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Following the lightning-fast two-hour fall of the pete, Lord Cornwallis found himself trapped in a gruelling logistical nightmare against the strongest fortress in Mysore. From March 12 to 20, 1791, the siege of Bangalore Fort became a high-stakes chess match of engineering versus endurance. In the first of this two-part special, Ramjee Chandran details the tactical brilliance of the Madras Sappers, the devastating psychological warfare of Tipu Sultan's advanced iron rocket corps, and the elegant, high-stakes piece of midnight battlefield theatre that set a trap under the noses of the Mysore gunners. Key Details from the Script: The Deceptive Two-Pronged Feint: Immediately following the loss of the pete, Tipu Sultan launched a calculated counterattack led by generals Qamardeen Khan and Syed Sahib. A visible decoy column staged a distant cannonade to the north-east of the fort to distract the British, while Qamardeen quietly swung his primary force around to infiltrate the pete. Cornwallis anticipated the ruse, shifted the 76th and 36th Regiments to intercept them, and inflicted over two thousand Mysorean casualties, forcing a permanent retreat. Turning Geometry Against Stone: On March 12, the methodical, systematic reduction of the fort began under Captain Alexander Kyd of the Bengal Engineers. Rather than a blind bombardment, the Sappers utilised advanced tactical gun placements: enfilade batteries fired along the length of the walls to sweep multiple defensive works at once, while ricochet batteries skipped low-angle cannonballs off the ground to bounce over protective parapets. By March 16, the first major structural cracks emerged east of the Delhi Gate. The Silver-Bearded Aggressor: Defending the fort was Bahadur Khan, an aged killedar revered for his temperate life and a beard where "every hair vied with silver in whiteness." Khan refused to play a passive defense; he launched ferocious sallies (sudden infantry sorties) that inflicted heavy British casualties and successfully used rocket volleys to completely obliterate two of Cornwallis's irreplaceable 18- and 24-pounder heavy siege guns. The Logistics Death Spiral: Beyond the fort walls, Cornwallis faced an absolute crisis of forage. Tipu Sultan's scorched-earth strategy left the surrounding countryside entirely bare, making fodder unbuyable at any price. With hundreds of transport bullocks starving to death daily, the British siege train—dependent on tens of thousands of animals to move heavy shot, water, and artillery—faced a ticking clock toward total collapse. The Ancestor of the National Anthem: The iron-cased Mysore rockets bedeviling the British camp were highly refined explosive weapons stabilised by long bamboo poles. Years later, a British officer named William Congreve would reverse-engineer captured Bangalore designs to create the "Congreve rocket"—the exact weapon used against Napoleon and the historical inspiration behind the "rockets' red glare" in the American national anthem. The Grand Theater of the Phantom Camp: On the night of March 16, Cornwallis acted on a critical intelligence tip. He quietly ordered his cavalry horses and riders down into a natural hollow, rendering them completely invisible to the fort's lookouts. Crucially, he left the empty tents standing. In the darkness, British infantry crawled into the vacated lines, crouching low behind earthworks directly underneath the decoy camp, waiting for the unsuspecting Mysore gunners to open fire on a ghost target at dawn. We gratefully acknowledge the support of the Prestige Group, that makes this podcast possible. Follow The History Of Bangalore on social, here: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/historyofbangalore/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/HistoryOfBangalore Twitter: https://twitter.com/HistoryOfBLR YouTube: https://youtube.com/@HistoryOfBangalore?si=mnH3BsYfI4BUU234 iHeartRadio: https://www.iheart.com/podcast/1323-the-history-of-bangalore-163453722/ Follow Ramjee Chandran on Instagram and Twitter: @ramjeechandran The theme music for the show was composed by German-Indian Koln based percussionist, Ramesh Shotham. Ramjee Chandran's photos by Asha Thadani. RESEARCH AND SOURCES: All our episodes are based on published research and archive records. To request information about our sources, write to hob@explocity.com. Let us know if you are a researcher (either institutional or independent) and also provide some information about why you need this information. Researchers will get priority. We only have time to engage serious, academic queries so please understand if we do not respond to casual requests.
In this episode of Knowledge for Teachers, host Brendan Lee sits down with Karen Robertson, national CEO of Life Ed Australia, to explore the escalating youth health crisis and the critical role of health literacy. Far from just kicking a ball around, modern preventative health requires a robust, evidence-backed approach. Listeners will discover surprising data from the frontlines of education, including why 81 per cent of children aged two to five are already using the internet. Karen unpacks how to transition from traditional, fear-based warnings to a strength-based curriculum that builds critical thinking. Crucially, you will learn how Life Ed carries the load for time-poor educators, with research revealing that 89 per cent of teachers report significantly improved confidence in embedding wellbeing strategies post-visit. Tune in for a thoughtful discussion packed with practical, research-grounded insights to help your students truly thrive. You can connect with Karen: Linkedin: @karen-robertson-mtc Website: lifeed.org.au You can connect with Brendan: Twitter/X: @learnwithmrlee Facebook: @learningwithmrlee Linkedin: @brendan-lee-kft Website:learnwithlee.net Substack: knowledgeforteachers.substack.com/ Support the Knowledge for Teachers Podcast: https://www.patreon.com/KnowledgeforTeachersPodcast
Lion’s Mane Mushroom and Brain Health: What Four Clinical Trials Actually Found Many stroke survivors and people managing cognitive decline more broadly eventually ask the same question: Is there anything beyond physiotherapy and medication that can actively support brain healing? Not symptom management. Actual repair. Lion’s Mane mushroom (Hericium erinaceus) is one compound that has gathered genuine clinical attention. It is not a cure, the human trial evidence is still limited in scale, and it is not a replacement for the fundamentals of brain health. But the mechanism is unusual, the safety profile is consistently good, and for anyone serious about their brain, the research warrants an honest look. Why Lion’s Mane Is Neurologically Unusual Most supplements that claim to support brain health cannot cross the blood-brain barrier, the tightly regulated membrane that controls what enters the brain. Without crossing it, any direct effect on brain tissue is limited. Lion’s Mane contains two families of bioactive compounds found almost nowhere else in nature. Hericenones come from the fruiting body, the visible mushroom. Erinacines come from the mycelium, the root-like underground network. Both stimulate the production of Nerve Growth Factor (NGF) and Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor (BDNF). These are proteins the brain uses to grow new neurons, maintain existing ones, and strengthen the connections between them. Crucially, erinacine A, one of the key mycelium compounds, has been confirmed in preclinical studies to cross the blood-brain barrier. That is not a trivial distinction. It is one of the reasons researchers have taken this mushroom seriously. “These are proteins your brain uses to grow new neurons, maintain existing ones, and build and strengthen the connections between them. They are, in a very real sense, your brain’s repair and maintenance crew.” — Bill Gasiamis What the Human Clinical Trials Found Four published human clinical trials have examined Lion’s Mane. Here is what each found: Mori et al. (2009): In a randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial, 30 older adults with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) took Lion’s Mane supplement or placebo for 16 weeks. The Lion’s Mane group showed significantly better cognitive function scores at weeks 8, 12, and 16. When supplementation stopped, scores declined again within four weeks, suggesting the effect was tied to ongoing intake, not a placebo response. Saitsu et al. (2019): A multicenter RCT tested 12 weeks of oral Lion’s Mane in older adults. Participants in the treatment group showed significant improvement on the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) compared to placebo. No adverse effects were observed. Nagano et al. (2010): A 4-week RCT using Lion’s Mane-enriched cookies found significant reductions in self-reported depression and anxiety in women compared to placebo, suggesting effects extend beyond cognition to mood and emotional regulation, possibly via the gut-brain axis. Docherty et al. (2023): A double-blind pilot study from Northumbria University tested 41 healthy young adults aged 18–45. After a single dose, participants performed significantly faster on the Stroop task, a measure of cognitive processing speed and flexibility. After 28 days, there was a trend toward reduced subjective stress. This was a small study, and results should be interpreted cautiously, but it suggests Lion’s Mane effects are not limited to populations already experiencing cognitive decline. The Stroke-Specific Preclinical Data For stroke survivors, the preclinical research adds another dimension. In a 2014 animal study, erinacine A reduced brain infarct volume by 22–44% in ischemic stroke models (depending on dose), and significantly lowered pro-inflammatory cytokines, including IL-1β, IL-6, and TNF-α markers of the neuroinflammatory cascade that follows stroke. A 2022 study found that erinacine A helps preserve glutamate clearance in the brain after ischemic injury. Excess glutamate is one of the key mechanisms of neuronal death after stroke, so anything that helps regulate it post-injury is clinically relevant. These are animal studies. They do not translate directly to human outcomes. But they provide a biological rationale that supports why clinical researchers are now investigating Lion’s Mane in neurological recovery contexts. What the Research Does Not Yet Tell Us The limitations matter, and any honest assessment must include them. All four human trials are relatively small, none exceeds 100 participants. We do not yet have large-scale, long-term RCTs in stroke survivor populations specifically. The optimal dose, duration, and form (fruiting body vs mycelium vs dual extract) have not been established in human trials. Direct confirmation that erinacines cross the blood-brain barrier in humans rather than in animal models does not yet exist. Bill says it directly in the video: “The human trial data is still relatively limited in scale. We need larger, longer trials.” Practical Questions to Raise with Your Doctor If you are considering Lion’s Mane supplementation, the following questions are worth raising with your neurologist or GP: Is it safe alongside my current medications? Theoretical interactions exist with anticoagulants (warfarin, aspirin, clopidogrel) and antidepressants, not confirmed in human trials, but worth disclosing. Anyone on blood thinners following a stroke should have this conversation before starting. What form should I look for? Products should specify standardised hericenone content (fruiting body extract) or erinacine A content (mycelium extract). Products listed only as “mycelial biomass on grain” typically contain very low levels of active compounds and high levels of starch from the growth substrate. If the label does not specify active compound content, treat that as a quality flag. Are there any trials I could join? ClinicalTrials.gov lists current recruiting studies for Hericium erinaceus and cognitive function worth checking if you are interested in contributing to the evidence base. More information: https://recoveryafterstroke.com/book | Support the podcast: https://patreon.com/recoveryafterstroke *This blog is for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. Please consult your doctor before making any changes to your health or recovery plan. The post Can a Mushroom Help Your Brain Heal? The Science Says Maybe appeared first on Recovery After Stroke.
Send us Fan MailThis narrative will intricately weave together the stories of three monumental empires during the tumultuous era stretching from the mid-17th century through the early 18th century. My focus will be on France, China, and Russia, exploring the profound changes and intricate connections that defined their respective reigns.Crucially, this expansive story will be told through the intimate lens of their three iconic monarchs. I will delve into the personal perspectives, political strategies, and lasting legacies of Louis XIV of France, famously known as the Sun King; the revered Kangxi Emperor of China; and Peter I of Russia, whose reforms earned him the title of Peter the Great. By examining the world through their eyes, I intend to offer a unique and deeply human insight into an age of unprecedented change and imperial grandeur.Support the show
The poultry and swine industries have transformed feed efficiency over the past two decades. Through systematic improvement in nutrition, enzyme utilization, and animal genetics, they now produce vastly more protein from fewer resources. The challenge is not simply reducing methane emissions from cows, but reducing methane per unit of milk produced while maintaining farmer profitability and food security.But here's the complexity: feed intake in dairy cattle is difficult to measure in controlled research facilities; in pasture-based systems where 88% of global cattle graze, measurement becomes extraordinarily challenging. Yet without precise data, researchers cannot translate laboratory findings into reliable commercial recommendations. This measurement gap between what science discovers and what farmers can practically implement represents agriculture's critical bottleneck. When you combine this with the variability in dairy systems—roughly 20% natural variation in methane emissions even among genetically similar control animals—the path forward requires nuanced, system-level analysis rather than simple silver bullets.Today we are joined by Ermias Kebeab from UC Davis, whose research demonstrates that genetic selection offers a permanent, cumulative, and heritable pathway to improved feed efficiency. Kebeab's recent work evaluated the EcoFeed index developed by STgenetics, a genomic breeding value tool based on over 10,000 animals—7,623 growing Holstein heifers and 2,538 lactating cows. Results showed that selecting for improved residual feed intake (RFI) reduces lifetime emissions without compromising productivity. A one-standard-deviation improvement in genomic RFI decreased feed consumption by 2.73% and reduced lifetime CO2 equivalent emissions by 2.42% per animal—equivalent to 868 kg CO2e savings per cow. A three-standard-deviation improvement showed even greater potential, reducing feed intake by 8.2% and emissions by 7.31%, while simultaneously lowering feed costs by $199 per female.Ermias's research bridges research discovery with practical implementation across both the Global North and Global South. Kebeab's work on grape pomace byproducts—incorporated at 10-15% of dairy rations—demonstrates milk yield improvements alongside methane intensity reductions, while pre-fermenting almond hulls shows additional potential when economic trade-offs are favorable.Crucially, he emphasizes that the Global South's emissions reduction challenge differs fundamentally from the North. Where dairy systems produce less than 2,000 kg milk annually, the priority must be productivity improvement rather than limiting animal numbers. Rising energy and fertilizer costs disproportionately impact low and middle-income countries, making locally-adapted tropical breeds and resilient farming systems more viable than input-intensive Western genetics. Send us Fan Mail
A breakthrough has been reached in ending the war between the United States and Iran. According to the U.S., Iran and Pakistan, there is a ceasefire agreement. Donald Trump says the U.S. naval blockade of the Strait of Hormuz is ending, while Pakistan's Prime Minister says fighting will end on all fronts. Crucially, nothing has been signed yet. We have the latest details.Also: The streets of Aughagower, Ireland were decked out in maple leafs and Canadian flags today. Prime Minister Mark Carney made a personal pitstop during his official tour of the country - returning to the town his ancestors once called home. And: The Ontario government says demand for electricity will increase by as much as 75 per cent over the next 25 years. To meet that demand, there's a plan to build the world's largest nuclear power plant in Port Hope. But that plan is angering some in the town, which has a troubled history with nuclear energy. Plus: UFC matches on the White House Lawn, CUSMA negotiations, and more.
JUSTIFIED BY FAITH The interpretative architecture we bring to a text like Paul's letter to the Romans is rarely a blank blueprint. Rather, it is a complex structure built from our personal histories, denominational filters, and cultural assumptions. When we engage with the Word, we enter a dialogue where our previous understandings collide with ancient truth. Often, we are so familiar with the vocabulary that we lose the weight of the wisdom. As a student of the text, you must move beyond the "commonplace" view of the Bible and rediscover a sense of awe for this verifiable record of universal reality. As the source suggests: "It's better to have wrong reverence than no reverence... familiarity breeds contempt. We don't know how to revere this resource we've got." In Romans 5:1, the word "therefore" serves as the architectural bridge between the "cage-rattling" arguments of the first four chapters and the new reality of the Gospel. Paul's intent in the opening chapters is to "rattle the cages" of both the pagan world and the religious establishment. He levels the playing field by demonstrating that, whether religious or not, we are all a "pack of rat bags" and "muddlers" who have fallen short. The "therefore" signifies that because our own performance has failed to rectify the "shocking mess" of our condition, a new authority has intervened. With the structural failure of human effort exposed, we transition to the formal proclamation that establishes a new kingdom. 2. The Gospel as Proclamation: Authority Precedes Policy In the Roman world, an Evangelion (Gospel) was not a religious suggestion or a self-help tip; it was a formal, political announcement. It carried the weight of: "The King is dead, long live the King!" It was the proclamation of who was now in authority. We must distinguish between the "Gospel"—the fact of the King's Lordship—and "Policy"—the way that King decides to run his kingdom. The Evangelion (The Core) The Policy (The Working Out) Jesus is Lord The Forgiveness of Sins Proclamation of Authority The Reconciliation of the World The synthesis here is vital: the forgiveness of sins is not a standalone "product" you buy; it is a policy that is only possible because Jesus has been established as Lord. He is the one in charge, and He has decided that the new reality is defined by reconciliation. Policy never exists in a vacuum; it flows from the character of the Sovereign. This transition from old systems to the new Lordship demands a shift in how we relate to the King—a move from abstract belief to a "fair dinkum" trust. 3. Redefining Faith: From Abstract Belief to "Fair Dinkum" Trustworthiness Modernity has diluted "faith" into "belief without evidence," but the linguistic journey from the Hebrew Emuna to the Greek Pistis reveals a sturdier concept. In the Australian vernacular, this is being "fair dinkum." It is a "no-nonsense," "no-BS" relationship characterized by loyalty and authenticity. The architect of this faith was Abraham. Though he was a "muddler" who didn't always get it right, he was fair dinkum with God, and God was fair dinkum with him. This relationship involves three dimensions: * Trustworthiness/Loyalty: A "no-nonsense" commitment to the person of God, rather than a checklist of doctrines. * Authentic Connection: An honest, connected relationship where we stop pretending and simply "come home" to the one who knows us. * The Result (Justification): Having "all your ducks in a row." In the legal/accounting sense, to be "justified" is to have the books balanced and the records set right. Crucially, the source identifies that this justification is Aorist. Unlike a "daily performance review" where your standing fluctuates based on your behavior, the Aorist tense signifies a once-and-for-all action. It is "locked-in" and completed. You are counted as "safe" and "in the right" because of the fair dinkum quality of your connection to the Lord. Once our standing is "locked-in," we can move from the anxiety of "Sin Management" to a top-down understanding of divine Law. 4. The Three Dimensions of Alignment: A Hierarchy of Living We often treat the Bible as a "Manual of Sin Management" or a "Crimes Act," viewing Law from the bottom up. However, the biblical concept of Torah (Greek: Nomos) is far more expansive. Think of it like someone asking, "Which way to Newport?" and you pointing your finger. Torah is the pointing; it is the "directional instruction" or "teaching" that shows the way the river flows. God's hierarchy of living moves from the internal to the external: 1. Quality of Life and Being: The internal infusion of divine life. This is the starting point. 2. Principles of Life: The "normative" (from Nomos) discernment of what is helpful or destructive, beyond mere legality. 3. Legal Boundaries: The external rules and regulations—the "Crimes Act" layer. The "So What?" of this architecture is profound: Humanity tries to fix the Boundaries (external rules) to hopefully one day change their Quality of Being. God works in reverse. He infuses us with His life first. This new Quality of Being gives us the capacity to understand the Principles (the "ways" of God), which finally makes the Boundaries make sense. This internal transformation is not a burdensome duty; it is the natural byproduct of Grace. 5. Grace as the Manifestation of Joy The word Grace (Charis) is a member of the "Joy" (Chara) family of words. Grace is not just God "letting you get away with it"; it is the manifestation of God's delight. When we look at Gifting (Charisma), we see the suffix -ma, which in Greek denotes the "effect" of something. To understand this, consider the analogy of "Rain-ma." If the rain is God's joy, then the "ma" (the effect) is the wetness, the green grass, and the trees growing. * Grace (Charis) = The Manifestation of God's Joy. * Gifting (Charisma) = The Effect (-ma) of that Joy bubbling over in the individual. God caused you to exist because He thought you were a "great idea." His grace is the joyful blessing of a Father who is genuinely happy you have "come home." Your "gifts" are simply you having fun with God as His joy overflows through your unique personality. This realization of God's delight brings us to the ultimate state of peace and reconciliation. 6. Summary: The Final Meditation When we synthesize these redefined terms, Romans 5:1-2 ceases to be a cold legal contract and becomes a narrative of relational homecoming. We move from being "rat bags" in a mess to being sons and daughters with "all our ducks in a row." This isn't because we became perfect religious performers, but because we became "fair dinkum" with a King whose "policy" is joyous reconciliation. The Reimagined Passage "Therefore, since we have all of our ducks in a row because we are 'fair dinkum' with God, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. Through him, we have also obtained access through this 'fair dinkum-ness' into the joyful, bountiful blessing in which we stand, and we rejoice in the hope of the glory of God."
