Podcasts about Baghdad

Although technically Pesukeh De'zimra ends after the verses of "Baruch Hashem Le'olam Amen Ve'amen," at which point we should, in principle, proceed to Yishtabah – the concluding blessing of Pesukeh De'zimra – it is customary to add Va'yebarech David as well as Shirat Ha'yam. This is an ancient practice, instituted around one thousand years ago. The section of Va'yebarech David consists of verses from the Book of Dibreh Ha'yamim I (29:10-13) and a series of verses from the Book of Nehemya (9:5-11). The section of Shirat Ha'yam, of course, is the song sung by Beneh Yisrael after crossing the sea (Shemot, chapter 15), preceded by two introductory verses ("Va'yosha Hashem…"). The Sha'ar Ha'kavanot writes that one should stand while reciting the first 40 words of Va'yebarech David, meaning, through the words "Ata Hu Hashem Ha'Elokim." He adds that the first letters of these final five words – Alef, Heh, Yod and Heh – spell the Name of Hashem ("E-heyeh") associated with "Keter," the highest of the Sefirot (emanations). As standing during the recitation of these forty words is only customary, and not a strict requirement, one who finds it difficult to stand may certainly sit. While reciting the words "Ve'ata Moshel Ba'kol" in Va'yebarech David, one should give some money to charity. Specifically, one gives three coins – he should first give two coins together, and then a third coin by itself. This practice was taught by the Arizal, but there are indications that its origins date back even earlier. One indication is a testimony that the Rama (Rav Moshe Isserles, 1520-1572) followed this custom of giving charity during Va'yebarech David in his synagogue in Cracow, and the Rama did not have access to the Arizal's teachings. By giving charity during Pesukeh De'zimra, before praying the Amida, one fulfills the custom of Rabbi Elazar, mentioned by the Gemara (Baba Batra 10a), to give charity before praying. The commentaries explain that this should be done so that the charity acts as an advocate on the individual's behalf, helping to ensure the acceptance of his prayers. It has been noted that if Rabbi Elazar, a righteous sage, felt that he needed an advocate, then certainly we, who are on a much lower level, should avail ourselves of such an advocate by giving charity before praying. Some had the custom to give charity each morning twice – when they first entered the synagogue, and then a second time while reciting the words "Ve'ata Moshel Ba'kol." This custom is brought by the Kaf Ha'haim (Rav Yaakob Haim Sofer, Baghdad-Jerusalem, 1870-1939), who tells the story of a person who consistently followed this practice, but one day failed to do so. That night, he dreamt that he was harshly chastised for deviating from this practice. Interestingly enough, Rav Ben Sion Mussafi brings a tradition among Iraqi Jews that whenever the Kaf Ha'haim tells a story about somebody without naming him, this story is actually about himself. We may thus conclude that the Kaf Ha'haim personally observed this custom to give charity when entering the synagogue and then a second time during the recitation of "Ve'ata Moshel Ba'kol." In any event, the consensus among the Poskim is that it suffices to give charity only once, during the recitation of "Ve'ata Moshel Ba'kol," because, as mentioned, the purpose is to give charity before one presents his requests in the Amida prayer. One should preferably give charity not only at Shaharit, but also before Minha and Arbit. The Ben Ish Hai (Rav Yosef Haim of Baghdad, 1833-1909) taught that the act of giving charity is associated with the divine Name of Havaya (which is spelled Yod, Heh, Vav and Heh). The small coin resembles Yod – the smallest letter in the alphabet – and the giver holds it in his hand, with his five fingers, alluding to the letter Heh, which in Gematria equals 5. When he extends his arm, he forms the letter Vav, which is long and straight, and the coin is then received in the poor individual's hand, which represents the second Heh in the Name. The Ben Ish Hai adds that if a poor person is not present, and one is setting aside the money for charity, then he should place the coin with his right hand into a pouch in his left hand. In his work Od Yosef Hai (Parashat Vayigash), the Ben Ish Hai writes that there were Sadikim who fulfilled this custom even on Shabbat. Before Shabbat, they would prepare two envelopes – one with two coins, and another with one coin, and place them in a designated location. Then, on Shabbat, while reciting "Ve'ata Moshel Ba'kol," they would think of those envelopes, allocating them for charity. They would then give these coins to the poor after Shabbat. Even one who did not designate these envelopes before Shabbat can fulfill this practice on Shabbat by pledging in his mind during the recitation of "Ve'ata Moshel Ba'kol" to donate three coins to Sedaka after Shabbat. The Kaf Ha'haim writes that if a person has a bill, and he cannot exchange it for coins, then he should hold it and have in mind to donate the value of two coins within this bill for charity, and then the value of one coin. After several days, when he has donated the full amount of the bill, he should give the bill to charity. If one wishes to give charity from the bill before Minha and Arbit, when speaking is permissible, he should make this pledge verbally.

The heart of the Pesukeh De'zimra section consists of the final five chapters of Tehillim, each of which begin and end with the word "Halleluy-ah." While all five of these chapters are significant, the third and fifth chapters (Psalm 148 & Psalm 150) – "Halleluy-ah Halelu Et Hashem" and "Halleluy-ah Halelu Kel Be'kodsho" – are the most important. Therefore, if a person arrives late, and is unable to recite all five chapters, he should try to recite at least these two. We present here a number of insights into these chapters in order for us to get a glimpse of the unlimited depth and countless layers of meaning underlying the words. In the first of these chapters, we proclaim, "Ahalela Hashem Be'hayai, Azamera L'Elokai Be'odi" – "I shall praise G-d in my lifetime; I shall sing to my G-d while I still exist." The word "Be'hayai" ("in my lifetime") has been understood to mean when we are still healthy and functioning. As long as we are physically capable of speaking and giving praise to the Almighty, we are obliged to do so. Rav Chaim Brim (Jerusalem, 1922-2002) noted the implication of this verse that one of the most important things in life, one of our most central obligations, is to give praise to Hashem. Among the purposes of our existence here in this world is to recognize Hashem's goodness, to express our gratitude, and to sing His praises. If a person would be asked what he would do if, after his passing, he could be resurrected for five minutes, his response should be that he would use this time to praise Hashem. This concept is emphasized further in the next chapter, which begins, "Halleluy-ah Ki Tob Zamera L'Elokenu" – we should praise Hashem because "it is good to sing to our G-d." One of the greatest privileges we have is the opportunity to praise Hashem each and every day. The fourth of these five chapters exclaims, "Shiru L'Hashem Shir Hadash" – "Sing a new song to G-d." This verse uses the masculine term for song – "Shir" – as opposed to the feminine form – "Shira." The difference between the masculine and feminine form is that the feminine form implies succession, that there will be other songs, just as a woman produces children, whereas the masculine form refers to a song that does not produce more songs. The masculine term "Shir" is used in this Psalm because it speaks of the final song, the song that we will sing at the time of Mashiah's arrival. Indeed, the end of this chapter talks about G-d taking revenge from Israel's enemies – "La'asot Nekama Ba'goyim" – as it refers to the final redemption, when our enemies will be vanquished. The final of these chapters, "Halleluy-ah Halelu Kel Be'kodsho" – concludes with the verse, "Kol Ha'neshama Tehalel Y-ah Halleluy-ah" – "Every soul shall praise G-d, Halleluy-ah" – and it is customary to recite this concluding verse twice. One of the reasons given is that by repeating this verse, we end up recite the verb "Hallelu"/"Tehalel" twelve times, an allusion to the custom to recite Hallel on Rosh Hodesh, at the beginning of each of the twelve months of the year. The Arizal taught that the first letters of the words "Kol Ha'neshama Tehalel" – Kaf, Heh and Tav – spell a Name of Hashem associated with protection from danger. Having this intention while reciting these words can help protect a person from harm. It is likewise recommended to recite these words with this intention anytime one fears some sort of danger. The Arizal noted that this also helps protect pregnant women from miscarriage. Rav David Abudarham (Spain, 14 th century) writes that the Pesukeh De'zimra service is constructed in a manner that corresponds to the "Asara Ma'amarot" – the ten pronouncements through which G-d brought the world into existence. Pesukeh De'zimra begins with the blessing of Baruch She'amar, which corresponds to the first pronouncement. It is followed by Mizmor Le'toda – which parallels the second pronouncement, that of "Va'yehi Or" ("There shall be light"), and so on. The chapter of "Halleluy-ah Halelu Kel Be'kodsho" corresponds to the final pronouncement, the creation of Adam, and thus concludes, "Every soul shall praise G-d," emphasizing the point that the human being is the only one among the world's creatures capable of giving praise to G-d. After completing these five chapters of Tehillim, we recite four verses: "Baruch Hashem Le'olam Amen Ve'amen" (Tehillim 89:53); "Baruch Hashem Mi'sion, Shochen Yerushalayim…" (Tehillim 135:21); "Baruch Hashem Elokim Oseh Niflaot Le'bado U'baruch Shem Kebodo Le'olam…" (72:18-19). The first of these verses marks the conclusion of the third of the five books of Tehillim, and the fourth and fifth verses mark the conclusion of the second book. We thus recite these verses as a fitting conclusion to our recitation of Tehillim in Pesukeh De'zimra. Additionally, the first verse has five words, corresponding to the congregation's five-word response to Barechu – "Baruch Hashem Ha'meborach Le'olam Va'ed." The second verse consists of six words, alluding to the six words of the verse "Shema Yisrael Hashem Elokenu Hashem Ehad." Finally, the third and fourth verses contain a total of 19 words, paralleling the 19 blessings of the Amida prayer. The first and final verses conclude with "Amen Ve'amen." The Ben Ish Hai (Rav Yosef Haim of Baghdad, 1833-1909) explains that the word "Amen" is repeated to affirm the eternal truth of our praise of Hashem, both in this world and the next. One should not add other chapters of Tehillim or other verses in Pesukeh De'zimra. For example, if somebody completed Pesukeh De'zimra before the Hazan, he should not add recitations while he waits for the Hazan to finish. Neither should a person repeat any of the text of Pesukeh De'zimra. Even if one realized that he had recited Pesukeh De'zimra without Kavana (concentration), he should not repeat it. (The exception is the verse "Pote'ah Et Yadecha U'masbi'a…" which should be repeated if it was recited without Kavana, as we discussed in a previous installment.)

