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Altcoins aren't the only thing out there experiencing Sweet Divergence -- Where the sector is on fire, but money hasn't trickled into the lower cap offerings.  There is a sector even more validated right now, with stocks just begging to be snatched up.   Recommended Crypto Trading Platform (And Bonus Eligibility) - https://nononsenseforex.com/cryptocurrencies/best-crypto-trading-platform/   For Decentralized Crypto Trading (US Citizens Can Join) - https://nononsenseforex.com/decentralized-trading-platform/   Blueberry Markets Blog (Top FX Broker) - https://nononsenseforex.com/uncategorized/blueberry-markets-review-my-top-broker-for-2019/   Follow VP on Twitter https://twitter.com/This_Is_VP4X   Check out my Forex trading material too! https://nononsenseforex.com/   The host of this podcast is not a licensed financial advisor, and nothing heard on this podcast should be taken as financial advice.  Do your own research and understand all financial decisions and the results therein are yours and yours alone.  The host is not responsible for the actions of their sponsors and/or affiliates.  Conversely, views expressed on this podcast are that of the host only and may not reflect the views of any companies mentioned. Trading Forex involves risk.  Losses can exceed deposits. We are not taking requests for episode topics at this time.  Thank you for understanding.

Today, Pastor JD will explain that it's a person’s choice whether to accept the truth of Jesus as presented in the Scriptures. To receive the truth and the love God offers is in keeping with His teachings, “This is love for God: to obey His commands”. Conversely, to know the truth and not obey it is to face the wrath of God.

Your health journey begins in the soil. This fascinating conversation between nutritionist Kara Kroger and Amy Milliron of Fearless Farmers reveals the profound connections between environmental and human health that most of us don't fully understand how to integrate into our shopping and eating habits.Driven by the loss of her father to cancer related to Agent Orange exposure, Kara has dedicated her career to understanding how our environment shapes our wellbeing. She shares the remarkable parallel between soil and gut microbiomes—both functioning as complex digestive systems that either thrive or suffer based on what they are fed. When we nourish the soil properly, it produces nutrient-dense foods that support our gut health. Conversely, when we nourish our gut properly, we experience better digestion, improved immunity, and even a more positive mood.Contrary to popular belief, transforming your gut health doesn't require expensive supplements or complicated regimens. Kara demonstrates how simple interventions like increasing fiber intake from diverse plant sources and staying properly hydrated can create dramatic improvements, sharing a client story where these basic changes resolved 80% of post-cancer digestive issues within just two weeks. She illuminates how phytonutrients from plants support microbial diversity in both soil and gut, creating a continuous cycle of health that extends from the land to our bodies.Most powerfully, this episode offers practical tools that you can implement immediately, while introducing an upcoming three-part webinar series, "Harvesting Health," which will guide participants through creating personalized gut health protocols. Whether you're dealing with chronic health issues, curious about the environmental impact of your food choices, or want to optimize your wellbeing, this episode provides a roadmap for understanding the inextricable link between the health of our planet and the health of our bodies. Register for the webinar series at learnfearlessfarmers.org/course/harvesting-health or join Kara's email list for weekly gut health tips that can transform your relationship with food.Register for Harvesting Health 3-Part Webinar Series.Join Kara's Mailing List for Weekly Gut Health Tidbits.Learn About Kara's Balance Your Gut Personalized Nutrition Coaching Program - Break free from abdominal pain, gas, bloat, altered bowel movements, indigestion, and reflux symptoms - often in 4 months or less with personalized nutrition coaching.Visit the Land Food Life Website.

On June 18, 2025, the Supreme Court released its decisions for two circuit splits arising under the Clean Air Act (CAA) provision regarding judicial venue: EPA v. Calumet Shreveport Refining, L.L.C. (23-1229), and Oklahoma v. EPA (23-1067). Decided 7-2 and 8-0, respectively, the outcome of these cases hinged on the Court’s interpretation of the CAA’s unique venue provision, 42 U.S.C. § 7607(b)(1). The CAA states that challenges to “nationally applicable” actions may be filed only in the D.C. Circuit. 42 U.S.C. § 7607(b)(1). Conversely, challenges to CAA actions that are “locally or regionally applicable” may generally be filed only in the appropriate circuit court for the region. Id. But there is an exception: actions that are “based on a determination of nationwide scope or effect” must be filed in the D.C. Circuit “if in taking such action the Administrator finds and publishes that such action is based on such a determination.” Id.In Calumet, the Court ruled 7-2 that the “EPA’s denials of small refinery exemption petitions are locally or regionally applicable actions that fall within the “nationwide scope or effect” exception, requiring venue in the D.C. Circuit.” Similarly, in Oklahoma, the Court ruled 8-0 that “EPA’s disapprovals of the Oklahoma and Utah state implementation plans are locally or regionally applicable actions reviewable in a regional court of appeals.” Tune in as Jimmy Conde and Garrett Kral offer a breakdown of these decisions.Featuring:James Conde, Partner, Boyden Gray PLLCModerator: Garrett Kral, Administrative and Environmental Law Attorney--To register, click the link above.

The primary focus of our discourse delves into the dichotomy between the World Government and the Pirates within the illustrious universe of One Piece. As we engage in this examination, we endeavor to elucidate the merits inherent in both factions, despite their apparent adversarial nature. It is our collective assertion that the World Government, while often maligned for its authoritarian tendencies, embodies a semblance of order that serves a purpose within its chaotic milieu. Conversely, the Pirates, often perceived as anarchists, represent a fierce pursuit of freedom and autonomy, albeit with their own myriad flaws. Through a thorough analysis of these opposing ideologies, we seek to uncover the nuanced attributes that contribute to an understanding of good within both the governing body and the rebellious spirits of the seas.The profound conflict between the World Government and the Pirates in One Piece serves as a captivating backdrop for a rich discussion among the hosts of this episode. Each speaker brings a unique perspective to the table, fostering a debate that transcends mere fandom and delves into moral philosophy. The hosts, Ashley, Elizabeth Pang Clyde, and TJ Blackwell, engage in a spirited dialogue that highlights the contrasting ideologies represented by each faction. TJ passionately defends the Pirates, asserting that their quest for freedom and personal autonomy resonates with the universal desire for liberation from oppressive structures. Elizabeth, on the other hand, argues for the necessity of a governing body to maintain order and protect citizens, despite recognizing the systemic flaws and injustices present within the World Government. Christian adds depth to the conversation by advocating for a balanced view, suggesting that both sides possess elements of goodness and evil, reflecting the complexity of human nature itself. Throughout the episode, the discourse serves as a microcosm of real-world polarization, urging listeners to reconsider their own views on authority, rebellion, and the ethical implications of governance. The hosts' analysis not only entertains but also challenges the audience to contemplate the intersection of fiction and reality in their understanding of justice and societal dynamics.Takeaways: In our examination of One Piece, we delve into the contrasting philosophies of the World Government and the Pirates. The Pirates, often characterized by their anarchy, can embody ideals of freedom and autonomy against oppressive structures. Conversely, the World Government, while authoritarian, is intended to uphold order and protect its citizens from chaos. Through our analysis, we illustrate that both sides possess redeeming qualities, offering a nuanced perspective on their respective roles in the One Piece narrative. .We discuss all this and more in this one! Join in the conversation with us on Discord now!.Support our show on Captivate or Patreon, or by purchasing a comfy T-Shirt in our store!.Don't miss any of our "Finding the Good" episodes:https://player.captivate.fm/collection/37fa0c3f-55f4-4cd4-b112-ca5476583ffa.Be sure to listen to all of our One Piece episodes:

June 25 marks the advent  of two incredibly important inventions in the history of civilization ;  June 25 1630 saw the introduction of the fork, while June 25, 1867 was day barbed wire was patented. Today's program considers how our history might've changed had these dates been reversed ;   nearly 250 years could've elapsed with nothing being eaten except soup.  Conversely, barbed-wire death matches (electrified and otherwise) could've begun much, much earlier. Of course, these were hundreds of years before the birth of Abdullah The Butcher whose body of work would've undoubtedly suffered had he been toiling during a gap between forks and barbed wire.   My monologue about this subject is nearly two hours long and rather than save it for patreon subscribers, I've instead deleted the entire thing. You simply don't deserve to hear it.  So It's another all-music episode (sorry).

Last time we spoke about Operation Chahar. In July 1937, the tensions between Japan and China erupted into a full-scale conflict, ignited by the Marco Polo Bridge Incident. Following a series of aggressive Japanese military maneuvers, Chiang Kai-shek, then enjoying a brief respite at Kuling, learned of the escalating clashes and prepared for battle. Confident that China was primed for resistance, he rallied his nation, demanding that Japan accept responsibility and respect China's sovereignty. The Japanese launched their offensive, rapidly capturing key positions in Northern China. Notably, fierce battle ensued in Jinghai, where Chinese soldiers, led by Brigade Commander Li Zhiyuan, valiantly defended against overwhelming forces using guerrilla tactics and direct assaults. Their spirit was symbolized by a courageous “death squad” that charged the enemy, inflicting serious casualties despite facing dire odds. As weeks passed, the conflict intensified with brutal assaults on Nankou. Chinese defenses, though valiant, were ultimately overwhelmed, leading to heavy casualties on both sides. Despite losing Nankou, the indomitable Chinese spirit inspired continued resistance against the Japanese invaders, foreshadowing a long, brutal war that would reshape East Asia.   #156 The Battle of Shanghai Part 1: The Beginning of the Battle of Shanghai Welcome to the Fall and Rise of China Podcast, I am your dutiful host Craig Watson. But, before we start I want to also remind you this podcast is only made possible through the efforts of Kings and Generals over at Youtube. Perhaps you want to learn more about the history of Asia? Kings and Generals have an assortment of episodes on history of asia and much more  so go give them a look over on Youtube. So please subscribe to Kings and Generals over at Youtube and to continue helping us produce this content please check out www.patreon.com/kingsandgenerals. If you are still hungry for some more history related content, over on my channel, the Pacific War Channel where I cover the history of China and Japan from the 19th century until the end of the Pacific War. On August 9, a bullet riddled sedan screeched to an abrupt halt at the entrance to the Hongqiao airport along Monument Road. The gruesome scene on the dashboard revealed that one of the victims had died in the car. He had been dragged out and subjected to brutal slashing, kicking, and beating until his body was a mangled mess. Half of his face was missing, and his stomach had been cut open, exposing the sickly pallor of his intestines, faintly glimmering in the night. The other man had managed to escape the vehicle but only got a few paces away before he was gunned down. A short distance away lay a third body, dressed in a Chinese uniform. Investigators swiftly identified the badly mangled body as belonging to 27-year-old Sub-Lieutenant Oyama Isao, while the other deceased Japanese man was his driver, First Class Seaman Saito Yozo. The identity of the Chinese victim remained a mystery. At first glance, the scene appeared to be the aftermath of a straightforward shootout. However, numerous questions lingered: What were the Japanese doing at a military airfield miles from their barracks? Who had fired the first shot, and what had prompted that decision? The Chinese investigators and their Japanese counterparts were at odds over the answers to these questions. As they walked the crime scene, searching for evidence, loud arguments erupted repeatedly. By the time the sun began to rise, they concluded their investigation without reaching any consensus on what had transpired. They climbed into their cars and made their way back to the city. The investigators were acutely aware of the repercussions if they failed to handle their delicate task with the necessary finesse. Despite their hopes for peace, it was evident that Shanghai was a city bracing for war. As they drove through the dimly lit suburbs on their way from Hongqiao back to their downtown offices, their headlights illuminated whitewashed trees, interspersed with sandbag defenses and the silhouettes of solitary Chinese sentries. Officially, these sentries were part of the Peace Preservation Corps,  a paramilitary unit that, due to an international agreement reached a few years earlier, was the only Chinese force allowed to remain in the Shanghai area. In the hours that followed, both sides presented their versions of the incident. According to the Chinese account, the Japanese vehicle attempted to force its way through the airport gate. When members of the Peace Preservation Corps stationed at the entrance signaled for Saito, the driver, to stop, he abruptly turned the car around. Sub-Lieutenant Oyama then fired at the Chinese guards with an automatic pistol. Only then did the Chinese return fire, killing Oyama in a hail of bullets. Saito managed to jump out before he, too, was gunned down. The commander of the Chinese guards told a Western reporter that this wasn't the first time someone Japanese had attempted to enter the airport. Such incidents had occurred repeatedly in the past two months, leading them to believe that the Japanese were “obviously undertaking espionage.” The Japanese account, predictably, placed the blame for the entire incident squarely on China. It asserted that Oyama had been driving along a road bordering the airfield with no intention of entering. Suddenly, the vehicle was stopped and surrounded by Peace Preservation Corps troops, who opened fire with rifles and machine guns without warning. Oyama had no opportunity to return fire. The Japanese statement argued that the two men had every right to use the road, which was part of the International Settlement, and labeled the incident a clear violation of the 1932 peace agreement. “We demand that the Chinese bear responsibility for this illegal act,”. Regardless of either side, it seemed likely to everyone in the region, war would soon engulf Shanghai.  Meanwhile, as the Marco Polo Bridge Incident escalated into a full blown in the far north, General Zhang Fakui was attending a routine training mission at Mount Lu in southeastern Jiangxi. A short and small man, not considered too handsome either, Zhang had earned his place in China's leadership through physical courage, once taking a stand on a bridge and single handedly facing down an enemy army. He was 41 years old in 1937, having spent half his life fighting Warlords, Communists and sometimes even Nationalists. In the recent years he had tossed his lot in with a rebel campaign against Chiang Kai-Shek, who surprisingly went on the forgive him and placed him in charge of anti communist operations in the area due south of Shanghai. However now the enemy seemed to have changed.  As the war spread to Beijing, on July 16th, Zhang was sent to Chiang Kai-Shek's summer residence at Mount Lu alongside 150 members of China's political and military elites. They were all there to brainstorm how to fight the Japanese. Years prior the Generalissimo had made it doctrine to appease the Japanese but now he made grandiose statements such as “this time we must fight to the end”. Afterwards Chiang dealt missions to all his commanders and Zhang Fakui was told to prepare for operations in the Shanghai area.  It had been apparent for weeks that both China and Japan were preparing for war in central China. The Japanese had been diverting naval troops from the north to strengthen their forces in Shanghai, and by early August, they had assembled over 8,000 troops. A few days later, approximately thirty-two naval vessels arrived. On July 31, Chiang declared that “all hope for peace has been lost.” Chiang had been reluctant to commit his best forces to defend northern China, an area he had never truly controlled. In contrast, Shanghai was central to his strategy for the war against Japan. Chiang decided to deploy his finest troops, the 87th and 88th Divisions, which were trained by generals under the guidance of the German advisor von Falkenhausen, who had high hopes for their performance against the Japanese. In doing so, Chiang aimed to demonstrate to both his own people and the wider world that the Chinese could and would resist the invader. Meanwhile, Chiang's spy chief, Dai Li, was busy gathering intelligence on Japanese intentions regarding Shanghai, a challenging task given his focus in recent years. Dai, one of the most sinister figures in modern Chinese history, had devoted far more energy and resources to suppressing the Communists than to countering the Japanese. As a result, by the critical summer of 1937, he had built only a sparse network of agents in “Little Tokyo,” the Hongkou area of Shanghai dominated by Japanese businesses. One agent was a pawnshop owner, while the rest were double agents employed as local staff within the Japanese security apparatus. Unfortunately, they could provide little more than snippets, rumors, and hearsay. While some of this information sounded alarmingly dire, there was almost no actionable intelligence. Chiang did not take the decision to open a new front in Shanghai lightly. Built on both banks of the Huangpu River, the city served as the junction between the Pacific Ocean to the east and the great Yangtze River, which wound thousands of kilometers inland to the west. Shanghai embodied everything that represented modern China, from its industry and labor relations to its connections with the outside world. While foreign diplomatic presence was concentrated in nearby Nanjing, the capital, it was in Shanghai that the foreign community gauged the country's mood. Foreigners in the city's two “concession” areas nthe French Concession and the British-affiliated International Settlement often dismissed towns beyond Shanghai as mere “outstations.” Chiang Kai-shek would throw 650,000 troops into the battle for the city and its environs as well as his modest air force of 200 aircraft. Chiang, whose forces were being advised by German officers led by General Alexander von Falkenhausen, was finally confident that his forces could take on the Japanese. A German officer told a British diplomat, “If the Chinese Army follows the advice of the German advisers, it is capable of driving the Japanese over the Great Wall.”   While Chiang was groping in the dark, deprived of the eyes and ears of an efficient intelligence service, he did have at his disposal an army that was better prepared for battle than it had been in 1932. Stung by the experience of previous conflicts with the Japanese, Chiang had initiated a modernization program aimed at equipping the armed forces not only to suppress Communist rebels but also to confront a modern fighting force equipped with tanks, artillery, and aircraft. He had made progress, but it was insufficient. Serious weaknesses persisted, and now there was no time for any remedial action. While China appeared to be a formidable power in sheer numbers, the figures were misleading. On the eve of war, the Chinese military was comprised of a total of 176 divisions, which were theoretically organized into two brigades of two regiments each. However, only about 20 divisions maintained full peacetime strength of 10,000 soldiers and officers; the rest typically held around 5,000 men. Moreover, Chiang controlled only 31 divisions personally, and he could not count on the loyalty of the others. To successfully resist Japan, Chiang would need to rely not only on his military command skills but also on his ability to forge fragile coalitions among Warlord generals with strong local loyalties. Equipment posed another significant challenge. The modernization drive was not set to complete until late 1938, and the impact of this delay was evident. In every category of weaponry, from rifles to field artillery, the Chinese were outmatched by their Japanese adversaries, both quantitatively and qualitatively. Domestically manufactured artillery pieces had shorter ranges, and substandard steel-making technology caused gun barrels to overheat, increasing the risk of explosions. Some arms even dated back to imperial times. A large proportion of the Chinese infantry had received no proper training in basic tactics, let alone in coordinated operations involving armor and artillery. The chief of the German advisory corps was General Alexander von Falkenhausen, a figure hard to rival in terms of qualifications for the role. Although the 58-year-old's narrow shoulders, curved back, and bald, vulture-like head gave him an unmilitary, almost avian appearance, his exterior belied a tough character. In 1918, he had earned his nation's highest military honor, the Pour le Mérite, while assisting Germany's Ottoman allies against the British in Palestine. Few, if any, German officers knew Asia as well as he did. His experience in the region dated back to the turn of the century. As a young lieutenant in the Third East Asian Infantry Regiment, he participated in the international coalition of colonial powers that quelled the Boxer Rebellion in 1900. A decade later, he traveled through Korea, Manchuria, and northern China with his wife, keenly observing and learning as a curious tourist. From 1912 to 1914, he served as the German Kaiser's military attaché in Tokyo. He was poised to put his extensive knowledge to good use in the months ahead. Chiang believed that Shanghai should be the location of the first battle. This decision was heavily influenced by Falkenhausen and was strategically sound. Chiang Kai-shek could not hope to win a war against Japan unless he could unify the nation behind him, particularly the many fractious warlords who had battled his forces repeatedly over the past decade. Everyone understood that the territory Japan was demanding in the far north did not need to be held for any genuine military necessity; it was land that could be negotiated. The warlords occupying that territory were unpredictable and all too willing to engage in bargaining. In contrast, China's economic heartland held different significance. By choosing to fight for the center of the country and deploying his strongest military units, Chiang Kai-shek signaled to both China's warlords and potential foreign allies that he had a vested interest in the outcome.  There were also several operational reasons for preferring a conflict in the Yangtze River basin over a campaign in northern China. The rivers, lakes, and rice paddies of the Yangtze delta were much better suited for defensive warfare against Japan's mechanized forces than the flat plains of North China. By forcing the Japanese to commit troops to central China, the Nationalists bought themselves the time needed to rally and reinforce their faltering defenses in the north. By initiating hostilities in the Shanghai area, Japan would be forced to divert its attention from the northern front, thereby stalling a potential Japanese advance toward the crucial city of Wuhan. It would also help safeguard potential supply routes from the Soviet Union, the most likely source of material assistance due to Moscow's own animosity toward Japan. It was a clever plan, and surprisingly, the Japanese did not anticipate it. Intelligence officers in Tokyo were convinced that Chiang would send his troops northward instead. Again in late July, Chiang convened his commanders, and here he gave Zhang Fukai more detailed instructions for his operation. Fukai was placed in charge of the right wing of the army which was currently preparing for action in the metropolitan area. Fukai would oversee the forces east of the Huangpu River in the area known as Pudong. Pudong was full of warehouses, factories and rice fields, quite precarious to fight in. Meanwhile General Zhang Zhizhong, a quiet and sickly looking man who had previously led the Central Military Academy was to command the left wing of the Huangpu. All of the officers agreed the plan to force the battle to the Shanghai area was logical as the northern region near Beijing was far too open, giving the advantage to tank warfare, which they could not hope to contest Japan upon. The Shanghai area, full of rivers, creaks and urban environments favored them much more. Zhang Zhizhong seemed an ideal pick to lead troops in downtown Shanghai where most of the fighting would take place. His position of commandant of the military academy allowed him to establish connections with junior officers earmarked for rapid promotion. This meant that he personally knew the generals of both the 87th and 88th Divisions, which were to form the core of Zhang Zhizhong's newly established 9th Army Group and become his primary assets in the early phases of the Shanghai campaign. Moreover, Zhang Zhizhong had the right aggressive instincts. He believed that China's confrontation with Japan had evolved through three stages: in the first stage, the Japanese invaded the northeast in 1931, and China remained passive; in the second stage, during the first battle of Shanghai in 1932, Japan struck, but China fought back. Zhang argued that this would be the third stage, where Japan was preparing to attack, but China would strike first.   It seems that Zhang Zhizhong did not expect to survive this final showdown with his Japanese adversary. He took the fight very personally, even ordering his daughter to interrupt her education in England and return home to serve her country in the war. However, he was not the strong commander he appeared to be, as he was seriously ill. Although he never disclosed the true extent of his condition, it seemed he was on the verge of a physical and mental breakdown after years in high-stress positions. In fact, he had recently taken a leave of absence from his role at the military academy in the spring of 1937. When the war broke out, he was at a hospital in the northern port city of Qingdao, preparing to go abroad for convalescence. He canceled those plans to contribute to the struggle against Japan. When his daughter returned from England and saw him on the eve of battle, she was alarmed by how emaciated he had become. From the outset, doubts about his physical fitness to command loomed large. At 8:30 a.m. on Tuesday, August 10, a group of officers emerged from the Japanese Consulate along the banks of the Huangpu River. This team was a hastily assembled Sino-Japanese joint investigation unit tasked with quickly resolving the shooting incident at the Hongqiao Aerodrome of the previous night. They understood the urgency of reaching an agreement swiftly to prevent any escalation. As they drove to the airport, they passed armed guards of the Chinese Peace Preservation Corps stationed behind sandbag barricades that had been erected only hours earlier. Upon arriving at Hongqiao, the officers walked up and down the scene of the incident under the scorching sun, attempting to piece together a shared understanding of what had transpired. However, this proved to be nearly impossible, as the evidence failed to align into a coherent account acceptable to both parties. The Japanese were unconvinced that any shootout had occurred at all. Oyama, the officer who had been in the car, had left his pistol at the marine headquarters in Hongkou and had been unarmed the night before. They insisted that whoever shot and killed the man in the Chinese uniform could not have been him. By 6:00 pm the investigators returned to the city. Foreign correspondents, eager for information, knew exactly whom to approach. The newly appointed Shanghai Mayor, Yu Hongjun, with a quick wit and proficiency in English, Yu represented the city's cosmopolitan image. However, that evening, he had little to offer the reporters, except for a plea directed at both the Japanese and Chinese factions “Both sides should maintain a calm demeanor to prevent the situation from escalating.” Mayor Yu however was, in fact, at the center of a complex act of deception that nearly succeeded. Nearly eight decades later, Zhang Fakui attributed the incident to members of the 88th Division, led by General Sun Yuanliang. “A small group of Sun Yuanliang's men disguised themselves as members of the Peace Preservation Corps,” Zhang Fakui recounted years later in his old age. “On August 9, 1937, they encountered two Japanese servicemen on the road near the Hongqiao military aerodrome and accused them of forcing their way into the area. A clash ensued, resulting in the deaths of the Japanese soldiers.” This created a delicate dilemma for their superiors. The two dead Japanese soldiers were difficult to explain away. Mayor Yu, likely informed of the predicament by military officials, conferred with Tong Yuanliang, chief of staff of the Songhu Garrison Command, a unit established after the fighting in 1932. Together, they devised a quick and cynical plan to portray the situation as one of self-defense by the Chinese guards. Under their orders, soldiers marched a Chinese death row inmate to the airport gate, dressed him in a paramilitary guard's uniform, and executed him. While this desperate ruse might have worked initially, it quickly unraveled due to the discrepancies raised by the condition of the Chinese body. The Japanese did not believe the story, and the entire plan began to fall apart. Any remaining mutual trust swiftly evaporated. Instead of preventing a confrontation, the cover-up was accelerating the slide into war.  Late on August 10, Mayor Yu sent a secret cable to Nanjing, warning that the Japanese had ominously declared they would not allow the two deaths at the airport to go unpunished. The following day, the Japanese Consul General Okamoto Suemasa paid a visit to the mayor, demanding the complete withdrawal of the Peace Preservation Corps from the Shanghai area and the dismantling of all fortifications established by the corps. For the Chinese, acquiescing to these demands was nearly impossible. From their perspective, it appeared that the Japanese aimed to leave Shanghai defenseless while simultaneously bolstering their own military presence in the city. Twenty vessels, including cruisers and destroyers, sailed up the Huangpu River and docked at wharves near "Little Tokyo." Japanese marines in olive-green uniforms marched ashore down the gangplanks, while women from the local Japanese community, dressed in kimonos, greeted the troops with delighted smiles and bows to the flags of the Rising Sun that proudly adorned the sterns of the battleships. In fact, Japan had planned to deploy additional troops to Shanghai even before the shooting at Hongqiao Aerodrome. This decision was deemed necessary to reinforce the small contingent of 2,500 marines permanently stationed in the city. More troops were required to assist in protecting Japanese nationals who were being hastily evacuated from the larger cities along the Yangtze River. These actions were primarily defensive maneuvers, as the Japanese military seemed hesitant to open a second front in Shanghai, for the same reasons that the Chinese preferred an extension of hostilities to that area. Diverting Japanese troops from the strategically critical north and the Soviet threat across China's border would weaken their position, especially given that urban warfare would diminish the advantages of their technological superiority in tanks and aircraft. While officers in the Japanese Navy believed it was becoming increasingly difficult to prevent the war from spreading to Shanghai, they were willing to give diplomacy one last chance. Conversely, the Japanese Army was eager to wage war in northern China but displayed little inclination to engage in hostilities in Shanghai. Should the situation worsen, the Army preferred to withdraw all Japanese nationals from the city. Ultimately, when it agreed to formulate plans for dispatching an expeditionary force to Shanghai, it did so reluctantly, primarily to avoid accusations of neglecting its responsibilities. Amongst many commanders longing for a swift confrontation with Japan was Zhang Zhizhong. By the end of July, he was growing increasingly impatient, waiting with his troops in the Suzhou area west of Shanghai and questioning whether a unique opportunity was being squandered. On July 30, he sent a telegram to Nanjing requesting permission to strike first. He argued that if Japan were allowed to launch an attack on Shanghai, he would waste valuable time moving his troops from their position more than 50 miles away. Nanjing responded with a promise that his wishes would be fulfilled but urged him to exercise patience: “We should indeed seize the initiative over the enemy, but we must wait until the right opportunity arises. Await further orders.” That opportunity arose on August 11, with the Japanese display of force on the Huangpu River and their public demand for the withdrawal of China's paramilitary police. Japan had sufficiently revealed itself as the aggressor in the eyes of both domestic and international audiences, making it safe for China to take action. At 9:00 p.m. that evening, Zhang Zhizhong received orders from Nanjing to move his troops toward Shanghai. He acted with remarkable speed, capitalizing on the extensive transportation network in the region. The soldiers of the 87th Division quickly boarded 300 trucks that had been prepared in advance. Meanwhile, civilian passengers on trains were unceremoniously ordered off to make room for the 88th Division, which boarded the carriages heading for Shanghai. In total, over 20,000 motivated and well-equipped troops were on their way to battle.  On August 12, representatives from the United Kingdom, France, the United States, Italy, Japan, and China gathered for a joint conference in Shanghai to discuss ceasefire terms. Japan demanded the withdrawal of Chinese troops from Shanghai, while the Chinese representative, Yu Hung-chun, dismissed the Japanese demand, stating that the terms of the ceasefire had already been violated by Japan. The major powers were keen to avoid a repeat of the January 28 Incident, which had significantly disrupted foreign economic activities in Shanghai. Meanwhile, Chinese citizens fervently welcomed the presence of Chinese troops in the city. In Nanjing, Chinese and Japanese representatives convened for the last time in a final effort to negotiate. The Japanese insisted that all Peace Preservation Corps and regular troops be withdrawn from the vicinity of Shanghai. The Chinese, however, deemed the demand for a unilateral withdrawal unacceptable, given that the two nations were already engaged in conflict in North China. Ultimately, Mayor Yu made it clear that the most the Chinese government would concede was that Chinese troops would not fire unless fired upon. Conversely, Japan placed all responsibility on China, citing the deployment of Chinese troops around Shanghai as the cause of the escalating tensions. Negotiations proved impossible, leaving no alternative but for the war to spread into Central China. On that same morning of Thursday, August 12, residents near Shanghai's North Train Station, also known as Zhabei Station, just a few blocks from "Little Tokyo," awoke to an unusual sight: thousands of soldiers dressed in the khaki uniforms of the Chinese Nationalists, wearing German-style helmets and carrying stick grenades slung across their chests. “Where do you come from?” the Shanghai citizens asked. “How did you get here so fast?” Zhang Zhizhong issued detailed orders to each unit under his command, instructing the 88th Division specifically to travel by train and deploy in a line from the town of Zhenru to Dachang village, both located a few miles west of Shanghai. Only later was the division supposed to advance toward a position stretching from the Zhabei district to the town of Jiangwan, placing it closer to the city boundaries. Zhang Zhizhong was the embodiment of belligerence, but he faced even more aggressive officers among his ranks. On the morning of August 12, he was approached by Liu Jingchi, the chief of operations at the Songhu Garrison Command. Liu argued that the battle of 1932 had gone poorly for the Chinese because they had hesitated and failed to strike first. This time, he insisted, should be different, and Zhang should order an all-out assault on the Japanese positions that very evening. Zhang countered that he had clear and unmistakable orders from Chiang Kai-shek to let the Japanese fire first, emphasizing the importance of maintaining China's image on the world stage. “That's easy,” Liu retorted. “Once all the units are deployed and ready to attack, we can just change some people into mufti and send them in to fire a few shots. We attack, and simultaneously, we report that the enemy's offensive has begun.” Zhang Zhizhong did not like this idea. “We can't go behind our leader's back like that,” he replied. Zhang Zhizhong's position was far from enviable. Forced to rein in eager and capable officers, he found himself acting against his own personal desires. Ultimately, he decided to seek the freedom to act as he saw fit. In a secret cable to Nanjing, he requested permission to launch an all-out attack on the Japanese positions in Shanghai the following day, Friday, August 13. He argued that this was a unique opportunity to capitalize on the momentum created by the movement of troops; any further delay would only lead to stagnation. He proposed a coordinated assault that would also involve the Chinese Air Force. However, the reply from Chiang Kai-shek was brief and unwavering: “Await further orders.” Even as Chiang's troops poured into Shanghai, Chinese and Japanese officials continued their discussions. Ostensibly, this was in hopes of reaching a last-minute solution, but in reality, it was a performance. Both sides wanted to claim the moral high ground in a battle that now seemed inevitable. They understood that whoever openly declared an end to negotiations would automatically be perceived as the aggressor. During talks at the Shanghai Municipal Council, Japanese Consul General Okamoto argued that if China truly wanted peace, it would have withdrawn its troops to a position that would prevent clashes. Mayor Yu responded by highlighting the increasing presence of Japanese forces in the city. “Under such circumstances, China must adopt such measures as necessary for self-defense,” he stated. Late on August 13, 1937, Chiang Kai-shek instructed his forces to defend Shanghai, commanding them to "divert the enemy at sea, secure the coast, and resist landings."  I would like to take this time to remind you all that this podcast is only made possible through the efforts of Kings and Generals over at Youtube. Please go subscribe to Kings and Generals over at Youtube and to continue helping us produce this content please check out www.patreon.com/kingsandgenerals. If you are still hungry after that, give my personal channel a look over at The Pacific War Channel at Youtube, it would mean a lot to me. In July 1937, tensions between Japan and China escalated into war following the Marco Polo Bridge Incident. Confident in his country's resolve, Chiang Kai-shek rallied the Chinese against Japanese aggression. On August 9, a deadly confrontation at Hongqiao Airport resulted in the deaths of Japanese soldiers, igniting further hostilities. As both sides blamed each other, the atmosphere became tense. Ultimately, negotiations failed, and the stage was set for a brutal conflict in Shanghai, marking the beginning of a long and devastating war.