There are two great forces reshaping the world of energy today. The AI boom and the wave of investment in new data centres have sent power producers scrambling for generation capacity to meet soaring electricity demand. At the same time, the severe disruption to shipping traffic through the Strait of Hormuz has put security of supply at the top of every importer's agenda. In this special episode, recorded at Wood Mackenzie's Gas, LNG and the Future of Energy Conference in London, host Ed Crooks speaks with three guests about what these twin pressures mean for gas. They discuss demand for gas for power, the sources of supply that could provide energy security in volatile times, and plans for tackling the increased greenhouse gas emissions that could result from increased consumption.First, Ed sits down with Neal Kalita, senior director of global energy management at NTT Global Data Centers, one of the world's largest data center developers. Neal explains why "speed to power" is a priority, and why gas plays such a key role in providing the reliable 24/7 firm capacity hyperscaler clients require.Relying on gas as a key component of the power generation mix means managing a complex set of issues around supply security, demand management and long-term investment. Neal explains how NTT thinks about commodity risk, the trade-offs involved in power supply agreements, and why on-site gas generation may be not just a bridge solution but long-term infrastructure for the electricity system. He highlights the key drivers that are changing the data centre industry, including rising GPU power density, AI-driven volatility in load, and climate-related grid reliability concerns. He also discusses NTT's participation in a demand response programme run by Voltus, which helped stabilise the grid when Winter Storm Fern hit Virginia in January.Next, Ed hears from Keith Shoemaker, Chief Commercial Officer at Coastal Bend, which is developing a new LNG liquefaction project at Corpus Christi, Texas. Coastal Bend is aiming to have the first project in the US to integrate carbon capture and sequestration into its design. Combined with the procurement of upstream gas with low methane leakage and flaring, that should make for the lowest carbon-intensity LNG in the world, Keith says. Crucially, the project can match competitor prices without charging a green premium. The US 45Q tax credit will cover the operational spending (Opex) for the transport and sequestration of the carbon, and costs will be kept down by using brownfield maritime infrastructure that is already in place. Regulation will still be essential in creating a market for lower-emissions LNG. Keith sets out an idea for making that work in the EU: linking the new Methane Emissions Regulation with the Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism to create an "avoided carbon" currency that LNG importers could use to offset CBAM fees on other products such as cement, steel and fertiliser. That way, the methane regulation would change from a stick to a carrot for the LNG industry.Kristy Kramer, Head of LNG at Wood Mackenzie, closes the episode by assessing how the three trends of AI demand, energy security and decarbonisation fit together. She discusses the big question: has the conflict on the Middle East changed the world completely, forever. It may play out like the Covid pandemic. Huge changes were predicted, and although there were some permanent impacts, in other areas the world has gone back to the way it was before. Politics will change from week to week, or even from hour to hour, but geology and economics don't, and over time the fundamentals will reassert themselves. Kristy and Ed reflect on what that means for the future of energy. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
Episode OverviewIn this Central PA Fishing Report from The Articulate Fly, host Marvin Cash checks in with George Costa, manager at TCO Fly Shop in State College, Pennsylvania, for a timely early-summer conditions and hatch update. The season is at a pivotal transition: the dominant spring hatches are winding down, the summer hatch calendar is coming online and terrestrial season is officially starting — all critical intelligence for anglers planning Central PA trout outings over the weeks ahead.Costa delivers a full-picture conditions read. Water levels are running a touch below seasonal average, with recent rain bringing some temporary color and a slight rise. Temperatures have been stable but are beginning to creep into the mid-60s°F on brighter, hotter days, which makes temperature-checking a new essential habit for summer outing planning. The hatch situation is in transition: sulphurs are still producing but require evening commitment on sunny days, while Cahills, Isos, summer quills, caddis, size 16 Cornutas and scattered stoneflies fill out the summer hatch calendar. Cloudier days give anglers an earlier dry fly window, while bright days push the best action to last light. On the nymph front, the prescription shifts to smaller, more precise patterns — perdigons and small Walt's worms — as larger attractor-nymph approaches give way to a tighter subsurface game. Crucially, Costa signals that the greenie weenie hatch (inchworm fall) is officially underway, making this the moment to add inch worms, ants and beetles to the summer dry fly box. Shop news includes a topwater smallmouth tying class with Caleb Rebarchak at the State College location, the All Fins In tournament benefiting Clearwater Conservancy and a fly fishing festival at TCO's Boiling Springs shop in August.Key TakeawaysWhy the greenie weenie (inchworm fall) marks the start of terrestrial season in Central PA and why inch worms, ants and beetles should be in your box from here forward.How to shift your nymph game as the major spring hatches wrap up — smaller, more precise patterns like perdigons and Walt's worms become the go-to subsurface approach.When to start actively monitoring water temperatures as summer heats up, particularly on bright, sunny days when temps begin pushing into the mid-60s°F range.Why evenings are your best window for dry fly fishing on Central PA trout water as summer sets in, with cloudier days pushing hatch activity earlier in the day.How to approach the variable nature of summer hatches in Central PA, where a strong emergence one evening can be followed by minimal activity the next — making patience and water-reading essential.Techniques & Gear CoveredThe episode centers on the tactical adjustments required as Central PA enters its early-summer transition. With the major spring hatches largely behind them, George Costa recommends downsizing nymph presentations to smaller, more precise patterns — specifically perdigons and small Walt's worms — as fish dial in to the subtler subsurface fare that characterizes this period. On the dry fly front, the priority shifts to evening sessions targeting sulphurs, Cahills and Isos, with summer quills, caddis, size 16 Cornutas and scattered stoneflies filling out the hatch calendar for those willing to stay on the water late. Terrestrials take center stage starting now, with Costa specifically calling out the greenie weenie as the signal that the inchworm fall has begun, while also recommending ants and beetles as essential additions to the summer dry fly box as conditions warm into the heart of the terrestrial season.Locations & SpeciesCentral PA's limestone stream corridor around State College is the setting for this report, with TCO Fly Shop's State College location serving as the operational center for George Costa's conditions read. While no specific stream names are mentioned in this episode, the conditions, hatches and tactical advice apply broadly to the region's wild trout fisheries — the spring creeks and limestone runs that draw anglers from across the mid-Atlantic for their hatch diversity and technical dry fly fishing. The key seasonal context is the early-summer transition: water temperatures are beginning to creep toward the mid-60s°F on warmer days, which will become an increasingly important factor for trout welfare and fishing strategy as summer advances. FAQ / Key Questions AnsweredWhat hatches are active in Central PA as summer gets underway?The major spring hatches are mostly wrapping up, but the calendar remains active. Sulphurs are still coming off in the evenings, with Cahills, Isos, caddis, summer quills, size 16 Cornutas and scattered stoneflies all in play as summer takes hold. George Costa notes that hatch activity can vary significantly day to day at this time of year — a strong emergence one evening can be followed by minimal activity the next — so working the water methodically and being in the right place at the right time is the primary strategy.When is the best time to fish dry flies on Central PA trout water in early summer?Evenings are the priority window for dry fly action during this period. On sunny or hot days, Costa advises anglers to stay late to catch the best hatch activity, particularly for sulphurs. Cloudier days push bug activity earlier in the day, giving anglers a longer productive window — so overcast conditions are worth capitalizing on when they arise.What nymph patterns work best as the big hatches wind down in Central PA?When the major hatches wrap up, Costa recommends shifting to smaller, more precise nymph patterns rather than larger attractor approaches. Perdigons and small Walt's worms are his go-to subsurface options for this period, matching the smaller aquatic fare that fish are keying on once the spring hatch season gives way to summer conditions.When does terrestrial season start in Central PA and what flies should I have ready?Costa signals that the greenie weenie hatch — the inchworm fall that marks the beginning of terrestrial season in Central PA — is underway now. Anglers should have greenie weenies in the box along with ants and beetles, and can expect those patterns to become increasingly productive as the warmer months set in. Costa frames this as one of the more reliable transitions of the summer season: once the greenie weenies start dropping, terrestrials will carry the dry fly game through the heat of summer.Related ContentS8, Ep 35: From Sulphurs to Drakes: George Costa's Essential Fishing Report for Central PAS8, Ep 30: Central PA Chronicles: George Costa's Guide to Spring Fishing Conditions and TechniquesS7, Ep 57: Cicada Mania: Central PA Fishing Insights with George CostaS7, Ep 70: The Dog Days of Summer: Trico Tactics in Central PA with George CostaConnect with Our GuestFollow TCO on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.Follow the ShowFollow The Articulate Fly on Facebook, Instagram, Threads and YouTube.Follow our Substack newsletter for episode updates, tips and resources.Support the ShowShop through our Amazon link to support the podcast.Join our Patreon community to support the show.If you are in the industry and need help getting unstuck, learn more about our consulting options.Subscribe & AdvertiseSubscribe to the podcast in your favorite podcast app.Think our community is a good fit for your brand?
Gavin landed back in Australia just the day before recording, and he and Ken settle in for a full debrief on WDC 2026 in Athens. From the venues and the social activities to all four of Gavin's games and the top board, this one covers it all. Intro Ken sets up the episode – this one is going to be almost entirely about WDC 2026 Athens, because Gavin was there and has only just landed back in Australia (as at the time of recording) (15 secs) He notes the DBN coverage gave a strong account of the boards and Ed's player interviews, but plenty of the magic from Spyros Dovas and his organising team didn't make it to the stream (45 secs) Drinks are introduced: Ken is on one of his home-brew lagers with a kick, and Gavin is working through a leftover Sicilian Nero d'Avola that has turned a little sour – a fitting metaphor, he suggests, for how his first round went (1 min 45 secs) The tournament in aggregate Ken asks Gavin to give a broad overview – location, numbers, facilities, atmosphere (2 mins 45 secs) Around 106 players registered, though some didn't show due to last-minute issues. Approximately 5 Australian players couldn't attend because their original flights were routed through the Middle East (3 mins 30 secs) The geopolitical context: as of recording, the Middle East airspace situation was in week nine of its shutdown, forcing Australian travellers to reroute via Singapore, Hong Kong, or Malaysia. Some also baulked at the US transit option due to the documentation requirements (4 mins 30 secs) Despite the drop-outs, the turnout was excellent and genuinely representative – a heavy European component split between the UK and the rest of Europe, a strong French contingent, players from the Netherlands, Belgium, Germany, Poland, and Norway, a good number of Americans and a couple of Canadians (including Chris Brand), around 10 Australians, and a couple of Kiwis (Dominick Stephens and Craig Purcell). The local Greek contingent, given the Athens club had only been running for about 18 months, was especially impressive (3 mins 30 secs) Tournament format: three regular rounds followed by a fourth round of tiered top boards. Rather than a single top board, the format featured seven simultaneous top boards – the top 7 players went to the premier board, players 8–14 played the second tier, 15–21 the third, and so on down through the field. Crucially, players who volunteered to sit out for round four to help with numbers kept their ranking position (7 mins) Ken and Gavin discuss how the tiered format means the fourth round is never a dead rubber – every board is still competing for something meaningful (8 mins 15 secs) Discussion of the central clock arrangement: effectively federation-based rather than a literal single clock, with the two main venues coordinating their start times by communication (9 mins 30 secs) The venues The main venue was the upstairs function space of a beachside restaurant operation – excellent location right on the waterfront, but somewhat cramped for negotiations once all the boards were in (9 mins 45 secs) As a result, boards were redistributed to the secondary venue: the Anchor bar, about 150–200 metres down the road. Gavin played two games in each location and considered the Anchor the better play space – more open, well ventilated, and with a large covered outdoor area next to a (drained) pool (11 mins) The colour-coded sash system made it easy to identify players by country but created the amusing challenge of locating your specific Italy in a room full of Italys from different boards (13 mins) The third venue – an outdoor shaded area – was reserved for the premier top board. Unlike Milan's car park, this one had good shade and plenty of room for spectators around the giant shadow board (13 mins 30 secs) Pre-tournament social activities Gavin outlines the structure: you could do as much or as little as you liked. He landed well due to a useful 5.5-hour Singapore layover that helped reset his body clock, and flew over on the same flight as tournament director Jamal Blakkarly (16 mins) They were met at Athens airport by Spyros, his wife, and daughter, who drove them to breakfast at a beautiful harbour-side restaurant in one of the small inlet bays east of Piraeus (18 mins 15 secs) Pre-tournament island stay: Gavin spent two days on Serifos, the island Spyros recommended and which has personal significance to his family (his grandfather was christened there). Spyros provided a detailed Google Map of the best spots. With the tourist season barely starting, Gavin got excellent last-minute accommodation at a family-run hotel and had the beaches almost entirely to himself (18 mins 45 secs) The island was so off-season that locals were literally still painting their furniture and kerbs in preparation. Gavin did the recommended hikes and swims, and the hotel gifted him a dry-bag left behind by a previous guest (20 mins 30 secs) Back in Athens overnight, Gavin caught up with a multinational squad of players including Shane, Brandon, Max, Zoe, Justin Law, Bradley Grace, and Karthik. They had dinner at an Italian restaurant with the Acropolis lit up above them (22 mins 30 secs) Hydra day trip (Wednesday): players caught the fast ferry from Piraeus out to Hydra (about 1.5 hrs). The island has a refined Venetian-Greek port feel, with rustic paths and rock beaches beyond. The group visited the Museum of the 1821 Greek Revolution, full of local history and artefacts. Gavin wore one of his Diplomacy shirts and ended up being an ambassador for the hobby to an American grandmother and her debate-champion granddaughter from North Carolina – and pointed them towards David Hood and the local hobby there (24 mins 15 secs) The water temperature at the beach was about 4–5 degrees colder than Australia, which meant the Europeans loved it and Gavin did not go in (26 mins 30 secs) Acropolis and Athens tour (Thursday): guided tour of the Acropolis by what Spyros described as the best guides operating there, followed by a walk through the Plaka and past the Panathenaic Stadium (venue of the first modern Olympics in 1896), then a seafood lunch at a beautiful harbourside restaurant (30 mins) Temple of Poseidon (Thursday evening): the most popular activity – the bus was packed. About halfway there, Spyros took everyone on an unannounced detour to a beach bar where they had the place to themselves, a wonderful surprise. The Temple itself sits on a peninsula with 270-degree sea views. Spyros told the story of how the Aegean got its name from that location, and a huge group photo was taken (31 mins 15 secs) Tournament production values Gavin describes the production as setting new high-water marks for tournament organisation – high enough that the Chicago 2027 organising team would be wondering how to match it. Every player had a colour-coded sash matching their country, a branded WDC Athens notepad in their country colour, and a matching pen for every round (33 mins) The awards were 3D-printed Greek god statues for the podium finishers, complemented by a full suite of themed awards for the top players in each country and for notable gameplay (34 min) Special awards included: the Ajax Award for 8th place overall (the brilliant fighter who just missed out); the Archimedes Award for the most innovative play; the Leonidas Award for the player who fought on against insurmountable odds; and professionally screen-printed awards for best performance as each of the seven Great Powers (35 mins 45 secs) Gavin's games Round 1 – France – Board: Agkystri (View game) Gavin introduces his first game and the board composition: he played France, with Danae Stamataki (Austria-Hungary, local Greek player who topped the board on 10 supply centres and won best Austria), Sabrina Ahuja "Sabi" as England, Brian Ecton as Germany, Jean-Louis Delattre as Italy, Teo Ananiadis as Russia, and Frank Oosterom from the Netherlands as Turkey (37 mins 15 secs) The plan was a Western Triple working with England and Germany, with the goal of neutralising a strong-looking Italy early. It didn't come together as intended (37 mins 45 secs) The infamous mis-order: Gavin had two builds and intended fleet Brest plus a second build. Instead he built fleet Brest and placed the build directly in MAO, effectively waiving his second build. The DBN commentators interpreted this as a genius strategic waive; Ken's interpretation was somewhat more grounded. Gavin confirms Ken was correct (39 mins) The other players on the board didn't share DBN's generous reading of the situation. Germany immediately moved into Burgundy and kept flipping between fronts as his position allowed. Italy kept pressing France throughout. Gavin found himself squeezed down to a single unit in the English Channel (40 mins 30 secs) Final turn plan: England agreed to convoy an army across to Picardy to support Gavin back into Brest. Instead, Sabi walked into an open Paris. Gavin ended the game with zero supply centres and was eliminated (42 mins 15 secs) Gavin notes he made his disappointment known professionally, and that he subsequently had a drink with Sabi – but not that night (44 mins 15 secs) Round 2 – England – Board: Lemnos Not covered by DBN. Gavin played England; the board included Dominick Stephens (New Zealand) as Germany, Chris Brand (Canada) as Russia, Ruben Sanchez as Italy, Roberto Perego (Italy) as France, Robert Schuppe as Turkey, and Anastasia "Nastja" Styles as Austria-Hungary (46 mins) The plan was a Northern Alliance of England, Germany, and Russia. It unravelled immediately when Chris opened Moscow to Livonia and Dominick interpreted it as aggressive – resulting in a Germany-Russia war from the outset (46 mins 15 secs) Gavin adapted: knowing Germany was occupied in the east, he gave Russia some space and opened into Belgium, with Dominick and Chris both honouring his request to take Norway unopposed via fleet (46 mins 45 secs) Dominick and Gavin worked to grind down Roberto Perego's France, who ground out a hard-fought game staying alive on 2 centres. Ruben Sanchez's Italy played a deft game, flipping between alliances with Turkey and Austria (49 mins 15 secs) Dominick topped the board on 10; Ruben came in at 9; Gavin finished at 7. The game was meant to run to 1909 but drew earlier when the position stabilised. Gavin reflects he may have drawn too early, with both Dominick and Ruben suggesting he had room to push for another two centres (50 mins) Round 3 – Germany – Board: Symi (View game) Gavin played Germany. The board included Shane Armstrong (Australia) as France, Mikalis Kamaritis as Italy, Alex Maslow (USA) as Russia, Steven Hogue (USA) as Austria, Alex Lebedev (Russia) as England, and Jack Johns as Turkey (51 mins 15 secs) The strategic context: only Mikalis Kamaritis and Alex Lebedev were realistically in contention for the top board from this game. Shane and Gavin identified this early and committed to supporting the player they believed deserved to be there (52 mins 45 secs) Shane and Gavin opened with a Sealion against England, while Gavin also walked a careful line with Alex Lebedev, who initially felt more threatened by France than Germany. Austria was eliminated in 1903, and England in 1904 (53 mins 45 secs) A notable moment: Gavin slipped an army from the North Sea into an unoccupied London – a move he acknowledged was unnecessary, created friction with Alex Lebedev, and which he would not make again. He apologised on the day (56 mins 15 secs) Mikalis told Gavin and Shane to wait until 1905 – and delivered. He launched from his eastern position, took two dots off Russia and one off Turkey in a single year, then steamrolled from there. Alex Maslow was a strong and enjoyable player who nearly flipped the alliance but ultimately couldn't (56 mins 15 secs) The game agreed to a draw of 10-10-14 (Shane-Gavin-Mikalis), which the three felt would get Mikalis comfortably onto the top board. In the final adjudication Mikalis took one extra dot away from Shane, making the final scores 15-10-9 (58 mins 15 secs) Round 4 – Austria – Board: Myconos (View game) Gavin made it onto the fourth round, placed into the 6th top board. The board featured Shane Armstrong again as Turkey, Emmett Wainwright as England, Patrick Jacobson as France, Nathan Lester as Germany, Cameron Taylor as Italy, and Richard Bolton as Russia (59 mins 30 secs) The standout introduction: Nathan Lester, son of Dan Lester (who Gavin played against at Bangkok WDC). Same voice, same playing style, same