials, including notes scratched in blood by suspects incarcerated at Khabarovsk. A general tightening of Russian frontier security had recently been reported. Natives of Fangchuanting asserted that a Soviet cavalry patrol appeared in June, seemingly for the first time. Contact with Yangkuanping, northwest of Khasan, was severed. More importantly, Japanese Army Signal Corps intelligence detected a surge of Soviet message traffic from the Posyet Bay district. After Lyushkov's defection, a drastic reshuffle in the local Russian command apparently occurred, and responsibility for border surveillance seems to have been reallocated. Japanese records indicate that the Novokievsk security force commander was relieved and the sector garrison replaced by troops from Vladivostok. Gaimusho intelligence also received reports that a border garrison unit had been transferred from Khabarovsk or Chita to the Tumen sector. The Kwantung Army signal monitors also intercepted two significant frontline messages on 6 July from the new Russian local commander in the Posyet region, addressed to Lieutenant General Sokolov in Khabarovsk. Decoded, the messages suggested (1) that ammunition for infantry mortars amounted to less than half the required supply; and  (2) a recommendation that higher headquarters authorize Russian elements to secure certain unoccupied high ground west of Khasan.  The commander noted terrain advantages and the contemplated construction of emplacements that would command Najin and the Korean railway. As a start, at least one Russian platoon should be authorized to dig in on the highest ground (presumably Changkufeng) and deploy four tons of entanglements to stake out the Soviet claim. Korea Army Headquarters received a telegram from the Kwantung Army on 7 July conveying the deciphered messages. On the same day, the 19th Division in North Korea telephoned Seoul that, on 6 July, three or four Soviet horsemen had been observed reconnoitering Manchurian territory from atop a hill called Changkufeng. The alarming intelligence from the Kwantung Army and the front warranted immediate attention by the Korea Army. Some Kwantung Army officers doubted the significance of the developments, with one intelligence official even suggesting the Russian messages might be a deliberate ploy designed to entrap the Japanese at Changkufeng. On 7–8 July, all staff officers in Seoul convened at army headquarters. The name of Changkufeng Hill was not well known, but maps and other data suggested that neither the Japanese nor the Russians had previously stationed border units in the ridge complex west of Khasan. As early as March 1936, Army Commander Koiso Kuniaki had distributed maps to subordinate units, indicating which sectors were in dispute. No patrol was to enter zones lacking definitive demarcation. Until then, the only Japanese element east of the Tumen was a Manchurian policeman at Fangchuanting. Ownership of the high ground emerged as an early issue. A number of other points were raised by  the Kwantung Army: At present, Soviet elements in the area were negligible. The intrusion must not be overlooked. The Russians could be expected to exploit any weakness, and half-measures would not suffice, especially regarding the Japanese defense mission along a 125-mile frontier. In Japanese hands, Changkufeng Hill would be useful, but two excellent observation posts already existed in the neighboring sector of the Manchurian tongue. With dissidence and purges underway, the Russians may have judged it necessary to seal border gaps, particularly after Lyushkov's defection. They may also have sought to control Changkufeng to offset Japanese dominance of the high ground to the north. Soviet seizure of Changkufeng would upset the delicate status quo and could provoke a contest for equivalent observation posts. In broader terms, it mattered little whether the Russians sought a permanent observation post on Changkufeng Hill, which was of relatively minor strategic value. Japan's primary concern lay in the China theater; Changkufeng was peripheral. The Japanese should not expend limited resources or become distracted. The matter required consultation with the high command in Tokyo. In the absence of more comprehensive intelligence, the assembled staff officers concluded that the Korea Army should, at a minimum, ignore or disregard Soviet actions for the time being, while maintaining vigilant observation of the area. The consensus was communicated to Major General Kitano Kenzo, the Korea Army chief of staff, who concurred, and to Koiso. Upon learning that the recommendation advocated a low posture, Koiso inquired only whether the opinion reflected the unanimous view of the staff. Having been assured that it did, he approved the policy. Koiso, then 58, was at the threshold of the routine personnel changes occurring around 15 July. He had just been informed that he would retire and that General Nakamura Kotaro would succeed him. Those acquainted with Koiso perceived him as treating the border difficulties as a minor anticlimax in the course of his command tour. He appeared unemphatic or relaxed as he prepared to depart from a post he had held for twenty-one years. Although neither Koiso nor his staff welcomed the Soviet activities that appeared under way, his reaction likely reflected a reluctance to make decisions that could constrain his soon-to-arrive successor. On 8 July Koiso authorized the dispatch of warnings to the 19th Division at Nanam, to the Hunchun garrison, and to the intelligence branch at Hunchun. These units were instructed to exercise maximum precautions and to tighten frontier security north of Shuiliufeng. In response to the initial appearance of Soviet horsemen at Changkufeng, the Kucheng Border Garrison Unit of the 76th Infantry Regiment maintained close surveillance across the Tumen. By about noon on 9 July, patrols detected approximately a dozen Russian troops commencing construction atop Changkufeng. Between 11 and 13 July, the number of soldiers on the slopes increased to forty; there were also thirty horses and eleven camouflaged tents. Operating in shifts on the western side, thirty meters from the crest, the Russians erected barbed wire and firing trenches; fifty meters forward, they excavated observation trenches. In addition to existing telephone lines between Changkufeng, Lake Khasan, and Kozando, the Russians installed a portable telephone net. Logistical support was provided by three boats on the lake. Approximately twenty kilometers to the east, well within Soviet territory, large forces were being mobilized, and steamship traffic into Posyet Bay intensified. Upon learning of the "intrusion" at Changkufeng on 9 July, Lt. General Suetaka Kamezo, the commander of the 19th Division, dispatched staff officers to the front and prepared to send elements to reinforce border units.  The special significance of Suetaka and his division stemmed from a series of unusual circumstances. Chientao Province, the same zone into which Lyushkov had fled and the sector where Soviet horsemen had appeared, fell within Manchukuo geographically and administratively. Yet, in terms of defense, the configuration of the frontier, the terrain, and the transportation network more closely connected the region with North Korea than with southeastern Manchuria. Approximately 80% of the population was of Korean origin, which implied Japanese rather than Manchukuoan allegiance. Consequently, the Korea Army had been made operationally responsible for the defense of Chientao and controlled not only the three-battalion garrison at Hunchun but also the intelligence detachment located there. In the event of war, the Korea Army's mission was defined as mobilization and execution of subsidiary operational tasks against the USSR, under the control and in support of the Kwantung Army.  The Korea Army ordinarily possessed two infantry divisions, the 19th in North Korea and the 20th stationed at Seoul, but the 20th Division had already departed for China, leaving only the 20th Depot Division in the capital. Beyond sparse ground units, devoid of armor and with weak heavy artillery, there were only two air regiments in Korea, the nearest being the unit at Hoeryong. The Korea Army was designed to maintain public security within Korea as well as fulfill minimal defensive responsibilities. Such an army did not require a full-time operations officer, and none was maintained. When needed, as in mid-1938, the task fell to the senior staff officer, in this case Colonel Iwasaki Tamio. In peacetime, training constituted the primary focus.  Thus, the 19th Division was entrusted with defending northeastern Korea. Its commander, Suetaka, a seasoned infantryman, resented the fact that his elite force had never engaged in combat in China. He intensified training with zeal, emphasizing strict discipline, bravery, aggressiveness, and thorough preparation. Japanese veterans characterized him as severe, bullish, short-tempered, hot-blooded, highly strung, unbending, and stubborn. Nonetheless, there was widespread respect for his realistic training program, maintained under firm, even violent, personal supervision. His men regarded Suetaka as a professional, a modern samurai who forged the division into superb condition. Privately, he was reputed for sensitivity and warmth; a Japanese phrase "yakamashii oyaji" captures the dual sense of stern father and martinet in his character. At the outset, however, Suetaka displayed little aggression. Although not widely known, he did not welcome the orders from army headquarters to deploy to the Tumen. Until late July, he remained somewhat opposed to the notion of dislodging the Soviets from the crest, a proposition arising from neither the division staff nor, initially, Suetaka himself. Colonel Sato noted that, for a week after reports of Soviet excavation at Changkufeng, the division's response was limited to preparations for a possible emergency, as they perceived the matter as a local issue best settled through diplomacy. Korea Army officers acknowledged that, around the time the Soviets consolidated their outpost strength at Changkufeng, an informal and personal telegram arrived in Seoul from a Kwantung Army Intelligence field-grade officer who specialized in Soviet affairs. If the Korea Army hesitated, the Kwantung Army would be obliged to eject the Russians; the matter could not be ignored. While the telegram did not demand a reply and struck several officers as presumptuous and implausible, the message was promptly shown to Koiso. Koiso was driven to immediate action, he wired Tokyo asserting that only the Korea Army could and would handle the incident. One staff officer recalled "We felt we had to act, out of a sense of responsibility. But we resented the Kwantung Army's interference." The Korea Army staff convened shortly after receipt of the unofficial telegram from Hsinking. Based on the latest intelligence from the division dated 13 July, the officers prepared an assessment for submission to the army commander. The hypotheses were distilled into three scenarios: The USSR, or the Far East authorities, desires hostilities. Conclusion: Slightly possible. The USSR seeks to restrain Japan on the eve of the pivotal operations in China: the major Japanese offensive to seize Hankow. Conclusion: Highly probable. The Posyet district commander is new in his post; by occupying the Changkufeng ridges, he would demonstrate loyalty, impress superiors, and seek glory. Conclusion: Possible. Late on 13 July or early on 14 July, Koiso approved the dispatch of a message to the vice minister of war, and the Kwantung Army chief of staff:  "Lake Khasan area lies in troublesome sector USSR has been claiming . . . in accordance with treaties [said Secret Message No. 913], but we interpret it to be Manchukuoan territory, evident even from maps published by Soviet side. Russian actions are patently illegal, but, considering that area does not exert major or immediate influence on operations [Japan] is intending and that China Incident is in full swing, we are not going to conduct counterattack measures immediately. This army is thinking of reasoning with Soviets and requesting pullback, directly on spot. . . . In case Russians do not accede in long run, we have intention to drive Soviet soldiers out of area east of Khasan firmly by use of force."  The message concluded with a request that the Tokyo authorities lodge a formal protest with the USSR, on behalf of Manchukuo and Japan, and guide matters so that the Russians would withdraw quickly. Dominant in Japanese high command thinking in 1938 was the China theater; the Changkufeng episode constituted a mere digression. A sequence of Japanese tactical victories had preceded the summer: Tsingtao fell in January; the Yellow River was reached in March; a "reformed government of the Republic of China" was installed at Nanking several weeks later; Amoy fell in early May; Suchow fell on the 20th. With these gains, northern and central fronts could be linked by the Japanese. Yet Chinese resistance persisted, and while public statements anticipated imminent Chinese dissension, private admissions acknowledged that the partial effects of Suchow's fall were ominous: control might pass from Chiang Kai-shek to the Communists, Chinese defiance might intensify, and Soviet involvement could ensue. A Hankow drive appeared desirable to symbolize the conclusion of the military phase of hostilities. The Japanese and their adversaries were in accord regarding the importance of the summer and autumn campaigns. Even after Suchow's fall, the government discouraged public insinuations that enemy resistance was collapsing; when Chiang addressed the nation on the first anniversary of hostilities, Premier Konoe prophetically proclaimed, "The war has just begun." Colonel Inada Masazum served as the Army General Staff's principal figure for the Changkufeng affair, occupying the position of chief of the 2nd Operations Section within the Operations Bureau in March 1938. A distinguished graduate of the Military Academy, Inada completed the War College program and held a combination of line, instructional, and staff assignments at the War College, the Army General Staff, and the War Ministry. He was recognized as a sharp, highly capable, and driveful personality, though some regarded him as enigmatic. Following the capture of Suchow, Imperial General Headquarters on 18 June ordered field forces to undertake operational preparations for a drive to seize the Wuhan complex. Inada favored a decisive move aimed at achieving a rapid political settlement. He acknowledged that Soviet intervention in 1938, during Japan's involvement in China, would have been critical. Although Japanese forces could still defeat the Chinese, an overextended Japanese Army might be fatally compromised against the Russians. Soviet assistance to China was already pronouncedly unwelcome. The Soviets were reported to possess roughly 20 rifle divisions, four to five cavalry divisions, 1,500 tanks, and 1,560 aircraft, including 300 bombers with a range of approximately 3,000 kilometers, enabling reach from Vladivostok to Tokyo. Soviet manpower in Siberia was likely near 370,000. In response, Japanese central authorities stressed a no-trouble policy toward the USSR while seeking to "wall off" the border and bolster the Kwantung Army as quickly as possible. Nevertheless, the envisaged correction of the strategic imbalance could not occur before 1943, given shortages in ammunition, manpower, and materiel across existing theaters in China. By the end of 1937 Japan had committed 16 of its 24 divisions to China, bringing the standing force to roughly 700,000. Army General Staff planners reallocated three ground divisions, intended for a northern contingency, from north to central China, even as the Kwantung Army operated from a less favorable posture. Attitudes toward the northern problem varied within senior military circles. While concern persisted, it was not universal. As campaigns in China widened, planning at the high command level deteriorated, propagating confusion and anxiety to field armies in China. The Japanese Navy suspected that the Army general staff was invoking the USSR as a pretext for broader strategic aims—namely, to provoke a more consequential confrontation with the USSR while the Navy contended with its own strategic rivalries with the Army, centered on the United States and Britain. Army leaders, however, denied aggressive intent against the USSR at that time. The Hankow plan encountered substantial internal opposition at high levels. Private assessments among army planners suggested that a two-front war would be premature given operational readiness and troop strength. Not only were new War Ministry officials cautious, but many high-ranking Army general staff officers and court circles shared doubts.  Aggressive tendencies, influenced by subordinates and the Kwantung Army, were evident in Inada, who repeatedly pressed Tada Shun, the deputy army chief of staff, to endorse the Wuhan drive as both necessary and feasible, arguing that the USSR would gain from Japan's weakening without incurring substantial losses. Inada contended that Stalin was rational and that time favored the USSR in the Far East, where industrial buildup and military modernization were ongoing. He argued that the Soviet purges impeded opportunistic ventures with Japan. He posited that Nazi Germany posed a growing threat on the western front, and thus the USSR should be avoided by both Japan, due to China and Russia, due to Germany. While most of the army remained engaged in China, Tada did not initially share Inada's views; only after inspecting the Manchurian borders in April 1938 did he finally align with Inada's broader vision, which encompassed both northern and Chinese considerations. During this period, Inada studied daily intelligence from the Kwantung Army, and after Lyushkov's defection in June, reports suggested the Soviets were following their sector commander's recommendations. Russian troops appeared at Changkufeng, seemingly prepared to dig in. Inada recollects his reaction: "That's nice, my chance has come." I would like to take this time to remind you all that this podcast is only made possible through the efforts of Kings and Generals over at Youtube. Please go subscribe to Kings and Generals over at Youtube and to continue helping us produce this content please check out www.patreon.com/kingsandgenerals. If you are still hungry after that, give my personal channel a look over at The Pacific War Channel at Youtube, it would mean a lot to me. The simmering Soviet–Japanese border clashes centered on Changkufeng Hill near Lake Khanka, set within a broader history of contested frontiers dating to Qing and Tsarist treaties. Japan, prioritizing China, considered Changkufeng peripheral but ready to confront Soviet encroachment; Moscow aimed to consolidate border gains, with high-level war planning overlaying regional skirmishes. Conflict loomed over Manchuria.

