Podcasts about capital cities

Each Monday on Idaho Matters, we'll bring you a snapshot of a small corner of our Capital City and its unique past and today we head to the Boise Bench!

CW: Suicide This episode we are talking about Law and Order--where Ritsuryo system gets its name.  We are going to look at some of the underlying theory of how the government was set up and then some of the new laws people were expected to follow and examples of punishment--as well as pardons and general amnesties. For the blogpost, check out:  https://sengokudaimyo.com/podcast/episode-145 Rough Transcript Welcome to Sengoku Daimyo's Chronicles of Japan.  My name is Joshua, and this is Episode 145:  Law and Order in the Reign of Temmu     The sound of struggle could be heard, as a man, hands bound behind him, was roughly brought into the courtyard by several sturdy men.  They thrust him roughly to the bare ground in front of the pavilion.  The man's clothes were disheveled, his hair was unkempt, and his right eye was swollen shut.  He was a stark contrast from the four officials standing over him, and even more from those who stood in the pavilion, above, prepared to dole out judgment.  A clerk was handling the paperwork at a nearby desk, but the court official already knew this case.  He had read the reports, heard the testimony of the witnesses and, to top it all off, he had read the confession.  It seems it had taken some coercion, but in the end, the criminal before him had admitted to his wrongdoing. And thus the official was able to pronounce the sentence with some sense of moral clarity.  After all, if this man was innocent, why would he confess?  On the other hand, if he were truly innocent, how would he even have come to their attention?  Even if he was not guilty of this crime, if he had been such an upstanding citizen, why would his neighbors have accused him in the first place?  One way or another, justice was being done.     We remain—for at least the next couple of episodes—firmly in the reign of Ohoama, aka Temmu Tennou.  There is a lot more in this reign, and we are reaching a period where we won't be able to cover nearly as much as previously, so we'll have to summarize some things, but there is still a lot here to discuss.  Last episode we looked at what was happening outside of the court.  This episode we turn our attention back to the center, and specifically, what law and order meant in Ohoama's time. This period is called the Ritsuryo period, and as the name indicates, it is characterized by the set of laws and accompanying penal codes, the ritsu and the ryo.  Most of these codes are no longer extant, only known to us by other sources which contain only fragments of the originals.  But it was this adoption of a continental style of law that seems to most characterize this period.  So this episode, we are going to look at the project Ohoama kicked off to establish  one such law code —possibly even the first actual—for Yamato, as well as some of the examples of how law and order were enforced. In Episode 143 we talked about Ohoama's  historiographical project, which kicked off in the third month of 681 and culminated in the very chronicles we have been poring over.  However, a month before that, we see the start of a different and likely more immediate project, as the sovereign ordered work to begin on a new legal code.  This task was decreed from the Daigokuden to all of the Princes and Ministers -- who were then cautioned to divide it up and take it in shifts, since after all, they still needed to administer the government.  And so this division of labor began. The code would take years to compile, so, like so many of the ambitious projects of this reign, it was not quite ready by the time of Ohoama's death in 686.  In fact, it wouldn't be promulgated until 689, and even then that was only the "Ryou" part of the "Ritsuryou"—that is to say it contained the laws, the "ryou", but no the penal code, or "ritsu".  Still, we are told that the total body of laws was some 22 volumes and is known today as the Asuka Kiyomihara Code.  It is unfortunately no longer extant—we only have evidence of the laws based on those edicts and references we see in the Nihon Shoki, but it is thought by some to be the first such deliberate attempt to create a law code for Yamato.  We do have an earlier reference to Naka no Ohoye putting together a collection of laws during his reign, known as the Afumi Code, but there is some question as to whether that was actually a deliberate code or just a compilation of edicts that had been made up to that point.  These various codes are where the "Ritsuryo" period gets its name, and the Asuka Kiyomihara Code would eventually be supplanted in 701 by the Taihou code—which is one of the reasons why copies of previous codes haven't been kept around.  After all, why would you need the old law code when you now have the new and improved version? This also means that often, when we don't have other evidence, we look to later codes and histories to understand what might be happening when we get hints or fragments of legal matters.  The Chronicles often make note of various laws or customs, but they can be sparse on details.  After all, the main audience, in the 8th century, would be living the current law codes and likely understood the references in ways we may have to work out through other sources. As for the Kiyomihara Code, there are further notes in the Chronicles that seem to be referencing this project.  Besides the obvious—the new laws that were promulgated through various edicts—we see a few entries sprinkled throughout that appear to be related to this project.  First, I would note that in the 10th month of the same year that they started the project, 681, there was issued an edict that all those of the rank of Daisen on down should offer up their admonitions to the government.   Bentley notes that Article 65 of the Statutes on Official Documents provides a kind of feedback mechanism via this admonitions, where anyone who saw a problem with the government could submit it to the Council of the State.  If they had a fear of reprisals they could submit anonymously. This entry for the 10th month of 681 could just refer to a similar request that all those who had a problem should report it so it could be fixed, but in light of several other things, I would also suggest that it was at least in line with the ongoing efforts to figure out what needed to be figured out vis a vis the laws of the land.  Later, in the 8th month of 682 we see a similar type of request, where everyone from the Princes to the Ministers were instructed to bring forward matters suitable for framing new regulations.   So it looks like that first year or so there were, in a sense, a lot of "listening sessions" and other efforts going on to give deliberate thought to how the government should operate.  A few days later in 682 the Chronicles tell us that the court were working on drawing up the new laws, and as they did so they noticed a great rainbow.  Bentley suggests that this was an auspicious sign—even Heaven was smiling on the operation. So we know that there was lawmaking going on.  But what did these laws actually look like? This episode we are going to look at both criminal law – crimes and punishments, and gow they could be mitigated as well as those laws that were less about criminal activities and more about how the state itself was to be run. As I just stated, a lot of the laws and edicts are not necessarily about criminal activities.  Many of them are about the government and how it works—or at least how it is supposed to work.  Some of this helps to reveal a bit about the theoretical and philosophical underpinnings of this project.  That said, I'm not always sure that Ohoama and his officials were necessarily adherents to those philosophies or if they saw them more as justifications fro their actions.  And, in the end, does it matter?  Even if they weren't strict Confucianists, it is hard to argue that Confucian theory didn't loom large in their project, given its impact on the systems they were cribbing from.  Furthermore, if we need to extrapolate things that go unsaid, we could do worse than using Confucianism and similar continental philosophies as our guide, given what we see in the record.  A particularly intriguing record for understanding how that government was supposed to work is a declaration that civil and military officials of the central and provincial governments should, every year, consider their subordinates and determine what promotions, if any, they should receive.  They were to send in their recommendations within the first ten days to the judges, or "houkan".  The judges would compare the reports and make their recommendations up to the Daibenkan—the executive department of the Dajokan, the Council of State.  In addition, officers who refused orders to go on various missions for the court were ineligible for promotion, unless their refusal was specifically for genuine illness or bereavement following the loss of a parent. This feels like an important note on how the whole bureaucratic appointment and promotion system worked.  It actually follows early ideas of the meritocratic bureaucracy that was at the heart of how the government was supposed to work.  It isn't quite the same as magistrates roaming the land and seeking out talented individuals, but it still demonstrates a promotion system that is at least nominally about the merit of the individual and not solely based on personal patronage—though I'm sure the sovereign, the sumera no mikoto, or tennou, could still issue promotions whenever he so wished. And as cool as I find all that to be, I think the piece that I find particularly fun is the fact that they had to specify that only a "genuine" illness was a valid excuse.  That suggests to me that there were people who would feign illness to get out of work.  In other words, faking a sick day is nothing new and you could totally have a ritsuryo version of "Ferris Buehler's Day Off". This meritocratic idea seems to be tempered a bit a few years later, in 682.  We see an edict that not only describes the language and character of the court ritual, but also talking about verifying the lineage and character of anyone who applies for office.  Anyone whose lineage was found to be less than sufficient would be declared ineligible, regardless of whatever else they had done. And this is the tension of trying to overlay a theoretical system, based on the idea of merit, on a hereditary aristocracy.  In a meritocracy, one wouldn't blink twice at a person from a "lesser" ranked family making their way up and above those of "superior" families.  Then again, you probably wouldn't have families ranked in a hierarchy, anyway.  I feel like we've touched on this in a past episode, somewhere, but it isn't the last time we'll be talking about this.  After initially adopting the system as it theoretically should be, the cultural pressures of the elite nobles would start to shape the government into something that was not quite so threatening to the power of those elite families.  After all, those families held a lot of power—economic, political, and otherwise—and, as elites throughout history have done, they would do whatever they could to hold onto that power. This is actually something we see on the continent.  Whatever sense of justice or equality may have lay at the heart of the theory behind good governance, it was always going to be impacted by those with resources and the familial connections that bind people together.  For instance, it was the wealthy who would have the money and leisure time to be able to hire tutors, acquire books, and spend time studying and learning—something that is hard to do if you have to help your family work in the fields.  And the court would always be a place of politics, which was fueled by wealth and connections.  No doubt, if you asked someone of the time, they would say that the "correct" thing to do would be to work your way up from the bottom, starting from a low ranked position and climbing up based on their good deeds.  That's all well and good, but then we see preference given to the highest nobles, with their own progeny getting a jump on things by being automatically placed higher in rank.  With only a finite number of positions in the government, this meant  that climbing through the ranks would be almost impossible at some point, as there just weren't enough positions for those qualified to take them. This is an all-too-common problem, regardless of the actual system of government.  The powerful and wealthy have always had a leg up—though sometimes more than others. That isn't to say that those less fortunate were always ignored.  For instance, early in his reign, Ohoama made a decree to divide the common people—those who were not members of the royal family, so not princes or princesses—into three different classes, Upper, Middle, and Lower, all based on their wealth or financial status.  Only the two lower groups were eligible for loans of seed rice, should they need it.  That isn't so different than a lot of modern, means-tested government assistance programs, when you think about it.  The idea of breaking up groups into an "Upper", "Middle", and "Lower" category is found elsewhere—Bentley notes Article 16 of the Statutes of Arable Land dividing up families who planted mulberry.  "Ryou no Shuuge", a 9th century commentary on the Yoro law-code, notes that, at least by that time, the three categories were based on the number of people in a given household, not just the total wealth, it would seem.     Other decrees help us understand the make-up of the court, such as decree in the 8th month of 679, with the sovereign requesting that various houses send women to work in the court.  Bentley notes that this is very similar wording to Article 18 of the statutes of the Rear Palace, where the sovereign's consorts lived.  He also mentions a note in Ryou no Shuuge stating it was specifically women from noble families in the capital city and nearby who were employed for low-level tasks in the palace.     Continuing with the ordering of the government, in the third month of 681, Ohoama went to the well of the New Palace—the Nihi no Miya—and he ordered the military drums and other instruments to be played.  