persuasive meta-game arguments – but with a mullet and dressed like he's in an 80s rock video, and without the beard-stroking (1 hr 0 mins 45 secs) Gavin and Shane, having just played together in Round 3, ended up as Austria and Turkey respectively – not a natural alliance. Gavin didn't trust it but it held. Italy and France both kept fighting hard throughout (59 mins 45 secs) The game drew in 1906, with Shane and Emmett both finishing on 8, Gavin on 6 as Austria. Everyone then rushed across the road to watch the top board (1 hr 3 mins 45 secs) The top board Ken asks about Mikalis's diplomatic style. Gavin: exceptional situational awareness, communicates clearly and directly, asked and answered the "what do you want from this game?" question in a way that built immediate trust, and was good to his word on timing (1 hr 4 mins) Gavin arrived at the top board mid-1906 (his own game had just drawn). The top board was played outdoors under a well-shaded tree with plenty of room for negotiations, guarded by two or three people ensuring other players and passing members of the public couldn't crowd the board (1 hr 5 mins) The giant shadow board: a massive life-size replica board was set up nearby so all spectators could follow the game without approaching the real board. Andrew Goff read out the orders and the shadow board was updated after each adjudication – the same setup used at Milan WDC (1 hr 7 mins 45 secs) When Gavin arrived, he felt Bradley Grace had the game. The shift came late – Mikalis made a decisive move in the endgame that separated him from a closely matched France/Germany contest (1 hr 9 mins) Congratulations to Mikalis Kamaritis – well deserved, Gavin says. And to Bradley Grace: so close, but it will happen (1 hr 9 mins) The awards ceremony included Mikalis receiving both the championship belt and a traditional olive laurel wreath – a detail that was not captured in the DBN stream. Ken flags this as something future broadcasts should consider covering (1 hr 11 mins 15 secs) A Best Shane Cubis Award was also created – won by a Greek player who loudly lobbied Spyros for an award on the basis of how much he'd helped out. An AI-generated image of Shane Cubis in 1901 attire featured on the award, to the complete bafflement of the European and American contingents (1 hr 12 mins 50 secs) Game hobby and future WDCs The Chicago Windy City Weasels delivered a presentation promoting WDC 2027, enthusiastically received by the assembled players (1 hr 13 mins 15 secs) The 2028 bid: Melbourne was the only bid, and it was unanimously approved. Andrew Goff (Goffy) presented it. WDC 2028 Melbourne will be held at the MCG – the Melbourne Cricket Ground – with the conference rooms used for regular play, and the premier top board played on the MCG wicket itself. The countdown timer will run on the MCG scoreboard. Notionally scheduled for the last weekend of February 2028 – the weekend after the Formula One Grand Prix and the weekend before the first AFL round (1 hr 14 mins 30 secs) For international context: roughly equivalent to playing at Yankee Stadium, Madison Square Garden, the Camp Nou, or Bayern Munich's Allianz Arena. English players will recognise the MCG as where English cricket hopes traditionally come to die (1 hr 15 mins 15 secs) Also at the game hobby: a unanimous vote to amend and modernise the WDC charter, which dates from around 2000–2001 and doesn't reflect current online play, email communication, or the organisational structures of the Asia-Pacific and European hobbies. Four representatives (from NADF, the Asia-Pacific Diplomacy Association, and the European and UK hobbies) will draft amendments to be presented at WDC 2027 Chicago, with ratification at WDC 2028 Melbourne (1 hr 18 mins) Wrap up Gavin acknowledges the full organising effort: approximately 10 people working behind the scenes alongside Spyros and Jamal to make everything run. The Greek hobby and Athens Diplomacy Club can be enormously proud (1 hr 20 mins 30 secs) The Armistice Party: held between rounds three and four in the venue near the pool area. A DJ with a custom app allowed all attending players to nominate up to 10 songs each, with the crowd then voting in real time from four options for what came next. Gavin describes it as stunningly well thought through (1 hr 22 mins) Ken summarises: meticulously planned, wonderful venue, brilliant location, great games, fantastic people. Gavin: you got it in one. Thank you to Spyros, Jamal, and everyone they played with (1 hr 23 mins) Addendum – recorded one week later Ken and Gavin explain the addendum: a few things were either forgotten or lost in the original recording, so they've caught up a week later to cover them (1 hr 25 mins 45 secs) The Cane Toad The Cane Toad tournament will not run in 2026 – Gavin has made the decision to rest it for the year and bring it back bigger and better in 2027 (1 hr 26 mins 30 secs) Reasons: Gavin no longer lives in Brisbane where the tournament has historically been based, and several attempts to get a local game going have been completely unsuccessful. He feels it would be unfair to interstate players to travel to Queensland only to play mostly other interstate players rather than a meaningful proportion of locals (1 hr 27 mins 30 secs) He also flags cost-of-living pressures and fuel costs as factors, noting that the fuel excise which had been removed is about to be reinstated (1 hr 28 mins 45 secs) Ken and Gavin have a brief riff on whether cane toads actually hibernate, and whether the tournament might one day move to a different Queensland location (1 hr 28 mins 45 secs) Gavin shares a long-held dream of running the Cane Toad on the beach under a sun-safe setup. Council regulations require public liability insurance – but the Asia Pacific Diplomacy Association is in the process of organising exactly that for tournament directors, which may open the door in future (1 hr 29 mins 15 secs) Tournament news The Sydney Cup is on the weekend of 4–5 July. Gavin would love to go but has used up his diplomacy credits between Greece and starting a new job – it'll have to stay in the bank for now (1 hr 30 mins 45 secs) A New Zealand tournament is being discussed for the week before WDC 2028 Melbourne (late February 2028). Three New Zealand players who attended WDC 2026 in Athens have flagged interest in hosting something, on the logic that if you're travelling all the way from Europe or the US, a short hop across the Tasman to New Zealand is well worth building into the itinerary (1 hr 32 mins) Ken enthusiastically endorses the idea and encourages anyone planning for WDC 2028 Melbourne to factor in a week in New Zealand beforehand (1 hr 33 mins 30 secs) Challenge for next episode Over his birthday lunch, Gavin's son surprised him with an accurate recall of his WDC result. This leads Gavin to issue a challenge for the next episode: both Ken and Gavin will do some homework and come back with three or four online diplomacy resources that people may not know about, to raise awareness of what the community has put together over the years (1 hr 34 mins 45 secs) Around the grounds VDiplomacy gets an introduction for any listeners who aren't familiar: a sibling platform to WebDiplomacy, it hosts classic games but is particularly known for its range of variants (1 hr 36 mins 30 secs) The Dionysus Reimagined game recap – the ancient Greece variant Ken and Gavin set up in the lead-up to WDC Athens. Ken soloed, eliminating Gavin in the final year. Gavin notes that technically his last dot was taken so late that his result registers as a survive rather than an elimination (1 hr 38 mins 45 secs) Gavin played Athens and found himself defending on all fronts from early on: Sparta (who built only armies and had nowhere to go but north), the Macedonians pressing from the north, Byzantium late in the game, and Rhodes. Ken played Byzantium and credits his early token luck as a key advantage, picking up all his bid supply centres including one he expected to bounce – giving him fleet dominance in the Aegean from the start (1 hr 40 mins) The bid mechanics are recapped for any listeners unfamiliar with the variant: each player has 4 tokens to bid on non-core supply centres; outbid or bounce and you don't get the build. Ken's fortunate opening bids gave him a decisive early position (1 hr 40 mins 30 secs) A practical tip for vDiplomacy players: always open the large map after adjudication. The small map can omit orders that didn't go through, making moves look different from what was actually played. Ken noted several instances in the Dionysus game where support orders that failed simply weren't visible on the small map (1 hr 45 mins 45 secs) Ken congratulates himself on the win and notes the ratings gap between the two has now closed to around 100 points (1 hr 47 mins 30 secs) New game announced: Gavin has set up a Pirates game titled Ahoy Mateys on vDiplomacy. Gunboat, 2-day 2-hour phase length. Ken explains the extra 2 hours: it gradually shifts the adjudication time back toward Australian time zones in games where everyone readies up early (1 hr 48 mins) Pirates variant overview: a 13-player variant set in the golden age of piracy in the Caribbean, created by Gavin in collaboration with Ollie (the vDiplomacy site administrator). The 13 players are broken into three factions (1 hr 51 mins 45 secs): Europeans – Spain, England, France, and Holland, who nominally control supply centres across the map but must capture them to make them count Pirates – five pirates, four historical (Montbas, Brasiliano, de la Cueva, and Johnson) and one fictitious: El Guapo, borrowed from the movie The Three Amigos Privateers – one per European power, operating as private navies with letters patent. They can attack anyone except their sponsoring power (and vice versa). The Dunkirkers serve Spain, Henry Morgan serves England, François Le Jones serves France, and the Rocherson serves Holland Unit rules: all units are fleets, but there are two types – Clippers (move up to two spaces, standard attack strength) and Frigates (move one space, attack at 1.5x strength). A single clipper cannot defend against an attacking frigate, but a clipper supported by another clipper can. Five marked spots on the board allow transformation between unit types (1 hr 57 mins 45 secs) Special rules: a voodoo witch's hut in Cuba allows a fleet on the north coast to teleport to the south coast and vice versa. And a 14th non-playing character – a Hurricane – spins up each storm season in a random sea territory, moves randomly in the fall turn, and destroys anything in its path with an effectively unstoppable attack strength, also resetting any supply centre it passes through to neutral (1 hr 59 mins) Ken commits to reading the full rules before play begins, notes Pirates has a genuine following on vDiplomacy with games regularly in progress, and suspects he may get slaughtered (2 hr 1 min 15 secs) Gavin and Ken wrap up the show (2 hr 2 mins 15 secs) Venue: At home Drinks for the interview: Ken: One of his home brews – a lager with a bit of a kick Gavin: A Baliamo Nero d'Avola from Sicily – opened two weeks prior, which he noted had become a little sour and bitter compared to its fresh opening, much like his first round at the tournament Just a reminder you can support the show by giving it 5 stars on iTunes or Stitcher. And don't forget if you want to help pay off the audio equipment… or get the guys more drunk, you can also donate at Patreon, plus you get extra podcast episodes! Lastly, don't forget to subscribe so you get the latest Diplomacy Games episodes straight to your phone. Thanks as always to Dr Dan aka "The General" for his rockin' intro tune.
Interview with Glenn Jessome, President & CEO of Silver Tiger Metals Inc.Our previous interview: https://www.cruxinvestor.com/posts/silvers-designation-opens-support-pathways-as-advanced-projects-target-2026-milestonesRecording date: 6th June 2026Silver Tiger Metals has reached a major milestone at its El Tigre project in Sonora, securing the first Mexican construction permit granted to a foreign mining company since 2019. Now over three months into building a high-margin heap leach silver and gold mine, the project is fully funded by a recent USD 60 million financing round. With earthworks underway and a 50-person camp operational, the build currently remains ahead of schedule. Management anticipates the first doré pour by December 2027, officially transitioning the firm from a development-stage company into a near-term producer.The financial projections for El Tigre are highly compelling. At current spot prices, the surface heap leach mine boasts a standalone after-tax net present value of roughly USD 800 million, an internal rate of return of 92 percent, and generates USD 100 million annually over an initial 10-year life. Crucially, the company also released an assessment for an adjacent underground mine featuring a 15-year lifespan and a USD 830 million valuation. Unlike many Mexican epithermal deposits where surface mining blocks deeper extraction, El Tigre's underground ore body lies entirely outside the surface footprint. This spatial advantage allows both operations to run concurrently, sharing infrastructure and drastically reducing the initial capital expenditure for the underground expansion.Beyond the established plan, Silver Tiger is aggressively pursuing exploration upside. Drilling has resumed on northern veins located 700 meters away, targeting an additional three million tonnes of silver equivalent. This expansion could nearly double the underground resource. Despite a recent dip in share price, the company views its current valuation as a massive discount to the combined theoretical project value of up to USD 1.8 billion. As the December 2027 production target approaches and debt providers actively compete to offer favorable financing terms, Silver Tiger is uniquely positioned to capitalize on a generational peak in precious metal prices.Learn more: https://www.cruxinvestor.com/companies/silver-tiger-metalsSign up for Crux Investor: https://cruxinvestor.com
Soumil Arora and Kunal Shah preview the upcoming and first-ever 2026 Barcelona-Catalunya Grand Prix at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya. Can Kimi Antonelli continue his race winning streak, or will George Russell end his run of misery and strike back? Crucially, will Charles Leclerc beat Lewis Hamilton - by using Hamilton's brake configuration? Lots to decipher & dissect on the Inside Line F1 Podcast. Most of us think brakes are just those pedals we stomp on to stop. At Ferrari, they're the real MVP—and the hottest drama of 2026. Kunal and Soumil peel back the curtain on Lewis Hamilton's masterstroke to rewrite Ferrari's brake game, pitting Lewis vs. Leclerc in a fierce war of carbon discs and Italian legacy. It's a tale packed with politics, passion, and wheel-to-wheel suspense that could make even your favorite soap opera blush. They break down: why Brembo's longstanding relationship with Ferrari is the real secret sauce, how Lewis's tactical brake choices are shaking up the entire grid, and why Charles Leclerc's frustrations are actually red flags for Ferrari's future. Plus, learn how a tiny tweak on brake material could decide whether Leclerc wins his fierce internal battle—or if Lewis is cruising toward his next legendary season. It's a masterclass in driver politics, technical warfare, and the quiet art of the race weekend chess game. You'll discover: the surprising history of brake wars at Ferrari, the behind-the-scenes playmaking of Fred Vassour who's got Hamilton's back, and the shocking single statistic that proves Mercedes is secretly the brake king of 2026. If you've ever wondered what really makes a Formula One car tick—and why it could be the defining factor of the entire season—this episode is your pit stop. Perfect for F1 fans who love a good conspiracy, tech junkies craving the details, or anyone who enjoys watching drama unfold faster than a pit lane sprint. This episode isn't just about brakes—it's about the power plays that could shake up the 2026 season and beyond. Hit play, and join the race to understand the most incredible saga happening behind the scenes in Formula One right now. And oh, don't forget—the next episode might feature a legend. Stay tuned. #F1 #F1Podcast #BarcelonaGP Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Matt explains sleep inertia - the groggy transition to wakefulness - noting that waking is a process, not a switch, and that brain regions activate at different speeds. While the core wakes fast, the prefrontal cortex, which handles judgment, remains foggy for 15 minutes. This window can leave you more impaired than after an all-nighter.He suggests a toolkit: use bright light, time caffeine for waking, and keep naps under 20 minutes. Matt also recommends melodic alarms and warns that the snooze button just results in deepening the fog. Crucially, he advises a 15-minute buffer before making big decisions to allow every brain system to fully restart.Please note that Matt is not a medical doctor, and none of the content in this podcast should be considered medical advice in any way, shape, or form, nor prescriptive in any way.In a supplement industry where trust is critical, Matt uses podcast supporter Puori. Their protein powders are free from hormones, GMOs, and pesticides, with every single batch third-party tested for over 200 contaminants. For protein you can trust, save 20% at puori.com/mattwalker.Another of this week's sponsors, AG1, is one that Matt relies upon for his foundational nutrition. Their new science-backed Next Gen formula features upgraded probiotics, vitamins, and minerals. Start your subscription today to get a FREE bottle of Vitamin D3+K2 and 5 free travel packs with your first order at drinkag1.com/mattwalker.As always, if you have thoughts or feedback you'd like to share, please reach out to Matt:Matt: Instagram @drmattwalker, X @sleepdiplomat, YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@sleepdiplomat
In this episode, Brad Onishi sits down with Rev. Alba Onofrio, the Executive Director of Soulforce and author of Spiritual Violence: Religious Phenomena That Defile the Faith. Rev. Alba brings nearly two decades of global activism across four continents to a critical conversation about the exact mechanisms religious systems use to inflict deep psychological and physical harm. Moving past vague concepts of religious trauma, she provides a clear framework that categorizes spiritual harm along a spectrum—ranging from everyday theological microaggressions to full-scale "spiritual terrorism." By defining spiritual terrorism as a sustained, systemic deployment of fear designed to subjugate entire communities, Rev. Alba exposes how weaponized theology acts as an active tool of control rather than an accidental byproduct of faith. The discussion dives into how traditional religious imagery—such as framing God exclusively as a punishing "Father," "King," or "Judge"—subtly normalizes abusive and hierarchical dynamics in families, intimate relationships, and broader civic life. Rev. Alba and Brad unpack how white Christian supremacy shapes what the American context recognizes as violence, using the deployment of Romans 13 during the separation of immigrant families at the U.S. border as a chilling case study in theological terrorism. Crucially, the episode addresses Christianity's historical condemnation of "the flesh," explaining how policing the body strips individuals of their bodily autonomy and self-trust. Ultimately, Rev. Alba shares why she fiercely maintains her faith, arguing that naming these systemic abuses is not a rejection of spirituality, but the vital first step toward true healing, resistance, and collective liberation. Subscribe to our free newsletter: https://swaj.substack.com/ Order American Caesar by Brad Onishi: https://static.macmillan.com/static/essentials/american-caesar-9781250427922/ Donate to SWAJ: https://axismundi.supercast.com/donations/new Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Welcome back to the podcast, episode… honestly, we've lost count at this point. Somewhere between ‘quite a few' and ‘deeply concerning.'William and Stuart begin by debating exactly how many episodes they've recorded, before immediately deciding the numbers don't matter anyway. Which, of course, leads naturally into the observation that some people suddenly become extremely interested in statistics the moment they're being criticised.William pauses dramatically, as though about to name names… before Stuart helpfully blurts out: ‘Paul.'As always, the format is beautifully chaotic. You send in the questions, we answer them, and we normally get through two per episode. Crucially, we don't see the questions before we hit record, which means there is no research, no planning, and certainly no professionalism involved whatsoever.Toby, from Hallatrow, Somerset, England is the first listener to set a question today - “What has true value and meaning?”William and Stuart explore the tension between acceptance and resignation, debating whether meaning is something we create for ourselves or simply assign temporarily to the world around us. From personal health and human nature to environmental change and emotional resilience, they unpack the difference between acknowledging reality and giving up, and ask whether modern life has made people too willing to accept the future as inevitable. Gus, from Walton Near Wetherby, Yorkshire, England asks the next question- “Discuss the role of compromise and reliability in Environmentalism and sustainability".William and Stuart discuss sustainability, compromise, and reliability, exploring how environmental progress depends on balancing profit, responsibility, and realistic expectations of human behaviour. Along the way, they debate whether reliability is about rigid consistency or simply a genuine commitment to keep trying in an unpredictable world. What do you make of this discussion? Do you have a question that you'd like us to discuss? Let us know by sending an email to thepeoplescountryside@gmail.comSign the Petition - Improve The Oxfordshire Countryside Accessibility For All Disabilities And Abilities: change.org/ImproveTheOxfordshireCountrysideAccessibilityForAllDisabilitiesAndAbilitiesWe like to give you an ad free experience. We also like our audience to be relatively small and engaged, we're not after numbers.This podcast's overall themes are nature, philosophy, climate, the human condition, sustainability, and social justice. Help us to spread the impact of the podcast by sharing this link with 5 friends podfollow.com/ThePeoplesCountrysideEnvironmentalDebatePodcast , support our work through Patreon patreon.com/thepeoplescountryside. Find out all about the podcast via this one simple link: linktr.ee/thepeoplescountryside
Send us Fan MailThis narrative will intricately weave together the stories of three monumental empires during the tumultuous era stretching from the mid-17th century through the early 18th century. My focus will be on France, China, and Russia, exploring the profound changes and intricate connections that defined their respective reigns.Crucially, this expansive story will be told through the intimate lens of their three iconic monarchs. I will delve into the personal perspectives, political strategies, and lasting legacies of Louis XIV of France, famously known as the Sun King; the revered Kangxi Emperor of China; and Peter I of Russia, whose reforms earned him the title of Peter the Great. By examining the world through their eyes, I intend to offer a unique and deeply human insight into an age of unprecedented change and imperial grandeur.Support the show