It's Monday, November 10th, A.D. 2025. This is The Worldview in 5 Minutes heard on 140 radio stations and at www.TheWorldview.com.  I'm Adam McManus. (Adam@TheWorldview.com) By Adam McManus Syria's President to visit White House in historic first ​​ Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa is slated to visit the White House today, marking the first-ever visit by a Syrian president to Washington, D.C., reports International Christian Concern.  Al-Sharaa seized power in December 2024 after a rapid coup that toppled longtime dictator Bashar al-Assad.  In the months since coming to power, al-Sharaa has reached out to various religious and ethnic minority groups. However, he has also garnered significant criticism from minority groups and international human rights organizations, which point to the repeated massacres of Druze and Alawite civilians. At a recent Capitol Hill event titled “Fortifying Religious Freedom in Syria,” civil society groups gathered in support of decentralization. Speakers included Nadine Maenza, Ambassador Sam Brownback, Rep. Frank Wolf, and representatives of the Druze, Alawite, Kurdish, and Christian communities.  Al-Sharaa is moving toward a system that grants the central government significant authority, rather than a federated system in which local areas retain robust self-determination.  Some analysts predict that al-Sharaa's deep roots in Islamic jihad will lead to further attacks on ethnic and religious minority communities. Sharaa began his career with the Islamic State in Iraq, before creating his own al-Qaida-aligned militant group in Syria.  1,100 flights canceled Sunday amid nationwide air travel disruption On Sunday, more than 1,100 flights were cancelled across the country according to the FlightAware website, as the Federal Aviation Administration limited capacity at 40 major U.S. airports amid the longest government shutdown in American history, reports ABC News. On Saturday, 1,521 flights were canceled and 6,400 flights were delayed.  Defund Planned Parenthood by America's 250th birthday A coalition of pro-life groups led by Lila Rose of Live Action set as its next mission the passage of a permanent nationwide defunding of Planned Parenthood before the one-year-ban in the current law expires that will also coincide with the 250th anniversary of the United States, reports LifeSiteNews.com. This past July, President Donald Trump signed into law his so-called “One Big Beautiful Bill, a wide-ranging tax and spending package that contains a one-year ban on federal tax dollars going through Medicaid to any entity that provides abortions for reasons other than rape, incest, or supposed threats to the mother's life. That law forced the closure of numerous abortion mills. Rose said, “We cannot celebrate [250 years of] freedom while subsidizing the killing of American children.” Republicans have already proposed standalone measures to fully cut off Planned Parenthood's government funding: the No Taxpayer Funding for Abortion and Abortion Insurance Full Disclosure Act, which permanently bans federal funds from being used for abortion; and the Defund Planned Parenthood Act, which disqualifies Planned Parenthood and its affiliates specifically. More Americans are reading the Bible but fewer believe it's 100% accurate With Millennials and Generation Z leading the way, particularly among men, Bible reading among U.S. adults in 2025 is at its highest level in the last 15 years, reports The Christian Post. The initiative by Barna Group and Gloo collected data from 12,116 online interviews conducted between January and October 2025. The research revealed that approximately 50% of self-identified Christians report reading the Bible weekly, the highest level of Bible reading among Christians in more than a decade. Weekly Bible reading among all U.S. adults reached its lowest point in 15 years in 2024 when it hit 30%. In 2025, the figure rebounded 12 percentage points to 42%. Approximately 50% of Millennials reported reading the Bible weekly, representing a 16-point increase from the previous year. Bible reading among Gen Z increased by a staggering 19 points, from 30% a year ago to 49% in 2025. Gen X currently stands at 41%. Sadly, despite more Americans reporting regular Bible reading, fewer maintain that the Bible is 100% accurate. Only 36% of Americans now hold that the Bible is 100% accurate. In 2000, this share was 43%. Just 44% of self-identified Christians strongly affirmed the accuracy of the Bible. Proverbs 30:5 says, "Every word of God is flawless; He is a shield to those who take refuge in Him.” Two farmers rescue 20 kids from burning school bus And finally, last week, two California farmers were honored for being the first ones to help save over 20 students aboard a school bus that caught fire, reports GoodNewsNetwork.org. Long before the Madera County Fire Department arrived on scene on September 4th, Angel Zarco and Carlos Perea were there.  Providentially, they were repairing their tractor at the time. In fact, the pair noticed the smoke billowing from the back of the bus even before the bus driver did. Carlos Perea recognized it was God's perfect timing. PEREA: “God put us in that place for a reason, that was to help. Help out the kids.” Angel Zarco explained they jumped into action. ZARCO: “We were just making sure that the kids were far away enough so they wouldn't get hurt.” The men made their way through the dark smoke to reach the final children in the back row.   ZARCO: “The bus caught fire right away, probably within like two minutes, three minutes. It all happened right away.” They evacuated all the students on board before hightailing it to a safe distance as the school bus burst into flames. Psalm 46:10 says, “Be still, and know that I am God. I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the Earth!” Close And that's The Worldview on this Monday, November 10th, in the year of our Lord 2025. Follow us on X or subscribe for free by Spotify, Amazon Music, or by iTunes or email to our unique Christian newscast at www.TheWorldview.com.  I'm Adam McManus. Seize the day for Jesus Christ.

Approximately 90% of college athletes with mental healthconditions and 70% of the general college student population with similarconditions do not seek help. According to the National Institute of health.  Among elite professional athletes, althoughspecific percentages vary, a significant majority experiencing mental healthcrises such as stress, burnout, or eating disorders also do not seek treatment.Reasons for this reluctance include stigma and the perception that asking forhelp is a sign of weakness. If you're interested in unlocking unshakeable resilience tothrive in life and sport, mental health skills coach and speaker Jason Holzerhas an important message for you. He is on a mission to make mental healthissues—like depression, anxiety, and suicide—irrelevant in our society by usingsports to create exceptional leaders capable of handling any season of life. Asthe co-founder of 4D Leaders, Jason envisions a world where leaders becomeconfident, self-motivated, and empowered individuals.  Athletes will share how 4D Leaders have prepared them tosucceed in the game of life and have the courage to pursue their paths. Withlife-transforming content, events, and training, 4D Leaders is shifting thefocus in sports from merely winning on the scoreboard to prioritizing winningin life. This shift is part of the goal to transform 100 million lives by 2030.They teach essential life skills through sports to develop athletes intoconfident, self-motivated, and empowered individuals. **Meet Jason Holzer** *Resilience Architect & Storytelling Coach*  Jason Holzer understands what it feels like to have lifeturned upside down. At 17, he lost his father to suicide. This tragedy couldhave broken him, but it instead gave him a deeper purpose: to help others findhope, resilience, and strength when life gets tough. Jason is the best-selling author of *Shattered by Suicide,Renewed by Resilience,* a book that has impacted readers around the world withits honest message about turning pain into purpose. He is also the co-founderof 4D Leaders, where he equips athletes, coaches, parents, and schools with thetools needed to build confidence, emotional strength, and leadership. What Jason shares isn't mere theory; these are lessons hehas lived through. His story and work remind people that struggles do notdefine them; rather, they prepare individuals for something greater. Throughhis writing, coaching, and speaking, Jason helps others rise stronger, leadwith courage, and create lives filled with meaning and impact. For more information, visit:[jasonholzer.com](https://www.jasonholzer.com/) Discover more at:[4Dleaders.com](https://www.4dleaders.com/)  

Approximately 6% of adults in the United States have a diagnosis of ADHD (about 15.5 million people). In this episode Patty shares core symptoms and challenges.PLUS: Hear this week's pick for Book of the Week!Create an ADHD-Friendly Personal Owner's Manual (POM) eBook is now available in the ADHD-Friendly shop for only $19.99: https://www.adhdfriendly.com/adhd-friendly-shop/Join ADHD-Friendly now and jump into the Summer Semester of our ADHDU Hybrid Course — all about Managing Time and Tasks!As a member, you'll get full access to this course and all ADHD-Friendly live events, planning tools, and on-demand resources.Click the link below to get started today!https://adhdfriendly.mn.coThank you for checking out this episode of the ADHD Friendly podcast with Patty Blinderman!!New episodes are posted every Wednesday! Subscribe to the channel here: https://www.youtube.com/@adhdfriendlyPlease subscribe to my YouTube channel, ADHD Friendly Podcast, or wherever you listen to podcasts. For more information on the ADHD-Friendly services offered by Patty, please visit her website: ADHDFriendly.com

Your favorite social media influencers might be under the influence. Discover the truth about Big Pharma and the social media influencer marketing corruption tactics they use to spread health misinformation online. Don't let Big Pharma influencers affect your health choices!0:00 Introduction: Big Pharma exposed0:55 How Big Pharma buys influencers 1:24 Big Pharma corruption and lack of trust2:24 How Big Pharma controls the media 7:11 How to identify health misinformation online 11:36 Myth-busting online Did you know that Big Pharma and Big Food buy social media influencers? These social media health gurus influence what you eat, the decisions you make about your health, and attempt to invalidate other health influencers and information. As Big Pharma loses public trust, it turns to social media influencers to try to regain it. Since 2000, penalties for Big Pharma have totaled over $126 billion. Sixty billion of that was related to patient injury and harm. Modern medicine, with the help of Big Pharma, has shifted its focus from health to profit. Approximately 90% of the media on TV is funded by Big Pharma. This is also true for digital marketing. On average, social media influencers are paid $20 to $25 per 1,000 views. If that influencer has more trust, they can make 8 to 12 times this amount. Based on my trustworthiness and credibility, I could be paid between $250,000 and $500,000 for a 60- to 90-second post.Big Pharma goes through PR firms to connect with social media influencers. These influencers are required to disclose that they're being paid, but many of them do not. People like Dr. Mike recommend medicine and vaccines yet claim Big Pharma is not paying them.Dietitians for larger agencies, such as the American Beverage Association and the Canadian Sugar Institute, have gotten into trouble with the FTC for being paid to share dietary advice without disclosing their financial ties.It's often difficult to determine whether Big Pharma is influencing health information online, but examining the intention can sometimes help. Are they recommending fewer ultra-processed foods and chemical drugs, or more? Check out their funding. Is it coming from Big Food or Big Pharma? This is a big sign that they're being influenced. Dr. Eric Berg DC Bio:Dr. Berg, age 60, is a chiropractor who specializes in Healthy Ketosis & Intermittent Fasting. He is the Director of Dr. Berg Nutritionals and author of the best-selling book The Healthy Keto Plan. He no longer practices, but focuses on health education through social media.Disclaimer: Dr. Eric Berg received his Doctor of Chiropractic degree from Palmer College of Chiropractic in 1988. His use of “doctor” or “Dr.” in relation to himself solely refers to that degree. Dr. Berg is a licensed chiropractor in Virginia, California, and Louisiana, but he no longer practices chiropractic in any state and does not see patients, so he can focus on educating people as a full-time activity, yet he maintains an active license. This video is for general informational purposes only. It should not be used to self-diagnose, and it is not a substitute for a medical exam, cure, treatment, diagnosis, prescription, or recommendation. It does not create a doctor-patient relationship between Dr. Berg and you. You should not make any change in your health regimen or diet before first consulting a physician and obtaining a medical exam, diagnosis, and recommendation. Always seek the advice of a physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition.