We'd be "Lion" if we told you we didn't have another great book picked out for "DC"ember! It's Pride of Baghdad by Brian K. Vaughn and Niko Henrichon from DC Comics Black Label!  Plus we treat our fans with more Blind Rankings! What's the Best Christmas Movie? Whose Christmas Song reigns supreme? Who wins in a fist fight between The Grinch and Yukon Cornelius? Listen and find out!!   Host: Andy Larson Co Hosts: Chad Smith, JA Scott, & Nicole Larson   Get all of your comic book supplies at 10% off by using Promo Code LCSPOD at Checkout: www.bcwsupplies.com   Click to get all your Last Comic Shop Podcast gear & support the shop!

The section of Ashreh, which we recite three times each day, contains the famous verse, "Pote'ah Et Yadecha U'masbi'a Le'chol Hai Rason" – "You open Your hands and willfully satiate every living creature" (Tehillim 145:16). This verse is especially significant, and, in fact, it is one of the reasons why we are to recite this chapter of Tehillim three times each day (Berachot 4b). It must therefore be recited with concentration, and it behooves us to properly understand its meaning. While the verse's meaning is generally straightforward, the final word – "Rason" – requires explanation. This word means "will," that which a person wishes for. What exactly did King David mean when he said that Hashem satiates all living beings "Rason"? One explanation is that Hashem does not just give us a livelihood – but He does so willfully, lovingly. Just as a parent loves giving to his or her children, and wants to give them as much as possible, Hashem similarly loves us and wants very much to give us a livelihood. It is his pleasure, so-to-speak, to sustain us. Others explain "Rason" as referring to our will, the will of the beneficiaries of Hashem's kindness. He fills our needs and grants us what we wish for. There is also another possible interpretation of the word "Rason" in this verse. Very often, financial success results from a person's likeability, his finding favor in other people's eyes. He earns other people's respect and fondness, and it is because of this that they buy his product or solicit his services. It is not always the product itself which attracts buyers; sometimes it's the seller's character and demeanor. The phrase "U'masbi'a Le'chol Hai Rason" thus might refer to G-d's providing a livelihood by granting a person "Rason" – a certain charm and likeability. Hashem often helps a person succeed by giving him this quality whereby he attracts customers and his products or services are eagerly sought after. The scholars of Kabbalah have unearthed numerous additional layers of interpretations underlying this verse. The Kaf Ha'haim (Rav Yaakob Haim Sofer, Baghdad-Jerusalem, 1870-1939) writes that the vast majority of people should not try to have deep kabbalistic intentions while praying, and should instead ensure to concentrate on the plain, straightforward meaning of the words. Seeking to pray with these deep intentions could lead one to overlook the plain meaning, and the Kaf Ha'haim warns that this could be harmful to the person's Tefila. Nevertheless, there are two relatively straightforward kabbalistic allusions in this verse which are worthwhile for even us to learn and have in mind while reciting it. The first letters of the words "Pote'ah Et Yadecha" – Peh, Alef, Yod – spell a Name of Hashem that is associated with His providing us with Parnasa. Another Name is formed by the final letters of these words – Het, Tav, Chaf. It is recommended, when possible, to have these Names in mind while reciting this verse in the Tefila. If one recites this verse in Ashreh and then realizes that he recited it without Kavana (concentration), then he must repeat it. This is the ruling of the Ben Ish Hai (Rav Yosef Haim of Baghdad, 1833-1909). If the person realized his mistake before he completed Ashreh, then he simply returns to the verse of "Pote'ah Et Yadecha" and continues from there. If he did not realize his mistake until he began the next chapter of Tehillim ("Hallelu-ya Haleli Nafshi"), then he should complete that chapter and then recite "Pote'ah Et Yadecha…" before beginning the following chapter ("Hallelu-ya Ki Tob Zamra"). Meaning, the verse should be inserted in between the subsequent chapters, and not in the middle of a chapter. If a person realized his mistake only later, after Pesukeh De'zimra, then he should ensure to have Kavana when reciting this verse in Ashreh before U'ba Le'sion. And if he failed to have Kavana also at that point, then he should try again while reciting Ashreh at Minha. Some Poskim maintained that one who did not recite this verse with Kavana and realized his mistake only later should repeat it after the Amida, but Hacham Ovadia Yosef ruled that it suffices to ensure to recite it with Kavana in Ashreh before U'ba Le'sion. The Ben Ish Hai and the Hesed La'alafim (Rav Eliezer Papo, 1785-1828) write that when one needs to repeat this verse, he should begin two verses earlier, from "Somech Hashem Le'chol Ha'nofelim." From the Shulhan Aruch and other Poskim, however, it appears that it suffices to recite just "Pote'ah Et Yadecha…" This is the view of Hacham Ovadia Yosef, in Yalkut Yosef. Nevertheless, if time allows, it is recommended to begin from "Somech Hashem Le'chol Ha'nofelim." Some noted the distinction drawn by Halacha between one who recites "Pote'ah Et Yadecha" without Kavana, and one who recites the first blessing of the Amida without Kavana. While one of course must endeavor to concentrate throughout the entire Amida, one must minimally have Kavana while reciting the first Beracha. Nevertheless, the Halacha is that if one did not have Kavana during the first blessing, he does not repeat the Amida, because of the likelihood that he will not concentrate the second time, either. When it comes to "Pote'ah Et Yadecha," however, as we have discussed, one who recited this verse without Kavana is required to repeat it. Two explanations are given for this distinction. First, quite simply, it is far easier to concentrate while reciting a single verse, and so there is little reason to think that one who did not have Kavana while reciting this verse during Ashreh will not have Kavana when he repeats it. Additionally, Halacha is always more careful when it comes to the recitation of Berachot, given the prohibition against reciting a Beracha in vain. Therefore, a person who did not have Kavana during the first Beracha of the Amida is told not to repeat the Amida due to the concern that he will not concentrate the second time, and the blessings of the Amida will then have been recited in vain. When reciting a verse from Tehillim, however, there is no such concern, and thus the person should repeat the verse despite the possibility that he will not concentrate. It is customary to open one's hands when reciting this verse, which speaks of Hashem opening His hands to give us our livelihood. This is done to symbolize our preparedness to receive the blessing that G-d bestows. Of course, we do not need to actually open our hands to receive the Beracha, but we nevertheless perform this action as a visual expression of our desire to receive Hashem's blessings. The Ben Ish Hai writes that one should open his hands horizontally, side to side, without lifting them up in the air. Some stand for the recitation of "Pote'ah Et Yadecha," but this is not our practice. Summary: One must have Kavana (concentration) when reciting the verse "Pote'ah Et Yadecha…" in Ashreh during the prayer service. If one realized during Ashreh that he had recited this verse without Kavana, then he must go back to recite it with Kavana, and then proceed from there. If he remembers after Ashreh, then he should add this verse in between chapters of Pesukeh De'zimra. According to some opinions, if the person did not realize his mistake until after Pesukeh De'zimra, then he should repeat the verse after the Amida. Others maintain that he should just ensure to have Kavana during Ashreh before U'ba Le'sion. If one needs to repeat this verse, it is preferable to begin two verses earlier, from "Somech Hashem Le'chol Ha'nofelim." It is customary to open one's hands while reciting "Pote'ah Et Yadecha." They should be opened only horizontally, side to side, and not lifted in the air.

After completing the paragraph of Yehi Chebod, one should proceed immediately to the recitation of Ashreh. Ashreh consists of the 145 th chapter of Tehillim – "Tehila Le'David" – which is introduced by two other verses from Tehillim: "Ashreh Yosheveh Betecha…" (84:5) and "Ashreh Ha'am She'kacha Lo…" (144:15). While one must of course avoid interruptions at any point during Pesukeh De'zimra, the Kabbalists taught that one must be especially careful not to make any interruption between the end of Yehi Chebod and the beginning of Ashreh. In fact, the Ben Ish Hai (Rav Yosef Haim of Baghdad, 1833-1909) ruled that if one hears Kaddish right when he concludes Yehi Chebod, then he should respond to Kaddish but then repeat the final three verses of Yehi Chebod so he can connect the end of Yehi Chebod with Ashreh without any interruption. Alternatively, if one hears during his recitation of Yehi Chebod that Kaddish will soon be recited, he should pause in the middle of Yehi Chebod so he can respond to Kaddish then, and not at the end of Yehi Chebod. Hacham Ovadia Yosef disagreed, and maintained that responding to Kaddish does not constitute a Hefsek (interruption). In his view, then, if one hears Kaddish between Yehi Chebod and Ashreh, he responds to Kaddish and then proceeds to Ashreh as usual. Summary: It is critically important to proceed to Ashreh immediately after concluding the recitation of Yehi Chebod. According to some opinions, if one hears Kaddish between Yehi Chebod and Ashreh, then although he should respond to Kaddish, he should repeat the final three verses of Yehi Chebod before beginning Ashreh. Others disagree and maintain that the person in this case simply proceeds to Ashreh as usual.