In the continental style, music was an important part of the military, with certain instruments and tunes that would be played for a variety of purposes.  It is unclear that the archipelago had such a detailed history of military music, and so it seems that this is in emulation of the continental practice. Then, in the 5th month, Ohoama had to crack down on another practice that was apparently taking off with the various public functionaries.  As we noted, earlier, public functionaries were reliant on their superiors, the judges, and then the Council of State for their promotion.  However, some appear to have found another way to garner favor, and that was through female palace officials—those working in the private quarters.  Those palace officials would have access to the sovereign and his families—his queen and various consorts.  And of course, if Ohoama heard good things about a person, then perhaps he would put them forward for promotion.  At the very least, if that person's name came forward, it might be well thought of.  And so public functionaries had taken to paying their respects to the women working in the palace.  Sometimes they would go to their doors and make their case directly.  Other times they would offer presents to them and their families.  This was clearly not how the system was intended to work.  As such, Ohoama told everyone to knock it off—should he hear about anyone trying this in the future, then the offenders would be punished according to their circumstances. Of course, I would note that this only would be a problem if the individuals were caught.  If the rest of Japanese history—heck, world history—is anything to go on, then humans are going to human and the court was no doubt deeply steeped in political maneuvering of all kinds.  I imagine that this practice never fully stopped, but it probably stopped being quite as blatant—for now. Continuing with the development of how the government operated, we get the entry for the 28th day of the 3rd lunar month of 682.  It starts with various sumptuary laws, with Princes down to public functionaries no longer wearing specialized caps of office—effectively getting rid of the idea of "cap-rank".  They also would no longer wear the aprons, sashes, or leggings that were part of the previous outfit.  Likewise the Uneme and female palace officials would no longer wear the elbow-straps or shoulder-scarves.  This appears to have moved the court closer to what the continent was wearing at the time, with belted garments based on clothing not too dissimilar from what was found across the Silk Road, to be honest.  They also discontinued all sustenance-fiefs for Princes and Ministers.  Those had to be returned to the State.  Presumably their salaries would then come from any stipends associated with their rank, instead.  This doesn't seem all that connected with the other edict, focused on clothing and rank, except that is part of the further centralization of power and authority—all taxes were to go to the central government and then get parceled out, and everyone—or at least those in the court—were to conform to a standard uniform.  That said, for all that it may have been the intent, as we shall see, the court would never fully get rid of the idea of privately held tax land—it would just take different forms over time. Later, we get more sumptuary laws, some about what the people of the court would wear, but others that were more general.  Sumptuary laws are laws specifically focused on controlling things such as expenditures or personal behavior—including what one wore and how they expressed themselves--and they are generally made to help order society in some way.  There were a lot of cultures where purple, for instance, was reserved for royalty—often because of how expensive it was and difficult to make.  Wearing an expensive purple fabric could be seen as an expression of wealth—and thus power—and that could feel like a challenge to those in power themselves.  It probably also meant that there was enough dye for the royal robes and it was not nearly so scarce. In other instances, we see sumptuary laws to call out people of certain groups.  Some laws are to distinguish an in-group, and others to call out a group to be set apart from society.  Other such laws were made to distinguish between social constructs such as caste or gender.  Even today we have a concept of "cross-dressing" as we have determined that certain clothing or styles are seen as either more masculine or feminine, and there are those who call out such things as somehow perverting society.  And yet, the clothing is simply pieces of fabric, and what may have been considered masculine or feminine in one time or place may not bee seen as such in another. In this case, the sumptuary laws in question focused on hairstyles.  Ohoama decreed that all persons, male or female, must tie up their hair—they couldn't leave it hanging down. This was to be done no later than the last day of the year—the 30th day of the 12th lunar month, though it could be required even before that.  We are also told that women were expected to ride horses in the saddle similar to the way men did. This appears to mean they would sit astride a saddle, with their legs on either side, and not in something akin to side saddle.  This also likely meant that women riding horses would want trousers, similar to what men wore, at least for that part of it.  Trying to wear a long skirt with your legs on either side of a horse does not strike me as the most comfortable position to put yourself in, not that people haven't figured it out over the centuries in various ways.  Indeed, in some Tang statuary, women are often depicted riding horseback with trousers.   In the 9th month of 682 we get a fun entry.  Well, I find it amusing.  We are told that the practice of ceremonial crawling and kneeling was to be abolished and that they would adopt the ceremonial custom of standing, as had been practiced in the Naniwa court.  And a part of me thinks of some old courtier who was having trouble with all of the kneeling who was suddenly very happy with this new ordinance.  On the other hand, it is fascinating to think of the other implications. First, we are being told that there was a custom of standing at the Naniwa court, while in Asuka there was a tradition of ceremonial crawling and kneeling.  Bentley's translation makes it apparent that this was specifically as you entered through the gates: that you would bow and then crawl through the entranceway. I'm assuming that the standing custom was based on continental tradition, since that seemed to be what the Naniwa palace was built to emulate, and that in returning to Asuka they were partaking in a more local ritual—though I'm not entirely certain as I just don't have enough information to know at this point.  Aston does claim that it was custom in the Tang court, though I'm not sure of his source for that. In 683 we get more information on how the court functioned.  We are told that there was a decree that all persons of rank in the Home Provinces were expected to present themselves at Court at some point in the first month of each quarter.  You were only excused if you were sick, at which point an official would need to send a report up to the judicial authorities.  So every noble in the Home Provinces had to travel to the court once every four months.  And if they couldn't, they need to be able to produce the equivalent of a doctor's note, saysing so. We aren't told why this was implemented.  I suspect that there had to be some compromise between nobles being at and working at the court and going back to their hometown to also keep an eye on things there.  It is possible that there were plenty of people who just weren't coming to the court unless they had to—living off their stipend, but not necessarily doing the work.  So this may have been a "return to office" type order to make sure that people were there, in the "office" of the court at least once every four months. This brings to mind the Edo period practice of alternate attendance, or Sankin-koutai, where daimyo would have to attend on the Shogun for a time and then could return home.  Of course, that was also done as a means to drain their coffers, and I don't believe this was meant in quite so punishing a manner. Having a permanent city, where the nobles had houses in the city, would likely fix these issues, allowing the court to be more regularly staffed.  Sure enough, that same decree included the decree that there would be a Capital City at Naniwa as well as other places, while the work at Nihiki, on what would become the Fujiwara capital, was already underway. Speaking of the capital, that work would require labor and people to oversee it.  In 10th month of 684, we see a note that gives us a glimpse into the management of corvee labor, as Prince Hatsuse and Kose no Asomi no Umakahi, as well as officials down to facilities managers, 20 people in all, were set up as corvee labor managers for the royal region.      Next, let's talk criminal matters.  What kinds of things were people being accused of or what laws were being set up to constraing the activities of individuals.   We'll start by looking at how justices was handled, generally speaking.  Some of it seems almost obvious, like in 675, when we are told that the sovereign ordered that nobody—whether a minister, a functionary, or a citizen—should commit an offense lest they be punished accordingly.  'But what was happening previously to make such a proclamation necessary? On the one hand, I suspect that this was a warning to the elites of the archipelago more than anything else, especially those who might not have been in direct fealty to the Yamato sovereign previously.  Those elites farther out in the provinces were probably used to a looser hand, and fewer consequences for their actions.  Back in Taika years, in the late 640s, just as everything was kicking off, the court had had to bring the hammer down on the governors and various kuni no miyatsuko, local elites who had been doing things their own way.  I suspect this was just a similar attempt to bring people into line and a reminder of who actually wore the hakama in this administration.  It also seems to be a straightforward statement that the law applied to every person—or at least every person outside of the sovereign, himself. That was likely a novel idea for many people, where those in positions of power were likely able to get away with murder, quite literally, because who was going to stop them?  We've seen how many of the more powerful families controlled what were essentially private armies. At the same time, 675 is before these new formal law codes and punishments were in place.  Presumably there was tradition in place and some understanding that the sovereign could declare laws and punishment, but I also wonder if this isn't part of the reason that they felt that centralized, authoritative, written law codes were required in the first place.  After all, communicating laws and punishments verbally across the archipelago, even with the potential for written edicts, likely relied a lot on local administrators to interpret the edicts and figure out what was going on. This seems to align with an edict from the 10th month of 679, which decried that there were many people guilty of crimes and violence hanging around the capital.  This was blamed on the Princes and Ministers, since the edict claimed that these high officials heard about it but didn't do anything, instead treating it like a nuisance that was too much trouble—or perhaps too personally expensive—to do anything about.  Alternatively, those same princes and ministers would see people that they knew were guilty, but they didn't want to go through the trouble of actually reporting them, and so the offenders could get away with it.  The proposed solution was to exhort those in higher stations to punish the offenses of those beneath them, while those of lower stations were expected to remonstrate with their superiors when those superiors were rude or violent.  In other words, if everyone just held everyone else accountable, then things would work out. This seems like a great sentiment, but I have to imagine that there was something more beyond the high-minded ideals. Again,  I suspect that it was probably as much Ohoama putting people on notice.  Still, this seems aspirational rather than definitive.      A clear example of the kind of thing that was being prohibited is likelye the decree about fishermen and hunters, who were forbidden from making pitfalls or using spear traps or similar devices.  Also, from the beginning of the 4th month until the 13th day of the 9th month, no one was to set fish-weirs, or himasakiri—an unknown device, but probably another type of fish trap.  Ohoama also prohibited the eating of cattle, horses, dogs, monkeys, or chickens.  Other animals, including boar, deer, fish, etc., were all fair game, as it were. The prohibition on traps is likely because they were a hazard to anyone walking through the area.  In the Tang dynasty they did something similar, but they did make exceptions for hunters in the deep mountains, who were supposed to put up signs warning any travelers.  As for the weirs and himasakiri, whatever that might be, I have less context, but likely it did have some reasoning—possibly similar to our modern concepts of having certain seasons for various types of fishing.  Fish weirs do create obstructions, and between the 4th and 9th lunar months Japan does see the summer monsoon rains—could that be the reason?  Tsuyu, or rainy season, is often around July to mid-June, today.  Or perhaps there is another motivation for that particular prohibition. As for the eating of various animals—of the animals listed, all but the monkeys are domesticated animals who generally weren't considered as food animals.  Cattle were used for working the fields, horses were ridden, and dogs were used for hunting.  I wonder if monkeys were just too close to people. The chicken prohibition may seem odd to us, today.  The word for chicken, "niwatori", literally means garden bird, though the Nihon Shoki uses something more like "barn door bird".  We know that cock-fighting was a thing in later periods, and that chickens were associated with Amaterasu, possibly for their legendary habit of crowing as the sun comes up.  We can also note the lack of some animals, like cats, from the list.  