My guest today is Jamie Friedland, a former U.S. Treasury trader turned sustainability analyst at AXA Investment Managers – one of the world's largest and most active players in sustainable investing.He joined AXA Investment Managers – now part of BNP Paribas Group – in March 2022. Within the group, BNP Paribas Asset Management oversees over €716 billion in assets, while the broader platform manages around €1.5 trillion globally.Approximately 90% of listed assets are classified under Article 8 or 9 of the EU's Sustainable Finance Disclosure Regulation, meaning they integrate sustainability or have a dedicated sustainable objective (Source: BNP Paribas/ AXA Investment Managers (Core) as of end of 2024).At AXA, Jamie works in a central ESG role, focused on public investments and helping integrate sustainability across equities, fixed income, infrastructure, and alternatives.The results are detailed – and sometimes strict. AXA applies hard exclusions in its green bond strategies. Nuclear energy, for example, is allowed in conventional mandates and in unlabeled strategies that hold green bonds. But it's left out of AXA's official green bond funds – because some clients have made it clear they don't want it included in the list of eligible projects.This is the real balancing act – between client preferences, shifting regulation, and ESG data that's still catching up. Jamie likens it to steering a tanker: slow to move, but once it shifts, the weight behind it is massive.Still, ESG doesn't operate in a vacuum. The backlash – especially in the U.S. – has been loud, often political, and sometimes confusing. Jamie's answer is disarmingly simple: ESG is just data. And more information is always better than less.Today, he's here to walk us through how one of the world's largest asset managers turns ESG from principle into portfolio decisions. Tune in.—DISCLAIMER: This communication does not constitute, on the part of AXA Investment Managers, a solicitation or investment, legal or tax advice.  Due to its simplification, this document is partial, and opinions, estimates, and forecasts herein are subjective and subject to change without notice. There is no guarantee forecasts made will come to pass. Data, figures, declarations, analysis, predictions, and other information in this document is provided based on our state of knowledge at the time of creation of this document. Whilst every care is taken, no representation or warranty (including liability towards third parties), express or implied, is made as to the accuracy, reliability or completeness of the information contained herein. Reliance upon information in this material is at the sole discretion of the recipient. This material does not contain sufficient information to support an investment decision.—Connect with SRI360°:Sign up for the free weekly email updateVisit the SRI360° PODCASTVisit the SRI360° WEBSITEFollow SRI360° on XFollow SRI360° on FACEBOOK—Additional Resources:- Jamie Friedland LinkedIn- AXA Investment Managers website- Full-year 2024 earnings- BNP Paribas Asset Management- Point of No Returns 2025: A responsible investment benchmar

Roger Rosmus, Founder, CEO, & Director of Goliath Resources (TSX.V: GOT) (OTCQB: GOTRF), joined me to review the next batch of high-grade drill assay results from its 64,000 meter 9-rig 2025 drill program; as outlined in the news released on October 27th, 2025.  Headline drill hole # GD-25-372 intersected 10.72 g/t Au over 7.83 meters, including 20.37 g/t Au over 4.10 meters at the Surebet Discovery on its 100% controlled Golddigger Property, located in the Golden Triangle, British Columbia.   100% of the drill holes completed to date into Surebet have intersected substantial quartz-sulphide mineralization, highlighting the effectiveness of the geological model that the team incorporated coming into this year's exploration program.  Approximately 76%, or 83 of the 110 drill holes from 2025, contain gold visible to the naked eye (VG-NE); clearly demonstrating the discovery potential remaining on the property. The intercepts reported in the are approximately true width and reflect gold only assays (AuEq values will be adjusted accordingly once Ag, Cu, Pb and Zn are received). Assays are still pending for 84 holes from this years drilling, of which 66 representing 79% contain VG-NE.   Roger provides more detail on the drill density and continuity of the high-grade zone that is coming into focus in the Bonanza Shear Zone, where the sediment rock packages contact the volcanic rock packages, and the better overall geological understanding that is emerging at the Surebet discovery. There are now gold results coming in from three distinct rock packages (quartz-sulphide breccias/stockwork, RIRG Eocene-aged dykes, and calc-silicate altered breccia) showing the untapped discovery potential at this remarkable high-grade gold system that remains open in this mineralized system.   Next we reviewed the news released on October 23, 2025 which announced the Company has closed its previously announced "bought deal" private placement offering for aggregate gross proceeds of approximately C$26.3 million with no warrants at a higher share price than where things are trading at present. The Offering was comprised of the issue and sale of: (i) 1,977,157 common shares at a price of C$4.20 per National Flow-Through Share for gross proceeds of approximately C$8.3 million; and (ii) 4,054,054 common shares of the Company at a price of C$4.44 per BC Flow-Through Share for gross proceeds of approximately C$18 million.  This has the company in a strong financial position and fully-funded for its 2026 exploration program   Assays are still pending for 84 holes from this years drilling, of which 66 representing 79% contain VG-NE, so there will be a flood of assays that continue to come in from this year's exploration season for several more months into the future; without a financing overhang.     If you have any questions for Roger about Goliath Resources, then please email me at Shad@kereport.com.   In full disclosure, Shad is a shareholder of Goliath Resources at the time of this recording and may choose to buy or sell shares at any time.   Click here to follow the latest news from Goliath Resources   For more market commentary & interview summaries, subscribe to our Substacks:   The KE Report: https://kereport.substack.com/ Shad's resource market commentary: https://excelsiorprosperity.substack.com/     Investment disclaimer:  This content is for informational and educational purposes only and does not constitute investment advice, an offer, or a solicitation to buy or sell any security. Investing in equities and commodities involves risk, including the possible loss of principal. Do your own research and consult a licensed financial advisor before making any investment decisions. Guests and hosts may own shares in companies mentioned.    

Sunday marks day 33 of the government shutdown with no end in sight. Approximately 650,000 furloughed federal workers received fresh notices telling them to stay home without working and without pay, and many are beginning to feel the pinch. John Yang speaks with Jeremy Mayer at George Mason University for more on what could soon become the longest shutdown on record. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy

Sunday marks day 33 of the government shutdown with no end in sight. Approximately 650,000 furloughed federal workers received fresh notices telling them to stay home without working and without pay, and many are beginning to feel the pinch. John Yang speaks with Jeremy Mayer at George Mason University for more on what could soon become the longest shutdown on record. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy

Keratinocyte carcinomas, which include basal cell carcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma, are common forms of skin cancer. Approximately 5.4 million keratinocyte carcinomas are diagnosed in the US annually. Author Mackenzie R. Wehner, MD, MPhil, of the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center joins JAMA Associate Editor David Simel, MD, MHS, to discuss treatment of these types of nonmelanoma skin cancer. Related Content: Keratinocyte Carcinoma ----------------------------------- JAMA Editors' Summary

//The Wire//2300Z October 29, 2025////ROUTINE////BLUF: ANOTHER STABBING STRIKES BRITAIN AS TENSIONS REMAIN HIGH. WAR CONTINUES IN MIDDLE EAST. HURRICANE MAKES LANDFALL IN JAMAICA.// -----BEGIN TEARLINE------International Events-United Kingdom: Another stabbing was reported this morning, which resulted in the murder of a woman at a residential address in Brixton. One male assailant was arrested for the murder at the McCormick House in Tulse Hill, after being tased by responding officers.Middle East: The war continues as before, with a large-scale bombing campaign being undertaken in Gaza. PM Netanyahu stated that he ordered "forceful strikes" to be carried out in the region, which mostly were carried out in Gaza City and Rafah. Approximately 82x casualties were reported as a result of the strikes.Analyst Comment: The reason for the airstrikes is not entirely clear, IDF officials cited some unnamed incident in Rafah, but did not go into any further detail. Either way, once the strikes were complete, the ceasefire was declared to be on again.Caribbean: Overnight Hurricane Melissa made landfall on the island of Jamaica, with widespread devastation being reported throughout the nation. Large-scale flooding was also reported in Cuba after the hurricane made landfall there a few hours later. So far, the scale of the disaster is not fully known in either nation, as it will take some time to understand where the hardest-hit areas are located.-HomeFront-Mississippi: This morning local authorities clarified the details of yesterday's escape of medical research monkeys; initial reports that one monkey remained at large were untrue. A re-count revealed that actually 3x monkeys remain at large in Jasper County.-----END TEARLINE-----Analyst Comments: In the United Kingdom, the victim of yesterday's stabbing attack has been identified as Wayne Broadhurst, and a vigil was held in Uxbridge overnight. The two other victims have not been identified yet, however one was reportedly a 14-year-old and an older man who remains in critical condition. The suspect was also identified as Safi Dawood, from Afghanistan.This attack has once more inflamed already high tensions, and so far no high ranking official in government has even acknowledged that the brutal attack took place. The Migration Minister is so far the only one in government to acknowledge the attack, and he only did so to condemn any misinformation about the event (but notably not actually stating that any misinformation was occurring). In any case, ignoring the crime like this has dialed up anger to new heights, and the various "counter" movements gaining traction around the nation have been cause for concern as well. These "counter" movements have mostly spoken for themselves in terms of highlighting what's going on throughout British society.Concerning the Kebatu case from a few days ago, details continue to be released that make the situation worse. Kebatu was deported to Ethiopia immediately after his recapture, after which he recorded a video explaining what happened from his perspective. His testimony included the detail that he did become aware that he was wanted during his escapade throughout London, and that he tried to turn himself in to a uniformed police officer. According to Kebatu himself, the officer ignored him and drove off. Granted, this is the testimony of a rapist and illegal migrant, so the sourcing is not exactly the most reliable. Nevertheless, this testimony does align with the public details of the scandal as it unfolded and has caused a lot more focus on the response to this scandal.Analyst: S2A1Research: https://publish.obsidian.md/s2underground//END REPORT//

Approximately 20% of African Americans experienced a mental health condition over the past year, and 5% had a serious mental illness. Where do you turn for help when a loved one experiences a mental health crisis? We talk with mental health professionals about the continuum of care available in Norfolk, and what you need to know to help those you love.

Microsoft has acquired a 27% stake in OpenA and approves its for-profit restructuring, Apple reached a market value of over $4 trillion, and Grokipedia launches with 885,000 articles. MP3 Please SUBSCRIBE HERE for free or get DTNS Live ad-free. A special thanks to all our supporters–without you, none of this would be possible. If youContinue reading "Amazon Is Laying Off Approximately 14,000 Corporate Employees – DTH"

Transportation of this fall's harvest faces some new challenges with market reconfiguration. Ben Jarboe talks with Dean Beaver, grain merchandiser in southern Wisconsin, who says the international market glitches have changed the prices available to farmers. That means that some are opting to store on farm, or in off-farm storage. Beaver sales available capacity is going to be tight. He also says monitoring water levels on the Mississippi is important, and watching basis price opportunities also plays a role.A little rain in this week's forecast, but temperatures will stay above average. Stu Muck spells out what he thinks we'll be working with.Approximately 40 million people could be facing food insecurity by the end of the week if Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits go away. In Wisconsin that program's called FoodShare. It too will end on 10/31. The Wisconsin Farmers Union, in cooperation with National Farmers Union and Farmers Union Enterprises, donated 35,000 pounds of pork to the Eastern Wisconsin Food Pantry in Appleton last week. Darren VonRuden, WFU President, tells Kiley Allan why they want to focus attention on the precarious situation many households face without this program.With USDA Farm Service Agency offices open, dairy producers might want to consider signing up for the relatively new Dairy Beef Risk Insurance program. Katie Burgess, dairy analyst with EverAg explains why that component of overall farm revenue is so key right now.With the threat of some big increases on fees levied against the states livestock marketing system, WI Assembly Representative, Travis Tranel, is trying to do what he can to head off the adjustments. He visits with Stephanie Hoff about the feedback he's gotten from the industry and farmers that will be impacted. He said although his hands may be tied as far as regulatory oversight, he can still implore DATCP to reconsider and deploy whatever legislative tools he's got to adjust the process.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

How Many Illegal CDL's. There are - Approximately 100,000 truck drivers in the United States are illegal immigrants. - This estimate is based on the proportion of undocumented workers in the transportation and warehousing sector, which is higher than the national average. - It's surprising that truck driving, requiring a Commercial Driver's License (CDL), has a significant number of undocumented workers, given legal barriers. ### Background Truck drivers are vital to the U.S. economy, with around 3.5 million professionals ensuring goods are transported across the country. The transportation and warehousing sector, where most truck drivers work, employs about 5.6 million people and has a higher proportion of undocumented workers compared to other industries, at around 6.4% in recent years. ### Estimation Process The estimate of 100,000 undocumented truck drivers comes from analyzing the sector's workforce and the distribution of undocumented workers. Given the legal requirements for a CDL, such as proof of legal residency, it's notable that this number is significant, suggesting some undocumented workers may find ways to navigate these requirements, possibly through state-specific driver's license policies or other loopholes. How Many Illegal CDL's TAB Bank Let us Pay Your Invoices Without The Wait NCI Trucking – One of the best carriers looking for drivers for company drivers and lease drivers Truck Parking Club – When you need a parking space for that Big Rig, Truck Parking Club has you resting in seconds Carter Lumber Local Trucking Jobs – Employing Truckers that want to be home every Day Summar Financial Your Cash Flow Starts Here http://Truckinginsuranceguy.com For an insurance agent with old fashion values, call 507-884-1312 Top Ten Most Dangerous Trucking Companies Wide Open Road Compliance LLC Bubba.AI the most advanced AI dispatcher that travels with you everywhere Want to be part of our Viral Videos? Want to be part of our Viral Videos? Send us your company hat and we will wear it in a video or two. Many of our videos reach the millions. So let us represent you by wearing your attire. Send hats or Shirts to PO Box 3779 Homosassa Springs FL 34447 Want to Advertise with TalkCDL? Send us your requests and we will send you our media kit Post on our Giant Media Pages and Gain Many Followers If you are wanting to explore new ways in gaining followers and making your social platforms grow. Look no further. Post on TalkCDL and gain many followers. Write in and ask for rates. How Many Illegal CDL's