Are we living through the slow death of reading - replaced by an addictive screen culture that fragments our attention and floods us with trivial or unreliable information? Writer and voracious reader James Marriott believes we are entering a post-literate age with profoundly negative consequences for education, culture and democracy itself. In today's episode, James traces how an 18th century ‘reading revolution' shaped the modern-world - and what might follow its sudden decline. Producers: Aron Keller and Sam Chantarasak Editor: James Shield Mix: Travis Evans Senior news editor: China Collins Photo: The al-Nahda al-Arabiya library in central Baghdad. (Credit: Ahmed Jalil/EPA)

The surge years in Afghanistan sit at the center of this episode. We start in Marjah and Sangin, where canals, poppy fields, and mud walls turned into kill zones. The story follows the grinding losses of the 3rd Battalion 5th Marines and the slow shift from clearing ground to advising Afghan units. It ends at Kabul's airport in 2021, with Marines holding Abbey Gate as the war comes apart around them. From there, the chapter turns west, back to where this generation first learned to fight. The invasion of Iraq, the drive on Baghdad, An Nasiriyah's Ambush Alley, and the twin battles of Fallujah show Marines learning urban war along the Euphrates. Together, Helmand and Iraq become one story, a long arc of patrol bases, city fights, and withdrawals that never feel like closure. Support the Series Listen ad-free and a week early on historyofthemarinecorps.supercast.com Donate directly at historyofthemarinecorps.com Try a free 30-day Audible trial at audibletrial.com/marinehistory Social Media Instagram - @historyofthemarines Facebook - @marinehistory Twitter - @marinehistory

Subscribe now to listen to the entire episode. Iraqi leaders now face the difficult task of building a governing coalition, after parliamentary elections gave no single bloc an adequate victory to form a government independently. The Associated Press reports the Reconstruction and Change coalition, led by Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani, won the highest number of seats in 8 of 18 provinces. In this episode, Adam Weinstein of the Quincy Institute for Responsible Statecraft says Iraq still finds itself caught between Washington and Tehran, as pro-Iran militias exert influence in Baghdad.

Eminem comes to Hitman in a promotional opportunity that feels at least a year late! Also, Sektori seems to be very red, Timesplitters gets a cool new fangame, the Xbox 360 turns 20, Far Cry gets a TV series, Black Ops 7 sales seem down (and with good reason), and the Steam Machine is certainly not going to be like 400 bucks. EXCLUSIVE NordVPN Deal: https://nordvpn.com/jeffgerstmann Try it risk-free now with a 30-day money-back guarantee Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

My guest today is a woman on a mission to preserve the language of her grandparents. Playwright, screenwriter and novelist Samantha Ellis is the author of one of my personal favourites How To Be A Heroine. Sam was in her early 40s and a new mum when it dawned on her that her mother tongue - or milk language - was on the verge of dying out. The daughter of Iraqi-Jewish refugees, Sam grew up surrounded by the noisy vivid hot sounds of Judeo-Iraqi Arabic, but when she tried to tell her son he was chopping onions on her heart, she realised she couldn't find the words - and even if she could, he wouldn't understand them. In her evocatively titled book of the same name, Sam goes back through the lives of her parents and grandparents, from Iraq to Israel to London and in so doing discovers far more about herself than she could ever have imagined. Sam takes us on a journey back to 1950s Baghdad to share what she discovered about herself and her family heritage and how it's shaped her as she heads towards 50. We also discussed intergenerational trauma, uses for coriander, cooking as a cure for overthinking, learning to belly dance and the unexpected joy of not being allowed to hold your stomach in! * You can buy all the books mentioned in this podcast at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠The Shift bookshop on Bookshop.org⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, including Chopping Onions on My Heart by Samantha Ellis as well as the book that inspired this podcast, The Shift: how I lost and found myself after 40 - and you can too, by me. * If you enjoyed this episode and you fancy buying me a coffee, pop over to my page on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠buymeacoffee.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. • And if you'd like to support the work that goes into making this podcast and get a weekly newsletter plus loads more content including exclusive transcripts of the podcast, why not join The Shift community, come and have a look around at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.theshiftwithsambaker.substack.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Assassin's Creed Mirage: Valley of Memory takes our hero Basim ibn Ishaq from the glory of Baghdad in the Abbasid era to the remote oasis at Al-Ula. There, he discovers mysteries hidden in the mountains and ancient dwellings of civilisations that fell long ago.Even though the oasis at AlUla has provided sustenance to people living there throughout history, that doesn't entirely explain why so many civilisations wanted to rule it. Instead, the answer may lie in its position on the trade routes that carried spices and incense from Arabia to the rest of the world. Where did the Incense Route travel to and from? How did it influence life in Al-Ula? And what relevance does the Route have to today's spice trade?To answer these questions, Matt Lewis is joined by Dr Sterenn Le Maguer., whose expertise in Islamic archaeology, trade and pilgrimage routes in Arabia makes her the perfect person to explore the Incense Route.Echoes of History is a Ubisoft podcast, brought to you by History Hit. Hosted by: Matt LewisEdited by: Michael McDaidProduced by: Robin McConnellSenior Producer: Anne-Marie LuffProduction Manager: Beth DonaldsonExecutive Producers: Etienne Bouvier, Julien Fabre, Steve Lanham, Jen BennettMusic by Brendan AngelidesIf you liked this podcast please subscribe, share, rate & review. Take part in our listener survey here.Tell us your favourite Assassin's Creed game or podcast episode at echoes-of-history@historyhit.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Qadiriyya is often called the most widespread Sufi order in the world — but how did one 12th-century mystic in Baghdad inspire a global movement that still thrives today?This episode explores the life and legacy of Abd al-Qadir al-Jilani, the saint revered across the Muslim world as Ghaus al-A‘zam — “the greatest helper.”From medieval Baghdad to North Africa, Turkey, South Asia, and beyond, we trace how his teachings spread across continents, shaping Islamic spirituality for nearly 900 years.Find me and my music here:https://linktr.ee/filipholmSupport Let's Talk Religion on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/letstalkreligion Or through a one-time donation: https://paypal.me/talkreligiondonateSources/Recommended Reading:Abun-Nasr, Jamil M. (2007). "Muslim Communities of Grace: The Sufi Brotherhoods in Islamic Religious Life". C Hurst & Co Publishers Ltd.Knysh, Alexander (2012). "Islamic Mysticism: A Short History". BRILL. Malik, Hamza (2018). "The Grey Falcon: The Life and Teaching of Shaykh 'Abd Al-Qadir Al-Jilani". BRILL.Trimingham, John Spencer (1971). "Sufi Orders in Islam". Oxford University Press. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Abū Muḥammad Musharrif al-Dīn Muṣliḥ b. ʿAbd-Allāh, better known as Saadi is called simply as the Master in Persian for his place in classical Persian poetry. His Bustan and Gulistan takes pride of place in the canon of Islamic literary creations. Saadi was born in Shiraz 1210CE. He was alive during the Mongol sack of Baghdad in 1258 who took over his homeland. What more can we say about his socio-political and cultural context? Saadi appears to have travelled extensively: Baghdad, India, Syria. What more can we say about his personal biography? Saadi's Bustan and Gulistan are well-known. Give us a guide to reading those works and tell us about his other works. He also has an elergy to the fallen caliphate. What translations and secondary resources would you recommend on Saadi? And finally let's end with a sample and translation.    Further Reading: Sa'di: The Poet of Life, Love and Compassion by Homa Katouzian Gulistan (translated by Wheeler Thackston Bustan (translated by G.M. Wickens)   Ali Hammoud: https://alihammoud7.substack.com/    We are sponsored by IHRC bookshop. Listeners get a 15% discount on all purchases. Visit IHRC bookshop at shop.ihrc.org and use discount code AHP15 at checkout. Terms and conditions apply. Contact IHRC bookshop for details. 

Send us a textIn this compelling conversation, Raya sits down with Saif Al-Yasi, a health coach, men's mentor, and founder of Alphacast Studios, to explore the realities of modern masculinity. Raised between Baghdad and the UK, Saif brings a unique perspective on identity, cultural expectations, and the unspoken pressures placed on men today.Together, they unpack the beliefs boys inherit about strength, emotional availability, and what it truly means to be a good man. Saif speaks candidly about the moments that shaped him, the roles men and women misunderstand about each other, and why raising boys in today's world requires more nuance than ever. They discuss the influence of social media on young men, the weight men carry silently, and how fathers can show up with authority without losing their humanity.This episode challenges familiar narratives around relationships, parenting, vulnerability, and legacy. It offers a rare and honest look into the internal world of men and the conversations many are still afraid to have.Tune in to They Say It Takes a Village on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and YouTube.

In this powerhouse episode, 1819 News CEO Bryan Dawson sits down with Tucker Carlson for the most explosive and candid conversation ever featured on the podcast. Sparked by a seven-year-old viral clip of Carlson debating Ben Shapiro over driverless trucks, Dawson lays out how that single moment shattered the spell of neoliberal economics and exposed the human cost of deindustrialization, mass immigration, and endless foreign wars. What began as a discussion about jobs and GDP quickly became a full-scale autopsy of the conservative movement's decades-long betrayal of the American working class. Carlson pulls no punches: he traces his own journey from a Weekly Standard neoconservative to the leading voice of America First nationalism, recounting the exact moment in Baghdad in 2003 when he realized he'd been “used” to sell a disastrous war. With unflinching honesty, he admits his past mistakes, explains why he now rejects both libertarian economics and neoconservative foreign policy as “false religions,” and declares that any government not putting its own citizens first has no legitimacy. The conversation then dives into the ongoing civil war inside conservatism—paleocons vs. neocons, Buchanan vs. Buckley 2.0—and why the old gatekeepers are finally losing control thanks to Elon Musk's X. Carlson defends “America First” against decades of deliberate slander, dismantles the weaponized charge of antisemitism used to silence dissent, and warns that unchecked demographic replacement and anti-white discrimination are destroying the country his children will inherit. From the collapse of Kevin Roberts at Heritage to the rise of Nick Fuentes among a generation of angry young men, Carlson and Dawson confront the uncomfortable truths the establishment refuses to face: the American people have been lied to, sold out, and humiliated—and they've finally had enough. A raw, unfiltered, and deeply Christian case for putting America—and Americans—first. If you care about the future of this nation, this is the one episode you cannot miss.

