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As churches grow, one of their biggest challenges is finding the right people to add to their team. On paper, it may look like they have enough staff, but they often find themselves with a shortage of strategic leaders on their team. We're continuing our series on "Growing Church Problems" with an important topic that impacts every expanding ministry: structure and finding the right staff. In this episode, Amy and Sean talk about the structural pain points of growing churches, the tensions around staffing and practical next steps to take to address these challenges. Plus, Amy got to sit down with Jonathan Smith, lead pastor of OneChurch.to in Toronto and one of the newest members of our consulting team. Drawing from years of experience, he shares some best practices for hiring and promoting from within the congregation. This Episode is Sponsored By DonorBox:  This Christmas season could be your biggest fundraising opportunity: church attendance often doubles and generosity surges. Donorbox Live Kiosk ensures you won't miss a single gift. No cash? No problem. Your congregants can tap, swipe, or use their phone to donate instantly. Automatically capture contact information, send tax receipts, and even set up recurring gifts. Join 100,000 organizations raising billions with Donorbox. Try Live Kiosk free at donorbox.org/unstuckpodcast    Join the Conversation on Social Media We use hashtag #unstuckchurch on X and on Instagram. 

On this week's episode of Hands-On Tech, how do you prevent your Mac from automatically falling asleep to conduct overnight backups? Mikah Sargent shares some third-party apps that will do just that! Host: Mikah Sargent Download or subscribe to Hands-On Tech at https://twit.tv/shows/hands-on-tech Want access to the ad-free video and exclusive features? Become a member of Club TWiT today! https://twit.tv/clubtwit Club TWiT members can discuss this episode and leave feedback in the Club TWiT Discord.

On this week's episode of Hands-On Tech, how do you prevent your Mac from automatically falling asleep to conduct overnight backups? Mikah Sargent shares some third-party apps that will do just that! Host: Mikah Sargent Download or subscribe to Hands-On Tech at https://twit.tv/shows/hands-on-tech Want access to the ad-free video and exclusive features? Become a member of Club TWiT today! https://twit.tv/clubtwit Club TWiT members can discuss this episode and leave feedback in the Club TWiT Discord.

On this week's episode of Hands-On Tech, how do you prevent your Mac from automatically falling asleep to conduct overnight backups? Mikah Sargent shares some third-party apps that will do just that! Host: Mikah Sargent Download or subscribe to Hands-On Tech at https://twit.tv/shows/hands-on-tech Want access to the ad-free video and exclusive features? Become a member of Club TWiT today! https://twit.tv/clubtwit Club TWiT members can discuss this episode and leave feedback in the Club TWiT Discord.

On this week's episode of Hands-On Tech, how do you prevent your Mac from automatically falling asleep to conduct overnight backups? Mikah Sargent shares some third-party apps that will do just that! Host: Mikah Sargent Download or subscribe to Hands-On Tech at https://twit.tv/shows/hands-on-tech Want access to the ad-free video and exclusive features? Become a member of Club TWiT today! https://twit.tv/clubtwit Club TWiT members can discuss this episode and leave feedback in the Club TWiT Discord.

-Rockstar Games has announced that Grand Theft Auto VI has been delayed once again to November 19, 2026. The open world game was previously delayed from its 2025 launch window to a May 2026 release earlier this year. -SpaceX is acquiring more spectrum licenses from EchoStar in exchange for about $2.6 billion worth of shares in Elon Musk's aerospace company. The transaction is an expansion of the $17 billion deal struck between the companies in September. -Amazon just introduced an AI tool that will automatically translate books into other languages. The appropriately-named Kindle Translate is being advertised as a resource for authors that self publish on the platform. The company says the tool can translate entire books between English and Spanish and German to English. Amazon promises that more languages are coming down the pike. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In this week's episode of the Rich Habits Podcast, Robert Croak and Austin Hankwitz answer your questions!---

Church growth is exciting…until it creates problems you've never had to solve before. This is the tension of leadership: growth always brings complexity. And yet, when you're prepared, growth doesn't have to lead to burnout or stuckness. With the right decisions about space, staff, systems and strategy, you can create a sustainable path forward. We're kicking off a new series called "Growing Church Problems." We're unpacking the real, practical challenges leaders are facing, starting with: How do you make wise decisions about service times and facilities before you're boxed in? In this episode, Sean and Amy discuss the common signs you're starting to outgrow your current space, how to evaluate new service times and practical next steps to take when you're ready to make changes to your space and service times.    This Episode is Sponsored By DonorBox:  This Christmas season could be your biggest fundraising opportunity: church attendance often doubles and generosity surges. Donorbox Live Kiosk ensures you won't miss a single gift. No cash? No problem. Your congregants can tap, swipe, or use their phone to donate instantly. Automatically capture contact information, send tax receipts, and even set up recurring gifts. Join 100,000 organizations raising billions with Donorbox. Try Live Kiosk free at donorbox.org/unstuckpodcast    Join the Conversation on Social Media We use hashtag #unstuckchurch on X and on Instagram. 

In this week's episode of the Rich Habits Podcast, Robert Croak and Austin Hankwitz share the headlines sitting at the top of the Rich Habits Radar. OpenAI's rumored 2026 / 2027 $1 Trillion IPO, the Fed's decision to potentially pause rate cuts in December, and Trump's trade deal with China. ---

In this week's episode of the Rich Habits Podcast, Robert Croak and Austin Hankwitz answer your questions!---

Snag Our Simplified Budget System!Here's why most budgets fail: they're manual. Every week, you're trying to remember what's due, what's left, and what you were supposed to transfer. The more hands-on your budget is, the more likely you'll skip a step, make a mistake, or just run out of time.But what if your budget could run automagically? ✨In this laugh-out-loud episode, Shayna and Vanessa show you how to set up your bank so it becomes your personal assistant — moving money to the right place at the right time without you lifting a finger.With the help of one of the funniest metaphors we've ever had (spoiler: it involves curling irons and teenage daughters

Welcome to another Rookie Reply, where Tony J Robinson and Ashley Kehr answer questions from the BiggerPockets Forums and Real Estate Rookie Facebook group. This time, we're covering questions like: How to handle banking and bookkeeping for your rentals What if you can't find a deal? Should I buy this deal? with income and expense breakdown Looking to invest? Need answers? Ask your question here! Check out more resources from this show on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠BiggerPockets.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.biggerpockets.com/blog/rookie-631 Interested in learning more about today's sponsors or becoming a BiggerPockets partner yourself? Email ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠advertise@biggerpockets.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this week's episode of the Rich Habits Radar, Robert Croak and Austin Hankwitz talk about Amazon's plan to replace 600,000 employees with robots, the Trump Administration's newest stock picks, and Tesla's inflection point for Optimus. ---

In this week's episode of the Rich Habits Podcast, Robert Croak and Austin Hankwitz answer your questions!---