How do all your devices connect and stay safe in the cloud? In this episode, Lois Houston and Nikita Abraham talk with OCI instructors about the basics of how networks work and the simple steps that help protect them. You'll learn how information gets from one place to another, why tools like switches, routers, and firewalls are important, and what goes into keeping access secure. The discussion also covers how organizations decide who can enter their systems and how they keep track of activity. Cloud Tech Jumpstart: https://mylearn.oracle.com/ou/course/cloud-tech-jumpstart/152992 Oracle University Learning Community: https://education.oracle.com/ou-community LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/oracle-university/ X: https://x.com/Oracle_Edu Special thanks to Arijit Ghosh, Anna Hulkower, Radhika Banka, and the OU Studio Team for helping us create this episode. --------------------------------------------------------- Episode Transcript: 00:00 Hi there! We're hitting rewind for the next few weeks and bringing back some of our most popular episodes. So, sit back and enjoy these highlights from our archive. 00:12 Welcome to the Oracle University Podcast, the first stop on your cloud journey. During this series of informative podcasts, we'll bring you foundational training on the most popular Oracle technologies. Let's get started! 00:38 Lois: Hello and welcome to the Oracle University Podcast! I'm Lois Houston, Director of Innovation Programs with Oracle University, and with me is Nikita Abraham, Team Lead: Editorial Services. Nikita: Hi everyone! In the last episode, we spoke about local area networks and domain name systems. Today, we'll continue our conversation on the fundamentals of networking, covering a variety of important topics. 01:03 Lois: That's right, Niki. And before we close, we'll also touch on the basics of security. Joining us today are two OCI instructors from Oracle University: Sergio Castro and Orlando Gentil. So glad to have you both with us guys. Sergio, with so many users and devices connecting to the internet, how do we make sure everyone can get online? Can you break down what Network Address Translation, or NAT, does to help with this? Sergio: The world population is bigger than 4.3 billion people. That means that if we were to interconnect every single human into the internet, we will not have enough addresses. And not all of us are connected to the internet, but those of us who are, you know that we have more than one device at our disposal. We might have a computer, a laptop, mobile phones, you name it. And all of them need IP addresses. So that's why Network Address Translation exists because it translates your communication from a private IP to a public IP address. That's the main purpose: translate. 02:18 Nikita: Okay, so with NAT handling the IP translation, how do we ensure that the right data reaches the right device within a network? Or to put it differently, what directs external traffic to specific devices inside a network? Sergio: Port forwarding works in a reverse way to Network Address Translation. So, let's assume that this PC here, you want to turn it into a web server. So, people from the outside, customers from the outside of your local area network, will access your PC web server. Let's say that it's an online store. Now all of these devices are using the same public IP address. So how would the traffic be routed specifically to this PC and not to the camera or to the laptop, which is not a web server, or to your IP TV? So, this is where port forwarding comes into play. Basically, whenever it detects a request coming to port, it will route it and forward that request to your PC. It will allow anybody, any external device that wants to access this particular one, this particular web server, for the session to be established. So, it's a permission that you're allowing to this PC and only to this PC. The other devices will still be isolated from that list. That's what port forwarding is. 03:48 Lois: Sergio, let's talk about networking devices. What are some of the key ones, and what role do they play in connecting everything together? Sergio: There's plenty of devices for interconnectivity. These are devices that are different from the actual compute instances, virtual machines, cameras, and IPTV. These are for interconnecting networks. And they have several functionalities. 04:11 Nikita: Yeah, I often hear about a default gateway. Could you explain what that is and why it's essential for a network to function smoothly? Sergio: A gateway is basically where a web browser goes and asks a service from a web server. We have a gateway in the middle that will take us to that web server. So that's basically is the router. A gateway doesn't necessarily have to be a router. It depends on what device you're addressing at a particular configuration. So, a gateway is a connectivity device that connects two different networks. That's basically the functionality. 04:47 Lois: Ok. And when does one use a default gateway? Sergio: When you do not have a specific route that is targeting a specific router. You might have more than one router in your network, connecting to different other local area networks. You might have a route that will take you to local area network B. And then you might have another router that is connecting you to the internet. So, if you don't have a specific route that will take you to local area network B, then it's going to be utilizing the default gateway. It directs data packets to other networks when no specific route is known. In general terms, the default gateway, again, it doesn't have to be a router. It can be any devices. 05:34 Nikita: Could you give us a real-world example, maybe comparing a few of these devices in action, so we can see how they work together in a typical network? Sergio: For example, we have the hub. And the hub operates at the physical layer or layer 1. And then we have the switch. And the switch operates at layer 2. And we also have the router. And the router operates at layer 3. So, what's the big difference between these devices and the layers that they operate in? So, hubs work in the physical layer of the OSI model. And basically, it is for connecting multiple devices and making them act as a single network segment. Now, the switch operates at the data link layer and is basically a repeater, and is used for filtering content by reading the addresses of the source and destination. And these are the MAC addresses that I'm talking about. So, it reads where the packet is coming from and where is it going to at the local area network level. It connects multiple network segments. And each port is connected to a different segment. And the router is used for routing outside of your local area network, performs traffic directing functions on the internet. A data packet is typically forwarded from one router to another through different networks until it reaches its destination node. The switch connects multiple network segments. And each port of the switch is connected to a different segment. And the router performs traffic directing functions on the internet. It takes data from one router to another, and it works at the TCP/IP network layer or internet layer. 07:34 Lois: Sergio, what kind of devices help secure a network from external threats? Sergio: The network firewall is used as a security device that acts as a barrier between a trusted internal network and an untrusted external network, such as the internet. The network firewall is the first line of defense for traffic that passes in and out of your network. The firewall examines traffic to ensure that it meets the security requirements set by your organization, or allowing, or blocking traffic based on set criteria. And the main benefit is that it improves security for access management and network visibility. 08:23 Are you keen to stay ahead in today's fast-paced world? We've got your back! Each quarter, Oracle rolls out game-changing updates to its Fusion Cloud Applications. And to make sure you're always in the know, we offer New Features courses that give you an insider's look at all of the latest advancements. Don't miss out! Head over to mylearn.oracle.com to get started. 08:48 Nikita: Welcome back! Sergio, how do networks manage who can and can't enter based on certain permissions and criteria? Sergio: The access control list is like the gatekeeper into your local area network. Think about the access control list as the visa on your passport, assuming that the country is your local area network. Now, when you have a passport, you might get a visa that allows you to go into a certain country. So the access control list is a list of rules that defines which users, groups, or systems have permissions to access specific resources on your networks. It is a gatekeeper, that is going to specify who's allowed and who's denied. If you don't have a visa to go into a specific country, then you are denied. Similar here, if you are not part of the rule, if the service that you're trying to access is not part of the rules, then you cannot get in. 09:49 Lois: That's a great analogy, Sergio. Now, let's turn our attention to one of the core elements of network security: authentication and authorization. Orlando, can you explain why authentication and authorization are such crucial aspects of a secure cloud network? Orlando: Security is one of the most critical pillars in modern IT systems. Whether you are running a small web app or managing global infrastructure, every secure system starts by answering two key questions. Who are you, and what are you allowed to do? This is the essence of authentication and authorization. Authentication is the first step in access control. It's how a system verifies that you are who you claim to be. Think of it like showing your driver's license at a security checkpoint. The guard checks your photo and personal details to confirm your identity. In IT systems, the same process happens using one or more of these factors. It will ask you for something you know, like a password. It will ask you for something that you have, like a security token, or it will ask you for something that you are, like a fingerprint. An identity does not refer to just a person. It's any actor, human or not, that interacts with your systems. Users are straightforward, think employees logging into a dashboard. But services and machines are equally important. A backend API may need to read data from a database, or a virtual machine may need to download updates. Treating these non-human identities with the same rigor as human ones helps prevent unauthorized access and improves visibility and security. After confirming your identity, can the system move on to deciding what you're allowed to access? That's where authorization comes in. Once authentication confirms who you are, authorization determines what you are allowed to do. Sticking with the driver's license analogy, you've shown your license and proven your identity, but that doesn't mean that you can drive anything anywhere. Your license class might let you drive a car, not a motorcycle or a truck. It might be valid in your country, but not in others. Similarly, in IT systems, authorization defines what actions you can take and on which resources. This is usually controlled by policies and roles assigned to your identity. It ensures that users or services only get access to the things they are explicitly allowed to interact with. 12:47 Nikita: How can organizations ensure secure access across their systems, especially when managing multiple users and resources? Orlando: Identity and Access Management governs who can do what in our systems. Individually, authentication verifies identity and authorization grants access. However, managing these processes at scale across countless users and resources becomes a complex challenge. That's where Identity and Access Management, or IAM, comes in. IAM is an overarching framework that centralizes and orchestrates both authentication and authorization, along with other critical functions, to ensure secure and efficient access to resources. 13:35 Lois: And what are the key components and methods that make up a robust IAM system? Orlando: User management, a core component of IAM, provides a centralized Identity Management system for all user accounts and their attributes, ensuring consistency across applications. Key functions include user provisioning and deprovisioning, automating account creation for new users, and timely removal upon departure or role changes. It also covers the full user account lifecycle management, including password policies and account recovery. Lastly, user management often involves directory services integration to unify user information. Access management is about defining access permissions, specifically what actions users can perform and which resources they can access. A common approach is role-based access control, or RBAC, where permissions are assigned to roles and users inherit those permissions by being assigned to roles. For more granular control, policy-based access control allows for rules based on specific attributes. Crucially, access management enforces the principle of least privilege, granting only the minimum necessary access, and supports segregation of duties to prevent conflicts of interest. For authentication, IAM systems support various methods. Single-factor authentication, relying on just one piece of evidence like a password, offers basic security. However, multi-factor authentication significantly boosts security by requiring two or more distinct verification types, such as a password, plus a one-time code. We also have biometric authentication, using unique physical traits and token-based authentication, common for API and web services. 15:46 Lois: Orlando, when it comes to security, it's not just about who can access what, but also about keeping track of it all. How does auditing and reporting maintain compliance? Orlando: Auditing and reporting are essential for security and compliance. This involves tracking user activities, logging all access attempts and permission changes. It's vital for meeting compliance and regulatory requirements, allowing you to generate reports for audits. Auditing also aids in security incident detection by identifying unusual activities and providing data for forensic analysis after an incident. Lastly, it offers performance and usage analytics to help optimize your IAM system. 16:35 Nikita: That was an incredibly informative conversation. Thank you, Sergio and Orlando, for sharing your expertise with us. If you'd like to dive deeper into these concepts, head over to mylearn.oracle.com and search for the Cloud Tech Jumpstart course. Lois: I agree! This was such a great conversation! Until next time, this is Lois Houston… Nikita: And Nikita Abraham, signing off! 16:58 That's all for this episode of the Oracle University Podcast. If you enjoyed listening, please click Subscribe to get all the latest episodes. We'd also love it if you would take a moment to rate and review us on your podcast app. See you again on the next episode of the Oracle University Podcast.
The Pure Report welcomes Mark Wilkinson, a Consulting Field Solutions Architect at Everpure and a former Database Administrator (DBA) and manager. Mark shares his unique perspective on the changes reshaping the Database Administrator role from the perspective of a DBA practitioner. Drawing on his experience as a 10-year Everpure customer who was freed from storage concerns, Mark highlights that the DBA function has not been eliminated but rather has been elevated and broadened in scope. Mark explains how the role continues to shift from routine, fire-fighting tasks to high-value, strategic contributions. The modern DBA role is expanding beyond traditional relational databases and SQL Server dominance, now intersecting with big data, AI, and unstructured data. We discuss how adopting technologies like cloud for data mobility, containers (which force teams to prioritize resilience), and automation (leading to self-service workflows) creates more time for the DBA team to grow their expertise. Automation, often driven initially by laziness, is seen as the key force multiplier, enabling DBAs to stop asking "Am I adding any value right now?" and start using their knowledge to benefit the business. Crucially, the entire evolution points to the necessity of building stronger relationships throughout the organization—with developers, finance, and leadership. This shift allows DBAs to move from a stereotypical gatekeeper role to a business partner, gaining a seat at the table and increasing their visibility and impact. While new challenges like AI accuracy (especially for new DBAs) and compliance (GDPR) exist, the expansion of the role makes it a cool time to be a DBA, with many options to specialize, build skills (e.g., via open source), and drive corporate success. To learn more, visit: https://www.everpuredata.com/solutions/databases.html Check out the new Everpure digital customer community to join the conversation with peers and Everpure experts: https://purecommunity.purestorage.com/ 00:00 Intro and Welcome 05:05 Career Journey 09:55 Everpure Benefit for App Environments 15:01 Stat of the Episode 20:05 Slow Storage Impact on DBAs 25:05 Key Changes to DBA role 30:15 Containers and DBAs 35:15 Automation and Workflows 41:10 Observability and Telemetry 43:43: AI and DBAs 55:08 Hot Takes
The state Ethics Commission has voted to formally investigate whether former House Speaker K. Joseph Shekarchi's bid for the Rhode Island Supreme Court violates the state's "revolving door" law. The complaint, filed by Roger Williams University Law Professor and former Dean Michael Yelnosky, sets up a high-stakes legal showdown over legislative power and judicial independence. Key Talking Points & Fact Sheet The Vote: In a closed-door session on Tuesday, June 2, 2026, the RI Ethics Commission voted 6–1 to accept the complaint and greenlight a formal investigation. Notable Recusal: Commission Chairman Lauren Jones recused himself due to his past legal representation of the General Assembly’s Joint Committee on Legislative Services. The Core Conflict ("The Revolving Door"): Written into state law in 1992 following the supreme court scandals of the 1980s/90s, the rule explicitly prohibits sitting legislators from seeking or accepting employment with any state government agency for one year after leaving office. Yelnosky's Argument: Professor Michael Yelnosky filed the complaint the exact afternoon Shekarchi stepped down from the speaker's rostrum (May 7). Yelnosky argues the rule is crystal clear and designed precisely to stop powerful lawmakers from transitioning seamlessly into high-court judicial appointments. Shekarchi’s Defense: Former Speaker Shekarchi and his attorney, Thomas Dickinson, contend that the Supreme Court is a "constitutional office/court" rather than a standard state agency, making it exempt from the one-year cooling-off period. Shekarchi opted not to seek an advance advisory opinion, stating, "the law is very clear to me." The Precedent (The 2020 Loophole): This isn't unchartered territory. In 2020, the commission voted 5–2 to allow then-Senate Judiciary Chairwoman Erin Lynch Prata to jump straight to the Supreme Court—defying their own staff's recommendation. Crucially, the commission never issued a formal, written opinion back then, leaving the legal question legally unsettled. Yelnosky argues that 2020 did not establish a binding precedent. What Makes This Investigation Different: Ethics Commission Executive Director Jason Gramitt noted that unlike typical cases, there are virtually no facts in dispute. Shekarchi applied for the seat, and he was just in office. The entire case hinges strictly on legal interpretation of the statute. The Timeline & Stakes The Vacancy: The seat opened up following the March 27 retirement of Associate Justice Maureen McKenna Goldberg. Clock is Ticking: The Judicial Nominating Commission (JNC) has until August 4, 2026, to submit a list of 3 to 5 vetted candidates to Governor Dan McKee. The Playbook: McKee then has 21 days to choose a nominee, who must be confirmed by both chambers of the General Assembly. If the Ethics Commission doesn't rule "fairly quickly" (as Gramitt expects), it could completely cloud the JNC selection process. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Dr. Bradley Erickson, Director of the Mayo AI Lab, speaks with HexAI podcast host, Jordan Gass-Pooré in advance of the University of Pittsburgh's annual AI Summer School program in Medical Imaging Informatics organized by Pitt's Health and Explainable AI Research Lab (HexAI) and the Computational Pathology and AI center of Excellence (CPACE). The episode simulates two different professional vantage point scenarios to help students visualize the vast, multi-dimensional landscape of artificial intelligence in healthcare and radiology.The first half of the episode drops students directly into the vantage point of an AI expert attending a technical conference, where medical imaging informatics are being contrasted with everyday computer vision. Dr. Erickson explains how medical data often extends into multiple dimensions by incorporating complex spatial matrices and tissue properties like T1 and T2 tracking on MRIs, far surpassing standard 2D photographic pixels. He highlights why generic consumer AI tools like simple heat maps or saliency maps fall short of establishing clinical trust; while they can successfully point to where a brain tumor is, they completely fail to explain what that tumor is or why it is changing texture. Furthermore, Dr. Erickson discusses the profound challenge of "ground truth" uncertainty in medicine, explaining that training predictive algorithms is incredibly difficult because definitive biological labels are frequently masked by biological reactions or a lack of definitive longitudinal data.The second half of the podcast episode places students into the role and vantage point of a hospital administrator, exposing students to the active economic and structural deliberations currently playing out in modern hospital boardrooms. Dr. Erickson underscores the considerations and financial constraints that hospitals contend with and explains that while new narrowly focused diagnostic AI tools are attractive, the most immediate return on investment for hospitals often comes from practical, language-based text summarization and ambient patient recording systems. Crucially, this administrative perspective teaches students that the health industry desperately needs supportive roles beyond traditional doctors and researchers, such as AI project managers, integration specialists, and governance officers who can oversee model confidence and decide exactly when to adapt AI solutions or pull failing applications or algorithms back.Dr. Erickson emphasizes that entering this revolutionary field requires a willingness to learn through iteration, push back on assumptions, and manage the critical intersections of technology, safety, and human care. Through an open exploration of technical hurdles and administrative realities, the episode provides a rich conceptual primer for AI Summer School participants designed to cultivate critical thinking informing views on AI in medical imaging, hands-on project development and coding.