Perhaps cats were never in danger of being seen as a food source, or perhaps cats just weren't as prevalent at the time—we know cats were around from at least the Nara period, but there isn't much evidence before that.  There are examples of bones thought to be from a cat from the Yayoi period found on Iki island, but it is hard to say from that if they were fully established across the archipelago. Still,  I do find it curious they are not on the list.Continuing on, we later see where see the court issued an edict that prohibited the cutting of grass or firewood on Mt. Minabuchi and Mt. Hosokawa.  Furthermore they prevented any indiscriminate burning or cutting on all of the mountains in the Home Provinces.  This feels somewhat religious—after all, the mountains were often considered the domain of the kami.  Perhaps there were some religious restrictions.  On the other hand, some of it sounds like they were trying to just ensure that with a growing population they didn't denude the mountains around the capital. This whole incident brings to mind problems that occurred in and around Chang'an, the western Tang capital.  The palace itself—not to mention all of the houses and temples—took so much wood that it was a drain on the nearby forests.  And that is without taking into account the simple harvesting of wood for cooking fires, tools, etc.  In fact, the logging industry of that time devastated the local environment, meaning that they had to travel farther and farther to find suitable wood for the monumental buildings they wished to create.  It is also thought to have contributed to various natural disasters in and around the capital.  Perhaps Yamato was worried that unrestricted logging in the Home Provinces could likewise cause problems?  Or was that simply an added benefit gained from the idea that mountains were sacred spaces?   Later in the 10th month of 679, there was an edict determining sumptuary rules for monks clothing, as well as what kind of retinue could accompany them when they went out.  We talked about this back in Episode 142.  That same month, there was an edict that, while monks and nuns might normally be expected to stay at a temple—such as in the quarters identified in the ruins of Kawaradera—that it became a problem when older monks became bed-ridden.  After all, if they couldn't leave their bed, then one can only imagine how it must have been.  Not to get overly graphic, but they couldn't exactly make it out to the latrine at that point, either.  So it was determined that if an elderly monk were to reach the stage that they were bed-ridden, and unlikely to recover, then the temple would seek out relatives or laypersons to help build a hut or two in vacant spaces on the temple grounds.  There, the sick and bed-ridden monks could be cared for in a more sanitary manner. Now the way this is written, on the one hand it seems they were worried about ritual purification as much as anything, but I imagine that this was also practical.  After all, as you get all of those monks living together, one can only imagine that disease and illness could easily spread in those close quarters.  So separating those who were quite sick only makes sense, like an early form of quarantine. A lot of these prohibitions seem to be fairly practical.  Don't put traps where people could accidentally fall into them.  Don't chop down the nearby forest—we may need that later.  And even: don't leave a sick or elderly monk in a crowded dormitory situation.But what about the penal codes? If you lived in the latter part of Temmu's reign and you did violate one of the rules mentioned above, or one of the many others at play, what would happen to you, and how did that vary based on your place in society? Unfortunately, most of what we get on this is kind of bare bones.  We often see the punishment, but not t he crime.  We are just told that someone was found guilty, or condemned.  Take, for example, the Buddhist Priest, Fukuyou, of Asukadera, who was condemned and thrown into prison.  We aren't told what he did to deserve confinement, but it wouldn't last long.  Apparently Fukuyou cut his own throat, ending his life, rather than face other consequences or live with the shame of whatever crime he had committed. By the way, the term "prison" here is interesting.  We certainly see people being imprisoned in some way, shape, or form—locked up and unable to freely travel.  That isn't exactly the same, however, as a prison complex or system.  There may have been buildings used a jail—a temporary holding facility while the actual punishment was determined.  And we also see the equivalent of house arrest.  Later, there would be formal "prisons" set up for the detention of individuals, who were often then forced to labor as part of their punishment.  However, they had many other forms of punishment, many of which required much fewer staff.  After all, a prison requires that you have guards constantly watching the prisoners to make sure nothing gets out of hand.  Instead, you could just exile them to an island or even just another province, with a lot less manpower. A less drastic punishment was handed out back in the 4th month of 675, when we are told that Tahema no Kimi no Hiromaro and Kunu no Omi no Maro were both forbidden from attending the court—for what purpose we aren't immediately told.  However, six days later, Kunu no Maro was held accountable for offering resistance to a royal messenger—maybe the one who communicated that he was banished from the court.  As a punishment, he was stripped of all of his offices and dignities.  Both Tahema no Hiromaro and Kunu no Maro appear to have been pardoned at a later date, though we aren't sure when.  It could have been one of the various general amnesties—and we'll talk about that in a moment.  Hiromaro passed away in 685, but he was provided a posthumous promotion in rank and is noted for his efforts supporting Ohoama during the Jinshin no Ran.  Meanwhile, Kunu no Maro—also known as Abe no Kunu no Maro is seen delivering a eulogy in 686.  Perhaps somewhat ironically, he did so on behalf of the Office of Punishments—later the Keimu-shou, or Ministry of Punishment.  These actions certainly seem to be at odds with them being punished, let alone banished from the court. We also see an example where  Prince Womi, who was of the 3rd princely ranks—even higher than Prince Kurikuma, whom we discussed last episode—was guilty of some kind of offense and banished to Inaba.  One of his children was also banished to Izushima and the other to Chikashima.  Aston suggests that this means Ohoshima and Chikashima may be in Hizen.  Again, very little to go on as to what was happening, though it seems that all three were punished together and sent away from each other, perhaps so that they could not plot or scheme together.  Later amnesties would probably have resulted in pardons for them.   Speaking of pardons—the punishments that we are speaking about all appear to be permanent, other than imprisonment, which may have been more of a temporary situation.  It wasn't like being sent away for so many years.  However, on the other side of the coin was the option for a pardon or amnesty.  While I imagine that the sovereign could always provide a pardon directly, we more regularly see general amnesties declared, sometimes with very specific guidelines. One of the most illuminating such instances, and possibly where Kunu no Maro and Tahema no Hiromaro were pardoned, came in the 7th month of 676.  That month the court issued a general amnesty, likely to increase the merit accrued to the State through an act of mercy and forgiveness, given the drought and famine that had been reported earlier that summer.  Perhaps paradoxically, this act of leniency gives us an interesting view into the types of punishments that were made, as well as how severe each was considered.    The amnesty mitigated all sentences of death, enforced servitude, or the three classes of banishment, and they would all be mitigated by one degree.  So anyone sentenced to death would instead just become enslaved.  Those who were sentenced to enslavement would be banished to a distant province.  Those banished to a distant province would only be banished to a province at a medium distance.  Banishment to a medium province would be downgraded to a nearer province.  And Banishment to a nearer province would be downgraded to banishment—or removal—to a place in the same province.  For anyone who committed a crime for which they would be removed to a place in the same province—or for any lesser crime—would be completely pardoned, whether or not the crime was actually known.  So you couldn't be held responsible, retroactively. This gives us a kind of hierarchy to use as far as the kinds of punishment that might be handed out.  Of course, there are also a few others, which I generally assume were considered lesser.  For instance: banishment from the court, or being stripped of government rank, that sort of thing. There was a caveat that this amnesty would not apply to those who had already left for their place of banishment—nor, obviously, to those who had already been executed.  So if you had already settled in to your new life, this amnesty didn't exactly matter.  This could be where Tahema no Hiromaro and Kunu no Maro were pardoned and thus allowed to find their way back into the court's good graces.  On the other hand, others probably wish that this amnesty happened a bit later—one month later, to be exact.  We are told that Prince Yagaki, the current viceroy of the Dazaifu, was accused of some offense and banished to Tosa, in Shikoku.  As usual, the record does not feel the need to tell us what the offense was or try to justify it anyway.   This is all well and good, but what exactly did the justice system look like?  How were criminals accused, and how would they investigate and prove your guilt?  In the 11th month of 682, we see a rather detailed description of how trials and punishment were to be carried out.  For any offense against the law, whether it was in the palace or the court, it would be immediately examined, and nobody was allowed to conceal information about it.  If the offense was grave enough, then the next step would depend on the rank of the individual.  For individuals of high birth, their guilt would be reported to the court, presumably for whatever punishment they deemed appropriate from there.  For others, they would be arrested.  If they resisted arrest, then the palace guards would be sent after them.  A typical punishment was flogging, which was not to go beyond 100 blows.  Finally, if the individual were clearly guilty, but yet continued to profess their innocence, then that would be considered perjury and added to their sentence. It should be noted that in East Asia at this time, there was no concept of innocent until proven guilty.  If you were accused of a crime, then it was up to you to prove that you were innocent.  It was not uncommon for an arrest to occur, and then for the authorities to then torture a confession out of the individual.  Since they already had assumed the individual's guilt, this was just meant to get them to admit it.  Even into modern times, Japan has had a high conviction rate, but there are accusations that this is simply because of the presence of coerced confessions.  A coerced confession helps to demonstrate that the system is correct, and working as designed, whilst protestations of innocence call into question the validity of the system. There is another type of guilt and punishment—and leniency, for that matter—mentioned in the 6th month of 677: We are told that the Yamato no Aya no Atahe were considered guilty of the "seven misdemeanors", which seems like it is more an indictment of their moral failings rather than any kind of direct criminal behavior.  Furthermore, they were accused of pushing back against the rightful sovereigns from the time of Kashikiya Hime down to the time of the Afumi court.  This would seem to indicate that they had been supporting the Soga and the Afumi court, but if so, I wouldn't say that the Chronicles help to clarify it in any way.  Perhaps they just were willful and not showing the right amount of loyalty to the throne.  Whatever they did, Ohoama was none too pleased, but he also didn't want to completely destroy the uji.  Instead, as a compromise, he offered them clemency for any past actions, pardoning them, but also claiming that if they stepped out of line again, then their offense would be unpardonable.  This whole entry is a vibe.  It is less of a punishment and more of a sword of Damocles being set up above them. Several years later, in 682, we see the Yamato no Aya being granted the title of Muraji.  In consequence of the appointment, the entire household—all the men and women alike, presented themselves to the court.  They rejoiced and praised Ohoama, thanking him for raising them in status.  This doesn't feel like a normal entry—it isn't like every family was coming into court and giving thanks every time that a promotion was handed out.  This feels like classic "kissing the ring" to get back into good graces with someone who was, effectively, an autocratic ruler.  While there was a bureaucracy, based on everything we've seen Ohoama had bent it largely to his will by appointing family members and other members of the elite princely class—those with at least nominal familial connections—to positions of power and authority.   And with that, I think we will bring this episode to a close.  Next episode we'll finish out this reign with a few projects and various other miscellaneous events. Until then if you like what we are doing, please tell your friends and feel free to rate us wherever you listen to podcasts.  If you feel the need to do more, and want to help us keep this going, we have information about how you can donate on Patreon or through our KoFi site, ko-fi.com/sengokudaimyo, or find the links over at our main website,  SengokuDaimyo.com/Podcast, where we will have some more discussion on topics from this episode. Also, feel free to reach out to our Sengoku Daimyo Facebook page.  You can also email us at the.sengoku.daimyo@gmail.com.  Thank you, also, to Ellen for their work editing the podcast. And that's all for now.  Thank you again, and I'll see you next episode on Sengoku Daimyo's Chronicles of Japan.  