Send us a textIn episode 69 of Podcasts Suck, Sebastian Rusk dives into the struggle of cold outreach—those awkward DMs and ignored emails we all dread. They reveal why traditional outreach no longer works and introduce the Podcast Invite Strategy, a smarter way to build real connections and attract your audience naturally.Tune in for insights on how to shift your approach to outreach and build meaningful connections in the podcasting space.TIMESTAMPS[00:01:09] Cold outreach is broken.[00:05:23] Trust marketing and podcasting.QUOTES"Cold outreach is broken. It's outdated. It's pushy. It's a bad first impression with a side of desperation.""When trust comes first, the sale becomes a conversation, not a chase."==========================Need help launching your podcast?Schedule a Free Podcast Strategy Call TODAY!PodcastLaunchLabNow.com==========================SOCIAL MEDIA LINKSInstagram: Instagram.com/PodcastsSUCKFacebook: Facebook.com/sruskLinkedIn: LinkedIn.com/in/sebastianrusk/YouTube: Youtube.com/@PodcastLaunchLab==========================Take the quiz now! https://podcastquiz.online/==========================Need Money For Your Business? Our Friends at Closer Capital can help! Click here for more info: PodcastsSUCK.com/money==========================

In this week's episode of the Rich Habits Podcast, Robert Croak and Austin Hankwitz are joined by Bilal Little, the Director of Exchange Traded Products at the New York Stock Exchange. Bilal uncovered headline-worthy statistics surrounding ETFs, as well as shared his own definition of "diversification" when it comes to investing. ---

Topics covered in this episode: * djrest2 -* A small and simple REST library for Django based on class-based views. Github CLI caniscrape - Know before you scrape. Analyze any website's anti-bot protections in seconds. *

In this week's episode of the Rich Habits Radar, Robert Croak and Austin Hankwitz walk through the bull market entering it's fourth year, the $1.5T bet on America, and the new Apple tabletop smart device slated to launch in 2026. ---✅ Ready to start investing? Open a brokerage account on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Public.com/richhabits⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and get a FREE 1% match on all IRA deposits, transfers, and rollovers!---‼️ Have feedback to share? Please let us a comment on Spotify! We're excited to mold these new weekly episodes to be exactly what our listeners want. ---

In this week's episode of the Rich Habits Podcast, Robert Croak and Austin Hankwitz answer your questions!Thank you all SO much for leaving such kind comments last week on our 100th Q&A episode, we're incredibly grateful to have so many of you that come back every week to listen to our show. ---

This episode of the Tactical Living Podcast, hosted by Coach Ashlie Walton and Sergeant Clint Walton, takes a raw look at one of the most common survival tools in first responder culture (Amazon Affiliate): emotional containment. In the field, shutting down your feelings can keep you sharp, focused, and alive. But at home, that same survival skill can quietly dismantle relationships and leave you feeling disconnected from the people who matter most. 1. Why Emotional Containment Is Rewarded on the Job In high-stakes environments, suppressing emotions allows for clear decision-making. Staying calm under pressure earns respect and trust from peers and the public. 2. The Cost of Carrying It Home What works in chaos becomes damaging in calm environments. Emotional shutdown at home can look like detachment, irritability, or disinterest. Loved ones often interpret this as rejection, not protection. 3. The Cumulative Toll on Relationships Over time, partners and children may stop seeking emotional connection. Emotional distance leads to miscommunication, resentment, and eventual isolation. Containment that once kept you safe can make you feel like a stranger in your own home. 4. Recognizing When Containment Has Become Habit Difficulty identifying or naming your own emotions. Automatically minimizing others' feelings to avoid discomfort. Feeling flat or numb even during joyful moments. 5. Steps to Safely Reopen Emotion Without Losing Control Create decompression rituals between work and home to transition gradually. Practice vulnerability in small doses with people you trust. Use journaling or counseling to process what you've suppressed. Let loved ones know that your distance isn't disinterest—it's habit, not heart. Remember that feeling your emotions doesn't make you unsafe—it makes you human.

In this week's episode of the Rich Habits Radar, Robert Croak and Austin Hankwitz break down OpenAI's $100B deal with AMD, the newly-released 2026 tax bracket, and the recent rise in foreclosures. ---✅ Ready to start investing? Open a brokerage account on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Public.com/richhabits⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and get a FREE 1% match on all IRA deposits, transfers, and rollovers!---‼️ Have feedback to share? Please let us a comment on Spotify! We're excited to mold these new weekly episodes to be exactly what our listeners want. ---

In this week's episode of the Rich Habits Podcast, Robert Croak and Austin Hankwitz answer your questions!---