How has China transformed into a dominant naval power, and what strategic choices must the U.S. make to protect its interests in the Pacific? Toshi Yoshihara and James Holmes join Ron Granieri to discuss the third edition of Red Star Over the Pacific, which answers those very questions. The authors explain how Beijing synthesizes Western and Eastern strategic ideas to expand its maritime reach. Crucially, the conversation moves beyond simple threat assessments to explore how the United States should respond. Yoshihara and Holmes emphasize that the U.S. must maintain its unrivaled regional alliances, exploit competitive undersea strengths, and enforce strict strategic discipline to counter China's growing naval challenge. China's quest for control in the maritime domain is driven both by a weird combination of both confidence and insecurity. James Holmes, PhD, is the inaugural holder of the J.C. Wiley Chair of Maritime Strategy at the U.S. Naval War College and previously served on the faculty of the University of Georgia School of Public and International Affairs. A former U.S. Navy surface warfare officer, he also earned a PhD from the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy, Tufts University. Toshi Yoshihara, PhD, is a senior fellow at the Center for Strategic and Budgetary Assessments. Previously, he was the inaugural John A. van Beuren Chair of Asia-Pacific Studies and a professor of strategy at the U.S. Naval War College. He holds a PhD from the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy, Tufts University. Photo Credit: Created by Gemini
(2) Bob Zimmerman details the December 21, 1968, launch and the historic trans-lunar injection that sent humans toward another planet for the first time. Zimmerman describes the Saturn 5 ride as surprisingly smooth compared to Gemini rockets, despite the primitive onboard computers that required manual data entry of long number strings. He shares Jim Lovell's perspective of the Earth shrinking until the entire Atlantic could be covered by a thumb. Crucially, the discussion reveals that while the Space Race remained competitive, NASA was unaware that Soviet Zond failures had secretly forced the cancellation of their own manned mission.1939
Last time we spoke about the second phase of the One Hundred Regiment Offensive. During the second phase of the Hundred Regiments offensive, CCP forces emphasized strongpoint and transportation warfare across the Taihang/Jizhong area. Units were organized with wings containing Japanese positions while a central force struck deeper, as in the Renhe Dasu fighting in early October 1940. Night raids seized strongholds, while engineers and sabotage teams disrupted roads, bridges, and mobility, and ambushes targeted Japanese foraging and supply routes. Across these theaters, the strategy was consistent: make Japanese control porous by destroying or capturing local nodes and forcing constant repairs, re-routing, escorts, and slowed reinforcement, so occupation logistics and strongpoint networks could not function reliably. This approach supported wider offensives by isolating strongpoints, draining enemy strength, and giving Communist base areas room to endure and expand. #204 The One Hundred Regiment Offensive Phase Three 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. After the two large-scale offensives carried out over wide areas of North China, the Japanese army did what it always did when control started to slip: it tried to turn mobile pressure back into something it could "manage" again. The Eighth Route Army's continued fighting had shown that Japanese-occupied space was not secure, and that base areas could still resist, strike, and persist even while under counterpressure. That was dangerous for occupation. If the enemy could keep operations going, Japanese lines of movement stayed uncertain and "stabilization" became a temporary illusion. To prevent the situation from worsening and to re-stabilize the occupied areas as quickly as possible, the Japanese mobilized heavy forces and launched retaliatory counter–"mopping-up" operations against anti-Japanese base areas in North China beginning October 6. The Japanese attempt wasn't only to punish; it was designed to take advantage of an asymmetry: the Eighth Route Army was striking and fighting continuously, and it did not have the luxury of resting, replenishing, and re-cohering as neatly as a garrison army might. Japanese commanders hoped that if they struck hard enough in enough places, the Communist main forces could be isolated, destroyed, or at least forced into a defensive posture that would break their operational tempo. At Liaodong and Yulin, Japanese reinforcements also created a second political-military stake. After the Yuliao Campaign ended, the Eighth Route Army headquarters issued instructions on October 1 to major regions, warning that enemy reinforcements in Liaodong and Yulin might use the opening to "sweep" the Taibei region. In the Communist operational mind, this wasn't just one threat; it was a pattern. A "sweep" could come as a wave that pushed inward, burned villages, destroyed supplies, and tried to force Communist forces out of their protected networks. Even if the offensive couldn't win a conventional decisive battle, it could aim to strip the base areas of people, food, and mobility—things that make guerrilla and strongpoint warfare possible. By October 19, 1940, the Eighth Route Army headquarters issued a counter–"mopping-up" operation plan, and civilian and military authorities in various regions launched counter-"mopping-up" operations accordingly. This is important background: in these campaigns, "mopping-up" was not only an army activity. The Japanese were attempting to break the base system itself—its logistics, its local administration, and the relationship between armed units and civilians who hid, moved, fed, and replaced them. So the counter-operations had to be just as systemic. The Communists needed to keep people alive, keep movement possible, and keep the enemy from consolidating inside a cleared space. In southeastern Shanxi's Taihang and Taiyue regions, the Japanese 1st Army aimed to strike the main force of the 129th Division and destroy anti-Japanese base areas by running a series of mopping operations from October 6 to December 5. The plan had a typical occupation logic: push through strongholds gradually, clear pockets methodically, and rely on local superiority—especially in manpower, logistics, and the ability to reinforce by road. And because the Communist main force had been operating without meaningful rest after the earlier offensives, the Japanese believed they could catch formations while they were still "in between battles." On October 6, in the Taihang region, more than 800 enemy troops from Wu'an in western Hebei began a "mopping-up" operation in the Yangyi area. By October 11, the Japanese posture escalated. Part of the Japanese Independent Mixed 4th Brigade departed from Liaoxian and Wuxiang, while part of the 36th Division departed from Lucheng and Xiangyuan; together they totaled over 3,000 troops. Coordinating from north and south, they carried out operations to "mop up" both banks of the Zhuozhang River between Yulin, Liaoxian, and Wuxiang, encircling and clearing the south side of the Yulin–Liaoxian highway. This emphasis on riverbanks and highway corridors reveals the Japanese method: move along terrain that controls movement, then compress enemy options until the defenders have to fight inside a narrowing space. The counter to that method required more than bravery. The Eighth Route Army's 385th and 386th Brigades, along with the 1st Column of the Decisive Battle, fought on inner lines—where they could move more rapidly between known local positions and threaten the enemy's flanks or supply behavior. Meanwhile the New 10th Brigade fought on outer lines, where it could intercept, delay, and force the enemy to spend time reacting instead of clearing. By the morning of October 15, the New 10th Brigade delivered a concrete example of that interception strategy. Two regiments ambushed an enemy motor-transport convoy at Gongjiagou on the Heliao Highway, destroying more than 40 vehicles and annihilating more than 100 Japanese soldiers escorting the convoy. The meaning of a convoy ambush is strategic even when the numbers are modest: vehicles represent speed, logistics, and reinforcement. If the enemy loses vehicles repeatedly, "mopping" becomes slower, and slower clearing creates openings for the defenders to reorganize, disperse, or shift main effort. After that, on October 17, the enemy forces that had been mopping up the convoy withdrew in different directions. Withdrawal in multiple directions is a sign that the Japanese clearing operation, meant to compress a space, had instead been forced into a reactive mode. It also hints at a recurring pattern in these years: Japanese units could clear what was already weak, but when defenders hit their movement corridors, the occupiers had to spend time and combat power simply to recover mobility. The next major sweep began October 20, 1940, and it was much larger. Nearly 10,000 troops—from the 36th Division and Independent Mixed Brigade No. 4—set off from multiple locations, including Wu'an, Liaoxian, Wuxiang, and Lucheng, to sweep the area east and west of the Qingzhang River, focusing on land between Matian and Zuohui. Crucially, that was not random ground. The Japanese sought to strike the CCP Central Committee Northern Bureau, the Eighth Route Army headquarters, and the 129th Division headquarters, along with party and government organs of the Jin-Ji-Yu Border Region, located together with Shexian and Piancheng. In other words, the Japanese targeted not just armed units but the political-administrative heart that makes base areas function. Once in the attack area, the Japanese carried out "mopping-up" operations paired with burning and killing for several days. That brutality wasn't only cruelty; it served a purpose. Burning villages, destroying crops, and killing civilians could deny the base area food and shelter while making local cooperation more difficult. Then, on October 26, the Japanese began to withdraw and carried out mopping-up in different areas on the way back. The base area was "severely damaged and destroyed," indicating that even when the Japanese didn't annihilate the main Communist force, they could still achieve degradation—hurting the system they needed to keep operating. But the Communists were not simply absorbing damage. On October 29, a force of over 500 men from the 36th Division, plus over 400 supply and laborers, was mopping up Huangyandong and advanced through Zuohui to Guanjia'nao east of Panlong, preparing to return to Wuxiang. This is where counter-mopping becomes operationally dangerous for the occupier. Supply and labor detachments move differently from combat formations, and they represent an enemy's assumption that the base area is being "cleared." The Eighth Route Army headquarters ordered, at 1:00 p.m., for the 129th Division to concentrate its main force to annihilate the enemy. That night, the 129th Division—uniting the main forces of the 385th and 386th Brigades, parts of the New 10th Brigade, and the First Column of the Death Squad—surrounded the enemy at Guanjia'nao with a plan to launch a general offensive at 4:00 a.m. The besieged enemy, besides quickly building fortifications, seized Fengkengding high ground southwest of Guanjia'nao under cover of darkness. The two high points helped defenders support one another and resist stubbornly. The battle lasted until dawn on October 31, when most of the enemy had been annihilated, leaving only more than 60 men to hold positions. Then reinforcements arrived—over 1,500 from Huangyandong—supported by more than 10 aircraft. The 129th Division withdrew, and the remaining enemy fled toward the flood, leaving behind more than 280 corpses. By then, most Japanese troops had withdrawn from the central base area. The background stake is clear: "mopping-up" could damage and burn, but if defenders could convert the Japanese attempt into a trap—especially when enemy units had become separated from their core and committed to clearing—they could turn a destructive operation into a costly one for the occupier. In early November, the Japanese continued. In Licheng south of Taihang, Japanese forces invaded Nanweiquan and Beiweiquan and then Xijing. Elsewhere, Japanese forces in Xiangyuan invaded Panlong via Xiying, attempting to attack Dongtian and the area around Zhuanbi, where the Eighth Route Army headquarters was located. In that moment, the 386th Brigade was ordered to rush to the north–south line of Damocun, east of Panlong, block the invading enemy, and cover the transfer of the Eighth Route Army headquarters. At 9:00 a.m. on November 3, 1940, fierce fighting broke out as the troops finished deploying near Damocun. The Japanese launched continuous attacks and captured some positions. The 386th Brigade held until 4:00 a.m. on November 4, then withdrew after the headquarters successfully moved. The Japanese attempt to launch a pincer attack failed, and they retreated to the Baijin Line on November 5. Even when Japanese action couldn't be fully blocked, the counter's aim was not only tactical survival but prevention of strategic encirclement—protecting the central institutions and preserving the ability to fight again. In the northern Taihang region, more than 2,500 enemy troops from Heshun arrived in Yushe on November 3 via Hanwang Town and Changcheng Town, reinforcing Japanese forces in the Yu, Liao, and Wu areas. Then they carried out repeated mopping operations south of the Yuliao Highway, including Jiangtang, Lingshang, Songjiazhuang, Guojiao, and Dayouyi. Harassment and attacks by military and civilians forced Japanese troops back into their strongholds by the 13th. A "40-day" counter-mopping operation in Taihang came to an end. The term "40-day" isn't only calendar time; it suggests that these were not one-off battles but sustained campaigns of movement, dispersal, and repeated harassment meant to drain the enemy's capacity. Starting November 17, the Japanese launched a multi-pronged attack on Qinyuan and the area north of Guodao Town. The attack involved part of the 37th Division from Qin County and Nanguan Town, part of the Independent Mixed Brigade from Pingyao, Jiexiu, and Huo County, and a battalion of the 41st Division from Hongdong—more than 7,000 troops deployed to attack Qinyuan and the north area. But the Taiyue Military Region response shows how the Communist counter-mopping wasn't always to meet force with force. To avoid the enemy's "sharp edge," the Taiyue Military Region formed two detachments—Qin East and Qin West—with leadership and main force moving to both sides of the Qin River outside the Japanese attack zone, targeting scattered Japanese troops instead of being fixed into a single killing field. By November 23, due to harassment by local armed forces, the Japanese reached the attack zone and then carried out dispersed mopping operations. Qinyuan County was the most severely damaged, with more than 5,000 people killed (about one-tenth of its population), nearly 10,000 livestock killed and over 7,000 stolen, and 30,000 to 40,000 houses destroyed. Those details are brutal, but they explain why background stakes mattered: "mopping-up" was meant to break the social base. If civilians died or fled, the guerrilla system became harder to sustain. The response from the Dayue Military Region seized the opportunity created by Japanese dispersal. On November 23, the 42nd Regiment of the Qinxi Detachment annihilated more than 100 Japanese soldiers in Guantan. On November 27, parts of the 42nd and 59th Regiments killed or wounded more than 160 in Huhanping and Mabei. The Qindong Detachment's 17th and 57th Regiments inflicted serious damage in a series of places—Guang'ao, Chenjiagou, Longfosi, Wuyuanzhen, Nanweicun, Nanli, and more. The 17th Regiment's battle at Longfosi annihilated more than 100 Japanese. Additional heavy losses were inflicted by the 212th Brigade in Jiaokou. By December 5, the Japanese were forced to withdraw from the Taiyue area in separate routes. Strategically, dispersal punished the occupier because scattered units are harder to protect and easier to ambush. Across the Jin-Cha-Ji Border Region, anti-"mopping-up" operations unfolded gradually, beginning with the Pingxi area, the first target of the Japanese on the path toward the Japanese-held headquarters and rail lines. Pingxi mattered because it directly threatened the headquarters of the Japanese North China Area Army and Beiping—the puppet regime's center—and also threatened the Pinghan and Pingsui railways, North China's main transportation lines. So Pingxi became an operational priority: if the occupier couldn't keep the rail network secure, their ability to reinforce and supply their own strongpoints suffered. On October 13, 1940, more than 10,000 Japanese and puppet troops attacked Sanpo, the central area of the Pingxi base area, in 10 routes. This attack used a methodical, steady approach: advance gradually, rely on strongholds, and cover 5 to 10 kilometers each day. In response, the Pingxi Military Sub-district countered using timely maneuvers of its main forces and extensive guerrilla warfare. Over more than a week of fighting, the enemy was constantly harassed and attacked, wearing them down. Although Japanese troops penetrated deep, they failed to identify the main force's movements. By November 21, when the encirclement tightened further, the Pingxi main force jumped out from the Sanpo area and moved southwest. Encountering the enemy at Pengtou, it then moved to the Yegu and Datai line east of Bancheng. After the Japanese entered the Sanpo area, they conducted widespread burning and killing and looted grain. Starting from the 23rd, the Japanese retreated in different routes. By the end of October, the main force had withdrawn from Pingxi, but more than 2,000 troops remained in the Pingxi anti-Japanese base area to build strongholds and roads. Strongholds were added in places like Changping and Wanping—14 strongholds alone—and villages such as Dongzhaitang and Dujiazhuang came under their control. The base area began to shrink and shrink. That shrinkage is the other background stake: even when guerrilla forces avoid annihilation, the occupier may still carve away space through fortification. On October 19, 1940, the Eighth Route Army headquarters instructed that enemy attacks in Pingxi and Taihang might turn around and attack the Beiyue area. The Jin-Cha-Ji Border Region needed to prepare quickly to crush these "mopping-up" operations, coordinating Party, government, military, and civilians and conducting in-depth combat mobilization. The main force should assemble in appropriate positions and prepare to annihilate one or two enemy forces decisively. The headquarters also instructed the 129th and 120th Divisions to cooperate actively. By November 9, 1940, the Japanese struck again in a massive sweep. The 110th Division, along with other units and more than 14,000 puppet troops, launched a "mopping-up" operation in the jurisdiction of the 1st Military Sub-district. The Japanese and puppet troops moved in coordinated lines: along the line of Yi County, Dalonghua, Wang'an Town, Laiyuan, and Chajianling from north to south, while those in Baoding and Mancheng moved east to west. The intent was to squeeze Communist sub-district forces into a narrow area for a decisive battle. On November 10, the Jin-Cha-Ji Military Region issued operational guidelines and deployments for countering "mopping-up" operations. By the 12th, in response to Japanese widespread burning and killing, it further instructed that without hindering mobility, the main force could disperse a portion of troops—no more than one-third—to strike resolutely at attempts to burn and kill. That instruction captures the balance commanders tried to strike: disperse too much and you lose power; disperse too little and you become trapped by the occupier's brutality. The Japanese then attempted to pressure multiple places. On November 9, more than 6,000 enemy troops from Laiyuan, Yixian, and Baoding attacked Guantou, Yinfang, Huangtuling, and Shenbei. On the 12th, their attack failed; they burned and killed people before retreating in different routes. At that time, the 1st Military Sub-district assembled the 1st and 25th Regiments to intercept them. One enemy force of more than 800 was intercepted on the 14th as it retreated from Wujiazhuang to Yuangang; some were killed or wounded. Even so, the enemy broke through under aircraft cover and retreated to Guantou. On the way, it was intercepted again by the 20th Regiment, suffering heavy casualties, and it fled back to Mancheng. Then on November 13, more than 2,700 Japanese and puppet troops attacked the 3rd Military Sub-district; on November 14, about 2,600 advanced from Dingxiang, Dongye, and Wutai toward Fuping and its southwest area in two routes. The Japanese attacked with east-west coordination, launching joint attacks on Taiyu north of Fuping. The Jin-Cha-Ji Military Region headquarters and the command organs of the 3rd and 5th military sub-districts, along with the 2nd, 3rd, and 6th regiments and other troops, transferred to the outer line before the enemy encirclement formed. On the 16th, the Japanese launched a joint attack again on Taiyu and Zhangjiayu, and the guerrillas who failed to transfer fought hard. Commander Wang Pu and Deputy Director of the Political Department Hao Yuming were killed, and troops suffered more than 100 casualties. On November 18, the enemy from Taiyu quickly occupied Hanping City. By the 21st, enemy forces from Daying via Shentangbao and Wuwangkou, and from Wutai via Taihuai, Shizui, Longquanguan, and Xiaguan, also gathered in Fuping City. After occupying Fuping, the Japanese launched repeated attacks "sweeping" areas under the jurisdiction of the 3rd Military Sub-district from both inward and outward strongholds, conducting brutal burning and killing and destruction. On the night of November 21, the 2nd Regiment dispatched more than 30 men to raid Dangcheng and attack Japanese barracks with grenades. The Japanese panicked and fired guns and cannons all night. On the 26th, four plainclothes officers infiltrated Baoding and attacked a theater where the Japanese army was holding a meeting, causing panic among the Japanese. The enemy that had invaded the base area withdrew in different routes on the 25th. By December 3, 1940, most Japanese troops had withdrawn from the Beiyue area, but more than 1,000 remained along lines including Fuping, Wangkuai, Dangcheng, and Quyang to continue building points and roads in an attempt to occupy the area long-term. To force the enemy back, eliminate occupied points, and completely crush Japanese and puppet "mopping-up," the Jin-Cha-Ji Military Region organized the Fuping–Wangkuai Campaign starting December 9, with the 2nd, 3rd, 4th, and 6th regiments participating. At 21:00 on December 14, the 6th Regiment attacked enemy forces in Dongzhuang. The 1st Battalion captured three fortified positions on the north mountain of Dongzhuang and rushed into the village, only for Japanese counterattacks to recapture fortified positions and kill or wound more than 170 Japanese during the counterfight. The 4th Regiment attacked the enemy in Fuping; the 2nd Regiment and guerrilla forces entered Dangcheng and Lingshan. On the 21st, more than 130 enemy soldiers escorting more than 100 pack animals carrying military supplies reached Wangkuai and were completely annihilated when they reached Wanglinkou. By December 26, an ambush in the Xuancun area of the Pinghan Railway destroyed 14 Japanese trains and their vehicles as well as three heavy artillery pieces. On the 27th, more than 1,200 enemy troops advancing from Dongzhuang in Fuping were attacked in Luoyu and Tumen, suffering more than 140 casualties. The remaining Japanese withdrew from Fuping, Dongzhuang, and Wangkuai starting New Year's Day 1941. By January 4, the 55-day anti-"mopping-up" campaign had basically ended, with the Jin-Cha-Ji Military Region killing and wounding more than 2,000 Japanese and puppet troops while suffering 1,382 casualties itself. These numbers and dates show why background and stakes matter: the counter-mopping effort wasn't short. It was sustained, operationally demanding, and required continued offensive action even while facing superior Japanese resources. The pressure didn't end there. From October 25 to early November, about 4,000 Japanese troops, including the 16th Independent Mixed Brigade, launched a mopping operation in the Miyu and Loufan areas of the 8th and 3rd military sub-districts in northwestern Shanxi, but they were attacked by local soldiers and civilians. In mid-December, Japanese forces transferred additional strength: parts of the 37th Division from southern Shanxi and the 41st Division from southeastern Shanxi, along with parts of the 3rd, 9th, and 16th Independent Mixed Brigades and the 26th Division from northwestern Shanxi—totaling more than 20,000 troops—to prepare for a full-scale mopping operation in northwestern Shanxi. After the second phase of the Hundred Regiments Offensive ended, the 120th Division anticipated retaliation and actively prepared for counter-mopping. On October 30, the division was ordered to establish the Jin-Northwest Military Region, and on November 7, the military region was established in Lijiawan, Xing County. The Jin-Northwest Military Region had direct military sub-districts and six military sub-districts: the 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 8th, and Yanbei. Then the occupier escalated. Starting December 14, 1940, the Japanese launched a full-scale mopping operation against the Jin-Northwest region. More than 5,000 enemy troops invaded the Mi-Yu Town area of the 8th Military Sub-district, more than 4,000 invaded Lin-Xian, and more than 6,000 attacked Xing-Xian and the area south of Bao-De from strongholds such as Lan-Xian and Qi-Lan. By December 23, Japanese forces had occupied all county towns, most market towns, and Yellow River crossings in the Jin-Northwest region except for Bao-De and He-Qu counties, and began to implement a systematic policy commonly described as the "Three Alls" policy. The "Three Alls" emphasis is the clearest expression of stakes turning lethal. Japanese troops and traitors disguised themselves as the Eighth Route Army to lure and kill masses. They sent out core detachments to attack and repeatedly sweep the area, seeking to annihilate party, government, and military leadership organs—focusing on destroying the rear organs and facilities that made Communist endurance possible. According to incomplete statistics, more than 5,000 people were brutally killed during these sweeps. In Xingxian County alone, 150,000 catties of grain were looted and burned; in the 4th Military Sub-district, more than 5,000 head of livestock were looted and killed; and more than 19,000 houses and cave dwellings were burned down. In the early stage of this anti-mopping campaign, the Jin-Sui Military Region mainly used a portion of its forces to cooperate with local troops and guerrillas in widespread guerrilla warfare. They harassed and contained the attacking enemy, disrupted enemy transportation, and covered the transfer of the masses. The main force avoided the enemy's sharp edge and moved to the outer line to seek opportunities to attack the Japanese army. This describes the classic guerrilla operational pattern: avoid being fixed into a single decisive trap, but create enough friction that enemy operations degrade into a struggle they can't sustain. repeated attacks and ambushes during the mopping period across Miyu Town and other areas—units striking repeatedly, destroying roads, cutting off enemy transportation, and attacking enemy strongholds north of Dawu. To thwart the Japanese army's plans to build roads and fortifications—plans that would make future sweeps easier—the Jin-Sui Military Region instructed, on December 27, all sub-districts to mobilize forces to disrupt Japanese road construction and fortification. The 358th Brigade attacked enemy road construction from Lanxian to Dashetou and from Puming to Chijianling; the Independent 1st Brigade sabotaged the Dawu–Linxian highway; and the 4th Column of the Death Squad sabotaged the Dawu–Fangshan highway. Part of the Independent 1st Brigade's 2nd Regiment organized over 2,000 civilians to sabotage the Dawu–Sanjiao highway twice, forcing the enemy in Linxian to detour through Fangshan to contact Lishi. The Lishi guerrillas led civilians in two sabotage attacks on the Lishi–Jundu highway, destroying over 30 "li" of road. Other units attacked strongholds along key highways and destroyed or disrupted the "maintenance committees" that surrounded newly built enemy strongholds. There were also direct raids—storming into Linxian County and capturing representatives of enemy maintenance organizations. Meanwhile, the Workers' and Patriots' Brigade carried out continuous sabotage on the Taifen Highway. As the enemy plans ran into persistent disruption, Japanese and puppet forces began to retreat in different routes starting January 2, 1941, and by January 24 they returned to their original strongholds. The Jin-Sui winter counter-mopping operation lasted 40 days, annihilated more than 2,500 enemy troops, destroyed 125 kilometers of roads and 23 bridges, and recovered all towns occupied by the enemy during the campaign. Here the stakes show through most clearly: the campaign was not merely about killing enemy troops. It was about preventing the occupier from building a durable, road-connected grid that would allow future sweeps to be faster, larger, and more decisive. At the wider campaign level, the Eighth Route Army also recorded its total effects from August 20 to December 5, covering roughly three and a half months. During that period, the Eighth Route Army fought 1,824 battles of varying sizes, killing or wounding 20,645 Japanese soldiers (including senior officers), killing or wounding 5,155 puppet troops, and capturing 281 Japanese soldiers and 18,407 puppet troops. 