Leslie Grandy, a seasoned executive with leadership roles at Apple, Amazon, Best Buy, and T-Mobile, discusses the underestimated nature of creative capability and how leaders can systematically cultivate it. Drawing from her early career in the film industry and later product leadership across Fortune 50 companies, she presents a grounded, practical perspective on how creativity functions in high-performance environments.   She outlines three foundational skills transferable across domains: enduring ambiguity with resilience, sustaining momentum in the absence of external validation, and solving unfamiliar problems with resourcefulness rather than prescribed playbooks. These competencies, shaped by years in unpredictable contexts, later enabled her to thrive in zero-to-one product environments at scale.   Grandy also offers insight into organizational enablers and constraints for creative velocity. She identifies cultures that treat creativity as the remit of all functions, not just design or strategy, as more adaptive and resilient. Conversely, she cautions against consensus-driven thinking and status quo bias, which she sees as systemic inhibitors. The most effective environments, she argues, reward structured risk-taking and integrate post-mortem learning with equal weight to successes.   Reflecting on her time reporting to Steve Jobs, Grandy explains the discipline of brand stewardship and decisiveness under uncertainty. Jobs' intolerance for diluted brand signals, whether in product UX or retail merchandising, was less a quirk and more an intentional design principle. She recounts how even small misalignments, such as offering engraving suggestions on iPods, were swiftly reversed to preserve narrative clarity.   The discussion also explores her recent book, Creative Velocity, and its guiding premise: creativity is not a fixed trait but a repeatable discipline. Through structured techniques like the generic parts technique and SCAMPER, she argues that anyone, including those outside “creative” job titles, can develop idea fluency and confidence. She emphasizes the role of generative AI as a tool for exploratory dialogue rather than one-shot answers, calling for greater patience and iterative engagement to unlock its full potential.   For senior leaders, this episode surfaces a precise question: Are you designing your organization to perform or to invent? And are you personally equipped to model the latter?   Get Leslie's book here: https://rb.gy/d5zr69 Creative Velocity: Propelling Breakthrough Ideas in the Age of Generative AI   Here are some free gifts for you:   Overall Approach Used in Well-Managed Strategy Studies free download: www.firmsconsulting.com/OverallApproach   McKinsey & BCG winning resume free download: www.firmsconsulting.com/resumepdf   Enjoying this episode? Get access to sample advanced training episodes here: www.firmsconsulting.com/promo  

Every gym bro's on 'test' now — but is TRT actually helping or just creating jacked zombies? Nick Pell investigates on this Skeptical Sunday!Welcome to Skeptical Sunday, a special edition of The Jordan Harbinger Show where Jordan and a guest break down a topic that you may have never thought about, open things up, and debunk common misconceptions. This time around, we're joined by writer and researcher Nick Pell!Full show notes and resources can be found here: jordanharbinger.com/1172On This Week's Skeptical Sunday:TRT can address real medical issues. Testosterone replacement therapy can genuinely help men experiencing symptoms like chronic insomnia, severe depression, and extremely low energy levels. For some men, it can be life-changing treatment for legitimate medical conditions.Serious health risks are real. TRT carries significant risks including blood thickening (stroke risk), cardiovascular strain, permanent fertility loss, and dependency. These aren't minor side effects — they require ongoing medical monitoring and mitigation strategies like regular blood donation.Many clinics operate as cash grabs. The industry is flooded with clinics that will prescribe TRT to almost anyone willing to pay, regardless of actual medical need. These facilities often charge $200+ monthly for treatments that cost $35 elsewhere and use aggressive fear-based marketing.TRT creates physical dependency. Once you start, stopping requires medical supervision similar to coming off antidepressants or other serious medications. Your body stops producing natural testosterone, and post-cycle therapy may not restore normal levels, especially after long-term use.Make informed decisions based on symptoms, not just numbers. Before considering TRT, honestly assess how you actually feel — your energy, mood, and quality of life matter more than blood test numbers alone. If you feel fine but have "low" test numbers, you may not need treatment. Conversely, if you feel terrible but have "normal" numbers, discuss options with a knowledgeable doctor who takes your symptoms seriously.Connect with Jordan on Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube. If you have something you'd like us to tackle here on Skeptical Sunday, drop Jordan a line at jordan@jordanharbinger.com and let him know!And if you're still game to support us, please leave a review here — even one sentence helps! Sign up for Six-Minute Networking — our free networking and relationship development mini course — at jordanharbinger.com/course!Subscribe to our once-a-week Wee Bit Wiser newsletter today and start filling your Wednesdays with wisdom!Do you even Reddit, bro? Join us at r/JordanHarbinger!This Episode Is Brought To You By Our Fine Sponsors:SimpliSafe: 50% off + 1st month free: simplisafe.com/jordanShopify: 3 months @ $1/month (select plans): shopify.com/jordanLand Rover Defender: landroverusa.comProgressive: Free online quote: progressive.comHomes.com: Find your home: homes.comSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

What might just be the biggest asset class of our time is ridiculously on sale at the moment, and the overall risk of investing in this particular asset class just went way down this week.  You should know what it is, but even if you don't, join us here in Episode 209.   Recommended Crypto Trading Platform (And Bonus Eligibility) - https://nononsenseforex.com/cryptocurrencies/best-crypto-trading-platform/   For Decentralized Crypto Trading (US Citizens Can Join) - https://nononsenseforex.com/decentralized-trading-platform/   Blueberry Markets Blog (Top FX Broker) - https://nononsenseforex.com/uncategorized/blueberry-markets-review-my-top-broker-for-2019/   Follow VP on Twitter https://twitter.com/This_Is_VP4X   Check out my Forex trading material too! https://nononsenseforex.com/   The host of this podcast is not a licensed financial advisor, and nothing heard on this podcast should be taken as financial advice.  Do your own research and understand all financial decisions and the results therein are yours and yours alone.  The host is not responsible for the actions of their sponsors and/or affiliates.  Conversely, views expressed on this podcast are that of the host only and may not reflect the views of any companies mentioned. Trading Forex involves risk.  Losses can exceed deposits. We are not taking requests for episode topics at this time.  Thank you for understanding.

Anger, when handled correctly, is a superpower.  We're not talking about getting angry about losing or making a mistake -- we're talking about being mad at your place in life, and how others have it better than you.  It's okay to be angry at this, it's normal in fact.  But how you process and utilize these feelings make all the difference.   #TradingPsychology   Maverick Links   Click Here To Learn More about Maverick Forex Trading:  URL: https://maverickfx.com/application-3-a/?utm_source=vpyt   Click Here To Learn More about Maverick Currencies: URL: https://maverickcurrencies.com/application-3-a/?utm_source=VPPodPsych   Click Here To Learn More about Maverick Trading's Stock/Options Division: URL: https://mavericktrading.com/application-3-a/?utm_source=VPPodPsych   Maverick Trading YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@mavericktrading   Robb's Flat Earth Trading Society https://www.youtube.com/@FlatEarthTradingSociety   No Nonsense Forex Links   VP's Trading Psychology Book https://nononsenseforex.com/forex-psychology-book/   Recommended Crypto Trading Platform (Bonus and Contest Eligibility) - https://nononsenseforex.com/cryptocurrencies/best-crypto-trading-platform/   Blueberry Markets Blog (Top FX Broker) - https://nononsenseforex.com/uncategorized/blueberry-markets-review-my-top-broker-for-2019/   Follow VP on Twitter https://twitter.com/This_Is_VP4X   The hosts of this podcast are not licensed financial advisors, and nothing heard on this podcast should be taken as financial advice.  Do your own research and understand all financial decisions and the results therein are yours and yours alone.  The host is not responsible for the actions of their sponsors and/or affiliates.  Conversely, views expressed on this podcast are that of the host only and may not reflect the views of any companies mentioned. Trading anything involves risk.  Losses can exceed deposits.

What must we do in light of the end that is coming? Revelation 14:6–13 looks forward to the hearing of God's Word, publicly read, in the holy assembly on the coming Lord's Day. In these eight verses of Holy Scripture, the Holy Spirit teaches us that we must persevere in faith and obedience in light of the coming ends of the wicked and the righteous. The sermon explores the urgent call to worship the creator amidst the deceptive allure of a counterfeit trinity—the dragon, the sea beast, and the earth beast—which seduces humanity with promises of power and prosperity. It warns against identifying with worldly systems and taking on a mark of allegiance, emphasizing the inevitability of God's wrath for those who reject Him. Conversely, it highlights the blessedness of those who persevere in faith and obedience, enduring hardship and ultimately finding rest and reward in the presence of the Lamb, whose works will follow them into eternity, demonstrating that true worship leads to divine rest and eternal glory.