Ken Belson on How Jerry Jones, Robert Kraft, and Roger Goodell Built the NFL's $10 Billion Empire EPISODE OVERVIEW In this compelling deep-dive conversation, Brian D. O'Leary sits down with Ken Belson, New York Times sportswriter and author of the Amazon #1 Bestseller Every Day Is Sunday: How Jerry Jones, Robert Kraft, and Roger Goodell Turned the NFL into a Cultural and Economic Juggernaut (Grand Central Publishing, October 14, 2025). This wide-ranging interview explores the transformation of the NFL from a beloved sporting league into a ten-billion-dollar cultural phenomenon. Belson reveals the untold stories behind the three most influential figures in modern football history, their business strategies, their political maneuvering, and the existential threats now facing America's most powerful sports league. Runtime: Approximately 46 minutes Release Date: October 27, 2025 Guest: Ken Belson, New York Times Sports Business Correspondent and author of Every Day Is Sunday: How Jerry Jones, Robert Kraft, and Roger Goodell Turned the NFL into a Cultural and Economic Juggernaut (Grand Central Publishing, October 14, 2025) WHAT YOU'LL LEARN The Modern NFL's Foundation (1993-Present) Why 1993's labor agreement—not a Super Bowl or dynasty—marks the true beginning of the modern NFL How free agency, salary caps, and 50-50 revenue sharing created unprecedented labor peace The pivotal role of Steelers owner Dan Rooney and Broncos owner Pat Bowlen in shaping the league's economics Jerry Jones: The Relentless Salesman How Jones "taught the NFL how to sell" despite alienating fellow owners The Rupert Murdoch deal that transformed television economics forever Robert Kraft's assessment: Jerry can "charm a dog off a meat truck" Why Jones doesn't chase money—he chases the chase The "Cowboys peanut butter" philosophy: monetizing everything not nailed down Robert Kraft: The Real Estate Wizard The brilliant 7-year strategy to acquire the New England Patriots How Kraft bought parking lots, then the stadium, then finally the team—leaving owners with nothing Why Connecticut and Providence offered sweetheart deals, but Kraft stayed in Foxborough Patriot Place: The revolutionary stadium-as-real-estate-development model How Kraft's unshared revenue strategy changed sports franchises forever Roger Goodell: The Senator's Son Goodell's childhood ambition letter: "I want to be NFL Commissioner" The political instincts he absorbed from his U.S. Senator father Why some NFL staffers called him "too nakedly ambitious" Goodell's strategy: schmoozing with owners at every opportunity Why can't he find his own replacement (or won't step down)? Prediction: The next commissioner will be a media expert, not a football insider Bill Belichick & The Jets Resignation The Leon Hess succession crisis that drove Belichick away from New York Was there tampering between Kraft and Belichick? The evidence examined Why Paul Tagliabue warned teams to "tread carefully" with Belichick The compensatory draft picks the Jets received—and why they got the short end The Los Angeles Stadium Saga Inside the 2016 Houston meeting, where Jerry Jones lobbied relentlessly for Stan Kroenke's vision Why the Rams-only bid beat the dual Raiders-Chargers proposal Paul Allen's rare appearance—and how "The Oracle" swung critical votes Jerry Jones, celebrating with a tumbler of scotch: "He's the salesman. He got his catch that day." How the NFL turned two stadium problems into one world-class solution Gambling's Stranglehold on Sports Why Jones and Kraft invested in gambling platforms before legalization How the NFL profits from sponsorships and game data sales—not direct gambling revenue The disturbing shift: from communal Sunday football to atomized, real-time phone betting "The book always wins. The sportsbook's going to win. Now you've got people pissed at the NFL." Brian's fear: economic downturns + player financial struggles = integrity crises The Cleveland baseball team scandal, Jontay Porter's lifetime ban, and the NCAA's dangerous new policy Why allowing college athletes to bet on football is "streamlining the pipeline from amateur athletics to federal indictment" The Future of the NFL Why 97% of NFL fans never attend a game—and what that means for the league's priorities "Fans in the stadium are essentially props for TV broadcasts" The COVID revelation: Cardboard cutouts worked fine. Do stadiums even matter? Cable TV's death and streaming's fragmentation: How will fans afford to watch? The NFL's challenge: squeezing every penny without breaking fan loyalty KEY QUOTES On Jerry Jones: "Jerry taught us how to sell." — Carmen Policy, former 49ers President On Robert Kraft: "He could charm a dog off a meat truck." — Robert Kraft on Jerry Jones On Gambling: "We went from sitting down with your dad with a clicker, maybe a can of beer, your jersey on, and you watched for three hours. You watched a drama, basically. Now you're betting on a tight end you don't care about because he's on your fantasy roster. Well then you add money to it, and it really amplifies the tension." "The book always wins. The sportsbook's going to win—more chances than not. So now you got people pissed at the NFL or pissed at a player or a team." On Roger Goodell's Future: "My suspicion is that it'll be a media person. That's where the league is now. Two-thirds of its revenue comes from media and sponsorships, not from tickets and beer." On Fans: "Roger likes to say that 97% of NFL fans never go to a game. The fans in the stadium now are essentially props for TV broadcasts." TOPICS/CHAPTERS Introduction & Book Overview Why 1993? The Labor Deal That Changed Everything Jerry Jones: The Man Who Brought Rupert Murdoch to the NFL Robert Kraft's Brilliant Patriots Acquisition Strategy Patriot Place & The Real Estate Revolution Roger Goodell's Path: From Senator's Son to Commissioner Bill Belichick's "I Resign as HC of the NYJ" Napkin Moment The 2016 Los Angeles Stadium Decision: Jerry Jones vs. Jerry Richardson Gambling's Corrosive Effect on Sports Integrity The Future of NFL Leadership & Media Fragmentation Closing Thoughts ABOUT THE GUEST Ken Belson is a sports business correspondent for The New York Times, where he has covered the NFL, sports economics, and major league developments for over a decade. His latest book, Every Day Is Sunday, is an Amazon #1 bestseller and chronicles the transformation of the NFL into the most powerful sports league in American history. Belson's reporting combines insider access, rigorous research, and a business-focused lens that reveals the economic machinery behind America's most-watched sport. RESOURCES & LINKS Order the Book: Every Day Is Sunday on Amazon Connect with Brian D. O'Leary: Substack: OLearyLetter.com Twitter/X: @BrianDOLeary YouTube: @BrianDOLeary Follow Ken Belson: The New York Times: Author Page EPISODE TAGS NFL #JerryJones #RobertKraft #RogerGoodell #KenBelson #SportsGambling #NFLHistory #DallasCowboys #NewEnglandPatriots #BillBelichick #SportsBusiness #MediaRights #StadiumDeals #LosAngelesRams #SportsIntegrity #FantasyFootball #NewYorkTimes #BrianDOLeary #TheBrianDOLearyShow LISTENER NOTE This episode contains candid discussion about sports gambling, league corruption, and the business practices that have fundamentally altered how Americans consume professional football. If you care about the intersection of billion-dollar industries, civic life, and the future of American sports culture, this conversation is essential listening. SUBSCRIBE & SHARE If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe on your favorite podcast platform, leave a review, and share with fellow sports fans who want serious content in an unserious culture. The Brian D. O'Leary Show: Your sanctuary for serious content in an unserious culture.

