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Quaranteam - Dave In Dallas: Part 12 Consequences.
Quaranteam - Dave In Dallas: Part 11 Cleanup: The Air Force arrives with a mop. Based on a post by RonanJWilkerson, in 12 parts. Listen to the Podcast at Explicit Novels. Dave's second quandary was his position, nearly on the middle of the pad, left him seriously exposed. Applying the aggressiveness taught by Carter, he knew Liv had him protected to the right, so he closed with the occupied building, moving to the far corner. A quick look showed him there were again two doors, like the other building. And two men emerging from the far door. Turning their backs to him as they followed a third man who was just rounding the opposite corner. That put him out of Dave's sight, but into Liv's. As the men receded, Dave fired into their backs. Neither was at a sprint, so they fell forward without the dramatic tumbling of the earlier target. A simultaneous rifle crack announced the death of the lead in that trio. He paused. Dave couldn't hear any sounds coming from the building. He remained wary, uneasy. How many more will it take? He waited. An eternity later, the door on one of the smaller buildings slowly opened. Two hands held high and outward came into view, followed by the woman they were attached to. She moved slowly. She was too far away for Dave to read her facial expression but she was giving all the big outward signs of surrender. Two more women exited another of the smaller buildings. One was an average build, the other rotund. The latter's feet seemed reluctant to move. Great. Don't know if there's anyone left in the big building, and now I have unknowns coming in from the houses. Other women began issuing from what must be the dwellings. Eight in all. As they neared, most had curious, guarded expressions on their faces. The big one had a look like she rarely smiled, ever. "Alright, that's close enough! Just stop where you are. Pick a leader and send her forward." There was a brief discussion which resulted in a medium height brunette walking towards him. The third woman out glared daggers into the back of the brunette's skull. The angry one argued hard with all of them, but none seemed interested in anything she had to say. Dave waited until the brunette reached easy speaking distance. "Stop right there. What's your name?" "Sandy." "How many of you are there?" "I don't rightly know." She looked thoughtful. "All the men were in the community building. Us women and our kids were in our homes. Jeb, the man that bound me to him, came in awhile ago with a new woman. She was out, like from the shot he gave me before." That confirms they're using the QT serum . "If he bound you to him with that shot, why are you awake?" "Oh, that was a few weeks back for me. I knew him a little bit before lockdowns started. Then he just shows up and says he has this safe place to stay and we can both be safe from the virus runnin' round, but I have to take this shot and sleep with him. He's been an okay guy, and I ain't had no boyfriend in several months anyway. 'Sides, he didn't tell me that I couldn't be with anybody else after that. Which sucks, but mostly he's been okay. Only been an asshole a few times, but that's pretty fair for most guys I've met. No offense." Dave smirked. "Sandy, how many men are there in your community?" She stopped, looking off to the side, thinking. "Well, there was the ten that left saying' they's gonna raid a rich man's house for somethin', never told us what. Now we know why. They were out collectin' poon like we's just a bunch a deer and no tag limit." Sandy paused. "Is that why you're here? You come to scoop us up and make us your whores?" "No, ma'am." We killed more than ten, so that can't be all . "If you ladies were bound to these men, we'll need to take you to the people that hand out the vaccine to see what they can do for you. But ma'am, please, how many men total are there?" The far door of the community building opened slowly, and a woman stepped out. It was the one Dave had seen inject one of the women right before she got raped. "Get over with the others. Is anyone else inside?" The woman shook her head no and moved swiftly to join the pack. "Oh, right. Well, after the ten left, all six of the others took off saying' they could do just as good somewhere else. But only three of them came back, including Jeb. As soon as they's back they took the nurse, that's the woman that just came out, well they took her and the two women bound to two of the guys that didn't come back and a bit later those women are out cold again. I thought the whole shot thing was permanent, but maybe not if the guy's dead? I hope so, 'cuz we're about to be in a bad way aren't we?" Thirteen. Thirteen men here. Dave counted off in his head. He thought they'd taken out thirteen, but he wasn't going to make assumptions. Especially when one part of his brain was parodying an old farcical movie about how many bullets had been fired from a gun. An 80's flick set in the 50's. "Alright Sandy, is there anyone else left in the houses?" "Just the kids, and some unconscious women. The men said they'd gotten them; reassigned?" She looked frustrated. "Guess I still wasn't good enough to keep that asshole by m'self." Dave deliberately gave Sandy an appraising look. "I think that has more to do with his greed than your looks or personality." "Well ain't you sweet?" Sandy licked her lips and looked Dave up and down. "Easy, I meant every word I said, but I already have several partners. Those six that left attacked my house." Sandy's face dropped. "I don't know if I should hate your guts for killing Jeb, or thank you, for the same thing." After a pause she spoke again. "You should be careful of Debbie. Her husband brought her here for some kinda rebel nation shit. She's already pissed he came back with some hot blonde from a rich man's house. But not so mad at him she's just gonna let you killin' him slide." "Is she the rather large woman that looks like she sucked on an entire lemon tree?" "That's the one." "How 'bout we settle on neutrality for now? Look, let's get all of you back in your homes and warm. I'll need to call the authorities to make sure you all get taken care of before that serum starts doing ugly things." Sandy walked back to the assembled throng. Another debate broke out. Debbie leading a third of the group in angry objections. Then she turned to face Dave. "Where's our men? What gives you the right to come bargin' in here?" She headed for the far end of the building. Several others followed, more than just the ones that had agreed with her. Dave knew things would turn ugly as soon as these women saw the dead bodies. His fastest route into the open yard space was behind him. He sprinted the way he'd come, entering the yard through the gap just as the women began kneeling near selected bodies. By the women's placement, some of the men must have sprinted from the building's edge. Instead of a clump near the corner, there was a line of a few reaching towards the tree line. Dave felt a cold turn inside. Rationally, he could see the line ended well before the trees, suggesting Liv had taken all of them down before they got close. But could one have gotten through? That thought was interrupted by Debbie leaving the line of dead, beginning to search the yard and moving as quickly as her thick legs would carry her. Dave moved to get clear of the gap and the bodies just beyond it. Several of the other women left the line of dead as well. They slowly swarmed about the open space while Debbie made a beeline for the gap. Then she noticed a body in the grass. Fury returned to her face after a brief look of relief. Then she paused. Her chest was already heaving from exertion. When she faced Dave, the anguish was obvious. "You fucking coward! You shot 'em in the back! You shot my husband!" She began a slow charge at him. Dave sorted through his options. The only sure way he had of stopping this woman was his weapon, but he had no desire to shoot an unarmed woman grieving her husband. He could outrun her easily, but he needed to stay in the area. For a moment, Dave's brain played an image of him making short sprints and the woman chasing after him like some schoolyard game. Not helping dammit . Dave took a few steps backwards, bringing him near the back wall of the community building. He noticed the dryer vent again, which meant the pile of pipes wasn't far. He'd have to be careful if he backpedaled any more. Falling on his ass would not engender obedience or respect. Debbie's tirade ended in a screech as she reached into her pocket. Her hand came back out with a small revolver. Shit. Shit. Shit. Dave brought his weapon up faster than her and pulled his trigger. Click . No round fired. The weapon jammed. Shit . Dave dove sideways and backwards just as Debbie fired. He felt a smack on his shoulder as he fell. His hand landed on the pipe pile. He grabbed and rolled away from the wall as another shot spanged off the brick. As he rolled, he swung one arm, releasing one of the two rods he'd snagged. He threw one leg out and came up from his roll, facing Debbie as she recovered from the rod that hit her. Her motion and his brought them in close proximity. On instinct, Dave snapped out with the remaining rod, striking Debbie's wrist. She shrieked in pain as she dropped the pistol. Dave followed up with two strikes to her knee before stepping back into a ready stance. Debbie cried out, but still managed one step forward before the side of her head exploded. Dave turned from Debbie's corpse to scan the area. All of the other women were on the ground. Clearly, they'd done the math in their head and figured out he had a partner in the trees. "Don't make us shoot anyone else. We only came here because we were attacked. The people that attacked us and another house are now all dead. We've done what we came for. We are not leaving you hanging. We know you've been given Quaranteam doses so your lives are bound to these men. There is a way to free you from that bond." Dave decided a bit of vague spitballing could be useful here and played it fast and loose based on what he'd learned in the past 24 hours. "Well, not exactly free you, but transfer that bond to someone else. This time, you will have a choice in that bonding. But, I will not countenance any threat to myself or my partner. And as you can see, she is very protective of me as well. You can also see she is a damn good shot. I want all of you to gather over here, in the lee of this building, while I get someone here to help." The women got up, moving slowly so as not to provoke Dave or his hidden partner. Once they were all clumped together, he pulled out his cell phone. Time to call Detective Verratti. Chapter 13; Cleanup. October 29, 2020 8:20am "Wait, wait, wait. What do you mean you and Olivia are at the compound? Didn't you say you and your special forces friend; Carter? That the two of you were heading to the compound?" On another call, Dave would have switched ears by now. The burning in his left shoulder threatened to make that shift a very painful decision. "No, detective, I simply said we." "Dammit, professor, why the hell wouldn't you take the trained spec-ops guy on something; oh, fuck." "Exactly. Carter and his wife have been dead for two months now. Carter was the security expert in our prepper community. He ran us through many drills on how to protect ourselves and those around us. Olivia is an excellent long-range shot. She proved it again today. Took out half the compound with her sniping. Shot one that was coming at me with a.38, when my gun jammed." "Okay, okay. Damn. Look, I contacted the Air Force when you sent me the text saying you were there. As soon as the liaison red off the coordinates, whoever was on the other end of the phone got pissed. If I overheard correctly, they gathered a small force and headed that way by chopper. I think they lifted off about twenty minutes ago. Expect them in less than an hour. If they arrive in the same mood their boss was in, keep your head down. I know I'm already in deep shit. After getting shouted at over the phone, the Air Force liaison went into my boss' office and shouted for ten minutes straight. Professor; I'm sorry I got you into this." Dave signed off that call, then texted Liv. -Sling your rifle, come into the glade with pistol drawn. He stuffed his phone back in his pocket and waited. Half his energy was devoted to ignoring the pain in his arm. The adrenaline and other wonderful bio-chemicals the body produces during high stress situations all drained out in the past ten minutes so nothing got in the way of his arm screaming at his head for doing damn fool things. On the plus side, the bleeding had stopped. Mostly. As long as he didn't move it. The blood that had come out was enough to stain most of his sleeve, but not significantly impair his thinking from blood loss. Liv emerged from the tree line with all the charisma of a warrior queen. As Dave requested, her rifle was slung cross body, and her 10mm pistol was in her hands, held low, as her eyes scanned her surroundings. She took a bit of extra 'dwell time' when her eyes passed over the assembled women. Liv strode purposefully across the ground, halting at a position within easy talking range, yet too far to make them both a single target. Dave looked her over, examining her face and posture. Concern for the psychological impact of this on Olivia was uppermost in his mind. Great time to be worried about that, huh? After all the fighting is done. Genius . He snapped himself back to reality. There would be time later for self-recrimination. Liv's visual scanning kept lingering on Dave's left shoulder. "We need to treat that. It'll be tricky to do while maintaining security." "There's an Air Force team on their way. Detective Verratti said they may be unhappy, but I'm sure they'll have a medic. Or at least a first aid bag." "How long?" "Less than an hour. Sounds like forty minutes, most likely." "That arm shouldn't wait that long. You need stitches." "Got any in your back pocket, Liv?" Dave hadn't meant to get testy, but the pain was eroding his 'nice function' and the conversation felt like it was spiraling already. The flat look from Olivia carried a tinge of hurt, and forgiveness, and her own self-restraint. "Sorry, Olivia." She nodded in response, her eyes once again on their charges. One of them stood and moved slowly towards Dave. Livy squared her shoulders to the woman, but made no other change in her focus. When the woman was halfway to him, Dave recognized her as the lady that came out of the building as he spoke with Sandy. The one Sandy identified as a nurse. "Sir, would you let me look at your wound? I'm a nurse." Liv looked at him cautiously, then gave him one slow blink. Dave restrained himself from chuckling. From her, the slow blink meant anything from 'sure' to 'don't make me say I told you so'. Dave nodded at the woman. She approached slowly, then cautiously brought one hand up to examine his wound. She pulled back on the shirt to ascertain the extent of the injury. "I can treat it temporarily for now. You need stitches; which we don't have. And a painkiller. All they have here for that is alcohol, marijuana and meth. None of which I would recommend." Dave chuckled. With her finger so close, his shaking caused her to jab the side of the open gash. Dave flinched and gritted his teeth. "Oh, I'm so sorry." The nurse jumped back, pulling her hand back to her chest. Her other hand clasped the offending one closely, like she was putting it in time out. "It's okay, ma'am. I'm the one that moved suddenly." "Parker. My name is Parker." "Dave." "Well, Dave, you've got a decent flesh wound that will make a good reminder scar once it heals. You need to get stitches as soon as possible. Like today. Wait too long and it won't do any good. In the meantime, I can bandage it up. I'll need to go inside to get some clean cloth, though." Her eyes held the obvious question of whether he would let her. "How did you wind up here?" "I was on a transport from the vaccine center on my way to my Oracle designated partner when the bus got hijacked. Fifteen of us were diverted from someone we'd chosen to these guys that made their choices just by looking at us. They went in order, so whoever had priority got first pick, and so on." That matched what Verratti told Dave. More importantly, she didn't hesitate and there was no sign of falsehood in her eyes or face. Carter taught him to be careful who you trust, but you have to trust someone. There was a haunted look in her eyes, but no deception. "Liv, can you escort this nurse inside so she can get something to bandage me with?" The young brunette that had known him longer than anyone left alive gave him a funny look. "Or maybe you escort her, so you can sit down and put your arm on a table while she does her work. Should be easier for both of you that way." The nurse's face immediately took on a restrained, but amused look. "Don't say it, let's go," said Dave with a sigh. He followed her back around to the front of the building. She entered through the first door. It opened into the kitchen area. In short order, she scooped up the first aid kit and led Dave into the dining space. The room still smelled of the recent nonconsensual ruttings. Parker visibly flinched when the smell hit her. She came to a dead stop when she saw the body lying against the wall. The look on her face suggested her desire to not be here, and not be reminded of the events of this morning and her part in them, was warring with her professional instincts. Dave watched as she composed herself and ushered him to take a seat with just a hand gesture. Dave sat so Parker's back would be towards the body. As she tended his wound, he searched for visual clues. The man was older, at least fifty, likely over sixty, judging by the condition of his skin. Prominent wrinkles and liver spots, and a leathery look of someone that spent much of his life with a heavy tan. A distinctly aquiline nose and patrician features shouted 'man of money' even more so than his silk pajamas. Necessarily, Parker - more specifically her face - lay in Dave's line of sight as he looked about. Underneath the mien of professional concentration lay clear signs that removing the visual cue of the dead body was barely tamping down her anxiety. When she reached into the kit to find the scissors; so she could trim the excess off the bandage; her fingers first brought out the razor. The way she stared at it was unsettling. She paused to wipe away newly forming tears before finishing with Dave's gauze. As she neatly placed each piece of unused equipment in the kit, he gently took her chin in his right