An Ohio couple pleaded guilty to fraud charges involving COVID-era loan programs for their trucking companies. These funds, totaling over $900,000, were reportedly misused for real estate acquisitions instead of employee payroll. We also discuss the ongoing debate surrounding new enforcement rights proposed by the U.S. Department of Transportation, with the Truck Safety Coalition warning of negative impacts on investigations. Conversely, the American Trucking Associations supports these rules, viewing them as a path to greater accountability. Furthermore, learn how electronics manufacturer Jabil is making a significant $500 million investment to expand its cloud and AI data center infrastructure in the U.S. Southeast. This new facility, expected to be operational by mid-2026, aims to meet the surging demand for AI, serving major clients like Apple, UPS, and Amazon. Don't miss today's What the Truck?!? live on FreightWaves TV at noon, and register for the free Enterprise Fleet Summit virtual event on July 23rd. Plus, grab your tickets for the Supply Chain AI Symposium in Washington D.C. on July 30th, with a bundle deal available for the Future of Freight Festival in October. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Send us a textIn this engaging episode of Business Growth Talks, host Mark Hayward tackles a pressing question for many entrepreneurs and business owners: should you rely on organic content or opt for paid ads to grow your business? Mark dissects this topic with precision, focusing heavily on strategies for LinkedIn, but also touching upon Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok. The episode dives deep into the merits and drawbacks of both organic and paid strategies, giving listeners a comprehensive overview of how each approach can impact their business growth.The episode highlights the strengths of organic content, emphasizing its role in building credibility and lasting value, especially on platforms like LinkedIn. Mark explains that organic growth allows for relationship-driven engagement, resulting in long-term business success. Conversely, he also explores the fast-paced world of paid ads, underlining its potential for rapid reach and precise targeting. By breaking down the benefits and challenges of each approach, Mark offers a balanced perspective to help entrepreneurs decide which strategy aligns best with their business goals and budget.Key Takeaways:Building Credibility with Organic Content: Organic content fosters trust and establishes authority, essential for long-term business success.Platform Dynamics: Each social media platform, from LinkedIn to TikTok, has unique characteristics that influence the effectiveness of organic and paid strategies.Paid Ads Offer Rapid Reach: Paid advertising provides quick visibility and allows for targeted engagement, crucial for driving immediate results.Balancing Strategies: Combining organic and paid strategies can amplify overall effectiveness, using organic to build foundations and paid to scale rapidly.Adaptability to Algorithms: Understanding and adapting to each platform's algorithm is crucial for maximizing reach and engagement in both organic and paid approaches.Resources:Visit the Business Growth Talks channel for more episodes: Business Growth TalksConnect with Mark Hayward on LinkedIn: Mark Hayward LinkedInExplore social media strategies on platforms like LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok as discussed in the episode.To gain deeper insights and explore the intricate balance of using organic content and paid ads to grow your business, we encourage you to listen to the full episode. Stay tuned for more inspiring discussions and expert strategies on Business Growth Talks.Support the showIf you want to watch the full video of this episode go to:https://www.youtube.com/@markhayward-BizGrowthTalksDo you want to be a guest on multiple podcasts as a service go to:www.podcastintroduction.comFind more details about the podcast and my coaching business on:www.businessgrowthtalks.comFind me onLinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/mark-hayw...Tik Tok - https://www.tiktok.com/@mjh169183YouTube Shorts - https://www.youtube.com/@markhayward-BizGrowthTalks/shorts

An Ohio couple pleaded guilty to fraud charges involving COVID-era loan programs for their trucking companies. These funds, totaling over $900,000, were reportedly misused for real estate acquisitions instead of employee payroll. We also discuss the ongoing debate surrounding new enforcement rights proposed by the U.S. Department of Transportation, with the Truck Safety Coalition warning of negative impacts on investigations. Conversely, the American Trucking Associations supports these rules, viewing them as a path to greater accountability. Furthermore, learn how electronics manufacturer Jabil is making a significant $500 million investment to expand its cloud and AI data center infrastructure in the U.S. Southeast. This new facility, expected to be operational by mid-2026, aims to meet the surging demand for AI, serving major clients like Apple, UPS, and Amazon. Don't miss today's What the Truck?!? live on FreightWaves TV at noon, and register for the free Enterprise Fleet Summit virtual event on July 23rd. Plus, grab your tickets for the Supply Chain AI Symposium in Washington D.C. on July 30th, with a bundle deal available for the Future of Freight Festival in October. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In the past couple of episodes, we've explored some of the basics of our new program—The NeuroHarmonic Method, which blends timeless wisdom with discoveries in modern neuroscience to offer a unique approach to personal growth. It's simple to understand, easy to practice, and available to everyone. No special knowledge or background required. But before we dive into today's episode, I'm extremely excited to introduce something brand new—something you'll begin hearing from in some of the episodes to come. We call it our NeuroGuide. It's a unique kind of voice - one that will offer brief reflections on some of the deeper moments within each episode. Its contributions will be clearly identified when they appear. Now, let me tell you a little about it—and why I'm so glad to be introducing it to you now. The NeuroGuide is powered by a carefully designed form of artificial intelligence that I've been developing over the past several months. Although it is still in its early stages, it may eventually become a key part of the NeuroHarmonic Method. As developments continue to unfold, it may play different roles - but always with one purpose: to help people more deeply understand the inner path they're on and to suggest meaningful ways to access their own strengths. It's being specifically trained in the same basic principles that form the foundations of the NeuroHarmonic Method—with a strong emphasis on the Wisdom of the Ages and modern neuroscience, including the powerful meeting point between breath, brain, and being. For now, just think of it as a unique source of wisdom and inspiration, dropping in from time to time with a few friendly words to help deepen and sometimes lighten the journey. And I'd love to hear your thoughts about it. So if you have a moment, feel free to send me an email with your impressions. To begin, here's what the NeuroGuide has to say about its own quiet arrival: "Sometimes, the truth doesn't arrive as a lightning bolt—it arrives as a quiet feeling that you've always known. The work isn't to chase it, but to stop running from it. Stillness isn't where clarity ends—it's where it begins."             Now let's get into today's episode.               As you probably recall, the foundation of all of this is the idea of personal growth. And a good definition of it is simply this: Personal Growth is the practice of becoming more conscious, more compassionate, and more connected to the truth of who you really are.   But, before we go much further, a very reasonable core question might arise: why should I bother with personal growth at all? It's a fair concern. Afterall, we live in a world saturated with challenges, where just keeping up can feel like a full-time job. So why devote energy to reaching for a higher level of being, when it feels like I can barely manage what's in front of me. That question has definite merit. And there are plenty of well-known answers: becoming a better human being, living a richer and more fulfilled life, improving relationships, contributing more deeply to the world. Personally, as someone who has spent a lifetime immersed in this field,  I can tell you that all of these are true. But today, I want to offer you a slightly different path – a quieter doorway that leads to the goldmine. It begins with something I first encountered in junior high school. Like many other pivotal ideas, I barely noticed it at the time. It might have come up during a math or science class. I didn't pay much attention to it then, but somehow, it quietly filed itself away in the back of my mind. And over the years, it grew. It's called the Pascalian Wager. And what stayed with me was the idea that it's possible to make a bet that you absolutely cannot lose. Though the idea is over 400 years old, it feels more relevant than ever, especially in our modern era of psychological insight, technological revolution, and the unfolding of human potential. The idea of comes from Blaise Pascal—a 17th-century French genius. Mathematician, physicist, inventor, philosopher, theologian—his brilliance remains undisputed. On the surface, Pascal's wager is about belief in God. But if you look closer, you'll see something much larger: a powerful, rational argument for aligning your life with its highest possibility.       The Origins of the Pascalian Wager Blaise Pascal was born in 1623. A child prodigy, he made major contributions to geometry, probability, and fluid mechanics by his mid-20s. After a mystical experience in 1654, he turned his attention almost completely to spiritual matters. One of his final works, Pensées ("Thoughts"), was a collection of reflections on faith and reason. In Pensées, Pascal lays out the wager like this: Either God exists, or He doesn't. If you wager that He does, and you're right, you gain everything—eternal meaning, transcendent joy. If you're wrong, and he doesn't exist, you lose nothing of true value. Conversely, if you wager that He doesn't exist, and you're wrong, you lose everything. And if you're right? You gain… what? Perhaps the satisfaction of being correct—but little else. So, by Pascal's reasoning, the smart bet is clear: live as though God exists. As  I mentioned earlier, during the episodes that follow we will be featuring very brief insights from the NeuroGuide, which it terms as  “whispers from the deeper mind, where ancient knowing meets modern clarity." NeuroGuide: The question isn't about certainty. It's about how you choose to live in the presence of uncertainty. This is where wisdom begins. Let's widen the lens. Let's lift the wager out of theology and into personal experience. Because the deeper meaning of the Pascalian Wager is not about belief systems - it's about conscious choice. Every day, we are making bets. We bet our time, our energy, and our attention on something. And the question is - What are you betting on?   The Personal Growth Wager Let's reframe Pascal's question. Instead of asking, “Does God exist?” let's ask: “Do I contain within me a greater potential—a wellspring of peace, clarity, and inner wisdom?” And then let's ask: “Does aligning with my inner truth and presence lead to a richer, fuller life?” And even more practically: “Even if I can't be sure of the outcome, is this still a worthwhile bet?” This is where the NeuroHarmonic Method enters the picture. It's a modern form of Pascal's Wager—a wager on your highest self. Through the lens of neuroplasticity, we now know that your brain can change. Patterns can rewire. Deep emotional grooves can be softened and reshaped. This isn't belief – it's biology. So, if you make the bet that you have the capacity to grow into a better human being, and you're wrong, what have you lost? Maybe a few quiet moments focusing on your breath? Some time spent feeling gratitude? A little reflection on what matters? NeuroGuide: Even your so-called "losses" are seeds of true personal improvement. Nothing given to real growth is ever wasted. Let's face it: these aren't losses at all. These are returns on investment. And even if the journey doesn't take you where you expected, it often takes you somewhere better.       NeuroHarmonics and Intelligent Betting Of course, Pascal didn't know about neuroplasticity. But we do. Today's science tells us that attention sculpts the brain. Inner Awareness increases cortical thickness. Gratitude rewires reward pathways. Spiritual reflection activates networks of empathy and compassion. These are the building blocks of The NeuroHarmonic Method, and again, this is proven science. Focusing breath soothes the nervous system. Contemplating impermanence can reduce fear. Practicing generosity strengthens kindness loops in the brain. We're not just betting philosophically - we're sculpting biologically. NeuroGuide: To place your attention on something higher is not just a leap of faith. It is an act of neural design. You are building who you will become. So, instead of being driven by old programs—fear, doubt, reactivity—we invest our attention on presence, compassion, and growth, even if we don't know where it leads.     The Role of Uncertainty Pascal understood uncertainty completely, But he didn't fear it. He embraced it. As he once wrote, “You will never be certain. And that's not a problem. What matters is whether your decision leads toward meaning, vitality, or truth.” Again, uncertainty is not an enemy. It can be a threshold where faith, courage and creativity can unite so that real transformation can begin. You don't need to be sure that your efforts will work. You just need to have the desire to grow towards the highest.   And then, something begins to shift. You may begin to get a new sense of freedom in your consciousness, as if a larger understanding is starting to emerge in your awareness, and you start to win the wager in ways that may be hard to measure, but impossible to ignore. Maybe you sleep more deeply, or you respond instead of react. You listen more fully. You recover more quickly from disappointment. You become more curious and less judgmental. In the language of the brain, you form new neural networks. In the language of the heart, you become more fully alive, and ultimately, you begin to love more freely. This is not some abstract philosophy. This is a new kind of intelligence - one emerging across humanity – a neural harmony between the brain, the heart and the breath, a living union of higher wisdom with modern science. NeuroGuide: This is the nature of the way. Not based on belief, but on experience. Not on external certainty, but on sincerity. Not on theoretical doctrine but in the living depth of a certainty born within.     What Are You Betting On? So, ask yourself: What are you really betting on? Not just with your words, but with your attention? Your habits? Your patterns? With the way you treat yourself when no one is watching? Because we are all placing bets, every single day. On habit or healing. On cynicism or wonder. On numbness or presence. On fear or love. And Pascal would remind us: You don't need certainty to choose wisely. You only need to notice what your current bets are returning. And ask yourself: is it worth it?             In this light, the Pascalian Wager isn't about belief. It's a call to awaken, because the real wager is not about dogma; it's about possibility, a possibility that is rooted in science and fueled by sincerity. And when you make the right wager, your life becomes more than an experiment. Your awareness becomes your compass, and like a tuning fork resonating with the Infinite, your very being becomes an offering of heartfelt gratitude and your quest is finally fulfilled. So, place your bets. And Pascal's advice still holds. Wager in the direction where you win, no matter what happens. As for me, I'm taking the play on the high side of the road, because from where I stand, I just don't see a downside.  But hey - as I often say -  that's just me. NeuroGuide: There's a kind of intelligence that doesn't speak in concepts – It speaks in resonance. You know it not by what it tells you, but by what it awakens in you. And if something has been awakened – even just a whisper – follow it. It already knows the way.   Let's leave it here for now. I hope you enjoyed the premier of the NeuroGuide. It's still evolving and there's much more to come. So, as always, keep your eyes, mind, and heart open. And let's get together in the next one.

Ever wondered what your strata levies really say about a building? Far more than just a quarterly bill, strata fees reveal crucial insights into property health that savvy buyers need to understand.Think of strata as your building's compulsory savings account. Those quarterly payments fund everything from day-to-day operations to major future repairs. But contrary to popular belief, high levies aren't necessarily a red flag – they might actually signal a proactive owners corporation that's planning ahead. Conversely, suspiciously low levies could indicate an inactive strata unwilling to invest in proper maintenance, potentially leaving you facing surprise special levies later.Diving deeper, we explore how to decode the real story behind strata finances. The capital works fund (formerly the sinking fund) should maintain a healthy balance to cover future projects without resorting to special levies. We analyze what those one-off special payments really mean – are they normal maintenance or signs of deeper problems? Plus, we reveal what to look for during inspections: from common area conditions to fire safety compliance and the enlightening details hidden in AGM minutes.For prospective apartment buyers, this knowledge is power. We provide actionable due diligence steps including obtaining comprehensive strata reports, reviewing bylaws, researching developers' track records, and engaging specialists who understand the nuances of strata purchases. Don't make the mistake of judging a building solely on levy amounts – the story behind those numbers matters far more.Have questions about strata properties or need guidance navigating your next apartment purchase? Contact us directly – we're passionate about helping buyers make informed decisions in the complex world of strata living.

Allies. In workplace settings, there are times when most of us need them. Consider this scenario; you're in a meeting, and you're about to take a calculated risk to share an unpopular idea. As soon as you complete your thought, one of your colleagues quickly responds, complimenting you on your idea, and asking you to share more. That's an act of allyship.   Conversely, in that very same meeting, you can take an act of allyship by showing up for a different colleague when another person says something unskillful to them. Without a beat, you can simply say, “You just said [insert statement]. Could you explain more specifically what you meant?” That simple response should do the trick to shine a light on the harm they caused.   When it comes to showing up for your LGBTQ+ colleagues, acts of allyship in workplace settings are life-saving. They help build the foundation of increased safety and trust that can get more of LGBTQ+ employees closer to experiencing that elusive sense of belonging at work. Yet, for some of the budding LGBTQ+ allies out there, being an authentic ally causes some pause. Some may ask themselves, “what if I cause even more harm,” and instead retreat into silence.   To help build up the confidence and skills of these emerging LGBTQ+ workplace allies, I am excited to speak with Jean-Marie Navetta who will help us answer this big question: What does it take to be an authentic ally during these challenging times?   If you're unfamiliar with Jean-Marie, for nearly 20 years she's worked in the LGBTQ+ movement to help engage people both outside and inside of the community to be part of the work of building on policy change to transform culture to become more actively inclusive. She's spent 17 years with PFLAG National leading their work in this area and for the past year, she's continued that effort at Out & Equal.   Together, during our conversation, you will:   Learn why performative acts of allyship, or merely calling yourself an ally, without taking any action is the fastest way to erode the trust of your LGBTQ+ colleagues.   Gain fresh insights on accessible actions you can take to show up as an LGBTQ+ ally - some of these are more easy and significant than you think.   Explore new allyship practices you can test out with close friends and family members to to build up the confidence necessary to overcome the comfort of silence.   This interview was designed to support people like you - visionary leaders, and those on their way to joining us. Savor this insightful talk, and if you're looking for more ways to connect with inspiring leaders like Jean-Marie, be sure to join our Belonging Membership Community - a community of practice committed to putting our values of belonging, community, and collaboration into action. Members have the unique opportunity to connect with guests like Jean-Marie for 1:1 laser coaching sessions.   Imagine belonging with fellow visionary leaders when you join the Belonging Movement Newsletter: www.rhodesperry.com/subscribe.   Interested in learning more about Out & Equal and the benefits of an Out & Equal Partnership? Visit Become a Partner | Out & Equal.   Out & Equal: https://outandequal.org/

Let's go to the WRD Talk LIVE. We talked to Gerald in Cowpens. How are you doing, Gerald? Hey, buddy. So, Charlie, if you wanna see a awesome parade, go to Cowpens Town Hall Facebook page. We had a parade Saturday that honored the w w two veterans that served on the USS Cowpens. It is heartwarming to watch. We will certainly check that out. I appreciate it. Thank you so much, Gerald. Well, the Democrats, they should change their name. They that's what they need. I saw this guy this weekend. I think it was over on TikTok. He was like he was like, how can I make a can of Pepsi healthy? How can I do that? And he went on I mean, it was amazing what this guy did. First of all, he changed it to Pepsi Hydration. Pepsi Hydration made mostly water, and and he rebranded it to say, the main ingredient it is is always water. Made from all natural ingredients. Yada yada yada. And he took this ordinary can of Pepsi, rebranded it, and made it look like something you go, man, I'm gonna give me some of this Pepsi hydrate. Yeah, Mel. Oh, yes. I'm I'm dehydrated. I better get me a big old can of Pepsi. It was just Pepsi. That's all it was. But he was able to rebrand it and make it into something that it completely was not. The Democrats need a rebranding. They need to drop that name, the Democrat Party. That's not working for them. It's got, it's got too much too much baggage with it, too much luggage, too much bad history. They need to change the name of the Democrat Party to exactly what they really are, and that is the Dunning Kruger party. Now if you don't know what the Dunning Kruger effect is, let me explain it to you. And I've got I'm gonna go here. I'm gonna get the official definition. The Dunning Kruger effect is a cognitive bias where people with low ability in a specific area tend to overestimate their competence, while those with high ability tend to underestimate their ability. Essentially, unskilled individuals lack the self awareness to recognize their own incompetence, leading them to believe that they are more skilled than they actually are. Conversely, highly skilled individuals may underestimate their abilities because they perceive tasks that are easy for them to be easy for everyone else as well. In other words, what's that saying is people, the Dunning Kruger effect means that you're an idiot and you're too stupid to know that you're an idiot. Can you think of a better definition of the Democrat party? They're dumb, and they just don't know it. All of this I mean, literally, all of this stuff that they say, when you got you got what that that mayor of Chicago now calling for reparations. Basically saying that the the city of Chicago is only going to work with black vendors. Literally saying that. That happened today. This guy is so dumb. He doesn't even realize how dumb he is. Maxine Waters is so dumb. She doesn't even realize how dumb she is. But, boy, everything she says, she says with the utmost confidence. So, yeah, the Democrat Party, they should be renamed the Dunning Kruger Party because while they're idiots, while they're incompetent, in their own little pea brained mind, they believe they are. They literally think they're doing a good job. They're sitting there putting forks in light sockets, thinking they're doing something good. They have no idea. They really don't. So they get involved in all of these causes, like these no king. I will guarantee you, most of those people at the no king's protest that were going on this weekend really, truly had no idea why they was there. They were just there because somebody told them to go. Now we've had a couple of no kings parties, no kings protest in this country in the past. The first one happened in 1776. The latest one that happened was on February, actually, when we elected Donald Trump. Theirs was the party that were acting. They were the ones that were the authoritarians. They were the ones that were shutting this country down. They were the ones th ...

Let's go to the WRD Talk LIVE. We talked to Gerald in Cowpens. How you doing, Gerald? Hey, buddy. So, Charlie, if you wanna see a awesome parade, go to Cowpens Town Hall Facebook page. We had a parade Saturday that honored the w w two veterans that served on the USS Cowpens. It is heartwarming to watch. We will certainly check that out. I appreciate it. Thank you so much, Gerald. Well, the Democrats, they should change their name. They that's what they need. I saw this guy this weekend. I think it was over on TikTok. He was like he was like, how can I make a can of Pepsi healthy? How can I do that? And he went on I mean, it was amazing what this guy did. First of all, he changed it to Pepsi hydration. Pepsi hydration made mostly water, and and he rebranded it to say, the main ingredient it is is always water. Made from all natural ingredients. Yada yada yada. And he took this ordinary can of Pepsi, rebranded it, and made it look like something you go, man, I'm gonna give me some of this Pepsi hydrate. Yeah, ma'am. Oh, yes. I'm I'm dehydrated. I better get me a big old can of Pepsi. It was just Pepsi. That's all it was. But he was able to rebrand it and make it into something that it completely was not. The Democrats need a rebranding. They need to drop that name, the Democrat Party. That's not working for me. It's got, it's got too much too much baggage with it, too much luggage, too much bad history. They need to change the name of the Democrat Party to exactly what they really are, and that is the Dunning Kruger party. Now if you don't know what the Dunning Kruger effect is, let me explain it to you. And I've got I'm gonna go here. I'm gonna get the official definition. The Dunning Kruger effect is a cognitive bias where people with low ability in a specific area tend to overestimate their competence, while those with high ability tend to underestimate their ability. Essentially, unskilled individuals lack the self awareness to recognize their own incompetence, leading them to believe that they are more skilled than they actually are. Conversely, highly skilled individuals may underestimate their abilities because they perceive tasks that are easy for them to be easy for everyone else as well. In other words, what's that saying is people, the Dunning Kruger effect means that you're an idiot, and you're too stupid to know that you're an idiot. Can you think of a better definition of the Democrat party? They're dumb, and they just don't know it. All of this I mean, literally, all of this stuff that they say when you got you got what that that mayor of Chicago now calling for reparations. Basically saying that the the city of Chicago is only going to work with black vendors. Literally saying that. That happened today. This guy is so dumb. He doesn't even realize how dumb he is. Maxine Waters is so dumb. She doesn't even realize how dumb she is. But, boy, everything she says, she says with the utmost confidence. So, yeah, the Democrat party, they should be renamed the Dunning Kruger party because while they're idiots, while they're incompetent, in their own little pea brained mind, they believe they are. They literally think they're doing a good job. They're sitting there putting forks in light sockets, thinking they're doing something good. They have no idea. They really don't. So they get involved in all of these causes, like these no king. I will guarantee you, most of those people at the no king's protest that were going on this weekend really truly had no idea why they was there. They were just there because somebody told them to go. Now we've had a couple of no kings parties, no kings protest in this country in the past. The first one happened in 1776. The latest one that happened was on February, actually, when we elected Donald Trump. Theirs was the party that were acting. They were the ones that were the authoritarians. They were the ones that were shutting this country down. They were the ones that ar ...