In this powerhouse episode, 1819 News CEO Bryan Dawson sits down with Tucker Carlson for the most explosive and candid conversation ever featured on the podcast. Sparked by a seven-year-old viral clip of Carlson debating Ben Shapiro over driverless trucks, Dawson lays out how that single moment shattered the spell of neoliberal economics and exposed the human cost of deindustrialization, mass immigration, and endless foreign wars. What began as a discussion about jobs and GDP quickly became a full-scale autopsy of the conservative movement's decades-long betrayal of the American working class. Carlson pulls no punches: he traces his own journey from a Weekly Standard neoconservative to the leading voice of America First nationalism, recounting the exact moment in Baghdad in 2003 when he realized he'd been “used” to sell a disastrous war. With unflinching honesty, he admits his past mistakes, explains why he now rejects both libertarian economics and neoconservative foreign policy as “false religions,” and declares that any government not putting its own citizens first has no legitimacy. The conversation then dives into the ongoing civil war inside conservatism—paleocons vs. neocons, Buchanan vs. Buckley 2.0—and why the old gatekeepers are finally losing control thanks to Elon Musk's X. Carlson defends “America First” against decades of deliberate slander, dismantles the weaponized charge of antisemitism used to silence dissent, and warns that unchecked demographic replacement and anti-white discrimination are destroying the country his children will inherit. From the collapse of Kevin Roberts at Heritage to the rise of Nick Fuentes among a generation of angry young men, Carlson and Dawson confront the uncomfortable truths the establishment refuses to face: the American people have been lied to, sold out, and humiliated—and they've finally had enough. A raw, unfiltered, and deeply Christian case for putting America—and Americans—first. If you care about the future of this nation, this is the one episode you cannot miss.

In some editions of the Siddur, several words are added to the text of Baruch She'amar on Shabbat. However, these additions are incorrect. The text of Baruch She'amar – which, according to tradition, was revealed to the Ansheh Kenesset Ha'gedola (Men of the Great Assembly) on a piece of paper that fell from the heavens – contains precisely 87 words, and this is the exact text that we should recite. There are some editions of the Siddur in which additions for Shabbat appear before Baruch She'amar. One may recite these additions, though he should ensure to have in mind that they are not said as part of Baruch She'amar, but rather comprise a separate text. The custom is to stand during the recitation of Baruch She'amar. However, since standing is required only by force of custom, and not as a strict Halachic obligation, one who is ill or otherwise frail may sit. Our custom is to hold the front two Sisit of the Tallit in our hand during the recitation of Baruch She'amar. This is based on a Kabbalistic teaching mentioned in the Sha'ar Ha'kavanot (a work based on the teachings of Rav Haim Vital, 1542-1620), according to which there is a deep connection between Baruch She'amar and Sisit. The Ben Ish Hai (Rav Yosef Haim of Baghdad, 1833-1909) adds that one should kiss the Sisit upon concluding Baruch She'amar, as an expression of love and affection for the Misva of Sisit. In the phrase "Ha'mehulal Be'feh Amo," there are some who say "Be'fi" instead of "Be'feh." However, this is incorrect. The proper text is "Be'feh." Significantly, the word "Be'feh" in Gematria equals 87 – the number of words in Baruch She'amar. The correct pronunciation of the final word of Baruch She'amar is "Ba'tishbahot," and not "Ba'tushbahot." One who arrives in the synagogue late, and skips Pesukeh De'zimra in order to recite the Amida together with the congregation, does not recite Baruch She'amar afterward. This Beracha is to be recited only before the Amida. (This applies also to Yishtabah, the concluding Beracha of Pesukeh De'zimra.) The first four words of Baruch She'amar are "Baruch She'amar Ve'haya Ha'olam," the first letters of which (Bet, Shin, Vav, Heh) spell the word "Be'shaveh" – "equal." This has been understood as alluding that reciting Baruch She'amar properly earns us rewards equal to the rewards granted to the angels for serving G-d. Moreover, these four words express praise to Hashem for bringing the world into existence – and so reciting this blessing properly helps us tap into G-d's creative powers. So often, we need Hashem to bring us a salvation, to "create" a solution for us. People frequently approach me asking how they can earn something that they so desperately need. One thing we can do is to recite Baruch She'amar properly, slowly, from the Siddur, and with concentration, thinking about how Hashem created the world from sheer nothingness, and in this merit we will, please G-d, be worthy of Him "creating" the solutions that we all need in our lives.

Today, Jess, Les, Matt, and Algene discuss Iraq's parliamentary elections, where Prime Minister Mohammed Shia' al-Sudani's coalition claimed victory, though history suggests the post-election power struggles are just beginning. With half of Iraq's population under 25, voter turnout strong, and political violence relatively low, this election could mark a step forward for Iraqi democracy.What do the results mean for U.S. strategy in the region as Washington prepares to reduce its troop presence by 2026? Can Iraq resist deepening Iranian influence at a time when Syria's landscape is shifting? And as the U.S. pushes to expand the Abraham Accords and secure energy stability, will Baghdad emerge as a partner for regional progress — or a pressure point for America's Middle East policy?Check out this source that helped shape our fellows' discussion: https://www.wsj.com/world/middle-east/iraqs-prime-minister-iran-backed-militias-set-for-difficult-negotiations-after-election-4668abb8?gaa_at=eafs&gaa_n=AWEtsqfwA1yCAZTvMYMMp3i22_AkbCNDrQA-Ipis82JTDlJhiWMQ7gXCr_20BU6k91s%3D&gaa_ts=6916447b&gaa_sig=A231zbhaHMgoOWVXiVlE9kmZm1YmZvrIr9lVtai7yGoudpX6Xg-xoN3621z8UoZoEU1mt7i5d4OsmTh2rcb7JA%3D%3D4dd7f26b8e98 @nottvjessjones@lestermunson@AlgeneSajery@WMattHaydenLike what we're doing here? Be sure to rate, review, and subscribe. And don't forget to follow @faultlines_pod and @masonnatsec on Twitter!We are also on YouTube, and watch today's episode here: https://youtu.be/94KRBnShAKY Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Dalia Al-Aqidi — Baghdad-born journalist, activist, and current challenger to Rep. Ilhan Omar — joins me to discuss her extraordinary life: growing up under Saddam Hussein, fleeing Iraq, decades reporting from war zones, and why she distinguishes Islam from Islamism. We dive into her fight against anti-Semitism, her views on immigration and U.S. foreign policy, and her perspective on Ilhan Omar, Al Jazeera, and the future of the Middle East.#Chapters0:00 Welcome & who is Dalia Al-Aqidi0:41 Baghdad upbringing; parents in Iraqi theater1:20 Fleeing Iraq (1988) & joining the opposition1:44 Radio Free Iraq and activism1:52 Chris Stevens' influence & immigrating to the U.S.2:33 Life in America; 37 years in journalism3:00 Covering wars from Iraq to Afghanistan4:04 Cultural vs. religious Islam; women under dictatorship7:02 Anti-Jewish indoctrination in the Middle East9:00 Why progressives avoid criticizing radical Islam11:26 Islam vs. Islamism & the “Islamophobia” label14:12 Muslim Brotherhood's influence in the West16:09 Why some immigrants import illiberal politics18:18 Risks for Muslim dissidents; community pressures21:05 Immigration, liberal ideals & “ideological tests”24:12 Borders vs. legal immigration28:07 On nation-states, borders, and sovereignty30:26 Community ties across faiths31:32 Concerns about Ilhan Omar, CAIR, and Turkey34:12 Al Jazeera Arabic vs. English38:05 Minneapolis issues: safety, economy, campus anti-Semitism40:13 Voting by issues; thoughts on Trump & Biden42:25 The Abraham Accords & Middle East peace46:02 Dalia's post-Oct 7 trip to Israel49:01 Misconceptions about Jews & Israel in Arab media52:24 Advice for Israel & American Jews combating hate57:19 Where American Jews fit politically now59:20 Building a centrist “decency coalition”1:00:02 Pro-life vs. pro-choice nuance1:01:23 Can she win a deep-blue district?1:02:10 Closing remarksKey topics: Iraq, Saddam Hussein, Ilhan Omar, Islam vs. Islamism, Muslim Brotherhood, Al Jazeera, anti-Semitism, immigration policy, Chris Stevens, Qatar, Hamas, October 7, Abraham Accords, Israel, centrism.#islam #islamism #iraq #ilhanomar #zohranmamdani #israel #muslim

From Kidnap Zones to Kiosks: Lessons in Leadership, Risk and Resilience Derek welcomes Richard Goodworth, an experienced Chief Financial Officer (ACCA) whose career has spanned the trading floors of London, the luxury world of Molton Brown, the high-risk security operations of Control Risks, - and now, the cutting-edge world of ImageHolders — creators of innovative self-service kiosks used by the NHS, United Airlines, Nordstrom, Hard Rock Café, and Mercedes-Benz.If you've ever tapped your details into a digital kiosk at McDonald's, checked in at an airport, or dropped a parcel at the Post Office — chances are, you've used one of Richard's creations!