hand, turning her head to look directly at him. "Parker, you've had to make some tough choices here. You did the best you could with what you had. You're an ER nurse, right?" He recalled that tidbit from the detective's discussion. Parker nodded in affirmation. "Okay, so your training and experience is to do everything you can to get your patient that next heartbeat, to take the next breath, and another, and another. Just keep them going, and let someone else do the fancy work once you're sure the patient is alive right?" Her face contorted further as she nodded. "But I didn't. I didn't keep her alive. They took her outside ;” Parker's voice trailed off as she wept, her chest heaving. "An older blonde woman, probably in her mid-forties right?" She nodded, still weeping, not looking at him. "Her name is Natasha, and she's alive." Parker's head snapped up. Her eyes were wide in astonishment and hope. "But; how?" "I killed those men with a silenced pistol. She's hiding in my truck. Actually, I need to check on her. My partner had some spare clothes in there. Hopefully she found them." "Can I see her? Please? I just ;” The wild, desperate look in her eyes was impossible to deny. Dave gave his arm a few careful motions, testing out the pain level for various directions and ranges. It gave him an excuse to delay answering and drew her attention back to occupational concerns. "Yeah, we can do that. First, I need to touch base with my partner though." Gesturing he said, "Let's go." Parker quickly rose, snatching up the first aid kit. She deposited it back in its secure place in the kitchen before exiting, with Dave right behind her. She glanced over her shoulder several times to check that Dave was still with her as she walked around the building and straight towards Olivia. Over the last few steps, she veered off, giving Dave and Liv enough space to talk privately while she remained close by. Dave filled Livy in on what was happening. "Maybe you should escort her though, in case Natasha has not found your clothes. Besides, it would give you a chance to move about instead of standing here, getting cold." "Are you sure she saw me well enough to be comfortable when I approach? You, she got a good look at. And vice versa." Liv added a wink. Dave looked at her, his face flat and unimpressed. "Oh come on, David, you have nine women at home, came out here to dispense some justice on the assholes that attacked us, and picked up a groupie." "For crying out loud, Liv. She's not; Okay, fine, I'll escort the nurse. That woman's been through enough trauma without being exposed to your humor." Liv gave him an enigmatic smile as he walked away with Parker. Dave pointed to the gap in the trees he'd used for entry and exit previously. Once inside, the nurse stopped him. "David, I; I'm not sure if anything can be done for her." "What do you mean? "I mean, I; um, I'm not sure how much I can say. She needs something that I'm not sure is possible anymore." "You mean you couldn't extract any more semen from the dead guy's balls?" "How the hell did you know that?! That's confidential information! No one's supposed to know!" "Parker, these guys attacked my house. We killed three of them. The bodies were on my back deck and driveway with their balls cut off. Later, we get here and I see you jab the old guy in the balls with a syringe and the shot changes color. You're reassigning these women from the dead guy to the attackers using the dead man's cum, right?" She hung her head. "It was the only way to keep them alive." "And as long as they're alive, there's hope. There's a chance to fight another day, right?" She raised her head again, eyes watery, looking as if she really wanted to believe in the thin reed he offered her. "But, what about her? She's bound to that guy, and I couldn't get any more cum out. Depending on when she last slept with him, she's got a week or two before this stuff eats her up from the inside. It'll be like what they wanted to do to her, but in slow motion." Her voice cracked as she spoke. "Parker, I want you to consider something, and this is not a knock on you, but the conditions. You are an ER nurse, working under field conditions. If we take his body back to a hospital, or the vaccine center, do you think maybe a lab tech with precision equipment and ideal conditions could manage to eke out enough semen to let her switch partners?" She smiled again, taking a shaky breath. The suggestion relaxed her enough to acquiesce when he motioned her down the trail. "I don't know. I don't know, but it's worth a try. We have to move fast though. There's a time limit on how long we have to get it done." "Then we'll make sure when the Air Force gets here with their chopper, Natasha and the dead body are on the first bird out." Parker said no more as they walked. Dave only spoke to guide her on the path. When they got into visual range of the truck, Parker's steps took on an extra urgency, like she wanted to run, but held herself back. Dave signaled for her to fall in trail behind him and wait when they neared the truck. "Natasha? Natasha, it's David. I'm here with the nurse. The compound is secure now. The Air Force is on its way. We came to check on you. Did you find the clothes in the truck?" A blonde head slowly peeked over the dashboard, only one eye visible. That one eye held enough wariness for a dozen faces. The head scanned about carefully, never spending much time away from Dave and Parker. "All of the attackers are dead, Natasha. They can't hurt you." Her head cleared the dashboard and moved towards the passenger door, the same side Dave and Parker stood several feet away from. The door opened at a glacial pace. Then two legs clad in grey sweatpants stepped down. Natasha stepped clear of the door, wearing a thin white shirt, grey sweatpants that threatened to fall off, and a look of nervous hope and apprehension. Dave tried to ignore what the cold was doing to her nipples. Rigidly holding his eye contact on her face, he said, "Parker here is an ER nurse. How about letting her examine you? And then join the rest of the women. The ladies abducted with you are all; asleep, but there are women that were captured previously, like Parker here." Natasha glanced quickly at Parker. "They captured you too?" "Nearly two months ago. Our transport was hijacked after we'd already had our injections. We were on our way to our Oracle match partners when the attack happened." Natasha's wariness fell in the face of shared trauma; and the knowledge of traumas she'd been spared. She closed the distance and hugged Parker. The nurse initially stood shocked, unresponsive, her arms limp at her sides. Slowly, her hands rose, clasping onto Natasha's shoulder blades before she began shaking with sobs of relief. Reluctantly, Dave stepped in. When he spoke, he used the softest tone he was capable of. "Ladies, we need to get back. I'd rather not walk back into the clearing after the Air Force folks arrive, armed. That tends to make them nervous." He pitched his words softly, but firmly. Parker nodded in acknowledgement. The two shared a look that communicated; something. Then Dave noticed the older blonde still had nothing on her feet. "No socks in the bag?" he asked. Natasha shook her head no. Dave sighed, walked in front of her, turned his back to her and crouched. "Come on." He lowered his weapon to dangle from its sling. "What?" "Get on my back, I'll carry you." "Uh, are you sure about this? With your arm like it is?" Parker queried. "My back can carry the burden without straining my arm muscles." After a brief pause, he heard her moving hesitantly before her weight rested on his back. Her arms came around his neck. Then he hooked his hands under her knees and stood carefully. With Parker following behind, Dave navigated the path quickly. He maintained a slightly stooped posture that Carter had taught as the best way to carry a ruck. It worked quite well for carrying a person, too. The trio made good time through the woods and emerged from the tree line very deliberately, so as not to startle Liv, who was still on guard. The smile on the brunette's face when Dave emerged with Natasha on his back was unmistakable. Dave studiously ignored it. Once they were over soft grass, he lowered Natasha to the ground. He was uncomfortable sending these two to huddle with the rest of the women, but he wasn't sure what else to do. Until the moment he was ready to open his mouth. "Liv, take Parker and inspect the houses. Check on the women that got imprinted. Keep an eye out for kids or other adults. If it's just kids, reassure them the best you can. Keep them where they are if possible." Parker spoke up. "What if we bring; Natasha?; with us. I think my spare shoes would fit her. I can get her a jacket too." Dave looked at Liv, questioningly. She gave a short nod in response. Dave shrugged his agreement. After a long backwards look at Dave, Natasha followed the other two, leaving Dave on guard over the women huddled against the building. Most of them wore some manner of jacket and long pants. A few were in pajama pants and thick housecoats. All remained quiet, barely even talking amongst themselves. One brunette, a bit older, kept glancing at Dave. After several minutes, she rose and slowly approached him. As she got closer, Dave had a strange sense of recognition. Like he should know who she was, but couldn't place her. "Hi, um, I just wanted to say thank you. I've been stuck here for over a month. Several of us have, including the nurse that was with you earlier." Her dark eyes gleamed as she continued. "Listen, I know we'll need new partners soon. I think you should know that a few of the girls are already discussing the possibility of getting paired with you." Dave stiffened. His spine, not his cock. "Well, that's very flattering, but I didn't come here for that. Hell, I already have nine partners. My house is getting kinda full. I know the CDC guy that showed up a month and a half ago said I could wind up with twelve or more, but, uh, I could be just fine with stopping where I am. So, thank you, but no thank you. I mean, unless you specially match to me and don't have anyone else nearly as good a match." Her eyes widened. "Oh, no. No, I wasn't speaking personally. I mean, I appreciate what you've done, but not that far. The others just asked me to come over, sort of as a spokesperson. You know, use my fame in the hope that would help get your approval." It was the mild gravelly tone in her voice that finally did it. "Oh. Oh, shit. Aurora Hensley?" Dave shook his head. "Sorry, I knew I recognized you, but my brain just didn't place you until after you spoke for a bit. How the hell did a star like you wind up here?" Miss Henley tried to grin to cover up her grimace, but it didn't work. "Please, call me Rory. Lockdown stopped production on my show. You may have noticed we don't have a new season out." Dave nodded. "Yes, a few of my partners grumbled about it." "Ah, but not you, huh?" she said with a real grin this time. "Oh, I've watched some re-runs with them a few times. It's just that cop shows are only a fifty-fifty interest for me. Mostly, the ones I like get into the crime lab stuff, and yours didn't have that. No offense." Dave shrugged with the last statement. She examined him coyly. "Ah, so the fact that the two leads were women has nothing to do with it?" The words were accusatory, but something about her tone suggested she was playing with him. "Naw, not particularly. The story is well executed I think. It's just a type that only sometimes grabs my interest. I did appreciate that the show featured two female leads, without pounding the fact in the viewer's face. It stood on the writing and acting, and didn't beat some political drum." "Well, thank you. I think." She smirked at him. "Sorry for dodging, it's just; it hurts you know?" A shadow passed over her features, causing Dave to place a hand on her shoulder. He also forced himself to scan the group again, making sure no one was using his distraction to do something. He kicked himself for his obliviousness and made sure he kept his focus where it needed to be, without sacrificing the conversation. "Look, I know this is all still fresh, so if you don't want to talk about what these guys did to you here, you don't have to. I'm sure they'll have profess--" "Oh no, not that. I mean, I might, but honestly, you wiping them out is already a big help. That's why I came up to thank you." Then Rory grinned slyly again. "It's also why some of them want to thank you." "Well, with the vaccine, that's a rather permanent thing. They need to take some time to think it over first, and use the matching system, um, Oracle." "True, very true. You know, it's tempting to come at you like a rescued princess, just like the others. But in truth, I have a friend I was on my way to meet when our transport was hijacked. He's been a good friend for years, but we never dated or anything. He showed up as a reasonable match, so I was supposed to be with him. I'm going to call him as soon as I can to see if he's still interested." "More than likely, he'll be thrilled to hear you're alright." "Yes, probably. He's a good man. The girls like him." As soon as the words came out of her mouth, Rory grimaced like she'd been stabbed and the wielder was twisting the knife in her guts. Dave got a sick feeling in the pit of his stomach. "I'm sorry. I'm so sorry. I, uh, I have to go." She turned away briefly, then turned back. "No, wait." She took a few deep breaths before continuing. "The reason I came over in the first place." She paused for a hiccupping sob. "Um, look, I can never express how much I appreciate what you've done for me here. If you need anything. Anything at all. I know people. People in entertainment, and in politics. Just call me. I'd be glad to help." With tears in her eyes, she turned back towards the wall and walked swiftly, managing not to run. Rory's rushed return and obvious emotional turmoil was greeted by consternation among the small crowd of women. Two took the time to stare at him, worry clear on their faces. Quiet conversations started up and rapidly turned internal. The women clustered around Rory, wrapping her in hugs. When they finally parted, they began speaking again, in low tones, and long periods in which all were silent. It was quite some time before Liv, Parker, and Natasha came around the right side of the building. All appeared in good spirits. Natasha now sported a denim jacket over her white T-shirt and a pair of tennis shoes on her feet. As they approached, Dave noted that Natasha was no longer grabbing at the waist band of the sweatpants to keep them up, so some solution had been found. The jacket was of sufficient length to conceal whatever that had been. Likewise, it was likely she had socks to go with the shoes, but there was no visible gap between pants and shoes to confirm that deduction. The relaxed look on her face would have to do. Parker spoke first when they came within a reasonable speaking distance. "Sixteen women are in imprinting sleep in the houses. I checked their vitals, and nothing appears amiss. Except that they're all blondes." "I told the others while we were out, Drew, the man we were paired to, only had blondes in his; team." Natasha spoke slowly, not quite reluctantly. "It was a fetish of his. Though there was variety, of a sort. Cheerleader, businesswoman, that sort of thing. I was the 'older woman' blonde. One is a teenager, just barely survived to get injected. I; I knew him before this, or at least, I thought I knew him. We went to many of the same charity dinners and such. He was so cordial in public." Parker hugged Natasha around the shoulders, a supportive measure to remind her that problem was in her past. Then Olivia spoke. "A few houses had kids. They are awake and hungry. A little worried, but not frantic. I was thinking we could get a meal going in the main cafeteria instead of separate little meals in each house." "Sure," Dave replied. "That's a good plan. First, we'll need to get the body out of there." "Body?" Liv asked. "Drew, the man all those women are partnered to. These guys were re-imprinting the women to themselves in the cafeteria space." Dave kept his voice carefully neutral. "How the hell does that work?" "We're not supposed to know, but what I saw here and at our house, I made some good guesses that Parker confirmed. You and I are probably going to spend a lot of time explaining ourselves, so the less I share the better." Liv's nodding reply carried an undertone of expectation that, once all this blew over, Dave had better spill what he knows. A small traitorous part of Dave's heart took that as a possible indication that Liv wanted to know a way out of the bonding effects of the serum. Dave's brain was pretty convinced that was B S, though he would certainly ask if she wanted out later. The idea of keeping any woman bound to him against her will made him physically nauseous. Doing that to his Livy Bean was unacceptable in the extreme. "Tell you what," Dave continued, "You stay here for a few minutes. I'll haul the body out of the cafeteria and around to this side of the building. Then, Liv, supervise getting breakfast going in the cafeteria; and I mean supervise, you maintain control and security, someone else cooks. Parker, you can escort the kids from the houses to the cafeteria." Still facing the nurse, he asked, "Who would you recommend do the cooking?" "Sandy and Rory are pretty good. Together they should be able to handle breakfast for all the kids." "OK, sounds good. Wait 'til I get the body moved around to this area before you get moving." All three women nodded. Dave immediately stalked off, eager to get things in motion before the military arrived and brought everything to a halt while they took their time coming to the same conclusions Dave had already arrived at. The kids needed to be fed. He went around the right side of the building for once, since it provided the shortest route to his destination. As soon as he stepped inside, he was greeted by the older man's corpse lying flat on the floor, up against the wall, his silk pajama pants still pulled down to his knees. That was the first thing to fix. Doing his best to avoid touching the corpse (or another man's naked body), Dave took hold of the waistband near each knee and pulled them up and over the man's hips. That done, he stopped to consider the best way to get the body moved. Rigor. Rigor mortis had set in. None of the man' joints would move. And he'd been left on the floor, jammed into the corner between wall and floor for hours. There were two options Dave could see: grab and lift by the man's shoulders and drag him with his heels on the ground. A little awkward, but