Even in the face of fear and uncertainty, God is by your side as you walk toward His calling. We see that through the life of Gideon, a man from the smallest clan and the least in his family, yet led by God to do great things on His behalf. Notes: Focus verse - Judges 6 It seems like our culture has been turned upside down. Isaiah 5:20–21Destruction is certain for those who say that evil is good and good is evil; that dark is light and light is dark; that bitter is sweet and sweet is bitter. When culture is upside down, hearts are anxious. 84% of Gen Z say they feel anxious or stressed regularly. 1 in 3 adults say they lose sleep over finances. Nearly 70% of Americans say the future makes them afraid. Top fears include failure, rejection, loneliness, global conflict, and health. We will look at a man named Gideon who was really afraid when Jesus came to him.He was hiding from his enemies, the Midianites. Jesus turns fearful into faithful,hiding into fighting, andpanic into purpose. Things were really turned upside down in the days of the book of Judges. Judges 17:6 (NLT)In those days Israel had no king; so the people did whatever seemed right in their own eyes. God raised up 13 judges to guide His people through this difficult time. The book of Joshua is the story of conquest.While Judges is a book of unbelief and disobedience. Joshua is a book about people uniting around one man to lead them, JoshuaJudges is about “everyone doing what was right in their own eyes.” But whatever and wherever the time, Jesus will show up. Don’t just pray when you are in crisis.Remember also to thank God when things are going well. James 5:13 (NIV)Is anyone among you in trouble? Let them pray.Is anyone happy? Let them sing songs of praise. This was a time of crisis for Israel. It was the year 1256 b.c.Approximately 200 years had passed since Joshua had led the Israelites. They did not drive all the Canaanites out and they lived to regret it.The same can be true in our lives as Christians. 200 years later the Canaanites regained strength and began to dominate the Israelites. As Judges, chapter 6 opens, we see the Israelites living under the power of the Midianites. Israel was living in despair, and finally they called out to God to deliver them,and Jesus shows up. Jesus meets fearful people where they hide. As our story begins, we find Gideon hiding from his enemies.Hardly a picture of heroism and courage. Read Judges 6:11–14 Gideon wanted to know why this difficulty was happening.He had heard about the “good old days” but where was God now? Judges 6:13“Sir,” Gideon replied, “if the Lord is with us, why has all this happened to us? “ The Christian life is full of difficult questions. 1 Corinthians 13:12“Now we see things imperfectly, like puzzling reflections in a mirror, but then we will see everything with perfect clarity. All that I know now is partial and incomplete, but then I will know everything completely.” So often we are looking for an answer to the why question when it is about a Who.As in, “Who do I turn to?” The answer to that question is Jesus. This was not a mere angel (as powerful as they are) this was Jesus. Why is this a Christophany instead an angelic appearance? The speaker at first is called, “The angel of the Lord.”But then the narrative shifts and simply calls Him, “The LORD (YHWH).” The messenger says, “I am sending you.”Judges 6:14 He uses the first-person pronoun and assumes divine authority. Gideon realizes he has seen God. Judges 6:22When Gideon realized that it was the angel of the Lord, he cried out, “Oh Sovereign Lord, I’m doomed! I have seen the angel of the Lord face to face!” Judges 6:15 (NLT)"But Lord," Gideon replied, "how can I rescue Israel? My clan is the weakest in the whole tribe of Manasseh, and I am the least in my entire family!" Another translation says, “I am the runt of the litter!” God uses people who are humble. They are not proud and arrogant but see themselves for what they are. Giving hope to all the people out there who were not extraordinary but ordinary. God can do extraordinary things through ordinary people. God saw Gideon for what he would become. Gideon asks, “Who am I?”The Lord says, “That’s not the issue, ‘Who am I?’ for I will be with you!”Judges 6:15–16 The Lord calls Gideon a mighty hero. Judges 6:12The angel of the Lord appeared to him and said, “Mighty hero, the Lord is with you!” We see failure, God sees potential.We see a vacillating, unsure Simon, God sees a rock like Peter. Before public victory, obey God at home. God’s first test for Gideon was in his home. Some people set the world on fire, while others are still looking for a match. I would rather try and fail than never try at all. Nicodemus had a weak beginning, but he had a strong ending.Better that than a strong beginning and a weak finish. Under cover of night, Gideon tore down the alter his father had erected. Instead of turning on his son, the father defends himand seems to have his own faith rekindled. Don’t give up on your family. You don’t need to preach sermons to them all day long.You need to show it by the way you live and decisions you make. You need to take a stand in your home. Are you reading scripture to your children? Are you praying with them?Are you taking them to church every Sunday? A survey was done that found if the mother and father attend church regularly,72 % of their children will also attend regularly when they’re young adults. When only the father attends, 55 % will remain faithful. But if only the mother attends regularly, only 15 % of the children will remain faithful. If neither mother nor father attend regularly, only 6 % will remain faithful. Gideon was able to rally 32,000 men. Read Judges 7:2–3 Fear is contagious. The Christian life is not a playground, it’s a battleground. Is there something frightening you right now? Jesus said, “Do not be afraid, only believe.” David said, “The Lord is my light and my salvation whom shall I fear?The Lord is the strength of my life, of whom then shall I be afraid?Psalm 27:1 Isaiah 41:10Fear not, for I am with you, be not dismayed, for I am your God.I will strengthen you, yes, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand. Proverbs 3:24–25You can sleep without fear; you need not be afraid of disaster or the plots of wicked men, for the Lord is with you. He protects you. Gideon lost two-thirds of his army. There is always God’s part and our part. The Red Sea parted but Israel still had to march through. The walls of Jericho fell but Israel still had to march around them. The giant Goliath fell but David still had to attack. 2 Chronicles 20:12O our God, won't you stop them? We are powerless against this mighty army that is about to attack us. We do not know what to do, but our eyes are upon You." The Lord told Gideon, “You still have too many warriors.” “Divide the men into two groups. The ones who just plant their face in the water without caution, leave them.” The lappers could have easily been ambushed and killed. The cuppers were alert, watching, and cautious. God gave Gideon the battle plan. No swords, knives, spears, or any kind of weapon, just clay jars and torches. The Midianites think it is some kind of ambush and they freak out.They begin to kill each other and the Israelites watch in amazement. The enemy was defeated because God’s people called on Him. Gideon’s army won a crushing victory over the Midianites. Ephesians 6:12For we are not fighting against people made of flesh and blood,but against the evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against those mighty powers of darkness who rule this world, and against wicked spirits in the heavenly realms. There is no way we can impact our culture with the gospel without His help. So, we call on God and say, “If You don’t come through, there is no hope.” 2 Corinthians 12:9–10“My gracious favor is all you need. My power works best in your weakness.” So now I am glad to boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may work through me. Since I know it is all for Christ’s good. Paul concludes, “I am quite content with my weaknesses and with insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong!” It is not easy being a Christian in today’s culture.You will be criticized, mocked, slandered, possibly even killed. God imposed this test to get rid of the half-hearted people. God can do more with 300 committed people than 10,000 half-hearted. God is looking for faithful, obedient, watchful servants to change this world. “Give me 100 men who love God with all of their hearts and fear nothing but sin, and I will move the world!”—John Wesley Acts 17:6“Paul and Silas have turned the rest of the world upside down,and now they are here disturbing our city," they shouted. The Lord is looking for some men and women who will “blow the trumpet,”and take some chances and obey God, taking a stand first in their own homes. God can turn zeros into heros, fear into faith, hiding into fighting, and panic into purpose. Mark 5:36Don’t be afraid; only believe. Looking for hope or know someone who is? Join Greg Laurie at the Harvest Crusade: Hope for America on November 16! Get event information here. — Become a Harvest Partner today and join us in knowing God and making Him known through media and large-scale evangelism, our mission of over 30 years. Explore more resources from Pastor Greg Laurie, including daily devotionals and blogs, designed to answer your spiritual questions and equip you to walk closely with Christ.Support the show: https://bit.ly/anbsupportSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Even in the face of fear and uncertainty, God is by your side as you walk toward His calling. We see that through the life of Gideon, a man from the smallest clan and the least in his family, yet led by God to do great things on His behalf. Notes: Focus verse - Judges 6 It seems like our culture has been turned upside down. Isaiah 5:20–21Destruction is certain for those who say that evil is good and good is evil; that dark is light and light is dark; that bitter is sweet and sweet is bitter. When culture is upside down, hearts are anxious. 84% of Gen Z say they feel anxious or stressed regularly. 1 in 3 adults say they lose sleep over finances. Nearly 70% of Americans say the future makes them afraid. Top fears include failure, rejection, loneliness, global conflict, and health. We will look at a man named Gideon who was really afraid when Jesus came to him.He was hiding from his enemies, the Midianites. Jesus turns fearful into faithful,hiding into fighting, andpanic into purpose. Things were really turned upside down in the days of the book of Judges. Judges 17:6 (NLT)In those days Israel had no king; so the people did whatever seemed right in their own eyes. God raised up 13 judges to guide His people through this difficult time. The book of Joshua is the story of conquest.While Judges is a book of unbelief and disobedience. Joshua is a book about people uniting around one man to lead them, JoshuaJudges is about “everyone doing what was right in their own eyes.” But whatever and wherever the time, Jesus will show up. Don’t just pray when you are in crisis.Remember also to thank God when things are going well. James 5:13 (NIV)Is anyone among you in trouble? Let them pray.Is anyone happy? Let them sing songs of praise. This was a time of crisis for Israel. It was the year 1256 b.c.Approximately 200 years had passed since Joshua had led the Israelites. They did not drive all the Canaanites out and they lived to regret it.The same can be true in our lives as Christians. 200 years later the Canaanites regained strength and began to dominate the Israelites. As Judges, chapter 6 opens, we see the Israelites living under the power of the Midianites. Israel was living in despair, and finally they called out to God to deliver them,and Jesus shows up. Jesus meets fearful people where they hide. As our story begins, we find Gideon hiding from his enemies.Hardly a picture of heroism and courage. Read Judges 6:11–14 Gideon wanted to know why this difficulty was happening.He had heard about the “good old days” but where was God now? Judges 6:13“Sir,” Gideon replied, “if the Lord is with us, why has all this happened to us? “ The Christian life is full of difficult questions. 1 Corinthians 13:12“Now we see things imperfectly, like puzzling reflections in a mirror, but then we will see everything with perfect clarity. All that I know now is partial and incomplete, but then I will know everything completely.” So often we are looking for an answer to the why question when it is about a Who.As in, “Who do I turn to?” The answer to that question is Jesus. This was not a mere angel (as powerful as they are) this was Jesus. Why is this a Christophany instead an angelic appearance? The speaker at first is called, “The angel of the Lord.”But then the narrative shifts and simply calls Him, “The LORD (YHWH).” The messenger says, “I am sending you.”Judges 6:14 He uses the first-person pronoun and assumes divine authority. Gideon realizes he has seen God. Judges 6:22When Gideon realized that it was the angel of the Lord, he cried out, “Oh Sovereign Lord, I’m doomed! I have seen the angel of the Lord face to face!” Judges 6:15 (NLT)"But Lord," Gideon replied, "how can I rescue Israel? My clan is the weakest in the whole tribe of Manasseh, and I am the least in my entire family!" Another translation says, “I am the runt of the litter!” God uses people who are humble. They are not proud and arrogant but see themselves for what they are. Giving hope to all the people out there who were not extraordinary but ordinary. God can do extraordinary things through ordinary people. God saw Gideon for what he would become. Gideon asks, “Who am I?”The Lord says, “That’s not the issue, ‘Who am I?’ for I will be with you!”Judges 6:15–16 The Lord calls Gideon a mighty hero. Judges 6:12The angel of the Lord appeared to him and said, “Mighty hero, the Lord is with you!” We see failure, God sees potential.We see a vacillating, unsure Simon, God sees a rock like Peter. Before public victory, obey God at home. God’s first test for Gideon was in his home. Some people set the world on fire, while others are still looking for a match. I would rather try and fail than never try at all. Nicodemus had a weak beginning, but he had a strong ending.Better that than a strong beginning and a weak finish. Under cover of night, Gideon tore down the alter his father had erected. Instead of turning on his son, the father defends himand seems to have his own faith rekindled. Don’t give up on your family. You don’t need to preach sermons to them all day long.You need to show it by the way you live and decisions you make. You need to take a stand in your home. Are you reading scripture to your children? Are you praying with them?Are you taking them to church every Sunday? A survey was done that found if the mother and father attend church regularly,72 % of their children will also attend regularly when they’re young adults. When only the father attends, 55 % will remain faithful. But if only the mother attends regularly, only 15 % of the children will remain faithful. If neither mother nor father attend regularly, only 6 % will remain faithful. Gideon was able to rally 32,000 men. Read Judges 7:2–3 Fear is contagious. The Christian life is not a playground, it’s a battleground. Is there something frightening you right now? Jesus said, “Do not be afraid, only believe.” David said, “The Lord is my light and my salvation whom shall I fear?The Lord is the strength of my life, of whom then shall I be afraid?Psalm 27:1 Isaiah 41:10Fear not, for I am with you, be not dismayed, for I am your God.I will strengthen you, yes, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand. Proverbs 3:24–25You can sleep without fear; you need not be afraid of disaster or the plots of wicked men, for the Lord is with you. He protects you. Gideon lost two-thirds of his army. There is always God’s part and our part. The Red Sea parted but Israel still had to march through. The walls of Jericho fell but Israel still had to march around them. The giant Goliath fell but David still had to attack. 2 Chronicles 20:12O our God, won't you stop them? We are powerless against this mighty army that is about to attack us. We do not know what to do, but our eyes are upon You." The Lord told Gideon, “You still have too many warriors.” “Divide the men into two groups. The ones who just plant their face in the water without caution, leave them.” The lappers could have easily been ambushed and killed. The cuppers were alert, watching, and cautious. God gave Gideon the battle plan. No swords, knives, spears, or any kind of weapon, just clay jars and torches. The Midianites think it is some kind of ambush and they freak out.They begin to kill each other and the Israelites watch in amazement. The enemy was defeated because God’s people called on Him. Gideon’s army won a crushing victory over the Midianites. Ephesians 6:12For we are not fighting against people made of flesh and blood,but against the evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against those mighty powers of darkness who rule this world, and against wicked spirits in the heavenly realms. There is no way we can impact our culture with the gospel without His help. So, we call on God and say, “If You don’t come through, there is no hope.” 2 Corinthians 12:9–10“My gracious favor is all you need. My power works best in your weakness.” So now I am glad to boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may work through me. Since I know it is all for Christ’s good. Paul concludes, “I am quite content with my weaknesses and with insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong!” It is not easy being a Christian in today’s culture.You will be criticized, mocked, slandered, possibly even killed. God imposed this test to get rid of the half-hearted people. God can do more with 300 committed people than 10,000 half-hearted. God is looking for faithful, obedient, watchful servants to change this world. “Give me 100 men who love God with all of their hearts and fear nothing but sin, and I will move the world!”—John Wesley Acts 17:6“Paul and Silas have turned the rest of the world upside down,and now they are here disturbing our city," they shouted. The Lord is looking for some men and women who will “blow the trumpet,”and take some chances and obey God, taking a stand first in their own homes. God can turn zeros into heros, fear into faith, hiding into fighting, and panic into purpose. Mark 5:36Don’t be afraid; only believe. Looking for hope or know someone who is? Join Greg Laurie at the Harvest Crusade: Hope for America on November 16! Get event information here. — Become a Harvest Partner today and join us in knowing God and making Him known through media and large-scale evangelism, our mission of over 30 years. Explore more resources from Pastor Greg Laurie, including daily devotionals and blogs, designed to answer your spiritual questions and equip you to walk closely with Christ.Support the show: https://bit.ly/anbsupportSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Eggs have gotten some bad press, but what's the truth? Are eggs bad for you? What about eggs and cholesterol? In this video, find out about the unique nutrition profile of eggs and the benefits of eating 3-4 eggs daily.0:00 Introduction: How many eggs should I eat a day?0:18 Eggs and cholesterol 0:40 Egg benefits 4:26 Egg nutrition7:37 What type of eggs should I eat?8:30 Pasture-raised eggs 10:35 Healthy eating tips Why eat eggs? Eggs are the most absorbable form of protein, which sets them apart from other sources of protein, such as meat and fish. Protein is an essential building block for muscles, tendons, and ligaments. It's vital for repair, hormone and enzyme composition, and can even be used as a fuel source.When you consume animal protein, you can only use 10 to 20 percent for fuel. In comparison, 65% of an egg can be used as fuel! Eggs also contain anti-microbial proteins and have iron and biotin-binding properties.Eggs have all the amino acids, including leucine, which is the key amino acid in muscle building. Eggs are the second-highest source of choline, which prevents a fatty liver and helps make up bile. Choline is also essential for a process called methylation.Eggs contain lutein and zeaxanthin, powerful antioxidants that support the health and function of the retina and brain. They contain phospholipids, which further support the membranes of the brain and other bodily tissues. Eating eggs can even help lower blood pressure!Eggs contain vitamin K2, which helps transport calcium and keep it out of the soft tissues, directing it instead into the teeth and bones. They contain the active form of vitamin A and also contain vitamin D.Approximately 65% of all eggs consumed are conventional, which come from caged chickens. Cage-free is a better option, but it doesn't guarantee the chickens have outdoor access. Organic pasture-raised eggs are the best option.Organic refers to the feed that's given to the chicken, and “vegetarian-fed” does not necessarily mean the egg is better. Conventional eggs come from chickens that are fed GMO corn and soy, so the eggs have a higher omega-6 content. Try pairing your eggs with these healthy foods for the most nutrient absorption:•Arugula•Onions•Black pepper•Tomatoes•Avocado•Olive oil/butter Don't overcook your eggs! If you can't afford organic, pasture-raised eggs, conventional eggs are still a healthy option. Dr. Eric Berg DC Bio:Dr. Berg, age 60, is a chiropractor who specializes in Healthy Ketosis & Intermittent Fasting. He is the Director of Dr. Berg Nutritionals and author of the best-selling book The Healthy Keto Plan. He no longer practices, but focuses on health education through social media.Disclaimer: Dr. Eric Berg received his Doctor of Chiropractic degree from Palmer College of Chiropractic in 1988. His use of “doctor” or “Dr.” in relation to himself solely refers to that degree. Dr. Berg is a licensed chiropractor in Virginia, California, and Louisiana, but he no longer practices chiropractic in any state and does not see patients, so he can focus on educating people as a full-time activity, yet he maintains an active license. This video is for general informational purposes only. It should not be used to self-diagnose, and it is not a substitute for a medical exam, cure, treatment, diagnosis, prescription, or recommendation. It does not create a doctor-patient relationship between Dr. Berg and you. You should not make any change in your health regimen or diet before first consulting a physician and obtaining a medical exam, diagnosis, and recommendation. Always seek the advice of a physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition.