At just 27 years old, fighter pilot Kim Campbell was flying a combat mission over Baghdad when a barrage of anti-aircraft fire struck her A-10 Warthog. Her hydraulics failed instantly. Ground troops shifted from receiving air support to preparing a rescue. But instead of ejecting, Kim did the unthinkable—manually flying the crippled aircraft for 45 harrowing minutes before landing safely in southern Iraq.That flight earned her the nickname “Killer Chick.” But Kim joins me to share the deeper story, including what trauma taught her about resilience, the preciousness of human life, and the power of teams—lessons that apply far beyond the battlefield, from leadership to family life.Submit a question for or raise your hand join the Listeners Episode:https://forms.gle/yf9aRU7BokGUTAFj6 Learn more about Kim's journey and her book, Flying in the Face of Fear:https://kim-kc-campbell.comContact me at silverliningshandbookpod@gmail.comCheck out the Silver Linings Handbook website at:https://silverliningshandbook.com/Check out our Patreon to support the show at:https://www.patreon.com/thesilverliningshandbookJoin our Facebook Group at:https://www.facebook.com/groups/1361159947820623Visit the Silver Linings Handbook store to support the podcast at:https://www.bonfire.com/store/the-silver-linings-handbook-podcast-storeVisit The True Crime Times Substack at:https://truecrimemessenger.substack.comThe Silver Linings Handbook podcast is a part of the ART19 network. ART19 is a subsidiary of Wondery and Amazon Music.See the Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and the California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

12 - President Trump gives his remarks on Veterans' Day to start today's show. 1220 - Side - best war movie character 1230 - Congressman Jeff Van Drew joins us today, and he pays tribute to a veteran who didn't understand why he was getting so much praise for his service. Are we out of the shutdown? What is the outlook on when things will go back to some sense of normalcy? Can we ever come to terms on some key issues? 1250 - Your calls to round out the first hour. 1 - Legendary investigative journalist, Gerald Posner, joins the program today. Why doesn't he have a Pulitzer Prize yet? Why has Gerald focused his energy on the gender dysphoria problem in his journalism career? Why are the Olympics now moving to ban transgender athletes from competing with the opposite sex? What have they realized regarding physiological differences in women and transgender women? What is the funny thing about Twitter/X for Gerald? 120 - Who in our government was in the military? Why is that amount dwindling? Your calls. 130 - Will we elect more military personnel to offices? 140 - Josh Shapiro goes after JD Vance over his background and how he is turning his back on his people. Isn't that hypocritical of Josh to say? 150 - Will Henry be able to fly on Thursday? Your calls. 2 - Lieutenant Colonel Scott Rutter joins us on this Veterans' Day to reflect on his service, as he has a new book “Damn Fine Soldiers: The Epic Story of Task Force 2-7 Infantry and the 21-Day Attack to Baghdad That Changed Modern Warfare”, that details exactly what the title indicates. What was it like receiving that intel and then going out and defeating our enemies in Baghdad? Who is Scott really proud of for his service to this country? How much did terrain affect the war in Afghanistan? How do we pay tribute to those lost in that war? Should there be more veterans in our government positions? Are we yearning for more military men? When will his book be hitting shelves? What's his biggest memory of being a “fixer” at Guantanamo Bay? 215 - Dom's Money Melody! 220 - Does this city really need more red light cameras? How many are in the city now? 235 - Your calls. 250 - The Lightning Round!

2 - Lieutenant Colonel Scott Rutter joins us on this Veterans' Day to reflect on his service, as he has a new book, “Damn Fine Soldiers: The Epic Story of Task Force 2-7 Infantry and the 21-Day Attack to Baghdad That Changed Modern Warfare”, that details exactly what the title indicates. What was it like receiving that intel and then going out and defeating our enemies in Baghdad? Who is Scott really proud of for his service to this country? How much did terrain affect the war in Afghanistan? How do we pay tribute to those lost in that war? Should there be more veterans in our government positions? Are we yearning for more military men? When will his book be hitting shelves? What's his biggest memory of being a “fixer” at Guantanamo Bay? 215 - Dom's Money Melody! 220 - Does this city really need more red light cameras? How many are in the city now? 235 - Your calls. 250 - The Lightning Round!

Since Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani's government came to power three years ago following a serious political crisis, Iraq has been experiencing one of the calmest and most stable periods of the last two decades. The capital Baghdad is currently undergoing major renovation work. FRANCE 24's Marie-Charlotte Roupie reports, with Josh Vardey.

1) A Gaza gli attacchi continuano e gli ingressi umanitari restano pochi. Nella striscia, però, si prova a pensare al futuro. (Giulio Cocchini - Cesvi) 2)Baghdad tra Washington e Teheran. Gli Iracheni votano per le elezioni parlamentari che decideranno che direzione prenderà il paese. (Laura Silvia Battaglia) 3) Stati Uniti, il senato approva il provvedimento per mettere fine allo shutdown. Lo stallo economico sembra vicino alla fine, ma il voto ha spaccato i democratici. (Roberto Festa) 4) Il costo climatico dell'intelligenza artificiale. Per la prima volta alla Cop30 di Belem si discuterà dell'impatto ambientale delle tecnologie digitali. (Alice Franchi) 5) Spagna, la pubblicazione delle memorie dell'ex re Juan Carlos riaprono il dibattito sul ruolo della monarchia. (Giulio Maria Piantedosi) 6) Rubrica sportiva. La squadra femminile di calcio under 17 della corea del nord si riconferma campione del mondo. Non una sorpresa, ma una strategia pianificata. (Luca Parena)

"From the Frontlines" is an ADL podcast which brings listeners to the frontline in the battle against antisemitism and extremism through conversations with ADL staff who are living that battle every day. The frontline in this podcast is deeply personal because it's about one of our own. Elizabeth Tsurkov, a Princeton University doctoral student, was kidnapped in Baghdad on March 21, 2023, while conducting research for her dissertation. Leading the fight for her release was her sister Emma Tsurkov who is the Director of Quantitative Research in ADL's Center for Antisemitism Research. She never stopped advocating, never stopped demanding action, and never gave up hope. On September 9th of this year, Elizabeth was finally freed and returned home to Israel. To tell that story, Emma joined this podcast to share her incredibly personal and powerful story. To read the New York Times article on Elizabeth's ordeal mentioned in the podcast, visit: https://www.nytimes.com/2025/11/05/world/middleeast/tsurkov-kataib-torture-kidnap.html. This conversation was recorded in November 2025.

2. The Islamic World's Scientific Contributions and Mars in Medieval Thought. Matthew Shindell highlights an intellectual renaissance in the Islamic world—specifically Baghdad and Damascus—between the 10th and 16th centuries, which was vital while Europe was experiencing its "Dark Ages." Through translation and original work, Islamic scholars built upon ancient knowledge, fueling a great intellectual transformation. In the medieval period, Mars was widely associated with vices like war, violence, and disaster. However, the renowned poet Dante Alighieri, in The Divine Comedy, transformed this negative association into the virtue of fortitude. Since Dante was charting a path through the heavens, where all planets had to represent virtues, Mars was designated as the sphere housing martyrs and those who died in holy war, becoming a highly important symbol for Christian Europe. 1920 JOHN CARTER

2. The Islamic World's Scientific Contributions and Mars in Medieval Thought. Matthew Shindell highlights an intellectual renaissance in the Islamic world—specifically Baghdad and Damascus—between the 10th and 16th centuries, which was vital while Europe was experiencing its "Dark Ages." Through translation and original work, Islamic scholars built upon ancient knowledge, fueling a great intellectual transformation. In the medieval period, Mars was widely associated with vices like war, violence, and disaster. However, the renowned poet Dante Alighieri, in The Divine Comedy, transformed this negative association into the virtue of fortitude. Since Dante was charting a path through the heavens, where all planets had to represent virtues, Mars was designated as the sphere housing martyrs and those who died in holy war, becoming a highly important symbol for Christian Europe. 1962

It is customary to add on every Yom Tob a special chapter of Tehillim associated with that Yom Tob. The chapter is recited immediately after the recitation of "Yosheb Be'seter Elyon," which is one of the chapters of Tehillim added before Baruch She'amar on Shabbat and Yom Tob. This custom is mentioned by the Ben Ish Hai (Rav Yosef Haim of Baghdad, 1833-1909), in Parashat Vayigash, though he notes that the custom among the Kabbalists in Yeshivat Bet-El in Jerusalem was not to add this recitation on Yom Tob. It is reported that many Kabbalists omitted this recitation because the Arizal did not instruct adding a special chapter of Tehillim on Yom Tob. In any event, the accepted custom today is to add this chapter every Yom Tob. There were some communities who recited the chapter in Tehillim (19) "La'menase'ah Mizmor Le'David" before Baruch She'amar on Hol Ha'mo'ed. This was the custom in Yeshivat Bet-El, though the Ben Ish Hai did not follow this practice in Baghdad. The accepted custom is not to add this chapter on Hol Ha'mo'ed. Some Poskim recommend to add this chapter privately on Hol Ha'mo'ed after reciting "La'menase'ah Bi'neginot" before Baruch She'amar, but this is not our community's custom.

Today's guest is Billy Birdzell, founder of Horatius Group, an independent investment bank focused on creating exceptional outcomes for founder-led and family-owned businesses, and Horatius Impact, a non-profit dedicated to training and equipping scouts to defend endangered species like rhino and lion from poachers in Africa.  Billy began his career as an infantry and special operations officer in the United States Marine Corps. On September 11, 2001, he was in New York City — an event that would forever shape his path. Soon after, he deployed to Iraq, meeting his platoon in combat and leading Marines through the fight to Baghdad. In this conversation, Billy and Jack discuss what it means to lead in the chaos of war, the relentless push to “just keep moving forward,” and the weapons and gear that defined those early battles.They revisit the Battle of Najaf in August 2004 and the historic January 2005 elections in Iraq, reflecting on the cost and meaning of those moments. Billy shares his journey from conventional infantry operations to Marine Special Operations Command (MARSOC), his experiences training for special operations, attending French language school, and deploying to Africa.The two also look back on their long friendship and Jack's transition from the Teams to becoming an author, before diving into Billy's post-military mission — building Horatius Group and Horatius Impact, and his ongoing work in Africa protecting wildlife and empowering local defenders on the frontlines of conservation.FOLLOW BILLYLinkedIn: @BillyBirdzellWebsite: https://www.horatiusgroup.com FOLLOW JACKInstagram: @JackCarrUSA X:  @JackCarrUSAFacebook:  @JackCarr YouTube:  @JackCarrUSASPONSORSCRY HAVOC – A Tom Reece Thriller Bravo Company Manufacturing - https://bravocompanyusa.com/ and on Instagram @BravoCompanyUSATHE SIGs of Jack Carr:Visit https://www.sigsauer.com/ and on Instagram @sigsauerinc Jack Carr Gear: Explore the gear here https://jackcarr.co/gear