doable. The downside there was the chance his pajama pants cuffs could snag on something and come all the way off. Hell, even part way was undesirable. The second option was to get this guy onto Dave's shoulder like a two by four. A one hundred and fifty pound two by four. Sure, no problem. Mentally retracting all the curses he'd flung at Carter during upper body workouts, Dave went to work. First, he knelt beside the corpse. Then he lifted the torso so it lay on his shoulder. The next part was tricky. Silk didn't give a lot of traction to grab with. Neither did flesh. It took three tries that quickly returned to the floor-kneeling position when the body began to slip before Dave managed to successfully gain his feet on the fourth attempt, the body securely balanced on his left shoulder. And every single time he used his left arm for anything, a serenade of pain accompanied the act. He'd had experience getting through doorways with lumber or pipes on his shoulder, so while it was cumbersome, Dave managed the maneuver just fine. Though he had to use his left arm to operate the door. He couldn't avoid whimpering as he forced the injured limb to comply. Once outside, it was quite easy to make the brief trek around the building and dump the body in the grass a reasonable distance from the line of dead pointing towards the trees. He also picked up the staccato sounds of a chopper, low, and building quickly. Parker was halfway to the houses and Liv had disappeared into the cafeteria building with Rory and Sandy when their heads turned, picking up the sound. Figuring it was the safest course of action, Dave walked to the middle of the open space he'd fought in, away from others, his hands away from his body and his weapons slung on his back or holstered. He knew Olivia had the presence of mind to do the same. One Blackhawk landed to Dave's left, on the other side of the unused building. A second landed beyond the community building, presumably beyond the first house and to the left of the others. The third Blackhawk landed to Dave's right, well clear of the community building. The rotor blast was strong, but not overwhelming. The moisture in the air guaranteed no dust blown around, and the cold snap was too recent to kill off any grass, so at least there was no debris kicked up by the artificial cyclone. Troops began to disgorge from the chopper the moment the wheels touched grass, running straight out, hunched over, weapons in hand. Dave slowly turned to face them, his hands clearly away from his body. "You David Belsus?" The voice was pissed, loud, and behind him. Oops. Of course the team leader was on the first chopper that landed. Hadn't Carter harped something about leading from the front? "That's me." A short, strongly muscled man stepped around into Dave's field of view. "You blew my fucking op, dammit. Hunting these boys down was my job." "Considering the number of women enslaved to these fucking animals you clearly aren't doing your fucking job!" "Don't piss me off asshole. I'm willing to consider you're one of the good guys, for now. Fuck with me and I'll throw you in a hole so deep, you'll water the rice paddies in China when you pee." Dave wisely shut the fuck up. Carter had told him there were two very important times to know in the military; when to shut up, and when to shut the fuck up . This seemed like the latter. "You got the wanna bees at your house. A few real troops here. You got lucky, Boy Scout. Stand down and let us do our jobs." Before the short, powerfully built man turned away, Dave noted the nametape on the man's uniform; Barnett. The two chevrons upside down on the top of his rank insignia meant he was a Technical Sergeant; an E-6, a middle level NCO. "Sergeant Barnett?" Dave called to get his attention. The little bantam turned, one eyebrow cocked. "The kids in this place haven't been fed breakfast yet. My partner is inside the community building with a few women who've been stuck here for over a month. They're getting something cooked up while the nurse moves the kids. You think you can let that plan roll forward? Otherwise, you'll have some cranky kids to deal with soon. "Is she armed?" "My partner?" Dave got a nod in response. "Yes, she has a slung rifle and a holstered pistol. If you go in cautious, and announce yourself, there shouldn't be a problem. Or you can send me in ahead of you." "Sure, fine. Just know if you try anything stupid, my two partners behind you will drop you in a heartbeat." "I think we understand each other." Dave stepped off deliberately, at a steady pace, getting around the corner of the building with Sgt Barnett two arm's lengths to his right. He could hear the soft footsteps in the grass of two more people behind him. Barnett wasn't bluffing. Dave reached the door of the cafeteria space. He knocked twice, then slowly opened it. "Hey, Liv? It's me, I'm coming in. There's some Air Force folks with me. Keep your weapons holstered and your hands visible. These folks seem a mite twitchy." Olivia stood in the Archway between the dining side and the kitchen side. The sounds of pans and utensils and sizzling meat were quickly joined by the aroma of bacon. Dave's stomach grumbled. Two voices behind him tittered. Seems his guards and executioners heard him. They guffawed when Barnett's stomach responded. "Should we let you two get a plate boss?" The laughing voice behind Dave almost had a Tinkerbell fairy quality to it. Great. My erstwhile executioner leaves pixie dust in her wake. Liv kept quiet. Verbally that is. Her eyes were laughing though. Laughing loud enough to make up for the silence of her lips. "No, they're cooking for a bunch of hungry kids. Leave 'em alone." Barnett paused, looking between Liv and Dave, and sizing them up. "You two, one at a time, very carefully, place your weapons on that back counter. You're closer, young lady, so you go first." Liv sighed, staying stony faced. Dave widened his eyes and nodded his head, with a slight tilt towards the counter. With an exasperated exhale, she unslung her rifle, touching only the sling, and only with her thumb, laying it on the counter. In doing so, she now had her back to the archway leading to the kitchen. She deliberately used her left hand to remove her pistol. Liv then placed it beside the rifle. Her combat knife came next. Placing it with her firearms, she stepped away from the counter and faced the others. "Boot knife." Barnett said flatly. "Excuse me?" Liv asked blankly. "Remove the knife from your boot and place it on the table." Liv pursed her lips, rolled her eyes, and then complied. Tinkerbell tittered. "Step over there." Dave waved his arm towards the opposite corner from where Liv had been, along the wall separating the kitchen space and the dining space. Olivia moved as indicated, her eyes locked on the two behind Dave. "Okay, now you." Dave walked to the counter. He unslung his SMG, again, using only his thumb, and placed it beside Liv's rifle. With open, deliberate motions, his pistol quickly followed. "Don't make me say it again." "I don't have any knives. Never been any good with 'em." Liv snorted. "You shittin me? You came in here with no knife? Better a weapon you're only mediocre with than no weapon at all." Dave just shrugged. "You're doing a great job of convincing me you merely got lucky; twice; rather than win by skill and teamwork." Dave elected not to rise to barb. "Stand over there with your girlfriend." Dave turned and walked along the wall. He took the opportunity to look at the two guards. One was a wasp waisted, svelte brunette with her hair back in a bun. The other; fucking well looked like Tinkerbelle. Pale skin, silky blonde hair in a braid that wrapped around her head like a home-grown crown. Give her a pair of wings and no one would even blink if she claimed to be the fictional character. Well, Tinkerbelle never carried an M4 with a daylight scope. Sure as shit would have given that saucy wink though. Once Dave was beside Livy, Barnett spoke to the two of them. "You will both get a full debriefing at headquarters. For now, let's start with the disposition of the corpse of one Andrew Bilk. He was a very rich man, and someone wants an accounting of his death. Starting with where his body is." "Out in the grass. The goons in this camp had his body on the floor, up against the wall there" Dave pointed, "since we had kids coming in soon, I thought it best to get him out of here, so I carried him out into the grass near the other bodies. He's the one in the silk pajamas." "Silk pajamas? That should be easy to distinguish." "Oh, uh Sergeant Barnett? There is a time critical element here. The blonde lady we rescued first, Natasha, she was bound to the rich guy; Bilk you said? Anyway, she needs to be re-partnered. I don't know the exact timeline, but he died around or just after midnight. Problem is, the nurse around here couldn't get any more semen out of the rich guy's nuts, so her only shot is if a lab geek can eke out enough for her. She and the body need to get back to Dallas fast." "Right. Okay, Silvia?" The brunette focused on Barnett. "Yes, sergeant?" "Find this Natasha woman, get her and the silk clad corpse on a chopper and send them back now." "Yes, sergeant." She slipped out the door like vanishing smoke. "Also," Dave interjected, "in the houses are several women that the nurse, Parker, was forced to re-pair from the rich guy to one of these clowns. That was this morning, so they're all in imprinting sleep at the moment. The ones that imprinted later might be able to recognize which redneck imprinted which blonde." Barnett raised an eyebrow. "Apparently, the rich guy had a fixation with blondes." Tinkerbelle ran a hand down her side, giving her body a little wriggle as she did so. "Alright, I'll let lab techs and medicos sort that mess out. We've got a convoy of trucks enroute to haul these folks back to Dallas." As Barnett spoke, the sound of rotors could be heard. As the sound built, the door opened and five kids went straight to the nearest table. Parker followed in after them. "Oh, hey Dave. Listen, some Air Force woman pulled Natasha away. I think they just left on a chopper." Dave nodded. "Are you the nurse that used the Dead Man's Switch on these women?" Barnett asked. Parker stiffened. "Yes, I am. It was either that or let them die." "Relax, I'm not your judge or your jury. I'm just trying to establish a few facts and identities. Do you think you can remember which woman paired with which man?" "Not all of them, but some. The first was the one with the enormous" she suddenly remembered there were kids in the room, "uh, assets. The boss man took her for himself." "Okay, that's fine. Uh, Jessie, think you can find a notepad for ;” "Parker." "Parker here to write down what she remembers on the pairings this morning. The ones from before should be able to tell us themselves." The short blonde exited with haste. Parker checked in with the kids before approaching the sergeant. "Can I check in with the kitchen, to see when their breakfast is ready?" "No need," said Rory, passing through the arch with a plate in each hand, "breakfast is served." Sandy was right behind her, carrying three plates, one in her left hand, and two more up her left arm. The kids cheered. Sandy also had silverware in her right hand. She set that down first. Unburdened, Rory came across the room to Dave. "Listen, Parker mentioned being paired increases a man's metabolism. We made some extra. Would you like something?" "What if the kids want seconds?" "We made enough in case the older two ask for seconds, and still serve a couple of adults." "Like me and the sergeant here?" Rory grinned, "Correct. Why don't you two sit, and I'll bring out two more plates." "I appreciate that, Rory, but Liv hasn't eaten either. Neither has Parker, or you, or ;” "I know, I know, I've got five more servings in here. Sandy and I can make more shortly." "You don't ha--" "Hush. I want to." She leaned in close. "It helps keep my mind off other things." Immediately, Rory exited to the kitchen. Sandy followed after. As they passed through the arch, Jessie, the little blonde Air Force attack pixie came back bearing a portfolio containing a yellow legal pad and a pen. She handed that off to Parker and found herself an out of the way spot along the wall. Dave watched as Parker took a seat several spaces down from the children. After staring blankly at the page for almost a minute, she began writing at a steady pace. Absorbed in watching her, Dave was surprised when Sandy brought him a plate and silverware. Bacon, scrambled eggs, and toast. A perfectly worthy American breakfast. As he ate, Dave noted his companion / captor's face. The man's fair skin was as unpale as possible without adding descriptors like 'sun-kissed'. His jet-black hair strongly suggested an eastern or southern European heritage. That presumption was supported by the darkening along his jawline. Clearly a man that had to shave twice a day to remain within military regs. Unless of course, he went undercover, in which case he could grow a partial disguise in short order. Liv caught his eye as she returned from the kitchen. She took a seat next to Dave, giving him a quick kiss on the cheek before digging into the scrambled eggs on the plate of food she'd carried in. She giggled at his pro forma protest when she stole a piece of bacon off his plate. Liv, on one side of Dave, missed the small grin on Barnett's face over the exchange. Her partner saw it though. Another enlisted woman came through the door carrying a sizable hardcase, the kind that usually has thick foam padding inside. She proceeded directly to the counter and swiftly stowed the weapons in the case. Then she carried the case back outside. "We're going to cycle the civilians through here for some breakfast before we entrain for Dallas," Barnett said. "When you're through here, meet me out on the lawn space where we started. Both of you." "You got it." Barnett took his plate and silverware through the kitchen archway. Shortly after, Dave heard the outer door to the kitchen open and close. Dave took a few more minutes to finish his meal. Liv spoke as he arranged his silverware on his plate. "Before you go, you should talk with Aurora. I think you two have something to share." Dave looked at her flatly. "She'd bonded, Liv." The young woman's smile broadened. "Not quite what I meant." Then she grew serious. "Just talk to her. Really, I think it could be good for both of you." She smirked when Dave walked away, fixing her with a wary eye. He found the sink, with a dishwasher beside it. Quickly, he rinsed his plate, placing it in the dishwasher. Rory and Sandy both objected, but he waved them off. Dave went ahead and rinsed the plate and silverware in the sink as well, along with a few cooking utensils. After drying his hands, he approached Rory. "Olivia said we should talk. She didn't say what about. Is this just her idea, or something you want to discuss?" Rory looked downward and swallowed. She looked back up. The haunted look in her eyes tugged at Dave's heart. Sandy noted their faces and suggested they step outside for a private conversation. Rory took his hand and led Dave out of the kitchen's heat and into the cool damp outside. Following her example, he leaned one shoulder against the wall, facing her. He waited for her to speak. "When we were surveying the houses; checking on the women and kids; Liv was asking me how I got here, what I dealt with getting here and being here. Honestly, she was just trying to make conversation. She didn't know what that would lead to." Dave waited again as Rory screwed up her resolve. Hopefully, his eyes were communicating support and patience. He could try speaking words of comfort or support, but the moment seemed too fragile to withstand him saying anything. "One of her questions was why didn't I try to escape after we were captured, before we were imprinted. Or why didn't we try signaling for help once we were stuck here. I can't speak for the others, but; I was not in a good place mentally when I was captured." She paused again, but not as long this time. Her shoulders came inward though, like she was trying to shrink; or hide. "Casey, the man I was supposed to partner with after getting my vaccine shot, is a good friend. He; spent time, when he could, talking to me by Zoom after; after ;” Rory shook with silent sobs. In Dave's heart, he knew what was coming next. The cold hand that gripped him, sapped the joy out of moments with his new family. His brain kept trying to reject the knowledge. Finally, she looked him directly in the eyes. Her composure shattered. "I had two daughters. They were both teenagers." As her tears poured out, Dave stepped in closer, wrapping his arms around her, his own visage twisted with the shared pain. He said nothing, merely held her for several minutes. When her shaking subsided, he waited a bit more. Finally, he took a deep breath and brought his mouth near her ear. With a shaky voice, he said, "My son's name was Eddie. He was twenty-three years old." Her arms around him tightened. Neither spoke. Several minutes later, Rory pulled her head back, an empathetic look on her face. She kissed Dave on the cheek and went back inside. Dave took a few minutes to collect himself. Feeling reasonably steady, he walked around the building. Liv and Barnett were there, waiting. "Okay, so here's what's happening. Most of these people are going back by truck. The convoy is nearly here. You two have a date with Air Force Intel, DPD, and possibly the FBI. You're going back in a chopper, now." Barnett paused, giving Dave a moment to process what he'd said. "Is that white pickup about three hundred meters back along the entry road yours?" "Yes." "Keys." "Excuse me?" "Gimme your keys. I'll have one of my people drive it with the convoy. We'll have it waiting for you when the intel boys and detectives decide to loosen the thumbscrews." Dave pulled his keys out and tossed them to the sergeant. "What about our weapons?" "They'll be in your vehicle." Dave nodded in acknowledgment. Jessie, the little pixie blonde, motioned for Dave and Liv to follow her. She led them to the nearby chopper and walked them through the seat harness mechanism. Two other Air Force personnel took seats on either side of the pair. Jessie returned to Barnett as the rotors began to move. Two minutes later, Dave watched the ground recede. Air Force personnel were scattered all over the compound. As of yet none of the kids had been in the big grassy area where the bodies lay. Just as the nose dipped and turned, Dave caught sight of military trucks edging down the dirt road into the camp. To be continued in part 12, Based on a post by RonanJWilkerson, in 12 parts, for Literotica.