You don't need to spend a fortune on infrared devices to get plenty of infrared light. Check out this fascinating interview with Dr. Roger Seheult, an expert on sunlight and vitamin D, as we discuss the powerful health benefits of sunlight. 0:00 Welcome, Dr. Roger Seheult 4:05 The abscopal effect of light 4:58 What does light do in the body? 10:24 Infrared light and nature 12:06 The Green Heart study 13:45 Infrared light and sleep 21:24 Indoor lighting and your healthPlease join me in welcoming Dr. Roger Seheult, quadruple board-certified in internal medicine, pulmonary diseases, critical care medicine, and sleep medicine. Dr. Seheult shares some fascinating new research about the ability of sunlight to penetrate the human body. It's been previously thought that the sun could only penetrate a few centimeters into our bodies, but recent research has shown that it can penetrate the entire body and can even be measured on the other side. Surprisingly, randomized, placebo-controlled studies have shown that light can affect parts of the body that were not exposed to sunlight. This phenomenon is known as the abscopal effect. This means that mitochondria from one part of the body can communicate with each other and upregulate, even if they are not directly exposed to light. Infrared light can stimulate the mitochondria to produce more melatonin, which can reduce oxidative stress. It's not significantly affected by the atmosphere, so you can get it almost any time of the day. UVB light, which you need to make vitamin D, is more abundant when the sun is at its highest.Green trees, leaves, and grass reflect infrared light. To maximize infrared light absorption, head to green spaces where nature can reflect infrared light back to you!The Green Heart study measured the HSCRP, which correlates with the risk of stroke or heart attack, in residents of south Louisville, Kentucky—a region characterized by concrete and a lack of greenery. Approximately 8,000 trees were planted in a 4-square-mile area, and the HSCRP was remeasured. This resulted in a 13% to 20% average drop in HSCRP, which correlates to a 10% to 15% reduction in stroke and heart attack risk, without any changes in diet or exercise.Dr. Seheult also explains that daytime light exposure helps with sleep by supporting the circadian rhythm, while nighttime light exposure can have an opposite effect.Dr. Eric Berg DC Bio:Dr. Berg, age 60, is a chiropractor who specializes in Healthy Ketosis & Intermittent Fasting. He is the Director of Dr. Berg Nutritionals and author of the best-selling book The Healthy Keto Plan. He no longer practices, but focuses on health education through social media.Disclaimer: Dr. Eric Berg received his Doctor of Chiropractic degree from Palmer College of Chiropractic in 1988. His use of “doctor” or “Dr.” in relation to himself solely refers to that degree. Dr. Berg is a licensed chiropractor in Virginia, California, and Louisiana, but he no longer practices chiropractic in any state and does not see patients, so he can focus on educating people as a full-time activity, yet he maintains an active license. This video is for general informational purposes only. It should not be used to self-diagnose, and it is not a substitute for a medical exam, cure, treatment, diagnosis, prescription, or recommendation. It does not create a doctor-patient relationship between Dr. Berg and you. You should not make any changes to your health regimen or diet before consulting a physician and obtaining a medical examination, diagnosis, and recommendation. Always seek the advice of a physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition.

Foot problems are widespread, with a significant portion of the population experiencing them at some point in their lives. Approximately 75% of Americans will experience foot problems, and many suffer from chronic pain. Foot pain is a common-- about 19% of the US population experiences an average of 1.4 foot problems each year.  Dr. Glen N. Robison serves as Diplomate of the American Board of Multiple Specialties in Podiatry. He's board certified in Primary Care in Podiatric Medicine. Dr. Robison is a Jin Shin Jyutsu practitioner and certified Myopractor. Trained in releasing deep restriction of motion in the body that resides at the root of our symptoms and ailments. He is here today to discuss foot conditions including: bunions, plantar fasciitis & everything in between.  

When organs are transplanted, memories, personalities, preferences, and skills (including what happened at the donor's moment of death) have been repeatedly observed to transfer from the donor to recipient in a manner that strongly suggests a real transference is occurring — raising significant questions as to where our consciousness or memories come from and who we actually are Dr. Paul Pearsall's groundbreaking research documented 73 heart transplant cases where recipients experienced dramatic personality changes, food preferences, sexual orientation shifts, and even acquired new skills that perfectly matched their unknown donors Approximately 10% of heart transplant recipients report experiencing emotions they believe come from their donor, with the most sensitive individuals sharing specific personality traits like being highly creative, body-aware, and psychically sensitive The most extraordinary cases include an 8-year-old girl who received a murdered child's heart and provided police with accurate details that led to the killer's conviction, and recipients who suddenly developed artistic abilities matching their donor's talents Approaches exist to address "trapped emotions" in transplanted organs through mind-body therapies, which can improve recipient quality of life and reduce organ rejection by helping the body accept rather than fight the foreign organ

Where is Matavén, you may well ask? So, this week on the Colombia Calling podcast, we discuss an award-winning community tourism project with people of the Piaroa indigenous community and the Colombian Project. Joining us on the podcast is Camilo Ortega, product manager of the Colombian Project. The Matavén Jungle is the fourth largest Indigenous Reservation in Colombia, with an extension of 1,849,613 hectares and located in the north-eastern area of the department of Vichada, between the Vichada rivers to the north, Orinoco to the east, Guaviare to the south and the Chupave canal to the west. Today it constitutes one of the last refuges of the transition forest between the Colombian Amazon and Orinoquía region. This territory has a great diversity of landscapes and different habitats such as floodplains, large stone hills of the Guyanese shield, or open savannah areas in the middle of its jungles. Its name is due to the Matavén river, which crosses this extensive region in a west-east direction. Approximately 10,500 indigenous people live in the Matavén Jungle, distributed among the Sikuani, Piapoco, Piaroa, Pinave, Curripaco, and Cubeo tribes. This characteristic of multiculturalism that exists in the reservation makes this region a space of great importance for the conservation of the existing natural and cultural heritage. https://www.colombianproject.com   And this week, the Colombia Briefing is reported by Sophie Foggin. Support us:  www.patreon.com/colombiacalling

Approximately one in four people will face a cancer diagnosis. For most, the hardest part won't be the treatment itself but the waiting, the 3 AM questions, the logistical maze of care coordination that can mean the difference between hope and despair. Ann Stadjuhar knows this truth from both sides of the stethoscope. When Ann navigated her own cancer diagnosis, she had every advantage: 20 years of healthcare expertise, knowledge of case volumes, connections to top surgeons at Optum. Yet even she found the system overwhelming. Her uncle in rural New Mexico wasn't as fortunate; by the time he reached MD Anderson, inadequate local care had sealed his fate. These parallel experiences crystallized Ann's mission at Reimagine Care: ensuring no one faces cancer alone, regardless of their zip code or insider knowledge. This conversation comes at a critical moment. As cancer increasingly strikes younger populations, with many cancers now appearing in people's 20s and 30s rather than their 50s, we need innovators who understand that technology without empathy is just expensive machinery. Ann represents a new breed of healthcare leaders who see AI not as a replacement for human connection, but as a way to multiply it. "The worst part of cancer is the wait," Ann explains. "We can be there 24/7 to understand whether there may be social determinants of health needs. I need a ride to treatment. I need someone to watch my dog. I have issues paying my electric bill. Sometimes people are honestly more comfortable telling the bot they're having these challenges." After two decades revolutionizing digital health from women's health to pandemic response centers, Ann calls cancer care her "capstone." She's witnessed how the 18-month health system adoption cycle literally costs lives. Now, armed with Meta glasses and AI tools that multiply her capabilities "times four," she's racing against a broken system where your uncle's zip code shouldn't determine whether his cancer stays operable. In this episode of Inspiring Women with Laurie McGraw, discover how one woman's journey through cancer transformed into a mission to democratize access to the kind of insider knowledge that can save lives. From the Cancer X Accelerator to Reimagine Care's AI companion REMI, Ann reveals why the future of cancer care isn't about choosing between humans and machines. It's about creating technology sophisticated enough to know that sometimes, the most advanced intervention is simply helping someone find a dog sitter so they don't miss chemotherapy. For Ann Stadjuhar, reimagining cancer care isn't about replacing human connection. It's about multiplying it. In a healthcare system where staying curious might be the difference between innovation and stagnation, between treatment and tragedy, she's proof that the most powerful technology is the kind that remembers to be human. Key Insights: Why patients confess more to AI than to their doctors, and what that means for care How social determinants of health become matters of life and death in cancer treatment The hidden complexities even healthcare insiders struggle to navigate Why the next generation needs emotional intelligence more than technical skills How one woman's cancer diagnosis became a blueprint for system-wide change About the Guest:  Ann Stadjuhar brings 20+ years of digital health innovation to her role as Chief Growth Officer at Reimagine Care. From launching pharmaceuticals to scaling population health tools, she's run what she calls "the gauntlet" of healthcare transformation. Her personal cancer journey while at Optum revealed the gaps even insiders face, inspiring her mission to ensure 24/7 companionship for every cancer patient through AI-powered human care. Guest & Host Links Connect with Laurie McGraw on LinkedIn Connect with Ann Stadjuhar on LinkedIn Connect with Inspiring Women Browse Episodes | LinkedIn | Instagram | Apple | Spotify

Extreme Spring Heat Signals Catastrophically Hot Summer and Multi-Wave Bushfire Risk for AustraliaGuest: Jeremy Zakis Australian springtime is experiencing unseasonably hot temperatures, approximately 16°C above average. Western Australia recorded 110°F, while Sydney reached 80-90°F. This sustained heat is seen as an ominous sign of a catastrophically hot summer involving droughts and bushfires. However, temperatures are expected to plummet by up to 20°C later in the week. This rapid cycling between hot/dry and cool/wet weather poses a major risk, as rain promotes rapid undergrowth that could fuel second, third, or fourth waves of bushfires. Discussions of La Niña have vanished, focusing instead on Antarctic upper-level wind layers, which are about 30°C warmer. Long-term forecasting is currently "almost impossible." 1864 BUSHFIRE