Each Monday on Idaho Matters, we'll bring you a snapshot of a small corner of our Capital City and its unique past and today we head to Chinden Boulevard!

National Sock Monkey Day with Amber Burke Johnson and Dave Kimsey from Capital City Improv

Marcus' What You Know 'Bout That trivia game for Monday March 2nd, 2026.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The director previews some of the Route 66 Centennial activities in the Capital City. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Daily Quiz - Geography Today's Questions: Question 1: What is the capital city of Japan? Question 2: What is the capital city of Italy? Question 3: In which country is the city of Florence? Question 4: Which of these colors is included on the flag of Nigeria? Question 5: Where would you find the city of Delhi? Question 6: In which US state is the Houston Space Centre? Question 7: In which country would you find the Statue of Liberty? Question 8: In which city would you find the Acropolis? This podcast is produced by Klassic Studios Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Who really bridges the hip-hop generation gap in 2025—young heads the old heads rock with, and old heads the young crowd still plays? Capital J and DL Glass break down the “grown folks party” test: who makes it into the room, who gets skipped, and why the sound has drifted so far that some new artists don't translate at all.We talk Glorilla's Memphis familiarity, why some “ratchet” joints still move aunties, how Kendrick became a universal party pick, and why the career-boost feature (young artist pulling an OG back into relevance) barely happens anymore—until we land on a few real examples.