Jerome Loughridge is the inaugural Executive Director of the Aspen-Kern Program on Leadership & Character in Higher Education, a new national initiative of the Aspen Institute. Having previously served as chief of staff at both a major public and a national private research university, Jerome will lead a cohort of US college presidents who are new to their roles as they seek to reclaim the importance of character formation for democratic citizenship and greater human flourishing. Jerome returned to higher education after a fifteen-year career in the energy sector, where he led both private equity-backed and publicly-traded companies across North America. A native of rural Oklahoma, Jerome earned his interdisciplinary BA at Baylor University (Phi Beta Kappa) and attended Harvard University as a Truman Scholar prior to beginning his energy career as an international derivatives trader on the New York Mercantile Exchange (NYMEX). In response to 9/11, Jerome competed for a White House Fellowship – a process that resulted in his being appointed as one of twelve young professionals to the Bush Administration and his assignment as special assistant to Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld. In that capacity, he worked on post-war Iraqi reconstruction, splitting time between the West Wing, the Pentagon and Baghdad. Jerome's post-White House professional roles included leadership of portfolio companies with Connecticut-based Wexford Capital and New York-based Ziff Brothers Investments. Among those were the launch of Great White Energy Services, where he was chief operating officer; the creation of Black Mesa Energy Services, where he was president; the formation of Legend Energy Services, where he was executive chairman; and the establishment of Seventy Seven Energy from Chesapeake Oilfield Services, where he served as president of Great Plains Oilfield and remained as an executive through the company's acquisition. Jerome served as CEO of NextStream, a joint venture between GE-Baker Hughes and private partners to bring new technology to the upstream energy sector. Jerome has held board positions with companies in Dongying, China, and Alberta, Canada, in addition to various firms in the U.S. In March 2019, while serving as an energy-sector executive, Jerome was nominated by Oklahoma Governor Kevin Stitt, and unanimously confirmed by the Senate, as Secretary of Health and Mental Health in order to bring business principles to the work of government agencies. In his volunteer Cabinet role, he was responsible for driving Medicaid expansion in the State and eventually helped lead the Governor's Covid-19 Task Force responsible for Oklahoma's response to the global coronavirus pandemic. Jerome is currently completing a Master of Studies at the University of Oxford where he is reading practical ethics in the Department of Philosophy and the Uehiro Institute Oxford. He chairs the Honors College board at Baylor University and regularly teaches at the collegiate, community and international levels, primarily in East Africa and Latin America, on faith, public policy and leadership. Jerome and his wife live on an acreage outside Oklahoma City and have two boys.

Welcome to season 3 of Faux Real! To start this season off, I am joined by actor, writer, producer, and activist Jess Jacobs to chat all about her new film If You See Something co-starring Adam Bakri (Accused) and Krystina Alabado (Hazbin Hotel). In the film, Ali (Bakri), an Iraqi doctor seeking asylum who falls for Katie (Jacobs), an emerging New York gallerist and they begin a new romance together. When disturbing news from Baghdad comes back to haunt Ali in the midst of his asylum process, Ali becomes increasingly torn between the new life he's starting with Katie and the life he left behind. See at at a theater near you when it opens wide November 14th! Meanwhile, enjoy the show! Jess Jacobs on IMDb Jess Jacobs Official Site If You See Something on IMDb Special Thanks to Dakota Rosen @ Origin PR for bringing Jess on the program Listen to Faux Real on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, iHeartRadio, Amazon Music, and all your favorite podcast platforms! Watch the entire video conversation on YouTube Instagram @FauxRealPod Twitter @FauxRealPod Facebook @FauxRealPod Logo design by Chris Michaud Faux Real is a production of Wilder Entertainment © 2025

The proclamation "Hashem Melech, Hashem Malach, Hashem Yimloch Le'olam Va'ed," which we make each morning before Baruch She'amar, should be made while standing. On weekdays, "Hashem Melech" is recited just before Baruch She'amar, and so one remains standing until after Baruch She'amar. On Shabbat and holidays, however, when other chapters of Tehillim are recited in between "Hashem Melech" and Baruch She'amar, one must remain standing until he completes the verse recited right after "Hashem Melech" – "Ve'haya Hashem La'Melech…U'Shmo Ehad." The next paragraph – "Hoshi'enu" – may be recited sitting. If one has already prayed Shaharit, and, while learning Torah in the synagogue, he hears the congregation recite "Hashem Melech," then he must stand. Preferably, he should also join them in the recitation. If, however, one hears an individual reciting "Hashem Melech," not with a Minyan, he has no obligation to stand. If a person is praying with a Minyan, and he is still reciting Hodu when the congregation reaches "Hashem Melech," then he should stand but not join the congregation in reciting "Hashem Melech." The Arizal taught that the sequence of the prayer service is vitally important, and so following the proper order takes precedence over the value of joining the congregation in reciting "Hashem Melech." Disrupting the sequence of the Tefila could adversely affect its impact, and so one should not recite "Hashem Melech" early, while he has yet to complete Hodu or the earlier parts of the service. This is the ruling of the Ben Ish Hai (Rav Yosef Haim of Baghdad, 1833-1909) and the Kaf Ha'haim (Rav Yaakob Haim Sofer, Baghdad-Jerusalem, 1870-1939). This is in contrast to the view of the Peri Hadash (Rav Hizkiya Da Silva, 1659-1698), who felt that since we do not pray with all the deep intentions of the Arizal, the sequence of the prayers is not as critical, and thus one should interrupt an earlier part of the service for the sake of joining the recitation of "Hashem Melech." The Ben Ish Hai countered that we should follow the Arizal's practices despite not having all his deep Kavanot (intentions), and so the sequence must be maintained. It is worth noting that if Halacha discourages disrupting the Tefila with the recitation of a different part of the service, then certainly, and many times more so, it forbids interruptions such as reading text messages, checking notifications, and doing other things with one's device. Throughout the entire prayer service, we should try to remain as singularly focused on our Tefila as possible, and make a point of avoiding all distractions. "Hashem Melech" is recited also during the Selihot prayers, and the Ben Ish Hai writes that the aforementioned Halachot apply also when one hears the congregation recite "Hashem Melech" during Selihot, and he is required to stand. Standing during "Hashem Melech" is the accepted custom, but not a strict Halachic requirement. Therefore, an elderly or infirm individual, who finds it difficult to stand, may remain seated for the recitation of "Hashem Melech." The Ben Ish Hai writes that standing is not required during the traditional recitation of "Hashem Melech" during the Hakafot on Simhat Torah. This custom is a relatively new development, and may thus be treated more leniently, such that standing is not required. Hacham Ovadia Yosef raises the question of how the Ben Ish Hai could write this, as standing is strictly required during Hakafot for an entirely different reason – because the Torah scrolls are being carried. Irrespective of the recitation of "Hashem Melech," standing is required in the synagogue when the Sefer Torah is being carried, which is of course happening during Hakafot. Some answer this question by suggesting that the Ben Ish Hai accepted the novel ruling of Rav Shlomo Zalman Auerbach (Jerusalem, 1910-1995) permitting one to sit during Hakafot. Rav Shlomo Zalman asserted that during Hakafot, the Torah scrolls are considered to be in their place, as they are meant to be danced with at this time. Standing for the Sefer Torah is required only when it is removed from its place, and therefore one may sit during Hakafot, when the Torah scrolls are, in a sense, in their place. For this reason, perhaps, the Ben Ish Hai permitted sitting while reciting "Hashem Melech" during the Hakafot. It is unlikely, however, that the Ben Ish Hai followed this novel position, and in fact, it is not accepted as Halacha. The story is told of Hacham Ezra Attieh (1885-1970), Rosh Yeshiva of Yeshivat Porat Yosef, who, as an older man, felt weary during Hakafot on Simhat Torah, and so he left the room to sit down somewhere else. This is the generally accepted Halacha – that even those who feel weak or weary during Hakafot should leave the synagogue to sit. (It should be noted, however, that Hacham Ovadia permitted sitting when the Torah scrolls are stationary in the few moments between Hakafot.) It is more likely, then, that the Ben Ish Hai referred to the practice observed in many congregations to place the Torah scrolls on the Teba after dancing and recite the hymns, including "Hashem Melech," and he therefore wrote that sitting is permissible during that time. Summary: One must stand for the recitation of "Hashem Melech" during Shaharit. If one had already prayed, and, while learning in the synagogue, he hears the congregation recite "Hashem Melech," he should stand and join their recitation. If one is reciting a different part of the prayer service, such as Hodu, then he should rise but not interrupt to recite "Hashem Melech." This applies also to the recitation of "Hashem Melech" during Selihot. Standing is not required, however, for the recitation of "Hashem Melech" during Hakafot if the Torah scrolls are on the Teba and not being carried at that time. The elderly, infirm and others who find it difficult to stand may remain seated for the recitation of "Hashem Melech," even during Shaharit and Selihot.