Physician Scott Abramson discusses his article "How doctors' words can make or break patient care." Scott shares two compelling scenarios illustrating the profound impact of a physician's communication. He recounts a family conference where a doctor's use of medical jargon like "lesion" completely obscured the diagnosis of cancer for a concerned family, highlighting the barrier that medical language can create. Conversely, Scott details the powerful influence of a surgeon, Dr. Susan Heckman, who, faced with a patient's holistic beliefs and initial refusal of surgery for a suspicious breast lump, used empathetic and culturally resonant language—calling the "blemish" a "guardian angel giving you a wake-up call"—to foster understanding and facilitate timely, life-saving intervention. Scott emphasizes that effective communication, beyond clinical expertise, is crucial for patient understanding, trust, and ultimately, positive health outcomes. Our presenting sponsor is Microsoft Dragon Copilot. Microsoft Dragon Copilot, your AI assistant for clinical workflow, is transforming how clinicians work. Now you can streamline and customize documentation, surface information right at the point of care, and automate tasks with just a click. Part of Microsoft Cloud for Healthcare, Dragon Copilot offers an extensible AI workspace and a single, integrated platform to help unlock new levels of efficiency. Plus, it's backed by a proven track record and decades of clinical expertise—and it's built on a foundation of trust. It's time to ease your administrative burdens and stay focused on what matters most with Dragon Copilot, your AI assistant for clinical workflow. VISIT SPONSOR → https://aka.ms/kevinmd SUBSCRIBE TO THE PODCAST → https://www.kevinmd.com/podcast RECOMMENDED BY KEVINMD → https://www.kevinmd.com/recommended

Paul McDonald and Wailer Giles engage in a detailed discussion about the film On A Clear Day, which tells a profound story of a man who is earnestly trying to figure out how to live his life better and find deeper meaning in a world that often feels broken. At the center of this narrative, a son longs deeply for his father's approval, desperately seeking validation and recognition. Conversely, a father yearns for his son's admiration and appreciation, creating a complex dynamic between them. Frank and Rob are both learning how to navigate and cope with their individual grief, yet they find themselves unable to give each other the support they truly need. Ultimately, transformation emerges as the pivotal miracle of the story, symbolizing hope and renewal amidst their struggles.QuestionsWhat are the moments that trigger you? What is the common bond between them?Where do you feel the pull to be resigned to complacency?How have you refused to be pulled into complacency?How are you different from when you were in high school/college?When did you do everything you could do, and still failed?When has someone spoken the hard truths to you? How did you receive it?When have you spoken hard truths to others? How did that go?Subscribe to our YouTube channel (https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC2xo9bvDbN4Z3BEx37AlRqw?sub_confirmation=1) for bonus content.To dive into this content even more, visit our website: www.menatthemovies.com/podcast. You will find resources mentioned on the podcast, plus quotes and themes discussed.Find us on the socials:YouTube: www.youtube.com/@menatthemoviesFacebook: www.facebook.com/menatthemoviesInstagram: www.instagram.com/menatthemovies/TikTok: www.tiktok.com/@menatthemoviesTwitter: twitter.com/_menatthemoviesIf you would like to support our work (and get some behind-the-scenes perks), visit our Patreon page (www.patreon.com/menatthemovies). Get invites to livestreams, bonus episodes, even free merch. If you'd like to do a one-time contribution (a cameo appearance), visit www.menatthemovies.com/investors. Edited and mixed by Grayson Foster (graysonfoster.com)Logo and episode templates by Ian Johnston (ianhjohnston.com)Audio quotes performed by Britt Mooney, Paul McDonald, and Tim Willard, taken from Epic (written by John Eldredge) and Song of Albion (written by Stephen Lawhead).Southerly Change performed by Zane Dickinson, used under license from ShutterstockLinks:MATM website: www.menatthemovies.com/podcastYouTube: www.youtube.com/@menatthemoviesSpotify: open.spotify.com/show/50DiGvjrHatOFUfHc0H2wQApple pods: podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/men-at-the-movies-podcast/id1543799477Google pods: podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9hbmNob3IuZm0vcy80ODMwNThjL3BvZGNhc3QvcnNz

The consequences of Israeli's attack on Iran Black Spy Podcast, 197, Season 20, Episode 0008 In this week's Black Spy Podcasts, Carlton King looks at the potential consequences of the Israeli attack on Iran. Immediate Outcomes: Carlton argues that Israel's sneak attack on Iran, targeting strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities, top military leadership and nuclear scientists and their families during talks with the US to come to a diplomatic arrangement meant Iran must retaliate. Regional Escalation: A full-scale war could engulf Lebanon, Syria, and Gaza, with Israel fighting on multiple fronts. Hezbollah's involvement would likely lead to heavy bombardment of northern Israel. Civilian casualties and infrastructure damage could be high on both sides. The conflict might destabilize fragile states like Iraq and further fuel sectarian divisions. Global Involvement: The United States, arguably controlled by Israel due to penetration of the US legislature and other key US entities, could be fully drawn in to the conflict either through direct military support for Israel or the defense of Gulf allies and shipping lanes. Conversely, Iran may receive backing—political or logistical—from Russia or China, increasing global tensions. Gulf states like Saudi Arabia and the UAE, already wary of Iranian influence, might support Israel covertly, especially if Iran were to target their oil infrastructure.. Conclusion: A war between Israel and Iran could rapidly spiral into a broader regional or even global conflict, involving major powers and destabilizing the already fragile Middle East. The best-case future hinges on effective diplomacy and containment; the worst-case scenario risks a devastating, multi-front war with long-term consequences. So, if you want to continue learning whilst being entertained this and next week's continuation of this subject are must listen episodes. Please don't forget to subscribe to the Black Spy Podcast for free, thereby you'll never miss another episode. To contact Firgas Esack of the DAPS Agency go to Linked In To contact Carlton King by utilising any of the following: To donate - Patreon.com/TheBlackSpyPodcast Email: carltonking2003@gmail.com Facebook: The Black Spy Podcast Facebook: Carlton King Author Twitter@Carlton_King Instagram@carltonkingauthor To read Carlton's Autobiography: “Black Ops – The incredible true story of a (Black) British secret agent” Click the link below: https://amzn.eu/d/fmzzq9h

Big Breakdown - Kohberger Defense Begs For A Delay, While Prosecution Says 'Show Time!' In this critical episode, we analyze the intensifying pre-trial battle between Bryan Kohberger's defense team and Idaho prosecutors as they clash over the trial timeline for the quadruple murder case that shocked the nation. The defense's urgent motion for delay comes as they claim they need additional time to review the massive amount of evidence, while prosecutors assert they're ready to present their case against the former criminology PhD student accused of killing four University of Idaho students. Our legal experts dissect the defense's arguments for postponement, including their concerns about the volume of digital evidence, thousands of pages of discovery materials, and the complexity of forensic evidence including DNA analysis and cell phone data. We examine the strategic reasoning behind their request, discussing how additional preparation time could benefit Kohberger's defense and potentially impact the quality of representation he receives in this death penalty-eligible case. Conversely, we explore the prosecution's push to move forward, analyzing their confidence in the evidence they've assembled and their desire to bring justice to the victims' families without unnecessary delays. Our panel discusses the emotional toll that extended delays take on the families of Kaylee Goncalves, Madison Mogen, Xana Kernodle, and Ethan Chapin, and how the court must balance the defendant's rights with the community's need for closure. The episode features insights from criminal defense attorneys and former prosecutors who explain the tactical advantages each side seeks through their positions on timing. We examine similar high-profile cases and how pre-trial delays affected their outcomes, providing context for what might happen in the Kohberger case. Additionally, we discuss the judge's difficult position in deciding whether to grant the delay, considering factors such as the complexity of the case, the defendant's right to adequate representation, and the public's right to a speedy trial. This comprehensive analysis helps viewers understand the crucial pre-trial maneuvering that could significantly impact the trajectory of this closely-watched case. #BryanKohberger #IdahoMurders #UniversityOfIdaho #MoscowIdaho #TrueCrime #CourtTV #PreTrialMotions #LegalStrategy #JusticeForVictims #IdahoStudentMurders #TrialDelay #BigBreakdown #CriminalJustice #DeathPenaltyCase #CourtroomStrategy Want to comment and watch this podcast as a video?  Check out our YouTube Channel. https://www.youtube.com/@hiddenkillerspod Instagram https://www.instagram.com/hiddenkillerspod/ Facebook https://www.facebook.com/hiddenkillerspod/ Tik-Tok https://www.tiktok.com/@hiddenkillerspod X Twitter https://x.com/tonybpod Listen Ad-Free On Apple Podcasts Here: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/true-crime-today-premium-plus-ad-free-advance-episode/id1705422872

Big Breakdown - Kohberger Defense Begs For A Delay, While Prosecution Says 'Show Time!' In this critical episode, we analyze the intensifying pre-trial battle between Bryan Kohberger's defense team and Idaho prosecutors as they clash over the trial timeline for the quadruple murder case that shocked the nation. The defense's urgent motion for delay comes as they claim they need additional time to review the massive amount of evidence, while prosecutors assert they're ready to present their case against the former criminology PhD student accused of killing four University of Idaho students. Our legal experts dissect the defense's arguments for postponement, including their concerns about the volume of digital evidence, thousands of pages of discovery materials, and the complexity of forensic evidence including DNA analysis and cell phone data. We examine the strategic reasoning behind their request, discussing how additional preparation time could benefit Kohberger's defense and potentially impact the quality of representation he receives in this death penalty-eligible case. Conversely, we explore the prosecution's push to move forward, analyzing their confidence in the evidence they've assembled and their desire to bring justice to the victims' families without unnecessary delays. Our panel discusses the emotional toll that extended delays take on the families of Kaylee Goncalves, Madison Mogen, Xana Kernodle, and Ethan Chapin, and how the court must balance the defendant's rights with the community's need for closure. The episode features insights from criminal defense attorneys and former prosecutors who explain the tactical advantages each side seeks through their positions on timing. We examine similar high-profile cases and how pre-trial delays affected their outcomes, providing context for what might happen in the Kohberger case. Additionally, we discuss the judge's difficult position in deciding whether to grant the delay, considering factors such as the complexity of the case, the defendant's right to adequate representation, and the public's right to a speedy trial. This comprehensive analysis helps viewers understand the crucial pre-trial maneuvering that could significantly impact the trajectory of this closely-watched case. #BryanKohberger #IdahoMurders #UniversityOfIdaho #MoscowIdaho #TrueCrime #CourtTV #PreTrialMotions #LegalStrategy #JusticeForVictims #IdahoStudentMurders #TrialDelay #BigBreakdown #CriminalJustice #DeathPenaltyCase #CourtroomStrategy Want to comment and watch this podcast as a video?  Check out our YouTube Channel. https://www.youtube.com/@hiddenkillerspod Instagram https://www.instagram.com/hiddenkillerspod/ Facebook https://www.facebook.com/hiddenkillerspod/ Tik-Tok https://www.tiktok.com/@hiddenkillerspod X Twitter https://x.com/tonybpod Listen Ad-Free On Apple Podcasts Here: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/true-crime-today-premium-plus-ad-free-advance-episode/id1705422872

I discovered a stat this week that put me right on my ass, and I will share it with you today.  Preparations are needed contrarians.  We review the 4 major ways.   Recommended Crypto Trading Platform (And Bonus Eligibility) - https://nononsenseforex.com/cryptocurrencies/best-crypto-trading-platform/   For Decentralized Crypto Trading (US Citizens Can Join) - https://nononsenseforex.com/decentralized-trading-platform/   Blueberry Markets Blog (Top FX Broker) - https://nononsenseforex.com/uncategorized/blueberry-markets-review-my-top-broker-for-2019/   Follow VP on Twitter https://twitter.com/This_Is_VP4X   Check out my Forex trading material too! https://nononsenseforex.com/   The host of this podcast is not a licensed financial advisor, and nothing heard on this podcast should be taken as financial advice.  Do your own research and understand all financial decisions and the results therein are yours and yours alone.  The host is not responsible for the actions of their sponsors and/or affiliates.  Conversely, views expressed on this podcast are that of the host only and may not reflect the views of any companies mentioned. Trading Forex involves risk.  Losses can exceed deposits. We are not taking requests for episode topics at this time.  Thank you for understanding.

Big Breakdown - Kohberger Defense Begs For A Delay, While Prosecution Says 'Show Time!' In this critical episode, we analyze the intensifying pre-trial battle between Bryan Kohberger's defense team and Idaho prosecutors as they clash over the trial timeline for the quadruple murder case that shocked the nation. The defense's urgent motion for delay comes as they claim they need additional time to review the massive amount of evidence, while prosecutors assert they're ready to present their case against the former criminology PhD student accused of killing four University of Idaho students. Our legal experts dissect the defense's arguments for postponement, including their concerns about the volume of digital evidence, thousands of pages of discovery materials, and the complexity of forensic evidence including DNA analysis and cell phone data. We examine the strategic reasoning behind their request, discussing how additional preparation time could benefit Kohberger's defense and potentially impact the quality of representation he receives in this death penalty-eligible case. Conversely, we explore the prosecution's push to move forward, analyzing their confidence in the evidence they've assembled and their desire to bring justice to the victims' families without unnecessary delays. Our panel discusses the emotional toll that extended delays take on the families of Kaylee Goncalves, Madison Mogen, Xana Kernodle, and Ethan Chapin, and how the court must balance the defendant's rights with the community's need for closure. The episode features insights from criminal defense attorneys and former prosecutors who explain the tactical advantages each side seeks through their positions on timing. We examine similar high-profile cases and how pre-trial delays affected their outcomes, providing context for what might happen in the Kohberger case. Additionally, we discuss the judge's difficult position in deciding whether to grant the delay, considering factors such as the complexity of the case, the defendant's right to adequate representation, and the public's right to a speedy trial. This comprehensive analysis helps viewers understand the crucial pre-trial maneuvering that could significantly impact the trajectory of this closely-watched case. #BryanKohberger #IdahoMurders #UniversityOfIdaho #MoscowIdaho #TrueCrime #CourtTV #PreTrialMotions #LegalStrategy #JusticeForVictims #IdahoStudentMurders #TrialDelay #BigBreakdown #CriminalJustice #DeathPenaltyCase #CourtroomStrategy Want to comment and watch this podcast as a video?  Check out our YouTube Channel. https://www.youtube.com/@hiddenkillerspod Instagram https://www.instagram.com/hiddenkillerspod/ Facebook https://www.facebook.com/hiddenkillerspod/ Tik-Tok https://www.tiktok.com/@hiddenkillerspod X Twitter https://x.com/tonybpod Listen Ad-Free On Apple Podcasts Here: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/true-crime-today-premium-plus-ad-free-advance-episode/id1705422872

BUFFALO, NY — June 12, 2025 — A new #research paper was #published in Aging (Aging-US) Volume 17, Issue 5, on May 3, 2025, titled “APOE genotype and biological age impact inter-omic associations related to bioenergetics.” In this study, led by first author Dylan Ellis and corresponding author Noa Rappaport from the Institute for Systems Biology, researchers discovered that different versions of the APOE gene—particularly ε2 and ε4—are linked to metabolic patterns associated with aging and Alzheimer's disease risk. Both variants were linked to increased levels of diacylglycerols, a type of fat molecule connected to insulin resistance and inflammation, suggesting shared disruptions in how the body regulates energy. The research team analyzed data from over 2,200 adults without an Alzheimer's diagnosis, exploring how APOE genotypes influence biological age, a measure of health that reflects how quickly or slowly someone is aging at a cellular level. They found that the same metabolic disturbances seen in ε2 carriers were also present in people considered biologically older, revealing unexpected overlap between genetic risk and aging-related metabolic changes. To examine these connections in more detail, the researchers used a multi-omics approach, combining blood-based metabolism and protein data, gut bacteria analysis from stool samples, and clinical chemistry data. This method allowed them to map how genetic differences and biological aging affect the body's energy systems. They observed altered connections between glucose metabolism, inflammatory markers, and key molecules that play roles in energy production, indicating early disruptions that could contribute to age-related diseases. One of the study's surprising findings was that the ε2 variant, usually associated with longer life and reduced Alzheimer's risk, showed metabolic traits similar to those found in insulin-resistant individuals. This suggests that ε2 may carry metabolic disadvantages earlier in life, with its protective effects becoming more pronounced later. Conversely, ε4—linked to greater Alzheimer's risk—may exert its influence based on interactions with lifestyle factors like diet, sex, and overall health status. “‘Omics association patterns of ε2-carriers and increased biological age were also counter-intuitively similar, displaying significantly increased associations between insulin resistance markers and energy-generating pathway metabolites.” By identifying these shared biological signatures, this study offers a new framework for understanding how genes and metabolism work together to influence aging. These findings could support more personalized health strategies aimed at delaying biological aging and reducing the risk of chronic diseases. As aging populations grow worldwide, understanding these pathways is essential to improving healthspan. DOI - https://doi.org/10.18632/aging.206243 Corresponding author - Noa Rappaport - noa.rappaport@isbscience.org Video short - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=75hZQoO5U0U Sign up for free Altmetric alerts about this article - https://aging.altmetric.com/details/email_updates?id=10.18632%2Faging.206243 Subscribe for free publication alerts from Aging - https://www.aging-us.com/subscribe-to-toc-alerts Keywords - aging, apolipoprotein E (APOE), biological age, metabolism, Alzheimer's disease (AD), insulin resistance To learn more about the journal, please visit our website at https://www.Aging-US.com​​ and connect with us on social media at: Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/AgingUS/ X - https://twitter.com/AgingJrnl Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/agingjrnl/ YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@AgingJournal LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/aging/ Bluesky - https://bsky.app/profile/aging-us.bsky.social Pinterest - https://www.pinterest.com/AgingUS/ Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/1X4HQQgegjReaf6Mozn6Mc MEDIA@IMPACTJOURNALS.COM

The IMI (Irish Management Institute) has published new research highlighting a significant digital readiness gap among Ireland's leadership. Just 5% of decision makers surveyed have the skills to fully harness the potential of AI and other digital innovations, while more than 4 in 10 (44%) report having little to no knowledge of how to strategically deploy AI within their organisation. As regulatory pressure intensifies and cyber threats become more sophisticated, the research also reveals that just 4% of leaders express high levels of confidence in their capacity to protect and enhance organisational cybersecurity. Meanwhile, 42% report having limited knowledge and expertise on how to strengthen their organisation's cyber controls. The IMI Leadership Barometer surveyed 459 senior leaders from private, public, and semi-state organisations across Ireland, providing key insights into the attitudes and capabilities of decision makers navigating a complex business environment shaped by economic and geopolitical disruption. As leaders respond to the threat of potential trade tariffs and ongoing volatility, 1 in 3 (33%) decision makers say they are confident about their capacity to successfully steer their organisation through this period of disruption and achieve key business objectives. Conversely, 8% say they are not confident in their ability to navigate the volatility ahead. The findings also reveal that nearly half (45%) of decision makers report gaps in financial leadership capabilities, including managing investments and maximising growth. Just 7% of leaders report having excellent financial skills that can unlock business growth. Despite these challenges, the research highlights strength in leadership around culture and inclusion. A majority of leaders (62%) report having a high level of awareness and understanding of how to foster diversity and inclusion in their workplace - an encouraging signal amid global rollbacks in this space. Commenting on the release of the IMI Barometer, Shane O'Sullivan, CEO of the IMI, said: "As organisations across Ireland face unprecedented economic and geopolitical volatility, decision makers are tasked with leading through this disruption while ensuring their business is fit for the future. Published today, the IMI Leadership Barometer provides a timely insight into the capabilities of Irish business leaders to respond to these challenges and seize new opportunities for growth. "Despite the complexity of this environment, it's clear from our findings that many leaders are navigating this evolving landscape with resilience and a measured degree of confidence. From the Covid-19 pandemic to the Brexit crisis and supply chain challenges, decision makers in Ireland have learned from their experience leading their organisations through considerable turbulence in recent years and have developed the skills to successfully adapt, and grow, in this new era of volatility. "However, significant hurdles remain ahead. From keeping pace with advances in AI to enhancing financial leadership skills, our findings identify a number of weaknesses in current leadership capabilities. Addressing these gaps will be crucial to ensuring leaders are equipped with the key capabilities to navigate the change ahead and drive the future growth and competitiveness of business in Ireland." For more on the future of leadership and the key capabilities necessary to drive growth and innovation over the coming years, explore the IMI's white paper 'Why Learning Today Can Shape Tomorrow' here.