47 Japanese soldiers surrendered voluntarily, and 1,845 puppet troops defected, totaling 46,380 people. The Communists captured 5,942 guns and 53 artillery pieces, and destroyed extensive transportation infrastructure: 474 kilometers of railway, 1,502 kilometers of highway, 213 bridges, 37 railway stations, 11 tunnels, more than 217,000 rails, more than 1,549,000 sleepers, more than 109,000 telephone poles, and more than 424,000 kilograms of telephone wire. Five coal mines and 11 warehouses were destroyed. The narrative further adds that when including casualties of Japanese and puppet forces across related engagements—such as Fuwang and the anti–mopping operations in northwest Shanxi—the total number of casualties reached more than 50,880. Japanese statistics were also cited for damage assessment, noting destruction of track and bridges across key railways (Zhengtai, Tongpu, Pinghan), telegraph pole damage, power line cuts, and effects on coal production—such as the Jingxing New Mine being unable to produce coal for at least six months. These details underline a broader background stake: infrastructure damage was meant to weaken the occupier's ability to keep its occupation apparatus working, even after the direct battles ended. The price of that multi-month struggle was high for the Eighth Route Army as well. Over the three and a half months leading up to the Hundred Regiments Offensive, the Eighth Route Army suffered 17,000 casualties, and more than 20,000 were poisoned. During the Hundred Regiments Offensive itself, post-war statistics state that the 129th Division suffered 7,362 casualties and 450 missing persons, and the entire division suffered 7,812 casualties. When you connect these lines—offensive sabotage, counter-offensives, Japanese mopping-ups, and anti-mopping resistance—you see why this second wave of fighting mattered. It wasn't only about whether the Japanese could respond to the offensive. It was about whether both sides could sustain their operational logic: the Japanese trying to stabilize occupation through "mopping," and the Communists trying to preserve base systems through dispersal, harassment, and counter-moves that convert the occupier's clearing effort into something too costly to maintain. The background of the Hundred Regiments offensive, who authorized it, who planned it, and why, remains unclear. The Japanese response was so severe that, in retrospect, it appeared to some as if the offensive had been a mistake. Some leaders, especially Mao, may have wanted to disavow it. Indirect hints in Mao's writings in subsequent months and years suggest he may have viewed it critically or harbored misgivings from the start. It was not the kind of strategy Mao preferred. More than twenty years later, during the Cultural Revolution, Red Guards charged that Mao had not even known of the plan in advance because of Peng Dehuai's alleged duplicity, at the time, Peng was being denounced. While this seems unlikely, it may contain some substance. In his own defense against these charges, Peng stated that after the 8RA headquarters—located not in Yan'an but in Jin-Cha-Ji—planned the operation, it sent mobilization orders downward to each regional command and also notified the Central Military Affairs Commission headed by Mao. In the original plan, the action would begin in early September. But, Peng wrote, to prevent enemy discovery and to ensure simultaneous surprise assaults—thereby inflicting an even greater blow to the enemy and the puppets—they began about ten days earlier than scheduled, during the last week of August. "So we did not wait for approval from the Military Affairs Commission (this was wrong), but went right into combat earlier than planned." There is also the issue of the "spontaneous" participation of more than eighty regiments without authorization from the Eighth Route Army headquarters, and not from Yan'an as well. If Peng Dehuai's account is accepted (written in 1970, shortly before his death), then Mao and Party Central had no role in conceiving or planning the Hundred Regiments campaign. In that case, the "grand strategy" motivations for undertaking it largely vanish—except perhaps insofar as they were considered by Peng and his colleagues. One alleged motive was to counter any tendency toward capitulation by Chiang Kai-shek and the Chongqing regime: if the war heated up and the CCP threw itself into fighting, any accommodation between Chiang and Japan would look like cowardly surrender. A related consideration was the Communist leadership's sensitivity to the charge that they were simply exploiting the war to expand their influence—avoiding Japanese combat while letting KMT armies bear the real burden of fighting. The Nationalists gave major publicity to the accusation that CCP policy devoted 70 percent of effort to expansion, 20 percent to coping with the KMT, and only 10 percent to opposing Japan. A third suggested motive was to divert attention from the New Fourth Army's offensives against Nationalist forces in Central China, which were peaking around the same time. Peng Dehuai acknowledged the campaign was "too protracted," yet he defended its importance in maintaining the CCP's anti-Japanese image in the wake of anti-friction conflicts, in demonstrating the failure of the cage-and-silkworm policy, in returning at least twenty-six county seats to base control, and in keeping "wavering" elements in line. Even if these reasons mattered less than regional and tactical calculations in launching the campaign, they could always be used for propaganda afterward. Whatever misgivings Mao and Party Central may have had, the Party kept them to itself. Mao radioed congratulations to Peng after his victory, and in public statements the Hundred Regiments were turned into legend. Even if the Hundred Regiments campaign aimed to defeat Japanese pacification efforts, it did not succeed in a decisive way. Shocked and stung by the 8RA's action, the North China Area Army intensified its efforts to bring North China under tighter control. Under General Tada and then his successor, General Okamura Yasuji (July 1941–November 1944), the Japanese inflicted brutal, sustained violence against all North China bases. Between 1941 and 1944, about 150,000 Japanese troops were assigned full-time to pacification duty, supported by roughly 100,000 Chinese auxiliaries of widely varying description and effectiveness. The remainder of the NCAA (about 150,000–200,000 men) was assigned to other tasks such as garrisoning major cities and containing Nationalist forces. Communist regulars were estimated at around 250,000 within base areas and 40,000 in SKN. The Japanese and their Chinese auxiliaries invested even more heavily than before in constructing moats, ditches, palisades, and blockhouses. Japanese sources claimed that by 1942 their forces had built 11,860 kilometers of blockade line and 7,700 fortified posts, mostly in the Hebei plains and the foothills of the Taihang mountains. A massive trench ran for 500 kilometers along the western side of the Pinghan railway line, with a depopulated and constantly patrolled zone on either side. The 250 Japanese outposts established in southern Hebei by December 1940 were more than quadrupled by mid-1942. These became the key means of controlling plains areas; by the end of 1941, all Communist bases in such terrain had been reduced to guerrilla status. Many main force units—such as those under Liu Cheng'ao and Yang Xiufeng—were compelled to move westward into mountains to survive. What distinguished the new Tada–Okamura approach from earlier tactics was the much larger and more protracted search-and-destroy thrust into the core mountain-base areas. They also replaced selective repression with indiscriminate, generalized violence. These infamous "Three-All" mop-up campaigns meant: kill all, burn all, loot all. Unable to distinguish ordinary peasants from Communists, the Japanese waged war on everyone. After attempting to seal off major consolidated regions in the base areas, they sent in very large detachments to search for Communist forces, civilian cadres, and activists. They also tried to destroy base facilities and war material stockpiles; to disrupt agriculture by burning crops or interfering with planting and harvesting; and to seize grain stores. Entire villages were razed, and everything alive found there was killed. Unlike earlier mop-ups that swept through an area and then departed, these campaigns left troops in the targeted zones for extended periods, "combing" the area back and forth and building at least temporary strongpoints in more accessible parts of mountain bases. These mop-up operations took a heavy and painful toll on rural populations. No doubt the harsh tactics and atrocities frequently committed during these actions did cause many peasants, rich and poor alike, to harbor deep hatred of the Japanese and to commit more fully to the Communist side. But intra-party sources also portray cases in which repression worked even more effectively than earlier attempts to drive a wedge between party and peasantry. As one internal assessment put it: If we only stress concealment… we are bound to be divorced from the masses. The morale of the masses cannot be sustained for long either. On the other hand, if we only seek fleeting gratification in careless fighting, we may also invite still more cruel enemy suppression. That will also alienate the masses. Communist spokesmen acknowledged that, in North China base areas, the population under Party control fell from 44 million to 25 million, while the Eighth Route Army declined from 400,000 to 300,000. Local records present an even grimmer picture. By 1942, 90 percent of the plains bases had been reduced to guerrilla zones or outright enemy control. In the mountainous Taiyue district within the Jin-Cha-Lu-Yi base, one cadre admitted that "not a single county was kept intact and the government offices of all its twelve counties were exiled in Jin-yuan." All twenty-six county seats occupied following the Hundred Regiments fighting were lost. 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. Japan tried to regain control through retaliatory "mopping-up" operations starting in October 1940. In response, the Eighth Route Army and its commanders issued counter-measures: coordinate party, government, military, and civilians; keep mobility while dispersing forces when possible; and focus on annihilating incoming enemy units decisively. Counter-sweeps and anti-pacification actions continued through December, involving repeated ambushes and sabotage of roads, highways, and fortification efforts.
Daniel Coyle's book, Flourish: The Art of Building Meaning, Joy, and Fulfillment, explores the profound question of what it truly means to live a meaningful life. Rather than offering quick fixes, Daniel encourages readers to engage with the core inquiries of fulfillment: How do we move from mere achievement to genuine flourishing? Drawing on neuroscience, research, and compelling stories—from Chilean miners to deli owners and neighborhood communities—he illustrates that meaning is created through community, presence, and shared experiences, rather than individual pursuits alone. The book has received enthusiastic endorsements from respected thought leaders, who emphasize Daniel's ability to blend science with storytelling and practical wisdom. Through vivid examples, Daniel identifies three core practices for flourishing: engaging in purposeful work, cultivating trust and belonging within communities, and adopting a mindset that values possibility over perfection. He highlights the importance of presence—not simply as mindfulness, but as an active, ritualized state that fosters connection, creativity, and group flow, especially in team settings where shared vision and autonomy are balanced. Crucially, Daniel shows that joy is foundational to flourishing, arising from everyday micro-actions such as kindness and recognition, and becoming especially vital during challenging times. He invites readers to reflect on their own definitions of success, community, and growth, suggesting practical steps like investing in connections, fostering belonging, and redefining personal metrics of achievement. Ultimately, Daniel's work offers a blueprint for embracing the daily practice of flourishing through deeper relationships, intentional presence, and meaningful engagement with the world around us.
Hammer Horror delivered one of its finest 1970s films with Blood from the Mummy's Tomb, despite a notoriously cursed production. This 1971 British release is the studio's fourth and final Mummy film, loosely adapted by Christopher Wicking from Bram Stoker's 1903 novel The Jewel of Seven Stars. Crucially, it remains the only entry in the franchise where a physical mummy never actually appears.The trouble began early when a gap in the studio schedule forced the film into premature production. Wicking wanted to keep Stoker's original book title, but James Carreras refused, leading to a brainstorming session that birthed Blood from the Mummy's Tomb – a title Wicking never expected them to use. Wicking also clashed with producer Howard Brandy and was barred from the set, forcing him to work with director Seth Holt secretly in the evenings. Brandy later claimed the script was unshootable and heavily rewritten by Holt. Brandy also wanted to cast Amy Grant, but Sir James Carreras insisted on Valerie Leon.Tragedy struck five weeks into the six-week shoot when Seth Holt suffered a fatal heart attack on set, collapsing into the arms of actor Aubrey Morris. Michael Carreras tried to recruit Don Sharp to finish the film, but Sharp was committed to a project in Israel. Michael Carreras ultimately directed the final week himself, later noting that Holt's footage did not cut together well, forcing them to salvage what they could.Valerie Leon shines in the dual roles of Margaret Fuchs and Queen Tera. Beyond her famous Hai Karate aftershave adverts and seven Carry On appearances – including Carry On Christmas: Carry On Stuffing – Leon delivered a critically praised performance but clashed with the studio. She was deeply upset when producers denied her time off to attend Holt's funeral, and her refusal to perform a nude scene required a body double. Hammer never hired her again. Her career later included roles alongside two different James Bonds, Roger Moore and Sean Connery.The supporting cast features incredible British character talent. James Villiers plays Corbeck, George Coulouris plays Berigan, and Aubrey Morris features as Doctor Putnum. Morris was described by Jeremy Brett to Noël Coward as the finest small-part player in London, boasting roles in The Wicker Man, A Clockwork Orange, and as the bubble-bathing B-Ark captain in The Hitch Hiker's Guide to the Galaxy. Rosalie Crutchley plays Helen Dickerson. James Cossins brings his trademark blustering authority to the role of an abusive psychiatric nurse, and a young Anthony Head makes an uncredited appearance.Andrew Keir plays Julian Fuchs, stepping in after Peter Cushing completed just one day of filming before leaving due to his wife's emphysema diagnosis. Keir's presence links back to our Quatermass and the Pit reviews, Daleks' Invasion Earth 2150 A.D., and Cleopatra alongside Richard Burton. The film is elevated by a brilliant electronic score by Tristram Ogilvie Cary, the pioneer who founded EMS, created the VCS 3 synthesiser, and composed the music for the first Doctor Who Dalek serial.Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/general-witchfinders. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Just before Americans fired up for their Memorial Day weekend, USCIS dropped a policy memo that sent the immigration world into a panic. With lawyers, investors, and visa holders alike scrambling to analyse their message. So, what does it actually mean? And more importantly, should EB-5 investors be worried?In this episode of Global Investment Voice, Mona Shah is joined by immigration attorney Abdul Arif and paralegal Doris Chakra to cut through the chaos and deliver what really matters. Whilst the law hasn't changed, the posture has. Discretion has always existed in adjustment of status decisions, and this memo is less of a revolution and more a reminder of what officers could already do.Crucially for EB-5 investors, the Reform and Integrity Act of 2022 has your back. The right to concurrent filing under Section 245N is baked into statute. No policy memo can override an Act of Congress.But that doesn't mean you should be complacent. The trio dig into what this means for applicants from higher-scrutiny countries, what "extraordinary circumstances" actually means (spoiler: nobody knows yet), and why a well-prepared file with strong counsel is your best defence right now.If you're navigating EB-5, adjustment of status, or US investment immigration, this is the episode you need to hear before your next filing.For those in EB-5 or the adjustment of status process, this is the episode for you
In her testimony at the Ghislaine Maxwell trial, “Jane Doe” described being recruited as a minor into Jeffrey Epstein's world through what initially appeared to be benign social contact and promises of money. She testified that she was drawn in at a young age, gradually groomed, and made to believe the abuse was normal or expected. According to her account, Epstein's homes functioned as controlled environments where rules were unspoken but rigid, and where fear, confusion, and dependence were deliberately cultivated. Jane Doe explained that she was repeatedly directed, pressured, and maneuvered into sexual encounters, often under circumstances that made refusal feel impossible, especially given her age and lack of power.Jane Doe's testimony also emphasized the long-term psychological impact of the abuse and the power imbalance that made resistance or escape feel impossible at the time. She explained how fear, confusion, and manipulation kept her compliant, and how the trauma followed her well into adulthood. Crucially, her account aligned with those of other accusers, strengthening the prosecution's argument that this was a coordinated system rather than a series of isolated acts. By the time Jane Doe testified, her words served not just as an individual story, but as part of a larger evidentiary mosaic showing that Ghislaine Maxwell knowingly participated in sustaining Epstein's abuse network.to contact me:bobbycapucci@protonmail.com
Joe Haddow welcomes two more authors to the Book Off studio - for a war of the words!This week, he's joined by debut novelists Fran Fabriczki and Sam Beckbessinger, who discuss their new books, writing processes and inspirations.They talk about Los Angeles (the loves / the hates), wry humour, peri menopause, forging anger into stories and legendary mums. We also get some pretty great book recommendations too.THE BOOK OFF'The Book Of George' by Kate GreatheadVS'We Have Always Lived In The Castle' by Shirley JacksonHere's a little more info on our guest's books:'Femme Feral' by Sam Beckbessinger EVER FELT READY TO HOWL?Hyper-competent start up CFO Ellie is 46-year-old and like most women, is already juggling too much. Daughter's not talking to her, husband's not listening to her, and she's got a promotion coming up at work. It's an inconvenient time to be beset by mid-life symptoms: coarse hair in new places, hot flushes, insomnia, losing time . . . finding bloodstains on all her clothing, howling at the moon.Her doctor diagnoses perimenopause. But it's another 28-day cycle that's taking hold. One involving fur, and teeth, and a not insignificant amount of rage.Suddenly the troubles in her life - hot flushes, thankless family, spiralling to-do list, oblivious husband, the w*nker promoted above her at work - seem almost . . . bite-size.'Porcupines' by Fran Fabriczki Los Angeles, 2001. Sonia is raising her daughter, Mila, alone in the sunny but somnolent suburbs of LA. Her days are a blur of not-quite-illegal business activities, avoiding other moms, and baking birthday cakes laced with rum: minor mistakes that nevertheless remind her she doesn't belong.Mila, meanwhile, is juggling violin and swimming lessons and navigating the treacherous social politics of school – all the while trying to get her mother to share something, anything, about her past.But there are just too many things that Mila doesn't know:She doesn't know that her mother grew up in Soviet Hungary (where getting your hands on a banana was one of the greatest thrills in life)She doesn't know that her mother has a sister called Rina (whom she hasn't spoken to in 10 years)The only thing she does know about her father is that he was a ‘good time' (according to her mother)Crucially, she doesn't know that there is a very good reason why her mother dodges everyone, from traffic cops to vice principals.So, Mila concocts a scheme to get her mother, and the man Mila is kind of sure must be her father to reconnect. It involves corralling Sonia into chaperoning an orchestra of ten-year-olds (most of whom seem to be called Megan) on a road trip from LA to San Francisco, and it may just cause their carefully constructed lives to implode.Moving between Budapest before the fall of the Berlin Wall, Washington, DC in the tense years of the Cold War and the bright sunshine of early 2000s Los Angeles, Porcupines is an irresistible novel about mothers and daughters, belonging and reinvention, the things we carry with us, and those we tell ourselves we've left behind. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
What does it take to grow a business from a single dining room table into a thriving, multi-city advertising agency? In this episode, host Kim Russo sits down with Tonya Childs, the visionary Founder and CEO of Smart Marketing Advertising Agency. Tonya shares her inspiring journey of launching the agency and growing it from Anderson and Charleston, South Carolina, into a full-service powerhouse that serves everything from small local shops to billion dollar brands both nationwide and internationally. Crucially, Tonya reveals why you shouldn't launch an ad campaign until your business is truly prepared. She breaks down the essential checklist every business owner needs before spending a dime on advertising: identifying the true face of your company, ensuring your staff is equipped to handle an influx of new leads, and verifying that your website and SEO are locked down so customers can actually find and trust you online. When asked how a regional agency attracts international clientele, Tonya credits God, word-of-mouth, a foundation of Google reviews and reputation. Packed with real-world wisdom from an agency that produces results, this conversation is a must-watch for any entrepreneur looking to scale smart. To discover Smart Marketing Advertising Agency's full suite of services and connect with the team, visit ThinkSmartMarketing.net.
Malaysia's insurance market is one of Southeast Asia's most developed, with total gross written premiums for general insurance totaling 23.1 billion Malaysian ringgit — approximately $5.8 billion — in 2024, representing year-on-year growth of 6.9%. In this episode of Skadden's global series on prudential solvency requirements, host Robert Chaplin and colleague Caroline Jaffer examine the country's distinctive dual financial system, which covers onshore and offshore insurance, as well as Malaysia's landmark risk-based capital framework that is scheduled to be implemented in January 2027, the Sharia governance framework governing Takaful operators, the new Digital Insurers and Takaful Operators framework and the offshore regime on the island of Labuan.
In her testimony at the Ghislaine Maxwell trial, “Jane Doe” described being recruited as a minor into Jeffrey Epstein's world through what initially appeared to be benign social contact and promises of money. She testified that she was drawn in at a young age, gradually groomed, and made to believe the abuse was normal or expected. According to her account, Epstein's homes functioned as controlled environments where rules were unspoken but rigid, and where fear, confusion, and dependence were deliberately cultivated. Jane Doe explained that she was repeatedly directed, pressured, and maneuvered into sexual encounters, often under circumstances that made refusal feel impossible, especially given her age and lack of power.Jane Doe's testimony also emphasized the long-term psychological impact of the abuse and the power imbalance that made resistance or escape feel impossible at the time. She explained how fear, confusion, and manipulation kept her compliant, and how the trauma followed her well into adulthood. Crucially, her account aligned with those of other accusers, strengthening the prosecution's argument that this was a coordinated system rather than a series of isolated acts. By the time Jane Doe testified, her words served not just as an individual story, but as part of a larger evidentiary mosaic showing that Ghislaine Maxwell knowingly participated in sustaining Epstein's abuse network.to contact me:bobbycapucci@protonmail.comBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-epstein-chronicles--5003294/support.