Each morning before Baruch She'amar, the congregation stands and the Hazan declares, "Hashem Melech, Hashem Malach, Hashem Yimloch Le'olam Va'ed" – "Hashem is King, Hashem was King, Hashem will be King for all eternity." The congregation then repeats this proclamation after the Hazan. Our custom is to make this proclamation twice. There is an opinion that a Minyan is required for pronouncing "Hashem Melech," but the accepted view is that this may be said even without a Minyan, and so if ten men have yet to arrive by this point, "Hashem Melech" may nevertheless be recited. Some communities have the practice that a child leads the congregation in reciting "Hashem Melech." It would seem, however, that it is more proper to choose someone who is at least Bar-Misva age to lead this proclamation. The Ben Ish Hai (Rav Yosef Haim of Baghdad, 1833-1909) brings a custom to lift one's feet when reciting "Hashem Melech," like we do when reciting "Kadosh, Kadosh, Kadosh." This symbolizes the "elevation" that we experience through this recitation, as we make our way toward the higher realms until we reach the highest level in the heavens so we can recite the Amida directly in Hashem's presence. One who follows this custom must ensure to do so in a discreet, unassuming manner, and not in a way that draws attention to himself. The Arizal (Rav Yishak Luria, Safed, 1534-1572) taught that the pronouncement of "Hashem Melech" is associated with our quest to neutralize the 280 "Kelipot," or negative energies, that threaten us. These 280 forces are alluded to in the names of the five letters of the Hebrew alphabet that are changed when they appear at the end of a word: Mem, Nun, Sadi, Peh, Kaf (represented by the acrostic "Mansapach"). The combined numerical value of these letters is 280. When we succeed in "subjugating" these 280 forces, the Arizal taught, Mashiah will come. In the proclamation of "Hashem Melech," the words "Melech" and "Malach" both have the Gematria of 90, and the word "Yimloch" equals 100 – for a total of 280, thus alluding to the "Kelipot." The Name of "Havaya" is mentioned three times in this proclamation ("Hashem Melech, Hashem Malach, Hashem Yimloch"), and in Gematria it equals 26, for a total of 78 (26 * 3). Adding this to 280, we arrive at a total of 358 – the Gematria of "Mashiah" (40+300+10+8). This daily proclamation, then, is a crucial part of our effort to overcome the harmful spiritual forces in the world so that we will become worthy of the arrival of Mashiah.

Join us for an insightful conversation with Brian Zieroth, Senior Program Manager at the Uranium Processing Facility (UPF) at Y-12. Discover the pivotal role UPF plays in supporting the nation's nuclear deterrent and global security missions. Brian shares the challenges and triumphs of modernizing uranium processing capabilities, emphasizing the importance of safety and innovation. With construction set to complete in 2027, UPF is poised to be a cornerstone of national security infrastructure. Don't miss this deep dive into a project that ensures our strategic deterrent remains robust and reliable.Brian is the senior project manager for the Uranium Processing Facility (UPF) in Oak Ridge, Tennessee, a plant designed to replace older, outdated facilities and meet modern safety and environmental standards. He is responsible for all engineering, procurement, construction, and startup activities. He has nearly 30 years' experience with Bechtel, and is a Bechtel Principal Vice President. Brian brings diverse industry experience to his leadership role for the UPF project. He has held project management roles of increasing responsibility at the Waste Treatment and Immobilization Plant (WTP) at the Hanford site, the Chemistry and Metallurgy Replacement Project (CMRR) at Los Alamos National Laboratory, UPF, and as Director for Enterprise Line-Item Projects at Consolidated Nuclear Security, where he provided oversight for the Y-12 site in Oak Ridge and the Pantex Plant in Amarillo, TX. In 2022, he became area project manager for the main processing building at UPF, before being named to his current role in 2024.He joined Bechtel in 1997 in the Information Systems and Technology group for Bechtel Enterprises. In 2003, he became deputy IS&T manager on the Iraq reconstruction project in Baghdad. In 2006, he moved to the U.S. Department of Energy Advanced Mixed Waste Treatment Project in Idaho. He was then named plant automation manager at the Pueblo Chemical Agent-Destruction Pilot Plant in 2010 and chief information officer at WTP in 2012.Socials:Follow on Twitter at @NucleCastFollow on LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/company/nuclecastpodcastSubscribe RSS Feed: https://rss.com/podcasts/nuclecast-podcast/Rate: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/nuclecast/id1644921278Email comments and topic/guest suggestions to NucleCast@anwadeter.org

#187 - A childhood marked by chaos. A career built on service. And a second act shaped by faith, language, and a blank page. Jake sits down with Ken Webb to trace a life that refuses to settle for mere existence—from praying his way through a turbulent home to leading across Kosovo, Iraq, Afghanistan, and beyond.Ken opens up about how his grandparents' steady love and a lived-in faith helped him endure abuse and instability, and how those early lessons informed three decades in the Army Reserve. We walk through his pivot from military police to intelligence, the realities of early Iraq deployments, the nuance of embassy duty in Baghdad, and the complexity of retiring when your identity is wrapped in a uniform. Ken shares why he turned down comfortable contracts, chose Miraflores in Lima, and made Spanish class and the gym his new daily discipline.We also dig into his debut novel, Trapped in Deception, a work of fiction threaded with real messages and real emotions. The story explores gaslighting, misplaced trust, and moral courage through a protagonist who—like Ken—keeps moving forward even when life tilts sideways. Along the way, Ken reframes adventure: not cliffs and bravado, but consistent growth, honest discomfort, and choices that expand your life. If you're wrestling with what comes after a big chapter ends, or wondering how to trade drift for direction, this conversation offers practical hope and hard-won insight.Listen, share with a friend who needs courage today, and if the story speaks to you, leave a quick rating or review. It helps more curious, purpose-driven listeners find the show.To learn more about Ken and his first novel check out kenwebb69.com.Want to be a guest on Journey with Jake? Send me a message on PodMatch, here: https://www.podmatch.com/hostdetailpreview/journeywithjake Visit LandPirate.com to get your gear that has you, the adventurer, in mind. Use the code "Journey with Jake" to get an additional 15% off at check out. Visit geneticinsights.co and use the code "DISCOVER25" to enjoy a sweet 25% off your first purchase.

The Ben Ish Hai (Rav Yosef Haim of Baghdad, 1833-1909) writes that the section of Hodu should be recited in the morning immediately following the Korbanot section, which discusses the sacrifices offered each day in the Bet Ha'mikdash. King David established the reading of Hodu during the offering of the daily Tamid sacrifice, and so, in commemoration, we should recite Hodu immediately after we speak of this sacrifice. Furthermore, the Ben Ish Hai writes, the declaration of "Hashem Melech, Hashem Malach, Hashem Yimloch Le'olam Va'ed" should be made soon after the recitation of Hodu. Therefore, if somebody recited the sections of Korbanot and Hodu at home, and then comes to the synagogue, he should repeat Hodu so he can juxtapose this recitation to the pronouncement of "Hashem Melech…" Our custom is to recite Hodu before Baruch She'amar, but the custom among many Ashkenazim is to recite Baruch She'amar first, before Hodu. This sequence is indeed found in a number of ancient Ashkenazic texts of the Siddur. The Maharam Shick (Hungary, 1807-1879) went so far as to say that one who recites Hodu before Baruch She'amar does not fulfill the obligation of Pesukeh De'zimra. He explained that the verses of Hodu express praise for Hashem, which is the function of Pesukeh De'zimra, and so they must be included within the framework of Pesukeh De'zimra, which begins with Baruch She'amar. Later Rabbis disputed this strict position, noting that the Arizal taught that Hodu should be recited before Baruch She'amar. Moreover, even the Ashkenazim recite the chapter of "Aromimcha Hashem Ki Dilitani" before Baruch She'amar, even though that chapter, like Hodu, expresses praise to Hashem. And, several Rishonim wrote explicitly that one should proceed directly from Baruch She'amar to the series of "Haleluya" chapters of Tehillim, such that Hodu must be recited beforehand. Of course, every community should follow the custom that they've received from their forebears. The Arizal taught that every community has its own "gate" through which its prayers ascend to the heavens, and so each community should strictly adhere to its customs. Significantly, however, Hacham Ovadia Yosef cites the Hida (Rav Haim Yosef David Azulai, 1724-1806) as stating that prayers that follow the Sephardic custom ascend through all the "gates," and thus an Ashkenazi who wishes to adopt the Sephardic prayer customs may do so. This is evidenced by none other than the Arizal himself, who was an Ashkenazi but decided to adopt the customs of prayer followed by the Sepharadim. Similarly, Rav Natan Adler (Germany, 1741-1800) brought a Rabbi from Turkey to teach him the Sephardic tradition of prayer because he wanted to adopt those customs. Therefore, Hacham Ovadia writes, an Ashkenazi may switch to the Sephardic prayer customs, but a Sephardi may not adopt the Ashkenazic prayer customs. Accordingly, Hacham Ovadia ruled that if a Sephardi prays in an Ashkenazic Minyan, he should not serve as Hazan, as this would require him to recite Baruch She'amar before Hodu. Hacham Ben Sion Abba Shaul (Jerusalem, 1924-1998) maintained that a Sephardi may lead the services according to Ashkenazic custom, but Hacham Ovadia disagreed, and stated that a Sephardi must adhere to the Sephardic custom of reciting Baruch She'amar only after Hodu. If a Sepharadi mistakenly recited Baruch She'amar without first reciting Hodu, and he realized his mistake after completing Baruch She'amar, then he should recite Hodu at that point. This was the ruling of Hacham Ben Sion, and Hacham Ovadia would presumably agree that after the fact, if a person already recited Baruch She'amar, then he can and should still recite Hodu. Summary: Sephardic practice is to recite Hodu before Baruch She'amar, whereas many Ashkenazim have the custom to recite Hodu only after Baruch She'amar. A Sepharadi praying in an Ashkenazic Minyan must adhere to Sephardic practice, and so he should not serve as Hazan, as this would compel him to reverse the order in accordance with Ashkenazic practice. However, if a Sepharadi mistakenly recited Baruch She'amar first, he recites Hodu afterward.