Hip-hop didn't jump to “extreme” overnight—it evolved. In this episode, Capital J and D.L. Glass break down the progression pattern that keeps repeating in the culture: something small shows up, nobody checks it, then years later it explodes into the new normal.From raunchy rap shifting from “you had to be at the show” to on wax to full-on image + brand, to gang culture going from references… to real affiliations… to “every crew is a gang,” to violence becoming content, to raunchy male rap hitting a ceiling, to the mumble/SoundCloud era where “unpolished” stopped being a dealbreaker—this conversation connects the dots in a way that's going to have you pausing, rewinding, and arguing in the comments.And yes… y'all heard it right: they put KRS-One, N.W.A., Master P, Lil' Kim, and today's artists on the same timeline and ask the question everybody avoids:Did the culture choose this… or did it get conditioned into it?0:00 – Cold open / behind-the-scenesJ talks remixing the podcast theme and how the show has evolved (audio + occasional YouTube video).0:56 – The episode thesis: “the progression”D.L. lays out the core idea: “bad/tough stuff” in hip-hop often starts small, gets ignored, then balloons into its most extreme form.1:35 – Topic 1: Raunchy female rap's timelineEarly era: raunchy mostly a live-show thing (not always on record). First “shock on wax” moments (example mentioned: BWP). Lil' Kim as a turning point: lyrics + image + photoshoot era. The “normalized” moment: what used to be scandal becomes everyday.6:00 – The culture's desensitization effect“Went from ‘Oh my God' to ‘Who cares?'” The bigger point: once the shock wears off, the next extreme has to be louder to get attention.7:30 – Topic 2: “Gay rapper” progressionArgument: this trend hasn't “floodgated” yet the way others did, but the pathway looks familiar. Discussion of artists pushing boundaries and the idea that time determines what becomes normalized.10:00 – Topic 3: Gang culture 1.0 → 2.0 → 3.0West Coast storytelling era → real affiliations becoming visible → “everything is a gang” era. Conversation shifts to how mass appeal + branding can make dangerous identities feel “cool.”13:45 – Topic 4: Violence in hip-hopViolent imagery existed early (movies, covers, stage presence). Debate around “who introduced it” vs “who trivialized it.” Timeline logic: early shocks → pauses → later explosions → today's extreme outcomes.18:00 – “Mentorship vs outcome” momentA big “what if” discussion: how different paths and guidance could have changed outcomes.19:00 – Topic 5: Raunchy male rap reaching the ceilingFrom novelty raunch to mainstream—then into on-stage extremes. They argue it's hit the “pinnacle” where there's nowhere else to go.23:30 – Topic 6: Mumble rap / “unacceptable becoming acceptable”Debate around Master P opening the door for unpolished sound to reach the masses. Connection to the SoundCloud era: polish stopped being required to “finish the race.”29:00 – Topic 7: R&B following rap's raunchy curveR&B examples across eras and the argument that it's on the same path, just not fully “exploded” yet.31:30 – The “negative trends spread faster than positive” takeawayWhy positivity doesn't create a wave the same way controversy does.33:00 – Topic 8: Street code → oversharing eraFrom silence about real life to broadcasting everything (social media, diss cycles, public beefs). Monetization + attention economy as the accelerant.38:00 – “Trivializing violence” discussionThe difference between “meaningful” violence vs “casual” violence in lyrics and skits, and how that shapes listeners.40:00 – Closing thoughts + final punchlineThey call for a progression of positive and end with the “2026” reality check.

The club looks the same… but everything about DJ'ing—and the crowd—has changed.Capital J and D.L. Glass sit down with Deron Juan (102 Jamz / Heavy Hitters) to break down the real shift from the vinyl era to today's waveform era: why DJs run through songs faster, how attention spans (and social media) changed the whole party, why dance floors are basically extinct, and what DJs used to have to do (scratching, bringing it back, “save-me” records) just to survive a night.They also get into the truth about multi-DJ lineups, promoters chasing flyer hype over execution, and how Deron Juan still breaks records—using radio + social media—like the new-school version of what DJs used to do with pure influence.If you ever wondered why parties don't feel like “back in the day,” this one explains it from the people who lived both eras.Tap in, share it with a DJ, and tell us: are today's parties better… or just different?

His name isn't likely one you've heard before, but his story should feel eerily familiar. Matthew Emmanuel Macon is well-known as Lansing, Michigan's first (and only) serial killer, a young Black man who targeted elderly women living alone in the Capital City- quite a deviation from the standard serial killer trope. But two decades before Macon, there was Michael Darnell Harris- a young Black man who targeted elderly women living alone in the Capital City. They say history repeats itself, and when it comes to Lansing's serial killers, that's definitely, oddly, true.Case: Michael Darnell HarrisAudio production by Bill Bertschinger.

The Daily Quiz - Geography Today's Questions: Question 1: Santiago is the capital city of which country? Question 2: The Parthenon is an iconic structure located in what city? Question 3: What is the capital of Greece? Question 4: What U.S city is known as Insurance City? Question 5: Which of these colors is included on the flag of Greece? Question 6: What sea is to the east of Italy? Question 7: The country of Turkmenistan is on which continent? Question 8: Which is the largest mountain range in India? Question 9: What is the capital city of South Korea? This podcast is produced by Klassic Studios Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this episode of the Capital City Podcast, Capital J and D.L. Glass are joined by M Woods to debate a heavy question: what's the worst thing to ever happen in hip-hop? Starting at the beginning with Scott La Rock's death, the conversation moves through major turning points like the Biz Markie sampling lawsuit, the rise of violence and gang/drug culture, Tupac signing to Death Row, the deaths of Tupac and Biggie, and how tit-for-tat beef still echoes today.They also dig into modern shifts—streaming payouts, YouTube as the new Wild West, and how hip-hop became the lens the world uses to view Black culture. Tap in, then email your take on the worst thing to happen in hip-hop to info@overheartv.com.

Capital City Podcast #133 "The end of an era in hip-hop"

PARTISAN RIFTS AND THE CAPITAL CITY Colleague Nathaniel Philbrick. Washington selects the Potomac for the new capital to connect the West, while rivals Jefferson and Madison organize political opposition during a northern tour. The series concludes with James Monroe's eventual embrace of Washington's model and a reflection on the first president's enduring, complex legacy. NUMBER 81939 FDR AT MT. BERNON FOR THE 150TH CELEBRATION OF WASHINGTON INAUGURAL

Starting 2026 with a positive mindset

The Ghost Wardens have escaped from hell, and now must discover what transpires in the battle between the undead Inevitable Army and the defenders of Capital City. Characters: Bolt Fist Jiao, master of music sorcery (Bob); Cheerful Fan, who smiles through his sorrow (Brendan); Ebullient Gong Gou, dog devil and fire sorcerer (Frank); and Knives Tso, ox devil blade master (Jung Soo).

Capital City Podcast #132 How Radio has Changed ft Dj DVS

In this segment of The Clay Edwards Show, host Clay Edwards humbly admits he was wrong about two major Jackson developments. First, he skeptically predicted Thalia Mara Hall would never reopen under city control after its 2024 closure for mold and HVAC issues—but with its scheduled reopening on January 13, 2026, just in time for Broadway returns and Kamala Harris's book tour appearance the next day, he gives props to Mayor John Horhn for making it happen. Second, Edwards doubted the Prado Lofts luxury condo project would ever move forward, calling it a "terrible idea" despite its $50 million scale; now, with groundbreaking set for January 15, 2026, and plans for 135-215 high-end units in Fondren by early 2027, he acknowledges the progress as a significant economic boost, even if he's still not sold on its location near troubled areas. Raw reflections on being proven wrong in the Capital City.