Time to close the books on a huge year and open the door to an even bigger one. We step back to celebrate what your support made possible at the Listening Room—862 shows, 150,000 guests, and a stack of songs that went from our stage to number one—while setting the stage for what's next in 2026.We share why the Listening Room remains a passion project at its core and how community keeps pushing the music forward. Then we unveil plans for our 20th anniversary at the historic Ryman Auditorium on March 3, 2026, with a heavyweight lineup: Hardy, Jo Dee Messina, Mitchell Tenpenny, Blessing Offor, Jordan Feliz, plus a powerhouse bench of hitmakers like JT Harding, Rob Williford, Phil Barton, James Slater, Matt Jenkins, Brian Davis, Wendell Mobley, and Lee Thomas Miller. Expect stories behind the songs, surprise guests, and the kind of moments that turn a great night into a landmark memory.We also tease a major project two years in the making that's almost ready to announce—built to connect artists, writers, venues, and fans in smarter, more meaningful ways. Programming will flex a bit early next year as we lock the final pieces, but the conversations won't stop. February brings our second annual Boots on the Water cruise to Cozumel with Clint Black, Rodney Atkins, Terri Clark, Diamond Rio, BlackHawk, Chris Cagle, Phil Vassar, Deana Carter, David Lee Murphy, and more, plus TLR songwriting favorites including Liz Rose, Adam Craig, Emmett Stevens Jr., Bridgette Tatum, and Rachel Thibodeau. We'll record at sea and bring you deck-side stories, fresh performances, and the kind of candid moments only a cruise can spark.If you love country music, songwriting, live shows, and the stories that turn a hook into a hit, you'll feel right at home here. Grab your seats for the Ryman at ryman.com, book your cabin at bootsonthewatercruise.com, and come ride with us into 2026. If this episode moved you, tap follow, share it with a friend, and leave a quick review to help more fans find the music and the stories behind it.
2026 PREDICTION: "The Dollar Dies & Religion Collapses" (Oracle Warning)"The Dollar is going to zero. Get your seeds."Dallisa Hocking, a 5th-generation psychic medium who accurately predicted the 2024 Black Hawk crash, issues a critical warning for 2026. She calls it "The Great Dismantling" —a massive recalibration of global systems that will see the end of the US Dollar , the fracturing of the United States into micro-communities , and a "Galactic Disclosure" event that will shatter organized religion.In this episode, we expose the timeline from 2026 to 2033. We discuss the rise of a new "AI Religion" , why future humans may be piloting UAPs , and the specific preparations you must make now to survive the transition from the old world to the new frequency.Topics Discussed:The 2026 Timeline: Why the next few years will be defined by "The Great Dismantling".Economic Collapse: The death of the dollar, digital currency traps, and the return to bartering.Alien Disclosure: The "Event" that proves we aren't alone and why it specifically destroys religious dogma.Future Humans: The theory that the "Greys" are actually us from the future.Psychic Defense: How precognition saved Dallisa from a violent break-in and a bank robbery.Connect with Dallisa Hocking: Website: spiritandspark.com
Iniciativa Dárek pro Putina patří mezi největší české projekty, které vybírají od veřejnosti peníze pro Ukrajinu. Ty přitom nejdou na humanitární účely, ale na zbraně. Proč jsou Češi stále ochotni posílat na válku tolik peněz?Hostem Ptám se já byl je šéf iniciativy Dárek pro Putina Martin Ondráček.Od spuštění projektu v květnu 2022 iniciativa v několika sbírkách vybrala na zbraně a další vojenské vybavení pro Ukrajinu už víc než jednu miliardu korun. Částka, kterou se každý rok podaří vybrat, navíc stále narůstá. „Máme několik skvělých influencerů. Jako třeba Donalda Trumpa. Když si Donald Trump vzal Zelenského při první návštěvě (v Bílém domě) před novináře, tak nám během sedmi dní přišlo 29 milionů korun. My na datech třeba vidíme i to, když nový předseda Poslanecké sněmovny drží štafle při sundávání (ukrajinské) vlajky,“ popsal Ondráček, kdy se solidarita mezi dárci v Česku zvedá nejvíc. „Nebo když Rusové trefí, nedejbože, nějaký civilní objekt a někoho zabijí. Spousta lidí to řeší terapeuticky. Vyndá kreditku a udělá něco pro to, aby tu generální nespravedlnost, která se Ukrajině děje, pomohla aspoň trošku napravit,“ dodal. Iniciativu organizuje Nadační fond pro Ukrajinu. Název Dárek pro Putina ironicky odkazuje na jméno ruského vládce Vladimira Putina, na jehož příkaz v únoru 2022 začala ruská agrese vůči Ukrajině. Organizátoři iniciativy pořádají sbírky například na protitankové střely či drony. V minulosti pořídili a předali ukrajinské armádě například střelomet RM-70 nazvaný Přemysl za 50 milionů korun, tank T-72 za 30 milionů korun nebo americký vrtulník Black Hawk nazvaný Čestmír, na který lidé přispěli 72,64 milionu korun. Mají organizátoři iniciativy pocit, že zbraně, které posílají na Ukrajinu něco mění? Jak je složité vybírat, od koho je nakoupí? A jak se změní ochota pomáhat Ukrajině s novou vládou, která říká, že chce pomáhat hlavně Čechům?--Podcast Ptám se já. Rozhovory s lidmi, kteří mají vliv, odpovědnost, informace.Sledujte na Seznam Zprávách, poslouchejte na Podcasty.cz a ve všech podcastových aplikacích.Archiv všech dílů najdete tady. Své postřehy, připomínky nebo tipy nám pište prostřednictvím sociálních sítí pod hashtagem #ptamseja nebo na e-mail: audio@sz.cz.
Heaven and Nature Sing, O Holy Night: Matt Metzger | December 23, 2025
Emma Rodriguez, U.S. Army aviation officer and Black Hawk helicopter pilot, joins the show to share her unique perspective on Texas Tech football's magical run. Emma discusses the whirlwind season experienced alongside her husband, Texas Tech linebacker Jacob Rodriguez, the culture Joey McGuire has built in Lubbock, and what makes this Red Raider team so special on and off the field. From Big 12 championship moments to life in the military and flying Black Hawks, Emma offers a powerful, personal look at resilience, leadership, and the people behind Texas Tech's rise. #collegefootball #cfb #cfp #big12 #heisman #texastech #wreckem #lubbock Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Send us a textOn today's show, we're bringing you a segment from our guest host Maryann Rosen, who paints a beautiful picture of a winter drive down the Peak to Peak highway. Bundle up, watch out for moose, and try not to let the breathtaking scenery distract you while you make your way from Blackhawk to Estes Park on one of the prettiest drives in the state of Colorado.AlsoReindeer games (literally) in Blackhawk on Sunday, December 14thNederland Cross Country coaches nab regional awardOld Town Ned lights up for the holiday season Support the showThank you for listening to The Mountain-Ear Podcast, featuring news and culture from peak to peak! Additional pages are linked below.If you want to be involved in the podcast or paper, contact our editor at info@themountainear.com or our podcast hosts: Tyler Hickman, at tyler@themountainear.com Jamie Lammers, at media@themountainear.com Head to our website for all of the latest news. Subscribe online and use the coupon code PODCAST for a 10% discount for all new subscribers. Submit local events to promote them in the paper and on our website. Find us on Facebook @mtnear and Instagram @mtn.ear Listen and watch on YouTube today. Share this podcast by scrolling to the bottom of our website home page or by heading to our main hub on Buzzsprout.Thank you for listening!
Today, we're joined by West Stringfellow, currently VP of Product at Blackhawk Network and former VP of Innovation at Target. In this episode, West shares: * How he went from stealth startups to leading innovation at a company with over $77 billion in annual sales * The methods he uses to manage up and influence leadership in order to achieve the outcomes necessary to create successful organizations time and time again * The bold move that accelerated his Target career, which included hand-delivering over 300 copies of his innovation proposal to every executive at their Minneapolis HQ, even catching the attention of Target's CEO * An inside look at how Blackhawk is thinking about AI and digital transformation by cultivating “culture carriers” to champion AI Links West's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/weststringfellow/ Blackhawk Network: https://blackhawknetwork.com/ HowDo: https://howdo.com/about/ Chapters 00:00: Introduction 01:17: West's career journey 02:08: Project Goldfish and West's startup background 05:43: Making product and strategy decisions at Target 06:25: West building a Techstars Startup Accelerator 08:39: How West's work at Target inspired his startup, HowDo 09:44: How did West "manage up" at Target? 17:05: An introduction to Blackhawk 21:02: Digital transformation with gift cards 23:44: How Blackhawk is using AI 30:29: Big AI wins 33:09: Conclusion Follow LaunchPod on YouTube We have a new YouTube page (https://www.youtube.com/@LaunchPodPodcast)! Watch full episodes of our interviews with PM leaders and subscribe! What does LogRocket do? LogRocket's Galileo AI watches user sessions for you and surfaces the technical and usability issues holding back your web and mobile apps. Understand where your users are struggling by trying it for free at LogRocket.com (https://logrocket.com/signup/?pdr). Special Guest: West Stringfellow.
Mike Durant is a retired U.S. Army Chief Warrant Officer 4 and Master Black Hawk pilot with the 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment (Night Stalkers). Inspired by his father, a First Sergeant in the Army National Guard, and a family friend's helicopter flight, Durant enlisted in 1979. After studying Spanish at the Defense Language Institute and serving as a voice intercept operator in Panama, he graduated from flight school at Fort Rucker, Alabama, becoming a Warrant Officer in 1983. He flew over 150 medical evacuation missions in South Korea with the 377th Medical Evacuation Company and later served as an instructor pilot with the 101st Aviation Battalion. Joining the elite 160th SOAR in 1988, Durant flew in Operations Prime Chance, Just Cause, Desert Storm, and Restore Hope. During the 1993 Battle of Mogadishu (Operation Gothic Serpent), his MH-60 Black Hawk was shot down, leaving him severely injured and held captive by Somali militia for 11 days. Despite doctors' doubts, he recovered, ran the 1995 Marine Corps Marathon, and returned to duty, retiring in 2001. Mike's awards include: Distinguished Service Medal, Distinguished Flying Cross (second award), Bronze Star w/ Valor device, Purple Heart, Meritorious Service Medal, Air Medal w/ Valor device (third award), Army Commendation Medal (fourth award), Joint Service Achievement Medal, Army Achievement Medal, Prisoner of War Medal, Army Good Conduct Medal, National Defense Service Medal, Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal with Bronze Arrowhead Device (second award), Southwest Asia Service Medal w/ Bronze Service Star, Army Service Ribbon, Overseas Service Ribbon (2nd Award), United Nations Medal, United Nations Medal-Operations in Somalia, Kuwait Liberation Medal-Government of Saudi Arabia, Kuwait Liberation Medal-Government of Kuwait, Master Aviator Badge, and Air Assault Badge. In 2008, Durant founded Pinnacle Solutions in Huntsville, Alabama, a defense contracting firm specializing in military training simulators and veteran employment. He co-authored In the Company of Heroes, focusing on survival and leadership. He also led veterans' efforts for George W. Bush's 2004 and John McCain's 2008 presidential campaigns. He ran in the 2022 Republican primary for Alabama U.S. Senate. Married to Lisa, raising a blended family with six children, Durant enjoys mountain climbing, skiing, hockey, watersports, and running. Shawn Ryan Show Sponsors: Receive 30% off your first subscription order. Go to https://armra.com/SRS or enter SRS to get 30% off your first subscription order. Right now, you can try Aura free for 14 days when you visit http://aura.com/SRS Our listeners get 10% off at https://BetterHelp.com/SRS. Head to http://DRINKAG1.com/SRS you'll get the welcome kit, a Morning Person hat, a bottle of Vitamin D3+K2, and a AG1 Flavor Sampler for free. Mike Durant Links: LI - https://www.linkedin.com/in/mike-durant-14a0157 Book - https://a.co/d/9OB6ujI SOWF - https://specialops.org/sowf-home-mobile Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Alan Porter was this week's guest on Success Profiles Radio. He is a retired Blackhawk helicopter instructor pilot with 21 years in the U.S. Army, and discovered his true calling when a life insurance policy saved his family from financial ruin after the tragic passing of his daughter-in-law. He is the CEO of Strategic Wealth Strategies, and leads a powerhouse team of CPAs, tax attorneys, and elite financial professionals dedicated to delivering tax-free retirement solutions and bulletproof financial strategies. We discussed the biggest financial mistakes people make, devastating stories of people who didn't have life insurance or long-term care insurance, the decision of whether or not to take Social Security at age 62, and using tax-free investment vehicles to keep more of what you've earned. In addition, we talked about creating guaranteed lifelong income, becoming our own bank, not wasting money on taxes, and his book Tax Free Retirement Solution. We discussed so much more on the show. You can listen and download it on Apple Podcasts/Tunes, Spotify, Audible, Amazon, iHeart Radio, and at https://toginet.com/shows/successprofilesradio/
Aviation under pressure: Airbus A320 glitch adds to a year of crashes, questions, and shaken confidenceThe Airbus A320 fault sparked worldwide delays and airport chaos, and has renewed fears over aviation safety in a turbulent 2025Guests:Grant Bradley - Aviation commentatorDan Lake - Travel commentatorLearn More:Planes grounded after Airbus discovers solar radiation could impact systemsVictim identified following fatal mid-air collision between two planes in Sydney's southwestFleet of UPS planes grounded after deadly crash expected to miss peak delivery seasonUS fears cover-up in Air India crashWashington DC plane crash: Aircraft plunges into Potomac River after colliding with Black Hawk helicopter, major emergency response, flights groundedFind The Detail on Newsroom or RNZ Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details
Replayed on November 29, 2025. Doug's insightful interview with Tommy O'Brien, for your listening pleasure.