Story at-a-glance Your skin microbiome helps protect against UV radiation damage by metabolizing harmful cis-urocanic acid (cis-UCA) using an enzyme called urocanase, preventing immunosuppression and inflammation after sun exposure Urocanase-positive bacteria rapidly respond to UVB exposure, shifting skin microbiome composition within hours and creating a protective feedback loop that supports overall skin health Conventional sunscreens often disrupt beneficial skin bacteria, while certain microbes produce protective compounds like pigments, antioxidants, and enzymes that naturally neutralize harmful UV radiation Linoleic acid (LA) from vegetable oils accumulates in skin cells, making them vulnerable to UV damage. Conversely, C15:0 fat can eventually replace LA in cell membranes Reducing LA intake and supplementing with 2 grams of C15:0 daily can help boost skin health in 12 to 18 months, enabling greater sun resilience without relying on conventional sunscreens

See YouTube video -  https://youtu.be/-2UarFXcio0Join Judy as she discusses vascular access practice with Dr. Jack LeDonne MD, VA-BC, Dr. Adam Friedlander MD, Dennis Woo RN, VA-BCOur physician partners are the top of the food chain in medicine. We look up to them and respect their knowledge. Conversely, we scratch our heads at their practice in vascular access!Why are they blindly poking groins? Why are they still suturing lines? Why are they still placing blind? What about those ugly IJ's inserted high in the neck whose extension tubing is like a hair accessory?Learning Objectives:1.        Understand discrepancies in practice between Vascular Access Specialists and Physicians.2.        Describe variations in training for central line insertion3.        Summarize steps to improve multidisciplinary practiceWe are excited to offer 1 CE This presentation will award the attendee with 1 contact hour of continuing education. The Association for Vascular Access is an accredited continuing education provider through the California Board of Registered Nurses. Provider #: CEP12371.   This Podcast will be available for 1 CE for 60 days - until August 11, 2025Support the show

Last time we spoke about Japan's preparations for War. In late 1936, tensions soared in China as Nationalist General Chiang Kai-shek was detained by dissenting commanders who were frustrated with his focus on communism instead of the growing Japanese threat. Faced with escalating Japanese aggression, these leaders forced Chiang into a reluctant alliance with the Chinese Communist Party, marking a pivotal shift in China's strategy. Despite this union, China remained unprepared, lacking sufficient military supplies and modern equipment. Conversely, Japan, wary of Chinese modernization efforts, pushed for a preemptive strike to dismantle Chiang's regime before it could pose a serious threat. As aggressive military exercises intensified, Japan underestimated Chinese resilience. By spring 1937, both nations found themselves on the brink of war, with Japan's divided military leadership struggling to formulate a coherent strategy. Ultimately, these miscalculations would lead to the full-scale Sino-Japanese War, altering the course of history in East Asia.   #154 The Marco Polo Bridge Incident  Welcome to the Fall and Rise of China Podcast, I am your dutiful host Craig Watson. But, before we start I want to also remind you this podcast is only made possible through the efforts of Kings and Generals over at Youtube. Perhaps you want to learn more about the history of Asia? Kings and Generals have an assortment of episodes on history of asia and much more  so go give them a look over on Youtube. So please subscribe to Kings and Generals over at Youtube and to continue helping us produce this content please check out www.patreon.com/kingsandgenerals. If you are still hungry for some more history related content, over on my channel, the Pacific War Channel where I cover the history of China and Japan from the 19th century until the end of the Pacific War. Here we are at last, the beginning of the absolute cataclysm between China and Japan. Now as many of you know I run the Pacific War week by week podcast, which technically covers the second sino-japanese war, nearly to a T. So for this podcast I want to try and portray the event from the Chinese and Japanese point of view, but not in the rather dry manner of the other podcast. In the other podcast I am hampered by the week by week format and can never dig deep into the nitty gritty as they say. On the same hand I don't want to simply regurgitate every single battle of this conflict, it would be absolutely nuts. So bear with me friends as we fall down in the rabbit hole of madness together, who knows how long it will take to get out. On the night of July 7, 1937, at approximately 19:30, the 8th Squadron of the 3rd Battalion of the 1st Regiment of the Hebian Brigade of the Japanese Army, stationed in Fengtai and led by Squadron Leader Shimizu Seiro, conducted a military exercise, heading toward Lungwangmiao, approximately just under a mile northwest of the Marco Polo Bridge The exercise simulated an operation to capture the bridge. As you may have guessed it was named after the Italian explorer Marco Polo, who described it in his travels, the bridge is renowned for its intricate carvings of lions and other sculptures. However after 1937, the Marco Polo Bridge would be far less known for its history dealing with the venetian explorer and more so with an event that many would contend to be the start of WW2. At that time, troops from Japan, Britain, France, and Italy were stationed near Peiping in accordance with the Boxer Protocol of 1901. The Japanese China Garrison Army, comprising around 4,000 soldiers and commanded by Lieutenant-General Tashiro Kan'ichirō, was based in Tientsin. Its mission was to "maintain communication lines between Peiping and the seaports in the Gulf of Chihli and to protect Japanese citizens living in key areas of North China." The protocol also permitted the garrison forces of the signatory nations to conduct field drills and rifle practice without notifying the Chinese authorities, with the exception of cases involving live fire. During this period, Japanese troops were conducting nightly exercises in anticipation of a scheduled review on July 9. The night maneuver was within the army's rights under the Boxer Protocol and was not an illegal act, as later claimed by the Chinese. However, the Japanese army had courteously informed the Chinese authorities about its training plans in advance. Despite this, the atmosphere was charged with tension, and the Japanese decision to use blank ammunition during their night exercise further escalated the already volatile situation. Earlier that evening, Captain Shimizu Setsurö, a company commander, arrived at the banks of the Yungting River, where the maneuver was to take place. He noticed that the site looked different since the last exercise had occurred; Chinese troops had recently constructed new trenches and parapets from the embankment to the Lungwangmiao shelter. While eating his dinner and surveying the area, Shimizu felt a sense of unease, harboring a premonition that “something might happen that night.” After completing the first stage of the maneuver around 10:30 PM, several live rounds were fired into the assembled company from the direction of the riverbank. Shimizu immediately conducted a roll call and found one soldier missing. He promptly sent a messenger to inform the battalion commander. The exercise was then called off, and the company moved eastward to await further orders at Hsiwulitien. Battalion Commander Itsuki Kiyonaho, upon receiving the report, deemed the situation serious. Aside from the gunfire heard in the darkness from an unknown source, he expressed concern over the soldier's disappearance and sought permission from Regiment Commander Mutaguchi Renya, an absolute moron, if you listen to the pacific war podcast, well you know. Anyways to relocate the battalion to the area where the shots had been fired and to establish surveillance. As dawn approached, the troops heard several more gunshots. Within twenty minutes of the soldier's disappearance, he returned to his ranks, but Shimizu did not report this update until four hours later. Meanwhile, midnight negotiations included a Japanese request for permission to search the city of Wanping, leading both sides to believe the incident was significant. Around 11:00 PM, the Japanese forces falsely reported that one of their soldiers had gone missing during the drill and demanded permission to enter the city for a search. This request was firmly denied by Ji Xingwen, the commander of the 219th Regiment of the 37th Division of the Chinese Army. In response, Japanese troops swiftly surrounded Wanping County. To prevent further escalation, at 2:00 AM the following morning, Qin Dechun, deputy commander of the 29th Army and mayor of Beiping, agreed with the Japanese to allow both sides to send personnel for an investigation. While Matsui, the head of the Japanese secret service in Peiping, was negotiating with North Chinese authorities based on unverified reports from Japanese troops in Fengtai, Ikki Kiyonao, the battalion commander of the Japanese garrison in Fengtai, had already reported to his regiment commander, Mutaguchi Lianya. The latter approved orders for the Japanese troops in Fengtai to “immediately move out” to the Marco Polo Bridge.  On July 8, a large contingent of Japanese troops appeared at Lugou Bridge. Shen Zhongming, the platoon leader of the 10th Company of the Reserve Force of the 3rd Battalion of the 219th Regiment of the 37th Division of the 29th Army, was assisting in guarding the bridgehead. He jumped out of the trench, stood in front of the bunker, and raised his right hand to halt the advancing Japanese troops. However, the Japanese military threatened to search for their missing soldiers, pushed forward, and opened fire. Shen Zhongming was shot and died on the spot. At 4:50 AM, the Japanese army launched a fierce assault on Wanping County, capturing Shagang in the northeast of Wanping and firing the first shot of the siege. Unable to withstand the aggression, the Chinese defenders mounted a counterattack. That day, the Japanese army assaulted Wanping City three times, targeting the Pinghan Railway Bridge and the Chinese defenders at the Huilong Temple position on the left. He Jifeng, the commander of the 110th Brigade of the Chinese defenders, issued a resolute order to “live and die with the bridge” and personally commanded the front-line battle. The Chinese defenders engaged in fierce combat, fighting valiantly despite exhausting their ammunition and resorting to hand-to-hand combat with swords against the Japanese soldiers. Tragically, over 80 Chinese defenders from two platoons were killed at the bridgehead. On the same day, the Beijing authorities instructed the garrison to hold firm at the Marco Polo Bridge. Song Queyuan sent a telegram to Chiang Kai-shek to report the true events of the Marco Polo Bridge Incident. The National Government's Ministry of Foreign Affairs lodged a verbal protest with the Japanese ambassador regarding the incident. Additionally, the CPC Central Committee issued a telegram urging all Chinese soldiers and civilians to unite and resist Japanese aggression. The Japanese cabinet, in a bid to mislead global public opinion, proposed a so-called policy of “resolving the incident locally without escalating it,” aiming to paralyze the KMT authorities and buy time to mobilize additional forces. In the wake of the Marco Polo Bridge Incident, generals of the 29th Army, including Qin Dechun, Feng Zhian, and Zhang Zizhong, convened an emergency meeting. Following their discussions, they issued a statement demanding that their troops withdraw from the Marco Polo Bridge to de-escalate tensions. However, they expressed deep concerns about national sovereignty, stating, “We cannot simply back down. If they continue to oppress us, we will do our utmost to defend ourselves.” Concurrently, the 29th Army commanded the troops defending the Marco Polo Bridge: “The Marco Polo Bridge is your grave. You must live and die with the bridge and must not retreat.” Brigade Commander He Jifeng reinforced three directives for the defenders:  1. Do not allow the Japanese army to enter the city;  2. Firmly counterattack if the Japanese invade;  3. You are responsible for defending the territory and will never yield. If you abandon your position, you will face military law. On July 9, the 29th Army successfully eliminated a Japanese squadron and reclaimed control of the railway bridge and Longwang Temple. A temporary lull settled over the Marco Polo Bridge battlefield, during which the Japanese military made false claims that "missing Japanese soldiers had returned to their units" and described the situation as a misunderstanding that could be resolved peacefully. Subsequently, Chinese and Japanese representatives in Beijing and Tianjin engaged in negotiations. The Beijing authorities reached an agreement with the Japanese forces, which included:  (1) an immediate cessation of hostilities by both parties;  (2) the Japanese army withdrawing to the left bank of the Yongding River while the Chinese army retreated to the right bank; and  (3) the defense of Lugou Bridge being assigned to Shi Yousan's unit of the Hebei Security Team. However, the following day, while the Chinese army withdrew as agreed, the Japanese army not only failed to uphold its commitments but also dispatched a significant number of troops to launch an offensive against the Chinese forces. Reports on July 10 indicated that the Japanese army had arrived from Tianjin, Gubeikou, Yuguan, and other locations, advancing toward the Lugou Bridge with artillery and tanks, and had occupied Dajing Village and Wulidian, signaling that another outbreak of conflict was imminent. On July 11, the Japanese Cabinet decided to deploy seven divisions from the Kwantung Army, the Korean Army, and Japan to North China. On the same day, the Beiping-Tianjin authorities reached a localized agreement with the Japanese army, which entailed:  (1) a formal apology from a representative of the 29th Army to the Japanese forces, along with assurances that those responsible for the initial conflict would be held accountable;  (2) a ban on anti-Japanese activities conducted by the Communist Party, the Blue Shirts Society, and other resistance groups; and  (3) an agreement ensuring that no Chinese troops would be stationed east of the Yongding River. Concurrently, the Japanese army positioned their forces at strategic points in Wuqing, Fengtai, Wanping, and Changping, effectively encircling the city of Beijing and continuing to advance troops into its surrounding suburbs. Starting on July 11, the Japanese army began bombarding Wanping City and its surrounding areas with artillery, resulting in numerous casualties among the local population. Following the injury of regiment commander Ji Xingwen, residents were evacuated to safer locations outside the city. The conflict then spread to Babaoshan, Changxindian, Langfang, Yangcun, and other areas, with the 29th Army being deployed to various locations to confront the enemy. The Japanese military also dispatched aircraft for reconnaissance and strafing missions, leading to intermittent fighting. On July 13, Mao Zedong urged "every Communist Party member and anti-Japanese revolutionary to be prepared to mobilize to the frontline of the anti-Japanese war at any time" from Yan'an. By July 15, a CPC representative presented the "Communist Party Declaration on Cooperation between the Kuomintang and the Communist Party" to Chiang Kai-shek, proposing that this declaration serve as the political foundation for cooperation between the two parties and be publicly issued by the Kuomintang. Zhou Enlai, Qin Bangxian, and Lin Boqu continued negotiations with Chiang Kai-shek, Shao Lizi, and Zhang Chong in Lushan. Although Chiang Kai-shek recognized the Shaanxi-Gansu-Ningxia Border Region, disagreements remained regarding the reorganization of the Red Army. On July 16, the Five Ministers Conference in Tokyo resolved to mobilize 400,000 Japanese troops to invade China and to enforce a policy aimed at rapidly destroying the entire country. The following day, more than 100 Japanese soldiers arrived in Shunyi and Changping, where they reinforced fortifications on the city wall of Changping. On July 18, the Japanese army invaded Changping, Tongzhou, and other counties in the pseudo-border areas by maneuvering through various passes of the Great Wall. Japanese plainclothes teams were reported to be active in the Xiaotangshan area of Changping, raising alert levels within the Chinese army. On July 20, the Kuomintang Military and Political Department became aware that the Japanese army intended to first occupy strategic locations such as the Indigo Factory, Wanshou Mountain, and Balizhuang in the Pingxi area, before cutting off the Pingsui Road and controlling the route from Beiping to Changping. On July 21, the Japanese army violated the agreement by bombarding Wanping County and the garrison at Changxindian.  On the night of July 25, a confrontation took place at the railway station in Langfang, located between Peiping and Tientsin. The clash involved Chinese troops and a Japanese company dispatched to repair telegraph lines. General Kazuki promptly sought Tokyo's permission to respond with military force, believing that the situation required immediate action. Without waiting for authorization, he ordered a regiment from Tientsin to engage the Chinese forces and issued an ultimatum to Sung Che-yuan, stating that if the 37th Division did not completely withdraw from Peiping by noon on July 28, the Garrison Army would take unilateral action. The 77th Infantry Regiment of the 20th Division was dispatched with the Gonoi Squadron to escort a repair team to Langfang Station. Stationed near Langfang were the headquarters of the 113th Brigade of the 38th Division, along with the main force of the 226th Regiment, led by Brigade Commander Liu Zhensan and Regiment Commander Cui Zhenlun. Although the leadership of the 29th Army adopted a passive stance in the war of resistance, the forces in Langfang prepared for conflict in an organized manner. They not only evacuated the families of servicemen and relocated the regiment headquarters, but also built fortifications and deployed plainclothes teams at Wanzhuang Station, Luofa Station, and Langfang Station to swiftly destroy the railway if necessary. Despite their preparations, the commanders of the 38th Division adhered to Song Queyuan's directives. When the 5th Company, stationed at Yangcun, observed Japanese supply units continually moving toward Lugou Bridge, they sought permission to engage the enemy. However, the 38th Division later reassigned this company. The Bac Ninh Line, established after the Boxer Protocol, had granted the Japanese the right to station troops, placing the 38th Division in a vulnerable position and preventing them from stopping the Japanese before they reached Langfang. Upon the arrival of Japanese forces at Langfang Station, Chinese guards initiated negotiations, requesting the Japanese to withdraw quickly after completing their mission. The Japanese, however, insisted on establishing camps outside the station, leading to repeated arguments. As tensions mounted, the Japanese began constructing positions near the station, ultimately forcing Chinese troops to retreat and escalating the conflict. The situation reached a boiling point around 11:10 pm, when fierce gunfire and explosions erupted near Langfang Station. The Japanese army claimed they were defending the station from an attack by Chinese forces armed with rifles, machine guns, and mortars throughout the night. According to Cui Zhenlun, the head of the 226th Regiment, it was the 9th and 10th companies that could no longer tolerate the Japanese provocation and fired first, catching the enemy off guard. As the battle intensified, reinforcements from the main force of the 77th Infantry Regiment “Li Deng Unit” arrived at the scene after receiving reports of the skirmish and gradually joined the fight after 6:30 am on July 26. When dawn broke, Japanese troops stationed at Langfang began to rush out to counterattack, seeing their reinforcements arrive. Recognizing they could not eliminate the Japanese presence at the station quickly, the 226th Regiment faced heavy bombardment from the Japanese Air Force later that morning. Consequently, the headquarters of the 113th Brigade and the primary forces of the 226th Regiment hastily retreated to Tongbai Town, suffering significant losses in equipment during their withdrawal. That night, Kazuki made the unilateral decision to abandon the policy of restraint and decided to use force on July 28 "to punish the Chinese troops in the Peiping-Tientsin area." On the morning of July 27, the army high command endorsed his decision and submitted a plan to the cabinet for mobilizing divisions in Japan. The cabinet agreed, and imperial approval was sought. At that time, the Chinese army was gathering in significant numbers in Baoding and Shijiazhuang in southern Hebei, as well as in Datong, Shanxi. They had effectively surrounded the Japanese army on all sides in the Fengtai District. Meanwhile, newly mobilized units of the Kwantung Army and the Japanese Korean Army were en route to the Tianjin and Beiping areas. The 2nd Battalion of the 2nd China Garrison Infantry Regiment, commanded by Major Hirobe, was dispatched with 26 trucks to the Japanese barracks within the walls of Beiping to ensure the protection of Japanese residents. Prior discussions had taken place between Takuro Matsui, head of the Special Service Agency, and officials from the Hebei–Chahar Political Council regarding the passage of troops through the Guang'anmen gate just outside Beiping. The mayor, Qin Dechun, had granted approval for this movement. However, when Major Tokutaro Sakurai, a military and political advisor to the Council, arrived at Guang'anmen, a famous gate to Beiping, around 6:00 pm to establish contact, he found that the Chinese troops on guard had closed the gate. After further negotiations, the gates were opened at approximately 7:30 pm, allowing the Japanese units to begin passing through. Unfortunately, as the first three trucks crossed, the Chinese opened fire on them. Two-thirds of the units managed to get through before the gate was abruptly shut, leaving a portion of Hirobe's troops trapped both inside and outside. As they faced unexpectedly heavy fire from machine guns and grenades, efforts by Japanese and Chinese advisors to pacify the Chinese troops proved futile. By 8:00 pm, the Japanese launched a counterattack from both sides of the gate. The Chinese received reinforcements and encircled the Japanese forces. Despite a relief column being dispatched by Brigadier Masakazu Kawabe, commander of the brigade in the Fengtai District, by 9:30 pm, negotiations with the Chinese yielded a proposal for de-escalation: the Chinese army would maintain a distance while the Japanese inside the gate would relocate to the grounds of their legation, and those outside would return to Fengtai. Fighting ceased shortly after 10:00 pm, and at approximately 2:00 am the following day, Hirobe's unit successfully entered the barracks in the legation. The total casualties reported for the Japanese army during these confrontations were 2 dead and 17 wounded. Both fatalities were superior privates. The wounded included one major, one captain, one sergeant, two superior privates, one private first class, seven privates second class, two attached civilians, and one news reporter. Additionally, the interpreter accompanying Tokutaro Sakurai was also killed in action. On July 27, the Japanese army launched attacks on the 29th Army garrisons in Tongxian, Tuanhe, Xiaotangshan, and other locations, forcing the defenders to retreat to Nanyuan and Beiyuan. At 8:00 am on July 28, under the command of Army Commander Kiyoshi Kozuki, the Japanese army initiated a general assault on the 29th Army in the Beiping area. The primary attacking force, the 20th Division, supported by aircraft and artillery, targeted the 29th Army Special Brigade, the 114th Brigade of the 38th Division, and the 9th Cavalry Division stationed in Nanyuan. Overwhelmed by the Japanese assault, Nanyuan's defenders struggled to maintain command, leading to chaotic individual combat. Meanwhile, the main Japanese garrison brigade in Fengtai advanced to Dahongmen, effectively cutting off the Nanyuan troops' route to the city and blocking their retreat. The battle for Nanyuan concluded at 1:00 pm, resulting in the deaths of Tong Lingge, deputy commander of the 29th Army, and Zhao Dengyu, commander of the 132nd Division. As this unfolded, elements of the 37th Division of the 29th Army launched an attack on the Japanese forces in Fengtai but were repulsed by Japanese reinforcements. On that day, the Japanese Army's 1st Independent Mixed Brigade captured Qinghe Town, prompting the 2nd Brigade of the Hebei-Northern Security Force, stationed there, to retreat to Huangsi. The Japanese also occupied Shahe. In the afternoon of July 28, Song Qeyuan appointed Zhang Zizhong as the acting chairman of the Hebei-Chahar Political Affairs Committee and director of the Hebei-Chahar Pacification Office, as well as the mayor of Beiping, before leaving the city for Baoding that evening. The 37th Division was ordered to retreat to Baoding. On July 29th, a significant mutiny broke out at Tongzhou. If you remember our episode covering the Tanggu truce, Tongzhou had become the capital of the East Hubei Anti-Communist Autonomous Government headed by Yin Jukeng. In response Chiang Kai-Shek had established the East Hebei Administrative Affairs Committee, chaired by Song Queyuan. In Tongzhou, Japanese troops were stationed under the pretext of protecting Japanese residents, as stipulated by the Boxer Protocol. Initially, a unit was intended to be stationed in Tongzhou; however, Vice Minister of the Army Umezu Yoshijiro strongly opposed this plan, arguing that placing forces in Tongzhou, far from the Beiping-Tianjin Line was inconsistent with the spirit of the Boxer Protocol. Consequently, this unit was stationed in Fengtai, located southwest of Beiping. At the time of the Tongzhou Incident, the main force of the Japanese Second Regiment, which was responsible for defending Tongzhou, had been deployed to Nanyuan, south of Beijing. Consequently, only non-combat personnel remained in Tongzhou. Japan regarded the Jidong Anti-Communist Autonomous Government Security Force as a friendly ally. Back on July 27, the primary forces of the Japanese Army stationed in Tongzhou, comprising the Kayashima Unit and the Koyama Artillery Unit, received orders to advance toward Nanyuan, Beiping, leaving Tongzhou significantly under-defended. The following day, the Japanese launched a substantial attack on Nanyuan, employing aircraft to bomb Beiping. Sensing a critical opportunity, Zhang Qingyu conferred with Zhang Yantian and Shen Weigan to initiate an uprising that very night. The insurgent force included elements from the first and second corps and the teaching corps, totaling approximately 4,000 personnel. Zhang Qingyu orchestrated the uprising with a focused strategy: the first corps was divided into three groups targeting Japanese forces in Xicang, the puppet government, and various establishments such as opium dens, casinos, and brothels operated by Japanese ronin. Meanwhile, the second corps secured key intersections and facilities in Chengguan, and the teaching corps managed defenses against potential reinforcements at vital stations. At dawn on July 29, the gunfire signaling the uprising erupted. The second unit of the first corps launched an assault on the Xicang Barracks, which housed 120 troops and non-combat personnel, including the Tongzhou Guard, Yamada Motor Vehicle Unit, a Military Police Detachment, and a host of military and police units, totaling about 500 individuals. At around 3 a.m. on July 29, the sound of gunfire filled the air as the insurgents engaged the Japanese forces. Although equipped with only four field guns, several mortars, and a few heavy machine guns, the uprising's numerical superiority enabled simultaneous attacks from the east, south, and northwest. Despite their well-fortified positions and rigorous defense, the Japanese troops struggled against the relentless onslaught. For over six hours, fierce fighting ensued. The uprising troops escalated their firepower but failed to breach the Xicang Barracks initially. More than 200 members of the Japanese security forces lost their lives in the conflict. Concerned that reinforcements might arrive and flank the uprising, Zhang Qingyu ordered artillery assaults around 11 a.m., prompting a shift in the battle's dynamics. The artillery targeted a Japanese motor vehicle convoy transporting supplies and munitions, leading to the destruction of all 17 vehicles, triggering explosions that scattered bullets and shrapnel across the area. Subsequently, nearby fuel depots ignited, engulfing the surroundings in flames and creating chaos among Japanese ranks. The insurgent infantry capitalized on this confusion, wiping out most of the remaining Japanese forces, with only a handful managing to escape. As the uprising signal rang out, another faction of insurgents swiftly blocked access to Tongzhou, disrupting traffic and occupying the telecommunications bureau and radio station. They encircled the offices of the Jidong puppet government, capturing traitor Yin Rugeng, who was taken to the Beiguan Lu Zu Temple. Despite being urged to resist the Japanese, Yin hesitated and was subsequently imprisoned. The third group then targeted the Japanese secret service agency in Nishicang. Hosoki Shigeru, residing a mere lane away from the pseudo-office, responded to the gunfire by mobilizing a contingent of secret agents to confront the uprising. However, the insurgents swiftly overtook the secret service agency, resulting in Shigeru's death and the annihilation of all secret personnel. At 4:00 p.m. on July 29, the Japanese command dispatched reinforcements, compelling the insurgents to retreat from Tongzhou. The Japanese Chinese Garrison ordered air attacks on the uprising forces, with over ten bombers targeting Tongzhou. Concurrently, the Japanese Fengtai Infantry Brigade and the Second Regiment were mobilized for a rescue operation, arriving on the morning of July 30. The Japanese headquarters issued a night defense order requiring all units to be on high alert. By 5:30 p.m., commanding officers assembled to devise a strategy. With the uprising forces still positioned around the eastern, southern, and northern walls of the barracks, Tsujimura's troops implemented strict measures: all units were instructed to fortify defenses throughout the night, with the Tongzhou Guard directly protecting the barracks and the Yamada unit securing the warehouse and supply areas. They enforced silence, prohibiting any lights at night, coordinating operations under the code name "plum cherry." As the Japanese planes repeatedly bombed the area, the insurgents, lacking anti-aircraft defenses, could only mount futile counterattacks with machine guns, leading to disorder among their ranks. Many insurgents abandoned their uniforms and weapons and fled, prompting Zhang Qingyu to make the difficult decision to evacuate Tongzhou before Japanese reinforcements arrived, regrouping in Beiping with the remnants of the 29th Army. In the late hours of July 29, the security team retreated to Beiping in two groups. Upon arrival, they discovered the 29th Army had already evacuated, forcing them to retreat to Changxindian and Baoding. En route, they encountered part of the Suzuki Brigade of the Japanese Kwantung Army near Beiyuan and Xizhimen, where they faced concentrated attacks. Officers Shen Weigan and Zhang Hanming were both killed in the subsequent battles as they led their teams in desperate fights for survival. Amid the confusion, Yin Rugeng managed to escape when the convoy escorting him was broken up by Japanese forces. In a last-ditch effort, Zhang Qingyu ordered the army to split into small groups of 50 to 60, navigating through Mentougou to regroup with the 29th Army. By the time they reached Baoding, only about 4,000 personnel remained. On the morning of July 30, over a thousand troops from the Sakai Army entered Tongzhou City. They rounded up all men they encountered, searching residences for insurgents, and exhibited intentions of massacring the local population. By 4 p.m., the Kayashima Army arrived and sealed all city gates, deploying surveillance units to oversee the city and "restore public order." The Tsujimura Army removed perimeter defenses and concentrated their forces in barracks and storage facilities. Japanese troops combed through residences based on household registries, detaining those they deemed suspicious, with many later executed. As reported by the puppet county magistrate Wang Jizhang, roughly 700 to 800 individuals were executed within a few days. This brutal retaliation instilled terror throughout Tongzhou City, leading many to flee and seek refuge, often in American churches. The pervasive atmosphere of fear lasted for two to three months. The Japanese authorities framed their violent suppression as "restoring stability to East Asia" and derided the legitimate resistance of Chinese citizens as "communist harassment" and "treason." In response to the uprising, the Japanese embassy, concerned that it could trigger a repeat of the Temple Street Incident and instigate political upheaval at home, acted without government instructions. They appointed Morishima Morito to oversee negotiations with Chi Zongmo, who had replaced Yin Rugeng as the head of the "Hebei Anti-Communist Autonomous Government." On December 24, 1937, Chi submitted a formal apology to the Japanese embassy, committing to pay a total of 1.2 million yuan in reparations, with an immediate payment of 400,000 yuan, while the remaining 800,000 yuan would be disbursed by the "Provisional Government of the Republic of China." Furthermore, the Japanese demanded that the "Hebei Anti-Communist Autonomous Government" relinquish the territories where Japanese nationals had been killed and take responsibility for constructing "comfort towers." They compelled Chinese laborers to build these structures at the former site of the Governor's Office of Canal Transport in Shuiyueyuan Hutong, Nanmenli, and the northeastern corner of Xicang Square to commemorate Japanese casualties from the uprising. Additionally, they forcibly uprooted ancient trees from the Temple of Heaven, transplanting them around the "comfort towers." The Japanese military also demolished white marble guardrails at the Confucian Temple to erect a monument honoring their soldiers, resulting in the destruction of centuries-old cultural artifacts. On the morning of July 29, the Japanese Army's 11th Independent Mixed Brigade attacked Beiyuan and Huangsi. The Hebei-Northern Security Force, stationed in Huangsi, engaged the Japanese forces until 6:00 PM before retreating. Meanwhile, the 39th Independent Brigade, garrisoned in Beiyuan, fought the Japanese before withdrawing to Gucheng, eventually returning to Beiyuan. On July 31, this brigade was disarmed by the Japanese army, while the Independent 27th Brigade in the city was reorganized into a security team to maintain public order, later breaking through to Chahar Province a few days later and being assigned to the 143rd Division. Meanwhile, the 38th Division of the 29th Army, stationed in Tianjin, proactively attacked Japanese troops in Tianjin early on July 29, capturing the Japanese garrison at Tianjin General Station and launching an assault on the Japanese headquarters at Haiguang Temple and the Dongjuzi Airport. Initially, the battle progressed favorably; however, due to counterattacks from Japanese aircraft and artillery, the Chinese forces began to retreat around 3:00 PM, leading to the fall of Tianjin. Later that afternoon, the rebel forces evacuated Tong County and advanced toward Beiping. En route, they were attacked by the Japanese army north of the city and subsequently retreated to Baoding. As the 37th Division of the 29th Army received orders to retreat southward, the 110th Brigade covered the army headquarters and the Beiping troops from Wanping to Babaoshan, eventually retreating southward through Mentougou. After completing their task, they withdrew to Baoding on July 30. By the end of the 30th, the Japanese army had occupied both Beiping and Tianjin. The Japanese Independent Mixed Brigade No. 1 and the garrison brigade occupied high ground west of Changxindian and the area near Dahuichang on the evenings of the 30th and 31st, respectively. With this, the battles in Beiping and Tianjin effectively came to a close. China and Japan were at war. I would like to take this time to remind you all that this podcast is only made possible through the efforts of Kings and Generals over at Youtube. Please go subscribe to Kings and Generals over at Youtube and to continue helping us produce this content please check out www.patreon.com/kingsandgenerals. If you are still hungry after that, give my personal channel a look over at The Pacific War Channel at Youtube, it would mean a lot to me. It has finally happened, China and Japan are officially at war. From 1931 until now, it had been an unofficial war between the two, yet another incident had finally broke the camel's back. There was no turning back as Japan would unleash horror upon the Chinese people. The fight for China's survival had begun. China was completely alone against a fierce enemy, how would she manage? 