Luke's HAARP Time Warp: Part 12 The lover's spat. Based on a post by somethin fishy, in 15 parts. Listen to the Podcast at Explicit Novels. Chapter 56. Luke was anxious to get home. Everyone just assumed that he just wanted to get home to fuck his hot girlfriend and even hotter wife and he did have to admit that was part of the reason. Okay a big part. The main reason though was that he knew that they were scheduled for invasion soon and from the spies that Marion had sent into Norway, he knew that the historical invasion was still on track. Luke wanted to get back so that they could get ready for it. Before he could leave though, he had to deal with some more rebellious nobles. This time they had acquired some firearms on the black market. Fortunately for Luke's army; the nobles didn't know how to use the guns they had gotten and they also didn't have any way to get more ammunition for them. Some of them had managed to get the secret to making gun powder, but because Luke's guns required a primer to fire them; the nobles still couldn't use them beyond the limited use of the very small number of primers that they had managed to steal. This was one of the reasons that Luke had made these firearms, in the first place, and not simpler muzzleloaders. Luke won the battle easily but it had cost him almost one hundred dead and almost twice that wounded. The only good thing that came out of the battle was that the last of the rebellious nobles had been killed. After the battle, Luke started his march back to York. Since it was the middle of summer, he kept the march at a slower pace and made sure that his army had plenty of water and rest. The last thing he wanted to do was to cause his soldiers to suffer from heat exhaustion, especially when there was no pressing reason that they needed to hurry to York. So, Luke and the army took their time going back. They stopped to help build difficult sections of road and to occasionally help farmers with their chores. In the end, a march that could have been done in a couple of days, ended up taking two weeks. The plus side was that support for Marion had been shored up in the region and Luke knew that in the near future, that would prove vital. He knew that support for Marion was still very shaky and he suspected that most of her support was because people feared him. One day he hoped that people would support her for her but he feared that this was still a long way off. The sight when they got back to York left most of them speechless, for the city had changed drastically in the month and a half that they had been gone. All the streets were now paved, with concrete, with trees and flowers planted along the sides. New streets had been laid out and were in the process of having either their sewers put in or were being paved. New buildings made of brick and concrete were going up everywhere it seemed. The biggest difference though was the sheer number of people present in the city. They were everywhere and they all seemed to be doing some job. The biggest surprise they got though was from Marion herself; for she ordered that the army march right through the center of town and to assemble in the castle courtyard. Luke paused the army outside of York for an hour or so, so that the soldiers had a chance to clean up a bit and look their best. He made sure that he also got cleaned up as well. The route to the castle was packed with civilians who had all turned out to cheer for their army. Finally, it was time; and Luke had the band led the way, into the city, but the crowd was so loud that barely anyone could even hear the band. Luke estimated that every one of his soldiers probably gained five pounds from all the flowers they got. On the way in Luke had even observed a Jewish synagogue being built with the help of some of the Christian pastors of the city. Although Luke didn't really like religion all that much, he did approve of everyone being allowed to be open with their faith and practice it in peace. When the army got to the castle gates, they swung open to reveal Marion and Gabriel standing there, in uniform, to personally welcome the soldiers back home. Anyone that had any doubts as to Marion's ability to be a great leader, had them put to rest that day; for Marion proved that not only was she an excellent administrator but also that she was extremely popular with not only her troops but also the population as a whole. By now everyone had accepted her and Gabriel as a couple when the general wasn't in town. When he was in town, every straight leaning guy between puberty and dead was jealous of him because he had two of the most beautiful and intelligent women to share his bed with every night. Since Luke had been about halfway back in the parade, it took him a while before Marion got to him. When she did, everyone watching expected that she would jump into his arms. Instead, Luke snapped to attention and gave one of the crispest salutes that anyone had ever seen. “General MacDougall and army returning to York as ordered, ma'am.” Marion returned his salute, “On behalf of the people of York I am pleased to welcome you and your troops back to York. You, your troops, and their families are all invited to a banquet this evening. The doors to the banquet hall will open at eighteen-thirty hours and will remain open until all the food and drink are gone.” Everyone in the army was stunned from Luke on down. There had been no news about a banquet. In addition, everyone was stunned by this display for they were sure that Luke would be greeted by his wife; instead, he was greeted by Marion of York, his commander. Luke was actually glad that Marion had done this for this would help reinforce her position as the military's commander-in-chief. Personally, though he was pissed about the banquet, for he wanted to do nothing more that night than rock his beautiful wife's world all night long. For tomorrow he had paperwork to do. Luke turned to the troops once Marion had finished. “Due to the banquet everyone has a forty-eight-hour leave starting at seventeen hundred hours this afternoon. Attention! Dismissed!” The troops started making their way to the barracks so that they could get their gear stored away and they could be ready for leave. Luke still had hours of work ahead of him though. Reports had to be filed, casualty list had to be updated, supplies had to be inventoried and new supplies had to be requisitioned. All this Luke had to get done before he could go on leave. So as the troops headed toward their barracks; he headed for his office for hours of paperwork. ‘Yippy, and now I have that damn banquet to go to tonight.' thought Luke as he walked toward his office. When he tried to unlock his office door, his key wouldn't work. “What the fuck?” Luke said to himself. He was now starting to get really pissed off and was actually wishing that he was still in the field. He would have used his old-fashioned door opener but when he had designed the door, he made it so that it was virtually impossible to force the door open without a tank or explosives. Plan C was to pick the lock but his tools were in his chambers. “Well fuck me.” Luke grumbled as he headed to his chamber to get his tools for, he really wanted to get the paperwork done so that he could actually, hopefully, enjoy a couple days off. Luke was in for another surprise when he got back into his chamber for, he found that his dress uniform was laid out with a note. “Why can't I just get my fucking work done?” growled Luke as he picked up the note: “Luke, make sure to wear your dress uniform this evening. I changed the lock on your office door so that you can't lock yourself in your office and I have hidden your tools so that you can't pick the lock. Gabriel will come by to get you at eighteen hundred so make sure that you are ready. I promise you that it will be worth it. Your loving wife, Marion” “Fuck! Fuck! Fuck!” Luke screamed as he sent his fist through a nearby door. Now because of Marion he would have to spend a good chunk of his days off catching up on paperwork. He hated when people did this to him for, he was one of those people who hated to procrastinate. Luke looked out one of their windows at the brand-new clock tower outside. It said that it was fifteen thirty. ‘Fuck, how the hell am I going to kill two and a half hours?' he thought. ‘Well, I guess I can try out the shower that Marion has been writing about so much'. Luke stripped down and went into their bathroom. He turned on the water and was surprised at just how well it worked. The shower helped him unwind a bit, but he was still aggravated enough that little Luke didn't rise at all which was odd for bath time. He turned the water off, dried off, and collapsed in bed. It had been well over a month since he had been in a comfortable bed so he passed out really quickly despite being pissed. Chapter 57. After Marion had given her troops the news about the banquet, she and Gabriel retreated back into the castle. “Did you hide Luke's tools?” asked Marion. “Yep, I highly doubt that he will find them for they are in his office and you have the only key around your neck.” “Okay just make sure to get him this evening for I willing to bet that he lays down to take a nap and I want to make sure that he sees me tonight.” “Oh dearie, you worry too much!” Exclaimed Gabriel with a giggle. The ladies were headed to the kitchen to check on this evening's meal. There was a large number of things that they still needed to take care of before the banquet, but with all the help that they had, they were confident that everything would be ready. Dinner would be a choice of pork, chicken, or beef that had been prepared several different ways. Sides would be vegetables and drinks would be ale, wine, or whiskey. After checking on the food, which was coming along nicely; they went to work on all their other chores that had to be done before they could go and start getting ready. It was about five thirty when they headed off to Pollyanna's chambers to get ready. They had left their clothes there so that Marion could surprise Luke, plus it was more fun to get ready with good friends. Granted they didn't have that much to do: just get a quick shower, put on some light make-up, get dressed, then fix up their hair. When they got there, Pollyanna was already getting ready. She had now returned to her former vigorous self after getting beaten and giving birth to twins. When Marion and Gabriel walked in, Pollyanna was naked and Matt was napping for the campaign had worn him out too. The ladies stayed as quiet as they could so that they wouldn't wake Matt up. Marion had almost forgot just how beautiful Pollyanna was with her warm brown eyes and almost black hair. Her skin was white as snow which really made her pubic hair stand out for it was as black as the hair on her head. She did keep it trimmed for if she didn't it would turn into something of a jungle. Her tits were in the D cup neighborhood and her nipples were still swollen and darker brown than usual. Gabriel and Marion both took quick showers so that they would be clean for this evening. After their showers, they slipped on their dresses. All three had been working on their dresses for a couple of weeks in secret. They had used pictures so Luke's sister in formal wear as inspiration. Marion had a long blue dress that was a halter top and had a slit on both sides that ran up to her mid-thigh. Gabriel's was about the same but hers was bright red. Pollyanna's was strapless and black, since she had the biggest pair, she was able to pull off the strapless look while Gabriel and Marion went backless because they had smaller tits. This is why they all hid their dresses from Matt and Luke. They wanted their men to drool over them and to remind all the other men of what they couldn't have. Alice wasn't present because she had patients that she refused to leave. Marion, Gabriel, and Pollyanna had all tried to convince Alice that she needed to get away for an evening with Marion even having a beautiful green dress made for her, but Alice wouldn't budge. She was proving to be an extremely devoted doctor and would gladly give up her personal life to help her patients. Another reason that she didn't want to go was that neither her or her fiancé were much of the party animal and Alice much preferred to send a quiet evening with him to one of people eating and getting drunk. Her fiancé however did ask her to wear the dress for him. Alice told him: “I will gladly wear it for our wedding and after that for parties, but not before.” That was her last word on the subject and her fiancé knew better then try and push her on it. As promised, Gabriel went to wake Luke up at six and was surprised to find him already up. He