As a property management business owner, you likely work with seasoned investors who are always looking for new ways to build and preserve their wealth and assets. In this episode of the #DoorGrowShow, property management growth expert Jason Hull sits down with Alan Porter to discuss how to reveal the powerful financial strategies the wealthy and large financial institutions use and how you can apply them. You'll Learn [01:09] Alan's Inspiration for Uncovering Financial Secrets [08:38] Learning Financial Planning Strategies 90% of People Don't Know [12:25] How to Get Started on the Path to Tax-Free Retirement [15:43] Strategies For Property Managers and Their Clients Quotables "The one thing you can always trust is for everybody to look out for their own self-interest." "If your own self-interest is in alignment with their interests, then that's a win-win. Otherwise, someone's gonna lose." "If you don't have a plan, make one. But you've got to have a plan and improve on it all the time." Resources DoorGrow and Scale Mastermind DoorGrow Academy DoorGrow on YouTube DoorGrowClub DoorGrowLive Transcript Alan Porter (00:00) I teach people to think outside the box, conventional financial planning, and show them the strategies that the wealthy and banking institutions have been using for years. Now, I show people how to become their own bank. Jason Hull (00:10) All right, welcome everybody. I am Jason Hull, the founder and CEO of DoorGrow, the world's leading and most comprehensive coaching and consulting firm for long-term residential property management entrepreneurs. For over a decade and a half, we have brought innovative strategies and optimization to the property management industry. We have spoken to thousands of property management business owners, coached, consulted, cleaned up hundreds of businesses. Alan Porter (00:26) Thank Jason Hull (00:35) helping them add doors, improve pricing, increase profit, simplify operations. And we run the leading property management mastermind in the industry. At DoorGrow, we believe good property managers can change the world and that property management is the ultimate high trust gateway to real estate deals, relationships, and residual income. We are on a mission to transform property management business owners and their businesses. We want to transform the industry. eliminate the BS, build awareness, change perception, expand the market, and help the best property management entrepreneurs win. Now, let's get into the show. So my guest today is Alan Porter of Strategic Wealth Strategies. Welcome, Alan. Alan Porter (01:16) Well, thank you for having me on. Jason Hull (01:18) Yeah, glad to have you. And we're going to be talking about, he's going to be sharing how to reveal the powerful financial strategies, the wealthy use, how you can apply them to. Alan will be uncovering the IRS approved playbook for retiring completely tax free, explain the millionaire tax strategies business owners use to keep more of what they earn and break down Wall Street myths to show how to build lasting wealth without market volatility. So Alan. Again, welcome to the show and why don't we kick things off by give us a little bit of background on you. How did you get into entrepreneurism, into business and give us a little bit of backstory so we understand how this all came to be. Alan Porter (02:00) Well, I never thought I'd be doing this. I retired from the military back in 1993. I was a Blackhawk instructor pilot and I told everybody I had a safe landing for every takeoff and I dodged all the bullets and I had a great career. And I got enrolled in the real estate mortgage business after that up till about 2008. I've had some tragic things happen to my family. In 2009, live in Little, mean Fayetteville, North Carolina. My son lived in Little Rock, Arkansas with his wife, Lynn. She was 39 and they had two little girls that were seven and four. Jason Hull (02:19) in 2009. Alan Porter (02:28) Well, we went down there for Christmas in 2009, but my son had been 100 % disabled for three years and still not getting the disability. And January 5th changed my entire life. His wife, Lynn, called me up. said, Alan, I've been diagnosed with stage four pancreatic cancer and they've given me six months to live. Of course we were all devastated, but there's a huge financial problem that's developed in my son's family because there's no money coming in. Jason Hull (02:28) Well, we went down there for business in 2009, but my son had been 100 % disabled for three years and still not in a disability. Wow. And January 5th changed my entire life. His wife Lynn called me up, she said, Alan, I've been diagnosed with stage 4 pancreatic cancer and they've given me six months to live. Of course, we were all devastated. Yeah, I bet. there's huge financial problem that's developed in my son's family because of the money coming in. Alan Porter (02:55) I'm helping them out, but I don't know for how long Jason Hull (02:55) I'm helping him out, but I don't help him. Alan Porter (02:56) until I'm gonna have to sell my house or do something. But I was like 99 % of the people out there, Jason, that thought life insurance was a death product that you had to die to benefit from it. Well, little did I know she had a terminal illness right or her life insurance policy that she could access within one year of diagnosis of this deadly disease and was completely tax free, which I knew nothing about. It was hundreds of thousands of dollars. Jason Hull (02:58) Yeah. Really? Alan Porter (03:21) And if it had not been for that, my son would be bankrupt and it took a huge financial strain off of me. Jason Hull (03:25) Yeah. Well, long story short, died a year later, so I moved my son back here to Fayetteville, North Carolina. But about a year after that, my daughter's an oncology nurse, and her husband's a doctor at Woodbrook and Raleigh, North Carolina, and just gave birth to my third grandson. And she was diagnosed with breast cancer, and it was very bad. We didn't think she was going to live. Well, now in 2023, she's been 12 years cancer free, but she also was diagnosed with Graves' disease, thyroid eye condition. Alan Porter (03:26) Well, to a long story short, she died a year later. So I moved my son back here to Fayetteville, North Carolina. But about a year after that, my daughter, who's an oncology nurse and her husband's a doctor, they live up in Raleigh, North Carolina, had just given birth to my third grandson. And she was diagnosed with breast cancer and it was very bad. We didn't think she was going to live. Well, now in 2023, she'd been 12 years cancer free, but she also was diagnosed with Graves disease and thyroid eye condition. There's only one treatment for it. It's not a cure-all for anything, but Jason Hull (03:51) And there's only one treatment for it. It's not a cure-all. Alan Porter (03:55) it's a treatment. It's an infusion, eight infusions of this drug is called Tepezza I believe. The first one was like $32,000. The last one was almost a quarter of a million dollars. That was in May of 2023. On January of 2024, the thyroid eye condition came back. In February, she went to the doctor. The doctor said, Nicole, I'm sorry, there's nothing we can do until you go blind and then we can operate. I'm thinking, man, what a prognosis. Jason Hull (03:55) my Yeah. ⁓ Alan Porter (04:21) So we tried to get her a study at Duke. She didn't qualify for that because she had already taken the Tepezza But April did get her into the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota. But basically there's nothing they can do for her. She was up there for about four days for testing and consultation. But basically, like I said, there's nothing they can do for her. They got a drug that may be 50 % effective. It's not improved by insurance. And believe it or not, it's even more expensive than the Tepezza is. And it's just, I mean, so. Jason Hull (04:39) Yeah. Yeah. Alan Porter (04:51) So both of my kids are living day to day in misery. And when I got started in this, knew, like I said, these things, because I was to have a very successful real estate mortgage business. And I said, these financial strategies that the insurance companies have, why don't people know about this? These are the greatest financial vehicles out there. People tell me, well, listen to Suzy Orman and Dave Ramsey, insurance is not a good investment. Well, first off, it's not an investment. Jason Hull (04:54) When I got started in this, knew, like I said, these things, because I was very successful in estate in my early years. I said, these financial strategies that the insurance companies have, why don't people know about this? These are the greatest financial vehicles out there. People tell me, listen, as soon as you arm it today, Ramsey, insurance is not a good investment. Well, first off, it's not an investment. Alan Porter (05:18) It's an asset class all of its own. There's no other financial product that can Jason Hull (05:19) It's an asset class all of itself. There's no other financial product that... Alan Porter (05:23) provide the protection, performance, and benefits of cash value life insurance when properly structured and fixed and fixed indexed annually. And I'll give you one big point. They eliminate or mitigate the risk in retirement that a stock portfolio only compounds. That's absolutely... Let me ask you this. Have you ever heard of sequence of returns risk? Jason Hull (05:23) could provide the protection, performance, and benefits of cash, money, or life insurance. Yeah. if you have one big point, they eliminate or mitigate the risk in retirement that a stock portfolio only compacts. That's absolutely, let me ask you this, have you ever heard of sequence of returns risk? Sequencing returns? Sequence of returns risk. No. Alan Porter (05:46) Sequence of returns risk. Well, don't feel lonely because 99 % of the people I talk to, to include multi-millionaires that have fee-based advisors. And let's say that you're 65 years of age and you go to retire and you got a million dollars in your stock portfolio. They used to say a 4 % distribution rate was a safe distribution rate to last for 30 years, index for inflation at 3%. Well, my plans go to age 120. They don't cut off in 30 years. Jason Hull (05:50) Well, don't feel lonely because 99 % of the people I talk to include multi-millionaires that have fee-based advisors. let's say that you're 65 years of age and you go to retire. You have a million dollars in your stock portfolio. They used to say a 4 % distribution rate was a safe distribution rate to last for 30 years, index for inflation at 3%. Well, my plans go at age 120. They don't cut off in 30 years. But the problem with that 4 % distribution rate Alan Porter (06:15) But the problem is that 4 % distribution rate, that's Jason Hull (06:19) That's $40,000 a year. And that stock portfolio, that's not guaranteed. What if you have a 10 % loss the first year? now your million dollars goes down to $900,000 minus the $40,000 you took out minus the fees you paid on financial advisor whether you make money or not. And then the next two to three years, 2008 happens again, where you lost 38 to 52%. You never got the money in the fifth year. And when I tell people about this, they're financial advisors, Alan Porter (06:19) $40,000 a year. And that stock portfolio, that's not guaranteed. What if you have a 10 % loss the first year? So now your million dollars goes down to 900,000 minus the $40,000 you took out minus the fees you pay that financial advisor, whether you make money or not. And then the next two to three years, 2008 happens again, where you lost 38 to 52%. You're going to be out of money in the fifth year. And when I tell people about this and their financial advisors, Don't tell them, I mean, they're said, I said, why do you think that is? Jason Hull (06:45) don't tell them. I made letters, I said, why do you think that is? Alan Porter (06:48) It's because they make a fee whether you make money or not. The number one fear in retirement is running out of money before you run out of money. I can eliminate that. Jason Hull (06:49) Because they make a fee, well, if you make money or not. The number one fair return is 20,000 dollars. Yeah, compensation structures are incentive models. And so if their incentive is not to tell you, it's because they're getting paid to not tell you. Well, they're supposed to be fiduciary looking out for their best interest clients. I'm a certified financial financial advisor. Yeah, but regardless, the one thing you can always trust is for everybody to look out for their own self-interest. Oh, you're right there. Alan Porter (06:59) Yeah, exactly right. Well, they're supposed to be fiduciaries looking out for their best interest clients. I'm a certified financial fiduciary. you're right there. Jason Hull (07:18) So if your own self-interest is in alignment with their interests, then that's a win-win. Otherwise, someone's gonna lose. Yeah. It's always the clients. Yeah. Yeah. Okay, well, that's quite the story. how is everybody doing now? Alan Porter (07:26) Yep. And it's always the client. My son looks like he's 85 years old and my daughter's living day to day in pain. Jason Hull (07:43) Yeah, yeah. So you have this burden of trying to figure out how do I take care of them? How do I make sure that, you know, taking care of your kids and, you know, nothing's more stressful emotionally or more motivating for us as a parent than our own kids having it going through a tough time. Yeah. I remember my oldest daughter, she was born with a birth defect that there was a rotation in her gut and she was just always sick, throwing up, stuff like this. Well, she almost died. We didn't know this. got, went and got a scan. Everything was inflamed. They're like, we have to do emergency surgery immediately. And yeah, it was pretty scary as a parent. And they had to like pull her guts out, do surgery, put them back in. And she was a little kid, you know? Now she's my oldest. I mean, she's still my oldest, but now she works for me. and in DoorGrow which is great. But yeah, I remember those times. That's really scary. And I can imagine that's just really a big load on your shoulders. So did this kind of spark you creating the strategic wealth strategies then? Alan Porter (08:30) No. Absolutely, that's my passion for this. I'm very passionate about what I do. It's all about education because people don't know. Jason Hull (08:49) Explain the passion, like what gets you excited about this? Alan Porter (08:53) Well, educating people. That's what I did in the Army. I was an educator. I taught people how to fly. it's just like this, educating people. I teach people to think outside the box, conventional financial planning, and show them the strategies that the wealthy and banking institutions have been using for years. Now, I show people how to become their own bank. I've been doing this for a decade and a half. And why don't everybody doesn't do this? I don't know why. mean, you borrow money from yourself, you pay yourself back compound interest. Jason Hull (09:16) you Alan Porter (09:20) and not the financial institutions and you eliminate the effective interest cost that you pay on the money that you borrow. And people, are you aware of what effective interest cost is? Banks love it. I had a gentleman who wanted to do my debt free for life plan. And I said, well, how much debt do you have? He says, well, we bought a new house a couple of months ago, a couple of car payments, a loan and a credit card. I said, what's the interest rate on your mortgage? He said 2.75. Jason Hull (09:20) Yeah. And people, are you aware? No, what is that? Alan Porter (09:46) I said, what's your effective interest cost on that? He says, well, I don't know what you're talking about, Alan. I said, don't fill it, only most people don't. Fill out my form, we'll do a Zoom conference the following week. I said, you got $461,000 in debt. That's not your problem. The problem is the 49.76 effective interest cost, you're paying on that 2.75 % mortgage. His eyes got real big and he said, Alan, how is that possible? I said, it's not going to get down to the 2.75 until the last couple of months of the mortgage. Jason Hull (10:10) Yeah. ⁓ Alan Porter (10:14) You've got a credit card here that's over 90 % effective interest cost. And even though you've got great credits, your average effective interest cost is over 46%. So my next question to him was, what financial vehicle are you investing in, your 401k or anything else, that gives you a 46 % return on your money? Because 46 cents of every dollar that you pay out goes to compound interest for some financial institution, and that money's gone for you forever. Jason Hull (10:17) and ⁓ Alan Porter (10:38) He said, well, nothing. In fact, I lost 10 % of my 401k. Jason Hull (10:40) Yeah, that'd be hard to find that much. And then my last question was how long does it you to your debts off? I said with my cap three buck of money and a whole lot of insurance policy, 14.17 years past, saving $73,000. And in the 10th year it would be 52 years of bids, and there's over $149,000 in cap Alan Porter (10:43) And then my last question was, how long can it take you to pay your debts off the way you're doing it? I 20 some years. I said, with my tax-free bucket of money and a whole life insurance policy and our software, we're paying all your debts off 14.17 years faster, saving you $73,000 in interest. And in the 10th year, you'll be 52 years of age and there's over $139,000 in