Welcome to the daily304 – your window into Wonderful, Almost Heaven, West Virginia. Today is Thursday, January 8, 2026. #1 – From WV GAZETTE-MAIL - Pastry hot dogs offer a new twist on a WV favorite West Virginia is known for its signature hot dog topped with mustard, onions, chili and slaw--but in the Capital City region a different kind of hot dog dominates the scene. Made famous by Spring Hill Bakery, these hot dogs are made from pastry dough, stuffed with cream and drizzled with chocolate. Sweet variations of this unique pastry dog are popping up all over the Kanawha Valley under different nicknames, from chubby bun to Molly dog to Wimpy John. Read more: https://www.wvgazettemail.com/life/wv-culinary-team-a-hot-dog-by-any-other-name-still-tastes-as-sweet/article_3b24a02f-d2b6-4b93-86e7-407dca7e2bc2.html   #2 – From WVNS-TV - Behind the scenes of a new film shooting in Mercer County A new feature film has selected Mercer County as its backdrop, and local crews and locations are playing key roles. A behind-the-scenes look highlights how the production is engaging with the community, showcasing West Virginia landscapes and small-town charm as cinematic settings. Read more: https://www.wvnstv.com/news/entertainment-news/wv-entertainment/a-behind-the-scenes-look-at-new-film-using-mercer-county-as-its-backdrop/   #3 – From DAILY304 - The History Project highlights WV's stories, people and places The History Project from daily304 continues to explore compelling episodes from West Virginia's past — detailed documentary storytelling that preserves local heritage, cultural turning points, and the lived experiences that shaped the Mountain State. The series brings archival voices, local experts, and historical context into vivid focus. Watch the videos: https://daily304.wv.gov/programs/the-history-project/   Find these stories and more at wv.gov/daily304. The daily304 curated news and information is brought to you by the West Virginia Department of Commerce: Sharing the wealth, beauty, and opportunity in West Virginia with the world. Follow the daily304 on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram @daily304. Or find us online at wv.gov and just click the daily304 logo. That's all for now. Take care. Be safe. Get outside and enjoy all the opportunity West Virginia has to offer.  

Plies went viral asking a question every DJ has heard before: “Why y'all play the same 15 songs?” Capital J and DL Glass bring in a real panel to answer it the right way — DJ 360 (one of the Triangle's busiest DJs), DJ Skaz Digga (Butter Team / on the road with Big Daddy Kane), and Patrice representing the real party people who know when a DJ is actually DJing.They break down the truth behind “safe records,” reset songs, reading the room, crowd trust, why streaming/TikTok changed the DJ's power, and how to introduce new music without killing the floor. Along the way they start naming the actual “15 songs,” debate Cash Money vs No Limit, and talk about why residencies matter if you want a DJ's style (not just a playlist). They close with “songs we want to break” right now — including CeeLo Green's “Best of My Life” and a push to bring Miami Bass back to parties.

In this powerful episode of the Capital City Podcast, hosts Capital J and DL Glass sit down with Dr. D, widely recognized as a pioneer of the Gospel DJ movement, to break down the untold history of how DJs helped shape gospel music, hip-hop culture, and faith-based spaces.Dr. D shares real stories from the early days of spinning records in churches, the pushback DJs faced, and how gospel DJ culture evolved alongside mainstream hip-hop. The conversation dives deep into music ministry, DJ entrepreneurship, cultural resistance, and the lasting influence DJs have had on both sacred and secular music scenes.This episode is a must-listen for:DJs and music creativesHip-hop historiansGospel music fansAnyone interested in faith, culture, and the business of musicTopics covered include:The origins of gospel DJsFaith vs. culture debates in musicHip-hop's influence on gospel spacesDJ legacy, purpose, and impact Follow the Capital City Podcast for weekly conversations on hip-hop culture, music business, and real stories from the culture.

Join the conversation by letting us know what you think about the episode!Our guest this week, N.G. Avant, is an award-winning indie author who made the leap into fiction after working in municipal politics. Her first series, Capital City, grew out of her experience in politics. She joins us to discuss her new book Nexus, which is the first book in her new series, Witchy Women. This series continues N.G,'s focus on strong female leads, resilience, and empowerment while weaving in themes of politics, justice, and magic. Women, their journeys, their friendships, and their resilience are at the heart of both series. Tune into the discussion to hear how writing has been a huge part of N.G.'s healing while shaping her voice and her process. Where to find N.G. Avant:                                                                                      Website: ngavant.caInstagram: @NGAvantAuthorEmail: author@ngavant.caSupport the showBe part of the conversation by sharing your thoughts about this episode, what you may have learned, how the conversation affected you. You can reach Raquel and Jennifer on IG @madnesscafepodcast or by email at madnesscafepodcast@gmail.com.Share the episode with a friend and have your own conversation. And don't forget to rate and review the show wherever you listen!Thanks!

Snow season is one of the biggest challenges for Minnesota's transportation system. Let's chat with the folks who make sure the snow gets cleared! Links Saint Paul Snow Emergency page Attributions Our theme song is Tanz den Dobberstein, and our interstitial song is Puck's Blues. Both tracks used by permission of their creator, Erik Brandt. Find out more about his band, The Urban Hillbilly Quartet, on their website. This episode was produced by Stina Neel, was edited by Ian R Buck, and transcribed by Parker Seaman aka Strongthany. Many thanks to Sean Kershaw and Lisa Hiebert for coming on the show! We're always looking to feature new voices on the show, so if you have ideas for future episodes, drop us a line at podcast@streets.mn. Transcript Find the full transcript on our website.

The Daily Quiz - Geography Today's Questions: Question 1: What is the capital city of Malaysia? Question 2: Where is Gorky Park? Question 3: Which of these flags is green and white? Question 4: Lisbon is the capital city of which country? Question 5: Which famous landmark has a full scale replica in Nashville, Tennessee? Question 6: Port-au-Prince is the capital city of which country? Question 7: Suva is the capital city of which country? Question 8: Kabul is the capital city of which country? Question 9: Which ocean features the Sulu Sea? This podcast is produced by Klassic Studios Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this episode of the Capital City Podcast, Capital J and DL Glass sit down for one of the realest conversations of the season — pushing through the moments when creativity, motivation, and life just ain't hitting the way they usually do.This isn't a hype episode. It's an honest one.The fellas talk openly about burnout, losing momentum, expectations from the culture, and how hard it can be to show up when your energy is low but your purpose is still calling.From personal reflections to hard-earned wisdom, this episode peels back the curtain on the grind behind the mic — the pressure, the passion, and the reality that even creators have days when “doing this” feels heavy.If you've ever hit that wall but kept going anyway, you'll feel this one.

No cap, we have 10 trivia questions on international capital cities! If you'd like to choose a specific topic or dedicate an episode to a friend send a donation of your choice to our PayPal (NoChitChatTrivia@gmail.com) or our Venmo @NoChitChatTrivia and write the topic you'd like in the comments: https://account.venmo.com/NoChitChatTrivia Our official store is live!  Support the show by grabbing a NCCT shirt, hat, puzzle, or more: https://www.thetop10things.com/store Social Media Links: TikTok, Instagram, FaceBook, YouTube Visit our sister site thetop10things.com for travel and entertainment information! Thank you to everyone who listens!  Say hello or let's collaborate: nochitchattrivia@gmail.com Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

In this shorter-format episode, Capital J and DL Glass explore the idea of “party-goers” across different generations — how social energy, nightlife culture, and community gathering have changed (or stayed the same) over time. They reflect on the way attitudes, spaces, music, and generational shifts influence how people “come out to vibe,” highlighting how history, culture, and personal experience intersect when people gather.The conversation touches on generational differences — older heads vs younger heads — how nostalgia and respect for roots blend with modern ways of partying, and what it means to “throw a party” in different eras. The vibe stays conversational and reflective: part memory lane, part social commentary.

In this episode of Capital City Podcast, host Capital J sits down with legendary DJ Sir Charles Mixin' Dixon to explore his journey from underground club nights to major radio shows, how technology changed the game, and what it takes to stay relevant as a creative in a shifting scene. Tune in for stories, advice, and behind-the-scenes talk for anyone building in music, media or brand culture.