was wearing an old pair of pants and standing in the window. “Good evening Colonel.” Luke said in an extremely dry voice. “Seriously, Luke. Why so formal?” “Why not? I can't get any fucking work done.” Now it was Gabriel's turn to get pissed “Now listen here, Luke. And you listen well. Marion put a lot of effort into this and you Are going to go! End of discussion! Now get your dress uniform on!” Luke just stood there and didn't move a single muscle. “Luke!” Gabriel screamed “What The Fuck Is Wrong With You?” “Well let's see here.” Luke responded calmly “All I wanted to do when I got back was to get my paperwork done so that I could actually enjoy a couple of days off. Now thanks to you and Marion, I will have to spend a good chunk of tomorrow catching up on paperwork. I would have shot the lock out except I didn't want the hassle of putting a new one in. Now please leave me alone.” “Fuck no! Get dressed or it will be a long time before you get laid again!” “I don't need to get laid to survive, Gabriel.” Gabriel was now fuming. How could Luke even think of refusing Marion after all the work that she had done to surprise him with everything. She stormed out the door, slamming it shut. On her way back, Gabriel literally ran into Pollyanna and Matt. After explaining why she was beyond pissed, Matt told her: “Better let me talk to him first before you go off halfcocked Gabriel. After all I have been campaigning with him continuously for the last month and a half.” “Fine but hurry. The party is about to start and Marion is expecting Luke to be there.” The three of them walked back to Luke's chambers. Matt knocked before he entered, finding Luke still in front of the window. He signaled the women to stay in the hall and be quiet. “You know that you really pissed Gabriel off, right Luke?” “She's a big girl. She'll get over it.” Luke responded flatly. “Okay what gives, Luke? I've never seen you pissed like this.” “Oh, you really don't want to go there.” “If I didn't, I wouldn't have asked.” Luke took a deep breath and slowly let it out. “Pull up a seat Matt.” Luke stated as he turned around. After Matt had sat down, Luke started. “Do you know how much paperwork has to be done to keep the army running smoothly?” Matt was taken off guard at this “Ah no, I do not.” “Thought not. After getting back this afternoon I probably had about five hours of work to do. Causality list needs updated. Inventory list needs updated. Requisitions need to be filled out so that the army can get more supplies. Spy reports need read and digested so that we don't face more surprises like in that last battle. Always remember Matt that an army without spies is at best half blind. I mean the list is endless. I had planned on spending the rest of today on this so that I could actually take a day off tomorrow and relax a bit with nothing that needs done and spend the next day casually catching up. Now I won't get that day off for I still have that five hours of work to do plus the work from tomorrow, so now I will probably be stuck working all day, just to keep up. It wouldn't have been so bad but Marion changed the lock on my office so that I couldn't even get at least some work done before the fucking party.” “Wow; but I'm guessing that is only part of it, right?” “You know me so well that it's almost terrifying. Yes, that is only part of it; just think of it as the last straw. I have been getting worried for months now that Marion will start sipping back into her old upper-class habits and I'm horrified that she is. She's changed so much from the woman that I fell in love with that half the time I'm afraid that I don't even know her anymore. The shift in her attitude has been gradual but being forced to attend this party without even taking into consideration on what I had planned was the last straw. She has been treating me less then equal for quite some time now despite everything that I have done for her. I was always a bit afraid of this; that she would go slip back into thinking like a boneheaded noble instead of thinking like a person.” “Oh, come on man, it's not that bad, and you're sounding more than a bit petty right now.” Luke just gave him a hard stare. “As far as me being petty about this whole thing, you're right, I am and yes I know that. Also you damn well know that I don't stand for men treating woman less than them, why should I stand for some fucking noble treating me like I'm less than them.” “Because the noble in question is your wife and for some reason, she loves you although right now I don't know why.” “That just makes it worse because she knows my history and she knows what makes me tick. She just flat out doesn't care anymore. Now if you will kindly excuse me, I have a letter to write and then I have to pack.” Matt was now terrified for Luke was in many ways the glue which held the army together. He rushed out nearly running the woman over for they had been trying to listen through the door. “We need to get Marion down here Now!” Matt said over his shoulder as he ran. “I think Luke is about to resign and leave.” Gabriel was dumbfounded. Why would Luke throw away everything that he had over a party? Matt rushed to catch Marion before she could make her entrance to the party for, she would be much harder to get out then. He just barely managed to catch her and he told her everything about what Luke and him had talked about. She rushed back to her and Luke's chambers after asking Matt, Pollyanna, and Gabriel to stay behind. This was something that her and Luke would have to sort out for themselves. On her way back she was going through just about every emotion possible starting with: ‘How dare he do this to me after everything I have done?' to ‘Is he actually serious?' to ‘What the fuck will I do without him?' Marion barged into the room just as Luke had finished the letter and had signed it. “Hello, Marion. I figured that you would send one for your lackeys down here” “Damn It Luke! You know me better than that.” “Do I? I'm not so sure anymore, and since Matt has probably told you everything that we talked about, why don't we just skip the bull. I still need to pack.” “Luke, Look At Me!” Luke didn't “Damn It Luke, When I Say Look At Me, You Look At Me!” Luke just shook his head as he continued to pack his original backpack with everything that he would be needing. “You know I find it amazing that you know what my problem is, and yet all you do is reinforce my position. Don't pull that stunt on the battlefield here in a couple of months Marion of York or you will be smashed.” He had purposely added her formal name as a kind of last-minute reminder. Luke still faintly hoped that he and Marion could work things out but that hope was getting dimmer by the second. “If you try to leave, I will have you arrested!” “Then you had better call the guards, Cecilia, for I will only be here for another couple of minutes.” “I'm Marion You Brainless Peasant, Not My Bitch Sister!” Marion screamed. Luke just looked calmly at her and squinted. “Sorry about that but I'm having a really difficult time telling the two of you apart.” With that he zipped up his backpack and threw it over his shoulder. “I wish you luck, Marion of York, for you will be needing it.” Marion was about to issue a retort to that. She wasn't her evil sister, but something stopped her. Luke had given her the same look that he had always given Cecilia. It wasn't the look of love or lust. It was the look to see how easily he could kill her if he had to. The realization of what was going on struck Marion so hard that she felt like she had just jumped off the top of the castle. She Was slowly turning into Cecilia. Slowly she was turning her back on what had made her army so strong in the first place and what had delivered it so many victories. That something, was treating everyone as the person they are. Not by what gender they were or what family they were born into but who they were. Cecilia had believed that since she was of noble stock that she could do anything she wanted. That she could just order people around like they were her livestock or worse furniture. Marion collapsed where she stood and broke out into tears. Through her tears, she could see that Luke had stopped in front of her. Slowly she looked up at him. The look that greeted her told her that Luke thought that she was acting and that she wasn't fooling him. Again, she was about to tear him a new one, but again something deep inside her stopped her. Quickly examining it, she found that the thing that had stopped her was her absolute love for Luke. He had rescued her from certain death after all. He had treated her as an equal person despite that fact that she was a woman and here she was starting to treat him as if he were someone who had to follow her no questions asked. Luke started to step around her so that he could leave. “Please Luke. Please stay. Please?” She looked up at his eyes through her tear-filled ones and she could see that she still had some distance to go yet for he wasn't convinced yet. “I know now what I have been becoming and for that I am truly sorry darling. It doesn't do anyone any good if I become the very people that we have been kicking out of power for the power to rule truly belongs to all people. It is up to them who rules over them and what laws are enabled. If the ones in power though get too powerful, even if it's only in their own minds then they quickly become tyrants and will destroy everything; even though they believe that they are doing good.” She continued; “Please Luke, forgive me for I forget what we had to fight against. One other thing I know is that I won't be able to continue on if I were to lose you. You are truly irreplaceable in my heart.” With this she bowed her head again and sobbed freely. Tears ran down her cheeks and left streaks through her make-up but she didn't care. She then felt a large calloused hand gently caress her cheek and she looked up. Luke was on his knees in front of her so that he could look straight into her eyes. She could barely see him for her eyes were so filled with tears though. Gently, ever so gently he pulled her head forward and she responded. Their lips met and Marion could swear that her heart would burst for she now knew that they would make it through this and in the end that was all that mattered to her. Chapter 58. Luke gently picked her up off the floor and made sure that her feet were underneath her before he let her go. As he had picked her up, she lowered her head for she was so ashamed of what she had almost done. Luke ever so gently put his fingers under her chin to lift her head back up. As she lifted her head to face him, he slid his hand back along her jawline and stopped only once his fingers were buried in her hair. Automatically and without thinking about it, Marion stood up on her toes while Luke bent down. What followed was one of the most passionate kisses that they had ever experienced. Marion felt like her lungs had been emptied of air but she was in no hurry to breath for breathing would have meant pausing this kiss and that was the last thing on her mind. Her tongue forced its way into Luke's mouth and began to wrestle with his for space. Suddenly the room felt like it was on fire to Marion. As her hands began to roam Luke's body, there was a knock at the door. ‘Damn it' she thought “Yes, what is it?” She called out. “It's Gabriel dearie, it's time for your entrance.” “Fuck!” said Luke and Marion together. “Fine but you had better come in for I'm going to need some help to get presentable in a hurry.” When Gabriel saw Marion, she rushed to her side. “Marion, what happened?!?! What the fuck did that bastard do to you?” Marion shot a quick glance to her husband telling him to keep quiet and that she would handle this. Luke shrugged and went to get dressed. “Nothing is wrong Gabriel. It's just that I have forgotten just who I am and what we have been fighting for all this time. Fortunately, Luke took the time to remind me before he took off.” “So, is he?” At this point Luke cleared his throat from the door way. He had the letter that he had wrote in his hand. He didn't say anything but he ripped the letter in two and threw it in the fireplace. Marion and Gabriel smiled at each other for they both loved Luke, but Gabriel knew that she would have to apologize for her behavior. It ashamed her to think that she had treated Luke worse than Marion had. She walked into where Luke was getting dressed and was met by the sight of Luke pulling his pants up over his muscular ass. Gabriel's pussy responded as it usually did when she saw Luke without clothes on, but this time she firmly told her pussy to shut up for she had important business to attend to. “Luke?” she squeaked “Yes?” “I would like to apolog...” That was as far as she got. “Stop. Never apologize for it's a sign of weakness.” “But...” Luke just turned and looked at her. She swallowed hard and nodded. Marion in the meanwhile had walked into the bathroom to fix her make-up. “Gabriel” she called out “Can you help me with this so we can get going?” “Coming.” By the time the ladies had fixed themselves back up, Luke was ready to go too. He made an absolutely dashing figure in his dress uniform with his medals on his chest and highly polished sword handing from his hip. Bright white pants, black polished shoes, bright blue jacket with polished brass buttons and red trim, a white hat with a polished black rim, and white gloves finished off the uniform. For the time being since he was inside, his hat was in the crook of his left arm. Instead of his familiar eagle, globe, and anchor insignia on it though, Marion had placed a lion that was reared up on its hind legs. He had to admit that she had good taste. When Luke saw the women come out of the bathroom, he forgot how to breathe. When they had their make-up, hair, and gowns fixed, the ladies were breathtaking. They could almost feel Luke's eyes tracing every one of their curves and they thoroughly enjoyed the feeling. They enjoyed the stunned look on his face even more. Luke was suddenly glad that he wasn't a cartoon character for his jaw would have hit the floor and his tongue would have unrolled. They walked up to him and Marion asked: “General?” Luke remembers suddenly where he was and who he was. He fixed his hat on his head and offered both woman an arm which they promptly took. They walked like this all the way to the great hall and they were only a couple of minutes late when they arrived. As they were entering, they were announced: “Marion Of York, General Luke Macdougall, Colonel Gabriel” Everyone in the hall froze and looked at the trio. Luke could see that a number of the men blushed a bit and turned their hips to face another direction while Gabriel and Marion noticed that the women's cheeks got a bit redder. So, the three of them entered, each stunning in their own way. Once they had entered, the music started and Gabriel went to find some drinks. Luke and Marion just looked at one another and without saying a word started dancing. Marion got one hell of a surprise after the first dance finished for Alice walked up wearing the green dress that Marion had made for her. Marion glanced at Luke and noticed that his eyes were fully dilated for Alice was beyond stunning. Her green dress perfectly offset her fire red hair, emerald green eyes, and flawless snow-white skin. Another reason that Luke's eyes were dilated was that Alice reminded him of someone from his past, someone that he had loved completely, someone that he hadn't told anyone about. Marion gave her a little hug, just to say hello. Alice had decided to show up after all, because her fiancé had some unexpected business that he had to attend to and all of her patients were in good shape at the hospital. Luke bowed deeply to her and Marion giggled. The three of them talked for a little bit until Gabriel returned with drinks for everyone. She had seen Alice approach so she had got a drink for Alice as well. The ladies all had wine, while Luke had whiskey that his still had been making. Normally it was distilled further for medical uses but Marion had diverted enough off for the party this evening. The party turned out to be really enjoyable for everyone there. The food, drink, and music were all excellent. Luke danced mostly with Marion, but he did dance a few fast and slow songs with Gabriel and even a couple with both Pollyanna and Alice. When Luke was off dancing with Pollyanna and Alice; Marion and Gabriel danced a few songs together. They even danced a few with Matt as well. By the time the party was done it was one am the next morning. Everyone was happy but tired. Luke, Marion, and Gabriel escorted Pollyanna and Matt back to their chambers where Marion and Gabriel gave both Pollyanna and Matt parting hugs. Luke gave Matt a firm handshake and kissed Pollyanna's hand much to her delight. They then parted company and the three of them went back to their own chambers. When they got there Luke stopped, he then suddenly picked Marion up, and carried her in with her laughing the whole way. Gabriel smiled warmly at seeing her two favorite people back to getting along. Luke carried Marion all the way to their bed. He didn't need to stop and light any of the lamps for there was enough moonlight coming through the windows to light the bedroom up just enough. He gently laid her out on the bed and Marion smiled up at him. He threw his hat across the room and Marion started working on Luke's jacket buttons. As she was working on his buttons, he was kissing her softly, not only on her lips but also on her neck. As Marion got Luke's jacket off, Luke found the knot that held her halter top up and untied it. Gently, ever so gently, his rough hands slide down under Marion's dress and slowly pushed it down as Marion continued to undress Luke. By this time, she had become an expert at unfastening men's belts and quickly had her hands exploring the inside of his pants. As her hands found Luke's cock, his found her tits. He used a feather light touch that caused electricity to flow into Marion's body. Her level of excitement started to skyrocket and she began to rub little Luke faster. Luke moved his mouth down from Marion's neck and gently blew across both her nipples them making them rock hard. As Luke blew across her nipples, Marion began to moan loudly and her hips began to thrust up on their own; her hands were now wrapped around Luke's head with her fingers burying themselves in his hair to keep his lips where they were at. He began to lick and kiss her tits tenderly and this was really driving Marion wild. Of course, it helped that Luke was still slowly pushing Marion's dress down and by now he was down to her waist. He then stopped pushing her dress down and started to run his fingers across Marion's stomach so lightly that she almost couldn't feel them. By now her pussy felt like it had a river running out of it and she was rubbing her legs together just to try and get some relief. Luke caught on to this and he shifted so that he could hold her legs still. This forced the electricity that Marion was feeling to build up for it now had no escape. She just couldn't believe how intense her feelings were at the moment and Luke hadn't even reached her delicate flower yet; hell, he wasn't even close to it. She started having mini-orgasms that were hitting her body so fast that she wasn't sure if it was multiple orgasms or just one really long lasting one. Luke had slowed down just enough for Marion's brain to temporary take back control of her body so that she could get the rest of Luke's clothes off. As she threw the last of his clothes off, she pushed Luke over on his back. She was going to take this chance to show Luke just how much she loved him. She started off by wiggling her hips a bit so that her dress fell off. Then it was time for her to start nibbling on and kissing Luke's chiseled body for with all his campaigning he now had a body that would have made a Greek god envious. As Marion was kissing his body, Luke was gently running one of his hands through Marion's golden hair for he loved the feeling of her silky hair slipping between his fingers. Marion worked her way down Luke's body making sure to check every part of it. It took her a little bit but she finally reached his rock-hard cock. She kissed her way around the base and then kissed her way up the shaft. She loved how the skin was so soft but his cock as a whole was so hard. His veins hadn't popped yet but Marion was just getting started. She kissed all around his helmet before she kissed the very tip. This caused Luke's cock to jump suddenly. Marion could taste the precum and she felt like she was stealing the food of the Gods for she loved the taste so much. She then took Luke's entire cock into her mouth much to his surprise gently pushed it into her throat. This was something that she had been practicing secretly on with her strap-on so that she could take his entire cock without gagging. As she was bobbing up and down on Luke's shaft, he was barely able to pick Marion up and swing her pussy up, over his mouth, which he attacked fiercely. He ran his rough tongue over her clit causing her to gasp. He worked up and down her slit making sure to send his tongue running up into her cunt and between her swollen lips. As Marion moaned with Luke's cock in her mouth, the vibrations sent Luke higher and higher. He began to thrust up into Marion's throat and she could feel his cock get harder still. With her tongue she could feel the veins pops up on his shaft and she knew that it wouldn't be long now. Luke knew that he was getting close so he moved up and sucked Marion's clit between his teeth. She reacted exactly how he expected by exploding all over Luke's face. This was more than Luke could take and he blew his load down Marion's throat. After a couple of shots, she moved her head back slightly and she took the rest of his cum in her mouth. She moved it back and forth across her tongue before she swallowed it. By this time both of their bodies were covered in a sheen of sweat that made their bodies glisten in the moon light. Marion slowly got herself spun around and rested for a bit on Luke's strong chest as she listened to Luke's heart beat rhythmically and his lungs slowly expand and contract. She could barely keep her eyes open as she looked up at Luke's face and he looked down at her with his eyes full of love. Marion hoped that she would have that look burned into her memory forever. Luke moved his head down toward Marion and she got the point moving up to kiss him passionately. By listening to the other woman in the castle, she knew just how damn lucky she really was. Most of the other men barely lasted long enough to get their woman barely wet and they were usually let high and dry. Marion in the meanwhile was always satisfied and Luke always made sure that she would get at least one orgasm per romp and that was on a bad day. As Marion lay there, her hands began to move around again. They found Luke's cock and within minutes had Luke rock hard again. Marion straddled Luke before he could make any protest which he wasn't going to do anyway. As she moved down, Marion grabbed Luke's cock and guided it into its parking place. As Marion felt the tip slide in, she sat up and impaled herself slowly. Millimeter by millimeter she felt his cock slide deeper inside her until she felt Luke's hair mesh against her smooth mound. Slowly she rose up until all that was inside her was his tip. She repeated this for almost fifteen minutes. The objective wasn't to cum, it was to show their love for each other for the entire time her eyes never once left his. Marion's legs eventually started to tire so Luke rolled over putting him on top. He then started slowly pushing into her. When his pubes hit Marion's mound he pushed in at a different angle and this pushed him in even deeper. When he did this, she could feel his tip kissing her cervix and she just couldn't get enough of this. Marion started to roll her hips trying to make sure that that Luke's cock hit every part of her tight pussy. As they worked at each other, they slowly picked up speed. Then it happened, Luke slipped out and on his next thrust, his cock made contact with Marion's puckered hole. They both froze for a moment before Marion put her hands on Luke's ass to pull him in. To give himself a better angle, he took Marion's feet and put them up on his shoulders. This really opened her up to his assaults. It took Luke a few thrust but he was able to get his cock into Marion's super tight ass. She felt like she was being ripped apart but she would die before she would even think of telling Luke to stop. The feeling of his cock going into her ass sent her to new heights and these were made even higher when Luke used his nimble fingers to flick and rub her button. Marion lost all ability to function as she approached a massive orgasm. When Luke used his other hand to rub her nipples, Marion couldn't take it anymore. She screamed at the top of her lungs and sprayed all over as she shook violently. Luke felt like Marion's tight ass was going to cut his cock off, for when she started to scream, Luke felt her ass get even tighter yet. He made one last mighty thrust and as he growled and saw stars in his eyes, he sent a flood of hot cum deep into Marion's bowels. Slowly Luke pulled out of her ass and as he did, a white river ran out; but neither of them cared one bit. Luke collapsed