a tax-free bucket of money that you can use ⁓ to buy a new car, whatever, college education for your kids. Jason Hull (11:06) you can use uh buy a new car whatever college education for your kids at that point your debt benefits will be $400,000 in tax-free money from the federal bank but think about this you don't have to any more money in this by the time you're 65 there'll be over $400,000 in tax-free money that you can use to supplement your income that does not affect the taxation of social security or the tax and community care part which will be in the thousands per year Alan Porter (11:13) At that point, your debt benefits over $400,000 of tax-free money to protect your family. Think about this. You don't have to put any more money in this. By the time you're 65, there'll be over a quarter of a million dollars in a tax-free bucket of money that you can use to supplement your income that does not affect the taxation of Social Security or the means testing for Medicare Part B, which will be in the thousands per year. You're protected from lawsuits, liens, and judgments, and it eliminates or mitigates all the risk in retirement. This is absolutely great for real estate investors. Jason Hull (11:35) Yeah. Yeah ⁓ Alan Porter (11:42) Because once they build that money up in the cash value of their policy, they can take it, go buy a property, and pay themselves back. I do this all the time. I just bought two new cars in last two years. I pay myself back. I'm going to have tens of thousands of dollars more because I compounded interest for me instead of some financial institution. Jason Hull (12:03) So you said multiple times, like why aren't people doing this? Well maybe you could answer your own question, why aren't people doing this? Alan Porter (12:10) It's lack of education. It ought to be taught in high school, but it's not. I've got college professors with PhD degrees in accounting and finance. They have no idea what I'm talking about. They ask me to teach their classes. Jason Hull (12:20) Yeah, got it. So it was just a lack of education on this. Alan Porter (12:24) That's exactly what it is. Jason Hull (12:25) So, yeah, well, I mean, it sounds like something that everybody should be doing. So how does somebody get started with this or how do they become aware of this or what would you say are the first steps? Alan Porter (12:38) Well, give me a call. I don't charge for my consultation services. That's free. It's an education. I think everybody needs to know these things because it will change their financial future, not only for them, but for their family also and possibly generations to come. at 9-8-5. Jason Hull (12:52) So Alan, it sounds like you've kind of found a passion in this. You really enjoy helping people to be able to figure this out and do this. Alan Porter (13:00) Absolutely. Jason Hull (13:01) So yeah, I think that's noble. I think this is pretty awesome. So for those that are listening to this point, I'm going to read a quick word from our sponsor and then Alan, I'm going have you share your phone number so they can get in touch with you and we can keep talking about it. So this episode is sponsored by KRS Smart Books. So if you're a property manager, are you tired of getting tangled up in numbers? KRS Smart Books has your back. They specialize in property bookkeeping. for small to mid-sized managers who'd rather focus on, well, managing. With over 15 years of experience in real estate accounting, their pros in AppFolio, Yardi, and all the top property management software, trust them to make your monthly reports hassle-free so you can get back to what really matters running your business. Head over to krsbooks.com to book your free discovery call. All right, so Alan, what's the number that they should get? to get in touch with you or to reach you to find out about this. Alan Porter (13:59) You can call me at 910-551-1046, email me at strategicwealth, the number zero at gmail.com. And you can always go to my website, which is www.strategicwealthstrategies.com and you can book appointment there. And I've got a plethora of information on that website. Jason Hull (14:18) What? Great, thanks for sharing. So for those that are listening, some people might listen to this and go, well, that's nice, but Alan probably can only work with people that maybe have a million dollars or that are ultra wealthy or have lots of savings. People will listen to this and say, that's probably not for me. What would you say to that? Alan Porter (14:39) Well, quite frankly, bull I work with everybody. know, I'm for the military. Military people don't make a lot of money. Okay. And I work with them, but I work with regular, regular working people that I mean, I'll give you a perfect example. I asked people, said, why do you contribute to a 401k? They said, well, it's a tax deduction. I said, no, it's a tax compounder. And I thought you don't think tax is going to be higher when you retire. I got another thing coming for you. Jason Hull (14:43) Okay. Right. Alan Porter (15:07) But see, thing is people don't understand. 1 % of people out there don't even think there's a fee in a 401k. A 1 % fee over a 30-year period will reduce your income by one-third. The average fee in a 401k is 2.99%. Now that's by Forbes Magazine and the Laptimes. People have less than two-thirds of their money and then they get hit with taxes anywhere from 20 to over 55%. And they're not prepared for it. They're not prepared for long-term care, which costs right now between $50,000 to $200,000 a year. I can get money for that's tax free for pennies on the dollar. It's just a matter of education. Jason Hull (15:43) So for the property management business owners listening, a lot of them will have sometimes hundreds of clients that are investors and they're wanting to maximize their investments, how would this maybe benefit the property management business owners to be better educated on this and have a strategic partner like you? Alan Porter (16:03) Well, the thing is, you've to have a plan. If you don't have a plan, make one. But you've got to have a plan and improve on it all the time. But it's just like, you know, building up your cash value and borrowing from yourself to buy a property and paying yourself back. That's an absolutely great thing for a real estate investor. And these property managers, I've got health and wellness programs. If you've got employees over 10 employees, understand this. The employer will save anywhere from $500 to $700 a year in FICA taxes. The employee and the employer have 1,100 drugs, prescription drugs, at zero copay. That's 20 to 30 % of healthcare costs. Jason Hull (16:37) Yeah Alan Porter (16:50) I mean, and they also have an accidental indemnity program and that's not for the employer, but they have a revolution health app. They've got the number one telehealth app according to JD Power and associates. It's a plethora of benefits. We have legal club, we have identity shield. It's just all at no net cost to employer and no net cost to the employee. It's the section 125 of the tax program. Jason Hull (17:06) This is all at no net cost reported at no net cost reported. Got it. Got it, interesting. Okay, well cool. Well what else would people generally ask about this or should we make sure that the listeners are aware of related to this? Well, are you... Alan Porter (17:26) Well, are you risk averse? Are you conservative? You know, it's just like when you go to retire and you've got that million dollars in stock portfolio, a 4 % distribution rate, $40,000. If you had a property constructed fixed indexed annuity at, say, age 65, you'd only need approximately $650,000 of that stock portfolio to give you the same $40,000 a year. That's guaranteed for the rest of your life. we're guaranteed. Jason Hull (17:53) New York Heat. ⁓ Alan Porter (17:53) Never to have a loss through the market because we're not tied to the market for our gain. We use indexing strategies and every time that indexing strategy goes up we have increasing income and the older you get the higher the distribution rate is. You can't do that with a stock portfolio. It's not even comparable. Jason Hull (17:59) And every time that index of strategy goes up, we have increasing income. And the older you get, the Yeah, yeah. Well, Alan, I appreciate you coming on to the DoorGrow show and bringing this to light for those listening that are not aware you're doing your purpose of educating. So appreciate that. And to wrap up what final words do you have? And then again, why don't you go and share how people can get in touch with you one more time. Alan Porter (18:31) Okay, well I've got a best-selling book out right now on Amazon. It's called Tax-Free Retirement Solution. Again, Tax-Free, Tax-Free Retirement Solution. Jason Hull (18:38) It's called tax, tax free. Retirement solution, okay. Got it. Alan Porter (18:45) And again, you can call me at 910-551-1046. My email is strategicwealth, the number zero at gmail.com. And you can go to my website, which has a plethora. I've got videos, I've got blogs, I've got everything there. And you can book an appointment there at www.strategicwealthstrategies.com. Jason Hull (18:51) email is strategicwealth0 at gmail.com and you can go to my website which has a cluster. I've got videos, I've got blogs. book an appointment there at www.strategicwellscladagy.com. Awesome. Alan, appreciate you being on the show and thanks for your service. You mentioned your former military. Yeah, I appreciate it. So for those watching, if you've ever felt stuck or stagnant in your property management business, you want to take it to the next level, reach out to us at doorgrow.com. Also be sure to join our free Facebook community, Just for Property Management Business Owners at doorgrowclub.com. Alan Porter (19:13) Well, I appreciate it. Jason Hull (19:31) And if you would like to get the best ideas in property management, join our free newsletter at doorgrow.com slash subscribe. And if you found this even a little bit helpful, don't forget to subscribe and leave us a review. We'd really appreciate it. And until next time, remember the slowest path to growth is to do it alone. So let's grow together. Bye everyone.
This conversation is hosted by JJA Board Member and Chair of our Book Committee, Bob Blumenthal. Bob, along with JJA members Fiona Ross, Todd Jenkins and Katch Cartwright, share some of their book recommendations for you to consider for those on your 2025 holiday nice list. Maybe a few of the naughty people deserve some of these, too. The JJA's book committee votes on Book Award nominees everyJanuary and February. The recommendations herein do not reflect any prejudgments by the committee nor should this episode be taken as any preview of what's to come with the awards. Here is your shopping list of books and music discussed in this episode:Books Discussed in DetailWriting Jazz: Conversations with Critics and Biographers by Sasha FeinsteinGuide to Jazz in Japan by Michael PronkoFocus on Women in Jazz by Guy le QuerrecThe Story of Jazz by Marshall Stearns Jazz: Its Evolution and Essence by André HodeirThe Life and Writings of Ralph J. Gleason: Dispatches from the Front by Don ArmstrongGoing Back to T-Town: The Ernie Fields Territory Big Band by Carmen FieldsMaster of the Drums: Gene Krupa and the Music He Gave the World by Elizabeth J. Rosenthal Cross Rhythms: An Introspective into the Life and Musicality of Joe Chambers by Joe Chambers and Cristian SchorrOceans of Time: The Musical Autobiography of Billy Hart by Billy Hart and Ethan IversonThe Jazz Barn: The Music Inn, the Berkshires, and the Place of Jazz in American Life by John GennariBecoming Ella Fitzgerald by Judith TickStomp Off, Let's Go: The Early Years of Louis Armstrong by Ricky RiccardiSong for Someone: The Musical Life of Kenny Wheeler by Brian Shaw and Nick SmartSax Expat: The Biography of Don Byas by Con ChapmanBlack Mystery School Pianists and Other Writings by Matthew ShippRun the Song: Writing About Running, About Listening by Ben RatliffBooks ReferencedSophisticated Giant by Maxine Gordon (about Dexter Gordon)Gene Krupa: His Life and Times by Bruce CrowtherRhythm Man: Chick Webb and the Beat that Changed America by Stephanie Stein CreaseThe Swing Era by Gunther Schuller Albums Referenced Friday and Saturday Night at the Blackhawk by Miles Davis (includes essay by Ralph J. Gleason)Dizzy on the French Riviera by Dizzy Gillespie (includes essay by Ralph J. Gleason)The Jazz Omnibus is on sale now at 25% off. This 600-page anthology features 21st-century photos and writings by JJA members. Details at: bit.ly/jja25If you're a media-maker working in jazz, the JJA is offering first-time members a special rate of $50. Join a community of colleagues telling all the stories of jazz. Sign up at members.jazzjournalists.org/joinDon't miss new episodes of The Buzz. Make sure you follow us wherever you listen to podcasts. For more from the Jazz Journalists Association, go to JJANews.org.
Send us a textFrom the age of 12, Scott Ryder knew he wanted to join the army. After serving as a paratrooper and in East Timor with 3 RAR, he wanted more. He trained all summer and took the gruelling selection course for the commandos, earning the prized green beret on his second attempt.Ryder shares battlefield stories from his tours to Afghanistan, where his regiment saw some of the heaviest fighting Australian forces have experienced since the Vietnam War. After being seriously injured in a shocking Black Hawk helicopter crash in Kandahar, he was the only survivor to return to active service.You can learn more about Scott's service in his book Forged in Fire, available here: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Forged-Fire-Australian-commandos-frontline-ebook/dp/B0CYZNJRDBScott is on instagram: @scott_ryder_zero79If you are interested in being a guest on the podcast, please contact us at info@veteranstateofmind.com , or drop us a DM on instagram @veteranstateofmindSupport the show
In this riveting episode, we sit down with Ryan, the founder of Tub Club, a men's bubble bath and self-care brand that's redefining relaxation for modern men. Ryan's journey is nothing short of extraordinary, taking us from his tumultuous teenage years in Southern California to the disciplined life of a Blackhawk crew chief in the 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment.Ryan opens up about his struggles with education, his time living out of cars, and his unexpected path to joining the Army. He shares candid stories about his military experiences, including deployments to Iraq and Afghanistan, and the life lessons he learned along the way.But that's not all. Ryan also delves into his post-military life, including his involvement with Operation Underground Railroad (OUR) and the controversies that followed. He provides an insider's perspective on the challenges and ethical dilemmas faced by those working to combat human trafficking.This episode is a rollercoaster of emotions, filled with raw honesty, resilience, and a touch of humor. Whether you're interested in entrepreneurship, military life, or social causes, Ryan's story will leave you inspired and wanting more.00:13 - Introduction to Ryan and Tub Club00:54 - Ryan's LinkedIn Post and Public Announcement01:57 - Overcoming Personal and Professional Hurdles03:16 - Ryan's Early Life and Struggles with Education10:01 - Moving to Hawaii and Life as a Surfer11:41 - Joining the Army and Becoming a Blackhawk Crew Chief17:06 - Transitioning to an Engineer and Special Operations21:17 - Deployments and Military Experiences26:10 - Leaving the Army and Starting a Family30:10 - Involvement with Operation Underground Railroad34:48 - Controversies and Ethical Dilemmas with OUR38:30 - The Decision to Resign from OUR43:06 - The Legal Battle and Family TragedyIf you enjoyed this video and want to support us please leave a LIKE, write a comment on this video and Share it with your friends. Subscribe to our channel on YouTube and click the icon for notifications when we add a new video. Let us know in the comments if you have any questions. Our website: Siliconslopessiliconslopes.comShow Links : MytubclubTub Club | Bubble Bath For MenSocial:Twitter - TwittersiliconslopesInstagram - InstagramLogin • Instagramonslopes/LinkedIn - LinkedinSilicon Slopes | LinkedInYouTube - YoutubeSilicon Slopes
Poco después de medianoche del 30 de septiembre, un helicóptero Black Hawk sobrevolaba un edificio de la zona sur de Chicago. Los equipos SWAT descendieron por cuerdas. Tumbaron puertas. Las familias fueron despertadas por granadas aturdidoras. Tras la operación, la administración Trump afirmó que su objetivo eran los miembros de una violenta banda venezolana, el Tren de Aragua, y que en el edificio se encontrarían pruebas de una grave amenaza. Unos 37 residentes fueron arrestados, algunos llevados a prisiones y centros de detención y luego deportados, sin que se les acusara de ningún delito. Sin embargo, una investigación de ProPublica muestra la diferencia entre lo que los funcionarios de inmigración dijeron y lo que los reporteros han recabado. En las ocho audiencias a las que el medio independiente asistió, en ninguna, dijeron, se mencionó la pertenencia a pandillas. En cambio, los jueces concedieron la salida voluntaria o la deportación, lo que sugiere que no son considerados como amenaza. Así que para hablar sobre el reportaje, las personas que fueron arrestadas y las que fueron deportadas, invitamos a Melissa Sanchez, quien es reportera de ProPublica y una de las autoras del reportaje.