Helen Mountford, President and CEO of the ClimateWorks Foundation, provides a clear and structured overview of the current state of climate philanthropy and its role in supporting decarbonization, resilience, and systemic climate solutions. ClimateWorks, founded in 2008, was established to improve coordination among climate funders and to identify high-impact interventions that can be supported at scale. Since its inception, the organization has granted over $2 billion to partners in more than 50 countries. Mountford explains how philanthropic funding is well-positioned to play a catalytic role in advancing climate solutions, despite its relatively small scale compared to public and private capital. Philanthropy's comparative advantage lies in its ability to take calculated risks, support early-stage innovation, and invest in enabling conditions—such as policy research, technical capacity, and coalition building—that other sectors may overlook. She gives examples ranging from industrial decarbonization (such as the development of LC3 cement) to the role of philanthropic incentives in accelerating energy-efficient air conditioning technologies. The discussion explores how the cost of renewable energy has now undercut that of fossil fuels in many regions, even when paired with battery storage. This shift has made the economic case for clean energy more compelling, though political and regulatory obstacles remain. Mountford notes that while some jurisdictions are experiencing pushback—through efforts to weaken ESG standards or reduce transparency—broader market and investment trends still favor climate-aligned strategies. A recurring theme in the conversation is the growing convergence between climate and other sectors, such as public health, agriculture, and education. Many foundations that did not historically identify as climate funders are now incorporating climate dimensions into their work. Conversely, climate-focused funders increasingly recognize the importance of aligning with local development goals. Mountford points to the rise of collaborative initiatives aimed at climate adaptation and resilience, particularly in areas that overlap with development priorities. On strategy, she emphasizes the importance of data and coordination. ClimateWorks helps funders co-develop shared approaches based on emissions profiles, political context, and evidence of what is feasible. This includes identifying areas where philanthropic investment can help unlock larger flows of capital or policy change. A systematic, portfolio-level approach helps reduce duplication and increases the likelihood of durable outcomes. Mountford also discusses the challenges of data collection in the philanthropic sector, particularly with respect to individual giving and the measurement of adaptation-related investments. ClimateWorks continues to invest in improving data transparency and encourages others to do the same, as shared information strengthens the entire ecosystem. The episode concludes with a reflection on the role of accurate, credible information in sustaining climate progress. Mountford cautions against the influence of misinformation, which can lead to apathy or misdirected skepticism, and reiterates that while challenges persist, there is substantial forward movement that deserves attention. Thank you for downloading this episode of the Do One Better Podcast. Visit our Knowledge Hub at Lidji.org for information on 300 case studies and interviews with remarkable leaders in philanthropy, sustainability and social entrepreneurship.    

In this sermon, Nolan Maples explores the concept of spiritual decay by comparing the lives of Saul and David. He identifies three stages of decay in Saul's life: tolerating a loss of intimacy with God, accepting poisoned relationships, and betraying core values. Maples uses Scripture, particularly from 1 Samuel, to illustrate these points, showing how Saul's spiritual decline led to his tragic end. Conversely, Maples presents David as a model of spiritual formation, emphasizing his repentant heart and desire for a clean heart from God. He references Psalm 51:10, where David prays, "Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me." Maples encourages listeners to examine their own lives for signs of spiritual decay and to seek God's cleansing and renewal, emphasizing the importance of community and honest self-reflection in this process. https://bwaychurch.org  

Tefillin is one of the 613 Misvot of the Torah and among the most iconic symbols of Judaism. It is referenced four separate times in the Torah and is described not with the term "Tefillin," but with the word "Totafot." Each of the four passages is written on the parchments inside the Tefillin, establishing both the arm (Shel Yad) and head (Shel Rosh) Tefillin as distinct Misvot. According to the Rambam, Tefillin Shel Yad and Tefillin Shel Rosh are counted as two separate commandments—Misvot 12 and 13 in his enumeration. This implies that if one cannot wear one of them (e.g., due to a physical limitation), he should still fulfill the other, as each stands independently. However, the Ramban disagrees and views them as parts of a single Misva. The Torah repeats the Misva of Tefillin multiple times, yet the Rambam teaches that repetition does not necessarily indicate separate commandments. Rather, the repetition underscores the importance of the Misva. In fact, one who neglects to wear Tefillin transgresses eight positive commandments —four from Shel Yad and four from Shel Rosh. What Does " Totafot " Mean? The term " Totafot " has numerous interpretations: The Gemara Menahot (34b) explains that "Tot" means "two" in the Katpi language, and " Fot " means "two" in African dialect— totalling four, referencing the four compartments of Tefillin Shel Rosh. Menahem ben Saruq interprets " Totafot " from the root " Hatof " (to speak), reflecting that Tefillin inspires us to speak of Hashem's teachings. Ramban says Totafot is an ornament, a kind of crown or glorious item worn on the head, based on Midrashim and biblical parallels. Hezkuni interprets it as something gazed upon, meant to visually remind the wearer of Hashem's miracles. Kabbalistic sources say Tefillin is a form of "Ot" (sign), symbolizing the covenant between the Jewish people and Hashem. The word "Tefillin" itself derives from "Peli"—to distinguish or to separate—or from " Tefila " (prayer), since Tefillin is primarily worn during prayer. Some suggest it comes from the root "Patil" (binding), as in the Torah's description of Naftali. Philosophical Purpose of Tefillin The Sefer HaHinuch (Misva 421) writes that humans are physical beings drawn to material pleasures. The soul is the counterforce, urging one to rise spiritually. Tefillin serves as a daily spiritual armor , empowering the soul to prevail in its ongoing struggle with the body. The Tefillin Shel Yad is worn near the heart, the seat of emotion and desire, while the Tefillin Shel Rosh rests above the brain, the seat of thought—reinforcing control over both. Tefillin is part of the "triple protection system" described in the Gemara—Tefillin, Sisit , and Mezuzah. A person surrounded by these reminders is far less likely to sin . The Rambam adds that donning Tefillin causes a person to behave with humility, awe, and discipline, shielding him from improper thoughts. Tefillin as a Sign Three Misvot are described in the Torah as an "Ot" (sign) : Tefillin, Shabbat, and Berit Milah. A Jew must always be accompanied by at least two signs testifying to his faith. During the week, Tefillin and Milah serve this role. On Shabbat and Yom Tob, when Tefillin is not worn, Shabbat and Milah function as the two signs. This explains the prohibition of wearing Tefillin on Shabbat—doing so would imply that Shabbat is not a sufficient "sign" on its own. Protection, Reward, and Spiritual Energy Wearing Tefillin not only fulfills a critical Misva but is associated with long life, Divine protection, spiritual clarity , and even atonement . Rabbi Shimon teaches that Tefillin atones for the sin of arrogance and, according to some Midrashim, even for more serious transgressions. The Zohar states that Tefillin draws Divine light around the wearer's head. The famed Baba Sali is said to have sensed when his Tefillin were invalid because he didn't feel this spiritual energy. In fact, studies have been cited showing subtle energy field changes when valid Tefillin are worn. The Gemara in Berachot teaches that those who wake early, clean their bodies, don Tefillin, and pray are considered as if they built an altar and brought a sacrifice. The Midrash Tanhuma says that one who desires to study Torah day and night but is preoccupied with work can still attain that merit through wearing Tefillin. The Spiritual Danger of Neglect The Gemara states that one who never wore Tefillin is categorized as a " Poshe'a B'gufo " —a sinner with his body—one of the most serious categories. Such a person does not merit resurrection and is punished severely in Gehinnam . Some authorities rule that even a person who only occasionally neglects Tefillin is included in this category, especially if done out of contempt or laziness. This explains why many Sephardi communities adopted the custom of donning Tefillin at Minha on Ereb Yom Kippur —to ensure that even the least observant Jews fulfill the Misva at least once annually. Tefillin and the Five Senses Tefillin affects not only the spiritual self but also the five senses : Eyes, ears, nose, and mouth are all situated in the head, thus corresponding to the four compartments of the Tefillin Shel Rosh. Touch corresponds to the Tefillin Shel Yad, placed on the arm and wrapped around the hand. This design serves as a daily reminder to guard our senses and align our behavior with holiness. Summary Tefillin is not just a ritual—it is a powerful spiritual and physical shield . The Torah refers to it repeatedly, highlighting its great value. Tefillin connects the mind and heart to Hashem, serves as a visible testimony to one's Jewish identity, brings protection and humility, and provides spiritual credit equivalent to the study of Torah. One who neglects it—especially willfully—risks significant spiritual consequences. Conversely, one who wears it properly fulfills multiple Misvot and draws down abundant blessing. As we begin our study of the practical Halachot of Tefillin, we now understand why this Misva is treated with such reverence and importance.

Silver has reached new all time highs.  Not literally, but as far as I go it has, and I am officially the new standard for what is and what isn't, so let's celebrate!  And let's also find ways to get back into this market if you initially missed it, or you just simply want more.   Recommended Crypto Trading Platform (And Bonus Eligibility) - https://nononsenseforex.com/cryptocurrencies/best-crypto-trading-platform/   For Decentralized Crypto Trading (US Citizens Can Join) - https://nononsenseforex.com/decentralized-trading-platform/   Blueberry Markets Blog (Top FX Broker) - https://nononsenseforex.com/uncategorized/blueberry-markets-review-my-top-broker-for-2019/   Follow VP on Twitter https://twitter.com/This_Is_VP4X   Check out my Forex trading material too! https://nononsenseforex.com/   The host of this podcast is not a licensed financial advisor, and nothing heard on this podcast should be taken as financial advice.  Do your own research and understand all financial decisions and the results therein are yours and yours alone.  The host is not responsible for the actions of their sponsors and/or affiliates.  Conversely, views expressed on this podcast are that of the host only and may not reflect the views of any companies mentioned. Trading Forex involves risk.  Losses can exceed deposits. We are not taking requests for episode topics at this time.  Thank you for understanding.

Dean sent a separate email but for the sake of visibility I am replying on this thread with the opener text and the audio file.  If we could get this ready for publishing would be great.With nearly three decades at BlackRock, Mitch Garfin brings a deep well of experience to his role as Co-head of Leveraged Finance, overseeing high yield and leveraged loan strategies for the firm. In this episode, we explore the evolution of the credit landscape — from structural shifts in the high-yield market that leave indices of higher credit quality to managing risk in a world of tight spreads but always shifting macro narratives.Mitch shares how his team navigates dispersion, with recent focus on considering the implication of tariffs on different sectors. His team positioned for tariff-related volatility by reducing exposure to sectors like autos and consumer products perceived as most exposed to trade policy risk. Conversely, Mitch saw better value in the tech and insurance sectors.Next, we discuss advancements in trading technology and the implications for liquidity. Here, he argues that the electronification of credit markets and the growth in portfolio trading is having profound impact on risk transfer, reducing frictions and transaction costs. In the process, he shares how his team leverages tools like ETFs and the CDX product to manage exposure.I hope you enjoy this episode of the Alpha Exchange, my conversation with Mitch Garfin.

The regents of University of Florida had already offered Ono the gig, and he had accepted. But the larger governing body - the Board of Governors - rejected that plan as pressure mounted from Republican lawmakers and influential voices decried Ono as too liberal. At the meeting on June 3, 2025, the members of the Board of Governors peppered Ono with questions about his record of support of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion programs. DEI programs have become a target of the Republican Party under President Donald Trump. Ono halted DEI programs at U-M after Trump took office this year. Ono told the board members this week that he stood by his decision to walk away from DEI. "My evolution over the past 18 months or more... has really focused on my personal experience seeing DEI programs - that were started with all good intensions - what impact they've had on campuses," said Ono. Board members also pushed on Ono's handling of pro-Palestinian campus protests, and questioned whether he came out with enough forceful support of Israel in the days after the Oct. 7th attack in 2023. Conversely, many pro-Palestinian supporters on campus and in Ann Arbor railed against Ono while president at U-M for being too supportive of Israel and for continuing university investment in Israeli businesses. The Florida Board of Governors rejected Ono's appointment by a 10-6 vote. It's unclear what Ono will do now. His departure from U-M came after three difficult years, in which the university was challenged on multiple fronts. The reason and manner of Florida’s apparent rejection are also historic, and say a lot about this moment. Today, we’ve invited back Jamal Watson, editor of the online journal, Diverse: Issues in Higher Education to explain what happened and what's next for Ono. Watson is also a Professor of Strategic Communication and Public Relations at Trinity Washington University.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Sal Licata is unequivocally thrilled with the New York Mets' performance, particularly highlighting Juan Soto's resurgence, happiness, and fan engagement as key indicators of the team's success. He firmly believes the Mets have surpassed the Dodgers in current standing and are poised for continued improvement, even suggesting fans should vote Soto into the All-Star game regardless of his statistics. Conversely, Licata is highly critical of the Knicks' decision to fire Tom Thibodeau, viewing it as a misguided and risky move that could destabilize the franchise, arguing that there isn't a readily available and definitively better coaching option to justify such a change.