next to her and noticed that Marion had passed out. He pulled her body to him and passed out himself before he could even get the cover over them. Sometime later, Gabriel walked by as she had to go bathroom for, she had been sleeping on a coach in one of the other rooms. She pulled the cover up over both of them and kissed both of them on their foreheads. Chapter 59. The next morning both Luke and Marion were sore from their extended sexcapades; in fact, Marion could barely walk and Luke's muscles were sore like they had not been in years. So, it didn't help matters any when Gabriel burst into the bedroom fresh as a daisy. Her chirping got moans and groans from both Marion and Luke. “It should be illegal for anyone to be that cheerful in the morning” complained Marion. “I second that motion” groined Luke. Gabriel ever looking for a chance to have some fun; skipped over to the window and threw back the curtains. Luke moaned in his misery as he grabbed a cover and drew it over his and Marion's head. It was already late in the morning and it was a bright day out. “Oh, you two are just complaining cause you're both getting old!” said Gabriel earning another moan from Luke and Marion threw an extra pillow at her. Gabriel then went into the bathroom and started the hot water for their tub. She figured that the warm water would help get Marion and Luke going again. Luke for one was really missing coffee at this moment. When he was a marine, he would almost drink coffee exclusively and while he had slowed down drastically as a civilian, he still liked to have a cup or two once in a while. Now he was feeling that he would do about anything for a cup, even a crappy cup. Gabriel came in from the bathroom and almost threw Marion and Luke out of bed. She frog-marched both of them into the bathroom where they slide into the warm water with moans of pleasure. When Gabriel had been forcing Marion into the bathroom, she hadn't missed that Marion's ass had dried rivers of cum coming out of it. Now Gabriel knew why Marion was so slow moving this morning and why she and Luke had been so noisy the night before. So now it was time to add insult to injury. Gabriel swatted Marion's ass, leaving a light red mark and getting a very loud yip from Marion. Gabriel then wrapped her arms around Marion's beautiful body: “What's wrong honey? Why is your ass so sore?” She asked in her innocent schoolgirl voice. “I'm guessing that you already know why my ass is sore. I will say this though, that is definitely not the last time we do that. I mean I wouldn't want having my ass fucked by Luke's monster every day but once in a while would be very nice.” Marion stated as she slid under the water. Luke and Marion stayed and soaked until the water was cold. The warm water had done wonders on their sore muscles and now it was time to start the day. Luke went down to his workshop to continue working an accurate watch. He already had made some that could keep time to within five minutes a day, but that wasn't anywhere close enough for him. He was after a chronograph so that when Marion got a navy, they could operate effectively at sea for months at a time. Also, it would allow the trains that were slowing getting more available to operate much more efficiently. He really enjoyed engineering and it helped him relax. He worked for a few hours before he went to find lunch and then it was time for his favorite activity; it was time to play with his daughter for a few hours. Mackenzie was growing rapidly and was starting to try to crawl. Luke just adored his daughter and Marion loved the look on his face when they played together. She loved it because he was at his absolute happiest when he played with their daughter. He would give her horsy rides around the room and tickle her and once she was tired, he would read to her while she fell asleep. This is what Luke truly missed while he was away on campaigns, he missed watching his daughter grow up and reading to her. When Marion told the other castle woman about Luke, they simply wouldn't believe her. It wasn't until they were able to peek into where Luke was playing with Mackenzie one afternoon that the other women started believing Marion. Marion had carefully watched Luke today as well. It warmed her heart to see her big, strong husband be so loving and gentle with their daughter. After a little while, she had to move away because she was quietly crying for, she was so awkward with children. She, of course, knew why she was so awkward around children. When she had been growing up, there wasn't that many other children in the castle and her own father ignored her most of the time. She was raised by an endless line of tutors and governesses. Many of the governesses also doubled as her father's whores at night. It was no wonder really that Cecilia had grown up so messed up. Marion herself had been weak and messed up as well until she met Luke. Moved by some force, Marion went to find Pollyanna to see how her book sales were coming along. Marion knew that sales were slowly picking up as more people learned how to read and write. The bible that Pollyanna printed was the best seller, especially since it was printed in English and not Latin. Unsurprisingly the biggest market for some of the more technical books was the small Jewish community. It had been a battle royal to get them to be more open and for her people to accept this. It helped that Luke was as powerful as he was and that he made it crystal clear to everyone that he wouldn't tolerate any discrimination of any kind from anyone. Marion having a number of court Jews also helped some, especially once Marion had instructed them to help teach the rest of the population how to read and write. Pollyanna's book business was beginning to expand and some of Luke's more technical books were now in more demand. Of course, the church labelled these books as heresy and at one time this would have frightened Marion badly, but now she laughed at the church and she made damn sure that the church knew all about her feelings of them. These books after all had begun to make a difference in ordinary people's lives, for the information they contained: helped farmers get better yields from their fields, they helped blacksmiths make better steel, they helped people learn how to read, and perhaps most important of all, they had taught Alice medicine and Pollyanna engineering. Since Marion had visited one of Pollyanna's enterprises, her next stop was to visit one of Alice's. At first, Alice had refused to make any money off of her medicines or medical skills, but as time went on, Alice noticed that a lot of people that were initially interested in medicine had quit once they learned of Alice's belief that money should not be made off of other's suffering. One day she was talking to Luke about this for she couldn't understand why more people didn't want to follow her in her noble pursuit. “Alice; I will tell you why more people don't want to learn medicine, but I first must warn you that the reason will piss you off to no ends, but if you follow my advice then interest in practicing medicine will pick up.” “Fine, tell me” she huffed. “People don't want to learn medicine because right now you refuse to make money at it. This keeps your cost down, which you rightly pass on to the consumer, But; in order for people to get an interest in a career, especially one as complicated as medicine, they have to be able to make money at it. We had a number of countries with socialized medicine programs where I came from and the vast majority of these were overwhelmed because nobody wanted to make products or services for them. In the United States we didn't have socialized medicine and usually if you got sick you could get right in to see a doctor but a number of people would go bankrupt due to the way the system was ran. Other countries were far worse in that you might have to wait over Six Months to get testing done and you damn well know that in medicine, speed is essential. Remember this Alice, capitalism is Thee single most powerful economic system ever developed by humans. Why you ask? Well capitalism takes full advantage of the basic human emotion of greed and harnesses that to improve the lives of countless people along the way. Are there going to be poor, of course, because for a good percentage of people, capitalism screws them over for whatever reason. Maybe that they are lazy or unreliable, maybe their luck is terrible, or something. But for the vast majority of people; capitalism, as long as it is controlled and steered correctly is a very good thing. It allows people to work to their ability and they can get whatever job suits them best. If they want more money; they can then advance themselves so that they and their families can live more comfortably. No other economic system offers this. Socialism and communism both take from the people who work and are successful at something and gives it to people who didn't do anything to earn it. All this does is makes whatever dumbass politician that took the money in the first place more popular with the masses but it will quickly lead to disaster because the talented and ambitious people won't produce anymore then they have to, to take care of themselves. And that's even assuming that they stay. Before long nobody is producing anything and everyone, except the few key people in the government who support the ruler, are beyond dirt poor. The government of course will try to pass the blame off to someone else but in the end, socialism always turns out to be a disaster for everyone. Communism is even worse and always leads to mass killings because communist governments can't stand people who question what they are doing in the slightest. This is why regulated capitalism is the best way to go. All the government needs to do, is to ensure that the playing field remains as level as possible and let private money determine what is made and what price it's sold at. This way the vast majority of people will see the benefits.” Alice hearing this flew into a rage and Luke just sat there quietly while she ranted on. When she had finally calmed down Luke gave her his hardest look. “Go think about all I have said. Think about hard Alice. In a couple of days come back and see me if you think that you can come up with something better.” Alice stormed back to her chambers and locked herself inside. She could be heard at all hours of day arguing with herself for hours on end. On and on she went but as she went, her attitude started to slowly shift as she analyzed everything that she knew about human nature and what Luke had said. She analyzed every word that he had said and every scrap of knowledge from his computer. She questioned Pollyanna, Marion, Gabriel, Matt, Markus, and anyone else she could find. Eventually she had to admit that Luke had been correct as usual and that she was the reason that very few people wanted to be in medicine. Eventually she went to find Luke again. This time she asked him to help her set up a successful medical business. Hopefully this way more people would be interested in learning medicine and this would enable Alice to turn medicine into something that everyone could get. That had been months ago and now Alice had a thriving medical empire. She would use most of the profits to help train more medical personal or for outreach operations. She did divert enough off so that she and Markus could have a comfortable lifestyle. Now people's interest in medicine was starting to pick up and ambitious people were looking for ways to make money from searching for better cures to making better instruments. Alice had to admit that Luke had been correct but as usual he refused the apology saying: “Hey you didn't know. Alice you are driven to be the best doctor you can be and that is a very pure and noble thing of you, but you have to remember that the vast majority of people don't have your drive or your opportunities, after all if I hadn't picked you to be one of my whores then you would have never known about your medical talents. Always remember that you can dream of a better world all you want to but reality doesn't give a shit about your dreams or your ideas. You have to be willing to adjust your dreams to reality because reality doesn't bend to your dreams.” Alice had then sworn that she would help as many people as possible to see and reach their medical potential. As soon as her business had taken off, she founded a school to teach others about medicine. Her business and school were now thriving and once again Marion silently thanked God for bringing Luke into her world and mostly for bringing him to her. To be continued in part 13, Based on a post by somethin fishy, for Sex Stories.