Chad talks with developer and guitarist Nick Merwin about the challenges of balancing his career in development with his life as a musician. Nick tells of his time delivering code on the road as a guitarist with the band Capital Cities (https://capitalcities.com), the pros and cons of working as a solo programmer, what he's learnt from saying yes for so many years, and Chad asks whether AI is diluting the art of coding. — Nick can be heard playing with his band Capital Cities (https://capitalcities.com), alternatively you can follow him on X (https://x.com/nickmerwin) or connect with him on LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/in/nickmerwin/). Your host for this episode has been Chad Pytel. You can find Chad all over social media as @cpytel, or over on LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/in/cpytel/). If you would like to support the show, head over to our GitHub page (https://github.com/sponsors/thoughtbot), or check out our website (https://podcast.thoughtbot.com). Got a question or comment about the show? Why not write to our hosts: hosts@giantrobots.fm This has been a thoughtbot (https://thoughtbot.com/) podcast. Stay up to date by following us on social media - LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/company/150727/) - Mastodon (https://thoughtbot.social/@thoughtbot) - YouTube (https://www.youtube.com/thoughtbotvideo) - Bluesky (https://bsky.app/profile/thoughtbot.com) © 2025 thoughtbot, inc.

The Daily Quiz - Geography Today's Questions: Question 1: What is the capital city of Netherlands? Question 2: Where would you find the city of Phnom Penh? Question 3: Which U.S. state has the least rainfall? Question 4: What is the name of the river that runs through Canada's Manitoba province and empties into Lake Winnipeg? Question 5: Where Are The Atlas Mountains? Question 6: Which of these cities is in Russia? Question 7: Which country owns Corfu? Question 8: Which country is home to the cities of Taranto, Anzio, and Padua? This podcast is produced by Klassic Studios Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Capital City Go-Go head coach Cody Toppert talks about the Go-Go season thus far and how he helps the young talent work towards reaching the NBA.

The Daily Quiz - Geography Today's Questions: Question 1: What is the capital city of Bahrain? Question 2: What is the capital city of Mauritius? Question 3: Which region of the world uses '.ch' at the end of its web addresses? Question 4: The country of Palau is on which continent? Question 5: In which US state is Mount Washington? Question 6: What is the capital city of Estonia? Question 7: What is the capital city of India? Question 8: Which Country Has The Longest Coastline? This podcast is produced by Klassic Studios Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Listen as KBTHABANDHEAD gives his unbiased review/analysis of the 2025 Capital City BOTB stand marching band battle between North Carolina A&T University's "BGMM" and Norfolk State University's "Spartan Legion". I hope you enjoy the commentary. Please leave a comment with any thoughts or concerns you may have. More is on the way. STAY TUNED!!   Website: https://www.bskillzentertainment.com/ Watch my REACTIONS on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/kbthabandhead Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kbthabandhead/ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@kbthabandhead?lang=en Merch: https://kbthabandhead.myspreadshop.com/

Today, we're speaking with Farah Cherif D'Ouezzan, an intercultural educator and founder of the Rabat, Morocco-based Center for Cross-Cultural Learning, which has been bringing groups of students and adult learners to Morocco for 30 years.Farah's academic research focuses on religion, gender issues, youth participation, and cross-cultural understanding. She's also the author of Speaking from Within, her recently published book that covers all aspects of crossing cultures and is a useful introduction to Morocco. Become a Going Places member for as little as $6 a month. Visit our reimagined platform at goingplacesmedia.com to learn more.Going Places is an audience-supported platform. Become a member for as little as $6 a month and get the perks like getting on a group call with Yulia every month to ask questions, get advice, and be in community with each other.Visit us at goingplacesmedia.com to learn more.Thanks to our Founding Members: RISE Travel Institute, a nonprofit with a mission to create a more just and equitable world through travel educationRadostina Boseva, a film wedding photographer with an editorial flair based in San FranciscoWhat you'll learn in this episode:Understanding Morocco's tribal originsJeans vs Hijab: What we can do about the stereotypes we all holdHow Farah's work breaks down cultural stereotypesWhy Rabat is great for women traveling soloWhat it was like for Yulia to attend Africa's largest music festival in RabatThe Rabati connection to AndalusiaFarah explains the royal Rabati pastillaWhy tajine is not what you think it isWhy Rabati food is hard to find in restaurants (and what to do about it)What we can do to prevent the exotification of MoroccoHow bringing people to Farah's part of the world can help fight against the stereotypes of the media and the world's powersFeatured on the show:Follow @farahcherifdouezzan on InstagramLearn more about CCCL's work on its websiteGoing Places is a reader-supported platform. Get membership perks like a monthly group call with Yulia at goingplacesmedia.com!For more BTS of this podcast follow @goingplacesmedia on Instagram and check out our videos on YouTube!Please head over to Apple Podcasts and SUBSCRIBE to the show. If you enjoy this conversation, please share it with others on social and don't forget to tag us @goingplacesmedia!And show us some love, if you have a minute, by rating Going Places or leaving us a review wherever you listen. You'll be helping us to bend the arc of algorithms towards our community — thank you!Going Places with Yulia Denisyuk is a show that sparks a better understanding of people and places near and far by fostering a space for real conversations to occur. Each week, we sit down with travelers, journalists,...

People in the central part of South Dakota can earn an Associate Degree in Agricultural Science thanks to a collaboration between South Dakota State University in Brookings and the Capital City Campus in Pierre. In this episode of Ag In-depth, Capital City Campus Executive Director Laurie Gill sat down with DRG Media Group News and Farm Director Jody Heemstra to talk more about the 60-credit-hour program approved by the state Board of Regents in May 2024.

Raleigh Mayor Janet Cowell's political career has taken her from Raleigh City Council, to the North Carolina Senate, to serving as State Treasurer, and now back to leading the Capital City. Janet reflects on her time in the Senate — including her decision to hold out on the state lottery vote as one of the “Lottery Five,” a group of Democrats who initially opposed the measure — and how that experience shaped her independence and leadership style. She also discusses her vision for Raleigh's future, from sustainable growth and smart financial management to the ambitious effort to attract a Major League Baseball team to the City of Oaks. Plus, Skye and Brian break down an extraordinary week in #ncpol: a sharp Senate press release aimed at House leadership, a school system facing scrutiny, the latest congressional maps lawsuit, how the federal government shutdown is affecting the state, and the political community mourning two recent deaths in North Carolina politics. The Do Politics Better podcast is sponsored by New Frame, the NC Travel Industry Association, the NC Beer & Wine Wholesalers Association, the NC Pork Council, and the NC Healthcare Association.

Howard Men's Basketball is one of the most creative programs in college basketball and they have several really cool events local basketball fans would enjoy. The programs's General Manager & NIL Strategist Daniel Marks joins Bleav in DMV Hoops to share the details of those events, including a Homecoming Meet & Greet on 10/25, an open practice for the Capital City Go-Go on 10/31, and their opener against Missouri on 11/3. Make sure to follow the program on twitter (@HUMensBB) for more of their exciting updates. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Three candidates for St. Paul mayor addressed key issues and how they intend to lead the capital city in a MPR News/Pioneer Press debate. Incumbent Mayor Melvin Carter, DFL state Rep. Kaohly Her and scientist and business owner Yan Chen talked about their plans for addressing economic development, taxes, crime, homelessness and rising city costs. MPR News politics editor Brian Bakst and Pioneer Press reporter Fred Melo moderated the St. Paul mayoral candidate debate from the UBS Forum in downtown St. Paul. This event was recorded on Tuesday. Use the audio player above to listen to the full conversation, or watch the video stream of the debate on the MPR News YouTube channel.Guests:Melvin Carter is the incumbent mayor for St. Paul. Carter is running for a third term to serve Minnesota's capital city. Kaohly Her is a DFL state representative serving St. Paul. Yan Chen is a scientist and business owner in St. Paul. Subscribe to the Politics Friday podcast on: Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or RSS. 

In a very special episode, host Todd Ritter travels back in time to sit down with a true titan of the bourbon industry: the ghost of Colonel E.H. Taylor, Jr. himself. Taking a brief leave from his permanent residence in the Frankfort Cemetery, the Colonel joins the show to tell his incredible life story in his own words. He recounts his early life, from being orphaned as a child and sent to live with a prominent guardian in New Orleans to being adopted by his uncle—the original Edmund Haynes Taylor—in Frankfort. Colonel Taylor explains how he learned the banking business first, giving him a unique financial insight into the successes and failures of Kentucky's early distillers. This business acumen, combined with access to the meticulous distilling notes of the legendary Dr. James C. Crow, set him on a path to revolutionize the industry. He details his trip to Europe to study Old World techniques, bringing back innovations like climate-controlled rickhouses and copper distilling equipment. He walks listeners through the founding of his iconic distilleries, from the O.F.C. and Hermitage to his ultimate masterpiece, the Old Taylor Distillery (now Castle & Key), a stunning "showcase" designed to be the birthplace of bourbon tourism. Along the way, he shares tales of his famous falling out with his one-time business partner, George T. Stagg. In the second half, the man behind the portrayal, Frankfort historian Russ Kennedy, steps out of character to join the show. Russ shares his own fascinating journey from being the "world's worst history student" to becoming one of Frankfort's most passionate historical storytellers. After a career with the Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife, a post-retirement gig as a tour guide at the State Capitol ignited a love for local history. He discusses how he developed his craft, first portraying Frankfort's founder, Stephen Frank, before taking on the iconic role of Colonel Taylor. Russ talks about his work today, leading historical walking tours by appointment, making special appearances as the Colonel at distilleries and events, and his involvement in projects like the Frankfort bourbon history documentary. This unique episode is a departure from the usual tasting format, offering a rich, story-driven deep dive into the life and legacy of one of bourbon's most influential figures. Be sure to check out our private Facebook group, “The Bourbon Roadies” for a great group of bourbon loving people. You will be welcomed with open arms!