Max Dinenberg and Blackhawk give a full recap on the festivities and events from AEW Full Gear via BodySlamNetTune in NOW#aew #fullgear #aewfullgear #wrestling #prowrestling
Översiktsserien fortsätter. Det kommer handla om Clintons utrikespolitik, krisen i Somalia, slaget i Mogadishu, Blackhawk helikoptrar, Somaliasyndromet, katastrofen i Rwanda, kaos på Haiti, kriget i Bosnien, Daytonavtalet, utvidgande av NATO och Boris Jeltsin. Bild: Bill Clinton, Yitzhak Rabin och Yasser Arafat vid ett möte i Vita Huset 1993. Källa: WikipediaPrenumerera: Glöm inte att prenumerera på podcasten! Betyg: Ge gärna podden betyg på iTunes!Följ podden: Facebook (facebook.com/stjarnbaneret), twitter (@stjarnbaneret), Instagram (@stjarnbaneret)Kontakt: stjarnbaneret@gmail.comLitteratur översikt USA:s historia- Liberty, Equality, Power: A history of the American People, John Murrin, Paul Johnson, James McPherson, m.fl.- Give me liberty: An American history, Eric Foner- America: A concise History, James Henretta, Rebecka Edwards, Robert Self- Inventing America: A history of the United States, Pauline Maier, Merrit Roe Smith, m.fl.- Nation of Nations: A narrative history of the American republic, James West Davidson, Mark Lytle, m.fl.- The American Pageant, David Kennedy, Lizabeth Cohen, Thomas Bailey- Making America: A history of the United States, Carol Berking, Robert Cherney, m.fl.- America: A narrative history, George Brown Tindall, David Emory Shi- The American Promise: A history of the United States, James Roark, Maichael Johnson, m.fl. - The American People: Creating a nation and a society, Gary Nash, John Howe, m.fl.- Of the People: A history of the United States, James Oaks, Michael McGerr, m.fl.- The enduring vision: A history of the American People, Paul Boyer, Clifford Clark, m.fl.Litteratur för denna era:- Deadlock and disillusionment, Gary Reichard- The age of Reagan, Sean Wilenz- The American Century, LaFeber, Polenberg, Woloch. - American Dreams: The United States since 1945, H. Brands- Recent America: The United States since 1945, Dewey Grantham- Restless Giant, James Patterson Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
0:00 - Pick whichever unstoppable vehicle you want. That's what the Avs are. Last night, they beat the Rangers 6-3 at Ball Arena. And that was a PHYSICAL game. It got gritty and nasty for a sec, and the Avs still grinded it out and won. Ground it out? Stuck with it and won. They're proving they can win any kind of game this year.10:45 - Do you have some spare quarters in the center console of your Ford Pinto? Take that Pinto...drive it to Blackhawk...take all your change...and LAY IT DOWN!!!!28:31 - It's our favorite part of the week DRUNK TAKES! We take clips from throughout the week, slow em down to half speed and it makes us sound like we're hammered!Today's edition includes: inbred bunion thumbs, the little hole, carbon, he's a squealer, and READY? OKAY!
Max and Blackhawk are back with another tour of Japan.
The Army is racing to field a prototype assault aircraft by early 2027 that flies twice as fast and twice as far as the Black Hawk. Colonel Jeffrey Poquette and Bell's Ryan Ehinger explained to Federal News Network's Jared Serbu how 215 flight hours on the V-280 Valor demonstrator proved tilt rotor technology works, why maintainers with virtual toolboxes are fixing design problems before metal gets cut, and how digital twins for every aircraft will slash 70% of lifecycle costs typically spent on sustainment.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
On this episode of the Blackhawks Breakaway Podcast, Pat Boyle and Charlie Roumeliotis break down Chicago's 4-0-1 run over the last five games and how seamlessly players have stepped up amid injuries. They dive into Frank Nazar's return, the tough break for Nick Foligno, and the growing confidence of Artyom Levshunov, who delivered arguably his best performance as a Blackhawk on Saturday against Toronto. The guys also discuss Sam Rinzel's healthy scratch and explain why it could help his development, much like it did for Levshunov. Plus, a conversation about the power play finally turning a corner, a rare Laurent Brossoit sighting, and a look back at a memorable Centennial Celebration Night to close out The Originals chapter in front of a sellout crowd.
The Jay Franze Show: Your backstage pass to the entertainment industry
Two truths can live in country music at once: you can miss the artists who made your 90s radio sing, and still be curious about an AI act topping a digital chart. We open the show with a roll call of “where did they go?” favorites—Cindy Thompson, Ricochet, The Wreckers, BlackHawk—and the songs that still trigger instant nostalgia. Then we jump to now: Vince Gill's well-earned lifetime honor, Jason Aldean's collab-heavy release strategy, and the first AI-powered country hit breaking through, for better and for debate.From there, we pull back the curtain on the creative process. Jay shares studio craft—why some singers record in the dark, how room reflections shape a vocal, and when gobos make a performance feel close-up and honest. We get practical about AI's role: using it to prototype arrangements, save money before studio time, and iterate faster without losing authorship. The rule of thumb is simple and fair—write the words and music, and it's your song; let AI decide the chords and melody, and you've got a machine co-writer. We also tackle live vs recorded: when the stage wins on chemistry, when the record wins on intent, and how overproduction can dull a great performance.Our mailbag lights up with your picks for stars who thrive without a huge range—think Willie, Dylan, Cash, Tim McGraw—and the case for emotion over acrobatics. We cover duets with real chemistry, reality TV pressure cookers, chart movers on both the main and indie lists, and some fun detours.Episode LinksAI Experiment: https://jayfranze.com/experiment/Jim Cristaldi: https://jayfranze.com/episode27/Robby Johnson: https://jayfranze.com/episode95/Billie Jo Jones: https://jayfranze.com/episode98/Dalila Mya: https://jayfranze.com/episode102/Mark Badolato: https://jayfranze.com/episode140/Stephanie Rabus: https://jayfranze.com/episode149/Jonny James: https://jayfranze.com/episode171/Send us a text Support the showLinks Jay Franze: https://jayfranze.com/ JFS Country Countdown: https://jayfranze.com/countdown/ Contact Contact: https://jayfranze.com/contact/ Socials Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jayfranze TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@jayfranze X: https://x.com/jayfranze YouTube: https://youtube.com/@jayfranze Services Services: https://jayfranze.com/services/ Books Books: https://jayfranze.com/books/ Merchandise Merchandise: https://jayfranze.com/merchandise/ Support Support: https://jayfranze.com/support/ Sponsor the Show: https://jayfranze.com/sponsor/
Former Marine and Black Hawk Down veteran Chad Craven shares his powerful story of transformation. From the chaos of Mogadishu to finding peace, purpose, and faith through Man Camp. Hear how God turned pain into purpose and changed his life forever.
Friday, November 14th, 2025Today, new details emerge about the young girl Matt Gaetz exploited that led to the criminal investigation into him for sex trafficking a minor; a judge in the Comey case says a chunk of the grand jury transcripts is missing; Catholic bishops condemn US immigration operations in a rare public statement; a judge in Chicago has ordered the release of hundreds of non high-risk immigration detainees in Chicago; after that apartment building raid where they rappelled from Blackhawk helicopters - Propublica found no actual arrests were made; Trump withdraws his Supreme Court appeal over SNAP benefits; Bill Pulte has referred Eric Swalwell to the DOJ for mortgage fraud; the Oklahoma governor has stayed the execution of Tremane Wood; and Allison and Dana Deliver your Good News.Thank You, CBDistilleryUse promo code DAILYBEANS at CBDistillery.com for 25% off your purchase. Thank You, Fast Growing TreesGet 15% off your first purchase. FastGrowingTrees.com/dailybeansGuest: John FugelsangTell Me Everything - John Fugelsang, The John Fugelsang Podcast, John Fugelsang - Substack, @johnfugelsang.bsky.social - Bluesky, @JohnFugelsang -TwitterSeparation of Church and Hate by John Fugelsang - OUT NOW!JOHN FUGELSANG BOOK TOUR PPV SPECIALStoriesAmerica's bishops express opposition to indiscriminate mass deportations | Catholic News AgencyTrump official refers Rep. Eric Swalwell for a federal criminal probe over alleged mortgage fraud | NBC NewsOklahoma governor spares the life of death row inmate just before scheduled lethal injection | PBS NewsHow a 17-Year-Old Girl Became Enmeshed in the Matt Gaetz Scandal | The New York Times“I Lost Everything”: Venezuelans Were Rounded Up in a Dramatic Midnight Raid but Never Charged With a Crime | ProPublicaGood TroubleIf you're hearing right-wing media insist that the redacted name in the Epstein email is Virginia Giuffre, here's the simplest response: prove it.If Republicans claim the redacted Epstein email name is Virginia Giuffre, tell your House rep: “Prove it. Lift the redaction. If it's her, show it. If you can't, say so.”And if your rep is a Democrat — especially on House Oversight — ask them to demand transparency on that redaction. Find Your Representative | house.govContacting U.S. Senators Find Your Representative | house.gov**Mutual Aid Relief Fund, Mutual Aid Hub, GiveDirectly.org/snap**Saturday, November 15. TeslaTakedown.com**Group Directory - The Visibility Brigade: Resistance is Possible**Vote Yes 836 - Oklahoma is gathering signatures**How to Organize a Bearing Witness Standout**Indiana teacher snitch portal - Eyes on Education**Find Your Representative | house.gov, Contacting U.S. SenatorsFrom The Good Newsadoptapet.com/pet/45311295-stockton-californiaSleepy Cat KnitsDana Goldberg Outrageous Tour - TONIGHT November 14th ChicagoOur Donation LinksNational Security Counselors - Donate, MSW Media, Blue Wave CA Victory Fund | ActBlue, WhistleblowerAid.org/beansFederal workers - email AG at fedoath@pm.me and let me know what you're going to do, or just vent. I'm always here to listen. Find Upcoming Actions 50501 Movement, No Kings.org, Indivisible.orgDr. Allison Gill - Substack, BlueSky , TikTok, IG, TwitterDana Goldberg - The 2025 Out100, BlueSky, Twitter, IG, facebook, danagoldberg.comMore from MSW Media - Shows - MSW Media, Cleanup On Aisle 45 pod, The Breakdown | SubstackReminder - you can see the pod pics if you become a Patron. The good news pics are at the bottom of the show notes of each Patreon episode! That's just one of the perks of subscribing! patreon.com/muellershewrote Our Donation LinksNational Security Counselors - DonateMSW Media, Blue Wave California Victory Fund | ActBlueWhistleblowerAid.org/beansFederal workers - feel free to email AG at fedoath@pm.me and let me know what you're going to do, or just vent. I'm always here to listen. Find Upcoming Actions 50501 Movement, No Kings.org, Indivisible.orgDr. Allison Gill - Substack, BlueSky , TikTok, IG, TwitterDana Goldberg - BlueSky, Twitter, IG, facebook, danagoldberg.comCheck out more from MSW Media - Shows - MSW Media, Cleanup On Aisle 45 pod, The Breakdown | SubstackShare your Good News or Good TroubleMSW Good News and Good TroubleHave some good news; a confession; or a correction to share?Good News & Confessions - The Daily Beanshttps://www.dailybeanspod.com/confessional/ Listener Survey:http://survey.podtrac.com/start-survey.aspx?pubid=BffJOlI7qQcF&ver=shortFollow the Podcast on Apple:The Daily Beans on Apple PodcastsWant to support the show and get it ad-free and early?The Daily Beans | SupercastThe Daily Beans & Mueller, She Wrote | PatreonThe Daily Beans | Apple Podcasts Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
How We Seeez It! Episode 310, Black Hawk Down (2001) “Once that first bullet goes past your head, politics and all that shit just goes right out the window.” – Hoot. For this Veterans Day episode, we are covering the movie Black Hawk Down that is based on the true action for the Operation Gothic Serpent from UN joint operation in Mogadishu on Oct 3rd and 4th 1993. We cover our thoughts on it and there is so much to talk about in this one, so join us for the discussion and don't forget about our cocktails for this episode. There should be some good ones. As always, mix a drink, have a listen, and let us know what you think. Or if there is something you watched that we might enjoy or a can't miss series. Also please rate and review show on all your favorite podcast apps. Drinks for the episode "The Bloody Monday" 1½ oz Rye whiskey ½ oz Fernet Branca ¼ oz Campari ¼ oz Demerara syrup 1 dash Angostura bitters 1 dash Orange bitters Strain into a rocks glass over a large clear ice cube Express an orange peel over the top and discard “BlackBerry Down” 2 oz Brother Bond Bourbon 1.5 oz Sloe Gin 1 oz Blackberry Liqueur 1 oz Lemon Juice Shaken and poured over ice Show links. https://hwsi.podbean.com/e/black-hawk-down-2001/ HWSI LinkTree HWSI Facebook Link HWSI Instagram Link HWSI Youtube link !! You can also email the Podcast at the.HWSI.podcast@gmail.com
O Governo vai comprar quatro helicópteros Black Hawk de evacuação médica.
Hélder Santinhos (Sindicato dos Pilotos da Aviação Civil) afirma que não são aparelhos "ideias" para emergência médica e critica a Gulf Med por ainda não estar a operar passados seis meses. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Měl by Andrej Babiš (ANO) veřejně před jmenováním premiérem vysvětlit, jak vyřeší svůj střet zájmů? Ministerstvo vnitra pořizuje další vrtulníky pro hasiče. Kde budou nasazené? A maďarský premiér Viktor Orbán jedná v Bílém domě. Jak si mohou být s Donaldem Trumpem vzájemně prospěšní?
Měl by Andrej Babiš (ANO) veřejně před jmenováním premiérem vysvětlit, jak vyřeší svůj střet zájmů? Ministerstvo vnitra pořizuje další vrtulníky pro hasiče. Kde budou nasazené? A maďarský premiér Viktor Orbán jedná v Bílém domě. Jak si mohou být s Donaldem Trumpem vzájemně prospěšní?