In this week's episode of the Rich Habits Radar, Robert Croak and Austin Hankwitz talk Apple's new smart glasses, OpenAI becoming the world's most valuable privately-held company, and the government shutdown. ---✅ Ready to start investing? Open a brokerage account on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Public.com/richhabits⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and get a FREE 1% match on all IRA deposits, transfers, and rollovers!---‼️ Have feedback to share? Please let us a comment on Spotify! We're excited to mold these new weekly episodes to be exactly what our listeners want. ---

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In this week's episode of the Rich Habits Podcast, Robert Croak and Austin Hankwitz answer your questions!---⚙️ Automate your entire financial workflow, from investing to saving, with ⁠Sequence⁠.

In this week's episode of the Rich Habits Radar, Robert Croak and Austin Hankwitz talk about Amazon's $2.5B fine incurred for tricking Prime members, Starbucks' planned closure of 400 locations, and Nvidia Investing $100B into OpenAI. ---✅ Ready to start investing? Open a brokerage account on ⁠⁠⁠⁠Public.com/richhabits⁠⁠⁠⁠ and get a FREE 1% match on all IRA deposits, transfers, and rollovers!---‼️ Have feedback to share? Please let us a comment on Spotify! We're excited to mold these new weekly episodes to be exactly what our listeners want. ---