                                                                                                                                                                                                                      Last time we spoke about the continuation of the war after Nanjing's fall. The fall of Nanjing in December 1937 marked a pivotal juncture in the Second Sino-Japanese War, ushering in a brutal phase of attrition that shaped both strategy and diplomacy in early 1938. As Japanese forces sought to restructure China's political order, their strategy extended beyond battlefield victories to the establishment of puppet arrangements and coercive diplomacy. Soviet aid provided critical support, while German and broader Axis diplomacy wavered, shaping a nuanced backdrop for China's options. In response, Chinese command decisions focused on defending crucial rail corridors and urban strongholds, with Wuhan emerging as a strategic hub and the Jinpu and Longhai railways becoming lifelines of resistance. The defense around Xuzhou and the Huai River system illustrated Chinese determination to prolong resistance despite daunting odds. By early 1938, the war appeared as a drawn-out struggle, with China conserving core bases even as Japan pressed toward central China.   #170 The Battle of Taierzhuang Welcome to the Fall and Rise of China Podcast, I am your dutiful host Craig Watson. But, before we start I want to also remind you this podcast is only made possible through the efforts of Kings and Generals over at Youtube. Perhaps you want to learn more about the history of Asia? Kings and Generals have an assortment of episodes on history of asia and much more  so go give them a look over on Youtube. So please subscribe to Kings and Generals over at Youtube and to continue helping us produce this content please check out www.patreon.com/kingsandgenerals. If you are still hungry for some more history related content, over on my channel, the Pacific War Channel where I cover the history of China and Japan from the 19th century until the end of the Pacific War. Following their victory at Nanjing, the Japanese North China Area Army sought to push southward and link up with the Japanese Eleventh Army between Beijing and Nanjing. The two formations were intended to advance along the northern and southern ends of the JinPu railway, meet at Xuzhou, and then coordinate a pincer movement into Chinese strongholds in the Central Yangtze region, capturing Jiujiang first and then Wuhan. Recognizing Xuzhou's strategic importance, Chinese leadership made its defense a top priority. Xuzhou stood at the midpoint of the JinPu line and at the intersection with the Longhai Line, China's main east–west corridor from Lanzhou to Lianyungang. If seized, Japanese control of these routes would grant mobility for north–south movement across central China. At the end of January, Chiang Kai-shek convened a military conference in Wuchang and declared the defense of Xuzhou the highest strategic objective. Chinese preparations expanded from an initial core of 80,000 troops to about 300,000, deployed along the JinPu and Longhai lines to draw in and overstretch Japanese offensives. A frightening reality loomed by late March 1938: the Japanese were nearing victory on the Xuzhou front. The North China Area Army, led by Generals Itagaki Seishirô, Nishio Toshizô, and Isogai Rensuke, aimed to link up with the Central China Expeditionary Force under General Hata Shunroku for a coordinated drive into central China. Li Zongren and his senior colleagues, including Generals Bai Chongxi and Tang Enbo, resolved to meet the Japanese at the traditional stone-walled city of Taierzhuang. Taierzhuang was not large, but it held strategic significance. It sat along the Grand Canal, China's major north–south waterway, and on a rail line that connected the Jinpu and Longhai lines, thus bypassing Xuzhou. Chiang Kai-shek himself visited Xuzhou on March 24. While Xuzhou remained in Chinese hands, the Japanese forces to the north and south were still separated. Losing Xuzhou would close the pincer. By late March, Chinese troops seemed to be gaining ground at Taierzhuang, but the Japanese began reinforcing, pulling soldiers from General Isogai Rensuke's column. The defending commanders grew uncertain about their ability to hold the position, yet Chiang Kai-shek made his stance clear in an April 1, 1938 telegram: “the enemy at Taierzhuang must be destroyed.” Chiang Kai-shek dispatched his Vice Chief of Staff, Bai Chongxi, to Xuzhou in January 1938. Li Zongren and Bai Chongxi were old comrades from the New Guangxi Clique, and their collaboration dated back to the Northern Expedition, including the Battle of Longtan. Li also received the 21st Group Army from the 3rd War Area. This Guangxi unit, commanded by Liao Lei, comprised the 7th and 47th Armies. Around the same time, Sun Zhen's 22nd Group Army, another Sichuan clique unit, arrived in the Shanxi-Henan region, but was rebuffed by both Yan Xishan, then commander of the 2nd War Area and Shanxi's chairman and Cheng Qian, commander of the 1st War Area and Henan's chairman. Yan and Cheng harbored strong reservations about Sichuan units due to discipline issues, notably their rampant opium consumption. Under Sun Zhen's leadership, the 22nd Group Army deployed four of its six divisions to aid the Northern China effort. Organized under the 41st and 45th Armies, the contingent began a foot march toward Taiyuan on September 1, covering more than 50 days and approximately 1,400 kilometers. Upon reaching Shanxi, they faced a harsh, icy winter and had no winter uniforms or even a single map of the province. They nevertheless engaged the Japanese for ten days at Yangquan, suffering heavy casualties. Strapped for supplies, they broke into a Shanxi clique supply depot, which enraged Yan Xishan and led to their expulsion from the province. The 22nd withdrew westward into the 1st War Area, only to have its request for resupply rejected by Cheng Qian. Meanwhile to the south Colonel Rippei Ogisu led Japanese 13th Division to push westward from Nanjing in two columns during early February: the northern column targeted Mingguang, while the southern column aimed for Chuxian. Both routes were checked by Wei Yunsong's 31st Army, which had been assigned to defend the southern stretch of the Jinpu railway under Li Zongren. Despite facing a clearly inferior force, the Japanese could not gain ground after more than a month of sustained attacks. In response, Japan deployed armored and artillery reinforcements from Nanjing. The Chinese withdrew to the southwestern outskirts of Dingyuan to avoid a direct clash with their reinforced adversaries. By this point, Yu Xuezhong's 51st Army had taken up a defensive position on the northern banks of the Huai River, establishing a line between Bengbu and Huaiyuan. The Japanese then captured Mingguang, Dingyuan, and Bengbu in succession and pressed toward Huaiyuan. However, their supply lines were intercepted by the Chinese 31st Corps, which conducted flanking attacks from the southwest. The situation worsened when the Chinese 7th Army, commanded by Liao Lei, arrived at Hefei to reinforce the 31st Army. Facing three Chinese corps simultaneously, the Japanese were effectively boxed south of the Huai River and, despite air superiority and a superior overall firepower, could not advance further. As a result, the Chinese thwarted the Japanese plan to move the 13th Division north along the Jinpu railway and link up with the Isogai 10th Division to execute a pincer against Xuzhou. Meanwhile in the north, after amphibious landings at Qingdao, the Japanese 5th Division, commanded by Seishiro Itagaki, advanced southwest along the Taiwei Highway, spearheaded by its 21st Infantry Brigade. They faced Pang Bingxun's 3rd Group Army. Although labeled a Group Army, Pang's force actually comprised only the 40th Army, which itself consisted of the 39th Division from the Northwestern Army, commanded by Ma-Fawu. The 39th Division's five regiments delayed the Japanese advance toward Linyi for over a month. The Japanese captured Ju County on 22 February and moved toward Linyi by 2 March. The 59th Army, commanded by Zhang Zizhong, led its troops on a forced march day and night toward Linyi. Seizing the opportunity, the 59th Army did not rest after reaching Yishui. In the early morning of the 14th, Zhang Zizhong ordered the entire army to covertly cross the Yishui River and attack the right flank of the Japanese “Iron Army” 5th Division. They broke through enemy defenses at Tingzitou, Dataiping, Shenjia Taiping, Xujia Taiping, and Shalingzi. Initially caught off guard, the enemy sustained heavy losses, and over a night more than a thousand Japanese soldiers were annihilated. The 59th Army fought fiercely, engaging in brutal hand-to-hand combat. By 4:00 a.m. on the 17th, the 59th Army had secured all of the Japanese main positions. That same day, Pang Bingxun seized the moment to lead his troops in a fierce flank attack, effectively supporting the 59th Army's frontal assault. On the 18th, Zhang and Pang's forces attacked the Japanese from the east, south, and west. After three days and nights of bloody fighting, they finally defeated the 3rd Battalion of the 11th Regiment, which had crossed the river, and annihilated most of it. The 59th Army completed its counterattack but suffered over 6,000 casualties, with more than 2,000 Japanese killed or wounded. News of the Linyi victory prompted commendations from Chiang Kai-shek and Li Zongren. General Li Zongren, commander of the 5th War Zone, judged that the Japanese were temporarily unable to mount a large-scale offensive and that Linyi could be held for the time being. On March 20, he ordered the 59th Army westward to block the Japanese Seya Detachment. On March 21, the Japanese Sakamoto Detachment, after a brief reorganization and learning of the Linyi detachment, launched another offensive. The 3rd Corps, understrength and without reinforcements, was compelled to retreat steadily before the Japanese. General Pang Bingxun, commander of the 3rd Corps, urgently telegraphed Chiang Kai-shek, requesting reinforcements. Chiang Kai-shek received the telegram and, at approximately 9:00 AM on the 23rd, ordered the 59th Army to return to Linyi to join with the 3rd Corps in repelling the Sakamoto Detachment. Fierce fighting ensued with heavy Chinese losses, and the situation in Linyi again grew precarious. At a critical moment, the 333rd Brigade of the 111th Division and the Cavalry Regiment of the 13th Army were rushed to reinforce Linyi. Facing attacks from two directions, the Japanese withdrew, losing almost two battalions in the process. This engagement shattered the myth of Japanese invincibility and embarrassed commander Seishirō Itagaki, even startling IJA headquarters. Although the 5th Division later regrouped and attempted another push, it had lost the element of surprise. The defeat at Linyi at the hands of comparatively poorly equipped Chinese regional units set the stage for the eventual battle at Tai'erzhuang. Of the three Japanese divisions advancing into the Chinese 5th War Area, the 10th Division, commanded by Rensuke Isogai, achieved the greatest initial success. Departing from Hebei, it crossed the Yellow River and moved south along the Jinpu railway. With KMT General Han Fuju ordering his forces to desert their posts, the Japanese captured Zhoucun and reached Jinan with little resistance. They then pushed south along two columns from Tai'an. The eastern column captured Mengyin before driving west to seize Sishui; the western column moved southwest along the Jinpu railway, capturing Yanzhou, Zouxian, and Jining, before turning northwest to take Wenshang. Chiang Kai-shek subsequently ordered Li Zongren to employ “offensive defense”, seizing the initiative to strike rather than merely defend. Li deployed Sun Zhen's 22nd Group Army to attack Zouxian from the south, while Pang Bingxun's 40th Division advanced north along the 22nd's left flank to strike Mengyin and Sishui. Sun Tongxuan's 3rd Group Army also advanced from the south, delivering a two-pronged assault on the Japanese at Jining. Fierce fighting from 12 to 25 February, particularly by the 12th Corps, helped mitigate the reputational damage previously inflicted on Shandong units by Han Fuju. In response to Chinese counterattacks, the Japanese revised their strategy: they canceled their original plan to push directly westward from Nanjing toward Wuhan, freeing more troops for the push toward Xuzhou. On March 15, the Japanese 10th Division struck the Chinese 122nd Division, focusing the action around Tengxian and Lincheng. Chinese reinforcements from the 85th Corps arrived the following day but were driven back on March 17. With air support, tanks, and heavy artillery, the Japanese breached the Chinese lines on March 18. The remaining Chinese forces, bolstered by the 52nd Corps, withdrew to the town of Yixian. The Japanese attacked Yixian and overran an entire Chinese regiment in a brutal 24-hour engagement. By March 19, the Japanese began advancing on the walled town of Taierzhuang. To counter the Japanese advance, the Chinese 2nd Army Group under General Sun Lianzhong was deployed to Taierzhuang. The 31st Division, commanded by General Chi Fengcheng, reached Taierzhuang on March 22 and was ordered to delay the Japanese advance until the remainder of the Army Group could arrive. On March 23, the 31st Division sallied from Taierzhuang toward Yixian, where they were engaged by two Japanese battalions reinforced with three tanks and four armored cars. The Chinese troops occupied a series of hills and managed to defend against a Japanese regiment (~3,000 men) for the rest of the day. On March 24, a Japanese force of about 5,000 attacked the 31st Division. Another Japanese unit pressed the Chinese from Yixian, forcing them to withdraw back into Taierzhuang itself. The Japanese then assaulted the town, with a 300-strong contingent breaching the northeast gate at 20:00. They were subsequently driven back toward the Chenghuang temple, which the Chinese set on fire, annihilating the Japanese force. The next day, the Japanese renewed the assault through the breached gate and secured the eastern portion of the district, while also breaking through the northwest corner from the outside and capturing the Wenchang Pavilion. On March 25, a morning Japanese onslaught was repelled. The Japanese then shelled Chinese positions with artillery and air strikes. In the afternoon, the Chinese deployed an armored train toward Yixian, which ambushed a column of Japanese soldiers near a hamlet, killing or wounding several dozen before retreating back to Taierzhuang. By nightfall, three thousand Chinese troops launched a night assault, pushing the Japanese lines northeast to dawn. The following three days subjected the Chinese defenders to sustained aerial and artillery bombardment. The Chinese managed to repulse several successive Japanese assaults but sustained thousands of casualties in the process. On March 28, Chinese artillery support arrived, including two 155 mm and ten 75 mm pieces. On the night of March 29, the Japanese finally breached the wall. Setting out from the district's southern outskirts, a Chinese assault squad stormed the Wenchang Pavilion from the south and east, killing nearly the entire Japanese garrison aside from four taken as prisoners of war. The Chinese then retook the northwest corner of the district. Even by the brutal standards already established in the war, the fighting at Taierzhuang was fierce, with combatants facing one another at close quarters. Sheng Cheng's notes preserve the battlefield memories of Chi Fengcheng, one of the campaign's standout officers “We had a battle for the little lanes [of the town], and unprecedentedly, not just streets and lanes, but even courtyards and houses. Neither side was willing to budge. Sometimes we'd capture a house, and dig a hole in the wall to approach the enemy. Sometimes the enemy would be digging a hole in the same wall at the same time. Sometimes we faced each other with hand grenades — or we might even bite each other. Or when we could hear that the enemy was in the house, then we'd climb the roof and drop bombs inside — and kill them all.” The battle raged for a week. On April 1, General Chi requested volunteers for a near-suicide mission to seize a building: among fifty-seven selected, only ten survived. A single soldier claimed to have fired on a Japanese bomber and succeeded in bringing it down; he and his comrades then set the aircraft ablaze before another plane could arrive to rescue the pilot. One participant described the brutal conditions of the battle “"The battle continued day and night. The flames lit up the sky. Often all that separated our forces was a single wall. The soldiers would beat holes in the masonry to snipe at each other. We would be fighting for days over a single building, causing dozens of fatalities." The conditions were so brutal that Chinese officers imposed severe measures to maintain discipline. Junior officers were repeatedly forbidden to retreat and were often ordered to personally replace casualties within their ranks. Li Zongren even warned Tang Enbo that failure to fulfill his duties would lead him to be “treated as Han Fuju had been.” In Taierzhuang's cramped streets, Japan's artillery and air superiority offered little advantage; whenever either service was employed amid the dense melee, casualties were roughly even on both sides. The fighting devolved into close-quarters combat carried out primarily by infantry, with rifles, pistols, hand grenades, bayonets, and knives forming the core of each side's arsenal. The battle unfolded largely hand-to-hand, frequently in darkness. The stone buildings of Taierzhuang provided substantial cover from fire and shrapnel. It was precisely under these close-quarters conditions that Chinese soldiers could stand as equals, if not superior, to their Japanese opponents, mirroring, in some respects, the experiences seen in Luodian, Shanghai, the year before. On March 31, General Sun Lianzhong arrived to assume command of the 2nd Army Group. A Japanese assault later that day was repulsed, but a Chinese counterattack also stalled. At 04:00 on April 1, the Japanese attacked the Chinese lines with support from 11 tanks. The Chinese defenders, armed with German-made 37mm Pak-36 antitank guns, destroyed eight of the armored vehicles at point-blank range. Similar incidents recurred throughout the battle, with numerous Japanese tanks knocked out by Chinese artillery and by suicide squads. In one engagement, Chinese suicide bombers annihilated four Japanese tanks with bundles of grenades. On April 2 and 3, Chi urged the Chinese defenders around Taierzhuang's north station to assess the evolving situation. The troops reported distress, crying and sneezing, caused by tear gas deployed by the Japanese against Chinese positions at Taierzhuang's north station, but the defenders remained unmoved. They then launched a massive armored assault outside the city walls, with 30 tanks and 60 armored cars, yet managed only to drive the Chinese 27th Division back to the Grand Canal. The fighting continued to rage on April 4 and 5. By then, the Japanese had captured roughly two-thirds of Taierzhuang, though the Chinese still held the South Gate. It was through this entry point that the Chinese command managed to keep their troops supplied. The Chinese also thwarted Japanese efforts to replenish their dwindling stocks of arms and ammunition. In consequence, the Japanese attackers were worn down progressively. Although the Japanese possessed superior firepower, including cannon and heavy artillery, the cramped conditions within Taierzhuang nullified this advantage for the moment. The Chinese command succeeded in keeping their own supplies flowing, a recurring weakness in other engagements and also prevented the Japanese from replenishing their dwindling stock of arms and bullets. Gradually, the Japanese maneuvered into a state of attrition. The deadlock of the battle was broken by events unfolding outside Taierzhuang, where fresh Chinese divisions had encircled the Japanese forces in Taierzhuang from the flanks and rear. After consulting their German advisors earlier, the commanders of the 5th War Area prepared a double envelopment of the exposed Japanese forces in Taierzhuang. Between March and April 1938, the Nationalist Air Force deployed squadrons from the 3rd and 4th Pursuit Groups, fighter-attack aircraft, in long-distance air interdiction and close-air support of the Taierzhuang operations. Approximately 30 aircraft, mostly Soviet-made, were deployed in bombing raids against Japanese positions. On 26 March, Tang Enbo's 20th Army, equipped with artillery units, attacked Japanese forces at Yixian, inflicting heavy casualties and routing the survivors. Tang then swung south to strike the Japanese flank northeast of Taierzhuang. Simultaneously, the Chinese 55th Corps, comprised of two divisions, executed a surprise crossing of the Grand Canal and cut the railway line near Lincheng. As a result, Tang isolated the Japanese attackers from their rear and severed their supply lines. On 1 April, the Japanese 5th Division sent a brigade to relieve the encircled 10th Division. Tang countered by blocking the brigade's advance and then attacking from the rear, driving them south into the encirclement. On 3 April, the Chinese 2nd Group Army launched a counter-offensive, with the 30th and 110th Divisions pushing northward into Beiluo and Nigou, respectively. By 6 April, the Chinese 85th and 52nd Armies linked up at Taodun, just west of Lanling. The combined force then advanced north-westward, capturing Ganlugou. Two more Chinese divisions arrived a few days later. By April 5, Taierzhuang's Japanese units were fully surrounded, with seven Chinese divisions to the north and four to the south closing in. The Japanese divisions inside Taierzhuang had exhausted their supplies, running critically low on ammunition, fuel, and food, while many troops endured fatigue and dehydration after more than a week of brutal fighting. Sensing imminent victory, the Chinese forces surged with renewed fury and attacked the encircled Japanese, executing wounded soldiers where they lay with rifle and pistol shots. Chinese troops also deployed Soviet tanks against the defenders. Japanese artillery could not reply effectively due to a shortage of shells, and their tanks were immobilized by a lack of fuel. Attempts to drop supplies by air failed, with most packages falling into Chinese hands. Over time, Japanese infantry were progressively reduced to firing only their machine guns and mortars, then their rifles and machine guns, and ultimately resorted to bayonet charges. With the success of the Chinese counter-attacks, the Japanese line finally collapsed on April 7. The 10th and 5th Divisions, drained of personnel and ammunition, were forced to retreat. By this point, around 2,000 Japanese soldiers managed to break out of Taierzhuang, leaving thousands of their comrades dead behind. Some of the escapees reportedly committed hara-kiri. Chinese casualties were roughly comparable, marking a significant improvement over the heavier losses suffered in Shanghai and Nanjing. The Japanese had lost the battle for numerous reasons. Japanese efforts were hampered by the "offensive-defensive" operations carried out by various Chinese regional units, effectively preventing the three Japanese divisions from ever linking up with each other. Despite repeated use of heavy artillery, air strikes, and gas, the Japanese could not expel the Chinese 2nd Group Army from Taierzhuang and its surrounding areas, even as the defenders risked total annihilation. The Japanese also failed to block the Chinese 20th Group Army's maneuver around their rear positions, which severed retreat routes and enabled a Chinese counter-encirclement. After Han Fuju's insubordination and subsequent execution, the Chinese high command tightened discipline at the top, transmitting a stringent order flow down to the ranks. This atmosphere of strict discipline inspired even junior soldiers to risk their lives in executing orders. A “dare-to-die corps” was effectively employed against Japanese units. They used swords and wore suicide vests fashioned from grenades. Due to a lack of anti-armor weaponry, suicide bombing was also employed against the Japanese. Chinese troops, as part of the “dare-to-die” corps, strapped explosives such as grenade packs or dynamite to their bodies and charged at Japanese tanks to blow them up.  The Chinese later asserted that about 20,000 Japanese had perished, though the actual toll was likely closer to 8,000. The Japanese also sustained heavy material losses. Because of fuel shortages and their rapid retreat, many tanks, trucks, and artillery pieces were abandoned on the battlefield and subsequently captured by Chinese forces. Frank Dorn recorded losses of 40 tanks, over 70 armored cars, and 100 trucks of various sizes. In addition to vehicles, the Japanese lost dozens of artillery pieces and thousands of machine guns and rifles. Many of these weapons were collected by the Chinese for future use. The Chinese side also endured severe casualties, possibly up to 30,000, with Taierzhuang itself nearly razed. Yet for once, the Chinese achieved a decisive victory, sparking an outburst of joy across unoccupied China. Du Zhongyuan wrote of “the glorious killing of the enemy,” and even Katharine Hand, though isolated in Japanese-controlled Shandong, heard the news. The victory delivered a much-needed morale boost to both the army and the broader population. Sheng Cheng recorded evening conversations with soldiers from General Chi Fengcheng's division, who shared light-hearted banter with their senior officer. At one moment, the men recalled Chi as having given them “the secret of war. when you get food, eat it; when you can sleep, take it.” Such familiar, brisk maxims carried extra resonance now that the Nationalist forces had demonstrated their willingness and ability to stand their ground rather than retreat. The victors may have celebrated a glorious victory, but they did not forget that their enemies were human. Chi recalled a scene he encountered: he had picked up a Japanese officer's helmet, its left side scorched by gunpowder, with a trace of blood, the mark of a fatal wound taken from behind. Elsewhere in Taierzhuang, relics of the fallen were found: images of the Buddha, wooden fish, and flags bearing slogans. A makeshift crematorium in the north station had been interrupted mid-process: “Not all the bones had been completely burned.” After the battle, Li Zongren asked Sheng if he had found souvenirs on the battlefield. Sheng replied that he had discovered love letters on the corpses of Japanese soldiers, as well as a photograph of a girl, perhaps a hometown sweetheart labeled “19 years old, February 1938.” These details stood in stark contrast to news coverage that depicted the Japanese solely as demons, devils, and “dwarf bandits.” The foreign community noted the new, optimistic turn of events and the way it seemed to revive the resistance effort. US ambassador Nelson Johnson wrote to Secretary of State Cordell Hull from Wuhan just days after Taierzhuang, passing on reports from American military observers: one had spent time in Shanxi and been impressed by Communist success in mobilizing guerrilla fighters against the Japanese; another had spent three days observing the fighting at Taierzhuang and confirmed that “Chinese troops in the field there won a well-deserved victory over Japanese troops, administering the first defeat that Japanese troops have suffered in the field in modern times.” This reinforced Johnson's view that Japan would need to apply far more force than it had anticipated to pacify China. He noted that the mood in unoccupied China had likewise shifted. “Conditions here at Hankow have changed from an atmosphere of pessimism to one of dogged optimism. The Government is more united under Chiang and there is a feeling that the future is not entirely hopeless due to the recent failure of Japanese arms at Hsuchow [Xuzhou] . . . I find no evidence for a desire for a peace by compromise among  Chinese, and doubt whether the Government could persuade its army or its people to accept such a peace. The spirit of resistance is slowly spreading among the people who are awakening to a feeling that this is their war. Japanese air raids in the interior and atrocities by Japanese soldiers upon civilian populations are responsible for this stiffening of the people.”. The British had long been wary of Chiang Kai-shek, but Sir Archibald Clark Kerr, the British ambassador in China, wrote to the new British foreign secretary, Lord Halifax, on April 29, 1938, shortly after the Taierzhuang victory, and offered grudging credit to China's leader “[Chiang] has now become the symbol of Chinese unity, which he himself has so far failed to achieve, but which the Japanese are well on the way to achieving for him . . . The days when Chinese people did not care who governed them seem to have gone . . . my visit to Central China from out of the gloom and depression of Shanghai has left me stimulated and more than disposed to believe that provided the financial end can be kept up Chinese resistance may be so prolonged and effective that in the end the Japanese effort may be frustrated . . . Chiang Kai-shek is obstinate and difficult to deal with . . . Nonetheless [the Nationalists] are making in their muddlIn the exhilaration of a rare victory”. Chiang pressured Tang and Li to build on their success, increasing the area's troop strength to about 450,000. Yet the Chinese Army remained plagued by deeper structural issues. The parochialism that had repeatedly hampered Chiang's forces over the past six months resurfaced. Although the various generals had agreed to unite in a broader war of resistance, each prioritized the safety of his own troops, wary of any move by Chiang to centralize power. For example, Li Zongren refrained from utilizing his top Guangxi forces at Taierzhuang, attempting to shift the bulk of the fighting onto Tang Enbo's units. The generals were aware of the fates of two colleagues: Han Fuju of Shandong was executed for his refusal to fight, while Zhang Xueliang of Manchuria had allowed Chiang to reduce the size of his northeastern army and ended up under house arrest. They were justified in distrusting Chiang. He truly believed, after all, that provincial armies should come under a national military command led by himself. From a national-unity standpoint, Chiang's aim was not unreasonable. But it bred suspicion among other military leaders that participation in the anti-Japanese war would erode their own power. The fragmented command structure also hindered logistics, making ammunition and food supplies to the front unreliable and easy to cut off a good job of things in extremely difficult circumstances. I would like to take this time to remind you all that this podcast is only made possible through the efforts of Kings and Generals over at Youtube. Please go subscribe to Kings and Generals over at Youtube and to continue helping us produce this content please check out www.patreon.com/kingsandgenerals. If you are still hungry after that, give my personal channel a look over at The Pacific War Channel at Youtube, it would mean a lot to me. The Chinese victory at the battle of Tairzhuang was a much needed morale boost after the long string of defeats to Japan. As incredible as it was however, it would amount to merely a bloody nose for the Imperial Japanese Army. Now Japan would unleash even more devastation to secure Xuzhou and ultimately march upon Wuhan.