From the ocean's most remote graveyard to forgotten wartime experiments — this episode explores the strange and fascinating corners of military and scientific history. Discover Point Nemo, the final resting place of the International Space Station when it plunges into Earth's most isolated waters in 2030 (09:54). See how a modern Guardsman learned to fly an autonomous Black Hawk helicopter in under an hour (19:14). Explore a veteran-built interactive map that preserves two decades of memories from the Afghanistan War (29:05). Then travel back in time to uncover the stories of The Polar Bear Expedition (39:05), the bizarre Operation Paul Bunyan standoff (43:07), and the secret WWII plan known as Project X-Ray, which weaponized bats for battle (48:16). https://lateforchangeover.com/ Project Athena: https://www.projectathena.ca/
Day 1,349.Today, as reports emerge that General Budanov, head of Ukraine's military intelligence, travelled to the embattled frontline city of Pokrovsk, we sit down with former NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg, who led the alliance in the first years of the full-scale invasion. We also speak with Norwegian filmmaker Tommy Gulliksen about his powerful new documentary Facing War – which takes viewers inside the rooms where Stoltenberg and world leaders made pivotal decisions that shaped the course of the conflict.ContributorsFrancis Dearnley (Executive Editor for Audio). @FrancisDearnley on X.Dominic Nicholls (Associate Editor of Defence). @DomNicholls on X.With thanks to former NATO chief Jens Stoltenberg. @jensstoltenbergdocumentary on X.SIGN UP TO THE ‘UKRAINE: THE LATEST' WEEKLY NEWSLETTER:http://telegraph.co.uk/ukrainenewsletter Each week, Dom Nicholls and Francis Dearnley answer your questions, provide recommended reading, and give exclusive analysis and behind-the-scenes insights – plus maps of the frontlines and diagrams of weapons to complement our daily reporting. It's free for everyone, including non-subscribers.CONTENT REFERENCED:Learn more about ‘Facing War' - new film about Jens Stoltenberg by Tommy Gulliksen:https://m.imdb.com/title/tt35671816/ Ukraine special forces launch helicopter raid to stop Russian encirclement (The Telegraph):https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2025/11/01/ukraine-special-forces-helicopter-assault-pokrovsk/ Draft dodger who jumped from moving train faces deportation to Russia (The Telegraph):https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2025/11/01/draft-dodger-who-jumped-moving-train-deportation-russia/ Russia deploys 170,000 troops in battle for Pokrovsk (The Telegraph):https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2025/10/31/russia-deploys-170000-troops-battle-pokrovsk/ ‘How to Negotiate with Putin' by Robert Person (Journal of Democracy):https://www.journalofdemocracy.org/online-exclusive/how-to-negotiate-with-putin/ Zelensky Is Winning Trump Voters Over (Wall Street Journal):https://www.wsj.com/opinion/zelensky-is-winning-trump-voters-over-72d5f6c1?reflink=desktopwebshare_permalink Subscribe: telegraph.co.uk/ukrainethelatestEmail: ukrainepod@telegraph.co.uk Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Could you imagine your medical debt being erased? Swiped clean?Start with grit and end with gratitude. That's the pulse of this conversation with Bear Handlon—Yale linebacker turned Navy SEAL officer turned founder of Born Primitive—who built a $100M brand from a garage while shouldering rucks, rewiring his life around service, and refusing to cut corners when it mattered most.We dig into the selection moments that strip away ego—why BUD/S graduates tend to be the ones who want the job, not the title—and map those lessons onto entrepreneurship without the Instagram gloss. Bear shares how he and his then‑wife sold at CrossFit events for years, doubled revenue eight straight times, and still chose product integrity over speed: delaying launches, iterating through double‑digit prototypes, and renting a Black Hawk to fast‑rope in full kit to test a boot's abrasion and outsole noise. You'll hear how the footwear bet changed the ceiling, why Born Primitive moved credibly into outdoor and tactical with real subject matter experts, and how the brand kept its spine when culture wars tried to bend it.Then we go to the point: using a company as a force multiplier for good. Last year, Bear routed four days of sales to wipe roughly $11 million in veteran medical debt—5,800 people who got certified letters before Christmas. The calls back were raw: single parents with garnished wages, a Marine reconsidering suicide who checked into rehab after his bill vanished. This year, alongside Black Rifle Coffee, the mission is bigger: Operation Debt of Gratitude aims to reach $25 million and bring the VA and other brands into a durable solution. It's not a promo. It's direct relief, dollar for dollar, with stories that make the stakes real.Along the way, Bear opens up about fatherhood, faith, and finding joy in the simple—letters to his daughter, popcorn on the couch, and choosing presence over noise. If you care about building something that lasts, gear that's earned not hyped, and helping veterans in a way that actually changes lives, this one hits. Subscribe, share with a friend who needs the push, and if you're moved, support Operation Debt of Gratitude at Born Primitive and Black Rifle Coffee between Nov 7–11. Your share might be the reason someone sleeps easier tonight.Visit Born Primitive and subscribe to their newsletter to follow along on their campaign to support!Send us a textSupport the showFollow Wild Chaos on Social Media: Apple iTunes: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-wild-chaos-podcast/id1732761860Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5KFGZ6uABb1sQlfkE2TIoc?si=8ff748aa4fc64331 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wildchaospodcastBam's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bambam0069Youtube: https://youtube.com/@wildchaospodTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@thewildchaospodcastMeta (Facebook): https://www.facebook.com/TheWildChaosPodcast
A special episode, as we're joined by the legendary Mark Evanier — writer, historian, and one of comics' most versatile voices — to celebrate the release of his new book, The Essential Peanuts by Charles M. Schulz: The Greatest Comic Strip of All Time.Mark talks about the enduring genius of Charles Schulz, why Peanuts remains so emotionally powerful 75 years later, and what made the strip so hard to adapt into comic book form. We also dive into his long career, from working with Jack Kirby, to writing Blackhawk and Crossfire, to co-writing the hilariously timeless Groo the Wanderer with Sergio Aragonés.If you love comics history, classic creators, and stories from inside the industry, this one's for you.
Beulah causes a blood transfusion . Debut of two future World Champions. Fujiwara armbaring a cop. Gangstanators, Sabu vs Sandman, & more! ApronBump.com to watch and listen to all full episodes! Want to be featured on a future episode? Leave a voicemail using the "Send a Voicemail" button on ApronBump.com! Follow me at: @ApronBump on Twitter https://twitter.com/ApronBump @Apron_Bump on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/Apron_Bump/ @ApronBump on Tik Tok https://www.tiktok.com/@apronbump?lang=en “Apron Bump” on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/Apron-Bump-1… “Apron Bump” on YouTube https://www.youtube.com/ApronBump Enjoy this era of ECW? Catch up on the entire timeline at: https://www.apronbump.com/category/wrestling-wars-of-the-90s/ Join the Discord! https://discord.gg/whcUgwDT Grab some Apron Bump merch! https://the-apron-bump-podcast.creator-spring.com/ -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Check out Blackhawk and the Blackhawk Walker; live on YouTube and Twitch, and 0! For everything Blackhawk Walker, check out: https://pillar.io/blackhawkwalker @BlackhawkWalker on X: https://x.com/BlackhawkWalker Watch on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@Blackhawkwalker/videos Watch on Twitch: https://www.twitch.tv/blackhawkwalker
Originally aired on October 25th, 2025. Doug's insightful interview with Tommy O'Brien, for your listening pleasure.
Lionel dives deep into the post-debate landscape, dissecting what makes a moment "YouTube worthy", and marveling at the vital role of facial expression and tone in American Sign Language. We revisit legendary viral moments, like the BBC's "Wrong Guy" interview. The show also explores serious forensic questions surrounding high-profile cases, such as the Charlie Kirk autopsy and the evidence in the Epstein case, and delves into the surprising world of horrifying smells in surgery and at the medical examiner's office. Plus, Lionel rambles with callers on everything from Chicago bar pizza and the best parts of flying a Blackhawk helicopter to ridiculous tax laws and obscure legal charges. It's Ventilation Friday—tune in to share your genius. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Lionel eviscerates the concept of the American political "debate," rejecting the recent candidate event involving Sliwa, Cuomo, and Mamdani "Kabuki theater" and a "complete and total waste of absolute time". He exposes the media for "blatantly obvious" bias and reveals the true motivations driving political races: ego, power, fame, and money. Dive deep into political chaos, dissecting controversial proposals like "free buses" and defunding the police, and exploring what Curtis Sliwa must do next to win, including wearing his signature red beret for a "YouTube viral moment". But the show truly thrives on unpredictability—from analysis of viral moments and American Sign Language to serious forensic questions (Epstein, Charlie Kirk autopsy) and horrifying smells at the medical examiner's office. It's "Ventilation Friday," where calls range from Chicago bar pizza and flying a Blackhawk helicopter to a chilling, tense exchange with a caller detailing a decade-long murder ideation for perceived "justice". Tune in to share your genius and never wonder "what the heck is going on here" again. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
ICE is on the loose in our cities, acting with seeming impunity. They've repelled from Black Hawk helicopters, thrown journalists and protestors to the ground, and belligerently refused to unmask, provide identification, or present warrants for the people they're kidnapping. Among the social media videos documenting this despicable stormtrooper behavior came the image of a priest being hit in the head and knocked to the ground by a pepper ball shot from an ICE building rooftop. We've homed in on this disturbing moment to ask if what we'd seen so far had not crossed a red line for the American public, what does it mean to shoot at a priest protesting injustice in prayer? Show Notes Surge in U.S. Concern About Immigration Has Abated Portland's ‘War Zone' Is Like Burning Man for the Terminally Online DC Churches to Trump: Stay Out of Our Parking Lots Religious protesters say ICE threatens religious freedom in Chicago In LA, faith leaders protest to stand up for the detained and keep the peace Chicago Pastor Sues Trump Admin After Allegedly Being Shot by ICE Agents Federal lawsuit brought by Black et al against Noem and DHS Evangelical Pastor Doug Pagitt on Christian Nationalism Exclusive: The Churches Fighting Back Against ICE Religious leaders offering communion to detainees turned away at Broadview ICE facility Bishop Rojas on rise in ICE raids: ‘It is not of the Gospel of Jesus Christ' Religious leaders offering communion to detainees turned away at Broadview ICE facility Signs of Faith Against Fascism: An Interview with Eric MartinPaul Elie: Daniel Berrigan was a fierce critic of the United States. He was also a great American. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
This week on The Necessary Conversation, it's just Chad, Haley and Mary Lou. Bob's resting. But we break down another wild week in America under Trump's second term.
We are celebrating episode 100 of Native Land Pod!! With our hosts Tiffany Cross, Angela Rye, Andrew Gillum, AND Bakari Sellers. Bakari joins as our fourth host of Native Land Pod! Like Angela, Bakari is the child of an activist, and similar to Andrew, he made history when he became the youngest South Carolina state rep back in 2006 (beating a 26 year incumbent). He brings his sharp wit, cutting political commentary, and sibling-like sass. Welcome Bakari!! Native Land Pod has launched a Substack for our 100th episode! Subscribe here and get exclusive access to our crossover show with Joy Reid: https://substack.com/@nativelandpod The federal government is becoming more and more militaristic in its efforts to deport millions of immigrants. In Chicago, they rappelled from Black Hawk helicopters into an multi-family building, going apartment to apartment and rounding up men, women, and children–including American citizens (later released). We are seeing Charlie Kirk-wannabes and Black organizations bearing white messages invade our HBCUs. How do we handle trolls and white supremacists coming on our campuses? Former LSU football star Kyren Lacy tragically took his own life last April after being charged with negligent manslaughter for causing a car crash. Now, new video evidence has emerged which may prove his innocence. And of course we’ll hear from you! If you’d like to submit a question, check out our tutorial video: http://www.instagram.com/reel/C5j_oBXLIg0/ and send to @nativelandpod. We are 390 days away from the midterm elections. Welcome home y’all! —--------- We want to hear from you! Send us a video @nativelandpod and we may feature you on the podcast. Instagram X/Twitter Facebook NativeLandPod.com Watch full episodes of Native Land Pod here on YouTube. Native Land Pod is brought to you by Reasoned Choice Media. Thank you to the Native Land Pod team: Angela Rye as host, executive producer and cofounder of Reasoned Choice Media; Tiffany Cross as host and producer, Andrew Gillum as host and producer, and Lauren Hansen as executive producer; Loren Mychael is our research producer, and Nikolas Harter is our editor and producer. Special thanks to Chris Morrow and Lenard McKelvey, co-founders of Reasoned Choice Media. Theme music created by Daniel Laurent.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
The National Security Hour with Brandon Weichert – America's defeat in Mogadishu exposes the beginning of a dangerous illusion—believing it could reshape the world through force and idealism. As global ambitions drained real power, dependence on China and industrial decay grew. The warning from Black Hawk Down echoes today: without realism and strength, future wars may end in even greater loss...
Sam recaps some of the developments from the past week including the escalating attacks on cities (such as the Black Hawk helicopter raid on an apartment building in South Shore Chicago), the Trump/Hegseth meeting to direct generals to get ready to wage war crimes and train troops against the US population, the government shutdown and more.Then, she speaks with Dr. Mary Anne Franks, George Washington University professor and author of Fearless Speech: Breaking Free from the First Amendment, about what Trump and MAGA mean by "free speech" as they directly censor critics. Find out more about her work here.Attend a mass organizing meeting near you over the coming weeks.Commit to join protests starting 11/5 in DC: The Time Has Come for the Fall of the Trump Regime.Continue to take part in protests near you and connect with the movement at RefuseFascism.org. Text NOTRUMP to 855-755-1314, follow @RefuseFascism on social media (@RefuseFashizm on TikTok) and our YouTube channel: @Refuse_Fascism. Support:patreon.com/refusefascismdonate.refusefascism.orgVenmo: Refuse-FascismBuy merchMusic for this episode: Penny the Snitch by Ikebe Shakedown
Federal agents rappeling from Black Hawk helicopters onto Chicago apartments. A U.S. citizen shot by Border Patrol. Military brass are humiliated at Quantico while being told to use American cities as "training grounds."Robin discusses her thoughts Operation Midway Blitz's 800+ arrests, Portland's federal occupation, and the systematic removal of military accountability. Why are veteran lawmakers calling these actions "borderline fascist?"------------Website: http://www.wesawthedevil.comPatreon: http://www.patreon.com/wesawthedevilDiscord: https://discord.gg/X2qYXdB4Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/WeSawtheDevilInstagram: http://www.instagram.com/wesawthedevilpodcast.------------FEATURED TOPICS: Immigration enforcement, ICE raids, Border Patrol operations, sanctuary cities, federal vs state authority, military deployment domestic, National Guard activation, civil liberties violations, Fourth Amendment, First Amendment, constitutional law, executive overreach, authoritarianism America, democracy crisis, civilian oversight military, Rules of Engagement, Inspector General, military accountability, Chicago protests, Portland protests, police brutality, federal agents, DHS operations, Trump administration, Pete Hegseth, Department of War, Quantico speech, fascism America, civil rightsBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/we-saw-the-devil-a-true-crime-podcast--4433638/support.
Voicemail: 951-292-4377; Black Hawk trip report; Royal Caribbean Cruise to Alaska; Erick Lindgren; Reno trip report
>Join Jocko Underground< Norm Hooten was a U.S. Army Special Forces soldier (a Green Beret) who became well known because of his role in the Battle of Mogadishu in October 1993, the operation later depicted in the book and film Black Hawk Down.Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/jocko-podcast/exclusive-content