The federal government was left in the dark about last month's deadly Optus triple 0 outage because the telco sent the notification email to the wrong address; A stark new report shows Australia's rental crisis is deepening, with soaring prices forcing people further away from their jobs and communities; A legendary rite of passage for generations of young Australians is coming to an end, with the era of large-scale European coach tours set to finish next year; And fans are sending their best wishes to country music legend Dolly Parton, after her sister made a public plea for prayers amid the star's ongoing health issues. Support independent women's media CREDITS Host/Producer: Gemma Donahoe Audio Production: Lu Hill Become a Mamamia subscriber: https://www.mamamia.com.au/subscribeSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It's TUESDY TRIVIA- Jon v Cody- WHO WINS?

Tuesday evening Richmond's channel 6 news viewers heard the headline; “Goochland County residents voice concerns over proposed data center and nuclear reactor development.”  While anti-data center protests are growing more common, a proposed nuclear reactor?  After looking further in, it appears that the concerns might be based on extrapolations of several things proposed in a ne “Technology Overlay District” for Goochland County's already existing commercial development areas.  Nevertheless, we sat down with Jennie Slade from the Goochland Economic Development Authority to find out what is proposed. Keep Up With The Daily Signal   Sign up for our email newsletters:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ https://www.dailysignal.com/email⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠     Subscribe to our other shows:    The Tony Kinnett Cast: ⁠https://megaphone.link/THEDAILYSIGNAL2284199939⁠ The Signal Sitdown: ⁠https://megaphone.link/THEDAILYSIGNAL2026390376⁠   Problematic Women:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠https://megaphone.link/THEDAILYSIGNAL7765680741⁠   Victor Davis Hanson: ⁠https://megaphone.link/THEDAILYSIGNAL9809784327⁠     Follow The Daily Signal:    X:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠https://x.com/intent/user?screen_name=DailySignal⁠ Instagram:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ https://www.instagram.com/thedailysignal/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠  Facebook:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ https://www.facebook.com/TheDailySignalNews/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠  Truth Social:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ https://truthsocial.com/@DailySignal⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠  YouTube:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/dailysignal?sub_confirmation=1⁠    Subscribe on your favorite podcast platform and never miss an episode. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Tuesday evening Richmond's channel 6 news viewers heard the headline; “Goochland County residents voice concerns over proposed data center and nuclear reactor development.” While anti-data center protests are growing more common, a proposed nuclear reactor? After looking further in, it appears that the concerns might be based on extrapolations of several things proposed in a […]

On this episode, we cover the Sony PSP Handheld for the first time, as it's 20 years old!  We're covering this system with an action game that mixes several different game styles, as you assist the Pursuit Force take on the gangs threatening Capital City!  Is this a mission you should undertake today?  We let you know our thoughts! Also covered, we discuss if we have a system that we never had as a kid but REALLY wanted, and did we buy it later as an adult or has it still eluded us. Are you in Hot Pursuit of our game ccoverage? Jump out of your car to the 10:00 mark! Join us over on our Discord to discuss the podcast, video games, or really anything over at https://discord.gg/pb76x32uWY __________________________ If you would like additional bonus episodes of Retrovaniacs or to request a game we must cover, our Patreon is located here : https://www.patreon.com/user?u=21041333 If you enjoy this podcast, why not write a review wherever you download it from? It's easy, and helps people find us by accident. Find everything Retrovaniacs at http://www.retrovania.net Intro song is "8-Bitter" by Subtastics, and is used with permission, mainly because Jeremy P is in that band.

It's Wide Open Wednesday with a ton from the Nana's Porch Chat Box, including defensive tackle starters, offense vs. defense in scrimmages, more offensive line chatter. VHS Dates is an emotional roller coaster today. STHU about Emily Beamer's cookies, Karen. Can you get drunk at a grocery store? Five-star recruit Darius Gray talk and more including an Ivan Drago (did you know he went to Clemson?) spotting in the Capital City. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Headlines: – Welcome to Mo News (02:00) – Trump Orders National Guard to Washington and Takeover of Capital City's Police (07:00) – Trump Lowers Expectations For Putin Meeting (16:45) – Supreme Court Formally Asked to Overturn Landmark Same-Sex Marriage Ruling (21:45) – Israel Strike Kills Al Jazeera Journalists in Gaza (24:50) – Mothers Are Leaving The Workforce, Erasing Pandemic Gains (28:30) – Farmers' Almanac Winter Forecast For 2025-2026: A Long Season Of Cold, Snow Across US (31:45) – AOL Will End Its Dial-Up Internet Service (Yes, It's Still Operating) (33:00) – On This Day In History (37:45) Thanks To Our Sponsors:  – ⁠LMNT⁠ - Free Sample Pack with any LMNT drink mix purchase –⁠ Industrious⁠ - Coworking office. 50% off day pass | Promo Code: MONEWS50 – Incogni - 60% off an annual plan| Promo Code: MONEWS – Leesa – 25% off mattress, plus extra $50 off | Promo Code: MONEWS – Shopify – $1 per-month trial | Code: monews

Albany, New York, isn't just the state capital—it's one of the oldest cities in America, layered with centuries of untold stories, buried secrets, and forgotten cemeteries hiding beneath modern streets. In this episode, we're joined by Maeve McEneny-Johnson, Director of Community Engagement with Discover Albany and a seventh-generation native of the capital city whose love for its past runs deep. Maeve shares how her childhood—riding shotgun with her father, the local historian—sparked a lifelong passion for preserving and sharing Albany's overlooked history. From colonial scandal at Cherry Hill, Abraham Lincoln's eerie local ties and hauntings to the 1911 Capitol fire—and the Civil War veteran night watchman some say never left his post—Maeve brings Albany's rich, strange, and sometimes unsettling stories to life in a way few others can. Whether you crave folklore, true crime, or a good historical, paranormal rabbit hole, this episode uncovers the heartbeat of a city that refuses to be forgotten. This is Part Two of our conversation. For more information on tours, visit their website at albany.org. Become a GRAVE KEEPER and get access to ALL of our EPISODES - AD FREE, BONUS EPISODES & ADVANCE EPISODES!!! Sign up through Apple Podcast Channel or Patreon. Sign up through Apple Podcasts or Patreon http://www.patreon.com/thegravetalks 

Albany, New York, isn't just the state capital—it's one of the oldest cities in America, layered with centuries of untold stories, buried secrets, and forgotten cemeteries hiding beneath modern streets. In this episode, we're joined by Maeve McEneny-Johnson, Director of Community Engagement with Discover Albany and a seventh-generation native of the capital city whose love for its past runs deep. Maeve shares how her childhood—riding shotgun with her father, the local historian—sparked a lifelong passion for preserving and sharing Albany's overlooked history. From colonial scandal at Cherry Hill, Abraham Lincoln's eerie local ties and hauntings to the 1911 Capitol fire—and the Civil War veteran night watchman some say never left his post—Maeve brings Albany's rich, strange, and sometimes unsettling stories to life in a way few others can. Whether you crave folklore, true crime, or a good historical, paranormal rabbit hole, this episode uncovers the heartbeat of a city that refuses to be forgotten. For more information on tours, visit their website at albany.org. Become a GRAVE KEEPER and get access to ALL of our EPISODES - AD FREE, BONUS EPISODES & ADVANCE EPISODES!!! Sign up through Apple Podcast Channel or Patreon. Sign up through Apple Podcasts or Patreon http://www.patreon.com/thegravetalks