By the latter part of the twentieth century, the world had become unipolar. The Soviet Empire collapsed even more rapidly than the British one had after the Berlin Wall fell in 1989. China was not yet the force it is today. The US was at the pinnacle of its global power.That made it all the more unbearable that it came under assault within its own borders by the terrorists of the 9/11 attack in 2001. A reaction was inevitable. We saw last time how it invaded Afghanistan, but that seemed barely justified since there's no evidence of Afghan involvement in the attacks. By 2003, the US as ready to turn its military aggression against another nation in what it called its ‘war on terror', a strange notion of waging war against an abstract noun. Concretely, its new target was Iraq. Sadly, however, Iraqi contact with the 9/11 attacks had proved as difficult to substantiate as Afghanistan's. But the US put together an international coalition for war there, as it had once before in 1990-91, to throw Iraqi invaders out of Kuwait.This though would be much smaller coalition, with fewer nations prepared to support President George ‘Dubya' Bush's new campaign. It didn't help that it looked suspiciously at least partly aimed at completing the work of his own father, George HW Bush, who'd been president during the previous war on Iraq, by bringing down the dictator Saddam Hussein.One of the nations right alongside the US was Britain. That would leave a lasting mark on Tony Blair's legacy. Which might as a result not have been quite as glowing as he might have liked.Our subject for next week.Illustration: Government buildings burning in Baghdad following a US airstrike in March 2003. Photo Ramzi Haidar / AFP / Getty from ‘The Atlantic'Music: Bach Partita #2c by J Bu licensed under an Attribution-NonCommercial-No Derivatives (aka Music Sharing) 3.0 International License

5. Maliki's Corruption and Road to ISIS During 2011-2013, Baghdad was unrecognizable, divided by concrete walls into sectarian neighborhoods, with Maliki pursuing sectarian policies targeting Sunni figures while building government on corruption and patronage. Military became money-making machine with "ghost soldiers," weakening army before ISIS emerged. Al-Qaeda resurrected amid Syrian chaos while Sunni leaders aligning with jihadis during 2012 "Friday of Anger" demonstrations proved disastrous as Maliki's forces collapsed, allowing ISIS to present as "liberator."

6. Ramadi's Infighting and ISIS Infiltration Ramadi saw tragic infighting among Sunni tribal elders utilizing outside powers to increase influence, unable to form coherent political project while US treated them monolithically. Market scenes devolved into chaos with 14 factions fighting simultaneously. After Al-Qaeda's defeat, no one expected jihadis' return, but Maliki's sectarianism and security forces' corruption created societal crack that disciplined ISIS forces infiltrated, while Iran's influence existed since Americans entered Baghdad.

1. The American Invasion and Start of Chaos The April 2003 American arrival in Baghdad saw Saddam's statue toppled before foreign journalists rather than Iraqi crowds, with contradiction between heavily armed US presence and citywide looting while the Iraqi Museum was ransacked but Ministry of Oil secured. Iraqis initially believed Americans would bring prosperity, leading to disappointment over "criminal negligence," with Abdullahad becoming an accidental journalist after bribing his way out of detention. 1600

1. The American Invasion and Start of Chaos The April 2003 American arrival in Baghdad saw Saddam's statue toppled before foreign journalists rather than Iraqi crowds, with contradiction between heavily armed US presence and citywide looting while the Iraqi Museum was ransacked but Ministry of Oil secured. Iraqis initially believed Americans would bring prosperity, leading to disappointment over "criminal negligence," with Abdullahad becoming an accidental journalist after bribing his way out of detention.

After two incredibly long years, we are finally able to celebrate the return of all living Israeli hostages from the hell of Hamas. Absent specifics and relying on a long history of failed “new beginnings” in the Middle East, Trump's 20-point Peace Plan begs the question, what comes next? With a successful Phase One and a fragile Phase Two, it is with cautious optimism that we ask: how will disarmament and demilitarization be successfully carried out in Gaza? What does this mean for Israeli politics and the looming election? And how will Western leftist groups react to the end of the fake “genocide”? Dan Senor currently serves as the Chief Public Affairs Officer at Elliott Investment Management in addition to hosting his own podcast, Call Me Back. Mr. Senor served as a senior advisor to U.S. Senator Mitt Romney and former U.S. Speaker of the House Paul Ryan in their campaigns for national office. During the presidential administration of George W. Bush, Mr. Senor was based in Baghdad, where he served as chief spokesperson for the U.S.-led coalition in Iraq. Before that, he was a senior Defense Department official based in US Central Command in Qatar. Read the transcript here.Subscribe to our Substack here.

After the US invasion of Iraq in 2003 and the death of Saddam Hussein, scientists who worked for the regime were killed or left the country. When one of them –microbiologist Thamer Abdul Rahman Imran – learned the new regime wanted to arrest him and the insurgents wanted to kill him, he went into hiding. Racing against time, ex–Secret Service agent Steve Monteiro and his team from the Department of Homeland Security set out to find the missing scientist and learn what he knew about the anthrax crisis that was baffling investigators in the United States. The journey took them from the White House to the Middle East as they fight bureaucrats in Washington who seemed to want them to fail. The Gray Bird of Baghdad tells the true story of one's man's quest to protect his country and another man's fight to save his family from the ravages of a country at war.Heroes Behind HeadlinesExecutive Producer Ralph PezzulloProduced & Engineered by Mike DawsonMusic provided by ExtremeMusic.com

Episode: 1456 In which paper goes from China to Europe by way of Samarkand.  Today, paper makes a long journey.

PREVIEW HEADLINE: The Earliest Printing Press: Stamped Bricks of Mesopotamia GUEST NAME: Muriel al-Rashid SUMMARY: John Bachelor interviewed author Muriel al-Rashid about her book Between Two Rivers: The Story of Mesopotamian Civilizations. The conversation covered stamped bricks used in ziggurats, like the one built by Ur-Nammu at Ur around 2000 BCE. These stamps served as the earliest printing press, detailing the builder, the building, and the dedication to a god, eliminating the need for scribes. 1923 BAGHDAD

In this episode of The PDB Afternoon Bulletin:  First—The White House alerted Congress on Thursday that the U.S. is now essentially at war with Latin America's drug cartels, issuing a memo that declares cartel members to be enemy combatants subject to the full force of the U.S. military. Later in the show—the U.S. military has begun drawing down its mission in Iraq under an agreement inked with Baghdad last year, signaling the end of America's two-decade-long military presence in the country. To listen to the show ad-free, become a premium member of The President's Daily Brief by visiting PDBPremium.com. Please remember to subscribe if you enjoyed this episode of The President's Daily Brief. YouTube: youtube.com/@presidentsdailybrief Stash Financial: Don't Let your money sit around. Go to ⁠https://get.stash.com/PDB⁠ to see how you can receive $25 towards your first stock purchase. TriTails Premium Beef: Reclaim dinner from the jaws of school-year chaos Visit ⁠https://trybeef.com/PDB⁠. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

HEADLINE: Defining Vikings and Early Expansion BOOK TITLE: American Vikings: How the Norse Sailed into the Lands and Imaginations of America AUTHOR: Martyn Whittock 100 WORD SUMMARY: The book discusses the Norse expansion ("Viking" being an activity, not a societal label) that began sweeping across Europe and the British Isles in the late 8th century. Key drivers of this extraordinary diaspora included population growth, pushback against the Christian Frankish Empire, and, most notably, the disruption of the Islamic silver trade from Baghdad, which funded Scandinavia's gift-giving economy. This silver shortage forced the Norse to raid monasteries and coastal settlements for precious metals. The westward movement extended to the British Isles, Iceland (settled 870s), and eventually Greenland (10th century) as the Norse continued their exploration.

Daniel P. Driscoll is the 26th Secretary of the Army, sworn in on February 25th, 2025, following his nomination by President Donald J. Trump and confirmation by the United States Senate. As Secretary of the Army, he oversees operations, modernization, and resource allocation for nearly one million Active, Guard, and Reserve Soldiers and more than 265,000 Army Civilians. A former Army officer and business leader, Secretary Driscoll brings experience spanning military service, law, and the private sector. Secretary Driscoll was commissioned in 2007 as an Armor Officer through the U.S. Army Officer Candidate School. While on active duty, he led a cavalry platoon in the 10th Mountain Division at Fort Drum, New York, and deployed to Baghdad, Iraq, in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom in 2009. His military awards include the Army Commendation Medal, Ranger Tab, and Combat Action Badge. After departing active duty, Secretary Driscoll attended Yale Law School and worked in Yale's Veterans Legal Services Clinic. He has held leadership roles in investment banking, private equity, and business operations, including as Chief Operating Officer of a $200 million venture capital fund. Secretary Driscoll holds a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and a Juris Doctor from Yale Law School. He is a member of the North Carolina State Bar, the Rotary Club, VFW Post 1134, and Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America. A native of Boone, North Carolina, Secretary Driscoll comes from a family with a legacy of military service. His grandfather served in the Army during World War II as a decoder, and his father served during Vietnam as an infantryman. He is married to his high-school sweetheart, and they have two children. Shawn Ryan Show Sponsors: ⁠https://betterhelp.com/srs⁠ This episode is sponsored. Give online therapy a try at betterhelp.com/srs and get on your way to being your best self. ⁠https://bruntworkwear.com⁠ – USE CODE SRS ⁠https://calderalab.com/srs⁠ Use code SRS for 20% off your first order. ⁠https://meetfabric.com/shawn⁠ ⁠https://shawnlikesgold.com⁠ ⁠https://helixsleep.com/srs⁠ ⁠https://www.hulu.com/welcome⁠ ⁠https://ketone.com/srs⁠ Visit https://ketone.com/srs for 30% OFF your subscription order. ⁠https://moinkbox.com/srs⁠ ⁠https://patriotmobile.com/srs⁠ ⁠https://rocketmoney.com/srs⁠ ⁠https://ROKA.com⁠ – USE CODE SRS ⁠https://ziprecruiter.com/srs Dan Driscoll Links: X - https://x.com/SecArmy U.S. Army Bio - https://www.army.mil/leaders/sa/bio Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

PREVIEW: GUEST: Moudhy al-Rashid SUMMARY: Moudhy al-Rashid discusses her book, Between Two Rivers, focusing on stamped bricks found in Mesopotamian ziggurats (like Ur). These 4,000-5,000-year-old stamps, deemed the earliest printing press, recorded the king's name (like Ur-Nammu, c. 2000 BCE) and the god to whom the building was dedicated. Stamping bypassed the need for scribes. 1923 BAGHDAD