Send us Fan MailThis narrative will intricately weave together the stories of three monumental empires during the tumultuous era stretching from the mid-17th century through the early 18th century. My focus will be on France, China, and Russia, exploring the profound changes and intricate connections that defined their respective reigns.Crucially, this expansive story will be told through the intimate lens of their three iconic monarchs. I will delve into the personal perspectives, political strategies, and lasting legacies of Louis XIV of France, famously known as the Sun King; the revered Kangxi Emperor of China; and Peter I of Russia, whose reforms earned him the title of Peter the Great. By examining the world through their eyes, I intend to offer a unique and deeply human insight into an age of unprecedented change and imperial grandeur.Support the show
Every year on the 8th of June, World Ocean Day calls us to reflect on the vital role our seas and waterways play in sustaining life on Earth. Yet for most of us, the ocean remains something we observe from a distance, and more recently, a source of anxiety as sea levels rise, waters warm, and marine ecosystems collapse under the pressures of the Anthropocene. For Indonesia, a nation that defines itself as a maritime and archipelagic country, this distancing carries a particular irony. Despite the political rhetoric of "returning to the sea" that depicts the ocean as the future of our civilisation especially during Jokowi's administration, Indonesia's relationship with its waters has been largely shaped by an impulse to conquer, control, and extract. It is within this tension that the stories of Indonesia's Sea Nomad peoples become both urgent and instructive. Communities such as the Orang Suku Laut and the Sama-Bajau have maintained deep cultural, social, and economic ties to the ocean across generations. For them, the sea is home, identity, and livelihood, not something to be managed or tamed. Yet these communities are increasingly marginalised, their connection to the sea is systematically eroded for economic development, conservation, and paternalistic policies enacted in the name of their own welfare. In this episode, Dr Clara Siagian speaks with Dr. Wengki Ariando, a scholar-activist from the Royal Netherlands Institute of Southeast Asian and Caribbean Studies (KITLV). He is also a part of Sea Nomads Contact Group, a collective of researchers and community representatives with a mission to translate research into advocacy and activisms for the political recognition of Sea Nomads in Southeast Asia. Drawing from more than a decade working with and learning from Sea Nomad communities in Indonesia, Wengki unpacks who Orang Suku Laut and Sama-Bajau are, the nature of their relationship with the sea and the very real threats they face today. Crucially, Wengki also introduces the concept of fluid or rhizomatic territory and Aquapelagos to challenge the dominant, land-based notion of territory as something fixed and bounded, and views the ocean and the land as separate entities. For Sea Nomads, whose lives and identities are organised around movement in water, and between water and land, such conventional territorial frameworks render them invisible and rightless. A rhizomatic understanding of territory, by contrast, opens space for recognising the legitimacy of Sea Nomads' claims to their waters, and with it, the political recognition they are long overdue. In 2026, the Talking Indonesia podcast is co-hosted by Dr Jacqui Baker from Murdoch University, Dr Clara Siagian from the University of College London, Dr Elisabeth Kramer from the University of New South Wales, Dr Jemma Purdey from the Australia-Indonesia Centre, and Tito Ambyo from RMIT.
It's EV News Briefly for Monday 18 May 2026, everything you need to know in less than 5 minutes if you haven't got time for the full show.Patreon supporters fund this show, get the episodes ad free, as soon as they're ready and are part of the EV News Daily Community. You can be like them by clicking here: https://www.patreon.com/EVNewsDailyVOLKSWAGEN PUTS GTI ON AN EVVolkswagen has unveiled the ID. Polo GTI, the first-ever electric vehicle to carry the iconic GTI badge — a near-50-year-first — sitting above the standard ID. Polo with a 223hp front-mounted motor, 0–62mph in 6.8 seconds, and a 263-mile WLTP range from its 52 kWh battery. It goes on sale in Germany from autumn 2026, priced from €39,000, competing with the Alpine A290 and Peugeot E-208 GTi, but will not be sold in North America.BMW AND SOLARWATT PUSH V2H PLANSBMW and SOLARWATT are expanding their partnership to bring Vehicle-to-Home bidirectional charging to BMW's Neue Klasse line-up, starting with the iX3 and i3, following Germany's first commercial Vehicle-to-Grid launch in March 2026. The integrated system will use SOLARWATT's energy management platform, the BMW Wallbox Professional, and both brands' apps to coordinate solar, home storage, dynamic tariffs, and EV charging — launching first across Germany, Austria, and the Netherlands.GM CUTS BOLT COSTS WITH BATCH BUILDSGM is achieving its sub-$30,000 target for the 2027 Chevrolet Bolt EV in part by assembling cars in batches of 30 identical units at its Fairfax plant in Kansas City, rather than building mixed trims in sequence, reducing errors and line stoppages. The approach, part of GM's "Winning with Simplicity" strategy, also includes keeping clone spare bodies on standby, cutting floor space needs, reducing paint booth colour changes, and locking suppliers to a fixed seven-day delivery schedule.UK INSURERS SHUN MANY CHINESE CARSCarwow research found that half of all insurance quote requests for Chinese vehicles were declined outright by UK insurers, with AXA refusing to quote on all four tested models and Hastings Direct covering only one. Beyond availability, Chinese models averaged £901 per year to insure versus £646 for petrol equivalents — a £255 gap — with insurers citing limited repair data, underdeveloped parts supply chains, and a lack of long-term claims history as key reasons.BMW TIES IONNA DISCOUNT TO US CHARGINGBMW has launched a preferred pricing programme with IONNA, giving BMW and MINI EV drivers a 20% discount on public charging sessions across the network's 1,000-plus US bays, running through 30 September 2026. The discount applies automatically via Plug & Charge or the My BMW App, with no subscription or RFID card required, as part of BMW's broader strategy to build out home, workplace, and public charging infrastructure.EPA DELAYS TIER 4 BY TWO YEARSThe EPA has proposed pushing Biden-era Tier 4 light- and medium-duty vehicle emissions standards back two years, from model year 2027 to 2029, framing the move as a "freedom of choice" measure that the agency says will save automakers and consumers over $1.7 billion. The rollback goes much further than a delay, however — the EPA has also repealed the 2009 Endangerment Finding and all vehicle greenhouse gas regulations, dismantling the legal framework for future federal EV mandates.KIA DEBUTS PV5 SIDE-ENTRY WAV IN EUROPEKia unveiled the PV5 WAV Side Entry at the Motability Scheme Live exhibition in Birmingham on 15 May 2026, claiming a segment first with its side-entry wheelchair access that allows kerb-side boarding — an advantage in dense urban areas where rear access is often blocked. Built for taxi operators, shuttle services, and fleet providers, the van features a reinforced floor, integrated wheelchair anchorage, floor lighting for boarding visibility, and a two-step manual ramp suited to varied road conditions.COULTHARD DRIVES FORMULA E GEN4 AT MONACODavid Coulthard drove Formula E's upcoming GEN4 car on the streets of Monte Carlo, describing the experience as unlike anything in his career — a significant claim from a two-time Monaco Grand Prix winner. The GEN4, set to debut in the 2026/27 season, tops 205mph, weighs under 1,000kg, produces over 800bhp, hits 0–100kph in 1.8 seconds, and delivers a 71% power increase over GEN3 Evo in Attack Mode, with all-wheel drive and a redesigned ergonomic cockpit; it will make its first public show appearance at Goodwood Festival of Speed from 9–12 July.RECYCLING LIFTS OLD BATTERIES INTO BETTER CATHODESResearchers at Worcester Polytechnic Institute and Argonne National Laboratory have developed a recycling process that upcycles spent lithium iron phosphate and lithium manganese oxide cells into higher-performance lithium manganese iron phosphate cathode material, recovering more than 95% of key elements — rivalling or exceeding most commercial operations. Crucially, the process runs at normal temperature and pressure, requires no energy-intensive equipment, fits existing recycling infrastructure, and produces cathode material with higher energy density than the source materials it came from.
Does GABA Actually Help With Sleep? What the Research Says for Brain Injury Recovery Someone in our community recently asked me about GABA for sleep. They’d seen it recommended online, understood that sleep was critical for their recovery, and wanted to know whether the supplement was worth exploring or just noise. It’s a genuinely good question. And it deserves a proper answer. In this post, I’m going to walk you through what GABA is, what the clinical research actually shows about its effect on sleep, why the blood-brain barrier debate matters (and why it might not derail the whole argument), and what the evidence says about the relationship between sleep and brain recovery. By the end, you’ll have enough to have an informed conversation with your medical team. I’m not a doctor. I’m a three-time haemorrhagic stroke survivor who has spent years researching the science of brain recovery and interviewing hundreds of clinicians and survivors on the Recovery After Stroke podcast. What I offer is a careful read of the evidence, not a clinical prescription. What Is GABA and Why Does It Matter for Sleep? GABA (gamma-aminobutyric acid) is the brain’s primary inhibitory neurotransmitter. If your nervous system were a car, GABA is the brake pedal. It reduces neuronal excitability, quiets cortical arousal, suppresses the brain’s primary arousal centre (the locus coeruleus), and modulates the HPA axis, the stress-response system that drives cortisol. Most sedative medications work by amplifying GABA activity. Benzodiazepines, for instance, bind to GABA-A receptors to increase chloride channel opening, producing their calming effect. GABA isn’t doing something unusual here – it’s doing something fundamental. The question with supplemental oral GABA is more specific: Does taking GABA as a capsule or powder actually produce meaningful neurological effects? What Does the Research Show? Finding 1 — Oral GABA Reduces Sleep Latency (and EEG Can Measure It) A 2015 clinical trial published in the Journal of Nutritional Science and Vitaminology by Yamatsu and colleagues used EEG measurement, actual brainwave monitoring, rather than self-reported sleep questionnaires. One hundred milligrams of oral GABA shortened sleep latency (time to fall asleep) by 5.3 minutes compared to placebo. That might sound modest. But for someone lying awake for 30–40 minutes each night, it’s a meaningful shift. Crucially, this was objective neurophysiological data, not a survey response. (PMID: 26052150) Finding 2 — A 90-Day RCT Showed Improved Sleep Efficiency and Mood A 2024 randomised double-blind placebo-controlled trial published in the Journal of Dietary Supplements (Guimarães et al.) gave 200 mg of GABA daily for 90 days to sedentary overweight women also undergoing an exercise program. The GABA group showed significantly improved Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) scores, significantly reduced depression scores, and improved heart rate variability, a marker of parasympathetic nervous system activity. The HRV finding is particularly interesting. It suggests GABA may be doing something broader than simply reducing sleep latency – it appears to support the overall physiological state that makes rest restorative. (PMID: 38321713) Finding 3 — But a High-Dose RCT Found No Effect Here’s where intellectual honesty matters. A 2023 Dutch RCT (de Bie et al.) published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition gave participants 500 mg of GABA three times daily, 1,500 mg/day total, and found no significant effect on self-reported sleep quality. Fasting plasma GABA wasn’t significantly elevated either, raising real bioavailability questions at that dose. This isn’t a reason to dismiss GABA entirely. It is a reason to pay attention to the dose. The evidence base supports 100–300 mg, not 1,500 mg. Higher is not better, and the non-linear dose response is clinically important. (PMID: 37495019) The Blood-Brain Barrier Debate — and Why the Gut May Be the Point The most common objection to oral GABA supplementation is this: GABA is a zwitterion at physiological pH, meaning it has low lipophilicity and poor predicted ability to cross the blood-brain barrier via passive diffusion. So if it can’t get into the brain directly, how does it produce neurological effects? The emerging explanation involves the gut-brain axis. The enteric nervous system, your gut’s own neural network, has GABA receptors. When oral GABA activates these enteric receptors, it can signal the brain via vagal afferents without needing to cross the BBB at all. Think of it as a side door rather than the front entrance. Supporting this: a 2024 RCT (Li et al.) found that a probiotic strain engineered to increase gut GABA production significantly improved objective sleep duration as measured by wearable devices, alongside reduced cortisol and suppressed HPA axis activity. The mechanism wasn’t direct CNS access – it was gut-brain signalling. (PMID: 39385735) The BBB debate doesn’t negate the clinical effect. It changes how we understand the mechanism. Why Sleep Is Not Optional in Brain Recovery This is the part that I think gets underweighted in recovery conversations — and the research is unambiguous. A 2026 large retrospective cohort study (Muhtar et al., Sleep Medicine) matched over 35,000 stroke patients and found that post-stroke insomnia was associated with a 29% higher risk of post-stroke cognitive impairment and a 30% higher risk of all-cause dementia. The association with Alzheimer’s disease was also significant. (PMID: 41924789) A 2024 observational study from Monash University and Alfred Health (Smith et al.) found that in stroke rehabilitation patients, poor sleep quality was significantly associated with higher fatigue severity and lower salivary BDNF gene expression. BDNF (brain-derived neurotrophic factor) is one of the primary molecular drivers of neuroplasticity. Less BDNF means a less receptive environment for the neurological rewiring that rehab is trying to build. (PMID: 38802847) And then there’s the glymphatic system: the brain’s waste-clearance mechanism that is most active during deep sleep. Poor sleep means reduced clearance of metabolic byproducts, including proteins associated with neurodegeneration. This is not a theoretical risk. It is an active, ongoing process. Sleep is not passive recovery. It is one of the primary mechanisms of recovery. What to Do With This Information Here are three practical steps if you’re exploring GABA for sleep: 1. Measure your sleep baseline first. Use the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (freely available online) before you make any changes. Understanding whether you’re struggling with latency, duration, or quality will determine what you actually need to address. 2. If you trial GABA, choose the right form and dose. Look for PharmaGABA — naturally fermented GABA, derived from Lactobacillus hilgardii, which has the strongest clinical evidence base. A dose of 100–300 mg taken 30–60 minutes before bed is consistent with the positive studies. Avoid very high doses; the null result at 1,500 mg/day is important context. Important drug interaction note: If you are taking benzodiazepines, anticonvulsants (gabapentin, pregabalin, valproate), or any other GABAergic medication, discuss GABA supplementation with your prescriber before adding it. The additive sedative effect is a real risk. The same applies if you drink alcohol regularly. 3. Don’t skip the foundation. Sleep hygiene interventions, consistent sleep and wake times, a dark and cool room, and no screens in the 60 minutes before bed, are consistently among the highest-leverage sleep interventions in the literature. GABA may provide a genuine incremental benefit. But it cannot compensate for a fundamentally disrupted sleep environment. The Bottom Line The evidence for GABA and sleep is more substantive than I expected when I started researching it. The EEG data is real. The 90-day RCT showed meaningful clinical outcomes. The gut-brain axis mechanism is biologically plausible and now has direct RCT support. And the consequences of poor sleep in neurological recovery are not trivial – they are quantifiable, significant, and, to a degree, addressable. GABA is not a guaranteed fix. Individual responses vary. The research is not yet definitive at the level of large multi-centre trials in neurological populations. But as one tool in a comprehensive approach to sleep quality alongside good sleep hygiene, appropriate medical support, and consistent rehabilitation, the case for cautious exploration is reasonable. The next step is a conversation with your neurologist, GP, or rehab physician. Take the research with you if it’s useful. Research References All studies cited in this post are retrievable via PubMed: Yamatsu et al. — GABA sleep latency EEG clinical trial (2015) — PMID: 26052150 Guimarães et al. — GABA 200mg RCT, sleep efficiency + mood (2024) — PMID: 38321713 de Bie et al. — GABA high-dose RCT, null sleep result (2023) — PMID: 37495019 Li et al. — Gut-brain GABA axis and sleep RCT (2024) — PMID: 39385735 Muhtar et al. — Post-stroke insomnia and cognitive decline cohort (2026) — PMID: 41924789 Smith et al. — Sleep, BDNF, and fatigue in stroke rehabilitation (2024) — PMID: 38802847 This post is for educational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. Always consult a qualified healthcare professional before making changes to your supplementation or treatment plan. If you or someone you care about is recovering from a stroke, brain injury, or any neurological condition, the Recovery After Stroke podcast and this blog exist for you. Subscribe on YouTube @BillGasiamis, or visit Recovery After Stroke to find episodes, resources, and community. The post GABA, Sleep, and Brain Health – Neurological Recovery appeared first on Recovery After Stroke.
In this episode of the Explaining History Podcast, we are joined by author Piers Blofeld to discuss his new book, Master of Lies: The Untold Story of Anthony Blunt, which re‑examines the most underestimated member of the Cambridge Spy Ring.Anthony Blunt was exposed as a Soviet agent in 1979 – long after the defections of Burgess, Maclean and Philby. For decades, he has been treated as something of an afterthought, a cultured art historian who happened to pass a few secrets to the Russians during the war. But Blofeld's research paints a very different picture – one in which Blunt was not a minor player but a master of deception whose actions had catastrophic consequences.Blunt was recruited by the NKVD in the 1930s, joined MI5 during the war, and rose to become Surveyor of the Queen's Pictures. Officially, he stopped spying in 1945. In reality, he continued operating well into the 1950s and 60s, using his flat to debrief agents and helping to investigate the very defections of his fellow spies.But his most significant work was not stealing documents – it was disinformation. Blofeld argues that the “postgraduate level” of espionage is misleading your enemy, and Blunt was a virtuoso. He ran a deception operation that mirrored the famous “Garbo” double‑agent network, feeding the Germans false information that helped ensure the success of D‑Day. Crucially, Blunt's information arrived at German High Command via Sweden four hours before Garbo's did – making the deception far more convincing.Yet just three months later, Blunt sabotaged Operation Market Garden, releasing detailed Allied order of battle to the Germans. The result was 16,000 Allied casualties, a failed advance into Germany, and a prolonged war that allowed Stalin to seize Eastern Europe. Blunt's betrayal, Blofeld argues, directly contributed to the partition of Berlin and the shape of the Cold War.We also explore how Blunt was protected by the British establishment for decades, how he edited incriminating evidence after Burgess and Maclean fled, and why Margaret Thatcher – herself misled by her own security services – finally named him in 1979.**Topics covered:**- The Cambridge Spy Ring and Anthony Blunt's role- Blunt's continued espionage after 1945- Disinformation as the highest form of espionage- The Garbo deception and Blunt's mirror operation- Operation Market Garden and Blunt's sabotage- The cover‑up and protection of Blunt by MI5- Thatcher's outing of Blunt and its aftermath---*Piers Blofeld's *Master of Lies* is available from all good bookshops. Please consider buying from an independent retailer.**If you enjoy the podcast, please consider supporting us – we are migrating from Patreon to Substack. Details in the show notes.*Explaining History helps you understand the 20th Century through critical conversations and expert interviews. We connect the past to the present. If you enjoy the show, please subscribe and share.▸ Support the Show & Get Exclusive ContentBecome a Patron: patreon.com/explaininghistory▸ Join the Community & Continue the ConversationFacebook Group: facebook.com/groups/ExplainingHistoryPodcastSubstack: theexplaininghistorypodcast.substack.com▸ Read Articles & Go DeeperWebsite: explaininghistory.org Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Have you ever turned down an invitation from a customer or colleague, only to realize later that they stopped asking you to events altogether? In this episode of The Selling Podcast, hosts Scott and Mike tackle the difficult art of saying "no" without burning bridges. Using a simple, four-step formula, they discuss how to decline requests and invitations confidently while ensuring you remain on the guest list for future opportunities.The "Golden Formula" for Saying NoScott outlines a definitive process to decline an invitation gracefully while maintaining future warmth:Meet with Appreciation: No matter the invitation, always start with sincere, heartfelt gratitude. Thank the person for thinking of you and acknowledge the effort they made to extend the offer.Give a Clear Answer Early: Avoid bury the "no" in the middle of a paragraph or conversation. Do not waffle, use "maybes," or say you will "try" if you already know you cannot make it. stringing people along prevents them from inviting others and damages trust.Provide Short Reasoning: While you should almost always provide a reason (unless the request is illegal or unethical), keep it brief. Avoid "dissertation" or "TED Talk" answers. A simple, honest sentence is usually sufficient. Crucially, never lie or invent excuses, as this will eventually damage trust.Future Warmth: Separate the rejection of the event from the rejection of the person. Close by expressing a genuine desire to connect in the future to keep the door open.Mike's Tweak: The Follow-UpMike adds a critical fifth step to the formula to maximize your chances of a reinvitation: The Follow-Up Note.A day or two after the event took place, send a quick message asking how it went. For example: "How was the dinner Friday night? I thought about you guys and hope you had fun." This shows continued interest and reinforces that you value the relationship, even if you couldn't attend that specific event.Key Takeaways & NuancesThe Power of Confidence: When saying no, be confident. If you sound hesitant, a customer may sense a "chink in the armor" and try to pressure you into changing your mind. Do not sound guilty for having other commitments.Handling Unethical/Illegal Requests: If a customer asks for something illegal, immoral, or unethical, the formula changes. There is no need for appreciation or future warmth regarding that specific request. A confident, definitive "no" is required immediately.Turning Down Activities You Dislike: If you are invited to an activity you genuinely do not enjoy (e.g., poker night), use appreciation, a clear no, and then politely state that the activity isn't your thing. Offer an alternative activity you do enjoy to steer future invitations toward things you will accept.Don't "Ghost": One of the biggest mistakes is sitting on a request because you really want to go but know you probably can't. Procrastinating only frustrates the inviter. Reply confidently as soon as you know your status.