In this week's episode of the Rich Habits Podcast, Robert Croak and Austin Hankwitz answer your questions!---

Mike Johnson, Beau Morgan, and Ali Mac preview the Ryder cup, explain why they think the U.S. team has a great chance to win because they have the best golfer in the world on their side in Scottie Scheffler, and then close out hour two by debating it out in a game of Which One!

In this week's episode of the Rich Habits Radar, Robert Croak and Austin Hankwitz walk through the biggest headlines and happenings impacting you and your money. We're joined by Bilal Little! Be sure to learn more about the ETF Central's podcast, ETF Central's website, and all things NYSE. ---✅ Ready to start investing? Open a brokerage account on ⁠⁠⁠Public.com/richhabits⁠⁠⁠ and get a FREE 1% match on all IRA deposits, transfers, and rollovers!---‼️ Have feedback to share? Please let us a comment on Spotify! We're excited to mold these new weekly episodes to be exactly what our listeners want. ---

When converting an existing REST API to the Model Context Protocol, what should you consider? What anti-patterns should you avoid to keep an AI agent's context clean? This week on the show, Kyle Stratis returns to discuss his upcoming book, "AI Agents with MCP".

In this week's episode of the Rich Habits Podcast, Robert Croak and Austin Hankwitz answer your questions!---

Automatically splitting Kiwisaver 50-50 in separation agreements, is one of the suggestions being put forward in a new report looking at how to fix the gender gap in retirement savings. 

In this week's episode of the Rich Habits Podcast, Robert Croak and Austin Hankwitz interview Collin West. Collin is the founder and managing partner of Ensemble VC. Under his leadership, Ensemble has invested into countless startups that have turned into multi-billion dollar companies. In this interview, we learn about Collin's exact strategy for differentiating between the winners and the losers. ---

In this week's episode of the Rich Habits Podcast, Robert Croak and Austin Hankwitz answer your questions!---

Ken rants on why tanking doesn't automatically mean winning full 492 Tue, 09 Sep 2025 10:45:14 +0000 LiFCVUqEQTFxUAMdF7DZbYHEuLmXQ3UZ nfl,cleveland browns,sports The Ken Carman Show with Anthony Lima nfl,cleveland browns,sports Ken rants on why tanking doesn't automatically mean winning The only place to talk about the Cleveland sports scene is with Ken Carman and Anthony Lima. The two guide listeners through the ups and downs of being a fan of the Browns, Cavaliers, Guardians and Ohio State Buckeyes in Northeast Ohio. They'll help you stay informed with breaking news, game coverage, and interviews with top personalities.Catch The Ken Carman Show with Anthony Lima live Monday through Friday (6 a.m. - 10 a.m ET) on 92.3 The Fan, the exclusive audio home of the Browns, or on the Audacy app. For more, follow the show on X @KenCarmanShow. 2024 © 2021 Audacy, Inc. Sports False https://player.amperwavepodcastin

In this week's episode of the Rich Habits Podcast, Robert Croak and Austin Hankwitz have a conversation with Ben Miller -- the CEO of Fundrise.Fundrise pioneered real estate investing for the average American. Today, they manage billions for hundreds of thousands of customers across multiple different asset classes.If you're not yet investing in real estate through Fundrise's platform, you're missing out.

In this week's episode of the Rich Habits Podcast, Robert Croak and Austin Hankwitz walk through the biggest headlines and happenings impacting you and your money. This includes Trump's Tech CEO dinner, the weakening labor market, and Sydney Sweeney adding $1B to American Eagle's market cap. ---✅ Ready to start investing? Open a brokerage account on ⁠⁠Public.com/richhabits⁠⁠ and get a FREE 1% match on all IRA deposits, transfers, and rollovers!---‼️ Have feedback to share? Please let us a comment on Spotify! We're excited to mold these new weekly episodes to be exactly what our listeners want. ---

In this week's episode of the Rich Habits Podcast, Robert Croak and Austin Hankwitz answer your questions!---

In this week's episode of the Rich Habits Podcast, Robert Croak and Austin Hankwitz share the blueprint for diversifying your portfolio no matter the size. ---

In this week's episode of the Rich Habits Podcast, Robert Croak and Austin Hankwitz walk you through Nvidia's earnings results, Jerome Powell's recent speech in Jackson Hole, and Trump's new tariff on cheap Chinese goods. ---✅ Ready to start investing? Open a brokerage account on ⁠Public.com/richhabits⁠ and get a FREE 1% match on all IRA deposits, transfers, and rollovers!---‼️ Have feedback to share? Please let us a comment on Spotify! We're excited to mold these new weekly episodes to be exactly what our listeners want. ---

In this week's episode of the Rich Habits Podcast, Robert Croak and Austin Hankwitz answer your questions!---

In this week's episode of the Rich Habits Podcast, Robert Croak and Austin Hankwitz sit down with stable coin expert Nick Elledge, CEO of Stablecore. Nick walks us through the GENIUS Act, how it's impacting individuals and small business owners all around the world, and how to best position yourself for the future. ---

How'd you say in German: “After the start, the computer will boot up automatically.”?

In this week's episode of the Rich Habits Radar, Robert Croak and Austin Hankwitz talk about Pop Mart's profits soaring +400% thanks to Labubu dolls, corporate bankruptcies hitting a 5-year high, and Chamath's new $250M SPAC focused on "American Exceptionalism." ---✅ Ready to start investing? Open a brokerage account on Public.com/richhabits and get a FREE 1% match on all IRA deposits, transfers, and rollovers!---‼️ Have feedback to share? Please let us a comment on Spotify! We're excited to mold these new weekly episodes to be exactly what our listeners want. ---

In this week's episode of the Rich Habits Podcast, Robert Croak and Austin Hankwitz answer your questions!---

In this week's episode of the Rich Habits Podcast, Robert Croak and Austin Hankwitz share with you how to 70X, 26X, and 10X your money over time. Remember, investing doesn't mean you're taking thousands of dollars at once and putting it in the markets – but sometimes $5 or $10. When you have compound interest on your side, investing any amount of money moves the needle over time. You can find this money in your weekend spending, your car payment, or even your monthly mortgage. Have a plan, stick to it, and stay consistent!—