On September 3rd, 1995 Metallica played an intimate show in Tuktoyatuk, Canada at a small venue accessible only by air. Approximately 500 contest winners and locals were in attendance. For years the only footage we have seen was a short documentary that was included in Fan Can, Volume II. Now, as part of the Load boxset, we can see the entire soundcheck and concert.In this episode Clint watches the the second half of the show and the "Week and a Half in the Life of Metallica part 3: Tuk" documentary with running commentary. Enjoy!You can watch along with the video HERE. If you think Metal Up Your Podcast has value, please consider taking a brief moment to leave a positive review and subscribe on iTunes here:https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/metal-up-your-podcast-all-things-metallica/id1187775077You can further support the show by becoming a patron. All patrons of Metal Up Your Podcast at the $5 level receive volumes 1-4 of our Cover Our World Blackened EP's for free. Additionally, patrons are invited to come on the show to talk about any past Metallica show they've been to and are given access to ask our guests like Ray Burton, Halestorm, Michael Wagener, Jay Weinberg of Slipknot and members of Metallica's crew their very own questions. Be a part of what makes Metal Up Your Podcast special by becoming a PATRON here:http://www.patreon.com/metalupyourpodcastJoin the MUYP Discord Server:https://discord.gg/nBUSwR8tPurchase/Stream Lunar Satan:https://distrokid.com/hyperfollow/lunarsatan/lunar-satanPurchase/Stream VAMPIRE:https://distrokid.com/hyperfollow/clintwells/vampirePurchase/Stream our Cover Our World Blackened Volumes and Quarantine Covers:https://metalupyourpodcast.bandcamp.comFollow us on all social media platforms.Write in at:metalupyourpodcastshow@gmail.com