Positive Market Updates and Key Economic Indicators - June 3rd Edition In this episode of Dividend Cafe, Brian Szytel reports from the Newport Beach office of The Bahnsen Group on the market's positive performance on June 3rd, despite initially lower futures. The DOW, S&P, and Nasdaq all saw gains. There was a minor decline in bond prices with a slight rise in yields. Key economic updates included an optimistic report on new job openings, which exceeded expectations, indicating employer confidence despite recent volatility. Conversely, factory orders fell slightly more than expected. The episode also touches on Elon Musk's criticism of a congressional spending bill and outlines the implications for government spending and debt. Upcoming employment reports are highlighted as significant data points to watch. 00:00 Introduction and Market Overview 00:37 Economic Indicators and Job Market Insights 01:26 Factory Orders and Economic News 01:53 Elon Musk's Reaction to Congressional Spending Bill 02:59 Debt to GDP Ratio Discussion 04:13 Upcoming Employment Data and Conclusion Links mentioned in this episode: DividendCafe.com TheBahnsenGroup.com

//The Wire//2300Z June 3, 2025////ROUTINE////BLUF: UNDERWATER SABOTAGE OPERATION CONDUCTED ON CRIMEAN BRIDGE. RIOTS ESCALATE IN FRANCE. IED FOUND ON BLUE RIDGE PARKWAY.// -----BEGIN TEARLINE------International Events-France: Large scale riots have continued throughout Paris following a local sports victory over the weekend. What originally began as routine celebrations immediately spun out of control to include widespread looting, property damage, and violence. In Grenoble, a vehicle ramming incident was reported as a driver drove into a crowd of people in the street, wounding 4x people. In the small town of Dax in southern France, a 17-year-old was stabbed to death by a mob.Russia: Various covert Ukrainian attacks have continued. Overnight, explosive charges detonated underwater under the Crimean Bridge, after satchel charges were placed there by Ukrainian (and probably American) frogmen some time ago. Ukraine has taken credit for the attack, and has claimed that 1,100 kg of explosives were used in the attack. In the statement provided on the attack, Ukraine specifically stated that this took several months to bring to fruition.-HomeFront-North Carolina: An improvised incendiary device was discovered on the Blue Ridge Parkway just outside of Asheville over the weekend. No details have been provided other than that the device was discovered in the vicinity of the Folk Art Museum. EOD personnel rendered the device safe, and a section of the Blue Ridge Parkway was briefly closed while the investigation was conducted.-----END TEARLINE-----Analyst Comments: The explosive attack on the Crimean Bridge failed to destroy the pylons of the bridge, but this is yet another clandestine effort that took considerable skill to pull off. Regarding the details of the attack, the 1,100 kg figure seems to be dubious at best (due to the small size of the explosion, even taking into account that it was underwater), so it's possible that either this figure is exaggerated or some error prevented the high-order detonation of all of the explosives laid. However if this figure is accurate, this attack would have been one of the largest underwater sabotage operations in modern history. Considering the bridge has been targeted relentlessly by unmanned surface vessels, Russia's security around this bridge is substantial. This seemingly unimportant detail seems unremarkable, but the bridge is also a considerable distance from any Ukrainian-held position. As such, this is not just another day in Russia; this attack (if carried out in the manner speculated) was probably even harder to pull off than the drone attack of two days ago that has shifted the dynamic of warfare.If the claims made by Ukraine regarding this attack are accurate (and that's a big "if"), transporting this much explosive material could not have happened without direct support from the United States. Submersible vehicles and divers would have needed to work around the clock to transport that amount of explosives underwater from such a great distance. Conversely, if Ukraine/United States has developed some sort of new (or at least, newly operational) unmanned submersible that (most importantly) has the range AND precision to deliver and emplace explosives in this manner, it would be a new milestone in the field of warfare. In short, if divers carried out this attack, it was a very challenging task that only a small number of nations can successfully pull off, and if this attack was carried out by unmanned submersibles, this is still a comparatively new development in the operational status of such targeting methods.Analyst: S2A1Research: https://publish.obsidian.md/s2underground//END REPORT//

In this week's episode of The Baseline NBA Podcast, we delve into the highly anticipated 2025 NBA Finals matchup between the Indiana Pacers and the Oklahoma City Thunder. This series features two of the youngest teams in NBA history competing for the championship, showcasing a clash between the Pacers' high-octane offense and the Thunder's elite defense. We analyze the Pacers' fast-paced offensive strategies, led by their dynamic young core, and how they plan to penetrate the Thunder's formidable defense, which has been statistically one of the best in the modern era. Conversely, we examine how the Thunder's disciplined defensive schemes aim to disrupt the Pacers' rhythm and capitalize on transition opportunities. Key Discussion Points:Breakdown of team strategies and key player matchupsImpact of coaching decisions and adjustmentsHistorical context of young teams in the NBA FinalsPredictions and X-factors that could determine the series outcomeJoin us as we provide in-depth analysis and insights into this exciting NBA Finals showdown. Subscribe to The Baseline NBA Podcast for comprehensive coverage of the NBA Finals and more.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-baseline-nba-podcast--3677698/support.

Leyla Kunimoto brings a rare and unfiltered perspective to today's commercial real estate conversation: that of a full-time individual LP who writes publicly about her investment decisions. She's not a sponsor, a capital raiser, or a fund manager; she's an investor allocating her own capital and speaking candidly about what she sees in the market.   Through her newsletter Accredited Investor Insights, Leyla connects with hundreds of other LPs and GPs, giving her a uniquely well-informed view of how sentiment is shifting, how sponsors are adapting (or not), and why many individual investors, herself included, are taking a more cautious, capital-preserving stance in the current environment.   Track Records Are the New Credentials Leyla made one thing immediately clear in my conversation with her: experience across market cycles matters more than ever. Sponsors who lived through the Global Financial Crisis (GFC), and made it out intact, view the world differently. “There's a certain level of conservatism they develop,” she said, that translates into more disciplined underwriting, more thoughtful pacing, and fewer emotionally driven decisions.   This stands in sharp contrast to what Leyla observed in 2020, when billboards at Dallas airports advertised real estate masterminds promising to teach people how to raise capital fast. She watched sponsors pile into deals with razor-thin margins, driven more by optimism than fundamentals. Some of those same players are now facing tough questions from investors.   Tariffs Are Already Affecting CRE in Two Big Ways While many LPs focus on interest rates, Leyla highlighted tariffs as a macro driver that's beginning to affect commercial real estate, particularly in development. First, tariffs are raising costs on imported materials, like lumber, pushing construction budgets higher. Second, she's watching what tariffs could mean for demand in the industrial sector.   “If trade with Mexico declines, what happens to logistics facilities near the border?” she asked. Conversely, if reshoring takes off, we may see demand rise for inland warehouse space. It's a nuanced picture and one that sponsors in ground-up deals can't afford to ignore.   Equity Is Cautious. Retail Capital Is Now in Play. Another shift Leyla is tracking is on the capital side. Institutional equity has pulled back in many corners of the market, and some sponsors are turning to retail LPs for the first time. But this isn't an easy pivot.   “Retail investors are expensive to reach,” she said. They also tend to ask more questions – and now, they're more skeptical. Many LPs are sitting on deals that aren't performing. As a result, the bar for new allocations is much higher. “There's a sense of caution,” she noted. “LPs aren't allocating blindly anymore.”   Floating Rate Debt Divides the Market Leyla sees a bifurcated sponsor landscape: those who are still dealing with the aftermath of floating-rate debt, and those who have the capital and flexibility to transact but can't find deals that pencil.   Sponsors with legacy floating-rate loans are focused on rate caps and marginal cash flow. They're rooting for the Fed to cut rates. Others are hunting for acquisitions, but the math isn't working. “Without aggressive assumptions, most deals don't pencil,” she said.   The IRR Illusion: What LPs Should Actually Be Watching Many sponsors still lead with IRR projections, but Leyla has shifted her mindset. “I don't screen for how much money I'm going to make. I don't screen for the IRR probability,” she told me, “the only thing I'm laser beam focused on when I evaluate private placement deals is the probability of losing money.”   That loss-aversion lens changes everything. She believes LPs are better off compounding modest, positive returns over time than chasing double-digit IRRs that come with a real chance of loss. “Making 3-4% positive IRR for 10 years straight outperforms hitting 20% on some deals and going to zero on others,” she said.   Stress Tests Are Private. Optimism Is Public. Behind closed doors, sponsors are more conservative than they let on, she says. The real pros run multiple models – best, worst, and most likely scenarios. “I always ask for stress test scenarios underwritten to the GFC,” she says, continuing that she used to hear sponsors saying such scenarios were never going to play out because the underwriting is too stringent. “I'm hearing a little bit less of that now,” she says.   Still, she's skeptical of any deck that doesn't acknowledge the possibility of a rent decline. Of course deals won't pencil if you underwrite to a 10% rent drop but, in some markets, that's exactly what's happening.   Cash Is a Position. Waiting Is a Strategy. When I asked what she'd do if handed a $1 million windfall today, Leyla didn't hesitate: “I'd keep it in cash and I would try to get very narrow on what my buy box is,” not because she's fearful but because she wants to be surgical when she deploys.   She encourages LPs to be patient and wait for opportunities that fit tight criteria. In an environment where you can make 4.5%+ tax and risk-free, “there's no harm in waiting,” she says. She also shared stories of seasoned sponsors that sold early, sat in cash through the entire 2021 run-up, and are still waiting because they can't find deals that pencil – that are still too expensive for prudent investors.   What Leyla's Watching Now Leyla doesn't try to predict markets. But she does monitor signals: The 10-Year Treasury yield Local supply pipelines Investor sentiment from her network of LPs And her biggest piece of advice? Focus on not losing money. That alone will make you a better investor.   *** In this series, I cut through the noise to examine how shifting macroeconomic forces and rising geopolitical risk are reshaping real estate investing.   With insights from economists, academics, and seasoned professionals, this show helps investors respond to market uncertainty with clarity, discipline, and a focus on downside protection.    Subscribe to my free newsletter for timely updates, insights, and tools to help you navigate today's volatile real estate landscape. You'll get: Straight talk on what happens when confidence meets correction - no hype, no spin, no fluff. Real implications of macro trends for investors and sponsors with actionable guidance. Insights from real estate professionals who've been through it all before. Visit GowerCrowd.com/subscribe Email: adam@gowercrowd.com Call: 213-761-1000

Carey is radicalized by Fire Island and drops multiple Dorinda references in this very special, very chintzy episode. His magical tale of going septic and wearing a stent and purse of antibiotics and subsequent digestive woe. Toenail removal and a discussion of disturbing doctors. A lengthy analysis of sunflowers. Conversely, shocking caller opinions on roses. Carey shares dog perfume tips. An exploration of flat Christina Aguilera karaoke. Many helpful PSAs.

When was the last time you were truly awe-struck by God—not because of what He’s done for you, but simply because of who He is? In today’s episode, Megan J. Conner invites us to pause, look up, and soak in the wonder of our Creator. From nature’s beauty to God’s unshakable character, this is your reminder that praise isn’t just a reaction—it’s a decision. And our God? He’s more than worthy.

If you're using the monthly chart for your investment entries like we do, you have almost certainly experienced this feeling at least a few times already.  What do you do when the thing you want to invest in gave you a signal......months ago?  Is it too late to buy?  Maybe not.  Here's what you do...   Recommended Crypto Trading Platform (And Bonus Eligibility) - https://nononsenseforex.com/cryptocurrencies/best-crypto-trading-platform/   For Decentralized Crypto Trading (US Citizens Can Join) - https://nononsenseforex.com/decentralized-trading-platform/   Blueberry Markets Blog (Top FX Broker) - https://nononsenseforex.com/uncategorized/blueberry-markets-review-my-top-broker-for-2019/   Follow VP on Twitter https://twitter.com/This_Is_VP4X   Check out my Forex trading material too! https://nononsenseforex.com/   The host of this podcast is not a licensed financial advisor, and nothing heard on this podcast should be taken as financial advice.  Do your own research and understand all financial decisions and the results therein are yours and yours alone.  The host is not responsible for the actions of their sponsors and/or affiliates.  Conversely, views expressed on this podcast are that of the host only and may not reflect the views of any companies mentioned. Trading Forex involves risk.  Losses can exceed deposits.

Interview with Kyle Floyd, CEO, VOX Royalty Our previous interview: https://www.cruxinvestor.com/posts/vox-royalty-tsxvoxr-strong-growth-potential-with-near-term-revenue-focus-5599Recording date: 27 May 2025VOX Royalty Corp has established itself as a distinctive player in the mining royalty sector by prioritizing fundamental value over commodity-specific strategies. CEO Kyle Floyd outlined the company's transformation from a single producing asset five years ago to a diversified portfolio of eight producing assets across nine ore bodies, while maintaining industry-leading return on invested capital.The company's acquisition strategy targets assets 2-5 years from production, allowing VOX to secure favorable pricing while taking calculated development risks. Floyd emphasizes that unlike competitors who "buy assets at one-times NAV and hope to benefit from optionality," VOX requires "value on the front end in terms of what we're buying and the ultimate net asset value attached to that asset as it stands today."Recent acquisitions exemplify this approach across different timelines. The Red Hill gold royalty, acquired in September 2023, represents a longer-term opportunity expected to generate "$15 million plus per annum" once Northern Star completes its $1.5 billion mill expansion within 18-24 months. Conversely, the producing Kanmantoo copper royalty acquired for $12 million offers immediate cash flow with significant expansion potential through a planned 60,000-meter drill program.VOX demonstrated strong financial performance in 2024, achieving record positive free cash flow and increasing 2025 revenue guidance from $12-14 million to $13-15 million. The company maintains a healthy balance sheet with $9 million cash against $11.7 million debt, utilizing 6.8% cost debt financing to fund accretive acquisitions.Geographic concentration in Western Australia reflects VOX's risk management philosophy, with Floyd calling it "the best mining jurisdiction you can possibly have exposure to as a royalty company." Current gold prices exceeding $5,000 per ounce in Australian dollars create favorable tailwinds for the portfolio.As Floyd noted regarding the company's enhanced capabilities: "If it rains gold, don't put out the thimble, put out the bucket. I think we're in a position now where the bucket's ready."Learn more: https://www.cruxinvestor.com/companies/vox-royaltySign up for Crux Investor: https://cruxinvestor.com

In this episode, Dr. RJ gives parents ideas on how to help their teenagers have a productive summer. There are certain experiences that will hinder the child's future success. Parents want to avoid those this summer. Conversely, there are activities that teenagers can do that will enhance their success in the Fall. Teenagers should do those this summer. If you are interested in Dr. RJ's life coaching program for the summer, schedule a consultation at www.drrjjackson.com/coaching

Send us a textHave you ever caught yourself making excuses instead of simply admitting when you're wrong? Dr. Robert Jackson unpacks this universal human tendency by examining Genesis 3:12-13, where we witness humanity's first blame-shifting moment.Drawing from his medical practice, Dr. Jackson shares revealing parallels between Adam and Eve's garden excuses and our modern-day justifications. Patients who fail to lose weight blame allergies and weather rather than admit non-compliance. Those who skip medication create elaborate stories instead of acknowledging their choices. As Dr. Jackson pointedly observes, "An excuse is the thin skin of a lie"—a truth that cuts straight to our hearts.The consequences of blame-shifting extend far beyond mere dishonesty. Through Psalm 32, we discover the profound physical and emotional toll of unconfessed sin: wasted strength, constant groaning, and vitality drained "as with the fever heat of summer." Conversely, honest confession brings extraordinary relief. The path forward is beautifully clear yet challenging: name your sins specifically without excuse, genuinely repent by turning from old patterns, and receive Jesus as your only Savior. Just as God provided a sacrificial covering in Eden, pointing to Christ's ultimate sacrifice, we find our hope in "the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world."Ready to move from excuse-making to honest confession? This episode offers practical wisdom for experiencing the freedom that comes when we stop shifting blame and start embracing truth. Subscribe now and join us next week as we explore the consequences of sin and the curse upon humanity, Lucifer, and our planet.Support the showhttps://www.jacksonfamilyministry.comhttps://bobslone.com/home/podcast-production/