What does it really take to make AI work at scale inside large organizations? In this episode of Digital Workplace Impact, DWG Chief Executive Nancy Goebel sits down with Melissa Reeve, author of Hyperadaptive: Rewiring the enterprise to become AI-native, to explore why so many AI initiatives stall – and what leaders must do differently to calm the hype and achieve lasting impact. Drawing on her background in Lean, Agile and DevOps thought leadership, Melissa argues that AI is not just a technology shift but a fundamental rewiring of the operating model. She introduces the concept of the ‘hyperadaptive' organization – one that can sense and respond in near real time by compressing decision-making, workflows and governance. Crucially, becoming AI-native is as much about people, culture and leadership as it is about tools. The conversation unpacks the difference between being AI-enabled and AI-native, before examining why rushing to automate without strong foundations erodes trust. Melissa shares her practical five-stage Hyperadaptive Model, explains why dynamic governance and AI literacy matter more than pilots, and makes a compelling case for investing in new roles and learning systems such as AI activation hubs. With encouraging job predictions from the World Economic Forum and a real-world example from Moderna, this episode challenges leaders to think systemically and take a deliberate, long-term approach to AI. Guest speaker: Melissa Reeve, Author of ‘Hyperadaptive: Rewiring the enterprise to become AI-native' Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
With An Garda Síochána recently reporting that over 2,100 motorists were caught speeding during the Easter Bank Holiday surge, road safety is now an important story.While the national figures show the scale of the problem, new research of 60,000 policies by Irish provider its4women identifies exactly where these habits are most ingrained. Their data reveals Cavan as the nation's speeding hotspot (26% "dangerous speeding" rate), while Limerick and Roscommon emerged as the most compliant.Crucially, the study shows that telematics (black box) tech is actually fixing the issue, and in Limerick, claims for black box users dropped to less than 1%. To find out more about this I spoke to its4women's CEO, Gary McClarty. Gary spoke about his background, the its4women's analysis, telematics and more.More about its4women:its4women provides fast, flexible and reliable car, home and travel insurance available anytime, anywhere. You can make an amendment, view your documents or even renew your insurance policy via their quick and easy Customer Portal.
In her teaching on Revelation 8 and 9, Katy addresses the uncomfortable theme of divine judgment, framing the sounding of the seven trumpets not as arbitrary cruelty, but as God's merciful and just response to the prayers of His people crying out against evil. Contrasting human revenge—which merely perpetuates cycles of harm—with God's perfect justice, the narrative illustrates how these judgments serve as an intense, yet merciful warning to the unrepentant. The first four trumpets echo the Exodus plagues by throwing creation into chaos to dismantle self-sufficiency, while the fifth and sixth unleash terrifying demonic forces upon those who have aligned themselves with the enemy. Crucially, these judgments are not total, affecting only a "third" of creation for a limited time to leave room for repentance, and are specifically withheld from those marked by God's seal. Ultimately, believers are encouraged to view these present hardships as labor pains signaling that Christ's return is near, inviting a response of lament for the world's brokenness and a continuous return to the mercy of Jesus.
US President Donald Trump has said a deal with Iran could be possible as negotiations to end the war gain momentum, again. Iran is reviewing a US proposal, which reportedly sets out limits for Tehran's nuclear activities in exchange for sanctions relief. Crucially, it also addresses the possibility of reopening the Strait of Hormuz. The battle in – and for – the strait has become one of the most contentious issues in the war. This week, a US operation called Project Freedom offered a naval escort for merchant vessels through Hormuz, but Iran responded aggressively. Mr Trump then quickly paused the operation to give talks a chance. For now, the strait remains closed as a double blockade disrupts global oil markets and turn a body of water into a tool for leverage. In this episode of Beyond the Headlines, host Nada AlTaher breaks down the naval tactics at play between the US and Iran and asks if a deal could reopen the strait. She speaks to Steven Wills from the Centre for Maritime Strategy at the Navy League of the United States, and to HA Hellyer, senior associate fellow at the Royal United Services Institute for Defence and Security Studies.
Interview with Peter Ruse, Head of Corporate Development, and Nicholas Holthouse, MD of Mont Royal ResourcesOur previous interview: https://www.cruxinvestor.com/posts/mont-royal-resources-asxmrz-ashram-acquisition-drives-november-2025-asx-re-admission-8400Recording date: 4th May 2026Mont Royal Resources is on the verge of releasing a highly anticipated Preliminary Economic Assessment (PEA) for its Ashram rare earth project in Quebec, showcasing structural improvements that could redefine the project's financial viability. By strategically redesigning its operations, the company has successfully slashed projected capital costs by more than half, transforming the asset into an eminently financeable operation.This massive cost saving stems primarily from two pivotal decisions: securing a year-round southern road route instead of relying on ice-bound northern ports, and relocating the complex hydrometallurgical processing plant to the Port of Saguenay. Moving the plant away from the remote mine site to an established industrial port guarantees cheaper construction, better access to skilled labor, and proximity to mature mining services. Think of it like moving a specialized, high-tech manufacturing facility from an isolated island directly to an industrial park—everything from daily logistics to emergency maintenance becomes instantly more efficient and less expensive.Beyond its rare earth endowment, Mont Royal is unlocking a lucrative secondary revenue stream by actively targeting fluorspar. With impressive high-grade intersections reaching up to 20% and global metspar shortages driving prices to $400–500 per ton, this mineral acts as a standalone financial pillar rather than a mere byproduct. Despite a massive 200-million-ton resource, the operation is purposefully designed as a boutique, high-value asset. It plans to move roughly 70,000 tons annually in standard 20-ton shipping containers, significantly simplifying the supply chain compared to traditional bulk commodity movements.Crucially, Mont Royal is positioning itself to capture premium pricing outside of China's market dominance. By utilizing a CIF European price deck, the company aims to capitalize on extreme Western supply shortages. This disconnect is highlighted by europium prices, which can exceed $1,000/kg in Western markets compared to a mere $22/kg in China. With proven, uncomplicated metallurgy and firmly secured First Nations support, Mont Royal is advancing a generational critical minerals project ready to feed Western supply chains.View Mont Royal Resources' company profile: https://www.cruxinvestor.com/companies/mont-royal-resourcesSign up for Crux Investor: https://cruxinvestor.com
It is not a stretch to say that the defeat by the British at Majuba was also the political birth of the Afrikaner people. While the Great Trek provided the origin story, Majuba provided the validation—the sense that their culture was not only distinct but divinely protected and militarily capable of standing against the greatest empire of the age. Before the main event, there was the small matter of Schuinshoogte. It was February 1881, and General Sir George Pomeroy Colley was in a bind. Boer patrols under Commander J. D. Weilbach were constantly harassing his communications with Newcastle. Colley was determined to act. The recent defeat at Laing's Nek had energized the Boers, and he needed to clear the road between Newcastle and Mount Prospect. His reinforcements were finally on the way, but first, he had to keep those vital British supply lines open. Deputy President Paul Kruger sent a letter to George Pomeroy Colley on the 12th February 1881, requesting negotiations. “We desire to seek no conflict with the Imperial Government but cannot do otherwise than give the last drop of blood for our lawful right, for which also each Englishmen would give his blood..” Colley wrote back on the 21st February. “Sir I have the honour to acknowledge the receipt of your letter…” “…I must inform you that as soon as the Boers, now in arms against her Majesty's authority, discontinue their armed resistance, Her Majesty's Government is prepared to appoint a Commission…” Both sides had agreed that some kind of Royal Commission would be responsible for investigating the causes of this war. That placated the Boer Triumpherate leadership. Kruger sent another letter on the 28th February 1881, “to this excellency, Sir G Pomeroy Colley… I have the satisfaction … to inform you that we are very thankful for the declaration…” He meant of a commission — Kruger and the Boers were sure they would be exonerated by a proper investigation “It appears to us…” he continued “…that now for the first time since the unhappy day of the annexation, an opportunity occurs of coming to a friendly settlement…” Kruger was calling for a speedy resolution. Colley never read the letter. He was already dead. His end was to come at Majuba on the 27th February. On Saturday night, February 26th, General Colley left his camp again on a secret expedition. With him was a compact force of 405 men, two companies of the 58th Regiment, two of the 3-60th, two of the 92nd highlands, the Naval Brigade, some Hussars, the cavalry. Two other companies of the 3-60th were to leave a little later with reserve ammunition and form a defensive position behind Colley's advancing expedition. The troops had no idea where they were going, only after the march began did word spread they were on their way to a high hill called Majuba to the left of the British camp. From their they would have a commanding view of the Boer camps, and their line of defences on the escarpment flats beyond Laing's Nek. The 3-60th were on the left, facing a difficult pass. They all stopped at a ridge below this imposing mountain, the horses, the Hussars, and the guns were sent back to the camp, there was no way they'd make it up this steep side. That alone should have been a warning to Colley. He knew he was outnumbered by the Boers, but decided to go ahead and climb to the summit of Majuba anyway despite leaving his vital artillery behind. It was a very difficult climb, and they reached the top just before daybreak on the 27th February. Sunday morning. Six hours of toil, but they'd made it, despite the dangerous climb. To his credit, General Colley was the second man to reach the top, behind his two IC Major Fraser. As the sun rose, subaltern's pitched a tent for Colley, the soldiers ate their breakfast, while some began to dig wells for water. Crucially, they were not digging in for battle, presuming that no-one would be able to reach their position — they held the high ground after all.
The provided podcast warns that the open internet and private communication channels are currently being overwhelmed by an unstoppable wave of AI-generated spam and sophisticated bot activity. The author highlights how new open-source tools allow bad actors to automate perfectly tailored scams across iMessage, Gmail, and phone calls, making traditional red flags like typos obsolete. To combat this, the source outlines a "30-minute bunker" strategy involving technical settings such as filtering unknown callers and enabling two-factor authentication. Crucially, it advises readers to adopt a skeptical mindset, suggesting that any highly specific message from a stranger should be treated as artificial. The overarching goal is to provide a temporary defense for individuals to protect their finances and privacy until major platforms can develop better systemic protections. Ultimately, the text serves as a practical guide for surviving a rapidly collapsing digital ecosystem where human interaction is increasingly difficult to verify.
Bletchley Park wasn't built by one man—and history must stop pretending otherwiseFor most people, Bletchley Park means one thing: Alan Turing, Enigma, and a single heroic breakthrough.That story is neat, cinematic—and deeply misleading.In this episode of History Rage, Paul Bavill is joined by historian, author, and Bletchley Park trustee Sir Dermot Turing to dismantle one of Britain's most comfortable Second World War myths. What follows is a forensic, passionate unpicking of how thousands of codebreakers—most of them women—have been written out of history.This is not an attack on Alan Turing. It's a demand for accuracy.Sir Dermot explains why Enigma has become a historical obsession, how it eclipses dozens of other vital ciphers, and why reducing Bletchley Park to a single man does a disservice to everyone involved—including Turing himself. From Spanish and Italian diplomatic codes to Japanese military signals, this episode reveals just how broad, complex, and international the intelligence war really was.Crucially, the conversation exposes how women codebreakers were systematically downgraded by job titles, pay grades, and later historians. Clerical assistants, typists, and “support staff” were in reality performing some of the hardest cryptographic work of the war—often better than the men promoted over them. Figures such as Joan Clarke, Wendy White, Helen Hazelden, Marie Rose Egan, and many others emerge not as footnotes, but as central players.This episode also explores:Why Enigma machines themselves were never the real secretHow civil service bureaucracy distorted the historical recordThe hidden importance of German diplomatic intelligenceWhy Bletchley Park was far messier, more political, and more human than popular culture admitsIf you think you know the story of Bletchley Park, this episode will make you angry—for all the right reasons.About the Guest: Sir Dermot TuringSir Dermot Turing is a historian, author, and trustee of Bletchley Park, specialising in intelligence history and overlooked figures of the Second World War. He is the nephew of Alan Turing and a leading voice challenging simplistic narratives around wartime codebreaking.Recommended Reading
This morning, Ariana Grande has announced a brand new album, WOOHOO!. Plus, filming has begun of the movie installment of The Summer I Turned Pretty, and the Friends cast is still making an amount of money that will make you want to quit everything. ☕ Huge news from Ariana Grande ☕ TSITP is BACK baby! ☕ Helena Bonham Carter's White Lotus Season 4 replacement announced ☕ The INSANE amount the cast of Friends make in residuals every year ☕ Ed Sheeran shaves his head for a fresh start and reveals a secret health battle THE END BITSOnce you’ve devoured this morning’s celeb stories, get your daily news headlines from The Quicky here.You can now watch some of our episodes in full length video on the Apple Podcast app - make sure your phone is up to date and we can't wait for you to see LINK: https://podcasts.apple.com/au/podcast/the-spill/id1473523403Support independent women's media SUBSCRIPTION GIVEAWAY:Win a $2,000 Bed Threads voucher. Subscribe to Mamamia here before April 30 to be automatically entered. Current subscriber? You're already in the draw. T&Cs apply.Follow us on TikTok, Instagram and Facebook. And subscribe to our Youtube channel.Read all the latest entertainment news on Mamamia... here.Discover more Mamamia Podcasts here.CREDITSHost & Producer: Ash LondonExecutive Producer: Monisha Iswaran Mamamia acknowledges the traditional owners of the land on which we have recorded this podcast. You're listening to Amma Mia podcast. Good morning, angels. 00:18Speaker 2 I hope you're having a wonderful harm day, because I have an absolute treat of an episode for you. I'm Ace London and today's tea is so hot I almost didn't want to share it almost Today, Ariana Grande has announced a brand new album, Thanks the Lord. Filming has begun for the summer I Turned Pretty film Lisa Kudrow has casually revealed how much the Friends cast still makes in residuals and it's way more than you think. Anneeded Sheeran has check notes, shaved his head. 00:46Speaker 1 Let's pause, some tea babes, all right. 00:48Speaker 2 Ariana Grande has officially announced her eighth studio album, and it is called Petal and drops July thirty one. Now, with all the wicked action, you might have forgotten something very important, and that is that Ariana is responsible for some of the best pop bangers of the past decade, Dangerous Woman, Yes and Side to Side seven Rings Thank You Next the. 01:06Speaker 1 List literally goes on. 01:08Speaker 2 Ari described the album as something that is full of life and growing through the cracks of something cold and hard and challenging. So Jessic confirmed, we're getting a new Ari album, a tour, and she's starring in a new Fokker in Law film with Robert T. 01:20Speaker 1 Nira and Ben Stilla Lady this year, Someone get this Girl a. 01:23Speaker 2 Massage out of facial stash. Exciting news for fans of the summer I Turned Pretty filmy has officially begun this week for the film installment. First scenes are being shot in Wilmington, North Carolina, and production. 01:35Speaker 1 Is expected to run for about two months. 01:38Speaker 2 The cast are reportedly getting paid for the equivalent of three episodes, which makes sense when you break down timings. Belly, Jeremiah, and Conrad, of course are returning, but additional supporting cast members are yet to be now and so there will no doubt be some surprises to come. Jenny Hahn, who wrote the iconic book trilogy, has hindered that the film will center on another big milestone in Belly's journey, and we're thinking people motherhood. 02:01Speaker 1 Surely she's too young for that. I suppose we'll have to wait and see. 02:04Speaker 2 Now. I know we talked about Helena Bottom Carter exiting White Loatus season four earlier this week, and I promised you I keep you posted on who was stepping in while the answer has arrived and it's a good one. 02:14Speaker 1 Oscar win out. 02:15Speaker 2 Laura Dern has joined the season forecast, stepping in after Helena's exit. Crucially, she's not taking over Helena's role. That character has been scrapped entirely. Instead, Mike White has written a brand new character specifically for her. Now this is not a random casting either. They go way back. They created the HBO cult favorite Enlightened together, for which Durn won a Golden Globe, and whitebrote and directed the two thousand and seven film Year of the Dog with Laura Dern. They were even photographed together having somemovies in La last July, which fans were speculating at a time was a White Lotus meeting. 02:49Speaker 1 It took nine months, but fans, as always, were right, and here we are sticking around. 02:54Speaker 2 Billie Eilish gives us a lesson in astrology, and the Friends cast is still making an obscene amount of money from his jewels. 03:03Speaker 1 Welcome back to your morning tea. 03:05Speaker 2 This next story is either going to delight you or make you want a life faced down on the floor, possibly both. 03:09Speaker 1 Lisa Kudro has revealed in a new interview. 03:11Speaker 2 With the Times of London that the Friend's cast is still earning a jaw dropping amount from the show. I'm talking twenty million dollars in residuals two decades after it ended. Now Friends generates about a billion dollars annually for Warner Brothers through broadcast rights and syndication, and each cast member received two percent of that twenty million dollars a year for a show that wrapped in two thousand and four. 03:35Speaker 1 I'm thrilled for them, and also I need. 03:38Speaker 2 To go and cry in a closet while I lament my measly sayings in super write a quick but important one. 03:43Speaker 1 Next Ed Sheerann has shaved your head. The ginger hair has gone. 03:45Speaker 2 He's bald, and he's explained why in an Instagram post ed wrote, yes, I've shaved my hair. I wanted to shave it to signify a fresh start, a lot of new beginnings in my life at the moment. I love it thinking of keeping it this way. He also revealed he's been privately battling shit she can go for the past month, writing wouldn't recommend it, but on the Men's now it is about to recummens. He's looped to a heading to the Dominican Republic next week, and I'll leave you this. Billy Ailey sat down with l for quick Q and A and included this cheeky astrology Listen, what. 04:15Speaker 3 Is a common misconception about Sagittarius's bitch. Those are not misconceptions, those are true. Here's the thing about astrology. That shit is real. That shit is true. And this is coming from a person who if somebody brought up astrology, I would be like, oh my God, please shut the fuck up. And then I met a Gemini man and I dated as ass and then I believed in astrology. And since then, no matter what, without a doubt, I can recognize a Gemini from a mile away girl. Gemini's amazing life of the party. My favorite people in the world. Male Geminis go to help, so Sagittarius is. Here's the real conception, not misconception, conception about Sagittarius's loud, stubborn, obnoxious, bossy, funny, insane, sexy, good in bed. Yeah, kind of flaky, also a little flaky. 05:13Speaker 1 I'm working on it and I could not love that check anyway. That is it for today's morning tea. 05:17Speaker 2 Thank you for spending a couple of minutes of your Wednesday hanging out with me, Ash London. 05:21Speaker 1 I'm your host and producer. 05:23Speaker 2 Menisia Is Warren is the executive producer, and of course the girls that be back right here in your feet with three pm. So make sure you check back later in the day and in the meantime follow us on all the socials. I'll be back tomorrow. Chat then and have a wonderful day. Bye, Mamma Mia acknowledges the traditional owners of the land. 05:42Speaker 1 We have recorded this podcast on the Gatigor people of the eorination. We pay our respects to their elders past and present, and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures.Become a Mamamia subscriber: https://www.mamamia.com.au/subscribeSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Dom Waterson of the Sheep Farm podcast guests to talk about his long-awaited book ‘Traitors: The Plandemic Politicians.' In this, he re-visits those dark days of 2020 and beyond from a UK perspective, scrutinising the backgrounds and affiliations of the treasonous politicians who enforced the fraud, treason and genocide.Crucially, this includes examining their genealogy. Equally crucially, throughout, Dom offsets much of the gloom by applying the irreverent, acerbic wit for which Sheep Farm has become known.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/good-vibrations-podcast--2594848/support.
Reflecting on his childhood during the Iran-Iraq War, Abdul-Ahad recalls the pervasive militarization of society, where children wore military uniforms and celebrated hollow "victories." Saddam Hussein was revered as the "Leader of Necessity," justifying his absolute authority. Crucially, Abdul-Ahad argues that pre-2003 Iraq was defined by class and geography rather than sectarianism — the Sunni-Shia divide was a narrative largely "imposed" by exiles and the conditions created by the American-led war. (2)1746
A frustrated Donald Trump is mulling more personnel changes, Politico reports, potentially targeting his Commerce and Labor secretaries. As one official confides: “He's very angry and he's going to be moving people.” The Politico piece depicts unnerved aides parsing his fury like tea leaves and disconcertedly leaking to reporters about who's on “thin ice.” Crucially, Trump is mulling changes that would make him look better on the economy—where a new poll is absolutely brutal—and in hopes of getting them through before a midterm loss makes them harder. Indeed, Time reports that his advisers delivered bad news about internal polling showing that his midterm problems have taken a worse turn due to the war. We talked to New Republic staff writer Kate Aronoff, who writes well about the crises Trump is losing control over. We discuss why real-world complexities are so elusive to Trump and the real meaning of his ongoing collision with the limits of his magical thinking. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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