  Last time we spoke about the Xi'an Incident. In December 1936, tensions in China erupted as Nationalist General Chiang Kai-shek faced a revolt led by his commanders, Zhang Xueliang and Yang Hucheng. Disillusioned by Chiang's focus on battling communists instead of the Japanese invaders, the generals swiftly captured him in a coup. Confined in Xi'an, Chiang initially resisted their demands for a united front against Japan but eventually engaged in negotiation with Zhang and the Chinese Communist Party. As public sentiment shifted against him, Chiang's predicament led to urgent discussions, culminating in an unexpected alliance with the communists. This pact aimed to consolidate Chinese resistance against Japanese aggression, marking a critical turning point in the Second Sino-Japanese War. By December 26, Chiang was released, and this uneasy collaboration set the stage for a more unified front against a common enemy, though underlying tensions remained between the factions.   #152 China Prepares for War Welcome to the Fall and Rise of China Podcast, I am your dutiful host Craig Watson. But, before we start I want to also remind you this podcast is only made possible through the efforts of Kings and Generals over at Youtube. Perhaps you want to learn more about the history of Asia? Kings and Generals have an assortment of episodes on history of asia and much more  so go give them a look over on Youtube. So please subscribe to Kings and Generals over at Youtube and to continue helping us produce this content please check out www.patreon.com/kingsandgenerals. If you are still hungry for some more history related content, over on my channel, the Pacific War Channel where I cover the history of China and Japan from the 19th century until the end of the Pacific War. Before we jump into the Second Sino-Japanese War of 1937-1945, which I honestly have no idea how long will take us, I thought it would be a good idea to dedicate two episodes to how both China and Japan prepared themselves for war.  Going all the way back to the 1910s, Chinese intellectuals began to view an outright conflict between Japan and China was inevitable. In the discussions about China's strategic options, Jiang Fangzhen pioneered a strategy of protracted warfare, a concept that would later shape China's approach during the Sino-Japanese War. Having studied in Japan during his youth, Jiang developed a keen understanding of the Japanese government and military. As early as 1917, he predicted that China and Japan would become embroiled in a long-term conflict, with the battleground likely to be west of the Peiping–Wuhan and Guangzhou–Wuhan railways. In his work titled "Guofang Lun" or “On National Defense”, Jiang reiterated the importance of protracted warfare as a means to thwart Japan's aspirations for a swift victory. He argued that China should leverage its vast population and extensive territory to extend the conflict, gradually wearing down Japanese strength and turning the situation to its advantage. Jiang recommended that China not focus on defending its coastal regions but instead confront the enemy west of the Peking–Wuhan Railway.   Chiang Kai-shek would eventually come to share Jiang's belief that “the longer the war drags on, the more advantageous it will be for China.” Despite significant public criticism, both the Nationalist government and General Zhang Xueliang, decided against military resistance when Japan invaded Manchuria in September 1931 and attacked Shanghai in 1932. Chiang was particularly hesitant to engage Japan directly, as he was also dealing with a Communist insurgency in central China. He feared that Chinese forces would suffer quick defeat, predicting that Japan would capture key coastal areas and critical infrastructure within just three days, crippling China by dismantling its military and economic lifelines. Following the invasion of North China Chiang was forced to adopt a firmer stance. The Nationalist government proposed a dual strategy of pursuing peace and security while simultaneously preparing for war. If peace proved impossible, China would mobilize its resources for ultimate victory through prolonged conflict. This approach was formalized in the National Defense Plan, which China adopted by prioritizing protracted warfare as its core strategy. After the Sino-Japanese clash in Shanghai on January 28, 1932, the Military Affairs Commission devised a plan that divided China into four defense areas along with a preparation area. While some troops were assigned local security, commanders were directed to concentrate their remaining forces for potential confrontations with Japan. That year, the Military Affairs Commission issued General Defense Guidelines that outlined two strategic responses to a potential Japanese invasion. The first, conservative approach focused on maintaining key positions and utilizing protracted warfare to impede the enemy. The second strategy advocated for decisive battles in key regions to thwart Japan's ambitions and protect China's territorial integrity, prioritizing disengagement from Japanese forces along the Yangtze River and coastline. In August 1935, German military adviser General Alexander von Falkenhausen provided recommendations to Chiang Kai-shek based on his predictions of Japanese advance routes into China. He identified three main routes: one from northern Hebei to Zhengzhou, the second from Shandong toward Xuzhou, and the third crossing the Yangtze River to Nanjing and onwards to Wuhan. He suggested treating the Yangtze River as the primary combat zone and highlighted Sichuan as a possible retreat area. Taking all of this into consideration. in 1936, a draft of a new National Defense Plan divided the country into four zones: a war zone, a defense zone, an internal security zone, and a preparation area. The war zone encompassed ten provinces and established strategies for retreating to predetermined defensive positions when necessary, with Sichuan designated as the main base for the war. In January 1937, the Chinese General Staff Department introduced its annual War Plan, outlining three possible military conflict regions between China and Japan. It proposed two main strategies: Proposal A emphasized sustained combat and retreat to fortified positions if the situation became unfavorable, aiming to eventually go on the offensive against Japan. Proposal B focused on repelling Japanese invasions along the coast and from the north, prioritizing counter offensives against Japanese units stationed near key locations. To prepare, the NRA completed several critical projects outlined in its plans, establishing military supply depots in Nanjing, Bengbu, Xinyang, Huayin, Nanchang, and Wuchang to manage logistics for supplies across various strategic railways. These depots were equipped to sustain the military, with ample ammunition and provisions, including 60 million rounds of small-arms ammunition and food for hundreds of thousands. Despite these preparations, not all projects were completed by the time war broke out in July 1937. In contrast to the Japanese military's tactics, Chinese forces prioritized defensive strategies. For example, at the Mount Lushan Military Officer Training Camp in July 1934, Chiang Kai-shek outlined four possible approaches against Japan, favoring a defense-as-offense strategy. Other options included building fortifications, tenaciously defending key positions, and employing guerrilla warfare through irregular forces to constrain enemy advances. Chiang stressed the importance of national mobilization for the war effort.  There was a significant disparity in equipment between the Japanese and Chinese armies. To give you an idea, each Japanese division included a mechanized group featuring thirty-nine light military vehicles and 21 light armored cars, supplemented by 6,000–7,000 horses, 200–300 automobiles, and specialized troops such as poison gas teams. In contrast, Nationalist divisions lacked any of these capabilities, a typical nationalist division theoretically had an armored regiment, but this unit was equipped with fewer than 72 armored vehicles. Another major weakness of the Nationalist forces was their insufficient artillery. In 1936, a division was officially assigned one artillery battalion, which was divided into three batteries totaling twelve guns. It also included a mechanized cannon company with four direct-fire weapons. By comparison, a Japanese division boasted four infantry regiments and one mountain artillery or field artillery regiment, with each artillery regiment comprising three field artillery battalions and one howitzer battalion. The infantry regiment itself included a mountain artillery section with four mountain guns, while the infantry battalion had one Type 70 mountain gun section with two guns. In total, a Japanese division possessed sixty-four artillery pieces of various calibers, four times the number of a Chinese division and of significantly higher quality. In reality, in 1936, twelve of the twenty elite Chinese “reformed divisions” still lacked artillery battalions. The ordnance available in the “reformed divisions” mostly consisted of the outdated Type 60 mountain gun. Nationwide, very few of the 200 divisions were equipped with any artillery, and those that did often used obsolete field artillery pieces or mountain artillery provided to local forces. Some units even relied on trench mortars as a makeshift solution. The artillery weapons came from various countries, but they frequently lacked necessary observation and signal components, and were often low on ammunition. The majority of mountain guns and field artillery were of the Type 75, which, while capable of providing fire support, had limited range and inflicted minimal damage. To give you an idea of the striking inadequacy of the Chinese artillery, during the Shanghai fighting in 1937, the mountain artillery of the Guangxi 21st Army Group could only reach targets within 1,200 yards, while Japanese field artillery had an effective range of 8,000 yards. Chinese-made mountain artillery suffered due to inferior steel-making technology; the gun shields were constructed from low-quality steel, and the barrels often overheated after firing just a few rounds, increasing the risk of explosions. Additionally, the equipment of local forces varied greatly in quality. In fact, some local units had superior equipment compared to Nationalist units. For example, before the Sino-Japanese War, troops from Yunnan were equipped with French antitank guns and heavy machine guns, which were better than the German water-cooled machine guns used by the Nationalist forces. However, the majority of local troops relied on inferior equipment; the 122nd Division under Wang Mingzhang from Sichuan, noted for its brave defense of Tengxian County during the Xuzhou Battle, was armed with locally produced light and heavy machine guns that frequently malfunctioned, and their Type 79 rifles, also made in Sichuan, were often outdated, with some dating back to the Qing Dynasty. These weapons had limited range and sometimes malfunctioned after fewer than one hundred rounds. Now before the war, both Nationalist and local forces acquired weaponry from diverse foreign and domestic sources. Even domestically produced weapons lacked standardization, with those made in Hanyang and Manchuria differing in design and specifications. Arms manufactured in Germany, France, Russia, Japan, and Italy were similarly inconsistent. Consequently, even within a single unit, the lack of uniformity created significant logistical challenges, undermining combat effectiveness, particularly in the early stages of the war. Despite Nationalist ordnance factories producing over three million rounds of small-arms ammunition daily, the incompatibility of ammunition and weapons diminished the usable quantity of ammunition. Chinese communications infrastructure was inadequate. In the Nationalist army, signal units were integrated into engineering units, leading to low-quality radio communications. In emergencies, telegrams could remain undelivered for days, and orders often had to be dispatched via postal services. By 1937, the entire country boasted only 3,000 military vehicles, necessitating heavy reliance on horses and mules for transport. To effectively equip twenty Nationalist divisions, 10,647 horses and 20,688 mules were needed, but by the end of 1935, only 6,206 horses and 4,351 mules were available. A statistic from 1936 indicated a 5 percent mortality rate among military horses, with some units experiencing a rate as high as 10 percent. The distribution of weaponry led to disputes during army reorganization efforts following the Northern Expedition. Although Chiang Kai-shek's forces were part of the regular army, the quality of their equipment varied significantly. Domestic production of weapons was limited, and imports could not close the gap. Priority was given to small arms; through army reorganization, Chiang aimed to diminish the influence of forces less loyal to him. Nationalist army staff officers observed that troops loyal to Chiang received the best weapons. Northwest and Northeast forces, having cultivated good relations with the KMT, were similarly better equipped, while Shanxi troops received inferior supplies. Troops associated with the Guangxi Clique were given even poorer quality weapons due to their leaders' stronger political ambitions. Troops regarded as “bandit forces,” such as those led by Shi Yousan, Li Hongchang, and Sun Dianying, were naturally assigned the least effective weaponry. This unequal distribution of arms increased some local forces' inclination to align with the KMT while alienating others, which inadvertently led to additional turmoil in the aftermath of the Northern Expedition. Logistical accounting within the Nationalist military was severely lacking. Military expenditures accounted for a significant portion of government spending, roughly 65.48 % in 1937, with personnel costs being the largest component. However, military units prioritized boosting their own resources over accurate accounting. Surpluses were not returned but rather utilized to reward military officers and soldiers for merits in battle, care for the wounded, or to create a reserve. Conversely, if deficits arose, troops would resort to “living off vacancies,” a practice in which they would fail to report desertions promptly and would falsely claim new soldiers had arrived. Military leaders typically appointed their most trusted subordinates to serve as accountants and logistic officers. As the war commenced, these issues became readily apparent. During the Battle of Shanghai in 1937, frontline soldiers sometimes went days without food and went months without pay. Wounded soldiers and civilians had to search tirelessly for medical treatment, and when main forces relocated, they often abandoned grain, ammunition, weapons, and petroleum along the way. General Chen Cheng, the commander in chief during the Battle of Shanghai, noted, “This phenomenon clearly revealed our inability to supply frontline troops, indicating that China remains a backward country with poor management.” Many logistical shortcomings severely impacted troop morale and combat effectiveness. In a 1933 speech, Chiang Kai-shek acknowledged that poor food, inadequate clothing, and ineffective logistics contributed to widespread desertion. Soldiers were further demoralized by reduced or embezzled salaries. A lack of professional medical staff and equipment hampered healthcare efforts, leading to high disease and mortality rates. According to official statistics from 1936, approximately 10 percent of soldiers fell ill annually, with a mortality rate as high as 5 percent. Japanese military authorities reported that one in three wounded Japanese soldiers died, while a Dutch military officer present during the early stages of the Sino-Japanese War observed that one in every two wounded Nationalist soldiers perished. Due to inadequate equipment and limited transport options, Nationalist forces were compelled to recruit farmers and rent vehicles, as they lacked essential facilities such as tents. This reliance on local resources inevitably led to frequent conflicts between military personnel and civilians. China is clearly a vast nation with an extensive coastline, requiring the construction of several significant fortresses during the modern era. These included Wusong, Jiangyin, Zhenjiang, Jiangning, and Wuhan along the Yangtze River, as well as Zhenhai, Humen, and Changzhou along the seacoast. Except for the Wuhan fortress, built in 1929-1930, all other fortifications were established during the late Qing Dynasty and featured uncovered cannon batteries. These fortresses suffered from inadequate maintenance, and many of their components had become outdated and irreplaceable, rendering them militarily negligible. Following the January 1932 Shanghai Incident, the Japanese military destroyed the Wusong forts, leaving the entrance to the Yangtze River completely unfortified. Consequently, there were no defenses along the coastline from Jiangsu to Shandong, allowing the Japanese to land freely. In December 1932, the Military Affairs Commission established a fortress group tasked with constructing fortresses and defensive installations, seeking assistance from German military advisers. After the North China Incident in 1935, the Nationalist government accelerated the construction of defensive structures in line with national war planning, focusing particularly on Nanjing. The Nationalists prioritized building fortifications along the seacoast and the Yellow River, followed by key regions north of the Yellow River. The government also ordered a significant quantity of heavy artillery from Germany. This included several dozen pieces of flat-fire antiaircraft and dual-purpose heavy artillery, which were installed at fortifications in Jiangyin, Zhenjiang, Nanjing, and Wuhan. By the summer of 1937, the construction of nine fortified positions was complete: Nanjing, Zhenjiang, Jiangyin, Ningbo, Humen, Mawei, Xiamen , Nantong, and Lianyungang. In total, China had established 41 forts and equipped them with 273 fortress cannons. Some defensive installations were poorly managed, with many units assigned to their perimeters lacking training and access to proper maps. The barbette positions in the fortresses were not well concealed and could hardly store sufficient ammunition. Troops stationed at these fortresses received little training. Despite these shortcomings, the fortresses and fortifications were not entirely ineffective. They bolstered Chinese positions along the defense line stretching from Cangxian County to Baoding and from Dexian County to Shijiazhuang, as well as in southern Shandong.  Before the war, China's political and economic center was situated along the seacoast and the Yangtze River. As Japanese influence expanded, the Nationalist government was compelled to establish bases in China's inner regions, very similar to how the USSR pulled back its industry further west after Operation barbarossa.The Japanese attack on Shanghai in 1932 prompted the Nationalists to relocate their capital to Luoyang. On March 5, during the Second Plenary Session of the KMT's Fourth Congress, the Western Capital Preparation Committee was formed to plan for the potential relocation of all governmental bodies to Xi'an in the event of full-scale war. In February 1933, the Central Political Conference approved the Northwest Development Bill, and in February 1934, the National Economic Commission set up a northwestern branch to oversee development projects in the region. On October 18, 1934, Chiang Kai-shek traveled to Lanzhou, recording in his diary that “Northwest China has abundant resources. Japan and Russia are poised to bully us. Yet, if we strengthen ourselves and develop northwest China to the fullest extent, we can turn it into a base for China's revival.” Interestingly, it was Sichuan, rather than the northwest, that became China's rear base during the 2nd Sino-Japanese War. In October 1934, the Communist army evacuated its Soviet base in southern China, initiating the Long March that would ultimately end in the northwest. By this time, Chiang Kai-shek had decided to designate Sichuan as the last stronghold for China. In January 1935, the Nanchang Field Headquarters of the Military Affairs Commission, responsible for combatting the Communists and serving as the supreme military and political authority over most provinces along the Yangtze River and central China, dispatched a special advisory group to Chongqing. Following this, the Nationalist army advanced into Sichuan. On February 10, the Nationalists appointed a new provincial government in Sichuan, effectively ending the province's long-standing regionalism. On March 2, Chiang traveled to Chongqing, where he delivered a speech underscoring that “Sichuan should serve as the base for China's revival.” He stated that he was in Sichuan to oversee efforts against the Communist army and to unify the provincial administration.  After the Xinhai revolution, the Republic of China was still suing the Qing Dynasty's conscription system. However, once in power, the Nationalist government sought to establish a national military service program. In 1933, it enacted a military service law, which began implementation in 1936. This law categorized military service into two branches: service in the Nationalist army and in territorial citizen army units. Men aged eighteen to forty-five were expected to serve in the territorial units if they did not enlist in the Nationalist army. The territorial service was structured into three phases: active service lasting two to three years, first reserves for six years, and second reserves until the age of forty-five. The Ministry of Military Affairs divided China into sixty divisional conscription headquarters, initially establishing these headquarters in the six provinces of Jiangsu, Zhejiang, Anhui, Jiangxi, Henan, and Hubei. By December 1936, approximately 50,000 new soldiers had been drafted. The military service law disproportionately favored the middle and upper classes. Government personnel were exempt from enlistment, allowing privileged families to register their children with government agencies. Similarly, students in middle and higher education were excused from service, while youth from poorer backgrounds often felt compelled to enlist due to financial constraints that limited their educational opportunities. Village and town leaders were responsible for executing the recruitment process and frequently conspired with army recruiters. Recruitment principles often favored wealthier families, with guidelines stating that one son should be drafted for every three sons, two for five sons, but no drafts if there was only one son. Wealthy families could secure exemptions for all their male children, while poor families might see their only son conscripted if they were unable to provide the requisite bribe. Town and village heads wielded significant power in recruitment. This new recruitment system also created numerous money-making opportunities. Military personnel assigned to escort draftees to their units would often allow draftees to escape for a fee. Additionally, draftees could monetize their service by agreeing to serve as substitutes for others. For some, being drafted became an occupation. For example, in 1936, 600 individuals were drafted in the Wuhu area of Anhui province, and accounts from regional administrators indicated that every draftee had either been traded, replaced, or seized. Beginning in 1929, the Nationalist government also instituted military training for high school students and older individuals. Students were required to participate in one theoretical class and one practical class each week, totaling three hours. Starting in 1934, students had to complete a three-month military training program before graduating. Graduates of military academies were employed as military instructors. By the end of 1936, over 237,000 high school students had undergone military training. This student military training was overseen by the Society for the Implementation of the Three People's Principles of Sun Yat-sen, which also provided political education and sometimes gathered information on students' political beliefs.  Although the Nationalists made significant efforts to improve the military training of both officers and troops, they inherited deep-seated challenges that they were unable to completely overcome. A lack of facilities, outdated training manuals, low regard for military instructors, and the ongoing influence of regionalism and warlordism hindered progress. The Japanese would also later exploit these shortcomings of the Nationalist army. The Central Military Academy, which evolved from the Whampoa Military Academy established in 1923 in Guangzhou to train officers for the Northern Expedition, became the primary training institution for junior military officers. The academy offered a basic course, lasting eighteen months, which included general education, specialized training in various subjects, and field practice. This was followed by a two-year cadet training program focused on developing the skills necessary for junior military officers. Seventeen classes were admitted before the outbreak of war. Admission to the academy was highly competitive, with military officers receiving attractive salaries. For instance, in 1935, the academy received 10,000 applications for the twelfth class, but only 7% were accepted. Upon graduation, cadets were typically assigned to divisions within the Nationalist army loyal to Chiang Kai-shek. Their training, influenced by German advisors, resulted in a high-quality cadre. In modern China, most sergeants were veterans. While some units provided training for sergeants, a lack of formal education led to their diminished status. Truly qualified sergeants were rare. During his tenure as Minister of Military Training, General Bai Chongxi proposed establishing a sergeant school and creating a professional noncommissioned officer system; however, the Ministry of Military Affairs opposed this on financial grounds. While commanding officers enjoyed rapid promotions, military instructors did not. Furthermore, there was no system for transferring instructors to field commands or assigning commanders to military academies for extended periods. Despite minor updates to cover modern warfare concepts such as tank warfare and machine guns, Qing Dynasty military manuals were still in use at the Central Military Academy at the start of the war. Yeah, 1937 they were still rocking the old Qing books. Following the establishment of the Ministry of Military Training, a bureau for military translation was set up to evaluate existing course materials and translate military manuals, but its contributions were limited. Another significant shortcoming of military instruction focused on theory at the expense of practical application.  To enhance the quality of military officers, the Nationalist army instituted specialized schools for artillery, infantry, transport, engineering, and signals starting in 1931. These institutions were considered to have high-quality administrators and facilities. The Nationalists adopted German military training models, replacing the previously used Japanese models. They appointed German advisors to oversee instructor training at military academies and established three instructional divisions. By the onset of the Sino-Japanese War, 15,000 students had graduated from programs with a German military influence, resulting in the creation of about fifty combat divisions from these instructional units. However, the progress of other Nationalist army units was limited because their training was not aligned with contemporary battlefield realities. Before World War I, troops operated in close formations due to limited firepower. The widespread introduction of machine guns after World War I necessitated a shift to dispersed formations. Although a new drill manual issued by the Ministry of Military Training in 1935 introduced small-group tactics, few units adopted these methods. General Chen Cheng highlighted another underlying issue in 1938, commenting on the outmoded focus on parade ground drills and formal military manners. He noted, “We have paid too much attention to stereotypical formality and procedures of no practical use. Sometimes, even though soldiers could not get a haircut or take a bath for several months, their camps had to be in order. They underwent intensive training in close-order drill but learned little about gun handling, marksmanship, or maneuvering. This was inappropriate in peacetime, yet we continued this practice even after the Sino-Japanese War started, even using it on highly educated youth.” In contrast, the Communist army simplified training, emphasizing two essential skills: live-fire exercises and physical endurance, which significantly enhanced troop effectiveness in the challenging terrain characteristic of the Sino-Japanese War. Ultimately, the Nationalist army's training did not reach all soldiers. Only about half of all combat soldiers received adequate training, while the rest were neglected. According to statistics from the time, there were approximately five million military personnel during the Sino-Japanese War, with three million serving in logistics. Most of these logistics personnel had received little training, leading to disastrous consequences for overall combat effectiveness. As warfare has become more complex, the role of highly trained staff officers has become increasingly important. Napoleon developed operational plans close to the front and communicated orders via courier. During World War I, military commanders collected information at their headquarters and utilized telephones and automobiles to relay orders to the front lines. In World War II, with the battlefield expanding to include land, sea, and air, senior commanders often made decisions from headquarters far from the action, relying on a significant number of staff officers with specialized skills to keep them informed. In China, however, the staff officer system was underdeveloped. By 1937, only about 2,000 commanders and staff officers had received training. Prior to the Sino-Japanese War, most commanders managed staff work themselves, with staff officers serving primarily as military secretaries who drafted orders, reports, and maps. Many staff officers had no formal military training, and as a whole, the branch lacked respect, causing the most talented officers to avoid serving in it. The situation was even more dire for staff officer departments within local forces. For example, in March 1937, Liu Ziqing, a graduate of the Whampoa Military Academy, was appointed as the director of political instruction in the Forty-fourth Army, a unit under Sichuan warlord Liu Xiang. Liu Ziqing's account illustrates the dysfunction within the ranks: “The commander in chief was not supposed to manage the army and even did not know its whereabouts... But he could appoint relatives and former subordinates—who were officials and businessmen as well—to the army. Each month they would receive a small stipend. At headquarters, there was a long table and two rows of chairs. Around ten o'clock in the morning, senior officers signed in to indicate their presence. Those with other business would leave, while the remaining officers sat down to leisurely discuss star actresses, fortune-telling, business projects, mah-jongg, and opium. Occasionally they would touch on national affairs, chat about news articles, or share local gossip. In the afternoons, they primarily played mah-jongg, held banquets, and visited madams. Most mornings, the commander usually presided over these activities, and at first, I reported for duty as well. But I soon realized it was a waste of time and came very rarely. At headquarters, most staff members wore long gowns or Western-style suits, while military uniforms were a rare sight.” Most senior military personnel were trained at the Baoding Military Academy during the early republic. 2/3rds of commanders in chief, 37 %of army commanders, and 20 % of division commanders were Baoding graduates. Higher-ranking officers were more likely to have launched their careers there. In contrast, only 10 % of division commanders and a few army commanders were graduates of the Whampoa Military Academy. Additionally, commanders trained in local military schools and those with combat experience accounted for 1/3rd of all commanders. While the prevalence of civil war provided opportunities for rapid promotion, it also hindered officers' ability to update their training or gain experience in different military branches. German advisors expressed their concerns to Chiang Kai-shek, emphasizing that officers should first serve in junior roles before taking command. During one battle in 1938, Chiang noted, “Our commanders in chief are equivalent only to our enemy's regiment commanders, and our army and division commanders are only as competent as our enemy's battalion and company commanders.” Despite not viewing high-ranking Japanese officers as great strategists, Nationalist officers respected them as highly competent, diligent, and professional commanders who rarely made critical errors. The infantry was the primary component of the Nationalist army, with middle and junior infantry officers constituting over 80 %of all army officers. A 1936 registry of military officers listed 1,105 colonels and 2,159 lieutenant colonels within the infantry, demonstrating a significant outnumbering of Baoding graduates at ranks below lieutenant colonel. However, the quality of middle and junior infantry officers declined during the Sino-Japanese War; by 1944, only 27.3 % of these officers were from formal military academies, while those promoted from the ranks increased to 28.1 %. In 1937, 80 % of officers in an ordinary infantry battalion were military academy graduates, but this percentage dropped to 20 % during the war. Its hard to tell how educated soldiers were before the war, but it is generally believed that most were illiterate. In 1929, sociologist Tao Menghe surveyed 946 soldiers from a Shanxi garrison brigade and found that only 13 percent could compose a letter independently, while the rest had either never learned to read or were unable to write. In contrast, in August 1938, General Feng Yuxiang found that 80 percent of a regiment in Hunan were literate. Regardless, during the Sino-Japanese War, the quality of recruits steadily declined. More than 90 percent of soldiers were illiterate, and few possessed any basic scientific knowledge, which hindered their ability to master their weapons. On the battlefield, they heavily relied on middle and junior officers for guidance.  In autumn 1933, General Hans von Seeckt, the architect of the post World War I German army, visited China at the personal invitation of Chiang Kai-shek. In his recommendations for military reform, he identified China's greatest problem as its excessively large forces drawn from diverse backgrounds. He stated, “At present, the most pressing goal is to... establish a small, well-equipped army with high morale and combat effectiveness to replace the numerous poorly armed and trained forces.” He suggested forming an army of sixty divisions and recommended the establishment of a training regiment for military officers to equip them with the skills needed for modern warfare. Chiang Kai-shek accepted von Seeckt's proposals, and on January 26, 1935, he convened a National Military Reorganization Conference in Nanjing. On March 1, the Army Reorganization Bureau was established in Wuchang, under the leadership of General Chen Cheng. In the same month, General Alexander von Falkenhausen took charge of the German Military Advisors Group. Before war broke out, around nineteen divisions, roughly 300,000 troops received training from German advisors and were equipped with German-style weapons. At the onset of the Sino-Japanese War, the forces stemming from the First Army of the National Revolutionary Army and the Whampoa cadets, who had fought in the Northern Expedition, held the highest reputation and were referred to as the “core central forces” by the Japanese. Other notable forces included the Guangxi Army, Northwestern Army, Northeastern Army, some Uyghur units, the Guangdong Army, and the Shanxi Army. In contrast, provincial forces such as the Yunnan Army and Sichuan Army were viewed less favorably. Nationalist forces were generally far inferior to those of the Japanese enemy. In 1937, General He Yingqin noted that Nationalist forces had failed to prevail in 1932 and 1933, even when outnumbering the Japanese by 4-1.  In November 1937, during a national defense conference, Chiang Kai-shek stated, "In recent years we have worked hard, prepared actively, and achieved national unification. By the time of the Marco Polo Bridge Incident, we were in a better domestic situation and had improved military preparedness compared to before. Since 1935, our strength has doubled. It increased by more than two to three times since January 1932 or September 1931 [when Japan attacked Shanghai and Mukden]. If peace had been achievable, we should have delayed the war for two or three years. Given an additional three years, our defensive capabilities would have been drastically different... Now, if we merely compare the military strength of China and Japan, we are certainly inferior." However, such assessments were overly optimistic, as Chiang failed to recognize that Japan's military capabilities would not have stagnated. I would like to take this time to remind you all that this podcast is only made possible through the efforts of Kings and Generals over at Youtube. Please go subscribe to Kings and Generals over at Youtube and to continue helping us produce this content please check out www.patreon.com/kingsandgenerals. If you are still hungry after that, give my personal channel a look over at The Pacific War Channel at Youtube, it would mean a lot to me. Generalissimo Chiang Kai-Shek certainly was dealt a difficult hand of cards for the upcoming poker match he was to play. Yet the Chinese were resilient and they had to be for the absolute horror that would be inflicted upon them from 1937-1945. Until this point, their enemies had been far more lenient, the Empire of Japan would show no mercy.